text:
Heightened suicide risk after weight-loss surgery
by Melting Mama
Addiction, Transfer Addiction, etc.Body ImageCross-Addictions, Transfer Addictions.Eating Disorders.Helping Others.WLS Complications.WLS Support
Please don't respond with, "Yeah, but…I didn't!" Please take this seriously. It happens.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Severely obese people who undergo weight-loss surgery may have a higher-than-average risk of suicide in the years following the procedure, a new study finds.
The report, in The American Journal of Medicine, adds to evidence that patients who have bariatric surgery to lose weight have an increased risk of suicide compared with the general population.
But the reasons for the pattern, researchers say, remain unknown.
A number of studies have found that while the absolute rate of suicide among bariatric surgery patients is quite low, it is still higher than the norm for the general population.
The benefits of weight-loss surgery are well-documented. The procedures, which alter the digestive tract to limit food intake and nutrient absorption, can help severely obese individuals shed a substantial amount of weight. They can also reverse obesity-related health problems like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
The latest study, which tracked deaths among Pennsylvania residents who underwent bariatric surgery, examined a longer period than previous research — up to 10 years following the procedure.
Among 16,683 who had bariatric surgery between 1995 and 2004, 31 committed suicide by the end of 2006, the researchers found. The data translate into a suicide rate of nearly 14 per 10,000 men per year, and five per 10,000 women each year.
Those numbers are substantially higher than the suicide rates among Pennsylvanians in the same 35-to-64 age range, during the same period. Among all men in the state, the suicide rate in 2005 was 2.5 per 10,000, while the rate among women was 0.6 per 10,000.
Overall, 30 percent of suicides in the surgery group occurred within two years of the procedure, and 70 percent occurred within three years.
For now, the reasons for the higher suicide risk are unclear, according to lead researcher Dr. Hilary A. Tindle of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. Her group's study, based on death certificate data, could not examine details surrounding the individual suicides.
But the study does not imply that bariatric surgery itself leads to suicides — something that is "critical" for patients to understand, she told Reuters Health in an e-mail.
Rather, she said, it may be that some bariatric surgery patients have depression or other mental health problems before the procedure — or develop them afterward — and that, in turn, increases their overall suicide risk.
Depression is common among severely obese adults, including those who seek weight-loss surgery, Tindle and her colleagues point out. One study of surgery candidates found that two-thirds had, at some point in their lives, experienced a so-called "Axis I" disorder, a group of mental health conditions that includes depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and substance abuse.
Bariatric surgery candidates do undergo screening to see whether the operation is appropriate for them, and that includes a mental health evaluation. But a history of depression or other psychiatric conditions does not necessarily preclude a person from having the surgery.
Instead, Tindle explained, a team of health professionals — including the surgeon, a dietitian, a psychologist and, often, an exercise physiologist — try to determine whether an individual is medically and psychologically ready for surgery, and if not, they attempt to address any underlying problems.
More research, according to Tindle's team, is needed to understand why bariatric surgery patients show an increased suicide risk. If there are pre-surgery characteristics connected to a higher risk, then some suicides might be prevented by more careful monitoring and treatment, the researchers say.
Also unclear is whether suicide risk depends on how much weight a person loses after surgery. It's possible, Tindle's team speculates, that any pre-existing psychological distress could be exacerbated if patients have disappointing weight-loss results — or if their overall quality of life does not improve as they had hoped.
According to Tindle, the findings indicate a general need for longer term monitoring of patients after surgery.
Bariatric surgery centers across the U.S. do post-surgery monitoring, with the recommended follow-up being six months.
But, "most of the suicides among individuals in this study occurred later than the time post-surgical follow up usually ends," Tindle said.
About 225,000 Americans are now having bariatric surgery each year, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Given those numbers, Tindle said, it will become increasingly important to understand the factors that contribute to patients' heightened suicide risk.
SOURCE: link.reuters.com/mah85p
The American Journal of Medicine, online September 14, 2010.
Tags: Heightened suicide risk after weight-loss surgery
I can't wait to do this to my kids.
Another day, another love fest.
BTV Mike September 28, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Interesting that there is no mention of hormone release from shrinking fat cells in this story. I wonder if the study took that into account. Especially since it looks as if the majority of suicides are happening in the first 3 years.
Lori Kunian CFD September 28, 2010 at 8:44 pm
This does not surprise me at all…Being a person that lost 210 lbs with a bmi of over 50, I do believe that to begin with our hormones and mental levels are very differnt than "normal" people…I went through quite the depression following surgery and it took a good 1 1/2 years to break it…I was on anti depressants but there was no way that anyone could have prepared me for all the things in life I would have to relearn on how to deal with without food, I can say that I am an addict and I struggle still with food..
I am also of the belief that there should be one on one counselling required for surgery or at least a very available one on one counsellor who specifically deals with weight and body image issues and eating disorders..For many severly obese people surgery is the last ditch effort, for so many more they have fantasies of being thin and beautiful and that just doesn't happen when you have so much to lose, then you have the 2 year out weight gain that not too many people talk about, that does happen…There is so much that even though it may be discussed, the brain has a wonderful way of making up its own story and in the end the truth is going to be hard for many..The truth that you may never be a size 8, the truth that you WILL struggle with weight and body image issues forever and the truth that thin doesn't ever mean automatically easier or happier..
Yehuda G September 29, 2010 at 1:45 am
I say it could be related to cross addictions. I have heard the rates of cross addiction post wls are staggering. If you stagger too much, you increase your chance of suicide.
My opinion is unscientific, so don't take me too seriously.
Judi H September 29, 2010 at 9:57 pm
As suicide risk coordinator for a State prisonm I have done a number of reviews suicides completed by inmates. Understanding the causes of suicide are difficult because, thank goodness, the numbers are so small. I have come to some conclusions from looking very carefully at the last few days of someone's life. I believe that people kill themsleves when life is intollerable and it is not going to get any better. I can see if someone saw his/her life as unbearable and placed hope for change in weight loss surgery and after a couple of years when things either are still intollerable or has become unbearable again, that those patients would be more likely to take his/her life.
best medifast coupons November 7, 2010 at 11:51 am
for me i'm using medifast, very effective and very safe for weight loss.


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text:
package org.topology.bgp_ls.netty.fsm;

import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.LinkedList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Set;
import java.util.TreeSet;

import org.topology.bgp_ls.config.nodes.PeerConfiguration;
import org.topology.bgp_ls.net.capabilities.AutonomousSystem4Capability;
import org.topology.bgp_ls.net.capabilities.Capability;
import org.topology.bgp_ls.netty.BGPv4Constants;
import org.topology.bgp_ls.netty.protocol.open.OpenPacket;

/**
 * This class negotiates the supported capabilities with a peer. According to RFC 5492 an intersection
 * of the locally configured capabilities and the capabilities announced by the remote peer can be build
 * which forms the capability "working set" per connection.
 *
 * @author Rainer Bieniek (Rainer.Bieniek@web.de)
 *
 */
public class CapabilitesNegotiator {

	private PeerConfiguration peerConfiguration;
	private List<Capability> remoteCapabilities = new LinkedList<Capability>();

	void setup(PeerConfiguration peerCofiguration) {
		this.peerConfiguration = peerCofiguration;
	}

	/**
	 * Insert the currently negotiated capabilities into the OPEN packet.
	 *
	 * If the capabilities contain an AS number larger than 65536 then the
	 * AS number in the OPEN packet is changed to AS_TRANS (23456)
	 *
	 * @param packet
	 * @see BGPv4Constants#BGP_AS_TRANS
	 */
	void insertLocalCapabilities(OpenPacket packet) {
		packet.getCapabilities().clear();

		insertLocalCapabilities(packet, peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getRequiredCapabilities());
		insertLocalCapabilities(packet, peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getOptionalCapabilities());
	}

	/**
	 * record the capabilites passed in from the peer
	 *
	 * @param packet
	 */
	void recordPeerCapabilities(OpenPacket packet) {
		remoteCapabilities.clear();

		if(packet.getCapabilities() != null) {
			remoteCapabilities.addAll(packet.getCapabilities());
		}
	}

	/**
	 * build an intersection of the locally configured capabilities and the capabilites passed in from the peer.
	 *
	 * @return
	 */
	public Set<Capability> intersectLocalAndRemoteCapabilities() {
		Set<Capability> caps = new TreeSet<Capability>();

		for(Capability cap : peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getRequiredCapabilities())
			if(remoteCapabilities.contains(cap))
				caps.add(cap);
		for(Capability cap : peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getOptionalCapabilities())
			if(remoteCapabilities.contains(cap))
				caps.add(cap);

		return caps;
	}

	/**
	 * build an intersection of the locally configured capabilities and the capabilites passed in from the peer.
	 *
	 * @return
	 */
	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
	public <T extends Capability> Set<T> intersectLocalAndRemoteCapabilities(Class<T> capClass) {
		Set<T> caps = new TreeSet<T>();

		for(Capability cap : listLocalCapabilities(capClass))
			if(remoteCapabilities.contains(cap))
				caps.add((T)cap);

		return caps;
	}

	/**
	 * build a set of capabilities which are marked as required in the local configuration and which
	 * are not supported by the peer.
	 * The local speaker may build an Unsupported Capabilities notification message based on that info
	 *
	 * @return
	 */
	public LinkedList<Capability> missingRequiredCapabilities() {
		LinkedList<Capability> caps = new LinkedList<Capability>();

		for(Capability cap : peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getRequiredCapabilities())
			if(!remoteCapabilities.contains(cap))
				caps.add(cap);

		return caps;
	}

	/**
	 * List all locally configured capabilities of a given type
	 *
	 * @param capClass
	 * @return
	 */
	public <T extends Capability> Set<T> listLocalCapabilities(Class<T> capClass) {
		Set<T> caps = new HashSet<T>();

		caps.addAll(listCapabilities(peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getRequiredCapabilities(), capClass));
		caps.addAll(listCapabilities(peerConfiguration.getCapabilities().getOptionalCapabilities(), capClass));

		return caps;
	}

	/**
	 * list all capabilities sent by the remote peer of a given type
	 * @param capClass
	 * @return
	 */
	public <T extends Capability> Set<T> listRemoteCapabilities(Class<T> capClass) {
		Set<T> caps = new HashSet<T>();

		caps.addAll(listCapabilities(remoteCapabilities, capClass));

		return caps;
	}

	/**
	 * Insert the currently negotiated capabilities into the OPEN packet.
	 *
	 * If the capabilities contain an AS number larger than 65536 then the
	 * AS number in the OPEN packet is changed to AS_TRANS (23456)
	 *
	 * @param packet
	 * @param capabilities
	 * @see BGPv4Constants#BGP_AS_TRANS
	 */
	private void insertLocalCapabilities(OpenPacket packet, Collection<Capability> capabilities) {
		for(Capability cap : capabilities) {
			if(cap instanceof AutonomousSystem4Capability) {
				AutonomousSystem4Capability as4cap = (AutonomousSystem4Capability)cap;

				if(as4cap.getAutonomousSystem() > 65536) {
					packet.setAutonomousSystem(BGPv4Constants.BGP_AS_TRANS);
				}
			}

			packet.getCapabilities().add(cap);
		}
	}

	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
	private <T extends Capability> Set<T> listCapabilities(Collection<Capability> src, Class<T> capClass) {
		Set<T> caps = new HashSet<T>();

		for(Capability cap : src) {
			if(cap.getClass().equals(capClass))
				caps.add((T)cap);
		}

		return caps;
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Leo Scheck (center) looks on during Associated Student Government Senate. The Communication sophomore was elected to the Wild Ideas committee at Wednesday's Senate.
Associated Student Government Senate elected Communication sophomore Leo Scheck to the Wild Ideas committee in its first meeting of the academic year Wednesday.
Scheck, a senator for the Student Theatre Coalition, told The Daily he was excited to build on his experience with ASG in the committee.
Scheck beat two other senators in the election for the committee, which allocates funds to students or groups that don't get funded under the A-status or B-status committees. Chief of staff Lars Benson, who chairs the committee, told The Daily that Wild Ideas has $25,000 to allocate to students and student groups for the whole academic year.
Benson said he's excited to work with Scheck on the committee.
"I was very impressed by his clear concept of what accessibility means on this campus and his focus on particularly financial accessibility and meeting the needs of students who aren't able to attend a lot of conventional events," the Weinberg senior said.
During the election process, senators and members of ASG's executive board asked the candidates what qualities they look for in ideas that could be funded by the committee, and how they'd proceed if a group they're involved with applied for funding through Wild Ideas. Vice president for academics Sky Patterson also asked the candidates to pitch a potential idea for the committee.
Sumin Woo, another candidate for the spot, said if elected, she'd allocate funds to groups that had previously put on successful events.
The Wild Ideas committee is made up of 10 members, including Benson, who only votes in the case of a tie.
Benson and Scheck both said Wild Ideas is critical to ASG's purpose because it gives opportunities to students who wouldn't otherwise have them. All Wild Ideas events are free to students, Benson said.
"Wild Ideas enables us to empower those students to first of all create new student groups and new opportunities but then also to bring speakers that they're really interested in, to host events that they think are important or to do projects that they think matter to campus," Benson said.
Senate also confirmed all 15 residential senators, who were elected earlier this month. In addition, two senators were elected to a committee that will select a vice president for health and wellness to replace Weinberg senior Olivia Paulhac, who resigned over the summer. The committee will present its nominee at next week's Senate. Finally, Senate elected two senators to the distinguished Honorary Teaching Award Selection committee.


text:
Q: jQuery, always is selected When I refresh page always show you selected, why?
Thanks.
if ($("#users option:selected"))
{
  alert('you selected');
}

<select name = "users" id = "users">
  <option value="0">text</option>
</select>

A: jQuery will always return an object, even if it is empty, so your conditional will always execute regardless of anything being selected or not. Use a check on length instead.
if ($("#users option:selected").length > 0)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Server and Database Administration – We currently perform systems administration, operations and maintenance of nationally-available federal systems comprised of hundreds separate relational databases, implemented in Oracle™ and Microsoft's SQL Server™. Our staff have supported these systems continuously for more than 10 years. Strongbridge is also an Oracle Partner and routinely has access to advanced Oracle™ knowledge to enhance our ability to develop, design and maintain Oracle databases for government customers.
Strongbridge also supports the government with large-scale systems and server operations, administration, and support services. We provide on-site staff members at multiple government locations. Applications include web architectures, multi-tiered applications, client-server and web services implementations. We perform a full spectrum of systems management and administration, and technical services including fulfillment, application development, database management, IT support, program management, help desk, administrative support, and financial control. Strongbridge manages and administers a variety of server operating systems including Red Hat™, SuSE™, and Linux Enterprise Server™. Strongbridge staff provide Tier 1 and 2 Service Desk support 24x7x365, and is on-call for complex production or system issues.
Call Center/Help Desk - Strongbridge provides comprehensive IT Help Desk and Call Center support solutions for organizations of all sizes, ranging from focused application or customer service desks, to large scale technical service resource centers. Regardless of the type of service desk functions needed, we provide complete, integrated, and custom turnkey solutions to meet project-specific needs. Our IT Help Desk and Call Center support relies on three basic tenets.
> Premier staff: Attracting and retaining the best professionals in an advanced service desk environment enables the positive and responsive support experience our customers merit.
> Leading Edge Service Desk Solutions: We bring the best, industry-proven components, covering all needed support Tiers, integrated into a seamless end-to-end solution. Our solution support tiers can range from user self-help materials, to access to subject matter experts to resolve customer concerns.
> Well-tested Processes: We apply our third-party-certified ISO processes to the operations activities of our helpdesk and call center engagements, ensuring that call center staff are well-trained, responsive, and providing world-class service.
CMMI Level 3 (SVC) – Strongbridge is an independently-certified CMMI Level 3 provider for Services. CMMI-SVC is a process improvement approach that provides a consistent benchmark for organizations that provide services. Our investment in CMMI Level 3 for Services brings a number of benefits for our federal customers focused on delivering and supporting IT services in a repeatable manner for large organizations including proven and repeatable processes. CMMI Level 3 (SVC) covers areas such as Capacity and Availability Management, Incident Resolution and Prevention, Service delivery, Service continuity, and Service System Transition among others.
Program Support Services – Strongbridge employs proven management systems and processes to ensure program success. We deliver end-to-end program management support services for our clients throughout the federal government, including: system documentation; personnel security support services; data/records management; configuration management; testing and IV&V support; white paper development; SETA support; security; PKI and SSL technologies; and quality assurance. Our capabilities include scope and change management, planning and monitoring, cost management, quality assurance, human resource planning, and risk management. We are adept at anticipating risks that often foil program success, and offering mitigation strategies that reduce or eliminate program risk. The objective for all of our program management engagements is efficiency, transparency, and mission focus.
Federal Architecture Support – Strongbridge staff support the government with architecture development efforts including the use of the DoD Architecture Framework (DoDAF) and the Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF). We produce architecture framework artifacts and data models to support informed decision making for our projects. Our staff have taught courses on the application of architecture frameworks for government staff.
For example, for many customers we examine current customer business processes and how "as is" systems support those processes and decision making, and we make recommendations on "to be" improvements to processes and associated systems. For example, each year we consider the "as is" systems for updates in regard to statutory changes from Congress and rule changes and reporting changes from the Executive Branch leadership. This analysis, with stakeholder requirements updates and new development to resolve deficiencies, produces new "to be" systems with updates to business processes.
Training Support – Strongbridge staff develop and deliver high quality and comprehensive training for government clients. We have designed, developed, and delivered multiple online tutorials, instructor-led training (ILT) artifacts and Web 2.0 learning material, including computer-based training (CBT) modules for various federal and industry audiences in support of major system enhancement releases. We support distance learning and interactive multimedia instruction. We follow a structured training methodology to ensure consistency, completeness, quality and learning in our training program.
For our learning solutions, we follow a process methodology based on the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (ADDIE) model of Instructional System Design (ISD). Before crafting a learning program, we analyze the problem thoroughly to ensure that the solution impacts performance in a positive way. We use this proven instructional design model to help our clients analyze their training needs, design and develop training materials, implement training, and evaluate its effectiveness. This approach also allows us to effectively merge detailed Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware, system maintenance, and software training modules with state-of-the-art, multimedia technologies and/or more traditional training solutions to effectively meet our customers' needs.
Systems Engineering and Technical Advisory (SETA) Support – Strongbridge staff support acquisitions by preparing, reviewing and revising documentation used to procure systems and services. Documents that Strongbridge prepares are used in solicitations and contracts and can include SOWs, SOOs, specifications, data requirements, executive summaries, contract schedules, source selection and RFP elements. Our engineers review SOWs, Systems Engineering Plans and management documents prepared by Integrated Product Teams and recommend changed/improvements to comply with DoD and Federal policies, regulations and laws. Strongbridge also evaluates contractor technical, management and cost proposals and subsequent appropriations to ensure alignment with SOW and planned funding.
> Developing financial plans, cost estimates and cost avoidance strategies.
Security Scanning – We routinely scan operational implementations for security weaknesses. For example, Strongbridge staff apply the HPE Fortify™ product to scan systems for vulnerabilities for government customers. Scans include components in C#, .Net code files, API interface code files, REST API call files, XML schema files, data connectivity files, mapping files, and config files. Fortify™ reporting gives our project staff the following: a security rating, risk totals by severity, risks totals by instance count, most prevalent issues, a remediation roadmap, and issue status. Fortify Static Code Analyzer™ allows our staff to analyze, and resolve possible issues far more efficiently than a manual process would do. Since HPE Security Fortify Static Code Analyzer™ can scan large amounts of code at scale and provide immediately actionable results, it's useful for our developers to make more secure coding part of their standard Agile process.
BridgeAnalyzer™ - Strongbridge staff have built unique tools to accelerate the process of moving to a cloud ecosystem. BridgeAnalyzer™ enables our engineers to analyze millions of lines of source code for opportunities to modernize applications for the cloud. BridgeAnalyzer™ is language independent and gives the government decision maker key information to decide where to best focus resources in a cloud modernization.
BridgeBuilder™ – Strongbridge staff have built unique tools to accelerate the process of moving to a cloud ecosystem. BridgeBuilder™ (also known as RADKick) is a tool that supports the rapid development of UI/UX interfaces for Web applications. Using BridgeBuilder™ our engineers can rapidly prototype a user interface for government clients and automatically generate the code that implements the interface in AngularJS. We can sit with government staff and make live changes to an interface and examine the results together.


Published in India by .
Sales territory India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, .
Sources of Knowledge and Entrepreneurial Behavior delves into the nature and importance of the relationship between sources of knowledge and entrepreneurial behavior, and should be of interest to both academics and policy-makers. David B. Audretsch and Albert N. Link use the Knowledge Spillover Theory of Entrepreneurship as the conceptual foundation for why individuals decide to become entrepreneurs. Then, using a database of more than 4,000 small and relatively new European companies from 10 different countries, called the AEGIS database, Audretsch and Link offer new insights about the relationship between knowledge sources and entrepreneurial behavior.
In their analysis of the empirical evidence in support of the Knowledge Spillover Theory of Entrepreneurship, Audretsch and Link conclude that there is no singular source of knowledge driving entrepreneurship, but a plethora of knowledge sources, each associated with different dimensions of entrepreneurial activity. The intellectual breakthrough in this book is not that knowledge matters or that it especially matters for entrepreneurship. Rather, Audretsch and Link show that knowledge, and especially entrepreneurial knowledge, is not a homogeneous phenomenon. There are multiple sources of knowledge that act on entrepreneurial performance in a myriad of ways.
David B. Audretsch is a Distinguished Professor and the Ameritech Chair of Economic Development at Indiana University.
Albert N. Link is the Virginia Batte Phillips Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
People interested in Business, Entrepreneurship and Economics.
Special prices are applicable to the authorised sales territory only.


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Marcasite Cocks Comb
Marcasite Cocks Comb. Here's a really attractive and rare classic old stock specimen of Cock's Comb Marcasite Crystals from the Joplin Missouri Tri-State area. This is an unusual specimen, featuring sharp, truly breathtaking displays of Marcasite Crystals from the now closed sections of the Tri-State District. The Marcasite crystals are on a chert matrix, typical of the area. It's a very good representative specimen from an important productive district of the past.
Excellent examples of this classic are hard to locate these days. For a rare species like Marcasite, this is a large specimen and it displays magnificently. We acquired this specimen from Maggie McShan in Needles, CA before her death a few years ago. It shows slight signs of decay, after spending many decades in a Maggie and Franks collection.
Marcasite, whose name is derived from the Arabic word for pyrite, is a common and an attractive mineral. The two minerals, Marcasite and pyrite, are often confused due to their similar characteristics. Marcasite is a polymorph of pyrite which means that it has the same chemistry as pyrite but a different structure and, therefore, different symmetry and crystal shapes. The marcasite/pyrite polymorph pair is probably the most famous polymorph pair next to the diamond/graphite pair.
Marcasite is difficult to distinguish from pyrite when a lack of distinctive crystal habits exists. In fact, many specimens have been wrongly identified as pyrite or Marcasite by even experienced mineral collectors. For many years the iron sulfide "Suns" found in Illinois coal mines were called "Marcasite Suns" (also known as "Marcasite Dollars") until X-ray studies showed them to be mostly pyrite. They have a habit that looks like Marcasite. The possibility that they were originally Marcasite and then later transformed into pyrite is being studied. Now they are correctly called "Pyrite Suns", but the confusion still exists. Many Marcasite specimens are distinctive enough to reveal their true identity and make interesting and beautiful display specimens.
The most famous habit for Marcasite is its "cock's comb" twinned habit. The crystals appear like a roster's head crest, hence the name. The habit is very distinctive and can not be mistaken for any other mineral.
Marcasite has been known to pseudo morph other minerals. A pseudo morph is an atom by atom replacement of one mineral's chemistry for another. If done subtly, the replacement can leave the old mineral's shape intact. The effect is one mineral in the shape of another, hence the term pseudo morph (Latin for false shape). Marcasite has pseudo morphed pyrite, gypsum, fluorite and others. At other times Marcasite is pseudo morphed itself into the iron oxide mineral goethite. Often the replacement is only peripheral and leaves a thin skin of iron oxides on the crystals. These iron oxides are seen as iridescencent sheens and can provide Marcasite specimens with quite an attractive and colorful appearance. These oxides may also have a positive effect in slowing marcasite's unfortunate deterioration.
Over a period of years, some Marcasite will oxidize in collections, freeing sulfur which forms sulfuric acid. The acid will then attack the paper label and even the cardboard box holding the specimen. Over a period of decades, most Marcasite specimens will have disintegrated into an undesirable dust along with deteriorated paper scraps.
Because of its age, this specimen seems to be aging so slowly that it will probably last for a lot longer than I'll be alive. Marcasite is an interesting and attractive mineral and even with the slow deterioration can be a pleasure to own for many many years.
Item # CCM07100010
3.77 lb "Cock's Comb" Marcasite Specimen
3.77lb "Cock's Comb" Marcasite
Excellent large display cabinet specimen of well defined and sharp Cocks Comb Marcasite crystals from 1/8" to 1/4" thick (3 to 7mm) and up to 1.1" (27mm) wide. The Crystals are on 2 tiers of a chert matrix.
It took us over 30 years to find a specimen of Cock's Comb Marcasite
This specimen weighs 3.77 lbs (1710g / 1.7kg) and measures 5.7 x 4.7 x 3.9 inches (145 x 119 x 99mm)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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28 June 2018 - Seven Mary Three - Cumbersome
Few songs scream "90's" more than this one. This song, from 1995, was a big hit for them early in their career.....
Unfortunately, this great song, brilliantly constructed with alternating conventional and muted chords (that's right - we notice these things) was their only major commercial success. And, as with a lot of one-hit wonders, the song was a monkey on their back - there was a lot of pressure to recreate that, and it's really hard to do that.
Here's a little bonus for you. I said this song was from 1995. So why is the band performing it in 1993? Seven Mary Three were a local grunge band from Florida, and this song caught fire on Central Florida radio in 1993, catching the attention of Atlantic Records.
Here is that original recorded version. Notice that 1. it's a little quieter and 2. it's got an extended bridge. Is it better? We can't decide that for you. It's good, though.
Posted by redargyle at 9:42 AM No comments:
27 June 2018 - Camila Cabello - Havana
Look, we love this song, she's touring with Taylor Swift, used to be in Fifth Harmony, X Factor, blah blah blah
I'm sorry. I can't do this right now. I'm just too excited. We have a domain name now. We're at wickedguilty.com! Now it's going to be easier to find us!!!!
OK, so now I feel bad giving Taylor Swift's new bestie the short end of the stick. Really, that was a fun video, and it's a fun, Latin-tinged song.
So here, enjoy this acoustic version that somewhat proves that Ms. Cabello is really singing this one.
Aquí, para nuestros lectores en español, hay una versión en español ... ok, en spanglish de esta canción. Por qué no pudo traducir "la mitad de mi corazón está en Habana" está más allá de mí, pero una vez más, no soy una gran estrella del pop.
21 June 2018 - Public Enemy - Fight The Power
From the 1989 Spike Lee joint Do The Right Thing, this song transcends the movie, which itself ends in a race riot.
This version of the video (which, yes, Spike Lee was involved with) isn't a real riot or even a rally, but it looks like one. It IS a pretty clear demonstration of the group's political stances in the day. Flavor Flav has moved on to a less political stance where he doesn't say "motherf*** him" about Elvis or John Wayne. The video also featured Tawana Brawley in a cameo appearance - I won't go into her story here except to say that it was a very polarizing one in this community.
It's a great, powerful song - I'd almost say manifesto - that just happens to have been featured in a movie.
20 June 2018 - Aimee Mann - Save Me
Few movie songs come with a better story than this one.
This song, along with the rest of the mostly-Aimee-Mann performed soundtrack, is from the P.T. Anderson movie Magnolia. I recommend this odd but delightful movie, just for the frog scene. Trust me. Right before she was approached by Anderson to do this movie, Mann had been dropped from her record label, and didn't have an easy future ahead of her in the music industry - and this is despite the huge "Voices Carry" in her past.
This song ended up being nominated for an Oscar (losing, somehow, to perhaps the worst ever Oscar-winning song, "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins, to whom she now dedicates this song when performing it live) and a Grammy (which she lost to a deserving Macy Gray). She went on to found her own music imprint and remains a successful artist to this day.
The video - featuring Mann inserted into scenes from the movie - is even more interesting. Perhaps the most star-studded music video of all time, this effect didn't happen by digital manipulation. That's really Tom Cruise sitting in the same scene with Aimee Mann. P.T. Anderson directed the video and asked the actors to stay in place at the end of shooting days while they shot this.
The song itself is a work of art. Nearly two decades old, it sounds like it could have been written yesterday.
19 June 2018 - Kasey Cisyk - You Light Up My Life
If you read this blog yesterday, you probably saw this coming a mile away. This is the song that denied "Nobody Does It Better" an Academy Award and a #1 spot on the Billboard charts.
If you didn't read this blog yesterday, you're probably wondering who Kasey Cisyk looks like Didi Conn (she doesn't - Cisyk sang, Conn lipsynced in a brilliant movie performance) and, more importantly, why this isn't Debbie Boone (her immense hit was a cover).
Either way, yesterday's blog got me to listening to this song, and I remembered how well-constructed it was. Give it a listen and a chance.
18 June 2018 - Carly Simon - Nobody Does It Better
James Bond movie themes are a different animal than most other movie songs.
Before this one, they all shared the name of the movie. In this case, although the Marvin Hamlisch-penned song referenced the movie's title, it wasn't called The Spy Who Loved Me.
This song, although fondly remembered today, only made it to #2 on the Billboard charts... because the biggest hit of all time pre-Whitney was Debbie Boone's version of "You Light Up My Life", which spent 13 weeks at #1, in front of this song for three of them. "Nobody Does It Better" went on to also lose the Academy Award to Kasey Cisyk's version of "You Light Up My Life". AAAARRRGGGGGHH!
But enough about THAT song. This song is great. We should enjoy it today. Tomorrow is another day.
15 June 2018 - Coolio feat. L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise
From the 1995 movie Dangerous Minds, this was Coolio's biggest hit by far, and one that he took very seriously. I'm sure you've heard it, but I always want to give you a fact about these songs you didn't know.
This song doesn't have a clean version - because it doesn't need one. There's no profanities in it, at all. This is because the song leans heavily on a sample of the song "Pasttime Paradise" by Stevie Wonder, who wouldn't approve the sample unless there was no profanity used in the song (which, by the way, was loved by Stevie in its last version).
So, feel confident that Stevie Wonder is keeping your kids safe.
14 June 2018 - Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
It's a little hard to believe it's taken us THIS LONG to post The Bee Gees, arguably the most underrated group in history. Because of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack that they put together, and largely because of this song, the group is remembered for their dated disco work. However, they were producers and hitmakers long BEFORE and long AFTER this song.
Unfortunately, they also did that ill-advised Sgt. Pepper movie, which probably hasn't helped with their reputation.
Back to this song, though. It set the mood for the whole movie and, really, the entire disco era. It's now remembered fondly, although Barry Gibb's extreme falsetto was frequently ridiculed in the years immediately following the death of disco. Now, I wish I had his voice.
The song is so awesome, they did a 2nd video for it, in a pre-MTV era where a video wasn't a foregone conclusion.
13 June 2018 - B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
If you've seen Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, you know this song comes as a jarring and unexpected but pleasant surprise in that movie. If you haven't, you might be surprised to learn that this song was written for a movie, by the famed songwriting team Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It would be the first of many Number 1 hits for B.J. Thomas as well.
It's justifiably considered one of the greatest movie songs of all time, even winning the Academy Award for Best Song in 1970.
12 June 2018 - Dolly Parton - 9 To 5
This song (and movie) was the first that a lot of people outside of country music fans had heard of the well-established Dolly Parton. The movie itself was the brainchild of co-star Jane Fonda, but Dolly's song (and acting) propelled the working-class movie to another level. It was a huge crossover hit - one of the biggest of 1980 - and remains a pop-country classic to this day.
11 June 2018 - Olivia Newton John - Twist Of Fate
This was ONJ's last US Top 10 hit, and it was a doozy.....
A synth-pop classic to accompany a movie she did with the-fading-star John Travolta, in kind of a Grease reunion. Two of a Kind was a terrible film - and everyone knows it - but this soundtrack, which was a bigger hit than the film, saved it.
8 June 2018 - Lea Thompson and Cherry Bomb ー Howard The Duck
That is REALLY Lea Thompson singing this song. The "band" is mostly Thomas Dolby in a studio.
And it was nominated for a Razzie. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of the Oscars. The movie itself was a critical and commercial flop. The movie itself did win the Razzie for Worst Picture - its abysmal reception led Thompson to accept a role in the movie Some Kind of Wonderful, which she had initially rejected, just to get the stink of Howard the Duck off her career. (I like both movies. I liked Howard the Duck more). The movie has gained a greater cult following now, but not off the evenness of story or quality of Tim Robbins' acting.
Is it a great song? Hell, no. But it's fun, and you can just look at the title bar on this blog to see that we don't really care about greatness here.
7 June 2018 - Irene Cara - Fame & Flashdance (What A Feeling)
Fame was a 1980 movie about a high school for the performing arts in New York City. While this song - Irene Cara's first hit - won an Academy Award for Best Song, that's a songwriter's award, so Irene Cara didn't win this one.
She DID win one for this song, which she performed and wrote for the movie Flashdance. Cara, however, did not ACT in this movie, despite a rumor that she was the lead actress. Jennifer Beals (the actual lead actress in that movie) was not thrilled with that rumor. No matter - the movie, while critically panned, was a huge hit. And so was this song.
6 June 2018 - Joe Esposito - You're The Best
Most people think this song is called "You're The Best AROUND", but it isn't. It was originally written for Rocky III (which you learned yesterday) and was also rejected for the movie Flashdance, in favor of Michael Sembello's "Maniac".
That's OK. It suits Daniel-san better anyway. It makes for the perfect fight montage theme song (even if it doesn't completely work in this case lyrically. Just don't listen too closely).
Magically, it also works in this It's Always Sunny In Philadephia montage, where the gang takes a LOT of steroids.
5 June 2018 - Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger
The famed song for the theme from Rocky III, now in video format.
While not the first choice of song for this movie (Joe Esposito's "You're The Best"), it ended up being a huge hit for the fledgling band. And it was all because Sylvester Stallone liked their early stuff. That's quite the endorsement!
It's a reasonably standard straight-ahead rock-and-roll song, but it kick-started the band's career, as they went on to have a number of hits after this initial burst of great.
4 June 2018 - Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)
It probably won't surprise you that Simple Minds wasn't the first choice to perform this song. The Fixx and Billy Idol both turned it down.... and so did Simple Minds! They didn't like performing songs they did not write, and they did NOT write this.
It ended up being their biggest hit by far, propelled by, of course, The Breakfast Club. So, at the end of the day, it ended up being a good thing they changed their minds.
13 June 2018 - B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin...
8 June 2018 - Lea Thompson and Cherry Bomb ー Howar...
7 June 2018 - Irene Cara - Fame & Flashdance (What...
4 June 2018 - Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget Abo...


pretty nice, though i wouldn't bet too much that SWAT4 can run smoothly on it. stupid video-cards, why can't they put a normal one in every laptop?
I doubt I'd even try SWAT4 on most laptops, don't care much for gaming via laptop ether.
Yep, I really like the SLI computers that have 2 video card slots. I was reading an AMD article; by 2009, they will be selling octal-core processors.
I play Swat 4 TSS on my laptop all the time. In fact, everytime im on. I have no problems running it even with the graphics on optimal settings. Thats the power of the Inspiron 1705. I love it.
Yep. I get kinda worried when I play ArmA on my laptop :roll:.


Color plays a huge role in everything I do. It influences my art, what I wear, magazine and book covers I'm drawn to and how I decorate my house. I have my go-to palette – those colors I absolutely adore and can't stop using. But sometimes we need to shake things up and break out of our typical color palette. It can be hard. I'll scroll through Pinterest or Instagram to see color combinations other people are using, but the best inspiration is from random encounters with color in my daily life. Some of my favorite combinations have come from litter I see in the park on my walks with Murphy and how it is randomly blown together by the wind to create a beautiful palette of colors I never would have thought to use.
Each week I'll share a combination of colors that I've found to help inspire you to try some that you may not typically use. This week's palette was collected from the park where I walk and the parking lot at my daughter's daycare.
I'd love to see how these colors inspire you. Use #thefoundartwalkcolors if you post them to Instagram. I'll share my own creations on the blog and on Instagram later this week.
Have fun playing with color this week!


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Court-Ordered Dissolution Remains "Last Resort"
Categories: NY Practice
Industries: Small Business
by Stephen P. Younger on October 11, 2016
On October 11, 2016, in Matter of Skoler, 2016 BL 348290 (Sup. Ct. N.Y. Cnty.), Justice Lawrence K. Marks of the Commercial Division issued a decision regarding the strictures of judicial dissolution pursuant to Section 1104(a) of the New York Business Corporation Law ("BCL"). Petitioners sought judicial dissolution of County Group Inc. ("County Group"), a small, closely held New York domestic corporation. Petitioners hold 50% of the issued stock in County Group, and the "Responding Shareholders," who opposed judicial dissolution, hold the remaining 50%. The Responding Shareholders cross-moved to dismiss the petition.
The property effectively served as a vacation home to the shareholders—each 25% share entitled the shareholder to a proprietary lease to a designated bungalow on the property; the corporation was neither formed nor ever intended to be profitable. Petitioners primarily argued that the shareholders disagree about most things related to the property, including the management of the corporation's asset—e.g., the property's upkeep and maintenance. The Responding Shareholders countered that it is, in fact, Petitioners who have mistreated the property and failed to cover their share of the costs.
Dissolution under Section 1104(a) of the BCL is possible if holders of shares representing one-half of the votes of all outstanding shares of a corporation entitled to vote in an election of directors demonstrate that at least one of three delineated grounds for dissolution is met: (1) "the directors are so divided respecting the management of the corporation's affairs that the votes required for action by the board cannot be obtained"; (2) "the shareholders are so divided that the votes required for the election of directors cannot be obtained"; or (3) "there is internal dissension and two or more factions of shareholders are so divided that dissolution would be beneficial to the shareholders."[i]
Petitioners argued that all three grounds were met. The Responding Shareholders contended that the entire petition was a thinly veiled attempt by Petitioners to force dissolution so they could subsequently purchase the property at a public sale for less than its fair market value.
The Court determined that Petitioners failed to meet their burden. Although the Court acknowledged friction between the parties, such infighting was not sufficient to give rise to court-ordered dissolution under BCL § 1104: "[D]espite the current state of the relationships, the obligations of the corporation are being met."[ii] The Court reached this decision because the parties continue to derive benefit from the property, taxes and insurance have been paid, and basic upkeep of the property has been maintained. Therefore, the "ultimate," "last resort" remedy of court-ordered dissolution would not be proper.[iii]
This decision sets forth a succinct overview of the law governing judicial dissolution under the BCL—an issue that is often misunderstood.
[i] 2016 BL 348290, at *2.
[ii] Id. at *4.
[iii] Id. (quoting Matter of Yoet Ngor Ng, 174 A.D.2d 523, 526 (1st Dep't 1991)).
Stephen P. Younger