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WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- A big second period gave the Winnipeg Jets' playoff hopes a sudden jolt that was desperately needed.
The Jets scored four times in less than seven minutes during the decisive second period and held off the Philadelphia Flyers for a 4-1 victory on Saturday that snapped Winnipeg's five-game losing streak.
Evander Kane, Grant Clitsome, Kyle Wellwood and Bryan Little scored for the Jets, who dropped from first place in the Southeast Division to 10th in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
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Ondrej Pavelec made 30 saves.
"We are woefully inconsistent," Jets coach Claude Noel said.
Ruslan Fedotenko scored for the Flyers, whose four-game winning streak ended. Philadelphia is also on the outside of the postseason chase with only a few weeks left in the regular season.
"They played like they wanted it the last 40 minutes," Flyers forward Scott Hartnell said. "The last four games we played 60 minutes and tonight we didn't."
Before they started their slide in late March, the Jets (19-19-2) were in control in the Southeast. Now they hope to just get into the playoffs.
"Our top players have to be hot and get our team going, and I thought we did a good job of that," said Kane, who had a goal and an assist. "We had to win this game to give ourselves a shot to even make the playoffs. Our season is on the line right now."
Winnipeg struggled in the first period when it was outshot 13-4.
Grant Clitsome and Kyle Wellwood scored Winnipeg's other goals. Blake Wheeler had two assists.
"I just think we shut it down for the second period," Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds said. "It wasn't the defense, it wasn't the goaltending, it was everybody."
Fedotenko's long wrist shot from near the blue line beat Pavelec's glove just past the 11-minute mark of the first. The Jets didn't get off a shot in the final 15 minutes of the period.
But Winnipeg rallied in the second as it pounded the Philadelphia net, tying the game when Little passed to Clitsome in close and he snapped the puck past Ilya Bryzgalov at 12:38.
Bryzgalov had no time to recover when Kane passed to Wellwood from behind the Philadelphia net, and he made it 2-1 with a quick wrister 27 seconds later.
It was Kane's turn less than two minutes later when he buried a loose puck after Mike Santorelli was stopped on a wraparound. He earned his first point with the Jets on an assist. He was picked up on waivers on Wednesday.
Little capped things off when he took off on a breakaway and found the corner with less than a minute left in the period.
"That first one kind of gave us momentum and we were flying from there," he said. "To get that fourth one, it was a bit of a cushion for us and I thought we did a good job protecting it."
After Bryzgalov allowed four goals on 16 shots, the Flyers pulled him to start the third and put in backup Steve Mason. Mason made his debut since coming to Philadelphia on Wednesday at the trade deadline. He stopped all nine shots he faced.
"It's funny, but when you focus on the team game and you focus on the accomplishment of winning, how the scoring looks after itself, and the individual scoring takes care of itself," Noel said.
- Winnipeg's Zach Redmond, back but not playing after recovering from a serious cut to an artery in his leg in practice, received a standing ovation.


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A review of temperature-measurement tools and how to use them.
By Rick Davis
While heat is an essential component of the garment-printing process, it is one of the most troublesome variables that we face as a screen printers. Not only must we maintain the right conditions in our dryers for each combination of garment, ink, and application we print, we also have to stay on top of the heat emanating from our flash-curing units.
Failure to regularly measure the performance of our flash units and dryers can have severe consequences. These include undercured prints with poor washfastness, over-gelled heat transfers that won't transfer and adhere correctly when applied to garments, overflashed underbases that prevent good adhesion with subsequent ink layers, scorched garments, and more.
To combat these problems, we need to regularly monitor the heat that our garments are exposed to during production. Several measurement devices are available to help us in this endeavor, and this month, we'll take a closer look at each of them and the areas of production they're best suited to measure.
Measuring devices
In screen printing, four temperature-measurement tools are typically used to gauge the performance of our equipment and determine the amount of heat our printed garments are exposed to. These tools include the following:
* temperature tapes--small adhesive strips that are affixed to garments and indicate the approximate temperature through a heat-activated color change
* non-contact pyrometers--electronic devices that read temperatures without physically contacting the material being measured
* on-contact pyrometers--electronic devices that read temperatures with a probe that physically contacts the material being measured
* doughnut probes--electronic devices designed to accompany the product through the dryer and continuously record heat conditions
Although none of these devices provide absolute temperature values, they help us establish important guidelines that lead to successful curing on the jobs we produce.
Measuring flash-curing temperature
Of the two heat-generating areas in print production, flash curing is probably the most difficult to control and, hence, very important to measure. The reason flash curing is so difficult to control is due mostly to the extreme temperature changes and the short time span in which the changes occur. These factors combine to make accurate temperature measurement on flash units a challenge. Compounding the problem is the fact that flash units come in a variety of configurations with different heat sources, including continuously operating infrared (IR) panels and quick-starting fused quartz elements that can jump from room temperature to 1400°F (760°C) in seconds.
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subset: commoncrawl


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The phone was already ringing when Javier walked through the front door to his parents' house.
"Hello?" said Javier, who had just returned from the University of Houston campus where he and a group of undocumented students had been passing out pro-DREAM Act fliers just days before the U.S. Senate voted on the bill in the fall of 2007.
Officially called the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, the proposed legislation would provide a path to legal residency for illegal immigrants who wish to serve in the armed forces or attend college and whose parents brought them to the United States when they were young.
"Good evening, sir," said the man on the other end of the line. "I'd like to talk to you about opening a line of credit with our new offer from Visa in conjunction with the University of Houston. All we need is your Social Security number,"
"Oh, no thanks," said Javier. "I don't need a credit card right now."
"What, don't you have a social security number?" said the voice. "Are you a wetback? Are you scared that I'm going to turn you over to the police and you'll get thrown outta my country? Why don't you just go back to Mexico."
Javier slammed down the receiver and turned away. The phone rang again.
"Hello," answered Javier.
It was the same threatening voice, so Javier hung up once more.
"I have to say, I was really scared," says Javier (not his real name).
The next day at school, Javier told his fellow DREAM Act students what had happened.
"They said that they all had the same thing happen to them all the time," says Javier.
Even though the DREAM Act itself would only affect a relatively small number of people, it is every bit a part of the larger political dogfight that is immigration reform in this country.
Supporters argue that by providing a path to citizenship, these immigrants are able to legally work and contribute to the country both economically and socially. Critics say it's akin to a tax giveaway for people who shouldn't be here and threatens to open the floodgates for other piecemeal amnesty bills, thus deepening the overall immigration problem.
"I'm going to take a hard-line position," says Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minuteman Project in Washington, D.C., "and the reason is that if I start making an exception here, then I'll have to make one there and there and there, and soon you have 4,000 different exceptions and we're right back at square one. The DREAM Act is a gateway bill and it continues to keep the gateway open and doesn't solve the problem but rather makes more excuses to keep the problem in place. And that's my fear."
Bob Dane, communications director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, also looks at the DREAM Act in broad terms.
"The DREAM Act is basically an amnesty plan disguised as an education initiative," Dane says. "It is yet another benefit that provides yet another incentive for more and more illegal aliens to enter the country. Getting control of illegal immigration involves border enforcement, heightened document verification, but really, getting to the heart of it, denying benefits. Benefits like driver's licenses, credit cards, jobs, and yes, even subsidized college tuition."
In contrast, Judy Lee, chairwoman of the Texas chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers of America, says that students like Javier have fallen prey to the screaming heads on television.
"In terms of immigration legislation," she says, "you'd think this would be a slam-dunk. But it's been really twisted. I think the right wing and TV and radio people have painted it as, 'Open up the borders and let them all in.' But these are people who really want to contribute and it saddens me that people are not taking a closer look at this and are falling for the radio and TV personalities. It's disheartening and I think people are not getting all the information about the relatively few number of kids affected, how much these kids have to offer, and how it's in our own self-interest to allow them to have legal status. We've already made the investment in them through the public school system. Why not recoup our investment?"
It is already legal for undocumented immigrants to go to college in Texas. They can still be picked up and deported by federal authorities at any time, but most of them go out of the way not to call attention to themselves.
The wall they hit is upon receiving a degree. Turns out you can go to school without a Social Security number. But without one, you can't get a good job once you graduate.
And now that the provisions for the DREAM Act have been all but abandoned by politicians, marking a rising anti-immigrant fever in this country, it looks like nothing is going to change about this anytime soon.
Another two weeks and Erika Solis would've been born an American. Her mother was eight and a half months pregnant when she fled to the United States from Mexico, escaping from an abusive boyfriend who had kept her locked inside his San Luis Potosi home.
After months of beatings and rape, she discovered she was pregnant and promised her unborn child a better life than she'd had. It was 1983 and Erika's mother easily crossed into Texas where she met up with relatives living in Houston.
Then one morning, the phone rang. It was Erika's father. He said he was pointing a gun at all four of Erika's mother's children and was going to kill them if she did not return home at once.
Several weeks later, Erika was born at a hospital in San Luis Potosi, an official citizen of Mexico.
"Another few weeks and I'd have been a citizen of the U.S. and my life would've been completely different," Erika says in sort of a sad chuckle. "Darn it all."
Over the next two years, Erika's father continued to abuse Erika and her mother. He wanted a son and was furious that his hostage could not provide one.
Erika's mother became pregnant again, and this time he kept a tight watch so she could not run away. Erika remembers driving to the hospital while her mother was in labor, a gun pointed at their heads. When they arrived, the father threatened the doctor that he was going to kill Erika's mother and the unborn child if it was not a boy. Luckily, it was. But Erika's mother had had enough.
Thirteen days after delivering Erika's brother, their mother packed a small bag of clothes and set out for Texas by herself. It was now 1988, two years after President Ronald Reagan had authorized a one-time blanket amnesty for immigrants who had been living in America since the early 1980s. Erika's mother had missed the window, but she found a priest in Houston who falsified documents for her, allowing her to receive a green card.
The following year, she returned to Mexico to collect her children whom she had left with relatives.
Erika remembers crossing the Rio Grande in January 1989. She was five years old, and for the first time in memory temperatures were near freezing along the border. Erika, along with her five brothers and sisters, saw chunks of ice bobbing in the river as they struggled against the cold. Erika developed a case of hypothermia, and once they reached the U.S. side her mother tried to flag down cars to get help. But the only one who stopped was a Border Patrol agent, who sent them home.
Erika's mother tried several more times to get her family into the States, but each time Mexican bandits robbed them of their shoes, clothes and money, forcing the family to turn back and try again. Finally, in late 1989, they all made it into the United States and have been living in Houston ever since.
Right from the start, Erika was seduced by the American Dream and would lie awake nights fantasizing about graduating from college. She adored school, was exclusively in advanced placement classes, and more than anything wanted to be a teacher. Even as a child, Erika knew that college was expensive, far more than her mother could possibly save as a housekeeper, so Erika worked diligently babysitting and in restaurants to save enough money.
"I mean, nobody else was thinking about college," says Erika, "and here I was afraid I wouldn't be able to go. I guess it was kinda weird."
A straight-A student, Erika graduated from Jersey Village High in 2001 near the top of her class. She scored so well on her AP tests that she'd earned a full year's worth of college credit and could enter as a sophomore. But she still couldn't afford to pay for university because at that time in Texas, undocumented immigrants had to pay a costlier international student rate.
"At that point the idea of college was pretty much gone for me," says Erika. "I would still go to the college fairs and I of course took the SAT, but going to school really wasn't an option. It was just so heartbreaking. I was completely devastated."
Erika enrolled in a community college. Then, about halfway through the year the Texas legislature enacted a law allowing undocumented students who'd lived in Texas for five years and graduated from a state high school to pay in-state college tuition. This was the answer to Erika's prayers.
The following fall, she enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated summa cum laude in only one and a half years with a double-major in history and Islamic studies. Her dream of being a teacher was within reach.
But once again, her immigration status got in the way. With no social security number, Erika could not participate in the paid teacher-training programs at UT and none of the school districts could hire her.
"It was yet another heartbreak," says Erika. "I had this wonderful plan in my head, but it wasn't going to happen because of my immigration status. I think I cried for a month."
Still, Erika found a way to work around the system. After working as a secretary for several months, Erika used a false identity to create a business which she now runs. It's not a perfect solution and Erika's not doing what she wants, but she's able to earn money and save up for graduate school in hopes that when she gets out, U.S. immigration law will have changed.
"I can't move forward and I can't go back to school quite yet," Erika says. "I feel like I'm in total limbo because I'm not a citizen."
The origin of the federal DREAM Act can, in a way, be traced back to Texas.
In 1975, the Texas state legislature passed a law prohibiting school districts from using state money to educate students who had not entered the United States legally. It also authorized the school districts to deny enrollment to undocumented children.
In 1982, in the case of Plyler v. Doe, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the Texas statute violated the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and consequently, that states may not deny undocumented children a free elementary and secondary education. The court's decision, however, did not address college and higher education, leaving that matter in the states' hands.
In 2001, the Texas Legislature addressed the issue of higher education and in a departure from the discriminatory stance of the '70s, led the nation by becoming the first state to allow undocumented Texas high school graduates to pay in-state tuition rates.
According to the current law, anyone who has lived in Texas for three years prior to graduating from a state high school or earning a GED, has lived in-state for a year before enrolling in college, and signs an affidavit stating that he will apply for permanent residency as soon as he is eligible, qualifies for in-state tuition.
Eight other states have enacted similar laws.
The problem, however, was that while the new rule began enabling far more undocumented immigrants to get a higher level of education, without a valid social security number they could not lawfully work in this country and put their education to use.
Enter the DREAM Act.
Since 2001, several versions of the bill have been introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. So far, none have passed.
The latest version, sponsored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, in 2007, contained several requirements for immigrants to be eligible for conditional six-year residency status. The person has to have:
— entered the United States before age 16,
— been admitted by a two-year or four-year college after earning a high school degree or equivalency diploma,
— continuously lived in the United States for at least five years,
— demonstrated "good moral character," in essence meaning no criminal record, and
— not reached the age of 30 at the time the Act is passed.
The person could then earn permanent residency during the conditional six-year period by either serving two years in the military or completing at least two years of college.
In October 2007, the bill made it to the Senate floor, and though it received a majority of votes, 52 to 44, the bill fell eight votes short of the 60 needed to survive a filibuster.
In Texas, Republican Senator John Cornyn voted against the DREAM Act, while fellow Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, who was instrumental in trying to re-tailor the bill so that it could garner more right-wing support, cast her vote in favor.
"There are young people who have been brought to this country as minors, not of their own doing, who have gone to American high schools, graduated, and who want to go to American colleges," Hutchison said on the Senate floor in 2007. "They are in a limbo situation. I believe we should deal with this issue. We should do it in a way that helps assimilate these young people with a college education into our country. They have lived here most of their lives. If we sent them home, they wouldn't know what home is."
Neither Hutchison nor Cornyn responded to the Houston Press's repeated requests for comment.
It is difficult to know precisely how many people the DREAM Act would affect if enacted. Public schools do not ask students about their residency status because they have to provide an education to illegal immigrants, and public universities choose not to ask.
"If they meet the criteria for entrance," says Dr. Martyn Gunn, dean of undergraduate programs at Texas A&M, "we simply accept them, no questions asked. We don't ask students' residency status, and we do not use a social security card number."
Gunn says that last year the university calculated that only 160 students out of an enrollment of around 47,000 qualified under the state law that allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.
"It's certainly not a large number," says Gunn.
According to a report published by the Office of the Texas Comptroller, about 135,000 undocumented students were in the state's public schools during the 2004-2005 school year. This accounted for about 3 percent of the total public school enrollment.
In 2006, the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank in Washington, D.C., reported that 360,000 unauthorized high school graduates ages 18 to 24 would become immediately eligible for conditional legal status should the DREAM Act become law. Only 50,000 of that 360,000 were enrolled in universities across the country and would likely be eligible for receiving permanent residency status.
According to the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, D.C., there are about 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.
University of Houston law professor Michael Olivas says one of the reasons he believes the DREAM Act has not passed is because of all the misunderstanding surrounding the proposed bill and the fact it gets lumped in with other less specific immigration issues. One of those misunderstandings, he says, has to do with in-state tuitions.
"The tuition part, which everybody thinks is a feature of the federal DREAM Act, is only incidentally at play," Olivas says. "Even if the DREAM Act were enacted, it would still require states to enact statutes to convey in-state tuition. Tuition will always be a state matter. Even though these are very attractive beneficiaries, meaning people who have gone to college, speak English and will in all likelihood become employed once they get the authorization and so forth, they've become victims of this larger proxy war that has these political and restrictionist overtones."
In Texas, undocumented college students are not eligible for most forms of financial aid. They cannot legally receive federal money or the majority of privately funded scholarships. They are only eligible for certain state-aid packages.
For the moment, the DREAM Act appears dead. Olivas says one reason the bill did not pass in the Senate was because it required 60 votes rather than a simple majority. Another reason, he says, is even more political.
"Restrictionists have made this a line in the sand," he says, "and have misrepresented it beyond its importance. That is, this is a small number of students in the scheme of things. And there's the fear of comprehensive immigration reform and that this would have given the Democrats a perceived victory."
According to Senator Durbin's spokeswoman, Sandra Abrevaya, Durbin still believes passing the law would benefit the United States as a whole, but he will have to wait until after the upcoming presidential election before he re-introduces it to the U.S. Senate. She says Durbin is optimistic, but warns that there is still considerable opposition to the Act.
According to the National Immigration Law Center, an immigrant advocacy group based in Los Angeles, the DREAM Act would reduce the dropout rate of immigrant students by providing an incentive for them to remain in school until graduation and help propel them towards college. This in turn would help the country's overall economy. The organization cites statistics showing that an immigrant woman who's graduated from college will pay roughly $5,300 more in taxes and cost $3,900 less in criminal justice and welfare expenses each year than if she had dropped out of high school.
In addition, the DREAM Act would help alleviate a growing labor and military personnel shortage in the United States and would reduce the cost of recruiting foreign professionals if the United States stopped turning away its homegrown, though perhaps not home-born, talent.
Take "Bonnie," for example. Born in Africa, she came to the United States at 14 and is scheduled to graduate from the University of Houston in December with a double major in Italian and Spanish and a minor in Arabic. She wants to be an interpreter and has already made up her mind that because she cannot legally work here, she will have to move to Europe after graduating.
"Employers in the U.S. want to hire me, but they can't because of my status," she says, "and I'm not earning the money that I should be. I don't like having to risk not coming back here to ever see my family, but I'm not living the life I'm supposed to, so I have to go."
But to hard-liners like Gilchrist and Dane, that argument carries little weight. When asked why someone like Javier, who was brought to this country as a child, grew up playing football, is fully Americanized and is training to be a doctor, should not be permitted to legally work in the States via citizenship, their answers fall back on upholding the rule of law.
"One of the big arguments of this DREAM Act has been, 'It's just helping kids have a better life, so why punish them?'" says Dane. "And our response has always been that we're not punishing the kids for the illegal acts of the parents, we're merely not rewarding them for the illegal acts of their parents. Because even if the kids entered as a result of their illegal alien parents, it's the parents who are rewarded when their children are granted amnesty."
Gilchrist seems to agrees.
"These are hard decisions to make," he says. "Now, would I like to be on the receiving end of these laws as they are now? Probably not, but essentially it's not my problem. It's the problem of those who broke the law to deal with."
Erika Solis appreciates the counterarguments. In fact, she says it surprises many to hear that she agrees with a number of points made by those in the anti-immigration camp.
"I consider myself a smart person and I understand both sides of the immigration problem and the fact that the border needs to be secure," she says. "And I understand the fear of people saying, 'All these immigrants are coming and they don't want to assimilate.' I think a lot of their fear comes from the fear of a general amnesty, which I do think encourages immigration. I think more effort should be made toward border control because coming here in such large numbers does put a stress on everybody.
"But I think the mistake a lot of people make is that they generalize and say that all immigrants coming here are a strain on the state. Well, a lot of us are paying taxes and do not require federal money. A lot of us are just working and are solid people. The opposition doesn't realize that there are people here like me who came here at a young age, we didn't have an option, and we're educated and we're trying to make it here in the country where we were brought up."
Texas A&M student Walter Sosa was standing around with friends outside of Thompson Hall one morning after class when a horde of federal immigration agents stormed towards him. According to the Bryan-College Station Eagle, the officers searched Sosa, handcuffed him and placed him in an unmarked car. From there, they made the nearly two-hour drive south to Houston, where Sosa was locked up inside an immigration detention center.
Sosa came to Houston from Guatemala with his parents when he was 5. He was an honors student in high school and a college senior majoring in engineering technology when he was hauled off campus and detained. Earlier that same October morning in 2007, immigration officers also took Sosa's parents into custody. Officials told them that their visitor's visa had long expired and they were being deported. Luckily, for Sosa, the judge was lenient and told Sosa he was allowed to stay until he graduated before he would be deported to Guatemala.
Sosa's attorney, Elise Wilkinson, says Sosa does not want to comment because he has gotten a rare and lucky break from the judge and does not want to provoke the situation or place himself in danger of being threatened or harmed by anti-immigration radicals.
It is the same fear of harm or harassment that prompts some of the students interviewed by the Press to use assumed names.
"Ricky" was born in Mexico City and illegally entered the United States when he was 13. It was July Fourth the day he crossed the border. Four years later, he graduated from a Houston area high school in the top 15 percent of his class and is now a year away from graduating from the University of Houston with a degree in biology. He hopes to attend medical school.
Ricky is a skinny ghost of a young man with black hair and a thin mustache that is still in its infancy. He speaks softly, almost in a whisper, and seems to study the floor when he talks, almost never looking up at the person across from him.
But Ricky's withdrawn nature doesn't come from a nightmarish home life. It is the product of living on the lam as an illegal immigrant.
"I want to stay under the radar because I don't want to attract trouble or attention," Ricky quietly says. "It's better to just stay safe."
Ricky doesn't have a criminal record and under normal circumstances would have no reason to worry about the basic activities that most people take for granted — something as simple as driving to school. But as an illegal immigrant, Ricky lives in fear.
Several years ago, Ricky says, police pulled his brother over for having a busted taillight on his car. He did not have a license, and the police took him to jail. Luckily, says Ricky, his brother was freed the next morning, just missing immigration officials who check the jails for illegal immigrants to detain and deport.
"The fear of being caught and deported is there every hour of every day," says Ricky, "but it's something that you have to get used to so you can live your life. You have to block it out. There are constantly little reminders, like every time you see a cop drive by, and you always have to make sure you're doing everything right, but you have to be positive somehow. I mean, it does keep you on track and focused on what you have to do, like going to school and staying in line with the law."
Like many undocumented immigrants, Erika pays her taxes with what's called an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The IRS gives them to people who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain, a Social Security number.
"Many illegal immigrants choose not to pay their taxes," says Erika, "but I think that by paying your taxes and not getting in trouble and not committing any crimes, you're acting as a citizen of the state. You're doing as much as you can so that if an amnesty occurs, you have proof you've paid your taxes and that goes a long way."
Looking back, Erika says she almost feels foolish for being quixotic as a kid growing up in Houston.
"When I was working and saving for college," she says, "I really thought something was going to happen for me. I did get to college, but I pictured my life a lot differently. I tell all my friends who are citizens, 'You don't know how lucky you are.' I've struggled a lot, and at 25 I was really hoping that by now I would have accomplished so much more."
Erika cannot imagine living in Mexico. She says she will never leave the U.S. and is clinging to the distant hope that the DREAM Act or some version of it will make her whole, make her a full-fledged citizen of the United States.
"Mexico is a foreign country to me and I wouldn't understand living there," she says. "My mother fears that I'll be deported someday, but I can't live in fear or not work or live my life. I can't live in hiding. Every year when I hear about the DREAM Act, I say, 'This will be the year.' And I cross my fingers and then it doesn't happen, and I lose it again. But then I pick myself up. I am hopeful, though it's hard to stay that way. There are so many ups and downs. But I have no option. Even though my mother was unable to give birth to me in the U.S., I am still an American and I'm going to stay here and make my dreams come true."
Ricky, on the other hand, believes his future is terribly bleak unless some version of the DREAM Act passes into law.
"We contribute so much and are willing to work so hard and do so much for a chance," he says. "And it's a slap in the face that we can't get that chance no matter how well you behave or how well you do in school. I really don't have a lot of hope right now."
When asked if he'd be comfortable living in Mexico again, Ricky says he feels torn.
"I cannot go back to Mexico because I don't totally identify with there because I didn't grow up there," he says. "But here in the States, I don't feel like I'm welcome. We are not seen as equals here. On one hand, you potentially have good opportunities and a better economy here, and on the other hand in Mexico you have a really bad economy and no opportunity, but a country that will claim you. So it's a difficult decision and one that I have not made up yet in my mind. I think I just want to be able to get my degree and be a doctor and then see where we are and what my options are. It's a real waiting game."
A recent survey conducted annually by Rice University professor Stephen Klineberg reveals that Harris County residents are increasingly viewing immigrants in a negative light. The study found that 63 percent of residents agreed that action should be taken to reduce the number of new immigrants, up from 48 percent in 2004, and that 61 percent believe undocumented immigrants constitute a very serious problem, up from 43 percent in 2006. The survey also found that only 56 percent support granting citizenship to illegal immigrants who speak English and do not have a criminal record, as opposed to 68 percent in 2007. Finally, only 43 percent say immigrants contribute more to the U.S. economy than they take, versus 52 percent in 2002.
To Javier these latest figures are no surprise. He says that conquering negative stereotypes, reinforced by the news media, which report a seemingly never-ending parade of crime stories featuring illegal immigrants, is one of the largest hurdles to getting something like the DREAM Act passed.
"I hate living under a stereotype," he says. "I'm Mexican, so I guess I have to be mowing lawns, selling drugs and beating up my wife, right? People look at that and say, 'He's going to be a nobody in America, so let's just kick him out.' And I don't want people putting that on me. Image is important, and it's important what other people think. If people are going to look at me as a criminal, I don't like that and that's one of the reasons it's important for me to go to school."
Looking at Javier, one could never tell he wasn't a U.S. citizen. He's quite preppy, dressed in a Polo shirt, khaki shorts and a baseball cap turned backwards. He could easily pass for a Long Island lacrosse player.
Javier's parents brought him to Houston when he was seven, and they settled in a mostly white suburb less than half an hour outside the city. Like Ricky, he did well in school and dreamed of one day going to college and becoming a doctor. He is on pace to graduate from the University of Houston next year with a degree in biology and plans on attending optometry school. Javier's father is paying his son's full in-state tuition.
All through high school, Javier kept his immigration status hidden even from his closest friends. It was strange, he says, keeping a secret. He felt like he could never have real friendships because this one lie always hung over the relationship. That all ended his senior year when Javier says he wanted to serve his country but was rejected from the Air Force because he did not have a Social Security number. Prior to that, Javier had been a star football player for his school and one of the more popular kids there.
"The whole thing made me feel bad," he says, "because certain people had me on a pedestal and my friends did not know that I wasn't here legally. And when I told them, some of them were cool about it, but there were a couple of jerks who, when they'd see a construction crew, would say, 'Shouldn't you be out there working?' It was exactly my fears come true, because the reason I didn't tell anyone was because I was scared about what people might do and I was afraid of how people would view me. The whole thing really sucks.
"Growing up I played football," says Javier. "I started on offense and defense, and you start thinking that you're pretty cool and a somebody. And everybody else is real cool with you and inviting you to parties. In tenth grade, I remember thinking, 'This is it. I'm never going back to Mexico. This is my home, where I'm supposed to be.' It wasn't until after I graduated high school that I got a big fat slap in my face."
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The slap was when Javier learned that while he could attend college, he could not legally get a job using his education after graduation.
Today, Javier is not so sure the United States feels like home anymore.
"Of course I want to stay here," he says, "and if the DREAM Act goes through, that will be great for me and so many others in my same situation. But if it doesn't go through, it just means I have this education that I can't do anything with here in the U.S."


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Video provided by: FalconStudios
Video description: Tommy Defendi has Heath Jordan locked in his arms, holding his muscled, hairy torso close and tight against him. The two men kiss passionately as they rub and stroke each other, letting their hands glide up and down the other's finely muscled body. Tommy runs his tongue and lips down Heath's furry chest, biting and tongueing his nipples gently, before traveling down along his belly until he reaches his crotch. He pulls Heath's snug briefs down and immediately gets busy swallowing down his big cock. Tommy's lips are clamped tight around his partner's hefty tool, sliding back and forth over the entire length and all around the mushroom tip. Heath coos and sighs as he surrenders to the thrilling sensations of having his stiff staff stuffed down Tommy's throat. Now it's time to pay the piper and Heath takes his turn to get his friend off. He opens wide to envelop Tommy's tantalizing tool, grabbing onto the fuzzy nutsac as his head bobs up and down the length of the dickshaft. With the two of them worked up into a lather and anxious for more, Heath climbs aboard Tommy and skewers himself down onto his dick. His pinched asshole stretches wide to consume the hefty salami. Tommy's balls bounce as Heath bucks up and down from above, his dick swinging all around. Both men moan as Tommy continues plowing Heath's backside; the nonstop slapping of flesh against flesh reddens his buttcheeks. Then with the hirsute fireplug of a stud now flat on his back, Tommy fucks him even harder. Heath jerks himself off, pumping his cock until his load blasts out in thick spurts. Tommy is quick to answer with his own smattering of cum, matting Heath's chest hair even more.
Duration: 04:16 min
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Hidden Photoshop Tips & Tricks
Keyboard Shortcuts
Hidden Photoshop Tips & Tricks
Keyboard Shortcuts
Lesson Info
Keyboard Shortcuts
Class Description
Everyone knows Adobe Photoshop® is full of amazing features — but where are they hidden?! Jesus Ramirez will show which ones are worth using when you really need to be efficient and productive. This session concentrates on Adobe Photoshop tips, features and techniques that most people never think to use and some tricks even the expert may not be aware of!
Software Used: Adobe Photoshop CC 2017
- Class Introduction
- Adjustment Layer Tips
- Saturation and Luminosity Maps for Compositing
- Making LUT Files From Adjustment Layers
- Using the B&W Adjustment Layer to Adjust Color
- Eight Special Blending Modes: Opacity vs Fill
- Pass-Through: Group Blending Modes and Compositing
- How to Maximize Template Files (PSDT)
- Open a Flattened Version of a Large Layered PSD and Using PSB
- Select Colors From Outside of Photoshop
- Two Windows Open From The Same Document
- How to Use Photoshop Search
- Bring Back Old Refine Edge Tool
- Bokeh Overlays
- Using the Magic Wand to Make Object Selections
- Using Grass Brush for Cloning
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Using Actions as a Text File
- Using Content-Aware Scale
- Channel Based Selections
- Using Channel Luminosity to Make Selections
Overall Photoshop Week 2017 has some amazing instructors for workflow & compositing. Jesus Ramirez has the unique ability to combine simplicity with really useful depth: blend modes, different approaches to selection or combining different tools. This course covers a lot of tools and there are a number of 'wow! didn't know that!' moments a more advanced user will love.
Amy Vaughn
Yeah yeah, Jesus Ramirez is a great instructor and this class is packed with useful tips and even some fun ones that might not be so useful. But it was that one about using two windows from the same document that changed my Photoshop life.
I would highly recommend this class to anyone that wants practical tips and tricks that immediately make your Photoshop life easier. Jesús is a fantastic instructor!


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Lead (Pb), a soft, silvery white or grayish metal in Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table. Lead is very malleable, ductile, and dense and is a poor conductor of electricity. Known in antiquity and believed by the alchemists to be the oldest of metals, lead is highly durable and resistant to corrosion, as is indicated by the continuing use of lead water pipes installed by the ancient Romans. The symbol Pb for lead is an abbreviation of the Latin word for lead, plumbum.
|atomic number
|atomic weight
|melting point
|boiling point
|11.29 gram/cm3 at 20 °C (68 °F)
|oxidation states
|+2, +4
|electron configuration
|[Xe]4f145d106s26p2 or 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d104f145s25p65d106s26p2
Occurrence and distribution
Lead is mentioned often in early biblical accounts. The Babylonians used the metal as plates on which to record inscriptions. The Romans used it for tablets, water pipes, coins, and even cooking utensils; indeed, as a result of the last use, lead poisoning was recognized in the time of Augustus Caesar. The compound known as white lead was apparently prepared as a decorative pigment at least as early as 200 bce. Modern developments date to the exploitation in the late 1700s of deposits in the Missouri-Kansas-Oklahoma area in the United States.
On a weight basis, lead has nearly the same abundance in Earth's crust as tin. Cosmically, there is 0.47 lead atom per 106 silicon atoms. The cosmic abundance is comparable to those of cesium, praseodymium, hafnium, and tungsten, each of which is regarded as a reasonably scarce element.
Although lead is not abundant, natural concentration processes have resulted in substantial deposits of commercial significance, particularly in the United States but also in Canada, Australia, Spain, Germany, Africa, and South America. Significant deposits are found in the United States in the western states and the Mississippi valley. Rarely found free in nature, lead is present in several minerals, but all are of minor significance except the sulfide, PbS (galena, or lead glance), which is the major source of lead production throughout the world. Lead is also found in anglesite (PbSO4) and cerussite (PbCO3). By the early 21st century, China, Australia, the United States, Peru, Mexico, and India were the world's top producers of lead in concentrate.
Lead may be extracted by roasting the ore and then smelting it in a blast furnace or by direct smelting without roasting. Additional refining removes impurities present in the lead bullion produced by either process. Almost half of all refined lead is recovered from recycled scrap. (For commercial production, see lead processing.)
Uses of the metal
Only a single crystalline modification, with a close-packed metallic lattice, is known. Properties that are responsible for the many uses of elemental lead include its ductility, ease of welding, low melting point, high density, and ability to absorb gamma radiation and X-radiation. Molten lead is an excellent solvent and collector for elemental silver and gold. The structural applications of lead are limited by its low tensile and fatigue strengths and its tendency to flow even when only lightly loaded.
When freshly cut, lead oxidizes quickly, forming a dull gray coating, formerly thought to be lead suboxide, Pb2O, but now recognized as a mixture of lead and lead monoxide, PbO, which protects the metal from further corrosion. Similarly, although lead is soluble in dilute nitric acid, it is only superficially attacked by hydrochloric or sulfuric acids because the insoluble chloride (PbCl2) or sulfate (PbSO4) coatings that are formed prevent continued reaction. Because of this general chemical resistance, considerable amounts of lead are used in roofing, as coverings for electric cables placed in the ground or underwater, and as linings for water pipes and conduits and structures for the transportation and processing of corrosive substances.
Elemental lead can also be oxidized to the Pb2+ ion by hydrogen ions, but the insolubility of most salts of Pb2+ makes lead resistant to attack by many acids. Oxidation under alkaline conditions is easier to effect and is favoured by the formation of the soluble species of lead in the +2 oxidation state. Lead oxide (PbO2, with lead as the Pb4+ ion) is among the stronger oxidizing agents in acidic solution, but it is comparatively weak in alkaline solution. The ease of oxidation of lead is enhanced by complex formation. The electrodeposition of lead is best effected from aqueous solutions containing lead hexafluorosilicate and hexafluorosilicic acid.
Lead has many other applications, the largest of which is in the manufacture of storage batteries. It is used in ammunition (shot and bullets) and as a constituent of solder, type metal, bearing alloys, fusible alloys, and pewter. In heavy and industrial machinery, sheets and other parts made from lead compounds may be used to dampen noise and vibration. Because lead effectively absorbs electromagnetic radiation of short wavelengths, it is used as a protective shielding around nuclear reactors, particle accelerators, X-ray equipment, and containers used for transporting and storing radioactive materials. Together with the compound lead oxide (PbO2) and with lead-antimony or lead-calcium alloys, it is employed in common storage batteries.
Properties of the element
Lead and its compounds are toxic and are retained by the body, accumulating over a long period of time—a phenomenon known as cumulative poisoning—until a lethal quantity is reached. The toxicity of lead compounds increases as their solubility increases. In children the accumulation of lead may result in cognitive deficits; in adults it may produce progressive renal disease. Symptoms of lead poisoning include abdominal pain and diarrhea followed by constipation, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and general weakness. Elimination of contact with a lead source is normally sufficient to effect a cure. The elimination of lead from insecticides and paint pigments and the use of respirators and other protective devices in areas of exposure have reduced lead poisoning materially. The recognition that the use of tetraethyl lead, Pb(C2H5)4, as an antiknock additive in gasoline was polluting the air and water led to the compound's elimination as a gasoline constituent in the 1980s. (For full treatment of lead and lead mining and refining, see also lead poisoning.)
Nuclear properties
Lead is formed both by neutron-absorption processes and the decay of radionuclides of heavier elements. Lead has four stable isotopes; their relative abundances are lead-204, 1.48 percent; lead-206, 23.6 percent; lead-207, 22.6 percent; and lead-208, 52.3 percent. Three stable lead nuclides are the end products of radioactive decay in the three natural decay series: uranium (decays to lead-206), thorium (decays to lead-208), and actinium (decays to lead-207). More than 30 radioactive isotopes have been reported. Of the radioactive isotopes of lead, the following appear as members of the three natural decay series: (1) thorium series: lead-212; (2) uranium series: lead-214 and lead-210; (3) actinium series: lead-211. The atomic weight of natural lead varies from source to source, depending on its origin by heavier element decay.
Lead shows oxidation states of +2 and +4 in its compounds. Among the many important lead compounds are the oxides: lead monoxide, PbO, in which lead is in the +2 state; lead dioxide, PbO2, in which lead is in the +4 state; and trilead tetroxide, Pb3O4. Lead monoxide exists in two modifications, litharge and massicot. Litharge, or alpha lead monoxide, is a red or reddish yellow solid, has a tetragonal crystal structure, and is the stable form at temperatures below 488 °C (910 °F). Massicot, or beta lead monoxide, is a yellow solid and has an orthorhombic crystal structure; it is the stable form above 488 °C. Both forms are insoluble in water but dissolve in acids to form salts containing the Pb2+ ion or in alkalies to form plumbites, which have the PbO22− ion. Litharge, which is produced by air oxidation of lead, is the most important commercial compound of lead; it is used in large amounts directly and as the starting material for the preparation of other lead compounds. Considerable quantities of PbO are consumed in manufacturing the plates of lead-acid storage batteries. High-quality glassware (lead crystal) contains as much as 30 percent litharge, which increases the refractive index of the glass and makes it brilliant, strong, and resonant. Litharge is also employed as a drier in varnishes and in making sodium plumbite, which is used for removing malodorous thiols (a family of organic compounds containing sulfur) from gasoline.
PbO2, found in nature as the brown-to-black mineral plattnerite, is commercially produced from trilead tetroxide by oxidation with chlorine. It decomposes upon heating and yields oxygen and lower oxides of lead. PbO2 is used as an oxidizing agent in the production of dyestuffs, chemicals, pyrotechnics, and matches and as a curing agent for polysulfide rubbers. Trilead tetroxide (known as red lead, or minium) is produced by further oxidation of PbO. It is the orange-red to brick-red pigment commonly used in corrosion-resistant paints for exposed iron and steel. It also reacts with ferric oxide to form a ferrite used in making permanent magnets.
Another economically significant compound of lead in the +2 oxidation state is lead acetate, Pb(C2H3O2)2, a water-soluble salt made by dissolving litharge in concentrated acetic acid. The common form, the trihydrate, Pb(C2H3O2)2·3H2O, called sugar of lead, is used as a mordant in dyeing and as a drier in certain paints. In addition, it is utilized in the production of other lead compounds and in gold cyanidation plants, where it primarily serves to precipitate soluble sulfides from solution as PbS.
Various other salts, most notably basic lead carbonate, basic lead sulfate, and basic lead silicate, were once widely employed as pigments for white exterior paints. Since the mid-20th century, however, the use of such so-called white lead pigments has decreased substantially because of a concern over their toxicity and attendant hazard to human health. The use of lead arsenate in insecticides has virtually been eliminated for the same reason.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
carbon group element(Ge), tin (Sn), lead (Pb), and flerovium (Fl).…
air pollution: LeadInhaled lead particulates in the form of fumes and dusts are particularly harmful to children, in whom even slightly elevated levels of lead in the blood can cause learning disabilities, seizures, or even death (
seelead poisoning). Sources of airborne lead particulates include oil…
Asia: Nonferrous base metalsThe largest reserves of lead and zinc in Asia are located in the Kuznetsk Basin of Siberia and in central and eastern Kazakhstan. China also has abundant deposits of zinc and lead ores, and North Korea has important lead resources.…
construction: Timber and metal constructionLead was another material introduced by the Romans for roofing; it was waterproof and could be used with very low pitches.…
coin: Coins as historical dataLead, which may easily decay, has seldom been used for coinage, except by the Andhras (inhabitants of the Deccan in ancient India), in pre-Roman Gaul, and in the more recent coinages of the Malay states. Iron, very occasionally used in antiquity—e.g., in Sparta—reappeared in German…
More About Lead22 references found in Britannica articles
Assorted References
- major reference
- toxic waste
abundance and occurrence
- Asia
- galena
- In galena
- South America
- absolute dating
- ammunition
- In bullet
- building construction
- coinage


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holidays_ical - scrape the Holidays wiki page into ics
So this is why I wanted an iCal generator/parser.
We have an intranet, with a page for who's going to be out of the office which blech suggested might be good to have available as .ics.
The page is structured roughly like so:
= 2004 =
== February ==
* [[Richard Clamp]]
** 1st - 3rd Baying at the moon
This script scrapes that page and makes it available as a vCalendar. It's called as a cgi so you can subscribe to it with iCal.app and phpICal.
Richard Clamp <email@example.com>


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See Carmen Electra in her Old Baywatch Swimsuit!
Feb 27, 2013 3:39 PM EST
Carmen Electra is reliving her Baywatch days with her famous red swimsuit. In a photo shoot for In Touch, the 40-year-old poses in the same bathing suit that she made famous on the '80s series. Photos: Everybody's posing nude! "Once I got it on… Read more


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scared to start hiv meds
Hi Dr,
l have recently tested positive to hiv and my viral load is 25,000 and cd4 count 355, my doctor said to get ready to start meds, l am 36 years old,
l feel okay at the moment but not like before l had hiv, if l start meds will l feel better, ??? do you think the meds in the next few years will be better quility ???thanx bob
Will you feel better on antiretroviral medications? No one can really predict that. Some folks feel better; some, worse; some, no change; and some just feel "different." There are two main reasons to begin treatment: (1) to decrease HIV replication to prevent further damage to your immune system and (2) to increase CD4 counts (immune reconstitution).
Antiretroviral medications are indeed potent and can have significant side effects and toxicities. It is important to work closely with your HIV specialist to select the regimen that will be most efficacious and best tolerated. Fortunately, there have been remarkable improvements in HIV medications over recent years. Treatments are now easier to take and better tolerated. Check out the information in the chapter entitled "HIV Medications" that can be easily accessed on The Body's homepage under the heading Quick Links.
I'll post some information from the archives that discusses when to start antiretroviral therapy. Don't be afraid to start treatment if you need it. Think of the antiretrovirals as a way for you to kick some HIV-butt!!! I've been on treatment now for well over a decade. Without the benefits of those medications, I have no doubt I would not be here today to respond to your questions.
Don't be frightened and don't let HIV control your life or your destiny. Get informed. Take control and begin kicking some HIV-butt, OK?
Good luck. I'm here if you need me. Let's get through this together, OK?
Dr. Bob
A Difficult Question ? (WHEN TO START TREATMENT 2008) Jul 27, 2008
Dear Doctor Bob,
here I have an interesting question for the category "when to start HAART".
My absolute CD4 count has been stable between 500 and 550 for one year. My CD4 % has been stable around 25-26% for a year.
My plan was to start meds at 350 or even 400. BUT I'm told that a CD4 percentage such has mine is the equivalent of a absolut CD4 count of 350...
What to do!?!
Response from Dr. Frascino
Hello Lars,
Yes, I agree, knowing exactly the best time to begin HAART is indeed a challenging question. Balancing the potential benefits (improved immune function, decreased viral load) with potential side effects (both short- and long-term) and toxicities can be a complex equation, especially because we need to factor in convenience of dosing regimen, number of pills, adherence, cost, etc. As an immunologist, I favor starting HAART earlier rather than later to preserve immune integrity, improve immune function and decrease immune activation. In your case, with your CD4% at 25%-26%, I would say that if after discussing the various pros and cons of beginning HAART with your HIV specialist, you are ready to start, then you should indeed begin! I'll reprint some information from the archives that addresses the "when to start" question.
Good luck!
Dr. Bob
should l start meds yet ??? (WHEN TO START TREATMENT 2008) Jul 7, 2008
Dr Bob,
you are the man, every night when l get home l read every post of yours on the forum, l recenty got hiv infected in jan in thailand, l had the flu and fever in feb, my positive result come back in may, since my 1st labs read cd4 435 and %21 and second lab read cd4 376 and viral load 13,000 and %25 and my last lab read cd461 and viral load 20,000 and %21... my doctor has left it up to me as when to get on meds... what do you think ??? l am going for a test in 6 weeks... l hear all types of stuff with side effects on meds, but if l start with a higher cd4 count will this help with less side effects ??? also every few weeks l binge drink 15 drinks at least with the boys... is this doing any damage ??? my liver is good no hep... but my doc said binge drinking weakens the imune system... anyway doc its a crazy world out there for me, but l am doing my best...
thank you for your time and good luck in vegas, will you be gone off the forum long ??? l hope not to long
Response from Dr. Frascino
The question of "when should I start treatment" comes up frequently. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Published guidelines concerning the recommended time to consider starting HIV treatment have been revised multiple times over the course of the epidemic. These revisions reflect not only our changing (and ever improving) knowledge about the natural history of HIV infection and pathogenesis of the virus, but also the fact that many new anti-HIV drugs have been discovered, developed and FDA approved for use in recent years. The new knowledge regarding HIV pathogenesis would argue for earlier treatment intervention rather than waiting. The newer HIV drugs are more convenient to take and much better tolerated than the drugs available 5 to 10 yeas ago. As an immunologist, I hold a personal bias to begin treatment as early as possible to protect immune integrity and decrease immune activation. The pendulum is definitely swinging towards earlier intervention and I'm definitely one pushing the pendulum to go farther and faster in that direction.
I'll reprint some information below from the archives on "when to start."
As for binge drinking, I agree this is not healthy for a variety of reasons. Even though it may not "weaken the immune system," it certainly can have many other significant negative effects on health. As the old saying goes, too much of a good thing is not a good thing. I would strongly recommend moderation rather than binging on anything. You may just find that it's not only healthier, but that it actually can be more fun.
As for Vegas, it's just a quick trip. You'll probably not even know I've gone. I work mostly from my laptop, which travels with me far and wide. Although it's not allowed around the craps or blackjack tables.
Dr. Bob
How long should i wait (WHEN TO START TREATMENT) Jun 4, 2007
I have a CD4 count of 485 and a VL of 45 000. How long will it be before i should consider meds? I live a fairly active lifestyle including regular workouts and i have recently given up alcohol and smoking.
Response from Dr. Frascino
This topic comes up very frequently. (See below.)
Dr. Bob
Morons! May 22, 2007
I'm just furious about those morons who are proven HIV negative with a proper test and are still worried and sending questions to take up more of your time!! they just sound so provocative to me! PEOPLE I HAVE HIV..FOR REAL! however, I feel sorry for you and not for myself! can you believe that?!
Anyway Dr. BobZ, I'm not here just to scream, I have a question actually..
My last counts are as follow Cd4 349 VL 17000+ Cd4 502 VL 28000+ then Cd4 334 VL 48000+ then finally Cd4 300 VL 75000
I can't really take the tough decision and start treatment without your advise! Do you think it is time ? I'm very healthy! just had a few mouth ulcers lately! thats all! Is it better to start now with all these data suggesting early treatment pays off later?
Oh and by the way, AM I At risk of HIV? Do you think the 11th test is warranted? I just did Cunnilingus on George Bush!
Response from Dr. Frascino
There are a variety of factors that need to be taken into consideration in determining the best time to begin HAART. Certainly these would include CD4 counts and plasma viral loads, but also other factors need to be put into the equation. For instance, are you ready to start and be committed to adhering to your meds? Do you understand the options, risks, potential side effects, dosages of the various regimens, etc.? Are there other conditions that need to be treated first, such as active TB or certain psychiatric conditions?
As for your current lab tests, assuming your tests were taken several months apart, it appears your CD4 count is now in the 300 range and your plasma viral load is rising. Assuming there are no concurrent conditions, such as another type of infection, that is driving your CD4 count down and HIV viral load up and that you are psychologically ready and committed to beginning HAART, most guidelines would suggest this is the time you should strongly consider beginning treatment. I agree. I would recommend you get a resistance test (genotype) and discuss treatment options with your HIV specialist. You may well be a candidate for a simple one-pill, once-per-day regimen (Atripla). Should you decide to wait, I would strongly encourage you not to let your CD4 count fall into the 200 range, as this would place you at significant increased risk for opportunistic infections.
As for oral sex with George Bush, I'd strongly recommend against it. Aside from the "ick" factor, it's common knowledge now that Dubya does not know when to pull out!
Good luck. I'll reprint some information about starting meds below.
Dr. Bob
Preparing to Start Treatment
Once your doctor recommends that you begin treatment, it's important to consider how treatment will change your life. Are you ready in every way -- mentally as well as physically? Remember: Most doctors say that you have to take your medications at least 95 percent of the time to keep HIV under control. This means you have to be certain that taking your medications will become a central part of your daily life.
No doubt this commitment will be challenging. However, you have a good chance of keeping HIV under control with the first combination of medications that works for you. If this combination successfully suppresses the virus, and if you take each and every pill prescribed, you may not have to change medications for a long time.
What if you aren't always able to take all your medications on time?
This may cause your first combination of medications to fail. If this happens, it can get harder and harder to keep HIV under control with each successive drug combination. So it's crucial to identify a combination you can stick to, before you start treatment.
Here are some things to consider:
Your medication schedule shouldn't be too complex. One thing is certain: Taking medications daily will change your life. Suddenly, you'll have new responsibilities. You'll always have to be aware of the time, your schedule and changes in your routine. In some cases you may have to schedule taking your HIV medicine around meals or take it with or without certain foods. You'll have to remember to take your pills with you if you are going out at night or away for the weekend. Even if you are depressed or busy, you will still have to take your medications exactly as prescribed every single day. So, before you start, you must ask yourself: "Am I really ready?"
Plan how you will deal with side effects if they occur. All medications can have side effects -- even aspirin. Not everyone experiences side effects from HIV medications, which can range from mild to severe. Because you really want to give this first combination your best shot, talk to your doctor and read about the possible side effects of the medications you are thinking of taking. This can help you not only plan how to manage side effects if they arise, but to choose medications whose possible side effects you think you can manage.
Your surroundings and your mental health are important. If you are feeling depressed, using recreational drugs or living on a friend's couch, it may be unrealistic to assume you'll be able to take all your medications all the time. So make sure you have organized your life before you begin treatment. This way it will be easier for you to follow a strict treatment plan. It's also a good idea to get some support. It helps immensely to have friends, family or a therapist you can rely on while you are on a treatment regimen -- especially at the beginning when you are still adjusting. Check out the largest AIDS organization in your area for support groups. Need to find an AIDS organization near you? Want to learn more about your treatment options?
Details, Details: More Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Treatment
Number of pills and how often each day. This can vary from 11 pills twice a day to one pill once a day.
Anything that could interfere with taking all your pills on time. Travel? The timing of meals?
Your support system. Can you count on your friends? Family? Therapist? Support group?
Sequencing of HIV medications. Ask your doctor what options you'll still have if your first combination stops working.
Strength of HIV medications. Which medications are right for you given your T-cell count and viral load?
How long the drug has been around. What is known about short- and long-term side effects?
Side effects. Are some side effects more tolerable to you than others? How will you manage them if they arise?
When to Start Treatment?
Doctors still disagree about when is the best time to begin HIV treatment, also called antiretroviral therapy. You and your doctor will need to determine this together, but there are some respected guidelines. Be aware that these guidelines are regularly updated and are not hard-and-fast rules. They are just suggestions based on the most recent research.
For example, the U.S. government's Department of Health and Human Services HIV Treatment Guidelines (view PDF of guidelines) recommends that you begin HIV treatment if you have any serious symptoms, or before your T-cell count falls below 200. Some doctors prefer starting treatment if your T-cell count is above 200 but below 350, in hopes that starting treatment a little earlier will help your immune system stay healthier.
Once you start taking HIV medications, you'll probably have to take them for a very long time, so you and your doctor will want to make sure you are absolutely ready before you begin treatment. This way you can postpone possible medication side effects (which we talk about later in this booklet) and make the most of the powerful initial effect medications can have on the HIV in your body.
Current Guidelines Recommend
If your T-cell count is 350 or above, treatment is not recommended unless your viral load is 100,000 or higher, or you have serious symptoms.
If your T-cell count is between 200-349, treatment should be seriously considered.
If your T-cell count is below 200, to avoid dangerous illnesses, start treatment.
All studies indicate that it is best to start HIV medications before your T-cell count drops below 200 in order to avoid dangerous HIV-related infections and illnesses. Your T-cell count, however, will vary from test to test. Often, your doctor will wait for you to have two consecutive T-cell tests that are low before recommending that you start HIV treatment.
What Is a T-Cell or CD4 Count?
Your T-cell count, also known as a CD4 count, reveals the number of T cells in your body. A T cell is a special kind of white blood cell, and the more you have, the stronger your immune system is. When you were infected with HIV, the virus entered into some of your T cells. When these HIV-infected T cells make more copies of themselves, they end up making more copies of HIV as well. HIV can also destroy T cells, as well as other surrounding cells. After living with HIV for a while (if you don't take medications) the number of T cells you have will usually go down. This is a sign that your immune system is being weakened. The lower your T-cell count, the more you risk getting sick. A normal T-cell count for someone without HIV is usually between 500 and 1,600.
What Is Viral Load?
Viral load levels tell you and your doctor how much HIV is circulating in your blood. The more HIV in your system, the quicker your T-cell count tends to drop. This makes viral load a helpful predictor of the health problems you may develop if you do not take medication. It is also a good measure of how well HIV medications are working once you begin treatment.
Your viral load count measures the amount of HIV per milliliter (mL) of your blood. Current viral load tests can detect as few as 50 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood. When you have fewer than 50 copies/mL of HIV, your doctor will tell you that your viral load is "below the limit of detection," or "undetectable." This does not mean that there is no more HIV in your body. So even if you are "undetectable," you can still transmit HIV to someone.
Getting Into Good Habits Before You Start Treatment
Even before you begin treatment, you may want to change your life. Now is the time to eat well, exercise, and if you smoke, drink or use recreational drugs, stop these unhealthy habits. Recent studies have shown that smoking may be particularly risky for people with HIV. Before you put anything into your body, consider if it is good or bad in your fight against HIV. If it doesn't pass the test, avoid it. You need to maintain and strengthen your immune system. If you are taking any drugs, vitamins or supplements at all -- prescription, over-the-counter or recreational -- make sure you tell your doctor so that you can avoid dangerous interactions with HIV medications. For example, antihistamines, birth-control pills and recreational drugs all have been shown to have serious interactions with HIV medications. Even the herb St. John's wort can reduce the strength of some HIV meds by half.
Can You Really Talk to Your Doctor?
Does he or she listen to you? Choosing a doctor you can talk to is crucial. You'll probably have many questions; make sure your doctor is available and able to answer them before you make any decision about starting HIV treatment.


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Yoga purists seek to reclaim ancient discipline as more than the path to a better butt
Tue Mar 26, 9:59 PM ET
By MICHELLE BOORSTEIN, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Heated to precisely 105 Fahrenheit (41 degress Celsius), the Bikram yoga studio is so hot the windows look like it's raining — inside. And then there are the 25 very sweaty bodies, all trying to stretch themselves into increasingly strenuous positions as the teacher calls out an occasional: "Don't panic!"
Sometimes they do, bolting from the carpeted sweatbox for a few minutes respite in the hall.
"The smell is intense in there," says one man, guzzling water and pacing the corridor before heading back inside to finish the 90-minute class.
To some who practice yoga, there is something far more offensive at the Manhattan studio than the heat or stench. To them, this newfangled yoga represents the biggest threat the spiritual discipline has faced since people began practicing it more than 5,000 years ago in India, fasting, abstaining from sex and meditating in search of higher consciousness.
They fear that the discovery (news - web sites) of yoga by millions of Americans in recent years is killing its soul, distorting the purpose from pursuit of a better self to pursuit of a better butt.
Among the things that scare them: dlrs 38 skimpy "chakra" tanktops, disco yoga and a Web site called "Yogasm: Where Yoga Meets Fashion." Car advertisements that show a person meditating in front of an SUV. Aerobics teachers who take two-day yoga courses that supposedly prepare them to do a job intended for spiritual gurus. Yoga golf.
Now a movement is afoot to return yoga to its more traditional roots. To replace sweating with meditation, hip hop with silence. To supplant Madonna (news - web sites) as the face of yoga with people more the likes of Patanjali, the man who standardized the ancient philosophical texts about 800 years ago.
"When yoga was in its womb in India, it was safe and protected, but as it ventures into the harsh world, it is in danger of disintegrating," said Dr. Scott Gerson, a prominent alternative medicine expert and internist in New York who has practiced yoga since the 1970s. Gerson refers to most of the newer yoga classes as "debauchment."
Yoga holy warriors like Gerson are calling for a return to teaching yoga in its original form, a program aimed at seeking self-enlightenment by training the mind. The physical postures, or asanas, most people think of as yoga are just one segment, and were meant to be part of a yearslong path of study that includes practicing non-violence, restraint and meditation.
In the past decade, however, yoga has been vigorously Americanized, repackaged and remarketed and spit out in a multitude of images, primarily one with a hard body. It is now taught everywhere from hip city gyms like Crunch on Miami's South Beach to grimy basement studios on Manhattan's Lower East Side to the Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Senior Center, where class meets right before quilting and pinochle.
According to Yoga Journal, the industry's biggest magazine, 15 million people practice yoga in the United States, up from 12 million in 1998. In that period, the magazine's circulation nearly tripled, to 250,000.
A frequent target for yoga purists is the genre practiced by Bikram instructor Raffael Pacitti, a popular form known as "hot yoga" because it calls for 90 minutes of deep stretching in a heated, carpeted room. Founder Bikram Choudhury, a childhood yoga champion in his native India who now lives in Beverly Hills, California, says the heat means it is easier to stretch. It also means the air smells like a massive pile of soiled gym clothes.
"The most exciting, hardworking, effective, amusing and glamorous yoga class in the world!" promises the Bikram Yoga Web site.
The fear of purists is embodied in the locker room at Bikram, where one sweaty young woman finished the class and exulted, "I could die right now and be perfectly happy."
Most of the women leaving Pacitti's class don't know that classical yoga often has little to do with stretching, and certainly not with strenuous positions or movements fast enough to make you sweat.
Maty Ezraty, who runs a popular yoga center in Santa Monica, California, sounds heartbroken when she talks about Americans' "physical addiction to sweating" and how she feels it is afflicting yoga.
As a longtime yoga practitioner, Ezraty feels she is seeing a profound philosophy and lifestyle reduced to nothing more than an alternative to step aerobics or kickboxing. But as a businesswoman, she knows she can't fight the market.
At YogaWorks, Ezraty offers the athletic style Ashtanga, or 'power yoga,' as well as meditation and deep breathing.
"Senior people are looking in awe at these sweat classes, and it's really sad," she says. "But it's a real dilemma, because these workout classes are so popular — there's no stopping them. Yoga teachers who see yoga as more than exercise are caught."
The bandwagon of those cashing in on yoga's popularity is crowded. It ranges from YogaFit, a company that trains teachers over a single weekend to individuals like Alan Ripka and Ashok Wahi.
Last year Ripka, a Manhattan lawyer, opened a yoga center whose classes are broadcast live on the Internet. It caters to businesspeople too busy to leave their office and stay-at-home parents. Wahi, a mechanical engineer and longtime yoga practitioner from Hillsborough, New Jersey, designed a 9-minute program specifically for golfers. He began selling it last year.
Wahi brushes off criticism about the mainstreaming of yoga. "It's like math vs. applied math; my approach is applied yoga."
John Tunney understands that middle ground. A yoga teacher and founder of one of the biggest yoga information Web sites — www.yogasite.com — Tunney sees everything from new teachers ignorant of basic yoga terminology to those who want to know if yoga can reduce knee flab.
While he understands purists' desire to aim for total self-realization, Tunney thinks it may be unrealistic to create the ideal cocoon in busy American life.
"I treat it as a spiritual discipline, but that doesn't mean I expect to be a long-bearded swami sitting on a mountain. For me, yoga is about being in the world." That said, he thinks the spiritual benefits of yoga sneak up on even those on a quest for a toned tummy.
"The thing about yoga is that it works whether you believe in it or not," said Tunney, of West Orange, New Jersey.
Regardless, the movement to revive yoga's classic principles is on.
The Yoga Alliance, a group of prominent yoga teachers, launched a formal registry of trained teachers in 1997. Teachers who have the alliance stamp must have at least 200 hours of training, including 30 hours of philosophy and their own teacher — something closer to the ancient system of apprenticing.
Even in mainstream Yoga Journal, an ad reminds readers: 'Asana is just the beginning,' while a letter to the editor asks why the magazine uses photographs of women who "look like they belong in Cosmopolitan." The author closes with: "I wonder what the ancients would think of this?"
Concern about the future of yoga is also coming from the home of its past, India.
Several prominent conferences there in recent years have focused on how to bring yoga back to its roots. Subodh Tiwari, administrator of the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute in Lonavala, India, said leaders from most different yoga wings agreed in 1998 to promote yoga in its authentic form.
"We can't modify yoga to suit persons, because persons have various personalities and we can't change it according to each and every person," he said from Lonavala.
Tiwari said the practice of newfangled, sweat-oriented yoga has bounced back overseas to India.
At the Chicago branch of Sivananda, one of the most traditional yoga schools, director Chandrashekara is reluctant to criticize the new yoga classes. After all, he says, "being judgmental isn't good for our health."
However, he offers his opinion in an apt metaphor: "To call these classes yoga, it's really a stretch."
___ On the Net:
Yoga Alliance: http://www.yogaalliance.com
Yoga College of India: http://www.bikramyoga.com
National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine: http://www.niam.com
General yoga information: http://www.yrec.org


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Now that the suspensions have been doled out and the obligatory appeals have been filed, it's time to take a look at exactly what happened in New Orleans.
The most damning testimony comes from the declaration signed by one of those suspended, former Saint and current Packer Anthony Hargrove. Hargrove's declaration states that former Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams and current Interim Head Coach Joe Vitt encouraged Hargrove to lie to NFL investigators repeatedly about the team's illegal bounty "hits for bucks" program. The declaration also states that Hargrove was told that he would be all but guarenteed the starting left defensive end position, something Hargrove later determined to be linked to his misleading of investigators. He was also told to remember who brought him into the league and to the Saints. It was Vitt.
If this declaration is accurate, and we have no reason to believe Hargrove had reason to lie, it goes beyond the pale. It should guarentee that Williams should never see another NFL sideline again, and it throws into question whether Vitt should join Williams in being indefinitely suspended.
These are serious charges! You have NFL coaches that were intentionally defying the league, encouraging perjury and threatening players if they didn't go along with their scheme.
A purge needs to take place in the Saints front office and on the coaching staff. The problem is systemic and will not be solved by suspending Head Coach Sean Payton for a year or General Manager Nickeye Loomis for half of a season. Winning the Super Bowl is this franchise's shining moment. Bounty-Gate is the franchise's darkest hour, and until Tom Benson breaks out the Lysol and cleans up this mess. This franchise will live under this shroud.


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warriorsstepup wrote:At the end of the day they are both beneficial to the team, just believe Barnes take a major, major leap next year.
I dunno man, usually EVERYONE (except LeBron-Durant stars) have a sophomore slump.
I can see Barnes tearing it up and getting even better, but I can also see him slumping and throwing the ball away trying to do too much. He shot 40% last year from deep as a rookie that nobody paid attention to or guarded. I don't think it's a given that he'll shoot that well again... And if his jumper doesn't anchor him, teams will back off to prevent the drive.


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Instructions for making custard, clear jelly, and fried beans.
About A Proper New Booke of Cookery
A Proper New Booke of Cookery was published in 1575. The book provides recipes for a range of dishes including broths, roast meats, pies and preserves.
The late 16th century was the first time that cookery books began to be published and acquired regularly. It was also the first time that cookery books were directed at a female audience. However, literacy rates among women were very low, so it is likely that these books would only have been purchased by the privileged few. In any case, only the higher echelons of society would have had regular access to valuable key ingredients such as sugar, spices, hothouse-grown fruits or plentiful livestock.
It is also in this period that cookery book writers begin to provide practical instructions of the kind we would recognise in the recipe books of today. The advice provided in A Proper New Booke of Cookery is relatively detailed: quantities are described in spoonfuls, dishes and ladlefuls; cooking times are outlined - in a recipe for a 'tarte of chese', sliced hard cheese should be soaked in sweet milk for three hours; the scum needs to be removed from the surface of a 'stew after the Guyse of Beyonde the Sea'; and 'Applemoyse' may be sprinkled with biscuits of cinnamon and ginger before serving.


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TDOT worker: "I'm in pain, but I'm still alive." | News
"The first thing I did was hit my knees," Amanda Chesney said.
She's describing her reaction to the news her husband, 34-year-old Josh Chesney, had been struck by a vehicle while on the job.
Chesney, a TDOT employee hired just last month, was working on a paving project on Highway 11-E in Jefferson City Wednesday afternoon when it happened.
Chesney had stepped out to try to slow and stop the traffic, according to Jefferson City Police.
A truck, driven by 26-year-old Billy Ray Henderson, of Jefferson City, did stop. But the vehicle behind him, driven by 45-year-old Robin Sue Rogers, of Talbott, veered to avoid the truck, clipped it, and then struck Chesney.
"The worker actually was ejected, he was airborne and he struck a piece of construction equipment," Patrolman Keith Bunch said. "It was pretty severe. A lot of people were upset, some of the bystanders, some of the witnesses, friends and co-workers of the victim very upset and distraught, the people involved in the crash, a lot of crying, lot of tears, a lot of fear as to what kind of state that the victim was in, was he gonna be OK, was he gonna live."
Chesney was airlifted to UT Medical Center with multiple broken bones and a fractured skull.
"He's in a lot of pain, he's had to fight really hard, but the Lord has pulled us through," Amanda Chesney said of her husband Thursday afternoon.
Around 24 hours later, he was awake, talking, and sitting up in a chair.
"He's making wonderful progress," his wife said. "He's a fighter, and God is with us."
The crash brings the focus back to the risks for TDOT workers, spokesman Mark Nagi said.
"This is dangerous work that these folks do," he said. "They're so close to vehicles that are coming right against them into this work zone. I think people need to be very aware of the fact that these workers can be present at any of these times around these zones, and those speed limits are posted for a specific reason. A lot of times, people are driving the same miles per hour that they normally would, but in a work zone, people really do need to slow down."
TDOT recently hung a plaque in the administration building off Strawberry Plains Pike. It's dedicated to workers killed on the job, listing them by name.
Last year, 26 workers were killed on job sites across the state, according to the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Thirty-seven people were killed in 2010, 31 in 2009, and 39 in 2008.
"I think when people read about it in the newspaper, hear it on the news, they think about it for a day or two and then they kind of forget about it," Nagi said. "Any time you see any orange barrels or cones in an area, there's a possibility that there are workers present at that time."
After the crash Wednesday and again on Thursday, Jefferson City police stationed a patrol car near the work zone to deter drivers from speeding.
Meanwhile, Chesney issued his own statement from his hospital bed.
"With God as my savior, he's the only reason I'm still here," he said in a statement. "I still have a job with God. God's work isn't over with me. I thank the Lord that he's brought me through. I'm in pain, but I'm still alive.
"People in traffic just need to pay attention in construction zones. If the driver of that car had just been paying attention and moving slower, I wouldn't be in this situation now. I didn't see it coming until it was too late. It would be so much safer for the workers if people would just slow down."
Police cited Rogers for following too closely. Henderson was cited for failure to show proof of insurance.
"No family should have to go through this, and no work crew should have to go through this," Amanda Chesney said. "The people at DOT are family, they act as a family, and it was traumatizing for them as well to see their crew member hurt like that, and nobody should have to go through that, nobody."


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Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope
Space Shuttle Columbia: Mission of Hope Previous Broadcasts
KQED 9: Fri, Feb 1, 2013 -- 5:00 AM
Dawn is breaking on the morning of February 1, 2003, above West Texas. Suddenly the peace of the early morning is shattered by two loud bangs. The Space Shuttle Columbia is announcing its return home, causing sonic booms as it streaks across the sky at three times the speed of sound. The shuttle is speeding toward a Florida homecoming. But in an instant, onlookers below and controllers in Houston are stunned at what they see. Something has gone horribly wrong. The shuttle has broken up, vanished! Gone is its precious cargo of seven astronauts from around the world. Among them, Col. Ilan Ramon, Israel's first Astronaut. Also gone, an artifact that embodied the glory of the Shuttle's mission and the despair of its demise: a tiny Torah scroll --- smuggled into a concentration camp during the Holocaust; safeguarded by Joachim Joseph, a Holocaust survivor and carried into space by Col. Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut. It is a unique story that interweaves the heights of scientific achievement, the depths of a nation's cruelty, the private grief of a boy who came of age during the Holocaust and the public mourning of many nations in the aftermath of the Columbia Shuttle disaster.
Repeat Broadcasts:
- KQED Life: Sat, Feb 2, 2013 -- 4:00 AM
- KQED Life: Fri, Feb 1, 2013 -- 10:00 PM
- KQED World: Fri, Feb 1, 2013 -- 1:00 PM
- KQED World: Fri, Feb 1, 2013 -- 7:00 AM


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On special occasions, Indians use ceremonial cloths, or rumal, to cover elaborate metal serving dishes. Embroidered in silk, this rumal depicts a spiritual dance called Rasa Iila, in which the (blue) god Krishna appears with his milkmaids, called gopis. As the supreme mystic, Krishna takes on multiple forms and dances in their midst.
Asia: South Asia, India, Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Chamba
Asia: South Asia, Pakistan, Sindh
Asia: South Asia, India, Northern India, Himachal Pradesh
Asia: South Asia, India, Western India, Gujarat, Saurashtra


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Names: Elaine Verrent and Paul Rundell
Pub: The Eagle, Amersham
What do you like about this pub? It's the only proper community pub left in the town. It's a proper pub where the locals, and everyone else who wants to, come in and feel comfortable. The bar staff are great. We come in for socialising and conversation. A pub is four walls and a bar - it's the people in it that make it, and this is good for the community.
How often do you come here? We come here practically every evening because we enjoy it.
Do you have a regular seat? We prefer sitting at the bar. There's a number of people who like drinking at the bar - whoever gets here first gets their preferred place.
What's your usual drink? White wine spritzer for Elaine and a pint of lager for Paul.


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Wheels at 1A Auto
What are automotive wheels and where are they located?
The wheels are what finally translate the power generated from your engine to the movement of your car or truck. They mount to the wheel hubs, and the tires mount to them. You could say that the wheels are where the rubber meets the road. Some people refer to wheels as "rims," but technically the rim is only the edge of the wheel that the tire attaches to.
Buying wheels can be confusing. Many wheels on the market are multi-fit or specialty wheels, used to customize automobiles. To find wheels that match the ones you had before, you'd have to know your wheel width, diameter, and bolt pattern. At 1A Auto, we make it easy. Our aftermarket wheels are specific to your model and designed to fit just like the original. You just need to know your model to find the right wheels.
How do I know if my vehicle's wheels need to be replaced?
Wheels can suffer aesthetic or structural damage. Your wheels get exposed to the elements which, over time, can lead to corrosion. Wheels are painted to prevent corrosion, but if the paint starts to chip, moisture, salt and dirt can gain access to the metal. To avoid corrosion, exercise caution any time you clean your wheels. Acidic soap or too much abrasion can also take off paint and expose the metal.
It also pays to be cautious when driving to avoid structural wheel damage. Bumping the curb or hitting potholes too hard can dent or bend the wheel rims. The wheel spokes provide support, so damage is more likely to be on the inside of the wheel, where it's not visible. Vibration in the steering column and a decrease in steering responsiveness can be signs of a bent rim.
Can I replace an automotive wheel myself?
Replacing your wheels will require a little bit of help from a professional technician. New wheels won't do you much good without tires on them, so you'll have to take your wheels to have tires mounted on them. Your local mechanic or tire shop will use special equipment to mount the tire to the wheel. Once that's done, replacing the wheel is relatively easy. You just need to remove the lug nuts from the old wheel, pull it off, put the new wheel on, and tighten the lug nuts. Be sure to tighten the lug nuts to the manufacturer's recommended torque specification in a crisscrossing pattern.
Need replacement wheels for your car or truck?
Without wheels, your vehicle isn't going anywhere. Wheels are the metal support for the car or truck's tires, and ensure the vehicle's stability while driving. They carry a big burden when it comes to the functioning of your vehicle—literally—so, if they are in need of replacement, it's obvious that you do so ASAP in order to get your ride rolling again. At 1A Auto, we carry a huge selection of replacement wheels for many makes and models, and at great prices. These replacement wheels are just what you need to get your vehicle in good working order again!
At 1A Auto, we make shopping for replacement wheels for your car, truck, SUV or van easy—we're here to help you select the right parts for your vehicle! Call our customer service toll free at 888-844-3393 if you have any questions about our aftermarket wheels, warranty, compatibility or to purchase, or you can buy online.


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So if you have a player who's supposed to play one night, but he gets the flu and ends up being a last minute decision to sit out - do you still get charged a Game Played if you don't know that he's going to end up sitting and you leave him on the roster for that night?
No, you don't get charged a game played until the player spends 1 second of official time on the court.
I wish I understood how this worked in the first place I kinda have a grasp on it, but can't quite figure out why Dressel's total never varies much. Actually since about a month into the season, there's been very little movement at all.
Presumably baseball was like that? Would that mean there's a problem with the scoring or is it just you gloating
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55 €–75 €
Limited Edition Print - Size: A2, A3, A4. Exclusively Licenced by Juškus Gallery.
Limited to 500 pieces of each original.
Vytautas Kairiūkštis
Cubistic composition: Sitting woman. 1924
Technique: oil on canvas
Original size: 96x65
Museum: Lithuanian Art Museum
All copyrights reserved by Juškus Gallery & Lithuanian Art Museum.
In the works of Vytautas Kairiūkštis who is titled as Lithuanian avant-garde pioneer, ideas of Constructivism, Suprematism, Cubism are combined. Innovative works of V.Kairiūkštis were often shocking to the visitors of exhibitions those days, therefore he came into the Lithuanian art's history of the first half of twentieth century as one of the most prominent modernists.
The most interesting phase of the artist's career – the interwar period. This period is characterized by V. Kairiūkštis' creative features revealed in one of the most famous artist's work – small format painting "Kubistinė kompozicija. Sėdinti moteris" ("Cubist composition. Seated Woman").
In the center of the painting we can see a superimposed figure of a woman. A woman is probably the most favorite motif in the works of V. Kairiūkštis, she served as a tool to the experiments of shapes. The illustration of the body parts are made abstract to great extent into geometric shapes, and image space is fragmented into geometric plane surface. Strict, straight lines and free wavy curves of woman's hair and body fit in the composition of dynamic diagonals. Bright and warm color, smooth and thin brushwork – typical creative plastic language features of V.Kairiūkštis – are revealed in this work of art.
The title of this work suggests that this composition was created on the basis of the principles of Cubism and shows the artist's sympathy for this avant-garde art direction. However, the picture's finesse, easy lyricism and an inclination to the décor also shows the influence of decostyle which has significantly reduced the bold creative artistic language of Vytautas Kairiūkštis.
Source: ndg.lt