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Cross cultural schooling happens when a child’s education is conducted in a language their parent is not a native speaker of, or is based in a culture their parent did not grow up in. There are several ways that this can happen. A family (whether local or expatriate) may enrol their child in an international school that follows the curriculum of a different country, or conducts classes in a language the parents are not familiar with. When local families enrol in international schools, they create Educational CCKs (EdCCKs). EdCCKs live in their passport country but attend a school of a different language/culture. Educational CCKs cross cultures every day. They operate in one culture at home, and a different culture at school. Alternatively, an expatriate family may enrol their child in a local school, in the local culture and language. (This was my experience as an Australian teenager in the US.) 22% of the 750 TCKs I surveyed for Misunderstood were educated in a language they did not speak natively; 7% were educated in a language their parents did not speak. Those figures double, to 40% and 15%, for TCKs who attended local schools.* “I attended local school at a young age, and adapted well. Studies were more difficult compared to local students as my parents didn’t know the language – homework took longer etc. I did essentially keep up with the class for the two and a half years I was there.” – Jeremy, as quoted in Misunderstood There can certainly be linguistics difficulties when it comes to cross cultural schooling. Some families (and schools) do a better job than others at supporting students with this. Language is an aspect of cross-cultural education that is more obvious on the outside – but it is only part of the equation. Adaptation to school culture Schools teach more than academic information – they teach values and worldview. In a cross cultural educational setting the teachers and/or school administration may hold very different educational values than students or parents. At the start, a new student must pick up a new school culture. In a cross cultural school, both obvious and hidden cultural expectations may be very different from the CCK’s last school. Over time, however, the child adapts to the school’s cultural expectations. And since the child spends more time in the school, and in its worldview, than the parents – a gap may begin to develop between parent and child. The student may have to translate school expectations according to a parent’s different cultural expectations – even if they speak the school’s language. Parents may be surprised by a child’s changing attitude, as they absorb elements of the school culture. But these changes are natural, and perhaps inevitable. Cross cultural schooling means your child is being trained to see the world differently than you do. Impact of cross cultural schooling on families Many parents enrol their children in cross cultural schools for practical reasons. Perhaps there are no good school options in the family’s language/culture. Perhaps the family shares the schools values, even if they are not in line with norms of the family’s native culture. Perhaps the parents see the school as a pathway toward better educational and vocational options for their child. Whatever the reason, few parents are prepared for the long term impact cross cultural schooling will have on their family life. Values are not always taught in obvious ways; often we simply absorb them as what is “normal”. Children in cross cultural education are absorbing more than academics when they are at school – they are absorbing values. Most children spend more waking hours in school than with their parents. In addition, if an expat they may not be exposed to their home culture at all in daily life outside the home. It’s possible that the school’s cultural values may become what feels most “natural” to the child. Down the track, this can result in conflict between parent and child. Each judges the other according to their cultural values – and when the child has absorbed the cultural values of the school, this leads to a culture gap. A child may perceive their parent’s expectations as unreasonable. A parent may perceive their child’s actions as rebellious. A child may perceive their parent as uncaring about their education – or too involved. A parent may perceive their child as lacking in scholarly ambition – or outside interests. These misunderstandings can lead to much heartache – both for parents and for their children. They stem from a parent judging the child by the parent’s cultural values – not knowing the child has been trained to see a different value system as the “norm”. This can be extremely frustrating for a child, who is only doing what their school has taught them to do in order to succeed. So what next? I’m planning to write a series of posts considering different aspects of cross cultural schooling experiences. There is so much to consider! So stay tuned for more thoughts – and please, share your own, too.

Study of a fruit fly gene throws light on brain involvement in the human condition long QT syndrome Contrary to what you might expect, the fruit fly seizure gene normally prevents nerve cells from becoming over-excited and triggering seizures. But when the gene is faulty, flies suffer from stress-induced seizures. Humans also have a version of seizure known as hERG, and people with a fault in the gene have a higher risk of a heart problem called long QT syndrome, which causes an irregular heartbeat, fainting, seizures and can even be fatal. By carefully studying seizure in fruit flies, researchers have found that faults in the gene affect the insects’ brains but not their hearts. These images show various parts of the fly brain, with cells where seizure is active highlighted in green and other types of nerve cells coloured pink and blue. The results suggest that seizures associated with long QT syndrome may be due to the lack of hERG in the brain, rather than the heart. BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences the website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biomedicine. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe. BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.

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Milk Street Radio travels the world to discover how food and cooking are changing lives and cultures, from $13,500 melons in Japan and computer-generated cookie recipes to the home cooking of Ina Garten and Egyptian fast food in Berlin. Starting in the wonderful hobby of Amateur or HAM Radio can be daunting and challenging but can be very rewarding. Every week I look at a different aspect of the hobby, how you might fit in and get the very best from the 1000 hobbies that Amateur Radio represents. Note that this podcast started in 2011 as "What use is an F-call?". A weekly podcast of the most incredible fusion of world music and beats. Exploring the underground genres of modern dance music with the ancient sounds of the world. This is music you will not hear anywhere else! An antidote to today’s frenzied world. Step back, let go, immerse yourself: it’s time to go slow.A lo-fi celebration of pure sound. Sara A. 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(Wednesday) - News Briefing: President Moon Jae-in delivered a budget speech at the National Assembly, urging bipartisan support on various issues from reviving the South Korea economy, to the formation of the new Corruption Investigation Office. (Sam Len) - In-Depth News Analysis: With the US Presidential Election less than a… Last updated : 2020.10.28 The latest news from home and abroad, with a close eye on Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula in particularBy KBS WORLD Radio Service NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - Spanish News at 13:00 (JST), October 28By NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Last updated : 2020.10.27 Season 3 introduces the latest and most loved K-pop tracks of a variety of different genres. Specialized guests will also join in to entertain our listeners all over the world with K-pop and K-culture knowledge. 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Orson didn't do his commentary this week, so we thought with it getting close to Halloween and all that we would bring you the complete Welles meets Wells the full 24 minute version of the great interview with Orson Welles and H.G. Wells! We start our fall season of Movie Detectives since you folks enjoyed it so much this summer! In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspectiveBy BBC Radio 4 As the covid-19 pandemic continues, disparities in the prospects of economies, industries and businesses are increasing. Host Rachana Shanbhogue and Henry Curr, our economics editor, investigate how the pandemic will recast the global economic order. They talk to Gita Gopinath, chief economist at the IMF, to identify who risks being left behind. An… A special sit down with Chris Metzen, chatting about his “next big thing”, Warchief Gaming, and life post-blizzard, and what the creative spirit needs! 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"Perhaps the most fundamental point is that having established this uninterrupted global pipeline for the industry’s products to the world’s children they have failed to ensure manufacturing standards even according to their own criteria." An experienced pharma watcher has said to me repeatedly in the past few days: "There is something going on". He is not looking directly at pharma he is watching the prolonged and hostile media coverage of the friendship of Andrew Wakefield and Elle Macpherson as revealed to the public by the Daily Mail: something which to most people - except those who might know them personally - might be of only momentary interest, if any: but also the source of a great swirling mist of unprincipled junk journalism which has now be going on for a week. I was drawn into this maelstrom myself last week by a Daily Telegraph feature writer, Rosa Silverman, who wanted to interview me about this non-issue (certainly not a public one) and the "anti-vaccine movement in the US". Rosa quoted me a number of times, which I barely expected (that was the one thing which surprised me). Nevertheless, having thought about the article "Whatever happened to Andrew Wakefield: the curious rehabilitation of the doctor behind the MMR scare" (18 July)" for a day I felt obliged to complain about both the stereo-typing and failure to address the information I had passed to her (my letters to her and the Telegraph with information I emailed her are published below). But the big question is “Why?”. The answer is surely with all bathetic baying and shrieking from the press about nothing in particular that the global vaccine government complex could not be in more trouble. What would happen if anyone outside our sphere started to put together the stories we have seen in recent days? Perhaps the most fundamental point is that having established this uninterrupted global pipeline for the industry’s products to the world’s children they have failed to ensure manufacturing standards even according to their own criteria. So, now we have had in a matter of days the China scandal, we have RFKjnr’s revelation that the HHS has shirked its responsibility to inspect and report on vaccine safety every two years for the last three decades, and we have the Italian CORVELVA group saying that 5 out 7 schedule vaccines they had independently inspected failed to meet biological standards. Also running are stories about MMR in Samoa and oral polio vaccine in Kenya. We have the long running saga of Gatti and Montanari in Italy. Even before you get to the issue of whether the products could be considered safe by design, we have the great unlikelihood in many parts of the world, or possibly any part of the world, that they are routinely manufactured and delivered correctly. And rather than admit that the products are faulty the powers that be just prefer that they go on being injected into everybody’s children without saying anything, because the only important thing for them is that everyone goes on believing in the infallibility of the program. I do not mention in this context other important stories like Dengvaxia in the Philippines , Christopher Exley's revelations about aluminium in autistic brains or Gayle DeLong’s about HPV vaccines and infertility - things beginning to impinge on the reputation of the vaccine complex. The point at this juncture is that the global industry is in monumental trouble, acting in such a way as to strain the faith of persons normally much less sceptical of the aims of the program than the traditional readers of this column, and it needs to create a distraction - and what we have from at least the British media in Orwellian terms is this pathetic chant of “Four legs good, two legs bad”. They are attempting to drum out the very possibility of thought: all anyone needs to know now is that Andrew Wakefield - who once dared to question the vaccine project in some way - was/is a very bad man. But I would point out another possibility that most onlookers will be completely perplexed: they will just be saying like my pharma watcher as they get daily more fed up with the feeble-mindedness and illogical antics of the mainstream media: “There is something going on”. You bet there is! Complaint letter to the Telegraph: Case: 17796369 - Re: Daily Telegraph feature on anti-vaccination movement (anyone wishing to support write to [email protected]) Below are links and material I provided by email, which were acknowledged. Re: Autism spectrum disorder: advances in diagnosis and evaluation I have read this review with interest but disquiet . There is perhaps little point in talking about a global prevalence of autism, which Zwaigenbaum and Penner place according to literature at between 1 and 1.5% if autism is rising dynamically in many parts of the world including the United Kingdom - as I have been recently detailing in the columns of BMJ on-line . For instance, recent data from Northern Ireland showed an overall prevalence in schools there of 2.9%, having risen from 1.2% nine years ago, but there are also big disparities between economic classes and town and country, while in Belfast the rate was 4.7% [3,4]. Unfortunately, as Zwaigenbaum and Penner point out diagnosis is characteristically delayed so the true rates are likely much higher. The rate that be can be established for England from education figures may be at the top end of official estimates at 1.5% but is rising steeply year on year - the rate of Pervasive Development Disorder (the widest possible category of Autistic Spectrum Disorders) for those born between 1984 and 1988 in the United Kingdom was recorded in official data as being 0.2% in 1999. The present figure from Scottish schools data is around 2.2%. However, dramatic reports appear from around the country , notably a report from S.W. London where five London boroughs geared to already diagnosing 750 cases a year were confronting almost double that number a year ago . Extrapolated across the capital that might be 10,000 cases a year, which would possibly be in the 10% region . I have argued that still without any officially accepted explanation for this phenomenon - and certainly Zwaigenbaum and Penner provide none - we are on the brink of population catastrophe. They state: "Lifetime societal costs related to services and lost productivity by patients and their parents average $1.4m (£1.0m; €1.1m) to $2.4m in the United States and £0.9-£1.5m per child in the United Kingdom, depending on comorbid intellectual disability. When the prevalence of ASD is factored in, the annual estimated societal costs of ASD are $236bn in the US and $47.5bn in the UK." However, most autism parents know from experience that these are very modest or even delusorily low estimates. Even in 2001 Järbrink and Knapp estimated an average lifetime cost per case in the UK as £2.4m (perhaps £3.8m in today's money) though they thought the overall prevalence was 5 in 10,000, which it perhaps still was in the adult population . We come back in the end to the reality that when it comes to what could be driving these changes to our society the authors neither acknowledge the problem, or have any explanation of it. I fear they may be fiddling as Rome burns. Zwaigenbaum L, Penner M, 'Autism spectrum disorder: advances in diagnosis and evaluation', BMJ 2018; 361 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k1674 (Published 21 May 2018) Responses to Viner RM, 'NHS must prioritise health of children and young people', https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1116/rapid-responses John Stone, 'Re: NHS must prioritise health of children and young people - 1 in 21 children in Belfast now have an autism diagnosis' 13 May 2018, https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1116/rr-6 Information Analysis Directorate 'The Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children in Northern Ireland 2018', published 10 May 2018, https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/asd... John Stone, 'Re: NHS must prioritise health of children and young people - what about autism?' , 19 March 2018, https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1116/rr Järbrink K, Knapp M, 'The economic impact of autism in Britain', Autism. 2001 Mar;5(1):7-22. Please note my two submissions of evidence to the DCMS Committee inquiry into fake news: and H&SC Committee on anti-microbial resistance (published last week): John Stone is UK and European Editor of Age of Autism

Hello! My name is Natnael Getahun, but please call me Nat. I’m your third freshman blogger, class of ’15, and I thought I would take a second to introduce myself. And because I’m bad at narrating my life, we’ll go with a bolded list! Past Living Situation(s): I was born in Ethiopia and left for the States at the ripe young age of 1. From there I enjoyed the weather in lovely Los Angeles, California for around 5 years before The Wizards of Oz(aka my parent’s old friends) had a huge impact on their lives and we headed over to Kansas. I’ve since lived in Kansas for 11 years in the beautiful town of Olathe. Now before you say anything about Kansas, I’ve heard it all before. No I don’t live on a farm, no I’ve never been cow tipping, yes I’ve seen funnel clouds, no I haven’t seen a tornado, and no, the education is not as bad as “Inherit the Wind” would have you believe. Kansas is a wonderful place for those looking for a nice and quiet time(then again, my dorm selection indicates I am not one of those people). Shoot me any questions you have about the state, I’ve heard at least a dozen people say they’ve never met anyone from Kansas and I’d love to straighten out more semi-false stereotypes. Current Living Situation: Now on to fun stuff. I currently live in East Campus, more specifically 1st East, home of the Disco Dance Floor and other things of pure awesomeness. Each one of our 10 halls has an amazingly rich culture and history, and I highly recommend checking out a few of the past blog posts about it(each one of those words is a link) along with this amazing i3 video. Potential Major: 6-3/18 (Computer Science and Mathematics for those who have yet to memorize the course numbers) is most likely what I’ll be majoring in. I say most likely for the sole reason that it will/maybe/possibly change in the future. With as many exciting majors as MIT offers, I’m not sure how anyone settles down with just one for four years. For now I’m looking forward to potentially having a UROP(Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program) in either the Media Lab or CSAIL(Computer Science Artificial Intelligence Lab) and working towards better integrating art and computers and how humans interact with their robotic counterparts. MIT & Me: For someone who’s only officially been a freshman for two days, I’ve already had a fair amount of interaction with the Institute. Actually, I’ve been on campus for almost 2.5 months now, and I’ve loved (nearly) every moment of it. June 26th was when I first stepped on campus for Interphase, a 7 week summer program that concentrates on giving ~70 freshman an introduction to MIT level classes. For those of us whose first time on a college campus was senior year, it was an eye opening experience and a great orientation to MIT. The week following Interphase I also participated in an FPOP, the best FPOP, DEECS(Discover Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), where we spent one week building robots, touring Boston, and learning about course 6. Right after that came REX(Residential Exploration), Orientation and Rush(Fraternity), aka “The Calm Before the Storm”. All events that are a blog post for another (hopefully soon) time. All in all, that’s me! Read my bio to the left for any holes, or shoot me an email at [email protected] if you have any questions. I look forward to blogging for you all soon!

There are many different types of drugs abused or misused today that affect the lives of adolescents, teens, young adults, and older adults throughout the U.S. Substance abuse takes place is all age groups and economic backgrounds and destroys health, families, and causes our health care to sky rocket. It's sad because substance abuse and addiction takes a toll on everyone and in one way or... Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Additional calls will also be forwarded and returned by a quality treatment center within the USA. Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) for your visit will be answered by a licensed drug and alcohol rehab facility, a paid advertiser on AddictionSearch.com. All calls are private and confidential.

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Phillip Gray’s Vauxhall Corsa was stopped for driving at “high speed” and “erratically overtaking another vehicle”, on Station Road, at 12.35am, on April 1. A test revealed he had 95 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath when the legal limit is 35 microgrammes. Michael Little, mitigating, said Gray, who had no previous convictions, “makes no excuse for his actions.” “He went out to watch the boxing at the pub, where he had four pints of lager, and planned to walk the 35 minutes home as he has done on many occasions,” he said. “Rather than simply walking past his car he got in and was stopped by police.” As a result Gray has been fired from a job as a water service technician, which he held for ten years, because it involves driving. Gray, 37, of Young Crescent, admitted driving with excess alcohol when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Wednesday. Magistrates said they would move slightly out of their guidelines because of his good character and early guilty plea. He was fined £180, and must pay a government surcharge of £30 and £85 court costs. He was banned for 24 months, but was offered a drink drive rehab course which will reduce the disqualification by 182 days if completed before August 2019.

Searching for things to do in Upstate NY with Kids? Look no further, check out our comprehensive guide to New York vacation spots for families! New York is so much more than New York City. During our time in New York, this was something that we heard people voice numerous times. When most of the outside world hears “New York,” big city, bright lights, lots of traffic, the statue of Liberty are all things that come to mind, but as one of the oldest states in the union, there are so many places to visit outside New York City. From breathtaking natural beauty, high adventure, historical importance, family fun, and cultural diversity, New York State is the perfect destination for families. After spending several weeks exploring New York State, we’ve listed our favorite family attractions in upstate NY by region. So pack your bags and read on for ideas of things to see and do during your family vacation in upstate New York. - 1 1.Upstate New York attractions in the Chautauqua-Allegheny Area - 2 2. Niagara Falls - 3 3. Visit Rochester with Kids - 4 5. Finger Lakes - 5 6. Thousand Islands - 7 7. Enjoy the Adirondacks 1.Upstate New York attractions in the Chautauqua-Allegheny Area Start your upstate NY road trip from here. This is a beautiful are with plenty to do and see. Check out the favorite activities you can do with your family around Chautauqua and Allegheny area. Although Ellicottville may be well known as a ski area and winter wonderland there is so much to do here all year round. As well as plenty of beautiful hikes and bike tracks thrill-seeking kids will love the Sky High Adventure Park. Here you will find Aerial Park, Mountain Coaster Ride and brand new in 2018 is the fun Gem Mining where you can pan for gems, fossils, and even shark teeth!. The Holiday Valley Sky High Ariel Park has 13 different courses from beginners to advanced and is a great family activity for those with children over 7-years-old. Think of it as an in the air obstacle course which is the largest of it’s kind in New York State. Our favorite though was the Mountain Coaster Ride. Children as young as 3 can ride with an adult on this fun coaster. With you controlling the speed it is perfect for any level of bravery as you spiral, zig and turn down the mountain side through the trees. To find out more head to the Holiday Valley website here. Griffis Sculpture Park It’s not often both parents and kids get to enjoy art together but at Griffis Sculptural Park near Ellicottville the whole family can have an amazing day out. Forget the traditional, ‘look but don’t touch’ mantra as you explore 450 acres of parkland filled with over 250 huge sculptures. You will find beautiful steel sculptures by Larry Griffis, Jr. as well as other local and international artists. Kids can run amongst surreal giant insects, touch a friendly giraffe and much more here. You will find creations of all sorts in wide open fields, hiding in the woods and even in the park’s ponds. Pick a hike, wander at will or plan a picnic. With admission prices at only $5 per adult and children under 12 years free, it’s also a great budget-friendly activity to do in New York. Find out more at Griffis Sculptural Park. Get back to nature in Panama Rocks Scenic Park. Experience 300 million-year-old rock formations, 60 feet tall crevices and 500+-year-old hemlock trees in this beautiful woodlands. Search for wildlife, do one of the marked hikes or wander through at your own pace. The kids will love the fun treasure hunt based on real-life bank robbers who used to use the area to hide stolen gold in the 1800’s. The gold was never found but maybe you will be lucky enough to discover a hidden fortune amongst the rocks? For adults and children over 8-years, you could also try your hand at axe throwing! Be sure to book ahead though. For more information click here. Seneca-Iroquois National Museum The brand new Seneca Nation Cultural Centre in Salamanca, NY is a fantastic place to learn about the traditions of the Onöndowa’ga:’ and Hodinöhsö:ni’. Choose to do a formal tour or wander through the many exhibits at your own pace. With over 85,000 artifacts there is plenty of information to soak up and the whole family will love learning about everything from Lacrosse to experiencing a traditional longhouse. One of our favorites was learning about the Onöndowa’ga:’ clans which are represented different animals and birds such as the deer, wolf and heron. Children will love learning about the creation story from the tour guides. Find out more about the museum here. Tips: Where to eat and stay around Chautauqua-Allegheny area Located on the shores of the stunning Lake Erie in Irving, Cabana Sams is a fantastic place for casual dining, ice-cream, and food with a view. From burgers, seafood and some fun cocktails for mum and dad you can’t get much better. The atmosphere is relaxed and the decor is fun and colorful with a nostalgic feel the whole family will love. Find out more about their menu and location here. Chautauqua Harbour Hotel This brand new hotel sits on the old site of the famous Celoron Amusement Park on the shores of beautiful Chautauqua Lake. With both an indoor and outdoor pool, views you won’t want to leave and in-house restaurant, it has everything you need if you want a little bit of luxury for your family stay. The beds and linen will give you an amazing nights sleep and honestly, their robes are some of the best I’ve ever lounged around in! To find out more head here. 2. Niagara Falls Maybe one of the most iconic Waterfalls in the World, Niagara Falls should definitely be on your must-see list on your New York vacation. This is one of the most popular New York state tourist attractions. There is plenty to do with kids here too. Take the cute scenic trolley to Goat Island, have an adventure close up to the falls with the Cave of The Winds or just wander around Niagara Falls State Park soaking up the views. One of our all time favorite activity and New York state attractions for families was jumping aboard the Maid of The Mist. What an experience. Be prepared to get soaking wet though as you get up close and personal to these impressive falls. If you are in the area be sure to check out all the amazing activities available in nearby Buffalo. Related: Things to do early morning in NYC. 3. Visit Rochester with Kids Rochester, NY is the third-largest city in New York State. It is such a vibrant city filled with amazing family-friendly attractions. From beautiful parks to amazing museums, the hardest part is deciding what to do first! There are plenty of things to do in Rochester with the kids. If you are planning a day trip with kids or city breaks in upstate New York, then read below to find out the most popular kid-friendly attractions in Rochester. Read below for the best things to do in Rochester for families below. If you need even more inspiration, check this post with more family attractions. The Strong Museum of Play No better place to bring the kids than The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester. It is unlikely you will ever come across an attraction that is quite like this museum. It is one of the best-reviewed and rated museums in the U.S. and ti is easy to understand why. The Strong is a museum dedicated to celebrate the history and exploration of play. The multi-story space offers many hands on exhibition and play opportunities such as the National Toy Hall of Fame, the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, a kid-sized Wegmans Supermarket, the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden and so many more interactive exhibits. Along with the exhibits the museum also houses more than 400,000 items related to play, including toys, dolls, games and electronic games. This is a must visit in Rochester, NY with kids! For more information about The Strong Museum of Play, visit their website here. Explore the Erie Canal The Erie Canal is a 363 miles of man-built waterways stretching across the full expanse of upstate New York. Throughout the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor you will find heritage and historic canal sites, engineering marvels, and over 200 lively communities to visit. The Erie Canal provides great recreational opportunities along the canalway trail for cyclists and runners, hundreds of festivals and events over the year and of course more than 500 miles of navigable waterway to explore. It a safe opportunities for families and children to exercise or relax, learn and discover some of New York’s best treasures. Genesee Country Village & Museum The Genesee Country Village & Museum is located in Mumford, 30 minutes drive from Rochester city center. It is the largest history museum in New York State and it is dedicated to celebrate and preserve the historical, cultural and architectural heritage in New York State. The Village features restored houses, businesses, and places of worship from the 19th century. A stroll through the village is a step back in time and the opportunity to learn and interact with knowledgeable historic interpreters in period-appropriate dress. During these encounters you will learn about stories, objects and techniques used at the time too. Visitors at the Genesee Country Village & Museum are able to watch craftsmen and villagers perform the everyday tasks of life in the 1800s. Where to stay and eat in Rochester, NY Wegmans Burger Bar This is one of the largest Wegmans store with so many freshly made food options that even the fuzziest eaters will be pleased. From the best burgers in town to salads, sandwiches, and amazing milkshakes, our Burger Bar menu has items you won’t find anywhere else. Rochester’s Public Market The Public Market in Rochester has served the community since 1905 and is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 52 weeks a year. Apart from the delicious fresh produce, delicacies a specialty items, the market is also a local favorite place to have breakfast and delicious quick snacks. There are many shops and cafes that offer coffee, pastries, empanadas, sandwiches and more. Hyatt Regency Rochester Newly refurbished Hyatt Regency Rochester is the tallest centrally located hotel in Rochester. Conveniently Connected with the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, you can enjoy breathtaking views, savory restaurants, and exciting entertainment and shopping at your doorstep. This is the perfect accommodation to stay to enjoy Rochester and its nearby attractions, such as museums, regional wineries and outdoor areas. This is going to be your home away from home in Rochester but also if you take fun day trips in upstate NY. More about this about Hyatt Regency Rochester here. 5. Finger Lakes A wine region may not seem like the first choice of destination when traveling with kids but you may be surprised at what this beautiful area has to offer. In fact, the Finger Lakes region is one of the best places to visit in New York State. Fingers Lake is the best spot to get out and enjoy nature. Think horse trail riding through beautiful countryside with Erika from Painted Bar Stables. This lady knows her horses and will take great care of your family during your ride. Or maybe Kayaking on the stunning Seneca Lake at Watkins Glen with Summit To Stream Adventures? The Corning Museum of Glass is also a must visit. As well as learning about the history of glass and seeing beautiful glass art in their stunning gallery, there are fun glass making and etching classes held daily. There is also an interactive learning center where children can learn all about glass and see some great optical illusions. 6. Thousand Islands The Thousand Islands region of New York State is actually made up of 1,864 small and large islands. What is the definition of an island you might ask? To be considered an island, the piece of land must stay above water for 365 days of the year and support the life of at least one tree. Thousand Islands actually spans both the United States and Canada across the St. Lawrence River. Most of the islands are privately owned, but there are still many that you can, and should, visit. Take a Boat Tour When first arriving to the Thousand Islands, taking a boat tour to view the most popular spots in the area and get a feel for the islands is always a great idea. You can purchase tickets aboard Uncle Sam’s Boat Tour and learn the history of the region as well as see many of the beautiful houses dotting the river on private islands. Visit the Antique Boat Museum Located in Sacketts Harbor, the Antique Boat Museum is home to the largest collection of antique recreational boats in the world. Your entrance fee into the museum also grants you a free row in one of the vintage skiffs owned by the museum. Rowing a skiff is harder than you might think and takes some real coordination, but it sure is fun. Tour Boldt Castle This modern-day fairy-tale castle, like all castles, is not without its heartbreaking story. George C. Boldt, millionaire, and proprietor of the famous Waldorf Astori,a had this six-story 120 room castle built for his family’s summer home located on Hart Island. No expense was spared when creating this Rhineland inspired mansion complete with tunnels, a powerhouse and a separate tower for his children’s playhouse. However, tragedy struck in 1904 when his beloved wife Louise suddenly passed away. Boldt could not bear to finish the project without her and the castle was left unfinished until recently acquired and restored. Today you can visit Boldt Castle by boat and explore its cavernous rooms and vast gardens. Don’t miss the bowling alley in the tower! Take a Sunset Sail The Thousand Islands region is known for having some of the most glorious sunsets in the world. Charter a sunset sail to enjoy an unobstructed view of the horizon. 7. Enjoy the Adirondacks Home to the largest protected land in the lower 48 states, the Adirondacks span over six million acres of lush forested land and rolling mountains that offer natural beauty and family-friendly recreation throughout. The area is perfect for outdoors New York getaways. The Adirondacks are divided into 12 different regions, each offering a unique perspective of the area. Activities in the Adirondacks vary from relaxing to adrenaline-inducing and include ATV and snowmobile tours, kayaking, rafting, paddle boarding, horseback riding, camping, fishing, hunting, biking, birding, rock climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, golfing, boating, and more. Get on the River There are many rivers in the Adirondacks and they are all worth jumping into! Whether you prefer rafting, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, or just a good old-fashioned swim, there will be something for you in one of the many the Adirondack rivers. The Wild Center The Wild Center is a family-friendly favorite in the Adirondacks. This hands-on museum gives visitors the chance to learn about the diverse ecosystems of the Adirondacks’ forests, lakes, and rivers. Kids will love the live animals, including river otters, hawks and vultures. The Wild Center offers canoe rides and hiking trails on its 31 acre campus. Safe Haven Museum Not only are there a wide variety of outdoor activities in the Adirondacks, but also many cultural experiences and festivals. Families can choose from many museums and historical sites. The Safe Haven Holocaust Refugee Museum in Oswego, New York on the border of Lake Ontario is a museum dedicated to telling the story of the 982 European refugees who were offered asylum by the United States during World War II. These refugees were transported by boat to the United States and taken by train to Oswego where they were housed at Fort Ontario for nearly two years. When the war was over, the refugees were given citizenship and allowed to stay in the U.S. Many of the refugees went on to accomplish great things, such as the invention of the CAT Scan. At the museum you can see photos and artifacts from this time period as well as hear stories of individual refugees. Nothing beats a peaceful and rewarding day on the lake. Charter one of the many fishing boats on Lake Oswego and enjoy a day of fishing with the help of professional guides. You can even save your catch and take it to one of the many restaurants that will clean and cook your fish for you. A perfect fun day and family getaway in NY. I hope you have enjoyed our guide to family fun in Upstate NY. What are your favorite places to visit in New York State?

The cover of Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News features a woman’s face frozen in terror. Author A. Brad Schwartz opens the book with the dramatic account of a Manhattan couple who, hearing Welles’s October 30, 1938, radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’s science fiction novel and believing that Martians had indeed invaded New Jersey, spent their last six dollars on train tickets to flee the advancing alien army. Glimpsing the cover and perusing the opening pages, readers would be forgiven for assuming that Broadcast Hysteria was written to bolster the long-held belief that Welles’s infamous Halloween prank had created nationwide mass panic. Schwartz, however, intends to do the opposite—albeit, it seems, reluctantly. Welles was just 23 in October 1938, a ridiculously precocious actor, writer, producer, and director working in theater and radio who had already graced the cover of Time. He and his creative partner, John Houseman, were tapped to create a weekly show for CBS Radio, Mercury Theatre on the Air, adapting classic works of literature for broadcast. Welles had the idea of updating War of the Worlds by presenting the material as a series of fake news bulletins; his writer, Howard Koch, closed his eyes and picked a random spot on a map of New Jersey to decide on the tiny town of Grover’s Mill as the site of the alien landing. At this point, Americans were increasingly turning to the young technology of radio for their news. One of Welles’s innovations in War of the Worlds was to cut off the actor portraying a reporter at the scene and then hold the silence for seconds, the unprecedented dead air suggesting that the reporter—and everyone nearby—had perished in the Martian attack. This is one of several examples Schwartz cites to explain why listeners would have found Welles’s broadcast credible. Others include the use of real place names and highways in describing evacuation procedures, and even the fact that many of the decade’s biggest breaking-news radio stories, from the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby to the crash of the Hindenburg, had also taken place in New Jersey. It’s curious that Schwartz works so hard to establish the broadcast’s believability since he knows that very few listeners were taken in by War of the Worlds. For one thing, the audience was small: Mercury Theatre—up against NBC’s popular Chase & Sanborn Hour featuring ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy—was heard by less than 4 percent of the audience. Of those who did tune in, the vast majority were aware that they were listening to a radio drama. Stories of panic—including unsubstantiated rumors of heart attacks and suicides—were exaggerated by newspaper coverage in the days after the broadcast. (Historians have argued that the papers went after Welles to cast doubt on the integrity of their new rival, radio; Schwartz questions that theory, noting that newspaper circulations rose with radio’s popularity, suggesting that “if anything, broadcast journalism increased the American appetite for the printed variety.”) The panic narrative was later cemented by a 1940 academic analysis, Hadley Cantril’s The Invasion from Mars: A Study in the Psychology of Panic, which estimated that at least 1 million listeners were convinced that America was under attack. Schwartz determines that Cantril, himself taken in by sensationalized media reports, “deliberately oversampled people frightened by the broadcast” and “ignored survey data from listeners who knew it was fiction.” First-time author Schwartz wrote his undergraduate thesis on Welles’s War of the Worlds at the University of Michigan, which had recently acquired large collections of the director’s papers, including 1,400 letters written in response to the notorious broadcast. Schwartz was the first scholar to read those letters, and he parlayed that windfall into a gig co-writing PBS’s 2013 American Experience episode on War of the Worlds, which stuck stubbornly to the panic narrative despite recent scholarship challenging it. In his book, he often appears ambivalent, acknowledging that there was no mass panic (most of the letters he examined were written “in praise and defense of Welles”) but straining to find significance in the fact that some listeners were frightened and in the broadcast itself. Those frightened “may have been relatively few in number, and they may have held the historical spotlight for too long,” Schwartz writes, “but their stories are worthy of examination and explanation.” Later, in somewhat overblown language, he declares that the episode “decided the fate of Orson Welles and of American broadcasting itself.” It is true that after War of the Worlds, Hollywood came courting. Welles cut an extraordinary deal with RKO that gave him total artistic control, and his first film, Citizen Kane, released just as he turned 26, is widely considered the greatest movie of all time. Broadcast Hysteria is entertaining despite its flaws largely because Welles, born a century ago, continues to fascinate. Another new book, Josh Karp’s Orson Welles’s Last Movie: The Making of ‘The Other Side of the Wind’, examines the auteur at the twilight of his career, a much messier figure than the boy wonder of Schwartz’s book and one who, by then, wasn’t above milking the panic myth when it helped him raise money to finance his flailing projects. Perhaps the War of the Worlds controversy would have faded from memory if Welles hadn’t been the man behind it. Despite that the story of mass panic is inaccurate, it will probably live on. As Schwartz observes, the broadcast “has become shorthand for the dangerous power and influence of the media,” and it reflects anxieties that we still experience, whether the scary new technology is radio, television, or the Internet. I vividly recall learning about War of the Worlds from the same junior high social studies teacher who told us that dozens of people in Queens had witnessed the brutal 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese without intervening, another bit of history recently shown to be a fable. Somehow the lessons of these stories—that the masses are overly susceptible to media influence, that bystanders might not intervene to help a stranger in distress—continue to feel true even after we know that the stories themselves are not.

The Blessing of Jacob 1 Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you#tn After the imperative, the cohortative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose/result. what will happen to you in the future.#tn The expression “in the future” (אַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, ’akharit hayyamim, “in the end of days”) is found most frequently in prophetic passages; it may refer to the end of the age, the eschaton, or to the distant future. The contents of some of the sayings in this chapter stretch from the immediate circumstances to the time of the settlement in the land to the coming of Messiah. There is a great deal of literature on this chapter, including among others C. Armerding, “The Last Words of Jacob: Genesis 49,” BSac 112 (1955): 320-28; H. Pehlke, “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Genesis 49:1-28” (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985); and B. Vawter, “The Canaanite Background of Genesis 49,” CBQ 17 (1955): 1-18. 2 “Assemble and listen, you sons of Jacob; listen to Israel, your father. 3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, outstanding in dignity, outstanding in power. 4 You are destructive#tn The Hebrew noun פַּחַז (pakhaz) only occurs here in the OT. A related verb occurs twice in the prophets (Jer 23:32; Zeph 3:4) for false prophets inventing their messages, and once in Judges for unscrupulous men bribed to murder (Judg 9:4). It would describe Reuben as being “frothy, boiling, turbulent” as water. The LXX has “run riot,” the Vulgate has “poured out,” and Tg. Onq. has “you followed your own direction.” It is a reference to Reuben’s misconduct in Gen 35, but the simile and the rare word invite some speculation. H. Pehlke suggests “destructive like water,” for Reuben acted with pride and presumption; see his “An Exegetical and Theological Study of Genesis 49:1-28” (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1985). like water and will not excel,#tn Heb “Do not excel!” The Hiphil of the verb יָתַר (yatar) has this meaning only here. The negated jussive is rhetorical here. Rather than being a command, it anticipates what will transpire. The prophecy says that because of the character of the ancestor, the tribe of Reuben would not have the character to lead (see 1 Chr 5:1). for you got on your father’s bed,#sn This is a euphemism for having sexual intercourse with Jacob’s wives (see Gen 35:22). then you defiled it – he got on my couch!#tn The last verb is third masculine singular, as if for the first time Jacob told the brothers, or let them know that he knew. For a discussion of this passage see S. Gevirtz, “The Reprimand of Reuben,” JNES 30 (1971): 87-98. 5 Simeon and Levi are brothers, weapons of violence are their knives!#tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מְכֵרָה (mÿkherah) is uncertain. It has been rendered (1) “habitations”; (2) “merchandise”; (3) “counsels”; (4) “swords”; (5) “wedding feasts.” If it is from the verb כָּרַת (karat) and formed after noun patterns for instruments and tools (maqtil, miqtil form), then it would refer to “knives.” Since the verb is used in Exod 4:25 for circumcision, the idea would be “their circumcision knives,” an allusion to the events of Gen 34 (see M. J. Dahood, “‘MKRTYHM’ in Genesis 49,5,” CBQ 23 : 54-56). Another explanation also connects the word to the events of Gen 34 as a reference to the intended “wedding feast” for Dinah which could take place only after the men of Shechem were circumcised (see D. W. Young, “A Ghost Word in the Testament of Jacob (Gen 49:5)?” JBL 100 : 335-422). 6 O my soul, do not come into their council, do not be united to their assembly, my heart,#tn The Hebrew text reads “my glory,” but it is preferable to repoint the form and read “my liver.” The liver was sometimes viewed as the seat of the emotions and will (see HALOT 456 s.v. II כָּבֵד) for which the heart is the modern equivalent. for in their anger they have killed men, and for pleasure they have hamstrung oxen. 7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce, and their fury, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel!#sn Divide…scatter. What is predicted here is a division of their tribes. Most commentators see here an anticipation of Levi being in every area but not their own. That may be part of it, but not entirely what the curse intended. These tribes for their ruthless cruelty would be eliminated from the power and prestige of leadership. 8 Judah,#sn There is a wordplay here; the name Judah (יְהוּדָה, yÿhudah) sounds in Hebrew like the verb translated praise (יוֹדוּךָ, yodukha). The wordplay serves to draw attention to the statement as having special significance. your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons will bow down before you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah, from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He crouches and lies down like a lion; like a lioness – who will rouse him? 10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,#tn Or perhaps “from his descendants,” taking the expression “from between his feet” as a euphemism referring to the genitals. In this case the phrase refers by metonymy to those who come forth from his genitals, i.e., his descendants. until he comes to whom it belongs;#tn The Hebrew form שִׁילֹה (shiloh) is a major interpretive problem. There are at least four major options (with many variations and less likely alternatives): (1) Some prefer to leave the text as it is, reading “Shiloh” and understanding it as the place where the ark rested for a while in the time of the Judges. (2) By repointing the text others arrive at the translation “until the [or “his”] ruler comes,” a reference to a Davidic ruler or the Messiah. (3) Another possibility that does not require emendation of the consonantal text, but only repointing, is “until tribute is brought to him” (so NEB, JPS, NRSV), which has the advantage of providing good parallelism with the following line, “the nations will obey him.” (4) The interpretation followed in the present translation, “to whom it [belongs]” (so RSV, NIV, REB), is based on the ancient versions. Again, this would refer to the Davidic dynasty or, ultimately, to the Messiah. the nations will obey him.#tn “and to him [will be] the obedience of the nations.” For discussion of this verse see J. Blenkinsopp, “The Oracle of Judah and the Messianic Entry,” JBL 80 (1961): 55-64; and E. M. Good, “The ‘Blessing’ on Judah,” JBL 82 (1963): 427-32. 11 Binding his foal to the vine, and his colt to the choicest vine, he will wash#tn The perfect verbal form is used rhetorically, describing coming events as though they have already taken place. his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be dark from wine, and his teeth white from milk.#tn Some translate these as comparatives, “darker than wine…whiter than milk,” and so a reference to his appearance (so NEB, NIV, NRSV). But if it is in the age of abundance, symbolized by wine and milk, then the dark (i.e., red or perhaps dull) eyes would be from drinking wine, and the white teeth from drinking milk. 13 Zebulun will live#tn The verb שָׁכַן (shakhan) means “to settle,” but not necessarily as a permanent dwelling place. The tribal settlements by the sea would have been temporary and not the tribe’s territory. by the haven of the sea and become a haven for ships; his border will extend to Sidon.#map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3. 14 Issachar is a strong-boned donkey lying down between two saddlebags. 15 When he sees#tn The verb forms in this verse (“sees,” “will bend,” and “[will] become”) are preterite; they is used in a rhetorical manner, describing the future as if it had already transpired. a good resting place, and the pleasant land, he will bend his shoulder to the burden and become a slave laborer.#sn The oracle shows that the tribe of Issachar will be willing to trade liberty for the material things of life. Issachar would work (become a slave laborer) for the Canaanites, a reversal of the oracle on Canaan. See C. M. Carmichael, “Some Sayings in Genesis 49,” JBL 88 (1969): 435-44; and S. Gevirtz, “The Issachar Oracle in the Testament of Jacob,” ErIsr 12 (1975): 104-12. 16 Dan#sn The name Dan (דָּן, dan) means “judge” and forms a wordplay with the following verb. will judge#tn Or “govern.” his people as one of the tribes of Israel. 17 May Dan be a snake beside the road, a viper by the path, that bites the heels of the horse so that its rider falls backward.#sn The comparison of the tribe of Dan to a venomous serpent is meant to say that Dan, though small, would be potent, gaining victory through its skill and shrewdness. Jewish commentators have linked the image in part with Samson. That link at least illustrates the point: Though a minority tribe, Dan would gain the upper hand over others. 18 I wait for your deliverance, O Lord.#sn I wait for your deliverance, O Lord. As Jacob sees the conflicts that lie ahead for Dan and Gad (see v. 19), he offers a brief prayer for their security. 19 Gad will be raided by marauding bands, but he will attack them at their heels.#tc Heb “heel.” The MT has suffered from misdivision at this point. The initial mem on the first word in the next verse should probably be taken as a plural ending on the word “heel.”sn In Hebrew the name Gad (גָּד, gad ) sounds like the words translated “raided” (יְגוּדֶנּוּ, yÿgudennu) and “marauding bands” (גְּדוּד, gÿdud). 20 Asher’s#tc Heb “from Asher,” but the initial mem (מ) of the MT should probably be moved to the end of the preceding verse and taken as a plural ending on “heel.” food will be rich,#tn The Hebrew word translated “rich,” when applied to products of the ground, means abundant in quantity and quality. and he will provide delicacies#tn The word translated “delicacies” refers to foods that were delightful, the kind fit for a king. to royalty. 21 Naphtali is a free running doe,#tn Heb “a doe set free.” he speaks delightful words.#tn Heb “the one who gives words of beauty.” The deer imagery probably does not continue into this line; Naphtali is the likely antecedent of the substantival participle, which is masculine, not feminine, in form. If the animal imagery is retained from the preceding line, the image of a talking deer is preposterous. For this reason some read the second line “the one who bears beautiful fawns,” interpreting אִמְרֵי (’imre) as a reference to young animals, not words (see HALOT 67 s.v. *אִמֵּר).sn Almost every word in the verse is difficult. Some take the imagery to mean that Naphtali will be swift and agile (like a doe), and be used to take good messages (reading “words of beauty”). Others argue that the tribe was free-spirited (free running), but then settled down with young children. 22 Joseph is a fruitful bough,#tn The Hebrew text appears to mean “[is] a son of fruitfulness.” The second word is an active participle, feminine singular, from the verb פָּרָה (parah, “to be fruitful”). The translation “bough” is employed for בֵּן (ben, elsewhere typically “son”) because Joseph is pictured as a healthy and fruitful vine growing by the wall. But there are difficulties with this interpretation. The word “son” nowhere else refers to a plant and the noun translated “branches” (Heb “daughters”) in the third line is a plural form whereas its verb is singular. In the other oracles of Gen 49 an animal is used for comparison and not a plant, leading some to translate the opening phrase בֵּן פָּרָה (ben parah, “fruitful bough”) as “wild donkey” (JPS, NAB). Various other interpretations involving more radical emendation of the text have also been offered. a fruitful bough near a spring whose branches#tn Heb “daughters.” climb over the wall. 23 The archers will attack him,#tn The verb forms in vv. 23-24 are used in a rhetorical manner, describing future events as if they had already taken place. they will shoot at him and oppose him. 24 But his bow will remain steady, and his hands#tn Heb “the arms of his hands.” will be skillful; because of the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of#tn Heb “from there,” but the phrase should be revocalized and read “from [i.e., because of] the name of.” the Shepherd, the Rock#tn Or “Stone.” of Israel, 25 because of the God of your father, who will help you,#tn Heb “and he will help you.” because of the sovereign God,#tn Heb “Shaddai.” See the note on the title “sovereign God” in Gen 17:1. The preposition אֵת (’et) in the Hebrew text should probably be emended to אֵל (’el, “God”). who will bless you#tn Heb “and he will bless you.” with blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below, and blessings of the breasts and womb.#sn Jacob envisions God imparting both agricultural (blessings from the sky above, blessings from the deep that lies below) and human fertility (blessings of the breasts and womb) to Joseph and his family. 26 The blessings of your father are greater than#tn Heb “have prevailed over.” the blessings of the eternal mountains#tn One could interpret the phrase הוֹרַי (horay) to mean “my progenitors” (literally, “the ones who conceived me”), but the masculine form argues against this. It is better to emend the text to הַרֲרֵי (harare, “mountains of”) because it forms a better parallel with the next clause. In this case the final yod (י) on the form is a construct plural marker, not a pronominal suffix. or the desirable things of the age-old hills. They will be on the head of Joseph and on the brow of the prince of his brothers.#tn For further discussion of this passage, see I. Sonne, “Genesis 49:24-26,” JBL 65 (1946): 303-6. 27 Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning devouring the prey, and in the evening dividing the plunder.” 28 These#tn Heb “All these.” are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing.#tn Heb “and he blessed them, each of whom according to his blessing, he blessed them.” 29 Then he instructed them,#tn The Hebrew text adds “and he said to them,” which is not included in the translation because it is redundant in English. “I am about to go#tn Heb “I am about to be gathered” The participle is used here to describe what is imminent. to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 30 It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah; there they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah; and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were acquired from the sons of Heth.”#tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (see also Gen 23:3), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53. 33 When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went#tn Heb “was gathered.” to his people.

Vertics in English Vertics was founded because the IT industry has been stuck in place for too long. Software development is considered expensive, time consuming and cumbersome. We aim to change the industry through our next gen experts. It’s the first argument we come across when we talk to our customers. Vertics pricing is transparent and you know what you’re paying for. There is also the possibility of getting funding which our sales people have expertise in. Ideally, we are looking for companies with a dedicated budget for development. True but for different reason with us. As the world changes around us, software is required to adapt and evolve continually. The difference today is that the apps are not completed in a one fixed project. It’s smarter to push a raw version out ASAP and to involve the end users to get the best possible product for the right audience. This is why the reputation of the whole industry has taken a dent. In our opinion, the coders have not been customer-oriented enough. Vertics brings a change here. We have regular communication and summaries on the work that has been done. As professionals, we will also give our take on what should be developed next. The birth story of Vertics, founded in 2017, is not the most common. The software company was set up during the first year of high school studies, when Atte Pohjanmaa and Max Kalhama, the founders of Vertics, were only 17 years old. Despite their young age the duo had gained a considerable amount of experience in website and software development. This was before Vertics was even founded. Both Atte and Max started coding at elementary school when they were under 12 years old. By the end of secondary school, experience had already accumulated from a few smaller start-up projects, until in 2017 the first large-scale customer project led to the birth of Vertics. In the same year, the first recruitments were made to Vertics. With them, the new generation IT service house started to grow rapidly. By the end of 2019, Vertics already employed more than 20 people. In this case, Jaakko Marin, also joined as an investor. Marin is an expert in IT service management and service business development who has consulted several listed companies in his career and has been awarded several times for his expertise. In 2020, the coronavirus epidemic caused uncertainty for many companies, but for Vertics, after a difficult spring, unusual times mainly accelerated growth. During the year, the turnover of the company, which employed 25 external employees, exceeded the 1.3 million € threshold, and Vertics signed a bundle of new cooperation agreements. The success of 2020 at the latest made Vertics one of the more significant IT service houses in Finland. The company’s growth has also been quoted in the Finnish media, as Vertics’ story has been told by big Finnish newspapers Yle and twice by Iltalehti, among others. Due to the success, the company’s founders have also received official recognition, as Pohjanmaa was awarded as the young entrepreneur of the Finnish Entrepreneurs’ Capital Region of 2021. Atte has also considered it important to give back to the community and has continued to keep in touch with the Helsinki Entrepreneurs Young Entrepreneurs (HYNY) network. HYNY honored Atte by awarding him the traditional annual peer award in 2017. The reason for founding Vertics from the beginning was that the development of the IT industry has remained too stagnant. The company’s goal has been to prove that by developing operating methods, software development can be made more sustainable and faster and easier for customers’ finances. In the future this can be amplified with no-code and low-code tech but at the moment Vertics is still constantly challenging the current dominant business models with a more conservative approach. 1. The price of software development must not be too expensive and the pricing must be transparent. With this, the customer only pays for the work done and the results achieved. Our prices currently start from 79€/hour + taxes which is about 632€ + taxes per developer’s day. Remember, it comes from the land of Nokia 3310. 2. IT projects need to be agile. In this way, the software project does not get stuck in place indefinitely and the benefits of the investment can be enjoyed at the earliest possible stage of development. At the same time, the right feedback is also received from the first users, which is utilized in further development. 3. Communication between the software house and the customer should be easy and smooth. In Vertics projects, communication with the customer is regular and effective so that all parties know where and how the project is progressing. Work is usually done in development sprints. The key being in constantly prioritizing the most valuable tasks. You can also learn more about Vertics’ core operations and development through our blog posts. Though they haven’t been translated to English yet. Hopefully Google Translate does the trick for you. For the references, work had to be done first even half-free. At an early stage, Vertics realized that this was a prerequisite for reaching the ears of larger customers. We had to take part in public tenders and get the word out about the new player. Below is an example of one socially significant and very successful project that is still actively used by the companies and as a reference. Kukunori – Pokka, data collection and comparison tool Pokka, a digital tool in the field of organizations, revolutionized data collection and development work. Pokka helps Finnish organizations collect user feedback and compare the results of their own organization with organizations in the same field or region or with their own previous results. The success of the web application has surprised Kukunori positively, and their representatives gave us a positive interview about working with Vertics in a joint customer story. At the heart of the IT service house are clients. And to satisfy said clients Vertics collaborates with several players. Ilona.works provides various support services to entrepreneurs and small businesses in Finland, among other things. They ended up concluding a software development agreement with Vertics. Ilona.works stated they wanted to partner with a IT service house that would modernize and make the traditional IT industry more transparent. As a former startup Vertics is also keen on helping new startups getting on their feet. LiquidBlox, which makes it easy to create websites and online stores is also an important partner for Vertics. The partnership will allow both parties to enjoy growth through synergies. LiquidBlox provides a platform for lower-budget customers to easily drag and drop their own pages or leverage LiquidBlox’s website designers. Vertics, on the other hand, can focus on managing larger sites and projects that require customization with WordPress or more complex sites coding with React. Vertics’ goal is always to provide a quality service experience. Even when the technology requested by the client is not at the heart of Vertics’ expertise. Vertics has set up a collaborative network from an early stage. There freelancers and other IT companies can be matched together with client companies for rarer technologies. With this, Vertics strives to ensure that the customer is offered a one-stop service that always generates value for them. The idea behind it is that while Vertics cannot provide developers for the technology used by the client, the client can still be directed towards the right party. This benefits the entire software industry, companies and freelancers alike. Hopefully, the number of partners will grow even more in the future as the word of ”the IT service house of continuous development” continues to circulate. In 2021, Vertics will once again break its own records in terms of sales and the same development seems not stop in the years to come. Don’t be a stranger and give us a call. Vertics – Out. We are a rising Finnish IT house that concentrates on continuous development in our work as well as in our clients’. We employ more than 30 software developers, graphic designers, sales professionals and other experts. And our growth continues. When you decide to join our constantly evolving clients – you know what to do! Our international new business is handled by Atte and Timo. Ville concentrates on Finnish companies. Max is currently studying macro economics. Our current office is at Espoo, Leppävaara, close to the train station and Sello shopping center. There’s 2 hour free parking in front. @ Sola Business Park – Sokerilinnantie 11 C, 02600 ESPOO

324 Wachman Hall, 1805 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122 (215) 204-8450. [email protected]. Websit Temple University Rankings. Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of data and reviews. Best Colleges for Computer Science in America. 181 of 821. Best Colleges for Math in America. 192 of 775. Best Colleges for Public Policy in America. 196 of 599. Best Colleges in America Temple University's ranking in the 2021 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #103. Its in-state tuition and fees are $19,749; out-of-state tuition and fees are $34,049. Temple. Computer Science Major. Students interested in the general study of computer science can earn a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science or Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at Temple University's College of Science and Technology. Graduates of the Computer Science BA or BS are hired as computing consultants, programmers, software developers, system analysts, and system or network. Best for Non-Traditional Students for General Biology (ranked 5 out of 515) Most Popular for Visual & Performing Arts (ranked 23 out of 2018) Top Ranked Online for Business, Management & Marketing (ranked 6 out of 472) A more complete picture of where Temple University is the best of the best can be found on our 2021 Badges Awarded page Lehigh University. 4 Year. Bethlehem, PA. Rating 3.61 out of 5. 878 reviews. #6 Best Colleges for Computer Science in Pennsylvania. Graduate Student: Lehigh University provided me with the education and experience that enabled me very fortunate life and career Find the best Master's of Computer Science programs at TFE Times. Use the top Master's of Computer Science program rankings to find the right master's program for you. Here is our Methodology Computer Science Open Rankings is a meta ranking of four individual computer science rankings covering universities in the United States. Temple University + 102: 86: 137: 67: 392: 104: University of Georgia + 102: 97: 96: 394: 105: DePaul University + 147: Oregon Health & Science University + 133: 153: 535: 162: University of Missouri. CSRankings is a metrics-based ranking of top computer science institutions around the world. Click on a triangle ( ) to expand areas or institutions.Click on a name to go to a faculty member's home page.Click on a pie (the after a name or institution) to see their publication profile as a pie chart. Click on a Google Scholar icon to see publications, and click on the DBLP logo to go to a DBLP. 127. STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY. [Not Ranked-Not Ranked] [Not Ranked-Not Ranked] 128. UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS. [Not Ranked-Not Ranked] [Not Ranked-Not Ranked] NRC publishes Top 100 Universities in the USA for Computer Science rankings every 10 years, unlike US News This ranking of 173 U.S. doctoral programs in computer science is based on citation measures of tenure track computer science faculty collected during Fall 2016 and analyzed during Spring 2017. For more detail about data and methodology click here. Disclaimer: This is an outcome of a research-grade study. Our internal quality control. A top-ranked public research university founded in 1868, the University of California at Berkeley runs 12- to 24-week bootcamps online and in Berkeley, Belmont, and San Francisco. UC Berkeley partners with Trilogy Education Services to offer bootcamps in cybersecurity, digital marketing, data analytics, and FinTech 215-204-8450. Sally Kyvernitis, Faculty Advisor. Science Education and Research Center, Room 330. 215-204-2030. [email protected]. Bachelor of Science. Summary of Requirements for the Degree. University Requirements (123 total s.h.) Students must complete all University requirements including those listed below Temple University is a comprehensive public research university with more than 37,000 students. The university was originally established in 1884 by Russell Conwell, whose vision for the institution was to provide educational opportunities for talented and motivated students, regardless of background or means . It began life when a Philadelphia minister, Russell Conwell, started tutoring a group of young working men in night classes and in 1888 founded The Temple College. His vision for the institution was to provide educational opportunities for talented and motivated students. Temple University's College of Science and Technology houses the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Computer & Information Sciences, Earth & Environmental Science, Mathematics, and Physics. It is one of the largest schools or colleges of its kind in the Philadelphia region with more than 230 faculty and 4,000 undergraduate students Bachelor of Science in Data Science Learn how to analyze, manage and track big data with the Bachelor of Science in Data Science at Temple University's College of Science and Technology.Data scientists work to draw insights from large quantities of both structured and unstructured data Computer Science: I attended this school for one year, and it may have been the worst year of my life. I now attend Temple University which is ranked as one of the best.. Individuals searching for Top University in Tampa for a Computer Science Degree Program found the following resources, articles, links, and information helpful Computers, the internet, networks or even reliable access to electrical power have become immensely important to modern society. Temple Engineering's Electrical & Computer Engineering Department prepares students to not only understand and work with today's complex systems, but to develop emerging technologies that can only be imagined today College of Science and Technology $10,284 $16,896 $20,568 $33,792 $571 $939 $857 $1,408 Funding for state-of-the art computer equipment and technologies to provide support for the students' Temple University 2021-2022 Tuition Rate Schedule Departments & Centers Clinical Departments Clinical Departments Anesthesiology Dermatology Emergency Medicine Family And Community Medicine Medicine Cardiology Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Gastroenterology and Hepatology General Internal Medicine Hematology Hospital Medicine Infectious Diseases Nephrology, Hypertension and Kidney Transplantation Rheumatolog Check out the most popular majors and specific degrees students have earned at Temple University. *Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System . The Data Science Institute (DSI) is the home to cutting-edge research in data science and analytics education at Temple University. Focusing on a wide range of challenging methodological and applied problems in statistics, computer science, and business disciplines, the faculty in the Data Science Institute works closely with private corporations, and non-profits, and government. Best Value for Nursing (ranked 11 out of 651) Best Value for Business Administration & Management (ranked 19 out of 876) Best Value for Health Professions (ranked 17 out of 752) Most Popular for Nursing (ranked 45 out of 1974) Best Value for Drama & Theater Arts (ranked 4 out of 168) A more complete picture of where Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is the best of the best can be. Temple University, Philadelphia's largest university, is constantly growing, and not just in size. Currently, the nearly 30,000 undergraduates have more than 150 majors to choose from. But the school is also constantly improving and upgrading its resources, which means that students always have access to something new, most recently a. By February 2021, more than 1000 professors from top world universities have participated in the survey. Their responses have revealed 164 top journals in 48 subjects, 32 top awards in 27 subjects, and 26 top conferences for Computer Science & Engineering. (Methodology Temple University - Japan Campus Japan. 4168. Views. 11. Favourites University of Tsukuba University of Tsukuba Japan. THE World Ranking: 401. 5049. Views. 32. Favourites. Nagoya University Japan. THE World Ranking: 351. English courses available. 8092. Views. 34. Favourites. Kyushu University There are more Computer Science courses. Overall Temple University Acceptance Rate - Fall 2020. 60.0%. The overall acceptance rate for Temple University was reported as 60.0% in Fall 2020 with over 35,600 college applications submitted to Temple University. Both in state and out of state applicants are included in these figures. We do not have data on transfer acceptance rates currently The University's computer science department is ranked 5th in the nation. The undergraduate engineering program is also ranked 5th. Caltech is 7th on US News & World Report's list of most innovative schools. The magazine also ranks Caltech as 9th among national universities Computer Science Graduate Programs prepare graduates to conduct research, design, innovate and develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software. Computer Science is actually a pretty broad academic discipline spanning both the theoretical and practical aspects of the field Computer Science Degrees Offered at University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Master's in Computer Science Degree Programs. The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) offers computer science degrees through the Department of Computer and Information Science. At the undergraduate level, there are two tracks that result in either [ Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ), is the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan - located in central Tokyo This accredited degree program in computer science ranked in the top 35 computer science programs (top 15%) in the 2020 nationwide ranking of U.S. Colleges and Universities by College Factual. Program Features. Prepares students for careers in a rapidly changing profession and to allow easy entrance to graduate education in the computer science. Zoran Obradovic is a Distinguished Professor and a Center director at Temple University, an Academician at the Academia Europaea (the Academy of Europe) and a Foreign Academician at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.He mentored 45 postdoctoral fellows and Ph.D. students, many of whom have independent research careers at academic institutions (e.g. Northeastern Univ., Ohio State Univ. Top 100 in the World: Computer Science and Engineering, Education Center for World University Rankings (United Arab Emirates) # 50 in the world # 29 in the nation # 12 public university in the nation. CWTS Leiden Ranking of Scientific Impact (The Netherlands) # 93 in the world # 34 in the nation # 20 public university in the natio r/Temple: Cherry and White! Anything pertaining to Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. If you are trying to advertise something geared toward Temple students on here, please message the mods first for approval to post, or your post will be removed Department of Computer and Information Sciences Temple University. Science Education and Research Center (SERC) 354 1925 N. 12th Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA +1-215-204-4187 (office) wangyu at temple dot edu Office Hour: by appointment Brief CV / Short Bio / Academic Ancestor Published: 2020 Computer Science and Electronics Ranking. I published 2020 Computer Science and Electronics Ranking on @Medium https://ift.tt/2XTUrHB. Posted by Jie Wu (Temple University) at 11:18 PM. Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest. Labels: Medium Data Science is an interdisciplinary subject that stands on the pillars of mathematics, computer science and statistics. Over 40 top US universities feature among the world's top 100 universities in QS & Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2022. Several Data Science colleges in USA offer internships while pursuing the. About the Department. Knowledge of statistical theory, methodology, and practice is of fundamental importance in many disciplines, from business analytics to actuarial sciences, from data science to finance, from the life sciences to the physical sciences, from the social sciences to economics, and from the material sciences to engineering and computer science Undergraduate students who study psychology at Temple University develop critical thinking skills through courses that emphasizing the scientific basis of psychology, statistical analysis and experimental design. Advanced courses introduce students to current psychological research on mental disorders and treatments, learning and memory, social. Learn English and experience American culture at one of the most diverse and highly ranked public universities in the U.S. (IELP) at Temple University and is now a freshman studying computer science at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Posted in: Student Experiences. Updated: Jul 8, 2016 Online Bachelor of Science in Marketing. Website. Points: 18. Ranked in the top 10 for online Bachelor's degree programs by the US News and World Report and as one of the most affordable tuitions on this ranking list, Colorado State University offers a fully online Bachelor's degree in Marketing through their global campus Computer Science: Ph.D., M.S., 4+1. The Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) offers programs leading to the Ph.D. and M.S. degrees. Computer science is a vigorous and exciting field of research and study that continues to grow in importance. Computer science programs are broad in scope and deal with software and hardware. Apply Now! Apply to the Masters in Computer Science program today at the College of Computing & Informatics. The deadlines for Fall 2021 are Friday, August 27, 2021 for Domestic On-Campus Students, Sunday, June 13, 2021 for International On-Campus Students, and Monday, August 23, 2021 for all Online Students (Domestic and International) The Computer Science graduate program prepares students for research and professional practice in computer science and related technologies. The program includes both fundamentals and advanced work in the areas of artificial intelligence and databases, programming languages and software engineering, systems and networks, theoretical computer science, and visual computing .TUJ has classrooms and student facilities in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo and Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan. It is the oldest and largest foreign university in Japan, with an estimated 1,300 matriculated. Master of Science in Computer Science at West Chester University provides access to the ever-growing professional opportunities available in the fields of Computer Science through education and state-of-the-art technology. The master's degree curriculum provides students with broad foundation courses in computer science, with the option for. MD/PhD Program The MD/PhD Program offered by the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University provides the opportunity to obtain expertise in clinical medicine and become broadly trained in basic science research at an institution noted for excellence in teaching and research. The program is comprehensive, demanding and challenging and thus attracts bright, highl . Students also select upper level tracks in areas such as artificial. The Computer Science and Systems (CSS) program at the School of Engineering & Technology features an innovative and broad approach to computer science and the design of applications software. The CSS curriculum draws heavily on computer science, but with a greater emphasis on software design relevant to the needs of local and regional industry The College of Public Health is preparing the next generation of researchers, practitioners and clinicians to solve health's complexities for a better tomorrow. Our thriving and diverse community is guided by a commitment to social justice and the belief that health is a human right. Areas of study Admissions Departments & Research The Department of Biology at Temple University is a diverse department that teaches ~1500 undergraduate majors, runs multiple graduate programs including a Ph.D. program in biology with research emphases in computational evolutionary genomics (computational biology), ecology, neuroscience, and cell/molecular biology Penn State is ranked No. 8 (tied) for the best online bachelor's programs in the country in U.S. News & World Report's 2020 Best Online Programs. In addition, the University ranks highly in online graduate programs: #6 for best online graduate engineering programs. #6 for best online graduate computer information technology programs The mission of the Department of Computer Science (CS) is to be a world leader both in education and research by conducting research that produces advancements in computer science for the benefit of society and educating students to become leaders in the development and application of computer science technology Temple University Undergraduate Admissions 1801 N. Broad Street Conwell 103 Philadelphia, PA 19122. High school transcripts only need to be sent if you have completed less than 30 college credits. Please contact your high school's counseling office to request a transcript to be sent to us Department of Computer Science. 3300 Engineering & Computational Sciences Building. 757-683-7740 (office) [email protected]. DIRECTORY CHAIR'S WELCOME A Leader in University Academics. Master's Degree in Computer Science. See our brochure which gives a general overview of the program, and program guide, which details the program's curriculum and additional important information.. The Master of Science in Computer Science is designed for individuals with a B.S. in Computer Science who are looking to expand their knowledge and opportunities R-Rank: Programs are ranked highly if they have similar features to programs viewed by faculty as top-notch. Temple U. Computer and Information Science: 103: 118: 94: 119: 35: 94: 82: 118: 112. Historical rankings based on the total R&D expenditures are provided in the table below. Data may be sorted by rank within each year. To view selected data for a specific institution, click on the institution name Updated April 03, 2020. Temple University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 60%. Located in North Philadelphia, Temple has more than 150 undergraduate majors with programs in business and communications among the most popular. Academics at Temple are supported by a 13-to-1 student/faculty ratio USA. 93 (162) Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. USA. 94 (163) Boston University * Texas Tech conferred more than 8,000 degrees for the third year in a row during the 2019-20 academic year with 8,573. In the most recent Center for Measuring University Performance rankings, Texas Tech is listed No. 58 overall and No. 41 among public research institutions with 349 doctoral degrees conferred in 2018. The number was 390 in 2020 Top 6 Computer Science Trends in 2021 Admission Requirements for a Bachelor's in Computer Science. Computer science bachelor's programs look for candidates with strong academic records and standardized test scores. Applicants typically need a high school diploma (or equivalent) and a minimum 2.0-3.0 GPA Temple University - Japan Campus. Temple University - Japan Campus. Japan 4088 Views. See what you can study Search for a course. Choose study level* Key facts and figures at Temple University - Japan Campus. Student life in numbers. Average On-campus Housing and Meals. $12,188. $12,188. Estimated Annual Total Costs. $29,158-$35,710. $42,070-$50,686. *The $890 fee includes university services such as computer equipment and technology, access to student activities, and student health and treatment services. Learn more about this fee. For a more precise estimate of cost. In fact, the university is the number one university in the nation for awarding bachelor's and master's degrees to Hispanic students. It's also number one in the nation for producing Hispanic engineering graduates, according to Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. 14. West Virginia University Institute of Technology Master of Science in Computer Information Systems & Business Analytics. Website. Points: 11. The online master's in management information systems program from West Texas A&M University is offered through the university's Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business and the Department of Computer Information and Decision Management Learning to Describe: A New Approach to Computer Vision Based Ancient Coin Analysis. The work on deep learning based understanding of ancient coins by Jessica Cooper, who is a Research Assistant and a part-time PhD student supervised by Oggie Arandjelovic and David Harrison has been chosen as a featured, title story article by the Journal Sci where it was published in a Special Issue. 4. Carnegie Mellon University - Open Learning Initiative. Carnegie Mellon University is one of the top schools for computer programming in the United States and has made some free online computer. Computer science is the study of the design, analysis, communication, implementation, and application of computational processes. At Rensselaer, an education in computer science prepares students to solve applied real-world problems and conduct research in computer science. The program provides students with a solid grounding in both theory and. Dept of Computing Sciences 161 Mendel Science Center Villanova University 800 Lancaster Avenue Villanova, PA 19085-1699. UG Program: 610-519-7307 [email protected] Ranking Specifications. In this article, we determined which school was the best for an online course in occupational therapy regardless of the degree level. The schools are ranked based on tuition and enrollment. Schools with lower tuition rates were given higher scores, and those with lower enrollment were as well University Police received its highest ranking - 13th - in The Security 500 Benchmarking Survey, 2017. WVU received a 2019 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. WVU and WVU Institute of Technology are at the top of the 2021 list of best adventure colleges in the U.S. from Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine At Temple Math, there are several degree programs from which to choose: the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, the Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics, the Bachelor of Science with Teaching, and joint programs with Computer and Information Science, Economics, and Physics Rutgers stands among the nation's leading research universities—acclaimed for the achievements of Rutgers people and for their contributions to society and the world's body of knowledge. Rutgers excels by preparing students for leadership and success, applying knowledge and discoveries to address real-world needs, and improving the quality of life for the people of New Jersey, the nation. The Department of Nursing aims to be a leading force in community-engaged, collaborative efforts to achieve health equity and a quality of life for all, preparing a diverse nursing workforce who excel in leadership, practice, research and scholarship.We aspire to provide excellence in academic programming that is responsive to the health needs of individuals and populations, within the context. Temple University Bursar's Office. 1803 North Broad Street 115 Carnell Hall (040-13) Philadelphia, PA 1912 The department offers B.S. degrees in data science, computer engineering and computer science through the College of Engineering. There are approximately 455 undergraduate students and 154 graduate students enrolled in the department, with 43 faculty members. Admission to the CSE department is extremely competitive QS World University Rankings 2021. The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) jumped 73 notches to be ranked at 277th in the world's best university. Among the best universities in India. We are home to over 350+ student organizations. Look around and find the best fit for you. Get Involved. Temple Student Government School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The Pennsylvania State University. 207 Electrical Engineering West. University Park, PA 16802. 814-863-6740. Department of Computer Science and Engineering. 814-865-9505. Department of Electrical Engineering. 814-865-766 20. Ohio State University. Rate this (36 Votes) 21. University of California, San Diego. Rate this (53 Votes) 22. Illinois Institute of Technology. Rate this (50 Votes Computer Science Graduate Program. Program Details: Please see the Department Website for more specific details. Program Director: Dr. Vijay Gehlot, (610) 519-5843. On-Campus Only

If you know you should be on social media but aren’t sure where to start, how to grow your audience, or what the social media basics are, you certainly aren’t alone. With so many platforms and constant changes, it can feel hard to keep up. Even so, social media is an important part of any digital marketing strategy since it gives brands lots of opportunities to engage with customers. Who knew that the Strikes for Scholars Bowling Tournament, held by the Hudson Valley Young Professionals and benefitting The Chamber Foundation, was a “serious” bowling tournament? Not the Tipsy Marketers! You’ve heard it since you were a child, “It’s not about what’s on the outside, it’s about what’s on the inside.” Though this uplifting wisdom is very relevant, it is not the case when it comes to Instagram aesthetic. Instagram is one of the many social media platforms where what you look like really does count. Angels of Light, a Hudson Valley 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that provides holiday giving to children and families with life-threatening illnesses, is receiving a much needed digital facelift from local marketing agency Tipsy Social. My name is Shelby, some refer to me as Shelb, Shlub, Shell, the possibilities are endless and it’s really up to you on how you want to address me (I don’t discriminate). It is with great pleasure to announce my joining of the Tipsy Team as a Brand Strategist. Help us Support a Hudson Valley Family this Holiday. We’ve partnered with Angels of Light this holiday season to help support a family facing a life-threatening disease! Shawn, wife & mother of two, is sadly battling Stage 4 Liver Cancer and we’re so humbled to be able to help bring a smile to her children’s Understanding your consumers is one of the most important aspects of owning a business and being a marketer. You sort of have to be a mind reader. You’re constantly thinking about a customer’s thought process and ways those thoughts can help direct your advertising and make sales. There is a science to sales and we’re here to let you in the loop. It’s safe to say that pizza is a fan favorite amongst eaters with all different types of palettes. Here are 5 great Hudson Valley pizza joints that specialize in serving up a great pie — and a great drink to go with it. If you’re looking to charge top dollar and bring in some real beer lovers you’re going to want to add some flavor to your taps. We’ve put together an epic list of cocktails that are sure to blow away your guests & to have your drink menu looking like a five-star destination.

“Within this story, it’s clear that the dragon is the weak one. He is completely at the mercy of the boy, even when the boy is depicted in the story as his servant.” ~ Dr. Philbert Jones I’ve read many shifter books over the years. I’ve also read many books about dragons. But this is the first dragon shifter book that I’ve read and found it to be not only original but also very well done. In the world where this book takes place, all of the magical creatures (called “Beings” in the book) have recently come out of the closet: Fairies, Elves, Werewolves, Trolls, and Dragons. The book starts out with a job interview – young research assistant Arthur MacArthur is interviewing for a job working for a Dragon-shifter, Dr. Philbert Jones (“but please, call me Bertie”). Dr. Jones greets Alex while in his dragon form and Alex, who’s more than a little freaked out by the enormous dragon in front of him, fears that Dr. Jones is going to eat him. But of course, the dragon doesn’t eat him (which would have made for a very short story). A Sexy Dragon? Once back in his human form, we learn that Bertie, our dragon-shifter, is a brilliant (and sexy!) historian in the process of writing a book about the now extinct Red Dragon and he’s in need of someone to assist him in organizing his research and his books. He hires Arthur on the spot and Arthur can’t deny the strong attraction he feels for his new boss. As the days progress, Arthur tries to make sense out of his feelings for his boss. It sometimes seems that Bertie is flirting with him – or is it just Arthur’s imagination? Arthur can’t be sure. But he vows to deny his feelings/attraction for Bertie and keep his relationship with his boss strictly professional, which turns out to be not at easy thing to do. Burning for the Dragon This is definitely a sensual, slow burn romance as the two characters slowly get to know each other and grow closer as the book progresses No insta-love here! The interaction and the slow build between the two of them is sweet and romantic and left me feeling as though I really knew them by the end of the book. I really loved the dynamic and the chemistry between the two characters. One thing I especially liked about this book was that there wasn’t a sex scene every ten pages like you see in so many romance novels. In fact, we have to wait until nearly the end of the book until these two finally get together in a lovely, sensual scene — but it’s definitely worth the wait. This sweet and playful story is not only about love, but also about the true meaning of treasure. It’s a story with plenty of heart, humor, and self-discovery. I was pleased to learn that this book is part of a series entitled “Beings in Love” and I definitely plan on reading more books in this series. Recommended!

I founded Actorium with the purpose of creating an environment where people can discover and immerse themselves in the art of acting; a place to grow and develop creatively through this beautiful, fun, interesting, and life-changing art form. I think of Actorium as a place for people to inspire and to get inspired and grow, not only as an actor but personally – as I think the two go together. It is not only an actor’s training centre but also a community with a strong culture for daring authenticity, humour, warmth, and openness. What I have learned through acting and have used as a core principle of Actorium is to never lose sight of the truthful basis of your art and the reason you started in the first place. Instructor – Olivia Nelson What draws me to the acting process is the unique opportunity to delve into the vastness of the human experience and express it as authentically as possible. As actors, we practice the opposite of what most people initially think, and that is being real, and lowering the masks we tend to wear in our day-to-day lives. This has been the biggest gift for me personally – to actually stop acting in my own life! The more truthful I can be in front of a camera, the more the audience gets to be up-close and personal with their ‘real’ selves. This process has allowed me to grow as a person in numerous ways, such as feeling more connected and creative in my life. When I’m not acting, I miss the aliveness it brings me and the ability to be of service by stretching the edge of my vulnerability – it really is the craft that keeps on giving. Filming and Editing – Rebecca Dumbrille I’ve always been been drawn to the arts. I studied visual arts in University at Emily Carr and towards the end of my undergrad, I started working at Actorium, an acting school with a strong focus on the art of acting and a culture of diversity and inclusion. When I was younger, I never saw myself reflected in the media and so this was deeply satisfying, and it was there that I really fell in love with film as a format. I have spent the past three years honing my skills on camera, editing and colour grading. My interest is in capturing the human experience through colour and movement, and my goal is to make stories that show the true diversity of our world so that other young people can have the experience of seeing themselves reflected in media. Graphic Designer – Liz Wurzinger Liz Wurzinger BA studied Graphic and Media Design in her homeland Austria before relocating to Vancouver in 2011. She enjoys the brain-wrecking concept and idea-finding process of each project as much as the obsessive crafting of fine layouts. Liz has recently been helping to refine Actorium’s visual language. Advisory Board Members Academy Award-winning Producer Fred Roos (IMDb) has worked with some of Hollywood’s most gifted filmmakers and actors over the last four decades, producing some of the most unique films of our time. Roos’ long-term collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola includes producing the Academy Award-winning Best Picture The Godfather Part II and the Academy Award-nominated Best Pictures Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, Part III, and The Conversation (winner of the Palm D’Or at Cannes). Other films Roos has produced with Coppola include One From the Heart, The Outsiders, Rumble Fish, The Cotton Club, Gardens of Stone, New York Stories, Tucker: The Man and His Dream. He has also worked as Executive Producer on Youth Without Youth, Tetro, and Twixt. Among Roos’ other producing credits are… more on Mr. Roos. Illuminating her films with inspired performances from actors is a hallmark of Martha Coolidge’s IMDb work – from her documentaries to her remarkable pioneering achievements in features, television, and the internet. A consummate filmmaker, she is known as an “Actor’s Director”. From Robert Duvall and Halley Berry, to Geena Davis and James Gandolfini, her actors give some of their best performances. Her cornerstone hit comedies Valley Girl and Real Genius put her on the map and launched the careers of Nicholas Cage and Val Kilmer. Coolidge also exceeds genre and is known for her powerful dramas: notably Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, which was nominated for eleven Emmy nominations, winning five, including Halle Berry, who also won a Golden Globe, the SAG Award, and two NAACP Awards; Rambling Rose, nominated for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes and won three, out of five; and the IFP Spirit Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. Coolidge’s TV movies and episodic include CSI, Sex and the City, The Glades, and If These Walls Could Talk which earned her a second DGA nomination for Best Director. Coolidge continues to serve on the boards of the DGA, the Academy of Motion Pictures, the AFI, and Women in Film, and was elected as the first woman President of the Director’s Guild of America in 2001. Mr. Kemeny (IMDb) is a Vancouver-based businessman who has worked as Executive Producer on several feature films. His credits include Saving Lincoln, Return to Byzantium: The Art and Life of Lilian Broca, and When Do We Eat? Earlier in his career, Horatio was a software development manager and entrepreneur. He is still involved in the industry, directing a number of technology companies. He brings his diverse and substantial business background as as well as a considerable interest and support of the arts to Actorium. When I signed in the Intro class, I had absolutely no idea about what Actorium was. I did not know what to expect, although I had been slightly familiar with the Meisner Technique. All I wanted was to start an acting class as soon as possible after landing in Vancouver. Now, after finishing the class, I can say that I have found the place where I want to work on becoming an actor. Just wanted to thank you and tell you how much I am enjoying your class! I come in usually tired and stressed from my day and feel empowered, enlightened, and invigorated. I am very serious about excelling and being an amazing actor. Last class, I was blown away with the meditation with the belly breathing and baby analogy. It hit me really deep, especially when you said a baby doesn’t laugh or cry from its head! WOW!!! I mean, it all seems common sense but with all my 46 years of emotional bandages and coping mechanisms it has been buried. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your class and you giving back to the community and being so awesome!! I feel very grateful to be in your class and know I will develop deeply under your guidance. I feel like I am growing daily from your classes. I am a Leader and will definitely keep challenging myself and classmates to be better. Isn’t that what life is about? Thank you for your thoughts, observations, and advice. It is a surreal experience for me being in your acting classes. I have lived my life inside a sort of straight jacket and blindfolded. I have known something was very wrong but I did not know how to help myself. I could not explain how this is working but over the last six months, I have felt a loosening from what binds me, which is such an incredible relief, but with it I feel sadness also. I can not emphasize enough how limited I have been due to my fears and my thought processes. Michelle, I am so deeply thankful for this painful and joyful process. I am sorry so much time has past in my life, but thankful there is some left. I wanted to extend my thanks for facilitating my learning/growing over the past few months. I’ve discovered so many things that have eluded me in my acting process for years. My audition yesterday was kind of like the culmination of what I’ve gone through in your class up to this point. It was nice to go into a very intimidating audition with solid tools and the confidence to know that I can “go there” if I bring in my commitment and focus. I felt so free! As I was moving through the audition, I was keenly aware of the other person and kept my focus on them – it was like I was doing a Meisner exercise right there in the room – it was so cool. I am really liking what I am learning in Intro and want to continue with Foundation. In fact, I went to an open audition and used the grounding and connection with my partner in the cold read scenes I did. Yeah! And I just found out that I got the part! 🙂 Thank you for keeping us on our toes. I really have been learning a lot coming to these classes, about myself and (not just) acting. It really feels so much better being in the actual moment rather than acting it out in a way we think it should be. I have been taking acting classes now for a couple of months and it is changing me. At first when I was up on the stage, I felt rigid and self-conscious, unwilling to share my heart and emotions. Maybe I was willing but afraid. I find now that sharing is coming easier and that everything I share is reflected around me in the other participants. I am finding that the act of getting on stage is so opening and so freeing. I want to go deeper into it. It is just what I need to keep the juice of life going… Face fear… Face myself and share. Thank you to our instructors for embarking on this with your whole heart and taking us with you!! Acting classes are paying off. I’m getting more assertive and witty! Ha ha! Just wanted you to know. I have always been terrified of public speaking and have never even in my dreams wished to be in the limelight on any stage. The thought of taking acting lessons would have never occurred to me. But my instructor introduced this idea in such an intriguing way. She said this class was a safe place for those who wanted a chance to tiptoe out into the spotlight and thus explore hidden facets of their essence and personality. I’ve always been rather inhibited and not-quite-the-real-me in my range of expression in social settings so I thought this would be a potentially fun and cheap way to expand my range, as compared to say, sitting weekly on a therapist’s couch for months on end. Well, it’s only been four classes so far but holy moly! I could not have guessed how eye-opening and personally rewarding this experience would be for my inner development and self-knowledge. The instructor is guiding us starting from scratch using the Meisner training technique. Not only do I feel I have a better window to my authentic self (and what could possibly be more precious than that) but I also feel like I really have an inner eye and empathetic understanding of my fellow classmates which in so few hours with strangers is really incredible. I would urge anyone who resonates with me to try this course. Very highly recommended. I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to join the Meisner Intro Class. The attention, understanding and encouragement you give is communicated with such compassion and depth that makes one want to incorporate and excel. Even from the first workshop, there has been a shift in my interaction with others and awareness of how and what I communicate. I learn something new with each class and the experience stays alive within me until the next class. The activities/exercises feel like a return to our more natural selves before being told how to be, what to say, how to say it. I am reminded to check in with myself for authentic expression of my experience in the moment. Thank you for your brilliance in presenting this opportunity. She inspires us to leap fully into a given exercise or character by encouraging us to overcome the personal barriers and inhibitions that hold us back. She reaches for real emotions in her students, and encourages us to find our most authentic performances. She strips away the mystique of acting, and provides a great working environment in which we can learn about ourselves, and about the craft of acting. My coach, outside of class, noted a very grounded and open difference in my performance. My advice to anyone who works at Actorium is to listen closely to what is asked, let the ego go, allow the walls to fall, and be willing to grow. Not only has the program allowed me to tap into my childhood bliss that I chose to let go of, but it also helped me look at places I blocked out within myself. I am becoming more whole and my relationships are becoming more authentic and honest. I am finding the program is helping me stay present and be more honest with everyone in my daily interactions. Rather than my habit of keeping my thoughts to myself, I’m able to share those feelings with people I trust and they make room for me. I have richer relationships because I’m able to recognize what I’m feeling and sense what others are feeling. I think the instructors have done a phenomenal job thus far. They do a great job of being inclusive to everyone who is there. I trust they know exactly who needs to work on which area and will tailor each class accordingly. I find they manage to tailor our classes specifically to each person’s unique needs. We all have different areas of strengths and weaknesses, and our instructors recognize what exercises will benefit us most to make a breakthrough.

Ben Mendelsohn is riding a late-career wave of international success, and it's built on being menacing. After gaining international attention for his role as Pope — the most violent and terrifying member of a crime family — in the film Animal Kingdom, Mendelsohn has developed a reputation for playing unpredictable and dangerous men. He followed that with the unsettling Danny Rayburn in the television series Bloodline. And now, in the just-released film, Una, he plays possibly his most despicable and unlikeable character yet. "The guy is a paedophile and he is discovered in his 'new life' by his victim. "Yeah, it's messy work." Mendelsohn's on-screen persona is a million miles from the real Ben Mendelsohn, who, in person, is engaging and likeable. He puts his ability to be intimidating on screen down to his Australian upbringing. "It's in the lexicon of Australian language. It's just [part] of Australian non-verbal language," he said. "I think it's something you learn growing up here. "You know it walking past guys on the street, it's something you've got to learn how to do to kind of exist. So it's just taking that." Not working and international success After a successful career in Australia when he was a young actor, Mendelsohn had three years in the early 2000s where he didn't work. That, he said, has made his recent international success easier to deal with. "It [the time out] was actually a really pleasant period in a lot of ways, but it's made all of this stuff that comes afterwards particularly kind of very sweet, you know," he said "It's not typical, I guess, to be finding this sort of success in one's middle age. So it's pretty cool." But he believes that initial success "mucks you up", no matter when it happens. "I have never seen it hit anyone, anyone, where it hasn't altered them for a period of time, which is typically like six months to three years," he said. "And you're kind of gone, in one way or another, in that period." One of the additional perks of that success was that he landed a role as Orson Krennic, a Lieutenant Commander to Darth Vader, in the latest Star Wars movie, Rogue One. "The first time you walk on, you know, and you see storm troopers for real, it's pretty awesome," he confessed. As a kid who grew up watching Stars Wars films, did he ever dream he'd be in one? And if he could, what would he say to his younger self about it? "I thought about this one a lot. I would have just said to little Ben, 'Don't worry, one day you'll be in Star Wars'," he said. "There would have been a lot of things, a lot of worries and angst and stuff that, you know, if I could have told him, 'Don't worry, mate. One day you'll be in Star Wars', it would have settled things a lot." Apart from a brief visit a couple of years ago, Mendelsohn has been living and working overseas for seven years. And, despite all the success, there are some things he still misses. "I get very, very homesick for particular things," he admitted. "And I do miss the people. Yeah, I miss the Australian way of talking rot."

Four and a half stars Director Lee Chang-dong Starring Yoo Ah-in, Jun Jong-seo, Steven Yeun Running time 148 minutes Verdict A thriller so sharply-observed, it could scar THIS slow-burning psychological drama is reminiscent of the old boiling frog fable — by the time you fully understand what’s going on, you’ve already been scalded. That makes director Lee Chang-dong’s near-flawless adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s short story Barn Burning very difficult to write about. If ever a film should be tackled “cold”, Burning is it. But here’s a spoiler-free synopsis. Chang-dong’s haunting, Gatsby-ish love triangle is set in and around the South Korean city of Paju, which is close to the border with North Korea (at several points in the story, the hermit kingdom’s propaganda broadcasts ring out across the paddocks). It’s told from the point of view of odd-job man and would-be author Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), who bumps into a childhood friend, Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), outside a department store where she is employed as a dancer-spruiker. Jong-su doesn’t immediately recognise Hae-mi, because she has had plastic surgery. But it doesn’t take him long to fall for the charming yet somehow untethered free spirit. When Hae-mi travels to Africa, for a long-planned holiday, Jong-Su agrees to look after her elusive cat. Stuck at Nairobi airport for three days due to a terrorist scare, Hae-mi finally returns — with the rich, smug, enigmatic Ben (Steven Yeun) in tow. A displaced Jong-su watches from the sidelines, occasionally making pithy observations about the origin and nature of Ben’s privilege, as an awkward three-way friendship develops. Slowly, inexorably the tension mounts. There’s a subtle but significant shift in allegiances when Ben and Hae-mi visit Jong-su at his family home, where he is tending the animals while his volatile father is in prison over a When Hae-mi dances, topless, in the moonlight, it’s hard to decide which of the young men’s responses is more disturbing: Ben’s insouciance or Jong-su’s angry disapproval. From this point, Hae-mi stops returning Jong-Su’s calls. And his quest to find her becomes increasingly obsessive. All three lead performances are compelling. A rich and nuanced study of class, privilege, self-reinvention, justice and revenge told with extraordinary skill and discipline, Burning is fuelled by Mowg’s brooding score By toying with genre expectations, Chang-dong gets right inside movie goers’ heads. Uneasy, ambiguous, riveting. Opens Thursday; sneak previews today Join To Our Newsletter You are welcome

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - As flu activity increases around the country, cases of influenza in New York have spiked in the last week, according to the governor's office. New cases of influenza were reported in 58 out of New York's 62 counties. "We strongly encourage anyone who has not yet gotten the flu vaccine to get one immediately to combat this significant threat to public health," Dr. Howard Zucker, the state's health commissioner, said in a statement. "Getting vaccinated protects you as well as the people around you, including those who are more vulnerable, like babies and young children, elderly people and people with chronic health conditions." "Generally, the highest hospitalization rates are for people over 65 and this year so far, the highest hospitalization rates are for children under 5," Dr. Kerry Fierstein, the CEO of Allied Physicians Group, said. "The flu hits you immediately like a ton of bricks. Achiness, cough, high fever it's not like 'Gee, I wonder if I have the flu.' When you do you know it." One of the deadliest influenza years for children was 2017 when 80 percent of the children who died of flu complications hadn't been vaccinated. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is urging New Yorkers to get the flu shot as soon as possible ahead of the flu season's peak. Earlier this year, Cuomo signed an executive order allows pharmacists to administer flu vaccines to children from 2 to 18. That order is now codified into law. If you come down with flu symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends you start taking an antiviral drug, such as Tamiflu, within two days.

A native of Lakeland, Florida, Isaac Sanabria is a teacher and performer based in Austin, Texas. An avid performer, he has been selected to tour with international performing groups and festivals to China, Switzerland, France, Italy, and Scotland, and has been a participant of the PRISMA, FOOSA and Master Players Festivals. He was selected as the first prize winner of the 2019 MPF Woodwind Concerto Competition, the 2021 National Carolyn Nelson Double Reed Competition, the 2021 Utah Music Teachers Association Concerto Competition, as well as the 2020 and 2021 annual BYU Philharmonic Concerto Competitions, and was the first bassoonist to win two years consecutively, performing Andante and Hungarian Rondo by C.M.V Weber and the Mozart bassoon concerto. During his time at BYU, he served as principal bassoonist of the BYU Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras, Wind Symphony, Draper Philharmonic, and Millennial Choirs and Orchestra. A passionate teacher, Isaac Sanabria runs a private studio and reed business and frequently teaches bassoon masterclasses and chamber group coaching's. He received his BM in Bassoon Performance from Brigham Young University where he studied with Dr. Christian Smith, and is currently pursuing a MM in Bassoon Performance at the University of Texas at Austin, studying with Kristin Wolfe-Jensen.

Published by Viking Publication date – 20 February 2020 Source – review copy Los Angeles. There are 192 passengers aboard: among them a young woman taking a pregnancy test in the airplane toilet; a Wall Street millionaire flirting with the air hostess; an injured soldier returning from Afghanistan; and two beleaguered parents moving across the country with their adolescent sons, bickering over who gets the window seat. When the plane suddenly crashes in a field in Colorado, the younger of these boys, 12-year-old Edward Adler, is the sole survivor. Dear Edward depicts Edward’s life in the crash’s aftermath as he struggles to make sense of the meaning of his survival, the strangeness of his sudden fame, and find his place in the world without his family. In his new home with his aunt and uncle, the only solace comes from his friendship with the girl next door, Shay. Together Edward and Shay make a startling discovery: hidden in his uncle’s garage are sacks of letters from the relatives of the other passengers, addressed to Edward. As Edward comes of age against the backdrop of sudden tragedy, he must confront some of life’s most profound questions: how do we make the most of the time we are given? And what does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live? A flight from New York to Los Angeles. 192 passengers and crew on board. Each one with a different reason for the journey. Each one resigned to spending 6 hours in an enclosed space and each one either eager, or reluctant to reach their destination. What they don’t know is that none of them will reach L.A. and that only one of them will get to decide where he wants to go in the future. When a tragedy occurs, the sympathy quite rightly goes to those who died. Those left behind get fleeting sympathy. In Dear Edward we see that when a loved one dies, so does part of the life of the victims families. An ex-husband is no longer a sparring partner or an estranged father. He is now someone who was once loved and a missed opportunity at reconciliation. When a girlfriend dies she is no longer a future wife and mother. And when you are a 12 year old boy who is the sole survivour you have to discover who you now are, rather than who you could have been. Edward is no longer Eddie. Eddie was left behind at the crash site. Eddie was a brother to Jordan, was home schooled by his dad Bruce and kept his mother Jane awake at night as a baby. Edward is an orphan, the sole child now being raised by his aunt and uncle. As Edward recovers from his external injuries he also has to learn how to cope with the unseen ones. He is detached from his surroundings, become aware only slowly that he has lived his life since the crash in a fugue state, hardly aware of the passage of time. He finds solace in Shay, his next door neighbour. She doesn’t tiptoe around him, in the way only another 12 year old can. She wonders aloud if he has magical powers like Harry Potter, her adolescent way of making him focus on himself. She is the one he turns to from the first day he goes to live with his aunt and uncle. She is the one who keeps him grounded and the one he turns to when he finds the letters addressed to him from the families of the other passengers. The reader sees Edward as he takes steps towards some semblance of a normal life. He recovers from his physical injuries and slowly he starts to life this alternate, unforeseen life. Chapters focusing on the flight are alternated with chapters after. During the flight we are given insight into a few of the characters, an injured army personnel, dealing with the fallout of a fight with a friend, the Adler family, making a move across the country, a young, rich executive finding a new direction to his life a little too late, a young woman who has finally made the step to commitment, a woman running away from her current life and an old man, facing his mortality in another way. Each show the wasted opportunities, the what ifs and the should haves. More impacting are perhaps the almost throwaway lines that describe the other passengers. 191 people die and it is a line about hearing the crying babies and complaining toddlers that sticks in the mind. The reader knows from the outset that the plane will crash. As the story develops we await the inevitable impact. In truth, the story impacts throughout. A story about a plane crash that kills 191 is going to be sad. Most of all it is poignant. The reader hears the regrets of the passengers, the lives not yet lived. Then there are the families of the victims. As Edward and Shay read more letters from them, the impact on those left behind is made all the more real and the deaths all the more tragic because of it. But through the letters Edward finds a release and more importantly the freedom to live, to realise he has a purpose in life and that he should not feel guilty for enjoying it. A moving story on what it means to survive and to be alive.

Just over a week ago, Chez Clumsy took delivery of a beautiful shiny new Nintendo Wii. It's a combined birthday present for both my partner and I, as the anniversaries fall within 20 days of each other. Because of my writing challenge, I haven't spent as much time as I'd like mucking about with this brilliant piece of technology. And it is brilliant, because with its simple yet addictive games and motion-sensitive remote, it's the first console that's held my attention since the Nintendo Entertainment System. Ah, those good old days of left-to-right view only video games. I tell you, the world of gaming peaked for me at Super Mario Brothers, and it has never quite reached those dizzy heights again. The main reason is because video games - with all their jumping and spinning and shooting and confusion - give me motion sickness. I can't stand to look at them for more than a few seconds. There's just too many options. Super Mario Bros was great - there were only so many actions you could perform. You get the mushroom, you grow bigger. You get the flower, you get fireball power. You jump up and down to hit and break blocks and collect coins. Every few levels you beat a big baddy. Then you do the whole thing all over again, with slightly different coloured blocks. Sheer genius. I played so much Mario as a kid, I can still play the tinny theme music perfectly in my head. And when, joy upon joys, Greg downloaded old-school Super Mario Bros into our Wii system (courtesy of the wireless internet hook-up - ain't this newfangled technology grand?), I found myself immediately hitting the same blocks for secret coins, moving Mario in exactly the right way to catch the mushroom and kill the turtle, venturing down exactly the right pipe to find a secret coin depository, and making the accompanying "boing" noises in my head. It's amazing how things stick with you. But the Wii is not just about re-living past glory days of gaming, it's about embracing a new style of play. It's been an absolute hit in Chez Clumsy - easily winning over Greg and our housemate Mark, both dedicated PC gamers (they're playing a game involving plunger-shooting bunnies even as I write), and entrancing visitors. But I put it to the ultimate test today by bringing in some actual children: my cousins Tiffany and Amber. At 11 and 8, they're around the same age my brother and I were when we began playing Nintendo, and they've never owned a console. The most video gaming they've done is a few trips to an Intensity game parlour, courtesy of my Dad. I wanted to see how a couple of young girls would react and interact with this Brave New Console. I'm pleased to say that upon arriving to pick up the girls this evening, my aunt was immediately beseiged with cries of "Can we get a Wii, puh-lease, Mum?" Negotiations to earn half the purchase price themselves soon followed. Schemes were being dreamt of, even as the tennis, bowling and baseball matches continued. Even my aunt got in on the act, taking on Tiffany in a boxing match. All three of them loved the process of creating "Mii"s - the little bubble-bodied avatars players create to represent themselves in the games. They even created one for our collective grandmother, and we were all howling with laughter as they tried on different hairstyles, trying to achieve just the right level of boofiness, and adjusted the size of the glasses and wrinkles. Interestingly, Tiffany chose to make her Mii dark-skinned, even though she's no more than olive. Mind you, Amber chose to give hers a moustache and a beard, which perhaps indicates they still have their imagination intact, as opposed to all us adults, who try as vainly as possible to make our Miis look like a true-but-cuter representation of ourselves. The novelty of the remote design was not lost on my aunt, who always though video gaming was a passive, sit-in-front-of-the-screen-thumbing-controls activity. Here the girls were getting physically into their games: Amber running around the living room as if it was a real tennis court, trying to make her return volleys; Tiffany lining up on home base, getting ready to pound the baseball as if she were Barry Bonds. Their physical commitment demanded mental focus - while continually trying new games, the girls stuck with the activity for hours without a break. I am determined now to spend a bit more time on the Wii, if only because it's good for some physical exercise. I'm already far behind Greg and Mark, who are on university holidays and able to devote several hours a day to improving their "Wii fitness" and remote technique. But I don't need to rush it, the Wii will be around for some time (barring an errant remote flying out of hand and smashing the control box), and I want to incorporate at least a few hours a week to childlike play. Perhaps one day, I might even finish Super Mario Brothers. Yours truly, flanked by Tiffany with Amber posing in front. Aren't we a fine bunch of cousins?

Honesty Still Matters, as Told by Espedito v. Nat'l Fire Material misrepresentation by insured to insurer can void insurance policy at summary judgment (Espedito Realty v. National Fire Ins.). August 7, 2013 Law360, New York (August 07, 2013, 12:47 PM ET) ‐‐ In "Huckleberry Finn," Mark Twain examined questions of honesty and deceit as his young protagonist sought adventure on the shores of the Mississippi River. Asked about the novel’s theme, humorist Twain replied: “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” Recent case law teaches that policyholders should heed Twain’s advice when presenting insurance claims. All Content © 2003‐2013, Portfolio Media, Inc. The articles on our website include some of the publications and papers authored by our attorneys, both before and after they joined our firm. The content of these articles should not be taken as legal advice. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or official position of Robins Kaplan LLP. If you are interested in having us represent you, you should call us so we can determine whether the matter is one for which we are willing or able to accept professional responsibility. We will not make this determination by e-mail communication. The telephone numbers and addresses for our offices are listed on this page. We reserve the right to decline any representation. We may be required to decline representation if it would create a conflict of interest with our other clients. By accepting these terms, you are confirming that you have read and understood this important notice.

Drinking, Drunk, Deadly: Know the Signs of Alcohol Overdose TUESDAY, March 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Wednesday is St. Patrick's Day, a holiday often marked by one (or more) too many drinks. But experts warn that simple holiday fun can quickly turn deadly when alcohol is involved. The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) offered these reminders about the dangers of alcohol overdose and urged everyone to drink responsibly or not at all. Binge or high-intensity drinking -- drinking too much too quickly -- can lead to significant impairment in motor coordination, decision-making, impulse control and other functions, according to the NIAAA. Continuing to drink despite clear signs of significant impairment can lead to an overdose. Signs of an alcohol overdose include mental confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, seizure, slow heart rate, and slow or irregular breathing (fewer than eight breaths per minute or 10 seconds or more between breaths). Other signs are clammy skin, extremely low body temperature that might include pale or bluish skin and dulled responses, such as no gag reflex. The gag reflex can prevent choking. An alcohol overdose happens when there is so much alcohol in the bloodstream that areas of the brain begin to shut down. These control basic life-support functions, including breathing, heart rate and temperature. This can lead to permanent brain damage or death, the NIAAA said. Binge drinking is defined as having four drinks over a two-hour period if you're a woman, or five drinks if you're a man. High-intensity drinking is two or more times that amount. Teenagers and young adults are at a particular risk because research shows they often engage in this type of drinking. Even small increases in blood alcohol content (BAC) can decrease motor coordination and cloud judgment, increasing the risk of injury from a fall, car crash or violence or from engaging in unprotected or unintended sex. BAC can continue to rise even when a person stops drinking or is unconscious as alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream. Never leave an unconscious person to "sleep it off," the NIAAA warned. If you suspect someone has an alcohol overdose, call 911 immediately. Do not wait for the person to have all the symptoms. Be aware that a person who has passed out can die. Do not leave an intoxicated person alone, as he or she is at risk of injury from falling or choking, including on his or her own vomit. Be aware that cold showers, hot coffee or walking do not reverse the effects of alcohol overdose and could actually make things worse. While waiting for medical help to arrive, be prepared to tell first responders as much as you can about what the person was drinking, whether he or she took drugs and any health information that you know about the person, including allergies, medications and existing health conditions. Keep the person on the ground in a sitting or partially upright position rather than in a chair. Help a person who is vomiting by having the person lean forward to prevent choking. If a person is unconscious or lying down, roll him or her onto one side with an ear toward the ground, also to prevent choking, according to the NIAAA. Risk varies and can be influenced by age, sensitivity/tolerance, gender, drinking speed, medications a person is taking or how much food has been eaten. Opioids, certain sleep and anti-anxiety medications, and even over-the-counter antihistamines can increase the risk of an overdose. Using alcohol with opioid pain relievers such as oxycodone and morphine or illicit opioids such as heroin is a very dangerous combination, the agency warned. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on alcohol and public health. SOURCE: U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, news release, March 2021

Many music teachers are slowly turning toward the Loog to teach kids how to play guitar – the instrument holds easy learning and kids at the heart of its design and we’re psyched that so many educators have caught on. David Mills is one of precursors of this movement. We’ve talked about David, our favorite music teacher, over and over and over again – but most of you probably don’t know him that well. That’s why we thought it’d be cool to launch our new Educator Spotlight feature sharing a bit more about it. David is a high-profile music educator who decided to use singing, strumming and song writing as a vehicle for teaching music fundamentals to young children. He started out by using ukuleles with 3-strings tuned GBE like the highest 3-strings of the guitar. He later discovered Loog Guitars which, according to him, have much better spacing and string length than ukeleles. “The colored dots on the Loog Guitars have been extremely useful when creating neck diagrams for chords and scales,” he tells us. Using an amalgamation of concepts found in Suzuki, Orff, Dalcroze and Kodály -and a repertoire of popular music from around the world- David named the program “The DoSo® Guitar.” The program was first piloted at the Neighborhood Music School (NMS) in New Haven, CT, one of the oldest and largest community arts schools in the US. With this method, children discovered that they could play music within the first 10 minutes of their 1st lesson as seen in this video of a 7-year-old performing at the start of his 2nd lesson: Amazing, right? And that’s not the end of it: using the Suzuki format of teaching individual students a common repertoire, David could create a DoSo® Band with just one rehearsal. Seriously: David then looked to pilot the DoSo® Guitar in other renowned afterschool programs that offered little in the way of instrumental instruction, such as, The Boys and Girls Club of New Haven, an organization founded in 1871 by the wife of Eli Whitney: In New York City David has also been working with Wingspan Arts: In the summer of 2015 the W.O.Smith Music School in Nashville asked David to incorporate the DoSo® Guitar into a week-long camp for students who had little or no experience playing a musical instrument. In just four days 36 children had lessons on guitar, piano, recorder and percussion. In many music programs, students often start out by playing “Hot Cross Buns.” In a DoSo® Guitar class they play “Low Rider,” a song that many children recognize as theme song from the George Lopez Show. At W.O.Smith, they found a way to combine the two. Be sure to check out www.DoSoMusic.org to see more of David’s inspiring work.

The movie ‘Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune’ stars Reba McEntire, John Schneider, and Candice King as the main cast. Let’s have a look at the detailed information about the movie ‘Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune’ cast, & Crew, Plot, release date, and Trailers. ‘Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune’ is a TV movie premiering on lifetime’s Christmas Holiday Movie Event It’s a Wonderful Lifetime. The movie follows the story of two professional singers reuniting after the breakup to participate in a Christmas concert to fulfill their daughter’s wish. The actress Reba McEntire is an actress as well as a music artist, she starred in the TV series “Reba” which aired for six years. She often referred to as “the Queen of Country” successfully sold more than 75 million records. John Schneider is professionally an actor and also a singer, he portrayed the role of Beauregard “Bo” Duke in the television action, comedy series The Dukes of Hazzard. As a singer, he is known for releasing eighteen singles and nine studio albums. Emily Moss Wilson directs ‘Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune’ on a script written by Juliet Giglio and Keith Giglio. Paula Hart, Reba McEntire, and Melissa Joan Hart, credited as executive producers. |Movie Name||Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune| |Director||Emily Moss Wilson| |Producers||Paula Hart, Reba McEntire, Melissa Joan Hart| |Writers||Juliet Giglio, Keith Giglio| |Cast||Reba McEntire, John Schneider, Candice King, John James| |Country of Origin||United States| |Release Date||26 November 2021| Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune Main Cast Reba McEntire Quick Biography |Date of Birth||28 March 1955| |Age||66 Years(as of 2021)| |Home Town||McAlester, Oklahoma, United States| |Known for||Reba(2001-2007), Young Sheldon(since 2017), The Little Rascals(1994),| John Schneider Quick Biography |Date of Birth||8 April 1960| |Age||61 Years(as of 2021)| |Home Town||Mount Kisco, New York, United States| |Known for||The Dukes of Hazzard(1979-1985), Smallville(2001-2011), The Haves and the Have Nots(2013-2021), Re-recorded the song “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know”, Singles- “Country Girls”, “What’s a Memory Like You”, “You’re the Last Thing I Needed Tonight.”| Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune Full Cast - Reba McEntire as Georgia - John Schneider as Joe Winter - Candice King as Belle - John James as Richard - Justin David as Troy - Kourtney Hansen as Reporter - Mike Sharits as Guitarist - Megan Alexander as Publicist Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune Plot The Professionals Georgia and Joe Winter reunited to participate in a Christmas charity concert to fulfill the wish of their daughter, Belle. You’ll also like to read: ‘Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas'(2021) Full Cast, Plot, Preview Lifetime movie Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune premiere on 26 November 2021, at 8/7c.You can find more information about this movie on Lifetime Channel.

The Dubin-Johnson syndrome (DJS), a hereditary conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, is associated with an impairment of porphyrin metabolism. Total urinary coproporphyrin (CP) excretion and the urinary CP isomer I and III constellation were examined in 15 patients with DJS and 12 unaffected family members, and then compared with 50 unrelated control persons (55 +/- 15 nmol/24 h of total CP: 27 +/- 3% of isomer I; +/- SD). The patients with DJS excreted 80 +/- 7% (+/- SD) of CP isomer I (p less than 0.001). The isomer relation in two young children, 3 and 5 years old, shows an isomer reversal, with isomer I of about 95%. Studies done on four families from our patients with DJS indicate and confirm the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Total urinary CP was found to be elevated in subjects with DJS, reaching a mean value of 164 +/- 123 nmol/24 h (upper limit 120 nmol/24 h). Fecal CP isomers I and III were found to be in the usual physiological proportion to each other, but total fecal CP excretion had declined to the lower normal level (10 +/- nmol/g, n = 8). The pathogenetic mechanisms in DJS have not yet been fully worked out. Four possible explanations are currently under discussion: 1. an impaired hepatic excretory function: 2. a uroporphyrinogen III synthase defect; 3. an increase in porphobilinogen deaminase (uroporphyrinogen synthase) activity, or 4. a membrane-associated transport disorder with secondary metabolic changes of the isomer pool and enzyme activities.

If you want to get flat stomach fast, then you need to do cardio exercise on a regular basis. In this case, an elliptical machine should come into the play because being a low-impact cardio exercise tool, it should be the ideal choice for you to reduce your irritating belly fat. Also, you know that when it comes to reducing your belly fat, you need to core or abdominal exercise most which you can perform on an elliptical exercise machine regularly. Otherwise, an elliptical tool can help you do other exercises as well. You can learn more from talkforfitness.com because they have covered all the topics very well on their website. If you want to learn actually all about the elliptical tool and its related exercise, then you should head over to their website. However, in this article, I have come up with some tips and tricks for you so that you can reduce your belly fat using an elliptical machine. Impacts of belly fat on your overall health When someone consumes more calories than their body requires, the extra calories stored in your body as fat which has a lot more bad impact on your overall health. This fat can cause a number of great harm to your body. Sometimes, it can be a potential cause of your diabetes, heart issues, blood pressure and so forth. Therefore, it is essential to reduce your belly fat whether you are male or female. Because both have potential health issues due to belly fat. Only regular cardio exercise can help you out from the bad condition of your health. An elliptical tool should come handy in this situation. As it involves all your body parts, it can be an ideal exercise tool for you to reduce your core fat. How does an elliptical tool help you reduce your belly fat? Though an elliptical tool is considered to be one of the most low-impact cardio exercise machines and ideal for those who are seniors. However, it does not matter whether you are young or senior because an elliptical tool helps all ages people to reduce their core fat. When you continue your workout session on an elliptical machine at home or gym, all your body muscles especially core muscles get activated and after a long time exercise on the machine, you can expect to reduce your belly fat. Increasing the intensity of running on the machine also helps to reduce core fat by burning extra calories from your belly. ● You can do High-Intensity Interval Training You should not just do the exercise on the elliptical machine at a constant speed. It will not help you to reduce your belly fat fast. Instead of doing the same intensity exercise, you can increase the speed of the elliptical machine while doing the exercise on the machine which is better than before if you are solely intended to reduce your belly fat. After every session of working out on the elliptical machine, you should increase the intensity of running on the machine a bit faster. This process of doing the exercise on the machine will help you out to cut the extra fat from your body especially from your belly. ● Engage your hands while running on it Some people are seen that they never engage their hands while doing the workout session on the elliptical workout machine. But you must include your hands as well if you earnestly desire to lose weight in your belly. When you engage both hands to hold the handles of the elliptical machine, your core muscle will be activated and therefore, can burn more calories. The more calories from your core you can burn, the more weight you can lose from your belly. So, while doing the exercise on the elliptical machine, make sure you have engaged you both hands as well by holding the handles of the elliptical machine, right? ● Increase workout duration Don’t just continue your workout session at a constant duration, meaning that you should increase the workout time after each session. Besides, you can increase the session time every day slowly but surely. Because when you increase the session duration a bit more each day, you will also have to burn some more calories than. As a result, you will see the difference between the day’s workout on the elliptical machine. The more time you will spend on the elliptical machine to do the cardio workout after every day, the more calories from your core will be burnt. Therefore, you will get a slimmer belly than before you have a fat belly. ● Add complimentary strength training Only cardio and aerobic cannot ensure completely to reduce your belly fat. Along with the cardio workout, you have to incorporate other strength training as well such as weightlifting. It is recommended that you need to do some strength training along with your aerobic and cardio exercise if you want to lose weight in the belly fast. Also, it helps you to prevent gaining extra fat again in the belly in the future time. So, as your main purpose is to lose weight in the body or burning extra fat from your belly, you need to do both cardio and strength training so that you can lose your belly fat fast using the elliptical workout machine. ● Keep consistency Some people are found not to maintain consistency. But you need to be consistent if you want to lose fat in the belly fast. If you do the exercise on the elliptical tool three or four days a week, you have to maintain the routine. Not only that you have also to maintain the workout session duration strictly so that you can see the best result. Otherwise, you may end up gaining more weight instead of losing extra fat. So, consistency is another important aspect you need to maintain while losing extra weight from your body especially from the belly. If you are not consistent, you cannot see the best result of reducing belly fat using an elliptical tool. An elliptical workout machine, being a low-impact cardio tool allows you to reduce belly fat. When you do the workout on an elliptical too, it engages all your body parts and helps you lose extra weight. An elliptical machine is helpful for your lower and upper body workout. You can reduce your belly fat only using an elliptical machine at home or gym.

Decent budget option about a 30 minute walk from central Quimper. Young staff very warm & friendly. Room was clean and perfectly adequate at just 36 Euros. Hotel itself is not particularly beautiful, a sort of modern building that looks a bit cheap and flimsy. Location also not the best for the centre of Quimper, but if you enjoy a... More - Also Known As: - Premiere Classe Hotel Quimper - Reservation Options: - TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Expedia, Booking.com, Venere, Priceline, Hotels.com and Tingo so you can book your Premiere Classe Quimper reservations with confidence. We help millions of travellers each month to find the perfect hotel for both holiday and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.

The Castro's bright and challenging future by Scott Wiener Few neighborhoods in our city – indeed, in our country – approach the Castro's cultural significance. Particularly for the LGBT community – but for many others as well – this wonderful neighborhood represents so many of our community's aspirations of equality, acceptance, and forging a life for oneself. The Castro has seen its fortunes rise and fall over the years, from the highs of the 1970s to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS in the 1980s to the strengthening of our community with the advent of protease inhibitors in the 1990s. Today, the Castro's future is bright, yet challenging. The neighborhood's fundamental strengths remain, and our challenge is to retain those strengths even as inevitable change comes to the neighborhood. Here are a few thoughts on the state of the Castro and its future: Continued economic vibrancy The Castro's economy, like the rest of the nation, has had some rough years, but things are looking up. Many in the neighborhood are frustrated with commercial vacancies – and particularly a few long-term notable vacancies – but the numbers tell a positive economic story. A few Sundays ago, I did perhaps the ultimate nerdy district supervisor thing and walked the neighborhood – from Diamond to Church and Duboce to 19th – compiling a list of new businesses that have opened in the last two years and of vacancies. The result: 35 businesses have come into the neighborhood in the past two years, 33 of which were new businesses (as opposed to existing businesses changing location) and only one of which was formula retail. In addition, only 15 vacancies persist out of hundreds of ground-floor commercial spaces. Of those 15 vacancies, several likely will be filled in the coming months. In other words, businesses want to come here, and the new businesses that are coming here are overwhelmingly local. We need to fill the remaining vacancies and ensure that the neighborhood retains its local-business flavor. If the past predicts anything, the future is positive on this front. New housing and the need for housing options Housing is way too expensive in the Castro. Rents are through the roof, which means that young people struggle to come here and longtime residents struggle to stay here. Nearly 2,000 units of new housing are slated for the Upper Market area in the next several years. This housing will have retail on the ground floor, and the housing and retail will create significant new foot traffic and urban vibrancy, particularly between Sanchez and Octavia. This change will bring new jobs and life into that stretch of Market Street. We are working hard to ensure that the new housing is diverse and not just high-end condos. Several of the projects are rentals, and we will see quite a few new affordable units. For example, the 55 Laguna project will add 160 affordable units, 110 of which will be for lower-income LGBT seniors. We need to add different sizes of units, including larger family units and smaller units for the many single people who live here. I'd also like to see housing for transition-age youth built in Upper Market, and I hope that Larkin Street and other youth organizations will consider the neighborhood for that type of housing. The addition of new housing and retail also means an even greater need to expand Muni's capacity and improve its reliability. Muni is struggling to meet current neighborhood demand. With a growing population, we must prioritize Muni's maintenance, reliability, and capacity. Improving our public realm While the Castro has wonderful parks at its edges, the neighborhood has remarkably little usable public space. Harvey Milk Plaza is poorly designed and doesn't honor its namesake with a wonderful and safe public gathering space. Jane Warner Plaza is terrific but small. While the Castro is one of the most pedestrian-focused neighborhoods in the city, Castro Street's sidewalks are embarrassingly narrow. Here, too, the future is positive. I've secured funding to widen the Castro Street sidewalks from Market to 19th from the current 12 feet to 18 or 19 feet. Many of us are committed to a fundamental redesign of Harvey Milk Plaza. There's also a strong commitment to upgrading Jane Warner Plaza. We can and will improve the Castro's public spaces. Embracing the Castro's LGBT cultural significance Change brings uncertainty, including for our neighborhood's LGBT cultural identity. We need to continue the neighborhood's strong connection to the LGBT community. The GLBT History Museum was an excellent recent addition, and I've been proud to support the museum in the budget process and otherwise. I'm excited about the San Francisco AIDS Foundation's planned HIV health center (at the current Superstar Video space), which will be a larger version of Magnet combined with the Stop AIDS Project and the Stonewall Project. Castro County Club has come back from the brink and is a unique sober space for our community. The LGBT Community Center is a critical resource for many. LYRIC continues to serve LGBT young people, and I hope that at some point it will remain open later to provide a safe evening space for youth. LGBT nightlife in the Castro is flourishing and provides an important connection to the neighborhood for many LGBT people. Do we have challenges as a neighborhood? Yes. Are we working to meet them? Absolutely, and our neighborhood's future is a bright one. Scott Wiener represents District 8, which includes the Castro, on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

I completed my first Classic: RABBIT, RUN (Updike). I rated it a 1.5/5. :( I finished my first: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.http://superfastreader.wordpress.com/2007/01/07/the-moonstone-by-wilkie-collins/ I actually read one of my challenge books in December, so I added a new one to my list!I read Edith Wharton's, The Age of Innocence in December; and finished Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen in January. Very brief reviews are posted on my blog (caribousmom). What's happened to the dates?! This appears to have been blogged in March 2007 - the Winter Challenge is now officially over :-) I finished my first as well. Isn't it funny that, just like The Superfast Reader, it was Wilkie Collins' Moonstone? See the entry for January 6th.http://individualtake.blogspot.com/ Joy, I'll be over to read your review. Looks like you didn't like it much with only a 1.5 rating. Hope the next one is better.Superfast, I'm still jealous of the spead with which you read. Anxious to read your thoughts about Moonstone.Wendy, I have no problem with you reading one of your classics in Dec and counting it, if you want to. Rajm, the date trick is one I learned from Colleen Gleason. By predating a blog, it will stay at the top of my blog throughout the whole classics challenge, so readers don't have to waste time finding the post. I did the same thing with the one just below it. Jill, I wonder if you and superfast reader will feel similar about that the book. That's a chunkster - you must be a fast reader, too. I've just finished my first classic The Wind in the Willows and I really enjoyed it. I'm back to the Fellowship of the Ring (my second one). I should finish it any time now. Hopefully. :) That's quite a list. No wonder you were always on the computer :) I just finished my first yesterday, Lady Audley's Secret. It was pretty good! I finished A Wrinkle in Time, now I"m passing it on to one of my children to read :)http://womenathome.typepad.com/my_reads/2007/01/a_wrinkle_in_ti.html http://womenathome.typepad.com/my_reads/2007/01/a_wrinkle_in_ti.htmlI don't know what happened to the link... sorry. I finished my first, Casino Royale, awhile back. Here's a link to the review:http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=568 I finished my first book: Madame Bovary Woo hoo, one down, four to go! I just finished "Umrao Jaan Ada", an Urdu classic, written in 1905 about a courtesan in the Royal Courts of Lucknow, India. I finished my first as well: Metamorphosis. Next one coming up soon promise. I finished the Odyssey. I'm not sure I feel any smarter. :) I am struggling to read Catch-22. I am really hating this book (I know many, many people love it...but, it is just torture for me). I want to give up on it (I'm 70 pages into the book). Is it permissible to give up on one of my listed books and substitute another classic in its place? (...please, please say yes!!)Wendy Wow! you guys are doing awesome! I'm going to be starting my first classic today - Woman in White. I feel so far behind, but I had to read a couple books for book groups. Might be quite embarassing if I don't finish my own challenge!Wendy, don't hesitate to change one book on your list for a different one. Thank you, thank you, thank you!I've bagged Catch-22 (I'll be interested to see what other readers think of this book!).I've substituted: Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton. My blog is updated with this new information. Hi! I finished Frankenstein and posted this on it:http://www.sheilaomalley.com/archives/007375.htmlI also finished Tale of 2 Cities:http://www.sheilaomalley.com/archives/007516.htmlI'm reading Gulliver's Travels now - I'll let you know when I finish it! I completed my second Classic: BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (Capote). I rated it a 3.25/5. OK my first one is up. Jo's Boys by L M Alcott(randomjottings.typepad.com) I finished Silas Marner by George Eliot. My review is here:http://educatingpetunia.blogspot.com/ I've just finished The Fellowship of the Ring and I'm currently reading The Two Towers (my third in the list!) I made a new blog, just for books, and am updating this challenge there. I've finished Robinson Crusoe (in December) and then The Great Gatsby and Treasure Island over the holidays, into January. I'm slogging through On the Road right now; slow going though, because it is not grabbing me. Oh yeah, I'm reading Moby Dick with an online group, a few pages a day. It might take more than until the end of Feb, so it won't count for this challenge but it's pretty awesome. Hi booklogged!Apparently PBS is going to be airing "Jane Eyre" (Masterpiece Theatre) on Jan 21 and 28. Check local listings. I thought fans of the book might like to watch it, I know I will be. Here's the link:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/janeeyre/ I've read two of them so far. Brave New World - Which I felt was ok, but I didn't fall in love with.And The Quiet American, which has turned me into a Greene fan. I've read my first book of the challenge, Miss Marjoribanks by Mrs. Oliphant. A small review is on my blog. Now I'm eager to move on to The Moonstone, thanks to other readers' reviews. I finished book number 2 from my list! Yeah!A Farewell to Arms ... nad I have to say, I did indeed fall in love with the book. Keep up the good work. Everyone is doing fabulous. I'm enjoying reading your reviews and have so many good classics added to my list.Lotus, thanks for the heads up on the Jane Eyre movie. I've never seen the movie and it's been a long, long time since I read the book, so I'm going to be in front of my tv on those two nights. Just finished my first: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. A quick review is on my "Pieces of Me" blog. I'm all done with Anna Karenina, my first for the Winter Classics Challenge. I posted my thoughts on my blog. :-) My first classic was "Atlas Shrugged." It was my third time, but it's still a great book. Here's the site of my reivew: http://framedandbooked.blogspot.com/2007/01/1st-chunkster-and-classics-book.htmlNow I've got to read some of these other reviews. I finished The Color Purple...splendid book!! My review and thoughts are posted to my blog. I started The Grapes of Wrath yesterday and so far am really enjoying it!Wendy I finished my first, also The Moonstone. I gave it 3/5. :) More thoughts on my blog. I surprised myself by jumping into Fahrenheit 451 so quickly and now it's another book I can check off my Classics Challenge list. I really enjoyed it. Now I'm off to read a book for another challenge. :-) I completed by third Classic: ANIMAL FARM (Orwell). I rated it a 3.25/5. Next up is LORD OF THE FLIES (Golding). I've finished reading Mary Poppins, my first book for the Classics Challenge. On to The Railway Children.md I finished classic #1, Lady Chatterley's Lover. My scribbles about this book can be found at My Reading Adventures I have finished Emma and Pride and Prejudice. I'm currently working on Anna Karenina. Good luck with the spread sheet! I finished my first classic: The Awakening by Kate Chopin. I wrote a brief review on my blog. http://www.joyfuljottings-janet.blogspot.com I've finished Kim: http://pussreboots.livejournal.com/186146.html Ok, I can report on two more:Finished :The Good Earth by Pearl Buck (a post on it should be up later today)Finished: Some Prefer Nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki (post later in the week)3 down, 2 to go! :) One down, four to go -Evelina is finished. Can't hold a candle to Jane Austen but fascinating as historical research. Okay I finished my quite a while ago but I read Madame Bovary and hope to fit in another one really soon. lol I managed to finished my third read! The Canterbury Tales! I really did enjoy it ... I read several parts out loud - it is much better spoken than read I thought (or maybe it's easier for me to hear the flow of the poetry when it's spoken than just read!) Two down - three to go - I've completed Three Men in a Boat and The Turn of the Screw - now with the Henry James I start to leave the English Novel in my selections.. Well, I gave up on On the Road by Jack Kerouac.For my penance, I resolve to complete one extra book to make up for the boring, druggie, slacker-hippie fest that was On the RoadThe extra book was Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Much better, albeit, shorter. Next up for the challenge is to read Emma, and for extra credit, there are some childern's classics that I plan to read, just because I never read them. (I think I plan to read a bunch of classics this winter, especially all the short ones I can find. There are some gaping holes in my reading history) I just finished The Brothers Karamazov. I'm heading over to write my review right now. BTW, I'm enjoying going to other blogs to read their reviews on the Classics they have read. What an interesting group of readers. I've written a review for my second book, McTeague. It was a hard one to finish. http://caribousmom.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/1/19/2665019.htmlFinished The Grapes of Wrath! And now I'm going to take a break from classics until February. You can read my review on The Grapes of Wrath on my blog (link above).Wendy My Classics Challenge is a trip around the world, with the first book being Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, known for his contribution to Japanese short fiction.http://historicalpresent.typepad.com/historical_present/2007/01/classics_challe.html Just finished "Persuasion" by Jane Austen. Loved it! I completed my fourth Classic: LORD OF THE FLIES (Golding). I rated it a 3/5. Last in line is MRS. DALLOWAY (Woolf). Finished my first one - Les Miserables.Took me 2 weeks to read the first half and one week to read the second half :-) I don't even want to think about everything that has been left undone while I read, but the book was worth it!!One down - 4 to go. On to Dracula :-) I finished my first one:Letters from Hawaii, by Mark Twain.My review is up at:http://sharala.blogspot.com/2007/01/finally-tbrclassics-book-one.html Winter Classic Challenge book #2 completed! :) My thoughts about Incidents in the Life of Slave Girl will be posted on my site, My Reading Adventures, soon. Finished challenge book #1 on 1-19.Pride and Prejudice by Jane AustenRated 4/5. I am starting #2, Silas Marner, tomorrow Finished Middlemarch (number two)! It was longer than I thought: 578 pages in the Norton critical edition (translation: tiny, tiny print that normal humans can barely read).I love it though-hopefully I'll have a review up at my site tomorrow. No promises until Thursday, though! I just finished Silas Marner. My review is up at my blog.Just a quick correction to your list of authors, titles, readers; it doesn't show me as one of the folks reading this particular title. I've finished my second Classic read, My Antonia. I'm still going along with The Moonstone but life is annoyingly getting in the way of a nice long read! Review of Willa Cather's novel at http://indextrious.blogspot.com/2007/01/reading-my-antonia.html#links Finished my second book, Agnes Grey. I have a review up at my blog already.http://educatingpetunia.blogspot.com/2007/01/review-agnes-grey.html I've completed my first and second classics. I already have a review for Silas Marner posted, but I just finished Scarlet Pimpernel today, so it may be a few days before I write my review on it. I finished A Tale of Two Cities last week. It's the first time I've read it, to my embarrassment, and I encourage anyone holding off to grab it. What a great story of friendship and character during the French Revolution. Now I'm picking up Stendhal's The Red and The Black which I saw on a blog a few weeks ago. I love Classics, booklogged, and find this Challenge especially thrilling when I can be a "voyeur" on other's classic coices. I have started reading three at once (bad habit I know) and am half way through with those three... I've finished number 2: Eight Cousins. I actually enjoyed it though it was a bit preachy. My full review will eventually be up on my blog. Hopefully sometime today. I've finished book #3, Uncle Tom's Cabin. I read The Moonstone and reviewed it here. Loved it as much as The Woman in White! I've just finished Fathers and Sons. I quite enjoyed it and am now looking forward to reading the next Turgenev on the list. OK, Mrs. Dalloway is finally done; I can't seem to stop using semicolons now; it progressed so slowly and was terrible. Perhaps I'm too post-modern (or old fashioned?) for Virginia Woolfe, but I prefer my novels to have what we in the provinces call a plot I can read stream-of-consciousness drivel anywhere these days--I was expecting more. I give it a few sentences on today's blog post, but it's not much more than what I just posted here LOL Glad to be done with it is my overall review.Vanity Fair OTOH is wrapping up today, and I'm enjoying it much more. Much easier to read, understand, and relate to, even set in Victorian England with 100 pages of footnotes. I've finished book #4: Fighting Angel. I've finished The Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene and The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I love those snowflakes! I just reviewed my third, "The Hound of the Baskervilles." It was a fun read. Here's the link:http://framedandbooked.blogspot.com/2007/01/3rd-classic-challenge.html I just finished Peter Pan and my review is here I completed my last Classic: MRS. DALLOWAY (Woolf). I rated it a 1/5. :( I've finished my first classic and posted about it here:http://verniciousknids.blogspot.com/2007/01/carbon-betteredge-mere-carbon-my-good.html Thanks for organising this challenge! Congratulations to Joy. She is the first to complete all five of her classics - and in less than a month. Way to go, Joy!Actually, I'm impressed at how well everyone is doing. Only one more month. We can do it, right?! Right! Finished my second classic: Dracula by Bram Stoker.VERY glad I finally got around to reading the original. Finished 2nd: I, Robot by Asimov.Am 20 pages short of my third read which is the poem The Art of Love by Ovid. It should be up in a day or two. Woo-hoo! I have already finished The Woman in White, and am well on the way to finishing Martin Chuzzlewit. I'm going great guns at the moment. Review to follow soon... My second classic was The Railway Children by E Nesbit. It was outstanding, especially since I read the Folio edition, which is beautifully illustrated.md Now finished re-reading Where Angels Fear to Tread, bit of a break to read my Book Group book of the month before I return to the classics! Hi, booklogged!I have finished 3 out 5 books for the classics challenge and I would like to make a change if I may, Instead of "Palace Walk" which I am struggling with at the moment, can I read "Alice in Wonderland"? I see you are reading it, too, so it will be fun to compare notes. Also, if I read "Through the Looking Glass and what Alice Found There" would that be considered a separate read altogether or part of the same one? THanks! Done with number three, Out of Africa. I enjoyed it, and will write up my thoughts tomorrow.http://astripedarmchair.blogspot.com I finished reading Catch-22 last night and will be moving onto Emma the beginning of next month. Lotus, I think we should count Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass as two separate classics. Does that sound okay to you. I'm just about finished with Alice and don't think I care to read the sequel.Everyone is doing marvelous! I hope I do better in Feb than I've done in Feb. Do you realize there are 101 people signed up to read classics?! Is that incredible, or what?! Booklogged, thank you! Sounds great! I finished "Alice in Wonderland" last night and I shouldn't take too long with the "The Looking Glass...". Yes, the nonsense writing, is getting to me, too, lol, but I am curious to find out what happens in the sequel. If I have time I may go back and tackle "Palace Walk".It's great that so many people have signed up for the classics read! Wonderful! I have finished three of my classics: The Awakening, Ethan Frome, and Catch 22. I did not like Catch 22 at all. I would probably have tossed it aside if my student teacher didn't want to teach it so badly. I loved The Awakening and Ethan Frome. Two very different views of women and love. I just finished Beowulf. A pretty good read and the language, to die for.Here's the link to my post about it.http://greatewhitenorth.blogspot.com/ I've finished Liza, and now I've got only about 1 3/4 to go . . . I'm doing somethingahead of schedule for once! Finished my fourth: Lady Audley's Secret I finished Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen last night! Woo hoo! I've got one more to go to complete the challenge. I rated Northanger Abbey a 3.5/5. Not my favorite Austen novel, but worth reading. I finished my fourth, "Candide." I'm thoroughly enjoying reading "The Scarlet Pimpernel," which will be my fifth. Way to go, Joy, for getting all five done so quickly. Book #3 is completed. Hopefully, I'll have time to scribble my thoughts on this book and book #2 on my site, My Reading Adventures, soon. It's going to be a cold,cold weekend, so I plan on reading a lot! Finished my third title, Mary Barton and posted the review to my blog today (Feb 4) I finished my first Pride & Prejudice on 1-19 and forgot to post and should be finishing my second(Silas Marner) today or tomorrow. I have reviewed the first and will be posting the 2nd and my site within the next couple of days. I have now finished four of my classics: 1. Catch 222. The Awakening3. Ethan Frome4. O Pioneers (the most recent)I have one more to read and that is Little Women but I picked up a mystery - Ricochet by Sandra Brown and I can't put this one down. Just finished #3 Little Women this evening. Looking forward to #4 - The Three Musketeers :-)Thanks again for sponsoring this challenge. I'm having a great time reading these. I just finished my second The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. :) I have finished my fifth and final book: A Room With a ViewThank you for sponsoring this challenge! It was a lot of fun =) I've finished two of my classics...I noticed that on your list, I'm just J, no link, so I must have neglected to give you all of my info before. Sorry!Jhttp://jellyjules.comFirst review: East of Eden - http://jellyjules.com/?p=509Second review: Henry and June - http://jellyjules.com/?p=524Thanks! This is fun. Have finished numbers 2 and 3 of the Classics Challenge - Martin Chuzzlewit and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.Reviews on my blog: http://adventuresinbookland.blogspot.com I've finished The Moonstone, finally. I really enjoyed it. Now forward to the last 2 classics... I have completed the challenge! Booklogged thank you so much for initiating it - I have enjoyed this so much. I have now vowed to read a classic atleast once every six months - this challenge was just the motivation I needed to get back into the classics, thanks! I just finished my 5th Classic, "The Scarlet Pimpernel." What a fun book. I had "Wuthering Heights" listed for Classics and Chunksters but I'm passing on it for now. I've read some interesting reviews. Are you doing this Challenge again next year? Just posted my 3rd review ~ Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery on my Pieces of Me site. Delightful read... I've only read one of my classics, Emma, I'm doing so bad. Oh well, there's still a couple of weeks left :) I'm all done! I've posted my last review for The Sea-Wolf on my blog. I've posted about my second read here:http://verniciousknids.blogspot.com/2007/02/peter-quint-you-devil.htmlI was disappointed in The Turn of the Screw but am already halfway through my third choice! I seem to be super far behind in this! I finished my 1st last week, but I'm almost done with 2 more! The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. Very Good Book! Here's my review: http://stephaniesbooks.blogspot.com/2007/02/classic-tale-by-lesser-known-bronte.html Finished my 2nd Classics book -- Silas Marner. Loved it! My review along with my favorite passages can be found at http://3mreviews.blogspot.com.I'm making steady progress on The Woman in White, and luckily my two other ones are very short: Heart of Darkness and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Finished my first (blushes in shame at being so slow). Posted here on Cheri by Colette: http://booktraveller.blogspot.com/2007/02/classics-challenge-one-down.html Finished my last! Daisy Miller by Henry James; I'm not really sure how I feel about it yet.http://astripedarmchair.blogspot.com Here is my review of my second classic, Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.http://sharala.blogspot.com/2007/02/classics-challenge-mrs-dalloway.htmlMy third has been finished but I'm waiting to post my review. I finished the first four of my classics and have comments up at my blog. (Didn't realize I should stop by and post until now. I'm glad I did because it's fun to read everyone else's comments and see their selections.)#1 was the Odyssey and I think I'm happier about having read it than I was about reading it . . . #2, 3, and 4 were Mary Barton (thanks to Jill), The Scarlet Pimpernel (fast and entertaining read, though not what I expected from vague memories of the movie), and Bell for Adano (substitution for Oliver Twist). I completed Jane Austen's Emma in wee hours of the morning. Finished! Wrapped up the challenge by reading Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton. Wow...what a great book. I gave it a 5/5 and posted a review on my blog.THANK YOU, Booklogged, for sponsoring this wonderful challenge. It has refreshed my love of the classics and made me vow to keep reading more of them. Well, I'm not keeping up too well, but I've finished Rebecca and A Wrinkle in Time. Next up - Emma. I've just finished Chesterton's The Man who was Thursday and have posted some thoughts on it. A quick read, if you don't stop to try to figure out the meaning of each page as you go along... Finished my 3rd book--Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Review and favorite passages can be found at http://3mreviews.blogspot.com.Happy Reading! I've finished reading my five. I've finally finished my fifth classic, Mary Barton. I've enjoyed this challenge very much, and been inspired to read some more of my must-reads! Number four down. I really enjoyed Mrs. Mike. A review is up at my blog. Now to get ahold of a Fennimore Cooper book before the end of the month! Finished #4 - The Three Musketeers. What a fun romp.On to #5 - Frankenstein.Thanks again Booklogged - this has been a fun challenge. I have finished all five of my classics. I just completed Little Women. The complete list is on the margin of my blog. Ok what is next? I've just finished my #3, The Two Towers. I've also finished Candide which was in my EXTRA list (hope it counts as a #4) Just posted my 4th Classics review~ Wuthering Heights ~ on my "Pieces of Me" site ~ Have almost finished my 5th classic. Yipee!! My third book is done and reviewed here:http://sharala.blogspot.com/2007/02/walker-in-city-by-alfred-kazin.htmlStruggling through the last two but think I'll make it. Of course plans seemed to change a bit. I've finished at least five classics. Most recent books were: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'engle and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Emma is not calling me, but I might finish Northanger Abby by the end of February. One Austen is as good as another?Thanks for the challenge.I've quite enjoyed it and I'm sure I will be peppering my reading with classics much more often now.my reviews are at http://www.freewebs.com/raidergirl3/ My thoughts on classic #4 can be found at My Reading Adventures What great fun this was! I finished by 5th classic tonight. I really enjoyed doing this. Thank you for inspiring me to open up and read some of the classics that had been lingering on my shelves for awhile. I have finished my last classic ~ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. A delightful read, timeless in it's telling.Thank you, Booklogged, for this fun challenge. I would not have gotten to those classics right away if it hadn't been for this challenge. So glad I did! I think the date is off on your posts. Book 2 down...find my review here http://booktraveller.blogspot.com/2007/02/if-this-is-man.html I've finished Little Women, but I can't get away from Louisa May. I'm on Jo's Boys now and soon it will be Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom.md I've finished #3, Moll Flanders. I'll be reading like crazy trying to finish the other two in time.http://educatingpetunia.blogspot.com/2007/02/review-moll-flanders.html I finished my 5th one - Frankenstein - very good. Comments are on my blog.I'll be posting a Winter Classics Wrap Up post tomorrow.Thank You SO much for doing this!! Hope to do this again so I can read some of those I had on my possibilities list. I've read two of mine. Lord of the Flies by Golding and At the Mountains of Madness by Lovecraft.www.stephenlang.co.uk Finished: Athol Fugard's play _Master Harold and the Boys_.Historical / Present Finished fourth book a while ago and will hopefully finish the fifth one in time... I've finished Little Women and Sense and Sensibility. I also changed my fifth classic to Northanger Abbey. It was available at my library in CD form and it's short enough to finish before the end of February. I might still be able to finish all five!! Finished my 4th--The Woman in White. I was really nervous that I wouldn't be able to finish, but my next book is the fairly (fairlie--ha ha from the Woman in White) short Heart of Darkness. I think I'll make it! I think I can....I think I can.....http://3mreviews.blogspot.com/2007/02/woman-in-white-by-wilkie-collins.html Number four is done at last! Now that I've read it I can't think why I let Tess of the D'Urbervilles languish in my TBR box so long. My review of the final classic should be up in the nick of time tomorrow - as long as my browser doesn't throw a tantrum! Hmm. It looks like my comment did not go through, so here's a second try.Completed: Australian Miles Franklin's All That Swaggers. Also here's the permalink to one already reported, but incorrectly linked: Fugard's 'Master Harold' ... And the Boys. I completed the challenge! :) I finished classic #5, Persuasion, on Feb. 18th. Hopefully, I can get my review done and posted by the end of today. Thanks for hosting this challenge. I had my doubts if I would accomplish it but I did. :D I'm FINISHED! The Canterbury Tales have been read and reviewed, and just in time too - in my time zone it's 11.58pm! Thank you for hosting this challenge! I finished my 5th classic, Heart of Darkness. All five of my reviews can be found at this link:http://3mchallenges.blogspot.com/2007/02/winter-classics-challenge.html Completed the challenge around 11pm last night - Crime and Punishment many thanks for providing the impetus to get me to re-read this! Post a Comment

Source: Catholic News Service Truth-inspired World War I action drama about a disparate group of young Americans (James Franco, Abdul Salis, Philip Winchester and Tyler Labine) who, before the United States' entry in the war, volunteer for various reasons with a French air squadron -- the Lafayette Escadrille -- during the pioneer days of aviation combat and whose idealism is chilled by their experiences. Directed by Tony Bill, the film's appealing young cast and impressive aerial dogfight sequences are wasted on an episodic and overly long script that never takes off dramatically and lacks well-developed characters. Recurring wartime violence, a scene in a brothel, a suicide, some sexual innuendo, scattered mildly crude expressions, profanity and racial slurs. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. Thank you for your comments. Editors will review all posts before they are visible on the website. blog comments powered by

Why The Swamp Will Be Rocking This Year The Defense is a Year Older and a Year Better You may not have realized it, but the 2011 defense was very good. In fact, Florida had the No. 8 ranked defense in the country last season. Unfortunately, the major failures on offense overshadowed stellar defensive play. SEC teams better not sleep on Florida's defense this year, which could reach the top five in rankings when it’s all said and done. The defense returns almost all of last year’s starters, including defensive studs Jon Bostic, Sharrif Floyd, Jelani Jenkins and Matt Elam. All of them will play major roles during the 2012-13 campaign. New to the defense are top-ranked recruits Jonathan Bullard and Dante Fowler Jr. Head coach Will Muschamp has said that they both have looked good in fall practice, and both will likely see some playing time once the season starts. The one questionable part of the Florida defense is the secondary. Right now, the cornerback corps looks to be made up of Cody Riggs, Jaylen Watkins, Marcus Roberson and Louchiez Purifoy. Riggs and Watkins are beginning their third season at Florida. Neither registered an interception in 13 games last year. Roberson made an impression last season, starting ten games as a freshman and recording one interception before suffering a season-ending injury against South Carolina. He is still young, but he might be the most promising corner the Gators have on the roster (until Vernon Hargreaves III enrolls next year). Purifoy played in every game last season, but you might not have noticed him because he spent most of his time on special teams. While on special teams, he recorded 22 tackles, and he forced a fumble in UF’s Gator Bowl win over Ohio State. An Improved Offensive Line The big guys up front are the root of success on offense. Last year, the Gators’ offensive line was not good, to say the least, which resulted in a subpar year from the offense as an entire unit. The 2012 squad returns several big men from last year’s team, including Xavier Nixon, Jon Halapio, Jonothan Harrison, Matt Patchan and Chaz Green. Harrison, who started all but one game under center last season, will likely be the starting center in 2012. While not quite Pouncey-esque, Harrison had some errant snaps last season, which he will need to work on if he wants to be a succeed at the position. New to the O-Line are highly touted recruits Jessamen Dunker and D.J. Humphries. Dunker was a four-star recruit out of South Florida. Humphries was the gem of the 2012 class, a five-star prospect from North Carolina. Humphries is currently out for two to three weeks with an MCL injury. Mike Gillislee Can Run Inside and Out It’s time to rejoice, Gators fans, because Gilly has finally been freed. Gillislee was relegated to the No. 3 back last season, behind departed backs' Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey. The team of Demps and Rainey carried the ball 269 times for 1,430 yards. Gillislee will be expected to pick up most of that weight this season. He averaged 5.9 yards per rush on 56 carries last season. If scaled out to match the number of carries Demps and Rainey received last season, it equals nearly 1,600 yards. Gillislee is a different type of runner than Demps and Rainey. Demps and Rainey were small and speedy, looking for open space where they could use their blazing speed. Gillislee can effectively run between the tackles, making his own space. Unlike the two speedsters, Gillislee is able to hit defenders and also make them miss. While Gillislee isn’t Trent Richardson, who demonstrated a remarkable ability to drag defenders for yards at a time, he will be able to dish out some punishment of his own. Gillislee said during the offseason that his goal was 1,500 yards. If he stays healthy, that goal shouldn’t be out of reach. Brissett and Driskel Are Young and Improving There are less than two weeks until Florida takes the field against Bowling Green, and the coaching staff still has not named a starting quarterback. Muschamp recently stated that the position battle is likely to come down to the wire, with a starter being announced the week of the opening game. No matter who is named starting QB, the Gators will start someone who has a lot of potential. Driskel and Brissett came to Florida as the No. 1 and No. 3 quarterbacks in their class, respectively. Although neither was spectacular in limited time last season, they are a year older now and both of them know that one will be taking the majority of the snaps in 2012. Driskel suffered a minor injury to his non-throwing shoulder in practice last week, but he quickly returned to practice, and the injury shouldn’t have too much of an effect on the quarterback battle. Brissett saw more time than Driskel last season and started two games. That might have been enough to swing the battle in his favor, but Brissett wasn’t exactly eye opening in his time on the field. He completed just 18 of his 39 passing attempts last season, good for a completion percentage of 46.2 percent. He also threw four interceptions compared to 2 touchdowns. Driskel wasn’t much better, completing 47.1 percent (16-of-34) of his passes. He tossed two picks, while failing to throw for any touchdowns. Despite a subpar showing last year, both QB's were true freshman in 2011 and were thrown into very difficult situations. Driskel’s first real playing time came after John Brantley was injured in the Alabama game. Alabama had the No. 1 defense in the country, which featured bruisers like Courtney Upshaw, Mark Barron and Dont’a Hightower, enough to scare even the most experienced quarterbacks. Brissett was then thrown into the starting lineup against LSU in Baton Rouge, against the No. 2 defense in the country. How about that for a first start? In short, try not to hold 2011 against these young quarterbacks. They now have a year of SEC play under their belts, and should be ready come September 1. No Alabama On The Schedule Last year’s schedule was a lesson in humility. The Gators began the season riding high, beating FAU, UAB, Tennessee and Kentucky in convincing fashion. They ended the first month of the season 4-0 and ranked No. 12. Then came Alabama. Alabama broke Florida. The Gators came in looking good and left battered and beaten. There was one joyous moment early in the game when it looked like Florida was up 14-3 on ‘Bama, but a referee’s decision called back the touchdown. The game and the season went downhill from there. After Alabama, came a blowout loss to LSU. Then a low-scoring loss to Auburn. Then came a heartbreaking loss to Georgia, and all of a sudden, the Gators had lost four straight and were completely out of the SEC picture. This year, the schedule is a little easier. The Gators have three games against Bowling Green, Louisiana and Jacksonville State, which should be easy victories (four if you count Kentucky, and let’s face it, Kentucky counts as an easy win every year). Following the almost certain "W's" are the likes of Texas A&M, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Missouri. The Gators have the talent to win all four of these games, but for the sake of being realistic, we will shoot for three out of four. If the Gators win seven of those eight, they will have equaled last season’s win total. If they win all eight, they’ve already improved. Next come the tough games: LSU, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida State. All four are in the top 10 of the preseason AP poll. Despite these team's lofty preseason rankings, none of these four games are un-winnable. LSU will be the toughest game of the four, but if Florida comes in with momentum, they might be able to squeeze out a victory. This year's game is in The Swamp, which will provide a boost to the team and a nice home field advantage. The Gators only lost by a combined nine points to South Carolina and Georgia last season, so with an improved offense and a better defense, a win against either of them isn’t out of the question. And finally comes Florida State, a win many Gators fans want more than any. Florida’s been outscored 52-7 by their in-state rivals the last two seasons. The Gator defense was able to hold FSU to under 100 yards last season, but even that wasn’t enough to pull out the "W." With an all around improved team, a full year under Muschamp's direction, and an easier schedule than the one Florida faced in 2011, the Gators have the chance to turn some heads this upcoming college football season.

MADISON, Wis. (10/18/10)--“It’s time to puncture the myth that the more you pay for college, the more you earn upon graduation," said Vince Passione, CEO and founder of Fynanz, a technology provider of turn-key private student lending networks and solutions and a CUNA Strategic Services provider. While it’s never been more important for young people to have a college degree to earn a living that will enable them to have an opportunity to be a middle-income or more wage earner, too many students are spending a fortune on college but choosing--or winding up with--jobs that will never make it possible for them to pay off their student loans, Fynanz said. “The average tuition and fees for one year of private education is $27,000 and has been rising faster than the cost of living. At this cost, potential student borrowers must ask themselves what type of income they will derive from their course of study and if there is a positive return,” Passione said. But the question parents and students have to ask themselves is: Does it make sense to spend that kind of money on just any degree? Seven of the jobs listed in CNN/Money Magazine's (Oct. 4) top 10 paying jobs are in the medical field, for example. "I spent $50,000 a year sending my daughter to the University of Chicago--a great, great school,” a parent said during a recent college tour. “She graduated and took a journalism job that paid her $18,000 annually. She would have been better off financially going to a state school where we invested that kind of money into a house." Well aware of the Sallie Mae study released a week ago that reported one out of four parents saving for their child's college costs plan to raid their retirement savings accounts, Passione said it's important parents and students be realistic about their futures. For one thing, parents dipping into their retirement nest egg are potentially triggering bigger tax penalties than if they tapped into other investment options. Even taking out a loan against a 401(k) can be dangerous because it must be paid back within five years, or immediately when the borrower changes jobs. Also, tapping a retirement account for college reduces the amount of potential financial aid a family qualifies for in the following year by as much as 47%, according to Fastweb.com and FinAid.org. Passione and Fynanz are so convinced that consumers need help with their personal finance matters that they recently launched a personal finance column called “Ken's Corner,” dealing primarily with financial aid issues for college students and their parents.

In Soul Society, Rin Tsubokura receives a message that transmitter swords will be placed at every battlefield, so that Rin can send direct messages to the fighters when they are ready. Rin then sends out a message to all Shinigami in Seireitei that Ichigo is currently heading to Soul Society. He then divulges that the Quincy are unable to steal his Bankai, as confirmed by the Research and Development Institute. Various Shinigami react to this information. However, Akon then discovers that Ichigo's Reiatsu in Garganta has vanished. In the Garganta, Ichigo struggles to escape from Quilge's jail. He attempts to contact Akon, but while Ichigo can hear Akon, Akon is unable to hear Ichigo. In Soul Society, Jidanbō attacks the Research and Development Institute. Hiyosu tries to seal the area, but he is attacked by Rin. With a blank expression on his face, Jidanbō prepares to attack again without saying anything. Meanwhile, Ichigo starts hearing not only the Research and Development Institute, but many people throughout in Seireitei that are near the transmitter swords. After hearing their words, Ichigo renews his attempt to break out of the jail he is in. Quilge reveals that he was given the letter "J" by his majesty for Quilge Opie of "The Jail". He then turns to Orihime and Sado, preparing to kill them, but he is suddenly cleaved in two from behind. A sword's blade then appears at Urahara's neck, with the wielder's identity remaining a mystery. Unable to break out despite using Getsuga Tenshō, Ichigo begins to despair and notices that he has been cut off from Kisuke Urahara and the SRDI. Meanwhile, in Soul Society, Byakuya is injured by Äs Nödt. Byakuya stops Renji Abarai from coming to his aid as they do not know the enemy's ability. Instead, he instructs Renji to watch as he draws out the Quincy's power. As Byakuya wonders if he has been poisoned due to feeling cold, Äs explains that he is suffering from fear. Äs compliments him on being able to resist it. As the Quincy talks, Byakuya attacks. He thinks about how he has never repressed his fear, but is then subjected to visions of Rukia Kuchiki disintegrating. Äs cuts him and notes that the fear he is facing is primal and cannot be reasoned away. Byakuya shrugs off another vision and tries to attack, but Äs produces the Bankai stealing medallion and uses it to badly injure Byakuya. Byakuya succumbs to Äs Nödt's attacks while Renji and Rukia are defeated. As Byakuya's apparent death is noted, Kenpachi Zaraki confronts Yhwach. Byakuya falls to his knees, bleeding. Äs Nödt informs the captain that he cannot win against his own Bankai with his Shikai. At this moment, Renji attacks Äs, shouting that he is unworthy of Senbonzakura. Rukia notices what is happening to her brother, and attempts to run to him, but her enemy attacks her. Renji's attack, meanwhile, is effortlessly blocked. His fight continues to be unsuccessful. Byakuya attempts to attack the Stern Ritter, but is overwhelmed by his own Bankai. Renji attempts to stop Äs, but is stopped by another Quincy. As Byakuya's blade shatters, he makes a mental apology to Renji and Rukia. Meanwhile, another member of the Vandenreich says to the leader that Byakuya is dead and two note that the battle is dragging on. The two of them suddenly notice Kenpachi Zaraki with three Quincy on his back, one of them impaled upon his sword. He asks Yhwach if he is the boss. Upon being asked how he defeated the them, Kenpachi briefly explains his battle with the three Stern Ritter and how he swiftly dispatched them. Haschwalth says that Kenpachi is a monster, but Kenpachi says that he is not interested in him. Kenpachi then attacks Yhwach, but his blow is blocked by the leader's arm. Meanwhile, in the Garganta, Ichigo continues to attempt to break out of Quilge's jail. He remembers his friends among Soul Society and shouts that he will protect them. In Soul Society, Shūhei Hisagi fights another of the Vandenreich, Driscoll Berci. However, he is at an easy disadvantage and his opponent even says that it is painful to fight someone so weak. Hisagi thinks to himself that his enemy is too powerful. Driscoll explains that his letter is "O" for "Overkill" and that his power increases every time he kills. He states that he killed 100 people today and 100 people, including a lieutenant, the last time he was in Soul Society. He attacks Hisagi, but his attack is deflected by Captain-Commander Yamamoto. An excited Driscoll says that he is lucky to fight Yamamoto and that he will kill the Captain-Commander with his subordinate's own Bankai. As Yamamoto weathers the attacks of his lieutenant's Bankai from Driscoll, the Captain-Commander recalls the time Sasakibe used his Bankai against him. Driscoll activates Sasakibe's Bankai, Kōkō Konryō Rikyū, telling Yamamoto that he should be thankful for being able to see it again. After Shūhei notes that it is able to affect the weather, Yamamoto is struck by lightning. Yamamoto recalls a visit that the young Sasakibe made to him at his school and how he always referred to him as "Eijisai-dono", a reference to the scar on his forehead. Though he knew Yamamoto disliked it and apologized for doing so, Sasakibe insisted that it would be wrong to use Yamamoto's real name. Sasakibe told Yamamoto that he wished to be his right arm and compensate for anything that Yamamoto could not do. He declined an offer to become an instructor as he thought that he would simply end up copying Yamamoto. At Yamamoto's behest, he tried to defeat Yamamoto with his mastered Bankai. Though he failed to defeat him, he left a permanent scar on Yamamoto's face. Sasakibe was told that his Bankai was like a child's, which he agreed with and said he would spend his life improving it in order to be of use to Yamamoto. He spent many years training intensely. When others began to call Yamamoto by a different name as a result of his new scar, Sasakibe continued to call him "Eijisai" as he could not change because of a scar he inflicted. It is due to this that he decided to call himself Genryūsai. Yamamoto makes no effort to defend himself and Shūhei mistakenly thinks that he has lost consciousness and tries to help. However, Yamamoto stops him and states that Sasakibe would be mortified to see the Bankai he worked so hard to improve appearing so weak. He then uses his Shikai to burn the flesh off of Driscoll's face and upper body. After avenging Sasakibe, Yamamoto goes to fight on the front lines. Finally able to express his condolences towards Sasakibe, having reduced Driscoll to ashes, Yamamoto vows to slay the entire opposition with his own hands. The Captain-Commander then moves to engage the enemy directly amid an enormous explosion of Reiatsu that is sensed throughout the battlefield. As Suì-Fēng becomes aware of Yamamoto's immense rage, Momo reiterates a similar sentiment elsewhere, causing Shinji to indicate that this was the first time he had seen the Captain-Commander fight on the front lines, so they had better hurry before Yamamoto steals all the fun. At the same time, Tōshirō tells Rangiku that they have a duty as Captain and Lieutenant to not be defeated so easily, which she acknowledges. Also responding to Yamamoto's activities, Komamura rallies a number of Shinigami from the verge of death with a rousing speech, bewildering Bambietta in the process. Sensing the resonating Reiatsu, Shunsui becomes serious after admitting to feeling as if he was being scolded from afar, almost like Yamamoto was telling him directly to be ashamed and that he wasn't raised to be a coward. Elsewhere, a defeated Zaraki is held aloft by his throat, as Yhwach remarks that to look at one of the 5 special war powers in such a pathetic state, meant he had vastly overestimated the captain's strength. Stating that Zaraki should sleep now as Soul Society was about to end, he is interrupted by Yamamoto's destructive arrival. Bathed in flame, Yamamoto states that it had been nearly a thousand years since they last met, before ferociously declaring that he had come to annihilate him. The confrontation between the leaders of the Vandenreich and Gotei 13 continues. As Shunsui and his opponent discuss the confrontation between their respective leaders, Yamamoto is ambushed by three members of the Stern Ritter, who he promptly cremates. Yhwach comments that they were foolish to interfere in his battle, prompting Yamamoto to attack him and say that the poor esteem he holds his subordinates in will end here. The leader of the Vandenreich retorts that Yamamoto has become old, but the manner in which he allows anger to get the better of him reminds him of when the Captain-Commander was younger. Yhwach draws his sword and Yamamoto activates his Bankai. Upon seeing the release of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Bankai, Haschwalth looks on to the Bankai, wondering if the small scorched blade that Yamamoto now carries is truly a Bankai. Yhwach, however, tells him not to underestimate it, as Zanka no Tachi incorporates all of the flames into that little blade. He goes on to say that one swing and it is the end, as it burns anything it cuts to ashes. Yamamoto recounts that Yhwach already saw his Bankai 1000 years ago. When Yhwach wonders if it is the same, Yamamoto says Yhwach can try it on his own body to see if it is the same as it was 1000 years ago. Elsewhere in Soul Society, Jūshirō Ukitake notices his throat going dry as Shunsui Kyōraku notes that his lips are chapped. In their barracks, Isane Kotetsu tells Retsu Unohana that her skin feels dry. Unohana smiles and tells Isane that she has said something girly for once, causing Isane to say that that is not what she meant. Unohana looks out to the sky as she says to the distant Yamamoto that he better hurry and end his fight soon before he destroys Soul Society with his own power. Back out on the battlefield, the ice of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru begins to melt and Hitsugaya tells his opponent he can no longer use Hyōrinmaru. The captains then begin noticing that the water around Soul Society is evaporating, noting that it can only be the power of Zanka no Tachi. Continuing their fight, Yamamoto swipes at Yhwach, who dodges the attack. Yhwach notices Yamamoto cut his cape, but it did not burst into flame. He questions if the Bankai has really changed in the past 1000 years. He goes on to say that no Zanpakutō has different abilities in Shikai and Bankai so the power of Zanka no Tachi must be fire. As he questions where the flames went, Yamamoto attacks again as Yhwach dodges and the blade hits a rock, causing a large explosion and for Yhwach to realize the power is in the point of the sword, which Yamamoto confirms. Yamamoto explains that Zanka no Tachi, East: Kyokujutsujin focuses the destructive power of his flames into the point of his sword. He says that it does not burn or fire up, it simply blows away anything that it touches, leaving no trace. Yamamoto attacks, saying not even Blut Vene can help Yhwach, but the Vandenreich leader simply states how boring this is. He says that he will simply have to cut Yamamoto without touching his blade. He draws his blade and attacks, but pulls the sword away to see that half of it is missing. Yamamoto tells his opponent that he is too confident, saying that if there is an east, there must be a west and decides to show Yhwach his ability. Suddenly visible to all eyes, Yamamoto is engulfed in a mass of flames. He calls the ability Zanka no Tachi, West: Zanjutsu Gokui, saying that its heat reaches 1,500,000 degrees and that while in Bankai, he cannot be touched, stating that it as if his body and sword are clad in the sun's flames. Captain-Commander Yamamoto continues fighting against Vandenreich leader, Yhwach. Haschwalth begins to feel the scorching heat from Yamamoto's Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui technique. He wonders whether the flames he's seeing are actually just illusions. However, he then concludes that they are actually the Shinigami's Reiatsu taking on a fiery form. Yamamoto says to Yhwach that they shall end the battle, for if they prolong it, Yamamoto will end up burning the entire Soul Society to nothing more than ashes. Yhwach remains silent and instead focuses on the effects he's experiencing from Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui. In addition, he realizes that he would be dead by now hadn't been the use of Blut Vene. Yamamoto speaks up and taunts him about his silence, adding that it's not surprising he cannot move, and that even if Yhwach were to run, he'd just kill him immediately. Hearing this, Yhwach fires a Heilig Pfeil only for it to be deflected. Yamamoto notes how, with his sword broken, he only has arrows left to fight with. With this in mind, he charges at his opponent. Yamamoto proclaims that nothing will work against him. In response, Yhwach says that a Quincy can fight with more than just a Cross and Heilig Pfeil. He then uses the technique Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger, causing several Quincy Cross-like Reishi columns to emerge from the ground, surrounding the Vandenreich leader in a circular formation. He proudly states that it grants him the greatest form of protection, and that should Yamamoto step inside, he'd be killed. Yamamoto shouts again that it will not work against him and pierces his sword in the ground outside the formation. He chants, asking the fallen warriors who died by his blade to help him engage in combat. With this said, he activates Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin, causing an army of skeletons to emerge from the ground. Yhwach looks on in shock as an army of charred skeletons bursts out of the ground, summoned forth by Yamamoto's Zanka no Tachi, Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin technique. Yamamoto explains that by using the heat of his sword on the ashes of the people he has killed, he is able to raise them and bring them under his command. He then sends them charging towards Yhwach, telling him that they won't stop attacking until they grind him into dust. Yhwach expresses his amusement over the leader of the Shinigami rousing the dead, calling Yamamoto a disgrace. Declaring that the attack will not work against him, he leaps towards Yamamoto, only to be blocked by a wall of skeletons. Yamamoto chastises him for talking too much, and tells him to take a closer look at the skeletons he just damaged. As the skeletons start to surround and grab onto him, Yhwach recognizes some of them as his deceased subordinates - Zeidritz, Algora, and Hubert. Yamamoto asks him how it feels to be held down by his own subordinates, and proceeds to walk away from him. Distraught, Yhwach shouts after him, asking where he is going. Yamamoto tells him that he is simply leaving some distance, and that Yhwach can come after him after he has destroyed his subordinates. He then asks Yhwach if he regrets having not stolen his Bankai immediately, before postulating that he was actually incapable of doing so. He states that Ichigo Kurosaki's Bankai cannot be stolen because it still has room for growth, and that his own cannot be taken because even a thousand years before, he had not shown its full power. He concludes that logically, Yhwach cannot steal something with an unknown limit. Still trapped by the skeletons, Yhwach screams out, prompting Yamamoto to mockingly note that the Quincy still has a heart. Finally breaking away from the skeletons, Yhwach again declares that he will not be stopped by such a technique. Yamamoto states that Yhwach must hate him for summoning his dead men and forcing him to break them. However, he then declares that his pain is nothing compared to that of all the Shinigami he killed. He proceeds to use Zanka no Tachi, Kita: Tenchi Kaijin, instantly destroying a massive portion of Yhwach's torso, as well as most of his left arm. Believing the fight finished, he then deactivates his Bankai, prompting a deluge of water to fall. Mortally wounded, Yhwach states that his power was not enough, apologizing to Yhwach-sama. Want to discuss the Bleach series or see a problem here that is also happening on other pages of the wiki? Join us on our forums to discuss it with the rest of our community. If you have a question about the contents or editing of just this page, please click here and leave a message.

After appearing on The Last Word Wednesday night, author and comedian John Hodgman joined Lawrence O'Donnell to talk more about the upcoming vice presidential debate and his new book, That Is All. Hodgman had one piece of advice for Joe Biden he didn't have time to mention on the show: "Since no one will get punished for saying a lie," Hodgman joked, "all Biden has to do is echo what he said about President Obama, and say, 'That Paul Ryan, a very clean cut young black man.' America will go insane because there is no truth or fiction anymore, and the right wing will dump Ryan right there." Hodgman also told us Lawrence O'Donnell himself is mentioned in his book. In a section about super-elite credit cards, That Is All informs its readers that the most exclusive card of all is the "Diner's Club Five-times Diamond Card," and one of the perks of that card is being able to commission playwright David Lindsay Abaire ("Rabbit Hole," "Fuddy Meers") to write an original Broadway show that Lawrence O'Donnell has to star in. Now, that's a credit card!

Working with OCF OCF staff face many challenges. Their focus is the care and protection of children at risk of harm, and the improvement of individual and family wellbeing. Living in the Territory The Territory boasts world famous national parks and reserves; however, it is the diversity of the people that is one of our greatest attractions. OCF have positions located across the NT. We require people that are committed to ensuring the imperative task of child protection is undertaken and who aren’t afraid of hard work. International applicants are encouraged to apply. A range of entitlements are on offer, including relocation, flights and vehicle hire. The Office of Children and Families (OCF) delivers services to a population of approximately 220 000 people in an area covering more than 1.3 million square kilometres. The Office of Children and Families is the provider of statutory child protection services in the Northern Territory (NT) and consists of five program areas: • Regional Services • Corporate Services • Social Inclusion Policy and Program Development • Care and Protection Policy and Program Development • Strategic Policy and Performance We provide services to enhance the protection of children at risk of harm, and support families, young people and communities in strengthening and maintaining social cohesion. Over the past five years the Office has undertaken a range of reforms in various areas, driven by a number of report recommendations. All reforms are undertaken with the express purpose of improving the provision of, and access to, services for families and children. The most recent inquiry is the Inquiry into the Child Protection System in the Northern Territory 2010. We are currently recruiting a range of skilled staff across the NT to ensure that our commitment to child protection can be met. An understanding of Aboriginal culture is essential, as staff will be working with children, young people and families in both urban and remote regions. If you are interested in a role within OCF, call our Recruitment Hotline on 1800 726 549, or Email Us. |Vacancy #||Title||Level||Close Date| |002875||Service Centre Manager||SP1||19/05/2013| |024696||Manager Residential Care||SP1||19/05/2013| |029977||Client Information Quality Officer||AO4||19/05/2013| |030301||Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Worker||AO4||19/05/2013|

Gaskamp was at a party with the others when they discussed going out to hunt and hurt blacks on the night Anderson was killed, authorities said, but he was not present when the group came upon Anderson. However, he was present at other attacks at other times, prosecutors now say. CNN had reported previously that the attack on Anderson was only one of a number of racial attacks carried out by the gang of young whites and others who were with them at various times, based on witness accounts and sources close to the investigation. Prosecutors have long told CNN that the additional attacks might bring more arrests or charges. Various groupings of the young men would, at various times, hunt out and target blacks, or others who appeared homeless or drunk, prosecutors said. These people were likely targeted, authorities said, because the group members believed they would be less likely to report attacks to police or to fight back. In these other attacks, according to prosecutors Tuesday, the group of white young men, sometimes along with young women, on numerous occasions drove from Rankin County, which is mostly white, over to Jackson, which is mostly black, specifically with the intent of assaulting blacks. Group members would often boast about what they had done later, prosecutors said. In late 2011 CNN filmed an interview with one former member of the gang who had changed his ways and felt bad about their behavior. That former member told CNN on camera that the group of whites would "go out hunting" for blacks to hurt on weekends. But until Gaskamp's plea Tuesday, no details of such attacks had been made public, or had even been substantiated. In one of the other incidents the gang carried out, prosecutors say, Gaskamp and other white teens drove to Jackson to find an African-American to assault, and Gaskamp brought with him a .40-caliber handgun. The group hurled beer bottles at numerous black pedestrians they ran across. Then, after seeing one black man who appeared to be drunk, a group of white teens set upon him, according to prosecutors. In that incident, prosecutors say, Dedmon, Rice and Gaskamp were among the ones who punched and kicked the man repeatedly on his face and all around his body, "until the man begged for his life." After the group left the man beaten and wounded on the street, Gaskamp wanted to go back "so that he could use the gun he had brought with him to shoot the African-American man they just assaulted," according to court papers. But the group did not go back that night. "These teens laughed and boasted about what they had done," said Robert Shuler Smith, the district attorney for Jackson and the main prosecutor in the case. And in court, federal prosecutor Sheldon Beer said, "Members of the group thought it was funny that the man pleaded for his life."

Northern Red-bellied Snake Photo Credit: Scott Gravette SCIENTIFIC NAME: Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata OTHER NAMES: Red-bellied snake DESCRIPTION: This species is a small snake, typically less than 16 inches, with a blunt head. The color of this snake is highly variable, its back could be gray, brown and less commonly black and the head may be a different color altogether. On the neck are typically three spots, though they may fuse and appear as a collar. The coloration of the belly is often in stark contrast with the rest of the snake; as suggested by the species’ common name, the belly is typically red but may also appear pink or orange. Scales are keeled. DISTRIBUTION: The species ranges throughout the eastern portion of North America, generally east of the Dakotas in the north and Texas in the South. It’s likely they occur in every county in Alabama. HABITAT: This snake can be found hiding under leaf litter, logs, and other cover objects within hardwood forests and around wetland edges. They prefer their habitats to be relatively moist and well shaded. FEEDING HABITS: Red-bellied snakes eat primarily invertebrates; slugs and worms are important food items. LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY: As a small, leaf-litter dwelling species, they are vulnerable to predation by a wide range of animals, ranging from birds to toads. Females give birth to live young once a year, litters average about eight individuals. Although secretive and rarely seen, this is likely a locally abundant species in suitable habitat. Ernst, C. H. and E. M. Ernst. 2003. Snakes of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C. Mount, R. 1975. The Reptiles & Amphibians of Alabama. Auburn Printing Co., Auburn, AL. 347 pp. AUTHOR: David A. Steen, Ph.D. Candidate, Auburn University

Florida State Seminoles - Playoff Gear - Diamond Quest Gear - Men's Shirts & Polos - Men's Sweatshirts & Jackets - Men's Shorts & Pants - Women's Apparel - Kids' Apparel - Football Gear - Basketball Gear - Baseball Gear - Tailgating Gear - Golf Accessories - Home Décor - Car Accessories - Sports DVDs/Collectibles - Other Accessories - Florida State Clearance Florida State Apparel & Gear Florida State is Bowl-Bound! Gear up for game day with officially licensed Florida State Playoffs gear. Match your Seminoles playoff t-shirt with a Florida State hat. Choose from a wide selection of college football playoff apparel and showcase your Florida State fandom on game day. For the fan who’s Noles tough, DICK’S Sporting Goods has all the officially licensed NCAA® apparel and gear you need to prepare for game day. Whether you’re participating in the “War Chant” at your first college game or returning to your alma mater, you can proudly boast Garnet and Gold spirit at any occasion. Check out some of the collection: On game day in Tallahassee, the dedicated fan always sports their FSU jersey. With gear available in men’s, women’s and kids’ sizes, you’re sure to sport your team pride at Doak Campbell Stadium. For the ultimate fan, top off your team spirited look with a Seminoles hat or beanie so you stay comfortable from the first play to the final seconds. Decorate your party with the best tailgating gear around and get amped up for game day with Seminoles-themed party supplies. Your Florida State spirit can go with you anywhere when you’re sporting a team-inspired tee or polo. Whether you’re gearing up for a big meeting, headed to your classes or outfitting your young one in FSU kid’s apparel, there are a variety of sizes and fits available, so you’re sure to find just what you need. When temperatures cool in Tallahassee, consider layering up with an FSU sweatshirt or jacket. Bold Garnet and Gold pride comes in a variety of cuts, featuring both embroidered and printed logos, all designed to show off your Seminole spirit whether you’re headed to the game or out with friends. DICK’S Sporting Goods is the one-stop shop for all your FSU fan gear. Whether you’re hosting a game-day party or meeting up with friends in Tallahassee, you’ll find all your tees, jerseys and accessories to show your rivals that this is your turf. From casual T-shirts to classic flex hats, FSU’s apparel and gear shop has everything you’ll ever need to support bowl-bound Florida State in style all season long.

Men of all ages are invited for free vocal lessons for six straight Mondays beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 6705 Northway, Greendale. The lessons are offered by Midwest Vocal Express, an all-male a cappella chorus. For more information, call Tom Weber at 888-240-4426 or www.MVE.org. The battle lines were uncharacteristically drawn last night on the Muskego Common Council, which narrowly passed a 2012 city budget and a $14.5 million capital borrowing plan. Approvals came on the same 4-3 vote that held unchanged through six failed attempted amendments to the budget, the borrowing and the capital budget. Among other things, the voting block of three - Kert Harenda, Dan Soltysiak and Neil Borgman - didn't think controls will be strong enough on the $14.5 million borrowing package. They also didn't want the $2.5 million Pioneer Drive reconstruction and beautification next year, and preferred a pay freeze for city workers instead of the 2 percent raises budgeted. The three had brought up most of their concerns during the prior weeks of budget discussions, but the four aldermen in the majority - Noah Fiedler, Neome Schaumberg, Keith Werner and Tracy Snead - still weren't buying their viewpoints this week. The 2012 budget calls for no property tax increase. The operating budget will be $14 million, up 1.7 percent from this year's nearly $13.8 million budget. The levy will remain at $11,935,917 with the estimated tax rate dipping slightly to $4.41 per $1,000 of assessed value from $4.43 per $1,000. In the aftermath of last night's Elmbrook School Board decision to close Hillside Elementary next June, the district is inviting public input to help choose between three possible redistricting plans. Community Engagement on Redistricting sessions will be held at 6 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Wisconsin Hills Middle School, 18700 W. Wisconsin Ave. Each scenario will detail population tracts being reassigned to the remaining elementary schools, with varying estimated capacity outcomes for Brookfield Elementary, Burleigh, Dixon, Swanson and Tonawanda. Superintendent Matt Gibson said public input would be an important part of the process as the district makes the transition from six to five elementary schools. Merrick Fruchtman knew he had a challenge ahead of him when he decided to redevelop the blighted building at 65th Street and North Avenue as the new location for his business, Home Solutions USA. "The whole building had been damaged by fire, water and smoke," he said. The roof was falling in, the front half of the building had to be gutted and rebuilt, and after 15 years of vacancy a lot of maintenance issues became evident. "I knew what the community would want is a new structure, an entire new look," Fruchtman said. "I tried to give that to them." The extensive problems with the building itself caused some of the delays for the project that first came before the city more than 15 months ago for financial assistance. A large part of the hold up was an investigation into the land under the building.» Read Full Article A ransom note sent via text message did not work out as planned for three Milwaukee men. The men, one 26 and two 19, were arrested Oct. 16 for receiving a cell phone stolen the day before at iPic, 5750 N. Bayshore Drive. According to the Glendale police report: The owner reported the theft after receiving text messages demanding a "ransom" of $550 to get his phone back. Police had the owner set up a meeting with the men and take along an undercover officer.» Read Full Article The Elmbrook School Board voted, 6-1, tonight to close Hillside Elementary School after this school year ends. Board member Bob Ziegler provided the lone dissenting vote, saying the board should see a redistricting plan before making the decision. A plan for redistricting Elmbrook's remaining elementary schools is expected to be unveiled in November. The decision was greeted with jeers from the crowd of about 150 people who came to witness the vote, most of whom oppose the closing. Glendale - The city and police union have agreed to a three-year contract that includes 2 percent wage increases in 2011 and 2013 with a wage freeze in 2012. Union members will pay 10 percent of their health care premiums in 2012 and 2013. They currently pay 8.5 percent. Although state law exempted public safety employees from mandated pension contributions, beginning in 2012 they agree to pay 2 percent to the Wisconsin Retirement System toward their pensions. In 2013 they will pay 4 percent. City Administrator Richard Maslowski said there will be no layoffs, furloughs or reductions in service in the 2012 city budget as a result of the agreement. A 63-year-old man was arrested for his fifth offense of drunken driving Oct. 19, according to a city of Brookfield police report. An officer clocked the Wauwatosa man driving 40 mph in a 25-mph zone on Greenfield Avenue, east of Sunnyslope Road, just after 10 p.m. Oct. 19, the report states. The man then cut off the officer's squad car and proceeded to turn left from a through-lane before he was stopped on Elm Grove Road, near Cardinal Crest Drive. A blood sample was collected to determine the man's blood-alcohol content. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry were taken from a home on Bradford Lane on Oct. 21, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also in the report: A man reported that his wife returned to their home in the 21000 block of Bradford Lane to discover that it had been broken into between 11 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Oct. 21. It appears the perpetrator gained entry through an unlocked back door and made away with $200,000 in men's and women's jewelry and about $500 in cash. The home is outfitted with a burglary alarm, but it was not activated at the time of the burglary.» Read Full Article While on patrol at 2:30 a.m. Oct. 23, a Brown Deer Officer heard an audible alarm sounding at a nearby business. Officers quickly determined that a burglary had just occurred at Poco Loco, 4134 West River Lane. Entry was gained by smashing a rock though one of the business windows. While investigating and processing the scene further, officers found someone outside Prime Time, 8777 North Deerwood Drive. He was arrested for the burglary. The suspect is a 20-year-old Milwaukee man. Charges are pending at this time. Brown Deer officers have arrested three suspects after an armed robbery in Algonquin Park, 7850 N. 51st St., at 9:30 p.m. Oct. 21. The victims included three to five people from Brown Deer and West Bend ranging in age from 15 to 18 years old. They were robbed by two black males, one armed with an unknown type of handgun. Cash and other personal items were taken in the robbery. The victims were not injured during this incident. Police said the victims left the park before calling police. Algonquin Park is a Milwaukee County Park. Based on information received during the initial interviews of the victims, three arrests have been made. Charges are pending on one of the suspects. This investigation is continuing at this time. A homemade concoction purported to cause "super powers" in the drinker turned out to be a toxic substance mixed together by a student at Glen Hills Middle School and given to another, according to a Glendale police report. A 9-year-old boy became sick Oct. 14 after drinking a liquid given to him by two students at Glen Hills, 2600 W. Mill Road, earlier that day, his mother told police. One of the boys later admitted to authorities that he had mixed Dr. Pepper, rubbing alcohol, Tabasco sauce, Clorox wipes and soap, and then taken it to school and offered it to another student, saying it would give him "super powers," the report states. Paramedics responded to the school and checked the boy out, advising that he should be monitored in case further problems developed. Police confiscated the liquid. The school kept a small sample, but officials there stated they had no plans to have it analyzed, the report said.» Read Full Article The loss of more than 190 pieces of jewelry, a collective value of nearly $189,000, was discovered at Zales, 5720 N. Bayshore Drive, during a store inventory, according to a Glendale police report. Management reported the "internal theft of jewelry" from the store Aug. 30, saying the thefts must have occurred over the past 10 or 11 months. The case is under investigation, the report states. The Franklin Historical Society is holding its fourth annual Oktoberfest fundraiser from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Root River Center, 7220 W. Rawson Ave. The event includes a raffle, silent auction, hors d'oeuvres and music. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For information, call Ali Hoffman at (414) 745-5634. Greenfield and its firefighters reached agreement Tuesday on a contract that averted cuts in benefits for other employees and possible service reductions. In the two-year contract, the firefighters agreed to no raises next year. They also agree to pay 5.9 percent toward pensions and 12.6 percent of health insurance premiums as all other employees are, even though the firefighters wouldn't have to make those contributions, under state law. Police have already agreed to the pension and health insurance premium contributions, but other contract elements are still pending. city officials are optimistic that the rest of a police contract will be hammered out in the next few days. The Bay Breeze Condominium owners will not receive the $5,000 grant owners requested from Muskego to help with a $23,619 project that they said would beautify not only the condominium entrance on Janesville Road, but the roadway itself. The problem is that the Community Development Authority doesn't consider Bay Breeze a commercial development so, it doesn't qualify for a commercial grant. And while the city tried to establish a residential grant program along Janesville for property owners who will see landscaping cut down as the road is widened, the program never got Common Council approval. The Bay Breeze Condominium Association plans to plant 39 trees and add landscaping to the entrance. A proposed 2012 Greenfield budget that calls for a 2.15 percent property tax hike, mainly to finance an aggressive road program, received preliminary Greenfield Common Council Committee of the Whole approval Tuesday . The package will be the subject of a public hearing Nov. 15. With a property tax rate of $7.21 per $1,000 of assessed value, 17 cents higher than 2011, the proposed budget would cost about $34 more than this year for the owner of a home assessed at $200,000 both years. Although the new state law keeps the levy at a zero increase unless there is growth, cities can raise their levies to cover debt. That's where the proposed nearly $11 million borrowing for an aggressive road program comes in, an idea that city officials are just starting to consider. Because interest rates are so low and contractors are willing to give buyers a break just to keep crews working, the proposal has been made to lump road spending that is scheduled to be done over the next several years and do it all in two years. Then nothing would be done until 2015, when more would be borrowed for those future projects. If a tornado was spotted near Wauwatosa and the crowds needed to be evacuated quickly from Hart Park, where would attendees go for safety? The Muellner Building likely won't provide enough space to handle a full stadium of spectators during an athletic event or a city celebration. "I'd love to just open the Tosa Room (the space used for curling in the winter and rented for weddings with up to 450 guests the rest of the year) and tell people to come inside, but I don't think they'd all fit," said Mary Clare Shuller, parks department secretary. Fire officials met with the city's Parks and Forestry Board on Tuesday to talk about creating a critical incident management plan. A binder containing such a plan is rumored to exist, but if so, it has disappeared, Fire Chief Rob Ugaste said. Upping the ante citywide» Read Full Article Six sculptures that have adorned the Harwood pedestrian bridge will move to Hart Park by spring. More than 10 years ago, the Village Business Improvement District partnered with Gary Zimmerman, a principal of Zimmerman Design Group, to commission artist Richard Taylor to design public art. The project cost about $50,000 and was donated to the city. When Café Hollander took over the building Zimmerman had occupied, it looked to install a fountain and outdoor seating. A couple of the sculptures had to be removed to make space for the new elements. Those pieces have since been sitting in Public Works storage, while other pieces remained on the bridge. City and BID officials have been working with the artist and donors to find a new spot within the city to display the sculptures. As the playground and site utilities project moved forward near the Rotary Park Pavilion, Mayor Jill Didier saw a place to mix fine art, music and recreation in one area. "The sculpture was such a special donation, so I think it will be a wonderful addition to an area that is becoming such a gathering place for this community," Didier said.» Read Full Article Five food businesses will receive financial assistance to startup or expand in Wauwatosa. However, a city leader has questioned whether one of the grant recipients may be too successful to warrant help. The Wauwatosa Economic Development Corp. met last week to divvy up nearly $262,000 in 2011 Community Development Block Grant funds to businesses that promise to create jobs. Highlands Café, Le Reve Patisserie, Rocket Baby Bakery, Alterra Coffee Roasters and the owners of Cranky Al's will each get 45 percent of the dollars they requested. "It's great that all this is happening in Tosa but there's a $325,000 gap," Paulette Enders, city economic development director said. Mayor Jill Didier, a WEDC member, said she could not deem one business more worthy than the other. Instead, they will each get a share of the pot. "I wouldn't want to see any one project not be funded," she said. "You don't have to pay this back so we will give you what we can proportionately."» Read Full Article A recommendation that Greenfield ban concealed weapons in city-owned buildings is now on its way to the Common Council. The Legislative Committee on Monday recommended the ban unanimously, leading to a council vote on Nov. 1, the day a new state law allowing people with permits to carry concealed weapons goes into effect. As a result of the impending law, many communities are passing bans on weapons in municipal buildings. If the Common Council also approves a ban, signs would be posted at entrances, though there will be no metal detectors. If people are caught with weapons, they will be fined. It was not clear last night how much that fine would be. Greenfield may add to a its list of nuisances trailers or other vehicles that are used for storage and parked out in the open. The city's Greenfield Legislative Committee on Monday recommended approval of an amended list. If the Common Council also approves the addition Nov. 1, the city will be able to force a cleanup at homes where the trailers have become eyesores. Things are often piled around and on top of the trailers or inoperable cars and weeds grow up around them, said Jeff Cavett, fire marshal and code enforcer for the city. But without the addition to the ordinance, the city can't do anything about them. A car or any other vehicle that's full of stuff wouldn't necessarily be deemed a nuisance. It also would have to have two other problems - such as being inoperable, partially dismantled, improperly licensed or parked in an unapproved surface. A major road project anticipated to start in the Village next year has been delayed until 2016. State Street was expected undergo reconstruction, a project that created accessibility concerns for businesses in the Village Business Improvement District. Still after years of construction in the area, BID members wanted the work to just get done. That was until the state Department of Transportation's plans for Zoo Interchange reconstruction overlapped with the city's project. Two major routes to the Village from the west will see road work aimed at making local streets ready to handle more traffic during the interchange project. "Having Glenview and Watertown Plank Road closed at same time (as State Street) would be detrimental to our businesses," BID Director Kathy Ehley said. Keeping State Street open would allow access to the Village from further east, she said.» Read Full Article If it weren't for Hart Park Senior Center, many older adults would find themselves isolated and see a decline in their mental and physical health. "It gives people a place to belong," said Michael Price, president of the center's advisory board, getting choked up. "People leave lunch on Friday and say they won't talk to anyone until Monday. It's sad, but it's true." Between hot lunches and program attendance, the senior center tracked 27,000 visits last year. To continue providing the same level of programs and service, the senior center is seeking $117,500 in Community Development Block Grant funds. For every $1,000 grant dollars reduced, the center loses 100 visits due to cuts in programming, center Director Mary Noel Johnson said. Few people in the community could dispute the benefits the center has for the senior population. Unfortunately, the same could be said about the more than a dozen local food pantries, senior-living facilities and service organizations and agencies seeking CDBG money for 2012.» Read Full Article A 15-year-old girl was mailed a citation for disorderly conduct after she hit a male student in the face after he called her names, causing "a major disruption" in class. According to the Glendale police report: The two students were in class at Nicolet High School, 6701 N. Jean Nicolet Road, on Oct. 12. A teacher reportedly told the girl to put on a jacket because of her wearing revealing clothing. When the girl refused, the boy started calling her names and she threatened to stab him. They began to struggle and she hit him and the fight caused "a major disruption" in the class. The girl said the boy "disrespected her" and that's why the fight started. A man, his wife and son were cited for obstruction for lying to police about an accident the boy had that caused a tree to hit a neighboring house. According to the Glendale police report: The 15-year-old boy lost control of the car while pulling out of his driveway and drove onto a neighbor's yard knocking over two trees, one of them hitting the house, in the 1800 block of West Wayside Drive about 7 p.m. Oct. 9. The woman, 55, said she was in the car with the boy who had a learner's permit. The boy and his father, 53, told the same story. However, the boy did not have a permit and the woman was not in the car.» Read Full Article Matt Schuenke, assistant village manager in Whitefish Bay, announced Tuesday he is resigning from the position, effective Oct. 31. Schuenke has accepted the position of village administrator/clerk-treasurer in the village of Cross Plains, near Madison. "Whitefish Bay is a great community in which to work, and I am very appreciative of the opportunities I have had to work with the residents, Village Board and staff," Schuenke wrote in his resignation letter. "It is truly a remarkable place with the accomplishments we have been able to achieve together." Greenfield officials are thinking about strongly encouraging all gas stations in the city to go to prepay for gas in addition to paying at the pump in hopes of drastically reducing gas driveoffs. Interim Police Chief Bradley Wentlandt told the Greenfield Legislative Committee last night that Green Bay had virtually eliminated gas driveoffs by eliminating investigations at stations that do not have prepay. Instead, the owners must write a report, get the registration information from the state Department of Motor Vehicles based on eye witnesses or surveillance videos, and then give the information to police who take it from there, Wentlandt said. The vast majority of Green Bay gas stations have gone to prepay, he said. He met with Greenfield gas station owners and all were in favor of going prepay except one, Wentlandt said. That one has a competitor nearby in New Berlin and he is afraid of losing business to the New Berlin station because it would not have prepay. The Greenfield Legislative Committee last night recommended sending a resolution of support to State Rep. Peggy Krusick, who is trying to get a state ban on liquors with alcohol above 160 proof, or 80 percent alcohol. The Greenfield Common Council is expected to approve the resolution of support Nov. 1. The council had originally wanted to consider a citywide ban after the death of Jeff Wielichowski, a young Greenfield man who drowned after consuming a punch made with the 190-proof Everclear grain alcohol. But officials found the city doesn't have the power to enact such a ban. The Wielichowski family lives in Krusick's district. Jeff's mother Luanne is spearheading the drive to clear the shelves of such strong liquors. In the resolution, the Legislative Committee noted that Jeff Wielichowski is not the only one to die after drinking high-proof liquors and calls such high-proof liquors a threat to public health, safety and welfare.» Read Full Article A naked and crying toddler wandered into a hotel lobby after his mother left to buy cigarettes and snacks Wednesday night. According to the Wauwatosa police report: The 19-year-old mother, her boyfriend and a friend checked in with the child at the Days Inn, 11811 W. Bluemound Road. A while later, the adults left, a hotel employee told officers. Within 20 minutes of his mother leaving, the 2-year-old boy came into the lobby. Seeing he was naked, employees found towels to wrap him in.» Read Full Article Kristopher Rowe will run for the 10th Assembly District seat in 2012. Rowe, who was a leader of the effort to recall state Sen. Alberta Darling last summer, announced his intentions at a Village Board meeting last night. Rowe is a respiratory therapist. Shorewood is part of the 22nd Assembly District but will become part of the 10th Assembly District in January when the redistricting goes into effect. The 10th Assembly seat is now held by Elizabeth Coggs. City of Brookfield police believe two armed robberies reported a week apart may be connected. Two men wearing dark clothes and black bandannas over their faces used a semi-automatic handgun to rob the Westbrook Beverage Center, 13400 W. Greenfield Ave., at 8:58 p.m. Oct. 16, according to police reports. Police Capt. Jim Adlam said they then ran off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Officers from numerous agencies assisted city of Brookfield officers secure a perimeter, but the robbers were not found. Adlam said investigators believe the Oct. 16 armed robbery may be related to the robbery of Subway, 3960 N. Brookfield Road, before 6:30 a.m. Oct. 10.» Read Full Article A 16-year-old Brookfield boy could face burglary and theft charges for stealing a car, mini bike and all-terrain vehicle from a home in the 13000 block of Hampton Road, according to city of Brookfield police reports. Also from the reports: The vehicles, with a combined value of $3,400, were reported stolen at 5:41 a.m. Oct. 12. The car was found in the backyard of a home in the 3400 block of Fiebrantz Drive just after 11:30 a.m. Oct. 12. A man provided a description of the person who left the car, and it matched a teen who attends Brookfield East High School.» Read Full Article A Brookfield man accidentally fired a shotgun into a neighboring apartment unit while attempting to unload it, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also from the report: The man called the police to report that he had misfired a round of buckshot into the wall of an apartment in the 18000 block of Lake Drive just before 10 a.m. Oct. 14, because he was unsure if anybody next door had been injured. Paramedics were put on standby while officers called a maintenance man to unlock the apartment. The apartment was found to be empty and nobody was injured.» Read Full Article A man was walking at 61st and Wright streets Tuesday night when a man carrying a gun started chasing him. According to a Wauwatosa Police Department report: The victim had been walking home from a friend's house at 52nd and Center streets in Milwaukee at 10:34 p.m. As he talked on his cell phone, he realized he was being followed. One man followed on his side of the sidewalk, while two more men walked on the opposite side of the street keeping their eyes on him. He saw one of the men across the street pull a mask over his face and a hood over his head before he started jogging over. As the masked man got closer, his hand could be seen in his front sweatshirt pocket. The victim, fearing that the man had a gun and was going to rob or harm him, took off running back to his friend's house.» Read Full Article Alderwoman Linda Nikcevich won't seek re-election to the Wauwatosa Common Council. She filed non-candidacy papers with the city's clerk's office today. Nikcevich will finish out her term, which ends in April. As for future plans, she declined in an interview to say whether she planned to run for another office within the city or another level of government. "I will continue to serve this community long after my term is completed," she wrote in a letter announcing her plans to end her time on the council at the end of her first, four-year term. This is my community where I live, am raising my family and will continue to volunteer and lead in other ways. Aldermen received election paperwork along with their council meeting packets about a week ago, Nikcevich said. She wanted to make her decision promptly "to give others a change to consider running for office," she said. Candidate packets for the April 2012 election - the mayor and one aldermanic seat from each of the city's eight districts will be on the ballot - are now available at the clerk's office and on the city website.» Read Full Article Opponents of a proposed plan to shutter Hillside Elementary School pleaded to the Elmbrook School Board for more than three hours Tuesday to consider everything from multiage classrooms to holding a communitywide referendum to raise taxes as alternatives to the closure. In the end, the majority of board members expressed an overriding concern about "excess capacity" in district classrooms. That factor, they said, would tend to solidify their decision to close Hillside. The matter is set to be decided when the board meets on Oct. 25. The lengthy discussion was a continuation of opposition expressed at two previous public hearings. The multiage classroom proposal came from former Board President Bruce Nattinger, who also urged the current board to consider a referendum and look at selling Swanson Elementary, which he described as having high real estate value.» Read Full Article To protect the most reliable access the public has to Big Muskego Lake, the Muskego Common Council last night gave the go-ahead for an appraisal that would be the first step in the city possibly buying the boat launch located beside the Boxhorn Gun Club, W13960 Boxhorn Drive. For about 10 years, the city has leased the boat launch from the gun club to provide the public access to the lake. But that lease is only good for another 10 years. The gun club owner has said that if the club were to go away, he would like to develop the entire property so the city would lose access to the launch, said Craig Anderson, recreation director. The only other public boat launch on the Big Muskego Lake is at Durham Drive. But for the last two years, boaters have found the channel leading from the launch to the lake blocked by floating islands of cattails, Anderson said. Anyone heading to a hospital emergency room should call 911 for a ride. "Many people are hesitant to call 911 unless they think the situation is life or death," Deputy Fire Chief James Case said. He appreciates that people don't want to abuse the service, but explained that emergency room visits are appropriate reasons to dial those three numbers. What presents as a minor pain or illness could quickly become more severe, perhaps when someone is driving themselves to the ER. Ambulance crews are equipped and skilled to handle such situations, Case said. In this economy, people are putting off calling ambulances because they are afraid of the charges or don't think the severity of their medical situation warrants it.» Read Full Article For locating a handgun that was used in a shooting, Greenfield's police dog and his handler have received a state award. Police Officer Scott Zienkiewicz and his canine partner Badger were awarded the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Canine Handlers Association 2011 award for Meritorious Article Find. In the shooting incident that happened in May in Milwaukee, a suspect fled into Greenfield on foot and was later captured at Clement Manor. Zienkiewicz and Badger were asked to search the area for the gun used in the shooting. The team began where the suspect had discarded a sweatshirt while running. While tracking the suspect's path, Badger located the crucial piece of evidence. City officials hope the Wisconsin Department of Revenue will approve about $2.1 million in refunds from other taxing entities to help cover a portion of the property tax settlement paid to Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare. If the state agrees, Wauwatosa's request would rank as the largest single chargeback issued. In any given year, chargebacks are used to make minor adjustments to the tax roll. The size of this request - it returns money for several subsequent years' property tax payments - sets it apart, City Attorney Alan Kesner said. "They've never had one this large," he told the city's Budget and Finance Committee on Tuesday. The city has provided information to the state indicating it has no choice but to collect refunds from the Wauwatosa School District, Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Milwaukee Area Technical College for their portions of the taxes levied on the outpatient health care facility property at 201 N. Mayfair Road. The Supreme Court this summer ruled that a large portion of the property qualifies as tax exempt. The chargebacks don't come as a surprise to the other taxing entities. Wauwatosa Finance Director John Ruggini has been in talks with officials from each group so they can find ways to come up with their portion of the money.» Read Full Article An Alterra Café could soon perk up the corner of 68th and Wells streets. A blighted building sits vacant there, and a developers' proposal to tear it down and replace it with Wauwatosa's second Alterra Café has won the support of both the Plan Commission and Community Development Committee. The coffeehouse's preliminary plans call for a 3,200-square-foot building with an outdoor courtyard. "Alterra will own it and they will be the only tenant in this building," developer Sean Phelan said. The Common Council will take action on the matter Tuesday and, if approved, Phelan will get to work finalizing plans. That lot has been a problem for the city in the past.» Read Full Article Public Works employees have finished training the use of automated external defibrillators and CPR. That means just about every city worker now has skills to deal with a life-threatening medical incident. Snowplow drivers, for instance, are in position to see a number of weather-related incidents - such as people collapsing while shoveling their driveways, Deputy Chief James Case said. An AED can be used to a shock a person's heart back into rhythm and keep him or her alive until paramedics arrive. In the future, the Fire Department hopes to extend those life-saving lessons to the public, Case added. In the meantime, the Fire Department is taking donations and seeking grant money to equip more of its vehicles with AEDs, Fire Chief Rob Ugaste said. "We did a great job of getting AEDs in the police patrol cars, but not in our own vehicles," he said.» Read Full Article Two Wauwatosa teens were arrested for mugging a schoolmate Monday. According to the Wauwatosa police report: A 16-year-old boy was walking home from Wauwatosa East High School about 4 p.m., when he noticed two guys seemed to be following him. As he approached 74th Street and Melrose Avenue, one of the guys tapped him on the arm and asked if they knew each other. As the boy started to walk away, he was grabbed by the arm and an object was pushed against the back of his head. The robber told him to give him all his money, so the boy emptied his wallet. The two muggers ran off, and the boy told a woman who was out in her yard that he had just been robbed.» Read Full Article A 43-year-old Franklin man caused a store's computer systems to crash after reportedly watching porn using the Wi-Fi. According to the police report: The man was at Open Pantry, 7610 W. Rawson St., and the store's computer systems crashed while he was reportedly watching porn, so he was asked to leave the premises prior to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Police warned the man that he is no longer welcome at the business and will be cited for trespassing if he returns. A Wauwatosa man was charged Monday with robbing PNC Bank, 6810 W. State St. According to the police report: Matthew McInnis, 21, handed a note demanding $1,000 to a bank teller. The teller handed over cash, and he walked out the door. As soon as McInnis was outside, the teller locked the entrance doors and told the security guard the bank had just been robbed at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Discarded clothing was found by the curb and McInnis was detained on Powell Place and 67th Street with cash and a knife in his pockets.» Read Full Article After months of congestion, Watertown Plank Road is open to two-way traffic. Work will continue along the south side of the road for sidewalks, light poles, and driveways for the next couple of weeks. This may require flagmen or temporary barricades during the day. The off-road pathways will be paved later this week along with some of the driveway approaches. The final coat of pavement should be done by the end of this month. Mayor Jill Didier has named her appointments to the city's Community Development Authority. The body, which will have state-approved authority to negotiate privately about developments involving public lands and public funds, was created to promote economic development - especially mixed-use projects - in Wauwatosa. While the city has a Plan Commission and Community Development Committee, those chosen for the CDA have a higher level of expertise in the area of development issues and could provide a more critical review of proposed projects than participants of the existing bodies, city staff said. All appointees live in Wauwatosa. Two are council members and five come from the business community: Scott Bush holds the title of vice president of operations for Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors.» Read Full Article Two men who were spreading word about a youth group that promotes self-responsibility got an earful from a Brookfield man when they asked to borrow a lighter to light a cigarette, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also in the report: A 20-year-old man reported that the two men asked him to borrow the lighter after approaching him about a youth group they were promoting near the intersection of Gebhardt and Barker roads at 7:41 p.m. Oct. 7. When responding officers found the men, they said the 20-year-old had screamed obscenities at them and yelled "white power." They also told the officer they were stumping for a youth group that promotes self-responsibility and the notion that the color of one's skin and where they are from have no impact on success - but maintained that they were not accepting donations.» Read Full Article A Brookfield Academy student who sneaked out of his house on Bermuda Boulevard in the early morning hours Friday to serve a detention without his mother finding out created a false panic when he forgot to close the front door, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also in the report: The 17-year-old boy's mother called the police just before 6 a.m. Friday, when she discovered that the front door of her home was ajar. She told officers that she remembered locking the door the night before and worried that an intruder had entered her house. Officers found the boy serving detention at Brookfield Academy shortly after he was discovered missing from his bedroom.» Read Full Article Two men robbed the Subway restaurant at 3960 N. Brookfield Road at gunpoint early Monday, according to city of Brookfield police. A man wearing a black hood and a black bandanna came into the store and ordered the lone employee on duty to the back of the store just before 6:30 a.m., according to the police report. "All (the employee) could see was eyes and a gun," Brookfield Police Capt. Jim Adlam said. Once in the back of the store, Adlam said, the man ordered the employee to lie on the floor and then let a second man - also cloaked in a black hood and bandanna - into the store through a back door. The two men took cash and fled.» Read Full Article More than $23,000 in jewelry was reported stolen from a village of Elm Grove home, according to an Elm Grove police report. Also in the report: A homeowner reported on Oct. 6 that a gold and diamond engagement-wedding ring set valued at $18,000 and a heart-shaped emerald pendant valued at $2,300 had been taken from the home. The pieces were last seen on a bar in the home in the end of July or beginning of August. Since that time, people hired to clean the property and adult children of the homeowner's acquaintances have been inside the home. The North Shore Fire Department reports progress in a search for the cause of a gasoline odor first reported Oct. 5 in the basement of apartment building near Wilson Avenue and Capitol Drive. According to a department news release, contactors retained by the village of Shorewood have completed initial field tests of soil taken today from the ground in the public right of way in front of 1602 E. Capitol Drive. Those test results show a petroleum-based product in the soil. Test samples are being sent to a laboratory for further analysis. The village of Shorewood has notified the state of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources of the test results in accordance with state statutes. The DNR is responsible to determine whether a specific person or business is responsible for the spill. Once that determination has been made, the responsible party must begin mitigation of the spill. A contractor hired by the village has installed a vent in the public right of way at 1602 E. Capitol Drive this afternoon to assist in ventilating the area. North Shore Fire/Rescue crews and contractors will continue to perform air testing in the sanitary sewer system throughout the weekend. Tests performed over the last three days have shown that the ventilation practices being used by North Shore Fire/Rescue, the village and its contractors have been successful in limiting vapors and fumes in the sanitary sewer system. At this time, there is no health danger to the general public.» Read Full Article Brown Deer Police officers responded to a report of a suspicious device that was located in vacant residence in the 9000 block of North Brandybrook Trail at 8:17 this morning. According to a news release, a safe perimeter was established by evacuating a limited number of residential homes and condominium units in the immediate area. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad was contacted and rendered the device safe. It appears at this time to be a hoax device. Area residents were allowed to return to their residences once the device was deemed safe. At this time an investigation is ongoing to determine the origin of the device. There were no injuries that occurred as a result of this incident. Americans United for Separation of Church and State today asked a federal appeals court to rule that Elmbrook School District violated students' constitutional rights by holding some past graduation ceremonies in a church. A three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in September issued a 2-1 decision upholding a lower court ruling stating the district did nothing wrong by holding the Brookfield East and Brookfield Central ceremonies at Elmbrook Church. Now, Americans United, which represents anonymous defendants in the case, wants a full-court review. "Public schools should schedule graduation ceremonies at facilities where all families feel welcome," Americans United Senior Litigation Counsel Alex J. Luchenitser said. "Students should not have to be immersed in an intensely religious environment of a faith different from their own in order to attend their graduation. Graduation is too important to leave some families out." The court now has the option of accepting or denying the request. What is left of a factory and a home badly damaged by fire earlier this year will begin to come down today at Loomis Road and Interstate 894, as the city prepares to again market the properties for redevelopment. Greenfield had bought the properties as part of the redevelopment project dubbed Greenfield Crossing. Planners would like to see a mix of residential and commercial, possibly including a hotel, go into the site, Richard Sokol, Greenfield director of neighborhood services. Fire delayed site demolition efforts, and it will take crews the rest of the week to clean up the properties, but the "for sale" signs should be going up in a couple of weeks, Sokol said. Before the economy tanked, several hotels were interested in the site, which is appealing to prospective developers because it is the first place west of the Mitchell Interchange to offer full freeway access, he said. Greenfield and its firefighters have about two weeks to reach an agreement on a health insurance plan before the city has to consider making 2012 budget adjustments that could affect other departments. Greenfield Mayor Michael Neitzke delivered that message to the Common Council on Tuesday night, noting that service reductions, layoffs in all areas including public safety and reductions in benefits for non-emergency employees might be necessary. The Greenfield Firefighters Association had asked Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Maxine White for a 30-day delay in implementation of a change in health insurance. White denied that request Tuesday afternoon, but issued a temporary restraining order until Oct. 20. That was meant to give the two sides more time to reach a new collective bargaining contract. The city wants concessions from the union to help it balance its 2012 budget that is in a vise because of state limits on how much the city can raise property taxes and a loss of state aid. Because the city is up against a deadline to finish its budget, if negotiations don't yield the needed savings and if the restraining order is extended Neitzke said he will submit an alternative budget that cuts expenses. Weapons are prohibited from city buildings, the Tosa Common Council decided Tuesday. There was very little discussion on the topic before votes were cast, 12-4, in favor of the ban that covers guns, knives and electronic weapons. Local law enforcement officers will be the only people allowed to carry such weapons in municipal buildings. A state law that allows people with a license to carry concealed weapons goes into effect Nov. 1. However, municipalities have the power to prohibit concealed and openly carried weapons within their buildings. Arguing against the measure, Alderwoman Jacqueline Jay said the city's ban impinges on residents' rights under state law to protect themselves. In addition, she worried that people looking to cause problems or harm wouldn't adhere to the ban, leaving law-abiding residents vulnerable. She was joined in voting against a ban for city-owned buildings by Aldermen Tim Hanson, Cheryl Berdan and Jill Organ. No one spoke in support of the ban; however, the issue had been discussed at length at the committee level in prior weeks. The city received more than 60 letters from residents supporting the local ban and only a single letter in opposition.» Read Full Article Two years after Mo's Irish Pub received a controversial approval to raze homes to make space for another parking lot on 108th Place, the pavement is still not in place. The delay irked Common Council President Eric Meaux to the extent that he asked that a request by the restaurant owners to open earlier on weekends be contingent on the parking lot project moving forward. "A year is more than an enough time to build a parking lot," he said. "It's been two years." The council agreed Tuesday night and voted unanimously to allow Mo's to open at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays as long as they have a substantially complete parking lot by the end of the year. Mo's received all its permits and construction is expected to start next week, City Attorney Alan Kesner said.» Read Full Article Parking citations in Whitefish Bay are increasing, following action by the Village Board on Monday. Expired meter tickets are increasing from $10 to $15, while overnight parking citations are increasing from $15 to $20. Handicap parking tickets will be increasing by the greatest increment - from $50 to $150 - and all other parking citations increase from $15 to $25. After surveying other Milwaukee communities, village officials learned Whitefish Bay was among the lowest with its fee schedule. The hikes present an additional opportunity for the village to increase revenue intake. While fines are increasing, the village has not announced plans to increase meter prices. Nicolet boys soccer coach Brian Weisse admits that other North Shore Conference coaches with a hope of gaining a slice of the league title were encouraging and pulling for his side when it visited league leader Whitefish Bay in the finale Tuesday night. If the Knights could pull off the upset, the potential of a four-way tie for the championship could still be in the offing depending upon other results this evening. But the host Blue Dukes were having none of that, as on their senior night, the Blue Dukes got a goal out of Max Loebl after a chaotic set of rebounds in the 54th minute and then got an insurance score in the 76th minute on a lovely play by T.J. Schmid to win the title outright with a 2-0 decision. "Yes, some guys talked to me about it and sometimes that stuff works out, but sometimes it doesn't," said Weisse. "Bay just played a bit better than us tonight." With the win, the Blue Dukes finished the regular season at 6-1 in NSC play and 13-5 overall, while Nicolet finished at 3-4 and 6-10-2, respectively.» Read Full Article After deliberation and a rescinded motion, the Whitefish Bay Village Board on Monday voted, 5-2, to hold trick-or-treating from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. Staff at Village Hall had recommended the motion. Trustee Kevin Buckley had successfully led a move to change the festive event to the early evening hours on Monday, Oct. 31, on a 4-3 vote. But concerns were subsequently raised about potential conflicts with after-school activities, and the board reconsidered the motion, opting instead to follow through with the original recommendation. The Shorewood Village Board on Monday voted to hold trick-or-treating within the village from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. The board's action follows a similar pattern from years prior, when the time-honored, festive event took place the Sunday preceding Halloween. Wauwatosa has its first candidate for mayor. John Pokrandt today announced his intention to run for election in April. "My family and I have lived in Wauwatosa for the last 11 years and are proud to call this special place home," he said in a statement. "I have decided to run because I believe that Wauwatosa deserves a passionate and engaged leader. I want to return Wauwatosa to its history of sensible, good governance." Pokrandt has never held elected office, but he said he has been involved in the community through the Quarry Heights Neighborhood Association. His campaign slogan is, "Putting Wauwatosa first." "It means working for business investment and standing up for the city in cases such as Waukesha's water return plans," he said. "Putting Wauwatosa first means being active and engaged in the marketing of this community to businesses and potential residents. It also means being out in the community and being visible, open and available to the residents of this city."» Read Full Article Mayor Jill Didier can hardly recall attending a meeting with public officials from other communities in attendance where she didn't field questions about her pay. They wonder why she would work long hours for an annual salary of $22,500. "It comes up pretty much every meeting that I go to," she said. "People are shocked and awed by that." Didier said she's kept quiet during past discussions about the mayoral salary to give the Common Council time for debate. The topic has come up several times in the past three years, but any change would not take affect until the next mayoral term begins in April 2012. She encouraged the Budget Committee last week to determine what level of respect the mayor - and as a result the city - should have among elected peers as well as business contacts such as developers and business owners looking to work with Wauwatosa.» Read Full Article Eleven jobs will be eliminated if the Common Council approves the proposed 2012 city budget. Of those positions, 10 are already vacated or are expected to be vacated due to retirement by the end of the year. A proposal to cut a parking specialist position would result in a layoff or a job shift for one employee. Split into four categories - city hall, public works, police and fire - employee groups were charged with finding cost reductions or revenue increases, City Administrator James Archambo said. In total, departments came up with $1 million in savings, most of which would be achieved by eliminating positions. "A lot of the gap needs to come from position reductions because we're a service organization and we can't up the levy," he said. Using more technology» Read Full Article A 97-year-old man who wanted to watch a Milwaukee Brewers game called 911 to report someone had stolen his remote control. According to the Greenfield police report: The man called 911 to report someone had stolen his remote control from his residence in the 9300 block of West Howard Avenue prior to 8 p.m. Sept. 26. The remote control was found after police responded, so the man was able to watch the Brewers game. A jury trial on homicide charges filed in the death of Brookfield businessman John C. Aegerter has been pushed back to January so attorneys for Tommy V. Douyette and Lynn M. Hajny can review evidence and arrange for any required expert testimony. Douyette, 42, of Milwaukee and Hajny, 48, of New Berlin are charged with first-degree intentional homicide in the June 22 beating and strangulation death of Aegerter in the garage of his home, 14320 Golf Parkway. Waukesha County Court Circuit Judge Patrick Haughney has set a deadline of Nov. 23 for motions to be filed in the case and scheduled a 12-person jury trial to begin Jan. 30. Haughney also scheduled motion hearings Dec. 15 and Jan. 11. Jonathan Smith, attorney for Douyette, indicated that a severance motion that would allow the pair to be tried separately may be forthcoming.» Read Full Article A 31-year-old man says he was beaten and robbed while he was walking his dog Saturday morning, but doctors who treated him say there were no marks or injuries that showed evidence of a beating. According to the Wauwatosa police report: The man told officers he was walking in the 9500 block of West Sarasota Place at 10:30 a.m. when someone struck him on the lower back with a piece of wood, knocked him to the ground and kicked him several times. He never got a look at the attackers except that he saw a tan hand when someone took the watch from his wrist. The victim said he believes there were two attackers and that one demanded his wallet and threatened his dog's life if he didn't get money. Cash was taken from his pockets, and he was struck in the head with the butt of a pistol several times before he blacked out. When he awoke, the robbers were gone and his dog was in the street.» Read Full Article Anybody who wants to know what the Interstate 94 freeway will look like when all the work is completed can see it in 3-D at the Greenfield Public Library. The library, 5310 W. Layton Ave., will display a large scale model of the I-94 North-South Freeway project for public viewing. Viewers can see how the three tunnels will work, how the 27th Street Interchange will be configured, and the changes that are in store at the Mitchell interchange. The library is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Gateway Plastics will move ahead with the next step in a proposal to bring a railroad spur to the north end of the plant at 5650 W. County Line Road. Company chairman Carl Vogel said the railroad has indicated its support of the plan but he wanted to consult with the city's Plan Commission before proceeding. The spur would branch off from the existing Canadian Pacific Railroad lines just south of a creek crossing and across the Interurban trail from the Elmdale Court area of the city, cross three parcels of property and Riebs Lane before reaching its destination, a proposed 420-square-foot pump house. Materials from the train cars would be pumped into the building. Vogel said the rail siding will eliminate resin delivery now done by truck. Currently resin is delivered at the rate of 20 loads per week or 1,000 trucks annually. The rail deliveries will be once or twice a week, he said. The rail spur would cross the northern end of the Kleen Test property. In return for allowing the spur to cross Kleen Test, Vogel said he has agreed to build Kleen Test a parking lot for its semitrailers that are now parking on Riebs Lane for lack of other space.» Read Full Article A Mequon family is safe after police and firefighters evacuated them from their home after several people fell ill with symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning Monday. According to a news release from Mequon Police, police and firefighter personnel were dispatched to a home in the 11100 block of Lake Shore Lane after a person had fallen in the residence. When they arrived, it was determined that there were four individuals in the residence that were experiencing the symptoms of possible carbon monoxide exposure. The homeowner said the heating system had been turned on earlier in the day for the first time this season. Mequon ambulance along with mutual aid assistance from the North Shore Fire Department and Thiensville ambulance transported five adult patients to Milwaukee area to Milwaukee area hospitals for treatment. The incident is under investigation by the Mequon Police and Fire Departments. A businessman said that a woman he paid for a massage stole cash and his wedding ring from his hotel room after he declined her offer for a "happy ending" Sept. 28, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also in the report: The 33-year-old man reported at 5:45 p.m. Sept. 28 that a masseuse had taken $50 from his wallet and his wedding ring from the room he rented at the Sheraton Hotel, 375 S. Moorland Road. He requested that a detective - or any officer dressed in street clothes - respond to the hotel because he was there for a business conference and did not want to draw attention to himself. He told responding officers that he paid the woman for a massage, and she took his personal effects and left after he declined her offer for a "happy ending."» Read Full Article An 80-year-old Brookfield man was arrested for drunken driving and hit and run after striking a restaurant, two cars and two trees with his car Sept. 29, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also in the report: The man was leaving Maxim's Restaurant, 18025 W. Capitol Drive, at 1:54 p.m. Sept. 29 when he struck the building, two cars and two trees, causing minor damage. Restaurant staff got the man's name from a credit card receipt and reported the incident to police. The man was arrested for his third offense of drunken driving when officers went to his home and found his damaged car parked in an open garage.» Read Full Article Fire suppression and detection systems are credited with quelling two fires in the city of Brookfield before major damages were incurred last week. According to Fire Department reports: Firefighters found a light haze of smoke coming from the kitchen when they arrived at Best Western Midway, 1005 S. Moorland Road, at 2:21 a.m. Sept. 30. It was later determined that a pile of rags used for cleaning had somehow ignited. Hotel guests were evacuated. Water from the fire-suppression sprinkler system extinguished the blaze and prevented any damage to the building.» Read Full Article More than $21,000 in jewelry was taken from a home in the 3600 block of Muirwood Drive on Sept. 28, it was reported to city of Brookfield police. According to the police report, the burglary happened between 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Sept. 28. The intruder pried open a rear casement window to get into the home after an attempt to pry open a rear patio door failed. The case remains under investigation. A Brookfield man who thought he had negotiated a payment plan for outstanding credit card debt became the victim of fraud, according to a city of Brookfield police report. Also from the report: The 79-year-old man reported that he stopped making payments on a $28,000 credit card balance in December because he could no longer afford to. In a series of phone calls with someone claiming to be a representative of the credit card company, the man agreed to pay $5,800 in 36 monthly payments if the remainder of the balance was forgiven. The unidentified suspect had the man's personal information and details of his credit account.» Read Full Article The 70 percent of Wauwatosa property owners who don't pay their taxes in person at City Hall will need to go to the city's website to print out receipts this year. For the first time, the city won't be mailing property tax payment receipts. The change is meant to save the city time and money, Business Supervisor Derik Summerfield said. The city also will no longer use a courier to take tax payments from City Hall to the bank - that will happen electronically, he said. Even though bank fees will increase because of the electronic submissions, the reduction in paperwork and courier time will result in a $5,000 savings for the Treasurer's Office. Property owners who come to City Hall and pay at the counter will continue to receive a paper receipt. Residents who mail in the payments could submit a self-addressed stamped envelope or come to the Treasurer's Office at any time to get a print out, Summerfield said.» Read Full Article More than 200 students and their loved ones walked, bicycled, scooted or skateboarded to McKinley Elementary School today to celebrate International Walk to School Day. The event helped launch the Walking School Bus Program. Four routes are being offered that will allow children to meet up and walk to school together with one or more adult chaperons. A larger group is easier for drivers to see crossing the street than one or two children, so walking with friends makes the trip to school safer. Plus, children who walk or ride a bike to school get more physical exercise. The school PTA organized the Walk to School Day event. The Children's Theatre of Wauwatosa is celebrating its 75th year of bringing the arts to local youth with a six-show season. The curtain will rise on the first show, "Choose Thine Own Adventure," at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at Wauwatosa West High School. The introduction to Shakespeare will be presented. Season tickets are on sale online at TosaRec.com or at the Wauwatosa Recreation Department, 11400 W. Center St., for $18. Single admission tickets are sold the day of the each show for $4. The other plays that will be performed are "To Laugh is to Live," "The Crying Princess and the Golden Goose," "The Princess Went Thataway," "The Land of the Dragon" and "Let's Keep the Dream Alive" and "The Musicians."

Today, an engineer takes a lifetime to create a town -- and to gain its trust. The University of Houston's College of Engineering presents this series about the machines that make our civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity George Chaffey and his younger brother William took up the family trade of engineering in Canada. During the 1870s they followed their father, who'd built bridges and steamships. Then, when George was hardly past 30, he went to California as chief engineer of the new Los Angeles Electric Company. He made Los Angeles the world's first all-electrically-lit city. Then he and William went into the California desert. There they built a modern irrigation system and created an 8,000-acre Australian settlers faced the same problem of watering a dry land. In 1884, officials in the state of Victoria went to California for ideas. They found the young Chaffeys. So George and William went to Australia to scout possible sites for an irrigation project. They roused suspicion when they went up the Murray River from Adelaide all the way to remote Mildura station. People in Victoria began thinking the Chaffeys were just two Yankee con men. Then the neighboring state of South Australia invited them to their land, further down the Murray River. At that, Victoria swallowed its distrust. The Chaffeys finally went to work building two irrigated farm communities along the River. They moved 3000 emigrants into the region. First they used steamboat engines to drive the irrigation pumps. Then they designed a complex system with a triple expansion steam engine. The engine maker so distrusted their fancy design that he wouldn't put his own name on it. Today, that fine old engine is on display in Mildura. But it's labeled as a Chaffey engine. Chaffey's system was a clear success, and the first crop was spectacular. Then outside troubles came, and new distrust arose. First, the produce transport system broke down. Fruit rotted. There was depression. Banks failed. By 1896 Australia had laid full blame for disaster on the Chaffeys. George went bankrupt and returned to California. Back home he created a huge irrigation project in the Imperial Valley. He died a wealthy man. But brother William stuck it out in Mildura. For years he worked to rebuild the town and to rebuild his life. By 1920, Mildura was a stable city, supplied by rail. That year her citizens elected him mayor. This engineer had stayed the course; he'd built a new world; and he'd made it into his Today, William Chaffey's statue stands in Mildura. He is, after all, the city's father, and he's trusted at last. But I wonder if trust was ever I'm John Lienhard, at the University of Houston, where we're interested in the way inventive minds

December 15, 2011 Clemons will try to bounce back as sophomore This is the second in a series previewing the Kentucky football team's 2012 roster by examining young players who made their mark this season. Today's installment in on running back. The backfield was racked by injuries in 2011, but no player was hit harder than the powerful back who is our focus today. Name: Josh Clemons Rivals 2011 recruiting rating: 3-star (5.6) Height: 5-10 Weight: 201 2012 class: True sophomore What he did in 2011: It only took one game for Clemons to seize the starting tailback job. With redshirt sophomore Raymond Sanders injured early in the season, Clemons became the Wildcats' top tailback. He had 14 carries for 126 yards and a touchdown in just his second collegiate game, against Central Michigan. Included in that was an 87-yard touchdown run that accounted for 2.8 percent of Kentucky's offense on the entire year and nearly six percent of its entire rushing total in 2011. He didn't show that kind of explosiveness again, but he had double-digit carries in four of the first five games while chipping in as a kick returner when Sanders was injured as well. Then he suffered a torn meniscus in the first half of Kentucky's 54-3 beatdown at South Carolina on Oct. 8. He underwent surgery and missed the end of the year. His final numbers weren't gaudy, and the Central Michigan game was the only time he averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry. Still, he was running behind a banged-up offensive line while he was healthy, and defenses were able to stack the box on the Wildcats all season. He showed the ability to be an every-down back as his receiving and blocking improved as the year went on. His toughness was unquestioned, as he refused to let the coaches know he had injured himself against the Gamecocks, and that was visible every time he touched the ball. Final statistics: 65 carries, 279 yards, two touchdowns, four receptions, 53 yards. What he'll do in 2012: Clemons should be healthy in time for spring practice and he'll be back in the mix to start at running back immediately. There will be a trio of backs with starting experience for Kentucky returning in 2011 (upperclassmen Sanders and CoShik Williams included), but there was a point in 2011 where he had beaten out both those players and he'll have every chance to do it again. Losing Clemons hurt the offense greatly. Williams is an adequate player and Jonathan George filled in as well, but Clemons is probably the toughest player the Wildcats have to tackle. He runs low, is shiftier than defenders think, and has the speed to build up a head of steam and knock defenders backward. He might be the most talented player in the Kentucky backfield, though it's hard to judge based on half a season of production. Clemons could easily be the starting tailback on opening day in 2012. It's not beyond the realm of possibility that Sanders and Williams could pass him up, but he's probably too talented for that to happen. Expect to see a lot more of him in 2012, and his production should increase if he can stay healthy and the offense improves as a unit. Also look out for: Fellow 2011 signee Marcus Caffey was expected to play early in the year, coaches said, but injuries slowed him in fall camp. Even as he recovered, there was no chance for him to play early in the season when Kentucky had close nonconference games against Western Kentucky and Central Michigan. He ended up redshirting, but drew rave reviews from teammates for his performance on the scout team. The backfield will be crowded in 2011, but he'll have a chance to make some noise. Fullback D.J. Warren stepped in and became Kentucky's top fullback from the beginning of fall camp. He'll keep his starting job in 2012, and it's possible he'll see more time going forward. Warren was only on the field in specific situations as a true freshman as the offense featured two tight ends frequently, but the departure of senior Nick Melillo could help him see the field more. He was also learning a new position as a freshman. Warren spent most of his high school career as a tailback and defensive end, so he had a steep learning curve as he learned to become a lead blocker. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!

Please Note: By clicking a link to any resource listed on this page, you will be leaving this site. U.S. National Library of Medicine The National Library of Medicine has health information and the latest medical news. American Medical Association (AMA) The AMA has made a commitment to medicine by making doctors more accessible to their patients. Contact the AMA at: American Medical Association 515 N. State St. Chicago, IL 60610 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The CDC (the national public health institute of the United States) promotes health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) The AAP is committed to the health and well-being of infants, adolescents, and young adults. The website offers news articles and tips on health for families. ClinicalTrials.gov, a registry of federally and privately supported clinical trials around the world, has information on a trial's purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details. National Institutes of Health (NIH) NIH is an Agency under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and offers health information and scientific resources. American Academy of Family Physicians This site, operated by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), provides information on family physicians and health care, a directory of family physicians, and resources on health conditions. This site is a joint venture created by several national medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association. Medem includes a medical library and a physician finder.

Neff cast the fight as a classic struggle between David and Goliath; it was a storyline difficult to resist, especially when Verizon lobbied Harrisburg and beyond for statewide bans against cities forging alliances with Internet companies, claiming unfair advantage. Neff penned combative editorials with headlines like “Hands off our Wi-Fi network!” The press was mostly supportive. This magazine’s contrarian wrote that his doubts were allayed by Verizon’s objections: “If the phone monopoly is worried enough to sic its lobbyists on the legislature, wireless Philly is a winner.” In the end, despite the duopoly’s warnings, City Council voted unanimously to authorize Philadelphia’s wireless program. “I didn’t want to be sour grapes,” Rizzo explained of his about-face. “I had made my position abundantly clear, and it was a unanimous vote; there was no point in my being the one vote against it.” ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, IT became obvious that the complexity of the project had been under-appreciated. It was initially projected to cost EarthLink $10 million and be ready by February 2006; the price would triple, while the network remains incomplete. Meanwhile, Comcast and Verizon both reduced their prices to rates better than what EarthLink was offering for service that was a fraction of their speeds. In fact, the choice of EarthLink itself was flawed. Municipal wireless had been something of a Hail Mary for the company, which was mainly a dial-up provider trying to reinvent itself. EarthLink was overextended, having capitalized on its Philadelphia fame to secure contracts in cities all across the country. In 2007, its CEO — municipal wireless’s proudest champion — died of cancer; his replacement, seeking to cut costs, began steering the company away from such initiatives. In August 2007, just three months after EarthLink completed its 15-mile test area here, the company announced it would cut 900 jobs. Nevertheless, EarthLink continued offering subscriptions, even as the service was poor. Once again, I drank the Kool-Aid, plopping down the introductory rate of $6.95 a month. Over the next several months, I can count on one hand the number of times I caught a signal, and even then the speed was tortoise-like, and I was disconnected within a minute. When I called for assistance, a kind young man in India informed me I’d need a “wi-fi booster,” since I lived on the 15th floor of a Center City high – rise; it made no difference. In early June, EarthLink stopped service; of the paltry 5,942 city-dwellers who had signed on, only 908 were from the “digital-inclusion program”— the low-income demographic driving the project in the first place. By then, Dianah Neff was nowhere to be found. In August 2006, she announced she was leaving Philadelphia to become a senior partner at Civitium, an Atlanta-based Internet-consulting firm in the vanguard of municipal wi-fi. This was the same company to which Wireless Philadelphia and the city — under Neff’s direction — paid almost $500,000 for consulting work, much of it not subject to competitive bidding. While a Philadelphia Board of Ethics investigation concluded that Neff hadn’t violated any laws, it nevertheless called her handling of the situation “a matter of concern.” I tried repeatedly to reach Neff for comment. There was no answer at Civitium’s Atlanta headquarters; messages I left on what sounded like a home-style answering machine went unreturned, as did those on the voicemails of several Civitium employees.

|« Back to Article| ‘Riders hungry for wins, playoffs By Pat Turner : August 27, 2012 : Updated: August 30, 2012 9:13am Roosevelt coach Neal LaHue saw several encouraging signs during the offseason. He liked the attitude of the players and was especially pleased with the work ethic. That progress provides high hopes of bouncing back from last year's 2-8 (2-4) campaign with a playoff berth. Now comes the true test — making sure the positive vibes are present during the regular season. Once again the Rough Riders have their work cut out for them. They tune up against non-district opponents Stevens, Jay, New Braunfels Canyon and Austin Bowie before getting into the District 26-5A grind. League play doesn't get any easier with pre-season title favorite Madison, Reagan, Churchill and Johnson getting the early nods as the playoff contenders. However, LaHue believes the Rough Riders are better equipped to handle the weekly grind. “We didn't win a lot last year, but we were in most of the games,” La Hue said. “We were in playoff contention until week nine. I think our kids are hungry to get back. They showed it in the offseason. There was more of a commitment from them as far as putting in the effort. It continued through the summer and our workouts. That's very encouraging. “The thing now is building momentum. Every game is important. We want to have early success. That gets you ready for district. We have to turn the corner. The way to do that is making it happen during a game. We have to start what we finish,” he added. A good way to get the ball rolling is making the most of an experienced defense that includes seven returning starters. Although Roosevelt's defense might be the Rough Riders' strong point, the offense has talent to make its presence felt. Going into the season, quarterback is the No. 1 question mark. There was a stiff battle during spring drills and Jacob Preciado emerged as the top candidate. However, Springs and Roderick Owens also proved they could lead the offense. “All three of them are young, but they're athletic,” LaHue said. “They're similar in their ability. They're more runners than they are passers, but they all have good arms. All three of them have picked up the offense well. They make good decisions. Jacob has looked good and he is in the lead. “We can also use the other two. They'll be somewhere on the field. Arrion Springs was our leading tackler last year and we need him on defense. Roderick Owens has made more strides at receiver and we'll be counting on him there.” Whoever is running the show will be surrounded by playmakers. Roosevelt's running game is sound with the one-two combination of Frank Barnes and Marshall. Taylor also has the speed to make an impact. LaHue is also feeling good about the support up front. Devon Bolden and Peyton Kemp are coming off strong seasons. They've showed more improvement during the spring and early fall workouts. Their work is expected to be complemented by Juan Godoy and Christian Aguilar. “The key for us is being able to sustain four good quarters of football,” he said. “We have to get good quarterback play and stay healthy. We have good players returning. We have good young prospects, but a lot of them haven't done it yet. The new ones have to grow up fast and the older ones have to help them get there.” Pat Turner is a free-lance writer for the NE Herald

The Newberry has recently announced that the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded $526,000 for the creation of a set of online tools to allow users to teach themselves to read different early French handwritings from the late Middle Ages and Renaissance. We’re very excited as this will be an invaluable tool for paleographers, scholars and perhaps a few genealogists as well. Old styles of handwriting, whether in your native language or that of your ancestors, can present a number of problems. Here are some resources which you may find helpful: - The Newberry Center for Renaissance Studies maintains a listing of online resources for those interested in Paleography. - The U.K. National Archives offers an online tutorial: Palaeography - reading old handwriting 1500 - 1800. - The Yale University Library Rare Book Team has compiled another helpful list: List of Paleographic Resources (MS Word) - The Center for Family History and Genealogy at Brigham Young University provides tutorials for deciphering English, German, Duth, Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish scripts. If you’re still stumped, you may want to consider turning to a professional. Cyndi’s List has some resources for locating assistance.

- PROJECT HELP - WHITE PAPERS Chicago’s South Side pizzeria, Sanfratello’s Pizza, retains Phoenix Marketing Associates as agency of record in Arizona. Facebook finally adopted the publishing model of the old school media: If you want to publicize your business, you have to pay. Small business owners and restaurateurs will have to quickly re-evaluate their marketing plans for 2015. Although mobile and social media marketing have been hot industry topics for the past few years, you can’t have a strong digital showing without first developing a solid marketing campaign. At the 2014 Fast Casual Executive Summit, this panel dissected a variety of campaigns to see why some work and why some don’t. The brand examines sales and coupons to find out what works, and also leverages word-of-mouth messaging from loyal customers. Sastry Penumarthy, with Punchh, talked at NRA about how important it is for restaurants to engage customers via mobile. The chain benefited from promoting innovation, such as its Big Dinner Box and new P'Zolo sandwiches. Targeting young people online seems logical but older Americans have embraced technology, too, and want the benefits and ease of new devices and services. While use of technology and social media among Millennials is legendary (they've never known a time that wasn't digital), new Hartman Group research finds that their relationships with brands is less definitive and, thus, fertile ground for creating brand affinity.... Game on! There are two great teams in the 2011 World Series. I am from Texas, "Go Rangers!" Pizza and sports go hand and hand like pepperoni and cheese. Restaurant owners and executives are constantly looking for the biggest bang for their buck when it comes to spreading the word about their restaurant. Getting new mouths in the door is an important step in growing the business, let alone the brand. We know the place, or know of such a place. The quaint restaurant, locally owned by a couple; she's the chef, he runs the front. Canada-based Boston Pizza unveiled a new brand positioning featuring the tagline ‘We’ll Make You A Fan’ that began Feb. 21 with a 30-second brand essence spot to introduce the campaign. Deliver Media, a full-service marketing agency that serves numerous Domino’s locations nationwide, has implemented a new method to introduce five new creative designs each month for direct mail pieces. Pizza Hut will reward select fans with free pizza for a year for sharing a photo on Twitter or Instagram of themselves dressed up while eating Pizza Hut Pizza in honor of the Academy Awards on Feb. 22. Pizza Patrón launched its 'add jalapeños' campaign, LLORAR Y LLORAR, named after a song by Mexican singer Vicente Fernandez. Nashville, Tennessee-based Hunt Brothers Pizza introduced its new "Mow Like a Pro" sweepstakes, which provides winners commercial-grade lawn care prizes from Exmark. Warmth, sweetness and love could best sum up last week's new menu items. Most of those wings will be consumed in restaurants. The National Chicken Council estimates that of the wings eaten during the Super Bowl, 75 percent will come from food service outlets and 25 percent from retail grocery stores. Papa John's customers who order any large pizza at regular menu price will receive another large one-topping pizza free now through January 28. This is Hunt Brothers Pizza's eighth consecutive year as a NASCAR sponsor and fifth partnered with Harvick. To mark National Cheese Pizza Day last week, operators from a variety of chains and all members of the American Pizza Community donated free pizzas to children’s hospitals across the US. Pizza Hut and ICFLIX have joined up to bring dinner and a movie to countries across the Middle East starting August 15th. Chicago's Giordano's Famous Stuffed Pizza announced its expansion to the North Shore of the city in partnership with basketball legend Scottie Pippen. The geo-location platform LiveDeal Inc. announced that it has launched in the Los Angeles market. The livedeal.com platform has been tested in Los Angeles in recent weeks, and has signed up hundreds of participating locations as of the official launch,... Papa Murphy's has partnered with CBS EcoMedia Inc. to sponsor two WellnessAd advertising programs with the Starlight Children's Foundation for four Sacramento, Calif.-area hospitals: Shriners Hospitals for Children–Northern California, Sutter Medical Center, St. San Francisco-based Patxi's Pizza announced that it has beaten its fundraising goal by 44 percent through its 52 Weeks of Giving Community Fundraising Program. Patxi's started the program in 2010 with the goal of providing community support to organizations who... Marketing strategies and applications on Pizza Marketplace. © 2015 Networld Media Group All rights reserved.

Yankees - 000 200 200 00 - 4 13 1After Jason Bay tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run bomb to center off Mariano Rivera, Kevin Youkilis won it with a dong to left off Damaso Marte. Red Sox - 100 001 002 01 - 5 14 0 The first half of the game was highly frustrating, as the Red Sox hit into four double plays in the first five innings. But things clicked in the sixth, as Mike Lowell doubled and Jason Varitek and Nick Green followed with singles, tying the game at 2-2. Hideki Okajima relieved Lester (6-7-2-3-7, 114) in the seventh and faced four batters. They all reached safely, but only two of them scored, thanks to Manny Delcarmen's arm (3 outs on 8 pitches) and Bay's diving catch of Robinson Cano's liner to left center. After Jonathan Albaladejo plunked Green with two down in the eighth and threw a called strike to Jacoby Ellsbury, Joe Girardi called on Rivera. Panic move? Maybe. Lyndon singled, but Dustin Pedroia was caught looking. Javier Lopez loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with no outs on an HBP and two walks. But he toughened, getting Cano to hit into a 4-2-3 double play with the infield in and retiring Melky Cabrera on a foul pop to Tek. Rivera struck out Ortiz to begin the bottom of the ninth. Youkilis lined a single right back through the box and took second on J.D. Drew's slow grounder to second. Then Bay came up, looked at a ball, and crushed a home run into the left-center end of the Monster seats. Tie game, 4-4. Lowell singled, but Varitek fanned. Rivera ended up throwing 30 pitches. Mark Teixeira stranded runners at second and third in the tenth and Milk Dud GIDP'd to end the eleventh. After Ortiz struck out against Marte, Yook hit a no-doubt shot on a 2-1 pitch to left field and the first walk-off of 2009 was in the books. Joba Chamberlain (5.06, 97 ERA+) / Jon Lester (5.50, 95 ERA+) The Herald's Sean McAdam thinks "it might be too soon to expect the requisite high drama this weekend". Over at the Post, Mike Vaccaro counters with: "Not to worry. There is Joba." Referring to the four times Chamberlain has pitched up near the head of Kevin Youkilis in the last two seasons, Terry Francona notes that "he has great command until Youk gets in there". David Ortiz says "the next step for [Joba] will be to earn respect from everyone in the league so people don't get the wrong idea about him". Over at SoSH, ToeKneeArmAss posted this: Both teams come into the series on hot streaks. The Red Sox are led by Youkilis: .429/.522/.750; 14 runs scored, six doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs. ... Ortiz: "He gets up in the morning and he's already got a hit." Roger Rubin, Daily News: The Yankees have won six of their last eight games, while Boston has won seven in a row to go from the AL East basement to within striking distance of first-place Toronto. Both teams enter the weekend series at 9-6 [2 GB the 12-5 Blue Jays]. ...Since a 12-inning loss to Oakland on April 14, the Red Sox have not lost. In their last four games, the Red Sox have outscored their opponents 31-6. Here are some numbers on the two halves of the young season: On the current streak, their primary method has been beating foes into submission - Boston leads the AL in team batting average (.320), on-base percentage (.409), slugging (.580) and runs per game (7.86) over the last week. ... Pedroia is hitting .458 over the last six games, while Ortiz has five hits in the last three games ... REC RS AVG OBP SLG RA ERAWhat, Ortiz Worry? 2-6 29 .237 .319 .388 43 5.40 7-0 55 .320 .409 .580 20 2.66 People panic too easy here. I've been here seven years, man, and the years that we struggle the most, we win the World Series. Sometimes, I guess, panicking, that's what makes the game interesting. Sometimes, that gets the game all (messed) up too. I don't know, I love it. It's good with me. I've been dealing with it for years, so I know how it goes.*** When he was 13 years old, Arthur Giddon was a batboy for the Boston Braves. That was in 1922. For his 100th birthday, he'll be working at the city's other ball park, serving as the Red Sox's batboy during batting practice. The Red Sox have sent Chris Carter back to Pawtucket and are expected to call up Jonathan Van Every before tonight's game. ... Boston has also reacquired Kason Gabbard from the Rangers. ... In his first start since injuring his hamstring, Clay Buchholz pitched five innings against Rochester, allowing three hits, two walks and two runs.

He is a PIO, or press information officer, with a literary flair. Instead of a bland recitation of the facts of a crime, his press releases sparkle with a lyrical quality and a penchant for adjectives that cause even the most jaded reporters to crack a smile and take notice. In Cooney's telling, there are no boilerplate perps or faceless, anonymous cops. He does not believe in ironing the starch out of crime's drama. A recent drug bust followed "an organized effort to locate and detain the fleet-footed suspects," he wrote. A 17-year-old led police on a chase and "eluded" the officers with his mother's minivan and she "actually disclosed to us that he took the car without her permission," according to Cooney. In another case, "Troy Detectives dealt a crushing blow to a local burglary ring and recovered thousands of items of sports memorabilia in the process ... Caught red-handed, the suspect was placed into custody." In a media-saturated market where a river of generic press releases washes over computer screens and causes assignment editors' eyes to glaze over, Cooney's distinctive dispatches coined a new verb: you've been "Cooneyed." But some in the department consider his writing to be showboating and it does not always endear him to Troy's finest. "A lot of guys say I get too wordy. They don't like me going beyond the norm of name, date and place," Cooney said. "I try to capture the experience more than just the facts. I want to share stories. I'm lucky I've been blessed with some literary skills." Cooney, 55, a 30-year veteran of the department, has willed himself into becoming a writer. It did not come easily or naturally for him. He does not have a college degree. The Troy native graduated from La Salle Institute in 1976 and studied marine science briefly at Southampton College and marketing at Hudson Valley Community College. "I look at it as a failure of sorts," he said. "But I feel good that I've overcome it and have succeeded without a degree." Cooney became a cop at 25. He started as an evidence technician and was elected union president two different times, the first when he was in his early 30s. Union activism did not stunt his career climb. After eight years as a patrolman, he was promoted to sergeant and joined the detective division. He spent seven years specializing in child abuse and sex crimes. One of his proudest achievements is the creation of a victims' services program. "My focus was always what could I do to help the victim," he said. "I was criticized for taking the job too personally." Cooney wears his heart on his sleeve. He chokes up when telling a story in his third-floor office, crowded with golf memorabilia and a vanity license plate: GOLFRULZ. He drives a 1987 Alfa Romeo Spider convertible that is garaged over the winter. "My baby," he called it. He and his wife, Christine, a teaching assistant at Troy Middle School, live in Wynantskill and have two daughters: Meghan, 22, a graduate of SUNY Oneonta, and Lauren, 20, a student at Russell Sage College. Cooney is a kinder, gentler PIO. He was asked to develop a PIO curriculum and when he teaches young recruits at the Zone 5 police academy in Schenectady, Cooney goes against the grain. "I stress that we need to revise our negative perception of the media," he said. He tries to lead by example, underscoring his belief that treating the media with respect and professionalism tends to be reciprocal. "I don't see anything wrong with being media-friendly," Cooney said. Indeed, he has allowed TV reporters to meet him outside Crossgates Mall during a break on a shopping trip with his wife for on-camera interviews if a crime occurs on the weekend. His superiors believed he can get too cozy with the media. He was relieved of his duties briefly after he mistakenly hit reply all and sent out an email intended for a single reporter that was criticized as being preferential. Cooney was re-instated after a short hiatus as PIO, a voluntary post with no additional compensation. Training new officers is Cooney's forte and passion. Golf is an affliction. He caught the bug as a teenager working summers at Frear Park Golf Course. He is a longtime member at Burden Lake Country Club who has carded three hole-in-ones. He used to play to a 3-handicap, but a hand injury caused it to climb above 11 this year. He's not a long hitter, but saves par with a solid short game and a trusty Titleist Vokey 60-degree lob wedge. "It's my secret weapon," he said. His competitive nature comes out on the golf course, sometimes to extremes. A friend explained Cooney's moodiness during a poor round killed the joy of the game. "You're no fun to be around on the course," his friend said. Cooney took it to heart and started mellowing out about his play. He is a New York State Golf Association committee member and chaired the 2013 New York State Men's Amateur Championship at Schuyler Meadows Club in Loudonville. He is a stickler when it comes to golf's arcane rules and he attends four-day "rules school" sponsored by the United States Golf Association. "People think it's weird that I love to read the golf rules book over and over," he said. "I have a passion it for it, just like being PIO." [email protected] • 518-454-5623 • @PaulGrondahl

ALBUQUERQUE Grows as Artist on Eisner-Nomed AMERICAN VAMPIRE ALBUQUERQUE Grows as Artist on AMVAMP Working with best-selling author Stephen King and series creator Scott Snyder, Albuquerque not only had to visually interpret their words and create new characters from scratch. He also wanted to establish a unique artistic style for the comic, experimenting with new artistic and storytelling techniques. Apparently, the artist's attempt at growth has worked for fans. American Vampire was just nominated for an Eisner Award as "Best New Series," and it's successful enough that Vertigo is launching a spin-off mini-series. Although King is no longer writing for the series, Snyder has gotten enough attention for AmVamp to get a gig writing Batman in Detective Comics. For Albuquerque, the honor of being nominated for an Eisner comes from a lot of perseverance and determination to be a comic book artist. Although Albuquerque began his career as an artist by working in advertising in Brazil, comics were his passion, so he created a website with an online gallery, hoping to attract the attention of a publisher. It paid off. He eventually got a proposal from Middle East comics company AK Comics, and was later discovered by the folks at Boom! Studios. But most superhero comic readers remember his first gig at DC Comics on the Blue Beetle series. Yet Albuquerque says that, despite his success at DC, he longed to be involved in a more "adult" series, where he could experiment a little. And that's exactly what he's doing on American Vampire, drawing a slew of new characters since the book launched last year, adding to them in the comic's new World War II storyline, which just started in March. Newsarama: Rafael, just overall, how has the experience been of working on American Vampire? Rafael Albuquerque: Just amazing. I was working with superheroes for a while, in DCU, but all my editors knew that wasn’t really my thing. I was always asking for a more adult kind of book, where I could experiment a little more on the artwork and storytelling. When I was invited to do American Vampire, that was my chance. Nrama: What do you think the project represents for you in your career? Albuquerque: I think it meant growing up, as artist. As I have mentioned, it's the opportunity to do comics as I see it, and want to do it. Also, the opportunity to use art techniques I have never tried before. I think, also, that this project brought a lot of attention for my work, and that was really important too. Nrama: What's the experience like working with Scott Snyder? Albuquerque: It's always a good collaboration. Always. I think we have this mental connection that makes us really good together. We are always thinking in the same way, and we want the story to go to the same direction, so, I believe it’s a partnership for many, many projects. Nrama: Looking back, how would you describe the experience of working with Stephen King? Albuquerque: It was surreal all the buzz about it, and that was kind of scary, but the work itself was really easy going and amazing. He is a creative fountain, and every time he said anything about the art, or story, we were listening carefully, cause that's gold. He's also a really nice guy to work with. Patient and collaborative. I would love to work with him again. Nrama: Looking back at your time on American Vampire, what's been your favorite scene you've drawn so far? Albuquerque: There are many, but one that I really liked was when Pearl was transforming into a vampire, and she had that weird dream with a sunflower garden. I really like that sequence. Nrama: What can you tell us about the World War II storyline that started last month? Albuquerque: It's focused on Henry, Pearl's husband. He is now getting older and, in a way, that's an opportunity for him to feel young again, somehow, so he goes to war in a platoon, sent by Hobbes, and the vampire hunters. Things get ugly when Skinner Sweet meets them in the Pacific. It's a phenomenal story by Scott. Definitely the best arc so far. I’m very happy with the art approach too, colors by the awesome Dave McCaig. I can say it's our best, for sure. Nrama: Who are some of the characters you got to create for this arc? Albuquerque: The platoon guys are very important. Vicar, the leader, Calvin, Sam Lants, Johnny.... All these guy have an important roles in the plot. We feature some new species of vamps too. It's pretty much one step ahead in the AmVamp universe. Nrama: What kind of scenes are you getting to draw in this era? Albuquerque: A lot of big spread war scenes. A lot of moody sequences too. I cant really say too much about it to not spoil it, but we are trying to bring that Saving Private Ryan taste for the comic. Nrama: Is it a challenge to draw so many different eras in this comic? Albuquerque: Yes, especially in the characterizations. They need to be different, get older, or change the hair, clothes, so it's hard to make them recognizable. That's why it's so important to get their personality well done, 'cause that’s how the readers will recognize them. Nrama: Do you plan to be stay on American Vampire for the long haul? Albuquerque: Yes, for the whole run. Sometimes, we will have a guest artist or something, but I'll draw the main stories for as long as the book lasts.

Quackwatch Home Page Due to the seemingly endless search for new agents that alter states of consciousness, the emergency medical community needs to know about trends in substance abuse. There is a growing preference towards the use and abuse of unusual, designer or unique agents. This article addresses gamma-hydroxybutyric acid [GHB]. To date, the West Coast and Texas have documented the majority of GHB exposures in the United States. Reports of misuse/abuse of GHB in Pennsylvania's Delaware Valley are sporadic, but this is unlikely to continue. In the week before this article was completed, two adolescents presented to their community hospital emergency department for management of coma and respiratory depression. They had been found slumped on the floor at home. One awakened in a few hours and was discharged. The second required an overnight stay in the intensive care unit and a nasal trumpet to support his airway. The reported ingestant was GHB, and the source was a $50 kit ordered from a Web site. The dose may have been miscalculated. Unlike most other abused drugs, GHB is not a pharmaceutical preparation and is not difficult to create. "Kitchen chemistry" is very popular with adolescents and young adults, and the "recipe" for GHB is available on the Internet. Even if the ingredients were unusual, there are pharmaceutical sites on the Internet that supply bulk chemicals. The "recipe" involves the heating of caustic soda, which could produce significant burns if done carelessly. Ingestion of the final product has also caused esophageal injury when the caustic soda was not neutralized [1-4]. Gamma hydroxybutyric acid [GHB] is a naturally occurring short-chain fatty acid metabolite of gamma amino butyric acid [GABA]. Isolated during research on GABA, GHB is found in all body tissues, with the highest concentration in the mammalian brain. Its role as a possible neurotransmitter is still being evaluated. It is involved in the regulation of GABA, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and acetylcholine. Research indicates that GHB produces deep reversible depression of cerebral metabolism, increases dopamine concentrations, induces hypothermia [through decreases in metabolic heat production and increases in peripheral heat loss through the skin. In monitored sedation, GHB decreases cardiac output due to slight decreases in stroke volume and heart rate. In the brain, GHB increases acetylcholine and affects the rate of serotonin metabolism. The precise function and metabolic pathways of GHB are complex and not yet fully understood. GHB is rapidly absorbed by oral, intravenous, and intraperitoneal routes. Distribution is rapid, and the volume of distribution is small. Unlike GABA, GHB easily crosses the blood-brain barrier to affect the activity and levels of dopamine, acetylcholine, dynorphin and serotonin [1,5-7] . The primary effect of GHB is central nervous system depression. Its initial clinical use was therefore to induce anesthesia. It is still used in Europe as an adjunct for anesthesia. GHB induces a trancelike state that mimics physiologic sleep. It also may protect the central nervous system for injury during hypoxic episodes, hibernation states and/or states of increased metabolic demands. Animal research demonstrated a potential for high doses to cause seizures. This side effect, in addition to GHB's inability to produce pain relief, decreased interest in its use in the field of anesthesia. Research continues to the present exploring clinical uses for GHB in the management of sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy (a disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable, though often brief, attacks of deep sleep). GHB's relationship with GABA has also fueled research into possible use for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome and chemical dependence [6,8,9]. GHB emerged as a toxicological issue in 1990, when health-food stores represented it as a "safe" alternative to anabolic steroids. It was said to stimulate release of growth hormones. Dr. J.E. Dyer, in conjunction with the San Francisco Poison Center, documented 16 cases of adults ingesting between 1/2 teaspoon and 1 full teaspoon of GHB in 1990. The symptoms recorded ranged from dizziness, confusion and nausea to coma and seizures. This cluster of poisonings led to increased surveillance. In six months, 57 cases were identified nationwide. The "doses" of GHB ingested varied from 1/2 teaspoon to 3 teaspoons. Drowsiness, hypotonia, dizziness and vomiting developed within 15 to 60 minutes of ingestion. Central nervous system depression, depressed respirations, tremor, myoclonus (muscle twitching) and seizures were also documented. The severity of the intoxication appeared to correlate with the dose ingested. All patients recovered fully in 2 to 96 hours. One analysis of a sample of GHB found that the form being marketed was a 97-98% pure sodium salt of GHB. The FDA banned GHB as a nutritional aid as a result of these incidents [3,10]. Illicit use of GHB continues because of its reputation for inducing a euphoric state. The effects are dose-related, but no reliable means exists to estimate the number of milligrams in a "teaspoon" of GHB. At 10 mg per kg, short -term amnesia and hypotonia occur. At 20-30 mg per kg, GHB causes drowsiness and sleep. Doses between 50-70 mg per kg produce a hypnotic state and may cause bradycardia, nausea, vomiting, bradypnea, and Cheyne-Stokes respirations. Higher doses enhance the cardiopulmonary depression and carry the risk of myoclonic seizure activity. One fatality has been reported involving GHB intoxication but it was in combination with heroin [11-13]. The treatment for GHB intoxication is supportive. Its rapid absorption and onset decreases the impact of washing out the stomach. There is no information regarding GHB's adsorption to activated charcoal. Naloxone and flumazenil have had no effect on the depth of CNS depression in known cases. Enhanced elimination has not become an issue and GHB's small volume of distribution renders hemodialysis ineffective. There is no known antidote to GHB. The incidence of GHB abuse appears to be growing. Reporting these cases to the Poison Control Center is necessary if we are to appropriately assess its impact.

B.A., University of Maryland; M.A., Ph.D., New York University. (1990) Class of 1932 Research Professorship, 2002-03 Donald B. Hoffman Research Fellowship, 2010-2011 Fighter Pilot's Daughter: A Story of the Sixties and the Cold War (Rowman and Littlefield, 2013) In Fighter Pilot's Daughter, Prof. Lawlor shifts gears from the academic writing of her first two books to a more personal, nonfiction narrative mode. She tells the story of her experience as a young woman coming of age in an Irish Catholic, military family during the Cold War. Her father, an aviator in the Marines and later the Army, was transferred more than a dozen times to posts from Miami to California and Germany as the government's Cold War policies demanded. For the pilot?s wife and daughters, each move meant a complete upheaval of ordinary life. The car was sold, bank accounts closed, and of course one school after another was left behind. Friends and later boyfriends lined up in memory as a series of temporary attachments. The book describes the dramas of this traveling household during the middle years of the Cold War. In the process, Fighter Pilot's Daughter shows how the larger turmoil of American foreign policy and the effects of Cold War politics permeated her domestic universe. Interview with Bathsheba Monk about Fighter Pilot's Daughter: A Story of the Sixties and the Cold War on WDIY 2012(Note that in this radio interview, the book is referred to under a preliminary title, The Pilot's House. This titled was subsequently changed to Fighter Pilot's Daughter.) “Identity in Mashantucket,” American Quarterly (forthcoming 2005) “Indigenous Internationalism: Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and the UN,” Comparative American Studies (Fall 2003) “Keeping History at Wind River and Acoma,” Ariel: A Review of International English Literature 26 (1995): 139-162. “Placing Source in Greed and McTeague,” in Intertexuality in Literature and Film, ed. Elaine Cancelon & Antoine Scapagna (University Press of Florida, 1994) “The Fictions of Daniel Boone,” Desert, Garden, Margin, Range: The Significance of Frontiers in American Literature, ed. Eric Heyne (Macmillan, 1992) “The Late Lacan Show,” Pequod 25 (1990): 106-111. Dr. Lawlor’s primary field is nineteenth-century American Literature – American Naturalism and Romanticism – but she also teaches courses in Native American Literature, Literature and Film of the Cold War, Militarization in American Narrative, Literature and Film of American Suburbia, Literature and the Environment, and Literature of the American Frontier.

Shopping for insurance on healthcare.gov isn’t yet as easy as booking a flight on Expedia, but a new survey suggests that consumers are warming up to the new online marketplace for health care. The findings, released Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, show that insurance seekers had markedly better experiences in December than in October. Nearly 70% continued to give the health-care exchanges “fair” or “poor” ratings—a finding the Right may trumpet as a bitter defeat for Obamacare—but the finding is less dire as it sounds. Most potential enrollees said they still expected to buy insurance before open enrollment ends this spring, and young adults are showing as much interest as older ones. Health care exchanges opened in all 50 states in October, but 36 of them relied on a federal enrollment website (healthcare.gov) that performed abysmally at first. The Obama administration repaired and improved the site during a frantic November push, enabling roughly a million people to enroll in private plans before the year ended. Another million secured private coverage through state-run exchanges, and nearly 4 million enrolled in Medicaid. The next goal is to push private enrollment from 2 million to 7 million by March 31, and to control costs by balancing older (costlier) subscribers with younger ones. The new survey suggests that both goals are feasible. When Commonwealth polled potential enrollees in October, only 17% had visited the marketplaces through any medium (online, phone or paper). By mid-December, when the new survey was conducted, 24% had visited the marketplaces. Among the marketplace visitors questioned in December, 51% (versus 37% in the earlier survey) found it easy to compare the subscription fees (premiums) for different plans, and 43% (up from 30%) had no trouble comparing the benefits. Still, only 38% had an easy time comparing different plans’ out-of-pocket costs, and only 36% said it was easy to find a plan they could afford. Despite these frustrations, nearly 40% of the marketplace visitors ended up applying for coverage by the end of December. And when the researchers questioned potential enrollees who hadn’t visited a health care exchange, or hadn’t applied for coverage, nearly 60% said they still planned to find a plan before the 2014 enrollment period ends in late March. “If that large a percentage of eligible consumers enroll in either Medicaid or the marketplace plans,” says Sara Collins, the Commonwealth Fund’s vice president for health care coverage and access, “that would make for a very successful first year of enrollment.” Especially when you consider the age patterns the survey reveals. Now that insurers can’t penalize or exclude people who may actually require medical care, they depend heavily on young, healthy subscribers to help dilute the cost. Rates would skyrocket if the exchanges attracted only high-risk subscribers, but the new survey should help allay that fear. It found that 19- to 34-year-olds, who make up roughly 40% of potential enrollees, accounted for roughly 40% of marketplace visitors through December—and they were just as determined as older consumers to find coverage. Some 58% of the young adults who hadn’t yet enrolled said they would return before March 31. The figures were 61% among 35- to 49-year-olds and 55% among 50- to 64-year-olds. Tapping all this potential will take effort. State and federal officials clearly need to keep improving the enrollment sites and—equally important—reaching out to inform and support potential enrollees. A third of them don’t even know the health care exchanges exist, and 44% haven’t heard that financial help is available. Not surprisingly, those in greatest need are the least aware of their options. The survey shows that only half of uninsured adults (versus three-quarters of those who already have individual policies) know about the marketplace subsidies. By the same token, low-income respondents are less informed than those with higher earnings. The health care law’s “navigator” program is helping thousands of consumers get their bearings, but Texas and other red states are using onerous regulations to sabotage the effort. Despite the obstacles, the Affordable Care Act is chugging forward. And if the new findings are any indication, it may yet succeed.

Dimensions: 448 pages, 8.5 × 5.7 × 1.4 in Published: May 13, 2014 Publisher: Doubleday Canada The following ISBNs are associated with this title: ISBN - 10: 0385679246 ISBN - 13: 9780385679244 From the Publisher The much-anticipated, thrilling conclusion to Moira Young''s Dust Lands trilogy. When the star reader, Auriel Tai, challenged Saba to seize her destiny and defeat DeMalo and the Tonton, Saba was confident in her purpose. Then she met DeMalo and he confounded all expectations with his seductive vision of a healed earth, a New Eden. DeMalo and Saba had an intense and passionate encounter - physical, emotional and psychic - that changed her life, and now he wants Saba to join him, in life and work, to create and build a healthy, stable, sustainable world...for the chosen few. Jack''s choice is clear: to fight DeMalo and try to stop his dangerous New Eden project. Still uncertain, her connection with DeMalo a secret, Saba commits herself to the fight. Joined by her brother Lugh, anxious for the land in New Eden, Saba leads an inexperienced guerilla band against the powerfully charismatic DeMalo, in command of his settlers and the Tonton militia. What chance do they have? Saba must act. And be willing to pay the price. About the Author MOIRA YOUNG has been by turns an actress, a dancer, and an opera singer, but her first loves are books and writing. A native of Canada, she now lives in the UK with her husband. Raging Star is the third book in the eerie and unforgettable Dust Lands trilogy, after the critically acclaimed Blood Red Road and Rebel Heart. Praise for Moira Young: "[Blood Red Road is] Mad Max and The Hunger Games meet True Grit. . . .The author moves between ruthless action and gorgeous, buttery narration. . . . This is a must-read, where girls rescue boys, and where the future looms up full of hope and loss, struggles and archetypes that give the story a timeless, classic edge." —The Globe and Mail “The twists and turns of the epic plot are set to keep you on your toes. . . . A thrilling conclusion to the Dustlands trilogy.”

Today, just in time for the start of the year of the lunar new year, we’re finishing off our two-part roundup of books that we’re looking forward to in 2014. Last week’s post (part 1) focused on recently published titles, while today’s (part 2) focuses on forthcoming books that are due out later this year. Note: the books discussed below are divided by category according to whether they are currently available for pre-order, or whether specific details of their release have, as of this posting, yet to be announced. For each category, books are listed alphabetically by author. * * * Available for Pre-order Split by Cathy Linh Che (forthcoming from Alice James Books in April 2014) Split is the latest winner of the Kundiman Prize (the previous years’ awards having gone to Mezzanines by Matthew Olzmann and Pier by Janine Oshiro). Cathy Linh Che is a poet who writes with clarity and shattering vulnerability. I heard her read from portions of Split, which intertwines histories of personal trauma with the inherited trauma of war and displacement, at last year’s AWP, and watched the crowd be visibly moved as she began to cry on the podium. Che said recently, in a feature on the Blood-Jet Radio Hour’s blog: “at a reading, a young woman called me ‘the crying poet.’ She’d witnessed me bawling my eyes out at not one, but two of my own readings. I was a bit embarrassed by the nickname, but now it is a moniker I am proud of! If a book or reading is moving, I tear up. It is how I determine whether or not a work is good. Does it move me? And after I put down the work, does it endure?” I very much respect this: here is a poet who is willing to own the porousness between her work and herself, who is willing to allow herself to be moved by both the process and the “read” experience of her own writing. I can’t wait to read Split. * * * Turn by Wendy Chin-Tanner (forthcoming from Sibling Rivalry Press in March 2014) This is a special one for us here at LR. Wendy has been our staff interviewer for the past three seasons (she’s the one who’s been responsible for bringing you the insights of everyone from Garrett Hongo to Don Mee Choi), and we are so very ecstatic that she has a book forthcoming! We first got to know Wendy through her sonically rich, smart, politically-attuned poetry—we published a piece of hers in Issue 3 and enjoyed it so much that we made it the “closer” for the main body of the issue. Since joining the blog staff, she’s been a huge asset to the team, contributing colorful and extremely thoughtful interviews each month. We were thrilled when we learned that Sibling Rivalry had picked up her book, and are very much looking forward to reading it in a couple of months’ time. * * * Post Subject by Oliver de la Paz (forthcoming from U of Akron Press in August 2014) This is a project that we’re proud to say we had the opportunity to publish portions of before it became a book. The bones of Post Subject emerged from a series of epistolary poems composed in postcard (or postcard-like) form and addressed to “Empire,” three of which we were privileged to publish in Issue 3. De la Paz’s “Dear Empire” poems are short and notational, but haunting. Their speaker excavates the ruins of imperialism, determinedly wading through to catalog the wreckage. Thus far, I’ve only seen the bits and pieces of the series that have appeared in various literary journals, but I look forward to reading the body of the project as a whole when Post Subject comes out in August. * * * Seam by Tarfia Faizullah (forthcoming from SIU Press in March 2014) Speaking of much-talked-about books and projects that I’ve been waiting to read in book form for years (or so it seems), Tarfia Faizullah’s first book, for which she won the Crab Orchard Review first book prize, is finally coming out this spring, and I am just about dying of anticipation. Tarfia spent a year on a Fulbright scholarship in Bangladesh, where she interviewed women who had been raped by Pakistani soldiers during the 1971 Liberation War. The powerful poems that she wrote in and around the experience of hearing and receiving these women’s stories (see some of them, accompanied by beautiful portraits taken by photographer Elizabeth Herman, here) are woven into the heart of Seam. Tarfia’s poetry is truly gorgeous–tender, full of light, and filled with rich, striking imagery (we published one of her poems in Issue 4). She speaks at length about her work in this interview we did with her last year. * * * Mad Honey Symposium by Sally Wen Mao (forthcoming from Alice James Books in May 2014) We love Sally Wen Mao. We love her poems, of course, of which we published two in Issue 5 (1, 2), but we also love her spunk and quirky creative spirit: she is, after all, the woman who came up with Kundiman’s unofficial mascot, the honey badger (an animal that, according to the poet, is also of central importance in her book). Sally’s poetry waltzes headily with the surreal and at times the grotesque, drawing the reader into its imaginative web of fresh, sublimely strange, song-like voicings. Mad Honey Symposium won the 2012 Kinereth Gensler Award, and it will no doubt be a treat. * * * Forthcoming (Specific Details to Come) Picture Dictionary by Kristen Eliason (forthcoming from Flaming Giblet in 2014) We had the honor of getting to publish an excerpt of Kristen’s Picture Dictionary manuscript in Issue 5. In the project, she writes with exceptionally beautiful transparency of loss and mourning, alienation and exile, of silence and lack thereof—all through the conceit of a Japanese Katakana syllabary table from which the speaker is learning as she grapples with her fresh grief while abroad. Kristen writes with a quiet, but firm, touch that belies, and indeed, makes more poignant, the powerful interior narrative that underscores the project. We are so very excited to hear that Picture Dictionary is going to be published as a full-length book, and are waiting for its release with much anticipation. * * * Blood, Sparrows and Sparrows by Eugenia Leigh (forthcoming from Four Way Books in fall 2014) Eugenia Leigh is a poet whose courage I deeply admire. She writes fearlessly and with finely-tuned grace of family history, of experiences of violence and of joy—all with an eye to the divine and to the fingerprints of a higher force of mercy in this world. Her writing is lush and unabashed, suffused with streaks of light that pierce through histories of trauma and grief: blood against snow. I first became acquainted with her work through Kundiman (where I got to hear her read the title poem from her forthcoming collection), and we have since not only had the opportunity to publish some of her writing (both in Issue 3 of the magazine, and on the blog, to which she contributed a guest review), but also to collaborate with her in her position as poetry editor at Kartika Review. Eugenia and her writing are a force to be reckoned with; no doubt Blood, Sparrows, and Sparrows—her first book—will be, as well. * * * The Dead Wrestler Elegies by W. Todd Kaneko (forthcoming from Curbside Splendor in 2014) We’ve been huge fans of W. Todd Kaneko’s work since we first published his “Northwest Poem” in Issue 2. Perhaps one of the most versatile poets we know (at least, in terms of subject matter), Kaneko has written about dinosaurs and the undead, of witches and of his family’s experience of internment during WWII, and now, his series of poems about dead wrestlers is being published by Curbside Splendor. Todd’s work charms by means of its subject matter, but also (always) by means of its stellar craft, its strong music and beautiful imagery. We look forward to more of the same strong work in his first collection. * * * Reliquaria by R. A. Villanueva (forthcoming from U of Nebraska Press in fall 2014) Ever since I first heard R. A. Villanueva read at AWP in 2009, I’ve been looking forward to the day when his first book would come out. In the interim, we’ve gone on to publish a couple of his poems in Issue 4 of LR, and he’s become the editor of the gorgeous literary journal Tongue. And now his first full-length book is finally on its way! Much like the painters from whose work he frequently draws inspiration, Villanueva writes with searing clarity and with beautifully measured strokes. Reliquaria, which won the 2013 Prairie Schooner Prize, is filled with ekphrastic investigations of art and meditations on the body—as symbol, in life, in death, in afterlife. I particularly look forward to reading the final version of his poem about the controversial “Bodies” exhibit, which he briefly wrote about for us in this blog post. Select poems from the book can be found at Ninth Letter, Diagram, Painted Bride Quarterly (1, 2), and the Collagist (1, 2, 3) * * * A very happy and healthy lunar new year to all! What’s on your reading list for the year of the horse? Editor’s note: an earlier version of this post mistakenly credited this set of portraits to Tarfia Faizullah. The wording above has since been changed to reflect that the photographs in question were actually taken by Elizabeth D. Herman. The editors regret this error and thank Ms. Herman for clarifying! Update (2/23/14): The original version of the post also mistakenly named Eugenia Leigh’s book as Blood, Blood and Sparrows (the correct title is Blood, Sparrows and Sparrows). Our apologies to Eugenia; the title has since been corrected.

|Associate / Affiliate Ranking||16| USA Cricket Association (USACA) is governed by an elected Board composed of national officers and regional representatives. USACA is a 501(c)3 registered charity. USACA's primary objective is to promote, encourage, foster and develop interest and participation in the game of cricket throughout the United States of America. Domestically, USACA has a pyramidal system of competitions and tournaments to encourage the growth of cricket throughout the country and to identify talented young players. Volunteers are critical to the success of the game in the USA. Volunteers form the base of cricket's pyramid and are the foundation of USA cricket. These people are involved in member clubs and leagues that are part of the eight regions across the country. The USACA regions organize inter-league tournaments, which are used to identify players for selection to represent their respective regions. Regional teams then participate in national tournaments. These national tournaments are at the top of the pyramid and are used by the National Selection Committee to select USA teams. USACA are also aiming to increase junior and youth participation in cricket through working closely with schools and clubs across the country. The hope is to have a strong playing pathway from entry-level, grassroots participation right through to senior and national representation for men and women. "Volunteer financing" is a challenge that faces many sports organizations. Funding is necessary to run the national, regional, league, and club organizations as well as grow junior, youth and women's participation in the game. Recognizing this, USACA began seeking strategic partners to help develop the commercial aspects of USA cricket so as to create additional income streams to ensure financial sustainability of its development program. Through an RFQ process and detailed discussions, the USACA Board recently settled on a robust international solution with the formation of Cricket Holdings America, LLC (CHALLC) in partnership with New Zealand Cricket, an ICC full member, and other successful international investment and marketing entities. CHALLC can help transform governance of USACA to more predictable management with larger cash flows for all the stakeholders, offering additional development options for USA cricket. The immediate impact of this partnership was the official ICC match between Full Members New Zealand and Sri Lanka in 2010. Branded the "Pearl's Cup" the event was held at the Lauderhill Stadium and was a huge success. However, American cricket fans are extremely eager to see Full members playing ICC official matches on its shores. Imagine India playing England in New York City or Pakistan playing Sri Lanka in Chicago or Ireland playing Scotland in Boston. The sell out crowds at the 2012 T20 matches between the West Indies and New Zealand at Lauderhill Stadium are evidence of the appetite for cricket in the USA. USACA is working towards a long-term engagement with the West Indies Cricket Board to host Full members in Florida as the opening act of tours to the Caribbean.

Author: Jennifer Snyder Reading Level: Young Adult e-book, 65 pages Date Published: August 26, 2011 Description (Taken from Goodreads): Seventeen-year-old Rowan Harper knows her life is forever changed the moment her schizophrenic mother commits suicide. What Rowan doesn’t realize is how much her mother’s choice altered her own fate. It’s not until after meeting Jet, a sapphire-eyed dead boy, Rowan begins to learn of her new destiny as becoming her mother’s replacement for something she never knew existed. The main character Rowan is likable enough, but I felt like she wasn’t developed as much as I wanted. Then again, this is a novella and only so much can fit into its pages. I did like her though; and feel for her. Snyder gives Rowan some history that plays well into the reaper plotline. The romantic aspect wasn’t my favorite, as Jet, Rowan’s would-be suitor, is more than a little rough around the edges. He plays the hot and then cold thing too much, but he makes up for it by grounding the world of the reapers in our reality. Without him, the reapers would feel too supernatural, but with him, they are tied to our world and to Rowan’s. All in all, Touch is a very strong start to a story. So many possibilities could spring from this world of reapers and I hope Snyder chooses to expand upon what she’s begun to build. I wasn’t in love with this book as a novella, but I did enjoy it enough to recommend it to others. Snyder is such a strong writer and she knows how to get to readers on a very emotional level. I’ll definitely continue to read her work in the future. Opening line: Glimmering black feathers and beady little eyes that never seemed to move from me – that was what flashed through my mind seconds before the blue truck clipped my car – images of the watchful crows from my backyard. ~ pg. 4 Favorite lines/passages: “What are you?” I asked, annoyed. “Fascinated,” Jet answered simply. ~ pg. 15 *This review is my honest opinion and I received no monetary compensation from it. Find Jennifer Snyder online: Buy it online:

The K'Horune appear as twisted humanoids, their skin grey and their hair long and black. They are human sized, with frail arms and legs. Appearances deceive however, for there is strength in these appendages; strength that could rip an adventurer apart. In the shadows of the depths these hunters are silent and cunning. It is likewise on the surface and few are those who can spot a host of K'Horune wanderers moving from tree to tree in the midst of night. The faces of these wretches mirror the horrors they have become. They look human, but their skin is wrinkled and grey, their teeth are sharpened and their facial features are distorted and displaced in the manner of some trolls. They didn't wear clothes in the depths and this has caused some to freeze to death in the icy wastes of the valley. The K'Horune learn quickly however and now they have been killing families and sacking outlying farms. They rob the fallen of their clothing, and with every looting yet more K'Horune can exit from their place of exile. It is not easy to survive in the depths, and when an entire race is cast into unknown darkness with limited or no supplies, cannibalism becomes the order of the day. To put it simply: In K'Horune society the weakest is not only on the bottom of the social ladder. The weakest are eaten. With their re-emergence into the realms of light, that diet has changed somewhat. Patrols from the Gethrensburg now report that where corpses were simply undressed before, they are undressed and gnawed upon now. The K'Horune are particular however and only cheek and abdominal flesh is eated, the rest they leave be. The K'Horune retain some of the sleep patterns of their ancestral parentage; the Trolls. This means that they enter a form of mild hibernation during winter. This means they would normally be asleep now, but the unlocking of the gates have awakened the young and lightest sleepers. This also means that the old, cunning and powerful of their society are still safely asleep kilometers below the surface. Time is of the essence and this precursor invasion is nothing compared to what would come on snow melt, mere weeks away. Magic is preserved for the elders and but one such elder has awakened to ascend from the darkness below. Her name is Ankhol-Anakhol, or "Witherfrost" among her kind, and her domain is the Magic of Frost. With her mastery of the icier aspects of magic, she is able to encase an unfortunate adventurer in ice or even call upon the skies to deliver a vast storm of sleet and ice. Her magic is taxing however and after a particularly tiresome conjuring, she has to rest to regain her strength. In times of need she is able to cannibalize her own stamina to keep going, but this is unhealthy and not something she does willingly. The K'Horune is sensitive to light and afraid of fire. After years upon years without neither, they see poorly in daylight and are terrified of torches. If Witherfrost is nearby she will magically extinguish torches, but she is normally not, so a single torch could save the night. An adventurer can use a torch or bonfire in much the same way as a cleric would turn undead. The hissing K'Horune would circle an unfortunate victim, clawing at the air, but they would not dare approach if the PC is convincing enough in his threatening gestures (Some kind of willpower check OR, lacking that, turning "undead" as per a cleric of the same level). At day they retreat to dark caves, or even to their place of exile, but at night they re-emerge. #1: The first clue as to what is happening is a pair of fresh corpses, half eaten and undressed in the snow. Oddly enough their clothes and armour is gone, but their swords are left behind - still clutched in their frozen hands. #2: Several kilometers away, during daytime, a flock of ravens circle, often diving from the skies unto the ground. Should the PCs check this out, they will discover a truly horrible scene: The previous night the half-trolls struck and an entire village was butchered. The attackers cared naught whether they slew man, woman, child or elder. They are all dead, stripped bare and half eaten. #3: Movements in the night: After the adventurers have found some corpses and understood that something evil is underfoot (literally), they will have the final pre-encounter experience. As they assemble around the bonfire, ready to partake of their limited supplies, something stirs in the dark of the forest. A hissing sound will be heard, yet nothing happens. Should they explore they will find footprints akin to a human with terribly long and sharp nails on their foot. Rebirth and Betrayal: The Greater Picture: On the Trail of Friends Thought Lost: Epiphanies and Revelation: Optional Ending #1: Fleeing (Cowardly) Optional Ending #2: Slayers of the Wild (Epic Heroism) Optional Ending #3: Sealing the Gates to "Hell" (Heroic) Optional Ending #4: Long Live Diplomacy (Normal, but beneficial in the long run) Optional Ending #5: For the Price of your Soul (Easy, but extremely stupid (involves Long Man Death)).

Once a month, female students pack the cozy chapel at the Holy Spirit Friary that overlooks the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio. These gatherings are confidential, with no one discussing who is or who isn’t among the 50 to 60 gathered in the pews. Students come to listen and to pray as they seek discernment about whether to pursue religious vocations — as nuns. “They keep this private for an interesting reason,” said Father Seraphim Beshoner, a history professor. “If word gets out that someone is trying to discern if she has a vocation, then our guys are afraid to date her. I mean, how can you compete with Christ and his church?” Meanwhile, the campus offers a similar program for young men considering the priesthood. In its 25 years of existence, this Priestly Formation Program has produced about 400 priests for various orders and dioceses and, at the moment, another 40 or more students are taking part. Many of America’s 244 Catholic colleges and universities offer similar programs, of course, in part because of rising concerns about the thinning and graying ranks of priests, brothers, sisters and nuns. The number of priests in America has declined from 59,000 in the 1960s to 40,600 last year. There has been an even sharper decline in the number of sisters and nuns, from 180,000 in the ’60s to approximately 59,000 today — with 90 percent of them 60 years old or older. One factor that shapes Franciscan University life is the presence of three male and four female religious orders that maintain houses near the campus and its 2,040 undergraduates, noted Father Richard Davis, leader of the campus friary and former regional vocations director for the Third Order Regular Franciscans. Many other orders regularly send younger members to visit the campus or study there. “Our students are very sensitive to this,” said Davis. “New styles of habits and robes keep appearing here all the time. The students see that and it makes them curious. … This campus produces a large number of priests, but I believe even more of our young women become sisters and nuns.” While the atmosphere is highly charged — Franciscan is known for its standing-room-only Masses, even on weekdays — students face the same tough questions that shape the decisions of young Catholics elsewhere, said the friar. Based on his experiences over four decades, these include: * How to respond if family members say they will — in one memorable phrase — be “wasting their lives.” In an era of increasingly smaller Catholic families, many parents worry about “losing” a child and future grandchildren. In February, the U.S. Catholic bishops released a survey noting that 51 percent of women who recently took final vows said their parents or other family members actively opposed this choice. * After decades of sexual scandals and abuse, Davis said some students literally ask: “Will I be safe? … If I visit a monastery or a convent, will someone hit on me?” * Students often want to know which orders are “faithful to the Magisterium” — meaning the Vatican and core Catholic doctrines — and which are not. The majority of students today, he said, are seeking orders that emphasize a life of prayer and service to the poor, in America and abroad. * Many students bluntly ask: “Do I have what it takes?” This question may center on celibacy, poverty, a rigorous prayer life or some other personal issue. The key, said Davis, is that “you don’t take religious vows to run away from marriage and family, or from hard questions about your own weaknesses or talents. You have to face these issues.” * Another question — “Will I be alone?” — is especially poignant in an age of fading religious orders. Some students in this highly social generation fear that choosing the religious life will mean a shortage of friends and companions. “They don’t want to join a community in which the life they will live looks pretty much like the life they would have lived if they had never joined a religious community in the first place,” said Father Seraphim, dressed in his plain black Franciscan habit. “However, they also want to join a community that has other young people in it. They don’t want to be the ones left to turn out the lights someday when their order dies.”

April 09 2013 09:04PM The Edmonton Oilers and GM Steve Tambellini have boxed themselves in with Sam Gagner's summer contract. Content to sign him to a 1-year deal, the young center has delivered impressive boxcars and will cost a pretty penny--and he's eligible for free agency just around the corner. Steve Tambellini is faced with buying free agent seasons at a premium, or trading 89. SHOULD THEY SIGN HIM? Taken from pretty much every angle, Sam Gagner's offensive numbers are good: - Overall: 39, 14-21-35 (2nd on Oilers) - Even: 39, 10-9-19 (tied-2nd on Oilers) - PP: 39, 39, 4-10-14 (tied-1st on Oilers) - PK: 39, 0-2-2 (tied-1st on Oilers) Gagner's 35 points have him tied for 24th in the entire NHL, and if we were looking at a full season the youngster would be on pace for a 70-point season. He's also a player the coach counts on based on TOI: - EV: 14:37 per game (4th among Oiler forwards) - PP: 2:50 per game (4th among Oiler forwards) - PK: 1:45 per game (5th among Oiler forwards) So, based on those totals I think it's safe to suggest that Gagner is a pure "2nd line" forward on a healthy Oilers club, at least based on the way Ralph Krueger is using him this season. Fair? When the Oilers signed Gagner to a mere one-year deal, there was a lot of chatter about consistency. Gagner has been an Oiler for a long time now--this is his sixth season--and all of the years before had at least one item that hurt his report card. Last season, he went a long period without impacting the offense as an example (Gagner went 19, 4-3-7 to close out the season after a brilliant 13, 9-9-18 February). This season, the offense has been consistent: - January: 7, 3-5-8 - February: 12, 3-8-11 - March: 15, 7-5-12 - April: 5, 1-3-4 On the way to what would be his career season if it rolled out over 82 games. THEN WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? Well, it's like this: coach Ralph Krueger appears to be trying to get Samwise offensive opportunities with the third and fourth (roughly) best wingers on the team, and 89 and those wingers simply CAN NOT do one damn thing with it in terms of outshooting the opposition and outchancing the other guy 5x5 with death on the line. Any way you look at this, Gagner centers a line that borders on tragedy. The most confusing part? The WOWY numbers tell us that during zone-adjusted zone start/close situations Gagner-Hemsky isn't working. This is a duo one would expect to flourish against the softer parade. Why isn't it working? - maybe it's the rookie (Yakupov) or the young winger (Paajarvi) having a hard time. - maybe it's the Hemsky injury Or, maybe it is as Tyler Dellow described today in a brilliant item over at his site. Tyler's conclusion--it's on management to answer for and figure out this mess (beyond the 1line) is the most important item. And with Gagner's contract up--and a signficant increase in pay likely--this is very important right bloody now. WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? There's been much clamoring about Sam Gagner's lack of size being a major issue for the Oilers. I don't think that's a huge deal--we all remember how useful size looked when JF Jacques and Ryan Stone joined the skilled guys--but this season long slump by the 2line may be something Sam Gagner does not survive. Samwise will enter the summer expecting a big raise and a long term deal, and could find himself in a new city as early as draft day. On the other hand, his coach considers him the 4th best option among forwards, and he's having his finest offensive season. Confused? Me too.

A frenzy of golden energy, Michael Phelps exited the pool, shaking water off his lithe and lean body. Onto the pool deck splashed the droplets - those Baltimore roots, the memories from Greece and the immaculate show he'd just put on in China. It all gathered together beautifully and perfectly in a puddle. The swimmer made of gold had made history. In winning his eighth gold medal of these Olympics, Phelps broke Mark Spitz's 36-year-old record, a mark once thought untouchable. "This is all a dream come true," an emotional Phelps said. When the 400-meter medley relay was finished - the Americans once again the first to the wall - Phelps calmly celebrated. In the stands, his mother and two sisters - both of whom were dressed gold - were soaked in tears, exchanging hugs with anyone and everyone. The party wasn't one of restraint; it was one of shock. How was all of this possible? "Every day it seems like I'm in sort of a dream world," Phelps had said during his quest. "Sometimes you sort of have to pinch yourself to see if it's really real. "I'm just happy I'm in the real world." The real world, the one of his own design. The one where water is no obstacle and no record is unbreakable. The one where a young boy from Rodgers Forge could take the entire world along on an incredible journey. His face is now etched permanently on Baltimore's Mt. Rushmore of athletic icons. But make no mistake, he's different from the other legends who've made Maryland glow. Johnny Unitas, Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr. were recognized from coast to coast. Babe Ruth was a small blip on global radar. But millions of people in China know about Phelps. And millions more around the world do, too. There's never been a Baltimore athlete - or perhaps any Baltimorean - who transcended not just the city, but also the entire nation quite like this. Phelps' popularity is proportional to his athletic brilliance, which is to say it's nearly unmatched. Phelps is being debated, celebrated and admired in every language. As he passed Spitz, Mexico's El Universal debated, "Crees que toco primero?" while France's L'Equipe announced, "Entre dans l'histoire" and Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport blared, "Fenomeno nella leggenda." The gossip columnist for China Daily speculated on Phelps' love life. And a writer from The Sydney Morning Herald was urging him to hook up with Australia's top female swimmer "and produce golden children." Phelps Phever encircled the globe with good reason. What he has done here over the past nine days will go down as one of the most incredible athletic achievements ever, regardless of sport, era or stage. Seven world records and eight gold medals. In nine days, 17 races. And somehow he still had the energy to stand on the podium when it was over and flash that endearing, goofy smile. It's too simple to think the feat came down to his blazing fast leg of 400 medley relay. Or, for that matter, to anything that has happened here in Beijing. The journey was long, encapsulating the growth of a champion and the maturity of a man. All of it somehow squeezed into a Speedo suit. The 7-year-old who refused to put his head under water. The 15-year-old - the youngest American on the Olympic team in Sydney - who was just .4 of a second away from a medal. The 19-year-old who for nine days in the summer of 2004 was a Greek god. And now, a 23-year-old who has done what no one before him had ever accomplished, something that no one after him might ever match. "I think it really shows that no matter what you set your imagination to, anything can happen," Phelps said. "If you dream as big as you can dream, anything is possible." See, Phelps isn't simply a better swimmer than anyone else, he's better dreamer, too, setting his sights on the impossible. It wasn't enough to be the next Tom Malchow. The next Matt Biondi. Or the next Mark Spitz. Almost since the Athens Games, we've heard some variation of his immodest goal. "I want to become the first Michael Phelps, not the second Mark Spitz," he has said. "I want to do something that no one else has ever done before." Rest assured, the images will endure. There he was, miles ahead of anyone else in his opening race, the 400 individual medley. We saw his emotions uncorked as he celebrated the 400 freestyle relay, stirring up a storm of excitement felt thousands of miles away. And when he was swimming the third leg in final race, entering the pool in third place and emerging from it in first. Please don't take offense, Carl Lewis. And this is no knock on Jesse Owens' legend. But Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of them all. He's the greatest athlete alive today. Others might match his athleticism. You might find another set of generous genes and a similar nurturing upbringing. Someone might match his relentless competitive drive and intense ability to focus on the task at hand. But the whole package? There's only one, and millions around the globe would attest to that fact today. It's not just that what we've all witnessed had never happened before. It's that we cannot reasonably expect to see anything quite like it ever again.

WESTWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Ousted UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland, who was fired two days after the Bruins were eliminated from this year’s NCAA tournament, held a news conference Monday afternoon. Howland thanked the team’s players, the university and his staff. “There are so many people involved in making this program successful and I’m so appreciative of all of them and all their hard work and dedication these past 10 years,” Howland told reporters. “I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished during my tenure here on and off the floor. I’ve watched our players grow from young men to young adults and have been happy to have been part of their maturation process and development.” Howland also hinted that he’s looking for another coaching position. “I’m excited about the future,” he said. “I’m excited about moving forward. I’m looking forward to the next chapter and I’m excited about coaching again. I’m grateful for all the experiences and relationships and feel they’ll contribute toward my continuing growth and success as a coach.” He also avoided questions about whether he felt the firing was fair since UCLA won the Pac-12 championship this year. “You know, we had a great year this year,” Howland said. “I’m so proud of our players and our coaches, to win the Pac-12 championship. And it was really a tough break for, number one, Jordan Adams, and number two, our team, to lose arguably our best all-around player and second-leading scorer” Howland compiled a 233-107 win-loss record and had seven NCAA tournament berths that included a string of three consecutive Final Four appearances from 2006 to 2008. “I want to thank Ben for all that he has done for UCLA in his 10 seasons in Westwood,” UCLA’s Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said on Sunday. “He embraced our tradition and culture and produced some terrific teams and coached a number of wonderful young men. We wish Ben and his family all the best as they move onto a new chapter in their lives.”

Self Motivation - The Difference Between Wanna-Be and Gonna-Be Stew Smith, CSCS Most people who email me are pretty motivated but need guidance on how to get to a new level of fitness and health. From the unfit seeking to getting healthy and lose weight to the athlete seeking to change from a sport workout routine to a military workout routine to better prepare for the different challenges that the military provides, I am honored to help. However, every now and then I receive emails from those who say they want to serve but have been unmotivated for a year or more to physically prepare for a profession in the military or law enforcement. This is a problem. With the current economic recession and job losses, recruiter’s offices are full of young and older recruits looking for a job. Here is an email from a young man seeking to join either the military or police force: Hello – I am a recent college graduate and used to be an athlete in high school, but have not worked out in more than two years with any consistency. I know I need to lose weight for my health but I also want to get a job in the military or police. I am not sure which one and I just cannot get motivated to go and workout. Any suggestions? The good news is that you are young enough to get in shape relatively quickly. Four to six months of daily fitness at your age will help your ability to survive whatever training you are seeking. However, ask yourself: is this an attempt at “job hunting” or are you really motivated to serve your country in the military or police force? These are honorable professions that require personal drive and motivation to succeed, not just a place to pick up a check every two weeks. One day while performing your duties, your fitness may mean the difference between life and death for you or your buddy. If that does not motivate you to workout then I am not going to be able to do it by holding your hand and telling you that you can do it if you try. You have to ask yourself, do you really want to serve your country enough that you are willing to suck up the pain of preparation in order to achieve the goal of proudly wearing that uniform? Another thing you will develop when you start to train hard is the confidence in yourself. You will sharpen your mental toughness by pushing your fitness levels each week. One thing I have learned by being in the military/law enforcement fitness and fitness writing business for the past ten years is that you can set the example for people to follow, but you cannot make them follow. I do not motivate people to workout – YOU have to do that. When you are motivated, let me know and I can help you get the the level of fitness you need. When you are truly motivated to serve, you will do whatever is in your power to prepare yourself. You have to understand that we are at war with people who want to shoot you for your ideals and beliefs. Whether it is your belief of freedom for all or justice to those who break the law, you will one day embody that belief in the uniform you choose to wear. It is not just a job – it is a noble profession that you will always treasure having served in and you will never forget those who served and the new generation that still serves after you. Now get to work!

Posted: 19 October 2007 at 3:15pm | IP Logged Concept & Story: A presentation of the new & promising production house- Director's Kut; 'Bidaai' is a show of an orphan girl 'Sadhna' and her life's struggle with her biggest asset, that is her own 'beauty' which becomes her biggest curse! Sadhna, an extremely fair & beautiful girl is in complete contrast with her cousin sister Ragini, who is dark & unattractive. However the two sisters share a great camaraderie of love & bonding despite the differences in their physical attributes. Brought up by her Mama(Prakash Chand) & Mami (Kaushalya) in the beautiful city of Agra, Sadhna a humble & simple person, is left upon the mercy of her relatives after an early death of her mother. Her father (Kishan Chand) works in America with the only hope to someday fulfill his wife's dream of seeing their daughter's Bidaai. But all this is far from simple, as Sadhna's mami has always hated her for her beauty & simplicity, which becomes the ground to emotional upheavals in the family. Meddled with complexities, Sadhna's life is a portrayal of the Indian society's two-faced attitude towards a woman's beauty which on one hand is her greatest asset & on the other, her greatest curse! With its strong cast line-up Bidaai will witness coming together of the veterans actors ranging from - Alok Nath (mama), Vibha Chabbir (mami) & Mahesh Thakur (Father) , while Parul Chauhan (Ragini) & Sarah Khan (playing the lead character of Sadhna) are the fresh young faces on the show. Sadhna is Mamaji's sister's daughter. 17 yrs ago, Sadhna was left in her mamaji's care by her dad who left for America after her mom's death. She grew up with her cousin Ragini (mamaji's daughter). She and Ragini are closer that even real sisters and best friends as well. Her beauty is her biggest curse, due to which she had to grow with her mamiji's hatred, as she always compared her ordinary looking daugher, Ragini to the beautiful Sadhna. Ragini is Sadhna's jiji (cousin), best friend and they love each other more than anything in the world. Ragini is dark complexioned and not beautiful. Society looks down on her because of that, but she always has her cousin Sadhna's love and support. Mamaji (Prakash Chand) Mamaji is Sadhna's mom's brother, who took care of Sadhna and loved her like his own daughter. He showers his love equally on his own daughter Ragini and niece Sadhna. Mamiji is Ragini's mom, who dislikes Sadhna because she is beautiful.. whereas her daughter is dark complexioned and unattractive. Mama-Mami's son, Ragini brother. He is very selfish and looks out for himself only. He doesn't care of anyone else. He keeps lying to his parents that he earns very less, just so that they don't ask him for any financial help. Vinu's wife. She is a selfish and an insensitve person just like Vinu. She keeps telling "Jhoot to main bolti nahi.." and then goes on instigating family members against each other. She enjoys creating misunderstanding in the family and lives for it. Mamiji's mom. She comes to visit the family at times. And when she does, she keeps poisoning Mamiji's mind against Sadhna.. telling her that Ragini's life will be ruined because of Sadhna. Kishan Chand (Sadhna's father) He left for America, 17 yrs ago and left little Sadhna in mamaji's care. He went to the US to make enough money to come back and fulfill all of Sadhna's wishes, and his life's dream was to see his daughter, Sadhna's Bidaai. Saket is a good friend of Ragini and Sadhna and studies in their college. Ragini likes him, but doesn't share her feelings abt him with anyone. The house maid, who's very close to the family and is treated like a family member. Indrajit Rajvansh, the eldest son of the Rajvansh family. Naveen Rajvanch - Avni's husband The eldest bahu of Vasundra Rajvanch - Naveen's wife Naveen and Avni's kids Guni and Pratham Will add more as the story progresses Edited by pinkykhan - 28 January 2008 at 8:32am

Cougar Football: Azusa Pacific at Dixie State Date & Site: Saturday, Oct. 17, 1 p.m. (MDT) Hansen Stadium, St. George, Utah THIS WEEK: Following a 3-game home-stand, Azusa Pacific (1-6) returns to the road this week to visit NCAA Division II Dixie State College (3-4), Saturday (Oct. 17) in St. George, Utah, for 1:05 p.m. (MDT) game. A BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY: Azusa Pacific has made 5 previous trips to the “Beehive State,” winning just once and that coming in its most recent venture to Utah. From 1967 to 1972 the Cougars played 3 games against Southern Utah University in Cedar City and another against Westminster College in Salt Lake City, losing all 4 contests. Azusa Pacific didn’t return to Utah for another 35 years until 2007 when the Cougars visited Dixie State in St. George and won, 30-20. SERIES NOTES: Azusa Pacific leads the all-time series with Dixie State, 2-1. The Cougars took the first 2 meetings (Dixie’s first seasons playing football as a 4-year institution) by scores of 38-20 in Azusa in 2006 and 30-20 in St. George in 2007. Dixie State beat the Cougars, 30-23, in Azusa last year, scoring a pair of fourth-quarter TDs to rally for the win. vs. NCAA DIVISION II: Since 1996, Azusa Pacific is 13-12 vs. NCAA Division II teams. Until last year, the Cougars had taken 7 of 9 meetings and 8 of 11 vs. DII teams. However, they have now dropped 6 straight, including last year’s setback at Dixie State and a 31-10 decision to Humboldt State at home 2 weeks ago. NATIONAL RANKINGS: Neither Dixie State nor Azusa Pacific is ranked in their respective association coaches’ polls. CONNECTIONS: The only personnel connection between the 2 teams is Azusa Pacific’s back-up punter Chapin Fowler (jr.) and Dixie State’s Braeden Dillon (jr., OL), who were teammates at Lodi (Calif.) High. PRESEASON ALL-INDEPENDENT: Cougars QB John van den Raadt, RB Chris Brown, OG Eric Beaton, DE Jake Jones, LB Jay York, SS Brent Willard and PK Ben Hansen have all been named to the NAIA Preseason All-Independent team as selected by the coaches of NAIA independent institutions. HOME GROWN: Of Azusa Pacific’s 108 players, 91 hail from the Golden State as native Californians. THE SENIOR CLASS: Just 12 seniors dot the Cougar roster, all of whom are making the trip to Dixie State, and of those seniors only fifth-year redshirts CB Brent Willard and LB Greg Neale were part of the Azusa Pacific’s last playoff team — the 2005 squad that fell at home to Montana Tech. YOUNGER THAN YOUNG: Through 7 games this season, 66 Cougars have seen action on the field. Of those who have played thus far, 22 are freshmen (redshirt or true) and 26 are first-year Cougars (true-freshmen and transfers). FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Last year 8 true-freshmen got onto the field of play for the Cougars, including starting QB John van den Raadt. Already this season, Azusa Pacific has exceeded that number with 12 rookies seeing action this season. They include: DE Kevin Gannuscio (Alta Loma HS), WR Nathan Hinke (Pleasanton Foothill HS), Marcus Holbert (Vacaville Wood HS), OL Jeremy Bethell (Bakersfield West HS), Austin Kehmeier (Puyallup Cascade Christian HS), OL Justin Mathews (Glendora HS), Graham Paterson (Cupertino Monte Vista HS), Noah Peterman (Irvine Woodbridge HS), DE Connor Shelford (Monroe HS), Justin Souza (San Jose Pioneer High), Paul Verrette (Corona Centennial HS) and NG Jimmy Young (Lakewood HS). ABOUT THE RED STORM: In its first full season playing as the Red Storm (school officials opted to drop the former nickname “Rebels” over a year ago), Dixie State has seemingly taken a liking to the new mascot with an improved play on the gridiron. In actuality, the Red Storm is simply displaying the natural progress of a young program. Formerly an outstanding junior college program, Dixie State changed to a 4-year academic institution just over 4 years ago and in the process applied for and was granted NCAA Division II membership. From a 1-10 inaugural campaign of 2006 to today’s 3-4 record, the Red Storm have made proper strides under the direction of longtime coach and Dixie State alum Ron Haun, and are now on the brink of emerging as a DII west coast power. THUS FAR: Dixie State is a mere 6 points away from being 5-2 on the season. Only NCAA DI-AA Southern Utah (36-7) and NCAA DII No. 4-ranked Central Washington (37-6) have handed the Red Storm convincing defeats. DSC nearly picked off NCAA D-IAA Montana State (23-20) and lost on the road at conference rival Western Oregon (17-16), a setback the Red Storm avenged last week with a 31-23 victory at home over WOU. DSC opened the season with a 37-28 victory over Adams State and then rallied with 2 late TDs to knock off Humboldt State (24-20) at home. TENDANCIES: Dixie State relies on a potent aerial attack and the strong arm of senior QB Judd Thompson, a transfer from NCAA DI Utah State. The Red Storm is averaging 253 yards passing a game, and collecting an additional but slight 49 yards on the ground. Two-thirds of DSC’s TDs have come through the air (12 vs. 6). The Red Storm has been excellent in takeaways, generating 22 turnovers through just 7 games, including 16 interceptions, 5 of which came in last week’s 31-23 victory over Western Oregon. However, DSC too has struggled at keeping the ball and has turned it over 16 times. BY THE NUMBERS: Thompson is completing 58% (160-for-275) of his passes and is averaging 250 yards/game. While he has thrown 12 TDs strikes, he has been picked off 13 times. The trio of Nash Fowler (30 receptions for 398 yards and 2 TDs), Skyler Ence (28, 232, 2) and Kyser Christensen (23, 409) have been Thompson’s favorite targets and have combined for 81 receptions and 7 TDs. The Red Storm ground game is averaging just 2.1 yards/carry, but sophomore RB Tauni Vakapuna, this week’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week, is coming off a 126-yard, 2 TD performance in last week’s victory over Western Oregon. All-GNAC safety Wesley Beavers, who has 42 tackles, leads an opportunistic defense with 5 interceptions. He had 2 picks last week against WOU. SANTA CRUZ SAYS: “We’re up 10-0 against Southern Oregon and it’s unfortunate that offensively we go cold. You have to give credit to their adjustments, but then you start to see the dropped balls and an untimely fumble by us. We’re a young team that we have to constantly teach how to win. We need to make plays when its time to make plays. We’ll continue to be competitive in practice and emphasize that reps are important and we need to make plays in practice in order to make them in the game. “(SOU running back) Brandon Baldwin played a lights-out game, and they needed that kind of game from him. They didn’t want to get into any kind of drop-back passing game with us. Their larger o-line wore on us. “I know this loss hurts our guys, but I’m confident about how tough they are. They know not to complain and to get back in the saddle and get going. “From the outside looking in our circumstances are challenging, but from the inside, our guys remain confident. They understand the areas we need to work on and they are attacking them in practice. They love each other, and they know this is a work in progress. “With the state that we’re at right now, everybody is real good on our schedule. “Dixie State is consistently getting better under Ron Haun. Like all the GNAC teams, they are big. They run a 3-4 defense and like to bring pressure. Offensively, they throw the ball very well. They’ve shown an ability to hang around in games and pull out a win in the end. We’re excited to be on the road again. I think it will be good for the guys to be together on a bus trip for 6 hours there and 6 hours back. Going to St. George is always a good trip. The people are great. So we’re looking forward to this week’s game.”

Hudson Valley Community College to Host Week of the Young Child Events, April 7-11 MEDIA CONTACT: Eric Bryant (518) 629-8072, [email protected] FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Wednesday, March 26, 2014 Hudson Valley Community College’s Teacher Preparation Department will host a series of workshops and lectures to mark the Week of the Young Child, April 7-11. The events, which will take place in Higbee Hall on the college's main campus, are open to the public. Making a Rainstick Workshop: presented by Dr. Dawn Kolakoski / Monday, April 7, 2 to 4 p.m. Kolakoski is a professor in the Teacher Preparation Department. She also teaches graduate courses in education for Leslie College and is the author of a book, “Write it Down!” Participants in this workshop will have a chance to make a rainstick, which were originally created with the belief that they could bring on the rain. Many early childhood programs use rainsticks in their classrooms for story-telling, music, movement and more. Cost is $3 per person and pre-registration is necessary. Contact Dr. Kolakoski at [email protected]. Responding to Bullying - Prevention Strategies That Work: presented by Professor Nancy Cupolo, Department Chair / Tuesday, April 8, 1 p.m. Cupolo has nearly 40 years of teaching experience. She has been a keynote speaker at state and national conventions on topics relative to children and has done extensive research and presentations on the topic of bullying intervention and prevention. She will explore the origins of bullying behavior and discuss why bullies act as they do. Emphasis will be placed on practical ideas and strategies that parents and teachers can use when children are bullied. Brain Breaks - Movement Activities That Help Children Focus and Learn: presented by Meg Smith, MS in Education, teacher, St Pius X School / Wednesday, April 9, 3 p.m. Smith has taught kindergarten for 13 years and has worked in a variety of child care settings, with infants, toddlers and preschoolers. This Brain Breaks program will introduce movements that assist children to refocus, reenergize and learn. Studies show that children learn best when given movement breaks during the day. Toys for Infants and Toddlers - Making Materials that Grow with the Child: presented by Wendy Sullivan and Sarah Gould-Houle, MS in Education, Infant Toddler Specialists, Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council / Thursday, April 10, noon Sullivan and Gould-Houle travel on behalf of the Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council to share their knowledge of infant/toddler development with teachers, parents and family day care providers. This workshop will feature developmentally-appropriate homemade materials that can be used in a variety of ways with children. The teachers will discuss how the same toy can be used in a variety of ways for different purpose as the child ages. Child’s Play: Enrichment Ideas to Foster Development While Promoting Motor, Language and Coping Skills: presented by Laurie Phibbs, OTR/L and Michelle Ring, M.S. CCC-SLP / Friday, April 11, noon Phibbs is a New York State registered occupational therapist who works with young children and their families. Ring is a licensed speech-language pathologist who has worked with young children and their families for more than 17 years. This seminar will highlight the importance of children’s play as it relates to physical, cognitive and social emotional growth and development. The presenters will share practical ideas for promoting a child’s motor, language and social skills. For more information, contact the Teacher Preparation Department at (518) 629-7250. Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 75 degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Science; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of more than 13,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni. - ## -

DENVER – The Durango Herald won top honors among small daily newspapers in Colorado at two newspaper contests this weekend. The paper won the general excellence award in the Colorado Associated Press Editors and Reporters contest and the Colorado Press Association contest, both announced during a weekend conference at the Westin hotel in Denver. Four Corners newspapers cleaned up at the CPA contest. The Pagosa Springs Sun and Cortez Journal both won general excellence awards in their circulation categories. The Journal also won general excellence at the CAPER contest. “While the Herald has excellent writers, photographers and editors who do very good work every day, it takes the interest and support of readers and advertisers to make all of this possible,” said Richard Ballantine, publisher of the Herald. Both contests covered work done from September 2011 to August 2012, a period that included the Aurora movie theater shooting, a historic wildfire season and part of the 2012 presidential campaign. “The awards reflect many superlative efforts, by a great group of journalists who embrace hard work, collaboration and the highest ideals of community journalism,” said Don Lindley, Herald managing editor. “Winning The Associated Press award for overall excellence and, for the third straight year, the CPA sweepstakes award for overall editorial excellence, is really special.” The Herald won general excellence as the top paper with a daily circulation less than 15,000. The group included papers like the Steamboat Pilot & Today, Vail Daily and Aurora Sentinel. Judges cited the “creative, witty headlines. Nice, clean layout. Eye-catching photographs. Nice focus and highlight of local stories.” The awards are: Public service: Second place, Emery Cowan, Jim Haug and Heather Scofield for “Behind closed doors: Questions raised about transparency of some local government entities; Meeting places stir debate.” The public service award is judged against all other Colorado newspapers, regardless of size. Beat reporting: Second place, Shane Benjamin for coverage of a house explosion. Honorable mention, Jordyn Dahl, Megan Graham, Paige Blankenbuehler and Benjamin for coverage of the Sydney Spies yearbook photo controversy. Business story: First place, Chase Olivarius-McAllister for “The afterlife: Options abound – People are increasingly moving away from traditional casket and funeral.” The judge called it “a witty take on a topic that generally doesn’t get too much attention in the press.” Editorials: Second place, Bill Roberts. Environmental story: Second place, Pamela Hasterok for “Shares of love: Small-scale farms supply healthy, organic produce.” Feature photo: First place, Shaun Stanley for “Tele.” Second place, Jerry McBride for “Crow Canyon.” Feature story: Honorable mention, Benjamin for “Equally incarcerated: Number of women jailed in county has tripled in 10 years.” General news photo: First place, Stanley for “Water training.” Second place, McBride for “A new flower.” Informational graphic: Second place, Cliff Vancura for “Navigating the streets of Durango.” Investigative reporting: First place, Joe Hanel for “Colorado’s most dangerous mountain pass.” The judge called it “a data-driven story that’s still a good read. Combination of clever writing and deft number-crunching made this the winner.” Honorable mention, Kelcie Pegher for “When safe is unsafe,” a look at a young woman’s death when taking a contraceptive drug. Online general excellence: First place, Herald staff. The judge said the website “serves its community well with a strong mix of content and multimedia. Navigation is easy. Good use of thumbnails. Offers opportunities for reader interaction.” Online breaking news: First place, Durango Herald staff. Online special package: The Herald staff swept the category. First place for coverage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The judge cited the website’s use of photo galleries, videos and maps. “An excellent example of how an event should be previewed and covered online,” the judge wrote. Second place for the Politics page. Honorable mention for Snowdown coverage. Photo coverage of a continuing story: First place, McBride, Stanley, and Isaiah Branch-Boyle for photos of the 2012 fire season. Photo illustration: First place, McBride for “Visual space invaders.” Second place, Stanley for “Canine cuisine.” Honorable mention, McBride for “Benefit dinners 2012.” Photo Portfolio: First place, McBride for a selection of his best photos of the year. Portrait/personality: Second place, David Bergeland for “Silver.” Honorable mention, McBride for “Michelle.” Series: First place, Dale Rodebaugh and Dahl for “Missionary Ridge 10 years later.” The judge wrote, “solid writing, compelling photos and great infographics offer the reader a glimpse back in time, but also give some sense of what has happened in the intervening years.” Second place, Scofield for “Culture reclaimed.” Honorable mention, Katie Burford for “Back from war: The things they carry.” Sports column: Second place, Dale Strode for a selection of columns including “Bicycle cowboy gets back in the saddle”; “Fort Lewis cyclist balances bikes with academics”; and “Durango’s sporting area code expands.” Sports photo: First place, McBride for “Snow tackle.” Honorable mention, Steve Lewis for “Letdown.” Spot news photo: First place, McBride for “Fireray.” Second place, Stanley for “Lightner Creek Fire.” Colorado Press Association contest The Herald won general excellence, as well as the sweepstakes award in the editorial division, in the Colorado Press Association Better Newspaper Contest. Advertising layout & design: Third place, Michelle Uhl. Automotive ad: First place, Janelle Farnam. Use of color in an ad: Second and third place, Tracy Willbanks. Real estate ad: Second place, Mitchell Carter. Advertising special section: First place, Karla Sluis for Durango Living magazine. Classified page(s) or section(s): First and second places, Brady Sutherlin, Janelle Farnam, Karolann Latimer. Restaurant or dining ad: Second place, Mitchell Carter. Newspaper/house ad promotion: First place, Hanah Noland. Public Service: First place, Emery Cowan, for “A historic promise: Native American tuition waiver at Fort Lewis College.” Third place, Cowan, Jim Haug and Heather Scofield for “Behind closed doors” Questions raised about transparency of some local government entities.” Editorial Writing: Second place, Megan Graham for a selection of editorials including “Lake Nighthorse recreation: Take action to open facility to public”; “County rejects its climate plan: Commissioners shirk call to set crucial direction”; and “Police and zombies: Halloween event brought out bad from all sides.” Serious Column Writing: First place, John Peel, for a selection of columns including “13-year-old rebounds from tragedy” and “HIV-positive Durango man speaks up.” Humorous Column Writing: First place, Mike Smedley for “Figures don’t add up in numbers game; Unknown R’s, ‘UFO drone thing’ perplex.” Deadline News Reporting: First place, Shane Benjamin, for a story about a home explosion headlined “‘There was no house:’ Family of 3 survives ‘devastating’ explosion; Dog found alive after search.” Third place, Ann Butler for “Fire erupts near Mancos: Evacuations ordered; blaze grows to 500 acres.” Sports Event Story: First place, Ryan Owens for “Goooooo-ooaaaaaaal! An unlikely hero makes a dream come true: FLC again is national champion.” Feature Story: Second place, Chase Olivarius-McAllister for “KKK: Membership ‘booming’: Grand Wizard says Colorado among places that has growing presence, activity.” Series: First place, Dale Rodebaugh and Jordyn Dahl for “Missionary Ridge 10 Years later.” Second place, Scofield for “Culture reclaimed.” Sustained Coverage: Third place, Benjamin and Rodebaugh for coverage of a house explosion. Agriculture Story: First place, Pamela Hasterok, for “Shares of love: Small-scale farms supply healthy, organic produce.” Second place, Cowan for “Parched and praying for rain: Outlook dire for farmers without adequate water.” Third place, Rodebaugh for “It’s organic, and then some: Heartwood farm’s vision of old-time agriculture energizes young workers.” Education Story: First place, Olivarius-McAllister for “DHS aims to work some magic: School forges ahead with new principal.” Third place, Cowan for “‘We need our culture’: Native American FLC students fight the odds to graduate.” Business News Story: Second place, Haug for “Commercial creep? Proposed bed-and-breakfast on East Third Avenue divides neighbors on wisdom of adding businesses.” Business Feature Story: First place, Cowan, for “Suds and crafts: As appreciation for microbrews grows, makers rewarded for exploring and pushing boundaries.” Third place, Cowan for “Local distillers quench big thirsts: Sustainability movement helps boost small spirit-makers.” Environmental Story: Third place, Hanel for “Recipe for disaster: Feds, state clash on permitting prescribed fire.” Health Enterprise Story: Second place, Scofield for “On the edge without a net: High number of uninsured Hispanics strains economy, families.” Third place, Luke Groskopf for “Naturopaths – license or no? Though other states require it, all efforts in Colo. have failed.” Investigative Story Package: First place, Hanel for a rating of the worst mountain passes. Second place, Kelcie Pegher for “When being safe is unsafe.” Daily Website Content: First place for the Herald’s Politics page, www.durangoherald.com/Politics/. Daily Website-Multimedia: Second place for the Herald staff’s Snowdown coverage, www.durangoherald.com/snowdown. Daily Website-Interactivity: Second place for the staff’s Animas River package, www.durangoherald.com/rivers/animas. Daily Website-Design: Second place for the Herald’s home page, www.durangoherald.com. Daily Website-Community: Third place, Herald staff coverage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge bicycle race. Editorial Layout and Design: Second place to the Herald’s editing and design staff for issues on Jan. 11, 2012 and May 15, 2012. News Page Design: Second place, Cliff Vancura for “Navigating the streets of Durango.” Feature Page Design: Third place, Vancura for “Taste of Japan.” News Photograph: Third place, Jerry McBride for “Search on for shooter.” Photo Essay: First place, McBride, for “New life is sign of spring.” Second place, Shaun Stanley for “Boys of summer.” Third place, McBride, for “Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.”

6.3. Adequacy of the IPCC Guidelines for Reporting National Activities under the Kyoto Protocol This section assesses the adequacy of the Guidelines in relation to activities under Articles 3.3 and 3.4. It begins with a discussion of reporting issues common to ARD, then addresses issues that are specific to deforestation. 6.3.1. Afforestation, Reforestation, and Deforestation under Article 3.3 184.108.40.206. Generic Issues on Afforestation, Reforestation, In the Guidelines, stock changes arising from afforestation and reforestation activities are reported under the same category, "Changes in forest and woody biomass stocks." For accounting purposes, there is no distinction between afforestation and reforestation; the same method is used for both. Deforestation can be dealt with separately, according to the principles for accounting of "Forest and Grassland Conversion." Chapter 2 explores a range of possible definitions of ARD. Chapter 3 further explores a wide range of definitional scenarios, including that of the FAO. If Parties choose the IPCC definitions, afforestation and reforestation can be dealt with using the principles in the Guidelines. For discussion only, this section assumes that the principles of afforestation and reforestation are the same as those in the Guidelines. There would be implications for all three ARD activities if Parties were to adopt an extension beyond the Workbook. Carbon pools are limited to changes in aboveground biomass and soil carbon in the Workbook. Additional carbon pools are discussed in and can be accounted for using the approach laid out in the Reference Manual. According to the rules, modalities, and guidelines agreed to under Articles 3.3 and 5.2, however, Parties may decide that accounting methods for these additional carbon pools may need to be developed and provided in the The calculations in the Workbook do not explicitly link the aboveground biomass and soil carbon pools for a specific activity. To resolve this issue, reporting of ARD for aboveground and below-ground biomass could be geographically explicit (mapped) or linked through modeling, or the accounting methods for these pools could be slightly modified. The same principle would apply to the linking of other carbon pools, such as more complete treatment of surface soil litter, below-ground biomass, and wood products (see Section 6.3.3). Geographically explicit reporting and modification of accounting methods are not expected to be difficult to implement, although data can be expensive to obtain on a large scale, however, even for Parties with a good deal of scientific infrastructure (see Chapter 3). Furthermore, the data would have to be reported at appropriate time intervals in all cases and with consideration of the "since 1990" time clause. All three ARD activities cause changes in aboveground biomass. Closely linked to the issue of ARD is the definition of forests, which has implications for lands that are included in an inventory (see Chapters 2 and 3). If Parties adopt definitions for forests other than the existing ones, the Guidelines may have to be improved to account for the new definitions. Changing these definitions by forest ecosystem or crown cover is unlikely to have significant implications on the Guidelines; the approach for estimating changes in aboveground biomass is expected to remain similar. If Parties adopted definitions of ARD activities that differed from the IPCC definitions, however, more significant improvements to the Guidelines might be required-depending on how the regeneration and harvest cycle were treated, If a land-based accounting system (Chapter 2) were to apply, a generic issue for ARD is that there may be a need to separately identify land into ARD categories and report land categorization in 1990, as well as in the commitment period. The optimum size of the landscape unit at which ARD activities may be detected is another consideration (Chapter If an activity-based accounting system (Chapter 3) were to apply, another solution might be possible. Differentiation among categories can be made at the beginning of a commitment period (in 2008, in the first instance) on the basis of activities implemented prior to 2008. In this system, the impact of an activity on carbon stocks could be tracked and summed per unit area. Carbon stocks would be more difficult to verify under this system, however, than those tracked under a land-based accounting system (see Chapter For reporting of ARD under both the land-based or activity-based systems, the activities and the areas subject to these activities since 1 January 1990 would have to be identified. The Guidelines do not currently apply this time clause to such land areas. The Guidelines require the use of land areas and ARD activities to estimate changes in carbon stock, however; hence, either a land-based or activity-based system could be used to track aboveground biomass and soil carbon. To more accurately account for changes in carbon stocks under ARD, a finer level of geographic detail and subcategories may be appropriate. Stocks estimates could be improved by reflecting forest management type, species, soil type, and so forth, as well as by substituting default assumptions with national or region-specific data and assumptions from local sources (IPCC, 1997, Vol. 3, On the other hand, if changes in stocks associated with ARD activities were reported at aggregated levels, reporting could be made geographically explicit at an appropriate scale, with geo-referencing of stocks according to species, forest type, and age of stand. The same principle applies with regard to verifying that a forest qualifies as ARD land and verifying changes in these stocks. Geo-referencing in itself does not provide transparency. The Guidelines would not be adequate for this purpose. A well-designed national system, together with the application of good practice, may be needed to ensure verifiability and transparency of In relation to ARD, examples of data or assumptions that may be reported include - Forest inventories at the required level of accuracy (IPCC, 1997, Vol. 3, p. 5.16). New methods based on satellite and aerial photography are also available for large-scale measurements, but only of area. Generic treatment for data quality is covered in the GPG. - Conversion factors appropriate to categories of forests (IPCC, 1997, Vol. 3, p. 5.18) for estimating tons of biomass per unit volume of commercial timber and tons of carbon per ton of dry biomass. - Biomass densities appropriate to the mix of species in the growing stock of a particular region could be used, based on literature data or field measurements (IPCC, 1997, Vol. 3, p. 5.22). Any default values would have to be age-class dependent, especially because stands established since 1990 will be very young during the commitment period, and expansion factors tend to be significantly higher for young stands. - The same principles apply to below-ground biomass (coarse woody roots, etc.) and to forest litter (dead roots, slash, etc.). All three ARD activities can affect the level of soil carbon. Although the Guidelines can be readily applied to account for ARD, they focus on agricultural land use and management, rather than ARD. For comprehensive carbon accounting, soil carbon components of soil surface litter could be included. Consideration would have to be given to soil depth and rates of change in carbon, as appropriate. In cropped soils, however, most changes occur in the upper 30 cm (Chapter 2), as assumed in the Workbook. In some situations, consideration of deep soil carbon and more types of soil humus, with differing rates of decomposition, might be necessary for ARD activities. Significant changes may occur at 30-50 cm depth-for example, in deep tropical soils (see Chapters 2 and 4), where changes in soil carbon are generally faster than in boreal areas. Consistency in the accounting rules may need to be established, especially if crediting for soil carbon is allowed. With respect to soil carbon, other refinements to the Guidelines may include - Use of soil carbon models or methods with realistic time dependencies that reflect the soil type, moisture, and temperature conditions. In the IPCC default method, changes are assumed to be linear in time, so a straight averaging of past rates of change of land use is used. In the Protocol context, changes in stock resulting from increase or decay of soil carbon could be calculated using a time course (e.g., exponential) appropriate to the region and the commitment period in light of local conditions. This approach will give greater weight to more recent events. - Use of improved soil carbon data from surveys, field studies, and long-term agricultural experiments to replace default values. - Use of geo-referencing to relate data on base factors, tillage factors, and input factors and initial soil carbon content (IPCC, 1997, Vol. 2, p. 5.25) that is transparently reported with aboveground biomass changes. The base factor refers to the change in soil organic matter that is associated with the conversion of native vegetation to agriculture (IPCC, 1997, Vol. 3, p. 5.47). The term "initial" is used here rather than "native" to take into account that deforestation may be of forest that had been disturbed sometime in the historical past. - As discussed in Section 6.3.3, changes in carbon wood products could be considered (Winjum et al., 1998; Brown et al., 1999). A key question is whether averaging periods for data are appropriate. Changes in biomass are linked to climatic fluctuations, so changes in stocks between 2008 and 2012 could be depressed or boosted by unusual weather patterns. Such fluctuations may affect stock changes over the commitment period for afforestation and reforestation or regrowth after deforestation. Separating the observed stock change that is directly human-induced from the influence of indirect causes and natural variability is generally difficult. One possibility is the use of default data to smooth out the effects of natural variability and extreme climatic events. This use of default data would deviate, however, from the principles of the Guidelines. Because the Guidelines do not fully address the issue of uncertainties (Lim et al., 1999b), the reporting of ARD activities could be modified to include treatment of uncertainties and methods for error propagation-using, for example, Monte Carlo analyses or standardized calculation methods. Uncertainties in measurements of stocks at two points in time (e.g., 2008 and 2012) may cancel out for systematic errors. Under the gross-net approach of Article 3.3, however, the uncertainties would not cancel out for 1990 and the commitment period: For 1990, the uncertainties would comprise the non-LUCF sectors (gross) only, whereas for the commitment period the uncertainties would be the net of the uncertainties of estimates in non-LUCF and LUCF sectors.

Books & Music Food & Wine Health & Fitness Hobbies & Crafts Home & Garden News & Politics Religion & Spirituality Travel & Culture TV & Movies Being Human - Season 3 Season 3 of Being Human started off exactly where Season 2 left off. There have been a ton of updates. Josh is no longer a werewolf since he killed Ray, his maker. Nora and Josh have moved in together. Aiden is buried in the ground having been buried alive last season and Sally is stuck in limbo. Josh and Nora go to see a witch doctor who brings Sally back from limbo. The witch doctor warns that Sally can never see anyone from her past. Aiden is dug up by someone who intends on selling his blood and he learns that the vampires are currently being threatened by a deadly virus that humans are immune to. Liam (the werewolf twins from last season's father) comes to town and he questions Nora and Josh about what happened. He also learns that they are living with Aiden. Sally enjoys being back alive and she meets Max and falls in love. She tells him the truth about her and initially says he is going to stay with her. Aiden finds Henry who is living with at woman he has glamoured into staying in the house and letting him feed off of her. Aiden lets her go and when Henry feeds on someone else he becomes infected with the virus and dies. Josh and Nora take in a young teenage werewolf but Liam gets into her brain and convinces her to try to kill Aiden. She puts her blood in his food supply and then tries to kill him. He kicks her away and she ends up dying. Sally starts to notice that she is decomposing and soon learns that when she eats flesh, her body goes back to normal. Aiden meets Nora's friend Kat and they hit it off immediately. She loves history and Aiden is old enough to know a lot about history. Liam captures Aiden, injects him with infected blood and tortures him until Josh comes in and saves him. During the scuffle, Liam scratches Josh and he is turned back into a werewolf. Sally decides that her craving for flesh is too strong and she makes the decision to stop. Her body starts rotting again and it's apparent that she is going to die. Nora and Josh decide to get married before she dies. Sally dies and Aiden and Josh go through her door with her to fight Donna, the witch. They fight off Donna and Sally goes back to being a ghost again. The last episode ends with Aiden walking down the street and his wife (from when he was turned into a vampire), Suzanna, gets out of a cab and walks the opposite way. Content copyright © 2015 by Maria Brown. All rights reserved. This content was written by Maria Brown. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Maria Brown for details. Website copyright © 2015 Minerva WebWorks LLC. All rights reserved.

Close race expected on pre-kindergarten plan Updated 1:02 am, Sunday, November 4, 2012 When Mayor Julián Castro stood before more than 1,000 San Antonians in March, he told them there was no more crucial initiative than what would become Pre-K 4 SA. “It's an important investment, and let me be very frank: It's the initiative in my tenure as mayor that I care about the most,” he said during his annual State of the City address. “I am willing to stake my entire mayoral tenure on the need to invest in these young people.” Since then, Castro has built a coalition of local business leaders, educators, politicians and others to support the plan. Still, there's a contingent of voters — its size unclear until after Tuesday's election — that opposes the proposal. On Thursday, Castro stood by his remarks and said he doesn't regret them. He said he believes the initiative — which calls for increasing the local sales tax rate by 1/8 cent — will pass, even as he acknowledges that it's a tight race. But if it were to fail, Castro said the damage wouldn't be to him. “These young people are more than worth it. I believe Pre-K 4 SA is going to pass,” Castro said. “But if it does not, the ones who will truly be hurt by that are the thousands of children who would have gotten a good education because of it. I'm going to be fine in politics and life, either way.” Pre-K 4 SA would offer high-quality, full-day pre-kindergarten to thousands of children who aren't enrolled in school or who attend half-day programs. It would be funded through the sales tax and state and federal funding. The sales tax would cost the median household in San Antonio $7.81 annually. Republican Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff, a vocal opponent of the initiative, predicted that it would receive less than 50 percent of the vote and that Castro's political profile would take a hit, if only briefly. But the mayor would bounce back from a loss if one were handed to him, Wolff said. “I think he moves on to the next thing,” Wolff said. “There's tons and tons of stuff to do in the city.” Wolff often praises Castro before explaining why he thinks voters shouldn't support the initiative. He recently called Castro's proposal a “laudable idea and a valiant effort,” but adds that he thinks it's a bad plan. “I also respect him ... for having an idea, putting something behind it and sticking to it,” Wolff said. Most political experts say the race will be close. Opponents say they believe the initiative will get no more than 48 percent of the vote. Pre-K 4 SA campaign manager Christian Archer said his analysis of voter demographics shows a different story. Archer said Friday that he was encouraged by the numbers because “women overwhelmingly support pre-k” and they're outvoting men by 10 points. “African Americans and Hispanics make up about 46 to 47 percent of the early vote, and we're polling well with independents as well,” he said. Previous polling done for the campaign and obtained by the San Antonio Express-News shows that 74 percent of Latino voters and 78 percent of African American voters support the proposal. Archer said he and others within the campaign are confident that the initiative will pass. When early voting closed Friday, 348,353 ballots had been cast in person across Bexar County. That number includes voters from suburban cities and unincorporated parts of the county who can't vote on the initiative. In 2008, 404,767 voters cast ballots early and an additional 125,511 voted on Election Day. County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said she'd originally estimated that roughly the same number of people would turn out to vote Tuesday. But Friday, she revised her estimate because early-voting numbers had trailed off deep into the second week. Now she expects 135,000 to 140,000 people to vote on Election Day. Last week, there was a steady clip of voters at Brook Hollow Branch Library on the North Side, where voters were split. Carolyn LaRose, a former first-grade teacher in San Antonio Independent School District, said she has witnessed the need for better pre-kindergarten. “I saw in first grade the results of kids who didn't go to pre-k. It made it harder for the teachers as the kids came up,” she said. “Hopefully, the voters are intelligent enough — whether they have children or not — to know that the kids need that boost to be successful.” Others, such as Patricia Gibbons, said they opposed the program for a multitude of reasons. “It's not the city's role,” said Gibbons, who suspects “there's a big agenda, down the road.” Opponent Dick Elliott said he cast his ballot against the proposal because “because we don't need taxes, and we don't need more spending.” Elliott said he believes there's a simpler solution. “We need parents to read to their kids,” he said. “Every time Castro stands in front of a mic, he needs to tell people to read to their kids.” Dorothy Gonzales, who pushed a granddaughter in a stroller as she headed in to vote, said she would vote in favor because of the importance of education. “I've got three grandchildren,” she said. “And it's really important for them to read and write and get their education.” Though Wolff expects a Republican surge to defeat Pre-K 4 SA, Castro says it's an initiative that enjoys support from the city's largest employers — such as USAA and H-E-B — and others who tend to be Republican or independent. All seven of the city's chambers of commerce have endorsed the plan, as have all of San Antonio's living mayors. While he won't endorse or oppose Pre-K 4 SA itself, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller has posted a letter of support for the initiative's goals on the archdiocese's Web page. “Regardless of its outcome, this campaign has placed the spotlight on very real problems in our community, and we must not allow that light to be dimmed,” García-Siller writes. “High dropout rates in our public schools are well documented, bringing with it real human costs that follow our children throughout their lives. In 2010, the United States Census Bureau reported that a high school dropout's mean income is nearly $10,000 less annually than his high school graduate classmate; and over $25,000 less than one who earned a bachelor's degree.” The archbishop's comments go to the heart of what Castro and members of his task force have said on the campaign trail: that Pre-K 4 SA is a long-term investment to bolster the economic future of San Antonio. From USAA CEO Joe Robles to Chris Nielsen, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, business leaders who support the initiative say it will create a stronger local workforce that will attract higher-paying jobs and new businesses and will keep companies in San Antonio that are already here. The message from opponents has been fragmented. A number of loosely affiliated groups are working to defeat the initiative, including the San Antonio Tea Party and a group called the South Texas Alliance for Progress, run by a former president of the local tea party, and a third called the Coalition for Responsive Government. Castro wouldn't speculate on how he would evaluate the campaign or his political future if the initiative were to fail. “I'm confident it's going to pass, so I don't believe the voters will pass up this opportunity for such a low cost — $7.81 — to educate so many children who are getting left behind,” he said. “Of course, you never know with elections, and we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Super sad supercut Jun 06 2016 A collection of super sad moments from movies like The Iron Giant, E.T., Wrath of Khan, Up, and Old Yeller. This'll have you sobbing in 3 minutes or your money back. A collection of super sad moments from movies like The Iron Giant, E.T., Wrath of Khan, Up, and Old Yeller. This'll have you sobbing in 3 minutes or your money back. From The Intercept and director A.J. Schnack, a simple and powerful short film about more than a dozen mass shootings that have occurred in the US since 2011. A scene of tragedy unfolds, accompanied by fear, chaos and disbelief. As Speaking is Difficult rewinds into the past, retracing our memories, it tells a story about a cumulative history that is both unbearable and inevitable. Fuck, that was difficult to watch. When Sandy Hook came up, I just lost it. We should be deeply deeply ashamed that that happened and we did nothing about it. In this story by Rafael Zoehler, a father who dies at 27 wrote his son a series of letters to be opened at several of life's milestones, including WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST KISS, WHEN YOU BECOME A FATHER, and WHEN YOUR MOTHER IS GONE. This letter was entitled "WHEN I'M GONE": If you're reading this, I'm dead. I'm sorry. I knew I was going to die. I didn't want to tell you what was going to happen, I didn't want to see you crying. Well, it looks like I've made it. I think that a man who's about to die has the right to act a little bit selfish. Well, as you can see, I still have a lot to teach you. After all, you don't know crap about anything. So I wrote these letters for you. You must not open them before the right moment, OK? This is our deal. I love you. Take care of your mom. You're the man of the house now. PS: I didn't write letters to your mom. She's got my car. Oh man, this episode of This American Life on desegregation and the Normandy School District (aka the Missouri district that Michael Brown attended) just totally wrecked me. Tears of sadness and rage. Right now, all sorts of people are trying to rethink and reinvent education, to get poor minority kids performing as well as white kids. But there's one thing nobody tries anymore, despite lots of evidence that it works: desegregation. Nikole Hannah-Jones looks at a district that, not long ago, accidentally launched a desegregation program. America likes to pride itself on its focus on the importance of education and everyone getting a crack at living the American Dream, but as this story makes clear, neither of those things are actually true. See also part two of the series and Hannah-Jones' series on segregation at ProPublica. I don't quite know what I'm doing to myself these days. Last night was an episode of The Americans in which a marriage was ending, another family was trying to keep itself intact, and a young boy struggles to move on after his entire family dies. This morning, I watched an episode of Mad Men in which a mother tries to reconcile her differences with her daughter in the face of impending separation. And then, the absolute cake topper, a story by Matthew Teague that absolutely wrecked me. It's about his cancer-stricken wife and the friend who comes and rescues an entire family, which is perhaps the truest and most direct thing I've ever read about cancer and death and love and friendship. Since we had met, when she was still a teenager, I had loved her with my whole self. Only now can I look back on the fullness of our affection; at the time I could see nothing but one wound at a time, a hole the size of a dime, into which I needed to pack a fistful of material. Love wasn't something I felt anymore. It was just something I did. When I finished, I would lie next to her and use sterile cotton balls to soak up her tears. When she finally slept, I would slip out of bed and go into our closet, the most isolated room in the house. Inside, I would wrap a blanket around my head, stuff it into my mouth, lie down and bury my head in a pile of dirty clothes, and scream. There are very specific parts of all those stories that I identify with. I struggle with friendship. And with family. I worry about my children, about my relationships with them. I worry about being a good parent, about being a good parenting partner with their mom. How much of me do I really want to impart to them? I want them to be better than me, but I can't tell them or show them how to do that because I'm me. I took my best shot at being better and me is all I came up with. What if I'm just giving them the bad parts, without even realizing it? God, this is way too much for a Monday. Kellan Roberts died suddenly at 22. He had decided to be an organ donor and his heart went to a high school student from Minnesota, Connor Rabinowitz. After receiving the heart, Connor visited Kellan's family in Seattle and met Kellan's sister Erin. After a few years, Erin and Connor, well, just watch...this is a wonderful story well told. Cord Jefferson with a beautiful piece about his mother, illness, and the importance and difficulty of being kind. I'd just returned home from a meeting when she called again. It had been only a few hours since we'd last talked and, as she stammered when I picked up, my heart sank with the anticipation of more bad news. "I didn't tell you everything I wanted to earlier," she said after gathering her tongue. "I wanted to say that I'm scared. I know you can't do anything to change this, but it makes me feel better to let you know that I'm afraid." Mat Kirkby's short film, The Phone Call, won the Best Narrative Short prize at the Tribeca Film Festival and is rumored to be in the running for an Oscar nomination. It features a young woman who works in helpline call office (Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins) taking a call from a distraught man (Oscar winner Jim Broadbent). (via slate) Update: The video has been taken down from Vimeo, so I've removed the embed. I think it was something about film festival eligibility? Update: The Phone Call did end up being nominated for an Oscar; here's Kirkby and friends reacting to the nomination. Thirteen Ways of Looking at Greg Maddux is not really a story about Greg Maddux. Or sports. It's about Jeremy Collins' friend Jason Kenney, demons, self-control, determination, friendship, competitiveness, and loss. Jason kept a picture of Maddux above his desk in our dorm room at Young Harris College in the north Georgia mountains. A beautiful athlete, the best on campus, Jason played only intramurals and spent serious time at his desk. A physics workhorse and calculus whiz, he kept Maddux's image at eye-level. Shuffling and pardoning down the aisle to our seats, Jason stopped and squeezed my shoulder. "Look," he said. Maddux strode toward home, hurling the ball through the night. It's 2014. I'm thirty-seven. My wife and daughter are both asleep. I'm a thousand miles from the stadium-turned-parking-lot. On YouTube, Kenny Lofton of the American League Champion Cleveland Indians looks at the first pitch for a ball. Inside, low. I don't remember the call. I remember all of us standing, holding our breath. Then I remember light. Thousands of lights. Waves of tiny diamonds. The whole stadium flashing and Jason, who would die five months later on the side of a south Georgia highway, leaning into my ear and whispering, "Maddux." Great, great story. As Tom Junod remarked on Twitter, "Every once in a while, a writer throws everything he's got into a story. This is one of those stories." In racing video games, a ghost is a car representing your best score that races with you around the track. This story of a son discovering and racing against his deceased father's ghost car in an Xbox racing game will hit you right in the feels. Peter Bach, a cancer doctor, writes about losing his wife to cancer. The streetlights in Buenos Aires are considerably dimmer than they are in New York, one of the many things I learned during my family's six-month stay in Argentina. The front windshield of the rental car, aged and covered in the city's grime, further obscured what little light came through. When we stopped at the first red light after leaving the hospital, I broke two of my most important marital promises. I started acting like my wife's doctor, and I lied to her. I had just taken the PET scan, the diagnostic X-ray test, out of its manila envelope. Raising the films up even to the low light overhead was enough for me to see what was happening inside her body. But when we drove on, I said, "I can't tell; I can't get my orientation. We have to wait to hear from your oncologist back home." I'm a lung doctor, not an expert in these films, I feigned. But I had seen in an instant that the cancer had spread. The last sentence here really got to me: Our life together was gone, and carrying on without her was exactly that, without her. I was reminded of our friend Liz's insight after she lost her husband to melanoma. She told me she had plenty of people to do things with, but nobody to do nothing with. A reader saw my post about UPS drivers seldom taking left turns and sent in this story from 2006. In it, Michael Gartner shares the secret to long life relayed to him by his father: no left turns. Among other things: My mother was a devout Catholic, and my father an equally devout agnostic, an arrangement that didn't seem to bother either of them through their 75 years of marriage. (Yes, 75 years, and they were deeply in love the entire time.) He retired when he was 70, and nearly every morning for the next 20 years or so, he would walk with her the mile to St. Augustin's Church. She would walk down and sit in the front pew, and he would wait in the back until he saw which of the parish's two priests was on duty that morning. If it was the pastor, my father then would go out and take a 2-mile walk, meeting my mother at the end of the service and walking her home. If it was the assistant pastor, he'd take just a 1-mile walk and then head back to the church. He called the priests "Father Fast" and "Father Slow." When Owen Suskind was three, a switch flipped within him and he went from a typical chatty rambunctious three-year-old to autistic. I had just started a job as The Wall Street Journal's national affairs reporter. My wife, Cornelia, a former journalist, was home with him -- a new story every day, a new horror. He could barely use a sippy cup, though he'd long ago graduated to a big-boy cup. He wove about like someone walking with his eyes shut. "It doesn't make sense," I'd say at night. "You don't grow backward." Had he been injured somehow when he was out of our sight, banged his head, swallowed something poisonous? It was like searching for clues to a kidnapping. After visits to several doctors, we first heard the word "autism." Later, it would be fine-tuned to "regressive autism," now affecting roughly a third of children with the disorder. Unlike the kids born with it, this group seems typical until somewhere between 18 and 36 months -- then they vanish. Some never get their speech back. Families stop watching those early videos, their child waving to the camera. Too painful. That child's gone. But a tenuous connection remained between Owen and his pre-autistic self: Disney movies. And through them, Owen slowly learns how to communicate with the outside world again. So we join him upstairs, all of us, on a cold and rainy Saturday afternoon in November 1994. Owen is already on the bed, oblivious to our arrival, murmuring gibberish.... "Juicervose, juicervose." It is something we've been hearing for the past few weeks. Cornelia thinks maybe he wants more juice; but no, he refuses the sippy cup. "The Little Mermaid" is playing as we settle in, propping up pillows. We've all seen it at least a dozen times, but it's at one of the best parts: where Ursula the sea witch, an acerbic diva, sings her song of villainy, "Poor Unfortunate Souls," to the selfish mermaid, Ariel, setting up the part in which Ursula will turn Ariel into a human, allowing her to seek out the handsome prince, in exchange for her voice. When the song is over, Owen lifts the remote. Hits rewind. "Come on, Owen, just let it play!" Walt moans. But Owen goes back just 20 seconds or so, to the song's next-to-last stanza, with Ursula shouting: Go ahead -- make your choice! I'm a very busy woman, and I haven't got all day. It won't cost much, just your voice! He does it again. Stop. Rewind. Play. And one more time. On the fourth pass, Cornelia whispers, "It's not 'juice.' " I barely hear her. "What?" "It's not 'juice.' It's 'just' ... 'just your voice'!" I grab Owen by the shoulders. "Just your voice! Is that what you're saying?!" He looks right at me, our first real eye contact in a year. "Juicervose! Juicervose! Juicervose!" Walt starts to shout, "Owen's talking again!" A mermaid lost her voice in a moment of transformation. So did this silent boy. "Juicervose! Juicervose! Juicervose!" Owen keeps saying it, watching us shout and cheer. And then we're up, all of us, bouncing on the bed. Owen, too, singing it over and over -- "Juicervose!" -- as Cornelia, tears beginning to fall, whispers softly, "Thank God, he's in there." This is the best thing I've read in a month, so so heartbreaking and amazing. Just pre-ordered the book...can't wait to read the full version. So, there's the famous 1984 Super Bowl commercial for the Macintosh. There was the Think Different campaign. And the Mac vs. PC ads. But I think Apple's newest effort, Misunderstood, is perhaps their best ad ever: Or maybe I'm the biggest sap in the world...either way, I'm totally crying at work. ps. But of course, that can't be the best Apple advertisement ever because that title will always and forever be taken by a drunk Jeff Goldblum extolling the virtues of the iMac's internet capabilities: Great, now I'm crying from laughing at work. Just warning you, this piece by Ariel Levy will wreck you, put you back together, and wreck you again. Damn powerful beautiful writing. My doctor told me that it was fine to fly up until the third trimester, so when I was five months pregnant I decided to take one last big trip. It would be at least a year, maybe two, before I'd be able to leave home for weeks on end and feel the elation of a new place revealing itself. (It's like having a new lover-even the parts you aren't crazy about have the crackling fascination of the unfamiliar.) Just before Thanksgiving, I went to Mongolia. People were alarmed when I told them where I was going, but I was pleased with myself. I liked the idea of being the kind of woman who'd go to the Gobi Desert pregnant, just as, at twenty-two, I'd liked the idea of being the kind of girl who'd go to India by herself. And I liked the idea of telling my kid, "When you were inside me, we went to see the edge of the earth." I wasn't truly scared of anything but the Mongolian winter. The tourist season winds down in October, and by late November, when I got on the plane, the nights drop to twenty degrees below zero. But I was prepared: I'd bought snow pants big enough to fit around my convex gut and long underwear two sizes larger than I usually wear. File this one under crying at work: a man finds a newborn on a subway platform and he and his partner adopt him and then blub blub blub, I'm sorry I have to go there's something in both my eyes and my nose. Three months later, Danny appeared in family court to give an account of finding the baby. Suddenly, the judge asked, "Would you be interested in adopting this baby?" The question stunned everyone in the courtroom, everyone except for Danny, who answered, simply, "Yes." "But I know it's not that easy," he said. "Well, it can be," assured the judge before barking off orders to commence with making him and, by extension, me, parents-to-be. This video shows a fourth grader trying a bigger ski jump for the first time. If you're a parent, I defy you to not tear up at least once while viewing. Oh, and the audio is essential. #cryingatwork (via devour) This photo was taken recently by Sergey Ponomarev in Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan: The line on the wall is the high water mark from the March 11 tsunami and the time on the clock is when the water crested (Wikipedia puts the max readings right around 15:20 local time). Each element alone is documentation of a thing...together they tell a story. I have a soft spot for storytelling clocks in photos. Joseph Koudelka's 1968 photo of the empty streets of Prague before the Soviet crackdown of The Prague Spring is one of my favorite photos. And obviously I love the photo taken by my wife of me holding my son Ollie when he was exactly 20 mintues old. It was the first time I'd held him and oh crap I'm crying at work again... (via in focus) In 1981, Ray Towler was convicted of rape, kidnapping, and felonious assault of two young children and sentenced to life in prison. Twenty-nine years later, in 2010, DNA evidence proves he didn't commit the crime and Towler is released from prison. So many choices. Which car insurance. Which cereal. Which deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo. Rows and rows of products. Varieties, sizes, colors. Which is cheaper? Which is better? What's the best buy? Which gum to chew? When he went into prison there were, like, two kinds of chewing gum. Now there are a zillion. One of the small gifts he gives himself is trying all the gums. "I can spoil myself a little so long as I stay within my means," he says. Papaya juice! Kiwi and strawberry nectar! Green tea! Arnold Palmer -- he was a golfer when Towler went down. Now he is a drink, sweet and so incredibly thirst quenching. He loves work. He got out May 5 and started working June 21. Hell, I've been vacationing for thirty years. He wears a smock and pushes a mail cart. He stops at all the cubicles, greets everyone with his friendly smile. Ray even loves commuting to work, especially now, in his new car, a black Ford Focus. He's like a sixteen-year-old who can finally drive himself to school. It costs almost the same to park as it does to take the train. File this one under "crying at work". Kamikaze pilot Masanobu Kuno wrote a farewell letter to his young son and daughter the day before he flew to his death in the Battle of Okinawa. From the translation: Your father will become a god and watch you two closely. Both of you, study hard and help out your mother with work. I can't be your horse to ride, but you two be good friends. I should have a "crying at work" tag for posts like this.

By David Pendered Unlike New York City’s mayoral inauguration last week, little controversy is expected to surround Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed as he takes the oath of office Monday. Atlanta has a history of low-key mayoral inaugurations. It’s just not the Atlanta way for politicians to swing for the fences at these rites of passage. That wasn’t the case in New York on Jan. 1, when a pastor speaking from the inaugural podium referred to “the plantation called New York.” Likewise, Gov. Nathan Deal and other politicians may offer new insights but probably won’t stir the hornet’s nest in speeches at the Eggs and Issues breakfast to be hosted Jan. 15 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Reed started his inauguration over the weekend. On Saturday, he and re-elected Councilman Ivory Lee Young Jr. led a clean-up of Washington Park, a significant city facility located along the Atlanta BeltLine west of the future Falcons stadium. On Sunday, Reed led an event at Cascade United Methodist Church – the Inaugural Interfaith Worship Service. Following Monday’s swearing in ceremony, Reed has scheduled an event called the Citizens Reception, at Atlanta City Hall. The event is open to the public and begins at 5 p.m. The next major event on the local political calendar is the two-day program hosted by the Georgia Chamber. The annual dinner meeting, on Jan. 14, is to be highlighted by a presentation by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. He served from 2005 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. Gutierrez is a former CEO/chairman of Kellogg Co. who now speaks on technology skills in the workplace, immigration, and intellectual property rights protection. At the Eggs and Issues Breakfast, the highlights of the upcoming legislation session are to be outlined by Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and House Speaker David Rawlston. They are not expected to unveil sweeping policy reforms, given that attention has already shifted from governing to campaigning for this year’s primary and general elections. On the contrary, New York City’s inauguration of Mayor Bill de Blasio was anything but mild mannered. De Blasio is the first liberal to be elected in 20 years. While he soft-peddled a message about social equity, other speakers hammered the point as well as outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg. De Blasio called social inequality a “quiet crisis” and went on to say: - “We are called to put an end to economic and social inequalities that threaten to unravel the city we love,” according to The New York Times. “We won’t wait…. We’ll do it now.” The Times news story went on to say: - “The ceremony was filled with an unusually open airing of the city’s racial and class tensions, including a poem bristling with frustration about ‘brownstones and brown skin playing tug-of-war,’ a pastor’s words about ‘the plantation called New York’ and fierce denunciations of luxury condominiums and trickle-down economics.” According to a report in the New York Daily News, critics of Bloomberg included Harry Bellafonte, the 86-year-old singer and human rights advocate, and the city’s 18-year-old youth poet laureate: - “But it was the city’s new public advocate, Letitia James, who delivered the harshest attack, a fiery speech that read like a wholesale repudiation of the Bloomberg era. - “’The growing gap between the haves and the have-nots undermines our city and tears at the fabric of our democracy,” James said.” Former President Bill Clinton commended Boomberg. Clinton said of Bloomberg, according to politicker.com: “He leaves the city stronger and healthier than he found it…. So I’m grateful to both mayors: Mayor Bloomberg for his years of service and for the legacy he will leave, and to Mayor de Blasio for his good and caring hands.”

It is one of the most important events a Catholic community celebrates in a person’s life, but one so often misunderstood and increasingly ignored. The funeral Mass. The funeral liturgy in a church setting is a final opportunity to commend the deceased to God’s mercy, and to reflect on how the person’s life mirrored the love and teachings of Jesus Christ, who promises that one day, the Christian will rise again and live with him in the New Jerusalem. Forever. “In order to pray for the repose of the person’s soul, and to pray for the family, the best way to do so is the Mass, because it’s in the Mass that we read from the Gospels, that we encounter the Lord Jesus and his mercy,” said Father Roger Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass. “The Mass is the source of hope for those who have seen a loved one die, in that the family can see that their loved one might not die, but live forever. It’s one of the greatest means by which the Christian community comes together to support a grieving family,” Father Landry told Our Sunday Visitor. From the very beginnings of Christianity, borrowing from ancient Jewish burial practices, the dead were shown respect, and their bodies anointed and buried — as was Jesus’ body after the crucifixion — with great care in anticipation of the final resurrection. Writing in the third century, St. Jerome spoke of the “ancient Christian tradition” of the faithful singing hymns and psalms while the body of St. Paul the Hermit was carried to his grave. St. Augustine made references to the Eucharist being offered at the last solemn rites of his mother, St. Monica, in 387. St. Gregory of Nyssa also gave a detailed description of the funeral liturgy, complete with Eucharistic offering, of his sister, St. Macrina the Younger, in 379. “If we look at the history of how Christians treated the body; the whole custom of funerals goes back to the beginnings of Christianity. It incorporates Jewish burial practice. The expectations of a bodily resurrection led the Christians to treat the body with reverence,” said Father Richard Hilgartner, executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “In the early centuries of Christianity, there was a clear sense that pagan mourning practices were really considered not appropriate for the Christian, because grief and sorrow were not an end to themselves, but were to be considered transitory or temporary. The preaching at death had to deal with the promise of the resurrection,” Father Hilgartner said. Rich in symbolism The ancient traditions are seen today in the Catholic Church’s liturgy, where from the beginning of the funeral Mass the casket — or, increasingly, cremains — is covered with a white linen, known as the pall, which evokes the white baptismal gown. The casket is also blessed with holy water, another reminder of the person’s baptism, the day they were first given the promise of eternal life. “The connection between baptism and the funeral Mass is very strong,” Father Landry said. “Right off the bat in the funeral Mass you see how the symbolism is rooted in the Eucharist, which is a source of life, a source of strength and nourishment, but also an offering of thanksgiving,” Father Hilgartner said. “While it may not have the same joy and jubilation, even at the funeral Mass, when the community of God gathers together in sorrow, part of the consolation is in the gathering to offer praise to God and an offer of thanksgiving, being focused not just on the deceased but on Jesus.” It is also worth noting that the priest celebrating the Mass approaches the casket wearing white vestments. “In the past, the priest wore black, symbolizing the sorrow of death. Now we use white vestments to remind ourselves of the promise the Christian received at baptism that they would rise again with the Lord,” said Msgr. Robert T. Ritchie, the rector of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. The priest also blesses the covered casket with incense, a liturgical gesture that reminds or teaches the faithful that their prayers are rising to heaven, so that the deceased’s soul may also ascend to be with God. “The incense adds greater solemnity to a funeral. It shows that we are a sacramental people and helps us to remember God’s blessing. We’re able to unite our prayers with the prayers of Christ at the heavenly altar,” Father Landry said. After being blessed, the casket is brought to the front of the sanctuary and positioned in front of the paschal candle, which is another reminder of the light of Christ dispelling the darkness of death and promising eternal life. In some churches, a crucifix, Bible or the Gospels are placed on the casket. Meanwhile, even before the coffin is brought into the church, the music already begins. Songs that correspond to consolation and the liturgy’s focus on the Eucharist and eternal life are most appropriate, though most parishes give the family an opportunity to select hymns and sacred music that move them. Some examples of often-used songs include “Be Not Afraid,” “I am the Bread of Life” and “I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say.” “Many like to have the ‘Ave Maria’ sung where we’re asking Mary to pray for our loved one at the moment of death, and for us now,” Father Landry said. “What’s appropriate is what flows from the liturgy. To just pick a song because it was somebody’s favorite song misses the point,” Father Hilgartner added. Though there is a central selection of about 35 suggested readings, Scripture passages can come from virtually the entire Bible (see sidebar, Page 12). “Here in New Bedford, when fishermen die, it is not uncommon at all to have the Gospel reading of Jesus walking on the water to Peter, with the connection to the stormy waters of life on earth and how we’re called by the Lord to seek permission to come to him across stormy seas to the other shore,” Father Landry said. Family members, or those designated to take care of the funeral arrangements, are encouraged to meet with the priest and parish staff ahead of time to select the music and the readings they feel best correspond to the deceased’s life. “If there is a reading that touches their heart and reminds them of the person, then it is a perfect reading for them,” Msgr. Ritchie said. “I’ve discovered in the last 12 years that very often the family wants to be involved in choosing the Sacred Scriptures. As a pastor, I’m very happy to give the family a reason to go through God’s Word that he has given us,” Father Landry said. “It’s a very moving time when I walk the families through the readings. Oftentimes they cry when they’re reading the Scriptures because suddenly the meaning of the words hits them. It really does open them up to exactly what Jesus is telling them through his holy word in that moment.” Eulogizing the dead A sensitive topic that inevitably arises in Catholic funerals is that of the eulogy. A eulogy — understood as a speech extolling the person’s virtues, life and oftentimes elevating the deceased to virtual sainthood by declaring them to be in heaven — is not allowed in Catholic funerals because it does not comport with the liturgy’s focus on Jesus’ saving actions and praying for the repose of the soul. “The present tension at a funeral is the desire to be hopeful and offer consolation while at the same time not presuming anything about the deceased,” Father Hilgartner said. Some pastors will allow for brief “words of remembrance” immediately after holy Communion, but many say the appropriate time and setting for reminiscing and sharing on the person’s life is at the wake, not the Mass. “A eulogy is not liturgical. The Mass should be a concentration on what God is saying about the person and the family, and offering his mercy. It’s not a time for the family to interject something before the final commendation, which I don’t think is appropriate,” said Deacon Henry Libersat of St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Altamonte Springs, Fla. Deacon Libersat told OSV that he frequently ministers at wakes, for which the Church provides a liturgical prayer service. He said the wake is the right time and place for relatives and friends to speak and share stories of the deceased (see Page 12). “The wake gives the people an opportunity to reflect more socially. At one of the last wakes I went to, someone got up and had the people laughing in stitches,” he said. “There was healing there. It is very pastoral as far as I’m concerned to encourage that kind of thing.” However, the general culture’s increasing secularization is challenging the Church in how to convey the theological background and sacramentality of a funeral Mass to mourners who are more likely than ever to be estranged from the Catholic faith or atheistic in their daily lives. “There is a wide variety of families today who are having funeral Masses. Often, they’re very faithful families where the person who died lived a life of faith and passed it to people who received it in good soil. Those, in many cases, are one of the most beautiful Masses you’ll have at a church,” Father Landry said. “In other cases, you may have children or grandchildren who are distant from the Church, and other times they can come into church with a consumerist mindset that whatever they would like to have should be the funeral. “It’s also very hard when you see people who don’t know how to respond to the prayers, such as the Our Father. There’s a certain sadness there, but also I recognize that there is some faith that brought them there, so I try to celebrate the funeral in such a way that hopefully they’re touched and may begin to ask questions and hopefully be brought back to the faith.” “I would hope the priests would be strengthened in their faith as they preach the resurrection,” said Father Hilgartner, who believes the priest-celebrant of a funeral Mass needs to be “a little detached” from the moment. “I think the role of priest as celebrant isn’t necessarily about emotional contact. He’s not there to be mourner, but to offer consolation and support for the mourners. In order to maintain their function, there has to be a sense of how to maintain composure.” Because Catholics are increasingly losing their sense of the sacramental, and the importance of even having a funeral Mass, more pastors today urge faithful Catholics to tell their loved ones, even stipulating it in their wills, to bury them with full Catholic rites. “If young people making arrangements for their parents or grandparents, if they are being true to what their loved ones would have wanted, it’s almost a certainty that they would have wanted a funeral Mass for themselves,” Msgr. Ritchie said. “It’s what we do as Catholics.” Brian Fraga writes from Massachusetts.

September 15 2016 Just as I predicted, the State (Bill Eddins ,State Attorney for Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton County in Florida) announced the arrest of 22 men in the latest Okaloosa sex Sting operation. This one was captioned Operation Undertow and targeted men in the Pensacola area. It is more of the same tactics where the police post ads on Craigslist looking for unsuspecting men they can bait and switch and talk into meeting with fictional children. They again used the classic bait words like “taboo” and pretended to be women looking for some man to “mentor their daughter”. They also used the classic bait phrase “I am very inexperienced” and suggested group sex scenes. I never cease to be amazed that men, year after year, fall for the same bait. Sex is the ultimate bait. Sadly, what the police operations mostly catch are young, shy, introverted and sometimes mentally challenged young adult males, some of whom have never had a date or sex. The real question is “Who are the real sex predators”? A strong argument can be made that the police with these sex sting operations are creating crimes. They are picking the low hanging fruit and targeting insecure men they can talk into committing a crime. I have been involved now in almost forty such cases as a sex crime lawyer. The general public often is misinformed and led to believe that these operations result in the arrest of real sex predators. - In my experience, only a tiny percentage of the men arrested had any real predisposition to engage in sex with a minor. - The police are masters of manipulation when it comes to talking men into committing a crime like traveling to meet a minor. - There are defenses to these entrapment cases. - It all depends on the individual facts of each case. - In the meantime, these men have had their lives destroyed, lost their jobs and had their reputations destroyed forever. - Families should not abandon men based on just the charge alone. - Friends and relatives should now stand by them more than ever. - Employers should not give up on them. I never give up and sometimes, hard work and good lawyering can make a difference. If you have questions on how they run the Internet Sex Stings and want to talk, call 941 366 3506 Click Here to Visit Our Website thesexoffenderdefender.com Related Articles on the Pensacola Sex Sting:

Dr. Atul Gawande (Illustration by Joel Kimmel for The Boston Globe) In his 3rd Reith lecture ‘The problem of hubris’ Dr Atul Gawande spoke about doctors’ reluctance, whether through habit, laziness, aversion or even commercial interest to ask about patients’ true goals near the end of life. It is not easy to find fault in a lecture that so clearly expresses what many of us believe, that death is over-medicalised and the person’s priorities frequently overlooked in the rush to reverse complications, but there was something in it that didn’t sit well with me. I will try to explain. Dr Gawande was forthright in his criticism of doctors… …the way we in medicine can deny people these moments, relegating them to the care of strangers alone in an intensive care unit, the way we can forget this out of obtuseness and neglect, is I think cause for our shame. This frustrated me a little because he did not get behind the behaviour that he criticised. Doctors and nurses are ‘people people’ after all, and there must be good reasons why a clear-sighted approach to their patients’ wider goals is not maintained. My argument is that our failure to protect priorities is more likely to be due to sensitivity and nervousness rather than laziness or lack of empathy. The patient, Peg, whom Dr Gawande used to illustrate a ‘good death’ had recurrent sarcoma. With the right support she was able to continue in her role as a music teacher until the end of her life. The image of her saying farewell to her young pupils was incredibly moving – so powerful in fact that I can imagine the vignette changing peoples’ practise immediately. But… contrarian as I am, I got to thinking – why was Peg’s case not typical? When I compare her case to that of patients I see towards approaching the end of their lives, I see several differences: Age – most dying patients are much older, leading to… Frailty and co-morbidity – older patients may not have one identifiable pathology (eg. malignancy) that is driving terminal decline, meaning… Absence of specialist palliative care input – however desirable specialist input is, the fact remains that many approach death without that expertise… In addition, the situation is complicated by… Mental incapacity – the identification of goals is so much harder in this case; and finally… Accelerated deterioration – identifying goals and agreeing the limits of medical care is much harder when the signals that death is approaching come quickly, or are punctuated by potentially reversible crises These factors present barriers to the measured identification of therapeutic futility – this being the point, one assumes, at which an effort to seek a patient’s wider goals should be made. One could argue that the identification of goals should occur much earlier than that, but while a possibility of cure or sustained stability exists, I think many patients and healthcare workers would be reluctant to take their eye off the ‘medical’ ball. The sudden desire for life Broadening the conversation to non-medical goals can feel risky at times. It brings the patient out from the usual transaction of therapeutic benefits and burdens, as though to say – ‘These medical details are not relevant in the longer term, because you are gradually approaching the end, and there is nothing we can do to stop it...’ – Even in skilled hands, it is an intrinsically negative conversation, however one wants to portray the identification of goals as positive. If the patient was hitherto attempting to maintain a constructive and practical attitude, this change in tack can be painful. It may be too early to move away from the medical practicalities. As a doctor, I worry that moving into this area is interpreted as a signal of surrender to the disease. Sue Lawley, who chaired the Reith lectures, touched on this aspect of psychology when she asked the question, ‘Doesn’t the desire for life suddenly at the end, when someone is aware that they are dying, suddenly overcome all kinds of thoughts they might have had before? Suddenly people want to live.’ This is what I have seen in the eyes of patients who have been admitted for emergency care at the end of life. I see it in their relatives’ eyes too. It is the strong desire for help. Yes, that might be help with poorly controlled pain or breathlessness (ie. emergency palliation) but in the ED, or on the acute ward, the first response of physicians is to deal with the active complication – be it a chest infection, haemorrhage or electrolyte disturbance. Salvage. Not submitting to nature, yet. Resisting the impulse for survival is unnatural, for want of a better word, and in the context of a rapid or unexpected change in condition it is very hard for relatives, primary physicians, even hospice staff, not to refer to hospital – even if the patient’s stated goals have made it clear that more time in hospital is the last thing they want. Once in hospital, escalation is often hard to avoid (I explored this in a post called ‘5 days: a tale of escalation creep’) Positive goals, negative limits Dr Gawande has found that to determine a person’s goals one needs do no more than ask and listen, “… the second important lesson that I felt like I learned was that the most reliable way to learn what people’s priorities are – and there are highly technical studies on this – the most reliable way to learn is to ask. And we don’t ask.” He speaks about doctors’ tendency to talk more than the patient during consultations, about the self-restraint that is required to just stop and listen. Later, he gives the example of his father’s changing goals as a spinal tumour progressed – “…his first goal was I want to stay a surgeon as long as possible. And then when his hand became paralysed by the tumour and he was forced to give up surgery, then it was that he wanted to at least, no matter what, remain … he’s a social creature. “…And in fact even towards the end and he was in a hospice, he had a dinner party almost every week. He loved to stay in contact with his family by Skype, to email and connect with people. He would have grabbed for any opportunity to keep that going.” In this case there is no doubt as to a son’s ability to enquire about and interpret his father’s preferences. Those preferences were positive. They were about making the best of the life that remained. But I would contend that it is not so easy for doctors in general. The difficulty I experience is that this conversation often runs in parallel to the rather downbeat subject of ‘ceilings of care.’ For all the focus on goals and what can be achieved in their final weeks, fairly rigorous planning is required to agree on what will not be done. I explored this in a post called ‘Not for this and not for that: emphasising the positive in care for the elderly’, in which the negatives seem to dominate the conversation and doubts can arise as to the motivations of the clinician. To disconnect the two (‘I’ll bring it up another time…’) seems cowardly, but to move from goals to ceilings might appear callous – ‘OK, we’ve explored what your priorities are… and in light of those we need to talk about what treatments might not be appropriate, should you be rushed in with something acute…’ Again, the positive segues into the negative. The negatives have to be broached. And we don’t find this easy. Bolder but colder? The barriers described above are real, and exist not because doctors are too lazy or obtuse to surmount them, but because they find it difficult to find the ‘right time’ or the ‘right way’ to draw their patients into a conversation that they may not be ready for. It is a manifestation of over-sensitivity, rather than the opposite. There are parallels here with the aversion to causing distress when bringing up the subject of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. As the Janet Tracey judgement showed, not doing something important (in this case asking a terminally ill lady about CPR) because you worry it might offend or upset her, is not defensible. Similarly, not turning a dying patient’s head towards the consideration of broader goals rather than the narrow aims of their next course of palliative chemotherapy, is just as regrettable. To be better we probably need to be bolder – even if that means feeling a little colder.

Some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and, as such, spoilers will be present. Ludovic "Ludo" Bagman (fl. 1981-2014) was an English wizard and Ministry of Magic employee. During his career at the Ministry, Ludo rose to the post of Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. His career at the Ministry ended in mid-1995, when he had to go on the run from goblins, against whom he had lost several bets. Before working at the Ministry, he was a Beater for both the Wimbourne Wasps and the English National Quidditch team. He had a brother named Otto. He also tended to play dirty when gambling and betting as he tried to find loopholes or even pay in fake money/gold. First Wizarding War After Lord Voldemort fell from power, Ludovic Bagman was put on trial before the Council of Magical Law for giving information about the Ministry to the Death Eater Augustus Rookwood. According to Ludo, he did not know that Rookwood was a Death Eater. Rookwood had been a friend of Ludo's father and had persuaded Ludo into giving him the information by talking about getting Ludo a job at the Ministry. Barty Crouch attempted to place Bagman in Azkaban for this exchange of information for a certain amount of time, but to Crouch's extreme annoyance, Ludo was cleared of all charges, partly due to being a popular Quidditch player; one witch within the jury, in fact, stood up and congratulated Bagman for his rather impressive play in the previous Quidditch match, with the others cheering him. Ludo was never accused of allegiance with Death Eaters again. Quidditch World Cup Despite Mr Crouch's low opinion of Ludo, Ludo soon got a job at the Ministry as head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Ludo took part in organising the Quidditch World Cup of 1994. He was quite reckless in terms of security, and did not bother dressing in Muggle clothing for the event. Ludo's position with the Ministry only fuelled his serious addiction to gambling — he took bets, for instance, before the cup started with Fred and George for the result of the final, in the amount of thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, and three Knuts plus a joke wand. He also came to owe some money to Mr Jordan. He was bankrupt after the World Cup and tried to trick his creditors by paying them with leprechaun gold. The twins therefore stalked Bagman for the entire school year, trying to get their money, and later realised their attempts were unsuccessful. Ludo commentated during the World Cup using the spell Sonorus. After the Cup ended, Ludo was cornered by a group of goblins in the forest near the stadium. Ludo had borrowed a large amount of gold from the goblins but never paid them back. The goblins stripped Ludo of all the money he had on him and left, not yet realising that the money was not enough to pay the debt. Ludo wandered around the forest, completely unaware that the camp was being terrorised by a group of Death Eaters. The Triwizard Tournament His position as head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports meant that, in 1994,[HP4] Ludo, along with Barty Crouch Snr, organised and judged the Triwizard Tournament. Together, they worked hard to ensure that none of the Champions would find themselves in "mortal danger". When at Hogwarts, the Goblins tracked Ludo down to get the rest of the gold he owed them, but he could not pay them, as he had lost most of his money gambling. Meanwhile, Fred and George thought that Bagman gave them the Leprechaun gold by mistake and tried gently prodding him throughout the year but Bagman ignored their letters and made up excuses. Eventually, Bagman "turned nasty" (according to the Weasley twins) and told the Weasley twins that they were too young to gamble and that they would not get anything back. Fred and George found out about Bagman's debts through Lee Jordan, whose father had also been swindled considerably. Fred considered informing the Ministry of Bagman's activities, whereas George argued that it was blackmail. When Harry Potter's name was drawn out of the Goblet of Fire, Ludo Bagman appeared delighted, and he was the first person to inform the other three champions that Harry was now a participant. Ludo planned to pay the goblins by betting that Harry would win the Triwizard Tournament. Ludo thus did his best in helping Harry to win, but Harry always refused his "few pointers", as he thought taking advice from Ludo amounted to cheating. Just before the first task, Bagman took Harry aside and asked him if he wanted "a few pointers" for getting past the Hungarian Horntail; however, Harry refused this information. During the task, Bagman took the role of commentator, and was very impressed at Harry's flying skills around the dragon. He gave Harry full ten points despite the champion being injured, and was furious at Karkaroff for being biassed against Harry. Later, in January of 1995 Bagman was again cornered by the goblins, who looked "rather menacing", in Hogsmeade at The Three Broomsticks. When he saw Harry there, he offered him his help in the Triwizard Tournament, but Harry declined and asked Ludo what the goblins were up to. Ludo made up a story about the goblins searching for Barty Crouch Snr. For the final task, Bagman had the sole responsibility of showing the champions the maze which had been constructed on the school Quidditch pitch (since Mr Crouch was apparently "sick"). He attempted to offer Harry help for the third time, but was interrupted by Viktor Krum. The Triwizard Tournament ended with Harry winning, but being tied with Cedric Diggory, who was killed. The goblins refused to admit Ludo won the bet, saying that Harry did not win, but was tied with Cedric. Ludo went on the run shortly after the third task. Life on the runWhat happened to Bagman after that is unknown, but during Harry's hearing for using magic outside of school in the subsequent year, his name came up in reference. When Harry told them that he used magic to drive away Dementors that were attacking him at Magnolia Crescent, Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge stated that "even Bagman wouldn't bet...". Also, due to Bagman cheating the goblins out of his debt and running away, the Order of the Phoenix had difficulty earning their trust.. Though it is likely that he lost both his credibility in the eyes of the wizarding world, and his post at the Ministry, he was suspected by a great number of wizards to be coming out of retirement to play in the 2014 Quidditch World Cup. This, however, proved untrue, as it was the Bulgarian Seeker Viktor Krum who returned to the pitch, not Bagman. However, Bagman did produce a Daily Prophet article rating the semi-finalist teams of the Cup. Personality and traits Bagman was once accused of passing information to Death Eater Augustus Rookwood the first time Lord Voldemort was powerful. He was never convicted, and it is likely that if he did pass any information to Rookwood, he did so innocently, not knowing Rookwood was working for Voldemort. It is worth mentioning, however, that at least two people in 1994 suspected him of foul play, or at least mistrusted him: both Rita Skeeter (unreliable though she was) and Barty Crouch Jr (masquerading as Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody) mentioned this in the presence of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Rita Skeeter said to Hermione: "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl - not that it needs it." This is likely a reference to the aforementioned accusation of passing information to Rookwood. Bagman was seen as a genuinely nice person to all who knew him. However, he had a weakness for gambling which put a financial strain on him. (He might have originally borrowed off the goblins to pay off gambling debts). As George Weasley stated: "He's lost everything gambling." He could also turn very nasty when it came to paying his losses, as he used worthless Leprechaun gold to pay, and refused to pay real money when the winners came to him. He also attempted to cheat at certain times when he was in a desperate situation, such as helping Harry during the Tournament, despite being forbidden to do so. Ludo went as far as running away after losing his final bet against his goblin creditors, which resulted in them refusing to side with humans during the Second Wizarding War. Magical abilities and skills - Quidditch: Ludo was a famous beater for the Wimbourne Wasps, as he was said to be the best they ever had. - Apparition: He was at least sufficient at apparating. - Ludovic was a Latinised of the French royal name, Louis. Ludovic is from Gaelic for "devotee of the Lord." "Ludo" is Latin for "I play", part of the verb ludere. - In British slang, a bagman is a travelling salesman. Ludo was a secret gambler who threw away his money. - In American criminal slang, a bagman is a go-between who picks up or delivers money, usually bribes given by a crime family to the police. Ludo, of course, is constantly handling money as he makes his bets, and tries to fix the outcome of the Triwizard tournament with little offers of "help" in the right direction. This could also reflect his role as a (perhaps unknowing) go-between for the Death Eaters, passing information to Augustus Rookwood during the First Wizarding War. Behind the scenes - The part of Ludo Bagman was omitted from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and his announcing of the Quidditch World Cup of 1994 was done by the Minister for Magic at the time, which was Cornelius Fudge. The warnings and the directions for each task of the Triwizard Tournament were given to the champions by Dumbledore rather than Bagman. He was however meant to appear in the film in an early draft, and it was stated that actor Martin Landham would have been a candidate to portray him had he appeared in the film. - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance) - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only) - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Appears in alternate realities) - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (play) (Appears in alternate realities) - Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Notes and references - ↑ It's known that Ludovic Bagman's father was a friend of Augustus Rookwood's; this seems to imply that Ludo was, at the very least, not Muggle-born. - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 7 (Bagman and Crouch) - "His nose was squashed (probably broken by a stray Bludger, Harry thought), but his round blue eyes, short blond hair, and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy." - ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve) - "“But I’ve told you, I had no idea!” Bagman called earnestly over the crowd’s babble, his round blue eyes widening." - ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve) - ↑ Pottermore - PLACE YOUR BETS WITH LUDO BAGMAN (archived) - ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve) - At his trial, a juror congratulated him on his splendid performance for England against the Turkish National Quidditch team. - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 30 (The Pensieve) - "This was not, however, a Ludo Bagman gone to seed, but a Ludo Bagman who was clearly at the height of his Quidditch-playing fitness. His nose wasn’t broken now; he was tall and lean and muscular."

Renee was Ryan's sponsor and they are pictured here with Bishop Boyea of Lansing Michigan I had the honor of sponsoring Claire, pictured here with the Bishop. Renee & Ryan Claire & I Kevin, Ryan & I Adam & Ryan Last night was the 8th grade confirmation at Holy Rosary Parish. What a wonderful experience and what a pleasure it was to see so many young teens receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our son Ryan was confirmed along with many of his school mates and students from surrounding parishes. Bishop Boyea gave a passionate and very inspiring homily. He spoke of how the holy spirit dwells in us and gives us self control and confidence in order to do what is right and just in this troubled world. He told the teens before the ceremony started that once they receive the Holy Spirit to ask God what his will is for their lives and surely they will learn what that is.....maybe not today or even within a year but if they continue to seek God's will, it will be revealed to them. He said each and every one of us on this earth has a special job that God needs us to do and if we don't do it, it doesn't get done.....no one else can do that particular job but us, so continue to seek God's will for your life. (great advice not only for the teens but for all of us) What is Confirmation you ask?? Confirmation, a sacrament of initiation, establishes young adults as full-fledged members of the faith. This sacrament is called Confirmation because the faith given in Baptism is now confirmed and made strong. During your Baptism, your parents and godparents make promises to renounce Satan and believe in God and the Church on your behalf. At Confirmation, you renew those same promises, this time speaking for yourself. During Confirmation, the focus is on the Holy Spirit, who confirmed the apostles on Pentecost and gave them courage to practice their faith. Catholics believe that the same Holy Spirit confirms Catholics during the Sacrament of Confirmation and gives them the same gifts. Traditionally, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude (courage), knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are supernatural graces given to the soul. The 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, and chastity — human qualities that can be activated by the Holy Spirit.

Speaking about the often unruly behavior of his talented young players, Arsene Wenger, the famous Arsenal coach, said: "Some are wrong because they are not strong enough to fight temptation and some are wrong because they don't know." At this point in time, I would strongly urge Tanzania to try and resist rushing along with the temptations associated with the abundance of its natural resources (mining, natural gas, etc.) and instead take its time to understand what is really important for its long-term economic development. Economic development is an elusive concept but lessons have emerged from both economic theory and international experience. A country is more likely to grow faster and better when its people are educated and in good health; its business environment is favorable to firms’ development; its economy is connected to domestic and global markets, and its public administration is able to manage public funds wisely and transparently. Trivial, one might think; but there are nonetheless huge variations in performance across countries in these four man-made policy areas (see table). For obvious reasons, all developed countries rank relatively high. Singapore, for instance, claims the best business environment in the world (1st), the best logistical performance (1st), and one of the most efficient public administrations (3rd). Only its human capital development remains somewhat low compared to best standards (still 26th out of 182 countries in 2011). Of course, it can partly be argued that causality goes in the opposite direction – i.e. achievements in these policy areas are easier for rich than for poor countries. Nevertheless, emerging countries such as Thailand, Mauritius, or Vietnam have rapidly climbed world rankings over just the past few decades purely by improving their human capital outcomes, the quality of their business environments, their connectivity to the world, and their governments’ effectiveness. A lesson for Tanzania also is that this rule holds for countries with rich natural endowments. Norway, Chile, Botswana, and Malaysia have all succeeded in their transition from natural resources dependency to sustainable broad-based growth thanks to parallel progress in man-made policies. Table: World ranking in four man-made policy areas (click on table to see it larger) Source: (1) hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/hdi/; (2) http://www.doingbusiness.org/; (3) www.worldbank.org/lpi; (4) http://wbi.worldbank.org/wbi/ So where is Tanzania today in its quest for economic development? Close to the bottom of world rankings in 2011/12 according to its business climate (134th out of 185 countries) and human development (152th out of 182 countries). The performance of its public administration was ranked 135th out of 212 countries in 2011. The only relatively bright spot was its connectivity (88th out of 156 countries), thanks to its access to the ocean – a big natural advantage that sets it apart from landlocked countries—yet delays have unfortunately increased as revealed by the long queues of vessels waiting at anchorage at the port of Dar es Salaam in recent months. Worse, little progress has been registered over time. This is particularly visible with the investment climate and government’s effectiveness indicators where Tanzania lost 21 and 15 places respectively over the past five years. This lack of dynamism in policy reforms has also been reported in other East African economies (Uganda and Kenya) with Rwanda as the notable exception. Rwanda moved up in the Doing Business rankings from 150 to 63 between 2005 and 2013 and managed to considerably improve the effectiveness of its government and quality of its human capital. As a result, it has registered the highest per capita GDP growth rate among East African countries since 2005 – exceeding 5 per cent on average. Clearly, all Tanzanians should know that economic development is not measured by the amounts of gold or natural gas available in a country. Those are means, not goals. They are useful if they can help the country accumulate man-made assets and this transformational challenge needs to be understood by the country’s leaders with a sense of urgency. Otherwise, Tanzania might fail to achieve its vision to become a middle income country by 2025.

Newspaper Page Text WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 1895. Dobson has Jots of cotton open. Watch out for mad dogs and shoot 'em on the spot. Microscopist say the mosquito has Gov. Sheppard is off on a business trip to Boston. . Miss Sadie Duvis is visiting friends among tile mountains in this State. Mr. Alvin Hart left on Monday of this week for New York, Special job lot beautiful hair-pins, hat pins, and side combs at Fox's. "Semphronicus" was in town on The Augusta Evening Xews has sus Mr. J. A. Ti turner man of north Bun combe is the proud father of a lovely You don't have to pay for the store when you deal with Ramsey & Bland. The boll worm is playing havoc in the cotton Ileitis of the Mississippi Ramsey & Uland say they are will ing to part with every chair in the M. P. Wells. Esq., is, we regret to learn, quite sick with fever at the res idenee of Mr. D. R. Durisoe. Don't wait till it rains before you think of those top buggy s at Ramsey Dr. I*. H. Adams of Phoenix has gone to the mountains of this State for his Mr. J. M. Gaines has the contract for building a bridge over Cutfeetown It is a pleasure for Ramsey & Bland to show you their goods, because they know you will get a bargain. The boll worm is doing considera ble damage to the cotton in port;ons of our county. Aud they've quit settin' out sweet potatoes at last-the people is done quit settin' 'em out. Jule Carwile made the Edgelield Chronicle of last week whiz and hum and zoon like a brand new top. Don't exert yourself if the day is very bot but simply step into Ramsey & .Bland's cool store and order a nice bed room suit. John Ware has secured two elegant tonsorial artists in his barber shop who are as anxious to please as are patrons to be pleased. Hold on to a good thing when you lind it. This is why so many of Ram sey and Bland's customers are old Prof. Slaughter has removed from Parksville to McCormick, and taken charge of the high school at that point, the future seat of a new county. Mr. W. T. Hoffman will leave our. town in a few days for Savannah Ga,> where he proposes to enter business*) "We wish him much success. For the best Fire Insurance in old, strong and reliable companies, on town or conntry property, call on or write D. R. Dunisot, Agt. We are in recept of sundry resolu tions of the eounty board of commis sioners for Edgelield county, but they came too late for publication this You know the parable of the foolish virgins-well then don't delay but, give your order to Ramsey and Bland lor beautiful buggys. Mr. R.E. Fox has returned from an extended trip north in the interest of his profession and comes back to Edgelield more skilled in his art than Mr. Bettis Cantelou brought in from his plantation, a mile from town, cu Monday morning ofdthis week, a num ber of grown and nearly grown cotton bolls completely riddled perforated and "defunetuated" by boll worms. \ summery proceeding-going away for vacation with a nice outiit of bug gy and harness from Ramsey and Bland s store. Mr. and Mrs. King, daughter and son-in-law of Dr. E. R..Gwaltney, left for Rome Ga., on Monday of this week. Miss Mamie Gwaltney accompanied Rev. Mr. Boyd, an evangelist preaches every day at 3 p. m., and at 8?30 at night in bur public square, ilr. Boyd is accompanied by his wife J. H. Reel has 17 pigs for sale, Berk shire and Essex. His post office is Cleora in the old Duntonsville sec For the best Fire Insurance in old, strong and reliable Companies, on town or country property, call on or write D. R. DCBISOE, Agt. Mrs. Shaffer, by her untiring ellorts has already raised the money to pur chase a beautiful cornet for the Bap tist choir. Mr. George Mims mani pulates the keys with skill, adding much to the church music. Every merchant in Edgelield is looking forward to a good trade this fall and with good reason, for the pro vision crops being good, the cotton will be nearer a surplus crop t han ever Cotton is trembling in the balance at seven and seven-eights. Will it go up to ten cents or down to live? Op timists say it will go to ten, men of tine judgment limit it to eight, while the pessimist is sure it will soon tum ble to five. \ Since writing the above, good mid. diing cotton has reached the Sc mark in Augusta. The total advance last week was 40 points, nearly Inlf acent We must not bank on 9cts cotton this fall, but we may hope and yearn for ? have been instructed by Mr. R. L. Fox to say to our patrons, that in or der to make room for fall stock which will bf complete in every detail, we will sell anything in our line, except Waterbury Watches, at a discount of 25 per cent. r GEO. F. MIMS. For the best Fire Insurance in uld, strong and reliable Companies, ou Town or country property, call on or write D. R. DuBlsox, Agt. Already Edgefield'* financial arid oor.. uiercial veins are beginning to fill up wit li new blood and to pulsate willi quicker beat because of the bricb-mak ilig anti t ile saw i i; g lumber and I he so fort hs and the mi-forllis for tbe big Farmers in Fairfield county report that cotton ?ti various sections is be ing ruined with the mst caused by poke berry bushes growing in the fields, hence its name, it is bery apt to poke itself in places where it's not D. A. Tompkins vice president ol' The Edgefield Manufacturing Com pany is in Europe, at this writing, for the purpose of buying machinery for the Edgefield Cotton Factory. The ladies of the Presbyterian church propose giving an entertainment in the Opera House on Tuesdi y evening, September the Hrd,to aid them in buy ing a Heater for their church. The en tertainment will consist of a magic lantern exhibition, managed by Prof? A. C. Moore, of Birmingham, Ala. Admission 25cts. Children locts. Re Memory is a little reacherous now and then, and causes one to forget some things worth remembering, un less one has an experience like that which rame to Mr. D.E. East, Mo?a t's Creek, Va., who says "1 had been suf fering for years with a torpid liver and found no relief uni ill I took Simmons Liver Regulator when 1 was entirely relieved ol' my troubles. 1 never in tend being without Simmons Liver Ex-Constable Henry Johnston of our county Hus found distilling much more lucrative than that of huntiug the blind tiger in his lair or of capturing contraband. After leav ing the constabulary force be estab lished a distillery ac Hamburgand is now selling his corn liquor to the State. The Dispensary bought 70U gallons from him. The barbecue and picuic at Lan ham* on last Thursday was a dismal failure on acco'unt of the steady down pour of rain nearly all day. The Hus sars had made abundant preparation for a rare feast and fete and the heavy expense incident thereto has left them in the soup to the amount of eighty five dollars. The many friends of this gallant troup will remember this and come lo their aid when occasion of Wanted, to exchange a clock for a small beef-can out run a skeered dog that is the clock can. Xo boot allowed or to be thought ol'on either side. Ap ply at the ADVERTISER Office, Bud Russell will show you the clock and you can show him the sleer, but don't tote him up stairs in your anus, it might skecr the clock, but take bim over to the ''spense" and tell Johnnie Davis to bold him till some of us ar The presentment of the Edgefield grand jury seems to have created quite a sensation in the county. It appeas to have rattled some members of the county board. Gentlemen, pre serve your equanimity. You havent done anything presentable, so far as we know-so far as the public knows - but if you get rattled you may do something foolish. ;During the war we have known of a regiment stam peded by hearing a loose horse gallop ins: down the road. Don't let that loose horse stampede you. Mr. J. H. Reel living near old Dun tonsville, this county,made this year on half an acre of land 90 bushels of Irish potatoes which he soldat .$1.00 a bushel. We know this to be so for we have seen the potatoes. Tin's yield was made on land of the old Harry Reel place, that literally and truly would'nt sprout cow peas a few years ago. lt was claimed at one time, be fore the war, that it would sprout la dy peas, but it never was proven. Mix brains with your joanne* if you wish Sam Taylor says he has engaged Mr. Jim Paul to make the survey ol' his new county, the Ben Thompson, and that he is "whetting of his in struments now for the work." Sam says he "has made the projected line a very crooked one so as to leave out all the" Vnti's," but Jim wants to crook it so as to leave out all the ramrackers, and that he specs him ai.d Jim will mix on that very pint before the sur veying is done, the pint ol' where to leave out "antis" and where to take McDonald Furnian has found among the records that when South Carolina was a Colony, an annuity of about $500 was granted a negro named Sam son for discovering a cure for the bite of a rattlesnake. Snake root is suppos ed to have been the antidote and this is the derivation of the name Samson Shakespeare In It Too. MR. EDITOR: When they found that monster in "The Tempest" with all the questioning they could not determine what it was. What is this anyway that is fighting me? What offense did I give it? Show mo the least cause in any thing I have written. It is a po litical nondescript existing with out a cause. When a student of Newberry College he was a bitter anti domineering over his fellow students, and when he came to Edgefield be became a bitter Till man ite and acts as il he would ride over the correspondents of the ADVERTISER, but he will find he has "a long, stumpy road to If I had known how to slip on and off political coats like my young friend it is more than like ly that I could have been school commissioner. In politics you will always find me on my platform defending its princip.es. Was it a crime that I was defeated? lam sure I was competent for the of fice, and the school interests of tho county suffered as much by my defeat as I did. There is not one who voted forme, nor any oth er voter fu thc county, but knows I t The One C of farming gradually exhausts the la high percentage of Potash is used larger bank account can only then h Write for our ' ' Farmers' Guide is brim full of useful information for will make and save you money. Ai '-, ?? ?-. GERMAN that w? would now have had a flourishing school system if I had been elected. "S." knows this him self if be will be candid, and it is more than likely that-he would vote for me if he were of age. I assure him I never cried when I Again, if I am euch a pigmy I why are you wasting so much am munition upon me? Your acts be lie your words. You attacked me from the beginning and forced a personal controversy which I tri ed to avoid. Not one argument have you advanced against my position, only dogmatic asser Iustead of fearing the Bible I reverence it, and am not willing it should be made a foot ball to en graft sectarianism on our public schools. I still believe that cler gymen should not engage in sec ular pursuits, but that all their [time should be devoted to their masters work, and a christian people will support them and their There was not the most distant allusion io the ADVERTISER, but to bitter, quarrelling correspondents. Any one could tell that ''S." was a young, inexperienced boy or he would not assert that denom inational colleges were not, secta rian. I have never advocated any bad principle in the papers tb^t I have written, and in the pur suit in which I have been engaged I hope I have doue some good, and I hOjie "S." will never engage in anything less honorable. I have i?i the last twenty years opeued the budding minds of many, and the most of these ad mit they were taught correctly. The story of "Cock Robin" was applied to Saluda, and I feel com plimented that I was her cham pion. Jack Norris can tell you all about it-how all of our repre sentatives except George Turner yielded to the perfume of cologne and musk, Even our handsome doctor fell beneath the seductive smiles of beautiful woman. Diogenes was a patriot and corrected the evils of his day. Who had not rather be he than Alexander? I would rather be the author of his reply, "Stand out of my suushine!" than possess all of Alexander's earthly diadems. I must now bid "S." goodbye. If at any time he has a subject to discuss I will enter the lists pro vided he will argue, not abuse. I will leave )OU aud that "nigger" Johnstone to fight it out. ? I am really sorry the nigger is get'.ing the best of the white man. Be a good boy and mend your ways. A GEORGIA TEACHER GIVES SOME SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE WHO ARE TO MAKE THE NEW MR. EDITOR: Your able delega tion to the Constitutional Conven tion should certainly be a guaran tee that the general welfare of Edgefield County and of your State will be fostered in that con vention. Yet I do not feel at all presumptious in offering a few suggestions for that convention about some minute details of im portance to our farming people that might be overlooked by the delegation, for I am interested in your State and am aware that the most of the delegation move in railroad, mercantile, and newspa pers circles, in which predomi nates the sentiment that the use of money is to loan and bank on for the highest rates of interest; associate with men who would con tinually ask for outside capital regardless of the drain created by the interest to those outsiders, aud ignore the fact that a boom on extravagant credit is a curse to South Carolina has au interest rule that encourages compound in terest, which is contrary to reason, for certainly the Jaws of any State should exhort her people to be satisfied with only simple inter est. I could demonstrate that the present law has compounded in many instances where the lender would have been co?tent with I simple interest had the law not have computed for compouud. Your oflicials in order to avoid compounding sometimes use the Vermont rule which does not give simple interest aB desired. I have a rule which guarantees simple linierest every time in all pay ments, and which no doubt can be adopted by that convention and thus enable South Carolina to en courage simple interest among ber A bonded state debt is a curse, to its people, undoubtedly contra ry to the spirit of a republican form of government, against the judgment of wise men of the past, based upon a false theory und sel fishness of a shortsighted state craft after the manner of the ex treme of corruption, the Radical All State debts should be wiped out of existence in twenty or at most twenty-five years. How to do this iii your State should be ono purpose of the convention. Hero again my new rule for com puting interest with the principle .nd, unless a Fertilizer containing a L Better crops, a better soil, and a ," a 142-page illustrated book. It farmers. It will be sent free, and KALI WORKS, 93 Nassau Street, New York. involved in tho rule will* he a helper. Your 44 per cent bonds can be paid principal and inter est in 26 years by making a six per cent payment each year: Your 5 per cent bonds, in 19-3-7 years by a 1\ per payment each year. That is," on $1,000,000 bonds bearing 4$ per cent interest (by my new rule guaranteeing all the simple interest and principal) by making a payment of $60,000, yearly for 26-2-5 years the whole debt will be canceled. Yes, $1,584,000 pays the debt, whereas calculated and paid by your present rule it will require $2,188,000 to settle at the end of 26-2-5 years. Mnke a payment of $75,000 on one million of 5 per cent bonds yearly and iu 19-3-7 years the whole debt will be paid with $1,457,143, instead of $1,971, 430, the present lawful rule re It is observed in the foregoing figures thai with 5 per cent bonds und.-r presen; rule the one million of debt in twenty years has taxed the people one million by way of interest and still the original debt If we stop and think for a mo ment we must conclude that no such authority perpetuating a debt. thur? upon tax-payers rms ever in tended in any constitution. No moral right, no legal right to curse them thus and hence a fraudulent assumption, and therefore your convention of the people has the reserved right to rid them of the' curse. I will not at present dis cuss the rash assertions made re lative to debt and the authority for making same by a State, for I *ay false theor\r, selfishness, etc., with a knowledge of their import, and with some acquaintance with plausible pleas made for such tiebts (fee. But let the convention consider my interest rule. Give space to this and I would iike to give Pedagogue and Sem phronicus, etc., some dots ou the public school system tor the con sideration of that same conven L. P. ELAM. Leverett, (ia., Aug. 16. Old Co. "B," 14th S. C. V., Holds a Reunion.-A Pleasant De scription of a Very Pleas MR. EDITOR: The old soldiers of Compauy B, 14th regiment of South Carolina, had chosen last Saturday as the date of their re union, and Richland Springs as the appointed place. Having a de sire to see those faithful old he roes meet, and not having a very great expanse of space to overcome, we went down to be a spectator. Where is the youth whose bosom would uot bc overcharged with en thusiasm, and whose very soul would not he animated when be holding the bravest men that ever shouldered arms greeting one n other after thirty years of separa tion? As I saw them shake the hands that never refused to raise arms in defense of what they thought to be their dearest rights. I felt as though I stood upon con secrated soil-yes, consecrated by the blood of those who sleep peacefully beneath the green of that land for which they died. Again, I thought of those old sol diers' experience-the changes the vicissitudes of life had wrought iu the personality of each within the last thirty years: how often they must have thought of one an other; and how their children must have heard the oft-told sto ry of their comrades in arms. Ob, memory! faculty of the human soul, thou alone can in the twiukliug of an eye, link the past with the prespnt and send, thun dering down the ages, that mes sage of heroism from ancestry to posterity-that message, I say, which is wont to kindle in the bosom of every youth a burning love for his race and country. The company met m the school house and arranged th? programme of the day. Hon. W. J. Talbert was elected orator of the occasion. Then the company formed in Hue and marched to the stand, pre ceeded b}' delightful ' straius of music produced by the Palmetto State Brass Band from Summit, S. C. On reaching Ihe stand Capt. Wess, who had been elected chairman, introduced Mr. Tal bert who came forward and deliv ered a good speech. In his speech be commented on the bravery of our Southern sol diers, and he said further that they were never wbipt, but just concluded to quit killing thc Yan kees, and came home. Ho also spoke in warm terms of the en durance and bravery of our wo men, and said that if he wished to find one person more loyal to home and country than another, he would look for that one among the women who stood as living monuments amid tho heat of four years of the most severe warfare that ever devastated a country. On this point Mr. Talbert sure ly met the approbation of every man who hus any conception of tho virtues of our women. You might become a wanderer o'er earth; yea travel o'er mountain and valiey, hill and dale; mingle in' the highest society on this mundane sphere ; plunge into the revelries of Paris or gaze upon the picturesque cataracts of the Rhine ui the search for a nobler Woman hood ; and when, at la^t, overtak en by gray hairs, in despair you could only return like a prodigal son and he laid in your grave iii the land of the most 'amiable, beautiful, and courageous women on earth ; women, without whom no meeting is graceful, and no enterprise successful; women who sit at the fireside and shape the destinies of the country; and women whom we hope never to see pushing their way into poli tics, and thereby forfeiting the grec.t influence for good they now After Mr. Talbert's speech, eve rybody went down to the table and enjoyed a good dinner-cakes and all kinds of nice things served up with some of that same good hash which is characteristic of the ge nius of Capt. E. B. Forrest. Then back to the stand, and we hear from Capt. Waters and Hon. R. B. Watson; the one on the subject of warfare, the other on -the great necessity of general education both good speeches. Next the old roll of company B was called, and about twenty-five were pres The way in which tbs people turned out showed their apprecia t ion of the old heroes in tbe evening of their lives. I*, is toe opinion of many that a thousand people were present. Before we close, honorable men tion is due our fellow countryman, Mr.- Thomas Whittle, in whose mind the plan of reuuion first originated,and by whose uutiriug efforts ii;wa8 brought to a success And now old heroes, we bid you adieu. We hope to meet you a gain and enjoy another happy day with you, but, if it should be our fortune never to see you more, we trust" your last dava will be your happiest, ?and that the rising generation will so conduct them selves as to make you feel proud of the country for winch you J. D. DUNOVANT. Send 4cl8 in stamps to fhe Hay ner Distilling Co., Springfield, Ohio. They will send you an ele gant, leather bound memoranda BEN THOMPSON COUNTY. To AU Whom Tt May Conen;/ OTICE is herewith given that, an application wilt lr: made at the next sitting of the General Assembly of the State of booth Carolina for the cst&b tishment of a new uou.it; to be cut ott* from Edgetield County, to be known as - Ben Thompson County, with the county seat at the town of Thomp sonville-and having the following metes&nd bounds : Beginning at a pine-sapling in the road between Abe Broadwater's and Bud DeLoach's the line will run north east to Harmony church, thence to Frank Warren's, thence to the Poor IIouse,leavingthis institution in Edge field County, thence to Capt. H. B. Gallman's, thence to Simmon's Ridge Good Samaritan Baptist church, thence to Beaver liam, thence down this creek?to the ford near John Walk ers, thence back to the Poor House, crossing tiie old Cambridge road one hundred chains north of the old well in the road, near the old Andrew Ram Chairman for Committee. . OTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, an application will be made at the next sitting of the Legislature for es tablishing a new County, to be known as Ninety-Six County, with the Coun ty Seat located in the town of Ninety Six, out of portions of Abbeville, Edge field, Newberry, and Laurens Coun ties as follows : ; Corners at or near Boyd's Mill on Saluda river; at or near Whitehall, Abbeville County; at or near Kirk seys; at or near Good Hope, Edgetield County! at or near Vaughville, New berry County;thence back to or near Bo^ds Mill, Laurens County. H. J. KIN ARD, Sec'y. To AH, Wit om It May ('on cern : E the undersigned citizens of Edgetield hereby give notice as re quired by law, that an effort will be made before the next session of the Legislature to obtain Saluda County with the following metes and bounds Commencing at double bridge over Mountain Creek and the Long Cane road, following the northern line of Pinegrove townsnip to the bridge over Half Way Swamp creek on the old Cambridge and Charleston road, thence down said stream to where it emptie? into Saluda river, thence down Saluda river to corner of Edge field and Lexington co inties, thence along the Edgetield and Lexins, on line to corner of Edgefield and Aiken, thence along the Edgetield and Aiken line to the point where the public road crosses Aiken and Edgelield line near Lybrands old mill, thence a straight, line to where the Long Cane .road in tersects the public road from John ston to Wards at Jack Lotts, thence up said Long Cane road to the point of commencement above mentioned. S T Edwards, P B Stevens, B L Caughman, J B Suddath, Zed Crouch, Noah Crouch, Jos II Edwards, A P Coleman, Jas P Bean, J 31 Forrest J J Kirksey, Rev.C P Boozer, W L Cole man, Geo B Lester, Joe M Long. W L Crouch, B W Crouch, W F Huiet. South Carolina Co - - COLUMBIA. I C. SESSION BEGINS SEPT. 24th. Ten Regular Courses with Di plomas. Special Courses, with Certificates. Board $8 a Month. Total necessary expanses for tin1 year (exclusive of Travel ling, Clothing, and Books), from $113 to $153. Women admitted to all ?^F" For further informal iou, address the President. July 30-2m. 1 PATRONS WILL BE PLEASED. To KNOW THAT FOR THE SESSION OF 1S95-6 THE RIDGE SPRING HIGH SCHOOL offers to them greater advantages than ever be fore, advantages tbat are equaled by those of few preparatory Schools in the State, we mention A complete and thoroughly equipped faculty of five teachers; a thorough course of preparation for the best Universities or for practical affairs, including Rhet oric, and English Literary Compo sition. Ancient History, English and.Americau History, Advanced Mathematics, Latin, Greek, French and German, Chemistry, Natural Philosophy, &c, A special course in Book-keeping and Penmanship, a special course in Telegraphy, guaranteed to be unexcelled in any Business College in America, and fitting student for immediate work. A superior Music depart ment. A thorough course in Art, Elocution. Cali8thentics by thor oughly trained teacheis. A system of Discipline, mild and uniform but firm, Low Rates, fine climate and surroundings, and a hand some and well-arranged school building. Can you beat it in the B. F. Martin, B. A. University of Va" Principal. T. W. Lips comb, B. A., Richmond College, First Apsistant. Miss M. Jones,. Graduate Converse College, Prima ry Department. Miss S. S. Bailey, Greenville Female College, Mu sic. M ?ss C^D. Watson. Art. For circular announcements, &c, apply to the principal or lo J. B. Edwards, Secretary Board of The Edgefield Oil Is glad to announce to the public a reduction in their price of Ginning. The more Cotton we have to gin, the less price we can afford to work for; so bring us your Cotton and have the work done in good order and at a low Our charge for Ginning will be 20 cents per ?00 lbs. on all Bales that weigh 400 lbs. or more; on all Bales that weigh less than 400 pounds Hie price of 75 cents a Bale will be charg Mr. John R. Tompkins will be in charge of the office as Cashier, and Mr. George Lewis will have charge of l he Ginnery-they will be glad to have their friends call on them when they want Cotton Ginned or have Cotton Seed to sell. We have Bagging and Ties that we can furnish to those who want it at a low price. Thanking the public for past patronage, we hope by square dealing and fair prices to merit a con tinuance of the same. CHAS. H. FISHER, Pres. TlIE Trustees of the Modoc High School desire the services of a teacher, ma'e or female, for nine months, be ginning 1st September 1895. Applicants will please give prices and terms. Apply to J. W. BROOKS, Chair. Modoc, S. C., The Fall Session of this School will open on Monday, the 2nd of KATES OF TUITION From $1.00 lo $4.00 per month, but no charge whatever during the months of the Public School Term. L. R. GWALTNEY, Aug. 6-lm Principal. LEESVILLE, S. C., CO-EDUCATIONAL Opens Sept. 25th, 1895, with large Faculty and Ten Departments. In the lead for combining Superior Advantages and Low Rates. Spe cial Advantages in Art. Elocu tion, Vocal and Instrumental Mu sic, Gymnastics and Commercial Board and Tuiiiou $80 to $126 per year. Young ladies can re duce expenses by domestic work. For catalogue address L. B. HAYNES, A. M. Aug. 6-m President. means so niucn rn 'fatal diseases re. ul. .i 'trifling ailments nc&l?cl Don't play with Nature's \ greatest gift-health. \ . !' rtfi feeling \ Si t:' vi jnrt?, v.e.'iic J ti'i "rnvr.-.lly i:X- \ i 'J -il! '.-ti. l:e> VOUS, ? i '.;;!.. o no sppst?le 1 3-.iiiil can't work, | begin ::l oncelak I [ig ill? must relia- J' s'..!e stnmgthcnhig ' i mcdiciiicArhichia ^ ?S.owii's Iron Bit- \ c. r?. A few bot- J' ?jilea cure-benefit 1 B.J.? " r 1 cwx :rom thc J fl ? g S-*'S K j v.-iy ?m dr*e-#\ ? I X. t\* i. . **MM your I Dyspepsia, Kidney end Liver Nev i's ? :, Troubles, Ct-MstipaUcz, ?JA-J Elood Mrda: i;:, Nervous ailments < Women's co;v.r-!aint.s. , i'-. - '?? !i i-, rrosscd red t : -.. : ,;i vi tr. All others are sub- v ? ? : : u . .. - . < >. .-1 . - i,i two ?e. stamps we W . ,i..? :. i . ; ".9 . t?eautliel World's \ fcSC vu CMC!51 :.?!_ C.-. BALTIMORE, MD. \ Pure liquors for family use, The Hayner Distilling Co., Springfield, * WARE & STANLEY, * AT SCURRY'S BOARDING ARE MAKING CABINET SIX FOR $1.00. Satisfaction guaranteed. Corre early, rain or shine, and avoid the crowd. We will be here only a few jfMF* Remember $1.50 per dozen for Cabinet Photographs. WARE & STANLEY. OUR SYSTEM COMMENDS To THE JUBGMENT OF CONSERVATIVE BUSINESS MEN. Of whom nearly 6,000 are now our regular SUBSCRIBERS. Write for Particulars. GLOBE COLLECTING and - 65 Fifth Ave., New York. THE MIMS ARTISTS. R. HT?Wims, Miss Eliza M. Mims, Geo. Mr. K. H. Mims, will do all kinds of Photograph work in the Studio. Mak ing a specialty of Children's Photo graphs. Will have Crayon Portraits made any size-1 hat will be sure to please. Just twenty-five years in the Miss Eliza M. Mims will make the finest Portraits in Pastel and Oil, that can be made outside of the largest cities. The very best of references given as to this kind of work. Will re touch Negatives in most artistic style. Will also teach the art of re-touching Negatives, Drawing and Painting in Oil and Water Colors, Coloring Pho Mr. Geo. P. Minis, with new and fin est apparatus, is well prepared to do all kinds of Out-Door Photography, such as family groupes, Schools, Build ings, Animals, Machinery ?c. Solicits orders from the country. Confident that he can give perfect satisfaction. The prices of all the above work will correspond with the present financial condition of the country. Call at the Photograph Gallery and examine the quality and prices cf all the above classes of pictures, and then we think you will-or ought to g&F Patronize Homc,TaIent. fUf-Give us a call before going to the cities. March 1, '95-Qt. Grinds lenses for all defects of sight. If you : eyes trouble you, consult him and he will If you need glasses, medicine, or rest. Fits glasses into old frames while you wait. All Prof. P. M. WHITMAN, 830 Broad St., Augusta, Ga. G. P. COBB, -AND DEALER IN CHEAP AND MEDIUM March 12, '95-3m. I AM prepared at my Shops in rear of the Court-House to do all kinds of Blacksmith work with neatness ana dispatch, and at Hard Time prices. gjgr Give me a Call. JSCS They Must Go ? For the next 30 days we will close out our Clothing Stock at 25 percent, discount. Now for bargains. J. M. Cobb. Will dig, repair, blast, or clean wells upon short notice. Will go to auy point in or out of thu coun ty. Reasonable charges. RAMSOM BYRD, Col. Edgefield, C. H., S. C. P. S : Would like to dig a well and swap the digging of it for a second-hand buggy or a one horse mule without a lien on him. July 39-tf. R. B. 1,000,000 People WV lilli I Ililli 1 W ll MMI Hill ll iWI III lill I I !?**. J IN THE Wear W. Ii. Don?las shoes r.nd save from 81.00 to 83.00 a pair. All .Sirios and Widths. Tho advance in leather has Increased thc price of other makes, but thc quality and prices of ?V. ?.- Doiifrlas Mwc? romain tlic name. Take no substitute ; see that name and priceinstamncd on sole. W. JU Dor. crin*, B??OCHTON, Miss. Sold by J. !MI. COBB f?t?i EDGEFIELC, C. H., S. C. 'Poultry, Farm, Garden, Cemetery, Lawn, Railroad and Babbit Thousands of miles in nao. Catalogne Free. Freight Faid. Fri?os Low. The UcMULLEN WOVEH WIRE FENCE CO. 114,116,118 and 120 H. liarkoi St., CHICAGO. ILL. to thc person submitting tlio most meritorious invention during tho preceding month. WE SECURE PATENTS ~ FOE INVENTORS, and the W object of this offer is to en-1 courago persons of an invent ive turn of mind. At the same time ive wish to impress the fact that :: :: ? It's the Simple, , That Yield Fortunes -such as Bo Lona's Hook and Eye. "Seo that Hump," "Safety Pin." "Pigs in Clo ver," "Air Brake,1' etc. Almost every ono conceives i Q a bright idea at some time or other. Why not put it in prac tical use? YOUR talents may lio in this direction. May make your fortune. Why not try? :: :: :: :: :: . %Sf Write for further information and mention this paper. THE PRESS CLAIMS 60 Philip W. Avirctt, Gen. Mgr., 618 F Street, Northwest, WASHINGTON, D. C. H ?7~The responsibility of this company H may bo ludged by the tact that its W stock is held by over one thousand of the leading newspapers in tho ander reasonable conditions. Do not say it can not be done, till you send for free catalogue of. This College is strongly endorsed by bankers and merchants. 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BRITISH-Asian crime gangs are behind an explosion in an extreme form of organised dog-fighting. And according to the RSPCA the West Midlands is a national hotspot for the cruel sport where dogs are often fought to the death. The underground fights take place in inner-city flats and houses with tens of thousands of pounds being gambled on the outcome of a single match. Losing dogs are often killed and dumped in the canal or abandoned on the roadside. The authorities say it a growing problem and that they are finding it difficult to penetrate the gangs who are often involved in other violent criminality. It was in the Alum Rock suburb of Birmingham three years ago that the police and RSPCA first realised the sheer scale of the problem. Twenty-six men, all of Pakistani origin and aged 18 to 42, were arrested after being found crammed into the back of a kitchen showroom store. The men had been baying and cheering as two pit bull terriers, Elvis and Bullet, ripped into each other for more than two hours before police arrived. Both dogs later died from their injuries and one dog was found stuffed into a cupboard along with more than £2,000 in cash. The fight turned out to be the largest ever uncovered in the UK for more than 130 years and the ringleader Barakat Hussain and six others were receieved custodial sentences for up to six months in October 2007. The gang included Intikab Hussain, Ummar Ahmad, Zahir Ahmed, Sohail Hussain, Zahoor Hussain and Waqquas Mughal. Several members appealed, but lost in September 2008. Last month Hussain was jailed again after police discovered he was still keeping illegal pit bull terriers above a barber’s shop in Winson Green. The RSPCA had long regarded dog-fighting as the preserve of white working class men attending fights in the countryside. But since the Alum Rock case subsequent raids across the Midlands have revealed that dog-fighting has become a problem in some sections of the Asian community. The raids across Alum Rock, Smethwick, Sparkhill, Aston and Edgbaston, led to the seizure of 51 illegal pit bull dogs along with treadmills, veterinary kits and other dog-fighting paraphernalia. Ian Briggs, chief inspector of the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit, said dog-fighting is up 400 per cent in the past three years in the UK. “Out of all the work my unit now does about 98 per cent is related to Asian gangs,” he said. Mr Briggs said he believes there is a dog fight nearly every week from a small fight in the park to the bigger organised events such as that uncovered at Alum Rock. “Information about one fight we uncover leads to another but certainly we are scratching the surface.” What has also surprised RSPCA officials is the attention to detail that accompanies the fights. Officers have uncovered detailed training logs which would not be out of place in a professional athlete’s routine. One log recovered from Hussain after his arrest listed a nine-week plan including putting the dog on a treadmill for 30 minutes, three times a day and listing what drugs should be administered and the diet regime. A youth worker from Handsworth said the goal is to create a perfect specimen. “They’re looking for a more exotic dog, more jaw pressure, one which has got more stamina, the drive just to kill, that’s what they are looking for, them characteristics people will pay money for. That’s where the money’s at,” he said. Yet it would be wrong to think this is a completely covert world. Young men openly parade their illegal pit bull terriers saying how police cannot tell the difference – while the police with stretched resources can only play a limited role in tackling the problem. Meanwhile there is evidence that young British Asians are having an impact on dog fighting back in Pakistan. Basharat Najib, a youth worker in Birmingham, said that a sizeable number of spectators make the trip from the UK with some even owning the fighting dogs and paying money to locals to look after them. He said: “I think British Asians are big players because of the financial attachments that they can bring from here.” Mr Najib told how video footage of the fights in Pakistan, which attract thousands of spectators, are immediately sent back to the UK for sale. The Sunday Mercury found video tapes of dog-fights in Pakistan for sale at a shop in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. An undercover reporter bought a three hour DVD on sale for £7 which showed a fight that took place in the village of Chakwal in Punjab, Pakistan, earlier this year. The shop assistant said it was a popular match because it had been attended by hundreds of Brits, many who had made the journey especially to watch the fight. Mr Najib said: “Dog-fighting is an old tradition in parts of Pakistan and the kids here see it going on when they go to visit there. “They know their fathers, uncles, cousins were brought up around this kind of activity and so are probably influenced into thinking it is OK to do it here.” A spokesman for Birmingham Trading Standards said the tapes had been seized and the owner cautioned for not having sought classification for the films. He said: “Because the dog fights take place in a foreign country there is not much we can do about the content. “But the films have not been classified and given a rating so we seized them from the owner and cautioned him.” Mike Butcher, of the RSPCA’s Special Operations Unit, said: “The West Midlands region is an area where we are getting a lot of intelligence about organised dog-fights in the Asian community. “It may be influenced by what happens in Pakistan but even the fights there appear to have some rules and the dogs are relatively unhurt. “The picture is different here in the UK though. Some of the most serious injuries I have seen have been from fights run by young British Pakistanis. “You get whole faces ripped off, bottom jaws missing and limbs literally hanging off. “The organisers don’t appear to enforce the rules as strictly as the old school western fighters we are used to dealing with. “It’s more of a bit of a free for all with dogs being mismatched and little or no medical care available.” The RSPCA says it is keen on tackling this problem in the British Pakistani community but is finding it hard to get intelligence the gangs. And while the majority of the community find the fights abhorrent, there is among others, as one Asian youth worker explained, certain apathy. “People say ‘the dog wants to fight’ and I don’t believe that at all because it’s the human being that’s taking the dog to fight. They haven’t got a choice about being in that ring,” he said. “It’s the same as drugs – it’s always going to happen. It’s the same as prostitution, it will always happen. It’s one of those things where it’s being abused to bad limits behind closed doors and people need to know about it because it does happen.” * RSPCA HOTLINE 0300 1234 999

EARLY HERNANDO COUNTY HISTORY Negroes Tried To “Take” Brooksville 70 Years AgoThis article appeared in the Tampa Tribune on July 3, 1955. It was contributed by Judge E. C. May of Inverness. May refers to John W. Davis of Lecanto as a source. The event actually occurred in 1882. By JUDGE E. C. MAY About 1885 an uprising of Negroes tried to take Brooksville. Of course they should have known better, for Brooksville was a hard place to take in those days. I heard the story many times when I first came to Citrus County, but in a talk with John Davis recently I was brought up to date on the details. Mr. Davis tells it substantially as follows: Three young Negroes named Turner were born, slaves, belonging to a man named Edrington. They were babies when slavery was abolished, and so far as was known there was no resentment against their former master. They were just naturally bad. Came a time when Jim Turner was summoned to work the road. At that time the only roads were trails through the woods, and every man was required to give three days work annually to keep them in good shape. The road overseer could permit you to hire a substitute if he wished, but if he required it, one must work the roads personally, and there was no appeal from his decision. Jim Turner refused to work the road, which was a misdemeanor, and he was brought before the court and fined. He announced that he would not work the road nor pay the fine, and he would kill any man who tried to collect. Many meetings of Negroes took place in the hammock near-by, at which Jim Turner held forth, and the Negroes were thoroughly aroused. It was decided that on a certain day they would attack Brooksville and take it. So far as was known, they had no plans after that, but on the appointed day they tried. An old Negro preacher learned of the plot and that one of his sons was to be in the “army.” He talked to the boy and ordered him to stay away from Brooksville, especially on that day, and when he would not promise the preacher went to the Law family, who were his former masters, and in whom he had implicit confidence. He told of the plot and of his son's refusal to obey him. On the appointed day a large number of Negro men and boys gathered at the trysting place in the hammock, and in the middle of the morning they advanced on the town. The officers and a large number of citizens were prepared. One of the Turners had a loaded shotgun, which he was told he could not carry in the street, and he left it in a saloon. Jim Turner and one of his brothers went into the court house and when ordered to pay his fine Jim fired his pistol at the crowd. A rifle spoke from one corner of the hall and Jim Turner fell dead. His brother walked to him and seeing that he was dead tried to escape by the door, but finding it blocked he ran to a window, but a rifle bullet knocked him through to the ground, dead. The last brother started walking toward the saloon where he had left his gun. Rifle and pistol bullets knocked the dust from his clothes but he kept going. As he mounted the step of the saloon someone shot his face off with his own gun. When the “army” of Negroes saw what had happened and that all their leaders were dead, they stampeded down the road like a bunch of cattle. Officers and citizens began firing into the crowd and many were wounded, but there were no more deaths. So ended the plan to “take Brooksville.” The preacher's boy got a bullet in his arm, which stuck there. When he got home he asked his father for a doctor, but was told that he would get no doctor. His mother would dress the wound until it got well, but he must keep the bullet as a souvenir and as a reminder that “when the old man tells you to stay away from a place for your own good, you will remember to stay away.” The old preacher went to his reward not many years afterward, but the boy grew into middle life, still carrying the bullet souvenir. Tom Allen, a deputy sheriff, killed him in Crystal River about 1915. Gaiety and AnguishBy D. B. McKAY Of another woman's tragedy during the war, a blue English china platter is the only relic surviving to this day. Henry Van Patten, descendant of an old Hernando County family, and well known himself in Hillsborough County, as deputy sheriff and jailer, related this tragic story: In the early days of the last century his great-grandmother, Mrs. Frances Pyles [see note below], set out on a trip from Brooksville to Hancock Lake, to visit a branch of the family. She traveled in a small buggy, in the back of which was loaded a small trunk, full of gifts for the relatives, as well as her extra clothing and some jewelry. Among the gifts was a set of blue English china, the solve surviving platter of which is now a treasured heirloom in the home of Henry and his wife Martha. Riding in the buggy with Mrs. Pyles was a young grandson [see note below]. They were escorted by several men on horseback and a few dogs. All went well, and the party was inclined to scoff at the idea of danger, since no signs of Indians had been seen in that vicinity for some time. So, when the dogs picked up a scent and gave chase, the men followed them into the woods, gaily assuring Mrs. Pyles they would soon add a fine venison to her other gifts. Scarcely were they out of earshot, when the dread war-whoop sounded and the buggy was surrounded by Indians. Mrs. Pyles was badly wounded by a shot through the shoulder. The Indians saw the trunk, and breaking it open, scrambled for its contents. In the ensuing confusion, the young grandson escaped and went after the men of the escort. Their return caused the Indians to vanish, and the men found Mrs. Pyles tied to a tree where the Indians were evidently intending to burn her. She had been stripped to the waist and the upper part of her body was stuck full of fat-pine splinters. Tenderly releasing her, and salvaging what the Indians had discarded, among other items, the blue platter, they returned to Brooksville. Mrs. Pyles soon expired from the wounds in her shoulder. Some time later, several Indians came into Brooksville. Some of the people recognized pieces of jewelry they were wearing, as having belonged to Mrs. Pyles. This being taken as prima facie evidence that they had taken part in the attack on Mrs. Pyles, the Indians were quickly apprehended and summarily hanged. It was said that Mr. Pyles had long traded with the Indians and that they had considered him their friend. When the tribe learned that it was his wife who had been murdered this caused much internal strife among the Indians. Note: The writer of the above article is D. B. McKay, a Tampa newspaperman who wrote of his ancestor Capt. McKay and other early figures. The subject of this story is in fact the great-grandmother of the person McKay interviewed, although she is actually Charlotte Wynn Piles Crum, the mother of Frances Sophia Pyles, wife of David Hope. Riding with her was not her grandson but her granddaughter, Mary Catherine Harn. These errors caused Charity Hope to believe that her mother was the one killed on Sept. 12, 1842. Information from Charles Blankenship. The Varnada Hotel Becomes Popular Venue With LocalsThe following article appeared in Hernando Today on Oct. 6, 1999. BROOKSVILLE—The Varnada Hotel in Brooksville was built about 1900 by L. B. Varn and considered a very fine hotel during its time. It was a popular meeting place for social and business occasions. It was located on East Jefferson Street in the same block that the SunTrust Bank is now located. Varn owned and operated the hotel that had three floors and 30 rooms. The hotel had running water but did not have a bath for each room. Instead, there were two or three bathrooms on each floor. The hotel maintained a dining room and many local people ate Sunday dinner there. In 1907, the Tampa Northern Railway came into Brooksville and at a later date, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The railroads brought many people into town who stayed at the hotel when they were in the area. In addition, traveling salesmen, or “drummers” as they were known then, stayed at the hotel. The Varnada was also host to many winter tourists, ordinary travelers, and prospective settlers. The late Jean Truett, a member of a wealthy family, lived at the Varnada part of the time. At times, she played the piano. The hotel burned on Sunday April 28, 1918. L. B. Varn also had a home in Bayport and built a telephone line from Bayport to Tooke Lake. Varn also established one of the first dairies in the county, introducing an improved milk stock. He owned 25 acres of orange grove and built at least 40 houses in Brooksville, owned a garage, the ice plant and a cannery. He came to Hernando County as a man of “modest circumstances” and through hard work built a considerable life for himself and his family. Slaves Were Used To Pay Debts When Master DiedThe following article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on Jan. 29, 2007. By ROGER LANDERS Down in de cornfield Hear dat mournful sound: All de darkeys am a-weeping, Massa's in de cold, cold ground Some will recognize the chorus from the Stephen Foster 1852 tune Massa's in de Cold Ground. The song, written for minstrel shows, romanticizes the "peculiar institution" of slavery in the South. Many of my generation and older will remember Foster's songs and their depiction of slavery: a paternalistic slave master, beloved by his "children" and grief-stricken when he died. The slaves were grief-stricken, but not for the reason that many of us were led to believe. The reality was that when a slave owner died, his slaves were "valued" and often sold to pay his "just debts." This frequently meant that families were separated, children taken from parents and older slaves from caregivers. For example, when Sterling McCarthy of Hernando County died in 1861, his will specified that his 17 slaves were to be "valued" for the benefit of his seven children. February is Black History Month, and it is a good time to explore and share these stories of early African-Americans in Hernando County. Antebellum Hernando represented the southern tip of the plantation belt of Florida. The rich, fertile lands of the area gave way to the open spaces of South Florida. As settlers came into the county, they found American Indian fields and pastures ripe for rapid planting. The first settlers in 1842 brought 59 slaves. In 1850, there were many slaves working the farms and plantations in the county. The area boasted "fine plantations" with the taxable land valued at $540,000 and slaves valued at $480,000. By 1860, there were 42 slave owners in the county. Most were small farmers who held fewer than 10 slaves. However, there were 16 farmers, known as planters, with as many as 20 to 45 slaves. Two large planters, John May of Brooksville and David L. Yulee of Homosassa, held more than 50 slaves each. Collectively, these farmers and planters constituted a planter aristocracy in Hernando. Few realize that free black people lived in Florida. But they were small in number - fewer than 1,000 - and most lived in larger towns such as Jacksonville, Key West, St. Augustine and Pensacola. Free black people had, in reality, fewer "rights" than their enslaved brethren. The white population, fearing a slave insurrection led by "free men of color," passed stringent laws limiting the freedoms of such men. With the exception of free black property owners during Spanish and British rule, a free black man could not own property or travel within the state without a pass. All free men were required to have a "sponsor," or guardian. Hernando County had one such man, Mills Holloman. Holloman, a mulatto, was born in Virginia about 1796 and lived in Florida before 1838. He applied for a land grant in Hernando County on Dec. 14, 1842. His application was denied Jan. 23, 1843, because of his color, according to records. He and his wife, Anna, lived and farmed near the Cedar Tree post office in the southern part of the county. Nathanial H. Moody, who served as Hernando sheriff from 1851 to 1853, was his longtime friend, neighbor and guardian. The records of the time, scant as they are, do mention many other individuals by name. For example, the minutes of Union Baptist Church - First Baptist of Brooksville - list several slaves who joined the church or engaged in some activity that required special mention on record. Several of these former Union Baptist slave members became ministers in their own right. Deeds, journals and news articles provide other names. The earliest is that of free mulatto Juan Bautista Collins of St. Augustine. In 1808, Collins traveled through Central Florida and at Chocachatti purchased 18 head of cattle from a black Seminole woman named Molly. The storm of June 1856 almost ruined the agricultural pursuits of the county. "Cultivated lands of Hernando County (were) covered with 12 to 15 inches of sand," the Florida Peninsular newspaper reported. By 1860, the region had regained its agricultural prominence; there were 1,200 white inhabitants and 855 slaves in the county. Most of the slaves were born in Florida, South Carolina or Alabama. There was one stark exception. A former slave named March (no last name), born in 1795, reported his place of birth as Africa in the 1870 census. He lived next to the Delane, Going, Wilder and Duncan families. During the Civil War, several Hillsborough families sought refuge in Hernando. One such refugee was William Hooker. Relocating his family and 55 slaves to old Spring Hill, he became the fifth-largest planter in the county. The Union raid on Hernando in summer 1864 ravaged the plantations of Hooker, Leroy Lesley, David Hope, John T. Lesley, William C. Ellis and Aaron T. Frierson. Some of the slaves took advantage of the chaos and slipped away to the safety of Union territory or to that of friendly Seminoles. Perhaps one of those "runaways" was Hampton St. Clair, a slave of the May family, known to have lived for some time with the Seminoles. Both Hampton and his brother, Arthur, later became prominent leaders in the African-American community of postwar Hernando. In 1866, the Rev. James M. Breaker accepted the call of black members of Union Baptist Church to form a separate congregation. Shortly thereafter, Bethlehem Baptist Church was organized. After the war, from 1865 to 1880, many of the former slaves and their families left the area. Several moved to Marion County, like Tony May and his wife and son. Often these men and their descendants rose to prominence in their new communities. Holloman and some of Sarah Howell's former slaves organized the community of Bealsville in eastern Hillsborough in 1865. Holloman lived from time to time in Hillsborough and Hernando. He homesteaded in the Seffner area, became a citrus grower and served two terms as a county commissioner in Hillsborough. His son, Adam, replaced him on the commission in 1872. His son-in-law, Levin Armwood, became Tampa's first black police officer. While early African-American records are limited because of the destruction of the old Hernando courthouse in September 1877, some records do exist. Black History Month reminds us of the need to not let this important heritage slip away. From Early Days, Lawyers Have LedThe following article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on April 30, 2007. By ROGER LANDERS Several years ago, members of the Old Hernando History Roundtable had the pleasure of hearing Joseph E. Johnston Jr. speak of old times in the Hernando legal profession. Joe was the first full-time lawyer in town. Sure, there have been many lawyers before him, but he was the first to earn a living solely from the practice of law. The story of those early lawyers starts when the first attorney in the county, Byrd M. Pearson, began his practice. Born in Union District, S.C., in 1803, he arrived locally by 1845 and purchased a large tract of land at the top of a hill now known as Chinsegut Hill. He sold the plantation to Francis Edrington in May 1851 and moved to Jacksonville. Later Pearson became a justice on the Florida Supreme Court. Another early attorney was Perry Green Wall. Arriving in the early 1845, he farmed and practiced law. Wall served as county judge from 1848 to 1864. His son, Joseph Wall, followed into the legal profession, as have three succeeding generations. Theodore S. Coogler is one of the better-known early lawyers. Coogler, of South Carolina, taught school in the late 1850s for the Lykes family. After two terms of school, he returned to South Carolina. He came back to Hernando after the Civil War and began the practice of law. He also was a merchant, citrus grower and the first superintendent of public schools. The early attorneys had a significant impact on the county. Often referred to as "colonel, " they commanded respect and served in roles of leadership. In 1873, the young attorney Charles E. Harrison arrived in Brooksville. At that time, only one other attorney, W.J. Barnett, practiced locally. In his first case, Harrison defended a local farmer on allegations of breach of contract. To the trial went Harrison, armed with his text, Parsons on Contracts. Before Justice of the Peace Rubin Wilson, he successfully defended his client. The losing party immediately attacked Harrison's client. Justice Wilson came from behind the bench and declared: "Harrison, you hold back that side. They had a fair trial and by God they can have a fair fight." By 1889, Elliott's Florida Encyclopedia reports that Brooksville boasted 11 attorneys; Barnett, O.C. Butterwick, Coogler, W.S. Jennings, T.P Floyd, G.C. Martin, T. Palman, J.C. Phillips, J.C. Preston, G.V. Ramsey and T.M. Shackelford, who later served as a justice of the Florida Supreme Court from 1902 to 1917. One of the more colorful attorneys of this period was George C. Martin. In 1906, Harry A. Peeples, a Tampa municipal judge, penned a memoir of his early experiences in Hernando, and he chronicled several stories about Martin. In one he writes: "On my way to Tampa, I stopped in Brooksville and spent the night. The next morning there was some excitement near the courthouse ... Colonel George C. Martin, the famous Hernando lawyer, was to argue a 'pint of law' and old man Tuck told me that George Martin was the best expectorator before a judge in the whole State of Florida." So Peeples decided to stay for the trial. At trial, the issue was fraud, and the defendant, known to be a rough character, usually carried a weapon. Martin, knowing the defendant's reputation, placed a pistol in his hip pocket before entering the courthouse. As Martin rose from his chair, the pistol caught on the back of the chair and flipped onto the floor near the judge's bench. It was a spectacle watching Martin as he tried to pick up the pistol without the judge seeing him. At one point, Martin almost knelt down with a finger raised in the air as he was making his "pint of law" and retrieved his errant property. In 1895, Francis B. Coogler became the second member of the Coogler family to enter the legal profession. Three later generations of this family also became attorneys. In 1899, there were three members of the Florida Bar Association in Hernando County: George C. Martin, William Sherman Jennings and Francis B. Coogler. Just after the turn of the 20th century, Fred Lykes Stringer returned to Brooksville to practice law. In 1927, he became a circuit judge. The 1920s and '30s saw some new blood come to town. Herbert Smithson became the attorney for the city of Brooksville. He was murdered in 1930. W. Clyde Lockhart opened a practice in Brooksville, as did the Whitehurst brothers - James, John, Leon and Onan. In 1931, Edward S. McKenzie of Leesburg moved with his wife, Romie Daniel, to her home county. Marion L. Dawson, after three terms in the Florida Legislature, relocated to Brooksville and began his practice in 1934. Following World War II, Joseph E. Johnston graduated from law school and returned to Brooksville. Until that time, Brooksville lawyers supplemented their livelihood with income from such endeavors as real estate, ranching, citrus and farming. Determined to make the practice of law his full-time vocation, the young Johnston opened his law office in 1947. In 1952, Johnston placed a bid to become School Board attorney. His uncle, Alvin Coogler Sr. the board's attorney at the time, remarked to the School Board: "Give the boy the job before his family starves to death." So began a new era in the full-time practice of law in Hernando County. In the early 1950s, Richard McGee returned home to practice. Shortly after McGee's return, Frank McClung joined the local ranks of attorneys. By 1962, Joseph Young moved to Brooksville from Clearwater and established his practice, and Hernando boasted about a half dozen attorneys. As each successive generation of lawyers returned home and with the rapid growth of the county in the mid 1970s, the attractiveness of Hernando became apparent. New partnerships and alliances formed and dissolved. Some of the lawyers elected a career in public service. Some never returned, yet have left their marks in professional circles, including Florida Attorney General William McCollum and Lynn Thompson, a public defender assigned to the Ted Bundy defense team. Some have blazed trails, including Brooksville's Hazel M. Land, the first African-American female to graduate from the University of Florida Law School. Linda J. Treiman graduated from law school in 1976 and soon became Brooksville's first female lawyer. The career of Joseph E. Johnston served as a benchmark in the development of the Hernando Bar. When no assistant state attorney was assigned to Hernando, Johnston stepped in to serve. He insisted on the maintenance of an up-to-date law library and adequate court facilities for the county. As sons joined their fathers, brothers joined brothers, and daughters followed fathers into the profession, new attorneys began practice and others retired. This year, the Florida Bar reports 156 attorneys now reside in Hernando County. 1877 Burning of Courthouse Symbolizes Period of LawlessnessThis article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on June 25, 2007. By ROGER LANDERS The lack of detail concerning the 1877 courthouse fire in my column last month about Hernando courthouse history caused a little heat, you might say. So, here is the rest of the story. It's quite a tale. Built of old-growth heart pine, dried for 20 years, with fresh sawdust on the floors to absorb tobacco juice and such, the courthouse built in 1858 was a tinderbox. When townspeople discovered the fire at 1 a.m. Sept. 29, 1877, the building was fully involved. All county records and recorded documents burned. Only the account book of the School Board survived. John J. Hale, the board's treasurer, had the book at home in preparation for the School Board meeting planned the morning of the 29th. This black spot in our county's history was part of a series of events that spanned a tumultuous 15 years. The story begins in 1859. Arthur St. Clair, a slave of Mrs. Marina Sanderson May, joined Union Baptist Church, a white church. After the Civil War, St. Clair became a prominent figure in the Reconstruction politics of Hernando County. He served as a voter registrar, deputy sheriff, county commissioner, captain in the state militia, delegate to the 1876 Republican state convention and three-time Republican nominee for the state House. Though unsuccessful in elected politics, St. Clair, a Baptist minister, was a leader in the community during the often confusing and changing rules, roles and social relationships of Reconstruction. During this period, Hernando, at the southern tip of the Florida plantation region, became a place of notoriety. Capt. Walter Terry Saxon, a 30-year-old Confederate veteran and post-war legislator, organized the local Ku Klux Klan. The klan was responsible for many violent acts, including the July 1868 murder of Marcus Brent, a federal tax agent, and the attempted murder on June 6, 1870, of Hernando County Judge Henry Roundtree. In 1876, Florida rejoined the Union, and military occupation ended. Republican control of state politics ended with the election of Democrat George Drew as governor. Florida and other Southern states entered a period of redemption. The systemic retaking of control from the radical Republican leadership was evident everywhere. In Hernando, old-line Democrats regained local offices. On Sunday, May 6, St. Clair performed the marriage of a mixed-race couple in Brooksville -- David James, who was black, and Lizzy Day, who was white. The marriage led to a public outcry. The following evening, the couple was visited by several prominent residents: Frank Saxon, James Rhodes, County Judge William Center and R.M. McIntosh. Their purpose was to advise the newlyweds of the possibility of danger. A firearm was discharged, resulting in a gunfight that left a number of men wounded, including James. The judge, Center, visited the couple again the next day, and assured them that the visit of the previous evening had been strictly out of concern for their safety. Center also told them that they would be safe until James' wounds healed and they could leave town. They moved to Tampa. In June 1877, St. Clair began a fourth attempt to run for the Legislature. Having failed previously, St. Clair had been a pawn in the Republican effort to unseat Samuel Hope, who was alleged to have committed fraud in the previous election. On the night of June 26, St. Clair and Mary Turner, both of Brooksville, were returning from a political meeting at Fort Dade (Dade City), when a group of 20 men intercepted them near Robertson Pond, about 12 miles from Brooksville. Mary Turner escaped in the confusion when St. Clair was shot. Several men living in the area rushed to offer St. Clair assistance. Henry Lloyd was shot, and John O'Neil escaped by jumping into a pond. After the incident, a coroner's inquest determined that "parties unknown" killed St. Clair and Lloyd. Although Turner and others testified, no evidence was offered to hold anyone responsible. On July 7, the slayings of St. Clair and Lloyd were condemned during a community meeting. Newspapers across the state reported the violence and urged the County Commission to offer a substantial reward for information concerning the killings. On July 25, the Ocala Banner reported that a black man had passed through Ocala on his way to Tallahassee. He carried with him sworn statements and other evidence for the governor regarding the murder of St. Clair, the paper said. Throughout July, August and September, newspapers in Jacksonville, Savannah, Tallahassee, Ocala and Tampa rehashed the events of May and June in Hernando. On Monday evening, Aug. 13, Mary Turner confided to the Key West Dispatch that she could identify the killer of St. Clair and his associate. She had not done so at the inquest because most of the perpetrators were members of the coroner's jury, she said. Area newspapers implored residents of Hernando to step up and have the grand jury demand justice. Weeks later, the fire broke out at the courthouse, and all records were lost. The heroic efforts of some residents saved J.J. Hale's nearby store from the blaze. The Sunland Tribune in Tampa reported that a white man was responsible for the fire. "The object of the incendiary was to prevent the Fall Term of the Grand Jury," the paper said. Among other things, the fire destroyed the voter registration list used to select a jury. The area papers were full of commentary and editorials. Dr. J.H. Wallace of Fort Dade called for the people of southern Hernando County to distance themselves from those in Brooksville. Thomas S. Winn of Crystal River deplored the violence but stopped short of calling for a division of the county, saying: "United we stand, divided we fall." The County Commission offered a $2,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of the individual responsible for the fire. Over the next two years, a series of events prevented the grand jury of Hernando from meeting. The illness of a judge and the murder of Sheriff David L. Hedick raised serious questions about the state of affairs in Hernando. In the early morning hours of May 6, 1879, Christopher Keathley and William S. Hancock foiled a second effort to destroy the records of the county. They discovered a fire set atop the sheriff's desk in the rented building used while the new courthouse was constructed. The commission offered a second reward for conviction of the perpetrators responsible for that offense. Finally, in June 1879, the grand jury met and went on the record deploring the state of affairs in Hernando. Jurors lamented the "list of morality and the war against dignity" and the "two score (40 murders) in the last 14 years -- 11 ... in the last two years." Many went unsolved, including the slayings of James M. Rhodes, a former school superintendent, and Center, the county judge. In the case of Center, he had planned to collect the reward for information about the 1877 courthouse burning. Having received a tip of what was to come, the Savannah Morning News reported his murder the day the shooting occurred. The record of violence in Hernando over a protracted period was unprecedented in Florida. The fire on the morning of Sept., 29, 1877, at Brooksville was a link in the chain that's had a lasting impact on the community, felt well into the 20th century. No Matter Name, County Guard Has Proud HistoryThe following article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on Sept. 10, 2007. By ROGER LANDERS As a community, we are proud of our National Guard unit at the airport. Few realize that the predecessors to the guard in Hernando date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Florida Constitution of 1868 established the state militia. After Florida's return to the Union after the Civil War, the 1868 militia bill authorized the guard, known then as the state militia and later as the Florida State Troops. The national Militia Act of 1792 required male citizens of military age 18 to 45 to serve in state militias. The primary function of the militias was to provide for public safety and to guard against domestic violence. During Reconstruction, the state militia was composed of men from all races. However, many white men refused to serve in a racially mixed militia. Consequently, the state Legislature provided for voluntary segregated units and Florida had two state militias -- the enrolled and the volunteers. Men of military age in Hernando County totaled 443 (314 white and 129 black). By size, Hernando County ranked 15th of the 39 Florida counties. Funds, when allocated by the Legislature, usually went to the voluntary militias. The equipment provided for the state troops between 1870 and 1876 was minimal at best. Statewide, only 1,500 firearms were available. All but 200 weapons were outdated Civil War-era rifles In 1870, John Varnum, Florida adjutant general, placed an ad in state newspapers calling for volunteer companies. He all but ignored the enrolled militia available to him. Men from Hernando County were part of the enrolled Third Brigade, along with men from Hamilton, Suwanee, Columbia, Baker, Levy, Hillsborough, Polk and Marion counties. The brigade was under the command of Joshua T. Walls. The governor appointed Arthur St. Clair as captain and Joe Mills as 1st lieutenant, both of whom were black. When Reconstruction ended in 1876, the new adjutant general of Florida, John J. Dickenson, a former Confederate colonel, called for the reorganization and equipping of volunteers By 1878, there were 19 volunteer companies in the state, and the following year there were 45. In 1883, Hernando County received permission to organize a volunteer guard company, known as Dickenson Cavalry. Over the next 20 years, the Hernando guards reorganized several times - in 1887 as the Hill City Guards and in 1902 as Company M of the 2nd Regiment of State Troops. In 1883, Fred L. Robertson of Brooksville, a newspaper editor, received an appointment as aide-de-camp to Gov. William D. Bloxham. Robertson held the rank of colonel in the militia. At that time statewide, there were 47 volunteer companies. In 1887, state troops reorganized into an all-volunteer militia with 10 companies of infantry and two companies of artillery. Maps of Brooksville from 1890 show the local armory was on Jefferson Street, across from the courthouse. Later, in 1917, it was on Howell Avenue, across from the current library. In early 1906, Hernando men became a platoon of Company B, with headquarters in Marion County. The platoon was under the command of 1st Lt. Forrest A. Burns. In June 1906, Gov. Napoleon B. Broward ordered the Hernando platoon to active duty. In Inverness, Jim Davis, a black man, had killed Robert Russell, a white man, after a dispute. Fearing the lynching of Davis, the Hernando guardsmen were called to assist the Citrus sheriff and maintain order. Burns received a telegram at 6:50 p.m. June 6. He was ordered by Adjutant Gen. E.G. Foster to assemble the platoon, draw two days of rations and 20 rounds of ammunition for each man, and proceed immediately to Citrus by train. A telegram sent to Citrus County Sheriff George R. Carter said to "expect troops to arrive at 11:50 (p.m.)" at the county jail. At that time, there was no direct train from Brooksville. A special train scheduled for the troops was delayed at the Croom switching station, in eastern Hernando. Then, at 12:25 a.m., an express train passed the junction. Upon arrival in Citrus later that morning, the Hernando men were informed that Davis had been taken from the jail by a mob at 9 p.m. the previous evening and hanged. The dejected detachment returned to Hernando. Burns reported his disappointment by telegram to the governor. In his formal report, he stated that the delay of the train seemed planned. Broward suspended Carter because he had not properly protected his prisoner. Two years later, after a lengthy hearing, the Legislature reinstated Carter. The Hernando platoon disbanded in February 1908, only to reorganize in 1913. The new company took up residence in the basement of the new courthouse. Disbanded again in 1916 and later restructured as a machine gun company in 1920 with World War I veteran Jay H. Henning as captain, the company converted to a military police company in early 1924. The end of the local guard came in June 1924, when the unit was not federally recognized and disbanded. Roger Landers is retired from the Hernando County School District, where for nearly 33 years he was a teacher, principal and district administrator. He is the historian for the county's Heritage Museum, historical adviser to the new Hernando County Historical Advisory Commission and a member of the Florida Historical Society. He can be reached at [email protected]. Hernando History: War Led to Area’s Settling in 1842This article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on March 23, 2008. By ROGER LANDERS Our settlers arrived 166 years ago in the territory that would become Hernando County. Not a long time by some standards, but so begins our recent history. The Second Seminole War raged from 1835, and many in government, tired of a never-ending conflict, believed that the only way to end hostilities was armed occupation. The conflict began because of the Seminoles' refusal to relocate from west-central Florida to "lands west of the Mississippi," as agreed in the Agreement of Payne's Landing (1832). The treaty ending the First Seminole War had been signed by only seven chiefs, but the Seminoles had agreed to reside in the 4-million acres of Central Florida south of the Withlacoochee River and north of Peace River. After five years of war, the issue of Indian removal remained unsettled. Many in Congress considered the war a "Negro war" — a war intended to reclaim the former slaves of the South who had escaped and integrated into the Seminole culture. Add to this a national depression in 1837, and the cost of this war made it almost impossible to continue. In January 1839, Sen. Thomas Hart Benton of South Carolina proposed a bill for the armed occupation and settlement of the part of the Florida Territory inhabited by the Seminoles. The bill passed the Senate but failed in the House of Representatives. Benton gave notice that he intended to reintroduce the bill in the next session of Congress, only to see it fail again. The bill finally passed both houses in August 1842. President John Tyler signed into law the Armed Occupation Act. Meanwhile, Col. William Jenkins Worth, commander of military affairs in Florida, began to push for the resettlement of those "unfortunate settlers" who lost their plantations to the Seminoles during the early years of the war. Worth, through liberal interpretation of his authority to resettle lands lost, offered military protection, free land and subsistence for one year to new settlements. Settlements near Fanning Springs, Fort White and Natural Bridge, in the vicinity of Suwannee River, were re-established. Soon, new groups of settlers offered to move onto the land previously controlled by the Seminoles south of the Withlacoochee. The St. Augustine News reported the Feb. 21, 1842, settlement, saying, "They come with a plow in one hand and a rifle in the other" and were the first settlers south of the Withlacoochee River since the outbreak of hostilities with the Seminoles in 1835. The party of 159 settlers, led by John Curey, consisted of 101 men, women and children and 58 slaves. There were 31 families, including two headed by women, Delia B. Gibbons and Elisabeth Stanley. Curey, in his first report to the Office of the U.S. Adjutant General, stated that the party selected the old fields of Seminole leader Tiger Tail at Chocochattee Town, on the southeast side of what is now Brooksville. The fields were selected for the ease of "cultivation this season." The U.S. troops who accompanied the settlers built a blockhouse nearby for protection. Most of the women and children did not come with the men to Chocochattee immediately, but remained near the river while houses could be "thrown up." Food and supplies came from Fort Cross, 6 miles to the west, but would later come from Fort Brooke at Tampa. Seven years earlier, in 1835, Seminole Chief Sinaha, leader of the band at Chocochattee, had agreed to relocate and move to Fort Brooke. That ended the Seminole occupation of the hammock and savannah lands at Chocochattee. According to Horatio S. Dexter, who visited the area in 1823, Chocochattee was the seat of the Seminole Nation for more than 70 years. At the time of his report, Chocochattee Town consisted of about 20 homes. The chief owned three slaves, 160 head of cattle, 90 horses and a "gang of hogs." Dexter described the Chocochattee area as a 180-acre savannah with a surrounding hammock of about 380 acres containing two cleared fields. The width of the hammock varied from a half-mile to 5 miles. The rich soil that year had produced a surplus of corn, "unusual for Indians." He further noted that 3 miles west of Chocochattee was the beginning of the "big hammock" — Annuttaliga — which was about 30 miles in circumference and 7 miles deep. This hammock was of such rich soil that it could support a population of 50,000 settlers. After Sinaha's band departed, the old fields of Chocochattee became the farm plots of Tiger Tail. Tiger Tail's band used the area until the military made it of little use to the Seminoles. The bands of Tiger Tail, Wild Cat and other Seminoles who chose to remain in the hammock lands did not accept the move to "west of the Mississippi." The only Seminole associated with Chocochattee when the settlers arrived was Tiger Tail, hence the name "Tiger Tail's old fields." Four such fields were identified on surveys from 1843 to 1847. The white settlers found these fields of great help as they established their settlement. Within a year, the number of families increased to 69. John Curey reported that the settlers established their principal settlement near Chocochattee and another settlement at Annuttaliga. The settlement named DeSoto was located on high ground northeast of what is now the intersection of U.S. 41 and Croom Road. Later, the grassy savannah surrounding the area was known as the DeSoto Prairie. In a March 1, 1842, letter to the military district commander at Tampa Bay, Lt. Col. Garland stated that he was comfortable with the two block houses and about 40 men able to carry arms, and did not favor placing two companies of U.S. troops at Fort Cross, 6 miles west of the Chocochattee settlement. Although, arms, ammunition and some supplies were provided to the settlers, life was not easy in the new settlements. Indian attacks continued. In December 1842, the settlers in Chocochattee, Annuttaliga and Homosassa, not knowing of the passage of the Armed Occupation Act, sent a petition to the president and Congress asking for the assistance promised by Worth. The matter was soon resolved, and formal permits to settle the lands were issued. The act required the settler to occupy a portion of land, build a house and cultivate 5 acres for five years in exchange for the title of one-quarter section of land — 160 acres. The settlers found the Chocochattee lands to their liking with the high ground; great stands of oak, hickory and magnolia trees; and good water sources. Some of the settlers, including Robert Bradley and J.S. Taylor, claimed land a few miles southwest of Chocochattee. In 1843, one year and three days after the first settlers arrived at Tiger Tail's old fields, the Territorial Legislature created the new county of Hernando. Roger Landers is retired from the Hernando County School District, where for nearly 33 years he was a teacher, principal and district administrator. He is the historian for the county's Heritage Museum, historical adviser to the new Hernando County Historical Advisory Commission and a member of the Florida Historical Society. He can be reached at [email protected]. Former Slave Is Sixth Great Brooksvillian City honors the slain founder of a church and a school.This article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on Oct. 4, 2007. By LOGAN NEILL BROOKSVILLE - Tears streamed down Mabel Sims' face when she heard that the Brooksville City Council had chosen her great-great-uncle, Arthur St. Clair, to be the city's newest Great Brooksvillian. Her only wish was that he could have been there to receive the honor. "I think he would have been so proud," said Sims, who attended Monday night's City Council meeting surrounded by members of her family. "It's certainly a fitting honor." The first African-American to receive the title, St. Clair died 130 years ago after being shot and killed by a still-unknown assailant on a lonely road outside of Brooksville, cutting short the life of a man whom many feel would almost certainly have gone on to become one of Florida's greatest early black leaders. "He achieved greater status than most African-Americans of his time," said Roger Landers, a Hernando historian. "That status no doubt led to his assassination." A former slave, St. Clair worked the plantation owned by John and Marina Sanderson May, whose vast land holdings surrounded what would eventually become the town of Brooksville. After winning his freedom, St. Clair, who was mostly self-educated, began to put his knowledge and popularity in the black community to work in an attempt to shatter the racial barriers that continued to grip the region after the Civil War. St. Clair was chosen to be the county's first post-Civil War voter registrar. Later, the governor appointed him to lead the state's Third Brigade, a militia that included men from Hernando, Sumter and Citrus counties. A Baptist minister, St. Clair founded Bethlehem Progressive Baptist Church and later, with his brother Hampton, established Hernando County's first all-black school. And though he ran unsuccessfully three times for the state Legislature, St. Clair easily won the Republican Party's blessing to return for a fourth try at the seat. However, it would not come to be. Just two months before the election, in 1877, St. Clair presided over the marriage of a mixed-race couple in Brooksville. A few days later, while traveling from what is now Dade City, St. Clair and several companions were jumped by a group of about 20 white people. Despite a climate of racial hostility in Hernando County at the time, both blacks and whites openly voiced their disgust over St. Clair's murder. A coroner's inquest turned up no concrete evidence to indict anyone. Later, a fire inside the county courthouse destroyed records that many believed held the key to finding St. Clair's killer. Brooksville Vice Mayor Frankie Burnett, an African-American, said that honoring St. Clair as this year's Great Brooksvillian sheds light on an individual whose courage helped to change the plight of so many others. "The hope is that people will want to know more about him and the things he did," Burnett said. St. Clair, the sixth person chosen to be Great Brooksvillian, joins a list of local dignitaries that includes longtime civic leaders Alfred McKethan and Joe Johnston Jr., local historian Virginia Jackson, Brooksville City Hall Art Gallery maven Mary Alice Queiros and Rogers' Christmas House Village founder Margaret Ghiotto. A dedication ceremony will be take place in City Council chambers at 5 p.m. Oct. 17. Logan Neill can be contacted at [email protected] or 352 848-1435. Arthur St. Clair joins five others to receive the honor: Sarah Davis Named 2010 Great Brooksvillian This article appeared in the St. Petersburg Times on Aug. 16, 2010. By LOGAN NEILL BROOKSVILLE — Sarah Davis, who spent 30 years teaching children in Hernando County, was named the 2010 Great Brooksvillian on Monday night by the City Council. Davis, 80, was found murdered May 15 inside her south Brooksville home. A suspect, Byron K. Burch, was later arrested. Authorities said Davis had reached out to Burch, who had a long history of drug problems. Several supporters of Davis spoke on her behalf, including Pastor Cecill Hubbard of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Brooksville, who spoke of Davis's compassion as a teacher. "She was a working mother, and she loved children," Hubbard said. "She was a great example for all our members." After retiring from the school system, Davis worked with the Hernando Sheriff's Office, where she continued to teach others for 16 years. In January, Sheriff Richard Nugent presented her with a community service award. Others in consideration for the honor included Circuit Judge Daniel Merritt Sr., Helga Curtis, Joe Mason, Dorothy Mason, Attorney General Bill McCollum, Dan Patrick and Wayne Johnson. Tribute of RespectAt a meeting of De Soto Lodge, A. F. A. M. held in Brooksville on Saturday 19th of January, the following preamble and resolution were unanimously adopted. Whereas God in his infinite Wisdom has seen fit to remove from our midst our late brother James R. Nicks and whereas in his death the lodge and masonry in general, has sustained an irreparable loss, and the family a devoted husband & father; it therefore becomes us as Masons in token of our esteem, to pay a just tribute to his memory. Be it therefore resolved in bowing to the will of the Divine Master, we do it cheerfully, trusting that he will discharge his duties faithfully in the grand lodge above. Resolved that as a mark of our respect we wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days; and that a blank page in our minutes be ascribed to his memory. Resolve, that, we deeply sympathize with the family---their bereavement, and a copy of these resolutions be sent to them, and that they be published in the Peninsular. De Soto Lodge, Hernando Co., Florida January 25, 1862 The foregoing transcript of ***** and Resolution is a true copy of the Minutes of De Soto lodge No. 32 unanimously adopted on Saturday 25 January 1862 Witness my hand and Seal of lodge this 25th day of January AD 1862 Wm. M. Garrison Secretary [Transcribed by Charles Blankenship from a digital camera copy of the original. Original in possession of Henry R. Nicks, Dallas, Texas. Both are descendants of James Rinaldo Nicks (1808-1861)] Links to Other Sites

Both Abbott and Hoy overcame physical obstacles to become two of baseball's most inspiring success stories. But not every player has had to persevere through those types of challenges in order to achieve success in the big leagues. Some players have to conquer mental obstacles, while others have to deal with repeated bouts of rejection. Many players can't handle those pressures. But some do. And in conquering those demons, those players not only make their own baseball dreams come true, but help others achieve their dreams as well through their stories. One such player was told he couldn't succeed so many times, he had to reinvent himself as a baseball player, suffering through constant failure and disappointment before his patience finally paid off. And in doing so, he became one of the most beloved and respected players in the history of the New York Mets. |That grip means you're about to get knuckled by a beloved former Met. (Photo by Ed Leyro/Studious Metsimus)| Robert Allen Dickey, for all intents and purposes, had a great year in 1996. He was drafted in the first round by the Texas Rangers and was a member of the United States Olympic baseball team that won the bronze medal. The future looked quite bright for the Tennessee native, and quick stardom (not to mention a growing bank account) was all but assured for the All-American pitcher. Texas had offered Dickey an $810,000 signing bonus, which the right-hander was happy to accept. But the arm attached to that right hand became a bit of a concern for the Rangers after the team trainer noticed it was dangling at an odd angle in a photograph published on the cover of Baseball America. Before long, Dickey's offer of $810,000 had shrunk to $75,000. What was the reason for the steep drop in signing bonus money? A physical revealed that Dickey's right elbow did not have an ulnar collateral ligament. In plain English, Dickey's elbow should have gone kaplooey every time he threw a baseball. Eventually, Dickey did sign with the Rangers for the reduced amount, then spent half a decade toiling in their minor league system waiting for his first call-up to the major leagues. That call finally came in 2001, with Dickey making the long-awaited jump to the Rangers in late April. Dickey pitched well in relief in two of his first three appearances, but took the loss on May 7 when he allowed six runs against the Chicago White Sox. The defeat came four days after manager Johnny Oates had resigned from his position. His replacement, Jerry Narron, wasn't as supportive of Dickey as Oates was. Dickey was sent back to the minors immediately after the loss. He would never pitch for Narron again. Jerry Narron continued to manage in Texas through the 2002 season while Dickey watched from Oklahoma as a member of the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate. Although Dickey pitched well for the RedHawks, going 19-14 with a 3.92 ERA, he was never promoted back to the Rangers during Narron's tenure as the team's skipper. But once Narron was fired and replaced by Buck Showalter prior to the 2003 campaign, Dickey was afforded a second chance. Showalter was the Rangers manager for four seasons, and Dickey spent time with the team in each of those seasons. However, he never quite became the star the Rangers expected when they selected him with the 18th overall pick in the 1996 draft, going 16-17 with a 5.49 ERA from 2003 to 2005. Dickey made one and only one appearance for the Rangers in 2006, and it was one for the history books - for all the wrong reasons. On April 6, 2006, Dickey was removed from his first start of the season after coughing up six home runs to the Detroit Tigers, tying a major league record. The rough outing came a year after Dickey had converted from a conventional pitcher to a knuckleball pitcher at the behest of Showalter and pitching coach Orel Hershiser. Ten years after seeing his bonus money drop from $810,000 to $75,000, Dickey was seeing his odds of remaining in the big leagues drop as well. The knuckleballer was demoted once again to Oklahoma and never pitched again for the Rangers. From 2007 to 2009, Dickey would pitch in the Brewers, Mariners and Twins organizations, but continued to rack up more frequent flyer miles than innings pitched at the major league level. Dickey spent time in the minors in all three seasons before the Twins decided that they would not re-sign him at the conclusion of the 2009 campaign. At the age of 35, Dickey had won a grand total of 22 games at the major league level and had posted a lifetime 5.43 ERA. But he was now at a crossroads in his career, having fared poorly as a conventional pitcher and as a knuckleball pitcher. Would any team be willing to take a chance on a pitcher in his mid-30s who had never been a consistent major league pitcher regardless of how he threw the ball? One team would. And that decision ended up changing Dickey's life forever, only this time it was finally in a good way. |How could Omar Minaya say no to this face? (Photo by Jeff Roberson/AP)| Ten years is a long time for a player to get a second chance at success. By the time the 2010 season rolled around, R.A. Dickey had gotten third chances, fourth chances, almost as many chances as he had wins. Cast aside by the Rangers, Brewers, Mariners and Twins, the New York Mets became the latest team to give him a shot to achieve his lifelong dream. The Mets had just come off a forgettable 2009 campaign in which they were decimated by injuries and poor play, finishing the year with a 70-92 record - their first losing season in five years. Eleven pitchers started at least five games for the Mets in 2009, but just one pitcher (Mike Pelfrey) made more than 25 starts. Clearly, Dickey had as much a chance as any pitcher had to make the Opening Day roster. That is, until he became the first player cut in spring training. Dickey opened the season not in New York, where the Mets opened the season against the Florida Marlins, but in Buffalo, as a member of the Triple-A Bisons. Dickey started eight games for Buffalo, but his most memorable start came on April 29 against the Durham Bulls, when he allowed a hit to leadoff batter Fernando Perez, then proceeded to retire the next 27 batters. The near-perfect game caught the eyes of the Mets' front office, and when the struggling Oliver Perez was removed from the starting rotation in mid-May, Dickey was called up to take his place. He would never be sent back to the minors again. After posting a 4-2 record with a stellar 2.23 ERA at Buffalo, Dickey proved his minor league dominance was not a fluke, going 6-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his first seven starts with the Mets. Dickey's hot streak was contagious, as the Mets won 24 of 34 games after he made his debut. But the 2010 Mets were a very streaky team, and just as soon as they became unexpected contenders, they regressed back to their 2009 selves. This time, it was the offense that failed to wake up after hitting the snooze button one too many times. Dickey had a brilliant month of July, posting a 1.51 ERA in six starts and holding opposing hitters to a miniscule .259 on-base percentage. But as great as Dickey was in July, his teammates were the exact opposite, scoring just 13 runs in the six starts. A month that should have produced many victories for Dickey saw him and his teammates emerge victorious just once, and Dickey needed to shut out the Cardinals into the ninth inning to earn that one win. Three starts later, not even an anemic offense could prevent Dickey from earning a near-historic win. The Mets had been a season-high 11 games over .500 as late as June 27. Six weeks later, they were back at .500, struggling to stay relevant in the National League wild card race. On August 13, the Mets hosted the three-time defending NL East champion Phillies at Citi Field, with Dickey squaring off against Cole Hamels. Both pitchers brought their A-games to the mound, putting zero after zero on the scoreboard through five innings. But in addition to the zeroes under the "R" column for both teams, the Phillies also had a zero under the "H" as well, as Dickey had held Philadelphia hitless through five. The 35,440 fans in attendance were all aware that no Met had ever tossed a no-hitter as Dickey and the Mets entered the sixth, an inning that would begin with Dickey striking out the light-hitting Wilson Valdez. But a soft single by Dickey's mound opponent, Cole Hamels, ended his quest for baseball immortality. Hamels' hit would be the only one produced by the Phillies all game, as Dickey went on to pitch a complete game won by the Mets, 1-0, on a sixth-inning, RBI double by Carlos Beltran. It was the first complete game and first shutout for Dickey since August 20, 2003. Dickey's one-hitter - the 35th in Mets history - pushed the Mets' record to 58-57. The team would spend just three more days above the break-even point the rest of the season, finishing the year with a 79-83 record. Dickey's final numbers (11-9, 2.84 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 104 strikeouts, 174⅓ innings pitched) were all easily career-bests and earned him his first multi-year contract, giving him financial and job security for the first time in his 14 professional seasons. It also guaranteed he would start the 2011 season in a team's starting rotation for the first time in five years. pitching eight innings of one-run ball against the Atlanta Braves to earn his third victory of the season. But once again, the Mets' bats became dormant whenever Dickey took the mound, only this time it lasted for more than just one month. Beginning with his fine performance against the Braves, Dickey posted a 2.74 ERA for the remainder of the season and had an exceptional .285 on-base percentage against him. But despite regaining his ability to keep his opponents off the scoreboard, the Mets weren't doing much to put wins in his pocket. Dickey won just five of his last 20 starts in 2011, even though he allowed two runs or fewer in 12 of those starts. Here's a perfect example of how frustrating it must have been for the veteran pitcher in 2011. He allowed no more than six hits in 11 of his final 20 starts, but earned the victory in just one of those games. The Mets didn't earn many victories either in 2011, completing their third consecutive losing season with a 77-85 record under first-year manager Terry Collins. The 77 wins represented a two-win drop-off from the previous season, Jerry Manuel's last as the team's skipper. Although Dickey surpassed 200 innings for the first time in 2011 and finished the year with a respectable 3.28 ERA, he could only manage an 8-13 record. It was the first time Dickey had reached double digits in losses in a single season. Although the Mets had a quiet off-season leading into the 2012 campaign, it was far from quiet for R.A. Dickey. Dickey embarked on a quest to scale Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for women and girls in Mumbai who had been sexually abused or were at the risk of being exploited. Soon after he successfully completed the long trek, Dickey released a tell-all memoir, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest For Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball. The book touched upon his ascension from minor league journeyman to his time with the Mets, as well as his own sexual abuse he suffered as a child. Dickey's time as a media darling did not stop there, as he was prominently featured in the documentary, Knuckleball! By the time the curtains had opened on the 2012 season, the whole country knew about R.A. Dickey, not just baseball fans in New York. Dickey's off-season exploits thrust him into the spotlight for the first time in his career. His performance on the field made sure he stayed there. Dickey won his first two starts of the year in 2012, defeating the Braves at Citi Field and the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. But his third start, also against the Braves, was a disaster. Pitching at rain-soaked Turner Field - soggy conditions are like kryptonite to Dickey's super pitch - Dickey allowed eight runs in 4⅓ innings, the most runs Dickey had allowed in a game since August 20, 2008, when he gave up an eight-spot as a member of the Seattle Mariners. It was also one more run than he allowed in the record-tying six-homer game against the Tigers in 2006. Looking back on his effort, Dickey had one thing to say about pitching in adverse weather conditions. "I hate the rain," Dickey said matter-of-factly. "I'm like the Wicked Witch of the West. Water is no good." Three days after his poor start against the Braves, Dickey attended the premiere of Knuckleball! at the Tribeca Film Festival, where he mingled with fans and taught children of all ages how to throw his signature pitch. He did not seem like a man who had just pitched his worst game in four years. Rather, he was at peace with himself and his effort, and seemed eager to get back on the mound to erase the bad taste left by the Braves. Yeah, that's me (a child of all ages) getting knuckleball lessons from Mr. Dickey. Jealous? Four days after the film premiere, Dickey was back on the mound to face the Marlins at Citi Field. This time the weather conditions were far more knuckleball-friendly, as Dickey held Miami to one run in seven innings to earn his third victory. Dickey continued to roll along, and by mid-May, he was 5-1 with a 3.75 ERA. But beginning with his start on May 22, Dickey's efforts were becoming superhuman, proving that the liquid kryptonite he endured in Atlanta was just a thing of the past. From May 22 to June 18, Dickey won all six of his starts, allowing two runs (one earned) in 48⅔ innings for a microscopic 0.18 ERA. Dickey wasn't just keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard with his knuckler. He was keeping opposing hitters off-balance as well, using impeccable control not usually associated with an erratic pitch to strike out 63 batters while walking only five. Included in his sizzling stretch were back-to-back complete-game one-hit shutouts. Dickey became the first pitcher to accomplish that feat since Toronto's Dave Stieb, who threw his consecutive gems in September 1988. In addition, Dickey became just the second Met to manufacture three complete-game one-hitters in his career and the first since Tom Seaver, who pitched five one-hitters as a Met. (David Cone participated in three one-hitters, but needed relief help in one of them.) Dickey's dominance took a brief early summer hiatus from June 24 to July 24 as he allowed five runs or more in four of his six starts. He also gave up two runs in an unexpected relief appearance. But Dickey did have one memorable outing during this period, appearing in his first All-Star Game. The knuckleballer pitched a scoreless inning in the Midsummer Classic, striking out the Angels' Mark Trumbo and inducing an inning-ending double play from eventual Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera. After his one-month "slump", Dickey returned to his early season form. From July 29 to August 31, Dickey allowed just 36 hits in seven starts while striking out 51 batters. He also produced a 1.73 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and earned four wins. Included in this stretch was his fourth and fifth complete games of the season and his third shutout. Dickey would end up leading the league in both categories. Dickey's first September start produced his 18th win of the season, making him the Mets' first pitcher to surpass 17 victories since Frank Viola in 1990. Viola won 20 games that year, becoming the fifth pitcher in Mets history to attain that lofty win total. By season's end, Dickey would become the sixth. On September 27, as the Mets closed out their home schedule, Dickey took the mound against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates, who were on their way to a record 20th consecutive losing season. Dickey struggled early, allowing run-scoring hits to Rod Barajas and Jordy Mercer in the second inning and a solo homer to Barajas in the fourth. But Dickey recovered quickly, striking out five of six batters soon after the Barajas blast. The Mets, meanwhile, did everything they could to give Dickey a lead to work with, scoring a total of five runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The big blow came in the sixth, when David Wright launched a tiebreaking three-run homer off Bucs starter Kevin Correia. Dickey went on to pitch seven and two-thirds innings, matching his career high by striking out 13 batters. But Dickey's landmark win was very much in jeopardy in the ninth after reliever Jon Rauch gave up a two-run homer to Alex Presley. With the lead down to one, manager Terry Collins summoned Bobby Parnell to close out the game and preserve Dickey's victory. Parnell retired both batters he faced, eliciting a massive roar from the crowd (which only slightly drowned out the fans who were finally able to exhale) and earning Dickey his well-deserved 20th win. Dickey, being an expert wordsmith as well as a talented knuckleball artist, had much to say after achieving what no one thought possible entering the 2012 campaign. "Growing up, you just want to compete, and then once you have the weaponry to compete, you want to be really good, and then when you're really good, you want to be supernaturally good. For me, there's been this steady metamorphosis from just surviving to being a craftsman, and then, ultimately, the hope is to be an artist in what you do. This year is kind of representative of that for me." The 2012 Mets finished the year with an unspectacular 74-88 record, but Dickey's season was one for the ages. Dickey posted a 20-6 record, to go with a 2.73 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. Dickey also led the league in strikeouts (230), innings pitched (233⅔), complete games (5) and shutouts (3). Not bad for a pitcher who worked his magic for a sub-.500 team. In fact, Dickey became the first 20-game winner on a losing team since 1997, when Roger Clemens won 21 games for the 76-86 Blue Jays and Brad Radke earned 20 victories for the 68-94 Twins. Dickey's five complete games were the most by a Mets pitcher since Dwight Gooden completed seven games in 1993 and his three shutouts were more than any Met had produced in a single season since 1992, when David Cone also twirled three such gems. But no pitcher in Mets history can match one aspect of Dickey's stellar campaign. By winning 20 games for a 74-win team, Dickey earned 27.0% of the Mets' wins in 2012. Although not quite on par with Steve Carlton's 1972 campaign (Carlton earned 27 of the Phillies' 59 wins in 1972), Dickey's feat allowed him to become the pitcher who accounted for the highest percentage of his team's wins in club history, surpassing Tom Seaver's record of 26.8%, accomplished in 1975 when "The Franchise" earned 22 of the Mets' 82 wins. Dickey's 20th win was just the chocolate sauce on his ice cream sundae of a season. The cherry on top came in November, when Dickey won the National League Cy Young Award in a landslide over Clayton Kershaw and Gio Gonzalez. Dickey became the third Met to win the award, joining Tom Seaver (1969, 1973, 1975) and Dwight Gooden (1985). But like all satisfying desserts, eventually we reach the end and are left wanting more. Only with R.A. Dickey, Mets fans never got another taste. After picking up Dickey's $5 million option for the 2013 season, the Mets traded the popular pitcher to Toronto for catcher Travis d'Arnaud and pitcher Noah Syndergaard, two of the most valuable minor league jewels in the Blue Jays' organization. Since the trade, d'Arnaud has become the Mets' No. 1 catcher. And by the summer of 2014, he should be calling pitches at Citi Field for Syndergaard, whose vast repertoire has impressed all those who have watched him pitch. Although Dickey's first year in Toronto produced a mediocre 14-13 record, it was still two more wins than any Met earned in 2013, as Dillon Gee led the team with a dozen victories. One thing that didn't change as a result of Dickey's departure was the Mets' win total, as New York posted its second straight 74-88 season in 2013. Ironically, that was the Blue Jays' record as well in Dickey's first season with the team. In just three years with the Mets, R.A. Dickey went from being a reclamation project to a Cy Young Award winner. He began his career in New York as a relatively unknown player to Mets fans, and ended it as one of the most beloved personalities in franchise history. Dickey charmed fans with his approachability and candor. He was also a media darling, eschewing the clichés of the modern athlete for well-thought-out responses that were both refreshing and unique. Needless to say, the erudite pitcher was missed by all those who crossed paths with him on and off the field. One such person who had a strong connection to the former Met is Taryn Cooper, a highly respected Mets blogger and podcaster who has been a fan of the team since she was a young girl. Both Dickey and Ms. Cooper majored in English literature as collegians, making Ms. Cooper's connection to the pitcher extra special. Here is her story. "Friend and fellow blogger Jason Fry (one half of Faith and Fear in Flushing) probably said it best, when he said, 'If R.A. Dickey didn't exist, Mets fans probably would have made him up.' And if you are a Mets fan, and don't get that, you may need to be schooled in some Mets history. Because I got that statement. Though Sidd Finch was an April Fools' Joke, the idea of a French horn playing, yoga enthusiast, quiet, reflective man who threw a 160+ mph pitch appealed to Mets fans, and still does to this day. Why is that? Because Mets fans like the underdog. That's why stories like the Hendu Can-Do walk off home run still resonates 30+ years later. And R.A. Dickey was the underdog, the guy with a hard luck story who faced obstacles every step of the way, yet persevered and won. Not only did he win, he certainly was the best on the worst. He won 20 games for a 4th place team. He not only won 20 games, he did so with a quirky pitch AND in a year that he published an autobiography where he stated that he would probably never WIN a Cy Young Award. He did that year as well. Even the story of R.A. Dickey couldn't be fully savored by Mets fans though. That's why he sticks with us. We wanted to celebrate his accomplishments Opening Day 2013 at CitiField. But we were not allowed that opportunity because he was the centerpiece in a trade in what could possibly be one of the best trades in Mets history. He wasn't bitter. He took the high road as Dickey normally did. What else could he do? That didn't stop Mets fans from loving him and supporting him, no matter what the team. If you think about it, Robert Allen Dickey was his own self-made media mogul. He was on several television shows, he wrote a book, he was in the center of a documentary based on the pitch he threw, and he was a Twitter personality. What Mets fans truly appreciated was his likability and accessibility to the fans. He is a self-proclaimed Star Wars geek, which is a faction in and of itself. He wasn't a cliché-ridden interview, he had carefully thought out responses and talked literature with his fans. Heck, he and I even talked about Shakespeare and Hemingway, and I told him at a book signing that I'd love to take a class on Faulkner that HE taught. See, no other baseball player let alone any Met would know what the heck I was talking about. He did, though. This fanbase may be cynical at times. But R.A. Dickey brought out the best in us. He made us see that even in darkest times, we could believe that good times were around the corner. I just wish he was around to share in the very bright future of the team." |Dickey celebrates his 20th win in 2012. The fans, to this day, celebrate him. (Photo by Barton Silverman/NY Times)| Over the years, the Mets have had several extended stretches of success. But they have also suffered through their share of lean years. And when the team has played poorly, fans have latched onto individual players. After all, it's much easier to root for an athlete who plays hard than for a team that hardly plays. During the Mets' seminal years, Al Jackson, Jim Hickman and Ron Hunt gave fans a reason to believe in the team, even as they were losing at an unbelievable rate. When Shea Stadium was mockingly referred to as Grant's Tomb, Lee Mazzilli, Hubie Brooks and Dave Kingman shared the last laugh. And during the time when the Mets were the worst team money could buy, Todd Hundley and Rico Brogna gave fans more bang for their buck. The current incarnation of the Mets has produced five consecutive losing seasons. Attendance has dropped steadily at Citi Field since it opened its doors for the first time in 2009. But in the three years R.A. Dickey called the park home, fans had a player they could easily root for. Walt Disney once said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." R.A. Dickey was a dreamer who always believed in himself and his ability to perform on the mound, even as the game was telling him otherwise. Setback after setback would have quashed many player's dreams. But not Dickey. A competitor since birth, Dickey refused to stop dreaming. And after many years of hardships, his dreams finally came true. R.A. Dickey is a great American success story who just happened to write his greatest narrative as a member of an unsuccessful team. In 2010, the Mets took a chance on the struggling knuckleball pitcher, trying to find lightning in a bottle. Within two years, Dickey guaranteed that his story would have a happy ending. Stories like that are the stuff dreams are made of. Note: The Best On The Worst was a thirteen-part weekly series (that's "was", as in you just read the final chapter) spotlighting the greatest Mets players who just happened to play on some not-so-great Mets teams. For previous installments, please click on the players' names below: January 6, 2014: Todd Hundley January 13, 2014: Al Jackson January 20, 2014: Lee Mazzilli January 27, 2014: Steve Trachsel February 3, 2014: Rico Brogna February 10, 2014: Skip Lockwood February 17, 2014: Ron Hunt February 24, 2014: Craig Swan March 3, 2014: Hubie Brooks March 10, 2014: Joel Youngblood March 17, 2014: Jim Hickman March 24, 2014: Dave Kingman

I was talking to someone over Facebook a while ago when they sent me a video. It was called “Epic Rap Battles of History.” Expecting to see some sort of weird, cell phone-filmed video, I reluctantly clicked on it. Suddenly, a guy dressed up as Beethoven was being filmed by a high quality camera, rapping against some other guy dressed up as Justin Beiber. Oh god. This story technically doesn’t directly have to do with anything I’m about to talk about, but it illustrates an important idea—even in a world where the only classical music stars recognized by the general public seem to be violinists with excessive make up or child prodigies seen on the Today Show, “the composer” is a valid pop culture figure. Whether they show up in 1 million-hit YouTube videos or on shirts with a picture of Beethoven DJ-ing that say “Old School Beats,” composers from this era have become images reproduced by millions. “Where is this now?” we might ask ourselves. However, this era where “the composer” is as eminent as the classics are now might be recycling itself. Maybe in a few years, tee-shirts will be screen printed with pictures of Muhly or Luther Adams, saying something like “I <3’d ‘Inuksuit’ Before It Was Cool”. This observation is the central thought to the SONiC Festival, a festival of 21st century music happening from October 14-22 in various locations around New York. Co-curated by composer Derek Bermel and pianist Stephen Gosling, the festival is focusing on over 100 composers under 40 years old (like the Q2/NPR list). This festival is possibly the most chock filled with ensembles, composers, and artists that dictate the current classical music industry than any other event in recent years. It’s like Coachella for modern music—minus the central location, hundred degree weather, and tent camping. But it’s only like that in appearance—while Coachella is a showcase, a sort of “here’s what we’ve done,” SONiC is a display that is meant to be a lifting-off point. It’s more of a “here’s what we’re becoming.” It’s uncontrollably exciting. “Emerging composers today have much greater access to different traditions and influences, and we are celebrating that by not restricting the music we present to any one style, movement, or agenda. We want to bring more public awareness to the many directions contemporary music is moving in, and to show everyone that ‘the composer’ is alive and thriving,” Bermel said on SONiC’s website. Other popular festivals, such as MATA and Spring for Music, focus on the specific aspects of contemporary music (commissioning young composers and orchestra programming, respectively), but SONiC is aiming to be a “big umbrella” of a festival—a variety of events that celebrate a wide range of composers and ensembles. Composers and pieces that will be played range from the iconic pieces of the past few years (Judd Greenstein, “Change,” performed by the NOW Ensemble, Aaron Cassidy, “Second String Quartet,” performed by the JACK Quartet) to works from Brazil being premiered in the US. The second half of the festival includes afterhours concerts, showcasing some of the best contemporary music in the world in quirky settings at dark, buzzing hours. Along with contemporary music being played at SONiC, the festival is encouraging contemporary methods of listening and audience-member-being. The festival is integrating three different “projects” into the mix of music that involve audience members in much more interesting ways than, say, a Q&A. The project called “Re:Sound” allows audience members to vote on pieces they would like to hear again through phones or online, and Q2 will broadcast them. “UrbanRemix” is a project that almost commissions the audience itself—SONiC-goers are encouraged to record sounds they hear to, from, and around the festival, go online, and create a mix. These mixes will be showcased on the second to last night of the festival. “Thicket:Sonic” isn’t really a project, but an App. While sort of ambiguous, the website’s description (“a mobile audiovisual world of texture, movement, line and tone that is part art piece, part toy, part wind chime, and part spierweb.”) is ridiculously intriguing. |JACK Quartet/photo by Stephen Poff| A general theme that runs through the programming of the entire festival is the destruction of the term “genre” and the restrictions that come with that term. Contemporary music, especially in the last year or so, has been evolving into something that is difficult to classify (I feel almost awkward typing “classical” when talking about it). Chamber-pop, electronic, minimalist, “new synthesist…” these terms have been used as labels, but it’s becoming almost impossible to label everything accurately. Violins and soundboards are frequently on stage together. SONiC is demonstrating this idea in multiple concerts. The first concert on Oct. 14 features the American Composers Orchestra. In the concert is a piece by Alex Temple, who describes his music as “somewhere between Surrealism and Pop Art,” for soprano, orchestra, and electronics. There’s a piece called “Flowing Water Study II for Orchestra & Video” by Wang Lu. These defy genres in themselves. During the concert featuring the JACK Quartet (Oct. 15), the quartet will play just before an electric guitar quartet. I have a feeling it will seem completely normal. It’s not often that history seems as if it is being written right in front of you. When it does happen, it’s exhilarating. The SONiC festival itself might not become a chapter in a music history book, but it symbolizes the shifting of a time period, the flip of a page from the music of years past. “The composer” is usually thought of as a pop culture symbol with billowing white hair and a quill pen, but recent times suggest otherwise. And as I sit here, writing this, watching the video on SONiC’s webpage, and I see my hands start to shake with excitement, I know this means something (and I don’t even live in New York). SONiC will surely be a whirlwind of in-the-moment sounds as well as a telescope into the future. And by god, if they’re selling tee shirts, someone please get me one. Watch this video if you want to buzz with excitement: Watch this video if you want to buzz with excitement:

Yeah, I figured this would happen. Granted, it was the defending NFC champs on a short week and a cross-country-early game, but the team at least kept trying, despite falling way behind in the 3rd quarter. And yeah, Carolina looked like they were close to unraveling completely after a Cam Newton fumble led to a FG and the subsequent kickoff was muffed by Ted Ginn and led to a quick TD. The truth is Carolina is a better deeper team, but the team looked good at times, and looked overmatched at times. 529 to 302 in yards tell you a lot, and TE Greg Olson beat Anthoine Bethea like a drum all day. Our single coverage on Kelvin Benjamin was beaten badly as this didn’t help the pass rush in any way. . Turnovers didn’t hurt Carolina early (Niner FG off the tipped pick) but it was a killer for Hyde as Carolina got 6 off his fumble. Gabbert looked fairly solid till he started firing picks in the end. VMcD had a great play on a deep crossing route for a 75 yard TD, but dropped a big play on the next drive when the 49ers had clawed back into the game. Next pass was picked off and the route was on. Carolina was able to take away our run game with their defense, and it showed. Forcing Gabbert to take charge came with fair results, at least early. The Niners even had a 10-7 lead after scoring on a nice 28 yard pass to Torrey Smith. This off a Carolina fumble. But this lasted exactly one play, as Greg Olson caught a 78 yard bomb from Newton, and Carolina added a FG to close the half. 17-10 and the end of the half seemed pretty solid especially when the Niners deferred on the kickoff to start the game. Problem is, the 3rd quarter started with 2 three-and-outs sandwiched around two long TD drives that the defense couldn’t get stops on. So a one-TD lead became a three-TD lead. After cutting it to a 34-27 deficit, the Niners once again couldn’t stop Carolina to the tune of 7-15 on 3rd downs. That needs to improve. Yeah, it was hotter than shit, and the aforementioned short week, yadda yadda yadda, but the team showed heart, if not consistency. All aspects played well at times, and all aspects failed at times. The signs of a young team. Gabbert for some reason just flailed at the end as he tried to bring the team back from a 10 point deficit late. Throwing into double coverage was terrible, but it came at the heels of a big play that was dropped by VMcD. He had another game where he hit some nice passes, and threw some absolute bonehead passes, and missed another deep one. 17-36 for 243, 2 and 2 is another game where he didn’t throw for 50%. This cannot continue. He missed way too many open guys, and again threw check downs off no pressure. On defense, the pass rush was nowhere to be found. O’Neill left the corners out on their own, and Newton took advantage. And as mentioned, Olson had the game of his life as he toasted Bethea with regularity. Benjamin as well. Tough game against a team that looked like the defending NFC champs. We played like a young team coming off a short week and a cross-country flight. Sloppy and inconsistent. Thing is we get another road test in Seattle next week. The schedulers just love us. And for what it’s worth, the whole division is 1-1 right now.

If this is your first visit , please refer to the 'K-Grammar basics' first . Also, If you are interested in Korean tutoring by Skype, please contact my facebook for more information about my hour rate and available time 26. V -지 말라고 하다 " to tell somebody not to V This is a negative form of indirectly imperative quotation. Add verb stem to 지 말라고 했어요. 선생님: teacher 늦게 : late 오다 : to come 선생님이 늦게 오지 말라고 했어요. (formal) -> The teacher told me not to come late. 26-1) Its positive form is V - (으) 라고 하다 " to tell somebody to V" When the verb stem ends in a consonant, add 으라고 했어요 . When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add 라고 했어요. 친구: friend 빨리: quickly 오다: to come 엄마: mom 이거 : this thing 먹다 : to eat 친구가 빨리 오라고 했어. (casual) -> (My) friend told me to come quickly. 엄마가 이거 먹으라고 했어 (casual) -> (My) mom told me to eat this. 27. V/A-(으)면 좋겠어요 / N-(이)면 좋겠어요 " I hope ~ " When the V/A stem ends in a consonant, add 으면 좋겠어요.When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add 면 좋겠어요. Its infinitive form is -(으) 면 좋겠다. 내일: tomorrow 비 오다 : to rain ( 비- rain, 오다: to come) (N) 안~: not ~ 내일 비 안오면 좋겠어요. (formal) -> I hope it is not raining tomorrow. For nouns, when the noun ends in a consonant, add 이면 좋겠어요. When ending in a vowel, add 면 좋겠어요. 거짓말: a lie N (이)다: to be N 거짓말이면 좋겠어. (casual) -> I hope that was a lie. 27-1) Past tense V/A 으면 해요 / N 이었으면 (였으면) 해요 “ I hope ~ “ 내일 비 안 왔으면 해요. -> I hope it is not raining tomorrow For nouns, when the noun ends in a consonant, add 이었으면 해요. When ending in a vowel, add 였으면 해요. 거짓말이었으면 해요.-> I hope that was a lie 28. V- 아/어/해 주세요 " please ~ for me" Conjugate the verb stem and add 주세요 ( formal), 줘요(polite) or 줘(casual). Its infinitive form is V- 아/어/해 주다. Plesse refer to 'K - grammar basics' for conjugation rules. 태우다 : to give a ride 돕다 : to help 전화: phone 번호: number 알려주다 : to inform 태워 줘 (casual) -> Give me a ride. 태워 줘요.( polite) -> Give me a ride, please. 도와 주세요 ( formal) -> Help me, please 전화번호 알려 줘 ( casual) -> Let me know (your) phone number. 29.V/A - 아서/어서/해서 / N - (이)라서 " and " / “ so, because” , Conjugate the verb/ adjective stem and add 서. For nouns , when it ends in a consonant, add 이라서 . When ending in a vowel , add 라서. This is a connective ending and has two meanings depending on the context. 1) Sequence ("and") : The first event is placed in the first clause and the second one in the second clause. Two events are closely related. 저기: (over) there 앉다 : to sit 얘기하다 : to talk ~ 자 : let's (casual) 다음 주에: next week 만나다: to meet 놀다 : to play, to hang (out) with 저기 앉아서 얘기하자. (casual) ->Let's sit and talk over there. 다음주에 만나서 놀자.(casual) -> Let's meet and play next week. 2) reason & result : the reason is placed in the first clause and the result in the second clause. 늦다: to be late 죄송합니다: I'm sorry, I apologize (formal) 좋아하다: to like 한국: Korea ~ 에 관심이 있다 : to be interested in~ 많이: a lot 늦어서 죄송합니다.( formal) -> I'm sorry for being late Kpop을 좋아해서 한국에 관심이 많이 있어. (casual) -> (I) like Kpop, so (I'm) much interested in Korea. = Because (I) like Kpop, (I’m) much interested in Korea. 한국 사람 : Korean person , 한국말 : Korean language , 잘 : well 미나는 한국 사람이라서 한국말을 잘 해요. -> Mina is a Korean person, so she is good at Korean language. 30. V/A -지만 " but, however" Add stem to 지만. This is a connective ending. 한국어: Korean language 어렵다: to be difficult 배우다: to learn ~ 고 싶다 : to want to 한국어는 어렵지만 배우고 싶어.(casual) -> Korean is difficult but I want to learn. 31. V/A- 건 V/A -건 , N-(이)건 N-(이)건 " whether - or - " Add V/A stem to 건. In case you add nouns, you need to add ( 이) 건. When the noun ends in a consonant, add 이건, when ending in a vowel , add 건 지원자: applicant 나이: age 많다 : to be a lot 적다 : to be little 상관없다: not to matter 서울 N타워 : Seoul N tower 명동: Myoungdong (a popular shopping area) 아무데나: anywhere 괜찮다: to be fine 지원자가 나이가 많건 적건 상관없어요. (formal) -> Whether the applicants are old or young, it doesn't matter 서울 N타워건 명동이건 아무데나 괜찮아요.(formal) -> Whether it is Seoul N tower or Myoungdong, anywhere is fine ( to go). 32. V -(는) ㄴ 다고 하다 / A -다고 하다 / N(이) 라고 하다 " Indirectly declarative quotation for present tense " 1) When the verb stem ends in a consonant, add 는다고 했어요. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add ㄴ 다고 했어요. The contracted form is - 는대요 / -ㄴ대요. Without ‘요’ at the end, it becomes casual talk. 오다 : to come 지금: now Mike 가 지금 온다고 했어요. (formal) = Mike 가 지금 온대요 ( contracted formal) -> Mike said he is coming now. 2) For adjectives, add stem to 다고 했어요. The contracted form is -대요. Without ‘요’ at the end, it becomes casual talk. 불고기: Bulgogi ( Korean grilled marinated beef) 맛있다 : to be tasty 음식: food Mike가 불고기가 맛있다고 했어. (casual) = Mike가 불고기가 맛있대. (contracted casual) -> Mike said Bulgogi is tasty. 3) For nouns, when ending in a consonant , add 이라고 했어요. When ending in a vowel, add 라고 했어요. The contracted form is -이래요 / -래요. Without ‘요’ at the end, it becomes casual talk. Mike 가 불고기가 맛있는 음식이라고 했어. (casual) = Mike 가 불고기가 맛있는 음식이래. (contracted casual) ->Mike said Bulgogi is a tasty food. 33. V-자고 하다 " Indirectly suggestive quotation" Add verb stem to 자고 했어요. 사귀다 : to become a couple 주말: weekend -에 : on ( time marker) 만나다: to meet Andy 가 사귀자고 했어.(casual) -> Andy said we should become a couple. Andy 가 주말에 만나자고 했어요. (formal)-> Andy said we should meet on the weekend. 33-1. V-자 “ Let’s V” (casually suggestive ending) Add verb stem to 자 to suggest to do something together with the speaker. It’s a casual talk. 내일: tomorrow 놀다: to play 가다: go 내일 놀자. ( casual) -> Let’s play tomorrow 가자 (casual) -> Let’s go 가자 (casual) -> Let’s go 34. V-던 N " N that used to V " Add verb stem or past conjugated form to 던. It is always used in front of nouns. 이거 : this thing 어리다 : to be young 읽다 : to read 책: book 자주: often 듣다: to listen 노래: song 이거 어릴때 읽던 책( or 읽었던 책) 이에요. (formal) -> This is a book that I used to read when I was young. 이거 자주 듣던 노래 ( or 들었던 노래) 야. (casual) -> This is a song I used to listen often. 34-1. This is also used to recollect an action started in the past but still not ended. 제가: I (formal) 보다: to see ( 봤어요: saw) 제가 읽던 책 봤어요? Did you see the book I was reading? 35. V/A-냐고 하다 , N(이)냐고 하다 " Indirectly interrogative quotation" Add V/A stem to 냐고 했어요. When the noun ends in a consonant, 이냐고 했어요, when ending in a vowel, add 냐고 했어요. 엄마: mom 몇시에: what time 집: home ~에: to ~ 오다: to come 사람들: people 미국사람: American person 물어보다: to ask 엄마가 몇시에 집에 오냐고 했어. (casual) -> Mom asked me what time I would come home. 사람들이 미국사람이냐고 물어봤어요.(formal) -> People asked me If I was an American person. 36. N(이)라도 " at least N” or “ N or something” This is used to indicate that N is not the best option but that will suffice. When the noun ends in a consonant, add 이라도 .When ending in a vowel, add 라도. 커피: coffee 없다 : not to have - (으) 면 : If - (check G22) 물: water 주세요 : please give 커피 없으면 물이라도 주세요. (formal)-> If you don't have coffee, please give me water at least. (/ water or something) 37.V-(을)ㄹ까 해요. " thinking of (about)- , planning to - " ( Vague intention or plan) When the verb stem ends in a consonant, add 을까해요. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add ㄹ까해요. Its infinitive form is -(을)ㄹ까 하다 다음 달에 : next month 한국: Korea ~에 여행가다: to go on a trip to ~ 다음달에 한국에 여행갈까 해요. (formal) -> I am thinking of going on a trip to Korea next month 38. V-는데/ A-(은)ㄴ데 / N-(인) ㄴ데 " but , and" This is a connective ending . For verbs, add the stem to 는데. For adjectives, add the stem to 은데 when ending in a consonant, add the stem to ㄴ데 when ending in a vowel. For nouns, add the stem to 인데 when ending in a consonant, add the stem to ㄴ데 when ending a vowel. 저는 : (I & topic marker) 노래하다: to sing 못: can't 춤 추다 : to dance 잘: well 배우: actor(actress) 박신혜 (Park Sinhye) 저는 노래 못 하는데 춤 잘 춰요.(formal) -> I can't sing but I dance well. 박신혜는 배운데 춤 잘 춰.(casual) -> Park Sinhye is an actress but dances well. 2) " background situation or reason -> and" 괜찮다: to be ok 가보다 : to try to go Trick art museum 괜찮은데 가봐.(casual) -> Trick art museum is ok, try it. 3) “ Used as an interrogative ending to slightly oppose or complain to the listener” 내가: I (casual) 뭘: what 잘못 하다: to do something wrong 내가 뭘 잘못했는데? (casual) -> what did I do wrong? 39. V/A -(으) 니까 (same as V/A- (으)니) "since, because , so" When the stem ends in a consonant, add 으니까 or 으니 . When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add니까 or 니 미안해요: I am sorry (formal) 이번 주: this week 바쁘다: to be busy 다음 주: next week 미안해. 이번주는 바쁘니까 다음주에 만나자. (casual) -> Sorry. This week I am busy , so next week let's meet . -> Sorry. Since (Because) this week I am busy, next week let's meet . 오늘: today 피곤하다: to be tired 내일 : tomorrow 하다: to do 오늘 피곤하니 내일 하자. (casual) -> Today, I am tired, so let’s do it tomorrow 39-1. N -(이) 니까 (same as V/A- (이)니) "since, because , so" When the noun ends in a consonant, add 이니까 or 이니 . When ending in a vowel, add니까 or 니 너: you (casual) 내: my (casual) 친구: friend 비밀: secret 알려주다: to inform , to tell 너는 내 친구니까 비밀을 알려줄게 (casual) -> Since you are my friend, I will tell you a secret 40. N (으)로 " by means of , with , to , toward" When the noun ends in consonant, add 으로. When ending in vowel orㄹ, add 로. 지하철: subway 가다: to go V -자: let's V 오른쪽: right side 볼펜: ball pen 쓰다: to write V-(으)세요: formal command ending 지하철로 가자: Let's go by subway. 오른쪽으로 가자 : Let's go to the right side. 볼펜으로 쓰세요: Write with a ball pen. 40-1 . N (으)로 "as N " 저는 : I ( formal) , 좋은 친구 : a good friend , 대하다 : to treat , 저는 마이크를 좋은 친구로 대했어요. : I treated Mike as a good friend. 41. N (이)야 " am/ are/ is N " (casual) It is used only casually right after nouns. When the noun ends in a consonant, add 이야. When ending in a vowel, add 야. Its infinitive form is (이)다 "to be N" 저N : that N 아이: child 누구: who 내: my 남동생: younger brother 너: your, your A: 저 아이는 누구야? : Who is that child? B: 내 남동생이야 : He is my younger brother 41-1) The opposite form is N(이/가) 아니야 “ am/ are/ is not N “ (casual) When the noun end in a consonant, add N이 아니야. When ending in a vowel, add N가 아니야. Its infinitive form is N(이) 아니다 "to not be N" A: 저 아이는 너 남동생이야? : Is that child your younger brother? B: 내 남동생이 아니야 : He is not my younger brother 42. A/V -(은) ㄴ/ 는/ (을) ㄹ것 같아요. " I think , It looks ( sounds) like , It appears that " Without 요 at the end, it becomes a casual talk and its infinitive form is ~것 같다. 1) For adjectives and past tense verbs When the stem ends in a consonant, add 은 것 같아요. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add ㄴ것 같아요. 니: you, your 생각 : idea, thought 좋다 : to be good 시험 보다 : to take a test ( 시험: test, 보다: to see) 잘 : well 니 생각 좋은 것 같아.(casual) -> I think your idea is good 시험 잘 본 것 같아요. (formal) -> I think took the test well. 2) For present tense verbs Add stem to 는 것 같아요. 좋아하다 : to like Jeremy가 Sarah를 좋아하는 것 같아요. (formal) -> It looks like Jeremy likes Sarah 3) For future tense verbs When the stem ends in a consonant, add 을것 같아요. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add ㄹ것 같아요. 너무: so 배고프다 : to be hungry 죽다 : to die 그 N: that N 사람: person ~ 없이: without~ 못: can't 살다: to live 재미있다: to be fun, interesting 그거: that thing (that) 너무 배고파서 죽을 것 같아. (casual) -> I am so hungry that I think I'm going to die. 그 사람 없이 못 살 것 같아. (casual) -> I think I won't be able to live without that person. 그거 재미있을 것 같아요. (formal) -> That sounds like fun. 42-1. N 같아요. " I think , S look like 그: that , 남자 : guy , 화장을 하다 : to put on make-up , 여자 : woman 그 남자가 화장을 하니까 여자 같아요. -> Since they guy put on make-up ,he looks like a woman. 43. V- (을) ㄹ N (Future tense of modification) When the verb stem ends in a consonant, add 을 in front of the noun. When ending in a vowel orㄹ, add ㄹ in front of the noun. 오늘: today 하다: to do 일: things, work 많이 : much / many( adverb) 있다: to have , to exist 이거: this thing (this) 내일: tomorrow 먹다: to eat 거: thing, stuff 나를: me 도와주다: to help 사람: person N뿐: only N 오늘 할 일 많이 있어요.(formal) -> (I) have many things to do. 이거 내일 먹을 거야. (casual) -> This is the the thing to eat tomorrow. ( This is what I am going to eat tomorrow) 나를 도와줄 사람은 Kevin뿐이야.(casual)-> The person to help me is only Kevin. 44. N 에게(한테) " to N " The nouns should be people or other living creatures . Otherwise, 에 is added to the nouns. 선생님: teacher 내게( a shortened form of 나에게) 나: I , me 한국어: Korean language 가르쳐주다: to teach 선물: gift 드리다: to give(honorific) 아침에 : in the morning 꽃: flower 물: water 주다: to give Anna 선생님이 내게 한국어를 가르쳐줬어. (casual) -> Anna teacher taught Korean to me. 선생님에게 선물 드릴 거예요. (formal) -> (I) will give a gift to (my) teacher. 아침에 꽃에 물을 줬어. (casual) -> (I) gave water to the flower->(I) watered the flower in the morning. 45. V/A-지요(?) “ Confirming or looking for the listener’s agreement “ Add the stem to 지요. If the speaker intends to ask the listener, raise up the tone at the end. Also, 지요 is usually shortened into 죠. Without 요 at the end, it becomes a casual talk. 당연히: of course 그거: that thing (that) 모르다: not to know (몰랐어요: didn't know) 맛있다: to be tasty 수업: class 재미있다: to be fun, interesting 당연히 그거 몰랐지.( casual) : Of course, I didn't know that. 그거 맛있지요? (formal) : That is tasty, right? / Isn't that tasty? 그 수업 재미있죠? (formal) That class is fun, right? / Isn't that class fun? 46. V-다(가) ~ " As ~ " This is used to indicate an interruption of an action. Add verb stem to 다가. 다가 can be shortened to -다 걷다: to walk 넘어지다: to fall TV 보다: to watch TV 잠들다: to fall asleep 걷다가 넘어졌어요.(formal) -> As (I) walked, (I) fell. TV 보다 잠들었어.(casual) -> As (I) watched TV, (I) fell asleep. 47. V/A- (을)ㄹ 까요? This is used to express the speaker’s supposition of an action or state that has yet to happen and corresponds to “ Will (S) V ?” When the V/A stem ends in a consonant, add 을까요?. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add ㄹ 까요? Without 요 at the end, it becomes casual talk. 파티: party N 에 : to N 오다: to come 이번: this (time) 학기: semester 성적: grades 괜찮다: to be OK 어제: yesterday 믿다 : to believe 꿈을 꾸다 : to dream (꿈: dream, noun) 것: thing Mina 가 파티에 올까? ( casual) -> Will Mina come to the party? 이번 학기 성적 괜찮을까요? (formal) -> Will this semester’s grades be OK? 47-1) Another usage for this is to ask the listener for an opinion. 우리: we 언제: when 만나다: to meet up 왜: why 오다: to come 우리 언제 만날까? ( casual) -> When should we meet up? 왜 Mina 는 안 왔을까요? (formal) -> Why didn’t Mina come? 48. V- 길 바라다 (원하다) “to hope (to want ) to V / to hope ( to want) S V” Add verb stem to 길 바래요 / 원해요. Actually 길 is a shortened form of 기를, which is a combination of 기 & 를 (object marker). Please refer to K-Grammar # 5 to understand ‘-기’ . By adding 기 to V/A, V/A turns into a noun. Without 요 at the end, it becomes casual talk. 나는: I & topic marker 니가: you & subject marker 진실: the truth 말해주다: to tell 나는 니가 진실을 말해주길 바래.(casual) -> I hope you tell me the truth. 하루 종일: all day long 너와: with you 같이: together 있다: to be 원하다: to want 하루 종일 같이 너와 있길 원해. (casual) -> I want to be with you together all day long. 49. V-고 말다 “ to end up in V-ing “ This is used for an unplanned event or action that finishes in a usually undesirable way. Add verb stem to 고 말았어요 to indicate “ ended up in V-ing “ and to 고 말거예요 to indicate “ will end up in V-ing”. Without 요 at the end, it become causal talk ( 말았어요 -> 말았어,말거예요-> 말거야) 너무: very 아프다: to be sick l 입원하다: to be hospitalized in 지금: now 수술 받다: to have surgery ( 수술: surgery 받다: to receive) 죽다: to die Angella 는 너무 아파서 입원하고 말았어요.(formal) -> Because Angella was sick she ended up in being hospitalized. ( ~ 서 meaning ‘because’ , refer to G 29) Angella 가 지금 수술 받지 않으면 죽고 말거야. (casual) -> If Angella doesn’t get a surgery now, she will end up in dying. (~면 meaning ‘If’, refer to G22 ) 50. V-는 게/ 걸/ 거/ 것 “ V-ing” (Gerund) For an action or event related to the present tense, add verb stem to 는 게/ 걸/ 거/ 것 in order to change the verb into a noun. You can use - 게 only in the subject position and 걸 only in the object position. But you can use -거( 것) in the both object and subject positions. For our pronunciation convenience, we usually say 거 instead of clearly ‘것’ . Actually 게/걸/거/것 means a “thing” in English. For example 이게, 이걸, 이거, 이것 mean this thing ( this: 이) 지금 : now 숨 쉬다: to breath 힘들다: to be hard 저는 : I & topic marker (formal) 춤 추다: to dance 좋아하다: to like 지금 숨 쉬는 게 힘들어요. = 지금 숨 쉬는 거 힘들어요= 지금 숨 쉬는 것 힘들어요. (formal)-> Now, breathing is hard (Now, It is hard to breathe.) 저는 춤 추는 걸 좋아해요. = 저는 춤 추는 거 좋아해요.= 저는 춤 추는 것 좋아해요.( formal) -> I like dancing ( I like to dance) * The examples above are formal talk because of ‘요’ at the end. 50-1) A / V(past tense) - (은) ㄴ게/ 걸/ 거 / 것 For an adjective or action that happened in the past , add 은 게/ 걸/ 거 / 것 when the stem ends in a consonant. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add the stem to ㄴ 게/ 걸/ 거/ 것 너를 : you & object marker ~ 보내다: to let go of ~ 후회되다: to be regrettable 저녁: dinner 많이: a lot 먹다: to eat 후회하다: to regret 너를 보낸 게 후회돼= 너를 보낸 거 후회돼. = 너를 보낸 것 후회돼.( casual) -> Letting you go is regrettable. 저녁 많이 먹은 걸 후회해.= 저녁 많이 먹은 거 후회해.= 저녁 많이 먹은 것 후회해.( casual) -> I regret eating a lot of dinner. 50-2) N 인 게/ 걸/ 거 /것 : being N For nouns, add 은 게/ 걸/ 거 / 것 to the stem 그: that , 사람: person, 한국 사람: Korean person , 모르다: to not know그 사람이 의사인 걸 몰랐어요. = 그 사람이 의사인 거 몰랐어요. = 그 사람이 의사인 것 몰랐어요. -> I didn’t know that he was a doctor. 50-3) A / V stem - (을)ㄹ 게/ 걸/ 거 /것 : ( Future tense) For an adjective or action that will happen in the future, add 을 게/ 걸/ 거 / 것 when the stem ends in a consonant. When ending in a vowel or ㄹ, add the stem to ㄹ 게/ 걸/ 거/ 것. N 처럼 : like N , 머리 : head, 깨지다 : to break , 아프다 : to be sick , hurt 머리가 깨질 것 처럼 아파요. : My head hurts like it is going to explode

Østerbro is a mainly residential district of Copenhagen, just north of the inner city. With its quiet cobblestone and tree lined streets, and its excellent shopping and cafe life, it makes for a good excursion from the downtown area. Along with Frederiksberg in the west, Østerbro has long been considered the posh or upper class district of Copenhagen. These days this is mainly due to the demographic of young, liberal leaning, well paid academics, which has earned Østerbro nicknames like the Latté district. But it has been a neighborhood of the upper middle class since modern Østerbro's inception, when Copenhagen expanded beyond the old fortifications in the 1850s. The district takes it name from being near the old eastern gate of the city, and translates roughly into the Eastern borough, and before the city's defences were dismantled, the area were largely dominated by grazing cows and grassy meadows, traces of which is still visible in the huge park; Fælledparken, dominating the area. When Copenhagen was finally allowed to grow out over the ramparts following a cholera epidemic, Østerbro wasn't build up as quickly and disorganized as its neighbours Nørrebro and Vestebro, and it was mainly the bourgeoisie who moved here in pompous villas in green surroundings, a heritage which has stuck to the district, many of the mansions still stand today, and a lot of them is occupied by foreign embassies. When development finally took hold at the turn of the century, it was better planned, and more upscale than its counterparts, and with its big apartments and nicely crafted ornamented buildings, even the construction of a new and dirty harbour by the waterfront and new factories couldn't quite take the bourgeoisie aura away from the district, something it has retained to this day, and while Østerbro is still trailing behind Frederiksberg and its posh northern neighbour; Hellerup in terms of wealthy residents, visitors should still expect it to be fashionable, rather than "hip" or "cool", but watch out for the swarms of expensive prams parading the neighbourhood! Østerbro is almost entirely located within Zone 1 of the common ticketing system that covers both the Metro, Buses, and Trains in the Copenhagen area. Østerbro is served both by the S-train suburban services that are grouped together through the central part of Copenhagen, as well as several regional lines that terminate on Østerbro's main station; Østerport. All S-Train lines except line F stop at the three S-stations on Østerbro: Østerport, Nordhavn, and Svanemøllen, while lines A and F also have stops on Ryparken station in the northern part of Østerbro. Svanemøllen and Ryparken stations are in Zone 2, so a northbound ticket might be cheaper from those. Map of bus lines on Østerbro The backbone of bus transport in central Copenhagen are the A buses operated by Movia , which run every few minutes throughout the day. The S Buses are express buses that operate on longer lines, with fewer stops. Trianglen square connects five major streets on Østerbro and hosts bus stops for several lines. Trianglen can be recognized by its unusual building called the soup terrine by the locals. - 1A Starts at Avedøre station in the western Copenhagen, and runs through all major areas of downtown before entering Østerbro at Esplanaden close to the Kastellet citadel. From here the next stops are at Østerport station and Trianglen before running along Østerbro's main street — Østerbrogade, to Svanemøllen station. The line terminates at Hellerup station. - 3A This line does a half loop around downtown. Starting on Nordhavn station, and stopping at Trianglen, Rigshospitalet (the National hospital) and Panum university campus, before entering the Nørrebro district. - 4A Begins at Svanemøllen station, and services the northern part of the district, before it crosses Lersøpark Allé to enter the Nørrebro district. It loops all around the city center, to terminate on Amager. - 6A Starts in the suburb of Rødøvre west of Copenhagen, and passes the central station in downtown, before it enters Østerbro by the lakes with stops at the Rigshospitalet, the medical faculty of Copenhagen University, and the Jagtvej/Tagensvej intersection, before it enters the North-West district and continues north. - 150S Starts at Nørreport station in downtown, and runs through Østerbro with stops at the Rigshospitalet, Frederik Bajers Plads, The Østerbro university campus, and Ryparken station before continuing north along the highway to Kokkedal in northern Zealand. The "soup terrine" building at Trianglen - Canal tours Green line is waterbus that starts in the famous Nyhavn canal downtown, and stops at some of Østerbro's main attractions: the Little Mermaid, Langelinie, and Trekroner fortresses (summer only). Tickets are 60 Kr for a single journey, and 75 Kr for a one day ticket. Runs between 10AM-5:30PM - The Arriva-operated 901 & 902 waterbuses are part of the public transporation system, and start at Nordre Toldbod, near the southern entrance of Kastellet, from where they cruise the inner habour towards downtown. Prices and tickets are the same as on other buses and trains. As the attractions here are mostly grouped together, walking will most likely be sufficient transportation. But as almost everywhere in Copenhagen, Biking is really the best mode of transport. Visitors however, should be aware that the free city bike system, only covers the area closest to downtown, bordered by The Lakes, and Classensgade. - Østerport Cykler, Oslo Plads 9 (Inside Østerport station), ☎ 33 33 85 13 ([email protected]), . M-F:8AM-6PM,Sa:9AM-1PM. Rents out out bikes, on a whole day basis for 75 Kr. While most visitors head straight to the top attraction, the little mermaid statue, they are mostly left baffled on how to react by the rather unremarkable tiny statue, but all is not lost. One tip is to actually read Hans Christians Andersen's fairy tale, the statue is meant to evoke the feeling of Ariel's longing and melancholy, not impress tourists. If you haven't read the fairytale you can safely queue up with the tourists, get the ritual photo over and done with, and head for the other nearby attractions. - Brumleby, (The triangle between Øster Allé and Østerbrogade), ☎ +45 35 43 14 08, . Brumleby is a small quarter nestled in a tringle between Trianglen square and the National Stadium. It was build in the 1850's by the Danish Medical Association, as answer to a recent cholera epidemic, as a showcase on how to make healthy but affordable housing for the working class. It has been awarded Europa Nostra award for conservation, and it is a nice place for a brief stroll if you are in the area. There is a small museum in the old cooperative shop and a exhibitions space for local artists, but both have random opening hours. - Den Engelske Kirke (St. Alban's - The English Church), Churchill Parken 6, . King Christian IX's daughter Alexandra, who was became the Queen of England was the driving force behind the erecting of this church, which is home to the English congregation in Denmark. The church was completed in 1887, and was built with some impressive flint stone walls. - Den Frie Udstilling (The Free Exhibition), Oslo Plads 3 (Opposite Østerport station), ☎ +45 33 12 28 03 ([email protected]), . F-W 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-9PM. This art exhibition was established in 1891, as a protest against a censored exhibition sponsored by the royal art board — hence the name. Mainly shows contemporary art. The exhibition is housed in a remarkable, recently restored building that resembles an ancient Greek temple. 20-45 Kr. - Frihedsmuseet (The Danish Resistance Museum), Churchill Parken 1, ☎ +45 33 47 39 21, . Tu-Su 10AM-3PM (5PM during summer). This museum opened in 1957 and is just outside Kastellet (which was occupied by German forces from 1940 to 1945). The exhibition proceeds chronologically as an illustration of how the resistance movement developed. Free. - Den Hirschsprungske Samling (The Hirschprung Collection), Stockholmsgade 20, ☎ +45 35 42 03 36 ([email protected]), . W-M 11AM-4PM. This collection was founded by the Copenhagen-born tobacco manufacturer Heinrich Hirschsprung (1836-1908), and moved into the current museum after his death in 1911. The museum hosts an impressive collection of Danish 19th-century art in a beautiful building displaying furniture from the artists homes. 60 Kr. - Kastellet (Frederikshavn Citadel), Kastellet (a stone's throw away from Østerport station), ☎ 33 47 95 00. 24hrs daily. A superbly preserved and restored star-shaped citadel. First built in 1626 as St. Anne's Bulwark and completed in 1664, it was the stronghold at the northern end of the East Rampart, which arched through the city and remains in the form of the many parks extending down to Tivoli. The Citadel now houses the Danish Defense Intelligence Service, and is a popular spot for picnics. Free. - Den lille Havfrue (The Little Mermaid Statue), Langelinie. This little lady is one of the most photographed in the world. Designed by Edvard Eriksen, Her statue was erected in 1913 to commemorate a play of the Little mermaid. The poor lady has lost her head several times, and is often subject to vandalism connected with political statements. Many visitors are often surprised by her modest size (1.25 m (3.3 ft) high). The Little Mermaid is a semi official symbol of Copenhagen. - Nyboder Mindestuer (& Nyboder district), (Close to Østerport station), . Always open. This mini-district was built in the 17th century, and consists of long rows of beautiful 2 story yellow brick buildings. It was built to house sailors from the Navy, as it was useful to have sailors in the fleet living in a confined space, so they could quickly be called to duty. Even to this day the houses are inhabited only by people connected to the navy. On Sankt Pauls Gade 24, Nyboder mindestuer showcases everyday life in the neighborhood from its inception in 1631, every Sunday between 11AM-2PM. - Told og Skat Museum (The Customs Museum), Langelinie Allé 21, ☎ +45 72 37 91 97, . M,W & Su 11AM-4PM. A small museum run by the Danish tax and customs authority, detailing its history in various exhibitions. The most interesting part is displays of various ingenious ideas and contraptions used in smuggling attempts through the ages. Mainly geared towards Danes, so it is probably not worth a trip, unless you are around Langelinie already. Free. (55.698964,12.599778) - Trekroner (Trekroner fortress), ☎ +45 38 25 44 44 ([email protected]), . Summer: 10AM-3PM daily, closed the rest of the year. This 18th century fort was built to guard the sea approach to Copenhagen's harbor in 1786. It has a special atmosphere, and some gorgeous views over Øresund. There are several well preserved military buildings and fortifications. A restaurant and a café have been opened in a newly renovated building. The only access is via Canal Tour's green hop on hop off route (summer only) Admission is free, boat costs 35 Kr. - Zoologisk Museum (The Zoological museum), Universitetsparken 15, ☎ +45 35 32 22 22, . Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. This museum is run by the University of Copenhagen. In the exhibitions, you can experience how the fauna changes as you travel from the North Pole to the South Pole, the Danish fauna since the Ice Age, including a 3 meters tall mammoth and the animals of the great oceans. The latest progress in science is brought to life in some very good temporary exhibitions. 60 Kr. - Fiskerihavnen. Located on the eastern tip of Nordhavn (North harbour). Because of the traffic on Øresund, commercial fishing is not allowed. But the sparetime fishermen at Fiskerihavnen can fish from their small fishing boats. The fishermen have tiny sheds, all different, a bit messy, but colorful. To get there you have to zig-zag past Frihavnen ("free harbour," closed to the public), mountains of containers, scrap metal, interesting industries. Bus 26 goes there. There is a store that sell fishing equipment, but also ice cream and cold beers. "Krølle" sells smoked herring and salmon from his 1914 boat, "Kællingen". - Fælledparken is the big park behind the football stadium, the largest in Copenhagen. There is a lake, big trees and a pavilion with a cafe which hosts concerts during the summer, the outfit Salsa Brava also gives Salsa lessons in the park during the summer. Most of it is covered with grass, much of it marked as football fields. Go there for a game of football or another game, a picnic, or just lie in the grass. At May 1st, during the International Workers day, most of Copenhagens population comes here in a peculiar mix of a political rally, and a seriously huge party. - Kaleidoskop K2 (Krudttønden), Serridslevvej 2, ☎ +45 35 42 83 62, . Hours vary. Krudttønden is a cultural venue in Østerbro, with a mix of both concerts and theatrical performances, by both national and internationals acts. Also has a small café, that sometimes hosts various events. from 25 Kr. - Niels Bohr Institutet, Blegdamsvej 17, ☎ +45 35 32 52 09 ([email protected]), . You should make an appointment in advance.. If you are a physicist or just interested in physics, come to the Institute and see the room of Niels Bohr with photos of the staff of the institute when he was the head of it, a model of the famous thought experiment weighing the clock, the archive, the photos of all the famous people who were developing the quantum theory during the so-called "golden age of physics, when even small people could do big things" and also the modern part of the institute. The people at the archive are willing to show the institute to other people, if they are not too busy. Free. - Park bio, Østerbrogade 79, ☎ +45 35 38 33 62 ([email protected]), . Usually noon-11PM. The only cinema on Østerbro, has a atmospheric lobby with tall plants, caged birds, and a café. Plays many Danish and European movies. 65 Kr. - Parken Stadium, Øster Allé 50 (near Trianglen), ☎ +45 35 43 31 31 ([email protected]), . The national 35,000 seat stadium, has a retractable roof, and is the home of Denmark's national football team during international matches, and the home ground of the FC Copenhagen football club. Usually hosts major concerts held in Denmark, and has a gym, bowling alley and a pool. Prices vary. - Østerbro Svømmehal, Gunnar Nu Hansens Plads 3, ☎ +45 35 25 70 60, . M-F 7AM-8PM, Sa-Su 9AM-3PM. Pool, spa, aroma-bath, steam bath, and baby pool are all hosted in a beautifully restored 1929 building, somewhat resembling a Roman bath, topped with a large glass roof. It was the first public pool in build in the country. 30 Kr for just the pool, 60 Kr for all facilities. - Østre Gasværk (Teatere), Nyborggade 17, ☎ +45 39 27 71 77, . This theatre is located in a remarkable old gas storage container. Mainly hosts musicals but also has plays and comedy on the program. - Svanemølle Strand, Strandpromenaden (Just north of Svanemølle harbor. You can walk there from Svanemølle station), . 24/7 but there are lifeguards 10am-6pm in the summer. new beach with a 130meter pier free. Due to the young and rather wealthy demographic, there are many small stores catering the local crowd with designer clothes and home décor. There are also several small galleries and antique stores. These are mainly located on the main drags: Østerbrogade, Ndr. Frihavnsgade and their side streets. On Saturdays there is an organic farmers market on Jakobs Plads (Østebrogade). Groceries can be bought in Superbest (former ISO) on Østerfælled Square which hosts a good delicatessen and a bakery. On Nordre Frihavnsgade at the east end (farther away from Trianglen) there is a branch of Netto, the cheapest supermarket chain, and one of Super Brugsen, more expensive but offering other products. - Flea Market, Gunnar Nu Hansens Plads. mid May to mid September, Sundays 9am-4pm. free entrance. - Casablanca, Østerbrogade 92, ☎ +45 35 26 35 69. M-W 9AM-5:30PM, Th 10AM-6PM, F 10AM-7PM, Sa 9:30AM-2PM. This record store was one of Copenhagen's few specialty stores for Jazz lovers, with over 2000 Jazz records on catalog. But also has a wide range of other CDs with non mainstream bands of every genre. It is now sadly closed. - Langelinie outlet, Langeliniekaj, . M-Su 11AM-6PM. is a long shopping arcade, located on a promenade along the harbor, where the gigantic cruise ships dock. Several cafes, outlet stores, and souvenir shops (mainly catering to foreigners and cruise guests) have been beautifully fitted into the old stone bulwark. The ice cream stores at the end of the promenade are immensely popular with the locals during the summer. - Moshi Moshi, Dag Hammarskjölds Allé 40, ☎ +45 35 38 70 78, . M-F 11AM-6PM, Sa 11AM-15PM. This is actually 3 stores located next to each other, and there is nothing here but the most unerringly stylish, minimal, eco-conscious women's clothing and shoes. - Normann Copenhagen, Østerbrogade 70, ☎ +45 35 55 44 59, . M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-4PM. As hip as they come housewares, clothing, and accessories by up-and-coming designers which the owners takes pride in, and are renowned for spotting both locally and all around the world. The store is housed in an old theatre and is easily one of the best places for shopping design items in the city. - Paustian, Kalkbrænderiløbskaj 2, ☎ 39 16 65 65 ([email protected]), . M-Th 9:30AM-5:30PM, F 9:30AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-3PM. This store offers one of Denmark's largest selection of high quality furniture, carpets, lighting, and accessories designed exclusively for Paustian by Danish designers and Architects. The store is housed in a building designed by world famous architect Jørn Utzon, of Sydney Opera house fame. - Rambow, Østerbrogade 55A, ☎ +45 35 26 30 07, . M-F 1PM-5.30PM. A small design boutique fitted into an old communal bathing institution, sells both new and old furniture, kitchenwares, electronics from a host of national and (mostly) international designers and design bureaus. - Café Charlottehaven, Hjørringgade 12C, ☎ +45 35 27 15 16, . M-F 7AM-10PM,Sa-Su 10AM-5PM. Cafe/restaurant in one of the rare big rooms on Østerbro, The daily specials (M-F) at 125 Kr are a good deal for both your pocket, taste buds and your health, while you can safely give the somehow enormously popular, but completely overpriced Brunch a miss. (55.705692,12.588267) - Crazy Chicken, Rosenvængets Allé 1, ☎ +45 35 26 41 42. 10AM-10PM daily. This small place mainly serves as a take away place, but also has two tables available for a quick bite. Dishes out some excellent sandwiches and has menus with different sorts of chicken - as the name might imply - served with the option of several different Mediterranean inspired salads from a buffet (you get to choose 2) and/or potatoes. From 30 Kr. (55.698782,12.578686) There are some reasonable priced restaurants at the sailing clubs in Svanemøllen Harbour. For example: - Cafe Sundet, Svaneknoppen (at the end of the north pier at Svanemølle harbour), ☎ +45 39 29 30 35, . May-Sept: Mo-Fr 11.30am-9pm (Kitchen 5.30-9PM), Oct-Apr: M,W 4PM-10PM. Located on the pier with a great view this place caters to sailors and passersby who just come to breathe in the harbor scene and ocean air. Kitchen is mainly Danish cousine. Mains from 128 Kr. - Restauranten, Sejlklubben Frem, Strandvænget 65 (at the red gate), ☎ +45 39 29 33 85, . Tu-F 4-10PM, Sa-Su 11AM-5PM. Inexpensive restaurant with a more private atmosphere. Barbecue in the summer. Today's special: 59 Kr. Den Franske Café and Guldanden by søerne at nightime - Borella, Århusgade 48, ☎ +45 35 26 62 05, . M-W 11:30AM-11:PM, Th-Sa 11:30AM-12PM, Su 11AM-10PM,. A Brasserie style eatery run by a French couple, who dishes out reasonably priced food in a relaxed atmosphere, there is an option for tables outside during spring and summer and they also have a brunch menu. Mains: 200 Kr. - Den Franske Cafe (The French Cafe), Sortedams Dossering 101, ☎ +45 35 42 48 45, . M-F 9AM-10PM, Sa-Su from 10AM. This café has outdoor tables by the lake under trees and coloured lanterns. The menu is mostly café classics like filled croissants, nachos, chilli con carne, pasta, burgers, but during the summer there is barbecue available until the late hours. From 98 Kr. - Fru Heiberg, Rosenvængets Alle 3 (just off Trianglen), ☎ +45 35389100, . M-W 5PM-10PM, Th noon-10PM, F-Sa noon-11PM. A charming place serving non-pretentious and delicious Scandinavian-French food and fantastic wines. Attentive and polite service, a favorite dining haunt for the locals. Mains 120 Kr. (55.69882,12.57880) - Gourmanderiet, Rosenvængets Allé 7A, ☎ +45 39 27 10 00, . Tu-F 11AM-7PM, Sat 9AM-3PM. Originally and in essence this is a high-end organic butchery, but an ever growing popularity with locals have prompted the owners to branch out, and offer a Brunch, Lunch and a evening "Dish of the Day", centred around their high quality meat from organic farms. Thursdays-Saturdays (5.50PM-midnight) they transform the place into a restaurant labeled Gourmanderiet by Night, and dish out fantastic steaks of every variety. Mains from 120 Kr, Sandwitches and soups from 60 Kr. - Hos Fischer, Victor Borges Plads 12, ☎ +45 35 42 39 64, . Daily 11AM-midnight. Is a good, low key, Italian trattoria style restaurant. The menu varies greatly but if you can get hold of the Risotto, it is a treat. Otherwise go for one of the excellent pasta dishes. The Wine is very reasonably priced (for Copenhagen), and the staff is informal, but still attentive. Mains starts around 100 Kr. (55.701727,12.580858) - Rex Republic, Blegdamsvej 106, ☎ +45 33 55 66 14, . Tu-Sa 6AM-10PM, in the weekend the bar is open until 2AM. Located across from the Freemasons Lodge, you can often find the mystic darkly dressed gentlemen crossing the street to have a late steak here. The late opening hours, a raw masculine interior and the overwhelming prominence and thick steaks on the menu coupled with good microbrewery beer on the tabs, should hint that this is a place for the boys. Unfortunately the flame-grilled steaks here is hit or miss, and the wine menu is a bit overpriced. - Romarin, Ryesgade 90, ☎ +45 35 43 29 28, . M-Th 5PM-11PM, F-Sa 5PM-11:30PM. Good, though not outstanding, food at reasonable prices from the Italian and French kitchens, is made even more tolerable by the fact that you can freely bring your own wine and beer to enjoy with your food. Staff is relaxed in both the best and worst way, readily engaging in a hearty chat, but not terribly efficient. Main: 170 Kr, 3 courses 240 Kr.. - Wokshop, Melchiors Plads 3, ☎ +45 35 55 61 21, . Daily noon-4PM/5PM-10PM. Stylish Thai cantina located on a nice square with both outdoor and indoor seating and proper Singha beers to wash down your Thai curry. Most of the classics are on the menu and there is an option for Take away. Mains from 109 Kr. (55.703473,12.585226&) - Øbro Spisehus, Øster Farimagsgade 16A, ☎ +45 35 43 23 30, . Tu-Sa 6PM-midnight. This small, laid back restaurant serving French food with a North African twist, does not make much racket of itself, and can be tricky to find (Look next to the Sticks N' Sushi take away joint), and the owners prefer it that way. The good atmosphere provided by raw brick walls, solid wooden tables, high ceilings lighted up by intimate candlelight and the view of the chefs working, make the wait for the deliberate slow food much more pleasant. Starters: 99 Kr, Mains 199 Kr, Desert 79 Kr. - No 1, Århusgade 1 (at the corner of Århusgade and Østerbrogade), ☎ +45 35 26 42 01, . M-F noon-3PM & 6PM-midnight, Sa 6PM-midnight. Good restaurant serving a modern interpretation of the French kitchen, the chef has worked on several Michelin stared restaurants before starting his own place on Østerbro, in a old thoroughly renovated, but still visible Bodega, (a traditional Danish working class watering hole). Also makes excellent picnic baskets in the summer. Mains from 195 Kr. (55.70597,12.577618) - Auberge, Østerbrogade 64, ☎ +45 35 35 39 00, . M-Sa 6PM-midnight. Stylish modern looking restaurant fitted into a cellar with bare stone walls and chic interiors. The food on the other hand is classic French/Danish, and rather affordable considering the quality which is usually easily competes with much more expensive restaurants. Also runs a fantastic take away joint with a set affordable dinner dish changing every day on street level. 2 course menu 200 Kr, 6 courses 500 Kr. (55.698471,12.578584) - Geranium, P.H. Lings Alle 4 (Nope, your GPS is not drunk, it's inside the stadium), ☎ 69 96 00 20, . Booking is essential. Reopened in new surroundings by chef Rasmus Kofoed who won the 2011 Bocuse d'Or, and is one of the best chefs in the world. The Michelin star hasn't followed him, but many food critics believe this is a mistake. The restaurant is along with Noma at the forefront of the revolution in nordic cousine that is current waging on. Danish newspapers and guides all agree; if you want to sample local gourmet, this is a very good place to be seated. Set menu for 1048 Kr, Wines double the price.. - Le Saint Jacques, Sankt Jakobs Plads 1, ☎ +45 35 42 77 07 ([email protected]), . Su-W 11AM-midnight, Th-Sa 11AM-2AM. Very French kitchen — brasserie style with white walls, candlelights, Russian icons and more religious symbols than your average church. With the quirky décor, good wines, and the style of the buildings on the square, it doesn't take much effort to imagine yourself in Paris when dining here. Mains from 180 Kr. (55.703152,12.577764) Østerbro is not the place for raving nightlife, apart from the nightclub Park Café, newly opened the Office and partly Café Bopa, most places on Østerbro are low key, cozy places where you go to have a hyggelig conversation with friends, over a few snacks and beers or wine with quiet music playing in the background. Most locals head downtown for a big night out. As is the case with almost every bar in Copenhagen, expect draft beers to set you back 30-40 Kr. - Cafe Bopa, Bopa Plads 1, ☎ +45 35 43 05 66, . Su-W 10AM-midnight, Th 10AM-2AM, F-Sa 10AM-5AM. A café during daylight, this place morphs into a crowded bar with DJs spinning records during the weekends. Relaxed atmosphere and great for socializing - Pixie, Løgstørgade 2, ☎ +45 39 30 03 05, . Su-Th 9.30AM-1AM,F-Sa 9.30AM-3AM. This microscopic place are located right next to Café Bopa, and hands some reasonably priced cocktails (a flat 65 Kr) over the counter, Outdoor seating on the small square, and Brunch, Lunch, Tapas and an evening menu if you want to fill up your stomach before indulging. Pixie is the name for a series of well know children's books, and the owners have kept true to the name with pretty neat colourful childish interiors. (55.704993,12.581196) - Dag H, Dag Hammarskjölds Alle 36, ☎ +45 35 27 63 00, . M-W 8AM-11PM, Th-Sa 8AM-midnight, Su 10AM-midnight. Located on a small square, colloquially known as the little Triangle, this cafe is popular for its huge outdoor serving area, at the end the the lakes, it is a bit overpriced, but the coffee is top-notch and they have a descent collection of Danish and foreign beers. Brunch:125 Kr, Mains:169 Kr. - Docken, Færgehavnsvej 35, ☎ +45 39 29 92 00, . Su-Th 11AM-11PM,F-Sa 11AM-midnight. While much more than just a watering hole, it is definitively one of this - summer only - place, best treats. With a huge outdoor area and an artificial beach, it is perfect for chilling on warm days. But they also house a restaurant, and the two large raw industrial storage buildings, houses exhibitions and concerts all summer long. Season varies but count on early June to late August as safe bets. - Figaro Bistrot Vinbar, Willemoesgade 31, ☎ +45 35 38 78 00 ([email protected]), . M-Th 4AM-midnight, F 4PM-2AM, Sa noon-02AM, Su noon-10PM. Cozy and authentic French bistro and wine bar, with more than 200 wines of the menu. Housed in basement level on a quiet side street, there are always candle lights and a relaxed atmosphere. In the summer there are outside tables on the sidewalk. Foreign beers available. Maincourses from 120 Kr. - Kruts Karport (Øster Farimagsgade 12), ☎ +45 35 26 86 38 ([email protected]), . M-Th noon-midnight, F-Sa noon-2AM, Su noon-7PM. Cafe with extensive whiskey menu, Kruts absinth, good beers, and sandwiches. - Panzón, Rosenvænget Allé 6, ☎ +45 35 38 98 00 ([email protected]), . M-Th 4PM-midnight, F-Sa 4PM-2AM. A small place with a hearty atmosphere. Very good selection of beer, bottles from the San Fransisco microbrewery Lagunitas is highly recommended. An extensive wine menu (also by the glass). And quality food — mostly tapas, sausages and cheese. Beer from 40 Kr, Wine from 200 Kr/bottle and food from 60 Kr. - Park café, Østerbrogade 79, ☎ +45 70 33 32 22 ([email protected]), . Su-Th noon-midnight, F-Sa noon-late. A big bar, cafe, restaurant and nightclub; the only real option for a grand night out in Østerbro. In the summer you can sit on the open roof terrace facing the stadium. - The Office, Sortedams Dossering 83, . W-Th 7PM-2AM,F 5PM-2AM,Sa 7PM-2AM. Is an British expat's good shot at starting up some nightlife in the district, which is otherwise lagging. This pretty large place mainly works as a cocktail bar (flat fee of 75 Kr), but they also serve beer and sushi as bar snacks! international cosmopolitan vibes are rare in Copenhagen, but this place definitely has it, and the added bonus of outdoor seating by the lakes is another rare feat. (55.696423,12.575332) - Vinyl Bar, Sortedam Dossering 81, ☎ +45 35 43 00 10, . M-W 10AM-10PM,Th-Sa 10AM-midnight,Su 10AM-9PM. More of a café than a bar despite the name, since it also has an extensive menu with the usual café dishes. This place is located next to The Office, and has attractive outdoor seating overlooking the Lakes, attentive waiters, good coffee and of course a selection of beers and liquors - when it closes early you can go next door and have nice cocktails. (55.696112,12.574817) - Kitjn, Århusgade 14 (off Østerbrogade), . We 6pm-midnight, Th 6pm-2am, Fr 4pm-3am, Sa 6pm-3am. A real cocktailbar with a cozy atmosphere and knowledgeable bartenders. The specialty is rum-based cocktails DKK 100. The options for staying at Østerbro are rather limited, as most hotels in Copenhagen are located in the downtown area — most of the surrounding neighborhoods, including Østerbro, are mainly residential. An alternative, often offering better value for money, are the numerous bed & breakfasts in private apartments. - Hotel Rye, Ryesgade 115, ☎ +45 35 26 52 10 ([email protected]), . checkin: Until 9PM, but later check-in is possible for a fee; checkout: 11AM. This is a small, unusual hotel with a cozy atmosphere and homemade buns with the breakfast, feels like a real apartment, complete with showers and toilets down the hallway. From 600 Kr / single. - Østerport Hotel, Oslo Plads 5, ☎ +45 70 12 46 46 ([email protected]), . checkin: 2AM; checkout: noon. Is located at Østerport station right at the tracks (it is soundproofed), apart from being really central with most trains in and out of Copenhagen just a minute away, it is close to most of Østerbro's main attractions, and right at the outskirts of downtown. Singles from 675 Kr if booked online. Private apartment rentals and semi-bed & breakfasts are by large the main type of accommodations on Østerbro. Visit Copenhagen ; the city's official tourist agency, provides several options in the district. These are often spacious and classic apartments from the 19th century, with high, decorated ceilings, and huge windows facing the street—as is the norm on Østerbro. - Rent my Home, Sankt Jakobs Gade 4, ☎ +45 27 12 55 60 ([email protected]), . A 56m2, fully furnished apartment available for rent, minimum stay two nights. 750 Kr. The postal code for Østerbro is 2100 (København Ø) - Østerbro Post office (Østerbro Posthus), Øster Allé 1, ☎ +45 80 20 70 30. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-14PM. Offers the normal range of postal services, as well as Western Union transfers, currency exchange, and selling tickets for concerts plays etc. nationwide. (55.699622,12.575076) - Østerbro library (Østerbro bibliotek), Dag Hammarskjölds Alle 19, ☎ +45 35 38 16 48 ([email protected]), . M-Th 10AM-7PM, F noon-6PM. Sa 10AM-3PM. Has 11 computers available for internet surfing, it is possible to book a PC online at library's website. Free. - XPC Netcenter, Østerbrogade 124, ☎ +45 35 26 88 43, . Su-Th 11:30AM-2AM, F-Sa 11:30AM-8:00PM. Is a well managed internet cafe. 15 Kr/hour. - The Laundromat Café, Århusgade 38, ☎ +45 35 55 60 20, . M-Th 8AM-11PM, F-Sa 10AM-midnight. Along with its sister cafe on Nørrebro, this bar and café is a perfect match for a traveler. Combining a coin laundromat with a café where you can sit and enjoy a coffee, beer, lunch or brunch, while reading one of the 3000 paperback titles or abusing the free wireless internet, and waiting for your laundry to finish. 32 Kr for laundry including detergent. - Rigshospitalet (The National hospital), Blegdamsvej 9, ☎ +45 35 45 35 45 ([email protected]), . Although the largest and most important Hospital in the country, this hospital's ER only takes in patients arriving by ambulance, or referred by a doctor. This is due to large number of patients preferring to be hospitalized here, rather than one of the other Copenhagen Hospitals. Should you require hospitalization, patients on Østerbro are referred to Bispebjerg hospital in the North-West district. - Trianglen Apoteket (Pharmacy), Nordre Frihavnsgade 3, ☎ +45 35 38 32 00 ([email protected]), . M-F 9AM-5.30PM except W 9AM-6PM,Sa 9AM-2PM. Large and well stocked chemist. |This is a guide article. It has a variety of good, quality information including hotels, restaurants, attractions, arrival and departure info. Plunge forward and help us make it a star!

If kindergarten is the new first grade … is your child ready? With the first day of kindergarten arriving for many young children, the looming question for many parents is: Is she ready? And how ready is she compared to the other children who will be in her class? Most often, the question of kindergarten readiness arises when a child turns 5 within a few months of the cut-off dates. Parents of children born as far ahead as May, particularly parents of boys, become concerned with whether their child is ready to begin classroom work. The decision is not one to be taken lightly. A year is a long time to take out of a child’s life. And the decision rests solely with the parents. Kindergarten has changed from what was just a few years ago. Now, many schools make kindergarten an integral part of the elementary school’s curriculum, and the focus has shifted from social to academic. Is She Ready? Readiness for kindergarten involves both the child and the school setting, so when considering whether or not your child will meet kindergarten success based upon her abilities, you must take into account both the program and the teacher’s expectations of the students. Kindergarten teacher Jane Stiltner likes to see her students enter the classroom already knowing some basics, like how to spell their first and last names. “I always like it if they know the alphabet coming in – not just singing the song, but being able to recognize the letters in random order,” she says. Kindergarten teachers expect that children will be able to function within a cooperative learning environment where they work both independently and as a member of small and large groups. “Kids should be able to play with other kids, take turns, share, those kinds of socialization things,” says Stiltner, who adds that while most of her students understand things like raising their hands to be called on, for some children, kindergarten is a first experience in a school setting. “Kindergarten is what the old first grade used to be.” Children should be able to attend to and finish a task, listen to a story in a group, follow two or three oral directions, take turns, and share and care for their belongings. They are also expected to follow the rules, respect the property of others and work within the time and space constraints of the school program. Teachers expect children to develop certain physical skills before they enter kindergarten, too. In order to write letters and to make attempts at written and drawn expression, children are expected to enter kindergarten having already mastered fine motor skills requiring eye-hand coordination, such as using pencils, crayons or scissors. It is a definite plus for children to be able to master belts, buttons, zippers and shoelaces. Children are also expected to possess both visual and auditory awareness of sounds and objects. These skills will be needed to learn the sounds of letters and the names and quantities of numerals. Children should grasp the concepts of “same and different” so they can sort objects into groups whose members are alike in some way. Usually, the kindergarten teacher expects students to recognize and name colors, shapes, sizes and their own names (although these concepts are often part of the curriculum early in the school year). Most 5-year-olds can express themselves fluently with a variety of words and can understand an even larger variety of words used in conversations and stories. Children who have been read to from an early age are usually interested in the printed word and how it is used to express ideas; a concept of story and story structure; and an understanding of the relationship between oral and written language. Some sense of numbers is also ideal, like counting and being able to recognize numbers from 0 to 10. A further issue is what the teachers and school system expect the child to accomplish by the end of kindergarten. “They should be reading some words,” says Stiltner. “They should be able to sound out simple, three-letter words with short vowels, maybe reading short sentences like, ‘I like you’ … Of course, it is true that we have all levels of kids entering kindergarten. If Mom and Dad have read a lot to their child at home, that’s where your early readers come from.” As expectations become more academic and assessments more formal, pressure increases to retain children who do not meet expectations. The assumption is that children who have not achieved a minimum level of cognitive and academic skills prior to first grade will benefit from another year of kindergarten. While that may be true for some, it is not true for others. Developmentally appropriate programs assume that children vary upon entrance; that all children progress during the program at their own rates and in their own manner; and that children will continue to vary at the end of the program. How to Get Involved Parents can help children learn to recognize the letters of the alphabet – the beginning of the process that leads to reading – and to also help them learn the sounds the letters make. If a child knows her alphabet and the sounds the letters make upon entering kindergarten, she is on the path to reading. Here are additional skills parents can help their children acquire leading up to and during kindergarten: - Count from one to 10 or higher - Identify colors and shapes - Name parts of the body - Distinguish between left and right - Demonstrate an ability for small motor skills like holding a pencil or a pair of scissors correctly - Demonstrate an ability for following directions, including multiple-step directions - Show an understanding of stories - Demonstrate clarity of speech - Demonstrate an increasing vocabulary - Demonstrate the ability to tell a story in sequence Ready, Set, Go! Readiness for kindergarten depends on a child’s development of social, perceptual, motor and language skills expected by the teacher. It also depends on the curriculum’s degree of structure, the behavior required by the instructional program and expectations of what is to be achieved by the end of the program. To aid parents in preparing children for kindergarten and in assessing whether their child is ready to attend, most schools provide booklets on readiness. And while checklists are always useful, you know your child best – if you feel she’s ready, then it looks like it’s time for school! Patricia Cook is a freelance writer. Experts agree that a child’s development needs to be evaluated in several areas. The following is a guideline that includes a range of social, academic and developmental factors to consider when deciding if your child is ready to enter school: - Enthusiasm toward learning. Is she eager to explore and discover? Is she comfortable asking questions? Does she persist even when a task is difficult? - Does she communicate her needs? Express her feelings appropriately? - Ability to listen. Can she follow simple instructions? Is she able to listen to an entire story without interrupting? - Desire to be independent. Does she separate from parents for the school day? Is she starting to take responsibility for her personal belongings? Can she follow simple two-step tasks? Can she use the bathroom by herself? - Ability to interact with children and adults. Is she able to share, compromise, take turns and problem-solve? - Strong fine-motor skills. Is she able to hold and use a pencil? Cut with scissors? Is she learning to write her name? - Basic letter and number awareness. Can she sing and recite the alphabet and recognize some letters? Can she count to 10 and identify numbers one to five?

There are so many people in the world who never get the opportunity to graduate from college. For those of us who are able to attend and graduate, it is such an incredible gift, whether we were given it for free (through scholarships, parents, etc.) or whether we earned it by working multiple jobs or scrimping or scholarships, it is such a gift. There are many smart people out there who would love to be able to go but for various reasons are never able… I thought of that today as I watched my wife Mary get her degree at age 43, something she couldn’t do when we were young because the money just wasn’t there for her family and then we had our own family to raise. I love that because she is getting her degree so late in her life that she is appreciating it that much more!

Fat or Fatty Tumors Index of Bird Diseases ... Symptoms and Potential Causes ... Bird Species and Diseases They are Most Susceptible to The information has kindly been provided by Dr. Rob Marshall - http://www.birdhealth.com.au) Fatty tumours that lie beneath the skin (subcutaneous lipomas or xanthomas) are the most common neoplasms of birds. These encapsulated benign tumors are composed of mature fat cells. They generally occur in overweight birds and are most commonly seen in budgerigars, galahs and sulphur crested cockatoos. Development of lipomas is associated with obesity, hypothyroidism and genetic factors. In addition to being unsightly, lipomas may become large enough to restrict movement and may become centrally necrotic or ulcerated. Pain and discomfort is associated with necrotic and ulcerated lipomas and xanthomas. Birds will pick at themselves (self mutilate) with this form of tumor. The resulting bleeding and infection becomes a life threatening situation. If the tumor is not ulcerated or necrotic, initial treatment involves dietary modification and additional exercise. Iodine supplementation in the form of Ioford in the drinking water is also recommended at this stage. Lipomas that do not respond to this treatment often become ulcerated or begin to interfere with locomotion. Management of Lipomas (non-ulcerated and non-necrotic) - Introduce a low fat diet (low sunflower seed content). - Balance nutrition (Avianweb Note: Low Fat, Low Seed, Focus on Fruits and Veggies, Greens and SPROUTED Seeds) - Use an Iodine supplement to stimulate the thyroid gland and metabolism of fatty tissues. - Stimulate exercise twice daily to help with weight and fat reduction. - Return in 2 weeks for re-assessment of the tumor. Fat tumors are associated with normal fat deposits throughout the body. The presence of these fat depots may lead to multi-focal development of lipomas. The aim of the above regime is to remove or minimize these surrounding fat depots to allow complete removal of the lipoma. If the tumor is completely removed, removal is usually curative. Management of Xanthomas (ulcerated and necrotic) Once the tumour becomes ulcerated or necrotic the tumor changes in nature to a serious life-threatening form called a Xanthoma. Xanthomas tend to overly fat deposits, hernias and chronic abscesses, and are non-discrete thickened areas of yellow, friable skin that bleeds easily. In these cases surgical removal is required. If the tumour is left untreated, the bird becomes susceptible to sudden bleeding episodes and may bleed to death. - Please refer to this article about Marcie whose owner was able to reduce these tumors drastically by massaging them with Gentamicin cream and removing the cholesterol layers as they flake off. - Note: A vet in San Diego (Dr. Speers) recommended apple cider vinegar (use to be discussed with a vet.). Surgical Removal of Xanthomas Once the fat tumor becomes ulcerated or necrotic, immediate surgical removal becomes necessary. The ulcerated and necrotic skin associated with xanthomas often complicates surgical removal of these tumours. Our aim for surgery is to completely remove the xanthoma and any surrounding necrotic or ulcerated skin. If this is achieved, recurrence is less likely. Laser therapy has also been successfully used to treat these tumors. This procedure involves passing a laser beam across the bird's skin above the area where the pet experiences discomfort, injury or inflammation. This is a painless procedure – the pet only feels the warmth penetrating the affected area. The non-thermal photons of light are then absorbed by the injured cells, which are then stimulated and respond with a higher rate of blood circulation, an anti-inflammatory reaction, relief from pain and an accelerated healing process. Post Operative Complications There is very little chance of post surgical complication following the routine removal of non ulcerated/necrotic fat tumors. The removal of xanthomas and ulcerated lipomas is a more complex procedure because of an increased likelihood of bleeding and stroke like syndrome (see surgery pamphlet overleaf). As well, the likelihood of self mutilation is increased following surgery because the bird has developed a habit of picking itself. Self mutilation lessens the chance of recovery as the wound is not allowed adequate time to heal. The Miracle that is Marcie by Jeannine Miesle - The story of a rescued cockatiel with multiple serious health problems, including xanthomas, lesions, malnutrition, Clostridium, Giardia and an atrophied uropygial gland - Treating Pigeons: - THUJA OCCIDENTALIS: This is a homeopathic herb used particularly for ill effects of vaccinations, blemishes, wart, polips, flued retention, tumors of Skin, gland, etc in people. It has proved to be a wonderful remedy for Pox in pigeons. Dosage: 3 small tablets for a good size pigeon, 2 for cockatiel size bird.1. For the first two days: use above dose twice a day, preferably once in the morning and once at night.2. Thereafter: use same dose once per day.In two weeks this product will get the pox out of the organs, internally and kick the immune system in gear. You can use Thuja oil on EXTERNAL LESIONS only, not internal. You must use the Thuja pills for internal use. You can use Tea Tree Oil, diluted with water for external lesions of Pox and/or Canker. Use a Q tip and soak it up and dab on lesion gently. You cannot use the tee tree oil on any open wounds. Make sure the bird cannot pick at it and ingest it. You can also use Colloidal silver on internal and external lesions, as well as Neem oil. - “Heidi” Dow was a 14 year old spayed female with a growth on her right eye that looked red and angry (local vet said “cancerous”.) It was attached to the third eyelid, covered ½ the eye. It bled easily when rubbed or even touched gently. It was very sensitive to touch, causing this nice dog to growl. There were 2 firm growths on Rt. paw and in the middle of the chest. The owner gave Thuja 200c in July when it was first noticed and there was no change. She repeated Thuja 200c in August to no avail. She then gave Thuja 1M (date? In Aug) and the next day the tumor was more swollen and was dripping blood. She has been deaf since 1998. I prescribed Nitric acid 200c on September 8. From 9/14 to 9/18 had normal hearing. By 9/24 there was no blood and the tumor was smaller, though varied in size and shape, and she was back to normal energy and appetite. An LM potency of Nitric acid was given for the next 3 months, then a 10M Nitric acid. By April, she has been behaving like a young dog (Almost knocked the husband over which she has not done in years), woofing and pesky and pushy and sits and bounces up and down. Now doing 4 mile walks with running, leading and being adventuresome. The tumor is completely gone, there is no eye discharge, the ears are clear, there is no snoring and her appetite is fine. - Folk Medicine - According to Hartwell (1967–1971), the plant, usually as a tincture, is used in folk remedies for benign skin tumors, cancers, condylomata (of penis and vulva), excrescences, fungous flesh, neoplasms, papillomas, plantar warts, polyps, tumors, and warts. Reported to be anaphrodisiac, diaphoretic, diuretic, lactagogue, and laxative, arbor vitae is a folk remedy for burns, colds, consumption, cough, debility, distemper, dysentery, dysmenorrhea, fever, gout, headache, inflammation, malaria, paralysis, rheumatism, swollen extremities, toothache, and worms (Duke and Wain, 1981). The charcoal, mixed with bear gall, was introduced under the skin, after application, with needles in early Indian acupuncture, which resulted in black tatoos. Chippewa pricked the charcoal powder into the temples as an analgesic and used the leaves in cough compounds. Hurons used the boughs for their bed as a snake repellant. Menominee used in herbal steam and smudges for skin ailments and unconsciousness; they decocted the inner bark for amenorrhea, and poulticed powdered leaves onto swellings. Montagnai decocted the bruised twigs as a diaphoretic. Ojibwa used the leaf decoction as an analgetic, antitussive, depurative, and smoked objects and steamed themselves with the smoke or steam as a ceremonial cleansing. Penobscot poulticed the leaves onto hands and feet, and used for cancerous warts. Potawatomi treated the plant almost like a panacea, and burned the leaves over the coals as medicine, ceremonial purification, and to repel evil spirits (Duke, 1983c). Sources cited in Hager's Handbook report that homeopathic doses are effective against animal and plant viruses and that the plant affords protection against schistosomiasis. Hager's Handbook also lists many homeopathic applications, e.g. amnesia, angina, blepharitis, cholecystosis, condylomata, conjunctivitis, gonorrhea, gout, melancholy, myalgia, neuralgia, otitis, pertussis, pharyngitis, pruritus, rheumatism, rhinitis, trachitis, etc. (List and Horhammer, 1969–1979). - A benign fatty tumor, called a lipoma, is a soft, movable lump under the skin which does not turn into cancer. It can be surgically removed if it is causing discomfort or congestion. This is usually a simple procedure. The herb chickweed may help. Take one teaspoon of the tincture, three times daily or steep 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a covered cup of boiling water for 15 minutes to make a tea, three times daily. Apply a chickweed ointment externally. If you don't notice a difference within a week, then this herb will not work for you. Thomas Bartram, in "Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine" (available at Richters) recommends Thuja occidentalis (cedar) for lipomas. Take 5 drops of the liquid extract in a little water three times daily and wipe the lipoma with thuja extract 2 to 3 times daily. NOTE: Any treatment protocol should be discussed with a qualified avian vet! NEED A VET? USA: Find Your Local Avian Veterinarian Information contained on this website is provided as general reference only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. Please Note: The articles or images on this page are the sole property of the authors or photographers. Please contact them directly with respect to any copyright or licensing questions. Thank you.

The Japanese international midfielder starts his second game for Colin Calderwood's side, having featured in a training ground match against Watford last week. He is joined in the side by a strong compliment of first team squad members as Colin is able to field an experienced line-up against his former club. "Kazu is going to play and we've got quite a few senior boys turning out for us tonight," reported Colin. "Chris Perry, Ben Thatcher, Matthew Etherington and Neil Sullivan are in so we've got a solid looking side. "Kazu did fine last week once he got into the rhythm of the game, which was very hard in the conditions. He'll be alright. "We haven't played for a while at Stevenage so we are looking forward to it. We had a game against Watford last week at the training ground in horrific conditions and had a real good game, winning 4-1. "I know the boys, the young boys especially, are ready for it and the pitch should be fairly decent." Colin is missing four of his reserve squad regulars through injury. Strikers Lee Barnard and Jamie Slabber are out with hand and ankle injuries respectively, while Paul O'Donoghue is missing with knee ligament damage and Jonathan Blondel a shoulder injury. Kazuyuki Toda will make his competitive Spurs debut for the reserves tonight when they take on Nottingham Forest at Stevenage, kick-off 7pm.

Billions in Untapped College Financial Aid Is up for Grabs With This New Tool An online platform helps move students past the outdated FAFSA to streamline the process of making college more affordable. Photo via Pexels Billions of dollars are left on the table each year for students hoping to get financial aid for college, but aren’t sure how to get it. Every year, 45 million Americans are eligible for financial aid , but only 30 million students start the FAFSA application process. From there, only 22.5 million complete the entire process. Enter Frank, an online platform that helps move students past the outdated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to streamline the process of making college more affordable. By using smart technology that pulls from Common App accounts and tax returns, it cuts down what could potentially be hours of filling out various paper forms and waiting to hear back on their status into a more efficient process that can take minutes, and keep it all together in one place. Founded by 25-year-old female CEO Charlie Javice, the estimated financial aid awarded through Frank to date since they went live earlier this year is $4.5 Billion across 160,000 families. “The outstanding student loan debt has reached $1.4 trillion in the United States, surpassing both auto debt and credit card debt,” Javice told VICE Impact. “With the default rate at 40 percent, student debt is a major systemic risk to the U.S. economy and individual families who may not take their student loans into bankruptcy.” “We’ve been told by students that it takes days or weeks to understand the questions and information required.” So why is the system so complicated, if all of this money is available? Javice has her theories, one of which includes the fact that lawyers and politicians, whose job it is to make sure financial aid from the government is allocated in a secure way, haven’t bothered to translate the jargon they’re so familiar with to layman’s terms when they create forms for young people and their families to fill out. Frank does that translation for you, making it easier to understand exactly what you need to input and how. “The way financial aid is allocated hasn’t’ changed since 1972 when they first built out the formula called the Expected Family Contribution, which is determined based on variables like household income, assets, how long you’ve lived in a state. It all boils down to how much you should have to pay out of pocket,” said Javice. “The forms have been worded by lawyers which make sit hard for real people to understand. Stuck in a system where there’s a bunch of data inputs that need to come from all different places.” Check out more videos from VICE: Their system, then, is a practical solution to what is an otherwise tedious and time-consuming process, one that a single human error—think adding an extra ‘0’ to your household income, or adding your home as an asset when you’re not required to do so—can completely derail. “We’ve been told by students that it takes days or weeks to understand the questions and information required,” she said. “It’s confusing because there are several different deadlines and several different forms, so people are often left wondering what they are actually filling out.” One of these more arduous tasks is filling out the forms that come with the verification portion of the process. “The way financial aid is allocated hasn’t’ changed since 1972." For example, you say you have siblings, you need to obtain copies of their birth certificates. If your family has experienced divorce, you also need to provide that piece of paper, and they’ll also ask for a year’s worth of paystubs. The set of forms that comes with this part of the FAFSA application can take weeks to procure, and the hundreds of questions can become redundant. Frank can pull some of this information from public government databases, and in other cases, it’s as simple as snapping a photo of your tax return, condensing all of those weeks and paper-hunting missions down to about a minute’s worth of data input on your smartphone. Frank is smart enough to determine which questions on the FAFSA actually do apply to you, like name, age, and household income, and weeds them out from the rest that, based on the info you input and the info they’re able to aggregate from the internet, are not. “That means you see 30% of the questions versus the government form. A high school-aged student should not, for example, need to be asked if they've are veterans,” Javice says. When you choose to “opt in” you allow Frank to start its search, helping you skip about seven steps you’d have to take manually. Frank is able to remain a free service in its basic form due to the fact that it operates on venture capital funding, but also employs advocates to help students negotiate their financial aid packages, which many folks don’t know is possible—it comes in the form of a premium add-on for $500, but only if they are able to win you additional aid of $5,000 or more. Kole Rosin is a pre-med student at NYU, has become an intern with Frank after using it helped him navigate the college process, and is paying it forward to assist other families who just don’t know where to start when it comes to applying for financial aid. “It is obvious that the government is not doing a great job of keeping students informed. Additionally, a lot of students struggle with providing the necessary tax information in order to complete the application,” he told VICE Impact. “Although the government's FAFSA has a service that helps students to connect their tax information, it can be very confusing and sometimes ineffective. Because the definition of family varies from student to student, it is sometimes difficult for applicants to determine exactly which parent, if not both, they need to provide information for.” The add-on service of aid negotiation starts with a phone call with a Frank representative to help them understand the challenges the family is having with their financial aid. After that, the rep collects the information necessary to create an aid appeal letter—the documents that are useful to formulate an aid appeal would consist of things like their FAFSA, their Student Aid Report, aid package awarded by the school, pay stubs, marital licenses, rent payments, electricity bills, other kids / siblings enrolled in college or private school. After the letter is sent, Frank will work with the aid office to come to a resolution that, ideally, allows the student to enroll at the school at a lower tuition fee. “Without holding institutions accountable, the U.S. has an unfortunate outcome in education.” “Aid appeal has increasingly become important as the FAFSA requires tax returns 2 years prior to the filing year. As you can imagine much changes in a family in that time. You can lose a job, get divorced, have medical issues,” Javice said. “We correct this FAFSA mess with the appeal.” “Without holding institutions accountable, the U.S. has an unfortunate outcome in education,” Javice said, meaning fewer students would be able to afford college. But the odds are slowly growing thanks to things like this tool—especially for immigrants whose green card status might prevent them from even accessing federal financial aid. Emanuella Amuako was legally adopted by her aunt-- a U.S. citizen -- after moving to the United States from Ghana, and obtained permanent resident status in order to file FAFSA for college. She has dreams of becoming a biomedical engineer. She was able to start her FAFSA with Frank during a FAFSA event at her Technology High School in Newark, New Jersey. “I really didn't have any information about FAFSA before Frank came to my school, other than the fact that I knew that the application process was tedious, time consuming, and confusing. I also know that the process will be extra complicated for me because of my residency status,” she said, adding that the process would have been a lot more difficult without Frank there to offer guidance. Without their help, she says, she would have likely given up, a decision that would have undoubtedly have an impact on her future. Frank is still in the process of helping her file her FAFSA, making sure all of the documents are in order to get her a Social Security Number once she has filed for her green card—anyone who wishes to file FAFSA must have one. She says that representatives frequently call in to find out information as the process moves forward, and that they text and email her to offer help, which is the “motivation that keeps my hopes up. “ Financial aid is a huge issue for many students, especially in communities like mine because most people's parents do not have the money to pay for college, so they need financial aid in order to pay,” she said. “These students are then not afforded the same opportunities as other students our age.”

Datassette + WARD-IZ + DEADLIFE + Still Corners. Today it is not the classroom nor the classics which are the repositories of models of eloquence, but the ad agencies. Sidewalks and Skeletons + Glacci + Sgrow + Alek Fin. In the end, oh I know, never, in my haggard passion, have I ever been such a cadaver as now as I take again in hand my tables of the present— if reality’s real, but after it’s been destroyed in the eternal and the moment by the obsessive idea of a shining nothingness. Growing up my Dad had a love for machines, cars and planes especially. When he was 10 years old he spotted an Austin Healey 100S racing up the street of Willunga, South Australia. He says it was like nothing he had ever seen or heard before and for many years he dreamt of one day owning the car. 43 years later he purchased the exact same car that he had seen as a young boy. He still has the car today. The Austin Healey 100S is extremely rare, only 50 were originally built and only 37 remain in the world today. The film is a small reminder to never give up on your dreams no matter how impossible they might seem. Dad has his own website on the history of the car here: austinhealey100s.com.au1 heart

Want to be a reporter or would you like to buy a report for the best price? Just Sign Up here! Privacy guidelines License our content Help Russian soldiers: their presence is renowned but rarely witnessed. You hear a lot about their role in the news and from friends who witnessed the tragedies they have caused in the country. Yet regardless of where you stand politically, the mixed feelings they evoke in you as a civilian in Syria are still ambiguous, reported openDemocracy (US). For opposition forces, the term “Russian intervention” has come to encapsulate the painful end of their fight against the regime and its allies. It was hardly news that the Russians stood by the regime, as they had vetoed several UN Security Council resolutions, but it was Russia’s airstrikes that caused the opposition to lose most of its control on the ground. There from the beginning Since early 2011, Russian military experts have been overseeing information and communication and providing either equipment or technical support, according to a regime army officer. The military cooperation soon evolved into naval deployment near the ports of Tartus and Latakia on the Mediterranean, before the inauguration of the Hmeimim Air Base which made Russian military all the more direct and definite. Finally, Russian troops were officially deployed in Syria in late 2015. Contact with civilians explicitly grew following the truce between Damascus and its countryside on February 27, 2016, which despite numerous breaches remained in effect until its collapse in mid-November 2017. Nightlife in Damascus began to flourish, and Russian military personnel, along with Syrian military escort, began to frequent the nightly attractions across the Old City. Soldiers and tourists As such, Russian soldiers in the city became more visible, whether in military uniform and or in casual clothes typical of tourists — light and practical. Nonetheless, their unusual presence still causes winks and backbitings, and their visibility is still relative, as most Syrians have not seen any Russians until now. People often hear about them from Syrian troops. “We’re not allowed to approach them or to talk to them. We can’t even ask for a drink of water,” said Naji[i], a volunteer in a paramilitary force, summarizing his relationship — or lack thereof — with Russian troops in the vicinity of Raqqa prior to its “liberation” by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in October 2017. “They offer them exquisite meals from fancy restaurants and ignore us, even though they stay in the rearguard and never take part in raids,” he told his mother, who works as a maid and wanders the houses of her employers all over the city every day. She has not seen a single Russian soldier, despite her extensive mobility in Damascus. Even if they came to help fend off terrorism, she opined, they should not be treated differently from Syrians. She is supportive of the regime but more reluctant about its allies. Most Russian soldiers can be seen in the commercial city center, in the areas of Muhafazah or Marjeh, or in old markets like Hamidiyyah, Medhat Pasha and Buzuriyyah. They are frequent customers of money changers, where they exchange foreign currencies — often US dollars — for Syrian Pounds, so that they can buy food, gifts and antiques, just like any tourist. “Oh, they’re Ru’us and Nukha‘at,” remarked Abu Rahaf, a money changer, punning on their demonym [Rus means “Russians” in Arabic] and a popular Syrian dish (lamb’s head and bone mallows) to whose fat he likens their economic vitality. They are the sole buyers of touristic goods, given the near absence of trade with tourists willing to pay more than what Syrians — or religious tourists coming from Iran or Lebanon — can afford. George, a silversmith at the As-Sulaymaniyyah market, spoke of their peculiar interest in daggers, noting that they are learning how to haggle over prices like Syrians, and are managing to find cheaper shops. They seem to be adapting to the city. It is safe to assume that, while politics is the reason for Russian military presence in Syria, the relationship between them and Syrian civilians is not fundamentally about politics. Some loyalists are delighted to see them, and they regard them as the allies who guaranteed Asad’s triumph. However, given the increased public resentment over the outcome of the war and its high human cost, in addition to extremely poor living conditions, whatever is reminiscent of the conflict cause discomfort before anything else. “They’re all after their shares,” a taxi driver in military uniform shrugged, pointing to the payoffs all the parties to the war are looking for, and swearing at his ill luck since his enlistment for reserve forces two years ago. Most regime supporters interviewed by SyriaUntold are quite unsure of Russian intentions. Foreign relations are always tinged with skepticism and fears of conspiracy. A long history of fear-mongering and overstatement of Syria’s enemies and strategic location, according to Baathist school curricula, do not go away easily. Others prefer to ignorantly boast the might of the “Soviet” ally, as many insist on calling Russia, clinging to a bygone socialist era they believe to be still alive. This is hardly surprising, considering that others on the opposition side still praise Saddam Hussein and his alleged devotion to Pan-Arabism. Dissidents are understandably taken aback by the sight of Russian soldiers. Those who spoke to SyriaUntold, however, all shared their greater hatred towards Shiite tourists. “Don’t call me sectarian, but I’d rather see Russians than those Shiite tourists swarming the Old City,” said Jaber, a lawyer opposed to the regime. This comparison indicates that, inside the city, Russians are mere tourists in the eyes of the population, despite wearing military uniform and carrying weapons from time to time. Apparently, the sense of superiority and unabashed love for Bashar Al-Asad, which an Arabic-speaking Lebanese tourist may casually brag about, worries people more than a shy presence of strangers completely detached from the local dynamics of the war. This overlaps with a historically strained relationship between the Lebanese and the Syrians, as well as an old legacy pertaining to Syrian-Russian relations. Young Syrians, for instance, still consider studying in Russia a good way out of the country. This is the case for loyalists and dissidents alike. Abu Samer, a communist dissident, considers that any opportunity for “the boy” to flee the war and the haunting military service is good, even if in Russia, “our enemy.” His son is starting an MA program there, and he drove him all the way from Salamiyah to Damascus airport. “I mean, if he got a visa to the States nobody would object,” he said further justifying what he did. Academic missions to Russia have always been an available option for Syrians, and the encounters between Syrian and Russian people have taken different forms, whether in marriages, in nightclubs, or in the streets — where those “selling garments” on the sidewalks are known as “the Russians” even if they were from eastern Europe. All these factors render the interrelationship more tangible and complex than an external observer would think. Terms like “Russian expert”, which became a Syrian joke evoked whenever someone appears to have extensive knowledge about something, implies acknowledgement of their development and our backwardness. The relative “whiteness” of Russians is hard to deny, as they rank higher in the power hierarchy and are easier to be fond of — even as enemies. They are “the foreigners,” the white and blond. Their superiority can be perceived in the bewildered curious eyes following their movements, and in a common willingness to communicate with them and to help them out, even in such simple matters as showing them the way. Perhaps this is not always the case, however. The few dissidents willing to express their views, in addition to some IDPs coming from formerly opposition-controlled areas, show great aversion and bitterness. This does not negate the fact that, politically speaking, some opposition parties view Russia as closer to them than the regime, and are willing to engage with it. “They’re the only ones who didn’t lie to our faces,” one High Negotiations Committee (HNC) member stated recently in a closed session held in Europe. In a strangely triumphant tone, he suggested that the hopes of the opposition and “the Syrian people” should be reposed in Moscow. Many parties within the Syrian opposition welcomes the international recognition that the solution is Russian. Their optimism stems from the lack of options. The main Russian troops in charge of monitoring the “de-escalation” are stationed in Al-Wafidin Refugee Camp, which is inhabited by IDPs from the Occupied Golan Heights and adjacent to the frontlines with Duma in the Eastern Ghouta. However, the area has recently witnessed a bloody escalation. The troops are visible to those heading towards the city and passing by military posts. Awatif (35), a grocer resident in the camp, spoke of a Russian soldier’s admiration for her. She knew he is a Muslim because he muttered words when he heard the adhan [call for prayer] while riding the bus to the camp. “He sung me a song that I didn’t understand, but I think he was trying to say that he likes me.” Awatif does not cover up her delight to have a Russian like her. She simply sees him “more handsome” than the other “dark-skinned” guys in the camp, as she unmindfully put it. If today’s economics are the mirror of tomorrow’s politics, then we can expect a long-standing presence. The advertisements of companies importing Russian goods are spreading on public roads, irrespective of the quality of these goods. Other signs advertise exhibitions that involve Russian industrialists. What Bashar Al-Asad previously described in a speech as “heading eastward” is becoming a reality for the capital’s merchants, as it creates encouraging prospects under an economic embargo unlikely to be lifted soon. According to a Syrian lawyer working on the cases of political prisoners, Russians have a tendency to help in these issues. They have done that several times with many activists living in Syria. He confirmed that the Russians called off several arrest warrants and provided some dissidents with information about detained relatives. This is at least the case of those who engage in dialogue with them, as opposed to those who categorically refuse any dialogue with Russians. The lawyer maintained that they are trying to be popular and appreciated amongst Syrians. Regardless of Russia’s lack of concern about its own political prisoners, it appears to be set for a long-term presence in Syria, which is warranted by well-known geopolitical interests. There seems to be no considerable rejection by Syrians, loyalists and dissidents alike, to this presence and these interests. show source https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/rafia-salamah/russian-soldiers-in-damascus

Theme 1: Children Theme 2: Education through sport and outdoor activities In our project, the volunteer will be all the time in contact with children and young people. He/she will launch, lead and follow several activities. These ones can be various and will depend of his/her ideas, wishes and skills. They will always suppose a democratic participation of the children who have the right to choose and make proposals. Usual activities in the Adventure Playground are: Artistic workshops: painting, sculptures, theatre…Creative/participative workshops: cooking, sewing, handicraft, shed buildings, story telling…Games: outdoor games, sport games, table games. Outdoor activities: nature discovering, gardening, and so on. The volunteer will also help us in the maintenance of the Playground (small reparations, painting, grass cutting) and may give a support for some administrative tasks. He/she will also help us when we’ll participate in special events and/or organise punctual projects with other partner organisations: carnival, local fest, shed symposium, international workcamp.The Playground is open six days in a week: Monday 15-18 pm; Tuesday 15-18 pm ; Wednesday 13-18 pm; Thursday 15-18pm ; Friday 15-20 pm ; Saturday 10-17pm. During the school holidays, it is open everyday (excepted Sunday) from 10 am to 17 pm. The volunteer will have a flexible schedule: our working times depend on children free time from school: during the winter there are more “dead periods” instead of the summer when the activities increase and we have A LOT to do! Profile of the volunteer: Our project is open to anybody motivated by volunteering and who wishes to be involved in our organisation, regardless to their nationality, religion, believes, diploma, professional experience.We expect the volunteer to want to build an atmosphere of confidence and security with the youngsters; be ready to involve him/herself in the several tasks we do; be able to work together with the staff; be interested in the topic of young people entertainment; agree with our philosophy; to be enthusiast and bring new ideas. As told above it’s also important to be very flexible. All information: click EVS activity will start on 01/02/2015 for duration of 12 months Send CV and motivation letter: [email protected] till 15 of September !!! Remember to write in the email that your sending institution is “Asociación Building Bridges ES-2010-120 !

Alter Aeon Player Lookup Note - player title and descriptions are settable by the player and probably do not reflect the views of the administration. Proper name: Protoss Ground string: Protoss is here. Created: Wed Dec 6 20:42:05 2017 Protoss is of average height and of light build, with blue eyes. His red hair is long, but unkempt and messy. His skin is dark, and you guess him to be fairly young, perhaps around 18 years Level Mage: 31 Cler: 26 Thie: 6 Warr: 21 Necr: 11 Drui: 16 Total levels in all classes: 111 Clan: enlightened Rank: third rank member Level Feats Performed --------------------------------- 33 Rescued a kidnapped child from the clutches of an insidious oni-baba. 30 Thwarted Falnar the Shadowmancer's plans. 30 Prevented Ralnoth from being devoured by an invasion of giant termites. 24 Defeated the helpless coma patient in mortal combat. 31 Retrieved Jesric's spellbook from the outer planar ice world 34 Rescued a pair of maidens from the clutches of some crazed worshippers. 28 Is the reigning chess grandmaster by defeating Viktor 35 Got a pair of kenderskin gloves 30 Defeated Vesden the Conquerer restoring peace to the city of Linholt. 31 Received the esteem of the people of Ralnoth for reporting bots and leeches! 29 Resurrected the ancient blade of the god of mischief, Coolbeans. 33 Rescued a slave from Castle Radobaj 28 Fed the kitten. 28 Defeated the bear marauding through the forest southwest of Ralnoth 21 Slew Locos, the terror under the well 27 Assisted an angry dwarf in finding out what happened to his missing companions. 33 Tracked down some missing mail intended for Ironbay 27 Tangled with an ancient tangletree and survived! 27 Liberated a special mushroom from the Trogdolytes for an alchemist in Dragon Tooth. 28 Slayer of the innocent dragon known as Graystorm. 27 Captured an escaped tiger and returned it safely to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped Bigfoot and returned it safely to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped pygmy dragon and returned it safely to its cage. 28 Captured an escaped ruby red wyvren and returned it safely to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped zebracorn and returned it safely to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped black bear and returned it safely to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped albino elephant and safely returned it to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped emerald green griffin and returned it safely back to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped monkey and returned it safely to its cage. 27 Captured an escaped alligator and returned it safely to its cage. 28 Proved to be most honorable by even giving a troll a chance. 26 Performed a few random tasks, including washing a noble's nasty panties, how gross! 26 Restored the legendary dwarven bracelet. 27 Looted some ancient drow treasure. 27 Found and returned the svirfneblin king's lost club. 28 Discovered what happen to a missing delivery from the village of Woodhaven. 27 Expunged Kaladun the lich from the world once and for all! 25 Exterminated the queen spider ensuring that their species will surely die. 24 Thrashed Pantrell and gave his tome of secrets to Deeamos. 17 Figured out the mystery of the old mansion and found its hidden treasure. 23 Accepted Odin's quest. 25 Tracked down and returned the stolen crate of repair parts to Dordak. 31 Captured the escaped faerie and sent her back to her cell. 31 Forced entry into the treasury, and took the leprechauns' finest possessions 29 Emerged as the champion of the grand Melee. 28 Regained the armor of a lost and forgotten warrior. 25 Annihilated the shadowy demon and sent him to his final resting place. 24 Used a disguise to join the Ghost-face Orc Clan 20 Freed some slaves from the cruel pain and torture of an orc slavemaster. 24 Searched the swamp for the old historian and then helped him recover his stolen book. 23 Found and retrieved the Staff of Understanding. 23 Found and retrieved the Mace of Knowledge. 22 Found and retrieved the Dagger of Stealth. 23 Found and retrieved the Sword of Strength. 22 Purged the world of Nafien's taint. 24 Recovered a book titled 'Effects of Exposure to Toxic Gases' for Aerlon the librarian. 21 Escorted a metal hunter out of a stinky situation. 24 Recovered an egg from a fantoo for Pyba the alchemist. 20 Found that alligator you flushed, and boy was it big! 23 Accepted quest to free the musicians. 19 Completely destroyed a giant fiery red drake. 19 Completely destroyed a black scaled drake. 19 Completely destroyed a large yellow drake. 20 Completely destroyed a dark brown drake. 19 Completely destroyed a large azure blue drake. 19 Completely destroyed a silvery gray drake. 19 Completely destroyed an emerald green drake. 19 Disposed of Anekam the drake keeper. 20 Piloted a hang glider over the great Archais archipelago. 19 Captured and returned the Wizard brightflame's escaped familiar. 20 Helped the citadel to restock its supply of healing mud. 19 Cured the old mage of the hiccups! 17 Climbed the beanstalk, and retrieved a golden egg. 17 Exterminated the master tonberry saving the moogle village. 14 Freed Ann the banshee from the curse of the vampire. 17 Skillfully obtained a lost book on poisons and sold it to the Thieves Guild. 16 Recovered the legendary Gem of Knowledge. 16 Released a genie from a bottle just to have her vanish and not even get a single wish! 16 Retrieved and returned Russell's golden compass 16 Slaughtered and tore the hide from a stone drake deep in the underwilds. 15 Infiltrated the underground city of Runn-Khal and ransacked their treasure chamber. 9 Squashed a spider and made me some armor! 15 Braved the Haunted Hills to kill a Winter Wolf. 12 Destroyed the bloody curse stone in the haunted hills 12 Destroyed the spirit curse stone in the haunted hills 12 Destroyed the poison curse stone in the haunted hills 6 Returned a lost child to his mother 9 Obtained the title: Mouseslayer, mmk 11 Harvested some honeycomb for the local bakery. 9 Became a hero by making a child smile! 7 Located and returned the key to the lockbox 7 Did not eat the kitten. 7 Defeated a lesser pit fiend 6 Taught some punk kid a lesson he'll never forget. 5 Freed the old wizard from his glass prison! 5 Found Indiana Jones' Legacy 7 Defeated the ferocious mugwump on behalf of a retired hunter. 5 Put down the deadly white wolf. 9 Brought a ray of sunshine to brighten an imp's day! 4 Returned a lost memento to an old man. 8 Collected a bounty for cleaning up some of the nuisances in the Greenwood forest. 5 Found the needle in the haystack! 4 Returned the sacred chalice to the Shrine of the Vemarken Faithful. 4 Translate the strange paper from Uffspigot Level Deeds Accomplished --------------------------------- 32 Crushed the hopes of Durant, the Master Enchanter of creating an army of glass. 31 Eliminated the leader of the mercenaries in Dragnok. 32 Freed the rune spider from the spell that binded her. 36 Retrieved an ancient seeing stone for the Ralnoth Mage's Guild. 26 Discovered the hospitals namesake and put an end to his diabolical plan. 32 Expedited a pistol replica for the Ralnoth Museum of World Wonders 32 Delivered a letter to Bandera Azul 31 Avenged the villagers murdered by their own. 32 Tricked into making the crappiest leggings in the world! 31 Ended all the sacrifices to the dark gods in Dragnok. 31 Put an end to the evil intentions of a drug crazed worshipper. 30 Answered a call for aid from Dragnok. 31 Defeated the void saving the magic of the world. 32 Returned the king's worldly possessions to Queen Calene. 31 Provided a thirsty child with much needed water 30 Helped prevent the Black Rot from swallowing Ralnoth. 30 Wiped out a human supremacist cult for the Ralnoth Clerics' Guild. 32 Recovered a dependent clause for a bookworm 31 Destroyed the Chaos Beholder, disrupting the forces of Chaos in Old Thalos. 31 Won the rat race by eliminating the competition thus winning the coveted green cheese 31 Aided the blue gang in its quest to conquer the North Ralnoth Slums. 30 Rescued the Princess of Radobaj 27 Defeated the mad smith's mechanical monstrosity 28 Helped the villagers of Woodhaven out of a bind. 27 Escorted a shipwrecked sailor back to his captain. 28 Breached the Fetid Caves of Pestilence to rescue a dwarven child. 29 Ruined the plans of Malkon the Plague Vampire and saved Archais from his evil machinations. 29 Hunted down and eliminated Malkon the Plague Vampire in the fetid Caves of Pestilence. 28 Searched the fetid Caves of Pestilence and destroyed the weather machine. 31 Eliminated the source of the hideous mutations in Cranston Hills 31 Helped purify the water supply in Cranston Hills 32 Rescued all the survivors in Cranston Hills 28 Freed Iron Bay of the kobold menace 27 Recaptured a dwarven smith's mightiest weapon 29 Recovered various ingredients to help an alchemist to create a special brew. 29 Defeated the legendary rougarou, while investigating the reports of a missing cleric. 29 Exorcised the evil spirit that possessed the Hedgemaid of the Shadowclaw Swamp. 25 Helped to repair Captain Uro's merchant ship. 28 Freed Reb, Ana and Callie from the nightmares that haunted them. 28 Captured all the escaped animals in turn freeing Ana from her nightmare. 28 Used the legendary Pundora's box to rid the world of a few annoying puns. 26 Constructed a special portal to help free Zeyda the collector of dreams. 26 Helped to make the dream nectar and awaken the sleepers. 26 Risked life and limb to recover a stolen egg and return it to Graystorm the dragon. 27 Sent the undead drow priestess to meet her goddess, allowing the svirfneblin to live in peace. 28 Purged the Amber Forest of all the evil that was corrupting it. 27 Expelled the curse placed on a little girl by Kaladun the lich. 27 Helped a Shaman to further her studies in poisons. 26 Freed a druid from a truly dire predicament. 27 Crafted an item to make the life of a retired ranger a bit easier. 27 Fulfilled the life long dream of a wood carver by helping them to craft a shield of blackwood. 28 Collected a DNA sample from one of the Tyranid warriors for Sh'kar the evil biomancer. 32 Delivered some provisions to the soldiers camped outside the village of Cranston Hills 26 Put an end to Sh'kar the evil biomancer's foul experiments. 27 Harvested some webbing from the spider caves for the cleric Helina in Dragon Tooth. 26 Braved the dark forest to deliver some supplies to a mad hermit. 26 Delivered a bundle of herbs and spices to the monks in the Monastery of Dreams. 27 Cleared the poison from the ancient drow city. 28 Plundered the decimated drow city and uncovered its history. 24 Bested the Norse gods and took their most prized possessions. 24 Bested the flying Valkyrie and took her most prize possession. 24 Bested Thor and took his prize possession. 23 Bested Odin and took his prize possession. 27 Discovered what was causing the patrol soldiers of Fort Magnesia to become ill. 26 Helped the centaurs rid their land of wyvren 26 Collected wyvren scales on behalf of Tarkon the blacksmith 26 Brought Nammen some hides for tanning. 33 Discovered what happened to Azeroth Keep and uncovered drow invasion plans. 27 Aided Fil the Secondboy by assassinating his older brother, thus promoting his status. 26 Tried to negotiate a deal with Azeroth Keep for their fruit, but failed. 26 Travelled all over Archais gathering books for the library in Gad's Landing. 26 Acquired a book titled "The legendary dwarven bracelet" from Glankas in Dragon Tooth. 25 Halted the attempt of the necromancer Darsakius from opening a rift to the demon world. 24 Delivered a broken gadget to the Master Tinker for the cook in the Inn of the Lonely Wanderer. 31 Has been thoroughly manipulated by the fae of Archais. 31 Assassinated Lady Kindri, ending her bid to take over the fae kingdom. 31 Discovered the smuggling ring's purpose and uncovered catastrophic plans. 30 Found, broke up, and looted the elusive smuggling ring's headquarters. 30 Tracked down a leprechaun smuggler. 30 Helped a leprechaun to obtain their missing supplies and make a pair of boots. 30 Quenched the fires of the lava worm. 30 Fought bravely and was victorious over the mist dragon 30 Proved The loch ness monster was real and then killed it. 29 Partied it up in the Magnolia Festival. 29 Invoked the fabled Magnolia Festival. 29 Met the Fairy Queens. 29 Did some hunting on behalf of a werewolf pack. 29 Met the leader of the werewolves and learned about their history. 28 Investigated a diplomatic crisis between the cliff gnomes and the dryads. 28 Disposed of some nuissances bothering the cliff gnomes. 28 Became a friend of the forest by curing a sick unicorn. 28 Did a little dirty work for a "good" cause. 28 Returned Custos' missing key. 26 Extricated Burgundy's pet cloud from a hostile storm elemental 27 Tracked down the research team stranded on the fire world of Khinzhai. 24 Gave that bully a taste of his own medicine! 25 Protected the secrets of Thaumaturgy from undeserving djinni 28 Captured some sunlight for Custos. 24 Destroyed and dismantled the whirling machine of destruction known as the Juggernaut. 24 Broke the ice with the tinker gnomes by helping to thaw out a frozen gnome. 24 Tested a gnomish rocket pack and had a blast! 23 Help the tinker gnomes to solve a crash landing problem with their elevator system. 24 Is the new hobgoblin champion. 26 Valiantly avenged the deaths of several dwarves for one of their kin. 26 Killed the trider. 26 Eliminated the black arachnid. 26 Found the missing dwarf in the Blackwater Hollows. 25 Aided the smith in finishing his greatest creation. 27 Gained access to the land of the fairies 27 Momentarily saw through a powerful illusion, confirming a cartographer's theory. 25 Achieved the rank of journeyman in the Thieves Guild. 25 Achieved the rank of apprentice in the Thieves Guild. 25 Achieved the rank of bandit in the Thieves Guild. 25 Achieved the rank of thug in the Thieves Guild. 24 Received a bounty for taking out a pair of murderous thieves. 24 Made a secret delivery to the Thieves Den. 24 Ambushed some bandits and took back a stolen money sack. 25 Prevented the ghostface orcs from gaining access to Gad's via the sewers. 24 Rescued a group of musicians from the ghostface orcs. 25 Avenged the death of a woman's only child. 24 Freed Curlie the musician from the Skull caverns. 24 Freed Moe the musician from the Skull caverns. 24 Freed Larry the musician from the Skull caverns. 24 Cleansed the Archais swamp of the Great Unclean One. 24 Put an end to the unnatural experiments of the druid Guillermo Dunkelbaum 23 Challenged the six masters of the Lotus Monastery and was victorious. 23 Hired on as a mercenary for a time to prove they were a skilled fighter. 23 Eliminated a threat to the Lotus Monastery and brought them peace at last. 22 Has proven to be worthy of being called a rogue. 23 Became an honorary member of the Planar Research Guild 23 Collected data from the Heavyside Layer 22 Apprenticed to a blacksmith in the Lotus Monastery for a time. 23 Had to do some fishing to trade for a lost book. 23 Got rid of some pesky birds and helped the Lotus Monastery get back to business. 23 Collected data from the elemental plane of earth 23 Collected data from the nomagic biolab 23 Collected data from Valhalla 21 Defeated the guardian serpent to gain access to Asgaard. 23 Collected data from the outer planar ice world 23 Collected data from the fire world of Khinzhai 24 Delivered a small bag of chickory coffee to Hal in the Lotus Monastery. 24 Slayed a chromatic dragon to prevent it from attacking Gad's Landing. 24 Dived into the sewers below Gad's Landing to discover what was causing a blockage. 24 Retrieved some shavings for the Grandmaster Odi from the outer planar ice world. 24 Acquired the tome of Demonic Lore from Cyrilla the Black in the Inn of the Lonely Wanderer. 23 Acquired a book titled "The Lotus Monastery" from the scholar Bruticus. 23 Expunged the taint from a forest and the rogue druid that created it. 23 Ended the evil plans of a rogue druid. 22 Treated the soil in the forest north of Smuggler's in hopes of removing the taint. 22 Gathered various samples throughout the tainted forest for a group of druids. 22 Escorted a druidess through the tainted forest on behalf of Smuggler's Cove. 22 Assassinated some young upstart who was trying to replace the boss in Smuggler's Cove. 22 Disposed of evidence that might have convicted a prisoner in Gad's Landing. 22 Snooped out and eliminated the spy hidden amongst the smugglers. 22 Smuggled a few items to prove they could be trusted. 21 Collected a few debts owed to the villagers of Seaside. 20 Collected a debt owed to Kyna in Kyna's General Store. 20 Collected a debt owed to Nailo in The Golden Phoenix Restaurant. 22 Delivered a message to Smuggler's Cove from the Archipelago. 21 Eradicated the adaro in the atoll so the researchers could complete their work. 21 Lifted the curse cast upon Dentin's temple by Kenai. 21 Became the fabled Black Bandit of Seaside. 21 Sunk Thor's Hammer blocking the Viking raiders from getting their supplies. 21 Plundered the Copper Dragon for the Magistrate's book. 21 Delivered some much needed provisions to the lighthouse. 21 Heisted the fabled blue diamond off the Lady Luck. 21 Swiped a basilisk's egg off the Grumpy Dwarf. 21 Pilfered the chains of true binding off the ship known as the Leviathan. 21 Reclaimed a lost family heirloom. 22 Solved the mystery of the strange noises coming from below Vera's house in Northshore. 21 Acquired a guide to fishing from Gil Dunne in the Archais Archipelago. 21 Helped the mayor of Northshore to clean up his crab problem. 20 Made an old fisherman's day by giving him his favorite food. 20 Made a child happy by returning his ball 21 Made a few deliveries to Northshore from the village of Seaside. 20 Collected a debt owed to Slade the bartender in the Nightshade Tavern. 20 Collected a debt owed to Fargan the butcher. 21 Dealt with the foul stench of Castle Kraftrager. 20 Collected a debt owed to Torba Hammerclaw. 21 Cleared out the castle. 19 Broke the curse afflicting the hero of Seaside. 21 Went fishing without a pole and got me a dragonfish. 20 Acquired a book titled "Quickness of Action" from the Wizard Brightflame in Seaside. 19 Hunted down and exterminated the bugs in the cellar of the Golden Phoenix Inn. 21 Delivered a puppet to a woman in the carnival. 20 Delivered a message from the captain in Naphtali to the Ranger Patch in Gad's. 19 Visited a faerie circle and brought a mushroom back to the ranger. 19 Exterminated the fungus that was animating the dead on the Ancestral Island. 19 Took a dive into Clearwater cove to recover a lost chest. 19 Pounded an ogre into a bloody pulp to recover a lost heirloom. 19 Returned a stolen pendant to its rightful owner. 19 Assisted the villagers of Idlewood to solve their problems and in fulfilling their needs. 19 Gathered some clams, caught a few fish and trapped a lobster for the Deep Sea Delights in Idlewood. 19 Collected the special ingredients needed to save the life of Kolok the mystic. 19 Disbanded the evil sect and released the lifestones of the seven legendary sisters. 19 Prevailed over Durath the Sorcerer, collected and then released the lifestone of Taygete. 19 Tracked down and recovered a missing antique ring. 19 Prevailed over the avatar Uball, collected and then released the lifestone of Sterope. 19 Prevailed over Tegla the temptress, collected and then released the lifestone of Celaeno. 19 Prevailed over Erov the druid, collected and then released the lifestone of Merope. 19 Prevailed over Bledri the necromancer, collected and then released the lifestone of Alcyone. 19 Prevailed over Rataga the assassin, collected and then released the lifestone of Electra. 19 Prevailed over Lilin the warrioress, collected and then released the lifestone of Maia. 19 Showed a devil ray who the true devil was. 19 Beheaded some hornets to collect a bounty on their heads. 18 Delivered a map and accepted the quest to retrieve the seven lifestones. 18 Spoke to the Naphtali commander on behalf of the ranger Taros. 18 Completed a few tasks given by the ranger in Naphtali. 17 Reported to the captain of the Naphtali guard of the defeat of Qoorik. 16 Discovered the fate of a young lady's missing uncle. 17 Found and brought down the demon city of Qoorik. 15 Broke the curse on the Haunted Highway 14 Found new questions to the mystery of what happened to New Thalos. 14 Slew Roch'tar, master of the catacombs 16 Verified the rumors threatening Naphtali 13 Freed the spirit of King Rathborne 16 Hewed the head from the orc chieftain as a warning to the rest of his kind. 16 Brought a farmer's daughter home to rest. 17 Proved to be a real treasure hunter by discovering all the secrets of the minotaurs maze. 16 Informed the proper authorities of the demise of a missing man. 16 Skillfully navigated the maze of the black minotaur and laid claim to his prize possessions. 15 Spent some time as a page to the Earl Montebac. 16 Returned Ardin's remains to his wife, Edna. 15 Soothed a mother's soul by helping cure her sick son. 15 Sought out the barkeep for more information. 15 Freed a druid from imprisonment in the underground city of Runn-Khal. 14 Scouted out the abandoned mines in the Kordwood for a bronzesmith. 14 Secured the master vampire's rule by slaying a would-be vampire lord 14 Investigated the mysterious attack on the gnomes. 15 Made an unexpected profit on some winter wolf hair. 12 Solved the curse of the haunted hills and reported to the Hierophant. 12 Broke the curse on the Haunted Hills 9 Recovered and restored the champion's helm. 16 Collected some black ore for a bronzesmith in Naphtali. 12 Delivered a letter to the bronzesmith. 12 Braved the Forgotten Muskeg to collect a special ingredient for an alchemist. 12 Uncovered the mystery of the Forgotten Muskeg. 9 Snuffed out the mole king and rescued the Mayor's wife. 9 Extricated the Gnomian slaves from the caves of the moles. 9 Delivered a package to the Lady Angelia. 8 Helped to cure a sick child. 11 Routed the necromantic cult from the interior of Ancalador. 9 Reported to Mayor Widgetbottom in Gnomian. 8 Culled the spider infestation in the old Indira forest. 8 Vanquished the rat king and put an end to its machinations. 7 Parlayed a deal between the demons and the gnomes to get the mines operating again. 7 Vanquished the foul Nekker of the Blue Marshes. 7 Delivered an important package from the mayor of Hildabrad to Vemarken. 7 Became an honorary member of the village of Hildabrad. 7 Helped Joann to find her name tag. 7 Helped the town shaman to get rid of a bully. 7 Put a big fat rat on a diet, permanently! 7 Found the key to the donation box. 6 Brought Dinger a bag of goodies. 5 Exposed the cult of Kenai near Vemarken 5 Gathered a few items for an apothecary in Vemarken. 5 Solved the riddle of the foaming fountain. 5 Helped the local merchants of Sloe deliver crucial shipments. 6 "Took care" of Ol' Blue. 6 Helped to make some important deliveries between Vemarken and Indira. 5 Chatted up the Mayor of Vemarken on behalf of the general storekeeper. 4 Made it to Pellam and broke the blockade 3 Freed the graveyard from the Vampiress 2 Brought the sunlight staff back to the encampment. 2 Found some peppergrass leaves. 2 Brought food for the hibernating bear. 0 Defeated the Carver Shaman in mortal combat! 0 Discovered an ambush party! Level Legacy Quests --------------------------------- 35 Reconciled Linlin and Noony's love with their respective villages 33 Smashed the bandit ring terrorizing the Alter Aeon anniversary of 2018. 32 Demonstrated the law of the Wayfarers to a bunch of Combine deserters. 31 Turned the tables on the bandits and raided them for a change. 30 Was awarded a symbol of the Wayfarers' esteem. 30 Failed to ambush the bandits at Red Dell, but triumphed anyway! 30 Almost, but didn't quite, capture the bandit leader! 29 Found correspondence giving clues to who is behind the bandit raids. 29 Became a full member of the Guild of Wayfarers 32 Helped to thwart the bandit raids during the Alter Aeon Anniversary of 2018 36 Successfully faced all the challenges of both Baron brothers. 35 Victoriously faced and defeated all the challenges of the Snow Baron. 35 Slapped around the mighty Harry Flames till he gave up his crown. 34 Helped the elves to collect more items as a favor for the Snow Baron. 34 Boldly faced Kurthag-Zill, the brimstone dwarf chieftain and was victorious. 34 Gathered different items needed to make the winterberry punch. 33 Spanked the Inferno Queen in one on one combat. 32 Helped the elves to collect various items as a favor for the Snow Baron. 31 Bested Mikitarvis the fire king in one on one combat. 28 Chose the way of the Snow Baron. 35 Victoriously faced and defeated all the challenges of the Flame Baron. 34 Slapped around old Jack Frost till he gave up his crown. 34 Helped the elves to collect more items as a favor for the Flame Baron. 31 Helped the elves to restock the EPDS supply of presents. 34 Boldly faced Vazgore, chief of the glacier dwarves and was victorious. 34 Gathered various items needed to make the winterberry punch. 34 Spanked the Snow Queen in one on one combat. 33 Helped the elves to collect various items as a favor for the Flame Baron. 33 Met Kilzann the ice king in one on one combat and was victorious. 30 Helped Frosty with a little cosmetic reconstruction 29 Chose the way of the Flame Baron. 21 Hunted the world for the proper present. 18 I was blessed by an elf during the winter solstice of 2017. 30 While exploring during the winter solstice of 2017, I found a present, and kept it! Time of last save: Mon Aug 6 22:40:00 2018 This page has been referenced 1260 times since last boot.

Boston News reported this week on advances in sports equipment design and manufacture that many are hoping will limit the total amount of concussions and serious traumatic brain injuries. Considering there is a growing number of young athletes who are avoiding certain sports over these risks, our Chicago brain injury lawyers appreciate that significant safety improvements are needed to ensure the games remain safe and open to more and more future players. Most focus is on soccer and football–the two sports that produce the most concussions in the U.S. Hockey is also a contact sports that comes with severe head injury risks, but fewer American children, adolescents, and teens play that game. Expectedly, changes in helmet and headgear design are gaining the most attention. Soccer players traditionally do not wear any headgear when playing, but that may change. The article shares the story of one high school player who is promoting the use of headgear after suffering a concussion during a game last year. She notes that the gear is still very lightweight and does not interfere with the game–headers can still be taken with it on. Yet, some experts have questioned whether the headgear for soccer players is actually effective. The clinical director of one sport’s concussion group noted of the soccer headgear, “we don’t have clear evidence it’s going to prevent concussions, but it might help as long as by putting it on, a player doesn’t feel more invulnerable and play more aggressively.” Conversely another medical director compared the headgear to shin guards, claiming that they prevent injury and will not adversely affect the game. When it comes to football, helmet manufacturers are working to incorporate new technology to limit traumatic brain injuries. Perhaps most noteworthy are advances in use of air-filled liners that may minimize head movement following a hit. Some new helmets use “air-cell shock absorbers.” The idea is that when a player is hit in the game, air is forced out through a small hole in the liner, this minimizes the sudden head movement and, ultimately lessen the severity of brain trauma. Other advances include flexible face masks to help in front hits. Computerized attachments are found in others which estimates the “seriousness” of the hit. This data, often referred to as a “shockbox” is then transmitted to observers–like a trainer or coach–who can take action, if necessary, to ensure the player gets proper rest afterwards. Mouth guards are also attracting some attention, and some argue that they can play a role in minimizing concussions. Proponents of this idea claim that a blow to the jaw radiates into the brain. Improved mouthguard use, therefore, may lessen the underlying trauma to the brain following a significant hit. There are no easy answers when it comes to deciding what sports to play (or let your children play). At the end of the day, our Illinois brain injury attorneys know that, not matter what decision is made, it is important to be informed about the risks, preventative measures, and way to deal with concerns about injury. See Our Related Blog Posts:

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Latin America: A young market going places The wall of new institutional pensions money is having its effect on Argentinian equity prices, which have moved up smartly over the last year and show every promise of continuing in this vein. The pensions revolution has brought an equity consciousness. Four or five years ago, foreign money was the most important factor driving the market. But now the new local institutional money coming into market has overwhelmed this by a factor of two or three times and this looks set to continue. With pension funds advertising their past year's market yields widely in order to attract pensions money - the marketplace has become very performance oriented. Pensions investors are being told they can achieve 20% and more on an annual basis. A key question in all of this is where can the money go except into the domestic equity market. Bonds no longer yield the 15% to 17% annually they once did. Having come down to the 9% range, the prospect of any serious further appreciation is not on. In fact should the rates come down to to say 7.5%, which is certainly possible, the effect will only be to cause a further burst of money to go into the equity markets. The ability to use outside markets with pensions money is seriously curtailed, as only a limited proportion can be invested abroad. The net result is that equities is the only available route and the money flows are all likely to go this way so there will continue to be a lot of pressure on the local market. The economy is recovering from a deep recession. So from a fundamental point of view, the growth outlook for the economy is very favourable, with a 4.5% to 5% GDP rise predicted for this year. A problem for investors, is the dominance of utility stocks, ac-counting for 70% of the traded market capitalisation. The question is whether these will have a greater or lesser elasticity than GDPgrowth, as buying equities with a mere 3%,5% or 7% annualised rate of growth, as such growth rates will not prove much of an attraction. But on fundamental measures, the stock market is not yet expensive. In price-to-book terms, an average of 1.5 to 1.7 is not that high, nor is 13.5 to 16.5 for price earnings ratios, and it is less than 10 in price to cash flow. It is a young stock market with some way yet to go. And it is in a region where the outlook is good for equities overall. Tom Deane is managing director finance department, Banco Fran-ces del Rio de la Plata, Buenos Aires

A coalition of countries battling Islamic State jihadists in Syria and Iraq pledged Wednesday to pour more resources into the fight, after coming under strong pressure from Washington for greater contributions. The promise came after a meeting in Stuttgart of defence ministers from countries involved in the anti-IS coalition, during which US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter drove home the message that to deal IS a body blow, "all must do more". Carter's call to step up the fight came a week after US President Barack Obama reiterated a long-standing demand for members of NATO to increase their defence spending to meet the alliance's target of two percent of output. In a joint statement, the coalition stressed their "strong support ... for the deployment of additional enabling capabilities in the near term, in order to hasten the collapse of ISIL's control" over the city of Mosul in Iraq and Syria's Raqqa. Speaking after the talks with counterparts from Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Spain, Carter said he was "confident that today's meeting will produce additional military commitments". Besides military resources, defence ministers meeting at the US European Command's headquarters also examined their economic and political contributions to the campaign, he said. "It's going to take more to win. We're going to win but we all need to do more," Carter told reporters. "This fight is far from over and there are great risks," he said. But "allowing ISIL safe haven would carry even greater risk. To accelerate ISIL's lasting defeat, all must do more," he said, using another acronym for the Islamic State group. Carter also said he hoped that NATO as an organisation could join the coalition, particularly in the area of logistics coordination. The defence secretary also pointed to "the NATO AWACS issue", in reference to surveillance aircraft of the alliance's members. As a first step, NATO had agreed to deploy such surveillance aircraft, in order to allow the US to free up its planes for operations in Iraq and Syria. But a diplomatic source said Washington is hoping to go a step further in getting NATO on board to fly such AWACS surveillance aircraft over Syrian and Iraqi airspace. Carter also paid tribute to a US Navy SEAL who was killed in Iraq on Tuesday during an IS attack on a position of Kurdish peshmerga forces north of Mosul. "The whole country has to be grateful to this young man and his family for this sacrifice. But tragically losses will occur. "This is necessary to protect our country and not to do something would entail even greater risks," he said. Carter said he had proposed that the anti-IS coalition hold another meeting in Washington this summer. Copyright (2016) AFP. All rights reserved. This article was from Agence France Presse and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.