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Adoption group is under shadow
Submitted by Kerry on Sat, 2009-09-26 21:15.
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By Nancy Cambria
September 27, 2009 / slttoday,com
For hundreds of families around the country, the Chesterfield-based Small World Adoption Foundation enabled them to become loving adoptive parents of orphaned Russian and Eastern European children.
Those 17 years of uniting foreign children with American parents, though, may be unraveling in a wave of questions about how the group, and its founder in particular, spent its money.
Last year, a tug-of-war for control of the foundation — and oversight of its money — pitted the founder against his board. Allegations about improper spending caught the attention of state and perhaps federal authorities.
Then, two weeks ago, on Sept. 15, the founder and director, Viacheslav "Slava" Platonov, 58, was found dead in his condo in Creve Coeur. Police said it was a suicide.
Now, the future of the nonprofit group that has handled nearly 2,000 adoptions is clouded, perhaps threatening its ability to continue bringing together children and prospective parents.
Small World emerged as an important link between orphans from Eastern Europe and Russia and parents in America. It is one of just five agencies in Missouri accredited to conduct certain types of international adoptions. And its efforts have made the St. Louis area home to the nation's largest number of adoptions from Belarus.
The Missouri attorney general's office said it received complaints about financial mismanagement starting last year. Some of the complaints were so detailed that the office assumed federal agencies were investigating Small World, said Bob Carlson, an assistant attorney general based in St. Louis.
"We couldn't confirm that there was a federal investigation going on, but we thought it was likely, and we didn't want to interfere with a federal agency," he said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen would not confirm or deny whether Platonov or Small World were being investigated.
But Small World's former operations director, Brenda Henn, said that she and former board members had been interviewed extensively by Jensen and an Internal Revenue Service agent.
Henn, who resigned from Small World last year, has questioned Platonov's expenses and how he handled foundation money. She laid out her complaints in reports sent to the state agency that licenses adoption agencies and a national group that accredits them.
"For 15 years, I truly believed that Small World really did amazing things. … That's really, really a gift to be doing such wonderful work," she said in an interview. "I'm sad that it wasn't everything I thought it was."
Platonov's attorney, Alexander Kourbatov, said he did not know why Platonov had killed himself. But he said allegations of financial impropriety were unfounded.
"I am not aware of any fact that would support" the contentions, he said. "This was a great man who was very energetic, and people really loved to cling to him."
Platonov was a physician in his native St. Petersburg, Russia, before emigrating in the early 1980s, retraining and becoming an anesthesiologist in Washington, Mo.
He also owned several businesses, including the former Zhivago's restaurant in Ballwin and a horse importing and training business. His wife, Yelena Kogan, owns a day spa and an online female hormone replacement consulting company.
Parents who used Platonov's foundation revered him for enabling them to adopt needy children from orphanages in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
"Small World Adoption Foundation has changed our lives in so many ways, and for all of them, we are thankful," one parent wrote in a testimonial on the foundation's website.
In 2000, Platonov and Henn were both honored as Angels in Adoption, a program in which members of Congress recognize leaders in adoption.
Platonov built the agency from the ground up, establishing a board and a humanitarian aide arm to raise money for playgrounds and other needs for orphanages abroad. The agency charged parents $20,000 to $50,000 to handle the international adoptions of healthy children.
According to public financial statements, the agency spent about $2 million annually on adoption and related expenses in recent years.
When he established the foundation in 1992, Platonov brought in Henn to help run it. Henn was one of the first people in the St. Louis area to adopt a child from an orphanage in Hungary and had led a contingent of other area families in the area to adopt children out of the country.
Henn said it was a great partnership for years, with Platonov handling most of the adoption work abroad. She handled the office, client assessment and the paperwork and legal documentation in the United States.
BOOKKEEPING ISSUES
The relationship between the leaders began to unravel in 2008. That's when Henn says she grew increasingly concerned about the handling of money.
She detailed her concerns in a recent interview with the Post-Dispatch, and also in a written report she sent last year to the Council on Accreditation, which accredits agencies that handle overseas adoptions, and the Missouri Children's Division.
Henn wrote in the report that Platonov routinely ignored requests to turn in receipts for expenses he put on a foundation credit card, and that an auditing firm had raised red flags about his spending on meals and entertainment.
Henn said she and another co-worker also became concerned about a company called Eastern European Assistance Group (EEAG). Henn originally believed EEAG was a money-handling company in St. Petersburg that oversaw payments to overseas agencies.
According to Small World financial records, the foundation paid EEAG more than $1.2 million total for contract work in 2003 and 2004. Those are the last years for which records were publicly available.
EEAG first registered with the Missouri secretary of state's office in August 2003 to "provide international travel assistance, accommodations, translation." Its incorporation papers were signed by Ludmilla Golubeva, Platonov's sister-in-law.
Golubeva also worked for Small World. According to the foundation's financial documents, she earned more than $237,000 from the agency in 2001, helping to arrange adoptions. She died in 2007.
While foundation records list EEAG as based in St. Petersburg state records show the company as being registered in Chesterfield — at a condo once owned jointly by Golubeva and Kogan, Platonov's wife. Platonov is now listed as the condo's owner.
Henn wrote in her report that the foundation bookkeeper grew concerned in May 2008 when she went to make a deposit at an area bank and was asked in which account the money should go: Small World or EEAG. Henn wrote that she had no knowledge of a separate bank account for EEAG and had little knowledge of the company overall.
Henn said she took her concerns to the board in the summer of 2008. She said the board, already worried about Platonov's expenses, told her they were going to close the agency and asked her to stay on to help shut it down.
But in July, Platonov sued the board for control of the foundation's assets.
In the lawsuit, Platonov alleged that the board was overspending and that a clash took place because he had tried to cut costs at Small World. Platonov also claimed the group's revenue had dropped dramatically because of "the recent and ongoing geopolitical and financial shifts in the world."
The suit was later settled out of court. As part of the agreement, the board members all resigned and were freed of any legal or financial obligations to the foundation. Platonov remained as executive director. The agreement also stipulated that neither party would say anything disparaging about the other.
Henn resigned shortly after the settlement, with three other staffers also resigning in the wake of her departure. She says she was later contacted by federal authorities and, in one meeting, was asked about several checks issued by EEAG and whether they were for legitimate Small World expenses.
Messages left with six of the foundation's former board members were not returned.
Another board member, Peter Dunne, expressed sadness at the turn of events for Small World. Dunne said Small World was in financial trouble, but that was caused by several factors, including the fall of the U.S. dollar's value.
"I didn't need an audit to tell me that we were spending more on adoptions than we were taking in," said Dunne, who has adopted three children through Small World.
Another former board member, Phil Corbin, said "there were conflicts between the board and Slava, and those conflicts couldn't be resolved and the board resigned en masse."
Kourbatov, Platonov's attorney, said that his client had no involvement with EEAG and that he would not speculate about why the company was registered to a Chesterfield property owned by his client.
Kogan, Platonov's wife, could not be reached for comment.
HIGH TURNOVER
In addition to a new five-member board of directors, Small World has seen a nearly complete turnover in its staff, with only two out of six remaining from a year ago. They include longtime employee Dana Martin, who is now chief operating officer.
Martin dismissed the allegations of improper spending and blamed Henn, whom she described as a disgruntled former employee, for leading a smear campaign.
She said that Small World had never been contacted by federal authorities and that the foundation was "mourning the loss of a good friend." Martin also said the agency intended to continue handling adoptions, with Platonov's wife taking on a larger role.
Later, in a written statement, Martin added that Small World was in good standing with the state Department of Social Services and its Children's Division.
She said the foundation had previously used EEAG to arrange "interpreters, drivers, escorts, and assistance with government agencies and court appearances. (Small World) is not aware of any inappropriate spending by EEAG."
This summer, Martin sent a letter to clients and donors acknowledging the past disputes and making a plea for new donations.
"As a result of the legal challenges that SWAF had to endure over the past 10 months in efforts to put the past behind us, our cash reserves have been weakened," Martin wrote. "We have overcome such challenges through positive attitudes, hard work, and sincere commitment toward our mission of bringing home children from Russia and Ukraine."
adoption agencies
Council on Accreditation
Small World Adoption Foundation
SWAF info
Submitted by Niels on Sat, 2009-09-26 22:18.
More information about Small World Adoption Foundation can be found here.


Cisco Ottawa, in partnership with Connected North, is pleased to extend an invitation to you to join us for our 18th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. This is an exciting opportunity to support an important cause, enjoy a tremendous day on the golf course and spend time with friends, colleagues and corporate executives. It's companies like yours that make available the resources that enrich and better our community, and for that we are incredibly grateful. This year's tournament will be held on September 18th 2018 at the Canadian Golf and Country Club.
The event offers you the opportunity to support both your community and the northern aboriginal communities with proceeds from the day's event going to the Connected North program.
Tender Braised Beef Short Ribs slow cooked to perfection with asian flavours, served on top of roasted garlic mashed potatoes.


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As an AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) accredited practice, All Pets Veterinary Medical undergoes a rigorous evaluation process to ensure over 900 AAHA Standards of Accreditation are met which include the areas of: Patient care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory, pain management, pharmacy, safety, surgery, client service, anesthesia, contagious disease, continuing education and more.
Take a look at the team at All Pets Medical Veterinary Center below. Hover over an image to read the biography.
Dr. Agnes Rupley is the owner of All Pets and a diplomat of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. She has special interests in internal medicine cases, soft tissue surgery, and client education. She is board-certified in Avian Medicine. Dr. Rupley received her DVM from Texas A&M University in 1987 and became board certified in avian medicine in 1995. She is author of Manual of Avian Practice and is editor of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Exotic Animal Practice. Dr. Rupley is an invited national and international speaker, teaching veterinarians exotic animal medicine, surgery, and laser surgical techniques. Dr. Rupley and her husband, Bill, have four children: Bill, Donald, Rose Marie, and Matt. Other members of the family include a corgi Millie; a rottweiler Alexa; a boxer-mix Greta; a Heinz 57 Joe; three cats Trinket, Stella and Onyxia; and a macaw, Honeybee.
Donald received his degree in supply chain management from Baylor University in 2010. Since 2010, Donald fulfills the business management and planning needs for All Pets Medical Center. He is responsible for team promotion, planning and scheduling, purchasing, evaluation of practice and team members and continuous improvement activities. He has two fur-babies, Greta (Boxer mix) and Sebastian, his cat. When not managing All Pets Medical Center, Donald operates an electronics e-commerce business.
Ian graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences and a minor in business. He is the first person you will likely meet in-person or when you can our office. During school, Ian spent several years leading a team of researchers in cardiac physiology. Ian is passionate about learning, research and continuous improvement. He loves coffee and is highly devoted to his fellow staff and clients he serves.
Holly received her Veterinary Technician Certification in 2015 after attending McClennan Community College in Waco. She enjoys assisting in procedures, performing lab work and caring for all types of animals. She has a special passion for small mammals and all birds. Holly has several pets of her own including two ferrets, a chinchilla, a Chihuahua and two domestic short hair cats.
Kristin received her Veterinary Technician Certification in 2015 after attending Palo Alto college in San Antonio. Her professional interests include puppy and kitten training, animal behavior and providing education for clients. Kristin has two large dogs, Scout (Labrador Retriever) and Bear (Great Pyranees). When not seeing clients, Kristin enjoys biking, hiking, camping and exploring new places.
Dalton is currently a student at Texas A&M studying Animal Science with the hopes of becoming a Texas veterinarian. He is passionate about dogs and small mammals and has a soft spot for Labrador Retrievers. As a true Texan, he enjoys working on trucks with his brother, homemade pecan pie and tender BBQ.
Nicole received her bachelor's degree in pre-veterinary science from the University of Nevada in 2017. She plans to attend Texas A&M's DVM program after becoming a Texas resident. Nicole focuses her passion on improving the quality of life for all pets she is involved with. She currently cares for her bearded dragon, frilled lizard, two ferrets, Shih Tzu, and Labrador Retriever.
Lyndsey is currently attending Texas A&M University. After receiving her animal science degree, Lyndsey plans to attend Texas A&M's DVM program. Lyndsey enjoys learning new procedures and concepts of veterinary medicine such as fluid therapy, anesthesia, behavior and client education. Lyndsey cares for Dakota, her young mixed breed canine.
Selina currently studies Wildlife and Fisheries science at Texas A&M University. She hopes to obtain her degree from Texas A&M within the next few years and is considering further education. Selina loves nature and all animals. Her professional interests include behavior training and client education. In her free time, Selina volunteers with her local humane society.
Kristin attended Texas A&M from 2013-2017 and her studies focused on animal science. She enjoys working with all types of animals, and learning the particulars of caring for birds and reptiles. Kristin's goal is to attend veterinary school. When not working, Kristin enjoys travelling, hiking and photography.


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Home » Player Analysis » Is Jermain Defoe the way to go?
Is Jermain Defoe the way to go?
8th August 2012 By Spurs Fanatic - Mark
Eleven days to go till the start of the new Spurs season and we still find ourselves in the midst of a striking crisis, as Jermain Defoe remains our only established front man.
When Andre Villas-Boas took over the White Hart reigns from Harry Redknapp, the signings of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Jan Vertonghen quickly followed. Spurs looked ready to go on a signing spree, but the Villas-Boas spending train has hit a Luka Modric sized buffer, as future arrivals look to hinge on the Croatian's departure.
With the Emmanuel Adebayor deal stalling, interest has been ramped up in Internacional striker Leandro Damiao, as our striking situation has become desperate.
Jermain Defoe struck a timely reminder of his predatory instincts with the only goal of the game against Watford at the weekend. So, could Defoe be the way to go for Spurs this season?
Jermain man?
Jermain Defoe had a good season last year, registering eleven goals in the Premier League from his 25 appearances. Not overly impressive, but when you consider the time he spent on the pitch, it equates to a goal every 118 minutes, which suddenly is very good going.
Of players that struck more than 10 Premier League goals last term, Jermain Defoe ranks seventh in minutes per goal scored. Only Demba Cisse (88 mins), Balotelli (107 mins), Rooney (110 mins), Dzeko (114 mins), Aguero (116 mins) and van Persie (117 mins) scored more frequently.
Jermain Defoe knows the way to the net.
Despite his good goal scoring record, Defoe had to be content with a place on the bench more often than not. Of his twenty-five appearances in the Premier League, fourteen were from reserve.
Although he found himself being introduced late in games, Defoe still had a better goal scoring record as a starter. With seven strikes in his eleven starts, he performed better from the off than the four efforts he managed in his fourteen appearances as an impact sub.
Can Jermain Defoe go solo?
Jermain Defoe was one of the top marksmen in terms of minutes per goal scored in the Premier League, who also performs better when starting a match. Maybe not what you thought you would hear when you started reading this.
So, does it look as if now is the time for Jermain Defoe to finally get a starting run in the side when we need him most?
Maybe not so fast, the problem for Andre Villas-Boas and Jermain Defoe is that 'Colin' scores when he has a strike partner.
All bar one of Defoe's 11 Premier League goals last campaign came when he was playing as part of a pair with either Louis Saha or Emmanuel Adebayor in a 4-4-2.
If we take a look at some matches from last season with Stats Zone, we can see how much Jermain Defoe struggles when he has to operate on his own up top.
When he starts with a partner he is fine. Against Bolton in the 3-0 home victory, Jermain Defoe started up front with Emmanuel Adebayor in a 4-4-2 formation.
Adebayor is the target for any long balls from Brad Friedel or the back, whereas Defoe is looking to make runs in behind the Bolton defence. He gets seven shots away in the game and is rewarded for his efforts with a goal from a Gareth Bale cutback.
Emmanuel Adebayor is the target man and Jermain Defoe can work off him.
Even when he partnered Louis Saha in the 2-1 defeat by Norwich, the same applies. Saha becomes the target for any long balls and Defoe is looking to get in behind the defence, as he does with his goal indicted by the yellow line.
Louis Saha works as the target man with Jermain Defoe looking to get in behind the Norwich defence.
Compare that to the odd occasion where he has had to operate as a lone striker in Harry's 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 systems.
Against QPR, Spurs went with a 4-2-3-1 with Sandro and Scott Parker operating as a double defensive pivot in front of the defence. Luka Modric operated in the hole, with Jermain Defoe on his own as the central striker.
In the first half Spurs were looking to put diagonal balls in to Defoe from central areas, but everything was outside the area. In the second half, he was forced wider by a more compact QPR defence and only received the ball in the box once. He struggled, as did the team, as we went down 1-0.
The midfield are looking to supply Jermain Defoe with defence splitting diagonal balls in the first half, but he is forced wider and in the second.
Against Man City we wouldn't expect to get the lion's share of possession and Jermain Defoe did score, but he was really working from scraps. He operated at the head of a 4-2-3-1 formation but saw very little of the ball. We can see this from him receiving just sixteen passes in the game and the length of the blue lines in the few long balls that he was able to receive.
Jermain Defoe had very little to work with against Man City.
That really is the problem for Jermain Defoe, he is unable to hold the ball up or win anything in the air, he is a lethal goal predator who needs a partner.
In a day and age where the 4-4-2 formation is dying out, the central striker in a 4-3-3 or the lone front man in a 4-2-3-1 has to be able to hold the ball up and play with his back to goal. Jermain Defoe just can't do this.
When he is able to play with a bigger target man like Adebayor or Saha, he is able to play off them and receive more touches of the ball in areas where he can do more damage. When he is forced to play as a lone striker, he is unable to get as many touches of the ball and in areas where he is a threat to score.
Jermain Defoe may be one of the more accurate shooters in the Premier League who is able to convert chances in to goals, but he needs someone alongside him to create those chances.
Harry tried to get him in to the team by going 4-4-2 and partnering him with Adebayor or Saha. Defoe was then supposed to drop off on to the opposition's deepest lying midfielder when we lost the ball, but it didn't work. After Harry went back to 4-4-1-1 with Rafael van der Vaart operating behind Adebayor the results picked up again.
Completing the signing of Adebayor or Leandro Damiao before the transfer window closes is imperative. Jermain Defoe is a great goal scorer, but we cannot rely on him to play as a lone striker this season.
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Jerzy Zalewski
Born in 1960 in Warsaw. In the years 1981 – 1989 he studied Theatrology in Warsaw and Film Directing at Łódź Film School. In 1991 he made his feature debut directing Black Suns (Czarne slonca). In the 90s he directed and produced over dozen documentary films for TV and several TV plays. In the 2000s, because of unfavorable political changes in Poland, he produced and directed mainly independently. In 2010 he started the production of a feature film The Story of Swarm (Roj) or You Hear Better Underground (Historia Roja czyli w ziemi lepiej slychac), which premiered on March 29, 2016.


At SPL we are a dedicated group of people passionate about delivering customer service and value across all our business sectors.
Your business is our immediate priority, we work in constant partnership with you to ensure we deliver the very best possible outcomes and business solutions. We deliver on time, on budget and quality is guaranteed.
We meet the exciting challenges of tomorrow, by challenging ourselves today. We promote innovative solutions and value the design ideas of our team, investing in the future.
At SPL we relish challenge, it inspires us to enter new domains and ensure satisfying outcomes. We can provide solutions for you.


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Dolly Parton's Propaganda
Like many Tennessee residents, my wife and I have signed our children up for the Imagination Library program which began as the brainchild of country-music singer Dolly Parton. The idea is that any child in Tennessee is eligible to receive complementary age-appropriate books through the mail. Most of them are innocuous enough and concern shapes, colors, and the personification of zoo animals. But every now and then they will try and slip one by you and indoctrinate your children with their liberal propaganda.
Case in point is Maple by Lori Nichols, who by her own admission, "looks to nature for most of her inspiration" and collects "acorn tops" as a hobby. You have probably already surmised that none of the book's settings involve an NRA raffle. Let's look at a couple of the illustrations:
You will notice the conspicuous absence of wedding bands on her parents' fingers and the fact that they refer to the human child growing in her womb as a "whisper" rather than a "baby." It should also be noted that instead of putting an end to their sinful cohabitation, they decided to plant a tree. I suppose it is difficult to find time to properly consecrate a relationship when you're volunteering at the global warming propaganda tent…..
By the book's midway point, we are informed that Maple is lonely and has been forced to turn to foliage for comfort since her parents were probably too busy drinking and watching Michael Moore documentaries to tend to her emotional needs. Already we see that this impressionable young girl has literally been transformed into a tree-hugging hippie.
Obviously still shackin' up, Maple's parent's found themselves pregnant with another "whisper." You will also notice the subtle disappearance of color from the parents' wardrobe. This is indicative of the drab clothing of communism or perhaps even the final stages of cult assimilation. If you were waiting for an invitation to the child's forthcoming baptism I wouldn't hold your breath.
In the book's finale, it is revealed that Maple's sister was named Willow and also had a tree planted in her honor. From the illustration, the two unsupervised children are left to fend for themselves while their godless hippie parents struggle to exploit the Federal government's welfare infrastructure.
While we are not provided with a proper epilogue, I think we all know how these stories end:
Maple, having dropped out of high-school to pursue exotic dancing full-time, has borne three children by as many men. She finds only scant comfort in her Wiccan coven and or the narcotics she pilfers from a few of her regulars. Her tree was lost to fire when her mom dropped a lit spliff during an unusually-dry summer.
Willow has fared slightly better and even managed to turn a small profit by selling hemp undergarments at Burning Man which led to some freelance writing work with The Huffington Post. Despite these modest gains, she becomes fascinated by radical Islam and before long finds herself on the ground floor of the Syrian caliphate. Her tree still stands and is occasionally used to burn Ronald Reagan in effigy.
Maple and Willow's parent's continue to avoid both personal responsibility and patriotism. They separated briefly when Maple and Willow's father began a tertiary carnal relationship with a 19-year old named Conifer he met at an Occupy Wall Street rally.
Safelink "Obama Phone"
I Miss Pooping Alone


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Japan is the most unique island nation in the world, where ancient cultural traditions naturally intersect with modern life and grow together.
On the surface, Japan is an extremely modern country that spawns a variety of technologies important to the world. But when you travel around the country of the rising sun, you will be amazed at the traditional Japanese cultures that have been preserved and preserved over the past thousand years. Overnight at a ryokan (Japanese media inn). Meditate with monks or learn how to mix matcha. From the splendor of a geisha dance in Kyoto to the liberal beauty of a Zen stone garden, Japan has the power to enchant even the most demanding visitors.
Wherever you are in Japan you can find a great dinner. Restaurants in Japan typically specialize in a single dish and they spend generations perfecting it to the artistic level and attentive to every stage, from sourcing the freshest ingredients to decorating the dish. sophisticated and beautiful. Maybe shushi is a must try when traveling here, Japanese shushi is famous all over the world. There is no reason why we should not try this dish when coming to its homeland. It's also seasonal, meaning you can come here at different times of the year and experience a whole new one from last time.
Japan is a stretched volcanic archipelago. You can easily find hot springs near the mountains here. During the warmer months you can have a great hike, through cedar forests and wild flower fields, to soaring peaks and ancient temples. In winter, all of this place is covered with snow and the skiing is probably world class. Meanwhile in the south, there are tropical beaches for sunbathing, swimming and coral diving.
Japan has one of the most modern and excellent public transportation systems in the world. You can travel around Japan by train and bus only. Public transportation in the country of the rising sun is considered to be the best service in the world. The current shinkansen (bullet train) network runs from the southern tip of Kyūshū (the southernmost tip of Japan's major islands) to Hokkaidoaidō (its northernmost), and the rail lines are very affordable. Major cities have subway networks denoted in English and today we see and hear more English when we visit Japan.
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SOUTH BEND -- A Raymond man charged with his wife in a bizarre torture-slaying case has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to cooperate with authorities.
David Knotek pleaded guilty in the death of his wife's teenage nephew, Shane Watson, in a plea agreement that reduced the charge from first-degree murder.
Knotek told Pacific County Superior Court Friday that he shot and killed Watson and buried the body of a 57-year-old boarder, Ron Woodworth, after Woodworth died.
Investigators uncovered a body in the back yard of the couple's quaint Raymond farmhouse shortly after the two were arrested in August, following a tip that alleged killings and torture at the home.
In addition to the murder plea, Knotek entered a modified guilty plea to a charge of rendering criminal assistance -- maintaining his innocence on that count but conceding that he likely would have been convicted at trial. He also pleaded guilty to improper disposal of human remains.
No sentencing date has been set, but both prosecution and defense agreed to recommend a combined sentence just short of 15 years.
Had he been convicted of first-degree murder, Knotek would have faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years.
Prosecutors say three people were killed at the farmhouse over the past decade, two of them tortured and abused to death.
Michelle Knotek is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Woodworth and 36-year-old Kathy Loreno, who was also a boarder at the home. She has pleaded not guilty and is set to face trial May 3.
The cause of Woodworth's death last summer has not been revealed. Loreno was reported missing in 1994; Watson, 19, disappeared some time after Loreno was last seen.
Investigators are also looking into the death of James McClintock, an elderly man who died Feb. 9, 2002, allegedly after falling in his home while in the care of Michelle Knotek.
"It's my perspective that this deal offers us the best chance to find out the most about what happened here," said Pacific County Prosecutor David Burke.
Defense lawyer David Hatch said David Knotek's agreement to cooperate with investigators is not meant to help the case against his wife. The two were unlikely to have been forced to testify against each other anyway because of the state's marital privilege laws.
David Knotek had been set for trial in March.


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Courtney Maum on the Way Worlds Open Up Through Language
By Courtney Maum
Like many artists I know, I spent a good deal of the post-2016 US election trying to counteract Donald Trump's bigotry, racism, and general misanthropy in empowering ways. Writing letters, making phone calls, donating money to everyone and anyone who propounded to stop Trump was important—is important—but as anyone who has tried to settle on what makes them the angriest about Trump's policies will know, there are just too many offenses to choose from. It is impossible, virtually impossible, to land on any issue (women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, you name it) where he doesn't incite rage.
It's easy to feel both hopeless and helpless in Trump's America. No matter how much you fight back, there's this nagging guilt that it's not enough, that it's not the right way, that you should (or shouldn't) just sit back and enjoy your life once in a while. Although I fully identify as an incensed American feminist, I can't drop everything and make fighting Trump my full-time job, nor can I handle—on a psychosomatic level—a heart filled exclusively with rage.
As 2016 passed into 2017, and Trump's day-to-day rhetoric became even more incendiary, I vowed to find something concrete that I could do that would be a sign of my resistance—and also bring me joy.
I decided to learn Spanish. Specifically the Spanish spoken in Mexico, a country that Trump has decided is composed uniquely of "rapists" and "criminals" who he intends to wall off from "American Americans," despite the fact that, primero: what is an "American," if not a cultural turducken, born of genetic contributions from our neighbors far and wide?, and segundo, the "American way of life" that Trump supporters are so hell-bent on defending exists thanks in a large part to the cheap Mexican labor that US citizens profit from.
Learning Spanish was a way to show solidarity with the Mexicans and the Latino Americans that Trump's hatred also touched. It would not be easy, learning Spanish at age 40, but it was a challenge whose progress I could actually track, unlike my mailed letters and the hoisted protest signs, whose impact was less clear.
Children pick up new languages quicker than middle-aged, overworked adults. Young kids either don't have, or are just embarking on, formal language instruction, so instead of balking against the lawless mayhem of irregular verbs, they passively absorb everything about a language and run with its linguistic odd-men-out. "To be able to" is poder in the present, but its stem changes to "pud" in the perfect simple preterite? Well, sure, why not!
With a full-time work schedule and a young child of my own, there wasn't going to be any passivity in my pursuit of Spanish fluency. I was going to have to be active: R-trilling in front of bathroom mirrors. Study sessions with flash cards. Stupefaction in front of stealth letters like H and G that were there, but not necessarily said out loud.
Learning Spanish was a way to show solidarity with the Mexicans and the Latino Americans that Trump's hatred also touched.
But the first thing I had to do was find a native speaker to teach me Spanish. Easier said than done in my rural Connecticut town. When my search for private teachers on MeetUp and Craigslist turned up nothing, I looked into DIY programs like Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, and Babble. But I was ethically opposed to learning Spanish from my iPhone—I still blamed the damn thing for distracting left-leaners from the rise of Trump. Plus, I didn't want to learn Spanish from a disembodied voice. As a writer, I spend most of the workday alone, grappling with narrative conundrums in my private mind. For my Spanish endeavor, I wanted connection, a human pulse, a person I could talk to. I wanted to be bossed around and given homework. Linguistic S&M.
My search eventually led me to TakeLessons.com, a company that offers group and private video lessons in everything from "Broadway Singing" to the cello to astrology. For me, even the decision to take an online video class was a feat in itself. I'm so Skype-averse that I've driven multiple hours to book clubs, just to avoid interaction with strangers via screen. But the prospect of being able to communicate with the members of an entire culture that Trump was denigrating got me over that hump.
In order to choose a teacher from TakeLessons, you have to browse through teacher photographs and bios, which felt online-datey to me, but I suppose I was, in fact, embarking on a relational journey of sorts. I chose a teacher named Hilda Rueda because she is an artist (so I felt she would understand my work-life, if I advanced to a point where I was able to talk about it), because she spoke French, as I do, (so she would understand any French-informed mistakes I made in Spanish), and also because she lives in Texas, which is a state that—much like Florida—I would like to understand better so that I can forgive the way they vote most of the time.
A lot of things happened between me and Hilda in our first Thursdays together. I sold two books to different publishers! I adopted a cat that was supposed to be in upstate NY but turned out to be in New Orleans, and when he finally arrived in Connecticut, another surprise was that he was not the charming kitten I'd signed up for; he was a four-year-old, traumatized, flea-bitten, chin-acne-bearing stray! Meanwhile, Trump was grabbing pussies and The Handmaid's Tale was becoming prophecy instead of fiction. These were roller-coaster times.
I stopped listening to NPR and embraced "News in Slow Spanish," a program whose reporting I found more trustworthy and far-reaching than the American news outlets who often forgot that there were other countries outside of the US of A.
Because I wasn't capable of communicating anything other than the very present present in the Spanish I was learning, I found myself paying more attention to my feelings in the here-and-now. Like many romance languages, Spanish has two forms of "to be," which made me even more reflective about the nuances in my reactions to current events. Was I angry? No, that wasn't quite right. (What was the Spanish word for "dread?") Was I sad? (Not right, either. What was the word for "shame?")
Compounded with the fact that I was linguistically incapable of opaqueness, I found myself speaking to Hilda in a fashion that was so free from artifice, it soon felt like I was getting psychotherapy alongside Spanish lessons.
And so began a grounding routine of linguistic #resistance: video lessons on Thursdays, with the rest of the week seeing me conjugating verbs in pencil, so I could correct my many mistakes; watching hilariously outdated sitcoms like the 2002 Extra en Español, in which most of the action centers around a Madrilenian and her stationary bike. I bought Juan Rulfo's Mexican classic Pedro Paramo, and the Argentine Antonio Di Benedetto's Zama, and I continue to move through these books at the Concord pace of three pages a month.
Spanish, contrary to what many people told me, is a difficult language: quick-paced and colloquial, with Rs I don't have the flare for and "ñ"s my tongue can't get right. I'd also been told that my French would help my Spanish, but I find it a hindrance. In Spanish, "él" is "he," while in French, "elle" is "she." In French, "les" is a definite article; in Spanish, it's a third-person plural indirect object pronoun. And yet, a beloved French swearword is "Putain" (whore) and in Spanish, it's "Puta madre" (of a mother whore), which told me all I needed to know about how deep, and strong, and far down the roots of sexism go.
I stopped listening to NPR and embraced "News in Slow Spanish" instead, a program whose reporting I found more trustworthy and far-reaching than the American news outlets who often forgot there were other countries outside of the US. I listen to the "Radio Ambulante" podcast while I cook dinner for my daughter, and while I only understand 37 percent of the stories being told there, that amount is growing by a (half) percentage point each day.
A shared language allows you to extend a hand for holding. It is a tool for building bridges, and a tool for breaking walls.
In the meantime, Hilda has become both my teacher and my friend. She bought all of my books and has been a true cheerleader in the lead up to the publication of Costalegre, which takes place in western Mexico. She assures me that it will be a success when I tell her that I feel anxious, and was one of the first people to see its cover design over Skype.
Over the course of the research trips I took to western Mexico for this particular book, I started forging friendships with people in Jalisco and Mexico City, and those friendships have deepened thanks to the fact that my previous, potentially offensive declarations that "I just love Mexico!" are now complemented by me putting the real work in to learn about the culture through its native tongue.
It's a small thing, my efforts to learn Spanish, and of course, my weekly Spanish lessons play no part in the larger immigration crisis that is ruining so many lives beyond the border, nor does it have an effect on any of the ongoing geopolitical crises at all. And yet, I have been in situations recently—both in America and Mexico—in which I was able to speak with someone—connect with someone—I otherwise would not have been able to engage with in a meaningful way if I didn't have some Spanish.
I am continuing with my Skype lessons, my scribbled conjugated verbs, my evening podcast sessions and my leaden progress through the Latin American canon. A shared language allows you to extend a hand for holding. It is a tool for building bridges, and a tool for breaking walls.
Courtney Maum's Costalegre is out now from Tin House.
2016 ElectionAntonio di BenedettoCostalegreCourtney MaumDonald TrumpExtra en EspanolJuan RulfoMexicoNPRPedro ParamoRadio AmbulanteSlow News in SpanishSpanishThe Handmaid's TaleZama
Courtney Maum
Courtney Maum is the author of the novels Costalegre, Touch, I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, and the handbook Before and After the Book Deal: A writer's guide to finishing, publishing, promoting, and surviving your first book, forthcoming from Catapult. Her writing has been widely published in such outlets as BuzzFeed; the New York Times; O, the Oprah Magazine; and Poets & Writers. She is the founder of the learning collaborative, The Cabins, and she also runs a service called "The Query Doula" where she helps writers prepare their manuscripts and query letters for an agent's eyes.
I Found My American Dream at the Public Library
Why Report on Desire? Saskia Vogel on Reading Lisa Taddeo
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Class Act / Transform the Student Experience / Winter 2016 / January 15, 2016
Career Recharge
Photo courtesy of NPR.
Defense Journalist Returns to Learn, Sticks Around to Teach
by Chris Carroll
Jamie Mcintyre M.A. '14 had a leg up on fellow journalism students when he arrived on campus in 2009: decades of experience, from staying alive in war zones to conveying the horror of the 9/11 attack at the Pentagon on live TV without a script.
But they had an advantage over him too. They were entering the business during a momentous shift in how news is produced and disseminated, and possessed effortless familiarity with new technology and the pace of change.
After spending a year at UMD getting back on the cutting edge of journalism, McIntyre is sharing his expertise in front of the camera—and now behind it as a proponent of smartphone-driven journalism—as a lecturer in the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. "The revolution in storytelling has a lot to do with the simple tools we have now we didn't have 20 years ago," he says. "The ability to be nimble and create compelling videos with just what's in your pocket is the way it's going."
McIntyre had covered wars as CNN's Pentagon correspondent for 16 years when a network shakeup left him jobless, but with a year of paychecks under his contract.
He entered the Merrill School's Returning Journalists master's program, where experienced pros bypass basic classes and craft their own courses of study. With his war stories and been-there, done-that worldliness, McIntyre became a voice of authority in the classroom second only to his professors. Soon faculty members sought to harness his broad experience by drafting him to teach a multimedia class.
But then jobs at NPR and Al Jazeera America—where today he's back on TV in his old Pentagon stomping grounds—delayed his thesis. With prodding from Merrill faculty, he produced it in 2014 and gave the commencement address.
Returning to school, he says, was a way to recharge and reinvest in journalism—something he recommends to other reporters mulling a master's.
"I wanted to ask him what I'd be learning and if it would be worth it—because it was a huge risk," says Courtney Maebus M.Jour. '15. "He really took the time to talk to me, and I decided to do it."
Maebus, who later took the multimedia class McIntyre teaches, recently shared a byline in The Washington Post with Pulitzer Prize winner (and Merrill professor) Dana Priest.
"Being an adjunct professor is my fun job," McIntyre says. "The real satisfaction you get is from the work your students do."


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GoPro - Get News & Ratings Daily
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Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. Has $65,000 Position in GoPro Inc (GPRO)
April 20th, 2019 - By Jessica Moore - Comments Off on Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. Has $65,000 Position in GoPro Inc (GPRO)
Filed Under: Finance - SEC Filing Articles
Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd. decreased its stake in shares of GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO) by 46.2% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 10,000 shares of the company's stock after selling 8,577 shares during the quarter. Harel Insurance Investments & Financial Services Ltd.'s holdings in GoPro were worth $65,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
A number of other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in GPRO. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its position in GoPro by 1,407.9% during the fourth quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 2,894,661 shares of the company's stock worth $12,272,000 after buying an additional 2,702,700 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new position in GoPro during the third quarter worth approximately $16,679,000. UBS Oconnor LLC lifted its position in GoPro by 1,186.5% during the fourth quarter. UBS Oconnor LLC now owns 995,872 shares of the company's stock worth $4,222,000 after buying an additional 918,460 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace North America L.P. purchased a new position in GoPro during the third quarter worth approximately $3,798,000. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted its position in GoPro by 48.5% during the third quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,404,411 shares of the company's stock worth $10,112,000 after buying an additional 458,907 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 41.05% of the company's stock.
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In other news, CFO Brian Mcgee sold 19,526 shares of GoPro stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.04, for a total value of $117,937.04. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Nicholas Woodman sold 1,400,000 shares of GoPro stock in a transaction on Friday, March 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.52, for a total value of $9,128,000.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 2,819,526 shares of company stock valued at $17,561,937 over the last ninety days. Insiders own 26.61% of the company's stock.
NASDAQ:GPRO opened at $6.38 on Friday. GoPro Inc has a 52 week low of $4.00 and a 52 week high of $7.60. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. The firm has a market capitalization of $958.59 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -13.87, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 10.31 and a beta of 0.74.
GoPro (NASDAQ:GPRO) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.25 EPS for the quarter, beating the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.19 by $0.06. GoPro had a negative return on equity of 34.77% and a negative net margin of 9.49%. The company had revenue of $377.38 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $374.28 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned ($0.30) earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts predict that GoPro Inc will post 0.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.
GPRO has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded GoPro from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $5.75 target price on the stock in a research report on Friday, February 8th. BidaskClub downgraded GoPro from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, March 1st. Longbow Research restated a "hold" rating on shares of GoPro in a research report on Tuesday, April 9th. Wedbush restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $6.00 target price on shares of GoPro in a research report on Thursday, January 31st. Finally, ValuEngine upgraded GoPro from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 15th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. GoPro has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $6.72.
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GoPro Company Profile
GoPro, Inc develops and sells cameras, drones, and mountable and wearable accessories in the United States and internationally. The company offers HERO7, a cloud-connected line of camera; Fusion, a waterproof spherical camera; GoPro Plus, a cloud-based storage solution that enables subscribers to access, edit, and share content; Quik, a mobile editing app, as well as desktop app for editing options for power users; GoPro App, a mobile app that allows users to preview and play back photos and videos, control GoPro cameras, and share content; and Karma Grip, a handheld or body-mountable camera stabilizer that capture zero-shake smooth video.
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Eleanor Wood is a British writer in her early thirties who lives on the south coast of England.
It's really weird scrolling through Amazon's list of book recommendations and finding a novel with your own name listed as the author. A novel written by someone else, I should add. But that's exactly what happened to me the other day. Look: I didn't write this. Honest.
I had no wish to get all stalkery, but I did want to know a little more about this lady. After all, she's writing under my name. Or I'm writing under hers. Or something. So I discovered she has a blog, which she seems to update regularly with all manner of interesting tidbits. It was almost a relief to find we have differing tastes in music and literature… yet she seems quirky and likeable and like someone I'd get on with. She's just released her first novel and I wish her all the success in the world.
It's all very interesting and slightly surreal, but of course, we all share names with countless other people and it's by no means the first time I've come across someone with the same fore- and surname as me. Even in the writing world, I'm aware there's an agent who shares my name. But this Eleanor Wood and I are the same age, following the same profession, (both living on the south coast!), and at a very brief glance, we even look similar, if her profile pic is anything to go by. (Man, I'm starting to sound creepy, aren't I…?) It's not as if we're of differing ethnicities or contrasting hair colour to set us apart in a striking visual fashion. Maybe I should dye my hair shocking purple the next time I'm asked to supply a photograph with my bio.
When you start selling your work, there's always the question of whether to write under your own name or choose a new moniker. I figured it made sense to stick with what I've got, and not to faff about with initials or anything like that. But this has got me thinking. Perhaps I should I alter my byline. If someone was looking for her work and came across mine (or vice versa), it wouldn't be difficult to confuse us. We write in different genres, but is that distinguishing enough?
Hmm. It's something of a dilemma. I think I might start using my middle initial from now on. At least that's blessedly different from Ms Wood's.
Procrastination is always easier than writing. Always. Mastering the skill of overcoming all the distractions and ridiculous ways your brain tries to divert your attention is essential. But brains are sneaky buggers. They figure out ways to subvert the very best of intentions without you even realising they're doing it.
I am finding this out lately.
But it's not as though I've been unproductive in my writing. I've completed, polished, and submitted six short stories this year. One of them has already sold. One is currently on a pro magazine's shortlist. Another is on the shortlist for an anthology. I've scribbled down a shedload of other story ideas which are all simmering on my mental back burner while my subconscious figures out if they're actually workable. And whenever I finish a short story, I find I'm itching to start work on another.
All of this is really great… but it's not progress on my novel. Sometimes I'll sit down with the sole intention of getting another chapter finished, and then find myself with a brand new, blank Word document open instead, a whole new story on the tip of my mind. And then I end up writing it, and find halfway through that it needs a bunch of research. So I do the research, and I'm engrossed in the story, and it's all flowing beautifully, and suddenly – ta da! – another story draft is complete. I'm happy. I'm pleased with myself. I send it out for some critiques, collate the feedback, and work on revisions. When I feel it's ready, I start submitting it and add it to my list of irons in the fire.
And still the novel isn't getting written.
It dawned on me recently that this wondrous, spontaneous creativity is just an ultra-devious form of procrastination. It can't be procrastination if I'm actually getting stuff done, right? If I'm actually writing, and submitting, and inching my way up the publishing ladder – that's the goal, isn't it? Go on… write another story, my brain whispers. Where's the harm in that? And I guess there isn't any harm in it, because I've produced six stories I'm really pleased with instead of making serious inroads into just one. But I really want to write that one.
Short stories are trickier than novels in many ways, but they're certainly faster to write. There's a sense of instant gratification if I can get a whole story drafted in a day or two. One novel chapter doesn't have the same sense of accomplishment. But even writing can be a form of procrastination from writing. It's taken me a while to realise it, but no matter how many great stories I write this year, if I'm not writing the novel, I'm still procrastinating.


Are you looking for a job in České Budějovice? Being one of the biggest cities in the Czech Republic, more specifically Southern Bohemia, Budějovice offers uncountable number of job opportunities. Have a look – maybe some of them is just waiting there for you.


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Renault Ultrafast Charging
October 2, 2012 Trevor Larkum
Renault Charging System (Image: Renault)
There was an interesting article about Renault charging technology on Auto-Addict earlier this month. It gave details on the charging system that I haven't seen elsewhere, covering both the current system as described by Renault and a new system that has not officially been announced, so far as I know. On the current charging system:
"The ZOE will also be able to charge quickly (one hour at 22 kW, half an hour at 43 kW) without costly infrastructure thanks to its Chameleon charger accepting three-phase power available throughout the EDF distribution network. To understand the patented trick used by Renault, you should know that the electric motor is supplied with three-phase current, while a battery works in DC. Therefore, the idea is to use the electronic motor to transform – as during regenerative braking – the three phase current available cheaply on the network to DC acceptable to the battery. From other manufacturers, this current recovery must be performed by an external quick recharge terminal costing about 20,000 euros against 3,000 to 5,000 for the three-phase accepted by Renault."
On ultrafast charging:
"On the same principle, Renault's engineers are already working on ultrafast charging which will benefit the next generation of Renault electric cars. Through a liquid cooling system to avoid overheating the battery deleteriously, it will be able to accept three-phase 86 kW power, representing a 80% charge in about 8 minutes, or if you prefer, an increase of 100 km in range, time to drink a coffee at the counter of the gas station…"


After the fort, you will visit Bada Bagh, Patwon Ki Haveli, The Thar Heritage Museum, Gadisar Lake, After the city tour is complete, you will head out to Sam for a camel safari in the Thar Desert. The traditional Camel Safari is one of the most spectacular and unique ways to experience Rajasthan. Camels are the ships of the deserts, and will guide you through this incredible landscape. You will spend approximately 1-2 hours in the Thar Desert before enjoying the mesmerizing sunset.


Museum Patron donation amounts listed with donor levels.
*Brick purchase was made during our Veterans Day special offer.
The AMA Foundation officially launched at AMA Expo.
Thank you to everyone who supported the aMa Foundation's launch at aMa Expo, January 10-12 in Ontario California. With the help of several donors, $7,500 was collected during the launch! This is a great start for the foundation.
information about donor programs, including new donor levels, are included on the aMa Foundation's website, amafoundation.modelaircraft.org. Visit the website to learn more about how the foundation supports aeromodeling and about how you can help.
For questions, please contact Mandee Mikulski, director of development for the aMa Foundation via email at mandeem@modelaircraft.org or call (765) 287-1256, ext. 277.


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Classroom Newsletter for OCTOBER 2008
Ms. Mansoor's History Class (main page)
Upcoming School Events:
November 1, Open House
November 15-18, Book Fair
December 15-16, Parent-Teacher Conferences
CONSTITUTION ARTICLE OF THE MONTH
Article III. - The Judicial Branch Note
Section 1 - Judicial powers
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section 2 - Trial by Jury, Original Jurisdiction, Jury Trials
(The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; to Controversies between two or more States; between a State and Citizens of another State; between Citizens of different States; between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.) (This section in parentheses is modified by the 11th Amendment.)
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section 3 - Treason Note
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Reflection on Poverty by Michael Phillips
The readings identified an important theme about poverty that can often be directly linked to globalization. Poverty-stricken countries, which also embrace globalization, have an immense growing disparity between the rich and the poor. "Killing for Scratch on BMW Reveals China's Wealth Gap," by Jonathan Watts, explains how one road rage incident between a peasant and a wealthy woman reiterates the increasing gap between the Chinese rich and the Chinese poor. After a peasant woman scratched a BMW of a wealthy businessman's wife, the wife ran over the peasant women and instantly killed her in a state of anger. The businessman's wife breezed through the justice system and only received a punishment of a suspended sentence. The women's rich husband had connections with important members of the justice system and he gave an affluent settlement to the peasant woman's husband. Bribes were offered and the wife of the businessman walked away from a murder case because of 'negligent driving.' Although many rumors circulated the Internet regarding the businessman's connection to senior officials, no on can deny that the Chinese public believes that wealth equals corruption and that officials exploit the control of land, the courts, and the media to grow rich and escape justice (Watts, pg 324). Communism is suppose to stand for a growing equality between the social classes; however, after China opened its doors to a market economy, the rural poor have often suffered because of loss of property, job loss, and unequal treatment in the justice system. On the other hand, China still manages to harness economic expansion for huge public works projects that allow poorer Chinese to partake in the benefits of the affluent economy due to globalization. Many Chinese are not deprived of basic services, whether clean water or basic schooling (New York Times, June 9, 2008).
Democratic India, the main Asian competitor to China, who also partakes in globalization, has a similar growing disparity between the rich and the poor. More than a quarter of all Indians live below the official poverty line; one in four city dwellers live on less than 50 cents a day; and nearly half of all Indian children are clinically malnourished (New York Times, June 9, 2008). On the other hand, globalization has given access of luxuries that include market goods, running water, round-the-clock electricity, and a private proficient education system to the upper and middle classes. However, for the massive poor citizens of India, the government does not have enough water, electricity, and sewage-handling facilities for the population. Public-funded education is inadequate and often without resources (New York Times, June 9, 2008). Although the Chinese government offers these basic human needs to its poor populations, India still has not achieved this basic offer to its citizens, running water and electricity. Both countries partake in the benefits of globalization and a market economy, but the riches are not taxed or equally distributed.
Countries, like India and China, who reap in the benefits of globalization, should also be held accountable for the treatment of their citizens within their country, whether rich or poor. Countries that participate in globalization with China and India, like the United States of America, should police, compromise, educate, or negotiate with governments that do nothing to help the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. If economic standards, laws, and taxes were put in place to equate the wealth between the upper and lower classes, then only can globalization become beneficial to all. Not only will this benefit the lower classes, it will also help the government of these respective countries. When a country has massive differences between the populations of a small upper class and a huge lower class, public dissent and government criticism increase. To promote government stability, it is important that the lower classes reap in the benefits of globalization. Poverty does not have an easy solution; nevertheless, attempts to help the poor victims of globalization can be instituted by the players who partake in the lucrative global economy.
Resources Used
1. Watts, Jonathan. 2004. Killing for Scratch on BMW Reveals China's Wealth Gap. The Guardian. April 8, 2004.
2. Sengupta, Somini. 2008. Inside Gate, India's Good Life; Outside, the Servants' Slums. New York Times. June 9, 2008.
STUDENT of the MONTH: for accomplishing great student citizenship and academic achievement! Say congratulations when you see them!


Xerox 4112 Multifunction Printers from ABD Office Solutions that offer a variety of features that will help handle documents in your office easier. Xerox 4112 is equipped with 4 standard paper input trays that can accommodate 1,100 sheets (Tray 1) and 1,600 sheets (Tray 2) 2 x 550 sheets (Trays 3 & 4). This printer is also equipped with 2 GB of memory and 160 GB SATA HDD which will help the printer work optimally. Xerox 4112 is capable of printing up to 110 ppm on A4 paper with a maximum print resolution of 2400 x 2400 dpi. This printer has a monthly duty cycle of up to 2,000,000 images/month but recommended prints of 70,000 - 700,000 pages per month.
Download the Xerox 4112 driver according to the Operating System on your PC or laptop at the link below.


text:
/*
 *  setMotionProfileMessage.h
 *  OpenJaus
 *
 *  Created by JausMessageML_Interpreter on 07/23/11.
 *
 */

#ifndef _SetMotionProfileMessage_H
#define _SetMotionProfileMessage_H
#include <jaus.h>
#include "motionCommand.h"

#include "ThesisMessages_common.h"

#define JAUS_EXPERIMENTAL_SETMOTIONPROFILEMESSAGE 0xE328

#ifdef __cplusplus
extern "C"
{
#endif

typedef struct {
	// Include all parameters from a JausMessage structure:
	// Header Properties
	struct {
		// Properties by bit fields
#ifdef JAUS_BIG_ENDIAN
		JausUnsignedShort reserved: 2;
		JausUnsignedShort version: 6;
		JausUnsignedShort expFlag: 1;
		JausUnsignedShort scFlag: 1;
		JausUnsignedShort ackNak: 2;
		JausUnsignedShort priority: 4;
#elif JAUS_LITTLE_ENDIAN
		JausUnsignedShort priority: 4;
		JausUnsignedShort ackNak: 2;
		JausUnsignedShort scFlag: 1;
		JausUnsignedShort expFlag: 1;
		JausUnsignedShort version: 6;
		JausUnsignedShort reserved: 2;
#else
#error "Please define system endianess (see jaus.h)"
#endif
	} properties;

	JausUnsignedShort commandCode;
	JausAddress destination;
	JausAddress source;
	JausUnsignedInteger dataSize;
	JausUnsignedInteger dataFlag;
	JausUnsignedShort sequenceNumber;

	// generated code
	JausByte msgVersion;
	JausByte nummotionCommands;
	JausArray motionCommands;

	// end generated code

} SetMotionProfileMessageStruct;

typedef SetMotionProfileMessageStruct *SetMotionProfileMessage;

// Creates the message of this type.
JAUS_EXPORT
SetMotionProfileMessage setMotionProfileMessageCreate(void);

// Destroys the message of this type.
JAUS_EXPORT
void setMotionProfileMessageDestroy(SetMotionProfileMessage);

// Gets the data for this message from a char* buffer.
JAUS_EXPORT
JausBoolean setMotionProfileMessageFromBuffer(SetMotionProfileMessage message, unsigned char *buffer, unsigned int bufferBytes);

// Puts the data for this message into a char* buffer.
JAUS_EXPORT
JausBoolean setMotionProfileMessageToBuffer(SetMotionProfileMessage message, unsigned char *buffer, unsigned int bufferBytes);

// Transforms a JausMessage generic type into a message of this type.
JAUS_EXPORT
SetMotionProfileMessage setMotionProfileMessageFromJausMessage(JausMessage jausMessage);

// Transforms a message of this type into a generic JausMessage.
JAUS_EXPORT
JausMessage setMotionProfileMessageToJausMessage(SetMotionProfileMessage message);

// Reports the current size of the message data that will be stored in the char* buffer.
JAUS_EXPORT
unsigned int setMotionProfileMessageSize(SetMotionProfileMessage message);

// Returns a string with the data of this message.
JAUS_EXPORT
char *setMotionProfileMessageToString(SetMotionProfileMessage message);

#ifdef __cplusplus
}
#endif

#endif // _SetMotionProfileMessage_H


These salted macadamia nuts are supreme-sized and roasted to perfection. We roast these nuts right in-house and add a slight amount of salt for the perfect snack. Macadamia nuts are renowned for their sweet flavor. Enjoy this Hawaiian delicacy as a fine snack at home. Roasted macadamias are a snack you can feel good about, with vitamin A, plant-based healthy fats and iron in each bite.
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i could eat forever, bring a napkin though...salty and greasy.
Fresh tasting macadamia nuts.....what can be better. These of top notch.
I just love macadamia nuts.. and as the others I have found larger nuts than these.
Macadamia Nuts, Highly Refined Peanut Oil, Salt. Packaged in the same facility as peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and milk products.


text:
Home > Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations > 1374
Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations
Regulation of Tissue Homeostasis by Innate Lymphoid Cells
Laurel Anne Monticelli, University of PennsylvaniaFollow
Graduate Group
David Artis
Second Advisor
David M. Allman
The barrier surfaces of the lung, intestine and skin are continually exposed to environmental insults, which can result in infection, inflammation and tissue injury when the barriers become disrupted. Epithelial barrier repair requires a balance between promoting beneficial remodeling responses that drive cell proliferation while also acting to limit these responses once homeostasis has been achieved. Failure to either initiate or resolve these reparative responses has detrimental effects, resulting in either loss of tissue integrity and function or promotion of chronic inflammation and fibrosis, as observed in multiple inflammatory diseases of the respiratory and intestinal tracts. While the immune system is integral to maintaining barrier integrity at these mucosal surfaces, the precise cellular and molecular factors that orchestrate restoration of homeostasis following tissue injury are poorly understood.
Over the past several years a novel family of immune cells have emerged called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) that are crucial regulators of immunity and inflammation at barrier sites. However, whether ILCs exist in the respiratory tract and how they may influence immunity, inflammation or tissue homeostasis in the lung was unknown. The data presented in Chapter 2 identify a population of Group 2 ILCs (ILC2s) constitutively present in the respiratory tract of humans and mice and demonstrate a novel function for ILC2s in regulating airway epithelial barrier integrity and tissue homeostasis following influenza virus-induced pulmonary damage. Further, studies in Chapter 3 investigate the nature of the crosstalk between the damaged tissue and ILC2 function, revealing that ILC2s possess a wound healing transcriptional signature and identifying the amphiregulin (AREG)-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway as an essential regulator of airway epithelial repair and host recovery from influenza virus infection. Lastly, Chapter 4 explores the relevance of this pathway in sites outside the lung, uncovering an interleukin (IL)-33-dependent innate immune mechanism of intestinal tissue repair dependent on AREG-EGFR interactions. Collectively, the data presented in this thesis identify an evolutionarily conserved feedback loop in which cytokine cues from damaged epithelia activate innate immune cells to express growth factors essential for the restoration of epithelial function and maintenance of tissue homeostasis at multiple barrier surfaces.
Monticelli, Laurel Anne, "Regulation of Tissue Homeostasis by Innate Lymphoid Cells" (2014). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 1374.
https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1374
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What is the best internet provider near Cecil?
Who has the fastest internet in Cecil?
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This week was hard, I'm not even going to lie. Granada is as beautiful as ever, I'm learning more and more every day, but that doesn't mean every day is going to be the best day ever.
Up until this week, I hadn't really spent a lot of time pining over home or missing anything in particular. But, while we all have bad days and bad weeks, the best way to get over it is to create a positive mindset.
In all honesty, I am still in my funk and I hope writing this gets me out of it, but I'll let you know!


The inspiration for Christmas Decor can come from a lot of places. We found some of the best Christmas Porch Ideas to help you get your home holiday ready and your curb appeal top notch!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. maybe in the home, but not on the porch? The front porch is one of the last places I get to when decorating for the holidays. I think it is because it is often the last thing i look at and often requires a bit of cleaning/dusting before I can get started. We searched Christmas Decor high and low to find some of the best and most creative Christmas Porches to inspire you this holiday season.
We love these Christmas Decor Ideas. Take a look at these Inspiring Christmas Mantles. Pin to Pinterest.


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Guess Who is One of the Top RV Lifestyle Blogs of 2015? The Roamans!
The Roamans' Blog is happy to announce that we have officially won our first award. RoverPass has declared us one of the Top RV Lifestyle Blogs of 2015.
If you aren't familiar with RoverPass, you should be. Their mission is to create meaningful memories at campgrounds and RV parks all across the land for their fellow Rovers. They think of themselves as a giant tent of fun for their camping and outdoor-loving friends and continually aim to create a value-driven, seamless experience for all.
But if that isn't enough to get you to love them, their values are almost perfectly aligned with ours. RoverPass says, "We believe real experiences trump things you can buy and the pursuit of a great memory is a higher ideal than the pursuit of money."
We couldn't be more thrilled to receive this award from RoverPass. Our purpose when we hit the road was to inspire people. We want to inspire them to travel, despite their age or financial situation. We want to inspire them to pursue their own truth and happiness despite where society pushes them to go. We want to inspire them to collect experiences, memories, and adventure rather than collecting a house full of things. By winning awards like this, we are able to reach a wider audience and continue our pursuit of inspiration.
Your blog definitely deserved to be included!
Thanks for sharing your amazing adventures with the rest of us. Keep it up.


Obviously NV40 was somewhat of a turning point for NVIDIA; what would you say were the most important aspects behind its success?
In a lot of ways I thought NV30 was a turning point, because NV3, NV4, NV5, NV10, NV11, NV15, NV17, NV18, NV20, NV25 was a straight line for us; we were on a path that was "make it faster, make it better". When it came to NV20, that was when we invented programmable shaders, which was a big, big chunk to swallow - we quickly realised that in building programmable shaders fixed point [integer], FX12 format, shading was limited in its capability and we needed to fundamentally take it to the next level and we took it to FP32 [32-bit floating point per component] with NV30 - that was a mistake for us. I would say that was a turning point in fact.
When you make a mistake that comes along after 5 or 6 years it really shakes you up and that causes you to make you think about what you need to do different. Obviously, all the things that we did before worked so well and then all of a sudden you make a chip that is expensive, very difficult to manufacture and frankly not fast enough, so we had to go back to basics and think about how we re-architect our company and the way we do things; remain as innovative as we always have been but innovate in a way that is much more aligned with industries. So that was actually the turning point, we started fixing ourselves right around NV30 and we quickly came back with NV35 and NV36 as a way to improve on that architecture because it usually takes a good two years to bring a new architecture to the market; so we fixed [GeForce] FX and then brought the 6800 [NV40] to market in about a 1 year timeframe, which was an amazing cycle time for us. So the changes that are seen on the outside of the company really started a good, solid year and a half before.
So, we have a few core values - we want to retain out spirit of innovation and always wanting to push the edge, wanting to do something better, that nobody's ever done before; on the other hand when we make mistakes we're intellectually honest about the mistakes, we face up to it and we quickly make changes. So, if you think about NV30 there were many things that we did right and there were many things that we did wrong and this triggered an avalanche of changes in the company and that's what got you 6800. On 6800 I would say that there were more things that we got right that were wrong, and with 7800 [G70] even more is right.
With the G70 graphics chip itself you've decided to use the 110nm process and with over 300 million transistors lends itself to a fairly large die size; what are the reasons for not going with 90nm at this point in time?
...even with that size of die?
Oh, yeah. Our customer don't care about size of die.
My customers aren't concerned about my costs, but they are concerned about my price. I have to sell it too them at a price that makes sense, they care about power.
I'm not even too sure there is a perceived barrier at $499. We need to price it at a level the enthusiasts will buy it at, that's the way that we think about pricing. We think about the pricing of this in the same way that Sony thinks about Playstation 3's - its not about how much is costs, its about what is the price it needs to sell at, and we need to figure out how to make money underneath that.


Veterans Bob Brookmeyer and Kenny Wheeler explore shared sensibilities on Island, a collection that could have fit comfortably in Wheeler's ECM catalogue, but instead spearheads the resuscitated Artists House label. Although they've not recorded together before, they set eachother up and finish eachother's thoughts like a long married couple. The island in question seems more north Atlantic than Caribbean. While the program tends toward moody mid-tempo tunes, the high level of playing keeps monotony at bay.
The disc opens with "Before the First Time," and Brookmeyer blowing breathy velvet. Bassist Jeremy Allen echoes and tweaks Brookmeyer's lines, and when Kenny joins with Frank Carlberg on piano and John Hollenbeck on drums, the thaw is on. Brookmeyer and Wheeler join voices and justifiably show off their tones. Carlberg plays off the time to push the momentum, then it drops back to Brookmeyer and Allen with Hollenbeck whispering on cymbals. By the time Wheeler gets to drive the engine's warmed up and he delights in sharp turns. Beginning slow and spacious, Wheeler's "114" coalesces with soulful interplay between the horns. The rhythm section sets it on simmer while Wheeler takes a thrill ride solo. Brookmeyer covers as much ground with fewer notes. The ensemble plays a majestic outro.
"Song for Kenny" gives Wheeler some elegant minors to play through. He states the theme and finds Brookmeyer on the bridge. Their counterpoint gives way to Wheeler's flowing take, which in turn yields to Brookmeyer's swinging assessment. The piece ends wistfully. "Upstairs with Beatrice" swings with Brookmeyer telling his story first. Carlberg plays a repetitive line against a quirky drum pattern until Wheeler sails through sweeping everyone along. The arrangement includes some fine unison playing by the horns.
Brookmeyer's "Island" boasts an exotic melody first stated by Wheeler. The sparse rhythm section leaves Wheeler and Brookmeyer room to trade lines and solo. The band lays out as Carlberg plays a dramatic interlude. Hollenbeck's cymbals recreate wave song. "Strange One" works a Hollenbecks's bowed bass and repetitive figure from Carlberg against Wheeler's flight of inspiration. Brookmeyer turns the melody over while Hollenbeck experiments with odd ambient sounds.
The Brookmeyer/Wheeler collaboration shows two long time players apparently still in ascent.
Track Listing: Before the First Time; 114; Where Do We Go From Here?; Song for Kenny; Upstairs with Beatrice; Island; Strange One.
Personnel: Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Kenny Wheeler, trumpet, flugelhorn; Frank Colberg, piano; Jeremy Allen, bass; John Hollenback, drums.


(1) A person may not knowingly or intentionally interfere with the enforcement of the provisions of ORS 744.318 (Definitions for ORS 744.318 to 744.384) to 744.384 (Rules), 744.991 (Criminal penalties) and 744.992 (Civil penalties) or investigations of suspected or actual violations of ORS 744.318 (Definitions for ORS 744.318 to 744.384) to 744.384 (Rules), 744.991 (Criminal penalties) and 744.992 (Civil penalties).
(2) A person in the business of life settlements may not knowingly or intentionally permit any person convicted of a felony involving dishonesty or breach of trust to participate in the business of life settlements.
(4) The lack of a statement as required in subsection (3) of this section does not constitute a defense in any investigation or prosecution for an act violating any provision of ORS 744.318 (Definitions for ORS 744.318 to 744.384) to 744.384 (Rules), 744.991 (Criminal penalties) and 744.992 (Civil penalties).
(5) Any person engaged in the business of life settlements having knowledge or a reasonable suspicion that a fraudulent life settlement act is being, will be or has been committed must provide to the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services information as required by, and in a manner prescribed by, the director.
(6) Any other person having knowledge or a reasonable belief that a fraudulent life settlement act is being, will be or has been committed may provide to the director the information required by, and in a manner prescribed by, the director.
(E) The life insurer that issued the life insurance policy covering the life of the insured.
(b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not apply to statements made with actual malice. In an action brought against a person for filing a report or furnishing other information concerning a fraudulent life settlement act, the party bringing the action must plead specifically any allegation that paragraph (a) of this subsection does not apply because the person filing the report or furnishing the information did so with actual malice.
(c) A person furnishing information as identified in paragraph (a) of this subsection is entitled to an award of attorney fees and costs if the person is the prevailing party in a civil cause of action for libel, slander or any other relevant tort arising out of activities in carrying out the provisions of ORS 744.318 (Definitions for ORS 744.318 to 744.384) to 744.384 (Rules), 744.991 (Criminal penalties) and 744.992 (Civil penalties) and the party bringing the action was not substantially justified in doing so. For purposes of this paragraph, a proceeding is "substantially justified" if it had a reasonable basis in law or fact at the time that it was initiated. However, such an award does not apply to a person furnishing information concerning the person's own fraudulent life settlement acts.
(d) This section does not abrogate or modify common law or statutory privileges or immunities enjoyed by a person described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.
(8) The documents and evidence obtained by the director in an investigation of suspected or actual fraudulent life settlement acts are privileged and confidential under ORS 705.137 (Information that is confidential or not subject to disclosure).
(c) Limit the powers granted elsewhere by the laws of this state to the director or any other state department or agency to investigate and examine possible violations of law and to take appropriate action against wrongdoers.
(10)(a) Life settlement providers and life settlement brokers must have in place antifraud initiatives reasonably calculated to detect, prosecute and prevent fraudulent life settlement acts. At the discretion of the director, the director may order, or a licensee may request and the director may grant, such modifications of the required initiatives described in paragraph (b) of this subsection as necessary to ensure an effective antifraud program. The modifications may be more or less restrictive than the required initiatives as long as the modifications may reasonably be expected to accomplish the purpose of this section.
(iv) A description or chart outlining the organizational arrangement of the antifraud personnel who are responsible for investigating and reporting possible fraudulent life settlement acts and investigating unresolved material inconsistencies between medical records and insurance applications.


The old man awkwardly sprawled across three entire seats in the movie theater. When the usher came by and noticed this, he whispered to the old man, "Sorry sir, but you're only allowed one seat."
The usher became more impatient. "Sir, if you don't get up from there I'm going to have to call the manager."
The usher marched briskly back up the aisle, and in a moment returned with the manager. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move the old disheveled man, but with no success. Finally, they summoned the police.
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QUOTATION OF THE MONTH: "I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize."
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