text:
Laptop program teaches students digital citizenship
Dimmitt Middle School is the first school in the Renton School District to adopt the 1-to-1 Laptop Program.
by Leah Abraham
Friday, October 20, 2017 5:08pm
Umar Abdullah projects a passage of a story on the screen and reads it out loud to his Dimmitt Middle School sixth graders, who follow along using their own laptops.
Every time he pauses to ask a question, students scroll through their digital copy of the text until they find their answer.
This sort of integration of technology and learning is new to Dimmitt, and Renton School District is hoping that it will become the norm for the rest of the schools in the district soon.
Dimmitt was chosen to pilot the 1-to-1 Laptop Program, an initiative that aims to provide each student with an electronic device to encourage digital learning.
"(The program) connects our work in the district, like our West Hill Now! with our three elementary schools that are feeders to Dimmitt, and also to connect with our rigorous IB program in Renton High School," said Ellen Dorr, director of Digital Learning at RSD. "What we're really working on with a digital learning instructional model is thinking about how we can be flexible, how we can be innovative, how we can leverage technology to meet the individual needs of learners and focus on constructing knowledge together, collaborating, being visible about our learning, etc. It's thinking about how technology plays into that, towards that kind of thinking and learning."
Each student at Dimmitt is assigned a Chromebook, which they which they carry with them all day.
This program is a step toward digital literacy — a skill that's arguably a necessity in the 21st century — as well as a method to foster sense of belonging, Dorr said.
"I really believe technology enhances face-to-face interactions," she said. "When you're using technology well, as a classroom teacher you can think about ways how you can work with different groups of students. You're providing specific resources or support scaffolds they can approach digitally, and you're pulling different groups of students together. Because you're pulling them together based on need, students can feel like, 'Oh, this is for me. These are for my needs.' They know that small group instruction becomes more powerful than traditional big group instruction."
Other than collecting achievement data at the end of the school year, the district will collect student perception data to assess the success of the program.
"We want to ask them a number of questions around how they were asked to demonstrate learning and which modalities they are using to learn," Dorr said. "We'll ask them questions about that, and use our other student perception data around community and feeling of belonging in school."
A large concern with assigning personal laptops to students is how they will navigate the sphere of social media. Dorr said this is why Dimmitt is focusing on teaching students digital citizenship.
"As a district we have a responsible use policy," she said. "We want digital behavior to mirror our analog behavior. The world of social media poses some specific challenges, especially for middle schoolers who are developing their social identities. We might have some lessons that happen during social studies or language arts around character development or integration of social media presence. We're integrating that work."
Dorr said this school year the district was finally ready to take on the scope of the program.
"We had an increase in the number of resources, we have more digital curriculum, we have pilots in specific content areas, we have a social studies curriculum that uses more technology," she said. "Because there's a clear instructional need and instructional model for this, we're able to see how this would work in a classroom and how it would work across content areas."
The district is planning on integrating the program to all the middle and high schools by the 2019-2020 school year.
Father, son wounded by accidental gun discharge
RTC named top US community college


President Md Abdul Hamid has been re-elected unopposed for the state's top job. The Election Commission published a gazette notification in this connection on Wednesday. He was the only candidate for the post and secured a second straight term at office, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said at a press briefing earlier in the day. "Abdul Hamid is likely to be sworn in as the 21st president of Bangladesh on April 23," the CEC said. "A gazette will be published in this regard in the evening." Earlier in the day, a delegation of Awami League led by lawmaker ASM Firoz went to the Election Commission for the verification of the nomination papers. President Abdul Hamid will complete his five-year term on April 23. The presidential election was scheduled for February 18. February 5 was fixed as the last date for submitting the nominations to succeed President Abdul Hamid while February 7 was set for scrutinizing the papers.


Stress within a call center environment is an undeniable reality. More often than not, call center employees face stress that is multifaceted and difficult to handle. The high-intensity work environment combined with ambitious performance targets and conflicting role requirements -presents varied challenges to employees and leaves them drained.
With present day technological capabilities, and the explosion of applicable data science in the reporting systems, tons of data is present at one's disposal. Many a time, the relevant data is hidden in the maze of insights derived from less significant metrics. Such information is of little help to improve the business.
Why Do We Love Contact Centers?


text:
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe MPG and Fuel Economy
Mercedes-Benz have been manufacturing models of AMG GT C Coupe for 4 years, with the latest vehicle in 2021 having a combined MPG of 17.
The estimated fuel cost for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe is $4,350 per year.
💵 Compared to an average vehicle over 5 years, you will spend $10,250 more on fuel driving a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe.
🛢 The Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe will consume roughly 18 barrels of petroleum per year, using the standard estimate of 15,000 miles per year.
💨 For every mile driven, the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe will emit 534 grams of CO2, which is about 8,010,000 grams of CO2 per year.
🌳 To help you understand the impact of this, a normal tree will absorb around 21,000 grams of CO2 per year. This means that roughly 382 trees would be needed to offset emissions from the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe.
The table below is a complete list of the 4 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe fuel efficiency specifications we have data for.
2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe 17 $4,350
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe MPG and Fuel Economy
"Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe MPG and Fuel Economy". MPG Buddy. Accessed on February 1, 2023. http://mpgbuddy.com/cars/mercedes-benz/amg-gt-c-coupe.
"Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe MPG and Fuel Economy". MPG Buddy, http://mpgbuddy.com/cars/mercedes-benz/amg-gt-c-coupe. Accessed 1 February, 2023
Mercedes-Benz AMG GT C Coupe MPG and Fuel Economy. MPG Buddy. Retrieved from http://mpgbuddy.com/cars/mercedes-benz/amg-gt-c-coupe.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
HomePoliticsMoyo keeps options open
Moyo keeps options open
Dumisani Muleya
AFTER his blossoming political career was ruthlessly shattered by a fierce backlash to a "subversive" meeting which his party says he organised to plot a new Zanu PF command structure, Inform
ation minister Jonathan Moyo is said to be keeping his future options open.
Official sources said yesterday Moyo was playing a waiting game before he decided what to do next. Moyo was last month blocked from the Zanu PF central committee and dropped from the politburo.
Although he has also been barred from contesting in the Zanu PF primary polls tomorrow to select candidates to represent the party in the general election in March, Moyo has been hoping his fortunes could change, sources said this week.
The Zanu PF politburo meeting yesterday failed to finalise the list of candidates for the primaries, as some constituencies' cases – including Tsholotsho – were not resolved. Moyo's appeal, a source said, was not even discussed because Tsholotsho was reserved for women.
Zanu PF last night said the final list of candidates would be issued today.
However, deadlocks were reported in several constituencies where a number of candidates were scrambling for the Zanu PF ticket for the general election.
There has been wrangling over the constituencies after some senior party officials such as Moyo, jailed Finance minister Chris Kuruneri and Chinhoyi MP Phillip Chiyangwa, who is also in prison on espionage charges, were barred from the primaries.
The exclusion of a number of senior party officials triggered demonstrations within the party. President Robert Mugabe returned from his holiday in the Far East early this week to deal with the escalating infighting in his deeply-divided party.
Mugabe said the issue would be dealt with although candidates with pending disciplinary cases or who used money to buy votes would be barred. Moyo, whose fate was almost sealed by a meeting chaired by party chair John Nkomo in Tsholotsho on Wednesday, is said to be biding his time.
"He is keeping his options open and is likely to decide what to do next after the primary elections," a source said.
"He has a few options such as resigning and contesting the
election as an independent candidate, leaving the country or hanging on despite the current situation."
Efforts to get comment from Moyo were unsuccessful yesterday.
Moyo has denied a recent report in a local weekly claiming he resigned early this month. Reliable government sources said Moyo would be back at work on January 24 after his holiday.
He was expected to fly home on Wednesday from Kenya which he visited during his holiday. Moyo also visited Dubai in the United Arab Emirates where he could have been hunting for new career opportunities.
Sources said it was possible Moyo could stand as an independent candidate in Tsholotsho because he believed the avalanche of "donations" he made in the area would ensure his victory.
Previous articleSuccession stirs Zanu PF probe
Next articleByo police swoop on civic leaders


Honor is gearing up to launch its next Honor flagship, the Magic 2, on October 31. This phone has been teased earlier and is going to sport a slider mechanism to accommodate the front-facing camera and sensors on the lines of Oppo Find X. Now, ahead of its launch, the device specifications were spotted on TENAA certification website.
The Honor Magic 2 is going to feature a 6.39-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. It will allegedly be powered as usually with Huawei's own chipset Hisilicone Kirin 980 SoC and will be bolstered with Mali-G76MP10 GPU. The phone will come in two variants, with the first variant encompassing an 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage while the second variant includes a 6GB RAM with 128GB internal storage. Going by the rumors the handset will not have an option to extend the memory with an external memory card.
The phone is going to feature a triple camera set up on the rear with the primary camera being a 16MP shooter, secondary 24MP sensor, and a tertiary 16MP shooter with telephoto lens. This will be supported with an LED Flash. On the front, the phone will feature a 16MP shooter with two additional TOF lenses to assist in 3D face unlocking. This phone will come out of the box with Android 9.0 Pie installed and will run on EMUI 9.0. Honor Magic 2 houses a 3400 mAh battery and is bundled with a 40W Magic charger. The phone is speculated to include an in-display fingerprint sensor as well. We will have to wait till the launch to get an idea about the pricing of the device.


Our hostel has 7 comfortable rooms, 4 doubles, 2 triple and 1 single room. As well as our relaxing bedrooms we have a common room with a 42 TV, lots of DVD movies, internet access, Wi-Fi and a language library where you can exchange or just read books.
In the evening people like to hang out on our patio to play in our pool table or just making new friends and exchanging stories.
Noisy private rooms, but good location, breakfast and showers.
Good location, friendly staff, but very filthy. Everywhere you look you see mold. It smells really damp and fungal, which they try to mask with burning incense. Some rooms (including bathrooms) have no windows or a form of ventilation, creating more mold, a sickening smell and a big problems in case of a fire. We expected something decent for the amount we paid, but left as soon as possible in the morning looking for something better (and fresh air).


For PCS in the present context, Corporate Social Responsibility means not only investment of funds for social activity but also integration of business processes with social processes. Hence, it is the core corporate responsibility of PCS to practice its corporate values through its commitment to grow in a socially and environmentally responsible way, while meeting the interests of its stakeholders. We also support local communities by investing time and resources in local projects and partnerships. In 2016, Bangladesh conducted its CSR to education, disabled children and income generating sector for women. Jasmin was attacked with acid by her husband in 2016. Therefore, she required financial assistance to survive herself along with her three children. To rebuild Jesmin's life and to meet her immediate and long term needs, PCS Provided her Livelihood Support by establishing a small grocery shop as an income generating Activity.


text:
Worrying Facebook password data protection flaw revealed
The social media giant hasn't had it easy lately, with a number of data breach incidents plaguing their public image. The recent revelations about the Facebook password data protection flaws is another headache to add to the pile.
It's understood that some Facebook passwords have not been securely stored and have been accessible to thousands of Facebook employees. You would expect that one of the biggest social media platforms in the world would have the best protection for passwords, but this story suggests otherwise.
Users affected by the issue are set to be contacted by Facebook. This incident is one in a long line of recent data scandals Facebook has been embroiled in.
About the Facebook password data protection issue
The Facebook password data protection issue surrounds some 600 million passwords for users being stored in plain text format. How securely this file has (or files have) been stored is unknown, but it's understood that the passwords were accessible by around 20,000 Facebook employees.
In a statement, the social media giant said:
"As part of a routine security review in January, we found that some user passwords were being stored in a readable format within our internal data storage systems. This caught our attention because our login systems are designed to mask passwords using techniques that make them unreadable."
They also said that they will notify "hundreds of millions of Facebook Lite users, tens of millions of other Facebook users, and tens of thousands of Instagram Users."
Why is the Facebook password data protection worrying?
The news of the Facebook password data protection issue is incredibly worrying. The plain text storage of the password means the file(s) in question could be a goldmine if they were ever hacked or accessed by someone working for the company with malicious intentions. Passwords should be stored in an encrypted format and should be hashed to make them largely unreadable in the event of a data breach.
Many people reuse access credentials, and many also use the "log in with Facebook" feature. A breached Facebook password could allow a criminal to do a serious amount of damage. And with stories often in the media about employees in companies abusing their access rights and exposing and stealing information, the users affected by this issue have been at a serious security risk.
What should people do?
Facebook is said to be notifying those affected. We suggest that, at the very least, people would be wise to change their password immediately.
It's better to be safe than sorry.
This news follows a spate of Facebook data breach incidents of late. People have every right to be worried about this issue, and it's simple security flaws like this that often result in people falling victim to incidents.
We often represent people claiming for data breach compensation that stem from such simple security flaws like this one.
First published by Matthew on March 29, 2019
Posted in the following categories: Cybersecurity Data Latest Smartphones Social Networking Technology and tagged with cyber crime | cybersecurity | database security | facebook | online security | personal data | social media data breaches
Will we see more online gaming data breach incidents?
Apologies and testimonies in wake of Marriott cyber attack


text: aws s3 cp ./dist/lorenmkerr-ui s3://lorenkerr.com --recursive --acl public-read

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


is a one-day workshop for 10-12 years old girls with their mother or female carer. This carefully crafted workshop was designed by Jane Bennett to support girls and mothers at this special threshold in both their lives, and to provide an affirming, grounded and connected celebration of the journey to womanhood.
At the Celebration Day girls enjoy lively discussion, fun activities, women's stories and gentle celebration of the magical threshold of puberty and menarche.
The first part of the day is spent with girls on their own (typically 10am – 1pm) and, just before lunch, the mothers/female carers join in for the remainder of the day (and grandmothers who are available and wish to participate), finishing at about 4pm.
Much of the role of provider of information, wisdom and guidance falls, naturally and rewardingly, to mothers and female carers. For this reason we meet on our own (mothers and facilitator) for a two-hour session before the Celebration Day. This is an important preparation for the Day and allows time for adult conversation and storytelling. During this session mothers commonly receive ideas and support for their unfolding mother-daughter relationship as they journey the adolescent years together. Many women also discover rich and intriguing doorways into a new experience of their own cyclic journey.
A Celebration Day for Girls was conceived in Australia by Jane Bennett in the year 2000 & is now in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Mexico. Now, for the first time it is available in New Zealand!
Register your interest & location through our contact page and we will let you know of upcoming Celebration Day's near you!
Please feel free to organise your own group (minimum of six and maximum of twelve girls) and contact us for a Celebration Day at a venue of your choice.
The cost is $100 (+GST) for each Mother & Daughter.
The minimum amount of girls is 6 (& the max. no. is 12) in a group.
1. One of the Mother's hosts the gathering at their house (no additional charge). If a Mother is hosting then normally they have organised the group.
2. Venue is at either: Motherwell in Mt Eden, Waitakere Womens Centre or Grey Lynn Auckland Womens Centre (additional cost of $200 split equally between group).
If you are unable to organise a group then we will add you to our wait list and alert you as soon as we have the minimum number to run the next group in one of the three locations.
The cost includes the 2 hr Mother's session (an evening prior), 10am – 1pm with the girls: Mum's join us for lunch & we work through with Mum's & daughter's until 4pm, the main aspects of lunch, all crafts & materials.


This afternoon, rain turned into snow right outside of Forest Glen Construction's office windows. The first snow of the season had us thinking that we should share some tips on how to help you prepare your home for winter.
For some, winter might mean getting cozy by the fire, enjoying hot cocoa and football games, while some might be thinking, higher heating and energy bills. So, we've put together a list of 5 tips you can follow that might ease your bill paying anxiety and keep a few extra bucks in your pocket this winter.
2. Move furniture away from vents, registers and radiators. During the summer, pushing back furniture creates larger space when vents aren't being used for heat. In the winter, it's important to move furniture away from heating vents and radiators to not block heat flow from entering the room. Forced air system blocks a supply and return of warm air leaving you with a cold room and wasted money. Blocking warm air can also cause a house-wide pressure imbalance that disrupts the entire home's heating system.
3. Change your furnace filter. Changing your furnace filter can save up to 5% on your energy bill while simultaneously keeping the dust in your home at a minimum. The average size of duct filters are 16x20 and when purchased in bulk, each filter costs around $0.50 by box. Be sure to check your filter size before purchasing because they can be as large as 30x30. Changing your furnace filter once a month during the heating season will help your furnace system last longer and it will be less likely to break when you need it most. It is also a very affordable way to save money on your energy bill.
4. Lower your water heater temperature. Hot water is used most during the winter months. Flush your water heater to eliminate sediment buildup which can cause corrosion, reduce heating efficiency, and shorten the lifespan of your water heater. Decrease the temperature from 140 to 120 to keep up with the demand and take showers instead of baths.
5. Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan. During the cooler months, change the direction of your ceiling fan so that it rotates clockwise allowing an upward draft to redistribute warm air.


The council also recommended Justice Obisike Oji also of Abia State High Court who was appointed by the state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, to act as the acting Chief Judge of the state after the state House of Assembly suspended Justice Uzokwe.
A statement signed by the council's Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, said the council also issued stern warnings to Justices S. E. Aladetoyinbo and Olusola Ajibike Williams of the Federal Capital Territory High Court and Lagos High Courts respectively.
The council has also set up a committee to investigate a Supreme Court justice but failed to disclose the name of justice being investigated.
According to the statement, two other state chief judges are also being investigated. The council also did not release the names of the chief judges.
The post [PHOTO] NJC Sacks Suspended Abia CJ, Justice Theresa Uzokwe, Probes Supreme Court Judge appeared first on LATEST NIGERIAN NEWS BREAKING HEADLINES NEWSPAPERS.


The driver vs. the car: Who's really in control?
By now most people have heard about the death of Joshua D. Brown of Canton, Ohio, the driver of a Tesla Model S, while his car was in the "autopilot" mode. The newspapers reported that this was the first known death caused by a self-driving car.
This happened just a week after I had ordered the top-of-the-line 2016 Toyota Rav 4, with all the high-tech features such as pre-collision warning, automatic emergency breaking, intuitive parking assist, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot monitors. When I heard about the death, I wondered if I had made the right choice in ordering all the technology options, or if all those features truly keep the driver safer. Do these technological advancements cause more harm than good?
To find out, first I had to learn how to use the features, which is not as easy as it sounds. Yes I listened to the sales guy explaining the features but there were so many that I forgot about half of them by the time I got off the car dealership. I did page through some of the 3″ thick manual and decided to focus on the features that affect the driving.
For example, there are loud beeps when I try to change lanes without signaling, and there is a warning light signaling on the side mirror if I come to close to an object. I was bewildered by all these sounds, warning lights and messages. And the manual wasn't always helpful as the pictures below show (just some of the over 55 warning screens in the Rav 4 manual).
It makes me think, if there are all these safety features on the car, do I really need to pay as much attention to driving as before? The less I have to do, (like checking the blind spot) and the more the car is doing, will it influence the way I drive? Not likely with the options I have now, but with a self-driving car like the Tesla, I wonder if I would just sit there and do nothing but watch the car drive itself.
In reading more about "smart" features, I came across another feature that the car industry is working on where the cars will communicate with each other via Wi-Fi (which seems somewhat Orwellian). What about privacy concerns regarding all the information a connected car would collect such as the driver's quality of driving (speeding, constant lane changes, long drives without breaks etc.) especially if that data is made available to insurers.
Who is in control of the car? Right now the driver is. Even with self-driving cars, the driver has the option to take over and drive the car at any time. But what will happen if it is shown that self-driving cars are safer, have less accidents and save lives? Who will be in control then?
In the meantime, car safety experts need to look very carefully at the issue of how driver control and road safety intersect. The family and friends of Joshua Brown would attest to the need to do more work on this very real and critical issue.


Every dog owner is different, but they all are looking for ways to simplify their lives and make things better.
This dog owner shows just how much some simple tricks can simplify things and make it more enjoyable to the dog and dog owners.
These husky is in love with the new ice pool that his dad got for him. Husky's are very cold resistant because of their fur and during summer months they will enjoy this simple way of cooling down. Just a kiddie pool full of ice will make your life and the life of your dog much more enjoyable and more fun.
Watch this and other hacks for dogs in this wonderful video.


text:
Black Sand Publishing
WEBSITE: www.HeatherBrownArt.com
"Most of my inspiration comes from my love for the sea, nature, popular surf breaks, and the beauty of the islands." – H.Brown
Growing up in a family of artists and artisans in Southern California, Heather Brown found her passions in both art and nature at a very early age. Later, working as a boat captain and dive master to put herself through the Bachelors of Fine Arts program at The University of Hawaiʻi gave Heather Brown the perfect vantage point to fill her head with the beautiful imagery of the Hawaiian Islands… Read full bio…
Art & Products
Zak Noyle
WEBSITE: www.ZakNoyle.com
"It's a lifestyle, It's an art, It's a passion." – Zak Noyle"
Zak Noyle isn't your typical extreme sports athlete. Considered one of the best surf photographers in the world, Zak lives his life on the edge. He is an outdoor photographer with a truly unique perspective on surf and sea. Based on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, Zak spends countless hours in the water, creating dramatic imagery and artful interpretations of the world's most magnificent ocean environment… Read full bio…
Noel Suarez
WEBSITE: www.NoelSuarezArt.com
"A true Artist always needs to be in the moment when creativity happens, it is long after the fact that one realizes the accomplishments… but only for a moment, then the moment of creation comes again." – Noel Suarez"
Noel Suarez is the living embodiment of passion and talent required by all great artists, which is reflected in his ever-evolving work. He is recognized as one of a small number of artists whom Miami's ascendancy to the world cultural stage is reflected in the lifetime of his career… Read full bio…
WEBSITE: www.Walfrido.com
"Art for Life" – Walfrido Garcia
Walfrido, Son of renowned artist Edgardo F. Garcia, was born in the Philippines in 1966. As a second generation artist, his story begins with his father/mentor. Facing difficult times and lack of opportunity, Edgardo left his homeland to pursue a better life for himself and his family. Three years later he was reunited with his five kids in a small town outside of Los Angeles called Victorville. They moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1973 seeking the "American Dream". Read More…
Welzie Art
"I just want to create pieces of art that make people feel happy and inspired." – Welzie
Welzie creates unique whimsical pieces of art inspired by his beach lifestyle and bright Hawaii surroundings. His paintings are shown throughout Hawaii's fine art galleries and large scale murals in California and Mexico. Welzie has been a featured artist for the Greenroom Festival in Japan and the Pow Wow Hawaii mural event along with various publications. His uplifting use of color and imagery has gained international attention. Read More…
Matt Allen
"I am blessed to be able to make art full time." – Matt Allen
Southern California artist Matthew Allen is a former Surfer Magazine Art Director who has moonlighted as a clothing designer and photographer. Much of his fine art and photography revolves around beach and surf culture. Matthew works in a variety of mediums including pen and ink, linocut prints, and watercolors. His latest work takes discarded marine canvas and sails, and repurposes them into pieces of art. Read More…
You are here: Home / Artists / Heather Brown / Sample Gallery
In this collection you will find a small sample of Heather Brown's original artworks. Heather Brown's art inspiration comes from her love of the sea, her favorite surf breaks, and the beautiful flora and fauna of the island. Heather Brown art is unique, with a flavor that speaks to an expansive, one of a kind creative ability. The colors and designs can quickly be identified as Heather's work.
You can view Heather's entire library of original artworks on her official website at HeatherBrownArt.com
If you represent a fine art gallery or boutique retail store or chain and are interested in representing Heather Brown artwork, let's talk.
We offer a strong sales launch and support program, representing a very successful, growing artist and product line. Tourism-focused locations with a strong "surf art" market focus are of particular interest.
Learn More about becoming an authorized retailer of Heather Brown Art.
Justin Montgomery
General Manager / Sales Director
Justin@BlackSandPublishing.com
"I make art everyday with the hopes of bringing smiles to people's faces and happiness to their hearts"
- Heather Brown
Official Website & Gallery:
www.HeatherBrownArt.com
HeatherBrownArt.blogspot.com
HEATHER BROWN MENU
Heather Brown Events
From Heather's Blog
Surf Stroll by Heather Brown
Aloha Friday Surf Art Skateboards from Heather Brown
Heather Brown Happy Art Rainbow Birds Creation Story
The Creation of Heather Brown's Diamond Head Surf Art Limited Release print
Black Sand Publishing is Hawai'i's leading fine art publishing company with business in Hawai'i, US mainland and overseas.
Learn what we can do for you and how you can get started. Contact Us
866 Iwilei Rd, Ste 234
(808) 536-8660 Ph
Inquiries@BlackSandPublishing.com
Jobs•
Donation Policy•
Contact Us•
© 2019 Black Sand Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved.


The A bit is set automatically by certain exceptions and is written by privileged software. It disables asynchronous Data Aborts. For more information on how to use the A bit, see Asynchronous abort masking.


text:
Ric Flair Suing Former Manager Over $25K
Bykhal
Deputy Editor, Pop Culture | resident old | @khal
Image via Getty/Aaron Davidson
Last week, ESPNs 30 For 30 special on Ric Flair was a ratings success. There was a lot that we ended up learning about Ric Flair's career and home life, but it's interesting to hear that Ric allegedly didn't know that his former managers took money that was owed to him for working on the special.
According to TMZ Sports, Flair filed a lawsuit against Legacy Talent and Entertainment, the company that had been managing the Nature Boy from 2009 to October of 2017. Flair's lawsuit says that, after doing some digging, he noticed that First Row Films (who was behind the 30 For 30) paid Legacy $25,000. These are funds that Flair says he never knew about, nor did he receive a piece of. Flair actually says that he's missing something like $46,000 in payments, including a $12,000 advance in royalties from Jake's Fireworks, who he has an endorsement deal with.
At the time that Flair's lawsuit hit the newswire, Legacy reportedly said they were using these funds to pay Flair's legal bills. But today they bounced back, putting Flair on blast. They not only told TMZ Sports that Flair's claims were "baseless and defamatory," but added that Flair "has always been known to be dramatic and looking desperately for the spotlight. That's fine as a wrestler but it is despicable when he blatantly lies."
Legacy even went as far as to reference to a 2011 piece Grantland did on Flair's "long, steady decline" (as they put it). "As anyone who read [the Grantland article] knows, Ric has always left a trail of destruction in his wake whether it be from his ex wives, the IRS, State Departments of Revenue, creditors, or from his former business partners and friends... the debris is everywhere."
10 Things You Didn't Know About Ric Flair
How the Legendary Ric Flair Became Hip-Hop's Favorite Wrestler
Sneaker Shopping With Ric Flair
They went further, saying "the $37,000 in dispute are in his management company's trust account while we were working out a settlement on the sums of money owed our client from deals and money Flair hid from his management."
As of right now, Flair has not clapped back with his own response.
NewsLawsuitsPro Wrestlingric-flair


text:
Akaroa is a small town on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury Region of the South Island of New Zealand, situated within a harbour of the same name. The name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for "Long Harbour", which would be spelled  in standard Māori. The area was also named Port Louis-Philippe by French settlers after the reigning French king Louis Philippe I.

The town is  by road from Christchurch and is the terminus of State Highway 75. It is set on a sheltered harbour and is overlooked and surrounded by the remnants of an eruptive centre of the miocene Banks Peninsula Volcano. Akaroa is entirely dependent upon rainfall on the hills.

Akaroa is a popular resort town. Many Hector's dolphins may be found within the harbour, and 'swim with the dolphins' boat tours are a major tourist attraction.

Ōnuku marae, a  (tribal meeting ground) of Ngāi Tahu and its Ōnuku Rūnanga branch, is located in Akaroa. It includes the Karaweko  (meeting house).

History

In 1830, the Māori settlement at Takapūneke, just east of the current town of Akaroa, became the scene of a notorious incident. The captain of the British brig Elizabeth, John Stewart, helped North Island Ngāti Toa chief, Te Rauparaha, to capture the local Kāi Tahu chief, Tama-i-hara-nui, his wife Te Whe and his young daughter, Roimata. The settlement of Takapūneke was sacked. Concern over the complicity of John Stewart, amongst other lawlessness among Europeans in New Zealand, led to the appointment of an official British Resident James Busby to New Zealand in 1832 – the first step in the British involvement that led to the Treaty of Waitangi.

In early 1832, Te Rauparaha, fresh from his successful three-month siege of Kaiapoi Pā, took the pā on the Ōnawe Peninsula at the head of Akaroa Harbour. There were an estimated 400 Kāi Tahu in the pā and most were killed, with only the strongest taken as slaves.

The earliest European settlers used Akaroa as a whaling base. Akaroa is now one of the few whaling bases in New Zealand that still exists as a town.

French settlement

In 1838 Captain Jean François Langlois made a provisional purchase of land in "the greater Banks Peninsula" from 12 Kāi Tahu chiefs. A deposit of commodities in the value of £6 was paid and a further £234 worth of commodities was to be paid at a later period.

On his return to France, Langlois advertised for settlers to go to New Zealand, and ceded his interest in the land to the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, of which he became a part-owner. On 9 March 1840, 63 emigrants left from Rochefort. The settlers embarked for New Zealand on the Comte de Paris, an old man-of-war ship given to them by the French government. The Comte de Paris and its companion ship the Aube, captained by Commodore , arrived in the Bay of Islands in the North Island on 11 July 1840, where they discovered that during their voyage the British had claimed Banks Peninsula. The French arrived in Akaroa Harbour on 18 August and established a settlement centred on the present-day site of Akaroa. Bishop Pompallier established his first European station in Akaroa in 1840 as the French immigrants were all nominally Catholic. However, he closed the station in disgust, due to the religious apathy of the French immigrants.

Given that the French colonists had set out for New Zealand on the assumption that they owned the land, the New Zealand authorities made a grant of 30,000 acres to the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, which ceded all rights to the peninsula for £4,500.

Before 1840, the area of the current Akaroa town was also known as Wangaloa. The French at first called their settlement Port Louis-Philippe in honour  of Louis Philippe I, who reigned as King of the French from 1830 to 1848.

The area still shows a French influence, prominent in many local place names. It is the oldest town in Canterbury and one of the most historic places in New Zealand.

British settlement
After being informed of the French intention to colonise Akaroa and to further its use as a whaling port, the Lieutenant-Governor of New Zealand, Captain William Hobson, sent the ship  to proclaim sovereignty over the area for the British Crown. HMS Britomart arrived in Akaroa on 16 August 1840, although the captain's log shows the arrival date as 11 August. Captain Stanley raised the British flag, and held a court at each of the occupied settlements, to convince the French that the area was indeed under British control. A monument at the eastern edge of the town commemorates the British arrival.

James Robinson Clough, also known as Jimmy Robinson, had arrived at Akaroa several years before. He acted as interpreter for Captain Owen Stanley at the flag-raising of 1840, and was the first European to travel up the Avon River in 1843. Clough's descendants are still prominent on the Peninsula today.

British immigrants settled in both Akaroa and German Bay (Takamatua), along with many German farmers, who set up dairy, sheep and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) farms. The great majority of the artifacts currently held at Akaroa Museum are of the early farming community and their way of life at the time.

Demographics
Akaroa is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers . It had an estimated population of  as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Akaroa had a population of 756 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 111 people (17.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 165 people (27.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 288 households. There were 375 males and 378 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 55.3 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 63 people (8.3%) aged under 15 years, 108 (14.3%) aged 15 to 29, 339 (44.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 240 (31.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 82.5% European/Pākehā, 6.0% Māori, 0.8% Pacific peoples, 11.9% Asian, and 2.8% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 34.9%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 44.4% had no religion, 34.9% were Christian, 1.6% were Hindu, 4.8% were Muslim, 1.6% were Buddhist and 4.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 126 (18.2%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 87 (12.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 327 (47.2%) people were employed full-time, 111 (16.0%) were part-time, and 9 (1.3%) were unemployed.

Education
Akaroa's first primary school opened in 1857, and the first high school followed in 1883. The high school was for boys only in the first year but became co-educational in the second year. However, in 1900 it closed due to a lack of paying students. The next year, it re-opened as a free District High School. It moved to the current site in 1935. In 2007, the primary school was merged with it to form Akaroa Area School. This is now a co-educational composite school covering years 1 to 13, with a roll of  as of

Notable residents

 Jessie Buckland (1878–1939), photographer
 John Buckland (1844–1909), politician
 Bob Parker (born 1953), former mayor of Banks Peninsula and former resident
 William Penlington (1832–1899), sawmiller, builder and mayor of Akaroa
 William Penlington (1890–1982), school principal and educationalist
 Hugh Wilson (born 1945), botanist living at Hinewai Reserve over the hill from Akaroa
 Frank Worsley (1872–1943), sailor and explorer who served on Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1916, as captain of the Endurance

Notes

References

External links

 Akaroa official website
 Akaroa Civic Trust

Banks Peninsula
Populated places in Canterbury, New Zealand
Populated places established in 1840
Miocene volcanoes
Volcanoes of New Zealand
Landforms of Canterbury, New Zealand
English-New Zealand culture
French-New Zealand culture
Louis Philippe I

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The primary purpose of these experience reports and the Annual Report of Accidents in North American Mountaineering is to aid in the prevention of accidents.
At about 2PM on Saturday afternoon on July 24, 2005, Kate Tinnesand, 23 years old and an Oregon State University graduate student, was making her way along a climber's trace down an exposed section of the standard South Ridge Route of Three Finger Jack, a peak in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. She had summitted the Class V "summit block" with two friends and had completed the "Crawl", both exposed sections of climbing which are normally roped. Unroped and descending below the Crawl, she apparently slipped on the dangerous footing of fine scree over the steeply sloping rock of the exposed climber's trace and fell about 700 feet to the top of the talus slope on the west side of the ridge.
Her body was recovered Saturday evening by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Camp Sherman Hasty Search and Rescue Team and evacuated along the Pacific Crest Trail by Linn County SAR and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Mounted Posse. She was found very near the same place as the body of a young man who fell from the same place on the South Ridge in October 1997.
Analysis of Accident: What knowledge and techniques will help prevent future accidents?
A slip and fall on exposed steep sloping rock can lead to a fatal slide. Experience leads to concentration and care on exposed Class IV terrain.
This Report has been submitted for inclusion in the 2006 edition of Accidents in North American Mountaineering. Source: Robert Speik.
Having been on the mountain the day of the accident (our group left "the crawl" area mere minutes before Katie's fall), I've been sobered by how unfortunate all of this has been. It's really put things into perspective: climbing can be dangerous no matter your skill level and objective hazards do exist. We all understand those risks, accept them, and, therefore, reach such lofty places that inspire us. Our bonds with each other and the environment are strengthened by what we learn on the trail and in the mountains.
I did not know Katie, but I gather that she had a deep respect for the mountains and was a good friend. It sounds like she was an amazing person. Bless her soul.
I saw Katie and her group at the alcove before the final pitch to the summit. I distinctly remember how everyone up there seemed to be having a great time- glorious weather, joking, and laughter. Indeed, it was a beautiful day.
At approximately 1530 on Saturday, July, 23rd, Iain, Desiree, and Kate were just leaving the area of The Crawl on Three-Fingered Jack after a successful summit when Kate lost her footing and tumbled down the west side of the mountain. Iain immediately called 911 to report the accident and then called Joy Linn (CMRU In-town Coordinator) with the terrible news. He then directed another climbing group to descend and look for Kate.
The Air Life helicopter from Bend lifted four members of Camp Sherman Hasty Team from an improvised heli-spot in the Hoodoo parking lot to the meadows west of the mountain in three lifts; but it was evident after the first pass that Kate had not survived the fall.
Joy put the Unit on Stand-by at 1603 and later received permission from Linn County to respond. Bob Freund and Nick Pope (PMR) were both in the area and hiked in toward the mountain to meet Desiree and Iain as they made their way back to their vehicles. As Unit members arrived at the PCT trailhead, it appeared Linn County did not require/desire our assistance so members hiked in a short distance to meet Iain and Desiree as they came out to offer what support they could. They arrived at the trailhead at dusk. Kate was put into a SKED by Camp Sherman Hasty Team members and lowered about 1300 feet down the west scree field to the PCT. From there, she was taken by horse to the trailhead.
"Mt. Whitney's East Face Route is quicker!"
Wilderness Travel Course Newsletter this is a large PDF file!
Mountain calamity on Hood brings safety to the fore!
Fall into the Bergschrund on Mt. Hood, rescuers crash!


text:
David Sutphen
David Sutphen is Managing Partner of Brunswick's Washington, DC office and plays a leading role in advising corporations on strategic communications, public affairs, and reputational matters, with a particular focus on the technology, media and telecommunications sectors. With over fifteen years of experience in government and private industry, David has a proven history of helping companies achieve their business priorities and build partnerships that further their public policy goals and social responsibility missions. In addition to his work with Brunswick, Sutphen serves as a board member of Business Forward, GetSchooled, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation.
Prior to joining Brunswick, David was a Senior Vice President at Viacom, the parent company of MTV Networks, BET Networks, and Paramount Pictures. While at Viacom, he was a leading advisor to senior corporate and divisional executives on strategic, policy, political, and corporate responsibility matters. He also served on the board of the Copyright Alliance, as co-chair of the Viacom Corporate Responsibility Council, and played an instrumental role in helping develop and launch "GetSchooled", an education-focused, strategic collaboration between Viacom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
David is a graduate of The University of Michigan Law School — where he was a member of the Editorial Board of The Law Review — and an honors graduate of Amherst College.
In 2010, Sutphen was chosen by TheRoot.com as one of its "Root 100" — a group of emerging African American leaders making a difference in society.
Back to Board of Directors
PrevPrevious Board MemberCully Stimson
Next Board MemberBrian WeinsteinNext
Join the U.S. Soccer Foundation in the movement to improve lives through soccer.
adidas, the Foundation's Safe Places to Play – Mini-Pitch Partner, supports providing children in underserved communities with safe play spaces nationwide. adidas strives to be the globally leading and most popular sporting goods brand. Dedicated to innovation, adidas embraces creativity and seeks to be socially responsible in all facets of its brand. For more information, please visit adidas.com.
CHA Sports, the Foundation's Supplier for Soccer Facility Design and Planning Services, provides community partners with expertise in soccer facility design. CHA Sport's full service approach allows the company to build world-class projects without breaking budgets. For more information, please visit chacompanies.com.
The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation
DICK'S Sporting Goods and The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation believe that participation in sports makes people better. Since 2014, DICK'S and The DICK'S Foundation have pledged more than $100 million to support youth sports teams and leagues in need. Through our Sports Matter initiative we strive to increase awareness for underfunded youth athletics nationwide and provide much-needed support through equipment, uniform and monetary donations. For more information on Sports Matter, visit SportsMatter.org.
GEICO is committed to impacting local communities through Educational programs, Community Development projects and Equity & Inclusion initiatives. To date, GEICO has donated to 7,000+ charities and averaged between $6 and $8 million in annual giving over the last two decades. To learn more about GEICO's commitment to the community please visit www.geico.com/about/in-the-community.
Kwik Goal
Kwik Goal, the Foundation's Official Supplier for goals, seating, boundary equipment, training equipment and coaching accessories, will be supporting a variety of Foundation programs and initiatives including: Soccer for Success, National Training and the Safe Places to Play program. Over thirty years ago, Kwik Goal was founded on the revolutionary concept of providing transportable goals for coaches at all age levels. Since that time, Kwik Goal has continued to focus on helping coaches and soccer programs create safe and dynamic learning environments by supplying high quality, safety tested soccer goals, field equipment and training equipment to the domestic and international market. For more information, please visit Kwikgoal.com.
MLS WORKS
MLS WORKS, Major League Soccer's community outreach initiative, is dedicated to addressing important social issues and serves as a platform for both League and club philanthropic programs. MLS WORKS seeks to establish Major League Soccer as a leader for improving the lives of people through sport. MLS WORKS is committed to improving the communities where we live and play our games by executing national programs and legacy projects, charitable giving campaigns, and undertaking various initiatives in underserved communities.
Musco
As a proud corporate partner of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Musco is dedicated to helping the major charitable arm of American soccer create new opportunities through high-quality sports lighting. Their Total Light Control—TLC for LED™ technology is engineered as a system with lighting, structural, and electrical components designed to work together for streamlined installation and long-term reliability. TLC for LED delivers superior field lighting while eliminating glare and spill from impacting surrounding neighborhoods. And Musco's long-term warranty covering parts and labor means U.S. Soccer Foundation partners don't have to handle any maintenance on their system, or pay for it, for 25 years. Visit https://ussoccerfoundation.org/grants/ to learn more about the grant program and application process.
SCORE Sports, the preferred provider of shin guards to the Foundation's Soccer for Success program, is a family-owned and operated business specializing in sports equipment, uniforms and apparel. SCORE is an industry leader and has been involved in the sports community for over 40 years. SCORE outfits athletes with high-quality uniforms that SCORE develops, designs and manufactures in the U.S. SCORE takes pride in working with various non-profit groups and causes to give back to athletes who may need some extra support to play the game they love. SCORE is environmentally cautious with the materials it uses for its products and does its part in minimizing our environmental footprint. SCORE proudly offers a wide variety of products to provide customers with a one-stop shop for all your soccer needs. For more information, please visit scoresports.com.
Soccer.com, the Foundation's National Partner for Soccer Equipment and Uniforms, was founded in 1984 to provide high quality soccer gear at reasonable prices through its nationally circulated catalog. Soccer.com embodies a passion for the game that extends to the people who play, coach and support soccer. For more information, please visit soccer.com.
Target announced a national partnership with Safe Places to Play in 2017, along with a $6 million commitment to build 100 new soccer play spaces with the U.S. Soccer Foundation by 2020. This is the latest initiative in the Minneapolis-based retailer's multi-dimensional approach to the sport of soccer, bringing the game to more kids and families across the country, and unlocking access and increasing involvement at all levels.
TGI Worldwide
TGI Worldwide, the Foundation's National Partner for Visual Branding (Signage, Event Décor, Pageantry, Sponsorship Activation), Perimeter Field Board Systems, Creative Services and Event Operations is proud to support a variety of initiatives and programs throughout the United States. Headquartered in the U.S., TGI is an internationally recognized sports marketing company delivering high profile Visual Branding, Live Event Management, LED, and cutting edge Digital Sports Applications to enrich the experience at major events and deliver commercial impact for sponsors and partners. The company has a 20-year history in providing its various solutions for many top-tier domestic and international events, organizations, teams and companies, with proven success and turn-key solutions across 1000+ events, 160+ cities and 50+ countries globally.
For more information on our services, please visit https://www.worldwidetgi.com or contact Mike Squire at msquire@worldwidetgi.com / Phone: 312-371-5852.
World Soccer Shop
Launched in 2001, World Soccer Shop is an online soccer retailer based in Birmingham, Alabama. It carries one of the world's widest selections of officially-licensed products from the sport's top brands and teams. World Soccer Shop is passionate about soccer and endeavors to spread the beautiful game around the world, especially to those in areas of need. For more information, please visit www.worldsoccershop.com.
The U.S. Soccer Foundation's programs are the national model for sports-based youth development. We are committed to helping young people in underserved communities across the country. Our programs help children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth through trained coach-mentors. We partner with local communities to create cost-effective, long-term initiatives that meet each community's youth-development needs and provide safe environments where kids thrive.
©2021 | Privacy | Contact
Press & Media Room
1140 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 1200
Email: info@ussoccerfoundation.org
Congressional Soccer Match
Urban Soccer Symposium


Nearly half a decade ago, the Townline Group of Companies undertook to restore a bastion of Victoria's history. Now restored to its former glory, The Hudson is a glittering example of the gentrification Townline hopes to achieve in Victoria's Hudson district.
I was recently invited by Townline to come to Victoria, see the restoration with my own eyes and try living in Victoria on for size.
Famous for strong architecture and symmetrical design, the exterior of The Hudson has only been kicked up a notch. Maintaining the integrity of the original design, the rooftop of The Hudson has been transformed into a show-stopping 14,000-square-foot terrace with expansive views across the city and the Juan de Fuca Strait.
Also added is the internal courtyard, tidily landscaped with lush greenery and a reflective pool.
More than anything, I was struck by the impeccable attention to detail given within the restoration. Not only was Townline able to make use of salvaged original pieces from the building when it belonged to HBC, the group combined their finds with minimalist design to create a uniquely modern image for The Hudson.
Small details such as the wallpaper lining the hallways or the welcoming "store entrance" only added to the charm and served as vibrant reminders of the rich history of this building.
After our short float plane ride, Jordy and I found ourselves inside our home away from home inside The Hudson. Famished and ready for rest, I was pleased to see that dinner was served from Smoken Bones Cookhouse. My mouthwatering feast was rounded out with pulled pork, Smoken Bones' signature ribs and a to-die-for dirty rice cake.
The inside of the building has been renovated into smartly-appointed flats, double-height lofts and superb penthouses with all the modern amenities one would expect.
For an experimental "foodie" like myself, the kitchen was nothing short of a dream. Apart from being esthetically pleasing, elite quality appliances, quartz countertops, pot lights and sleek cabinetry were welcome components.
With highly desirable open floor plans, transitioning from dinner to kicking my feet up was seamless. My suite featured enough seating for a classy wine gathering of my friends but a space intimate enough to set up my laptop and get some work done.
Perhaps my most favourite (and admittedly biased) feature of The Hudson? It's a pet-friendly home! Not only was Jordy able to meet some new canine friends in the building, he also made it clear from minute one that he was quite at home within our apartment.
If you're anything like me, taking baths is a relished part of any week – and in particular at the week's end. Overlooking the main living area, the lofted master suite is undoubtedly the pièce de résistance.
The open ensuite bathroom warmed my toes with radiant in-floor heating, double sinks, a roomy glass-enclosed shower, separate vestibule for the toilet and a soaker tub that could swallow me hole.
After a long day of both work and travel, I was eager to snuggle into my bed but unsure how disrupted my sleep would be, being that The Hudson is in the middle of it all on Douglas Street. I was pleased to quickly learn that high-grade glass was installed and I didn't hear a peep from the street.
Reflecting on my brief time staying at The Hudson, the memory that stands out most of all was simply the feeling of community I felt from the moment I walked inside. Neighbours are warm and The Hudson feels like a place to call home.
Those that are fortunate enough to own a piece of this Victoria legacy have something to be undoubtedly proud of. The same too can be said for Townline, as I have no doubt that The Hudson will continue to be an important and recognizable inheritance in Victoria for another 100 years.
View all my Hudson photos on Flickr. Look for Smoken Bones Cookshack and 2% Jazz Espresso and Coffee Bar to call The Hudson home later this year.
What amazing photos! The Hudson truly is a beautiful addition to the Victoria condo scene!
Fantastic photos! I work across the street from the Hudson so I've had a bird's eye view on the demolition, reconstruction and finish to the project. I'm really looking forward to Smokin' Bones, 2% Jazz Coffee and (hopefully soon) a grocery store opening on the ground floor.


1. NRMS students who need to leave the building during the school day must be cleared through the front office prior to leaving.
2. Early dismissals are not accepted by telephone, and we cannot call your student out of class before your arrival in the office.
3. A picture I.D. is required when picking up a student for an early dismissal.
4. Students will not be released to anyone who is not on the enrollment card listed under emergency contacts in that student's Skyward file.
5. In the event a student needs to be withdrawn from school, a 24 hour notice is required in order to process the withdrawal paperwork.


Other Theory is a brand that makes everyday outfits still feel comfortable, but adds a pinch of glamour and extravagance. VALERIE is a dress, which totally shows our attitude. Defined upper part, but loose skirt and sleeves lightens the appearance of this piece and makes it your best choice for an evening out.


Do you have a serger and aren't sure what to do with it? Or do you use it only to finish seams and want to do more? Then this is the class for you. You should have a basic knowledge of how to use your serger, or if you are thinking about purchasing one, this will help you decide if a serger if for you.


Several types of missing people inside of High Wycombe realize exactly why they will go away therefore it may be because of the discomfort caused by your unpleasant family life again in the home inside of Beacon Hill.
Private Investigator High Wycombe really are a considerate as well as skilled in PI business who have control to provide assistance and guidance people who're trying to figure out the position of the missing people around Buckinghamshire, for instance, Missing Persons Trace within High Wycombe, Missing Persons Surveillance within High Wycombe as well as Missing Persons Investigation within High Wycombe.
A gloomy home near Micklefield has a risk of adults and/or children getting up and leaving for good.
People may decide to leave their Cores End home due to dejection and the feeling of hopelessness.
Fear as well as anxiousness, 2 main reasons for depressive disorders bringing an enormous problem for anybody in that situation to share their feelings as well as speak, therefore awaken eventually and then leave their Booker house.
Youngsters in foster care are usually 3 x more likely to run away home in High Wycombe.
Children brought up in one location and taken into foster homes in a different location away, are inclined to run off to go back home to familiar place in High Wycombe.
Private Investigator High Wycombe private detectives within Buckinghamshire might re-examine instalments of missing individuals and may reveal info not really found previously.
Dealing with Private Investigator High Wycombe within High Wycombe tend to be highly-skilled private detectives who're professional within retracing actions to try and uncover clean info that might unburden your problems.
From Private Investigator High Wycombe, Missing Persons Surveillance is completed within High Wycombe through private detectives that ask at each house within Buckinghamshire to acquire related info.
At Private Investigator High Wycombe the Missing Person Trace in High Wycombe have a group of private agents who approach intense databases not accessible to the overall population in Buckinghamshire, which could give beforehand shrouded data towards the case.


Human Presence is a fraud prevention and form protection service that uses multiple overlapping strategies to fight form spam including: protecting user registration and login forms, content creation forms, comments, contact forms, and more.
Delivers best-in-class site security for your WordPress website.
Invisible to your users, Human Presence runs in the background to analyze site traffic in real time to protect against malicious and fraudulent activity.
Eliminates annoying spam submissions and fake account creation.
Full integration with the most popular form plugins (i.e. Formidable, Gravity Forms, etc.) right out of the box.
Note: You'll need a Human Presence account, if you don't already have one, to connect to the service. You can sign-up for a free account on our website.
Public support requests or issues with the plugin can be reported via the support tab of this listing or by emailing Human Presence directly at wpsupport@humanpresence.io.
Usage of this plugin with a Human Presence account is subject to our terms of service.
Install Human Presence either via the WordPress.org plugin directory, or by uploading the .zip file to your server and 'Activate' it.
Go to the Human Presence plugin settings page in the admin menu on the left and create an account (if you don't already have one).
Connect your site to Human Presence using your company name and username.
"Human Presence" is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Translate "Human Presence" into your language.
Added support for auto-protecting forms and comments on activation/connection, fixed dashicon not rendering correctly, and updated the link to the dashboard.
Remove tag manager and test with WP 5.
Configure CSS Pre-processing for a bug fix and ensure better name spacing in general.
Updates to the plugin description regarding sign-up details.
Fixed jQuery undefined error in Ajax settings.
Add the TOS and support email to the description.
Overhaul of the entire plugin to focus on ease of use with regard to preventing form and comment spam.
Changed api_key from camelCase to snake_case.
Fixed bug with apiKey not being properly set in script enqueue.
Discontinued the use of file_get_contents() to authenticate via our API in favor of using curl for more universal host server compatibility.
Resolved type error when checking login status.
Removed erroneously added additional user line under login form.
Internal API URI change. This is a breaking change if the Ellipsis user is not already connected.
Removed admin menu page position parameter to avoid conflicts with other plugins.
Resolved fatal error message issue upon plugin activation prior to connecting ellipsis account (special thanks to Brent Alexander for contributing the fix).


text:
Can you play games on Scratch?
Yes, you can play games on Scratch! Scratch is a free coding platform and online community developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. On Scratch, you can create your own games, animations, stories, and much more.
To create a game, you can work with graphical objects called sprites and utilize coding blocks to give them instructions for movement and interaction. Once your game is finished, you can share it with the Scratch community, who can then play and interact with your creations.
Additionally, you can search for other people's projects in categories like Games, Animation, Art, Stories, and even Puzzles. Scratch is not only a great way to learn coding, but there are a lot of interactive and creative games to play as well!.
Can you use Scratch to make games?
Can Scratch have online games?
Is Scratch easier than Python?
Is Scratch good for 12 year olds?
Can we convert Scratch game into an app?
What game can I do in Scratch?
What are the top 10 games on Scratch?
What is from scratch playing on?
How do you play Scratch and win?
What is a Scratch short answer?
What Scratch means?
Is making a game in Scratch easy?
What can I make on Scratch for beginners?
What is the lowest size game?
Yes, you can use Scratch to make games. Scratch is a programming language and online community created by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is a great way for kids and adults to learn creative computing and have fun with interactive programming.
With Scratch, you can make all kinds of games, from simple arcade, platformer and racing games, to more complex puzzles and adventures. You can also use Scratch to create animations and stories. The projects are easy and intuitive to build, as the blocks used for programming urge you to create in a fun and creative way.
Scratch is a powerful tool for learning core programming concepts such as conditionals and loops, as well as mastering creative computational thinking.
Yes, Scratch can have online games! Scratch is a programming language and website used to create interactive stories, games and animations, which makes it well-suited for creating online games. Scratch has a built-in online multiplayer mode for making online games, which allow users to play with others around the world.
Additionally, the Scratch code that users write can be exported out of the Scratch interface and put onto other websites, allowing users to create online games and make them accessible to the world. With the help of Scratch, users can create a wide range of online games, from classic platformers to physics-based puzzle games, and much more.
It depends on your perspective! If you want to create a game or animation with a graphical interface, then Scratch is likely the better choice as it was designed for this purpose. On the other hand, if you are interested in creating a program that can be used for more "behind-the-scenes" tasks such as data analysis or scripting, then Python might be the better language to opt for.
Overall though, both languages have a fairly low learning curve and make it relatively straightforward to pick up the basics. Which language you end up learning will depend on what your end goal is and what your overall objectives are.
It also depends on the person; some people find one language easier than the other while some don't, so it's really a matter of personal preference.
Yes, Scratch is a great tool for 12 year olds. Scratch is a visual programming language developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It was designed to teach children in the age group of 8 to 16 year olds the basics of coding, so it is well suited for 12 year olds.
Scratch provides an easy to understand, interactive programming environment that allows users to create stories, animations, and games. It includes a library of "blocks", allowing users to simply drag and drop commands and blocks of code to create their programs, making learning programming more intuitive and less intimidating.
The graphical and block-based environment allows users to focus on specific parts of the program, making debugging and troubleshooting easier. Scratch also has a vibrant online community with thousands of projects and tutorials, providing plenty of support and resources to help users understand the concepts better.
With its easy to follow, simple design, and abundance of resources, Scratch is an excellent teaching tool and an excellent choice for 12 year olds.
Yes, it is possible to convert a Scratch game into an app. This can be done by using a tool like PhoneGap, which is a framework for creating mobile apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This can be used to package Scratch games as an app.
Aside from PhoneGap, some other tools could also be used to create a mobile app from a Scratch game, such as Cocos2d-x, Appcelerator Titanium, and Unity3D.
Apart from using a tool to create an app, you could also manually develop the app using native code for the platform you want your game to be on. This would be the most complex option, as you would need to implement all the logic for the game and how it interacts with the platform.
You would also need to create a user interface from scratch, which would include graphics and sound.
Scratch is a creative coding program designed by the MIT Media Lab that allows users to create interactive stories, animations, games, music and art. With Scratch, you can program your own interactive stories, games, and animations, and then share your creations with others in the online community.
There is an endless range of things you can create in Scratch, with no coding experience needed. Popular game ideas include platformers like Super Mario or arcade style games like Space Invaders. You can also adapt popular board games like Snakes & Ladders and Monopoly to Scratch or even create a completely new game with your own unique set of rules.
Additionally, if you get stuck, the Scratch Community has helpful forums, tutorials and examples to get you started.
According to the Scratch website, the top 10 most popular Scratch games currently being played are:
1. Run Alien Run – 866,682 plays
2. Get 10 – 847,398 plays
3. COPS AND ROBBERS – 825,490 plays
4. Platformer with 46 Levels – 687,905 plays
5. Boat Racing – 674,387 plays
6. Soccer Physics – 453,602 plays
7. Hockey: 2 Player Ice Puck – 408,155 plays
8. Pets Wars! – 376,255 plays
9. Halloween Game – 360,709 plays
10. Jump Week – 351,783 plays
From scratch playing is a phrase used to describe starting a project or undertaking without the benefit of any existing resources or guidance. It usually refers to initiating a project without pre-prepared materials or directions, instead relying on creativity and intuition to build something from the ground up.
In this context, "from scratch" implies a unique and often ambitious journey in learning and mastering a particular skill or concept. From scratch playing is generally a skill-oriented activity that builds competence and independence.
Generally, from scratch playing is a phrase used to describe undertaking a project or activity without any pre-existing resources, guidance, or knowledge. It requires relying on one's creativity and intuition to develop something totally new and unique.
This concept can apply to anything from creating a game, writing a song, building a website, investing in stocks, learning a new language, creating a painting, learning to play an instrument, or solving a challenging problem.
Whatever the goal may be, the idea behind from scratch playing is to become more proficient and independent in the process.
Playing Scratch and win, or Scratch offs, is quite simple. First, you need to buy a scratch off ticket from an authorized lottery retailer. Then, you'll need to scratch off the covering to reveal symbols, numbers or phrases on the ticket.
Depending on the game you purchased, you may need to match 3 symbols or phrases, or you might need to scratch open and reveal a certain numerical combination.
Often times, the instructions on the ticket will tell you what you need to do in order to win. For example, the instructions may tell you to match 3 of the same symbol or phrase, or they may tell you to reveal a combination of numbers that match the winning combination.
If your ticket reveals a winning combination, you may be awarded with a prize which can range from instant cash to cars and other gadgets.
Scratch offs can often be found at convenience stores or gas stations, or even online. Be sure to read the back of the ticket for all the official rules for the game, as well as any information about prizes and winners.
Good luck and have fun!.
A Scratch short answer is a type of online assessment tool developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology used to create interactive stories, animations, and games. It's used by both educators and learners of all ages and abilities.
Using the Scratch programming language, users can create their own customized interactive experiences. Scratch Short Answers allow users to quickly create interactive assessments, quizzes, and surveys by combining the features of a programming language with the drag and drop features of a visual storyboard.
These custom assessments can include multiple choice, drag and drop, matching, and other types of questions, and can provide immediate feedback on the right and wrong answers. Scratch Short Answers can be embedded on webpages, emailed, and shared on social media platforms.
Scratch is an educational programming language and online community where users can create and share interactive stories, games, and animations. Developed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), it is designed for 8- to 16-year-old beginners, but is also used by adults for projects.
The interface allows users to drag and stack coding blocks to create their program. Scratch teaches children key coding concepts such as repetition, variables, and conditionals. While coding, children can also explore their storytelling and design skills through creating fictional characters, interactive stories, and games.
Projects created in Scratch are shared online, allowing users to learn from one another and discuss coding challenges. With Scratch, users have the opportunity to create innovative projects, increase their technical skills and express themselves creatively.
Making a game in Scratch can be an easy or difficult process depending on the type and complexity of the game. Scratch is a beginner-friendly programming language designed for younger audiences. The interface is highly visual and easy to understand, so it doesn't require an in-depth understanding of coding languages.
With some basic programming knowledge, and some imagination, you can create a simple game fairly quickly.
More complicated games require more advanced coding skills and can take significantly more time to develop. If you are creating a game with more unique elements, such as different levels and more complex puzzles, you might need to go beyond basic coding skills and practice more advanced coding techniques.
With Scratch, you will also need to understand graphics and artwork, sound and music, and game mechanics such as physics and user interactions.
Overall, making a game in Scratch can be a relatively easy process, depending on how complex your game is. With basic coding knowledge and some practice, you can easily create a fun and interesting game.
With more advanced skills and techniques, you can create even more complex and interesting games.
Scratch is a creative computing platform that makes it easy and fun for beginners to create their own interactive games, stories, and animations. For beginners, a great place to start is by creating basic animations, like a dancing character or a sun shimmering across a blue sky.
Other possibilities include creating music and sound effects, making interactive stories, programming a basic game, and creating art projects that explore drawing and color.
It's easy to get started creating on Scratch—all you need is a computer and internet access. There are no software downloads required, and the platform is free. Beginners can use the Scratch website to access tutorials, guides, and the Scratch community.
New users can learn the basics of coding while creating projects with the Scratch blocks, which are the coding language used in the platform.
The great thing about creating with Scratch is that it is versatile and can be used for a variety of projects. Once beginners understand the basic blocks, they can move on to more complex ideas, such as AI, machine learning, and robotics applications.
With Scratch, the possibilities for creative projects are endless.
The size of a game can vary greatly depending on the type of game and how it is developed. Generally speaking, however, the lowest size game would be those developed for mobile devices. These games usually need to be optimized for use on a small screen, so their file sizes are usually much smaller than other types of games.
Trivia and casual puzzle games are often very small, often only a few megabytes. Even full 3D games for mobile devices can be quite small, with some of the most graphically impressive titles only needing a few hundred megabytes of space.
Other game types, such as those for PCs and consoles, can range from several gigabytes to tens of gigabytes in size, so they are generally much larger than mobile games.
How do you write two hundred and fifty dollars on a check?
Has an oklahoman ever won Powerball?


As full-fledged winter descends on Waldo County, Unity College invites the community to think spring and register for wilderness certification courses through January to May as part of the school's upcoming Certification and Training Center offerings.
Programs through the center are hands-on and experiential, with instructors who are experienced leaders and passionate educators. Students will get the skills they need to be competent, responsible leaders long after their course ends.
Every Monday, Jan 22 – May 7 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
State of Maine Wardens Sgt Chris Simmons and Warden Tom McKenney will share a combined 40 years' experience with participants of this course, designed to introduce future Warden Candidates to the activities and enforcement skills needed to become an effective Game Warden. Students will actively participate in various activities that Wardens around the country routinely work and interact with a variety of instructors that are passionate about their activities and experts in their fields. A discussion of enforcement and patrol techniques will occur after each course activity.
FEE: $700 – SAVE 10% until December 25!
Saturday, Feb. 3 – Sunday, Feb. 4 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Learn advanced skills to give care for potentially life-threatening emergencies when help from professional first responders may be far away. All WRFA students must have a current CPR card or will also include an Adult CPR/AED course on Saturday evening. All students that register for this course will be automatically enrolled in the CPR course.
Thursday, March 22 – Friday, March 30 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
A comprehensive and in-depth look at the standards and skills of dealing with Response and Assessment, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Environmental Emergencies and Survival Skills, Soft Tissue Injuries, and Medical Emergencies. All WFR students must have a current CPR card or will need to take an Adult CPR/AED course in an evening session. This course includes 72 – 80 hours in-class sessions, out of class reading, and a final exam.
Feb. 20 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. OR April 24 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Learn how to respond to health emergencies and provide basic first aid for the four-legged members of your family. Practice and preparation will help you be calm and effective in an emergency, protecting you and your animal from further injury or suffering.
Maine is our classroom. Courses are generally small at 6 – 30 participants. Depending on the type of course, all back-country trips will be a 1:6 ratio (staff: student). Our outdoor programs incorporate Leave No Trace ethics. Risk management and thoughtful planning are at the forefront of our courses, and we collaborate with State and National organizations to provide the best possible program. Programs can be tailored to fit the needs of the students, including one-on-one guidance and support.
More information available at certifications.unity.edu.


Buy the high quality NBA Oklahoma City Thunder #35 Kevin Durant Swingman Men's Basketball Realtree Collection Camo Nike Jersey Wholesale LUZUQ014, the best price Oklahoma City Thunder Jersey hot sale now.
It's light, breathable and has a droptail hem for added coverage. Add a touch of casual style to your look with the NBA Oklahoma City Thunder #35 Kevin Durant Swingman Men's Basketball Realtree Collection Camo Nike Jersey Wholesale LUZUQ014. It features unique graphics so that everyone will know which team you represent!


I was away on a trip to Western Canada last week and therefore forgot to keep you up to date on the burning statistics-related stories to keep you occupied during the holidays. Not that it matters where I was, but it comes into play. Trust me.
Is the team still around?
As previously mentioned, the WHA merger brought four teams into the fold; the Edmonton Oilers, the Hartford Whalers, the Quebec Nordiques, and the (original) Winnipeg Jets.
Tragically, this particular expansion class was somewhat brutal for the "team sticking to its own original location" criteria about halfway through the 90s, with the Quebec Nordiques relocating to Colorado to become the Avalanche in 1995; the Winnipeg Jets following suit by going to Arizona to become the Coyotes in 1996, and the Hartford Whalers relocating to Carolina in 1997 to become the Carolina Hurricanes, making for some sweet throwback jerseys to be featured this year. Again, their success (or lack thereof) post-relocation will not be considered, with the exception of cups won, as some form of these teams are still around, and therefore their cups could count towards them.
As a result of their longevity, Edmonton has the most playoff appearances, with 21. Remarkably, after inclusion in the NHL, the Oilers managed to make the playoffs their first 13 seasons in a row en route to winning all five of their Stanley Cups to date, piggybacked by this great man, pictured in bronze raising Lord Stanley's mug with some idiot tourist.
Winnipeg had the second most playoff appearances with 11, followed by Quebec's 9, and Hartford's 8. None of the other teams would win in their former iterations; however, the Nordiques would win as the Avalanche (literally the year after relocation and again in 2001), and Hartford would go on to win as the Hurricanes in 2006, while the Jets would go bankrupt as the Coyotes.


text:
Dad brings along 18-month-old daughter to pick up ...
Dad sentenced to at least 27 year for murdering gi...
Dad indicted for father's day murder of mom, infan...
Dad arrested for burning wife to death, injuring c...
Dad murders mom after being released from jail on ...
Dad to stand trial for attempted murder of wife, s...
Dad pleads guilty to cruelty to children; gets 10 ...
Dad gets 13 1/2 years for child porn involving own...
Dad charged with threatening to kill 2 ex-girlfrie...
Dad to go to trial for murder of 5-month-old daugh...
Dad found guilty of felony child abuse during visi...
Dad charged with felony endangering charges in dea...
Dad arrested for molesting two daughters; pastors ...
"Frustrated" dad to go to trial for assaulting 6-m...
Police shoot dad after he shoots mom; daughter for...
Dad leaves toddler in locked van while gambling at...
Children poisoned by father six years ago "move on...
Dad jailed for child neglect, assault of five chil...
Dad stabs to death two daughters, mom; media makes...
Jury out again in trial of dad accused of murderin...
Dad pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter in d...
Abandoned 4-year-old boy tips police to mom's slay...
Dad accused of using meth, terrorizing family all ...
Mom files for order of protection; dad seeking cus...
Killer dad was father to daughter's oldest son (Le...
Dad pleads not guilty to beating 5-year-old son ov...
One size fits all approach to child custody can en...
Babysitting dad found guilty in beating death of 7...
Dad in "custody dispute" threatens to kill county ...
"Honor killer" who murdered wife over child custod...
"Doting dad" strangles two sons to death (Montreal...
Protective mom called liar by authorities; now 3 k...
"The writing for this murder was on the wall": Isr...
Dad strangles to death young sons, ages 1 and 7 (M...
Dad murders 3 children during unsupervised visitat...
Dad busted for meth labs in home after being inves...
Dad charged with inflicting life-threatening injur...
Custodial dad, roommate charged with sodomizing so...
Custodial dad who attacked daughter, murdered 3-mo...
Custodial dad, step arrested in death of 3-year-ol...
Dad "smashes" 8-month-old daughter for crying; sto...
Dad arrested on homicide charges in death of 4-mon...
Arraignment delayed for dad charged in murder ramp...
After baby removed from life support, dad charged ...
Dad pleads guilty to aggraved battery for severely...
Dad killed 13-year-old son, mom; dad had history o...
Dad groomed daughters to be sex partners; sentence...
County spent $4,000 so father with history of DV c...
Dad found guilty of murdering 3 sons during visita...
Dad charged with torturing daughters (Riverside, C...
Dad stabs 4-year-old daughter to death (Bor, Serbia)
Dad arrested for abusing 6-week-old infant (Cary, ...
Dad sentenced to 40 years in infant son's death (B...
Custodial dad, step indicted in death of 3-year-ol...
After 30 years, daughter learns truth: her abusive...
Dad gets probation for abusing infant son; baby ha...
Dad arrested after shooting 17-year-old son in the...
Still more background on custodial dad who killed ...
Dad with "anger issues" pleads guilty to breaking ...
Additional information on custodial dad who murder...
Non-custodial mother of boy slain by custodial fat...
Dad, step indicted for 1st-degree murder of 3-year...
Drunk dad arrested for letting 11-year-old son dri...
Dad gets 19 years for killing wife with cyanide; t...
Dad accused of leaving 3-year-old son in truck whi...
Dad abandons 14-year-old son on highway "to teach ...
Dad facing 2nd-degree murder charges for beating d...
Dad of murdered baby now fights murder for hire ch...
Dad charged with abusing his 9-year-old son after ...
Baby dies after life support removed; dad charged ...
Dad charged with assault in death of 10-month-old ...
Father of 4 barricades himself in home with young ...
Dad found guilty in death of 4-month-old daughter ...
Baby killer dad plotted murders to silence three o...
Babysitting dad accused of beating 2-year-old daug...
Knifed by dad, boy to stay in care home (India)
DASTARDLY DADS FROM THE ARCHIVES (Prichard, Idaho ...
Dad murders mom, teen son; 3 children left motherl...
Background on 5-year-old killed by custodial dad, ...
Judge to render verdict in case of dad accused of ...
Dad charged with 2nd-degree assault after beating ...
Dad, step indicted in death of 5-year-old daughter...
6-year-old boy predicted dad would kill mom; why d...
Dad admits plan to kill child, himself in day-care...
Dad killed in failed plan to get custody of child ...
Dad arrested for murder of 5-year-old son; had bee...
Dad gets 12 years for "neglect" of 6-week-old son;...
Dad pleads guilty to attempted murder charges in s...
"Leading" psychologist, former intern failed to re...
Dad in "heated divorce and custody battle" charged...
Mom, brother-in-law shot by dad; 7 children were i...
Seeking help difficult for domestic violence victi...
Dad arrested for throwing baby into traffic; occur...
Dad charged after 7-year-old son fires gun during ...
Custodial dad blames girlfriend for beating death ...
Babysitting dad accused of critically injuring 2-m...
NYU buys child porn, refuses to return to victim a...
Non-custodial mother of boy slain by custodial father sues state (Stanton, Michigan)
The surviving non-custodial mother of a 9-year-old boy killed by his abusive custodial father in 2007 is suing the state of Michigan. Dad OLIVER BRAMAN killed himself, his (third) wife, and his son in a murder-suicide through carbon monoxide poisoning. At the time of the murders, Daddy had already been found guilty of child abuse (using a cattle prod on two older sons) and had failed to appear in court for sentencing. The county prosecutor had urged the state to get the boy out of his father's home, but as usually happens, the HHS idiots sat on their hands. HHS NOW ADMITS that they should have removed the boy and placed him with his mother. A little late now, guys.
Note that in an article from 2007, the mother says she hadn't even seen her son in the two years prior to his death as she had been REFUSED visitation. And that she had tried to get custody back and was denied justice, even as she got custody back of the older boys.
SO WHO GAVE ABUSER DADDY CUSTODY TO BEGIN WITH? Anybody want to own up to that?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-boysdeath-lawsui,0,7027514.story
Mother of Mich. boy slain by father sues state
12:19 p.m. CDT, July 20, 2010
STANTON, Mich. — The mother of a 9-year-old boy killed by his abusive father in a 2007 murder-suicide is suing, claiming child welfare workers failed to remove him from his father's home despite a prosecutor's warnings.
Rebecca Jasinski, of Saginaw County, contends that her son, Nicholas Braman, could have been saved if the state had removed him from his father's home in Montcalm County, according to a lawsuit filed earlier this month in federal court in Grand Rapids.
Oliver Braman killed himself, his wife and Nicholas by filling a room with carbon monoxide nearly three years ago. Their deaths came days after Oliver Braman failed to appear in court for sentencing in a child abuse case in which he was convicted of using a cattle prod to discipline two other sons.
A month before the deaths, the Montcalm County prosecutor's office urged the state to get Nicholas out of the home but nothing happened, according to the lawsuit.
"The death of Nicholas Daniel Braman would have been avoided if defendants had simply done what they were obligated to do by law to protect (Nicholas) from further abuse and neglect," attorney Gregory Wix said in the lawsuit.
A watchdog inside the department, the Office of Children's Ombudsman, investigated and found that child welfare workers should have stepped in to help Nicholas as soon as they became aware of the abuse of siblings, the lawsuit contends.
The state Department of Human Services has acknowledged the boy should have been removed and placed with Jasinski, who lived 80 miles away. The agency declined to comment on the lawsuit.
"We're very concerned about the safety of children," spokesman Edward Woods III told The Grand Rapids Press.
The boy's death led to a new law that established rules for how child welfare workers in different counties must communicate, among other things.
The lawsuit claims gross negligence and names seven people who are current or former employees of the department and its Child Protective Services arm. It seeks an unspecified amount of money exceeding $75,000, the threshold for a civil case in federal court.
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=82379
Mother of 9 year old murder victim says she tried to save her son
Chris Fleszar
Updated:10/17/2007 11:32:46 PM - Posted: 10/17/2007 1:47:04 PM
DOUGLASS TOWNSHIP - The Montcalm County prosecutor says she was trying to remove a 9 year old boy from the home where he died earlier this week during a murder-suicide.
The body of 46 year old Oliver Braman, his 43 year old wife Nancy, and 9 year old Nicholas Braman were found yesterday afternoon at a home in Douglass Township in Montcalm County.
Montcalm County Prosecutor, Andrea Krause, tells WZZM 13 her office was attempting to convince the Department of Human Services to remove the 9-year-old Nicholas.
Krause says DHS believed there was not a threat to his life.? DHS is now referring all calls to Lansing offices.
Local authorities were not aware of abuse regarding the 9-year-old but because of abuse to the older children officials say the younger boy should have been removed.
The biological mother, Andrea Jasinski who lives in Saginaw spoke with our newspaper partner the Greenville Daily News. "I haven't seen Nicholas in more than two years," Becki Jasinski of Saginaw said today. "Friend of the Court refused me visitation."
She was in Stanton last Friday and did try to get custody of the boy but was denied. She did receive custody of her 14 and 15 year old sons.
She also told the Greenville Daily News, "I've been trying to get Nicholas out of the house ever since," Jasinski said. "The (Montcalm County) prosecutor's office was trying as well."
The Montcalm County Medical Examiner will perform autopsies Wednesday on a family of three found dead in their home. Sheriff's deputies believe 46-year-old Oliver Braman and his 43-year-old wife Nancy committed suicide Sunday along with his 9-year-old biological son Nicholas.
Neighbors say they are shocked and heartbroken to learn of the news. Duane and Ellen Bushada describe Oliver Braman as loving and generous.
"We were just glad to live next door to a guy that worked hard. We work hard and saw that he did too," said Ellen Bushada.
Deputies with the Montcalm County Sheriff's Department arrived at a Douglass Township home early Tuesday looking for Braman, who failed to appear for a pre-sentencing hearing in the 8th Circuit Court of Stanton on Monday. Braman was initially arrested on September 4th in connection with an August 3rd child abuse investigation on his two older sons. Authorities say Braman was accused of using a cattle prod to discipline the teens, something he admitted to doing.
Bushada says a deputy asked her if she had seen Braman, but she did not.
"I didn't have any idea what was going on or what was going to come down. I left to do some errands and when I came home there everybody was, I saw an ambulance and I thought well they found him-- oh my gosh what happened?"
Deputies then called the man's oldest son to check inside the home. When he arrived with a friend they found a pick-up truck parked behind the house running with a makeshift hose connected to the outside dryer vent.
Inside they found three bodies. They were lying on a mattress in one of the bedrooms. Sheriff Deputies also found what appears to be a detailed hand written account of the events leading up to their deaths. It appears from the notes that all three took large amount of Tylenol PM prior to lying down on the bed and being overcome by the exhaust fumes.
"She loved him, and she was devoted to helping him raise his kids," said Ellen Bushada of about wife Nancy Braman.
The Bushadas say the Bramans were a broken family with some trouble. Older sons had moved out, and the couple struggled to make ends meet. They never sensed danger or abuse.
"I don't buy it." said Duane Bushada of the alleged abuse charges. "He was a gentle spirit."
According to the note it appears the deaths took place late Sunday.
The Bushadas say they no matter what information comes to light about Oliver Braman. They felt he was a good person.
"He will be missed and just because I prayed today I believe I will see him in heaven. All three," said Ellen Bushada.
Stay with WZZM 13 News for continuing coverage of this developing story.
Labels: child custody, child death, child murder, custodial dad, custodial father, custody/visitation, Michigan, murder


As logging tools and interpretive methods are developing in accuracy and sophistication, they are playing an expanded role in the geological decision–making process. Today, petrophysical log interpretation is one of the most useful and important tools available to a petroleum geologist.
Besides their traditional use in exploration to correlate zones and to assist with structure and isopach mapping, logs help define physical rock characteristics such as lithology, porosity, pore geometry, and permeability. Logging data is used to identify productive zones, to determine depth and thickness of zones, to distinguish between oil, gas, or water in a reservoir, and to estimate hydrocarbon reserves. Also, geologic maps developed from log interpretation help with determining facies relationships and drilling locations.
As logging tools and interpretive methods are developing in accuracy and sophistication, they are playing an expanded role in the geological decision-making process. Today, petrophysical log interpretation is one of the most useful and important tools available to a petroleum geologist.