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After looking at 1.1 million online reviews for 840,000 restaurants in more than 32,000 cities across the country, Georgia Tech and Yahoo Labs researchers have found that the weather outside can be just as significant a factor for reviews as what happens inside a restaurant. Their study shows evaluations written on rainy or snowy days, or very cold or hot days, are more negative than those written on nice days.
"People love to describe themselves as foodies. But in the end, it looks like we're all weather people, whether we realize it or not," said Saeideh Bakhshi, a Georgia Tech College of Computing Ph.D. candidate who led the study.
The study also found a nationwide spike in the number of reviews written during the summer, but July and August were the worst months of the year for ratings. November was the best.
"The best reviews are written on sunny days between 70 and 100 degrees," said Bakhshi. "Science has shown that weather impacts our mood, so a nice day can lead to a nice review. A rainy day can mean a miserable one."
The study covered a period of 10 years of reviews on sites that included Foursquare, Citysearch and TripAdvisor. It also found that demographic factors such as neighborhood diversity, education levels and population density have a significant impact.
For instance, areas with a high percentage of people with college degrees (more than 50 percent) average nearly three times more reviews than places where fewer than 10 percent have diplomas. However, higher education levels don't have much of an effect on ratings.
The study shows that population density of cities is closely tied to the expectations of service options. Based on reviews in busy cities, people are more patient with wait times and expect restaurants to have delivery options. In smaller cities, carryout service was rated more positively than places with delivery, but reviewers were harsher on pace of service.
"We also found that restaurants in the Northeast and Pacific get more reviews than places in the South and Midwest," Bakhshi added. "I think the difference between the South and Pacific comes mostly from the differences in education, diversity and liberal versus conservative. Blue states such as California, Washington and Oregon have a higher number of reviews per restaurant."
The research team also included Eric Gilbert, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech's School of Interactive Computing, and Partha Kanuparthy, a Yahoo Labs research scientist and 2012 Ph.D. Georgia Tech graduate in computer science.
"Our findings could help consumers better understand online reviews and ratings and help review sites calibrate recommendations," said Gilbert. "Outside factors apparently introduce bias in online ratings of a highly reviewed restaurant in big cities compared to a similar place in a rural area."
As for the ultimate "outside factor," Kanuparthy says restaurants face the same challenge as everyone else.
"You can plan the best wedding or birthday party. Restaurants can serve great food and provide spectacular service," he notes. "But no one can control the weather. In the end, you can't beat Mother Nature."
Bakhshi will present the findings April 10 during the 23rd International World Wide Web Conference in Seoul, South Korea.


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These photographs by Chicago-based photographer Kyle Thompson are hands down some of the most stunning self-portraits we've ever seen.
"I started taking self portraits a little over a year ago. I was interested in photography but am terrible at talking with people," he writes in a recent imgur post. "So I ended up using myself in nearly all of my photos. I started to spend several hours a day going alone through empty forests taking self portraits with my camera's timer."
By combining powerful scene composition with masterful image manipulation, Thompson has provided us with a remarkably convincing glimpse into a world where the uncanny and the everyday become intimately and weirdly entwined. This is surrealist photography at its finest.
You'll find many more examples of his work on his website, tumblr, flickr and facebook pages.

subset: commoncrawl


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Getting from A to B has never been as mind-bending as it is in echochrome ii, the PlayStation 3 game which gives the puzzle genre a brand new twist thanks to PlayStation Move compatibility.
On the surface, echochrome ii is a seemingly random selection of blocks suspended in mid-air, but shine a little light on the subject by using the PlayStation Move motion controller in combination with the PlayStation Eye camera and an intricate network of shadowy paths is revealed, along which you must guide the Walker so he can reach the exit of each level.
To help focus your mind on the job in hand, echochrome ii is presented simply and effectively on-screen to help you differentiate between the blocks in the foreground and the shadows they form. A dash of colour is added to some blocks to fit in with a theme and to make it easier for you to pick out areas to concentrate light upon, making echochrome ii as easy on the eye as it is challenging to the mind.
Upbeat background music gets your brainwaves jumping, while navigating the menus is a simple pleasure thanks to slick, clear design. From the friendly tutorials to the step-by-step instructions for creating your own levels, echochrome ii has been crafted to make sure everything is a piece of cake – except for the fiendish puzzles themselves, of course.
Twist and turn the Walker's world until you can form a clear path to the exit. Rather than grabbing hold of the blocks directly, the PlayStation Move motion controller is used to manipulate the light source in each level – and with some levels containing dozens of shapes and no clear way out, echochrome ii proves to be a maddeningly addictive proposition.
The motion controller is the perfect device to help you solve each shadow-shifting conundrum. After a simple calibration process, PS Move acts as a torch, allowing you to cast shadows which form the ground the Walker marches upon. Perspective and angles of light help to change your perception of a level, while bounce pads, holes and rising blocks provide short cuts – and obstacles – to the goal. With every one of the 100 levels in Play Mode offering an almost unlimited number of solutions, echochrome ii is a superb mental workout.
There are three ways to play each level, each a distinct experience in its own right. See the Walker through a level to his goal objective in Escort Mode, the standard play setting. Echo Mode goes in favour of exploration – collect the "echoes" or silhouettes of the Walker dotted around each level to progress. A more colourful option is Paint Mode, where the Walker is dipped into a colour which you must then daub onto each block until the entire level is either red, blue or green.
That makes echochrome ii three games in one, and all are incredibly absorbing. So get those synapses fired up: echochrome ii won't solve itself…
There's a terrific sense of accomplishment to be had from guiding the Walker to his goal, and with echochrome ii's PlayStation Network features, there's no need to keep it to yourself.
Thanks to the YouTube Uploader, you can capture yourself playing a level and upload the resulting video for the whole world to see. Not only will you be able to show how you cracked a baffling level in the blink of an eye, you'll also be able to look for tips on that brain-busting problem keeping you awake at night.
The sharing doesn't end with videos of your performances. In Create Mode, you can choose from an enormous variety of building blocks to design your own levels using nothing more than your motion controller and your imagination, then upload them to PlayStation Network. Other players from around the world can then sample your work and even rate it using special stickers.
With a constant stream of fresh ideas from around the globe to pick from, stepping into the shadows has never been so rewarding.
3D Compatible
1 Players
Has Downloadable Content


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AAC M5: 12.23.13 EditionPosted by CD Bradley on December 23rd, 2013
- The American had a pretty nice weekend, posting an 11-1 record with 11 straight wins over the past four days before South Florida dropped its Las Vegas match-up against Mississippi State on Sunday night. We will take a closer look once the non-conference slate wraps up (mostly) next weekend, but the AAC has posted only a so-so 79-31 overall record, fifth in winning percentage behind the Big Ten, Pac-12, Big 12 and Big East. Worse, it ranks ninth in conference RPI, indicative of the problems some AAC members might have come Selection Sunday.
- UConn coach Kevin Ollie suggested as much before Sunday's match-up with Washington, and before tip-off it was announced that the Huskies' starting lineup had indeed changed. Indeed, freshman Amida Brimah got the start in the Sunday win, with Phil Nolan losing his spot there. Both performed relatively well; Brimah managed four points, three rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a steal in 17 minutes, while Nolan ended up with eight points and five boards in 13 minutes. The Huskies have been a terrible rebounding team all year, ranking outside the top 200 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, and it's understandable why Ollie might want to mirror Louisville's Rick Pitino in starting a raw freshman at center who might improve more quickly over a limited veteran. Still, Nolan's only a sophomore, and he's been a better rebounder than Brimah thus far.
- Sean Kilpatrick continued his move up Cincinnati's all-time scoring list, sliding into eighth place with 23 points in Saturday's win over Middle Tennessee. He now has scored 1,650 points in his career, 16 behind Ron Bonham for #7. If he stays on his current pace, he'll finish with more than 2,000 points, only the second Bearcat in the history of the program to pass that threshold. The other guy who reached that milestone, the school's all-time leading scorer, remains out of reach; it's some guy named Oscar Robertson, who managed 2,973 points in his career and was the leading scorer in college hoops history when he graduated in 1960. Still, Kilpatrick, who's off to a great start this season, has been a very important player for the program, and particularly for coach Mick Cronin, whose job was in some danger when Kilpatrick arrived.
- Louisville rolled over Florida International on Saturday night short a couple of reserves. Kevin Ware, whose gruesome leg injury in March made him a national celebrity, suffered a shin injury against Missouri State on Tuesday night and was wearing street clothes on the bench. Freshman forward Akoy Agau also missed the game after being suspended for not "acting the way a University of Louisville basketball player should," as coach Rick Pitino put it. It was unclear if either will be available for Saturday's massive tilt at Rupp Arena against hated rival Kentucky, but it also probably matters very little. Agau, a little-used reserve, is unlikely to see the floor in such a high-level contest anyway; and while Ware might have gotten some run, he's been a pretty distant fourth in the Cardinals' guard rotation behind Russ Smith, Chris Jones and Terry Rozier.
- Two AAC schools, Temple and Houston, have something major in common despite the differences inherent in being located more than 1,300 miles apart. They are both struggling to achieve relevance in their hometowns, where they not only face competition from other college programs but also professional squads in all major sports. Houston appears to be ahead of Temple in its local efforts, and may therefore offer a blueprint. "We've had to fight, scratch, and claw to become relevant, not just in this city but in the state," Houston athletic director Mack Rhoades told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "By no means do I think we've conquered that. But we've made inroads."


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6.1104 Ballot to be enclosed in unsealed reply envelope-Printed instructions to be included.
(a) The Chief Election Officer shall enclose the ballot for those persons entitled to vote under 6.1101(c)(1) in an unsealed reply envelope to be furnished by him and which shall be in the form prescribed by him. In addition, the Chief Election Officer shall prepare printed instructions regarding the manner of marking and returning the absentee ballot. The Chief Election Officer shall furnish a copy of the printed instructions and information setting forth the district in which the qualified elector is entitled to vote. The reply envelope shall bear upon the face thereof the name, official title, and post office address of the Chief Election Officer and the words "Absentee Ballot Enclosed". The back of the reply envelope shall contain a statement to be subscribed to by the qualified elector which affirms the fact that he is the person voting.
(b) The absentee qualified elector shall be instructed that his ballot shall not be valid if the affirmation statement is not signed.History: 1977, PL 15-42 § 1; 2002, PL 27-31.


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In the past electrical kitchen appliances were a treasured status symbol for the modern household and a symbol of progress. Nowadays, however, they are not particularly valued as gifts in that electronic kitchen products have become cheap mass-produced articles, a development which is generally also reflected in their design. In design-conscious households we therefore tend to find retro design, vintage products or functionally designed professional equipment for the catering industry.
However, where are the household appliances of today which will blend in with a modern design kitchen? We've been doing some research for you and have found them….


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As early as 1760 white men visited the area that today is known as Rabun County. Explorer and naturalist William Bartram set foot in these mountains, passing over Rabun Bald about the time of the American Revolution.
Cherokee were so heavy in the area that these southern Appalachians were sometimes called the Cherokee Mountains, however these were not the first Native Americans in the region. One mile east of Dillard, in the Little Tennessee Valley, a mound exists similar to others across North Georgia, the most famous(and largest) being the Etowah Mounds. They are the sole remnants of a powerful Native American culture referred to as "Moundbuilders.
The Dillards were among the earliest settlers in the area. John Dillard and his son James acquired 250 acres each of land for service in the Revolution. At first settlers were tolerated, but as displaced Cherokees moved in from the east and north, whites were viewed as invaders who killed the game and had little respect for the natural world. Raids between these two clashing cultures became commonplace until a few years before the land was ceded to Georgia in 1817. Although little documentation exists, a major trading road had developed through the county before 1800. This road, which bisected much of northeast Georgia ended in Gainesville, crossing the Unicoi Turnpike in present-day Habersham County. The road was mainly used to transport slaves illegally across the borders of southern states. Development in the area was restricted by the rugged mountains, and agriculture would remain the only major industry until the 1880's, when a significant tourist industry began to form. An attempt before the Civil War to build a railroad from Cincinnati to Charleston ended in failure. Almost all of the line in Rabun had been cut and graded. The grade is still visible along Warwoman Dell and a portion of the grade may be traversed in Warwoman Dell park.
The county was untouched by the Civil War, however, much of the time during the conflict the area bordered on anarchy. During the railway boom of the 1880's and 90's, the Blue Ridge line was to pass through Clayton on the way to Franklin, North Carolina. Beleaguered by financial problems, the railroad quickly fell into bankruptcy. In 1898 The Tallulah Falls Railroad began serving customers, buying up track from the old company. Featured in the Disney movie, "The Great Locomotive Chase, the TFRR would run from Cornelia, Georgia to Franklin, North Carolina for more than 60 years, providing access to the falls and other Rabun County locations for tourists.
By the turn of the century Rabun and its neighbor to the south, Habersham were home to the largest tourist attraction in the state, Tallulah Gorge. Thousands would visit each year and the area was frequently compared to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for its' ability to attract the wealthy. Yet the area was attractive to Georgia Power as well. The hard rock gorges and dramatic drop made it the perfect place for a series of dams to generate power. In spite of the battle waged by environmentalists, the dams were built and the river became a trickle.
About the same time(1903) Andrew Jackson Ritchie, a Rabun native and direct descendant of John Dillard, returned home and founded the Rabun Gap Industrial School. Like Martha Berry had done 20 years earlier, Ritchie began to teach the children that had no place to learn. He viewed education as a family matter and would frequently include mothers and fathers in lessons. The building in the distance in the picture at the top of the page is part of the school.
During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps had a number of "camps" in Rabun County, including Company 457 (F-6) at War Woman Creek (west of Clayton) and Camp Lake Rabun (pictured, left) in Lakemont, Georgia.
More than sixty years after the founding of the school a young English teacher from Cornell, Elliot Wigginton, would come to the school and embark on a program that would gain Rabun County international renown. Foxfire, for almost 20 years, shaped the way in which young adults learn. Wigginton discovered that students can be strongly motivated by curricular connections to local culture, and he used this to stimulate an interest in both writing and history. The published works(Wigginton, Eliot (ed.) (1972)The Foxfire Book. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press.) offer a great insight into Rabun and its neighbors.
Today Rabun County is a popular stop for outdoors-minded people. It's many miles of hiking trails (see list, left), lakes, rivers, and National Forest bring hundreds of thousands of people every year to this peaceful and quiet corner of heaven. The Chattooga River offers challenging whitewater and the Blue Ridge Mountains offer challenging hikes.


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CARE Right
Committed to ALARA
Continuously optimize dose with the Right Dose Management
In order to establish consistent dose levels, organizations need to be able to sustainably manage dose across their institutions. They may also be required to document and report dose applied to patients due to regional regulations.
The right tools for sustainable dose management
All of these requirements rely on the availability of dose data and adequately educated personal. These two aspects are at the core of Right Dose Management, which further optimizes dose reduction.
DoseMAP - Siemens Healthineers CT Dose Management Program - creates transparency in dose values and makes it possible to assess the dose situation. It provides functionalities like CARE Analytics to report, document and analyze dose. It lets the user access dose values per case, per examination type, or per patient.
DoseMAP may also help to protect our patients from over radiation - thanks to its alert function that warms the operator in case set dose thresholds are exceeded.
Additionally, to protect the set dose levels, access to scan protocols can be restricted to prevent unauthorized changes to the scan parameters.
EduCARE bundles dedicated trainings from Siemens Healthineers that focus on key technologies and their application in clinical practice. Exclusive tutorials, webinars, e-trainings, and brochures cover a wide range of topics related to achieving the right dose.
Clinical Webinars
"How to guides"
Optimize CARE CT is a consultancy program offered by Siemens Healthineers Customer Service. Over the course of the program, Siemens Healthineers professionals guide users towards optimizing the use of radiation in order to reduce dose. Through onsite and offsite support and trainings, users learn how to use the right dose technology to deliver the right dose levels for every patient.1
CRADLE - This comprehensive consultancy program advances and optimizes medication safety and dose management.1
1The products/features and/or service offerings here mentioned are not commercially available in all countries and/or for all modalities.If the services are not marketed in countries due to regulatory or other reasons, the service offering cannot be guaranteed
* teamplay is a cloud-based network, running independently from the CT Scanner, that brings together your imaging modality users, the systems' dose and utilization data, and the users' expertise to help you improve the delivery of care to your patients. Basic features are provided free of charge. Premium features are provided on a trial basis for a certain period of time at no charge, and may be used thereafter on a subscription fee basis.


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Conference Paper
heFFTe: Highly Efficient FFT for Exascale," International Conference on Computational Science (ICCS 2020), Amsterdam, Netherlands, June 2020. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-50371-0_19 (2.62 MB)"
Impacts of Multi-GPU MPI Collective Communications on Large FFT Computation," Workshop on Exascale MPI (ExaMPI) at SC19, Denver, CO, November 2019. (1.6 MB)"
FFT-ECP Fast Fourier Transform , Houston, TX, 2019 ECP Annual Meeting (Research Poster), January 2019. (1.51 MB)
GPUDirect MPI Communications and Optimizations to Accelerate FFTs on Exascale Systems," EuroMPI'19 Posters, Zurich, Switzerland, no. icl-ut-19-06: ICL, September 2019. (2.25 MB)"
Tech Report
Design and Implementation for FFT-ECP on Distributed Accelerated Systems," Innovative Computing Laboratory Technical Report, no. ICL-UT-19-05: University of Tennessee, April 2019. (3.19 MB)"
FFT-ECP API and High-Performance Library Prototype for 2-D and 3-D FFTs on Large-Scale Heterogeneous Systems with GPUs , no. FFT-ECP STML13-27: Innovative Computing Laboratory, University of Tennessee, January 2020. (9.71 MB)
FFT-ECP Implementation Optimizations and Features Phase," Innovative Computing Laboratory Technical Report, no. ICL-UT-19-12: University of Tennessee, October 2019. (4.14 MB)"


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Scarab can offer customers a wide choice of Compact roadsweepers from 3.5 tonne to 5.0 tonne.
Scarab were the Pioneers of the Single Engine Truck Mount Sweeper, the Merlin & Magnum range all have increased Payload Capacity, Lower Fuel Costs and only one engine to maintain.
The Scarab Twin Drive Truck Mounted Sweepers are all fitted with super clean diesel engines and built with low emissions and fuel savings in mind.
We can offer our UK Customers a wide range of Cleansing vehicles Including Scrubber Dryers and High Powered Compact Washers this now includes the new Flex Range of attachments.
Our After Sales Support covers Parts and Service as well as Operator and Technician training.
We can offer you a choice of Service or Maintenance Contracts to promote regular servicing keeping your vehicle or fleet in first class condition.
We aim to respond to breakdowns within 24/48 hours and provides technical support by phone, fax or email, we can ship Parts around the world within 24 hours.
We can now offer the same high quality of Support for both Ravo and Mathieu products in the UK
Scarab Sweepers Limited
Pattenden Lane - Marden
Tonbridge - Kent
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1622 831006


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Correlates of peer violence among 13-to-15-year-olds in Gampaha district schools in Sri Lanka: Findings from a comparison between violent and non-violent adolescents
(Sage, 2014)
Violence among adolescents in schools is a relatively new research area in South Asian countries. Limited knowledge about factors associated with peer violence hinders the design of prevention programs. This study was ...


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PM-International offers everyone an opportunity to generate an additional income as an independent distributor, whether they are a white or a blue-collar worker, doctor, civil servant, pensioner, student or housewife and regardless of their training, career or social status. You decide exclusively how much time and energy you want to invest in your new occupation. You are completely free and your own boss – something many can only dream of.
How high your additional income will be depends exclusively on your own commitment and talent. It can range from an interesting additional income to full monthly earnings.
You will be supported by a team of experienced consultants, a network of decentralized subsidiaries and a detailed training program tailored to everyone. You will also have an opportunity to save an additional old-age pension. Then there are further incentives such as the Car and Travel Programs.
Use the information about it on these pages. It is worth it.


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Armie Hammer was in Tokyo today promoting The Lone Ranger all by himself. But you know how the Japanese feel about Johnny Depp. Johnny is shooting Transcendence in LA right now and couldn't make it. I'm sure they'll have him back at a later date. Johnny's actually pretty fun when he goes to Japan. I should say, it's pretty funny when Johnny goes to Japan. As you know, foreign television can be straight up mental. When I'm watching the Chinese channels at home, Jacek can't actually believe it's legit, and not some practical joke. There's this one variety show that I'm currently obsessed with and every episode they push carry-on suitcases all over the studio floor like it's a darts competition.
Anyway, now might be a good time to revisit this:
It's cute, but it's CRAZY.
Not sure if Armie will have the same experience but seeing as he licked and panted like a dog in Mirror Mirror, I feel like he would be game.
The Lone Ranger opens on July 3 and is predicted to be a big deal.


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In an industry that's always changing, being able to adapt is crucial. After nearly 40 years of producing top tier LVT, Allied Tile saw an opportunity to completely revamp their product offering. Building off of their "Au Natural" LVT collection, Allied spent over a year taking notes from contractors, architects, and designers to create a collection that encompasses a look for every project. Play around, mix and match, try their custom tile shapes, and find your perfect LVT.
On the wall or on the floor, Aphelion sets trends with every square foot. Boasting ceramic and porcelain tiles with tons of colors and styles, this manufacturer seeks to set the bar for modern design inspiration. Aphelion's 8 collections are ready to add chic design to every project.
Created for architects and designers, ASI provides the material for every space in your next project. LVT, Hardwood, Porcelain, Wall Coverings, custom capabilities, and more at your fingertips, from one reputable company created by industry leaders to help better serve any installation.
Created and owned by Metroflor, it's no surprise that Aspecta LVT leads the pack when it comes to fulfilling the needs of any project. Aspecta LVT was developed with sustainability and design in mind - so no Aspecta product cuts corners creatively or environmentally. Great products, produced by a company who knows the industry like the back of their hand.
Innovation for the real world. This LVT is designed to complete the look of any space. Backed by flooring industry leader, Novalis, AVA's LVT is sure to shine. Available in wood and stone looks and crafted for the environmentalist in all of us, AVA is putting its best plank forward.
Beyond doesn't mess around when it comes to carpet. What you see is what you get; tufted carpet in 26 collections made specifically for the modern multifamily. 100% Made in the USA, with Recycled Content. Let carpet be your canvas.
Known nationwide as one of the best adhesive brands on the market, Bostik provides long-lasting adhesives for all flooring types. Even more, Bostik offers the tools and resources to help you through every project, finding the right products for each installation to ensure quality on every job.
Capri has cork covered, but they don't stop there. It's cork like you've never seen it before – innovative patterns and styles that take a classic look and give it personality. They also offer rubber and rubber cork blends. Everything they create has sustainability and durability in mind.
Cobalt Surfaces came fresh out the gate, with Hushcore, a revolutionary LVT with a High Performance Core and Cork backing to create the floor that has everything. Their second collection, Tangent, is a US made LVT with dual stabilization layers and Cobalt Guard to ensure fade and abrasion resistance. Both collections feature contemporary looks for the perfect backdrop to every design. Whatever innovation Cobalt unveils next, we're on the edge of our seat!
ecofinishes is the modern jack-of-all-trades, offering everything from hardwood to carpet, cork to rubber, and everything in between. Staying true to the "eco" in their name, ecofinishes offers a variety PVC-Free materials. Whatever you want for your space, ecofinishes will cover your ground with eco-friendly flooring.
For more than 25 years, ECOsurfaces composition rubber flooring has offered a diverse portfolio of flooring patterns that make a distinct design statement without sacrificing the health of the natural environment. All ECOsurfaces products are FloorScore certified and contribute towards earning points toward LEED certification.
From classic planks to modern rigid core, with a wide variety of design, this environmentally forward brand backed by industry staple Aspecta was built to be the durable background of your next design.
Family owned since the 1930's, Endless Knot Rugs brings tradition alive in modern ways. Crafting hand-woven rugs with superior durability, each design is meant to add luxury to every space. Choose from dozens of styles created by their designers, or use the Design Tool to create your own. No matter what, Endless Knot is there for you for every project.
Setting the bar for sustainable harvesting, ETX flooring covers the spectrum from FSC Certified to reclaimed hardwood. Keeping it natural, Plus, their bamboo flooring has no added coatings. Go on, get what you want without all the fillers.
Ask about FSC® certified products.
By now, we're all familiar with bamboo flooring and it's harder more durable counterpart, strand woven bamboo. Greenchoice covers all the basics and brings to the table three lesser known sustainable alternatives. Strand Woven Mulberry, made from the discarded branches of the mulberry bush. Palmwood, created from mature coconut trees that are no longer fruit bearing. Mosaic Wood, comprised of recycled scrap wood from the furniture industry.
If you're looking for a manufacturer that views flooring as a work of art made to design a space, you can stop right in front of Greyne. They manufacture beautiful hardwood that's responsibly sourced from sustainable materials. Create a legacy with your project without leaving an impact on the environment.
Hero Finishes is a specialty flooring company, bringing to market Hero Flooring and Hero Vertical. The two brands offer a variety of materials to best fit the needs of any customer. From LVT and Wood, to Rubber, Carpet, Porcelain, and wall coverings, you can find it here. We aspire to be the hero of the project, the proudly self-proclaimed doers, who love the process from sample to custom spec and everything in between.
Based in Sweden, Kahrs is the oldest wood floor manufacturer still in business today. If you're looking for engineered hardwood flooring-FSC, classic, exotic, stained, brushed, you name it! We've got what you need.
Ask about FSC® certified products.
The appearance of hardwood at a fraction of the cost. Laminate takes the timeless aesthetic of wood, and adds durability, fade resistance and stain resistance. To top it off, laminate requires less maintenance than its authentic counterpart.
Lindura is the beginning of a hardwood revolution. Using a wood powder compound to create a layer underneath the hardwood, Lindura has combined science and nature to make even the softest woods more durable than ever.
No matter your look, LSI can be the right flooring for your project. Their tagline is "flooring for creative minds," and very rightfully so. LSI specializes in limitless possibilities, from hardwood looks, to grass looks, to cow looks, and everything in between. Check out the map they made into a floor. Even cooler? Turn your floor into a map so guests can easily find their way. Whether you're looking for a one-of-a-kind floor, or a classic look that will turn heads, LSI is the only shop you'll need.
Classic marble, brought into the modern era. NexGen's patented interlocking tile system delivers groutless seams with 60-90% less install time. Optimal 'bendability' permits this striking visual to be installed anywhere – even uneven surfaces – turning marble installation a breeze. Weighing in at 75% less than the competition opens the doors for wall installations and decorative designs. Beauty and simplicity of marble with a whole new world of opportunity. The world's only interlocking premium-grade natural marble, at your fingertips.
The visible appeal of pour-in-place Terrazzo without the high cost and troublesome, messy installation. Their Crystal Collection features 70% recycled glass while their Recycled Marble Collection is made using 100% post-industrial recycled marble aggregates. You'll find sustainability and durability throughout Nurazzo's offering. All from a true epoxy precast tile made in the USA.
No playground is complete without safety surfacing to cushion falls and stumbles. PlayGuard playground tiles are designed exclusively to reduce the risk of serious injury associated with falls from playground equipment. Constructed of recycled rubber, these Floorscore certified tiles make any outdoor space lively and versatile. Featuring easy installation and maintenance, bold color choices, custom design options, and the industry's only 15-year warranty! PlayGuard has consistently led the way in advancing the technology to make rubber playground surfacing safer and more accessible for children of all ages and abilities.
Vinyl for any application. Polyflor has all the standards covered. Even better, they have them in Homogonous, Safety, and ESD. You name it, Polyflor's got it.
From Sylvana click LVT to the new LOOM+ Woven Design tile, Procedo is constantly pushing the envelope with innovative ideas that don't compromise on performance or style. Their Versa Quartz line, with 70% natural quartz, is an education no-brainer while Sylvana's durability and ease of installation slays the visual and physical demands of the housing market. Design and technology are woven together to produce the ultimate woven tile, LOOM+! Offering an infinite array of color and texture, LOOM+ is sure to knock your socks off.
QT boasts superiority in the world of Sound Control Underlayment with more than 500 independent tests supporting the products performance in the field. Ideal for sound reduction in almost any commercial application QT outperforms cork, felt, plastic and roofing membranes. Manufactured in the USA with 92% recycled content, QT is engineered to perform!
Backed by one of the biggest names in the industry, Spartan is proud to introduce REVERE by Mohawk, featuring 13 collections of luxury carpet for your next corporate project. Their ultraset tile lends itself to more stable, dense carpet that holds its shape and protects against wear damage. With a 20 year proven performance in both glue down and floating tile, every color in every collection will stand the test of time and look great doin' it.
Yoga, basketball, volleyball, weight training, exercise machines and more. RPM Sports Floors will stand up to the blood, sweat and tears of any workout! Get ready to go longer and harder with superior shock absorption and anti-fatigue properties underfoot. Throw on your kicks and put it to the test - RPM is ready for the challenge.
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E3 2013 has been super exciting already with all the new IPs and games for next-generation consoles. But that didn't stop DICE's next masterpiece-to-be, Battlefield 4, from blowing our minds off.
It's here, it's upon us. Award winning studio DICE revealed in-game footage and stills of their upcoming, guaranteed-to-be-epic Battlefield 4 multi-platform first person shooter. My first opinion after watching the gameplay video? "Enter the Battlefield". All of the live gameplay at E3 2013 was run on a PC, possibly at 2K or 4K resolution. Specifications for this monster PC are unknown, but expect nothing less than a CFX/SLI configuration of the highest end GPUs at the very least.
Treat your eyes with the videos and screenshots of the destructive but beautiful Battlefield 4.
Battlefield 4 Videos
Angry Sea single player
Official Commander mode
E3 multiplayer gameplay
Seige of Shanghai multiplayer
Battlefield 4 Screenshots
Battlefield 4 launches on the PC, current generation consoles and next-generation consoles, most probably this November (near the release time frame of the new consoles). All Xbox One owners will be gifted with an additional map pack and next-generation consoles will be on par with the PCs, with 64-player ultiplayer and Naval Combat.
DICE, you've swept us off our feet. We eagerly wait for Battlefield to hit release date.


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Friday, 2 September 2011
Wings of War Gets New Owner (and New Name)
Ares Games reaches an agreement with Andrea Angiolino e Pier Giorgio Paglia to publish the game "Wings of Glory"
The best selling game of WWI and WWII aerial combat comes back with a new name
Camaiore, Italy – September 1, 2011 - Ares Games, a Tuscany-based games publisher recently established, announces an agreement with Andrea Angiolino and Pier Giorgio Paglia, the authors of the best selling game that recreates aerial combat during the WWI and WWII, formerly published with the name "Wings of War".
Ares Games will publish the game under a new brand, "Wings of Glory". Wings of Glory will be published with a new rulebook, while maintaining compatibility with the previous Wings of War products already in the market.
"We are happy to be partnering with Andrea and Pier Giorgio to bring this wonderful game system to market." said Christoph Cianci, CEO of Ares Games, "Thousands of fans worldwide will be pleased to know that their planes and maneuver cards from Wings of War will be compatible with the new Wings of Glory."
Initially, Ares Games will focus on developing new miniatures for the game, but also plans to release new starter sets.
"This game has a very strong and loyal fan base around the world, which gave and will surely continue to give a great help to the success of our game with their support and creativity. They have high expectations of it, in spite of several attempts to imitate it with other settings and chrome," stated Andrea Angiolino, co-creator of the game. "We chose to partner with Ares Games because we believe they understand our game, and that they will take care of the wishes of its fans, as well as be respectful of its creators."
The first Wings of Glory products to be released will be four airplanes for the WWII game series: the American P40, the Russian Yak-1, the Japanese Ki-61 and the Italian Re-2001 Falco. Ares Games will publish a Starter Set with these four models, containing the introductory rules and all other elements needed to start play. The complete schedule of the next releases will be announced soon.
With this announcement, Ares Games now publishes two important games from Italian creators that have achieved international recognition. In July, Ares Games aquired the rights from Sophisticated Games to publish the award-winning board game "War of the Ring", based on the J.R.R.Tolkien's trilogy, "The Lord of the RingsTM", and created by Roberto Di Meglio, Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi. A new edition of the game, in English, will be available this Fall, with other language editions forecasted for Spring 2012."
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Last weekend I presented "By the Numbers" at WordCamp Las Vegas, covering web analytics and blog statistics. I spoke about which numbers you should be paying attention to, and which you can ignore, and ripped apart some myths around the stats we love to watch.
The focus was on the statistics we get with our WordPress blogs by using Google Analytics, Woopra, WP-Stats, WordPress.com Stats, and other blog traffic tracking and analytics tools. By learning more about the numbers, we can learn how to use them in our blogs to our benefit and the benefit of our readers.
I also showcased Woopra, my favorite real-time live web analytics program, showing the audience how you can see what is happening on your website or blog right now. We watched the traffic and interaction on four WordPress blogs.
The Ustream WordCamp Las Vegas Live Stream went out with my presentation, but unfortunately, it wasn't archived. So this Viddler video is a reproduction of my presentation.
It's about 53 minutes long and over 240 megs in size. I'll be releasing shorter versions later, with a captioned version coming soon.
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Copyright Lorelle VanFossen, the author of Blogging Tips, What Bloggers Won't Tell You About Blogging.


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Microsoft bumper patch batch on Tuesday failed to address not just one but two zero-day vulnerabilities, each of which has become the scope of targeted attacks.
Tuesday brought eight bulletins from Microsoft addressing 28 vulnerabilities. As previously reported, the batch fails to address a new Internet Explorer vulnerability despite the inclusion of a cumulative fix for Microsoft's browser software.
In addition, an unpatched vulnerability in WordPad has also become fodder for malicious hackers. The issue affects the Wordpad text converter for Word 97.
Users of Windows Vista and Server 2008 can breathe easy as those packages are unaffected by the flaw. XP - running SP3 - is also clear of trouble.
Windows XP SP2, as well as users of Windows 2000 and Server 2003, are potentially at risk. Microsoft is investigating reports of targeted attack, as explained in a blog entry here. The attacks would take the form of tricking users into opening an attachment, so it's not an auto-execute risk, though not especially difficult to pull off with a decent social engineering lure.
Microsoft's security gnomes are considering whether or not a patch is in order. In the meantime, Redmond is keen to stress that the risk posed by the vulnerability is limited to a small number of recorded attacks.
"Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to protect our customers, which may include providing a solution through a service pack, our monthly security update release process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs," it said.
"At this time, we are aware only of limited and targeted attacks that attempt to use this vulnerability. Additionally, as the issue has not been publicly disclosed broadly, we believe the risk at this time to be limited." ®


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As fewer favourable high-wind speed sites are available, interest in effectively exploiting regions with lower wind speeds is growing worldwide. But in order to optimise results at these locations, wind technology is having to evolve, and equipment is being developed to target this market.
Developers have three hardware-configuring options to achieve economically viable yields at inland sites with low and medium wind speeds: increase rotor-swept area for a given power rating; put the turbine on a higher tower; or use a combination of the two, which in many circumstances offers the best package in terms of energy production potential, equipment durability and appearance.
A new market is born
Early this century, the first-generation 2MW turbines were typically fitted with 70-80 metre rotor diameters. They represented the top of the market with specific power ratings of 520-398 Watts per square metre (W/m2). These turbines were generally used on high-, mediumand low-wind sites, accepting inherent and substantial yield variations.
Vestas was the first manufacturer to develop a turbine specifically for low and medium wind conditions in 2009. Its V100 1.8MW turbine was an expansion of the V80-2.0MW/V90-2.0MW product platform and featured a combination of enlarged 100-metre rotor diameter and reduced power rating. Together, these features gave it a much-reduced 223W/m2 specific power rating.
However, it is US firm GE that is widely credited for kick-starting today's major low-wind turbine trend in 2010 when it introduced a 1.6MW turbine model with 100-metre rotor diameter. Based on the proven 1.5MW series, the extreme combination of such a low power rating for a 100-metre rotor swept diameter was initially met with scepticism, with many believing that a turbine configuration with 204W/m2 specific power rating for the 1.6-100 was too extreme.
But GE turned the product into a huge commercial success. The extreme configuration turned out to be a successful marketing ploy and despite all the scepticism the model apparently sold out in a few months, prompting a range of other suppliers to introduce their own low and medium wind speed models. Nordex, another low-wind pioneer, successfully began series production of a 2.4MW N117/2400 onshore model last year, offering 223 W/m2.
Slow turn
With an enlarged rotor, low and medium wind turbines must turn more slowly so that the rotor blade tip speed range is maintained to curb aerodynamic noise. As a result, the gearbox ratio of geared turbines must be increased to retain the generator operating-speed range. With direct-drive turbines, the generator and rotor speed are identical. If the rotor speed drops, but the power output remains the same, the generator torque increases, which requires generator modifications to prevent overheating.
As well as drive-system configuration, structural modifications might be necessary, such as a strengthened hub with stronger pitch bearings, a thicker main shaft, larger diameter main bearings and/or extra yaw motors.
Low-wind turbines placed on to high towers offer significant benefits in forested inland regions because the wind profile could start building upward from the treetops rather than ground level as is normally the case.
Natural obstacles such as hills and forests, or man-made structures like buildings, all act as wind-flow disturbances, slowing down wind speed while simultaneously raising turbulence level. Enercon has been pioneering wind-power generation at German inland sites for years, developing in-house concrete and concrete-steel towers, which now have hub heights up to 149 metres. These enable the whole rotor to be raised well above tree tops or other obstacles into relatively undisturbed, stable, strong winds.
As a rule of thumb, annual energy production increases by about 0.75-1% for each extra metre of hub height but site-specific conditions will affect this. Also, as wind flow is more consistent at higher locations, as there are fewer obstacles, the height-related increments typically drop with increased elevations. However, reduced turbulence also means the operating life of a turbine could be longer.
Latest models
The 2.7MW Alstom ECO 122 turbine builds on the proven 3MW ECO 100 and ECO 110 turbines. With its 2.7MW power rating and 122-metre rotor diameter, the ECO 122 is one of the more powerful low-wind turbines offering 231W/m2.
Earlier this year, Alstom signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with German construction specialist Max Bogl to develop a 139-metre concrete-steel hybrid tower for ECO 122 turbines aimed at Germany's inland wind market.
The MoU also covers a technology partnership for developing an innovative tower, nacelle and rotor installation method for sites with space constraints, such as forested areas, which involves self-climbing tower cranes.
A prototype is planned for the second half of the year and series production should start in early 2014. Even before prototype installation, Alstom has secured orders from Brazil for at least 200 units.
The 2.5MW Enercon E-115 direct drive wind turbine is a low-wind de-rated sister model of the 3MW E-101 turbine, but with an enlarged 115-metre rotor diameter. Designed for inland sites, the E-115 features a liquid-cooled ring generator and will be fitted with new-generation, slender, segmented rotor blades for easier and cheaper road-transport logistics. The inner composite blade section measures about 12 metres and the composite outer sections around 44 metres - they are joined on site. A specific power rating of 241W/m2 is somewhat higher than some competing products, but Enercon turbine blades feature a yield-boosting spoiler integrated into the inner section as standard. The E-115 is available with hub heights of 92-149 metres, with the latter configuration offering a total installation height of 206.5 metres. Introduced at the 2012 Husum trade fair, a prototype is planned for this year with series production to start in 2014.
Gamesa's 2MW geared turbine platform dates back to 2002. The initial 80-metre rotor size has been expanded with 87 metre, 90 metre, and 97-metre options. The latest platform extension is the Gamesa G114-2MW, an IEC class IIIA turbine with trendsetting 114-metre rotor diameter offering a wind industry record-low 196W/m2 specific power rating. A prototype is planned for September or October this year.
The recently introduced GE 1.7-100 is the second turbine to carry GE's 'Brilliant' branding and is an optimised version of its 1.6MW 100-metre rotor diameter 1.6-100 model. The company claims that this model has benefits over its current technology, including electrical-system upgrades and industrial internet capabilities such as data handling and networking.
The 1.7-100 specific power rating is somewhat higher compared with the 1.6-100 - 217W/m2 versus 204W/m2 - but claims to generate 6% more energy when both are measured at average wind speeds of 7.5m/s.
Simultaneously, a 6% nameplate power rating increase from 1.6 to 1.7MW without changing the rotor size further reduces the 1.7-100 capacity factor from 54% to 53%. GE announced it is supplying 59 1.7-100 turbines with a hub height of 80 metres to a project in Michigan. Fine-tuning the 1.6-100 into the latest 1.7-100 clearly highlights that wind-turbine product development, testing and measuring is a continuous learning process.
How to choose a turbine
As always, the most important factor for buyers of low-wind technology to bear in mind is the cost of the energy generated over the 20-year lifetime of a turbine. Potential buyers need to work out how much it would cost to invest in and operate a machine compared to how much energy it will generate. This lifecycle cost of energy is what really counts.
Therefore, when choosing a low-wind product, turbine configurations, in terms of hub heights and blade length, power specifications and operational performance figures are all key and require careful consideration both as individual factors and in cross comparisons.
Above all, focusing on the lowest W/m2 figures or maximised capacity factor alone could miss the point that the only thing that really counts is how much the energy produced over 20 years is going to cost.


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Lady Flames ignite in second, best Hamilton 5-2
August 25, 2012 | Lynchburg, Va.
After a rocky start the Liberty University Lady Flames Division 1 hockey team found their legs and took control, topping the Hamilton Hawks of Hamilton, Ontario 5-2 Saturday night in the LaHaye Ice Center, in an exhibition game. It was the Lady Flames' first time on the ice for a game this season.
Early on the Lady Flames struggled as Hamilton found the back of the net twice in the first period to go up 2-0 before senior Stacey McCombe put one in to cut back the deficit before time would expire in the opening period.
Liberty had only been practicing as a team for one week entering this contest while the Hawks have been conditioning since May and it showed early, Lady Flames Head Coach Paul Bloomfield explained.
"There is just no chemistry yet," he said. "We've got to work on getting lines together and figuring out who works best with each other."
In the second period, senior Carly Peleshok scored the tying goal and it was all Lady Flames from there. Another Peleshok goal would put Liberty ahead 3-2 entering the third period.
"As soon as we scored that second goal, we got all the momentum, and just never looked back," said Justin Forth, Lady Flames assistant coach.
Peleshok scored twice more in the third, giving her four goals for the night.
Liberty had six assists, two from senior Laura Del Monte, and had 26 shots on goal. Hamilton finished with a pair of assists and 39 shots on goal.
Though the Lady Flames were missing both of their returning goalies, Liberty had a strong showing from two freshmen, Breanne Swart posted a shut-out and had 9 saves and Kristina Toppazzini finished with 15 saves.
"I think this was a great opportunity for the girls to get the first game under their belt, and get the jitters out, we've got eight freshman — it's good to see how they react in game situations," Bloomfield said.
The Lady Flames take the ice next on Oct. 6 in the LaHaye Ice Center against Raleigh.
By Drew Menard/Staff Writer


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Invest in Health Not War
Draft: Embargoed until 1pm GMT, Monday 14 June 2004
Call for Global Demonstrations on 24 June 2004 to Demand that the Bush Administration:
We, the undersigned, are organisations from around the world that campaign for human rights, the alleviation of the HIV epidemic and women's rights to reproductive choices. We are deeply disturbed by the actions and policies of the Bush Administration that undermine the prevention and treatment of AIDS. The effect of the US government's unlawful war in Iraq has been to divert international attention away from global health and poverty. Hundreds of billions of dollars are being spent on the military instead of investing resources in the biggest threats to human security today: AIDS, TB, malaria, malnutrition and poverty.
In 2003, the United Nations estimated that 2.5-3.5 million people died of AIDS, one million of malaria and two million of TB, yet these diseases can be treated. An estimated 800 million people endured malnutrition, which continues to play a major role in half of the more than ten million annual child deaths in the developing world. In many countries women undergo back-street abortions and risk death because they are denied the right to make reproductive choices. Inappropriate moral judgments stigmatise condom use and distribution, thereby putting millions of people at risk of HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections. The spread of HIV is fuelled by the oppression of sexual minorities and draconian legislation aimed at sex workers and intravenous drug users. Successfully reducing HIV infections and giving more people with AIDS access to life-saving medicines requires the promotion of human rights and investment in developing world health systems. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for three million people with AIDS to be treated with life-saving antiretroviral medicines by 2005, but the Bush Administration has shown little political will for promoting this objective or human rights.
In January 2003, the Bush Administration promised $15 billion over the next five years to alleviate the HIV epidemic. This was cautiously welcomed by human rights and AIDS organisations. Yet the expenditure approved by US Congress as part of this commitment for 2004 is only $2.4 billion. The total amount of US aid money for 2004 is $17.55 billion. Yet the military budget approved for 2004 is already $368.2 billion, an amount that does not reflect the $87 billion war supplemental requested by the Bush Administration. Much of this military budget is being used to fight the so-called War Against Terror and to sustain the occupation of Iraq. We acknowledge the threat of terrorism. However, the most important and widespread threats to global security are the ones exacerbated by poverty and lack of development: the HIV, malaria and tuberculosis epidemics, as well as malnutrition. Alleviating these problems together with promoting human rights and negotiating solutions to world problems through international institutions is the best way to ensure long-term global security. This was partially recognised by the Clinton Administration when it declared AIDS a national and global security threat in late April 2000.
Unfortunately, the Bush Administration has shown insufficient regard for these problems, as well as for international institutions such as the United Nations, the WHO and the GFATM. For example, a third of PEPFAR's prevention funds are earmarked for abstinence-until-marriage programmes. While promoting delayed sexual activity is an important part of life-skills education, this should not be framed in moral judgments concerning marriage or at the expense of condom promotion and distribution, especially to youth. The Bush Administration refuses to acknowledge the vital importance of access to and information about condoms in the general population and it has been party to unscientific actions and statements questioning the efficacy of condoms, for example removing information on condoms from the website of the Centers for Disease Control. President Bush has also taken the extraordinary step of reinstating and extending the Reagan-era Global Gag Rule on family planning organisations, cutting US funding as well as donations of contraceptives when these organisations provide information on abortion to their patients. We are concerned that current US policy is informed by a** religious fundamentalist agenda. Furthermore, obstacles continue to be placed in the way of accessing more affordable medicines, by blocking competition between generic medicines and patented brand-name drugs. In particular, the Bush Administration is blocking access to generic fixed-dose combination medicines that will allow more people with AIDS in the developing world to go onto life-saving antiretroviral treatment and reduce the number of pills they need to take on a daily basis.
The Bush Administration has placed religious fundamentalist convictions above science undermining access to and use of condoms, reproductive choices and access to generic medicines. This has lead to a critical editorial in the prestigious medical journal /The Lancet/ describing US policy on HIV/AIDS as "perhaps one of the best examples of ideology impeding sound public health policy."(vol. 360, 9327, p. 97) While the South African government has been correctly criticised extensively for its unscientific approach to the HIV epidemic (which now seems to be changing slowly), it is the Bush Administration that now champions irrational responses to the epidemic.
We therefore call for an International Day of Action on 24 June 2004 to say to the Bush Administration: Invest in Health, Not War!
Questions and Answers
How much money did the Bush Administration pledge to alleviating AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean and how much has actually been given?
In his annual State of the Union address in January 2003, President Bush announced the provision of an additional $10 billion to AIDS programmes in Africa and the Caribbean. This should have brought to $15 billion the US government's total commitment following a $5 billion allocation under the Clinton Administration that had yet to be disbursed. The US Congress eventually appropriated $2.4 billion in 2004, and the total amount released so far through PEPFAR is just $350 million.
To whom is the money being given?
Most of the money is intended for distribution through the bilateral President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which currently targets 14 countries: Botswana, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. A relatively small portion of the Bush Administration's pledge, just $1 billion over five years, is intended for the GFATM.
What is the GFATM?
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) is an independent, multilateral institution established in 2002 with the purpose of funding programmes in developing countries aimed at treating and preventing the three highest-mortality infectious diseases in the world. Its success is necessary for the WHO to meet its goal of treating three million people with AIDS by 2005. The GFATM aims to constitute a major source of the $27 billion in economic assistance to developing countries that the WHO Commission on Macroeconomics and Health has suggested is needed by 2007 (growing to $38 billion by 2015), yet the GFATM remains underfunded, receiving only $658 million so far in 2004. Partly this is due to the US government failing to commit sufficient funds to it, but the European Union, Canada, Australia and Japan all need to contribute more money to the fund.
How has the Bush Adminstration undermined access to condoms in developing countries?
The Bush Administration removed information on condom use from the Centers for Disease Control website. Their funding allocations and policy documents render it clear that they view condom promotion as appropriate primarily for so-called high risk groups. In reality, individuals who engage in any kind of sexual activity at any stage of their lives must have the information to protect themselves and their partners and the ability to act on that information through unrestricted access to contraceptives and reproductive choice. While PEPFAR does not openly ban funding for comprehensive sex education or condom promotion, a full 1/3 of the Plan's prevention funds are reserved for promoting abstinence-until-marriage (this restriction is advisory for 2004-5 but becomes mandatory in 2006). This funding structure is unrealistic and refuses to take into account the complex social and economic problems that put young people at risk for early sexual activity and exposure to HIV.
How has the Bush Adminstration undermined access to reproductive choices in developing countries?
The so-called Mexico City Policy, also known as the Global Gag Rule, was first established by US President Ronald Reagan in 1984, prohibiting any organisation receiving family planning funds from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) from providing information about abortion. The Global Gag Rule was later suspended by President Bill Clinton, but reinstated in January 2001 as one of the Bush Administration's first official acts. In August 2003, President Bush extended the Gag Rule to cover US Department of State funds as well. Many of the affected family planning organisations that choose to reject the Gag Rule's restrictions then find themselves unable to obtain donated USAID contraceptives and are forced to cut services and raise fees.
Why is the Bush Administration against reproductive choice and condom access?
President Bush and many members of his Administration use religion to excuse intolerant fundamentalist political policies. They believe that abortion and condom use are wrong. They fail to understand that access to condoms is an essential component of any large-scale workable HIV prevention strategy and that reproductive choices, including the right to an abortion, are critical for the empowerment of women in the developing world.
What are fixed-dose combination (FDC) antiretroviral medicines?
Fixed-dose combination antiretroviral medicines are an important breakthrough for treating people with AIDS, because they combine some or all the antiretroviral medicines a patient has to take into one pill. In general, three different antiretroviral medicines have to be taken twice daily by people on treatment. This used to require patients to take many pills a day -- as many as 18 not being uncommon. Research in a South African hospital has shown that the number of pills patients take a day is a critical factor affecting patient adherence to their treatment. Patient adherence is critical to the success of treatment and reducing drug resistance. With the gradual improvement of antiretroviral technology, pill counts have come down for most patients. Some fixed-dose combination medicines reduce the pill count to two pills a day. Furthermore, because the only three-in-one FDCs are manufactured by generic companies, they are frequently cheaper than the equivalent, but separate, medicines produced by brand-name companies.
How has the Bush Administration undermined access to generic fixed-dose combination antiretroviral medicines used for treating AIDS?
The US government's undermining of access to cheaper medicines precedes the Bush Administration. The pharmaceutical lobby is a powerful force in US politics and contributes generously to presidential elections, usually to both Democrat and Republican candidates. Its primary interest is to protect itself against competition from cheaper generic medicines, by lobbying for more stringent patent protection both in the US and internationally. Under the Clinton Administration, South Africa was placed on a trade watch-list when it enacted legislation to make medicines more accessible. Following activist pressure, the Administration relented. (Since his Presidency, Mr. Clinton's foundation has worked to reduce the prices of AIDS medicines, particularly generic ones, as well as monitoring tools.)
The Bush Administration has a worse record on blocking access to affordable medicines than the Clinton Administration. It attempted to stop a World Trade Organization agreement at Doha, Qatar, which improves access to generic medicines for poor countries. Again, following activist pressure and a firm, unified stance by developing world negotiators, the US government backed down. Paragraph 6 of the the Doha Agreement left certain matters unresolved, so the Bush Administration advocated for a resolution of the paragraph that would have restricted access to generic medicines. Again activist pressure coupled with a firm stance by developing world negotiators resulted in the US backing down. Nevertheless, the Bush Administration continues to undermine the Doha Declaration by pursuing bilateral trade agreements with developing countries, reducing the options for making generic medicines more accessible that these countries have under the Doha Declaration.
The trend of attempting to foil efforts to access cheaper generic medicines has continued over the past few months. Members of the Bush Administration have undermined public confidence in the safety and efficacy of fixed-dose combination (FDC) generic antiretroviral medicines approved by the WHO. These medicines are an essential, affordable tool for the treatment of HIV on a massive scale. The Bush Administration clearly would prefer to use PEPFAR money to purchase brand-name antiretrovirals, in order to satisfy the drug manufacturers among its campaign donors. The Administration's allegations against generic FDCs, particularly those announced by Mr. Randall Tobias, the former CEO of Ely Lilly appointed by President Bush to be the US Global AIDS Coordinator, are based on pseudo-science. Despite the unity of expert opinion at the US-initiated FDC conference in Botswana this past March that the current standards in place for approving fixed-dose combinations are acceptable, the Bush Administration has persisted with this agenda.
In late April, Mr. Tobias stated, "Maybe [FDC] drugs are safe and effective. Maybe these drugs are, in fact, exact duplicates of the research-based drugs [sold in the United States]. Maybe they aren't. Nobody really knows." (Zavis, /Associated Press/, 28 April) This is incorrect. The WHO has put in place a stringent process, known as prequalification, for recommending antiretroviral medicines that are safe and effective. The term prequalified is used because it is still the prerogative of each country's own regulating authorities to approve the drugs for domestic use. To date, ten fixed-dose combination medicines have been prequalified. In South Africa, at least one FDC containing an entire antiretroviral regimen is awaiting approval by the Medicines Control Council (MCC), and it is already widely used through special exemptions granted by the MCC. Tobias' statement, made in South Africa, was aimed at fuelling the already confused debate in the country about the safety and efficacy of antiretroviral medicines.
Generic medicines have to be shown to be pharmacologically equivalent to brand-name medicines before they are approved. The usual (and best) way of demonstrating this is through what is called a bioequivalence test. The bioequivalence standard requires similar quantities and availability of the active ingredient in brand-name and generic formulations, and is defined by absorption parameters generally falling between 80% and 125% of those obtained with the brand-name drug under the same testing conditions. The FDCs prequalified by the WHO have successfully passed bioequivalence tests. Mr. Tobias certainly was not questioning the use of bioequivalence for approving generics. Most generic medicines approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are approved based on bioequivalence testing. Therefore, Tobias could only have been calling into question the fact that generic FDC antiretrovirals combine the two or three drugs against which they are tested for bioequivalence into one pill. What he and other apologists for the Bush Administration seem to be suggesting is that generic FDC antiretrovirals can only be approved once they go through clinical trials. But this is unacceptable because there is no reason to believe that combining the medicines into one pill materially affects the validity of bioequivalence. Many combination medicines, both brand-name and generic, are approved by regulatory authorities around the world (including the FDA) and there is nothing inherent about drugs being in combination that affects their safety or efficacy. Indeed, one of the most important medicines in South Africa's public health system is a four-in-one tuberculosis FDC. It has been used for a number of years and benefited thousands of patients and it was approved on the basis of bioequivalence, not full clinical trials. It is particularly ironic that the Bush Administration has a sudden concern for the safety and efficacy of extensively-tested essential medicines when it certainly does not show the same concerns with regard to genetically modified foods, which might in the long run prove safe but certainly are not essential.
Following criticism of Mr. Tobias' unsustainable arguments at a recent high-profile WHO meeting, the Bush Administration has retreated and released a statement saying that FDC manufacturers can apply for fast-tracked approval through the FDA to become eligible for purchase through PEPFAR funds. This was to head off further embarrassment at a World Health Assembly meeting. However, while this compromise suggests a position that is more reasonable than the one articulated by Mr. Tobias, it is still insufficient. The FDA is responsible for regulating medicines in the United States, although some other countries take their cue from FDA registrations. WHO prequalification should be sufficient for donors and the decision to distribute FDCs should lie with countries' own regulatory authorities. Applying for FDA approval is usually a time-consuming and expensive process, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, and it is questionable whether there is sufficient incentive for generic companies to pursue an FDA application. While the statement admitted the possibility of waiving FDA fees and reducing application times to six weeks, this has been stated in vague terms. At least one US official has already stated that six weeks is the best-case scenario and is only realistic for combinations of separate drugs packaged in the same blister packs, which are not the same thing as FDCs.
This latest compromise by the Bush Administration is part of a long history of blocking access to generics and then relenting when faced with pressure. The trend has been that as the possibility of distributing generic medicines has come closer, the US government has done everything it can to create obstacles to their availability.
If the Bush Administration proceeds with its new policy that FDCs must be registered with the FDA before PEPFAR funds can purchase them, then it must at a minimum commit unambiguously to the waiving of FDA fees and registration within no more than six weeks of application. Bureaucratic delays in distributing medicines to developing countries have a very tangible cost: lost lives.
If the Bush Administration donated most of its AIDS relief funds to the GFATM, which can and does fund the purchase of generic antiretrovirals, the issue of PEPFAR being restricted to FDA-approved drugs would largely disappear. What Actions are Planned for 24 June?
Organisations in different countries are encouraged to plan their own events. An updated list of actions is available on
To have your action added to the list of events, please send an email with full details of the event to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Suggested Actions: Pickets at or marches to US consulates and embassies, letter-writing and fax campaigns to the White House, US embassies and consulates, press conferences, awareness events.
The following organisations have called for the International Day of Action on 24 June:
Please note the final statement can only contain confirmed organisations. So please send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
endorsing the day.
ACTUP Philadelphia, USA
ACTUP New York, USA
ACTUP Paris, France
*Africa Action, USA*
*AIDS Consortium, South Africa
AIDS Law Project, South Africa*
*AIDS Law Unit, Namibia*
Artists for a New South Africa (ANSA), USA
Agua Buena Human Rights Association, Costa Rica
Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (APN), Asia
Berne Declaration, Switzerland
*BUKO Pharma-Kampagne, Germany *
Children First, South Africa
Children's Rights Centre, South Africa
*European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG)* , *Europe
Friends of TAC (FoTAC), UK
**Friends of TAC (FoTAC), USA
* Gay Men's Health Crisis (GHMC), USA *
Georgian Plus Group, Georgia* *
Global AIDS Alliance, USA*
*Globalise Resistance, UK* *
Grupo de Trabajo sobre Tratamientos del VIH/SIDA (gTt), Spain*
*HIV i-Base, UK* *
Housing Works, Inc., USA
* *Health GAP, USA*
Medecins Sans Frontieres, Worldwide
Pan African Treatment Access Movement (PATAM), Africa
*Plus and Minus Foundation, Bulgaria*
*Positive Movement Belarus, Belarus*
*Positive Muslims, South Africa*
South Africa Development Fund, USA
Student Global AIDS Campaign (SGAC), USA
*Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), South Africa *
*Youth Empowered to Succeed (YES), Kenya
特定非営利活動法人アフリカ日本協議会 (Africa Japan Forum)
〒110-0015 東京都台東区東上野 1-20-6 丸幸ビル3階
TEL:03-3834-6902 FAX:03-3834-6903 E-mail:firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright© Africa Japan Forum. All Rights Reserved.


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Forget Ali - Frazier; ignore Santelli - Liesman; dismiss Yankees - Red Sox; never mind Silva - Sonnen; the new undisputed standard by which all showdowns will be judged happened in Spain over the weekend. During a debate on Europe's crisis, Pedro Schwartz (a mild-mannered Spanish 'Austrian' economics professor) took on the heavyweight Paul 'I coulda been a Fed Chair contender' Krugman, and - in our humble opinion - wiped the floor with his Keynesian philosophy. From the medicinal use of more debt to fix too much debt, to the Japanization of world economies and the demand-side bias of every- and any-thing - interested only in the short-term economic growth; the gentlemanly Spaniard notes, with regard to the European crisis, the fact that "Keynesians got us into this mess and now we have to sacrifice our principals so that they can get us out of this mess". Humble and generous in his praise - though definitively serious with his criticism - Schwartz opines: "Often Nobel prize winners are tempted to pontificate on matters that are outside the specialty in which they have excelled," noting "the mantle of authority whereby what ever they say - whether sensible or not - is accepted with resignation from some and enthusiasm by others." Krugman's red-faced anger is evident at the conclusion as he even refused to shake Schwartz's hand after the debate.
For 15 minutes of both education and entertainment - this is as good as it gets...
- Starting from around 35:00 the Spanish professor praises and criticizes in a thoughtful and gentle tone
- At around 39:00, he addresses the demand-side description of the world
- Krugman's less-than-happy response (which sparks quite a rowdy argument) begins around 48:20
(h/t Jean Luis Martin of the Truman Factor)


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CHARLIE'S Chicago
Charlie's was poorly located, under financed, built by duct tape and bailing wire and misunderstood by much of its own gay community. How could a gay bar survive that supported tequila over drugs, courting before sex, and even touch dancing, in these modern days of 1981? Everybody knew that those hats, Wranglers, and strange belt buckles had gone out of style for 30 years. Charlie's even supported the ultimate oxymoron; a thing called Gay Rodeo. Interstate organized gay sporting competition was a new concept back then.
We were so poor that we decided not to replace the mirror ball after it fell and broke one night. To save money, a customer took it home for repairs and brought back instead, a pair of his own boots covered in the unbroken mirrors. These boots are now a part of Charlie's registered trademark. Charlie's has survived and flourished because of its loyal, steady and doggedly determined customers epitomized by the story of the mirrored boots. It seems that small time rural values help to comfort many people in our community.
Charlie's has made changes just as our community has changed. In this new century, we are all now LGBTQs and "dance" music, line dancing and drag shows have replaced much of our couples dancing. But country is our first love and we play it as often as our community will accept. Get prepared to put a big smile on your face and come on down to tip a few: to the future and our past.
Chicago's Hottest Gay Nightclub
Join us for upcoming samplings, parties and events!


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Buffets & Hutches Painted, Glazed & Distressed – Before & After
Click on thumbnails below to find inspiration for how weary and worn buffets and hutches may be transformed with paint, glaze and distressing! New to refinishing furniture with a paint brush? Our DIY eBook shows how to refinish your furniture step-by-step with a painted, glazed, and distressed look.


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Over the years, I've read much on the topic of gaining referrals from centers of influence. Many articles read as if there is some magic formula or process that if only you would follow, referrals will come. Moreover, those formulas usually involve strategies such as monthly luncheons, joint events, mailers, etc. Clearly, referrals top the list pertaining to the 'quality' of prospective clients. Ideally, if we could get all of our new business this way, we'd save a lot of time and money marketing our services. Therefore, referrals should be the goal of every advisor.
Most of my business comes from referrals. I admit, it has taken a while, and it usually comes in spurts, but the most important thing is that they occur. Year to date, I've received two referrals from a local CPA, one from an estate planning attorney, one from a local insurance agent, and several from clients.
Why would a CPA, an estate attorney, or anyone else refer someone to you? It's rather obvious that they must be confident that you are competent, trustworthy and are going to provide their client with a positive experience. After all, when they make a referral, their reputation is on the line. Therefore, the most important thing an advisor can do to prime this source of business is to simply be the right kind of person.
Most important is your integrity. Will you look out for the client? Will you make the referring party look good? Here's what I mean. When they refer someone to you, they are using their judgment. If you fail to meet expectations and their referral is displeased, it reflects poorly on the referring party and brings their judgment into question. The best way to assure that the referral is going to get what they expect is to be the right kind of person. And this, in large respect, is something that is learned early in childhood, not in a sales training class.
Many advisors have entered our business because of the tremendous financial potential. Companies with a focus on the bottom line capitalize on this and hire the best salespeople they can find. Then they train them further in the art of selling. I'm confident that this approach will exist for a long time. I happen to believe it's entirely wrong. Selling and making money is not the most important thing. Serving clients is. Not that I am against making money. Quite the contrary. However, if money is the main focus, the person making the referral may eventually see through the facade and stop referring.
What's the right approach? Focus on client service…period! If you do this well, then the money will follow and you will have plenty of referrals and a thriving business.
Just some food for thought.


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Kaftan, divan, shawl, kiosk, kilim, coffee, tulip, peacock: all originally imports from Asia, illustrating the abiding cultural influence of the East.
Newark Park, in Gloucestershire, is currently hosting an exhibition about the English fascination with the Orient. Courtney Barnes of Style Court is way ahead, as usual, having already featured it here.
John Nankivell shows his drawings of Central Asian interiors, Olivia Dell displays her latest textile finds from the bazaars of Istanbul, Carole Waller is inspired by slatted shutters, Candace Bahouth has made sparkling mosaic slippers and Gary Wood presents his tulip pots.
Newark Park was built by the courtier Sir Nicholas Poyntz in the 1550s as a hunting lodge (and possibly, as one jealous fellow courtier alledged, 'to keep his whores in'). Its roof probably served as a grandstand to watch the hunt from. The architecture was advanced for its time and place, with Italianate Renaissance features.
It was later owned by a number of different families, and in about 1790 it was updated with Regency Gothic elements and Picturesque landscaping by James Wyatt.
In 1949 Newark Park was bequeathed to the National Trust, but it was accepted mainly for its agricultural income, and the house was let out. In 1972 a Texan architect called Robert Parsons took the house on, restored it and brought it back to life. Although he died in 2000, the place still exudes his hospitable spirit.
The exhibition runs until the end of July. For more information please ring 01793 817666. Michael Claydon, the current tenant of Newark Park, also has a website with more information about the house and about the late Robert Parsons.


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Siemens UK CEO Andreas J. Goss said: "The British government has established attractive conditions for investors in renewables. We're intending to make investments in the high double-digit million range."
Mitsubishi is to invest £100 million in new research facilities in the UK to develop a 6MW offshore wind turbine, creating 200 jobs by 2014. The UK government, which has provided grants worth £30 million, hopes the project will put the UK in pole position for commercial-scale manufacturing of Mitsubishi's next generation of offshore wind turbines, creating up to 1,500 jobs.
Peter Clusky, senior manager in Mitsubishi's Power Systems Europe division renewables team, explains that the project will look at innovative technology for larger wind turbines with higher reliability in deeper waters for deployment from the later stages of the UK's third round of offshore development.
Meanwhile, turbine manufacturer Clipper is building a factory in the north-east of England to develop and build blades for the 'Britannia Project', a 10MW wind turbine prototype.
Government support
Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband says Mitsubishi's move shows the UK is starting to turn leadership in offshore wind generation into leadership in manufacturing. "We have the wind resource and we now have an industry that is really starting to grow," he says. "This is possible because of our domestic market and our commitment to support companies that locate here."
The Mitsubishi announcement came just one week after Clipper started work on its factory in Newcastle, north-east England. The company received a Department of Energy and Climate Change grant of £4.46 million last year.
Large-blade development
With blades at 72 metres long and weighing over 30 tonnes, Clipper's prototype is among the largest wind turbines under development. The first commercial prototype is scheduled for deployment in late 2012 and is to be bought by the Crown Estate, which owns most of the UK seabed and is a partner in each of the UK's nine wind zones in the third cycle of the government's offshore programme. Clipper expects to employ a local workforce of more than 500 people if it secures a 1GW-per-year share of development.
The government has also granted £18.5 million of funding towards an offshore test site for wind turbines in north-east England. Located between one and 100km off the coast near the New and Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) at Blyth, the grid-connected offshore demonstration site will have capacity for up to 20 large-scale prototypes totalling up to 100MW. The offshore test wind farm will require planning consent and a site lease from the Crown Estate.
"The facility will be unique in global R&D terms, enabling manufacturers and wind farm developers to identify best practice approaches across the supply chain for the development, deployment and (operations and maintenance) of new turbine technologies, which will be most pertinent to the round-three programme," says Andrew Mill, CEO of Narec. He adds that the test site will complement Narec's existing testing facilities and its expansion plans to test components for bigger offshore machines, including drive trains and blades of up to 100 metres in length.
According to Stephen Wilson, Narec's director of wind energy, companies will be able to demonstrate innovative turbines, foundations and new installation techniques. The water depth, at between 25 metres and 60 metres, and the varying soil conditions make the proposed location ideal for a test site, he says, adding: "These are representative of the sites in round three."


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A 20-year-old Missouri man has been arrested and charged after his plot to shoot up a theater during a screening of the latest Twilight film was foiled by his mother, The Associated Press reports.
See celebrities we've lost this yearBlaec Lammers is now facing charges of first-degree assault, making a terroristic threat and armed criminal action.
Twilight matchmaker: Who should date whom?Lammers' mother contacted police Thursday after her son purchased weapons — two assault rifles and hundreds of bullets — reminiscent of those used in James Holmes' alleged attack during a Dark Knight Rises showing in Aurora, Colo., in July. When he was questioned that afternoon, Lammers admitted to purchasing a ticket to a Sunday screening of Breaking Dawn Part 2 in Bolivar, Mo., where he planned on shooting the people inside.


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SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GenSpera, Inc. (OTCBB:GNSZ) announced that the first patient has been treated in the Phase II clinical trial of its lead compound, G-202, in patients who have hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
"We have now enrolled a patient with advanced HCC who has not been helped by standard-of-care therapy with sorafenib," said Devalingam Mahalingam, M.D., Ph.D., an oncologist at the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. "Often, these patients have limited therapeutic options and survival rates are very modest in this setting. It is reassuring to know that G-202 provides another therapeutic possibility for our advanced HCC patients in this Phase II clinical study, which follows the safety and therapeutic efficacy we observed in the Phase I clinical study. We look forward to enrolling more patients in this study and reporting data later this year."
"We are excited to begin the HCC trial, which constitutes another milestone in the G-202 clinical development plan," said Craig Dionne, PhD, GenSpera CEO and President. "The scientific rationale for testing G-202 in HCC is very high and we are pleased with how readily the clinical community has embraced its development for this patient population."
About GenSpera
GenSpera's technology platform combines a powerful, plant-derived cytotoxin (thapsigargin) with a prodrug delivery system that targets release of the drug within the tumor. Unlike typical chemotherapeutic agents, thapsigargin kills cells irrespective of the rate of cell division, which may provide an effective approach to kill both fast- and slow-growing cancers as well as cancer stem cells. GenSpera's lead drug candidate, G-202, is activated by the enzyme PSMA which is found at high levels in prostate cancer and in the vasculature of almost all solid tumors and is therefore expected to have efficacy in a wide variety of tumor types.
Data from the G-202 Phase Ib program in solid tumor patients demonstrated that G-202 is well-tolerated, with prolonged disease stabilization observed in several hepatocellular carcinoma patients who had previously progressed on sorafenib therapy. A Phase II clinical trial in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is underway. For more information, please visit the Company's website: www.genspera.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information
This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements in this press release regarding potential applications of GenSpera's technologies constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, uncertainty of clinical trial results or regulatory approvals or clearances, need for future capital, dependence upon collaborators and maintenance of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties will be detailed from time to time in GenSpera's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.