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Biostar Launches Low-Power A10N-9630E Mini-ITX Motherboardby Anton Shilov on March 16, 2020 10:30 AM EST
- Posted in
- Motherboards
- Biostar
- Excavator
- Bristol Ridge
- Gemini Lake
AMD's Bulldozer microarchitecture was originally designed with mainstream and high-performance applications in mind, but eventually its development took a turn to focus solely on mainstream mobile and desktop PCs. Today, processors based on AMD's Excavator architecture — the pinnacle of Bulldozer's evolution — are positioned as entry-level solutions and compete against lower-end products from Intel, including those powered by Atom-class processors that were designed from the ground up to be cheap and energy-efficient. Looking to fill a need for fully integrated motherboards for this market, Biostar has launched a Mini-ITX motherboard that is based on AMD's Bristol Ridge APU and is meant to compete against Intel's Gemini Lake-based offerings.
The Biostar A10N-9630E Mini ITX Quad Core SoC motherboard is powered by the A10-9630P with two Piledriver modules clocked at 2.60 GHz – 3.30 GHz (four cores in Bulldozer's classification) with 1 MB L2 cache per module as well as AMD Radeon R5 GPU with 384 stream processors (GCN 3rd Gen). The SoC has a TDP of 35 W and it was initially designed for laptops as well as compact desktops.
Overall, Biostar compares CPU and GPU performance of the SoC to that of Intel's Celeron J4105 SoC with four Goldmont Plus cores clocked at 1.50 GHz – 2.50 GHz as well as Intel's UHD Graphics 600 with a TDP of 10W. Based on Biostar's benchmarks, AMD's processor offers a significantly higher CPU efficiency as well as a massively higher GPU performance (see performance figures below).
While AMD's Bristol Ridge platform is clearly more power hungry than Intel's Gemini Lake, it is also considerably faster, which is fine for desktop machines. But there is a catch. AMD's Bristol Ridge has the company's UVD 6.0 decoder that supports up to H.265 codec version 1 main profile (for 4K content) for 8-bit content, but not VP9. By contrast, Intel's Gemini Lake has a video decoder that supports both H.265 and VP9 as well as 10-bit HDR (for 4K content). Considering that low-power desktops are usually used primarily for media playback, the Gemini Lake has an edge over the Bristol Ridge.
Since AMD's Bristol Ridge uses a BGA form-factor, the A10-9630P chip cannot be upgraded. Meanwhile, the A10N-9630E board has everything a typical inexpensive platform does, including a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot that runs in x8 mode (as Bristol Ridge has 8 PCIe lanes for graphics) and allows to install a graphics card that supports all the latest and greatest video decoding capabilities, two DDR4 memory slots supporting two 16 GB DDR4-2400 modules, an M.2-2280 slot supporting SSDs with a PCIe 3.0 x4 or SATA 6 Gbps interface, and two SATA 6 Gbps connectors.
I/O capabilities of the Biostar A10N-9630E are fairly standard for entry-level PCs, so it has two display outputs (a D-Sub for legacy monitors and an HDMI for modern screens with HDCP support), a GbE port with LAN surge protection (controlled by the Realtek RTL 8111H chip), four USB Type-A connectors (two USB 2.0, two USB 3.0), PS/2 ports for mice/keyboards, and 7.1-channel audio connectors.
|Brief Specifications of Biostar's Bristol Ridge Mini-ITX Motherboards
|2 × DIMM slots, up to 32 GB of DDR4-2400
|1 × M.2-2280 SSD with SATA or PCIe 4.0 x4 interface
|2 × SATA HDDs or SSDs
|AMD Radeon R5 integrated GPU
PCIe 3.0 x16 slot operating in x8 mode
|1 × GbE (Realtek RTL 8111H)
|Display Outputs
|1 × D-Sub
|7.1-channel audio (Realtek ALC887)
|2 × USB 2.0 Type-A
2 × USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
|2 × USB 2.0 Type-A
2 × USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
|Additional I/O
|24-pin ATX
Biostar has not announced pricing of its A10N-9630E Mini-ITX motherboard, though it made it fairly clear that we are dealing with an entry-level product, so one can make guesses.
Related Reading:
- AMD Announces the 7th Generation APU: Excavator mk2 in Bristol Ridge and Stoney Ridge for Notebooks
- AMD Launches Excavator on Desktop: The 65W Athlon X4 845 for $70
- AMD Releases New PRO Mobile APUs: Carrizo up to A12-8800B
- Short Supply of Intel's Gemini Lake Confirmed by PC Maker
- Intel Launches New Pentium Silver and Celeron Atom Processors: Gemini Lake is Here
Source: Biostar
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PeachNCream - Monday, March 16, 2020 - linkI agree that it can be frustrating, but its been stated before that Anandtech is not being given pricing information by the companies themselves and it is not for lack of asking. Companies that release this sort of data without including prices do so at their own peril. In any event, we should be careful not to dump blame on AT for the problem. Reply
Ghostline91 - Monday, March 16, 2020 - linkWhat range can we expect this type of board to cost though Reply
MASSAMKULABOX - Tuesday, March 17, 2020 - linkIt cant be too much ..BUT .. itx with , say, j4105 , costs £83 quid ..Its not a massive leap in CPU (300vs400) I'd prefer to see 2x .
Will keep an eye out , to replace an n3455, idle and full power consumption is an important consideration.
Can this be overclcocked ? probably not Reply
KRAKENEMALL - Tuesday, March 17, 2020 - linkSO OLD.
MINI ATX ON 300 WATTS RYZEN 3200G HERE FOR $325 WITH SHIPPING ALL TOGETHER AND RUNNING RAM 3000. i CANT GAME UNLESS RES DOWN TO 720P@30 FPS OC.ED 3,8GHZ AND 1600 FOR GPU AND ALL STABLE WITH STOCK COOLER, OTHERWISE IT WAS 720P @ 12 TO 15 FPS AT STOCK STATS.
AND YOU DARE CALL THAT ENTRY LEVEL , WHAT THE FUCK. HOW ABOUT A DIGITAL WATCH WITH CALCULATOR IS NEXT GEN ENTRY LEVEL? HOW LONG IS THE INDUSTRY GOING TO SHIT ON TECHNOLOGY FOR HIGHER PROFIT? Reply
PeachNCream - Tuesday, March 17, 2020 - linkGemstones of knowledge like the post above are why I read user comments. Thank you for your enlightened and highly articulate thoughts. You said what all of us were really thinking. Reply
Kryptonite704 - Wednesday, March 18, 2020 - linkThe all caps lock wall of text just screams sophistication lol Reply
lordkiwi - Thursday, September 24, 2020 - linkI built a NAS using the A10-8800P this march and I love it to death. I went to build a second unit and my motherboard vendor went out of stock on the A10-8800P and offered me a free upgrade to A10N-9630E. I didnt mind the minor upgrade but one thing bothers me. using the NVMe slot disables the onboard SATA. That was not the case on the A10-8800P. Any ideas why? Reply


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Top allies of Donald Trump in Arizona said they don't believe the 2016 presidential election will be rigged, but defended the GOP nominee over a slew of remarks that have drawn condemnation from Republicans across the country, including some supporters.
Trump has made repeated allegations in recent days that the election will be rigged against him. While many of his fusillades are directed at the media, which he accuses of running false and negative stories about him as part of a concerted effort to tilt the election to Hillary Clinton, he has also claimed that 2016 will be rife with election fraud as well.
In an October 16 tweet, Trump said the election is "absolutely being rigged by the dishonest and distorted media – but also at many polling places." Later that day, Trump warned a crowd of supporters at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, "They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt and voter fraud is all too common." One day later, Trump wrote on Twitter, "Of course there is large scale voter fraud happening on and before Election Day. Why do Republican leaders deny what is going on? So naïve!"
Among the Republicans who have pushed back on Trump's narrative of a rigged election are U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Trump rival in the GOP primaries. U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, a longtime Trump critic who is not backing him in the election, took to Twitter to refute the nominee's claims. "States, backed by tens of thousands of GOP and DEM volunteers, ensure integrity of electoral process. Elections are not rigged," the Republican senator wrote on Monday. Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Trump ally, said the businessman's comments were "irresponsible."
That's not a sentiment shared by some of Trump's surrogates and allies in Arizona.
Arizona Republican Party Chairman Robert Graham said doesn't think Trump's comments are irresponsible. He said he's not concerned that Arizona will have such problems, saying he's engaged with most of the state's county recorders and that Arizona has never had a "material issue" with "bad actors." But he emphasized that his experience with election matters is limited to Arizona, while Trump has a national perspective.
And Graham said it's possible that there will be voter fraud in other states.
"I don't think anybody would be shocked by anything at this particular point because the way this election has gone with both of these candidates and comments that have been made, but outcomes that have been illustrated so far, it wouldn't surprise me if we did see voter fraud and it wouldn't surprise me if we did not," Graham said.
Graham said Trump's message is resonating with voters because they've spent 30 years watching Clinton and her "history of being less than above board on virtually everything she does." And he said the Arizona Republican Party is reaping the fruits of that message. More than 800 people have signed up to be poll watchers, a welcome change from 2014, when Graham said the party had to "pull teeth" and enlist family members to fill those spots.
Former Gov. Jan Brewer, who served as Arizona's secretary of state for six years, said she doesn't believe there will be election rigging at the polling places. She also said she believes Trump's remarks were primarily directed at the media, which she said is biased against the candidate.
"I believe that we have to have faith in our election system. And after the election, maybe issues will be brought up. I don't know. I hope not, for the sake of our country. But I believe our elections are in order," she said.
But Brewer, too, didn't view Trump's comments as irresponsible.
"He's certainly entitled to his opinion," the former governor said. "Does he have different information than what I have? I don't know. I'm telling you what I feel."
State Treasurer Jeff DeWit, who serves as the national chief operations officer for Trump's campaign, said the nominee's comment were meant to call attention to the possibility of fraud in order to ensure that the election is fair. He said such concerns are warranted based on allegations of improprieties during the 2012 presidential race.
"I think it's the fact that he very much wants to make sure everybody's on top of it, attention is called to it, and that the election's fair. That's one of the main things about our country and our democracy is that we have to have fair elections," DeWit said. "Sometimes you have to summarize on Twitter to get it down to 140 characters. I think just making sure we have an honest election."
Any concerns that the election will be rigged in Arizona are unfounded, said Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell, a Republican. She said she hopes people understand that some candidates are "going to possibly say some things that, at least in our world, are not factual."
"I don't like the idea that he's said these things, that he's put the doubts out there, because the public should be secure in thinking about their election system and how it's going to be handled and whether or not their vote will be handled properly. And I believe we do that here. We give them every confidence that their vote's going to be properly counted if it should be counted," Purcell said.
Purcell said there are a number of measures in place to block election and voter fraud in Arizona. People must provide proof of citizenship when they register and must show identification at the polls. Those who vote by mail must sign their envelopes, and those signatures are verified by election officials. The Secretary of State's Office conducts logic and accuracy tests on the vote-counting machines. And election officials conduct partial hand counts of ballots after the election.
"I don't know what he's talking about with rigged. And with our voter registration system, we have lots of checks and balances there. We have to verify someone's citizenship if they are a new registrant," Purcell said.
Robyn Stallworth Pouquette, the Yuma County recorder, said the system that's in place is very effective at weeding out any problems in the registration process or at polling places. She said there are always some ineligible people who attempt to register, and that she's seen a substantial increase this year in "unique efforts to submit inaccurate or false registrations." But those are quickly detected and shut down due to the verification process that elections officials use, she said.
Secretary of State Michele Reagan also expressed confidence in the safeguards in place for Arizona elections.
"Signature verification, proper identification at the polls and multiple layers of system safeguards make manipulating the outcome of an election exceedingly difficult. County election officials test their equipment before each election and state law requires it remain secure and under constant surveillance. Combined with audits and full paper trail after each election Secretary Reagan is confident in our election systems, but remains vigilant," the Secretary of State's Office said in an emailed statement.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Wakfu is the sequel to that old Tactics MMO game, Dofus.
This series is about to get a third entry, called "DOFUS cube".
Ankama, the company behind it has been quite successful, even if their games are not the most talked about or the ones you often see hyped by the media blitz or even by nostalgic players. Their animation series "Wakfu" was a low key hit – Yet notice on the video above that for the third entry of their franchise, they are keeping graphics 2d and isometric. The reason for this will be self evident as we dive deep into the art of the "Wakfu" animation and game in this post, but to expand on this idea, on why this series has this unique look, one must look towards the company behind it – Ankama.
The name comes from its founders first two letters – Anthony Roux, Camille Chafer, and Emmanuel Darras – AN, CA and MA (from "Manu" – Emmanuel's nickname).
Considering they also founded Ankama animations and how the character designs for the Dofus franchise seem to be created with animation fluidity in mind, it's no wonder everything seems to fit their ideal vision for these games, and as we are going to see, to achieve said animation friendly designs the Ankama crew labors intensively in the pre-production stage, creating and testing concepts that will look gorgeous while still being simple to animate. Dofus is highly authorial, even if it's a silent commercial hit. Below, we explore the art of this endeavor.
The passion and hard work of Ankama team can be felt just by seeing their production art. You can get the full artbook here.
And here is it in motion – Season 3 teaser.
Bonus Video
About the Author Arthur De Martino
The google wearing super hero know as "Wasp Eye Lad" has a secret identity: Arthur De Martino, a quiet Brazilian man who loves Digital Art a bit too much.


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With annual rates of 12.3%, revenues should double by 2023, reaching US$ 13.5 billion.03 April 2019
A survey released on Wednesday, 3, by MarketsandMarkets, shows annual growth of 12.3% in the world market for smart agriculture until 2023. The expectation is that the income should double, reaching US$ 13.5 billion. The "Intelligent Agricultural Market" report highlights the companies that have contributed most to the growth of this segment with high investments in research and development and the launch of innovative products and services. Hexagon's Agriculture division is the only one headquartered in Brazil to be cited by MarketsandMarkets.
"In agriculture, as in any business, it is critical to monitor and technologically connect all processes to increase productivity and profitability. Only by analysing the data is it possible to verify and correct problems in cultivation, harvesting or even transportation logistics as quickly as possible," says Bernardo de Castro, president of the division. The products developed by Hexagon connect the field, the equipment and the people. The main differential is the integration of all processes - cultivation, harvest and logistics, resulting in more efficiency in the use of resources and inputs, avoiding waste and improving profitability.
The research points to the relevance of automation and control systems that integrate positioning, orientation and direction (GPS) and controlled input application (VRT) technologies. The report also highlights the field of precision agriculture applications. "They play a vital role in improving efficiency and helping growers to maximise crop yields," the paper notes.


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The National League of Cities (NLC) has selected El Paso City Manager Tommy Gonzalez as a presenter at this week's national conference, the 2015 Congress of Cities and Exposition in Nashville, Tennessee. Conference organizers expect more than 2,000 municipal leaders in attendance at the event, which runs fromNovember 4 through 7.
On Wednesday, November 4, Gonzalez will lead an intensive, three-hour workshop on performance excellence strategies for attendees as part of NLC University, a collaborative educational and professional development initiative that helps municipal leaders – both elected and appointed – build the skills they need to better govern, serve, and advocate for their communities.
NLC University courses provide real-world solutions – and innovative new approaches – to the challenges that city leaders face.
Gonzalez's presentation will highlight the seven Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria or areas of focus that can serve as a foundation for improvements in any municipality, organization or company.
He will also showcase some of the City of El Paso's Lean Six Sigma process improvements that have led to enhanced service, improved morale and increased savings, including reversing a $7.5 million deficit, adding $2.5 million to the city's fund balance as a result of cost-cutting measures, and substantially improving processes related to permitting, building inspections, and irrigation and asphalt repairs, to name a few.
"Presenting at a conference of this caliber provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase the City of El Paso and educate other cities, states and private-sector companies about the incredible leadership, vision and assets we have here in our community," said Gonzalez.
NLC is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities through advocacy, networking, and professional development. Working in partnership with the 49 state municipal leagues, NLC serves as a resource to and an ambassador for the more than 19,000 cities, villages and towns it represents.
For more information about NLC or NLC University, please visit www.nlc.org.
Author: City of El Paso


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Misty Copeland didn't always have food to eat when she was growing up in the Los Angeles area. She and her six siblings competed for sleeping space on the floor of a room in a shabby motel. But just four years after 13-year-old Misty took her first ballet class in the San Pedro Boys & Girls Club — and after surviving a custody battle that made national news — she joined what arguably is the most prestigious classical dance troupe in the United States.
After becoming just the third African-American soloist for the American Ballet Theatre in the past three-quarters of a century, Copeland achieved a measure of pop-culture cachet after she filmed a music video and performed with Prince.
Now 31, Copeland's memoir, "Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina," which was co-written by Charisse Jones, is being released Tuesday. A documentary about her life, "A Ballerina's Tale" is in production. She and a friend are starting their own line of dance wear.
"It's such an interesting road that has gotten me where I am," Copeland, a New York resident, says over the phone from Tokyo, where the company is performing.
"I thought it was important for me to share the negative and the positive, especially for all the little brown ballerinas out there. It's also interesting for me to be writing this when I'm still in the middle of my career. You guys can come along with me on this journey, and we'll see what happens."
On Saturday, she'll participate in a panel discussion exploring common themes in the lives of four multicultural authors at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in honor of Women's International History Month. Other participants will include the Mississippi novelist Deborah Johnson; Lauren Francis-Sharma, who was raised in Baltimore and lives now outside Washington, D.C.; and Charm City scribe Sujata Massey.
In a recent conversation, Copeland described some of the obstacles she faced and how she overcame them. An edited, condensed transcript appears below.
You had a rough time growing up, and not just because you were poor. You describe your mother as bouncing from man to man. One of your stepfathers was loving but alcoholic, and another had a violent temper. Have they read the book?
Not yet. It went through many, many edits. I write about some intimate situations that until now, no one outside of the people in my family has known about. It is a little scary. I am nervous, but I think they'll be OK with it. By the final edit, I was really happy with the way every person in the book was represented. I didn't want to write a negative tell-all. I didn't want to put anyone in a bad light.
I wanted instead to reflect on why people did what they did. I wanted to try to understand why they reacted in certain ways. It was necessary to explain how we became who we are today. My brothers and sisters are the most incredible people.
Have you come to terms with the period of your life in the early 1990s when you were caught in a tug of war between your mother and the dance instructors with whom you were living?
I'm in a very good place now. My mother obviously is still in my life, and [former teachers] Cindy and Patrick [Bradley] are in my life. Writing this memoir has been a really great way of confronting that time. I have to know that none of it was my fault. I also have to accept that they all did what they thought was best for me. No one was trying to hurt me or gain anything for themselves. But it is what it is, and it sucks that I experienced the trauma I did.
When you joined the main company in the Ballet Theatre, you faced significant racial hurdles for the first time in your life. Has that situation improved in the past decade?
For a long time, I felt as though I didn't belong in the company. There were comments about me not fitting in, that black women don't look right in tutus.
Some of the reaction I got from the other dancers in the company made me feel as though I were living in a different era. How is it possible, as New Yorkers living in America in the 21st century, that some think it's acceptable to limit people because of the color of their skin? Just because you haven't experienced prejudice yourself doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
I don't know what people today actually are thinking. But I do think people are more aware of their words because of the publicity I've gotten since I started raising the curtain on this issue.
You've come a long way from the teenager who was paralyzed by shyness. Given how self-conscious you were and how afraid you were of being criticized and judged, how were you ever able to perform?
When you're on stage, you can't see people's faces. You're just up there. There was no way for anyone to get to me. All they could do was applaud. Something about that was very empowering for me.
When I started living with Cindy and Patrick, I couldn't even formulate words in my head, let alone speak to them. If it hadn't been for ballet, I don't know if I could ever have gotten to the point where, at age 31, I'm confident enough to stand up in front of people and give my opinion.
Did you ever date Prince? A lot of the bloggers and gossip columnists sure thought you did.
No. I think that every woman who Prince has ever come in contact with has been mentioned as his girlfriend. But I've been with the same boyfriend now for 10 years.
You've made no secret of your desire to become the first African-American principal dancer in the company's history. What do you think your chances are of getting that promotion?
Weekend Watch
It's so hard to predict. At this point, there's probably a 50-50 chance. Every time you go on stage, it's a test, and Kevin [Ballet Theatre artistic director Kevin McKenzie] is still giving me opportunities. I'm going to make my premiere as Coppelia [in the ballet of the same name] in Abu Dhabi in a few weeks. That's huge.
But becoming a principal isn't the be-all and the end-all. My career shouldn't be a reflection on whether or not I ever become a principal dancer. It should be about what I accomplish on stage.
About the book
"Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina" will be published Tuesday by Touchstone Publishing. 288 pages, $24.99.
If you go
Author Misty Copeland will participate in a panel discussion and sign copies of her memoir at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. Call 410-396-5430or go to prattlibrary.org.


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The Things That Were Sealed Are Now Being Revealed!
Are you ready to hear God more clearly?
Do you need a breakthrough in an area of your life?
We are just a few weeks away from an important time called Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — the Days of Awe.
These holidays celebrate the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) which falls on September 9–11 and continue through the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) which falls on September 18–19 this year.
This is a time when the heavens are opened more than usual because God is revealing and releasing your destiny for the coming year!
Even though we are no longer under the Jewish Law and God operates on different calendars, this is a wonderful time to hear the voice of God and prepare for the coming season.
How to prepare
I want to assure you that there is no need to be legalistic about the Days of Awe.
Try not to be discouraged or disappointed if something specific doesn't happen between September 9th–19th, or if what happens doesn't turn out the way you expect or think.
God is always speaking, and He knows exactly what you need!
Over the past few years, I have made it a point to write down what I hear in my journal during the Days of Awe — I encourage you to do the same.
When I go back and look in my journal, I have noticed that God was speaking to me, but I may not have realized it. It may not have been on the exact dates of the Days of Awe, but the season has been a great time of revealing strategy concerning destiny!
Now is a good time to finish some projects that haven't been completed.
If God called you to do something and you haven't done it yet, begin tying up loose ends as much as you can from the previous season to prepare for what is coming.
You can do what I do. I take communion daily, and pray and declare Bible verses like these three:
"He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him," Daniel 2:22 NIV.
"The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord's people," Colossians 1:26 NIV.
"After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this," Revelation 4:1 NIV.
God is speaking through dreams
One way God speaks to us is through dreams and visions. There have been times when I needed to hear the voice of God, so I simply asked Him to give me a dream!
You can expect an increase in your dreams and to hear God more clearly during this time.
"For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
Then He opens the ears of men,And seals their instruction."
Job 33:14–16 NKJV
Step into what God has for you and refuse to be distracted by the negativity that may be happening around you.
God's awesomeness and presence is being revealed right now.
Listen up! The things that were sealed are now being revealed!
~ Doug Addison
P.S. Want to get my Daily Prophetic Word? Sign up here with your email address and I'll send it to you so you don't miss a single one.
Want to hear more on these prophetic words for the month? of my recent Spirit Connection webcasts. Join me and my team for this FREE webcast on the first Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Doug Addison is a prominent conference speaker captivating audiences with clean stand-up comedy and high energy prophetic messages, also shared on TV, radio and the Internet for over a decade. He brings laughter, fun and a unique prophetic style while empowering people to transform their lives, discover their destiny and understand dreams, tattoos and piercings. His powerful messages stay with his audiences long after hearing him.


text:
Audi's S models (S3, S5, S6 etc.) have always offered extra performance over their A model counterparts. Historically, these cars have all been petrol powered, but everybody's favourite vorsprung durch technicians will soon introduce the first ever diesel-powered S vehicle in the form of the Audi SQ5.
The Audi SQ5 is set to be the sportiest version of the Q5 to date. Its 3-litre BiTDI engine will offer a meaty 313PS (309bhp) and 650Nm of torque, which is 69bhp and 150Nm more than the existing 3-litre TDI Quattro. It'll hurl itself from a standstill to 62mph in 5.1 seconds and onto an electronically limited top speed of 155mph, so it's fast enough to hang with the tastiest of sports cars.
Audi says the SQ5 has a specially developed sound actuator in the exhaust system — a flap, essentially — that 'enriches' the exhaust note, so it sounds the part, too.
Despite the epic grunt, the SQ5 isn't particularly thirsty. It'll return up to 39.2mpg on the combined cycle, which is slightly more than the 37.6 achieved by the 3-litre TDI Quattro. Handling, meanwhile, is unproven, but it promises to be quite capable in the turns. The SQ5 will come with sport suspension, which lowers the body by 30mm, helping — in theory, at least — to keep the car flat and composed while cornering.
You'll be able to spot an Audi SQ5 thanks to its platinum grey single-frame grille, the roof spoiler, tweaked bumpers, and the fact it's just hurtled past you at breakneck speed. Audi will start taking orders for the car, which is priced at around £45,000, this October. It'll go on sale starting in spring 2013.
Do you want one? Do you love it? Hate it? Leave your opinions, as ever, in the comments below or on our Facebook hideaway.


text: Policies Bright A Blind is committed to the highest standard in customer solutions for both new blinds and aftercare. We listen to our customers, continually reviewing our processes of product realisation in line with business needs, maximising the efficiency of our resource management system. The principal elements of our policy are: To develop and maintain a Quality and Environmental Management System satisfying the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2015 & 14001:2015 which form the framework for achieving continual improvement , complete with satisfaction, reduced environmental impact and full realisation of all company objectives. a) To focus on the requirements of our clients, establishing levels of communication capable of fully determining their needs and expectations. b) To maintain an accurate knowledge of and comply with all relevant environmental legislation, requirements, best practise and guidelines. c) To maintain an optimum understanding of environmental risk and impact associated with our activities and communicate these to our staff, associates and clients (as appropriate) through training and continually updated knowledge on environmental issues. d) To prevent pollution and minimise the impact of our activities upon the environment in the delivery of our services and where applicable, in the activity of others in deploying those services. e) To establish and maintain an infrastructure capable of supporting all company activities and realising all company objectives. f) To identify scope for improvement in every aspect of the companies activities, devising and implementing effective solutions throughout. ISO 9001 ISO 14001 Achilles Insurance Employers Liability Safe Contractor Constructionline Chas Health & Safety BBSA Health & Safety Policy SMAS Novel Coronavirus Policy For more information call 020 7700 6000 or send an enquiry.


text: Despite significant advances in its treatment acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a significant reason behind heart failure (HF). and 2005. General 32.4% (n=3 582 of sufferers with AMI developed new onset HF throughout their acute hospitalization. Sufferers who created HF had been generally older much more likely to possess pre-existing coronary disease and had been less inclined to receive cardiac medicines or go through revascularization procedures throughout their hospitalization than sufferers who didn't develop HF (p < 0.001). Occurrence prices of HF continued to be relatively steady between 1975 and 1991 at 26% but dropped thereafter. Declines had been also observed in a healthcare facility and 30-time death prices among sufferers with severe HF (p < 0.001). Nevertheless sufferers who created new-onset HF remained at significantly higher risk for dying during their hospitalization (21.6%) than individuals who did not develop this complication (8.3%) (p <0.001). Our large community-based study of individuals hospitalized with AMI demonstrates that the incidence rates of and mortality attributable to HF have declined over the last 3 decades. In conclusion HF remains a common and sometimes fatal problem of AMI to which elevated security and treatment initiatives should be aimed. test for constant variables. Similar strategies had been used to evaluate distinctions between people that have HF who survived when compared with those who didn't survive MK-0679 to medical center release. Short-term prognosis was analyzed in each research calendar year and general by determining in-hospital and 30-time case fatality prices (CFRs) individually for sufferers who did aswell as for those that didn't develop HF. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was utilized to judge the impact of potential confounding and/or mediating elements on the chances of developing HF. We analyzed the relationship of occurrence HF to the next factors: age group sex AMI type AMI purchase body mass index background of heart stroke hypertension diabetes and angina medical center development of comprehensive heart stop atrial fibrillation heart stroke and cardiogenic surprise and hospital success position. Although body mass index and approximated glomerular purification (eGFR) prices differed between our particular comparison groupings these variables weren't contained in our multivariable altered models because information regarding these elements was lacking in a lot of hospitalized sufferers. Multivariable logistic regression analyses had been also utilized to assess the general aftereffect of HF on in-hospital and 30-time mortality while managing for similar possibly confounding prognostic elements. Changes as time passes in the occurrence prices of HF complicating AMI aswell as in-hospital and 30-time post-admission CFRs had been analyzed using the Mantel-Haenszel MK-0679 chi square check for tendencies. Logistic regression versions managing for previously defined covariates had been useful to examine distinctions in the occurrence prices MK-0679 of HF and short-term CFRs in people that have HF through the 30-calendar year period under research. Results A complete of 11 61 better Worcester citizens without previously diagnosed HF had been hospitalized with verified AMI between 1975 PCPTP1 and 2005. The test was older and mostly Caucasian with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk elements (Desk 1). Thirty-two percent of sufferers (n=3 582 experienced an initial bout of HF throughout their hospitalization for AMI. Desk 1 Features of Individuals With AMI Based on the Existence of New-Onset Heart Failing Individuals who created new-onset HF had been on average old more frequently feminine and had been more likely to truly have a background of prior MI diabetes angina hypertension and heart stroke than individuals who didn't develop this problem (Desk 1). Individuals with HF complicating AMI had been also much more likely to are suffering from atrial fibrillation full heart stop and cardiogenic surprise throughout their hospitalization. Individuals with HF got lower diastolic blood circulation pressure lower total serum cholesterol amounts lower hemoglobin amounts and a lesser eGFR price but higher center rates MK-0679 and blood sugar amounts on hospital entrance than individuals who didn't develop HF. As opposed to individuals admitted during previously study years individuals with HF accepted in 2001 2003 and 2005 didn't vary from those who MK-0679 didn't develop HF regarding a brief history of angina total serum cholesterol amounts body mass index or probability of developing full heart block throughout their index hospitalization. Individuals who created new-onset HF had been less inclined to become treated with aspirin.


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Ecología Aplicada
Print version ISSN 1726-2216
DEZA, Mariajosé and ANDIA, Juan Manuel. Diversity and species richness of the family Araneidae (Arachnida, Araneae) in CICRA (Madre de Dios - Peru). Ecol. apl. [online]. 2009, vol.8, n.1-2, pp.81-90. ISSN 1726-2216.
The aim of the present study was to register richness and diversity of the family Araneidae in CICRA. Quantitative collections were made in two marked seasons: dry season (ES: august-september, 2005) and rainy season (ELL: february - march, 2006), randomly choosing six plots of one hectare each, being the same for both seasons. Direct capture was used by means of manual collection, using the following methods: Ground Hand Collecting (collects up to the level of the knee) and Aerial Hand Collecting (collects from the level of the knee up to two meters of height approximately). Each method was applied during an hour, in the daytime (7:00 AM - 9:00 AM) and in the night (7:00 PM -9:00 PM) obtaining 24 samples. In the dry season 1516 individuals were collected, distributed in 25 genera and 120 species; in the rainy season 3173 individuals were collected, distributed in 24 genera and 121 species, totaling 154 spp. The most representative species in both seasons were Micrathena kirbyi (ES: 12%, ELL: 22%), Araneus sp. 1 (ES: 4.6%, ELL: 5%), Micrathena cf. exlinae (ES: 5.3%, ELL: 3.7%), Parawixia kochi (ES: 4%, ELL: 6.3%) and Cyclosa inca (ES: 6.7%, ELL: 6%). The diversity obtained in ES (H′: 3.829) was higher than in ELL (H′: 3.453) in spite of the fact that the ELL presented major richness and abundance.
Keywords : Araneae; Araneidae; diversity; species richness; Madre de Dios; Peru.


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With the rampant rise and fall of Gucci Gang in 2017, it's been a tough year for wannabe fashion icons in the modern age—especially on a student's budget. Throughout history, it has always been this way. The rich and the elite are of everyone's envy, and thus, we all crave for a small glimpse into their lifestyle. What they eat, what they wear, etc.
But what about the people that want to look trendy and want to look fashionable, but can't afford five pairs of designer t-shirts that are each only worn once? What about the people who are so far in-debt with student loans but still want to have their Cinderella moment at the top of the stairs?
Luckily for all of us, there is a simple solution to this dilemma: thrifting.
What is It?
For those of you who are new to the concept, thrift stores are places that are constructed just like a regular old boutique but instead sell second-hand clothing for a discounted price. To thrift, or go thrifting, is exactly how it sounds: to go to a thrift store and shop around.
Where Did It Come From?
Thrift stores take on various different names throughout history, the most notable being charity shops. Charity shops were existing around the time of the first world war, but only really became prevalent towards World War II. Charity shops were constructed with the idea of raising money or funds for organizations or establishments.
One of the first charity shops in the world was set up by blind people to generate more funding for the Wolverhampton Society for the Blind in 1899.
The Red Cross, arguably the most well-known establishments who openly vouch for thrifting as a sustainable form of generating income, have roots that actually extend all the way back to the first World War; moreover, they ended up establishing over two hundred permanent locations during World War II.
As decades pass, more and more second-hand stores arose, most of them with the sole purpose of collecting donations for notable organizations. It's safe to say that thrift stores, along with the thrifting culture as a whole, originated as an act of selfless aid and the modern age continues to uphold the honorable act.
Modern Stigmas
However, nowadays more and more people are concentrating more heavily on the secondhand aspect of the culture, and not so much on the heart of it all. Common concerns are as follows: the clothes that are on sale at thrift stores are dirty, or all the clothes are worn-out and old.
Personally, I don't see the point of buying something cheap but second-hand when I can buy something a little more pricey but worth it.
Let's focus on the first one for starters, as it is the main reason for much of society's hesitation. Trinity Yeo, a sophomore at SAS, confesses, "I don't understand why people our age would willingly go to thrift stores when there are stores like H&M and Topshop around."
Another student adds, "Thrifting has never really intrigued me. I know a few people who are addicted to it, but personally, I don't see the point of buying something cheap but second-hand when I can buy something a little more pricey but worth it."
In a quick questionaire sent out to 20 random students with the simple question ("Would you go thrift shopping?"), five of them answered yes, eight answered maybe, and seven replied no.
The people who replied no were then sent an additional survey inquiring Why Not? with the top two most common myths as potential answers. Six out of the eight people who replied no chose the reason that the clothes are thrift stores are dirty, with the remaining two claiming that the clothes are old, and therefore unappealing.
It is no lie that the clothes that find themselves in thrift stores are clothes that the previous owner was willing to part with. However, this doesn't immediately classify them as 'dirty'. In fact, if a donated piece of clothing or item is seen to be less than appealing, it will not be taken and re-sold by thrift stores—yes, even thrift stores have standards.
The second myth is that all of the clothes are worn-out and/or old. The age-old image of thrift stores is embedded into our minds so unconsciously that we don't even realize it. The vintage scent drifting out through the windows, unpolished glasses with Queen Victoria's seal printed on the bottom, the faded fabric hanging from the shaking racks, etc.
Contrary to popular belief, thrift stores, in reality, actually contain various assortments of clothing and decorative pieces from your grandparents' generation to the present one. Spanning from precious delicates to contemporary simplicities, thrift stores really do try their very best to cater for everyone.
Anjali Swarstad, a sophomore and regular thrifter, explains, "I see a lot of designer brands at thrift stores that are being sold at a really good price. I once found a Louis Vuitton purse for $25, and that was the most expensive thing I saw in the whole store."
Once people get over the initial hesitation and start to embrace the notion that new does not immediately constitute it as being better, thrifting might rise as a sustainable form of acquiring clothes and/or items for some people, especially the younger generations.
As a matter of fact, nowadays a new wave of fashion is emerging in which vintage clothing and thrifted looks are in vogue. However, it's going to need a much bigger platform if thrifting is going to emerge as a prevalent culture.
Thrifting 101
So now that the most common myths have been (hopefully) debunked, how does one make their break into thrifting culture? It might be a little daunting to step out of your comfort zone—especially in those initial few seconds when you walk into your first ever second-hand shop–so it is strongly recommended that you enter this new chapter of your life with a friend.
There is nothing more thrilling than rummaging through piles of clothes and accessories that you otherwise might never have had the pleasure of seeing in your life. Because experimenting is always a little tough, here are a three solid, local thrift stores (listen in no particular order) that will never let you leave without feeling absolutely satisfied:
1. Red Cross House
This famous establishment has two thrift stores in Singapore, but their branch located at 15 Penang Ln (Singapore 238486) serves as the more popular one of the two. Average prices at the Red Cross House vary from as low as $1 for accessories to up to $10 for a full outfit. The only downside is that their only opening hours are extremely limited: Wednesdays, from 11am to 4pm.
2. Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has numerous thrift stores in Singapore and is mostly known for its higher quality (and therefore, higher price range) clothing. The stores are expertly located at opposite ends of Singapore, ensuring that wherever you are, you will never be too far from a Salvation Army thrift store. All of the shops are open every single day from 10am to 6pm with the exception of Sunday.
3. Something Old Something New
This small thrift shopping community is headed and funded by the Singapore Anglican Community Services and prides itself on hiring people who are recovering from psychiatric conditions to train them. The stores are open every single day from 9am to 5pm, with the exception of Sunday.
With an extensive knowledge of the art of thrifting and a guide to three of Singapore's most notable thrift stores, you are more than prepared to start your own journey! May the thrift gods be ever in your favor.


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Cam Newton's next team? Here are 5 possibilities, plus 1 savage bonus option
Cam Newton's surprising release by the New England Patriots has the NFL world buzzing. Chief among the fallout topics: What's next for Newton?
It's not a clear picture.
On one hand, this could be taken as a sign that the Patriots no longer believed in Newton. On the other, it's possible to argue that the Patriots had so much belief in first-round pick Mac Jones that they did Newton a favor by releasing him, allowing him to latch onto a better opportunity elsewhere.
Is the second reason a stretch? Maybe not. Having Newton lingering as a backup could create an awkward situation for all parties. It's also possible that Newton saw the writing on the wall with Jones and respectfully asked Bill Belichick for his release.
Of course, if Newton does join another team — he's immediately a free agent and not subject to waivers — it almost certainly means he'll come in as a backup to whatever roster he joins.
He's 32 years old and was benched three separate times last year. It was possibly his worst statistical season ever. He just lost his starting job to a rookie. His vaccination status could prove to be troublesome for some teams.
So is there really a market for Newton?
We still say there could be teams in need of QB2 help where Newton would provide an upgrade. He's coming off a preseason in which he completed 14-of-21 passes for 162 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Last year, Newton struggled to throw the ball but was an effective designed runner and scrambler (137 rushes, 592 yards, 12 touchdowns, 55 first-down runs, long run of 49 yards).
He still has something to offer.
Here are five teams (plus one fun bonus possibility) that make some sense for Newton:
Atlanta Falcons
This one makes sense on a number of levels.
The Falcons just lost A.J. McCarron to a season-ending knee injury. That leaves them with undrafted rookie Feleipe Franks and Josh Rosen, who just was added to the roster, behind starter Matt Ryan. Who is the Week 1 backup?
Newton calls Atlanta home, but might not be wild about the idea of joining a team with Ryan, who has missed a mere one start since late in the 2009 season.
But the Falcons could certainly move on from Ryan at some point — perhaps even after this season. Bringing in Newton would make some sense from an insurance standpoint, and it at least would give him the chance to earn the backup role in his hometown and maybe Ryan's potential replacement (even if the Falcons certainly would draft a quarterback in that situation).
Still, we could see the fit making sense.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys cut Garrett Gilbert and folk hero Ben DiNucci, leaving them with Cooper Rush as Dak Prescott's backup. Rush has attempted three NFL passes, all in the 2017 season.
That's why Dallas has to consider a better alternative in case Prescott's injury worries carry into the regular season. The Cowboys' season is likely over once again if Prescott suffers another longterm injury. But if Prescott were to miss, say, a start or two along the way, could Newton provide a better option than Rush?
Maybe. This is one to keep an eye on. Prescott's non-throwing shoulder is the more immediate concern for his early-season health, lest we forget the devastating ankle injury that ended his 2020 season. One wrong turn or awkward hit could bring that ailment back to the forefront quickly.
The Cowboys could make a one-year, cap-friendly deal and add Newton if they think he could provide a tangible upgrade. You can feel Jerry Jones' tangibly self-applied pressure to win now.
Washington Football Team
The surface connections are pretty obvious. Newton and head coach Ron Rivera go way back. They were a fascinating pair with the Carolina Panthers, and Rivera went a long way most times to defend Newton publicly and to the team when needed.
Rivera helped Newton develop into an MVP and even reached the Super Bowl. They've remained close, and some thought Newton could end up in Washington when he remained unsigned into June last year.
Cam Newton makes a beeline for his former HC Ron Rivera. #Patriots @wpri12 pic.twitter.com/NLtkP5VL7Y
— Morey Hershgordon (@MHershgordon) August 12, 2021
Newton also worked in Carolina with Washington offensive coordinator Scott Turner. It would likely be a smooth adjustment if it happens.
The question is whether there's a spot for Newton on this roster. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the starter. Taylor Heinicke, the man who almost took down Tom Brady in the playoffs, remains the likely No. 2 option. Kyle Allen, Newton's teammate in Carolina, did suffer a sprained ankle the other day in practice, and 2020 undrafted QB Steven Montez looks like more of a practice squad candidate to us.
Washington got to face Newton in Week 1 of the preseason, which also helps. He completed 4-of-7 passes for 49 yards in his one drive against them, leading the Patriots to a field goal on his only possession of the game.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos named Teddy Bridgewater the starter over Drew Lock. Was this an indictment of Lock or the sign of a coach worried about his job? Whatever the case, the Broncos' long-term quarterback picture is unclear and featureless.
Newton wouldn't represent the future, per se, and we don't view this as anywhere close to the most likely landing spot. But he could at least give the Broncos another body at the position.
Right now they could simply keep Bridgewater and Lock on the active roster and try to land Brett Rypien on the practice squad (if he clears waivers).
The Broncos clearly would want Newton only as insurance to protect against Bridgewater getting hurt, we'd guess. There are some reasons it could make sense, even if we don't ultimately see it happening this way.
Houston Texans
It already feels like a lost season. Deshaun Watson might be deadweight on the roster. Assumed starter Tyrod Taylor last started the majority of a season back in 2017 with the Bills, and he's now on his third different team since then. There's hope that 2021 third-rounder Davis Mills is worth investing in, but the Texans can't really go to him anytime soon, can they?
This is where Newton could be somewhat useful. Texans GM Nick Caserio was in New England last year when the Patriots signed Newton, although we don't know to what degree he pushed for the move to happen.
But Caserio's familiarity with Newton in the building last year — especially amid very difficult circumstances — could help grease the wheels for him coming to Houston.
Why might he want to sign with the lowly Texans? Well, it might represent the clearest path toward starting games this season. Is that what Newton wants? If so, we can't rule out this possibility.
Bonus team:
Miami Dolphins
It would be the ultimate savage move by Brian Flores, the ex-Belichick assistant, to sign Newton and have a package of plays installed for Miami's Week 1 matchup in New England.
Wouldn't that be something?
The Dolphins have been running Jacoby Brissett as Tua Tagovailoa's backup this summer, and No. 3 QB Reid Stinnett has had some fantastic moments in preseason garbage time. So there might not be room for Newton ... unless Tua's health suddenly becomes a worry.
But we also wouldn't rule out the chance to add the ex-Patriots QB if Flores thought it meant gaining an edge over his former teacher. It's a long shot for sure. But it's one we can't completely dismiss either.


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If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission. Learn more.
They say you get what you pay for, but if you've learned anything by following our deals coverage then you know that's definitely not true. High prices don't always equate to better products, and we give you examples of that each and every day. Today's reminder is the TOZO case, which costs just $7.99 on Amazon for either the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus. This paper-thin case is the perfect way to add some much-needed grip to your iPhone without adding any bulk whatsoever. It's perfect for people who hate smartphone cases, and it's still our favorite ultra-thin iPhone case after all this time.
Here are some highlights from the product page:
- 0.35mm Thinest protect case. Simple, elegant. The iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus case features a refined design, Maximum keep your iPhone 7 slim and provide scratch protection.
- MATTE FACE – with matte optical texture, anti-glare(reduced reflection),reducing fingerprints or grease buildup.
- CAMERA RAISED – Camera hole ring raised protective layer, provide cell phone camera detail protection.
- PERFECT FIT – Specially designed for iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, has precise cutouts for speakers, charging ports and buttons.
- Warning Tips: This Case is compatible only for iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus phones.
Our deals and product reviews are picked by BGR's expert editors and team.
Follow @BGRDeals on Twitter to keep up with the latest and greatest deals we find around the web. Prices subject to change without notice and any coupons mentioned above may be available in limited supply.


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Dude I reek of $2.50 pitchers, $1 off/pack marlboro cigs, and fear.
You must be Logged in to post a comment
Fear the cigs
I just want to know how the smell differs when the picture costs more or less than $2.50
Picture? C'mon man.
That smell gets all over everything.
you come on...that was obviously an auto-correct issue.


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ACCOuNT is the African American Cardiovascular pharmacogenetics CONsorTium. Learn more about precision medicine, pharmacogenomics, and the goals of ACCOuNT below.
What is precision medicine?
The U.S. National Library of Medicine defines precision medicine as an "emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person. This approach will allow doctors and researchers to predict more accurately which treatment and prevention strategies for a particular disease will work in which groups of people. It is in contrast to a 'one-size-fits-all' approach, in which disease treatment and prevention strategies are developed for the average person, with less consideration for the differences between individuals."
What is pharmacogenomics?
Pharmacogenomics is an important part of precision medicine.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, "it is the study of how genes affect a person's response to particular drugs. Since many drugs that are currently available don't work the same way for everyone, it can be difficult to predict who will benefit from a medication, who will not respond at all, and who will experience negative side effects (called adverse drug reactions). Adverse drug reactions are a significant cause of hospitalizations and deaths in the United States. Pharmacogenomics can be used to reduce these adverse reactions and to develop effective, safe medications and doses that will be tailored to a person's genetic makeup."
Are there health disparities in precision medicine?
Precision medicine and pharmacogenomics have the potential to improve health care and reduce adverse drug reactions for thousands of patients each year. Hospitals around the country have begun using results from pharmacogenomics research studies to develop guidelines that doctors can use to prescribe medications to patients based on their genetic information.
However, the majority of the genome association studies used in developing these clinical guidelines were conducted in populations of European ancestry. Populations of African ancestry have been largely excluded from precision medicine. This is problematic because some genetic variations found in Caucasian groups are rare in African American populations. As a result, the guidelines being developed based on these genetic variations may be much less useful to some patients than they are to others. If not addressed, these health disparities in precision medicine will get worse over time.
What is ACCOuNT?
ACCOuNT is a group of doctors, researchers, community leaders, and patients who believe that all people should benefit equally from precision medicine, which can improve health and quality of life. The goal of ACCOuNT (African American Cardiovascular pharmacogenetics CONsorTium) is to reduce the current health disparities in precision medicine, and specifically among African Americans. We will do this by:
- Searching for genetic variations that may affect how a person responds to a medication.
- Developing recommendations that doctors can use when prescribing medications to patients.
- Sharing information about precision medicine and pharmacogenomic research with patients and communities.
ACCOuNT hopes to close this gap in precision medicine by making pharmacogenetic discoveries and then quickly translating these findings into better health care for African Americans. Learn more about how ACCOuNT is achieving its goals through the Discovery and Translation research projects.


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Local author Camille Blue Amy publishes her first children's book – Marshall and his green high-tops – available at http://www.marshallmouse.com
KINGSTON, ON – September 18, 2008 – Marshall and his green high-tops by Camille Blue Amy tells the story of sweet little Marshall Mouse who lives with his doting parents Mortimer and Mabel and uncles Grant and David. Marshall longs to wear green high-top sneakers just like humans do to protect their feet. With those special shoes, Marshall believes he will be better at his favourite game of baseball.
Uncle Grant warns that mice don't wear shoes, but then the kindly uncle becomes part of the family plan to make the shoes a birthday surprise for Marshall.
Will the shoes help Marshall improve his game or will his uncle's words prove true?
Marshall and his green high-tops is Camille Blue Amy's first children's book and it is suitable for children of ages 3-6. It is beautifully illustrated by Lorena Pugh whose paintings and prints can be seen at http://www.purebrededitions.com.
Camille Blue Amy was born in Paducah, Kentucky on July 11th. Nicknamed Mickey, she attended Hopkinsville High School where she was a radio deejay on WHOP. She attended Murray State University and studied music for 8 years before traveling to Alaska where she managed a credit bureau, read children's books on the radio on Saturday mornings and sang jazz in the evenings at the Narrows Supper Club. Although she always wanted to be an architect, she has instead become an inventor, art broker and three time gallery owner not to mention mother to three grown children and grandmother of two. Camille is a modern Renaissance woman who resides in Punta Gorda, Florida from late autumn to late spring and in Portland, Ontario during the summer months with her husband of 46 years. She loves to paint and do stain glass in her cottage studio in Portland, and has a passion for West Highland Terriers, sailing, tennis and golf.
Camille will be signing copies of her book which retails at $9.95 at Chapters in Kingston on Saturday, October 4, 2008 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. You can also order your copy at: http://www.marshallmouse.com.


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10 Berlin facts – combined with video clips I've collected over the 2 1/2 years I've been filming In A Berlin Minute and scored by my friend Ralf Zwiebel's song "Berlin – New York" – a song I like so much that I've used it in two previous minutes already.
I hope you enjoy this list of 10 Berlin facts. Maybe you have learned something new… maybe you have a fun or interesting Berlin fact to share? Please add it in the comments!
You can look at more photos from this video shoot on my personal blog: Berlin Facts and Photos


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Loading Ready Run Readies for 4th Charity Live Stream
The online video landscape is a little young yet to have many Thanksgiving traditions, but here's one of them: The live-streamed charity drive known as Desert Bus, during which members of the Canadian sketch comedy troupe Loading Ready Run torture themselves by playing the most boring video game ever, begins tonight at 6 PM PT.
The past three years of Desert Bus have earned a total of $233,677 for the Child's Play gamer charity initiative benefiting children's hospitals, making it the charity's single largest single donor. Now in its fourth year, the team has already received over $6,000 for this drive — before even getting started.
The rules are simple: A member of the Loading Ready Run team plays Desert Bus, a gag video game created by Penn & Teller to simulate the experience of driving from Tucson, Arizona to Las Vegas, Nevada. It takes eight hours of continuous unpausable play to complete the trip and earn one point. The more donations, the longer LRR plays.
The action is tracked with two different livestreams hosted by Ustream: One of the game in action, one of the driver playing it. The latter stream usually includes other members of the Loading Ready Run team keeping the driver company and encouraging those following the action in a live chartroom to keep donating.
Last year's trip lasted five days and 16 hours, with drivers playing four hour shifts, and this year the challenge has increased, with each of the five drivers (James Turner, Jeremy Petter, Morgan vanHumbeck, Bill Watt and Kathleen De Vere) playing in 24-hour long shifts. The anticipation is that only the first driver might have to take a second shift — however, according to LRR co-founder Graham Stark, via phone, everyone involved has taken the next week off from their various responsibilities. "Regardless of how long we go, we'll need the rest of the week to sleep," Stark said.
To support their efforts, special guests call in to the Loading Ready Run headquarters to cheer on the team: Past years have included surprise calls from Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day, and this year Zero Punctuation creator Yahtzee and Xbox Director of Policy and Enforcement Steptoe are among the scheduled call-ins. Loading Ready Run has also brought approximately 20 sponsors onto the project: Some of which supply prizes for auction, some of which, like site host ServInt and internet provider Shaw, keep the online action going.
LRR co-founder Graham Stark, via phone, credited those sponsorships to the video game-obsessed site The Escapist, for which LRR produces a variety of web series. "They've given us amazing support on their site, and helped us contact the bigger gaming sponsors," Stark said. Rock Band creators Harmonix this year, for example, have donated copies of Rock Band 2 and 3, as well as a signed guitar, for auction.
Thanks to a formula which sets increasingly larger donation milestones as the donation total increases, the Desert Bus saga will eventually end. But even before the launch, the team has already committed to 90 hours of drive time — so it may be a long time indeed before the ride ends.
Is there a point where this project isn't scalable anymore? Stark isn't sure. "We thought that the second year, and then we doubled the amount we earned the third year," he said. "We're Canadian, we're very reserved, so if we can do half as well as we did last year, it'll already be a major success. I don't know if there's an upper limit, but we're going to keep doing this until we find out."
Related GigaOm Pro Content (subscription required):


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Why One Suffix Is More Common Than Another
What is the rationale, if any, for the predominance of one suffix over one that performs the same function? Last week, I discussed the question of choosing between the suffixes -logic and -logical. Here, I take a look at other suffixes that compete with each other when various parts of speech are converted to others.
The suffix –ize is adopted for most multisyllabic words; by contrast, -ify is rarely applied to words of more than one syllable. The rationale given for this rule, that one choice or the other simply feels right, bears out: Even if I didn't know the adjectival form of apology, I would more likely say apologize than apologify; the same goes for minimize over minimify, revolutionize over revolutionify, and just about any other applicable word I can think of. (Electrify, rather than electricize, is one exception.)
Often, more than one correct adjective exists for a given word, but one form seems more formal than the other. For example, both accountability and accountableness are acceptable (another example is the duo profanity/profaneness), but although -ness is more common, -ity is considered more proper.
Certain suffixes go in and out of style. For example, -th long ago fell out of favor as an option for converting an adjective to a noun, and -ment has essentially been retired as a go-to suffix for new words. The same is true of -ar as a suffix indicating transformation from a verb to a noun; though -ar is common among existing words, -er is not only much more common but is also the default suffix for new coinages.
When a word has more than one possible suffix, the alternatives may develop different connotations. For example, profaneness refers, among other senses, to irreverent or unholy things, while profanity has come to denote the quality or state of being profane, or the speaking or writing of profane language, or such language itself. Another example is the development of cynical when cynic became a noun as well as an adjective.
Some suffixes develop distinct qualities. For example, -ive, based on Latin words ending in -vus but extended to non-Latinate words as well, implies a permanent state, as exemplified by the difference in nuance between attracting and attractive.
Because of the variety of likely suffixes, it's best to consult the dictionary or an authoritative resource if you're uncertain about the proper appendage for a particular word.
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3 Responses to "Why One Suffix Is More Common Than Another"
The one that annoys me (well … briefly anyway) is 'normalcy' – one that I've only heard in American usage. The only alternative I know of is 'normality', which sounds better to me, but I don't know if either one or neither is 'more' correct.
Accountableness is more common than accountability? Accountableness?
Can you give an example of what you mean regarding the -th suffix for adjectives-turned-nouns?
Mark Nichol
I should have been more precise. I meant not that accountableness is more common than accountability, but that -ness is more common in general than -ity.
Adjectives derived from nouns that end in -th include warmth and width.


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Asia, Food & Drinks, Fukuoka, Japan, Otomezushi, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Sushi, Sushi in Fukuoka, Uotoku
Ever since feasting on the freshest and best sushi we've ever had in Kanazawa at Otomezushi, Mr. Selfish and I have been a bit shy to eat sushi. It's all relative, and we know that most sushi won't stack up to Otomezushi. We've mostly stuck to eating rolls instead of actual sushi since you don't have to be as concerned with freshness.
On our trip back to Japan, we figured that we would get our fill of sushi. We had read rave reviews of a sushi restaurant named Uotoku (17-14-1 Imaizumi 1-chome, Chuo-ku) in Fukuoka, particularly about the sushi chef who had worked in Hong Kong and New York. We made a reservation for lunch, which is always cheaper for sushi, and had high hopes for sushi.
We opted for the chef's selection and gave him a budget of about $35 USD per person. It's always a good idea to trust the chef to choose the freshest and best sushi of the day.
The first item served was snail. I wasn't really expecting it, but it was pretty good and tender. Mr. Selfish and I each received two snails and a toothpick to pry them out.
The next item was pufferfish (fugu) and octopus. Mr. Selfish and I had looked into trying fugu on our previous trip to Japan. I found it quite fascinating that you could literally die from a bad cut of fugu but when I heard that it was just a very light white fish, we opted against it due to the high price. And I was right – it is very light almost flavorless fish. It was nice to try fugu but it certainly wasn't full of flavor. As for the octopus, I thought it was pretty good but Mr. Selfish had a difficult time chewing it.
Third, we had a delicious bonita soup with tofu and shrimp. The chef explained to us that this soup was quite hard to cook and went through multiple iterations of cooking. Whatever it was, it was quite tasty!
Next up we enjoyed a series of fresh sushi – seabass, mackeral, and tuna. As usual, the tuna was my absolute favorite. It just melted.
Then, we had the salmon roe, which has a very pleasant sensation of bursting in your mouth, and the egg. Both were quite well-done.
To signify the end of our meal, the chef served us miso soup with crab. This was the good stuff; you could tell that it wasn't made from a miso powder.
Finally, we opted for a dessert and had some simple but yummy pear sherbet.
Although Uotoku wasn't as good as Otomezushi, I highly recommend it for sushi if you are visiting Fukuoka. The sushi was fresh, and the chef was informative and excellent in his selection.


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This past year, I have been SUPER inspired by the concept of hygge! I read one book and immediately became OBSESSED and have been on my own little journey ever since. From a young age, I have always been attracted to a cozy home. I remember in junior high I took a bubble bath every morning. Haha—like, I got up extra early every morning just to enjoy my bath.
I have always been obsessed with candles (more recently essential oils as well!), baking, blankets, slippers … all of the cozy things! So learning about the Danish concept of hygge really resonated with me and I wanted to learn everything I could.
The definition of hygge is "a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture)."
In this post, I will share all the books I read (there are so many great ones!) as well as things I've changed up in our home to create a more cozy living space.
Things I incorporated into our home/life:
–More lighting sources. I have been slowly adding lamps, twinkle lights and other sources like a beautiful essential oil diffuser. The holidays really inspire this for me because I LOVE the feeling of walking into our living spaces to the glow of the Christmas trees and the twinkle of our outdoor lights through the windows. Although nothing will ever be as magical as the holidays, I aspire to add more twinkle year round because it makes our home so much more cozy at night.
–Candles and oils. I don't use as many candles as I used to, but a few unscented candles do make a big difference in the vibe. It's a part of the ritual! For creating a cozy scent, I rely on essential oil diffusers (we have seven throughout our home— haha). My favorite oil combo is lavender, fir needle and some sort of citrus, like orange. So nice!
–Minimizing. This is HUGE. I still would never consider myself a minimalist, but I have learned the incredible value in clearing out my home—donating, selling and generally just having less stuff.
–Neutral colors and texture. This is my personal preference for decor that feels cozy to me. While I love to gawk at photos of colorful tile, bright sofas and wild patterned walls, I feel most at home in a neutral space. It somehow provides balance to my brain. At the end of a long day, what I really crave is a simple, neutral space, clean countertops, uncluttered surfaces and textured cozy blankets and pillows. (To be clear, my home is not always clean … I just crave that!)
–Natural materials. This is SO big for me. A few years back, I started the effort to stop buying so much plastic and instead spend my money on items that are from nature—woven baskets, things made of wood, ceramics, vintage wool rugs instead of new synthetic rugs. It takes time. But over time you can improve the air quality in your home and the longevity of the things you buy. Hygge teaches that being surrounded by natural materials is good for us on a deeper level as well. It may sound silly to some, but I swear it has made a big difference in my home.
–Saving special purchases for special occasions. I read about this in the first book I recommend below. I love this concept. Since I heard it I have begun to save special purchases and get them as a reward for milestones and celebrating goals achieved. It has made a massive difference to me in how much I appreciate these purchases and it feels good to have happy memories tied to items in our home.
–Planning the hygge factors in each room. In the past, I would plan the decor for my rooms, but I didn't put much thought into the emotional side of the decor or the memories I wanted to create in these rooms. The biggest difference the concept of hygge has made in my life is that I now plan my rooms around the hygge elements, not the decor elements.
So for example, when in the past I would be worried about which wallpaper to choose for our bedroom, I am not concerned about how nice it is for reading at night and for morning routines, etc. In my kitchen, I once would have felt incomplete without a big design statement or a major color moment, but now I am planning for the parties we will host, nights at home with our kiddos and holidays. It's a different perspective and one that is more based on making everyone FEEL at home rather than decorating for visuals.
By the way, I feel like I am just getting started and will continue working on my cozy goals in our new home!
Books I read and loved:
–The Little Book of Hygge
–Dwell Gather Be
–Hygge: Unlock the Danish Art of Coziness and Happiness
–The Book of Hygge
Each of these books are a quick read. I read most of them in 1-2 airplane rides. Although there will be some overlapping information, I felt that each author had a different emphasis and I liked learning from more than one person.
If you are interested in the idea of hygge, I would LOVE to hear what changes you made to your home and what has been the most rewarding for you.
xx- Elsie


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Oh my goodness, you're going to love this soap! First, it's BEAUTIFUL. It looks dark in this picture, but it's really a gorgeous Caribbean blue with pearly white swirls. It smells like a fresh summer breeze, with just a hint … Continue reading
July 30, 2017
by Deborah Burgess
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Paul A. Iaizzo, PhD
Professor, Visible Heart Laboratories
Contact Info
Professor, Visible Heart Laboratories
Faculty, PhD Program in Integrative Biology and Physiology
Faculty, Graduate Program in Neuroscience
Fellowship, Postdoctoral NIH research Department of Pharmacology, Mayo Foundation, Rochester MN; Postdoctoral Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Research, Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Germany
PhD, University of Minnesota, Physiology (Neurophysiology)
M.S., Physiology, University of Minnesota, Duluth
B.S., Biology, University of Minnesota, Duluth
Post-doc, Pharmacology, Mayo Clinic (NIH fellowship)
Post-doc, Neurophysiology, Technical University of Munich
To view Dr. Iaizzo's curriculum vitae, please visit his Visible Heart Laboratory web profile.
To view Dr. Iaizzo's curriculum vitae, please visit his Visible Heart Laboratory web profile.
Research Summary/Interests
- Translational Systems Physiology
- Physiology of skeletal and cardiac muscle (in vivo, in situ and in vitro); Medical device design.
- Cardiac Anatomy: http://www.vhlab.umn.edu/atlas
- Pathophysiology of human skeletal muscle. Effects of anesthetic agents on the function of extrafusal and intrafusal skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle.
- Development of novel instrumentation and biomedical devices for physiological monitoring, clinical evaluation and/or therapeutic use.
- Role of elevated intracellular [Ca2+] in: 1) cell signaling; 2) dystrophic processes within skeletal muscle; and 3) cell toxicity.
- Physiological and pathological oscillations of the musculoskeletal system (e.g., tremor, shiver and clonus).
- Physiology of thermoregulation and biomedical applications of heat transfer in humans.
- Non-invasive and invasive correlates of wound formation, status, healing and prevention: development of animal models, and the design of biomedical instrumentation.
- Cervical and lumbar spinal cord biomechanics and management of back pain.


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A new perspective on weight loss: Reset your physiology
A new perspective on weight loss: Reset your physiology
Guest Post by Dr. Jon Wisco, Ph.D., Anatomy and Neurobiology Professor, Brigham Young University and University of Utah School of Medicine Fat is good. We need fat. The most important system in our body (okay, I'm biased, I'm a neuroscientist) – our nervous system – is comprised of nearly 60 percent fat! Without a healthy amount of […]Read Full Article »
When it comes to stress, it's all small stuff.
Stress, a normal part of all of our lives….but does it have to be? If we can all learn to take a deep breath, and focus on what matters, perhaps we'd make more time for truly productive activities. You just yelled at a crazy driver on the road. You spilled coffee on your shirt. And […]Read Full Article »


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Formstack is recognized for its unique company culture, flexible work environment and strong employee benefits program
FISHERS, IND. – (May 6, 2020) — Formstack, a workplace productivity software helping companies digitize information, automate workflows and transform processes, today announced its recognition as one of Inc. magazine's Best Workplaces for 2020. Additionally, Formstack was featured on Inc.'s Best Workplaces Editors' List, which recognizes select companies for their special culture or perspective, and people.
Now in its fifth year, Inc.'s Best Workplaces is the result of a comprehensive measurement of private American companies that have created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and stellar benefits. This year, Inc. fielded more than 3,000 submissions and determined finalists by the results of an employee survey on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks and confidence in the future. Employers were then ranked using a composite score of survey results (ranging from 1-100).
Formstack scored 94 overall and performed particularly well in the areas of employee engagement and access to learning and development opportunities. The survey also found that Formstack's senior leaders value people as their most important resource, a key factor in driving engagement.
"We're extremely honored to be recognized by Inc. for the company culture we've worked hard to cultivate over the past 14 years. It's all a testament to our team valuing relationships, transparency and teamwork, all of which have become increasingly vital in our current global environment," said Miranda Nicholson, VP of Human Resources, Formstack. "Formstack's mission is to improve people's lives with practical solutions to their everyday work. Our team not only makes that happen, but continues to make Formstack a great place to work."
"Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership," says Inc. magazine editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. "The companies on Inc.'s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever."
Since its founding in 2006, Formstack has focused on fostering a strong, remote-first company culture. The company was named a 2019 Indiana Breakout Tech Culture Awards Winner (Top-Rated Workplace), Indiana Chamber of Commerce's 2019 Best Places to Work (for the fourth consecutive year), Built In Colorado's 2019 Best Places to Work in Colorado, and the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC 2018 Industry Awards (New Business of the Year).
To view Inc. magazine's Best Workplaces for 2020, visit www.inc.com/best-workplaces/2020.html. Formstack is currently hiring for positions across the company. To learn more or to apply, visit www.formstack.com/careers.


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Oh My
So many topics to blog about as the world slides into madness. Or maybe I'm chronicling my own descent into madness and despair. Maybe both. I'm pretty sure the world has always been pretty insane, and the more I study history and current events, the more supportable that conclusion seems. Not a terribly helpful or enlightening conclusion, so I won't dwell on it. Instead I will dwell on various possible blog topics and world events.
First, the second part of my "surviving nuclear war" series. Well, turns out that the first part of the series was easy: "See the flash jump into a hole." How to cope with invisible highly toxic dust falling from the sky has proved a bit trickier to blog about. The coping part is fairly easy actually, it's writing about it in a clear and simple fashion that is holding up the train. I'd hate for people to misinterpret my instructions and die a lingering death from radiation poisoning if it could be avoided. Well, most people I guess.
I had an interesting thought on the surge in Iraq. There's a real simple way to understand the "the surge is working" argument. It's the exact same argument as the guy who claims: "Of course my dog is trained, watch this! Fido, chase that squirrel! Fido, bark at those children! Fido, sniff that other dog's butt! See, he does everything I tell him!" Or in simpler terms, America and Americans continue to wildly overestimate how much they are in control of events in Iraq. The elements responsible for the reduction of violence in the surge we're already in place before the surge, and the various benchmarks that Bush promised would be accomplished by the surge haven't been met. So the surge basically accomplished nothing that it was claimed to be for, and the one thing it claims as its greatest accomplishment wasn't due to the surge. Iraq is still a dreadful horrible mess, the only thing they can agree on is they want the USA to leave. Also, if the surge was such a success, why are there still more US troops in Iraq than before the surge?
Speaking of surges, the Obama phenomena is proceeding as I expected. The mainstream press is sabotaging him in a million subtle ways, and McCain is looking more electable every day. There's another reason I keep saying I think McCain will win in the fall: No matter who wins the election, I won't be disappointed. Personally I think my opinion on the upcoming election reflects my choosing the red pill, but I suppose some would disagree. And if the gentle reader doesn't know what I am talking about, rent and watch The Matrix immediately. It's required reading for this blog. The Matrix sequels, meh. Why would anyone build a giant motorized fighting machine, but have the operator on an exposed seat on the outside?
In crime news, the Anthrax case has been solved. Or so the FBI claims. This situation is fairly easy to parse. Who the hell knows what really happened? Maybe the suicided scientist really was guilty. Maybe the FBI botched the case and we'll never now who did it. The Anthrax attacks were almost certainly a response to the 9/11 attacks. 9/11 could certainly have triggered an unstable individual to act, like our deceased doctor allegedly. Or maybe it was some foreign power adding insult to injury. I'm not exactly wild about the FBI, they have a very mixed record with both stunning success and embarrassing failure. They seem to do worse when under political pressure to solve cases, but maybe that's just my imagination.
In world news, Georgia is apparently trying to re-establish control over the breakaway province of South Ossetia. In simpler terms, open civil war has broken out in Georgia. Georgia is a small country of four million between Turkey and Russia. South Ossetia is a small province of Georgia that declared independence in 1991. On the one hand, this is a very small war. On the other hand, the USA and NATO have thrown their support behind Georgia, and are trying to integrate it into the western sphere. Russia supports the South Ossetian drive for independence. And now Russian tanks are rolling into Georgia, this is breaking news and I will write more if it gets exciting. Could war between Russia and NATO break out over one of the least important regions in the world? Yes. See above comments regarding history and madness.
Have a great weekend everyone.
(The above image of Russian tanks rolling into Georgia in support of South Ossetia is claimed as Fair Use under US copyright law. It is not being used for profit, is central to illustrating the post, and arguably is an historically important image. Credit and copyright: Russia's Channel 1. Why the west would try to make Georgia, a former part of the Soviet Union, into a western client state almost beggars belief, especially when they are simultaneously ignoring referendums in Ossetia that were almost 100% in favour of independence. That's the west's so called commitment to democracy illustrated, they are all for it…when the results of the vote are to their liking.)
7 Responses
I agree with your concerns about NATO stepping into the conflict in Georgia/South Ossetia. For the prospects of world war, I have become very concerned with the US/NATO and their general encirclement of Russia with former Soviet Republics joining NATO, missile defense shield, etc. However, I would disagree that this is one of the least important parts of the world (oil pipelines to the Caspian Sea, front-line of Russia-NATO's post-communist struggle, etc), although you might have meant that as tongue-and-cheek given the scant American media coverage of this developing conflict over the last decade.
"Classic blunders: The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well-known is this: never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line."
(Okay, I cheated)
You know, I don't worry about this stuff. I should. I used to. But perhaps it's testimony to the destruction of the last seven years that right now my foremost concern is trying to make ends meet. Long ago, in a long-dead journal, I said that I considered it a luxury to have the time and inclination to worry about what was going on halfway around the world. I was cracking wise at the time, but now I have to say that I hate it when I'm right. Perhaps I pay too much attention to movies like Zeitgeist, but there's something to the conspiracy theory that the government's aim is to beat the people down and starve the middle class, because then they'll be too worried and depressed to fight back.


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The Washington Nationals have been one of the best teams in the MLB for the past several years and them spending big on players has contributed to it. Since 1998, when data on payrolls was available, the Nationals' payroll has continued to increase, but with this increase they have won more games. Looking at the data below, which was put into excel for easier visibility, in 1998 the Nationals were one of the worst teams in baseball finishing in the bottom five teams in wins, while having the lowest payroll out of any team. However, in the 2016 season they were top three in wins, while having one of the highest payrolls in the MLB.
To further analyze this relationship for the Nationals, I used SAS to perform an Ordinary Least Squares Analysis on my data. The payroll of the Nationals, in millions of dollars, was used, as the independent variable and wins was the dependent variable. The results are shown below.
To begin, the independent variable payroll has a coefficient of 0.17454, meaning for every million-dollar increase in payroll; the model expects wins to go up by 0.17454. This may seem like a steep price for the Nationals to increase their wins, but for a team that has millions of dollars at its disposal, it is not as extreme. The payroll variable had a standard error of 0.0496 and a t-value of 3.52, leading it to be statistical significant at the 1% level, but not at the 0.1% level. However, the R^2 was only 0.4214, meaning the model explains a somewhat small portion of variance from the dependent mean.
There are plenty of other reasons for why the Nationals' seasons have ended up the way they have, such as when then Washington Nationals, moved from Montreal in 2004. It takes time for a team to settle in a new area, as can be evident when they won 83 games in 2003, while still in Montreal, but then only 67 in 2004 in their first year in D.C., but then bouncing back with 81 wins in their second year in D.C. They had similar payrolls in all three years and could help explain why the model may not explain much of the deviation. Also, with moving to D.C. it gave the team the ability to persuade better players to join their team, as players found it a better fit for them. Also when the team moved, they got a fresh start with new fans, which could have contributed to the Nationals winning games. Another contribution to wins, could be the hiring of Dusty Baker as manager in 2016, when they won 12 more games as the year before, but had almost 30 million dollars less in payroll. Lastly, another possible explanation of the success of the Nationals could be related to the introduction of key young stars, such as Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, that have both already been multiple all stars nominees, but are still on beginning contracts.
Every team's payroll has increased since 1998 and this could be due to a few reasons. First, with the improvement of technology, games have been able to expand into further areas like social media, television, and others. These areas have greatly increased the revenue teams bring in, allowing them to pay their players more. For example in 1998 the average salary per player was $1,441,406, while in 2016 the average salary was around $4,380,000. This increase in salary could also be contributed to baseball becoming more popular, with more fans going to games or buying merchandise. Also as can be seen below, the average ticket price has increased around $9 from 2006 to 2016, while keeping attendance relatively the same. Teams may have been able to charge more for prices, because the economy has continued to fight out of the Great Recession that hit in 2006 and a big jump in ticket price can be seen from 2007 to 2008.
My study could have possible been improved by running regressions on all teams seeing how their payroll has affected wins. Especially when considering most teams generally stay in the same percentile of payroll and have not grown their payroll as much as the Nationals have.
Overall the increase in the Washington Nationals payroll has helped them win more games, as it is statistically significant at the 1% level, because it allows them to bring in better players. Such as Max Scherzer before the 2016 season, who ended up being the 2016 National Cy Young Winner. However, the change in payroll does not explain as much of the Nationals' wins as I expected and there could be many other explanations as to why the Nationals have improved since the late 1990's. So yes, the Nationals have bought some of their wins, but other factors have contributed to their continued success. I expect the Nationals' payroll to continue to increase and for the Nationals to be a powerhouse for years to come.