B cell
The cells of the immune system that make antibodies to invading pathogens like viruses. They form memory cells that remember the same pathogen for faster antibody production in future infections.
Latin	lymphocytus B
Code	TH H2.00.04.1.02005 TH H2.00.04.3.07002

B cells are lymphocytes that play a large role in the humoral immune response (as opposed to the cell-mediated immune response, which is governed by T cells). B cells are an essential component of the adaptive immune system. B cells, which are the precursors of plasma cells, are characterized by the presence of a B-cell receptor able to bind specifically an antigen. Their principal functions are to make antibodies against antigens, perform the role of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and eventually develop into memory B cells after activation by antigen interaction. Recently, a new, suppressive function of B cells has been discovered.

The abbreviation "B", in B cell, comes from the bursa of Fabricius in birds, where they mature. In mammals, immature B cells are formed in the bone marrow, which is used as a backronym for the cells' name.^[1]

Development of B cells[link]

Immature B cells are produced in the bone marrow of most mammals. Rabbits are an exception; their B cells develop in the appendix-sacculus rotundus. After reaching the IgM+ immature stage in the bone marrow, these immature B cells migrate to secondary lymphoid tissues (such as the spleen, lymph nodes, Peyer's patches, etc.) where they are called transitional B cells, and some of these cells differentiate into mature B lymphocytes.^[2]

B cell development occurs through several stages, each stage representing a change in the genome content at the antibody loci. An antibody is composed of two identical light (L) and two identical heavy (H) chains, and the genes specifying them are found in the 'V' (Variable) region and the 'C' (Constant) region. In the heavy-chain 'V' region there are three segments; V, D and J, which recombine randomly, in a process called VDJ recombination, to produce a unique variable domain in the immunoglobulin of each individual B cell. Similar rearrangements occur for light-chain 'V' region except there are only two segments involved; V and J. The list below describes the process of immunoglobulin formation at the different stages of B cell development.

When the B cell fails in any step of the maturation process, it will die by a mechanism called apoptosis, here called clonal deletion.^[5] B cells are continuously produced in the bone marrow. When the B cell receptor, on the surface of the cell matches the detected antigens present in the body, the B cell proliferates and secretes a free form of those receptors (antibodies) with identical binding sites as the ones on the original cell surface. After activation, the cell proliferates and B memory cells would form to recognise the same antigen. This information would then be used as a part of the adaptive immune system for a more efficient and more powerful immune response for future encounters with that antigen.

B cell membrane receptors evolve and change throughout the B cell life span.^[6] TACI, BCMA and BAFF-R are present on both immature B cells and mature B cells. All of these 3 receptors may be inhibited by Belimumab. CD20 is expressed on all stages of B cell development except the first and last; it is present from pre-B cells through memory cells, but not on either pre-pro-B cells or plasma cells.^[7]

Immune Tolerance[link]

Like their fellow lymphocytes, the T cells, immature B cells are tested for auto-reactivity by the immune system before leaving the bone marrow. In the bone marrow (the central lymphoid organ), central tolerance is produced. The immature B cells whose B-cell receptors (BCRs) bind too strongly to self antigens will not be allowed to mature. If B cells are found to be highly reactive to self, three mechanisms can occur.

• Clonal deletion: the removal, usually by apoptosis, of B cells of a particular self antigen specificity.
• Receptor editing: the BCRs of self reactive B cells are given an opportunity to rearrange their conformation. This process occurs via the continued expression of the Recombination activating gene (RAG). Through the help of RAG, receptor editing involves light chain gene rearrangement of the B cell receptor. If receptor editing fails to produce a BCR that is less autoreactive, apoptosis will occur. Note that defects in the RAG-1 and RAG-2 genes are implicated in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). The inability to recombine and generate new receptors lead to failure of maturity for both B cells and T cells.

• Anergy: B cells enter a state of permanent unresponsiveness when they bind with weakly cross-linking self antigens that are small and soluble.

Functions[link]

The human body makes millions of different types of B cells each day that circulate in the blood and lymphatic system performing the role of immune surveillance. They do not produce antibodies until they become fully activated. Each B cell has a unique receptor protein (referred to as the B cell receptor (BCR)) on its surface that will bind to one particular antigen. The BCR is a membrane-bound immunoglobulin, and it is this molecule that allows the distinction of B cells from other types of lymphocyte, as well as being the main protein involved in B cell activation. Once a B cell encounters its cognate antigen and receives an additional signal from a T helper cell, it can further differentiate into one of the two types of B cells listed below (plasma B cells and memory B cells). The B cell may either become one of these cell types directly or it may undergo an intermediate differentiation step, the germinal center reaction, where the B cell will hypermutate the variable region of its immunoglobulin gene ("somatic hypermutation") and possibly undergo class switching. Other functions for B cells include antigen presentation, cytokine production and lymphoid tissue organization.

Clonality[link]

B cells exist as clones. All B cells derive from a particular cell, and thus, the antibodies their differentiated progenies (see below) produce can recognize and/or bind the same specific surface components composed of biological macromolecules (epitope) of a given antigen. Such clonality has important consequences, as immunogenic memory relies on it. The great diversity in immune response comes about because there are up to 10⁹ clones with specificities for recognizing different antigens. A single B cell or a clone of cells with shared specificity, upon encountering its specific antigen, divides to produce many B cells. Most of such B cells differentiate into plasma cells that secrete antibodies into blood that bind the same epitope that elicited proliferation in the first place. A small minority survives as memory cells that can recognize only the same epitope. However, with each cycle, the number of surviving memory cells increases. The increase is accompanied by affinity maturation which induces the survival of B cells that bind to the particular antigen with high affinity. This subsequent amplification with improved specificity of immune response is known as secondary immune response. B cells that encounter antigen for the first time are known as naive B cells.

B cell types[link]

A suspected plasma cell. Plasma cells are normally detected in tissue rather than circulation.

• Plasma B cells (also known as plasma cells, plasmocytes, and effector B cells) are large B cells that have been exposed to antigen and produce and secrete large amounts of antibodies, which assist in the destruction of microbes by binding to them and making them easier targets for phagocytes and activation of the complement system. They are sometimes referred to as antibody factories. An electron micrograph of these cells reveals large amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum, responsible for synthesizing the antibody, in the cell's cytoplasm. These are short lived cells and undergo apoptosis when the inciting agent that induced immune response is eliminated. This occurs because of cessation of continuous exposure to various colony stimulating factors required for survival.

• Memory B cells are formed from activated B cells that are specific to the antigen encountered during the primary immune response. These cells are able to live for a long time, and can respond quickly following a second exposure to the same antigen.

• B-1 cells express IgM in greater quantities than IgG and their receptors show polyspecificity, meaning that they have low affinities for many different antigens. Polyspecific immunoglobulins often have a preference for other immunoglobulins, self antigens and common bacterial polysaccharides. B-1 cells are present in low numbers in the lymph nodes and spleen and are instead found predominantly in the peritoneal and pleural cavities.^[8][9]

• B-2 cells are the conventional B cells most texts refer to.^{[citation needed]}
• Marginal-zone B cells
• Follicular B Cells

Recognition of antigen by B cells[link]

Mechanism of action.

T cell-dependent B cell activation, showing a TH2-cell (left), B cell (right), and several interaction molecules

A critical difference between B cells and T cells is how each lymphocyte recognizes its antigen. B cells recognize their cognate antigen in its native form. They recognize free (soluble) antigen in the blood or lymph using their BCR or membrane bound-immunoglobulin. In contrast, T cells recognize their cognate antigen in a processed form, as a peptide fragment presented by an antigen presenting cell's MHC molecule to the T cell receptor.

Activation of B cells[link]

B cell recognition of antigen is not the only element necessary for B cell activation (a combination of clonal proliferation and terminal differentiation into plasma cells). B cells that have not been exposed to antigen, also known as naïve B cells, can be activated in a T cell-dependent or -independent manner.

T cell-dependent activation[link]

Once a pathogen is ingested by an antigen-presenting cell such as a macrophage or dendritic cell, the pathogen's proteins are then digested to peptides and attached to a class II MHC protein. This complex is then moved to the outside of the cell membrane. The macrophage is now activated to deliver multiple signals to a specific T cell that recognizes the peptide presented. The T cell is then stimulated to produce autocrines (Refer to Autocrine signalling), resulting in the proliferation and differentiation to effector and memory T cells. Helper T cells (i.e. CD4+ T cells) then activate specific B cells through a phenomenon known as an Immunological synapse. Activated B cells subsequently produce antibodies which assist in inhibiting pathogens until phagocytes (i.e. macrophages, neutrophils) or the complement system for example clears the host of the pathogen(s).

Most antigens are T-dependent, meaning T cell help is required for maximal antibody production. With a T-dependent antigen, the first signal comes from antigen cross linking the B cell receptor (BCR) and the second signal comes from co-stimulation provided by a T cell. T dependent antigens contain proteins that are presented on B cell Class II MHC to a special subtype of T cell called a Th2 cell. When a B cell processes and presents the same antigen to the primed T_h cell, the T cell secretes cytokines that activate the B cell. These cytokines trigger B cell proliferation and differentiation into plasma cells. Isotype switching to IgG, IgA, and IgE and memory cell generation occur in response to T-dependent antigens. This isotype switching is known as Class Switch Recombination (CSR). Once this switch has occurred, that particular B cell will usually no longer make the earlier isotypes, IgM or IgD.

T cell-independent activation[link]

Many antigens are T cell-independent in that they can deliver both of the signals to the B cell. Mice without a thymus (nude or athymic mice that do not produce any T cells) can respond to T independent antigens. Many bacteria have repeating carbohydrate epitopes that stimulate B cells, by cross-linking the IgM antigen receptors in the B cell, responding with IgM synthesis in the absence of T cell help. Conjugate vaccines are made to provide a stronger immune response against these foreign molecules. There are two types of T cell independent activation; Type 1 T cell-independent (polyclonal) activation, and type 2 T cell-independent activation (in which macrophages present several of the same antigen in a way that causes cross-linking of antibodies on the surface of B cells).

T cell independent activation type 1 is when a B cell binds to an antigen and receives secondary activation by toll-like receptors; type 2 is when the antigen is a molecule with multiple repeating subunits which can simultaneously cross link enough B cell receptors to fully activate the B cell.

In 2011, it was discovered that immortalized rhesus monkey B cells may be activated by the binding of monoamine ligands to TAAR1, a recently discovered GPCR. They found that methamphetamine, a potent TAAR1 agonist, signals PKA and PKC activation following ligand binding to TAAR1.^[10] Although it is largely recognized as an important regulator of monoaminergic systems, TAAR1 has only recently been characterized as being important for T cell-independent lymphocyte activation.

The ancestral roots of B cells[link]

In an October 2006 issue of Nature Immunology, certain B cells of basal vertebrates (like fish and amphibians) were shown to be capable of phagocytosis, a function usually associated with cells of the innate immune system. The authors postulate that these phagocytic B cells represent the ancestral history shared between macrophages and lymphocytes. B cells may have evolved from macrophage-like cells during the formation of the adaptive immune system.^[11]

B cells in humans (and other vertebrates) are nevertheless able to endocytose antibody-fixed pathogens, and it is through this route that MHC Class II presentation by B cells is possible, allowing Th2 help and stimulation of B cell proliferation. This is purely for the benefit of MHC Class II presentation, not as a significant method of reducing the pathogen load.

Origin of the term[link]

The abbreviation "B" in B cell originally came from Bursa of Fabricius, an organ in birds in which avian B cells mature.^[12] When it was discovered that in most mammals immature B cells are formed in bone marrow, the word B cell continued to be used, although other blood cells also originate from pluripotent stem cells in the bone marrow. The fact that bone and bursa both start with the letter 'B' is a coincidence.

B cell-related pathology[link]

Aberrant antibody production by B cells is implicated in many autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. B cells are also susceptible to malignant transformation.

Additional image[link]

Figure 1: Schematic diagram to explain mechanisms of clonal selection of B cell, and how secondary immune response is stronger, quicker and more specific in comparison with the primary one.^[13]

See also[link]

• Affinity maturation
• Antibody
• Clonal selection
• Original antigenic sin

References[link]

Activation of B Lymphocytes by T-Independent Antigens. Gary Kaiser. American Society for Microbiology. July 2005.

External links[link]

• B-Lymphocytes at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
• B Cells and T Cells
• B Cell Development and Generation of Lymphocyte Diversity
• Interactive Animation of B Cell Maturation (requires Flash video software)
• A Tale of Two SHEPherds (from Beaker Blog)
• Educational Resource on the Biology of Antibody Cells

Kash Heed MLA
MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview
Incumbent
Assumed office 2009
Preceded by	Wally Oppal
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia
In office June 10, 2009 – April 9, 2010
Premier	Gordon Campbell
Preceded by	Rich Coleman
Succeeded by	Michael de Jong
In office May 4, 2010 – May 5, 2010
Preceded by	Michael de Jong
Succeeded by	Michael de Jong
Personal details
Political party	BC Liberal
Residence	Vancouver, British Columbia
Occupation	MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview
Religion	Sikh

Kash P. Heed (Kashmir Singh Heer) is a Canadian politician, who was elected as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview.

He formerly served as the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. He was formerly chief constable of the West Vancouver Police Department and a former superintendent with the Vancouver Police Department and was the first Indo-Canadian police chief in Canada.

Heed graduated from the B.C. Police Academy in 1979 and began his career as an officer with the VPD. In June 2007 he lost out to Deputy Chief Jim Chu for the position of Chief Constable of the VPD, but days later was appointed to that title in West Vancouver. He led the West Vancouver Police Department for 19 months and resigned on February 23, 2009.^[1]

He was the superintendent in charge of the south part of Vancouver, and as an Inspector was commander of District 3, which corresponds to the southeast quadrant of Vancouver.

Other roles in his career with the VPD have included heading the drug squad and Indo-Canadian gang task force, as well as implementing the department's COMPSTAT information technology system.

He is a published author who also teaches criminology and criminal justice at two B.C. colleges. He pioneered initiatives aimed at crime reduction and prevention as well as greater community and police engagement. He led the Indo-Canadian Task Force and inspired the formation of grassroots organizations dedicated to preventing gang violence.

Political campaign[link]

Heed's opponent and main electoral rival in the British Columbia New Democratic Party, Gabriel Yiu has accused him of using images showing Heed in a police uniform in his campaign materials as being improper.^[2]

Heed resigned from the West Vancouver Police Department prior to the end of his five year contract. He also resigned before he could be brought to task on the allegation of improperly revealing information to a police board member. Prior to the allegations Heed had decried the fact (Video media) that some former employees of the WVPD had used the same tactic to avoid a hearing by the Police Complaints Commission.

While Solicitor General, Heed stated that he wished to change the system so that police officers will not be able to avoid hearings by either retiring or by resigning; however, this change would not be retro-active.

Resignation[link]

On April 9, 2010, Heed resigned in response to an unspecified RCMP investigation involving violations of the Elections Act. Heed is the third consecutive solicitor-general to step down in the last 25 months.^[3] Fund-raising regularities subsequently came to light but the Special Prosecutor exonerated Heed of involvement and he came back into cabinet on May 4, 2010. Then. less than 24 hours later, the Special Prosecutor himself resigned when it was discovered that the law firm he came from had made financial contributions to the election campaign of Heed's party, the Liberals. Heed, once again, stepped down pending a more detailed probe into the case ^[4]

MORE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST KASH HEED[link]

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 | 2:14 PM PT CBC News

DOCUMENT: Heed search warrant info pgs. 1-40 (PDF)

DOCUMENT: Heed search warrant info pgs. 41-96 (PDF)

HEED CLAIMED IGNORANCE OF CAMPAIGN LAWS

CBC VIDEO: KASH HEED Investigation

CBC VIDEO: Kash Heed vs. RCMP

An RCMP search warrant application alleges Liberal MLA and former solicitor general Kash Heed broke the law. The document alleges Heed committed the crime of breach of trust. The warrant, prepared by Sgt. John Taylor, reveals the RCMP took the extraordinary step of executing a search warrant at the headquarters of the West Vancouver Police, where Heed was once police chief. The RCMP are most concerned with $6,000 that investigators believe Heed paid to two campaign workers after he was elected in 2009. Police allege it was taxpayer money earmarked for office furniture, but Heed's office had already been furnished by Wally Oppal, the former attorney general. The RCMP also uncovered email exchanges with Barinder Sall, who worked on Heed's campaign. In one exchange, Heed used a horseracing analogy to say Oppal needed to be put out to pasture, while referring to himself as a stallion.

Left cabinet in 2010 Heed - the MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview - left the cabinet in April 2010 following allegations his campaign violated election regulations with illegal advertising during the run-up to the May 2009 election. Since the controversy became public, Heed has maintained he knew nothing about alleged offences by his campaign workers. According a search warrant executed during the investigation to the documents and made public in 2010, Heed told police that: ·He wasn't sure how Barinder Sall became his campaign manager and didn't know his title. ·He had no idea how election campaigns were run and didn't know who was responsible for what. ·He didn't know who was in charge of printing his campaign pamphlets. ·He hadn't read the B.C. Election Act.

But Heed did tell police he turned over campaign donations to Barinder Sall, who faces a number of charges including obstruction of justice and violating the Elections Act. Heed's campaign financial agent, Satpal Johl, is also charged, as is Dinesh Khanna, who runs a Metro Vancouver bulk-mailing business. Heed is a former Vancouver police officer. He hasn't commented on the RCMP warrant. Premier Gordon Campbell said he won't comment on the latest allegations against Heed. He said he's going to let the special prosecutor complete his investigation.

KASH HEED FINED FOR ELECTION VIOLATIONS[link]

CBC News Posted: Aug 31, 2011 2:48 PM PT

B.C. LIBERAL MLA KASH HEED HAD TO RESIGN FROM CABINET AT THE HEIGHT OF A SPENDING SCANDAL. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

A B.C. Supreme Court judge has fined former B.C. solicitor general Kash Heed $8,000 for violations of the provincial Election Act. Chief Justice Robert Bauman could have forced a byelection for the violation but decided instead to allow Heed, a B.C. Liberal, to keep his seat in the B.C. legislature. Heed had admitted exceeding spending his $70,000 spending limit by $5,579 in the 2009 campaign, but said he did not know about the excess spending at the time and had left those details to his campaign staff. The amount overspent was later corrected by the court to about $4,000. Fines in such cases are double the amount a candidate has gone over the limit.“Responsibility for the conduct of the campaign rests ultimately with the candidate,” Bauman wrote in his decision. Heed issued a statement after the ruling. “I accept the decision of the chief justice and I will abide by his ruling," Heed said. The overspending involved an anonymous pamphlet that surfaced during the campaign, smearing the NDP candidate he was running against in the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview.

BROCHURE SPENDING NOT DECLARED An RCMP investigation later determined the brochure had been produced by the Heed campaign but that the expenses for it were not declared. Charges have been laid against two of Heed's campaign workers. Two special prosecutors investigating the complaints against Heed had cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing. Heed, a former West Vancouver police chief, was considered a star candidate for the Liberals in 2009, and was appointed solicitor general after the election win in his first foray into politics. He was forced to resign less than a year later when the police investigation into his campaign spending became public.

^[5]

FORMER B.C. SOLICITOR-GENERAL KASH HEED 'THOUGHT HE WAS BATMAN,' SAYS EX-AIDE[link]

I was his right-hand man. Now I'm taking the fall ==

'By MICHAEL SMYTH, The Province,November 3, 2011

Kash Heed's former campaign manager says the ex-solicitor general saw himself as a modern-day Caped Crusader, even having a 'bat phone' installed in his office.

By day, he’s known as Kash Heed, less-than-mild-mannered Liberal MLA and former top cop of British Columbia. But to his once-loyal sidekick, Heed will be forever known as the Caped Crusader of the legislature. “Kash thought he was Batman — and I was his Robin,” said Heed’s former campaign manager Barinder Sall, who was rung up on electoral-finance charges on Friday. Sall pleaded guilty to financing the notorious dirty-tricks campaign against Heed’s NDP opponent in the last election, and was fined $15,000. Heed was cleared of criminal wrongdoing — though he was fined, too, for exceeding campaign spending limits — and remains the Liberal MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview. At least, that’s his public title. In his own mind, Sall says, Heed was a modern-day superhero, battling his way through the cutthroat world of politics and policing. “Back when he was police chief in West Vancouver, Kash had a secret phone line in his office that he called ‘the bat phone,’” said Sall, who seems determined to drag the ex-solicitor-general down with him. “I don’t know if it was red like the real Batphone, but that’s what he always called it, and I was one of the few people who knew the secret number. In Kash’s world, he was Batman.” Sall opens up a thick binder of documents, and starts showing me a series of private email exchanges between himself and Heed. In one email, Sall alerts Heed to the appointment of a new provincial gang-war commissioner. “Call bat phone,” Heed replies. In another, Sall updates Heed on a seniors’ housing project. “Call bat line,” Heed fires back. Why is Sall showing me this? “Because it proves how close I was to him,” says Sall, who’s angry Heed has distanced himself from him. “He was like my big brother. I was his right-hand man. Now I’m taking the fall.” The pair were so close, Sall says, that Heed shared his private thoughts on other Liberal MLAs. More emails spill out from the binder. They show “Batman” Heed firing plenty of batarangs at his colleagues. Former solicitor-general John Les was “a goof,” says one. Liberal MLA John van Dongen “doesn’t have a clue” about street crime. Cabinet minister Mary McNeil was a “loser” and “dense.” When Sall informs him that the Liberals recruited McNeil as a “star candidate,” Heed fires back: “I could run for the Marijuana Party and beat her.” Heed talks in the emails about joining the B.C. Green Party, too. And there are several mentions of Heed wanting to run for the NDP. “I think I’m going to jump ship and move to the NDP,” Heed writes to Sall. “I think I should be able to be their leader after the next election.” Many of the emails were written when Heed was West Vancouver police chief and reveal a burning ambition in politics or to become the police chief in Vancouver, a job that eventually went to Jim Chu. Once, Heed spotted Sall and another strategist chatting to Chu at an event, triggering a nasty email. “Boy, do you guys know how to destroy your credibility,” Heed wrote. Kash Heed declined to be interviewed for this column. He issued a public statement that said: “The matter is over and it is time to move forward. The prior decision by the special prosecutor and the court re-affirmed my integrity and I will not be commenting further.” But Sall alleged earlier this week that he did not disclose $40,000 in campaign spending in Heed’s riding, which has triggered a new review by Elections B.C. Meanwhile, Premier Christy Clark said Liberal MLAs will decide whether Heed should remain in the government caucus. But a Liberal source says it’s unlikely Heed will be kicked out. Why? Because Clark does not want to risk losing Heed’s seat to the NDP in a byelection. For now, it looks like “Batman” will remain in the Liberal Batcave, while his erstwhile “Robin” tries to rebuild his life. “I admit that I financed the flyer,” Sall said of the sleazy anti-NDP election pamphlet at the centre of the dirty-tricks scandal. “At the time, my gut told me not to do it. I should have listened to my gut. I hurt a lot of people, and Kash Heed hurt me badly.” Now, he’s doing his best to hurt Heed back.

^[6]

EMAILS, CONTROVERSY LEAVE HEED IN LIMBO[link]

By Les Leyne, Times Colonist, November 3, 2011

It's getting steadily more difficult to accept the concept of Kash Heed as a Liberal MLA. Sure, he sits on the Liberal side of the legislature. But his seat is in a remote, frozen gulag, as far away from the action as you can get. Sometimes seating charts speak volumes. Sometimes body language does, too. What was Heed trying to say Tuesday, for instance ? Premier Christy Clark had just finished a passionate riff on the jobs plan. All the Liberal MLAs banged their desks in approval. Except Heed. He looked around quizzically and did nothing. On Wednesday, Clark delivered a half-dozen "we're tough on crime" answers in a row during question period, something you'd think would bring an ex-cop out of his chair, cheering. Nada. Heed was completely engrossed in his iPad. That's not the correct demeanour for a team player. Not only is he sitting on the end of the bench, he's not even banging his stick on the boards when the team gets a goal. Coaches notice stuff like that. But insufficient desk-thumping is the least of his problems. The more immediate concern is his former campaign manager, Barinder Sall, who is either conscience-stricken, or has vengeance on his mind. Sall admitted to violating the Election Act while working to get Heed elected and was dinged $15,000 by a judge, which is $4,000 more than Heed paid to settle with Elections B.C. for the overspending on a fake brochure produced during the 2009 campaign. The discrepancy must have bothered Sall. He went public with claims that Heed was a lot farther over the spending limit than has been admitted. At the same time, the media has been blitzed with copies of emails from Heed that reveal him as a self-absorbed, caustic commentator on civic goings-on. To be fair, only the most damaging notes were disclosed. If Heed ever wrote about how important it is to support the United Way, or be nice to the elderly, those ones didn't make the cut.

The few that were released are along the lines of the following, sent to Sall at 5: 48 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2007: Subject: "Wake up!

"Hey, what happened to my ICBC Board position? Did your good friend Mary I'm a Looser (sic) McNeil get it, or your confidante Jamie I'm going to use all Barinder's ideas for free Graham get it? Of course, your ideas for the former got him DICK because he is such a looser too.... They are as dense as your bajee (brother, pal) Chu."

That little wake-up call and a few digs in later years at Liberals John Les ("what a goof") and John van Dongen ("doesn't have a clue") were in circulation when Heed showed up this week at the legislature. He walked into the caucus room and sat down beside all those "losers," "goofs" and clueless colleagues. Awkward.

Sall also struck back at his former candidate by implying Heed was a lot farther over the spending limit than he eventually admitted to being. That unproven allegation landed on the desk of recently-appointed chief electoral officer Keith Archer. Heed has already generated so much work for Elections B.C. he's probably a line item in their budget. The first investigation of the brochure prompted the appointment of a special prosecutor, which led Heed to step down as solicitor general. Then he was cleared and yanked back into cabinet. Then the special prosecutor acknowledged a conflict of interest, so Heed stepped back down, while another special prosecutor reviewed it all over again. Heed was cleared again of any criminal wrongdoing, but fined under the Election Act for the overspending incurred by way of the offending brochure. Now the NDP wants a third special prosecutor named to take another run at him, which is verging on the absurd. Liberals are still trying to figure out what to do with him in caucus. Clark said it's an issue that will eventually be discussed. Only two months ago, Heed was celebrating his third consecutive exoneration by the authorities. The two prosecutors had cleared him and even the judge who levied the fine said Heed acted in good faith.

Now he's in the glue again. You win some, you "loose" some.

© Copyright (c) The Victoria Times Colonist

^[7]

Editorial: KASH HEED NEEDS TO STEP DOWN AS MLA[link]

'The Province, November 3, 2011

KASH HEED FINDS HIMSELF AMID ANOTHER SCANDAL.

If there was ever any honour in politics, surely it's gone, as the case of Liberal MLA Kash Heed sadly reveals. Last week, Heed's former campaign manager Barinder Sall was fined $15,000, placed on probation and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service for his part in a dirty tricks campaign against Heed's chief opponent, the NDP's Gabriel Yiu. Dinesh Khanna, another campaign worker, was fined $3,000 for his part in the scheme to print anonymous Chinese-language pamphlets smearing the NDP. In August, Heed was fined $11,000 for overspending on his campaign in Vancouver-Fraserview, although no charges were brought against him related to the pamphlets. Now Elections B.C. is looking into claims by Sall that he didn't report $40,000 and there are further allegations the former solicitor-general and West Vancouver police chief badmouthed his cabinet colleagues. Premier Christy Clark says her Liberal caucus will decide Heed's fate, specifically whether he'll remain in caucus. She should act like a leader and kick him out.

More importantly, Heed should resign his seat, which the evidence shows was narrowly won and tainted by illegality. The voters and democracy were harmed by the actions of Heed and his team. If he has even the slightest bit of honour, he'll resign and put citizens above his own narrow selfinterest. - - - - - - What do you think? Email a brief comment, including your name and town to:

© Copyright (c) The Province

^[8]

References[link]

• Heed heads west, makes history by Mike Howell, Vancouver Courier, Friday, July 13, 2007 (retrieved July 22, 2007)
• West Vancouver's new police chief 'an innovator' CBC.ca News, Wednesday, June 27, 2007 (retrieved July 22, 2007)
• West Van top cop Heed resigns North Shore Outlook, February 23, 2009 (retrieved February 23, 2009)
• B.C. Solicitor-General Kash Heed stepping down The Vancouver Sun April 9, 2010 (retrieved April 9, 2010)

External links[link]

• Kash Heed, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview
• Indo-canadian editor promotes Kash Heed by Carlito Pablo, Georgia Straight, April 12, 2007 (retrieved July 22, 2007)
• Vancouver police target gang violence CBC.ca News Thursday, March 8, 2007 (retrieved July 22, 2007)
• DOCUMENT: Heed search warrant info pgs. 1-40 (PDF)
• DOCUMENT: Heed search warrant info pgs. 41-96 (PDF)
• HEED CLAIMED IGNORANCE OF CAMPAIGN LAWS
• CBC VIDEO: KASH HEED Investigation
• CBC VIDEO: Kash Heed vs. RCMP

John Flaherty
John Flaherty during the 2009 World Series victory parade
Catcher
Born: (1967-10-21) October 21, 1967 (age 44) New York, New York
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 12, 1992 for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 2005 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Batting average	.252
Home runs	80
Runs batted in	395
Teams
Boston Red Sox (1992–1993) Detroit Tigers (1994–1996) San Diego Padres (1996–1997) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–2002) New York Yankees (2003–2005)

John Timothy Flaherty (born October 21, 1967) is a television baseball broadcaster and a retired Major League Baseball player. Flaherty was a catcher, and last played in the major leagues for the New York Yankees.^[1]

Early life[link]

Flaherty grew up in West Nyack, New York and graduated in 1985 from Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey. He went to grammar school at St. Anthony School in Nanuet, New York. He attended George Washington University, graduating in 1988, and he batted and threw right-handed.

Professional career[link]

Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 1988, he moved through the farm system and broke through with the Sox in 1992. He also played for the Red Sox in 1993, and in 1994 he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Rich Rowland. In 1996, Flaherty had a 27-game hitting streak.^[2] This ranks as the third-longest hitting streak of all time by a catcher, behind only Sandy Alomar, Jr.'s 30-game streak and Benito Santiago's 34-game streak.

In 1996, the Tigers traded Flaherty to the San Diego Padres, along with Chris Gomez, for Brad Ausmus, Andujar Cedeno, and a minor leaguer. In 1997, the Padres traded Flaherty to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for Andy Sheets and Brian Boehringer. He played as the Devil Ray's everyday catcher through the 2002 season. As a member of the Devil Rays, he earned notoriety for breaking up a Pedro Martínez no-hitter in the ninth inning.^[3]

In 2003, he signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees.^[4] With the Yankees, he served as a back-up to regular catcher Jorge Posada. He is best known for a 2004 pinch-hit game-winning ground-rule double that ended a 13 inning game against the Boston Red Sox. In the 2005 season, Flaherty developed a good working relationship with pitcher Randy Johnson, and was paired with Johnson for most of the pitcher's starts that season.^[5]

He rejoined the Red Sox in December 2005, but announced his retirement March 7, 2006 during spring training with the team.^[6]

Flaherty's career stats include a .252 batting average in 1,047 games and 849 hits, including 80 home runs.

Rockland Boulders[link]

In 2011, Flaherty founded the Rockland Boulders, a member of Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball. They play their home games at their new 4,350-seat/16 suite Provident Bank Park in Rockland County, New York.

Broadcasting career[link]

Following his retirement, Flaherty joined the YES Network as a color analyst on Yankees Broadcasts. In addition to game commentary, Flaherty has also served the network as an analyst on the New York Yankees Pre-Game Show, Yankees Batting Practice Today, and the New York Yankees Post-Game Show. He has also appeared on the network's youth-oriented show Yankees on Deck.

Personal[link]

John Flaherty is well known by his nickname "Flash." On August 26, 2008, John Flaherty was among the "Starting Nine" inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame.

On May 15, 2009, Flaherty was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, NY.^[7]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2009)

Hong 10 (Real name: Kim Hong-Yeol, Hangul: 김홍열, born on 27 December 1984 in South Korea) is a male South Korean B-boy (also known as Breakdancer).^[1] His accomplishments include both a Red Bull BC One individual title (2006) and a Battle of the Year crew title (2002). He also was a judge at the 2007 Battle of the Year world finals.^[2][3]

Biography[link]

Name[link]

The name Hong 10 comes from using a Korean language homonym and an English language pun. The second syllable of his name, Yeol, has the same pronunciation as the Korean pronunciation for the number ten. Therefore, pronouncing the phrase "Hong 10" in Korean will be the same pronunciation as his real name, Hong-Yeol. However, this nickname is always pronounced in English, so he is referred to as hong-ten regardless of the language context - whether Korean or English or otherwise.

Crew[link]

Hong 10 was in the crew Expression (with which he won the Battle of the Year title in 2002) and is currently in a crew called Drifterz and a project team named Project Soul while he also performs as a solo dancer. Recently he formed a crew called 7 Commandoz with the world renowned bboys Ronnie, Differ, Skim, Wing, Menno, and Dyzee. This crew is known for their special Futuristic style. Recently, he has represented Jinjo Crew with fellow 7 Commandoz members Skim and Wing such as in the UK B-boy Championships 2009, Battle of the Year 2010, and R-16 Korea 2011.

Moves[link]

Some of his signature moves include spinning airchair, spinning reverse airbaby, walking halo freezes, handcuff mills to headspin drills, chair flares, and his signature "Hong 10 Freeze".

History[link]

He first became a well-known bboy during 2002 when he exploded onto the scene being part of the Korean crews that won the then two most prestigious dance competitions in the world - Battle of the Year International and the UK B-Boy Championships. He has also done well in many individual competitions, winning the 2006 Red Bull BC One but more commonly known as the famous 'runner up' having been a finalist at many competitions including three times at the UK B-boy Championships.

List of Notable Achievements[link]

Significant achievements in major events are highlighted in bold text.

2001[link]

• Performance in Dance Dynamite, Japan
• Be.B-Boy, Japan (1st Place)
• Tokyo Dance Delight, Japan (2nd Place, Performance)

2002[link]

• Style War, Korea (1st Place)
• Performance in Big Wax, Japan
• Hip Hop Connection B-boy Master Mixed Battle Vol.1, Korea (1st Place)
• B-Boy Unit Vol.4, Korea (1st Place)
• B-Boy Master Championship, Korea (1st Place)
• Solo battle with Remind in HipHop Connection Vol.3, Korea
• Performance in Dance Dynamite, Japan
• Be.B-Boy, Japan (1st Place)
• Performance in Asian Comment, Denmark
• Guest battle in Jam 2 The Beat, Denmark
• Battle Of The Year 2002 Korea, Korea (1st Place)
• International Battle Of The Year 2002, Germany (1st Place)
• UK B-Boy Championship 2002 Solo Category, UK (2nd Place)
• UK B-Boy Championship 2002 Team Category, UK (1st Place)
• Free Style Session Japan, Japan (2nd Place)
• Take part in Sony Net.MD TV advetisement, New Zealand
• Voted Best B-Boy of the Year

2003[link]

• Distinguished service prize, Honor of Dance 2003, Korea
• Featured on <6'o Clock Focused Issues> MBC TV programme, Korea
• B-Boy Master Mixed Battle Vol.3 Korea (1st Place)
• Performance in <Big Wax>, Fukuoka Japan
• Hiphop Planet, France (1st Place)
• UK B-Boy Championship 2003 Team Category, UK (2nd Place)
• Pro-Am Euro, France (1st Place)
• Judge & Special Guest Battle at the Netherland Tournament

2004[link]

• Performance in <Funky Funky> the musical, Korea
• B-Boy Unit Vol.6, Korea (1st Place)
• B-Boy Challenge Vol.4, Korea (1st Place)
• Guest performance at <Breakin Convention>, UK
• Guest performance at <Fitness Festival>, Italy
• Guest performance <Korea Hip Hop Nite>, Taiwan
• Judge of <B-Boy Battle>, Taiwan
• Guest performance in the launching show of iPod, Korea
• Performed in the opening of <Korean Broadcasting Awards>, Korea
• UK B-Boy Championship 2004 Solo Category (2nd place)
• UK B-Boy Championship 2004 Team Category (1st place)
• Free Style Session, Korea (1st place)
• B-Boy Challenge Grand Championship, Korea (1st place)
• Performance at Nike, Inc. LeBron event, Korea
• Korean representative in <Free Style Session World Final>, Japan

2005[link]

• Participation in <Match One's Skill>, Korea
• Street Dance Summer Jam, Taiwan (1st place)
• Stand-in performance in TV drama <Nonestop>, Korea
• Opening performance for <EBS Robot Battle Korea>, Korea
• Event performance in <Nike 5,6,7,8>, Korea
• Judge of <Yongmasan Battle>, Korea
• Performance in <Breakin' Convension>, UK
• Red Bull BC One 1on1, Germany (2nd place)
• K.O.B.E, Japan (1st place)
• Judge of Battle Of The Year South East Asia 2005, Taiwan
• Participation in International Breakdance Event, The Netherlands
• Hip Hop World Challenge 1on1, Germany (1st place)
• Judge of <Red Bull Street Battle>, Hong Kong
• UK B-Boy Championship Solo Category (2nd place)
• UK B-Boy Championship Team Category (1st place)
• KMTV <Original Move 1on1 vol.7>, Korea (1st place)
• Motion-capture model for PSP game <B-Boy>, UK
• Judge of <MBK 3on3 Battle>, Thailand
• IBE 2005

2006[link]

• One Of The Move vol.2, Korea (1st place)
• Armory Cup Korea 2006, Korea (2nd place)
• Performance in <Breakin Convension>, UK
• SBS <Hope TV> tournament, Korea (1st place)
• Judge of <Top of Top>, Korea
• Took part in KBS TV commercial, Korea
• Red Bull Break in Battle, Ireland (2nd place)
• Took part <Vita 500> commercial, Korea
• UK B-Boy Championship 2006 Korea (1st place)
• Battle Of The Year 2006 Korea, Korea (1st place)
• Performance in <B-Boy Park>, Korea
• Motion-capture model for the game <Groove Party>, Korea
• UK B-Boy Championship 2006 Team Category (2nd place)
• Red Bull BC One 2006, Brazil (1st place)
• Performance Of The Year, Korea (1st place)

2007[link]

• B-Boy Unit Vol.9, Korea (2nd Place)
• Red Bull Beat Battle (1st Place)
• Red Bull BC One 2007 (Semifinalist)

2008[link]

• Red Bull BC One 2008 (Judge)
• IBE 2008

2009[link]

• Jincheon 2009 1st Place (7 Commandos)
• BOTY Taiwan 2009 (judge)
• BOTY Singapore 2009 (judge)
• 2-Oh-Sick Usa 2009 (Steven Chhuon, Jovy Neak, Andy Phriep, j-mart, dino dylan)
• Participation in International Breakdance Event, The Netherlands
• IBE 2009.

2010[link]

• 2010 Vancouver Battle of T.N.G - Just Battle 3 on 3 (judge)
• Be.B-Boy, osaka3on3 (1st Place)
• Be.B-Boy, osaka1on1 (1st Place)
• International Battle of the Year 2010 (1st Place)-With Jinjo Crew

2011[link]

• Temple O'Style, 1st Place (7 Commandoz)
• Break The Floor, 1st Place (7 Commandoz)
• R16 Korea,Champion (Jinjo)
• Red Bull Bc One 2011 (Lost in the first round)

See also[link]

• Bboyworld http://www.bboyworld.com
• Bboytube http://www.bboytube.com
• Red Bull BC One http://www.redbullbcone.com

References[link]