Rudolf Brenneisen is a Professor of Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy in the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Bern, Switzerland. He is also Head of their Analytical Toxicology Unit and has engaged in research on plant products for over 20 years, including extensive investigations on Cannabis. Our interview was conducted by Dave Pate on February 5, 1997.
Can you give us something of your academic background?
Originally I was a pharmacist, so I did study pharmaceutical sciences and after my Master's or my Federal Diploma, I got a job offered at the Institute of Pharmacy of the University of Bern within the department of phytochemistry and pharmacognosy. As part of my Ph.D. dissertation, I did start an investigation on a Swiss medicinal plant, the blueberry in fact, studying the tannin content vs. the stage of ripeness, etc. So it was a very traditional and classical phytochemical work. I then decided to do something with pharmacologically more active compounds, continuing as a Ph.D. I got a chance when my boss retired and the faculty decided not to replace him, but to offer me an assistant professorship, a position with teaching and research functions. So that was really the moment to start my own projects and to do what I'd like. I got financial assistance because phytotherapy and phytochemistry is a main discipline within the pharmaceutical sciences, as medicinal plants have a very long tradition in Switzerland.
And one day, the faculty said that for my academic career, it would be good to visit another university. So I decided that I would like to improve my Cannabis knowledge. I wrote a letter to Dr. ElSohly at the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Oxford Mississippi, and he said that I was most welcome to join his group and work on a very special Cannabis project. And that was the beginning of the chemical signature project which did really help to improve the analytical methodology and to get full chemical information on the Cannabis plant.
That was in 1987. I had the opportunity to work 6 months in Dr. ElSohly's lab, to have my own equipment, GC/MS and so on, 24 hours a day. And I didn't stop at night since I got really addicted to that topic!
How long have you had an interest in Cannabis and what is its origin?
A little bit more than 20 years, and my interest includes everything from forensics to therapeutic aspects. We once received a sample from the police. The question was how much THC was in that sample. Everybody in Switzerland said that a tropical climate is needed to produce a high-potency Cannabis plant with a high THC content, but I didn't believe that. So we performed an analytical monitoring, together with the police who confiscated a lot of homegrown material. And the result was that from a good hot summer, Cannabis plants can be produced that have a very reasonable THC content. I then needed someone who was a specialist in agriculture and, by coincidence, I met this kind of specialist who was looking for a laboratory person. That was the beginning of a really long project that began around 1980 and it did end with a very broad study concerning botanical, chemical and ecological aspects of Cannabis growing in Switzerland. We did study different seeds from different origins and concluded that in Switzerland, the climate is very well suited, providing that you cultivate an adapted variant. The highest content of THC was about 12% or so.
What do you think is the therapeutic potential of Cannabis, either as a whole drug or as a source of its component compounds?
I think both aspects are interesting and each has advantages and disadvantages. When you administer THC you can more precisely prepare the dosage and you know that the effect is caused by THC or a metabolite. But it costs a lot of money to prepare synthetic THC and administer it as Marinol®. If you prepare a standardized plant extract, you then have hundreds of compounds. Maybe THC is the main active cannabinoid, but you never know which compound in a complex mixture is responsible for the effect. It's more complicated to prove the exact mechanism of action. We know that there are receptors and that THC is going to the receptor, but do the other compounds influence absorption or pharmacokinetics, or interact with the receptor?
Do you have any indication of that?
We know from other medicinal plants that, for example, saponins enhance absorption through the gastrointestinal tract, so maybe there is the same situation with Cannabis, but there are no exact data because you have to measure blood levels and this is not so easy. We are in the process of doing that.
What would you say is the advantage of using Cannabis as a whole drug?
Production costs are lower. You don't have to isolate anything, you just prepare a simple crude extract. You measure the THC content or a total cannabinoid content and then standardize with some inert material, lactose or so. You may have a synergism with other compounds occurring in the plant. This is what we really know from other medicinal plants, but it's not been studied in detail. It's a natural product, which is totally "in the trend", at least in Europe, maybe not in "The States". It is also something "given by God" and maybe this is a commercial aspect, but why not?
In Switzerland, there are major pharmaceutical companies that do care for phytotherapeutic products. Could you contrast the U.S. "single-compound doctrine" with the more flexible Swiss approach of "anything that can be clinically validated and has a market"?
We have two of the strongest pharmaceutical industries in the world: Novartis (resulting from the merger of Sandoz and Ciba-Geigy) and Roche. In fact the best products of the former Sandoz company and ones for which they are famous, are natural products, like the ergot alkaloids, although a couple years ago they decided to leave that area and invest money in other research projects. Anyway, the use of medicinal plants and natural products in Switzerland has a long tradition and if you go to a public pharmacy (and this is different in "The States" when you go to a "drug store"), you always find, really, at the very front, herbal teas, high quality herbal medicaments, standardized extracts, and pills with extracts. So this is very well accepted by the people. And the reasons are that we already have very strong synthetic pharmaceutical companies, the trend is "Back to Nature" and away from chemistry, and the big chemical disasters we had in, for example, northern Italy and in the Rhein River. All this, and a good marketing system, did help to establish and to increase the market for natural products. A couple years ago, one of the big pharmaceutical companies in Basle decided to enter that field and they did cooperate with a small, very recognized company who had a long tradition with medicinal plants and technology of preparation of extracts. So the best-sold products based on natural products are sold by one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies, Novartis. The line is called "Valverde" and everything is very professional, from standardized extract preparations to quality control to marketing. These products really help to promote medicinal plants.
So you would say that there is no apparent reason why plant-based drugs can't be used, assuming that the appropriate analytical controls are in place.
The problem is that you have to prove the efficacy and therapeutic value of natural products. I'm not talking about homeopathics, because this is another story. For me, when you use qualitatively and quantitatively controlled natural products, there is absolutely no difference to a synthetic compound concerning registration. This is rational pharmacotherapy, nothing else. When you register, you must follow the same standards. The health authorities really demand the same standards, so there is no discrimination, nor any advantage because it is a natural product. So the same holds true for Cannabis products. If a company is ready to register, you need to provide data, the same protocol, and there is a good chance you can register a Cannabis extract.
What scale of study would be required, how complex and how rigorous? Would only a major pharmaceutical corporation be able to afford this or could a smaller university study be considered adequate?
You are talking about 2 to 3 hundred patients, maybe, for a big pharmaceutical company, or even thousands of patients. The difference is when you want to register a new substance, a new molecule, you have to follow Phase I toxicology studies. When you use a natural product with a long history, this is different. The registration authorities accept data from popular medicine, ethnopharmacological data from hundreds of years and this data may replace a big clinical study with hundreds of patients. Another reason why medicinal plants are quite popular is that we have two big societies: one European society for medicinal plant research and the other one is an association of Swiss physicians and pharmacists specialized in phytotherapy. So we already have an increasing group of physicians in Switzerland who are specialized in the administration and use of medicinal plants and most of these physicians are very open to Cannabis products.
Is medical Cannabis an issue in Switzerland? Is it medically controversial or is it seen as an offshoot of traditional medicine and therefore not so "unacceptable"?
First, THC is still an illegal substance. So the use of THC for clinical experiments and trials needs a special permit from the Federal Office of Public Health. We really have the privilege that our health authorities are very open to research projects, even with narcotics, not only with THC, if we really follow good clinical practice and use an ethically-approved study protocol. If not, you are out! Just now, the Swiss government has allowed private doctors to give THC as Marinol®, through us, to patients linked to a university research project. Meaning that when these people are linked to one of the university groups, they are able to get THC as a medicament, but only for research purposes, and within a clinical trial.
This is for what disease?
To reduce the muscle spasticity of both spinal cord injured and MS patients.
There isn't any Marinol® marketed commercially?
There is no registered THC product on the Swiss market, but to do clinical trials it is better to use a medicament that is approved by the US FDA, which is the most recognized authority. So for our trials we decided to use Marinol® vs. the suppositories prepared by Dr. ElSohly to compare the two administration routes.
And actually two different molecules?
Yeah, I must say that the THC in the suppositories is administered as the hemi-succinate ester. It's like a prodrug and has something to do with stability and absorption, etc.
What about the use of Cannabis in Switzerland as a medical agent, even if it isn't officially allowed. Do people do it anyway? Is there a popular movement in that direction?
When the media did hear about our project, they were very interested and made many reports on TV and radio. So a Swiss radio station conducted a survey of the Swiss population, looking for people who had experience with Cannabis as a medicament. I remember very well, for example, the mother who had a child suffering chronic migraine headache. No doctor could help, so she decided, along with her husband, to get some illegal Cannabis. She said, and not anonymously, but by name on the Swiss radio station, that the effect was just dramatic and the migraine attack was gone within minutes and the child was happy. What she administered was a Cannabis tea, which is also very astonishing since the bioavailability of cannabinoids from tea is low. Another example was a 70 year old patient with multiple sclerosis, who showed publicly on TV, how he prepared everyday his hashish medicament. Only with that illegal medicament is he able to treat his spasticity and to maintain a better quality of life. So these reports in the Swiss media really shocked, in a positive way, the Swiss population and it did really help us to go on with our Cannabis research projects. The Swiss government also recognized the need for this kind of research. We got the permit to go on with more patients and, just began two weeks ago, with a big study with patients paralyzed by spinal cord injuries from car accidents or sports, etc. In a big rehabilitation center in Switzerland, the physicians and the nurses observed that not only young patients, but also older ones smoke Cannabis. They have less spasticity problems and show a reduction of side effects with their other medicaments and can even reduce the dosage of these medicaments. So the MDs of that hospital decided to approach our group and ask for help in starting a big project in which the effect of THC, as Marinol® and as suppository, could be studied in a larger population of patients. This would also involve pharmacokinetics, doing blood and urine analysis. We introduced the placebo control and double-blind design in that study. The first study was only an open-label pilot study to establish the methodology for measuring the reduction of spasticity and mobility of two partly paralyzed patients. We measured, for instance, how much time they needed, with or without THC, to walk ten meters. It is a very simple test model to examine the effect of THC.
Based on what you've observed personally or heard from reliable sources, what would be the primary indication for the use of Cannabis as a medical drug?
We have only tested the indication of spasticity and the neurologists told me that spasticity is very often "therapy-resistant", meaning that the classic medicaments stop working after a certain time or you have to increase the dosage. AIDS is another indication. THC increases appetite and the result is an increase in weight. So we are a part of this international and multi-center trial study of Dr. Gorter in Berlin. We just got the ethics permit to do a study at the oncology department at the University of Bern. Another very interesting indication is migraine and there are many, many reports about the effect of Cannabis products on migraine from popular medicine and anecdotal reports from people who use Cannabis products, including teas. That will be a future project and I'll really have the chance to collaborate with the best specialists for migraine therapy in Switzerland, working in the same university clinic where we did the first spasticity study. So many things are going on.
It's interesting that you mention migraine because in the United States, that indication is not brought up so much.
In the traditional Cannabis literature, you always find migraine. But I think no one has ever done a controlled clinical study. One reason might be that you really need a very, very careful patient evaluation and diagnosis. At least the specialist told me so, and migraine is not so easy to differentiate from other headaches. So it must be a classic migraine, but many migraine sufferers have written me and asked for help with Cannabis products. I remember the 50 year old woman who said that 350 days per year, she suffers from migraine and Cannabis is her last hope.
And this isn't just some little ache in the head, this a debilitating malady?
Every light and what you smell in the kitchen, every sensed thing is painful! So this women asked me for help. She said, "I don't want to be illegal. I have experience with Cannabis products. My son can get it for me. It's not a problem of supply, you can get it everywhere in the city where I'm living, but I don't want to be illegal and I don't want my son to be involved in an illegal act." So I have a whole collection of letters and telephone calls really motivating me to start this controlled clinical study with migraine patients.
Do you see any ethical problems with running a placebo-controlled Cannabis study with patients? I've heard this point made, not because of Cannabis, but because of the placebo.
You are right, there are some ethical restrictions, but if you really want to publish the data in a reviewed journal, you need that design. Our first pilot study was not placebo controlled and the first journal, an American journal, refused to publish our open-label spasticity study with THC. But I think it was more a political reason. We had the same experience with another compound, psilocybin. Data from a pharmacokinetic study using that compound will be published in a good European journal. So, politics.
What about chemotherapy? That's usually one of the most dramatic indications for Cannabis.
This does mean an increase in life quality, but I have a little problem with that indication. You reduce side effects of very strong medicaments. OK, why not? But new anti-emetic medicaments are now on the market which are very effective and you have always to prove that THC is better than what we already have and what is accepted and legal. I hear this very often when we have discussions with the health authorities. You must prove that THC is better concerning side effects, efficacy or safety, etc. If you don't do that, you have no chance for registration. The chief of the pharmaceutical department of the federal office of public health, who is responsible for the permits, told me he would be open-minded if a company came with good clinical and pharmaceutical data.
For a whole Cannabis product or an isolated compound?
At that time we were talking only about THC, but as I mentioned, we have a lot of well-established medicinal plant products, so it wouldn't seem so strange, providing it was a quality-controlled and state-of-the-art Cannabis preparation of proven therapeutic value.
What about the smoking aspect, or at least in a broader sense, the pulmonary application of THC or other cannabinoids vs. the gastrointestinal route?
The THC pill or the pill with Cannabis extract when taken orally, you lose too much of the THC (if we say this is the active compound) by a high liver metabolism, the first-pass effect. And intestinal absorption is not 100%. All this effects the content of THC in the blood.
Do you have a number for intestinal absorption? A figure of 10-15% is usually quoted.
The literature says THC has an oral bioavailability of 5-20%. We did a two patient study with THC in capsules. It was around 20-25%. We compared those with suppositories and the absorption rate, the bioavailability, was really much better, around 50%, double or so. And we understand that difference is mainly due to the first-pass effect. But to bring as much THC in a short time into the circulating blood system, the lungs are really the interesting site to absorb medicaments. The problem is that smoking, the traditional form of using Cannabis, is not an established pharmaceutical application form. So we have to find a way to inhale by a non-smoking technique, using a machine, a nebulizer or vaporizer, but our knowledge of this is at the very beginning. There are some technical problems, for example, to bring THC as a lipophilic compound in solution and to get particle size small enough to reach the deep compartments of the lungs, which is very important for a high absorption rate.
So in general, you think pulmonary application is superior, but there are some technical problems that have to be worked out.
Yes, I am convinced, as we have done inhalation experiments with other active compounds, such as opiates.
There are many more drugs that are given orally, or even as injectables, than there are those given by lung. Why do you think that in the history of general medical practice, it has been relatively rare that the lungs have been chosen as a route of administration?
An injection is always an invasive method linked to risk of contamination and infection and you need a person to give the injection. Except for a diabetic, the patient is not able to do that for himself. Swallowing a pill is easy. With inhalation, maybe there are more technological problems. I have no explanation why the lungs are not more used as an application site for medicaments, but at least the literature says that this will be for the future, a very interesting administration route. For example, maybe it could be used for peptides and compounds unstable in gastric acid. I am convinced that we have to spend more time and money to do the experiments with nebulizers and vaporizers or other techniques which deliver these compounds to the lungs.
What would you like to do if you had the appropriate funding?
I would do a comparison of synthetic THC with natural standardized Cannabis extracts for an indication like migraine. We really need good strong data. Another thing is to look and to develop other applications, other pharmaceutical preparations which should guarantee a high blood level of THC and be administered through the lungs. We know THC is well-absorbed from smoke, but we must replace the Cannabis cigarette, which is not accepted in medicine. The problem is to get THC in a solution which is compatible with the lungs and physiologically accepted. This will cost a lot of money, but maybe it's not as difficult as some people think.


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MichelleLea owns this human at 50 points.
University student who's trying to get things back in order. Enjoys seeing friends when free, or watching movies at home. Loves old television shows and movies especially. I like to read, and travel.
Someone intelligent, and with a good sense of humor.
Whoo hoo, another hurricane avoided! Survived Alma in Costa Rica and the one that was aiming for New Orleans. So far, so good.
Hoping to knock everything out here before I need to drive up to Memphis. Keep your fingers crossed!
You have been given Spinning A Christmas Web.
You have been given awesome ninja powers.
You have been given Peeking In...Everything good?.
Unknown owns this human at 2000 points.


Last Wednesday the FAA announced an initiative to allow three additional commercial drone applications; applications that will bring big value to the Oil and Gas and Petrochemical industries. Today, drone operators must have a Section 333 Exemption from the FAA to conduct commercial operations in the United States (see article in March/April Issue of Inspectioneering Journal for more information). Even with an exemption however, there are still many operational and personnel limitations. One limitation is that the unmanned aerial system (UAS), or drone, must stay within the visual line-of-sight (VLOS) of the operator and observer. Another is that the drone must not be operated over densely populated, urban areas. Given these regulatory restrictions, pipeline and power line monitoring have basically been limited to short runs in sparsely populated areas.
The latest initiative announced by the FAA is a research and development project to expand the use of drones in urban areas and beyond visual line-of-sight applications. While it is unknown how long this project will last, we will likely not see a change until the eventual release of the FAA Commercial UAS Regulations which some are speculating to be at least a year away.
Why is this big news for the O&G and Petrochemical industries?
Drones have proven to be a cost effective and efficient way to inspect or monitor thousands of miles of pipelines. Some small, relatively inexpensive drones can fly for 15+ hours with high resolution and infrared cameras, as well as gas and leak detection monitors. While drones still require a pilot, operations are less costly and by eliminating the need to return to the airport for fuel, they can stay aloft longer allowing for more ground coverage. As a matter of fact, operations do not need to originate from an airport at all. Another benefit is that data from drones can be viewed in real time by inspectors and other personnel, and can be archived for future analysis. High-resolution maps can even be built simultaneously.
I am encouraged to see the FAA take on this task. Earlier this year the FAA approved a handful of companies for drone operations in the O&G and Petrochemical industries, many within manufacturing facilities and on offshore platforms. Drones are being used around the country for inspecting and monitoring different types of elevated equipment and have proven to be an extremely valuable tool for owner-users, not just for reduced costs, but for improved safety and time savings. This new FAA initiative opens the door for O&G and Petrochemical companies to proliferate these benefits throughout their business units even further.


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FOUNDATION_EXPORT double Pods_ZQCustomPicker_TestsVersionNumber;
FOUNDATION_EXPORT const unsigned char Pods_ZQCustomPicker_TestsVersionString[];

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Top Ten…er Eight…Books I Want to Reread (on audio) – my books. my life.
I am putting a little twist on this week's topic. These are all books I want to reread, but I plan on rereading in audio. Audiobooks have become my preferred rereading method. It takes less time from my busy print reading schedule and gives me a new way to experience an old favorite. Here are eight books I want to reread in audio.
What books do you want to reread? Do you ever use audiobooks to reread favorites?
I have a hard time with audiobooks, but I think doing a reread would be easier for me. I would love to listen to the Harry Potter books. I'm hoping to read The Night Circus soon.
I would listen to anything Jim Dale has narrated. He's amazing!
I would read everything on your list. I haven't read Night Circus yet, hoping the book fairy drops it in my mailbox soon. 🙂 The rest on your list are absolute favs.
Geek Love is one of my very favorite books, and I never see it mentioned anywhere! I am so glad to see that on your list! A lot of the others are great choices as well, and I am hoping that you get the chance to indulge yourself and listen to them all!
My list is mostly ones I want to listen to, too. That's just how I "reread." I have To Kill a Mockingbird on my list, too.
I can tell you that Middlesex and To Kill a Mockingbird (read by Sissy Spacek) are particularly good on audio. Enjoy!
I have a few books on my list to re-read this year (Shani Mootoo's Cereus Blooms at Night, Timothy Findley's Headhunter, and Alice Walker's The Color Purple).
But I guess because I did read them first, I think of re-reading with an actual book. I wonder if I just need to re-think how I define re-reading, or if listening will always feel like a separate activity for me.
I've added Night Circus to my TBR list, but since you mentioned Jim Dale was the narrator, I've decided to listen to it. I loved Dale's narration of Harry Potter, so I think I'd like to listen to him again!
I reread all the Harry Potter books this spring leading up to the final movie, and it was a blast. It had been years since I first read them, and listening vs reading are always two different experiences for me.
I listened to the Time Traveler's Wife, and it was good but hard to follow! I think it would be good to have read that with your eyes before listening to it, because the dates and ages are kind of hard to follow in the audio. Takes a bit of concentration!
Fun fun! Love a good audio!
I hardly ever reread a book. I would reread The Time Traveler's Wife and Water for Elephants.
I was mentioning in my reponse to Jamie on her post that I'm intending to re-read the Hunger Games trilogy on audio when it gets close to the movie release. Even though I may not see it in theaters I want to get back up to snuff so I can participate in some discussion if there is any.


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Scott County School District 2 » About Scott 2 » News » U.S. Department of Education recognizes LES as a National Blue Ribbon School
The U.S. Department of Education recognized Lexington Elementary School as a National Blue Ribbon School on Wednesday. The Indiana Four-Star School is one of a handful of public schools south of Bloomington, Ind., to receive the distinction in the 34-year history of the Blue Ribbon Award.
"This is a huge honor as it is a national award. It means that Lexington Elementary School has some of the best data in the United States," said Dr. Marc Slaton, superintendent of Scott County School District 2. "This is a great honor for our school district as a whole, for Lexington Elementary School, and for our community in Scott County. This award puts a positive spotlight on Scott County, our school district, and our community."
The Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award is not a competitive award — it is based on merit — so less than one percent of public schools in America receive the honor. The National Blue Ribbon Award is given to schools who demonstrate overall academic excellence or demonstrate progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, according to the Department of Education's website.
"Of the tens of thousands of schools in America, only 335 win. That's pretty significant," Lexington Elementary School Principal Nick South said. "We have a great staff, proven curriculum, and great community support."
Lexington Elementary School has a strong academic tradition, South said. For nearly a decade, the Scott County, Ind., school has received an "A" accountability grade from the Indiana Department of Education. The state-accredited school recently placed in the top 25th percentile of Indiana schools for its achievement on Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress.
"Lexington Elementary School has a true family atmosphere and have been blessed with great leadership through the years and have excellent teachers and staff members. I would say those two factors coupled with quality class sizes and fidelity to best practices and using the resources that they have been given have led to the success that Lexington has seen," Slaton said.
At Lexington Elementary School, the community, the teachers and staff, and the students work together to encourage educational excellence. The school uses a blended approach of traditional methods and modern technology, using what works best for the students and their achievement, South said. Each student uses a school-issued iPad; the entire school district is an 1:1 learning environment.
"We say, 'We're your other family.'," South said. "The community, teachers, and the students — we're intertwined."
South said the school-hosted events are well-attended by parents, staff, students, and the community. During parent-teacher conferences, the school has 100 percent participation from its families. It also has many parent and community volunteers, offers field trips for its students, and its parent-teacher organization has a strong presence. The local businesses and churches work together to make sure the students have supplies to help the students succeed.
"We have a strong connection with the community," South said. "We have phenomenal teachers who bend over backwards to help our children."
In addition to Lexington Elementary School's success, Scott County School District 2 has had its share of successes.
"While this award definitely puts a positive spotlight on Lexington Elementary School, I think this award shines a positive light on our entire district — all of our elementary schools, our Apple Distinguished Middle School, and Scottsburg High School. While LES has been recognized as a Four-Star School and USDOE Blue Ribbon School, all of our schools have done well in various areas," Slaton said. "Thus, families that are looking for a quality school district that truly loves children and cares about the overall well-being and development of the child should look no further than Scott 2."
Lexington Elementary School is located within 30 minutes of downtown Louisville, Ky. It will soon be directly connected to Louisville when the East End Bridge is completed later this year.
"In addition, Scott County has some of the best property tax rates in the region. I would challenge families that are looking to relocate to this region for jobs and quality education to take a good, long, hard look at Scott County School District 2," Slaton said.

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Glaucoma Awareness Week
The International Glaucoma Association launches its 40th Anniversary Appeal
The International Glaucoma Association (IGA) launches its 40th Anniversary Appeal to raise further funds for the diagnosis, management and treatment of glaucoma. In 1974 Ronald Pitts Crick set up the IGA in order to prevent the loss of sight from glaucoma. Over 40 years on, and the organisation has the same mission:
"To raise awareness of glaucoma, promote research related to early diagnosis and treatment and to provide support to patients and all those that care for them."
The work of the IGA is as relevant today as it was 40 years ago. At that time, doctors at King's College Hospital, where the IGA was first based, were keen to improve patient care and find out more about the practical issues associated with living with glaucoma. The response from patients was enthusiastic, with many wanting more information and research into glaucoma. So, the IGA was formed.
Forty years later, the IGA has spent around £2.5million researching the causes of glaucoma and finding better ways of detection. The IGA was the patient representative in the development of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence guidelines for glaucoma and works closely with all of the professional bodies involved in diagnosing and treating people with glaucoma, including Ophthalmologists, Opticians, General Practitioners and Pharmacists.
The IGA helpline is a valuable source of information to both newly diagnosed patients and people living with glaucoma. It has over 20 leaflets covering the different types of glaucoma and lifestyle issues such as glaucoma and driving, glaucoma and pregnancy. The IGA website provides information and news for professionals and patients.
The IGA's annual awareness campaign has previously focused on raising awareness of eye health, particularly in the over 40s, and this year's campaign will focus on the African-Caribbean population who are four times at risk of being diagnosed with glaucoma.
True to its founding principles, the IGA service is provided free of charge. The organisation does not receive any funding from Government and relies on donations, legacies and fundraising.
Despite greater professional and public awareness, it is widely recognised that there are over 300,000 people in the UK with undiagnosed glaucoma. It is vital that glaucoma is detected early in order to protect sight. The 40th Anniversary Appeal seeks to raise further awareness of glaucoma amongst at risk groups.
To find out more about the IGA, the 40th Anniversary appeal, the research that has been funded or how to become involved in our work visit the website: www.iga.org.uk; like us on Facebook or join us on Twitter.
For more information about IGA contact: Karen Brewer on k.brewer@iga.org.uk or call 01233 64 81 69.
Hospital appointments during a second lockdown
With Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already living under nation-specific lockdown levels, England will be entering a nation-wide lockdown from Thursday 5 November. We have received many calls from people living with glaucoma who are concerned that their treatment and upcoming procedures may be disrupted or cancelled during this time. In response to these concerns, we have reached out to a number of glaucoma consultants for their feedback. They anticipate that appointments will continue, however should hospital admissions for coronavirus (...)
With Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already living under nation-specific lockdown levels, England will be entering a nation-wide lockdown from Thursday 5 November. We have received many calls from people living with glaucoma who are concerned that their treatment and upcoming procedures may be disrupted or cancelled during this time.
In response to these concerns, we have reached out to a number of glaucoma consultants for their feedback. They anticipate that appointments will continue, however should hospital admissions for coronavirus rapidly increase then ophthalmology staff may be redeployed to the COVID-19 wards. These will be junior staff in a first instance, to allow consultants to continue seeing their patients and proceed with any upcoming surgeries.
The intention is still to provide a level of service where possible, therefore if you have been told that you have an appointment, this will hopefully still stand. But should COVID-19 numbers rise sharply, there is a possibility that some appointments and surgeries may be cancelled due to more ophthalmology staff being needed on the COVID-19 wards.
As per the first lockdown, individuals will be assessed and priority given to urgent cases.
If you have any concerns or need advice, particularly during these uncertain times, our glaucoma helpline team are always here to support you. You can reach them on 01233 64 81 70 or helpline@glaucoma.uk. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 5:00pm.
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text:
All Eyez On Me
Newcomer Demetrius Shipp Jr. stars as the legendary Tupac Shakur in this powerful, true, and untold story of the rapper, actor, poet, and activist —from his early days in New York City to his evolution into a cultural icon whose legacy continues to grow long after his untimely death at the age of twenty-five. All Eyez on Me also stars Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Hill Harper, Jamal Woolard, and Danai Gurira.
Buy $9.99
Critics Consensus: Despite Demetrius Shipp Jr.'s fine lead performance, All Eyez on Me is mostly a surface-skimming, by-the-numbers biopic of a larger-than-life icon.
Edgy but bland biopic fails to capture Tupac's genius.
Demetrius Shipp Jr.
Dominic L. Santana
Jamal Woolard
Benny Boom
James G. Robinson
L.T. Hutton
Eddie González
Jeremy Haft
Steven Bagatourian
White Boy Rick


text:
.class public final Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;
.super Ljava/lang/Object;
.source "MediaCodec.java"

# annotations
.annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/EnclosingClass;
    value = Landroid/media/MediaCodec;
.end annotation

.annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/InnerClass;
    accessFlags = 0x19
    name = "CryptoInfo"
.end annotation

# instance fields
.field public iv:[B

.field public key:[B

.field public mode:I

.field public numBytesOfClearData:[I

.field public numBytesOfEncryptedData:[I

.field public numSubSamples:I

# direct methods
.method public constructor <init>()V
    .locals 0

    .prologue
    .line 346
    invoke-direct/range {p0 .. p0}, Ljava/lang/Object;-><init>()V

    return-void
.end method

# virtual methods
.method public set(I[I[I[B[BI)V
    .locals 0
    .parameter "newNumSubSamples"
    .parameter "newNumBytesOfClearData"
    .parameter "newNumBytesOfEncryptedData"
    .parameter "newKey"
    .parameter "newIV"
    .parameter "newMode"

    .prologue
    .line 354
    iput p1, p0, Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;->numSubSamples:I

    .line 355
    iput-object p2, p0, Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;->numBytesOfClearData:[I

    .line 356
    iput-object p3, p0, Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;->numBytesOfEncryptedData:[I

    .line 357
    iput-object p4, p0, Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;->key:[B

    .line 358
    iput-object p5, p0, Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;->iv:[B

    .line 359
    iput p6, p0, Landroid/media/MediaCodec$CryptoInfo;->mode:I

    .line 360
    return-void
.end method


Iron is a mineral found in meats, eggs, milk, vegetables, grains, and other plant foods. It exists in 2 forms—heme and nonheme. Heme iron is found in animal source. Nonheme iron comes from plant sources. The body absorbs heme iron easier than nonheme iron.
Carries oxygen from lungs to cells throughout the body. Called hemoglobin.
Holds oxygen within the cells. Very important in active cells in the heart and muscles. Called myoglobin.
Part of a protein called collagen. This protein makes up connective tissue, cartilage, and bone.
Helps to make enzymes that fight infections.
Changes beta carotene to vitamin A.
Part of amino acids. These are the building blocks of protein.
Helps the liver get rid of harmful drugs in the body.
Forms part of an enzyme that is needed to make chemicals that help to pass nerve signals.
Makes part of cells that help with metabolism.
Iron can be increased with changes to the diet. Iron supplements may be needed if the diet is not enough.
Iron is toxic at high levels. The body is not effective at getting rid of excess iron. This makes it is possible for iron to build up. Iron pills and supplements for adults can cause poisoning in children.
Much of the iron in our diet comes from foods, such as breads and cereals that are fortified with iron.
Your body will absorb more iron from foods when your iron stores are low. It will also absorb less when you have enough iron in your body.
Animal source iron (heme) increases the absorption of plant source iron (nonheme).
Vitamin C enhances the absorption of plant source iron.
Note: Having meat source iron and/or vitamin C with plant source iron can help make up for these decreases.
Combine meat and plant sources of iron.
Dietary supplement fact sheet: iron. Office of Dietary Supplements website. Available at:https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional. Updated December 7, 2018. Accessed January 13, 2019.
Iron deficiency anemia in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dyname.... Updated August 16, 2018. Accessed January 13, 2019.
Iron deficiency anemia in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dyname.... Updated December 4, 2018. Accessed January 13, 2019.


text:
Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador)
Para la versión en español de este perfil de las demandas judiciales contra Texaco/Chevron por actividades en Ecuador, haga clic acá.
US lawsuits
Proceedings in Ecuador
International arbitration proceedings
US legal proceedings following Ecuadorian judgment
Proceedings in Canada
Proceedings in other countries
International Criminal Court proceedings
United States lawsuits
In 1993, a group of Ecuadorian citizens of the Oriente region filed a class action lawsuit in US federal court against Texaco (Aguinda v. Texaco), and in 1994 a group of Peruvian citizens living downstream from the Oriente region also filed a class action lawsuit against Texaco in US federal court (Jota v. Texaco). Both complaints alleged that between 1964 and 1992 Texaco's oil operations polluted the rainforests and rivers in Ecuador and Peru, resulting in environmental damage and damage to the health of those who live in the region. Both lawsuits were dismissed by the US federal court in 2002 on forum non conveniens grounds (i.e., the court stated that Ecuador was a more appropriate venue for litigating these claims). In connection with the dismissal, Texaco agreed that courts in Ecuador and/or Peru would have jurisdiction over the plaintiffs' claims.
In 2003, a class action lawsuit was brought against Texaco (acquired by Chevron in 2001) in Ecuador alleging severe environmental contamination of the land where Texaco conducted its oil operation activities. The plaintiffs alleged that this contamination has led to increased rates of cancer as well as other serious health problems for the residents of the region. Judicial inspections of the allegedly contaminated sites commenced in August 2004. In early 2008, an independent expert recommended to the court that Chevron should pay $7-16 billion in compensation for the pollution. This expert increased his estimate of damages to $27 billion in November 2008. In 2008, Chevron reportedly lobbied the US Government to end trade preferences with Ecuador over this lawsuit. Following allegations of judicial misconduct, the original trial judge recused himself from the case and a new judge was appointed. Following a successful petition in US court to receive unused footage from the documentary "Crude", Chevron filed a petition with the court in August 2010 seeking to dismiss the lawsuit based on the company's assertion that certain parts of this footage show alleged fraud on the part of the plaintiffs. In September 2010, the plaintiffs submitted a new assessment of damages for the claims stating that the cost would be between $90 and $113 billion. In the same month, the judge concluded the evidentiary phase of the lawsuit. On 14 February 2011, the Ecuadorian judge issued a ruling against Chevron in the lawsuit. Chevron was ordered to pay $8.6 billion in damages and clean up costs, with the damages increasing to $18 billion if Chevron does not issue a public apology. Chevron indicated that it believes the ruling is "illegitimate" and "unenforceable", and it filed an appeal. On 3 January 2012 a panel of three judges from the Provincial Court of Justice of Sucumbios upheld the February 2011 ruling against Chevron. On 20 January 2012, Chevron appealed the decision with Ecuador's National Court of Justice. In March 2012, Chevron asked the Provincial Court of Justice for the fourth time to block the Ecuadorian Government from enforcing the $18 billion judgment against it. On 28 March 2012, the court ruled that Chevron was not entitled to use an order from the international arbitration tribunal, which asked Ecuador's Government to suspend the litigation, to block the plaintiffs from enforcing the judgment. In an effort to enforce the judgment, the Ecuadorian plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in Canada in May 2012 and one in Brazil in June 2012 targetting Chevron's assets in those countries. On 6 August 2012, the Ecuadorian court ruled that Chevron had until the end of the day to pay the $19 billion judgment. The award was increased in July 2012, after Judge Ortiz calculated various mandatory costs required by Ecuadorian law. In October 2012, the Ecuadorian court issued an order permitting the plaintiffs to seize about $200 million of Chevron's assets located in the country, in an effort to collect on the judgment against the company. On 12 November 2013, Ecuador Supreme Court upheld the August 2012 ruling against Texaco/Chevron for environmental damage but halved damages to $9.51 billion. On 27 June 2018, Chevron challenged the 2012 ruling of the Ecuador´s National Court of Justice in the Constitutional Court of Ecuador. On 10 July 2018, the Court upheld the $9.5 billion judgement against the company.
In September 2014, Chevron reportedly filed a claim against Woodsford Litigation Funding, which had financed lawyers working on enforcing the $9.5 billion Ecuadorian judgement against Chevron. Chevron claims the judgement was achieved by fraud and bribery.
In December 2006, and again in September 2009, Chevron filed an international arbitration claim before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague, alleging that the Government of Ecuador violated an US-Ecuador bilateral investment treaty. Chevron claimed that the Government of Ecuador violated international law by unduly influencing the judiciary and thereby compromising the judiciary's independence. In March 2010, the arbitration panel ruled that Ecuador's government had violated the bilateral investment treaty and international law by delaying rulings on the commercial dispute currently pending in Ecuador's courts. The Government of Ecuador and the plaintiffs in the Ecuadorian lawsuit filed a lawsuit in US federal court seeking an injunction barring Chevron from proceeding with arbitration under the bilateral investment treaty. The parties argued that due process rights in Ecuador would be denied should Chevron proceed with its arbitration.
In March 2010, the US court ruled that Chevron may pursue international arbitration in this case. The plaintiffs and Government of Ecuador have appealed this ruling. In an effort to prove its case, Chevron has sued in ten different US federal courts to try and obtain discovery documents from various consultants the plaintiffs engaged in the assessment of damages.
In February 2011, the international arbitration panel issued an Interim Measures Order in favour of Chevron ordering Ecuador to take all measures to suspend enforcement of the Ecuadorian judgment. In August 2011, the international arbitration tribunal awarded Chevron $96 million.
In February 2012, the arbitration panel met to review Ecuador's compliance with the Interim Measures Order. In February 2013, the arbitration tribunal ruled that Ecuador had not complied with the Interim Measures Order.
In March 2015, the arbitration tribunal held that the settlement between Chevron and Ecuador did not preclude residents from suing over the pollution in the future. The tribunal has yet to consider whether the issuing of the Ecuadorian judgment was in violation of the investment agreement with Texaco.
In January 2016, the international arbitration tribunal ruled in favour of Chevron over Ecuador being bound by the US-Ecuador investment agreement. Ecuador said it will appeal the decision.
In June 2016, The US Supreme Court declined to hear Ecuador's challenge to Chevron's arbitration award.
In July 2016, Ecuador indicated that it had executed the arbitrary decision and paid the $112 million ($96 million award plus interrests) compensation to Chevron.
On 30 August 2018, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague held Ecuador liable for "denying justice" to Chevron and violating the company's fundamental procedural rights, including the rights of defence, by allowing its courts to issue a $9.5 billion judgement against Chevron. The arbitration tribunal ruled that no part of the said judgement should be recognized or enforced by any State.
Chevron filed a racketeering lawsuit against the plaintiffs' lawyers and representatives in US federal court on 1 February 2011. This lawsuit alleges that the plaintiffs' lawyers and representatives have conspired to extort up to $113 billion from Chevron through the Ecuadorian legal proceedings. In addition, Chevron obtained a temporary restraining order from a US federal judge, Lewis Kaplan, on 9 February 2011 enjoining the plaintiffs from attempting to enforce a judgment in the Ecuadorian legal proceedings in the United States. This temporary restraining order was extended in March 2011 and later appealed by the plaintiffs. Meanwhile, a US law firm has filed its own lawsuit against Chevron and Chevron's US legal counsel claiming that they have illegally interfered with its representation of the claimants in the legal proceedings.
On 19 September 2011, the US federal appeals court lifted the lower court's order preventing enforcement of the Ecuadorian judgment. The court also ordered a stay of the racketeering case that Chevron filed against the plaintiffs. On 29 November 2011, Chevron filed a pre-trial motion to seize assets of the Ecuadorian plaintiffs in the racketeering lawsuit. In January 2012, US federal judge rejected Chevron's request, stating it could be renewed at a later date.
On 5 January 2012, Chevron asked the US federal appeals court to restore the injunction enjoining the plaintiffs from enforcing the Ecuadorian judgment. On 19 January 2012, the court rejected Chevron's request. On 26 January 2012, explaining its previous decision, the court of appeals ruled that Judge Kaplan lacked authority to block the enforcement of the $18 billion judgment. On 15 May 2012, the district judge overseeing the racketeering lawsuit allowed for the racketeering claims to continue, while dismissing claims of fraud. In October 2012 the US Supreme Court refused to hear Chevron's appeal of the lower court's decision ruling that Judge Kaplan lacked authority to issue the injunction blocking enforcement of the Ecuadorian judgment.
In July-August 2013, US federal courts upheld subpoenas served by Chevron on Microsoft, Google and Yahoo! demanding private user information about environmental advocates, journalists, lawyers and others. Chevron sought this as part of its fraud lawsuit against certain Ecuadorian oil pollution plaintiffs and their lawyers.
In March 2014, Judge Kaplan ruled in favour of Chevron, and found that the lawyers for the Ecuadorian community had used fabricated evidence, made bribes and ghost-wrote court documents. The plaintiffs were therefore barred from collecting the $9.51 billion judgment because the "decision was obtained by corrupt means." The plaintiffs appealed arguing that the requirement that a US court recognizes a ruling of a foreign jurisdiction barred Chevron from challenging the judgement.
On 8 August 2016, a US court of appeals agreed with the lower court's ruling that the Ecuadorian community cannot collect the $9.5 billion Ecuadorian judgement on the basis that judgment was obtained by corrupt means. In April 2017, the lawyers for the Ecuadorian asked the US Supreme Court to overturn a lower court decision allowing Chevron to use the US Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act to try to block a foreign court judgement. On 19 June 2017, the US Supreme Court declined to hear the petition. This means that the lower court decision blocking the enforcement of the Ecuadorian award stands.
Canadian proceedings
In an effort to enforce the $9.51 billion Ecuadorian judgement, the Ecuadorian villagers filed a lawsuit in Canada in May 2012 targeting Chevron subsidiary's assets in this country. In September 2015, the Canadian Supreme Court confirmed jurisdiction of the Canadian courts to hear the case. In January 2017, the Ontario Superior Court decided that Chevron's Canada assets and shares could not be used to satisfy the claim, as it is a separate legal entity. However, the judge agreed to toss out some of Chevron's defence arguments concerning the Ecuadorian judgement. The plaintiffs filed an appeal.
In September 2017, the Canadian Court satisfied Chevron's request to order the Ecuadorian plaintiffs to post almost $1 million as security for costs of further proceedings. The court of appeal reversed this order ruling the case a matter of public interest litigation. Chevron was obliged to cover the costs incurred by the Ecuadorians of challenging the security order.
On 17 and 18 April 2018, the Ontario Court of Appeal heard Ecuadorian villagers' appeal asking to enforce $9.5 billion judgement against Chevron using the assets of its subsidiary in Canada. On 23 May 2018, the court upheld the January 2017 decision of the Ontario Superior Court, ruling that Chevron Canada cannot be held liable instead of the parent company. The plaintiffs appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. On 4 April 2019, the Canadian Supreme Court rejected the request to review the lower court decision.
In October 2017, attempts to enforce the case in Argentina were rejected for a lack of jurisdiction and connection to Argentina. In November, Brazil's Superior Court of Justice refused to enforce the decision on the same grounds. On 5 July 2018, the Argentine Appeals Court Rejects Ecuadorian Judgment against Chevron.
In October 2014, Ecuadorian communities made a complaint to International Criminal Court against Chevron CEO John Watson. The complaint alleged that decisions by Chevron and its high ranking officers to pollute the rainforest, and subsequently to evade remediation, constituted a crime against humanity. According to the letter received by the Chevron's lawyer in March 2015 from the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, the allegations described in the communication to the ICC by the Lago Agrio plaintiffs were outside the Court's jurisdiction. The alleged crimes, according to the ICC Prosecutor, did not appear to amount to the international crimes under the Court's jurisdiction, based on the available information. In addition, although the ICC recently declared its intent to address environmental abuses, the Court may only hear cases occurred after 1 July 2002, whereas the alleged abuse happened in the 1990s.
- "The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague Rules Against Ecuador, Favors Chevron", TeleSur, 7 Sep 2018
- "Top Ecuador court upholds $9 billion ruling against Chevron", ABC News USA, 11 Jul 2018
- "Chevron Ecuador Update: Argentine Court Rejects Fraudulent Ecuadorian Judgment Against Chevron", Zennie Abraham, Oakland News Now, 5 July 2018
- "Supreme Court May Weigh Big Weapon for U.S. Companies Sued Abroad", Paul Barrett, Bloomberg Business Week, 16 May 2017
- "ICC Won't Prosecute Chevron", Lachlan Markay, Washington Free Beacon, 2 Apr 2015
- "Ecuador court deals Chevron fresh blow in pollution case", Reuters, 16 Oct 2012
- "Chevron fails to squelch $19 billion Ecuador verdict", Paul Barrett Bloomberg Businessweek, 9 Oct 2012
- "Chevron Faces Midnight Deadline in $19 Billion Ecuador Judgment", Environment News Service, 6 Aug 2012
- "Ecuador plaintiffs target Chevron's assets in Brazil", Eduardo Garcia, Reuters, 28 Jun 2012
- "Ecuador plainitffs file lawsuit in Canada against Chevron", Eduardo Garcia, Reuters, 30 May 2012
- "Chevron Gets Some Claims Dismissed From Ecuador Lawsuit (Update 2)", Patricia Hurtado, Bob Van Voris, Bloomberg 15 May 2012
- "Ecuadorian panel again squashes Chevron motion to block judgment", Jessica M. Karmasek, Legal Newsline, 2 Apr 2012
- "Ecuadoreans Blast 'Secret' Hague Tribunal Convened for Chevron", Adam Klasfeld, Courthouse News Service, 10 Feb 2012
- "Circuit Faults Use of State Law to Block Chevron Judgment", Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal, 27 Jan 2012
- "Ecuador Update: One Door Shuts, Another Opens, and Chevron Lists Its Law Firms—All 39 of Them", Michael D. Goldhaber, Am Law Daily, 24 Jan 2012
- "Chevron Appeals Ruling In Ecuadorian Court", Dow Jones Newswires, 20 Jan 2012
- "So much for Plan B: Kaplan denies Chevron attachment motion", Alison Frankel, Reuters, 6 Jan 2012
- "Reversal of Fortune", Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 9 Jan 2012 [subscription only]
- "Chevron to fight Ecuador ruling", Naomi Mapstone, Financial Times, 6 Jan 2012
- "Chevron Bid to Dismiss $18 Billion Judgment Rejected in Ecuador Court", Karen Gullo & Mark Chediak, Bloomberg, 4 Jan 2012
- [Español] "Corte de Ecuador ratifica fallo contra petrolera Chevron", Reuters, 3 Jan 2012
- "U.S. court rules against Chevron in Ecuador case", David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Sep 2011
- [Español] "Corte de EEUU apoya a Ecuador en cuantioso juicio contra Chevron", AP, 19 Sep 2011
- "Ecuador: finally, the polluter is commanded to pay", Independent, 16 Feb 2011
- "Chevron Fined $8.6 Billion in Epic Environmental Case", Frank Bajak & Gonzalo Solano, Associated Press, 15 Feb 2011
- "Federal Judge Blocks Enforcement of Likely Judgment Against Chevron", Mark Hamblett, New York Law Journal, 9 Feb 2011
- "Law firm fires back at Chevron in Ecuador case", Dan Levine, Reuters, 8 Feb 2011
- "Year 18 of Ecuador vs. Chevron Pollution Dispute", Michael D. Goldhaber, American Lawyer, 23 Sep 2010
- "Chevron keeps up pressure in Ecuador suit", David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Sep 2010
- "Chevron wins an Ecuador claim, awaits major ruling", Braden Reddall, Reuters, 30 Mar 2010
-"Texaco Toxic Past Haunts Chevron as Judgment Looms", Michael Smith & Karen Gullo, Bloomberg, 30 Dec 2008
- "Chevron Estimate for Amazon Damages Rises by $11 Billion", Karen Gullo, Bloomberg, 27 Nov 2008
- "A $16 Billion Problem", Michael Isikoff, Newsweek, 26 Jul 2008
- [Español] "Nueve ecuatorianos demandan a Texaco", Olga Imbaquingo, Diario el Comercio [Ecuador], 26 abril 2006
- "Amazon Indians Say Texaco Left Damage", Gonzalo Solano, Associated Press, 20 Oct 2005
- "Chevron Trial Opens", Alan Zibel, Oakland Tribune, 21 Oct 2003
Chevron:
- "Brazil's High Court Rejects Attempt to Enforce Fraudulent Ecuadorian Judgment Against Chevron", 30 Nov 2017
- "Argentine Court Rejects Attempt to Enforce Fraudulent Ecuadorian Judgment Against Chevron", 1 Nov 2017
- "Canadian Court Rejects Attempt to Enforce Fraudulent Ecuadorian Judgment Against Chevron Subsidiary", 20 Jan 2017
- "Chevron response to U.S. Court of Appeals decision", 22 Aug 2016
- "U.S. Appeals Court Affirms RICO Judgment Against Lawyer Behind Fraudulent Ecuador Lawsuit", 8 Aug 2016
- "Chevron Statement on United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals Order", 19 Sep 2011
- The Amazon Post
- "Ecuador Lawsuit - Facts about Chevron and Texaco in Ecuador"
- "Ecuador Lawsuit - Press Releases"
- "History of Texaco and Chevron in Ecuador" [includes links to US court decisions, certain filings by Texaco and status of Ecuadorian proceedings]
- [Español] "Texaco en Ecuador" [incluye enlaces a decisiones judiciales en los EEUU, varios documentos de Texaco y el estado actual de los procedimientos en Ecuador – material sólo en inglés]
Amazon Defense Coalition [NGO supporting plaintiffs]:
- "Step Towards Justice in Chevron Ecuador Contamination Case"
- "Chevron's $27 Billion Catastrophe"
- "Press Releases"
- "Key Documents & Court Filings from Aguinda Legal Team"
- "Communication to Office of the Prosecutor, ICC", Pablo Fajardo Mendoza & Eduardo Bernabé Toledo
- Earthrights International [filed brief in support of plaintiffs in the US proceedings]: "Amicus Brief in Jota v. Texaco and Aguida v. Texaco"
- Yaiguaje v. Chevron Corporation, Court of Appeal for Ontario, 23 May 2018
- Chevron Corporation and Texaco Petroleum Corporation v. The Republic of Ecuador, Second Partial Award on Track II, The Permanent Court of Arbitration, 30 Aug 2018
- Letter from the Office of the Prosecutor to R. Doak Bishop, Chevron's lawyer, International Criminal Court, 16 March 2015
- [Español] Fallo de la Corte Provincial de Justicia de Sucumbíos en el caso Maria Aguida y Otros, Corte Provincial de Justicia de Sucumbíos, 15 octubre 2012
- [Español] Fallo de la Corte Provincial de Justicia de Sucumbíos en el caso Maria Aguida y Otros contra Chevron Corporation, Corte Provincial de Justicia de Sucumbíos, 28 marzo 2012
- Chevron Corporation v Camacho Naranjo, et al- Order, US Court of Appeal for the Second Circuit, 19 Jan 2012
- [Español] Juez ponente: Dr. Milton Toral Zevallos - Corte provincial de justicia de Sucumbíos, Sala única de la corte provincial de justicia de Sucumbíos, 3 de enero 2012
- Provincial Court of Justice of Sucumbios, 3 Jan 2012 [English translation of appeals court decision]
- Chevron Corporation v Steven Donziger et al - Memorandum Opinion, US District Court Southern District of New York, 6 Jan 2012
- Chevron's appeal to Chief Judge of Sucumbios Provincial Court, 21 Mar 2011
- Chevron Corporation v. Camacho Naranjo, et al. - Summary Order, US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 19 Sep 2011
- [Español] Juez ponente: AB. Nicolas Zambrano Lozada - Corte Provincial de Justicia Sucumbíos, Corte Provincial de Justicia Sucumbíos [Ecuador], 14 de febrero de 2011 [Fallo completo en el caso por daños ambientales contra Chevron]
- Provincial Court of Sucumbios - Judgment of Case No. 2003-0002, 14 Feb 2011 [English translation of decision issued by the Provincial Court of Sucumbios, Ecuador]
All components of this story
Show me All Disclosure Item Survey non-response Survey response Article Report Company response Company non-response NGO rejoinder Lawsuit
+ Français - Hide
Un pipe-line sème maladies et pollutions en Amazonie
Author: Le Courrier [Genève]
En Équateur, l'oléoduc «El sote» est une catastrophe de 500 kilomètres de long. Gigantesque serpent de métal, le Système d'oléoduc transéquatorien (SOTE) a été construit dans les années septante sous l'impulsion de la Texaco. Depuis 1993, la compagnie américaine est poursuivie en justice par les communautés amérindiennes de l'Équateur, mais aussi du Pérou, pour pollution grave de la forêt amazonienne. Le verdict sera rendu cet automne.
🚫Read the full post here
Related stories: Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador)
Related companies: Chevron Texaco (part of Chevron)
Health: General (including workplace health & safety)
Lawsuits & regulatory action: General
Amazon Indians lose appeal of Texaco case ruling
Author: Gail Appleson, Reuters
Rainforest Indians of Ecuador and Peru have lost an appeal aimed at reinstating nine-year-old litigation against Texaco, alleging that toxic dumping devastated their environment and exposed residents to cancer-causing pollutants. The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday affirmed a trial court's ruling dismissing two class-action lawsuits on grounds that the United States was not the proper place for the litigation, and that Ecuador would be a more convenient location.
Related companies: Texaco (part of Chevron)
Legal accountability: General
[PDF] Judging Corporate Accountability in theGlobal Economy
Author: Elliot J. Schrage, Adjunct Senior Fellow in Business and Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School, in Columbia Journal of Transnational Law
Simply slamming the door on those seeking relief in U.S. courts is bad foreign policy, bad economic policy, and bad legal practice...An effective policy would harness the power of private litigation in U.S. courts as a vehicle for encouraging other countries and the corporations that operate in them to promote respect for the rule of law and improve the administration of justice. [refers to Barclays, Citigroup, Coca-Cola, DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Fresh Del Monte Produce, Gap, General Motors, IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Levi Strauss, Pfizer, Statoil, Talisman, Texaco (part of ChevronTexaco), Unocal]
Related stories: Coca-Cola lawsuit (re Colombia) ExxonMobil lawsuit (re Aceh) Rio Tinto lawsuit (re Papua New Guinea) Talisman lawsuit (re Sudan) Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador) Show moreShow less
Related in-depth areas: Latest news on Pacific Business & Human Rights
Related companies: Barclays Chevron Citigroup Coca-Cola DaimlerChrysler (now Daimler) Equinor (formerly Statoil) Ford Fresh Del Monte Produce Gap General Motors IBM JPMorgan Chase Levi Strauss Pfizer Talisman Texaco (part of Chevron) Unocal (part of Chevron)
Voluntary Principles on Security & Human Rights
Israel & Occupied Palestinian Territories
Arms/Weapons
Military/defence
Automobile & other motor vehicles
Company reporting: General
Arbitrary detention
Rape & sexual abuse
Torture & ill-treatment
Forced labour & modern slavery
Business during apartheid
Companies & World War II
Fair Labor Association
Oil and Human Rights - Environmental and Human Rights Impacts of the ONG Industry [oil & natural gas industry]
Author: Ayesha Dias, Bureau for Development Policy (Democratic Governance) UNDP
...every stage of [the oil & natural gas sector] activity, from exploration exploitation, refining, manufacturing, storage, transportation and fuel use is fraught with environmental and social consequences – local, regional and global...The application of the Declaration to various non-state actors is staunchly supported by human rights scholars such as Professor Louis Henkin who, speaking of the universal nature of the Declaration's preamble contends that "every individual includes judicial persons. Every individual and every organ of society excludes no one, no country, no market, no cyberspace. The Universal Declaration applies to them all". [refers to Exxon (part of ExxonMobil), Shell, Chevron, Unocal, Texaco (part of Chevron), BP Amoco, Talisman, TotalFinaElf (Total), Norsk Hydro]
Related stories: Chevron lawsuit (re Nigeria) ExxonMobil lawsuit (re Aceh) Shell lawsuit (re Nigeria - Kiobel & Wiwa) Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador) Unocal lawsuit (re Myanmar) Show moreShow less
Related companies: BP Chevron Citigroup ExxonMobil Norsk Hydro (now part of Statoil) PetroChina Shell Statoil Talisman Texaco (part of Chevron) Total Unocal (part of Chevron)
Core intl. standards
Intl. standards: General
Guidelines prepared by business
Africa: General
Americas: General
Poverty/Development/Economic & social rights: General
Labour: General
Security issues & conflict zones: General
Disclosure/use of payments to govts.
Intl. Criminal Court
UN: General
UN Secretary-General
Indigenous Struggle in Ecuador Becomes a "Cause Beyond Control" - Transnational Oil Companies Free to Leave Amazon
Author: Kenny Bruno, EarthRights International, CorpWatch website
...On March 4, 2003, the Ecuadorian newspaper Hoy reported that the Ministry of Environment has agreed to allow two transnational companies to cancel their oil concession contracts under the provision of force majeure. The force majeure they are referring to is the determined opposition of Kichwa, Shuar and Achuar people who live in the concession areas to ongoing activities by the companies, Burlington Resources of Texas and Compania General de Combustibles (CGC) of Argentina. The CGC concession is owned partly by ChevronTexaco, according to Platt's Oilgram News.
Related stories: Chevron lawsuit (re Nigeria) Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador)
Related companies: Burlington Resources (part of ConocoPhillips) Chevron Compañía General de Combustibles (part of Southern Cross) Texaco (part of Chevron)
company website: "Texaco in Ecuador"
[Texaco is now part of Chevron; also refers to Petroecuador]
Related stories: Amazon Watch letter to Chevron alleges it has misled shareholders over potential liability of court case in Ecuador regarding Texaco's environmental impacts Amnesty Intl., Rainforest Action Network & others press Chevron on environment & human rights at shareholder meeting - CEO says Chevron not liable for contamination in Ecuador Caution Issued to Chevron Shareholders: New Ad Campaign Warns Chevron That It Must Pay Billions For Texaco's Dumping In Amazon Rainforest Chevron Using Unethical Tactics to Avoid Judgment In $10 Billion Rainforest Trial, Coalition to Defend the Amazon Says [Ecuador] Ecuador: Amnesty Intl. raises concerns over impact of oil extraction on indigenous people & environmentalists Public Eye on Davos awards for "corporate irresponsibility": Chevron over pollution in Ecuador, Disney over workers' rights issues in China, Citigroup over tax evasion & money laundering by dictators Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador) Show moreShow less
Related companies: Chevron Petroecuador Texaco (part of Chevron)
Company website: Spotlight: Chevron Texaco Merger (Chevron)
Related stories: Caution Issued to Chevron Shareholders: New Ad Campaign Warns Chevron That It Must Pay Billions For Texaco's Dumping In Amazon Rainforest Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador)
Related companies: Chevron
Racial/ethnic/caste/origin discrimination
Socially-responsible investing & shareholder activism
Case in Ecuador Viewed As Key Pollution Fight - U.S. Legal Team Suing ChevronTexaco
Author: Brooke A. Masters, Washington Post
Legal experts say it could be a groundbreaking case, establishing a new way for environmental activists to force multinational corporations to pay for what activists say is environmental devastation.
Related stories: Suit Says ChevronTexaco Dumped Poisons in Ecuador Texaco/Chevron lawsuits (re Ecuador)
U.S. lawyers take US$1 billion lawsuit against ChevronTexaco to Ecuador
Author: Gonzalo Solano, Associated Press
A decade after unsuccessfully filing in U.S. courts, American lawyers representing poor Ecuadoreans who say their rainforest homeland was destroyed by a U.S oil company took their claim to Ecuador Tuesday.
Ecuadorean Indians sue Texaco
Author: BBC News
They are also alleging the company's activities have led to an increased risk of cancer among the local population. ChevronTexaco rejects the allegations and says the company met all its obligations under Ecuadorean law.
Lawsuits: Selected cases
Alien Tort Claims Act (USA)
Intl. investment agreements & policy
In-depth areas
🔗 Complete list of cases profiled
🏢 Chevron
🏢 Texaco (part of Chevron)


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Chris Hause Biography
Chris is Chief Actuary and a principal in Ethical Edge Insurance Solutions, LLC. and has also formed the firm Hause Actuarial Solutions, Inc. after serving as Managing Partner for William M. Buchanan & Associates. Chris has been a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries since 1986, and has been a Member of the Academy since 1980.
He earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics at the University of Wyoming in 1975.
Chris brings a unique blend of actuarial and management skills, having worked for insurance companies most of his career. His top-to-bottom knowledge of all functions of the insurance business brings quality and usability to all the projects undertaken by his firm.
Prior to forming Hause Actuarial Solutions, Inc., Chris was Senior Vice President and Actuary for Individual Assurance Company in Kansas City, Missouri for over 12 years He served on the Board of Directors and the Investment Committee. He was the Chairman of the Long Range Planning Committee. IAC offers credit life and disability, group mortgage life and disability and term life through its client banks in the Midwest. It has a strong and profitable group life and interest sensitive payroll deduction operation in the Pacific Islands.
Chris' past work experience includes exposure to a broad range of products and distribution systems. Prior to IAC, Chris worked at Pyramid Life in Mission, Kansas; Allianz Life (NALAC), and ITT Life in Minneapolis.
Chris is a member of several special interest sections of the Society of Actuaries and has served on the Council of the Marketing and Distribution Section and the Smaller Insurance Companies Section. He is a frequent speaker at SOA events and is a past President of the Kansas City Actuaries Club.
Christopher Hause FSA,MAAA, CLU Hause Actuarial Solutions, Inc.
7201 W. 129th St. Suite 310
Overland Park KS 66213-2628
work 913-685-2200
FSA,MAAA, CLU Hause Actuarial Solutions, Inc.


text:
WALES/ENGLAND – Widower loses court fight to annul divorce from late wife
ENGLAND – 'Remove children from criminal families', says Sheffield judge
EU – International child abduction cases up 81%
Filed under Child Abduction, International
Foreign Office was involved in 512 new cases in 2011/2012
Child abduction is a "growing problem" with the number of reported cases up by 81 per cent over the last nine years, ministers warned today.
Foreign Office officials were involved in 512 new abduction and international custody cases in 2011/12 and were taking around four calls a day when existing cases were taken into account.
But the true number could be much higher because many case go unreported as parents seek custody of their children through foreign courts or through private family mediation, according to the government.
Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds released the figures to mark International Missing Children's Day.
He said "Today is an opportunity to raise public awareness of children who have gone missing or been abducted within the UK and overseas. Children go missing in a wide range of circumstances and in all cases we are eager to find them and return them to their homes and families
."This includes when children are abducted overseas by one of their own parents. These missing children are often overlooked but we must remember that parental child abduction also has a devastating impact on children, destroying their relationship with both parents and isolating them from their home.
"This is a growing problem. Over the last 9 years we have seen an 81 per cent increase in the number of new cases. In 2003/4 the FCO worked on cases in 51 countries; that figure has now risen to 84. This shows just how widespread the problem has become, affecting people from all parts of the world.
"We will continue to do all we can to provide advice and support to families dealing with international parental child abduction. But these cases are extremely difficult to resolve and the reality is that whilst help is available, parental child abduction cases can take years to resolve.
"As we mark International Missing Children's Day, we should think not just of those who are missing or abducted, but of how we can work to make sure abductions stop once and for all. No differences between parents should be worth the emotional distress of a child wrenched from his or her home."PA
Permanent link to this article: http://operationfatherhood.org/other/international/eu-international-child-abduction-cases-up-81/


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Big Bull Falls Blues Festival: Past Performers Index
The Big Bull Falls Blues Festival has been held annually in Fern Island Park in Wausau, WI each July since 1992.
| A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M |
| N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z |
| 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - Festival Brochures |
| 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 |
| 2010 - 2011 |
| FolkLib Index Home Page / Wisconsin Music Site Map |
| Wisconsin Festival Past Performers Indexes |
Past Performers 1992-date
Wanted: 1992-2004 official Festival Programs. Does anyone have an extra program they don't want for any of these years? I will pay postage (in U.S. funds only). Otherwise, is there anyone in the Oshkosh, WI area who would like to loan me their copies so I can complete this page with ALL Festival Brochure scans, ALL known dates and actual performance times by EVERY performer since 1992? - henkle@pobox.com
Abb Locke (1993)
Altenburgh, John (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003) - "Wis."
Bell, Carey (1996)
Big Mouth and The Power Tool Horns (1997) - "Wis."
Big Shoulders (1992)
Black, Paul and the Flip Kings (1992) - "Wis."
Branch, Billy & The Sons of the Blues (1995)
Brooks, Lonnie (1992)
Brown, Clarence "Gatemouth" (1994)
Clarke, William (1995)
Cold Shot (1996)
Cooke, Jim "Curley" (1995) - "Wis."
Deja Blue (1996)
deLay, Paul (1997)
Dowling, Mike (1996) - "Wis."
Flamboyant Blues Flamingos (1997)
Flynn Blues Band, Billy (1993) - "Wis."
Ford, Mel & The Fairlanes (1997) - "Wis."
Hole, Dave (1997)
Jay Edward & The Casper Blues Band (1997)
Johnson, Jimmy (1996)
Johnson, Luther "Guitar Jr." (1992)
Jr. Wells (1992)
Kinsey, Big Daddy & The Kinsey Report (1996)
Koch, Greg and the Tone Controls (1994) - "Wis."
Koenig, Brian & the Stand Back Blues Band (1993, 1994) - "Wis."
Lamont Cranston (1993, 1995)
Liban, Jim (1995) - "Wis."
Luedtke, Howard "Guitar" & Blue Max (1997) - "Wis."
Mayall, John & The Blues Breakers (1997)
Magic Slim & The Teardrops (1997) - "Wis."
McLennon, Otis (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003) - "Wis."
Montoya, Coco (1996, 2000)
Musselwhite, Charlie (1994)
Otis & The Aligators (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998) - "Wis."
Parker, Bobby (1994)
Planet, Janet (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003) - "Wis."
Popa Chubby (1995)
Rapone, Al & Zydeco Express (1994)
Raven, Reverend & The Chain Smokin' Altar Boys (1998) - "Wis."
Rogers, Jimmy (1993)
Rush, Otis (1995)
Sabien, Randy (1996) - "Wis."
Schwall Blues Band, Jim (1993) - "Wis."
Siegel-Schwall Blues Band (1993) - "Wis."
Smith, Big Walter (1992)
Smokey Logg & The Flame Throwers (1994)
Solid Senders (1993, 1998)
Studebaker John & the Hawks (1993)
Stulo, Jay & The Mighty Aces (1998) - "Wis."
Sumlin, Hubert (1996) - "Wis."
Swinging Kools, The (1998)
Taylor, Koko (1992)
Uptown Rhythm Kings (1994)
Uptown Savages, The (2000)
Westside Andy (1996) - "Wis."
Westside Andy & Friends (1995) - "Wis."
Westside Andy & Mel Ford Band (1998) - "Wis."
White, Lavelle (1998)
Young, Zora (1996)
URL: http://www.www.folklib.net/wi/bbfbf/
| ABC... Wisconsin artist selection | Wisconsin Music Site Map |
| top of page | FolkLib Index Home Page | Wisconsin Music Site Map |


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Penguins at the equator
Oct 25, 2003 dunxdLeave a comment
You may not have heard of it yet, but there is a growing buzz in the ICT community about Linux that has reached deafening volumes. Linux is said to be the savior of a world threatened by computer viruses and malicious crackers, and the only credible threat to Microsoft's monopoly on operating systems. While this is debatable, Linux has revolutionized the development, marketing and distribution of software. Probably the most visible benefit is price – Linux is free.
The buzz has reached Arusha, with at least two large ICT businesses poised to make Linux available in the near future. I spoke with David Erickson, Operations Manager of AFAM, about Linux and Arusha Node Marie's plan to help interested parties get hold of Linux at the price of a CD.
Originally released in 1991 by Linus Torvalds, a Finnish student, Linux was designed to be a free version of UNIX, the operating system of choice for powerful super computers. Linux grew in popularity amongst students, scientists and engineers, because it brought the power of UNIX to desktop machines.
The fact that Linux is 'Open Source' – the code that Linux is written in is not secret like Windows' – means its' hundreds of thousands of users are free to write improvements to Linux, adding new features and, more relevantly, fixing bugs and security holes rather than waiting for corporations to release fixes according to their own schedule says Erickson. This is a powerful force!
Another important benefit Linux has is that it is legal to install it from copied CDs. The philosophy behind Linux encourages you to copy and distribute it further. Most of us are forced to break the law because we cannot afford to pay the price Microsoft is charging us says Erickson. Linux provides a cheaper, safer choice.
Of particular relevance to Arushans, Linux has proved itself to run well on older computers with less memory and slower processors than Windows requires – reducing the hardware costs as well.
Because of its Open Source philosophy Linux has grown from an obscure operating system suitable only for hardcore computer geeks into a fully featured graphic user interface (GUI) operating system easily used by the average computer user without special training – Linux now looks and works very much like its more expensive rival.
While Linux itself was being developed, thousands of programmers developed applications to be used on it, many of them also Open Source and available for free. OpenOffice is a suite of typical office tools similar to Microsoft Office – it includes programmes similar to Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. I wrote this article using it – I barely noticed the difference from working in Word. OpenOffice even allows you to open Word documents and save them so you can continue working with people using Microsoft's products.
Software written for Linux spans the full range, from powerful database management systems like MySQL to graphics tools like The GIMP and games. Many of these are also available for free.
Where Linux really comes into its own is as a server operating system. Linux is used around the world as the backbone for office systems. It is well suited to file sharing, serving web pages and databases, securing office networks and managing email. Arusha Node Marie, like many ISPs, runs its servers exclusively on Linux because of its reliability and low cost.
So what are the drawbacks? Installing a new operating system can be tricky. I have had problems installing Linux on my laptop and ultimately had to give up. However, each new version of Linux is easier to install – installing the latest Red Hat Linux is said to be easier than Windows 2000. Desktop users should have no trouble at all.
Another drawback is that people used to working with Windows may be a little confused when faced with a slightly different interface – an internet cafe running Linux can offer everything a Windows based one can, but may have to assist perplexed customers more than usual.
Support is also an issue – Linux typically comes on a CD without printed manuals. Documentation that comes on the CD is often aimed at advanced computer users, but leaves the average person scratching their head. This is improving – a number of web sites provide clear well-written documentation on all aspects of using Linux – The Linux Documentation Project is a notable effort in this direction.
So where can you find Linux? Arusha Node Marie is planning on making copies of Red Hat 9 available at cost. A&A Computers are considering installing new computers with Linux rather than Windows. It is also available for download from a number of sites, although at 650Mb per CD, this is a long download. In time, Linux and other open source software should become as easily available as pirated copies of Windows are today.
Those who wish to test Linux without committing to installing it might try Knoppix, a version which runs entirely off CD without touching your hard drive. I have a copy of Knoppix and will copy it for anyone who sends a blank CD – to find out more about this, and getting hold of a full version of Linux, contact me on duncandrury@yahoo.co.uk.
www.redhat.com – distribute Linux under the name Red Hat
www.slackware.com – another distribution of Linux, called Slackware
www.habari.co.tz – Arusha Node Marie
www.tldp.org – The Linux Documentation Project
www.knoppix.de – no risk Linux on a CD
linux.google.com – dedicated Linux search engine
Originally published in Arusha Times 293
Five Mini Tips to make your life easier
Invasion of the beetles


When it comes to dental hygiene, it's always good to start them young. A child's first trip to the dentist, in fact, is crucial because it can determine whether or not they form a positive outlook towards receiving dental care. Furthermore, early visits to the dentist are encouraged because it's easier to catch oral problems and treat them right away.
The rule of thumb is to have your child visit the dentist before their first birthday, as their first tooth comes in anytime between 6 and 12 months of age. Having a dentist check on the progress of their tooth growth could nip oral problems caused by thumb-sucking or bad milk bottle drinking habits in the bud.
From a kid's point of view, dental visits can be scary — they have to lie back on a chair in an unfamiliar place while a stranger pokes unusual instruments in their mouth. You can help calm your child's dental anxiety by making them count their teeth in front of the mirror and explaining that the dentist is a friend who cares about keeping their teeth and mouth healthy.
The first trip to the dentist rarely involves any serious treatment. Mostly it's about friendly introductions to the dentist and getting used to the unfamiliar surroundings of a dental office. The dentist will usually gently examine your kid's teeth and gums to make sure they look healthy and offer advice about how to prevent cavities and tooth decay. It's a good opportunity to go through your child's history and ask the dentist any questions you might have.
Taking the time to ensure your child's dental relationship gets off on the right foot is crucial to their oral health. Having your child visit the dentist while still a toddler is a good way to catch dental problems before they become serious problems and keep track of their oral health, after all. If you live in Holladay, you wouldn't have to search far for a kid-friendly dentist to make sure that your first visit ends up a success as well.


Ceiling Tile, Fifth Avenue, 2 x 4-Ft.
Ceiling Tile, Plateau, 2 x 4-Ft.
Radar Ceiling Tile, Shadowline Taper Edge, 2 x 2-Ft.
Radar Ceiling Tile, Square Edge, 2 x 4-Ft.
Egg Crate, White, Open Grid, .5-In. x 2 x 4-Ft.
Cracked Ice Ceiling Lighting Panel, Acrylic, Clear, 2 x 4-Ft.
Prismatic Ceiling Lighting Panel, Clear, Acrylic, 2 x 4-Ft.
Suspended Ceiling Lighting Panel, Drop In, Acrylic, Cracked Ice, White, 2-Ft. x 4-Ft.
Suspended Lighting Panel, Prismatic, 0.95-Gauge, 2 x 4-Ft.
Ceiling Lighting Panel, Prismatic, Lattice Pattern, 0.95-Gauge, 2 x 4-Ft.


Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on 30 June 1997, but its special status will continue for another 50 years.
Hong Kong is made up of the small Hong Kong Island, the commercial centre, and the Kowloon Peninsula, the main district for shopping and entertainment. Between the two lies the well-protected Victoria Harbour. Also part of Hong Kong are the New Territories, a large area on the mainland, as well as some 235 islands, many uninhabited, in the South China Sea.
Although offering limited cruising opportunities, Hong Kong is rarely bypassed by yachts cruising in the Far East, who are attracted by the excellent service and repair facilities available. There are several yacht clubs and a thriving sailing community, visiting yachts being always warmly received in this dynamic metropolis.
Under the guidances of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, it is now expedient to check in to Hong Kong and then visit mainland China and Macau.
The climate is subtropical. June to September is hot, humid and rainy. October to January is cooler and less humid. The typhoon season is from May to December with the highest frequency between June and September.
Typhoon procedures Typhoons are most likely in September, but can occur all year round. When a typhoon is expected, information and warnings are broadcast in 15 minute intervals day and night. Visiting yachts may seek refuge in an approved typhoon shelter, of which there are 14 in Hong Kong for small craft, some for less than 50 m LOA, others for less than 30 m LOA. Alternatively one can secure to a government B class mooring, for which advance booking is necessary. Yachts too large for the shelters can either find a mooring or a sheltered anchorage, notifying the port authority of their position.


The International Labour Organisation (ILO) said on Monday that there are 1.4 million foreign labourers in the Kingdom of Jordan. The figure was revealed in a report issued by the organisation, which noted that it is equal to the number of local labourers.
It is estimated by the ILO that around 1.4 million Jordanians are currently employed, with another 210,000 unemployed.
The total population of Jordan stands at 9.33 million people, according to the 2015 census. This includes 6.613 million Jordanians and about 3 million foreigners. There are now 1.3 million Syrian refugees in the country.


text:
Q: Java save thread result in a variable from main class I have a thread created by implementing the Runnable interface. My task is this: the thread should count (starting from 0) and save the value it has reached to a variable which is part of the main class. I overrode the run method and did the counting but how I can save this value to the main's variable? Only with a getter is the solution?
My thread class:
public class myThread implements Runnable {
    private static int count = 0;
    private final int length;

    public myThread (int length) {
        this.length = length;
    }

    @Override
    public void run() {
        while (count < this.length) {
            increaseValue();
        }
    }

    private void increaseValue() {
        synchronized (ThreadFirstExercise.class) {
            if (count < this.length) {
               this.count++;
            }
        }
    }
}

main:
public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
      int result; // this is the variable where I want to save the counting result of my thread
      (new Thread(new ThreadFirstExercise(10000))).start();
}
}

A: You can either use a Callable that returns a Future.
Or you could use a wrapper Object in the main method that contains the integer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Feasibility Experiment - Review
Review by Sudders
Parser/Vocabulary
After Circus I was quite looking forward to the next episode. However, this instalment goes back to basics with a collect the treasures and place in a storeroom theme. You are supposed to be some sort of hero warrior and saving a species, but that never really is apparent. It's actually a kind of atmosphere light wander through puzzles.
It's pleasing enough to play and solve but nothing to write home about. There is a time limit, but it's so long I never needed to go back and start again.
It also had a very disappointing ending.
Parser/Vocabulary (Rating: 6/10)
Two word input, standard.
Atmosphere (Rating: 5/10)
Quite poor, there are 'vague shapes' and 'power surges' but nothing is ever explained or built upon.
Cruelty (Rating: Polite)
Quite a few quick deaths and one place which requires a bit of luck but nothing that really traps or derails you.
Puzzles (Rating: 5/10)
Mainly one step puzzles with a lot of wandering required.
Overall (Rating: 6/10)
A mildly disappointing effort which you would've thought was one of the earlier entries in the series. I did like the pit head though!