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CAMBRIDGE — They command battalions of biotechnology workers from Kendall Square to Seattle to Stockholm. They lean on each other for business advice while poaching one another's researchers. And they share a pedigree that is pure gold in the life sciences world.
Dubbing themselves the "Genzyme diaspora," this elite club of former colleagues at the pioneering biotech company scattered as Genzyme and the industry matured and changed — many after French drug giant Sanofi acquired the firm in 2011. They are now perched as CEOs at about two dozen smaller companies.
These executives lead businesses, from research startups to newly public companies, working on treatments for some of the world's toughest medical problems: depression and
Alzheimer's, blood and breast cancers, kidney and gastrointestinal diseases, and rare genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
They bump into one another at industry gatherings, alumni reunions, and the Starbucks on the corner of Ames Street and Broadway in this biotech hub. When they aren't swapping phone calls or e-mails, they may be paying a visit to Henri Termeer — the retired Genzyme chief who groomed scores of rising stars — at his home office overlooking Marblehead Harbor.
"There's always someone to call" when you need help, said former Genzyme executive Geoff McDonough, now the CEO of drug maker Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB of Stockholm. "And if you can't think of someone, you can call Henri and he'll suggest someone."
Other business sectors have also been reinvigorated by the dispersion of talent from iconic companies, said Gary Pisano, a Harvard Business School professor. Digital Equipment Corp., a once-dominant, now-defunct minicomputer firm, seeded high-tech startups with executives in the Boston area. And the defection of key engineers from Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, the Mountain View, Calif., fountain of early innovation in transistors, spawned several dynamic computer chip companies, helping to fuel the rise of Silicon Valley.
"Companies with strong corporate cultures have collective shared experiences that their alums will try to preserve," Pisano said. "If a company gets acquired, someone else will own its financial capital. But its human capital will get recycled." That's a healthy thing, Pisano said, helping regional economies replenish their business rosters and remain on the cutting edge.
But even among biotech companies viewed as bountiful sources of talent — Genentech Inc., Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Genetics Institute Inc. — Genzyme stands out.
What made the company special? In the formative years of biotechnology, Genzyme was the industry's Apple, blazing a pathway for creating protein-based treatments for rare diseases.
Executives in the diaspora say the Dutch-born Termeer, who joined as president in 1983, two years after its founding, was unparalleled in his ability to identify, nurture, and value talent. As he built Boston's highest profile and most diversified biotech firm, he created an entrepreneurial culture — dispatching young executives to jump on new product opportunities — that his managers have worked to replicate elsewhere.
"Henri's philosophy was to bring in high-potential people from all walks of life," said former Genzyme executive Gail Maderis, who went on to run biotechs and an industry trade group in the San Francisco Bay Area. "There was a feeling that we were in a new industry and we could help shape it. And the cream rose to the top."
Many of the Genzyme alumni consciously imitate their mentor. Like Termeer, they prefer to eat in the cafeteria with their employees rather than cocoon themselves in corner offices. They invite patients to tour their labs, host end-of-week beer bashes, and constantly hunt for new talent.
A few of them describe their influential network in more colorful terms.
"Some of us call it the Genzyme mafia because we've infiltrated so many corners of biotech," joked CoLucid Pharmaceuticals chief executive Tom Mathers.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
"Some of us call it the Genzyme mafia because we've infiltrated so many corners of biotech," joked Tom Mathers, who took the helm at CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc. and hired a fellow Genzyme veteran, Matt Dallas, as chief financial officer before the Cambridge company went public in May. "I called a few Genzyme capos and got a consigliere."
Genzyme's burgeoning alumni corps has been working in overdrive this spring.
Alum Jeff Albers steered his Cambridge startup, Blueprint Medicines Corp., through an initial public offering in April. Ex-Genzymer James McGorry was chosen to lead Harvard Apparatus Regenerative Technology in Holliston last month after a corporate spinout, while former Genzyme exec Ed Kaye was tapped to steady the ship at Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. in late March after that Cambridge company fired its CEO.
Genzyme-trained Greg Madison, who took last year over as CEO of New York's Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Inc., uncorked plans in May to move the company to Boston's Seaport District. He also snatched a chief medical officer, John Neylan, from Genzyme itself.
And when Connecticut's Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. went shopping for an acquisition to boost its rare diseases therapy business, it settled in May on a Lexington firm, Synageva BioPharma Corp., run by ex-Genzyme executive Sanj Patel, who negotiated an $8.4 billion purchase price.
"Genzyme has been a good name," said Termeer, showing undisguised pride at the success of former lieutenants who worked with him to bring breakthrough medicines to the marketplace. "The thing that got into their DNA is the fact that you can change the world."
After decades of developing drugs to treat multiple ailments, notably rare enzyme deficiencies such as Gaucher and Fabry diseases, Genzyme was tripped up by manufacturing problems in 2009. Its shares fell into the hands of activist investors who agitated for a sale. It was ultimately snapped up by Sanofi in a $20.1 billion deal that triggered an exodus of executives. Termeer left shortly after the deal closed.
Now, in addition to the CEOs in the Boston area and beyond, many other Genzyme alumni work as senior-level executives, venture capitalists on both sides of the Atlantic, or even industry regulators. Employees at Lyric Pharmaceuticals Inc. in South San Francisco, Calif., Amicus Therapeutics Inc. in Cranbury, N.J., and NanoString Technologies Inc. in Seattle all report to chief executives with Genzyme backgrounds. And at a recent meeting of a biotechnology council in Dubai, all but one of the half-dozen executives present hailed from Genzyme.
Many in the Boston area bemoaned Genzyme's loss of independence when it was purchased by Sanofi. But the post-acquisition exit of seasoned executives has helped populate smaller firms and fuel the growth of biopharmaceutical clusters on both US coasts.
Paula Soteropoulos, now chief executive of Akcea Therapeutics Inc. in Cambridge, was given the opportunity at Genzyme to learn about many aspects of the business.Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe
Maderis, who moved to San Francisco after leaving Genzyme, hosts an alumni party at her Telegraph Hill home every January during the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the biotech industry's top investment event. Her party sometimes draws up to 100 people. "It started informally, with everybody there to catch up, and it's taken on a life of its own," she said.
The list of alumni in leadership posts notably includes Genzyme's current president, David Meeker, a Termeer protege. His promotion after the Sanofi takeover and Termeer's retirement was a departure from the typical scenario of acquirers installing their own executive. It was also a clear signal to Genzyme and the broader industry that the new owner prized and would seek to preserve Genzyme's culture of science and innovation as well as its patient focus.
"They recognized Genzyme as a powerful model," Meeker said. The division, which retains its name, continues to be one of the fastest-growing of Sanofi's global businesses.
Termeer, who was long one of the industry's most recognized leaders, built Genzyme from a startup into a global company with more than 12,000 employees at its peak. He built a business around developing drugs — some priced at hundreds of thousands of dollars annually — for people with rare diseases that previously had no treatments.
He and others now say his most important legacy may be not only the patients he helped at Genzyme but his proteges who are developing therapies for many more diseases.
"It is a circle," Termeer said, suggesting that, with nearly 7,000 rare diseases untreated, they have much work to do. "They call me when they're trying to make a tough decision and we talk it through. It feels quite special that so many of them are chosen to be leaders."
Paula Soteropoulos, chief executive of Akcea Therapeutics Inc. in Cambridge, started out designing bioreactors, the stainless steel tanks where biotech drugs are produced. She said she was given the opportunity at Genzyme to learn about other aspects of the business, such as finance and product development, by running a business unit.
Unlike other companies, where managers are often pigeonholed into a single discipline, "the notion of a general manager was very important at Genzyme," Soteropoulos recalled.
Because it once had a string of subsidiaries ranging from diagnostics to renal products, "Genzyme had a lot of things going on and there were lots of ways people could become product managers," said Earl M. "Duke" Collier Jr., a former executive who later ran other biomedical companies. "That creates a cadre of people who are prepared for leadership."
Tim Noyes, chief executive of Waltham's Proteon Therapeutics Inc., said he tries to emulate Termeer by tackling hard scientific challenges and mentoring younger executives. "He had this way of making people believe they can succeed," Noyes recalled. "He said, 'Believe in yourself. If you make a mistake, fix it and move forward. You don't get punished for mistakes.' "
CoLucid preserves the Termeer legacy in yet another way.
Mathers fondly remembers Genzyme's beer-stocked refrigerators that would be padlocked until 3 p.m. on Fridays. Then Termeer would join the company's rank and file at happy hours that featured cold lagers, 8-foot submarine sandwiches, and table tennis.
"It was a great icebreaker," Mathers said, "because Henri would be there with some junior guys in the lab who never saw the light of day. Now we have our own ping-pong table [at CoLucid] and we have beer in our refrigerator on Friday afternoon."
"The thing that got into their DNA is the fact that you can change the world," Termeer said of his former employees.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
Robert Weisman can be reached at robert.weisman@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeRobW.


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A Look Ahead (June 22)
Richard Carter
JACK INGRAM: 9 p.m. June 30. Silver Dollar Saloon, 1402 Old Iowa Park Rd. $23.09
4TH IN THE FALLS CONCERT & FIREWORKS: 4 to 9:30 p.m. July 4. Multi-Purpose Events Center, 1000 5th Ave. Free. www.wfmpec.com or 716-5500.
TOMMY ALVERSON & BAND: 7:30 p.m. July 14. Royal Theatre, 113 E. Main St. $20. (940) 574-2489.
ART & SOUL FESTIVAL: 1 to 10 p.m. June 23. Indiana St between 8th and 10th St. $5, kids 12 and under are free. 322-4525.
TCC TEAM ROPING SADDLE SERIES: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 24 and July 14. (Church in the dirt at 9 p.m.) Texoma Cowboy Church, 919 US-281. Call Johnny at 867-5068
TEXAS RANCH ROUNDUP: 7 p.m. August 17 and August 18. MPEC, 1000 5th St. $5 to $18. Wfmpec.com or texasranchroundup.com.
OVERNIGHT GHOST HUNT: 8 P.M. TO 3 A.M. June 30 to July 1. Kell House Museum, 900 Bluff St. $89. 723-2712.
ANIMANIA
2ND ANNUAL ANIMANIA: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 28 and 29. Animania contest 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 28. MPEC, 1000 5th St. $5 to $60. www.animaniawf.com or facebook.com/animaniawichitafalls.
RIVER BEND CAMP DISCOVER STEAM: 8:30 a.m. to noon, June 25 to 29. River Bend Nature Center, 2200 3rd St. Ages 4 to 12. $90 members, $100 nonmembers. Registration required. 767-0843 or www.riverbendnaturecenter.com.
RIVER BEND CAMP SCIENCE DETECTIVES: 8:30 a.m. to noon, July 9 to 13. River Bend Nature Center, 2200 3rd St. Ages 4 to 12. $90 members, $100 nonmembers. Registration required. 767-0843 or www.riverbendnaturecenter.com.
RIVER BEND CAMP DESTINATION INNOVATION: 8:30 a.m. to noon, July 23 to 27. River Bend Nature Center, 2200 3rd St. Ages 4 to 12. $90 members, $100 nonmembers. Registration required. 767-0843 or www.riverbendnaturecenter.com.
ZAVALA INTERNATIONAL DANCE: 2 TO 3 p.m. July 11. Wichita Falls Public Library, 600 11th St. Free. 767-0868.
FARMERS MARKET AT HOSPICE OF WICHITA FALLS: 7:30 TO 9:30 p.m. June 22. Hospice of WF, 4909 Johnson Rd. Also, July 6 and 20 and August 3, 17 and 31. 691-0892.
BLACK EYED PEA DAY AT THE DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 23. Market, 8th and Ohio. Free. 322-4525 or downtownproud.com.
PEACH DAY AT THE DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 7. Market, 8th and Ohio. Free. 322-4525 or downtownproud.com.
READING TUTOR ORIENTATION
WICHITA ADULT LITERACY COUNCIL TUTOR ORIENTATION: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 30. Wichita Adult Literacy Council, 4309 Jacksboro Highway, Ste 105. Free. Call Alys Glaze at 766-1954 or alys@wfwalc.org
SCHOOL OF ROCK: 7:30 p.m. June 22 to 30. Backdoor Theatre Summer Youth Musical, 501 Indiana Ave. 322-5000.
MYSTIQ: BEYOND IMAGINATION: 6:30 p.m. June 22 & 23. Wichita Theatre's Stage 2, 914 Indiana. $46 to $54 plus tax. Call 723-9037 or www.wichitatheatre.com for information and tickets.
"MARY POPPINS": June 22 to July 21. Wichita Theatre, 10th and Indiana, 723-9037 or www.wichitatheatre.com.
"FOOT LIGHT FRENZY": July 13 to 18. Backdoor Theatre Dinner Stage, 501 Indiana. 322-5000.
AN EVENING OF IMPROV: 6:30 p.m. Aug 10, Sept 14 and Oct 26. 18 & up. $12 advance ticket. Backdoor Theatre Dinner Stage, 501 Indiana. 322-5000.
JIM HALL & FRIENDS: 6:30 p.m. July 27 & 28. Wichita Theatre's Stage 2, 914 Indiana. $39 to $47 plus tax. Call 723-9037 or www.wichitatheatre.com for information and tickets.
"A TALE OF TWO CITIES": August 2 to August 25. Wichita Theatre, 10th and Indiana, 723-9037 or www.wichitatheatre.com.
"2 ACROSS": Aug 24 to Sept 8. Backdoor Theatre Dinner Stage, 501 Indiana. 322-5000.
"HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL": Sept 7 to 22. Wichita Theatre, 10th and Indiana, 723-9037 or www.wichitatheatre.com.
ARTZEUM: OUTER SPACE!: To July 29. NorthLight Gallery. Kemp Center for the Arts, 1300 Lamar St. 767-2787 or kempcenter.org.
AN EXHIBIT BY YVONNE STERNADEL: To July 21. The Galleria at the Forum, 2120 Speedway. Free Admission. 766-3347 or theforumwf.org.
"MEDITERRANEA-AMERICAN ART FROM WILLIFORD COLLECTION": To Sept. 1. Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University. 2 Eureka Circle, 397- 8900 or www.wfmamsu.org.
SCULPTURE GARDEN Kemp Center for the Arts, 1300 Lamar St. 767-2787 or kempcenter.org.
"POETS, PAINTERS, & PAPER: POST-WORLD WAR II AMERICAN AVANT-GARDE ART: To August. Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State University. 2 Eureka Circle, 397- 8900 or www.wfmamsu.org.
VOELCKER & DIXON: AN ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY: To August 12. West End Studio. Kemp Center for the Arts, 1300 Lamar St. 767-2787 or kempcenter.org.
AN EXHIBIT BY JIM WEAVER: To August 20. What's Up Downstairs? Kemp Center for the Arts, 1300 Lamar St. 767-2787 or kempcenter.org.
AN EXHIBIT BY SHARON SEARCY: July 27 to October 6. The Galleria at the Forum, 2120 Speedway. Free Admission. 766-3347 or theforumwf.org.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home / Tyrannicide Press / Judicial Watch: Political Appointee … Drop Black Panther Case
Judicial Watch: Political Appointee … Drop Black Panther Case
By Yikes on September 21, 2010
Records Contradict Testimony by Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez
Washington, DC — Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has forced disclosure of the existence of documents from the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicating Democratic election lawyer Sam Hirsch was involved in the DOJ decision to dismiss its voting rights case against the New Black Panther Party for Self Defense. The records, described in a Vaughn index produced pursuant to a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, contradict sworn testimony by Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, who testified before the U.S. Civil Rights Commission that no political leadership was involved in the decision (Judicial Watch v. Department of Justice (No. 10-851)).
The "Vaughn index" describes documents responsive to the lawsuit currently being withheld in their entirety by the Justice Department. The index details a series of emails between Assistant Deputy Attorney General Steve Rosenbaum and Deputy Associate Attorney General Sam Hirsch, who was described by Slate magazine as a "DC election lawyer who represents a lot of Democrats" prior to joining the Justice Department.
The index describes eight email exchanges between Rosenbaum and Hirsch, taking place on April 30, 2009, the day before the Justice Department reversed course and declined to pursue much of the Black Panther case. Listed among the email correspondence:
An "Email Chain with Attachments" from Rosenbaum to Hirsch dated April 30, 2009: The email chain includes "…a detailed response and analysis of the proposed draft filings in NBPP (New Black Panther Party) litigation…The response includes a candid assessment of legal research and raises questions about the case law and proposed relief….This document also contains attorney discussion, opinions, and analyses of the draft documents and case law."
The records disclosed to Judicial Watch seemingly contradict testimony by Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez, before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on May 14, 2010. The Commission, an independent, bipartisan unit of the federal government charged with investigating and reporting on civil rights issues, initiated a probe of the Justice Department's decision to drop its lawsuit. During the hearing, Perez was asked directly regarding the involvement of political leaders in the decision to dismiss the Black Panther case.
COMMISSIONER KIRSANOW: Was there any political leadership involved in the decision not to pursue this particular case any further than it was?
ASST. ATTY. GEN. PEREZ: No. The decisions were made by Loretta King in consultation with Steve Rosenbaum, who is the Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General.
Perez also suggested that the dispute was merely "a case of career people disagreeing with career people."
The Justice Department originally filed its lawsuit against the New Black Panther Party following an incident that took place outside of a Philadelphia polling station on November 4, 2008. A video of the incident, showing a member of the New Black Panther Party brandishing police-style baton weapon, was widely distributed on the Internet. According to multiple witnesses, members of the New Black Panthers blocked access to polling stations, harassed voters and hurled racial epithets. Nonetheless, the Justice Department ultimately overruled the recommendations of its own staff and dismissed the majority of its charges.
"These documents show the Obama Justice Department's decision to drop the Black Panther case was certainly political and potentially corrupt," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "The Black Panther decision is a scandal for the Obama administration and it merits serious attention by investigators. Assistant Attorney General Perez seems to have been less than candid in his sworn testimony when he said no political appointees were involved in the decision. This scandal has just gotten a whole lot worse for the Obama Justice Department."
Jill S. Farrell, Director of Public Affairs
Judicial Watch Inc.
425 Third St., SW, Suite 800
Direct 202.646.5188
Founded in 1994, Judicial Watch Inc. is a constitutionally conservative, nonpartisan educational foundation that promotes transparency, accountability and integrity in government, politics and the law. JW is perhaps the most active FOIA requestor and litigator operating today.
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BRC is a growing, vibrant community of believers who strive to grow in all things into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. This starts with a love of God and neighbor. As a result of this love, Christians are called by God to minister to all of God's children in our community and our world. The church, as a body of believers, is called to model the kind of community that represents God's vision for his creation.
BRC lives into its calling through worship, service, care, and fellowship. We worship weekly, celebrate the Lord's Supper monthly, serve whenever possible, and learn, pray, love, grow and laugh together always.
BRC views worship as a central task of all who believe in God. Worship services at BRC follow a traditional, liturgical format, with The Word in Proclamation and Sacrament at the center of our celebration. While some children's programming takes place during the worship service, the participants return to celebrate the Lord's Supper with the congregation on Communion Sundays. Music is an important part of our worship service. The Chancel Choir sings weekly from September to May, supplemented by music presented by soloists or other groups during the summer break. The hand bell choir also plays several times a year. Our service begins at 10:00 AM; nursery care is provided.
Finally, BRC is a praying community. There are weekly prayer meetings on Wednesday evenings. While this service tends to pay particular attention to the needs of our own BRC community, we also pray for the needs of those in our city, state, country and world.
As a member of the Reformed Church in America, we affirm the sovereignty of God, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the continual presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Our doctrinal standards are the Holy Bible as well as the four confessions and three creeds accepted by the Reformed Church in America.


This winter, there is more talent available, via trade and free agency, than ever before. There is also a wider swathe of teams with the means and desire to spend money than at any stage of the modern era. At the confluence of those two trends, a record-breaking offseason is about to unfurl, and it has the ability to dramatically alter the baseball landscape for years to come.
So, let's take a deeper look at the main offseason protagonists.
Every winter, one team overshadows the rest in terms of aggression and desperation to upgrade its roster. This year, that honour falls to the Boston Red Sox, who hunger for elite pitching to rebalance their lopsided depth chart.
Under the aegis of Dave Dombrowski, an overhaul has already begun on fabled Yawkey Way. Craig Kimbrel, one of the game's premier closers, was prised from San Diego in a trade that reverberated throughout the industry. Boston's newfound willingness to sacrifice the homegrown prospects of tomorrow in order to acquire elite performers for today amounted to a signal of intent. The Red Sox mean business, and they're heading straight for the jugular.
Following two successive last-place finishes, and one postseason berth in six years, Dombrowski was drafted in as an agent of change. The Theo Epstein bloodline of considered intellectualism ran dry in Boston, and a shift in philosophy was needed. Rather than merely accumulating materials, the Red Sox needed to build something, so they hired one of baseball's most proven architects. Dombrowski surveyed the landscape in 2015, discovering what needed to be addressed. Now, at long last, he has been granted planning permission, and construction on the next Fenway monster is well underway.
All major building projects need a cornerstone, a platform on which to build. In the Red Sox' case, that central nucleus will need to be a genuine ace pitcher, something Beantown has lacked since Jon Lester was traded midway through 2014. Last winter, Ben Cherington took an outrageous gamble when electing to construct a starting rotation of distinctly average pitchers, with Clay Buchholz being the de facto ace and various shades of mediocre following. Despite atrocious seasons from Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval, Red Sox were dynamic and often explosive offensively, as Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Blake Swihart formed an exciting new core. Undoubtedly, pitching was Boston's Achilles heel, which makes it Dombrowski's number one priority this winter.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, this is arguably the greatest free agent pitching class of all-time. David Price and Zack Greinke, Cy Young Award finalists in their respective leagues, are the headline-grabbing names, but Johnny Cueto and Jordan Zimmermann lurk in a strong second tier, and Doug Fister, Scott Kazmir, Mike Leake and Jeff Samardzija round out an intriguing pool of talent.
Dombrowski has already indicated that the Sox will be heavily involved in the ace market, with Price seeming to fit Boston immaculately. Regardless of who they eventually chose, the Red Sox are potentially one big acquisition away from boosting their failing rotation and surging back into immediate World Series contention.
When Jerry Dipoto resigned as Angels GM amid chronic infighting last year, the outcry was vociferous. A narrative was spawned that few executives would willingly work between meddlesome owner Arte Moreno and taciturn manager Mike Scioscia, who wields more power than any field general in the game.
However, this is a mammoth oversimplification. Yes, the win-now environment created by Moreno can be tough, and yes, Scioscia's traditional style can grate, but the road to glory is rarely smooth. Contrary to popular belief, the Angels are a tantalising prospect to many within the game, not least because they possess, in Mike Trout, one of the most talented players in baseball history.
Earlier this winter, Billy Eppler was hired as Dipoto's successor and, more importantly, was tasked with enacting a vision and building a team around Trout, the greatest of all building blocks. A longtime assistant to Brian Cashman with the Yankees, Eppler has a strong reputation, and it will be interesting to see his simultaneous belief in advanced analytics and traditional scouting come to fruition in Anaheim.
Eppler has wasted little time this offseason, already trading for uber-talented Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who will team with Trout and Albert Pujols to create an irresistible core. However, while such additions allow Angels fans to easily dream of their team becoming a superpower, the prospective 2016 roster does have plenty of holes, most notably at catcher, third base, left field and the starting rotation.
Nonetheless, if Moreno loosens the pursestrings for his new GM, and the Angels compete in the elite free agent market, plus maybe swing another trade, Anaheim could become a perennial contender pretty fast.
After leaving the Angels, Dipoto spent some time in the Red Sox' front office, before succeeding Jack Zduriencik as the Mariners' GM. He inherits a talented roster, but also the longest active postseason drought in Major League Baseball. Seattle hasn't been to the playoffs since 2001, and last year's capitulation when heavily favoured was a familiar story.
Hoping for a swift retool, Dipoto hired a new manager, Scott Servais, and has already pulled the trigger on trades for Nate Karns, Leonys Martin, Joaquín Benoit and Luis Sardinas, filling a number of gaps on his roster.
While these new additions, plus a fresh manager setting a different tone, may enable the Mariners to rebound in 2016, a free agent pitcher or everyday left fielder would go even further to restoring optimism. After all, the Mariners have a very strong core, namely Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz, but the complementary pieces have all too often been unbalanced and inconsistent. Perhaps another elite performer, and another veteran leader, could push Seattle over the edge and force the Mariners to finally deliver on their enormous potential.
In 2016, the Giants will aim to secure their fourth straight even-year world championship. However, the roster that sets off on such a quest may have a distinctly different feel to recent times, as San Francisco seeks new blood and fresh impetus. Brian Sabean will have more payroll flexibility this winter, following the departure of Tim Lincecum, Tim Hudson, Mike Leake, Marlon Byrd, Jeremy Affeldt, Ryan Vogelsong and others. Accordingly, the Giants may play a major role in setting the free agent weather this offseason, which should be refreshing to watch.
Most notably, San Francisco yearns for an elite starting pitcher to pair with Madison Bumgarner in the creation of a deadly one-two punch. Thus, many within the industry expect the Giants to be heavily involved in the David Price sweepstakes, while Greinke of the rival Dodgers remains a fascinating possibility. If those aces ultimately become too expensive for San Francisco, they'll likely wade into the market for Cueto, Zimmermann, Leake or maybe even Samardzija.
In addition to a top-of-the-rotation arm, the Giants will also add starting pitching depth, while the need for a power bat in left field is glaringly obvious. In this regard, Justin Upton may be a possibility, and Yoenis Cespedes appears to fit San Francisco's preferred profile of strong contact hitting and impressive defence.
With two or three key additions, on the mound and in the field, Sabean may once again equip the Giants to compete deep into October. The difficult part will be inserting new players into the clubhouse without compromising the tremendous culture that has underscored the team's success in recent years.
Last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers crashed through the $300 million payroll plateau, spending more money than any North American sports team ever has in a single season. Yet, quite disturbingly, Don Mattingly could only steer the Dodgers to defeat in the National League Division Series, a third straight failure that cost him his job.
Now, Andrew Friedman, Farhan Zaidi and Josh Byrnes, otherwise known as the most intelligent and trailblazing think tank in the Major Leagues, are faced with making difficult decisions that will have serious ramifications for the Dodgers' future. After spending astronomically to mitigate the parsimony of previous owner Frank McCourt, the Guggenheim group now wishes to transition away from boom-or-bust economics and towards a more sustainable model centred around younger players. Amid those overarching parameters, the front office will hope to provide a nimbler, more versatile team for incoming manager Dave Roberts.
Accordingly, it's difficult to tell whether Friedman will spend shamelessly to keep Greinke in Dodger Blue. Los Angeles likely needs to fill two or three slots in the starting rotation, so how those funds are distributed by ownership will go a long way to setting the tone for this offseason, in Chavez Ravine and far beyond.
The Dodgers would also like to perform surgery on a schizophrenic bullpen, while second base is currently vacant following the departure of Howie Kendrick and Chase Utley. Thus, all things considered, we may see the Dodgers be more active on the trade scene rather than the free agent market. Friedman certainly has a stash of tantalising assets, ranging from Yasiel Puig to Andre Ethier to Alex Guerrero, from which to potentially deal, meaning there is little restriction to his creativity in upgrading the most expensive team in history.
Captivating times lie ahead for the Dodgers, and thus for the baseball universe they so freely dominate these days.
For generations, the St Louis Cardinals have been held aloft as the great paragon of consistency in Major League Baseball. The Redbirds have only missed the playoffs four times in the last sixteen years, and have reached nine National League Championship Series' in that span, all in a relatively small market, all with a fairly middling budget.
However, change appears to be on the horizon within the Cardinals' unique ecosystem, as the club generates more money from ventures such as the marvellous Ballpark Village, and prepares to benefit from a new $1 billion television rights deal that comes into effect in 2018. Furthermore, St Louis now operates in an ultra competitive division alongside the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates, two brainy organisations geared for long-term success.
Within these parameters, GM John Mozeliak also faces concerns about the tremendous core that has set the cultural temperature and delivered the statistical goods at Busch Stadium for so long. Matt Holliday will turn 36 before the 2016 season begins; Yadier Molina underwent thumb surgery this winter and has rarely played at peak physical condition in the past three years; and Adam Wainwright may struggle to carry an ace's burden moving forward. Furthermore, glaring holes exist in right field and first base for St Louis, while upgrades at shortstop and centre field wouldn't hurt.
Therefore, the Cardinals may be set to spend more money than ever before, as they seek to replenish an ailing core and extend their window of contention to match that of Chicago and Pittsburgh. Naturally, Jason Heyward makes perfect sense to satisfy St Louis' desires, while a run at one of the elite starting pitchers may be advisable.
Ultimately, these are the St Louis Cardinals. They always find a way, always concoct some kind of magic potion down on the farm that turns average prospects into elite performers. Nonetheless, some new energy may be needed if Mozeliak wishes to keep up with the player development juggernauts spawned by his division counterparts.
Last year was an untethered delight for the Chicago Cubs. Jake Arrieta dazzled en route to winning the Cy Young Award; Kris Bryant sparkled as Rookie of the Year; and Joe Maddon cajoled a 24-win improvement from his mercurial team to claim Manager of the Year. Throughout the strenuous rebuilding plan, Cubs fans dreamed of such days, but the rapidity with which they arrived was a pleasant surprise.
In 2015, the Cubs played postseason baseball for the first time in six years. However, they were swept by New York in the NLCS without so much as holding a lead in any of the games, bringing about a 107th straight fruitless fall on the North Side, which is sure to disappoint Theo Epstein, whose sole objective is to build a powerhouse capable of quenching sports' most fabled thirst.
So, where do the Cubs go from here? The Plan, to cram as much homegrown, cost-controlled talent onto a roster as possible, is already ahead of schedule. Bryant is testament to that, as are Kyle Schwarber and Addison Russell. Furthermore, the next phase of the systematic rebuild, calling for external supplementation, began in earnest last winter with the acquisition of Jon Lester, Miguel Montero and Dexter Fowler. Now, having demolished and rebuilt, it's time for Theo to furnish his mansion. It's time to transition to a new level. It's time to go all-in.
In 2015, the Cubs spent only $82.4 million, placing them fourteenth in baseball. Of course, they play in one of the league's largest markets, while the commercial rebuild to enhance revenue streams at Wrigley Field and through television rights is also coming on apace. Epstein has already said the Cubs may need to get "creative" this winter rather than simply throwing money around, but it would be logical to conclude that Chicago will feature heavily in the free agent market, seeking to compliment its prized core with pieces that may turn a swept NLCS team into a pennant-winning one.
To many baseball analysts, it feels like the Arizona Diamondbacks have spluttered and stumbled through an accidental rebuild in recent years, suffering an identity crisis but somehow tripping unconsciously into a window of opportunity. Even now, I'm not entirely sure if Dave Stewart and Tony La Russa know what they want to do with this franchise, but it appears to be cycling towards something big, if industry whispers are to be believed.
In Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona has a generational building block, the first homegrown superstar to help make the Diamondbacks marketable in the mainstream. The present team also has some pretty competent outfielders, but right now, the pitching just isn't good enough to enable competition with the richer Dodgers and Giants. Therefore, one wonders whether Arizona may swallow hard and become a stealth contender in the elite free agent pitching market this winter.
We already know that the Diamondbacks really like Aroldis Chapman, Cincinnati's flame throwing closer, so a game-changing trade may also materialise. Certainly, there appears to be sentiment within the Arizona offices to alter the landscape, change the outlook, and finally try to narrow the gap to San Francisco and Los Angeles in the chaotic NL West. What that looks like, and who that nets them, remains to be seen, but watch out for the Diamondbacks this offseason. They could be poised to strike, consciously or not.
As is the new norm in this age of two Wildcards from each league, many teams are still undecided as to their philosophical constitution heading into the key winter months.
In the Bronx, Hal Steinbrenner has taken it upon himself to impose relative austerity on the New York Yankees, which seems fairly egregious given the astronomical revenue their global brand continues to generate. It's perhaps understandable that Brian Cashman will look to implement a new core of Greg Bird, Luis Severino, Rob Refsnyder, Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge while the humongous contracts of Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira run down, but willingly refusing to spend from their endless resources represents a departure from Yankee tradition that should be cause for concern.
Meanwhile, in Toronto, the exit of Alex Anthopoulos and arrival of Mark Shapiro throws fresh doubt onto the plans of an organisation that was reborn in a flurry of stupendous bat flips last year. Will Shapiro take his customary cautious approach when Toronto is clearly geared for immediate gambling, or will he grasp the opportunity and continue striving for rapid success?
In Detroit, Al Avila and the Tigers are also teetering on the brink of a massive decision, as their window for continual contention narrows considerably. Will they continue to push for that long-awaited title, or begin transitioning to a nimbler, more cost-effective plan now that Dombrowski has left town?
Similarly, the White Sox, Twins, Rays, Orioles, Marlins and Padres find themselves in the annual quandary of whether to stick or twist. Each of those teams has finite resources and a tentative view of where they want to be in a few years' time. How they get to the Promised Land remains an eternal mystery.
Finally, we come to those teams who will likely feed the trade market with what valuable pieces remain under their control. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement has created an environment where it's actually profitable for certain teams to shed assets and 'tank' in the hope of amassing a poor record and securing high draft picks with which to build a new core. The Astros and Cubs took this route, and many other teams are trending that way.
Most notably, Atlanta is selling anybody with a pulse. In the space of twelve months, the Braves have traded away Evan Gattis, Justin Upton, Jason Heyward, Alex Wood, Bronson Arroyo, Chris Johnson, and Andrelton Simmons. In 2015, that group produced 13.4 WAR, which should raise eyebrows around the league. It's understandable that the Braves are looking to retool ready for the opening of their new stadium in 2017, but at what point does their persistent scrapping of Major League talent become anti-competitive?
Similarly, Cincinnati and Milwaukee look set to tear things down and start over again in the daunting NL Central; Colorado and Philadelphia are about to hit rock bottom as the farm system becomes a priority; and Oakland and Miami must seriously consider their future after fairly disastrous seasons.
Thus, it becomes apparent that Major League Baseball is set for an offseason that could rock its core. Who will bite the bullet and sign Price, floating into almost immediate World Series contention? Who will pull the trigger and pay Greinke or Cueto or Upton or Cespedes? Who will swallow hard in this age of prospect paranoia and execute a deal for Chapman or Sonny Gray or Jay Bruce or Carlos Gonzalez, should those players become available?
Like always in baseball, we have only the merest of inklings. Unpredictability will reign and dominos will gradually fall, revealing a little of the picture that will become the 2016 season. Many teams have expanded budgets and obvious needs. A few teams have a clear goal to lose now for glory tomorrow, and will thus supplement a trade market that shall bubble along nicely.
Essentially, we're set for another offseason of undulating momentum, another winter of dreaming and scheming. The discussion has reached fever pitch. Let the building begin.


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Japan's most famous anime mascot, Astro Boy
The word "Japanophile" really bothers me. So does otaku. There's really no easy word to describe a passion for Japanese culture that some people won't see as negative, and that's a shame. Do Anglophiles (admirers of English culture) feel like this sometimes?
Looking down on others makes people feel better about themselves, and among foreign residents in Japan, many are quite derisive about those who come to the country because they enjoy popular culture. The perception comes partially as a result of otaku culture in the West, which is usually associated with social awkwardness or out-and-out lunacy, depending on which aspect you happened to walk in on.
Of course, there are some deeply problematic people, and some of them are certainly enthusiastic about Japan as a hobby, or are unwavering apologists. I do think it's unfortunate, though, that people can't just enjoy things.
I travelled on a GO Transit bus during Anime North weekend this year, whereupon turning down the airport-hotel stretch of Dixon Road, we drove into a sea of con-goers dressed up in everything from cardboard boxes to bikinis. I'm used to this stuff - the other passengers weren't. As we waited at the lights, the crosswalk looking more like Shibuya than little old Mississauga, they peered out the windows and started talking among themselves, wondering what kind of strange carnival was being held out there.
Anime fandom goes hand in hand with an appreciation for Japan, and while some otaku go the opposite way and care little about anything but the media aspect of it, many others are crazy about Japan simply for being The Place Where Anime Comes From, and have little concept of how Japanese society actually functions.
Fortunately, still more are well-rounded and interested in other aspects of Japan, but the unfortunate trend tends to be that if you started learning Japanese because you happen to enjoy anime or manga, and that path eventually takes you to Japan, you become a target for all the foreigners who moved there because it was a great chance to supplement their party lifestyle and now hate living abroad but can't or won't go home. Then there are the holier-than-thou types who, because they appreciate the higher forms of culture (and don't get me wrong, I practised ikebana myself, and the Japanese arts are beautiful) despise pop culture on principle.
This is a terrible way to live - I don't see the point in mocking other peoples' hobbies. The unfortunate reality, though, is that after seeing the way otaku, Japan apologists and Japanophiles are openly derided in certain JET communities, I found myself hesitant to socialize with people who seemed to be in Japan for a lark, in case they turned out to be one of these types. I probably missed out on a few opportunities to meet good people, but at the time I didn't feel up to fighting the good fight to defend why I wanted a tatami room and to send nengajo and to cook Japanese instead of Western dishes.
The word otaku doesn't have quite as much negative connotation in Japan as it did twenty years ago, luckily, but Japanese fans are even more secretive about their hobbies. When you cosplay at an event in Japan, you aren't permitted to come in costume from your hotel - you have to register and use the cosplay dressing room to change when you arrive. I suppose this, too, originates from fans not wanting to draw too much attention to themselves. But something I really liked about Japan is that it's OK to be into anime, or manga, or trains, or bentou art, or British television, or anything at all really - it's just not acceptable to be over-the-top about it. No matter what country you're in, the label's not particularly good.
These days, anyway, they're saying that 'the geeks shall inherit the earth,' and I hope that does good things for the perception of fans going forward, especially with the anime boom here in North America dropping off pretty sharply in recent years, Still, someday, I'd like to feel that my interests and hobbies aren't 'strange' to anyone at all.
Posted by Loren at 2:12 PM
Labels: Anime and Manga, Culture, Culture Shock, Fandom, Hobbies, JET, Language, Things I Don't Miss
Location: 650 Dixon Rd, Toronto, ON M9W 1J1, Canada
Anime and Manga|Culture|Culture Shock|Fandom|Hobbies|JET|Language|Things I Don't Miss|


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About Diane Rehm
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Friday, Oct 01 2021 • 12 p.m. (ET)
Tracking Local Reparations Efforts In The U.S.
About 300 people gathered outside the Minnesota capitol building to demand reparations from the United States government on June 19, 2020, Juneteenth. Fibonacci Blue
In September, Evanston, Ill., began accepting applications to a program designed to compensate those harmed by the city's past discriminatory housing practices.
It is the first attempt at reparations for Black Americans by any government in the United States. But it likely won't be the last.
In June, 11 mayors across the country pledged to develop pilot programs that would attempt to right the wrongs committed by their respective municipalities on the basis of race. The same month California became the first state to set up a reparations task force.
Diane talks to Mayor Daniel Biss of Evanston to hear what reparations look like on a local level. Then, William Darity, Jr., and Kirsten Mullen join Diane. Co-authors of the book, "From Here To Equality: Reparations For Black Americans In The Twenty-First Century," they say there is a role for local governments in redressing past wrongs, but argue any real reparations program must happen on the federal level.
William A. Darity, Jr. Professor, Duke University; co-author of "From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century"
Kirsten Mullen Co-author of "From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century"
Daniel Biss Mayor of Evanston, Ill.
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Category: National Negotiations
IAM District 19 Members Vote to Reject Freight Rail Agreement
Update: Sept. 14, 2022 – Approximately 4,900 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have voted to reject the Tentative Agreement with the National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC). District 19 released the following Statement: " The Tentative Agreement has been rejected and the strike authorization vote was approved by IAM District 19…
Negotiations Update!
Greetings, Please see the attached press release with an update from the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) and where our group stands now. Also, the latest round of negotiations was this past week, and enclosed is a hyperlink below of the CBC's last proposal for your reference. https://tcunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CBC-Proposal.pdf Final CBC Press Release Advising of Impasse NMB…
Update on Arbitration Hearing 9-19-2018
NATIONAL NEGOTIATION ARBITRATION BETWEEN NCCC AND IAMAW Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Presided over by: Arbitrator – Charlotte Gold, IAMAW Acting PDGC – Mike Perry, NCCC Representative – Ken Gradia. Representing the IAMAW District Lodge 19: Carmen Percelli of the Law Firm Guerrieri, Bartos and Roma, PC. Carmen Percelli began with an opening statement…
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Gentlemen, Please find attached a copy of the latest proposal that the carrier's gave to our coalition. This is not something that we intend to put out for ratification. It is just to show you where we're at in negotiations at this point. I see there is a long way to go. Further updates…
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Property 5: We Are 20 Miles From The Taos Ski Valley And 1.25 Miles From The Center Of Town.
Property 7: Casita De Montoya- walk to historic Taos Plaza!
Property 16: Historic charm of old Taos with modern amenities. Very best location!
Property 17: Cozy Casa Carmelita features a Brilliant Kiva Fireplace, Unique Patio & Hot Tub!
Property 20: Best Street In Taos! 2 Blocks To Plaza! Steps From Kit Carson Park!
Property 22: A Hidden Jewel Next To The Plaza.
Property 24: Rustic & Charming Taos Get Away!
Beautiful Taos Guesthouse on Quiet Gated Compound!
Property 30: Beautiful Taos Guesthouse on Quiet Gated Compound!
Property 32: Historic 1640's Taos Adobe- Perfect for Couples! Booking for Ski Season!
Property 36: Escapada De Montoya - walk to historic Taos Plaza!
Property 37: Jewel of the historic district! Exceptional, beautiful casita! Totally Taos!!
Property 38: Springtime in Taos... Enjoy downtown festivities!!!!
Property 43: Historic Home of Taos Artist -Charming Ambiance and Very Best Location!
The owners of this idyllic Taos guest house have thought of everything. Sacrificing none of the building's classic adobe charm—viga ceilings, white-washed plaster walls—their recent renovation has created a beautifully designed, serene modern space on one of Taos' prettiest streets. A courtyard shared with the owner's main home is shaded by huge cottonwoods and features a small stone fountain and candlelit wall niche. The living room, bedroom and contiguous sitting room all feature crank-open windows, and the breakfast room opens onto a backyard patio with gas grill and apple tree. Thoughtful details include a kiva fireplace stocked with piñon wood, a bottle of wine (and milk for coffee) chilling in the sleek IKEA kitchen's mini fridge, and bath amenities from a New Mexico organic lavender farm. We can't wait to go back!!
We had a great time in our week at the casita. While hiking, rafting and sight-seeing were awesome, some of our favorite time was relaxing on the back patio in the morning. Judy and Alden made us feel welcome the entire time. We had fun visiting with them - and even some of their local friends!


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Blythe Bridge is een spoorwegstation van National Rail in Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire Moorlands in Engeland. Het station is eigendom van Network Rail en wordt beheerd door East Midlands Trains.

Blythe Bridge

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


As tourist can I get health insurance? from what I have read I can't get one but if I can this would be amazing.
The Fernandez is said to be good for things like broken bones but any grave problem like a heart attack would be a problem.
If you're coming from Saudi Arabia you won't be impressed with Argentine accommodation. This is my only complaint about Argentina, they don't have any exclusive/nice/modern residential areas. Palermo, Recoleta, etc has character but the vast majority of it is run down buildings who haven't had any maintenance since the 80's. Puerto Madero is OK, but it's a few blocks of cramped, overpriced, high rise apartment complexes. It's not residential, there's people everywhere. There are a few closed neighborhoods they call a "country", in theory similar to an expat compound in Saudi, and some, not all, are nice and modern, but there's so few of them it's next to impossible to find rental there, especially short term. Outside of BA in places like Mendoza, Cordoba, etc it's worse. Argentina needs to loose the "All for Juan, Juan for All" mentality and embrace a little classism and bulldoze some of these areas and replace them with modern and exclusive neighborhoods like the rest of the region.
How is cost of living in Saudi Arabia compared to Argentina?
Even if you could enroll in a private health plan in Argentina, as a tourist there is no need to do so. There would likely be at least a six month waiting period to cover any treatmant for preexisting conditions.
If you really are a tourist I beleive you can go to any public hospital in Argentina in case of an emergency. You can also get a traveler's insurance policy good for the dates of your travel that will cover emergency expeneses in most hosptials. This type of coverage may be included when you purchase your tickets (depending on the terms of youur card).
If you have to purchase traveler's health insurance separtaely, I suggest you be sure it includes coverage for an emergency "life flight" back to your home country. Also be sure to ask if the traveler's insurance coverage can be extended if you extend your tourist visa by 90 days.
PS to my previous post: I enrolled in a plan with Omint during my first 90 days in Argentina, using my passport as my ID. I did not yet have my DNI or a precaria. I don't remember if they looked for/at my entry stamp. Even after getting my DNI I continued to use my passport as my ID for Omint.
Two years later I switched to Medicus to take advantage of the "group rate" offered through expat connection. The rate was substantionally lower and the coverage was great! I don't know if the group rate is still avialble or if someone with only a tourist visa could enroll now. In any case, don't call Medicus and ask about an ëxpat discount. They won't know what you are talking about.
I don't know, dozens of my Argentinian relatives have managed to live good and happy lives in Buenos Aires for decades and have turned out OK. They put their children in public schools and every child has gone on to be college graduates and become successful architects, engineers, software/tech engineers, business executives and physicians. They all have cars. A few of them have a second weekend home out in the country. They take annual trips to Europe and Asia, and vacation in Brazil and Miami during the summers. They are happy, they are raising their own happy well-adjusted family-oriented intelligent children. Somehow they managed to do all that while still being Argentinian and living in Buenos Aires, imagine that. Not everyone wants to live like an American.
There is much to be said to live in a society where families are large and very close and look out for each other. Where you can send your child to school or go to work and not worry about being shot. Where that same child then can go to university all the way to getting their PhD and finish with zero student loan debt. Where an accident or illness does not mean they will have to declare bankruptcy from medical bills even while insured.
To the OP, I see where your wife is coming from. I hear her when she says American society is cold. She just wants a simpler life close to her family. It's not impossible. It's also not some huge step-down to live simpler and be happy with less material things and accept that life can be chaotic in Buenos Aires, but for her the benefits outweigh the negatives. No, you won't have a 1200sq ft house with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances in a gated community, drive a BMW, and have a flat-screen in every room on $1500/month. However, if that's more important to you, stay in the US.
To complete the picture of BA you might want to add that you have a greater chance of being robbed and attacked pulling your car into your garage than your child does getting shot at school in the States. And I am not just talking about low rent areas. It happened to a friend of mine in a middle class neighborhood. And that's just one story.
Also, not related to the issues of living in BA, but when people who can afford to pay for their post secondary education do so, the govt has more money for scholarships. The cost of education is more than just tuition. It's also books, and room, board and transportation for students who must away from home. I have a doctorate from the US and never had to borrowed a cent, and my parents didn't pay for it. A lot of that has to do where you go to school. I agree, though, that the cost of US post secondary education has gotten ridiculous.
A 1.200 sq ft house is pretty small!
It's good to hear that your relatives have achieved the "Argentine Dream" - cars, 1,200 sq ft.homes, annual holidays in Brazil, Miami, Europe. On top of it all, happiness! WOW. And they gave done this without living like Americans! Fantastic.
GREAT for your friends. But they certainly didn't do this on $1,500 US per month! I think that was the point of the OP. Can you SURVIVE on $1,500 US per month with a wife and child in Buenos Aires. Umm. Sure. But my point is that surviving and thriving aren't the same thing.
AFVA mentioned his dozens of friends that had great lives there. Absolutely you CAN but it takes money. People that have second homes in the country, take annual trips to USA, Europe and Asia and vacation in Brazil and Miami during summers do NOT do it on $1,500 US per month! That was my point. My wealthy Argentine friends make most of my wealthy American friends look poor!
It's not about "living like an American". My point was that in life it's almost impossible to go backwards. When you have a big house (and no I don't consider a house of 1,200 sq. feet as big). and try to go backwards it's tough. When you have a really nice car and go to a cheap car it's tough. When you have a certain style of life and accustomed to things actually working it's tough to go backwards.
No one is even talking about driving a BMW, living in a fancy house, etc. etc. Do the exercise. Add up realistically what you'd realistically spend having a wife and child (no matter where you live). Take my list and be honest and list all the things you would spend and I can promise you that for most people it will be a heck of a lot more than $1,500 US per month.
This isn't even about being materialistic. Things just add up. Wives like to go and get their hair done, their nails done, buy clothes, eat out at nice places once in a while. I don't care where you live and I've lived in many different places. You just have to be realistic. From my experience, people magically try to move somewhere and they try to say to themselves that they can make it work but don't really be honest with themselves how much they will actually spend across ALL spending categories including saving for retirement. That's the #1 reason why most people around the world aren't prepared for retirement and older age. They spend most of their lives fooling themselves and not saving enough.
At least in Argentina, many do end up having a paid off place by the time they are retired. Most in the USA will never see their title deeds and have no idea what it looks like.


The name is Derin. I'm passionate about many things. I love to write and I would love this blog to motivate and uplift other individuals planning on going to med school. I want to give, just as others have given to me, and teach, just as others have taught me.
I look forward to sharing more of my experiences and my journey to and through med school.
Come join my fun. Ciao!
You posts are so informative and although you're going through the admissions process yourself, you always have time to provide tips to your readers! Thus, I've nominated you for the Liebster Award (http://serend1p1ty.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/liebster-award-nomination/). I know you must be busy, but if/when you have a chance, I hope you can accept!
Hi! I've nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award!
Hey Derin, I ended up stumbling on your blog and have read a few of your posts. I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate your overall positive perspective on your experiences and how you use your blog to help those that are in similar situations! I'm a first-year medical student myself at Wake Forest and your latest posts on study strategies are real interesting…I may even try out a couple of your techniques if that's cool with you! Also your overall blog is very nicely laid out, it's definitely one of the better blogs I've recently come across. I've actually just recently ventured into the blogging world in order to write candidly about my experiences in medical school both for my own pleasure and for anyone that cares to tune in. It was weird blogging at first, but I've gotten used to it and it just feels natural now! Keep up the awesome work and best of luck on your journey to becoming an amazing doctor!
Hey! Congrats on starting your blog! I checked it out, very nice! Started following and looking forward to more posts from you. I actually have a friend who's also at Wake Forest, I believe he's a 2nd year – his name is Bdho (perhaps you know him?). Anyhoo, all the best on your journey and congrats on your first semester!
Lol thank you and good to hear! And no I don't think I've ran into him yet, I'll keep an eye out for him!


On the face of it this is a tantalizing, alchemical prospect: the creation of resolute trust among anonymous and far-flung participants in digital networks. Nor could this deus ex machina have timed its own invention any better: how useful for us to have hit upon a trust-shaped technology just as concerns spike about a deepening trust-shaped hole in public life.
But a little circumspection is warranted here. These are very new technologies that are fully understood by a very small number of people. No doubt in time, important and perhaps even transformational applications will emerge – the World Economic Forum is actively engaged in this area, as this recent white paper attests – but there is a hint of bubble-like behavior in the wide ranging claims of radical transformation that now swirl around DLTs. Here are four reasons that might prompt us to take things a little bit more slowly.
First, we should keep an eye on the widening gap between the claims being made about potential DLT applications and the actual roll-out of such applications. Look past all the talk about technological revolutions and there is not yet much concrete change on which to base our assessment of these technologies. Moreover, anecdotal evidence suggests that a growing number of organizations are looking down the wrong end of the telescope at DLTs: instead of bringing their problems to the table and assessing whether DLTs might help, they are bringing DLTs to the table and looking for problems to which the technology might be applied.
Second, are we sure that we either need or want a technological fix for a decline in trust? While it is undoubtedly true that there has been a worrying decline in public trust in key institutions in many countries, we should be careful about catastrophizing this development. Countless interactions and transactions take place each day that rely on the presence of sophisticated networks of trust, suggesting to some that maybe DLTs are a solution for "a problem no one has". But even if that optimistic picture is false and we are, in fact, in the midst of a structural decline in interpersonal trust, it doesn't follow automatically that DLTs are the answer. Maybe our first instinct should be to prioritize the rebuilding of societal trust rather than accepting its demise and jumping to the roll-out of technologies optimized for a low-trust world.
Third, we should recognize that there are hard limits to the extent to which we can sidestep the need for trust, even in a world replete with DLTs. If nothing else, we need to trust the cryptography. We need to trust the network architecture. We need to trust the hardware on which the technology runs. And so on. For most of us, this means taking companies at their word when they tell us that we can trust the way they have incorporated DLTs into their operations. And for decision-makers within those companies, it means taking the word of the computer scientists when they say that their DLT implementations can be trusted.
Fourth, what might the unintended consequences be if the idea took root of replacing socially grounded methods of generating trust with technologically distributed methods? Perhaps the last few years should give us pause here. When thinking about decentralizing trust, a useful point of comparison is the internet's radical decentralization of news and information flows. This has undeniably had profound democratizing effects, but the legacy is not quite that simple. We are becoming increasingly aware of more troubling consequences, such as echo-chamber phenomena that have contributed to levels of fragmentation and polarization serious enough to have prompted concerns about the health of democracy itself. This is a question we dwelt on at length in last year's Global Risks Report.
Aengus Collins is Practice Lead, Global Risks at the World Economic Forum.


Update: After this blog was posted, State Representative Thomas Mehaffie (R-Dauphin) issued a memorandum seeking co-sponsors for legislation to add nuclear power to the Pennsylvania Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS). Nothing in the memorandum suggests that the bill will include limits on carbon pollution, raise the renewable energy targets in the AEPS, or embrace any of the "best practices" in NRDC's issue brief on nuclear transition. Consequently, NRDC opposes the legislation. We respectfully request that Representatives decline to co-sponsor it.
According to news reports, state legislators in Pennsylvania will soon introduce one or more bills to provide financial support to the state's nuclear power plants. Such legislation has been anticipated since last November, when the General Assembly's nuclear caucus issued a report making a case for subsidies. We criticized the caucus report for failing to endorse an energy policy that transitions Pennsylvania away from both nuclear power and fossil-fuel generation to renewable sources and energy efficiency, in accordance with NRDC's issue brief on nuclear transition. This week, in light of reports that the forthcoming bills will do little other than add a nuclear target to the state's AEPS, NRDC sent a letter to the General Assembly urging a real clean energy transition policy and asking legislators to reject any bill that merely subsidizes nuclear plants. The letter is posted here, and the text is printed below in modified form.
In the near future, you will likely be asked to support legislation that would establish a new tier for nuclear power in Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS) but fail to either (i) significantly increase the statute's renewable energy targets; or (ii) establish a declining cap on carbon pollution from the Commonwealth's power sector.
On behalf of our 112,000 members and activists in Pennsylvania, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) respectfully requests that at this time you oppose such legislation and decline to co-sponsor it until and unless fundamental and significant changes are incorporated into the legislation.
NRDC's view is that state policymaking concerning nuclear power should have the goal of an orderly and deliberate transition away from nuclear to a safer, more economical low-carbon electric power system based mainly on renewable energy and energy efficiency. In managing this transition, policymakers must ensure both that electricity is affordable for consumers and that the communities and workers whose livelihoods currently depend on nuclear plants have new opportunities for economic development and jobs, after the plants close.
Mechanisms to aid the workers and communities that will be affected when a plant closes.
Our position is based on three core considerations.
First, it is critical that we—the United States and rest of the world—reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Second, although nuclear power has beneficial low-carbon attributes, it also comes with significant safety, global security, environmental, and economic risks. Until these risks are properly mitigated and the complete nuclear fuel cycle is sufficiently regulated, nuclear power should not be a leading strategy to diversify America's energy portfolio and reduce carbon pollution.
Third, based on analysis performed by NRDC in 2017, the most cost-effective way for the United States to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 is to aggressively ramp up our use of energy efficiency and renewable energy while minimizing our use of both fossil fuels and nuclear power.
While the idea that nuclear power is essential to reliability or resilience is false, it is true that the Commonwealth's nuclear plants both support good-paying jobs and currently generate most of its low-carbon electricity. That said, a bill that merely props up uneconomical nuclear plants without putting Pennsylvania firmly on a path to continuing decreases in carbon pollution and a growing clean energy economy, is not a climate bill. Nor, in the long run, is it a good jobs bill either.
With respect to climate, keeping nuclear plants online may prevent them from being replaced by fossil generation in the short term—but the key question is what will replace them in the long run. While solar and wind energy paired with battery storage is increasingly the cheapest form of generation in the U.S., the absence of a price on carbon in the markets run by the PJM Interconnection, along with other market barriers, make it harder for renewables to compete in Pennsylvania. As a result, the Commonwealth is experiencing a massive build-out of natural-gas-fired generation, which—though less polluting than coal—still emits enormous quantities of climate pollution, especially when methane leaks during gas production activities are taken into account. To ensure an ongoing decrease in carbon pollution from the power sector, Pennsylvania needs a declining cap on emissions with market mechanisms for trading and pricing, along with ambitious energy efficiency and renewable energy goals.
To a large extent, this growth is due to rapidly declining costs for renewables and the fact that Pennsylvanians increasingly want cleaner and more efficient energy. But as comparisons between the Commonwealth and other states show, energy policies matter. A cap on carbon pollution from the power sector, together with stronger renewables targets in the AEPS, stronger efficiency standards, and strategic public- and private-sector investments, would stimulate demand for clean energy and create tens of thousands of new jobs in manufacturing, construction, among other fields, and spur much-needed economic development to areas of Pennsylvania that urgently need it.
Simply put, any nuclear power bill that does not prioritize policies that support the clean and renewable energy sector, and ensures we cap and cut power sector carbon pollution, is myopic and regressive. We urge members to embrace forward-looking policies that will transition Pennsylvania to a lower-carbon future and clean-energy-based economic development.
For all these reasons, we respectfully request that you oppose any legislation that solely establishes a new tier for nuclear power in Pennsylvania's AEPS without significantly increasing renewable energy targets, further expanding the state's successful energy efficiency programs, and establishing a declining cap on carbon pollution from the state's power sector. And we urge you, when legislating energy policy—as well as other policies that affect Pennsylvanians' economic and energy futures, especially fiscal and labor policy—to ensure that energy is affordable and increasingly cleaner for all Pennsylvanians, no matter their zip code.
We look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly, the Governor, relevant state agencies, and other stakeholders to chart a truly clean and sustainable energy future for the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss the issues raised in this letter.


The European Film Festival now turning into annual event in Azerbaijan serves to building and developing the cultural links existing between the European Union countries and Azerbaijan.
The eighth of the Festival will run in Baku on November 2-12 featuring films of different genres including melodrama, comedy, and social drama.
This year the programme of festival included the screening of films from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, as well as Norway and Azerbaijan.
A press conference timed to the film festival was held in Park Cinema on October 31.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Kestutis Jankausk took part in the event, Trend Life reported.
The ambassador said that the festival will feature 21 films made by 19 EU countries, as well as Norway and Azerbaijan.
"Four directors, whose films entered the festival's program, are invited to Baku. A number of meetings and discussions on their works will be organized within the festival," he added.
The festival will offer the opportunity to get acquainted with the latest trends of the European film making and to discuss with European leading film directors, and guests of the Festival: Bulgaria's Dimitar Kotzev, Belgium's Kad?r Balci, Portugal's João Nicolau Teixeira Ricardo and Netherlands' Joram Lürsen.
Jankauskas noted that the European Film Festival, which became a tradition in Azerbaijan, serves the development of cultural relations between EU countries and Azerbaijan.
The 8th European film Festival comes weeks after the successful 1st IMAGINE Euro Tolerance Festival celebrated on October 12-20 attended by more than 3.000 people.
Musa Akhundov, Sales & Marketing Director at Park Cinema said that the screenings of the films will be held in Park Cinema Metropark, Park Cinema Flame Towers and Park Cinema Park Bulvar. Films will be shown in the original language with English subtitles. All events will be open to the public and organized free of charge on "first come first served" basis.
Counselor of the French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fabien Dru-Lozinski spoke about the film "Lumière!" by French director Thierry Frémaux . The film will be screened on November 2.
Azerbaijan will be represented at the festival by film director Ilgar Najaf and his movie "Pomegranate Orchard".


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MTSU Digital Collections
Home The Marvin Hedrick Audio Collection About
The Collection | Marvin Hedrick | The Project
In April 2015, Gary and David Hedrick donated to the Center for Popular Music the Marvin Hedrick Audio Collection, a cache of live recordings made by their father, Marvin Hedrick. The collection comprises 187 sound recordings (including 138 open reels, 31 cassettes, and 18 CDs) and approximately 175 hours of audio. Most of the recordings were made by Marvin between 1954 and 1973 in Bean Blossom, Indiana, site of the Brown County Jamboree and, starting in 1967, Bill Monroe's annual Bluegrass Festival. The collection also includes recordings of jam sessions, radio broadcasts, and live performances from other venues. Most of the music recorded is classic-era bluegrass, featuring such artists as Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys, Reno and Smiley, Mac Wiseman, The Country Gentlemen, The Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, The Stoneman Family, Jim and Jessie, The Osborne Brothers, and others.
Photographs included on this site come from the Center for Popular Music's Marvin Hedrick and Jim Peva Collections.
Marvin Hedrick
A native of Brown County, Marvin Hedrick (1925–1973) grew up on a farm near Story, Indiana. As a teenager he developed an interest in radio, building a crystal radio set that ran off the battery in the family's Model A Ford to listen to the Louisiana Hayride, the National Barn Dance, the Grand Ole Opry, and other broadcasts of what was often called "hillbilly music" in the 1930s and 40s. He first came to Bean Blossom in 1942 or 1943 to experience live country music shows, including appearances by some of the genre's biggest stars. Hedrick also learned to play guitar as a boy, and continued to play throughout his life. Excluded from military service for medical reasons, he attended the DeForest Radio School in Chicago, later working for RCA in Bloomington, Indiana as a radio line repairman. In the 1950s he opened his own radio and television repair shop next to his house in Brown County.
Around the time that Bill Monroe purchased the Brown County Jamboree at Bean Blossom in 1952, Hedrick befriended the bluegrass pioneer, whose music he had been enamored with since the previous decade. Hedrick convinced a skeptical Monroe to let him bring tape recording equipment to the jamboree, making tapes of live shows that Marvin could enjoy later while working in the shop. By the late 1950s and early 60s, Hedrick had become a mentor to other bean Blossom recordists, including Jim Peva, Neil Rosenberg, Mike Seeger, and Ralph Rinzler. Hedrick persuaded Monroe that allowing such recordings would not undercut sales of his commercial recordings and, to the contrary, could help boost his career. In the mid 1960s Monroe hired Hedrick to install the first sound system in the "old barn" at Bean Blossom (payment involved an old Gibson F-4 mandolin on which Marvin's sons Gary and David learned), allowing Marvin to upgrade his recording setup. Hedrick continued to be a central figure in the music-making at Bean Blossom and elsewhere in Brown County until his tragic, accidental death in 1973.
This project, funded by a generous Preservation Implementation Grant from the GRAMMY Foundation (now part of the GRAMMY Museum), involved the preservation, digitization, and cataloging of the audio tapes in the Marvin Hedrick Collection. Each tape was evaluated and appropriate steps were taken to ensure their preservation, including baking, splicing, and re-spooling. The tapes' audio contents were digitized to uncompressed 192kHz/24-bit Wave files and tagged with essential metadata. Tape boxes, cartridges, and other physical items were scanned as 600 dpi TIFF images.
Each tape was listened to and tagged with song titles, performers, dates, and other information. Metadata was entered into CONTENTdm archival management software. A Finding Aid was also created, giving an overview of the collection and its contents.
Director: Gregory Reish
Lead Researcher: John Fabke
Audio Preservationist: Martin Fisher
Librarian and Webmaster: Lindsay Million
Archivist: Rachel Morris
Cataloger: Mary-Frances Hansard
We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations who made this project possible!
David Hedrick, Gary Hedrick
The GRAMMY Foundation
Eddie Adcock, Martha Hearon Adcock, Kent Blanton, Samantha Cantrell, Mike Compton, Yvonne Elliott, Julie Gannon, Alice Gerrard, Samson Grisman, Mark Hembree, Tom Morgan, Jim Moss, Tim O'Brien, Jim Peva, Neil Rosenberg, Nate Shuppert, Jeremy Stephens, David Talbot, Chris Warner, Roland White, Mac Wiseman
Working with project staff from the Center for Popular Music, Nashville-based and Indiana-native filmmaker Nate Shuppert is currently working on a short documentary about the music at Bean Blossom and the central role Marvin Hedrick played in preserving it. The film will include newly conducted interviews with Gary Hedrick, David Hedrick, Jim Peva, Neil Rosenberg, and members of the project staff.
For additional reading about the history of Bean Blossom, and about Marvin Hedrick's importance to the musical events there, see Thomas A. Adler's Bean Blossom: The Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festivals (University of Illinois Press, 2011), Jim Peva's Bean Blossom: Its People and Its Music (Infinity Publishing, 2006), and Neil Rosenberg's Bluegrass Generation: A Memoir (University of Illinois Press, forthcoming).
Center for Popular Music Home
MTSU Home
MTSU Library Home


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Arland may refer to:

People
Arland (name)

Games
 Atelier Rorona: The Alchemist of Arland
 Atelier Totori: Alchemist of Arland 2
 Atelier Meruru: The Alchemist of Arland 3

Places
Norway
 Årland, a village
United States
 Arland, Wisconsin, a town
 Arland (community), Wisconsin, an unincorporated community

See also
Aurland
Ayreland (disambiguation)
Harland (disambiguation)
Hærland
Waarland


1. I bought a frame at Michael's that you're supposed to put a dollar bill in (weird, I know). Nonetheless, I got it for five bucks.
2. I used my xacto knife to make the width a bit longer.
3. I went outside and took pictures of things that looks like the letters and had them developed.
4. For a more finished look, I added some strips of cardstock inbetween the letters.
I love when someone takes an expensive idea and makes it work for 'the rest of us.' This is really cool!
BTW, I think maybe the dollar idea is for a new store--the first dollar made?
You know I love this stuff! Great job!
Great idea! Will file this in my memory for gift ideas!
Hi, What a darling idea for a gift, they are going to be so pleased to receive something that you created just for them. Thank you for the inspiration!


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Contact Randy
Whig Standard: MPP Backs Wind Farm Opponents
March 08, 2013 · Flag · Add your comments
Published on March 7, 2013 in the Whig Standard.
KINGSTON - If Amherst Island residents opposed to a planned wind project resort to trying to slow down construction by obstruction, their provincial representative says he will be there to support them.
"(Non-violent) civil disobedience is an acceptable means in the right situations," said Randy Hillier, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington.
"Should those situations arise, absolutely I'll be there."
Hillier was among those who attended a public meeting held Wednesday evening in Bath that was hosted by representatives of Windlectric Inc., a company formed by Algonquin Power Co. of Oakville and Gaia Power of Kingston.
The developer has been granted a contract by the government, but the project — which would see 36 wind turbines erected on the island just west of Kingston — has yet to be approved.
"I had a number of discussions with the project team at the meeting (Wednesday)," Hillier said over the telephone from his constituency office. "I told them of my opposition to it, so that they're clear that I stand with the community on this."
Hillier said he didn't mince words with company representatives, and he believes they were surprised about how adamantly he opposed the project.
"I think the phrase that I used was that the Liberal government and themselves should take their wind turbines and put them where the sun doesn't shine and the wind always blows," he recalled.
Island residents opposed to the turbines being built have said they may form a citizens coalition that would physically block or slow construction crews if all other avenues of opposition are exhausted.
Those same residents believe that the hamlet of Stella, where the ferry from the mainland docks, will be ruined by construction crews constantly driving through it with the large turbine blades and the like.
Hillier takes issue with the current government's Green Energy Act, which, he feels, "essentially castrated the community and individual involvement with respect to wind and solar projects in communities."
He believes that the act is being "disrespectul" of people.
"This is the only area of law that we have in this province where we have categorically stated in the law that the community has no say and no involvement in the decision-making process. We would not accept that in local zoning, we would not accept it for the placement of a school or a landfill. We do not accept it under any other set of conditions," Hillier stated.
"So this law subverts and circumvents the tentative democracy of people being engaged. So, when people are faced with an unjust law, then acts of civil disobedience (are) another long-held and established method of communicating their concerns."
He considers wind-generated power to be inefficient and potentially hazardous to the health of wildlife and people.
"No company would build these things without these exorbitant rates that they pay, which, of course, (taxpayers) have to pay for," he said.
Allowing a turbine to be erected on one's property isn't neighbourly, Hillier feels.
"Although there will be a few people on the island who will gain a substantial financial benefit from the turbines," he said, "everybody else will pay the cost."
Green Energy Act Amherst Island
Whig Standard: MPP Backs Wind Farm Opponents http://www.randyhilliermpp.com/whigstd03072013?recruiter_id=2
Randy Hillier posted about Whig Standard: MPP Backs Wind Farm Opponents on Randy Hillier's Facebook page 2013-03-08 14:19:01 -0500
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Stewart's Shops asks for delay in decision on new Washington Street store
in Local Business 344 views
WATERTOWN — Stewart's Shops wants the city to hold off the company's plans to contruct a new, larger store on Washington Street.
Chuck Marshall, real estate representative for Stewart's, Saratoga County, has asked the city to suspend its zoning change request for the project until it can complete a property values study that it plans to share with neighbors.
The subject of how the project, at 703, 707 and 715 Washington St., would impact property values came up during an Oct. 5 discussion by the city Planning Board, which approved the zoning request by a 5-1 vote that day.
Planning Board member Neil Katzman was the only no vote for the zoning change at 108 Flower Ave. East, an existing house that would be torn down to make room for the project. The Flower Avenue East house proposed for demolition is owned by Hedy M. Cirrincione of Coco Beach, Fla., according to city records. The four-bedroom house was built in 1910 and is assessed at $123,800.
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Autopsies Show Coronavirus in the Eyeballs of Victims
By Hannah Osborne On 10/13/20 at 7:41 AM EDT
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Health Coronavirus
The virus that causes COVID-19 has been found in the eye tissues of those who have died from the disease.
By looking at tissue samples from deceased donors, researchers found the virus was present in the eye itself—not just in the tears, as had previously been identified by scientists.
The study, which appears on the pre-print website medRxiv, has not been peer reviewed by a panel of experts, so findings should be interpreted with caution. However, the findings could have implications for eye tissue donation, which millions of people around the world require.
Researchers led by Onkar B. Sawant, from the Center for Vision and Eye Banking Research at Eversight, Ohio, analyzed 132 ocular tissues from 33 deceased donors after they were rejected for surgical use according to by the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) donor screening guidelines, eye bank medical director review or a positive COVID-19 test. They also investigated 20 eyes from an additional 10 donors who died of COVID-19.
From the 20 eyes recovered from the 10 donors, the researchers found evidence of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, in various parts of the eye. This included the posterior and anterior corneal, and the vitreous—the gel like fluid that fills the eye. They also found SARS-CoV-2 spike and envelope proteins in the epithelial layer of the corneas.
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Woman With COVID Shed Virus for 61 Days in Longest Case Recorded
The team says the study shows a "small but noteworthy prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in ocular tissues from COVID-19 donors." They say the results show how important sticking to donor screening guidelines are, as well as post-mortem testing and following disinfection protocols to make sure tissue harboring SARS-CoV-2 is not used for transplantation.
Sawant told Newsweek that previous reports have shown the virus can be present in the tears of COVID-19 sufferers and that it can cause conjunctivitis, which affects the membrane that covers the front surface of the eye and inner surface of the eyelids.
He said that having access to post-mortem ocular tissue meant they were able to carry out research on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the eye. The latest results are part of an ongoing study to do this.
"Our primary motivator is to ensure safe tissue for our surgeons and their patients," he said. "Our secondary motivator is one that has driven the entire scientific community to conduct research around SARS-CoV-2: this is a novel virus and we are all eager to learn as much as we can about it to save and protect lives."
Sawant said a systematic study of the virus in the human eye had not previously been carried out. "Determining the risk is critically important to ophthalmologists, eye tissue donation and cornea transplantation—and the millions of people globally in need of sight-restoring transplants," he said.
Whether infected tissues used for transplants could transfer the virus is unknown. Sawant said more research would be needed to find that out, but said respiratory viruses generally are not known to transmit through human cell or tissue transplantation.
Current guidelines from the EBAA mean COVID-19 victims are disqualified from donating eye tissue for sight-restoring transplants. This has meant donor tissue availability has been more limited since the start of the pandemic, but the findings, Sawant says, have reinforced the importance of these guidelines.
Denize Atan, Consultant Senior Lecturer in Ophthalmology at the University of Bristol, U.K., who was not involved in the study, told Newsweek the findings confirm the virus can be found in ocular tissues. While it did not determine whether the tissues could transmit infection, "it does highlight the fact that the surface layers of the eye (conjunctiva, cornea, sclera) and tears are a possible route for transmission of the virus."
"It is also possible that [the] virus could be transmitted from some of the tissues inside the eye."
Sawant, who is Director of Research at Eversight, reiterated their research was in the primary stages, had not been peer reviewed and that the investigation was ongoing. However, he said that while the science around coronavirus is constantly evolving, the latest findings are in keeping with research by other teams.
"The science around SARS-CoV-2 is constantly evolving, and we continually monitor scientific findings by other researchers."
Correction 10/16 10.55 a.m. ET: The number of tissue samples used and the group of donors involved in the research has been corrected.
Stock image of an eye. Researchers have found evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in eye tissues taking from donors who had coronavirus. iStock
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Complete sets of supplies for making pin-back buttons and other craft projects with the T150 Button Maker.
2-1/4" is one of the most common button sizes, often used for election campaigns, sharing photos with friends, hand drawn crafts at school, daycare centers, and summer camp activities. This size is popular because it is big enough that the words and images on the button can easily be seen and the parts are easy to handle when putting together. Not only is the size friendly, but it is also the most versatile, as the most types of products are available in this size (note: bottle openers are only available in 2-1/4").
- Magnetic and Black Plastic Back: These backing options are not available for the T150. To make a magnetic or black plastic bottle opener, you will need to rent or purchase a Tecre, Quick Stroke, Industrial, or Romic machine.