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In two years, cervical cancer has gone from obscure killer confined mostly to poor nations to the West's disease of the moment.
Tens of millions of girls and young women have been vaccinated against the disease in the United States and Europe in the two years since two vaccines were given government approval in many countries and, often, recommended for universal use among females ages 11 to 26.
One of the vaccines, Gardasil, from Merck, is made available to the poorest girls in the country, up to age 18, at a potential cost to the United States government of more than $1 billion; proposals to mandate the vaccine for girls in middle schools have been offered in 24 states, and one will take effect in Virginia this fall. Even the normally stingy British National Health Service will start giving the other vaccine Cervarix, from GlaxoSmithKline to all 12-year-old girls at school this September.
The lightning-fast transition from newly minted vaccine to must-have injection in the United States and Europe represents a triumph of what the manufacturers call education and their critics call marketing. The vaccines, which offer some protection against infection from sexually transmitted viruses, are far more expensive than earlier vaccines against other diseases Gardasil's list price is $360 for the three-dose series, and the total cost is typically $400 to nearly $1,000 with markup and office visits (and often only partially covered by health insurance).
Award-winning advertising has promoted the vaccines. Before the film "Sex and the City," some moviegoers in the United States saw ads for Gardasil. On YouTube and in advertisements on popular shows like "Law and Order," a multiethnic cast of young professionals urges girls to become "one less statistic" by getting vaccinated.
The vaccine makers have also brought attention to cervical cancer by providing money for activities by patients' and women's groups, doctors and medical experts, lobbyists and political organizations interested in the disease, sometimes in ways that skirt disclosure requirements or obscure the companies' involvement.
Even critics of the marketing efforts recognize the benefits of the vaccines. Girls who get the shots are less likely to have Pap tests with worrisome results that would lead to further treatment, saving themselves anxiety and discomfort and, in those cases, saving money. When it occurs, cervical cancer is a dreadful disease; genital warts, partly prevented by the Merck vaccine, can be a painful nuisance.
But some experts worry about the consequences of the rapid rollout of the new vaccines without more medical evidence about how best to deploy them. They say that because of the aggressive marketing, even parents of girls who are far from being sexually active may feel pressured into giving them a vaccine that is not yet needed and whose long-term impact is still unclear. Legislative efforts to require girls to have the vaccine only add to the pressure.
In the United States, hundreds of doctors have been recruited and trained to give talks about Gardasil $4,500 for a lecture and some have made hundreds of thousands of dollars. Politicians have been lobbied and invited to receptions urging them to legislate against a global killer. And former state officials have been recruited to lobby their former colleagues.
"There was incredible pressure from industry and politics," said Dr. Jon Abramson, a professor of pediatrics at Wake Forest University who was chairman of the committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommended the vaccine for all girls once they reached 11 or 12.
"This big push is making people crazy thinking they're bad moms if they don't get their kids vaccinated," said Dr. Abby Lippman, a professor at McGill University in Montreal and policy director of the Canadian Women's Health Network. Canada will spend $300 million on a cervical cancer vaccine program.
Merck's vaccine was studied in clinical trials for five years, and Glaxo's for nearly six and a half, so it is not clear how long the protection will last. Some data from the clinical trials indicate immune molecules may wane after three to five years. If a 12-year-old is vaccinated, will she still be protected in college, when her risk of infection is higher? Or will a booster vaccine be necessary?
Some experts are concerned about possible side effects that become apparent only after a vaccine has been more widely tested over longer periods.
And why the sudden alarm in developed countries about cervical cancer, some experts ask. A major killer in the developing world, particularly Africa, where the vaccines are too expensive for use, cervical cancer is classified as very rare in the West because it is almost always preventable through regular Pap smears, which detect precancerous cells early enough for effective treatment. Indeed, because the vaccines prevent only 70 percent of cervical cancers, Pap smear screening must continue anyway.
"Merck lobbied every opinion leader, women's group, medical society, politicians, and went directly to the people it created a sense of panic that says you have to have this vaccine now," said Dr. Diane Harper, a professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School. Dr. Harper was a principal investigator on the clinical trials of both Gardasil and Cervarix, and she spent 2006-7 on sabbatical at the World Health Organization developing plans for cervical cancer vaccine programs around the world.
"Because Merck was so aggressive, it went too fast," Dr. Harper said. "I would have liked to see it go much slower."
In receiving expedited consideration from the Food and Drug Administration, Gardasil took six months from application to approval and was recommended by the C.D.C. weeks later for universal use among girls. Most vaccines take three years to get that sort of endorsement, Dr. Harper said, and then 5 to 10 more for universal acceptance.
"In that time, you learn a lot about safety and side effects and how to use it," Dr. Harper said. "Those getting it early should be the ones who really want it and willing to accept the risk."
Dr. Richard Haupt, medical director at Merck, said the vaccine had not been rushed into use, saying that five years in clinical trails was normal before applying for licensing. He said Merck educated physicians, politicians and the public about the new vaccine to "accelerate and facilitate access."
Spokesmen for Merck and Glaxo say all indications are that their vaccines are safe and effective, and there is no evidence that a booster shot will be needed. A Glaxo spokeswoman, Sarah Alspach, said its formulation produces a "stronger and longer-lasting immune response" than conventional vaccines.
"You can only study a vaccine for so long before you license and use it in a population where it has enormous value," said Dr. Haupt at Merck. "Our hope and belief is that this is a remarkable vaccine that will have huge impact on women."
But with their high price, the vaccines are straining national and state health budgets as well as family pocketbooks. These were among the first vaccines approved for universal use in any age group that clearly cost the health system money rather than saved it, in contrast to less expensive shots, against measles and tetanus, for example, that pay for themselves by preventing costly diseases.
Health economists estimate that depending on how they are used, the two cervical cancer vaccines will cost society $30,000 to $70,000, or higher, for each year of life they save in developed countries a cost commonly seen in treating people already suffering from deadly cancers. That number will be far higher if a booster is needed.
Looked at another way, countries that pay for the vaccines will have less money available for other health needs. "This kind of money could be better used to solve so many other problems in women's health," said Dr. Lippman at McGill. "Some of our provinces are running out of money to provide primary care. I'm not against vaccines, but in Canada and the U.S., women are not dying in the streets of cervical cancer."
By contrast, if the vaccine were to become cheap enough to be used in the developing world, particularly Africa, it would revolutionize women's health. Charities like the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunizations, backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, are trying to devise a solution.
The vaccines offer partial protection against infection from human papillomavirus, or HPV, a common and generally benign sexually transmitted virus that can in rare cases cause cancer after years of silent infection. The Merck vaccine also prevents some genital warts that are caused by other strains of the virus.
In Britain, "this initiative was seen as a good use of resources that fits with the government's health priorities and political priorities," said Professor David Salisbury, who heads the Department of Health's Vaccine and Immunization Committee.
But critics urge restraint. "There is no need to rush," said Angela Raffle, a specialist in cervical cancer screening with the National Health Service in Britain, where 400 people die of the cancer each year. "If we do this quickly and badly, we could cause more deaths," from side effects, for example, or from giving girls false security that they are protected for life and no longer need to be screened, Ms. Raffle said.
The Campaigns
Stephanie Levi decided to give her two daughters the vaccine in late 2006 after receiving a newsletter from their physician. "When you get a letter saying this is what you need to do to protect your girls, of course you do it," she said, adding that she was curious because she had not realized cervical cancer was a problem.
That week, she noticed articles and advertisements for the vaccine. "I remember thinking I had better do this quickly," said Ms. Levi who lived in New York then and now lives in Rome.
It is not hard to hear about Gardasil.
In television advertisements, a cast of hip people in their 20s artists, writers and professionals describe why they got the shots, in the language of liberation, such as, "I chose to get vaccinated because my dreams don't include cervical cancer." The advertisements direct viewers to gardasil.com, which includes patients' stories, buddy icons and downloads for holding an event at sororities.
Girls of any age who have had one dose of the vaccine can ask for text-message "reminders" from Merck to get the next two shots. The offers come with another reminder: "I understand that the information I provide will be used by Merck or those working on behalf of Merck for market research purposes."
For such efforts, Merck last May swept the 2008 Pharmaceutical Advertising and Marketing Excellence awards, and Gardasil was named Brand of the Year by Pharmaceutical Executive magazine.
The marketing helped make Gardasil one of Merck's best sellers, with a projected sales of $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion outside Europe this year, and more from sales in Europe, where Merck sells the vaccine through a joint venture with Sanofi Aventis.
Aggressive pharmaceutical advertising is nothing new, but the campaign was a revolution for a vaccine. Vaccines were traditionally the orphans of the pharmaceutical world because they were cheap and not particularly profitable. But the two for cervical cancer are the latest in a wave of high-priced vaccines that have come to market since 2001, opening a lucrative new field.
Co-opting Doctors and Nurses
Girls and their families are by no means the only marketing target.
In 2006, hundreds of doctors and nurses were signed up as unofficial spokesmen for Gardasil, trained by Merck, provided with a multimedia presentation and paid $4,500 for each 50-minute talk, delivered over Merck-sponsored meals. Many were paid for attending Merck "advisory board" meetings to discuss the shots.
Merck said it provided assistance to speakers "to make sure they are providing accurate information in accordance with F.D.A.-approved labeling and to make sure dissemination of information is always appropriate," said Amy Rose, a company spokeswoman.
Promotion and marketing for Cervarix, Glaxo's version of the vaccine, has been far less visible, in part because it has not been approved yet for use in the United States, and because consumer advertising of medicines is prohibited in much of Europe. Outstanding data from final clinical trials will probably be submitted to American drug regulators early next year, the company said.
There has also been a proliferation of cervical cancer awareness conferences and campaigns, sponsored by a host of new or newly energized scientific and patient groups financed with the help of Merck and Glaxo. In some cases the financial support has been indirect, so patients are unaware that expert advice has been at last partly paid for by the vaccine makers.
Gregory A. Poland, a vaccine expert at the Mayo Clinic, was a nonvoting member on the C.D.C. panel that recommended Gardasil in 2006 and has publicly defended the panel's decision. Records show he received at least $27,420 in expenses and consulting fees from Merck from 1999 to 2007. Both the C.D.C. and Dr. Michael Camilleri, chairman of the Mayo Clinic Conflict of Interest Review Board, speaking on Dr. Poland's behalf, said the payments complied with institutional requirements.
To encourage vaccination on campus, Merck provided the American College Health Association with an unrestricted grant to train its officers to speak about the new vaccine and to create kits to discuss cervical cancer and promote the vaccine for college health services. The association now recommends the shot for all female college-age students, even though many in that group already have HPV, rendering the vaccine less useful.
Dr. James Turner, president-elect of the association, said it accepted Merck's grant to undertake the campaign because "HPV is a very important health issue for college students," adding that his group was "a very small organization, and we don't have funds."
Small charities have also benefited from Merck's contributions.
At the second annual patient conference of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, planned for Los Angeles this October, four of the seven scheduled speakers have received money for research or consulting from Merck, Glaxo or other companies involved in HPV screening or detection, though the conference organizers do not mention that. The coalition, which supports widespread use of the cervical cancer vaccines, is headed by a businessman, Alan Kaye, who owns a pathology lab that performs Pap smears and HPV tests, among other services. "We are a poor nonprofit, and I've been working on this issue for years," said Mr. Kaye, who hopes to receive grants from the drug makers to help pay for the conference.
Persuading the Governments
In country after country, Merck and Glaxo also appealed to politicians. Vaccines, unlike antibiotics, tend to be recommended or mandated by governments. "We support policy leaders and try to educate legislators," Dr. Haupt said.
In the United States, 41 states have passed or begun considering legislation on cervical cancer, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and 24 have considered proposals to mandate the vaccine for girls, generally in middle school.
Many bills, like ones passed in Colorado, New Jersey and New York, allocate more money for HPV and cervical cancer education or to promote the vaccine. Others, like proposals in Iowa and Louisiana, require insurers to cover it.
The only state to pass a bill requiring the vaccine for school entry is Virginia; it takes effect in October, after school begins, so will first apply in 2009.
Merck has a growing economic interest in Virginia. In December 2006, Merck announced it would invest $57 million to expand its Elkton, Va., plant to make Gardasil, helped by a $700,000 grant from a state economic development agency that is part of the executive branch. Two months later, Gov. Tim Kaine, who has been mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential candidate, signed legislation requiring Gardasil for schoolgirls. Four months after that, Merck pledged to invest $193 million more in the plant to make drugs and vaccines, helped by a state grant of $1.5 million.
Delacey Skinner, a spokeswoman for the governor, said the state's vaccination program included an unusually broad freedom to decline the shot. To exempt children from other vaccines, parents must provide a medical reason; for Gardasil, they do not. "It is a very easy step that we can take to prevent a sometimes deadly but certainly serious form of cancer," Ms. Skinner said.
"Without hesitation or question," she added, the decisions about the plant and about the mandate legislation "were completely separate."
But, as in many states where cervical cancer legislation has been considered, there have been ties between drug makers and members of government. In 2006, one of Merck's newly hired Virginia lobbyists was Sandra D. Bowen, who had spent years as Virginia's secretary of administration. And Bill Bolling, the state's lieutenant governor, became an outspoken participant in the "Ending Cervical Cancer in Our Lifetime" campaign, a program started in 2006 by the National Lieutenant Governors Association and financed largely by Merck and Glaxo.
"This is an important public health issue," said Randy Marcus, Mr. Bolling's spokesman.
In Texas, Merck hired Gov. Rick Perry's former chief of staff as a lobbyist, and contributed $6,000 to the governor and $38,000 to other legislators. Last February, Mr. Perry ordered that all schoolgirls be inoculated with Gardasil, a pronouncement that was overturned by the Texas Legislature, 181 to 3, a few months after the financial conflicts were revealed.
Early last year, Merck announced that it would no longer actively lobby for state mandates. But Dr. Haupt defended the initial impulse, saying that historically such school requirements had been a successful way to increase access to and financing for vaccines.
Other forms of lobbying continue: Merck and Glaxo have both paid into a program run by Cornerstone Government Affairs, a Washington firm, to lobby the C.D.C. and Congress for more federal money for vaccines.
In Britain, drug makers paid for breakfast meetings with politicians and visited the nurses and family practitioners who are the backbone of the National Health Service, urging them to offer the vaccine.
In Belgium, the health minister approved the vaccine before the country's health technology evaluation committee had finished deliberating.
Unanswered Questions
Many questions about the vaccines remain unanswered, including how long immunity will last. Even commercials for Gardasil say in small print that "the duration of protection has not been established."
Dr. Harper said that in the data from Merck's clinical trials, which she helped conduct, the vaccine was no longer protective after just three years in some girls. "The immunity of Gardasil will not last that is dangerous to assume," she said.
She said she believed that at least one booster shot, and probably more, would be needed over a lifetime. Dr. Haupt of Merck said that the "durability of immunity" would ultimately be defined through widespread use of the vaccine, but that the company's research strongly suggested that immunity would be long lasting far more than five years.
Other independent experts worry that eliminating the two cancer-causing HPV strains covered by Gardasil and Cervarix might allow the other cancer-causing strains of HPV to increase in frequency, reducing the vaccine's effect. But Dr. Haupt said such "theoretical possibilities" should not deter rapid distribution of an important vaccine. "We'll worry about whether boosters are needed down the road," he said.
The question of side effects, however, has nagged the vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control asks health care centers to report side effects through its Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System; reporting is voluntary. There have been 9,749 reports, almost all from doctors and nurses, of patients experiencing adverse events after receiving the vaccine, the agency announced in a joint report with the Food and Drug Administration at the end of June. Ninety-four percent of them were not serious, ranging from arm pain to fainting, and 6 percent were classified as serious, including blood clots, paralysis and at least 20 deaths.
But 16 million doses of the drug have been distributed by Merck in the United States, and in a population so large, "by chance alone some serious adverse effects and deaths" will occur, the F.D.A. and C.D.C. said.
The agencies said there was no indication that the deaths or serious side effects were caused by the shot, concluding that "Gardasil continues to be safe and effective and its benefits continue to outweigh its risks."
Both the agencies and Merck acknowledge that there does appear to be a high rate of fainting, so doctors are now advised to observe patients for 15 minutes after receiving a shot.
For some couples, the vaccine has raised agonizing questions over how to safeguard their children's health. Phillip and Barbara Tetlock, both professors at the University of California at Berkeley, are asking whether Gardasil shots that their daughter, Jenny, received last year contributed to her illness, an extremely rare form of progressive paralysis that has left her bed bound and needing assistance to breathe at age 14.
The Tetlocks, who are not pursuing legal action, are appealing to the C.D.C. and Merck for more data and searching for other girls with similar conditions through their blog (www.jenjensfamily.blogspot.com). "Her parents are scientists they know better than to assume Gardasil caused her disease," said Terry Murray, a close friend speaking for the family. "But you have to explore the possibility."
Dr. Harper said she believed the vaccine was generally safe. She vaccinated her own children. But with Gardasil's use having grown so fast, she added, "you inevitably find adverse events that you wouldn't have suspected."
"The Tetlocks are right to ask these questions," she added.
Dr. Haupt of Merck said that the company knew of the case but saw no "causal association."
Worth the Cost?
Countries and consumers must decide whether it is worth preventing cervical cancer with a costly vaccine.
Cervical cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, with 500,000 new cases worldwide each year. But more than 90 percent of them are in developing countries, according to the World Health Organization; 274,000 women died of this cancer in 2006, nearly 95 percent in developing countries.
Where there are Pap smear programs, few women die of cervical cancer. In the United States, it is responsible for 12,000 new cases a year and 3,600 deaths, most in women who did not get Pap smears, said Laurie Markowitz, head of the HPV working group at the C.D.C. (Women with H.I.V. are predisposed to the cancer.)
Pap smears work by detecting abnormal cells that are cancer precursors and that can be destroyed using techniques like lasers and cryotherapy or, rarely, surgery. As with any screening test, and most vaccines, the process is not 100 percent effective, and a small number of women with precancerous cells escape detection with false negative tests, for example. But because the transformation from abnormal cell to cancer normally takes a decade, and frequent Pap smears are recommended, it has been a successful strategy though the vaccine, used properly, might well prove a useful adjunct.
Indeed, cervical cancer does not even make the American Cancer Society's list of 10 deadliest cancers. Among American women, it causes well under a 10th of the number of deaths caused by lung cancer or breast cancer.
Though classified as a sexually transmitted disease, HPV is nearly universal and generally benign. Eighty percent of people will contract it in their lifetime and most will clear it on their own.
Dr. Haupt of Merck said the vaccines' price was worth it for the deaths prevented and the tests avoided. "Most of the old vaccines are undervalued," he said.
Dr. Abramson said he thought his C.D.C. advisory committee did the right thing in recommending Gardasil. "Cervical cancer is a worthwhile disease to prevent in a country that has the resources," he said. He believes it should be available to those who want it.
Still, he said he was shocked to hear of proposals to mandate the vaccine for students. "Are you really going to say a girl can't start school because she hasn't had this vaccine?" he said.
Meanwhile, the vaccines' proponents are moving to the next frontier: older women and boys. Merck recently applied for approval to market the vaccine to women 26 to 45 and is conducting studies on vaccinating boys, who can get genital warts from HPV.
One rationale for inoculating boys is that entire populations should be vaccinated to achieve what is called herd immunity. But critics ask whether it is worth conducting a campaign on the scale of the one used against polio to eliminate a generally harmless virus.
Said Dr. Raffle, the British cervical cancer specialist: "Oh, dear. If we give it to boys, then all pretense of scientific worth and cost analysis goes out the window."

subset: commoncrawl


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Diving with the Thresher Sharks in Malapascua Island
Malapascua got most of his fame from the thresher sharks. There are only a few places in the world where you can dive with the thresher shark and Malapascua is the best.
The name derive from the Greek word alopex, meaning fox. The long-tailed thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus, is named the fox shark by some. The common name is derived from a distinctive thresher-like tail or caudal fin which can be as long as the body of the shark itself.
It studies with tagging it was proven that the thresher shark usually spends most of the night in shallow water and descents in the morning to the depth around 200-500 meters and stays there most of the day. Thresher sharks are primarily pelagic; they prefer the open ocean,venturing no deeper than 500 meters. Common threshers are more common
in coastal waters over continental shelves.
Named for and easily recognized by their exceptionally long caudal fin, thresher sharks are active predators; to stun prey they actually use their tail. By far the largest of the three species is the Common thresher, which may reach a length of 6 meters and a weight of over 450 kilograms. The Big eye thresher is next in size, reaching a length of 4.9m and at just 3m, the Pelagic thresher. In Malapascua all three kinds were seen.
Their favorite food is bluefish, juvenile tuna, mackerel, squid, and cuttlefish. Sea Explorers starts in the early morning around 4-5 am when we go out to wait at the cleaning stations to dive with the sharks. In Malapascua around 70-80 % all year around you can see the thresher sharks.
Other pelagic animals like manta rays and mobulas come and enjoy a cleaning session in monad shoal.
In October 24, 2011 we found new cleaning stations in Monad shoal and sightings have been 100% since October. Every single morning we saw the sharks usually between 1-8 sharks a dive.
We hope it will continue longer than that.


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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a job at NSF?
Search for jobs in the United States/Canada or the United Kingdom and apply for any position of interest.
I can't find a job I want on the website. Can I still apply?
If you do not see a specific position of interest, you may register with our site and set up a job agent. The job agent will send you email notifications of new positions matching your preferences.
I submitted my application, but did not get the job. Will NSF keep my application on file?
All candidate details are stored on a central database for two years, unless we receive a written request by an individual to delete this record. These records enable us to search against candidate profiles with specific skill sets, should we identify specific recruitment needs in the future.
I am interested in more than one open position. Do I have to apply to all of them or just one?
You must submit a separate application for each position of interest. However, you will only need to upload your resume and complete additional details once – this information does carry over for each application.


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DRobertson necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 32 diseños de 7 diseñadores freelance.
The Next Door
The Next Door is a gastropub opening this summer.
- 66 seats inside, 20 on patio
- one page menu that changes often, from-scratch kitchen
- 8 craft beers on draft, changed out monthly/seasonally
- 20 other beers by the bottle
- 20 reds and 20 white wines
- small back corner unit of a smaller building in a quaint shopping center
- live acoustic music on weekends
- want old-world cozy pub feel with modern & shabby chic additions
- some walls covered with victorian door handles, antique lionhead door knockers, keys and locks. Other walls have b/w photos of famous doors (10 downing street, taj mahal etc)
- dark cherry woods with tones of beige, metallic and black cast iron are on the interior
- open for lunch & dinner daily. brunch on weekends.
- female servers wearing black pinstripe tank bustier w/dark denim and bistro apron, men wear solid colored button down w/ dark denim and apron
Located in a bedroom community. Small movie theater in our complex. A lot of "regulars" to be had in our area. Ages 30-55. Also quite a few military couples, the base is not too far from us.
We are looking to offer a quick bite to eat before the movies, fulfilling weekend brunch topped off with mimosas by the liter, a hearty lunch mid-day or a place to hang out with friends/family in the evening.
- black and white logo preferable (open to options, nothing bright though)
-bold and scroll fonts used together would be great (like the fonts Rina mixed w/Edwardian Script or something similar)
- would really like to incorporate the fleur de lis or lionhead knocker as seen in the collage attached.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Got questions? Call on 0407 487 702 (8am-8pm)
Montague Island Adventures News from Whale Watching
It's Whale watching season from September to November. During this period, warm ocean currents assemble pods of moving Humpback Whales bringing them near the shore. Montague Island and Narooma, therefore, become among the best destinations globally to watch the migrating whales. Humpback Whales differ from other whales because of their acrobatic nature. Often, the Humpback… Read more »
Address: PO Box 518, NAROOMA NSW, 2546
Phone: 0407 487 702
Facebook: Charter Fish Narooma Facebook
Instagram: Charter Fish Narooma Instagram


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What do you think of this song?
It sounds kind of experimental with the unique instruments in this song. What do you think?
What instruments are making these sounds? Sounds like someone blowing (or smoking) in a microphone @12-13 seconds and again @ 28-32, and 2:37. And something computerized from 12-20 seconds.


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We have here Brand New Calibre Tourer Renault Trafic alloy wheels in Gun Metal finish and they are
available now garanteed to fit your Renault Trafic! The Calibre Tourer is a durable model and it is available in
18" to suit many different commercial and domestic applications. The Tourer alloy features a 5 spoke design which
makes it both modern and an ideal styling choice. They are a very practical solution, being load rated to 880kg each
and finished in such a way that they are easily cleaned and maintained.
We stock a wide variety of Calibre Renault Trafic alloy wheels and you are sure to find a suitable style for your
vehicle and tastes. All of these high-quality alloy wheels have been purposely designed to fit your van, as well as meeting
the legal standard for load rating requirements.
With the Calibre brand you can be confident that you will be supplied with a high-quality, high-performing product.
These wheels are made in Germany to exacting standards, utilising years of experience and the finest engineering
skill. In addition, we are committed to providing our customers with plenty of choice when it comes to styles,
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Item Specifics:
Includes standard 12 months limited warranty!
Excellent Quality, Load Rated, Road Legal, Precision engineering
Our Renault Trafic alloy wheels are:
Please check your model Gross Vehicle Weight GVW before ordering these wheels.
There was a time when alloy wheels for vans didn't exist. Then due to Load Rating rules only extremely expensive or ugly wheels with large thick spokes could be found. But now, thanks to advances in manufacturing techniques and the dawn of quick global sourcing we at TVA Styling are able to present the highly desirable range of alloy wheels.
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Sunday, October 3, 2010
17 comments:
They're adorable. I'm thinking perhaps this is a new house and they're laying the driveway.
- October 3, 2010 at 12:00 PM
- kenju said...
They're a happy bunch!
- October 3, 2010 at 12:11 PM
- Birdman said...
Where's the spaghetti and gravy???
- October 3, 2010 at 12:21 PM
- Jean Spitzer said...
Who's the little one in the background?
- October 3, 2010 at 12:44 PM
- sonia a. mascaro said...
Just great your collection of old photos, Ken Mac!
It's inspire me to post old photos too. I have a bunch of them...
- October 3, 2010 at 1:07 PM
- -K- said...
And look at all that wide open space in the back. I can't imagine what it looks like now.
Well, actually, coming from northern Ohio, I have a very good idea what it looks like now.
I'm guessing a super-highway and an outlet mall.
- October 3, 2010 at 4:35 PM
- RIZALENIO said...
It's always a joy to see old photographs. Thanks for sharing.
- October 4, 2010 at 4:03 AM
- Banjo52 said...
Yeah, the old stuff is good, even though I don't know the people.
I've only been downtown a couple of times, but Monroe has always struck me as an All-American town. Do you know if it is, or was? Should we include the nuclear plants in the discussion?
- October 4, 2010 at 10:30 AM
- Virginia said...
Now I can spot your mom! :)
- October 4, 2010 at 11:56 PM
- Marina said...
- October 6, 2010 at 2:44 PM
- Juan Antonio Torrón Castro said...
Y yo tenia un añito ......, parece que fué el otro dia. Fotos con historia, muy bonitas.
- October 6, 2010 at 2:57 PM
- Sharon Creech said...
Luv this, like the earlier one: the shoes, the dresses, the car and houses, the smiles . . .
- October 6, 2010 at 3:56 PM
- kaisu marjatta said...
- October 21, 2010 at 1:43 PM
- ninest123 said...
ninest123 08.28
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- August 28, 2015 at 1:41 AM


text:
MONTREAL - Work crews in Quebec continue to restore power to thousands who lost electricity when a winter storm blasted parts of the province on Friday.
Hydro-Quebec says it's hoping to have electricity back at most residences and business today and Monday.
There were about 40,000 without power across the province at noon today.
More than 120,000 clients were put in the dark from heavy snow and high winds. The Laurentians and the Lanaudiere region north of Montreal got the brunt of the storm.
Some residents haven't had electricity since Friday afternoon.
In Ontario, Hydro One says about 3,000 customers remain without power.
Also on HuffPost


text:
Audubon Park
The Audubon Park neighborhood is located in northeast Minneapolis. The neighborhood is bounded by Saint Anthony Parkway, Stinson Boulevard, Lowry Avenue and Central Avenue. Stinson Boulevard is also the city's border with St. Anthony. The park and neighborhood are named in honor of John James Audubon, a great American naturalist and ornithologist. A majority of the houses in this relatively hilly neighborhood were built in the 1940s.
Identifying Features
- Audubon Park
- Hollywood Theater
- St. Anthony Parkway
Neighborhood Organization
Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA)
NE Middle School / Resource Center
2955 Hayes Street NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
(612) 788-8790
Neighborhood Group Staff Contact
Neighborhood Newsletter: Audubon Park Neighbor
Neighborhood Celebrations: Johnstock, Spring WingDing
Last updated Jun 5, 2019


text:
Part I: Laboratory Development
Updated by shikamikonotz (view history)
Questions or Comments?
Part I: Laboratory Development
Chapter 1: Starting School Laboratories
Chapter 2: Specific Technical Needs of a School Laboratory
Chapter 3: Improving an Existing School Laboratory
Chapter 4: Salvaging Old Equipment
Chapter 5: Identifying Unknown Chemicals
Part II: Laboratory Safety
Chapter 6: Guidelines for Laboratory Safety
Chapter 7: First Aid
Chapter 8: Dangerous Chemicals
Chapter 9: Dangerous Techniques
Part III: Laboratory Management
Classroom Management in the Laboratory
Chapter 11: Routine Cleanup and Upkeep
Chapter 12: Waste Disposal
Chapter 13: Recycling Materials
Part IV: Laboratory Techniques
Laboratory Techniques in Chemistry
Chapter 14: Use of the Beam Balance for Measuring Chemicals
Chapter 15: Use of a Plastic Syringe to Measure Volume
Chapter 16: Measures of Concentration
Chapter 17: Calculating the Molarity of Bottled Liquids
Chapter 18: Preparation of Solutions
Chapter 19: Preparation of Solutions Without a Balance
Chapter 20: Relative Standardization
Laboratory Techniques in Biology
Chapter 21: Preservation of Specimens
Chapter 22: Dissection
Chapter 23: Preparation of Culture Media
Chapter 24: Using a Microscope
Chapter 25: Low Tech Microscopy
Part V: NECTA Practicals
Chapter 26: Biology Practicals
Chapter 27: Chemistry Practicals
Chapter 28: Physics Practicals
Part VI: Science Activities and Competitions
Chapter 29: Hosting Science Events
Chapter 30: Science Competitions
Chapter 31: The Scientific Procedure
Appendix A: Sources of Laboratory Equipment
Appendix B: Kiswahili Laboratory Glossary
Show all
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text:
News has emerged of recyclable solar cells that almost literally grow on trees. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Purdue University have developed organic solar cells with substrates composed of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), achieving "unprecedented" efficiency of 2.7 percent.
If you're thinking that 2.7 percent doesn't sound particularly efficient, you'd mostly be right. By the standards of most organic solar cells (i.e. a solar cell with a polymer-based photoactive layer), 2.7 percent is nothing to write home about. Efficiencies of more than 10 percent have been achieved in the laboratory, which remains the natural habitat of organic cells due to their fragility.
But more than being a mere organic solar cell, this is one with a recyclable insulating substrate. That's not entirely new. The research team's paper makes numerous references to research into paper as a cheap, lightweight, flexible, and recyclable substrate for organic solar cells (the substrate is essentially the base material to which the working layers and components are applied). Organic solar cells using cellulose nanofiber substrates have also been tried but have performed poorly.
The precise claim being made is that this is the "first demonstration of efficient polymer solar cells fabricated on optically transparent cellulose nanocrystal substrates." It's a specific claim, but interesting all the same. How efficient is efficient? Potentially usefully so, would seem to be the answer. Thanks to their relative inexpensiveness, organic solar cells with efficiencies in the order of 5 percent could prove commercially viable provided their lifespan could extend to 5 years or so, according to relatively recent research. In that context, 2.7 percent begins to sound rather exciting. And it positively dwarfs past efforts on the paper and cellulose nanofiber alternatives.
The benefit of cellulose nanocrystals over cellulose nanofibers comes down to size. Width-wise, there's not a lot in it, but cellulose nanocrystals vary in length from between 50 and 500 nanometers, whereas cellulose nanofibers are at least 1 micrometer long (1 micrometer equals 1,000 nanometers).
Like paper substrates, those made from cellulose nanofibers have a rough surface (with height varying by 40nm) which is thought to account for their poor efficiencies. Research into paper substrates in 2010 resulted in a power conversion efficiency of just 0.13 percent.
"High surface roughness impedes the fabrication of smooth layers that are deposited on top because these layers (electrodes and photoactive layers) are very thin, typically of the order of 100 nm," Professor Bernard Kippelen, Georgia Tech's director of the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, told Ars. "Smooth films are required for high performance. The main negative impact is on the electrical properties."
It's no exaggeration to describe CNCs as being derived from wood. The CNC films used as the basis of the solar cells were made at the US Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory. There, softwood pulp was broken down in sulfuric acid. After cleaning and dialysis to remove the remaining acid, they were left with a suspension of CNCs that were dispersed using "ultrasonication" and purified using a centrifuge. The suspension was dried in petri dishes to create transparent CNC films, then mixed with a solution of the thickening agent glycerol for ease of handling.
The CNC substrate is central to the cells' recyclability. The substrate dissolves in water at room temperature within 30 minutes, leaving behind solar cell membranes that can be filtered from the water. The CNC substrate is potentially reusable, being left as a residue once the water has evaporated. The membranes can also be recycled in an organic solvent, which dissolves the organic photoactive layer. The remaining mineral electrodes (made from silver and molybdenum trioxide) can then be filtered for reuse. The team also discovered that the metal components were recoverable from the ashes of burned cells (an interesting trait more than a particularly desirable one, the researchers suggest).
The researchers now intend to improve the efficiency of the CNC cells to over 10 percent, which would put them on the same playing field as other organic solar cells with glass or plastic substrates. The silver electrode is thought to be throttling the efficiency due to its relatively poor light transmittance. The researchers intend to enhance its optical properties by using a thinner layer of silver and applying a highly reflective layer between it and the substrate.
"10 percent efficiency has already been achieved in conventional organic solar cells fabricated on glass," Kippelen told Ars. "We anticipate that the best charge collecting electrodes and photoactive layers used in these devices can be integrated with CNC substrates in the next 12 months."
Scientific Reports, 2013. DOI: 10.1038/srep01536


text:
Well for Starters, I do know that this sounds weird to want it to look like vista and not windows 7, but I just don't like how win7 looks, that's just me, you can not change me.
I have searched on Google quite a bit looking for this, nothing shows me to make 12.04 look like vista, just win7.
So if you could help me, thanks!


text:
ShawnW necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 144 diseños de 33 diseñadores freelance.
Wexford Property Management
We are a property management company that manages B level apartment buildings. B class is considered properties that attract young professionals/ students and small working families. They are not luxury and not slums, just in the middle. I have attached a few pics of our properties so you can get a flavor of what we deal with.
This logo design will be used on our website and stationary. Our customers are tenants and other apartment property owners. We deal with sophisticated investors so we need the look of a legit company, so no bubbly logos or cartoony designs.
We can use either "Wexford Property Mangagement", or "Wexford Management" I'd perfer to use the full wexford property management but understand that the length can be an issue to work with.
I have attached some designs to give a feel of how I want this to look.
I specifically like the style used in the text of this hotels website:
We want to have a 2 color scheme that we will be able to create metallic/ foil text printing on business cards. So I would want designs done in Black/ Silver, Dark Blue/ Gold, Dark Maroon/ Gold and other color combinations that look sharp with the metallic print.
I want something simple and small that represents what we do, see above for description of business. I want this to tie into the text but not overwhelm the design. Something simple and abstract.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Notary Public Education
"NotaryClassOnline.com helped me become a commissioned Notary Public in the state of California. All it took was the desire, about six hours of my time and an Internet connection."
"NotaryClassOnline.com has an in-depth 3 hour refresher course for renewing Notaries Public in the State of California. It took up three hours that I was able to spread over a couple days. This was great because I could take the class on the internet when I had spare time."
The Notary Public Profession is one of the fastest growing professions in America. But that doesn't mean becoming a Notary Public is a one-step process. The state of California currently requires Notary Publics to complete a State of California Approved Notary Education Course prior to taking the final Notary Public State Exam.
Now you can call the shots on where, when and how you complete the required mandatory hours of Notary Education. Whether you're looking for a career change or a way to enhance your expertise in your current career, NotaryClassOnline.com brings you the most convenient way to complete the course of education required in order to become a commissioned Notary Public in the State of California. All it takes is your computer and an Internet connection to make it happen.
New & Renewing Notaries
All persons seeking appointment as a notary public must satisfactorily complete a Secretary of State approved (6) six-hour course of study prior to appointment. Please note that all persons being appointed, no matter how many notary public commission terms that person has held in the past, are required to take a state approved (6) six-hour course of study at least one time.
Current California notaries public with a valid notary public commission and who have completed an approved (6) six-hour course of study at least once can satisfactorily complete an approved (3) three-hour refresher course prior to reappointment. Important: An approved three-hour refresher course is only acceptable if the notary public applies for reappointment (applying for reappointment includes taking the class, summiting an application, taking and passing the state approved exam) before expiration of the current notary public commission. If the notary public commission expires before course completion and a completed application is received, the person must take another approved six-hour course before being reappointed as a notary public.
NotaryClassOnline.com offers classes for both new Notary Public and renewing Notary Public students:
- The classes are state-licensed notary education
- The most convenient way to get the (3) three hour Notary Public refresher course or the (6) six hours of Notary Public education required by the State of California under your belt
- A proven way to help you absorb the knowledge required to pass the Notary Public State Exam
Get your Notary Public education from the Distance Learning Company that pioneered online training over 10 years ago. Complete the California Notary Public Course -- all from the comfort and convenience of your own home, on your own time.
- Seals, Embossers, Stamps
- Notary E&O Insurance
- Notary Journal
Learn More
Q: How can I become a Notary Public in California?
A: In order to become notary you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a resident of the State of California
- Be 18 years of age
- Complete 6 hours mandatory course
- Pass a written examination
- Complete application
- Pass a background check, i.e. be finger printed
- No felony or conviction
Q: What do I need to know about the State exam?
A: You need to pass a notary exam administered by proctors from the State of California. Out of 30 multiple choice questions you must answer 21 correct to achieve at least 70%.
Q: Will I receive proof that I took the course?
A: Yes. After taking the online course you will be able to print out your completion certificate right online.
Get answers to more Notary Public Questions...


text: The Amazon River Forest exhibit is in full bloom this spring! In addition to seeing an amazing collection of animals, visitors to the Aquarium can also learn about beautiful plants and flowers that are found in various habitats. One of the most recognizable flowers right now is the Aristolochia gigantea, or Dutchman's pipe. These odd flowers are 6-8 inches across with a mottled maroon and white coloration. They are designed to attract flies by mimicking rotting flesh in scent and appearance (ew!). Flies that enter the hole at the center of the flower are trapped temporarily inside a chamber, where they inadvertently act as pollinators. Special hairs in the tube leading to the chamber allow the insects to enter, but make exiting much more difficult! Tags: amazon-river-forest, dutchmans-pipe, flowers Categories: Animals, Behind-The-Scenes Previous Post Next Post


text:
Enjoy this challenging trail along the historic Camperdown to Timboon rail line. The trail traverses volcanic lakes, open farmland, wet sclerophyll forest and spectacular trestle bridges on an even descent via Cobden into Timboon.
Location: Camperdown to Timboon
Length: 34km one way
Track: Gravel/road
Grade: Level 2 – Suitable for most ages and fitness levels, some riding experience recommended
Start: Camperdown V/Line station
Finish: Timboon Railway Shed Distillery
Note: Section between Merretts Road and the Curdies River Bridge contain some sections of steep narrow path bypassing historic trestle bridges. Cyclists and horse riders are advised to dismount and walk these short sections. Riders should also be aware of a steep on road ascent/descent between Lake Bullen Merri and Lake Gnotuk (Sadlers Road)
Getting there: Travel via V/line or the Princes Hwy (A1) to Camperdown. Return bus trips are currently available in both directions on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with short trips to sections of the trail available on some Thursdays and Sundays. This ride can be done in either direction.
Map pins are available via the tab key in a list after the map.
You can pan the map with the keyboard arrows.
-38.2287 143.15085


text:
Yesterday two friends and I made our first foray this year into France by bike, travelling the by now well-worn route that goes from Freiburg-Umkirch-Bötzingen-Wasenweiler-Ihringen-Breisach and on into Alsace over the Rhine. It was the first really warm day we'd had for weeks, following a period when it rained A LOT; not surprisingly, the arable fields, meadows, orchards, vineyards, riverbanks and woods we passed (through) were looking in fine form, extremely green and lush – all in all, a great advert for nature's astounding range of fertility, which I have enthused about before here.
Most of the route was in Germany – our actual destination, a supermarket near Neuf-Brisach, may be 35km from Freiburg, but it's only about 5-6km beyond the Rhine border. You always do notice quite profoundly that you've crossed into another country – quite apart from that fluvially based feeling of crossing over to the other side (via several bridges, I might add), the road markings, signs and cycle paths immediately take on a different quality, and the style of building is also rather different.
What bowled me over on this occasion, though – and I suspect this means that we haven't done this tour at exactly this time of year before – was the sheer variety of wild flowers to be seen in the waysides and verges on the French side of the border. Yes, just as much land (if not even more) is given over to organized agriculture over there, but they obviously don't trim the edges as assiduously (at least in Alsace – I don't know whether this is "départemental" policy or a general French thing) as the Germans (or, I would venture to say, the British) do. And it really does make a difference. On the German side, my heart did soar when I saw the poppies dotted among the barley fields – clearly no farmer is going to go through an arable field removing them summarily and selectively – but THIS explosion of hip-high random colour and variety west of the Rhine was beyond compare.
I'm a little sorry to say that we didn't take the time to stop and actually examine the flowers, but I did look as carefully as I could and spotted cornflowers (in blue, pink and dark red), dog daisies, something (white and frothy) akin to meadowsweet or cow parsley (I will probably never learn the difference), calendula (orange and yellow), not just red poppies but orange and yellow ones two, and a proliferation of other pink flowers that my flower book suggests were probably crown vetch (I'd never seen this flower before so didn't recognize it at first). If anyone recognizes any of the other varieties that can be seen in the picture I've used here, please let me know so that I can look out for them next time…
The whole experience has left me feeling rather thoughtful. I had rather come to assume that floral displays of this kind were largely the preserve of the past, childhood memories, old photos, kitschy films, far-away places, idyllic hidden oases, or of cottage gardens sown with "mixed meadow flower" seeds from a pack to make them look quaint and rustic. The discovery that they are there to be seen in such natural abundance so close to here fills me with wonder and gratitude on the one hand, but on the other hand with disappointment that this biodiversity has been so widely suppressed by policies of orderliness or environmental "control" in so many areas that would not so very long ago also have boasted such a rich variety of native flora.


text:
No Albert
Three games in St. Louis, minus Albert Pujols, starts on Tuesday night, the end of a six-game road trip in which the Phillies are 1-2.
Phillies are 17-16 on the road, but have lost 11 of their last 16, mainly because of a silent offense. Shane is hot right now and has taken over the club lead in batting average. Polly is on a down cycle, which happens. He'll get it going again.
Tracking Alumni
Executives: Ruben Amaro Jr. (Phillies GM), Bob Boone (Nationals Asst. GM & VP Player Development), Scott Reid (Tigers VP, Player Personnel).
Special Assistants/Assignments: Jim Fregosi (Braves), Dave Hollins (Phillies), Joe Lefebvre (Giants), Chuck Cottier (Nationals), Pat Corrales (Nationals), Ruben Amaro Sr. (Astros), Lee Elia (Braves), Jeff Conine (Marlins), Gary Sutherland (Angels), Davey Johnson (Nationals), Jim Davenport (Giants).
Down On The Farm
Reliever Andrew Carpenter (5-0) turned in two more scoreless innings to pick up the 4-3 Lehigh Valley win over Indianapolis . . . 1B Matt Rizzotti (13) and CF Derrick Mitchell (12) homered but Reading dropped a 5-4, 12-inning decision to Erie . . . C Sebastian Valle (.354) returned from the DL (sprained right thumb) but Clearwater started the second half with a 10-3 loss to Tampa . . . Williamsport fell to 2-2 with a 7-1 loss at Jamestown . . . Gulf Coast League Phillies opened their season with a 6-5 win over the Tigers. DH Bernardo Solatre hit a 3-run homer.
Today In Baseball
1964 – On Father's Day at Shea Stadium, Phillies RHP Jim Bunning pitches the first perfect game (excluding Don Larsen's 1956 World Series effort and Harvey Haddix's 1959 extra-inning loss) since Charlie Robertson's on April 30, 1922. He also becomes the first pitcher to win no-hitters in both leagues and drives in 2 runs as Philadelphia beats the Mets 6-0. Gus Triandos becomes the first catcher to catch a no-hitter in each league. The Mets don't fare much better in the nightcap as rookie Rick Wise wins his first game and gives up just 3 hits for an 8-2 win.


text:
Chimichurri and feta spiked mung bean sprouts in a baked, jumbo spring roll
I expended most of this weekend searching for a replacement car after mine was written off a couple of weeks ago. A van rammed into the back of my car at some traffic lights (I had stopped already) crushing the entire boot. I had a few moments of breathless hysteria because my little one was in the back, but fortunately, we are ok. A bit of whiplash, but blessed to be ok.
So, instead of visits to the zoo or park this weekend, we have been from car sales cosmos to showroom underworlds. Can you tell that I don't enjoy shopping for cars? But it is an interesting world.
As I stood eyeing up a Seat Leon, two broad and bald men chuckled to each other that it is the poor man's Audi. I smiled silently as I was thrown back to sitting/being squished in the back of the car of someone boasting to my mother about their impending purchase of a brand new Mercedes. Back then car sharing to weddings was common practise and London felt like planets away from Leicester, where I grew up. Of course back then I had no idea that London would become my home. It is where I started my married life, working life and built treasured friendships.
Anyway, I remember clearly sensing the inferiority that this lady wanted my mother to feel. She went on to describe their family business and property and how I looked awkward and that my face didn't fit well on my body, but even though I was probably just 12 I knew that actually, she was without the basics in life of love and respect. I looked at my attractive mother who was adorned in a new sari and jewellery that my dad had chosen for her. Then I looked at the other lady, who was lacking.
The car is something of, 'what do you do for a living' or 'where do you live', isn't it? Except it doesn't grow does it? I once worked with a chap who did very well professionally and lived in an area brimming with upmarket delicatessens, fancy florists, and tiny Thai restaurants and of course fabulous schools, but drove a moving skip, as he called it. I learned a lot from him on many levels.
That said I know how I feel when I put on a nice dress, good perfume, make-up and a few simple but lovely accessories. I am sure my stance changes, my attitude might change too.
Head in a thorough spin, I decided to call it the end to a hot and bothersome level of thinking and head to the garden for some running under the sprinkler with the boy after the swings and slide. I needed refreshing with some zesty, summery, zingy, nutty, salty, juicy food with crunch and crisp thrown in. See where we are going with this?
I love mung bean sprouts; they are silky and nutty, cook quickly and I love the feeling of their little tails. They work fabulously well with chimichurri dressing but I have a confession; I cheated and used some Thai basil with the parsley and guess what? It gives the most fantastic, lasting herbiness. It is actually all pretty gorgeous, a healthy vegetarian recipe and I served the mung bean sprout spring rolls (baked for added bonus) with Za'atar sweet potato fries, because you know, it's all about balance.
Ingredients to make 6 large rolls
For the sauce
350g mung bean shoots
One red onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic
The juice of one lemon
A large bunch of parsley
Salt to taste
1 tsp. chilli flakes or more if you like it hot
1 tsp. oregano, dried or fresh
A small bunch of Thai basil, finely chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
Other ingredients
200g feta cheese, cut into small cubes
12 sheets of spring roll pastry, defrosted
Oil for coating the rolls
½ tsp. turmeric
- Blitz together all of the ingredients for the sauce and leave to a side
- Heat a pan and add a splash of oil and then add the turmeric and mung bean shoots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and then add the chimichurri sauce
- Cook the mung bean shoots for approximately 4-5 minutes longer before turning off the heat and allowing the mixture to cool and then add the feta cheese
- Take two sheets of spring roll pastry and leave a 3-4 cm gap from the bottom and sides and place 3-4 dessert spoons in a line and tightly roll into a cylinder shape and leave it to the side
- Place the rolls in an oven after greasing them lightly and bake them at 200 degrees until they are lightly golden.


text:
Topic: Republic Commando Ringtone
Made up a "Vode An" ringtone. But to get it, you have to make a Phonezoo account. Or, if you just want to listen to it, you can sign in using mine.
Password: Baldur
Sign out afterwards, so it doesn't give other's a hassle.
I might make more as I get them.
--Captain Dynamic--


text:
© The Financial Times Ltd 2014 FT and 'Financial Times' are trademarks of The Financial Times Ltd.
1. KPMG reported on the results of obtaining evidence and applying specified audit procedures relating to selected survey data provided for the Financial Times 2008 MBA ranking for selected business schools. Enquiries about the assurance process can be made by contacting Michelle Podhy and Patrick Gaudet of KPMG by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. The specified audit procedures were carried out between November 2007 and January 2008. The audit date denotes the year that the most recent selected survey data was subject to specified audit procedures.
2. These schools run additional courses for MBA students for which additional language skills are required. These figures are included in the calculations for the ranking but are not represented on the table to avoid confusion.


text:
Originally published March 3, 2010
In an increasingly mature and complex market, Taipei Fubon Bank needed to accurately determine profit and loss data by customer and customer group so that it could lower operating costs and increase profits while maintaining its quality of service. The bank developed a customer profitability management system that provides in-depth information regarding cardholder spending patterns and profitability to build highly targeted marketing and retention programs. This system reduces costs by providing timely profit and loss management reports, thus speeding the marketing strategy adjustment decisions.
Since emerging from the consumer finance credit and debit card crisis in 2006, Taipei Fubon Bank, a subsidiary of Fubon Financial Holding Co., has emphasized customer profitability. Its Consumer Finance Division was the first in the company to implement a customer profitability management (CPM) system. This system extracts individual credit card transactions from a large database of complex customer transactions. The system then investigates each credit card transaction, analyzing the actual costs and profits by customer or customer group.
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text:
Accesscontrol is in beta version. Submit your bugs and feature wishes here.
The accesscontrol extension
If you want to restrict access for some sites, this extension is for you. This is still quite experimental, so don't hesitate to test it and report bugs!
In order to use it, you must first add the following line to your ocsigen.conf:
<extension findlib-package="ocsigenserver.ext.accesscontrol"/>
Here, we call ''actions'' elements that can be put in a site configuration. Actions include <eliom>, <static>, etc.
This extension defines several actions.
The <if> action
It takes as children a condition followed by a <then> element and possibly an <else> element. When a request reaches an <if>, if the condition evaluates to true, then the whole <if> behaves as if it had been replaced by the contents of the <then> element, otherwise it behaves as if it had been replaced by the contents of the <else> element. A missing <else> is considered as an <else> with no children.
Atomic conditions:
- <ip value="..." />: value can be an IPv4 or IPv6 address, with an optional /n suffix indicating a subnet mask; true if the IP address of the client matches value.
- <port value="..." />: value can be a number; true if the request was received on port value. (new in 1.2)
- <ssl/>: true if the request was received by HTTPS. (new in 1.2)
- <header name="..." regexp="..." />: true if the header of the request has a name field that matches regexp.
- <method value="..." />: true if the HTTP method (GET, POST, etc) of the request is value.
- <protocol value="..." />: value can be HTTP/1.0 or HTTP/1.1; true if the protocol specified in the request is value.
- <path regexp="..." />: true if the part of the path concerning the site matches regexp.
Combining conditions (all their children must be conditions):
- <and>...</and>: true if all enclosed conditions are true (true if empty).
- <or>...</or>: true if one of the enclosed conditions is true (false if empty).
- <not>...</not>: true if the enclosed condition is false (there must be exactly one enclosed condition).
Other actions
- <notfound/>: stops immediately (does not try other sites) with a 404 error.
- <forbidden/>: stops immediately (does not try other sites) with a 403 error.
- <iffound>...</iffound>: tries the enclosed actions if some action has already answered.
- <ifnotfound code="...">...</ifnotfound>: tries the enclosed actions if noone has answered so far. code is an optional regexp matching the current error code.
- <nextsite/>: stops parsing current site. If the page has been found, answer. If not, try next site. ''from Ocsigen 1.2''
- <nexthost/>: stops parsing current host. If the page has been found, answer. If not, try next host. ''from Ocsigen 1.2''
- <stop/>: stops parsing configuration file (answers now whether the page has been found or not). ''from Ocsigen 1.2''
- <allow-forward-for/>: if there is an X-Forwarded-For header in the request, the informations of the request are changed to match the announced ip.
- <allow-forward-proto/>: if the X-Forwarded-Proto header is set to https (http), the connection is considered as secured (unsecure) even if the connection is not in ssl (is in ssl).
- I want some actions to handle only requests from localhost, for users using the browser Konqueror:
<if> <and> <ip value="127.0.0.1" /> <header name="user-agent" regexp=".*Konqueror.*" /> </and> <then> <!-- put your actions here --> </then> </if>
- I want some actions to handle requests that respect at least one of the following conditions:
- they belong to the subnet 184.108.40.206/24,
- or they want to access a page beginning with the letter 'c',
- or they are not doing a GET HTTP request:
<if> <or> <ip value="184.108.40.206/24" /> <path regexp="/c.*" /> <not><method value="GET" /></not> </or> <then> <!-- put your actions here --> </then> </if>
- I want to deny access to 192.168.0.0/24 except 192.168.0.42, and to 192.168.99.0/24:
<if> <or> <and> <ip value="192.168.0.0/24" /> <not><ip value="192.168.0.42" /></not> </and> <ip value="192.168.99.0/24" /> </or> <then> <forbidden/> </then> </if>


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Speed Reading
Books that need to be on a racer's shelf
Title: An Introduction to Race Car Engineering, Book I (2nd edition)By: Warren J. RowleyNote: Includes William Mitchell software program
The Canadian-based Rowley Race Dynamics group has provided a heftymanual that allows the racer to get as intense into the engineering sideof racing as the reader chooses. This book is the first of five plannedvolumes that will shed light onto many elements of race car performance.Book I is divided into three primary parts and is intended to be read inthe order in which it is printed. The first section deals with tires. Itdeals with design and performance parameters, tire performance, andanalyzing data. The second section utilizes the demo version of WilliamC. Mitchell's WinGeo3 to explain the ins and outs of suspension motion.The accompanying text in the book gives plenty of insight into thekinematic motion of race car dynamics. The final section deals withstatic and dynamic with emphasis on load transfer and simulation. Wan31Aand Wan31B software programs provide additional learning assistance. Formore information or ordering, visit www.rowleyrace.com.
Title: Speed Secrets 4 - Engineering the DriverBy: Ross BentleyNote: Fourth of a series
The highly successful Speed Secrets series continues with volume 4. RossBentley is a professional driving coach who has experienced life as afull-time racer. This book targets the crewchiefs, coaches, instructors,and family members who desire to see their driver reach full potential.It provides the essential tools that motivate the driver to perform morereliably and consistently in the quest to be the best. Bentley explainsdriver engineering techniques and strategies that work. A fifth book inthe series is due for a January 2006 release. Each of the Speed Secretvolumes carries a $17.95 retail price, and the books are available fromMotorbooks. For more information or ordering, visit www.motorbooks.com.
Title: NASCARBy: James Buckley Jr.Note: Part of the Eyewitness Series
There are over 130 books offered in the Eyewitness Series, produced byDK Publishing. The books provide a plethora of basic information in anattempt to interest the readers on a subject and in reading in general.The book is also part of the NASCAR Library Collection. It is filledwith hundreds of full-color and behind-the-scenes photographs,fascinating facts, and has a complete history from the birth of theseries into the 21st century. A glossary of racing terms and acomprehensive index help this serve as a reference book for youngerreaders as well. The 72-page book is recommended for readers 8 and upand sells for $15.99. The Eyewitness series is multi-faceted, includingsports, history, geography, and science. If you have an interest, thereis probably an Eyewitness book that addresses it. For information orordering, contact www.dk.com.
Title: Edelbrock--Made in USABy: Tom Madigan
The book debuted in a gala celebration in May 2005. The scene of thegathering was Vic's Garage, the private automotive family museum inTorrance, California, a fitting place for the launch. The 325-pagehistory of Vic Edelbrock takes the reader through the varied spectrum ofthe career of one of the automotive world's pioneers. Veteran journalistTom Madigan spent three years with interviews and research, and theresults are obvious. The book takes in the good times and the bleaktimes, and you feel fulfilled at the end, as though you have experiencethe full journey. It includes pictures never published before, and manywere handed over straight from the original source. The book isavailable for $40 plus shipping and handling. It is available inbookstores or through Motorbooks. In a unique program, it is alsoavailable for purchase from the Edelbrock Web site. All copies purchasedthrough that means will be signed by Vic Edelbrock Jr. For informationor ordering, visit www.motorbooks.com or www.edelbrock.com.
Title: Richard Petty--Images of the KingBy: Ben Blake and Dick Conway
He's the undisputed king of stock car racing. This coffee table book ofmore than 250 pages is a suitable tribute to royalty. Filled with greatpictures and sprinkled with quotes from the king himself, this book isan easy read. Ben Blake's words combine well with Dick Conway's photoselections to give a complete view of Petty. History buffs will find joyin the early imagery and description of racing back then. The modernfan, who may not have ever seen Richard drive, will get an appreciationfor how the sport has grown and the role Petty has played in getting itthere. It's a fitting tribute to an American sports icon and isavailable for $29.95. For ordering information, contactwww.motorbooks.com.


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Firearms development these days comes fast and furious. Hunters and shooters in general are on the lookout for weapons that will improve their potential in the field and on the range.
We'll touch on three topics in this wide and complex issue, which is separate from the hot potato of gun control.
The changes in the broad category of AR-15 rifles are hard to keep up with these days. These are the military firearms that began in .223 caliber. Today we also have it made in .308 caliber and in 12-gauge shotgun editions. If you have ever shot a .223-caliber rifle, AR-15 style or other types, imagine banging away with a bunch of 12-gauge loads in it.
The AR-15s are fun to shoot. They are lightweight and short barreled compared to most hunting rifles, Ammunition is lower in cost than the bigger cartridges. More and more deer are being killed with .223s in Arkansas in spite of some criticisms of its light bullet weight.
Where the current concern and debate arises with these firearms is with their clones and varied configurations. A whole industry has evolved around kits — do-it-yourself construction of an AR-15-type rifle. You buy a bunch of parts, assuming your bank account is healthy, and assemble them. You buy an upper, a lower, a trigger group, a barrel, a forearm, a stock, a rail, a sight, and you put it all together.
There are potential pitfalls in the broad AR-15 scene. Higher end guns and assemblies have machined steel or aluminum components to go with the plastic stocks and forearms. Cheaper ones have stamped metal parts. There is a significant difference.
Narrowing our focus a bit, a number of Arkansas deer hunters are finding favor with the .308 version of the AR-15. The .308 is an excellent cartridge for deer. Its origin is also military, developed a half century or so back to reduce weight from the venerable .30-06 rifle and ammunition. The .308's ballistics are not far behind the well-liked .30-06 and .270 cartridges.
Another and newer topic is the Duck Commander line of guns. Yes, Duck Commander, the Duck Dynasty operation. Those bearded fellows haven't started making shotguns and rifles. But the venerable Mossberg company is using Duck Commander in a major marketing effort.
The main firearm in the new Duck commander line is the Mossberg 930 autoloader. It has a Duck Commander logo on the stock and is finished in a camouflage pattern with flying ducks.
Also carrying the brand are the Mossberg 702 Plinkster and the AR-styled 715 pistol and rifle.
All the Mossberg Duck Commander guns come with an American flag bandana, familiar to Duck Dynasty enthusiasts.
A new handgun draws some attention. The Heizer Defense PS1 Pocket Shotgun Pistol is a single shot .410 and .45 Long Colt firearm, and it is being produced by a new company not far north of Arkansas. Heizer Defense is part of Heizer Aerospace at Pevely, Mo., south of St. Louis.
The pistol is a compact, break-open type, and its handle has a slot that holds two more shells or cartridges.
It is built entirely of machined stainless steel, with matte black the standard finish. But it can be ordered in a variety of other colors – green, bronze, pink, tan and white.
Both the Mossberg Duck Commander and the Heizer shotgun pistol are brand new and may not have reached retail outlets yet.
Joe Mosby is the retired news editor of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and Arkansas' best known outdoor writer. His work is distributed by the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock. He can be reached by e-mail at email@example.com.


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Duff Wilson, Senior Product Manager for Family Tree Maker in Provo, Utah, is touring Australia in July to share his expertise on Family Tree Maker and Ancestry. Duff will be speaking in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, so make sure you book early to secure your spot using the details below.
Duff has worked for Ancestry for over a decade, with more than twenty years of software design and development experience and a number of notable awards for his work. He holds a Master's degree from Utah State University in Instructional Technology with an emphasis on computer-based instruction. Duff has been passionate about genealogy from a young age, and as part of his work with Ancestry, he has travelled to numerous countries and connected with countless genealogists, ranging from novice to expert.
Duff's work has given him an increasingly high profile, as the 'voice' in the Family Tree Maker webinars, and also getting rave reviews from the recent 'Who Do You Think You Are' Congress in London.
This is Duff's first visit to Australia, so don't miss this rare opportunity to hear from one of the world's foremost experts on Family Tree Maker and Ancestry.
Session details:
Queensland Family History Society (QFHS)
20th July: Time 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Registration from 9:30 am
Venue: Aspley Hornets Football Club, 50 Graham Road, CARSELDINE
Cost: $55.00 ($45.00 QFHS and VicGUM Members (both prices GST inclusive))
(Morning and afternoon tea, and a light sandwich lunch provided. Please advise special dietary needs.)
Bookings: for Ancestry and Family Tree Maker Seminar online at www.qfhs.org.au/events
or by post to QFHS, PO Box 171, Indooroopilly, QLD. 4068 or by phoning (07) 3355 3369 during library opening hours.
Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG)
22nd July: Time 10.00 am – 4.00 pm. Registration from 9.45 am
Venue: Wesley Conference Centre, 220 Pitt Street, SYDNEY
Cost: $60.00 ($50.00 for SAG & VicGUM Members; (both prices GST inclusive))
Includes morning & afternoon teas & light sandwich lunch
Bookings: Through SAG website at www.sag.org.au Enquiries (02) 9247 3953
Victorian GUM Inc. (VicGUM)
26th July: Time10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Registration from 9:30 am
Venue: State Library of Victoria, 328 Swanston St, MELBOURNE
Cost: $60.00 ($50.00 for VicGUM Members (both prices GST inclusive))
Includes morning & afternoon teas & light lunch
Bookings: through VicGUM www.vicgum.asn.au/30thMelbourneSeminar.html or ring the office (03) 9639 2005 Tuesdays or Thursdays.


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First up are pictures of our February family projects...Valentine Boxes. ALL my kids did a wonderful job creating their boxes! Having this activity as my family project takes so much stress off of me!
Pose for Mrs. Lanier....or not.
My fabulous room moms did an amazing job organizing our "Lion Candy Shop" and party food! I was able to walk around and actually enjoy the party because of these amazing moms! Thank you ladies!
Once we were done eating it was time to go through our boxes and look at all the wonderful goodies our classmates had given us!
Last but not least...our Valentine's Day craft by the wonderful Miss Kindergarten! The kids did an amazing job following directions and putting this cute craft together! They looked great hanging in our room for the party! My lions love crafts and are so particular about the details! (Girl bears have to have eye lashes!)
You have to visit her TPT store for her amazing craft templates! She's always posting new ones! (click on her product picture to be directed to her TPT store.)


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Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Coral Pink
Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Light Crimson*
Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Devon Sunset *
Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Pomegranate Pink*
If it's good enough for Suki then it's good enough for me. Thats pretty much my mantra these days and these brand new Burberry Kisses lipsticks are no exception. The iconic Brit brand y has come really far and cemented themselves as a legit brand within the beauty industry.
Burberry Kisses lipsticks have a unique build-able finish which depending on how heavy or light you apply them they vary from sheer to full coverage. Burberry describe this as "customisable colour" which sounds like a pretty cool concept. Available in 28 shades from nude to bright these lipsticks are sure to be a hit. They are really smooth and hydrating and dont cling to the lips at all. Super luxe and high quality is something that I've come to expect from Burberry beauty and this is no exception.
Devon Pink is my favourite of course, It's such a Lily Melrose shade!


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The net wealth of U.S. households rose in the third quarter to its highest since late 2007, providing a hopeful sign for future consumer spending.
Net financial wealth grew $1.72 trillion to $64.77 trillion, the Federal Reserve said on Thursday.
That left household wealth $1.2 trillion short of where it stood in the fourth quarter of 2007, just as the economy was sinking into a severe recession. Wealth peaked at $67.3 trillion in the third quarter of that year.
Rising home prices helped drive the increase in the latest quarter. The value of real estate owned by households rose about $300 billion, the Fed said. Stock holdings climbed by about $520 billion.
Increases in wealth could make consumers feel more comfortable spending their money. Many economists think consumers spend a few cents of every dollar they gain in wealth.
The data, part of the Fed's quarterly Flow of Funds report, also showed Americans continued their four-year-old effort to shed debt.
Households cut debt at a 2 percent annual rate in the third quarter, the steepest drop since the second quarter of 2011.
Household debt fell $65.5 billion to $12.87 trillion. That reversed a small gain logged over the prior three quarters, a possible sign that households still feel they need to cut debt.
A housing bubble led household debt to soar in the first half of the last decade, peaking as a share of families' income in 2007.
After the housing bubble started to deflate in 2006, the country went through its deepest recession since the Great Depression and households have been shedding debts since 2008 by taking out fewer mortgages or defaulting on loans.
In the third quarter, total household liabilities were 112.7 percent of after-tax income during the third quarter, the lowest since 2003 and down from 113.4 percent in the second quarter.
Economists are divided over how much further households have to go in this deleveraging process. Further debt reduction would leave less money for spending, slowing the wider economy.
While total debt as a share of income remains historically high, one measure kept by the Fed has shown that monthly debt payments as a share of income in the second quarter were at the lowest since 1993.
Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Tim Ahmann and James Dalgleish


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Note from editor: we have had one fun idea on reusing cartridges into a lamp. Now here a few more of creative examples of getting inspired with cartridges!
Almost everyone uses printer ink cartridges all the time, whether you're at the office, at home, or constructing an elaborate set-up of dominos for your Rube Goldberg machine and ran out halfway through. In fact, they're so omnipresent they almost seem invisible. I know I barely register them, even as I'm tossing out the old ones and slotting the new ones home.
Some people see differently though. Very differently. These three strange and wonderful things, in no particular order, are a tribute to that creative impulse that drives those strange and wonderful people to make things like...
Cartridge Lamps And Lightboxes
Since some bright spark noticed that ink cartridges are translucent, images of these fun and creative decorations have suffused the internet. The wide range of bright colours that adorn the fronts of ink cartridges makes them pretty handy for home decorating, but what really sells them is how eco-friendly they are. Not only does the maker recycle old printer ink cartridges to make the lamps and lightboxes, but they also use very energy-efficient bulbs to generate the light.
Etsy is well-known for the, ahem, quirky charm of many of its products, so it's not much of a surprise that the website that inspired the comedic parody site Regretsy.com is responsible for these crafty little designs. What is surprising is how genuinely appealing the things look, although some might baulk at the price and decide they'd rather make some themselves.
What happened next?
The people behind boxlightbox on Etsy have since moved their online store to Lowell and Louise, but are staying on Etsy for now. Although their store is empty at the time of writing, it looks as though we might see more from them in the near future.
A Metalcore Band
Yep, you heard right. Metalcore. The heavy metal sub-genre of metalcore has been deeply fashionable with a certain type of metal fan (the younger ones) for a few years now, and is distinguished from other metal genres by its melding of metal, hardcore punk, and post-hardcore influences.
The band certainly ticked all the right metalcore boxes, with quirkily aggressive song titles such as If Your Laugh Was Your Life, I'd Hate To Have Your Life, depressing and self-conscious song lyrics, and a promising deal with a record label. However, with a name like Ink Cartridge Funeral, you have to wonder if these guys were ever bound for success.
Their album is now out of print, but you can still listen to their tunes on last.fm and on their MySpace page.
Ink Cartridge Funeral didn't use ink cartridges as inspiration for any of their songs – at least, not explicitly or directly – but their name will last forever as a footnote in the twinned histories of weird metalcore band names, and ink cartridges.
What happened next?
If your interest in Ink Cartridge Funeral and their music was piqued by any of those links, don't worry – three of their members continue to play in internationally-touring post-hardcore band Silent Drive.
Sci-Fi Art
Printer ink cartridges already have a certain amount of geek credibility. When boxlightbox first posted their lamps on Etsy, it was the geeky tech blogs that were first to leap on the news. Artist Faith Pearson seized on this geek cred and took it up to eleven; she re-created a series of iconic sci-fi and pop cultural figures and landmarks using printer ink cartridges as her material.
Faith recreated scenes and props from such classics as Star Trek, Godzilla and King Kong. She also recreated a night out at the theatre, but don't worry; geeky superhero movie Kick Ass (more like ass kick) is playing on the screen, and the audience is made up of such comic book luminaries as the Incredible Hulk, the Joker, Penguin and oft-derided superhero Aquaman.
What happened next?
Faith Pearson lives in Birmingham, England, where among other things she helps kids to make toy theatres and giant dinosaurs. Whether this is a wise course of action is unknown – it depends, of course, on the type of dinosaur being created – but it is certainly a very cool course of action.
Patrick Robson is a freelance journalist and regular blogger. Patrick blogs for Cartridge Shop, an online provider of a wide range of printer cartridges from respected brands, such as Canon ink.
Archives for December 2011
Three of the Strangest Things Inspired By... Printer Ink Cartridges
On: Saturday, December 17, 2011
By Jessy Troy | In crafts, fun | 0 appreciated comments
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WASHINGTON | As the Senate prepares to begin debating new gun control measures, some of President Barack Obama's fellow Democrats are poised to frustrate his efforts to enact the most sweeping limits on weapons in decades.
These Democrats from largely rural states with strong gun cultures view Obama's proposals warily and have not committed to supporting them. The lawmakers' concerns could stand in the way of strong legislation before a single Republican gets a chance to vote "no."
"There's a core group of Democratic senators, most but not all from the West, who represent states with a higher-than-average rate of gun ownership but an equally strong desire to feel their kids are safe," said Mark Glaze, director of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "They're having hard but good conversations with people back home to identify the middle-ground solutions that respect the Second Amendment but make it harder for dangerous people to get their hands on guns."
All eyes are on these dozen or so Democrats, some of whom face re-election in 2014. That includes Sens. Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska and Mark Pryor of Arkansas.
The Senate Judiciary Committee begins hearings Wednesday.
Interest groups, lobbyists, lawmakers, crime victims and others with a stake in the outcome will be watching these senators closely for signals about what measures they might support. The answers will say a lot about what, if anything, Congress can pass in the wake of the shootings of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., last month.
At issue are Obama's proposals to ban assault weapons, limit ammunition magazines, crack down on trafficking and require universal background checks. Leading the charge against those ideas is the National Rifle Association. The group wields enormous power to rally public sentiment and is a particular threat to Democrats in pro-gun states who face re-election.
The political concerns of Democrats create problems for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who has his own history with the NRA.
The powerful gun lobby endorsed him in previous elections, but stayed neutral in his most recent race, in 2010. Even before Obama announced the gun proposals this month, Reid told a Nevada PBS station that an assault weapons ban would have a hard time getting through Congress. That comment irked Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., author of such a ban.
"Clearly it wasn't helpful," she said last week in reintroducing her measure. But Feinstein's original assault weapons ban was a stern political lesson for Reid and other Democrats. Its passage as part of President Bill Clinton's crime bill in 1994 was blamed for Democratic election losses that year after the NRA campaigned against lawmakers who supported the legislation. When the assault weapons ban came up for renewal in 2004, Congress, under pressure from the NRA, refused to extend it.
Reid has pledged action on gun measures. "This is an issue we're not going to run from," he said.
Some major pieces of legislation are shepherded by the Senate leadership to the Senate floor. But Reid is promising that the gun bills will go through the Senate Judiciary Committee, whose chairman is Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., a gun owner and Second Amendment supporter.
Reid also is promising an open amendment process, potentially a lengthy endeavor. Those signals have some gun control activists concerned that the process will go so slowly that it will grind to a halt without action. Some question whether that's just the outcome desired by some moderate Democrats.
On the other side, the NRA, known for rewarding friends and punishing enemies, promises it will be closely watching Reid, too.
Baucus, Begich, Pryor and others have been cautious in their comments on Obama's gun proposals.
Baucus called for "a thoughtful debate." Begich told his home state Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that passage of any element of the package was "a long haul. ... There are some of us who just fundamentally believe in a Second Amendment right." Pryor has told Arkansas media that efforts on gun safety should start with enforcing existing laws.
Another Democrat closely watching the issue is Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, known for a 2010 campaign ad where he fired a rifle shot though a copy of Democratic-written climate change legislation. Manchin recently told a West Virginia radio station that he's working on legislation to require background checks on most gun purchases. Details weren't clear but that's the area where advocates are most hopeful of finding a solution that could get through the Senate and possibly even the Republican-controlled House.
The NRA generally opposes legislation mandating universal background checks and disputes gun control groups' claims that 40 percent of purchases happen without such checks.
Dems May Impede Gun Measures
WASHINGTON | As the Senate prepares to begin debating new gun control measures, some of President Barack Obama's fellow Democrats are poised to frustrate his efforts to enact the most sweeping limits on weapons in decades.