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Massachusetts lawmakers unveil compounding pharmacy bill
Bill designed to tighten regulations on state's compounding pharmacies
Beacon Hill lawmakers have unveiled a bill they say will tighten regulations on the state's compounding pharmacies in the wake of a fatal nationwide meningitis outbreak linked to a Massachusetts pharmacy.
The Public Health Committee approved the measure Tuesday. Supporters say it will modernize oversight by mandating unannounced inspections of compounding pharmacies and requiring them to report their drug production by type and volume.
The bill also incorporates proposals by Gov. Deval Patrick to create specialty licenses for all in-state and out-of-state sterile compounding pharmacies and create whistleblower protections for pharmacy workers.
The industry has come under scrutiny after a fungal meningitis outbreak traced to tainted steroids produced at the now-shuttered New England Compounding Pharmacy in Framingham killed 61 people and sickened more than 749 others.
Inspections last September found unsanitary conditions at the company's facility.
Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, co-chairman of the committee, said the goal of the bill is to ensure "high standards in quality control and sterility" at the pharmacies.
"These are achievable standards, and standards they must meet in order to prevent another tragedy," said Sanchez, D-Boston.
The bill is also intended to improve communication between prescribers, pharmacies, regulators and the public. Part of that communication includes the requirement that the pharmacies provide a telephone hotline for patients.
Sanchez said the bill also recognizes the role that specialty compounding pharmacies play in filling in the "grey area" of modern health care.
Compounding pharmacies mix customized injections, creams and other medications in formulas specified by doctors.
They have traditionally been overseen by state boards of pharmacy. But those bodies have struggled to police larger compounding operations that have emerged in recent years, producing medications in bulk and shipping them across state lines.
The New England Compounding Center shipped more than 17,600 doses of the pain injection implicated in the case.
In November, Massachusetts began requiring the pharmacies to report the volume and distribution of their medications to state regulators for the first time.
Patrick said at the time that the new rule was intended to help alert the state when a pharmacy like NECC is acting more like a manufacturer and should obtain a license from the federal Food and Drug Administration.
Patrick also ordered state regulators to begin unannounced inspections last fall. Previously, pharmacies were inspected only when they opened, relocated or were the subject of complaints.
In December, those inspections led to actions against three compounding pharmacies.
Sanchez said the bill would ensure that the unannounced inspections continue after Patrick leaves office.
The bill unveiled Tuesday would also:
- Require pharmacies and clinicians to report serious adverse drug events to state agencies and the FDA;
- Create a database to inform the public of pharmacies or pharmaceutical preparation associated with serious adverse events;
- Mandate the state to track all sterilely compounded drugs made by state-licensed pharmacies;
- Require compounded drugs be clearly labeled.
Eric Kastango, a member of Patrick's Task Force on Compounding, said in a statement that the bill "will serve as a national model ensuring patient safety and of the robust oversight of the compounding practices."
Deaths and injuries linked to the New England Compounding Pharmacy have been reported in 20 states, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been no deaths or injuries in Massachusetts.
The bill now heads to the full House and Senate.


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Junior Boys slip in loss to Sault
Staff Writer
Cheboygan Daily Tribune
Cheboygan had a better day on Saturday, when they picked up a 23-1 victory over Onaway.
Cheboygan was led by four hits from Smith (three RBIs), while Anderson (five RBIs), Grisdale (four RBIs and Hiller (home run, three RBIs) all had three. Bell (two RBIs) and Jeannotte (two RBIs), Kelley (RBI) and Christie (two runs) each notched two hits, with Craig Bongard (RBI) adding a hit.
Read more HERE in Tuesday's Edition of the Daily Tribune

subset: commoncrawl


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Bill Maher called Sarah Palin a "dumb twat," launching Presidential campaigner Michel Bachmann into a rage that there is a double-standard when it comes to conservative women.
But how does the former Governor feel?
Eh, she does not seem to be offended.
"I need NOW's defense like a fish needs a bicycle," she told Greta van Susteren. "I don't want them to defend me."
She feels that there might be a double standard -- or maybe not -- but the important thing is to keep focused on her goals.
"So what? Let's just work harder, produce more, produce better, and get over it," she said. "I'm through whining about a liberal press that holds especially conservative women to a different standard."
Okay, fair. But what if someone attacked Palin's daughter, female friend, or relative?
"I'm not going to retreat on that. I'll reload, and I'll tell them what I think about them. I'll hold them accountable for what they say about other women because in that respect it's not fair.
And really, it is the liberal commentators who are guilty.
"I don't think I have heard hosts on Fox say the things that hosts on MSNBC would say."
Video below.


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March 17, 2012— -- Shock echoed down the street in Lake Tapp, Wash., where Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, named as the suspect who allegedly went on a rampage, murdering 16 Afghan civilians, was remembered as a family man and "good guy."
"I just can't believe Bob's the guy who did this," neighbor Paul Wohlberg told the Associated Press. "A good guy got put in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Neighbors painted a picture of the career soldier as a family man who spoke little about his deployments.
Kassie Holland, a neighbor, told the Associated Press that she would see Bales playing with his daughter Quincy, 4, and son Bobby, 3.
"My reaction is that I'm shocked," she said. "I can't believe it was him. There were no signs... He always had a good attitude about being in the service. He was never really angry about it. When I heard him talk, he said, it seemed like, yeah, that's my job. That's what I do. He never expressed a lot of emotion toward it."
Bales' platoon leader in Iraq described him to the Washington Post as an exemplary soldier who "saved many a life."
"Bales is still, hands down, one of the best soldiers I ever worked with," Army Capt. Chris Alexander , 28, told the newspaper.
Bales, 38, remains locked up today in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he is being housed in a private cell away from other inmates.
Charges are expected soon against the career soldier, who was flown out of Afghanistan and arrived at the Army prison Friday night.
Bales is accused of breaking into several Afghan homes in the middle of the night last Sunday and killing 16 civilians, mostly women and children. He could face the death penalty if found guilty.
Pentagon officials said that Bales' being brought back to the U.S. does not necessarily mean that his military court proceedings will be held in the U.S., holding out the possibility that they could be held in Afghanistan. The Afghan government is demanding that Bales be tried in Afghanistan.
Details of Bales' military record have also emerged and they depict a soldier who has seen intense combat and lost part of a foot.
Bales, who enlisted shortly after the 9/11 terror attacks, was first deployed in November 2003 when his unit spent a year in Mosul, Iraq.
In June 2006 he and his unit were sent back to Iraq and their year-long deployment was given a three month extension until September 2007. During that time, he saw duty in Mosul in the north, Bagdad when the city was pressed by militants, and then to Baquba where his unit took major casualties.
His final Iraq deployment was from September 2009 to September 2010 in Diyala province, which was also a hotbed of insurgent activity.
In December 2011, he was ordered to Afghanistan.
Bales' alleged murderous rage is in stark contrast to what he said after a fierce battle in Zarqa, Iraq, in 2007.
"I've never been more proud to be a part of this unit than that day for the simple fact that we discriminated between the bad guys and the noncombatants and then afterward we ended up helping the people that three or four hours before were trying to kill us," he told Fort Lewis' Northwest Guardian.
"I think that's the real difference between being an American as opposed to being a bad guy, someone who puts his family in harm's way like that," Bales said at the time.
John Henry Browne, Bales' lawyer in Seattle, told The Associated Press Thursday that the soldier had witnessed his friend's leg blown off the day before the massacre.
Bales reportedly spent his entire 11-year career at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state and lived not too far from the base. Originally from the Midwest, he was deployed with the Second Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in December.
Browne said that he was highly decorated and had once been nominated for a Bronze Star though he did not receive it. He also lost part of a foot because of a combat injury.
"He's never said anything antagonistic about Muslims. He's in general very mild-mannered," Browne told the AP.
Bales reportedly left Camp Belambay, where he was stationed to protect Special Operation Forces creating local militias, in the middle of the night wearing night-vision goggles, according to a source. The shooting occurred at 3 a.m. in three houses in two villages in the Panjway district of southern Kandahar province.
In the first village, more than a mile south of the base, he allegedly killed four people in the first house. In the second house, he allegedly killed 11 family members -- four girls, four boys and three adults.
According to a member of the Afghan investigation team and ABC News' interviews, he then walked back to another village past his base and killed one more person. He reportedly returned to the base on his own and turned himself in calmly.
An official told ABC News that the soldier had suffered a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the past, either from hitting his head on the hatch of a vehicle or in a car accident. He reportedly went through the advanced TBI treatment at Fort Lewis and was deemed to be fine.
He also underwent mental health screening necessary to become a sniper and passed in 2008. He had routine behavioral health screening after that and was cleared, the official said.
When the soldier returned from his last deployment in Iraq he had difficulty reintegrating, including marital problems, the source told ABC News. But officials concluded that he had worked through those issues before deploying to Afghanistan.
On Thursday, Browne said that Bales' marriage was "fabulous."
Afghan political leaders have called for the shooter to be tried publicly in Afghan courts, but U.S. military officials say the case will be handled in U.S. military courts. A U.S. military official says Afghan officials were made aware of the transfer before it occurred.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.


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Press Releases
Fortinet Appoints Redington Value as Distributor for the Middle East
Dubai, UAE., October 18, 2015 – Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT) – the global leader in high-performance cybersecurity solutions- today that it has appointed Redington Value as its new value added distributor for the Middle East. The strategic partnership is in line with Fortinet's aggressive regional growth and expansion plans. This move means that Fortinet's market leading security solutions will now be distributed by Redington Value, Exclusive Networks and Oxygen.
Redington Value will distribute Fortinet's entire security solutions portfolio across the GCC, Saudi Arabia, Levant, Pakistan and Sub-Saharan Africa. Fortinet's class leading next generation firewall and UTM technology, as well as its end-to-end security solutions covering perimeter, core networks, server, datacenter, application and wireless access security marketplace will also enable the distributor to target more segments and verticals such as telecom operators, service providers and MSSPs, through proven cloud ready and network embedded security as-a-service solutions.
In addition, the distributor will provide customers with pre- and post-sales services and support, training, consultancy, proof of concept facilities, and end user demand generation, as part of its value-added services offering.
"We are excited to work with Redington Value, and look forward to strengthening our already healthy position in the market," said Alain Penel, Regional Vice President- Middle East at Fortinet. "Redington's wide regional presence, extensive reach and network of partners, coupled with its impressive track record is just what Fortinet needs to address the growing demand for advanced security solutions. The distributor has also demonstrated expertise and commitment to growing Fortinet's market share, so we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Redington Value functioning as an enablement partner to the channel."
"Fortinet is the number one security vendor in the region, it has the strongest security portfolio and its solutions are what this market needs. With Redington's depth of coverage and focus on the value-add model, this is a perfect fit for both companies," said Ramkumar Balakrishnan, President, Redington Value Distribution. "For our partners, this is a compelling proposition to find Fortinet within Redington's portfolio. We are committed to increasing Fortinet's market share, and will address key verticals such as oil & gas, education, manufacturing and also the commercial markets in the mid-market segment. At the same time, it is also our priority to increase training capabilities and help channel enablement in a programmatic manner."
Redington Value is the largest and fastest growing VAD in the region, with a specific focus in the security arena as one of the key pillars in its portfolio and go to market. The distributor has the best coverage and relies on industry leading professionals to provide the most comprehensive solution to its customers and vendors. Along with the highest number of certified presales and post-sales resources in the industry (30% of the staff), Redington Value also has the highest investment in demo and POCs in the industry.
About Fortinet
Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) protects the most valuable assets of some of the largest enterprise, service provider and government organizations across the globe. The company's fast, secure and global cyber security solutions provide broad, high-performance protection against dynamic security threats while simplifying the IT infrastructure. They are strengthened by the industry's highest level of threat research, intelligence and analytics. Unlike pure-play network security providers, Fortinet can solve organizations' most important security challenges, whether in networked, application or mobile environments - be it virtualized/cloud or physical. More than 210,000 customers worldwide, including some of the largest and most complex organizations, trust Fortinet to protect their brands. Learn more at http://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog or FortiGuard Labs.
Copyright © 2015 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and unregistered trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet's trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, FortiGate, FortiGuard, FortiManager, FortiMail, FortiClient, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiReporter, FortiOS, FortiASIC, FortiWiFi, FortiSwitch, FortiVoIP, FortiBIOS, FortiLog, FortiResponse, FortiCarrier, FortiScan, FortiAP, FortiDB, FortiVoice and FortiWeb. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments. This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve uncertainties and assumptions, such as statements regarding product releases. Changes of circumstances, product release delays, or other risks as stated in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, located at www.sec.gov, may cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this press release. If the uncertainties materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Fortinet assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, and expressly disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.


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Wanna File Online RTI for pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh? Here are some points to keep while filing RTI for Andra Pradesh.
Recognize the department to which send your RTI application.
For example, any information required about the police should be filed to the own police station and if it is regarding transport service in the city it has to go to State Transport Department (pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh State Road Transport Corporation RTI). It is very important to classify and send the pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh RTI Application to the exact department. Failure to do so results in refusal or delay in getting a response as the application would have to be transferred to the suitable authority.
Questions can be in Telugu or English.
Response from administration can also be either in Telugu or English. The Government of pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh supports RTI Application in Telugu, the local language. This makes sure that a citizen can convey his query apparently in the language he is relaxed with. You can read and use the RTI layout in English to file online RTI in English. Make sure that the query narrates to only one subject material otherwise it might get discarded, according to the RTI Act
Departments under pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh Government
All pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh State Government Departments and local governing bodies in pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh such as Town Councils, Municipal Corporations, and Gram Panchayats come under the domain of pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh Government
The list of pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh State Government Departments:
If you want to file RTI online ap chittoor pulicherla , then there are certain things you need to keep in mind while filing an RTI application.
So here are steps for apply online rti pulicherla chittoor andhra pradesh:
Your RTI Application has to be as per the RTI Rules and Fees for Andhra pradesh. The application fee is Rs.10/- to be paid by Bank's Demand Draft or Pay Order [Banker's Cheque] or Indian Postal Order or in Cash against receipt. Applicants holding BPL(Below Poverty Line) certificate do not have to pay any application fee.
Information in A-3 or A-4 size paper - Rs.2 per page,
Large size: actual cost,
Publications: actual cost.
CD: Rs.50/- per CD.
Inspection: Rs.10/- for first hour and Rs.5/- for every 15 minutes or part thereof thereafter.
In the case of maps and plans etc. the fee shall be fixed by the concerned PIO in each case depending upon the cost of labour and material required to be employed.
The amount of fee shall be deposited in the following head of account: "Receipts under Right to Information Act, 2005."
RTI for Industrial development issues: Industry Development Council answerable under the RTI Act.
RTI for Passport verification issues: File an RTI application for passport verification
RTI to know the Cost of projects undertaken by the MLA and MP: Get information on allocation of funds used by MLA/MP of pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI for MGNREGA works details: File pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh an RTI application for MGNREGA Scam .
RTI against Pradhan / Mukhiya / local representatives: File RTI to know the Cost of projects undertaken by the Pradhan/Mukhiya/local representatives.
RTI in Municipal Corporation: RTI for Water problems shortage and sewer problems.
RTI for MDM issues: File RTI Online for corruption in Mid Day Meal.
RTI against MLA and MP: File RTI to know the Cost of projects undertaken by the MLA and MP of pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI in Government Hospital: File RTI for Health and sanitation in pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI for Birth and death certificate: File RTI pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh for Birth and death certificate issues in Municipal Corporation pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI for Education: RTI for Education, at primary middle and secondary levels of school.
RTI for Housing development issues: File RTI pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh for Housing development issues in pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI for PF return : File an RTI Online to Get The Status of Your EPF Withdrawal or EPF Transfer Request in pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI for Police complaint: File RTI for Police complaint made but not getting any reply form them for long time in pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
RTI for Rural and panchayatiraj work : File RTI pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh for Rural and panchayatiraj and rural development works in pulicherla, chittoor, andhra pradesh.
Endowments Department, Chittoor
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Mandal Revenue Office, Piler
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Mandal Development Officer, Pulicherla
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Cherlopalli Sachivalayam, Panchayat Secretary
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Sri Venkateswara Institute Of Medical Sciences
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Nagari Municipality
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
Chittoor Municipal Corporation
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh
RTI Act, 2005 doesn't give a particular Format to RTI Application. You can write an RTI Application in any Format.For your benefit, we are giving a basic example RTI Application Format. Simply draft your application according to design and append IPO or DD according to requirement and send it to the concerned PIO.
If still you face trouble in drafting RTI application, at that point take our help in filing RTI online. Simply click on the Apply Now and Fill the RTI Application Form. We will file your RTI for Andhra pradesh.


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9:00 am-3:00 pm
Each day we welcome hundreds of friends, neighbors and visitors, who come to worship, pray and quietly explore. If you find yourself in the middle of Midtown with some time on your hands, please stop by. You won't regret it.
If you enter the church during a worship service, please join us. Simply have a seat in one of the pews. For services at the High Altar, leaflets are available from an usher. For services in the Chantry Chapel (which is to the left side after you enter the Fifth Avenue doors), service cards are available at the entrance to the aisle approximately 20 minutes before the start of the service. During worship services, please turn off all mobile devices. The use of cameras and recording devices is strictly prohibited. We encourage you to particpate in the worship service, but you are also welcome to sit quiety and observe.
If you visit when no organized event is underway, you are generally free to walk around the nave and Chantry Chapel to explore the wonders of the church. Printed self-guided tour pamphlets are available in the narthex, just inside the Fifth Avenue doors. You might notice others quietly praying or meditating, or someone at the rail in the Chantry Chapel venerating the Blessed Sacrament. Still others might be softly speaking with a priest or staff member. So while you may take photos during these times, and roam freely within the nave (the public area of the church), we ask that you take care not to disturb others. Silencing your electronic devices will help.


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Thursday, January 26, 2012
Contact: Suzanne Calvin (firstname.lastname@example.com)
Or Megan Meister (email@example.com)
SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 at 7:30 PM
ARLINGTON, TX, JANUARY 26, 2012 – The Dallas Opera, in partnership with Cowboys Stadium, is extremely proud to announce the first classical music simulcast ever conducted in a North Texas sports venue. The announcement was made earlier today by representatives of both organizations—Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny and Charlotte Jones Anderson, Executive Vice-President Brand Management/President of Charities—following a meeting of Dallas Opera Board held on-site at the stadium.
Gene Jones (the wife of Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones), whose vision led to the Stadium's museum-quality collection of contemporary art, was on-hand to welcome guests and attending media. Setting the stage for today's announcement, Ms. Jones explained, "Sports and art are not typically thought of as belonging together. Yet sporting events and great art do something similar—they get people talking."
The Dallas Opera's 2012 Cowboys Stadium Simulcast of Mozart's THE MAGIC FLUTE will take place on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 7:30 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM) at the high-tech home of the Dallas Cowboys at One Legends Way in Arlington, Texas. Patrons will be able to enjoy a complete, unabridged live performance on the world's largest high-definition video board structure, comprised of four massive viewing screens (the largest, 72 feet tall and 160 feet wide) suspended directly above the playing field.
Seating will be reserved and free tickets can be obtained through the Dallas Opera website, effective immediately, at www.dallasopera.org/cowboys.
"We are excited to partner with the Dallas Opera on such a distinctive event," said Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President of Brand Management Charlotte Anderson. "Our organization admires and respects The Dallas Opera's original thinking and stewardship in making a ground-breaking event like this a reality. We truly value the importance of the arts in our community, and we hope that this first-of-its-kind opera broadcast gives us a way of sharing our love of the arts with a new audience at Cowboys Stadium."
"One of the goals of the Dallas Opera is to bring great singing and world-class theater to the widest possible audience," explains Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny. "As part of our commitment to expanding our community outreach we are thrilled to announce an unprecedented, 'game-changing' collaboration with the Cowboys organization. Let me also say that the Dallas Opera is especially grateful for the generous support of the Jones Family, encouraging our efforts to create one of the most unique and memorable events in the history of this opera company.
"I hope that the centralized location of Cowboys Stadium will draw music and theater lovers from all across North Texas to this free simulcast of Mozart's action-packed masterpiece," Mr. Cerny adds, "especially those who, for a variety of reasons, have perceived opera as an intimidating or challenging art form, rather than the fantastic entertainment experience it is."
THE MAGIC FLUTE will star soprano Ava Pine, the Dallas Opera's very first Resident Young Artist, in the role of Pamina—one of her personal favorites. Ms. Pine, a Baroque specialist with a tremendous local fan base, made her Dallas Opera debut as Anna in our 2006 production of Nabucco, and has appeared on our stage in numerous roles including Adele in Die Fledermaus, Zozo in The Merry Widow, Elvira in L'italiana in Algeri, the Slave in Salome and, most recently, as one of three featured artists in the Dallas Opera's Family Concert, performed in the Winspear last November.
Wherever she goes, Ms. Pine makes the critics struggle for superlatives. Of her 2008 role debut as Adele, Dallas Morning News Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell wrote: "She can sparkle through coloratura, but also radiate lower-register warmth. And she's no less dazzling an actress, dancing, flirting and pretty much tying everyone around her little finger."
Earlier this season, Ms. Pine appeared with the DSO in Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2 conducted by Jaap van Zweden, Bach cantatas with the New Jersey Symphony, and Handel's Messiah with Boston Baroque and Duke University. She also made her role debut as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro at Opera Colorado and sang the title role in Handel's Theodora at the University of North Texas with Dallas Opera Music Director Graeme Jenkins conducting.
Ava Pine's performance is made possible with support from The Charron and Peter Denker Rising Stars Endowment Fund.
Alongside Ms. Pine, the Dallas Opera has cast celebrated tenor Shawn Mathey as Tamino. "He is simply one of the finest Mozartean tenors in the world," explains Artistic Director Jonathan Pell "and we have spent years trying to tempt him to come to Dallas for his long-awaited debut on our stage. I think audiences will find him absolutely thrilling, from his first note to his last."
Mr. Mathey's 2011-12 Season engagements have included debuts with San Francisco Opera as Don Ottavio and with Rome's Teatro dell'Opera as Lysander in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is also slated to record Bruckner's Mass No. 3 in F minor with Marek Janowski conducting the Orchestre de la Suisse Romand. Praised by Lawrence A. Johnson of Chicago Classical Review for "displaying a honeyed tenor and proving both ardent and amusing," Mr. Mathey is in tremendous demand overseas (Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, Italy, and Sweden) as well as at opera companies across the U.S.
Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi, a comic genius who nearly galloped away with the Dallas Opera's final production in the Music Hall, The Italian Girl in Algiers, returns in the role of the original Birdman, Papageno, Tamino's love-sick companion. The multifaceted Mr. Carfizzi's recent engagements include Paolo in Simon Boccanegra with San Francisco Opera, Brander in Le damnation de Faust (Berlioz) at New York's Metropolitan Opera, Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles for Seattle Opera, Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia for the Canadian Opera Company, and additional roles at the Met including Schaunard in La bohème, the Mandarin in Turandot, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Haly in L'italiana in Algeri and Peter Quince in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Slovakian soprano L'ubica Vargicová, praised by the international media for her remarkable technique, her glittering high notes, and her commanding stage presence has made the Queen of the Night a signature role since her operatic debut while still a student in Bratislava, and she has left audiences gasping around the world. The New York Times wrote of her Metropolitan Opera debut in this role, that Ms. Vargicová "dispatched the Queen of the Night's devilish coloratura with fearless attack, bright tone, and impressive accuracy." That she is breathtakingly beautiful is merely the icing on the cake; it is her artistry in the coloratura repertoire that has enabled her to earn rave reviews as Lucia di Lammermoor, Ophelia, Amina in Bellini's La sonnambula, and Marie in La Fille du régiment opposite Juan Diego Flórez. She has appeared in prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall to Japan's finest concert halls, in the wake of her dazzling 2003 Salzburg Festival debut as Olympia in Les Contes d'Hoffmann (a landmark production staged by David McVicar and conducted by Kent Nagano).
Bass Raymond Aceto, the chilling Sparafucile in the Dallas Opera's acclaimed 2011 production of Rigoletto, has appeared in more than a dozen productions with TDO since his 1995 debut as Monterone, portraying a host of unforgettable characters from Leporello in Don Giovanni (2003), Colline in La bohème (1999), and Fafner in Siegfried (2000) to Lodovico in the Dallas Opera's 2009 inaugural production in the Winspear Opera House: Verdi's Otello.
Opera News reported in November 2008 "The American bass has a magnificently warm, round and full voice coupled to a compelling stage presence." He was also identified as one of the "world class" artists in the Dallas Opera's cast of Rigoletto (Opera Warhorses) and his performance was termed "a rare treat."
Engagements this season have included the roles of Banquo in Macbeth at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Timur in Turandot for San Francisco Opera. This summer, after appearing as Sarastro in our production of Mozart's The Magic Flute, Mr. Aceto will portray the cruel Baron Scarpia in the Santa Fe Opera Festival production of Tosca.
Bass Kevin J. Langan, who has sung numerous roles with the Dallas Opera, will appear in the role of The Speaker. He was recently described as "the complete package: vibrant, ringing tone, polished phrasing, incisive diction and convincing, unfussy acting" (MusicalCriticism.com).
Mr. Langan has nearly 1300 performances to his credit and a vast repertoire (more than 80 roles from the early Baroque through the 20th century) that has made him a leading bass for San Francisco Opera for three decades. Recently, he became the first artist in SFO history to sing 300 performances in leading roles. Mr. Langan has also been a leading bass for Lyric Opera of Chicago for the past eleven years, in addition to fourteen seasons—and 165 performances—at Santa Fe. It was at Sante Fe Opera that he created the role of Henry Mosher in the 1996 world premiere of Tobias Picker's Emmeline, broadcast on PBS.
A native of New York City, Mr. Langan's talents can be enjoyed on numerous opera DVD releases. His orchestral appearances have ranged from the Cincinnati May Festival as Rocco in Fidelio under Music Director James Conlon, The Caramoor Festival as Rocco in Leonore under John Nelson, The Pittsburgh Symphony in Mahler's Das Klagende Lied, and the Chicago Symphony in Janacek's Glagolitic Mass (both under Michael Tilson Thomas). Other appearances include Trulove in The Rake's Progress with The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra under Edo de Waart, and Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex with The National Symphony in Washington.
Tenor David Cangelosi, one of the most consistently insightful opera artist bloggers in cyberspace, will sing the role of Monostatos. Heaped with critical plaudits for his contributions to the success of the recent San Francisco Ring Cycle, Heard and Seen International declared him: "…possibly the greatest Mime ever. Nobody has ever been more effective or as amusing as David Cangelosi…he made every minute of this often annoying role a total pleasure." He most recently appeared with the Dallas Opera in our monumental, widely acclaimed 2011 production of Boris Godunov. Prior to the role of Shuisky, Mr. Cangelosi made a memorable marriage broker in TDO's revival of the Francesca Zambello production of Madama Butterfly that closed the 2010 Season.
David Cangelosi has firmly established himself as an artist who combines both excellent singing and winning characterizations with opera companies and symphony orchestras, worldwide. In 2004, Mr. Cangelosi made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Mime in Das Rheingold, conducted by James Levine, and returned in recent seasons for performances of Incredibile in Andrea Chenier, Tinca in Il tabarro, and the dual role of Nathanael/Spalanzani in Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Other roles at the Metropolitan Opera have included Basilio (The Marriage of Figaro), Goro (Madama Butterfly), and Spoletta (Tosca).
"This production from Lyric Opera of Chicago," says Dallas Opera Artistic Director Jonathan Pell "is the most magical Magic Flute I've ever experienced. It's been revived there, time and again, because it's so immensely popular but it's a production that could never have been done in our previous performance venue.
"Our move to the Winspear Opera House has finally made it possible to bring this incredibly charming, classic, August Everding production to Dallas and we've gone out of our way to stack-the-deck with the addition of a delightful cast."
Mozart's 1791 masterpiece is one of the greatest comic operas of all time, made all the more interesting by the poignant—even disturbing—moments endured by the lead characters, as they attempt to earn their "happy ending."
The Magic Flute comes by its zany plot honestly, having been inspired not only by 18th century Masonic practices, but by literature reflecting several different traditions. Among these is the 1731 Viennese essay (supposedly translated from an ancient Greek source) about an Egyptian prince named "Sethos" who is called upon to endure an initiation by the four elements: fire, water, earth and air. He is also forced to battle a giant serpent.
The Magic Flute also contains hints of an Arthurian Romance from the late Middle Ages, in which the hero is discovered and aided by three mysterious ladies. Later in the tale, the hero encounters a curious character covered in animal skins that bears more than a passing resemblance to this opera's famously endearing birdman, Papageno.
The music, on the other hand, couldn't be more polished or more focused. Reflecting the highest ideals of the Age of Enlightenment and filled with wit, warmth, and genuine humanity, The Magic Flute continues to bewitch audiences with its variety of perfectly expressed musical moods—from utterly comic to soaring and sublime.
Soprano Angela Mannino will make her Dallas Opera debut in the role of Papagena, and the Three Ladies will be sung by soprano Caitlin Lynch, mezzo-soprano Lauren McNeese, and mezzo-soprano Maya Lahyani in their company debuts.
Resident Young Artist Aaron Blake will return to the Dallas Opera stage in the dual role of Second Priest and First Man in Armor. Bass Darren K. Stokes will sing the role of the Second Man in Armor.
The simulcast performance will be conducted at the Winspear Opera House by the Dallas Opera's Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director Graeme Jenkins, who most recently raised the baton on our season opening production of Lucia di Lammermoor.
Maestro Jenkins drew tremendous praise for the work that brought our 2010-2011 Season to a close: Modest Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov. According to Dallas Morning News Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell, it was "a triumph for any opera house, anywhere."
Jenkins has conducted more than a hundred different operas from Australia to Amsterdam to Vienna, and has served as music director for this company since 1994.
This production will be staged by Matthew Lata, making his TDO debut.
Mr. Lata has staged more than a hundred productions with leading opera companies throughout the U.S. He began his career as a director on the staff of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for five seasons. During that time he directed revivals and special productions for the Lyric Opera of Chicago Center for American Artists. Mr. Lata served as an apprentice with Jean-Pierre Ponnelle, Frank Corsaro and Lotfi Mansouri under the auspices of the National Opera Institute, and as production stage manager and assistant director for a number of theaters, prior to joining the staff in Chicago.
He has been a script consultant for various theaters, including the New Playwright's Theater in Washington and the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, in addition to regularly staging works for Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Florida Grand Opera. Mr. Lata also directed the world premiere of Anton Coppola's Sacco and Vanzetti to international acclaim at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and staged New York City Opera's National Tour of La Fille du régiment.
He has taught at the University of Missouri/Kansas City and guested at Northwestern and Yale. Currently, he serves as Director of Opera at Florida State University. Mr. Lata is married to the noted mezzo-soprano Phyllis Pancella.
Scenic design for The Magic Flute is by Jörg Zimmermann in his company debut, with costumes designed by Renata Kalanke.
Lighting design will be by Duane Schuler, with wig and make-up designs by David Zimmerman.
Chorus preparation will be by Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom and Children's Chorus Master Melinda Cotton.
Single tickets for the remaining mainstage productions of the Dallas Opera's "Tragic Obsessions" Season are on sale now, starting at just $25, through the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or online at www.dallasopera.org. Student Rush best-available tickets can be purchased at the lobby box office for $25 (one per valid Student I.D.) ninety minutes prior to each performance.
FLEX Subscriptions for the opera lovers in your life secures seats for all spring mainstage productions: Tristan & Isolde, La traviata, and The Magic Flute. It also gives you the first chance to obtain one or more of the limited number of tickets available to see the Dallas Opera's new production of a haunting1980 chamber opera: The Lighthouse by Peter Maxwell Davies. Marking the operatic debut of director Kevin Moriarty, Artistic Director of the Dallas Theater Center, this work will play to intimate audiences in the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre across the street from the Winspear.
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Ticket Information for the 2011-2012 Dallas Opera Season
All performances (unless noted) are in the acoustically acclaimed Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center. FLEX subscriptions (three performances) begin at $75. Single tickets start at just $25. For more information or to make your purchase, contact the friendly staff at The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online at www.dallasopera.org. Principal cast members and events may be subject to change. All ticket sales are final.
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-FifthInternational Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in downtown Dallas. With the exception of Tristan & Isolde, evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees will begin at 2:00 p.m. Tristan's evening performances will start at 7:00 p.m. and matinees at 2:00 p.m. Performances of The Lighthouse (new chamber opera series) will take place in the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre located directly across Flora street from the Winspear in the AT&T Performing Arts Center. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance. Assistance is available for the hearing impaired.
TRISTAN & ISOLDE by Richard Wagner
February 16, 19(m), 22 & 25, 2012
A fully staged, updated new production with projections by Moby-Dick's Elaine J. McCarthy!
Ancient Myths, Modern Cine-Magic! A special Thursday night Opening with a special curtain time for all evening performances: 7:00 p.m.!
An opera in two acts first performed in Munich, June 10, 1865.
Text by Richard Wagner, based on an ancient Celtic and Icelandic legend.
Time: Legendary
Place: A ship at sea; outside King Marke's palace, Cornwall; Tristan's castle at Kareol
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Stage Director: Christian Räth
Video Design: Elaine J. McCarthy
Lighting Design: Alan Burrett
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet (Isolde), Clifton Forbis (Tristan), Mary Phillips (Brangäne), Jukka Rasilainen** (Kurvenal), Kristinn Sigmundsson* (King Marke), Stephen Gadd** (Melot), and Aaron Blake (A Young Sailor/A Shepherd).
THE LIGHTHOUSE by Peter Maxwell Davies
Inaugural production of the Dallas Opera Chamber Series
Presented in collaboration with the Dallas Theater Center
In the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre at the AT&T Performing Arts Center
March 16, 17 & 18(m), 2012
A chilling supernatural and psychological thriller!
Time: December 1900
Place: Edinburgh Court of Enquiry, Fladda Isle Lighthouse off the Scottish coast
Conductor: Nicole Paiement*
Stage Director: Kevin Moriarty* (opera directorial debut)
Scenic Design: Beowulf Boritt*
Costume Design: Claudia Stephens*
Starring: (in order of vocal appearance:) Andrew Bidlack* (Officer 1/Sandy), Robert Orth (Officer 2/Blazes), and Daniel Sumegi (Officer 3/Arthur/Voice of the Cards).
LA TRAVIATA by Giuseppe Verdi
April 13, 15(m), 18, 21, 27 & 29(m), 2012
Let's Party Like It's 1849!
An opera in three acts first performed in Venice at Teatro La Fenice, March 6, 1853
Text by Francesco Maria Piave, based on Alexandre Dumas' play, La dame aux camélias
Time: 19th century
Place: Paris
Conductor: Marco Guidarini
Stage Director: Bliss Hebert
Production Design: Allen Charles Klein
Lighting Design: Thomas Hase
Choreographer: Rosa Mercedes*
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Myrtò Papatanasiu** (Violetta Valéry), James Valenti (Alfredo Germont), Laurent Naouri* (Giorgio Germont), Amanda Crider* (Flora Bervoix), Timothy Mix* (Baron Douphol), Mark McCrory (Marchese D'Obigny), Ethan Herschenfeld* (Doctor Grenvil), and Susan Nicely (Annina).
THE MAGIC FLUTE by W.A. Mozart
April 20, 22(m), 25, 28, May 4 & 6(m), 2012
Hearts Tested, Tried and True!
An opera in two acts first performed in Vienna, September 30, 1791.
Text by Emanuel Schikaneder.
Time: Legendary
Place: Mythological Egypt
Conductor: Graeme Jenkins
Production: August Everding
Stage Director: Matthew Lata
Scenic Design: Jörg Zimmermann*
Costume Design: Renate Kalanke*
Lighting Design: Duane Schuler
Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Children's Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
Starring: Ava Pine (Pamina), Shawn Mathey* (Tamina), Patrick Carfizzi (Papageno), L'ubica Vargicová* (The Queen of the Night), Raymond Aceto (Sarastro), Kevin Langan (The Speaker), David Cangelosi (Monostatos), Angela Mannino* (Papagena), Caitlin Lynch* (First Lady), Lauren McNeese* (Second Lady), Maya Lahyani* (Third Lady), Aaron Blake (First Man in Armour) and Darren K. Stokes* (Second Man in Armour).
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Operatic Debut
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs; TACA; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Cartier is the official jeweler and watchmaker of The Dallas Opera. Rosewood Crescent Hotel is the official hotel of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News. A special thanks to Mrs. William W. Winspear and the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for their continuing support.


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Thomas Thwaites: DeconstructedBy Jeffrey Pillow
February 28, 2012
Thomas Thwaites is an interesting fellow. He describes himself as a "designer (of the more speculative sort), interested in technology, sciences, and futures research," and his work as "communicating complex subjects in engaging ways." Armed with an MA from the Royal College of Art Design Interactions, Thwaites has written a book called The Toaster Project: Or a Heroic Attempt to Build a Simple Electric Appliance from Scratch (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011).
It was selected as one of NPR's Best Books of 2011.


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Merger to create second-largest U.S. stock exchange
- BATS Global Markets and Direct Edge emerge as No. 2 U.S. stock exchange
- Industry consolidation continues as trading gets faster and more tech-driven
- %27Flash Freeze%27 at Nasdaq raised questions about exchange systems%27 reliability
NEW YORK -- A merger agreement announced Monday between electronic exchanges BATS Global Markets and Direct Edge will create the second-biggest U.S. stock exchange, behind the New York Stock Exchange.
The deal is the latest development amid an industry-wide consolidation dominated by speed, size and technological prowess.
Announced ahead of the trading day's start, the deal is expected to close in the first half of 2014, pending regulatory approval. No financial terms were disclosed.
The new exchange, which unites the third- and fourth-largest equity exchange owners, would unseat the Nasdaq Stock Market as the second-biggest U.S. exchange, according to month-to-date trading volume statistics tracked by BATS.
Trades on the NYSE, according to BATS, have been averaging 1.28 billion in average daily volume, for a market share of 23%. BATS and Direct Edge so far in August have averaged a combined 1.15 billion in daily share volume, or 20.6% of the total market. The Nasdaq falls to the third spot, with 18.1% market share.
The deal comes a week after a tech outage at the Nasdaq caused a three-hour trading halt for the exchange, which sparked more questions about the fragility of modern-day trading that is driven by super-fast computers at more than a dozen exchanges. A "connectivity" issue was blamed for Nasdaq's decision to halt trading.
Despite merging forces, BATS and Direct Edge, which each run two exchanges that serve different types of clients, said they will keep all four exchanges open. In a statement, Joe Saluzzi, of brokerage Themis Trading, said the merger "does nothing to reduce market fragmentation, which is the number one problem with our market structure today."
Stock exchanges are also facing profit pressures due to a sharp drop in volume in recent years, sparked in part by an exodus from stocks following the 2008-09 financial crisis.
A spate of high-profile tech problems at stock exchanges has jeopardized investor confidence in the reliability of the warp-speed systems that are behind the billions of shares traded every day.
The most recent "Flash Freeze" at the Nasdaq follows widespread criticism of how that exchange handled the Facebook initial public offering in May 2012. Two years earlier, a "Flash Crash" on the NYSE caused the Dow Jones industrial average to plummet 1,000 points in a matter of minutes before officials were able to get systems working properly again.
The newest exchange will be called BATS Global Markets and will headed by current BATS CEO Joe Ratterman. Current Direct Edge CEO William O'Brien will be president.
In a press release, Ratterman said: "This agreement is an important milestone for the U.S. equities market and other markets around the globe as it will combine two organizations that have been innovative in creating a more competitive marketplace to benefit all investors."
The consolidation in the exchange business is a global phenomenon as 24/7 trading that begins in Asia, moves to Europe and finishes in the USA becomes entrenched. In addition to Kansas City-based BATS' U.S. business, it also operates BATS Chi-X Europe, the largest stock exchange in Europe. Direct Edge, based in Jersey City, N.J., has been working towards opening a stock market in Brazil.
The IntercontinentalExchange (or ICE) is nearing the completion of its acquisition of NYSE Euronext, the NYSE's parent company.
Banks and high-frequency trading firms were behind the creation of BATS and Direct Edge.
In an interview with USA TODAY, Direct Edge's O'Brien responded to last week's outage at the Nasdaq and stressed that the entire industry must go the extra yard to ensure the technological underpinnings of the U.S. stock exchange complex remain credible and reliable.
"Investors are right to feel let down," says O'Brien, referring to Thursday's "Flash Freeze" at the Nasdaq. "We, as an industry, have to do a better job and make sure investors know there is adequate regulatory and risk-management frameworks in place.'"
He also said that while it is a " tough business to break into," the new BATS Global Markets exchange could pose a "competitive challenge" in the future to the NYSE and Nasdaq in the lucrative business of initial public offerings.
Morningstar equity analyst Gaston Ceron says with bigger size comes more responsibility for the united exchanges.
"Getting bigger will put a more intense spotlight on their successes and failures," says Ceron. "We've had a string of technical failures recently and you definitely don't want to be the next large U.S. exchange to have a tech failure. That would be a big negative."


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Quique Setien says he did not imagine in his "wildest dreams" that he would become Barcelona manager.
Setien has replaced Ernesto Valverde on a contract until the end of the 2021-22 season and was unveiled at a press conference on Tuesday.
"I want to thank this institution for giving me the chance," Setien said.
"Not even in my wildest dreams could I have imagined this. I have to thank the club. I'm excited about this challenge and this project.
"That is the biggest thing I have to transmit to the players. I have to show the players that and normally it's not very complicated for me to transmit that."
Setien added: "Yesterday, I was walking around my home town with cows around me and now I'm here at Barcelona managing the best players in the world."
The 61-year-old former Real Betis boss takes over with Barcelona top of LaLiga, ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid on goal difference.
"I thank Ernesto Valverde for leaving me with a side that is top of the league," he said.
"My objective is to win everything! Everything you can win, this club has no other path to follow.
"Year after year, to win as many trophies as possible. I think the best way to victory is by playing good football. It doesn't always happen but it's not just about one day, it's about keeping it going."
Setien was asked about Lionel Messi as he has said in the past that he would cry the day the Argentinian retired.
"To be able to manage the best in the world, and his team-mates – he has great team-mates – I have spoken to him and others.
"I have always said that the admiration is one thing but reality is different. Everyone needs to have their place. Messi is Messi, (Sergio) Busquets is Busquets."
Setien will be in the Barcelona dugout for the first time at home to Granada on Sunday.
On his arrival, he said: "Every time a new manager comes in, there is a stimulus for everyone inside the dressing room. You notice it immediately.
"This stimulus that we saw in the session today, we need to maintain that and I have never met a coach who is the same.
"Many people say 'this coach is exactly the same', but the reality is we are all very different. I am very clear as to what Barca needs. I've seen this from outside, we've watched them and analysed them.
"There are a lot of things we are very clear about and we will try to transmit that. These are just words, though, and we want things that are long-lasting."


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The Panasonic HDC-SDT750 is an excellent 2D camcorder, with a host of useful, creative features — most of which are lost when you opt to film in 3D.The SDT750 can record full 1080p High Definition (HD) in AVCHD. The lens system is derived from the top of the range HDC-HS700. The HDC-SDT750 2D records at 1080/60p full hi-definition video resolution which produces sharp images and deep colors in stunning detail.
So if you use Panasonic HDC-SDT750 for the 2D 1080p 60fps recording (don't intend to use the 3D capability) and want to edit the 2D 1080p mts files. However, Adobe Premiere Pro does not import the 1080P/60fps AVCHD HD Videos. This 2D 1080p mts formats can not easily import and edit on Mac with Adobe Premiere Pro. So if you want to edit Panasonic HDC-SDT750 2D avchd video with high quality on Mac, you can convert 2D 1080p files to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5/CS6 MOV/MPG before editing.
Here is the step-by-step guide for you to import and edit Panasonic HDC-SDT750 2D 1080P MTS to H.264 MOV for Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5/CS6 on iMac/MacBook Pro with Mac OS X like Snow Leopard.
Step 1. Load Panasonic AVCHD videos to AVCHD Converter for Mac.
After transferring .mts files from Panasonic HDC-SDT750, run UFUSoft AVCHD Converter for Mac as the best Mac Panasonic HDC-SDT750 2D 1080p MTS to MOV converter, and click the "Add" button to load .mts videos.
Step 2. Choose HD QuickTime MOV output format.
For editing in Adobe Premiere Pro, just click the "Format" option, and navigate to HD Video > HD QuickTime Video (*.mov) or HD MPG as output format. With this option, the output video will be kept as high definition 1920×1080.
Tips: To get the original video size, just click the "Settings" button and choose the right option like 1920*1080, from the video size drop-down box.
Step 3. Merge Panasonic AVCHD files. (Optional)
Select all the files and then click "Merge", and the Panasonic HDC-SDT750 2D 1080p MTS converter will join and combine the video clips into a single file as output.
Step 4. Convert HDC-SDT750 2D 1080P MTS to MOV/MPG for Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5/CS6.
Click the convert button under the preview window, the Mac Panasonic 2D 1080p MTS converter starts converting Panasonic SDT750 2D 1080p MTS videos to mov/mpg, and joining the MTS files for editing in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5/CS6.
After converting and merging the Panasonic SDT750 2D 1080p MTS files, just import the output files to Adobe Premiere Pro and the video is in HD 1920×1080.


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With Opera Software's announcement that the company is this week demonstrating an iPhone-app version of its eponymous Web browser, we've seen quite a bit of commentary about the app being dead in the water, along with some legitimate speculation as to whether or not Apple will approve a third-party Web browser. (The company hasn't yet submitted Opera Mini to Apple for approval, although our colleagues at Macworld UK got a look at it earlier today.)
There were rumors back in late 2008 that an Opera iPhone app had been rejected; however, Opera never actually submitted a browser to the App Store. So the upcoming submission of Opera Mini for the iPhone appears to be significant in two respects. First, there's sure to be demand for the app, as the company claims it's dramatically faster than Safari, requires much less bandwidth to display the same Web pages (see below), and offers a number of unique features, including a "speed dial" screen that displays thumbnails of favorite sites for easy access. Second, Opera Mini may be the first Web browser submitted to Apple for approval that doesn't use the iPhone's WebKit as its base.
But the situation is a bit more complex. Taking into account developer guidelines, past approvals and rejections, and the actual functionality of Opera Mini for iPhone, here's a look at the biggest reasons for App Store rejection speculation.
Reasons for rejection?
The two most-common reasons we've seen given for possible rejection of Opera's app are that the app duplicates existing functionality, and that a Web browser needs to download and execute code within the app.
"Duplicates existing functionality" Apple has in the past rejected a number of apps that, in the company's view, duplicated functionality already provided by the iPhone's built-in applications. A third-party Web browser would thus appear to be destined for rejection, given not only the existence of Mobile Safari but also Apple's focus on Safari as one of the iPhone's flagship apps.
However, the company has loosened up a bit on this front. Back in January of 2009, Apple began allowing third-party Web browsers in the App Store. In fact, a search for "Web browser" in the App Store today produces 141 results, with perhaps a quarter of them being actual Web browsers of some sort. So the idea that Apple will reject Opera Mini simply because it "duplicates" Mobile Safari isn't very convincing.
"No downloading and execution of code" The bigger issue would appear to be the code underlying the Web browser. The third-party browsers currently in the App Store all appear to use the iPhone's built-in WebKit engine—the same one on which Safari itself is based. In other words, even feature-rich browsers such as iCab use the iPhone's own browser code; they just provide different interfaces and feature sets than Safari.
The obvious concern is thus that Apple won't approve a browser that isn't based on WebKit. However, it appears this limitation won't apply to Opera Mini because of the way the app works. We spoke with Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer at Opera Software, and he explained that Opera Mini isn't what you'd consider a traditional Web browser, but rather is a client for the company's Opera server software.
How this client-server system works is that when you request a Web page in Opera Mini, the app sends the URL to an Opera server, rather than to the destination Web server. The Opera server actually sends the request to the Web server, and then downloads the page's content, processes any scripts or other dynamic content, and compresses the resulting page into Opera Binary Markup Language (OBML). The Opera server then sends the resulting "page"—which is up to 90 percent smaller than the original Web page—to the client on your phone.
(It's this client-server approach, along with caching of frequently accessed Web pages, that provides Opera Mini with its speed advantages over Safari. The company claims browsing using Opera Mini is up to six times faster than with Safari because so little data needs to be transferred to the client—an approach that's also useful to people with limited data plans.)
In other words, the Opera Mini app is essentially a thin client, rather than a full-blown Web browser, and doesn't download and execute any code itself. This approach would seem to keep the app from being rejected for in-app download and execution of code.
Krogh said that in the company's testing, this technology works for the majority of the Web's most popular sites. However, it won't be able to accommodate every type of content. Sites that have real-time animation—Krogh used the example of a live-updated clock—won't render as expected, and Opera Mini won't be able to execute background scripts.
(Opera Mini will be able to handle most types of iPhone-supported media; as with Mobile Safari, Opera will hand off those kinds of media to the iPhone's native media player—the one that appears when, for example, you tap a link to .mp4 video in Safari.)
Opera Mini would also be subject to the same limitations as other third-party browsers for iPhone. For example, unlike with Mac OS X, there's no way on the iPhone to change your default browser—the one used when you tap a link or button from within another app. So tapping a link in a Mail message will still open that URL in Safari, rather than your preferred browser. Similarly, while you can sync your browser bookmarks between Safari for Mac or Windows and Mobile Safari, you won't be able to do so with Opera Mini or any other third-party iPhone-app browser. And, of course, no iPhone browser can support Flash content.
Prospects good?
The company's official position, noted in a blog post, is that Opera hopes "that Apple will not deny their users a choice in Web browsing experience." But clearly Opera Software chose to bring Opera Mini, the mobile-phone browser, to the iPhone, rather than the more-full-featured Opera Mobile, which is based on Opera's own browser engine, because of concerns over Apple's app guidelines and app-approval process. And while we're not privy to the inner machinations of that process, from where we sit, it looks like Opera Mini has a good shot at approval.
If the app isn't approved, you can be sure the tech press will latch onto that story as yet another example of problems with the App Store approval process. Indeed, given Opera's visibility, it seems the company's decision to publicly demonstrate Opera Mini for iPhone—and announce that demonstration before the app's submission—was a savvy PR move that refocuses attention on the App Store approval process and puts a bit of extra pressure on Apple to approve the app.


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New hope for treating cancer? Patterns seen in 12 types of tumors
Examining the molecular profiles of tumors from 12 different types of cancers, scientists working with the National Institutes of Health-backed Cancer Genome Atlas said Thursday they had found striking similarities between tumors originating in different organs.
Their discoveries, made possible by improvements in sequencing technologies and computing methods, could herald a day when cancers are treated based on their genetic profiles, rather than on their tissue of origin, said UC Santa Cruz biomolecular engineer Josh Stuart, a participant in the project and coauthor of a commentary discussing its findings released Thursday by the journal Nature Genetics.
Eventually, such a shift in thinking could lead researchers to new treatments for hard-to-treat cancers, Stuart said, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
If scientists can find molecular similarities, say, between a rare form of breast cancer and a form of ovarian cancer, they might be able to use a drug known to target the ovarian tumor to treat the unusual subtype of breast cancer.
"Hopefully fewer patients will be left out on their own," Stuart said.
The Cancer Genome Atlas or TCGA, which has been underway since 2006, seeks to catalog the DNA and other molecular features of thousands of different tumors from a variety of cancer types. (The Los Angeles Times reported on findings from two earlier Cancer Genome Atlas studies in May.) By identifying how genes are scrambled up in tumors and what effects those changes have in cells, the thinking goes, researchers might be able to understand better how different cancers progress, and find the best treatments for particular tumor types and subtypes.
The Pan-Cancer initiative that Stuart is involved with carries the analysis further, comparing cancers of different types to see what patterns emerge. The team looked at TCGA data -- gene mutations, changes in the numbers of copies of genes, and measures of how the genes were behaving -- from tumors sampled from thousands of patients who had 12 different cancers (including tumor types in the brain, head and neck, kidney, lung, breast, ovary, cervix, colon and rectum and one type of leukemia.)
The cross-cancer comparison was a project many researchers had wanted to pursue, Stuart said. Some had already noticed similarities as they studied various tumors as part of TCGA. "We'd say, hey, I recognize that copy number profile in that breast cancer. Didn't we see it in ovarian cancer last month?" he said.
Comparing different types of tumors is useful because it lets scientists learn more about how cancers behave than looking at one type on its own can. Cancers are a jumble of cells. Looking at just one type of tumor might let a researcher identify the jumble within that certain cancer, but doesn't necessarily point to the mechanism that triggered the cancer in the first place, Stuart said.
But looking at several cancers at once and finding commonalities can help tease out the cell of origin, he added.
Over the coming months, the collaboration will publish dozens of papers detailing what researchers found in the cancers. Two such papers were published Thursday, also in Nature Genetics. One noted similarities in gene copy-number changes across cancers. The other classified tumors and tumor subtypes according to their molecular profiles, identifying two large classes that had not been identified previously (one set of cancers where genetic mutations predominate, and another where copy number changes predominate.) Nature Genetics also published a second commentary about the Pan-Cancer initiative, delving into the computing strategies scientists have devised to crunch vast stores of tumor-related genetic data.
Stuart said that while the notion tumors of different origins might share genetic signatures wasn't a new one, the TCGA Pan-Cancer effort finally lets scientists dig in and see whether it's true.
"We just haven't had the data to step back and look at it all together and connect the dots," he said. Over coming months, researchers will add tumors and tumor types to the dataset, and will also analyze whole genome data.
But changes in medical approaches to treating cancers won't happen overnight, Stuart added.
"There's a lot to put in place," he said, noting therapies would be tested in cells and lab animals before there were trials in people.
Read more about the NIH's Cancer Genome Atlas project.
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The Prophethood of Jesus
1. It is reported that Imam Al-Sadiq ('a) said, "…Follow the Apostle of Allah, and confess to what has been sent down from Allah, and follow the signs of guidance, for they are the signs of trustworthiness and God-wariness; and know that if one denies Jesus the son of Mary ('a), but confesses to all the prophets but him, he does not believe..."1
2. The Apostle of Allah (S) said, "Verily, Gabriel brought down a book to me in which there was information about the kings before me, and information about the prophets and apostles who were commissioned before I was:… Ashbakh ibn Ashjan was a king called al-Kays who ruled for two hundred sixty-six years.
In the fifty-first year of his rule Allah commissioned Jesus the son of Mary ('a) and bestowed upon him light, knowledge and wisdom, and the knowledge of all the prophets before him, and He added to this the Gospel. He commissioned him to Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) for the children of Israel to invite them to the divine book and wisdom and to faith in Allah and the prophet. Most of them turned away from him rebelliously and disbelieving.
When they failed to believe, Jesus called his Lord and was adamant, and some of them were transformed into devils to show them a sign from which they could take a lesson; but this did not increase in them anything but rebellion and disbelief.
So, Jesus came to Jerusalem, invited them and encouraged them to what is near to Allah for thirty-three years, until the Jews sought him and (afterward) claimed to have punished him and buried him alive. Some of them claimed to have killed him and to have crucified him. Allah did not let them gain sovereignty over him, but it was a mistake they made.
They were not able to chastise him or bury him, and they could not kill him or crucify him, because of the saying of Allah, the mighty and magnificent,
I am going to take you away and lift you up unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve (3:55)
So, they were not able to kill him or crucify him, for if they had been able to do so, this would belie His saying,
Allah raised him up unto Himself(4:158),
after Allah took him. When Allah wanted to raise him, He revealed to him to entrust the light of Allah, His wisdom and the knowledge of His book to Simon ibn Hamun al-Safa, his successor among the believers. So, he did this...."2
3.Safwan ibn Yahya said, "I said to Imam Al-Ridha' ('a), 'We used to ask you [about the Imam after you], before Allah had granted you Abu Ja'far, and you used to say, "Allah will grant me a son." Now, Allah has given him to you. Our eyes have been brightened! May Allah never show us the day [of your sorrow]! But if it should happen, whom should we follow?'
He pointed with his hand toward Abu Ja'far, who was standing before him. Then I said, 'May I be your sacrifice! This boy is only three years old.' He said, 'That does not matter. Jesus stood as an authority (hujjah) when he was three years old."3
4. Before his son (Muhammad al-Taqi) was born, Al-Ridha' ('a) said, "By Allah, He will make from me something by which the truth and its followers are proven, and He will destroy by it what is wrong and its followers," then al-Taqi ('a) was born after a year. Then he said, "This is Abu Ja'far. I put him in my seat, and I set him in my place.
We are the Folk of the Household whose children inherit from their elders exactly." It was said to him, "This son is only three years old." He said, "It does not harm him. Jesus stood as an authority (hujjah) when he was less than three years old."4
5. It is reported that [Imam] Al-Ridha' ('a) said, "Verily Allah, the Exalted, authorized Jesus ('a) when he was two years old."5
6. Abu al-Hasan ('a) said, "…On the Resurrection day there will be four people from among the first ones and four people from among the last ones on the Throne of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent. As for the four of the first, they are Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus and the last are Muhammad, 'Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be with them."6
7. Abu Dharr, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, "The Apostle of Allah was sitting in the mosque alone when I entered it. So I took advantage of his solitude and said, "… O Apostle of Allah! How many prophets were there?" He said, "One hundred twenty-four thousand." I said, "How many apostles were there?" "Three hundred and thirteen all together."
I said, "Who was the first prophet?" He said, "Adam." I said, "Was he an apostle among the prophets?" He replied, "Yes, Allah created him by His hand and blew into him from His spirit." Then he (S) continued, "O Abu Dharr these four prophets among the prophets are Siryani: Adam, Seth, Ukhnukh, that is, Idris, who was the first person to write with a pen, and Noah, peace be with them. And four of them are Arab: Hud, Salih, Shu'ayb and your prophet Muhammad.
The first prophet from the children of Israel was Moses and the last of them was Jesus, and six hundred prophets were between them." I said, "O the Apostle of Allah! How many books did Allah send?" He replied "One hundred and four books. He sent fifty scrolls to Seth, thirty scrolls to Idris, and twenty scrolls to Abraham. And He sent the Torah, Bible, Psalms and Furqan."7
8. Ja'far ibn Muhammad said, "Gabriel remained forty days and did not descend to the Prophet. He said, "O my Lord my yearning for your Prophet has become intense, allow me."
Allah the Exalted revealed to him, "O Gabriel descend to My friend and My Prophet, then give him My greetings of peace, and inform him that I have distinguished him with prophethood and made him surpass all the prophets, and give my greetings of peace to his successor and inform him that I have distinguished him with succession and made him surpass all the successors."
Gabriel descended to the Prophet and said, "…O Muhammad! Whoever followed Seth would be saved by Seth, Seth was saved by Adam and Adam was saved by Allah.
Whoever followed Shem would been saved by Shem, Shem was saved by Noah and Noah wad saved by Allah. Whoever followed Asif would be saved by Asif, and Asif was saved by Solomon. Whoever followed Yusha' would be saved by Yusha', and Yusha'would be saved by Moses, and Moses was saved by Allah.
Whoever followed Simon would be saved by Simon, and Simon would be saved by Jesus, and Jesus was saved by Allah. Whoever followed 'Ali would be saved by 'Ali and 'Ali would be saved by you, and you are saved by Allah. Verily, all things are by Allah. Verily, the angels and guardians are honoured among all the angels for being in the company of 'Ali." He said, "Then 'Ali ('a) sat down while hearing the speech of Gabriel ('a), although he did not see him.8
9. It is reported that Abu 'Abd Allah ('a) said, "Allah did not raise a messenger without there being two devils concurrent who caused him suffering and tempted him, and misled the people after him. As for the five Possessors of Determination (Ulu al-'Azm) of the messengers, they are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace and blessings be with them.
As for the companions of Noah, they were Faytifus and Khiram. For Abraham there were Makil and Radham. For Moses, there were Samiri and Mar'aqiba. For Jesus, there were Bulus and Marisa. And for Muhammad, there were Habtar and Zuraiq."9
10. It is reported that Ibn Abu Ya'fur said, "I heard Abu 'Abd Allah ('a) say, 'The chiefs of the prophets and apostles are five and they are the possessors of constancy among the apostles, and they are the axis about which [the other prophets] turn: Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be with him and his descendants and all of the prophets.10
11. Among the questions of Shami is that he asked the Commander of the Faithful about the six prophets who had [special] names. He said, "Yusha' ibn Nun was Dhu al-Kifl, Ya'qub ibn Ishaq was Isra'il, Khidr was Hilqiya, Yunus was Dhu al-Nun, Jesus was the Messiah and Muhammad was Ahmad, may the blessings of Allah be with all of them."11
12. It is reported that [Imam] Baqir ('a) said, "Allah sent Jesus especially to the children of Israel, and his prophecy was in Jerusalem, and after him there were twelve apostles."12
13 Sufyan ibn 'Uyaynah reported that Mujahid narrated this saying of the Prophet (S), "There are four antecedents [who are the first followers of the prophets.] Yusha' to Moses, Sahib Yasin to Jesus and 'Ali to the Prophet (S)."13
14. Al-Husayn ibn al-Khalid narrated that Abu al-Hasan Al-Ridha' said, "It was engraved on the ring of Adam, 'There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.'" He continued until he said, "Then Noah engraved on his ring, 'There is no god but Allah, one thousand times. O my Lord! Reform me.'"
He continued until he said, "And Allah sent a ring to Abraham on which there were these six letters, 'There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. There is no power and nostrength save in God. I entrust my work to Allah. I lean on Allah. Allah is sufficient for me.' Then Allah, may His Magnificence be magnified, revealed to him 'Wear this ring. I will change the fire into coldness and peace.'
And the ring of Moses was engraved with these two letters, that he took them from Torah, 'Have patience, you will be given wages. Tell the truth, you will be saved.' The ring of Solomon was engraved with two letters he took, 'Glory is to Him Who put the bridle on the Jinn by His words.'
The ring of Jesus was engraved with two letters he took from the Gospel, 'Blessed is the servant because of whom Allah is remembered, and woe unto the servant because of whom Allah is forgotten.' The ring of Muhammad was engraved with 'There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.'"14
- 1. Bihar, 23, 96, 3
- 2. Bihar, 14, 515, 4
- 3. Kafi, 1, 321, 10
- 4. Khara'ij Wa al-Jara'ih, 2, 899
- 5. Bihar, 14, 257, 54
- 6. Tahdhib, 6, 84, 3
- 7. Khisal, 2, 524
- 8. Tafsir Furat al-Kufi, 378
- 9. Bihar, 13, 212, 5
- 10. Kafi, 1, 175, 3
- 11. Bihar, 16, 90, 22
- 12. Bihar, 14, 250
- 13. Sirat al-Mustaqim, 3, 158
- 14. Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, 5, 101, 6041


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No Microsoft product has generated as much buzz and excitement in the general tech community in recent years as the Courier tablet, which was first leaked to the public in September 2009. Microsoft quietly killed the product shortly after the Apple iPad hit the market the following spring and the tech world pretty much assumed that the Courier had just been a cool concept and never a serious possibility.
However, a new report from CNET News has information from multiple sources inside Microsoft that explain in greater detail than ever before how the Courier was a lot closer to coming to market than we realized, and that CEO Steve Ballmer and Chairman Bill Gates were directly involved in pulling the plug on the project.
The Courier
The Courier seemingly came out of nowhere when Gizmodo first reported it in the Fall of 2009, just as reports of the long-rumored Apple tablet were really heating up. Gizmodo wrote:
"It feels like the whole world is holding its breath for the Apple tablet. But maybe we've all been dreaming about the wrong device. This is Courier, Microsoft's astonishing take on the tablet."
The Courier sported dual 7-inch screens, a mix of multitouch and pen-based computing, and a user experience totally aimed at content creators. Based on the Gizmodo photos and a demo video (see below), technologists went crazy for the idea. On YouTube, where the comments usually take a negative tone and Microsoft haters are easy to find, the video of the Courier has 1239 likes and only 56 dislikes (as of November 1, 2011, when I'm publishing this article).
Here is the original demo video and a second video that provided more usage scenarios with the Courier:
Still, despite the overwhelmingly positive response from the tech crowd, Microsoft killed the Courier project six months later — just after the Apple iPad launch — and decided to focus its tablet strategy around Windows 8 devices instead.
According to the new CNET report, there was a tablet battle inside Microsoft between J Allard from the Xbox group, which was championing the Courier, and Steven Sinofsky of the the Windows group, which wanted Microsoft's tablet development to happen inside the Windows group. Ballmer was unsure which way to go and called in Bill Gates to help officiate. Gates and Ballmer eventually decided to stick to the more traditional path and keep tablets part of the Windows group. Gates was reportedly turned off by the fact that the Courier didn't have a full Outlook email experience and was totally focused on being a companion device for creative professionals.
Read the two-part report: The inside story of how Microsoft killed its Courier tablet and How Windows 8 KO'd the innovative Courier tablet
Sanity check
It's always easy to look back and criticize decisions like this because we now have two years of additional information that Gates and Ballmer didn't have at the time, so I'm not going to excoriate them over the Courier decision. But, it's pretty clear that Microsoft likely missed a huge opportunity here. The biggest weakness of the iPad is that it's not a very good content creation device. The Courier, which could have likely come to market within months of the launch of the iPad, could have played the perfect foil.
While creative professionals represent a smaller segment of the audience than general consumers who want a media tablet like the iPad, they also represent a core part of Apple's audience and some of its most fervent evangelists. If Microsoft could have taken a chunk out of that market, it would have dealt an important blow to Apple, and it could have also created a perception of Microsoft as a tablet leader and eventually paved the way for other flavors of Windows tablets that could have certainly existed alongside the Courier.
Beyond all that, the Courier is one of the few things Microsoft has ever built that has created a level of product lust usually reserved for products from Apple and consumer electronics makers. That alone would have been a shot in the arm for the Microsoft brand.


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The State
In its ongoing effort to become a full-service network that only occasionally shows ancient Whitesnake videos, MTV hatched The Real World, a documentary series that will begin its third year of following a group of camera-conscious roommates — this time in San Francisco — on June 23. The channel has also launched a sketch-comedy series, The State, which apes the sporadically funny Kids in the Hall while being significantly less than sporadically funny. (New, and possibly improved, editions of The State will start airing in July.)
Indeed, aside from Beavis and Butt-head — now such a pervasive cultural icon as to be utterly irrelevant — laughs are at a premium on MTV. Until recently, only the channel's contribution to the talk genre, The Jon Stewart Show, could be relied upon for a few good chuckles. But no new editions of Stewart are in production right now, and it seems likely that this amiable joker's status as front-runner to replace Arsenio Hall in syndication will soon have him taking his chuckles elsewhere.
MTV recently picked up a cartoon series, Rocko's Modern Life, from sister station Nickelodeon in an apparent attempt to lure Beavis and Butt-head fans to a new fount of vulgarity. This show about an Australian wallaby arriving in America is, however, little more than a witless rip-off of Ren & Stimpy: mucus jokes without the redeeming surrealism or contempt for authority.
All of which brings us to MTV's latest, and in some ways most successful, variation on conventional television — its version of an action-adventure series: Dead at 21. The premise is simultaneously cornball and convoluted. Twenty-year-old Ed Bellamy (Jack Noseworthy) discovers that when he was a baby, scientists used him in an experiment, implanting in his brain microchips that make you really smart. But, as someone explains, "by the time you're 21, your brain waves get too intense; you can't take it anymore, so you die." As Snoop Doggy Dogg music thumps in the background, Ed and his girlfriend, Maria (Lisa Dean Ryan, of Doogie Howser, M.D.), try to track down the scientists who did this to him. Oh, and Ed is being chased by a stubbly-faced fellow (Whip Hubley) with a big gun who says he's a government agent, but may just be a bad guy.
Dead at 21 is exactly the right length — just 30 minutes — and it features all the quick cuts and jangled editing we'd expect from a project designed to hold the attention of MTV's audience of Pearl Jam fans. The dialogue is lame, but Noseworthy is a lissome hunk, and the subtext of the series — when you move out of your teens, your head hurts, and maybe it's better to die — plays brilliantly to the adolescent self-absorption of the MTV audience. Sure beats watching John Norris.
Veejay Norris, the scariest dresser in video culture, is a regular contributor to MTV's most familiar nonvideo programming, the MTV News spots sprinkled throughout the programming day and The Week in Rock. Ever since the last presidential election catapulted coanchor Tabitha Soren to Pale White Embodiment of Her Generation, it has been tempting to dismiss MTV News as bleeding-heart journalism with its eye on record-company advertising money, but this is mostly a bad rap. Soren probably has more hard-news integrity than any local-news anchor in the country, and if she kisses up to the occasional rock star interviewee, her buttering up Evan Dando is a lot more harmless than Ted Koppel's fawning over Henry Kissinger.
As befits a channel that prizes personality over content, MTV News is mighty lucky to have anchor-writer Kurt Loder — Edward R. Murrow in a black turtleneck. Over the years, Loder's initially taciturn camera presence has mellowed into a witty drollness. Increasingly, Loder doesn't bother with the TV-news pose of objectivity; his reports on youth culture-student protests, AIDS research, government policy decisions relevant to MTV's demographic as well as music-related items-are laced with wry commentary and pointed criticisms. Curt Kurt exists to refute the premise of Dead at 21. Your brain doesn't have to collapse even when you're well beyond legal age. The State: C-


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Lunchbox Love® for the Holidays! Use these sweet notes to add a bit of fun and interesting trivia to all of your holiday events this year. Each pack comes with 12 cards. Perfect for holiday parties, gifts or share with your kids to add a special touch to the season!
Includes two volumes of Halloween and two volumes of Thanksgiving only at this time.


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Closed Minnesota Capitol, no closed deal
ST. PAUL - Details of Minnesota's next budget slowly took shape Sunday behind closed doors in a state Capitol closed to the public, but a state government shutdown will not end as early as state leaders hoped.
ST. PAUL - Details of Minnesota's next budget slowly took shape Sunday behind closed doors in a state Capitol closed to the public, but a state government shutdown will not end as early as state leaders hoped.
A planned special legislative session today to pass a budget is out of the question, given the large number of loose ends that remain. But leaders said progress is being made.
Gov. Mark Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch released a statement Sunday evening saying that budget work continues, but did not give details or when a special session could be called:
"Work on the detailed budget bills continues to move in a positive direction, with an urgent focus on getting Minnesotans back to work. For the last three days, the governor, legislative leaders, committee chairs, commissioners and staff have worked around the clock on legislative language that reflects Thursday's agreement. Considerable progress has been made. A special session will be called as soon as our work is completed and all bills have been reviewed and agreed upon."
A tentative agreement was reached late Sunday afternoon to increase health and human services spending, mostly providing health care and welfare funding, by $1 billion in the next two years. Details were not released.
Most other areas of the budget that would spend more than $35 billion remained unresolved.
The public will learn what negotiators worked out after Dayton and GOP leaders approve each of the nine budget bills and legislative staffers post the bills on line.
The few comments heard Sunday were like what Sen. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton, said: "We are making progress."
While talks continued, 22,000 laid-off state workers and Minnesotans who depend on state services waited to find out when state government might reopen.
It was not clear when a special legislative session could be scheduled to pass a compromise budget. Dayton says he will not call the session until all of the areas of the budget are settled.
Many in the Capitol and State Office Building said negotiators were close on several bills, but Republicans have said for weeks that six bills were nearly ready to pass.
As early as Saturday, it became apparent that the goal of passing the budget today would be missed. While shuttling between meetings Sunday, Magnus said that the goal was ambitious to begin with, but he added that work needs to continue quickly.
"I do believe we have a window of opportunity," Magnus said.
The government shutdown that idled 22,000 state workers began on July 1 after lawmakers and Dayton failed to enact a new budget.
The courts, Legislature and some other offices remain open. A judge ordered about a third of the administration's employees to stay on the job to continue what she deemed to be essential jobs.
Negotiators were trying to fill in details of a vague budget agreement Dayton reached Thursday with Koch, R-Buffalo, and Zellers, R-Maple Grove. It would allow the state to spend more than $35 billion in the next two years, funded in part by money borrowed from schools and payments due the state after winning a tobacco lawsuit.
Besides nine budget bills, members of committees that fund public works projects met during the weekend.
On Sunday afternoon, Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, said disagreements remained about the overall public works funding level, as well as spending for specific projects.
Dayton asked for $500 million in public works funding, and Republican leaders apparently agreed to the figure. Much of the money would go to college and university renovations, with funds also available for flood protection projects.
Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, said last week that he has been ready for the so-called bonding bill since early in the year. Howes, chairman of the House bonding committee, said he is working with Democrats to ensure there are enough votes to pass the bill.
Don Davis reports for Forum Communications Co.


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Many moms are told early in their pregnancy that their placentas are low. Here are some wonderful visualization ideas to help those moms, from our wonderful Hypnobabies Instructor Carole.
First, the placenta doesn't "move" per se. It appears to "migrate" simply because it will grow more readily and rapidly towards the area of the uterus that is softer, more vascular and blood rich (which is NOT the cervix!). Which is good news. As your placenta grows, imagine it growing more rapidly on the sides that are not near the cervix. That will happen automatically. Now, also imagine that your uterus is getting larger like a balloon as it is being filled with air…which it most certainly does! Now, imagine the area of
your uterus between the edge of your placenta that is nearest your cervix, growing and creating an ever-widening gap between your placenta and your cervix…which it also most certainly does. You might even draw a circle on the lower portion of a deflated balloon, which will represent the placenta, near the opening of the balloon (which represents the cervix) … and then blow up that balloon and you will have a visual of what I am talking about!
Keep "replaying" the positive visuals in your mind, expecting only the best possible outcome. Hypnobabies moms expect, visualize and create painfree birthings all the time with the power of their own minds. The mind body connection is a very powerful tool.


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Year end reviews and wrap- ups, bringing us up-to-date on the comings and goings in virtually every area of human endeavor (and then some), seem to pop out of the woodwork every year at this time. Not much of a surprise then, to see WordPress continue to issue an annual Blog summary to all WordPress Bloggers.
Here's the WordPress summary of what happened on Tech Thoughts this past year. Not entirely accurate but within spitting distance.
The Blog-Health-o-Meter reads Wow!
Crunchy numbers
About 55,000 tourists visit Liechtenstein every year. This blog was viewed about 1,300,000 times in 2012. If it were Liechtenstein, it would take about 23 years for that many people to see it. Your blog had more visits than a small country in Europe!
In 2012, there were 521 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 3,205 posts.
The busiest day of the year was January 6th with 6,193 views. The most popular post that day was Aldi Bot – Build A Botnet For $15!
Attractions in 2012
These are the posts that got the most views in 2012.
- 1 PC Tools Top Tips – How To Avoid Online Scams
- 2 Download Microsoft's Free Microsoft Office Starter Edition 2010
- 3 Ninite – A Jaw Dropping One Shot Multiple Application Installer
- 4 How's Your Hard Drive? – Check It Out With These Free HD Tools
- 5 Tweaking.com Windows Repair – A One Click Simple Free Repair Utility
Some of your most popular posts were written before 2012. Your writing has staying power! Consider writing about those topics again.
How did they find you?
The top 4 referring sites (sites from which users came to your site) in 2012 were:
Hey WP! What about Australia – the cobbers (Mal, John W., John M., …………. weren't far behind.
A special "Thank You" to:
Delenn13 (Canada)
John Bent (UK)
Hipockets (USA)
Mal (Australia)
Fred (USA)
If you're a regular reader here, you have my thanks for making this Blog a fun place to write up my thoughts and opinions.
The truth is – the success of Tech Thoughts is due, almost entirely, to the terrific regular readers here (many of whom have become quite good friends), who forgive my foibles and occasional fractious nature. You are a great bunch of people!
And, to WordPress.com – couldn't do this without you. Thank you.