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The men's openweight competition at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan was held on 3 October at the Gudeok Gymnasium.

Schedule
All times are Korea Standard Time (UTC+09:00)

Results
Legend
WO — Won by walkover

Main bracket

Repechage

References
2002 Asian Games Report, Page 463

External links
Official website

M999
Judo at the Asian Games Men's Openweight


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Get your questions in for Issue 30 of Coach's Corner
The Wallabies have named their squad for the Spring Tour, so there's plenty to sink our teeth into on Coach's Corner as we gear up for some late-night rugby action.
Every Friday, Nick Bishop, The Roar's resident rugby expert, takes your questions about all the goings-on in the game right now in his column that's always a must-read.
Miss the latest issue of Coach's Corner? Catch up right here!
It's back to the future for Australia as yet more blasts from the past we thought we'd never see again in gold are welcomed back into the fold ahead of the UK Tests. Rory Arnold, Will Skelton and Tolu Latu join the likes of Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Sean McMahon to have answered Dave Rennie's call, as the 'Giteau Law' continues to fade into the sunset.
But questions have been asked about Rennie's long-term planning still two years out from a World Cup, with a number of future prospects, headlined by Noah Lolesio, left out of the touring squad. Could the Wallabies come to rue only worrying about the now in the next few years?
>> Check out the full Spring Tour fixture
Meanwhile, over in the UK, it seems England have unearthed another prodigy – 22-year old Marcus Smith, who was given a taste of international rugby against the USA and Canada with the big guns away on British and Irish Lions duty, before getting a shock late call-up for the Lions themselves against the Springboks. Fresh off an outstanding performance for the Harlequins in the Premiership, pressure is mounting for Eddie Jones to give the supremely talented fly-half a spot in his starting XV.
If you've got rugby questions; we – and Nick Bishop – can't wait to hear them. So get asking in the comments below and, of course, check back in on The Roar on Friday to see the answers.
PlayUp is a proudly Australian-owned bookmaker with the best customer service in the business. Looking for a punt? PlayUp is your best. Please gamble responsibly.

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Roquito "Roque" R. Ablan, Jr. (April 22, 1932 – March 26, 2018) was a Filipino politician who served as representative from Ilocos Norte. He is one of the most prominent politicians in Ilocos Norte, having served 8 terms in Congress.

Early life and education
He was born on April 22, 1932 in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. He was the son of former Ilocos Norte governor Roque Ablan, Sr. and Dona Manuela R. Ablan. He graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law where he joined the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity with Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. in 1950.

Ablan was known to be a close ally of President Ferdinand Marcos. In an interview, Ablan mentioned that he ran errands to deliver bar examination review materials to a then-detained Marcos.

Political career
He was first elected as Ilocos Norte provincial board member in 1963, and concurrently served as Chairman of the League of Provincial Board Members in the Philippines until 1967.

In 1967, he was elected into the House of Representatives through a special election and served until 1972. He was also elected to the 1971 Constitutional Convention as a delegate from Ilocos Norte. After the 1986 People Power Revolution, he was again elected as representative of Ilocos Norte and served from 1987 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010, respectively. During these terms, he chaired the congressional committees on Housing, Dangerous Drugs, and Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Diplomacy. Among his notable legislation include the Rent Control Act of 2009, the Death Penalty Law, and the Magna Carta for Migrant Workers.

In 1998, he ran for Ilocos Norte governor but lost to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Legal career
In 1968, Ablan and Filipino lawyer and bar topnotcher Amado M. Santiago, Jr. co-founded Ablan & Santiago, a law firm which held office at Ermita, Manila. Ablan later on left the firm to run for public office.

Military service
Ablan served as a soldier under the 5th Special Forces of the United States of America in Vietnam. Although an incumbent Ilocos Norte Representative, he was also a member of the Philippine Civic Action Group (PHILCAG) in South Vietnam from 1968 to 1975.

Death
Ablan died on March 26, 2018 in St. Luke's Medical Center, Taguig City. He is buried in the Maharlika cemetery in Laoag City.

He is survived by his son, PCOO Assistant Secretary and former Ilocos Norte Board Member Kristian Ablan.

References

1932 births
21st-century Filipino politicians
20th-century Filipino lawyers
Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Ilocos Norte
University of the Philippines Diliman alumni
2018 deaths

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The Yield
By: Tara June Winch
Narrated by: Tony Briggs
A young Australian woman searches for her grandfather's dictionary, the key to halting a mining company from destroying her family's home and ancestral land in this exquisitely written, heartbreaking, yet hopeful novel of culture, language, tradition, suffering, and empowerment in the tradition of Louise Erdrich, Sandra Cisneros, and Amy Harmon.
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Growing up Aboriginal in Australia
By: Anita Heiss
Narrated by: Gregory J Fryer, Hunter Page-Lochard, Lisa Maza, and others
What is it like to grow up Aboriginal in Australia? This anthology, compiled by award-winning author Anita Heiss, showcases many diverse voices, experiences and stories in order to answer that question. Accounts from well-known authors and high-profile identities sit alongside those from newly discovered writers of all ages. All of the contributors speak from the heart - sometimes calling for empathy, oftentimes challenging stereotypes, always demanding respect.
Every non-Indigenous Australian should read this
By Friend on 03-23-21
Narrated by: Gregory J Fryer, Hunter Page-Lochard, Lisa Maza, Shari Sebbens, Tamala Shelton, Tony Briggs
Knowing that he will soon die, Albert 'Poppy' Gondiwindi takes pen to paper. His life has been spent on the banks of the Murrumby River at Prosperous House, on Massacre Plains. Albert is determined to pass on the language of his people and everything that was ever remembered. He finds the words on the wind. August Gondiwindi has been living on the other side of the world for 10 years when she learns of her grandfather's death.
Knowing that he will soon die, Albert 'Poppy' Gondiwindi has one final task he must fulfill. A member of the indigenous Wiradjuri tribe, he has spent his adult life in Prosperous House and the town of Massacre Plains, a small enclave on the banks of the Murrumby River. Before he takes his last breath, Poppy is determined to pass on the language of his people, the traditions of his ancestors and everything that was ever remembered by those who came before him. The land itself aids him; he finds the words on the wind.


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Home » Guides » Conservation Easements in Court
Conservation Easements in Court
A Review of Easement Violation and Enforcement Litigation in Pennsylvania
Natale v. Schwartz [1]
Lancaster Farmland Trust v. Petersheim [2]
Northampton Twp. v. Parsons [3]
Ray v. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy [4]
Stockport Mt. Corp., LLC v. Norcross Wildlife Found., Inc. [5]
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Topel [6]
Lancaster Farmland Trust v. Hostetter [7]
American Freedom Oil & Gas LLC v. Audubon Society of Western PA v. Milko [8]
Schwartz v. Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board [9]
Natural Lands v. Marshall [10]
Naylor v. Board of Supervisors of Charlestown Township and French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc. [11]
A review of Pennsylvania judicial decisions reveals that conservation easement holders and the conservation values they uphold prevail when a dispute leads to litigation. Courts respect the text of easement documents and their conservation purposes. This guide reviews eleven cases where the interpretation or enforcement of a conservation easement was at the center of litigation.
Across Pennsylvania, hundreds of thousands of acres of land are encumbered by conservation easements. Each easement's granting document sets forth conservation objectives and restrictions to protect natural or scenic values particular to the eased property. When a landowner wishes to undertake activities contrary to the conservation objectives and restrictions, conflicts can arise. While easement holders have interest in resolving disputes amicably, legal action is sometimes the only route to a resolution.
A review of Pennsylvania judicial decisions reveals that conservation easement holders and the conservation values they uphold prevail in the end when a dispute regarding interpretation or enforcement leads to litigation. If structures have been built in violation of an easement, courts can and do order their demolition at the violator's expense. If parties enter an agreement in violation of an easement, the courts will vacate that agreement. In many cases, the courts order the violator to pay the easement holder's attorney fees and costs incurred in enforcing the easement.
In preparing this report, the authors identified eleven instances where conflicts concerning the interpretation or violation of a conservation easement led to litigation in Pennsylvania courts:
Four cases were initiated by landowners after an easement holder informed them a certain land use was prohibited by the conservation easement encumbering their property.
Five cases were initiated by an easement holder upon learning of a proposed or ongoing violation of the conservation easement encumbering the property.
One case was initiated by the local district attorney as a criminal matter.
One case was initiated by a neighboring property owner.
From the outcomes of these cases we learn that in every instance the language of the easement document is central to the court's analysis. In Pennsylvania, the courts interpret conservation easement provisions following the rules for interpretation of a contract. This means that plain language in the written recorded document controls. Further, per Pennsylvania's Conservation and Preservation Easements Act (Act 29 of 2001), any ambiguity in the restrictive language is resolved in favor of the conservation objectives of the easement and conservation purposes of the Act. In every single case reviewed (except for the Naylor case which is awaiting a decision on appeal), whether initiated by the landowner or the easement holder, the courts ruled in favor of the easement holder or the parties settled on terms favorable for the easement holder.
Detailed descriptions of each of the cases reviewed are provided below in chronological order from the date of final resolution.
In Natale, the easement holder filed suit against the landowner after learning the landowner obtained building permits to construct a home on the encumbered parcel. The trial court ruled in favor of the landowner by denying the easement holder's request for an injunction and the landowner constructed the house. Subsequently though, on appeal the Superior Court reversed the trial court's decision, permanently prohibiting use of the parcel for residential purposes and requiring the landowner to pay the cost of demolishing the home.
The Natales purchased a property subject to a conservation easement in 1989. The conservation easement held by the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust stated that:
[t]he property shall be restricted to farming or to use as a wildlife sanctuary or nature conservation area, and for study of natural history. No buildings or structures shall be placed thereon, other than small buildings or structures accessory to such uses and for the exclusive use of the property.
Months after purchasing the property, the Natales obtained a building permit from the Township to construct a house. The Trust subsequently initiated a lawsuit in Chester County Court of Common Pleas to obtain an injunction and prevent construction of the house. The County Court initially rejected the request for an injunction, and the Trust appealed to the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Not waiting for the Superior Court decision, the Natales built a 4900 square foot farmhouse on the property.
In 1993, the Superior Court reversed the lower court decision and ruled the easement would be enforced as written. On remand back to the county court, an order was entered in 1996 permanently enjoining the Natales from using the property for residential purposes and requiring that the house already constructed be removed within six months. In 1998, the Common Pleas Court awarded the Trust $100,000 in damages to fund removal of the house. When the Natales failed to remove the house on their own, the Trust obtained a demolition permit from East Vincent Township. Upon notice that the demolition permit had been issued, the Natales filed a petition for a stay, but the Court of Common pleas denied the petition. The Trust ultimately took action and demolished the house and its contents.
Before the Trust could be reimbursed for its $30,000 demolition expense, the Natales filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection. The Bankruptcy Court found that the mortgage obtained for construction of the home took priority over the Trust's damages for demolition of the home because the mortgage was recorded prior to the court order granting the Trust damages.
The Natales filed suit against the Trust in federal court alleging civil rights claims and violations of due process rights for deprivation of their personal property, their water well, electricity, and growing wheat crop, among other claims against the Trust for demolishing the house. The Trust generally argued they were just carrying out the order issued by the state court. The Natales argued, in part, that the underlying state court action was pursued with malice, not because the Trust wanted to preserve the character of the land, but instead because they did not like the Natales and wished to cause them harm. Ultimately, in 2001 the Federal Eastern District Court dismissed all the Natales' claims in summary judgment, ruling in favor of the Trust.
In Lancaster Farmland Trust, the easement holder filed suit against the landowner who had subdivided their parcel and started constructing a residence, barn, shop, and associated stormwater infrastructure. After three years of litigation, the parties executed a settlement agreement whereby the landowner agreed to remove all violating structures, restore the property to agricultural use, execute a revised conservation easement, and pay for the easement holder's attorney fees and costs.
As alleged in the Complaint filed with the Lancaster County Court, in 1990 the Lancaster Farmland Trust accepted a donated conservation easement restricting the use of a farm in Lancaster County for "agricultural and directedly associated uses." As stated in the grant of easement, the easement's purpose is to ensure that the farm will "be retained forever in its agricultural and open space condition and to prevent any use that will impair [those values on] the Property." The easement specifically restricts the use of the farm to "agricultural and directly associated uses." Between 2000 and 2001, the farm subject to the conservation easement was transferred to the King family. Subsequently, the Kings leased the farm to Jacob Petersheim for agricultural purposes. Around 2006, Petersheim proposed purchasing a tract of the farm from the Kings. The Kings inquired with the Trust regarding whether the farm could be subdivided into two parcels. The Trust conditionally agreed to a subdivision but required an amended conservation easement. In 2007 the Trust prepared a draft amended easement, but never received a response from the Kings so assumed the subdivision idea was abandoned.
In 2008, however, the Trust became aware that a 10-acre parcel was subdivided from the property and sold to Petersheim. Approximately 17% of that parcel covered by the easement was to be used for the purposes of constructing new buildings and a required stormwater basin and berm. Petersheim had constructed a 3100 square foot residence and was in the process of constructing a 1700 square foot horse/carriage barn and a 5844 square foot industrial/commercial facility (to construct and sell prefabricated horse barns) with a 21,000 square foot macadam driveway. Although only approximately 3 acres of the parcel were now used for agricultural purposes, no efforts were made by Petersheim or the Kings to contact the Trust.
After notifying the parties of easement violations and attempting to find a resolution, in 2009 the Trust filed suit for trespass and a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting use or occupancy of the facilities and enjoining any further work on the property. Ultimately, in 2012 the parties to the lawsuit executed a consent decree with the Court (a settlement agreement) which required Petershiem to remove the structures in violation of the easement and convert over 20,000 square feet of gravel back into agricultural use within 120 days. (Petersheim was allowed to retain the residential house constructed on the property after the Trust's Board determined that if Petersheim had sought approval, it would have permitted construction of the dwelling because it conformed with the easement.) All restoration of the property was to be conducted at Petersheim's sole expense, and he was required to execute a new conservation easement prohibiting any further subdivision.
Petersheim failed to meet the deadline for structure removal and restoration. He was found in contempt of court twice (and faced jail time) before finally removing the structures and restoring the land to the Trust's satisfaction.
In addition to the expense of structure removal and restoration, Petersheim was required to pay $71,077 to the Trust for attorney fees and costs incurred in enforcing the easement.
In Northampton Township, an easement holder filed suit against a landowner after the landowner built a pole barn on a portion of the parcel subject to open space restrictions. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the easement holder and required the landowner dismantle and remove the pole barn at his own expense.
In 2000, Northampton Township purchased two lots (totaling approximately 50 acres) funded in part through the Bucks County Municipal Open Space Program. As a condition of receiving county funding, the Township entered into a Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions which provided the property was to be maintained for "wildlife refuge, sanctuary, open space, agricultural, recreational, historical, cultural, or natural resource conservation purposes." In 2005, Northampton Township sold the property to Parsons, subject to the recorded restrictions, but the Township agreed to seek a modification of the Declaration. However, their requested modification was ultimately denied by the County. Subsequently, in 2008 the Township received a report that a two-story 14,000 square foot pole barn was under construction in the restricted "open space" area of the property. When Parson did not cease construction following a notice of violation, the Township filed suit for violating the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions and a claim of damages for failure to comply with the local construction codes and permitting requirements.
The trial court found that Parsons believed this type of recreational structure would be permitted, and he chose to build the approximately $1 million structure on the preserved land because an existing horse barn was already there and they matched in height. Parsons testified that "he believed under his open space covenant, the basketball facility was a 'recreational facility' and that he was entitled to build a recreational facility in the open space." The Bucks County Open Space Coordinator testified that the program is built on the concept that "once the land is preserved, it remains open with no improvements" and under the terms of the grant, the funding was provided to the Township to acquire the property for "passive recreation such as trails, passive fields, ball fields and agriculture, not to erect structures such as a basketball facility." In 2010 the trial court agreed with Parsons finding that construction did not violate the Declaration, relying on testimony that the basketball facility would be open to the community at no charge.
On appeal, however, the Commonwealth Court overturned the trial court decision finding that "[a]t the time the Open Space grant was obtained, the Township sought to preserve a 50-acre farm which consisted of vacant land, a portion of which was farmed by a local farmer" and the construction of the pole barn contradicted the express language of the Declaration. Since "endorsement of the Parsons' conduct would be harmful to the integrity of Open Space programs and Commonwealth land preservation goals," Commonwealth Court granted the Township's request for relief and ordered Parsons to dismantle and remove the pole barn.
In Ray, the landowners disagreed with the easement holder's interpretation of the conservation easement's restrictive covenants. The landowners filed suit for declaratory relief, intending to confirm that the easement did not prevent them from allowing horizontal drilling for natural gas below the surface of the land, since all surface activities related to the drilling would occur on an adjacent parcel. The trial court and the Superior Court upheld the easement holder's interpretation of the easement language, which explicitly prohibited removing resources, including gas, from the property.
The Westmoreland County Court and the Pennsylvania Superior Court evaluated whether the terms of the conservation easement encumbering the Rays' land prohibited them from permitting horizontal natural gas drilling below the surface of their land from a neighboring property.
The Rays purchased the parcel subject to the conservation easement in 2006. In 2009, the Rays contacted the easement holder, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, advising of their intent to explore for natural gas on the conserved property and seeking confirmation that "horizontal drilling, from an adjacent property under the Conserved Property, would not violate the easement." The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy informed the Rays that the proposed drilling would violate the conservation easement restrictions. Subsequently, in 2011 the Rays filed suit for declaratory relief with the Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas. At the close of the pleadings the parties effectively agreed on the facts of record and therefore the Rays filed a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. After briefing and a hearing, the trial court denied the Rays' motion finding that:
It is the judgment of this Court that [the Rays] are not permitted to remove or extract any gas, minerals or any other similar materials from the real estate in question by drilling or any other method of removal or extraction, including but not limited to, horizontal drilling, as those activities would be violative of the [Conservation Easement] herein.
On appeal to the Superior Court, the Rays argued that the easement only applied to the surface of the property because it sought to protect conservation values "over" and "across" the Conserved Property and the baseline survey for the easement "catalogued only the surface features of the Conserved Property." The declaration of restrictions provision in the conservation easement, however, explicitly prohibited "drilling… or other removal of… gas… from the Real Estate." Since the language of the easement clearly and unambiguously prohibited drilling or removal of gas from the property and was not limited to prohibiting surface activities on the property, in February 2013 the Superior Court upheld the trial court's declaratory judgement that the Rays "are not permitted to remove or extract any gas, minerals or other similar materials from the real estate in question… as those activities would violate the [Conservation Easement]."
In Stockport, the landowner filed a complaint against the easement holder seeking a declaratory judgment contending that the conservation easement encumbering the property did not prohibit natural gas drilling. The court ruled in favor of the easement holder finding that the easement's prohibition on "industrial or commercial uses of any kind" clearly applied to natural gas development. The court also required the landowner pay for the easement holder's attorney fees and costs.
This is a case involving a conservation easement that did not explicitly prohibit gas and oil drilling and exploration but did prohibit activities that gas and oil drilling would require such as building structures and long-term easements. Ultimately, the court construed the easement to also prohibit gas and oil drilling and exploration.
In 2002, the parties executed a conservation easement which contained the following prohibitions:
Prohibited Uses. The following activities and uses are expressly prohibited: a) All uses and activities in the Conservation Reserve Areas, except as permitted under Section(s) 4(m) and 5(b)…. c) Industrial or commercial uses of any kind, including commercial recreation, except home occupations that do not involve more than two outside employees, and do not involve outside storage of materials or supplies, equipment or products… This is intended to also prohibit commercial structures of any kind, including any commercial communication devices, signs, or billboards… f) Depositing, dumping, abandoning, or release of any solid waste or debris, or liquid wastes or chemical substances on the property… i) Temporary housing… l) New roads, except to provide low-impact temporary access to logging.
Except as otherwise permitted for personal use and in conformance with enumerated limitations, the conservation easement also prohibited commercial mining quarrying and timber harvesting. The easement was silent regarding the ability to engage in the exploration for natural gas. The easement also reserved rights for the landowner, "including the right to engage in or permit or invite others to engage in, all uses of the Property that are not expressly prohibited herein." Between 2002 and 2007 the parties existed in "relative harmony." However, in 2007, Stockport advised Norcross of interest in leasing the property to natural gas developers. Norcross responded with a letter stating that such activities were prohibited by the conservation easement. In 2011, Stockport filed a complaint against Norcross seeking a declaratory judgment contending that the conservation easement does not prohibit natural gas drilling. Stockport argued the landowner had the right to engage in activities not expressly prohibited by the easement, that some commercial and industrial activities are permitted by the easement like timbering and quarrying, and the easement is ambiguous because it did not explicitly prohibit natural gas drilling. The court stated that:
It would be unreasonable of the court to require conservation easements to enumerate every conceivable prohibited activity. Stockport's interpretation of the easement would render section 4(c) meaningless, and the ten[e]ts of Pennsylvania contract law prevent the court from construing the easement in such a way."
Relying on the objective meaning of the words in the easement, the Conservation and Preservation Easement Act of 2001, and the extrinsic evidence of the parties' intentions in entering the conservation easement agreement, the court ultimately decided that the easement indeed prohibited such activity. Specifically, the court found that section 4(c)'s prohibition on "industrial or commercial uses of any kind" clearly applied to natural gas development. The court also awarded Norcross with $184,775.66 in attorney fees and costs associated with defending the action and enforcing the conservation easement
In some circumstances, the violation of a conservation easement can lead to criminal charges. When David Topel cut down 22 mature trees on a neighboring landowner's property under conservation easement, the easement holders filed a criminal complaint and Topel was charged with criminal trespass and ordered to pay for the cost of the trees as well as sentenced to five years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
While this case is focused more on criminal trespass allegations than violation of a conservation easement, it demonstrates how easement holders may decide to enforce their interests when violations are caused by a third party. In this case, multiple property owners from the Sage Meadows and Pidock development, the Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy and Solebury Township all jointly held 36.6 acres of preserved open space land. In November 2014, Sage Meadow conducted a regular quarter-yearly inspection of the lands under conservation easement, as was done for the preceding eight years. On this occasion, though, it was discovered that a quantity of mature trees had been cut down. Some of the damaged trees still had "No Trespassing" signs attached to them. A series of digital photos were taken as evidence and reported to Solebury Township and Bedminster Land Conservancy. Court records state that:
On or about September 2014, Topel expressed a desire to have a quantity of large trees removed from an area of land facing south and onto the victim's preserved land to improve his view from a south facing deck of his residence.
In April 2015, Solebury Township and the Bedminster Regional Land Conservancy inspected the tree damage and determined that twenty-two (22) large mature growth trees were cut down and left where they were felled. The total appraised value for the trees was $261,211.07. Around this same time, Topel contacted the property owners to admit that he cut many mature trees and to say that "he made a big mistake and wanted to make amends for his actions."
In May 2015, the district attorney for Bucks County filed a criminal complaint against Topel for:
intentionally or recklessly tamper[ing] with tangible property, to wit, a tree, of another, Bedminister Land Conservancy and Solebury Township, so as to endanger person or property.
Ultimately, in March 2016, Topel entered a plea of nolo contendere, meaning he accepted the conviction as though a guilty plea had been entered but did not admit guilt. Topel's sentence included five years of county probation, restitution costs paid to Solebury Township in the amount of $261,211.07, and 100 hours of community service.
The easement holder brought suit against the landowners whose property was encumbered by a conservation easement after the easement holder learned about the landowners entering into an option agreement to build a pipeline across the property. The Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas ruled in favor of the easement holders finding that if the option agreement was exercised it would violate the terms of the easement.
In 2015, Robert and Mindy Hostetter purchased a 139-acre preserved farm in Martic Township, Lancaster County. Three weeks after purchasing the property, the Hostetters sold an option agreement to Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company (Transco) for the purchase of an easement across the property for the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline. In 2016, the Lancaster Farmland Trust, which held the conservation easement on the farm, brought suit against the Hostetters and Transco. The Trust's suit alleged breach of contract, declaratory judgment, quiet title, and tortious interference with business relations based on the Hostetters' recent irrevocable option agreement with Transco to permit the company to build a pipeline over the property.
In February 2017, the Lancaster County judge overruled Transco's preliminary objections, refusing to dismiss the case. In making this ruling, the judge determined the irrevocable option agreement created a property interest that if exercised would conflict with the conservation easement which prohibited pipelines on the property. Transco subsequently terminated the agreement with the Hostetters and in March 2017 initiated eminent domain procedures against the Hostetters and the Trust. Ultimately, the Trust and Transco negotiated a settlement and new right of way agreement. The agreed-to pipeline easement involved 1.5 acres of permanent right of way and 2.2 acres of temporary workspace on the parcel, but also included additional conservation protections for the property. In addition, Transco agreed to pay the Trust $12,470 for the right of way and almost $25,000 in legal fees.
American Freedom Oil & Gas (AFOG) obtained oil and gas drilling rights from a landowner whose property was encumbered by a conservation easement held by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (Audubon). AFOG filed suit against Audubon upon notice that the easement prohibited hydraulic fracturing. Audubon subsequently filed a counter claim for violating the easement. The courts ruled in favor of Audubon, ordered the sale of the gas rights null and void, and required AFOG and the landowner to pay attorney fees and costs to Audubon.
In 2006, the owners of a 130-acre tract located in Butler County executed a conservation easement with Audubon which restricted all future activities on the land, except for those certain activities expressly permitted by the easement. Victor Milko purchased the property in 2011 subject to the easement. In 2014, AFOG purchased from Milko 100% of the oil, gas, natural gas, hydrocarbon and shale rights to the tract of land. When AFOG notified Audubon of its intent to commence horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracking for the purpose of extracting natural gas, Audubon immediately advised AFOG that the proposed activities were prohibited by the conservation easement. AFOG filed suit for declaratory judgment and Audubon filed a counterclaim for violation of the conservation easement.
After extensive litigation, the court found in favor of Audubon, confirming that the easement prohibited natural gas development and ordering the contract of sale between Milko and AFOG voided. In addition, the court found that the language of the easement provided Audubon with remedies, including seeking attorney fees, even if a violation is only "threatened" (rather than going beyond the threat stage). The court awarded Audubon with attorney fees and costs totaling $128,430.43 plus interest. In addition the court awarded AFOG a partial award of fees ($15,000) against the landowner, Milko, on the basis that Milko warranted and agreed to defend title to the interest conveyed to AFOG and to allow AFOG "full use and enjoyment of the undivided mineral interests conveyed by the Deed." Finally, the court also entered judgment in favor of AFGO and against Milko in the amount of $105,360.24 and declared the 2014 deed between Milko and AFGO null and void.
Schwartz petitioned the Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board for enforcement of perceived violations of a conservation easement encumbering a neighbor's property. On appeal, the Commonwealth Court determined that neither the terms of the easement itself, the Agricultural Area Security Law, nor the Conservation and Preservation Easements Act granted a third-party like Schwartz (who was not a party to the easement) with standing to bring an enforcement action.
In 2003, the Highs executed a conservation easement on their 64.5-acre farm pursuant to the terms of the Northern Chester County Agricultural Conservation Easement Challenge Grant Program. The purpose of the program was to protect and conserve prime agricultural farmland by facilitating the purchase of easements that limit development and use of agricultural land for nonagricultural purposes. In 2009, the Highs informed the easement holder, the Chester County Agricultural Land Preservation Board, that their company, Arborganic Acres, LLP, intended to use a portion of the property to mix and process organic mulch for their farm and public sale. The Preservation Board's meeting minutes noted that "staff would continue to monitor that the [Property] remains in compliance with the [Easement]." Subsequently, Arborganic received a composting permit from the Department of Environmental Protection and began operating an organic composting facility on 5 acres of the property. Dozens of complaints about the facility were submitted to DEP and the Preservation Board, resulting in numerous site inspections. In November 2015, Schwartz, a neighboring property owner, filed a "Formal Complaint" with the Preservation Board alleging the High Farm was being used in a manner that violated the conservation easement held by North Coventry Township, Chester County, and the Board. After further investigation, in May 2016 the Preservation Board determined that "[t]he operations taking place upon the [Property] appear to be consistent with the terms of the [Easement] in place."
Schwartz appealed the Board's determination to the trial court, which upheld the Board's decision finding that the language of the easement is broad enough to include all normal farming operations and Arborganic's use falls within the ambit of "normal farming operations" as that term is defined by the Agricultural Area Security Law. Schwartz appealed the trial court's decision to the Commonwealth Court, which determined that Schwartz did not have a third-party right to enforce the terms of the easement and that the letter provided to Schwartz by the Preservation Board was not an adjudication appealable to the trial court. In reaching this decision, the Commonwealth Court found that neither the terms of the easement itself, the Agricultural Area Security Law, or the Conservation and Preservation Easements Act granted a third-party like Schwartz (who was not a party to the easement) with standing to bring an enforcement action. Further, the letter of the Preservation Board merely reflected "the Board's exercise of its prosecutorial discretion" rather than an appealable adjudication. Therefore, Schwartz's appeal was remanded back to the trial court with instructions to dismiss the case.
The easement holder filed suit against the landowner for failure to comply with restrictions in the conservation easement, particularly limits on the number of animals permitted on available pasture area. Ultimately, the court did not address the substantive merits of the claims but granted the easement holder's requested relief on a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings, including an injunction and costs in favor of the easement holder. The court also ordered the landowner to pay the easement holder's costs in bringing the enforcement action.
In August 2018, Natural Lands filed suit against landowners in Chester County Court seeking injunctive relief. Natural Lands alleged that, for several years previous to the suit, the landowners kept animals on the property (variously cows, horses, goats, and chickens) without fenced pasture area sufficient to protect water resources as required by the conservation easement. The filed complaint stated that:
The large bare areas and short sparse grass on the Steep Slope Areas of the existing fenced pasture area, caused by continued over pasturing for the last four and a half years, create run-off that carries sediment and associated nutrients and pollutants into the stream, which degrade the water quality within the streams on the Property and downstream of the Property.
The easement set forth the water resource protection objectives for the Property, stating that:
Barnyard runoff controls and preservation of conservation cover on Steep Slopes are also implemented to protect water resources. These measures help to protect water resources from sediment and nonpoint pollution and promote the infiltration, detention and natural filtration of precipitation and storm water to maintain the quality and quantity of ground and surface waters.
The easement also contained language limiting the number of grazing animals allowed on the property, stating that "Grazing is limited to no more than one Animal Unit per 2 acres of fenced pasture." Ultimately, the substantive questions raised by the complaint were never analyzed by the court because the landowners failed to respond to a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. The court ordered Natural Lands' requested relief enjoining the landowners "from maintaining two or more animals including, but not limited to, horses, cows and other livestock, in any pasture area that is not of sufficient size to comply with the requirements of the conservation easement," enjoining them from "permitting the continued over pasturing and loss of ground cover vegetation in the Easement area," requiring the landowners to "restore the vegetative cover in all pasture areas to eliminate all bare spots," and directing payment of the easement holder's costs in bringing the enforcement action.
The Naylors filed suit in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas against the Charleston Township Board of Supervisors and French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc. after the Trust informed the Naylors that a conservation easement encumbering their 40 acre property (the former Baughman Farm) did not permit construction of a house. The County Court ruled in favor of the Naylors, finding that the easement allowed for construction of one home as a replacement for a former residence on the property. Appeals filed by the Trust and the Township were consolidated and oral argument was held before the Commonwealth Court in November 2019. A decision from the Commonwealth Court is still pending as of this writing.
[1] French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc. and Lester Schwartz v. Augustine Natale, Kathleen Natale, Ronald Natale and Janet Natale, Court of Common Pleas of Chester County, Civil Division No. 89-09574 (Oct. 5, 1993); French and Pickering Creeks v. Natale, 638 A.2d 273 (Pa. Super. 1993); Natale v. Schwartz, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18933 (Pa. E.D. 1999); In re Natale, 280 Fed. Appx. 227 (3rd Cir. 2008); In re Natale, 237 B.R. 865 (Pa. E.D. 1999) (affirmed by the District Court and Third Circuit); Natale v. Schwartz, 151 F. Supp. 2d 563 (Pa. E.D. 2001).
[2] Lancaster Farmland Trust v. Jacob Petersheim and Naomi Petersheim, Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas, Case No. CI-09-02326 (Consent Decree entered Feb. 22, 2012).
[3] Northampton Twp. v. Parsons, 2010 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 607, Bucks County Court of Common Pleas No. 08-12048 (2010); (Reversed by Northampton Township v. Parsons, 2011 Pa. Commw. Unpub. LEXIS 549* (July 12, 2011); Petition for Allowance of Appeal denied by Northampton Twp. v. Parsons, 2012 Pa. LEXIS 321 (Pa. 2012)).
[4] Ray v. Western Pa. Conservancy, 2011 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 367* (Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas 2011) (affirmed by Ray v. Western Pa. Conservancy, 2013 Pa. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 3969 (Pa. Super. 2013)).
[5] Stockport Mt. Corp. LLC v. Norcross Wildlife Found., Inc., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27433 (M.D. Pa. March 1, 2012); Stockport Mt. Corp. LLC v. Norcross Wildlife Found., Inc., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 121321 (M.D. Pa. August 27, 2013); Stockport Mt. Corp., LLC v. Norcross Wildlife Found., Inc., U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3694 (M.D. Pa. January 13, 2014).
[6] Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. David L. Topel, Criminal Docket Number: CP-09-CR-0007979-2015, Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County (Nolo Contendere Plea 2016).
[7] Lancaster Farmland Trust v. Hostetter, 2017 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 1486* (Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas 2017).
[8] American Freedom Oil & Gas LLC v. Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania v. Victor Milko, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Orphans Court Division, Case No. 00601 of 2015 (Memorandum Opinion Aug. 29, 2017).
[9] Schwartz v. Chester County Argic. Land Pres. Bd., Common Pleas Court of the County of Chester No. 2016-05977-CS (Reversed by Schwartz v. Chester County Argic. Land Pres. Bd., 180 A.3d 510 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2018)).
[10] Natural Lands Trust, Inc. v. Marshall, Chester County Court of Common Pleas, Civil Action No. 2018-09009-MJ (Order Granting Judgment on the Pleadings Jan. 23, 2019).
[11] Naylor v. Board of Supervisors of Charlestown Township and French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc., Chester County Court of Common Pleas, Civil Docket No. 2014-10708-MJ (Summary Judgment Granted July 2016); On appeal at the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, Naylor v. Board of Supervisors of Charlestown Township and French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, Inc., Case No. 659 C.D. 2018 and 707 C.D. 2018.
Conservation Easements in Court: A Review of Easement Violation and Enforcement Litigation in Pennsylvania
A review of Pennsylvania judicial decisions reveals that conservation easement holders and the conservation values they uphold prevail when a dispute leads to litigation. Courts respect the text of easement documents and their conservation purposes. This guide reviews eleven cases where the interpr…
The Durability of Conservation Easements
Landowners grant conservation easements to conservation organizations ("land trusts") in perpetuity. The conservation objectives of the easement and the associated restrictions on how land can be used are intended to be permanent. Land trusts and their allies across the nation go to great lengths t…
Ryan E. Hamilton, Esq. (formerly at Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services) authored this report with additional writing and editing by Andrew M. Loza.


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Amy Goodman: Journalist/Executive Producer and Host of Democracy Now
Websites/Biographies/Archives:
Democracy Now (Amy Goodman is the co-host with Juan Gonzales and executive producer of Democracy Now: DN bio here)
Truthdig: Amy Goodman's Column
PBS/AOL Feature on Amy Goodman as Part of "Makers: Women Who Make America Series"
Resources by/about Amy Goodman:
Assange, Julian, Amy Goodman, and Slavoj Žižek. "The impact of WikiLeaks on world politics, the release of the Iraq and Afghanistan war logs, and Cablegate — the largest trove of classified U.S. government records in history." Democracy Now (July 5, 2011)
Beckett, Charles, et al. "Information wars: How will governments deal with the information revolution?" Empire (March 29, 2011)
Bell, Emily, et al. " Empire Social networks, social revolution: Youtube, Facebook and Twitter have become the new weapons of mass mobilisation." Empire (February 21, 2011)
Brooks, David, et al. "A critical look at the presidential nominees." Minnesota Public Radio News (July 3, 2008)
Goodman, Amy. "40 Years Later, One Member of the MOVE 9 Walks Free." TruthDig (August 9, 2018)
---. "Alleged Chicago Torturer's Overdue Day in Court." Democracy Now (May 26, 2010)
---. "Amy Goodman's Other America." Moyers & Company (April 10, 2013)
---. "Betsy DeVos' Latest Proposal on Guns Is Almost Beyond Belief." TruthDig (August 30, 2018)
---. "The Countless Ways the Legacy of Slavery Lives On." TruthDig (February 7, 2019)
---. "'Food Terrorism' Next Door to the Magic Kingdom." TruthDig (June 28, 2011)
---. "Four Days in Occupied Western Sahara—A Rare Look Inside Africa's Last Colony." Democracy Now (August 31, 2018) ["In this exclusive broadcast, Democracy Now! breaks the media blockade and goes to occupied Western Sahara in the northwest of Africa to document the decades-long Sahrawi struggle for freedom and Morocco's violent crackdown. Morocco has occupied the territory since 1975 in defiance of the United Nations and the international community. Thousands have been tortured, imprisoned, killed and disappeared while resisting the Moroccan occupation. A 1,700-mile wall divides Sahrawis who remain under occupation from those who fled into exile. The international media has largely ignored the occupation—in part because Morocco has routinely blocked journalists from entering Western Sahara. But in late 2016 Democracy Now! managed to get into the Western Saharan city of Laayoune, becoming the first international news team to report from the occupied territory in years."]
---. "Meet the Doctor Suing Trump: Dr. Eugene Gu on Gun Violence, Privatization of VA and White Supremacy." AlterNet (March 31, 2018)
---. "Occupy Louisville: Voices from Social Justice Encampment in the Hometown of Muhammad Ali." Democracy Now (October 24, 2011)
---. "The Party Police." Democracy Now (September 11, 2008)
---. "Rove's Science of Dirty Tricks." TruthDig (August 14, 2007)
---. "Silent Sam, Another Confederate Monument, Comes Tumbling Down." TruthDig (August 23, 2018)
---. "Standing Up To the Madness." Truthdig (March 31, 2009)
---. "Teachers in Revolt: Meet the Educators in Kentucky and Oklahoma Walking Out Over School Funding." AlterNet (April 4, 2018)
---. "A Torture Debate Amongst Healers." AlterNet (April 10, 2008)
---. "Troy Davis and the Politics of Death." TruthDig (September 13, 2011)
---. "The Uncounted Casualties of War." Truthdig (August 1, 2007)
---. "Wall St. Socialists." TruthDig (September 17, 2008)
---. "Who's Afraid of the Green New Deal?" TruthDig (February 14, 2019)
---. "WikiLeaks' New Release: The Kissinger Cables and Bradley Manning." TruthDig (April 10, 2013)
Goodman, Amy and Mark Danner. "Stripping Bare the Body." Vimeo (Tishman Auditorium, The New School, New York, on October 15, 2009)
Goodman, Amy and John Maxwell Hamilton. "The role of media in the USA: Has the mainstream media in the US replaced serious coverage with tabloidism?" Riz Khan (January 14, 2010)
Goodman, Amy and Dennis Moynihan. "In Memory of All That Is Lost." Democracy Now (June 2, 2010)
Goodman, Amy and Juan Gonzalez. Media Giant Sinclair, Under Fire for Forcing Anchors to Read Trumpian Screed, Is Rapidly Expanding." AlterNet (April 5, 2018)
Goodman, Amy, et al. "Poisoned Water, Fossil Fuels." Making Contact (May 22, 2012)
---. "Rise for Climate: Tens of Thousands March in San Francisco Calling for Fossil-Free World." Democracy Now (September 10, 2018) ["Hundreds of thousands of protesters in more than 90 countries joined a worldwide day of protest demanding urgent action to address climate change Saturday. In San Francisco, up to 30,000 people took part in the Rise for Climate, Jobs and Justice march. It is believed to be the largest climate march ever on the West Coast. The protest came just days before the start of the Global Climate Action Summit being organized by California Governor Jerry Brown. Democracy Now! was in the streets of San Francisco for the march."]
Posted by Michael at 7:51 PM
Dialogic Cinephilia - February 27, 2019
Language/Linguistics/Words/Rhetoric (Ongoing Archive)
Bamboozled (USA: Spike Lee, 2000)
Amy Goodman: Journalist/Executive Producer and Hos...
Memories of Murder (South Korea: Bong Joon-Ho, 2003)
2010s Films (Teaching Archive)
Dialogic Cinephilia - February 8, 2018
Dear White People (USA: Justin Simien, 2014)


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Forsyth Central High School
Wrestling: Without further delay, teams set for Area 5-7A duals
Forsyth Central will be counting on a handful of seniors, like Sebastian Legarra, above, to help the Bulldogs qualify for the GHSA Team Wrestling Duals for the first time in 11 years.
Ask any wrestling coach and they'll tell you the same thing: If you want to succeed, you've got to be able to weather the storm. Hardship in the early going, when handled with attention to detail and determination, can pay off when the matches matter most.
In the eyes of Forsyth Central head coach Jeremiah Walker, there's not an obstacle that can get in the way of his Bulldogs. Not even an unrelenting winter storm, forcing the team to move back its hosting of the first ever Area 5-7A duals tournament, which was originally slated for Saturday.
So on Monday, the team will show up in the morning for classes, dismiss by lunch time and—without a chance at a preliminary practice—suit up and shoot for a title on its home floor, hoping to punch a ticket to the state duals for the first time in 11 seasons.
"Our team has experienced virtually every hardship this season and has overcome every challenge with tremendous fortitude," Walker said.
"It's been one of the most successful seasons of my career as a coach, despite all of the hiccups," he said. "We've had elbow injuries, knee injuries and weight issues, anything you can think of."
You could call it the perfect storm for Central, which gets to host the inaugural 5-7A duals on its home mats in one of the more unique arenas in the state—Central's old dome, featuring unique architecture that Walker thinks caters to wrestling and could offer some home mat advantage.
"If it were me, I'd want to have every county event in that dome," Walker said. "It's perfect for wrestling. The fans are all elevated; the noise in there gets really loud. It's kind of like a gladiator style arena."
Leading the pack of Bulldogs will be senior Sebastian Legarra, who was recently offered to wrestle and play football for nearby Reinhardt University. He's 42-2 this season in the 220 weight class, while Steven Messer has excelled from the starting gate in 106-113 with a 37-6 record; four of Messer's losses came from wrestling up a weight class. Parker Evans and Hunter Kurowski have also excelled, and Walker points to a unique balance of five seniors and a group of freshman and sophomores to his team's dynamic.
"We've learned a lot over the past few weeks," Walker said. "Our goal is always the same—to win region, but we've got tough competition. We already lost to South. We already lost to Lambert.
"But, we're ready to go," Walker said.
Like Central, its rival North Forsyth has been calibrating through the early part of the year.
"It's been somewhat frustrating due to inconsistency from wrestlers that we thought had turned the corner last season," North head coach Travis Jarrard said. "We're hoping that things will change over the course of the last half of the season. We've had lots of injuries. It seems like when one person gets healthy, another two get injured."
Still, North has been led by Paul Watkins, who is 29-2 heading into duals. Conner Carroll at 170 leads the team in wins with a 32-4 record, while many in North's lineup are still close to .500 or have missed significant time.
Lambert feels like it's getting healthy at the right time. Eric Kohlins, a state runner up at 182 last year, is coming into region duals after defeating a state champ last week. Cole Burke, Daniel Morin, Ethan Young and Alex Doobleman are all wrestlers who head coach Kevin Contardi pointed to as wrestlers in a groove at the moment.
"We've had some key guys in and out of the lineup this season but we feel like we will be at 100 percent this weekend and look forward to competing for a spot to represent our region at state," Contardi said.
West Forsyth and South Forsyth will be equipped to shuffle the board as well, but Walker hopes his team can come out on top at an opportune time.
"Eleven years," Walker said. "Not just that, but a duals win would be the 100th for our senior class, which started here my first year, so that could be really special."
National Signing Day: Forsyth Central's 7 signees embrace the fun
THE GRIND: Hoosier-born, pizza-making Forsyth Central guard CJ Smith having breakout season
Basketball: Forsyth Central boys pull away from West Forsyth for region win
THE GRIND: Forsyth Central swimmer Cesario has come a long way in a short time


The parents are a child's first and most influential teachers. They are mostly responsible for how the formative years of their child are shaped and also the shape his or her future and career will take. So, with such responsibility on one's shoulder, it is best to start early by getting involved in the learning process of your child. Read on for some tips on how to keep tabs on what your kid is learning in his or her school.
This is important as he or she is the person your kid will be in contact with for most of the semester. You should meet him or her and convey that you also want to help with teaching your kid. Develop a rapport so that the teacher gets to know you and appreciates your sincerity with respect to your child's education. Also, in case there is any lapse on your child's part, or there is any particular matter that needs to be shared or discussed, the teacher will think about contacting you.
Parent-teacher meet is generally organized once or twice a year by the school authorities. This platform is also a great place to meet with the faculty and other important members of the teaching institution. Here, both the school authorities and the parents get to voice their opinions and share general concerns about the progress of their child's education or any other issue. In case you feel there are particular concerns regarding your child's teaching, you may raise it here. Also, make it a point to meet individually with different teachers, especially the ones where your child is weak, let them know your concerns and ask for special attention and/or advice.
Before you start helping your kid with school work, know the school curriculum. Having a basic idea of what is being taught will help in understanding the hurdles your child may face in course of the semester. In this way, in the case of a problem with studies, you are better prepared to handle the same as you have prior knowledge about what you kid is learning at school. Also, try to find out about after-school programs which might help your child's all-round development. Depending on his or her enthusiasm and preference, enrolling in these programs will benefit your kid in the long run.
Make this activity a part of your daily routine. Every day after you are back from work, check that your kid is aware that schoolwork needs to be daily and you are monitoring its progress. Let him or her know that you think it is an important part of growing up and become an educated person. In this process, you also need to be careful in your approach. While homework needs to be done, it is a spontaneous learning and revising activity, not a burden to the student. Be supportive instead of forceful, try to understand the reason in case your kid is resenting homework and solve the problem through discussion.
Always stay up-to-date about your child's progress in school. Gather knowledge through observing your child's behavior after he or she comes back from school. Whether your kid is enjoying studies and the time at school can be easily noticed in this way. In case you are working, make it a point to discuss the day when you are together with your family. Make it a dialogue, instead of a question-answer session. Share about your day spent at work and invite your child to do the same. Also, encourage your child to be involved in outdoor activities, using the school library for reference work and general reading.


Sigma 135-400mm: Anyone had any experience?
I have an Olympus kit with 2 zooms; a 14-45mm and a 45-150. I would like to add a longer zoom and have been looking at the 135-400mm Sigma. With a four-thirds camera, there isn't much selection in lenses at the moment.
Has anyone had any experience with this lens and it's quality?
Wilfredo De Los Rios Glen. I have the Olympus E300 with the two lenes like you. I just placed and order fot this new lenes, Check this out.. Olympus has today announced a new Zuiko Digital ED 70-300 F4.0-5.6 telezoom for ... lens is a perfect complement for the recently-launched Olympus E-510Covering field of view to 600mm (35mm equivalent), this high mobility super-telephoto zoom lens weighs only 620 grams. Also, this lens incorporates three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens elements to offer sharper, higher-contrast imaging performance. Furthermore, 1x magnification (35mm equivalent) tele-macro photography is capable. Thanks to Four-Thirds system, the lens offers a lot of the footwork out of both super-telephoto and macro photography. Glen Use only Oylmpus lenes. Go to www.Adorma.com You will have a pick of many Olympus Lenese.
Peter A. Stavrakoglou Wilfredo, there's a lot of speculation that may be correct which says this new Zuiko is built by Sigma. Maybe, maybe not. In any case, Sigma makes some fine lenses.


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HomeNewsHelping Ex-detainee Children Cope with Trauma
Helping Ex-detainee Children Cope with Trauma
A year after his arrest and detention by the Israeli military in Bethlehem, Hamza, a 17-year-old Palestinian from the West Bank, is seeing a social worker to try and overcome the trauma he suffered in a small cell with 10 other people.
"They blindfolded me, tied my arms together and took me away to prison in an army jeep. We were 10 people in a small cell, and they kept asking me why I threw stones a few times every day," he told IRIN, as he waited for the social worker at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) office in Beit Sahour.
When Hamza was detained about a year ago, he was 16. "There were settlers outside our school and then clashes broke out. I threw stones and got caught," he said. "During four and a half months in detention, I was not allowed to see my family once. When I got out of prison, I just didn't know where to begin," he added.
For many child ex-detainees, the months-long imprisonment away from friends and family is a rather traumatic experience, according to the YMCA, which has been running a post-trauma rehabilitation programme for ex-detainee children, since May 2009, supported by Save the Children Sweden and the European Commission's humanitarian aid department (ECHO).
Each year 500-700 Palestinian children from the West Bank aged 12-17 are detained and prosecuted in Israeli military courts, mostly on charges related to throwing stones. "These children go through a very painful time. They are often deprived of sleep, humiliated and forced to confess that they did something wrong," Nader Abu Amsha, director of the rehabilitation programme in Beit Sahour, told IRIN.
New Report
Amsha's assessment is supported by a new report released by the group, Defense for Children International-Palestine Section (DCI-Palestine), which points to widespread ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention, thereby reinforcing past concerns over torture and ill-treatment.
"Most children undergo coercive interrogation, mixing verbal abuse, threats and physical violence, generally resulting in a confession," DCI said in the report, entitled Bound, Blindfolded and Convicted: Children held in military detention.
Based on 311 testimonies of children ex-detainees, DCI-Palestine found that 75 percent of them complained about physical violence. Of the 311 children interviewed, 116 were aged 14-15 at the time of detention, while most of the 75 percent were 16-17.
"As stated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the detention of children should be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time," said Jean Gough, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) special representative in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The Israeli army rejects such criticism and points to the dangers emanating from Palestinian stone-throwers.
"One thing is clear: Many of these stone-throwers are not aware of the danger they pose. In some cases, stones actually killed people," Israeli Army spokesperson Arye Sharuz Shalicar told IRIN, referring to the death of an Israeli man and his one-year-old child last year in a road accident, which according to Israeli police investigations was caused by a stone thrown at the car close to the Israeli settlement Kiryat Arba, near Hebron.
"But not all of those teenagers are just stone-throwers. Some of them are also accused for more serious crimes," Shalicar added, without specifying the crimes.
YMCA officials say when the children are finally released after months-long detention, they often face serious obstacles on their way back to normal life. Psycho-social rehabilitation programmes provide some answers and help children ex-detainees to overcome the fearful experience gained during detention.
"After their release, the children often don't go to school or work. You find them sleeping all day, left without energy," Amsha said.
The 17-year-old Palestinian Hamsa had a similar experience after his release. "I was so frustrated about what happened. I didn't want to eat and had no motivation to leave the house," he said. "I felt angry and tired at the same time."
Every year an average of 350 children receive psycho-social support by the YMCA's rehabilitation programme, Amsha said. The project is implemented in 11 areas in the West Bank, combining psychological counselling with vocational support and structured ventilation activities, in which the participants are meant to release stress and anxiety through guided interaction with other ex-detainees and counsellors.
"One part of our programme is helping the teenagers to find a job. Supported by our counselling, they find out what kind of work they are interested in," Amsha said.
Part of the vocational training is to show the ex-detainees where their physical and mental abilities are, Amsha said, adding that once this step is done, the YMCA usually connects them to specific employers and industries.
"When I got out of prison, I just didn't know where to begin. With the help of the counselling sessions, I got back on track and started to work as an electrician," Muath, a 19-year-old Palestinian previously detained by Israeli security forces for eight months at the age of 17, told IRIN.
At the core of the YMCA's rehabilitation programme lies psychotherapy, aimed at alleviating ex-detainee children's traumas. "Many have post-traumatic stress disorders and suffer from recurring nightmares. All of these symptoms have to be dealt with," Abu Amsha said.
After their release from detention, the teenagers often feel much more mature than they actually are, Amsha said, adding that this would cause frequent tensions within their families, who tend to overprotect newly released children.
"Some of the children talk about themselves as if they were heroes from a movie, without realizing or admitting how much the whole experience actually affects them," he added.
(IRIN News)
Balandi is America's My Lai
Israel Cuts Ties with UN Human Rights Council


Mass flow meter manufacturer Bronkhorst High-Tech has released the EL-FLOW® Prestige, the newest generation of Bronkhorst Mass Flow Meters/Controllers for gases.
Equipped with an on-board pressure sensor, and in combination with "differential temperature balancing" sensor technology, the instrument automatically compensates for inlet pressure variations, the company explained.
The multi gas/multi range functionality of the EL-FLOW Prestige enables the user to select any of the installed gases and to adjust the measuring range within the boundaries of the device.


Agreement the make "substantial cuts" and post-Kyoto deal by 2009 reached.
"Many countries moved on this issue," Merkel said on Thursday, adding the accord gave impetus to negotiations beginning in Bali in December to find a successor to the UN-backed Kyoto protocol on capping greenhouse gases that expires in 2012.
Merkel said that talks on a post-Kyoto pact would take place within the framework of the UN.
The deal is the most serious commitment to action on climate change by the US, the world's largest global warmer.
Washington had initially resisted attempts by Merkel to set a goal for cuts needed to combat a warming of the Earth's surface, which many scientists say will cause sea levels to rise, and more droughts and floods.
But she secured a partial victory by securing an inclusion of the target in a document put out to summit leaders.
Environmentalists, however, have condemned the G8's failure to agree on specific, binding goals.
Neil Adger of the UK's Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, said: "Agreeing on a numerical target is a significant first step, and not taking that first step is going to condemn us to a lot of pain and suffering in terms of the impacts of climate change."
While Daniel Mittler of Greenpeace said that Bush had not agreed to anything worthwhile.
"He has agreed to seriously consider [the goal of cutting gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2050], which I think we can translate as, 'Bush will watch while the rest of the world acts'".
"Bush has rejected binding emission cuts, which is what is really necessary."
Merkel is hosting three days of talks at a Baltic coast resort with counterparts from Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and George Bush, the US president, have also begun talks on the sidelines of the G8 summit amid a dispute over a US missile defence system.
Russia has been angered by the US plan for a missile defence system in Central Europe, while Bush has accused Putin's government of seeking to roll back democratic reforms.
On Thursday, Bush said that the missile shield dispute was "not something we should hyperventilate about".
Russia believes it is the sole target of the US missile shield, which would be in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Putin has threatened to aim Russian missiles at European targets if the deployment goes ahead.
Bush said he was "looking forward" to meeting Putin despite the dispute.
"I will explain to him once again that a missile defence shield is aimed at a rogue regime that may try to hold Russia and or Europe hostage.
"It is important for Russia and the Russians to understand that I believe the Cold War ended, that Russia is not an enemy of the United States, that there's a lot of areas where we can work together."


Entertainment / Media to Buy Distributor: The Beverly Hills company agreed to buy Overseas Filmgroup Inc. for about $24 million, including $3.5 million in debt. Closely held Los Angeles-based Overseas Filmgroup, with revenue last year of $21.7 million, acquires and distributes independently produced films in the U.S. and abroad. Shares of Entertainment/Media Acquisition Corp., which began trading in February 1995, most recently traded at $5.375.


Todd Ablowitz is a recognized and respected industry leader with nearly 20 years of experience working for the acquiring and payments industry's top brands. In 2008, he launched Double Diamond Group (DDG) to help companies all over the world solve their most critical business challenges with his unique blend of experience, connections and know-how. In 2011 DDG began serving the Payment Facilitator (PF) industry and has helped more than 150 companies in every region of the world in the PF space. In 2014 Todd founded Infinicept – a suite of automated services that collectively perform as an operational backbone for Payment Facilitators. Todd grew up in Upstate New York and attended the University of Colorado at Boulder. Todd is an avid skier and resides outside of Denver with his wife, Heidi and his two Children, Hannah (11) and Ben (8).


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Onyekachi Donatus Okonkwo (born 13 May 1982 in Aba) is a Nigerian football midfielder.

Club career
Okonkwo was a member of Enyimba's winning side in the 2003 MTN CAF Champions League and 2004 MTN CAF Champions League finals.

During his two-year stay in South Africa he was arguably one of the club's most influential players even scoring the decisive goal against his former club Enyimba to lead the Johannesburg-based club Orlando Pirates to the 2006 MTN CAF Champions League semifinals..

Okonkwo caused a stir in Europe by signing a pre-contract agreement with German side FC Köln only to leave the club a week later to sign a four-year deal at Swiss side FC Zürich saying that he had only ever agreed to a one-week trial at the German team. Despite FC Köln's sporting director Klaus Horstmann threatening to take the matter to FIFA in order for him to fulfil his obligations to his side, Okonkwo says he did not breach any rules in moving to Switzerland. He joined Qatari side Al Kharitiyath in the summer of 2010.

On 26 June 2012 Okonkwo rejoined Orlando Pirates and next year, on 12 July 2013, signed with local rivals Mpumalanga Black Aces.

International
He won his first international cap for Nigeria in an 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Lesotho in October 2006.

Award
 FC Zürich
2008-09 Swiss Super League: Champions

References

External links

1982 births
Living people
Igbo sportspeople
Nigerian footballers
Nigeria international footballers
2008 Africa Cup of Nations players
FC Zürich players
Association football midfielders
Orlando Pirates F.C. players
Enyimba F.C. players
Al Kharaitiyat SC players
Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C. players
Mosta F.C. players
Nuorese Calcio players
Qatar Stars League players
Nigerian expatriate footballers
Expatriate soccer players in South Africa
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in South Africa
Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland
Expatriate footballers in Qatar
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
Expatriate footballers in Malta
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Malta
Expatriate footballers in Italy
Nigerian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
People from Aba, Abia


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John L. Burns (September 5, 1794 - February 7, 1872), a veteran of the War of 1812 and became a 70-year-old civilian combatant with the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. He was wounded, but survived to become a national celebrity.
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::Men's Health:: Prostate Health - Why is Prostate Health so important?
Having the urge to urinate immediately?
Getting up to urinate often during the night?
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What is BPH? Click here to find out.


75. SHADRACH10 DERRICK (MESHACH9, MESHACH8, PHILIP7, EDMUND6, EDMUND5, EDMUND4, EDMUND3, EDMUND2, RICHARD1) was born 1801 in Ubley, Som, Eng., and died Aft. 1851.
He married JANE 'DERRICK' Abt. 1832. She was born Abt. 1809 in Woolavington, Som, Eng., and died Aft. 1851.
i. HESTER11 DERRICK, b. 1832, Moorlinch, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1851.
ii. EDMUND DERRICK, b. 1837, Moorlinch, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1881; m. ELIZABETH ANN 'DERRICK', Abt. 1857; b. Abt. 1837, Goathurst, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1881.
iii. WILLIAM DERRICK, b. 1840, Chedzoy, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1881; m. SOPHIA 'DERRICK', Abt. 1865; b. Abt. 1843, Huntspill, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1881.
iv. JANE DERRICK, b. 1842, Chedzoy, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1851.
v. SHADRACH DERRICK, b. 1845, Chedzoy, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1851.
vi. ELIZABETH DERRICK, b. 1850, Chedzoy, Som, Eng.; d. Aft. 1851.


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Lincecum leads Giants into finale at Atlanta
There haven't been many times over his Cy Young Award- winning career that Tim Lincecum has looked as good as he did against Atlanta in last year's postseason.
The opposite could be said when he faced the club in San Francisco during an up-and-down start to the season.
Lincecum gets a shot at revenge this evening as he looks to pitch the Giants to a split of their four-game series with the wild card-leading Braves at Turner Field.
The 27-year-old made his postseason debut in Game 1 of last year's National League Division Series versus the Braves and hurled a two-hit shutout, striking out 14 in a 1-0 win and setting the tone for San Francisco's march to a World Series title.
Atlanta seemed to have a better handle on "The Freak" in a rematch by the Bay on April 23, where the righty was touched for five runs on six hits and six walks over 6 1/3 innings of a 5-2 defeat. Three of those runs were driven in by Martin Prado, while Jason Heyward and Nate McLouth both drew a pair of walks of Lincecum to drop him to 6-3 with a 3.34 earned run average in the regular season against Atlanta.
The Braves get a much-more focused Lincecum tonight as the two-time NL Cy Young winner has won five of his past seven starts and has allowed two runs or less in each of those outings for a 1.16 ERA. He won his second straight start on Saturday in Florida, hurling seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball, striking out 10 in a 3-0 triumph.
"It looked like he was hitting all of his spots and he kept them off-balance with his off-speed stuff. I'm glad we could score him some runs early," Giants right fielder Nate Schierholtz said about Lincecum.
Lincecum is 11-9 with a 2.58 ERA in 25 starts this year, including an excellent 2.08 ERA in 13 road games.
San Francisco is in position to split this set after picking up a 7-5 win last night in a victory that wasn't without anxious moments. Matt Cain hurled eight innings and gave up just one unearned run to snap a three-game slide, but with closer Brian Wilson unavailable due to a sore pitching elbow, the Giants bullpen allowed the Braves to score four runs in the bottom of the ninth before finally closing out the victory.
Atlanta's first two victories in this series both came on walk-off hits.
"We've had a couple of heartbreakers at the end the past two nights here," Cain said. "Coming off a bad skid at home, it seemed like everything accumulated. It was really nice for everybody to play relaxed and really go out there and kind of have fun."
Orlando Cabrera and Eli Whiteside had RBI singles during a four-run fourth inning and Pablo Sandoval drove in a pair of runs for the Giants, who went 5- for-12 with runners in scoring position and their sixth victory in 19 games pulled them within 2 1/2 games of the Diamondbacks for first place in the NL West. Arizona lost last night in Philadelphia.
Prado, who had the game-winning single in Tuesday's game, smacked a two-run double in the ninth inning for the Braves, who lost for just the third time in 10 games but still saw their advantage over the Giants in the race for the wild card fall to five games.
In his first start since Aug. 2 because of a strained knee, Jair Jurrjens was tagged for five runs over six innings.
"I felt good, just leaving some pitches up," Jurrjens said. "The changeup wasn't doing anything today. I was a little rusty. No excuses, I have to make my adjustments and I did not."
Young left-hander Mike Minor faces the Giants for the first time in his career as he draws the start in tonight's finale. It will be his third since June 21 and ninth overall this season.
Minor picked up a win over the Cubs on Friday as he allowed three runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out six in a 10-4 triumph. The 23-year-old is 2-2 with a 4.84 ERA.


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Home » Feature Stories » Diamonds May Be Life's Birthstone
Diamonds May Be Life's Birthstone
By Michael Schirber - Sep 25, 2008
A photo of unpolished natural diamond.
Credit: A. Sommer
One of the hurdles in origin of life theories is that the pieces that make up complex biomolecules do not readily come together by themselves. A group of scientists proposes that diamonds provided a kind of "work bench" for biomolecule manufacturing on early Earth.
Not long after its formation, our planet was – according to astrobiologists – awash in a primordial soup that contained the rudimentary ingredients of life. The fly in the "soup" theory, however, is that the small molecular bits likely needed outside help in order to latch together into the long, complex biomolecules that living organisms use.
Some scientists have suggested that the surfaces of minerals on the early Earth provided an organizing platform upon which the building blocks of life could assemble. Recent studies of diamond suggest that its surface would be especially good for this.
"Diamond is totally non-toxic, an excellent biomaterial and certainly the only naturally existing material that is completely biocompatible on all levels – presumably the best of all possible platforms for the formation of life," said Andrei Sommer from the University of Ulm in Germany.
Sommer and his colleagues discovered that a certain type of diamond, called hydrogenated diamond, imposes a rigid order on molecules near its surface. They suggest, in a recent issue of the journal Crystal Growth and Design, that this diamond-mediated order helped fit together the pieces that led to the emergence of life.
Frozen with fear
Using this humidity chamber, researchers detected the formation of crystal water layers on a hydrogenated diamond through a measured decrease in electrical conductivity in response to an increase in humidity.
Hydrogenated diamonds are just diamonds with an outer coating of hydrogen atoms, but they are not something you'll find in your local jewelry shop. In fact, the only hydrogenated diamonds currently known are all made in the lab.
"In nature, diamond hydrogenation is likely to occur in or in the vicinity of volcanoes known to emit a variety of hot gases including hydrogen," Sommer said. The early Earth had so much volcanic activity that he thinks it is highly probable that hydrogenated diamonds existed back then.
Sommer and his collaborators previously showed that hydrogenated diamond is very hydrophobic, or "water fearing" — meaning it pushes water away. When hydrogenated diamond is wetted, the water molecules line up on the surface as if they were frozen into a crystal layer (an analogy might be static electricity making all the hairs on your head point out).
Surprisingly, these crystal water layers do not disappear when the hydrogenated diamond is fully immersed in water. Because this is the only natural material known to exhibit this behavior, Sommer's team proposes that small organic molecules in the primordial soup landed on hydrogenated diamond and were helped by its robust crystal water layers into linking together to form proteins and DNA.
Support for this idea comes from a recent study that found that certain nucleobases (the building blocks of DNA and RNA) form an organized pattern on the surface of graphite, which is chemically similar to diamond.
Hydrogenated diamond should be a better organizing platform than graphite, Sommer said. This is because the crystal layers that form on it are not static; they change with temperature and light intensity. The resulting fluctuations could have helped drive the development of novel molecules in the primordial soup.
Primordial bling-bling
It is thought that the early Earth experienced a great deal more volcanic activity than today. If so, then diamond hydrogenation, which occurs in or in the vicinity of volcanoes, may have been common.
Credit: NASA
"So far, crystal water layers have only been described on hydrogenated diamond," said Horst-Dieter Foersterling of Philipps University of Marburg, who was not involved with this work. "This is a new field of research. That this system can be helpful for the formation of biomolecules is a plausible hypothesis."
It remains uncertain whether there was any hydrogenated diamond on Earth billions of years ago, but even a little bit might be enough.
"I think it is not important that a lot of hydronenated diamond was available," Foersterling said. "Once the first evolution process has started in a very special location [such as a tiny patch of hydrogenated diamond], and stable DNA strands have formed, a special location is no more necessary."
The Aromatic World
Building Life From Star Stuff


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https://apnews.com/press-release/business-wire/business-public-health-products-and-services-coronavirus-pandemic-product-testing-b0df7490d655428b8a6ff09a2423b7f1
Patrick Soon-Shiong
Sarah Singleton
ImmunityBio Announces Primary Endpoint Met of Phase 2/3 Trial for BCG Unresponsive Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer CIS with 72% Complete Response Rate
CULVER CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 21, 2020--
ImmunityBio, Inc., a privately-held immunotherapy company, today announced positive data from the first cohort of a pivotal Phase 2/3 trial (QUILT 3.032) for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in high risk carcinoma in situ (CIS) disease. The data showed 51 out of 71 evaluable patients (72%) had a complete response (at any time) to intravesical BCG plus N-803 (Anktiva), with 59% probability of these patients maintaining a complete response for at least 12 months, with a median duration of complete response of 19.2 months to date.
With the observed efficacy and only 1% of patients reporting treatment emergent serious adverse events, but none of which were treatment-related, the data support the potential for Anktiva plus BCG as a novel option for BCG unresponsive CIS, a therapeutically challenging disease. Patients with BCG unresponsive CIS disease face surgical removal of the bladder, a procedure fraught with high morbidity and mortality.
Bladder cancer has a high incidence worldwide; it caused 212,536 deaths and an estimated 573,278 new cases were diagnosed in 2020 1. In the United States, bladder cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed solid malignancy in men and the twelfth for women; The American Cancer Society estimates 80,470 new cases and 17,670 deaths in 2019 2. Approximately 75-85% of all newly diagnosed cases of bladder cancer are non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) 3.
The open-label, three cohort multicenter Phase 2/3 study of intravesical BCG plus Anktiva (N-803) in patients with BCG-unresponsive high-grade NMIBC (NCT03022825) was opened in 2017. The primary endpoint for Cohort A of this Phase 2/3 study is incidence of complete response (CR) of CIS at any time. The FDA had granted Fast Track Designation to the pivotal trial based on Phase I data. In December 2019, the FDA granted ImmunityBio Breakthrough Therapy Designation based on interim Phase 2 data indicating the primary endpoint of the trial was already met.
"The high rates of progression and recurrence for NMIBC make it one of the most expensive cancers to treat. This preliminary data is heartening and provides additional evidence of the potential for ImmunityBio's Anktiva in treating a serious and potentially fatal cancer, for which the alternative is a highly invasive radical cystectomy," said Patrick Soon-Shiong, M.D., Chairman and CEO of ImmunityBio. "We expect to file a Biologics License Application following a meeting with the FDA in 2021."
ImmunityBio's IL-15 superagonist Anktiva (N-803)
The cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) plays a crucial role in the immune system by affecting the development, maintenance, and function of the natural killer (NK) and T cells. N-803 is a novel IL-15 superagonist complex consisting of an IL-15 mutant (IL-15N72D) bound to an IL-15 receptor α/IgG1 Fc fusion protein. N-803 has improved pharmacokinetic properties, longer persistence in lymphoid tissues and enhanced anti-tumor activity compared to native, non-complexed IL-15 in vivo.
N-803 is currently being evaluated for adult patients in two clinical NMIBC trials. QUILT 2.005 is investigating use of N-803 in combination with BCG for patients with BCG-naïve NMIBC; QUILT 3.032 is studying N-803 in combination with BCG in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.
The Urgent, Unmet Need to Treat NMIBC and Avoid Cystectomy
For the last 30 years, BCG immunotherapy has been the standard for treating NMIBC. However, disease recurrence and progression rates remain unacceptably high. Standard of care recommendations for these patients include lifetime invasive surveillance and rapid treatment of recurrences, creating a substantial financial burden and drastic impact on quality of life. Of those patients who experience recurrence, approximately 30% will progress and succumb to their disease over a 15-year period, and another 50% will undergo radical cystectomy of the bladder in an attempt to control their disease 4.
For high-risk NMIBC patients who are BCG-unresponsive with persistent or recurrent disease, treatment guidelines recommend a surgical procedure called radical cystectomy, a surgery to remove the entire bladder that may require removal of other surrounding organs. In men, removal of the prostate may be necessary, and in women, surgeons may also remove the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and cervix, and occasionally a portion of the vagina. Despite the advent of minimally invasive procedures and robotic techniques, the 90-day mortality and morbidity rates in patients who undergo cystectomy remain unacceptably high at 5.1-8.1% and 28-64%, respectively 5. Based on this urgent need, FDA published guidance in February 2018 to address BCG unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), stating that the goal of therapy in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC is to avoid cystectomy.
NantKwest Transaction
ImmunityBio separately announced today that it has entered into an agreement to combine in a stock-for-stock transaction with NantKwest, Inc. (NASDAQ: NK). The combination will create a leading immunotherapy and cell therapy companies focused on oncology and infectious disease.
About ImmunityBio
ImmunityBio, Inc. is a late-clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing next-generation therapies that drive immunogenic mechanisms for defeating cancers and infectious diseases. The company's immunotherapy platform activates both the innate (natural killer cell and macrophage) and adaptive (T-cell) immune systems to create long-term "immunological memory." This novel approach is designed to eliminate the need for high-dose chemotherapy, improve upon the outcomes of current CAR T-cell therapies, and extend beyond checkpoint inhibitors.
ImmunityBio's platform is based on the foundation of three separate modalities: antibody cytokine fusion proteins, synthetic immunomodulators, and second-generation human adenovirus (hAd5) vaccine technologies.
Anktiva™ (ImmunityBio's lead cytokine infusion protein) is a novel interleukin-15 (IL-15) superagonist complex and has received Breakthrough Therapy and Fast Track Designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for BCG-unresponsive CIS non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The company is also in Phase 2 or 3 trials for indications such as first- and second-line lung cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, metastatic pancreatic cancer, recurrent glioblastoma, and soft tissue sarcoma in combination with the company's synthetic immune modulator (Aldoxorubicin).
ImmunityBio is also developing therapies, including vaccines, for the prevention and treatment of HIV, influenza, and the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with its second-generation human adenovirus (hAd5) vaccine technologies.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning or implying that ImmunityBio will be successful in improving the treatment of the novel coronavirus, the timing and results of the clinical development of had5-COVID -19 oral capsule vaccine, or whether ImmunityBio will be successful in gaining regulatory approval of, commercializing or distributing the vaccine. Risks and uncertainties related to these endeavors include, but are not limited to the successful completion of the currently contemplated Phase 1 trials and the currently enrolling Phase 2 trial and subsequent clinical development and FDA approval of the vaccine on the currently anticipated timeline, if at all, as well as manufacturing and distribution challenges., Risks and uncertainties related to this endeavor include, but are not limited to, the company's beliefs regarding the success, cost, and timing of its development activities and clinical trials.
Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements do not constitute guarantees of future performance, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to update these statements except as may be required by law.
CONTACT: Investors
NantKwest
844-696-5235, Option 5Media
Amy Jobe
LifeSci Advisors
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RESEARCH FDA CLINICAL TRIALS BIOTECHNOLOGY HEALTH PHARMACEUTICAL GENERAL HEALTH SCIENCE ONCOLOGY
SOURCE: ImmunityBio, Inc.


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Home MMO News The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot Officially Launches on PC
The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot Officially Launches on PC
Truth be told, I thought this game launched already. I've been in alpha and beta tests for The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot for so long, I just assumed the game was already out. Not so, as Ubisoft has announced that the PC version of the free-to-play defense/dungeon crawl loot fest is now available to everyone.
Since my last playthrough, a lot of changes have been made and Ubisoft credits most of those changes to direct feedback from the community during beta testing. Crafting, new traps, rare creatures, and clans are all active in the game now. I'm not so keen on the "Turbo" mode introduced last November that speeds up the action a bit, but maybe it just takes a bit of "reprogramming" on my part to change how I used certain abilities and when.
You can visit the site to get started now, and take a look at the newly on sale "Infinite pack" for a nice collection of goodies and extras (including heroes) if you're a fan of the game.
Mighty Quest For Epic Loot
Mike "Magicman" Byrne has been a part of the MMOBomb family for years and serves as the site's current Editor-in-Chief. His love for MMOs and gaming in general has led him to covering games for numerous websites including Gamebreaker TV and XIV Nation where he proudly displays his fanboy flag for FFXIV:ARR.
berkay1122 February 7, 2015 at 6:57 pm
I had play this game in closed beta. now i heard its "heavy pay to win" so nah thanks
NopeNOPENope February 9, 2015 at 8:39 am
yeah mate, I've played this game since Closed Beta, myself, and no its not pay-to-win at all. You can get anything, except cosmetics with in-game currencies. It isnt easy to get resources, but its not hard either because you will get attacked a lot and get some resources at some point and if you want to get these materials faster, just attack as many players as possible.
THE REASON PEOPLE THINK THIS GAME IS PAY-TO-WIN is BECAUSE THEY ARE LAZY TO GATHER MATERIALS(personal opinion)!
Berney February 6, 2015 at 5:05 pm
I liked this game until a level 21 Knight raided my level 4ish castle, and many more high levels after that. Then i quit, kinda hard to gain money when you cant even defend from attackers
Richard February 6, 2015 at 8:49 pm
what really?
Rufinus February 7, 2015 at 3:46 am
thanks for the laugh
Baium February 6, 2015 at 1:27 pm
Anyway….l2 alucard just opened
no name required February 14, 2015 at 11:00 am
it possibly translates to: "Anyways there's a better game over there so might as well play that"


Microfilm has the "measles." It is an ailment baffling research scientists and causing some anxiety among businessmen, librarians and Government agencies, which are spending about $325 million a year to preserve records on film.
Small spots tinged with red, orange or yellow have mysteriously appeared on processed negative film. The blemishes also take the form of concentric light and dark rings, or cause lines and printed letters to become broader and lighter.
No one knows precisely why this happens or what it portends. Washington has called for the widest possible examination of microfilm to isolate the trouble. Manufacturers have ordered their laboratories to get an answer, quickly.
On all sides it is emphasized that the problem is more a nuisance than a hazard. Still, it is agreed that any umexplaineddeterioration of microfilm cannot be ignored.
The most recent statement on the subject came from the highly respected team of D. G. Wiest and R. W. Henn of the Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester. Mr. Wiest read a paper at the National Microfilm Association's convention in Philadelphia on April 29.
Spots in the film grow slowly when they occur, and the best first step to check them is hmproved storage conditions in cool, dry air free of oxidizing gases or vapors, according to Mr. Wiest.
Since the "aging blemishes," "J‐spots," or "measles," as they are called, apparently exist only in some negative film, duplication of valuable microfilms on positive film was recommended.
Eastman Kodak, whose subsidiary, Recordak, first reported the "measles" some 18 months ago, is experimenting with a gold protective treatment for commercial use. The company stated that accelerated tests have shown it confers "a very high degree of stability" to microfilm.
The report by Mr. Henn and Mr. Wiest noted that in 10 per cent of the rolls affected, generally the spots were found on the leaders or beginning of films, the remainder being in the image area.
One roll in every 100 of those affected showed more damage. Spots generally occur for only a few frames of from 2 to 10 feet into a roll.
Edward Rosse of the Social Security Administration, Baltimore, chairman of the association's committee studying the blemishes, presided at a meeting of six industry and government experts in Rochester on May 7.
Donald Holmes, chief of photographic duplication, Library of Congress, said that his library and the National Archives, with identical processing equipment and storage facilities, have been measles‐free.
A. V. Astin, director of the bureau, issued Handbook 96 on the same date. Set forth in the booklet are a description of the problem, methods for the inspection of film and the reporting of damage, and colored photographs of the six types of defects.