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Treatment of asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis in pregnancy to prevent preterm birth: an open-label pilot randomized controlled trial
Kristen Rickard2,
Jonathan M Morris1,2
Although the connection between ascending infection and preterm birth is undisputed, research focused on finding effective treatments has been disappointing. However evidence that eradication of Candida in pregnancy may reduce the risk of preterm birth is emerging. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of conducting a large randomized controlled trial to determine whether treatment of asymptomatic candidiasis in early pregnancy reduces the incidence of preterm birth.
We used a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE) study design. Pregnant women presenting at <20 weeks gestation with singleton pregnancies self-collected a vaginal swab. Those who were asymptomatic and culture positive for Candida were randomized to 6-days of clotrimazole vaginal pessaries (100mg) or usual care (screening result is not revealed, no treatment). The primary outcomes were the rate of asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis, participation and follow-up. The proposed primary trial outcome of spontaneous preterm birth <37 weeks gestation was also assessed.
Of 779 women approached, 500 (64%) participated in candidiasis screening, and 98 (19.6%) had asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis and were randomized to clotrimazole or usual care. Women were not inconvenienced by participation in the study, laboratory testing and medication dispensing were problem-free, and the follow-up rate was 99%. There was a tendency towards a reduction in spontaneous preterm birth among women with asymptomatic candidiasis who were treated with clotrimazole RR = 0.33, 95%CI 0.04-3.03.
A large, adequately powered, randomized trial of clotrimazole to prevent preterm birth in women with asymptomatic candidiasis is both feasible and warranted.
Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12609001052224
Prevention of spontaneous preterm birth remains one of the most important challenges in modern maternity care. Whilst an association between ascending infection and preterm birth is undisputed, research focussed on finding effective preventive treatments has been disappointing[1]. To date, most treatment trials (e.g. for bacterial vaginosis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Chlamydia trachomatis, trichomoniasis) have found little effect on the rate of preterm birth[2]. In contrast, in a randomized controlled trial of early antenatal screening (15-19 weeks) and treatment for asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis and/or trichomoniasis in early pregnancy, Kiss and colleagues reported a 46% reduction in the spontaneous preterm birth rate[3]. Post-hoc subgroup analyses of this trial suggest the benefit was primarily among those women who were treated for asymptomatic candidiasis.
The results of observational studies of the association between candidiasis and preterm birth have been mixed. Two cohort studies conducted in high-risk obstetric populations in the United States in the 1980 s found no significant association between preterm birth and moderate to heavy growth of Candida albicans or other Candida species at 22-30 weeks gestation[4, 5], In contrast, retrospective analyses of the prevalence of preterm birth in population-based data from Hungary found that vaginal clotrimazole treatment of candidiasis during pregnancy was associated with a significantly higher mean gestational age, resulting in a 34-64% reduction in the prevalence of preterm birth[6–8]. A similar reduction in preterm birth (49%) was observed in retrospective study of Latina women in New York who were treated with intravaginal azoles for Candida vaginitis[9]
Pregnant women have a two-fold increase in the prevalence of vaginal colonization by Candida species compared with non-pregnant women[10]. This association is influenced by increased levels of circulating oestrogens and deposition of glycogen and other substrates in the vagina during pregnancy[10]. Trials of treatment of candidiasis in pregnancy have been limited to women with symptomatic candidiasis (thrush) and the outcome limited to successful eradication of Candida colonization and amelioration of symptoms, not pregnancy outcomes[11]. Women with symptomatic candidiasis cannot ethically be randomized to a 'no treatment' trial arm, whereas currently, asymptomatic Candida colonization is not considered to require treatment. Consequently, we undertook a pilot study to determine the feasibility of conducting a large randomized controlled trial to answer the clinical question 'In pregnant women with asymptomatic candidiasis does treatment with clotrimazole reduce the incidence of preterm birth?' In addition to assessing procedural feasibility, the aim of the pilot study was to determine the rate of asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis <20 weeks gestation and at 24-28 weeks gestation in an unselected maternity population.
This open-label pilot study was conducted in a single Australian tertiary obstetric hospital with recruitment between May 2008 and December 2009. Eligible women included those with a singleton pregnancy of 12 to 19 weeks gestation, aged 18 years or over, no symptoms of vaginal candidiasis at the time of recruitment and no known sensitivity to clotrimazole. Women were recruited by research midwives during a routine antenatal clinic visit. All women provided written informed consent prior to entry into the study. Participants were advised at study entry to seek medical attention from their local doctor or other antenatal care provider if symptoms of thrush developed at any stage in their pregnancy.
Baseline data (age, gravidity, parity and previous preterm birth) were collected at the time of obtaining informed consent and women were instructed on the self-collection of a vaginal swab for isolation of Candida species. Such self-collection is commonly used for screening in pregnancy[12]. All women with Candida isolated on the initial swab and a random sample of women without candidiasis were asked to provide a second vaginal swab at 24-28 weeks.
All vaginal swabs were received within 24 hours of collection and inoculated onto full plates of chromogenic agar (CHROMagar™Candida, CHROMagar, Paris, France) to isolate, provisionally speciate and semi-quantitatively enumerate Candida species (scant, moderate, or heavy). Cultures were incubated for 72 hours at 35 degrees Celsius in 5% CO2. Identification to species level was based on colony morphology and color.
Pilot randomized controlled trial
Women with asymptomatic Candida colonization were randomized (central telephone randomisation) to receive either clotrimazole (Canestan®) 100 mg vaginal pessaries for 6 nights) or usual care (screening result not revealed, no treatment, routine antenatal care). The clotrimazole could be collected from the hospital, or where this was not feasible it was mailed.
This was a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE) trial[13]. Although women and their care providers were not informed of swab results, those randomized to the treatment group were aware of the result because of their allocation to receive medication. The primary trial outcome was birth <37 weeks gestation following spontaneous onset of labor or following preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). Gestational age was based on a 1st trimester ultrasound scan. Other outcomes (pregnancy complications, elective preterm delivery, mode of delivery and infant outcomes) were abstracted from the medical records.
Sample size and statistical analysis
A sample size of 500 women was selected to determine the rate of asymptomatic candidiasis, pilot test the study procedures, and help inform the recruitment numbers and sample size for a definitive trial. The overall colonization rate and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined and descriptive analyses of women with and without asymptomatic candidiasis were undertaken. Differences between the two groups were assessed by chi-square tests with the P value set at 0.05.
All trial analyses were by intention to treat, including one woman without candidiasis who was inadvertently randomized to the usual care group. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of preterm birth and other outcomes were calculated for women assigned to clotrimazole compared to usual care. The study was approved by the Northern Sydney Central Coast Health Service Ethics Committee.
Screening for asymptomatic candidiasis
Of 779 women approached, 500 (64%) agreed to participate in the study. For one woman, the swab result was not obtained. Of the remaining 499 women, 98 (19.6%, 95%CI 16.2-23.1%) women had asymptomatic candidiasis. Women with asymptomatic candidiasis were similar to those women without candidiasis with respect to age, gravidity, parity and history of previous preterm birth (Table 1). The overall preterm birth rate among those women without Candida colonization was 3.7%, including 3.0% with spontaneous preterm birth or PPROM. Of 28 women without candidiasis at enrolment who had a 2nd vaginal swab, one had scant Candida albicans at 24-28 weeks.
Table 1 Characteristics of asymptomatic women by Candida colonization
Of the women with candidiasis, 72 (73%) were colonized with Candida albicans, 14 (14.3%) Candida glabrata, 5 (5.1%) Candida parapsilosis, 3 (3.1%) each of Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis and 1 (1%) Trichosporon inkin species. Semi-quantitative enumeration was reported for 94 specimens; 48 (51%) scant, 34 (36%) moderate and 12 (13%) heavy colonisation.
Fifty women with asymptomatic candidiasis were randomized to clotrimazole and 49 to usual care. The baseline characteristics of each group varied consistent with the small number randomized (Table 2). One woman in the usual care group moved interstate and was lost to follow-up. Trial outcomes are reported in Table 3. Five women delivered preterm, 2 (4.0%) in the clotrimazole group and 3 (6.3%) in the usual care group. Except for one woman in the clotrimazole group who was delivered electively for preeclampsia, all followed PPROM and/or spontaneous preterm labour (RR = 0.33 95%CI 0.04-3.03). There were no infants with an Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes and no perinatal deaths.
Table 2 Baseline characteristics of women randomized to clotrimazole and usual care
Table 3 Trial outcomes for women randomized to clotrimazole and usual care
Ninety five (96%) women with asymptomatic candidiasis had a 2nd vaginal swab at 24-28 weeks. The mean duration between first and second vaginal swabs was 10 weeks in both arms of the trial. The colonization rates at 24-28 weeks were: 49% in those treated with clotrimazole, with the rate of moderate-heavy colonization 55% at enrolment and 42% at 24-28 weeks (P = 0.3); 76% in those in the usual care group with moderate-heavy colonization rates of 42% and 40% respectively. For women with candidiasis both at enrolment and at 24-28 weeks the Candida species remained the same except for one woman in the no treatment group where the species changed from C. glabrata to C. kefyr.
We have demonstrated the feasibility of performing a randomized controlled trial of clotrimazole for pregnant women with asymptomatic candidiasis. The participation rate (64%) was acceptable, women were not inconvenienced by participation in the study, laboratory testing and medication dispensing were problem free, and the follow-up rate was 99%. Although there were no statistically significant differences in outcomes between treatment groups, the findings were in the direction of a treatment effect.
We chose a PROBE design to overcome some specific disadvantages associated with a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for answering our clinical question[13, 14]. First, for our hypothesis, a placebo arm would not represent current clinical practice (no screening and no treatment). Second we were concerned that knowledge of Candida colonization might change participants behavior such that they would seek active therapy (clotrimazole vaginal preparations are available over the counter in Australia). And finally, as a vaginally administered placebo will necessarily contain an alcohol preservative, it may be biologically active and have an independent effect on vaginal flora.
Findings from this pilot study support the hypothesized role of Candida in the causal pathway to preterm birth. First, there was a higher spontaneous preterm birth rate in women with untreated asymptomatic candidiasis compared to those without candidiasis (6.25% versus 2.99%, RR = 2.2 95%CI 0.5-8.7) consistent with Candida colonization as a risk factor for preterm birth[3, 15, 16]. Second, there was a tendency towards a reduction in preterm birth for those women treated with clotrimazole, consistent with that reported by Kiss[3], Although the randomized trial design minimises bias by balancing both known and unknown prognostic factors in the assignment of treatments[17], the wide confidence intervals around the estimates are also consistent with a null finding or one of increased risk.
This pilot study established the rate of asymptomatic vaginal colonization with Candida early in pregnancy (20%) and at 24-28 weeks (76% untreated and 49% treated, P < 0.01). Our observed colonization rate of 20% is consistent with the few published studies. Kiss reported a 14% colonization rate at 15-19 weeks gestation in asymptomatic women with singleton pregnancies[3]. A multicentre prospective US study of an ethnically diverse population enrolled at 23-26 weeks gestation reported that 10% of women had moderate-heavy colonization with Candida and among a subset from a single centre the total Candida colonization rate was 22% (58% light and 42% moderate-heavy colonization) with 87% C albicans and 94% of women asymptomatic[4]. Two other single centre US studies reported candidiasis rates at 22-30 weeks gestation of 14-38% in diverse populations of pregnant women[5, 18].
The post-treatment colonization rate of 48% in our pilot study was higher than most, but not all (median 22%, range 0-73%) treatment trials of symptomatic (culture positive) vaginal candidiasis (thrush)[11]. The latter trials varied widely in gestational age at enrolment (14-36 weeks gestation), dose and type of imidazole (1%-2%, clotrimazole, miconazole & econazole), duration of imidazole therapy (1-14 days) and the duration between treatment and follow-up [11]. Importantly in the pilot study, the 10-week average duration between the enrolment and 24-28 week culture was notably longer than the thrush treatment trials (1-5 weeks)[11]. We cannot determine whether treatment led to eradication followed by recolonization or simply a reduction in the level of Candida growth in individual participants. A larger trial could determine whether the observed trend to a reduced level of moderate-heavy Candida colonization (55% to 42% light colonisation) among treated women occurred by chance or was a true effect.
We considered carefully the timing of the intervention and chose to screen for and treat candidiasis in the early/mid part of the second trimester for a number of reasons. First, early intervention is consistent with the protocol in the Kiss trial[3] in which screening and subsequent treatment of candidiasis occurred between 15 weeks and 19 weeks gestation. Second, accumulating evidence suggests that the role of infection in preterm birth is a chronic process.4 Organisms detected in the uterus before membrane rupture are typically of low virulence, probably accounting for both the chronicity of intrauterine infections and the frequent absence of overt clinical signs of infection.4 And third, although the trials of treatment of bacterial vaginosis overall demonstrate no benefit in the reduction of preterm birth, a positive treatment effect is seen in those trials that initiated treatment early in the second trimester[2]. The current Cochrane Review on bacterial vaginosis concludes that: "treatment before 20 weeks' gestation may reduce the risk of preterm birth. This needs to be further verified by future trials." If early pregnancy is the period of vulnerability to establishment of inflammatory responses to low virulence organisms that will increase the risk of preterm birth, then candidiasis late in pregnancy may be unimportant.
The safety of any proposed intervention in pregnancy is of paramount importance. Clotrimazole is classified as a Category A drug, which has been used by a large number of pregnant women without any proven increase in the frequency of malformations or other direct or indirect harmful effects on the fetus having been observed[19, 20]. Local application of clotrimazole vaginal pessaries or cream is generally well tolerated although skin reactions (burning, stinging, or redness) can occur occasionally. We chose a 6-day treatment (rather than shorter course) because this is supported by the Cochrane Systematic Review of treatment for Candida eradication in pregnancy[11] and was the regimen used in the Kiss trial[3].
We believe a large, adequately powered, randomized trial of clotrimazole to prevent preterm birth in women with asymptomatic candidiasis is both feasible and warranted. This pilot study has informed the development and funding application for such a trial[21]. Should this intervention prove effective, a screening protocol could be readily incorporated into routine antenatal care and treatment is available and widely accepted. If it can be demonstrated that treatment of asymptomatic candidiasis reduces preterm births this will change current practice internationally and will directly impact the management of every pregnant woman.
The Cochrane Library: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. John Wiley & Sons, (accessed April 2010), [http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/view/0/AboutTheCochraneLibrary.html]
Moher D, Hopewell S, Schulz KF, Montori V, Gotzsche PC, Devereaux PJ, Elbourne D, Egger M, Altman DG: CONSORT 2010 explanation and elaboration: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. BMJ. 2010, 340: c869-10.1136/bmj.c869.
Czeizel AE, Toth M, Rockenbauer M: No teratogenic effect after clotrimazole therapy during pregnancy. Epidemiology. 1999, 10 (4): 437-440. 10.1097/00001648-199907000-00016.
Roberts CL, Morris JM, Rickard KR, Giles WB, Simpson JM, Kotsiou G, Bowen JR: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial of treatment of asymptomatic candidiasis for the prevention of preterm birth [ACTRN12610000607077]. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. 2011, 11: 19-
We thank the women who participated in the study and all the staff (research midwives, antenatal clinic, laboratory and pharmacy) who contributed to its completion. In particular we would like to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Jill Milligan and Kate Levett. Christine Roberts is supported by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellowship (#457078). The authors do not have an association that might pose a conflict of interest.
Kolling Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
Christine L Roberts, Kristen Rickard & Jonathan M Morris
Kristen Rickard
JM conceived the project and all the authors contributed to design of the study. GK had oversight of the microbiological aspects of the study. CR and KR initially drafted the manuscript and all authors were involved in critical revision of the intellectual content. All authors approved the final manuscript.
Roberts, C.L., Rickard, K., Kotsiou, G. et al. Treatment of asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis in pregnancy to prevent preterm birth: an open-label pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 11, 18 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-11-18
Usual Care Group


text:
USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship in the United States Navy. She is the second United States Navy ship to be named after polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957).

The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on 18 July 2003.  She was launched from the building ways into the San Diego Bay on the evening of 15 May 2007; Bolling Byrd Clarke, Admiral Byrd's eldest daughter, broke the ceremonial bottle of champagne on the ship's bow to start the launch amid fireworks and fanfare.  Construction continued until the U.S. Navy accepted her on 14 November 2007.  Additional construction work continued until she was delivered to Military Sealift Command (MSC) for crewing and placed in service on 8 January 2008.

She completed a fitting-out period as well as multiple operational inspections and trials, including a full INSURV inspection on 27 March 2008.  A final period of modifications and design alterations was completed during a 70-day availability before full fleet introduction on 25 July 2008.  The ship joined the Pacific Fleet and predominantly operates in the Far East and Indian Ocean operation areas.

In May 2009, Richard E. Byrd was identified to conduct Pacific Partnership 2009 as a last minute replacement for the USS Dubuque (LPD-8), which was sidelined due to an outbreak of H1N1 virus.  Pacific Partnership 2009 visited American Samoa, Tonga, New Caledonia, Kiribati (Tarawa), and the Marshall Islands from June to September.  In the few weeks after being selected, the ship was outfitted with a quick-designed Reverse Osmosis Unit to make sufficient clean water while loitering in the remote waters and additional logistical items were brought aboard. Byrd embarked PHIBRON2 and staff, several NGOs, and allied partners during an at-sea transfer from USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE-6).   This embarkation swelled the crew size to over 300 persons, requiring a USCG waiver.  After completing the mission, the ship offloaded the embarked crew and Reverse Osmosis Unit and returned normal duties.  One of those duties included providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief efforts to Padang, Indonesia, in October 2009.

In March 2011 during Operation Tomodachi, Richard E. Byrd embarked SA-330J Puma helicopters airlifted hundreds of pallets of relief supplies to  and landing dock ships  and . Byrd completed 16 underway replenishment evolutions, delivering 210,000 gallons (800 m³) of fuel to Tomodachi-support ships.

In August 2014, the ship rescued nine Yemeni sailors from their stricken dhow in the Sea of Oman.

References

External links

 USS Richard E. Byrd (DDG-23) veterans' website

Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ships
2007 ships

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
North Dakota's Most Popular And Influential Political Blog
Plain Talk Podcast
GAB now playing secrets in state John Doe lawsuit
July 14, 2014 Rob Port
Part 96 of 96 in the series Wisconsin's Secret War
By M.D. Kittle | Wisconsin Reporter
MADISON, Wis. — The state Government Accountability Board would like to keep its secrets in the dark, and a Waukesha County judge — for now — has agreed to the agency's request.
As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Friday, Waukesha County Circuit Judge Lee Dreyfus Jr. issued an order last week allowing the GAB to black out parts of its response to a lawsuit filed against it on behalf of Wisconsin taxpayers by conservative activist Eric O'Keefe and the Wisconsin Club for Growth.
The judge's decision could keep the GAB's secret dealings in a politically charged John Doe investigation into dozens of conservative groups out of the public eye.
But not so fast, says a legal expert with knowledge of the lawsuit.
PAINT IT BLACK: The state Government Accountability Board has asked a judge to black out portions of the agency's response to a state lawsuit involving the politically charged John Doe investigation. That request may not stand for long, a source tells Wisconsin Reporter.
The expert, who spoke on background, said the judge's order is not a final decision, and that attorneys for the club expect to argue the merits of the secrecy motion later this month.
Both sides were expected to find out late Monday what the GAB's request to partially seal its response will mean for the proceedings — in essence, just how much the agency wants blacked out.
Keeping the brunt of the material for the judge's eyes only would be unprecedented, the legal expert said. Even the Internal Revenue Service isn't granted that kind of secrecy, the source said.
The GAB, which oversees state campaign and election law, was at the ground level of a multi-county, secret probe into at least 29 conservative organizations on a theory that the groups may have illegally coordinated with Gov. Scott Walker's campaign during the state's partisan recall elections drives.
Launched in late summer 2012 by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, a Democrat, the politically charged probe, according to court documents, involved GAB contracted investigators Dean Nickel and Francis Schmitz, a former assistant U.S. attorney who subsequently was tapped as the proceeding's special prosecutor.
In February, O'Keefe and the club filed a civil right lawsuit in federal court, claiming prosecutors had violated conservatives' First Amendment rights in an investigation that, sources say, involved predawn, "paramilitary-style" raids at the homes of targets.
The plaintiffs followed up the federal lawsuit in late May with the state lawsuit in Waukesha County, alleging the GAB has created a "Frankenstein monster" out of its law enforcement authority.
Wisconsin's unique John Doe proceedings are designed to allow investigators and a court to determine, generally in secret, whether a crime has been committed. They are similar to grand jury investigations, without the benefit of a jury of peers. Instead, a judge with extraordinary power presides over the probes, compelling witnesses to testify and to keep confidential their involvement, on penalty of contempt of court charges.
GAB officials have constantly declined to comment on the John Doe investigation or the lawsuits, citing the probe's secrecy order and the $10,000 fine they could incur for doing so.
One legal expert close to the case says the GAB has invoked the secrecy order on multiple occasions insisting that doing so is about protecting the targets of the case.
"At every turn, from the beginning of the John Doe investigation to the federal lawsuit to (the lawsuit in Waukesha County), the accountability board has used these protections to protect themselves," the source said.
It is safe to say that O'Keefe and the club would not have the raw material to file the state lawsuit against the GAB had the agency not disclosed some very key information, arguably protected under the secrecy order, in other courtrooms.
The GAB has won some secrecy standoffs of late, however.
Last week, Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen issued an opinion that the GAB "may not" turn over its confidential investigative record to the Legislative Audit Bureau because "there is no specific authorization for it to do so."
In short, state law does not require turning over information the agency claims is confidential. While lawmakers pledged they would fix the loophole, state Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Hazelhurst, filed an open records request with the attorney general asking for information related to the GAB's involvement in the John Doe proceedings.
Attorneys for O'Keefe and the Wisconsin Club for Growth, meanwhile, are awaiting a federal district court judge's ruling on an amended complaint to the civil rights lawsuit. The plaintiffs have asked permission to name the GAB as a defendant, along with Chisholm, Schmitz, Nickel, and two of Chisholm's assistant DAs.
Andrew Grossman, an attorney for Baker Hostetler, the Washington, D.C-based firm representing the conservatives, says he expects that ruling to come any time. While it is possible that some of the materials the GAB hopes to keep blacked out in state court could be made public in federal court, Grossman said it is not apparent at this point whether those materials are needed in the plaintiff's federal lawsuit arguments that the GAB interpretation of state campaign finance law is incorrect.
Previous GAB now playing secrets in state John Doe lawsuit
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December 15, 2014 Rob Port
Conservative group: California trying to grab donor lists
Prisons committee calls for firings of employees and major reform
Port: Fargo's gun ordinance tantrum is a contrived controversy
February 1, 2023 Rob Port
Leier: Why not become a hunter education instructor?
Port: Finally, a straight answer from the feds about Fufeng
Port: Golden parachute for fired NDSU president casts a long shadow amid a budget shortfall
January 31, 2023 Rob Port

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Well, we survived the storm minus some sections of a couple of our high tunnels. Repairs have begun but it means that our winter crops are getting trampled in areas by boots in order to disassemble the structure and rebuild. It also means the sections of the crops that will avoid the boot crushing are now exposed to the elements. We plant in the high tunnels for season extension. We have some of the same crops (for example baby greens) that were sown outside at an earlier date than what was sown in the tunnel but the crop in the tunnel is ahead in growth and near harvest time. Now it's as if they are planted outside getting exposed to our heavy frosts and unforgiving rains. There is also now the question of reworking and resowing in some of the beds sooner than later to replace the lost crops but it would be before the tunnel is fully repaired and again, that means trying to grow the crops in an exposed, outdoor environment. It's never boring around here!
beautiful and the chard curl it's leaves down as if to shield itself from the rain but it makes our brassicas and carrots taste amazing!!
Most all brassicas other than chard and cauliflower do really well with frosts. The bunching greens, carrots, and broccoli all become more tender and develop a much sweeter flavor because of the slower growth and therefore a longer length of time in the ground to make sugars.
So on top of the fact that some of our crops in the high tunnels have been lost to destruction we are also facing the outcome of all the rains. Typically we are able to have a window in January to till the soil and plant our first rounds of outdoor crops (outdoor planting stopped in Nov.) but this January proved to be the opposite. The soil never dried out enough for good tilth to be able to work the land so we will have a gap in our crop production. What does that mean for all of you CSA members and our farmers markets? Well.. we are not sending as much product to market each weekend as we otherwise could sell so that we have at least a smaller display weekly rather than one or two large displays and then nothing. We are also holding back sending as much to markets to ensure the CSA is taken care of first. One plus of winter farming and the slower growth of plants is that the food holds longer in the field so we can wait longer to freshly harvest the crops the day before markets and until the day of the CSA packing's. Worst case scenario, that we are of course hoping to avoid, is cancelling going to markets because we've got a gap in production. Again, I will be notifying those of you who pick up at our farmers markets with as much notice as I'm able to give to problem solve how to get your shares to you in the most convenient and efficient way possible should we sadly have to not go to a market whether it be due to the weather again or to a lack of produce to be able to send to market. The bummer is that we'll have food for the CSA but we just may not have enough for market and it doesn't make economical sense to send a marketeer to each market for the day only to oversee the CSA boxes.
On another note, the 37th EcoFarm Conference is taking place this week from Jan. 25-28th. It is held just south of us in Pacific Grove at the Asilomar Conference Grounds. It is a fantastic and extremely fun conference to go to. If you have not experienced the amazing lectures, workshops, eating, dancing, and networking to be had at EcoFarm I highly recommend it!! Farmers and farm enthusiasts like yourselves from around the world gather annually to discuss the past, present & future of farming both conventionally and organically, trade seeds, teach young farmers, mingle with industry colleagues, and to share personal farming experiences that include many struggles when it comes to organic farming. EcoFarm holds a special place in the story of Fifth Crow. Teresa and Mike met there and later he proposed to her there. Last year Fifth Crow was honored as guest speakers for the whole conference and Teresa co-lectured a workshop on CSA's. This year unfortunately none of us crows got to go. It's just too close to Teresa's due date for any of us to take off but Fifth Crow donated 80#'s of our Old Indian Woman dry beans that will be featured on the menu. So we are there in spirit!


This spacious 3 bedroom townhouse is nestled in a highly sought after location in the heart of the Lennox Head Village. The open plan lounge, dining, and kitchen area offers plenty of natural light with its north easterly aspect and opens on to an undercover entertaining area. With dual access for up to 3 cars and a level lawn it is just a short stroll to the beach, lake, shops and school. Upstairs you will find 3 generous sized bedrooms, all with built-ins and with the main opening to a sun drenched deck space. This property offers something for everyone! Make your move today – Perfect for downsizes and those wishing to enter the exciting Lennox Head property market.


Much like a subtle spider which doth sitIn middle of her web, which spreadeth wide;If aught do touch the utmost thread of it,She feels it instantly on every side.
— P. 46. Compare: "The camomile, the more it is trodden on the faster it grows", William Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV, act ii, sc. 4.
Much like a subtle spider, which doth sit In middle of her web, which spreadeth wide: If aught do touch the utmost thread of it, She feels it instantly on every side.
— Sir John Davies, The Immortality of the Soul, Section XVIII, Feeling.


text:
14:05 "Israeli" Occupation Forces Storm Al-Issawiya in Al-Quds
12:23 The "Israeli" occupation forces stormed Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque
12:16 Kremlin in response to Boris Johnson's claims about Putin's threat of missile strike: This is not true, or rather lie
Islamic Revolution Challenging US Fake Hegemony in Region, World – Iran's Chief of Staff
44 years after its victory, the Islamic Revolution of Iran is challenging US' fake hegemony in the region and the world, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said.
In a statement on Thursday, General Baqeri issued a message congratulating the National Day of Fight against Global Arrogance, which read the following:
Today, 44 years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, this inspiring revolution has now been able to challenge Americans' fake hegemony in the region and the world.
The octopus hands of this colonial government are being cut off in countries one after another, and the walls of the US's backyard are collapsing today.
Well-known American institutions, theorists, and strategists have foreseen the decline of this country, acknowledging that the unipolar world order led by the United States is passing its final days.
A multi-polar world will appear in the near future, in which the Islamic Republic of Iran is one of the most effective players, the top Iranian commander asserted.
The 13th day of the Iranian calendar month of Aban, which falls on November 4 this year, is known as Student Day in Iran, marking the National Day of Fight against Global Arrogance.
On this day 44 years ago, a group of Iranian university students took over the US embassy in Tehran, which had turned into a center of espionage.
Iran UnitedStates IslamicRevolution Baqeri
Iran Slaps Sanctions on Several Canadian Officials, Entity Over Terror Support
Raisi: Instigators of Syrian Crisis Shall be Defeated in Tehran Too
Imam Khamenei: America Is No Untouchable Power, Retaliation for Soleimani Assassination Imminent
Iranian Media: The Groups Brought Drones and Explosives Via Difficult Passages in NW Iran
Iranian Media: In Coop with Foreign Sides, Kurdish Parties in Iraq's Kurdistan were Involved in Isfahan Attack
Palestinian Detainees' Media Bureau: The situation inside the 'Israeli' occupation prisons is still tense since several days in protest against the arbitrary measures and the heinous attack against female detainees in the Damon Prison


A Harley-Davidson motorcycle epitomizes untethered freedom. So, it made perfect sense when its machining center for motorcycle power trains decided to make the plant's vibration measurements wireless. Does wireless sensing make sense for your operations? What's holding you back? Or if you've already begun an implementation of a wireless monitoring system, where are you in evolutionary iterations? Read our artcile Come on, and Take a Free Ride.


As last vestiges of the setting sun disappeared over the horizon, the second lobby of Stamford School was magically transformed into The Salty Dog Inn – the venue for this year's Murder Mystery Party. We had a record high attendance this year with overwhelming response from our students.
For the uninitiated, Murder Mystery Party is a highly interactive role-playing games where the participants have to act out their roles and stay in character while they investigate and attempt to solve a 'murder' case through interactions with other characters and studying of clues. In certain stages of the game, participants were given a task list for them to complete.
This year, Murder Among the Mateys – a pirate story, was chosen as the theme of the party. The Secondary Teachers were an enthusiastic lot and they pulled no stops in dressing up and acting out for the party. Refusing to be upstaged by the teachers, many students came dressed in fantastic looking costumes. Various pirate game stalls were set up at various locations in the hall for the students to have a jolly good time at the Salty Dog Inn.
Mr. Egerton laid out a few ground rules before the start of the game. The most important rule he said, was to have fun. The Salty Dog Inn was abuzz when the game was started. Students rushed to interact with one another, to know more about each other's character. The game stalls were quite popular with students where they had a chance to win candies by playing the game.
The spontaneity and enthusiasm of the students to act out their role and remain in character made this party really fun and a joy to be a part of. At the end of the game, students were given opportunity to present their findings and solve the case. The teachers were glad to see so many students raising their hands enthusiastically for an opportunity to present their cases. The best two presentation were chosen as the detective winners. Other prizes given out include Best Dressed, Best Actors and Player with the most Pirate Dollar.
It was heartening to see the students' enthusiasm and confidence when they presented their cases. It showed how much they have grown and become more articulate over the years, Mr Egerton remarked in his concluding speech. The Murder Mystery Party provides a venue for the students to let their hair down and have fun with the learning elements masterfully weaved in between.
We are all waiting in anticipation for the next Murder Mystery Party!


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Elvis' 40 Year Reign (1973-1975)
The Purge S01E10 Review: A Nation Reborn – We finally find out who survives the night
ICYMI, The Purge has been renewed. Also, the show got another season. If we're going with the trend so far, it'll be anthology-style, with a whole new cast in a city they're pretending is not New Orleans.* But that's a while off yet, so let's check back in one last time with this cast.
As I mentioned last week, I couldn't wait to find out the egregious sin the Betancourts committed. I mean, he's got Penelope in a cage because of a five-second etiquette lapse, so God knows what Rick did. (You know it had to be Rick.)
And it was something Rick did. Apparently, Joe reinvented himself as a security installer after his layoff from Saticoy. Rick hired him to do just that in one of his and Jenna's buildings. Everything was going great until Rick claimed there were issues with the system installed–it was failing quality checks–and took advantage of a clause in their contract to withhold payment from Joe.
Rick denies and denies any wrongdoing, but it's clear, even to Jenna, that something isn't right. Finally, he confesses. The project was going to collapse, so he spotted the loophole and gave himself some financial breathing room. He's defensive–"Everyone screws everyone, all the way down the line"–but that belief system is how you get a Purge, folks. Jenna, by this point, is almost resigned. It reminds me again of that John Connolly line I've already quoted, about how good is "corrupted and polluted" when you perform acts of evil to get there. It ultimately doesn't really matter what Rick did, Jenna thinks. By taking money from bad people, they were doing bad.
Maybe Rick should have held out longer, though, for his confession, because maybe Joe's work isn't that great. While he's bickering with the Betancourts, Penelope finds a loose screw in the cage, handy for both removing her restraints and fake-threatening the other remaining prisoner, Paige (Kelly Murtagh) a gal from Joe's father's insurance company. When Joe tries to put out this fire, Penelope stabs him in the eye with the screw. Yeowch. At this point, all heck breaks loose, as Joe's prisoners make a break for it. Miguel and Pete have been outside, by the way, this whole time, engaging in a fight with Rex and his goons in a B-plot that seems as if it exists just to have something to cut to.
Penelope and Paige run in one direction, where Paige is felled by one of Joe's booby traps. The Betancourts go in another, where they run into Miguel and Pete. Miguel goes off after Penelope, then the remaining trio are surprised by Joe, who shoots Pete in the leg and Rick in the chest. It's a little over ten minutes 'til the end of the Purge, at which point emergency services will be back on, but Rick doesn't make it.
Meanwhile, Penelope and Joe have one last stand. She's still ready to die, but she's not going to do it while accepting his pity party bullshit. As she deftly points out, if the Purge were so great, if it really made the country better, wouldn't they have grown out of it at some point? Before they can come to an agreement, because they never will, Miguel bursts in and shoots Joe. And Miguel must have never seen a horror movie, because after one shot, he's turning his back on Joe to embrace his sister.
Big surprise, here comes Joe again. Anyway, all three of them tussle, but before anyone can really get the upper hand, the sirens go off. Joe's like, that's okay–I'll just come after y'all next year. So Miguel kills him. Outside, when our survivors are reunited, Jenna and Pete are like, "Nope, didn't hear anything after the siren."
One year later, Jenna and her baby are in Paris on Purge night. Yeah, good idea. If the Purge ever really pops off in the States, I'm heading straight for the safety of Germany, a country that has never done anything questionable ever. [CITATION NEEDED] Back in not-New Orleans, Pete's serving drinks to Miguel and Penelope, who are both in flak jackets and declining his offer to stay at his place. They're heading out on Purge night to do what their parents would have wanted, the kind of thing that actually makes America great–they're helping people. *commence sirens*
8/10 – While I wasn't that satisfied with the resolution of the revolution storyline–the French newscaster mentions precautions against that sort of thing this year, but what happened with the original one???–and the other storylines were rather neatly tied, that's not so bad. As this is an anthology, we'd like to know how it ends. And in many ways, we could see these endings coming. Jenna's always been conflicted, Rick has always been compromised, and Penelope's always been adaptive. And Miguel's apparently bulletproof, I don't know. I just know that I never once thought he was really in danger. But that's a minor complaint at best. Overall, I enjoyed the season, as much as one can enjoy something frightfully close to home. Speaking of, the stuff about the propaganda guy, Bobby Sheridan, whose name I'll never stop trying to type as "Bobby Sherman," came up so much that I wouldn't be surprised to see it make a reappearance next season. As the news is sadly, not short of stories about people being radicalized by what they read and hear and see in the media, it'd only be fitting.
*When Jenna is in Paris, the French newscaster throws to an American reporter talking about the Purge. While they don't name the city–just calling it "the city"–it's unlikely a French news show would be talking to New Orleans, even if they used to own it. I guess they're trying to make it like an everycity, like this could happen anywhere. (Fun fact, though: You can see the word "Louisiana" on a sign in the picture of Joe and Penelope last week.)
Cult of Whatever is currently watching:
Dare Me Doctor Who Nancy Drew Riverdale The Expanse The Outsider The Walking Dead WWE
The Purge S01E09 Review: I Will Participate – Joe's full plan is revealed!
The Purge S01E08 Review: The Giving Time is Here – What do y'all think he's up to?
The Purge S01E07 Review: Lovely Dark and Deep – Puzzled about Miguel and Penelope's storyline this week…
The Purge S01E06 Review: The Forgotten – Joe unmasked
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The Purge S01E04 Review: Release the Beast – What do y'all think is up with the daggers?
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The Purge S01E01 Review: What Is America? Some intriguing storylines…
| September 5, 2018
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Doctor Who S12E01 Review: Spyfall (Part One) – Plenty of potential!
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The kids aren't alright (and the adults aren't much better) on this week's episode.
Nancy Drew is back after the mid-season break...
Don't miss all the big movies coming out this year. Here is part 2 of Matthew's picks of some of the biggest!
Graham happens to find an offer for a free vacation; the gang is immediately teleported to this vacation as soon as the coupons are all assembled.
The Outsider, HBO's adaptation of Stephen King's book, begins with an impossible mystery.
Beth works feverishly to regain her iron grip on the squad, while the lines between Addy and Colette get even blurrier.
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Colette tries to keep her secret under wraps as Addy drifts even further away from Beth's grasp. Also, I died at least twice during one scene.
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It's time to look back on the year that was and pick out ten of the best. Here are my favorite films of 2019!
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Lee Murray's Speculative Fiction Show - JC Hart
Welcome to Lee Murray's New Zealand Speculative Fiction Show, an interview series featuring star acts from NZ's science fiction, fantasy and horror community, including news, insights, and sneak-peeks of their latest performances. Today's guest is JC Hart, the author of Serafina's Flame, Sun Touched, and the fabulous Kotahi Bay series.
Hi Cassie! Wow, what an epic year 2017 was for you! Not only did you co-chair the national science fiction and fantasy convention, you also released FOUR new titles into the world: Serafina's Flame (incorporating Burn from your Maiden Mother Crone series, as well as two additional novellas), and from the Kotahi Bay series, Beneath Broken Waves, In the Earth's Embrace, and Of Souldust and Starlight, with these last three all eligible for this year's Sir Julius Vogel Awards.
I'm especially excited about the release of new titles in your Kotahi Bay series ‒ they're all on my to-read list ‒ because I absolutely adored The Way the Sky Curves. Without giving too much away, what can you tell us about the new titles?
The next three titles introduce you to some of the other children of gods and their potential love interests. There are sexy encounters, laughs, some ecological dangers, sabotage, and the big threat to the Bay of course, with some surprising twists along the way ;-) It was a lot of fun to write, and each of the books are slightly different in both content and tone. I especially enjoyed having secondary characters become primary characters, and having all my MC's stick around for other people's stories. It was like hanging out with friends!
Hot off the Press: Follow this link for the entire boxed set of the Cassie's Kotahi Bay series. And if you're reading this blog from 12-15 February, 2018, there is a pre-order special of just 99 cents for the set!
How would you describe your overall brand/genre?
That's a really good question, and one I've spent quite a lot of time thinking about recently. Authors are often told they need to write to 'brand' but I have a few different interests in writing. I think I've managed to lump them all together with 'isolated towns, and a sense of the other' – which even fits Sun Touched, being that they are living in a dome city on a colonized planet. Doesn't get a whole lot more isolated than that.
That works for now, though I could be branching out into more populated areas this year ;-)
All your work (Sun Touched, the Kotahi Bay series, and Serafina's Flame) focuses on a strong female protagonist, and there is typically a strong sense of family connection. Is this a deliberate decision on your part?
Yeah, I'd have to say it is. Family is so important to me – and not just the family you're born into, but the family you choose as well. Families have such deep history which can be really fun and complex to tap into in fiction.
And of course I'm going to write about strong females – I come from a family full of them, and I'm raising three amazing daughters. I like to write women who are strong, but not necessarily in the 'badass with a gun' way because I think strength is a lot more than that. I like to write stories where the women can be broken and flawed, vulnerable, who might struggle, but still find strength to do whatever it is they need.
The Kotahi Bay series is set in small town New Zealand; not a specific town, but one that embodies elements of our rural communities. What is it about this kind of setting that appealed? Did you think the series would have worked if you had set them elsewhere?
They would have been quite different books if they'd been set elsewhere. Small towns are some of my favourite things in the world. I grew up on the edges of one, and while it wasn't always fun at the time, there was always something happening, some drama playing out across the town. Sometimes big, sometimes small, and because there are less people in the communities, a higher portion of the population tends to be involved. There is a smaller group who is 'in charge' and situations can be intense and consuming as a result – which is great for fiction!
Kotahi Bay is an amalgamation of several small towns in Taranaki, including the one I grew up in (Okato), which was actually small enough to be called a village ;-)
Oh my gods, yes! Friends and family are always saying to me 'is this a little bit of that?' I like leaving Easter eggs in my work, it fleshes out the world with more detail, but it also makes me smile. Win/win!
Your title In the Earth's Embrace, is about a young woman who is being coerced by the community into taking on her deceased grandmother's role as the local witch. Was this a difficult story to write in light of the recent loss of your own grandmother, an important family figure and one of your personal mentors? Does her loss make this work particularly poignant for you?
It's funny, in a way, that I have been writing about grandmothers for years: Carmel in Serafina's Flame, Constance in the Kotahi Bay books, and most recently, Rose in my latest book, Butcherbird (coming sometime this year). My nana, Judith, was a formidable woman. She was outgoing and independent, she was an avid farmer, and had a keen mind right up until the end, always coming up with plans for anything from a redesign of my house to better systems for just about anything. She was stubborn and determined to do things her own way, she was an excellent hostess, matriarch of a huge family and many friends.
She had a huge influence on my life and has left a massive legacy.
Writing In the Earth's Embrace wasn't the hard one, it was Butcherbird. From the beginning of the novel the grandmother is in the process of dying. I did not know that my grandmother would be dying while I wrote it, and that was hard. So hard. But, writers have gotta write. So I wrote.
I started that book on the 1st of November after we'd just got back from a weekend at home where we'd stayed with her. Nana had a massive stroke on the 26th, died on the 30th, and I finished the book on Christmas Eve. Even though Rose is NOT my grandmother, Nana is intricately wrapped up in every part of this book, which I began as a love letter to the family farm she lived on her whole life (in the form of a semi-horror novel, because, well, that's just me, right?).
I'm sad I'll never get to share that with her, but I know she was proud of me.
You're one of those writer-editors who gives a lot back to the community, but that kind of generosity can be draining. What self-care strategies do you employ to avoid burn-out?
Well, that's an ever-evolving thing, as I'm sure you can agree! It's always nice to give back, but you have to look after yourself too.
I've not always been the best at this.
At the moment my strategy when something crops up is to take a little time to actually think it through (the words, 'I'd love to, but I need to think it over before I can commit' come in handy!). I need to make sure I have the time and energy, and that I'm getting something back from it. Sometimes 'it makes me feel really good' can be enough. At the moment because I'm so tapped out I'm making myself answer the following question 'in what way will this move my career forward?' This might seem a little selfish from outside, but as someone who typically puts others ahead of themselves, it's one I have to make myself answer. Reciprocity is really important, and if you are in too many situations where you're doing all the giving and not getting anything back then you end up empty. This applies to every aspect of life.
None of us can afford that.
Earlier this year, you blogged about being homesick, and the concept of tūrangaenwawae. Can you explain what this means, and its implications for your writing?
Basically, it translates to 'a place to stand', so, where you feel you belong, places where you gain strength from, which help you feel connected. Taranaki is that for me. It's where my roots are, where I'm called back to. It's hard to put into words how that feels, though I tried in the blog post linked above, but when I see/feel the mountain (because, let's be honest, Taranaki can be a fickle maunga and he's often robed in clouds) it's like the knot in my chest loosens and I can breathe easier because I'm home.
Let's talk about your cover art, because it is simply gorgeous.
Sure! My cover designer is Kate Strawbridge from Dwell Design & Press. She's not only my cover designer though, she's also one of my besties. She's amazing at what she does and I love working with her. When she knows I'm working on new projects she keeps an eye out for cover inspiration which is a huge help when we come to getting something worked up. I'm useless at that part, so having a skilled designer with a great eye is really vital. Kate totally fits that bill and is always patient with me while I work things out.
What are your plans for 2018: global dominance, or a well-deserved rest?
No rest just yet, Lee, though I'm hoping at some point there will be. First order of business is moving back to my beloved New Plymouth, which happens in the next month or so. I've got a few shorter pieces I'm working on while my head is taken up with packing/moving/settling stuff, and then it's all on. There are many books to write this year! I think my next release will be Butcherbird. I'm hoping to get the series complete this year, as well as write the sequel to Sun Touched, and a few collaborative projects as well. It's going to be busy, but it's the best kind of busy!
Thanks for stopping by Cassie, and we wish the very best of luck for that move back home!
J.C. is a lover of pizza, coffee, and zombies (in no particular order). She was raised on a healthy diet of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and despite many attempts by various English teachers has refused to budge on her position that these are the best genres ever. When she's not raising her horde of wonderfully creepy children or dreaming of the day she'll have an army of ninja kittens, she's writing speculative fiction, or binging on TV, movies, and games. She also happens to be a Sir Julius Vogel Award winner and was a finalist in the 2014 Australian Shadows Awards. You can find her on twitter @JCHart, instagram at just.cassie.hart, or at her website just-cassie.com
Lee Murray's NZ Speculative Fiction Show - Eileen Mueller
Lee Murray's NZ Speculative Fiction Show - Paul Mannering
Lee Murray's NZ Speculative Fiction Show - Emma Pullar


The recording of the joint webinar session, Increase Visual Studio Productivity with ReSharper and ViEmu is now ready for your viewing pleasure. In this webinar James Kovacs showcases how ReSharper and ViEmu can be used together to increase your coding productivity within Microsoft Visual Studio.
We would like to thank our webinar attendees for their participation and James for the informative session. You can view the recording on JetBrains.tv, YouTube or below.
To get started with ReSharper and ViEmu we recommend the following learning resources that were included in the presentation slide deck.
Until next time, continue to Develop with Pleasure!
This entry was posted in Screencast and tagged productivity, ReSharper, ViEmu, visual studio, webinar. Bookmark the permalink.
@James What program do you use to highlight the keyboard shortcuts?
Excellent mix R# & Vi!
@James When will be the update on pluralsight of Resharper Fundamentals?
@Maher – I have a new Pluralsight course coming out shortly on ReSharper 7. Everything in the current ReSharper Fundamentals still applies to ReSharper 7. So the new course is additive.
I don't see your new course in Pluralsight. Any plans to create a new or update the current one?
The quality and performance of computer memory or RAM has increase significantly the past couple of years.
Software wise, it would be a good idea to clean up your computer registry using a registry cleaner.
Other things also affect performance, although not as much as RAM tinyness.
Recording | JetBrains Company Blog < Liked it!


Obsolescence is a property that becomes obsolete because it is no longer in vogue or it is no longer available. Some products are oriented not to run or to be old-fashioned, to push people replace them and consume another product. But why?
Decrease the life and the attractiveness of a product, is a consumption strategy. These products are there just for a while: 6, 8 or 9 years against 15 years of life for the products in the past. Printers, IPhones and IPods never last more than 10 years. This strategy is widely used to appliances and electronics (computer, phone).
Planned obsolescence appeared in the years 1920 with the big crisis of 1929. In 1924 in Geneva, the cartel Phoebus SA fixed incandescent 's life to 1000 hours. The average life duration of the incandescent was 2.500 hours in 1924. Two years later the incandescent life decreased to 1.500 hours before breaking to 1.000 hours. The reason was that with the 1929's crisis, we wanted to give more opportunities to the industry. This cartel is sentenced in 1953 but in practice nothing was done.
There are several types of obsolescence. First, there is technological obsolescence or operating. In that case, the end of life of the device comes easier. These are low cost but weaker, irreparable products (or indirect obsolescence) and products more sophisticated but less resistant.
Then, there is incompatible obsolescence where product's applications are incompatible with this new product of the same brand. For example: the IPhone's connector isn't compatible with the previous version i-phone.
Finally, there is psychological obsolescence (or after sales service obsolescence). Here, people are encouraged to buy rather than repair the product but also, encourage people to get rid of the product before it's out of service. The objective is to create a new product more fun with more applications. For example: buy the new version of IPhone even if the previous one still works.
There are also aesthetic obsolescence (textile)in the fashion sector which constantly changes.
These different reasons are found in previous obsolescence.
The principal problem of planned obsolescence is that it promotes an intensive production activity which greatly contributes to the depletion of many resources (Oil, plastic, steel…). Another inconvenience is that this system promotes the growth of household waste in the world. Some are recycled while others are crammed into the recycling centers or even worse in the nature.
However, there are solutions like to choose a quality product, rent some equipment that people use less (lawnmower), give instead of throwing if equipment still works, to repair the product, but also make inquiries before to buy the product.
French public institutions have faced the issue. A law proposition was made to fight against obsolescence. It assures that the parts are available for 10 years, information to consumers, and specifies the crime of obsolescence.


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"The Board has unanimously decided to bring the 21st International Film Festival to a close." An unprecedented decision by the General Delegate of the Festival de Cannes, Robert Favre Le Bret, on 19th May 1968. A look back 50 years to when the May '68 protest movement came to Cannes.
Cannes used to be described as a timeless, high-society, fun-loving bubble. Until the Festival of May '68 that is. That year's offering looked promising: Forman, Resnais, Saura were In Competition. Polanski, Malle, Vitti, and others, were on the Jury… On 10th May the Festival opens without a hitch, despite the storm brewing in France.
By this time, the film revolt is already underway in Paris, and has been since February. It begins with a conflict at the Cinémathèque française. Before the slogans, barricades and blockades of May, the Minister of Culture fires the founder of the Cinémathèque. Langlois, the custodian of cinema, is committed to safeguarding works and supports the distribution of French film. He is reappointed in April but by then it is too late: a section of France's artistic community is up in arms against the Gaullist government.
Three months later, the 21st edition of the Festival opens with a screening of Gone with the Wind by Victor Fleming. Little do attendees realise that the revolt in Paris will soon descend on Cannes and turn this edition into one of protest. From the capital, the Association française de la critique (French Critics Association), calls on festivalgoers to join the national demonstration on 13th May. Four days later, the Estates General of French Cinema tables suggestions. Some of the filmmakers present, including François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard and Jean-Gabriel Albicocco travel down to Cannes the next day and occupy the Palais.
Radio stations must declare that the Festival de Cannes has been halted. If they do not announce that it has been stopped, they must be dramatically transformed.
Not one film portrays the problems experienced by the workers or students of today, not one. We are behind the times.
Following the resignation of four of its members, the Festival Jury has decided that it is unable to operate and will consequently cease to function.
This is followed by the withdrawal of filmmakers In Competition: Carlos Saura, Alain Resnais, Claude Lelouch… The audience stays, but the resignation of the Jury forces the Festival to cancel the Competition, despite the fact that screenings continue.
The decision unleashes strong emotions. When Peppermint Frappé is screened against the wishes of its director, Carlos Saura grabs hold of the curtains to prevent them from opening. A struggle breaks out and Truffaut ends up on the floor while Godard is slapped.
As circumstances prevent screenings from taking place under normal conditions, the Board of Directors of the International Film Festival has decided to halt the Festival, and would like to apologise to its international attendees.
The Festival is interrupted for the one and only time in its history, with no awards. Those involved in halting Cannes call for an Estates General of French Cinema. This does not take place, despite discussions amongst filmmakers in Paris. The Festival does however move with the times. The following year, and ignoring diplomatic pressure, it welcomes contemporary-style films featuring revolutionary themes. In 1969, awards are given to If by Lindsay Anderson, Easy Rider by Dennis Hopper and Z by Costa-Gavras.


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Our Audits are performed in accordance with Canadian audit standards, usually adopting a risk based approach. This involves a detailed analysis of the client's activities and systems of internal controls to identify areas that pose the greatest risk of being materially misstated in the financial statements. Our detailed testing procedures are then tailored to meet the risks identified.
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All audits are supported by a detailed audit engagement document setting out the scope, nature and timeline for completion of the audit.
Although the services described for planning and evolution are traditionally employed on our business clients, many of the concepts are equally applicable to not-for- profit entities, many of whom are facing new challenges with regard to sources of funding.


As a long time Pokemon fan I decided to check out Pokemon Sun and Moon. I have to admit at first the new art style kinda bummed me out. Ash looked weird and so did team rocket. The story is also a bit weird with Mr. Mime clearly cheating to win Ash and his mom tickets to the Alola region. Speaking of which I have some serious questions about the relationship between Ash's mom and Mr. Mime.
All that aside the basic story isn't bad. Ash attends a school for kids because we all know ash has been 12 for 20 years now. The issue is after 43 episodes he spent most of his time at the school. On occasion they would leave to check out a different island and he does get through a couple of the challenges. But the entire series is mostly just watching him go to school. The true greatness comes in episode 42 and 43 is when they return to the Kanto reason for those episodes.
This also brings the return of Misty and Brock to meet the new crew and hang out with Ash, where you will also see Ash and Misty battle with Misty having a Mega Evolution now. The series isn't bad, it is just quite a bit different. Tho to me it did feel like the worst in the series. Best wishes and may the gaming gods bring you glory.


The evening of February 27th, CCTV "news broadcast" to "environmental protection strict standards forced industrial transformation" theme of Shandong, reported a depth of Shandong paper industry from polluters once, the implementation of strict environmental standards, year by year, forced enterprise technological innovation, transformation and upgrading, promote the transformation of industry experience, including "Tralin mode" as typical cases reported in detail.
"News broadcast" focus "the most stringent environmental standards" Tralin transformation and development of the road, in-depth interpretation of the Tralin innovation driven green development, relying on independent research and development of more than 180 domestic and international patent technology, to become a world-class problem of pulp and papermaking high-tech industry, the paper mill to very stringent U.S. environmental standards process.
In recent years, the media repeatedly reported on Tralin group, show the Tralin group in the new normal, through technological innovation, change the traditional mode of papermaking, continue to break through bottlenecks in the industry, innovation and development of new equipment, new technology, new products, to create high value of straw comprehensive utilization of strategic emerging industries!


To begin the approval procedure you must complete a lease application. The form can be downloaded here, or requested in our office or by fax. After completing the application you can return it to us by email or fax. Along with the completed application, copies of the following documents must also be provided: a balance sheet from the business (Form 1) for the last five reporting dates and the profit and loss statement (Form 2) for the last four reporting dates.
After your application is received, one of our specialists will contact you within 24 hours for a small question-and-answer interview. Then - also within 24 hours - you will get a response from our company about the possibility of entering into a lease agreement.
If there no obstacles to entering into a lease agreement are found, you will be given a preliminary schedule of lease payments. If this schedule is acceptable, you will need to submit a package of documents to our company (the list can be downloaded here), which will be further examined, a process that should take about a week.
During the examination process, our specialists will conduct a legal review of the documents you have provided, to determine whether the potential transaction is a safe investment. At the end of the examination, we begin the work to conclude the lease agreement.
Finalizing the transfer of physical assets under a lease begins with signing the relevant contract between you and our company. Our experts will develop the most advantageous plan for you to take possession of the physical asset. Afterward, in accordance with the terms of the lease agreement, you will be required to make a down payment.
The next step is to sign a contract for the purchase-sale or delivery of the leased asset. This agreement must be signed by three parties. Siberian Leasing Company will act as the buyer and shall agree to take ownership of the asset, for the purpose of further transferring it under a lease. Accordingly, you will act as the lessee/consignee and shall accept the asset. The third party to this contract is the seller (supplier).
To minimize the risk of possible loss, damage, or destruction, all of the assets transferred under a lease must be insured. If the parties agree, those costs can be included in the lease payments.
Once the lease term has ended and all the lease payments have been made, an agreement will be finalized to transfer the ownership rights to the asset at a nominal price.
Taking into account the individual nature of every business, many questions arise during any transaction: how to properly set up the process for working together, what exactly is available for lease, and how to finalize a contract. Our experts will make a careful study of your area of concern and will be able to offer you the best solutions. Just give us a call at 8 (800) 100-32-44 and we will be happy to answer your questions.
The entire process of transferring physical assets under a lease is divided into several stages and is designed in such a way as to give you the chance to achieve your desired results as quickly as possible.


In large bowl, make cake batter as directed on box. Pour into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.
In medium bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk 45 to 60 seconds or until slightly thickened but still pourable. Carefully pour over cake; spreading evenly over surface. Work back and forth to fill holes, tapping pan lightly on counter several times. Refrigerate 2 hours.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 15 to 30 seconds or until slightly warmed and thinner consistency. Quickly spread evenly on top of cake up to edges; refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. To serve, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.


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Three astronauts docked the Space Station
in News, Space
For the first time in history, the UK has a representative on the International Space Station. This morning, British astronaut Tim Peake made his first visit to the station, alongside two seasoned: Russia's Yuri Malenchenko and NASA's Tim Kopra. It was a flawless launch, as you can see below.
Malechenko had to take manual control after the automated docking attempt was unexpectedly aborted, and he managed to successfully dock with the station's Russian segment at 2:58 pm EST (1958 GMT).
The trio has now joined NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volko who are already conducting experiments in microgravity, most notably medical studies. Kelly is not the commander of the expedition and he's become the man with the most days spent in space. However, in a few months, Kelly will retire, and Kopra will take his place as commander of the expedition.
As for the British, this is a memorable date. Peake became the first of his country to visit the ISS, but chemist Helen Sharman was technically the first Brit in space, having visited the Soviet space station, Mir, in 1991. She told the BBC:
"Launch itself is a day that you want to get on with, because finally, you're getting to do what you've been trained to do for so long. I trained for 18 months, Tim Peake will have trained for six years by the time he flies. You're part of a great big machine… by that stage, the team is so big – the doctors, the trainers – that you're not going to be able to go wrong."
In recent times, there has been a special emphasis on experiments focusing on long term space flight, especially on the effects it will have on the human body. This kind of experiments will continue to be carried on, and a particular experiment of interest is growing crystals from disease proteins that are too small to see, even under a microscope. These crystallized structures could help doctors understand how to defeat diseases from the inside out. Meanwhile, in the Japanese module, a furnace will be installed so astronauts can study how plasma behaves in microgravity, testing an inflatable capsule.
Image via NASA.
Tags: International Space StationTim Peake


We feature an attractive range of Metal Vases in a variety of striking colours, patterns, shapes and sizes. Prices range from under £10 to £40+. The Metal Vases are currently sorted by the popularity (most popular at the top of the page).


If there's one thing that Andorra excels at, it's anything that involves snow. Find a wide range of snow activities in Encamp to suit all tastes and ages.
Snowshoe hikes along the mountains are one of the many activities you can enjoy in winter.
In Grandvalira you can enjoy tubing, one of the resort's most entertaining activities for the entire family.
The Grau Roig sector in Grandvalira is home to an activity centre for adults and children alike, where you can enjoy a fun day out with the family.
Who said the snow was only meant for skiing? Mushing is ideal for fun with the family, friends or as a couple.
Plan a full day out that goes all the way into the night in Grandvalira with the different night-time activities on offer.
This winter, put your senses to the test and experience this orienteering course!


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Following extensive research and preparation before the opening of voting I am delighted to reveal that Cuckavalda Gundogs has been put forward for the 2018 UK Enterprise Awards hosted by SME-News!
UK based enterprises are renowned for their diversity and ability to progress through tough times. As we turn our backs on the recession it is now more important than ever to seek out hard working, innovative and diverse business owners and offer them a platform to further succeed.


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Donetsk oblast är ett oblast (region) i östra Ukraina med en yta på 26 517 km² och en befolkning på 4 622 900 invånare (år 2006). Huvudort är Donetsk. Andra större städer är Slovjansk, Horlivka, Kramatorsk, Makijivka, Mariupol, Jenakijeve och Krasnoarmijsk.

Våren 2014 etablerades den proryska utbrytarrepubliken Folkrepubliken Donetsk på större delen av oblastets territorium, inklusive i Donetsk som är republikens huvudstad. 13 juni gav president Petro Porosjenko anvisningar att tills vidare låta Mariupol (som några dagar tidigare åter kommit under central ukrainsk kontroll) sköta oblastets centrala administration. Under sommaren 2014 har Ukrainas väpnade styrkor återtagit kontrollen över delar av oblastet, men strider pågår runt Donetsk, Horlivka och flera andra större städer under 2015.

Geografi och historia
Oblastet gränsar i sydöst till Ryssland och i söder till Azovska sjön. I norr flyter floden Siverskyj Donets från väster till öster genom oblastet. Stora delar av det skogklädda området runt floden är sedan 1997 skyddat, genom inrättandet av nationalparken Svjati Hory.

Under den stora svälten 1932-33 som utbrutit på grund av Stalins första femårsplan hörde nuvarande Donetsk oblast till de hårdast drabbade områdena i östra delen av Ukrainska SSR. Då stora delar av östra Ukraina tömts på sin befolkning på grund av svälten fyllde många inflyttade etniska ryssar tomrummet i regionen efter svältkatastrofen.

Donetsk oblast upprättades formellt den 3 juni 1938, ur delar av det forna guvernementet Jekaterinoslav och Donkosackernas land. Under den sovjetiska tiden blev oblastet en del av det industritäta Donetsbäckenet (Donbass), vilket ledde till ytterligare inflyttning av etniska ryssar.

När Ukraina blev självständigt 1991 ingick oblastet i den nya statsbildningen.

Separatism och utbrytarrepublik 2014

Våren 2014, i samband med att Euromajdan ledde till nytt styre i Ukraina, inleddes proryska protester i delar av södra och östra Ukraina mot både det nya styret och för ett ökat självstyre. Efter att Krim under mars månad utropat sig självständigt och därefter annekterats av Ryska federationen tilltog de proryska protesterna i främst de östliga oblasten Donetsk och Luhansk. Under april etablerades i de båda oblasten proryska utbrytarrepubliker som i stor utsträckning ersatte den civila oblastadministrationen – Folkrepubliken Donetsk (FrD) och Folkrepubliken Lugansk (FrL). De nya och ensidigt utlysta republikerna har inte lyckats etablera full kontroll över sina territorier och är sedan april 2014 inblandade i strider mot ukrainska säkerhetsstyrkor och Ukrainas armé som vill återföra regionerna under nationell kontroll.

I slutet av juni 2014 behärskade folkrepublikerna cirka hälften av de respektive oblastens territorium, medan Ukraina kontrollerade resten. I början av juli månad återtog Ukrainas militär kontrollen över hela den nordliga tredjedelen av Donetsk oblast, och i början av augusti behärskade FrD bara större delen av stadsregionen i och öster om Donetsk. Sedan tidigare hade Ukraina återtagit kontrollen över områdena i väster och söder.

Befolkning

Översikt
Donetsk är en av de mest rysktalande regionerna i Ukraina, och i folkräkningen 2001 uppgav endast 24,1 procent av befolkningen att man hade ukrainska som modersmål.

Enligt 2001 års folkräkning befolkades oblastet av mer än 130 etniska grupper. De etniska ukrainarna var då 56,9 av befolkningen (2 744 100 personer), medan de etniska ryssarna var 38,2 procent av befolkningen (1 844 400 personer). 74,9 procent av befolkningen i regionen ansåg att ryska var deras huvudsakliga språk – inklusive 58,7 procent av de etniska ukrainarna.

Etniciteter och språk (2001)

Källa:

Bildgalleri

Referenser

Externa länkar

Stater och territorier bildade 1938
Wikipedia:Projekt neutralitet


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Panthers complete interview with Sean Payton, Jim Caldwell
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers interviewed Sean Payton for their coaching vacancy on Monday.
Panthers owner David Tepper has also interviewed Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, former Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, former Detroit Lions and Colts head coach Jim Caldwell and Steve Wilks, who was the team's interim head coach this season, for the job.
The 59-year-old Payton is drawing plenty of interest from NFL teams with head coaching openings. including the Denver Broncos.
Payton did not coach this past season, but the New Orleans Saints still hold his rights. It's unclear what type of draft pick compensation it would take from the Panthers to lure Payton from their division rivals.
Payton won the NFC South seven times with the Saints and the Super Bowl in the 2009 season, amassing a 152-89 record in the regular season and a 9-8 mark in the postseason.
Photo: © Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
By woodwardsportsPublished On: January 24th, 2023Categories: NFL
Detroit Lions: Free agent targets to bolster defense
January 31st, 2023|0 Comments


As a continued effort to deliver the latest enhancements and improvements of our products, we have officially release our Service Pack #1 to IronCAD DCS 2018 providing valuable improvements to the quality and usability of the application.
Access to the installation is available in the IronCAD Live Update that is installed with the IronCAD DCS 2018. If enabled, you will receive a notification of the new version and will be able to download and install from this utility. You can manually download the installation by "Check Updates" in the Live Update utility or from the links below following the provided installation notes.
Click the download link to begin your download. Once complete, run the IronCAD2018SP1.exe to being the installation process.
This installation can only install on the IronCAD Design Collaboration Suite 2018 and will update all products included with the Design Collaboration Suite (IRONCAD, INOVATE, IRONCAD DRAFT, and IRONCAD COMPOSE).
This Service Patch cannot be uninstalled individually from the Add/Remove Programs in the control panel. To uninstall, you will need to remove the full IronCAD 2018 Service Pack #1 version and reinstall the standard 2018. You can uninstall using the Uninstall IronCAD DCS in the Start-Programs-IronCAD menu.
Standalone IRONCAD COMPOSE does not have a Service Pack #1 install and can continue to open and view saved files in Service Pack #1.
109006 59983 Parts are being duplicated and rotated when updating to KeyShot.
109711 61954 Can't load IC Web Viewer content on Swedish Windows.
60894 Add assembly feature on the part,the dimension on the part is wrong.
59066 Add holelist on the view,change the depth of the hole,the symbol is lost.


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Host Preferences of the Sand Fly Lutzomyia longipalpis at an Endemic Focus of American Visceral Leishmaniasis in Colombia
Amy C. Morrison, Cristina Ferro, Robert B. Tesh
Affiliations: 1 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Entomology Group, National Institute of Health, Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia
Source: The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Volume 49, Issue 1, 1 Jul 1993, p. 68 - 75
Blood meals from 579 Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera:Psychodidae), collected in an endemic focus of American visceral leishmaniasis in Colombia, were identified by precipitin test. Sand fly collections were made during a 16-month period from the inside walls of two houses, a pigpen, and rock crevices in a small community (El Callejon) within the endemic area. Feeding patterns of the sand flies varied with locality and date of collection. Overall, bovine feedings predominated, but feedings were also recorded on pigs, equines, humans, dogs, opossums, birds, and reptiles. Calculation of the forage ratios for each host species indicated that cows and pigs were the preferred hosts of Lu. longipalpis in El Callejon. Results of this study suggest that Lu. longipalpis is an opportunistic feeder and is not highly anthropophilic nor strongly attracted to dogs.