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In a recent project called Shelf Life created by the California collective art group Related Tactics, students at Augusta University chose books from Reese Library and discovered how they influence their perspectives
Readers select a particular book from a library or a bookstore for a variety of reasons.
Perhaps they are familiar with the author's previous works or a friend highly recommends the book.
Or it could be something as simple as the reader is drawn to the artwork on the cover.
But with the addition of each book on a shelf, readers are influencing their perspective and collected knowledge.
During a recent joint project called Shelf Life involving classes in both the Department of Art and Design and the Department of Social Sciences at Augusta University, students chose books from the shelves of Reese Library and asked themselves specific questions about the literature in their hands.
"The Shelf Life project was originally created by a collective of three individual artists that I've known for years from the San Francisco Bay Area called Related Tactics," said Raoul Pacheco, an assistant professor of art ceramics for Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. "For about two years, these artists have been doing socially engaging projects challenging or critiquing systems where racial inequalities or other discrepancies exist."
During this exercise at Augusta University, the students were asked to pose questions such as, is this book written about a particular culture or group of people? If so, does the book presume the reader is not of that particular culture?
Also, is the book authored by a white man? Are people of color, women, indigenous people or homosexuals not central to the book?
In addition, the students were asked to consider questions that many readers might not even think about when selecting a book. Questions such as, is this book written with the presumption that the audience is able-bodied? For example, does a cookbook assume that the reader is able to carry a five-gallon pot of boiling water to the sink?
The students were then told to color-code the spines of each book with bright blue, red, pink, yellow or orange circular stickers that each symbolized the different perspectives found inside the books, Pacheco said.
"It was pretty cool to see all these books with all these stickers all over them and watch the students have these 'Aha!' moments like, 'Wow. I never thought about this knowledge being given from a white perspective if I'm an African-American student,'" Pacheco said. "They had some revelations about how knowledge is dispersed and what kind of knowledge they are actually getting."
As the students stepped back and looked at the entire bookshelf, they could easily see which influences were the most prominent in the books they were reading in the library.
"I was able to see how exclusive some of the books were that the students chose. I remember the male gaze was very dominate in some cases and many of the books were just from an extremely heterosexual point of view," said Brooke Farmer, a senior art student. "Also, looking at the shelf, you could see, 'Wow. There are a lot of books that are these races or these genders.' It was really interesting to see how these books, especially the art books, might influence my own art and perspective."
A Fresh Perspective
To lead the Shelf Life project at Reese Library, Pacheco invited the California artists from Related Tactics — Michele Carlson, Nathan Watson and Weston Teruya — to travel to Augusta earlier this year through a grant he received from the university's art and design department.
"Cheryl Goldsleger, our Morris Eminent Scholar in Art, is super supportive of her colleagues and fellow faculty members and she put together this opportunity that we could apply for funding for visiting artists to the university," Pacheco said. "I wanted to bring in really smart artists who are doing work in a collective so our students can see how collective energy can create change and how art can create change."
Pacheco said he was excited to invite these three artists to Augusta University because of their incredible backgrounds.
Carlson is an artist and writer from Oakland who teaches fine arts at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Watson is an artist and designer from San Francisco who is also the executive director of the Bayview arts non-profit group, Public Glass. And Teruya is an artist and arts policy advocate originally from Hawaii, but who is also a member of the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission.
"These are great artists and the art world is becoming increasingly more social, as well as more political," Pacheco said. "Specifically, the Bay Area is a hotbed for social change and protests, so I kind of wanted to bring that collective energy here because, if change is going to happen, I think we need to put forward platforms and examples of how that is being done in the art world."
By inviting these three artists to talk to the students and engage in the Shelf Life project, it opened a dialogue that might not have otherwise happened at Augusta University, Pacheco said.
"I wanted to talk about diversity, inclusivity and racial issues, which are tough subjects, especially here in the South," he said. "But the demographics of our students here at Augusta University is very diverse. We have lots of African-American students, lots of Asian-American students, lots of Hispanic students and lots of LGBTQ students. However, I'm just not sure how often they get to have open conversations with like-minded people."
Two Departments Working Together
This was a perfect opportunity to open those lines of communication with these professional artists and his students, but Pacheco said he also wanted to share the experience with another department.
After receiving the grant, he approached Dr. Todd Powell-Williams, an associate professor of Social Sciences at Pamplin College, about involving his sociology students in the Shelf Life project, too.
"Looking at racial issues of inequality, inclusivity and diversity seemed like a natural partnership with sociology," Pacheco said. "And Dr. Powell-Williams is a very conscience thinker about these issues. Therefore, I wanted to partner with his sociology students to try to bring together this kind of collaboration in a space to think through these issues."
Pacheco believes it is extremely important for his art students to get out of the classroom and interact with other departments.
"We are just not sitting in our art studios painting pictures," Pacheco said, chuckling. "That is just such a misunderstanding about what artists do. In fact, I'm a ceramics professor and this had nothing to do with clay. But I'm all about finding ways for our students to broaden their thinking on how materials work and what art really is."
Once Pacheco described the thought process behind the Shelf Life to Powell-Williams, he jumped at the opportunity.
"After talking to some of the creators of Shelf Life, the idea of the project is to look at the ways in which knowledge is sort of produced or reproduced and the fact that it's not neutral," Powell-Williams said.
For example, while sociology instructors and their students are often very diverse people, the texts used in courses across the country typically are not, he said.
"The voice of privileged white men is heavy and it's particularly pronounced with classical theory," Powell-Williams said. "It's just a bunch of dead, white guys."
But receiving knowledge from "privileged white men" does not only happen when studying sociology, Powell-Williams said.
"For example, if you look at the concentration of ownership in the journalistic media, it's apparent that there are agenda-setting outlets that largely dictate what the other places talk about," Powell-Williams said. "That stuff that we see on the front page of the paper isn't just neutral. It doesn't just come out that way. It's the product of editorial-decision making."
Those decisions impact people's perception of the world, he said.
"It is a collective sort of effort and, of course, certain voices are left out. Or if they are not left out, they are marginalized," Powell-Williams said. "For example, maybe a story won't be on the front page, but it will be buried on the fifth section on the seventh page of the newspaper. That's the production of the dissemination of knowledge and that's what I was trying to get my students to think critically about in this project."
Agents of Change
The students involved in Shelf Life were quickly able to connect the dots and clearly see the definite influences in each book, said Kevin Humphrey, a senior majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology.
"I thought it was interesting, but at the same time, I wasn't really surprised," Humphrey said. "We were told to choose books from the sociology section of the library for our exercise and there weren't many books featuring black or female sociologists, but it was still an interesting exercise."
Trevis Riddley, a senior majoring in art, said he particularly enjoyed hearing each of the California artists from Related Tactics discuss the different political and social issues they challenge through projects like Shelf Life.
"I liked the fact that all of the artists were people of color and they were doing something that was pretty important for their community," Riddley said. "They are working together to bring attention to issues that aren't really being talked about. Or if they are being talked about, they are taking it a step further and interacting with others and collaborating to discuss those issues."
The Shelf Life project and the visit by Related Tactics will have a lasting positive impact on the campus, Pacheco said.
"This is the first time Related Tactics did this project. It was the first time they had done a project at an institution's library. And it was the first time they were all brought in as a collective group to an art department with sociology students, too," Pacheco said. "There were a lot of firsts here. Our arms went out and we just grabbed all of these people and brought them in to this project."
Since completing the Shelf Life project, Pacheco believes several of the students who participated learned how they can be "agents of change."
"I feel like the ripple effects of Related Tactics being at Augusta University is going to resonate for a while here," Pacheco said. "Our students are now starting to think about the atmosphere on our campus and they are starting to think about how what they do matters.
"This gives them a little bit of fuel to let them know that if you want to make changes, make changes. You can do it."


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The series, which is coming to Netflix, debuted October 5, 2000, on the WB and followed the mother-and-daughter team of Lorelai and Rory, who live in Stars Hollow, Connecticut. The Emmy-winning TV show saw a lot of action at the fictional Luke's Diner, where Lorelai fueled her caffeine addiction.
To celebrate the show's 16th anniversary and as a prequel to the launch of the Netflix miniseries, real-life coffee shops across the nation will host Luke's pop-ups tomorrow, October 5, serving free coffee from 7 a.m. until noon (times may vary).
Dirt is one of three Miami establishments participating in the activation, which will see staff dressing in Luke's aprons and hats (backward, of course). Luke's signage will be posted outside to let fans know they're in the right place. Dirt's Nicole Votano says her staff will serve Argyle nitro cold brew from the restaurant's opening at 10 a.m. until noon. In addition, a few lucky guests will receive a cup that will have a code for a free three-month trial of Netflix.
Votano, a fan of the show, is excited to be a part of the pop-up. "When they asked us, I said, 'Gilmore Girls?' It was seriously my favorite show. I still have to watch it whenever it's on. I can't turn it off."
Alaska Coffee Roasting Co.s manager Leana didn't want to give too much away to keep a surprise element, but she did say the store's transformation includes Luke's signage and staff dressed in flannel. Patrons will be able to snag a free cup of coffee in
Panther Coffee in Coconut Grove will also transform into Luke's, serving free coffee from 7 a.m. until supplies last. In total, 250 free cups of coffee will be given away, according to Panther's Leticia Pollock.
Here's a full list of participating coffeehouses throughout South Florida that are participating in this Gilmore Girls awesomeness:
- Alaska Coffee Roasting Co. (13130 Biscayne Blvd., North Miami)
- Dirt (232 Fifth St., Miami Beach)
- Panther Coffee (3407 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove)
- Brew Urban Cafe (537 NW First Ave., Fort Lauderdale)
- Sip Java Co. (638 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale)
- The Flower Bar (1003 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale)
- Subculture Coffee (509 Clematis St., West Palm Beach)
- Harold's Coffee Lounge (509 Northwood Rd., West Palm Beach)

subset: commoncrawl


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Yantra For Making Enemy Friend
Write this yantra on
Bhojpatra with Ashta gandha and wear it around the neck of the lady and her
husband. They will surely beget a male child. The unknown writer has stressed
that it is true and he further says that if the child dies after delivery and
this yantra is put around the neck of the dead child, the child will come alive
again. Another use of this yantra is - write this yantra on Mula Nakshatra day
falling on Sunday, on Bhojpatra with' "Gunja ke Ras" and keep with
the person. Even the bitterest enemy will become friend.


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Josie Lawson… I remember the address now too. It was my first transistor radio I bought there. I used to listen to radio Luxembourg on it at night, and I believe the pirate stations, I think I was 16 years then so was in the 60s. Thanks Alan for finding it…
Barry French… My mum played Piano & would pop in there for sheet music , & I'm sure I bought guitar strings from there. (These were made by Cathedral & were always breaking)
Fiona Evans… I do & clarinet reeds !
Mark Hardwick… Black Cat Pub and Grill.
Part exchange your piano for a radiogram or television in 1965.
Was this still called Attwells in 1909?
Roy Penfold… in 1911 the shop was Hermitages, listed as a pianoforte dealer with branches here, Robertson Street, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells. (source 1911 Kellys)
supplied by Roy Penfold
Josie Lawson… I bought a transistor radio sponsored by my dad…It was called His Masters Voice
Matt Thomas… HMV


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Varsha Babu M.D.
- HS Assistant Clinical Professor, UCSF
Varsha Babu, M.D is board certified in Endocrinology and Internal Medicine.
She completed an Internal Medicine residency at Yale University's Bridgeport Hospital Program and subsequently finished her fellowship in Endocrinology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/ UCLA program.
Dr. Babu's areas of expertise include Endocrinology with special interest in thyroid cancer, pituitary and adrenal disorders, PCOS and women's health, and insulin pump management.
She is currently faculty of University of California, San Francisco at UCSF Fresno. Dr. Babu was previously Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at University of North Dakota, and faculty at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND.
Dr. Babu has earned many awards including the Perter Bartelloni Award and ER 'Best Resident' award at Bridgeport Hospital, and the first prize in poster competitions at 23rd Annual Science Symposium in Bridgeport Connecticut.
Her hobbies include music and Indian classical dance. She is fluent in English and Malayalam.
Education and Training
- Endocrinology Fellowship; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/UCLA
- Internal Medicine Residency; Bridgeport Hospital/ Yale University
- Medical School; Govt. TD Medical College, Alappuzha, India
Licensure & Certifications
- State Medical License
- American Board of Internal Medicine – General Certification
- American Board of Internal Medicine – Endocrinology,


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Using Pinterest to Develop New Program and Menu Ideas for CampFebruary 12, 2013
Just as we are committed to the health and growth of each member of our community, the Administration at Kenwood & Evergreen is dedicated to developing new and exciting offerings each summer that meet the evolving needs of our camp families. It's why in the past few years we've added Lacrosse, GAGA and the Waterslide to our program, and will be premiering Cooking this coming summer. As another example, starting earlier this winter Scott and I began to work with a company of consultants who are helping us re-examine our Dining Hall menus. Some of the changes will be obvious – like new items, meals or ingredients – while others will be less noticeable and more behind the scenes. One of our goals is to purchase more fruits and vegetables grown locally, so that we can increase the nutrients in our foods while also lowering our overall carbon footprint. It's really exciting stuff, and we are having a great time working on this project!
We are also looking to add some new and creative projects to our Camp Arts & Crafts program. And as our best resources for information we are asking for your help: put simply, we'd like your ideas. But rather than just asking for emails, which is likely to lead to a lot of requests for less chicken (a message we hear loud and clear!), we'd like to use a really interesting social media tool called Pinterest to develop new program and menu ideas for Camp. If you aren't familiar with it, Pinterest is kind of like the world's coolest cork board. Whenever you find something compelling online you can "pin it" to a board so that others can learn about it. Camp has set up two boards: "New Dining Hall Meals & Ideas" and "New Arts & Crafts Projects". After joining Pinterest you'll be able to install the little widget that says "Pin It" on your internet browser, and every time you see a photo that you want to share with us you simply click on it. And then you'll be able to add it to our ever-growing list of new ideas for both the Dining Hall and Arts & Crafts.
There's only one hitch: we have to give you permission to post on our two Pinterest Boards, so you have to let us know if you'd like to participate (it's their rule, not ours). This is open to anyone in the community – Parents, Campers, Staff, Alumni, and even friends of the community. Please note that it may take us a a few minutes or even a few hours to process this request. So if you are interested we will need you to click on the link below and follow the instructions.
If this will be your first time on Pinterest our recommendation is for you to enter search terms on the site that will bring up lots of different meal or craft ideas. As you'll see from our boards we've already found some success with terms like "vegetarian meals", "kid friendly and healthy" or "amazing art projects". Once you are comfortable with Pinterest get creative and see where it takes you. You are bound to find some ideas that we just won't think of!
So please come join us on Pinterest. Help us make this the best tasting and most creative summer in Camps Kenwood & Evergreen history! And as always, please let us know what you think of this idea. We began using new blogging software a few months ago and it provides you with the option to leave comments. Please feel free to do so here, on our facebook wall, or using "good old fashioned" email.
Thanks, and thanks for helping the Camps Kenwood & Evergreen community continue to grow!


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1.The annual anniversary of the day on which a person was born.
2.The day of one's birth: "she shares a birthday with Paul McCartney".
3. A day to eat, drink and be merry with those you love and brought you into this world.
Okay, yeah. Number 3 is my own addition to the definition. And I do not share a birthday with Paul McCartney, but I DO share a birthday with a few other peeps you may know. But more on that later.
Today is my 28th birthday. I hate even numbers (except 4. I like 4. I'm a total weirdo, let's not get into it.) so 28 isn't really anything to get excited about as far as I'm concerned. It just means I'm one year closer to 30, ugh, dreaded 30. I suppose it's not really a dreaded number, I just always feel like it's sort of a deadline for me. I absolutely want a child before I turn 30, but since I just went back to school that seems so unrealistic. I want to have my career figured out by the time I'm 30, but I suppose the whole back to school for nursing thing has that figured out. And I did get married in my 27th year so I guess I'm not doing too bad on my "list of things to have figured out before I turn 30". I guess have 2 full years to get everything worked out and end my 20s with a bang!
Regardless of my age, however, I always LOVE my birthday. Doesn't it just feel so great to have a day, every year, dedicated to you?! Where everyone says nice things, maybe people give you gifts, take you to dinner?! I love it. I always feel like I need to spend my birthday with my parents. Not just because they are awesome people, but because they are the awesome people that brought me into this world. 28 stinkin' years ago. I don't spend every birthday with them, but I try to do so when we can make it work. Tonight I'll be heading to my hometown, which is also the home of American Players Theater. APT is known for their beautiful outdoor theater, set atop a hill in the middle of the woods, where classic plays are performed in the warmer months. But a couple of years ago, they added an indoor theater to their layout. Each Christmas, they hold performances of the classic tale, The Gift of the Magi. So tonight, the 'rents and I are going to see the show. Hubby isn't into theater so he'll be having pre-show dinner with us and then likely warming up a bar stool for me at the local watering hole for a post-show beverage or two.
I also love that my birthday falls between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it's such a time for celebration. In honor of my celebration, I made some "Celebration Cupcakes" yesterday. People love Funfetti. I love Funfetti. But I don't do boxed cake. So I decided to make my own version of Funfetti.
I started with a basic white cake recipe from my favorite Betty Crocker Cupcake Book.
This book was a bridal shower gift, one of many cupcake-themed shower gifts I received. It's chock full of fun cupcake ideas, but my favorite part is the first few pages which contain all of the basic cake and frosting recipes you could ever desire to have.
I love to take basic cake recipes and then customize them to make what I want. Like Funfetti. I know the obvious solution would be to add jimmies to white cake, but I wanted to do something a little different.
Fruity Pebbles!
I used the most basic baking ingredients for a bright white cake, then jazzed it up with fun, flavory pebble cereal!
I filled some fun, celebration-looking cupcake liners with the yummy batter.
And I topped the finished product with a simple, perfect-for-piping, frosting and a dusting of crushed Fruity Pebbles.
I took my treats into work last night, work is really much like elementary school ya know, and they seemed to go over well but I didn't get as many "omg, those were awesome!" comments as I usually do. To be honest, I was a tad underwhelmed too. They were tasty, but maybe they could've used a few more pebbles.
Betty Crocker White Cupcake Recipe
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 2/3 cups sugar
5 egg whites
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups milk
**my addition- 1 cup Fruity Pebbles, though I would probably increase this a bit if I were to do it again.
1.Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2.In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/3 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about one-third at a time, and milk, about half at a time, beating just until blended. **Mix in Fruity Pebbles with spatula.
3.Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 3 tablespoons batter or until about two-thirds full.
4.Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Frost with desired frosting.
Makes 24 cupcakes.
Fluffy Frosting
note: this is a champagne frosting recipe that I used a few years ago, but I used what I had on hand this time
3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons raspberry ginger ale (this could be replaced with champagne or any fizzy liquid really. I couldn't taste the raspberry at all)
-If you plan to pipe your frosting, I would suggest doubling this recipe right off the bat. Probably enough here if you just plan to "spread" your frosting though.
Here I am again with another super long post, but as promised, a few other peeps that celebrate their birthdays today:
–Aaron Rodgers– This Packer QB holds a special place in the hearts of all Wisconsinites for making us Super Bowl CHAMPS last year! He and I were born on the same day, in the same year! Happy 28th Aaron!
–Britney Spears– Brit Brit turns the dirty 30 today. A few years ago, the term dirty would've been pretty fitting, but I'm so happy that she seems to have turned her life around. I've always rooted for her, despite her failings. I understand she doesn't make great music, but she does put on a good show and her beats can usually get my feet moving.
–Nelly Furtado– Love her music, especially when she sings in Spanish. Plus, she is SO SO gorgeous!
–Lucy Liu– HOW. ON. EARTH? is she 43 today? She looks 12. Way to go Lucy!
Who do you share a birthday with?
Better yet, who do you like to share your birthday celebration with?


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Daytime sleepiness is one of the main drawbacks of insomnia and an interesting study has linked diet with people's level of sleepiness or alertness during the day.
Sleepiness during the day is also caused by insomnia and FDA-approved treatments like zopiclone 7.5mg tablets are now conveniently available online if you are looking for an effective treatment.
Zopiclone is a non-benzodiazepine that is used for the short-term treatment of sleeping problems such as insomnia. It reduces the amount of time that it takes to fall asleep while preventing frequent awakenings during the night.
It works by increasing levels of the naturally occurring chemical in the brain called gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA plays an important role in cognition, behaviour and the body's response to stress. When levels of GABA increase, excitability in the central nervous system decreases. This creates a calm and sleep-inducing effect.
If you forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time to take the next one.
This medication can be ordered online at cost effective prices. Just visit an internet pharmacy and add the medication to your shopping cart. You do not need a prescription and customer service is available on live chat 24/7 to answer any questions you may have.
Delivery is discreet and fast, and can be expected within 2 – 4 working days in the UK and 5 – 7 in the EU. Order zopiclone 7.5mg tablets from E-Pharmacies and say goodbye to sleepless nights.


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Roosevelt High School's construction timeline could be delayed by some of the changes district officials are proposing. The school will be rebuilt under a $482 million bond.
(Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian)
Portland Public Schools officials want the school board to approve a plan to rebuild three high schools that costs 19 percent more than planned when voters approved a $482 million construction bond in 2012.
In September, the Portland School Board approved increasing the cost estimates for Grant, Roosevelt and Franklin high schools from $247 million to $257 million due to increases in enrollment projections. The latest request, prompted by a push by students' and parents' for more classroom space, would bump up the cost to $294 million total.
In all, the new budget would be $47 million more than initially planned. The adjustments also could delay the scheduled 2015 groundbreaking on reconstruction of Roosevelt, according to Jim Owens, executive director of the office of school modernization.
District officials propose paying for the added costs by eliminating $22 million of about $68 million in planned roof replacements and earthquake upgrades at other schools. The rest would come drawing from bond reserves and funds set aside to hedge against inflation.
The other school projects that would be eliminated or scaled down have not been specified.
Pam Knowles, the board co-chairwoman, said she has "serious concerns" about the additional costs and changes.
"If we don't stop making changes, then we're just going to continue getting further and further behind," she said.
The district would use about $14 million from the school bond's fund for "escalation costs," which is meant to offset inflation. Owens acknowledged that using money meant to guard against inflation to instead build bigger high schools is a risk and goes against the bond's "Program Management Plan."
Board co-chairman Greg Belisle said using escalation costs gives him "heartburn," but said he understands the move supports the community.
"I just appreciate the responsiveness that this has," he said.
With Portland Public Schools potentially eyeing another bond as early as 2016, unexpected budget escalations and construction delays in its record-breaking 2012 bond could have big implications for the district.
Owens called the latest construction changes a "big decision" for the school board. Because the plan would draw from reserve funds, the move will affect the flexibility the district has in the future.
"We're effectively buying from the future to pay for the present," he said.
But the district says the changes come with important benefits.
The district convened "design advisory groups" consisting of community members from each campus to review the district's construction plans. The changes before the board on Monday reflect their input, as well as dozens of other meetings with community stakeholders.
The proposed additions would add 12 classrooms to Grant and Franklin's plans, for a total of 44 classrooms. At Roosevelt, three additional classrooms would bring the school up to 35 classrooms, not including science labs.
CJ Sylvester, the chief of the office of school modernization, said the extra classrooms will help accommodate more classes and smaller class sizes at the schools.
Board member Steve Buel said the added costs could have been avoided if community input had been better sought earlier in the process.
"It's the price you pay when you don't do the community and teacher input well," he said.
-- Nicole Dungca
Follow @ndungca


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E-studying is a popular and worldwide sort of supporting college college students, particularly in distance packages. Maggiora licensed the idea to the Nationwide Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), which inspires its NAMM Member retailers across the United States to offer this system of their group stores and supply adults with the opportunity to expertise the many confirmed social, bodily and wellness advantages of making music. Music, art and design, drama and dance are included within the nationwide curriculum and obligatory in all maintained faculties from the age of 5 to 14, as a part of a dedication to ensure pupils to get a broad, balanced education.
It is no doubt that the Internet and the social media are extraordinarily environment friendly models for mobilization of individuals. There may well be a time and place to take heed to music in the course of the course of their revision, but not when they're learning new and sophisticated material. When selecting an applicant, the group focuses on artists who have been working for a big amount of time, and who can display each creative benefit and monetary need.
I like not working with galleries because I am in control of my own enterprise, pricing, and I paint what I want to. I've been selling for 25 years, so my prices have risen over time. Powered by enterprise-class NVIDIA Quadro GPU accelerators this vary of NVIDIA-certified Data Science Workstations includes a complete software program program stack including knowledge preparation, model coaching and knowledge visualisation.
On a sheet of music, entire notes seem like "Os" or donuts — similar to half notes with out stems. Via the combination of multimedia similar to traditional music and engaging visuals, the scholars are anticipated to take part in the learning process relaxingly. Cy-Truthful Music and Arts has a proven track report of offering high quality music classes, art courses and drama courses 12 months round for college kids in Cypress, Houston, Spring, Tomball and Katy.
These grants are a boon to visual artists searching for help in their follow. Yousician is an interactive music app that's designed to essentially present a completely-shaped expertise for nearly everybody to better their instrument enjoying. 9. College students be taught sample recognition: Kids can develop their math and pattern-recognition abilities with the help of musical schooling.


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There are the essentials, like your ID, and a debit and/or credit card.
But then there's the slew of other forms of ID, debit/credit cards, gift cards, and loyalty cards you have to choose from.
Here's something that will make your decision process a little easier.
According to Beth Kobliner's "Get A Financial Life," there's no need to have a charge card in your wallet.
Although charge cards are often lumped in under the category of credit cards, there is actually a crucial difference between the two.
The balance you accumulate up each month on your charge card isn't limited like a traditional credit line, and must be paid in full at the end of every month. Your purchases are approved as you make them, and, unlike a credit card, you can't carry a balance that rolls over into next month.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, since a responsible spender won't be carrying a credit card balance and paying interest from month to month anyway, but there's another catch: Charge cards cost annual fees. Considerable fees.
According to Kobliner, these fees go towards perks such as membership and frequent flyer points. Here's the thing: You can get similar perks with gold and platinum credit cards that don't charge a $95 or $150 annual fee.
So why are charge cards even offered in the first place? Kobliner says they're a good solution for people who have a hard time keeping their spending in check because you can't use them to rack up debt. If you can't be trusted with a credit card, that's when you might consider a charge instead.
Charge cards aren't exactly ubiquitous. American Express is the only card issuer that offers charge cards. Diner's Club used to, but they no longer accept new members, and have since been bought by BMO.
As far as your credit score, charge cards don't really have an immediate impact — negative or positive. Opening one will help your score over time, but if you're looking to up your score quickly, you're better off opening a regular credit card.


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You probably don't spend a lot of time thinking about the history of tying shoes. This is a wise choice. There are so many other things that need thinking about. You know, like that odd smell that's maybe of burning plastic that's sometimes in the hallway when you were gone all day? Or what responsibility we have for that seam line visible on Saturn's moon Iapetus? Or why all those people are setting up circus tents in your backyard? There's got to be someone to ask about that. I broke from my habit of non-thinking about tying shoes so that we could have this done once and for all. No, I am not reading about the history of socks. You know why.
For the second-longest time there just wasn't any tying of shoes. This had four reasons, one of them being that there were no shoes. Shoes were invented for Napoleon Bonaparte's army after it was noticed that tromping through a thousand miles of Russian snow was really hard on the bare foot. It didn't help the snow any either, but this is the wrong time of year for me to write about the history of snow-clearing or maybe ice-skating. Napoleon agreed this was a lot of trouble for feet and ordered experts to come up with a way to cover the foot. They did this by the simple process of covering the foot. It was a rousing success and everybody agreed they should have been making shoes for hundreds of years now. This and the overcoming of the other three reasons let shoes become really quite popular.
Still, the earliest shoes weren't easy to put on or take off. They were slabs of leather that one would fit around the foot and, using needle and thread and Grandmom who knows how to use those sewing tools that look faintly like surgical instruments, stitch closed. This could take until well near bedtime. The British Army spent most of the 1830s with its soldiers never leaving their bunks, just sewing and unsewing their boots all day. This lead to peaceful times and the First Reform Act.
The countries of Western Europe competed to find ways to easily tightening and loosening shoes. Through much of the Civil War the Union armies experimented with welding shoes into place, an action that resulted in many burned ankles and slugged welders. In Scotland rivets were tried. These were of limited use as the striking action of putting rivets in place could magnetize the iron slugs, causing people to walk to the north and find they ran out of Scotland, to their chagrin.
So naturally the breakthrough came in the Ottoman Empire. In 1878 a shoemaker for the Sultan Abdul Hamid II asked, "Why don't we just punch parallel rows of uniformly spaced holes in the shoes, and then thread a strong string or small rope through the holes to fit them together?" The Sultan, who was in another room, didn't hear the suggestion but approved it. When this turned out to be a pretty darned good idea after all he nodded as if that had been his intention all along, and quickly ordered an investigation to just what was going on with shoes. I hope this doesn't end up in his report. He's got to be expecting something really great if it's taken all this while to get something on his desk. I'm not arrogant enough to think my essay here that great, but I am earmarking it for this year's Robert Benchley Society essay contest. Just saying.
Still the early forms were not precisely what we see today. When are they ever? The first attempts used separate laces and loops for each pair of holes, which took forever to deal with. Folks trying to save time as telegraphs and railroads got all snappy and romantic started just tying the top loop together. This made their toes pop out the middle. So they retaliated by poking laces through the other, non-top holes. And so by 1889, on a Tuesday, shoes were finally tied in ways that we would recognize today, on a Friday.
Is there room for improvement? Surely. The glue-covered shoelace solved the problem of unraveled knots, but at the cost of being a right mess. And nobody has anything but embarrassed coughs to say about the frictionless superfluid lace that would slither out of its holes and into the pantry. We may yet scrap the whole project and go back to being barefoot.
Another Blog, Meanwhile Index
The Another Blog, Meanwhile index rose another five points to another record high and at this point it's getting kind of dull and the fun is draining out of it all. I'm not looking forward to how this implies we're going to get a really big and fun and exciting crash down to, like, 14 points within the next week.


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A Frankenstein classic car
Well maybe not a classic but for sure the guy who combined what I believe to be a '66 Valiant Barracuda, a '64 Dodge Dart, and the fins from maybe '61 Caddy (my best guess). It caught my eye one day when I was out for a ride on my Busa passing through Hartford, WI. Of course I had to turn around to grab some pictures. The 'Cuda is the base car and a real quick look at it did not show any major signs of rust. Ok, I can see doing a bit special on the hood with the Dart parts but when he added the fins, I'm out. If you take a close look at the pics I shot of the fins, he did not do a very good job grafting them on. But hey, who am I to judge? It's his car and as long as the guy is happy with it, let 'er rip tatter chip. Continue reading It's alive!


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To get there, you get directions that are less exact than they are descriptive: "You know you're close when you see the nursery...you've gone too far if you see the post office." Along the way, you pass sights that could easily show up in one of Williams' songs--Kickapoo Street, Old Woman Springs, and a barbecue shack that rubs shoulders with a sushi bar. But the most notable aspect of Joshua Tree is the town's namesake--a stubby, craggy crone's hand that looks like untamed American bonsai.
Still, some people manage to miss it, and it's not unusual for Olson to hop into the couple's truck and lead people to the house. It's hard to imagine professional musicians--or anyone, really--more gracious and welcoming, and once at the house, Williams and the couple's three dogs greet guests warmly. This afternoon, Williams is excited; she's just heard that the aurora borealis might be visible that night. "Wouldn't that be something," she marvels, wide-eyed.
Slight and delicate, Williams speaks with a wobble in her voice, an occasional stutter that may be an effect of the multiple sclerosis with which she was diagnosed in 1992. It's a well-documented story: Already established as a songwriter and widely respected within the music industry, Williams became familiar to the general public mainly after a circle of famous friends (among them Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, R.E.M., Pearl Jam, and Olson's former band, the Jayhawks) contributed covers of Williams' own songs to a 1993 tribute album called Sweet Relief, the proceeds from which helped pay the songwriter's medical bills. Williams has since released three albums of original work, including 1994's Loose, 1996's Musings of a Creekdipper, and the just-released Water to Drink.
Recorded partly in the couple's house and partly at Chaparral Bottom, the studio they built in a guesthouse about a quarter-mile away, Water to Drink was originally conceived as an album of standards, but the project underwent a metamorphosis after Atlantic Records objected. "They didn't want me doing other people's songs," she says, sounding downcast. "My manager said they signed me as a songwriter and wanted to hear my songs. So I wrote a bunch of songs." She ended up writing more music than she could use and combined the two projects into one, with standards "Young at Heart" and "Until the Real Thing Comes Along," and the title track by Antonio Carlos Jobim joining Williams' original work. "I wanted to account for all the sessions," she says.
During those sessions, the house was turned into something resembling summer camp. The musicians, including violist Petra Haden, pedal steel player Greg Leisz, bassist David Pilch, and clarinetist John Birdsong, trekked out to the desert and stayed over, sleeping on the floors and couches. Williams even sent a few of the songs to legendary songwriter/producer Van Dyke Parks, who added string arrangements.
The resulting album is typical of Williams' work: "Lagniappe" is redolent of Louisiana, while "Gladys and Lucy," "Junk," and "Claude" (about a squirrel with a withered paw who helped Williams get sober) strike a unique balance between the humid languor of the bayou and the arid, enveloping swelter of the desert. Like the Joshua trees that surround Williams' home, her music draws its appeal from the mesh of its tangled branches, a confounding, unexpected beauty that manages to seem severe and lush at the same time.
Still, Williams sounds ambivalent about Water to Drink. "It's a mélange of stuff. We could have taken out 'Young at Heart,' and we would have been OK," she muses. "Or we could have taken out all the standards. I don't know." Williams brightens when the subject turns to the title track, "Water to Drink." "It's a wonderful song," she says. She originally heard the song in Portuguese, and had a friend translate the lyrics into English. "There's something refreshing about it." Williams and Olson moved to the desert five years ago, mostly for Williams' health, she says, though heat is known to cause MS symptoms to flare up. The couple's one-story house is "swamp cooled" by a contraption that uses water and a series of fans in lieu of air conditioning, and there's a wood stove in the living room for the cooler months. The whole place has a vaguely Western feel, with books and CDs haphazardly stacked and piled on the desk and shelves. The only things that keep the house from feeling like the rustic retreat of English professors are the thrift shop paintings that Williams collects and the vintage organs that line the sun-bleached porch. Although water seems to be on Williams' mind a lot these days--liquid imagery runs throughout her lyrics, including, obviously, the album's title song -- the Louisiana native has adjusted well to life in the desert, and there's a magical quality when she talks about the land. "I know all the critters around here...I talk to them," she drawls. "Last night I was out there painting the sunset and the dogs started barking. I looked and there was this big snake right next to the door." A natural storyteller, Williams pauses a moment to let the image sink in. "And I knew this snake. I'd seen it before. This big black and white snake. I was scared at first, but then I said, 'Oh, it's you.'"
Williams laughs when her life story is compared to the TV show Survivor, but she admits there's a real pioneer spirit to her life. "Everything's a project," she mock complains. They dug a well and Olson built a stone-lined swimming pool, which sits behind the house, between the solar panels and a donkey corral. Walking from the house to the chaparral bottom, Williams stops to check on the fruit trees--peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines. A family of quail hops through the grove. Williams picks some fruit and takes a bite of a peach that's been pecked at by some birds. "They manage to find the sweetest ones," she comments, "and I'm not worried about bird spit." Asked about her health, Williams says she's fine, though she has to watch herself; instead of walking around the property, she often bicycles, which she says "puts less stress on my body." And while she's always preferred to act as her own roadie, lugging her amp onstage and offstage, she now lets others do the job. Still, any physical frailty is countered by what Williams calls her "stubborn, self-sufficient streak." Just back from a tour opening for Lou Reed, she says that the road can be exhausting and a strain on her health--but in the same breath she complains that the time allotted for her set was too short. "After an hour I'm just getting warmed up," she says, adding that two hours is her ideal set length. "I feel fine these days."


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Vecna Robotics, a leader in autonomous material handling, recently separated from Vecna Technologies, creating distinct companies.
As a standalone business, Vecna Robotics plans to play a major role in the coming transformation of industrial automation and robotics. Powering this transformation, Vecna Robotics finalized an investment led by Drive Capital this summer to chart a new direction that will maximize both robotics and human workflow in the industrial sector.
The New Vecna Robotics
The separation allows Vecna Robotics to focus on developing innovative, adaptive, future-proof hardware and software solutions in warehouse and industrial automation. Moving Vecna Robotics to a standalone business allows for a concerted effort on revolutionizing the assembly line mentality of warehouses and manufacturers. Now, with e-commerce on the rise and ever-changing demands on the industry to be efficient, Vecna Robotics is focusing on providing smarter solutions in warehouses to optimize workflow, empower humans with smarter technology, and create long-term value for customers and investors.
New Leadership
Dan Patt joined as CEO in January to lead Vecna Robotics.
"This is the cusp of the most exciting time in robotics industry history, and I want Vecna Robotics to represent everything positive that can help industry improve productivity while giving flexibility and opportunities to an engaged workforce," said Patt, "We're passionate about developing solutions for distribution, retail, and manufacturing industries that integrate people and robots to increase efficiency. With our new direction, we're able to bring a fresh take on robotics to the industry while still retaining our legacy of research and experience."
Vecna's self-driving vehicles can collect data, analyze surroundings, and dynamically react to obstacles or unforeseen events. This technology makes Vecna Robotics' solutions more efficient and effective over time, creating a continuous improvement cycle.
New Investment
Drive Capital's investment supports Vecna Robotics into the next phase of production and innovation as it scales to meet growing demand for its automated material handling, hybrid fulfillment, and workflow optimization solutions.
"Vecna Robotics is developing new technology that sets itself apart from other robotics providers," said Nick Solaro, partner at Drive Capital. "Their technology produces insights into how complex workflows between heterogeneous machines and people should be managed to enhance productivity."


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- Biomedical Research (2015) Volume 26, Issue 4
Pentoxifylline inhibits angiotensin II-induced proliferation in rat vascular smooth muscle cellsSang Youb Han1,2, Cy-Hyun Kim2,3, Yoon Mee Lee2, Dae Hee Kim2, Kum-Hyun Han1, and Dae Ryong Cha3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Goyang, Korea
2Clinical Research Center, Inje University Ilsan-Paik Hospital, Goyang, Korea
3Departments of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan, Korea
Accepted Date: August 07 2015
We tested the ability of the drug pentoxifylline to inhibit the activity of the vasoactive hormone angiotensin II in vascular smooth muscle cells. Cell proliferation, intracellular cAMP, and expression of cell cycle proteins were measured in cells isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats. Angiotensin II significantly induced proliferation in VSMCs (p < 0.01). Pentoxifylline significantly blocked this induction in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05), and a dose of 0.5 mM was sufficient to completely reverse the effect of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II reduced production of cAMP from 34.62 ± 0.59 pmol/mg protein in untreated cells to 17.49 ± 3.30 pmol/mg protein (p < 0.05). cAMP production was restored to 40.68 ± 0.49 and 41.50 ± 1.78 pmol/mg protein in the presence of 1.0 and 2.0 mM pentoxifylline, respectively. In addition, the same treatments increased cAMP production in untreated cells to 54.82 ± 4.40 and 67.68 ± 4.29 pmol/mg protein, respectively (p < 0.05). Angiotensin II significantly upregulated (p < 0.05) cyclin D1 mRNA 2-fold, but not cyclin E, cyclin A, CDK2, CDK4, or P27. Pretreatment with pentoxifylline prevented this effect. Similarly, the drug blocked the ability of angiotensin II to increase the abundance cyclin D1 protein. Conclusion: Pentoxifylline attenuated angiotensin II-induced proliferation by stimulating cAMP production and partially regulating the cell cycle. However, studies are required to investigate the effects of the drug on the hypertensive vessel wall.
Pentoxifylline, Angiotensin II, vascular smooth muscle, cell proliferation, cAMP
The renin-angiotensin system is pathologic in vascular injury [1,2]. In this system, the vasoactive hormone angiotensin II constricts and enhances resistance in blood vessels to increase blood pressure [3]. In addition, the hormone stimulates DNA synthesis, cell division, and proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) [4], which maintain vascular integrity and tone. Under pathologic conditions, these cells also remodel arteries [5,6], especially when stimulated by mitogens such as angiotensin II, platelet-derived growth factor, and transforming growth factor-β1 [7]. While vascular injury is complex and attributable to many factors such as cell migration, growth, apoptosis, calcification, and inflammation [7,8], the activities of angiotensin II indicate that it is a major catalyst of hypertensive vascular damage due to tissue remodeling [9].
Pentoxifylline, a non-selective inhibitor of cyclic-3',5'-phosphodiesterase, is used to treat peripheral vascular disease [10]. The drug inhibits cell proliferation, inflammation, and fibrosis [11,12] via the cAMP pathway [13]. Although cAMP is well known to modulate vascular proliferation, it is unclear whether pentoxifylline could block angiotensin II-induced proliferation in VSMCs, or whether its anti-proliferative activity is linked to cell cycle proteins. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of the drug on proliferation and the cell cycle in angiotensin IIstimulated cells.
Materials and Methods
Cell culture
VSMCs were isolated from the thoracic aorta of male Sprague-Dawley rats (weight, 180–200 g). Cells were grown to subconfluence at 37 °C in a humidified atmosphere of 95% air and 5% CO2 in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's media supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 25 mM HEPES pH 7.4, 100 U/mL penicillin, and 100 μg/mL streptomycin. After 4–8 passages, cells were cultured for 24 h in 0.1% fetal bovine serum prior to experiments, in which cells were cultured in 5.5 mM normal glucose, pretreated for 30 min with pentoxifylline, and stimulated with 1 μM angiotensin II (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, USA). Cells were harvested 24 h thereafter for analysis of mRNA and protein expression. Data were collected from triplicate experiments.
Proliferation assay
Cells were seeded in 96-well plates at 1 × 105 cells/well, and grown to confluence, at which point the medium was replaced by fresh serum-free medium. Cultures were then incubated at 37 °C for 4 h with 100 μL 0.5 mg/mL 3-(4, 5-di-methylthizol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT), washed with phosphate-buffered saline, lysed with 100 μL dimethyl sulfoxide, and shaken for 10 min. Finally, absorbance was measured at 570 nm using an automatic microplate reader to determine the amount of MTT reduced to formazan (Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA)
cAMP assay
Media were removed from cultures, and cells were incubated for 20 min at room temperature in 500 μL cold 0.1 N HCl. Cells were then scraped and pelleted by centrifugation at 1000 ×g for 10 min. Extracts were acetylated, and cAMP content was measured by an enzyme immunoassay kit (Cayman Chemical Company, Ann Arbor, USA), following the manufacturer's instructions. cAMP levels were normalized to protein concentrations, which were determined using Advanced Protein Assay Reagent (Bio-Rad, Hercules, USA).
Real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)
Total RNA was extracted using TRIzol and was reversetranscribed using a cDNA synthesis kit (Fermentas, Burlington, Canada) as previously described [14]. Gene expression was measured by real time RT-PCR using the SYBR Green Master mix and standard three-step cycles. Data were normalized to those of the housekeeping gene GAPDH. Primers were designed using Primer 3 software and had the following sequences: cyclin A1, sense 5' CAGTACTTAAGGCGGCAAGG 3' and anti-sense 5' TAAGCTGCTGCTGCTACCAA 3'; cyclin D1, sense 5' AGGGGATTCAGGACGACTCT 3' and anti-sense 5' GGGCAACCTTCCCAATAAAT 3'; cyclin E1, sense 5' ATGTCCAAGTGGCCTACGTC 3' and anti-sense 5' GCGAGGACACCATAAGGAAA 3'; P27, sense 5' CAGAATCATAAGCCCCTGGA 3' and anti-sense 5' TCTGACGAGTCAGGCATTTG 3'; cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), sense 5' GAAGACGACTGGCCTCGAGA 3' and anti-sense 5' ACTGCGCTCCAGATTCCTCC 3'; CDK2, sense 5' TGACCAACTCTTCCGGATCT 3' and anti-sense 5' ATAACAAGCTCCGTCCGTCT 3'; and GAPDH, sense 5' TGCACCACCAACTGCTTAGC 3' and anti-sense 5' GGCATGGACTGTGGTCATGAG 3'.
Western blot
Cells were lysed in buffer containing 150 mM NaCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 1% Triton X-100, and 1 mM phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride, and total protein concentrations in extracts were determined with Advanced Protein Assay Reagent (Bio-Rad, Hercules, USA). Samples containing 40 μg protein were separated on 6 or 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gels under denaturing conditions and blotted onto polyvinylidene difluoride (Immobilon-P, Millipore, USA) for 120 min at 250 mA. Blots were blocked for 1 h at room temperature with 0.15% Tween-20 and 5% non-fat milk in phosphatebuffered saline, and probed overnight at 4 °C with monoclonal antibodies against rat cyclin D (Cell Signaling, USA, 1:500), and β-actin (Santa-Cruz, USA, 1:3000). Membranes were then washed 4 times with Tween-20 in phosphate-buffered saline, and labeled for 30 min at room temperature with a 1:3000 dilution of horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibody. Blots were visualized by the ECL method (Amersham, Buckinghamshire, UK).
Statistical analysis
Data were analyzed in the statistical program SPSS 15.0 using non-parametric Mann-Whitney Room corporate law was used . p < 0.05 was considered statistically sig nificant.
Anti-proliferative activity of pentoxifylline
Angiotensin II significantly induced (p < 0.0001) proliferation in VSMCs, as measured by the amount of MTT reduced to formazan, the formation of which was quantified by absorbance at 570 nm (Figure 1). The absorbance at 570 nm was 0.29 ± 0.02 in untreated cells, and 0.40 ± 0.05 in hormone-stimulated cells. Pentoxifylline significantly blocked (p < 0.05) this induction in a dose-dependent manner, and a dose of 0.5 mM was sufficient to completely reverse the effect of angiotensin II, and reduce the absorbance to 0.29 ± 0.03 (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Effect of pentoxifylline on VSMCs proliferation stimulated by angiotensin II. Pentoxifylline inhibits, in a dose-dependent manner, the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated with 1 μM angiotensin II. Data are mean ± S.E. *, p < 0.05 vs. control; **, p < 0.05 vs. angiotensin II.
Effect of pentoxifylline on intracellular cAMP
Angiotensin II reduced production of cAMP from 34.62 ± 0.59 pmol/mg protein in untreated cells to 17.49 ± 3.30 pmol/mg protein (p < 0.05). cAMP production was restored to 40.68 ± 0.49 and 41.50 ± 1.78 pmol/mg protein in the presence of 1.0 and 2.0 mM pentoxifylline, respectively. In addition, the same treatments increased cAMP production in untreated cells to 54.82 ± 4.40 and 67.68 ± 4.29 pmol/mg protein, respectively (p < 0.05) (Figure 2).
Cell cycle regulation by pentoxifylline
Angiotensin II significantly upregulated (p < 0.05) cyclin D1 mRNA 2-fold, but not cyclin E, cyclin A, CDK2, CDK4, or P27 (Figure 3). Pretreatment with pentoxifylline prevented this effect. Similarly, the drug blocked the ability of angiotensin II to increase the cyclin D1 protein (Figure 4).
Figure 3: The mRNA expression of cell cycle related proteins by RT-PCR. Angiotensin II upregulated cyclin D1 mRNA 2-fold, but not cyclin E, cyclin A, CDK2, CDK4, and P27. Pretreatment with 0.1–2.0 mM pentoxifylline blocked this effect. I, control; II, angiotensin II; III-VI, 0.1 mM (III), 0.5 mM (IV), 1.0 mM (V), and 2.0 mM (VI) pentoxifylline. Data are mean ± S.E. *, p < 0.05 vs. control; **, p < 0.05 vs. angiotensin II.
Figure 4: Cyclin D1 protein expression by Western blotting. Angiotensin II significantly stimulated protein expression of cyclin D1, an effect reversed by pentoxifylline in a dose-dependent manner. I, control; II, angiotensin III-VI, 0.1 mM (III), 0.5 mM (IV), 1.0mM (V), and (V) and 2.0 mM (VI) pentoxifylline.
Accelerated proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells is an important factor in the development of hypertension [15]. The vasoactive hormone angiotensin II elicits such acceleration via several mechanisms. For instance, the mitogenic factors platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor-β1 enhance angiotensin II activity [16,17]. The hormone also induces production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, which are associated with hypertension and atherosclerosis [18]. Moreover, angiotensin II stimulates NADPH oxidase [19], which contributes to cell growth and inflammation in atherosclerosis [20]. Finally, the hormone inhibits phosphate and tensin homolog to promote cell proliferation and migration [21] and upregulates extracellular signal-regulated kinase in response to high amounts of sodium [22].
In contrast, intracellular cAMP maintains vascular smooth muscle cells in the quiescent state under physiological conditions and facilitates injury repair by inhibiting proliferation [13,23,24]. Thus, a specific inhibitor of PDE 3 and 4 induces vascular relaxation and prevents proliferation by increasing cAMP [25,26]. Accordingly, we hypothesized that pentoxifylline, a drug that also increases intracellular cAMP, may block the ability of angiotensin II to stimulate vascular cell proliferation. Indeed, our data demonstrate that pentoxifylline attenuates proliferation in hormone-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells via cAMP production. This finding is consistent with previous results [27,28].
In particular, cAMP blocks cell cycle progression by inhibiting cyclin D, and c-myc [23,29]. Cyclin D1 regulates progression from the G1 to S phase [30,31]. In contrast, angiotensin II stimulates cyclin D1 and cyclin E and inhibits p27 [32,33], ultimately inducing proliferation. On the other hand, studies have demonstrated that pentoxifylline prevents platelet-derived growth factor from stimulating cyclin D1 expression in mesangial cells and airway smooth muscle cells [11,34]. In line with these data, we found pentoxifylline to attenuate expression of cyclin D1 after exposure to angiotensin II, but not other cell cycle proteins.
In summary, pentoxifylline attenuates proliferation in angiotensin II-stimulated vascular smooth muscle cells by increasing cAMP and partially regulating the cell cycle. Similarly, the drug has been reported to inhibit proliferation in other cells, including astrocytes, fibroblasts, hepatic stellate cells, and mesangial cells [35-38]. In vivo, the drug inhibits vascular proliferation in models of carotid arterial anastomosis model and angioplasty [39,40]. However, further studies are required to define pentoxifylline activity in the hypertensive vessel wall. Nevertheless, the data imply that administration of pentoxifylline may be an alternative strategy to prevent vascular proliferation and constriction in pathological conditions.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper
This work was supported by the Postdoctoral Research Program of Inje University 2007.
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- Pan X, Arauz E, Krzanowski JJ, Fitzpatrick DF, Polson JB. Synergistic interactions between selective pharmacological inhibitors of phosphodiesteraseisozyme families PDE III and PDE IV to attenuate proliferation of rat vascular smooth muscle cells.BiochemPharmacol 1994; 48(4): 827-835.
- Nishimura J. Topics on the na(+)/ca(2+) exchangerinvolvement of na(+)/ca(2+) exchanger in the vasodilator-induced vasorelaxation. J PharmacolSci2006; 102(1): 27-31.
- Chen YM, Wu KD, Tsai TJ, Hsieh BS.Pentoxifyllineinhibits PDGF-induced proliferation of and TGF-betastimulated collagen synthesis by vascular smooth muscle cells. J Mol Cell Cardiol 1999; 31(4): 773-783.
- Kip SN, Hunter LW, Ren Q, Harris PC, Somlo S, Torres VE, Sieck GC, Qian Q. [Ca2+]i reduction increases cellular proliferation and apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells: relevance to the ADPKD phenotype. Circ Res. 2005; 96(8): 873-880.
- L'Allemain G1, Lavoie JN, Rivard N, Baldin V, Pouyssegur J. Cyclin D1 expression is a major target of the cAMP-induced inhibition of cell cycle entry in fibroblasts. Oncogene. 1997; 14(16): 1981-1990.
- Sherr CJ. G1 phase progression: Cycling on cue. Cell 1994;79:551–555.
- Lavoie JN, Allemain GL, Brunet A, Muller R, Pouyssegur J. Cyclin D1 expression is regulated positively by the p42/p44MAPK and negatively by the p38/HOGMAPK pathway. J BiolChem 1996; 271: 20608–20616.
- Kim JE, Choi HC. Losartan Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation through Activation of AMPActivated Protein Kinase.Korean J PhysiolPharmacol.2010; 14(5): 299-304.
- Diep QN, Amiri F,Touyz RM, Cohn JS, Endemann D, Neves MF, Schiffrin EL. PPARa activator effects on Ang II-induced vascular oxidative stress andinflammation. Hypertension.2002; 40: 866-871.
- Chiou YL1, Shieh JJ, Lin CY. Blocking of Akt/NFkappaBsignaling by pentoxifylline inhibits plateletderivedgrowth factor-stimulated proliferation in Brown Norway rat airway smooth muscle cells. PediatrRes 2006; 60(6): 657-662.
- Gregory NE, Delaney A, Abdelmoaty S, Bas DB, Codeluppi S, Wigerblad G, Svensson CI.. Pentoxifylline and propentofylline prevent proliferation and activation of the mammalian target of rapamycinand mitogen activated protein kinase in cultured spinal astrocytes. J Neurosci Res. 2013; 91(2): 300-312.
- Peterson TC, Peterson MR, Robertson HA, During M, Dragunow M. Selective down-regulation of c-jun gene expression by pentoxifylline and c-jun antisense interrupts platelet-derived growth factor signaling: pentoxifylline inhibits phosphorylation of c-Jun on serine 73. MolPharmacol. 2002; 61(6): 1476-1488.
- Tsai TJ, Lin RH, Chang CC, Chen YM, Chen CF, KoFN, Teng CM.. Vasodilator agents modulate rat glomerularmesangial cell growth and collagen synthesis. Nephron 1995;70:91-99.
- Pinzani M, Marra F, Caligiuri A, DeFranco R, GentiliniA, Failli P, Gentilini P. Inhibition by pentoxifylline of extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation by platelet-derived growth factor in hepatic stellate cells. Br J Pharmacol 1996; 119(6): 1117-1124.
- Kavala AA, Aykut K, Sisli E, Kuserli Y, Ergur BU, Hazan E, Albayrak G. Pentoxifylline inhibits intimal hyperplasia and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in a rabbit carotid artery anastomosis model. African J Pharm Pharmacol2013; 7(14): 740- 748.
- Busk M, Mertz H, Espersen GT, Rasmussen K, MaengM. Effects of pentoxifylline on the vascular response to injury after angioplasty in rabbit iliac arteries. Basic Res Cardiol. 2008; 103(3): 257-264.


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design by sohoConcept team
Eiffel Wood is a contemporary stool with a comfortable upholstered seat and backrest on a solid walnut beech. The seat has a steel structure with "S" shape springs for extra flexibility and strength. This steel frame is molded by injecting polyurethane foam. Eiffel seat is upholstered with a removable velcro, enclosed camira organic wool slip cover.
DimensionCounter: 36" H x 19.5" W x 23" D x 23" Seat heightBar: 42" H x 19.5" W x 23" D x 28" Seat height
Base FinishBlack Lacquer (only available with chrome footrest)
Types of MaterialOrange Oslo FabricTurquoise Camira EraDark Grey Camira Blazer WoolSilver Camira Blazer WoolRed Camira Blazer WoolPistachio Camira Blazer WoolSky Blue Camira Blazer WoolTurquiose Camira Blazer WoolOrange Camira Blazer WoolSmoke Blue Camira Blazer WoolDark Grey Ercan WoolOrange Ercan Wool
Camira Wool100% Pure New Wool
Manufactured in the UK, Blazer is a classic pure new wool upholstery fabric with a billiard cloth felted finish. It is made from premium New Zealand lambswool, where responsible farming provides the highest quality raw material which is soft, clean and bright, which is ideal for spinning, weaving and dyeing. The color palette is an exciting mix of solids and melanges across the full color spectrum, creating a versatile fabric suitable for wide-ranging furniture applications. Blazer meets the ACT voluntary Performance Guidelines and is classified for Heavy Duty Upholstery.
Camira-Era100% Polyester. Non metallic dye stuffs
Era is a subtle, two tone polyester fabric containing stretch in both directions for ease of upholstery. The baby herringbone weave offers an understated contemporary texture while its coloring technique provides close up intrigue. The palette incorporates playful brights and sophisticated muted tones. Era meets the ACT voluntary Performance Guidelines and is classified for Heavy Duty Upholstery.
Shipping InfoUsually ships in 5 to 7 business days. Please message us to find out the availability of this item.
Return PolicyAll sales are final, and not eligible for return. We accept returns for exchange for items damaged in transit, or if the item is defective. Please notify us via email with pictures within 24 hours for defective or incorrect product received.


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Karis Walsh is known for quality books. Her characters are likable and well developed, her stories have interesting/realistic dialogue. She is one of my go-to authors for an easy, enjoyable read.
Billie Mitchell is one of the mounted patrol officers for the Tacoma Police Department. As a former soldier, Billie suffers from PTSD from her time in the Middle East. She uses her past to help others as an in-house counselor of sorts. She is readily available for the department to help victims who have experienced trauma and grief. This skill leads her to Merissa Karr.
Merissa has just witnessed a murder. Driving around a less than desirable inner city neighborhood, Merissa and her boss, David were scouting locations for their newest housing development. As Merissa leaned down to pick up a dropped piece of paper, David was shot and killed. Why would a successful architect be murdered for no apparent reason? Billie becomes Merissa's contact with the TPD, trying to find bits of information that may help uncover the killer's identity.
This is a mix of mystery and romance. Each part is done with enough balance for the other. As the mystery is uncovered piece by piece, you have the two main characters moving closer together to solve the crime. Their interactions with each other a cute and slowly draw you into the story and hold your attention. The book was slower than expected for a murder mystery, but I found myself enjoying it's less than frantic pace. The story and the romance build slowly and cautiously. Overall, I really liked this one more than I suspected I would.
4 out of 5 stars
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
- http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com
To Purchase: Amounting to Nothing (Mounted)


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I'm devoting full-time to my eBay Business
Mostly, I am buying Pallets of Merchandise
Over the past 6 plus months of my new life in the USA, I have been toying with different businesses or activites to earn a living. All of the things I have been doing have been making money, but each of them is making small amounts of money.
I feel that by focusing more on one business, I can get better and better at it, and grown mu success. Really, I have always believed in "small streams of income" – doing multiple things that each make smaller amounts of money. Now, I want to try doing one big thing!
Starting in March this year, I have been buying pallets of merchandise. I have decided to expand on that, and go all-in.
What are these pallets?
Well, a pallet is a wooden base that you stack boxes or other things on. They are commonly used in the logistics business. Of course, I am not just buying "pallets" but rather, I am buying a bunch of merchandise stacked on pallets!
I am buying goods from various classes:
- Customer Returns
- Shelf Pulls
- Out of Season Merchandise
- Warehouse Damaged Goods
- Whatever people are selling that I can make money on
Customer Returns
When customers return an item to the store for a refund, in most cases, those items can no longer be sold as new. Many retailers, instead of dealing with these customer returns, just sell them off at pennies on the dollar to liquidation companies.
These customer returns are combined onto pallets and shipped to the liquidation companies.
Shelf Pulls
As items go out of style or just need to be refreshed in the stores, the items are pulled off the shelf and liquidated by the retailer. These items are brand new, never used, and usually in excellent shape. From time to time, with shelf-pulls, you will get4 items that might be dusty or have minor damage from people handling them while on display in the store.
Many shelf-pull items are things that go out of style or are seasonal. It is just time to refresh what is being sold in the store. The store has made its money and is ready to liquidate the merchandise and get some fresh new styles on the shelves. One common shelf pull item is sunglasses.
Additionally, many shelf-pulls are things that have an expiration date and will soon be going out of date.
Out of season merchandise
These things are highly seasonal. Things like Christmas Merchandise, or Summer goods. When the season is over, many retailers will liquidate the items and move on to the next season of goods.
Warehouse Damaged Merchandise
Some percentage of goods in warehouses gets damaged. Maybe a forklift is going to pick the items up to move them, and it hits the box, leaving the box damaged. However, in most cases, these items are only box damage and no product damage. These items are liquidated, keeping merchandise pristine.
Where am I getting these items?
I have bought 8 pallets in the past 6 months or so. Three of those pallets were purchased just last week, so you can see that I am increasing my pallet purchases.
I have dealt with three different liquidation companies so far. Some of these liquidators are better than others, but so far all have been acceptable and I would deal with any of them again.
I generally scour the websites of these liquidators and choose pallets that I believe I can make a nice profit on.
How much do I pay for pallets of merchandise?
It varies. I used to pay as much as 40% of the retail value of the merchandise. Now, though, I am more selective. On the pallets that I bought last week, on each of them I paid 8% of the retail value. That means that if the pallet had $1,000 worth of merchandise (retail price), I would have paid $80.
To keep my costs down, I try to always buy pallets that are within 100 miles of where I live, so that I can drive there and pick up the pallet myself. On many of these pallets, shipping can be quite expensive. In the past, I have paid as much as $300 just for the shipping, and that was on a pallet that I paid $400 for, so $700 including shipping. I did, however, still make nice money on that pallet.
Paying 10% or less of the retail value, though, the profits can be quite nice.
How do I sell the items?
I use several different ways of selling the items.
My first choice would be to sell on Amazon. I am an FBA Seller (Fulfilled by Amazon). That means that I ship the items to Amazon, they sell the items and pay me a percentage of the sales price.
On Amazon, though, the item has to be pristine. No damaged boxes, no defects, etc. So, when selling palleted merchandise, it is not common to be able to sell on Amazon, although it is my first choice, if possible.
If the item is of a lighter weight that makes it easy and inexpensive to ship, eBay is the platform of choice. If the box is damaged that is not an issue on eBay. Also, even if the product is damaged, it is OK to sell on eBay. The key is, if there is any type of damage or imperfection in the item or packaging, you should disclose that on your item listing, so people know exactly what they are buying.
Generally, if there is damage to the packaging or item, as long as it still works fine, the buyer can save a lot of money compared to buying in the store. eBay buyers like that, they are usually looking for a bargain.
Facebook Marketplace
I like selling on FB. It is a local sale, so even if the item weighs a lot, you can still sell it nicely, because you don't have to worry about the shipping cost.
I recently sold a high-value item on eBay that was also about 120 pounds. You can imagine, shipping was very expensive! I shipped it to a customer in Ohio, so fairly close to me, but the shipping was nearly $100. The customer paid the shipping and still got a great deal. However, if I could have sold that item on FB Marketplace (I tried, but it did not sell), I could have made more money on it!
Word of Mouth
Sometimes I sell just by word of mouth. Friends or even family members buy from me, and I always give them an extra-good deal. That makes for a simple and quick sale.
My Reseller Setup
Right now, I am working out of my house. Since we live upstairs, it can be a pain in the butt hauling all of this stuff up and down the stairs. But, I plan to expand this and probably move to a different location in the future. I want to build the business up to a higher level of sales to make sure that I can afford the rent of a retail building.
When or if I am able to open a retail location, I will still sell online through the outlets that I mentioned about, but I will also have a Thrift Store where people can buy merchandise in the store. I think this will be ideal.
Just this past weekend, I set up a better space for my business. I bought some shelving units to hold the items that I am selling, bout some equipment that I need to do this right, etc. So, as I said in the title of this article, I am all-in now.
Well, I better go and check the pallet liquidator websites to see what new items I can buy!


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City Secretary's Office
Notice of Intention to Issue City of Bryan, Texas Certificates of Obligation
Mary Lynne Stratta, TRMC, MMC
City Secretary/Legislative Director
The City Secretary is an officer of the City, appointed by the City Council. The position of City Secretary is a statutory position required by State law and the City Charter. In addition to the statutory duties of the position, the City Secretary serves as director of the City Secretary Department consisting of the City Secretary's Office, Vital Statistics, Records Management, Municipal Court Operations, City Marshals' Office, Council Services, Communications and Marketing, Neighborhood/Youth Services and Municipal Building lobby operations.
The mission of the City Secretary's Office is to support, facilitate and strengthen the City of Bryan governmental process by:
- Assisting the City Council in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities;
- Improving public access to municipal records and other information;
- Enhancing public participation in municipal government processes;
- Safeguarding and enriching the municipal election and records management processes;
- Providing continuity for Bryan city government by recording its legislative actions, both contemporary and archival, and serving as historian for the City;
- Serving as local registrar for Bryan residents by proper recordation and filing of birth and death records; and
- Providing daily assistance to all administrative departments of the City of Bryan government.
As in many other cities, the City Secretary's Office serves as a resource for citizens and a link between citizens and the City organization.
City Secretary's Office Staff
Christina Cabrera
Assistant City Secretary
Becky Aldridge
Records Management Coordinator
Julieta Reyes
Vital Statistics Technician
Jennifer Halfman
City Secretary Division Assistant
Raul Dominguez Cruz
Citizen Information Clerk
City Council Meetings and Council Services Office
The City Secretary's Office is responsible for the preparation and dissemination of City Council meeting agendas and packets. The City Secretary must attend every meeting of the City Council and keep accurate minutes of the proceedings, engrossing and enrolling all laws, ordinances and resolutions of the City Council. (Conflict Disclosure Statements). The City Secretary's Council Services Office handles all Council meeting preparations, Council correspondence, travel, expenditures and calendars. This office serves as the liaison between the Mayor and Councilmembers and the public.
Records Custodian / Records Management Officer
The Office of the City Secretary is the administrative agency responsible for the care and maintenance of all City of Bryan records. This office houses all legal transactions, City Council minutes, agendas, cemetery records, deeds, ordinances, resolutions, contracts and a vast array of other historical and regulatory information. The City Secretary is designated as the City's Records Management Officer by both state law and City ordinance. She is responsible for developing and administering a records retention and destruction policy, monitoring the records storage centers, overseeing the control of electronically stored records, and upgrading technology to provide for efficient and economic storage of records. In addition to these duties, the City Secretary's Office responds to hundreds of requests for City records filed each year under the Texas Public Information Act.
The City Secretary serves as the Chief Election Official for the City of Bryan and is solely responsible for the administration of all City elections. The City Secretary provides staff support and guidance during Charter review processes and prepares submissions to the U.S. Department of Justice for pre-clearance of election issues under the Federal Voting Rights Act.
- Notice of General Election | Noticia de Elección General
- Notice of Special Election | Noticia de Elección Especial
- Notice of Special Charter Amendment Election | Aviso de Elección Especial de Enmienda de la Carta
- Educational Information: City of Bryan Charter Amendment Election | Información Educativa: Eleccion de Enmeinda de la Carta del la Ciudad de Bryan
Who has filed to be a candidate
- View who has filed for candidacy in the 2022 City of Bryan council election (General and Special)
- View Campaign Finance Reports
A General Election will be held November 8, 2022 at designated vote centers across Brazos County.
- July 25, 2022 – First day to file
- August 22, 2022 – Last day to file (5 p.m.)
The following positions will be up for election for full four-year terms:
- Mayor
- City Councilmember Single Member District 1
- City Councilmember Single Member District 2
The following positions will be up for election for two-year terms expiring in 2024 (this is to facilitate the transition to four-year terms as approved by the charter election held November 3, 2020):
- City Councilmember Single Member District 5
- City Councilmember Place 6, At Large
Elections: Requirements for Candidacy
In order to be a candidate, a person must:
- Be 18 years of age or older;
- Be a U.S. citizen;
- Be a registered voter in the City of Bryan or single member district (if running for a single member district seat on the Council) on the date of filing for elected office;
- Have resided within the State of Texas continuously for 12 months immediately preceding the deadline for filing for a place on the ballot;
- Have resided continuously for one year in the City of Bryan or in the single member district (if running for a single member district seat on the Council) immediately preceding election day;
- If elected, a Councilmember from a single member district must remain a resident of that district for the entire term;
- Not have been determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote;
- Not have been finally convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities;
- Not have a financial interest in any contract, job, work, or service of or to the City of Bryan, or the sale to the City of Bryan of any supplies, equipment, material, or real or personal property.
Elecciones: Las elecciones generales se llevarán a cabo el 8 de noviembre de 2022
- 25 de Julio, 2022
- 22 de Augusto, 2022 – Último día para presentar (5 p.m.)
Los siguientes puestos estarán disponibles para elección por períodos completos de cuatro años:
- Alcalde
- Miembro del Concejo Municipal del Distrito Unimiembro 1
- Miembro del Concejo Municipal del Distrito Unimiembro 2
Los siguientes puestos estarán disponibles para elecciones por períodos de dos años que vencen en 2024 (esto es para facilitar la transición a períodos de cuatro años según lo aprobado por la elección de estatutos celebrada el 3 de noviembre de 2020):
- Miembro del Concejo Municipal del Distrito Unimiembro 5
- Miembro del Concejo Municipal, Lugar 6, General
Elecciones: requisitos para la candidatura
Para establecer candidatura, la persona debe:
- Tener 18 años de edad o más edad;
- Ser ciudadano de los Estados Unidos;
- Estar registrado para votar en la posición del distrito unimiembro en cual declaro candidatura en la fecha de declarar candidatura para oficina elegido;
- Haber residido en el Estado de Tejas, continuadamente por 12 meses inmediato precediendo la fecha final de establecer un lugar en la baloto electoral;
- Haber residido continuamente durante un año en la ciudad de Bryan o en el distrito de un solo miembro (si se postula para un puesto de distrito de un solo miembro en el Consejo) inmediatamente antes del día de las elecciones;
- Si es elegido, el Concejal tiene que continuar residencia dentro el distrito unimiembro por la totalidad del termino;
- No han sido determinado por sentencia firme de un Tribunal de sucesiones de ser incapacitado mentalmente en totalidad o incapacitado parcialmente y sin derecho a voto;
- No haber sido condenado de un delito grave de cual el candidato no es perdonado o no es liberado de la inhabilidades resultantes;
- No mantiene ningún otro cargo oficial de recompensa;
- No tiene interés financieros en ningún contrato de, ocupación lucrativo, o servicio de, o a la Ciudad de Bryan, o vende a la ciudad de Bryan ningunos provisiones, equipos, materiales, o bienes raíces o propiedad propia.
Local Registrar
The City Secretary acts as Local Registrar for the City of Bryan. The City Secretary's Vital Statistics Office receives, records and issues birth and death certificates, amendments to birth and death certificates, name changes, court ordered adoptions and burial transit and cremation permits. This office also serves as a remote birth certificate printing location for the State Bureau of Vital Statistics. Certified birth certificates for any individual born in the State of Texas can be issued immediately upon request. The City Secretary and Vital Statistics Technician are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for the timely issuance of vital statistics permits.
Boards / Commissions / Committees
The City Secretary's Office coordinates the recruitment, application and appointment process for City Council appointed boards, commissions and committees. This office publishes a directory of appointed officials and volunteers serving on various panels and committees.
Permits / Licenses
The City Secretary's Office is responsible for the issuance of certain permits and licenses for various operations within the City of Bryan including alcoholic beverage licenses, vehicle for hire permits, and grave digging permits. For information on these permits, please call (979) 209-5002.
Neighborhood and Youth Services
The Neighborhood and Youth Services Coordinator assists in the creation, development and registration of neighborhood organizations seeking to partner with the City of Bryan for neighborhood improvements and neighborhood integrity. They are also responsible for the development, coordination and implementation of community-wide programs and initiatives supporting area youth.
Volunteer Program
The City of Bryan recognizes the tremendous reserve of knowledge, talent and skill within our community and encourages citizens to contribute their valuable time and talents to a variety of jobs on a volunteer basis. Volunteers can provide assistance to staff in completing projects or share their experience with staff in a team effort. Learn more about Volunteer Bryan!
In addition to the duties listed above, the City Secretary serves as custodian of the City corporate seal and attests the Mayor's signature on all official documents; records and files deeds and easements; prepares and issues cemetery deeds and maintains cemetery records; coordinates the codification of City ordinances into the City Code of Ordinances; publishes all legal ads and notices for the City; maintains all board and committee meeting minutes; posts all legal notices and agendas; develops and oversees the City Secretary Department Budget; serves on the City's Executive Management Team; and serves as Parliamentarian for the City Council.


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As part of its quarterly survey to member banks nationwide, the Federal Reserve asked senior loan officers whether last quarter's "prime" residential mortgage guidelines have tightened, loosened, or remained as-is. A "prime" borrower is defined as one with a well-documented, high-performance credit history; with low debt-to-income ratios; and who chooses to finance a home via a traditional fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage product. After a 2-year easing cycle, the nation's biggest bank banks report that they've reversed course, and are raising the bar on mortgage approvals. For the period July-September 2010, 88% of responding loan officers admitted to tightening their prime guidelines, or leaving them "basically unchanged". If you've applied for a home loan of late, you've experienced this first-hand. High delinquency rates and defaults since 2007 have caused the banks to rethink what they will lend, and to whom. As a result, today's mortgage lenders scrutinize assets, incomes, and credit scores to make sure that nothing "slips by". For today's home buyers and would-be refinancers, the mortgage approval process can be challenging as compared to how it looked just 18 months ago.
In other words, although mortgage rates are the lowest that they've been in history, fewer applicants can qualify. And, with more the housing market still in recovery, it's likely that guidelines will tighten again in 2012. Therefore, if you're among the many people in Washington, DC wondering if it's the right time to buy a home or refinance, consider that, although mortgage rates may fall, approval standards may not. The best rate in the world won't matter if you're not eligible to lock it.
Topics: Prime Mortgages, Senior Loan Officer Survey, Federal Reserve
Contact Apex:
About Apex


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MLB's free agency period began at 12:01 AM EST, which means that players are now free to sign with other teams. For the Pirates, that means that Jason Grilli, Kevin Correia, and Chad Qualls are now free agents. Here are some other notes on free agency this year.
**The process for draft pick compensation has changed. There are no more Type A or Type B free agents. There are only qualifying offers of $13.3 M. If a team makes a player a qualifying offer, and the player signs elsewhere, the team gets a compensation pick. The signing team would forfeit their first round pick, rather than the old method of giving that pick to the former team.
**Nine players were tendered offers this year. Those players are Kyle Lohse, Adam LaRoche, Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda, Rafael Soriano, David Ortiz, Michael Bourn, B.J. Upton, and Josh Hamilton. Ortiz already agreed to a deal with the Red Sox, so there are only eight players remaining.
**Only the top ten picks are protected. If the Pirates signed one of the above players, they'd forfeit the number 14 overall pick in the draft.
**Jon Heyman had a look at Russell Martin and the weak catching market today, noting the Pirates as a team in need of a catcher and a team that could spend on the position.
**In the next week we'll take a look at the available free agents and potential trade candidates for each position of need for the Pirates.
Links and Notes
**Russell Martin Is a Symbol of the Weak Catching Market.
**Pirates Sign Dominican Third Baseman.
**Arizona Fall League Recap: 11/2.
**The Arizona Fall League Rising Stars game is tonight at 8 PM EST on the MLB Network. Vic Black will be participating in the event, representing the Pirates.