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Judicial Elections: Bad for Judges, Bad for the Public
It is almost election time again in Los Angeles. Angelenos will have the opportunity to vote on 16 candidates for six open judgeships in the Los Angeles Superior Court. And this is a bad idea.
Most members of the voting public know little to nothing about judicial candidates. This is not surprising. Judicial candidates cannot and do not campaign the way other candidates do. In addition, they are decidedly "down ballot" races, meaning fewer people pay attention to the candidates towards the end of the ballot.
Why is this a problem? Well, when the public has little information then each voter should take it upon herself to research that judicial candidate. That doesn't always happen. But when it does voters are heavily reliant on a few sources -- the Los Angeles County Bar Association, which rates candidates on a scale from exceptionally well qualified to not qualified, and the relatively few news outlets, which endorse candidates.
The more frightening (and all-too-likely) scenario occurs when voters do not look at the candidate ratings or newspaper endorsements. In that case voters are left to go only by what is on the ballot, which includes the candidate's name and a short description such as "gang prosecutor" or "environmental lawyer."
Finish reading this article on KCET.org.
By Jessica A. Levinson No comments:
Tags: Elections, Judiciary, Los Angeles, Voters, Voting
Money in Politics: Good Government Reforms Cost Money
When people ask me about the one government reform I would put into place if I had a magic wand, I often say "real campaign finance reform." I believe there is simply too much money in politics. The current situation gives rise to special access and undue influence by those who can and do spend substantial sums. And at least as worrisome is the appearance of such access and influence. The majority of members of the electorate increasingly feel that politics and elections are games open to the few and the cost of admission is a large donation or independent expenditure.
Why, then, do so many so-called good government reforms lead to more expensive races? Well, to start, let's take my least favorite government reform: term limits. As a result of them many elected officials are not just running for re-election every few years, they are endlessly eyeing and running for (and raising money for) the next post.
But what about something I would consider to be a positive government reform? Well, let's take redistricting. Now in California an independent redistricting commission draws the state and federal legislative lines.
Previously legislators drew their own district lines, not surprisingly in ways that best assured their re-election. By contrast, the independent redistricting commission was charged with drawing lines that, among other things, keep communities of interest together. So this seems like a good reform, but one of the consequences is that there will now be much more competitive races in some districts. The phrase "more competitive races" is often code for more expensive races.
Finish reading this post on KCET.org.
Tags: campaign finance, Redistricting, Term Limits
Richard Alarcon: Good Riddance and Hello
Quoted in this article in LA Weekly.
Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, views the legacy of term limits in California as a game of "musical chairs" played by politicians whose desire is to hold long-running and powerful jobs.
Alarcon's ability to repeatedly jump around, while fresh-faced candidates who run against him are repeatedly rejected by voters, "sounds schizophrenic," Levinson says. "But it also makes sense. In the abstract, voters want new blood and think one way to do it is to legally mandate that politicians can only stay so long.
"But by the same token, incumbents wield so much power in name recognition, and they typically out-raise challengers in campaign fundraising, that, as anti-incumbent as we [Californians] are, we often vote for the person we know."
Tags: California, Los Angeles, Term Limits
Citizens United: Answering Unasked Questions
I have an OpEd discussing this topic today in the Los Angeles Daily Journal. In it, I explain that in Citizens United the Court asked itself a question -- whether the portion of McCain Feingold at issue in the case could constitutionally be applied to anyone -- and then answered that question in the affirmative.
Tags: Citizens United, Law, Supreme Court, Supreme Court of the United States
"Judging Candidates for the Los Angeles Superior Court"
I'll be on "Which Way, L.A.?" tonight at 7pm PST discussing the topic of judicial elections. You can listen anytime by clicking here.
Tags: Elections, Judiciary, Los Angeles
Special-interest spending floods Cailfornia races in new political landscape
Quoted in this article in the Sac Bee.
Spending by independent expenditure committees has skyrocketed since voter-approved contribution limits for candidate-controlled committees took effect in 2001.
While the independent committees cannot be coordinated with the campaigns, some observers say the influence they wield is problematic. The possibility of independent committee support – or threat of an opposition campaign – could weigh heavily on the minds of legislators once they get to the Capitol.
"I think this kind of idea of independence doesn't play out in reality," said Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/24/4512940/special-interest-spending-floods.html#storylink=cpy
Tags: California, campaign finance, Super PACs
With more court cutbacks, has the system reached its breaking point?
Here is a link to my appearance on Patt Morrison today.
In response to Governor Jerry Brown's announced cuts of $544 million in state court funding in the next fiscal year, California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said such austerities "are both devastating and disheartening" and explained that they will seriously compromise the state's "ability to provide equal access to justice."
The judicial branch cuts are among $4.1 billion in new budget reductions revealed last week to balance the $91 billion state budget for the coming fiscal year beginning July 1. The budget changes will require trial courts to use $300 million of reserve funds and delay $240 million worth of courthouse construction and renovation, according to Brown.
The state will also require court employees to contribute more to pension funds, which will reportedly save the state $4 million. Both officials and attorneys are concerned about how much the cutbacks will impinge upon the judicial system's ability to function properly.
WEIGH IN:
How badly funded are courts in California now? How well will the judicial infrastructure be able to sustain more funding cuts? Is the state of California in a financial crisis that it cannot recover from?
Jessica Levinson, professor, Loyola Law School
Judge Margaret Henry, supervising judge, dependency, Los Angeles Juvenile Court;
Justice Douglas Miller, associate justice, California State Court of Appeal; member of the state judicial council (the policy making body of the state court)
Tags: Budget, California, Judiciary, Law, State Courts
California's 'Jungle Primary'
I'll be in "Which Way, L.A.?" talking about the following...
The June 5 election will be like nothing California has seen before, with some office holders hiding their party affiliation — and even their incumbency. Republicans have given up some legislative and Congressional races altogether, and the general election will feature run-offs between candidates of the same party. A lawyer deemed "unqualified" by the County Bar has challenged a highly regarded judge with a foreign-sounding name. It's all pretty weird.
Tags: California, Open Primaries, Voters, Voting
More court cutbacks, has the system reached its breaking point?
I'll be on Patt Morrison today to discuss.
Tags: Budget, California, State Courts
What is in a Ballot Designation?
California law provides that candidates for political office can list a ballot designation that tells voters something about themselves. Often -- perhaps too often -- that is all, or almost all, voters know about a candidate. The designation is sometimes the first and last impression voters get from candidates.
Ballot designations cannot be false or misleading. While this may sound straightforward, there could be a great deal of gray area here.
Assemblywoman Beth Gaines (R) is running for re-election -- she joined the Assembly last year when she won a special election to fill a vacant seat -- and identifies herself as a "small business owner" on the ballot. Assemblyman Bill Berryhill (R) has identified himself as a "farmer." These two are not alone. In fact, there are at least 10 legislators who are not listing their current positions on the ballot.
These examples are important not so much for what they say about these particular candidates, but what they indicate about legislators' views of how unpopular state representatives are. We now have sitting legislators figuratively running from their current positions as elected representatives. They must think we really dislike our representatives. In fact, they're right. Public approval ratings linger around historic lows.
Let's take a step back. We now live in a state where winning an election and obtaining a position that allows an individual to represent their fellow citizens are things to hide (or at least not highlight) from the voters.
Tags: Ballot, candidates, Elections, Voters, Voting
We the Corporations?
My latest law review article, We the Corporations?: The Constitutionality of Limitations on Corporate Electoral Speech After Citizens United, was cited in an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court in American Tradition Partnership v. Bullock.
The issue in that case is whether Montana must follow the Court's holding in Citizens United, which struck down a federal ban on corporate electioneering communications.
Tags: Citizens United, SCOTUS, Supreme Court of the United States
Was Occupy Los Angeles Worth the Money?
Unfortunately the following statement is hardly a newsflash: the city of Los Angeles is strapped for cash. It faces a budget shortfall of about $200 million and a little pocket change will not help dig the city out from its current budget deficit.
Currently city officials are discussing whether, when, and how many city employees to layoff. Even police and fire employees are at risk.
It may be euphemistic to call the city's current fiscal situation precarious. Perhaps "precarious at best" is more apt. The point is that Los Angeles is in a financially bad state (both literally and figuratively).
A recent report released last week states that last year's Occupy Los Angeles protest will cost the City almost double the original estimate. Taxpayers will apparently be on the hook for almost $5 million in costs associated with the lengthy protest and encampment.
How, you may ask, do we get to this price tag? The price tag includes paying 1,400 LAPD officers to remove demonstrators who camped out on the lawn outside City Hall for two months and costs associated with cleaning up that encampment, which, according to some estimates, was home to about 500 protestors. One way to look at the cost of the protest is therefore $10,000 per protestor.
Tags: Budget, Los Angeles, occupy los angeles
California State Foundation bonuses pose conflict of interest
Following public outcry over six-figure pay raises handed out to top executives, the California State University Board of Trustees approved a plan last week to shift future pay hikes from taxpayer funds to nonprofit auxiliary foundations. The decision effectively freezes the amount of tax dollars spent on the college's executive compensation, and Cal State officials hoped that would be enough to bring closure to the issue. ... "The CSU Board of Trustees' decision to use funds from college foundations to pay for raises for campus presidents does raise some questions," said Loyola Law School Professor Jessica Levinson. "If college presidents are in control of these college foundations, then it raises at least a question of the appearance of a conflict of interest." Finish reading the article here.
Tags: Budget, California, Conflict of Interest
Is California's Deficit Good for Governor Jerry Brown?
Back in January the estimate was that California was in debt -- to the tune of $9.2 billion. In our new normal, that was seemingly palatable news. Now comes less agreeable news, the budget deficit is actually much larger than that. Today Governor Jerry Brown officially announced that the Golden State is facing a nearly $16 billion deficit.
At the risk of making the understatement of the week, this is bad news. California does not have enough money to keep functioning -- better said, it is dysfunctioning at this level. Depending on your perspective, too little money is coming in or too much money is going out.
What is a Governor to do? Well, there will be more budget cuts. Cuts that were likely inconceivable five years ago are now very much on the table.
Tags: Ballot Initiatives, Budget, California, Jerry Brown, Voters
Another Obamajam? The President Heads to the Valley
Last night, I had the following conversation with my friend:
"Can you leave work early tomorrow?"
"I'm not sure," replied my best friend, who, for her own privacy, we'll name Jane.
"Did you tell your parents?" I asked.
"Yes, I told them not to leave the house tomorrow night."
Jane and I decided that we might be suffering from a minor case of post-traumatic stress syndrome since President Barack Obama is coming back to town tonight. Jane's 2.5 hour car ride home (for what is typically a 15-minute commute) during one of his past fundraising visits is still seared into our memory. As is my family member's unplanned two-hour ride home for a trip that normally takes around 10 - 20 minutes.
Tags: campaign finance, Los Angeles, President Obama, traffic
America Doesn't Need Another CREEP
Here is another piece by Ciara Torres-Spelliscy. Go Ciara!
Here is the beginning of the article, which appears in Guernica:
There is a fresh Super PAC on the scene called CREEP. This is an homage to the original Committee for the Re-Election of the President or (CREEP '72), which broke campaign finance laws in the reelection of Richard Nixon. As revealed by the Watergate investigations, sins CREEP '72 committed included accepting illegal, laundered corporate contributions $10,000 at a time—often in cash. The last thing this country needs is another CREEP or another Watergate.
Unfortunately, the risk of a modern, Watergate-scale money-in-politics scandal is magnified by the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which invites unlimited corporate and union expenditures into elections.
June 17, 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of Watergate. Of course, saying the word "Watergate" is an instant Rorschach test. The word could mean anything from an edifice, to an illegal entry, to an Executive exit. What was actually at the heart of the scandal was not a botched burglary, but rather good old-fashioned corruption and graft.
Tags: campaign finance, Corruption, Elections
Prop 29: Should I Vote for a Good Proposal or Against a Bad Process?
As readers of my commentaries know, I am no fan of the initiative process. I believe that the process that was designed to protect against the influence of special interests has now been hijacked by those same interests. What one needs to qualify a proposal for the ballot is not a good idea, but money. Money also doesn't hurt much in getting initiatives passed (meaning money is one of the key factors to success). When and if an initiative is successful, dollars to donuts that measure will end up in the courts. We often spend time and resources litigating the meaning and constitutionality of initiatives. And a good percentage of the time at least a portion of an initiative is tossed. In addition to all of these problems, initiatives bypass the (hopefully) deliberative process that occurs when laws are passed by the legislature.
So why am I considering voting for one of these dreaded initiatives? One of the measures on the June 5, 2012 ballot in California is Proposition 29, which is called the "Tobacco Tax for Cancer Research Act." Prop 29 would increase the sales tax on each pack of cigarettes from 87 cents to $1.87. The additional revenue, which the Legislative Analyst's Office estimates to be about $735 million per year, would go to funding cancer research and programs aimed at reducing smoking.
You can likely see my problem as that proposal sounds good to me. Here are two fairly uncontroversial things that I believe: First, fewer people should smoke since smoking can cause serious health risks; second, more money should go to cancer research. But here is a third, more controversial belief: The initiative process is deeply flawed (see above).
Tags: Ballot, Ballot Initiatives, ballot measures, California, election 2012, Elections, Voters, Voting
As super PAC money flows, an effort to divert cash to charity
With the American political system deluged with super-sized donations, a few innovative proposals are trying to harness small donors and, in one case, divert campaign cash to charity.
Campaign finance scholar Jessica Levinson noted that a $100 donation to one campaign might not exactly cancel out $100 to another campaign if one side uses the money more effectively. But she likes the idea.
"If it's legal it could be a win-win, in terms of candidates saying, 'I'm helping to raise money for charity,' and people still being able to voice their support in a way," said Levinson, who teaches at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Finish reading the article here.
Tags: campaign finance, election 2012, Elections, Super PACs
Judge dismisses L.A. Councilman Richard Alarcon case; DA Steve Cooley considers appeal
A Superior Court judge dismissed felony voter fraud charges against City Councilman Richard Alarcon and his wife Thursday morning, saying the District Attorney failed to provide the grand jury with evidence that might have exonerated the couple.
Loyola law professor Jessica Levinson, who teaches election law, said the judge was holding the prosecution to the letter of the law in its presentation of the case of the grand jury.
"I do think this decision shows the frustration the judge felt with the prosecution case," Levinson said. "It also shows how easy it is to get an indictment from a grand jury."
Tags: district attorney, Los Angeles, Voter Fraud
DA Steve Cooley refiles perjury, voter fraud charges against Richard Alarcon and his wife
I am quoted in this article about perjury and voter fraud charges filed against Councilman Richard Alarcon and his wife.
But the aggressive response by Cooley's office shows that they believe they can win, said Loyola law professor Jessica Levinson.
"They also know this is a high-profile case, that the media is watching," she added. "They don't think these are frivolous charges."
Tags: city council, district attorney, Los Angeles, Voter Fraud
L.A. Coliseum panel drops free-tickets provision from USC deal
I am quoted in this piece in the LAT.
In the heat of a broader financial scandal, the public officials who run the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum have agreed to give up decades' worth of free Trojan football tickets they negotiated for themselves in a proposed lease that would surrender control of the stadium to USC.
Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor who studies public corruption, said the decision to forgo the tickets was "a good PR move." The provision would have required USC to try to get the commissioners free tickets to pro games if a new L.A. franchise played at the Coliseum while an NFL stadium was built here.
"To get rid of the benefits and perks that come along with the position is good," Levinson said. "But it's different from getting rid of the corruption that happened."
Tags: coliseum, Corruption, Los Angeles
Congressman Brad Sherman Could be a Savvy Financial Advisor
If Congressman Brad Sherman fails to gain another term in the U.S. House of Representatives he may want to consider another career as a full-time financial analyst.
In 2010, voters approved a ballot measure that took the power to draw congressional lines out of the hands of incumbents and gave that task to an independent redistricting commission. The commission was charged with drawing district lines that, among other things, did not take into account where incumbents resided. That means the commission's purpose was to draw lines that fairly represented communities of interest, rather than lines that gave incumbents a chance at winning.
As a result of the independent redistricting commission's work, districts are not as safe as they used to be. Perhaps the poster-child for this phenomenon is the much-discussed match-up between two Democratic Congressman: Brad Sherman and Howard Berman.
Sherman and Berman have both raised enormous sums for their re-election bids. They are both running for a seat in the San Fernando Valley. Disclosure reports reveal that Sherman has more than $4 million in his campaign war chest (including personal loans), and Berman has approximately $2.4 million in the bank.
Sherman, for his part, is showing his business acumen. Recent disclosure reports show that Sherman earned over $650,000 just based on investing his campaign contributions. Luckily for Sherman, the tax rates on campaign investments are lower than the tax rates on other investors. Interesting: were it not for high returns on investments, Berman would have outraised Sherman in the first quarter of 2012.
Tags: brad sherman, campaign finance, Fundraising, howard berman, Redistricting, Top Two Primaries
Judicial Elections: Bad for Judges, Bad for the Pu...
"Judging Candidates for the Los Angeles Superior C...
Special-interest spending floods Cailfornia races ...
With more court cutbacks, has the system reached i...
More court cutbacks, has the system reached its br...
California State Foundation bonuses pose conflict ...
Is California's Deficit Good for Governor Jerry Br...
Prop 29: Should I Vote for a Good Proposal or Agai...
As super PAC money flows, an effort to divert cash...
Judge dismisses L.A. Councilman Richard Alarcon ca...
DA Steve Cooley refiles perjury, voter fraud charg...
L.A. Coliseum panel drops free-tickets provision f...
Congressman Brad Sherman Could be a Savvy Financia...


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Pauline Joyce Hawes
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Obituary of Pauline Joyce Hawes
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Pauline Joyce Hawes went to be with the Lord at the age of 93 on Sunday, January 15, 2023, at the Adventist Hospital in Sonora, CA, after a short illness.
Pauline was born on February 2, 1929, in Glendale, AZ, before her family moved to the San Diego area. She graduated from San Diego High School.
She loved the beach and ocean and spent many wonderful days of her youth at the beach. She worked at the San Diego Naval Air Base where she met and married George Hawes, who was stationed in San Diego, in 1950. George and Pauline moved north to Gridley, CA, in 1953 where they spent many years raising a family and building an insurance business. She was active with the Business and Professional Women's Club, local Pink Ladies, and the Butte County Fair. Pauline moved away from the Gridley area in 2015 and spent time living in Stockton before she returned to Gridley, and then eventually moved to Groveland, CA, where she resided until her passing.
Pauline was preceded in death by her parents William "Kyle" and Grace Barnes; three sisters Esther, Fran and Katherine; two brothers William "Buddy" (who died at the Battle of the Bulge in France) and Donald, also daughter-in-law, Jenny, wife to Don, and daughter-in-law, Patsi, spouse to Debbie.
She is survived by her six children: George and wife, Catherine; Jim and wife, Tanja; Bill; Barbara and husband, Bob; Don, and Debbie, along with 21 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
She is loved and greatly missed, but will be seen again. There is a visitation at Gridley-Block Funeral Chapel on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, from 5-7:00 p.m. A service will be held at the Gridley-Biggs Cemetery on Wednesday, January 25 at 10 a.m.
679 Ohio St
Gridley, California, United States
Gridley Biggs Cemetery
Tribute Book orders begin printing on January 28
Pauline Hawes

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Club de Madrid contributes to Spain's biotech center researching COVID-19 vaccine
With the support of its long-term partner Kingold Group, Club de Madrid donates 184.841,06 euros to Spain's National Biotechnology Center (CNB-CSIC). This public research institution will allocate the funds in hiring specialised staff and acquiring medical equipment.
Club de Madrid, with the support of the Kingold Group —Dr Chau Chak Wing's company and long-term partner in organizing the Imperial Springs International Forums— made a donation of 184.841,06 to Spain's public research centre, contributing to their ongoing efforts to produce a COVID-19 vaccine.
The National Center for Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), the research institution currently investigating a COVID-19 vaccine in Spain has announced that Club de Madrid and Kingold's donation will fund the hiring of staff and the acquisition of medical supplies.
Rosa Méndez, President of Spain's National Research Council, the umbrella institution of which the National Centre for Biotechnology is a member, thanked the Club de Madrid and Kingold for the donation. Méndez said that the donation will specifically contribute to support "the advancement of CNB-CSIC's cutting-edge research to study the coronavirus and do so while cooperating internationally".
Mario Mellado, director of the research centre, highlighted that "the donation entails a strong impulse for the teams at CNB-CSIC, who are absorbed in developing treatments and vaccines, which are effective against this new challenge we are facing".
María Elena Agüero, Secretary General of Club de Madrid stated: "In front of COVID-19 pandemic, Club de Madrid decided to back science and make a donation to CSIC aimed at promoting research on SARS-CoV-2, which allows for the hiring of specialized staff and the acquisition of new material; so as to contribute to the advancement of research on the coronavirus".
How CNBC-CSIC plans to research a COVID-19 vaccine
CNBC-CSIC will apply techniques of genetic engineering to combat the ongoing pandemic, which the institution learned while developing vaccines to fight other coronaviruses, like SARS (2002) and MERS (2012).
The National Center for Biotechnology has also considerable experience in developing potential candidates for vaccines against Ebola and Zika. As they did back then, scientists will start from the virus used to eradicate smallpox to produce a vaccine against the new coronavirus. The CNB-CSIC has recently received urgent financing from Spain and the European Union.
« Club de Madrid joins letter addressed to G20 leaders calling for global coordination amidst health and economic crisis
Club de Madrid Members' contributions on Covid-19 ongoing crisis »


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Chiam See Tong steps down as SPP chief, ending storied political career that spanned more than four decades
Veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong relinquished his post as secretary-general at the Singapore People's Party's biennial Ordinary Party Conference held on the evening of Oct 16, 2019.
In a photo dated July 2, 2005, Mr Chiam See Tong posing at a new amphitheatre and pavilion area his town council completed in Potong Pasir. Mr Chiam has been MP there since 1984.
SINGAPORE – Veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong, 84, has stepped down from his leadership post at the Singapore People's Party (SPP), bringing to an end a storied political career spanning more than four decades.
He relinquished his post as secretary-general at the SPP's biennial Ordinary Party Conference on Wednesday (Oct 16) evening.
The Straits Times understands Mr Chiam's name was not put forward during a vote for the party's new central executive committee (CEC), during the session at its headquarters in Sin Ming Drive which lasted almost three hours.
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His wife, Lina Chiam, 70, who is the party chairman, was among 12 members elected to the party's CEC.
"Mr Chiam has given to politics for 40 years already, and I think it's time for him to have a rest. I think he has given all he can for Singaporeans," Mrs Chiam told reporters after the session, which Mr Chiam did not attend.
THE BIG STORY: Chiam See Tong and the future of the SPP | The Straits Times
She said Mr Chiam will remain as a party member.
"The meeting went on very amicably. Everybody was like a family, and we all voted consciously and happily."
The SPP's new CEC members include law undergraduate Ariffin Sha, 22, Mr Jose Raymond, 47, who heads a communications firm, and Mr Eman Lim, 39, director of corporate development in a training consultancy.
Mr Raymond said the new team would have to meet within three weeks to decide on key appointments, and also the party's future direction.
Singapore People's Party (SPP) chairman Lina Chiam briefly addressing the media after leaving the party's conference at Midview City on Oct 16, 2019. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Mrs Chiam had indicated early last month that the party leadership would be handed to a younger team, ahead of the SPP's 25th anniversary in November.
The Straits Times had previously reported that the front runners to fill the role of secretary-general are Mr Raymond and organising secretary Steve Chia, 48, a former Non-Constituency MP from the National Solidarity Party.
Mr Chiam last made a public appearance at the Chiam See Tong Sports Fund gala dinner in August. He was in a wheelchair and was unable to talk, but managed to shake hands with attendees.
In a statement, the party said: "We are confident that the renewed party leadership will uphold the party motto of service before self and always have the best interests of Singapore and Singaporeans at heart."
A STORIED CAREER
The content of the article:
1 A STORIED CAREER
2 LASTING LEGACY
Mr Chiam first ran for Parliament in 1976, losing the contest for Cairnhill ward. After a failed bid for Potong Pasir in 1980, he was elected as its MP in 1984, defeating PAP candidate Mah Bow Tan who would later go on to become a Cabinet minister.
Mr Chiam went on to become Singapore's longest-serving opposition MP until the 2011 general election, when he left the Potong Pasir stronghold to lead a SPP team for a unsuccessful bid for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
Mr Chiam See Tong speaking at an SDP rally during Singapore's General Election in 1988. PHOTO: ST FILE
He had stepped down as Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leader in 1993 due to internal disagreements with a faction led by then-protege Chee Soon Juan.
He later joined the SPP, which was set up by a breakaway SDP faction, assuming leadership of the party in December 1996.
In 2001, he set up the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), a group of opposition parties working under one banner to contest the general elections that year.
He was removed as SDA chairman in 2011 as he was unable to attend regular party meetings, after a stroke in 2008 took a toll on his health.
The SPP subsequently quit the alliance.
LASTING LEGACY
As Potong Pasir MP for 27 years, Mr Chiam has left a mark there even until today, with residents remembering his stint as MP fondly.
Florist Woon Siew Ling, 72, who has been operating her shop at block 146, Potong Pasir Avenue 1 since 1985, said that Mr Chiam regularly walked around the estate and was very caring.
"Some of my customers have shared that he helped them out of his own pocket, such as when they could not pay their water bills or town council utilities bills. And he never expected anything in return," she said.
Mr Chiam See Tong addressing a crowd after he was declared the winner in Potong Pasir during the 1984 General Election. PHOTO: ST FILE
Even among his political rivals, Mr Chiam's actions and attitude has brought him much respect.
During the Chiam See Tong Sports Fund gala dinner in August, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said Mr Chiam was a "well-meaning, decent and honest politician and Member of Parliament".
Current SDA chairman Desmond Lim, who worked with Mr Chiam for 14 years in the Potong Pasir Town Council, said his former mentor believed the country always came first, and when representing Singapore abroad in a delegation, "you must toe the national line".
Mr Lim added that Mr Chiam took his Meet-the-People sessions (MPS) very seriously, helping residents to write appeal letters even for cases he knew had little chance of success.
"He would say, 'Look, if a resident makes an effort to come to the MPS, it means they really need help. As an MP, even if you know the outlook of the case is not positive, you still need to give them hope. Try your best, write a good appeal letter, and never ever turn away any residents'."
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You are here: Home / About CIUS Center / Essays / Alana Barry
Alana Barry
August 18, 2020 /in 2020 /by Abbigail Hull
The Transcending Power of Cultural Exchange
By: Alana Barry
Though China and the United States lie on opposite ends of the globe, separated by the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, there are more opportunities for us to breach that distance than ever before.
Looking back on my own experiences with cultural exchange, I realize just how much I gained from them— those experiences hold the potential for us to change and enrich each other's lives, simply by being and learning together.
My cultural exchange journey began in 2015, my junior year of high school, when I traveled to China to represent the U.S. in the Chinese Bridge Language Proficiency Competition. Upon landing in Kunming, each competing team was assigned a college-aged volunteer to help with preparations. Our volunteer's name was Zhang Tingyu, a tall, patient, and funny Thai language major with a love of foreign TV dramas. She took us to visit some of Kunming's famous tourist sites, and joined us in sampling some delicious local food. We hit it off immediately, and to this day, she's still my first and best friend from China. After five intensive knockout rounds, my partner and I won first place in the Americas and third place in the world. In the airport, while in line to check our bags for the flight home, Tingyu gave me a postcard she'd written the night before. Even after everything I'd learned in the competition, I could barely recognize any of the characters, especially the Chinese proverb she'd written at the bottom of the card. I looked to her, disappointed, but she told me she knew I'd be able to read it one day. I couldn't wait to prove her right.
Over the next two years, I continued to work on my Chinese, graduated high school, and packed two suitcases full of my worldly belongings to prepare for my next adventure. Thanks to the year-long scholarship awarded to me by Chinese Bridge as well as my teachers' assistance, I was on track to spend my gap year at Fudan University in Shanghai in the fall of 2018. I knew that studying at Fudan would give me the opportunity to understand China on a deeper level, but I was pleasantly surprised when it opened the doors to the rest of the world as well. Before the start of the semester, each student was assigned to a class based on the results of their placement test. The International Cultural Exchange School at Fudan had students from all over the world— Italy, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Austria, Réunion, many places I'd never been to and some I'd barely even heard of. Early on, my classmates and I bonded over late-night games of mahjong, group lunches in the cafeteria, and naps on the lawn between classes. Few of them spoke English, so Chinese was our common thread. We shared the frustrations and joys of learning a second language, of having to pull out your dictionary in the middle of a conversation, of finally getting your point across after struggling to find the right words. Because we were all learning, we understood the importance of being patient with one another, and took the time to really listen.
In addition to my academic experience, my time at Fudan also allowed me to explore a series of extracurricular activities and clubs. The first club to catch my eye was Echo, a chamber choir affiliated with the university. I'd sung in choirs since I was old enough to carry a tune, and a poster outside my classroom advertising one of their concerts piqued my interest. I signed up to audition, and soon enough, I joined the community. At first, as the only foreign member of the choir, I felt like a complete outsider. I remember my first day walking into practice, knowing no one, afraid I'd be stumped by a rehearsal conducted entirely in Chinese. But when the conductor picked up his baton, when we fell into the familiar routine of warmups and sight-read the first few bars of our new piece, I knew I was at home. Echo attracted both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as some who had joined the workforce. Many of the members belonged to several different choirs, and a few were professional singers. Although we were all from different walks of life, we were connected by our passion for creating beautiful music. Through Echo, we sang in Hebrew with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in their concert hall, sang sacred music in Latin at St. Peter's Church to an audience so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After each concert, we always celebrated together, singing old favorites and toasting to the group's hard work.
I also joined the crosstalk club: crosstalk, or xiangsheng, is a traditional Chinese performing art, a sort of stand-up comedy steeped in centuries of history and cultural references. The club met weekly to rehearse their skits, workshopping each other's performances and encouraging the newcomers (like me) to learn tongue-twisters and beginners' routines. Since we communicated solely in Chinese, practicing crosstalk was both frustrating and exhilarating, much like learning a language. Even the most basic of routines would inevitably contain some number of ancient stories, proverbs, or references that I'd never heard of and didn't understand. My fellow club members took the time to walk me through each of those trouble spots, explaining them at length not just because they had to but because they genuinely wanted me to understand more about Chinese culture. By the end of the year, my partner and I had a skit prepared for their spring showcase— the first time the club had had international students perform in a show. We'd practiced the script until we were practically reciting it in our sleep. The show went off without a hitch, and we celebrated our success in typical crosstalk club fashion: copious amounts of late-night barbecue skewers. Both of these clubs allowed me to use my Chinese skills, albeit in very different ways. With Echo, I found a community that felt familiar. I was able to meet people with similar musical backgrounds to mine, and share in one of a kind experiences with them. It was thanks to my study of Chinese that I could make it through the audition, understand cues in rehearsal, and connect with my fellow singers. With the crosstalk club, I was able to build upon my existing knowledge of Chinese to explore a new art form that I knew almost nothing about. Beyond just the recitation and the performance itself, I learned more about the history of the art as well as folktales and proverbs. Without the basic foundations of the language, I would have no way to approach this multi-layered challenge.
In June of 2019, Tingyu took a few days off work to visit me in Shanghai. She designed an itinerary and took us to places I'd never been, even after living in the city for a whole year. After an adventure to an internet-famous bookstore, we sat on a bench outside, looking through photos from the day. I suddenly remembered I'd brought something, and dug around in my bag for a minute before pulling it out: the postcard she'd given me almost three years ago. We laughed about how discouraged I'd felt when I could barely read any of it, especially the proverb she'd told me was the most important: hai nei cun zhi ji, tian ya ruo bi lin. "As long as one has a close friend in this world, the ends of the earth seem like next door."
The distance from my hometown of Washington, D.C. to Shanghai is just under 7,500 miles, and at times the gap in understanding between our two countries can seem vast. But in that moment, I thought about Tingyu and all the other wonderful people I'd met during my time in China. I thought about all the incredible experiences I'd had, all because I was able to study Chinese. I thought about the friendships I knew I'd take with me no matter where I go, and the world really did feel a little smaller. I know I'm incredibly lucky to have had these opportunities. If I could, I'd put everyone in the world on a plane to China.
But in the meantime, I'll say it once more: cultural exchange changed my life, just as it's changed the lives of many others. As long as we continue to value and cherish it, it will continue to make the world a better place, one experience at a time.
Alana Barry is a junior double majoring in International Studies and East Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
Her interest in China began early on, when she chose to take Mandarin as a language elective in the seventh grade. Throughout high school, she had several opportunities to travel to China, both through the government-sponsored Chinese Bridge language competition and her school's China Fieldwork Semester program in Yunnan province. After graduation, she spent her gap year studying Chinese language, culture, and society at Fudan University's International Cultural Exchange School. This experience intensified her passion, allowed her to explore, join student organizations, and become highly proficient in Mandarin.
In her free time, Alana enjoys listening to, playing, and writing music of all kinds. She loves to travel and is a major foodie.
After graduation, Alana hopes to apply her passion for Chinese culture, history, and language to a career in U.S.-China relations. She knows that no matter what she ends up doing, she'll be sure to take the knowledge she gained from her experiences with cultural exchange with her into the future.
https://www.ciuscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/Alana-Barry-Headshot-scaled.jpeg 2560 1707 Abbigail Hull https://www.ciuscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/CIUS-header-logo-1.png Abbigail Hull2020-08-18 10:25:242020-08-18 13:23:10Alana Barry
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Special Session
Event info.
Special Lectures on Oct.18th
For Poster Presenters
Hotel Info.
IWPPI2016 Report
Conference Summary Report
International Workshop on Photonics Polymer for Innovation (IWPPI2016) was held in Hotel Sunvalley Nasu in Nasu Gun, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In the Opening Session, Mr. Yoshimasa Goto, Director of Japan Science and Technology Agency gave a greeting. Followed by four Plenary Talks of Prof. David Payne, Southampton University, Dr. Robert Lieberman, President of SPIE, Prof. Wolfgang Osten, Stuttgart University, and Prof. Junji Kido, Yamagata University.
In the Special Session which was held after the Plenary Session, three prominent panelists from the display industry, Mr. Aruga, President of Japan Display Inc., Mr. Wada, Senior Managing Director of DNP, Mr. Umehara, Executive Vice President of Nitto Denko Corporation, and Prof. Chiba, Nihon University University Research Center were invited to discuss the future vision of display industry and how we can bring about an innovation of photonics polymer in the display industry. Prof. Koike of Keio University, the co-chair of IWPPI also joined the discussion to introduce his original research results towards 8K display. A powerful opinion from Prof. Chiba who promotes the medical application of the 8K system was added to messages from the panelists who lead the display industry. It turned out as a very fruitful and meaningful session to think about how we can make an industrial creation based on Japanese original photonics polymer technologies.
On the 2nd day of the Workshop, researchers specialized in photonics polymers from France, USA, Korea, Taiwan, UK, Spain, Japan, etc., presented their latest results and exchanged opinions and information in the Technical Session and Poster Session.
Besides these session, a technical exhibition was co-held along with the workshop. The exhibitors were DNP, Japan Display Inc., and Nitto Denko Corporation, and 14 entities who participate in the S-Innovation Program entitled "Research and Development of Advanced Information Technology based on Photonics Polymers" of JST. This certainly was a big step forward for the further development of research and the promotion of industrialization of the photonics polymer technologies by having held the workshop to present the research results and the activities of the participating entities on the S-Innovation Program.
IWPPI2016 Website:http://iwppi.sakura.ne.jp/iwppi2016/
© 2018 International Workshop on Photonics Polymer for Innovation


AUSTIN – Senate Bill 4, legislation to ban sanctuary cities in Texas, was sent in final form by the Legislature on May 4th to Governor Abbott for his signature. The bill was authored by Senator Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), and co-authored by every member of the Texas Senate Republican Caucus, and has been a long time legislative priority of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.
Among other things, Senate bill 4 includes a provision to hold local leaders such as police chiefs, sheriffs, and constables accountable, but subjecting them to a Class A misdemeanor, if they refuse to cooperate with federal officials and honor detainer requests from immigration agents. The legislation also creates civil penalties, which could be as high as $25,000 for failure to comply.


Having no functionality outside the box is not normally a feature but for Stargazer they didn't want any distractions. It has no CV, no MIDI, no Bluetooth or Wi-fi. Just the sound that it makes and the knobs that you see. Let's get twiddling.
It's a drone synth. Moffenzeef Modular call it a "Drone Synthesizer for the abrasive elite."It's stacked with dual wavetable oscillators with 90 waveforms. Scattered across the star field are 2 resonant low pass filters, 3 wavetable LFOs with 6 waveshapes, sample and bit rate reduction, amplitude modulation and CMOS distortion. It's built into a rugged sheet metal enclosure.
STARGAZER can handle the abuse it will inevitably take at gigs and is røad ready før whatever horrible treatment lies ahead. Stare intø the sky møuth agape while shredding parallel dimensiøns with this hypnøtic vømitrøn.
Slightly ruining their "no no no" attitude to distractions there is an expression pedal input which you can use to control the LFOs. This frees up your hands to do other things like mess with the time distortion interface.
It's playful and fun. The detuning of the oscillators is fabulous, and you can knock it down an octave as a sub if you like. It is certainly abrasive if not downright angry.
Stargazer is available now for $525.


At the Enterprise Connect 2011 trade show last week, Cisco debuted Jabber, a unified communications application that brings together presence, instant messaging, voice, video, voice messaging, desktop sharing, and conferencing into a single, consistent interface on PCs, Macs, tablets, and smart phones, including iPhone and Android. This tool will help people within an organization communicate and collaborate using their method and device of choice.
Cisco acquired Jabber in 2008 and has expanded it to incorporate voice, video, and conferencing capabilities. Jabber will enable users to seamlessly transition from an IM conversation to a voice call, video call, or desktop sharing session on the fly. Because the interface will be consistent across devices, people will be able to access the features whether they are on their desktop computer in the office, on a tablet at home, or on a smart phone while they are out. For organizations using Cisco video endpoints, Jabber also integrates with Cisco Unified IP Phones, Cisco WebEx MeetingCenter, and Cisco TelePresence connections. And because Jabber uses the extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), it's compatible with other IM clients, such as Google Talk and Facebook chat.
Voice message viewing and management from desktop phones, mobile phones, Outlook, and browsers.
Cisco Jabber capabilities are compatible with Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.1.4 and later.
Cisco Jabber for Mac OS X will be available this summer. Jabber is available today or in development for Windows, Apple iOS, Symbian OS (used by Nokia phones), Android, and BlackBerry. Integrated video capabilities are scheduled to be available in the second half of 2011. Further information about Cisco Jabber can be found here.


My new Hw100 with Steyr cylinder.
Post subject: My new Hw100 with Steyr cylinder.
Last week i purchased a used laminate hw100 fac fsb .22 from a forum member here.
I can say that i am much surprised with the awesome trigger.
What i really liked is the steyr cylinder i put instead of the oem weirhach reservoir. The steyr one gets 280cc of air (100cc more) and is much lighter. I havent had a chance to weight it yet but it is definetly lighter just when you grab the gun..
The pictures are unable to upload unfortunately. I wanted to show the gap of about .250 inches from the breech block and the cylinder.
This adaptor that you screw on the block is easy to install. You just take the gun of the stock screw and tight. Put it back together and Voila.
The adaptor was bpught on the bestfittings.com website.
The lg cylinder short would work on the hw100 with a muzzle break.
Mine was a fsb so i have put the steyr hunting 5 long cylinder.
It gets about 20 more shots.
Post subject: Re: My new Hw100 with Steyr cylinder.
Need some shot groups too.
Well this is a 55 shot (full fill) group rested at 50 yard indoor. A few flyers . But that was me shooting my eyes closed for the fun of it.
I'd be curious to know the weight difference between the two!
If they make an adapter, you'd think someone would make a nice spacer to fill the gap?
There is a gap of a few mm at the barrel band as well.
The steyr tube must be about .125 inches smaller in diameter.
Is it fully shrouded? Or still loud?


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selish magic (9)
General Signed Books 2018 ( Oct. 15, 2018 )
Pagerunner
Can you hint at a form of Selish magic we haven't seen yet?
It is about patterns...
#selish magic
Legion Release Party ( Sept. 19, 2018 )
If you had a metal plate, and you inscribed into it--with a living Shardblade--the description of a spren, so it's kind of like an Aon for a spren, in a way; if you had an Elsecaller in the Cognitive Realm force Stormlight through the bead for that plate, would it act as a fabrial for that spren? So like, if you drew a spren, like a flamespren onto a metal plate, so you'd make a heat fabrial?
So you're trying to trap the spren in the [plate]?
There's not a spren, it's just a drawing of a spren.
So you're trying to Invest a drawing of a spren, and turn that Investiture into an actual spren, and make it work...I don't think this is going to work. I can see an argument that it would; I would err on "I don't think this is gonna work." But, you know, stranger things have happened, right?
My purpose for that question was asking whether Sel is the only one that can have Cognitive Investing--er, the one that's best at doing Cognitive Investing.
Yes, it is definitely best; it is nothing to do with the Shards themselves, and everything to do with what happened to them.
Skyward Seattle signing ( Nov. 10, 2018 )
In Elantris, there's the three ways that AonDor's manifested. Through the Aons, through the Dakhor, through the ChayShan. With Emperor's Soul, there's two major ones that we see with the Forging and Bloodsealing. And also that parallels with, there's one -- kind of like, in Mistborn where there's one that's positive, one that's neutral, one that's negative. Where does the third one fit in on the Emperor's Soul side?
Emperor's Soul, there are way more. It's not a split of the three.
Would all the different powers, or magic. Would they all work on the other--
Almost all of them will. AonDor, and the ones from Sel, are very hard to get to work elsewhere, because of certain things, but others are much easier. For instance, if you can get Breaths to another world, you can just use them, you don't need to do anything special.
#awakening #manifestations of investiture #selish magic
Is Resealing a subset of Forging, or a separate system like Bloodsealing is?
*Looooong silence*
I'm trying to remember what I decided-- I was building all of this on a fourteen hour plane flight, keep in mind-- I believe it is-- Let's go ahead and PAFO that one. I need to go to my notes. I can give you a tentative "I believe it is the same system and not a cousin system" but at the end of the day I kind of had to go to my notes and work things out. There was lots of wiggle room built into the Elantris magic system but I have to know what I decided.
Footnote: Peter has since commented that he believes that Resealing is a sub-set of Forgery.
#cosmere healing #forgery #pafo-resolved #selish magic #the emperors soul
#6 Feb. 16, 2016 Share Copy
So in Scadrial we know that Allomancy is end-positive, and Hemalurgy end-negative, and Feruchemy is neutral, right? Is there such a concept on Sel, with the magics?
All of the magics on Sel, every one of them, is end-positive.
Okay. And what fuel-- well, it's not a fuel. What focuses it? It's-- no, not that too.
They all draw power from the Dor. None of it's coming from the people. That's what this refers to, right?
#investiture #selish magic #the dor
Shadows of Self London UK signing ( Oct. 19, 2015 )
ParadoxicalZen
How exactly is the Moon Scepter linked to the Dor?
The Moon Scepter is-- I suppose I can canonize this, now. Okay you're getting one out of me. So the big thing about the Moon Scepter that it was-- It is a Rosetta stone for the [Selish] magics. Meaning it translates them from one to another, and what the different symbols mean, does that make sense.
#moon scepter #selish magic
Sources: ParadoxicalZen's report - 17th Shard
Skyward Pre-Release AMA ( Oct. 26, 2018 )
Aurimus_
And lastly, a cosmere point of contention. You've said before the Moon Scepter works as a Rosetta stone? Is this literal, as in translating one Aon to it's MaiPon counterpart, or more metaphorical, IE allowing use of a Selish magic outside of its country?
The Moon Scepter does not "unlock" regional use of Selish magic, but those who wanted it believed it was a vital step in figuring this out. It's more the first, but has implications for the second.
The Great American Read: Other Worlds with Brandon Sanderson ( Oct. 25, 2018 )
OrangeJedi
If all the practitioners of the Dor but one just died, for whatever reason, would that remaining practitioner have access to more power?
No. Good question. There is magic systems that work that way but it is not the Dor-based magics. I've got an unpublished book that works exactly that way called Mythwalker. The magic system of that was called the Septs, and your family divided the power of the magic, but it was not a one-to-one ratio. If you had a total power, if one person had it was at a 1, but if two people have it each of them were at like a .8, and so suddenly it became this thing of, how many people in your family do you want to have power and things like that. It was really interesting. But the rest of the book was terrible.
#mythwalker #selish magic #the dor


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Police Reveal New Motive On Why Jussie Smollett Allegedly Orchestrated Attack
Actor Jussie Smollett allegedly orchestrated an attack on himself because he was "dissatisfied" with the tens of thousands of dollars he was making per episode, according to law enforcement officials.
"First Smollett attempted to gain attention by sending a false letter that relied on racial homophobic and political language," Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said during a press conference on Thursday. "When that didn't work, Smollett paid $3,500 to stage this attack ... The stunt was orchestrated by Smollett because he was dissatisfied with his salary so he concocted a story about being attacked."
HuffPost reports: "Smollett was paid $65,000 per episode for his co-starring role in the most recent season of 'Empire,' a well-placed source told HuffPost. On average, there are 18 episodes of 'Empire' per season."
Scoop: A well-placed source familiar with his comp tells me @JussieSmollett was being paid $65,000 per episode for his co-starring role on Empire. Average season has 18 episodes. Police say his dissatisfaction with his salary let him to stage this hoax. https://t.co/FuDas9AcN8
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) February 21, 2019
The Daily Mail reports that Smollett makes even more, as a source told the British newspaper that "Smollett makes $100,000 per episode."
"It's just despicable," Johnson said, adding that when investigators learned the motive behind the attack it "quite frankly ... pissed everybody off."
"It makes you wonder what's going on in someone's mind to be able to do something like that," Johnson continued. "I'm left hanging my head and asking why? Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? How could someone look at the hatred and suffering associated with that symbol and see an opportunity to manipulate that symbol to further his own public profile?"
.@Chicago_Police Supt Eddie Johnson says they have the check #JussieSmollett wrote to the two brothers for $3500. Says it was staged, the brothers hit him a few times. But most of the injuries on #Smollett were "self-inflicted".
— Rafer Weigel (@RaferWeigel) February 21, 2019
Multiple Democratic politicians rushed to defend Smollett immediately following the attack that he allegedly orchestrated on himself, including:
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY): "There is no such thing as 'racially charged.' This attack was not 'possibly' homophobic. It was a racist and homophobic attack. If you don't like what is happening to our country, then work to change it. It is no one's job to water down or sugar-coat the rise of hate crimes."
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): "The vicious attack on actor Jussie Smollett was an attempted modern-day lynching. I'm glad he's safe. To those in Congress who don't feel the urgency to pass our Anti-Lynching bill designating lynching as a federal hate crime—I urge you to pay attention."
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA): "[email protected] is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I'm praying for his quick recovery. This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate."
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA): "Jussie is my friend - a very talented & beautiful human being. It is so hurtful that homophobic haters would dare hurt someone so loving and giving. I'm dedicated to finding the culprits and bringing them to justice. Jussie did not deserve to be harmed by anyone!"
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI): "When one of the most famous black and gay men in America is not safe, the message is clearer than it has ever been." The dangerous lies spewing from the right wing is killing & hurting our people. Thinking of you @JussieSmollett, and my LGBTQ neighbors."
Read More: Jussie Smollett


The Father is drawing people to Jesus, and the community in Antelope is responding! I am filled with joy as people share their stories. After coming to Jesus, we are hearing multiple stories at Hope Community Church of people being intentional about mending their broken relationships, and some have been successful. The Gospel is giving people what they need to forgive and heal. I am hopeful to share some of these stories publicly when we go through Genesis 1-3 in our post-Easter sermon-series titled, Created for Community.
I love how God is working in the lives of the young and the old. A few weeks ago, a young boy in fifth grade came to church and was given his very first Bible. He hugged this tan leather bound book and came running to me excited that he was given a Holly Bibbal (He did not know it was pronounced Holy Bible). This past Sunday his mom told me that he keeps it in his special drawer with his other prized possessions. Yesterday, grinning ear to ear, he eagerly told me that God made Adam and Eve and that Eve came from Adams' rib. I am excited he is reading his Bible! God is definitely at work.
In my mind, I know that everything that God ordains, he orchestrates. He made everything happen for us to launch Hope Community Church. He has brought amazing people on our team, and He is bringing the people in the Community. He is the one drawing people, and He is the one changing lives. I know in my mind that He is going to work everything out, but sometimes I do not know how He is going to do it. As we continue to grow, we need to raise up more leaders, especially in children's ministry. We DO NOT want to provide childcare. Instead, we want to develop ministers that have a calling to equip kids in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We have great leaders now, but we need to triple the children's ministry leaders to effectively lead the kids God is bringing us. Please pray for us to have wisdom and discernment as we work on developing leaders. Pray that God calls people to serve in this area.
We treasure your prayers! Please continue to partner with us by praying for us regularly!


The sales market has remained strong over the first quarter of this year. We've seen properties sell well-over their reserve price at auction, buyers putting in quality offers after first open inspections, and property sales creating new 'million dollar suburbs'.
Often when the sales market is running hot and confidence is high, the rental market slows, and vice-versa. However, it's been very interesting to see that during the current cycle, this hasn't been the case... Landlords have been a beneficiary of the strong sales market.
Many people have been successful in selling their home, but when the shoe is on the other foot and they are looking to buy, they have found the market to be very competitive. As a result, many buyers have entered the rental market as a 'stop-gap' between homes, tipping the demand from the sales market into the rental market.
At Toop&Toop we like talking in facts and figures. We record the number of tenants that attend our open inspections live on iPads, so we can produce instant reports from the field to our Landlords.
So what are the numbers saying? Our team have seen a 45% increase in tenants attending our open inspections over the past quarter (Q4 2016 to Q1 2017).
Adding to the strong conditions, we have also seen very low stock levels on the rental market. Our vacancy rate was at a record low level of 0.29% in metropolitan Adelaide last week (compared to the industry average of approx. 1.7-2.0%). This is a staggering number and is the sign of a very tight market.
Currently our property management team have almost half the number of properties available for rent than we did 6 months ago. We are finding that many tenants are choosing to renew their lease, rather than looking elsewhere to rent as there is simply a limited number of homes available. How long will it last? With a number of residential developments in the pipeline, the conditions we are seeing right now will likely ease over the next 12-18 months as additional supply enters the market. We believe the metropolitan Adelaide market will however, remain a steady performer in the long-term - as a result of the underlying affordability of property in our state compared to other capital cities.
At Toop&Toop we're excited about investing in Adelaide. We see our role as agents is to be proactive to ensure landlords can make the most of the market conditions throughout the property cycle and optimise their returns.


text:
Information for media.
Corona: City of Bonn expands its vaccination services
The Federal City of Bonn is expanding its corona vaccination services without an appointment. With the "Stadthaus", the health department has established the first inpatient vaccination station in accordance with the requirements of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. From Monday to Friday - either from morning to noon or from noon to afternoon - a total of five doctors perform first, second and third vaccinations against the corona virus.
Thus, on average, about 400 vaccinations can be offered per campaign. The next dates in the town hall (passage towards Weiherstrasse, between the town archives and the service center) are Thursday, November 18, 2021, 12 noon to 6 p.m. and Friday, November 19, 2021, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dates for the week beginning November 22 are yet to be published. Beginning Nov. 24, vaccination priority will be given to those age 70 and older on Wednesdays at the Municipal Building from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Two days will also be offered until 8 p.m.
In total, nearly 15,000 vaccinations have been given during the city's mobile vaccination campaigns since mid-July.
Additional vaccinations on Saturdays in the Bonn-Info
With the offer in the Stadthaus, centrally located in the city as well as very well accessible by public transport, the city administration has had consistently positive experiences and has experienced the greatest popularity. For this reason, the health department is planning to open at least one more stationary vaccination center in the city center in the short term.
In addition, there will be open vaccination campaigns in the pedestrian zone on Saturdays 20 and 27 November, as well as on 4, 11 and 18 December from 12 to 17 o'clock in the Bonn Information, Windeckstraße 1.
In addition, mobile campaigns in the city districts are still being planned. The next opportunity for a first, second or booster vaccination is on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at the open vaccination campaign without an appointment at the Education and Family Center "Haus Vielinbusch", Oppelner Straße 130, in Tannenbusch from 1 to 6 pm. There will be three vaccination lanes there.
The city points out that at the vaccination campaigns - sometimes considerable - waiting times are to be expected and that there are large vaccination practices in the Beueler Brückenforum as well as in the Weißdornweg in Bad Godesberg.
Around 264,000 initial vaccinations in Bonn so far
Currently, the Health Department offers mobile vaccinations in facilities for refugees, the homeless, etc., and ensures that vaccinations are offered promptly via the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians in facilities for the elderly, facilities for integration assistance, and workshops.
To date, a total of 264,340 first, 258,512 second and 13,326 third vaccinations have been given in Bonn.
Incidence value 163.0 - Currently no supply bottlenecks in clinics
Meanwhile, the corona incidence value in Bonn has continued to rise. On Wednesday, November 17, it amounts to 163.0 per 100,000 inhabitants*. Accordingly, 539 new infections have been reported in the past seven days. Currently, there are 729 laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases in Bonn, 805 people are in quarantine.
Approximately 25 percent of the current positive cases in Bonn are related to a family outbreak, and approximately four percent of all cases are related to travel in the past 21 days. 37.65 percent of the infections are vaccine breakthroughs, i.e. infections in persons who have already been vaccinated. In the past seven days, outbreaks have occurred in one hospital with five cases and in one clinic with three affected persons, and in one secondary school, six children have tested positive in one class.
Hospital utilization in terms of hospitalization rates and the proportion of patients on Covid-19 in intensive care units in NRW also continues to rise, and there are currently no acute supply bottlenecks in Bonn.
2,045 first-time Corona vaccinations
12,022 Vaccinations over the turn of the year
Corona virus.
Open vaccination campaign
Booster vaccinations for everyone 12 years and old
Facts and figures.
Climate protection and adaptation
Corona: 7-day incidence in Bonn is 335.5
explanations and notes
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Physical Data: bp 85-86 °C.
Solubility: sol water and most organic solvents.
Form Supplied in: aqueous solution (45-55%).
Analysis of Reagent Purity: oxime titration.
Handling, Storage, and Precautions: intensely irritating. Highly prone to polymerization, should be used immediately after preparation. This reagent should be used in a fume hood.
a-Chloroaldehydes are easily converted into the corresponding a-chloro nitrones with various hydroxylamines. (eq 3).15 The lower representatives (R = H, Me) are unstable and should be stored at -20 °C.
The Ag+ mediated reaction of a-chloro nitrones with unactivated alkenes results either in a [4 + 2] cycloaddition (eq 4)15 -19 or, especially in solvents like SO2 or MeNO2, in a substitution (eq 5).16,17 Mono-, 1,2-di-, or tetrasubstituted alkenes predominantly react via cycloaddition, whereas with 1,1-di- or trisubstituted alkenes, substitution becomes the main reaction, thereby giving access to b,g-unsaturated aldehydes. The configuration of the alkene is retained in both cases.
1. Hatch, L. F.; Alexander, H. E. JACS, 1945, 67, 688.
2. Weygand, C.; Hilgetag, G.; Preparative Organic Chemistry, 4th ed.; Martini, A.; Ed.; Wiley: New York, 1973; p 185.
3. Natterer, E. M 1882, 3, 447.
4. Quijano, M. L.; Nogueras, M.; Sanchez, A.; Alvarez de Cienfuegos, G.; Melgarejo, M. JHC 1990, 27, 1079.
5. (a) Bisagni E.; Rivalle, C. BSF 1974, 519. (b) Padwa, A.; Gasdaska, J. R. T 1988, 44, 4147. (c) Matsumoto, M.; Wanatabe, N. H 1984, 22, 2313.
6. (a) Hirota, K.; Shirahashi, M.; Senda, S.; Yogo, M. JHC 1990, 27, 717. (b) Waldvogel, E. HCA 1992, 75, 907.
7 (a) Kluge, A. F. JHC 1978, 15, 119. (b) Senga, K.; Robins, R. K.; O'Brien, D. E. JHC 1975, 12, 1043.
8. (a) Martens, J.; Offermanns, H.; Scherberich, P.; AG 1981, 93, 680. (b) Comprehensive Heterocyclic Chemistry; Katritzky, A. R.; Rees, C. W., Eds.; Pergamon: Oxford, 1984; Vol. 6, p 314.
9. (a) Begtrup, M.; Hansen, L. B. L. ACS 1992, 46, 372. (b) Brandsma, L.; De Jong, R. L. P.; VerKruijsse, H. D. S 1985, 948.
10. Wender, P. A.; White, A. W. T 1983, 39, 3767.
11. Stotter, P. L.; Hill, K. A.; TL 1975, 1679.
12. Ahlbrecht, H.; Dietz, M.; Weber, L. S 1987, 251.
13. (a) Ahlbrecht, H.; Pfaff, K. S 1978, 897. (b) Ghosez, L., Toyé, J. JACS 1975, 97, 2276.
14. Ahlbrecht, H.; Pfaff, K. S 1980, 413.
15. Kempe, U. M.; Das Gupta, T. K.; Blatt, K.; Gygax, P.; Felix, D.; Eschenmoser, A. HCA 1972, 55, 2187.
16. Das Gupta, T. K.; Felix, D.; Kempe, U. M.; Eschenmoser, A. HCA 1972, 55, 2198.
17. Petrzilka, M.; Felix, D.; Eschenmoser, A. HCA 1973, 56, 2950.
18. Shatzmiller, S.; Gygax, P.; Hall, D.; Eschenmoser, A. HCA 1973, 56, 2961.
19. Rüttimann, A.; Ginsburg, D. HCA 1975, 58, 2237.
20. Gygax, P.; Das Gupta, T. K.; Eschenmoser, A. HCA 1972, 55, 2205.
21. Hattingh, W. C.; Holzapfel, C. W.; van Dyk, M. S. SC 1987, 17, 1491.
22. Gerlach, H.; Wetter, H. HCA 1974, 57, 2306.
23. Holzapfel, C. W.; van Dyk, M. S. SC 1987, 17, 1349.
24. Shatzmiller, S.; Eschenmoser, A. HCA 1973, 56, 2975.
25. Lidor, R.; Shatzmiller, S. LA 1982, 226.


text:
Q: `akka-http` returns `No Response` for request instead of `Custom Response` specified by `withRequestTimeout` directive for https connection I'm currently trying to setup withRequestTimeout directive for service based on akka-http.
withRequestTimeout(FiniteDuration(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS),req =>
HttpResponse(status = StatusCodes.InternalServerError, entity = "Request timeout"))

For http connection it works fine and returns my custom response, but for https it usually returns No Response and sometimes my custom response. I traced request and it looks like it was cut down before server returned actual response. What can be potential issue that causes it?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


>> I was in a terror attack as a terrorist, what i was doing was changing my name every now and again to throw the police off my trail so to speak when i was pulled into a sit by cro, i defended myself in the sit as you would when my game crashed, at this point i pinged cro in the discord to make him aware. After this crash i restarted gmod and rejoined, making sure the first thing i did was alert cro i was back to which i received the reply of "its sorted" i then checked my warns just to make sure i wasnt warned during the time i wasnt on the server and i was. I then messaged Blast and raised my concerns about what i should do, as there was no rule against it to which he replied that i should have received a verbal as i was in the wrong, but not a warn.
Wait so you got warned for changing your name to a meme name? And then back at your original name?
Hi, when I warned you you were still very much on my screen, I thought you were there for that part so when you returned I said "Its sorted" to indicate the sit ended before you crashed thinking it crashed after you received the warn. As for the warning its self this is why I warned you. You initiated a terror attack and have not died for several minutes. You decided to change your name, name changes indicate you are a new character. This intern makes the police not know who to kill as they dont know who the attacker is, this is FailRP as you abused it to get an unfair advantage over the police who cannot see name changes. Even when I bought you to the sit I checked logs and saw that you didnt advert terror and was inches away from banning you for MRDM. As I stated, I have done the same in the past and received a verbal, however you as staff should know better that you cannot abuse a system used for RP to gain an advantage. Overall, what you did was unfair on the police officers as they did not know who the attacker was due to the name changes so could not fight you until you opened fire which would be too late.
DO NOT CHANGE YOUR NAME DURING TERRORS OR ANY OTHER ROLEPLAY SITUATIONS FOR A MALICIOUS UNFAIR OUTCOME.
I will remove the warn, do not repeat this again.


I love this app almost as much as I love my bible app.
The Orchard - new way to connect!
Thrilled for this new way to connect with my church, The Orchard, hear sermons and keep up with what's happening. I can even give online!


text:
Q: Insert bulk Parent and Children rows using SQL Query We receive bulk data from our customers in a spread sheet. I loaded them in a temporary table as of now. I tried to normalize the data and create a parent table and each parent to have 4 or 5 child rows. Is there a way to insert all the parents and their children using queries? I dont want to write an Application to do that

A: If you're specifically looking to write only queries to perform this task, check out the following article that outlines a way to set up a linked server to an excel doc.
http://www.sql-server-helper.com/tips/read-import-excel-file-p01.aspx
If you get this set up correctly (which can be a pain) it's as easy as querying the data directly.


text:
Flaunt Your Inner Seeker With the Mystery Flying Snitch
Sierra McCleary-Harris |
Now the magic of Quidditch never has to end.
Any true Harry Potter fan knows that the beloved game only ends once the Snitch is caught, but with Wow! Stuff's Mystery Flying Snitch, kids have all the power to keep the game alive. Kids can connect with — and flaunt — their inner Seeker as they try to "catch" the Snitch as it magically flies around them. Plus, it's educational, too.
So, how does it work? The Mystery Flying Snitch is suspended by a high tensile thread made of Aramid, a type of synthetic polymer. The thread is comparable to the thickness of steel, but it's twice as strong! From 6 feet away, the thread is virtually invisible, and depending on the lighting, it can be undetectable as close as an arm's length away. This thread is the magic behind the Mystery Flying Snitch — literally. It allows kids to recreate the fantastic scenes they've grown to love from the films. The thread has a bit of strong putty on either end.
Kids thread the fiber through a little slot in the top of the Snitch. It's best to do this part in a well-lit area, and parents may have to lend a steady hand. That same invisibility that makes the Snitch mysterious can also make it a little difficult to get started. Once the thread is woven through the slot in the top of the Snitch, kids press the putty down to secure it. They can attach the other putty end somewhere fun and hard to see, such as behind an ear, under a shirt collar, or just the underside of their hand.
Next, kids just switch on the Snitch and watch the looks on their friends' and family's faces as they try to catch the elusive Snitch, weaving the hard-to-see thread around their fingers as the Snitch appears to fly around in mid-air. It will take some practice to perfect this magic trick, but it's well worth the effort.
The Mystery Flying Snitch promotes motor skills through its detailed, active play, improving hand-eye coordination, balance and dexterity, and physical awareness. It also helps foster technological and electronic skills.
When they're not playing, kids can display the Mystery Flying Snitch on the plinth included, or use it for cosplay.
Manufacturer: Wow! Stuff
The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.
More You'll
Charge Your Devices in Style with K-Blings
Enter the Wizarding World with 'Keys and Curios'
No Tricks, Just Treats: Spooky Toys for Spooky Szn
Appear to Disappear with the Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak
Sierra McCleary-Harris
Sierra McCleary-Harris is a senior editor at Adventure Publishing Group, editing and producing content for the Toy Insider, the Toy Book, and the Pop Insider. If she's not at her desk, you can find her somewhere doing a puzzle, losing it over the latest arts and crafts, or hanging out with her kitties Hazelnutz & Pepper Ann.
What do you think about Flaunt Your Inner Seeker With the Mystery Flying Snitch?


Interactive projections mesmerize with sensual images. Stunning model/hostesses tempt with nouveau classic cocktails. Chilled champagne and world-class vodkas beckon from the Alcove. Amenities include private area with exclusive VIP entry, dedicated model service and hors d'ouevre.
The atmosphere encompasses the comfort of your favorite rock-n-roll bar with the charm of your favorite laid back lounge. The staff provides exceptional service while remaining low key, allowing you and your guests to be the highlight of the party. Enjoy Caramel before a show, after dinner or as a late night destination.
Features second story location with balconies offering scenic views of the Las Vegas Strip, a collection of fine wines, champagne and cocktails, table service with reservations available for small and large groups, sophisticated and sensual décor includes intimate dance floor, sofas for lounging and an energized world music mix fueled by the house DJ.
Mediterranean themed lounge with wines, teas, specialty drinks and a late night menu. You can also enjoy real Turkish water pipes filled with a wide selection of Egyptian tobaccos.
Also see the Las Vegas Nightclubs section for more options.


FINRA is issuing this Notice to announce publication on its website of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) relating to enhanced confirmation disclosure requirements for corporate and agency debt securities pursuant to FINRA Rule 2232. The new requirements are scheduled to take effect May 14, 2018.
FINRA recently adopted enhanced confirmation disclosure requirements for corporate and agency debt securities.1 Beginning May 14, 2018, members will be subject to the new requirements, set out in Rule 2232, concerning confirmation disclosure of mark-ups and mark-downs, time of execution, and a security-specific URL for webpages that contain relevant information about the traded securities.
FINRA worked closely with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) to develop similar rules, as appropriate, to ensure consistent disclosures to customers across debt securities and to reduce the operational burdens for firms that trade a variety of fixed income securities. FINRA continued to coordinate closely with the MSRB as it developed the FAQ, which it believes are materially the same as FAQ that the MSRB is publishing separately.
• the determination of prevailing market price.
The FAQ can be found on FINRA's website. FINRA expects to update the FAQ periodically. New questions will be marked "new" and, to the extent previously published questions are updated or revised, they will be marked "updated."
Firms are encouraged to contact FINRA at the numbers listed above to suggest additional topics or questions for inclusion in the FAQ.
1. See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 79346 (November 17, 2016), 81 FR 84659 (November 23, 2016) (Order Approving SR-FINRA-2016-032).
2. Rule 2232(d) contains two exceptions to the mark-up disclosure requirements of Rule 2232(c): an exception for trades executed by functionally separate trading desks within a firm; and an exception for bonds acquired in a fixed-price offering and sold to retail customers at the same offering price on the same day.
3. For additional detail on the rulemaking process, see Regulatory Notice 17-08 (announcing approval and effective date of new disclosure requirements) and SR-FINRA-2016-032 (proposed rule change filed with the SEC).


text:
Lookers Renault Newcastle strikes up sponsorship of under nines football team
Lookers has strengthened its relationship with the local sporting community by becoming the main sponsor of a Tyneside under nines football club.
Newcastle Benfield Olympico is the latest sports team to benefit from the support of the dealership group, with nearby Lookers Renault providing them with new strips to play in.
The team play in the Pinpoint Recruitment Under 9's League and with the help of Lookers Renault Newcastle are back to playing in their traditional blue and white hoops after having to wear a yellow strip for most of last season.
The team are currently managed by Chris Dixon and Andy Hetherington, dads to two of the players in the team and who recently look over following the departure of long-time coach Nicky Ling.
The sponsorship is the result of a friendship between Rikki Ledger, General Manager at Lookers Renault Newcastle, and Martin Glaholm, also a dad of one of the young players.
Rikki said: "It's fantastic that Lookers Renault Newcastle has been able to sponsor such a popular local football team and one that is so close to our dealership. Lookers has a long history of supporting grass roots sports teams as we realise how important they are to local communities. We hope that Newcastle Benfield Olympico continues its good form and that the new strips bring them luck."
Chris Dixon said: "We would like to thank Rikki and everyone at Lookers Renault Newcastle for sponsoring us and for helping the team look a million dollars. The smiles on the faces of the kids when we showed them the new shirts for the first time was priceless. It's given the team a real boost."


We blog about this recipe here.
Place the chicken in a single layer in a large roasting pan and pour the oil over the pieces, rubbing them to give them a glossy coating. Sprinkle over the za'atar and salt, and then work it into the skin of the chicken so that each piece is well covered. Turn each chicken piece skin side up and then allow the meat to marinate – uncovered – for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. If you're in a hurry, you can skip that refrigerator time and just let the chicken sit at room temperature for an hour before roasting.
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 1 hour before you want to put it in the oven – or approximately 2 hours before you want to serve it. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. After the chicken has been out of the refrigerator for about an hour, place the chicken in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes.
Leaving the chicken uncovered for a while is a good way to get a crispier skin. Try it on turkey too. Recipe brought to you by BigLittleMeals.com and Andy and Ann.


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Catholic League basketball standings
Girls' hoops see new league alignment; boys' play taut as ever
Wrestler's near-fatal car crash revived his faith
Devon Prep hosting weeklong basketball tourney
NFL kicker's friendship with teammate strengthens faith
Christmas came early for St. Eleanor's CYO girls' volleyball
No drama as girls' hoops squads move on to semifinal play
John Knebels
By John Knebels • Posted February 16, 2018
After quarterfinal contests on Thursday night, Feb. 15, the Final Four has been established in Catholic League girls' basketball.
Although upsets might be considered more interesting, the top four seeds were having none of that. In fact, there was little if any drama in any of the four games, as each was arguably decided by the end of the third quarter.
Neumann-Goretti overwhelmed visiting West Catholic, 71-42, behind a balanced scoring attack paced by Jabria Ingram's 27 points. The top-seeded Saints finished a perfect 12-0 in league play and showed no signs of letting up against the eighth-seed Burrs.
"The players stuck to the game plan and played really well," said N-G coach Andrea Peterson. "West Catholic is a very athletic team and has some really good players. We knew we had to defend for 32 minutes to be successful."
Fourth-seed Archbishop Carroll used a dominant second and third quarter to defeat visiting fifth-seed Bonner-Prendergast, 74-51. The Patriots outscored the Pandas by 46-21 during the stretch. Molly Masciantonio poured in 22 points and teammate Harlem Jennings was right behind her with 20. Led by Myah Garrison's 12 points, nine different players scored for Bonner-Prenderast.
"We played very well as a team," said Masciantonio. "Our offense really clicked tonight. Everyone on the team contributed. We worked hard all season for this time of year and preparing for that game. We will have to work even harder to get ready for the next game. I think we can play better on defense and we definitely will."
Despite a tenacious attempt by visiting sixth-seed Archbishop Ryan, the Lions of Cardinal O'Hara played what many claimed was their best game of the season. With Kenzie Gardler netting 18 points and Destiny Husby adding 10, O'Hara defeated the Ragdolls, 59-36. Ten different players scored for the Lions, who outscored Ryan by 34-18 in the second half.
"The difference tonight was our whole entire team was involved," said Gardler. "It makes us so hard to guard."
Standout Maura Hendrixson, who scored seven points, echoed her fellow team captain.
"It was definitely an all-around team win," said Hendrixson. "We all said before the game we are refusing to lose because we all want to get back to the Palestra, so we all definitely played a lot harder."
Second-seed Archbishop Wood turned a 14-7, first quarter lead into a 63-33 romp past visiting seventh-seed Lansdale Catholic. Katie May (nine points, nine rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and two blocks) was a force. Kaitlyn Orihel (12 points), Bridget Arcidiacono (10 points, eight rebounds, three blocks), Annie Whalen (10), and Mia Andrews (10) each reached double digits for the Vikings, who nailed nine three-point shots and allowed coach Mike McDonald to substitute freely in the second half.
"Our team did all the things well defensively that we wanted, especially on (Brady) Wassel and (Lauren) Crim, and that is always going to be key for us," said McDonald. "I was very happy with how we played as a team and our effort, though we gave up too many offensive rebounds and need to be crisper against Cardinal O'Hara."
Wood's Erin Morgan labeled the result "a great win."
"I'm really proud of all the girls and look forward to playing in the semifinals," said Morgan. "Obviously, we want to beat O'Hara and get back to the PCL Championship. Whenever we play them it is a tough game, but hopefully we can come together to get the win."
Moving onto the semifinals that take place on Feb. 20 at Jefferson University, the top four seeds will be reduced to two and a Feb. 26 championship trip to the Palestra.
Although the Neumann-Goretti vs. Archbishop Carroll contest figures to be spirited (N-G beat Carroll, 62-37, on Jan. 20), a tantalizing match-up between Wood and O'Hara beckons. It was O'Hara that dethroned Wood, 35-30, in last year's Catholic League championship. On Jan. 19, Wood defeated O'Hara, 33-29, in overtime.
"It should be a very good game," said O'Hara's Hendrixson. "Wood's a really good team this year with great coaches. We lost to them during the regular season and we are learning from our loss so we can be prepared to pull out the win Tuesday."
Wood's McDonald enjoyed his squad's regular-season win over the Lions but said they need to play better.
"The first matchup against O'Hara was a defensive battle," he said. "We did all the things right defensively in that game, but had some sloppy turnovers. We will need to play at a high level to beat O'Hara again as they, like us, have improved throughout the year. We are confident right now and I am hoping that translates into another trip to the Palestra."
John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.
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Please get your facts correct. There is no Destiny Huseby on the team. There is a Stephanie Huseby.


Closets, bedrooms, kitchens, bookcases and more get instant light from this affordable set of two light bulbs. Battery-operated for wire-free convenience, each bulb stays cool to the touch and sits on its own black or white base. And with a flip of a toggle on/off switch, they offer brilliant illumination. Even better, bases feature a pair of powerful magnets that allow them to adhere to tool chests, file cabinets, lockers or other ferrous surfaces for increased versatility. Made of durable plastic and about 4"H x 2¾" Diam., lights can also be used freestanding in sheds, attics, RV's . . . or almost anywhere instant light is needed. Each uses 3 AAA batteries, not included.