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A trickle from the rocks at Mile 109 draws people who like its taste and like the fact that it's not treated city tap water. But is it safe?
A 3-inch hole in a rock wall at Mile 109 of the Seward Highway quenches many thirsts.
Tourists pull over for a cup of refreshing liquid Alaska, wild and cold. Locals, suspicious of treated city water, make the drive regularly to resupply their homes, even though there's less known about this source of water than the water from their sinks. Others simply prefer the taste of the water that trickles there, supplemental hydration they take away one Nalgene bottle at a time.
This drainage hole in the rock between Beluga Point and Windy Corner on Turnagain Arm draws visitors all day long. Anyone who has driven the highway with any regularity has seen them, perhaps wondered why, and maybe had to brake for them as they dart across the road.
One March afternoon, Ian Choi popped his trunk to grab a sleeve of Styrofoam cups for his passengers. Choi gives tours in Alaska, often to Korean visitors. People in Anchorage love this water, he told them. Three women climbed out of his car and crossed the highway and took a sip.
"Need a cup?" Choi offered to a stranger who also had pulled over.
Mica Sexton pulled up next. He said he has lived in 14 communities in Alaska since he first came here in 1997. Before that, he had been living out of a backpack and traveling the world.
Sexton filled six large jugs for himself and his 180-pound Irish wolfhound to consume back home. Together, they go through about a gallon a day, he said. People are too trusting of the government and media, he said. Fluoride is one reason, he said, that he "won't touch" tap water.
"I think most people, when you tell them that somebody that they trust to look out for their good is putting something bad in their water, most people just look at you and tell you you need a tinfoil hat," Sexton said.
Sexton said he also suspects city water treatment removes healthy minerals he believes he's getting from this large drinking straw poked into the Chugach Mountains.
"Last time I drank tap water was, I don't know, eight years ago, so I don't know what the tap water tastes like," he said. "But from what I'm told, this tastes a lot better."
Maurice Mitchell was next in line. Like Sexton, he carries a length of pipe in his vehicle to insert in the rock, just in case the makeshift tap turns up missing. It often does, they said. The pipe has been removed and replaced many times over the years.
Mitchell lined jugs in the bed of his pickup neatly as classic rock spilled from the cab. He collected about 50 gallons, a 10-day supply for his three-person household in Anchorage. He parked on the mountain side of the road, angled on the embankment just feet from the traffic lane in a 55-mph zone. It seemed safer than crossing the road several times, he said.
"We use this for everything. For plants, household water, cooking, everything," he said.
Mitchell believes the water is cleaner and healthier than what comes out of the tap.
"I haven't had it tested myself, but I've talked to a few people that have come out here and had it tested," he said.
Several others filed through in a steady procession that afternoon, filling containers in myriad shapes and sizes. A car swerved into the pullout from the northbound lane, crossing the southbound lane while traffic was in clear view. Another man posed for a picture while taking a sip, his friend capturing the moment with a phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Later, an older man strained to carry his jugs, then paused with his companion to watch the ice drift by in Turnagain Arm.
And in the rare quiet moments, two sounds could be heard — the thin stream of the water splashing on the stones below, and the sound of pebbles and rocks occasionally dropping from the cliffs above onto the pavement and into the ditch.
The water pipe is located within Chugach State Park, like much of the mountainous landscape along Turnagain Arm, and superintendent Tom Harrison said he gets occasional questions. But the pipe is in the Department of Transportation right of way, he said.
"We don't do anything related it to it. We certainly don't sample it and test it like we do our wells in the campground kind of a thing," Harrison said.
Harrison chalks up its popularity to folklore, and said he has no reason to believe it's different from water cascading from the hills at any other point along the scenic highway.
"I'm not a hydrologist, but that's just draining the water that kind of filters through cracks in the rock."
Similarly, DOT claims no ownership of the pipe.
"Our maintenance section does not maintain this. We don't put pipes in it, and in the past they have removed some of the pipes or hardware," said Scott Thomas, an Anchorage-based DOT traffic engineer.
"Basically, it's popular enough that something always appears."
For DOT, the Mile 109 pipe is a concern. The highway along Turnagain Arm is the focus of ongoing safety improvements through education, law enforcement and redesign. The water pipe is a place where cars often park hazardously and pedestrians have inadequate separation from vehicles. But it's hardly the only spot.
Hikers, Dall sheep watchers, ice climbers, hooligan dipnetters, water collectors — they're all user groups that can lead to unsafe parking situations on a busy highway, Thomas said.
"That's really the dilemma we face, is that the Seward Highway is a recreational corridor, a scenic corridor. And when it comes down to safety issues, do we pick and choose the uses that people have?" Thomas said.
"Generally, what we've tried to do, I think when you look down the Seward Highway, is have pullouts for people."
While there is a pullout across the highway from the pipe, Thomas said that stretch of road was not built to modern standards, which would call for the road to be built further from the rock face. It's just a few steps now.
Last year, DOT took comments from Girdwood 2020, a community group formed to provide comment on development in the resort town, Thomas said. Residents who drive the Seward Highway between Girdwood and Anchorage regularly pinpointed the water pipe at Mile 109 as a particularly hazardous spot because pedestrians venture close to the highway. Those comments raised the profile of the water pipe as a problem in need of a solution to DOT, Thomas said.
On April 14, Thomas and a representative from Alaska State Troopers drove along Turnagain Arm to make observations as part of its annual review of safety concerns.
"We are intending to do something, make changes," Thomas said. "We are exploring options."
As winter continued into spring a few weeks ago, Tom Parmer worked to fill 15 6-gallon jugs and load them into his camper for himself and his brother. He says he's careful not to run out of water at home, a backup plan that is essential disaster preparedness, whether for an earthquake or the collapse of the dollar.
"I'd have water at home, no matter what, unless you're insane," Parmer said.
As a regular user, Parmer said the biggest safety concern at the pipe is when people park on the mountain side of the highway, instead of in the pullout where he was.
"I keep bitching about that when people show up. I said, 'Get your arse over here, man. You're going to screw it all up.' "
But for Craig Boeckman, a DOT geologist who has analyzed the site, the danger isn't only coming from the north and south, but potentially from above.
Boeckman said photographs indicate that stretch of road was improved, and a parking turnout constructed, in the early 1980s. Geology reports from that project recorded plans to drill 30-foot-deep drainage holes in the rock to alleviate pressure and reduce rockfall.
"I don't think that people were stopping there to get water before that," Boeckman said.
Several holes were drilled at the time and are plainly visible today. Three others are just above and to the left of the piped hole. Water runs from them also, though not as consistently.
While some users said they believe the water comes up from the ground below, Boeckman said that's not the case. He pointed to a long vertical crack in the face of the rock. Water feeds the joints and fractures from somewhere uphill, he said, and it's very likely a 30-foot hole would intercept it.
"I don't think it's a spring, where the water's coming up from below. I think the water's coming down from above," Boeckman said.
But it's not the falling water that concerns Boeckman the most. It's falling rocks. For the last few years, DOT has kept an internal database of rockfall trouble spots along state-maintained highways. Mile 109 of the Seward Highway ranks in the top 10, and is the highest-ranked spot along Turnagain Arm.
Boeckman, who evaluates rockfall hazards for traffic engineers, keeps pictures of the site. One shows large rocks in a narrow ditch next to the highway. Another shows long, black skid marks in the northbound lane. Though he knew of no injuries that resulted from falling rocks there, he said a rock as big as a vehicle fell a couple hundred feet away in 2012.
Any redesign, when it comes, could affect the water source, he said.
"At Mile 109, any improvements to that slope is going to change the configuration of the ditch and would ultimately change those drain holes and the access to them," he said.
DOT spokeswoman Shannon McCarthy said the department is considering changes to the design of the highway at Mile 109 to address safety concerns, but no plans have been finalized.
As an unsanctioned water source, the quality is not regularly monitored by DOT or Chugach State Park. On March 24, Alaska Dispatch News collected a sample and delivered it to ARS Aleut Analytical, a company that tests public and private wells for water contamination. The company provided an analysis of the water for arsenic, manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, E. Coli and other coliform bacteria, nitrates, acidity and alkalinity, corrosivity and fluoride.
In short, all categories fell within the maximum contaminant limits set for drinking water by Alaska's Department of Environmental Conservation. At least they did that day. ARS Aleut Analytical lab manager Ian Schacht said that a water quality test is just a snapshot of one point in time, which can't replace regular monitoring. Results could fluctuate for many reasons.
But Schacht said the results were noteworthy in a couple of ways.
"One of the more interesting things that we saw (is) that there was a hit for arsenic," Schacht said.
While the level in the highway water, 3.2 parts per billion, falls below the DEC's limit of 10, Schacht notes that it's greater than what is reported for Anchorage city water sources on the state's Drinking Water Watch website. Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility, which gets its water from Eklutna Lake, the Ship Creek watershed and some wells, said that on average, arsenic was not detected in its 2016 water quality report. Its highest reading was 0.7 parts per billion.
"It's something that is not of immediate concern right now, because it is under that 10," Schacht said of the highway water pipe sample. "But it is detectable. It is there."
The lab report noted that the human body was slow to rid itself of arsenic, so it is considered a poison that can accumulate in a person.
The results also indicated presence of some nitrates, possibly the result of decaying plant matter. Though it, too, was measured in levels deemed acceptable for drinking water by the DEC, Schacht said nitrate and arsenic concentrations would be areas he'd pay special attention to if the water were regularly monitored.
Schacht also noted that levels of calcium and magnesium indicate hard water. That's unlikely to be a health concern, but it could account for the unique taste of the water that many users described at the pipe. Schacht said hard water can taste "minerally" and leave a residue when it evaporates.
Whichever tastes are present or absent from the water at Mile 109, it's one that keeps some people coming back again and again, year after year.
On a clear mid-April day, thirsty Anchorage residents pooled at the pullout until the sun set after 9 p.m., a chore with a pretty nice view. Only a little ice disturbed the reflection of glowing peaks in the flat, calm water of Turnagain Arm.
Paypay Oloi and Amelia Reed come here nearly every day, they said. Oloi sometimes buys water and drinks from the tap at home, but said none of it compares to what he brings backs from the highway pipe. The young married couple huddled in close, each filling a 1-gallon jug as water splashed on their socks and sandals, enthusiastic about the option the Chugach rock was giving them.
"This is so much fresher," Reed said. "Like it's from Mother Earth."


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It can help you determine what to do.
This online quiz is a game changer.
One girl shares her story.

industry_corpus2: Others


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Free for all...anything from 2016 is fair game and what resolutions do you want the county to make for 2017? Remember no guest host, no best of, the host will be live to talk with you tomorrow!
The Boze Noze Show Hosted by West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich is live at every 4:00 pm Pacific on Wednesdays.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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The collapse of the socialist regime in the early 1990s resulted in rapid impoverishment of the majority of the population due to high inflation, loss of jobs and income. Consequently, there has been a sharp increase in unemployment, alcoholism, family dysfunction and destruction of mutual support networks. These factors have contributed to children experiencing hardships including being subjected to abuse, violence and neglect, dropping out of school, leaving home, and/or living and working on the street to support their families.
The main child rights issue facing children in Mongolia is child maltreatment including violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation. In 1998, it was estimated that one in every two children experiences violence. A lack of a clear legal framework and national strategy, coordinated mechanisms, trained workforce and adequate resources to respond to child protection issues exacerbates the problem even further.
There are no grave harmful traditional practices against children. However, child rights organizations express concern over child jockeys, especially those taking part in long distance horse racing during extreme cold weather. The National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia estimates that there are 40 to 50 horse racing events each year, and at each event, approximately 2,000 children between the ages of 6 and 16 years are engaged as jockeys, which poses risks to the life and health of the children.
Currently, it is estimated that there are 300 street children in Mongolia deprived of family care and protection and exposed to further abuse and violence. There is no nation-wide data on the number of children trafficked, however, there is growing concern about domestic child trafficking among human rights and children’s rights NGOs. For example, it is estimated that there are 140 child victims of exploitation in Ulaanbaatar city. Due to poverty and unemployment in the country, many Mongolian families are migrating to urban areas leading to a large number of migrant children having limited access to social services, including education and health care. In 2010, it was estimated that nearly 40,000 people migrated to the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. There is no data on refugee children in Mongolia.
Currently, there is no armed conflict or natural disaster affecting children; however, due to global climate change and other factors, Mongolia is becoming increasingly prone to natural and man-made disasters, including extremely harsh winters, earthquakes, floods, droughts and severe winds. These often result in a lack of access to health care, food scarcity and quality, loss of livelihoods, an interruption in education, mass rural to urban migration, and psychological trauma, as was seen during the 2009-2010 dzud (a natural disaster resulting from a combination of summer drought and heavy winter snow).
It is also reported that the surface water is drying up, vegetation is decreasing, water is becoming more mineralized, soil erosion is increasing, and desertification is spreading in Mongolia. There are also criticisms by civil society organizations on the poor management of natural resource exploitation and protection of the environment. These factors could have significant impacts on families’ livelihoods and thus children’s wellbeing.
Furthermore, Mongolia can be considered as a politically unstable country, as was seen during the public riots following the July 2008 parliamentary elections, where many protested over allegations of government vote-rigging. During this event, several adolescents and young people were arbitrarily detained and subjected to abuse and violence, and sentenced to imprisonment.
It is estimated that 10 percent of children aged 7-14 years, a total of over 36,0000 children, were in employment in 2006. Children’s employment occurs predominantly in rural areas (agriculture and livestock sectors), mainly in the form of livestock herding. Boys aged 7-14 age years are more likely to be in employment than girls. Furthermore, many children are estimated to be engaged in the worst forms of child labour including working at informal gold and coal mines.
Corporal punishment is prohibited by law since March 2016. However Corporal punishment of children is accepted by the public as a traditional means to educate and discipline children. In 2005, research involving 607 children and 40 adults conducted as part of comparative research among 8 countries in Asia, found that the prevalence of hitting as a punishment for children aged 10-13 years was 45.6%, other direct assault 5%, indirect assault 9%, deliberate neglect 1.2% and verbal attack 33.8%.
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Please include city, state, and zip code in the address field.
Classroom instruction lasts 3 weeks (minimum); 2 hours a day (maximum), 4 - 5 days a week.
BTW instruction will not begin until the student has received a minimum of 4 hours of classroom instruction.
BTW instruction must be completed no later than 3 weeks after the classroom instruction has been completed.
The Student must bring birth certificate or passport to the first day.
The student must be at least 14 years and 8 months old by the first scheduled day of class. Verification by birth certificate is required.
The parent/guardian agrees to pay the amount of $350. We accept cash, money order, credit card, or check.
The parent/guardian agrees to pay at least 50% in advance to secure class enrollment. The remaining balance must be paid by the 5th class session. If you're paying online, the class must be paid in full.
The required score to pass the State Test is 70%. Additionally, students must also pass the behind-the-wheel requirements.
The student must make up any class time missed. All make-up sessions must be completed no later than 3 weeks from the final class date. Any student who misses more than two classes will be required to repeat the entire program at their own expense.
Advanced Driving Academy will conduct the behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual-controlled automobile that is fully insured to cover each student enrolled in the program.
The deposit of 50% of the tuition is non-refundable. If the program is paid in full, a refund of 50% will be given if the student cancels the order at least three days before the class has begun.
Orders cancelled within 72 hours of the class start are subject to a $35 fee.
Students who reschedule, cancel, or miss a drive are subject to a $35 fee.
Students who miss a class session are subject to a $25 fee.
Driving Waiver: Behind-the-wheel instruction is done with two students & an instructor. If unforeseen issues arise, I agree to one-on-one instruction.
Certification: By clicking 'I agree to the Terms & Conditions' below, you certify that the information on this form is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. Additionally, by clicking, you accept and acknowledge ADA policies detailed above and give us permission to use your son/daughter in any form of media (photos, videos, etc.) taken during the course for marketing purposes.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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Tamro Oyj, a Finnish drug retailer, said yesterday that it would acquire a Danish rival, Nomeco A/S, in a share swap worth 1.2 billion markka ($214 million), to become the Nordic region's largest pharmaceuticals distributor. While Tamro's offer is a 13 percent discount to Nomeco's closing price yesterday, Nomeco will get 34.5 million new Tamro shares, or 28.1 percent of the Finnish company. Monberg & Thorsen Holding A/S, which holds a 60.5 percent stake in Nomeco, is backing the bid.
Shares of Tamro rose 6.50 markka, to 43.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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GAIN Fitness is a digital personal training app for the iPhone. The basic app is free, and additional trainer “packs” ― i.e. additional workouts — cost a few dollars extra.
The app is based around three training packs: Butterfly Yoga with Pattie Stafford, Road Warrior with Nate Miyaki, and GAIN Strength. Each feature videos with a real-life trainer who guides you through your workout.
The app as a whole is generally organized in an efficient, clear way. When you sign in, you enter your age, height, and weight so the performance tracking is, at least theoretically, authentic.
You then pick one of the three tracks and build a workout. The free content definitely gives you enough to get started, but I think to not get bored you have to buy an “expansion pack,” i.e. more sessions. The program builds custom workouts drawing from as many packs as you have downloaded. But just using the free version at first, I got a good sense of optionality.
The program uses your choices to create and title a workout for you and gives you a picture by picture overview, so you can see what you’re getting into before you start.
At the end of your workout you are given metrics: calories burned, something called “work units” and “work units per minute,” which according to the description is a function of body weight moved over distance, and the percentage of workout completed. There is no biometric heart rate sensor functionality, so the calories may not be accurate, but it’s nice to get the feedback.
I decided to go for the Butterfly Yoga. Caveat: I’ve been a Vinyasa yoga teacher for six years, so I’m pretty picky when it comes to any yoga instruction. But despite being a notoriously tough yoga customer, I liked GAIN’s yoga.
I created a couple of workouts in the Butterfly track. For example I chose fat loss as a goal for twenty minutes, at home, at automatic speed, and was given the “Butterfly Life Force Continuity” workout.
There is calming music with clear pictures of Stafford doing yoga. She adds simple alignment cues to her instructions and has a nice voice and a good practice to visualize. The sequence overall was simple, straightforward, and well-chosen. Most importantly I felt good afterwards.
My criticism is that while I fall into yoga poses pretty automatically, I think someone who is new to yoga would find themselves having to pick “slow” for tempo, and possibly spending a lot of time looking at the video to figure out what to do, which is distracting. The sequence to me also wasn’t what I would call “fat loss” inducing, and some of the transitions felt confusing as if the program had skipped a side or an instruction.
That said, it’s a nice way to do led-yoga at home or on the go, and while she didn’t totally shake up my yoga world, Stafford is a good teacher and carries the format well.
Editor’s note: This Body 2.0 review is part of Health 2.0 News’ video review series. Stay tuned for more of this virtual expo, and if you’re going to be in San Francisco Oct. 7, join us for the live interactive expo — Body 2.0 at Terra Gallery is SOMA.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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Low taxes and drug legalisation are not merely uncontroversial positions among free market advocates, they’re pretty much the consensus. What is controversial, and in fact denied by most people, is the notion that such policies, or indeed any political views, are part of the philosophy we hold (whether explicitly or implicitly), and derive from our view on ethics, which in turn derives from our view of our nature and of reality.
The exception to this consensus is Objectivism, the philosophy identified by Ayn Rand, in which she shows how our fundamental view of life and the world in which we live it necessarily lead to how we think about politics, and where she presented an entire system based on acceptance of – and adherence to – the fact that our consciousness is a tool of perceiving reality and processing the evidence of our senses, not of shaping it.
This Sunday, at the Battle of Ideas in Barbican Centre in London, Dr. Yaron Brook, Executive Director of the Ayn Rand Institute, will apply this philosophy to three issues as a participant in three different panels. The first of these will be a midday panel on the war on drugs, titled The War On Drugs: Time For A Truce? He will then take part in an afternoon panel on Tax Wars And Inequality, and will close out the conference in an evening panel titled Is Utopian Thinking Dead? Attitudes To The Future. Tickets are available on the Barbican Centre website.
For those who want to explore Ayn Rand’s philosophy further, the Adam Smith Institute will hold its annual Ayn Rand Lecture on Tuesday in Mayfair. This year’s speaker is Julie Meyer of Ariadne Capital, who’ll be speaking on the topic of “Why Society Works Best When It’s Organised Around the Entrepreneur”.
On Wednesday, Yaron Brook will be speaking to the King’s College London Libertarian Society about his latest book, Equal Is Unfair.


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DIY Project ~ Hose Guards From Curtain Rods!
Have you seen the price of decorative hose guards lately? Well, I have and it made my blood pressure rise! Since early spring I have been on the hunt for pretty hose guards to prepare for the inevitable dry spells of summer. My flower beds curve around the yard and gazebo.So pulling the hose to water can damage plantings along the way. But no way can I spend ten or more dollars each on metal sticks to keep my hose in check, no matter how cute they are!
So I came up with an idea. Use two expandable metal curtain rods I bought for fifty cents at a yard sale!
This is all you need !
Those are super cute!! How much did the curtain rods, rebar and spray paint cost you? What would you estimate as a per item cost of each hose guard? Also what size rebar did you use?
Sorry, Lynn! I was out of town and had no computer for a couple days! Happy to hear you were able to figure out the answers to your questions from my website post. Have fun making those hose guards! I hope you'll share your results with Hometalk and me!
Love this idea and easy to find these rods used.
@Yvonne Jensen ~ yep, cheap and easy!
Great idea, thank you! I love you idea better than anything there is to buy! Very pretty.
@Tracy C ~ thanks! Your hose guards can be as fancy or simple as the curtain rods you choose to make them with! Fun and easy to make too!

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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Shell evacuated all facilities except offshore and Forcados terminal. The flowstations will continue to produce as long as they can without human intervention.
At least 12 soldiers are reported dead so far, 1 Shell employee (Nigerian), and 5 wounded. 5 people are still unaccounted for.
Consulate rep. returned from Warri today with no new news. E-mail from MEND originated from an IP address in South Africa.
Nigerian military sent a chopper over the conflict area to continue the search for the hostages.
There is question over the welfare of one of the hostages. All reports, however, are unconfirmed.
Mbachu Dulue, the AP Journalist who took the interview with the captives, continues to send in reports (latest on the Shell evacuation).
A meeting at Tidex with USG officials set for 1pm today.
British consular officer still in Bayelsa State. DHC is advising the High Commissioner to correspond with the GON to request more transparency and clearance to bring in advisory teams to help with the investigations.

industry_corpus2: Petrochemicals


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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the label for your Diet Coke Plus 20 FL OZ (1.25 PT) 591ml. Based on our review, we have concluded that this product is in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act). Your Diet Coke Plus product is misbranded within the meaning of section 403(r)(1)(A) of the Act [21 USC 343(r)(1)(A)] because the product makes a nutrient content claim but does not meet the criteria to make the claim.
Your product bears the term "Plus" as part of its name, and the principal display panel of the product label also includes the language, "Diet Coke with Vitamins & Minerals." The ingredient list includes the following added vitamins and minerals: magnesium sulfate (declared at 10% of the Daily Value (DV) for magnesium in the Nutrition Facts panel), zinc gluconate (declared at 10% of the DV for zinc), niacinamide (declared at 15% of the DV for niacin), pyridoxine hydrochloride (declared at 15% of the DV for vitamin B6), and cyanocobalamine (declared at 15% of the DV for vitamin B12).
Your product is misbranded within the meaning of section 403(r)(1)(A) of the Act because it bears the nutrient content claim "plus" but does not comply with the regulations governing the use of this claim. The term "plus" in "Diet Coke Plus," read in conjunction with the language "Diet Coke with Vitamins & Minerals," meets the definition of a nutrient content claim because it characterizes the product's level of vitamins and minerals, which are nutrients of the type required to be in nutrition labeling (21 CFR 101.13(b)). The term "plus" is defined in 21 CFR 101.54(e). This term may be used on the label or in labeling of foods to describe the level of nutrients (such as vitamins and minerals) in the food, provided that (1) the food contains at least 10 percent more of the Reference Daily Intake or Daily Reference Value for the nutrient per reference amount customarily consumed than an appropriate reference food, (2) where the claim is based on nutrients that are added to the food, that the fortification is in accordance with the policy on fortification of foods in 21 CFR 104.20, and (3) the claim bears the required information for relative claims as described in 21 CFR 101.13(j)(2) and 101.54(e)(1)(iii).
Your product Diet Coke Plus is a carbonated beverage. The policy on fortification in 21 CFR 104.20(a) states that the FDA does not consider it appropriate to fortify snack foods such as carbonated beverages. Additionally, the label of your product does not state the identity of a reference food and the percentage (or fraction) of the amount of the nutrient in the reference food by which the nutrient in the labeled food differs, as is required for relative claims such as "plus" under 101.13(j)(2). Therefore, the "plus" claim on the label of this product does not meet the requirements of 21 CFR 101.54(e)(1).
You should take prompt action to correct these violations. Please respond to this letter within 15 days from receipt with the actions you plan to take in response to this letter, including an explanation of each step being taken to correct the current violations and prevent similar violations. Include any documentation necessary to show that correction has been achieved. If you cannot complete corrective action within fifteen working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which you will complete the correction.
You should direct your written reply to Felicia B. Williams, Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, Office of Compliance (HFS-608), Division of Enforcement, College Park, Maryland 20740-3835.
This page was posted on January 7, 2009.


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Fellini’s Freaky Funfair claims to be the best theme parks in the world. Now think twice and say - are you ready to accept the challenge of this spooky park? In this adventure you will be tested on natural forces, electricity and other aspects of Physics.
To chase and capture five monsters of the Funfair you need to use all your knowledge of Physics and when you succeed, you will be granted a FOREVER free entry and have lots of time to develop your abilities in Physics and enjoy new thrilling adventures.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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Professional Tulse Hill furniture assembly and reassembly service by professional fitters. Our Prices starting from £25 p/h and we accept all major payment methods: PayPal, Credit Card, Debit Card.
Furniture Assembly in Tulse Hill Based on Hourly Rates.
Excellent service as always. Will use you guys again.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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Toffifee Chocolate box - 125 g, hazelnut in chewy caramel with creamy nougat, topped with delicious chocolate.
Select a bouquet or arrangement.	Add Toffifee Chocolate box during the checkout.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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YouTube is just one of the new media channels that has changed lives and taken people with amazing potential and talent and brought their magic to the masses.
When I started in the music industry (back in the very-late eighties), there were countless stories regaled about the next Eddie Van Halen of the world. Young people, living in Suburbia, USA, sitting on the corner of their bed, practicing sixteen hours a day as posters of Guitar Gods like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Steve Vai hung overhead.
Those kids with a dream now have a free and global media channel to strut their stuff. Whoever the young guitarist is in the video, you hardly get a glimpse of his face. In my humble opinion, he’s not doing it to get his “face” out there, he’s doing it to show his skill. He might even be interested in seeing how people rate him (four out of five stars with well over five thousand people rating him). Most importantly, almost one and half million people have viewed this clip.
Who knows where, exactly, he lives in Brazil, but an audience of over one million people (and growing) will probably be the biggest venue this Fret Master will ever play.
Videos like this remind me that YouTube is important to Marketers. It’s a fertile testing ground to see if your message, talent and content resonates with the world. It is an open channel that could take your idea off of the whiteboard and to the masses.
This young person and his guitar solo reminded me of a time when I wondered about all of this talent that is spending countless hours in a basement with no acknowledgement (and the odds of “getting out there” were very low), and how – in the short span of a few years – these online channels are now less about distribution and more about empowerment and experimentation.
Marketing has spent too long worrying about distribution. Marketers need to spend more time thinking about empowerment and experimentation. If you’re ever not sure that this is the right path, just come back here and watch this guy playing guitar.
I’ll bet Eddie, Jimmy and Vai are.
Very much agree with your conclusions.
Feel marketers especially need to understand that the hundreds of thousands of bedroom virtuosos on YouTube are in it for the new opportunities of public experimentation (as you point out) and for relationship-building, as well.
As a musician myself, I can attest that new venues such as YouTube and blogging have been crucial in breaking that sense of isolation that has held down so much talent for so long (ever since the recording industry brought in the decline of amateur musicianship in our culture).
And some of the pro’s are learning the YouTube lesson very well, too. One good example for me is Peo Kindgren, from Denmark.
Not only is his playing beautiful, but he’s absolutely diligent with communicating with his growing, international fan base.
No doubt there are many others like him. And so YouTube is great news for all indie artists who care to discover and pursue the new communications ethic, and for marketers who value consumer/audience feedback and participation.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text: We pared ten top-quality 2019 knit hat over the latter 3 years. Discover which knit hat is best for you. Search by brand including BASICO, Top Level and Funky Junque or by category such as Men's Skullies & Beanies, Men's Hats & Caps and Women's Hats & Caps.


text:
As global atrocities have accellerated during the past century, a common theme in religious discussion has been, "With all the terrible things that befall us how could there be a God?" In Curious Theatre Company's regional premiere of Heather McDonald's An Almost Holy Picture, Samuel Gentle, a former pastor turned church groundskeeper, struggles with his personal tragedies and asks similar questions.
John Hutton, a local favorite at the Denver Center Theatre Company, makes this well-crafted one man show his own, radiating humility and compassion, despite his beef with his creator over the strange fate of his only child, who has a rare skin condition. With thoughtful direction from Chip Walton, Hutton's every movement takes us to a new world upon Daniel Guyette's multi-faceted stage, moving us seamlessly from garden to promontory to chapel.
At a time when America is overrun with corporate sleaze and imperialistic arrogance, Samuel Gentle's struggle for a personal relationship with God is a refreshing whisper of faith. Curious Theatre Company's An Almost Holy Picture runs through October 26th. 303-623-0524.


text:
Nature : the international weekly journal of science.
London : Nature Publ. Group.
Digital. Ausg. MuÌnchen : MuÌnchener Digitalisierungszentrum, 2008-2013.
Langzeitarchivierung : durch die Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, LZA.
Ungezählte Beil.: The genome directory; The yeast genome directory; Suppl.; Produktschau für Deutschland; Science in Spain; Science in Latin America; Nature net guide; Nature jobs; Science et technology networks in Scandinavia; Nature outlook; Nature insight; Nature publishing index.
Add tags for "Nature : the international weekly journal of science.". Be the first.
<http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/869881564> # Nature the international weekly journal of science.
schema:publisher <http://experiment.worldcat.org/entity/work/data/4452027609#Agent/nature_publ_group> ; # Nature Publ. Group.
schema:workExample <http://worldcat.org/issn/1476-4687> ; # Nature the international weekly journal of science.
<http://experiment.worldcat.org/entity/work/data/4452027609#Agent/nature_publ_group> # Nature Publ. Group.
schema:isSimilarTo <http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/869881564> ; # Nature the international weekly journal of science.
umbel:isLike <http://worldcat.org/issn/1476-4687> ; # Nature the international weekly journal of science.
<http://worldcat.org/issn/1476-4687> # Nature the international weekly journal of science.
schema:about <http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/869881564> ; # Nature the international weekly journal of science.
schema:organizer <http://experiment.worldcat.org/entity/work/data/4452027609#Agent/nature_publ_group> ; # Nature Publ. Group.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text:
Recently, 202 persons with disabilities, friends and relatives watched the first sensory-friendly movie shown in Laguna. Organized by ASP Laguna Chapter, it was held at SM City Calamba Cinema 1 last July 29, 2014. Zambezia, an animated movie about two falcons that were en route to a community of birds protected by a group called “the Hurricanes”, was shown.
The weather was cooperative since it didn't rain when the participants and companions waited for SM City Calamba to open. The cinema was almost filled with moviegoers, some of them for the first time.
The overall feedback is largely positive, as most of the PWD’s and companions in attendance that came from different parts of Laguna like Santa Rosa, Cabuyao, Calamba, Los Baños, and San Pablo enjoyed the movie. ASP Santa Rosa Chapter also participated in this event. A mother relayed that her son was able to complete his movie watching experience. The mother was thankful for the opportunity to have this kind of event. Another parent, who had some doubts about the film showing, made more optimistic remarks as she talked with her other companion as they leave.
This wouldn't be possible without the efforts of cinema manager Ma. Supreme M. Fagara, SM Calamba security personnel and other staff, who were accommodating. We would also like to thank those who spent their time and enjoyed watching the movie with their friends, relatives and peers.Despite the recent typhoon which disrupted the lives of our kababayans, we were able to do a film presentation as a way to belatedly celebrate the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week.
About the contributor. Ian Lopez is a self-advocate currently taking up Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in University of the Philippines Los Baños. He creates maps to help people get to seminars and symposiums organized by ASP-Laguna Chapter.


text:
At 753 m (0.5 miles) above sea level, you sleep, where fox and hedgehog to say good night to each other. So, you have the choice between a quiet, very quiet, or an absolutely quiet room. Would you like to enjoy the breathtaking views to the Thuringian land, then we recommend a room on the valley side.
All 28 rooms are equipped with shower, toilette, telephone, TV and most with balcony. Our panorama suite as well as the new with warm colors of the Rhön designed superior rooms have more comfortable details. For an overview of the different categories please refer to our rates list.


text:
Marvel has announced the release date, title and trailer for Avengers 4. Avengers: Endgame is the official title for the final Avengers film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 22-film collection. It will be released on April 26, 2019, instead of the previously announced May 3, 2019 release date. Interestingly, the trailer was also released.
Disney’s decision to bump the film’s release date up isn’t too surprising considering the company used a similar tactic for Avengers: Infinity War earlier this year. This allows Avengers: Endgame’s release in both the UK and the United States to coincide with one another, making it an international event.
The trailer shows the aftermath of the Avengers: Infinity War, as we see the heroes that Thanos didn’t vaporize — Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, and Thor, among others — begin to come to terms with what happened when half of all life disappeared from the planet.
The trailer also shows some familiar faces who weren’t part of Infinity War, like Hawkeye.
Notably absent are giant fight scenes or Captain Marvel, the photon-wielding space commander who is expected to make her Avengers debut in Avengers: Endgame and help save the day.
Avengers: Endgame was first rumoured as the official title earlier this year. “End Game” is an extremely popular title used in comics, making it a nice throwback for fans of various Marvel comic book series. It’s still a pretty generic title, meaning hungry fans looking for something to dig into may be left disappointed. Endgame could also refer to this final stand between the villainous Thanos and the remaining superheroes looking to save the universe from total destruction.


text:
I wanted to try MGS for a pretty long time, just not enough to warrant buying it so pretty happy about that one.
Yeah I'm really looking forward to playing MGS. I've never really played it before so it'll be my first foray into the game.
I kept holding out on buying it when it was on sale, lucky me.
Dude MGS on PS1 was probably one of my all-time favorite games, IMO each game after that went a little further and further downhill. I don't have high expectations but I'll hopefully give this a good shot.
I know, it's one of those games series that all gamers should have some experience playing at some point I've also never really played Final Fantasy or Resident Evil. I have some catching up to do.
Hands up on Final Fantasy, I think I tried one and from memory, it was turn based and I just did not get on with it.
Resident Evil, however, I've played all but the later series. Again, something I think started off great and went downhill when it lost is true Survival Horror theme and started to be a little more arcadey.
Bit of a comedown from last month for me, already own MGS V on PS4 and no interest in baseball. At least having Vanquish digitally will be nice. Hopefully June is better, esp being E3 month.
I agree with you there, it seems with each sequel Kojima added more tin to his tin foil hat of crazy deep state conspiracies that any sense of plot goes out the window halfway through MGS2. If you play them just for the tactical stealth aspect, which is what I do, and don't really think too much about the story side, then it's all good fun.
State of Decay 2 is going up on May 22nd as well.
Yeah just saw the tweet from Major Nelson confirming the other titles.
State of Decay is another big title to drop via Game Pass.
Edit - just noticed that Halo: MCC is not on that list.
I believe also that PES 2018 will only be part of game pass till end of August.
Here are this week’s games and add-on deals on the Xbox Games Store. Discounts are valid now through 07 May 2018. This week you can find a number of Call of Duty games on sale.
Too many games, not enough time.
Another big title added to BC.
About damn time. I think DA:1 is already available.
Amazon has a digital deal going on, up to 75% off.
Interesting. I can't say I need more games either obviously, but interesting.
Just waiting for State of Decay 2 myself. Figure keeping game pass year round will probably be worth it after that.
There decent titles there, shame that it's US only (again).
@George P - did you buy anything?
Also, here are this week’s games and add-on deals on the Xbox Games Store. Discounts are valid now through 14 May 2018. This week they have a Gamefest sale on, as well as a franchise sale where there's a lot of the Assassin's Creed titles on sale.
Nah, I didn't get anything, I'm stuck at work and only have my desktop to game. The way I live, due to work, I'm in one place from April to September (laptop + gaming desktop), Another location in March and Oct, (original Xbox One). And a final location from Nov-March where I have the Xbox One X.
So for now I'm back on my PC going through dishonored 2.
I'll probably snag Assassins Creed Origins for Xbox at some point, it's been going up on sale frequently and I have played the majority of them on my Xbox, minus black flag which I have on the PC.
Even more are being removed at the end of May, 21 titles in fact.
It makes sense to see titles that have yearly releases drop out as long as the newest one ends up replacing them, like NBA 2k17 leaving with NBA 2k18 coming in and so on.
Here are this week’s games and add-on deals on the Xbox Games Store. Discounts are valid now through 21 May 2018.
I have the physical disk of this. Never got to much in to it though. I didn't like the game play/controls. May try it again. Heard Shadow of War was better, but have not had a chance to play that.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


text:
The windshield is one of the most important safety features on a vehicle. Not only do windshields protect the driver and passengers from exterior elements, it is an integral part of the vehicle’s support structure. Since even a tiny crack can develop into a larger issue, a windshield repair or replacement is highly recommended.
However, you need to ensure that the auto glass repair shop in DeLand has the skills and equipment necessary to complete the work properly and meets Federal Safety Standards. And if windshield replacement is required due to the size and location of the damage, ensure that quality OEM (original equipment manufacturer) glass is used for your specific make and model.
Whether you need windshield repair or a replacement, make sure you get a lifetime warranty against leaks or manufacturing defects. For auto glass replacement only manufacturers’ approved sealants should be used. This type of a Sure Bond installation of the glass is important for protecting the driver and occupants.
When looking for windshield glass replacement in DeLand, FL, look for a shop that offers same day or next day installation and provides a mobile service. This way you don’t have to take time out of your busy day waiting for your windshield repair or replacement.
Florida Auto Glass is the preferred authorized windshield replacement dealer in DeLand, FL. Their trained technicians perform windshield glass repairs and replacement that meet OEM specifications for your make and model vehicle. Most insurance claims are processed on the spot.
Don’t drive around DeLand with a damaged windshield. For fast and convenient windshield repair or replacement, contact us at 386-775-1126 or visit us online to schedule an appointment today! Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


text:
Anyone upgraded their ipad memory ? Saw a shop at sim lim at 5th floor that provides this service.
Like to know whether it's still stable and reliable after the upgrade.
apple activation is activate all ur parts serial number with their server ,not just the phone serial number.
don try to do that.void ur warranty and once apple update. ur parts serial number will not be activate by apple and u may need to go back to the sls again to reclone ur old serial number.they will defiantly charge u for tat.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
While “Software Developer” is only #4 in salary.com’s 8 hottest jobs of 2014 list in terms of growth rate (demand), it probably goes without saying that there are many well-paying career opportunities in Computer Science and IT (Information Technology) in general.
If you’re considering pursuing a computer science career, or just curious, here is a list of 50 of the top-paying jobs in the field. While salaries for some roles vary widely by location, industry, experience level, demand and sometimes as the wind blows, this list should give you a rough idea of the more financially rewarding IT-related roles.
Not all of the following roles are purely technical, although all are considered to be in the IT field in general or relevant to IT. In the interest of presenting as many different types of widely-achievable roles as possible for the average candidate, we’ve left out upper-level IT management positions such as CTO, VP and Director roles. In some cases, where job titles are merely different designations based on experience, we’ve grouped titles into one listing. E.g., we’ve made no distinction in entries between junior, intermediate, senior, and lead positions of the same type of role. So listed salary ranges usually cover all such variations. Salary ranges are a composite from different sources and should only be considered as a guideline.
This role is sometimes referred to as a Computer Systems Analyst, with duties that might overlap that of an IT Project Manager, if overseeing installation or upgrade of computer systems. This role typically analyzes an organization’s computer systems and procedures; makes recommendations for process improvement; interacts with partners/ vendors and with programmers or programmer / analysts. Educational background might be technical, though this is more of an analytical than technical role that is focused on the business aspects of technology, including: analyzing the cost of system changes; the impact on employees; potential project timelines. Needs to interact with department managers on IT requirements; incorporate feedback from both internal and external users into business requirements documents; incorporate feedback from designers; contribute technical requirements; advise technical teams on their and their technology’s role in the organization; provide guidance to programmer / developers with use cases.
This role focuses on specific computer systems – compared to a Business Analyst, who will analyze a broader range of processes and systems for an organization. Typically, it requires analytical skills and is business-focused, so often requires a BA background, not necessarily a B.Sc.. It does, however, require an understanding of computer systems and information, and more technical reporting and documentation procedures. Usually, understanding the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), UML (Unified Modeling Language) and other technical concepts and skills are often a requirement. The role has optional certifications which bring increased opportunities and compensation.
Aka CRM Analyst. CRM = Customer Relationship Management: front office functionality. This is typically a less technical role which may require a marketing or business degree — often a master’s — combined with statistics, but usually requires certain technical knowledge such as database and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software, specifically. Typical responsibilities / skills: analyze customer relationship data – especially within product channels – using CRM software, and recommend strategy changes for building customer loyalty; define organizational procedures based on the data; document new procedures for internal use — typically for staff in sales, marketing and support.
Typical responsibilities / skills: development and upgrade of computer systems; either interact with data and system security staff or define necessary procedures for them to follow; design, develop and test software when necessary — often middleware; document procedures for internal use, and provide various system and operations documents; participate in various review meetings, including design, program and test reviews with inter-departmental co-workers; define a process for change management.
A Solutions Architect role is similar to other architect roles and can go beyond the scope of IT. experience with hardware and software systems is common requirement, as is an understanding of business operations. This role is sometimes but not always synonymous with a Director or CTO (Chief Technical Officer) position. Typical responsibilities/ skills; understand the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle); have broad technical knowledge of computer systems; conduct process flow analyses; transform business/ customer requirements into technical requirements (functional design document); understand and have experience with databases; interact with developers and bridge different IT architect roles.
Aka E-Commerce Business Analyst. Backgrounds for this role vary: computer science, finance, statistics, management, marketing, communications. While a bachelor’s degree is standard, a master’s degree is sometimes required. Typical responsibilities / skills: analyze customer e-commerce data for behavioral or other trends; setup or configure reporting or dashboards for easy internal access to such data; create customer profiles for demographic targeting; utilize Web analytics.
An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Business Analyst focuses on “back office” functionality for an organization’s various facets, including CRM, management, accounting, sales. Typical responsibilities / skills: have an understanding of typical business uses of ERP software; interact with various stakeholders to analyze business processes and gather requirements; incorporate business requirements to configure ERP software; interact with developers to build a reporting environment; document organization-specific customizations; conduct any necessary training sessions for use of ERP software and reporting environment. This role usually requires experience with a specific ERP solution.
Similar titles include Pre-sales Engineer, PreSales Engineer, Pre-sales Technical Engineer. This role is for a product advocate/ evangelist who works with internal sales staff and possibly offers technical consulting to potential customers prior to a sale. They give product demonstrations to sales staff and potential customers and handle the technical aspects of RFIs / RFPs (Requests for Information / Requests for Proposal). So the ability to communicate with both technical and no-technical staff and customers is important, especially to pass on customer requirements to Product Managers. It requires some level of technical knowledge, especially about the systems/ software being offered, and may require some certifications. Post-sales interaction with a client is a possibility.
AKA CRM Developer. Most CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software has both internal and external (Web) components. Users can be internal (sales staff, support, admin, systems developers) and external (customers, vendors, partners, researchers). These are the users a CRM Developer needs to keep in mind when developing solutions. Typical responsibilities/ skills: experience with a specific CRM system; custom configure a CRM used by the organization; develop custom modules to extend CRM functionality; integrate CRM features into an organization’s own computer systems, including for customer use – which requires experience with a programming or scripting language, and either server, desktop/ laptop, Web or mobile (phone, tablet) development experience as necessary; document custom settings, modules and features for different levels of user.
This role is focused on Web portals and often requires knowledge of a specific portal software platforms. E.g., IBM WebSphere, Microsoft SharePoint. Typical responsibilities / skills: interact with Web and other systems administrators; create or oversee creation of necessary portal databases and user profiles; configure and manage portal applications; perform configuration and upgrade process tests; oversee integration of new technologies into the portal; document portal use policies and procedures (internal); handle relevant trouble tickets; train developers, content managers and end-users as necessary.
Aka Computer Programmer / Analyst. May have some overlap with a Business Analyst role, such as performing requirements analysis. In some organizations, there is a lot of overlap with a Software Developer role, and in other places, the two roles work together. Typical responsibilities / skills: design of applications from a high level first – such as by using flowcharts or other graphical views — as well as actual coding of software; testing and maintenance. Specific programming language skills influence salary ranges.
Sometimes referred to as a Network Support Engineer. The role sometimes overlaps with Network Architect roles. Typical responsibilities / skills: work with a variety of types of networks including LANs, WANs, GANs and MANs; determine network capacity requirements and ensure that the infrastructure can handle it; monitor and administrate the network; troubleshoot problems. Depending on the size of the organization, a person in this role might also setup, install and configure all types of hardware, from servers and printers to desktops and laptops, routers, switches, support internal network users. Non-standard work hours are a possibility.
Typical responsibilities / skills: analyze wireless networking and communication requirements; design and develop network infrastructure; capacity planning; recommend system improvements; document necessary processes; develop any necessary software such as drivers; monitor systems use and performance; setup and run wireless network tests. A senior position might lead a team of junior and intermediate engineers.
This role is primarily focused on focused on disaster recovery after a crisis with computer systems. Typical responsibilities / skills: develop strategies for disaster prevention and for resuming operations; ensure backup of data for the organization (process-wise); design and implement computer systems that will support continuous operations; interact with vendors when necessary; design and test recovery plans; report risk potential to senior management. The role may require risk management experience and knowledge of specific 3rd-party systems/ applications.
Aka DBA. Sometimes has overlapping duties with Database Programmer, Database Analyst and Database Modeller, and may report to a Database Manager and/or Data Architect. Typical responsibilities / skills: maintain an organization’s databases; design and implement databases, in coordination with a Data Architect; schedule and run regular database backups; recover lost data; implement and monitor database security; ensure data integrity; identify the needs of users and provide access to data stakeholders, data analysts and other users, as necessary. DBAs can have broad or specialized duties. E.g., divide tasks up: System DBA upgrades software for bug fixes and new features. Application DBA writes and maintains code and queries for one or more databases in an organization. The role may require certification.
Typical responsibilities / skills: produce the overall design of new software or modules based on requirements passed down; produce flowcharts, algorithms and anything else necessary for the actual coding. Junior developers might start out by maintaining (debugging) existing code / features rather than design new code. If code in an organization is not done separately by Computer Programmers, then it falls to the Software Developers — who might also do testing and debugging, or work with teammates who do that work.
Typical responsibilities / skills: identify telecom needs for an organization, including voicemail; create policies for the installation and maintenance of telecom equipment and systems within an organization; take into account any compliance needs, especially for a publicly-traded company; oversee actual installation and maintenance of equipment (cabling, modems, routers, servers, software); manage of a team of telecom/ networking specialists; stay abreast of new telecom technologies for upgrade consideration; interact with vendors as necessary.
Typical responsibilities / skills: understand the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle); interact with business teams to understand requirements; analyze technical problems in ERP configurations and assess risk; write any necessary code for extending an ERP platform’s features, or to integrate with an organization’s applications. This position usually requires experience with a particular ERP solution and with one or more facets/ modules.
Depending on company size, this role may overlap with Network Administrator. A Network Manager has overall responsibility for an organizations networks; ensures that networks are always running, especially if customers and/or partners rely on them; devises and implements a plan to either prevent or recover from a disaster. Overall, they are responsible for all the networks, local and non, that drive an organization, and for maintaining the hardware and cabling that goes with the networking infrastructure. That includes installing hardware and software, monitoring networks, etc., or managing a team of Network Analyst/ Engineers and/or the various Network Administrators. Certification may be required for some roles, depending on the networking technology used and especially if the role is significantly hands-on.
Typical responsibilities / skills: implement and follow a network security plan; document the networking infrastructure, including any firewall protocols and policies, monitoring and disaster recovery plans; use vulnerability assessment tools to determine potential risks; monitor and investigate security breaches; recommend organizational security policies; keep up to date on changing networking technology, and review software and hardware to be able to recommend upgrades when necessary.
This role may overlap with Application Development Manager. This is a fairly technical role and sometimes requires a background as an application developer. An App Dev PM needs the ability to interact with co-workers from multiple departments, to keep them on track to achieve milestones, drive a project forward and resolve bottlenecks. They understand the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), budgets, project management principles, basic psychology of motivating people. This role sometimes requires industry knowledge and solutions, e.g., Financial software.
Overlaps with others administrator roles. Security administrators oversee access to an organization’s computer systems, whether by internal or external users. Typical responsibilities / skills: develop and configure automated solutions for granting user access rights; oversee internal/ external user access rights manually when necessary; have knowledge of traditional and leading-edge security techniques and tools; understand security auditing procedures; determine security risks; investigate security breaches. This position may require knowledge of specific security-related software and applications.
A data warehouse is a repository that combines data from several sources, internal and external, within an organization – e.g., sales and marketing – and is used for trend reporting. Typical responsibilities / skills for a Data Warehouse Developer: interact with business analysts to understand the necessary business logic; follow standards and procedures for databases set down by a Data Warehouse Manager; design and create databases for the purpose of data warehousing; design and run ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) procedures to extract external data and load into a data warehouse; test integrity of data warehouse; write and maintain any code necessary for data warehousing tasks including report generators. This position may require experience with specific 3rd-party applications, and often overlaps with Database Developer duties.
This role sometimes overlaps with Database Engineer or Data Warehouse Developer (see above job description) and can cover a broad range of tasks. Typical responsibilities / skills: data management and administration, data modeling, data warehousing, investigate data integrity issues; devise and conduct data tests for integrity, and follow an action plan for any necessary recovery; document access of specific databases for developers in other departments; work with logical and physical models of data; understand principles of distributed data, data redundancy; incorporate database updates as per stakeholder requirements; produce reports on analyzed business intelligence data; write database queries and complementary computer code to support internal applications, and which are possibly shared with developers in other departments. This may require knowing “back end” programming or scripting languages such as Java, Ruby, Python, Perl, etc., as well as knowledge of both traditional RDBMSes (Relational Database Management Systems) and newer NoSQL databases such as Cassandra, CouchDB, MongoDB, Hadoop and others. The role tends to require specific commercial database system experience, experience with database performance tuning and troubleshooting, and may require some forms of certification.
Typical responsibilities / skills: creates the Conceptual Data Model representing an organization’s data requirements for various business processes; produces the plan for building the Logical Data Model(s) from the conceptual model. (The physical data model is the actual implementation (database) where data will be stored.) Data modeling (aka database modeling) covers business requirements for databases and is an organic process, so this role also requires adapting a database to business requirements changes.
For an IT project, this overlaps with Computer and Information Systems Manager. This is a broader role than for an Applications Development Project Manager and may not require as much of a technical background. Project Managers should have at least an understanding of — if not experience with — the computer systems or software being built / maintained. Responsible for defining, maintaining, and enforcing a project schedule; updating schedule when requirements change or project facets become overdue; keep projects on or under-budget. Other responsibilities and requirements: understand Agile development process (where necessary); run scrums; interact with multiple departments and many levels of co-workers, and convey to them the importance of their respective stakes while also keeping technical resources such as developers goal-oriented; update management on the status of projects, bottlenecks, requests for resources. IT Certifications such as PMP (Project Management Professional) can increase opportunities and salary.
Aka Software Product Manager. Usually “owns” (the development and maintenance of) one or more software products / applications / platforms within an organization; works with marketing, UX / design, developers, project managers, etc., in a largely cross-departmental role. Other requirements and responsibilities: be an evangelist for the product — internally and externally where appropriate; research the market and understand what the user wants — either in terms of improvements or new features; be an influential personality and possibly have an entrepreneurial mindset; be outward-facing and understand both customer needs and strategies for acquiring customers; have broad knowledge of relevant from products from various disciplines, not necessarily deep knowledge of one discipline.
Typical responsibilities / skills: determine security risks for an organization’s computer systems, databases and networks; monitor external activity; install and configure security-related software (firewalls, encryption); understand compliance issues related to security, especially for a publicly-traded organization; make recommendations to management for security policies and procedures; design and run penetration testing (simulation of attacks); keep abreast of new attack techniques and implement means of preventing these.
Aka Application Developer. Typical responsibilities / skills: focus might be on middleware applications; interact with business analysts to understand and incorporate customer and business requirements; understand the SDLC (System Development Life Cycle); follow design specs and programming standards for coding applications; develop and test application-specific software and modules; interact with quality assurance specialists. Possibly requires experience with multi-tier environments. Requires an understanding of specific programming/ scripting languages and development frameworks, and possibly specific database packages.
Aka Help Desk Technicians. The focus of a support tech’s work is interacting with non-IT users, whether internal to a company or external. One group of technicians may support internal users of 3rd-party software, while another group may support internal and external users of company software. Responsibilities include being familiar with the software, hardware or systems they support, including keeping up to date with both new and retired features; knowing where to find the answers to questions that come in to the help desk; possibly contribute to a repository of FAQs (frequently asked questions).
Aka, User Experience Design Manager. Typical responsibilities / skills: oversee the user experience for an application or portfolio of applications; interact with marketing/ business, technical and other departments to collect requirements and make recommendations; interact with product owner/ manager (sometimes UX owns the product); interact with technical managers, project manager, executive management; manage a team of UX Designers – hiring, management, resource planning, mentoring. This not always a strictly a technical role, though such a manager might have a background that combines management, interface design and coding — or at least be tech-savvy enough to understand what is and is not possible for an organization’s software products.
This is a general technical manager role and in some organizations, this title can incorporate other managerial duties including overseeing networks, managing network engineers, databases, database analysts and developers and more. Typical responsibilities / skills: manage help desk/ technical support teams for both internal and external users; budget for support staff equipment and software; be involved in corporate plans for hardware and software upgrades; define service call procedures and policies and monitor employee behavior on calls; ensure the updating of relevant documentation. The role usually requires industry-related technical experience and can require physical effort.
This role usually requires a technical background and leads a technical team, which could consist of developers, testers, analysts and more – whether or not the organization is technical. Typical responsibilities / skills: oversee the technical aspects of internal projects; maintain corporate IT procedures, with documentation; hire and lead a technical team to support the procedures; manage resources within a budget; keep up to date with new technologies, for recommending possible internal upgrades; interact with various departments, vendors and possibly consultants /contractors. The role can require a master’s degree in computer science or a related field.
This is not always a purely technical role, though background could be and often is in computer science or a similar field. Usually, it’s a business-focused role that analyzes and reports on data used within the organization. Reports are a key part of such a role and are targeted for executives who will make business decisions upon the recommendations. This could be IT process improvement, software and hardware upgrades, networking, etc. Typical responsibilities / skills: collection and analysis of business data for process improvement, similar to “continuous improvement” philosophy; ability to express technical topics in a form non-technical decision makers can absorb; ability to structure business intelligence for internally-defined purposes. The role can require an understanding of a specific software, particularly database systems, and may involved working closely with developers.
This covers multiple related roles which require knowledge of at least one mobile operating system and development platform, such as Android or iOS, and the underlying programming languages. In some roles, Mobile Web development skills are a requirement. Typical responsibilities / skills: design, write and maintain mobile application code; port features for an app from another platform (such as desktop, Web, phone, tablet, wearable computing) to the mobile platform in question; integrate databases (internal) and REST APIs (internal and external); produce API components as necessary and document usage for other developers (internal and sometimes external); devise and run code tests in simulator or hardware; work with Quality Assurance staff for additional; testing log and fix defects. The role can sometimes require design skills for a front-end position.
Aka IT Auditor, Information Systems Auditor. Typical responsibilities / skills: reviewing and recommending compliance processes, especially for a publicly-traded company; determine and assess risk pertaining to technology, both for a single location and other corporate offices; audit an organization’s computer systems and infrastructure for secureness; comply with company audit policies (e.g., if in a divisional office); draft a security breech prevention plan; define audit procedures; report audit findings. This role is more likely to require a background in MIS (Management Information Science) or business administration, although IT skills are valuable.
Software Quality Assurance (SQA) work is on of those unusual sets of roles where compensation varies widely. Companies that appreciate the value of proper testing and “code coverage” pay more for a good Software QA Analyst/ Engineer than they might for a Software Developer / Software Engineer, and thus often require a seasoned developer/ engineer. Other companies pay less much less and tend to employe QA testers — although both variations are sometimes referred to as a Software QA Engineer. In QA work, these are overlapping roles. The tester role is focused on running pre-defined test suites and verifying the results, reporting bugs or interacting with Software Developers/ Engineers. A QA Analyst / Engineer is more like to be the person designing test suites and improving code coverage to verify that everything that needs to be tested is being tested. The latter role can require experience with programming/ scripting languages and/or Web or Mobile platforms.
Aka DBA Manager; has a role that overlaps with other database specialists. Typical responsibilities / skills: oversee how data assets are managed within a company, including data organization and access: internally-generated private and public data, as well as externally-created (user) private and public data; data modeling; database design; define and ensure data backup processes; monitor and analyze database performance; troubleshoot data integrity issues; manage a team of other database specialists, including Database Administrators. The role may require an understanding of one or more traditional DBMSes or the newer technologies, as necessary.
Aka User Experience Designer. This role comes in various forms: desktop, Web, mobile, wearables. Typical responsibilities / skills: design software interface flow, user interactions, screen layout and organization, screen interaction (between screens), overall appearance (visual design), and optimizes the user experience — typically through iterative improvements and user feedback, to create engaging user experiences; create wireframes or more realistic prototypes — possibly with the help of front-end web developers or a web designer with the necessary development skills; recommend design patterns that are both tested (on other Web sites or apps or desktop software) as well as appropriate to the software at hand; define A/B Split Testing studies to determine which variation of an interface is more engaging. In some companies, UX teams own an application instead of a designated “content owner” and can thus request changes from software developers directly as needed. This is not necessarily a strictly technical role, and is always a creative role that involves an understanding of user psychology. However, it can require technical skills, especially if combined with another role, such as front-end Web development or front-end mobile app development. At the least, an understanding what is and is not possible for a particular software platform is important.
Aka Quality Assurance Manager, (S)QA Manager. Typical responsibilities / skills: oversee all IT-related quality assurance efforts within an organization — e.g., the entire application portfolio; manage a team of QA specialists (testers, QA analysts, leads, supervisors); interact with stakeholders; attend high-level project meetings for new/ updated computer systems; budget resources for inter-departmental efforts. Whether or not a QA Manager codes in their role, this position tends to require senior-level QA analyst experience.
Depending on the size of an organization, this role can overlap with that of over database specialists. Typical responsibilities / skills: provide a data architecture for an organization’s data assets, including databases, data integration (combining data sources into one view), data access; define the formal data description, structures, models, flow diagrams, and overall metadata; enable stakeholders to manage their portion of the databases or data warehouse, under guidance and data access policies; have logical and physical data modeling skills, whether they’re used in actuality or to oversee a Data Modeler’s efforts; defines data warehouse policies including for Information Assurance. The role usually requires senior experience as a Database Developer/ Analyst / Engineer.
Aka, Data Warehouse Manager. Typical responsibilities/ skills: collect and analyze business data from external and internal sources; interact with stakeholders to understand and incorporate business requirements; database modeling, business intelligence skills, data mining, data analysis, reporting; oversee data warehouse integrity; oversee benchmarking of performance; manage a team of Data Warehouse Developer / Analysts.
Aka Computer Network Architect. Depending on the size of an organization, this role can overlap with that of other network specialists. Typical responsibilities / skills: design internal and intra-office networks, including physical layout: LAN, WAN, Internet, VoIP, etc.; monitor network usage and performance, devise network tests and evaluate them; incorporate any new business requirements so as to upgrade overal network architecture; do any necessary cabling, routers, and install and configure hardware and software; follow or recommend a budget for projects; choose or recommend the appropriate network components; sometimes report to a CTO (Chief Technology Officer). Network Architects usually have five or more years of experience as a Network Engineer, and supervise various other engineers in implement a networking plan. Besides a Bachelor of Science degree, depending on the employer and the specific role, sometimes an MBA in Information Systems is required as well.
Aka Computer Software Engineer. In government positions and some more established corporations, Software Engineer and other IT positions are often divided into Levels indicating experience / rank. Each higher rank incorporates more responsibilities for the role. While there is a theoretical technical difference between a Software Developer and a Software Engineer, many organizations use the term Engineer when they mean Developer. True “software engineers” are certified by an engineering board. While a Software Engineer creates/ tests/ documents software just as a Software Developer does, the former is more likely to also optimize software based on their technical, mathematical and/or scientific knowledge. They produce more reliable software through engineering principles. The salary range listed here covers any use of the title Software Engineer.
An Information Systems Security Manager oversees the security of company and customer data and computer systems in general. Typical responsibilities / skills: oversee all IT security needs for an organization; determine security requirements; document security policies; implement security solutions; manage a team of information security specialists. This role tends to require experience with computer or information science or a related field, experience with specific computer systems security software, and may require one or more certifications.
Aka Application(s) Development Manager. Typical responsibilities / skills: oversees an organization’s internally-created software applications and platforms; gather application requirements; interface with VP Tech, marketing, project managers, managers of other teams; manage software analysts and/or developers for an organization’s application portfolio; monitor timelines and resources; schedule projects where necessary. This role often requires senior-level experience with developing applications and may require experience with database design.
Aka Application Architect. This title is sometimes misused and applied to what would otherwise be a software developer or software engineer position. Typical responsibilities/ skills: broad knowledge of software used within an organization; project management experience; senior-level software development experience; broadly oversee the entire software development (application portfolio) effort for an organization; define application architecture; interact with the various role-specific architects, project manager, customer representatives; interact with developers while enforcing architecture. This might require experience with specific programming languages and software development frameworks.


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Hoyer: Barth's ties to Byrd can deliver infrastructure dollars to W.Va.
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Anne Barth, the Democratic nominee vying to unseat U.S. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito in November, received a ringing endorsement Monday from U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who touted Barth's ties to U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd's success in bringing federal infrastructure dollars back to West Virginia. "Anne Barth knows how to deliver," Hoyer, a 28-year Democratic congressman from Maryland's 5th district, said in Martinsburg. Barth, flanked by Hoyer and Martinsburg Mayor George Karos for what was billed as a discussion on infrastructure, didn't mention Capito by name, but criticized funding shortfalls for roads, bridges and other needs she said were essential to spur economic development.
Washington County - July 18: An 83-year-old steam pipe exploded in midtown Manhattan, claiming one life, injuring more than 20 others and spewing steam and debris into the air. Aug. 1: The 40-year-old Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed, throwing dozens of vehicles into the water. As of Friday, eight bodies had been recovered, and divers continued to search for remaining victims. Although causes have not been determined, the age of the structures has been suggested as a contributing factor in each incident.
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Anne Barth, the Democratic nominee for the Second Congressional District, will host a roundtable discussion on the economy and infrastructure with U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., this morning at the Shenandoah Hotel in Martinsburg. Elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, have been invited to participate in the event and discuss infrastructure needs facing the Eastern Panhandle. "It is an honor to have the House majority leader in West Virginia, and I look forward to a discussion with officials about the needs we have in our communities and what we can all do to work together to improve our economy and infrastructure and meet those needs," said Barth, who worked on infrastructure projects with local municipalities for 21 years as Sen. Robert C. Byrd's state director.
Governor appoints Lowe to chair jobs council in W.Va.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin Wednesday announced the appointment of Kenneth F. Lowe Jr. of Shepherdstown, W.Va., to serve as his designee and chairman of the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council (IJDC). Lowe replaces Mark Prince of Charleston, who is stepping down from the position that he has held since November 2003, Manchin said in a news release. A successful regional and national real estate and business developer, Lowe is the owner/operator of Ken Lowe Management Co., and currently serves as general partner of Panhandle Ventures Investment Group, and a managing partner and developer of Liberty Business Park.
If voters give her the opportunity, Washington County Commissioners candidate Carrie Gouff said she hopes to freeze taxes and slow development. The county can address its infrastructure needs while giving taxpayers a break, said.Gouff, a Republican. Gouff, 40, who as president of the Chewsville, Smithsburg, Leitersburg youth league lobbied county officials to lease the gym at the former Fort Ritchie U.S. Army base, said the commissioners' decision earlier this year to send out $150 tax rebate checks motivated her to run. She criticized the commissioners for spending money to cut checks and mail the refunds.
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A company that bills itself as the nation's leading privately-held supplier of building materials and services to professional builders continues to expand operations in the Eastern Panhandle despite a downturn in home construction. "The mid-Atlantic area has been very good for us," said Jeff Nobers, 84 Lumber Co. vice president of corporate communications on Tuesday. "Even with the slump we're in, there's still a lot of activity. " "It's a cyclical business ... We know the market will come back," Nobers later added.
GREENCASTLE, Pa. - The owners of 200 commercial acres along U.S. 11 asked local school, borough and township officials at a joint meeting Thursday for a booster shot of tax incentives that would entice corporations to move in and, in time, could pad local budgets with as much as $4.5 million in annual tax revenue. Bordered by Interstate 81 and the Norfolk Southern Railroad, the land is seen by many as an unrealized cash cow for Antrim Township and the Greencastle-Antrim School District.
At last week's State of the County forum, Washington County Commissioners President Greg Snook outlined the commissioners' approach to funding the county's growth, focusing on an excise tax for both residential and commercial construction. The Chamber of Commerce is encouraged that the commissioners are having this conversation now. If we are not exactly ahead of the curve, we are not yet woefully behind it, either. The chamber supports the discussion of an excise tax to replace the current funding mechanism for our roads, schools and other infrastructure.
Parson-McBean was elected to serve her first term on the City Council in 2005. She said her most memorable accomplishments while serving on the council include organizing concerts to raise money for residents who could not pay their utility bills and spearheading an effort that led to the approval of a $3.7 million construction project to overhaul Jonathan Street. Parson-McBean also helped secure funding for the proposed Doleman Black Heritage Museum and represents Western Maryland on the National League of Cities Transportation, Infrastructure and Policies Committee.
Tea party rallies have exposed movement's racist base To the editor: Recently, tea party rallies or protests have exposed the racist base in the movement. In Washington, D.C., during a GOP rally against immigration reform, one of the key speakers talked about the DNA and bloodlines of the Founding Fathers - Washington, Jefferson and others - being put at risk by immigrants. The speaker also added a line to include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This rally was led by tea party darlings.
Hagerstown Regional Airport surpassed 10,000 paying customers for commercial air service in 2012, securing a $1 million entitlement through the Federal Aviation Administration, Airport Director Phil Ridenour said last week. The airport totaled 10,207 enplanements, or passenger boardings, for Allegiant Air and Sun Air flights in the 2012 calendar year, up from 2011's total of 5,618 passengers, according to FAA statistics. The additional funds will be used for infrastructure improvements, general upkeep and safety projects, Ridenour said.
The Hagerstown-Washington County Economic Development Commission on Tuesday unveiled its top five strategic priorities for the future, highlighting the need for renewed emphasis on overall product development, better marketing and leaving the county-level agency's organizational structure alone. Accepted unanimously by the county's Board of Commissioners, the unranked priorities are preparing an infrastructure needs assessment report; workforce development needs; a focus on Hagerstown's City Center; developing a countywide marketing plan; and establishing the EDC as the lead organization to provide a more unified focus in economic development.
The Hagerstown-Washington County Chamber of Commerce will focus on six core areas that affect the local business community as part of its agenda for the 2013 Maryland General Assembly session. The six areas are: over-regulation, job growth, a competitive tax structure, affordable health insurance, transportation funding and infrastructure investment, and workforce development and education. The chamber unveiled the agenda this week, to time with the opening of the 2013 legislative session in Maryland.
Washington County Public Schools officials have scaled back plans for an east city high school, reducing the estimated project cost from $73 million to about $50 million. The latest plan for the school calls for an initial student capacity of 800 students, but core space that could handle 1,200 students to allow for future expansion, Robert Rollins, the school system's director of facilities planning and development, told the Washington County Commissioners Tuesday. The county's share of the project would be about $24 million.


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The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is a species of concern belonging in the species group "reptiles" and found in the following area(s): Ecuador (Galapagos Islands). This species is also known by the following name(s): Sea Iguana.
Glenn, C. R. 2006. "Earth's Endangered Creatures - Galapagos Marine Iguana Facts" (Online). Accessed 4/24/2019 at http://earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=9616&ID=11.
Need more Galapagos Marine Iguana facts?


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ASG Technologies, the leading provider of proven solutions for information access, management and control, announced its annual EVOLVE customer conference, taking place in Chicago, Illinois, USA from October 1-3, 2018.
Smart will provide connectivity support to Nokia drones, which will be used by the Philippine Red Cross for their humanitarian efforts.
NEC and the KEEP Foundation will host an environmental education program called “NEC World Children’s Nature Club”for three days, enabling children to interact with one another using information and communications technology (ICT).
EVOLVE 50 and the ELX200 are designed to make superior sound quality and portability accessible to bands, coffee shops, DJs, musicians, and mobile entertainers.
HARMAN International announced its engineering partnership with Samsung SmartThings, the industry leader for consumer IoT technology.


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We have a 24 Hour Cancellation Policy. If you wish to cancel, you must do so by 3 PM 24 hours or 1 day prior to your arrival date. If you cancel or modify post the expiration of the Cancellation Period or you fail to show up, a no-show charge will be levied on your credit card for one full night plus taxes and fees.
Pets are allowed at Executive Inn Wichita Falls at a pet fee of $10 per pet, per night. Please notify management at check in if you are traveling with a pet.
Accepted Payment Methods: Visa, American Express, Discover, Master Card. This hotel reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival.
Find our lowest rates and the perfect accommodations for 1 or for 5 in our family room with 3 beds or enjoy a get-a-way in our Jacuzzi Suite.


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Following on from last year’s highly successful campaign to help reduce the number of traveller accidents and incidents associated with ski and snow holidays, ABTA have re-launched the Get Fit for Ski campaign, with some updated ski related guidance and tools to help prepare holidaymakers for hitting the slopes.
This includes a safety leaflet called “How to Have a Safe and Healthy Holiday in the Snow“, a “Get Fit for Ski” fact sheet which features a series of recommended exercises with advice on stretching techniques and a dedicated website page on ABTA.com which includes the leaflet, factsheet and some video exercise footage.
Furthermore ABTA have once again collaborated with the FCO (British Foreign & Commonwealth Office) to highlight the importance of travellers taking out appropriate insurance prior to their winter sports holiday. The campaign features top tips to stay safe on the slopes and a Winter sports Checklist with advice for travellers on insurance, fitness, equipment and piste safety.
If you wish to visit the dedicated ABTA webpage or find out more about ABTA please click here.


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The Oncotype DX Recurrence Score has now been shown to predict response to neoadjuvant Taxotere® (docetaxel).
Breast cancer patients with a high Recurrence Score were more likely to have a complete response following Taxotere® than women with a low Recurrence Score. These findings were presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology held in Atlanta, Georgia, June 2-6, 2006.
Although adjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to benefit some women with early-stage or locally advanced breast cancer, some patients are already at enough of a low risk of cancer recurrence that the additional side effects are not warranted. Identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from treatment may reduce unnecessary treatment and toxicity.
Oncotype DX is a genomic test that may be useful in determining which patients with newly diagnosed, stage I or II, node-negative, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in addition to hormonal therapy. Oncotype DX predicts the risk of a patient experiencing a recurrence 10 years following diagnosis. Oncotype DX evaluates the activity of 21 genes from a sample of the patient’s cancer to determine the patient’s Recurrence Score. The Recurrence Score ranges from 0 to 100, with a higher score indicating a greater risk of recurrence.
Researchers from the Baylor-Methodist Breast Care Center and Genomic Health conducted a clinical trial involving 72 patients with locally advanced breast cancer to determine if genetic features of their cancer may predict whether they will respond to treatment with neoadjuvant Taxotere. Average patient age was 49 years, 53% were premenopausal, and 93% had invasive ductal carcinoma.
The researchers evaluated each patient’s cancer to evaluate the activity of 192 genes and determine whether the expression of any of these genes may predict response to Taxotere. Expression of 14 of these genes was associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing a complete response to Taxotere.
Furthermore, the researchers reported that women classified as high risk based on the Recurrence Score were more likely to respond to neoadjuvant Taxotere® than women classified as low risk.
None of the patients who were classified as low-risk of recurrence-based on their Recurrence Score-experienced a complete anticancer response, while three (14%) of the intermediate-risk women and nine (21%) of the high-risk patients experienced complete response to neoadjuvant Taxotere.
Patients with early-stage or locally advanced breast cancer should talk to their doctor about the Oncotype DX genomic test. For these patients, knowing their Recurrence Score may direct their treatment, as this information identifies their individual risk for recurrence and likelihood of benefiting from adjuvant chemotherapy.
Reference: Chang JC, Makris A, Hilsenbeck SG et al. Gene Expression Profiles in Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) Core Biopsies Predict Docetaxel Chemosensitivity. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Atlanta, GA. 2006. Abstract # 538.


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For a spy, secrets can mean the difference between life and death. Of an informant. Of a partner. And betrayal is a weapon to be wielded like a scalpel, not a crowbar.
Six lights blink on my screen--six men track me through this rundown Latvian town. One used to be my Matthew, before he wielded the crowbar and became her Matthew.
They think he's one of them.
He thinks I'm still his.
I think...I'm all out of forgiveness.
From a burner phone, I text: Matthew Bennett = MI6.
One light winks out of existence. Like I said. A scalpel.
I hope you enjoyed reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions