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Because New York City is my hometown, I had two special events to look forward to yesterday: the Jets taking on the Patriots and then the Golden Globes. Funny enough, I found myself yelling at the TV during both broadcasts, but for very different reasons. Since this isn't really the place for a sports breakdown, I'll use this post to talk exclusively about the Globes. My absolute favorite looks are listed here, with a little explanation as to why they tickled my fancy.
First up, the ladies of Black Swan. I absolutely loved the movie and couldn't wait to see what Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis would choose for the red carpet. In my mind, both were spot on. I loved the quirkiness of Natalie's choice–a pale pink Viktor & Rolf gown with a hand beaded red rose. (She also sported Tiffany & Co. jewels and Stella McCartney accessories.) Kind of fitting that she herself is in full bloom, right? Mila looked every bit the movie star in an emerald green Vera Wang (a very hot color indeed) that perfectly accentuated her coloring and her curves.
I was also swooning over the long-sleeved beaded gowns worn by both Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway. It was particularly exciting to see Angelina in a gorgeous pop of color in the form of Versace, but I thought her hair and makeup were underwhelming. Anne, however, was breathtaking and my personal best dressed of the evening. Wearing a dark champagne Armani Privé gown with an open back cut down as low as it could go, she was perfection.
I also really loved the chic minimalism seen on Emma Stone and Claire Danes. Both wearing custom Calvin Klein Collection in sorbet shades, the toned-down looks felt fresh and modern. And again, the dramatic open backs upped the wow factor without being one bit vulgar.
My vote for best embellishments goes to Sandra Bullock and Olivia Wilde. While the dresses couldn't have been more different, they were both beaded and spangled within an inch of their lives–and I loved every minute of it. Sandra chose a pale pink Jenny Packham and a fantastic Irit Design oxidized sterling silver chain cuff with pave and rose cut diamonds. (Does she seem to be getting younger by the year or what?) Olivia's ball gown by Marchesa was a goth princess' dream come true, and her gold studded Jimmy Choos only made it more original.
Last but certainly not least, we have January Jones. Honestly, this Versace dress deserves its own category. Definitely one to love or hate (and I'm firmly on the LOVE side), you have to admit that she owned the red carpet. Hair, makeup, minimal jewels–stunning.


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Chili dogs are hot dogs with chili sauce. They are the favorite food of Sonic the Hedgehog in several continuities, particularly the various TV series (Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Underground). Chili dogs are an interesting (and somewhat rare) example of a staple from the comics and cartoons "bleeding" into the games.
Recent games from the series have also made reference to chili dogs as Sonic's food of choice. In Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails also liked chili dogs, but preferred his with extra cheese. Additionally, Breezie likes chili dogs but she only eats the ones prepared by Chef Charlemagne.
Other types of hot dogs also appear. For example, in Sonic Underground, Sonic's sister Sonia the Hedgehog likes to eat hot dogs with tofu, much to her brother Sonic's disgust.
The earliest canon reference to Sonic's enjoyment of hot dogs (rather than the more specific chili dogs) seems to be in early issues of Sonic the Comic. In Sonic the Comic #5, Sonic sits down to eat 300 hot dogs and 100 thick shakes as the second course of breakfast (the first course of which consisted of 200 hamburgers, much to Tails' disgust). However, this doesn't seem to be much of a problem to Sonic since it can be implied that he can burn off the calories with his running (narrowly avoiding the fact that it would be impossible, even for Sonic, to eat all of the food in a single sitting).
There is also a reference in Sonic the Hedgehog #0 which depicts Sonic and his uncle operating a chili dog stand, indicating that the love of the chili dog might well be a family affair.
In a story in Sonic the Hedgehog #11, Sonic eats a bunch of chili dogs as a birthday present to himself, then has a food related nightmare where he is a chili dog. When Sonic wakes up, Sally Acorn and Tails give him a plate of chili dogs. Sonic at first refuses this present, but then eats them anyway.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog Play-a-Sound book, the plot is that Sonic is racing Robotnik in a scavenger hunt to win 6,000,000 Mobiums, which he says he will donate to charity. In the end, he wins the money and spends it on chili dogs instead.
In Sonic the Hedgehog (miniseries) #0, Part II, Sonic mentions having a "chili dog break".
In the episode "Cowbot" of the Sonic Boom (TV series), during the scene where Sonic and Tails are helping Eggman build a more powerful defense system, Sonic instead heats up a chili dog in a small oven. In a later scene when Eggman is testing out his new force field, Sonic notices his chili dog from earlier sitting on a rock just outside it. After the doctor reluctantly puts down the barrier, Sonic eagerly runs to get it and hungrily scarfs it down.
Game References
- In the Japanese manual of Sonic Advance 3, it states that Sonic loves chili dogs.
- During the end credits of Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, Sonic briefly mentions chili dogs.
- In Sonic Unleashed, different hot dogs can be bought and won from certain missions, pertaining to the location they are received from. Most stores even sell normal chili dogs, claiming that they're Sonic's favorite. Chip finds them too spicy for his personal tastes, but does admit that they're good. In the instruction manual for the PlayStation 3/Xbox 360 version, it's mentioned that Sonic loves chili dogs. In Eggmanland, there is a green chili dog called the Egg Dog, which isn't appetizing to either character as Chip doesn't like them, and Sonic will only gain 1 experience point from it as opposed to 70 EXP from a normal chili dog, but this could be due to the ingredients used and how bad Eggmanland's food is in general.
- In the first cutscene of Sonic and the Black Knight, after Merlina the Wizard summons Sonic, he falls from the sky with two chili dogs. After catching the chili dogs, he looks up to notice the Black Knight. He then eats one of his chili dogs, throws the other in the air. Then Sonic attacks and defeats the Knights of the Underworld, just before the chili dog falls on the ground. Minutes after trying to stop the Black Knight with the whirlwind Merlina created, Sonic's chili dog flew away to an unknown location, much to his dissapointment. They can also be found as a food item during the game, with the description calling them "Sonic's favorite".
- In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, under Sonic's profile, it says that he likes chili dogs.
- In Sonic Generations, Sonic is given a chili dog as a birthday present (wrapped in a bow, no less). However, it is the first thing that is blown away when the Time Eater appears, right after Sonic takes his first bite. In the ending, it flew back into his hands, and Sonic took another bite and remarked that it was still warm.
- Though they do not make a physical appearance in the game, a reference to chili dogs appears in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric during the side-quest that involves Sonic and co. stopping robots from destroying Chef Woody's food supply. While talking to the chef, he exclaims: "Look at me...I am explaining myself to these creatures that probably live off chili dogs."
The original recipe was printed in the last story in the first Archie Sonic issue, titled 'Fast Food!'. The recipe is as follows:
Chili Dog a la Sonic
- Brown 1 lb ground beef
- Add ½ cup each of chopped onions, peppers and mushrooms (brown lightly)
- Add 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
- Add 8 oz barbecue sauce
- Simmer ½ hour
- Add 1 teaspoon each of chili powder, cumin, oregano
- Add 1 large can red kidney beans (drained)
- Simmer 1 hour
- Add hot dogs
- Cook 15 minutes in sauce
- Put on toasted roll
- Melted cheese (optional)
- As seen in the picture above, there is a scene in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog episode "Boogey Mania", where Sonic is shown making a chili dog while wearing an apron and toque (traditional hat worn by chefs). Interestingly, in that scene, he has no gloves on. He is also shown inspecting chili in his 'chili dog inspector' disguise (suggesting some spicier chili instead of the kind Grounder was cooking) before being turned into solid stone by the Super Supreme Stopper Zapper.
- In the Sonic Sez segment of "Too Tall Tails", Sonic mentions that he likes eating chili dogs but he also likes eating healthy as well.
- Sonic and the Black Knight is one of two games that shows Sonic eating chili dogs. The other is Sonic Generations, in the first and penultimate cutscenes, as well as its manga, where both Sonics are seen eating chili dogs.
- A query was asked in the Sonic Universe fan-mail service and published in Sonic Universe #4. A comment was stated "We don't see Sonic eating a lot of chili dogs anymore. What gives?" It was replied: "He's been too busy saving the world to dwell on dinner! But don't you worry—he's scarffin' down plenty behind the scenes".
- The cover of Sonic Super Digest #7 shows Sonic in his Super form about to eat a large number of chili dogs. Tails notices and (in a reference to the magazine's title) says, "Wow, Sonic! You'll need to go Super to Digest all those chili dogs!"
- In Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails' favorite food is also chili dogs, just like Sonic, only he prefers his with cheese.
- A commercial for Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games features an alternate ending where Sonic apparently ordered a chili dog.
- In the Xbox 360/PS3 version of Sonic Unleashed, there are achievements featuring the chili dogs:
- Gyro with Relish for completing all missions in Apotos.
- Pig in a Blanket for completing all missions in Spagonia.
- Exotic Toppings for completing all missions in Mazuri.
- Sausage Fried Rice fo completing all missions in Chun-nan.
- Iced Hotdog for completing all missions in Holoska.
- Kebab on a Bun for completing all missions in Shamar
- Ketchup and Mustard for completing all missions in Empire City.
- Hard Boiled for completing all missions in Eggmanland.
- Fried Clam Roll for completing all missions in Adabat.
- The vendors in Sonic Unleashed have different types of hot dogs for each location.
- Throughout the many appearances of the chili dog, Sonic is shown to eat them in a variety of ways. In Sonic Underground, Sonic is mostly seen tossing them into his mouth and swallowing them whole, (though there was one instance where he ate most of a chili dog in one bite before eating the last bite a few seconds later). In Sonic and the Black Knight, Sonic stuffs the chili dog into his mouth and actually chews it before gulping it down. And in Sonic Generations, he eats his birthday chili dog one bite at a time and does not eat it very fast.

subset: commoncrawl


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Topic: Star Wars collage
If any of you play star wars galaxies then you should recognise the picture.
When I started playing star wars galaxies I chose a character that could make pictures in the game. I saw some of the other pictures that were available in the game and I thought they looked funky.
The only thing that I thought was sad was that I could not have the pictures in real life in my home. I then thought that if I were able to make them then it would then be possible. I have not drawn anything for so many years that I do not have any confidence in what I can do. But I do have confidence with my sewing abilities so I decided to sew some collages.
I have made quite a few collages now (with the plan of setting up a home business) when I decided to make a collage of one of the pictures that inspired it all.
This is the picture that I based my collage on:
This is the collage that I made:
I am really happy with how it turned out and I think it looks funky on the wall.


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ClientDisney Development Co.
Orlando, FL & Villiers-Sur-Marne, France
ProjectWalt Disney World & Euro Disney
ScopeSignage, Wayfinding, Print & Vehicular Graphics
Walt Disney World encompasses an area larger than the city of San Francisco; all visitors arrive by highway or freeway. Sussman/Prejza's task was to develop a vehicular signing system that would be unique in spirit, clean, easy to follow, and capable of being expanded as the area continues to grow. The theme park was divided into several major "districts." A hierarchy of signs was established to first lead visitors toward a specific district, and once there, toward a distinct destination. The 1,000 sign system includes large freeway signs, major and minor road directionals, regulatory signs, gateways, and bus graphics.
For Euro Disney, the resort-wide pedestrian wayfinding system included directional, tram and regulatory signs that assist pedestrians traveling between the lakefront hotels and Euro Disney's major theme park. Information points with maps provide orientation at key locations.
Cultural, Entertainment & Sports
Cultural, Entertainment & Sports


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Easterseals President and CEO Angela F. Williams joined Denver Frederick, host of The Business of Giving, for an interview to discuss the COVID-19 crisis and more.
We're proud to offer a variety of life-changing programs at our 69 locations that help people with disabilities, seniors, veterans, and caregivers live, learn, work, and play in their communities.
Giving back to an organization that has touched your family personally is a wonderful way to keep a legacy alive. Learn more about how Mark and Patty were able to honor Mark's sister.
Support Easterseals' work to help people with disabilities, veterans, caregivers and their families live full, independent lives and reach their goals.
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Easterseals141 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 1400A, Chicago, IL 60604 | 800-221-6827 (toll-free)Easterseals and its affiliate organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Easterseals141 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 1400AChicago, IL 60604 | 800-221-6827 (toll-free)Easterseals and its affiliate organizationsare 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.


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Courses for Prospect reps
Prospect is committed to ensuring our workplace representatives have the skills and knowledge they need to carry out their trade union role effectively and to the best of their ability.
Our education team delivers courses to hundreds of members across the UK each year. The national education programme 2019 will deliver a quicker route for reps to support and grow membership and be ready to represent members.
All new reps will be required to get started by reading our Reps' Handbook before attending a Prospect rep course.
The most significant change is the introduction of core rep skills courses: Reps Part 1: Key skills and Reps Part 2: Handling cases.
The Reps 1 course replaces the Helping and Advising People @ Work and Essentials Skills courses. The Reps 2 course replaces the Handling Cases course.
You can view details and apply for a course here.
Members can also participate in training courses organised by their branch, section or region and funded by the education team.
Reps can access a range of other courses run by the TUC.
Want to run a course with your branch or region?
Chat to your organiser, or download and complete our training application form.
Choosing a Prospect course
On our course listings page, click on a course title to find out more about its content and who it's aimed at. This should help you make an informed choice about which course is right for you, based on your role and level of experience.
You'll also see if there are any scheduled dates/venues for the course; if you're logged in you'll be able to apply online.
If you're still unsure which course is most appropriate for you, please speak to your branch or section secretary and/or your Prospect organiser.
If you are still in doubt, contact the education team on 020 7346 0900 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Please notify your branch secretary, Prospect organiser and full-time officer when you apply for a Prospect course. Think about how you will use your new skills once you are back at work and who will support you in this.
The key information page tells you what to expect when you apply for a course. Once you have a confirmed place on a course, please do your utmost to attend. If you're unable to attend, please let us know as soon as possible.
We want you to enjoy your learning experience with us. If there is anything we can do to improve our service to you, please email the education team.


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The excitement is building for the Rose Parade and the debut of the Boy Scouts of America float.
Earlier this month, we presented a first look at the float's construction. Now, the finished product has been taken to the streets for a test run, and it's our first chance to see the float in its entirety. As you can tell, it's an impressive work of art.
The moving marquee for the program will serve as a kind of opening statement to the nation from the BSA. With 2010's Year of Celebration officially beginning on Jan. 1, the float pictured above will help ensure that this first impression won't be soon forgotten.
For more information about the float and to see additional photos, click here for the BSA's press release.


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An Online Journalism Blog article says that traditional news outlets need to start making video games that either replace or improve the delivery of news stories.
It's no secret that print journalism is a rotting corpse; legitimate new sources are packing up and heading for the web left and right. With new levels of interactivity come new possibilities for the way we create and consume journalism. This article says online gaming is where it's at.
"BlackBerrys, iPods and Kindles are not enough anymore. Let's add a joystick to the expanding repertoire of tools available to news consumers.
Gaming is often overlooked as a tool for disseminating news. Online games are attempting to explain the economy through the politics of oil, educate users on disaster readiness in the context of Hurricane Katrina and, perhaps more in line with traditional video games, some are exploring the various military operations implemented in the Iraq war. In a strange likeness to fantasy sports, one game allowed people to draft their own cabinet picks for Obama's then-new administration."
The article goes on to conclude:
"In order to interest readers and keep them interested, news organizations should come up with ways to incorporate news in video game format without extricating the two."
"It's much more complex than that," Georgia Tech Professor Ian Bogost – whose Journalism and Games Project is sourced several times in the article – said. "The correct question [the article should be asking] is: 'How can the institution of journalism benefit from video games, and vice versa.' This article is a great example of what's wrong with journalism in general. It assumes simple fixes: take news, add games, stir – profit."
From his perspective, games as journalism is not about keeping readers entertained or replacing traditional reporting with a virtual representation that readers can play around with. It should be about applying journalistic values – accurate information that helps people make decisions about their lives – to video games.
So take a look at some of these examples that the article kicks around both as good and bad applications of games to journalism: Darfur is Dying, Ars Regendi and Class Matters. Ask yourself if "games" like these will take the place of articles like these.
If your answer is yes, then proceed to this line of questioning about fun and games. If your answer is no, keep an eye on Bogost at the next Games For Change conference; we'll see if he can suss out where the games and journalism connection really lies.
Games and Journalism: Now that journalism is in trouble, why not play with it? [Online Journalism Blog]


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Again? So soon? I'm afraid so. I liked Jaybird's Song by Kathy Wilson Florence and it's perfect for lighter southern fans, but I was quite disappointed with The Breakdown by BA Paris. Let's see…
Affectionately called "Jaybird" by the father she adores, Josie Flint's idyllic childhood in 1960s Atlanta is defined by her role as the oldest of the three Flint sisters and crowned with the presence of her grandmother, Annie Jo— the maypole that centers the Flint family. Surrounding their world, however, is the turbulent South as Jim Crow laws come to an end. As Josie's school desegregates and the country meanders through new ideas brought about by the Civil Rights movement, a personal tragedy breaches Josie's world and shatters that perfect childhood. Josie's story is told from her early teenage years and 35 years later when her beloved grandmother dies. And when a long-kept secret unfolds for the Flint family, a new kind of heartache begins.
I was looking for a change after a couple of serial killer books and I still had this book on my Kindle, so I thought it was time to read it (as it was published in February). This is the story of Josie, a woman who grows up in Georgia in the 60s. Many years later, in 2003, her grandmother passes away and she remembers her childhood and teenage years.
I had a small issue with the way the book was written. The flashback parts felt like the author was telling us stuff that had happened but we didn't get to enjoy. Lots of paragraphs filled with sentences like: "She became my best friend and we did everything together. And two years passed and then we grew apart. And on my 15th birthday, I had a big party and everyone came". In spite of that, Jaybird was a lovely novel, a nice, feel-good southern saga that made me imagine a different kind of life. So yes, I enjoyed reading it although it didn't leave a lasting impression. I think I had similar feelings with Dollbaby: the secrets weren't surprising enough because I had already read and watched tons of similar stories. Would I recommend it? Yes. Because that's just my experience, after all.
Netgalley, Smith Publicity, 2017
Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She's been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It's a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she'd broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she'd stopped. But since then, she's been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn't have a baby. The only thing she can't forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. Or the silent calls she's receiving, or the feeling that someone's watching her…
Most of you know that Behind Closed Doors was one of my favorite books of 2016. I knew that The Breakdown would be a different kind of experience because I read a lot of reviews, so I wasn't as excited as I would've been otherwise. This isn't a matter of simply being disappointed.
I must say I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I wanted to know what was going on and it was an easy read, just like BCD was. On the other hand, the first half of the book, maybe until 60% was quite repetitive and I didn't think it was going anywhere. Yes, we get it: Cass is forgetful. She is confused, she forgets things. My main issue with the plot was that there were too many situations that felt coincidental and seemed too contrived for my taste. Unrealistic, even. I don't want to dive into spoiler territory, but for example, there's a scene where our main character, Cass, discovers the truth about something and it was so improbable that I couldn't believe that was actually happening. And once we all begin to learn the truth, there were too many coincidences, just so everything could be connected. Like the weapon thing. I mean, really? Why would someone do that?
Still, I really liked how the ending played out, maybe because it reminded me of Behind Closed Doors and I'm a fan of that type of situations. But I can't ignore all those coincidences.
Netgalley, St Martin's Pres, 2017


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New collections at regular price are also available.
|Ongoing sale
|7540 Bombardier Street, Anjou (Quebec) H1J 3B2
Google Maps
To contact us: 438-385-9909
Near Costco, on the corner of Highway 25.
|Opening hours
Monday to Wednesday: 10 am to 6 pm
Thursday and Friday: 10 am to 9 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm


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Ross Levin offers a diary of goings on in the Green Party in the Philadelphia area. Titled "Keepin busy with the Philly Greens – a march, a dinner, a meeting, and a concert", Levin details upcoming events in the area, including a concert by Tom Neilson, a march to end foreclosures and an upcoming membership meeting.
In another article at OpEdNews, writer Joe Giambrone writes about his frustrations at what he sees as the failure of the Green Party to make itself available to those who are interested in getting involved. The article, titled "An open letter to a broken Green Party", details his frustrations at websites that are not updated, emails left unanswered, and party registration that did not result in his being contacted by the state party.


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The red-light cameras at three intersections in Poway will likely be deactivated in a month.
The Poway City Council decided Tuesday night it will then wait six months to see if accidents at the intersections increase. Based on those results, the council will either terminate the camera contract with the private company that has operated them since 2005 or vote to reactivate the program.
Mayor Don Higginson encouraged the City Council Tuesday night during his State of the City address to end the contract with Redflex Traffic Systems Inc., but after an hour of discussion the council voted unanimously to only suspend the program.
Statistics show that broadside accidents at the intersections have decreased since the cameras began operating, but also show that rear-end accidents have increased as people brake suddenly to avoid getting a ticket and are then hit from behind.
The intersections equipped with cameras are: Scripps Poway Parkway and Community Road; Ted Williams Parkway and Pomerado Road; and Poway Road at Pomerado Road.
The only council member who clearly wanted the cameras removed immediately was Steve Vaus.
"I believe it's time to pull the plug on red-light cameras, or as some have called them 'red-light scameras'."
But Councilmen Dave Grosch and Jim Cunningham expressed concern about accident rates rising if the cameras are removed. Several council members said they had received calls from people urging the end of the program.
Universally, Cunningham said, people who had received tickets at one of the intersections want the cameras gone.
What remains to be seen is if Redflex will agree to not charge the city during the suspension.


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The latest chapter in the saga of Ventas Inc., which saw the Louisville-based REIT come back from the verge of bankruptcy in the late 1990s to become an active M&A player in the seniors housing realm, is the company's venture north of the border.
In January, Ventas (NYSE: VTR) agreed to acquire Toronto-based Sunrise Senior Living Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: SZR.UN), which owns 74 private-pay assisted living communities in the United States and Canada and has others under development.
In February, however, California-based Health Care Property Investors Inc. clouded the acquisition waters with a hostile takeover bid for Sunrise, offering about 20% more per share for the Canadian REIT than Ventas. Sunrise stockholders are scheduled to vote on Ventas' offer in March, but it isn't clear whether the original deal will still be on the table then, or whether a bidding war has begun.
If Ventas does ultimately win the deal, it will increase the company's seniors housing portfolio to nearly 250 properties, with roughly 60% assisted living and the rest independent living and other facilities.
Ventas doesn't have a heavy concentration in any single niche, since it also owns 218 skilled nursing facilities, along with 43 hospitals and a handful of medical office properties. The total price Ventas was willing to pay for Sunrise, including debt, was $2.1 billion Canadian, or about $1.8 billion (US). That figure represents a 45% premium over the average trading price of Sunrise units on the Toronto Stock Exchange during the 20 trading days before the Jan. 16 announcement of the purchase agreement. NREI spoke with Raymond J. Lewis, chief investment officer of Ventas, about the proposed Sunrise deal and industry trends.
NREI: Is there any chance that the Sunrise acquisition isn't going to occur?
Lewis: I'm not going to speculate on that. We have a signed, binding purchase agreement to acquire Sunrise REIT, and we're working on completing the transaction we negotiated.
NREI: Ventas agreed to purchase Sunrise at far more than traded value. What did you see in the company that the market didn't?
Lewis: As an isolated data point, the premium might look somewhat large, but in the context of the U.S. market, it was a market-based price. There was a fundamental difference in the way that the Canadian investment community — as opposed to the U.S. investment community — valued the underlying assets of Sunrise. We saw acquiring the company as an opportunity to arbitrage that difference.
NREI: What accounted for the difference?
Lewis: There's been a lot of discussion in official circles in Canada recently about the changing regulations governing investment trusts such as Sunrise. A number of companies in Canada have converted to income trusts recently — one of the large public utilities recently elected to do so, for example — thus taking themselves off the tax roles. So, it's been a big issue.
NREI: Why be a major acquirer in seniors housing right now?
Lewis: The seniors housing industry is at a positive inflection point in the cycle with little supply coming on line over the last five to seven years, while demand for the product has been increasing and will continue to do so. The Sunrise portfolio saw high, single-digit revenue growth over the last 12 months, which is comparable to our existing portfolio.
Occupancy throughout the combined portfolio will be about 94%, with some properties higher than that. So there will be a limited amount of upside in terms of occupancy, but we anticipate 7% to 8% same-facility rental growth each year going forward.


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The story of the Pilgrims has its origins in early 17th Century England. It was at that time, nearly four hundred years ago, when religious persecution was making it difficult for many people to practice their religions and live comfortably and safely in London and in the rural areas outside of London. England, at that time, was a monarchy. Today, it is a Parliamentary Monarchy in which the Queen has no real power. At that time, however, the King had absolute power over all of the nation's citizens and, as a result, could make the practice and observance of religion difficult. That is exactly what happened. Persecution ruled the day … especially if the religion you chose to practice was different from the "national religion." England, at that time and today, as well, was and is primarily Protestant.
These persecuted individuals met frequently and, after a time, decided to seek permission to start a new life in "the colonies." Remember, it was very early in the 17th Century and there was no America … certainly no states, as well. Once granted permission to travel across the Atlantic Ocean, these persecuted people, dubbed Pilgrims, began to make plans for their trip and the new life that awaited them far from England.
The planning took some time, well over a year, but it eventually began to materialize. In their original plan, there were to be two boats, not one … the Mayflower and a much smaller boat, each to be filled with crew and with Pilgrims. In fact, the first attempted voyage did have two boats, but a leak in the smaller vessel forced both boats to return to London.
They remained there briefly until it was time once again to embark on their dangerous, but exciting, voyage. One hundred and two Pilgrims and as many as twenty-five to thirty crew members sailed toward the Americas in 1620. As you might imagine, it was not an easy trip.
That's because the boat, while large, was constructed entirely of wood. There were limited sleeping quarters, little or no sanitation. And, because of the fear of fire, all food was eaten cold, not cooked. This, of course, led to illness in many of the Pilgrims. But, they persevered.
In fact, the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean took sixty-six days, more than two months. And when the Mayflower finally reached land, it was not their intended destination. They had hoped to sail to northern Virginia. Instead, a storm pushed them off-course and they ended up much further north, in Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts..
And that is where they stayed that first year … and for all the years that followed. It should be noted that the Pilgrims arrived in America ill-prepared for what they would face during the first winter. They did not bring food with them and did not know how to hunt, fish, farm or gather food for their survival. Fortunately for them, local Indians were friendly, not hostile and taught them the basic skills they would need to survive.
That, of course, led to the first Thanksgiving which took place in August … not in November.


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Monday, April 4, 2011
March Blocks
21 comments:
I'm loving everything about your stacked book blocks. lovely.ReplyDelete
I love that green block!ReplyDelete
I really like those blocks, especially the last one with the green. I've started an Oh Fransson quilt for my bed. Nothing like a fresh paint to inspire and light the fire. The room is painted and the bed is begging for its new wardrobe.ReplyDelete
I really enjoyed making the stacked blocks for March, and I just finished your Shoo-Fly blocks for April. They were really fun, too.ReplyDelete
Also, your yellow improv block is gorgeous!
being a British girl myself, I'd say your Union Jack is pretty much perfect!ReplyDelete
I participated in the TQS Sensational Strippers Exchange by cutting and mailing 150 (1 1/2" wide x 22" long) batiks strips--no more than 10 of a given fabric, so I used 15 different batiks. This improv block might be a good use for the strips.ReplyDelete
the yellow block is beautiful! love it! last month i worked on an alice in wonderland inspired quilt for my little girl using folksy flannel- fun! :)ReplyDelete
see it here:
I was sewing, then my machine went wonky, so waiting to get it back.ReplyDelete
You don't realize how much you need a sewing machine till you lose it and have to use an old clunker, lol.
I think you should only worry about errors in a union jack if it's going to go on a flag pole :) love that green block you did from the tutorial, really striking!ReplyDelete
Union Jack looks Great! I have a king size one I did (with much difficulty) but after three of them I'm a pro!!ReplyDelete
I'm also British, and I like your Union Jack block. :-)ReplyDelete
I just stumbled across your blog. Love to see gentlemen enjoying the quilting world. I have quilted for years, but I still consider myself between a beginner and intermediate, there are still many things I need to learn.ReplyDelete
Hi Carey, I am relatively new to your blog. Have lazily lurked for a while...love your quilts and have also only recently begun quilting after dreaming about for ever...recently finished a single girl cushion which i hand quilted and thoroughly enjoyed (as a trial) will begin the ever anticipated king size quilt next. Well if one is going to make one it might as well be a decent size. As i live on acreage, work roughly 60 hours away from the home and have lots of family around me i dont really have a lot of time left..hence i spend a little time drooling over others' whilst in the less active times at work.....till then...love your blog. DebraReplyDelete
I love your stacked block and Rachel's. Lots of fun!ReplyDelete
Hi John, I've just found your blog and I love your style, it's very neat and balanced. Now I'm following you, so I can't wait for your next project! GioReplyDelete
Mmh, I do like the Union Jack block, the only problem I see is that it is a mirror image. That is one of the problems with foundation paper piecing.ReplyDelete
My favourite style of fabric is civil war, but your fresh bright easy style blocks tempt me in a big way. I love to read your blog to see the modern fabrics that you use.
The pink,yellow, blue, and white is awesome.ReplyDelete
hi there! I stumbled across your blog a while back when hunting for some unique quilt ideas. I just love your fun modern take on quilting. I'm currently working on my third quilt for my 3.5 year old daughter. She is deeply in love with Wall-E (disney pixar movie) and I wanted to make a little blanket for her. It has morphed into a twin sized comforter! I made the pattern myself and am pretty impressed with myself. :) I don't have a lot of experience with a sewing machine, just a crafty nature and a slightly deranged imagination that says, "oh yeah, I can do that!"ReplyDelete
cuz I gotta brag... http://wayneandnaomi.blogspot.com/2011/03/what-ive-been-up-to-lately.htmlReplyDelete
it's all pinned together and waiting for time to quilt...I've never done the finishing of a quilt either. eek! but I've got my mom's 20 year old white machine, a walking foot and a darning foot. off I go!
I tried to make a Union Jack block without paperpiecing and it worked! ;-)ReplyDelete
I loved the blocks too!!ReplyDelete


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Swiss Origami artist Sipho Mabona creates a full-scale white elephant by using a single sheet of paper. By using one slice of white paper measuring 15 by 15 meters (50 by 50 feet), the skilled artist was able to craft up this grand 'white elephant', which stands more than 3 meters (10 feet) tall.
The project, apart from being living-proof of outstanding talent, was also treated as a performance; this live video [posted here] shows Mabona doing what he does best. As we intently watch it, we see a slow progression, a focused Mabona, and a paper-elephant slowly taking shape. "There is no limit in origami", says Mabona.
Mabona financed the project through Indiegogo, the Internet-crowdfunding platform. He raised over $26,000 from 631 funders. In order to share with the donors, a webcam was installed where Mabona worked. The artist ran into some major challenges like figuring out how to spread a huge sheet of paper, measuring 15 meters by 15 meters (or 50 by 50 feet), in a hall, to transform the sheet of paper into the body of an elephant. There were moments during the folding process wherehe had to get the help of up to ten people to lift and fold the paper. (via My Modern Met)


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A Geode is a hollow rock that upon cracking open reveals a crystalline interior. Geo, on the other hand, was GM attempt to crack the small car market. Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe Metro will save you on gas, but will driving it leave you feeling hollow?
High gas prices or not, for 87% of you there was no way that fourteen large was leaving your pocket in exchange for yesterday's 1981 Rabbit Pickup, no matter how guten tag it might have been. There was obviously a lot of love put into that truck's execution, but as they always say, you can't put a price on love - except of course, in Nevada. That VW was one pricey pickup, and it represented a way to beat the oil companies at their own game - the expensive way. Today we've got a car from the other end of the spectrum - one that sips gas and won't eat a hole in your wallet, even if it does look a little moth-eaten.
In a classic Simpsons episode, the Flanderseses flee Homer's smothering attempts at making Ned his BFF by crashing through their garage door and hightailing it down the street. In terminator-like fashion, Homer chases them while Maude shouts, 'Come on, Ned, move this thing! Panicked, Ned responds fatalistically, 'I can't! It's a Geo!'
While that was funny, sardonic, and pretty spot-on, at least you can bet Ned was getting some pretty good-iddly mileage. And that'll be the case with today's 1992 Geo Metro convertible. Unlike yesterday's Rabbit pickup, which got all Robert Frost between filling stations (think about it) due to its diesel engine, this Metro owes its parsimony to a tiny 3 cylinder hummingbird of a motor.
Built by Suzuki - makers of the mighty Hayabusa - the 998-cc Metro motor seems like Chihuahua to that bike motor's rabid Pitbull, but what it loses in rail gun-like acceleration, it more than makes up for in lack of power. The sohc triple utilizes several tricks to reduce both friction and mass, among them a hollow camshaft, and that conspicuous absence of a fourth piston. Those efforts pay off with exceptional fuel economy. They also make for an output of 55-horses which will move the automatic equipped. . . hey, where you goin'?
Okay, it's a three-speed slusher, so a number of those precious-few 55 ponies will go towards paying the piper of shifting convenience. That stands in contrast to yesterday's five-speed VW, and additionally, while that Rabbit was a completed project, this Metro is offered as one at its start. The bodywork, while complete, looks a little rough around - and between - the edges, and the convertible top needs a new plastic rear window to be adequately weather tight. At least it still has all four wheel covers, even if they're are plastic. The miasma-clouded headlamps are also polycarbonate, and appear able to produce about as feeble an illumination as provided by a bee lighting his fart.
Inside dim lighting might actually improve things as it has all the charm of a public restroom - the Men's, not the Ladies, as there is a difference, you pigs. The dash is gnawed upon, and the radio looks like it was the victim of a theft attempted by a not particularly bright chimpanzee. The condition of the car, both inside and out belies the seller's claim that it has fewer than 60K on the clock. Maybe it's really 460K? But so what if it is? Yeah it needs work, and even though the driver's-side door panel is missing, the seller might throw in the Vise Grips® serving as a window winder. That puts you one tool closer to restoring this car to its past - fuel sipping - glories, or gives you something to steer with when the wheel eventually falls off or is stolen for its airbag.
But why would you even bother restoring it? After all, the idea is to counter the rise in gas prices for as little as possible, and this car looks to be drivable as-is. So as long as it doesn't rain, or you attempt any on-ramp heroics against 18-wheelers and those who don't pay for their own gas you should be okay just shit-boxing around in it. Sure, the seller says it's ripe for a restoration, I say it's ripe for riding around in while wearing boxers and a bathrobe, and its $1,200 price bears that out.
That works out to $100 a month spread out over the next year - or 300 gallons of gas at four bucks a pop. Let's say you do 12K a year, and you're currently getting 20 MPG. That's 600 gallons of dead dino juice. Switch up to this 40 MPG monster and you'll do that with only 300 gallons, albeit pretty slowly, and potentially with the back of your robe soaked through when it rains. Based on that grade school math, you'd be breaking even your first year, and in year two, you'd be the object of narrow-eyed stares by disgruntled oil company execs who blame you personally for their annual bonuses being only seven figures. You inconsiderate bastard.
So what do you think, is this matchbox of a Metro worth that $1,200 asking price in its current state of dishevelment? Or, is that too much to go Metro?
You decide!
Los Angeles Craigslist or go here if the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOCP. Click here to send a me a tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.


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Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Risk Factors and Mechanisms
Medrek S, Safdar Z. Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Risk Factors and Mechanisms. Methodist DeBakey Cardiovasc J. 2016;12(4):195-198.doi: https://doi.org/10.14797/mdcj-12-4-195
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) occurs when thromboemboli travel to the pulmonary vasculature, fail to resolve, and cause elevated pulmonary arterial pressure. Untreated, this disease leads to progressive right heart failure and death. It develops in approximately 1% to 5% of patients who suffer an acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and has an overall incidence of 3 to 30 per million in the general population. While it is not entirely evident why most but not all people are able to clear this clot burden, there are known risk factors for the development of CTEPH. These include signs of right heart strain at the time of incident PE, inherited coagulopathies, inflammatory conditions, hypothyroidism, and a history of splenectomy. Since CTEPH can be treated both surgically and medically, it is critical to understand the pathophysiology of the disease so affected patients can be identified and diagnosed appropriately.Keywords
pulmonary hypertension , chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension , pulmonary embolism , pulmonary arterial hypertension
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is characterized by thromboembolic obstruction of the pulmonary arteries and vascular arteriopathy leading to vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension (PH). Untreated, this results in progressive right ventricular failure and death.1 According to the updated clinical classification of PH, CTEPH continues to be designated as Group 4 PH due to its unique pathophysiologic mechanisms.2 Although the exact incidence of the disease is unknown, registry data suggest that it affects between 3 to 30 people per million.3 CTEPH causes a significant burden on society due to excessive health care utilization, high-cost therapy, and increased mortality.4 Importantly, many patients with the disease can be surgically cured with pulmonary endarterectomy, which is the treatment of choice. Patients who undergo this operation have improved survival compared to patients treated with medical therapy alone.5 This review gives an overview of disease prevalence, pathophysiology, and clinical risk factors to enhance physician understanding and help them accurately identify and diagnose patients with this disease.
Registry data suggest that the prevalence of CTEPH is approximately equal in men and women, with an average age of onset in the sixth decade of life.6 Although CTEPH is thought to be a sequela of chronic thromboembolic disease, a subset of patients ultimately diagnosed with the condition do not have a known prior history of venous thromboembolic disease or pulmonary embolism (PE). Some initial studies reported that up to 63% of patients seen at a center specializing in the treatment of CTEPH did not report a history of venous thromboembolism.7 However, a more recent large registry from Europe showed that 75% of patients did report a history of PE.6 Given that patients diagnosed with CTEPH may not have a prior history of thromboembolic disease, all patients with PH should undergo a work-up to exclude CTEPH.
The incidence of CTEPH after acute PE remains unclear. Historically, between 0.1% and 0.5% of patients with PE were thought to develop CTEPH.1 This range came into question when a study looking at serial echocardiographic data obtained at the time of PE and at 1 year of follow-up found that RV dysfunction was present in up to 8% of patients with acute PE.8 A landmark study published in 2004 enrolled 223 serial patients with acute PE who did not have a history of heart disease, lung disease, or other conditions that could have predisposed them to the development of PH. On follow-up, patients with unexplained shortness of breath were evaluated with a right heart catheterization (RHC). A total of 3.8% of patients developed CTEPH after 2 years of follow-up.9 Another study published 2 years later showed a rate of 1% after acute PE, but this study excluded patients with known permanent risk factors for thromboembolic disease such as cancer.10 Subsequent studies have reported a prevalence ranging between 0.4% and 4.8%.11–17 Differences in rates are likely due to differences in populations studied, screening methods for CTEPH, and length of follow-up.
Most studies suggest that CTEPH develops within 2 years of the acute PE.9,10,16,17 At least one study has evaluated the utility of a formal screening program for CTEPH after an incidental PE, but the program was ineffective in diagnosing additional patients with CTEPH as compared to those receiving usual care.12 Current guidelines state that there is insufficient evidence to recommend screening patients with acute PE for CTEPH.18 A claim database analysis suggests that less than 50% of patients with PE are evaluated with a follow-up echocardiogram.19 Whether or not this is sufficient remains to be determined.
Although various pathophysiologic mechanisms have been proposed to explain the development of CTEPH, questions remain as to why this condition only occurs in a minority of patients following an acute PE. Historically, two competing hypotheses were proposed. One early hypothesis was that local in situ thrombosis of smaller arteries resulted in a distal arteriopathy and subsequent PH.20 An important critique of this proposed mechanism is that it does not explain the proximal vascular occlusion commonly seen in CTEPH. The alternate hypothesis, therefore, is the thromboembolic theory: in this model, emboli from the systemic circulation become lodged within the pulmonary vasculature and fail to resolve. Various factors cause these emboli to progress and stabilize. A distal microvascular arteriopathy can develop subsequently due to elevated pulmonary pressures or from other effects triggered by the presence of these stabilized thrombotic lesions.3
A significant amount of knowledge regarding the disease process has been gained by evaluating pathologic specimens of lungs obtained from CTEPH patients. Such studies have shown a number of different types of vascular lesions in these patients. One characteristic finding is organized thrombus; these lesions are described as fibrotic obstructing lesions within the vessel lumen, which may or may not have channels of recanalization. Other vascular lesions mimic those seen in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), including medial hypertrophy of the muscularis layer of pulmonary arterioles, concentric laminal internal fibroelastosis, and plexiform lesions. These lesions were even seen in vessels located in regions of the lung where there were no proximal thrombotic lesions causing decreased perfusion. These results generated additional hypotheses. First, they highlight the possibility that there are some mechanistic similarities between PAH and CTEPH. Second, the presence of vascular lesion in regions of the lung not affected by thrombotic disease suggests that systemic vascular mediators could be triggering the development of these lesions.21 In general, these pathologic findings support the thromboembolic hypothesis.3
One of the first important steps towards the pathogenesis of CTEPH is the non-resolution of thromboemboli that enter the pulmonary vasculature. In normal physiology, the first step in clot resolution is fibrinolysis. Next, an inflammatory response recruits neutrophils that continue the process of breaking down the clot. Endothelial progenitor cells and monocytes are also recruited to the region to promote angiogenesis and reorganization of the clot, respectively.22 In CTEPH, a number of the steps involved in thrombus breakdown could be abnormal. An early hypothesis suggested that the process of fibrinolysis itself was deranged; however, studies evaluating this process showed it was relatively normal in CTEPH patients.23 The structure of fibrin appears to be abnormal in certain patients, suggesting that dysfibrinogenemia could contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.24,25 Other studies suggest that inflammation itself could affect the normal process of clot breakdown given that levels of C-reactive protein and certain cytokines have been shown to be elevated in CTEPH patients.26,27 The process of angiogenesis, which is thought to be an important step in the recanalization of the clot,27 may also be deranged in CTEPH.28 Some data suggest that a superimposed infection of the thromboembolus could play a role in its lack of resolution.29
The pathologic lesions in CTEPH show that the thromboemboli in the pulmonary vasculature not only fail to resolve but also proliferate and stabilize over time. The clots become organized and fibrous, replacing the normal intima of the arterial wall.22 One study showed that multipotent mesenchymal progenitor cells have been found within endarterectomized tissue; these could contribute to the fibrosis and stabilization of the clot.30
Vascular changes were noted not only in large vessels directly affected by clots but also in small distal arteries.21 This aspect of the disease is of crucial importance, as patients with primarily distal disease are considered poor surgical candidates. Additionally, small-vessel occlusion is thought to contribute to residual post-endarterectomy PH.3 Since there are small-vessel lesions found in vascular beds not affected by thromboembolism, the pathogenesis of this process could be secondary to the release of abnormal mediators from platelets or endothelial cells or due to dysregulated pulmonary blood flow.31 Precapillary and postcapillary vasculature has been implicated.32 A recent study highlights the importance of this small-vessel involvement by demonstrating how hemodynamic data obtained before and after endarterectomy correlated with the degree of pulmonary arteriopathy.33
The timeline for developing PH in patients with CTEPH is unclear. As noted above, studies monitoring the development of CTEPH after initial PE suggest that most cases are identified within 2 years. One of these studies, however, suggested that the process of thromboembolic disease may have been ongoing prior to the initial diagnosis of PE. Computed tomography scans were used to look for signs of CTEPH such as organized mural thrombi, arterial webs or bands, dilated bronchial arteries, and mosaicism of the pulmonary parenchymal perfusion. Interestingly, patients diagnosed with CTEPH had at least two of these signs at the time of index PE.16
|Risk Factors
Many risk factors for the development of CTEPH have been identified (Table 1). These clinically derived predisposing conditions provide support for the pathogenic model of the disease described above. Given the now-accepted thromboembolic hypothesis of the disease, it is perhaps unsurprising that having a prior thromboembolic event is a risk factor for the development of this condition.34,35 Although a subset of patients eventually diagnosed with CTEPH have no history of thromboembolic disease, older data suggests that these patients comprise a relative minority.6
Certain hypercoagulable states are shown to confer a higher risk of CTEPH development, including elevated factor VIII levels,36,37 lupus anticoagulant/antiphospholipid antibodies,38 and factor V Leiden mutations.37 There is no evidence supporting the idea that deficiencies of antithrombin, protein C, or protein S are linked to CTEPH; in addition, prothrombin gene mutations are not shown to occur with higher frequency in those who develop this disease.3 Splenectomy, which in itself is thought to create a prothrombotic state, has been identified in a disproportionate number of CTEPH patients in multiple studies.34,35,39 History of malignancy confers an increased risk of developing this condition,34 as does being on thyroid hormone replacement, although it is unclear if this is due to the possible prothrombotic characteristics associated with the hypothyroid state or a direct effect of the thyroid hormone replacement.34
While traditionally there were no known familial or genetic links in CTEPH, some recent studies have suggested that a genetic predisposition could be present. One case of familial CTEPH has been reported,40 and BMPR2 mutations have been found in patients with CTEPH.41 A recent Chinese study found that patients with CTEPH had a higher frequency of mutations in the known PAH-related genes.42 Although these results are preliminary, they offer insight into the pathophysiology of this disease.
Certain medical conditions characterized by high levels of inflammation have been linked to CTEPH. Specifically, inflammatory bowel disease and osteomyelitis have been found to increase the odds of developing this condition.43 The link between inflammatory conditions and non-resolution of thrombotic disease is supported by data suggesting that inflammatory markers are high in patients with CTEPH compared to controls.27 Having foreign structures implanted in the heart also appears to increase the risk of CTEPH. In a number of studies, the presence of ventriculoatrial shunts for the treatment of hydrocephalus has been shown to increase the chance of developing this condition.34,35,43 The presence of pacemaker wires also increases risk.34,35 It is hypothesized that superimposed infection of these exogenous structures could contribute to the delayed resolution of thromboemboli within the pulmonary vascular bed.29
A number of studies have evaluated the risk of developing CTEPH based on characteristics noted at the time of PE. Elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure on echocardiogram and larger perfusion defects at the time of initial PE were shown to be predictive for the development of CTEPH.8,14,16,17 Additionally, increased right ventricular/left ventricular ratio and high B-type natriuretic peptide levels were also predictive of CTEPH development.16,44 Older patients were more likely to develop CTEPH,8,16 as were those who had an idiopathic unprovoked PE.9,12,14,44 One group of researchers developed a clinical risk predictive score to identify patients with PE who are at high risk for developing CTEPH. While such tools are promising, further validation will be required before they can be adopted in clinical practice.44
Although it is a rare disease seen in 3 to 30 people per million, CTEPH uses extensive health care resources and is associated with high mortality. Approximately 0.4% to 4.8% of patients diagnosed with acute PE will go on to develop CTEPH. The pathophysiology of the disease is characterized by thrombi within the pulmonary vasculature that fail to resolve, persist, and stabilize with time. Although this results in large-vessel pathology, small-vessel disease plays an important role in the pathophysiology of this disease, particularly in patients who have persistent PH after endarterectomy and in those with primarily distal disease who may not be deemed surgical candidates. Known risk factors for CTEPH include prior thromboembolic disease, certain hypercoagulable states, chronic inflammation, splenectomy, and history of malignancy. Pulmonary artery endarterectomy is the recommended treatment of choice for patients deemed to be surgical candidates. With an improved understanding of the prevalence, pathogenesis, and risk factors for CTEPH, we hope that physicians will be better able to promptly identify and treat affected patients.
|Key Points
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a rare disease seen in 3 to 30 per million and is associated with a high mortality.
Approximately 0.4% to 4.8% of patients diagnosed with acute pulmonary embolism will go on to develop CTEPH.
Known risk factors for CTEPH include prior thromboembolic disease, certain hypercoagulable states, chronic inflammation, splenectomy, and history of malignancy.
Early recognition of this disease and appropriate treatment is the key to improve outcome. Pulmonary artery endarterectomy is the recommended treatment of choice for patients deemed to be surgical candidates.
Dr. Safdar is a consultant, on the speakers' bureau, and an advisory board member for Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Gilead Sciences, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, United Therapeutics, Genetech, and Boehringer Ingelheim.References
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|Simonneau G, Gatzoulis MA, Adatia I, et al. Updated clinical classification of pulmonary hypertension. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Dec 24; 62( 25 Suppl): D34– 41.
|Lang IM, Pesavento R, Bonderman D, Yuan JX. Risk factors and basic mechanisms of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a current understanding. Eur Respir J. 2013 Feb; 41( 2): 462– 8.
|Schweikert B, Pittrow D, Vizza CD, et al. Demographics, clinical characteristics, health resource utilization and cost of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients: retrospective results from six European countries. BMC Health Serv Res. 2014 Jun 9; 14: 246.
|Delcroix M, Lang I, Pepke-Zaba J, et al. Long-Term Outcome of Patients With Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Results From an International Prospective Registry. Circulation. 2016 Mar 1; 133( 9): 859– 71.
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|Li JF, Lin Y, Yang YH, et al. Fibrinogen A? Thr312Ala polymorphism specifically contributes to chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension by increasing fibrin resistance. PLoS One. 2013 Jul 22; 8( 7): e69635.
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|Dorfmuller P, Gunther S, Ghigna MR, et al. Microvascular disease in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: a role for pulmonary veins and systemic vasculature. Eur Respir J. 2014 Nov; 44( 5): 1275– 88.
|Jujo T, Sakao S, Ishibashi-Ueda H, et al. Evaluation of the Microcirculation in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Patients: The Impact of Pulmonary Arterial Remodeling on Postoperative and Follow-Up Pulmonary Arterial Pressure and Vascular Resistance. PLoS One. 2015 Aug 7; 10( 8): e0133167.
|Bonderman D, Wilkens H, Wakounig S, et al. Risk factors for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Eur Respir J. 2009 Feb; 33( 2): 325– 31.
|Condliffe R, Kiely DG, Gibbs JS, et al. Prognostic and aetiological factors in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Eur Respir J. 2009 Feb; 33( 2): 332– 8.
|Bonderman D, Turecek PL, Jakowitsch J, et al. High prevalence of elevated clotting factor VIII in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Thromb Haemost. 2003 Sep; 90( 3): 372– 6.
|Wong CL, Szydlo R, Gibbs S, Laffan M. Hereditary and acquired thrombotic risk factors for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2010 Apr; 21( 3): 201– 6.
|Wolf M, Boyer-Neumann C, Parent F, et al. Thrombotic risk factors in pulmonary hypertension. Eur Respir J. 2000 Feb; 15( 2): 395– 9.
|Kimmig LM, Palevsky HI. Review of the Association between Splenectomy and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016 Jun; 13( 6): 945– 54.
|Desmarais J, Elliott CG. Familial Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension. Chest. 2016 Apr; 149( 4): e99– e101.
|Feng YX, Liu D, Sun ML, et al. BMPR2 germline mutation in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Lung. 2014 Aug; 192( 4): 625– 7.
|Xi Q, Liu Z, Zhao Z, Luo Q, Huang Z. High Frequency of Pulmonary Hypertension-Causing Gene Mutation in Chinese Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension. PLoS One. 2016 Jan 28; 11( 1): e0147396.
|Bonderman D, Jakowitsch J, Adlbrecht C, et al. Medical conditions increasing the risk of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Thromb Haemost. 2005 Mar; 93( 3): 512– 6.
|Klok FA, Dzikowska-Diduch O, Kostrubiec M, et al. Derivation of a clinical prediction score for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension after acute pulmonary embolism. J Thromb Haemost. 2016 Jan; 14( 1): 121– 8.


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JOHNS&CO are delighted to offer this dual aspect two bedroom apartment, two bathroom within City House, Principal Tower, due for completion Q1 2019. This apartment is situated on the 14th floor with approximately c.764 sq ft internal area plus a c.55 sq ft private terrace.
Fully designed by renowned architects Foster and Partners, Principal Tower features an excellent selection of on-site amenities which include a 24 hour concierge service, residents' lounge, state-of-the-art gymnasium, cinema, spa, a lap pool and access to bicycle storage. There are also opportunities to acquire parking spaces. A fine selection of cafes, bars and restaurants will also be accessible within the development. Cultural events will take place throughout the year within Principle Places half-acre piazza.
Principle Place exceeds the expectations of a modern mixed-use development. Aside from the impressive Amazon Headquarters which occupies 600,000 sq. ft. within Principle Place, there is also retail space totalling 28,000 sq. ft. across the development.
The developments coveted location blends the practicality of great transport links with a fine selection of amenities and attractions just a short distance away. Standing at 50-storeys in height, exceptional views can be enjoyed from East to West including many of the Capitals most noteworthy landmarks. The development is situated ideally for access to some of the finest educational institutions including Kings College, London Business School and the University College of London (UCL) amongst several others.
The development is located a short distance from several transport links including Liverpool Street station, providing access to Underground and rail services for commutes to key destinations across the Capital. The upcoming Crossrail link will serve Liverpool Street and add even more flexibility for commuting.
Should you wish to receive a copy of the floor plan or have any questions, please feel free to call the office.
***Photos do not depict the exact apartment and are for marketing purposes


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About Montana
Welcome to Montana
Welcome to Montana
Montana...Big Sky, Big Mountains, Big Open. Although many people think Montana in terms of the rounded valleys, jagged peaks, and sparkling lakes of Glacier National Park, the state holds so much more, including huge expanses of sage flats, gumbo badlands, and desert-like plains, where the buffalo once roamed in vast, dark herds. On Montana's public lands, you can find paleontological, archeological, and historical sites aplenty, places where dinosaurs roamed and shallow oceans covered the land; where tribes drove buffalo off cliffs two thousand years ago; where Lewis and Clark moved through an unknown land; and where whites built homes and towns, hoping to reap great wealth, only to move on in a few years, when the ore or water ran out. But whether you're a history buff, an avid trout fisherman, a daredevil skier, a big game hunter in search of trophy elk, a birdwatcher stalking the wetlands, or a wilderness lover headed into the backcountry, you are always faced with the fact that Montana is not only bigger, but wilder and more majestic than any of us can comprehend.
Take some time to explore the wonders of Montana here at the Montana Public Lands Information Center. You will discover a wealth of detailed information about where to go and what to do while touring the public lands of this state.
In our Maps & Books section, you can purchase books, maps, and other educational items to make your virtual or real visit truly rewarding. To begin your journey, click on Recreation Search.
If you have any questions please email the PLIC staff. For information on lodging, museums, tribal lands, and commercial attractions or services, contact the Montana Department of Tourism. For information about hunting and fishing regulations and licensing information for Montana, please contact Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
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NBC just posted its best overnight ratings ever for an opening night of competition at a non-U.S. based Olympics. You can go ahead and uncross your fingers if you were looking for live, televised, coverage of events.
The overnight is 8 percent higher than Beijing, when swimmer Michael Phelps won the first of his eight gold medals in a live race. It also is 22 percent higher than Athens in 2004.
This is annoying, yes, but would be less annoying if NBC's live online coverage didn't seem to be sending computers into epileptic fits.
In other ratings news, there are 15 cities more patriotic than Boston. Including Salt Lake City, which was the highest metered market last night.
For a handy master schedule of every Olympic event, click here.
NBC's overnight rating up 8% over Beijing for first night of competition [Sports Business Daily]


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I collect dolls – they're so fun to dress and photograph. I know that some of my readers aren't really interested in dolls, and that's totally okay! I get that most girls don't play with dolls forever, but it just happens that they're something I love.
>>>>> ♥ <<<<<
Hi! I'm Ivy Jewel Jones, but nobody calls me by my full name unless I'm being irritating. I can be annoying, but that's because I like to talk! For some reason, though, my sisters don't seem to appreciate it. Huh.
As you may have guessed, I'm a major extrovert. I love dancing and singing, and I'm always wearing bright colors (Cause' why not?) I'm 12 years old. (I'll be 13 in November!)
I read… a lot. Books are amazing! Keeper of the Lost Cities is my favorite series, though Harry Potter is a close second. Fantasy is my favorite genre. Dragons, unicorns, fantastical worlds… *sigh*
Oh, and did I mention I was adopted? I lived in China for the first year of my life, but I don't remember much about it. I'm so glad to have such great sisters!
Hello! My name is Mary Lynn, though my sisters call me ML. I'm 15 and the oldest of eight girls. They can be pretty nerve-wracking, but they're great friends.
I'm an ambivert, which means I'm kinda in the middle. I love being around people, but I can also be shy. I'm pretty crazy with my friends, though!
I love doing my hair and picking out clothes. I'm learning to sew, which is awesome! I can't wait until I can sew my own outfits. I think it'd be fun to own a little shop… I could sell clothes, and used books! I love the smell of books.
My cat, Gumdrop, is a grumpy Siamese and my best cuddling companion. She wakes me up early every morning, but I don't mind – it's nice to have a few minutes of quiet before the day begins.
One more thing – I love music. I play the violin, and I love it. It's such a beautiful instrument!
Hey, there! My name is Avelyn Margaret Jones, Ava for short. I'm 13 years old, and I'll be 14 in March.
I love the outdoors, and chances are on most days you'll find me outside with my sketchbook. I love drawing the little things that most people don't notice. I'm shy about sharing my art – the only people who see it are my family. They tell me I'm a good artist, though I'm not sure.
My walls are covered in inspirational quotes from all my favorite authors and artists. I dream of traveling. I want to visit so many places! Someday I'll travel… just me, a sketchbook, and my camera. That's my newest interest: photography. Who knows? Maybe I'll be a traveling artist photographer someday.
More than anything, though, I love my sisters. They're fun and crazy, and we laugh a lot. I love being part of a big family!
Hello! I'm Poesy Mae Hynson. I'm 12 years old and I lived in Topeka, Kansas for the first 10 years of my life, and then we had to move for my dad's job. I miss Kansas a lot, but I'm glad I was lucky enough to move in next door to a whole family of girls my age! I was a bit shy at first, but we warmed up to each other quickly and now we're great friends. We play and laugh a lot together!
Now for a bit about my hobbies. I love swimming and any game or sport that involves running, but I have a deathly fear of heights so please don't ask me to climb anything. *shudders* I enjoy watching and obsessing over Pixar movies/anything related to Pixar. (Super Carlin Brothers, anyone?) I like baking sweet things to satisfy my sweet tooth, though somehow I always manage to burn, undercook, melt or otherwise destroy whatever I'm baking. I've been temporarily banned from the kitchen until I'm "a little less likely to burn the house down." Or at least that's what Mom says. *sigh*
My main obsession, however, is not Pixar or cooking – I'm absolutely obsessed with dogs! I love canines of all shapes and sizes and I'm saving my money for a dog of my own. I've been working hard to earn money for the past three years and I've almost reached my goal. I can't wait to have my own furry little puppy one day soon!
Hi, I'm Ginevra Molly Jones. I like my middle name, but not my first name. So please just call me Ginny. It sounds pretty.
I'm 8 years old and I like to dress up and play with my friends, especially Mulan. I live right next door to her so I play with her all the time! Sometimes we play princesses! I like princesses. I wear my favorite princess dress as much as I can. Mulan plays dress-up with me, and Surjan too. They're great friends.
I love to color! I've filled lots of coloring books with my art. I have tons of crayons. I like all the different colors. Sometimes, my sisters will draw with me. They are really nice most of the time. We like to sing and dance together. Aren't sisters great?
Hi! I'm Mulan Lilli Tremblay. Most people call me Mu or Lil. I am 8 years old. I used to live in Canada, but my family moved to America last winter. I love my neighbors! Ginny and Surjan are great friends, and Mary Lynn plays the violin like me.
I love playing violin more than almost anything! I've been playing since I was 3. I wish I could meet the great composers like Mozart and Bach. That would be amazing!
I love animals, too. I don't have any pets, but I do have lots of plants! I love growing flowers. My bedroom is like an indoor garden. I think I'd like to be a botanist when I grow up. I also think it would be fun to have a pet tiger. Hmm…
Hello. My name is Surjan Tressa Jones, and I am 7 years old. I was adopted from Nepal, and I'm so happy I ended up with seven sisters! They are all so nice, Ava especially. Ava is awesome! She's teaching me how to play the piano.
I love art and acting. I like to dress up in costumes and pretend to be different people. It's great! I would love to act in a big movie someday. Speaking of movies, my favorite one is Tangled. I really want to visit Disney World and meet Rapunzel! I have a jar on my dresser that I'm slowly filling with money to go there.
My best friends are Ava and Mulan, my neighbor. She likes the outdoors, just like me! We climb trees and pretend we're secret spies.
>>>>> ♥ <<<<<
Thanks for reading about the dolls!


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An article in The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 21, 2000, p. A19) describes the surprising results of recent archeological research into the period covered by the Bible. As the tools of archeology developed and became more refined within the past two decades, and archeologists themselves felt no need to have their findings conform to a particular religious narrative, their results went in surprising directions.
So how much of what we believe to be historically true based on the Bible now stands up under the scrutiny of modern archaeological evidence? Very little, it turns out. The Bible is not only a poor source of science and cosmology, it is not even a good source of history.
In the Chronicle article, Tel Avis University archeologist Ze'ev Herzog is quoted as saying: "This is what archaeologists have learned from their excavations in the Land of Israel: the Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign and did not pass it on to the 12 tribes of Israel. Perhaps even harder to swallow is the fact that the united monarchy of David and Solomon, which is described by the Bible as a regional power, was at most a small tribal kingdom."
The article says that among academics there is broad consensus on most features, although scholars differ about details. Reporting on two recent conferences, it says: "None of the scholars speaking at either conference believe that the Bible's historical sections can be accepted as literal, accurate descriptions of historical events. They also agree that the extra-biblical evidence for events described in the Bible dwindles the farther back in time one goes. King Ahab of Israel [who reigned around 850 BCE] is well-documented in other inscriptions from elsewhere in the Middle East; the united monarchy of David and Solomon is not. Evidence exists of the rise of the new Israelite nation in the Palestinian highlands during the late Bronze Age [1600-1200 BCE] – the age of the Judges – but it can be interpreted in different ways. There is no external evidence at all for the patriarchs and, in fact, the biblical description contains contradictions and anachronisms that, scholars generally agree, seem to place the patriarchs in the age of the Judges rather than several generations earlier, as the Bible has it."
Daniel Lazare confirms this modern view in his March 2002 Harper's article False Testament. He says that the new version of history unearthed by archeologists is quite different from what most people believe.
Not only is there no evidence that any such figure as Abraham ever lived but archaeologists believe that there is no way such a figure could have lived given what we now know about ancient Israelite origins.
. . .
A growing volume of evidence concerning Egyptian border defenses, desert sites where the fleeing Israelites supposedly camped, etc., indicates that the flight from Egypt did not occur in the thirteenth century before Christ; it never occurred at all.
. . .
Rather than a band of invaders who fought their way into the Holy Land, the Israelites are now thought to have been an indigenous culture that developed west of the Jordan River around 1200 B.C. Abraham, Isaac, and the other patriarchs appear to have been spliced together out of various pieces of local lore.
. . .
Moses was no more historically real than Abraham before him.
. . .
[A]rchaeologists believe that David was not a mighty potentate whose power was felt from the Nile to the Euphrates but rather a freebooter who carved out what was at most a small duchy in the southern highlands around Jerusalem and Hebron. Indeed, the chief disagreement among scholars nowadays is between those who hold that David was a petty hilltop chieftain whose writ extended no more than a few miles in any direction and a small but vociferous band of "biblical minimalists" who maintain that he never existed at all.
. . .
The Davidic Empire, which archaeologists once thought as incontrovertible as the Roman, is now seen as an invention of Jerusalem-based priests in the seventh and eighth centuries B.C. who were eager to burnish their national history. The religion we call Judaism does not reach well back into the second millennium B.C. but appears to be, at most, a product of the mid-first.
This is not to say that individual elements of the story are not older. But Jewish monotheism, the sole and exclusive worship of an ancient Semitic god known as Yahweh, did not fully coalesce until the period between the Assyrian conquest of the northern Jewish kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. and the Babylonian conquest of the southern kingdom of Judah in 586.
I must admit that all this came as a surprise to me, although this knowledge seems to be widespread in the archeological community. And given my past religious training, my interest was piqued by the question of why all this was not more well known and taught as part of routine Bible study.
In hindsight, it is easy to see that I should never have taken the Biblical stories seriously. Religious texts, whatever the religion, are unlikely to be reliable sources of history. Their authors are not disinterested writers. They are usually religious people, perhaps priests and leaders or scribes working under their direction, and are essentially trying to provide a rationale for people to believe in that religion and to provide authority for religious leaders to enforce discipline on their members. It is in their interest to embellish the historical accounts in order to legitimize the status quo, to give people a sense of inevitability about their status, and to provide legitimacy to the priestly class. To do this, they have to create a grand narrative to describe god's special interest in them, the rules that they must follow, and his dislike for people of other religions.
If we want to know what really happened in the deep past, we must not believe the accounts given in religious texts unless they are confirmed by investigations using the painstaking, evidence-based methods of science.
Next: How scientific analysis of the past works.
POST SCRIPT: We should have known
Observers of soon-to-be-former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld when he was relishing the idea that he was a brilliant thinker will never forget his famous quote:
Reports that say something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know.
But as BBC's Radio 4 points out, while this may sound initially like gibberish, actually Rumsfeld simply did not go far enough.


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Charity² — 10% in charity
Starting from February, we'll donate 10% of our earnings to charity organizations each month. Some people may not have our facilities nor our basic needs, that's why we want to help them! Do you want to know more or want to have a proof of our donation? Send us a mail and we'll be glad to talk with you!
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LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2004 — The Mars rovers moved toward new rocks to drill on Saturday, a day after the Spirit rover found geological evidence that the dusty Red Planet had a wet past.
The Opportunity rover prepared for another drilling job as Spirit — positioned halfway around the planet — rolled slowly toward the rim of a crater called "Bonneville."
The six-wheeled Spirit moved 94 feet (28 meters) northeast toward the crater after snapping the final photographs that scientists will use to assemble a full-circle, full-color panorama of the region dubbed "Middle Ground."
Meanwhile, Opportunity used its tool-laden robotic arm to inspect a rock called "Wave Ripple" and took 50 microscopic images. It then drove to a new target at the south end of the outcropping that it has been examining for weeks. Its wheels slipped in the soil and it had to move along a slight slope, but the job was accomplished.
Opportunity planned to use its rock abrasion tool to grind away on a feature called "Flat Rock" over the weekend.
NASA's $820 million rover mission was designed to seek geological clues on whether ancient Mars had enough water to have supported life, and both rovers have now found evidence of past water activity on the planet.
NASA announced Friday that the Spirit rover's instruments found signs that water may have altered a volcanic rock in a region called Gusev Crater. The crater is halfway around the planet from where Opportunity earlier uncovered evidence that its landing site was once drenched.
The amount of water suggested by the data is far less than what Opportunity found at its site.
An earlier version of this report misstated the cost of the Mars missions.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.