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Eye on Tasmania
I'm back from a brief hiatus.
I went back down to Tasmania recently to visit two winemakers I'm exporting into the USA for AOC Fine Wines/SObER Imports: Guy Wagner of Bass Fine Wines and Brian Franklin of Apsley Gorge. As usual, it was quite chilly and the search for fireplaces was on again.
Guy Wagner, a quiet spoken bloke in his early thirties, sources pinot noir, riesling, and chard, from the Tamar region north of Launceston on the Northern coast of the island. It's a bit warmer up there than down south, although frosts are still a problem. 2007 saw many vineyards burnt and rendered fruitless by frigid early temperatures. How sad that must be to see the vintage ruined before it even gets started. That being said, it explains how Wagner can still make good wines even in an off year. Since he doesn't own any vines, he can select fruit from vineyards that have succeeded where others have failed. This lower overhead also allows him to offer better value than many estate produced interests.
After Guy, we headed to the East Coast Freycinet region and the seaside town of Bicheno to meet up with Brian Franklin from Apsley Gorge. Franklin, in his mid-40's with piercing steely blue eyes, was profiled briefly in an earlier blog entry in July 2007 and singled out for his passionate Burgundian approach to making pinot noir and chardonnay. In the Fall, his Spring, he can be found working vintage in Burgundy with Phillipe Charlopin and living in his second home in the local village of St. Romain. He is a former abalone diver and did quite well for himself in the 1980's. Abalone divers were making serious coin in those days through sheer hard work and dedication. The money earned was well deserved: he spent literally every day under water for 8 years. With this big pile of money, he's been building a sandstone mansion, with the help of a full time stonemason, from handcarved stones quarried from his vineyard for the last ten years. It is a labor of love, and called "Clos de la Mer" as an hommage to his love of the grand cru Burgundy vineyard names like Clos de la Roche and Clos Vougeot, and, perhaps more obviously, because the home's perched above the sea, right on the shoulder of Maclean Bay.
Apsley Gorge vineyard is ideally located in the heart of Apsley National Park, and nestled all alone in a gorge that protects it from the ubiquitous frost. The winery, back in Bicheno, has a cellar door and a terrific cafe open only in Summer where you can get fresh lobsters (called crayfish down under) and just from the sea oysters. Nice to sit outside on the Tasman Sea with a poached lobster and a bottle of chardonnay. I love these wines. As one wine writer said of Franklin's pinot noir, "the iron-willed should cellar it for five years or more; the weak will fall for its seductive charms tonight". It'll be fascinating to see how they do.
After business I headed out to the verdant West Coast and spent a couple of beautiful days hiking and sitting by big fires at Cradle Mountain Lodge. The wooden paths built around Dove Lake at the base of Cradle Mountain are an engineering marvel. They allowed even the most lackadaisical ambler to head into what would otherwise be unnavigable Return-of-the-Jedi-like forests.
The main lodge is old and smokey with leather couches and exposed King Billy Pine logs; it's what you imagine when you think of a cozy mountain retreat. The staff was uncannily warm and gracious for such an out of the way place. The restaurant was superb, as was the Barossa 2005 John Duval "Entity" Shiraz . It was one of the best wines I've had from Australia; impeccably pure fruit and deftly balanced.
Tassie is a pristine, isolated paradise. There are plenty of good restaurants, particularly in Hobart, and a growing number of top class wineries. True, it's a little out of the way for most wine lovers, but fear not. If you can't make it down, I'll be bringing some of them your way soon.
← McLaren Vale Rebounds
Waipara, New Zealand →


Just about to do my first coding. Can anyone tell me if I can enable enhanced Bluetooth ? Possibly in the expert mode on BimmerCode.
Well I've finally done it, don't know what I was worried about. I Just need some kind person to give me the lowdown on how to enable Enhanced Bluetooth Ebt. I have a 2018 X5 with pro nav, fully speced up but for some reason I didn't check the box for ebt.


You know the makers of a 707 horsepower family sedan aren't going to skimp out when it comes to their SUV. The Durango has well-earned the nickname of the King of SUVs, out-towing, out-speeding, and out-powering all other vehicles of the segment. The available third row seating provides you with a maximum of seven passengers within, making the Durango a well equipped family hauler that can bring along all the tech, gadgets, and gear for any road trip.
What seating arrangement versatility is there?
There are five primary trim models for the 2019 Durango lineup: the SXT, GT, Citadel, R/T, and performance topping SRT.Each lends a superior interior flexibility of seating arrangements and cargo space to suit any of your needs. Vehicles equipped with a third row offer 17 cubic-feet within the trunk, while two-rowed vehicles give you a massive 47 cubic-feet of space. If this isn't enough, the second row folds to provide you with up to 85 cubic-feet of cargo capacity! Anything larger can be stored up on the Durango's available heavy duty roof rack that's capable of carrying up to 150 pounds. A second row 60/40 folding bench seat is standard, but the luxury Citadel now comes with standard dual captain's chairs to make accessing the third row a breeze through the center aisle. In total, over 50 seating arrangements can be tailored to suit any situation of passengers and cargo you find yourself in.
You'll find yourself at the helm of some great modern convenience and technology, too, when stepping into the 2019 Durango. Every vehicle comes equipped with the latest Uconnect apps in either a seven- or largest-in-class 8.4-inch touchscreen interface. This system is also programmed with the latest Apple and Android smartphone wireless integration, along with voice recognition, Bluetooth, fastcharge USB ports, and auxiliary ports for MP3 streaming. HD radio, GPS, SiriusXM, and additional USB ports for front and rear rows come standard in higher trim models. There's upgradeable sound systems available to add in every Durango. You have choice of a standard six-speaker Alpine audio system, six-speaker Beats Audio premium sound system plus subwoofer, or upgraded nine-speaker Alpine audio system plus subwoofer. Your second row comes with an optional entertainment system for those long car rides, featuring dual flip-up nine-inch touchscreens equipped to the back of the first-row seats. This system is BluRay equipped, with compatible Bluetooth, HDML, and USB to bring your second- and third-row occupants plenty of entertainment.
Dodge's legendary systems come equipped with the 2019 Durango as well, speeding forward with the same engines that are put into their all-American-bred muscle cars. The first two powertrains offer either rear- or all-wheel drivetrains, while the performance driven SRT comes only in all-wheel drive. Starting you off, the base SXT and GT trims come with the award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar six-cylinder engine to deliver you with 295 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. With advanced variable valve timing, this engine efficiently pumps out the miles, with maximum 26 highway mpg ability. Another bonus: the V6 Durango can tow up to 6,200 pounds. The Citadel and R/T sport the 5.7-liter eight-cylinder HEMI engineered with Fuel Saver Four-Cylinder Technology, turning off half the cylinders when the excess power isn't necessary to save on gas. The 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque churns out 22 mpg, and comes with a tow rating of up to 7,400 pounds. Last, the SRT-exclusive 6.4-liter HEMI lends the biggest and fastest performance you'll get out of a SUV. The 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque are capable of a best-in-class 8,700 tow rating, speeding over quarter miles at a clocked 13 seconds. Each engine comes equipped with the class-exclusive electric eight-speed automatic transmission with manual mode shift paddles.
You're getting the biggest and most capable SUV when you opt for the 2019 Dodge Durango. You won't find another that'll support big families with big power needs and big hobbies, capable of hauling these numbers while maintaining a superior interior comfort and enjoyability. Take the whole family to test out the Dodge Durango and see what everyone thinks of this modern family hauler!


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Home » Economy » Self-builders costs set to be slashed
Self-builders costs set to be slashed
New measures will save hardworking householders thousands of pounds from the cost of building their own home under proposals out yesterday (23 March 2014).
Charges would be scrapped that require a large payment and add considerable costs for people wanting to build their own home or developers looking to build a small number of properties. These reforms will help increase both house building and housing supply, and lower the construction cost of new build housing and home improvements.
A number of councils have applied Section 106 charges which have made these types of development unviable, such as a £32,000 charge that would be required to build a self-build 2-storey 3-bedroom house in the New Forest, and a £20,000 charge to build 2 modest sized homes in Andover.
The charges, which can also be applied to the building of extensions and annexes, require a levy for affordable housing. This would be scrapped for self-builders, homeowners and developers wanting to bring redundant buildings back into use along with builders eager to make use of small sites to provide much needed housing. A number of these schemes become economically unviable if forced to pay excessive development charges.
The changes could provide a big boost to builders keen to take on more work and will be further support for smaller developers who can also benefit from the £525 million Builders Finance Fund announced in the Budget which is targeted at small and medium-sized builders.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said:
"People who have worked hard and saved hard should be able to build a home or make changes to their property without paying out excessive charges.
"Their home should be their castle and not a cash cow for their local council. They shouldn't be clobbered with thousands of pounds of charges just for building a house or adding an annexe for an elderly family member.
"There are too many levies and charges on housing. By cutting these, we can help support hard working families, give builders a boost and build more homes."
March 24, 2014 Alex Bell Economy, Land & Developments, New Homes
13 million households in broadband slow lane
Gross mortgage lending up 43% on last year

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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November 10, 2017Culture Club
Karina Canellakis Photo by Todd Rosenberg
Karina Canellakis and the MSO Do Tchaikovsky Proud
This weekend's concerts also feature two rarely heard works by Nico Muhly and Karol Szymanowski.
BY Paul Kosidowski
There's a lot of push-pull in Tchaikovsky's beloved Symphony No. 5. The great Russian master composed it fully ten years after his last symphony — at the height of his fame — and was eager to create music that was of his country, but also of the greater musical world—simultaneously "Russian" and "European." He felt committed to the symphonic form, but wanted to honor the creative impulses that called him to push against its restrictions. He clearly expressed an "idea" in this symphony — what he called "the inscrutable designs of Providence," the so-called "fate motif" — but it is contained (barely) within a traditional symphonic structure.
Karina Canellakis
But there was no "containing" Karina Canellakis and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Friday afternoon. The American-born conductor — who is likely one of the top candidates to become the new MSO Music Director — led the orchestra in a fierce and full-blooded reading of one of the canon's great Romantic symphonies.
The distinctive approach was apparent from the opening theme. Canellakis took substantial breaths between the piecemeal phrases that make up the Fifth's main motif. They were played beautifully by clarinetist Todd Levy, but the halting momentum was unsettling. By the time the whispered cadences closed the section, it seemed like the music would simply slip into silence. Even as the second theme arrived with it's steadier rhythm, it was inflected with a bittersweet anxiety, a musical mind still gathering its resolve.
When it arrives, of course, that resolve is thunderous. Canellakis helped the orchestra with precise control of the dynamic hills and valleys. The quiet harmonies that open the second movement were lush and warm-blooded, and Matthew Annin found a touching ache and longing in the familiar French horn melody, and the piece gathers momentum from there, building to a rousing finale.
Canellakis opened the concert with two distinctive, and little known, pieces. Nico Muhly's Mixed Messages, composed in 2015, features gently chugging, post-minimalist string rhythms that are irregularly interrupted by percussive bursts and melodic shards from elsewhere in the orchestra.
Jennifer Koh.
Jennifer Koh gave a dazzling performance of Karol Szymanowski's Second Violin Concerto (1933) to end the first half of the program. Koh's full, rich sound was perfect for this rarely heard piece, which boasts a substantial orchestra behind the soloist. Like the Tchaikovsky symphony, it starts quietly, but builds to bravura passages by the soloist, including a cadenza that is a technical marvel of double stops and combinations of plucked and bowed strings.
Go See It: The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at Uihlein Hall in the Marcus Center (929 N. Water St.); 8 pm, Sat., Nov. 11; 2:30 pm, Sunday, Nov. 12.
What it's Like to Judge the Great Midwestern Pie Competition
Restaurant Review: The Diplomat on Brady St. is the Epitome of Diplomacy
Paul Kosidowski
Paul Kosidowski is a freelance writer and critic who contributes regularly to Milwaukee Magazine, WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio and national arts magazines. He writes weekly reviews and previews for the Culture Club column. He was literary director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater from 1999-2006. In 2007, he was a fellow with the NEA Theater and Musical Theater Criticism Institute at the University of Southern California. His writing has also appeared in American Theatre magazine, Backstage, The Boston Globe, Theatre Topics, and Isthmus (Madison, Wis.). He has taught theater history, arts criticism and magazine writing at Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
The Public Museum Picked a Design Team for Their New Building
Your Guide to Local Virtual Classes This Winter
A 20th-Century Masterpiece at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music


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RedHawks Sweep Doubleheader at Rockford on Monday
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks clubbed the Rockford RiverHawks to take over sole possession of first place with a 7-2, 14-2 doubleheader sweep Monday night at Road Ranger Stadium in Rockford, IL.
In the opener, Fargo scored three times in the first inning and led the rest of the way. Eric Campbell doubled in two and scored on a two-out single by Jay Cox. Jeremiah Piepkorn and Nic Jackson each homered for Fargo. Travis Scott homered in a losing effort, in front of a near-sellout crowd of 2,947.
Fargo starter Scott Fogelson didn't last five innings and had a no-decision. Reliever Cory Patton (1-0), who escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the fifth inning, was awarded the win.
Rockford starter Mike Wood (2-6) gave up six runs, five earned, on nine hits in six innings and took the loss.
In the nightcap, Zach Penprase singled in two runs with two outs in the Fargo second inning to break a scoreless tie and the RedHawks led the rest of the way. Fargo sent 13 to the plate in an eight-run fourth inning to knock out Rockford starter Kyle Ruwe (5-7).
Matt Mossey (7-3) struck out three without a walk and pitched a six-hitter for the win.
Carlo Cota and Kole Zimmerman each homered for the RedHawks. Rookie Franco Valdes homered for the RiverHawks.
The RedHawks and RiverHawks are back on the field for another doubleheader at 6:05 p.m. Tuesday night in Rockford.


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Before any big undertaking, any new project, business or artistic endeavor we start asking ourselves questions. Will I stay the course? Have I got enough stick-to-it-ness? Have I enough energy? Am I smart enough? Am I talented enough? Is it 'my thing'? Can I learn fast enough?
The questions pile up and pretty soon they can overwhelm you. A safer option is to give up your ambitious plan. Carry on as normal, doing nothing very much.
What happens is you give up before you've even started, before you've faced even one REAL obstacle. People ask why aren't you doing what you announced a few days ago so blithely in the pub? You feel a little foolish. You find it hard to explain because it looks like what it is: you gave up before you started because you got overwhelmed by self-doubt.
In fact self-doubt is a useful tool but a lethal weapon.
You use it as a tool when you want to come up with OBSTACLES to progress. Self-doubt is fear fuelled creativity. You try and think of every possible thing that can go wrong- the self-doubt tool will supply the answers. You make a list of all the OBSTACLES and next to them a list of all the WAYS you'll overcome them, using normal creativity in this instance.
However, when self-doubt is given free reign, without control, it becomes a lethal weapon. It'll kill any project stone dead. So self-doubt must be handled with extreme caution and used as a powerful directed beam to illuminate OBSTACLES in your way.
I keep capitalising OBSTACLES because when you walk your way to success, identifying and overcoming OBSTACLES is a key procedure.
We are brought up to believe that we need to add stuff to achieve our aims, and the more we add, kind of like video game merits, gold, or juice, the more chance we have of succeeding.
But the reality is the opposite. Having posited a goal we want to achieve we then start REMOVING things in our way. We start identifying obstacles and creatively finding a way round each one.
There are several reasons why this works better than the conventional 'adding stuff' method. First we harness self-doubt instead of being crippled by it or wasting psychic energy fighting it. Second we employ creativity to imagine OBSTACLES before they arise. We have a battleplan ready to hand, having visualised our path to success.
Performance coaches know that the more accurate the visualisation the more impact it has on improving skills. In a University of Chicago study, basketball players were divided into three groups for free throw training. The first group practised free throws an hour a day. The second group did no training and the third group simply visualised free throws an hour a day- with no real practise. After a month the people who really practised showed a 24% improvement. The people who didn't practise showed no improvement. But the people who simply visualised making successful free throws showed a 23% improvement – without having visited a gym or touched a ball.
OBSTACLES are first overcome in our heads. Using controlled self-doubt we generate a realistic visualisation of the obstacle, then using creativity we visualise how to overcome it. Then, in the real world, we do just that.
Let's get practical: before a long distance walk you'll be assailed by self doubt. What if I get injured? What if I get blisters? How will I get water? Where will I camp? What if my gear is too heavy? What if I don't do enough miles each day?
First you halt this process and turn it on its head. Gamify it by trying to come up with as many OBSTACLES to your ultimate success as you can. Even silly ones.
Then identify a way to overcome each obstacle. On my first big walk I had these obstacles: 1. Not enough money to complete walk by staying in manned mountain huts 2. Pack too heavy to make enough miles each day 3. Boots that worked in training but bit into my achilles in the mountains.
Any one of these could have been a show stopper. On previous attempts at long distance walks I'd been finished by much smaller obstacles even than these. Stuff as basic as big blisters, not being able to make a fire or running out of food. This time would be different. So I needed to think my round each obstacle in turn. Not enough money was solved by staying in unmanned huts or sleeping under a flysheet I carried. My heavy pack was reduced by chucking out an inner tent, cutting the top off my sleeping bag, ditching all clothes except shorts, thermals, two shirts, spare underwear, a fleece and shell gear. The boot problem was solved by biting the bullet and hitching into the nearest town and buying the cheapest pair of boots that fitted properly. Simple solutions when tackled one at a time, but overwhelming if faced all at once.
A long distance walk is a scale model of an attempt at anything a bit difficult, a bit out of your comfort zone. The obstacles on a long walk are easy to identify and fix. By long distance walking you build the skill of obstacle fixing. Use that skill to identify the harder problems of real life. If you find yourself - with your project, business or artistic endeavor- becoming overwhelmed, think of it like a long walk, one step at a time. Visualise a path that leads from NOW to success and identify each obstacle in turn.
You want to identify the obstacles (OK I think we've enough caps for now) before you start. You will then generate a path from start to finish. When you have a path in your mind, the path to success- you really will achieve it.
Before any project that seems daunting tell yourself it's just a case of identifying what is in the way, what is stopping you, what is holding you back. When all obstacles have been identified and overcome in your mind the path is clear- you can safely assume you will succeed.
To achieve success- in a long distance walk- or anything else- you need to assume success – then act it out in real life.


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GU Board Forums > Basketball discussion > Men's Basketball > WCC Player of the Year. From the S-R
View Full Version : WCC Player of the Year. From the S-R
23dpg
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/sportslink/2009/feb/18/bouldin-line-wcc-player-year/
Tough call again this year.
Zag79
i say josh if not bryant. but im also looking from the whole season, not just wcc play.
Bouldin or Bryant...Mills lost his chance.
heavyzag
I love the Zags and think Bouldin has played great but Bryant has been dominant.
Based on "raw" numbers it's pretty clear Bryant would be it if that's all that was taken into account - but since it sounds like they're taking into account team success, I think it's a co-MVP situation with Bouldin and Bryant.
It should be virtually unanimous for coach of the year though - Eric Reveno has done an amazing job turning Portland around.
agree that based on raw numbers bryant is the choice - do you think they take into account his success (or lack there of) against us however (probably not)?
i haven't checked on how bouldin did against santa clara, but if we shut down the big man twice don't you think it would have to give bouldin the edge? i'm thinking we're headed for co-mvp's as well however.
good call on coaching mvp, i don't think anyone's going to argue with the UP choice.
I would be very surprised if Bouldin doesn't win at least part of it for this reason:
Bryant's numbers are impressive. He has four games with 20-plus points and rebounds, most in the country. He has 21 double-doubles this season, including 10 of 11 WCC games. But the Broncos are currently in fourth place. Only once in the last eight years was the player of the year award shared. GU's Derek Raivio shared the honor with Santa Clara's Sean Denison in 2007, when the Broncos lost two games on the last weekend of the regular season to drop behind Gonzaga in the standings. Other than Denison, San Francisco's Kenyon Jones in 2000 was the last player on a non-championship team to win the award. USF placed fifth as Pepperdine claimed the title.
sittingon50
Reveno has done a terrific job but if the Zags run the table I think Few has to get it.
zag944
ugh, I forgot how ridiculous Denison winning Co-POY was. A little GU backlash in the voting in my mind.
I think team success is factored into these sort of things too much. Teams award themselves with conference titles and championships. To me the award should go to the best player. It isn't Bryant's fault he doesnt have the same talent around him MB does. On the flip side, who knows what kind of numbers MB would put up if he was shouldering more of a load. Whatever. Its in the eye of the beholder.
Given the voting format (there are only 8 total votes if Im not mistaken), I wouldnt be remotely suprised to see a split.
don't think it was anti-GU, I think it was just some of the voters picking the "best" player on the "best" team that year - except they voted several days early...and then the best team changed...
EngineerZag
I think Bryant and Bouldin should get a split and Reveno should get COY award.
i just remember watching the conference tournament championship game that year.
The ESPN announcer was comparing the two players when GU was wrapping up the win and he said something to the affect of "Raivio has played well while Denison has been relatively quiet". Denison had played the game approximately to his season averages.
Even if they were the better team (they werent), that starting lineup was so balanced that no one really stood ahead of the rest. If Pariseau or one of the other guys would have been nominated it still wouldve been a split.
FuManShoes
Lowhorn's averaging 20 & 7. San Fran sucks but they'd suck a lot more without that guy. I understand the rational behind rewarding the best player on the best team -- it sends the message that results matter -- but there's also something to be said for individuals who stand out on lousy teams. That's why if I were voting I'd go for Bryant, Lowhorn or maybe Raivio before Bouldin. Boulddin's been consistent and solid but he has a much better supporting cast -- guys who command defensive attention. It's a good discussion.
Tmac5360
Love Bouldin and think he and Bryant are both deserving. As far as coaches go. I think Few is great and running the table is possible still. But Reveno is really doing something great with those guys. Now is they go on to lose 2 or 3 more maybe my mind changes but right now it him.
Zagatron
Why all the doubt with Bouldin? I get the feeling on here people don't think Bouldin should get it and he has had just as good or better of a season then Jeremy did last year. Everyone on here was all for Jeremy getting it. I think Bouldin should get it because he is the best player or playing the best for the best team in conference. Bryant is a stud but they lose a lot of games.
OZZag
Take Bryant away from SCU and they would be bottom of the table. Keep in mind that they are starting three freshmen and thier sixth man is a Sophomore. Plus JB has been through a lot this year (with the stabbing etc). I think all in the WCC have seen a real transformation in JB over his four years and given the respect the WCC community has for each, will consider John worthy. Matt has been the Rock that has kept the Zags together. It should be split.............
Bogozags
Josh has been a defensive stop. He has held each opposing post player under their averages in each meeting! Not sure if we would have won 15 games this year if he hadn't put his heart into his defensive effort. He never complains when he is open and doesn't get the ball...he plays out of position as he is a natural four (and still would love to see this rotation: Josh, Foster, Daye, Downs and Bouldin on the court at the same time)...sure Bouldin has scored more, had more assists but think Josh has been the mule of this team and would be deserving of the award...in my humble opinion...
actually josh scores more and rebounds more than anyone on our team. hes the mvp. bouldin has been more consistent, and turning into a great player. but thi big man is the difference maker.


countenance †demeanour, conduct; composure XIII; †aspect, appearance; facial look or expression; face, visage XIV; moral support XVI. — AN. c(o)untenaunce, (O)F. contenance bearing, behaviour, mien, contents, f. contenir maintain (oneself), CONTAIN; see -ANCE.
Hence countenance vb. †make a show (of), pretend XV; †face out; †set off; give support to XVI.
"countenance." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. . Encyclopedia.com. 18 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
coun·te·nance / ˈkountn-əns/ • n. 1. a person's face or facial expression. 2. support. • v. [tr.] admit as acceptable or possible: he countenanced the use of force. PHRASES: keep one's countenance maintain one's composure, esp. by refraining from laughter.
"countenance." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. . Encyclopedia.com. 18 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"countenance." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. . Encyclopedia.com. 18 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.


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Updates to Ann's profile since your last visit are highlighted in yellow.
Ann Wassermann
Profile Updated: August 12, 2010
Salt Lake City, UT USA
Diane Redden just celebrated twentieth anniversary
Too many to count.
Current child is a puppy weighing in at 100 pounds, a Great Dane named Aggie More…(what else?) She's so well-behaved when she's asleep
Send Ann a private message
After going to school in New York City, I returned to Salt Lake where I have practiced family law for way too many years. I have specialized in custody and juvenile court neglect matters, and increasingly represent grandparents who are experiencing the joy of raising children for a second time. I think it's best that I stuck with puppies.
School Story:
I will never forget the look on Marilyn Drake's face when she was exposed as the person who stole the pineapple in Larry Haslam's class. Speaking of Mr. Haslam, I reflect fondly back on the days of torturing his student teachers, hoping they would quit and give us our teacher back. Does the name Mr. Francom ring a bell? We really were fortunate to have some great teachers: Larry Haslam, Richard Bradford, Margaret Obray, Linda Smith, LaMar Anderson (I think he invented Lamarity, a relative of molarity) and Harry Kemp, to name a few. And who can forget Sgt. Benway? I really liked that hard headed guy.
I also treasure the memory of Leo Johnson telling my brother that "they" were afraid of letting me be the editor of the newspaper because of a radical story I wrote on the advent of jumbo straws (students, we interrupt your class to tell you that we have new jumbo straws and you only get to take one. One! Now back to your studies)
Perhaps "they" were right.
Finally, this reunion I assume has prompted all of us to reflect on our classmates who have died. The first was Steve Howell, whose death just days before graduation was a shock to our naievety, and who forced us to think about the reality of exclusion. The death of Carolyn Walstrom was a tragedy, and a tragic coincidence for me, as the plane in which she was flying crashed into the World Trade Center, where my best friend from law school died. The death this week of Cheryl Russell, who was a Logan City judge, is a sad way to start the reunion week.
Originally I didnt intend to attend the reunion, but now I am truly looking forward to it. I still won't be a homecoming queen, but if any of your spouses want to dump you, I may be the most popular person there.
I already said finally, so now I will say "lastly", my thanks go to the members of the reunion committee, who have been rewarded for their popularity in high school by inheriting the responsibility to organize this whole thing. Thanks guys! I'm sure I voted for all of you.
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Ann Wassermann has a birthday today.


Aside from a certain ineffable quality which goes with really successful marketing, there are some basic steps and tips which you can follow to get started.
Start by sending invites to the friends you already have on Facebook. On your Fan Page, on the left side of the screen is a "Suggest to Friends" link. You can use this feature to send out invitations to people either individually or in groups.
Use the Search function on Facebook to find new fans. You can use the "Posts by Everyone" search function to search inside peoples' posts to discover who is interested in your niche and actively talking about similar products. This is sometimes easier than searching for communities or groups or trying to look through other Fan Pages for new fans.
Run an ad campaign. These paid ads appear on the sides of pages based on contextual relevance. You can set whatever kind of daily spending limit you are comfortable with. You can also start and end your campaigns at any time.
If you have Twitter, you can use the Facebook Fan Page Twitter Application to post an update and backlink to your Twitter feed time every time you update your Fan Page, automatically!
If you have your own website, you should add a Facebook Fan Box Widget which gives people a way to "like" your Fan Page directly from your website or blog.
Socialize. This may seem like a given, but to a lot of people it isn't. You need to interact with people about a wide variety of topics in order to gain their trust and respect.
read entire article.. at: Domain Name Ninja Blog: Strategies For Marketing Your Facebook Fan Page.


What's Worth Watching show #25 will replay Friday at 4am Eastern AND Saturday at 7pm Eastern on Howard 101. Sorry about the phones, but thanks for tweeting your questions to us @whatsworthwatch.
Next week on What's Worth Watching - The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik (yes, she was Blossom).


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When winners need help
Derek Larkin and colleagues consider mental health in elite sport.
What connects these individuals: Frank Bruno, Dame Kelly Holmes, Marcus Trescothick [pictured] and Aaron Lennon? If you said are all are winners you would be correct; if you said all are elite sports individuals, again correct. But there is something else: they all reported having mental health concerns either whilst performing or shortly after retiring. Boxer Frank Bruno has bipolar disorder and depression and has been admitted to psychiatric wards several times since giving up the sport. Dame Kelly Holmes was battling depression in the lead-up to the 2004 Olympics. Marcus Trescothick was playing cricket for England when depression forced his retirement. In May this year Premiership footballer Aaron Lennon was detained under the Mental Health Act for his own protection and has been receiving treatment for a stress-related illness.
Mental health in elite sporting contexts
Elite athletes are perceived to be highly mentally functioning individuals, known for positive mental attributes such as resilience, focus, confidence and composure (Holland et al., 2010; MacNamara et al., 2010). However, there are an increasing number of anecdotal reports suggesting elite athletes, like the rest of us, are vulnerable to an array of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions and substance misuse. But why?
To discuss this question, it's important to consider the environmental and social contexts in which elite sport operates. Specifically, in elite sport, both competition and training environments are highly controlled and pressurised. Elite athletes often experience a loss of personal autonomy, disempowerment and unique pressures in the form of competitive achievement, the need to stay physically healthy, remain injury-free, retain or win a new contract, or be selected regularly by their coach. The elite sporting environment can facilitate identity foreclosure, whereby people shape and influence their view of self merely within the parameters of an athletic identity. Psychological distress and depression can follow when that identity is removed, for example, by competitive burnout (Cresswell & Eklund, 2007) injury (Appaneal et al., 2009) or retirement (Wippert & Wippert, 2008). Some elite sporting environmental cultures may also perpetuate maladaptive normative eating practices, particularly in lean appearance or weight-management-related sports. For example, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola exiled some of his players from the first team when returning to pre-season training, until they met certain weight targets. There's also the dangers of hazardous drinking, drug use and pathological gambling in order to cope with mounting stress and anxiety (Reardon & Factor, 2010). Retired athletes may also be prone to distress and sleep disturbances (van Ramele et al., 2017).
From a social perspective, elite athletes are under great pressure for being positive role models, living up to fans' expectations and being media 'personalities'. With the advent of 24-hour news and social media, they are under increasing social scrutiny regarding their competitive endeavours and their personal lives, and the pressure to interact with fans may also be a significant stressor. Elite athletes, therefore, need to cope with continued professional and personal media interest and may need to adjust their everyday living and lifestyle decision-making, placing unique strain upon their personal life.
This toxic mix of environmental and social contexts can expose elite athletes to mental health issues, and it would be remiss of sport governing bodies and national governments to assume that the elite sporting communities are less vulnerable to mental illness, simply because of their elite status and perceived positive mental attributes (Junge & Feddermann-Demont, 2016). Mental health professionals operating in elite sport must understand the athletic context in order to develop and implement bespoke interventions that protect elite athletic populations from undue risk.
As it is, mental health and sport still tend to be linked in a rather different way. In March 2015, the then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg launched the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation, with numerous sporting bodies signing up to it. The charter was set up to promote wellbeing, the adoption of good mental health practices, and the prevention of discrimination on grounds of mental health. Primarily the charter was designed to raise awareness of mental health and to help promote the idea that sport and exercise can be used as a preventive measure in mental health.
In linking elite sports and elite sports personalities to this charter, and from the way much of the evidence was presented, an onlooker might conclude that individuals involved in elite sport must somehow be immune to mental health issues. The reality could not be further from the truth. There is no clear evidence to suggest that elite athletes have lower rates of mental health disorders than the general community (Gulliver et al., 2012). We are told consistently by the media and many government agencies that regular sport participation will help us live a longer, healthier life; and the facts appear to show that sport for most may help prevent or mitigate the effects of some aspects of mental health. But it remains clear that elite sport participation may be detrimental to mental health (see box).
Mental health and transitions in elite sport
According to the charity MIND, people aged between 16 and 34 have a one in four chance of meeting the clinical criteria for one or more mental health disorders. This is precisely the time when many elite athletes are in their early, mid or latter stages of their professional sporting career. Unsuccessful negotiation of transitions across the lifespan can potentially increase the risk of mental illness (Lee & Gramotnev, 2007a, 2007b).
Transitions can be understood as experiential and developmental. According to Schlossberg's (1981) seminal paper, experiential transitions can be triggered by physical, social or physiological changes that result in a change of assumptions about self and subsequent behaviour. For example, an elite adolescent athlete may experience a change in physical context (e.g. moving away from the family home), taking on a new social role (e.g. academy player), or experience physiological changes (e.g. puberty). In contrast, an older adult athlete may experience a move to a lesser-ranked team (i.e. physical context), find themselves used as a back-up/utility player (i.e. social role) and experience the onset of ageing and physical decline (i.e. physiological change).
It is important, then, that any experiential transitional change be viewed in relation to developmental changes. Wylleman and Lavallee (2004) have documented four athletic developmental transitions:
1. initiation age (6–7): transition into organised competitive sports;
2. development age (12–13): transition into intensive level training and competitions;
3. mastery age (18–19): transition into highest level or elite sport, and
4. discontinuation age (28–30): transition out of competitive sport.
It has long been recognised that during adolescence, early adulthood and older adulthood, athletes must cope with events or issues that are typical of their phase of development (Arnold & Sarkar, 2015). As an example, a development transitional change from amateur-level competition to more professional intense academy-level competition is characteristic of an adolescent athlete, whereas a discontinuation transitional change is synonymous with an older adult athlete retiring from elite training and competition.
These transitions can adversely affect assumptions one has about oneself and those of the wider world. The adoption of an athletic developmental lifespan perspective should help foster a more nuanced understanding of mental health vulnerability across athletic age boundaries. In the general mental health literature, it is recognised that many first episodes of mental health disorders occur during mid- to late-adolescence and young adulthood (Rutter & Smith, 1995) and if left untreated can predict problems in later adulthood. It would appear sensible, then, that sports practitioners should closely monitor athletic experiential and developmental transitions of youth and academy-level athletes, and maybe make mental health checks as important as physical health to ensure young athletes remain both mentally and physically healthy.
To date, not enough is known about the prevalence and risk factors associated with mental illness across the lifespan of elite sports participation. Therefore, it is important that practitioners in the psychological community investigate critical transitional periods and associated mental health risk factors that are developmentally specific to elite athletes. Doing so will help inform and tailor mental health interventions to meet the developmental needs of the elite athletic population.
The difficulty of seeking help
There are several barriers to seeking help for mental health issues, not just within elite sports but also within the general public. Poor health literacy is one such barrier: not having sufficient knowledge about where to seek help is a major obstruction to recovery (Abram et al., 2008). Individuals may find it difficult to distinguish between real distress and normal distress, and may lack the necessary psychological awareness to disentangle these issues (Boyd et al., 2007). In other words, at what point do you call for help? This is a difficult question to answer. Often knowing when to call for help depends on the individual and what 'normal' behaviour looks like. There also maybe a lack of awareness about where or who to ask for help (Gulliver et al., 2012).
Stigma has been implicated as one of the major barriers to seeking help, particularly amongst those living in small social populations (Abram et al., 2008), such as elite sports communities. Sometimes the very people around you, the ones that you should be able to turn to for help, are the very ones it's most difficult to confide in. Athletes may be stigmatised by fellow athletes and coaches as being weak, or even by the general public (Kamm, 2005). Indeed, professional coaches are reluctant to refer athletes to a mental health professional because of the apparent stigma (Watson, 2006). Research also suggests that some people may avoid reporting issues of mental health due to self-stigma and negative attitudes for seeking help (Lannin et al., 2016). Male athletes, in particular, have reported negative assessment of other males who seek counselling from a psychotherapist, but not from a sport psychologist; the former being an expert in clinical mental health, while the latter has expertise in performance enhancement (Gulliver et al., 2012).
Several organisations in the UK have recognised that mental health is an important issue. The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) has set up a 24-hour hotline so that professional footballers can seek help regarding their mental health. They have an impressive website dedicated to those in professional football who feel they may benefit from support. But recently goalkeeper Steve Harper was critical of the PFA for not doing enough for players in relation to mental health concerns: for this he was labelled 'emotional' by Pat Lilly of the PFA. Pat Lilly says his comments were taken out of context: nevertheless, a professional footballer felt unsupported, and abandoned when he needed help, and was derided publicly for talking about mental health provision. It's also possible that a website may not be the most appropriate platform: maybe the message and support needs to be available at a more local (i.e. dressing room) level.
Taking part in sport can be beneficial for physical health, and mental health. However, there are an increasing number of anecdotal and empirical reports suggesting elite athletes, like the rest of us, are vulnerable to an array of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, addictions and substance misuse. They work in a highly competitive, performance-driven and controlled environments that shapes their personal identity, dealing with many transitions.
If success in sport is a formula it would most certainly include components such as devotion to training and competition over many years, constantly portraying a mentally tough persona, and living up to the expectations of both fans and the media. If this is what it takes to be a winner in elite sport, then the formula needs addressing. At the very least it should include recognising and supporting the early signs of mental ill-health, and making it something that the elite sporting community can talk about, openly.
BOX: 'I have no reason to be depressed'
Allison Schmitt, an Olympic swimmer, had every reason to feel proud of her achievements. She had won silver in the London 2012 400-metre freestyle, gained bronze in the 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay, and a gold medal in the 200-metre freestyle having led the pack from the beginning. She walked away from the pool with a new American record, as an American hero, wearing a broad grin.
This feeling of euphoria soon melted away: just a few months later Schmitt started to notice classic symptoms of depression. Last year, she told Huffington Post journalist Maddie Crum: 'I didn't really understand it… everything had always seemed to go my way… I had great friends, great family, I had success in the sport… but at the same time I wasn't happy… I couldn't understand why I was unhappy… why would I be depressed? … I have no reason to be depressed.'
In the same article, sport psychologist Scott Goldman of Michigan University stated that feelings of loss are common after a major sporting event. When years of effort suddenly materialise, it seems logical to emerge underwhelmed or confused by what the future holds.
- Derek Larkin is a senior lecturer at Edge Hill University
- Andy Levy is Reader in Psychology at Edge Hill University
- David Marchant is Reader in Sport & Exercise Psychology at Edge Hill University
- Colin R. Martin is Professor of Mental Health at Buckinghamshire New University
Abram, K.M., Paskar, L.D., Washburn, J.J. & Teplin, L.A. (2008). Perceived barriers to mental health services among youths in detention. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(3), 301–308.
Appaneal, R.N., Levine, B.R., Perna, F.M. & Roh, J.L. (2009). Measuring postinjury depression among male and female competitive athletes. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 31(1), 60–76.
Arnold, R. & Sarkar, M. (2015). Preparing athletes and teams for the Olympic Games: Experiences and lessons learned from the world's best sport psychologists. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13(1), 4–20.
Boyd, C., Francis, K., Aisbett, D. et al. (2007). Australian rural adolescents' experiences of accessing psychological help for a mental health problem. Australian Journal of Rural Health, 15(3), 196–200.
Cresswell, S.L. & Eklund, R.C. (2007). Athlete burnout: A longitudinal qualitative study. Sport Psychologist, 21(1), 1–20.
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K.M. & Christensen, H. (2012). Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking for young elite athletes: A qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry, 12(1), 157–170.
Holland, M.J., Woodcock, C., Cumming, J. & Duda, J.L. (2010). Mental qualities and employed mental techniques of young elite team sport athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 4, 19–38.
Junge, A. & Feddermann-Demont, N. (2016). Prevalence of depression and anxiety in top-level male and female football players. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2(1), e000087.
Kamm, R.L. (2005). Interviewing principles for the psychiatrically aware sports medicine physician. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 24(4), 745–769.
Lannin, D.G., Vogel, D.L., Brenner, R.E. et al. (2016). Does self-stigma reduce the probability of seeking mental health information? Journal of Counselling Psychology, 63(3), 351–358.
Lee, C. & Gramotnev, H. (2007a). Life transitions and mental health in a national cohort of young Australian women. Developmental Psychology, 43(4), 877–888.
Lee, C. & Gramotnev, H. (2007b). Transitions into and out of caregiving: Health and social characteristics of mid-age Australian women. Psychology and Health, 22(2), 193–209.
MacNamara, Á., Button, A. & Collins, D. (2010). The role of psychological characteristics in facilitating the pathway to elite performance. Part 1: Identifying mental skills and behaviours. The Sport Psychologist, 24(1), 52–73.
Reardon, C.L. & Factor, R.M. (2010). Sport psychiatry: A systematic review of diagnosis and medical treatment of mental illness in athletes. Sports Medicine, 40(11), 961–980.
Rutter, M. & Smith, D.J. (1995). Towards causal explanations of time trends in psychosocial disorders of young people. In M. Rutter and D.J. Smith (Eds.) Psychosocial disorders in young people: Time trends and their causes (pp.782–808). Chichester: Wiley.
Schlossberg, N.G. (1981). A model for analysing human adaptation to transition. The Counseling Psychologist, 9(2), 2–18.
van Ramele, S., Aoki, H., Kerkhoffs, G.M.M.J. & Gouttebarge, V. (2017). Mental health in retired professional football players: 12-month incidence, adverse life events and support. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 28, 85–90.
Watson, J.C. (2006). Student-athletes and counseling: Factors influencing the decision to seek counseling services. College Student Journal, 40(1), 35.
Wippert, P-M. & Wippert, J. (2008). Perceived stress and prevalence of traumatic stress symptoms following athletic career termination. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 2(1), 1–16.
Wylleman, P. & Lavallee, D. (2004). A developmental perspective on transitions faced by athletes. In M.R. Weiss (Ed.) Developmental sport and exercise psychology: A lifespan perspective (pp.503–523). Morgantown, WV: Fittness Information Technology.
Vol.30 (pp.42-47)
Trying to tackle a silent problem
Examination stress and test anxiety
Stress and anxiety in sport
Mental Health, Autism, Trauma, Memory, Workplace, Health Psychology, Sport, Gender, Children, Emotion, Politics, Art, War, Prison, Replication, Therapy, Abuse, Suicide, Media, Freud, Language, School, Brain Injury, Stress, Behaviour Change, Racism, Sexuality, Forensic, Dementia, Intelligence, Ethics, Music, Addiction, Internet, Parenting, Qualitative, Writing, Humour, Educational, Depression, Climate Change, Teaching, International, Culture, Genetics, Psychosis, Public Engagement, Conflict, Religion, Students,


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DestinationsEventsFeaturedPaddling Life ExclusivesWhitewater Rafting
Couple Returns from the Grand to "Different World"
(As first reported in the Steamboat Pilot & Today, by Shelby Reardon)
When Steamboat Springs residents Patrick Keogh and Michelle Johnson concluded an 18-day rafting trip in the Grand Canyon, they emerged to discover an unfamiliar world.
"That's always a joke on the Grand Canyon. I did a trip in November 2018. There was some conflict in the world, talking about nuclear weapons across the world," Keogh said. "You always joke, what if things are different? What if we come out, and there's a nuclear war going on? This time it was actually true."
The world wasn't flattened or poisoned from nuclear warfare, but it still had a post-apocalyptic feel to it. As the couple traveled, they drove by lighted signs that said "Stay Safe," "Stay Healthy" and "Wash Your Hands," which Keogh said reminded him of zombie movies. The scene resembled a movie, like something out of "2012" or "The Day After Tomorrow."
Roads were empty, gas station bathrooms were closed, toilet paper shelves were bare and there were new words and phrases circulating on social media. Keogh and Johnson had to look up the terms "social distancing" and "flatten the curve."
Since their return to the real world on March 22, Keogh and Johnson have been bombarded with serious life changes. Only one had a job to return to, and so they now live in different states.
For those keeping tabs on the situation surrounding coronavirus, things have been happening fast, but for Keogh and Johnson, it all happened in an instant.
Michelle Johnson a long ways from corona in the Canyon. (Photos courtesy Patrick Keogh/Steamboat Pilot & Today)
'You don't know what you're coming back to'
The group of 15 rafters took off on nine separate boats March 5. At the time, there were 164 cases of the coronavirus in the United States, mostly in Washington and California. When the group came out of the canyon March 22, there
During the trip, they had a few small indicators that the situation outside the canyon was getting worse. Via satellite phone and through a few travelers who had wifi hot spots, the group received text messages that some schools and universities were shutting down, but Keogh said that didn't really set off any alarms for the group.
About two days before the trip ended, a group member who left early and hiked out of the canyon texted the group saying they may have a problem with their original takeout plan since the Hualapai Indian Reservation was closed to visitors.
Professional River Outfitters, PRO, was supposed to pick them up at Diamond Creek Beach on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. After reaching the outfitter, the group was reassured PRO still had access to the beach, and the group could proceed as planned.
Read full story here: https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/steamboat-rafters-return-to-a-different-world-after-3-week-raft-trip/
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Clinton-Linked Laureate Education Suffers Big First Quarter Loss
Richard Pollock
Laureate Education, a for-profit education company that once paid former President Bill Clinton $17.5 million to serve as its "honorary chancellor," posted a significant loss Thursday in its first earnings report after going public earlier this year.
The Baltimore-based company reported a first quarter 2017 loss of $122 million, 17 percent higher than its $102 million loss in the first quarter of 2016.
The company's loss per share also skyrocketed to $1.05 per share, compared to a 76 cents loss in 2016. Shares did rise by 10 percent however.
Laureate has come under congressional scrutiny for its alleged "pay to play" relationship with the former president and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In addition to paying Bill Clinton, Laureate donated between $1-5 million to the Clinton Foundation, according to the non-profit's website.
In return, the Clinton Foundation showcased Laureate over many years, and the two entities held numerous joint programs.
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen directed its tax exempt body July 22, 2016, to review complaints by 64 congressional lawmakers who lodged "pay to play" charges against the company. That review is still underway.
But unlike other U.S. for-profit education companies, most of Laureate's income comes from overseas. The firm owns 28 institutions in foreign countries which account for 84 percent of its income.
During Hillary Clinton's tenure as the chief U.S. diplomat, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a part of the World Bank, made its largest single investment in Laureate, totaling $200 million.
After the IFC investment, Laureate lured former World Bank President Robert Zoellick to join its board in December 2013, six months after he left the bank.
Because of its high overseas exposure, Laureate faces a variety of foreign government investigations into its operations in Chile, Brazil, Portugal and Turkey, countries where it has extensive activities.
In Chile, prosecutors charged Eugenio Diaz, head of the Chilean National Accreditation Commission with corruption, alleging he accepted bribes through his consulting firm to facilitate accreditation. A Chilean university that was a Laureate affiliate used Diaz's firm. The company claims it did not bribe Diaz or pay for services with his consulting firm in return for accreditation.
Portuguese prosecutors initiated an investigation into the government's chief of staff for the former secretary of state for higher education in August 2016. He privately sold his stock in a Portuguese university to Laureate just before the company bought it to create a new institution known as the European University.
Joao Atansio, the Portuguese chief of staff, sold his stock to Laureate and then officially signed papers authorizing the sale of the Portuguese entity to Laureate. The case is ongoing.
Also in August 2016, the Brazilian anti-trust authority fined Laureate $635,000 for providing "potentially misleading information" about the ownership of a company they were acquiring. Laureate is appealing the fine.
In Turkey, Laureate reported an $18 million "donation" to a charitable foundation in Turkey may have been a bribe in violation of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
"The investigation is ongoing and we cannot predict the outcome at this time," Laureate said in a January 17, 2017, disclosure form to the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Not all of Laureate's legal problems are overseas. A current lawsuit charges the company with "unjust enrichment" for buying then attempting to liquidate or sell Santa Fe University of Art and Design, a distinguished century-old artistic education institution in New Mexico.
The plaintiffs, all Santa Fe Art students, allege in a suit filed in April that "in the summer of 2008 Laureate devised a plan to take over New Mexico's oldest chartered college, the College of Santa Fe, founded by the De La Salle Christian Brothers in 1859."
"Preying on the College of Santa Fe's financial vulnerability, Laureate first convinced the College of Santa Fe that Laureate would contract to provide substantial capital to allow the continuing operation of the college. Laureate had no intention of completing the agreement, however, planning instead to ensure the financial collapse of the College and to acquire control of the college's assets without also assuming its liabilities."
Because the New Mexico school was not as profitable as Laureate expected, it tired to sell it to a Singapore company, which failed. Now, Laureate has announced it will not accept students for the next semester. Faculty and programs have disappeared.
"It's pretty much a year wasted," one student told U.S. News & World Report.
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20 for 20, Part 5: You Are Not Your Stump Speech
Guest Post October 13, 2022
The Kids Aren't Alright


"Baby boomers", all now over the age of 50, have shown the fastest rise in rates of alcohol and drug misuse over the past 15 years – and this is playing out on Britain's roads.
At first glance, the latest data on reported accidents and casualties on public roads in England and Wales is little more than a general update. There are the standard statistics on drink-drive accidents and casualties using roadside breath testing. There is also data on blood alcohol levels for accidents involving deaths from drink-driving. In 2017, there were just under 171,000 casualties from reported road traffic accidents. This was 6 per cent lower than in 2016 – making it the lowest level on record.
But more revealing data comes from the British Crime Survey. This looked at self-reported driving by people who think that they have been over the legal alcohol limit at least once in the last 12 months. Between 2010 and 2018, there was a reduction of nearly 50 per cent in the proportion of people aged 16-19 who took this risk. For people aged 50, it fell by only 11 per cent.
The same survey also provided data on the proportion of people reporting driving under the influence of drugs over the previous 12 months – which paints a very different picture. Although there was a reduction of 61 per cent for 16- to 19-year-olds over the past 10 years, the reduction for baby boomers was a staggering 98 per cent.
A likely explanation for the comparatively larger reductions in people willing to take the risk of drug-driving compared with drink-driving may be a change in the law over the past four years. Until 2015, there were no defined limits for individual controlled drugs when bringing charges against someone suspected of drug-driving. This changed in 2015 through the introduction of Section 5A of the Road Traffic Act. This set an upper limit for the level of specific controlled drugs in a driver's blood.
A report assessing the impact of this change in law enforcement found evidence of an improvement in awareness of the change in law enforcement among road users across all age groups. This appears to have been an even bigger deterrent to drug-driving in older people.
So why then are older drivers more prepared to risk drink driving than drug driving? Part of this may be the influence of cultural norms, such as being exposed to high levels of advertising during their early years, but also to the increased affordability of alcohol.
An upper legal limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100ml (also referred to as 0.08 per cent) of blood was adopted across Europe more than 50 years ago. Unlike the rest of Europe and Scotland, the rest of the UK has not changed this legal level. In Scotland, for example it is now 0.05 per cent.
In 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board in the US reduced the legal limit for blood alcohol from 0.08 per cent to 0.05 per cent. This resulted in an 11 per cent decline in fatal alcohol-related crashes.
Even without drinking alcohol, older people have slower reaction times and are less able to maintain a constant distance behind another car during driving simulation compared to younger people.
Older people are also more likely to experience the harmful effects of alcohol after drinking the same quantity of alcohol as younger people. This is because of a reduced ability to remove alcohol from the bloodstream, as well as a higher likelihood of taking prescribed medication and having accompanying long-term health problems.
So should there be a lower legal blood alcohol level? Given that baby boomers are at increasingly higher risk of alcohol misuse and are more likely to take the risk of drink-driving compared with drug-driving, it may be the only direction of travel. After all, alcohol is a drug. And the sooner it's treated like one, the better.


Daily *IF* you can take feedback and use it whilst you're there.
Sorry for not being able to post a recap last night, think my body wanted a bit of sleep after being awake for 24 hours.
Will try to get a recap out some time tonight for day 1 and 2.
While you wait for my recaps, why not read Safirens diary or the official blog?
What we thought Lemon would be like.
You wants to wait 2 months for fixing server issues?
MEETING A MONACO!!! ITALIANI PRESENTI!!!
As far as I know Lemon is busy with some University's tasks, which obviously have the priority.
what is that signature! I won that award!
The post about the event should hopefully go live on Sunday, thank you so much for your patience!
Did Travian give you a one of their infamous 'failure to deliver on timescales' training days whilst over there?
I'm not sure we will see bigger embassies. Brian told me it's proved that 40-60 is the ultimate number for members in an ally.
I can see him before me, sitting on the chair and stubbornly shaking his head "It will not happen"
He did it a quite few times when we was in heated discussions.
First people gotta learn to fill the initial ones, why expand them when it always ends up being ~40-50 on avg. and not the full 60.
why would anyone want bigger embassies? Most servers now can't even fill one. Did anyone ever ask for them?
But that's the problem, is it worth the effort to do so, just to see them full.... ONCE a year.
It sounds nice and all, but this isn't 2008 where each server had 10k+ players and alliances+wings had 5-6 full embassies.
There are other domains, like Turkey and Arabic, that are full too. I am a bit lost how this topic popped up here, we have long discussion on com about it, copy/pasting is not my strength. It was discussed in connection to different subject.
I don't know why it came up here either, which was why I queried it. We are waiting for feedback on issues raised by uk domain from our representative.


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Q: Dead code in lesscss javascript compiler it looks like there is a bunch of dead code (code that is commented out) in the lesscss javascript compiler code.  Is there a reason for this?  When downloading right from the website the file is 34kb, after removing the dead code it is 5.78kb (left in the copyright comments).

A: When I throw the LESS JavaScript code at a compressor, rarely any code disappears.
When I view the code in my editor (Kate), the Syntax highlighting marks a large part of the code as comments, starting from:
(i.charAt(0)=="/"?i=a.location.protocol+"//"+a.location.host+i:i=g.slice(0,g.last
                                         ^^ From here on

This error is probably caused by the size of the string (34KB at one line). When I add a linebreak before +"//"...., the syntax highlighting works as intended.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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HomeLocalDeacon Jim Wall remembered for pro-life service and devotion
LocalObituaries
Deacon Jim Wall remembered for pro-life service and devotion
By Archdiocese of Denver
Deacon Jim Wall passed away in the early hours of the morning August 31. He had just turned 87 years old. His diaconal ministry took him to Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Wheatridge, CO and St. Bernadette Parish in Lakewood, CO.
James Robert Wall was born on August 9, 1933 to Lusius and Theresa Wall in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Two weeks later, he was baptized at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Sioux Falls. His mother and father were very devout, "Irish-Catholics," attending daily Mass and routinely inviting priests and religious to the house for dinner and fun. He went to Catholic school at the Cathedral where he was baptized, until they moved to Denver. In Denver, Jim went to Regis Jesuit High School. Still, it was his parents who were his primary examples of holiness and devotion. Ingrained in his memory, he remembered his mother coming out of daily Mass and speaking with the homeless, handing them food and rosaries. He also recalled peeking in his parent's bedroom and seeing his father kneeling down to pray before retiring for the night.
After graduating from high school, he went to Regis University and finished at New York University, where he received a degree in History. He then volunteered for the draft and entered the Army. After getting out of the Army, three years later, he began working in banks in New York City.
As he made trips back to Denver to see his parents, he met Harriet (Joey) Fish, whom he claims was the biggest influence in his life. He and Joey were married at Christ the King Parish in Denver on September 5, 1960. The couple's 60 years of marriage included the blessings of six children, Brenda, Katie, James, Cecilia, Eileen, Mary; 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
In 1965, the family moved back to Denver and Wall started working as a financial broker. Eventually, he would start his own company, known as Wall and Company. Soon after his return to Denver, his father passed away. His father's death caused Jim to reflect on the strength of his parents and his wife's faith which ignited a passion to get very serious over building a strong relationship with God. His quest took him back to Mass and the Sacraments. He also became a member of the School Board at St. Fatima Parish, joined the Knights of Columbus, and volunteered with the Teens Encounter Christ and Pro-Life Programs.
According to Wall, it was the Holy Spirit and Our Blessed Lady that led him to the diaconate. On June 6, 1996, Archbishop Francis Stafford ordained Deacon Wall at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. He was immediately assigned to Sts. Peter and Paul in Wheatridge, Colorado and then later assigned to St. Bernadette's Parish in Lakewood, Colorado. He formally retired from ministry on December 1, 2011 but continued to minister as his health allowed. During his ministry, he was the first Deacon to receive the Legatus Pro-life award for his efforts in helping raise awareness of the plight of the unborn. He also was very involved with the Deacon Formation program, Operation Rescue and the Legions of Mary.
"My mind always goes to Deacon Jim when I think about the pro-life activities of the Diaconate," stated Deacon Joseph Donohoe, Director of Deacon Personnel. "But my heart rejoices in knowing that the unborn have a deacon advocate, more powerful than before, that intercedes at the throne of Our Lord. He will be missed by his brother deacons."
A Vigil Service for Deacon Wall was held at St. Fatima Parish on September 8. The Mass for Christian Burial was held on September 9at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception with Bishop Jorge Rodriquez presiding. The interment was conducted at Mount Olivet after the funeral Mass. Deacon Wall had requested that, in lieu of flowers, all donations be sent to: Catholic Charities – Respect Life Ministry, Attn: Accounting Dept., 6240 Smith Road, Denver, CO 80216
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Wow! They did really great! I love Katya's "Uronili Misiu (childish "siu" instead of "shu". She is so sweet. Sloan recited his poem with such a pride and dignity. Bravo!!! I'm so proud of them!
Thanks, Sveta! Your translation helped so much. It was so good for Sloan to understand what was going on. So thanks again! Love you!!
You are very welcome, Kelli! If you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask.
I love the video. I replay it again and again. SO SWEET!
Katya's poem is a hit. I like the way she pronounces her poem – the sweetest girlish way. And I love her outfit. She is a cutie. Sloan looks so much like Lee.


Located in the Oracle shopping centre in Reading, Miami Burger serves all the usual fast-food favourites – burgers, double burgers, 'cheezeburgers', onion rings, wraps, hot dogs, 'chick'n' burgers and much more – but as everything is 'coincidentally' plant-based and cooked without deep-fat fryers, all the food is 'significantly healthier without sacrificing fantastic taste'. The new restaurant, at 10 Broad Street in the Oracle Shopping Centre, seats 135 customers.
The business has ambitious plans to open across Europe over the next few years as the shift towards healthier food and increased plant-based consumption gathers pace. Miami Burger is also in talks with major UK retailers to list its patties in stores for home consumption.
The Blake Morgan team, led by corporate partner James Williams, comprised lawyers from across its corporate, commercial and real estate teams. James Egan and Holly Dobbins (real estate) advised on all property matters related to the fast-food chain's new premises in the popular shopping centre including reviewing and negotiating a 10-year lease. Yvonne Majewska (commercial) and Ben Evans (IP) advised on a number of commercial arrangements including negotiating and advising on the terms of the businesses manufacturing and supply chain and intellectual property matters.
The team behind Miami Burger has spent the past two years developing fast food which is both healthy and delicious. By using plant protein – soya, wheat and beans – alongside classic herbs and seasonings, the Miami Burger menu will satisfy anyone who loves 'junk food' but who also want to look after their bodies at the same time.
Miami Burger's food development chef Tom Halford has ambitions to take on the high-street giants at their own game, pointing out that the Classic Miami Burger made from soya protein has 87% less sat fat than a traditional McDonald's Quarter Pounder , while a Miami Hot Dog has 76% less sat fat than a hot dog from Five Guys. Alongside ensuring the healthy nutritional content on their menu, ethically sourced and sustainable produce is also a priority for the environmentally friendly business who source 100% plant based biodegradable and compostable packaging including straws and coffee lids.


Information Services does not offer label printing services. Individual departments and employees may print their own labels using data obtained from the appropriate resource, Microsoft Word & Excel, mail merge, and standard printer label templates. Below is information about where and how to obtain the data and how to do a mail merge. Links at the bottom connect to other related resources. The Information Services Help Desk can assist with the process and provide training on mail merge.
For student and academic information use SQL Reporting Services.
For employee information request a spreadsheet from Human Resources. They will need at least a week lead time.
For detailed instructions, see this quick reference guide.


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Education Week's blogs > District Dossier See our Leadership and Management coverage
Education Week reporters explore issues behind leading and managing the nation's schools and school districts and provide analysis of trends, controversies, and good ideas in school and district leadership.
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Houston District Takes Steps Toward Banning 'Culturally Insensitive' Mascots
By Lesli A. Maxwell on December 16, 2013 11:52 AM
Crossposted from Bryan Toporek at Schooled in Sports.
Four Houston-area high schools could soon be forced to change their mascots under a policy tentatively approved by the Houston Independent School District board of education on Thursday evening.
The proposed policy, which the board unanimously approved, would prohibit the use of any race or ethnic group as a school's mascot or nickname. Mascots must "respect cultural differences, values, and attitudes," the policy states.
"HISD must retire, respectfully, school symbols that no longer reflect the values of who we are—inclusive, sensitive, forward-thinking and committed to instilling character and social awareness in our youngsters," said Houston Superintendent Terry Grier in a statement.
The board must formally approve the policy in January before it goes into effect. If the board does pass the policy, it will go into effect at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.
Four schools in the district—Lamar High School (the Redskins), Westbury High School (the Rebels), Hamilton Middle School (the Indians), and the Welch Middle School (the Warriors)—would be forced to change their mascots if the policy receives final approval.
In early December, state Sen. Rodney Ellis sent a letter to Grier requesting that the district "put in place a process to change the name of the Lamar High School mascot and any other derogatory mascots at HISD schools." The "Redskins" nickname, Ellis wrote, "is a relic of a shameful, discriminatory past."
An online petition to keep the school's "Redskin" mascot had over 1,400 signatures as of Dec. 15. Barring a sudden change of heart from a majority of the school board, however, the movement appears as though it will be for naught.
As recently noted by my colleague Lesli Maxwell, Houston isn't the only district to be grappling with sensitive mascot issues as of late. The Banks school system, a rural district about 25 miles west of Portland, Oregon, is trying to preserve the use of a Native American mascot (the "Braves") by building an alliance with local tribal leaders. Meanwhile, in California, Coachella Valley High School was recently embroiled in a controversy over its mascot and nickname, the "Arabs."
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Christopher Tomlinson/The Daily Sentinel
New Colorado Mesa football coach Tremaine Jackson is introduced Friday by Athletic Director Bryan Rooks before his press conference. Jackson, who was hired Dec. 23, has been out recruiting.
Tremaine Jackson the new Colorado Mesa University football head coach at his introduction/press conference in the entryway display area at Brownson Friday afternoon.
Mavs' new football coach hits ground running
Tremaine Jackson is a big man with a big personality.
That was evident Friday in his first appearance in front of the media as the new football coach at Colorado Mesa.
From mentioning he's about worn his cellphone out with all the phone calls and text messages the past two weeks to laughing about the timing of his hiring, Jackson hasn't slowed down since his plane touched down on Jan. 2.
He spent all week recruiting on the Front Range and is headed to the American Football Coaches Association national convention this weekend. Then it's back to finalize his coaching staff, more recruiting, on-campus visits … all before he stands in front of his team for the first time.
"People talk about recruiting, the first team I want to recruit is the one that's here on campus," Jackson said.
"Here's the deal: It's the best time of your life when you get hired to be a head football coach, especially at a place like CMU, but it's also the worst time when you get hired two days before Christmas and the university shuts down and everybody wants to go on break," he quipped. "I had to sit on my hands for two weeks and kind of figure a lot of things out while everybody was kicked up drinking eggnog by the fire. I was ready to get here and get the school to open so we could go."
When the players get back, things will start to feel real.
"I've been in conversation with those guys, some have come through the office, things are going to be different," Jackson said. "Things are going to be very, very different and they're excited about that … for now. We'll see if they're excited about it after the 20th when we have our first meeting. These players want to be successful and we're excited to get our hands on them.
"Coach (Russ) Martin did a good job leaving us with talent. There's talent on this roster; it's not empty. I went out (recruiting) with the (coaches) we retained and we were in the car for hours and we talked about the talent on the roster, we talked about the playmakers we have, the direction. We haven't had a losing season around here in a long time. Normally when you walk into a new program, you have to tear everything down and start over from scratch. That's not this."
The three assistant coaches who were retained after the majority of Russ Martin's staff was dismissed are staying on — Riley Newcomer, Mike Barela and Brian Blechen. An announcement of the rest of his staff will come in the next week or two. Jackson has found his defensive coordinator and will meet with offensive coordinator candidates at the national convention.
Whoever gets that job will be tasked with settling CMU's rotating quarterback position.
"There's been a lot of interest. I probably need Mr. Rooks to get me another cellphone simply because mine is on its last legs from all the texting and emails and calls we're getting from people wanting to be here," he said.
National signing day is Feb. 5, leaving Jackson and his staff three more weeks to recruit, with the focus on Colorado high school talent.
"Our focus is going to be finding the very best players in Colorado that fit with Colorado Mesa first. We'll recruit the state inside-out and then we'll go find other players from other areas to help us as well," Jackson said.
"I"m going to go out on a limb and say this, we're here to win a national championship. We're not here to win the RMAC and be happy at the end of the season, we're here to be the very best we can be and there's only one very best team at the end of the season. … We're here at a place where we really feel we can be competitive nationally, so we have to find the players, starting within our state, to go do that and be playing in December."
Tremaine Jackson
Russ Martin


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Future Focused
The why and how of shaping the future of learning with exponential technologies.
GUEST COLUMN | by Randy Ziegenfuss
Today's Kindergarten students will be graduating in 2030!
What will the world be like?
How will exponential changes in technology influence changes in teaching and learning?
How can we shape the future instead of being shaped by it?
Leaders anticipate the future. They stand at the edge of the known world, patrolling the border between "now" and "next" to spot trends. They help others see the future, too, guiding people through the unexpected and inspiring them to long for a better reality. ~Duarte & Sanchez (Illuminate, pg. 9)
Why is a future focus critical?
As we think about transformation of the education system that includes exponential technologies, it's important that we scan the current landscape but also "patrol the border between now and next" to best understand the changes that will likely disrupt our world as we know it, including the way we educate and learn using technologies.
Try this with the educators that you lead:
Remind them that our children five years of age and under will graduate in the early 2030s.
And then ask them to imagine what the world will be like 15-20 years into the future.
Ask them to go back 15-20 years and notice how much our lives have changed – how jobs and the economy have shifted; how the earth's population is faced with grand global challenges connected to food, water, climate change and education (these will need solutions); how technology has allowed us to personalize so much of our lives; and how certain skills have become most valuable as we swim in a sea of both credible and not-so-credible information.
Then ask your fellow educators if they think our primary/secondary education system is preparing learners well enough for that imagined future.
Are we playing the "long game" in education? Or are we ignoring the future – the work of significance – and prioritizing work of "urgency" such as test prep, archaic teacher evaluation systems, ranking schools based on test scores and technology use that reinforces system efficiency but rarely leads to transformation?
Learn more from Randy Ziegenfuss and other leading analysts, thought leaders, and educators at the 2018 Future of Education Technology Conference, January 23-26 in Orlando, Florida.
What might we be missing that can help us focus on the long game – focus on preparing today's learners for a VUCA world – one that is (and will continue to be) volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous? We're missing a vision that extends into the future – a compelling vision for learning that will best prepare our learners for the world of the 2030s and beyond.
Simultaneously preparing for and shaping the future is not easy!
It's heavy lifting for leaders to listen to the voices of stakeholders and share data on the current trends and signals coming from society.
It's not easy managing the distractions of the short game while preparing our organizations – and our children – for the long game of career, civics and success in a world transformed by exponentially shifting technologies.
In the development of our Profile of a Graduate and Learning Beliefs, we've been guided by two questions:
What knowledge, skills and dispositions will our learners need for a successful future, whether graduating in 2018 or 2030?
What should the learning environment look like (including the use of technologies) for our learners to successfully develop these competencies?
How can leaders patrol the border between now and next?
As our leadership team answers these questions, implementing and iterating processes to bring our vision to life, we need to constantly "patrol the border between now and next" to ensure our work is preparing all learners for success in life. Here are some strategies we've used or plan to use to keep us future focused.
Access resources to expand understanding of what is currently happening in the world with exponential technologies (AI, VR, internet of things, etc.) and career/economic trends.
This sampling of resources has been effective at gently pushing against the sometimes-dominant ways of thinking about teaching, learning and how we use technology.
Digital Transformation: Are you ready for exponential change?
Human Learning is about to change forever
Reinventing How We Teach Our Kids
Take the conversation and thinking about the future deeper.
We have found the resources at KnowledgeWorks and GettingSmart to be particularly effective at shaping the conversation in the primary/secondary education space.
KnowledgeWorks. The Future of Learning: Education in the Era of Partners in Code (Forecast 4.0) has been particularly good at defining potential implications for exponential technologies on learning and the K12 system. Also check out Shaping the Future of Learning: Strategies for Education Innovators and Leaders. Lots here to inform leadership for transformation! Their most recent paper, The Future of Learning: Redefining Readiness from the Inside Out is also a must-read. We've found KnowledgeWorks and their resources immensely helpful in making sense of current signals and their impact on the domain of education.
GettingSmart – The #AskAboutAI ongoing series has been valuable in making connections between current educational technology trends, economic shifts and primary/secondary education. Recent articles: Artificial Intelligence in Education: Where it's at, Where it's headed; Artificial Intelligence in Education: Don't Ignore It, Harness It; and Staying Ahead of the Robots: What Grads Should Know and Be Able to Do.
Additional resources: We've been curating resources related to futures thinking that you might wish to access at this link. What resources or research have you found helpful and would add to the list?
After building thinking around the "long game," put that knowledge to use!
I have had success using the Futures Wheel. The purpose of the Futures Wheel activity is to identify the long-term implications (both positive and negative) of a likely trend or technological development on education, learning and adjacent spaces. Having used this with teacher leaders, it is an effective activity to begin developing deeper understanding from the knowledge in Levels 1 and 2.
Create the possible future for your learners!
After all, we can choose to be victims of the future, having it done to us, or exercise agency, imagining a probably future and taking the necessary steps to create it with and for our learners. Singularity University has developed a detailed process that merges science fiction and design thinking – SciFi D.I. I recently had the opportunity to work through the process for the first time at a Re[solve] Learning program.
Based on your discovery of trends (could be Levels 1, 2 and 3 above), what circumstances will likely exist in your imagined future?
Create a persona of a learner in this future world.
Define key concepts/opportunities that exist for creating this future.
Retrocast – work backwards to today, defining key activities and milestones that will make the designed future a reality.
There are many different ways to approach designing the future of learning with exponential technologies using the SciFi D.I. framework.
What will learning, teaching and leading look like?
How will school "systems" look different?
How will facilities change?
We are looking forward to applying the framework to our visioning work in the near future, writing about it and sharing with others how a design thinking process can be used as a valuable tool for how we can "patrol the border between now and next."
It's easy to be distracted by the urgent and important in the daily work of being a school leader.
Leaders must push beyond the urgent and important orbits, spending more time and resources on work of significance.
The work of significance, among other things, includes designing a compelling future vision for learning in a world rich with technology.
Being future focused is no longer an option if we are committed to preparing all learners for success in the world today, in 2030, and beyond.
Will you shape the future?
Or be shaped by it?
Randy Ziegenfuss is Salisbury Township School District superintendent. Previously a classroom teacher, department chair, tech integration specialist, director of technology, and assistant principal, he is currently adjunct professor of education at Moravian College, his alma mater. He teaches courses in assessment and technology. He earned his M.A. from Teachers College in Technology Leadership and a doctorate in educational and organizational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Follow @ziegeran, and visit WorkingAtTheEdge.org or listen in to TLTalkRadio.org and ShiftYourParadigm.org
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