MANKATO, Minn. Another day, another round of dollars committed to a significant Vikings defender.

Minnesota announced on Saturday that Linval Joseph signed a multi-year contract extension (the team does not release financial details of contracts).

Joseph is the third Vikings defender who is following a Pro Bowl season to sign an extension with the team in an 11-day span.

The first player to do so was defensive end Everson Griffen on July 26, when he and other veterans reported to Verizon Vikings Training Camp. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes inked his contract extension on July 30 to start this week, and Josephs signing helps punctuate a week that will culminate with a night practice at Blakeslee Stadium.

Joseph made a quick swipe of a pen around 4:30 p.m. (CT), leaving him enough time to prepare for the under-the-lights session.

It feels really good. I was really calm about the situation, Joseph said. Im just glad to be a Viking for life. I want to thank the organization, the Ownership, thank God and thank my agent Bill Johnson. Im ready to go. I want to help this team win the Super Bowl.

Joseph, who will turn 29 in October, was one of the first free agents the Vikings signed after Head Coach Mike Zimmer was hired in 2014.

He brought four years of experience with the New York Giants (46 starts in 53 regular-season games) and a ring from Super Bowl XLVI to the table.

Joseph has eaten up space in the middle of the field since and been critical to the Vikings defense. He has started all 44 regular-season games and the one postseason game hes played with Minnesota. Joseph recently discussed the one ultimate goal that the Vikings have and his belief in the team to play for a Super Bowl.

It would mean everything to me, Joseph said. When I signed my first contract, it was to come and help these guys and show these guys the way. To win a Super Bowl with the same guys Ive been with for four years would be awesome.

The former high school weightlifting champ is coming off his strongest season yet. Joseph recorded 100 tackles (coaches tally), including 48 solo, 4.0 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss. He also recorded career bests of 36 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles on his way to his first selection to the Pro Bowl.

Zimmer was asked about the way that Joseph was quietly handling the business aspect of the game and on the field while preparing for his fourth season in Purple. Zimmer pointed to the fact that Joseph values team accomplishments over individual stats

Hes a great person, wants to be really good, Zimmer said. Probably works as hard as anyone on the football team in the offseason. I think he cares an awful lot about the guys around him. [Defensive line coach] Andre Patterson does a good job preaching all that. But hopefully all of our guys on defense feel the same way. Its not about individual statistics, its about us collectively doing our job. Linval is the best one [nose tackle] Ive ever been around.

Zimmer said Josephs combination of strength, size and athleticism make him unlike any other nose tackle hes ever coached.

Most of the guys are thicker and shorter than he is, but he's the best athlete that I can think of, that I've been involved with at that spot, Zimmer said. When I first went to Dallas, Russell Maryland, who was the first pick of the draft was there, but he was more of a quick, fast guy as opposed to a bigpowerful guy.

Defensive coordinator George Edwards said Friday that Joseph is an exceptional player.

Hes not only got the bulk to play the position, the block awareness, balance, contact balance, and all those things but just the attitude that he brings to it every day, Edwards said.

You look at college football right now, you dont see a lot of nose guards because theres a lot of spread, Edwards added. Having a guy like that in the middle of your defense that brings that type of work ethic and pride to what hes trying to get accomplished is definitely a plus. I think Coach (Zimmer) has said it and Ill say it, hes one of the best Ive ever been around. I mean hes really a dominant force in there, does it exactly how you try to get it taught every day, and the consistency he brings to practice and takes the game, thats a big plus for us.

After seeing other core teammates sign recent contract extensions and knowing the kudos he has received from Vikings coaches, Joseph said he trusted that his opportunity would follow.

I feel like hard work pays off, Joseph said. It was going around the league, everybody saying Im the best, this and that. I was like, Well, its time for everything to come out the right way, and it turned out the right way. Im excited to be here. Im excited to have all the respect I have now, and I just want us to win games.

Excerpt from:

Linval Joseph's Hard Work Pays Off with Vikings Contract Extension - Vikings.com

Expiration dates on medications aren't always backed up by science.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

The expiration dates on over-the-counter and prescription medications seem pretty black and white, but there's some question about whether drugs last even longer.

Expiration dates typically range from 12 to 60 months after production. But manufacturers aren't required to determine how long they'll remain potent after that, enabling them to set their own expiration dates and possibly shortchange consumers.

Testing reported inJAMA Internal Medicineshowed that eight medications with 15 different active ingredients were still potent decades beyond their expiration dates.

The U.S. government's own Shelf Life Extension Program extends the dates on some drugs in federal stockpiles to save the military from the cost of replacing them. Its own study found that 90 percent of more than 100 drugs were perfectly good even 15 years after expiration.

Play Video

A new study warns that the risk for heart attacks while taking painkillers known as NSAIDs can appear just days after use. These medications incl...

But what about the meds in your home?

A lot depends on how carefully you store them -- you probably don't do as good a job as the U.S. Army. That's why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends never taking drugs beyond their expiration date -- it's just too risky. In particular, nitroglycerin, insulin and liquid antibiotics shouldn't be used after their expiration dates.

To safeguard all medications, protect them from heat, light and humidity by keeping them in a cool, dry, dark place. A steamy bathroom isn't a good environment.

Know, too, that some drugs can lose their potency more quickly than others, including aspirin. If you take aspirin for heart health, be sure to replace it as needed.

2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Read more:

Can you take medications past their expiration date? - CBS News

On Thursday August 3, the Hopkins County extension agents hosted a fun and fast-moving workshop for Extension leaders. About two dozen individuals and committee members were present, representing various aspects of Extension projects including 4-H, Master Gardener, Wellness /Nutrition and Special Events.

The meetings purpose was to dispense information and to gather information. According to a census of attendees, radio and e-mail are the preferred mediums for receiving information about Extension activities. Agent Johanna Hicks asked to suggest future programs that would fill local needs, and to be willing to mentor new 4H programs that may help youth. One of the guidelines of new programs is an 8-task learning requirement. Reports given to leaders showed that over 500 hours in volunteer services were logged during 2016, with that number is expected to increase for 2017. Another report showed the BLT program, or Better Living for Texans, provides $1200 annually for expenses for local nutrition education programs. Another report showed that the relatively new Fee-Based extension programs require attendees to remit $10 which the College Station headquarters uses to offset wages paid to extension employees. Extension Agent Mario Villarino said that the annual Hay Show, which is an Ag Extension program held in the Fall, is in need of support by new producers as its population is aging.

Those present enjoyed a healthy meal prepared by the agents, and entertaining role-play exercise and door prize give-aways based on facts learned at the meeting. Everyone also met Extension intern Aida Ugalde, who will graduate from Texas A and M Commerce with studies in Health Promotions. The public is invited to get involved with Extension office efforts to serve local needs. The agents welcome suggestions, assistance and leadership by volunteers! Pick up a list of upcoming programs and activities already in place that you can join at the Hopkins County Agri-Life Extension office at 1200 West Houston Street in Sulphur Springs or phone 903-885-3443.

Johanna with Intern Aida Ugalde

Author: Enola Gay

Has enjoyed working for KSST since 1989. Hosts the Good Morning Show with Enola Gay on weekday mornings from 6-9am, so 'start your day with Enola Gay'! Guest interviews during the Morning Show can also be seen in playback on Cable Channel 18 TV. Along with local country music fan Benny Potter, co-produces 1230 West, a Country and Western Swing radio show which airs weekly on Saturdays from 7-8am and repeats on Thursdays from 7-8pm. Also writes "At the Corral Gate", a column appearing weekly in The Millennium Shopper and in the Lifestyles section of ksstradio.com.

Originally posted here:

Johanna and Mario Host Extension Leadership Workshop - KSST (press release) (registration) (blog)

BWX Technologies subsidiary BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada (BWXT NEC) has secured a new contract to supply seven primary heat transport motors for six nuclear reactors operated by electricity company Bruce Power.

The deal isvalued at C$34m ($27m) andis a part of Bruce Powers life-extension programme, which isexpected to ensure continuous supply of clean, low-cost, and reliable electricity to Ontario, Canada.

BWXT NEC will be responsible for project management, engineering, and manufacturing of the seven 11,000hp motors, which are employed to drive the main circulating pumps used to push heavy water through the reactor core into the steam generators.

The first motor of this order is scheduled to be delivered by mid-2018.

"BWXT NEC will be responsible for project management, engineering, and manufacturing of the seven 11,000hp motors."

Bruce Power president and CEO Mike Rencheck said: Partnering with BWXT NECfor this important motor work is critical to ensuring the life extension and operation through 2064.

Planning and preparation is key to our continued on-time and on-budget performance since January 2016 when our life extension programme was started.

With the new extension, Bruce Power aims to create and sustain 22,000 direct and indirect jobs every year. It is also expected to create C$4bn ($3.1bn) in annual economic benefit for Ontario.

Currently, Bruce Power fulfils 30% ofthe province'selectricity demand.

More:

BWXT NEC to provide seven heat transport motors for Bruce Power reactors - Power Technology

EBR Staff Writer Published 04 August 2017

GE has inked a 12-year agreement with Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management (DNMC) to help boost reliability and profitability of three Chinese nuclear power plants.

Under the terms of the multiyear agreement (MYA), GEs Power Services business will provide services to DNMCs Daya Bay, Ling Dong and Ling Ao nuclear power plants which make up the Daya Bay nuclear power base.

The services would be for steam turbines, generators and auxiliary systems of the three nuclear plants located in the Dapeng Peninsula on the coast of South China Sea.

As per the agreement, GE will provide engineering support, spare parts, on-site service, repair and life extension services for the steam turbines.

Through the MYA, the Chinese nuclear plants are expected to deliver sustainable electricity for the Guangdong Province, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It will also help in reducing the operating costs per unit kilowatt-hour of the nuclear power plants while saving on fuel costs. Besides, the MYA is expected to bring in sustained operating performance along with stability and profitability for the long-term.

GE Power Services business in China general manager Xu Xin said: "We collaborate with our customers to tailor MYA solutions that are unique to their needs.

Each MYA solution is customized to meet the unique needs of different power plants. Our goal is to bring long-term value to power plants, like the Daya Bay nuclear plant, with agreements focused on key metrics for the equipment such as availability, operational flexibility and efficiency.

DNMC and GE have been collaborating on the Daya Bay nuclear power base for the last 30 years.

DNMC deputy general manager Li Zhishen said: The MYA we signed with GEan industry leader in power equipment development, manufacturing, repair and maintenancewill help us steadily uplift equipment reliability and operating performance.

The Chinese nuclear power base was originally built with Alstom whose power business was acquired by GE in 2015. GE, since then, has grown its total plant solutions portfolio which includes its services platform dubbed Fleet360 andaddition ofnew technology capabilities for nuclear power plants.

Image: GE signs MYA to service equipment at the Daya Bay nuclear power base. Photo: courtesy of General Electric.

Continue reading here:

GE inks multiyear service agreement for Daya Bay nuclear power base in China - Energy Business Review

Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE:HL)

Q2 2017 Earnings Conference Call

August 03, 2017, 10:00 AM ET

Executives

Mike Westerlund - VP, IR

Phil Baker - President & CEO

Lindsay Hall - SVP & CFO

Larry Radford - SVP, Operations

Dean McDonald - SVP, Exploration

Analysts

Ted Beachley - FBR Capital Markets

Heiko Ihle - Rodman & Renshaw

Eliot Glazer - Wm Smith & Co

Matthew Fields - Bank of America

Mark Mihaljevic - RBC Capital Markets

Operator

Good day ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Second Quarter 2017 Hecla Mining Company Earnings Conference Call.

At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Later we'll conduct a question-and-answer session and instructions will follow at that time. [Operator instructions]. As a reminder, this call may be recorded.

I would now like to introduce your host for today's conference, Mike Westerlund, Vice President, Investor Relations. Please go ahead.

Mike Westerlund

Thank you, operator. Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining us for Hecla's second quarter 2017 financial and operations results conference call. Our financial results news release that was issued this morning before market opened, along with our exploration release and San Sebastian releases issued on August 2nd, and today's presentation are available on our website.

On today's call we have Phil Baker, President and CEO; Lindsay Hall, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Larry Radford, Senior Vice President, Operations; and Dean McDonald, Senior Vice President, Exploration.

Any forward-looking statements made today by the management team come under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act and constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities law, as shown on slide two. Such statements include projections and goals which are likely to involve risks detailed in our Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, and in the forward-looking disclaimer included in the news release and at the beginning of the presentation. These risks could cause results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. In addition, in our filings with the SEC, we are only allowed to disclose reserves which are mineral deposits that can economically and legally extract or produce. Investors are cautioned about our use of terms such as measured, indicated, and inferred resources, and we urge you to consider the disclosures that we make in our SEC filings.

With that, I will pass the call to Phil Baker.

Phil Baker

Thanks, Mike. Hello, everyone. We had a very good quarter, and in many respects, it's very much in line with our plans, except for our tax provision. And there's also some positive recent developments that I'd like to start by highlighting.

First, we secured the Velardena mill at our San Sebastian mine through 2020. And San Sebastian has really been a great creator of value for shareholders, which given its growth in production, very low cash costs, and all-in sustaining costs after by-product credits, it's given substantial cash flow, triple-digit returns, and it's also -- now we're seeing mine life extension to this property.

Last year, San Sebastian was an important cash flow generator, and this year that continues, albeit at a lower amount, as expected. And it looks like that performance will continue for three more years through 2020. And I'm sure that's not going to be the end. At this point, our focus has only been on the cyanide-amenable ores. Now we're looking at sulfide ores to combine with the already-discovered Hugh Zone. There's a lot more I can say about it, but I'm going to let Larry and Dean speak about that later.

Our mines operated according to plan in the first half of the year. The lower grades were anticipated at the mines due to mine sequencing, and at Casa Berardi, the second half not only has higher grades, but also reduced stripping costs. So, we expect significant free cash flow from that property.

At Greens Creek, the TCs and RC terms for zinc and lead are very much improved in 2017, and we'll start seeing really the effects of that over the second half of the year. And of course, we've seen a nice increase in the zinc and lead prices, which represent about 20% of our revenue.

The performances of Greens Creek and San Sebastian's have translated directly into cash cost per ounce of $0.26 and all-in sustaining cost per ounce of $9.97 net of byproduct credits. So, basically, Hecla's generating $6 of margin for every ounce produced. Not many in the industry have such low costs. And as a result of that, we really have seen great share price performance compared to our peers.

We pre-released our preliminary results in late June, and our operating results and those financial results are as expected. And calculating the income tax provision, including in those preliminary results, we use the existing statutory rate, given that we could not estimate what our actual effective income tax rate for the quarter would be, and we're reporting them today.

It may seem surprising that we have such a high tax provision on negative pre-tax income. And Lindsay will explain it, but basically, we calculate the estimate for the year, and then apply the effective tax rate to the current quarter because pre-tax income is more negative than what we'll have for the year since we're expecting such a strong second half.

As expected, our capital expenditures are down 43% this quarter as we have completed the #4 Shaft, and we've reduced the Lucky Friday spending due to the strike. Interestingly, the capital is a pretty good match to available cash flow since we still have more than $200 million of cash on the balance sheet.

Now, let me talk for a minute about the strike at the Lucky Friday. I'm disappointed that it's not resolved, but we're determined to manage the mine like we manage all of our mines. And the only real issue with the union, the only real issue with respect to the strike is who gets to determine where people work, with whom they work, and when they work. And why is this so important?

Because we just view these as fundamental activities of management, and it's what we do at every other mine. And we believe that, with our managers having this capability, they will be able to increase productivity, and therefore profitability of the mine.

The impact of the loss of production at the mine due to the strike is minimal, given the margin of the mine at this time and the financial strength Hecla has, particularly when we consider that we're setting this mine up to operate successfully for the next 30 years.

And so, with that, I'm going to pass the call over to Lindsay.

Lindsay Hall

Thanks, Phil. Firstly, just like to highlight that, when you look at the second quarter results on Slide 5, it is important to keep in mind that the strike at Lucky Friday has impacted many of the comparative numbers.

For the three months ended June 30th, 2017, we reported $134 million in sales of products, a 22% decrease in revenue over the same period of 2016, as shown on Slide 5, as a result of lower metals production partially offset by higher base metal prices.

Factors to be noted in the second quarter results compared to the previous year's quarter was interest expense of $10.5 million, which was higher as capitalization of interest ceased once the construction of the #4 Shaft was completed at the end of 2016. Also, this quarter, we had budgeted higher exploration and pre-development costs of $6.9 million than the previous quarter.

Getting into the quarter, net loss applicable to common shareholders was $24.2 million. Contributing to the loss were a couple of unusual items reported in the quarter. Rather than Lucky Friday generating operating income in the quarter, we incurred $6.4 million in costs related to the suspension of mining activities, plus an additional $1.5 million of non-cash depreciation expense.

Suspension costs would be around $1.1 million to $1.5 million per month if the company had elected to do very limited production or just carry maintenance. So, as you can see, we're still in mode of reducing those suspension costs. Each and every month the run rate gets a little better.

We also booked an income tax provision of $16 million, which is unusual given that we had a loss before taxes of $7.9 million. Normally you would expect a recovery of taxes rather than a provision. But given our view of our tax losses going forward, we did not book any benefit in the quarter regarding tax losses being generated, which would have helped offset the income taxes owed in Canada and Mexico.

Turning to cash flows, the second quarter of 2017 provided positive operating cash flows of $7.5 million in spite of the expected lower metals production, payment of interest on the senior notes, payment of incentive compensation related to prior year's performance, and payment of estimated income taxes in Mexico.

Capital expenditures amounted to $24 million for the quarter. For the full half-year, our cash flow from operations amounted to $46 million, which funded the like amount of capital expenditures of $46 million. So, we continued to generate cash and reinvest at our various operations, and in exploration activities both at our mines and at our other exploration properties.

During the quarter, we accessed the at-market -- the ATM, or At-The-Market facility and raised some $9.6 million of cash that was earmarked for various corporate initiatives. Company-wide cash cost after by-product credits per silver ounce declined 93% from last year to $0.26, and the all-in sustaining cash cost after by-product credits also declined to $9.97.

So, our margins in silver, which generated the cash flows, remained some of the best in the business. At the end of the quarter, cash and cash-like investments totaled $201 million, which was some $11 million lower than the beginning of the quarter.

On Slide 6, just briefly, you can see we maintained that diversified revenue stream, with gold at 47%, silver 33%, and lead and zinc at a combined 20%. Greens Creek continues to be the dominant source of revenue.

Moving to Slide 7, as you can see on the left slide of Slide 7, our adjusted EBITDA on a last 12 months' basis is up 37% over the second quarter of 2016, and the net debt to EBITDA has been maintained at a solid 1.3 times. We have about $300 million in liquidity, including an undrawn $100 million line of credit.

Our only debt outstanding comes due in 2021. We did test the waters to push out our debt maturity, but the terms are not as good as we expected. And rather than close the bad deal for the equity holders, we canceled the bond refinancing deal and will wait on improved interest rate environment.

That said, we are committed to using the credit strength of our company to achieve a commensurate reduction in our interest expense that we're currently incurring. We did extend the revolving line of credit out two more years, and S&P recognized our credit strength by improving our debt rating to B, which shows that they feel we're on the right track to our goal of achieving investment-grade status.

So, in summary, despite the strike at Lucky Friday, we continue to enjoy a strong balance sheet, excellent silver cash cost after by-product credits and all-in sustaining costs, and are optimistic about the potential for the rest of the year and beyond.

With that, I'll now pass it on to Larry to talk about the operations.

Larry Radford

Thanks, Lindsay. On Slide 9, you can see Greens Creek had another excellent quarter, producing 1.9 million ounces of silver at a cost of sales of $54 million and a cash cost after by-product credits of $1.86 per silver ounce.

The all-in sustaining cost after by-product credits was $8.71 an ounce. The lower production was due to lower grades than the second quarter of 2016, as was expected, and the prices of our by-products helped with the cost numbers.

On Slide 10, you can see our Teleremote LHD in action at Greens Creek. The LHD has successfully been operated remotely from surface in a long-haul application, mucking by itself and hauling to an ore pass, all automatically, with the operator simply pressing the button on each cycle to continue mucking.

We are studying the application of the unit to drift and fill stopes, with the goal of having faces ready for the entry of the bolter at the start of the shift. Bolting is generally the bottleneck in the mine.

We installed the first Woodgrove staged flotation reactor in the lead bulk circuit at Greens Creek, as you can see on Slide 11. The commissioning has gone well, and we expect to benefit in the form of increasing revenues in the second half of the year, particularly in the fourth quarter, with the goal of driving the metals to the bulk concentrate for which there are better smelter terms. With the successful commissioning of this unit, we believe that there's further opportunity for additional units in the zinc and lead rougher circuits.

As Phil noted, the strike continues at Lucky Friday, but we are not idle there. Crews have continued doing needed maintenance in #2 Shaft, completed a needed bypass ramp, and performed limited stope mining and backfilling. We continue to make investments to improve the mine, as noted by Lindsay. This is why our suspension costs are higher than they would be in care and maintenance.

On Slide 13, Casa Berardi is on plan for the year. In fact, mine plan compliance has never been better. As a result, we maintain our guidance for Casa Berardi for the year. A quick review of the guidance will highlight that production for the year is heavily weighted towards the second half. This was the plan from the beginning, and we are executing it.

Lower underground grades in the second quarter resulted in a decrease of gold production by 21% over the prior year period, but we expect grades will climb in the third quarter. In fact, they are climbing now. Additionally, the open pit grade will rise some in the second half, and the expense tons stripped should fall, improving both cash costs and all-in sustaining costs.

The big story at Casa is the increased throughput that has been made possible by introducing open pit material, more than 100% since we acquired the mine, as seen on Slide 14.

The plant throughput this quarter, 3,628 tons per day, is a record at the mine, but we're not stopping there. The team continues to look into increasing the throughput further. For example, we are currently running a throughput trial, which is a method for adding additional grinding horsepower.

A side optimization process has begun. This optimization process involves modeling of the mill and open pits, and a determination of the optimum open pit underground feed mix. The work will be ongoing throughout the year and should be completed by the end of the year.

In addition, automation of the 985 drift, which is under construction as shown on Slide 15, is on track for commissioning by the end of the year. All breakthroughs for the drift are completed, and chute and communication equipment installation are ongoing.

This drift should ultimately result in the reduction of trucks and associated maintenance and personnel costs. The first of the two 40-tonne Sandvik trucks has been delivered to site and should be operational by year-end, with a second truck going into operation in 2018.

San Sebastian continues to impress, as you can see on Slide 16. In its first year of operation, it generated twice as much cash flow as was expected. In the second quarter, it generated about $8 million of free cash flow from 867,000 ounces of silver at a cost of sales of $5.1 million, the cash cost after by-product credits of negative $3.31 per silver ounce and an all-in sustaining cost after by-product credits of $0.06 per silver ounce.

The team is on track to begin underground ore production by the end of 2017, as shown on Slide 17. This is one of the few mines in the world that is expected to be cash flow positive in its first year going underground, which is a testament to the high-grade material and the skilled team we have in Mexico.

I particularly want to highlight the news that we have secured the mill contract for another two years through our excellent exploration efforts, we have identified what we believe is sufficient material to fill the mill into 2020. So, the big takeaway today is that San Sebastian should continue operating for the foreseeable future, and we are looking forward to its cash flow impact for years to come.

I will now pass the call over to Dean.

Dean McDonald

Thanks, Larry. Hecla has a very busy quarter with the drill bit, with successes at San Sebastian, Casa Berardi, and Greens Creek. A list of drill intersections is provided in the appendix of the exploration release. These results will give you insights to where we may have future gains in reserves and resources.

The San Sebastian property continues to generate multiple opportunities to find new high-grade resources to extend mine life. On Slide 20, you can see the current middle, north, and Francine Vein pits in the yellow outlines, the surface projection of the new West Middle Vein reserve, the new underground ramp under development in black, and the green ellipsis, where drilling is defining new reserves and resources.

Of note in the diagram is the West and East extensions of the Middle Vein and the East Francine Vein, where drilling continues to expand resources and reserves, and is expected to be a large contributor to prolonged production at San Sebastian.

Slide 21 shows the longitudinal section of the Middle Vein, with over 9,000 feet of continuous mineralization. Recent drilling at the west end of the reserve, as outlined by rectangles on the left of the diagram, has defined some high-grade mineralized pods near the proposed production ramp.

This drilling may also represent the upper fringe of a base metal-rich Hugh Zone-style mineralization that we predict from temperature data will be at the elevation as defined by the ellipse in the diagram. Drilling at the east end of the Middle Vein recently returned high-grade intersections that are expected to expand the resource that is near the high-grade East Francine Vein.

Drilling about 1,000 East of the East Francine pit, as shown in the longitudinal on Slide 22, continues to intersect high-grade mineralized vein that is 300 feet from surface and can be traced for 700 feet along strike and 550 feet down dip.

Intersections include 0.7 ounces per ton gold and 288 ounces per ton silver over 4.6 feet. It is open to the east and at depth, and step-out drilling is continuing. These new East Francine and Middle Vein resources are close together and could represent a new mining area.

During the quarter at Casa Berardi, we have eight drills operating within the longitudinal shown on Slide 23, underground drilling focused on expanding reserves and resources and defining completely new resources.

Drilling at the bottom of the mine shows multiple high-grade lenses of the 118 and 123 zones extend below the workings. Up to three drills on surface confirm the continuity and expanded near-surface mineralization of the 124, 134, East Mine Crown Pillar, and 160 zones that will determine the viability of these areas for expanded open pit mining.

A new near-surface resource is also developing in the west in the northwest area. The red arrows in the longitudinal project the extensions of many mineralized zones down-plunge throughout the mine and show the huge potential to extend the life of Casa Berardi.

The plan map in Slide 24 shows a series of proposed and planned open pits along the Casa Berardi fault, which is why we're so excited about the open pit potential along this trend. What is also promising is that the higher-grade mineralization appears to extend from these areas to [depth], opening the potential for additional underground mining on these bodies, as well.

The most advanced area for a new pit is the 160 zone to the east of the East Mine Crown Pillar, as shown in Slide 25. Recent drilling has shown continuity of the mineralization, resulting in a revised resource and possible pit design to follow. We plan to evaluate the entire Casa Berardi fault corridor from surface to search for more open pits and to test if we can combine them into larger, more productive pits.

Elsewhere in the company, drilling at Greens Creek continues at the East Ore of the play, West 9A and Deep Southwest zones to define new reserves closer to surface and the mine portal, as shown on Slide 26.

And with this, I'll pass the call back to Phil now for closing comments.

Phil Baker

Thanks, Dean. The three mines continue to perform well. They're according to plan, and we see the second half of the year being quite strong. We're able to live with the strike without bending our balance sheet because of the strength of our other assets.

We continue to innovate to increase safety, productivity, and improve our cost structure. We've extended the life of San Sebastian, and we're increasing our exploration efforts there even further. So, stay tuned for all this.

And so, with all that, we're in good shape for the third quarter, and we'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Question-and-Answer Session

Operator

Thank you. [Operator instructions] And our first question comes from Lucas Pipes from FB&R Company. Your line is now open. Please go ahead. Pardon me, Mr. Pipes, your line is now open.

Ted Beachley

Sorry about that. Ted Beachley here for Lucas. And we were just wondering, why did you guys use the ATM this quarter?

Phil Baker

We periodically will use it for discreet obligations we have, and in this case, we applied it to the pension plan. And you'll see us do that periodically. It's just a way to deal with some long-term sorts of liabilities, is how we've used it, and we did the same thing in the past. We did the same thing about a year ago.

Ted Beachley

Continued here:

Hecla Mining's (HL) CEO Phil Baker on Q2 2017 Results - Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha

The BWX Technologies plant in Peterborough has been awarded a five-year, $34-million to supply seven primary heat transport motors for Bruce Power.

The motors to be produced at the BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. plant on Monaghan Road are part of Bruce Powers life-extension program that will extend the life of six of its reactors to continue providing Ontario with low-cost nuclear electricity for decades to come, according to a release from the company.

The primary heat transport motors are required to drive the main circulating pumps used to push heavy water through the reactor core into the steam generators, the release states. The scope of the contract includes the project management, engineering and manufacturing of seven 11,000 horsepower motors.

Work under the contract will begin immediately, with the first motor scheduled to be delivered to Bruce Power in mid-2018.

We appreciate the opportunity to execute this important project for Bruce Power and take great pride in our contributions to its life extension program, stated John MacQuarrie, president of BWXT Canada Ltd. (which is the former Babcock and Wilcox). BWXT is pleased to be in a position to supply its customers with a multitude of product and service solutions to assist them in extending the lives of their nuclear plants.

Bruce Power supplies 30% of Ontarios electricity at 30% less than the average cost to generate residential power. Extending the operational life of the Bruce Power units to 2064 will create and sustain 22,000 direct and indirect jobs every year, create $4 billion in annual Ontario economic benefit, and will ensure low-cost, clean and reliable energy for Ontario families and businesses, the release states.

Partnering with BWXT for this important motor work is critical to ensuring the life extension and operation through 2064, stated Mike Rencheck, Bruce Powers president and CEO. Planning and preparation is key to our continued on-time and on-budget performance since January 2016 when our life extension program was started. Suppliers like BWXT and their performance are critical to our success; its a team effort.

Nuclear energy plays a significant role to Ontarios economy and it is great to see the positive effects of Bruce Powers life extension project being felt right here in Peterborough, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister and Peterborough MPP Jeff Leal stated. Throughout its program to extend the life of six of its reactors, Bruce Power will inject billions into Ontarios economy and generate thousands of jobs.

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BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada in Peterborough lands five-year, $34M deal to make primary heat transport motors for ... - Peterborough Examiner

Huffington Blog DARE TO BE 100

In 1991 I wrote a book titled WE LIVE TOO SHORT AND DIE TOO LONG. The fifth chapter was entitled Aging is a Self Fulfilling Prophecy. That was 26 years ago when I was 61 years of age. Now at eighty-seven my prophecy is intact. I intend to live till 100. I still have unfinished work to do. Like Alexander the Great observed toward the end of his triumphant career there are still worlds to conquer.

I certainly find much satisfaction in what I have accomplished so far, but its not time yet to fold my tent. My fixation still is on erasing health illiteracy from the world. This gigantic task is the ultimate vaccine. Were we able to teach everyone how to fulfill their human potential of a hundred healthy years mankind would triumph. We die too soon. A major part of my personal strategy is to establish 100 years as our natural life expectancy. I have written extensively to this purpose.

I am of course interested in a bet that was placed by two of my gerontologist colleagues Steven Austad of the University of Alabama and Jay Olshansky of the University of Illinois. Stimulated by an article in the journal Nature in 2016, that used demographic data to assert that there is a natural limit to human lifespan of about 115 years, Olshansky agrees but Austad doesnt. Citing current research on animals life extension by some drugs Austad sees no upper limit. Earlier in 2000 he wrote in the Scientific American, the first 150 year old person is already alive.

To address their claims in September 2000 the two endowed their wager that any one born before 2001 will reach the age of 150. As the invested fund value keeps growing the winner will claim a handsome reward. Neither of the gamblers expect to be around in 2150. But I am confident that Olshanskys descendents will heap a bonanza from Jays recognition of the finitude of human life.

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adidas and Major League Soccer today announce the extension of their long-term partnership through 2024. Marking adidas largest investment in soccer in North America, the six-year deal makes adidas the official supplier partner for the League, its Clubs, MLS youth academies and youth affiliated clubs. Key to the agreement is an expanded focus on youth development to drive creativity in sports for young athletes. Financial terms of the agreement will not be disclosed. Sport is the epicenter of our culture and, in the U.S. and Canada, soccer is the most popular sport for young people to play, said adidas North America President Mark King. Our partnership with MLS puts adidas at the core of sport in North America, allowing us to make a positive difference in an athletes game and life. Built from athlete and consumer insight, we are looking to create the future of sport and bring new and different things to the game the world has never seen before. Focusing on athlete performance, adidas will outfit MLS teams and their affiliates with uniforms, footwear, training gear and sideline apparel. In addition to world-class innovation and design in apparel and footwear, adidas will provide the leagues official match ball. Major League Soccer has built a legacy with adidas that has been essential in the rise of our League, said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. adidas has been a major collaborator with us since the inception of MLS, and we are proud that our partnership with this globally-respected brand will continue to enhance the growth of the game in North America for many more years. We will work with adidas on innovative concepts to showcase the sport and our elite athletes, and we will intensify our mission to develop top North American soccer players for generations to come. The new agreement emphasizes investment in young athletes, deepening both organizations focus on inspiring and supporting the next generation of players. adidas and MLS will drive youth development and programming to help young soccer players create and shape their future. Through sport, we have the power to change lives, said King. We believe in the power of sport and its ability to create positivity for young athletes and their world. Through our expanded youth development program, well provide high-level competition and unique life experiences for athletes who want to improve their game. Recognized for being the fastest-growing sports league on social media, Major League Soccer will create an innovative, socially powered and localized content approach for adidas as part of the new agreement. A multi-platform content experience, the new adidas "Creator's Network," will allow for enhanced, in-depth storytelling through fresh local and national content from League supporters and influencers. adidas and Major League Soccer began their relationship at the Leagues inception in 1996 with adidas partnering with the Columbus Crew, Kansas City Wiz and D.C. United. In 2004, the organizations announced an exclusive all-league partnership that put adidas on every MLS team. In 2010, adidas and Major League Soccer extended their commitment, with a new focus on advancing soccer in North America through youth development. For more information visitwww.adidas.com/us/soccerandMLSsoccer.comand join the conversation onTwitter with@adidassoccerand@MLSandInstagram with@adidasfootballand@MLSwith#HereToCreateand #MLS.

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adidas and Major League Soccer announce extension of long-term partnership through 2024 - LA Galaxy

Airmen install a new cable run on an aging Minuteman III missile.

ARLINGTON: A brand-new ICBM may cost the nation more than $85 billion, but keeping the geriatric Minuteman will cost even more. Thats according to Boeing, the aerospace giant that began building the original Minuteman I in 1958 and has maintained the much-modified Minuteman III since 1970.

Minuteman III in silo

Sure, the company can reset the odometer on the Minuteman with yet another service life extension program (SLEP), Boeing strategic deterrence chief Frank McCall told reporters this morning. But its still a 1950s design upgraded over six decades with a mix of technologies it was never intended to accommodate. While parts of the guidance and propulsion systems date to 1993, for example, some parts are so old the original manufacturers have long since gone out of business. That forces the Air Force to expensively reinvent the wheel or, say, a 1961-vintage mechanical coding device.

So for about the same price as a rebuilt Minuteman, McCall told us, Boeing would rather build you an all-new missile. Thats what the Air Force calls the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent. (Lockheed and Northrop are also competing). GBSD would get you better performance, he said, including against modern, precision-guided missile defenses, which didnt exist when the Minuteman was designed. (Back then, cutting-edge missile defense destroyed incoming warheads by detonating a nuclear weapon over your own territory). It would be flexible for a wide range of scenarios, whereas the Minuteman was optimized for a massive exchange with Russia across the North Pole. And even sticking with low-risk, proven technology, it would be decades more advanced than Minuteman.

The new missile would also feature a modular, plug-and-plug design known as open architecture that would make replacing components both for maintenance and upgrades much easier than on the Minuteman III. Most important, perhaps, the new missile would be designed from the start to last for decades until at least the 2070s while Minuteman was originally meant to last just 10 years. Between the open architecture and the build-to-last philosophy, McCall said, GBSD would be cheaper to maintain over the long haul than Minuteman.

Back in June, Gen. John Hyten, head of Strategic Command, lamented the time and money it would take to develop GBSD: $85 billion over 20 years for 400 missiles, compared to $17 billion in todays dollars over five years for the initial 800 Minutemans. The military-industrial complex needs to relearn how to go fast, take risks, fail, and try again, he said, instead of grinding along in todays bureaucratic, cripplingly slow acquisition system.

But as expensive as GBSD was, Hyten emphasized, it was still cheaper than re-re-rebuilding the Minuteman: You will have ended up replacing just about everything on the missile, which will cost you more (than GBSD), but nobody believes me. Now that weve heard more of the details from Boeing, maybe we will.

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New ICBM Cheaper Than Upgraded Minuteman: Boeing On GBSD - Breaking Defense

Teachers fear that any compulsory extension of the school day could increase pressure on pupils and damage their family life, new research published by the DfE has found.

Researchers carried out qualitative research in secondary schools to examine the attitudes of school leaders, teachers, parents, pupils and community groups to extended provision.

Their report, published today, says: Staff and parents could see some potential benefits to a [compulsory] extension, such as more time to engage with life skills and enrichment activities, improved relationships with teaching staff, the school as a safe haven, as well as support for working families.

However, the perceived negative impact on student pressure, fatigue, impact on family arrangements, student safety, as well as their involvement in activities within the community had much greater weight with parents and staff.

It says the majority of school leaders held a predominantly negative view of compulsory extension, both in principle and in practice.

And although some saw the value in the basic concept, they questioned how it would happen in practice. A small number were generally positive and supportive.

When the researchers questioned teachers, they found that concerns focused on the impact on the work-life balance of pupils, the extent to which participation should be intrinsically motivated or imposed, the impact on teachers and practicalities of staffing, and the potential of disruption to family schedules.

Staff and parents raised concerns that a compulsory extended school day could have negative effects on family time with children, as well as compromisetheir ability to engage in the local community.

And in focus groups, pupils said they believed the range of activities they engaged in would be narrowed, because they would have to give up activities outside of school if the school day was extended.

They were also concerned about their safety and how they would get home. The report adds: This applied particularly during the winter months, with many pupils expressing discomfort at returning home in the dark.

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Teachers fear compulsory extended school days would damage pupils' family life - TES News

PETERBOROUGH, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) announced today that its subsidiary BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. (BWXT NEC) has been awarded a CA$34 million, five year contract to supply seven primary heat transport motors for Bruce Power. The motors are part of Bruce Powers life-extension program that will extend the life of six of its reactors to continue providing Ontario with clean, low-cost and reliable electricity for decades to come.

The primary heat transport motors are required to drive the main circulating pumps used to push heavy water through the reactor core into the steam generators. The scope of the contract includes the project management, engineering and manufacturing of seven 11,000 horsepower motors. Work under this contract will commence immediately with the first motor scheduled to be delivered to Bruce Power in mid-2018.

We appreciate the opportunity to execute this important project for Bruce Power and take great pride in our contributions to its life extension program, said John MacQuarrie, president of BWXT Canada Ltd. and BWXT NEC. BWXT is pleased to be in a position to supply its customers with a multitude of product and service solutions to assist them in extending the lives of their nuclear plants.

Partnering with BWXT for this important motor work is critical to ensuring the life extension and operation through 2064, said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Powers president and CEO. Planning and preparation is key to our continued on-time and on-budget performance since January 2016 when our life extension program was started. Suppliers like BWXT and their performance are critical to our success; its a team effort.

Nuclear energy plays a significant role to Ontarios economy and it is great to see the positive effects of Bruce Powers life extension project being felt right here in Peterborough, said Jeff Leal, Member of Provincial Parliament. Throughout its program to extend the life of six of its reactors, Bruce Power will inject billions into Ontarios economy and generate thousands of jobs.

Bruce Power supplies 30% of Ontarios electricity at 30% less than the average cost to generate residential power. Extending the operational life of the Bruce Power units to 2064 will create and sustain 22,000 direct and indirect jobs every year, create $4 billion in annual Ontario economic benefit, and will ensure low-cost, clean and reliable energy for Ontario families and businesses.

Forward Looking Statements

BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the performance, timing and value, to the extent contract value can be viewed as an indicator of future revenues, of the Bruce Power contract. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, modification or termination of the contract and delays. If one or more of these or other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see BWXTs annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except to the extent required by applicable law.

About BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc.

BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. (BWXT NEC), a subsidiary of BWXT Canada Ltd., has more than 60 years of extensive experience and innovation in the supply of nuclear fuel and fuel channel components, services, equipment and parts for the CANDU nuclear power industry. This includes designing and supplying highly reliable nuclear equipment to fuel, inspect and refurbish reactors. BWXT NEC employs approximately 350 skilled employees at three locations in Ontario: Peterborough, Toronto and Arnprior. Learn more at http://www.nec.bwxt.com.

About Bruce Power

Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at http://www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

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BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Awarded CA$34 Million Contract for Primary Heat Transport Motors - Business Wire (press release)

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Cipro for vaginal infection - Ciprofloxacin strep throat dose - Hayati Magazine (blog)

Books and lectures are not the only ways students pick up important lessons and skills during the school year. Extracurricular activities provide a range of benefits to participants almost as limitless as the slate of options available to them.

Whether it is playing video games, hanging out with friends or reading a book, children always find ways to fill their time.

However, extracurricular activities can channel that time in constructive directions, said Ron Cox, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension marriage and family specialist.

Extracurricular activities help kids spend their time in positive ways and allow them to develop life skills they wouldnt easily obtain in other ways, Cox said.

Music, theatre, sports, debate and similar activities do an excellent job of keeping children occupied throughout the late afternoon and early evening hours until working parents can make it home.

These activities also serve as real-time labs where students can develop critical life skills such as leadership, teamwork and dealing with adversity.

As an example, 4-H includes lots of service projects that give kids hands-on experience with helping others, generosity and self-sacrifice, Cox said. There arent a lot of places where kids can learn these types of lessons.

Turns out, extracurricular outlets also can have a positive effect on students performance in the classroom as children active in outside activities post higher grades compared to those who are less involved.

Involvement in activities beyond academics also gives students a chance to connect with positive adult role models, something research shows comes with a slew of benefits.

Students who have at least one other caring adult in their lives, in addition to a parent, tend to do better in several ways, such as academically, socially and in terms of avoiding drug use and teen pregnancy, Cox said.

With plenty of extracurricular programs available through schools, community groups, churches and other organizations, families should be able to find activities that fit within their schedules and budgets as well as meet kids interests.

Start by allowing kids to experience a variety of activities and eventually allowing them to gravitate to the ones they most enjoy, Cox said. Extracurricular activities can be incredibly important to kids growing into positive role models and contributing citizens of our state.

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Extracurricular activities help kids make the grade, learn life lessons - Stillwater News Press

Seahawks.com

What does Seahawks' extension for Kam Chancellor tell Earl Thomas, rest of team? The News Tribune (blog) As realistic as they make it, he said. Tuesday, the Seahawks made it very realistic. Up to $25 million in guarantees should set Chancellor and his new bride for life. How long will his football life last? He said he wants to play as long as the ... Kam Chancellor Signs Contract Extension: A Marvelous Day For SeahawksSeahawks.com NFL Notes: Kam Chancellor signs 3-year extension with SeahawksComcast SportsNet Philadelphia Report: Seattle Seahawks agree to extension with Kam Chancellor247Sports NewsOK.com all 114 news articles »

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What does Seahawks' extension for Kam Chancellor tell Earl Thomas, rest of team? - The News Tribune (blog)

The defence giant saw sales increase by four per cent to 9.6 billion in the first six months of the year, while underlying profits were 11 per cent to 945 million compared to the same period a year ago.

In its UK Platforms And Services division, which includes the armoured vehicles maintenance division at Hadley Park in Telford where it employs about 200 people, saw sales rise by seven per cent to 3.9 billion as orders continued to flood in.

"The business has continued to provide support to previously supplied armoured vehicles and bridging systems, with orders of 14 million received in the period," the company said.

"The business is one of two contenders delivering the first stage of the Challenger 2 Life Extension Project."

Telford is home to the Challenger 2 project team, which is currently assessing what needs to be done to allow the British Army's main battle tank to remain in service until 2035.

BAE added that while the General Election had led to the formation of a minority government, "defence and security is expected to remain a priority".

The company added that it was still looking for ways to cut costs.

Chief executive Charles Woodburn said: "Strong programme execution, technology and enhanced competitive positions will be key in driving the business forward, and we will continue to focus on efficiency and meeting our customers' affordability challenges.

"With the expected improvement in the defence budget outlook in a number of our markets, the group is well placed to continue to generate good returns for shareholders."

The group also said it would take a charge in the second half for overhauling its cyber and intelligence arm, where revenues are "softening".

The weak pound against a strong dollar has helped BAE as it makes sales in the United States more valuable when translated into sterling earnings.

Shares in the group rose three per cent after the results.

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BAE Systems sales fire up as tank orders roll in - shropshirestar.com

BBC News

Soutra Hill quarry operation extension approval advised BBC News Councillors are being advised to allow the extension of the operational life of a quarry in the Scottish Borders by nine years. The Soutra Hill site - operated by the Skene Group - currently has consent for 18 years but that would rise to 27. The ... and more »

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Soutra Hill quarry operation extension approval advised - BBC News

By Kevin Orland on 7/31/2017

CALGARY (Bloomberg) -- TransCanada Corp. said it still expects commercial support for its controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline, tamping down speculation that it was having trouble finding customers for thelong-delayed line.

Keystone XL, which was rejected by the Obama administration before being revived by President Donald Trump this year,would boost TransCanadas dividend growth, the company said in a statement Friday. Media reports in recent weeks said that the company was having trouble signing up customers for the pipeline, conceived to help move crude from Albertas oil sands to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast.

TransCanada said earlier this year that it was working to sign new shippers following years of delays. Given the time it took to gain federal approval, TransCanada said it expected some shippers to reduce their volume commitments and that other new customers would be introduced. The company said on Thursday that its soliciting additional commitments to ship oil on Keystone XL.

Weve had good support from our legacy shippers, which gives us a good base to launch this open season, Paul Miller, TransCanadas president of liquids pipelines, said on a conference call.

The open season closes on Sept. 28, with the results of the process expected to be finalized in late November, Miller said. The company should also receive its regulatory decisions from Nebraska around that time and will weigh both of those factors in determining whether to proceed with the line, he said. If TransCanada decides to move ahead on Keystone XL, it would need six to nine months to prepare for construction and about two years to build it, he said.

The shares were up 0.2% at C$63.66 as of 1:44 p.m. in Toronto. Calgary-based TransCanada gained 5% this year through Thursday.

Dividend growth

Success in advancing Keystone XL or other growth initiatives such as the Bruce Power life extension may augment or extend the companys dividend growth outlook, CEO Russ Girling said in the statement. The company plans to increase its annual dividend at the upper end of an 8% to 10% range through 2020.

Keystone won votes of confidence from the chief executive officers of Canadian oil producers Cenovus Energy Inc. and Suncor Energy Inc. this week. The CEOs both said they support Keystone and that the Canadian energy industry needs more pipeline capacity. Suncor confirmed that it plans to ship its products on Keystone.

Albertas oil producers have long warned that a lack of pipeline space was hurting their prospects. That pipeline pinch may start to hit the industry later this year as Suncors massive Fort Hills oil-sands project starts to produce oil and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. completes another phase of expansion at its Horizon mine.

Beyond Keystone

Looking beyond Keystone, TransCanada is spending C$2 billion ($1.6 billion) to expand its natural gas pipeline network in Western Canada. The upgrades to the Nova Gas system will include 171 mi (275 km) of new pipeline, additional compression and new metering stations.

The company said on Friday that it was applying to the National Energy Board to expand capacity on its Canadian Mainline, which carries natural gas from producers in Alberta to markets in the nations east. The company would spend about C$160 million on the project, which is underpinned by 15-year contracts.

TransCanadas second-quarter profit was 76 Canadian cents a share, excluding some items. Theaverage estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was 68 cents.

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TransCanada still sees producer support for Keystone XL - WorldOil (subscription)

RENTON A contract extension for Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor is starting to sound more like a matter of when and no longer if. Comments from both sides over the last two days have left that impression.

Following the Seahawks first practice of training camp on Sunday, coach Pete Carroll said the talks have been positive and that he hopes a deal will be finished soon.

Chancellor answered in the affirmative when asked Monday if he shares that optimism.

Yeah, I think its been positive on both ends. Hopefully it gets done any time now, he said. But I feel that its positive on both ends. Both sides have been very productive, working together. So Im just waiting to see whats happening.

Chancellor, 29, is entering the final year of the contract he signed in 2013, which includes a $6.8 million base salary for 2017. Because of where hes at in the life of his contract with one season left as opposed to being more than a year away from free agency hes been considered a candidate for an extension along with tight end Jimmy Graham and center Justin Britt.

Chancellor was asked Monday if theres any temptation to play out his current deal with an eye toward testing free agency next offseason. That could, in theory, have some appeal given how the safety market has escalated in recent seasons.

According to Spotrac.com, eight safeties are making an average of at least $8.5 million, with Kansas Citys Eric Berry topping the list at $13 million per season. Miamis Reshad Jones, the NFLs highest-paid strong safety, makes $12 million per year. Those deals were all signed after Chancellor signed an extension in 2013 that averaged a little over $7 million.

So, any desire to see what kind of offers might be out there after 2017?

Right now, both sides are having positive talks and we are just going to keep doing what we are doing right now and Im just going to follow that process, Chancellor said.

He was asked if he wants to finish his career with the Seahawks.

Exactly. I do. I do, Chancellor said. I love this team. They gave me the first opportunity, the only opportunity, and I would love to retire here.

How realistic will that be?

As realistic as they make it, he said.

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Kam Chancellor hopes extension with Seahawks gets done 'any time now' - MyNorthwest.com

So it was that Eos, goddess of the dawn, fell in love with Tithonus, a handsome young prince of Troy and, beguiling him with her beauty, brought him to her palace on Mount Olympus.

They lived happily for many years but, being mortal, age eventually overtook Tithonus. In her despair, Eos beseeched Zeus to grant her love immortality. Moved to pity, he granted her request but even the king of Olympus could not bestow eternal youth on a human for that would make him as one of the gods.

As one age passed into the next, Tithonus, withered and shrunken, cried incessantly for release from his torment but Zeus could not undo a wish once granted. It was Eos who eventually provided her poor lover a measure of relief by transforming him into a cicada. Now each summer he emerges from the ground with a fresh body to sing in eternal praise of his beauteous goddess. Or is it rather a lament over his crusted, hollow shell of a body?

Many of the myths and stories we have long told ourselves are cautionary tales against the dangers of hubris, our overconfident pride and arrogance before the gods. Divinity will mete out retribution to those who forget their place in the natural scheme of things. Chief among these absolutes of the human condition is our mortality; we all must die and woe betide any who would seek to have it otherwise.

But consider this statement from the website of the California Life Co. (Calico), a biotechnology firm established in 2013:

Calico is a research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies to increase our understanding of the biology that controls lifespan. We will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Executing on this mission will require an unprecedented level of interdisciplinary effort and a long-term focus for which funding is already in place.

The company is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., whose most famous other subsidiary goes by the name of Google. By 2016, Larry Page, Alphabets CEO (and co-founder of Google) had committed the company to contributing $240 million to Calico, with an additional $490 million should it be needed.

Calico is by no means the only Silicon Valley outfit investing big dollars in the life extension sciences field. SENS (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence) Research Foundation, founded in 2009, and Human Longevity Inc., founded in 2014, are two of its better-funded competitors but there are others.

Whats going on here? Lets start with some data. Since 1900, the average human life span has increased by 30 years. But with this, so have the rates of age-related health issues such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia. In the U.S., up to age 44 the leading causes of death are accidents and violence. From there to age 65, its cancer and heart disease after that.

Medical advances are making significant inroads on each of these diseases and they may be conquered within your childrens lifetime. What then? Well, epidemiologists suggest a cure for cancer would only add 3.3 years to the average lifespan while the prevention of heart disease would tack on another four years. The elimination of all disease likely would only extend life into the mid-90s.

To go further, the aging process itself must be slowed. Even in the absence of disease, our bodies senesce as our organs, tissues, cells and macromolecules accumulate damage at an ever-increasing rate. Eric Verdin of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging has observed that if you just kept aging at the rate you age between 20-30, youd live to a thousand. But at 30, everything starts to change. Thereafter your risk of mortality doubles every seven years.

Most longevity scientists are health spanners, seeking a healthier life with a compressed morbidity (i.e., a quick and painless death). But immortalists like SENS Research founder Aubrey de Grey and futurist Ray Kurzwell believe science can carry us much further. If aging is encoded in the DNA of our genes, they argue, there should be no technological reason why we couldnt identify and address those parts of our genomes that are responsible for senescence.

Like so much else in modern biology, medical research is increasingly becoming an information science. To find the genetic correlates of aging will entail the compilation and analysis of an almost unthinkable mass of biotechnical data. Who has the big-data skillset and financial resources to back such an undertaking?

Silicon Valley.

But what about the economics, ethics and religious implications of an immortality united with youthful vigor? Should aging be viewed as a medical disease to be treated as any other or are we just asking for it with such hubristic thinking?

Ken Baker is a scientist and a retired biology professor. If you have a natural history topic youd like the author to consider for an upcoming column, email your idea to rweaver@advertiser-tribune.com.

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