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22 November 2012 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau
Five-day AgTech Global Summit 2012 to be held in Aurangabad, India, from December 09-13, 2012
Mumbai: Bejo Sheetal Bio-Science Foundation, India, and Maryland India Business Round Table in collaboration with Michigan State University, US, and Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, India, are organizing a five-day AgTech Global Summit 2012 in Aurangabad from December 09-13, 2012.
The summit will see several eminent global crop scientists coming together to discuss aspects of crop breeding, genomics, application of biotech tools, regulatory aspects, need of public-private partnership and management for sustainability of agriculture.
The theme of the summit will be to integrate the opportunities and challenges, to discuss the strategic approaches to be deployed for sustainable agriculture development, to meet the demands of food and nutrition security needed by 2025 with special reference to vegetables.
The high level gathering will also see convergence of accomplished scientists, technology developers, policy makers and entrepreneurs, focussing on the development of the food crop and vegetable agribiotech sector.
Some of the prominent names that will be present at the summit, include Professor Malcolm Elliott, founding director, Norman Borlaug Institute for Global Food Security, and editor and chief, Agriculture and Food Security; Dr N K Krishna Kumar, deputy director general, horticulture, ICAR, India; Dr Martin B Dickman, professor and director, Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, US; Dr Peter Hanson, plant breeder and global theme leader-breeding, AVRDC, World Vegetable Center, Taiwan, among many others.


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Obamacare: To protect your health, call your state rep (Column)
It is apparently much easier to educate consumers about the benefits of Obamacare in Michigan than it is to inform legislative Republicans.
That actually probably isn't true. Republicans -- unless they are invincibly ignorant -- know full well what they will be doing if they turn down federal Medicaid funding that would make hundreds of thousands of state residents eligible for health coverage.
They will be catering to Tea Party extremists who threaten their political futures, and also to constituents who hate the new Affordable Care Act because it was promulgated by Democrats.
These Obamacare foes are almost definitely not the ones who need the coverage.
Now what follows is not a partisan discussion. It seeks to be simply factual.
While a U.S. Supreme Court last year largely upheld the constitutionality of the ACA, one provision was rejected: Penalties for states that opt out of the law's Medicaid expansion. This left the decision to expand Medicaid to individual states, and as a result, it is now uncertain whether Medicaid will be available to all individuals below 138 percent of poverty in 2014 as the law intended.
At least 13 states, all under GOP domination, have indicated they will not agree to it.
"It's a two-step for many of these Republican governors," said Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that analyzes health care policies. "When they look at the numbers they want to do it, but they want to distance themselves from Obamacare at the same time," he told the Associated Press.
The numbers are compelling.
"The federal government provides 100 percent of the funding for the newly eligible Medicaid population in the first three years of the expansion," said a study done last year by the Center for Health Care Research and Transformation at the University of Michigan. "Starting in 2017, the federal share of funding begins to drop, and states are expected to provide matching funds for the expansion population. In 2020 and all subsequent years, the federal match is 90 percent and the state share is 10 percent."
Opponents fear the Medicaid expansion will eventually overburden states, but there are cost savings as well, according to the study.
"There will be savings resulting from the ACA's broader scope of Medicaid eligibility," the study said. "If the state chooses to go forward with the Medicaid expansion, many people will become eligible for Medicaid coverage -- and the attendant federal financing -- who today receive some or all of their health care through state-funded programs."
In 2020, when the federal match goes to 90 percent, the state begins to experience a net cost rather than net savings. The net cost to the state in 2020 is projected to be approximately $41 million -- $65 per covered individual per year -- growing to $52 million by 2023 -- $83 per covered individual per year.
There will also be savings for employers who provide health insurance to employees and hospitals currently saddled with uncompensated care as a results of the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986.
This law requires most hospitals to treat or appropriately transfer any patient presenting at its emergency department until the patient is stable, regardless of insurance status.
Most health plans provide some payment to hospitals to offset the costs of treating the uninsured. Some of this cost is transferred -- through higher premiums -- to employers who provide, and individuals who purchase, health insurance coverage.
"An analysis of one large payer's hospital payment policies indicates the Medicaid expansion -- by reducing the amount of uncompensated care hospitals must provide -- is likely to result in savings to employers and individuals who purchase health coverage," the study said.
Oh, and by the way, people would be healthier.
"A substantial body of research confirms what would seem to be common sense: Not having health insurance is bad for your health. This work is summarized in a 2009 study by the Institute of Medicine," the study said.
"A more recent study analyzed outcomes in Oregon, which in 2008 made Medicaid benefits available to a group of approximately 10,000 previously uninsured, low-income adults, chosen by lottery from among almost 90,000 who applied for coverage.
One year later, the study group was compared with a control group of applicants who did not gain coverage through the lottery.
The results were clear: Those who gained Medicaid coverage enjoyed significantly better physical and mental health than the control group."
Compelling research tells us that having health insurance significantly improves health, quality of life and mortality rates, the study said. "Human costs may be harder to measure than budgetary impacts, but they are likely to be the most important reasons for the state to consider moving forward on the Medicaid expansion."
All of this is readily comprehensible to you the consumer and taxpayer.
Now if we can just get lawmakers to do what's right, states will benefit.
Decisions will need to be made soon. You should call your representatives.

subset: commoncrawl


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Rocco Mediate wins Champions Tour event
Rocco Mediate ran away with the inaugural Shaw Charity Classic on Sunday for his second victory in 17 starts in his first Champions Tour season.
The 50-year-old Mediate, the Allianz Championship winner in February in his first Champions Tour start, closed with a 7-under 64 at tree-lined Canyon Meadows for a seven-stroke victory.
"Calgary's awesome," Mediate said. The crowd is fantastic. Monster crowds this weekend and they obviously like us being here, so we're obviously coming back for a while. I will no matter what. They showed their support big time for all of us."
Mediate opened with a 63 and had a 64 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round. The six-time PGA Tour winner finished at 22-under 191, playing the back nine in 18 under, to tie the tour record for lowest total score in a 54-hole event.
"I liked it when I saw it," Mediate said about Canyon Meadows. "It's just that you've got to drive real straight. I like that feeling, not that I drove straight all the time, but most of the time I did. You can't do anything if you don't drive straight."
Tom Byrum had a 64 to finish second. Duffy Waldorf and Kirk Triplett tied for third at 14 under. Waldorf had a 65, and Triplett shot 67.
Fred Couples shot a 67 to tie for 10th at 12 under.
"It's exciting golf, but it's hard to believe," Couples said about Mediate. "This is not a pitch and putt golf course. If you could just tone down Rocco, you'd have a hell of a tournament out there. There's about 10 guys that could win. It's a good tournament."
Bill Glasson shot a course-record 62 to also finish at 12 under.
"I needed that round," Glasson said. "I've been playing miserably, and I kind of had a good feeling, not 62 feeling, but I've been working on a couple changes."


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This is a joint press release by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. ("Dr. Reddy's") and OctoPlus N.V. ("OctoPlus" or the "Company") pursuant to the provisions of Section 5, paragraph 1, and Section 7, paragraph 4 of the Dutch Public Takeover Decree (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) in connection with the intended public offer by Dr. Reddy's, or a wholly owned subsidiary of Dr. Reddy's, for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of OctoPlus. This press release is an announcement that a conditional agreement has been reached between OctoPlus and Dr. Reddy's in connection with a potential public offer and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer, to acquire or subscribe or sell any securities in OctoPlus. Any offer will be made by means of the publication of an offer memorandum only. This announcement is not for release, publication, dissemination, or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into Australia, Canada and Japan.
Transaction highlights
- Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus have reached conditional agreement on a recommended all cash offer by Dr Reddy's for all issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of OctoPlus at an offer price per share of € 0.52 (cum dividend)
- The offer price represents a premium of 30% over the closing price of OctoPlus of 19 October 2012
- The Executive and Supervisory Boards of OctoPlus fully support and unanimously recommend the offer
- Members of the Executive Board have agreed to stay on in the employment of OctoPlus during the transition period extending to 6 (six) months immediately following the Settlement Date
- Onroerend Goed Beheer- en Beleggingsmaatschappij A. Van Herk B.V., LSP III Omni Investments Coöperatief U.A., Signet Healthcare Partners, L.L.C., SR One, Limited and certain individual members of the Executive and Supervisory Boards of OctoPlus, together representing just over 50% of OctoPlus' issued and outstanding shares, have irrevocably committed to tender their shares under the intended offer
- The transaction will be financed with funds readily available at Dr. Reddy's
- OctoPlus' identity and head office will be maintained
- Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus agreed to enter into a business collaboration agreement for investigational formulation research
Strategic rationale
- Extend the expertise and scientific capabilities of Dr. Reddy's in drug formulation and injectables
Further develop OctoPlus as a complex injectables research centre within the organization of Dr. Reddy's
- Leverage existing skills and drive value in the complex generics space, in addition to the fee for service business
Hyderabad/Leiden, 22 October 2012 - Dr. Reddy's (NYSE: RDY) and OctoPlus (Euronext Amsterdam: OCTO) jointly announce that they have reached conditional agreement in connection with an intended public offer by Dr. Reddy's, or a wholly owned subsidiary of Dr. Reddy's, for all issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of OctoPlus at an offer price of € 0.52 (cum dividend) in cash (the "Offer Price") for each OctoPlus share (the "Offer").
The Offer Price represents a premium of 30% over OctoPlus' most recent closing price and a premium of respectively 36%, 28% and 14% over OctoPlus' average closing price for the past three, six and twelve months. Dr. Reddy's offer price is also a significant premium over analyst estimates of OctoPlus valuation, excluding Locteron over the past 2 years. After the emergence of All Oral Hepatitis C treatments, the value of Locteron has eroded significantly.
The Offer values 100% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of OctoPlus at € 27.4 million.
The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of OctoPlus fully support and unanimously recommend the Offer to OctoPlus' shareholders.
Mr. GV Prasad, CEO Dr. Reddy's comments; "We are happy to have an R&D base in the Leiden area and the acquisition gives us the ability to strengthen our technological capabilities in the areas of drug delivery."
Mr. Jan Egberts, CEO of OctoPlus comments; "We are proud of the confidence Dr. Reddy's has shown in our organisation. It reflects the success of the major operational and organizational improvements we have implemented over the past few years."
The intended public offer price reflects the value of OctoPlus after the recent value erosion of Locteron. Over the last few months the value of Locteron has significantly eroded, due to the ongoing emergence of All Oral Hepatitis C treatments, which ultimately resulted in the recently initiated bankruptcy liquidation filing of Biolex. Over the last few months, we have reviewed a number of alternative strategies for our company. We have concluded that the intended offer by Dr. Reddy's best serves the interest of our key stakeholders, including our employees and shareholders.
OctoPlus' development and manufacturing platform perfectly fits with Dr. Reddy's marketing abilities. Dr. Reddy's is keen to further expand into the fast growing Fee for Service business. To that extend they will retain OctoPlus as a specialist stand alone entity to develop specialty generics for Dr. Reddy's. OctoPlus will become Dr. Reddy's centre of excellence for complex injectables with retention of our highly skilled and dedicated professionals in our Leiden facility.
The intended public offer is a recognition of our hard work over the past years, transforming OctoPlus into a company with a strong position in development and manufacturing of difficult to formulate injectables. We are proud of our recent progress including the generation of three specialty generics products over the past twelve months and our 40% revenue growth in our Fee for Service business compared to last year. The intended offer will give OctoPlus the opportunity to grow its successful platform faster and stronger than would have been possible on a stand alone basis."
Strategic rationale
Dr. Reddy's has been following the activities of OctoPlus over a longer period with great interest and got convinced the Company has acquired competence in drug formulation and difficult to formulate injectables. In the opinion of Dr. Reddy's, OctoPlus' expertise in injectable specialty generics like Liposomes and Microspheres is interesting and its ability to improve the formulations of both existing and new drugs is believed to be complementary to Dr Reddy's existing capabilities.
Dr. Reddy's believes all stakeholders will benefit from the Offer as it enables Dr. Reddy's to extend its expertise in drug formulation and injectables and OctoPlus to further develop as a complex injectables research centre. In addition, it is the intention to leverage existing skills and drive value in the complex generics space besides the Fee for Service business. Both parties aim to position OctoPlus as a stand-alone centre for drug formulation and injectables within the organisation of Dr. Reddy's.
Recommendation and support
OctoPlus' Executive Board and the Supervisory Board (together the "Boards") fully support and unanimously recommend the Offer to the OctoPlus shareholders. After careful consideration, the Boards believe this transaction is in the best interests of the Company and its stakeholders including its clients, shareholders, partners and employees and recommend the shareholders of OctoPlus to tender their shares under the Offer. ABN AMRO Bank N.V. has, as independent advisor, issued a fairness opinion to the Boards, stating that the Offer Price is fair to the shareholders of OctoPlus from a financial point of view.
Irrevocable undertakings
Onroerend Goed Beheer- en Beleggingsmaatschappij A. Van Herk B.V., LSP III Omni Investments Coöperatief U.A., Signet Healthcare Partners, L.L.C. and SR One, Limited have signed irrevocable undertakings to support and accept the Offer, subject to customary conditions. The combined shareholding of these parties represent 49.4% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in OctoPlus.
The individual members of the Boards holding together 1.1% of the issued and outstanding shares in OctoPlus have also agreed to an irrevocable undertaking to tender their shares under the Offer.
Dr. Reddy's, with the help of the Company, will continue to seek additional support for the Offer from the Company's shareholders.
Dr. Reddy's recognises that OctoPlus' employees will play a pivotal role in the future of the Company and they will be treated accordingly. It is anticipated that the global number of employees of the Company and its subsidiaries will not materially change as a result of the Offer.
After completion of the Offer, the Supervisory Board will be reduced from 5 to 3 members, of whom one will be independent and Dr. Reddy's will nominate two. The three current members of the Executive Board (Raad van Bestuur) have agreed to stay on for an interim period after closing of the transaction.
Financing of the Offer
The Offer values 100% of the issued and outstanding OctoPlus shares at € 27.4 million. Dr. Reddy's will finance the Offer from readily available funds and the financing of the Offer will not be subject to the consent of any third party and shall have no financing condition. This announcement constitutes a certain funds announcement as required by Section 7, paragraph 4 of the Dutch Public Takeover Decree (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft).
Pre-offer and offer conditions
The commencement of the Offer is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following pre-offer conditions customary for a transaction of this kind: (i) the Offeror having completed confirmatory due diligence into certain aspects of the Company, (ii) no material adverse effect having occurred, (iii) no material breach of the merger protocol by the Company or the Boards (iv) the AFM having approved the offer memorandum, (v) the Boards not having revoked or amended their recommendation, (vi) no Competing Offer (as defined below) having been announced, (vii) the Company not having issued, or granted rights to subscribe for, securities in the Company to other persons, (viii) the AFM not having notified that investment firms will not be allowed to cooperate with the settlement of the Offer, (ix) the Company having received resignation letters from the Company's Supervisory Board members stepping down as of settlement of the Offer, (x) the Company having received a positive, unconditional advice from its works council in respect of the Offer, (xi) trading of the shares in the Company on Euronext Amsterdam not having been suspended or ended, (xii) no offer condition having become permanently incapable of satisfaction, (xiii) no order, stay judgment or decree having been issued which prohibits, restricts or materially delays the transactions and (xiv) the parties not having terminated the merger protocol.
If and when made, the consummation of the Offer will be subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following offer conditions: (i) a minimum acceptance of 92.5% of the OctoPlus issued and outstanding share capital, (ii) the general meeting of OctoPlus having adopted certain resolutions, (iii) no material adverse effect having occurred, (iv) no material breach of the merger protocol by either the Company or the Boards (v) the Boards not having revoked their recommendation, (vi) no Competing Offer (as defined below) having been announced, (vii) the Company not having issued, or granted rights to subscribe for, securities in the Company to other persons, (viii) the AFM not having notified that investment firms will not be allowed to cooperate with the settlement of the Offer, (ix) trading of the shares in the Company on Euronext Amsterdam not having been suspended or ended, and (x) no order, stay judgment or decree having been issued which prohibits, restricts or materially delays the transactions.
Dr. Reddy's will have the right to waive certain of the pre-offer and offer conditions, including the minimum acceptance threshold and no material adverse effect having occurred.
Competing offer
Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus may terminate the merger protocol in the event a bona fide third-party offeror makes an offer which, in the reasonable opinion of the Boards, is a more beneficial offer than the Offer and (i) exceeds the Offer Price by at least 10%, and (ii) is determined by the Boards to be substantially more beneficial to the Company, specifically taking into account the identity and track record of such party, the consideration to be received by shareholders, the likelihood of completion, the other terms and conditions of the offer, and the interests of all stakeholders in the Company (a "Competing Offer").
In the event of a Competing Offer, Dr. Reddy's will be given the opportunity to match such offer, in which case the Boards shall continue to support the Offer. OctoPlus has entered into customary undertakings not to solicit third party offers.
In the event that the merger protocol terminates because of a Competing Offer or a material breach by OctoPlus, Dr. Reddy's will be entitled to a termination fee equal to € 0.5 million.
In addition, in the event that the merger protocol terminates because of a material breach by Dr. Reddy's, OctoPlus will be entitled to a termination fee of € 0.5 million.
Indicative timetable and regulatory announcements
Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus will use their best efforts to procure the fulfilment of the commencement and offer conditions as soon as reasonably practicable. The employee consultation procedures with OctoPlus' works council will commence immediately.
Dr. Reddy's intends to launch the Offer as soon as practically possible and in accordance with the applicable statutory timetable. It is currently expected that the offer memorandum will be submitted to the AFM for approval within five weeks from the date of this announcement and that the Offer, if made, will commence during the first half of December.
Extraordinary general meetings by OctoPlus
As a consequence of the impairment loss in 2012 in relation to Biolex' voluntary petition for liquidation under Chapter 7 (see OctoPlus' press release dated 9 July 2012), OctoPlus' equity has decreased and following continuing losses over the last months, it has now become clear that OctoPlus' current equity is below the level of half of its issued and paid-up share capital. Therefore, in accordance with section 2:108a of the Dutch Civil Code, OctoPlus will in due course convene an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss any appropriate measures it has taken in this respect.
In addition and possibly in combination with above mentioned EGM, OctoPlus will convene an informative Extraordinary General Meeting at least 6 business days before closing of the offer acceptance period in accordance with Section 18 Paragraph 1 of the Dutch Public Takeover Decree (Besluit openbare biedingen Wft) to discuss the Offer and decide on certain proposals regarding the governance of the Company post-completion of the Offer. Any resolutions adopted will be conditional on the completion of the Offer.
Business collaboration agreement
At the date of signing the merger protocol, OctoPlus and Dr. Reddy's agreed on the key-terms for entering into a business collaboration agreement for investigational formulation research. Dr. Reddy's will provide OctoPlus with fee for service and milestone payments as consideration for services to be rendered by OctoPlus for a maximum amount of € 2 million during the next six months. These payments are subject to certain development milestones, which, if not met, will result in the conversion of the payments into a loan. In case OctoPlus is not able to repay the loan, Dr. Reddy's might opt for conversion of the loan into newly issued ordinary shares in the Company at the then prevailing share price level. In the coming period, Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus will work out the key-terms into a final business collaboration agreement.
Kempen& Co is acting as financial advisor and Linklaters LLP as legal advisor to Dr. Reddy's in connection with the Offer.
Loyens & Loeff N.V. is acting as legal counsel to OctoPlus and ABN AMRO Bank N.V. has provided the fairness opinion to OctoPlus.
Company profile Dr. Reddy's
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. (NYSE: RDY) is an integrated global pharmaceutical company, committed to providing affordable and innovative medicines for healthier lives. Over the last fiscal year the company generated revenues of over $ 2.0 billion. Through its three businesses - Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients, Global Generics and Proprietary Products - Dr. Reddy's offers a portfolio of products and services including APIs, custom pharmaceutical services, generics, biosimilars, differentiated formulations and NCEs. Therapeutic focus is on gastro-intestinal, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management, anti-infective and pediatrics. Major markets include India, USA, Russia and CIS, Germany, UK, Venezuela, S. Africa, Romania, and New Zealand. For more information: www.drreddys.com
Company profile OctoPlus
OctoPlus is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and manufacture of improved injectable pharmaceuticals based on proprietary drug delivery technologies that exhibit fewer side effects, improved patient convenience and a better efficacy/safety balance than existing therapies.
OctoPlus also focuses on the development of long-acting, controlled release versions of known protein therapeutics, peptides and small molecules, including specialty generics. OctoPlus is a leading European provider of advanced drug formulation and clinical scale manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, with a focus on difficult-to formulate active pharmaceutical ingredients.
OctoPlus is listed on Euronext Amsterdam by NYSE Euronext under the symbol OCTO. More information about OctoPlus can be found on: www.octoplus.nl
Further information
Dr. Reddy's
For further information about Dr. Reddy's, please contact the Investors and Financial Analysts of Dr. Reddy's:
Kedar Upadhye: telephone number +91-40-66834297 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
Saunak Savla: telephone number +91-40-49002135 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
Milan Kalawadia (USA): telephone number +1 908-203-4931 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
S Rajan: telephone number +91-40-49002445 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
For further information about OctoPlus, please contact Investor Relations: telephone number +31 (71) 524 1064 or send an e-mail to Investor Relations at [email protected]
This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or an invitation to acquire or dispose of any securities or investment advice or an inducement to enter into investment activity. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy or acquire the securities of Dr. Reddy's or OctoPlus in any jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of any such restrictions by any person. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction. Neither Dr. Reddy's, nor OctoPlus, nor any of their advisors assumes any responsibility for any violation by any person of any of these restrictions. Any OctoPlus shareholder who is in any doubt as to his position should consult an appropriate professional advisor without delay. This announcement is not to be published or distributed in or to Australia, Canada and Japan.
Notice to US holders of OctoPlus Shares
The Offer will be made for the securities of a Dutch company and is subject to Dutch disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the United States. Some of the financial information included in this announcement has been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and thus may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The Offer will be made in the United States pursuant to the applicable US tender offer rules and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of the Dutch Public Takeover Decree. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject to disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, offer timetable, settlement procedures and timing of payments, that are different from those applicable under US domestic tender offer procedures and law.
The receipt of cash pursuant to the Offer by a US holder of OctoPlus shares may be a taxable transaction for US federal income tax purposes and under applicable state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each holder of OctoPlus shares is urged to consult his independent professional advisor immediately regarding the tax consequences of acceptance of the offer.
It may be difficult for US holders of OctoPlus shares to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the US federal securities laws, since OctoPlus is located in a country other than the United States, and some or all of its officers and directors may be residents of a country other than the United States. US holders of OctoPlus shares may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of the US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court's judgment.
In accordance with normal Dutch practice and pursuant to Rule 14e-5(b) of the US Exchange Act, Dr. Reddy's or its nominees, or its brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, OctoPlus shares outside of the United States, other than pursuant to the Offer, before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the Netherlands, will be reported to the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (Stichting Autoriteit Financiële Markten) and disclosed in the offer memorandum or by press release.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may include "forward-looking statements" and language indicating trends, such as "anticipated" and "expected." Although Dr. Reddy's and OctoPlus believe that the assumptions upon which the irrespective financial information and their respective forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, they can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to be correct. Neither Dr. Reddy's nor OctoPlus, nor any of their advisors accepts any responsibility for any financial information contained in this press release relating to the business or operations or results or financial condition of the other or their respective groups.


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Vivione Biosciences Inc. Announces Loan Agreement
Sep 12, 2013, 14:08 ET
CALGARY, Sept. 12, 2013 /CNW/ - Vivione Biosciences Inc. ("Vivione") (TSXV: VBI) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a loan agreement (the "Loan Agreement") with Mr. Glenn Smith, a director of Vivione (the "Lender"), whereby the Lender has agreed to provide Vivione with a revolving line of credit facility up to a maximum amount of CDN $1,000,000 for a two-year term (the "Loan"). The Loan will bear interest at a rate of 1% per month on the daily outstanding balance under the Loan, with interest calculated and payable monthly. The Loan is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Pursuant to the terms of the Loan Agreement, Vivione intends to issue and allot to the Lender 400,000 non-transferrable warrants to purchase Class A common shares (the "Bonus Warrants") in the capital of Vivione at an exercise price of $0.35 per share for a two-year term. If the Class A common Shares of Vivione trade on the TSX Venture Exchange at a closing price above $0.42 for 20 consecutive days, the Bonus Warrants will be subject to accelerated expiry, such that the Bonus Warrants will expire 30 days after the public announcement of such trading event.
Kevin Kuykendall, Chairman and CEO of Vivione said "The Loan will be utilized to purchase additional Apogee units, which are the hardware platform for Vivione's RAPID-B technology. This large volume acquisition enables Vivione to achieve a higher volume discount, resulting in decreased costs and reduced delivery timeframes to the end user (16 weeks to almost immediate once a customer places an order). Normally Vivione would have three to four units in inventory at any one time, but Vivione will be utilizing its current Apogee inventory for the AOAC and FSIS certification programs which are underway for our E coli O157 and STEC assays." Mr. Kuykendall went on to say "We're pleased that Mr. Smith has shown further confidence in Vivione's business plan by providing Vivione with the $1,000,000 Loan. The additional funding permits Vivione to have the inventory required for immediate delivery of Apogee units on new orders while not having to utilize the working capital it raised in the $6MM prospectus offering."
Mr. Smith said "I'm pleased to provide Vivione with the $1,000,000 Loan as I believe it will be important for Vivione to provide the Apogee units quickly once a customer makes a decision. Although Vivione is in the early stages of its certification and commercialization program, Vivione has recently demonstrated achievement of some significant milestones, being the collaborative relationships with both the University of Arkansas and Kirkegaard & Perry Laboratories, Inc. I'm confident that if the food safety market realizes the potential benefits the RAPID-B technology can provide, Vivione will be better positioned to realize its business objectives."
On the basis that the Lender is a director of Vivione, the Loan and the proposed issuance of Bonus Warrants are "related party transactions" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101").
Vivione is not required to obtain a formal valuation under MI 61-101 with respect to the Loan because the Loan is a related party transaction described in paragraph (j) of the definition of "related party transaction" in MI 61-101. Section 5.4(1) of MI 61-101 provides that only related party transactions described in paragraphs (a) to (g) of the definition of related party transaction are subject to the formal valuation requirement. Vivione is also exempt from the minority approval requirement of MI 61-101 in respect of the Loan, as pursuant to Section 5.7(1)(f) of MI 61-101, the Loan was negotiated on reasonable commercial terms and does not feature an equity conversion privilege or allow for Vivione to repay the Loan in securities.
The Bonus Warrants will fall under the definition of a related party transaction described in paragraphs (a) to (g) of the definition of related party transaction. Vivione is exempt from the formal valuation requirement in respect of the Bonus Warrants pursuant to Section 5.5(a) of MI 61-101, on the basis that the fair market value of the Bonus Warrants (when issued) will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of Vivione. Vivione is also exempt from the minority approval requirement of MI 61-101 in respect of the Bonus Warrants pursuant to Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 because the fair market value of the Bonus Warrants (when issued) will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of Vivione.
The Bonus Warrants will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issue.
About Vivione
Vivione's business is centered on the commercialization of the RAPID-B technology, which is an integrated system of hardware, software and chemical reagents that tests bacteria in key environments. This technology could have potentially diverse applicability from food safety to clinical diagnostics, by identifying and quantifying microorganism levels more rapidly and with greater precision than currently employed techniques.
Cautionary Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although Vivione believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to Vivione. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the ability of Vivione to sell Apogee units to repay the Loan based on sales and working capital and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, Vivione does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Vivione undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Vivione, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities.
SOURCE: Vivione Biosciences Inc.
For further information:
Vivione Biosciences Inc.
Kevin Kuykendall
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (214) 886-5733


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By Kathleen. Rarely does The 90s Life tweet something I find unrelatable because, as we all know, the 90s is hands down the best decade. In fact, one of their recent posts sent me on another trip down memory lane … Continue reading
November 21, 2014
by The OJBG Team
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I bought these 2 foot hot pink tapers from my local florist the other day…. I LOVE the shot of life they add to my living room! I used to keep black candles in there that were Oh-So-Chic, but for spring these hot pink candles are just what I needed!
Of course I got the idea from Eddie Ross's Bloomingdale's window for Elle Decor:
Here Eddie Ross uses navy tapers in antique candles sticks. And here he uses yellow to tie in his brass candle sticks and amber glasses.
I think this tablescape would be especially nice for Mother's Day. You can buy similar candle sticks at CB2.
You can get your own HERE.
Do you use colorful candlesticks? Send us pictures and we will put them on our site!!


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Those Dreaded "-gry" Words
For years and years and years, librarians have been fielding questions such as, "I heard there are three commonly used English words ending in '-gry'. I know about 'hungry' and 'angry', but what is the other word?"
This question is asked many, many times, every month, every year, and has been asked for as many years as anyone who works at this particular library can remember. If we seem to you be somewhat less than thrilled to hear the "-gry" riddle, it is because, to use a massive understatement, the novelty has worn off. So far, we have found many answers, the two most common of which we've posted below.
That being said, please understand that "words ending in gry" is the one topic on which Tempe Public Library does not respond to email. Here is one reason, quoted from the Frequently Asked Questions file of the rec.puzzles newsgroup: "There are many generally unsatisfying "trick" answers to the problem, which depend on a specific wording of the question or that the question be spoken instead of written. There seems to be no agreement among puzzle historians about which form is the original, or even the age of the problem. In any event, it is apparent that the frequent mutations of the puzzle statement over the years have erased whatever answer was intended by the original author." The other reason we don't answer email about -gry words is that we are already busy providing library service for the people who live in Tempe, Arizona. For two answers to the riddle, just read on:
Full Article: http://www.tempe.gov/library/netsites/gry.htm


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Dear Mom and Dad,
I'm writing to you here from my bunk here at Camp Amsterdam. The rain is steadily falling outside, and I've lost track of the days. Not because I'm having fun - I just mean the rain has caused day and night, weekend and weekday, to blend together into one summer-long washout of wetness and greyness.
Does that sound a tad melodramatic? Yes. And certainly with all the terrible news going on around the world this year, I have no real complaints and still keep things in perspective for the most part.
But back to the weather. Seriously. Dude. I didn't realize that a season could have social anxiety. The number of times that the mercury has crept up above 25 degrees and the sun has sustained its shine unimpeded for an entire day can be counted on one hand. Maybe just one finger, if you get my drift.
There was a weather warning issued yesterday, making it the sixth time this summer this has occurred. July's rainfall was the largest in over 100 years, and so far August is saying "Oh yeah July? Watch this."
Teasing sunshine and ominous clouds make for nice pictures but not nice picnics
Amsterdam is renowned for its summer festivals and big parties, which makes it even tougher to handle right now. August in particular is loaded with outdoor cultural events, movie nights, concerts, and performances in the park. Nothing beats a sunny day lounging in Vondelpark or sitting canalside watching the world go by. Aside from the heartiest party-goer however, most people have opted to stay in.
Speaking of hearty, most Dutch people I know are just as fed up as I am. There are a few - refusing to wear jackets or insisting on going ahead with a planned outing - who are fond of the local expression "C'mon, I'm not made of sugar, I won't melt." But these people are idiots.
It's not only me suffering. Across the city, bikinis sit idly in dark closets, waiting for their chance to bust out. All men, overflowing with the need to ogle, are forced to content themselves with surreptitious, doleful glances at bus stop ads for Axe body spray.
And how about the other casualties? There are cases and cases of 2-for-1 suntan lotion in bins everywhere; overstocked beer is going for 9Euros for a case of 24. Sugar-encrusted Slurpee machines are losing their ability to slurp. Fans of Ke$ha are barely getting slizzard.
So, as September approaches and the leaves begin to change already, I will put away my milky white legs for another 7 months until the real sunshine comes out in March. Till then, say hi to summer for me, enjoy a barbeque or two, and instead of food please send blankets and self-tanner.


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Superstorm Sandy Rattles Printers in the NJ/NY Area
PHILADELPHIA—Hurricane Sandy unleashed a fury of destruction on the New Jersey shore and New York City on Oct. 29-30, 2012, claiming the lives of roughly 110 people in the region, leaving millions without power and, for many, leaving homes and businesses in ruins.
The damage was catastrophic to a number of printers, who were flooded out and (as of Dec. 1) remain shut down. Others—like Design Distributors of Deer Park, NY—have opened their facilities to allow impacted printers to use their gear.
"I've talked to about a half-dozen companies affected," said Tim Freeman, president of Printing Industries Alliance (PIA), the affiliate which serves the New York/North Jersey region, hit hardest by Sandy. "The ones we're not hearing from have been hit bad. A couple of companies lost power, one had its roof blown off and has water damage."
PIA sent out a letter to membership, offering services from placing work to dealing with insurance companies, to getting assistance from the federal government. Help is being offered to PIA members and non-members alike.
"We've gotten responses from printers around the country, offering help," Freeman notes.
Earthcolor, based in Parsippany, NJ, was operating with minimal difficulty. Two days after the storm, only the Parsippany (Walsh) facility remained without power.
Mimeo.com rerouted the work from its Newark, NJ, facility to its plant in Memphis, TN, notes Anthony Zaccone, marketing manager. The Newark branch resumed a day later.


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If you really want a sculpted, healthy body, Fitness Coach is for you.
This program has a database of hundreds of activities. You can build a list of your daily activities and calculate the calories burned for the day, or, by holding down the shift key and clicking on an activity, Fitness Coach will tell you how long you need to do that activity to burn a pound of fat.
Fitness Coach also has many different fitness assessment tools.
Calculate your percentage of body fat or your Body Mass Index!
Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate, or calculate the number of calories you need to eat per day to attain a particular body weight!
Calculate your target heart rate (several different ways), or calculate you daily protein requirement!
After you've trained, enter data - or just your thoughts - into the Training Log.


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BELMONT — Signaling a possible mini-rebellion, Belmont has become the third Bay Area town since March to dump its red-light traffic camera program over doubts the devices make the streets any safer for drivers or pedestrians.
Following the lead of Hayward and Redwood City, the Belmont City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday to can the cameras by the end of the month. Council members cited the confluence of a Chicago bribery scandal involving the cameras' operator and lack of data showing whether the approximately $480 tickets for running red lights improved safety.
"We're taking $1 million a year from hardworking people and distributing it to the government and this private Australian company," Belmont Councilman Dave Warden said. "There are no statistics that the cameras have done anything to improve safety at these intersections."
The cameras are concentrated in San Mateo, San Francisco and Alameda counties, while Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties don't have any. San Jose considered a pilot program in 2010, but put it on hold as staff and budget cuts hit the city, spokesman David Vossbrink said.
Anti-camera organizer Roger Jones, 63, of Fremont, sees the city defections as "a domino effect" that could signal the end of the "love affair" with the devices.
"The same arguments seem to work in one town as in another," he said. "What resonated in Belmont may work in Menlo Park."
The trouble for Australia-based Redflex Holdings, which operates cameras in many Bay Area cities, has been growing since bribery accusations gained steam last year. Redflex has admitted a company executive provided "excessive gifts and gratuities" to a former Chicago transportation official. A reasonable person could have suspected "a bribery scheme existed," company President and CEO Robert DeVincenzi wrote.
The bribery scandal played a role in both Redwood City and Belmont's decisions to part with Redflex. Though it appears Hayward was motivated primarily by a study showing rear-end crashes had actually increased in most city intersections policed by the cameras. The Hayward City Council voted in March to stop the camera contracts as soon as possible.
The cameras have always incited debate, with opponents accusing cities of using them to pad their budgets. In Oakland alone, red-light cameras generated about $1.1 million for the city in the four years leading up to late 2012. But police and council members in most cities have pointed to the devices impact on public safety.
In fact many cities, including San Francisco, Millbrae, Fremont and Daly City, have not announced any plans to cut their cameras. San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer said her city uses them to make up for having fewer officers working on traffic enforcement.
"We will continue them as they are an important part of our traffic safety (efforts)," she said.
But Jones, organizer of the Redlight Camera Protest Group, said there have been no studies clearly showing the cameras prevent collisions. It's a fact some had not questioned until recently.
Belmont Councilwoman Christine Wozniak said that after learning about the Redflex scandal, she began to think differently about the lack of data. In fact, she said, the only reason she had once supported them was the belief they would keep pedestrians safer. Added to that is the feedback she has received from residents.
"All the feedback — or 99 percent of it — I have gotten is negative," she said.
Contact Joshua Melvin at 650-348-4335. Follow him at Twitter.com/melvinreport.


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Here you can check whether your module is available to collect. You can search by module code, module title or by lecturer or browse by subject. If it's not on here then it's not ready to collect yet but keep checking.
Students please note that work from the previous academic year will only be held at Murray Library until October 20th 2013 and at St. Peter's Library until 30th October 2013.
You can search by module code, module title or lecturer.
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When collecting your work please ensure that you:
- know your module code
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Got a Question?
Check the FAQs below or contact us:
or visit the Library Assignments Web Page
Can I collect Work on Someone Else's Behalf?
You may collect work on someone else's behalf providing that they have given us written permission. Your friend should send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com outlining the module code, your name and that they give you permission to collect on their behalf.
My lecturer told me my assignment has been returned but it is not on the blog. Why?
If your lecturer has recently returned your assignment we may still be processing it. We normally advise that assignments will be ready within 1 working day (this can be a bit longer during very busy periods). You can always ask about your module at the library help desk or contact us by telephone, email, live chat, facebook or twitter.
What happens to assignments after the date stated on the blog?
We keep assignments for a period of four weeks from the point when we receive them back after marking from the lecturer. This four week period is, however, extended to incorporate vacation periods, including Christmas, Easter and the summer to give students a reasonable length of time to collect their work. After the date is reached one of two things happens to uncollected work: it is disposed of in our secure waste and then shredded or it is returned to the module leader. Which of these occurs is decided by the module leader when they return the marked work to us.
I have gone home for the summer, what will happen to my marked assignments?
We extend the period that we keep assignments to include the Summer and beyond into the first few weeks of the Autumn term.
Why is my work not there even though the module is available to collect?
A random sample of marked assignments for each module is sent for external moderation. This does not mean anything good or bad about your assignment. The reason it is done is to ensure that work is being marked properly and fairly to specific standards.
What is the receipt I was given when I handed in my assignment for?
This is your proof of handing in. On very rare occasions work can be misplaced at some point between being handed in and marked, so holding on to your receipt ensures that you have a way of showing that you definitely submitted your assignment. Once you have received your marked work back then this can be disposed of, but it is a good idea to hold on to it until then.


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NEW DELHI (Feb. 17, 10:15 a.m. ET) — The India Plastics Federation hopes to build a $5 million training center in the state of West Bengal, inside an industrial park set up for downstream petrochemical industries, including plastics processing.
IPF plans to use surplus funds from the Indplas show, to be held Oct. 5-8 in Kolkata, India, to help finance the school, known as the Knowledge Center. It hopes to train up to 300 students each year, said Amar Seth, chairman of both the committee organizing the center and the organizing committee for the Indplas trade show.
In addition to training, the facility would also offer testing services with the cooperation of India's Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology.
IPF hopes to start construction on the center by May and complete it one year later, Seth said in an interview at the Plastindia trade show, held Feb. 1-6 in New Delhi.
It would target the plastics processing industry and offer courses in a variety of areas, including injection molding, extrusion, blow molding and rotational molding, and is designed to provide trained workers to the more than 40 companies setting up in the industrial park, known as Poly Park, on 60 acres of land Sankrail, near Kolkata in West Bengal's Howrah District.
The park is sponsored by the West Bengal Industrial Development Corp., and is expected to provide direct employment to 2,000 people and indirect employment to another 6,000.
IPF also plans to set up a demonstration project making wood plastic composite lumber from mixed scrap plastics on the site of the school.
Another trade group, the Plastindia Foundation, has agreed to fund 75 percent of the cost of the WPC project, with the balance coming from surplus funds from the Indplas show. The wood plastic project is one of four that the Plastindia Foundation hopes to set up across the country, as part of a plan to prove it is commercially viable and help create markets for recycled plastic in India.
Seth said Indplas organizers hope to have 400 exhibiting companies at the fair.
At a launch function for the show, held during Plastindia, organizers said Eastern India, including the area around Kolkata, has an average annual plastic consumption much less than the rest of the country, only about 3.5 kilograms per person, compared with about 8 kg. for India as a whole.
"Entrepreneurs located in the other parts of the country can use [Indplas] to promote sales of their products and also set up new units to bridge the demand and supply gap of locally manufactured products," Seth said.


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KK Keeps Kooking
KK is on roll and pitching as well as anyone on the staff. He won another as the Phillies averted a sweep at home at the hands of the Mets.
New York had won five in a row at Citizens Bank Park matching a winning streak back at the Vet in 1972. The Mets finished 7-2 in Philly this season. They have only five other road wins in eastern division cities.
KK's given up four runs in winning four in a row. In 29.1 innings, he's fanned 22. His pitch count was outstanding, 83 pitches, 63 for strikes. Those kinds of numbers are usually turned in by Doc or Cliff.
KK had to be stingy because the offense couldn't break open a tight game. They left 12 men on base and were 2-12 with runners in scoring position.
Howard had an unusual series. He had just one hit but drove in six runs. Four came on that one hit, a grand slam in his first at-bat on Friday.
Phillies took a Delta charter flight to Atlanta. The Braves are in the hunt for the postseason, the same scenario as a year ago. The Phillies faced the Braves six times last September and won all six. Friday starts six games against them in the final month.
Down On The Farm
Lehigh Valley was held to 3 hits in losing, 5-0, to SWB.
Reading edged Binghamton, 7-6, as LF Darin Ruf hit his 38th homer and drove in 4 (102); .321 average is .001 point behind the EL leader in a bid for a Triple Crown. 38 homers break Ryan Howard's 2004 Reading Phillies record of 37. RHS Austin Hyatt (8-5) was the winner with 24th save for RHR Justin Friend. Reading closes out the regular season with 4 games in Portland, ME, starting Friday night.
Clearwater beat Dunedin, 4-2, with RHS Perci Garner (7-9) getting his second straight win. RHR Michael Nesseth, 8th save. 1B Jim Murphy, 38th double, 2 RBI (84).
Lakewood bowed, 6-4, at Delmarva. OF Aaron Altherr, 8th homer, 2 RBI. 3B Maikel Franco, 30th double, 82nd RBI. BlueClaws hosts Greensboro in the final four games starting Friday night.
Williamsport was whipped by Batavia, 10-2. 6 games remain on the schedule.
August 31, 1979: Farm director Dallas Green replaces Danny Ozark as the Phillies manager. Ozark finishes with a 594-510 record for six-plus seasons.
August 30 would have been the 68th birthday of Tug McGraw. Scott Palmer's feature on Tugger now appears on www.phillies.com/alumni along with more phlashback memories as September rolls around.


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Serious Eats Neighborhood Guides: Eduard Frauneder's Alphabet City
Locals' guides to New York neighborhoods.
When Austrian-born chef Eduard Frauneder, who goes by Edi, spotted an open space for rent across the street from his apartment in Alphabet City, he jumped at it. He looped in fellow Austrian chef Wolfgang Ban, with whom he co-owns the Michelin-starred Seäsonal Restaurant & Weinbar, and Edi & The Wolf was born, providing rustic Austrian cuisine in the style of the casual neighborhood taverns the two missed from home.
Edi, who has called Alphabet City home for nearly 5 years, has plans to open a cocktail bar with Wolfgang this October, and keep it close by—on the same street, in fact. The bar, named after the 1949 Orson Welles film The Third Man, will feature Austrian small plates. When he's not at the restaurant, Edi's tastes range further from home, but he's still looking forward to ending a night of noshing at his new watering hole on Avenue C.
Edi's Picks
Pizza, slice: My go-to for a quick slice is Bite Me Best—it's solid pizza made by good people. My pick is the lasagna slice with fresh ricotta, basil and house dried tomato; it's nice and hearty.
Pizza pie: I head to Gruppo for a great New York-style pie. This is thin crust at its best: elegant dough that's light as a feather.
Burger, cheap: Zaitzeff makes a perfectly-cooked sirloin burger on a super-soft Portuguese muffin, plus I love the sweet potato fries. Their BLT isn't bad either.
Burger, fancy: The guys at Back Forty make a great grass-fed burger on an Orwasher potato roll with heritage bacon and Cabot cheddar. I love the relaxed atmosphere, and their garden is just super romantic.
Sandwich: Barnyard Cheese Shop is a small and cozy artisanal deli with specialty meats and cheeses. My favorite is the Smoky Joe: speck, Joe's Dairy smoked mozzarella, tomato, wild arugula and chipotle mayo.
Coffee: I go to Ninth Street Espresso for their excellent cappuccinos and macchiatos. Their hot chocolate is to die for, and on the weekends they serve apple turnover and berry danish: a must!
Bagel: Russ & Daughters has maintained a fantastic level of quality over the years. This is the place for a bagel and lox, but I also love the whitefish spread with dill cream cheese. This is one of the few great classic New York delis left; a real gem. I hope it never closes.
Dive bar: Speakeasy has a very rustic beer selection, killer pool table, and lots of locals hanging out. The irony is the one light in front of the entrance with a little sign reading "Speakeasy" and you walk up one flight to be transported in a different world. I love the Latin music and salsa-inspired feel.
Nicer wine, beer, or cocktail bar: I'll often head to Cabin Down Below. It's a hidden, under-the-radar spot that serves solid drinks in a fancy speakeasy setting.
Takeout Japanese: Takahachi offers the best food at the best price. They don't deliver, only do orders for pick-up, otherwise there's no way the kitchen would be able to keep up. My go-to order is the Wild Shrimp Tempura, Black Cod, and the Homemade Green Tea and Yuzu Ice Cream (they have a separate pastry shop and bakery).
Falafel: The guys at Cafe Mogador are really good friends and serve delicious food. They've been in the East Village for over 25 years, and serve fantastic falafel, excellent babaganoush, and hummus. The tabouli salad is a must. I love the atmosphere and the old North African feel.
Can't-miss neighborhood spot: Minca means "small house" in Japanese, and this describes the restaurant perfectly. The owner is a jazz musician who missed ramen from his native Japan, so he opened this restaurant. The menu is limited, but well-executed, and the chefs are very experimental. I came across this place while on the search for the perfect charchu don (pork belly over rice with pork broth), and I found it! Everybody eats the ramen here, but they underestimate the charchu don, with its base of perfectly cooked rice and perfect amount of rice vinegar. I normally order mine with corn instead of the bamboo shoots, with plenty of extra hot sauce.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Foxwood Village owner says Costco plans flawed
The approved drawings for The Shops at Riverhead shopping center under construction on Route 58 are incorrect, and would put the center's parking lot six feet above the top of a fence that now runs along the property's border with the Foxwood Village retirement community.
So said Peter Mastropolo, president of the corporation that owns Foxwood Village, at last Thursday's Riverhead Planning Board meeting in Town Hall.
Foxwood residents have been up in arms ever since the developers of The Shops at Riverhead, which will feature a Costco as its anchor tenant, cleared the entire 41-acre site right up to the Foxwood property line earlier this year — even though the developers don't have current plans to build on the entire property.
The Shops at Riverhead, owned by Manhattan-based Heritage-Riverhead Retail Developers, LLC, received Planning Board approval last year to clear the entire site so they wouldn't need to import or export sand to grade the land. The approval requires the developers to create a 30-foot vegetative buffer and a four-foot-tall berm along the Foxwood property line to replace the trees that were cleared, but that buffer has yet to be constructed.
Foxwood residents have also complained about the quality, or lack thereof, of the six-foot-high wooden fence erected along the property line by the developers and requested last Thursday that it be replaced with a sound wall.
"When it came time to clear the land and the trees were removed, it became very obvious that the impact on Foxwood Village was going to be more severe and more than what was stated in the drawings that were presented to the Planning Board," Mr. Mastropolo said at last week's meeting.
He said that when he and other Foxwood residents were protesting a recent Zoning Board of Appeals applications filed by the developer seeking a variance on town lighting laws, "we did some actual surveying and found that the drawings showing the elevations were incorrect."
Foxwood Village has since hired its own surveyors to review the developer's plans, he said.
"When they installed the fence, we did a line of sight [analysis] and elevation readings and the fence came out to be actually six feet below the top of the parking lot," Mr. Mastropolo said. "So when a berm is installed in there, the berm is going to be below the elevation of the parking lot."
He suggested the Planning Board re-examine the approved plans for The Shops at Riverhead to see if the elevations are correct.
"There's too much disparity between what they say we have and what the prints show," Mr. Mastropolo said.
Planning Board members said they would take a look at the information provided by Mr. Mastropolo, but made no promises about reopening the developers' application.
"I haven't been supplied with anything by Peter [Mastropolo], so it's hard for me to comment on it," Peter Danowski, an attorney for The Shops at Riverhead, later said. Mr. Danowski was not present at last Thursday's Planning Board meeting, as the project was not on the agenda but was brought up by residents during the meeting's public comment segment.
"We're pretty comfortable that what we put on the approved site plan is what will get built and [once it's built] will show the elevations approved by the Planning Board," Mr. Danowski said. "I find it hard to believe the parking lot is going to be above the fence. We've always said that when we built this thing, it will be consistent with the plans that were approved."
Mr. Danowski said plans for the 30-foot-wide buffer include eight- to 10-foot arborvitae and other trees, some of which will be planted atop a four-foot-high berm along the Foxwood property line.
He added that, should someone in the Foxwood community stand against and look over the fence, "they would never see anything, because we have a slope from the fence sloping downward with arborvitae and other landscaping that was approved in the buffer area," Mr. Danowski said, "You couldn't see beyond the arborvitae."
Mary Lee Feldman, current president of the Foxwood Village Homeowners Association, asked the Planning Board to require the developer to replace the wooden fence that is there now with a sound wall, something Foxwood homeowners had also demanded at previous board meetings.
The current fence, she said, is not high enough or strong enough to protect the community from pollutants and noise.
And Diane Barba, who lives in the neighboring Millbrook community, just east of The Shops at Riverhead, mentioned that residents there are getting only a chain-link fence. However, existing trees on the Milbrook land already serve as a natural buffer to the cleared shopping center property.
"The noise is unbelievable" since the clearing took place, Ms. Barba said. "I feel like I'm back in the Bronx."
Mr. Danowski said in an interview that he doesn't foresee the developer reopening the application.
"We're going to build the approved plan," he said.


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GTEC C Stud Partitions create internal dividing walls within both domestic and commercial projects.
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At Visiting Angels, we know sometimes illnesses go undiagnosed because people aren't aware of the warning signs. While Parkinson's disease has been in the news a lot lately, it doesn't mean we are all aware of the warning signs. Knowing what to look for can help to ensure the health of your loved one.
According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Parkinson's disease is a "chronic and progressive movement disorder." This means the symptoms of Parkinson's will continue and get worse over time. While the causes are unknown and there currently is no cure for Parkinson's, we do have a list of symptoms you should be aware of.
With approximately one million Americans suffering from Parkinson's, it is important to be aware of these symptoms. If you are concerned your loved one may be showing signs of Parkinson's, please call their doctor. The symptoms of Parkinson's can start small, but worsen over time. What may seem like a minor problem can be the calling card for future concerns.
If you plan to visit your doctor, consider asking some of these questions:
If you are concerned about your loved one's ability to live alone with Parkinson's disease, consider elderly companion care services from Visiting Angels. Our elder care providers can check in regularly with your loved one to ensure they are safe and healthy. Our elderly companion care services can include light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, and medication reminders.
To ensure the health of your loved one, please consult with their physician regarding symptoms of Parkinson's disease they may be displaying.
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You are a lovely person, and it's been a real pleasure to meet you and to be a part of your organization.
You are a lovely person, and it's been a real pleasure to meet you and to be a part of your organization.


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Mayor Snow solves water problem - leeks!
Letters to the Editor
Last updated 2/16/2012 at 4:54pm
A number of months ago I requested water service for the home I'm building on Yucca Drive in Coulee Dam. I requested the same level of service as enjoyed by the town's folks that live on the west side of the river. I received no answer, so a few weeks ago I made the request again, this time more officially - registered mail, return receipt, and such. The envelope looked very important and impressive … and it worked! The town clerk and Quincy Snow, decided that the council should resolve the matter; in the end, they didn't, but I left with a promise that they would sometime "soon."
The discussion was lively; some of the council members had productive input and well thought-through comments. One of the councilmen did say he actually talked with some of the people that pay extra for irrigation water on the reservation and, "they don't mind at all," so what's the fuss over? Some questioned my analysis and facts, and one informed me that I was dead wrong about them (the west-side customers) because they have to pay a surcharge for irrigation water in the summer. "What!" I said in a surprised tone. Glancing towards the town clerk, he said in a compliant tone, "Riiiight?"
The clerk responded: "Well," she almost whispered, "we haven't charged that fee in years."
So, you gotta wonder - here we have a councilmember, living on the west side of town, either thinking he's still paying an irrigation surcharge or trying to prove that he graduated from the "blue smoke and mirrors program" the mayor teaches.
One west side resident was there and she was certain that the town actually voted to let those folks on the west side get free unmetered water (parenthetically, at the expense of those families on the other side of the river). "Well, some of us voted," she said. Then, as the discussion moved on, it became, instead of a real vote; "there was a show of hands" and I needed to understand that "the place was packed out." I think that usually means 20 or so out of 1,100 of us. And I wonder what side of the river most of them were from?
And then, in the middle of this cluster of political posturing, when I really thought nothing could explain the reason why it is that some families living east of the river pay more for their water in the summer, the mayor proclaimed in a loud voice, "LEAKS!" "It's leaks…" Silence fell … the room was struck numb by the obvious brilliance of the proclamation. Now I thought about that. I was confused … dumbfounded actually, by my own myopia. Why didn't I see that? It's not about water-rate discrimination at all. It's all about geography; everybody knows that as you go east you get leaks! Some families on the reservation (about 75 of them) actually get those pesky leaks every summer and then as the season shifts to fall, the leaks just magically stop. I suppose they have migrated yet further east… towards Spokane maybe.
Then I start to think that maybe, just maybe, Mayor Snow wasn't talking about "leaks" at all, he was actually talking about "leeks." That wonderful vegetable related to elephant garlic, onions, and such. "Leeks" take a whole lota water to grow and I'm sure almost every family has a plot of them in their east-side gardens. No one on the west side grows them because it's too shady, I think. So that's something we need to think about … maybe a public hearing to start the ball rolling on a "ban leeks movement!" Before we know it … problem solved. But I'll miss that tasty Bacon, Leek & Tomato Spaghetti Sauce that I learned how to make by watching the Rachael Ray cooking show!
So, is it leaks? Leeks? Or just more Snow?
Greg Wilder


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Today's Birthdays: February 04
February 04
Charles Lindbergh
1902–1974, American Aviator.
American aviator who made the first solo, nonstop transatlantic flight, b. Detroit; son of Charles A. Lindbergh (1859—1924). He left the Univ. of Wisconsin (1922) to study flying. After service as a flying cadet, he was commissioned (1925) in the air force reserve and later became an airmail pilot. On May 21, 1927, Lindbergh astounded the world by landing in Paris after a solo flight from New York across the Atlantic in The Spirit of St. Louis. Upon his return to the United States he received an unprecedented welcome, was promoted to colonel, and made a nationwide tour to foster popular interest in aviation. Lindbergh married (1929) Anne Morrow, the daughter of the U.S. ambassador to Mexico Dwight W. Morrow, and with her made several long flights. After the kidnapping and death of their son (see Hauptmann, Bruno Richard) in 1932, the Lindberghs moved (1935) to England. In 1936, Lindbergh collaborated with Alexis Carrel on the invention of a perfusion pump that could maintain organs outside the body. After inspecting (1938) European air forces, Lindbergh became convinced of German air superiority; he favored a U.S. policy of isolationism with respect to the political and military struggle threatening in Europe. He returned (1939) to the United States and made antiwar speeches for the America First Committee. When these speeches were branded pro-Nazi, he resigned his reserve commission and quit the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Upon United States entry into the war Lindbergh offered his services to the air force; he subsequently flew combat missions in the Pacific. In his later years he emerged as a spokesman on conservation issues.
See his We (1927), Of Flight and Life (1948), The Spirit of St. Louis (1953; Pulitzer Prize), and The Wartime Journals (1970); biography by W. S. Ross (1968). His wife, Anne Spencer Morrow Lindbergh, 1906–, b. Englewood, N.J., grad. Smith College, 1927, is a writer. Her works include North to the Orient (1935) and Listen! the Wind (1938), both accounts of flights she made with her husband; The Wave of the Future (1940), a tract advocating isolationism; Gift from the Sea (1955), a poetic, highly personal study of the problems of women; The Unicorn and Other Poems (1956); a novel, Dearly Beloved (1962); and a volume of essays, Earth Shine (1969).
Who2. Copyright © 1998-2006 by Who2?, LLC. All rights reserved.
- Tadeusz Kosciuskogeneral (1746)
- Fernand Légerpainter (1881)
- Clyde William Tombaughastronomer (1906)
- Rosa Parkscivil rights activist (1913)
- Betty Friedanfeminist (1921)
- George Romerofilmmaker (1939)
- Dan Quaylevice president (1947)
- Oscar De La Hoyaboxer (1973)


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The hits just keep on coming, one of these days the rule of law will prevail, but the lawlessness for now just seems to be getting worse.
And the market doesn't care at this point and is higher, continuing its technical bounce. Right now the DOW is up nearly a hundred points and the S&P is up 10.
Data out this morning shows the CPI fell .7%, again energy being cited, but the deflationary forces are taking hold.
Check out this report on Treasury International Capital Flows:
Investors and institutions across the world repatriated funds in November, leading to a net outflow of $21.7 billion in long-term U.S. securities. Foreign accounts sold a net $56.0 billion of U.S. assets in the month while U.S. accounts sold a net $34.3 billion of foreign assets. Of the $56.0 billion in foreign outflow, official institutions sold a net $37.1 billion of U.S. assets with private investors selling $18.9 billion. Foreigners were once again heavy sellers of U.S. agency debt and were also heavy sellers in November of corporate bonds.That is showing investors do not like what they see happening in the treasury complex, and guess what? Treasuries are way off this morning, TLT and /ZB have returned to their respective channels. I may re-enter my bond trade with a small position just to see what happens (haven't yet). I think Mish and others who think bonds will stay high in price for a long time may be incorrect. If there's no rule of law in the U.S. foreign investors will exit and we already know some of the big players are doing the same.
Okay,the markets just opened and here's a 20 day, 30 minute chart of the SPX. Notice that I've drawn some Fibonacci lines on there. Last night we ran up to the 23.6, and today it looks like we may run up to 38.2% line. Notice that we broke the neckline of the small inverted H&S pattern. The target for that will be closer to the 50% retrace line. I'm thinking, however, that I'll exit my long positions this morning as I am not trusting this move completely yet, and as you can see, we are overbought now on the 30 minute stochastic:
The XLF is barely positive and is still weighing on the market, another reason that I am skittish about holding long here. For the market to rally, financials must go along for the ride.
In any event, I don't like what's happening with the bailouts, etc. and I think the bond market doesn't like it either. It's unorganized, it's lawless, and until the looting of the taxpayer stops, the markets have no chance.
Otherwise, have a great day and best of luck to your trades,
Okay, here's an EconoTune that reflects how I'm feeling about trading today...
Eagles – Wasted Time:
PS – I trust this move so little that I just exited my long positions… sorry it took so long to get this out.


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Clinton leads Ryan, Walker in new poll
Marquette poll asks about possible 2016 presidential races
Hillary Rodham Clinton leads both Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan and Gov. Scott Walker in a poll of possible 2016 presidential races, according to the new Marquette University Law School poll released Tuesday.
Clinton, the Democratic former secretary of state, leads Ryan, the 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee, 48 percent to 44 percent in the statewide poll taken May 6-9. She leads Walker 50 percent to 42 percent.
Ryan leads a crowded field of possible Republican presidential contenders. Ryan has the support of 27 percent of Wisconsin respondents, followed by Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio at 21 percent, Walker at 16 percent, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 11 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at 5 percent, and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal at 1 percent.
The Republican sample has a margin of error of 5.8 percent.
Clinton dominates the field of possible Democratic presidential candidates in Wisconsin, with 62 percent support. The next closest is Vice President Joe Biden at 13 percent, Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren at 5 percent, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo at 4 percent, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick at 2 percent, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley at 1 percent, and Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark Warner at 1 percent.
The Democratic sample has a margin of error of 5.5 percent.
Poll director Charles Franklin says the 2016 presidential race is a long way off, but the poll is useful in measuring the evolution of public opinion over time.


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The eight remaining couples of Dancing With The Stars hit the stage Monday night during a special 'Moving Night' edition of the hit show.
Coming in first place was Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough's Pretty Woman-inspired tango. The duo received a standing ovation from the crowd to go along with their almost perfect score of 29. Judge Len called it "the best dance of the season so far." Carrie Ann Inaba added, "Every moment, you could have taken a snapshot and it would have just been art."
Olympic ice skater Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya found themselves in second place this week, ending their two consecutive weeks at the top. They received a high score of 27 for their rumba dance to "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing," from Armageddon.
Jake Pavelka found himself in 3rd place for the first time this season with the 23 score he received for donning his tighty whiteys while dancing the cha-cha to "Old Time Rock & Roll" from Risky Business. In fourth place was Erin Andrews and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy. The duo received a score of 22 for their Pulp Fiction dance. Perhaps it's just me, but I thought they performed better than a 22.
In last place for the second straight week was reality mom Kate Gosselin, who seemed to take a few step backwards after receiving the Judges' praises for her performance last week. Kate was shown once again in rehearsals bitching at questioning her partner Tony Dovolani every step of the way. She looked to be taking a stroll rather than dancing as she attempted to fox trot to the Breakfast Club movie. Kate deservedly received harsh criticism for the judges. Bruno called the performance "catatonic." He added, "Tony could have gotten more life out of a frock on a coat hanger." Ouch.
The scores from last night below –
Nicole & Derek: 29
Evan & Anna: 27
Jake & Chelsie: 23
Erin & Maks: 22
Pam & Damien: 21
Chad & Cheryl: 18
Niecy & Louis: 18
Kate & Tony: 15


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Recently eBay reached a settlement with Skype founders Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis. The lawsuit, which claimed damages in the amount of $75million each day, resulted from allegations that eBay's sale of Skype significantly violated a licensing agreement. The settlement has made possible the sale of Skype to an international consortium comprised of three (originally four) investment companies; Silver Lake Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Marc Andreessen of Andreessen Horowitz has gone on record stating all issues have been settled and that the company (Skype) is "free and clear to execute to its full potential".
GigaOM, a business media company linking the world's leading technology innovators to a global audience of prospective customers, business partners, and investors, had been spreading rumors that a settlement might be reached earlier in the month and the NY Times came on board later, reinforcing those claims.
Mr. Zennstrom and Mr. Friis, through negotiations and a significant layout of their own personal capital have acquired approximately 14% of Skype (up from an original 10% that was reported earlier), giving them the rights to Global Index P2P technology which is controlled by their company Joltid, and which is key to the success of Skype Software. The two also now have representation at the boardroom.
Index Ventures, one of the original four groups in the new investment entity has backed out of the deal. A spokesperson for the long time investor in Skype issued a statement wherein they said they were happy that the litigation surrounding Skype was behind the company and that they wished Josh Silverman, and all other investors great success. Index Ventures cited "changes in the deal terms" as its chief reason for backing out.
56% of Skype now belongs to the internet consortium, with eBay holding on to 30%, and the original owners of Skype taking their 14%. The deal, which values Skype at $2.75 billion, will be finalized at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009.
Post By Lewis Van Tassel
Lewis is an Education Manager for
Omnistar Email Marketing Software


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New stills from Battlestar Galactica's prequel give a closer look at the daughters of the men who tried to play god, and their fancy futuristic accessories. But can Caprica separate itself from RDM's BSG storyline?
First off - lookin' good, Stoltz. I'm still glad he's a part of this series and playing the slightly creepy genius who brings back Grandpa Adama's daughter from the dead... as a robot.
We've seen Caprica's trailer and how it just barely overlaps with the BSG characters, but I'm really interested to see how the story behind the final Cylon on BSG, will play out on Caprica. Because right now, I'm a bit confused by how Caprica's centurions overlap with the ones the Galactica crew found on Earth, and how the Final Five fit in, exactly.


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I've felt guilty for abandoning this space for a long time now.
I had the best intentions of keeping up with posts and sharing my journey through pastry school in France. But, along the way, writing about the life I was living became time consuming and started to feel like a chore that was taking time away from having actual experiences. I felt as though I didn't have the energy to devote to Sweetest Crumb, and if I couldn't do the blog right then I shouldn't do it at all. Without making a real decision, I abandoned it.
So in an effort to apologize and thank those of you who kept reading my articles, checking for updates or sending comments, I'd like to give you a hugely delayed update:
I did finish pastry school at Ferrandi. It was one of the most fulfilling and unforgettable experiences of my life. I cannot stress how waking up every morning and getting to do something you love for 8 hours makes you feel. I relished every moment of school, tried to take away as much as I could, asked nonstop questions and was entirely aware of how lucky I was every single day. People always say to "live in the moment" and this was the one time in my life when I knew I had succeeded in that.
After school, I completed two internships in Paris. The first was one of the most challenging and downright traumatic experiences of my life. Nevertheless, it taught me so much about myself and I learned to stand up for myself, saying "no" when something just isn't right for me. The second was an amazing professional experience which I now look back at fondly.
At the end of my first year in Paris, we decided that our hearts had grown too attached to the city to leave just yet – plus I wanted more professional experience under my
belt (apron). We applied for a second round of visas and extended our stay for another year. The majority of this year I worked as a commis in a well-known pastry shop in Paris. I felt so lucky to have the job but was flung out of my comfort zone and challenged constantly. I had to work in a language and culture which was still quite foreign to me, often feeling like the outsider. I had to come to terms with being a beginner in a field where almost everyone else was significantly younger, faster and better than me (French pastry chefs usually start their careers at age 14-16 so by their mid 20′s they often have a decade of experience). I worked for minimum wage but for the first time in my life was earning a paycheque doing something I loved. This time strengthened me as a person and as a professional and I wish I could live it all again.
As our second visas were coming to an end, we decided that it was the right time to return to Canada. I cannot explain how difficult it was to leave Paris. The city became my home. This was my first adult home, the first place where I truly felt like I was living a life I chose and answering to no one but myself. It was strangely thrilling to live in a bubble away from family and friends: people who had known me for years and developed expectations of who I was and what I would or should do. It was equally thrilling to not have to live up to anyone's expectations, judgements or deal with seemingly harmless questions like: "why did you leave your financially awesome (but otherwise crappy) career in accounting? (are you crazy?)" "what are you even going to do with pastry after?" "when are you getting married?" "why haven't you bought a house yet? Or a car? Or had a baby?" etc. etc… Instead, I got to know myself really well. I learned the value of being happy and learned what I need in my life to feel fulfilled. I can now say "no" to something which just doesn't serve me with no hesitation. I don't feel the need to follow the same path as everyone else, and I thank Paris for that.
Living in Paris, I also got swept up by the energy of the city. The beauty of the city is inspiring and unforgettable – art and culture are just thrown in your face at every turn. It makes you feel like life is meant to be enjoyed and anything is possible. While I've been back in Edmonton as of January, a piece of my heart is still, and forever will be, in Paris. Leaving was heartbreaking. I never knew I could fall in love with a city like this and saying goodbye tore me up like an intense breakup. Even now, months later, emotions feel raw – it is painful to look through photos, think about the sunset rooftop view from our apartment or sitting with other Parisians, feeling the Friday night energy along Canal St Martin. As sad as goodbyes are, I know that me and Paris are meant to be and I will be back – à bientôt, ma chérie.
Thank you again to everyone who has visited, commented or otherwise supported Sweetest Crumb. This space was a source of comfort and a creative outlet for me at a time when I was stuck in a drab accounting cubicle, dreaming of one day quitting to go to pastry school in France. Who knew it would happen? (I didn't!). And while I learned that writing about pastry is not nearly as enticing to me as actually doing pastry, I am still completely in love with pastry… making it, talking about it, taking photos of it… So please, if you want to ask any questions, chat about techniques, want info about Ferrandi or want to collaborate in any way, I would be so happy to hear from you! You can email me or follow me on instagram. If you want to know what I'm up to next… keep an eye out for Prairie Pigeon in Edmonton (twitter, instagram.)


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Managing Risk in Service Learning: 2001-present
In April 2001, in response to questions about risk management issues related to the placement of service-learning students at learning sites, three working groups consisting of service-learning directors, faculty and risk managers were formed. The culminating result was the distribution of the Community Service Learning in the California State University – Best Practices for Managing Risk in Service Learning manual in 2002. (See archives)
In 2010, through an internal CSU systemwide audit process, it became apparent that the manual should be reviewed and updated. Through a series of meetings, peer review and research, the manual has been updated and renamed to: A Resource Guide for Managing Risk in Service Learning.
CSU's Resource Guide for Managing Risk in Service Learning**
The CSU's Resource Guide for Managing Risk in Service Learning, 2011 edition, (.pdf) contains recommended forms, checklists and descriptions that can be used to help build new service-learning partnerships while improving existing partnerships with community-based organizations (also referred to as "Learning Sites" throughout the resource guide).
** Universities and organizations outside
the California State University System will need to contact the
CSU Center for Community Engagement at firstname.lastname@example.com before reproducing any part of the Resource Guide
**Universities and organizations outside the California State University System interested in reproducing any part of CSU Resource Guide for Managing Risk in Service Learning, 2011 edition, must contact the Center for Community Engagement for permission.
Risk Management in the CSU
Each of the California State University's 23 campuses are responsible for administering their risk management program in a manner that will attempt to minimize risk to students, employees, and visitors and protect the property of the campus. Each president has designated a risk manager to assist the campus administrators in maintaining the campus risk management policies and practices.The California State University Risk Management Authority (CSURMA) is an association of CSU and auxiliary organizations joined to protect member resources by providing broad coverage and quality risk management services that stabilize risk cost in a reliable, economical and beneficial manner.
Campus Risk Management Resources
An array of campus
risk management resources are organized into four main areas: general,
community partner, faculty and students.
Service Learning Risk Management Archives
This section includes archived documents from the CSU's Best Practices for Managing Risk in Service Learning manual developed in 2002.


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Rescue excavations – the curse and boon of our profession. We may bleed for the heritage sites that are lost forever, but without the expansion of modern society we would get very little chance to peek into prehistory on a grand scale. This summer there are a lot of archaeologists crawling around Gamla (Old) Uppsala in Sweden, the idyllic suburb north of present day Uppsala, where the impressive great burial mounds of some undisclosed Iron Age VIPs still stand.
Urbanisation came late to this part of Northern Europe, but Uppsala was probably one of the first places in Sweden where this happened, sometime in the Early Middle Ages (or Late Iron Age as the period is still called here in Scandinavia). Exactly when – and how – is a matter of fierce debate, so you can imagine the gleeful joy with which archaeologists here greeted the fact that the railroad drawn straight through Gamla Uppsala needed to be expanded. It's a massive project involving thousands of square meters of Iron Age and Medieval settlement sites as well as an Iron Age cemetery. It is also one of the most protected heritage areas in Sweden, so the project is a collaborative effort involving our own firm SAU, the Uppland County Museum, as well as the archaeological unit of the National Heritage Board. The more the merrier!
Not that I get to stick my fingers into the rich, dark culture layers with amulet rings and bear claw clasps, stuck behind a desk as I am doing administrative work as usual. But I manage to sneek out now and then and visit my colleagues in the field. So far the SAU team have found parts of a smithy and several pit houses, as well as long houses from the Vendel and Viking periods (c. 550-750 CE and 750-1050 CE respectively). The cremation cemetery that was identified in a field during last year's test excavations has turned out to be much larger and more well preserved that we had expected – which is fun but, as we all know, also a bit of a headache for the County Museum that oversees the excavation. The osteologists from SAU will have their hands full, analysing all the cremated human and animal bones.
Still, contrary to popular opinion not all archaeologists are out in the field during the summer. Some have been chained to their desk to finish up a report on sites in that we excavated a few years ago. These Bronze and Early Iron Age sites and burials in Northeastern Uppland were established during a perod where the region changed from archipleago, to coast, to inland due to the shore displacement going on since the end of the Ice Age. Today we were frantically double and triple checking the text and illustrations before handing in the manuscript to the Uppsala County Board, who will decide if it can be published.
Afterwards we celebrated. On Monday we continue with other projects at hand, or in a few cases, actually take a vacation…
If you find yourselves in the vicinity of Uppsala this summer and autumn, be sure to visit us – we have guided tours in English as well.