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Bothell is a metropolitan city located in the King and Snohomish counties in Washington. It is famous for the city of Bothell Freedom Festival which features an annual Fourth of July parade as well as an enactment of the Battle of Concord on the Bothell landing bridge. You can also enjoy the Arts & Crafts fair, Park concert series that is held every Friday in July and August and the City of Bothell Riverfest.


Believe that qualifies as an understatement.
What are you all so worried about? The Republicans in Congress want to keep Obamacare just as much as you do.
For all their blustering they are no closer to repealing it than they were 4 years ago.
Why do you all panic so much?
If you have to ask that question then you are dumber than a bag of dildos!


Come join the Blair County Antique Auto Club kick off the car show season with our indoor swap meet at the new location of the NATIONAL GUARD READINESS CENTER, DUNCANSVILLE, PA on Sunday, MARCH 24, 2019. The Readiness Center will be chock full of parts for sale that will fit your favorite vintage ride as well as actual cars for sale outside, so be sure to attend and buy/sell/trade at this early bird event.
Begins: March 24, 2019, 8 a.m.
Ends: March 24, 2019, 2 p.m.
Added by: sideburns Date added: Jan. 21, 2019, 8:25 p.m.


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Karen Strassman
Karen Strassman is an actress, voice-over artist and dialect coach, known the world over for hundreds of characters she has created in many forms. Karen has created hundreds of voice-over characters of all shapes, sizes, genders, ages, and species, from classic Disney princesses, to iconic villainesses, to talking jellyfish and shy tadpoles. Her extensive range of characters spans the voiceover world of cartoons, animation and video games; from the disturbed doctor Annette Birkin in the new RESIDENT EVIL 2, overburdened French military mechanic Maria Laurent in WOLFENSTEIN II, teenage rockstar Catty Noire on MONSTER HIGH, the beloved little girl Olivia on LEGO FRIENDS, sexy Rouge the Bat in SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, Chromie, the charismatic gnome that turns into a dragon from WORLD OF WARCRAFT and HEROES OF THE STORM, to the iconic Mileena & Kitana in MORTAL KOMBAT, Aigis and Nanako from the PERSONA games, Anna from THE FIRE EMBLEM/BRAVELY games... And then there are projects like the Nicktoons series, MONSUNO, voiced by an ensemble cast of five actors, where Karen not only played the teenage female lead, Jinja, but she also voiced every other female character in all three seasons of the show (last count there were 26 characters).
Whether on-camera or behind a mic, Karen is extremely versatile. Recently seen paired up with David Arquette in the new deliciously horror-able CREEPSHOW, recurring on BOSCH as D.D.A. Laura Tribe, as the devious German scientist on PREACHER, the unscrupulous & calculating lawyer on SILICON VALLEY, she is known for creating unique and powerful characters. She has played roles as varied as the brilliant and empathic scientist Devra Bogdanovich in INGRESS, a dying immigrant from Northern Ireland, doctors and lawyers, the quirky bookish OCD accountant on WEEDS, to a killer's trailer trash mother on CRIMINAL MINDS. Karen will soon be seen as a lead in the long awaited release of Director Tom Six's highly anticipated daring movie, THE ONANIA CLUB.
An extensive list of Karen's voice over credits can be found on IMDB or her voice over website, but some of her favorite projects include: Winx Club, Monster, Monsuno, Rugrats All Growed Up, Bleach, StarCraft 2, World of WarCraft, EndWar, Final Fantasy, Fallout, Everquest, Red Faction Armageddon, Persona, Bioshock 2, Fire Emblem/Bravely, Castlevania, Rumble Roses, League of Legends, Mortal Kombat, Wolfenstein, Saboteur, Silent Hill, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Tony Hawk, Valkyria, Street Fighter X Tekken, Van Helsing, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dead or Alive, Resident Evil 1 & 2.
Groupsbleach Fire Emblem Gurren Lagann League of Legends Puella Magi Madoka Magica Street Fighter World of Warcraft TagsVoice Actor
March 6, 2019 by A. Jinnie McManus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


BAM! Spielberg And Ten Hours Of Killer Aliens!
Steven Spielberg has made four movies about aliens in his lifetime: "Close Encounters," "ET," "War of the Worlds," and "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." We'll exclude "The Terminal" here, because that movie was about an ILLEGAL alien, and because it sucked.
Those four Spielberg alien movies represent a downward trajectory. "Close Encounters" and "ET" are classics. "War of the Worlds" had cool effects but perhaps the stupidest ending of any movie not titled "The Village." And "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" had a guy surviving a nuclear explosion by hiding inside a metal refrigerator. At this rate, you would think Spielberg's next alien flick would be "Alien Vs. Predator 2: Aliens Take Manhattan".
The project reunites Spielberg also with his "ER" star Noah Wyle. TNT launches it sometime next year.
"The series opens shortly after aliens have wiped out most of the human population," reads the press release issued Thursday. "The aliens are now rounding up the few people left, but they are met with strong resistance from a group of soldiers and civilians who fight for their survival all while struggling to maintain their humanity.
And the name of the leader of that resistance? JOHN CONNOR. No, just kidding. Wyle's character will be named Tom Mason.
This series may be the most ambitious project TNT has ever undertaken, and it represents a fairly big shift from the network's slate of character-driven dramas like "The Closer" and "Saving Grace". I hope it's good. I also hope the main guy's son doesn't miraculously reappear in an untouched Boston home at the end of it.


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Cabrera accused of seeking support for Fenenbock
Lindsey Anderson
City Council candidate Shane Haggerty says El Paso school district Superintendent Juan Cabrera offered him a campaign contribution, then asked Haggerty to meet with him and board President Dori Fenenbock about supporting her congressional campaign.
The conversation, which Cabrera said was "misinterpreted," prompted El Paso Independent School District board member Susie Byrd to ask her fellow trustees to set guidance and expectations for the superintendent's political activity. Fenenbock, who has led the EPISD board since 2015, said no policy change is needed.
Fenenbock last week filed paperwork to create a committee to explore a run for Texas's 16th Congressional District seat in the House of Representatives, which Rep. Beto O'Rourke will vacate in 2018.
EPISD approves paid leave for catastrophic events
EPISD cheating scheme victim graduates from EPCC
Haggerty said Cabrera called him on Sunday to offer him an unspecified campaign donation, then asked if he would support Fenenbock's congressional race and invited him to a lunch with her to discuss "their pitch" for her election.
Haggerty, a former Ysleta school board member, is in a June 10 runoff race to represent Northeast El Paso on City Council.
He said Cabrera's advocacy for Fenenbock raised red flags for him because Fenenbock and the six other trustees voted to give the superintendent a 15 percent pay raise in January.
The EPISD board in January unanimously voted to give Cabrera a $45,500 pay raise and increased his allotment of vacation days, which he is paid for if he doesn't use. The pay raise came two months after voter's passed the largest bond in El Paso County history — a $668.7 million measure to close, consolidate and rebuild EPISD schools.
"There's too much to read into it," Haggerty said.
Cabrera said Haggerty misinterpreted his question, which he said was meant to be curious and conversational, not to solicit an endorsement. He said he doesn't remember inviting Haggerty to a lunch with Fenenbock, just that he asked him "where would he fall" on her campaign.
"That was it," Cabrera said. "I don't work for her."
Cabrera later said he would "advocate for candidates who are pro-education."
Morgan, Haggerty head to runoff in District 4
Check out our Voter Guide for the June 10 election
University of Texas at El Paso education leadership Professor John Daresh called it "mystifying" and "unethical as hell," if true, for Cabrera to advocate on behalf of Fenenbock, who is his boss.
"I've never seen anything as sort of brazen as trying to recruit something for a person who pays for your salary, which was just elevated to a level higher than most people in El Paso" make, Daresh said.
Haggerty said he told Cabrera he wouldn't vote for Fenenbock but would be willing to hear her out. He said he hasn't yet received a campaign contribution from the superintendent.
Haggerty said Cabrera used the words "we" or "our" when referring to Fenenbock's campaign. Cabrera said he didn't remember doing that.
"That would've been impossible," he said. "Why the heck would I do that?"
Cabrera said he doesn't recall the details of their three-minute phone call because the conversation "wasn't that big a deal" and because he was preoccupied preparing for his hernia surgery that was scheduled for Monday. The surgery was postponed.
Fenenbock said she hasn't asked the superintendent to advocate or arrange meetings on her behalf. She said she didn't know about the phone call with Haggerty until she received an email from Byrd expressing concerns about it.
Byrd said she spoke with Haggerty about the conversation, and that it wasn't the first time she had heard from community members who had been "given an impression that Juan was campaigning for Dori."
She said she previously talked with Cabrera about her concerns regarding his perceived political activity, and she thought he understood those concerns.
"This led me to believe that maybe he didn't," she said of the superintendent's conversation with Haggerty. "I felt like maybe, at this point, it would be better for it to be a board conversation rather than just a conversation with me and Juan."
Byrd said she emailed Cabrera and the trustees with her concerns on Sunday, but she declined to elaborate on what she wrote. She said Fenenbock replied and Cabrera texted her to say he was "disappointed," but she didn't discuss the specifics of those messages.
"I would hope the board as a whole would provide some firm guidance," Byrd told the Times. "He's just got to figure out some way if he engages in the campaign to make it really clear that he's not doing so as the superintendent."
Fenenbock said any potential policy change limiting the superintendent's political activity should also limit the trustees.
"He is a citizen and, like all the rest of us, has a First Amendment right to engage in political activity as long as it's outside of school hours and he is not using school resources, and to my knowledge he isn't," she said. "So I don't see that we need to call for a policy change. I'm not exactly sure what she (Byrd) wants."
The Texas Association of School Boards says school employees are allowed to share their political views outside of work, as long as they aren't using district resources, like computers or supplies.
Haggerty said Cabrera called him from his cell phone. EPISD pays Cabrera $1,200 a month for his cell phone and other home office equipment.
Byrd said she is concerned about the optics of any perceived advocacy by Cabrera on Fenenbock's behalf.
"We've done a lot of great work," Byrd said of the district. "I want to make sure we all are focused on continuing that work and not letting things outside of that distract from those clear goals."
Fenenbock and Cabrera said Byrd's response is due to her support for Fenenbock's possible opponent, County Judge Veronica Escobar, who has yet to publicly announce her candidacy.
"I feel like she's trying to abuse her power to make Dori look bad," Cabrera said.
Fenenbock accused Byrd of trying to "strong arm a position."
"We need to be very concerned about that," she said.
School board member Diane Dye said she didn't mind Cabrera campaigning for political candidates as long as it's on his own time and money. Trustee Bob Geske declined to comment.
RUNOFF ELECTION:
Margo and Saucedo head to runoff for mayoral seat
Annello, Tolbert face off in District 2 runoff
Hernandez-Brown, Barceleau in District 3 runoff
Dye, Wiggs headed to runoff in EPISD trustee seats
"I'm going to act like Switzerland on this one," he said. "I'm going to be neutral on this one until I found out more about it."
Trustee Al Velarde also said he would reserve judgement until he heard from the district's legal staff, though he believes the superintendent has the right to engage in political activity outside of work hours. He also said all seven trustees, not just Fenenbock, are Cabrera's boss.
"It's a tough one for me," Velarde said. "It's going to be a judgment call on Juan's part that he has to make for himself. ... I understand both sides, but I'm saying neutral until I get a legal judgement and am in a better position to make a call."
Other trustees couldn't be reached for comment.
O'Rourke, a Democrat, will not seek re-election in 2018 in order to campaign for Senate against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
Fenenbock has filed to run as a Democrat, as has Nicole J. LeClaire, the only other candidate who has submitted paperwork to seek the House seat.
LeClaire is listed as a teacher at Cypress Creek High School in Houston, and her campaign website says she is an El Paso native.
Lindsey Anderson may be reached at 546-6345; landerson@elpasotimes.com; @l_m_anderson on Twitter.
A previous version of this story said other trustees couldn't be reached for comment. Trustee Al Velarde called the El Paso Times after the deadline for publication. His comments have been added to this story.


I had a very strange experience working one evening in my shop when suddenly I became over whelmed with a dire sense that I needed to go see my old friend George very soon, or I would never see him again. It first began as a gnawing feeling that became so overwhelming that it jolted me out of my routine to where I could not think of anything else. I stopped what I was doing and went in to tell my wife Francesca about the urgency of what I felt. Francesca reacted with a tender response agreeing whole heartily that I should indeed go see him; however with the numerous bills awaiting payment, we just did not have the money right now. Responding to the reality of our circumstances I replied, "You're right," and returned to work. For the remainder of the evening I continued to feel that strong urgent call to respond.
The next day Francesca called me to tell me something uplifting. She went on to tell me that she met Charlie, Mary and their daughter Heather O'Reilly. We had all met recently at a reception and hit it off as we both had a connection to Ireland, and we had both adopted our daughters from Central American countries. Somehow in their conversation my name was brought up to where Francesca mentioned to them of the powerful urge I had felt the night before to go see my old friend who may be in distress. Charlie insisted that I call him later that evening, that he could help me. That evening I called Charlie and told him who I was. "I understand that you need to go see an old friend," he said. After describing the emotions I experienced the evening before, Charlie then told me that he worked for US Air and would arrange a buddy pass for me to fly up to New York. Give your friends a call and see what weekend is convenient, and let me know.
Thanking Charlie as soon as I hung up, I then called George and his wife Betty. George was overly delighted to hear from me and became even more excited when he learned that I wanted to come visit. To their delight I arranged to fly up a week from the following Friday, and then got back to Charlie.
On the Wednesday evening two days before I was to leave for New York. My wife Francesca, my daughter Ana Claire and I went to a visiting circus. Enjoying a pleasant evening my wife soon began to complain of feeling ill. The next morning Francesca went to work but returned early and still feeling ill went to bed. To her objection I told her that I will stay home with her. "You told George that you will be there, you need to go," she said. If there was a problem here I will call my mother.
All day I tried to get in touch with Charlie when finally around 7:30 that evening I got in touch with his wife Mary. She told me that Charlie had left work and was heading to my house with the tickets. Eight PM the door bell rings. I invited Charlie inside to where he immediately sensed that something was up. I proceeded to tell him of Francesca's feeling sick, and my daughter being so upset went to bed with her. Charlie then told me that the ticket was good for three months, but before he could say another word the phone behind him began to ring. Charlie stepped aside as I took the phone and answered a very distressed Betty who kept asking me, "are you still coming," "are you still coming?" "Of course I am," I replied "What has happened?" George fell down the stairs today and is in hospital, and he is not expected to live. I reassured her that I would be there the next day. With a shocked expression I looked at Charlie and told him, "It looks like I am meant to go?"
Finally arriving in White Plains I made arrangements to stay with another friend rather than put Betty out. Meeting her later at the hospital she was accompanied by another old friend Max who like me was always treated like a family member. I was shocked when I walked into Georges ward and seeing him so close to death. He was 94 years of age and the long fall from the top of the stairs was slowly taking its toll. His skin color was a sickly grey and he was sound asleep. Betty tried to awaken him to where he barely opened his eyes and recognized me. His arms struggling to pull back the blankets he took hold of my hand whispered some inaudible words from his parched mouth and fell back to sleep again. Even though George knew I loved him as a father and friend, I never expressed those words with him, and I knew that he needed to hear them from me.
The next morning I called Betty to see if she would be at the hospital again. She replied that she had much to do and that I should go myself. Standing outside Georges ward I heard laughter inside. Opening the door I see George sitting up in bed and eating a bowl of ice cream. Unlike the day before he looked like his old self, both his color and sense of humor restored. Two young nurses sat on the bed next to him and they were having a great old laugh. With a surprised look on Georges face he says to me. "I thought you had left!" I come to see you one more time I said. With a joyous expression on his face he turns his attention to the two nurses and immediately puts me on a pedestal. As we shared stories he said to me I was a bit selfish in my wants. I wanted you to stay here, but I can see now that you are where you need to be. I am so proud of you. I told him of when he met my parents. I love them so much. George ever since you took me under your roof you became as much a father to me and I love you just as much. I then told him that I see the world as a great ocean and we are like tiny pebbles. Once we are dropped into that ocean the outreaching ripples make barely a difference. All over the world there are issues we have little or no control over. However the tiny ripples that you sent out caught me in them. Those ripples continued and my wife came into my life. Expanding outwards your ripples continued and a little girl that we adopted from a 3rd world country came into our lives and her new life is yet to unfold. You started this and I am just one of the many people you have touched in the course of your life. By this time George was crying, I told him that on Monday he was going home. Betty was preparing a room for him. "That poor woman is going to all that trouble for nothing." He said. I am not going home. I shook George's hand for the last time as we said our goodbyes. I thanked him for being my friend and for the memories I will treasure for the rest of my life. We both knew this was our last meeting together.
Later that afternoon as I entered my house the phone was ringing. Betty was on the line. "I went over soon after you left," she said, and George looked so peaceful in his sleep I couldn't bring myself to disturb him so I came home. The hospital just called to say that he just passed away.
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© The spiritual story Farewell To George is copyrighted to Paul Nixon. Edited by spiritual-experiences.com.


Isla del Sol, a village of 34 custom estate home sites, features one and two story floor plans with three, four and five bedrooms, most with water and golf views. These magnificent residences boast two and three car garages and include such indulgences as theatre rooms, wine cellars and optional elevators. Your Fiddler's Creek Agent, Marie Orlando.


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HOT GALLERY: How These Rock Stars Met Their Wives
By Kim Martin on August 8, 2012
We all know it is not hard for rock stars to meet the ladies. Heck, that is why some of them even started bands in the first place (Hel-LO, Mr. Gene Simmons!). But what about finding that special singular love that makes even the biggest rock god get down on his bended knee to propose? Snakkle takes a look at some of the sweetest couplings in hard rock to reveal how these rock stars met their match!
HOT GALLERY: Snakkle Says "I Don't" to These Celebrity Wedding Fashion Mishaps!
By Snakkle Staff on June 12, 2012
And you thought your sister-in-law looked ridiculous? Check out these outrageous celeb wedding fashion blunders!
HOT GALLERY: Reality Fashion Hosts Before They Made It Work
By Tom Hardej on May 15, 2012
On Fashion Star, Project Runway, and America's Next Top Model, the judges seem to have all the answers on fashion, but were they always so well dressed and coiffed? We are looking at the fashion judges before they were stars to find out who was in and who was out.
Hot Gallery: Superstars of Rock, Pop, and the Silver Screen Chill Out at Coachella
By Brett Singer on April 10, 2012
Every year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival hosts some of the biggest music acts from today and years past. This year's lineup is a typically amazing and diverse selection, including the Black Keys, Pulp, Madness, Squeeze, Feist, Firehose, Florence + the Machine—plus Radiohead, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg, and dozens more. The annual fest also brings out many celebrities, offering them the chance to let their hair down while they listen, thanks to the laid-back California vibe. Which stars showed their musical mellow side at Coachellas gone by? Let's find out!
Executive Producer James Deutch Gets You Excited for the Fashion Star Party!
By Danielle Turchiano on March 13, 2012
The success of Fashion Star isn't just going to be based on its ratings but also on the sales of original collections bought from the designers on the show on a weekly basis. All of the collections that receive bids will be available online and in stores immediately after airing, taking the world of fashion and reality competitions to a whole other level. Snakkle caught up with show producer James Deutch to get the 411 on his new series.
HOT GALLERY: These Celebrities Are Famously Coupled Up—But What Were They Like in Their School Days?
By Nina Hämmerling Smith on December 15, 2011
'Tis the season for togetherness, tight-knit families—and trips down memory lane. Ever wondered what these celebrity couples were like before they got together? We've got their school-days pics.
HOT GALLERY: Unconventional Celeb Couples Before They Were Stars
By Lisa Angelo on November 5, 2011
Whether these couples remain together or are a thing of the past, we'll always remember their strange love (and all the tabloid stories that went with it). Check out these vintage pics of weird celebrity couples!


Do you have information to share about the life of Geoffrey Koness? The Homicide Report needs your help. E-mail us at homicidereport@latimes.com.
He attended Taft HS in Woodland Hills with my son. He made life long friends at Taft HS and remained in the area. Although I did not personally know him he had many friends that loved him and miss him. He was a funny guy very, very sociable and easy going guy. Its heart wrenching that he died in this way his life was taken to early.
— Louis July 3, 2017 at 7:35 p.m.


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The Rising - What If?
national | anti-capitalism | opinion/analysis Thursday February 22, 2018 11:35 by Pat Waine - working class
After The Rising
We all heard the comment , the rebels of 1916 would turn in their grave at the Republic we now have. Well this article asks a question. That question is where is there any proof to back that up . One big hole in that argument is that most of "the rebels " survived and lived long enough to shape the Republic we ended up with
The Rising -What If?
Listening to all the debates about the 1916 rising during the centenary year I was struck by the amount of reverence given to those who died during the rebellion. However I am more struck by comments like "what would the heroes of 1916 think about the current "Republic". This view of the world was repeated recently by Joan Collins TD in a debate about the role of Constance Markievicz .The impression given by this and other statements is that those who fought in the Rising would not approve of the "Republic" we now have. The implication is that if those who died in Easter week had in fact survived that the Republic would have been different. No "Republican" has outlined any evidence for any such belief. In fact If you removed James Connolly from the equation there is little or no social vision for a new Ireland that would lead anyone to believe that the Republic would have been any different .
I have heard the argument that the civil war was in fact a struggle for a different Ireland. This may or may not have been true but there is no real evidence that either side in the civil war had a major difference in social affairs in the new Ireland. The key for me is that approx 1600 fought in the Rising and approx 250 died in combat leaving 1,346 survivors'. Most of these went on to agree a sectarian constitution promoting a right wing catholic ethos dominated by the church and backward on almost all social issues.
The question I pose is what makes people think that if the Rebels who gave their lives in 1916 had survived that they would have built a different/better Ireland than their one time comrades did? Some people have pointed at Liam Mellows as someone who would have had a similar outlook to James Connolly and would have been more progressive . However it was mellows who at one stage after the rising nominated or seconded the Nomination of Eamon Devalera . Dev was later to hand over the republic to the church with the resultant Conservative ethos embedded in the core of the new Constitution and indeed the new "independent "Ireland. Griffith and McNeill went as far as meeting with the Financial Times telling them
"You can tell your city men that they have nothing to fear in the way of confiscation or unjust discrimination" We have no intention to harm investors in the least. Nationalists may point to the massive vote received by Sinn fein in the 1918 election as some shift in post rising Ireland. However 65% of those elected under the SF banner were from the a professional background , teachers and journalists. And there wasn't a peep from SF about making " equal rights and Equal opportunities" guaranteed to Irish citizens by the declaration of independence, were now been made subject to the interests of foreign and domestic financiers.
The first Dail opened with a prayer and catholic conservatism ruled in it ever since With the full support of "republicans"
For me I don't see any evidence that with the exception of James Connolly that anyone of note mapped out a vision of a different Ireland. I stand to be corrected.
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One small point . . . . . .
by Pearse Monnet Thu Mar 01, 2018 10:55
" Most of these went on to agree a sectarian constitution promoting a right wing catholic ethos dominated by the church and backward on almost all social issues."
The Catholic confessional state set up after the 26 counties seceded from the British state was what many Irish people wanted all along. They saw the sovereignty the new state had as a means to insulate (as much of) Ireland from an increasingly "Godless", materialistic, "immoral" world.
The socialists in Ireland's revolutionary period - to which Joan Collins TD identifies with - continued and still continues to agitate for a different Ireland than there is currently. Many of the socialists who fought under Connolly in the 1916 Rising, the rank-and-file of the Irish Citizens Army (ICA) had to emigrate from Ireland.
If you want to see criticism of the new state that was set up in comparison to the visions of the men and women of 1916, read the writings of participants in the Tan War (i.e. the Irish War of Independence). Start with Frank O'Connor and Sean O'Faoilean, and of course Sean O'Casey was no shrinking violet in criticizing the new Irish state - he had to leave Ireland. A socialist, Peadar O'Donnell is quite educational in his writings.
A very readable history book in most public libraries is John O'Regan's "The Irish Counter Revolution".
There were three main components in Ireland's very broad independence movement: radical socialists (who wanted to set up a socialist Ireland, personified best by James Connolly and the many factions in the broad socialist movement , including the editorial collective of this here indymedia), radical Catholic nationalists (who wanted to set a isolationist, Gaelic ethnocentric, ideologically Catholic state in Ireland; personified best by Sean South), and bourgeois nationalists (who wanted to set up a state that resembled other polities found across the Western hemisphere personified best by Michael Collins, Eamon de Valera, Sean McBride and even latterly by Gerry Adams).
why Sean O'Casey left Ireland
by Swifty Thu Mar 01, 2018 14:46
You list a number of writers who criticised the Irish state and society that emerged after the War of Independence and the civil war. In mentioning Sean O'Casey you note "he had to leave Ireland". His reasons for leaving were literary, not social or denominational. W.B. Yeats rejected his highly symbolist new play, The Silver Tassie, on the grounds that it was too difficult to stage and wasn't good theatre. Behind the scenes Lady Augusta Gregory tried to intercede between the haughty Yeats and the short-fused working class O'Casey, but to no avail. The Abbey Theatre had staged O'Casey's early plays including the canonical The Plough and the Stars (which pilloried Pearse's bombastic public oratory, among other things) and now it was turning down a new offering. In a fit of high anger, Sean O'Casey went to London and pursued his literary career there until his death. O'Casey came from an evangelical Protestant family background, while Yeats came from an Anglican upper-middle-class background, and his personal beliefs were heterodox, aesthetic and daftly mystical at times. It was a clash of aesthetic temperaments that drove O'Casey out of Ireland.
On O'Casey and the new Irish state
by Pearse Monnet Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:49
There was an inevitability to O'Casey leaving Ireland - sooner or later.
I take your points about Yeats and O'Casey clashing in terms of class. Even on personality, the two couldn't be more different; the flamboyant, self-indulgent, dilettante nature that Yeats was famous for would have made O'Casey bristle! I would argue that the Abbey Theatre's rejection of O'Casey's play "The Silver Tassie" was the straw that broke the camel's back, as they say. The rejection in itself wasn't the sole reason for his voluntary exile from his native land. It was the catalyst for sure but it has to be seen in context.
It was a 'mutual break-up' - O'Casey, the serial up-start and the new conservative Irish state just bedding down. And I include the Abbey Theatre in "Official Ireland". The Abbey Theatre was now the National Theatre - not on some abstract level as the theatre of some national cultural renaissance. But rather as a component in the new state's media; the Abbey Theatre was in receipt of a grant from the Exchequer. The cautious, conservative approach that defined the Abbey Theatre from the 1920s onwards resulted in many writers bringing their work outside of Ireland, not only O'Casey. It also indirectly in time gave rise to the Gate Theatre, as a space for experimental, avant-garde and critical theatre.
For the Establishment in the new Irish polity, O'Casey was about as welcome as a dose of the runs. The Mafia have a saying, "Dead men don't tell stories". Likewise, dead patriot heroes are not in a position to defend their actions being used by a political clique looking to validate their rule. The pro-Treaty side of the Independence Movement (and also in time, a huge section of the defeated anti-Treatyites in the form of the FF party) wanted to create the impression that the new Irish state was the product of the men and women in 1916. And also every bit of trouble in the country since the Anglo-Normans first arrived. This was despite the fact that the territorial extent of the new state was incomplete, the ethos of the new state was characteristically Catholic, its sovereignty as a state was very limited, (and contrary to the vision of Marxist James Connolly) the new state was dominated by bourgeois interests.
The last thing the politicians of the new state wanted was criticism from someone who knew and campaigned alongside the figures from the fabled time of the 1916 Rising. His biography of that time "Drums Under My Window" makes for an educational read, even today.
O'Casey was very critical of the new state, and his opinion carried weight amongst Dublin's Working Classes, among Politically Progressive circles, and in some sections of the literary scene internationally. His criticism was consistent, he had argued all along that Unionist fears of Home Rule being Rome Rule would be correct. He agreed with Connolly in his early 1914 article "Ireland Upon the Dissection Table". In this article by Connolly (link to the text below), he anticipated that a partitioned Ireland would create a "Carnival of Reaction", i.e. that each of the 2 state(let)s would be defined by an inward-looking, narrow, ethnocentric, mutually hostile atmosphere where anything that hinted of a lack of automatic and inherent conformity and consent would be viewed with suspicion.
O'Casey went one step further than Connolly in his analysis - and appeared to have been proved right ! He believed it was a mistake for the Irish Citizens Army (ICA) to ally itself with the Petite Bourgeois militia the Irish Volunteer Force / Oglaigh na hEireann. He argued long and hard how this would be a mistake. When his concerns were ignored he resigned from his position of Chief-of-Staff of the ICA. As the conservative, bourgeois, Catholic forces were consolidating their hold on the Saor Stat, it appeared O'Casey's analysis was correct. The energy of Ireland's embryonic radical socialist movement had been subsumed into Irish Catholic Nationalism, to its own detriment.
O'Casey made many a quip that resonated with people - sort of early soundbites. He once said "watch out for Davis' republican flag having its colours changed; the orange of the original tri-colour will be slowly changed to that of the Papal yellow!"
Related Link: https://www.marxists.org/archive/connolly/1914/04/irdissect.htm
Ernest Blythe's cultural and social conservatism
by Swifty Sun Mar 04, 2018 10:51
Another C of I figure who had a dampening influence on the post-1922 Irish state was Ernest Blythe. As penny-pinching Minister for Finance in the Cumann na nGael government in the 1920s he notoriously deducted a shilling from the old age pension. As Managing Director of the state-subsidised Abbey Theatre, he rejected artistically adventurous serious plays in favour of money-spinning comedies. Sean O'Casey cultivated an image of the exiled martyr when living in London. His autobiographical books were a bit stage Irish and melodramatic. He occasionally railed against England's historic oppression of Ireland - a public pose that incurred some acid comments from the left wing polemicist George Orwell. Artists and writers who quit Ireland to find fame and fortune in the UK or the USA were generally economic migrants. Padraic Colum and his wife enjoyed New York society (while he fastidiously kept to his 19th century romantic rural poetics - the Irish Americans lapped it up) and Maeve Brennan slipped nicely into the metropolitan journalism of the New Yorker magazine. Abbey Theatre actors like BarryFitzgerald and his brother Arthur Shields (both Protestants) spread their fame base and enhanced their earnings througn Hollywood productions. Two politically radical writers who stuck it out in Ireland were Sean O'Faolain and Peadar O'Donnell, who kept The Bell magazine going through economically lean times between 1942 and 1954. From the 1960s onward into current times successful Irish poets and novelists have voluntarily enjoyed literary exile on US university campuses, as poets-in-residence and senior lecturers. Their novels and poetics haven't been noted for political radicalism. Compare that with Dublin novelist Dermot Bolger who stayed at home, and is one of the first Irish novelists to situate a novel in a factory - The Night Shift.
what if ? 1916 Rising
by Pat Waine - working class Fri Jun 15, 2018 09:03
None of those mentioned, Sean o casey, Sean O faoilean, Frank O Connor ,Peader O donnell fought in the rising. I still Haven't found anyone who fought in the rising who argued for a different Ireland to the Sectarian state Develara and co developed. No reason to believe that those who died in the rising would have been any different.
Related Link: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/106533?userlanguage=ga&save_prefs=true
© 2001-2021 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy


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SCOTT WALKER MEETS JACQUES BREL.
dereksmusicblog ♦ January 31, 2020 ♦ Leave a comment
Label: Ace Records.
Release Date: "31st" January 2020.
It's no exaggeration to say that Scott Walker and Jacques Brel were two of the most influential singer-songwriters of their generation. However, if it wasn't for Scott Walker covering nine of Jacques Brel's songs on his first three solo albums, the Belgian singer-songwriter's music wouldn't have reached such a wide audience. And even today, a new generation of record buyer are discovering Jacques Brel's music through Scott Walker. That is why it's fitting that both men feature on the next instalment of Ace Records' Songwriter Series, Scott Walker Meets Jacques Brel.
This nineteen track CD features Scott Walker's nine cover version of Jacques Brel's. They're joined by his original versions and a cover of the Scott Walker song Seul. It was performed live by Scott Walker on his show, but he never recorded the song. It's a track that will be of interest to fans of both singers. Their story begins in 1967, when The Walker Brothers and Scott Walker embarked upon a solo career.
By then, Scott Walker had been introduced to Jacques Brel's songs by his German girlfriend, who loves the chansons and translated them into English for the singer. Straight away, he captivated, spellbound by Jacques Brel's songs.
Not long after this, a demo disc of American lyricist Mort Shuman's translations of Jacques Brel's chansons was given to the Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham, who passed the record to Scott Walker.
When Mort Shuman first saw Jacques Brel's perform it had huge effect on him and he said: "The only time I'd heard such virility in a voice was in black singers…I just had to find out what he was singing about. Then I had to translate it. He wrote about things you didn't hear people singing, of things you normally only found in philosophy or in novels. By that time, Dylan and the Beatles were doing interesting things, but I was much more impressed by Brel. Here was a man who combined raw force with the most meaningful lyrics I had heard in songs, a deep understanding of the human condition."
Mort Shuman translated Jacques Brel's chansons from French into cover versions that English speaking audiences could relate. Importantly, the translations stayed true to the original songs and Scott Walker would eventually record nine of Jacques Brel's chansons that had been translated by Mort Shuman. This included three on his debut album.
When he came to record his debut album Scott, the former Walker Brother decided to record a trio of tracks written and recorded by Jacques Brel and accompanied by orchestral arrangements by Peter Knight, Reg Guest and Wally Stott. The album open was Mathilde which Jacques Brel wrote with Gérard Jouannest. It was joined by My Death and Amsterdam which were penned by Jacques Brel and focused on two things that he admitted to being "obsessed" about.
This included death, loneliness, prostitution and romance, which were themes he would revisit throughout his songwriting career.
In a 1966 interview with the British music magazine Melody Maker, Jacques Brel explained that I'm obsessed by those things that are ugly and sordid, that people don't want to talk about, as if they were afraid of touching a wound that might soil them."
Having released his debut album Scott in Britain on the '16th' of September 1967, and the album reached number three. The following year, 1968, Scott was released in America but failed to chart. That was despite Scott Walker's covers of Jacques Brel's three songs. They were part of an album where the vocals were dramatic, ruminative, impassioned and meditative. Scott was a classic album, and the twenty-four year old singer was hugely influenced by Jacques Brel's impassioned, heartfelt and soul-baring vocals. He was impressed with Scott Walker's vocals and must have felt here was a kindred spirit.
So much so, that Jacques Brel told Mort Shuman to give Scott Walker his song folio over to him. This would allow Scott Walker to cover more of Jacques Brel's songs on his sophomore solo album Scott 2.
When it came to choosing the songs for Scott 2, two songs Jacques Brel wrote with Gérard Jouannest were chosen. They were Jackie and The Girls and The Dog. The other Jacques Brel composition was Next. These songs were much more risqué than the Jacques Brel compositions on Scott and dealt with sexual themes and decadence. However, some things stayed the same and that was the orchestral arrangements came courtesy of Peter Knight, Reg Guest and Wally Stott.
Before the release of Scott 2, Jackie was released as a single towards the end of 1967, and proved controversial because of its lyrics. This resulted in the single being banned by mainstream radio. Despite this, the single still reached twenty-two in Britain. This augured well for the release of Scott 2.
The album which was another mixture of covers and some origin material was released in March 1968 to critical acclaim, and reached number one in the UK. Sadly, the album failed to replicate that success in America when it was released in July 1968.
By then, a wider audience were discovering Scott Walker and Jacques Brel's music. In the case of Brel, his popularity was growing in English-speaking countries. This continued with the release of Scott 3.
For his third solo album Scott Walker decided to cover Tons Of and Funeral Tango which were written by Gérard Jouannest and Jacques Brel. He penned If You Go Away with American singer, songwriter, poet and actor Rod McKuen. The trio of Brel tracks closed the album which was produced by John Franz and featured lush string drenched arrangements by Wally Scott.
When Scott 3 was released in March 1969, some critics thought that Wally Scott's string arrangements made Scott Walker seem like a crooner who belonged on the Las Vegas strip. However, crooners didn't usually release albums which featured dronings and jarrings sounds as well as hints of dissonance. Scott 3 was an ambitious album that showcased a vocal that matured with each album, and was perfectly suited to Jacques Brel's songs. Despite that, Scott 3 didn't sell as well as its two predecessors, and "only" reached number three in the UK. It was also the end of an era.
Never again did Scott Walker record another of Jacques Brel's songs. The nine songs that he recorded on Scott, Scott 2 and Scott 3 feature on Scott Walker Meets Jacques Brel. So do Brel's originals which he recorded in French. These tracks re the perfect introduction to two hugely talented singers who were contrarians and enigmatic. They were also innovators whose music was way ahead of their time, and as a result were sometimes misunderstood.
Scott Walker and Jacques Brel did things their way and weren't afraid to offend sensibilities by recording songs which featured lyrics that could offend some people. They created cerebral, cinematic, dark and thought-provoking music and sang about everything from death and loneliness to prostitution and romance. It seemed nothing was off-limits for Jacques Brel and his kindred spirit Scott Walker.
Ace Records new compilation Scott Walker Meets Jacques Brel celebrates the two men's music. The first nine tracks are Scott Walker's covers which are followed by Jacques Brel's original French language versions. Closing the album is Brel's cover of the Scott Walker song Seul. He sang it on his television show, but never recorded the song. It was later recorded by Jacques Brel and his rendition is a fitting way to close this lovingly curated compilation. It's that is a homage two great and hugely influential singer-songwriters who wrote their way into musical history. For anyone yet to discover either their music, there's no better place to start than Scott Walker Meets Jacques Brel.
Posted in: Avant Garde ♦ Chanson ♦ Pop ♦ Rock
Tagged: Ace Records, Jacques Brel, Jakie, John Franz, Mort Shuman, Peter Knight, Reg Guest, Scott, Scott 2, Scott 3, Scott Walker, Scott Walker Meets Jacques Brel, Songwriter Series, The Walker Brothers, Wally Stott
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Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co Ltd (1821.T)
1821.T on Tokyo Stock Exchange
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Latest Key Developments (Source: Significant Developments)
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co Ltd - To Buy Back Up To 0.50% Of Own Shares Worth 500 Million Yen
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co Ltd <1821.T>::SUMITOMO MITSUI CONSTRUCTION CO LTD - TO BUY BACK UP TO 0.50% OF OWN SHARES WORTH 500 MILLION YEN. Full Article
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction files lawsuit against Hitachi High-Technologies and subcontractor
May 17 (Reuters) - Hitachi High-Technologies Corp <8036.T>:Says Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co Ltd <<<1821.T>>> has filed a lawsuit against the company and subcontractor, claiming compensation of about 49.6 billion yen in total, for pile construction disputes . Full Article
Mitsui Fudosan Residential files lawsuit against Sumitomo Mitsui Construction and two subcontractors
Friday, 8 Dec 2017
Dec 8 (Reuters) - Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co Ltd <1821.T>:Says Mitsui Fudosan Residential Co.,Ltd. has filed a lawsuit against the co and two subcontractors, claiming compensation of about 45.9 billion yen, for construction project disputes, with the Tokyo District Court, on Nov. 28 . Full Article
Nishimoto confirms to issue 9,900 shares to Nomura Securities
Thursday, 26 Oct 2017
Oct 26 (Reuters) - Nishimoto Co Ltd <9260.T>:Says it receives a notice from Nomura Securities Co., Ltd., confirming share subscription of 9,900 shares .Says it will issue 9,900 shares of its common stock to Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. via private placement .Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. will pay 44.2 million yen in total to the co.Subscription date on Oct. 27 and payment date on Oct. 30.Proceeds will be mainly used for construction of goods standards management systems, working capital and loan repayment . Full Article
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You are here: Home / Articles / Hardware, Gadgets, and Products / Oculus Rift shows off final retail version
Oculus Rift shows off final retail version
Oculus Rift, the leading VR gaming headset, made announcements yesterday to show off its final retail version and announce that it is shipping in Q1 2016. They also showed off integrated VR audio, a sensor, and a prototype for tracked game controllers.
Facebook, which bought the company in March 2014, also made the announcement on the Facebook Newsroom. Microsoft added its partnership with the company to make the device work well with games for Windows 10 and Xbox One. The Oculus Rift also ships with an Xbox One controller.
The official website provides many high quality images of the Oculus Rift and accessories, including prototype tracked controllers that would be able to monitor your controllers' motion in real life and translate them into the game.
Ahead of E3, Oculus has given a detailed breakdown of the hardware and upcoming games in their blog post The Oculus Rift, Oculus Touch, and VR Games at E3.
Filed Under: Hardware, Gadgets, and Products
Western Digital redesigns the My Passport portable hard drive
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Shared database of cellphone carriers aims to deter phone theft
In Hardware, Gadgets, and Products, Security and Privacy
Making the Ultimate Backup Script for your users (or even yourself)
In Code, System Administration, Tech Solutions


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The Intersections Between Photography and Sculpture
By Flavorwire Staff
Although sculpture is a three-dimensional form that needs to be seen to be experienced, it's normally reproduced through photography. Since the inception of photography, artists and photographers have used the camera to not only capture sculptural forms on film but to stage scenes with objects and document performances that now only exist in print. Likewise, artists have long used photomontage to construct sculptural fantasies purely from the imagination. Examining the intersections between photography and sculpture, The Original Copy: Photography of Sculpture, 1839 to Today, at New York's Museum of Modern Art offers new ways of understanding what sculpture is, as well as a chance to explore the aesthetic evolution of photography through its rich, 170-year history.
Without following a chronological order, the show is organized around ten conceptual compartments that allow its curator, Roxana Marcoci, to expose shared interests between artists of different generations and to isolate moments in time, such as the collaboration between Rodin and various photographers documenting his work and Brancusi's use of photography to capture his sculptures and studio in another light. The section "Cultural and Political Icons" focuses on images of statues and symbols, both revered and hated, while "Studio Without Walls" investigates documentation of Land Art and artistic urban interventions. Meanwhile, the "Pygmalion Complex" presents surrealist images from the movement's heyday to its later embrace by contemporary artists as a means to confound the viewer.
Displaying over 300 photographs, magazines, and journals by more than 100 artists — ranging from William Fox Talbot and Eugene Atget to Bruce Nauman and Rachel Harrison — The Original Copy grants viewers the opportunity to reconsider the development of photography from the perspective of the digital age, while gaining a new awareness of the changing definition of sculpture throughout time.
The Original Copy: Photography of Sculpture, 1839 to Today, which is accompanied by a catalogue, is on view at MoMA through November 1.
Click through below for a gallery of images.
Bruce Nauman. American, born 1941 Self-Portrait as a Fountain from the portfolio Eleven Color Photographs. 1966–67/1970 Inkjet print (originally chromogenic color print), 20 1/16 x 23 3/4" (50.9 x 60.3 cm) Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. Gerald S. Elliott Collection © 2010 Bruce Nauman/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Sibylle Bergemann. German, born 1941 Das Denkmal, East Berlin (The monument, East Berlin). 1986 Gelatin silver print, 19 11/16 x 23 5/8" (50 x 60 cm) Sibylle Bergemann/Ostkreuz Agentur der Fotografen, Berlin © 2010 Sibylle Bergemann/Ostkreuz Agentur der Fotografen, Berlin
Gillian Wearing. British, born 1963 Self-Portrait at 17 Years Old. 2003 Chromogenic color print, 41 x 32" (104.1 x 81.3 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Acquired through the generosity of The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art © 2010 Gillian Wearing. Courtesy the artist, Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York, and Maureen Paley, London
Hans Finsler. Swiss, 1891–1972 Gropius and Moholy-Nagy as Goethe and Schiller, f.r.t.l., 1925 Gelatin silver print, 9 1/8 x 6 3/4" (23.2 x 17.2 cm) Kunsthaus Zürich, Fotosammlung
Fischli/Weiss (Peter Fischli. Swiss, born 1952. David Weiss. Swiss, born 1946) The Three Sisters. 1984 Chromogenic color print, 11 13/16 x 15 ¾" (30 x 40 cm) Courtesy the artists and Matthew Marks Gallery, New York © Peter Fischli and David Weiss. Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery, New York
Herbert Bayer. American, born Austria. 1900–1985 Humanly Impossible. 1932 Gelatin silver print, 15 3/8 x 11 9/16" (39 x 29.3 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Thomas Walther Collection. Purchase © 2010 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn
Robert Gober. American, born 1954 Untitled. 1999 Gelatin silver print, 9 13/16 x 12 3/8" (25 x 31.5 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift, through Joyce and Robert Menschel © 1999 Robert Gober
Horst P. Horst. American, born Germany, 1906–1999 Costume for Salvador Dalí's "Dream of Venus". 1939 Gelatin silver print, 10 x 7 1/2" (25.4 x 19 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of James Thrall Soby © 2010 Horst P. Horst/Art + Commerce
Rachel Harrison. American, born 1966 From Voyage of the Beagle. 2007 Fifty-seven pigmented inkjet prints, each 16 x 12" (40.6 x 30.5 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Fund for the Twenty-First Century © 2010 Rachel Harrison. Courtesy Greene Naftali Gallery, New York
Man Ray (Emmanuel Radnitzky). American, 1890–1976 Noire et blanche (Black and white). 1926 Gelatin silver print, 6 3/4 x 8 7/8" (17.1 x 22.5 cm) The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gift of James Thrall Soby © 2010 Man Ray Trust/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris
Johannes Theodor Baargeld (Alfred Emanuel Ferdinand Gruenwald). German, 1892–1927 Typische Vertikalklitterung als Darstellung des Dada Baargeld (Typical vertical mess as depiction of the Dada Baargeld). 1920 Photomontage, 14 5/8 x 12 3/16" (37.1 x 31 cm) Kunsthaus Zürich, Grafische Sammlung
Alfred Stieglitz. American, 1864–1946 Fountain, photograph of assisted readymade by Marcel Duchamp. 1917 Gelatin silver print, 9 1/4 x 7" (23.5 x 17.8 cm) Collection Jacqueline Matisse Monnier © 2010 Georgia O'Keeffe Museum/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York


text:
/*
    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
    you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
    You may obtain a copy of the License at

    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
    WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
    See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
    limitations under the License.
*/

using Microsoft.Phone.Info;
using System;
using System.Windows;

namespace WPCordovaClassLib.Cordova.Commands
{
    public enum Resolutions { WVGA, WXGA, HD };

    public static class ResolutionHelper
    {
       public static Resolutions CurrentResolution
        {
            get
            {
                switch (Application.Current.Host.Content.ScaleFactor)
                {
                    case 100: return Resolutions.WVGA;
                    case 160: return Resolutions.WXGA;
                    case 150: return Resolutions.HD;
                }
                throw new InvalidOperationException("Unknown resolution");
            }
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Examine cost-driving factors of schizophrenia in Germany for patients prior- and post-switch from an oral antipsychotic therapy to aripiprazole-depot and perform a budget impact analysis (BIA) referring to the context of German health care.
A single-armed, retrospective, non-interventional pre-post comparison study with 132 patients to compare the total psychiatric hospitalization rates and the associated costs of both, the treatment with oral antipsychotics and aripiprazole-depot. The BIA was performed to compare both treatment periods with respect to health-related costs. A subsequent univariate sensitivity analysis examined the robustness of the results.
After switching the treatment to aripiprazole-depot, the total psychiatric hospitalization rates for the 6-month treatment period were significantly (p < 0.001) lower (14%) compared to the hospitalization rates when treated with oral antipsychotics (55.1%). 18.2% of the patients reported to be employed, with 29.2% having work incapacities. The mean number of schizophrenia episodes was 2.58 episodes per patient during the oral-antipsychotic treatment compared to 0.41 episodes per patient during the aripiprazole-depot phase (p < 0.001). The treatment with aripiprazole-depot also significantly reduced the mean number of hospitalizations per patient (0.63 to 0.16, p < 0.001) and the mean number of hospitalized days (27.39 to 5.56, p < 0.001) compared to the oral antipsychotic treatment. Additionally a significant reduction of the mean stay in day-clinics and psychiatric institute ambulances (PIAs) was observed (46.13 days to 7.29 days, p < 0.01).
Treatment of a patient suffering from schizophrenia with oral antipsychotics produced costs of 9935.38€ (direct costs: 9498.36 €), while aripiprazole-depot generated costs of 4557.56€ (direct costs: 4449.83 €) per patient for a one-year observation period. This resulted in total costs of 6,517,606,265.43€ for the oral antipsychotic treatment and 2,989,756,603.05€ for aripiprazole-depot treatment from the perspective of the German health care system. The results remained robust during sensitivity analysis, with aripiprazole-depot being the more cost-effective strategy.
The results suggest that aripiprazole-depot treatment for schizophrenia patients has major potential in terms of cost savings for the German statutory health insurance.
Schizophrenia is estimated to affect 24 million individuals worldwide (656,000 - 738,0001  in Germany considering a prevalence rate between 0.8% and 0.9% for patients between 18 and 65 years ). Total costs related to schizophrenia were estimated at $62.7 billion in the US , and the total costs of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders were estimated at 93.9 billion € in Europe . The annual direct costs of schizophrenia treatment per patient in Germany are estimated between 14,000-18,000€  with hospitalizations and productivity losses as the main cost-driving factors. The annual total costs for schizophrenia in Germany are estimated between 4,400,000,000€ and 9,200,000,000€ .
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the costs of schizophrenia in western countries in a range between 1.6% and 2.6% of total health care expenditures. The social and economic consequences of mental illnesses are considerable high, with its treatment costs surpassing even heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes treatment .
The direct costs generated by schizophrenia comprise all resource consumption resulting from a treatment or therapy and are directly attributable to this disorder like medication costs, hospitalizations, outpatient and long-term care .
The indirect costs occur not directly in relation to the treatment of the disease but arise from the fact that schizophrenia is a very disabling disease. Schizophrenia is associated with productivity losses by the patient and the patient's family members. Work incapacities (temporary or definitive) and disability pensions due to schizophrenia can be very cost-intensive for the health care system . Less reliable data are available on the indirect costs because resource- and productivity losses as a result of morbidity and mortality in the context of schizophrenia are more difficult to access .
Another reason for the high costs of schizophrenia arises from the fact that it is a chronic and lifelong condition. The resource consumption of patients with schizophrenia in Germany has not been evaluated in detail. Due to the cost-intensive characteristics of schizophrenia a reduction of these costs could result in significant savings from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance.
The reduction of the direct and indirect costs of schizophrenia can be realized by different procedures. Better and more cost-effective medications can be recognized as one of those solutions. Sustained release drugs (like aripiprazole-depot) are reported to have significantly higher adherence rates than traditional oral antipsychotics .
The findings on the effectiveness of aripiprazole-depot are also consistent with several clinical studies that associate reduced psychiatric hospitalization rates and durations with sustained release drugs compared to traditional oral anti-psychotic therapies .
Recent meta-analyses came to the conclusion that sustained release drugs are able to reduce the hospitalization risk significantly compared to oral antipsychotic treatments [12, 13]. A total of 58 evaluated studies show that the reduction in hospitalization rates for LAIs (long-acting injectable) was 20.7 percentage points higher than that of OAs (oral antipsychotics) (LAIs = 56.2% vs. OAs = 35.5%, P = 0.023) .
Examine whether aripiprazole-depot treatment reduces the hospitalization rates and other cost driving factors compared to oral medication treatment for schizophrenia.
Compare conceivable benefits and cost-savings (including direct and indirect costs) for the German statutory health insurance for both observation phases based on several variables of resource consumption over a one-year observation time frame.
This study was carried out as a single armed, non-interventional pre-post comparison study with a subsequent BIA to assess hospitalization rates in patients with schizophrenia treated with oral antipsychotics followed by a treatment with aripiprazole-depot in a community setting in Germany. The study consisted of two retrospectively reported treatment-phases. The retrospective documentation period started in May 2016 and had been finalized in November 2016.
The required sample size was estimated at n = 116 to provide 80% power to detect a statistically significant difference of 11% between the hospitalization rate during the aripiprazole-depot treatment period (Phase B) and a recently published hospitalization rate for patients being treated with oral antipsychotics (38.1%) from the mentioned study . A dropout rate of 10% was assumed, which resulted in a required total sample-size of n = 129 patients (Fig. 1).
A total of 6994 physicians were contacted. The total number of recruited centers (psychiatrists) was 67 (from which 28 (41.8%) were active with the 39 (58.2%) remaining centers counting as dropouts due to lack of transmitted patient data). Data for 136 patients was collected at the end of the inclusion phase by a total of 28 psychiatrists in Germany. The database was closed on November the 30th 2016. 4 of those 136 patients (2.9%) were excluded from further analysis because of not meeting the inclusion criteria (18–65 years) of the study.
Eligible patients (n = 132) were aged between 18 and 65 years with a schizophrenia diagnosis consistent with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). Patients also needed to have been prescribed an oral anti-psychotic treatment in the six months prior to the switch to aripiprazole-depot, which had to be documented for six subsequent months.
Eligible patients also required a change in treatment for any reason, with the specific reason being reported by the investigator (e.g. insufficient efficacy, insufficient compliance, side effects). This change in treatment represents no intervention (compared to RCTs) because of the retrospective character of the study. Eligibility was determined retrospectively by the investigator, which explains the low amount of patients that failed to meet the inclusion criteria of the study (4 patients).
Subjects with an ICD-10 diagnosis other than schizophrenia (2 patients with schizoaffective disorder) were included in the analysis because of being reported in multiple categories and having a schizophrenia diagnosis as well.
Some patients (the amount differed between variables) were excluded from several statistical procedures because of item-non-response or contradictions concerning the extent of some of the reported outcome variables. Hospitalized days for example or days with work incapacities were very occasionally reported for longer time-frames than the actual observation time-period (six months per phase).
The primary endpoint was the psychiatric hospitalization rate (defined as the proportion of patients with ≥1 psychiatric hospitalization) which was assessed and compared between the oral anti-psychotic treatment period (months 1–6) and the aripiprazole-depot treatment period (months 7–12).
Additionally secondary efficacy and endpoint comparisons were compared between both treatment periods including the number of schizophrenia episodes, the mean duration of hospitalizations, the number of emergency treatments (emergency physicians and emergency services), the frequency and duration of day-clinic-visits as well as the number of psychiatrist visits and productivity losses in form of days of sick leave.
Comparisons between hospitalization rates during the retrospective oral anti-psychotic treatment period (months 1–6) and the aripiprazole-depot treatment period (months 7–12) were assessed using Wilcoxon signed rank tests with a statistical significance at an alpha level of 0.05 (two-sided) after using Kolgomorov-Smirnov tests to check the observed empirical distributions for normality.
Additionally the hospitalization rate of patients during the treatment with aripiprazole-depot was compared with the hospitalization rates conducted by a recent study by Kane et al.  using a one-sided binomial test.
The BIA is a specific form of health economic evaluation, which evaluates the financial consequences of new technologies in a specific health care system . The analysis form is increasingly required in national reimbursement procedures and can also be used for resource or budget planning .
In this investigation, a BIA was performed to estimate the annual budget impact of two different treatment options for schizophrenia. The analysis referred to the context of German health care, was performed from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance and considered direct and indirect costs of schizophrenia to deliver an overview on the resource utilization and the related costs of patients suffering from schizophrenia. It should be noted here that productivity losses in Germany only become relevant from the point of view of the statutory health insurances starting with the sixth week of sick leave. Therefore, the direct costs were evaluated separately in order to avoid misunderstandings regarding the direct and indirect costs of schizophrenia.
Demographics and baseline characteristics for the 132 patients that received treatment with aripiprazole-depot after the switch from oral antipsychotics are reported in Table 1. The majority of patients were female (n = 71/132, 53.8%) and the mean age was 37.89 (sd = 10.54) years with a mean age at schizophrenia diagnosis of 30.55 years (sd = 8.67). 92.4% of the patients were insured statutory (n = 122/132) while 72 of these patients reported to have a co-payment exemption.
Psychiatric hospitalization rates (number of psychiatric hospitalizations ≥1) in patients who were treated with aripiprazole-depot (Fig. 2) were significantly lower compared to the retrospective hospitalization rates (months 1–6) when treated with oral antipsychotics.
The treatment with aripiprazole-depot also significantly reduced the mean number of hospitalizations (0.63 hospitalizations per patient during phase A vs. 0.16 hospitalizations per patient during phase B, p < 0.001) and the mean number of hospitalized days (27.39 (sd = 41.37) days in phase A vs. 5.56 (sd = 20.70) days in phase B, p < 0.001).
The days of sick leave (resulting in a productivity loss) were examined for the employed subsample only. This restriction was justified by the irrelevance of days of sick leave in terms of contribution to the indirect costs of schizophrenia and reduced the sample size to n = 24 patients for this specific analysis. The mean number of days of sick leave during phase A was 40.06 compared to 15.80 days in phase B. This difference was not significant (p = 0.169).
The mean number of schizophrenia episodes was 2.58 (sd = 2.91) episodes per patient in the first six months during the treatment with oral antipsychotics, and 0.41 (sd = 0.76) for the second six month period with aripiprazole-depot treatment (p < 0.001).
The treatment change caused no significant reduction of the number of psychiatrist visits (10.57 to 7.73, p = 0.07) but instead there was a significant reduction of the mean stay in day-clinics and psychiatric institute ambulances (PIAs) (46.13 days (phase A) compared to 7.29 days (phase B), p < 0.01).
Cost savings were calculated from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance. The cost-relevant data for both treatment periods were derived from the cost variables in Table 2 and used in the BIA.
Both direct and indirect costs were considered. All the cost components were assessed in monetary units.
Table 3 shows per case costs of 9935.38€ for patients during oral-medication and 4557.56€ during aripiprazole-depot treatment. This suggests potential cost-savings of 5377.82€ per schizophrenia patient. 63,83% (1562.49€) of the total oral medication costs are caused by aripiprazole in its oral form. Even without consideration of these costs caused by oral aripiprazole prescriptions, the total costs per unit stay are significantly lower in the depot-treatment phase. The direct costs (without productivity losses) were also lower for the aripiprazole-depot study-period (9498.36 € vs. 4449.83 €).
Table 4 provides a breakdown of the total costs for the total study sample (n = 132) which were calculated under the assumption of a 100% substitution of schizophrenia patients with both treatment options. In this context, it should be noted that aripiprazole-depot is not a broad-based treatment option and is primarily prescribed for individuals with a history of non-adherence. Therefore, the projections in Table 4 must be interpreted as approximate estimates because a 100% substitution of aripiprazole-depot represents an unrealistic scenario.
Treatment with aripiprazole-depot resulted in lower total costs compared to the oral medication treatment period (601,597.37€ vs 1,311,469.55€). This result remained similar also without consideration of the productivity losses (indirect costs) and distinctly supports the treatment with aripiprazole-depot. Hospitalizations and medications costs appear to be the main cost driving factors. During the treatment with aripiprazole-depot the reduced hospitalization-rates as well as the reduced number of hospitalized days resulted in significant cost savings compared to Phase A (170,021.33€ vs. 746,168.65€).
The results of the BIA remained robust to the modification of all seven uncertain cost-factors and probabilities during sensitivity analyses, with aripiprazole-depot being the more cost-effective strategy, with hospitalizations as the main cost-driving factor.
Costs for medication, psychiatrist services and non-drug-interventions were kept constant in the sensitivity analyses due to their characteristics (already being calculated as the sum of different medications, services and interventions), as no meaningful interpretable standard deviation could be calculated for the total costs.
The results of the sensitivity analysis are displayed in Table 5 (per case and total sample population) and Table 6 (extrapolation for the population of schizophrenia patients in Germany).
The base case analysis was already introduced in Table 3 and Table 4 and is used as a reference value for the variations in the sensitivity analysis. The results of the two therapy options remained robust to the removal of transitional probabilities and cost uncertainties. The probability of occurrence of days of sick leave (productivity loss) was varied by its own standard deviation and led to cost ranges of 9612.25€ to 10,258.50€ (oral medication) and 4449.83€ to 4725.76€ (aripiprazole-depot) per patient. The days in day clinics were varied in two different ways. The variation of the occurrence-probability by its own standard deviation led to a cost range of 9894.16€ to 10,056.59€ (oral medication) and 4493.92€ to 4621.19€ (aripiprazole-depot). Additionally the costs were varied for the day-clinic / PIA days because there is no fixed cost-value for these services. The variation of costs led to cost-ranges of 9862.16€ and 10,250.53€ (oral medication) and 4493.92€ to 4723.01€ (aripiprazole-depot).
The parameters hospital days and the associated costs of hospital days revealed the largest cost range and were identified as the parameters with the largest impact on parameter uncertainty. The variation of the occurrence-probability of the number of hospital days led to cost ranges of 4282.58€ to 18,473.38€ (oral medication) and 3269.52€ to 9352.96€ (aripiprazole-depot). Because of the fact that the hospitalization-costs are not standardized and differ significantly, costs for hospitalizations were varied as well. The cost-variation led to a cost range of 4282.58€ to 29,351.33€ for oral medication treatment and 3269.52€ to 12,843.47€ for aripiprazole-depot treatment. The parameters for emergency physician treatments / services achieved the lowest cost range. Therefore they achieved the smallest impact on parameter uncertainty. Table 5 shows these per case costs for the sample population (n = 132) while Table 6 extrapolates these costs under consideration of the estimated prevalence-rate of schizophrenia in Germany. The calculations for the German total population were made for both prevalence rates (0.8% / 0.9%). Table 7 shows the results under the assumption of a substitution of aripiprazole-depot between 4 and 12% for schizophrenia treatment .
The pre-post comparison study demonstrated significantly lower psychiatric hospitalization rates for patients switched from an oral antipsychotic therapy to aripiprazole-depot, as well as significantly less non-drug interventions and a reduced amount of productivity losses due to days of sick leave. The reduction of the hospitalization rates remained significant when being compared to a recent study and its reported hospitalization rate .
The BIA evaluated the costs and financial consequences of both schizophrenia treatments for the German health care system from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance. Treatment with oral-medication causes total costs of 6,517,606,265.43€, which are significantly higher than the total costs for treatment with aripiprazole-depot (2,989,756,603.05€). Considering the six-month observation period per treatment, these extrapolated costs for oral schizophrenia were significantly higher that the estimated annual schizophrenia costs in Germany (between 4,400,000,000€ and 9,200,000,000€ per year) .
Based on the study data, treatment with aripiprazole-depot is clearly more cost-effective than treatment with oral-medication for schizophrenia, which is mainly associated with less and shorter hospitalizations. These results support recent analyses which reported reduced health-care related costs for sustained release drugs compared to oral antipsychotics .
Regardless of the hospitalization-costs, aripiprazole-depot resulted in lower costs on all economical variables, including total drug-acquisition costs, which is an unexpected result considering the often reported greater initial acquisition costs associated with sustained release drugs . These results can be put into perspective by the fact that 63,83% of the total medication costs in the oral treatment phase are caused by aripiprazole in its oral form.
Possible limitations of the pre-post comparison study are a potential selection bias of patients and psychiatrists due to missing randomization as well as reduced sample-sizes on variables that were analysed for the employed subsample only. There was no inclusion of a control group as the patients served as their own control. The pre-post study design additionally can be prone to biases because of time-changing context factors.
Additionally the sample sizes were comparatively low, especially with regard to the employed sub-population, as the study provides a pilot project to investigate the care situation of schizophrenia patients in Germany. The results should be tested and confirmed by future projects with significantly larger case numbers. These future research efforts should also focus more on the side effects of schizophrenia.
Some cost-variables were accessed by estimations. These estimations were documented and considered during sensitivity analyses, but despite that are inferior to empirically accessed cost data.
In that regard, the collection of additional economic data of the affected patients could complement the study data efficiently. Larger sample-sizes could help to enable inferential statistical procedures for subpopulations (like employed people only) and randomization in a prospective research design could lead to a reduction of selection bias. The present evaluation is also solely dealing with costs to the health insurance system and the patient himself and does not take into account other costs in terms of work productivity or time lost or burden to family members. The sensitivity-analysis which considered the estimated market-share of aripiprazole-depot was based on data for the UK . Future analyses should take the German shares into account to reduce the bias generated due to the comparison of two different health-systems.
Another potential limitation is the fact that productivity losses were analyzed for the employed sample population only, which resulted in a reduced sub-population. It was not considered if the unemployment was caused by the schizophrenia. In this case, productivity losses and the associated costs would be systematically underestimated in the study results.
The BIA contributes relevant data on the discussion of schizophrenia treatment in Germany that are in line with recent publications on the health-economic advantages of sustained release drugs like aripiprazole-depot compared to oral antipsychotic medication.
The results suggest that schizophrenia treatment with aripiprazole-depot instead of an oral antipsychotic treatment leads to significant cost reductions from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance.
The cost-saving potential is primarily explained by less and shorter hospitalizations combined with a smaller amount of productivity losses and a significant reduction of the mean stay in day-clinics and psychiatric institute ambulances (PIAs) for patients with aripiprazole-depot treatment.
Total medication costs were calculated by the sum of aripiprazole-depot injections (which were not used in Phase A), concomitant drugs and medications due to pre-existing conditions.
These costs were calculated for the duration of the observation period (6 months). For annual costs the amount has to be doubled.
Cost ranges for days in day-clinics / PIA and hospitalized days were used because of the absence of fixed costs on these variables and were accessed from the literature.
This study was sponsored by Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. and Lundbeck GmbH. The sponsor was involved in the study design but not for analysis and interpretation of the data, in the writing of the report and manuscript.
The data that support the findings of this study are available, but restrictions apply to the availability of these data, which were used under license for the current study, and so are not publicly available. Data are however available from the authors upon reasonable request and with permission of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. and Lundbeck GmbH.
CP analyzed and interpreted the study data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. RR was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. All the authors contributed to the critical revision of the manuscript, and gave approval of the final version of the manuscript.


Build your very own TARDIS and recreate adventures in time and space with the 1 3/4-inch tall Eleventh Doctor and his able assistant Amy Pond!
The TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimensions in Space) is the Doctor's transportation vehicle and home that can take him to any place and any time. And remember: it's bigger on the inside than on the outside! This cool set includes 53 pieces and a constructible TARDIS, plus fully articulated Eleventh Doctor and Amy Pond Micro Figures. It's compatible with LEGO sets, too!
Note: The lighting up graphic you see is just for effect. Set does not contain lights.


text:
What books Abnormal Returns readers purchased in December 2016
The release of The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed the World by Michael Lewis unleashed a wave of pre-order demand and propelled the book to the top of our list. Tools of Titans: The Tactics Routines and Habits of Billionaires Icons and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss followed a somewhat similar trajectory while Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton stayed near the top of our monthly list.
For more book ideas you can check out our latest post compiling our many book links as well as last month's best-selling list. We present sales two ways: the first is by unit sales and the second way is by revenue which can be notably different. Here are the books (combined print, Kindle* and Audible.com) that Abnormal Returns readers purchased at Amazon during December 2016:
The Top 10 (by Unit Sales)
The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed the World by Michael Lewis
Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders by Joshua Foer, Dylan Thuras and Ella Morton
Tools of Titans: The Tactics Routines and Habits of Billionaires Icons and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss
The Ultimate Retirement and Estate Plan for Your Million-Dollar IRA by James Lange
The Intelligent Investor (Revised Edition) by Benjamin Graham and Jason Zweig
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths
Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story – How a Single Man Saved the World's Largest Satellite Constellation From Fiery Destruction by John Bloom
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History as Told by Jon Stewart the Correspondents Staff and Guests by Chris Smith
The Top 10 (by Revenue)
Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson
Quantitative Momentum: A Practitioner's Guide to Building a Momentum-Based Stock Selection System by Wes Gray and Jack Vogel
Thanks again to everyone who purchased a copy of my book or any other book (or item) during the month. Mid-month look for our monthly post summing up all of our book-related links as well.
ETF links: untradeable zombies


text:
Q: Why my InputBase focus doesn't work onClick React and Material UI I'm facing strange bug. I'm trying to focus my input element when i click on button but that doesn't focus my input.
I've tried to use react hook useRef and then use it in my inputRef.
const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);

        <InputBase
          inputRef={inputRef}
          value={search}
          placeholder="Search"
          onChange={onSearch}
          onKeyPress={onSearchQuery}
        />

      <Button
        variant="text"
        onClick={() => {
          inputRef.current?.focus();
          onOpen();
        }}
      >
        Focus my input
      </Button>

A: Use React.createRef()
class MyClass extends React.Component {
        constructor(props) {
          super(props);
          // create a ref to store the textInput DOM element
          this.textInput = React.createRef();
          this.focus = this.focus.bind(this);
        }

        focus() {

          // Explicitly focus the text input using the raw DOM API
          // Note: we're accessing "current" to get the DOM node
          this.textInput.current.focus();
        }

        render() {
          // tell React that we want to associate the <input> ref
          // with the `textInput` that we created in the constructor
          return (
            <div>

            <InputBase
                ref={this.textInput}
                value={search}
                placeholder="Search"
                onChange={onSearch}
                onKeyPress={onSearchQuery}
                />

            <Button variant="text" onClick={this.focus} >
                Focus my input
            </Button>

            </div>
          );
        }
      }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Minuscule 112 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), ε 146 (Soden), is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment leaves. Paleographically it had been assigned to the 11th century.
The codex contains the text of the four Gospels on 167 parchment leaves (14.5 cm by 11.3 cm). Written in one column per page, 33 lines per page. Initial letters in gold; it contains Epistle to Carpian, Eusebian tables, tables of κεφαλαια, κεφαλαια, τιτλοι, Ammonian Sections, Eusebian Canons (in Matthew 1-Mark 2 in the same line),[a] lectionary markings, synaxaria, Menologion, subscriptions, and pictures. According to Scrivener it is "a very beautiful copy".
The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Aland placed it in Category V.
The manuscript was examined by Scholz, who collated it partially.
It is housed at the Bodleian Library (E. D. Clarke 10) at Oxford.
a. In the same way arranged codices 192, 198, 212, 267.
1. K. Aland, M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, "Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments", Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 1994, p. 53.
2. C. R. Gregory, "Textkritik des Neuen Testaments", Leipzig 1900, vol. 1, p. 153.
3. Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, vol. 1. London: George Bell & Sons. p. 210.
4. Kurt Aland, and Barbara Aland, "The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism", transl. Erroll F. Rhodes, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995, p. 138.
This page was last modified on 11 March 2016, at 04:02.


I previoulsy downloaded and installed Norton Internet Security on my WinXP, and I had to disable the firewall in order to view Web pages. If the firewall is enabled then I always get the "page will not display" page. But I can connect to the Internet just can't surf. What do I need to set on the firewall options?
You might have accidentally denyed internet access to your internet connection.
You might want to check >Double click on your Firewall icon a window will pop up. > Click Status and Settings>Click Personal Firewall > Click the program control tab > and you'll be able to check to see if access to the internet has been blocked and you can permit access again.
Becky Queen .....I would review the settings in your Norton Security.....it sounds like you have a setting set that is preventing you from accessing the pages you wish. REMEMBER .......when all fails read the instructions.


Welcome to the Kitchen CounterTops site – We have Information on all your countertop options including tips for installation, care and maintenance. So what are you options?
The choices are confusing – there are so many options available in kitchen counters. Our site will help you can make an educated choice when you remodel your kitchen. Under each of the categories below there is advice about countertop materials, surfaces and tips for usage and common installation practices.
Granite is the most popular choice for kitchen counter tops, especially when the size your budget isn't a consideration. A solid quality countertop can define a kitchen. The inclusion of a granite counter top will add class to the most modest of kitchens. They are available in a number of colors and are extremely durable (although periodic sealing is usually a must). Although there is some maintenance involved, granite kitchen counter tops are elegant and timeless.
Engineered stone is not as popular as granite but is often confused for a granite finish. Engineered stone has all the pros of granite but is probably easier to maintain (it differs from brand to brand the quality of the stone). Engineered stone counter tops are composed of quartz particles and they are available in a larger range of colors than granite – an additional benefit is a nonporous surface that is scratch resistant. Some popular brands on the market are DuPont, and Silestone. Engineered Stone is often more expensive than a granite finish.
Let's get this out of the way – marble has an extremely high price tag and is not often used for countertops or indeed anywhere in kitchens. While marble is luxurious and instantly recognizable, it requires maintenance and it easily stains. Sealers are required to retard staining and scratches. Please be sure to read all of our great articles before choosing to buy.
Solid surface counters are just what they're called, solid. Most scratches can be sanded out. The countertops are custom-made to your specifications by companies such as Avonite, Corian, and Swanstone. Visit our directory for links to these suppliers. The biggest advantage with solid surface counters is the range of colors and patterns… you just have to make sure you are careful with hot pans and everyday mishaps which can leave marks and/or stains.
Ceramic tile is extremely durable and usually easy to clean. It's also relatively inexpensive – a great choice for average kitchen renovators. Ceramic counters are usually installed one section at a time and most people can easily work with the materials. Ceramic finishes are excellent because they take hot pans, are easy to clean and are available in a number of different textures. The only downside is that the grout in between the tiles can be difficult to clean (if poorly designed) and the surface can end up uneven. Both of these pitfalls can be avoided with a professional installation.
Laminate counter tops are popular and affordable – popular trademarks Formica, Nevamar are house hold names. Laminate counters are made out of plastic coated synthetics with a smooth surface that is usually easy to clean. The pieces are cut to size and then installed and finished on the ends. The biggest advantage of laminate finishing is obviously its affordability and range of patterns and colors. It's relatively durable and easy to replace if stained or damaged.
A contemporary and industrial can be achieved with a stainless steel counter. Stainless steel is extremely heat resistant and durable. This choice of countertop is usually constructed precisely to your specifications so you can expect a seamless finish. While they are easy to clean, they can also appear clinical, they are noisy, very expensive it's difficult to modify the fabrication yourself.
Soapstone offers a beautiful finish - it is generally dark in color and has a smooth and welcoming feel. Popular among historic homes (particularly among renovators) it is a great finish for both countertops and can be used as sink material. The biggest pitfall is the regular maintenance soapstone requires: applications of mineral oil will help prevent cracking over time.
Increasingly popular wood countertops offer a rustic look and are available in a wide range of finishes and timbers. Hardwoods such as oak and maple are often used as kitchen countertops. One of our favorites, wooden counters can be sanded and resealed and the look fantastic, although they require a small amount of care. They can be damaged by water and stains overtime and need to be oiled or sealed – instructions and maintenance will vary from hardwood to hardwood and among manufacturers.
If your kitchen is an unusual shape and you require a very specific shape then a concrete counter might be a great choice (although the elevated price tag may be beyond most budgets). There are lots of advantages: it can be color tinted, it can look fantastic in the right setting (industrial) and new finishes mean that a concrete counter will almost never crack. On the downside, cracking is possible and the finish can be quiet porous (although it can be sealed).