If you plan to learn about the Hue Imperial City on your half a day in Hue, the Deluxe Hue Walk of Imperial City is the best walking tour for you.
The Hue Imperial City Walking Tour has become a standard feature of a visit to Hue ancient city. However, it's gotten a bit cookie cutter and at times the imperial palaces of Nguyen feel more like a quiet reproduction than a real living kingdom.
Furthermore, many travelers are disappointed the limited information on sites. They find it hard to understand how the Nguyen feudal system worked. Thus, Bee Bee Travel has developed a new walking tour that takes both the history and the solemnity of the site seriously.
If your interest is history and discovering the many stories of Nguyen's Emperors, join our small group experience.
Through visual old collection, we will help you to to understand one of the most powerful kingdoms in South East Asia. Since it's a restricted walking area, learning Hue history by foot is the best thing to do in Hue Imperial City.
I have a full day in Hue, do you have any other tours? – In that case, the Hue Full Day City Tour will best suit you!
Firstly, your Hue Walk of Imperial City will start with an introduction to Gia Long at the Thuong Tu Entrance. Interestingly, you will be learning of his amazing life story in early 19th century.
Similarly, our Hue Expert Guide will brief to you the oriental layout of Hue Citadel and the impact of Vietnam War on site.
Secondly, you will start to do a walking tour inside the Hue Citadel to the Ngu Phung Tower. Later on, to the Thai Hoa palace. Here, your charming expert will explain the Nguyen Imperial Architecture .
Furthermore, are you curious of how this monarchy system worked, their five hierarchy classes and the role of women during Nguyen Empire? Your Hue expert guide will eagerly explain to you through many interesting stories.
Because the achievement of Nguyens is best told at The To temple. Therefore, this is the must-visit temple in Hue Imperial City. Furthermore, if you wonder how their lives ended, this well-kept temple is great for you to explore.
On a side note, you will also visit the famous Cuu Dinh and Hien Lam Cac at this site.
Your Hue Imperial City Guide continues with the Dien Tho and Truong Sanh Residence. Surprisingly, they are famous for their artistic works and stunning landscapes.
Unfortunately, the two wars with France and America destroyed much of the Purple Forbidden City of Hue. However, our expert guide with visual documents will help you to understand what happened in Hue Forbidden City during the Tet Offensive.
S/he will also take you to visit the Harem of Nguyen's ruins. Trickily enough, most visitors while walking alone can't seem to find where it used to be. But don't worry, we know best about the Hue Imperial City!
Finally, your Hue Walk of Imperial City will end at the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities. You will learn the glory of Nguyen Dynasty through their valuable treasures.
In conclusion, you will never learn so much about Nguyen History in half a day than in this unique Hue walking tour. Let's sign up with us now.
1. Deluxe and Standard: which one to choose?
Firstly, we offer two wonderful walks in Hue Imperial City. While with the deluxe tour, we focus on Nguyen achievement and what happened in Hue Citadel during the Tet Offensive.
The standard Hue Walk of Imperial City, on the other hand, helps to see the most ornate palaces. Also, there is wonderful photo opportunity on both tours.
Therefore, if you are unsure of which tour to book for the best value of your money, contact our travel consultant for the best advice.
Inclusively taken place in Hue Imperial City and Hue Forbidden City, its total walking distance is about 2,1 kilometers. In addition, there is a small walking tour of Hue Citadel at the beginning as well.
As a must, you need to cover your shoulders and wear short at least over the knees. Thus, we have to refuse you if your clothing is not appropriate on the day.
Hue Imperial City, Minh Mang and Khai Dinh for 280,000 VND/ person.
Hue Imperial City, Minh Mang, Khai Dinh and Tu Duc tomb for 360,000 VND/ person.
are from 07'00 to 17'30. However, it's better to visit in the morning as it's quieter and pleasant. On a side note, our tours start at 08'30 and 14'00 in the winter time.
good walking shoes, water and good camera. Moreover, we will provide you with conical hat or poncho depends on the weather.
The Standard Hue Walk of Imperial City is an budget Hue walking tour for visitors who prefer sightseeing the best palaces in Hue Imperial City.
Interestingly known as a maze of palaces, monuments and royal gardens, visit the Hue Imperial City would require you to spend at least 5 hours.
However, we pick the most beautiful palaces in the old kingdom of Nguyen Dynasty for you. This guided walking tour in Hue will be with a licensed guide with good English competence and knowledge.
Finally, this is a great fit for visitors who enjoy landscapes and learn JUST about a good amount of information with a very reasonable price. On a side note, the Standard Hue Walk of Imperial City is the best thing to do in Hue for photography lovers.
Can this tour be done for us to join a Hue Food Tour at 17'30? – Absolutely!
Firstly, your Hue Imperial City Walking Tour will start with our guide from Hue introducing to you about Gia Long. His brilliant Vauban idea on Hue Citadel made it masterpiece of Vietnam architecture. Subsequently, you will be standing at Thuong Tu Entrance to learn about its function during 143 years of ruling by Nguyen Dynasty.
Because your second stop will be at The Ngu Phung Tower and Thai Hoa Palace, you will be learning the one-of-a-kind Nguyen Imperial Architecture. Furthermore, an interesting introduction about how the Monarchy government worked. Also, do you wonder role of Eunuchs and women during the feudal era? All will be told as here.
Most importantly, we take you to visit the Purple Forbidden City. Why is it so called Purple? What happened to it during the Tet Offensive? Similarly, your local Hue guide will surely answer all these questions for you at Kien Trung Palace.
Finally, our Hue walking detour continues with a visit to the next 5 most outstanding architectures. The first two are: Duyet Thi Duong, Thai Binh Lau. Finally, the rest are Truong Sanh and Dien Tho Residence.
To sum up, your walk in Hue Imperial City will end at the soulful The To Mieu.
This is proudly praised as the most beautiful walking route in Hue by our clients. Therefore, your eyes are guaranteed to see and hear amazing things in Hue.
Story route: cover 6 main palaces with unique stories.
Focus on the architecture of Nguyen.
Sightseeing route: cover 10 most unique architecture in Hue Imperial City.
What was the cost of Vietnam War?
We did the Imperial City tour with Thu who is also the CEO of BeeBee Travel and what a wonderful experience it was!
The venue itself is breathtaking and one of the most beautiful and fascinating royal complexes we have ever visited. It is without a doubt a must and in itself worth the visit to Hue. The splendor of the complex is in great contrast to the grim reality of war as many parts of the city were destroyed or damaged by the savage fighting and bombardment during the so-called Tet offensive of 1968. The Vietnamese government has done great reconstruction and replication work and more is in store. It is just hard to reconcile this historic and cultural treasure with the horrors of that war.
Thu was an extraordinary guide speaking great English (somewhat rare in Vietnam) and extremely knowledgeable. She was both professional and very friendly and invested great efforts in making our tour worthwhile. Part of the great pleasure of meeting her was in getting valuable insights into the life of contemporary Vietnamese, their hopes and dreams and their views on the history of their country. We have had a number of good guides in Vietnam but Thu stands out. A truly impressive young Vietnamese woman.
We highly recommend this tour, which is also great value for money and suggest you cross your fingers to get Thu as your guide. I would venture to say that all the tours and options offered by BeeBee Tours are first class.
We had a wonderful tour with Trang and appreciated her welcoming attitude and knowledge of the Imperial City. She is a delight! Would you remind her to send me the water buffalo pictures?
She'll know what I mean.
I just want to report that we have had two excellent tours today.
Ngoc this evening gave us another great food experience.
Our English speaking guide was a charming young and educated woman well versed in history who made the life of people in Vietnam during the Dynasty of Emperors come alive.
What a great day we had! We were privileged to have Thu (the owner) give us an outstanding tour of this historic city. We forget sometimes, that the history of Vietnam is so much more than the 1960's and 70's that we know.. Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam is a wonderful city and Thu made the history come alive! Bee Bee Travel was as professional as a tour company gets. Book with them. You won't be disappointed.


text:
Health has no party
Home / Medicine X | CITIZEN / Health has no party
By Julia James
In Medicine X | CITIZEN
Outraged by House Republicans' repeal-and-replace bill, patient advocates Liz Salmi and Hugo Campos issued an invitation to those with pre-existing conditions: Come out.
"I have an idea but I don't know if it's been done before."
Hugo Campos looked at his phone and found a text from his friend Liz Salmi.
He wasn't sure what she was talking about, but it was May 4, the day House Republicans passed their bill repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. So he made a few assumptions.
"Oh my god, Washington sucks," he replied.
He'd read Salmi's cryptic message right. She, too, had health care on her mind — specifically, the part of the AHCA loosening protections for people with pre-existing conditions. As a patient advocate and longtime marketer, Salmi had sensed strongly that her rage was shared — and that now was the time to act.
Her idea: create a simple graphic for people to upload as a profile picture on Twitter and Facebook and a hashtag to go with it.
People on Twitter and Facebook have incorporated the graphic Salmi and Campos made into collages that show the care they require.
Campos loved it. They brainstormed and Photoshopped. They published. And from a first post — "My name is Liz. I'm an American with a pre-existing condition. #HealthHasNoParty" — the movement quickly spread. In tandem with similar efforts, like #IAmAPreexistingCondition, a mass coming out has taken over social media feeds.
As the heart and brain of this particular campaign, Campos and Salmi couldn't make more sense. That's where their pre-existing conditions reside. One has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the other cancer. For both, the passage of the House bill is digging up memories of a past that, in the rearview mirror, looks even more primitive and cruel than it felt.
It's talk about denial of coverage that takes Campos back. Between 2011 and 2013, he got two rejection letters: one from Anthem Blue Cross and another from Kaiser Permanente. Applicant name, the first one reads: Hugo O Campos. Decline reason: Defibrillator implanted.
Unable to buy coverage during a stretch before Obamacare was implemented, Campos was locked out of the health care system and, quite literally, his own body. He cut pills, purchased a pacemaker programmer on eBay and enrolled in a certificate program to learn how to "interrogate" his own cardiac device.
For Salmi, what hurts is the suggestion, promoted by some, that people with pre-existing conditions are to blame for their plight, and deserve to pay more for coverage.
She was a fit 29-year-old who didn't drink or smoke when she had a seizure, went to the hospital and learned she had a mass in her brain. It was Friday of her first week on a new job — and she was between employer-sponsored insurance plans.
Both Salmi and Campos live in California, but their campaign has brought in people across the country and political spectrum who feel a similar sense of betrayal.
In the Facebook group Campos shares with his patient community, one member wrote: "I'm a veteran. I don't cheat on my taxes. I vote in elections … Today I feel like some dog kicked out of a car on the edge of town — more trouble than I'm worth."
Campos and Salmi say the openness is a testament to progress made by the ePatient movement. After a decade of chipping away at the stigma around disease, people feel more comfortable owning and chronicling their conditions.
And while doing so can feel self-indulgent, the political moment has turned sharing into an act of compassion — of civic responsibility, even.
"People are waking up," Campos says. "They're more engaged, more vigilant, less willing to hear a half truth." For him, at least, going back to pre-ACA conditions does not feel tenable.
"To have that dark cloud over my head again, when I've managed to breathe a little bit, would be awful," Campos says. "Can we just keep moving forward?"
ABOUT MEDICINE X | CITIZEN: To be a #medx citizen is to have a voice, no matter who you are. CITIZEN aims to be a guide to the people and action in the Medicine X community that are shaping the evolving health care conversation. Entries in this series are not an endorsement of the people or actions featured.
Julia James
On the importance of storytelling in medicine
Sharing my voice on Capitol Hill

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Scymnus circumspectus är en skalbaggsart som beskrevs av Horn 1895. Scymnus circumspectus ingår i släktet Scymnus och familjen nyckelpigor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Nyckelpigor
circumspectus

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This section deals with converting data.
One example of each conversion that is important based on what is simplest, most common, and easiest to code.
The Byte section covers Binary to Text converters that are principally used to transfer binary files across text mediums like e-mail and the Web, through text-only protocols like SMTP and HTTP.
Convert colours from HSL hues to RGB values.
Compress and Decompress using the LZW algorithm (because it's used in .gif files and they are common).
Convert integer numbers into English words.
Convert English words into similar sounds using Metaphones helping prevent users from misspelling company names in database input forms!


Whereunto for fuller explication add but Jude's words of the same men, ver. 4. "Ungodly men, turning the Grace of our God into Lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ," put all these together because they all speak of the same men.
Now 1. The Text expressly says, they denied the Lord that bought them.
2. That is it is the Lord Jesus that is the Lord appears.
1. In that it is expressly said in the 20. ver. that it was by the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that they escaped the pollutions of the World.
3. There have been few that have denied God among all the Apostates in comparison of those that have denied Christ: Nay, it is a great doubt whether it can be proved of any, directly that were in those times.
4. Their Apostasy is described by "turning from the holy Commandment delivered to them," which is called "the way of Righteousness," and to their former Vomit (which must needs be the state they were in before they turned Christians) and to the mire, after they were washed; And this state of Apostasy is opposed to "escaping the pollutions of the World, by the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," so that it is left past doubt that it is the Lord Jesus Christ that bought them whom they are said to deny. And Jude says of them, that "they are twice dead, plucked up by the roots," by which it appears that after their first death, they had received some kind of new Life by Christ.
Lastly, Note, that here are many benefits which they received, which could not have befallen them, but through the Death of Christ; They could no other way have been washed and have escaped the world's pollutions, and have known the way of Righteousness, &c., yea Jude says,"They turn the Grace of God into Lasciviousness," therefore it was a sin against Grace: and all Grace is by the blood of Christ: yea it iseems they had themselves some Grace, that is, (Mercy contrary to merit and tending to a recovery), which they so turned into Lasciviousness. And Peter in the next chapter shows that their Apostasy lay in a not-believing Christ's second coming, because of his seeming delay, and therefore they gave themselves up to their Lusts, and said mockingly, "Where is the promise of his coming?" so that it is both evident that they were purchased by Christ, and that it is Christ that bought them whom they are said to deny.
Yet as plain as the Holy Ghost has here spoken, what industry is used to raise a Dust, and compel these words to receive an alien sense.
1. It is said that "all things for universal Redemption are here Uncertain: but against it, this is certain.
Ans. 1 It is here merely begged and never was yet proved, that Christ has purchased common gifts of light and knowledge for men without making his Soul a Ransom, i.e., his Life a satisfaction for them, and that all that he satisfied for have distinguishing fruits of redemption. It is easier to take these as certainties than to prove them so.
2. Redemption is no aggravation of that man's Apostasy, that never was an Apostate. It cannot be said, that they deny the Lord that bought them, who never denied him: And therefore it is a common aggravation of the sin of all that do sin against him, and of all their denial that do deny him: but all do not deny him. May not that be an aggravation of these men's sins in particular, which would also aggravate the sins of any other, according to the several quality of the sin? May it not be said of an Atheist, (He that denies the God that made him), as an aggravation of his particular sin? and will you by force of wit thence prove that God made not all men? Now to the uncertainties.
Answ. It may enforce the unprejudiced I think; review what I have produced out of the Text to prove it. But they give these reasons against it.
1. God only, as God with his dealing toward such, is mentioned, of Christ not a word.
Answ. 1. Is not Christ God? And from this Text Divines have proved it (joined with Jude 4) against the Arians; and must we give up that argument for nothing? 2. I have before showed special mention of Christ.
2. They say (the name despotes properly Herus, attended by Dominion and Sovereignty, is not usually if at all given to our Saviour in the New Testament, &c. Nay is the name proper for our Saviour in the work of Redemption? Despotes is such a Lord and Master as refers to servants and subjection.
Answ. 1. I hope we must not also deny Christ's Dominion and Sovereignty, and deny ourselves to be his Servants and Subjects, (as he is Mediatory) only that we may the better deny his Universal Sacrifice and Satisfaction: If we do, it will be a dear bought conclusion, "All power in Heaven and Earth is given to him, and the Father has committed all judgement to him, and for that end he died, Rose, and Revived, that he might be Lord of the Dead and living," Math. 28.19, John 5.22; Rom. 14.9.
2. It is sufficient if here it be evident that despotes is applied to Christ; seeing that there is no disuading reason can be brought from the word. It is undoubtedly true of the reign of the Mediator, in the largest sense; (now all power is given to him), and he basileia auto panton desthezei, as it is said of God, Psal. 103.19, by the Sept. Erasmus says siquid interest despotes privatis jurus nomen est, kurios honris & authoritatis: And then we may see that both belong to Christ, and yet no wonder if he be more often called kurios.
3. If it were God the Father that is here called Lord, yet all is one to the main point, for he [is] Deus Redemptor, and he bought them by the blood of his Son, but that's the next Question.
2. They say it is uncertain that by (buying) is meant purchasing with the ransom of his blood.
Answ. 1. What other price than Christ's blood does God buy men with?
2. I have proved it before, that it was purchasing with Christ's blood; both in that Jude mentions the Lord Jesus (and some think that the former Title (the only Lord God) is given of Christ too, and the place invincible to prove Christ's Godhead) and in that the benefits received by them could come no other way. But let us see their Reasons.
1. They say the Apostle insists on a Comparison with the times of the Old Testament, and the False Prophets that were then among the People.
1. Is not the comparison clear, as those false Prophets were part of the Typical Redeemed People, so are these of the truly Redeemed.
2. That the Typical Redemption out of Egypt was not only a Type, but also a Fruit of Christ's Redemption, in its moral being considered.
1. They say the word agorazo, signifies primarily the buying of things, translatitiously the Redemption of Persons.
Answ. 1. It signifies any buying in the Market for a price, whether thing or person. And what other buying with a price can you here devise?
2. It's well known the Holy Ghost uses it to signify Christ's purchasing of us by his blood, what means it, Rev. 5.9 egorasas to en to aimati sou? and Rev. 14.3, oi egorasmenoi apo tes ges. And 1 Cor. 6.20, egorasthete times, Rev. 14.4, with many the like.
Answ. 1. As if agorazo did not alone signify to buy with a price.
2. Has every place that treats of proper Redemption such an addition? View those before cited, and be convinced of the contrary, what's added, Rev. 14.3.
Answ. The question is of the satisfaction by sacrifice, whether Christ bought them thereby: this Reason is from the effects and application, if they had not so much as escaped this pollution of the World, it would not follow that Christ did not buy them by his satisfaction, but only that they received not this benefit of it.
2. It is easier begged than proved, that Christ satisfied for none but these that are washed by his blood.
3. If it had been said that they were washed in the blood of the Lamb, had it not been easy for the same wit to have found another interpretation? and to have said it was spoken but kata[?] dokan, because they have professed it to be so?
4. He that will well prove that God can and does so far relax his Law, as to give all these mercies without Christ's satisfying for them to whom they are given, viz., washing, escaping the World's pollutions by the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour; yea, clean escaping from them who live in error, ver. 18. &c. will do the Socinians a greater pleasure, and say more against the necessity of Christ's satisfaction, than ever I saw yet done by any.
And here I would haev no strange passage observed in very many Divines, that it may appear how prejudice & studium partium, prevails in Men's studies, and how much Will can command the Understanding. When we plead that God does in pardoning Sin for Christ's Sacrifice relax the Law, or dispence with it, and not properly execute it according to its sense, they stifly deny it, and say that it is but an interpretation it kat' epithkeian, according to its sense reserved exception, and that Christ's suffering was the proper fulfilling of the Law, and the Reason they give is, because they think it of that necessity that the Law be executed according to its sense, or else it should not be true; or at least God should not be just; (even Essenius himself forsakes Grotius in this point), and yet these same Men will maintain either that God does without any satisfaction at all so relax the same Law to wicked men, as to give them all the mercies which they enjoy (viz., illumination, a taste of the good word of God, and the powers of the World to come, to be made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and believe for a time, and be sanctified by the blood of the Covenant and loved of Christ, and clean escape from them that lieve in error, and to escape the World's pollutions, and be washed, &c.,) or else that God does this without relaxing his Law, and so, that by the rigorous Law of Works Sinners are not deprived of these Mercies. To the Non-Elect God relaxes that Law without satisfaction, which to the Elect he does not, yea cannot relax upon satisfaction. These things are harder to me than to be well digested.
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 12:29 pm	and is filed under 2 Peter 2:1 (and Jude 4). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


Twitch has announced #TwitchUnity, which is an entire day dedicated to streamers making sure that people know that anybody is welcome on Twitch.
Twitch is encouraging all streamers to take some time on May 26th to celebrate inclusively and diversity. They want streamers to talk about a time that they felt included on Twitch as well as why diversity and inclusion of viewers is important to them.
To celebrate the day, Twitch will also launch a brand new global emote. They've also released a TwitchUnity T-shirt which is available for $33 until May 25th. You can find that HERE. All proceeds from the sale will go to Amnesty International.
I absolutely love the concept of this. Gaming can often bring out both the best and worst in people. There's many examples of people making other feel included and there's also a lot of examples in online gaming that we need to try and stamp out.


text:
Jerzy Krzysztoń (* 23. Januar 1940; † 11. November 1997) war ein polnischer Schachspieler, der vor allem im Fernschach erfolgreich war.

Sportliche Erfolge
Krzysztoń, der im Turnierschach den Titel eines Meisteranwärters trug, belegte bei der 9. polnischen Fernschachmeisterschaft 1966/67 mit 14½/15 Punkten vor Ernest Kocem und Marian Braczko den ersten Platz.

International war er ebenfalls recht erfolgreich und spielte sowohl bei der 7. Fernschach-WM (1972–1976) als auch bei der 12. Fernschach-WM (1984–1991) bis ins Finale mit.

Bei der 7. Fernschach-WM belegte er mit 9½/16 Punkten den fünften Platz und bei der 12. Fernschach-WM belegte er mit 9/14 Punkten den vierten Platz.

Für Polen spielte Jerzy Krzysztoń von 1963 bis zu seinem Tod 1997. Als Repräsentant seines Landes nahm er unter anderem bei der 8., 10. und 11. Olympiade des ICCF teil.

Im Jahr 1992 wurde er Großmeister im Fernschach. Seine beste Elo-Zahl im Fernschach war 2603 in den Jahren 1992–1994.

Einzelnachweise

 http://www.szachypolskie.pl/jerzy-krzyszton/

Schachspieler (Polen)
Fernschachspieler
Nationaler Einzelmeister (Fernschach)
Schachspieler
Pole
Geboren 1940
Gestorben 1997
Mann


text:
Q: Как автоматически настраивать высоту child элемента в ExpandableListView Есть ExpandableListView, который содержит группы и вложенные элементы групп. В каждом элементе группы содержится 2 текстовых поля (слева и справа). Бывает такое, что текст в текстовом поле вложенного элемента группы слишком большой, и он разбивается на 3 строки. После этого он не помещается в высоту элемента группы.
Как сделать так, чтобы высота элемента группы устанавливалась автоматически в зависимости от количества текста в первом текстовом поле?
Разметка для child элемента
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:padding="10dp"
    android:orientation="horizontal" >

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textViewChild"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Text"

        android:textSize="16sp"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:layout_weight="3" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textViewChild1"
        android:layout_width="100dp"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Text"

        android:textSize="16sp"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:background="@drawable/backgroun_button_nazad"
        android:textIsSelectable="false"
        android:gravity="center" />

</LinearLayout>

A: Вам надо для текстового поля указать высоту равную wrap_content и для его контейнера-родителя указать высоту равную match_parent
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:padding="10dp"
    android:orientation="horizontal" >

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textViewChild"
        android:layout_width="0dip"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Text"
        android:textSize="16sp"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:layout_weight="1" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/textViewChild1"
        android:layout_width="0dip"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Text"
        android:textSize="16sp"
        android:textColor="#000000"
        android:background="@drawable/backgroun_button_nazad"
        android:textIsSelectable="false"
        android:layout_weight="1" />
</LinearLayout>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


As if you needed more reasons to go see Star Wars, we came up with some fun ones!
Cause First Order troopers having a temper tantrum is just plain funny.
When all else fails, give yourself a BB8 thumbs up.
Wishing you could have a really cool jacket.
Great hair no matter the helmet.
Taking solar energy to a whole new level.
Everybody needs a little wookie!
Making sure to use the buddy system when running.
Watching old friends rock it: priceless.
Lol Harrison Ford still makes me dream a little.


The immersive infinity display gives you a ton of viewing real estate with no bezel.
The pro-grade camera that lets me capture epic images of the world as I see it. I really enjoy taking pictures of nature – especially flowers, gardens and birds. I love to share my images quickly with friends so they can feel like they are right with me.
Sharing is caring! No more running around looking for a place to plug-in. Wireless powershare lets you charge your Galaxy Buds or a friend's phone right from your device.
There aren't many things you can get for just $15 per month these days. Three (maybe four!) cups of coffee. A movie ticket on a Saturday night. A hot dog and a soda at the ballpark. Yes, I think a Galaxy S10e from Sprint is defiantly a much better way to spend $15.
Pay $20 per month for the flagship Galaxy S10 for with $0 down after a $17.50 per month credit.
Pay $25 per month for the larger Galaxy S10+ with $0 down after a $16.67 per month credit.
Confused about which new Galaxy 10 series phone is best for you? Here is a list of some of the differences among this powerful trio – which one will you pick?
1 Galaxy S10e $15/mo. after $16.25/mo. credit, applied within two bills. With approved credit, 18-month lease, new line of service. If you cancel early, remaining balance due. Galaxy S10e $15/mo. after $16.25/mo. credit, applied within two bills. With approved credit, 18-month lease, new line of service. If you cancel early, remaining balance due. Galaxy S10 $15/mo. after $17.50/mo. credit, applied within two bills. With approved credit, 18-month lease, new line of service. If you cancel early, remaining balance due. Galaxy S10+ $15/mo. after $16.25/mo. credit, applied within two bills. With approved credit, 18-month lease, new line of service. If you cancel early, remaining balance due.
2 After 4/30/2020 pay $60/mo for line 1, $40/mo for line 2 and $20/mo/line for lines 3-5. with AutoPay. MHS reduced to 3G speeds after 500 MB/mo. SD video streams up to 480p, music up to 500 kbps, gaming up to 2 Mbps. Data deprioritization during congestion. Excludes fees, surcharges and roaming. Limited time offer.


Chinese media are criticizing French President Nicolas Sarkozy's meeting with the Dalai Lama in Poland over the weekend.
The People's Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, ran an editorial on Sunday which said the purpose of the meeting, despite China's opposition, was to shift domestic attention away from a gloomy economy in France, high unemployment rate and waning support for presidency.
"Sarkozy was absolutely miscalculating as he tried to undermine the core interests of China so as to win domestic support, which will eventually damage the interests of the people in France and Europe," wrote Zhong Sheng.
Sarkozy held a half-hour meeting with the Dalai Lama on Saturday in the Polish city of Gdansk. It made him the first European head of state to meet the Dalai Lama while holding EU's rotating presidency.
The action garnered repeated protests by China.
"A Politician like Sarkozy is fully aware of the sensitivity of issues relating to Tibet," Zhong said, adding Sarkozy would pay a heavy price for his provocative act.
On Monday, an editorial in Oriental Outlook, a popular weekly, said "French and EU leaders know very well where China stands when it comes to issues relating to Tibet," Zhang Zhengdong wrote.
"China has always firmly opposed any secessionist activities carried out by the Dalai Lama and opposed any contact with the Dalai Lama by foreign leaders in whatever form. Even if some of the common citizens in the EU do not see China's stance on Tibet-related issues, their leaders sure can."
Zhang went on to write, "It is well acknowledged by the international community, including France and the EU, that Tibet is a part of China and the Tibet-related issues are China's internal affairs."
"China views France as a major force in the world, and has never done anything against the interests of France. The current difficult situation between China and France is the sole result of the misconduct of the French leader," the magazine said.
Taikunpao, a Hong Kong-based newspaper, ran a commentary on Tuesday which said friendship and cooperation between China and France accumulated over decades.
Ma Haoliang went on to write, Sarkozy had "over drafted trust and endurance from China to simply gain more say among the European nations, to exalt himself to a moral high ground."
"China is not a credit card for Sarkozy. His repeated overdraft of trust will place Sino-French relations in bad debt," the paper said.
Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei summoned the French Ambassador to China, Herve Ladsous, on Sunday evening to lodge a strong protest about the meeting, according to the Foreign Ministry.
China said, "France should bear full responsibility for the matter."


text:
Video Johannes Brahms opus 1
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major
Piano Sonata in C major. Time: 25'00.
1 Allegro 8:00
2 Andante 5:30
3 Scherzo: Allegro molto e con fuoco 5:30
4 Finale: Allegro con fuoco 6:00
Buy sheetmusic for this work at SheetMusicPlus
Mp3s for Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major
Click on a button at the right side. You will be transfered to a page where you can download Brahms's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major
Movements + Remarks Info & Download
Lev, Ray complete (historic recording) 29'08 m128fw705/4
No one's favorite yet Add to my List
Shields, Hannah 1 Allegro 9'02 m256
A favorite for 1 member Add to my List
Video for Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major
Sinadinovic, Dejan 1 Allegro 48'12 mpg/4
Click on the button to go to the page where you can download the music.
At the end of each line you find more information about the music of that specific performer: the duration and the filetype. For example "6'02 m128" means that this performer offers a mp3 file of 128kbps that takes 6 minutes and two seconds. The registration symbol ( ) means that the site that hosts this music requires free registration.
Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major
2 Rhapsodies for Piano
John Robson
Mozart, W.A.
Choeur Des Marias
Symphony No. 4 in E minor
Deutsches Symphonie Orchester Berlin


text:
Home » Tickets Still Available For 'AMERICAN IDOL LIVE! 2015' At King Center On July 9
Tickets Still Available For 'AMERICAN IDOL LIVE! 2015' At King Center On July 9
By Zach Clark // July 7, 2015
"AMERICAN IDOL LIVE! 2015" will be coming to the Maxwell C. King Center on Thursday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m. (King Center image)
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA — "AMERICAN IDOL LIVE! 2015" will be coming to the Maxwell C. King Center on Thursday, July 9, at 7:30 p.m.
American Idol, the most successful music competition show in television history, returns this summer with an unprecedented 14th consecutive national tour.
For the first time ever, enjoy an intimate evening spotlighting the Top Five finalists from Season 14.
"AMERICAN IDOL LIVE!" will give fans an opportunity to get up close and personal with the Top Five IDOLS from Season 14.
Our Top Five will showcase their individual artistry and talents all set to a live band.
Past tours have featured stars such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia, Adam Lambert, Scotty McCreery, Phillip Phillips and many more.
Melbourne Hosts Back To School Drive During Christmas In July Friday Fest
A digital download of the album American Idol Season XIV (Best Moments) is included with every ticket you order for this show.
You will receive an email with instructions for how to receive your download following your purchase. Tickets starting at $47.50
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS


text:
B'nai Brith Distances Itself from Shalit Criticism
B'nai Brith International has distanced itself from a newspaper article which was critical of former captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
The article in question appeared in the Jewish Tribune newspaper which is associated with B'nai Brith Canada. It suggested that many in the Canadian Jewish community were questioning JNF Canada's decision to invite Shalit to Canada as a guest speaker, fearing that this may broadcast a message of weakness rather than heroism.
In a statement it released, B'nai B'rith International wrote that it "unequivocally disassociates itself from a news story in the Jewish Tribune newspaper, which is associated with B'nai B'rith Canada, that is deeply critical of Gilad Shalit, the former Israel Defense Forces soldier captured and held captive by Hamas for five years."
The statement added, "The Jewish Tribune story in no way represents the views of B'nai B'rith International or its members and supporters around the world.
Read More: @ israelnationalnews.com
Shalit Visit to Canada Raises Eyebrows
Gilad Shalit reunites with family at IDF base following return to Israel
Israel, Hamas reach Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, officials say
Netanyahu to Russia: Pressure Hamas to free Shalit
Hamas publishes Shalit 'interview'
Syrian ship carrying aid for Gaza docks in Egypt
Brooklyn, NY – Modern Technology To Aid In Return Of Stolen Karlsburg Torahs
Chief Rabbi: Woman Can Serve on Dayanim Committee
Jews in Sports: Soccer for Harmony


I've installed the Select Language At Signup plugin in mu-plugins and created a languages directory in wp-content but the option for designating a language isn't rendering on my signup page like it looks in this illustration.
I thought it might be because of various other registration captchas and defenders I have installed causing a conflict so I deactivated them all but the plugin is still not rendering. Any idea what the conflict is? And speaking of such registration captchas, is there one which will work best with this plugin?
Can we please get a link to your signup page so we can see what's going on?
And speaking of such registration captchas, is there one which will work best with this plugin?
There's not one that should work particular better than another.
I'm getting a 403 error.
Seems to be displaying just fine. Note that the language is a blog setting (not a user setting). So it's on the blog signup page.
Ah. Sorry about that. I didn't realize it was on the second page. Thanks!


text:
Ulster Rugby
Ulster No9 John Cooney plays down contract uncertainty ahead of return from injury
"It's not something I really worry about. If anything, it's something that kicks me on to perform better.."
Darren Fullerton
Ulster scrum-half John Cooney (Image: Matt Mackey/Presseye.com)
Out of contract in the summer, Nathan Doak playing out of his skin and Leinster lying in wait on his return from a lengthy injury lay-off.
You might think John Cooney would be racked by doubt heading into Saturday night's Interpro at the RDS in Dublin, but you'd be wrong.
The 31-year-old is "physically up for it", he's relishing the added competition Doak has brought for the No9 shirt and he's unfazed by his contractual situation at the Kingspan.
"It's never been one of my worries or issues," said Cooney, whose current deal with Ulster expires at the end of the campaign.
"I played in Connacht for three years and each year I kept signing one year contracts. I just felt it got the best out of me. When your back's against the wall and you have to perform I enjoyed it.
"It's not something I really worry about. If anything, it's something that kicks me on to perform better and better.
"My goal for the last four or five months was to get back fit and get back playing well."
Cooney is preparing for only his second game in seven months, the bulk of his time on the sidelines the result of a troublesome neck injury sustained in a European loss at Leicester in April.
Medical scans revealed disc damage after the experienced pivot lost "all power down an arm" three days after the Challenge Cup semi-final.
His only outing this season, in an opening day win over Glasgow, was cut short by a hamstring injury, a setback that opened the door for Doak to impress in his absence.
"I think he's done brilliantly and it's a reflection of his work rate," said Cooney of the teenage No9.
"He's a quality kicker and he's got a lot of attributes for a young player that I definitely didn't have at that age.
"Maybe in the past I'd be at home gritting my teeth and getting pissed off at the competition, but the better he plays, the better I play.
"I remember a quote by Henry Ford that 'the competitor to be feared is the one who continually improves himself'.
"These last few weeks, I've been trying to be the best version of me.
John Cooney injured his neck against Leicester in April (Image: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo)
"I've put a massive emphasis on that. I really treated the last eight weeks as my pre-season and I feel physically 10 times better than I did at the start of the season."
Cooney couldn't have been handed a tougher game to return in, a potential baptism of fire against the reigning champions and URC leaders in their own backyard.
Ulster have won just once at Leinster since 1999 - a 22-18 victory under former head coach Mark Anscombe in 2013 - while they suffered a 24-12 defeat at the RDS last season.
"Leinster are the best team in the league and it's a big game to get thrown back into, but I feel up for it," he said.
"I wouldn't say (Leinster have) an air of invincibility. Away in the RDS last season I was confident we would kick on in the second half and win that game, but it was probably ourselves who threw it away.
"I'm competitive and I want to win these games. We haven't been winning these games and I enjoy the competitive aspect of that. I want to compete with the best and I really want to beat them."
Ulster, who lost 36-11 to Connacht in their last game before the Autumn break, are staring a crucial run of fixtures with four Interpros and four European games in their next 10 games.
Saturday night's Interpro has an 8pm kick-off.
Andy Warwick says Dan McFarland was "right" to vent his frustration after Ulster loss
Ulster head coach Dan McFarland reacts to Steven Kitshoff speculation


WOODLANDS PARK is located at 1 JALAN GELEGAR in district 25 (Admiralty, Woodlands) of Singapore. WOODLANDS PARK is a Landed Estate development.
Educational institutions like SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL, KINGSTON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, ST. FRANCIS METHODIST SCHOOL, UNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL, YEW TEE PRIMARY SCHOOL and MARSILING PRIMARY SCHOOL are near to WOODLANDS PARK.
WOODLANDS PARK is accessible via nearby KRANJI, MARSILING and YEW TEE MRT Stations.


text:
Stockton man killed in Reno
A Stockton man was shot dead in a fight outside a Reno restaurant Saturday, officials said.
Steven Cordova, 26, died at a hospital, and two other men were treated for gunshot wounds and released, the Reno Police Department reported.
Ian Perkins, 32, of East Palo Alto was involved in the fight and was found suffering from stab wounds in a downtown motel, police reported. He was arrested on a charge of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm and on a misdemeanor traffic warrant, according to the report.
Police said, officers were called about 3:15 a.m. to a Denny's restaurant, where Cordova, Perkins and others had met. They argued and moved to a parking lot, where Perkins was stabbed, and Cordova and two men who helped him were shot, police reported.
Police continued to investigate Monday.
© Copyright 2006-2019 GateHouse Media, LLC. All rights reserved • GateHouse A News


text:
Land Leasing
Back To News Listings
BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES NAMES JACK CECIL AS NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
NAPLES, FL., — May 29, 2018 – Barron Collier Companies, a diversified investment company located in Naples, Florida, has named Jack Cecil as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors. Cecil replaces Barron Collier III who held the position since 2013.
"It's been my privilege to serve as the chairman of one of Florida's longest family run private companies," comments Barry Collier. "Ensuring our grandfather's legacy and the company's positive impact in Southwest Florida carries on for all the families and their future generations has been a great inspiration for my time as chairman."
"Barry Collier has led our board of directors imparting great vision and establishing a common purpose for Barron Collier Companies over the past 5 years," states Blake Gable, CEO of Barron Collier Companies. "Jack Cecil has served as an independent member of our board of directors for the past five years and has provided invaluable insight during that time. We are glad to welcome him as the new chairman and look forward to his thoughtful, objective leadership in the years to come."
"I am honored to lead the board of directors during this next phase," states Jack Cecil. "Barron Collier Companies is rich with history and its impact can be seen in many industries. I hope to continue the good work Barry has put in place and feel that my experience will provide the business knowledge and strategic thinking that a family-run business requires." Cecil has been President and CEO of Biltmore Farms, LLC since 1992. Established in 1897, Biltmore Farms has focused its efforts on community building, through developing an extensive portfolio of real estate projects including a regional shopping mall, a mixed-use urban village, master planned communities, corporate offices, hotels, apartments, medical office buildings and over 1,000 homes.
ABOUT BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES
Barron Collier Companies is one of the largest diversified companies in Florida dedicated to the responsible development, management, and stewardship of numerous land holdings. Led by the Collier family, with roots tracing back one hundred years to Collier county founder Barron G. Collier, Barron Collier Companies pursues its vision for Southwest Florida with successful enterprises in several areas including agriculture, land development and mineral management. For more information, please visit www.barroncollier.com or call 239-262-2600.
AVE MARIA IS FASTEST GROWING SINGLE-FAMILY COMMUNITY NAPLES-FT MYERS FOR PAST 4 YEARS
BARRON COLLIER COMPANIES EXPANDS COMMERCIAL FOOTPRINT TO FLORIDA'S EAST COAST
Barron Collier Companies
2600 Golden Gate Parkway
ContactUs@BarronCollier.com
Copyright 2021 Barron Collier Companies


Disappointed about the changes to frost, but hopefully there will be some cool stuff later on to make me happier about the changes.
Yay, Blood single target looks a little less aoe based. Was really tired of blood boil being my main skill on boss fights. It really wasn't my main skill but it started to feel like it.
whats the 1h called in the iron dwarf's right hand ? anyone know?
These all sound so good. DK might become my favorite plate wearers again.
lets cater more to noobs Blizzard, last expansion was already some dumbing down but not too much, this however is just going too far, even a monkey can play these classes now without anyone noticing any diffrence.
It's one of the (many ) unused models from Ulduar.
I'm just hoping blood will be more focused on not dying rather than dps. All these multi blood dks make me angry. Survival>dps. I wanna solo things that shouldn't be soloed. I want to feel invulnerable, impenetrable, I am fortress of death.
Коготь Острокрылой looks a bit similar, but it's not the one he's using.
There will be some management involved. But, not much. Death Strike does use Runic Power now instead of runes. It is more like Bear Tanking now. A handful of spells and that's it.
You obviously don't understand Blizzard's business model (the one that got them to where they are today). Please educate yourself on what the term "accessible" means before you lower yourself to this level of meaningless, unconstructive hyperbole and whining.
Everything sounds great except the fact that obliterate is still PHYSICAL damage, our arguably strongest or at least second strongest hit that receives no bonus from mastery, why?


pic poetry communicates and reinforces histories that reinforce core cultural and national identities. Once those histories embed themselves in a culture, it is impossible for poets to produce new tales of similar scope and majesty. Despite admirable efforts by Lucan, Corippus, and other talented poets, the wreckage of failed epic poems litters the Latin poetry landscape.
The influence of Virgil's Aeneid outlived the society it celebrated. With an acrobatic set of intellectual contortions, Church Fathers embraced Virgil as a proto-Christian—some even saw Christ's birth predicted in Virgil's Eclogues. Late Antique and medieval poetry relied heavily on Virgil, and in particular the Aeneid, for their imagery and use of language. Dante and John Milton could not have written their greatest poetry without the Aeneid.
With modernist poets' elitism, poverty of language, and short attention spans, there seems almost no possibility that we will see a revival of epic verse. Missing the solaces of the genre, the public looks now to fantasy fiction—from J.R.R. Tolkien to J.K. Rowling and George R.R. Martin—for the quasi-religious mythologies once the province of epics.
Compare this densely alliterative and incoherent line with G.P. Goold's "literal" translation for Harvard University Press.
hoof shakes the crumbling plain.
Robert Fagles's 2006 translation is less testosterone-drenched and more accurate than Ahl's, but it doesn't deserve the lavish praise it has received. Barry Powell's 2015 free verse version has been almost entirely, and rightly, ignored.
Ruden's translation received widespread praise among reviewers, but her work has remained controversial among certain classicists; I once watched Ahl and a prominent classical scholar shout her down during a panel discussion when she defended her use of iambic pentameter. The shouters largely recycled legitimate objections to Robert Fitzgerald's still-popular 1983 blank verse translation, which left out significant content and nuances to achieve its elegance.
Her rendering of "hoofbeats" in the plural is clearly the correct translation, and her choice of "soft-earthed" for putrem is far superior to Goold's "crumbling." More importantly, Ruden's line is quietly powerful in a way that reflects the tone of the original text.
In his new translation of the Aeneid, David Ferry, who has previously translated Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics, renders this same line skillfully.
Ferry's translation reflects assumptions somewhere between those of Fagles and Ruden. Ferry is not a classicist but a retired English professor revered for his thoughtfulness and humility—rare traits among prominent poets. His early poetry in the 1950s was formal in the style of Richard Wilbur and Anthony Hecht. Like Adrienne Rich, Louis Simpson, Donald Hall, and Robert Bly, he moved away from his early assumptions about craft, but he did not move as far, and never embraced their middle-aged bile toward formal poetry.
All self-regard, or else all privacy.
The intimate and meditative first six lines have five feet and 12 to 14 syllables, but in the final line Ferry turns to strict regular iambic pentameter to drive his point home. This poetic strategy works well in Ferry's translations of Virgil's pastoral poetry, and even more effectively in his translations of Horace's Odes and Epistles, beautifully capturing the Roman poet's wryness and conversational tone.
Ferry's Aeneid has many strengths. He avoids over-the-top images not fairly located in the text, and sticks close to the prose translations he cites in his introductory comments. He also tries to include everything of significance in the original, avoiding egregious cuts made to improve the aesthetics of a line or the narrative flow. The language and syntax are generally straightforward, and it is easy to imagine using this translation in a classroom. Presumably toward that end, the University of Chicago Press includes a useful "The World of the Aeneid" map on the inside covers of the book. Finally, there are sections, particularly in the conversations and Book VI's trip to the underworld, where Ferry's talents mesh well with Virgil's powerful language.
Unfortunately, the work does not consistently live up to the standard Ferry has established for himself over more than six decades of increasingly impressive work. The most surprising shortcoming is that his translation lacks the precise line breaks of his earlier work. More than a hundred times he ends a line with "and"—the weakest word possible. He also ends hundreds of lines by splitting prepositional, adjectival, and verb phrases: to / Compose; in / Her; for / Their; they / Move; with / The; with / a; dear / Mother's.
There is no obvious reason why these lines should consistently end so awkwardly. Both Ruden and Emily Wilson in her magnificent new Odyssey translation (reviewed on page 82) use more traditional line breaks. They also use blank verse more metrically restrictive than Ferry's and maintain line-for-line equivalence, which Ferry doesn't. With his loosening of traditional iambic pentameter's rules, he had room to maintain the integrity of lines in ways that would have created a pulse a reader could sense.
The diction problems are broader than the translatese. At times Ferry's word choices are "high" in tone, as when he uses "Aeneadae" (IX.226) instead of "the followers of Aeneas." On the other hand, bursts of (often awkward) contractions randomly lower the tone of other passages, as do slangy, off-key phrases such as "Call up a meeting" (XI.489).
Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey, invented blank verse and translated Books II and IV of the Aeneid into such verse before his execution (for treason) in 1547. Although translation from Latin or Greek dactylic hexameter into blank verse requires compression, that compression often improves the quality of the resulting poetry. Both Sarah Ruden in her Aeneid translation and Emily Wilson in her Odyssey translation have proven that proposition. Sprawling free verse and loose metrical verse alike have always failed to capture the grandeur of epic poetry. Blank verse can provide translations of these great poems with power and rhythm, features necessary to echo the power and rhythm of the original text. David Ferry's new Aeneid translation is a missed opportunity.


Tags: Ban Ki Moon, Connie Hedegaard, Doha climate conference, Durban Platform, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Kyoto protocol, Sofoclis Aletraris.
Tags: Chris Huhne, COP-17, Durban Climate Change Conference, Green Climate Fund, Guernsey, Kyoto protocol, UN Climate talks, UNFCCC.
Tags: carbon cycle, carbon reservoir, Guernsey, Kyoto protocol, lignin, soil, soil humus.
Tags: Community Buildings Programme, energy efficiency service, Jersey environment department, Jersey's community buildings programme, Jersey's home energy scheme, Kyoto protocol, States of Jersey.


Australia and Malaysia have escalated their war of words over the possibility Canberra might move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad raised the potential embassy switch in a meeting with Morrison in Singapore on Thursday, later telling reporters such a move could increase the threat of terrorism.
Australia's indication that it may follow the United States' contentious move of relocating its embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv was seen by many Australians as a political stunt. Critics called it a cynical attempt to win votes in a by-election last month for a Sydney seat with a high Jewish population. The seat was lost anyway, leaving the government ruling with the cooperation of independent lawmakers.
But on Friday, Frydenberg insisted shifting the embassy made sense, although it has also inflamed tensions with Australia's closest neighbor Indonesia.
"Australia already recognizes Israel's sovereignty over West Jerusalem. It's where the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) is. It's where the Australian ambassador presents his or her credentials. It will be the capital of Israel under any two-state solution," Frydenberg said.
Morrison said a decision on the embassy would be made by Christmas, but rejected fears the plan had caused collateral damage by placing in jeopardy a proposed free trade agreement with Indonesia.
Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim-majority country, where tens of thousands protested against President Donald Trump's decision in May to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
See all talkbacks "Australia, Malaysia at loggerheads over possible Jerusalem embassy"


Poppies never give up, do they? I love these photos, especially that delicate shadow pattern on the last one.
Yes I agree about the poppies. They seem to pop up all over the yard in random spots and I never have the heart to yank them out. Have a great Sunday!
It presents itself in its skeletal form. Beautifully photographed.
Why thank you muchly Anna Marie for the smiles.


The transition from pre-spawn, spawn, to post-spawn is not an exact science. When it comes to topwater techniques, these periods overlap and are far from definite. Geographical locations, the type of lake, water visibility, localized weather patterns and various other factors all make this unpredictable.
One thing is for sure, though: The period immediately after the major spawn in a lake is one of the best times of the year to fish topwater lures. Topwater fishing is not only one of the most exciting ways to catch bass, but also one of the best methods to catch quality fish, and one of the best things about it is the fact that regardless of the type of lake you are fishing, there is always some post-spawn topwater action to be found. The key to successful topwater fishing at any time is to understand which topwaters are better and when.
When fishing any of these three categories of topwater lures, remember that the bite will always be better early or late in the day, or on overcast days. But what many anglers don't realize is that topwaters will produce all day long, even on sunny days. The key is to stay with it, and realize that the bite numbers my go down, but the potential for a quality fish increases at mid-day. Additionally, although you can catch topwater fish in nearly any wind condition, days with a light wind of 5-10 mph that breaks up the surface stillness is always a positive environmental factor in topwater fishing.
Walking topwaters like the Megabass Diamante and smaller-sized Giant Dog-X are the workhorses of topwater fishing. You can cover a tremendous amount of water with them and they produce quality fish. One of the best things about a walker is that it will catch fish in really shallow water and will also pull fish up out of deeper, clear water.
Cadence is more critical in walkers than any in other category. It's just a matter of experimentation. A good rule of thumb is to remember that the clearer and shallower the water, the faster you want to work the bait. Sometimes a steady walk will produce best. Other times a steady walk with a periodic stop will draw more strikes.
One of my favorite ways to work a walker is to make a long cast and reel fast for about 20 feet, then "kill" the bait. After that I'll begin working a steady walking cadence. Many times, the commotion of reeling and skittering the bait along the surface and then stopping will draw curious bass from great distances to investigate.
Poppers and chuggers like the Megabass PopMax are also great post spawn choices. You will find that a popper is the most productive when fish are fairly shallow, in lakes that have water visibility of 18 inches to 3 feet. Shallow cover is excellent, and shallow grass and riprap are among the best locations for fishing poppers in the post-spawn. Furthermore, many times during the post-spawn there are big shad spawns occurring. Fishing a popper early in the morning around riprap and shallow grass edges is a deadly technique as these are prime shad-spawning areas.
Popper cadence is also experimental, but less so than with walkers. Most of the time, in clearer water, you will find a fast, skittering retrieve is best, and in water with more stain, a slow, steady "blurp/pause" will work well.
Remember, as with walkers, when fishing poppers, water clarity will dictate cadence. One of the most overlooked aspects of popper fishing is that it's a great lure around heavy shallow cover. Many times, I like to pitch and flip the bait into tight spaces, like under docks and around bushes. A great thing about poppers is you can keep the lure in one place for a long period of time. Post-spawn bass guarding fry will also hammer a popper in these areas.
Waking baits like the Megabass Anthrax are among the most underutilized topwater lures on the market. Although these baits will produce during a small window of time during the pre-spawn, they are absolutely at their best immediately after the spawn. One necessity for waking baits in the post-spawn is clear water. Post-spawn bass will move off points after the spawn in clear water lakes and suspend while they recover. Casting a waking bait off these points will bring these post-spawn suspenders up and produce vicious strikes.
Finally, tackle selection is critical for getting the most out of your topwaters. I like a medium action rod like the Megabass Orochi Flat Side special or the Destroyer One Ten model. These rods will allow you to make a long cast, and are short enough to give you the ability you need to work the lure with quick, sharp twitches without wearing you out.
For line, I use only monofilament for buoyancy, in 12 or 15 pound test. This combination will allow you to reach the fullest potential in post-spawn topwater fishing.


text:
Predicting cognitive decline
Odor identification problems may be a warning bell for dementia
A long-term study of nearly 3,000 adults, aged 57 to 85, found that those who could not identify at least four out of five common odors were more than twice as likely as those with a normal sense of smell to develop dementia within five years.
Although 78 percent of those tested were normal – correctly identifying at least four out of five scents – about 14 percent could name just three out of five, five percent could identify only two scents, two percent could name just one, and one percent of the study subjects were not able to identify a single smell.
Jayant M. Pinto, MD, holds a "Sniffin' Stick."
Credit: Ron Kozloff, for the University of Chicago Medicine
Five years after the initial test, almost all of the study subjects who were unable to name a single scent had been diagnosed with dementia. Nearly 80 percent of those who provided only one or two correct answers also had dementia, with a dose-dependent relationship between degree of smell loss and incidence of dementia. "These results show that the sense of smell is closely connected with brain function and health," said the study's lead author, Jayant M. Pinto, MD, a professor of surgery at the University of Chicago and ENT specialist who studies the genetics and treatment of olfactory and sinus disease. "We think a decline in the ability to smell, specifically, but also sensory function more broadly, may be an important early sign, marking people at greater risk for dementia."
"We need to understand the underlying mechanisms," Pinto added, "so we can understand neurodegenerative disease and hopefully develop new treatments and preventative interventions. Loss of the sense of smell is a strong signal that something has gone wrong and significant damage has been done," Pinto said. "This simple smell test could provide a quick and inexpensive way to identify those who are already at high risk."
The study, "Olfactory Dysfunction Predicts Subsequent Dementia in Older US Adults," published September 29, 2017, in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, follows a related 2014 paper, in which olfactory dysfunction was associated with increased risk of death within five years. In that study, loss of the sense of smell was a better predictor of death than a diagnosis of heart failure, cancer or lung disease.
For both studies, the researchers used a well-validated tool, known as "Sniffin'Sticks." These look like a felt-tip pen, but instead of ink, they are infused with distinct scents. Study subjects smell each item and are asked to identify that odor, one at a time, from a set of four choices. The five odors, in order of increasing difficulty, were peppermint, fish, orange, rose and leather.
Test results showed that:
1 percent of those examined had a normal sense of smell; 48.7 percent correctly identified five out of five odors and 29.4 percent identified four out of five.
7 percent, considered "hyposmic," got two or three out of five correct.
The remaining 3.2 percent, labelled "anosmic," could identify just one of the five scents (2.2%), or none (1%).
Source: Pixabay/Free-Photos
The olfactory nerve is the only cranial nerve directly exposed to the environment. The cells that detect smells connect directly with the olfactory bulb at the base of the brain, potentially exposing the central nervous system to environmental hazards such as pollution or pathogens. Olfactory deficits are often an early sign of Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. They get worse with disease progression.
Losing the ability to smell can have a substantial impact on lifestyle and wellbeing, said Pinto, a specialist in sinus and nasal diseases and a member of the Section of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at UChicago Medicine. "Smells influence nutrition and mental health," Pinto said. People who can't smell face everyday problems such as knowing whether food is spoiled, detecting smoke during a fire, or assessing the need a shower after a workout. Being unable to smell is closely associated with depression as people don't get as much pleasure in life."
"This evolutionarily ancient special sense may signal a key mechanism that also underlies human cognition," noted study co-author Martha K. McClintock, PhD, the David Lee Shillinglaw Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, who has studied olfactory and pheromonal communication throughout her career.
Of all human senses, smell is the most undervalued and underappreciated – until it's gone
Jayant M. Pinto
McClintock noted that the olfactory system also has stem cells which self-regenerate, so "a decrease in the ability to smell may signal a decrease in the brain's ability to rebuild key components that are declining with age, leading to the pathological changes of many different dementias."
In an accompanying editorial, Stephen Thielke, MD, a member of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the psychiatry and behavioral sciences faculty at the University of Washington, wrote: "Olfactory dysfunction may be easier to quantify across time than global cognition, which could allow for more-systematic or earlier assessment of neurodegenerative changes, but none of this supports that smell testing would be a useful tool for predicting the onset of dementia."
"Our test simply marks someone for closer attention," Pinto explained. "Much more work would need to be done to make it a clinical test. But it could help find people who are at risk. Then we could enroll them in early-stage prevention trials."
"Of all human senses," Pinto added, "smell is the most undervalued and underappreciated – until it's gone."
Both studies were part of the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP), the first in-home study of social relationships and health in a large, nationally representative sample of men and women ages 57 to 85.
Source: University of Chicago Medical Center
studies (483)
CMT, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
Study links key protein to Charcot-Marie-Tooth and other nerve diseases
A new study provides critical insight into a little-known, yet relatively common, inherited neurological condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). The findings point to a pathway to…
#studies
Will education save you from dementia? Don't count on it
Until now, neurologists were largely convinced that having a higher level of education would build some kind of protective barrier against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. But a new study…
Liver disease drug could help restore cells damaged by Alzheimer's
A drug which has been used to treat liver disease for decades could help to restore cells damaged by Alzheimer's, a new study from the University of Sheffield has found. The pioneering study…
#liver


text:
Team Sky given ProTour licence
Simon Richardson November 25, 2009 7:23 pm
Sky TV logo
Team Sky has been issued with a ProTour licence for the next four years. The British team is one of 17 named by the Union Cycliste International (UCI) as having passed all the criteria set out by the ProTour council.
Astana has also been re-issued with their ProTour licence after the Kazakh team's application went down to the wire. It comes with a clause however. The UCI has stated that it is still waiting to see an additional bank guarantee from the team.
Earlier in the year the President of the ProTour council, Vittorio Adorni requested the withdrawal of Astana's licence after they failed to pay their riders' wages. This request that would be reactivated if this guarantee does not materialise.
The situation will do nothing for the ongoing saga of whether or not Tour de France winner Alberto Contador will stay with the team. The Spaniard is expected to see out the final year of his contract if the team, now run by Frenchman Yvon Sanquer, gains the licence. If not, he is set to move to Caisse d'Epargne.
The only team not to be given a ProTour licence is the Italian Lampre team. Their application has been referred to the licence commission which, according to the UCI's press release, will make a decision on whether or not to withdraw the team's licence altogether.
First ever British ProTour team
The news will reach Team Sky as they continue with their first get together in Manchester. Hidden away behind closed doors and a surprising veil of secrecy, the riders, management and staff are currently planning their first season together.
Sky's application was handed to the UCI back in July, but an anomaly in the paperwork meant they were kept waiting until today before they were confirmed as a ProTour team for 2010. According to Team Principal Dave Brailsford, it came down to the fact he hadn't initialled every page of every rider's contract.
Sky's ProTour licence will run until 2013, as will that of Lance Armstrong's Team Radio Shack.
The seventeen confirmed ProTour teams are:
Astana (KAZ) on the condition they produce of a bank guarantee
Caisse d'Epargne (ESP)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)
Footon-Servetto (ESP)
Française des Jeux (FRA)
Liquigas-Doimo (ITA)
Team Columbia-HTC (USA)
Team Milram (GER)
Omega Pharma-Lotto (BEL)
Quick Step (BEL)
Saxo Bank (DEN)
Team Katusha (RUS)
AG2R La Mondaile (FRA)
Garmin-Slipstream (USA)
Rabobank (NED)
Team Radio Shack (USA)
Team Sky (GBR)
All ProTour licences run for between one and four years, however the registration of ProTour teams takes place every year. This is to prove to the ProTour council that the team continues to have the budget in place to carry on.
Astana future in doubt because of bank guarantee
Team Sky as it happens
Sean Yates confirmed as directeur sportive with Team Sky
Cycling Weekly club 10 – HUUB powered!
Deals on foul-weather jackets: big savings on Assos, Castelli, Gore, Santini, Sportful and dhb
'The new rules make me anxious, expecting to be pulled over by police': Cycling Weekly readers react to government's 'stay local' advice for riding


text:
To receive news and publication updates for Minimally Invasive Surgery, enter your email address in the box below.
PDF 265
Volume 2015, Article ID 946147, 4 pages
The Application of Pediatric Ureteroscope for Seminal Vesiculoscopy
Shulin Guo,1 Donghua Xie,1 Xiangfei He,2 Chuance Du,1 Lunfeng Zhu,1 Xiaolin Deng,1 and Zhongsheng Yang1
1Department of Urology, The Affiliated Ganzhou City People's Hospital of Nanchang University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
2Linyi City People's Hospital, Linyi, Shandong 276003, China
Received 5 May 2015; Accepted 22 July 2015
Academic Editor: Peng Hui Wang
Copyright © 2015 Shulin Guo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
To describe a novel technique of transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy using a pediatric ureteroscope in the diagnosis and management of persistent hematospermia, a retrospective study was carried out for 20 patients with recurrent hematospermia whom we evaluated and treated using a 6–7.5F (6F front end and 7.5F rear end) pediatric ureteroscope from August 2009 to September 2013. For the 20 patients, the age ranges from 25 to 48 years with a mean age of 36 years. The duration of the hematospermia ranges from 6 to 48 months with a mean duration of 18 months. Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy was successfully performed in the 20 cases and the mean operative time was 35 min (ranges from 25 to 90 min). Among the 20 patients, 11 patients were found to have seminal vesiculitis, five were with seminal vesicle stone, one was with prostatic utricle stone, one was with prostate cyst, and one was with ejaculatory duct obstruction. The mean follow-up period was 7 months (ranged from 6 to 12 months). Hematospermia in 19 cases disappeared after the surgery and only in one patient the hematospermia recurred 6 months after the surgery. The cure rate was 95%. This study indicated that transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy could be performed easily using a semirigid pediatric ureteroscope with few complications and is an effective therapeutic approach for persistent hematospermia.
Hematospermia is a common disease in andrology. The etiology is quite complex. However, the majority of hematospermia is related to infection in prostate and seminal vesicle. Symptom relief can be achieved for some of the patients after a course of anti-inflammatory therapy. However, symptoms in a small portion of the patients cannot be improved after medication and the hematospermia persists [1, 2]. From August 2009 to September 2013, we evaluated and treated 20 patients with recurrent hematospermia using the pediatric ureteroscopy with satisfactory outcome. We thus reported the results as below.
First of all, all the following work was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (1964). The study was conducted with the understanding and the consent of the patients as well as approval from the Ethical Committee of the Affiliated Ganzhou City People's Hospital of Nanchang University, China.
2.1. Patients
The study consists of 20 patients with age ranging from 25 to 48 years and a mean age of 36 years. The duration of the hematospermia ranges from 6 to 48 months with a mean duration of 18 months. All these patients presented with intermittent hematospermia. The color in patients with short interval of ejaculation was bright reddish or pinkish. The color in patients with longer interval of ejaculation was dark reddish or coffee colored. Routine and special tests were performed before the surgery. These include CBC, urinalysis, coagulation function index, and prostate fluid routine examination and culture. Per the prostate routine exam, there were 8 cases with elevated WBC count accompanied by decreased lecithin corpuscle. Per the prostate fluid culture, there were 2 cases infected with E. coli, 1 case with Staphylococcus aureus, and one case with Proteus syndrome. All the patients were found to have normal serum PSA level. Digital rectal exam revealed no abnormality on prostate. Transrectal color Doppler revealed one case with seminal vesicle cyst, 6 cases with inflamed prostate accompanied by calcification, and 5 cases with unilateral or bilateral seminal vesicle stones.
2.2. Surgical Procedure
All patients underwent the seminal vesiculoscopy using 6–7.5F pediatric ureteroscope under epidural anesthesia in lithotomy position. Pancystoscopy was performed initially to investigate prostate, bladder, and bilateral ureteral orifices before withdrawing the ureteroscope to the position of verumontanum. Under direct visualization, we initially located the opening of the verumontanum. With the guidance of an epidural catheter and mild flushing with saline, we then entered prostatic utricle for investigation. After careful examination of the prostate utricle, we withdrew the ureteroscope to the opening of the prostate utricle and looked for openings of bilateral ejaculatory ducts outside at 5 and 7 o'clock positions, under continuous saline flushing. Seminal vesicle was then entered under the guidance of the epidural catheter. For patients with unclear ejaculatory duct openings, we used transurethral plasmakinetic resectoscope to resect the verumontanum to expose the openings. Under the direct vision of ureteroscope, we examined carefully if there were congestion or edema on seminal vesicle mucosa, active bleeding or old blood clot, stone, anatomical abnormalities such as cyst, and new growth. We biopsied those lesions suspected to have pathological abnormality. For those small stones, sand-like stones, and old blood clots, we manually removed them using alligator forceps or flushed them out under pressure produced by bolus injection. For those larger stones inside the seminal vesicle, we cleared them by using Holmium laser (power of 2 joules, frequency 15 Hz) to powderize them followed by saline flushing. For seminal vesicle cysts, we also used the Holmium laser to unroof them. In the end, seminal vesicle cavities were irrigated with antibiotic. The same modalities were used for management of other sides of the seminal vesicle. Postoperatively, every patient was placed a Foley catheter and was treated with intravenous antibiotic for 3–5 days.
All 20 cases were examined successfully for their seminal vesicles using the pediatric ureteroscopy. The operative time ranged from 25 to 90 minutes with a mean duration of 35 minutes. Eighteen of the 20 cases underwent exam, saline flushing, and antibiotic irrigation bilaterally while for the other 2 cases the exam and treatment were performed unilaterally. In 5 patients there were seminal vesicle stones (left side, 3 cases; right side, 2 cases, Figure 1) which were flushed out after being powderized by holmium laser. In two patients stones were found in prostate utricle (Figure 2), which were extracted manually using alligator forceps. One case of seminal vesicle cyst was unroofed using Holmium laser. One case of ejaculatory duct obstruction underwent transurethral plasmakinetic resection (Figure 3). Eleven cases were found to have edema and congestion in the inner wall of seminal vesicle cavities and a trace of old blood clots, consistent with seminal vesicle wall inflammatory hemorrhage (Figure 4). We followed the cases for 6 to 12 months and found that that there were rare complications. No postoperative epididymitis, retrograde ejaculation, urinary incontinence, and urethral stricture were found in this study. There was one case noticed to have recurrent hematospermia 6 months after surgery with transrectal color Doppler ultrasound revealing a cm left sided para-seminal vesicle cyst, which was improved after a course of anti-inflammatory and physical therapy. The recurrent rate of hematospermia in this series was 5%.
Figure 1: Stone in the cavity of seminal vesicle.
Figure 2: Stone in prostate utricle.
Figure 3: Opened ejaculatory ducts after transurethral plasmakinetic resection.
Figure 4: Seminal vesiculitis.
The etiology of hematospermia is quite complex clinically. In general, the etiology can be divided into 3 types including organic, functional, and exigent. The most common circumstance for organic cause is seminal vesicle and prostate inflammation and infection. Other circumstances are ejaculatory duct obstruction, seminal vesicle and prostate stone or cyst, seminal vesicle tuberculosis, and ejaculatory duct injury including iatrogenic factors such as transrectal prostate biopsy [3–9]. In addition, some blood disorders and tumor invasion could also cause hematospermia. The common circumstances for the functional cause are excessive masturbation, excessive sexual intercourse, or too long abstinence time. The exigent cause of the hematospermia could result from minor damage to the ejaculatory duct. Seminal vesicle is the organ to store sperm with abundant vascular layer. When there is inflammatory reaction in the seminal vesicle, the mucosa became congested and edematous and the hematospermia occurs, which often leads to severe stress and fear to the patient [5]. In most patients, the hematospermia may resolve spontaneously in a few weeks or after a course of sensitive antibiotic. However, a small portion of the patients may have recurrent hematospermia resistant to routine therapy, which poses a big challenge for clinical diagnosis and treatment [3, 4].
According to the literature data retrieval, conventional treatment of hematospermia includes systemic administration and local treatment, the latter including prostate massage, hot water bath, physical therapy to improve local blood circulation and promote inflammation absorption and elimination. Due to the special anatomical and physiological characteristics of seminal vesicle and prostate, the treatment efficacy is often poor or not to work for the persistent hematospermia. Therefore, we used the 6–7.5F ureteroscope to investigate the seminal vesicle for those patients with persistent hematospermia, achieving good outcome in both finding out the etiology and delivering therapy.
There are different methods to enter a scope for vesiculoscopy for those patients with unclear ejaculatory duct openings. Some people performed blind insertion through prostate utricle using the scope body forcefully to create a hole, while others used transurethral plasmakinetic resection of verumontanum to expose the ejaculatory duct to enter the scope under direct visualization. We performed one of our 20 cases using the aforementioned blind insertion, which is the case in which recurrent hematospermia was found 6 months after the surgery with a color Doppler ultrasound revealing the left sided para-seminal vesicle cyst. We think this could be caused by seminal vasculitis resulting from blind insertion injury to the ejaculatory duct and incomplete absorption of the intraoperative saline extravasations. But because of the small number of cases and without the blind comparative study, the exact cause of the recurrence needs further investigation.
In our study, we found that the most important causes of hematospermia are inflammation, stenosis, and cyst. Ejaculatory duct stenosis further aggravates the inflammatory reaction. The infection, hemorrhage, and impeded drainage from narrowed ejaculatory duct opening may contribute to the formation of stones, posing a vicious cycle because the stone will further aggravate the stenosis leading to infection and stone formation. For those cases with ejaculatory ducts stenosis with bad exposure of ejaculatory duct opening, we used the transurethral plasmakinetic resection of verumontanum to expose spacious ejaculatory duct openings, not only removed the ejaculatory duct stenosis, but also dredged the ejaculatory duct. The drainage was thus improved, eliminating the root of hematospermia.
Our experiences using the pediatric ureteroscope for seminal vesiculoscopy include the following. (1) The ejaculatory duct openings are most commonly located at 5 and 7 o'clock positions outside the prostate utricle, which allow the 6–7.5F pediatric ureteroscopy to enter under direct visualization in most circumstances. However, it is very important to use epidural catheter as a guide instead of ureteral catheter to avoid edematous effect on the openings and bleeding which will make it difficult to find the openings afterwards. Compared to the ureteral catheter, the epidural catheter is smaller and smoother with better flexibility. Infusing saline through the epidural catheter can facilitate to extend ejaculatory duct openings by maintaining a pressure. (2) It is important to control flushing pressure and speed. We prefer a pressure at 200 mmHg and a speed at 0.2 L/min. (3) We used transurethral plasmakinetic resection of verumontanum instead of traditional vaporization resection for those patients with unclear ejaculatory duct openings, mainly because plasmakinetic resection does not produce coke attachments, reducing the likelihood of postoperative scar stenosis. (4) For patients with intractable hematospermia, we recommend prostate fluid culture and drug susceptibility before the vesiculoscopy and intraoperative irrigation of the seminal vesicle cavities using sensitive antibiotic plus saline.
In summary, we think seminal vesiculoscopy using a pediatric ureteroscope develops a new way to treat refractory hematospermia and plays an important role in promoting the understanding of the cause and treatment of hematospermia. Combining literature reports with our preliminary practical experience, the authors think that the pediatric ureteroscopic examination of seminal vesicle has the advantages of being simple operation, of less trauma, safe, and effective and can be widely used as one of effective methods of diagnosis and treatment of intractable hematospermia. But because of the small number of cases we carried out in the study and the lack of multicenter clinical study of large samples, especially the possible negative thermal effect of holmium laser lithotripsy on mucosa of seminal vesicle by using power of 2 joules and frequency of 15 Hz, the overall and long-term efficacy still needs further observation. Also, we understand that, in case of midline seminal vesicle cyst, we may be able to find the thin lining of mucosa to puncture and introduce the scope to seminal vesicle easily without a need of transurethral resection of verumontanum.
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.
Authors' Contribution
Donghua Xie and Xiangfei He were involved in analysis and interpretation of data and drafting the report; Shulin Guo, Donghua Xie, Chuance Du, Lunfeng Zhu, and Zhongsheng Yang were involved in data acquisition; Shulin Guo and Donghua Xie were involved in conception and design; all the authors read and approved the final paper. Shulin Guo, Donghua Xie, and Xiangfei He contribute equally to the paper.
R. Munkel witz, S. Krasnokutsky, J. Lie, S. M. Shah, J. Bayshtok, and S. A. Khan, "Current perspectives on hematospermia: a review," Journal of Andrology, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 6–14, 1997. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
I. Ahmad and N. S. Krishna, "Hemospermia," The Journal of Urology, vol. 177, no. 5, pp. 1613–1618, 2007. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar
B.-J. Li, C. Zhang, K. Li et al., "Clinical analysis of the characterization of magnetic resonance imaging in 102 cases of refractory haematospermia," Andrology, vol. 1, no. 6, pp. 948–956, 2013. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
Z.-Y. Liu, Y.-H. Sun, C.-L. Xu et al., "Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of persistent or recurrent hemospermia: a single-institution experience," Asian Journal of Andrology, vol. 11, no. 5, pp. 566–570, 2009. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
B. Liu, J. Li, P. Li et al., "Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of intractable seminal vesiculitis," Journal of International Medical Research, vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 236–242, 2014. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
S. C. Yang, K. H. Rha, S. K. Byon, and J. H. Kim, "Transutricular seminal vesiculoscopy," Journal of Endourology, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 343–345, 2002. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
H. Wang, H. Ye, C. Xu et al., "Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy using a 6F vesiculoscope for ejaculatory duct obstruction: initial experience," Journal of Andrology, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 637–643, 2012. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
T. Song, X. Zhang, L. Zhang, F. Zhang, and W.-J. Fu, "Transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of seminal vesicle stones," Chinese Medical Journal, vol. 125, no. 8, pp. 1475–1478, 2012. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
C.-H. Han, Q. Liang, B.-Z. Dong et al., "The transurethral seminal vesiculoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of the seminal vesicle disease," Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, vol. 66, no. 3, pp. 851–853, 2013. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus


The weatherization program, which pays for similar measures in low-income households, saw a slight dip in funding, from $6.3 million to $6 million.
The solar residential program, which provided about a quarter of the cost of a solar array and installation on homes, saw the biggest decline, from $5.3 million to $3 million.
"The solar program was started in November 2014 and was sold out in less than a minute," Molina said. She recommends waiting until the fall and contacting the contractors involved before the utility re-funds the program.
All three programs work through third-party contractors that are listed on Oncor's website, www.TakeALoadOffTexas.com.
This is the first year that Jason Lemons, president of Quality Home Comfort in Fort Worth, has participated in the program, but he said he has worked with similar incentives in Louisiana and Arkansas.
All three programs, along with similar efficiency efforts for commercial properties, are part of a requirement from the Legislature for all 10 Texas utilities to help homeowners and businesses with energy efficiency. It is funded by consumers, costing homeowners in North Texas around $1 a month extra on their electric bills.
Since the program began in 2002, around 700,000 households in Oncor's service area have used at least one of the programs, Molina said.
In the home efficiency program, a contractor will perform a door-blower and duct-blaster test to figure out how much air is being lost. Based on the results, the contractor will recommend steps like adding insulation and weatherstripping around windows and doors.
All-electric homes get the biggest cash incentive for such upgrades because the difference after the efficiency measures is greater than with gas-heated homes. The more energy savings, the bigger the offset to the cost of the work.
But by law, contractors do not have to pass on all the savings and can instead use it for training and other improvements to their businesses. So ask several contractors and get their bids on paper.
Terry Maggard, owner of Lone Star Insulation in Weatherford, has been in the Oncor program for four years and expects another influx of callers.
While the program also includes incentives for Energy Star appliances like washers and dryers, refrigerators and dishwashers, as well as windows, no contractors are listed to provide those services this year.
Only one service provider, ProStar HVAC in Allen, is listed to provide central air conditioners and heat pumps under the Oncor program.
The home energy-efficiency and low-income weatherization programs usually run out of money later in the year, so if you're interested, act quickly.
▪ Go to www.TakeALoadOffTexas.com or call 866-728-3674 for a list of contractors sorted by ZIP code. Homeowners must be in Oncor's service territory.
▪ Contact several contractors and ask about pricing and services. See whether they pass on the funding from the Oncor program to their customers. Ask whether there's a fee to evaluate the home. Check any contractor's record with the Better Business Bureau.