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ALLENDALE — Grand Valley State University became the only university in the state and one of 45 in the country to receive gold status after completing a sustainability program developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System is designed to help gauge the progress of colleges and universities toward sustainability in all sectors. Grand Valley joins universities such as Arizona State, Stanford and Cornell as a gold STARS institution. Of the 241 schools that received a ranking nationwide, Grand Valley's average score was higher than the national score. The assessment included 1,000 questions and compared campus operations from 2005-2012. STARS includes four categories: education and research, operations, innovation and planning, and administration and engagement.
This is the second time Grand Valley has participated in the STARS program. In 2011, the university received silver status and in 2008, Grand Valley was selected as one of 90 universities in the U.S. to participate in the pilot phase of the STARS rating system.
Bart Bartels, campus sustainability manager for the Sustainable Community Development Initiative, said Grand Valley's scores went up in most categories, especially in areas of operations, innovation and planning. The university also scored well in the sub-categories of interdisciplinary research, environment, and diversity and affordability.
Since the last STARS submission, the university has made improvements in areas of composting and recycling, and has added educational and innovative programs such as a student-led Green Team and Eco Reps program, and the Sustainable Ambassador Program for offices and departments. The university also made the transition from organizing a sustainability week to a yearlong campus celebration and expanded the Sustainable Agriculture Project. Additional efforts include installing several electric vehicle charging stations on campus, purchasing more locally grown produce, increasing the use of virtual meeting platforms such as ooVoo, and introducing a bike- and car-sharing program.
"We've gone from sustainability being a strategy to a value of the university," said Grand Valley President Thomas J. Haas. "It takes hard work and collaboration to achieve this accomplishment, and it's a great statement in showing how we're making a difference in the community."
The rating system includes bronze, silver, gold and platinum statuses, but no institution has reached platinum status, said Bartels.
"We hope to get there in the next few years," he said.
The full report can be viewed by searching "Grand Valley" at www.stars.aashe.org/institutions. Watch a video about sustainabilty at Grand Valley at http://youtu.be/hReYULfUoTM.


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Sometimes to fix things right, you just gotta go back to the beginning. Such is the case with our subject '55. After unearthing some old (we're talking Lyndon Johnson–era old!) repairs on the driver-side quarter-panel, combined with some not quite right modern repairs on the passenger side, the rear half of our sport coupe was not in good shape.
After Tri-Five expert Greg Lovell of Antivenom Performance in Seffner, Florida, and automotive paint guru Raleigh Carpenter of RC Customz in Pinellas Park, Florida, both looked at this '55 and said, "You need to replace the whole quarters," we knew there was no denying the reality of the situation. We needed more than skins or lower halves. To fix our hardtop, we needed the same thing the factory used back when the car was built by Fisher Body, a factory full quarter-panel.
Thankfully, we live in a fantastic time, one when every single piece of metal (short of the dash) is being reproduced, so completely new '55, '56 and '57 Chevys can be built from scratch at Real Deal Steel in Sanford, Florida. The side benefit of this is previously unavailable parts for restoring original Tri-Fives are now available for purchase. In our case, that meant we could get factory full quarters to put our '55 back into shape and ready for final blasting, then priming for bodywork and the paint booth.
After talking to Real Deal's Joe Whitaker, we headed for Sanford, where we picked up passenger-side (PN QP13-55ROE) and driver-side (PN QP13-55LOE) quarters. Both panels come clean, with no trim holes drilled, so we'll cover how to add those in a later story. These panels are fantastic, and we'll point out how in the accompanying pictures.
So, let's get to it!
1. With the quarters off, we'll have access to areas of the car that haven't seen daylight since going down the St. Louis assembly line in 1955. To clean them of corrosion and seal them against future rust, we'll be using Eastwood's assortment of rust treatment/prevention products.
2. Another handy item to have for this operation will be a good wire brush—better yet, an assortment of different size ones. We picked up a bag of them at our local Harbor Freight store for less than five bucks.
3. To make the job easier, we cut away the central sections of our old quarter to make it easier for drilling out the spot-welded parts. Then we started by breaking out our trusty Eastwood skip-proof spot-weld driller (PN 11283), and going to work on all the old spot welds.
4. With the welds drilled, we used a screwdriver and hammer to split the metal apart.
5. The seam between the quarter- and filler panel was filled with lead from the factory. We'd already melted the lead out of this joint. Since we'll be replacing the filler panel in a later story, we used a cutoff wheel here to get better access to splitting off the old quarter-panel flange.
6. Most unrestored Tri-Fives have multiple layers of paint in the doorjambs. To make finding the spot welds around the jamb area easier, we used a MAP gas torch to melt away the old paint.
7. With the car's original coral paint showing again, we drilled out the spot welds, then split the rest of the quarter from the jamb reinforcement.
8. Next, we moved to the trunk area and split away the gutter area around the trunk opening.
9. With the old quarter completely removed, we scrubbed the inner quarter with a heavy wire brush, then treated it with Eastwood's Fast Etch rust remover. It eliminates rust while leaving behind a zinc phosphate coating as it dries. After that, we used Eastwood's zinc-rich galvanizing compound to prevent any further corrosion.
10. Before setting the new quarter in place, we installed a new outer wheelhouse seal, which goes between the house and the quarter.
11. After setting the Real Deal Steel quarter in place, we used clamps and the old door latch assembly to hold the panel in place up front, plus other clamps around the rear flanges.
12. The Real Deal Steel factory quarter-panel fit like a glove. The trunk gutters were a perfect match to the originals on the car, the doorjamb slid easily into place, and we swore the thickness of the metal was a heavier gauge than the original we removed. The quality was exceptional.
13. With the panel clamped securely in place, we double-checked the alignment, then started welding up by the roof brace. We used our Eastwood MIG Spot Weld Kit (PN 13901) to attach our new quarter. The special tip that comes in the kit allows you to simulate factory spot welds and works with any MIG welder.
14. From there, we moved down into the trunk gutter.
15. After the gutter, we moved up to the doorjamb. If you have rust or accident damage to the brace or inner structure, Real Deal Steel also sells replacement panels to fix this. The part number for the passenger side brace is HCDJPR-567, driver side HCDJPL-567.
16. Going underneath, we spot-welded the quarter to the inner rocker. We didn't fully spot-weld down here because we might need to adjust the inner rocker that had already been replaced before.
17. The last part is welding where the quarter meets the rear inner fin panel. Originally, there would've only been some spot welds on the inner flange to hold these together, then the seam was filled with lead and covered over. We don't like the idea of loading that much filler into the body, so the talented Greg Lovell of Antivenom Performance welded the two pieces together along the seam. After welding, he ground down the welds on the seam and smoothed them out.
18. And here's what we've got. This entire part of the car is now brand new, no filler, no patches, and rust free. Our '55 is finally starting to look like a car again. The Real Deal Steel factory quarter really impressed us with its quality, fit, and relative ease of installation. In the future, we'll cover how to drill the proper holes to attach the Bel Air/210 trim on cars so equipped.

subset: commoncrawl


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn says the death of a 3-year-old girl who apparently crawled inside a beanbag chair was an accident.
Ginn had said after Mia Kylee Mills Simmerman was found inside the beanbag in September that she died of asphyxia or suffocation. The Lexington Herald-Leader says Ginn said Monday that the death was an accident.
The girl, who was the youngest grandchild of state Rep. Terry Mills of Lebanon, died Sept. 12. He said at the time she may have climbed inside the beanbag during a game of hide and seek.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said in 1995 there had been five deaths from suffocation and at least 27 injuries caused by zipper beanbag chairs, and manufacturers recalled millions of beanbags.
Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Boyertown came out of hibernation recently, taking a chance to wake up in the streets and welcoming spring.
Boyertown�s Coming Out of Hibernation, an event full of family activities, was held on Saturday, April 20, on E. Philadelphia Avenue between Washington and Chestnut Streets.
Zumba demonstrations were conducted in the street as community members made their way to the various vendors. Weis Markets was also on site hosting a grocery contest and the Boyertown Area Historical Society�s Belsnickel made an appearence to greet kids.
Activities included face painting table, hair braiding by Joseph�s Hair Salon, carnival games, moon bounce, interactive activities, entertainment, refreshments, including The Sunflower Truck Stop � Mobile Cafe, the Boyertown Farmers market and so much more throughout the afternoon.
A Chili Cook-off contest was held at The Other Farm Brewing Company. Community members were invited to cast their vote in the Chili Cook-off contest and pick their favorite tree photo sponsored by the BBB Tree Committee, all located in The Other Farm Brewing Company. This year was the biggest event yet, hosting nine (9) different chili recipes to taste and compare.
East Philadelphia Avenue was closed from Chestnut Street to Washington Street on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for this event.
For more information about this event and other Boyertown activities please visit www.boyertownpa.org or contact Adrianne Blank, Building a Better Boyertown, Main Street Manager, at 610-369-3054 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
If you�d like to volunteer or participate in future events in downtown Boyertown call 610-369-3054. BBB is a non-profit Main Street Revitalization Organization that is dedicated solely to the revitalization of the designated Downtown Boyertown community. We provide Outreach, Business Retention Assistance, Business Recruitment for vacant properties, Visual
Merchandising Assistance, Fa�ade Grant Assistance, Promotional Activities and Events, and more, per the National Main Street�s Four Point Approach to communities. BBB is a strong advocate for the Boyertown Community initiative and is active in many strategic partnerships which promote revitalization and reinvestment in the community.


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UH Astronomer, Team Use Gravitational Lensing to Weigh 70 GalaxiesUniversity of Hawaiʻi
Beatrice Watson Parrent Postdoctoral Fellow
Mrs. Karen Rehbock, 1-808-956-6829
Assistant to the Director
An international team of astronomers, including Dr. Adam S. Bolton of the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy, has recently announced a finding that helps to settle a long-standing debate over the relationship between mass (the amount of matter) and luminosity (brightness) in galaxies.
The team achieved this result by compiling the largest-ever single collection of "gravitational lens" galaxies70 in all. A gravitational lens is a phenomenon similar to a terrestrial mirage, but it occurs on a scale of many thousands of light-years. When two galaxies happen to be precisely aligned with one another in the sky, the gravitational field of the nearer galaxy distorts the image of the more distant galaxy into multiple arc-shaped images or even into a complete ring, known as an "Einstein ring." These Einstein ring images can be up to 30 times brighter than the image of the distant galaxy would be in the absence of the lensing effect.
The discovery represents the culmination of the Sloan Lens ACS (or SLACS) Survey. The gravitational lenses were originally identified using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a major project that has used a dedicated 2.5-meter telescope in New Mexico to measure precise distances to nearly one million distant galaxies and quasars throughout one quarter of the sky. To observe and measure the details of the Einstein ring images, the SLACS astronomers then took advantage of the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope, which delivers pictures of unparalleled sharpness.
"The SLACS collection of lenses is especially powerful for science," said Bolton, lead author of two papers describing these latest results, which will be published in the Astrophysical Journal in August and September. "For each lens, we measured the apparent sizes of the Einstein rings on the sky using the Hubble images, and we measured the distances to the two galaxies of the aligned pair using Sloan data. By combining these measurements, we were able to deduce the mass of the nearer galaxy."
In other lens surveys of this scale, distances to the lens and background galaxiesand hence the lens galaxy masseshave not been measured precisely.
By considering these galaxy masses along with measurements of their sizes, brightnesses, and stellar velocities, the SLACS astronomers were able to infer the presence of "dark matter" in addition to the visible stars within the galaxies. Dark matter is the mysterious, unseeable material that is the majority of matter in the universe. And with such a large number of lens galaxies across a range of masses, they found that the fraction of dark matter relative to stars increases systematically when going from galaxies of average mass to galaxies of high mass.
The existence of gravitational lenses was first predicted by Albert Einstein in the 1930s, but the first example was not discovered until the late 1970s. In the 30 years since then, many more lenses have been discovered, but their scientific potential has been limited by the disparate assortment of known examples. The SLACS Survey has significantly changed this situation by discovering a single large and uniformly selected sample of strong lens galaxies. The SLACS collection promises to form the basis of many further scientific studies.
Other members of the SLACS collaboration are Dr. L.V.E. Koopmans (Kapteyn Instituut, Groningen, The Netherlands), Prof. Tommaso Treu (University of California, Santa Barbara), Dr. Raphael Gavazzi (Institut d'astrophysique de Paris), Dr. Leonidas A. Moustakas (JPL/Caltech), and Dr. Scott Burles (MIT).
For more information, please visit the following Web sites:
SLACS Survey: http://www.slacs.org
Sloan Digital Sky Survey: http://www.sdss.org
Hubble Space Telescope: http://hubblesite.org
Preprints: http://arxiv.org/abs/0805.1931 and
Figure captions:
Figure 1: The larger panel shows the Hubble Space Telescope image of one of the SLACS gravitational lenses, with the lensed background galaxy enhanced in blue. The size of the image on the sky is 6 arcseconds square, or about 300 times smaller than the full moon. The smaller right-hand panels show the components of a model of this image: top, a model for how the more distant background galaxy would appear in the absence of the lensing effect; center, a smooth model for the brightness of the more nearby massive galaxy; bottom, the appearance of the background galaxy when its image is distorted by the gravity of the nearer galaxy. Credit: A. Bolton (UH/IfA) for SLACS and NASA/ESA.
Figure 2: A color-enhanced mosaic of Hubble Space Telescope images of 60 gravitational-lens galaxies discovered by the SLACS survey. In each case, the massive foreground galaxy is seen in yellow to red, and the distorted features of the more distant background galaxy are seen in blue. The images are arranged from upper left in order of increasing distance of the foreground galaxy from Earth. Credit: A. Bolton (UH/IfA) for SLACS and NASA/ESA.
Figure 3. Adam Bolton. Photo by M. L. Bolton.
Animation: An animation of the gravitational-lensing effect based on Hubble Space Telescope images of one of the SLACS objects. Credit: A. Bolton (UH/IfA) for SLACS and NASA/ESA.
Founded in 1967, the Institute for Astronomy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa conducts research into galaxies, cosmology, stars, planets, and the sun. Its faculty and staff are also involved in astronomy education, deep space missions, and in the development and management of the observatories on Haleakala and Mauna Kea.
Established in 1907 and fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the University of Hawaii is the state's sole public system of higher education. The UH System provides an array of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees and community programs on 10 campuses and through educational, training, and research centers across the state. UH enrolls more than 50,000 students from Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, and around the world.
Funding for the SDSS and SDSS-II has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Participating Institutions, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Japanese Monbukagakusho, the Max Planck Society, and the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
This work was based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. Support was provided by NASA through grants from STScI.
For more information, visit: http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/Bolton7-08/


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Tourism–Stonebridge Park, Fayetteville
Stonebridge Park, to the south of downtown, is Fayetteville's newest park.
A stone bridge across the canal is representative of the famous Stone Bridge that once spanned the Elk River in Fayetteville. Large stone cut rock from the original stone bridge form a man-made waterfall.
The Stonebridge Park also features a visitor's center and a log cabin from the 1700's, as well as two pavilions and a walking track.


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I am working with this angle as shown: http://www.csgnetwork.com/righttri.gif and using this calculator as a check: http://www.csgnetwork.com/righttricalc.html
I have the following:
A 49.25 degrees
B 40.75 degrees
C 90 degrees
b 204.8ft
Please forgive me but it's been a very long time since I've done trig. I've been looking online everywhere and cannot find an answer for dummies. I am using protractor degrees and I'm not sure if they are referred to degrees or radiants so sorry. I need to find the length of a and c and put this into Excel. I thought I had this figured out but when I went to plot out the shapes on graphing paper everything came out wrong. HELP PLEASE!!! THANKS!!


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Please join KLRU's Overheard with Evan Smith for an interview with Fred Armisen
Date: March 12
Time: 12:15pm (Doors open at 11:45am)
Location: KLRU's Studio 6A (map).
RSVP: The event is free but an RSVP is required. RSVP now
Comedian, writer and musician Fred Armisen is perhaps best known for his role on Saturday Night Live, now performing in his ninth season. He famously played then-Senator Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. Armisen also stars in, and writes, Portlandia, a show he created on IFC with co-star Carrie Brownstein. Armisen began his career as a musician in Chicago-based punk band Trenchmouth. He added comedy to his resume in 1998, posing as a music journalist in the underground short film "Fred Armisen's Guide to Music and SXSW." Armisen is in town for SXSW Comedy.
We hope you'll be there as Overheard with Evan Smith continues its third season of great conversation with fascinating people, always on the news and always with a sense of humor. The show features in-depth interviews with a mix of guests from politics, the arts, literature, journalism, business, sports and more, and reaches PBS viewers from California to Florida. We'd love to see you in the studio for the interview, and for a chance to join the audience Q&A after the interview.


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One man's path to the PTA ...
Saxby Chambliss says he's retiring from the United States Senate.
Congressman Jack Kingston announces he will run for Chambliss' Senate seat, opening up his spot in the House of Representatives.
State Sen. Buddy Carter calls dibs on Kingston's office.
State Rep. Ben Watson claims Carter's job.
Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman proclaims he'll seek Watson's post.
Savannah Alderman Tony Thomas moves to Tybee, preps a mayoral run and starts cozying up to Kingston and Carter with an eye toward strong-arming the National Parks Service into turning Fort Pulaski into a cruise ship terminal.
Former Savannah City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney, freshly dismissed from her post as Fayetteville, N.C.'s deputy city manager, moves to Tybee and mounts her own mayoral campaign out of spite for Thomas.
Savannah Aldermen John Hall, Mary Osborne and Estella Shabazz resign, move to Tybee and announce they will run for Tybee Council in support of Small-Toney.
Former City Hall reporter Lesley Conn returns to the Savannah Morning News, is assigned the Tybee beat and starts emailing Open Records Act requests.
Tybee residents panic, list their homes for sale and plan to move - en masse - to Daufuskie Island.
Orange Crush participants announce, via social media, Daufuskie Island as their 2014 party venue.
Savannah Mayor Edna Jackson tries to sweet talk Chambliss into staying on in the Senate in hopes of reversing all the fallout. She fails (inexplicably). Undaunted, she decides to run against Carter, himself a former mayor. Jackson resigns the city's top post in order to focus on the congressional run.
Savannah Mayor Pro Tem Van Johnson is promoted to Jackson's office.
Downtown activist Artis Wood, a mainstay during the public comment sessions during City Council meetings, moves to the dais by winning Johnson's seat in a special election.
Also joining council via emergency vote are now former Chatham County commissioners Yusuf Shabazz, taking his wife Estella's chair, and Lori Brady, claiming victory in Thomas' former district.
Brady's campaign platform includes the construction of the new civic center next to Windsor Forest High School.
The other open alderman posts - Osborne's and Hall's - are filled by familiar former politicians new to those districts, Pete Liakakis and Eric Johnson.
Liakakis, former county chairman, pledges to give long speeches at the ribbon cutting of every lemonade stand while he's in office. He secretly considers a future mayoral run and researches ways to get the post's term limit provision removed.
Johnson, a 2010 gubernatorial candidate and former state senate leader, is more subdued in victory but happy to return to public service. The public is equally overjoyed to have Johnson back in office.
Sheriff Al St Lawrence, tired of fighting the county commission for jail funds, wins one of the vacant commission seats. Former Mayor Floyd Adams, another good politician without a title, claims the other.
Savannah Police Chief Willie Lovett announces he'll pursue St Lawrence's job. Word is he prefers the khaki color of the sheriff's uniform to metro blue. Former District Attorney Larry Chisolm applies for Lovett's job, figuring he's the perfect man to be charged with collecting criminal evidence.
Current DA Meg Heap, unwilling to work with Chisolm and intent on getting into position to fire him should be become police chief, moves to Savannah and announces she will run against Van Johnson in the next mayoral election.
Islands school board rep Shawn Kachmar proclaims his candidacy for district attorney. He is an employment and business lawyer, not a prosecutor, but he needs to become DA for this chain to work.
Kristin Detwiler, May Howard Elementary School PTA superstar, decides to seek Kachmar's seat on the school board.
Adam Van Brimmer, glutton for punishment, worms his way into position to take over Detwiler's PTA officer spot, sans the "superstar" label. His wife composes an email to Sen. Chambliss that reads, "I respectfully request you reconsider your resignation for the sake of the children of May Howard ..."
(For the record, everything beyond the fifth paragraph - where Watson "claims Carter's job" - is hypothetical and meant as satire).
Adam Van Brimmer's column appears each Monday. He blogs several days a week at www.savannahnow.com and also is a social media regular @avanbrimmer on Twitter and Daddy Warbucks on Facebook.


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The Weekend is Just Around the Corner! What Will You See?
The Weekend is Just Around the Corner! What Will You See?
"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" arrives in theaters on Friday, November 22. The sequel to "The Hunger Games" (2012) sees Jennifer Lawrence returning to her role as Katniss Everdeen, the unexpected hero from District 12. After their controversial and astonishing win during the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta have become celebrities. They realize they can never return to their quiet lives again. President Snow makes a shocking announcement that throws Katniss back into the fray. As they prepare, Katniss notices that discontent is building behind the scenes in other districts. Francis Lawrence directs. "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" has a PG-13 rating for intense sequences of violence and action, frightening images, thematic elements, language, and a suggestive situation.
"Delivery Man" is a new comedy from director Ken Scott. When underachieving David hits hard times, he opts for easy solutions. Two decades ago, David earned extra cash by donating to a sperm bank. Now, his past is coming back to haunt him in a big way. David has over 500 children, and most of them want to find out who their father is. The film's PG-13 rating is due to thematic elements, mature content, drug material, brief violence, and language.
"Philomena" opens in select theaters on November 22 before its wide release on November 27. The drama stars Steve Coogan as Martin Sixsmith, a cynical journalist whose career is on the rocks. He hears about a human interest story involving a woman's search for her long-lost son. After her child went to another home, Philomena has always hoped to trace her child's life story. As Martin investigates the complex legacy, he ends up seeing the world in a different way. The PG-13 rating is due to thematic elements, mature references, and strong language. Stephen Frears directs.
"Bettie Page Reveals All" is director Mark Mori's exploration of one of history's most iconic pin-up models. As a young woman, Bettie Page refused to toe the line. She expressed herself through titillating images that revolutionized the country's attitude towards art and censorship. In this film, Page recounts insights and anecdotes that trace her world-changing career. The documentary's R rating is due to graphic nudity and mature content throughout.
Innovative director Michael Gondry directs "Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy?" The documentary features Gondry and philosopher Noam Chomsky. Chomsky and Gondry hold conversations about some of life's important questions, rendered in hand-drawn animation. Gondry is famous for his intelligent films, including "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004). Chomsky's work with linguistics is revolutionary. This creative collaboration explores the very roots of language, which in turn sheds light on aspects of the human condition. The film is not rated.
Continuing Films
"Thor: The Dark World" stars Chris Hemsworth. In the past, the Asgardians defeated the Dark Elves, narrowly averting a disaster that would have had universal consequences. Unknown to the Asgardians, the threat is still present. When Dr. Jane Foster stumbles into the middle of the battle, it's up to Thor to save her. The movie's PG-13 rating is due to suggestive content and intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence. Alan Taylor directs.
"The Best Man Holiday" is a sequel to "The Best Man" (1999), directed by Malcolm D. Lee. Years may have passed since Harper and his friends have been in touch, but all this is about to change. When the whole group reunites around the holiday season, their interactions will lead to tears, laughter, and revelations. The movie's R rating is due to nudity, language, and mature content.
In "Last Vegas," four lifelong friends learn how to have fun in their golden years. Billy is finally getting married, and he wants his three closest friends to gather in Las Vegas and commemorate the occasion. As the four friends hit the casinos and the bars, they realize just how little has changed. The movie has a PG-13 rating for mature content and language. Jon Turteltaub directs.
"Free Birds" shows one turkey's quest to change history and improve life for his feathered friends. After accessing a time machine, Jake plans to go back to the earliest days of America and convince the Pilgrims to leave turkeys out of their yearly feast. He needs the help of neurotic Reggie. The animated film has a PG rating for rude humor, action, and peril. Jimmy Hayward directs.
"Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa" follows a hidden-camera format, capturing the hilarious reactions to the exploits of an eccentric grandpa and his young grandson. As Irving and Billy travel across the country, they'll leave a trail of mischief and mayhem, whether they're crashing beauty pageants or dropping by strangers' weddings. The movie has an R rating for strong crude and mature content, nudity, drug use, and language. Jeff Tremaine directs the comedy.


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Nov. 25, 2009
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - UC Santa Barbara junior goalkeeper Sam Hayden is currently in the running for the Soccer News Net Player of the Year Award and he needs votes from the Gaucho faithful.
Hayden, who has led a dynamic UCSB defense this year, has already set school records in his first season in the blue and gold. Already named the Big West Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, Hayden has posted a school and Big West record 16 shutouts this season. The transfer from Yavapai College also tallied a new UCSB record of 595:16 consecutive minutes between the pipes without a goal.
He currently averages 0.69 goals against, which ranks 18th nationally and leads the Big West Conference. His .835 saves percentage is also tops in the conference and ranks 22nd nationally.
To vote for Hayden for Soccer News Net Player of the Year, click here. You are allowed to vote multiple times and the online voting will account for 40% of the total toward the award. The remaining 60% of the vote will be cast by the editorial staff.
UCSB will continue NCAA Tournament action this weekend in the Third Round. The Gauchos will travel to UCLA and face the Bruins on Sunday at 5 p.m. in a rematch of the 2006 College Cup Final, which UCSB won, 2-1.


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W.Va.—For most of the crowd of 1,500 who took in Wednesday's
Prospect League All-Star Game, the attraction was a chance to witness
the best players in the West beat the best in the East 4-2 in an
uneventful contest, to cheer on five home team players chosen to the
East squad and watch an impressive post-game fireworks show.
those who had never seen a game at Beckley's Linda K. Epling
Stadium, the highlight of the night was clearly the ball park.
is a typical old mining town of some 17,000, buried in the mountains
of southern West Virginia, but there isn't anything typical about
the town's two-year-old baseball stadium, which sits atop a
mountain and is constructed on an old strip mine. It is also the home
for the Prospect League's appropriately-named West Virginia Miners,
the hosts for this year's all-star game.
stadium is not only unique for its breathtaking view of distant
mountains and its lavish construction, complete with a high-tech
Field Turf playing surface and other modern ball park amenities like
a large scoreboard and video screen, but for the inspiration that
went into constructing the magnificent 2,600-seat facility, one of
the showpiece facilities in all of summer-league baseball.
own Doug Epling and his entire family are the driving force behind
the Miners and their Field of Dreams, and the very idea of building
the stadium was the brainchild of Kay Epling herself. She determined
it was time for her husband, who owns three coal-mining operations in
the surrounding area and previously was the chief engineer for the
Beckley Coal Mining Company, to construct one more stadium.
Epling had already been largely responsible for the construction of
Flying Eagle Park at Beckley's Woodrow Wilson High, as well as
refurbishments to the field at nearby East Bank High, which bears his
name and serves as home field for the West Virginia Tech baseball
2007, Kay Epling, recently retired as a middle-school social studies
teacher after 21 years, told Doug it was time for one more field.
wasn't even a conversation about baseball," said Doug. "She
said she wanted us to build one more field, and let's make it a
nice one."
on the stadium that bears Kay Epling's name began in 2008 and was
completed just prior to the start of the 2010 Prospect League season,
Beckley' first foray into Organized Baseball since the town fielded
minor-league teams in the Class C Middle Atlantic League and Class D
Mountain State League from 1931-38. A local group tried to
find a way to attract a minor-league team to town in the 1990s, but
that effort sputtered and failed.
took the Epling family to put the wheels in motion and make it a
reality, and it has been a true family endeavor all the way.
facility was totally self-funded by the Eplings, at no taxpayer
expense. Not only are Doug and Kay Epling visible as co-owners of the
team, but their three sons are intricately involved, too, as are
several of their grandchildren. Kay oversees the concessions.
Epling, a former college player, minor-league umpire for six years
and coach at West Virginia Tech from 2000-08, is the team's field
manager, and essentially doubles as the team's general manager. He
also runs an indoor training facility in Beckley and served as the
head coach for the East team in the Prospect League All-Star Game.
have a passion for baseball," Epling says. "I was like a sponge
in the way I soaked up all the information I could get my hands on
when I was a player, umpire and coach, and that has given me an
opportunity to combine all those talents with what I do now."
Epling, Tim's brother, is the team's director of security and
crowd control, and also serves as a bench coach for the Miners, while
Matt Epling, a second brother, is in charge of the team's
entertainment while also masquerading as the team's popular "Miner
Mike" mascot.
Epling, the patriarch of the Epling family, isn't forthcoming when
asked how much money his family has sunk into the construction of and
subsequent additions to the immaculate facility, which contains a
unique drainage system written up in Turf Magazine, only to say "it's
several million.
we saved a lot of money, maybe as much as $2 million," Epling said,
"by doing most of the construction ourselves."
Chase, commissioner of the sprawling 14-team Prospect League, which
has franchises in seven states, stretching from Hannibal, Mo., in the
west, to Nashville, Tenn., in the south, to Beckley in the southeast,
is reluctant to say it, but it's evident in the way he describes
the Miners franchise that it is the crown jewel of his league, even
as it is some three hours from its closest neighbor.
one of the best operations in the league, no question," Chase said.
"They have a very aggressive budget, probably the best in the
league. But no one in our league strikes a better balance between the
game and the business side, and the players totally appreciate that.
only do you have a gorgeous setting here, but they've sold all
their signs and the facility is excellent. You just look at the
parking lot. You won't see any signs of paper or crushed cans. It's
obvious the pride the Epling family takes in operating their team and
their facility."
funding the construction entirely with their own resources, Doug and
Kay Epling wanted to give back to their community. They had a vision
to create a quality, wholesome experience where families and friends
can gather.
very religious family, the Eplings prohibit the selling of beer at
the facility. The outer walls of the stadium are adorned with bible
verses that Kay selected to show her
gratitude for the opportunity that she and Doug have been granted, to
be able to create a quality and unique experience for members of
their community.
are very dedicated and committed to making this a family place,"
Chase said.
crowds that typically average 800 to 1,200 fans a night, the Miners
and spanking new Linda K. Epling Stadium have become a hit in Beckley
and the surrounding area, and Doug Epling recognizes the
special addition to the Beckley community.
wanted to bring a modern baseball facility to this community," he
said. "This has become the perfect place for people to come and see
upper-level baseball."
As for
the Prospect League All-Star game itself, the West improved to 2-0-1
in the league's three-year history by scoring three times in the
fourth inning to open a 3-0 lead and were never seriously threatened.
In all, 59 players participated in the game.
Bruce Maxwell, a first baseman from NCAA Division III
Birmingham-Southern, hung around just long enough to earn game Most
Valuable Player honors. He went 2-for-2, and it was his fourth-inning
double that drove in the first run for the West. He later came around
and scored the third run of the inning.
teams paraded out 10 pitchers, and it was a late addition to the West
team, Dubois County lefthander Sean Manaea, who ended up impressing
scouts the most. Though he worked to only two hitters in the ninth,
Manaea, a rising sophomore at Indiana State, was clocked at 93 mph.
righthander Mark Sappington (Rockhurst, Mo.), the Prospect League
strikeout leader with 52 in 52 innings, came on to get the final out,
via a strikeout, and technically earned a save in the game, though he
also walked a batter.
was doubt that Sappington was going to pitch at all as he threw 147
pitches in a 5-4 win over Chillicothe three nights earlier. The
6-foot-4, 220-pound's Sappington fastball was clocked at 92 mph,
several miles an hour lower than the 96 he recorded earlier in the
third West pitcher, Terre Haute lefthander Chris Nunn (Lipscomb) also
peaked at 92, while four East pitchers, including starter Andrew
Smith (Charlotte), topped at 91.
and Quincy righthander T.J. Kendzora (San Diego State), who share the
Prospect League lead with five wins apiece, were the two starting
pitchers in the game, and ended up working to only three hitters
Gems manager Chris Martin, who was picked to lead the West team by
virtue of his team posting the league's best record on the first
half, has now won both Prospect League all-star games.
a limited opportunity to get a look at the Eastern Division teams
beforehand because of the league's geography and unbalanced
schedule, he knew what to expect of his team, but not his opponent.
only played Richmond and Chillicothe from the East, so it was hard
for me to know what we were facing," he said. "But I knew we were
good offensively. Traditionally, we have been good offensively and
(the East has) had the arms."
All-Star Games
California Collegiate and Great Lakes leagues also played all-star
games Wednesday, while the Southern Collegiate League game in Rock
Hill, S.C., was rained out.
Glendale, Calif., the American team routed the National side 14-3 in
the annual California Collegiate League All-Star Game. Eighteen
members of the powerful Santa Barbara Foresters were selected to play
in the game, with 14 on the American squad.
righthander Austin Kubitza (Rice), one of the nation's top
freshmen, started for the American squad, and made the most of his
one inning of work, striking out one while making just 10 pitches.
a really good pitcher," said Foresters manager Bill Pintard, who
coached the American squad. "He's the cream of the crop."
J.C. Aguayo (Northwestern Oklahoma State), the starter for the
Nationals, came into the game leading the CCL in almost every
statistical category for pitchers. He had also handled the powerful
Foresters in two previous league meetings, but was ineffective,
allowing a first-inning double to Santa Barbara's Michael Ratterree
(Rice), last year's all-star game MVP, who eventually scored after
an error by Aguayo.
American team ended up with 17 hits, including a two-run double and
inside-the-park home run by the Major League Academy's Andrew Allen
(Cal State Los Angeles), who entered the game as a replacement
player. Allen was selected the game's MVP.
the Great Lakes League game, played at the Great American Ball Park,
home of the Cincinnati Reds, the South beat the North 7-1. The South
scored all the runs it would need in the second inning, crossing the
plate four times. Xenia shortstop Taylor Kaprive (Palm Beach
Atlantic, Fla.) delivered the key blow in the inning, a two-run
double, and also came around to score. He was selected the game's
Most Valuable Player.
Allan Simpson will report next on Monday's Coastal Plain League
All-Star Game in Fayetteville, N.C.


text:
U.S. News
Tennessee: No Mandatory HIV Tests -- Plan Would Screen Inmates Being Freed
April 24, 2012
Adapted from:
Shelby County commissioners recently debated a plan to screen inmates for HIV prior to their release.
Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
04.20.2012; Daniel Connolly
Money Well Spent: Opt-Out Testing in Prisons Can Catch STD Cases and Save Taxpayers Money in the Long Run
This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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text:
It's a fate shared by many across the state.
"Most Michigan cities are three to five, or at most five to seven years, from insolvency," said David Hollister, former Lansing mayor. "Something has got to change."
Hollister and the Lansing Financial Health Team are hoping to bring about that change by adopting tough recommendations at their final meeting, Thursday morning.
Some focus will be on the long-term, like asking the state to change the way it handles revenue sharing and finding new ways to fund local governments.
The short term is another issue.
"We have identified $9 million that is a problem, but the city needs to invest," said Hollister.
On top of suggesting cuts to solve the $9 million deficit, the team will recommend new investments, including:
$1 million - Legacy Costs (Pensions and Health Care)
$1.2 million - IT & CIO
$1 million - Financial Reserves (Rainy Day Fund)
$200,000 - Fees & Costs
It totals about $12.4 million the city will need to come up with.
Mayor Virg Bernero says we can expect to see some of the recommendations in his budget when its released.
"No question. We're going to look at IT. They hit an area I think is one of our soft spots," he said. "Some of them, I would like to do, like the million extra dollars in reserve, but it's difficult."
Mayor Bernero expects the recommendations coming from the R.E. Olds Museum to be difficult to hear, but he wouldn't have it any other way.
"We know that doing the same thing, the same way, is not an option," he said.
Hollister agrees with him.
"You can put it off, but sooner or later, someone's going to be banging on the door saying, 'The bill is due, pay up," he said.
The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 a.m., March 14 at R.E. Olds Museum.


text:
Was running the same thought process in the Draft Forum. One thing that jumps out, as I said there... none of these teams ahead of us is likely to go WR. I'd love to see Keenan Allen as the pick for us if that happens.
For ease of speculation.
2nd round order - with 1st round pick:
#33 Jaguars (Joeckel OT)
#34 49ers (Reid S)
#35 Eagles (Johnson OT)
#36 Lions (Ansah DE)
#37 Bengals (Eifert TE)
#38 Cardinals (Cooper G)
I think it's quite possible there's a mini-run on the QBs right here with the Jags, Eagles and Cardinals all in a position to grab one. I also would not be surprised if another team tried to jump into the 49ers hole for the same purpose.
Was running the same thought process in the Draft Forum. One thing that jumps out, as I said there... none of these teams ahead of us is likely to go WR. I'd love to see Keenan Allen as the pick for us if that happens.
#33 Jaguars - QB Geno Smith or QB Matt Barkley
#34 49ers - DE Margus Hunt
#35 Eagles - TE Zach Ertz
#36 Lions - OT Manelik Wilson
#37 Bengals - RB Eddie Lacy
#38 Cardinals - DE/OLB Tank Carradine
#39 - J E T S - best defensive player on the board
#33 Jaguars - QB Ryan Nassib
#34 49ers - TE Zach Ertz
#35 Eagles - QB Geno Smith
#36 Lions - OT Menelick Watson
#37 Bengals - LB Manti Te'o
#38 Cardinals - QB Mike Glennon
#39 Jets - WR Keenan Allen or Robert Woods
#33 Jaguars (Joeckel OT)~~Geno
#34 49ers (Reid S)~~Kawann Short
#35 Eagles (Johnson OT)~~Tank
#36 Lions (Ansah DE)~~Jamar Taylor
#37 Bengals (Eifert TE)~~Lacy
#38 Cardinals (Cooper G)~~Barkeley
#39 - J E T S Keenan Allen
Lacy if he is there
I don't think Lacy will be the next RB taken.
who the hell knows... the way things have gone thus far - a trade or two certainly seems likely with some of ILBs on tap.
Barrett Jones?
Justin Hunter is my guy
#33 Jaguars (Joeckel OT) - Barkley or Geno Smith
#34 49ers (Reid S) - Zach Ertz
#35 Eagles (Johnson OT) - Geno Smith (if he's there, this is a lock) or Keenan Allen (they need this type of WR)
#36 Lions (Ansah DE) - Menelik Watson
#37 Bengals (Eifert TE) - Jon Cyprien
#38 Cardinals (Cooper G) - Terron Armstead
#39 - J E T S - Nassib or Tank Carradine
I'd be very happy with Allen - I think whoever gets him will be getting a player who is good for a very long time. Ertz would be an option too, but only if Allen and possibly Woods are gone ... not sure Ertz is as good a TE as the other guys are WR's.
If we go D, I'd be OK with Cyprien (I think safety is a need - all the CB's in the world won't help overall if our safeties suck).


text:
Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
Purchase Benefits
What is included with this book?
|p. ix
|p. xi
|p. xxvii
|Theory of Event Leadership
|Welcome to Event Leadership
|p. 3
|Models of Global Event Leadership
|p. 37
|Event Administration
|Developing and Implementing the Event Plan
|p. 71
|Event Leadership through Human Resource and Time Management
|p. 117
|Financial Administration
|p. 143
|Event Coordination
|Managing Vendor Contracts
|p. 171
|On-Site Event Production
|p. 207
|Event Marketing
|Advertising, Pubic Relations, Promotions, and Sponsorship
|p. 261
|Online and Computer-Generated Media
|p. 295
|Legal, Ethical, and Risk Management
|Risk Management: Legal and Financial Safeguards
|p. 307
|Inclusivity, Morality, Law, and Ethics in Event Leadership
|p. 333
|Technology for Professional Development
|Technology for Modern Event Leadership
|p. 355
|Career Development, Advancement, and Sustainable Success
|p. 367
|Best Practices in Event Leadership
|p. 393
|Case Studies in Twenty-First-Century Event Leadership
|p. 401
|p. 417
|Organizations and Resources
|p. 430
|Internet Sites
|p. 441
|p. 451
|APEX Resources
|p. 454
|p. 456
|Audio and Video Resources
|p. 460
|p. 462
|Sample Client Agreement
|p. 464
|Sample Vendor Agreement
|p. 467
|Sample Insurance Certificate
|p. 470
|Sample Catering Menu
|p. 472
|Sample Incident Report
|p. 474
|Sample Purchase Order
|p. 477
|Sample Event Evaluations
|p. 479
|Sample Event Survey
|p. 484
|International Special Events Society Principles of Professional Conduct and Ethics
|p. 487
|p. 489
|Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.


text:
"Great software to get me ready for the Military Competence Exam - Airplane. Excellent resources made readily available to explain questions and foster deeper understanding and general knowledge of regulations. I passed the exam within 15 minutes and scored 100%. The FAA Operations Inspector who handled my paperwork said "Geez, 100%? Maybe you put in too much time on this one." Nope, just the right amount, thank you! Completely worthwhile product."
"Your software is awesome! I studied the questions, took several practice tests (about 10 hours of work), and aced the MCA exam. I walked out of the testing room in 10 minutes and the proctor couldn't believe it - she was really shocked when I scored 100%. I didn't use anything but your software (and its links to FAA pubs) to prep for this exam. That was the best money I've spent in a while! I'll be downloading more of your excellent products as I work on getting my tickets. Keep up the great work."
"I just passed my MCI test. Your test questions were very good and I learned a lot. Great product!"
"I'm currently an Air Force KC135R pilot. Unfortunately I was unable to obtain my ratings out of SUPT unlike my classmates, however Dauntless provided me an excellent alternative to wasting a day and $200. The software is great and well worth the price! It prepared me for the MCA and all I studied was once a day for 25 minutes for 3 days and scored a 96% on my MCA. I took three 142 question tests each day (CATS mode) and by the third test I knew I was ready! I truly recommend this software for those military pilots who have yet to get their MCA!! Thanks Dauntless!!!"
The above is just a small sample of the real, unsolicited feedback from our users click here for more). Our study system works.
Military pilot? There are two ways of converting your military flying experience into an FAA pilot certificate via the Military Competence Airplane (MCA) or Military Competence Helicopter (MCH) written test.
Get the Software / App!
best way to get a feel for the software is to download it from below
it and try it out! The demo is free (and if you
decide to purchase it, the price is very reasonable.)
GroundSchool - Military Competence Airplane and Helicopter, Military Competence Instructor
PC software for MS-Windows™
GroundSchool - Military Competence Airplane and Helicopter, Military Competence Instructor
App for Mac™ laptops and desktops
GroundSchool - Military Competence Airplane and Helicopter, Military Competence Instructor
App for iPhone™ / iPad™
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App for Android™ devices
Ready to Register? buy now
Click here to order an unlock code via electronic delivery
small company greatly appreciates all registrations.
Connect with your instructor / CFI!
This software has a really cool feature. After you complete a study session, you can, choose to report your progress to our TestPrepStatus.com system where you will be able to see charts of your study progress so that you can identity your weak points.
The really cool thing, however, is that you can also invite your instructor (CFI, flight school, mechanic school, mentor, parent, study partner, etc) to log in and monitor your progress. This is neat because now you can prove to your instructor in a concrete way now your study is progressing.
Access to the TestPrepStatus.com system is completely free for you and your instructor! Only GroundSchool has this innovative system.
Cirincione is a captain for a Fortune 50 company flying Citation
X and Learjet 60s. He has 23+ years of aviation experience
and holds the following ratings: ATP, Gold Seal CFI, CFII, MEI,
FE Turbojet, and A&P. He has a Master of Science in Aeronautical
Science, a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, and an Associate
of Science in Aircraft Maintenance Technology. His has taught A&P
students for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Learjet 60
initial and recurrent classes for FlightSafety International. Prior
to that, T was a Flight Examiner in the US Air Force, and an instructor
at the USAF Fighter Weapons School flying the mighty F-4 Phantom.
He has over 4000 hours in fighters and corporate aircraft. When
not immersed in aviation, T enjoys fly-fishing, bow hunting, and
4-wheelin his Jeep.
is an FAA certified Flight Instructor (CFI, CFII) and Commercial
Single and Multi Engine, Instrument pilot. He is currently located
in Melbourne, FL but originally grew up in Dijon, France. He gradued
from Florida Tech with a Bachelor degree in Aeronautical Science
and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Aviation Human Factors.
He's a Flight Operations Administration Supervisor and also loves
to take pictures and develop websites.
grew up in Ketchikan, Alaska where, after watching thousands of
seaplanes take-off and land, grew interested in aviation. With the
encouragement of his parents, sisters, and most recently his wife
Jessica, Danny began pursuing his dream of flying in 1998 while
attending college at the University of Idaho. He is a commercially
rated pilot and also a certified flight instructor with instrument
instruction privileges. In addition to his flight experience, Danny
has an extensive teaching background from guiding and teaching sea
kayaking in Alaska and Idaho, a job which he began when he was 15
years old.
is a corporate captain with significant experience Cessna, Dassault Falcon, and now,
elite Gulfstream IV/V aircraft.
Previously, Denis has flown a Yak 42 regional
jet for Aeroflot. Denis also has several thousands of hours of small
plane experience as a CFI/I and aerial inspection pilot. When not
flying, Denis spends his time overwatering his garden and playing
with his young children.
is now one of the most prominent and experienced Hot Air Balloon
pilots in the USA. However, his aviation experience is far deeper:
Bill is a former US Navy pilot who has over 9,000 hours of flight
experience in everything from jets to helicopters. He has served
as an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner and Safety Counselor. He was
a crewmember for Malcolm Forbes' balloon flight across America
in 1973. Each year he acts as Balloonmeister* for several balloon
events and last year celebrated his 22nd year as Balloonmeister
for the Adirondack Balloon Festival in Glens Falls, NY.
Members of all branches of the US military have used our software to successfully prepare for their MCA/MCH tests.
CATS™ and LaserGrade™ Testing Center Emulation
No need to worry about what the
experience at the test center will be like.
GroundSchool can be set to emulate both the CATS
and LaserGrade test center software so that when
you go to take your actual test, there will be
no surprises
This is one of many timesaving,
score-boosting, and stress-relieving features
unique to
There are two types of FAA certificates that this software can help you get:
Our software can prepare you for both type 1 and type 2 tests. We offer the most cost effective way of preparing for these tests.
Technically, the MCA and MCH tests are a subset of our regular FAA commercial pilot offering and the MCI tests is a modified subset of the Flight / Ground Instructor offering.
About the Written Test and How to Use this Software
We work full-time to try to make sure that we have the latest and greatest exact questions that will likely appear on your MCA/MCH/MCI written test. So, if you study from this software, you will likely do very well on this software. Of course, the FAA does occasionally change the questions and we are on top of this as much as anybody else, but we can no more guarantee that this this software will have exactly 100% of the questions than anybody else can. If somebody guarantees you "exact" questions, then they are exaggerating. If somebody "guarantees" you success on the MCA/MCH/MCI with their method, then all they are doing is subsidizing the failures with their higher fees. We'd rather leave it up to the motivated individual not to need to subsidize others in this way--that said, we believe that conscientious users of this software have a 100% pass rate at the time of this writing.
Of course, and this almost goes without saying, in order for us to be able to be continuously on top of the tests as we are and update the software for future pilots, each user needs to pay his own fee for this software. The cost is very reasonable. Please resist any temptation to "share" the purchased version of this software with others. Any license purchases is a single-user license only.
To use this software, click on "prepare for a written test", select MCA/MCH/MCI as appropriate, and then choose study areas to prepare on. The screen after that is a test mode options screen which gives you several ways to learn the questions--try a few combinations until you see what works for you.
Using the software, most people can more or less learn the entire MCA/MCH question bank in a few hours (the MCI takes slightly longer). To check whether you're ready for the real thing, try running the software in 'Simulated MCA/MCH/MCI Test mode' 3-5 times. If you can score above 90% consistently (remember, the passing grade is 70%), you're set. We recommend then you immediately go to take your actual test at a testing center.
The following text refers to the MCA/MCH tests
How to use this software / how to get your FAA Certificate
This software is for US military pilots who have been on active flying status within the past 12 months and who want to get a civilian (FAA) airplane or helicopter pilot certificate. If you use this software and follow the steps below, you can get an FAA Commercial Pilot certificate + Instrument Rating based on you military flying experience without needing an additional flight test and without the waste of time and expense of one of those weekend courses that costs three or more times what this software does. That's right--just use this software on your own time and at your own pace and you will be set. Most people usually do this at their first duty station following Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT). You may, however, take the written prior to leaving UPT, especially as the material will likely still be quite fresh in your head then.
If you are a US military pilot who has NOT been on active flying status within the last 12 months, this program is for you too! But, you may have to take an FAA practical test ("checkride") in addition to taking the written test. See FAR 61.73 (below) for more details.
To get your FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with Instrument Rating, you will need to pass a written test - either the MCA or MCH (Military Competence Airplane/Helicopter). This is a multiple-choice test and this software will prepare you for it. Then, you need to go to a computerized testing center to take the exam (there is a listing of them elsewhere in the program). If you pass (score 70% or better) you will get a score report paper.
Then, to get your FAA Commercial Pilot certificate, you need to make an appointment and meet with an FAA specialist. This will most likely happen at an FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) [here's a list of them]. The actual process of getting your FAA certificate once at the FSDO should be about 10 minutes. Bring with you:
(for this in more detail, see the FAR excerpt below)
The Regulations Behind Your Soon-to-Be FAA Certificate
Here's "Straight from the horse's mouth" FAR (CFR 14) 61.73:
Federal Aviation Regulations - Section 61.73: Military pilots or former military pilots: Special rules.
The following text refers to the MCI test specifically:
Let us give you a little background on what we know about the relatively new MCI test. The following is based on a few in-depth conversations/meetings with the people at the FAA directly responsible for the test - they provided us with general guidance but, as is the FAA custom, did not actually tell us which specific questions were to be in the test.
We believe that our work on making an MCI test prep is far more than any other company has done, and as such we are in the best position to provide a credible product for you.
The FAA's basic philosophy in this matter is that as military flight instructors, you already know (and have been tested on) the mechanics of aviation. What you don't have, however, is a background in certain FAA ways of doing things - this stretches from paperwork through instruction-related theory to instruction related regulations. Therefore, the direction that we have is that the tests will focus on these things and absolutely NOT on things such as aerodynamics, chart interpretation, performance, weather, and the like.
Therefore, we have created our software having picked those questions from the FAA FLIGHT/GROUND instructor, FAA INSTRUMENT flight instructor,
FAA Commercial Pilot, and
FAA Private Pilot
banks that meet this criterion. We've tried to be prudent and conservative in that we've included what we feel are a few marginal cases that nevertheless might be asked, but still the total number of questions in our prep is far less than the totality of the CFI/CFII banks combined, this allowing the potential candidate to focus his/her study.
So far, based on the feedback that we've gotten from our users, it appears that we're right on the mark with our approach
as no user so far has reported a score of less than 90% (the pass mark is 70%) and a few have reported 100%s.
However, as this is a new test and things might change, we've also made it that
anybody who buys and gets access to the MCI prep will also have access to all of the tests in our Flight/Ground Instructor software. This includes the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI). You are welcome to study from these tests at no additional cost if you feel that you could do with a broader review of the overall material or would simply feel more comfortable studying with a larger set of questions.
We hope you can find our approach in this to be prudent. We're doing our best to provide the best MCI given the information on hand for this new test.
What do I do after I take the MCI test to actually receive the FAA certificate?
Do I need to take the MCA/MCH test also if I want to be a civilian flight instructor?
I am a complex case - do I need to take the test?
I am a military pilot but not a military flight instructor. What can I do do get an FAA civilian flight instructor certificate?
How does your product compare with others?
We offer a helpdesk that answers over 97% of user questions automatically and quickly through a series of FAQs, guides, wizards, and automated help. The automated features of this helpdesk are available 24/7 and represent the combined knowledge of dozens of aviation and technical professionals who otherwise would not be aviation and technical professionals if their job consisted of sitting waiting for the phone to ring.
For help with unlocking the software, this includes an unlock help wizard that has essentially automatically helped anybody and everybody that has had problems with the unlock process and offers far better and FASTER help than even a telephone-based system could (since the wizard shows you in illustrations what to do). In practice, because our unlocking system is so straightforward and is for most people a one-time thing (see next question), few people have any real issues with it.
If your query is such that you need a real person to respond, we're happy to hear from you. Most questions that can not be handled by the automated system are responded to within a few hours during normal business hours.
How many questions are in your MCI prep?
So - how many questions will our software teach you (either to memorize or by teaching you well through our superior explanations and associated learning material?) A few hundred - it changes as feedback comes in and the tests themselves change. A low-rent and low-credibility would be "competitor" of ours is aggressively pushing an MCI prep in certain military circles (which at the time of this writing is considerably more expensive than ours) with a number of dubious insinuations. The reality is that this number changes regularly; in fact, at the time of this writing there was just a medium sized update from the FAA though the number they have posted on their website didn't change. Since we think this is a false game to begin with, we're not going to get into number A vs number B, since this is a false game (if we had less, they've be accusing us of somehow short changing users, we gather). The reality is that people who use our prep end up generally passing with very high scores AND learning the material well. This is what matters. Put it another way, do you really think that the primary determinant of your success on the test and in your future career as a knowledgeable flight instructor is studying a few dozen fewer less questions?
Update - Feedback from our users fully validates our approach! As of this writing, all users that we've so far heard from have reported scores of over 90%. Superb! Remember that the pass mark is 70%.
In other words, our system and approach WORK.
Will you guarantee that I will pass the test?
I need a little brush up.
Will my civilian flight instructor certificate expire?
"Will Your MCI prep prepare me for the CFI and CFII tests?"
If you have military flight instructor experience that includes instrument instructor experience (let's assume we're talking airplanes here, though this applies equivalently to helicopters for the time being), the FAA will normally grant you both "CFI-Airplane [Single and/or Multi Engine Land] " and "CFI-Instrument Airplane" privileges after you have completed the MCI knowledge test that our MCI test prep software prepares you for. So, in that sense, yes, absolutely - we prepare you for getting both your "CFI" and your "CFII" if your military experience warrants it (please check with your local FSDO if you are unsure whether your military experience qualifies as they can best give you a definitive 'bankable' answer).
Here's the thing though - if you are asking about the actual FIA (flight instructor airplane) and IFI (instrument flight instructor tests) that are separate from the MCI test, then the MilComp software (above) prepares you for only one of those - the FIA. Specifically, when you purchase the MCI / Military Competence Instructor software above, the code you will get will also unlock the GroundSchool - Flight and Ground Instructor test bank available here but NOT the GroundSchool - Instrument Rating bank available at www.dauntless-soft.com/products/groundschool/ifr.asp
The IFI - Instrument Flight Instructor written test prep (what the question loosely calls CFII) is in the IFR bank.
that said,
That also said, just to be clear - there are in the MCI test prep itself a few instrument-type questions as directed by the FAA for the MCI test, though not enough to prepare you for the 'full' IFI test if you wanted to take that.
Thank you again for considering our software - if there's further questions, please let us know.
I have further questions.
Thanks for checking out the software! Good luck on your test, and blue skies!
The FAATest.com Team


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IRS tax change for domestic partners causes headaches
January 20, 2011
Posted by Matthew S. Bajko on ebar.com:
"It sounds simple enough and could bring a sizeable windfall to many LGBT households in California. The Internal Revenue Service is requiring registered domestic partners and married same-sex couples to split their income equally on their federal tax forms.
"Recently the IRS clarified that the new policy will start with the 2010 tax filings. Yet the change in policy toward what is known as community property has been anything but easy to implement. And tax professionals are warning LGBT couples they need to begin thinking about their taxes now to avoid headaches later.
"Already, tax preparers have been reporting multiple problems due to the change in policy, from having tax documents returned by the IRS to some couples having to pay substantially more in taxes. There is also more paperwork and calculations involved in preparing the returns, so LGBT couples are also being hit with higher tax preparation costs.
"'I have done 70 returns representing 15 or 16 couples. It has not been easy, there have been a lot of delays,' said Campbell City Councilman Rich Waterman, a CPA who owns his own firm. 'One of the big issues right now is it doesn't look like we will be able to e-file returns. You have to put in by paper and it looks like at least a two- to four-month wait to get any taxes back.'
"According to California's tax codes, community property is any income each person in a domestic partnership or legally recognized marriage earns during the course of the year. Along with wages, it can include income from a business or real estate holdings co-owned by the couple.
"Last May the IRS issued a memorandum stating it would recognize the community property earned by domestic partners in California the same way as it does for heterosexual married couples who file separate federal tax returns. Up until early October the IRS said the new policy would be optional for the 2010 tax filings.
"But then the federal agency reportedly switched course, and according to LGBT advocates, it will now be required for the 2010 tax returns due by April 18. (The usual April 15 deadline is being extended this year because of a holiday in Washington, D.C.)
"'The info we had from the IRS was that 2010 was going to be optional whether you had to split community income. We then received informal communication from the IRS it was going to take the position that 2010 was mandatory,' said Peter Renn [right], a staff attorney with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund. 'They say they are not going to issue another memorandum to clarify the issue.'
"IRS spokesman Jesse Weller told the Bay Area Reporter that he could not comment.
"'I would not be able to comment beyond the written guidance,' he said.
"The IRS did update some of its publications, such as the 1040EZ instructions and Publication 17, and have provided clarification on some of the issues, Renn told the B.A.R. this month.
"Specifically, Renn noted that the 1040EZ instructions now state, 'A registered domestic partner in Nevada, Washington, or California (or a person in California who is married to a person of the same sex) generally must report half the combined community income earned by the individual and his or her domestic partner (or same-sex spouse).'
"And Publication 17 now similarly states, 'A registered domestic partner in California, Nevada, or Washington must report half the combined community income earned by the individual and his or her domestic partner.'
"Renn said the changes in the federal documents are important for several reasons.
"'First, the IRS has now confirmed in writing that it considers income-splitting to be mandatory for income earned in 2010 rather than optional. Second, the IRS has clarified that income-splitting applies not only to registered domestic partners in California, but also to registered domestic partners in Washington and Nevada. And, third, the IRS has now indicated that income-splitting applies equally to married same-sex couples and registered domestic partners in California,' wrote Renn in an e-mail. 'I should note, however, that the IRS hasn't yet completed updating all of its publications, so the issues are continuing to evolve. But what we have seen so far suggests that the IRS is being consistent in how it treats same-sex couples regardless of whether they are spouses or registered domestic partners, and regardless of where they reside, so long as the state at issue has community property and recognizes same-sex relationships.'"
Click to read the full post and get details on local tax rule workshops taking place next week: [Link]


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A new month is here and that means a fresh set of sneaker release dates to be aware of. As we all know November will be highlighted by the Black Friday launch of the "Bred" Air Jordan 4 but there are several other kicks to keep in mind. Throughout the next four weeks Jordan Brand will launch four Jordan 9's, Nike has confirmed an added four pairs of LeBron 10's, several Air Force 1's, a new colorway of the Flight One and two more Penny 5's. In addition Reebok is retro'ing Emmit Smith's ES22 at the end of the month and a few new Pump Omni Lites. Check out the full recap and let us know which shoe you're most looking forward to.
EXCLUSIVE! Foot Locker November Release Dates
SneakerWatch Staff Writer


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800 AMD processor cores, that knowledge is useless, need more info regarding that, are they ultra low power ones like Atom/Bobcat, or extremely high clocked, such as the i7 980x/ Phenom x6 1090,etc
Also article says that they have 1600GB RAM, isnt RAM normally in powers of 2?
Key to puzzling this out: it's a computing cluster, and 800 isn't a power of 2 either.
Id guess they are running Opteron cpu's, maybe up to 8 core. So that means 50-100 machines in a cluster. 1600 / 50 = 32 gb per machine OR 1600/ 100 = 16 gb per machine.
And that does not preclude them using Dual Socket MoBo's with two - 4 core Opterons.
mostly opteron 175 (528 of them at 2.2 GHz with 1056GB RAM totl) and 285 (256 of them at 2.6GHz with 512GB RAM tota), so about 2GB RAM each.
they run Solaris 10 u3
http://icc.dur.ac.uk/icc.php?content=Computing/Cosma [dur.ac.uk]
The mystery is solved. Their cluster is old and slow,
a school isn't going to dump their supercomputer in the garbage every three years like a PC gamer. heck it probably took a year to get hardware project proposed and approved.
funny how many here assumed it would be an octo-core monster. instead we find hardware a few years old is actually useful.
Perhaps they're angling for another grant.
Dr Lydia Heck, the ICC's computer cluster manager, said the ICC had maxed out its supercomputing cluster's processors and memory by running a simulation of the effect of dark matter on how galaxies are formed.
And the maxed-out cluster is not even using large scale models.
Physicists have to simplify the cosmological models they use in order to get ones that produce data sets small enough to be accurately processed by the 64-bit chips in the supercomputing cluster, and which can fit into the cluster's available memory.
Details are here:
The Cosmology Machine (COSMA) was first switched on in July 2001. From the original system only 2 TByte of dataspace is still on line. 64 SunBlade 1000s with a total of 64 GByte of RAM were donated by the ICC in February 2006 to the Kigali Institute for Science and Technology in Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda. Sun Microsystems payed for their transport by air.
In February 2004, QUINTOR was installed. QUINTOR consists of a 256 SunFire V210s w
1600GB RAM = 2GB RAM per core. That's a power of 2.
They should have asked The Doctor to simply record the event when he re-booted the Universe.
The BBC did already did. Lets just hope they dont overwrite the tapes.
no we just need the doctor to loan us the TARDIS and scientist could learn how the universe started and how we aren't alone maybe even about the threats to our the planets including the Daleks, Cybermen, and the real policemen of the universe the Judoon the r real enforcers of the universe
Just find where the MiB storage is - 'the galaxy is in Orion's belt' - not really a simulation though but an actual galaxy.
Yeah but a single Galaxy is nothing compared to the Universe.
Let's simulate a single cell, then an organism, then aging. Then we can start extending our lifespan. THEN we can start living, not just this handful of years between being a powerless child and a weak, aging adult. Then you can worry about galaxies.
I'm still waiting for my cyborg body...
Let's simulate a single cell, then an organism, then aging. Then we can start extending our lifespan. THEN we can start living, not just this handful of years between being a powerless child and a weak, aging adult. Then you can worry about galaxies.
What does an astrophysicist know about cellular biology? Probably about as much as a biologist knows about astrophysics.
Compounding that, we wouldn't have made a fraction of the scientific progress to date if we focused on a single discipline until it was maste
You mean like this?
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/extreme-machines/4337190 [popularmechanics.com]
Well its simulating neurons... I suppose that's close enough.
THEN we can start living, not just this handful of years between being a powerless child and a weak, aging adult. Then you can worry about galaxies.
Nature already has a process for eternal renewal - death and birth. Our species as a whole has no pre-determined expiration date, and the ability to pass information through the generations. What difference does it really make whether it's us individually that live on, or our descendants?
We wouldnt have had this story if they had
It's interesting to think that the university is attempting to use 800 processor cores to simulate galaxies, when IBM uses 147,456 processors to do a neuron-by-neuron simulation of the human brain.
Well, Id imagine it takes quite a bit longer than the IBM super computer to do an equal amount of work.
An equal amount of computation, sure. But how much computation is necessary to get useful results? Both may not be working on problems of equal magnitude.
A backhoe can move more dirt than I can with a shovel, but if all I have to move is 1 cubic meter, and the backhoe has to move 1000... my workload is still a lot less.
They don't do a simulation of the entire brain, just a part of the cortex. And their simulation runs at maybe 1% of real time.
There's a big difference in the problem. Namely, its possible to work at a coarser level of granularity when dealing with galaxies. You might not be able to simulate individual stars, but you can simulate star clusters and the clumps of dark matter to get approximations. With the brain simulation, its not possible to abstract away as much detail, hence the higher hardware requirements.
The galaxies in the simulation develop planets, scientists, and their own Galaxy Simulators???
Has anyone else been bothered the fact that energy is quantized? It always made me feel like we were looking at pixels we weren't supposed to see
The galaxies in the simulation develop planets, scientists, and their own Galaxy Simulators???
Has anyone else been bothered the fact that energy is quantized? It always made me feel like we were looking at pixels we weren't supposed to see
Why should I be bothered, if you look at it just the right way, it looks like...
Has anyone else been bothered the fact that energy is quantized?
Even more significant is that there's an intrinsic speed limitation [wikipedia.org] in a simulation.
When you simulate a continuous medium by dividing it into small space and time steps, there's a speed "c" that's equal to the space step divided by the time step which cannot be exceeded by anything in the simulation.
The simulation argument [simulation-argument.com] paper proposes a philosophical argument about this sort of thing. The consequences that they come up with are pretty interesting. Of course, there are arguments [pagesperso-orange.fr] against [imminst.org] such a configuration of the universe as well...
Let me save those guys some time: 42
What were the input params again?
Even with 800 AMD processor cores at its disposal the university is still hitting the limits of what is possible..
Meaningless uninformed journalist bs filler puff. What is possible, is simulating every subatomic particle in the universe at planck time intervals for the total age of the universe, repeatedly for an infinite combination of different cosmological constants to see what you get. That will never be done, of course.
Let's assume that they are trying to simulate the formation of a small galaxy... that would be no more than 100 million stellar masses. That's still a lot of points, a whole lot of calculations.
the grape-5 does N-body simulations using specialized hardware that is faster than a standard CPU: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_Pipe [wikipedia.org]
Simulating galaxies?? Why not use it for something useful -- like ray tracing Wolf3d?!
... they could simply ask Ceiling Cat to create a new galaxy and record it on IMAX.
All science is either physics or stamp collecting. -- Ernest Rutherford


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LeBron James and Miami Heat have been overwhelmingly backed for glory once again when the new season gets underway, with a poll conducted by NBA.com showing they have the significant backing of the league's GMs.
Over 75 percent of general managers in the NBA believe the Heat are destined to secure a third straight championship win, with no other franchise claiming more than seven percent of the vote.
This is a 5.9 percent increase in the amount of support the Heat received last year, with an almost unanimous belief across the league that the 2014 NBA finals win will be theirs again.
Unsurprisingly, LeBron James is also afforded heavy backing to clinch yet more personal accolades in 2014, with 69 percent of GMs believing he will end the season as the NBA's MVP - having done so in the previous two campaigns.
James has also been identified by almost 90 percent of GMs as the player they would most like to have on their team, were they able to sign any player in the NBA.
This is a 9.7 percent rise when the same question was asked last year, and reinforces the dominance that James continues to enjoy in the league.
Kevin Durrant is the next most sought after player, with the Oklahoma City Thunder star ranked second, but with only 6.9 percent of the total vote.


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Monday, June 30, 2008
Indoor Baseball--Might As Well Still Be Playing The NL
On Moss' ball in the ninth, I shouted "hit the roof or something" in desperation. It actually worked, and Moss got a double out of the deal. A sac fly later, we had the tying run on third. But Lugo lined out. I blame NESN's Fenway centerfield camera as usual, as the ball appeared to be up the middle if you're used to the "new" angle. I hate not knowing where the ball is going, and if I can't properly will the ball to go to the outfield, how is it supposed to know where to go?
Yanks just lost, 2-1, at home to Texas.
Yanks just lost, 2-1, at home to Texas.
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I was, too. Not only for the obvious reason, but also because they had to bring in the new pitcher due to an injury. I guess he "took all the time he needed."
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About Me
- Name: Jere
- Location: Rhode Island, United States


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Browse by Medical Category
Monday, July 16, 2012
In search of innovative treatment, Mass General clinicians and researchers are trying to understand precisely how exercise benefits the human body
Gregory Lewis, MD, Adolph Hutter, MD, Aaron Baggish, MD, and Miranda Burd, exercise physiologist, all of the Cardiac Performance Program, look on as MGH employee and competitive runner, Frank Blais, tests out the treadmill. Read more at massgeneralmag.org
There is no doubt that exercise improves health. In addition to reducing mortality, its well-known benefits include lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Yet what happens inside the body that enables exercise to counteract disease is not well understood.
At Massachusetts General Hospital, scientists and clinicians are seeking to solve that mystery. Their goal is to develop new treatments and exercise strategies that will benefit everyone from elite athletes to patients with heart disease who can't walk across the room. With exercise, it is indeed survival of the fittest.
"If you can perform sustained, intense exercise on a treadmill — even if you have known heart disease — your overall risk of death is low," says Robert Gerszten, MD, director of Clinical and Translational Research for the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Your risk is surprisingly similar to someone who has never had a diagnosis of heart disease."
Dr. Gerszten and his colleague Gregory Lewis, MD, an MGH cardiologist and a former Olympic rower, are on the frontier of a new field called metabolomics. Their team focuses on metabolites — the proteins, fats and carbohydrates produced by the thousands of chemical reactions that keep the body alive and help with digestion and elimination of waste. Metabolomics is the systematic way of categorizing these chemicals to help understand what is happening in the body.
The notion of analyzing chemicals to learn more about human biology has been around since Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling collected breath samples more than 40 years ago.
As a field, metabolomics has recently exploded as a result of new analytical techniques to measure chemicals as well as lessons learned from scientific breakthroughs such as the sequencing of the human genome. Scientists believe metabolites may be better indicators of health and disease than genes.
Someone with a gene for heart disease may never get sick. On the other hand, metabolites are like reporters. They capture what is happening in the body. Your metabolism changes when you exercise. Your genes do not. Metabolites also reflect what you eat. The metabolites in a bacon double cheeseburger will show up in your blood, not in your genes.
In 2010, an MGH research team was the first to develop a chemical snapshot of the physical changes that occur in the body during and after exercise. Using a mass spectrometer, a device that precisely analyzes proteins and chemicals in the blood, the team was able to study hundreds of metabolites at a time.
Dr. Lewis, the lead author on the study, notes that just 10 minutes of exercise increased some metabolites associated with body's ability to burn fat. "What was interesting", he says, "is that while the blood pressure and the heart rates returned to normal in minutes, the metabolic changes continued for at least an hour after the exercise ceased. And the more fit the individual, the greater the changes in fat-burning metabolites, indicating that exercise has both an immediate and a cumulative effect."
Even more exciting were the results found when a cocktail of the metabolites that increased the most with exercise was infused into mouse cells in a petri dish. The combination set off a complex chain reaction that increased activation of a gene involved in regulating cholesterol and blood sugar levels. In other words, the metabolites that increased as a result of exercise, were not only a sign of fitness, they were actually promoting it.
"Our results have implications for development of diagnostic testing to track and improve exercise performance as well as interventions to reduce the effects of diabetes or heart disease by improving a patient's metabolic' fingerprint,'" says Dr. Gerszten. "Defining which of these metabolites become deficient and need to be replenished during exercise could lead to the next generation of energy drinks. This could not only help healthy individuals achieve their best exercise performance, but also improve the health of those with cardiovascular disease."
The next step, says Dr. Gerszten, is to marry these findings with clinical information to evaluate the effects of metabolic supplements. How much can the person exercise? How are the lungs and heart performing? With its Cardiac Performance Program, Mass General is one of the few places in the country that has the expertise to apply these laboratory discoveries to humans. A national referral center for exercise testing, the facility contains state-of-the-art equipment that tests peak exercise capability, maximum oxygen uptake and other barometers of cardiac, pulmonary and muscle performance.
Dr. Gerszten says the bridge between the research and clinical side is like having two cameras. His work represents the camera inside the body that explores what's happening at a molecular level. In contrast, the Cardiac Performance Program is the camera outside the body that evaluates how the body responds.
The research occurring within the Cardiac Performance Program can also affect what's happening inside the body. In an ongoing study, Dr. Lewis and his colleagues are assessing the effects of exercise training on metabolism over a period of time. "Early results show that even if exercise did not cause weight loss, it can have a positive effect on their metabolism and their ability to exercise," says Dr. Lewis. "This, in turn, may lower the risk of heart disease."
Launched in 2010 by Adolph Hutter, MD, and his colleagues, Aaron Baggish, MD, and Dr. Lewis, the Cardiac Performance Program combines research with comprehensive cardiovascular care for highly active individuals. These include professional athletes as well as others who exercise vigorously in sports or in their occupations. As team cardiologist for the Boston Bruins, the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution, Dr. Hutter has spent the last 40 years evaluating athletes for risk of sudden death.
A competitive athlete's heart may look bigger, like the heart of someone at risk of sudden death syndrome. "The differences are important to recognize," says Dr. Hutter. "We need to identify the few people at risk in an efficient and reliable manner that does not unintentionally alarm and prevent participation in sports for the vast majority of athletes."
While a muscle such as a bicep gets stronger with more exercise, it's more complicated with the heart, says Dr. Baggish. The type of exercise matters as well.
A study of Harvard University football players and rowers, published in 2008 and led by Dr. Baggish and his colleagues, was the first of its kind to follow athletes over several months. The results demonstrated that changes in the heart's structure and function varied by exercise, whether it was strength or endurance training. The biggest difference related to the relaxation of the heart muscle between beats. It increased in the endurance athletes (the rowers) but decreased in strength athletes (the football players), yet still remained in normal range. In the heart, relaxation is critical for efficient circulation and prevention of heart failure.
While the study focused on healthy young athletes, it could potentially benefit patients with heart disease in the future. "Just as not all heart disease is equal, not all exercise prescriptions are equal, says Dr. Baggish. "This should start us thinking about whether we should tailor the type of exercise patients should do to their specific heart disease."
Another study led by Dr. Baggish offers an even more immediate example of translating science into action. The study, which began in 2000, analyzed marathon-related cardiac arrests over 10 years. The numbers were reassuring — 1 in 184,000 or just 59 runners suffered cardiac arrest of the nearly 11 million marathoners studied. In most cases, underlying heart disease was the reason for the collapse.
The key factor in survival was CPR from race bystanders. The ones who collapsed and had CPR performed had a 50 percent chance of survival. Otherwise, the rate was less than 5 percent, says Dr. Baggish, a 15-year veteran runner of the Boston marathon, who was the cardiologist for the 2012 event. As a public health response to these findings, Dr. Baggish taught chest compression-only CPR to runners at the marathon expo the weekend before the race. And with runners from 30-plus countries, the benefit of such training multiplies far beyond Boston.
There is still much unknown about how exercise affects health.Mass General is leading the way in making discoveries that promote health for the competitive athlete as well as the heart patient who wants to return to a full life. "My definition of an athlete is someone who places a high premium on activity in his or her life," says Dr. Baggish.
To support the programs and research in the Cardiac Performance Program at the Corrigan Minehan Heart Center, please contact Elizabeth Drolet at (617) 726-5561.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Senator Jerry Moran made his way to Topeka Tuesday.
He began the day speaking at the Topeka Chamber of Commerce "Federal Forum" breakfast.
He updated business leaders on some of the issues facing congress, including budget cuts.
Later, he visited Forbes Field which is a final contender to house new air force tankers.
He met with leaders there to discuss issues surrounding the decision...
Forbes and Wichita's Mcconnell Air Force Base are both on the short list, something Moran says is a great opportunity for Kansas.
"We have met at numerous opportunities with Department of Defense officials promoting both Mcconnell and Forbes as a site for the tankers and if we're successful, if we win on the merits, it means maintaining the jobs we have here at Forbes, and some expenditures, construction and jobs related to improvements I would expect at Forbes," said Moran.
The Air Force will pay a visit to Forbes for a final site view later this month.


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Risk Management
Mission Statement
The Risk Management Office is dedicated to preserving human, physical and financial assets of UW Oshkosh by identifying risks and taking steps to reduce that risk to UWO.
The Risk Management Office also handles all property claims, contract reviews, liability issues and insurance claims, as well as acting as a liaison between UWO, the UW System and the Department of Administration.
State Self-Funded Property Program (SSPP)
The State Self-Funded Property Program provides coverage for loss of University-owned real and personal property, motor vehicle physical damage, business interruption, extra expenses and some bailments.
The SSPP is administered through the Bureau of State Risk Management (BSRM) in DOA through which all final coverage decisions and loss payments are made. Please contact the UWO Risk Managers for further information regarding applicable coverage.
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