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Tix & Passes
Dining & Lodging
2019 Summit Master Plan
In June 2018, J.S.K. and Company, a subsidiary or R.L.K. and Company, acquired 100% of the stock in Northwest Nordic Inc. (NNI). NNI holds the special use permit for the operation at Summit and Snow Bunny. Both R.L.K. and Company and NNI place a strong emphasis on public involvement and partnerships.
The vision for Summit is to continue to operate as a family-oriented, affordable, community friendly ski area, while upgrading facilities to connect Government Camp with Timberline. Upgrades are also planned to create a year-round recreation hub for outdoor activities fostering experiences and education, with an interest in increasing engagement with youth and underserved communities so as to increase opportunities and diversity in the outdoors.
DOWNLOAD SUMMIT MASTER PLAN
The history and future of
Summit Ski Area
Established in 1927, Summit Ski Area is the second oldest continuously operating ski area in the United States and the oldest ski area in the Pacific Northwest. In 1959 a T-bar was installed and in 1966 the present lodge was constructed. In 1980 the current 2,300 feet long chairlift was built, providing access to approximately 3.5 miles of trails. Summit's base elevation is approximately 4,000 ft.
In June 2018, J.S.K. and Company, a subsidiary or R.L.K. and Company, acquired 100% of the stock in Northwest Nordic Inc. (NNI). NNI holds the special use permit for the operation at Summit Ski Area and Snow Bunny, a snow play area and parking lot, approximately 1.5 miles east of Government Camp. Both Summit Ski Area and Snow Bunny will operate under a special use permit issued by the Mount Hood National Forest, USDA Forest Service.
Jeff Kohnstamm, Timberline President and Area Operator, says, "We are very pleased with the acquisition and plan to operate Summit Ski Area as a family oriented, affordable, friendly mountain resort." Kohnstamm sees Summit as a place to "break down the barriers to skiing and snowboarding surrounding accessibility and affordability". With Portland's population growing rapidly and more people visiting Mt. Hood, Timberline also views Summit Ski Area as an opportunity to help address public transportation and parking needs while having a greater connectivity to Government Camp.
In the short-term, R.L.K. and Company will roll out Summit with an updated brand and website. Summit will operate under its current footprint with ski and snowboard rentals, lessons, snow tubing, and an expanded food and beverage offering with some basic lodge upgrades to get ready for the upcoming ski season.
The long-term view for Summit includes exploring expanded product offerings for both summer and winter. "We look forward to an open-minded approach and discussing opportunities with the community," says Kohnstamm, "We will provide quality recreation within the capabilities of the ecosystem. It will be exciting to see what the future holds for Summit, Timberline, Government Camp and all who visit."
Public Engagement & Stakeholder Input
R.L.K. and Company hired Sustainable Northwest, a regional non-profit, to organize and lead a series of public engagement meetings focused on gathering stakeholder input on projects proposed for inclusion in the updated Master Plan. The meetings served as a venue to gather feedback, but also as an important opportunity to reconnect with community leaders and key members of the public.
DOWNLOAD SUSTAINABLE NORTHWEST REPORT
90255 Government Camp Loop Rd
Government Camp, OR 97028
info@summitskiarea.com
This institution is an equal opportunity service provider and employer which operates under a special use permit issued by the Mt. Hood National Forest, USDA Forest Service.
Copyright 2018, Summit Ski Area. All Rights Reserved.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Amber Christoferson Named New Group Vice President for DickersonBakker Executive Search
February 7, 2022 By DickersonBakker Leadership / Meet Our Team Monday / News / Press / Talent Management
Raleigh, North Carolina – February 7, 2022
DickersonBakker today announced that Amber Christoferson has been named Group Vice President over Executive Search for DickersonBakker, a leader in professional consulting services for nonprofit clients for over 35 years.
As Group Vice President, Amber is tasked with helping clients secure exceptional talent for their fundraising and leadership roles. Since joining the DickersonBakker team, Amber has played a pivotal role in finding qualified candidates for clients who are highly skilled and well-suited to the client's mission.
"I've worked closely with Amber for nearly three years and watched her exceed our clients' expectations with her unwavering commitment to finding candidates who will help them lead their mission forward," said Derric Bakker, President of DickersonBakker. "Amber's ability to understand the uniqueness of each organization is what enables her to find candidates that prove to not only be excellent leaders but strong cultural fits."
Amber Christoferson brings over a decade of combined experience in executive recruiting and nonprofit leadership to the DickersonBakker Executive Search team. As Group Vice President, her role unites her two professional passions – nonprofit leadership and talent acquisition – as well as her range of interpersonal and professional strengths. Prior to joining DickersonBakker her list of past clients and organizations included such nationally known organizations as The Home Depot, Pandora Radio, and The United Way.
Amber has identified and secured talent for global brands, emerging startups, and some of the nation's largest nonprofit organizations. She discovered her passion for executive search and nonprofits while serving as director of development for United Way in Los Angeles and Orange County from 2006 to 2010, where she led a strategic initiative to broaden community impact by securing top professional involvement and support from an array of fields.
"I'm honored to be a part of the DickersonBakker team and take on this role as our organization experiences rapid growth," said Christoferson. "The team enjoys a strong national reputation for its multidisciplinary approach to serving nonprofits. We've led searches from Alaska to western Europe for organizations of all sizes. I am deeply familiar with the nonprofit industry and look forward to helping organizations secure the talent they need for their next stage of growth."
Amber takes on this important role after working closely with Cole Costanzo who previously led executive search services for DickersonBakker before accepting a senior leadership position with Mission Increase out of Portland, Oregon. "I am excited to see my colleague Amber accept this role in leading executive search," said Cole. "She has a rare combination of customer service and recruiting skills that make her the right person to lead this division. I will continue to highly recommend DickersonBakker and their executive search services to organizations across the country."
About DickersonBakker Executive Search
Founded in 1985, DickersonBakker Executive Search is a professional nonprofit executive search firm with more than three decades of experience serving nonprofit organizations. It is distinguished from every other nonprofit search firm in the sector by its unparalleled two-year placement guarantee. Organizations and candidates can learn more here.


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The most expensive rosters in the NBA
Pete Zobec
Of course, Stephen Curry was mad; who wouldn't be. Two blowout losses against the Nets and the Bucks suggest another depressing season for the Warriors and their fans. It's pretty clear that Steph doesn't like a taste of his own medicine. Not so long ago, Golden State sowed terror across the league in a similar fashion. Today's a different story.
If those significant losses aren't enough, the Warriors ownership will likely have to take some headache pills after casting an eye on their team's payroll this season - the Golden State Warriors will pay a league-high $173,683,225 in salaries. That's a considerable sum even for a contender, and the Warriors will likely be a lottery team this season.
Curry is the biggest earner in Steve Kerr's roster, and he will get $43,006,362 for this season. Behind him is Klay Thompson, who will be out with a torn Achilles and a $35,361,360 salary. Next up is Andre Wiggins with $29,542,010, Draymond Green will get $22,246,956, and Kelly Oubre will make $14,375,000 this season. So yeah, that is expensive.
To put that into perspective, even with the addition of James Harden, the Brooklyn Nets are second on the highest payrolls this season, with $163,062,388 annual salaries. The difference between them and the Warriors (other than 26 points difference at the start of the season) is that they have Harden ($41,254,920), KD ($39,058,950), Kyrie ($33,460,350), and a legitimate chance to win a chip.
When we're already talking about the biggest aspirations, we have to mention the Lakers - ranked sixth on the league's highest payrolls. Their crown jewels are well known - LeBron will earn $33,460,350 this season, and Davis' bank account will see a $32,742,000 boost.
The 76ers aren't sure they'll be getting their money's worth this season as well; they'll be paying $145,172,700 in wages. Their pockets are suffering because of Tobias Harris' contract (he's getting $147,258,000 in the next four years). Even though he gets paid a lot, Harris isn't exactly putting up numbers that correspond to his contract'. He averaged 19.6 points on 47,1% shooting and 36.7% for three last season.
Big spenders aside, let's see who is on the other side of the scale. The biggest savers are living in New York. The Knicks will pay only $89,766,931 this season. Julius Randle is the most expensive guy on their roster, and he will earn $18,900,000 in 2020/2021. We can't wait to see what the Knicks will do with all that money in the end. The Knicks are followed by the OKC, whose salary budget is $94,067,807. It would be much less if Al Horford isn't getting $27,500,000 this season.
That, on the other hand, means nothing to the Warriors fans. In the years to come, their franchise will surely be better, especially after Thompson comes back. Nonetheless, they haven't got much maneuvering space until 2022/23, when some of their contracts expire. As far as this season is concerned, it's going to be a long one for their supporters.
Los Angeles LakersPhiladelphia 76ersGolden State WarriorsBrooklyn Nets


I used to think wearing lipstick required a sacrifice. You could have this bold, beautiful lip colour but in order to have that you had to accept the fact that your lips would feel dry and cracked the whole time, and have to refresh your lipstick every 10 seconds.
And yes, before you ask, I did put on lip balm first, but it didn't seem to help. Inevitably I would start to feel the moisture leaching out of my lips and have to fight the irresistible urge to lick them. Pretty soon the lovely colour I put on at the beginning of the night was everywhere – my water glass, my napkin, my fingers – except on my lips.
So needless to say, I didn't really like wearing lipstick except on very rare special occasions. That is, until I discovered SST's Signature Power Stay Lipstick "Willpower", a lovely shade of matte red that give me a bold lip without being blindingly glossy. But the best part about this lipstick is that it contains Vitamin E and beeswax, so no dry lips!
n after it sets, and it doesn't move around once it does, so no more smudges on my water glass! SST's long-lasting lipstick has empowered me to start wearing lipstick more often, not just on special occasions. I never knew wearing lipstick could be so effortless and fun! I have tasted the sweet sweet fruit of a hydrating matte lipstick and I'm never looking back.


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Farming in 'Martian Gardens'
Written by Anna Heiney
Category: Farm News
Of the many challenges involved in sending humans on the journey to Mars, figuring out how to pack enough food for such a lengthy trip looms large. Of course, astronauts will need food on their way to and from Mars, and also during their time on the Red Planet as part of the almost two-and-a-half-year trip. Although prepackaged food will be provided, stowing space-saving seeds to grow one's own food provides extra nutrition and even increases morale by sprouting a glimpse of home while millions of miles away from Earth.
NASA's Kennedy Space Center is partnering with the Florida Tech Buzz Aldrin Space Institute in Melbourne, Florida, to collaborate on research studying the performance of crop species grown in a simulated "Martian garden" — a proving ground for a potential future farm on the Red Planet.
"We are using advances in science to learn about increasing plant production to supplement astronauts' diets," said Trent Smith, Veggie Project Manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Veggie is a plant-growth unit enabling space gardening and space plant biology experiments on the International Space Station.
"Soil, by definition, contains organics; it has held plant life, insects, worms. Mars doesn't really have soil," said Ralph Fritsche, the senior project manager for food production at Kennedy Space Center.
Instead, the Red Planet is covered with regolith: crushed volcanic rock containing nothing organic. But it does contain some toxic chemicals, adding to the complexity of the challenge at hand.
The 100 pounds of Martian soil simulant being used at Florida Tech comes from Hawaii and was chosen based on spectral data from Mars orbiters. It will be a common simulant used for testing the performance of the hardware systems used to grow plants. The Florida Tech team will experiment with which and how much nutrients should be added to the simulant for optimal plant growth of various crops
During a 3.5-week pilot study, Drew Palmer, a professor of biochemistry and chemical ecology at Florida Tech, and Brooke Wheeler, an ecologist and professor in the College of Aeronautics at Florida Tech, grew lettuce plants in three conditions: one in simulant, one in simulant with added nutrients, and one in potting soil. The study began with 30 seeds planted in the simulant-only tubes, and ended with only half as many; although they tasted the same as the others, their roots were not as strong as the potting soil plants.
This preliminary research also found that germination rates were two to three days slower than in control groups, and therefore it's important to gain an understanding of how the timelines involved in Martian farming differ from growth times on Earth.
According to Fritsche, this study will document and publish scientific data on growing plants in a widely available Martian simulant, providing a control for future studies.
Some of the plants they may try to grow during the nine-month test include radishes, Swiss chard, kale, Chinese cabbage, snow peas, dwarf peppers and tomatoes — all nutritious foods and, more importantly, all tested and selected menu items for astronauts.
NASA and Florida Tech formally signed the agreement in June 2016 and testing officially began in mid-September. A preliminary report on the test results is expected in mid-January 2017, with the final report planned for March 2017.
The teams are working together to define the test strategies and the data to be gathered, and will collaborate again to analyze the data and test results. NASA scientists are providing expertise on the selection of Martian simulant being used, as well as the initial setup and start of the test. They'll also help assess the health of the growing plants in concert with the Florida Tech faculty. Florida Tech is providing the plant seeds, Martian regolith simulant, growth volume, equipment, and most importantly plant care and data collection by students and professors. The Florida Tech team also will write the post-test report.
Discoveries made in these Earth-based "Martian gardens" will pave the way for future studies and technology development in terms of reliable, efficient food production a long way from the home planet, Fritsche said.
"We're right at the cutting edge of this research."


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PROFESSOR JAY
Born on December 29, 1975, Joseph Haule, popularly known as Professor Jay, is a Tanzanian hip hop artist and member of the Tanzanian parliament for Mikumi constituency. He is one of the prominent representatives of the "Bongo Flava" Tanzanian hip hop subgenre, which mixes elements from...	Read More
Born on December 29, 1975, Joseph Haule, popularly known as Professor Jay, is a Tanzanian hip hop artist and member of the Tanzanian parliament for Mikumi constituency. He is one of the prominent representatives of the "Bongo Flava" Tanzanian hip hop subgenre, which mixes elements from both Western hip hop and the Tanzanian tradition.
Follow PROFESSOR JAY on social media Instagram | Facebook | Twittter | Youtube
All Song Lyrics by PROFESSOR JAY (4)
PROFESSOR JAY Feat BLACK RHYNO
PROFESSOR JAY Feat VICTORIA KIMANI
Yatapita
PROFESSOR JAY Feat HARMONIZE
Vunja Mifupa
PROFESSOR JAY Feat RUBY
MBOSSO
LAVA LAVA
ASLAY
MAUA SAMA
ALIKIBA
WCB WASAFI


It is hard to believe that we live in a country where heart disease is found to be the number one killer disease in the last 10 years, and the National Heart Institute revealed that it treats at least 150,000 heart patients per annum, yet we have roughly less than 500 cardiologists, amongst our population of 32 million people.
But looking beyond cardiology, the situation is more worrying as a recent report from The Star revealed that Malaysia has approximately 7,000 specialists throughout the nation – which is regarded as insufficient – and there are too many General Practitioners (GPs). The article highlights we are severely lacking in five areas namely adolescent medicine, paediatric rheumatology, intensive care medicine, urogynaecology and forensic psychiatry.
So why the shortage? The excessive workload coupled with the duration has often been blamed as to why most medical graduates and Medical Officers (MOs) refrain from specialising, despite the fact that majority of them have shown a keen interest in specialising – but is it really true?
With Malaysia plagued with cardiovascular-related health problems, 26-year-old Camilla Ongexpressed her determination to specialise in cardiology once her housemanship comes to an end, as she underlined that Malaysia is in desperate need of more cardiologists and emphasised that time or the workload will not stand in her way.
"The hospital that I'm currently attached to has one cardiologist and when he was away, a patient was in critical condition, which prompted us to send the patient to a nearby hospital," she recounted.
"When such situation occurs, the hospital is either required to send the patient to another hospital or call in a specialist from another hospital," and emphasised that the practice should not be a norm as not every patient has time as a luxury.
The future cardiologist also emphasised that medical students ought to pursue medicine and specialise for the right reason, adding that the workload and commitment is expected of them as they are in the field of serving the people.
"We are here to save people and to serve them; that should be a good enough motivation to keep our fire burning – do not use excessive workload as an excuse when you haven't even given yourself the chance to see what you are capable of.
"And as for time, we know the programme will come to an end eventually. So plan ahead if you wish to have a family. In fact, teaching institutes now permit us women to take maternity leave," the Selangor-born lass put forth.
Meanwhile, Hanna Mohd stated that being a specialist is a goal for her, yet she has not set a solid plan – especially in regards to timing.
"Specialising in geriatric medicine occurred to me after knowing the growing number of the older population due to better healthcare," the 25-year-old shared.
"I think Malaysia has sufficient supply in some fields, while some fields are insufficient. The demand for each specialty varies depending on the health of the population in that particular country," she points out saying not everyone in the population requires a specialist.
However, the increasing demand is a source of motivation for medical students, graduates and officers as the goal is to provide more chance for patients to seek treatment from specialists without waiting too long and lessen the burden of other specialists.
"Medical specialists are top ranking doctors. They are hardworking, passionate and dedicated in saving lives and improving health of the nation," the aspiring geriatrician opined.
To gain insight as to what MOs go through whilst specialising, Malaysian Digest spoke with Dr Khairil, who is a practicing doctor and a second year Internal Medicine student at a teaching hospital in the East Coast.
"Even prior completing my degree programme, I've already made up my mind to specialise but the journey was not as smooth as I had hoped," the 32-year-old doctor confessed.
"Competition was tough due to the high number of applicants; not all fields are offered as area of specialisation at every teaching hospital or institution; and aside from the uncertain waiting period, you also have other commitments," he shared.
Dr Khairil who graduated from Universiti Malaya in 2009 with a Degree in Medicine relayed that upon completing his two-year housemanship in 2011, his request to specialise was declined multiple times due to the immense competition as well as the varying requirement for each field.
But the trials that stood in his way did not falter his spirit to be a specialised medical practitioner as he noted, "I'd like to be one of the medical practitioners who help meet the country's healthcare demands so that we will be at par with developed nations.
"It is also a great feeling knowing that your family not only supports your decision but believes in you as well," the father of five conveyed and added that new set of challenges arise as soon as he began his Masters programme (specialising).
The aspiring Internal Medicine specialist revealed that a paradigm shift exists in age and family responsibility, especially the latter as his decision to specialise inherently demands his wife to shoulder the responsibility of both parents.
"I'm not saying I'm free of my fatherly commitments, but majority of the time my wife wears the hat as both mother and father as I am on-call most of the time," he lamented, but expressed that his beloved wife's sacrifice gives him more motivation to achieve his goals.
On that note, Dr Khairil strongly urged for MOs to specialise, especially in times when information is accessible via the internet, and therefore permitting patients to self-diagnose themselves.
"People have become more knowledgeable and well-informed. So it's important for doctors to specialise so that it provides patients with more confidence with their (the doctor's) diagnoses and expertise.
"But it will also be beneficial if the MoH can make it more flexible for medical graduates and MOs to specialise as well as ensuring the programme is available in every district hospitals," he opined.
Malaysian Digest then got in touch with the Dean of Faculty of Medicine at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (PPUKM), Professor Dr Zaleha Abdullah Mahdy, who has been working in the medical field since 1989 and is a specialist in Obstetrician and Gynaecology (O&G) since 1997.
"Over the years, UKM has seen a tremendous increase in medical graduates applying for the Masters programme in various fields – so much so that we have entrance exams to ensure that we select the best and most competent students.
"For instance back in 1981 when O&G was first introduced as an area of specialisation, the institution received two or three candidates per intake. But now we accept roughly 25 candidates per intake, just in UKM alone," the experienced medical practitioner relayed whilst adding that the number of intake per year differs from one field to the next.
As to why the statistics have drastically increased over the years, Dr Zaleha detailed that, with the enormous increase in depth of knowledge and new evidence in every field of medicine, specialising is the current trend for the medical practitioner to remain relevant in clinical practice.
"Even general doctors have a specialisation of their own called Family Medicine Specialist or Family Physician, whereby the candidate studies every field from the perspective of a family physician prior to sub-specialising in fields such as adolescent mental health, stroke intervention," she added.
Nevertheless, she relayed the number of candidates passing their Masters programme differs according to fields, and each comes with its own sets of challenges – all of it different, yet equally challenging.
"For instance, paediatrics has a higher attrition rate possibly because paediatrics appears to be immensely stressful. Treating smaller patients is not an easy task as when they get sick, they can deteriorate quickly.
"While adults may have a standard dosage for medications and fluids, each child will have a different dosage and hence why paediatricians always carry calculators," she revealed.
Oddly enough, the mother of four also revealed that Malaysia is not only lacking in paediatricians but there is difficulty in finding candidates to enter the programme due to its high demand in terms of meticulousness.
"Another field that Malaysia is lacking in specialists is oncology and radiotherapy as in my opinion, one has got to be exceptionally emotionally strong and stable to handle the stresses of cancer patient management.
"On the other hand, although certain fields such as Cardiology and Neurology, which are subspecialty areas, are more popular, but when compared with the volume of cases to be handled, one can never be too certain that the statistic is sufficient," Dr Zaleha opined.
The duration it takes to complete the Masters programme in becoming a specialist has long been regarded as a hindrance amongst some medical graduates.
But Dr Zaleha emphasised it is more structured in training as opposed to theoretical training and therefore, the four-year programme aims to provide medical graduates with experiential learning that will help hone their skills even further.
"I strongly encourage medical graduates to specialise, especially for those who are looking to continue with their clinical practice because the knowledge obtained from your basic medical degree may not equip you with a thorough insight into a patients' medical problems.
"The programme will provide graduates with a structured apprenticeship whereby they are guided by their mentors on the proper way to manage and treat patients, on top of gracing them with constructive feedbacks that will widen their knowledge and improve their skills," she relayed, adding that the most valuable takeaway is the experience itself.
Dr Zaleha also suggests for the administrative level to work together in making it simpler for graduates to specialise by permitting them to specialise earlier on in their career – especially bright and decided candidates.
"I also disagree with a two-year housemanship," Dr Zaleha shared.
"It may have been a coincidence, but one cannot help noticing that it was after the extension of the housemanship programme to two years that we saw a steep rise in the statistics of housemen dropping out from the programme," she added.
Citing that being a medical practitioner is not a glamorous job, Dr Zaleha assured that the satisfaction of becoming a doctor comes from knowing that your knowledge and skill has helped save the lives of patients.
"The medical field is a progressive field that is often regarded as a lifelong learning process as doctors will only improve as time passes by updating their knowledge and widening their experience.
"Specialising is indeed the way to go. Challenges will definitely surface but it will only shape you into becoming better doctors. So do not be discouraged by the perceived hardship of the long duration – the programme will come to an end eventually.
"In the end, persistency and resilience is key. It all comes down to how you manage your time, your family, your social life and what you yourself deem as a hindrance from pursuing the postgraduate programme," the doctor advised.
To think that MoH is oblivious of the predicaments faced by aspiring specialists and specialists attached at government hospitals could not be further from the truth.
MoH in a response to Malaysian Digest acknowledges that Malaysia is currently facing a shortage in specialists, but assures that they are trying their best to address the issue aside from making it more appealing for MOs to specialise.
Acknowledging that there are those who complain of being rejected from specialising due to failing to pass the entrance exam, MoH highlighted that the stringent entrance exams are necessary as a means to identify the best of the best, especially in times when limited hospitals and teaching institutes offer Masters programme.
Other than that, the ministry has also made a few amendments to specialists' remuneration in a sense that they are permitted to have private practice on the side as they understand that some specialists would like to personally manage a patients' case aside from generating additional income.
Evidently Rome was not built in a day, but to know that the MoH acknowledges these issues and are looking for solutions should bring comfort to aspiring specialists and practicing specialists alike.


An event for the whole family and a food heaven for food lovers. We are inviting individuals and companies to display and sell different types of food and beverages - RAW, PROCESSED AND COOKED to the public at our event :- HOTELS, LODGES, RESTUARANTS,BAKERIES,FOOD COMPANIES,CAITERERS,CHEFS,SUPERMARKETS,CAFE, BARS, FARMERS, etc. You are able to make massive sales and win a prize for creativity. An event for both local and international food and beverages exhibitors. To book a stand call Rumbidzai on 263-04-797943, 263 0778583006. The Deadline for booking a stand is Monday 30 November 2015 for Zimbabwean exhibitors. LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE,BOOK YOUR STAND TODAY!!! Offices are open Monday to Saturday 9AM UNTIL 5PM. Ticket details for the public will be released in due course.


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Zacks Investment Research Downgrades Flushing Financial (NASDAQ:FFIC) to Hold
July 11th, 2019 - Comments Off on Zacks Investment Research Downgrades Flushing Financial (NASDAQ:FFIC) to Hold - Filed Under - by Mark James
Flushing Financial (NASDAQ:FFIC) was downgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Zacks.com reports.
According to Zacks, "FLUSHING FINANCIAL CORP. is a unitary savings and loan holding company, which, under existing laws, is generally not restricted as to types of business activities in which it may engage, provided that the subsidiary, continues to be a qualified thrift lender. Under the regulations of the Office of Thrift Supervision, the subsidiary is a qualified thrift lender if its ratio of qualified thrift investments to portfolio assets is 65% or more, on a monthly average basis in nine of every 12 months. "
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Several other research firms have also commented on FFIC. Gabelli reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Flushing Financial in a report on Thursday, May 2nd. ValuEngine raised shares of WEX from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 13th. Finally, BidaskClub cut shares of Zynerba Pharmaceuticals from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $27.17.
Shares of FFIC stock traded up $0.04 on Tuesday, hitting $22.25. 41,299 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 50,174. The company has a quick ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.09. Flushing Financial has a one year low of $20.27 and a one year high of $27.32. The firm's fifty day moving average is $21.58. The stock has a market cap of $636.18 million, a PE ratio of 11.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.88.
Flushing Financial (NASDAQ:FFIC) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, April 30th. The bank reported $0.33 EPS for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.39 by ($0.06). Flushing Financial had a net margin of 18.51% and a return on equity of 9.93%. The business had revenue of $42.75 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $43.70 million. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Flushing Financial will post 1.73 EPS for the current year.
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in FFIC. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA lifted its position in shares of Flushing Financial by 222.3% in the 1st quarter. BNP Paribas Arbitrage SA now owns 5,657 shares of the bank's stock worth $124,000 after purchasing an additional 3,902 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new position in Flushing Financial during the 1st quarter valued at about $164,000. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY lifted its position in Flushing Financial by 344.1% during the 4th quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY now owns 9,526 shares of the bank's stock valued at $205,000 after acquiring an additional 7,381 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc lifted its position in Flushing Financial by 9.7% during the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 9,740 shares of the bank's stock valued at $210,000 after acquiring an additional 858 shares during the period. Finally, Citigroup Inc. lifted its position in Flushing Financial by 13.9% during the 4th quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 11,507 shares of the bank's stock valued at $247,000 after acquiring an additional 1,403 shares during the period. 77.01% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
About Flushing Financial
Flushing Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Flushing Bank that provides banking products and services primarily to consumers, businesses, and governmental units. It offers various deposit products, including checking and savings accounts, money market accounts, demand accounts, NOW accounts, and certificates of deposit.
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After waiting for a dreadful looooooooooooooooong time, finally Love Rain is here! TODAY!
Gosh I am so excited! And also CN Blue's comeback is this week!
The bad thing is.....I am having exams! *Dang* how unfortunate! So right now I have to seriously resist myself from stalking Jang Keun Suk oppa and Jung Yong Hwa oppa! Haiz....why is life like that?!
After next week, I swear I will bring my entire laptop to the library and download/watch their stuffs!
LOVE RAIN...SARANG BI 사랑비 爱情雨!
CN BLUE's 3rd mini album! EAR FUN!


Take time to love your appliances and they will love you back. Follow these steps from Mr. Appliance® to cook up some romance, instead of frustration with inefficient appliances.
Don't run the self-cleaning cycle within one week of a big dinner - ovens have a tendency to fail during or right after a self-cleaning cycle.
Place a handful of ice cubes in the disposal. Add lemon, orange or lime peels and run disposal with cold water for 15 to 30 seconds. Continue to rinse with cold water.
To avoid clogging your garbage disposal, remember to not pour grease down the drain.
Unplug your refrigerator and use a vacuum to remove any dust from the coils. This will help it run more efficiently and trim your utility bills.


text:
Home UK English drink-driving
Meaning of drink-driving in English:
drink-driving
Pronunciation /ˌdrɪŋkˈdrʌɪvɪŋ/
Translate drink-driving into Spanish
mass nounBritish
The offence of driving a vehicle with an excess of alcohol in the blood.
North American term drunk driving
'he recently served a four-month sentence for drink-driving'
'French police found that Paul was over the legal limit for drink-driving at the time of the crash.'
'At the time of the chase, he was on bail for drink-driving and driving while banned.'
'He has been released on bail, pending analysis of a blood sample, for drink-driving.'
'They will contact the police immediately if someone fails to stop or are suspected of committing a crime such as drink-driving.'
'Don't consume more than the permitted alcohol allowance to avoid drink-driving.'
'He also admitted riding without a driving licence and insurance, and had previous convictions for drink-driving.'
'She was charged with drink-driving and pleaded guilty before magistrates, and was sentenced to a month in jail.'
'She had been due to be sentenced for two drink-driving related offences committed while she was already banned for a third.'
'In Florida, where I went on holiday recently, the police are equally tough on drink-driving.'
'Scores of motorists have been caught drink-driving across North Yorkshire in the run-up to Christmas.'
'A driver convicted of drink-driving in a minibus faces the ruin of his family business unless he wins a Crown Court appeal.'
'More motorists were caught drink-driving in Greater Manchester this Christmas.'
'Two months later he was arrested a second time again dressed as a woman, and convicted of drink-driving.'
'A motorist caught drink-driving twice in the same day has been spared prison.'
'Davis pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was banned from driving for 30 months.'
'He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and bailed while further inquiries take place.'
'It is equated with drink-driving, and the motoring organisations are not doing enough to restore a more balanced view.'
'When it comes to drink-driving, we all know the legal limits, but how can we similarly measure tiredness?'
'Most drug use is associated with excessive use of alcohol, so we will usually charge people with drink-driving.'
'He had also been convicted twice before for drink-driving, so he had ample opportunities to mend his ways.'


Enter the abandoned Doll Shop in hopes of turning the place around before Christmas. Many secrets are hidden behind the walls of the infamous Doll Shop, will you find the clues to solve the mystery before it's too late?
When: 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
For one full week, the Royal BC Museum will be offering "Community Days", where admission to the museum will be by donation.
When: January – January 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
John Cullen is the rare comedian that you watch and he's having so much fun on stage that you can't decide whether he's having more fun or you are. A charismatic performer and modern-day renaissance man, John brings his vast experiences as a high school teacher, world-ranked curler, drummer, and best friend to the stage in an attempt to make sure that everyone in the audience has the best time. That's what comedy is about, after all.
When: 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Victoria Grizzlies take on the Langley Rivermen for Family Fun Night at The Q Centre.
When: Puck drops at 7 p.m.
When: 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.


We welcome the creators of Whatever: A Party Game in this week's episode. Learn how Ali and Brittany came up with the idea and made it into a reality. We also play a few rounds and things get weird.
Our listeners are invited to get $5 off their preorder of Whatever: A Party Game, by visiting this link and using the code "love".
We're currently available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts and you can listen to the podcast directly on our website and insert it into your favorite player via our podcast feed.
We are joined by Becker from Spin Radio for this special episode of the Lehigh Valley with Love Podcast. We talk going to the movie theater by yourself, Nardone Bros. Pizza, mayors doing bad things, and more!
We settle it once and for all: Which is better, Wawa or Sheetz? There's really no contest.
We also talk about the Red Ball Project, the Lehigh Valley SteelHawks, and more!
This week, we talk about the Southside Arts & Music Festival happening the weekend of April 20, and the Spring on Southside, happening on April 28.
We also touch base with Farzad, owner of Human Vs. Room, an escape room in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
We take a look at the supposed "Best Thing" from each Lehigh Valley Town and we talk to our buddy over at Model X Tours!
We're currently available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts and you can listen to the podcast directly on our parent company website and insert it into your favorite player via our podcast feed.
The Martin Tower jumper has released the video of himself base jumping! Why can't you pump your own gas in New Jersey? Should Bethlehem have a single hauler garbage system? Also, our first call-in ever!
We tackle Craigslist getting rid of their Personals section and how that affects Missed Connections; the Allentown mayoral candidates, NCAA Tournament local connections, and more!
In this episode we discuss St. Patrick's Day shenanigans throughout the Lehigh Valley, our surprising appearance on a podcast panel, and a weird kidnapping that might not be a kidnapping.
The Top 10 Lehigh Valley Uber destinations, a Lehigh University sorority gets kicked off campus, the 7 Days of Bayou, and much more!
In this episode, we talk about horrible Lehigh Valley weather, the Mayor of Allentown's conviction, and some more depressing items. Oh, and we also talk about St. Patrick's Day parades from here to Scranton.


I recently became fascinated with this word, "eclectic".
It means "made up of or combining elements from a variety of sources".
When I make visits back to my home land, it's a little odd being surrounded by people who look like me, think like me, & talk like me. Of course, there are differences because we are all individuals. But overall, I am in a sea of Americans when I return to the USA. And when I am in my international community, I am a little tadpole in a big pond of other fish! AND, I have grown to like that most of the time! So how did this change happen??
When I first immersed myself in another nation, culture and international community, I was far from comfortable! It was all so odd feeling!
Second, there is the side of being part of the International community in the country you live in. In one way, it unifies you with people from all over the world. You each speak some level of English and are living in a nation that is not your own home nation. But then, you come to realize, there are still differences and you can still feel like the "odd" one.
You know the locals are saying something about you in their language because they keep glancing at you as they are talking. Maybe they are making fun of the language glitches or the food order you made or just the way you look.
You want to talk with another international but English is not their first language (or maybe it is but they speak it different). So, you find yourself saying, "Can you say that again? I didn't quite catch it." And maybe you end up saying that 3-4 times after apologizing with each time…then finally you "catch it!!" Oh, they mean…...! They just had the accent on a different syllable than what is typical.
You start to share about an event in the history of your home nation, and then you realize… "oh, our nations were on opposite sides in that event" (i.e. a war). Then you must find a way to redirect and sputter to a close without offending (hopefully!).
I learn to not take myself and my "image" so seriously.
I remember that I am representing more than ME in the reactions that I have. My reactions are key to how people will continue to see me and treat me AND other foreigners.
They just don't understand. I give them grace and mercy because I want the same given to me.
I just relax. Breathe. Laugh. And move on!
I remember, people are people. They all need the same things: Love, acceptance, trust, etc.
Enjoy the diversity. It brings growth and beauty to life.
Take the challenge to think outside the box of your normal thinking! I have my anchors of beliefs and values that don't change, AND, at the same time, I enjoy seeing life from various points of view. It helps me expand in areas where change is good.
Learning that I don't have to control everything has been huge! I can "let go" and move forward even when it's not perfect. Learning to TRUST the ONE who holds everything together for me!
A wise saying…This too shall pass. Life is fluid and changing in many ways. I try to enjoy the moments and not get uptight about the glitches.
So, with a smile and a hint of laughter in my voice, I can say, "I am an odd one". I am in the eclectic group of internationals! AND I love it!!!


Morehead City NC has its share of nice marinas but none compare to Morehead City Yacht Basin, or Yacht Basin, as it's more commonly referred to as by locals. This infamous hot spot in North Carolina has a fun fact, and that is that Ernest Hemingway once docked his boat here. More important than that "moment of fame," if you will, are the years of dedicated service, commitment to excellence, and established relationships. If you're looking for the most pleasant marinas Morehead City NC, be sure to add us to your list.
We're situated in Carteret County just off Calico Creek. We feature close to 90 slips and can accommodate a variety of large boats and yachts. Guests enjoy greatly priced gas, free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, an observation lounge, and more. At our Morehead City NC marina, we serve all your boating needs. Whether you're sailing by or driving in with your yacht in tow, be sure to stop in here at Yacht Basin.
In need of boat repair, maintenance, or slip rentals in Morehead City, you'll find your one-stop shop here at our premier marina of North Carolina. Questions about our facilities, how we match up to other marinas Morehead City NC, or to let us know how we can best serve you, give us a call, submit an online contact form, or stop in and speak to our dock master or any of our experienced staff members. We invite you to our marina and know you'll feel welcome.


text:
Radiation Oncology Journal > Volume 29(4); 2011 > Article
Park, Kim, Wu, Kim, Ha, Kang, Song, Park, and Kim: The influence of adjuvant radiotherapy on patterns of failure and survivals in uterine carcinosarcoma
Clinical Investigation
Radiation Oncology Journal 2011; 29(4): 228-235.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3857/roj.2011.29.4.228
The influence of adjuvant radiotherapy on patterns of failure and survivals in uterine carcinosarcoma
Hae Jin Park, MD1, Hak Jae Kim, MD1, Hong-Gyun Wu, MD1,2,3, Hans Kim1, Sung Whan Ha, MD1,2,3, Soon-Beom Kang, MD4, Yong-Sang Song, MD4, Noh-Hyun Park, MD4, Jae-Won Kim, MD4
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
2Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
3Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Correspondence: Hak Jae Kim, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea.
Tel: +82-2-2072-2520, Fax: +82-2-765-3317, khjae@snu.ac.kr
Received August 18, 2011 Revised August 31, 2011 Accepted September 15, 2011
Copyright © 2011. The Korean Society for Radiation Oncology
(open-access, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0):
To evaluate the impact of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) on patterns of failure and survivals in uterine carcinosarcoma patients treated with radical surgery.
Between October 1998 and August 2010, 19 patients with stage I-III uterine carcinosarcoma received curative hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without PORT at Seoul National University Hospital. Their hospital medical records were retrospectively reviewed. PORT and non-PORT groups included 11 and 8 patients, respectively. They were followed for a mean of 22.7 months (range, 7.8 to 126.6 months).
At 5 years, the overall survival rates were 51.9% for entire, 61.4% for PORT, and 41.7% for non-PORT groups, respectively. There was no statistical difference between PORT and non-PORT groups with regard to overall survival (p = 0.682). Seven out of 19 (36.8%) patients showed treatment failures, which all happened within 12 months. Although the predominant failures were distant metastasis in PORT group and loco-regional recurrence in non-PORT group, there was no statistically significant difference in loco-regional recurrence-free survival (LRRFS) (p = 0.362) or distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) (p = 0.548). Lymph node metastasis was found to be a significant prognostic factor in predicting poor LRRFS (p = 0.013) and DMFS (p = 0.021), while the International Federation Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (p = 0.043) was associated with LRRFS.
Considering that adjuvant radiotherapy after surgical resection was effective to decrease loco-regional recurrence and most treatment failures were distant metastasis, multimodal therapy including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy might be an optimal treatment for uterine carcinosarcoma patients.
Keywords: Uterus, Carcinosarcoma, Adjuvant radiotherapy, Treatment failure, Survival
Uterine carcinosarcomas, known as malignant mixed mullerian tumors (MMMT) show characteristics of both carcinomas and sarcomas. According to Western studies, uterine carcinosarcomas constitute less than 5% of all uterine malignancies and about a half of all uterine sarcomas [1]. It is also known to frequently occur in postmenopausal women, especially in those who have received pelvic radiation therapy [2,3].
Uterine carcinosarcomas were conventionally considered as a subtype of uterine sarcomas. Therefore, the same treatment as the one used for treating uterine leiomyosarcomas and undifferentiated endometrial carcinomas was used. However, unlike the uterine leiomyosarcomas, the uterine carcinosarcomas exhibit more isolated local recurrences or lymph node metastasis rather than distant failure, which is similar to the failure pattern in uterine carcinomas [4]. Several pathological clues were found that support the idea that uterine carcinosarcomas can be categorized as a type of metaplastic carcinoma, since they are monoclonal in origin [5,6]. Based on such findings, in 2009, the revised International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system classified uterine carcinosarcoma separately from sarcoma and put it under the category of carcinoma [7]. Also, the current treatment guideline recommends treating uterine carcinosarcoma according to the guideline of high grade carcinoma [8]. Uterine carcinosarcoma tends to show poor prognosis compared to the high grade carcinoma, because it is diagnosed at the advanced stage and is also aggressive in nature [9,10].
Uterine carcinosarcomas are rare. Thus, it is difficult to come up with a reliable treatment policy based on results from randomized clinical trials. Currently there is no consensus with regard to the optimal adjuvant treatment of the uterine carcinosarcomas due to the fact that many retrospective studies were conducted with a small number of patients using various different treatment methods. However, the radiation therapy is considered potentially effective to reduce the recurrence rate in pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes, because failures occur in these areas. Moreover, according to recent studies in uterine malignancies, postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) was reported to significantly reduce the local recurrence of tumors in such population [11,12].
The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of PORT on patterns of failure and survivals in uterine carcinosarcoma patients, who received radical surgery at Seoul National University Hospital.
1. Patients
A total of 19 patients were diagnosed as uternie carcinosarcoma after radical hysterectomy at Seoul National University Hospital between October 1998 and August 2010. Patients whose cancer was metastasized were excluded in the study even if they had hysterectomies. Among the 19 patients, 11 received PORT and the other 8 did not. The analysis was done retrospectively by reviewing patients' medical history and examination results.
The age distribution of the patients was from 33 to 78 years (median, 60 years). Sixteen patients were menopausal status at the time of diagnosis. Two patients had previous pelvic irradiation history, and one of them had radical radiotherapy for cervical cancer 25 years before she was diagnosed as uterine carcinosarcoma. The other patient had PORT after rectal cancer surgery 12 years before her diagnosis.
Physical examination, blood test, chest X-ray, chest computed tomography (CT), and intravenous pyelography were conducted for the preoperative staging. Thirteen, 11, and 7 patients received pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET)-CT, and pelvic CT respectively. Pap smear test results were available in 16 patients.
2. Surgery and staging work-up
All 19 patients received hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. They also had pelvic lymph nodes dissection except for 2 patients whose lymph nodes were sampled for biopsy. Among 9 patients who additionally received para-aortic lymph node sampling, one patient reported as having metastatic lymphadenopathy on frozen section examination had para-aortic lymph node dissection. The results of peritoneal washing cytology were available in 16 patients.
Based on the revised FIGO staging system, 9, 6, and 4 patients were categorized as stage I, II, and III after the operation, respectively [7] (Table 1).
3. Radiotherapy
Postoperative radiotherapy was carried out on the radiation oncologists' discretion. Among the 19 patients, 11 (57.9%) had the whole pelvis radiotherapy (WPRT), but no brachytherapy was done. External beam radiotherapy was delivered with 6-16 MV photon beams using 4 portals in daily fractions of 1.8 Gy. The borders of pelvic portal were as follows: superior, L4-5 interspace; inferior, obturator foramen; lateral, 1.5 cm lateral to pelvic brim; anterior, anterior to symphysis pubis; posterior, S2-3 interspace. For 9 patients who received the treatment after 2006, 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) based on CT was carried out. The intended radiation dose for WPRT was 50.4 Gy, however, one patient missed a treatment and received 48.6 Gy. A patient proved to have para-aortic lymphadenopathy was irradiated with 45 Gy to para-aortic lymph nodes region.
The summary of the characteristics of patients and tumors according to the radiation therapy is shown in Table 1.
4. Chemotherapy
Among the 11 patients who received PORT, 6 patients had concurrent chemotherapy. Three patients had paclitaxel and carboplatin. One had doxorubicin and cisplatin, the other one had ifosfamide and cisplatin. The remaining one patient received clisplatin alone. No patient received adjuvant chemotherapy after completion of radiotherapy. Three patients had salvage or palliative chemotherapy after recurrence.
Among the 8 patients who did not receive PORT, 3 received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. Salvage chemotherapy was carried out for 2 patients whose cancer had recurred. Two patients who had previous WPRT did not have PORT.
5. Recurrence evaluation
After the completion of radiotherapy, patients were closely monitored every 3 months during the first 2 years, every 3 months during the next 2 years, and every 6 months during the next 5 years. After that, patients received annual physical examination with blood test and imaging study. Local recurrence was defined as recurrence at the vagina or at the tissues in the vicinity of the vagina. Regional recurrence was defined as tumor recurrence at pelvic or para-aortic lymph nodes according to the 7th edition of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) cancer staging. Distant metastasis was defined as treatment failure at any other location except previously mentioned area. For recurrences that were diagnosed by histologic or cytologic exams, the test date was used as the failure date of the treatment. For recurrences that were diagnosed by imaging study, the failure date of the treatment was set as the date when the MRI or CT was taken.
6. Statistical analysis
SPSS ver. 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. The Kaplan-Meir method was used in order to obtain the graph for the life expectancy and the survival rate of the patients. The differences in the survival rate were estimated using the long-rank test. A p-value < 0.05 was used to determine the statistical significance for all tests.
1. Patterns of failure
The follow-up duration from the date of first treatment varied from 7.8 to 126.6 months (median, 22.7 months). Seven patients (36.8%) showed treatment failures. Four patients (36.4%) experienced recurrence in PORT group, whereas 3 patients (37.5%) had recurrence in non-PORT group (p = 0.922).
All 4 treatment failures from PORT group were distant metastasis and 2 of them also had regional recurrences. Two patients who had lymph node metastasis upon diagnosis experienced regional recurrences despite radiation treatment. One of the patients showed distant metastasis followed by para-arotic lymph node metastasis and the other patient revealed distant metastasis and regional recurrence at pelvic and para-arotic lymph nodes simultaneously. On the other hand, 3 treatment failures in non-PORT group were all loco-regional recurrences. Among them, one patient developed distant metastasis simultaneously (Table 2).
The treatments and the recurrence patterns of the patients who showed treatment failures are summarized in Table 3 according to their stage. Among these patients, patients who received PORT also had concurrent chemotherapy, but they did not receive the additional adjuvant chemotherapy unless it was evident that tumor recurred. A stage IIIB patient with previous WPRT history due to rectal cancer did not receive PORT. Instead she had adjuvant chemotherapy. After the treatment failure, 5 out of 7 patients received salvage chemotherapy. Three patients who did not have PORT did not receive radiation therapy (RT) for salvage purpose. By the time the results were analyzed, all patients who had failed died except one. The only survived patient had local recurrence without distant metastasis and she is alive with disease. All treatment failures occurred within 12 months from the date of surgery.
2. Survivals and prognostic variables
The 5-year overall survival rate (OS) was 51.9% for all patients, 61.4% in PORT group, and 41.7% in non-PORT group, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the two groups (p = 0.682) (Table 4). The predominant failure was distant metastasis in PORT group, but that was local recurrence in non-PORT group. Despite this difference between the two groups, the 5-year loco-regional recurrence free survival rates (LRRFS) were 78.8% and 62.5%, respectively (p = 0.362), and 5-year distant metastasis free survival rates (DMFS) was 63.6% and 75.0%, respectively (p = 0.548), with no statistically significant difference (Figs. 1 and 2).
The results of the univariate analysis of variables such as PORT, age, FIGO stage, preoperative pap smear test, peritoneal washing cytology, myometrium invasion, cervix invasion, and ovary invasion are shown in Table 4. Two patients who were diagnosed with lymph node metastasis had low LRRFS (p = 0.013) and DMFS (p = 0.021), which were statistically significant. When the result was analyzed according to FIGO staging system, the higher the disease stage, the lower the LRRFS was as well as the DMFS was. Positive result of peritoneal washing cytology, which was considered as stage III before the revision of FIGO stage, did affect neither loco-regional recurrence nor survival rates.
3. Treatment toxicity
There was no complication higher than grade 3 associated with the treatment according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v3.0 [13]. However, there were two cases of grade 1-2 lymphedema of lower extremity in PORT group and one case of grade 2 lymphocele in non-PORT group.
Discussion and Conclusion
Uterine carcinosarcoma, which used to be considered as a type of sarcoma in the past, is now being classified as metaplastic carcinoma. In general, the prognosis of this entity is poor compared to high-risk endometrial cancer. According to recent studies, the 5-year survival rate of the uterine carcinosarcoma patients is approximately 30-50% [3,11,14]. In our study, the 5-year survival rate of all patients was 51.9%, which was equivalent or a bit higher compared to the results from other studies. Our study also showed that all seven cases of the first treatment failure occurred within 12 months from the date of surgery. This result is similar to the studies reported by Sartori et al. [15] and Wolfson et al. [16], in which treatment failure tended to happen early.
The main treatment for uterine carcinosarcoma is surgery, which includes hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without pelvic lymph node dissection selectively. In addition, peritoneal washing cytology is performed along with biopsy of the suspicious regions, and omentectomy is also carried out at the physician's discretion. However, no consensus has been established regarding the optimal postoperative adjuvant therapy.
Reed et al. [12] reported the results of subgroup analysis of uterine carcinosarcoma from their phase III clinical trial. This study randomly assigned stage I-II uterine carcinosarcoma patients to the PORT or the observation groups after surgery. It allowed the selective performance of pelvic and para-aortic lymph nodes dissection, and the lymph node sampling was carried out in approximately a quarter of the patient pool. The PORT for the carcinosarcoma group significantly reduced the local recurrence, which was different from the leiomyosarcoma group. However, this reduction of local recurrence did not result in improving the disease free or overall survival rate. In addition, the recent large scale retrospective study done by Sampath et al. [11], who analyzed 1,877 uterine carcinosarcoma patients, reported that the PORT significantly increased LRRFS (5 years, 84% vs. 95%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, Callister et al. [3] reported that pre- or postoperative radiation therapy not only improved the pelvic disease control rate (5 years, 52% vs. 72%, p = 0.0001), but also affected the increased OS rate (5 years, 27% vs. 36%, p = 0.069).
Most studies previously described indicated that PORT reduces the loco-regional recurrence, but does not improve OS. However, several studies reported that adjuvant radiation therapy did increase the OS. According to the analysis of Clayton Smith et al. [17] using Surveillance Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, 890 out of 2,461 patients received PORT and the OS increased from 33.2% to 41.5% (p < 0.001) with the addition of PORT. When the data from stage I-III patients were analyzed, there was also a statistically significant improvement in the OS (p = 0.03).
Our study did not demonstrate that PORT provided the treatment benefit in terms of improving LRRFS, DMFS, and OS. However, except for the two patients who had lymph node metastasis at diagnosis, there was no loco-regional recurrence among patients who had PORT. There were 3 local recurrences among patients who did not receive PORT. Therefore, it can be inferred that PORT for uterine carcinosarcoma patients was effective as a local therapy to prevent loco-regional recurrence even though it is difficult to make any statistical significance due to the small size patient pool. Also, the role of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy can be inferred in that 6 out of 7 failure cases had distant metastasis and PORT reduced loco-regional recurrences.
In this context, there have been several studies which have investigated the role of adjuvant therapy in uterine carcinosarcoma using multimodal approach since year 2000 [18-20]. These studies all show that treatment, which includes surgical operation, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, increased the OS of uterine carcinosarcoma patients compared to treatment that only involves PORT or chemotherapy alone. In the case of our study, concurrent chemotherapy was applied to 6 patients among 11 who received PORT, but none of them had additional chemotherapy.
It is well known that the stage is a powerful prognostic factor. However, with regard to the other prognosis variables, different results have been reported depending on researchers. Yamada et al. [21] reported that more than half of myometrium infiltration, lympho-vascular space invasion, positive result of peritoneal washing cytology, adnexa invasion, uterine serosa invasion, and lymph node metastasis were factors that contributed to poor prognosis in terms of disease free interval. The adjuvant radiation therapy was related to the increased OS (p = 0.03). Callister et al. [3] reported that postmenopausal status at diagnosis, uterus length more than 10 cm, and cervix invasion were factors that contributed to poor cause specific survival rate. The study also showed that peritoneum infiltration, previous history of pelvic radiation therapy, and not receiving radiotherapy were independent factors that contributed to poor pelvic control rate [3]. Our study showed that the stage was the prognostic factor for LRRFS (p = 0.043), but it marginally affected the DMFS (p = 0.078). Among the factors mentioned previously, lymph node metastasis was the only factor that affected both LRRFS (p = 0.013) and DMFS (p = 0.021) with statistical significance. It also affected the OS (p = 0.059). However, it is difficult to make any definitive conclusion due to the small number of patients. Thus, additional studies need to be done with a larger number of patients in the future.
In conclusion, the 5-year OS of the uterine carcinosarcoma patients who were treated at Seoul National University Hospital was 51.9%, and the 5-year LRRFS was 78.8% in PORT group. Although our results did not show any statistical significance because of the small number of patients and limited follow-up period, PORT can be considered as effective in preventing loco-regional recurrence based on the patterns of treatment failure. Considering that most treatment failures were distant metastasis, a multi-modal treatment approach that combines surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy, and chemotherapy for uterine carcinosarcoma should be considered.
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10. Vaidya AP, Horowitz NS, Oliva E, Halpern EF, Duska LR. Uterine malignant mixed mullerian tumors should not be included in studies of endometrial carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol 2006;103:684–687, PMID: 16797683.
11. Sampath S, Schultheiss TE, Ryu JK, Wong JY. The role of adjuvant radiation in uterine sarcomas. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2010;76:728–734, PMID: 19700247.
12. Reed NS, Mangioni C, Malmstrom H, et al. Phase III randomised study to evaluate the role of adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy in the treatment of uterine sarcomas stages I and II: an European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Gynaecological Cancer Group Study (protocol 55874). Eur J Cancer 2008;44:808–818, PMID: 18378136.
13. Trotti A, Colevas AD, Setser A, et al. CTCAE v3.0: development of a comprehensive grading system for the adverse effects of cancer treatment. Semin Radiat Oncol 2003;13:176–181, PMID: 12903007.
14. Makker V, Abu-Rustum NR, Alektiar KM, et al. A retrospective assessment of outcomes of chemotherapy-based versus radiation-only adjuvant treatment for completely resected stage I-IV uterine carcinosarcoma. Gynecol Oncol 2008;111:249–254, PMID: 18755503.
15. Sartori E, Bazzurini L, Gadducci A, et al. Carcinosarcoma of the uterus: a clinicopathological multicenter CTF study. Gynecol Oncol 1997;67:70–75, PMID: 9345359.
16. Wolfson AH, Brady MF, Rocereto T, et al. A gynecologic oncology group randomized phase III trial of whole abdominal irradiation (WAI) vs. cisplatin-ifosfamide and mesna (CIM) as post-surgical therapy in stage I-IV carcinosarcoma (CS) of the uterus. Gynecol Oncol 2007;107:177–185, PMID: 17822748.
17. Clayton Smith D, Kenneth Macdonald O, Gaffney DK. The impact of adjuvant radiation therapy on survival in women with uterine carcinosarcoma. Radiother Oncol 2008;88:227–232, PMID: 18160157.
18. Wong L, See HT, Khoo-Tan HS, Low JS, Ng WT, Low JJ. Combined adjuvant cisplatin and ifosfamide chemotherapy and radiotherapy for malignant mixed mullerian tumors of the uterus. Int J Gynecol Cancer 2006;16:1364–1369, PMID: 16803531.
19. Manolitsas TP, Wain GV, Williams KE, Freidlander M, Hacker NF. Multimodality therapy for patients with clinical Stage I and II malignant mixed Mullerian tumors of the uterus. Cancer 2001;91:1437–1443, PMID: 11301390.
20. Menczer J, Levy T, Piura B, et al. A comparison between different postoperative treatment modalities of uterine carcinosarcoma. Gynecol Oncol 2005;97:166–170, PMID: 15790453.
21. Yamada SD, Burger RA, Brewster WR, Anton D, Kohler MF, Monk BJ. Pathologic variables and adjuvant therapy as predictors of recurrence and survival for patients with surgically evaluated carcinosarcoma of the uterus. Cancer 2000;88:2782–2786, PMID: 10870061.
Loco-regional recurrence-free survival according to adjuvant radiotherapy (RT).
Distant metastasis free-survival according to adjuvant radiotherapy (RT).
BSO, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy; PLNBx, pelvic lymph node biopsy; PLND, pelvic lymph node dissection; PALNS, para-aortic lymph node sampling; PALND, para-aortic lymph node dissection; FIGO, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Patterns of failure
Details of treatment failure
RT, radiotherapy; CTx, chemotherapy.
a)Patient 5 had history of previous pelvic radiotherapy for the treatment of rectal cancer. b)All radiotherapy was combined with concurrent chemotherapy.
Univariate analysis of prognostic factors
OS, overall survival; LRRFS, loco-regional recurrence-free survival; DMFS, distant metastasis-free survival; FIGO, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics; LN, lymph node.
PubReader
ePub Link
XML Download
Prognostic significance of adjuvant radiation therapy in adenocarcinoma of the cecum2018 March;36(1)
Treatment outcomes after adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery for patients with stage I endometrial cancer2016 December;34(4)
The impact of radiotherapy on clinical outcomes in parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma2016 December;34(4)
The Role of Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Extrahepatic Bile Duct Carcinoma1991 December;9(2)
The Results of Curative Radiation Therapy for 49 Patients of the Uterine Cervical Carcinomas1992 December;10(2)


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Small Business Loan Uses | Goverment Grants
Are you looking for Small Business Loan Uses?
Small Business Loan Using Ein
Small Business Loan Underwriting Guidelines
Several nonprofit organizations and community contributors provide grants for "for-profit businesses." These grants can be as small as a few thousand dollars up to more than $100,000. To be eligible for these funds, businesses must obtain a business loan and identify an investor. They must also conduct adequate due diligence.
The National Minority Supplier Development Council offers business services, networking opportunities, and one-off funding opportunities. The National Minority Supplier Development Council also has a network small business advisors in the community who can help businesses thrive and grow. Operation Hope is another small business-focused organization that offers 12-week and eight-week entrepreneurship training programs. This program helps minority business owners start their own businesses. Small Business Loan Uses.
Federal grants often require matching funds. In some cases, matching funds may be available from other sources, such in-kind services offered by applicants. The match requirement is usually a percentage of the project cost. In some cases, a volunteer organization may be able to provide matching funds. These contributions must be related and necessary to the project's goals.
When applying for match funds, it's important to keep overhead expenses in mind. Often people will overlook these expenses, which include marketing materials and tools. These costs should be included in the proposal budget. If they are not, they will have to be acquired or donated to the organization. It is important to keep a detailed record of all costs.
Universities, other nonprofit partners, or philanthropic organisations can provide the match. Federal funds can be used to provide match funds. However, this must be allowed. Typically, these funds can be provided in cash or in-kind form. Once the match has been secured, the project can proceed.
Grants are non-repayable funds that are given to small businesses to help them grow. These funds may come from government agencies, corporations, and trusts. Banks and other private lenders are more likely to give loans. These loans usually require formal agreements. Grants can also be used for research and development and exporting.
Business loans, on the other hand, require repayment and can be accompanied with collateral. As a result, they are often used to start or expand businesses. While business loans are easier to obtain, business grants are rare and more competitive. This is because business grants do not report to credit reporting agencies for personal or business credit.
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SOMALIA: Al Shabab's Frightening Network of Spies
May 28, 2019 May 28, 2019 somaliland monitor 0 Comments
By Mary Harper
Somalia's militant Islamists remain relatively undiminished, despite a 12-year UN-backed campaign against them, largely thanks to its sophisticated web of spies, writes the BBC's Mary Harper.
Often, when I return to the UK from Somalia, I get a phone call from al-Shabab. It usually happens even before I talk to my family, while I am waiting for my luggage or in a taxi on the way home.
Once, after a trip to the south-western Somali town of Baidoa, I was given a detailed account of what I had done and where I had been.
"You walked to a bank but it was shut. You knocked on the doors and tried to open them. You took some photos," said the man from al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda.
"Your bodyguards were not at all professional. They were wandering about, chatting amongst themselves with their guns slung around their shoulders, instead of keeping watch over you."
When I ask members of al-Shabab how they know all these things, how they can be so accurate, my contacts simply tell me they have friends everywhere.
I tell them I am scared they know my itinerary so intimately, but they tell me not to worry as they have far more important targets than me. However, they do say I could be in "the wrong place at the wrong time" and suffer the consequences.
'They are everywhere'
I presume some of the people who track my movements in Somalia are part of the militant group's ruthless intelligence wing, the Amniyat. Others might be people who work on a "pay-as-you-go" basis, receiving small sums for imparting information.
Even more terrifying is the way the militants track people they want to recruit, threaten or kill.
"Al-Shabab are like djinns [spirits]. They are everywhere," said one young man the militants wanted to punish because he sold fridges and air conditioners to members of the UN-backed Somali government and the African Union intervention force [Amisom], both considered enemies by al-Shabab.
Another man who had defected from al-Shabab explained how, one day, a member of the group called him to tell him the colour of the shirt he was wearing and which street he was walking down on a particular day at a particular time.
Others have spoken about how militants come to their houses and places of work inside Mogadishu to threaten or try to recruit them. All this, despite the fact that the group "withdrew" from the capital in August 2011.
Al-Shabab at a glance:
Means "The Youth" in Arabic
Formed as a radical offshoot of the Union of Islamic Courts, which controlled Mogadishu, in 2006
Core fighters number between 5,000 and 6,000
Members of spy network number between 500 and 1,000
Main funding via tax collection and protection money
Controls most rural areas of southern Somalia
"The Amniyat is the veins of the organisation. It is all-powerful. If the Amniyat was destroyed, there would be no al-Shabab," says Hussein Sheikh Ali, a former security adviser to the Somali president and director of the Hiraal Institute, a Mogadishu-based think tank.
He says the Amniyat is more than an intelligence unit.
"It literally controls al-Shabab. As well as its core purpose which is intelligence gathering, it deals with sensitive areas of security. If a senior member of al-Shabab is sick or injured, the Amniyat will deal with it. It manages finances of a secret and delicate nature, and plans the big terror attacks inside and outside the country."
People in the Amniyat are better paid than other members of the movement. They have spread their tentacles far and wide, including in place considered to be safe.
'At home in enemy territory'
One time, when I didn't leave the heavily protected international airport, and stayed in accommodation on the base, a militant called to say it knew I had been in Somalia.
Mohamed Mubarak, a researcher based in Mogadishu, estimates that the number of people in the Amniyat ranges from between 500 and 1,000.
"They are designed to live in enemy territory. They spend most of their time in government territory," he says.
According to Mr Mubarak, women play a crucial role in helping members of the Amniyat.
"Women support the Amniyat. They are part of its infrastructure. Al-Shabab wives have to help them by providing a bed for the night, feeding them, transporting things for them and passing on messages."
The Amniyat is highly secretive. Its members hide their identities from each other. Mr Mubarak explains how Amniyat cells do not know the details of other cells. Members cover their faces when they meet amongst themselves, even within the same cell.
"Only their leaders know their faces," he says.
'Like Stalinist secret police'
The Amniyat has a number of different departments. The main one focuses on intelligence and counter-intelligence, while others deal with bombings and assassinations.
People who defect from al-Shabab are terrified the Amniyat will track them down.
Defectors in a rehabilitation centre said the only way they could be safe from al-Shabab would be to flee Somalia.
"Al-Shabab calls me on the phone," said one man who had fought with the group for six years. "I will try to melt away in a big city like Mogadishu or Baidoa, but I am scared they will find me there. I will only be safe if I go to Europe or the Gulf."
Although the US has increased airstrikes in Somalia in recent months, it is facing great difficulty in destroying al-Shabab. This is partly because so many members of the Amniyat hide in plain sight in government territory, making them impossible to target.
According to Richard Barrett, a former director of British global counter-terrorism operations who now works in Somalia, the Aminyat is "the elite of al-Shabab, with a reputation both inside and outside the movement as efficient, ruthless and disciplined".
"There is no doubt that much of al-Shabab's success in government-held areas can be ascribed to the Amniyat," he says. "It is a Stalinist secret police with extensive powers and operational latitude."
Mary Harper is the BBC World Service's Africa editor and author of Everything You Have Told Me Is True
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Ethiopian Court Allows Prosecutor's Request for Witness Protection in Abdi Iley Case


New-Pals Paper Arts blog challenge!
Because I had to play with this new Pals Paper Arts blog challenge here, I'm posting twice today. One of my favorite blogs for Stampin' Up inspiration is Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty here and she's one of the design team members of PPA.
I'm gradually warming up to Bermuda Bay and this challenge helped me appreciate the color even more. I chose my Enjoy Every Moment stamp set for this card. I used one of the circles to create my own patterned paper in Bermuda Bay since I don't have any yet. And inking up the "enjoy" stamp with the new In Color markers was awfully easy too. I also used the small flower stamp and White craft ink to put the pattern on the Melon Mambo paper under the ribbon.
Another card for this sketch at Splitcoast. I decided to go mono-chromatic for this one and use the Really Rust patterns designer papers from the Level One hostess set. I also used the One of a Kind stamp set and the coordinating Boho Blossoms punch. This punch is awesome and helps make quick use of punching out stamped images.
I made this card when I first got my Razzleberry Lemonade papers because I'm trying to use each side of the designer papers to show it's versatility. I used the Cheep Talk and Circle Circus stamp sets that are both also very versatile.
It's Tuesday and that means another color challenge at Splitcoast here. This one uses Certainly celery, Pixie Pink, Apricot appeal and a neutral of choice. I needed a wedding card so I used the stamp from Fun and Fast Notes. This is really great set if you're on a budget and want lots of options from one stamp set! I dressed up the Apricot paper by running it through the Big Shot with the Stampin' Up Backgrounds 1 texture plate.
It's Monday and that means another sketch at the Mojo Monday blog here. Obviously, I have the Christmas in July mojo going on. And once again, using my favorite color, red. Only another 79 more Christmas cards to make.
You're going to LOVE our Heart to Heart punch, especially July 27-31 when it's just $10.99—that's more than 30% off the regular price of $15.95!Throughout July, be sure to check my web site every Monday at 10 AM (MT) for the week's new deal.
This punch coordinates with the Love You Much stamp set on page 44 of the 2009-2010 Idea Book and Catalog. Contact me with any questions or to place an order!
Another take at this week's Stamping 411 sketch.
This one went pretty quickly too. The most time-consuming element was stamping the flower three times, once on the base white square, then on a scrap in Soft Suede and then a third time on a scrap in Ruby Red. And then cutting the two out and lining them up and adhering them. These papers are from the Prints Pack III hostess set.
I used the Flight of the Butterfly stamp set with the Cottage Wall Designer Papers on this thank you card. I think this stamp set compliments these papers really well. I used the "stamping off" technique on both the butterfly and the little flowers. All you do is ink up your stamp, stamp it once on some scrap paper, then stamp the image again as normal. It gives your projects a little depth, yet the colors still coordinate.
I needed some thank you cards for my new teenager, Abby's birthday gifts so I made this quick and easy card with the Pink Flamingo designer papers. I also used the Wow Flowers stamp set for the thank you image. I just punched out a bunch of coordinating papers with the scallop square punch, inked up the stamp with Tempting turquoise and Real red markers, punched that out with the 1 1/4 in circle punch, layered that onto a 1 3/8 in circle punched with Real red, used a yellow Circle Fire Rhinestone brad in the center and adhered with Stampin' Dimensionals. Oh, and I also punched a Real Red flower with the Trio Flower punch and added a dot with a White gel pen.
I'm at it again! I made a card for another Splitcoast Stampers Card Sketch here.
Easy-peasy to just print out the sketch and measure, cut and create accordingly! I'm trying to use each design of all my designer papers while I wait to be able to pre-order from the Holiday Mini on Aug. 1st (another perk of being a demo).
I used the Stampin' Up Backgrounds 1 texture plate on the top part of this card. I thought that design coordinates perfectly with the Razzleberry paper.
Here's my take on this Mojo Monday week #96 sketch.
I can always use birthday cards so I made another one. I'm also loving The Write Stuff Specialty papers. I could have used one of the big flowers from the die-cuts but I tend to hoard my papers and die cuts. I used the Scallop Circle #2 Bigz die instead.
Our Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware adds class to any project. Get them for just $18.99 (over 30% off the regular price of $29.95)—only July 20-26!Throughout July, be sure to check my web site every Monday at 10 AM (MT) for the week's new deal.
Check out my web site here for more info or to place an order.
I made this birthday card for another Stamping 411 challenge here. One of my cards was picked as a top 5 for Stampers Showcase sketch #107(see my July 11th Christmas card). Whoo-hoo!
These sketches are just a breeze and fun to play along with too.
I had three, self-imposed objectives with this card. One, to use stamp sets that have been neglected lately. Thus, I used Trendy Trees. Two, to use only current designer papers (and do I have LOTS of retired stuff-I'm a paper hoarder). So I used To the Nines Specialty papers. And three, to make more masculine or non-flowery cards. I think I covered all three!
This stamp set should be used with the Stamp-a-ma-jig too. It lines things up just right.
I made another card with the Cottage Wall Designer Papers. I also used this sketch from Splitcoast. I can't say enough how easy these are to follow! I really like this Cottage Wall dsp, even though I'm not a big purple fan (as my Mom can tell you)! I think she'll be getting some creations with this paper for Christmas presents-she's a HUGE purple fan!
It's my daughter Abby's 13th birthday today so I had to share a bright, cheery, funny, lovable card just like Abby! Her sister, Megan, her aunt, Nene, Abby and I are going to see Taylor Swift tonight so it ought to be a fun night.
The card was super easy to make. Just 2 pieces of Pink Flamingo dsp, some layered card stock, some images from Party Hearty and it's all set.
Happy 13th birthday Abigail Kathleen!
Razzleberry get well card made for Splitcoast sketch #237 here.
These sketches are just great to do. You can print out the sketch and it prints out exactly to the size of an A2 card. Just a little bit of paper trimming and you can make a really cute card pretty quickly. I just love the Teeny Tiny Wishes set! There is an endless number of occasions.
I figured it was time to make a card with Dusty Durango. This new In Color has probably been the most neglected so far. Hopefully I'll make some more with this color as fall approaches. This was a super quick and easy one too. I used the leaf stamp from Petal Pizzaz and randomly stamped that in Dusty durango, Soft Suede and Crushed curry on Whisper white cardstock. Then just layered that on a piece of Soft suede then Dusty durango. I LOVE the Dusty durango polka dot grosgrain ribbon. I finished it off with a Curry scallop circle and embossed the acorn/thanks stamp with white craft ink and white embossing powder.
I'm outta my comfort zone with these colors. But that's good cuz challenges are good for just that! I made this card for the Splitcoast Color Challenge #227 here. I didn't have any Going Gray card stock so I substituted Basic Gray.
I made a "manly " card for this Mojo Monday sketch.
I'm always looking for good ideas for masculine birthday cards and I think this one with the To The Nines Specialty papers and Party Hearty stamp set fits the bill! I just left off the bow from the sketch and this is ready to go!
Add sparkle to your projects with our Square Fire Rhinestone brads. From July 13–19, they're just $6.99—over 30% off the regular price of $10.95!Throughout July, be sure to check my web site every Monday at 10 AM (MT) for the week's new deal.
Check out my Stampin' Up web site here for more details or to place an order.
I got a sneak peek of the Holiday Mini today. As a demo we get to pre-order from the publications. I can't wait to show you the new papers, ribbons, punches and cute stamp sets when I can order in August. Everyone else can order beginning September 1st.
First, this challenge for Stamping 411.
And then this challenge on Splitcoast-Christmas in July.
I'm a Real Red girl at heart and had to have this new 3/4 inch polka dot grosgrain ribbon the minute I saw it in the new catty!
I really love the Christmas Punch hostess set too cuz there are so many cute images you can just ink up and punch right out!
on Splitcoast. I'm really inspired lately by all the challenges out there. This card literally took me less than 10 minutes to make. I just layered a piece of real red cardstock on a 4 1/4 by 8 1/2 sheet of tempting turquoise. Then I used a design from a piece of the Pink Flamingo designer series papers on top of the real red. The only stamping was the Happy Birthday circle from Think Happy Thoughts in turquoise then the real red flower in the middle. I put a turquoise brad in the middle then a piece of turquoise 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon and it was done!
I'm just enjoying making cards with some new papers I ordered from the '09-10 Idea Book and Catalog. These papers are from The Write Stuff Specialty papers. They're a little different in that you get 2 sheets each of 3 double-sided designs then 3 die-cut sheets of coordinating designs.
I think this card could be used for just about any occasion-just stamp what you need on the inside and you're good to go.
My order from the new 2009-2010 Idea book and catalog arrived today. But I didn't get to play til late tonight.
I used this sketch challenge from Splitcoast.
I really like all the different designs in the Cottage Wall Designer Series papers. It's a bit outta my color zone but that helps me be more creative. I already have lots of ideas for gifts for Mom-purple is her favorite color!
I'm on a roll with two posts in one day!
Here's a card I made for this Stampin 411 challenge. This card took less than 10 minutes to put together. I'm slowly getting into the new In Colors and the Razzleberry Lemonade paper is growing on me too.
You'll feel like a big shot carrying around the Big Shot Doctor's bag! July 6-12, get the Big Shot Doctor's Bag for $49.99. That's nearly 30% off the regular price of $69.95!Throughout July, be sure to check my web site every Monday at 10 AM (MT) for the week's new deal.
See my Stampin' Up demo business website here for more details or to place an order.
My order from the new 2009-2010 Idea book is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I can't wait to play and show you some more samples with my new goodies!
I thought I'd share some 4th of July cards I made to give to my family. They're pretty cute if I do say so myself!
Thanks to all our military men, woman and families for all their sacrafice! We couldn't celebrate this day without them!
All three cards use Whisper white, Real Red and Night of Navy papers and inks(with two of them also using Whisper White craft ink & white embossing powder). Card descriptions are from left to right.
I'm on a roll! I made this quick and cute card for a Splitcoast Sketch Challenge. See here.
This can be used for just about anything-a thank you, get well, thinking of you, birthday, etc.
It came together super fast using the 1 inch and 1 1/4 in circle punches. I popped up the sun with a Stampin Dimensional and added the darling, Crushed Curry polka dot grosgrain ribbon.
2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog is HERE!
The 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalog is here. Some great new In Colors as I've been previewing. I just put in an order this afternoon so can't wait to play with more new stuff!
Also a great promotion from JULY 1-5th: Scallop edge punch for just $10.99-over 30% off the regular $15.95 price!
Check back for the Summer Fun promotion NEW every week thru the month of July.
Here's a card I made for my Mom's birthday with the new catty goods. Notice, I used the scallop edge punch that's on sale too.


Sometimes the biggest Super Bowl heroes aren't the guys you'd expect. While Hall of Famers like John Elway and Joe Montana put on some memorable performances in the Big Game, there have also been plenty of under-the-radar players who saved their best career moments for the biggest stage. Before new legends are made in Super Bowl LII, here's a look back at the biggest unsung heroes in Super Bowl history.


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Prince William took the Queen's place at an investiture ceremony on Tuesday after Her Royal Highness suffered 'mild discomfort' with her ankle.
Buckingham Palace was quick to confirm that she was not unwell and would undertake a 'busy programme of engagements' the following day.
The Duke of Cambridge made theatre director Michael Attenborough, actress Claire Bloom and politician Menzies Campbell CBEs and honoured actor Sir Tony Robinson with a knighthood.
William looked particularly dapper for the ceremony in his RAF uniform. Having put in some practice at his first ceremony on 17 October, the new father expertly wielded the ceremonial sword and pinned awards on the recipients.
It is the second investiture ceremony that the Duke has hosted. His first saw him honour tennis star Andy Murray with an OBE.
With a warm smile, the amiable royal performed his official duties with aplomb, all the while bringing his trademark good humour to proceedings.
The second in line to the throne is "currently considering a number of options for public service, a further announcement on which will follow in due course," the statement said.
Outside of Buckingham Palace, William recently represented the Queen on a state visit.
He joined the leader of South Korea, President Park Geun-hye, in unveiling a war memorial at Victoria Embankment Gardens in London.
It was the first time that William acted on behalf of the 87-year-old reigning monarch during a state visit.
Prince William: Goodbye Royal Air Force!