text:
NPL Launches New Guide Framework: Pastey tells all in Post Exclusive
Created Apr 23, 2012 | Updated Apr 30, 2012
Stop the presses! Tear out the Front Page! Er, no, don't damage the monitor screen, oh, you know what we mean. We have NEWS.
The Post: As the release of Pliny quickly approaches, the h2g2 community has questions, and our guest, h2g2 Digital Lead Pastey, has answers. Welcome, Pastey.
Thank you, Dmitri.
The Post: Pastey, we've been seeing a lot of posts about Pliny lately. Now, Nigel and I thought Pliny was one of two Roman citizens – either natural scientist Pliny the Elder, or statesman Pliny the Younger. But this Pliny seems to be some form of technology. Could you tell us a bit about Pliny the Technology and what it means for the Guide?
Pastey: Pliny, named for one of history's greatest scientists, is the next incarnation of the Guide, which is tentatively scheduled to be launched over the weekend of 5th and 6th May. For readers and most Researchers, Pliny will replace Ripley as the main way to use the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Earth Edition.
Ripley was state of the art in its day. It's a credit to Jim Lynn and to his colleagues that Ripley lasted as long and performed as well as it has. Ripley's memory management system was designed in an earlier Internet era when there were far fewer Internet users and a lot less content in the Guide.
Pliny is designed for today's Internet environment. It will form the foundation from which the Guide can be expanded and very soon become fully mobile, as Douglas Adams originally envisioned it.
The Post: What can Researchers do to get ready for the transition?
Pastey: Researchers won't have to do anything at all.
The Post: Could you tell us a bit about what's been happening with the Guide lately?
Pastey: Sure. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Earth Edition is a lot of things to a lot of people, but to the server, which is a piece of hardware that serves up data in response to requests, it is a database, somewhat like a giant, growing warehouse filled with every version of entry ever written and every conversation that has taken place since h2g2 began in 1999. Whenever anyone contributes or updates research or takes part in a conversation, the database grows a bit bigger.
Twenty-four hours a day, tens of thousands of people from all over the world use various devices to surf over to the Guide. From the point of view of the server, each of those is a request for a page of data.
Basically, each time a page is requested, the server asks the database for parts of it, does some processing, gets it all together and sends it back. Doing all that every time takes a lot of server power, so the system saves a copy. The next time someone asks for a page, it sends that saved copy to them.
Because h2g2 is popular, a lot of entries are getting read every day. Copies of each are filling the disk space, which means that each time a page is requested the code has to remove an old cached entry to replace it with a new cached entry, and this brings the site to a halt.
We realized this last summer, before we took delivery of the database. And we had to make some hard choices. You see, at the time h2g2 went up for sale, the Guide was running on Forge. Forge is a version of the Zend Framework that is customized for the BBC. But Forge was not included in the sale of h2g2, so we needed to choose something else to run the Guide.
One option was Ripley, the version of DNA that powered the Guide up until the BBC's Forge upgrade. The Tech Team could get the Guide up and running on Ripley in a matter of days and not months. But if the Guide was as popular as we thought it might be, there were likely to be server crashes because of the caching problem I mentioned earlier.
The better choice for stability would have been to run the Guide using a vanilla Zend Framework. Zend offers stability for the kind of traffic we were expecting, but it would take months to get up and running. We simply couldn't do that to the h2g2 community of which we are all a part.
So we got the Guide up and running on the older Ripley skins and immediately went to work on Ripley's replacement. Brian picked the name and I only later found out it wasn't a beer by Russian River but was an old Roman chap. I didn't have a classical education.
The Post: There appear to be some similarities between Pliny and Barlesque. What gives?
Pastey: Researchers may recall that the announcement of h2g2's sale interrupted the implementation of Barlesque. Included in the sale of h2g2 were the artwork files for Barlesque, as well as those for brunel, alabaster and my personal favourite, classic goo.
So yes, Pliny shares some visual similarities with Barlesque. However, the very big differences under the bonnet are going to allow us to begin an era of Guide development and expansion that we all have longed for.
We removed the entire framework that runs the BBC systems, and replaced it with a vanilla installation of the Zend Framework. We've written some new hooks and libraries to replace those that didn't come with sale or were otherwise not suitable. We've built an all-new user login and authentication system. Plus, we've added some new features, including a WYSIWYG editor, accessibility, and some social media hooks.
The Post: Sounds intriguing. Tell us about these new features.
Pastey: Pliny's WYSIWYG editor is going to help more people build the Guide faster. Back in 1999, when the Guide began, many Internet users had at least a passing familiarity with HTML. Nowadays most Internet users don't have a tech background. A WYSIWYG editor removes the barrier posed by GuideML, allowing more people to become Researchers contributing to the Guide.
Even for tech savvy Researchers, a WYSIWYG editor makes it faster and easier to submit our research. After all, it's much easier to edit one's own writing and spot typos without all those GuideML tags in the way.
At the moment the WYSIWYG handles the basic HTML for you, you can just write content without having to worry about the layout code which we hope will encourage more people to write. Of course though, there's still the GuideML editor.
Better accessibility makes the Guide useful to more people. The Tech Team has been working closely with the Artists to improve Pliny's accessibility. In addition, the Artists have also worked on page lay-outs to make Pliny more usable.
The social media hooks puts buttons for Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ on every entry. With just a click, any Internet user can introduce their family, friends and associates to the distilled wisdom that is the Guide to Life, the Universe and Everything.
The Post: That's really exciting. Do you have anything else in store?
Pastey: Of course! We've already begun the next evolutionary step for the Guide, named Eddie, after the shipboard computer in the HHGG series, and from the tenuous acronym of Electronic Data Distribution and Integration Engine. Eddie will make the Guide fully mobile. Until we've built Eddie, though, we'll still be supporting both Pliny and the older Ripley skins. Nothing's going away, only being added to. You can still use your favourite Ripley skin for as long as you like, and the plan with Eddie is that these older skins will be ported over to the new framework. Pliny really allows us to have a hopefully much more stable site, while being able to quickly develop and try out new ideas to improve the Guide.
I'd like to thank everyone who worked so hard to support our efforts. A big 'thank you' to the volunteers who've done a lot of valuable bug hunting for us, and to Dr Donna Wrublewski and her students of the University of Florida for helping us with beta testing.
The Post: And a big 'thank you' to you, too, Pastey, for all the work you've done in opening up h2g2 to new readers and writers.
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Russian River Brewing


text:
James Ketchell
– Adventurer, Triathlete and Motivational Speaker –
"Just do it! the hardest part is taking the first step, everything get's easier after that."
"You need the right mindset. You don't need to be an ultra fit muscle guru. You need to be prepared to take risks, take the first step and learn as you go. Adapt, improvise, and remain calm when things go wrong."
Meet James Ketchell, who is nicknamed Captain Ketch, and lives with his family in Basingstoke, Hampshire in the UK. On February 1st, 2014, he became the first and only person to have rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, successfully summited Mount Everest and cycled 18,000 miles around the world. It would be fair to say James was always a man to follow the more exciting approach to life. While working as an IT manager, he raced motorbikes at a semi-professional level. "Ever since I was a boy," he says, "I'd always wanted to row across the Atlantic. Once I'd made the decision, I used it as a form of motivation – something to work towards. I had a reason to get out of the hospital and tackle my Physio and rehab."
James Ketchell, is considered the Ironman that invented the world's ultimate triathlon. A typical Ironman triathlon involves swimming for 2.4 miles, cycling for 112 more, and then running a full marathon, all in under 17 hours. It is, for all intents and purposes, the summit of triathlon participation. So what drives someone to make an Ironman look like a stroll around the proverbial park? James Ketchell, who has recently completed what is being termed "The Ultimate Triathlon," explains the motivating force in typically humble terms: "You can do much more than you think. What you originally thought was quite difficult often isn't." James has just completed three frankly remarkable feats. First, he rowed the Atlantic Ocean, alone. Next, he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest. And finally, he took an unsupported cycle ride around the globe, completing 18,000 miles in just seven months. James became the first man in history to complete three such huge challenges, but seven years prior to all this, he was recovering from a serious motorcycle accident that left him with both legs broken, as well as a severely broken and dislocated ankle. The prognosis was that he was likely to suffer a permanent walking impairment, and would certainly not be able to continue the active physical lifestyle he had enjoyed up to that point.
Three years later, in 2010, he set off from La Gomera in the Canary Islands on a 3000 mile journey to retrace the original route Christopher Columbus had taken to the New World. His goal was Antigua. Initially, he wanted to do it with someone else, but for some reason no one wanted to join him. So he did it on his own, and it was the best decision he has ever made. The journey wasn't without incident; he ran out of food 200 miles from Antigua, almost got hit by a 300 metre long oil tanker, was bashed in the face by a flying fish and bitten on the nipple by another. But, James's natural resilience saw him through. Looking back, he says his strongest memory is of the delight of swimming in the Atlantic. When he finally got home, a friend casually asked if he'd like to climb Mt. Everest. Six months later, after raising £28,000, and despite intense diarrhea and a dangerous struggle to remove his crampon caught in a ladder above a 50ft crevasse, he stood on the summit of Everest alongside Dorje, his loyal Sherpa.
But, getting to the summit was not all joy, as he discovered when he arrived home, finding himself once more in the hospital with X-rays showing his left lung was black and thick with infection. A doctor tersely pointed out he was "very lucky to be alive." Once again, the enforced hospital stay gave James another idea. This time he decided he'd cycle around the world. "When I told a friend my plan, he said no one person had ever done all three things." James didn't consider this third challenge might form a new kind of triathlon, but that's how it turned out. On June 30th, 2013, he set off from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park on his global challenge to take a course that would lead him through Europe, Asia, Australia and America. Twenty countries, 18,000 miles and more than one hundred punctures later, he arrived back in the UK in February 2014.
"You need the right mindset. You don't need to be an ultra-fit muscle guru. You need to be prepared to take risks, take the first step, and learn as you go. Adapt, improvise, and remain calm when things go wrong." This is great advice and in his role as Scout Ambassador for Hampshire and through speaking and charity work, James encourages, motivates, and inspires. He adds: "Human beings are naturally programmed to come up with reasons why they can't do something. You need to start thinking outside the box and find a way around problems. Don't create negativity in your head." James is living proof of his philosophy. We can all do much more than we think.
He describes his approach to these extraordinary tasks, how he continuously set incremental and achievable goals, how he drew upon a capacity for making and cementing contacts to secure the necessary support, and how he prepared for an experienced the physical effort these challenges demand. As James recounts his story, the listener will often find it easy to believe that they too could achieve the extraordinary. James is also passionate about the places he has been and the people he has met, and talks with knowledge and affection about their lives, cultures, and beliefs and of the debt he owes them. He is particularly grateful to the Sherpas who assisted him on Everest, as they were instrumental in helping him off the mountain when he succumbed to a severe lung infection on the descent. The key message James reveals is that we can all potentially set ourselves difficult goals and achieve them: the capability to succeed is within everyone. His practical and pragmatic lessons include the importance of interim goals, breaking the task down into small, achievable steps, each one of which increases the commitment to the overall goal; the need for self-belief; the willingness of others to help if only you dare to ask; and finally, the value of persistence.
James is a fundraiser at ELIFAR Foundation, a charity that is run by volunteers to provide specialist equipment to disabled children. If you want to know more about ELIFAR and support the cause, please visit www.elifarfoundation.org.uk James sets out on his next adventure rowing across the Indian Ocean next year; for more information at www.nothings-impossible.co.uk
James in his own words
How does it feel to be an inspiration to others? Did you ever expect to become an inspiration?
I never expected it at all but it's certainly a good feeling.
Why are Triathlons so inspiring? What makes this sport so special around the world?
It's that sense of achievement for me personally that I get when I cross the finish line.
When did you start participating in triathlons? Where was your first competition?
Around 5 years ago, and my first triathlon was Windsor Triathlon.
What motivates you in life?
Helping others, and working towards my goals.
What would you say to other people with similar ambitions?
Who inspires you? Why?
My father inspires me because he has an incurable work ethic and is mentally very strong.
How did you deal with obstacles in your life?
Just keep moving forward and stick to a routine. Routine will help you through most situation if you stick to it.
What do you like most about Triathlons?
The feeling of accomplishment.
Mention major accomplishments in your life other than triathlons
Rowed the Atlantic Ocean in 2010 Climbed Mt Everest in 2011 Cycled around the world in 2013
Do you support or represent any Non-Profit Organizations?
ELIFAR Foundation a charity that is run by volunteers to provide specialist equipment to disabled children. For more information, please visit www.elifarfoundation.org.uk Also, I am promoting and supporting my rowing adventure at the Indian ocean next year; please click on www.nothings-impossible.co.ukfor more information.
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Villeret () is a municipality in the Jura bernois administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located in the French-speaking Bernese Jura (Jura Bernois).

History

Villeret is first mentioned in 1390 as Villeret.

During the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era it was part of the seigniory of Erguel under the Prince-Bishop of Basel.  After the 1797 French victory and the Treaty of Campo Formio, Villeret became part of the French Département of Mont-Terrible.  Three years later, in 1800 it became part of the Département of Haut-Rhin.  After Napoleon's defeat and the Congress of Vienna, Villeret was assigned to the Canton of Bern in 1815.  In 1932 the Combe-Grède/Chasseral nature reserve was established in the municipal borders.

The village was part of the parish of Saint-Imier until 1951, when it separated to form an independent parish.  The village Reformed church was built in 1936-37.

During the mid-18th century a number of forges, mills, sawmills and hammermills were built along the Suze river.  The numerous mills and available water power attracted many blacksmiths, nailsmiths and locksmiths to the village.  In 1725, the watch industry first entered the village and the craftsmen began producing watch parts.  Starting in 1735, watchmaking moguls such as the Blancpain family built houses, infrastructure, factories and public areas to attract skilled craftsmen to Villeret.  The completion of the Biel-Les Convers railroad in 1874 caused another population boom, which had reached its zenith by 1910.  The financial crises of the 1930s and 1970s devastated the watch industry.  The industry began to recover in 1993 when Cartier decided to open to factory in Villeret.  This was followed in 2000 by the Straumann dental implants and instruments factory.  However, in 2003, Cartier closed their factory.  In 2005, the manufacturing sector makes up almost three-fourths of all jobs in the municipality.

Geography

Villeret has an area of .  Of this area,  or 45.4% is used for agricultural purposes, while  or 49.9% is forested. Of the rest of the land,  or 4.0% is settled (buildings or roads),  or 0.1% is either rivers or lakes and  or 0.7% is unproductive land.

Of the built up area, housing and buildings made up 1.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 1.8%.  Out of the forested land, 45.1% of the total land area is heavily forested and 4.8% is covered with orchards or small clusters of trees.  Of the agricultural land, 6.3% is used for growing crops and 12.4% is pastures and 26.6% is used for alpine pastures.  All the water in the municipality is flowing water.

The municipality is located in the Bernese Jura at the foot of Mount Chasseral.

On 31 December 2009 District de Courtelary, the municipality's former district, was dissolved.  On the following day, 1 January 2010, it joined the newly created Arrondissement administratif Jura bernois.

Coat of arms
The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Gules on a Bend Argent three Trefoils downpointing Vert all within a Border Or.

Demographics

Villeret has a population () of .  , 9.6% of the population are resident foreign nationals.  Over the last 10 years (2000-2010) the population has changed at a rate of -3.3%.  Migration accounted for -3.1%, while births and deaths accounted for -0.9%.

Most of the population () speaks French (749 or 83.1%) as their first language, German is the second most common (102 or 11.3%) and Albanian is the third (22 or 2.4%).  There are 14 people who speak Italian and 1 person who speaks Romansh.

, the population was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.  The population was made up of 395 Swiss men (44.5% of the population) and 44 (5.0%) non-Swiss men.  There were 407 Swiss women (45.9%) and 41 (4.6%) non-Swiss women.  Of the population in the municipality, 217 or about 24.1% were born in Villeret and lived there in 2000.  There were 296 or 32.9% who were born in the same canton, while 215 or 23.9% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 120 or 13.3% were born outside of Switzerland.

, children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 21.1% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) make up 58.9% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 20.1%.

, there were 347 people who were single and never married in the municipality.  There were 457 married individuals, 51 widows or widowers and 46 individuals who are divorced.

, there were 124 households that consist of only one person and 28 households with five or more people.  , a total of 375 apartments (84.5% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 33 apartments (7.4%) were seasonally occupied and 36 apartments (8.1%) were empty.  , the construction rate of new housing units was 1.1 new units per 1000 residents.  The vacancy rate for the municipality, , was 4%.

The historical population is given in the following chart:

Politics
In the 2011 federal election the most popular party was the Swiss People's Party (SVP) which received 26.8% of the vote.  The next three most popular parties were the Social Democratic Party (SP) (25.9%), the Green Party (11.8%) and the FDP.The Liberals (11.1%).  In the federal election, a total of 234 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 36.4%.

Economy
, Villeret had an unemployment rate of 2.58%.  , there were a total of 749 people employed in the municipality.  Of these, there were 40 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 13 businesses involved in this sector.  635 people were employed in the secondary sector and there were 15 businesses in this sector.  74 people were employed in the tertiary sector, with 29 businesses in this sector.  There were 443 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, of which females made up 44.2% of the workforce.

 there were a total of 703 full-time equivalent jobs.  The number of jobs in the primary sector was 30, all of which were in agriculture.  The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 614 of which 607 or (98.9%) were in manufacturing and 5 (0.8%) were in construction.  The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 59.  In the tertiary sector; 14 or 23.7% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 8 or 13.6% were in the movement and storage of goods, 11 or 18.6% were in a hotel or restaurant, 7 or 11.9% were technical professionals or scientists, 10 or 16.9% were in education.

, there were 371 workers who commuted into the municipality and 318 workers who commuted away.  The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 1.2 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving.  About 12.9% of the workforce coming into Villeret are coming from outside Switzerland.  Of the working population, 10.8% used public transportation to get to work, and 61.6% used a private car.

Religion
From the , 160 or 17.8% were Roman Catholic, while 432 or 47.9% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church.  Of the rest of the population, there were 2 members of an Orthodox church (or about 0.22% of the population), there was 1 individual who belongs to the Christian Catholic Church, and there were 88 individuals (or about 9.77% of the population) who belonged to another Christian church.  There were 37 (or about 4.11% of the population) who were Islamic.  There was 1 person who was Buddhist.  174 (or about 19.31% of the population) belonged to no church, are agnostic or atheist, and 50 individuals (or about 5.55% of the population) did not answer the question.

Education
In Villeret about 318 or (35.3%) of the population have completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 116 or (12.9%) have completed additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule).  Of the 116 who completed tertiary schooling, 62.1% were Swiss men, 16.4% were Swiss women, 9.5% were non-Swiss men and 12.1% were non-Swiss women.

The Canton of Bern school system provides one year of non-obligatory Kindergarten, followed by six years of Primary school.  This is followed by three years of obligatory lower Secondary school where the students are separated according to ability and aptitude.  Following the lower Secondary students may attend additional schooling or they may enter an apprenticeship.

During the 2010-11 school year, there were a total of 95 students attending classes in Villeret.  There was one kindergarten class with a total of 17 students in the municipality.  Of the kindergarten students, 5.9% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens).  The municipality had 4 primary classes and 78 students.  Of the primary students, 7.7% were permanent or temporary residents of Switzerland (not citizens) and 10.3% have a different mother language than the classroom language.  , there were 38 students in Villeret who came from another municipality, while 82 residents attended schools outside the municipality.

Villeret is home to the Bibliothèque communale et scolaire du Soleil library.  The library has () 6,001 books or other media, and loaned out 3,500 items in the same year.  It was open a total of 160 days with average of 4 hours per week during that year.

Transportation
The municipality has a railway station, . The station is located on the Biel/Bienne–La Chaux-de-Fonds line and has hourly service to  and .

References

External links

Website of the municipality of Villeret

Municipalities of the canton of Bern

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Roger Sims, Journal Staff
Parker council votes to proceed with survey of disputed street
Lee "Tuff" Hermeck, right, with McClure Engineering Co., discusses a survey proposal with Parker Councilman Gary Earley, from left, Mayor Ashley Balthazor, Councilman Jason Webber and Councilwoman Jody Bloodgood. (Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)
PARKER – In a rescheduled monthly meeting with only three of five council members present, the Parker City Council on Monday hired a North Kansas City, Mo., surveying firm to plat out a disputed section of South Walnut Street..
Lee "Tuff" Hermeck, a representative from McClure Engineering Co., talked to the council about the project and said that while he believe there was enough documentation for the city's claim to the street, a survey would make it clear what the city owned.
The estimated cost of the survey is $15,000 plus additional charges for reports from a title company on adjacent properties. Hermeck said his company would work by the hour, and the council could put a cap on the project of $15,000. With crews working by the hour, he said it could be less than that.
A map of the area provided by the Linn County GIS Mapping Department shows the relationship of Recycling Services to South Walnut Street.
However, he said he wanted to get deed work done by a title company, and that would cost an addition $250 per parcel of land.
"I don't think it's going to be that bad," he said, adding that he wouldn't know until his company got into the project.
Dan Gaikowski, owner of Recycling Services, a metal reclamation company, earlier this year blocked off the section of South Walnut Street that he said runs through the middle of his business. That section of street has been used to access a residence on the south side of the city limits there, and Gaikowski blocked off access on the city limit line and locked a gate across the street.
Recycling Services owner Dan Gaikowski put up a lock gate over South Walnut Street earlier this year.(Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)
Although city records show the street as belonging to the city, officials could not provide proof of purchase of the property when confronted by Gaikowski. So the Parker council earlier his year voted to condemn the property by eminent domain and reclaim a 60-foot-wide swath of land.
In an interview earlier this year, Gaikowski charged that the condemnation proceeding was a land grab and said that he would fight it in court. He also took the fight public by posting signs suggesting that if the city could take his property, it could do that to anyone.
He has also said that Mike Page, who owns the property south of his and who used South Walnut Street to access his driveway before it was blocked, has other means of getting to his home. He said that property Page owns is adjacent to a public road and a driveway could be built to reach the house, which sits in the middle of property.
Earlier this year City Attorney Burton Harding said if a condemnation case went to court, Gaikowski's only fight would be to challenge the amount the city would pay for that section of street.
Earlier this year when the Parker City Council voted to begin condemnation proceedings, Gaikowski posted several signs around town protesting the move. (Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)
The council on Monday approved hiring the surveyor on a 2-1 vote with Councilmen Gary Earley and Jason Webber approving the measure and Councilwoman Jody Bloodgood voting against it.
In a separate interview, Bloodgood said she was concerned that the council already had spent more than $30,000 in legal and worried that the surveying wouldn't be the end of the process.
The council earlier this year hired a company to survey the one-block-long street, however, that firm stopped the process citing difficulty in accessing the disputed section of land.
Page was at Monday's meeting and charged that Gaikowski had harassed the surveyors from the earlier company as well as representatives from the Parker Baptist Church and suggested he might use that tactic again. Last year, Gaikowski blocked the entrance to the church over a strip of land he owned through which the entrance to the church ran. That issue was settled.
In an interview earlier this year, Gaikowski, far left, said that using what was Walnut Street makes his operation more productive. He said that his business employs several workers, like those in this photo, and brings business to the local cafe and service station. (Roger Sims/Linn County Journal)
Page had been using a road across the dam at the Parker City Lake to reach his home. However, following problems maintaining the integrity of that road, the Parker Baptist Church allowed him access through their property.
He said on Monday he would likely need to put gravel on that access that would allow him to move larger truck with hay off his property.
Hermeck told the council he expected Gaikowski to be unhappy about the survey work, telling them he didn't want to put any of his workers in jeopardy and suggesting the city contact the sheriff about security. He said it would take about a week to complete.
Parker Police Chief Craig Haley, who is also a deputy for the Linn County Sheriff's Office, said he planned to be on hand during the surveying work.
Hermeck said his company could begin work as soon as a contract was signed.
"The city gave Mike that access long ago," said Mayor Ashley Balthazor before the vote. "But if we give up now, the $30,000 is down the drain."
In other business at Monday night's meeting, the council unanimously approved Christmas bonuses of $250 for all city workers, up from $100 last year. The council also approved a raise for Haley, increasing his hourly wage from $16 to $20 per hour.


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The Postures Of Punch Season
By Noah Oppenheim
September is an idyllic month. Our rooms still possess a fresh feel, we're happy to be reunited with friends, sections have not yet met and the weather is temperate. More importantly, from the conservative perspective, the campus has not yet had the opportunity to work itself into a fit over some cause du jour.
October brings the onset of restlessness, Mandarin-speaking TFs, frigid air and the rumblings of social action. In an unfortunate coincidence, it also marks the opening of the punch season for Harvard's legendary final clubs. The results: anxious muckrakers, rejuvenated by summer internships with the National Organization for women, find an easy target their festering impulse to eradicate injustice. Every year the clubs are subjected to the same tired assaults on the petty, ill-reasoned grounds. As a result, those being punched feel compelled to stage embarrassing displays of moral incertitude and false humility, while campus publications chime in with asinine discussions of the weighty issues.
I have no particular love for the clubs, nor have I ever had any involvement with one. But with the hope of preserving some of September's sanity, I offer the following pre-emptive strikes against the arguments sure to surface in the coming outbreak of political and social posturing.
To the angry feminists: There is nothing wrong with single-sex institutions. Men, just like women, need to themselves. We need a place to let our baser instincts have free reign, to let go of whatever exterior polish we affect to appease female sensibilities. I find it hard to believe that the educated women of this campus do not appreciate this basic sociological (some might say biological) reality.
Many women argue that the clubs are objectionable because of their demeaning treatment of female guests--particularly the restriction of movement and the sexually aggressive atmosphere. Well, I would likely not feel comfortable in an S&M club, so I choose not to go for one. Women who fell threatened by the clubs' environments should seek tamer pastures. However apparently women enjoy being confined, pumped full of alcohol and preyed upon. They feel desired, not demeaned.
I suspect that root of feminist objections to the clubs really lies not on any principled grounds, but in the material dissatisfaction with the fact that men have big fancy houses to retreat to and women do not. This may be unfair, but we cannot prevent people from enjoying more luxurious undergraduate experiences if furnished by their private resources.
To those who decry the clubs' elitism: The fact that certain people do not possess the social standing to join is not an injustice. Almost without exception, club members are athletes, privileged, well-dressed and/ or attractive. Many students do not fit into any of those categories and are therefore rejected. On other campuses, where there is a more diverse selection of fraternities, more students could find formal social clubs to match their personalities. Here, the options are quiet limited, forcing many to form a group of friends without the aid of a physical structure.
But those who occupy the few structures should not be chastised for their blessing. And they shouldn't be expected to let everyone in the door. After all the practice of exclusivity in the social gathering is common to everyone. I know quiet a few cliques which would not feel comfortable letting a random football player intrude on their parties. We can hope but we cannot fairly expect that a club will be nice to strangers knocking on its doors.
To the Harvard administration, which accuses the clubs of encouraging criminal activity: If people didn't drink in the clubs, they'd go to bars or, more likely, they'd drink in the dorms. Do you really want the liability to land in your hands? Think of the clubs as a convenient insurance barrier and stop writing melodramatic letters to first-years that only contribute to the clubs' already over-blown mystique.
Finally, to those involved in the upcoming punch: No one wants to hear about your moral dilemma. If you like the guys in the club that punched you, go check it out. Your female friends will still talk to you. They may glare disapprovingly now, but next semester they'll be using your name to get into the party. Don't pretend that the clubs' legacy of racism, anti-Semitism and class discrimination really bothers you. After all, fair Harvard was guilty of the same crimes, and you probably didn't hesitate to accept your offer of admission.
Ultimately, the only charge that really sticks when it comes to final clubs is that many members are offensively arrogant. But so are lots of the politicos and budding journalists among us. We don't need another absurd community debate about the nefarious influence of often-intoxicated guys who own their own buildings. What we need is another month as sublime as September.
Noah D. Oppenheim '00 is a social studies concentrator in Adams House. His column appears on alternate Fridays.


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Home Business Toronto region home sales top Nov. record, prices reach all-time high: TRREB
Toronto region home sales top Nov. record, prices reach all-time high: TRREB
TORONTO — The Greater Toronto Area's heated real estate market further intensified last month as home sales topped a November record and average selling prices reached a new all-time high.
The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board reported Friday that 9,017 homes changed hands last month, up three per cent from 8,728 during the prior November.
The average home price in the region stretched to $1,163,323, an almost 22 per cent jump from $955,889 in November 2020.
The board said the figures show demand for all types of housing in the region is continuing to outpace supply, but the condo market, in particular, is tightening and prices are accelerating more rapidly in suburban areas.
Brokers and real estate organizations have long attributed the market's heated conditions to a lack of housing inventory, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have also noted that the combination of low interest rates, favourable mortgage terms and the ability to work from home were also driving buyers.
They say many are antsy to get into the market this year, before prices rise even higher and people shift back to working from offices and other facilities again.
"This speaks to the broadening of economic recovery, with first-time buyers moving back into the market in a big way this year," said TRREB's chief market analyst Jason Mercer, in a release.
"The condo and townhouse segments, with lower price points on average, will remain popular as population growth picks up over the next two years."
Last month, TRREB reported the average condo price in the region reached $715,104, while detached homes rang in at more than $1.5 million and townhouses went for about $962,044.
Average prices in the 416 — a nickname for the city of Toronto that excludes its suburbs — topped all of the regional averages with detached homes reaching more than $1.8 million, townhouses hitting $981,759 and $745,951 for condos.
In suburban regions of the GTA, known as the 905, the average price was more than $1.4 million for a detached home, $955,010 for a townhouse and $646,211 for a condo.
But across all housing categories there were fewer homes on the market than last November, when the end of the year brought lockdowns and delivered an unexpected spike in home sales.
New listings fell by 13 per cent to 10,036 last month from 11,556 in November 2020.
Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press
TRREB
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text:
MIL Translation OSI
MIL-Translation
Translation German to English
MIL-OSI Translation: Brinkhaus: Extreme shutdown of contacts
MIL OSI Translation. Region: Germany / Deutschland –
Source: CDU CSU
The chairman of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group in an interview with the daily newspaper "Die Glocke"
In an interview with the "Glocke", the chairman of the Union parliamentary group, Ralph Brinkhaus, pointed out that contacts would have to be significantly restricted, especially over Christmas, in order to regain control over the spread of the corona virus.
No one could promise today that the lockdown will be enough by January 10 to regain control over the virus, said the group leader. "But the fact is that we all have to shut down our contacts again extremely, especially over Christmas – in my opinion also beyond what is allowed by the governments. Otherwise it will be difficult.
Brinkhaus: "It's a shame" that a comparatively small minority more or less takes the others into liability. "
On January 5th, the situation will have to be reassessed by the federal government and the Prime Minister, "Brinkhaus continued. "Most of the citizens acted incredibly responsibly" when complying with the contact restrictions. But it is a shame "that a comparatively small minority more or less takes the others into liability and attracts so much attention".
With a view to the high expenditures for the Corona relief measures, the parliamentary group chairman underlined that although large sums were at stake, "but without the money, restaurants and retailers would have an even more difficult future." Now the task is to get the pandemic under control quickly to get. "Otherwise it will be financially difficult after overcoming Covid-19," said Brinkhaus.
Brinkhaus: "We are in the driver's seat, we decide the budget – so it is up to us to provide the funds …"
Regarding the important role of the German Bundestag in the pandemic, the head of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group said: "We implemented the Third Civil Protection Act with considerable public participation under the pressure of demonstrations in front of the Reichstag. We have defined very precisely for the government what it is allowed to do and what it is not allowed to do. We are very intensive in talks and discussions – at all levels: in parliamentary groups, working groups and committee meetings. We are holding plenary debates on the subject, just this week on the national vaccination strategy. "The Bundestag can also sharpen it at any time or take back everything that it has given the government of freedom. "In this respect, we are already involved very intensively. We sit in the driver's seat, we take care of the budget – so it is up to us to make the funds available – or not, "Brinkhaus emphasized.
The group leader sees the most pressing task for the coming years as keeping society together. "What happened in the USA and in other countries must not happen that we end up with a divided society." In addition, Germany must remain economically competitive because prosperity depends on it. "And that's why we have to do more in the areas of research and innovation, education and infrastructure than in the past," demanded Brinkhaus.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and / or sentence structure not be perfect.
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text:
Diazepam, first marketed as Valium, is a medicine of the benzodiazepine family that acts as an anxiolytic. It is commonly used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, muscle spasms, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome. It may also be used to cause memory loss during certain medical procedures. It can be taken by mouth, inserted into the rectum, injected into muscle, injected into a vein or used as a nasal spray. When given into a vein, effects begin in one to five minutes and last up to an hour. By mouth, effects begin after 15 to 60 minutes.

Common side-effects include sleepiness and trouble with coordination. Serious side effects are rare. They include increased risk of suicide, decreased breathing, and an increased risk of seizures if used too frequently in those with epilepsy. Occasionally, excitement or agitation may occur. Long-term use can result in tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms on dose reduction. Abrupt stopping after long-term use can be potentially dangerous. After stopping, cognitive problems may persist for six months or longer. It is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Its mechanism of action works by increasing the effect of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Diazepam was patented in 1959 by Hoffmann-La Roche. It has been one of the most frequently prescribed medications in the world since its launch in 1963. In the United States it was the best-selling medication between 1968 and 1982, selling more than 2billion tablets in 1978 alone. In 2020, it was the 128th most-commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 4million prescriptions. In 1985 the patent ended, and there are now more than 500 brands available on the market. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

Medical uses

Diazepam is mainly used to treat anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks and symptoms of acute alcohol withdrawal. It is also used as a premedication for inducing sedation, anxiolysis, or amnesia before certain medical procedures (e.g., endoscopy). In 2020, it was approved for use in the United States as a nasal spray to interrupt seizure activity in people with epilepsy. Diazepam is the most commonly used benzodiazepine for "tapering" benzodiazepine dependence due to the drug's comparatively long half-life, allowing for more efficient dose reduction. Benzodiazepines have a relatively low toxicity in overdose.

Diazepam has a number of uses, including:
 Treatment of anxiety, panic attacks, and states of agitation
 Treatment of neurovegetative symptoms associated with vertigo
 Treatment of the symptoms of alcohol, opiate, and benzodiazepine withdrawal
 Short-term treatment of insomnia
 Treatment of muscle spasms
 Treatment of tetanus, together with other measures of intensive treatment
 Adjunctive treatment of spastic muscular paresis (paraplegia/tetraplegia) caused by cerebral or spinal cord conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, or spinal cord injury (long-term treatment is coupled with other rehabilitative measures)
 Palliative treatment of stiff person syndrome
 Pre- or postoperative sedation, anxiolysis or amnesia (e.g., before endoscopic or surgical procedures)
 Treatment of complications with stimulant overdoses and psychosis, such as cocaine or methamphetamine
Used in treatment of organophosphate poisoning and reduces the risk of seizure induced brain and cardiac damage.
 Preventive treatment of oxygen toxicity during hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Dosages should be determined on an individual basis, depending on the condition being treated, severity of symptoms, patient body weight, and any other conditions the person may have.

Seizures
Intravenous diazepam or lorazepam are first-line treatments for status epilepticus. However, intravenous lorazepam has advantages over intravenous diazepam, including a higher rate of terminating seizures and a more prolonged anticonvulsant effect. Diazepam gel was better than placebo gel in reducing the risk of non-cessation of seizures. Diazepam is rarely used for the long-term treatment of epilepsy because tolerance to its anticonvulsant effects usually develops within six to 12 months of treatment, effectively rendering it useless for that purpose.

The anticonvulsant effects of diazepam can help in the treatment of seizures due to a drug overdose or chemical toxicity as a result of exposure to sarin, VX, or soman (or other organophosphate poisons), lindane, chloroquine, physostigmine, or pyrethroids.

Diazepam is sometimes used intermittently for the prevention of febrile seizures that may occur in children under five years of age. Recurrence rates are reduced, but side effects are common so the decision to treat febrile seizures (which are benign in nature) with medication should use this as part of the evaluation. Long-term use of diazepam for the management of epilepsy is not recommended; however, a subgroup of individuals with treatment-resistant epilepsy benefit from long-term benzodiazepines, and for such individuals, clorazepate has been recommended due to its slower onset of tolerance to the anticonvulsant effects.

Alcohol-withdrawal
Because of its relatively long duration of action, and evidence of safety and efficacy, diazepam is preferred over other benzodiazepines for treatment of persons experiencing moderate to severe alcohol withdrawal. An exception to this is when a medication is required intramuscular in which case either lorazepam or midazolam is recommended.

Other
Diazepam is used for the emergency treatment of eclampsia, when IV magnesium sulfate and blood-pressure control measures have failed. Benzodiazepines do not have any pain-relieving properties themselves, and are generally recommended to avoid in individuals with pain. However, benzodiazepines such as diazepam can be used for their muscle-relaxant properties to alleviate pain caused by muscle spasms and various dystonias, including blepharospasm. Tolerance often develops to the muscle relaxant effects of benzodiazepines such as diazepam. Baclofen is sometimes used as an alternative to diazepam.

Availability
Diazepam is marketed in over 500 brands throughout the world. It is supplied in oral, injectable, inhalation, and rectal forms.

The United States military employs a specialized diazepam preparation known as  Convulsive Antidote, Nerve Agent (CANA), which contains diazepam. One CANA kit is typically issued to service-members, along with three Mark I NAAK kits, when operating in circumstances where chemical weapons in the form of nerve agents are considered a potential hazard. Both of these kits deliver drugs using autoinjectors. They are intended for use in "buddy-aid" or "self-aid" administration of the drugs in the field prior to decontamination and delivery of the patient to definitive medical care.

Contraindications
Use of diazepam should be avoided, when possible, in individuals with:
 Ataxia
 Severe hypoventilation
 Acute narrow-angle glaucoma
 Severe hepatic deficiencies (hepatitis and liver cirrhosis decrease elimination by a factor of two)
 Severe renal deficiencies (for example, patients on dialysis)
 Liver disorders
 Severe sleep apnea
 Severe depression, particularly when accompanied by suicidal tendencies
 Psychosis
 Pregnancy or breast feeding
 Caution required in elderly or debilitated patients
 Coma or shock
 Abrupt discontinuation of therapy
 Acute intoxication with alcohol, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances (with the exception of hallucinogens or some stimulants, where it is occasionally used as a treatment for overdose)
 History of alcohol or drug dependence
 Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder causing marked fatiguability
 Hypersensitivity or allergy to any drug in the benzodiazepine class

Caution
 Benzodiazepine abuse and misuse should be guarded against when prescribed to those with alcohol or drug dependencies or who have psychiatric disorders.
 Pediatric patients
 Less than 18 years of age, this treatment is usually not indicated, except for treatment of epilepsy, and pre- or postoperative treatment. The smallest possible effective dose should be used for this group of patients.
 Under 6 months of age, safety and effectiveness have not been established; diazepam should not be given to those in this age group.
 Elderly and very ill patients can possibly experience apnea or cardiac arrest. Concomitant use of other central nervous system depressants increases this risk. The smallest possible effective dose should be used for this group of people. The elderly metabolise benzodiazepines much more slowly than younger adults, and are also more sensitive to the effects of benzodiazepines, even at similar blood plasma levels. Doses of diazepam are recommended to be about half of those given to younger people, and treatment limited to a maximum of two weeks. Long-acting benzodiazepines such as diazepam are not recommended for the elderly. Diazepam can also be dangerous in geriatric patients owing to a significant increased risk of falls.
 Intravenous or intramuscular injections in hypotensive people or those in shock should be administered carefully and vital signs should be monitored.
 Benzodiazepines such as diazepam are lipophilic and rapidly penetrate membranes, so rapidly cross over into the placenta with significant uptake of the drug. Use of benzodiazepines including diazepam in late pregnancy, especially high doses, can result in floppy infant syndrome. Diazepam when taken late in pregnancy, during the third trimester, causes a definite risk of a severe benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome in the neonate with symptoms including hypotonia, and reluctance to suck, to apnoeic spells, cyanosis, and impaired metabolic responses to cold stress. Floppy infant syndrome and sedation in the newborn may also occur. Symptoms of floppy infant syndrome and the neonatal benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome have been reported to persist from hours to months after birth.

Adverse effects
Benzodiazepines such as diazepam can cause anterograde amnesia, confusion, and sedation. The elderly are more prone to diazepam's confusion, amnesia, ataxia, hangover symptoms, and falls. Long-term use of benzodiazepines such as diazepam induces tolerance, dependency, and withdrawal syndrome. Like other benzodiazepines, diazepam impairs short-term memory and learning new information. Diazepam and other benzodiazepines can produce anterograde amnesia, but not retrograde amnesia. It means information learned before using benzodiazepines is not impaired. Long-term benzodiazepine use does not lead to tolerance, and the elderly are more sensitive to them. Additionally, after stopping benzodiazepines, cognitive problems may last at least six months; it is unclear if these problems last for longer than six months or are permanent. Benzodiazepines may also cause or worsen depression. Infusions or repeated intravenous injections of diazepam when managing seizures, for example, may lead to drug toxicity, including respiratory depression, sedation and hypotension. Drug tolerance may also develop to infusions of diazepam if it is given for longer than 24 hours. Sedatives and sleeping pills, including diazepam, have been associated with an increased risk of death.

In September 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required the boxed warning be updated for all benzodiazepine medicines to describe the risks of abuse, misuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions consistently across all the medicines in the class.

Diazepam has a range of side effects common to most benzodiazepines, including:
 Suppression of REM sleep and Slow wave sleep
 Impaired motor function
 Impaired coordination
 Impaired balance
 Dizziness
 Reflex tachycardia

Less commonly, paradoxical side effects can occur, including nervousness, irritability, excitement, worsening of seizures, insomnia, muscle cramps, changes in libido,  and in some cases, rage and violence. These adverse reactions are more likely to occur in children, the elderly, and individuals with a history of a substance use disorder, such as an alcohol use disorder, or a history of aggressive behavior. In some people, diazepam may increase the propensity toward self-harming behaviors and, in extreme cases, may provoke suicidal tendencies or acts. Very rarely dystonia can occur.

Diazepam may impair the ability to drive vehicles or operate machinery. The impairment is worsened by consumption of alcohol, because both act as central nervous system depressants.

During the course of therapy, tolerance to the sedative effects usually develops, but not to the anxiolytic and myorelaxant effects.

Patients with severe attacks of apnea during sleep may experience respiratory depression (hypoventilation), leading to respiratory arrest and death.

Diazepam in doses of 5 mg or more causes significant deterioration in alertness performance combined with increased feelings of sleepiness.

Tolerance and withdrawal
Diazepam, as with other benzodiazepine drugs, can cause tolerance, physical dependence, substance use disorder, and benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome. Withdrawal from diazepam or other benzodiazepines often leads to withdrawal symptoms similar to those seen during barbiturate or alcohol withdrawal. The higher the dose and the longer the drug is taken, the greater the risk of experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms can occur from standard dosages and also after short-term use, and can range from insomnia and anxiety to more serious symptoms, including seizures and psychosis. Withdrawal symptoms can sometimes resemble pre-existing conditions and be misdiagnosed. Diazepam may produce less intense withdrawal symptoms due to its long elimination half-life.

Benzodiazepine treatment should be discontinued as soon as possible by a slow and gradual dose reduction regimen. Tolerance develops to the therapeutic effects of benzodiazepines; for example tolerance occurs to the anticonvulsant effects and as a result benzodiazepines are not generally recommended for the long-term management of epilepsy. Dose increases may overcome the effects of tolerance, but tolerance may then develop to the higher dose and adverse effects may increase. The mechanism of tolerance to benzodiazepines includes uncoupling of receptor sites, alterations in gene expression, down-regulation of receptor sites, and desensitisation of receptor sites to the effect of GABA. About one-third of individuals who take benzodiazepines for longer than four weeks become dependent and experience withdrawal syndrome on cessation.

Differences in rates of withdrawal (50–100%) vary depending on the patient sample. For example, a random sample of long-term benzodiazepine users typically finds around 50% experience few or no withdrawal symptoms, with the other 50% experiencing notable withdrawal symptoms. Certain select patient groups show a higher rate of notable withdrawal symptoms, up to 100%.

Rebound anxiety, more severe than baseline anxiety, is also a common withdrawal symptom when discontinuing diazepam or other benzodiazepines. Diazepam is therefore only recommended for short-term therapy at the lowest possible dose owing to risks of severe withdrawal problems from low doses even after gradual reduction. The risk of pharmacological dependence on diazepam is significant, and patients experience symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome if it is taken for six weeks or longer. In humans, tolerance to the anticonvulsant effects of diazepam occurs frequently.

Dependence
Improper or excessive use of diazepam can lead to dependence. At a particularly high risk for diazepam misuse, substance use disorder or dependence are:
 People with a history of a substance use disorder or substance dependence Diazepam increases craving for alcohol in problem alcohol consumers. Diazepam also increases the volume of alcohol consumed by problem drinkers.
 People with severe personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder

Patients from the aforementioned groups should be monitored very closely during therapy for signs of abuse and development of dependence. Therapy should be discontinued if any of these signs are noted, although if dependence has developed, therapy must still be discontinued gradually to avoid severe withdrawal symptoms. Long-term therapy in such instances is not recommended.

People suspected of being dependent on benzodiazepine drugs should be very gradually tapered off the drug. Withdrawals can be life-threatening, particularly when excessive doses have been taken for extended periods of time. Equal prudence should be used whether dependence has occurred in therapeutic or recreational contexts.

Diazepam is a good choice for tapering for those using high doses of other benzodiazepines since it has a long half-life thus withdrawal symptoms are tolerable. The process is very slow (usually from 14 to 28 weeks) but is considered safe when done appropriately.

Overdose

An individual who has consumed too much diazepam typically displays one or more of these symptoms in a period of approximately four hours immediately following a suspected overdose:
 Drowsiness
 Mental confusion
 Hypotension
 Impaired motor-functions
 Impaired reflexes
 Impaired coordination
 Impaired balance
 Dizziness
 Coma

Although not usually fatal when taken alone, a diazepam overdose is considered a medical emergency and generally requires the immediate attention of medical personnel. The antidote for an overdose of diazepam (or any other benzodiazepine) is flumazenil (Anexate). This drug is only used in cases with severe respiratory depression or cardiovascular complications. Because flumazenil is a short-acting drug, and the effects of diazepam can last for days, several doses of flumazenil may be necessary. Artificial respiration and stabilization of cardiovascular functions may also be necessary. Though not routinely indicated, activated charcoal can be used for decontamination of the stomach following a diazepam overdose. Emesis is contraindicated. Dialysis is minimally effective. Hypotension may be treated with levarterenol or metaraminol.

The oral  (lethal dose in 50% of the population) of diazepam is 720 mg/kg in mice and 1240 mg/kg in rats. D. J. Greenblatt and colleagues reported in 1978 on two patients who had taken 500 and 2000 mg of diazepam, respectively, went into moderately-deep comas, and were discharged within 48 hours without having experienced any important complications, in spite of having high concentrations of diazepam and its metabolites desmethyldiazepam, oxazepam, and temazepam, according to samples taken in the hospital and as follow-up.

Overdoses of diazepam with alcohol, opiates, or other depressants may be fatal.

Interactions
If diazepam is administered concomitantly with other drugs, attention should be paid to the possible pharmacological interactions. Particular care should be taken with drugs that potentiate the effects of diazepam, such as barbiturates, phenothiazines, opioids, and antidepressants.

Diazepam does not increase or decrease hepatic enzyme activity, and does not alter the metabolism of other compounds. No evidence would suggest diazepam alters its own metabolism with chronic administration.

Agents with an effect on hepatic cytochrome P450 pathways or conjugation can alter the rate of diazepam metabolism. These interactions would be expected to be most significant with long-term diazepam therapy, and their clinical significance is variable.
 Diazepam increases the central depressive effects of alcohol, other hypnotics/sedatives (e.g., barbiturates), other muscle relaxants, certain antidepressants, sedative antihistamines, opioids, and antipsychotics, as well as anticonvulsants such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, and carbamazepine. The euphoriant effects of opioids may be increased, leading to increased risk of psychological dependence.
 Cimetidine, omeprazole, oxcarbazepine, ticlopidine, topiramate, ketoconazole, itraconazole, disulfiram, fluvoxamine, isoniazid, erythromycin, probenecid, propranolol, imipramine, ciprofloxacin, fluoxetine, and valproic acid prolong the action of diazepam by inhibiting its elimination.
 Alcohol in combination with diazepam may cause a synergistic enhancement of the hypotensive properties of benzodiazepines and alcohol.
 Oral contraceptives significantly decrease the elimination of desmethyldiazepam, a major metabolite of diazepam.
 Rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and phenobarbital increase the metabolism of diazepam, thus decreasing drug levels and effects. Dexamethasone and St John's wort also increase the metabolism of diazepam.
 Diazepam increases the serum levels of phenobarbital.
 Nefazodone can cause increased blood levels of benzodiazepines.
 Cisapride may enhance the absorption, and therefore the sedative activity, of diazepam.
 Small doses of theophylline may inhibit the action of diazepam.
 Diazepam may block the action of levodopa (used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease).
 Diazepam may alter digoxin serum concentrations.
 Other drugs that may have interactions with diazepam include antipsychotics (e.g. chlorpromazine), MAO inhibitors, and ranitidine.
 Because it acts on the GABA receptor, the herb valerian may produce an adverse effect.
 Foods that acidify the urine can lead to faster absorption and elimination of diazepam, reducing drug levels and activity.
 Foods that alkalinize the urine can lead to slower absorption and elimination of diazepam, increasing drug levels and activity.
 Reports conflict as to whether food in general has any effects on the absorption and activity of orally administered diazepam.

Pharmacology

Diazepam is a long-acting "classical" benzodiazepine. Other classical benzodiazepines include chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, nitrazepam, temazepam, flurazepam, bromazepam, and clorazepate. Diazepam has anticonvulsant properties. Benzodiazepines act via micromolar benzodiazepine binding sites as calcium channel blockers and significantly inhibit depolarization-sensitive calcium uptake in rat nerve cell preparations.

Diazepam inhibits acetylcholine release in mouse hippocampal synaptosomes. This has been found by measuring sodium-dependent high-affinity choline uptake in mouse brain cells in vitro, after pretreatment of the mice with diazepam in vivo. This may play a role in explaining diazepam's anticonvulsant properties.

Diazepam binds with high affinity to glial cells in animal cell cultures. Diazepam at high doses has been found to decrease histamine turnover in mouse brain via diazepam's action at the benzodiazepine-GABA receptor complex. Diazepam also decreases prolactin release in rats.

Mechanism of action

Benzodiazepines are positive allosteric modulators of the GABA type A receptors (GABAA). The GABAA receptors are ligand-gated chloride-selective ion channels that are activated by GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Binding of benzodiazepines to this receptor complex promotes the binding of GABA, which in turn increases the total conduction of chloride ions across the neuronal cell membrane. This increased chloride ion influx hyperpolarizes the neuron's membrane potential. As a result, the difference between resting potential and threshold potential is increased and firing is less likely. As a result, the arousal of the cortical and limbic systems in the central nervous system is reduced.

The GABAA receptor is a heteromer composed of five subunits, the most common ones being two αs, two βs, and one γ (α2β2γ). For each subunit, many subtypes exist (α1–6, β1–3, and γ1–3). GABAA receptors containing the α1 subunit mediate the sedative, the anterograde amnesic, and partly the anticonvulsive effects of diazepam. GABAA receptors containing α2 mediate the anxiolytic actions and to a large degree the myorelaxant effects. GABAA receptors containing α3 and α5 also contribute to benzodiazepines myorelaxant actions, whereas GABAA receptors comprising the α5 subunit were shown to modulate the temporal and spatial memory effects of benzodiazepines. Diazepam is not the only drug to target these GABAA receptors. Drugs such as flumazenil also bind to GABAA to induce their effects.

Diazepam appears to act on areas of the limbic system, thalamus, and hypothalamus, inducing anxiolytic effects. Benzodiazepine drugs including diazepam increase the inhibitory processes in the cerebral cortex.

The anticonvulsant properties of diazepam and other benzodiazepines may be in part or entirely due to binding to voltage-dependent sodium channels rather than benzodiazepine receptors. Sustained repetitive firing seems limited by benzodiazepines' effect of slowing recovery of sodium channels from inactivation.

The muscle relaxant properties of diazepam are produced via inhibition of polysynaptic pathways in the spinal cord.

Pharmacokinetics
Diazepam can be administered orally, intravenously (must be diluted, as it is painful and damaging to veins), intramuscularly (IM), or as a suppository.

The onset of action is one to five minutes for IV administration and 15–30 minutes for IM administration. The duration of diazepam's peak pharmacological effects is 15 minutes to one hour for both routes of administration. The half-life of diazepam in general is 30–56 hours. Peak plasma levels occur between 30 and 90 minutes after oral administration and between 30 and 60 minutes after intramuscular administration; after rectal administration, peak plasma levels occur after 10 to 45 minutes. Diazepam is highly protein-bound, with 96 to 99% of the absorbed drug being protein-bound. The distribution half-life of diazepam is two to 13 minutes.

Diazepam is highly lipid-soluble, and is widely distributed throughout the body after administration. It easily crosses both the blood–brain barrier and the placenta, and is excreted into breast milk. After absorption, diazepam is redistributed into muscle and adipose tissue. Continual daily doses of diazepam quickly build to a high concentration in the body (mainly in adipose tissue), far in excess of the actual dose for any given day.

Diazepam is stored preferentially in some organs, including the heart. Absorption by any administered route and the risk of accumulation is significantly increased in the neonate, and withdrawal of diazepam during pregnancy and breast feeding is clinically justified.

Diazepam undergoes oxidative metabolism by demethylation (CYP 2C9, 2C19, 2B6, 3A4, and 3A5), hydroxylation (CYP 3A4 and 2C19) and glucuronidation in the liver as part of the cytochrome P450 enzyme system. It has several pharmacologically active metabolites. The main active metabolite of diazepam is desmethyldiazepam (also known as nordazepam or nordiazepam). Its other active metabolites include the minor active metabolites temazepam and oxazepam. These metabolites are conjugated with glucuronide, and are excreted primarily in the urine. Because of these active metabolites, the serum values of diazepam alone are not useful in predicting the effects of the drug. Diazepam has a biphasic half-life of about one to three days, and two to seven days for the active metabolite desmethyldiazepam. Most of the drug is metabolized; very little diazepam is excreted unchanged. The elimination half-life of diazepam and also the active metabolite desmethyldiazepam increases significantly in the elderly, which may result in prolonged action, as well as accumulation of the drug during repeated administration.

Physical and chemical properties
Diazepam is a 1,4-benzodiazepine. Diazepam occurs as solid white or yellow crystals with a melting point of 131.5 to 134.5 °C. It is odorless, and has a slightly bitter taste. The British Pharmacopoeia lists it as being very slightly soluble in water, soluble in alcohol, and freely soluble in chloroform. The United States Pharmacopoeia lists diazepam as soluble 1 in 16 ethyl alcohol, 1 in 2 of chloroform, 1 in 39 ether, and practically insoluble in water. The pH of diazepam is neutral (i.e., pH = 7). Due to additives such as benzoic acid/benzoate in the injectable form. Diazepam has a shelf life of five years for oral tablets and three years for IV/IM solutions.
Diazepam should be stored at room temperature (15–30 °C). The solution for parenteral injection should be protected from light and kept from freezing. The oral forms should be stored in air-tight containers and protected from light.

Diazepam can absorb into plastics, so liquid preparations should not be kept in plastic bottles or syringes, etc. As such, it can leach into the plastic bags and tubing used for intravenous infusions. Absorption appears to depend on several factors, such as temperature, concentration, flow rates, and tube length. Diazepam should not be administered if a precipitate has formed and does not dissolve.

Detection in body fluids
Diazepam may be quantified in blood or plasma to confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in hospitalized patients, provide evidence in an impaired driving arrest, or to assist in a medicolegal death investigation. Blood or plasma diazepam concentrations are usually in a range of 0.1–1.0 mg/L in persons receiving the drug therapeutically. Most commercial immunoassays for the benzodiazepine class of drugs cross-react with diazepam, but confirmation and quantitation are usually performed using chromatographic techniques.

Environmental
Diazepam is a common environmental contamination finding near human settlement.

History
Diazepam was the second benzodiazepine invented by Leo Sternbach of Hoffmann-La Roche at the company's Nutley, New Jersey, facility following chlordiazepoxide (Librium), which was approved for use in 1960. Released in 1963 as an improved version of Librium, diazepam became incredibly popular, helping Roche to become a pharmaceutical industry giant. It is 2.5 times more potent than its predecessor, which it quickly surpassed in terms of sales. After this initial success, other pharmaceutical companies began to introduce other benzodiazepine derivatives.

The benzodiazepines gained popularity among medical professionals as an improvement over barbiturates, which have a comparatively narrow therapeutic index, and are far more sedative at therapeutic doses. The benzodiazepines are also far less dangerous; death rarely results from diazepam overdose, except in cases where it is consumed with large amounts of other depressants (such as alcohol or opioids). Benzodiazepine drugs such as diazepam initially had widespread public support, but with time the view changed to one of growing criticism and calls for restrictions on their prescription.

Marketed by Roche using an advertising campaign conceived by the William Douglas McAdams Agency under the leadership of Arthur Sackler, diazepam was the top-selling pharmaceutical in the United States from 1969 to 1982, with peak annual sales in 1978 of 2.3 billion tablets. Diazepam, along with oxazepam, nitrazepam and temazepam, represents 82% of the benzodiazepine market in Australia. While psychiatrists continue to prescribe diazepam for the short-term relief of anxiety, neurology has taken the lead in prescribing diazepam for the palliative treatment of certain types of epilepsy and spastic activity, for example, forms of paresis.  It is also the first line of defense for a rare disorder called stiff-person syndrome.

Society and culture

Recreational use

Diazepam is a medication with a high risk of misuse and can cause drug dependence. Urgent action by national governments has been recommended to improve prescribing patterns of benzodiazepines such as diazepam. A single dose of diazepam modulates the dopamine system in similar ways to how morphine and alcohol modulate the dopaminergic pathways.
Between 50 and 64% of rats will self-administer diazepam.
Diazepam has been shown to be able to substitute for the behavioral effects of barbiturates in a primate study.
Diazepam has been found as an adulterant in heroin.

Diazepam drug misuse can occur either through recreational misuse where the drug is taken to achieve a high or when the drug is continued long term against medical advice.

Sometimes, it is used by stimulant users to "come down" and sleep and to help control the urge to binge. These users often escalate dosage from 2 to 25 times the therapeutic dose of 5 to 10 mg.

A large-scale study in the US, conducted by SAMHSA, using data from 2011, determined benzodiazepines were present in 28.7% of emergency department visits involving nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals. In this regard, benzodiazepines are second only to opiates, the study found in 39.2% of visits. About 29.3% of drug-related suicide attempts involve benzodiazepines, making them the most frequently represented class in drug-related suicide attempts. Males misuse benzodiazepines as commonly as females.

Diazepam was detected in 26% of cases of people suspected of driving under the influence of drugs in Sweden, and its active metabolite nordazepam was detected in 28% of cases. Other benzodiazepines and zolpidem and zopiclone also were found in high numbers. Many drivers had blood levels far exceeding the therapeutic dose range, suggesting a high degree of potential for misuse for benzodiazepines, zolpidem, and zopiclone. In Northern Ireland, in cases where drugs were detected in samples from impaired drivers who were not impaired by alcohol, benzodiazepines were found in 87% of cases. Diazepam was the most commonly detected benzodiazepine.

Legal status
Diazepam is regulated in most countries as a prescription drug:

International
Diazepam is a Schedule IV controlled drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

UK
Classified as a controlled drug, listed under Schedule IV, Part I (CD Benz POM) of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001, allowing possession with a valid prescription. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 makes it illegal to possess the drug without a prescription, and for such purposes it is classified as a Class C drug.

Germany
Classified as a prescription-drug, or in high dosage as a restricted drug (Betäubungsmittelgesetz, Anlage III).

Australia
Diazepam is a Schedule-4-substance under the Poisons Standard (June 2018). A schedule-4-drug is outlined in the Poisons Act 1964 as, "Substances, the use or supply of which should be by or on the order of persons permitted by State or Territory legislation to prescribe and should be available from a pharmacist on prescription".

United States
Diazepam is controlled as a Schedule-IV-substance under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

Judicial executions
The states of California and Florida offer diazepam to condemned inmates as a pre-execution sedative as part of their lethal injection program, although the state of California has not executed a prisoner since 2006. In August 2018, Nebraska used diazepam as part of the drug combination used to execute Carey Dean Moore, the first death row inmate executed in Nebraska in over 21 years.

Veterinary uses
Diazepam is used as a short-term sedative and anxiolytic for cats and dogs, sometimes used as an appetite stimulant. It can also be used to stop seizures in dogs and cats.

References

Further reading

 Thomas Hardman (April 2021) "Valium FAQ- 20 Frequently Asked Questions" Pharmacologist at GenZen Laboratories.

External links

21-Hydroxylase inhibitors
Anxiolytics
Benzodiazepines
Chemical substances for emergency medicine
Chloroarenes
Euphoriants
GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators
Genentech brands
Glycine receptor antagonists
Hoffmann-La Roche brands
Lactams
TSPO ligands
World Health Organization essential medicines
Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate


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text:
First Fid. Capital Mkts., Inc. v. Reliant Bank
NO. 3:17-cv-01080 (M.D. Tenn. Jul. 9, 2019)
First Fid. Capital Mkts., Inc.v.Reliant Bank
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE NASHVILLE DIVISIONJul 9, 2019
NO. 3:17-cv-01080
FIRST FIDELITY CAPITAL MARKETS, INC., Plaintiff, v. RELIANT BANK, COMMERCE UNION BANCSHARES, INC. and RELIANT MORTGAGE VENTURES, LLC d/b/a RELIANT BANK MORTGAGE SERVICES, Defendants.
JUDGE CAMPBELL
MAGISTRATE JUDGE NEWBERN
Pending before the Court is Plaintiff First Fidelity Capital Markets, Inc.'s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. No. 63). Defendants filed a response (Doc. No. 72) and Plaintiff filed a reply (Doc. No. 77). For the reasons stated below, Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED.
I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Plaintiff First Fidelity Capital Markets, Inc. ("First Fidelity") is a boutique advisory firm that helps companies fix residential mortgage lending operations and increase profitability. (Doc. No. 64 at 1.) In November 2014, First Fidelity engaged in discussions with Defendant Reliant Mortgage Ventures, LLC d/b/a Reliant Bank Mortgage Services ("Reliant") regarding forming a business relationship. (Doc. No. 73 at ¶ 1.) First Fidelity sent a draft consulting agreement to Reliant dated November 17, 2014, which set First Fidelity's compensation at 40 basis points on the amount of loans funded by the mortgage bankers proposed by First Fidelity and hired by Reliant. (Id. at ¶ 4.) Reliant never signed the draft agreement, at least in part because it viewed the compensation proposal as too high. (Doc. No. 78 at ¶¶ 4-5.) On December 1, 2015, First Fidelity sent Reliant an amended consulting agreement without the 40 basis point compensation, leaving the amount of compensation to be "further outlined in a separate addendum." (Id. at ¶ 6.) The parties never agreed on the services to be provided by First Fidelity and did not execute the December 1, 2015 agreement. (Id. at ¶¶ 7-8.)
At the time, the parties were discussing a different potential hire than those who are the subject of the current dispute. --------
Communications between the First Fidelity and Reliant ceased until mid-January 2015, when the parties began discussions centered around two mortgage bankers: Kyle Zotter and Mark Considine. In connection with the renewed discussions, on January 25, 2015, First Fidelity and Reliant entered into the Reciprocal Confidentiality and Non-disclosure Agreement (the "Agreement"). (Doc. No. 66-3.)
Two provisions of the Agreement are at issue: the non-disclosure clause and the non-circumvention clause. The non-disclosure clause requires the parties to keep certain information confidential and to disclose confidential information only within their organizations on a need to know basis. (Id. at 2, section 2.1.) The Agreement specifically provides that the parties will not "disclose to any person that the Confidential Information has been made available to it or that the Discussions are taking place." (Id.)
The non-circumvention clause states:
The Parties agree that no effort shall be made to circumvent this Agreement including, in violation of this Agreement, any current or proposed relationships with any First Fidelity Clients or third parties which are formally provided to Reliant Bank Mortgage Services as potential employment candidates by First Fidelity, as part of this agreement.
First Fidelity introduced Zotter and Considine as potential employment candidates and provided Reliant with their resumes and information about their mortgage origination business. (Doc. 73 at ¶ 11; Doc. No. 80-1 at 3; Doc. No. 80-2 at 1.)
A few days after executing the Agreement on January 25, 2015, Reliant learned that Elliot Jacobs, CEO of First Fidelity, told Reliant's Group Manager, Sam Preis, about the discussions regarding the potential hire of Zotter and Considine. (Doc. No. 75-1 at ¶ 16.) The parties continued their discussions through at least February 4, 2015. (Doc. No. 80-5 at 7.) By February 6, 2015, the parties had stopped their discussions. (Doc. No. 75-8 at 2.)
In late March and early April 2015, Reliant hired Zotter and Considine directly. (Doc. No. 73 at ¶ 13.) The parties dispute who among Zotter, Considine, and Reliant initiated the contact after the discussions with First Fidelity ended. (See Doc. No. 75-1 at ¶¶ 19-23; Doc. No. 79-1 at 1.) Zotter worked for Reliant as Senior Mortgage Loan Originator from March 23, 2015 through March 31, 2016. Considine worked for Reliant as Senior Mortgage Loan Originator from April 8, 2015 through March 31, 2016. (Id. at ¶ 15.) While working for Reliant, Zotter and Considine originated $89,936,483 and $111,394,117 in residential mortgage loans, respectively. (Id. at ¶ 18.)
Plaintiff First Fidelity filed this action against Reliant alleging breach of contract and moved for summary judgment. (Doc. No. 63.)
II. STANDARD OF REVIEW
Summary judgment is appropriate "if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). The party bringing the summary judgment motion has the initial burden of informing the Court of the basis for its motion and identifying portions of the record that demonstrate the absence of a genuine dispute over material facts. Rodgers v. Banks, 344 F.3d 587, 595 (6th Cir. 2003). The moving party may satisfy this burden by presenting affirmative evidence that negates an element of the non-moving party's claim or by demonstrating an absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party's case. Id.
In evaluating a motion for summary judgment, the court views the facts in the light most favorable for the nonmoving party and draws all reasonable inferences in favor of the nonmoving party. Bible Believers v. Wayne Cty., Mich., 805 F.3d 228, 242 (6th Cir. 2015); Wexler v. White's Fine Furniture, Inc., 317 F.3d 564, 570 (6th Cir. 2003). The Court does not weigh the evidence, judge the credibility of witnesses, or determine the truth of the matter. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249 (1986). Rather, the Court determines whether sufficient evidence has been presented to make the issue of material fact a proper jury question. Id. The mere scintilla of evidence in support of the nonmoving party's position is insufficient to survive summary judgment; instead, there must be evidence of which the jury could reasonably find for the nonmoving party. Rodgers 344 F.3d at 595.
A breach of contract claim requires: (1) a valid contract; (2) non-performance by one party amounting to breach of contract; and (3) damages. Abruzzo v. Haller, 603 So. 2d 1338, 1340 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1992). "The intent of the parties governs contract interpretation and that intent is to be determined from the plain language of the agreement and the everyday meaning of the words used. Dictionaries are commonly consulted to ascertain the plain meaning of words used in a contract. The entire contract should be considered and provisions should not be considered in isolation to other provisions of the contract. Finally, the contract should not be interpreted to achieve an absurd result." Burlington & Rockenbach, P.A. v. Law Offices of E. Clay Parker, 160 So. 3d 955, 958 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2015) (internal quotations and citations omitted).
First Fidelity claims that Reliant breached the Non-Circumvention Clause of the Agreement when it hired Zotter and Considine less than two months after discussions with First Fidelity had ceased. The parties do not dispute the existence of the Agreement or that the Agreement is government by Florida law. (See Doc. No. 73 at ¶¶ 8-10; Doc. No. 66-3 at 3.)
The contract states:
The Parties agree that no effort shall be made to circumvent this Agreement including, in violation of this Agreement, any current or proposed relationships with any First Fidelity Clients of third parties which are formally provided to Reliant Bank Mortgage Services as potential employment candidates by First Fidelity, as part of this agreement. (Id.)
The plain language in the non-circumvention clause prohibits making an effort "to circumvent" the Agreement. Given the disputed facts, a determination of what constitutes an "effort to circumvent [the] Agreement" is a question of fact for the jury. Moreover, Plaintiff has not submitted evidence showing Reliant hired Zotter and Considine to circumvent, i.e. for the purpose of circumventing, the Agreement. The Court finds Plaintiff has not established as a matter of law Reliant breached the non-circumvention clause of the Agreement and therefore, summary judgment on this claim is DENIED.
Because Plaintiff has not established a breach of the non-circumvention clause, the Court need not consider Reliant's defense that Plaintiff's first breach terminated the parties' obligations under the agreement or consider the parties' arguments on damages.
For the reasons stated, Plaintiff has not conclusively established a breach of contract. Therefore, the Motion for Summary Judgment is DENIED.
WILLIAM L. CAMPBELL, JR.