ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Oncology
Volume 12 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2022.802941
Low Level of PALMD Contributes to the Metastasis of Uveal Melanoma
- 1Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai East Hospital, Shanghai, China
- 2Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Jiangong Hospital, Shanghai, China
Uveal melanoma (UM) is a highly aggressive disease. There is an urgent need to develop the metastasis prediction markers of UM. This study aims to detect the key role of PALMD in UM metastasis. Transcriptome sequencing results of 2 sets of UM metastatic samples (GSE22138 and GSE156877) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and 18 overlapping differentially expressed genes were screened out, including PALMD. PALMD was significantly underexpressed in metastatic UM tissue. Low expression of PALMD was associated with poor prognosis in UM patients. The decreased expression of PALMD promoted the invasion and migration of 92-1 and Mel270 cells, while the high expression of PALMD inhibited the invasion and migration of UM cells. Furthermore, the levels of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 2 and MMP9 increased after transfection of siRNAs specifically targeting PALMD, whereas the levels of MMP2 and MMP9 were decreased after PALMD overexpression. However, PALMD did not affect the proliferation of UM cells. In addition, ZNF263 promoted the transcription of PALMD through the putative binding sequence using the JASPAR database, luciferase reporter gene analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. In summary, the expression of PALMD regulated by ZNF263 plays an important role in UM metastasis.
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary eye cancer in adults, which originates from the melanocytes of the eye (1). Through radiotherapy, UM has good local tumor control. However, UM is a highly aggressive disease with a moderate risk of metastasis. After the diagnosis of metastasis, the patient’s survival time is less than 12 months (2). Up to 50% of patients have metastatic deaths (3). Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop the metastasis prediction markers of UM.
Through genome-wide and transcriptome analysis, PALMD is considered to be the causative gene of calcific aortic stenosis (CAS) (4–6). PALMD alleles in valve tissue confer disease susceptibility by reducing the level of PALMD mRNA (7). The PALMD gene is located at 1p21.2 and encodes Palmdelphin (PALMD) protein (8). The study has suggested that PALMD protein is a regulator of actin polymerization (9). Lower level of PALMD promotes the polymerization of actin, the activation of myocardial-related transcription factors, and the development of fibrosis programs, which are the key pathobiological processes in the CAS progress (9). The PALMD protein belongs to the paralemmin family, which is involved in the control of cell morphology and plasma membrane motility (10). PALMD has also been found to have a specific role in the morphological changes in the differentiation process of myoblasts (11). The study has also shown that membrane-bound PALMD promotes the proliferation and morphogenesis of basal cells in mammalian neocortex through integrin signals (12). However, no studies have reported the role of PALMD in diseases other than CAS.
This study will detect the key role of PALMD in UM metastasis by using transcriptome analysis and cell experiments.
Material and Methods
Raw Biological Microarray Data and Elucidation of Differentially Expressed Genes
2 transcriptome sequencing results were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (13), GSE22138 (34 UM tissue samples with liver metastases and 29 UM tissues without metastasis, Affymetrix GPL570 platform) and GSE156877 (4 UM tissue samples with early metastasis and 4 without metastasis, Affymetrix GPL23126 platform). Corresponding gene probes were converted into symbols according to the annotation information in the platform. DEGs between metastatic and non-metastatic UM samples were screened and determined using GEO2R. DEGs were filtered using parameters such as adjusted P-values (adj.P), Benjamini, and fold changes. Probe sets without corresponding gene symbols were removed; genes with multiple probe sets were averaged. Log2 (Fold change)>1 or <-1 & P<0.01 were considered statistically significant.
The correlation between overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS) and PALMD mRNA levels in 78 UM patients was analyzed by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) web service (14). UM patients were grouped by median PALMD mRNA levels. The Kaplan-Meier method, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and log-rank test were used to analyze PALMD-related survival.
Cell Culture and Transfection
UM cell lines (92.1 and Mel270) were purchased from the cell banks of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Shanghai, China). All cells were cultured in high-glucose DMEM (Invitrogen) with 0.1 mg/ml streptomycin, 100 U/ml penicillin, and 10% (v/v) FBS in a humidified cell incubator at 37°C and 5% CO2. siRNAs targeting PALMD and ZNF263, PALMD and ZNF263 pcDNA3.1 overexpression plasmids were synthesized from GeneChem company (Shanghai), and transfected into cells using Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen, USA) according to the manufacturer’s protocol.
Cells were lysed with RIPA lysate, and total protein was collected with 12,000 g centrifugation at 4°C for 10 min. The protein concentration was measured by BCA kit (Pierce). The protein was separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and transferred to a PVDF membrane. After blocking with 5% skimmed milk for 90 min, the membrane was incubated with the primary antibody overnight at 4°C, and then performed the secondary antibody at room temperature for 2 h. The bands were visualized using an enhanced chemiluminescence system (Millipore, USA). The primary antibodies used in this study are as follows: PALMD (Proteintech; 1:2000; 16531-1-AP), ZNF263 (Abcam; 1:1000; ab129100) and GAPDH (Proteintech; 1:5000; 60004-1-Ig).
The insert (Millipore) was put into a 24-well plate and Matrigel (BD Biosciences) coated the membrane of insert. 600 μl of medium containing 2% FBS was added to the lower chamber. 10,000 cells were suspended in 200 μl serum-free medium and added to the upper chamber. After culturing for 24 h, the medium and cells in the upper chamber were removed, and washed with PBS. The cells invaded under the membrane were fixed with methanol and stained with crystal violet for 15 min. Subsequently, the cells were observed and counted under a microscope.
The cells were cultured to form a confluent cell monolayer, and a sterile 10 μl pipette tip mechanically created a linear wound. After washing the exfoliated cells with PBS, cells were cultured for 24 h. The average distance of wound healing was measured with a microscope calibrated with an eyepiece micrometer.
Human matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 2 (ab267813) and MMP9 (ab246539) ELISA Kits were purchased from Abcam, and performed according to the manufacturer’s protocol.
Cells were seeded into each well of a 96-well plate and cultured for 72 h. Subsequently, the medium of each well was removed, and washed once with PBS. 10% CCK-8 reagent was added to each well and incubated for 2 h. A microplate reader (BioTek, USA) was used to detect the absorbance of each well at 450 nm.
Transcription Factor Prediction
Enter the NCBI database and find the potential promoter sequence of the target gene PALMD (Chr1: 99644113-99646113). Enter the UCSC database (combined with JASPAR), enter the potential promoter region of the PALMD gene, and obtain the potential transcription factors that bind to the promoter region. Based on transcription factors and scores, ZNF263 was selected. Using JASPAR, predict the binding site sequence of ZNF263 in the promoter region of the target gene.
Luciferase Reporter Assay
A firefly luciferase reporter plasmid containing wild-type (WT) or mutant (MUT) promoter sequences and pcDNA3.1-ZNF263 plasmid were co-transfected into 92-1 cells. After 48 h of incubation, the luciferase activity was determined according to the manufacturer’s protocol (Promega, E1910).
Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Assay
92-1 cells over-expressed ZNF263 were fixed and crosslinked in 1% formaldehyde for 10 min at 37°C and incubated with protease inhibitors. Chromatin was isolated and enzymatically fragmented using an EZ-Zyme Chromatin Prep Kit (17375, Merck). Rabbit anti-ZNF263 antibody (21326-1-AP, Proteintech) or nonspecific IgG (1:200, Sigma) was used to precipitate DNA crosslinked with the ZNF263. The immunoprecipitated promoter fragment containing the ZNF263 response element was probed by PCR using primers targeting the regulatory region of PALMD gene and visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis.
GraphPad Prism 8 was used for statistical analyses, and all data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Student t-test was used to compare data between two groups, and P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The experiments in vitro were repeated at least 3 times.
DEGs in UM Metastasis
248 DEGs were screened on the GSE22138, 273 DEGs were screened on the GSE156877, and 18 overlapping DEGs were screened out (Figure 1A). Among them, the expression of 5 genes was significantly down-regulated (Figures 1B, C), and the expression of 13 genes was significantly up-regulated (Figures 1D, E) in the metastatic UM tissue.
Figure 1 DEGs in UM metastasis. (A) Venn diagram of DEGs from GSE22138 and GSE156877. The expression of 5 genes significantly down-regulated in GSE22138 (B) and GSE156877 (C). The expression of 13 genes significantly up-regulated in GSE22138 (D) and GSE156877 (E). *P < 0.05.
According to the literature review, other DEGs have been extensively studied in tumors or other types of diseases (Supplementary Table 1), excluding PALMD. PALMD is considered to be a target of aortic stenosis, and there are few studies. Furthermore, data from the GEPIA online analysis website (14) showed that the expression level of PALMD was closely related to the OS (Figure 2A) and DFS (Figure 2B) of UM patients. Patients with high expression of PALMD had a better prognosis (Figure 2). Therefore, this study mainly explores the role of PALMD in UM metastasis.
Figure 2 UM patients with high expression of PALMD have a better prognosis. The (A) overall survival and (B) disease-free survival of UM patients with low or high PALMD expression. Data from the GEPIA.
Low Level of PALMD Is Beneficial to the Motility and Metastasis of UM Cells
In order to explore the role of PALMD in the motility and metastasis of UM cells, siRNA (si-PALMD) specifically targeting PALMD (KD) or pcDNA3.1 PALMD overexpression plasmid (OV) was transfected into 92-1 and Mel270 cells to down- or up- regulate the expression of PALMD (Figures 3A, B). The result of Transwell experiment showed in Figures 3C, D, compared with the NC group, the number of cells passing through the Matrigel in the KD group was significantly increased, while the number of cells passing through the Matrigel in the OV group was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the result of scratch experiment showed in Figures 3E, F, compared with the NC group, the rate of wound healing in the KD group was faster, while that in the OV group was slower. In addition, we also used ELISA to detect the expression levels of MMP2 and MMP9. The results showed that after transfection of si-PALMD, the levels of MMP2 and MMP9 increased, while the transfection of PALMD overexpression plasmid reduced the MMP2 and MMP9 levels (Figures 4A, B). These results all indicate that low levels of PALMD are beneficial to the motility and metastasis of UM cells.
Figure 3 Low level of PALMD is beneficial to the motility and metastasis of UM cells. siRNA specifically targeting PALMD or pcDNA3.1 overexpression plasmid was transfected into 92-1 (A) and Mel270 (B) cells to down- (KD) or up- (OV) regulate the expression of PALMD. After transfection, the invasion of 92-1 (C) and Mel270 (D) cells was measured using Transwell assay, the migration of 92-1 (E) and Mel270 (F) cells was detected using scratch assay. *P < 0.05.
Figure 4 PALMD on MMP expression and proliferation of UM cells. After transfection of siRNA specifically targeting PALMD (KD) or pcDNA3.1 overexpression plasmid (OV), the MMP2 and MMP9 expression of 92-1 (A) and Mel270 (B) cells was measured with ELISA, the proliferation of 92-1 (C) and Mel270 (D) cells was detected with CCK-8 assay. *P < 0.05.
PALMD Does Not Affect the Proliferation of UM Cells
In addition, we used the CCK-8 experiment to detect the effect of PALMD on cell proliferation (Figures 4C, D). As shown in Figures 4C, D, 72 h after down- or up- regulating PALMD, there was no significant difference in the absorbance values at 450 nm between the NC and experimental groups.
ZNF263 Is Responsible for the Transcriptional Regulation of PALMD
Using the UCSC and JASPAR databases, ZNF263 was predicted to be a transcription factor binding to the PALMD promoter, and the binding site was AATGGGAGGATT (Figure 5A). Subsequently, we conducted a luciferase experiment and co-transfected the pGL4.20 plasmid containing wild-type (WT) or mutant (MUT) binding site and ZNF263 overexpression plasmid into 92-1 cells. The results (Figure 5B) showed that ZNF263 activated the transcription of luciferase through the putative binding sequence. Furthermore, ChIP experiment verified the direct binding of ZNF263 to the PALMD promoter in 92-1 cells (Figure 5C). In addition, knockdown of ZNF263 down-regulated the PALMD expression, while exogenous expression of ZNF263 up-regulated the expression of PALMD in 92-1 cells (Figure 5D).
Figure 5 ZNF263 is responsible for the transcriptional regulation of PALMD. (A) ZNF263 was predicted to be a transcription factor binding to the PALMD promoter, and the binding site was AATGGGAGGATT. Data from JASPAR databases. (B) Luciferase reporter assay in 92-1 cells. (C) PCR and agarose gel amplification and detection of DNA sequences bound to the ZNF263 protein in 92-1 cells overexpressed ZNF263. (D) The effect of ZNF263 down- or up- regulated expression on PALMD protein expression was detected in 92-1 cells with western blot. *P < 0.05.
UM is an aggressive malignancy, and up to half of UM eventually metastasizes to other organs. Currently, there is no effective treatment for metastatic UM. Once metastasis occurs, disease-related death typically occurs within a year. The metastatic spread of cancer cells is a complex multistep process, and understanding the molecular mechanisms that initiate and promote UM metastasis is critical for the development of successful treatments. Therefore, in recent years, different researchers have made efforts to explore the mechanisms related to UM metastasis from the aspects of genomic mutation driver (15), epigenetic mechanism driver (16), altered transcriptomics (17) and altered proteomics (18). Currently, only limited results have been achieved. The Gαq pathway mutation and the increase in chromosome arm 8q are elucidated as common genomic evolutionary pathways applicable to most metastatic UM (15). Mutually exclusive gain-of-function mutations in members of the Gαq signaling pathway (GNAQ, GNA11, CYSLTR2, and PLCB4) represent initiating events present in more than 95% of UM (19). Aberrant methylation of BAP1 and SF3B1 is thought to be associated with UM metastasis (16). Furthermore, transcriptional analysis of metastatic UM nominates NRP1 as a predicted target (17). Jang et al. identify 32 proteins capable of predicting metastatic and non-metastatic UM with 93% discriminative accuracy (18).
In the present study, we extracted 18 transcripts with significantly different levels in metastatic UM using public transcriptome sequencing information. However, whether these 18 transcripts can be predictive targets for UM metastasis requires data analysis with an expanded clinical sample size. The arrays analyzed in this study contained small sample sizes. In addition, the pathological information and prognosis of patients were also lacking, and the correlation analysis between pathology or prognosis and transcripts cannot be performed. The genomic mutations, epigenetic regulation, post-transcriptional regulation, protein expression patterns, subcellular localization, and biological roles of these 18 genes in cancer cell progression deserve careful consideration. Furthermore, similar to our methods, Xu et al. also download three microarray datasets (GSE22138, GSE27831 and GSE73652) for patients with primary or metastatic UM from GEO, and identify 103 DEGs as candidate prognostic biomarkers of metastatic UM, and consider SCD5, SPTBN1, FABP5, SQLE, PTPLA (HACD1), and CDC25B as independent prognostic factors for UM (20). The microarray datasets selected for the two articles are different, and we used more stringent screening criteria: log2 (Fold change)>1 or <-1 & P<0.01. Xu et al. consider the absolute value of Log2FC (fold change) >1.00 and P value <0.05 to be statistically significant. In addition, unlike Xu’s wish to obtain several candidate prognostic biomarkers for metastatic UM through comprehensive analysis, we prefer to focus on the specific role of a specific gene/protein in the progression of UM through comprehensive analysis.
In this study, we mainly focused on PALMD. We found that PALMD was significantly underexpressed in metastatic UM tissues. Low levels of PALMD were closely associated with poor prognosis in UM patients. In vitro cell experiments also showed that low level of PALMD favored the invasion and migration of UM cells, and high expression of PALMD inhibited the migration of UM cells. These results indicate the importance of low expression of PALMD in the process of UM metastasis. However, the results of the CCK-8 assay indicated that PALMD expression levels had no effect on the proliferation of UM cells. Although one study suggests that PALMD is a pro-apoptotic gene induced by p53 in a specific way of phosphorylated serine-46 (21). In addition, one study has reported that emodin inhibits the growth of liver cancer cells, and 15 representative genes such as PALMD (down-regulated) are considered to be related to the response to emodin treatment (22). The tissue-specific function of PALMD and the specific mechanism of its effect still need to be further explored.
Furthermore, we used bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase experiments and ChIP to find that ZNF263 can acted as a transcription factor of PALMD to promote its transcription. According to reports, ZNF263 is a key transcription factor for cholangiocarcinoma (23), gastric cancer (24), and hepatocellular carcinoma (25). However, these studies perform comprehensive analyses of cancer-related gene expression datasets in the GEO database, yielding key transcription factors differentially expressed in cancer, including ZNF263. Indeed, to our knowledge, no studies have reported the role of ZNF263 in cancer initiation and progression, its correlation with cancer-related events, and the exact regulatory genes. This study is the first to report the exact regulatory gene of ZNF263, PALMD, and its binding site. In addition, Wu et al. believe that the tumor suppressor gene (TSG) may have evolved specific characteristics that promote its tumor suppressor function, including high CpG dinucleotide frequency and ZNF263 binding element (26). This seems to illustrate the pivotal role of PALMD as TSG in the occurrence and development of UM. However, the mechanism of dysregulated expression of PALMD in UM still needs to be further explored.
The search for predictive markers of UM metastasis has important implications. This analysis identified 18 genes with predictive potential for UM metastasis. In addition, we found that the expression of PALMD regulated by ZNF263 plays an important role in UM metastasis. PALMD is a tumor suppressor gene that plays a key role in the progression of UM metastasis. In the future, we will mainly focus on how the expression of PALMD is dysregulated in UM progression and whether it is related to ZNF263.
Data Availability Statement
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
HY have made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the work. Each author has made substantial contributions to the acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of data. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.802941/full#supplementary-material
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Keywords: Uveal melanoma, metastasis, Palmd, ZNF263, MMP
Citation: Cai M-Y, Xu Y-L, Rong H and Yang H (2022) Low Level of PALMD Contributes to the Metastasis of Uveal Melanoma. Front. Oncol. 12:802941. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.802941
Received: 28 October 2021; Accepted: 16 March 2022;
Published: 13 April 2022.
Edited by:Simone Patergnani, University of Ferrara, Italy
Reviewed by:Jingting Luo, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
Vinagolu K. Rajasekhar, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, United States
Esmaa Bouhamida, University of Ferrara, Italy
Copyright © 2022 Cai, Xu, Rong and Yang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Hai Yang, firstname.lastname@example.org


In Interwoven, Black hair culture is woven into an analogy for the human experience while celebrating Black care and intimacy.
Krystal S. Lowe has been working alongside us, Unlimited and a brilliant team to:
- Gather stories
- Develop the script
- Look at set design
- Test out sound and movement
- Explore relaxed performances with neurodiverse audiences in mind
We met with Krystal and the team to find out about their roles, and what they’ve been up to.
Meet artist Krystal S. Lowe
It feels really exciting to see how everything I have envisioned for this project is coming to life. It's been incredible to work with creatives that I've not yet worked with before as well as building deeper working relationships with others. At every stage, I've felt like the creative team has taken care with their aspect of the exploration. I'm excited for the next steps and for the opportunity to share this with more people very soon.
The process has felt really gentle. The entire R&D is 10 months long, which has been incredible. I feel there's so much time to carefully consider every step of the process as I go.
Meet dramaturg Aisha Josiah
Dramaturgy is a notoriously wide-ranging practice that can be difficult to pin down, but I like to describe it simply as “helping people tell stories”. I try to understand what it is that an artist is trying to communicate, help them articulate their ideas, conduct topic research, find existing models and structures to draw from, develop storytelling exercises and help generate, contextualise and refine a new work as it is created.
So far, I've been doing a lot of reading and writing! Krystal and I had two initial days of development in Newport, where we discussed her idea, the story that she wanted to tell and how. Krystal supplied some poems she’d written as inspiration and we diagrammed the major themes and ideas. I found reference materials (plays, films, music, etc) based on our discussions and we’ve used these as scaffolding to help develop Krystal’s ideas into more detailed characters, plot lines and thematic arcs. Soon, we’ll be meeting in person again to explore movement, set design and props, which will add an exciting new dimension to the story.
Meet set designer TK Hay
Krystal and I have been busy realising a part of the set for use in the exploration at Chapter Arts Centre, which the team at Sherman Theatre are building. It's been fascinating to design largely for movement, anything can be climbed on and interacted with. Anthropometry and ergonomics are more important than ever in designing for this mode of performance. As part of this process, I'm looking forward to exploring designing for our other senses other than sight.
By the end of this process, we're aiming to have an iteration of what a complete design for the show could look like.
Meet costume designer Emma-Jane Weeks
We started with a reference photo for inspiration and are exploring the idea of a piece of costume that wraps and braids around her almost like hair. The costume is made from tulle which when braided becomes very sturdy and coarse in contrast to draped elements that are sheerer and more fragile. Aspects of it are very harness-like, whilst other parts are softer and less form-fitting. It is always a joy to work experimentally on a piece that develops as it is created.
A lot of this happened in Krystal's first fitting where we were able to collaborate and discuss the costume, bouncing ideas off each other to create something that both functions well and aesthetically achieves her vision.
Hopefully, it will provide a useful tool to develop movement with and I look forward to seeing how the costume develops along with the creation of the piece.
Meet circus movement consultant Hannah Darby
My background is in dance, physical theatre and circus, mainly aerial. I will use my knowledge in these disciplines to help with exploration on the swing set. Offering ideas of various holds with different body parts and ways to move around the apparatus.
Meet James Doyle-Roberts from Citrus Arts
I've been helping Krystal get the very most out of the wonderful set designed by TK and built by the Sherman Theatre team. With over 20 years experience of making contemporary circus productions, I've got a good intuition of what happens when choreography meets structural engineering.
Meet translator, Kizzy Crawford
My role on this project is to translate the poem Not All Good Needs to Last into Welsh, aiming to convey the same emotions and essence portrayed in the English version.


By Michael Lanza
In strong, cool gusts of wind competing against a blazing desert sun, we descend a dusty trail flanked by tall, muscular saguaro and countless small cacti aiming thousands of sharp needles at the legs of anyone who wanders too close to the trail’s edge. Just minutes from the trailhead, we reach the bottom of southern Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon, splashing across Aravaipa Creek in several strides—the first of scores of crossings we’ll make of this calf-deep, crystal-clear, and cool but not numbing little desert waterway over the next three days.
White puffs of downy pollen float downward like snowflakes from the tall cottonwood trees lining both creek banks, bigger and more abundant than I’ve seen in most Southwest canyons, stretching their thick branches skyward and out over the chattering water. But the cottonwoods represent only the most prominent trees in the dense forest they share with sycamores, ash, and willows as well as ground-level flora here.
A backpacker hiking up Aravaipa Canyon in southern Arizona.
” data-image-caption=”Todd Arndt backpacking up Aravaipa Canyon in southern Arizona.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?fit=900%2C600&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?resize=900%2C600&ssl=1″ alt=”A backpacker hiking up Aravaipa Canyon in southern Arizona.” class=”wp-image-60532″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?resize=150%2C100&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-15-Backpacking-into-Aravaipa-Canyon-from-the-West-Trailhead-Arizona.jpg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w” sizes=”(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px” data-recalc-dims=”1″ />Todd Arndt backpacking up Aravaipa Canyon in southern Arizona.
I’ve come here in early April for three days of backpacking into Aravaipa Canyon, a 12-mile-long defile this creek has carved into the high desert. From the west trailhead at 2,630 feet, my friends Pam and Mark Solon, Mark Fenton, and Todd Arndt and I will backpack almost halfway up the canyon, set up a base camp for two nights, and spend the middle day exploring farther upstream toward the canyon’s upper end.
Hi, I’m Michael Lanza, creator of The Big Outside. Click here to sign up for my FREE email newsletter. Join The Big Outside to get full access to all of my blog’s stories. Click here for my e-guides to classic backpacking trips. Click here to learn how I can help you plan your next trip.
Backpackers dayhiking up Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon from a camp lower in the canyon.
” data-image-caption=”Dayhiking up Arizona’s Aravaipa Canyon on our trip’s middle day.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-25-Dayhiking-in-Aravaipa-Canyon-Arizona.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/thebigoutside.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Arav1-25-Dayhiking-in-Aravaipa-Canyon-Arizona.jpg?fit=683%2C1024&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp
Did you miss our previous article…
15 Years of Data Reveal the Events Leading Up to Betelgeuse’s “Great Dimming”
Anyone who regularly watches the skies may well be familiar with the constellation Orion the hunter. It is one of the few constellations that actually looks like the thing it is supposed to look like rather than some abstract resemblance. One prominent star is Betelgeuse and back in 2020 it dimmed to a level lower than ever before in recorded history. A team of astronomers have been studying the event with some fascinating results.
Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star almost 650 light years from Earth. With a radius of 617 million kilometres, if it were in the position of the Sun, then the orbit of Earth would be buried deep within its layers. It’s also a variable star which means it varies its output of light and in the case of Betelgeuse this variability is semi-regular or in other words, regular with a few irregularities along the way! Its variability is related to a pulsating of the stars radius which occurs over a period of around 400 days although there is a longer period of variability of around 2,100 days of uncertain origin, possibly linked to variation in convective flow.
Back in 2020 Betelgeuse dimmed to a level that had never been recorded in what has since been dubbed the “Great Dimming”. It’s visual brightness or magnitude, dropped by 1.6 although its dimming did not seem consistent across the star’s sphere; the southern hemisphere was much darker than the northern and there have been many theories put forward to explain the event. Among them, large formations of star spots or dust clouds above the photosphere are favourite.
A paper published recently in Astronomy and Astrophysics by a team of astronomers led by Daniel Jadlovský explores the Great Dimming event using 15 years of data from the STELLA robotic telescope. The STELLA system comprises two robotic telescopes in Spain coupled with a high resolution spectrograph and a wide field imager.
STELLA Observatory in Tenerife, Spain.
The data allowed the team to explore the photosphere (visible layer) of Betelgeuse in incredible detail. They were able to gain valuable insight into the radial pulsations, shockwaves and how they passed through the photospheric layers. Five distinct layers of the photosphere were identified using the tomogrpahic technique – a method where images are constructed form a series of projections.
Analysis revealed that the variations in the innermost photospheric layer, known as C1 was in line with the timescales of the visual magnitude variations. Shockwaves travelling through the layers also seemed to be broadly in line with the brightness variations. In regards to the Great Dimming vent of 2020, the data showed two powerful shock waves in the photosphere, the first likely to be the cause of a major outflowing of material which caused an infall of all layers. As the infall reached maximum velocity the second, more powerful shockwave occurred leading to the a significant outflow of material. Due to the different photospheric layers, these events didn’t happen simultaneously across them all and it wasn’t until early 2022 that Betelgeuse settled back down.
Source : The Great Dimming of Betelgeuse: the photosphere as revealed by tomography during the past 15 years
The post 15 Years of Data Reveal the Events Leading Up to Betelgeuse’s “Great Dimming” appeared first on Universe Today.
Iran Sent a Capsule Capable of Holding Animals into Orbit.
Despite popular opinion, the first animals in space were not dogs or chimps, they were fruit flies launched by the United States in February 1947. The Soviet Union launched Laika, the first dog into space in November 1957 and now, it seems Iran is getting in on the act. A 500kg capsule known as the “indigenous bio-capsule” with life support capability was recently launched atop the Iranian “Salman” rocket. It has been reported by some agencies that there were animals on board but no official statement has been released.
The Iranian Space Agency (ISA) are gearing up to getting humans into space before 2029 but is testing its launch capability with animal passengers. The capsule was launched on December 6 2023 and attained an orbital altitude of 130 kilometres. According to their Telecommunications Minister Isa Zarepour, it is aimed at sending Iranian astronauts to space by 2029.
The “Salaman” solid-fuelled rocket was designed by the aerospace division of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and built and launched by the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics. It has already been used to launch a data collecting satellite and in 2013 successfully sent and returned monkeys into space.
Ham, a chimpanzee, became the first great ape in space during his January 31, 1961, suborbital flight aboard Mercury-Redstone 2 (Credit : NASA)
To date, only three counties have human spaceflight capability; USA, Russia and China. India are attempting to become the fourth as they work on their Gaganyaan program. Will Iran become the fifth!? Iran plans further tests with further launches bearing animal occupants before attempting to send humans up.
According to the Iranian Space Agency, its satellite program is purely for scientific research and other civilian applications. There is however, international suspicion because there are suspicions that the Salamn rockets could very easily be converted to long range missiles.
Source : Iran says it sent a capsule capable of carrying animals into orbit as it prepares for human missions
The post Iran Sent a Capsule Capable of Holding Animals into Orbit. appeared first on Universe Today.
Did you miss our previous article…
What Could a Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Do?
Telescopes have come a long way in a little over four hundred years! It was 1608 that Dutch spectacle maker Hans Lippershey who was said to be working with a case of myopia and, in working with lenses discovered the magnifying powers if arranged in certain configurations. Now, centuries on and we have many different telescope designs and even telescopes in orbit but none are more incredible than the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). Images las year revealed the supermassive black hole at the centre of our Galaxy and around M87 but now a team of astronomers have explored the potential of an even more powerful system the Next Generation EHT (ngEHT).
There is no doubt that our understanding of the processes within our Universe have come on leaps and bounds since the invention of the telescope. The resolution of these space piercing instruments is dictated by the telescope’s aperture. The technique known as interferometry hooks individual telescopes together and combines their signal so they act as one BIG telescope, boosting the resolution.
Telescopes like the EHT have been using interferometry to great advantage to study black holes. These enigmatic and mysterious stellar corpses defy our probing; we do not fully understand their origins and processes and indeed our laws of physics break down if you get too close to the point source in the centre, the singularity. Due to their interaction with space and time, understanding the full nature of black holes will – hopefully – unlock our understanding of the Universe.
Previously, observations have only revealed the movement of stars around galactic centre suggesting an object was lurking there weighing in at around 4 million times the mass of the Sun. Data from the EHT collected during 2022, finally revealed an image of the object at the centre – SgrA* – a super massive black hole and the matter in the immediate vicinity of the event horizon. Whilst this image did not reveal the black hole itself – another article required to explain that – it certainly revealed the telltale signs.
Sag A* compared to M87* and the orbit of Mercury. Credit: EHT collaboration
A recently published paper explores the possibilities of the ngEHT and how they might be able to unpick some of the physics around black holes. The ngEHT will increase the geographical footprint of EHT by 10 further instruments that span across the Earth. Making use of the significant improvement in resolution, the ngEHT will also improve image dynamics range, provide a multi-wavelength capability and facilitate long term monitoring.
The team conclude that future enhancements in measurement sensitivity and data analysis techniques in ngEHT will substantially advance our understanding of black holes and the immediate environments surrounding them with particular focus on the photon ring, mass and spin analysis, binary supermassive black holes and more besides.
Source : Fundamental Physics Opportunities with the Next-Generation Event Horizon Telescope
The post What Could a Next Generation Event Horizon Telescope Do? appeared first on Universe Today.
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Kelly Rowland Joins Empire's Star-Studded Season 2 Cast
Cookie Lyons had better secure her space in the spotlight because a new ferocious diva has joined the cast of Empire. So who, as Taraji P. Henson's Cookie memorably remarks in Season 1, is coming for what’s hers? None other than former Destiny’s Child songstress Kelly Rowland, who has joined the multi-talented team to portray the mother to Lucious Lyon (portrayed by Terrence Howard) in a flashback format, E! News reports.
The selection seems perfectly suited considering Rowland has successfully graced her impressive vocals on tracks like “Survivor” and her very own “Motivation.” And, of course, who can forget the exemplary gyrating she showcased in Destiny’s Child’s “Lose My Breathe” video, in which Rowland flaunted a series of looks that feature plenty of tailored suits, culottes, and fur jackets that, in retrospect, strikingly match the fashion we see on Empire. Rowland also isn’t the only new addition to the cast. Chris Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys, Marisa Tomei, and Magic Mike XXL actor Adam Rodriguez are among the stars who've signed up to appear on Season 2, which debuts Sept. 23 on Fox.
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In our fast-moving world, it’s easy to overlook the amount of effort and time necessary to achieve true mastery of a skill. We millennials are obsessed with instant gratification. We often give up too soon, and in doing so, develop poor habits, relationships, and skills. In our minds persistence is confused with stubbornness and repetition is confused with a sign of stupidity.
Good calligraphy requires a ton of repetition and the only way to go through it is with an abundance of will. Calligraphy, if mastered to even a limited extent, is a good skill which teaches the beauty of improving yourself with repetition.
This narrative provides a Beginners’ How-To for getting started with calligraphy.
This is just bare-bone essentials and hacks around some of the hurdles around the millennia-old art form. Of course, it's a plus if you understand typography and you spent time setting type, but it's not required to get you started for sure.
Forget the ink.
Especially for beginners, ink, classical feathers and tips create another level of complexity which makes the task absolutely unbearable. On top of learning how to write, you need to learn to control the ink flow, drainage, spills, etc. The ink is also not paper agnostic. You need to find the right paper and also to keep your hands off of the writing area. The natural moisture and sweat off your fingertips create invisible stains on the paper, which will prevent the consistent transfer of the ink on the paper. All those things, combined with you not knowing how to form a single letter, will make you feel dreadful and you will probably quit before you have even started.
To avoid everything mentioned above, you have to start with much more forgiving tools. Use a normal printer paper and one of those calligraphy “fountain” pens, brush pens or markers, depending on what type of calligraphy you want to try. Most of the calligraphy markers out there are pretty good. You can’t go wrong with any of these ZIG, Sakura Pigma, Faber-Castell, Pilot. If you still want that inky feel but in very controlled manner you can try Pilot Parallel Pens. In general you can explore JetPens.com it has very good explanations and examples of how the pens perform.
Start with flat calligraphy marker and try “foundation hand” script and then slowly transition to classical gothic styles or italic roman treatments. I’m saying it just because it’s easier than a brush pen. With which, you have to not only control direction but also wonder about pressure and tilt. With the flat pen, you don't have to worry about pressure factor, because it’s firm and consistent for the most part and the only thing you have to know about tilt is that you don’t have to tilt or rotate it at all! Which, by the way, will probably be the first thing you will struggle with.
There are plenty of great articles and videos on how to draw letters from a specific script. My only tip here is to start with something as simple as this. Again, the simplest possible script with as little pen movement as possible. You can check calligraphy-skills.com and watch Joanne Fink tutorial videos on foundation hand - lowercase letters, UPPER CASE LETTERS.
One thing you should also consider is the size of the letters you are drawing. My suggestion here is to start small again. Smaller pen tips 2-3mm will keep you closer to your natural handwriting movements. One thing to consider is muscle memory. If you feel you are always defaulting to your handwriting you can try to focus on writing slowly and deliberately. If that doesn't work just try out a thinker tip size pen. The thicker pen will force you to write larger letters, which will steer you away from the handwriting habits and bring you closer to drawing. If you have drawing experience, your hand will probably be accustomed to longer brush or pen strokes, which means you can start with thicker flat pen tips.
No Undo, sorry.
Once you mess up something there is no CMD+Z. When you mess up, just don’t stop finish the word or the sentence and start again, and again, and again, and again. Especially in the beginning, you will have to write something at least 100 times to make it look decent. Set your goal to writing something beautiful within 100 tries. So, don’t get frustrated if it’s not perfect within the first 10 times. Repeat and refine, repeat and refine.
Start with one word.
One simple single word, like your name or someone’s name. So, at the end, you will have something gratifying and finished to look at. It’s also short enough, so rewriting it is not as bad. Don’t bother writing sentences or just letters, it’s just boring and not satisfying enough. After you get comfortable with one name you can try another name and go from there. Here’s a good guide on how to write each letter starting with Aa - https://loopsandtails.com/blackletter/aa/
This is pretty self explanatory. The bare minimum is probably to follow guidelines for your x-height. Especially, in the beginning, it will be hard for you to understand what exactly is wrong with your writing. You can also find printable sheets with guides on them for a specific size of pens. Just make sure you have the guides for your pen size.
- The Art of Modern Calligraphy by Molly Jacques (PDF) Good detailed guide for pointed nib calligraphy
- Edgar Villa Guide
- Jack Rainis Guide
- Loops & Tails Site dedicated to learning calligraphy. Includes worksheets for beginners.
- Learn Calligraphy: The Complete Book of Lettering and Design by Margaret Shepherd
Few words to summarize
Ultimately, calligraphy will allow you to better understand how type works and when and why it looks balanced and amazing. It will be very easy to understand otherwise abstract typographical principles, letter form balancing and type design. Also, as a designer you will expand your understanding of otherwise obvious things like kerning, tracking and spacing in general. On top of all the design specific skills you will inevitably improve your patience, attention span, and focus. You will feel a lot more prepared and resilient to early disappointments and missteps next time you have to face a enormous challenge.


SJP's unexpected strategy to face celeb fragrance fallout.
August 26, 2016
• Rachel Strugatz
Vespa and Parsons Take a Fashion Ride
NEW YORK — The company that manufactures Vespa scooters has tapped students at Manhattan’s Parsons School of Design to help develop a collection of apparel, accessories and wearable technologies, and maybe even a scooter or...


“Episode 1 of #NYC Originals is now online with Teddy King of Boundless NY from Brooklyn. The first thing we experienced at Boundless is that it felt just like home. And what we like most, is that they represent the unlimited opportunities you’ll encounter when you grind hard. Every single day.” Enjoy and stay with us for videos from the likes of Brooklyn Machine Works, Flight Club New York, Atmos New York, West NYC and Premium Laces.
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The same group that spearheaded lawsuits to effectively end the use of affirmative action in college admissions returned to the Supreme Court on Friday, asking the justices to temporarily bar the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which trains officers
Stealing a dead man's set? Now that’s ‘Bad For Ya.’ The post AI George Carlin Just Dropped A Comedy Special. The Estate Isn’t Too Happy About That. appeared first on Above the Law.
The commute to the office really seems like a waste of time to associates these days -- especially since they know working remotely was so much more productive. The post Biglaw Associates Are Tired Of The ‘New Normal’ And Want More Remote Work


Ache management, discomfort therapy, ache management, or even pain administration, is a place of corresponding medication that makes use of an interdisciplinary technique to alleviating the person’s suffering and boosting the quality of life of these people with persistent pain. This kind of treatment often involves each psychosocial and also bodily treatment. The condition discomfort management, as a result, refers to a multi-pronged strategy that assists people having to deal with ache handle their pain, boost their health and decrease their danger for potential pain issues. Pain Management Clinic Brooklyn Ny
A discomfort management clinic supplies a detailed range of services to individuals, relying on their medical diagnosis and also severeness of their disorder. Physicians at these clinics are looked at the very best experts in the business, as they blend alternate and typical procedures to offer customized pain relief treatments. They operate closely along with households and people, and also their work is committed to boosting the daily lives of all individuals with chronic pain. Right here are actually several of the types of services delivered through a typical ache management medical clinic: Endocrinologists Brooklyn Ny
During the course of the 1st visit, the patient and his or even her loved ones to cover the very most suitable training program of activity. At the first see, the doctor creates a suggestion to one more doctor or even guides the patient to an additional facility if even more details is actually needed to have. Endocrinologists Queens Ny
The patient as well as his or her family members are actually the major beneficiaries at the Discomfort Management Facility. The key goal of the center is actually to enhance the client’s top quality of life as well as avoid potential pain complications. The plan given at the Discomfort Monitoring Medical clinic entails a complete selection of treatments geared towards ache control.
There are actually numerous forms of chronic sickness or illness that may result in chronic ache as well as demand specific procedure. Some instances consist of: Joint inflammation, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s ailment, and cancer. Several people that find treatment at an ache monitoring clinics obtain remedy for constant pain through joining a course of ache administration. Participating in a such a system may aid the person acquire remedy for the devastating signs of a persistent health problem.
Patients who are enduring from a bodily disability or even a disorder that gets in touch with for specialized intervention typically like to check out a discomfort management medical clinic. These folks obtain comfort coming from the pain resulted in through such health conditions by engaging in particular physical therapy or even a mixture of treatments.
Throughout your initial visit to a management medical clinic, you will definitely be actually inquired some questions concerning your clinical past and you are going to be asked to do some regular bodily checkup. Tests for severe ache may include electrocardiogram, electronic tomography check, bone tissue bone, magnetometer and also densitometer profile.
During the course of the initial browse through, the physician will definitely calculate the seriousness of your health condition as well as will decide regardless if you require surgical operation or health care procedure. If the ailment carries out certainly not need such intervention, the doctor might encourage that you find a physiotherapist. The physiotherapist will commonly manage to instruct you just how to perform physical exercises that are going to help you reinforce your muscle mass and also market effective joint activity. Various other options might consist of laser device therapy and electrotherapy.
Ache control, ache therapy, pain management, or even chiropractic, is actually an interdisciplinary industry of medical practice that uses an interdisciplinary approach to relieving the individual’s suffering and also enriching the lifestyle of individuals that deal with constant ache. Ache control facilities use a wide range of services that aim to improve the lifestyle and also decrease discomfort in those that have to deal with discomfort. There are actually various types of pain management facilities on call featuring hospital-based clinics, medical care methods, hospital medical clinics as well as psychiatric therapy medical clinics.
In the course of your 1st browse through to a pain control center, your primary care physician should explain the purpose of the browse through, tell you what to expect and evaluate your indicators. Blood examinations are going to help your physician to calculate whether you are going through from a severe injury or illness, which could probably create your pain.
After your initial evaluation, your ache professional will likely encourage medication, treatment, or both. If your condition is not extreme, your major care physician may recommend you to an ache control facility for sign alleviation as well as a recommendation to another specialist if your condition requires one.
In a pain clinic, medical professionals may highly recommend bodily therapy, back treatments, nerve excitement, acupuncture, guidance, hypnosis, way of living modifications, as well as other treatments to go well with drug. These treatments are often conducted through certified doctor in a medical facility or even center. At these locations, your therapy is actually managed through a certified medical professional and one or two various other doctor concentrating on pain management.


1 bedroom apartment for sale
Property description & features
- Tenure: Leasehold
- Over 60's retirement development
- Communal gardens
- Laundry room
- On-site warden / house manager
- Residents lounge
- 2nd floor
- Bright modern apartment
- No chain
Century 21 Liverpool South is pleased to offer to the sales market a one bedroom second floor apartment within Turners Court, L25. Available for sale, with NO ONWARD CHAIN involved, Turners Court Development is strictly for the over 60s (second resident can be over 55). This purpose-built McCarthy Stone development has a house manager, on site laundry, communal lounge, emergency intercom system, guest room (bookable in advance), parking, manicured gardens to the rear, and benefits from a lift to all floors. Viewing is highly recommended to appreciate this large, modern, immaculate, bright one bedroom apartment. There are a wealth of amenities located in nearby Gateacre and Woolton Village. Locally there are a good selection of superstores, shops, bars, restaurants and places of worship. Recreational facilities and green areas can be found at several nearby parks including Reynolds Park, Woolton Woods/Camp Hill, Allerton Towers, Calderstones Park, and of course Allerton Municipal Golf Course. Major road and motorway links and bus routes are all within easy reach offering access to Liverpool City Centre, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and Hunts Cross station and Liverpool South Parkway. Energy Performance Rating C. Lease Information… Length of Lease: 125 years from 31/07/1996 Service Charge: £1417.08 twice annually (can vary between 1300-1400)* Ground Rent: £238.48 twice annually *Water rates are included in the service charge.
Places of interest
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Property reference L795624. The information displayed about this property comprises a property advertisement. OnTheMarket.com makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the advertisement or any linked or associated information, and OnTheMarket.com has no control over the content provided by the agent or developer. This property advertisement does not constitute property particulars. The information is provided and maintained by Century 21 - Liverpool South.
OnTheMarket may have applied supplementary data to this property listing, including:
Broadband availability and predicted speed: obtained from Ofcom on January 27, 2022
Broadband speed is measured in megabits per second, with the number returned showing how fast the connection is. Each reading is based on the highest predicted speed of any major broadband network for services that deliver the download speeds. The following are the different readings that we may display:
Basic: Up to 30 Mbit/s
Super-fast: Between 30 Mbit/s and 300 Mbit/s
Ultra-fast: Over 300 Mbit/s
The data is updated three times a year. The checker results are predictions and should not be regarded as guaranteed. For more information, see: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/about-checker#Answer_0_2
Mobile phone signal availability and predicted strength: obtained from Ofcom on February 2, 2022
Mobile signal predictions are provided by the four UK mobile network operators: EE, O2, Three and Vodafone. Predictions can vary significantly from the coverage you may actually experience as a result of local factors (especially terrain). Ofcom has tested the actual coverage provided in various locations around the UK to help ensure that these predictions are reasonable. The values shown against a property can be broken down as follows:
Clear: No bars, no signal predicted
Red: One bar, reliable signal unlikely
Amber: Two bars, may experience problems with connectivity
Green: Three bars, likely to have good coverage and receive a data rate to support basic web services
Enhanced: Full bars, likely to have good coverage indoors and to receive an enhanced data rate to support multimedia services
Energy Performance data and Internal floor area: obtained on March 16, 2023 from The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 or the Home Report if in relation to a residential property in Scotland.
Any supplementary data should not be relied upon as forming part of any property particulars and OnTheMarket cannot be held responsible for any incorrectness in this data. See here for more information.


YES watches – based out of California – produce some of the most functionally interesting timepieces around. The company is decidedly boutique and produces a range of astronomical calendar watches with real utility for a lot of different types of people. Scientists, photographers, movie makers, and others find these watches to be indispensable tools. Understanding how these timepieces work is only a challenge until you figure out what the dial means. After that you come to appreciate the clever display of time and data that is unlike anything else. I’ve owned a Yes timepiece for about 7 years now and have yet to see anything quite like it.
The YES Inca is one of the brand’s flagship timepieces and is available in steel or titanium in a few styles. Here is your chance to win one. The watch case is 48mm wide with a style that mixes classic with “digital.” Allow me to explain the dial. The single analog hand is a 24 hour hand showing the time. You have a digital time read out as well for a more precise reading. The reason the analog hand is important is that it works in collaboration wit the pie-chart style dial that shows you sunrise and sunset times. Using the hand you can visually see how much light you have left or when the sun will come up. The watch takes into consideration both the calendar information and your location to display these sunrise and sunset times. This merely scratches the surface of the astrological information the watch provides – most important doing so in an easy to understand and intuitive manner. This is a very cool niche watch and we are delighted to offer this YES Inca timepiece giveaway on aBlogtoWatch. The winner will receive a YES Inca 203.4 model, but an alternative version may be available should the winner prefer a different Yes Inca model. yeswatch.com
To Enter You Must:
1. Comment on this post below (on aBlogtoWatch.com, not Facebook or elsewhere you might see this article) before the giveaway is over with your valid e-mail address where required (if you’ve signed up for the commenting system before your e-mail should already be in there). In the body of your comment mention a situation where the functionality of a YES watch would prove really useful to you.
NOTE: By default our commenting system will send you notifications of other comments to this post. If you do not want to get the comments on this post in your email, log in to your LiveFyre account (should be a link in the comment box after you enter), and manage your notifications there.
2. Be a pal. If possible, Facebook like all or any of the following:
- Like aBlogtoWatch.com on Facebook Important! We need everyone who liked the older aBlogtoRead page to like the new aBlogtoWatch page on Facebook. We miss you!
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3. Wait until the giveaway is over on March 31, 2013 for the winner to be chosen at random.
A couple of basic rules. You can only enter once. You must comment with a valid e-mail address where you can be reached. Your comment must be confirmed and approved. You must complete the objectives to be considered. You are responsible for providing your contact shipping information if you are chosen. Shipping restrictions to non US entrants may apply based on sponsor’s policies. Giveaway watch selection based on sponsor’s inventory and watch availability. All comments made after the end of the giveaway period will not be considered. If you are chosen as a winner you then have 24 hours to ensure receipt of your full shipping information or an alternative winner will be chosen. For the full terms and conditions, please click here.
Good luck, and thanks to Yes Watches the sponsor of the Inca watch giveaway here at aBlogtoWatch!


HongYu Apparel face mask for dust is finally produced after several production processes. They are rough machining, fine machining, and finishing process, which are done to improve surface smoothness and size accuracy. The imperfections will be found in terms of its dye, print, etc2.
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Hello, dear readers! Before Thanksgiving, I wrote about the upcoming addition to our family, a little girl that was born on November 30th, to join big brother, Theo, 21 months. I’ve always been very honest, as a person. And I’ve always shared what I’m going through on the blog. Like the loss of my beloved cat Sushi, or the fertility journey we took to start building our family. Not only is it therapeutic for me, but I genuinely believe that truth brings people together and helps us all feel a little less alone.
It is with deep, deep regret that I’m sharing the following news.
When we brought our beautiful Nora Pepper home, she was extremely lethargic. We had the doctors in labor and delivery, several pediatricians, a home health nurse, and a lactation consultant on our team, and they all said she was just sleepy because she was born at 37 weeks. That can take a lot out of a gal! They all told us, “In the magic of time, she will wake up.”
And in 99.99% of babies, they would’ve been right. There’s an expression in medicine: “If you hear hoofbeats, don’t think of zebras.” Doctors advised us as if we had a horse, but we actually had a true blue zebra on our hands. A week later, Nora was still not waking up to ask for food, and feeding her from a bottle was an hourlong ordeal every three hours. She was only taking 1.5 ounces each time, and barely. Her weight was down. I had a sinking feeling all along in my mother’s heart, and I finally insisted that we go to the hospital. Luckily, we live 15 minutes from Children’s Minnesota, a world-class facility that sees a lot of very complex neonatal cases.
After ruling out any acute causes of lethargy, like infection, we were left with something much more devastating. A chronic condition. Physically, our wonderful Nora was absolutely perfect. Everything was formed beautifully. And I’m not just bragging as a proud parent about her ten elegant fingers, her curly eyelashes, or the softest newborn hair I’d ever kissed. We had all the x-rays and MRIs in the book, and she was physically flawless.
But due to a rare, random, and terribly cruel congenital condition, Nora had a pattern of brain wave activity that was incompatible with life. Or at least a life that involves any cognitive awareness whatsoever. It’s likely that her brain was built like this from the start, had never functioned in any other way, and never would. The evidence-based data on this type of brain wave pattern is invariably grim. In short, this state has been described as “the worst pattern short of electrical silence” and “a preterminal finding”.
We took Nora back from the NICU, and we had two beautiful days with her. Our plan was to repeat the brain scan after a week and enter hospice care at home if the findings were the same. Nora had other ideas, and she let us know that she was ready to go ahead of schedule. We spent our last hours together as a family, making sure that all she ever knew in her brief time was pure love. She passed peacefully in our arms on December 16th, 2017.
I believe in miracles. I do. Snow on a quiet morning is a miracle. My son’s laughter is a miracle. The overwhelming love and gratitude I feel for Nora, even as her condition has put me on the loneliest and most difficult road I’ve ever walked, is a miracle. Unfortunately, there was not going to be a medical miracle. The sad but simple truth is that, Nora never would’ve been able to experience all of these things about life that are miracles. Not in this case. Even in the magic of time, she never would’ve woken up.
My husband, Todd, and son, Theo, and I are tremendously blessed. We have the support of friends and family, we both have meaningful work to help us feel human, we’ve found strength we never knew existed inside ourselves. Because Nora’s prognosis is so rare and so dire, we were invited to participate in a comprehensive research study where her entire genome was sequenced. We didn’t end up finding out if her condition was genetic or due to some very nuanced brain anomaly, but maybe, in some small way, she will help another family down the road because of what the research team can learn.
Her diagnosis was Ohtahara Syndrome (Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy), and while it can have many causes, it’s most likely random, and about 80% of families never learn the exact reason behind it. This has been a bitter pill to swallow, especially with such a rare syndrome and drastic presentation, but it helps to know that we are not alone.
This is a post I never thought I’d have to write. All any of us can do when the road turns dark is to keep going. I’m grateful for the opportunity to call Nora Pepper Macdonald my daughter. She always will be. Even as my heart is broken, it is somehow more full than ever. If you’re reading this, you’re part of why. Thank you for listening to our story.
Credit for these beautiful photographs belongs to Sarah Ann Photography, and they were taken before we found out. We are thrilled to have these treasures, we will cherish them for the rest of our lives.
People have been asking, so we’ve decided to encourage friends and family to make a donation to the Children’s Hospital and Clinics Foundation. The incredible people of Children’s, from her neonatologist to her palliative care nurse, were some of the most outstanding human beings we have ever met. We never felt alone for a moment, and we still don’t. You can designate your donation to a specific care area. We would prefer the Neonatal Program, the Neuroscience Program, or the Pain, Palliative and Integrative Medicine Program. Or you can give to a fund for urgent hospital and patient needs. Children’s wasn’t able to help Nora due to her prognosis, but it is our dream as a family that they may help others in her honor. Please be sure to let them know that you are giving in memory of Nora Pepper Macdonald. If you are so compelled, please donate online, or call them at 952-992-5509.


Congratulations to Professor Homer H. Chen and His Research Team on Their Winning the 2008 IEEE Circuits and Systems Society's Best Paper Award!!
Professor Homer H. Chen and his students from the Department of Electrical Engineering have received the 2008 IEEE Circuit and System Society Transactions Best Paper Award. He is the first Taiwanese scholar to have won this distinguished honor!!
NTU College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Professor Homer H. Chen and his research team have gloriously received the 2008 IEEE Circuits and Systems Society's Best Paper Award, marking the first time that Taiwanese scholars have won this distinguished honor!!
Professor Chen's award-winning paper was the research results on digital image stabilizers which was published in the July issue of IEEE's "Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology". As this paper received considerable attention, Professor Chen was publicly commended for his scholastic eminence during IEEE's 2008 International Circuits and Systems Conference.
Professor Chen points out that, digital video cameras are becoming more and more popular, but not everyone is a professional photographer. Factors such as inadvertent handshaking or platform movement often introduces jerky image motion that is annoying to the human eyes. Although traditional mechanical and optical stabilizing systems have been in use for a long time, components for such systems often cost an arm and a leg.
In order to provide a more economical solution, Professor Chen's research team proposed a method to integrate the digital stabilizer with the video codec. The digital stabilizer is a technical device which uses image processing to remove unintentional image displacements to achieve stability, whereas the video codec is a technology which can save image storage space. Both are indispensable components for a digital video camera. In traditional methods, however, these two functions are separately designed for operation. Professor Chen's research team discovered that, although the purposes of these two technical devices are quite different, there are many similar algorithms between them, and considerable amount of image movement data that can be shared.
Based on this discovery, Professor Chen and his research team proposed many innovative ways of integration which greatly reduce the necessary algorithms for digital stabilizers and video codecs without affecting the anti-shake effect and the quality of image compression. Their solutions are suitable for system on chips production, which is a great contribution to the digital camcorder and camera industry, and the first design in the world that has such integrating functions.
Professor Chen's personal website: http://www.ee.ntu.edu.tw/profile?id=60


GoldieBlox, a toy company that builds games for girls to inspire them to be engineers, has knocked it out of the park with their latest viral video. The company, founded by Stanford engineer Debbie Sterling, fights the good fight against the aisles of pink that threaten to drown our daughters in every toy store. Timed to the upcoming holiday shopping season, we can only hope this gem will make parents be more thoughtful with their gift giving in the coming weeks. For their latest vid, team GoldieBox is challenging gender binaries with a Rube Goldberg machine of fluffy pink toys and a kick-ass cover of the Beastie Boys' "Girls." So while you're nodding along to the inimitable chorus of "You like to buy us pink toys/and everything is is for boys," do the future of science a favor and check them out at Goldieblox.com --or vote here to get them a shot at a Superbowl ad.
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Fittingly, it's called "Pep Rally."


In tune with the times, the Dalton Gallery at Agnes Scott College has organized All Small, Redux. Each work included is six images at most, or in the case of film, sixty seconds in length. It's all about the new era of scaling down. The tiny work above is Michele Schuff's. Her very small encaustic pieces grew from studying images of water crystals and pondering the meaning of water. ("Encaustic" refers to a painting method in which pigment is mixed with beeswax. )
If you've never visited the Dana Fine Arts building at Agnes Scott, it has a rather magical quality. John Portman designed it in the 1960s and it could be described as a modern riff on the school's existing Gothic-inspired architecture. When sunlight filters through the two-story brick screen that fronts the building, it is beautiful. All Small runs through March 22.
Images of Dana are via the Historic Campus Architecture Project


Human Rights-Compatible International Investment Agreements. Virtual Consultation for Central and Eastern Europe and the Central Asia region
21 April 2021, 12 noon – 3 pm CET (online – Zoom)
The United Nations Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises (“the Working Group”) will present a report to the UN General Assembly in October 2021 to provide practical guidance for States on negotiating human rights-compatible international investment agreements (IIAs) in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The report will cover all three pillars of the UNGPs: the duty of states to preserve regulatory space while negotiating IIAs so as to strike a balance between attracting investment and promoting responsible business conduct; the responsibility of investors to respect all internationally recognized human rights; and the role of IIAs in providing access to remedy to individuals and communities affected by investment-related projects.
In order to inform the drafting of the report, the Working Group is convening several virtual consultations to seek input from a range of stakeholders on how to align IIAs with States’ international human rights obligations. To complement these regional consultations, the UN Working Group has also issued an open call to collect input from States and other stakeholders
All relevant information, including on consultations held so far as well as the call for written input is available at the dedicated UN Working Group’s website https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Business/Pages/IIAs.aspx
This regional consultation – focused on the Central and Eastern Europe and the Central Asia (CEE and CA) region – is convened by the UN Working Group and co-organized by Polish Institute for Human Rights and Business and Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University. It will be held virtually under the Chatham House Rule.
The Subject and Purpose
International Investment Agreements (IIAs) are employed by States as one of the tools to create an investment-friendly environment. To protect legitimate interests of investors, they-impose conditions and standards on host state’s ability to regulate.
At the same time, IIAs should not prevent host States from protecting and promoting human rights within their territories. Principle 9 of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) reminds States to “maintain adequate domestic policy space to meet their human rights obligations when pursuing business-related policy objectives with other States or business enterprises, for instance through investment treaties or contracts.”
However, IIAs can have a chilling effect on States’ ability to regulate effectively the conduct of investors and ensure that they respect human rights, as well as on the States’ ability to hold companies accountable for human rights abuses. This effect is especially seen when the local authorities in host States do not have the proper measures, processes and resources in place to ensure that human rights policies and reforms can be pursued in accordance with the principles of good governance, transparency, meaningful participation of all stakeholders and legitimacy stemming from stakeholders’ engagement and support.
As a result, host States may achieve higher development level thanks to – inter alia – the investment treaties that attract business investment. However, IIAs may also not only fail to promote further sustainable development, but even contribute to reinforce various development deficiencies and injustices in that Host state.
The purpose of the consultation is to identify areas in which these negative effects can be identified and to discuss possible solutions – both substantive (e.g. possible revisions of IIAs or their abandonment in favour of a whole new regime) and procedural (e.g. possible revisions of the ISDS mechanisms).
The format and objectives of the consultation
The consultation will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss issues at the nexus of IIAs and HR. It will be divided into two parts :
- Mapping IIAs & HR landscape in CEE and CA
The first part of the meeting will map the current situation in the region and will provide space to share concrete examples of how IIAs regimes and ISDS decisions had negative impact on human rights and sustainable developments. This will include examples of how potential liability under IIAs have prevented or hampered business and human rights policies and reforms in the region; and cases where individuals and communities affected by investment-related human rights abuses were not provided access to remedy. Discussions will also identify examples of good practices from the region.
- Identifying solutions:
The second part will provide space to discuss possible substantive and procedural solutions to mitigate IIAs’ negative effects identified in the first part of the meeting. This will include options to reform existing IIAs, as well as elements necessary in IIAs to preserve regulatory space of States to meet their obligations under international human rights law.
Each of the two segments will consist of a moderated discussion between the experts from various countries, law and policy makers (from governments, civil society organizations and other non-governmental organizations from the region) with experience in addressing the limitations stemming from IIAs, as well scholars and practitioners conducting investor-state disputes on behalf of host States from the region.
The summary report of the discussions with conclusions and recommendations will be provided to the Working Group and will be posted on the Working Group’s website in due course.
The consultation will take place virtually on Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to the registered participants in due course.
Simultaneous translation English – Russian will be provided upon demand thanks to support provided by the Wardyński & Partners law firm.
For any further information about the Working Group’s project on human rights-compatible IIAs or should you wish to join the project’s Google group, please contact the Secretariat of the Working Group at email@example.com (indicating “IIAs and HRs” in the email subject).
To register your interest in participating in the consultations please fill in the registration form in English or Russian by April 12th. Link: https://forms.gle/yzAZ8uumxucGp7UU7
Organizers will endeavour to enable participation by all interested stakeholders. However, given the platform limitations, organizers reserve the right to admit only selected participants based on criteria to ensure geographic, gender and stakeholders representation. All who registered their interest will receive information by email. Admitted participants will receive a confirmation email by April 14th.
Inquiries specific to the CEE & CA consultation should be directed to Stanisław Drozd (firstname.lastname@example.org – English, Polish), Beata Faracik (email@example.com – English, Polish) or Prof. Olena Uvarova (firstname.lastname@example.org – Ukrainian, Russian, English).
 IIAs here refer to bilateral investment treaties as well as investment chapters in trade agreements negotiated at a bilateral or regional level.


Whether you’re a novice player or a pro, playing idn poker can be a great way to learn how to play the game and make money. Online venues usually have smaller overhead costs and are able to offer low stakes. In addition, they also tend to offer poker freeroll tournaments, which attract beginners and less wealthy clients.
IDNPoker is a poker network that was founded in Cambodia in 2010. The network has expanded and is now the largest poker network in Asia. The company is also considered to be the leading B2B provider of online gaming platforms. The company holds a BMM RNG certificate and PAGCOR license.
IDN Poker offers a wide variety of matches, including cash games, shorthanded games, and full ring games. The company has also implemented several payment options, including Neteller and Skrill. The company also offers White Label Solutions for skins. Currently, IDN Poker operates over 200 skins across Asia.
IDNPoker’s main focus is on China and Southeast Asia. In 2016, the network jumped to second position in the PokerScout rankings. The network has also participated in various gaming conferences. It has been said that the network’s success is attributed to an intensive marketing campaign in local markets. The network’s website is translated into English.
IDN Poker also offers a progressive jackpot, which can provide players with large sums of money on a daily basis. The network also offers a number of skins, including SiamPoker and 12BetPoker.


Cohiba Spectre is a limited-edition Cohiba with a suggested retail price of $90 per cigar, the most expensive Cohiba General has ever made.
Cuba’s first Edición Limitada of 2017, the Cohiba Talismán, made its debut today in London.
Cohiba Majestuoso 1966 humidors have begun reaching markets around the world—and they’re not cheap.
Find out if your Cuban Cohiba Behike BHK is real or fake.
The Festival del Habanos will celebrate its 20th year with a Cohiba Robusto Reserva Cosecha 2014, new releases of Partagás Linea Maduro, gala dinners and live entertainment.
New Romeo y Julieta, Cohiba Reserva, Partagás Maduro, Hoyo de Monterrey extension and special Edición Limitadas headline this year’s Cuban line-up
Habanos S.A., the worldwide distributor for Cuban cigars, offers premium smokes with vintage-specific tobaccos classified as Reservas and Gran Reservas.
The new Trinidad La Trova will have its retail debut tomorrow in eight cigar stores across China, Taiwan, Japan and Southeast Asia.
Senior contributing editor Gordon Mott and senior editor Greg Mottola took to the stage at the Big Smoke to host their seminar, How to Spot a Fake Cuban Cigar.
A cabinet filled with 500 Punch Coronas was the most expensive item sold during an online auction of vintage Cuban cigars held last week. The cigars, which were produced in Cuba during the 1950s, …
Search our database of more than 17,000 cigar tasting notes by score, brand, price range, country, size, year and more.


In today’s digital age, safeguarding personal data and online accounts is of paramount importance. One popular method for enhancing security during registration and account activation is the use of temporary phone numbers for receive sms india. These numbers provide anonymity and an additional layer of security, but they also come with their own set of limitations. In this article, we will explore the advantages and limitations of temporary phone numbers and address the question of whether extending their validity is advisable.
Advantages and Limitations of Temporary Phone Numbers
Advantages of Using Temporary Phone Numbers
- Anonymity: One of the primary advantages of temporary phone numbers is the ability to register accounts anonymously. Your actual personal information remains undisclosed to the services you are signing up for.
- Added Security: Temporary phone numbers offer an extra layer of security. They protect against spam, phishing attempts, and unwanted messages.
Limitations of Temporary Phone Numbers
- Limited Validity: The main drawback of temporary phone numbers is their limited validity. Typically, such numbers are accessible for only a few minutes or days, which can be inconvenient when registering for services that require long-term verification.
- Cost: Some temporary phone number services may charge a fee for usage. This can increase the cost associated with account activation.
When to Use Temporary Phone Numbers and When Not To
Using temporary phone numbers makes sense in the following scenarios:
- When registering on lesser-known websites with questionable security.
- When you wish to maintain anonymity and not disclose your actual personal information.
- To combat unwanted correspondence and spam.
On the other hand, it is not advisable to use temporary phone numbers when registering for long-term commitments or for critical accounts, such as work or financial accounts.
What to Do After the Temporary Number Expires
After the temporary phone number expires, it is essential to take the following steps:
- Transition to a Permanent Number and Activation: If the account requires long-term phone number verification, update your contact information to a permanent number.
- Security Maintenance: Regularly change passwords and strengthen your account’s security. Two-factor authentication and strong passwords will help protect your account from breaches.
- Alternative Security Measures: Consider using alternative verification methods, such as email confirmation, to reduce dependence on temporary phone numbers.
Temporary phone numbers for account verification offer significant advantages in terms of anonymity and added security. However, their use should be approached with caution, considering their limited validity and potential additional costs. It is crucial to prioritize security and make informed decisions when choosing whether to extend or forgo the use of temporary phone numbers. Remember that in today’s digital landscape, safeguarding your data is a top priority.


Thanks to Beyoncé and J.Lo, a badunkadunk is an essential part of a smokin' bod. But simply having a big ass isn't enough to inspire hip-hop lyrics. This rump fixer-upper puts the junk in all the right parts of your trunk, while sucking in the still unpopular spare tire. (lovemybubbles.com, $55)
15 Things That Worry You About Introducing Your Partner to Your Parents
"Please don't dress like a slob. Please don't talk about Reagan. Please don't show him that picture of me peeing on my cousin."
Woman Who Breastfeeds Her 7-Year-Old Will Do So Until Her Daughter Stops Asking for Milk
"She may ask for milk once a week, she may ask twice a day. It's just a relaxing thing you do."


The campaign was directed by Randy Spear (yes, his real name), a former creative director at Leo Burnett in Chicago. When Spear heard what Warshak was selling, he balked. This kind of product usually was sold via DR—industry parlance for direct-response advertising (the kind of “Dial now! Operators are standing by!” dreck that runs on late-night TV). Spear didn’t do DR and told Warshak so. Warshak couldn’t have been happier. He explained that his strategy was to brand Enzyte as the reputable, mainstream herbal alternative, and that his target audience was much bigger than Viagra’s 50-plus market. It was the millions of men who fell, as he and Spear did, into stage 2.
Spear got busy imagining a campaign that would speak to men like them. The breadth of his audience—and the restrictions on what herbal supplements can claim to do—required one thing: simplicity. Then it hit him. What if Enzyte’s pitchman never said a word? What if he simply grinned, communicating with his face what Berkeley wasn’t allowed to spell out in words? What if he were not a stud or an aging sports hero (Mike Ditka would soon be pitching the erectile-dysfunction drug Levitra) but a working stiff? What if the only thing above average about this man was the size of his smile?
“Bob is honest, lighthearted, upstanding,” Spear says. “We just wanted you to see that this guy, in his world, he was doing fine.”
All eighteen ads were shot on film, not video, and Warshak bought premium airtime whenever he could. Overall, he says, he spent more than $125 million on TV ads (most of it for Enzyte). “Once we hit TV, the response was overwhelming,” Warshak tells me. He says that at its peak in 2004, Berkeley received 65,000 calls a day.
Though his recipe was “proprietary,” he acknowledges that some of Enzyte’s key ingredients—horny goatweed, ginseng, maca root, and zinc—are in similar products. “We didn’t invent anything,” he allows at one point. “We just created better marketing.”
For Spear, the first indication that Smilin’ Bob had become woven into the cultural fabric came when he saw a woman wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a bootlegged image of Bob’s grinning face. Similarly, someone unrelated to Berkeley created the first Smilin’ Bob Facebook page. (Now there are twenty, plus a Twitter feed.) “None of us did it,” Spear says. “It had become iconic.”
anthony colbert couldn’t seem to escape Smilin’ Bob. Every time the securities lawyer from Richmond, California, turned on his TV, there was Bob driving a bright blue NASCAR stock car around a track.
“Catch the action as Bob slices through the competition like a warm knife through butter!” the announcer boomed as Bob floored it. (The car wasn’t just a prop; Warshak actually sponsored an official NASCAR Enzyte team.)
“I thought the ads were funny,” says Colbert, now 46, who adds that it was the offer of a free sample that persuaded him to pick up the phone. “There was no deep problem. For me, it was kind of ‘Why not?’ ”
Why not indeed? It’s an explanation for ordering Enzyte that I’ve heard from several men. Ask a man to describe the mind-set that made him dial 1-877-4ENZYTE and it always seems to boil down to this: If it might help and can’t hurt, what have I got to lose?
Your money, it turns out. “I went to the Web site,” Colbert recalls. “I read carefully what it said about charging my credit card for shipping only. Then, a couple of months later, another charge on my credit card.”
What happened to Colbert wasn’t uncommon. In fact, witnesses would testify at Warshak’s trial, it was routine. Off and on for years, once Berkeley got its hands on your credit card, it would sign you up—without telling you first—for what’s called “continuity”: automatic monthly billing for shipments of whatever you’d received that initial “free” sample of. In the end, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in Ohio, each customer didn’t lose much—usually about $100. But the sheer volume of Enzyte buyers made the profits pile up. (Warshak settled the Ohio suit in 2006 for $4.7 million and resolved the claims of another five states with a $2.5 million settlement.)
The prosecution’s witnesses included twenty-one people who’d ordered Berkeley products and found irregular charges to their cards. There was a truck driver who worked the Florida-to-Houston route. A farm-loan manager from Virginia. A legal assistant from Georgia who bought Enzyte for her husband and Avlimil, a female-libido-enhancement pill, for herself. There was Colbert, the lawyer in California, and Jimmy Brown, a firefighter and active-duty National Guardsman from Hope Hull, Alabama. Brown testified that his credit card had been charged $69.95 a month without his knowledge during the six months he’d been deployed to Iraq. Vern Meyer Robb, a retired engineer who’d spent forty years with General Motors, had a similar tale to tell.
When I reach Robb at his home near Knoxville, Tennessee, he tells me to speak up. “I can’t hear too well,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’m 85 years old.”
Robb, who flew thirty missions over Germany as a crew member on a B-17 bomber during World War II, says he ordered Enzyte after seeing a small ad in the back of Money magazine. “At that time, Viagra was about $10 a shot. So this sounded like a good thing.”