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San Joaquin Valley College Blog
What are the benefits of earning an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice: Corrections?
Read our guide on Criminal Justice: Corrections
Are you considering a career as a Detention or Correctional Officer?
It can be a highly competitive field, and the hiring process can be comprehensive and lengthy.
During that time, what can you do to position yourself as a more viable, appealing candidate to prospective employers?
For Destiny Carter, 23, earning her Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice: Corrections from San Joaquin Valley College provided the education, training, and experience she needed to excel during a rigorous employment process.
Carter graduated from SJVC's Temecula campus—one of 10 SJVC campuses offering the accelerated, in as few as 14-month Criminal Justice: Corrections AS degree—in July, 2019.
Less than a month later, she was hired by the Arizona Department of Corrections and moved 350 miles from her home in Hemet, CA to begin the department's training academy near Phoenix. She's now employed full time as a Correction Officer 2 at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis in Buckeye.
"Everything I experienced throughout my program at SJVC prepared me to be a better candidate," says Carter. "The education, the physical training, and the various written and physical tests I took throughout the program all helped lay a solid foundation that provided a real sense of confidence. I visited a border control facility, a prison, a jail, and a youth detention program. I also learned about evidence collection and preservation. I learned how to handle weapons, how to defend myself, and how to diffuse potentially volatile situations."
By the time she graduated, Carter says she knew she could—and would—excel in the field of corrections.
"I felt like I had a solid advantage," she recalls. "I think the focus, commitment, and self-confidence I developed while earning my degree really helped me interview well. I knew what to expect throughout the process. In fact, the written and physical tests we practiced in class were even more demanding than the ones required to get the job."
Kent Chivington, program director of the Criminal Justice: Corrections department at the San Joaquin Valley College campus in Temecula, says Carter's experience is not unique.
"Our program is designed to prepare students for successful careers in corrections," says Chivington. "Associate degrees are required by some agencies to apply for their promotions. It will most definitely set them apart from other applicants. We place a strong emphasis on ethics, discipline, education, and training. During the process of earning their AS degree, students also develop valuable experience and analytical skills that can help in the job application process."
Chivington says the program provides a solid foundation that serves students well.
"Our program includes instruction in criminal law, evidence collection and preservation, report writing, institutional corrections, physical agility training, defensive tactics, and weaponless defense," Chivington explains. "During the program, students also learn arrest and control techniques, courtroom procedures, CPR and first aid, and firearms* use."
Graduates earn their Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice: Corrections and also earn certification in Standards and Training for Corrections (STC) Adult Core Academy, which includes 8-hour Baton training. Graduates also receive Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS) certified training in Powers to Arrest, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Firearms*, Baton, Chemical Agents, Public Relations, Observations and Documentation, Communications and its Significance, and Liability and Legal Aspects, resulting in (BSIS) Security Guard card and (BSIS) Security Guard Exposed Weapons permits.* Students also earn certification in CPR/First Aid.
The program is STC certified to provide instruction by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC)/Standards & Training for Corrections (STC) and the Bureau of Security and Investigative Service (BSIS).
For more information go to our Criminal Justice: Corrections Program Page
* Effective January 1, 2020, BSIS Exposed Firearms Permits may only be issued to applicants who are 21 years of age or older. Individuals who do not meet the new age requirement will be provided alternate training during the firearm sessions, and are welcome to pursue the certification after they meet the age requirement.
Learn More About A Career In Criminal Justice: Corrections
Criminal Justice: Corrections can open doors to work in private, state, federal prisons or local jails as well as in private security in California. Learn how to join this exciting career and why you should pursue a correctional officer degree.
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Home » Institutes at NIH » NIH Office of the Director » Office of Communications & Public Liaison » Clear Communication
Clear Communication
Clear & Simple
Clear Health from NIH
Cultural Respect
What is Clear & Simple?
Clear & Simple is:
For several years, NIH produced "Clear & Simple: Developing Effective Print Materials for Low-Literacy Audiences" which served as a trans-NIH resource dedicated to the subject of health literacy. "Clear & Simple" outlines a process for developing communications materials for people with limited-literacy skills. NIH has now updated and expanded "Clear & Simple" for contemporary use. Additional resources can be found on the NIH "Clear Communication" website.
Achieving Quality and Effectiveness in Health Communication
NIH Office of Communications and Public Liaison
Bethesda, Maryland.
For many Americans, instructions, directions, signs, advertisements, notices, applications, forms, and even bus schedules have become everyday challenges. While print materials still form the cornerstone of health and social services information, some materials may be of little or no use to people with limited-literacy skills. This guide, Clear & Simple, is designed to assist health communicators in developing audience-appropriate information and communicating effectively with people with low-literacy skills.
People with literacy problems are found among all ethnicities, races, and classes but there is a link between literacy and education and income levels. Many of the same populations at risk for limited health literacy also suffer from disparities in health status, illness (including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, HIV/AIDS, oral disease, cancer deaths, and low birth weight), and death.
In the United States, hundreds of languages are spoken or signed and in some cities, less than 60 percent of the population has English as a first language. The Hispanic/Latino and Asian American populations are growing in the United States at dramatic rates. By 2025, almost 40 percent of Americans and about half of all U. S. children are projected to be members of minority populations [Source: Pew].
Clear & Simple outlines a process — five standard steps — for developing health information materials for people with limited-literacy skills. The 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy found that about 14 percent of 18,500 adult Americans surveyed could not read, or understand text written in English and could only comprehend basic, simple text.
Step 1: Define the Target Audience
A target audience is the group of people you want to reach with your message. People with limited-literacy skills compose a broad target audience, crossing all ethnic and class boundaries. There are some common characteristics among people with low-literacy skills, for example how they may interpret and process information. It is important to keep the following in mind as you develop materials:
Some individuals think in concrete/immediate rather than abstract/futuristic terms;
Some people lean toward literal interpretation of information;
Not everyone shares sufficient language fluency to be able to comprehend and apply information derived from written materials;
Some people may have difficulty processing information: reading a menu, interpreting a bus schedule, following medical instructions, or reading a prescription label.
The target audience may be defined by age, sex, marital status, educational level, occupation, income, religion, race, ethnicity, language, geographic location, lifestyle, health-related attitudes and behaviors, and many other characteristics. These may influence each step in the process of developing low-literacy materials, so understanding them is important.
Case 1: Pretest the product with members of the target audience. A research institute begins a clinical research study including the participation of Spanish-speaking patients, who take a new drug. The institute develops state-of-the-art educational handouts as part of the trial. One product is a fact sheet and poster about the benefits of taking the medicine each day as instructed. A brightly colored wall poster greets patients with a cheerful salutation in Spanish, urging them to take a 10 mg. coated pill "Once Each Day." An elderly woman in the waiting room spots the greeting on the poster and wonders if the doctors really mean for her to take eleven pills each day.
Case 2: Develop culturally appropriate materials for reaching audiences at all literacy levels. The director of a state-funded clinic in a Western city is asked to increase outreach to local Native Indian communities. He tells his staff that the clinic can't develop materials for every community. All materials — photos, diagrams, and messages — will have to work for everyone. Recycling an old brochure with a few new design elements will be OK. A few months later the newly redesigned campaign products are released to the local community along with a photocopied cover letter. Tribal leaders immediately begin to contact the clinic and Congressional offices to complain about the inappropriateness of the brochure — especially its photos — and expenditures of state funds to produce materials not reflective of their culture.
Planning Questions
Q: Should I develop a low-literacy product or a regular publication at a lower reading level?
A: General public audiences may not require special low-literacy-readers' aids and tools to help them comprehend information. The goal is to reach individuals with very poor or marginal written communication skills who may benefit from materials written in simpler language. The two audiences are distinct from one another.
Q: Why focus specifically on low-literacy readers?
A: Many ambitious and meritorious information campaigns are designed at a 9th to 10th grade reading level. Planners likely base the decision to target low-literacy-readers after researching public knowledge of a particular health topic. Despite the best efforts of health communicators, there may be little if any gain-in-knowledge among some audiences. Messages directed to the general public may not get through to all of the target audience. Demographic profiles can help communicators target messages at people with low-literacy skills and other groups missed by campaigns. Once you decide that you need to reach readers with limited-literacy skills, you can define that audience further and develop appropriate messages.
Q: Can I communicate effectively to people with average or good reading skills by using a low-literacy format?
A: Readers appreciate messages that are conveyed simply and clearly. Readers who want more detail can be directed to sources of in-depth information. Testing your product with the audience is the only way to evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of materials and is discussed in greater detail later in the guide.
The National Institute of Health's Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner's Guide (1989) provides further details on how to define target audiences.
Step 2: Conduct Target Audience Research
It is important to understand relevant physical, behavioral, demographic, and psychographic characteristics of your audience. Research can help you define the specific ethnic, cultural, and lifestyle preferences of your audience. This information plays a key role in the development of culturally relevant materials. It is also critical to the goal of reaching audiences at all literacy levels. Research can tell you:
What the target audience already knows about your topic;
What rumors, myths, and misinformation may exist about the topic;
How audience members feel about the topic; and
What questions and information gaps you will need to address.
Target audience research includes review of existing data and in some cases, the development of new data. The first task is to explore existing sources of information. These include library databases; health statistics gathered by Federal, state, and local agencies, including health departments; information offered by nonprofit organizations that may have worked with your audience; and results of polls.
If critical information about your audience is not available in existing data, you may have to conduct new research to fill in information gaps. National statistics may not capture unique characteristics of your target audience, so whenever possible, supplement national data with local population data.
Information You Need About Your Audience
Age, sex, income, educational level, career path, residence, and community or cultural identification;
Relevant behaviors (e.g., teen risk behaviors, thrill seeking behavior, views toward or participation in violence)
Related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (e.g., stigma, shame, discrimination)
Patterns of use of related services (urban vs. rural, access to services, travel distance and time)
Cultural habits, preferences, and sensitivities related to your topic;
Barriers to behavior change (e.g., access to public transportation, quality of care, depression)
Effective motivators (e.g., benefits of change, fear of consequences, incentives, or social support)
Surveys that measure the respondent's knowledge, attitudes, and practices on a specific topic are conducted by telephone, mail, online, or through face-to-face interviews with members of the target audience.
Advantages: Surveys provide highly targeted, directly relevant information and can provide estimates representative of the total population.
Disadvantages: Surveys require time, statistical expertise, and ample resources to accomplish. They also require a mechanism for locating and reaching large numbers of your target audience. Mail surveys may be inappropriate for readers with low-literacy skills.
Focus Groups are small group discussions of 6 to 10 representatives of the target audience and usually take place in 1 to 2 hour sessions. A facilitator, preferably an individual sharing characteristics (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, shared experiences) common with the target audience conducts the meetings.
Advantages: Focus groups require fewer audience representatives and are faster than other research methods. They help explain why members of an audience believe or act as they do and allow for in-depth discussion of issues. Sometimes, they can be less expensive than other approaches.
Disadvantages: Focus group findings are qualitative, not quantitative, meaning they require expertise in conducting, reporting, and applying results appropriately. They also require you to locate and motivate members of your target audience to participate. Some findings may not extend to the total population.
Audience Interviews involve individual interviews with members of the target audience. An interviewer conducts each interview. Interviews often occur in locations frequented by members of the target audience, such as religious facilities, clinics, community centers, senior centers, and schools, including English study classrooms. They may be arranged by appointment or conducted with people who agree on-the-spot to participate.
Advantages: Interviews may yield more in-depth information than focus groups.
Disadvantages: Individual interviews are both more time- and labor-intensive than focus groups.
Q: I don't have the time or budget to do new audience research. Do I have to apply these methods in order to develop an effective low-literacy product?
A: The best approach is to make audience research a part of your product-development process for audiences of all literacy levels. Then the time and budget for research will be built-in automatically. What are the alternatives to formal research? You may be able to seek input from target audience members who serve on an advisory board or from individuals who have close working contacts with the target audience. If you rely on indirect information sources, remember to pretest the product with members of the audience themselves. It is important to get direct audience involvement at some point to test the comprehensibility and appropriateness your materials. Pretesting should supplement earlier findings and confirm that the product is on target.
Q: How can I get information specific to my product if I do audience research before I develop my concept?
A: Audience research can take place at one or more stages as the developers of product development. You can test key ideas you may have in mind at the beginning of the planning process. Audience research can also help you decide if a key message that you have always used in your products is still effective or if it will work with a new audience. You may wish to see if a simply crafted message conveys a complex concept clearly. Just as the story at the beginning of the guide showed, audiences can play a key role during early planning in determining whether spokespersons are credible.
For more information about research approaches, see Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner's Guide (1989) and Family Planning Print Materials for Low-Literate Audiences: A Guide.
Step 3: Develop a Concept for the Product
You are now ready to use information from your audience research to outline the objectives, style, format, and approach of the product that will carry your message. Many writers prepare a formal concept statement at this stage for those involved in the product's development. Discussing the concept with individuals or groups who understand the needs of your target audience is an easy, inexpensive way to double-check the appropriateness of your intended approach. It is, however, no substitute for pretesting materials later with your target audience. Researchers Leonard and Cecilia Doak pioneered the field of health and low-literacy. In their ground-breaking work, Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills, (J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, Pa., 1985), they suggest five principles to use in developing the concept for a low-literacy publication:
The 21st century offers a wide range of outlets through which health professionals can convey important messages. New and emerging formats include social media tools, mobile applications, streaming media, videoconferencing, and many other Internet-based options. These supplement traditional approaches, such as brochures, posters, and toolkits. It is not uncommon for a single well-written and well-produced printed item to serve the needs of the target audience — provided it is culturally appropriate. So at the most basic level, it is important to determine early on the appropriate medium for conveying a message to a target audience.
If you choose print, you must still decide between a 1-page factsheet, a 10-page booklet, or a series of short factsheets delivered at different points in the learning process. Budget and target audience information help shape decisions about the length and scope of the product. Design questions include photo and graphics selection, layout and color, packaging and paper stock. Some questions to consider:
You will also have to look at the setting in which you want audience members to receive their information. Offices and waiting rooms can provide communicators with an opportunity to develop a slightly more robust product than if the audience will access information on a mobile device. It may not be possible to meet information goals if you focus solely on a bus advertisement or in pharmacies, when readers' time is limited. If your target audience is at-risk teens, then careful planning is required. Addressing their unique communication needs will have important implications for the tone, structure, and design of products.
Define the behavioral objective(s) of the material.
Some products are purely informational; others are designed to move target audience members to new behaviors: new ways of thinking and improved understanding and awareness. Concrete action objectives help guide planning decisions and avoid unnecessary details in content. For example, a new diagnostic factsheet designed for women with low-literacy skills might tell readers that getting a test is important for good health. Another product may focus more on behavioral objectives: improving diet, losing weight, reducing stress, and increasing exercise. Another factsheet would provide readers with a toll-free telephone number to call or contact information for a new clinic in their neighborhood.
Determine the key information points the reader needs to achieve the behavioral objective(s).
What will move the reader to take the desired action?
Information from audience research can help inform planning and may answer a number of important questions, such as how and when a product will be used. Will the product be used by the reader alone? By a professional trainer? Or during an appointment with a health or social services professional?
The time in the learning process when the reader receives information is also important. Is the product designed to address an illness, diagnosis, treatment intervention? Or will it be used during recovery and rehabilitation? Will the reader likely have already received related information?
The process of concept development is also affected by whether a product or products stand alone or whether they are part of a series of materials. Additionally important is whether materials are component products within a broader communications plan, such as an awareness campaign or recruitment effort.
Another consideration is the careful selection of resources that might be useful and relevant for the reader. It may be appropriate to include a resource list of key organizations and Web sites where the reader can obtain additional information.
Select the most appropriate presentation method(s).
How will the product be distributed: in person, on a rack in a retail or office environment, in the mail, in a clinical setting, or through another method, such as on a mobile device or tablet?
Is the material intended for one-time or long-term use?
Decide on the reading level for the material if you select a print presentation.
The term "reading level" refers to the number of years of education required for understanding a written passage. To account for a probable decline in reading skills over time, some experts suggest aiming for a level that is 2-5 grades lower than the highest average grade your target audience members have achieved. Others recommend that a 3rd to 5th grade level is often appropriate for low-literacy readers.
How do you estimate reading level? A number of readability formulas are often used to assess the reading level of materials. Reading levels and readability formulas are useful aids in targeting publications to an audience. Using one or more of them is a simple process that can be accomplished manually or with a computer software program. Each method takes only a few minutes. Among the better known formulas is the SMOG Readability Calculator.
Readability formulas only measure the difficulty of the vocabulary used and average sentence length, not the reader's level of comprehension. Computer-based programs analyze a document's grammar, style, word usage, and punctuation and then they assign a reading level. Using such formulas in product development is not a guarantee of well-written, understandable content. Creators acknowledge that using the formulas as writing guides can have negative consequences. If sentences and words are too short, the result may be a choppy product that leaves out familiar terms solely because they are polysyllabic. In addition, some formulas may not be applicable to readers with low-literacy skills. Some other means of assessing the effectiveness of the material is almost always required. Most importantly, make sure you write for your audience.
Organize topics in the way the person will use them.
Provide readers with the most important points first and last. Studies show that low-literacy audiences remember these best.
Literacy experts also suggest presenting information in chunks of text with a clear, ordered format, one idea at a time. You can outline these as steps (Step 1, Step 2, Step 3) or chronologically (first, second, next, last). Another approach is to use a main heading and subheadings, depending on how you want the person to access and comprehend the information.
The goal is to give the reader action steps to improve information retention and immediately move the individual into desired behaviors. Examples might include having them call a clinic or send off a request to receive more information.
SMOG Readability Calculator
Count the number of words with three or more syllables in a 30-sentence section of your draft. Using this chart, look up the approximate grade level. The SMOG formula can predict the grade level difficulty of a passage within 1.5 grades in 68 percent of passages.
SMOG Conversion Table
Total Polysyllabic
Word Count Approximate
Grade Level (+1.5 Grades)
91 - 110 13
Q: I have to limit my publication to a few key points. How do I decide what the reader needs and what I can leave out?
A: Focus on your behavioral goals. Is each information point fundamental to the reader understanding, accepting, and taking the desired action? Does each information point help to motivate a desired action? One approach is to separate need-to-know from want-to-know and want-to-tell. Some if not all of the information in the second two categories can probably be safely eliminated. Tough decisions always remain. Pretesting can help determine what information the audience really needs.
Q: Writing at the correct reading level for the audience is important. What should I use to help me write at an appropriate level?
A: Good writers may not trust their usual instincts to tell them what will work for people with limited reading skills. Look at the checklist in the next section. It outlines the fundamental principles of writing and designing a low-literacy publication. The checklist can help you address your readers' needs and provides a basic framework for writers. Readability formulas have both value and limitations. A writer may set out to write simply, using an action-oriented approach. It is a good idea to then put down the draft for a while and return to it with a critical eye. Rewriting to achieve appropriate flow and comprehensibility and applying readability formulas can help. Readability formulas and software can be useful in approximating a reading level or, in the case of some software products, identifying specific problems that inhibit readability.
You may test your product at one level and find you have to simplify some of the text, taking care not to detract from the message and goals of the product. Pretesting may also show that one or two concepts are still not well understood.
For more information, see Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills, Cecilia Conrath Doak, M.P.H. and Leonard G. Doak, BSEE, PE(J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, Pa., 1985) and Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner's Guide (1989).
Step 4: Develop Content and Visual Design Features
Now that you have a product concept, you can begin outlining and writing the first draft. What you include will draw heavily from your important early — and continuing — research. In developing a low-literacy product, you will need to tailor content, layout, and visuals (i.e., photographs, illustrations, and diagrams or charts) to the needs of a reader with poor reading and communication skills. What does this mean in concrete terms? There are several key principles to use in creating effective materials for this audience. You can refer to the list as you draft and review your work:
Content/Style
The material is interactive and allows for audience involvement.
The material presents "how-to" information.
Writing reflects peer language whenever appropriate to increase personal identification and improve readability.
Words are familiar to the reader. New words are defined clearly.
Sentences are simple, specific, direct, and written in the active voice.
Each idea is clear and logically sequenced (from the reader's perspective).
There are a limited number of concepts in each piece.
The writer uses concrete examples rather than abstract concepts.
Text highlights and summarizes important points.
The material uses advance organizers or headers.
Headers are simple and are close to text.
Layout balances white space with words and illustrations.
Text features both upper and lower case letters.
Underlining or bold formatting — not caps — provides emphasis.
The font selection (design, size) are easy-to-read. Opt for a 12 point or larger size.
Visuals are relevant to text, meaningful to the audience, and logically located.
Illustrations and photographs are simple and free from clutter and distraction.
Visuals use age-appropriate images selected with the age of the target audience in mind.
Illustrations show familiar images that reflect cultural context.
Visuals (graphics, photos) have captions written with active verb constructions. Each visual is illustrative and is directly related to one message.
Visual elements (e.g., photographs without background detail, shaded line drawings, and simple line drawings), are shown in pretesting with the audience to be appropriate and conducive to information retention.
Cues (e.g., circles or arrows) point out key information.
The color palette is appealing to audience members during pretesting.
Readability analysis has been carried out to determine reading level.
Q: Do readers with low-literacy skills need to know technical terms, especially if the words raise the reading level of a publication?
A. There is no absolute answer to this question
Q: How can I keep material simple as it goes through expert and/or organizational review?
A: The simplicity of quality, effective low-literacy products may startle some reviewers, especially those accustomed to scientific or technical publications. They may be unfamiliar with low-literacy approaches and may be concerned that a product written at a low reading level may reflect poorly on the expertise of an agency or organization. There is ample data and scientific information in support of the development of low-literacy health materials. This can and should be shared with reviewers. Involve reviewers at the concept development stage so that they are not surprised when they receive the draft of the product. Work personally with reviewers. Make sure that all simple explanations are accurate. Do not distort the scientific or technical facts as you pare away details. If a suggested change is inappropriate, discuss both of your concerns and work cooperatively toward a solution. Test reviewer-inserted concepts, specifically during prepublication evaluations. If the reviewer's idea does not work with the audience, you will have a firm basis for change.
Q: Are pictorial signs, symbols, and charts more effective than words for readers with low-literacy skills?
A: Not necessarily. Some experts suggest that "universal" symbols, such as a stop sign, an arrow, or a big black "X," usually test well with this audience. If a pictorial representation is open to interpretation, however, it can fail to communicate with any audience. Likewise, while a simple chart may work well, a large matrix or visually busy schema are likely to confuse. For example, functionally illiterate individuals may even have trouble using a bus schedule.
Q: I know that low-literacy products should focus only on a few key concepts. How do I handle a complex topic with 8 or 10 important messages when I can only afford to do one low-literacy publication?
A. A strong grouping of main and sub-points is a workable solution to this problem. When individual sections are organized effectively and when each can stand alone, readers can approach the text at their own pace.
Q: My budget doesn't allow for illustrations and I cannot use color because my products will need to be photocopied. Can I still design an effective low-literacy product?
A: Although color is a powerful communication tool, strong format, good use of white space, and alternative highlighting devices can help a black-and-white product convey your message. In addition, low-literacy products do not always need illustrations to break up text. Boxes, lines, and white space can keep a design from being too copy-dense. Pictures are valuable if they illustrate an action or a key point. They do not have to be expensive to produce. In fact, simple line drawings may be preferable to detailed pictures for low-literacy audiences. Even off-the-shelf graphics can be effective if the selection fits the message and tests well with the audience.
Q: I cannot afford to do separate low-literacy publications for all of our organization's publications. Is there an effective way to adapt higher level reading materials for low-literacy populations?
A: Some professionals who work with low-literacy audiences are adept at selecting and highlighting key concepts from products written at a high reading level and using them to create separate products for low-literacy audiences. Formatting features, such as underlining, circles, stars, or arrows can help professionals adapt existing materials into new ones for target audiences. This approach is far from ideal, but it does meet audience needs better than using materials produced at high reading levels. Writers can also meet the needs of both audiences by using headlines and subheads to carry key message points, in logical order. Readers can choose to skip the details that the accompanying text provides.
Using Technical Terms
Technical terms can raise the reading level of a publication. But will readers understand them?
A person with diabetes may know technical words such as 'insulin,' 'glucose,' and perhaps even 'retinopathy,' because these are either a daily part of the patient's life or because their doctor or nurse may have warned them to watch for a sign or symptom. Or they may have heard these terms from a friend, coworker, or family member.
When text includes a technical term, it is probably a good idea to offer a simple explanation next to it. Including a glossary can help, but it can also contribute to the reader's difficulty getting through text. Readers may not know that unfamiliar words are defined separately at the end of the materials. Others may not want to navigate between sections. There is also the risk that a glossary can tempt the writer to include a longer list of technical terms, perhaps with less clarity than if fewer items were accompanied by more clear explanations and spread throughout the information. You may want to apply a "need-to-know" concept to the decision about which technical terms to include. For example, if you want to inform patients that they are to consume a contrast agent prior to an imaging test, referring to it as a flavored milkshake might be less than truthful. It could also be interpreted as "talking down" to the reader. It may not be precise enough. But referring to it as a barium contrast agent is probably too technical and may not be fully understood.
Offering the technical term followed by an explanation or in a series of sentences will probably meet your needs and those of the audience. You might explain that contrast agents help coat the body's organs to make structures and functions more visible. They also help create views of different organs and tissue types to aid with diagnosis. Continue by saying that "contrast agents include a number of chemicals, including iodine, barium, and barium sulphate. Barium sulphate is a chalky, liquid chemical with a metallic taste. It comes in milkshake form to disguise the taste of the chemical."
For some words, you may discover during pretesting that audience members understand what they need to do prior to undergoing the test, such as not eating for a certain period. Other terms may point to a need to do further rewriting.
Step 5: Pretest and Revise Draft Materials
"Developing low-literacy products represents a major change from business as usual. In some respects, it's like learning how to write, design, and test materials all over again."
Communicators may find that audiences don't understand a product perfectly. The decision to include a passage or illustration is subjective, no matter which principles are being used in the development of a product. That is why testing a material with the intended audience is important. Audience understanding and acceptance is critical to ensure that materials are culturally relevant and responsive to the needs and concerns of the target audience.
Pretesting is a qualitative measure of audience response to a product. A number of goals are important. Pretesting is essential for measuring comprehension. It is also important to measure audience attraction to the product, its acceptability to them, and the audience's personal involvement with the material. Although funds may not be available for extensive pretesting, some pretesting is essential. The focus of this section is pretesting low-literacy materials.
What To Test For
Pretesting products can help communicators learn whether or not test respondents understand any behaviors the material recommends for readers. To some audience members, writing can be unclear, confusing, or hard to believe. Test questions can also address the suitability of words and the meaning or relationship of visuals to text. It is also instructive to learn about the meaning each respondent attaches to key words, symbols, abbreviations, and visuals. Next are a few examples of questions designed for pretesting a fact sheet related to eating a healthy diet:
"What does the educational piece mean when it says to eat balanced meals? How do you do that?"
"Which vegetables have lots of fiber?"
"Looking at this picture, how will you cut down on fat in your soups or stocks when cooking?"
Pretesting can yield important information about the kind of feelings draft materials generate and whether or not audience members are enthusiastic or turned off by text. Communicators can ask audience members if the individuals depicted in the materials are appropriate representations for their community or group and if they connect with them. Next are two examples of questions concerning the attractiveness of a product being pretested:
"Is there anything you don't like about the people or pictures in this material?"
"Is there anything you don't like about the color and the layout of the material?"
Acceptability
There are many well-intentioned health communicators who attempt to launch products but end up offending their intended audience. Material may not be compatible with local culture or may not be realistic. The choice of a celebrity spokesperson can be risky; not all readers may recognize an actor, sports personality, or singer. Text may not be suitable for the sex, age, or ethnic group for whom a product is being developed, especially if the audience includes seniors or teens. Details, such as hairstyles and, clothing may be inappropriate for the product and intended audience. Here are a few examples of questions for pretesting a diet product's attractiveness to respondents:
"Do you think your family would be willing to cook their food this way?"
"Was the information presented in a way that is interesting to you?"
Organizing a Pretest
Pretesting with audiences that include people with low-literacy skills can present communicators with unique logistical challenges. First, there is the issue of what to test and at which stage of product development. Experts recommend testing a rough draft of copy with graphic concepts explained and a few potential illustrations included. Another option is to pretest a typeset, early layout of the product with rough graphics in place. You can also pretest at both of stages of product development.
Some researchers believe it is best to test a product in the same type of environment where the reader will use the material. For example, if a patient will read the factsheet in a noisy, busy clinic, take care to expose test readers to the same distractions by pretesting in a similar setting.
You can organize a pretest in a number of potential environments and settings:
Clinic or hospital waiting rooms
Physicians' offices
Residential settings (homes, age-restricted communities, extended care centers, independent living facilities)
Community facilities (churches, recreation centers, senior centers)
Adult Basic Education and English language classrooms
Government facilities (Social Security offices, WIC centers)
Nonprofit offices (job training centers, wellness and day program sites)
Ideally, at least 25 to 50 members of the intended audience should review each product. If time and budgets are limited, it is far better to test material with 5 to 10 people than not to test it at all.
Type of Interview
Individual interviews, 10-20 minutes each
Provide "cleanest" results; good for short materials; less chance of bias among and between respondents.
Scheduling may not allow for speedy completion.
Group interviews, 8 to 10 people, 30-60 minutes each
Better for longer products (e.g., booklets, kits). Group discussion may yield valuable information not resulting from straight questioning
Requires advance organization and a trained group facilitator. Sessions must be paced to maintain respondent attention.
Engaging fewer participants may work if the material is very simple, short, or requires little in the way of attention for comprehension. A smaller group of participants may also work if the product is directed at a single, homogeneous target group. Conversely, your efforts may require more participants if the material is complex, lengthy, demanding, or culturally diverse.
Determining Reading Levels for Pretesting
"We knew the importance of developing our products as low-literacy materials. But during pretesting we found that better educated information seekers wouldn't pick up our product if it was clearly aimed at a basic level."
This poses an important question — and a lesson as well. Are you pretesting materials with the right readers?
Engaging participants who have the same characteristics as the low-literacy audience you are trying to reach is critical for achieving valid results. Recruiting participants through groups or settings that include people with limited-literacy skills is a logical starting point. But the only way to make sure your pretest volunteers read at the same level as your intended audience is to test their reading skills.
A number of tests are used to measure reading levels and comprehension. One or more can be integrated into the pretest interview to avoid offending or causing discomfort to potential participants and respondents. For example, in one pretest, interviewers introduced key language into the latter part of their pretesting process.
"Thank you for helping with the questions on the treatment booklet. We need your help with one last part: a review of technical words that appear in the booklet. You will assign a score to each word listed, ranging from very easy to very difficult. The exercise will help us learn how well our readers understood the booklet. This will take only a few minutes."
Caution: This approach must be used in such a way as to spare participants the pressure or embarrassment they might feel for fear of "failing" a reading test.
The Wide Range Achievement Test
The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) is an efficient way to determine reading levels and takes only a short time to administer. The WRAT focuses on word recognition because at the most basic level, if a person does not recognize a word, comprehension is impossible. The WRAT test involves listening to the participant read from a prepared list of words, arranged in increasing order of difficulty. The reader looks at each written word and says it out loud. Pronouncing a word correctly shows that the reader recognizes the word. The test is over after the reader mispronounces ten words. The test administrator notes the level at which the last mispronunciation occurred, and the "stop" level equates to a grade level of reading skills. Planners can compare this level with the reading level of their intended audience to see if pretest readers are a good representative match.
The Cloze Technique
The Cloze technique is used to measure the reader's ability to comprehend a written passage. Because it requires readers to process information, it may take up to 30 minutes to administer. In a Cloze test, text appears with every fifth word omitted. The reader tries to fill in the blanks. This task demonstrates how well the respondents understand the text. Their ability to identify the correct word also reflects familiarity with sentence structure.
You can integrate either a WRAT or a Cloze test into the pretesting process by purchasing off-the-shelf tests or developing and scoring a test yourself based on the materials you are pretesting. The resources section at the end of this guide provides contact information for obtaining testing instruments.
Conducting the Interview: Special Considerations
Effective low-literacy products are designed to meet audience needs. Effective pretesting must therefore be tailored to participants with limited-reading skills.
Here are a few suggestions for pretesting with a low-literacy audience:
Give only one product to each individual or group to focus respondents' attention on your materials — even if you are testing a series of publications.
Distance yourself from the product and assure participants that you want their honest assessment. Otherwise, audiences may steer away from critical discussion. Some respondents may not be comfortable explaining negative responses or may not understand the material or pretesting process.
Make sure participants understand that it is the materials that are being tested, not them. Explain this clearly when you introduce the materials and the process. Respondents need reassurance.
Pay attention to audience interests. If necessary, change the pace to keep reader attention levels up. You may need to split up a group to allow for more one-to-one interaction and switch the focus of discussion.
Select people to recruit and interview pretest participants who are culturally sensitive and who have good social skills. Unless potential participants feel at ease with the interviewing staff, they may not agree to take part.
Avoiding Waste: Using Results to Revise
Pretest results raise issues and point out problems, but the next steps are up to you. Simple or comprehensive revisions can address any number of problems that pretesting uncovers. It may not be necessary to scrap the product and begin all over again. If one or only a few respondents raise a concern, revisions may not be necessary — depending on the nature of comments. Any remark that shows lack of understanding of a key concept should receive careful attention. If one person fails to grasp a point, others may have the same problem but may not air it. Idiosyncratic comments about a product's appeal or personal relevance are less of a concern. Percentages are more complicated. If you test the material with 10 people, each response needs to be considered seriously. With 50 participants, a percentage can be relied on more comfortably.
You should start all over when the majority of responses indicate fundamental problems and whenever results show that:
Readers cannot identify key behavioral actions the material is designed to convey;
Readers are completely lost;
Readers find the format unappealing or off target (e.g., brochure vs. web content);
Readers believe the medium interferes with the message (e.g., a poster or infographic is too complicated to understand);
Readers say the format is altogether unappealing or off target; or
Readers report that the product is culturally inappropriate and lacks relevance.
The results of pretesting, however, are not a blueprint for revisions.
"At first, we had to educate my organization about the role pretesting plays in developing low-literacy products," one writer says. "Now that everyone sees its value, we make time for pretesting in every low-literacy product we develop."
Q: Should respondents' suggestions for revising a product be followed?
A: Pretest respondents are not experts in design. They have knowledge and expertise in what they can understand and accept about a product. Professionals must devise effective ways to address respondent concerns. Professional writers often prefer to attend pretest group sessions or read questionnaires themselves rather than relying on the results report alone. Sometimes they contribute to questionnaires as well to draw attention to any wording or format choices they want the audience to validate.
Q: My timeframe is very tight. How can I fit pretesting into the production schedule?
A: Pretesting need not be an elaborate, time-consuming research project and depends on:
How quickly you work,
How elaborate your internal review processes are,
How large your test group sampling is, and
The schedules of any sites or organizations that are involved.
You should include time for pretesting during initial product development. Arranging with a group or site to develop a sampling of test audience respondents can begin during concept development. You may want to begin to draft the questionnaire while your product is going through internal review. Any needed modifications can be made later.
Q: How can I get access to people from the target audience for pretesting?
A: Many agencies coordinate efforts with literacy organizations, directors of Adult Basic Education and English as a Second Language programs, local nonprofits, community groups, and medical facilities. You also can cooperate with groups that represent your particular target audience. If your budget allows, offering incentives, such as small cash payments or reduced waiting time for appointments, can help motivate individual participation and garner support. Overworked and underfunded literacy programs also are more able to provide timely assistance if your agency can compensate them for their participation.
Q: Professional intermediaries distribute our pamphlets to their clients. Should they be part of pretesting?
A: Professional intermediaries and advisory groups can be an important source of insight for your product's success. You should weigh the responses of test audience members against professional views in cases where opinions vary or conflict. It is important to not rely on professional review alone, no matter how close professionals are to clients. They are not low-literacy readers themselves.
For more information, see Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner's Guide (1989).
2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics.
Making Health Communication Programs Work: A Planner's Guide, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, 1989.
Zimmerman M, Newton N, Frumin L, Wittet, S. Developing Health and Family Planning Print Materials for Low-Literate Audiences: A Guide, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health, Washington, D.C., 1989.
Leonard and Cecilia Doak. Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills, J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, Pa., 1985.
Vernon, John A., PhD, et al., Health Literacy: Implications for National Health Policy (Report), October 2007.
King Jr., Talmadge E., M.D., et al., Medical Management of Vulnerable & Underserved Patients: Policy, Principles, and Practice, McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing, New York, New York, 2006.
This page last reviewed on December 18, 2018

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The Aubrey High class of '89 alumni are listed below. These are former students from Aubrey High in Aubrey, TX who graduated in 1989. Alumni listings below have either been searched for or they registered as members of this directory.


New Mexico is known as the land of enchantment and it gets its nickname honestly. I have had an ongoing love affair with this special place since I first visited in the seventies as a teenager.
In addition to visiting the cities and towns of New Mexico, a road trip visiting the many unique attractions the land of enchantment has to offer may be one of the most memorable journeys you'll ever take. Here are my top picks and I'm sure when you get a chance to visit, you'll fall in love with this special part of the Southwest just like I did.
White Sands National Park is one of the world's greatest natural wonders and located 15 miles south of Alamogordo. Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin, the glistening white sands with great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert and created the world's largest gypsum dune field. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dune field, along with the plants and animals that have successfully adapted to this constantly changing environment.
You may have heard of White Sands Missile Range which was the testing site of the atom bomb in the early 1940's. You can join a ranger on a leisurely sunset stroll through the dunes and learn about the unique geology of White Sands National Monument and the plants and animals that live here. The stroll is held every evening of the year, weather and staffing permitting. In the 1970's, the used to offer a midnight stroll and my sister and I went on this. The white sands were all lit up by a full moon and it was magical. If you ask me, White Sands is a "don't miss" stop for any New Mexico vacation.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in southeastern New Mexico in the Guadalupe Mountains. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the "show cave" or Carlsbad Caverns. You can hike in on your own via the natural entrance to the cave, or take the elevator (the exit for everyone) directly to the Underground Lunchroom located 750 feet (230 m) below.
Carlsbad Caverns includes a large cave natural limestone chamber called the Big Room that is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 350 feet high at the highest point. It is the third largest chamber in North America and the seventh largest in the world. Several of the chambers contain stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations in such unusual number, size, beauty of form, and variety of figure as to make this a cavern equal, if not superior, in both scientific and popular interest to the better known caves. When you're on a New Mexico vacation, you should make Carlsbad Caverns a part of your trip.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico is a 110 year old, unique mountain community that combines the amenities of modern life with their heritage as a pioneer village. The town is a wonderful place to get away from the summer heat and enjoy the delightful pleasures of the mountains. In the winter, you can explore the vast wonderland of cross-country skiing, snow mobiling, and ice skating. Cloudcroft is a small town but a nice stop on any New Mexico vacation.
The Inn of the Mountain Gods is situated high in the picturesque mountains of Mescalero, New Mexico just outside of Ruidoso. The Inn of the Mountain Gods has clean mountain air, stunning panoramic views, and exciting entertainment options. Upon your arrival, you'll be greeted by a stunning lobby featuring a sweeping view of the snow capped mountains, lake and championship golf course. The Mescalero Apache Tribe owns and operates both the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino and Ski Apache Ski Resort, as well other Reservation-based enterprises. You can save up to $525 when you book your flight and hotel together at Expedia.com and even more with a rental car. Even if you can't stay overnight at this special place, make a point to stop and visit this hotel on your New Mexico vacation.
Hatch, New Mexico is known worldwide for its bountiful chile crop. Born from an extension of the Santa Fe Railroad Company in 1880, Hatch, New Mexico, began as an adobe post office and a railroad flag station. Named after General Edward Hatch, Commander of the Southwest military, the town grew until a flood in 1921 destroyed many of the adobe buildings constructed of earth and wood. The Village of Hatch heats up on Labor Day weekend with their the annual Hatch Chile Festival, a two-day celebration of their world-famous crop.
The festival attracts over 30,000 visitors from all over the United States, including the Food Network and the BBC. Festival goers can sample famed chile recipes, watch the crowning of the chile festival queen, or toss a horseshoe in celebration of our most famous crop. The event also features chile ristra contests, artisan and food booths, and a carnival. Don't know if I'd go out of my way to go to Hatch on a New Mexico vacation, but it's a great along the way place to stop and pick up a great price on dried chiles.
New Mexico Wine Country is not as famous as California Wine Country but I always enjoy tasting local wines when I travel around the country and around the world. The first grapevines were planted in New Mexico in 1633 in 1800, wine was one of the three top exports of the state. In 1943, the Rio Grande flooded and ruined the wine industry in New Mexico, but that was then. Today, there are over 43 wineries and tasting rooms and 900 acres of grapes. I think any New Mexico vacation should include a stop at the Black Mesa Winery for the Black Beauty wine!
A New Mexico road trip will be one of the most memorable drives you'll ever take. Before you leave the driveway, check out more road trip travel tips on this website.
You know, your vacation can take a year to save for and only a second to ruin. Before you go, you may want to purchase travel insurance through Travel Guard. Starting at $30. Happy and safe travels!


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George Habel "The Virginian" Turn "Carolinian"
George Habel was asked this question:
If Hollywood wanted to make a movie about George Habel, what actor would you cast as yourself and what's the title of the movie?
George responded:
The late Leslie Nielsen starring in "Ballpark!"
George Habel and his wife, Cindy.
George likes saying that he did not join Capitol Broadcasting; he was acquired! Kinda like a pro-ball player who was "traded" to a new team. That happened in 1983. As of today, he is a long-term CBC "player" and is vice president of CBC Sports Group.
George's fascination with broadcasting started like many of the "baby boomer" generation; it started with radio. By the time he matriculated at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond he knew that his major would be broadcast/communication. You can't go wrong graduating from a college where the mascot is named "Rodney the Ram" and with a diploma in communication.
The "acquisition" of George came about thanks to advances in communication. CBC's foray into satellite technology in the early '80s enabled Jim Goodmon's vision of regionalism to expand beyond the geographic boundaries of North Carolina. He looked northward to the "Old Dominion" state.
Charlottesville, Virginia was home to the Virginia News Network, which also carried University of Virginia sports – a company very similar in concept to the North Carolina News Network. Combine satellite + news + sports + Virginia equals a perfect fit for CBC's growth. The acquisition included George Habel, who was the General Manager of the Virginia Network. In August, 1983 George became a CBC'er.
There's more, so you'll need to watch and listen to George tell his story on the CBC History website. It includes stories about NASCAR, NFL Washington Redskins, NFL Carolina Panthers, NFL Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49'ers, as well as the Durham Bulls. Just click on the link below.
CBC History VIDEO: George Habel CBC VP Sports Group
Whether George was hired, acquired, traded or obtained by CBC, we and the community are better off with his presence!
George Habel receives his CBC Easter Lily from Corp's Mary Eaton.
99 The Fan Mark Thomas (left) and George Habel.
George Habel (left), ATC's Heather Merritt & Michael Goodmon breaking a sweat.
Thanks to Corp's Pam Allen for this capcom story & these photos. Pam Parris Allen is a former WRAL newscast producer/director who now works as a researcher and producer on the CBC History Project.
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Q: Understanding the proof of the division algorithm for F[x] The proof of the division algorithm for polynomials over a field F is shown here:

The part I don't quite get is "let r(x) be an element of minimal degree in S." Are we assuming that there is only one element of minimal degree or are we just randomly choosing one? Because the proof shows that this chosen element is the one that works, but if we had randomly choose another element that is also of minimal degree, then that one would've also worked since the rest of the proof is the same. But then, the rest of the proof that follows proves there is only one unique r(x) that works (I have not attached that part of the proof here), so is the proof also proving that there is only one element of minimal degree?

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Steve Basnett, business unit director for transport at British logistics provider Wincanton, says there are various options for companies to consider depending on various factors, including - but not limited to - proximity to your warehouse, customer base and preferred onward method of transport.
This process, he says, must be approached holistically.
"It is important that all elements of the supply chain process are taken into consideration when making these types of decisions," he said.
Often Wincanton advises its clients to choose a port that is close to their warehouse to make transferring the product easier.
But if its customer base is concentrated elsewhere another point of entry may be chosen.
Railheads are often found at larger ports - Wincanton itself recently opened a rail-connected facility in Southampton.
"Companies are likely to forego choosing the port closest to them and instead choose the larger ports with rail access, even if they are further afield," Basnett explained.
David Pollock, head of business development at Uniserve Drinks Logistics, says essential cost and mileage savings can be made when the customer base is near to the port, in which case keeping wine at the port is an effective method of storage.
But making sure the infrastructure is in place is paramount.
"Be sure there are warehouse and distribution facilities nearby that can accommodate your containers and other cargo," he said.
But while some companies make the port of entry choice themselves, others allow their freight forwarder or shipping line to make the decision on their behalf, as in the case of Majestic Wine.
If this is the case, freight forwarders will often choose shipping lines - and therefore the port - according to price, the product's country of origin and other variables.
With Majestic, the company's freight management provider is responsible for the movement of products from the wine producer right through to delivery at Majestic's central warehouse in Hemel Hempstead.
This includes liaising with the producer, delivery to the port of exit, customs clearance at the port of entry and transport to the warehouse.
Whatever method is chosen to bring in the wine - and whether companies rely on their own expertise or that of a forwarder - the right decision about the port must be made in order to maintain an effective supply chain.
Subscribers can click here to see the full story.


Home dec sewing is boring – there's no two ways about it. To keep you from falling asleep while reading this, Bosco has helpfully decided to sprawl himself all over said slipcover to act as a diversion from the tedium!
James bought this purple and grey leafy brocade/damask fabric in Paris at Coupon St Pierre last weekend. The coupon fabric shops are a bit different from the usual "there's a bolt I want you to cut this much of it" fabric stores – here instead, you rummage through piles and piles of pre-cut fabric at set prices, then take what you want to the till. You're forced to get the full length, but at greatly reduced prices. Anyway, James was after some loud brocade for the interior of a fantasy jacket he's got brewing for me (which I'll be telling you more about soon) and bought this only to come across even better fabric later on.
So this lovely, shimmery brocade was left without a use.
Meanwhile, our faux-leather sofa was entirely covered in blankets to try and stop the cat from scratching off what little life was remaining in it (Bosco has the world's shortest cat memory, and the Liquid Justice squirt bottle hasn't stopped the problem). So James had the brilliant idea that I should turn it into a slipcover for the sofa!
I'd planned to have the back of the slipcover in muslin, with a zipper running down one side of the upright edge, but as it turned out, it stays on just fine with only 10cm or so over the back at the top, and by this point the cat was jumping on it every time my back was turned (seriously – I was checking the fit on one side, and he plopped down on the pile of fabric in the middle of the sofa!).
It was just a bonus that the cat adores this fabric, too! Not bad for €20 and an hour of work!
PS: I did get some more interesting sewing done this weekend, too, which you'll see later this week!
Separator image Posted in Gallery and tagged with bosco, home-dec.


This time of year, smart folks stress the "giving" part of the holidays over the "getting," but if you're the one in your family who carries the burden of checking off names on the gift list, "giving" can become a bit stressful. It's usually easier to find that just right thing for our loved ones, but what about your children's teachers, neighbors, and the people you want to do a little something for but never know what they want or need? Easy. Give them food. Everyone eats, and everyone loves a special treat. Even better? Make it yourself.
One of my favorite gifts every year arrives a few days before Christmas. A soft knock on my door late in the afternoon means that my sweet neighbors down the street have stopped by with their present. It's usually some kind of nut enrobed in some type of chocolate. They are not that many pieces, and they're resting in a plain clear plastic bag with a short piece of red or green ribbon tied in a simple bow around its neck. It's nothing fancy, but it's perfect, delicious, and thoughtful, made by the whole family in the kitchen working assembly-line style.
When you share the fruits of your labor with someone, it means so much more than anything you could have bought. When dealing with edibles, it probably tastes fresher and better too. And you don't have to spend a fortune, be crafty, or even be that much of a cook to whip up something yummy that anyone would appreciate getting. Try these three recipes—one savory and two sweet—that are quick, inexpensive, and easy enough to let you get the kids involved.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, sauté the onions until soft. Add the blackberries and cook down on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add the ketchup, cider vinegar, garlic power, and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Cut the heat down and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes on low heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and pepper flakes and simmer about 10 minutes more. If you want it smooth, use an immersion blender or transfer it to a regular blender. I like it a bit chunky.
Break up the white chocolate bars and in a large double boiler, melt them slowly, stirring often. Be very careful not to let any water get into your melting chocolate or it will seize up. Once the chocolate is completely melted, pour it onto a parchment- or wax-paper-lined sheet pan. NOTE: Wipe the bottom of the pot off before pouring to make sure no water drips into the chocolate as you pour it. Use a spatula to spread it out in an even layer on the pan. Drop the cherries and pistachios onto the melted chocolate and, if needed, push them down into the chocolate a bit with your fingers. Place in the refrigerator to harden (about an hour or so). Once it is set up, use your hands or a large knife to break it into pieces. If you're using your hands, work fast—their heat will begin to melt the chocolate. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to give them away!
Use a large double boiler over medium heat to melt the chocolate bars once you've broken them into pieces. Watch it carefully and stir it to help speed up the melting process. Do NOT get any water into your chocolate or it will become a sticky, separated mess! Once the chocolate is melted, add the almonds to the pot and stir to make sure they're all completely coated. Pour the mixture out onto a sheet pan lined with wax or parchment paper and use a spoon to spread it out and make sure none of the almonds stay clumped together. Quickly, sprinkle the salt over it all, distributing evenly. Place in the refrigerator to set up, and when it has, break or cut it into snack-sized pieces. Now you're ready to pack them up and share the love! Or, if you're keeping then for a bit, put them in ziplock bags or some other sealable container and place in the fridge or in a cool, dry place.
Internet to the Rescue: Just don't have the time to make anything yourself? Food (and drink!) still makes a great gift, and there are a ton of great Southern companies making delicious things to share with everyone on your list. Check out the wares of these Alabama-based businesses that you can order right off their websites: Hot Damn Jelly Co. (hotdamnjelly.com), Piper & Leaf Tea (piperandleaf.com) and Momma G's Cookies (gmommas.com).
For many, Christmas morning is the most wonderful moment in the most wonderful time of the year. Why not top it off with a Christmas morning brunch to help you hold onto the warm and cozy just a bit longer?


Outdoor advertising and sidewalk construction sheds blight our city's streetscape. The City wisely seeks to regulate outdoor advertising with strict zoning regulations and imposes design guidelines for sidewalk construction sheds, but the City Council now wants to combine these two eyesores with a permit that would allow outdoor advertising companies to advertise on sidewalk sheds in manufacturing and commercial zoning districts. Read coverage of this issue in Metro NY, January 27, 2009.
Sidewalk sheds are mandated by law and are intended solely for safety purposes during construction. They are unattractive and interfere with pedestrian traffic, but public safety is a priority no one can argue with. Allowing advertising on them, however, merely serves to provide an incentive for a building owner to leave a shed up and extend the advertiser's presence onto public property — the sidewalk.
We know from experience that sidewalk sheds have been left up for years, even when no work is being done on a building. This has a serious deleterious effect on the pedestrian experience — by creating congested dark spaces on some of our most important avenues. The sheds also interfere with the business of street level retailers and destroy mature trees that cannot survive when these sheds surround their trunks (some trees are just cut down to make room for the sheds).
The permitted advertisement will by no means be discreet or subtle. The Council bill would allow the sidewalk sheds to be as much as eight feet tall (conveniently the length of a sheet of plywood) and the advertisement could run the full length of the shed, which on some construction sites can be a block long with the shed wrapping around the corners of the building.
Our campaign against illegal advertising has been very popular with New yorkers because it is so closely related to the issues of livability and the preservation of the city's unique streetscapes. It would be a true shame if the City Council is allowed to legalize advertising signage that the public clearly does not want.
well, looks like the city really does not hate outdoor advertising even if it is just being considered.
There will be tons of money for companies and landlords to make from this being legal.
Thank God!! The city needs to let advertisments back on sidewalk bridges .They look so much better with an ad on them .The city looks ugly with all these sheds being blank.
in regards to phonebooths being provided by advertising. I don't recall it but there was a time when advertising wasn't the only way to finance public institutions and services.
And when was the last time you used a phonebooth, and when you did was it working?
If we are paying for these things to exist they should work, and this wonderful article seems to prove they don't.
im sorry but yes most phonebooths do work and they were the only thing working on 9/11 so thank you advertising.
the meeting was yesterday at City Council.
do we know the results???


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Александр Ефремович Потапов (1913—1941) — старший лейтенант, один из руководителей Обороны Брестской крепости в годы Великой Отечественной войны. Награждён орденом Отечественной войны I степени (посмертно, 1965).

Биография
Родился в 1913 году в семье крестьянина в Смоленской губернии. Хозяйство считалось середняцким. Родители продолжали проживать и работать в колхозе той же деревни вплоть до начала Великой Отечественной войны. Помимо Александра в семье было три сестры и брат, из них 2 сестры и брат к 1938 году работали на ткацкой фабрике им. Молотова в городе Ярцево Смоленской области.

В 1931 году закончил семилетнюю школу по месту рождения и по окончании учёбы уехал работать на Тучковский кирпично-плиточный завод (станция Тучково Рузского района Московской области). С июня 1931 года по 1932 год работал на заводе библиотекарем, с 1932 года по ноябрь 1933 года — культработником при завкоме этого же завода и с ноября 1933 года по 30 сентября 1935 — секретарем комсомольской организации. В комсомол вступил в 1932 году на кирпичном заводе (билет № 453446).

К 1938 году был женат. Жена — Гончарова Мария Ивановна — работала на Тучковском кирпично-плиточном заводе в качестве бракеровщицы. Родители жены до революции проживали в Смоленской области, Сухиничском районе, той же деревни, занимались сельским хозяйством, с 1928 года работали на Тучковском кирпично-плиточном заводе.

В Красной Армии
В 1935 году был призван на службу в Красную армию во 2-й отдельный местный стрелковый батальон города Лосиноостровск. С 13 ноября 1935 года командование батальона направило его на учёбу в полковую школу в город Рыльск Курской области. Полковую школу окончил с отличием в 1936 году с присвоением звания младшего комвзвода. После окончания полковой школы вернулся на службу во 2-й отдельный местный стрелковый батальон города Лосиноостровск, где был назначен на должность командира взвода. В ноябре 1937 года был направлен на курсы младших лейтенантов.

Оборона Брестской крепости
Незадолго до начала войны был направлен в распоряжение командира 333-го стрелкового полка 6-й стрелковой дивизии и в последних числах мая 1941 года назначен старшим адъютантом (начальником штаба) одного из батальонов этого полка. С октября 1939 года, после завершения похода советских войск в Польшу, части 6-й стрелковой дивизии разместились в районе города Брест-Литовска и прилегающих к нему районах севернее реки Мухавец, приняв несение гарнизонной службы в Бресте и охрану государственной границы по реке Западный Буг в районе Бреста. Казармы 333-го стрелкового полка размещались непосредственно в цитадели Брестской крепости.

В ночь на 22 июня 1941 года был дежурным по 333-му стрелковому полку. С первыми разрывами вражеских снарядов и бомб поднял полк по тревоге. Командиру взвода полковой школы лейтенанту Наганову приказал занять оборону на участке Тереспольских ворот. Понимая, что командиру и комиссару полка не удастся прорваться в осажденную крепость, возглавил оборону на участке. Действуя смело и решительно, старший лейтенант А. Е. Потапов и помощник начальника штаба 333-го стрелкового полка лейтенант А. С. Санин организовали бойцов, благодаря чему враг, ворвавшийся в цитадель, был встречен организованным огнем и понес большие потери. Рядом стояло здание, где размещалась 9-я пограничная застава. Здесь сражались бойцы под командованием начальника заставы лейтенанта А. М. Кижеватова. 23 июня, когда от их здания остались одни руины, Кижеватов со своими бойцами перешёл в подвалы казармы 333-го полка и продолжал вместе с Потаповым руководить обороной. Примерно 25 июня в казармы 333-го полка также перебежала группа бойцов 132-го батальона конвойных войск НКВД, до этого времени оборонявшаяся в расположении своей части. Солдаты этой группы несли при себе Боевое знамя своего батальона, которое позднее при попытке прорыва было ими спрятано в воздушной трубе второго этажа, напротив штаба 132-го батальона.

Среди бойцов, входящих в группу Потапова, особо выделялся смелостью и отвагой юный воспитанник музыкантского взвода полка Петя Клыпа.

В течение недели под командованием Потапова, Санина и Кижеватова защитники казармы 333-го стрелкового полка отбивали многочисленные вражеские атаки. Женщин и детей, укрывавшихся в подвалах казармы вместе с бойцами, на 3-й или 4-й день войны пришлось отправить в плен. В последние дни обороны лейтенант Санин тяжело заболел и лежал в полубреду, не вставая (попал в плен, по его собственным воспоминаниям, 27 июня, а по немецкой карте военнопленного — ещё 24 июня).

29 июня, когда боеприпасы почти закончились, было принято решение предпринять последнюю отчаянную попытку прорыва. Прорываться предполагалось не на север, где противник ожидал атак и держал наготове крупные силы, а на юг, в сторону Западного острова, с тем, чтобы потом повернуть к востоку, переплыть рукав Буга и мимо госпиталя на Южном острове пробраться в окрестности Бреста. Этот прорыв окончился неудачей — большинство его участников погибло или было захвачено в плен. Возглавлявший группу прорыва А. Е. Потапов погиб в этом бою. Лейтенант А. М. Кижеватов, прикрывая прорыв, остался в цитадели и также погиб в бою.

В своей книге «Брестская крепость» писатель С. С. Смирнов, ссылаясь на воспоминания ряда участников обороны Брестской крепости, в том числе Петра Клыпы, указывал, что А. Е. Потапов, возможно, не погиб при прорыве, а был взят в плен и находился какое-то время в лагере военнопленных в Бяла Подляске. Указывалось даже, что Потапов был одним из организаторов массового побега военнопленных из этого лагеря в сентябре 1941 года. Однако данные сведения остаются в основе своей неточными и неподтвержденными.

Награды и память
Указом Президиума Верховного Совета СССР от 6 мая 1965 года посмертно награждён орденом Отечественной войны I степени.

О подвиге старшего лейтенанта А. Е. Потапова детально рассказал писатель Сергей Смирнов в главе «Последние» книги «Брестская крепость» (1957).

Бюст А. Е. Потапова установлен на Аллее Славы города Тучково Рузского района Московской области, где он жил и работал до призыва в Красную Армию. В 1968 году именем Героя названа одна из улиц Тучково.

Литература
 Сергей Смирнов Брестская крепость (1957), переиздания: Художественная литература, 1970; Раритет, ISBN 5-85735-119-7, 2000.
 Сергей Смирнов Мы — из Бреста: Рассказы о героях легендарной обороны, М.: Детская литература, 1972.

Примечания

Ссылки
 Герою Бреста посвящается
 Его именем названа улица.

Участники обороны Брестской крепости
Защитники Брестской крепости
Погибшие в боях Великой Отечественной войны
Персоналии:Брестская крепость

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Erika Jayne's Net Worth, Relationships & Personal Information – RHOBH
Home » Net Worth » Celebrities' Net Worth » Net Worth of the Real Housewives Cast » Real Housewives of Beverly Hills: Net Worth & Personal Information » Erika Jayne's Net Worth, Relationships & Personal Information – RHOBH
Erika Girardi born Erika Chahoy is an American singer, television personality, author, and actress. She is more popularly known by her stage name, Erika Jayne. She is best known for her appearance in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Erika Jayne's Net Worth
In 2021, Erika Jayne's net worth is estimated to be around US$ 5 Million. As of the moment, the reality tv star's main source of income is the salary that she gets from Bravo's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The reality star has confirmed this during an interview with Andy Cohen.
According to the New York Times, Erika Jayne, age 50, is mostly making around US$600,000 per season. (1)
The reality star's net worth decreased after her divorce from her husband of more than 20 years. Her estranged husband, Thomas Girardi, has a net worth valued at US$264 with various assets such as $9 Million dollars worth of jewelry and many more.
Erika Jayne's Early Life
Erika Jayne was born Erika Nay Chahoy in Atlanta, Georgia on July 10, 1971. She is currently 50 years old. Her mother Renee Chahoy raised her alone.
Renee Chahoy, an actress and a classically trained pianist had the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star when she was only 18 years old. Before Erika Jayne turned a year old, her parents broke up. In her book Pretty Mess, she describes her childhood as rough. Her mother remarried and the reality tv star was adopted by her stepfather but the latter eventually cut their communication when he and her mom divorced.
Erika's father was absent all throughout her childhood, she only met him when she was already 25 and since then he only went to see her a couple of times. Because of that, the only father figure that she had growing up was her grandfather.
Growing up, her grandparents Hollis Macy Peek and Ann T. Peek served as her parents. She grew up really close to them.
In July 2010, her grandfather Hollis Peek died at the age of 81. This has left the reality star devastated. Her grandmother, later on, got diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease but this did not hinder her from checking up on the reality star every day. According to Erika Jayne, they would talk to the phone almost every day but it stopped when her grandma wasn't able to communicate anymore. She died in November 2014 at age 86. (2)
Erika Jayne's Education
Erika Jayne went straight to New York after graduation from Northside High School Atlanta in order to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Erika Jayne's Husband and Family Life
After finishing high school Erika Jayne moved to New York City in the hopes of landing a career in the entertainment industry. In New York, she met Thomas Zizzo, when he was working as a DJ at a club in Manhattan. The couple eventually tied the knot at St. Patrick's Cathedral in December 1991. Shortly after, she welcomed her first child, a son, Thomas Zizzo Jr. However, the couple divorced a few years later. After that, she transferred to Los Angeles to pursue a singing career.
As of the moment, Erika Girardi's son with her first husband, Thomas Zizzo, is currently living a private life away from the prying eyes of the media. He is currently a police officer under the Los Angeles Police Department. In September 2021, he made headlines after getting into an accident while on his way to his step-father's mansion who was being burglarized. He apparently got worried about Thomas Girardi's well-being that he immediately rushed to the area.
She was only 27 years old when she met Thomas Girardi in 1998 while she was working as a cocktail waitress at Chasen's restaurant. He was 33 years her senior and because of this many assumed that she was a gold digger.
Thomas Girardi was a former lawyer and founder of the Girardi & Reese law firm in downtown Los Angeles. He was a very prominent lawyer who handled many high-profile cases. In December 2020, a federal judge in Chicago froze Girardi's assets, citing that he had "misappropriated at least $2 Million in client funds that were due to the families of those killed" by the Boeing 737 MAX Lion Air Flight 610 crash in Indonesia.
A month prior to this controversy, Erika Jayne file to divorce. Many media outlets called this a "sham" to hide assets. On December 17, 2020, the Los Angeles Times published a detailed article about the couple's legal issues titled "The Legal Titan and the 'Real Housewife': The Rise and Fall of Tom Girardi and Erika Jayne." (3)
They didn't have any children together.
Erika Jayne's Career
A post shared by ERIKA JAYNE (@theprettymess)
At a young age, Erika Jayne joined the entertainment industry by doing modeling gigs and local commercials. At 18 years old after her graduation from high school, she moved to New York City where she performed as a member of several girl groups which included recording songs with The Flirts and performing with I-Dolls.
Erika Jayne began her acting career in the early 1990s by appearing in small roles in several American television series and films. One of her characters was Cindy Butterworth on the police drama series High Incident. She also had roles in independent films such as Lowball, where she played Kate, a struggling single mother alongside Erik Schrody and Jack Mulcahy, and Alchemy where she played Kitty, a woman who befriended her form partner's ex after his death.
She also appeared as Suzanne Morton on NBC's legal drama series Law & Order, in the episode "Prescription for Death".
In 2015, she became a part of the main cast of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, then this was followed by her role in Dancing with the Stars in 2017. Then she had a recurring role as Real Estate Agent Farrah Dubose on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless.
Aside from being a reality tv star and actress, Erika Jayne is also a singer and a writer. In 2018, she published the book Pretty Mess, which became a New York Times Best Seller. (4)
Other Books that she wrote includes:
Love Sparks – House of Alternatives book one
Cherry Blossom Ball
Love Never Promised Tomorrow
A Day To Die
The Absent Wife
Erika Jayne's music career was also a successful one. She had a total of eight number one Billboard singles. (5)
Some of her songs:
Give Your Everything
Pretty Mess
One Hot Pleasure
Party People (Ignite the World)
Get It Tonight
Painkillr
You Make Me Wanna Dance
How Many Fucks
Xxpensive
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Storyline for Erika Jayne
Erika Jayne joined the cast of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in season 6 in 2015. She made her debut during the third episode of the show.
Her first season was marked with a drama involving her and Bethenny Frankel. Both of them argued over branding after Frankel watches Girardi's music video. Another incident involving Lisa Vanderpump ensued, however, this was immediately resolved after Girardi owned up to what she said. In this season, some of the housewives, particularly Lisa Rinna felt like Erika Jayne's music video was pornographic and sexual and she didn't like it at all. This season also was challenging for her as her close friend Yolanda Foster suffers from an illness and a painful divorce prompting her to change her name back to Yolanda Hadid.
In season 7, Erika Jayne's mother appeared on the season's premiere in order to surprise the reality star at her 45th birthday party. However, this only made her frustrated as seen in the season's teaser. She also told ET that she wasn't comfortable showing her emotional side on television but she couldn't stop it because of the built-in frustrations that she had.
In season 8, Erika Girardi, Lisa Rinna, and Dorit Kemsley were friendly considering the dramas that they had last season.
In season 9, Rinna dressed up as Erika Jayne while Kyle Richards impersonated the way Erik was speaking which escalated into a drama because Erika got annoyed.
Season 11 marks the legal drama between Erika Girardi and her estranged husband Tom Girardi. Erika Jayne also filed for a bankruptcy case of $20 Million in EJ global. In this season, Erika Jayne's honesty was questioned after her ex-husband's mansion was burglarized. During the September 11 episode of the hit Bravo series, Kyle Richards and Dorit Kemsley was told about the burglary that transpired at Tom Girardi's mansion. Erika Jayne who was narrating the story was questioned about the veracity of some of the details. The husbands of her two co-stars also found the narrative very hard to believe. (6)
Erika Jayne's Appearance (Height, Hair, Eyes & More)
Facts About Erika Jayne
Alicea James, Erika Jayne's whopping RHOBH salary revealed — How much does she make on the show?,https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/reality-tv/erika-jaynes-whopping-rhobh-salary-revealed-how-much-does-she-make-on-the-show/
Darryl Hinton, Erika Jayne Wiki, Biography, Age, Career, Relationship, Net Worth & Know About Everything, https://wikitrusted.com/erika-jayne-wikipedia/
47 Years American Singer Erika Jayne Is In A Longtime Married Relationship With Husband Thomas Girardi; Know About Her Family Life And Son, https://marriedwiki.com/article/47-years-american-singer-erika-jayne-is-in-a-longtime-married-relationship-with-husband-thomas-girardi-know-about-her-family-life-and-son
Pretty Mess | Book by Erika Jayne, https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Pretty-Mess/Erika-Jayne/978150118190
Erika Jayne, https://www.last.fm/music/Erika+Jayne
Camille Moore, The Reason Why Erika Jayne Was Fired from "Real Housewives", https://tvovermind.com/the-reason-why-erika-jayne-was-fired-from-real-housewives/


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England seal Six Nations title to tee up Grand Slam opportunity
England's Ben Youngs (right) is tackled by Wales' Gareth Davies during the 2016 RBS Six Nations match at Twickenham Stadium, London. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire. - Credit: PA
England ended their run of four successive runners-up finishes by being crowned Six Nations champions in Eddie Jones' debut campaign as head coach – thanks to Scotland.
https://twitter.com/owenslot/status/708693900563750912
A thrilling 25-21 victory over Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, followed by Scotland's 29-18 home win against France on Sunday, guaranteed England a first title since 2011 with a round to spare.
Norfolk's Ben Youngs – winning his 56th cap – continued his good form at scrum-half to become one of just five players surviving from that 2011 team to add a second title to their CV, alongside skipper Dylan Hartley, Dan Cole, James Haskell and Danny Care.
England will complete their Six Nations in Paris on Saturday night and victory would result in the Grand Slam – an achievement which for the Red Rose was last managed in 2003.
Jones admits the celebrations at the squad's Surrey training base will be restrained as he sets his players' sights on a clean sweep.
https://twitter.com/LeicesterTigers/status/709065434037927941
'The emotions were a bit mixed to be honest,' the Australian told the BBC.
'It's obviously nice to win the championship, but as a team we feel like we haven't achieved what we want to achieve and that's the Grand Slam.
'If we prepare well, we'll do the business. We'll go to Paris confident.
'France were always going to be a difficult side and they showed at times against Scotland that they can play sublime rugby.
'At other times it's not so sublime, so we need to make sure they don't have too many sublime moments. Winning the title is a fantastic achievement by the team.
'The squad is still very much the same one from the World Cup, so that squad has changed themselves and the real credit goes to the players.'
England had to survive a late fightback to earn a fourth successive win under Jones.
Wales were as dominant in the final 20 minutes as England were the first 60, but having seen his team survive Cole's late yellow card as the visitors threatened a stunning recovery, Jones insisted they had come some way to redeeming themselves for their World Cup showing under his predecessor Stuart Lancaster.
'We're four from four,' said Jones, whose team risked undermining their impressive opening hour when conceding converted tries to Wales' Dan Biggar, George North and Taulupe Faletau.
'England played Wales in the World Cup in September. If you'd said five months afterwards we'd be ahead 25-7 after 60 minutes against Wales, then you'd be pretty happy. We won the game 25-21, and we've won.
'We're a new team, we weren't the old team, we've moved on, we played differently, thought differently – we played a bit like the old team in the last 20 minutes.
'What was significant was our first 60 minutes. I thought we played really well, with a lot of precision, were tactically smart, physical. In the last 20 of the game, which is a good learning experience for us – we had to defend with 14 men at the end – but to get a win over Wales...
'Tactically in the last 20 we sat back. Instead of keep attacking them we stopped. When we attacked them they really struggled to deal with us. When we sat back we struggled, so it's a really good lesson.
'It's not (a lack of) fitness, it's more about trying to protect the lead rather than trying to increase the lead. If we'd played with the same intent we did the first 60, we'd have won that game by a lot more.
'It's all about better decision making. You get better by practising at training and that's what we'll do, so we'll get there.'
The impressive performance of Maro Itoje, inset left, was particularly significant in that the lock was named man of the match in only his second Test start.
Second row has long been one of the positions in which England have lacked stability, but Jones said of the 21-year-old's performance: 'I thought he played very well, he worked hard at his game and did a lot of things we've asked him to do. It was a very good performance from him.'