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History Major Adam Bednar Named College Scholar by Honors College
Oct 23, 2009
The Centennial Honors College has announced that Adam Bednar, a History Teacher Certification major, has been chosen as the College Scholar for the Honors College this Fall. Mr. Bednar, also the Fall 2009 Department Scholar for the History Department, will be honored at the Fall 2009 Academic Honors Convocation, held in Western Hall on Friday, December 18 at 5:30 p.m.
Mr. Bednar, who will graduate Magna Cum Laude in December, was also the winner of Phi Kappa Phi's 2009 Lowell Grabill Research Paper Award, given by WIU's chapter of the international honors society to the most outstanding research paper written by a WIU senior each year. Mr. Bednar's paper, "The Social Institution of Dueling in Antebellum America, 1770-1840," was written under the mentorship of Dr. Timothy Roberts, Assistant Professor of History, who also served as Mr. Bednar's honors thesis advisor.
An Honors Scholar, Mr. Bednar served in 2008-09 as Co-Editor of the Western Illinois Historical Review, an on-line journal of student research published by WIU's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta (Dr. Lee Brice, Associate Professor of History, Faculty Advisor), the national History Honorary Soceity. In addition to membership in Phi Alpha Theta, Mr. Bednar is also a member of Kappa Delta Pi (the National Honors Society in Education). He was on the Dean's List of the College of Arts and Sciences for 8 semesters.
Mr. Bednar has been active in WIU's undergraduate research program, having won two College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Grants. He twice presented his research at WIU's Annual Undergraduate Research Day, as well as presenting "A Lack of Substance: The Federal Government's Response to Nuclear War (1957-1968)," a paper mentored by Dr. Peter Cole, Associate Professor of History, at the Spring 2009 Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference in Wheaton, Illinois. Mr. Bednar's article, "Operation Greif and the Trial of the 'Most Dangerous Man in Europe,'" was published by the Western Illinois Historical Review in its inaugural issue in Spring 2009.
Mr. Bednar is an avid historical re-enactor, and has participated in multiple World War II re-enactments as well as filming a dueling re-enactment as part of an undergraduate research project. He also participated in a short-term study-abroad program in Berlin, Germany, in 2008, part of an intensive study of contemporary German art following the end of the Cold War.
Mr. Bednar, who holds a Charles Sadler History Scholarship, was also awarded a Ronald Lane Abrell Student Teacher Scholarship. He is currently student-teaching at Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois. After graduating with his B.A. degree, he plans to teach U.S. and World History at the high school level and continue on to graduate school for a Master's degree in U.S. History.
Mr. Bednar joins previous History majors selected as College Scholar by the Honors College: William Sweger III (Spring 2007), Ashley Eberle (Fall 2007), Alex Heuer (Fall 2008), and Mallorie Clark (Spring 2009). Five of the last six College Scholars in the Centennial Honors College have been History majors.
More History Department News


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The best wrestlers in the Sac-Joaquin Section have been systematically whittled down to the top 32 in each weight like hand-carved furniture.
Anna Adams learned to walk before she could crawl.
Desperate for a win that would send them into the playoffs, players on Manteca High's varsity boys basketball team suddenly found themselves against the ropes as they trailed aspiring spoilers, Oakdale, at halftime of the Mustangs' Feb. 12 Senior Night.
Manteca High girls basketball coach Cody Norman searched the sideline and scorer's table for scissors.
The wrestling chapter of the Oakdale High record book is guarded by a heavy padlock these days, as annual supremacy has surrendered some of the most dominant performances in Valley Oak League history.
The memory of a 26-10 halftime deficit and away loss to Oakdale High's varsity boys basketball team on Jan. 25 must not have been far from the minds of Sonora players on Feb. 8.
North American Youth Sports announced there are still openings for its annual spring youth basketball tournament, to ho be hosted this year at Escalon High School from March 22 through 24.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife's (CDFW) Advanced Hunter Education Program will offer its popular Turkey Hunting Clinic on Saturday, March 2 at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area near Gridley.
Oakdale's run of dominance in the Valley Oak League could soon come to an end.
It's common knowledge.
Sometimes a name just sticks.
The year-round Oakdale Swim Team recently took fifty swimmers to a USA Swim meet at Roseville's October meet, which drew an attendance of over nine-hundred swimmers. Oakdale Swim Team coaches were happy to see personal bests across the board from beginning swimmer to experienced senior group swimmers. The local athletes achieved multiple Junior Olypmic, Far Western, and IMX qualifying time standards.
Thanks to 2004 Oakdale High graduate Martin Sandoval, the Oakdale Mixed Martial Arts Academies are going international.
The hands of 21-year-old unbeaten Oakdale MMA amateur fighter Mercedes Campos flew from her shoulders like the blades of a fan, connecting over and over with the head of Red Bluff's Denise Bruckner until she was trapped against the cage.
A boys and girls youth basketball camp sponsored by Riverbank High's girls basketball club begins on Saturday, Oct. 13 with a fee of only $25 for four hours of instruction by college and high school coaches and athletes. The camp will be held at the spacious Ray Fauria gymnasium and be available for grades second to eighth. The camp will run from 8 a.m. to noon (grades 2-5) and then 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (grades 6-8). For more information contact RHS girls basketball coach Tim Carnes at 209 629-0776.
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subset: commoncrawl


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According to state law, there are two methods by which police may arrest suspected offenders. The suspect may be physically taken into the department and booked into jail, or the arresting officer may write a citation and release the suspect to appear in court later. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Only criminal citations are listed. All damages are estimates. Items for this report are submitted by the Hayden Police Department and reflect information available at the time of the report.
Nov. 19
Agency assist to Kearny Ambulance with a medical emergency.
Nov. 20
Citizen assist with a medical emergency.
Criminal damage was reported at the Winkelman Post Office.
Nov. 23
Agency assist to Asarco medics and Kearny Ambulance with a medical emergency at the Asarco plant.
A 911 hang up call was investigated.
A welfare check was requested.
To comment on this article and others visit the Copper Area News Facebook or send us an email at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Out-of-state lock boxes to speed deposits
Tax, utility payments to go to Massachusetts
Don't be surprised if you are directed to send the quarter tax payment due July 15 and sewer and water payments to a Massachusetts post office box. And don't be surprised to find your check cashed within a day of being received.
Those changes are expected to be the most apparent to Warwick residents if the city moves ahead with an agreement for Citizens Bank to operate "lock boxes" for property taxes and utility payments.
What the city will gain is access to payments within a day and an end to complaints that the city is holding on to checks for as much as four months, which makes it difficult for people to reconcile checking accounts or project when funds could be withdrawn.
But while the lock box seems like a great solution for the city, which has had difficulty catching up with posting and depositing payments, and residents paying close attention to their accounts, the solution comes with a cost.
On Monday, that had some council members questioning whether the Citizens Bank agreement – $152,000 for the next two years – is the best deal and why City Treasurer David Olsen didn't seek bids. News that the city is looking at lock boxes for tax and utility payments raised questions why the city hadn't been in contact with the State Treasurer's office. The state treasurer negotiated a contract with Webster Bank three years ago and the terms of that agreement have been extended to municipalities and government agencies.
"This is not a sole source provider," Ward 4 Councilman Joseph Solomon said, establishing that institutions other than Citizens could provide lock box services. "So we are awarding a no-bid contract," he added.
Olsen defended the selection, pointing out that Citizens has the city account; that it will take two months to set up the mechanisms for the lock boxes; and, if they had advertised for bids, there wouldn't have been enough time to get tax bills printed with the Massachusetts address by the middle of June, when tax bills go in the mail.
"This is strictly a business decision," Olsen said in an interview Tuesday. "We didn't have time to go out to bid."
He did not have the terms of the agreement beyond the projected payment for two years. With the lock boxes, the bank will cash all payments and credit the city's account within a day. The city will get an online record of the payments; enabling the tax collector's office, which also processes utility payments, to post accounts.
Over the last year, a combination of factors, including two staff absences, a retirement and the move for quarterly utility payments, converged for what chief of staff Mark Carruolo called a "perfect storm" to impact the city's cash flow. But Carruolo said Tuesday that it has not reached the point where the city has to borrow funds, although it may have postponed some vendors' payments to meet payroll and more immediate needs.
From Olsen's perspective, the delay in processing payments has leveled off revenue, eliminating quarterly spikes in tax revenues. This has eliminated the practice of the short-term investment of cash reserves.
Although interest rates are low, Olsen believes the rapid deposit of tax and utility payments will generate sufficient revenue to pay for the lock boxes.
"I knew what we are getting with Citizens Bank. I'm looking out for the citizens of Warwick," he said. He pointed out that Citizens operates lock boxes for Cranston, Woonsocket and Boston.
It was news to Carruolo that the state treasurer could offer the same service as a piggyback on its agreement with Webster.
According to Joy Fox, spokeswoman for Treasurer Gina Raimondo, Webster Bank is processing about 125,000 transactions a month at a cost of 35 cents per item. The city of Pawtucket, the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Rhode Island Student Loan Authority use Webster lock boxes.
"Treasury is supportive of the mayor and city of Warwick for considering a lock box program. It is great that they are constantly looking for cost-savings measures through operational efficiencies," Fox said. "Treasury's door remains open for technical assistance and support. This program has proven to be a successful tool for the state."
In response to Solomon, Ken Mallette, city tax collector and assessor, told the council that the department had spent about $30,000 in overtime but was still not able to catch up with the blizzard of tax and utility payments. He said 92 percent of payments are made by check and, in the course of a year, the city collects $216 million in taxes and another $6 million in utility payments.
Asked if the lock boxes would enable the department to reduce staff, Mallette said, with the boxes, he wouldn't have to add staff. Olsen assured the lock boxes would not result in a reduction of staff, a concern to the municipal employees union.
Will this new program eliminate the outside dropbox at the Annex? I have always hand delivered my checks.
I beleive it is only for bills mailed in. Paying at the counter or the dropbox outside the annex should remain the same.
"With the lock boxes, the bank will cash all payments and credit the city's account within a day. "
UH HUH... My utility check cleared after NINE DAYS, and still waiting for my tax check to clear after nine days and counting.


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We've been seeing many leaked pictures & specs recently for the Bold Touch 9930. But, a picture can only explain so much.
N4BB posted a video earlier today (only 24 seconds long) of the Bold Touch in action.
I'm not seeing much lag in the user flowing through the menu. What do you think?


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Digital Cameras Guide
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Everything You Need to Know about Mirrorless System Cameras
Everything You Need to Know about Mirrorless System Cameras
Welcome to HardwareZone's Mirrorless System Camera Guide! Whether you're looking for your first camera, itching for an upgrade or simply curious, you'll find answers to your burning questions here: What is a mirrorless system camera? Why are they called mirrorless systems? What are the pros and cons of mirrorless system cameras? Is a mirrorless camera for me? Read on to find out.
What is a Mirrorless System Camera?
Let's start with the basics. In a nutshell, mirrorless system cameras are cameras which are in between DSLR and digital compact cameras.
Compared to compact cameras, they perform better, are more versatile and larger. Compared with DSLR cameras, they're smaller and usually less versatile but more user-friendly. Image quality is better than what you'd get from a compact camera, and can be close to or even equal to what you'd get from an entry-level DSLR camera. Technically, what separates mirrorless system cameras from digital compact cameras are their larger sensor sizes and the ability to swap lenses. What separates mirrorless system cameras from DSLR cameras is the exclusion of a mirror-box and in some cases, smaller sensor sizes. More on that below.
Why Are They Called 'Mirrorless System Cameras'?
Actually, there are a myriad of names for mirrorless system cameras, and nobody has really settled yet on a good one.
In 2008, when the first mirrorless camera was released, Panasonic and Olympus called them mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (what a mouthful!). You can imagine that didn't really take off. Other names have also been proposed like Electronic Viewfinder with Interchangeable Lens (EVIL) cameras. We're just going to go with the easy 'mirrorless system cameras'.
The reason why they're called 'mirrorless' is because these cameras remove the mirror found in traditional DSLR cameras. Because of that they're able to reduce the camera's size while keeping a fairly large image sensor. They're called 'system' cameras because of their ability to swap lenses, giving you access to a wider eco-system of accessories.
To further the confusion, there's no one definitive mirrorless system, rather there are many mirrorless systems in the market today, seven at last count, with system names like Micro Four Thirds, NEX and NX. We'll go into more detail on the different systems later.
Why Should I Get a Mirrorless System Camera?
That's the best question of all! To answer that you'll need to know two things: The advantages and disadvantages of using mirrorless system cameras, as well as your own personal shooting style. Here's an easy guide on the pros and cons of mirrorless system cameras versus digital compact and DSLR cameras. Different camera models within each category might weigh each pro and con differently, but you'll get the general idea.
Digital Compact Cameras
Mirrorless System Cameras
DSLR Cameras
|Lightest and easiest to carry
|Chunky but portable
|Biggest and heavy to carry
|Ease of Use
|Easiest to use
|Easy to use
|Lessons needed
|Image Quality
|Manual Control
|Little to none
|Good level of manual control
|Highest level of manual control
|Auto-focus is quick enough for common situations, but too slow for fast-moving subjects
|Auto-focus can be slower than DSLR cameras, usually on fast-moving subjects
|Auto-focus is fast and can keep track of fast-moving subjects
|Shutter Lag
|Noticeable lag between pressing of shutter release and taking of photo
|Virtually no shutter lag
|No shutter lag
|Good for most casual situations
|Good for most situations
|Good for nearly every shooting situation
|Additional lenses & accessories available
|Additional lenses & accessories available
|From S$150 to S$700
|From S$900 to S$1600
|From S$850 to S$13000
Should you get a mirrorless system camera? That depends on your goals and preferences for owning a digital camera.
Get a digital compact camera if you just want a simple to use, easy to carry and affordable camera for common everyday shots.
Get a mirrorless system camera if you want better image quality than what you can get with digital compact cameras and you don't mind a slightly chunky camera, but not one as chunky as a DSLR camera. You also don't mind paying more than you would for a compact camera, and you don't want a camera as complicated as a DSLR camera can be. A mirrorless camera is also a good companion camera for the DSLR owner who wants an easier to carry camera with manual controls.
Get a DSLR camera if you want great image quality and don't mind carrying a larger and heavier camera. You also don't mind the learning curve you'll need to go through in order to make full use of the camera (although you can always leave it on 'Auto') and paying more for a good camera. If you want to go deep into the craft of photography and shoot more than everyday shots like wildlife, sports, off-camera flash, long-exposures and more, then a DSLR camera is the best option.
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Attention to detail and a conservative approach to growth have helped this real estate firm steer through rough waters. The real estate industry climate is still a bit challenging for Washington, DC-based real estate firm Combined Properties, but it's not as bad as it's been in the past. And although the company sees a light at the end of the tunnel for 2011 as lenders and partners start contacting it to work on new properties, it is still taking a conservative approach when looking at ways to grow.
Founded in 1984 by Chairman and CEO Ronald Haft, Combined Properties is a full-service real estate firm focused on the Metro DC and Southern California regions of the US. Its $1 billion portfolio includes 41 retail properties for which the company handles the finance, development, leasing, and asset management responsibilities.
Kathy Roberson, president, said the company saw the recession coming and did its part to prepare, but like many businesses didn't realize quite how bad it would be. "We didn't see it coming as deep and as horrible as it was, but we knew it was coming because we got a lot of forewarning from our Wall Street lenders," she said. "Many of them told us things were going to get really bad, so we started to stockpile cash to prepare."
In late 2007/early 2008, Combined Properties shut down its growth program, started stockpiling cash, and refocused the company on what Roberson calls The Big Three: financing, leasing, and accounts receivable/bad debt management. "The capital markets completely shut down," she said. "Our portfolio leverage is in the 60% to 65% debt range, so we have debt that rolls every year, and we were concerned about being able to refinance."
Recession relief
Combined Properties worked closely with its lenders and in 2009 refinanced and extended all of its maturing debt. Because it had the capital, the company found itself in a strong position, but it also saw its overall occupancy rate drop approximately 5% from the beginning of the recession through late 2009.
However, Roberson has started to see turnaround this year, and the company's occupancy rate is currently at 93%. She expects that rate to be around 95%by the second quarter of 2011. "Because we stockpiled cash from the beginning, we've been able to put the necessary tenant improvement dollars into new deals, pay brokerage commissions, and take care of all the things you need to do to get leasing done," she said. "We've also differentiated ourselves by paying attention to accounts receivable and bad debt management, which a lot of companies don't and can easily get out of control in times like these."
Anticipating the struggle its tenants would have during the recession, Combined Properties put extra emphasis on accounts receivable and bad debt management to make sure that revenue was collected and that the company was aware of which retailers were struggling.
Many of the mom-and-pop tenants at the company's properties began asking for rent relief, so Combined Properties developed detailed procedures on dealing with the requests. For tenants that showed the company their financials, had good long-standing payment histories, and had a viable business plan going forward, Roberson and her team worked to give them the short-term help they needed to get through.
Many requests were turned down, though, because it was clear the retailer wasn't going to make it, the retailers weren't showing Combined Properties any information, or the information they showed did not justify relief. This proactive approach to helping its tenants survive the economic crisis boded well for the company; its accounts receivable and bad debt total, as a percentage of its revenue, is less than 2%.
Combined Properties also worked with its contractors, cutting back services to reduce expenses for tenants and passing along cost reductions from contractors it had long-standing relationships with. In exchange, the company promised those contractors work in the future, again, finding win-win solutions for managing through this recession.
"We view our lenders, joint-venture partners, tenants, contractors, and brokers as our partners during times like this," Roberson said. "We've focused on our relationships and keeping everything intact during some pretty tough times."
Full speed ahead
Combined Properties is a mid-sized player in a big-player world; in the real estate world, consolidation has increased as more and more companies go public. That means Combined Properties has formidable competition in both its Washington, DC and Southern California marketplaces.
To survive, the company has had to figure out its niche. Roberson said two things came to mind when looking at where Combined Properties fits in. First, the company is good with projects in which it can make a big impact on smaller properties. Second, the company is skilled at dealing with complexity, including getting entitlements in difficult jurisdictions. In 2005, for example, it purchased a shopping center in Venice Beach, Calif. called Lincoln and Rose Shopping Center.
The 75,000-square-foot property was built on a partial ground lease, had environmental issues, and was bought at a low cap rate. It was the perfect fit for Combined Properties, too small for the big players and too complex for the small players but still excellent real estate, Roberson said.
Combined implemented its vision for the property by buying out existing tenants, putting in new tenants at market rents, such as Whole Foods, relocating the existing CVS within the center, and completely renovating the center. After completion, the property won multiple prestigious industry awards for design, trendsetting, and demonstrating that a large positive impact on a community can be made with smaller scale projects.
"That shopping center speaks about what we do best," said Roberson. "Give us complexity. Give us good real estate. It doesn't have to be big for us to make an impact; we do well playing with good real estate on a smaller scale where we can really impact the community in a positive way."
Three years ago, Combined Properties turned its sights on improving its own headquarters by implementing a green initiative to reduce the amount of paper products it used. It asked its employees to bring in reusable water bottles rather than using throwaways, started using biodegradable products, and generated more information online versus in paper form. Now the company is taking its initiatives out to its portfolio, getting its employees LEED accredited so it has inhouse experts to advise the company and its tenants.
Combined Properties has also developed a "green property checklist" and "green tenant handbook" that property managers and tenant coordinators can use to implement sustainable practices at the properties. The company is developing a "green lease," incorporating sustainability provisions to discuss with new tenants during negotiations.
"We can be extremely in tune to the marketplace and what's happening," Roberson said. "It's not like trying to turn a huge ship around. We are on a little speedboat and can turn quickly and change to do what we need to do to be successful."
Being able to change quickly is one of the many benefits of remaining privately owned, said Roberson. "We have some of the best people in the industry," she said. "They are the reason we've gotten through this horrible recession and why we've been and will continue to be successful. They make my job easy and make me look good, but it's all about them."


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1999 Coudoulet de Beaucastel
I've read some reports that this wine was in a death spiral. I'm pleased to report that this bottle had plenty of life and was at or near peak...I only wish I had more of it so I could check back in on it in a couple of years.
The meal was grilled loin lamb chops with a marinate of fresh basil, dijon mustard, EVVO and garlic. There was also a side of tomato pie which was a new experience for me and I loved it..
Now about the wine. The fruit had a somewhat forward raspberry and strawberry fruit profile, but not in any sort of sweet or cloying way. A touch of leather and meat. The tannins are still hanging in there to balance out the acidity and fruit. Lengthy peppery finish. A very, very nice CdR with loads of character. I seem to recall paying ~$18 for this 4 or 5 years ago.


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Women's ASICS Abby Loose Fit ShortItem #ASW2822
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Women's ASICS® Abby Loose Fit Short :: The flat front waistband not only flatters the feminine form, but also adds a colorful flair to these shorts. Made of breathable Hydrology® fabric, they come with a security pocket and a 3" inseam. Bold colors.
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WOODSTOCK – The public is invited to an open house at the Recovery Outreach Center, 101 S. Jefferson St., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday.
The center is a place where individuals of all ages who have mental health concerns can spend time with peers, play games and participate in arts and crafts. The center's mission is to reduce isolation, provide stabilization and offer referrals to community resources.
Services and supports at the center not only promote hope and belief in the possibility of recovery, but also are free.
The Recovery Outreach Center is supported by the McHenry County Mental Health Board, the McHenry County Crisis Program, Centegra Health System, Pioneer Center for Human Services, Thresholds, Rosecrance, NAMI McHenry, and the Social Connections Group.
The public is invited to come learn about the center, take part in an interactive craft, and enjoy a free light lunch.
For information about the Recovery Outreach Center, call a McHenry County Crisis counselor at 800-892-8900 or call Barbara Iehl at the McHenry Mental Health Board at 815-455-2828.


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Your baby's "firsts" are very important. You can save and cherish your baby's very first curl and tooth in our engraved baby box set. Each one comes with an adorable teddy bear design. This is a keepsake that you and your family can cherish forever. We recommend giving this as a gift to any parent who has recently welcomed a bundle of joy into the world. Each engraved box measures 1 1/2" square. Personalize your baby box set with any child or new baby's name.
Be sure to look at our entire collection of Personalized New Baby Gifts. We know you will find many beautiful personalized gifts for the new, little baby. GiftsForYouNow.com offers many unique Personalized Baby Apparel, Personalized Baby Picture Frames & Much More.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Research In Motion Ltd. and Alexza Pharmaceuticals Inc. were among the stocks that saw active trade on Monday.
Alexza Pharmaceuticals Inc. US:ALXA on Friday said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its schizophrenia and bipolar disorder treatment Adasuve. See: Alexza wins FDA drug OK.
Herbalife Ltd. shares HLF, -0.02% said Monday it will hold a meeting with analysts and investors on Jan. 10 rather than Jan. 7 as previously announced. The company noted it has yet to utilize the $950 million remaining on its existing $1 billion share repurchase authorization. Herbalife expects to exceed its previously announced quarterly guidance of $50 million of the repurchase authorization in upcoming quarters.
Hedge-fund manger Bill Ackman of Pershing Square last week revealed he had taken a huge short position in the stock. Herbalife plans to dispute Ackman's claims that the direct seller of nutrition products is a pyramid scheme.
Nike Inc. NKE, +0.08% shares finished Friday's session among the top advancers in the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.74% after the athletic shoe and apparel maker reported better-than-expected profit for its fiscal second quarter. The company's gross margin narrowed less than expected while its orders, an indicator of future sales, in North America rose by a better-than-expected 14%.
Research In Motion US:RIMM shares plunged 23% on Friday, with a lack of details coming from the company about service fees when RIM launches its BlackBerry 10 platform next month. See: Fuzzy answers on service fees hit RIM.


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MixedIntegerProgrammingDirective.GapTolerance Property
Solver Foundation 3.0
[This documentation is for preview only, and is subject to change in later releases. Blank topics are included as placeholders.]
Gets or sets the gap tolerance for a mixed integer programming (MIP) solver.
Namespace: Microsoft.SolverFoundation.Services
Assembly: Microsoft.Solver.Foundation (in Microsoft.Solver.Foundation.dll)
- Full trust for the immediate caller. This member cannot be used by partially trusted code. For more information, see Using Libraries from Partially Trusted Code.


text: "Obviously I'm very disappointed in the way our season went. At the end of the day, the NFL is a performance-based league, and we weren't able to win. I want to thank the Hunt family for the opportunity as well as our players, coaches and fans for their support during my time in Kansas City. As for my future, I'm planning to take some time to reflect on this season, evaluate everything, and make a decision based on what's right for myself and my family."


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Deans kept Giteau in France
Matt Giteau opted to sign a new contract with Toulon because he realised with Robbie Deans as national coach he had no chance of a Wallabies recall.
Matt Giteau opted to sign a new contract with Toulon because he realised with Robbie Deans as national coach he had no chance of a Wallabies recall.
The 31-year-old was left out of last year's World Cup squad by Deans - who had originally made him his first choice flyhalf in 2008 before his dramatic fall from grace with the Kiwi coach - despite still being in top form and with 92 caps under his belt since making his debut in 2002.
Giteau - who played in the 2003 World Cup Final loss to England - signed for Toulon and enjoyed a terrific first season there, in which they reached the title final only to lose to Toulouse, and was only too willing to re-sign a new two year contract last month.
"Yes, I have brought a curtain down on my chances of ever playing for my country again," he said.
"But with the coach who is in charge of them at the moment, I don't have much of a chance of being called up in any case.
"Even if I had returned to Australia, a condition of being available again for selection, I would maybe not have been recalled.
"Thus I decided to stay at Toulon, where I am flourishing. But I remain a devoted supporter of the Australian team and I still have a lot of friends in the squad.
"After next Saturday's game against Clermont, I will leave for a fortnight's holiday in Australia with my wife and son," he added.
Giteau, who won two Super Rugby titles with the Brumbies early in his career, said he had sympathy for flyhalf Quade Cooper, who was heavily fined and received a suspended three-match ban for lashing out on social media at the "toxic" environment within the national squad and the defensive style of Deans.
"Quade (he would not have been fit for the present tour because he is injured) wanted to express how unhappy he was," said Giteau.
"He has since apologised. I also experienced difficult moments at international level, I didn't make the last World Cup. Robbie is as he is. The coaches like certain players and others less. It has always been the case. I don't enter into the plans of Robbie."
Giteau said that the Wallabies - who open their year-end Tests against France at the Stade de France on Saturday - would miss several players, especially Will Genia.
"It is true that they are missing several players but the one they will miss most is Will Genia, he is a huge loss," said Giteau.
"His replacement Nick Phipps plays really well but Genia is the sort of player that no side can afford to lose."
Giteau, who in between two spells with the Brumbies had two years with their rivals Western Force, said that he had not really had to think too hard about signing on again for Toulon, despite being coveted by several other clubs both back in Australia and England.
"It was easy because I am so happy here!
"And even more importantly my family are happy as well. That is the first reason.
"Also Toulon is a great team which has the possibility of winning several trophies.
"In my head I had two options: to stay in France or return to Australia. I never even thought of trying my luck in England for example.
"But then why leave when I am feeling so well here? Therefore I chose to stay in France and that meant with Toulon. When it came down to it it was a relatively easy decision to take," he explained.


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Reel Life mini-review: "The Company You Keep"
It's no "Three Days of the Condor." Maybe a day and-a-half. Two days tops of Robert Redford's 1975 spy thriller in which he played a CIA agent on the run.
In the less thrilling "The Company You Keep," based on Neil Gordon's novel, Redford directs and stars as another man on the run, but now he's an aging, former member of the Weather Underground, radical students wanted by the fuzz for killing a security guard during a Michigan bank robbery in the '70s.
Living as a Vermont housewife, Sharon Solarz (Susan Sarandon), one of the radicals, clearly orchestrates her own arrest. Why turn herself in now?
Albany newspaper reporter Ben Shepard (Shia LaBeouf) gets a chance to ask her that, plus other pressing questions, when an FBI boss (Terrence Howard) allows him to interview her in a holding cell.
(This scene is the movie's showpiece, a tightly scripted interchange in which Solarz defends the purity and admitted naiveté of the anti-war movement, as well as her regrets for youthful errors of judgment. This while Adriano Goldman's camera slowly turns Solarz and Shepard's sharp profiles into a literal faceoff.)
It doesn't take long for Shepard to track down Jim Grant (Redford), the civil rights lawyer who refused to represent her, and realize he's actually Nick Sloan, one of the bank robbers who disappeared 30 years ago.
His cover blown, Grant drops his 11-year-old daughter off with his brother (Chris Cooper), then departs for a cross-country journey to contact his former radical pals (played by Richard Jenkins and Nick Nolte), especially his distant ex-lover Mimi Lurie (Julie Christie).
Redford directs "Company" with leisurely assurance, so leisurely that the parts intended to be nail-biting come off as finger-strumming.
Granted, "Company" need not employ teary-eyed nostalgia for the flower power years as "The Big Fix" did, but the movie's reconciliation of the passionate past with the pensive present works like mushy oatmeal for the soul.
"The Company You Keep" opens at the Century Centre in Chicago, Evanston CineArts 6 and the Northbrook Court 14. Rated R for language. 125 minutes. ★ ★ ½
Racial pretensions?
Dear Dann: It is with eager anticipation that I await your review of "42." You once panned a movie starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robert De Niro because you said it suggested that a black man was unable to make it without help from a white man. I am especially eager since Harrison Ford is playing Branch Rickey. Should the Rickey role be eliminated? -- Jim Recchia, Geneva.
Dear Jim: You ask a very thoughtful question about how close "42" comes to being one of many "white savior" movies that portray minorities as helpless pawns in need of white characters to save/feed/heal/protect them.
There's a big difference between the fact-based "42" and the fact-based "Men of Honor," starring Gooding as Carl Brashear, the U.S. Navy's first black diver, and De Niro as Billy Sunday, the white master chief who not only saves Brashear's life, but later saves his Navy career in the courtroom.
Branch Rickey was a real person who put into action his belief in Methodist John Wesley's visions of social justice. Helping talented minority athletes achieve equality on the baseball diamond was something of a calling for Rickey.
His relationship with Jackie Robinson in the movie is clearly a partnership in which both men have plenty to lose if they don't work together and achieve success at integrating the game.
Billy Sunday? Cool name. But he never existed.
The screenwriter created him so that there would be a superior white character to whom the black diver would owe both his life and the rest of his military career.
That entire plot was just about as honest and realistic as Brashear, dressed in full deep-sea diving gear, outrunning a Russian nuclear submarine on the ocean floor.
I hope that addresses your question, Jim. -- Dann
Great openings return!
Dann & Raymond's Movie Club presentation of "The Greatest Opening Sequences in Hollywood History" has been rescheduled at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave., Arlington Heights. Free admission! We bumped last week's program out of respect for Roger Ebert's tribute at the Chicago Theatre, scheduled for the same night. Go to ahml.info.
• Daily Herald Film Critic Dann Gire's column runs Fridays in Time out!


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The 'Jilbab' as a Uniform
Indonesia's uniform policy was based on the principle of religious diversity inscribed in the Constitution as part of the new nation's unification agenda.
Then, in 1990, the government allowed the wearing of the jilbab in state schools for the first time. By 2004, in some parts of Indonesia, the jilbab had become compulsory school uniform. The dramatic turnaround in jilbab-wearing reflects the Islamisation of Indonesian society, and is part of the so-called Islamic resurgence worldwide.
The province of West Sumatra is the heartland of the matrilineal and strongly Muslim Minangkabau people. School principals, in consultation with teachers, have recently made the jilbab compulsory school uniform in many senior high schools, both academic and vocational, in West Sumatra. (Students at Islamic senior high schools, under the control of the Department of Religion, and students at private Islamic schools, have long worn the jilbab.)
Reinventing tradition
Why did schools in West Sumatra decide to make the jilbab compulsory? Principals and teachers in Bukittinggi say that the decision was part of the national move towards regional autonomy and the local push to 'return to thenagari' (traditional Minang village).They argue that the jilbab is part of traditional Minangkabau dress, not Islamic clothing, and that its adoption goes hand-in-hand with the revival of adapt (custom) and the return to the surau (traditional Islamic prayer-house).
However, many others, including community adat leaders and Islamic preachers, are happy to point out privately that jilbab-wearing is an invented tradition. Traditionally, the important items of women's dress were the loose, modest baju kurung (long-sleeved tunic) worn over a long skirt. While in the old days Minang women sometimes draped a scarf, towel or other cloth over their heads when going out, this was not the same as the jilbab.
This is not to say that adat and Islam are in conflict over this issue: invariably, teachers, parents and community leaders insist that adat and Islam are as one. The new school uniforms for girls generally consist of the jilbab, bajukurung, and long skirt. The effect of the outfit is that the female body shape is shrouded and the body and hair contained. Schools have generally kept the basic colour scheme of the former uniform: that is, white above and grey below, with variant colour regimes on nominated days.
One typical school requires grey and white on Mondays to Thursdays, white jilbab, lilac bajukurung and black skirt on Fridays and the ubiquitous brown of the Girl Guides' uniform on Saturdays.
In West Sumatra, uniform codes are an important part of school rules. School rules are copious and detailed. Compliance with the dress codes is almost universal. Teachers and parents emphasise that the jilbab is 'neat' and 'proper'. A teacher at a vocational school remarked, 'Before, clothing was a real problem in school. Then the jilbab was made compulsory as school uniform, and the long skirt. Now, clothing is not a problem. Five years ago, we had mini skirts, lots of preman (hoodlums) — trouble! Now, it's not a problem, everything is covered up.'
Meanings of the jilbab
But what does the jilbab mean for the young women themselves? They have to wear it to school, so for them the main question is when or if they will wear the jilbab in everyday life. Schoolgirls and young women discuss the jilbab as an Islamic headdress, not as part of Minang dress or identity. They explain it in terms of covering the aurat (nakedness).
Many define the aurat as extending from the top of the hair to the hands and feet of women, and from the waist to the knees of men, but others quote the Koran to show that the requirement is simply for modesty of dress. Many young women believe that the decision to take up the jilbab should come from the heart.
One student at a top academic school explains why she does not wear the jilbab: 'People who wear a jilbab should really have a strong grip on religion, they should follow Allah's commands, avoid His prohibitions, they should have a commitment to guarding the good name of religion and the good name of the jilbab that they wear. The jilbab is not just a symbol. Now we see lots of people wearing the jilbab but their behaviour is not appropriate for someone who's wearing a jilbab. For instance, the clothing of a jilbab-wearer should not show the form of the body.'
She says she is not ready to make such a commitment. The decision to take up the jilbab permanently is a serious one. The jilbab imposes its own discipline. Because the jilbab restricts head movement, it constantly makes the wearer aware of her own body. It encourages girls to be more careful, more devout, more polite and respectful, and less flirtatious.
Another student at the same school puts it this way: 'If we wear the jilbab, it's just a piece of cloth, but it's heavy. If we wear it, we change drastically. We have to be responsible for ourselves if we wear it. The jilbab — it's not just a symbol, it constrains us. The jilbab is not just on the outside, but in our hearts.'
The jilbab and male lust
Many girls talk about the jilbab as a protection from the male gaze, from unwanted male advances and from sexual harassment. One devout scholar at a religious school explains, 'The jilbab is mainly for us girls, to protect us. In the Koran, it says that we should wear the jilbab in order that we are recognised as Muslims and not harassed by men — so that we are valued by the opposite sex.'
One girl, taking karate lessons in her jilbab, sees wearing the jilbab and learning karate as ways to repulse sexual attack: 'If a girl shows her aurat and then is raped, probably she herself has done wrong: why did she encourage male lust?'
Wearing the jilbab is a way for adolescent girls to protect their good name and hence their marriage ability. All Minang girls expect to get married and have children in order to continue the family line. Parents often strongly encourage their daughters to wear the jilbab outside school. A typical teenage girl says she doesn't ever go out at night. If she did, 'world war three would erupt' at home.
As a young woman she is forbiddent o go out at night. She has worn the jilbab since junior high on her parents' order (suruhan), but she says she likes wearing it.
Most of my research participants publicly support the compulsory jilbab in schools, but some object in private. Most of those who object do so on religious grounds: that the commitment to take up the jilbab should be forever, and that to make the jilbab part of school uniform cheapens its religious value.
School teachers say that non-Muslim students are not forced to wear the veil, but that in practice they all do because there are so few of them and they do not want to stand out. One male principal says it is not a problem: the jilbab is part of Minang clothing, not Islamic clothing, and is just part of the school uniform.
However, this 'not-a-problem' attitude is not always shared by non-Muslim parents. The potential of the new policy to ostracise religious minority groups was brought home to me in a discussion with a Chinese Catholic family with two children. The oldest child, a son, attended a top academic school in Bukittinggi.
The parents think that their daughter should not be forced to wear the Islamic jilbab and have decided to send her to a private Christian school in Padang because of the new compulsory jilbab. They do not see the jilbab as a statement of neatness or of Minangkabau-ness: they see it as a statement of Muslim identity — and therefore of exclusion.
From an international and human rights perspective, making the jilbab compulsory for schoolgirls is a bold move. People in West Sumatra are very aware that France has legislated against allowing Muslim girls to wear the veil to school, though very few know that Singapore has done likewise. The French legislation was widely condemned, on the grounds that it was an infringement of human rights and religious freedom.
Unfortunately, none of the Muslim school teachers or students I spoke to saw the parallel between human rights and religious freedom in France and human rights and religious freedom in Indonesia. None of them pointed out that students in West Sumatra have the right not to wear the jilbab. To me this is an unhappy sign for the future of religious tolerance and multiculturalism in Indonesia.
Lyn Parker
© Lyn Parker
This article was previously published in Inside Indonesia.
Lyn Parker is a senior lecturer in Asian studies in the School of Social and Cultural Studies at the University of Western Australia. She is currently researching adolescent girls in Minangkabau.
Debate on Islamic Terrorism in Indonesia
Jihad Misunderstood?
A video containing admissions by three of the suicide bombers who perpetrated the Bali attacks of 1 October has triggered a long-overdue debate amongst Muslims in Indonesia about Islamist terrorism. Bettina David reports
Islam in Indonesia
Fatwas against Religious Liberalism
Eleven new religious decrees have sparked off animated debates among the Indonesian public over the past few weeks. Moderate Muslims and representatives of liberal Islamic organisations in particular have lodged appeals and are calling for a review. Bettina David reports
The Headscarf Debate
In the West and the Islamic world alike, the headscarf is the subject of heated discussions. We take a closer look at various aspects of the debate and highlight its background and social reality
Inside Indonesia


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Weeks of hard work came under public scrutiny as fans of television show The Block attended the open day.
Thousands of fans are expected to attend the family day out as Alisa, Lysandra, Brad, Dale, Kyal, Kara, Steve and Chantelle open their doors to give the public an exclusive sneak peek of the luxury warehouse apartments they have created.
The Block Fans vs Faves television show is one of channel Nine's top-rating programs this year.


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Take Charge Indy, who finished fifth in the Juvenile last November despite a troubled trip, joins Grade III Sam F. Davis 1-2 finishers Battle Hardened and Prospective as the standouts for the mile-and-a-sixteenth Tampa Bay Downs showcase.
Take Charge Indy, by prolific sire and 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy, out of multiple-Grade I winner Take Charge Lady, made his 3-year-old debut Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park in a mile-and-a-sixteenth allowance optional claiming race.
Take Charge Indy finished second to El Padrino, who subsequently won the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Owned by Chuck and Maribeth Sandford LLC and Secure Investments and trained by Patrick Byrne, Take Charge Indy worked five furlongs at Palm Meadows on Feb. 26 in 1:01 1/5 and went four furlongs Sunday in 47 3/5.
Byrne trained such outstanding horses as 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick, 1997 Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold and 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Awesome Again. The jockey of Take Charge Indy will be Calvin Borel, who won the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby and Kentucky Derby on Street Sense and won three of four runnings of the Kentucky Derby from 2007-2010.
Take Charge Indy drew the No. 10 post position.
Over the next few days, handicappers will debate the merits of having a race over the Tampa Bay Downs surface, a possible advantage enjoyed by Battle Hardened and Prospective.
Battle Hardened – trained by Eddie Kenneally and to be ridden again by Julien Leparoux – broke his maiden winning the Feb. 4, Grade III Sam F. Davis by a length-and-a-quarter from Prospective, who actually has two races over the Oldsmar oval.
Prospective, who is trained by Mark Casse and will be ridden by regular jockey Luis Contreras, captured the $100,000 Pasco Stakes with a furious stretch rally here Jan. 14. Prospective ran last in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but a month earlier won the Grade III Grey Stakes at Woodbine in Toronto.
Pletcher's charge is Spring Hill Farm, an impeccably-bred son of Smart Strike-Colonial Minstrel, by Pleasant Colony, who is 2-for-2 in his brief racing career, both victories this year at Gulfstream. He will be ridden by Javier Castellano.
The full field in post position order: No. 1, Prospective; No. 2, Golden Ticket; No. 3, Twin; No. 4, Chief Energy; No. 5, Tell All You Know; No. 6, Cozzetti; No. 7, Battle Hardened; No. 8, Ravelo's Boy; No. 9, Spring Hill Farm; No. 10, Take Charge Indy; No. 11, Fox Rules; and No. 12, Cajun Charlie. The Tampa Bay Derby is the 11th race on a 12-race card.
The 10-horse field for the Hillsborough Stakes is headed by Grade I winner Zagora and 2011 Hillsborough winner Denomination. Zagora, a 5-year-old mare owned by Martin Schwartz and trained by Chad Brown, made a successful 2012 debut here on Feb. 4, winning the Grade III, $150,000 Endeavour Stakes by an easy two-and-a-quarter lengths from Exclusive Love. Castellano returns for the riding assignment.
Now 6-year-old Denomination used her victory in last year's Hillsborough as a springboard to a stellar campaign that included victories in the Grade III Violet and the Grade III Athenia for owner Ghislaine Head and trainer Christophe Clement. Leparoux has been named to ride Saturday.
Others who should see significant play at the betting windows are the Thomas Proctor-trained Snow Top Mountain, winner of the Grade III Suwanee River at Gulfstream on Feb. 11; the H. Graham Motion-conditioned Unbridled Humor, winner of the Grade III Noble Damsel at Belmont in September; and the Shirley Girten-Drake-trained Hooh Why, who won the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf in January at Gulfstream.
The Hillsborough will be contested as the 10th race Saturday. Here is the field in post position order: No. 1, Sea Level Drive; No. 2, Megaspiel; No. 3, Hooh Why; No. 4, Last Full Measure; No. 5, Denomination; No. 6, Unbridled Humor; No. 7, Zagora; No. 8, Federation; No. 9, Gold d'Oro; and No. 10, Snow Top Mountain.
A field of eight 3-year-olds will face the starter in the Suncoast, to be run as the ninth race. Borel will ride Modulate, who broke her maiden Feb. 12 at Gulfstream despite a slow start. The daughter of Mizzen Mast-Mesmeric, by A.P. Indy, is owned by Juddmonte Farms, Inc. and trained by 2012 Eclipse Award winner William Mott.
Two others who loom as possible wagering favorites are the Kenneally-trained Force de La Nature, a Grade III-placed filly who will be ridden by Leparoux; and Wait Til Dawn, a Pletcher-trainee who will be piloted by Castellano.
The full field in post position order: No. 1, Macanuda; No. 2, Modulate; No. 3, Melrose Woods; No. 4, Wait Til Dawn; No. 5, Mercy Lou; No. 6, Ciguaraya; No. 7, Force de La Nature; and No. 8, Prothoe.
There is no live racing Thursday. Live racing resumes Friday with a first-race post time of 12:25 p.m. On Wednesday's card, four-time leading Tampa Bay Downs jockey Daniel Centeno made his return after spending most of the winter at Gulfstream Park. Centeno's agent locally is Herson Sanchez, himself a former top Tampa Bay Downs jockey.


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Who's Tebo?
Folks, I think the gloves are finally coming off this Sunday. I'm looking for Sanchez and Tebow to line up together quite often. You will see Tebow line as a running back, he will throw, he will be a decoy, he will be Sanchez's protrctor, and yes the gimics will come out. I really believe week 7 is Tebow time.
Last edited by CGJET; 10-16-2012 at 08:50 PM.
Who's Tebo?
This is the LAST game Tebow should be heavily involved in. We need to score and do it often and quickly. While I understand Mark has been god awful lately we at least know he's capable of it. Running Option is not going to put 30+ points on the board ever.
There were posts way back predicting we would hold our best option\wildcat\whatever back for the Pats. I have a feelin'
Tebow would be a disaster at RB.
in the past, and for reasons beyond all comprehension (other than Schitty being ****ty), we have not taken advantage of NEs weak secondary. some games we didn't even attempt a single deep pass.
Sparano hasn't been shy about dialing up the deep ball this season, albeit with limited success due to bad throws and bad drops. with Hill healthy and Schilens rounding into form, I hope to see us attacking downfield a few times this week.
New England's pass defense has been downright atrocious. This is the exact wrong time to suddenly turn to a "heavy dosage of Tebow". We should be picking on this Patriot secondary by taking several shots down field.
I've been thinking that the Jets had this master plan all along to fight their way through the first six weeks and then unveil their good Wildcat material for the first time against NE to beat them in their house.
But that's just a really stupid strategy, right? Can't be true, right?
Also, I just can't be sure if the "good" material is actually good.
Perhaps the Jets will run a fake everytime they lineup to punt?
Last edited by TheMikeIsHot; 10-17-2012 at 08:50 AM.
If we get out to an early lead, I'm all for Tebow. AND LOTS OF TEBOW!! I think last Sunday's 4th quarter shouldv'e been a lot of Tebow. Just hate to see games where playcallers and coordinators go up 20+ and still have qbs drop back throwing the ball.(not saying we'll go up 20 but if we go up 9 or 10 on NE- TEBOW) If at any point Sunday, we have the ball with the lead, Sparano's gotta get creative with the running game. Fake Double Reverse, Wildcat, option attack, Direct snap to RB whatever.
And who pissed in your wheaties this morning?We are getting shut out no matter what Tim Tebow does. Joe Montana couldn't put up 3 with these offensive "weapons".
Pats are 3-3, I can see another blowout like our revenge game last year.


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Posted 6 years ago
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Just acquired thru Craigslist today, this 1937 Coca Cola tray is in decent shape. The tray has good color, one small rust mark with other very minor blemishes. I would rate it 5 to 6 out of 10. Acquired for about 10% the $265 Petretti mint price.


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Neuroscientist Heather Richardson and colleagues have received a $400,000 grant to study how binge drinking during adolescence affects development in the prefrontal cortex, an area that directs decision-making and controls emotions, and one of the last brain regions to mature.
Richardson, doctoral student Wanette Vargas, and others at the Neurobiology of Stress and Addiction Laboratory use an adolescent rat model to reflect the typical teen experience with alcohol, which includes individual variability and intermittent exposure. A two-year grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) at the National Institutes of Health, plus support from the College of Natural Sciences, will fund a series of studies to advance understanding of how risky drinking among teens may change the development of neural circuits and cause potentially long-lasting mental health consequences.
"We use adolescent animals that are not predisposed to drink and we try as much as possible to mimic the typical teenager's experience with alcohol. This means the experiments include individual variability because the animals voluntarily choose to binge when alcohol is available. But, like teenagers, at times they have no access to alcohol so they can't drink at all," Richardson explains.
She adds that alcohol is the most common substance of abuse during adolescence, a time when both female and male teens engage in episodes of heavy, binge drinking. With this work, Richardson and colleagues hope to fill a significant knowledge gap regarding the effects of voluntary drinking early in adolescence on the developing prefrontal cortex.
Specifically, the researchers are investigating how alcohol affects myelin, a fatty insulating layer that coats axons, nerve fibers, and helps brain cells communicate with one another quickly and efficiently. Myelin is still forming around axons in the prefrontal cortex of 28- to 56-day-old adolescent rats. In humans, Richardson says, there is some evidence of an association between reduced myelin in the brain with alcohol use, but it's not clear whether this is a result of drinking or whether people with less myelin are predisposed to drinking.
In her group's laboratory studies, animals have intermittent access to alcohol, so they sometimes can press a lever to be rewarded with a sweetened alcohol drink and other times do not have access to the lever. Food and water are always available so alcohol consumption is completely voluntary. Most animals will drink enough alcohol to reach the binge level at least a few times over the exposure period.
Binge drinking is defined by NIAAA as drinking enough alcohol within two hours to reach a blood alcohol level of 0.08. The experiments use sweetened alcohol because teenagers commonly drink sugary alcoholic beverages and because adolescent rats will voluntarily binge drink sweetened alcohol in the laboratory.
A control group will receive sweetened water without alcohol. Groups will be allowed to consume equal amounts of the mixtures on average, and the researchers will track both individual and group differences to look for relationships between drinking behavior and quantitative variables related to myelination in the brain.
If alcohol causes a change in myelinated axons within the prefrontal cortex, the next important step will be to establish whether males and females have different sensitivity to these effects, Richardson says. She also plans follow-up studies to determine whether there is a threshold below which alcohol consumption is not associated with brain changes.
"If drinking a beer or two intermittently through early adolescence causes brain changes, that is something we need to know. Overall, we hypothesize that drinking early in development affects the brain's ability to function normally. If it does, our ultimate goal will be to uncover possible mechanisms and determine ways in which we can reverse these effects," she adds.
Richardson's successful grant proposal was aided by support of the Center for Research on Families Research Scholars Program.
Article courtesy of news feed In The Loop: http://www.umass.edu/loop/content/neuroscientist-studies-adolescent-binge-drinking-and-brain-development
Image: Graduate student Wanette Vargas, left, and Heather Richardson, assistant professor of Psychology, examine a microscopic image of myelinated axons in a rat brain.


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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Creighton coach Greg McDermott believes he has a good team - a very good one. He also believes the Bluejays can be an elite team by the end of the season.
Carl Hall had 17 points and 13 rebounds to help Wichita State seize control in the second half, and two missed 3-pointers by Ethan Wragge in the final seconds doomed the Bluejays to a 67-64 defeat, snapping their 11-game winning streak.
Doug McDermott had 25 points to lead Creighton (17-2, 6-1 MVC), which dropped into a first-place tie with the Shockers (17-2, 6-1) in the Missouri Valley Conference. Grant Gibbs added 14 points and eight assists, but missed an important free throw in the closing seconds of the game.
``I think we can take another step, and I think it's going to be a difficult step, because everybody is going to have to look in the mirror and squeeze every bit of energy out of our bodies to reach our potential,'' Greg McDermott said.
``I believe we can do that,'' he added. ``I think there's another step this team can take to a place we're really, really going to like.''
Malcolm Armstead had 15 points, including two key free throws with 15.3 seconds left, while Cleanthony Early added 13 points and Demetric Williams had 10 for the Shockers, who pushed their home-court winning streak to 17 games in front of a raucous, capacity crowd.
``It was a Valley battle against a very, very good basketball team,'' Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall. Said. ``I'll take it and move on, and it's a nice win for us.''
Mild understatement, perhaps.
Hall gave the Shockers a 65-63 lead when he made the second of two free throws with 48.3 seconds left, but Gibbs - a 67 percent free throw shooter - only made one of two with 25.3 seconds to go, allowing the Shockers to cling to a lead and forcing Creighton to foul.
Anthony's two free throws restored a three-point lead, but Wragge mis-fired from the corner and then got another chance at the buzzer, this time clanking the 3 off the rim.
When the crowd erupted, it was clear it was a bit more than just a ``nice win.''
``We didn't let them separate. That's the thing,'' said Marshall, whose team would have fallen two games back in the Valley race with a loss. ``They're a very good team and they have a great chance to be right there at the end.''
It was little surprise that a game between last season's regular-season champion, Wichita State, and tournament champion Creighton would come down to the wire. They have played 29 games decided by 12 or fewer points since 1994-95.
``They killed us on the boards, especially in the first half,'' Doug McDermott said. ``It's tough to win games if you're going to give them 22 offensive rebounds.''
Hall had six of them in his second game back from a thumb injury.
The senior forward at one point scored six straight points in the first half. Later, he missed two layups and got two offensive boards before finally scoring for a 25-19 lead.
Hall was also doing his duty on defense, one of several defenders put on McDermott.
``He was ready to play today,'' Doug McDermott said. ``That's his game, crashing the boards and using his athleticism and toughness. We just have to do a better job on him next time.''
After scoring 39 points against Missouri State and 31 in a win over Northern Iowa, he struggled just to find enough space to put up a shot. McDermott was 3 of 8 from the field before a buzzer-beating 3-pointer pulled the Bluejays within 36-33 at halftime.
Creighton tied the game 38-all early in the first half, only for the Shockers to put together a quick run. Early poured in a 3-pointer and then popped a jumper right over McDermott, helping the Shockers extend their lead to 49-42 with 15:15 left in the game.
That's when Creighton's run finally happened.
McDermott's basket and an open 3-pointer by Gibbs helped to trigger a 10-2 charge, and a jumper by Austin Chatman gave the Bluejays their first lead at 52-51 with 11:28 left.
The Shockers refused to give in, and a flagrant foul on Gibbs sent Tekele Cotton to the free throw line and helped Wichita State pull back ahead.
The Bluejays got within 64-63 when they took advantage of a 5-on-4 situation with Early, who had landed hard and hit his head, still rolling around under the other basket. McDermott scored with a baseline jumper with 2:17 left in the game.
It was the last basket he would make in the game, though.
``We knew what was at stake,'' Greg McDermott said, ``and the position it would put us in if we won, but we also knew what it would take to win, and we failed in some of those areas.''
Copyright 2018 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written
consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.


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The recently agreed to contract between the Rockford police union and the city appears to be a classic example of a negotiation in which both sides compromised to reach a deal everyone can live with.
The recently agreed to contract between the Rockford police union and the city appears to be a classic example of a negotiation in which both sides compromised to reach a deal everyone can live with.
Given some of the television ads the police union bought during the spring mayoral election campaign, we had expected negotiations to be much uglier than they were, so we're pleasantly surprised that they went as smoothly as they did.
Smooth, of course, is a relative term. It is a retroactive contract, giving officers a 2 percent raise for work done last year. It was a long, slow process to arrive at a deal that runs through 2014.
There was plenty of fiery rhetoric from both sides about geopolicing, staffing and other issues late last year and this spring. And it seems as if the police union and the administration have been at odds since Larry Morrissey became mayor in 2005.
But aside from some harsh words a few months ago, both sides kept negotiations in the meeting room and did not make much of a fuss in the media.
The three-year deal is encouraging, but more encouraging is that there finally will be progress toward geographic policing, the topic of those TV ads in the spring. The contract allows the city to create a pilot geopolicing district, which could be running by Jan. 1.
Geographic policing is a way of deploying resources throughout the city. It would split the current centralized police force into districts, each responsible for certain portions of the city.
Geopolicing would get Rockford police out of the Public Safety Building, which is owned by the city and Winnebago County and costs $1.3 million a year to maintain. The county wants to vacate the building as soon as possible, leaving the city with most of the maintenance costs.
Eventually, the goal would be for Rockford to have three district stations, one each in the east, west and central parts of the city.
Under a geopolicing strategy, officers would work the same area every day, building relationships and developing a problem-solving — as opposed to a reactive — approach to fighting crime.
We think it can be a solution to Rockford's historically high crime rate. Despite the many wonderful amenities here — parks, museums, shopping, health care, etc. — there are too many crime victims in the city.
The status quo obviously has not helped. New strategies and approaches must be adopted.
The police union had opposed geopolicing because it didn't think Rockford had enough officers to do it right and because it was concerned that 12-hour shifts, rather than the current 10-hour shifts, would lead to fatigue among officers. New officers have been hired and we'd like to point out that sheriff's deputies have been on 12-hour shifts for at least three decades, and fatigue has not been a problem.
We could quibble, of course, about why the 28 officers who will volunteer to be part of the geopolicing pilot program should get a 1.5 percent pay bonus. Won't they simply be doing their job, just like the officers who aren't involved in the effort?
We also could question why, after at least four years of discussion about geopolicing, we still don't know where the stations will be or how much they will cost to rent or buy and maintain.
There are plenty of vacant buildings all over town that could serve as police stations. It would be nice to see some of those empty relics put to good use. The recently purchased Fran Kral building downtown could be an option for a district headquarters.
The contract is pending City Council approval, which we hope will be routine.
We applaud the city and the union for finding common ground and look forward to more crime-fighting solutions.


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Championed the Equal Rights Amendment, our ten-cent bottle bill, outlawing billboards along scenic highways, and more. Age 89.
She told The Associated Press in 2006 about her concerns that many younger women were shying away from political activism and the "feminist" label.
"They don't know their history," she said at the time. "Young women take so much for granted now."
Feminism, she said, had "been redefined and misinterpreted" by conservatives as wild-eyed radicalism.
"Nobody ever saw anybody burn a bra; they're too expensive," she said. "But the myth has survived. There have been excesses, but the goal has always remained the same: equal opportunity for women."


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Middle East Studies Calendar
Katzen Cinema Series: Double Take (Updated 1/7/13)
Katzen Cinema Series: Double Take
Wednesday, April 17, 7 p.m.
American University Museum, Katzen Arts Center
Admission is free
Johan Grimonprez's ingenious documentary/fiction hybrid—a meditation on identity, filmmaking, power, and paranoia—looks at Alfred Hitchcock's late '50s and early '60s films against the climate of Cold War-era political anxiety. Taking inspiration from a short story written by Jorge Luis Borges and using a meticulous array of archival footage, director Grimonprez traces the global rise of fear as a commodity, examining modern history through the lens of mass media, advertising, and Hollywood.
- Type:
- Film/Movie
- Host:
- American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center
- Contact:
- American University Museum


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Hello hello.. it's that time of year again.. almost.. :P ..
I was informed Lut was not able to organize this year's card swap due to health reasons.. so here I am.. I will be helping this year.. and whenever I'm needed of course ;)
so, basic "rules" are:
1.- be over age 16 or have your parents agree to sing up (we are all trusty but some may have concerns about you giving your address, esp if you recently joined) (I will check personally so there are no suspicious signers, everyone needs to be at least 3 months old to the forum, PTers under age 16 will have to PM Karen so she's gives me green light to add you)
2.- send your full address to my email [email protected] (add dot com obviously ;))
(full name, address, zip code, country, email to send the list to, names of pets if you want, as well as your Pet Talk name) no one will have your address but me, and those who sign up for the swap. I will not be posting or sending your info to third persons out of the card swap people and it will be sent via email
3.- once the deadline arrives (Nov 11th), I will send an email with all the addresses of the ones who signed up.
4.- you MUST to send a card to ALL the people in the list, they'll all be sending one to you and they will be expecting one back too.
5.- cards can be bought, printed or handmade.. whatever you feel like.. they are all appreciated the same :)
6.- you must consider the postage: we have had folks from USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Argentina, Mexico.. so check your post office for prices so you can be 100% sure before you sing up. average signers go from 20-40 people.
to check prices from USA: https://www.usps.com/ship/first-class.htm
to check prices from Canada: http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/pers...ents.jsf#Rates
7.- also consider delivery times: usually takes around 7-15 days for overseas/internationals to be delivered while locals can take less time, but since it's holiday season you might want to send the foreign ones first ;)
8.- deadline to send your info is Nov 19th, but you can headstart the cards and just leave the envelopes til I send you the info, as signers will be listed in the next post :)
I think that's all.. if you have any doubts you can post here, PM me or email me.. you can also check past card swaps to get an idea