text:
RENO, Nev. The seedlings are small. Only a few of them are popping through the ground. But as gardener Benjamin Castro looks over them, a smile appears on his face.
Castro is the founder of R.I.S.E., which stands for The Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality. He started the organization last year with the help of his wife and friends.
Three Saturdays out of the month, R.I.S.E. feeds hundreds of homeless men and women in our community. They set up outside the shelter on Record Street, and Castro says he hasn't thought twice about spending his weekends there.
"I think sharing, especially with food, is a way to build a stronger, more resilient community," he said.
With his garden, Castro is hoping R.I.S.E. can supplement those meals with home grown vegetables.
"For us, we're firm believers that good, high quality food should be available to everybody regardless of their income status."
And many in the shelter are grateful.
"It's really nice that people are taking care of people out here," Tim Fialdini said. "They bring a lot of food out here."
Though Fialdini is homeless himself, he doesn't just eat. He also offers his experience as a cook to R.I.S.E.
The organization has big plans moving forward. Castro says he is hoping to build more garden boxes in his backyard, as well as build some at the shelter so the people can grow their own food.
He says it's an exciting prospect, though some at the shelter are worried about its success.
"It's a good thought," Paul Espinoza said. "It really, really is but you've got to deal with the people who really don't care."
Espinoza says he's been at the shelter for a long time, and sees many people who have given up. But that's a challenge Castro won't back away from.
"Even if I can help 1 out of 1000, that will make this all worth it," he said.
If you'd like to donate to help Castro expand the garden visit http://www.renoinitiative.org/riseanddine/


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Packers' Next Opponent: Vikings
Packers have dominated Vikings at home
Green Bay - When the NFC North standings were put to bed last season, an unprecedented 12 games separated the first-place Green Bay Packers and the last-place Minnesota Vikings.
Today, the margin has narrowed to one game as the border rivals chase the division-leading Chicago Bears.
Actually, Minnesota had a two-game edge on Green Bay after five games, and the teams still were tied a month ago. But after a 5-2 start the Vikings have gone 1-3 to jeopardize their playoff chances.
The Packers have won four games in a row in the 52-year series, and 15 of the last 19 played at Lambeau Field. They're favored by nine points Sunday against the Vikings in Green Bay.
"Coming off that loss, I think Green Bay is going to crush 'em," said an assistant coach for a recent Vikings opponent. "These are not the same wounded animals. I got Green Bay, 28-14."
On Sunday, the Packers were whipped, 38-10, by the New York Giants a few hours after the Vikings were wiped out in Chicago, 28-10.
"You heard (Aaron) Rodgers talk about you guys out there are panicking but in here, in the locker room, we've got it under control," an executive in personnel said. "Right now, their backs are a little bit closer to being up against the wall."
That scout called it 28-17 for Green Bay. An NFC personnel man forecast a 35-31 decision for the Packers.
"I think that Rodgers has more big throws in his arm than (Adrian) Peterson has big runs in his legs - by a tiny bit," the NFL scout said. "This will be a close game because Green Bay can get chunks in the passing game, where Minnesota isn't strong, and Minnesota can get big chunks in the run game, where Green Bay isn't strong.
"The question is, can Rodgers can get the ball out fast enough behind that offensive line?"
One of the scouts has the Vikings winning just one more game for a 7-9 finish, which would be a four-game jump from 2011.
"It almost seemed like they were doing it with smoke and mirrors earlier," he said. "But if the quarterback (Christian Ponder) can manage the game and not turn the ball over, and just make the throws he should make, and mix in the run with the best back in the league, they certainly have a chance for the upset."
Coordinator Bill Musgrave, a veteran QB coach in his second season calling plays for Minnesota, prefers TEs to WRs and shifts them on almost every snap. The Vikings run 44.4% of the time, then try to throw off play-action. Musgrave likes moving the pocket. The Vikings rank 15th in points (22.55), tied for 18th in giveaways (19) and 22nd in yards (333.4).
Everything hinges on the sprained ankle of super-slot Percy Harvin (5-11, 193), who seems more probable than questionable. The speedy, gutty Harvin makes big plays deep and short, as a runner and even in "wildcat" sets. With Harvin, the Vikings can maybe get by outside with the likes of former Bengal Jerome Simpson (6-1½, 199), former Falcon Michael Jenkins (6-4½, 214), rookie Jarius Wright (5-9½, 186) and well-traveled Devin Aromashodu (6-2½, 201). Simpson made acrobatic catches in Cincinnati but dropped three against the Bears and has made no impact. He runs 40 yards in 4.42 seconds but reeks of inconsistency. Jenkins is a willowy sideline catcher with 75 starts, more of a long strider with declining speed. Wright, a fourth-round pick, is a lot like Harvin but didn't play until Harvin got hurt. He uses 4.43 speed to challenge vertically, has quick feet and isn't the least bit afraid. Aromashodu has four TDs in seven years. Besides Harvin, the other key target is TE Kyle Rudolph (6-6, 258), who suffered a concussion Sunday but figures to play. He runs just 4.85 but gets open, is an inviting target and runs hard after the catch. He's also a much better blocker than former Seahawk John Carlson (6-5, 250), who preceded Rudolph at Notre Dame. Carlson tries hard but has lost speed and isn't playing well.
LT Matt Kalil (6-6½, 308), the fourth pick in the draft, already is the top performer and could be the second coming of Hall of Fame RT Ron Yary. He has long arms (36½ inches), big hands (10 3/8), remarkable speed and more than enough balance and agility. He needs strength work. RT Phil Loadholt (6-8, 343), a four-year starter, has bounced back from an off year. He also has 36½-inch arms and improving feet to go with mass. C John Sullivan (6-3½, 301), another four-year starter, is smart (35 on the Wonderlic intelligence test), tough and naturally strong. He ranks among the upper half of starting centers. Major problems exist at guard, where the Vikings might have to start over in '13. LG Charlie Johnson (6-4, 305), the LT last year and a Colt starter from 2007-'10, has decent initial pop in the run game but doesn't sustain and gets knocked off-balance in pass pro. Rotating at RG are Brandon Fusco (6-4, 306), a sixth-round pick from Slippery Rock in '11, and March signee Geoff Schwartz (6-6, 340). Fusco is motivated, smart (Wonderlic of 30) and strong, but quicker DTs give him fits. Schwartz, a starting RT-RG in '10 for Carolina, is rugged but limited athletically.
Christian Ponder (6-2, 229), the 12th pick in '11, is 8-13 since making his first start against the Packers 13 months ago after replacing Donovan McNabb. Through six games this year, Ponder was completing 68.6% and had a passer rating of 92.4. In the last five games, his numbers are 56.4% and 67.3. Ponder, who is healthy, is a bit of a gunslinger. He will dash about with confidence, make good reads and deliver a nice ball. All too often, he grows impatient in the pocket, chatters his feet and bolts prematurely. He uses his 4.64 speed and guts to run effectively. His arm strength is rather common. He is smart (Wonderlic of 35) and exhibits leadership. His accuracy is subpar. No. 2 Joe Webb (6-2½, 220) remains an athletic project.
Adrian Peterson (6-1½, 217) is the best in the business. He's a wild ball of energy, an upright runner with breakaway speed (4.45), unreal balance and rare desire. His fumbles are down, but he remains very shaky in blitz pickup. Third-down RB Toby Gerhart (6-0, 231) hasn't lived up to the pre-draft hype. FB Jerome Felton (6-0, 248) is a better athlete and receiver than blocker.
The first-time coordinator, Alan Williams, coached DBs in Indianapolis for a decade. He replaced Fred Pagac, who now coaches LBs. Coach Leslie Frazier is heavily involved, too. Out of their base 4-3, the Vikings are a modest blitz team that tries to stop the run with seven and rush with four. They rank 11th in yards (336.6), 17th in points (22.64) and tied for 22nd in takeaways (14).
The solid seven-man rotation continues to be led by RE Jared Allen (6-6, 270). Even at 30, he never stops charging. Allen can dip around the corner or stick a tackle in the chest and knock him flying. LE Brian Robison (6-3, 259) is a two-year starter with 27 sacks in five-plus seasons. He's every bit as fast as Allen, changes direction well and chases hard. When stalemated, he has batted down eight passes. DT Kevin Williams (6-5, 311), a perennial Pro Bowler until '10, isn't as sudden or quick as he once was. Still, he holds firm against the run and plays with discipline. Letroy Guion (6-3½, 303) is one of the NFL's smallest NTs. A backup since '08, he plays and pursues hard but can be buckled at the point. Replacing Guion on passing downs is DE Everson Griffen (6-3, 273), a fourth-round pick in '10 who flashes explosiveness. He has 4.7 speed and good strength; he's also overly emotional, mistake-prone and a slow reader. The backup DTs are Fred Evans (6-3½, 305), a Viking since '07 with a relentless approach and deceiving strength, and Christian Ballard (6-4, 283), a fourth-round pick in '11 with pass-rush ability.
SLB Chad Greenway (6-2½, 242), selected 12 picks after A.J. Hawk in '06, keeps improving. He can run (4.65), cover and make wrap-up tackles. He's smart (29 on the Wonderlic), will penetrate and goes hard. His shortcomings come at the point of attack. Replacing departed E.J. Henderson at MLB is Jasper Brinkley (6-1½, 252), a fifth-round pick in '09. He shows burst to close, covers RBs easily with 4.69 speed and is a good athlete. He just doesn't show a lot of thump taking on lead blockers. WLB Erin Henderson (6-2½, 244), E.J.'s younger brother, moved into the lineup last year but is more cut out to be No. 4 LB. He's a good leader, lines people up and runs pretty well. He's also too much of a finesse player.
Starting RC Chris Cook (arm) is on temporary injured reserve. He was replaced by A.J. Jefferson (6-0, 190), who arrived Sept. 1 in a trade with Arizona. He runs 4.48, has extremely long arms and is an adequate tackler. However, he peeks in the backfield too much, sits on routes and gets burned. At 35, LC Antoine Winfield (5-8½, 180) plays outside in base and inside in sub. He doesn't have nearly the explosiveness and range that he once did. He still hits like a ton of bricks and is a sneaky slot blitzer. Playing LC in sub is rookie Josh Robinson (5-10, 199), a third-round pick. He has blazing speed and jumps extremely well. But he struggles against bigger WRs and, a callow 21, is just trying to survive. After the Packers drafted Nick Perry at No. 28, the Vikings traded a fourth-round pick to move up six notches and take FS Harrison Smith (6-2, 214) at 29. Smith has filled a major void as a hard-hitting, sure-tackling, old-fashioned centerfielder. He can run and think on his feet, too. But Smith suffered a concussion Sunday and might not play. SS Jamarca Sanford (5-10, 200), a seventh-round pick in '09, has good straight-line speed and is a punishing hitter. He's much better at the line. Replacing Smith would be Mistral Raymond (6-1, 202), a sixth-round pick in '11 who lacks range and isn't great in run support.
After saying goodbye to Ryan Longwell, the Vikings took Blair Walsh in the sixth round. He is 24 of 26. P Chris Kluwe, 17th in net (39.4), has a huge leg but is struggling. Unless Percy Harvin returns, aggressive Marcus Sherels will handle both. LB Tyrone McKenzie is the key cover man for coach Mike Priefer.


text: Blog Historic Preservation Permitting Process 101 April 26, 2016 For any construction or renovation project, the permitting process is complex, but required. For renovations on a historical home there is another layer added with the requirements from historic preservation regulatory boards. Although many homeowners and contractors view it as a nuisance and tightly regulated restrictions by the government, they are there for the safety of buildings, the people residing in them and historic preservation of surrounding area. In Washington D.C, local preservation boards are the Historical Preservation Office or the Commission of Fine Arts. In Baltimore, historic preservation is overseen by the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation. All permits issued in designated historical neighborhoods must be approved by one of these offices. Why you want a permit process: Due to natural disasters and other preventable accidents in the past, building permits have been reevaluated to see how buildings can become an even safer environment for citizens while still maintaining historic preservation. From fires, collapsed buildings and hurricanes, building permits require certain standards. Maintaining a safe environment also helps protect future homeowners and will also help with the moving process if you ever decide to sell your home. All permit processes are public records. As public knowledge, it is essential for you to have a permit process before you start any renovations because future buyers can see if any changes were done with or without a renovation permit. As a homebuyer, research what certified renovations were made before you purchase a home; there could be unsafe areas that slip by inspections after a renovation. How you get a permit process: The process is complex, but worth it as a renovator. In the District of Columbia, Title 11 outlines the development standards of buildings ranging from the size of buildings, lots, yards and parking areas. Before you submit your application, you must figure out if the building is in an area with restrictions. Homes in historic neighborhoods require additional approval in ensure historic preservation requirements are met. After you turn in your application for review, the permit center will go over the information and make sure all necessary signatures and requirements are met. Your job will then be classified as non-complex or complex. If you have a complex job, your plan will be further reviewed by qualified engineers. The plan review consists of zoning, mechanical, electrical, fire and structural disciplines. You may use building inspections through the Department of Consumer Regulatory Affairs, or you can outsource to approved and external agencies. For historic preservation, the permit application must also go through the HPO, CFA or CHAP for further review. Permit processing is time consuming, but it guarantees your home's safety. For questions, visit our Pella Showroom in Tysons Corner, or call 301-354-3689. Back to Blog


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MADRID (AP) — There's nothing like a flat tire to ruin a carefully planned heist.
Spanish police say hooded thieves crashed a van into a courier service warehouse vault and made off with sacks of valuables on Thursday. They then fled in a waiting Audi, but crashed into another car as they merged onto a Madrid highway.
That caused the flat.
The four thieves carjacked another vehicle at gunpoint. No one was hurt and the thieves got away — but left most of their booty in the back seat of the damaged Audi.
The courier service SEUR said the stolen goods were things of "special value" worth no more than €50,000 ($67,000), although Spanish newspapers said the amount was much higher. El Mundo said the loot included diamonds and Rolex watches.
Wait a minute, I thought YOU had the loot!
MADRID (AP) — There's nothing like a flat tire to ruin a carefully planned heist.


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MDOT looks at options for U.S. 131 and I-96
Study is limited in scope, which is disappointing to some.
Earlier this month the Michigan Department of Transportation held two public meetings to gather feedback regarding stretches of U.S. 131 and I-96. The department is responsible for the preservation of both highways and said that, while no construction timeline has actually been set for either stretch of roadway, it will be necessary in the future.
The meetings are part of initial steps toward any future projects.
"We basically wanted to get their input and their concerns about those two corridors," said John Richard, communications representative for MDOT.
MDOT is in the middle of an approximately $1 million study considering the stretch of I-96 between Fruit Ridge Avenue and Leonard Street, and between 100th Street and M-57 along U.S. 131. The stretch of U.S. 131 being reviewed receives approximately 100,000 to 120,000 vehicles per day — the highest volume of traffic in the state outside the greater Detroit area. The stretch of I-96 sees volumes of between 40,000 and nearly 60,000 per day.
It is expected the study will be completed within 12 to 18 months. At that point, MDOT will make recommendations for next steps.
During the well-attended meetings, several Grand Rapids residents, including Josh Leffingwell, communications director at West Michigan Environmental Action Council, expressed an interest in seeing an expanded study of U.S. 131 to look at the potential economic benefits of changing the highway's route so it doesn't run through downtown Grand Rapids, something MDOT said is not feasible at this time, primarily because of lack of funding.
Leffingwell, however, points out that any monetary investment in the highway should be viewed through a long-term lens.
"What we want to know is, if we are going to be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on this project over the next 20 years, before we invest all this money into this highway shouldn't we find out what the true cost of doing that is?" he said.
"Right now, their study is very small," Leffingwell said. "It's just looking at the highway and what it would cost to rebuild it, and once it's rebuilt, what people want. Maybe they want a new off-ramp or maybe this off-ramp wider or on the other side of the street.
"We are saying, 'Let's take a moment, step back, and really take a look at all the ramifications of this.'"
Leffingwell said he would like to see MDOT look at other possibilities besides rebuilding U.S. 131, such as the economic development opportunities that might exist if the highway didn't run along the river through downtown.
"We want to say, 'Imagine if 131 wasn't there and that was just a boulevard or a street,'" he said. "How many buildings could go up, how much real estate could become active in our city, what would that do socially by connecting the west side to the river?"
He said his group is not necessarily asking to tear down U.S. 131 or bury it, but rather that MDOT take a look at what could be.
"We just want all options to be on the table," he said. "If they are going to expand the study and they find that the opportunity costs are high, then look at what it would cost to bury it, to have a boulevard, to divert the highway — what ramifications would that have.
"But if we begin the conversation with 'This highway is staying and it doesn't matter what economic differences are, societal differences are — it doesn't matter,' we are starting at a point where we've already assumed a lot of things."
Dennis Kent, MDOT planner, doesn't seem opposed to additional studies but said there isn't any money to conduct them.
"We don't have the money to do anything right now other than preservation," he said. "To make a major change to U.S. 131 from a freeway to something other than a freeway will require looking at transit options, what would happen to the city street grid and the county roads. I think there is some interest in doing some sort of economic study of what would happen to the land around it. It's way beyond what we are capable of doing."
Kent said he couldn't begin to estimate the cost of the studies Leffingwell and others are requesting, but noted that just a full environmental study of the area would cost millions of dollars.
"Last year in Gov. Snyder's State of the State address, he was calling for an additional $1.3 billion of new annual revenue for not only MDOT but also the county road commissions, the cities and the villages, and that additional $1.3 billion is just to maintain the system we have," explained Richard.
He added that bringing the stretch of U.S. 131 and the interchanges at Hall, Wealthy and Franklin streets up to current standards has an astronomical price tag, noting they were constructed originally in the 1950s.
Kent said those interchanges have been identified as opportunities for possible upgrades, but he acknowledged that right now, there isn't any money for those projects either.
"If we had additional revenue we would be maybe doing something different to the Wealthy and Franklin Street interchange areas — that has come up as a problem area quite frequently. There are other areas north of West River Drive toward Rockford that people have had interest in. We have a new outlet mall going in south at 84th and 131; 54th and 131 comes up periodically as an issue."
Richard said the state has been losing $100 million in revenue each year for the past decade as a result of people driving less. He also said the gas tax has not been increased since 1997.
"What many people don't realize is, we get 18 cents per gallon," he explained. "It's not a percentage; it's a flat tax. So when gas is $4 a gallon, we still get 18 cents a gallon."
Kent said as vehicles continue to get better gas mileage and drivers switch to alternative fuel vehicles, as the use of public transportation increases and material costs — such as the price of road salt — go up, the gas tax revenue continues to decline.
"It's the perfect storm of increases in costs and declining revenue," he said.
Michigan is currently ranked last in the nation in funding for roadways per capita.
"The main thing is that this study in itself is probably more limited in scope than what people are expecting," Kent said. "It's disappointed some people."
He said that to do a more thorough study in line with what Leffingwell and others have requested would take multiple agencies and significantly more resources and time.
"The intent was not to look at a major change to the transportation system of Kent County and beyond," he said. "That's a much broader question. It involves more people and more agencies and it's very long term.
"That is something that we don't have the money to study right now, and the cost to actually construct something like that is beyond what we have any money for at the moment.
"In the meantime, we still have to keep up what we have," he said.


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Petra (pē´trə), ancient rock city, in present-day Jordan, known to the Arabs as Wadi Musa for the stream that flows through it. A narrow, winding pass between towering walls leads to the open plain upon which stood the ancient city. The plain is surrounded by hills in which tombs have been carved in the pink sandstone. The site includes some 800 structures, the best known of which is the Khazneh el-Farun (or so-called Pharoah's Treasury), a mausoleum, monument, or temple with a two-story facade and Hellenistic split pediment.
Petra was early occupied by the Edomites (see Edom) and by the Nabataeans (an Arab tribe; see Nabataea), who had their capital there from the 4th cent. BC until the Roman occupation in AD 106. The city is referred to as Sela in the Bible (2 Kings 14.7). It was for many centuries the focal point of a vast caravan trade but declined with the rise of Palmyra; however, it remained a religious center of Arabia. Under the Romans in the 2d and 3d cent. it was included in the province of Arabia Petraea. An early seat of Christianity, it was conquered by the Muslims in the 7th cent. and in the 12th cent. was captured by the Crusaders, who built a citadel there. Petra was unknown to the Western world until its ruins were visited by Johann Burckhardt in 1812.
See M. I. Rostovtsev, Caravan Cities (1932, repr. 1971); I. Browning, Petra (1974); M. G. Amadasi Guzzo and E. Equini Schneider, Petra (2002); J. Taylor, Petra and the Lost Kingdom of the Nabataeans (2002).


text:
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Our primary purpose is to serve the needs of the University of Alabama faculty. Secondarily, we seek to serve the needs of the UA students, and thirdly, we seek to serve the community at large.
In order to sustain our progress, we must also seek funding, and digitize material which will facilitate in obtaining the support needed to deliver content and services to our target audiences.
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- Public domain: works that never were, or are no longer covered by copyright. Works in the public domain may be used without permission. What's in the public domain?
- All works published before January 1, 1923.
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It may also be possible to provide access to digital surrogates for copyright-protected materials, using Fair Use or other provisions in the law. In addition to Fair Use, the Copyright Law provides specific exemptions established for archives and libraries. These provisions in the Copyright Law allow libraries to provide access to copyright protected materials without permission under certain conditions.
Even though the owner may have donated the physical item, the right to digitize the object (see the Digital_Services_Permission_Agreement) and make it freely available on the web (see our Copyright_Guidelines) are separate issues, and the owner of the current physical item may not own the copyright. Much content must be turned aside because we are unable to obtain legal permission to digitize and provide open access.
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- Will digitization meet the needs of local users?
Organization and Descriptive Metadata
Metadata is also a necessary part of digitization. Descriptive metadata will enable users to find the object via search and retrieval mechanisms; other kinds of metadata will be needed for preservation, administration, online delivery, and reuse. The creation of descriptive metadata generally takes 2/3 of the time needed for any digital project.
No matter how important a collection might be, the collection must be organized and described before it is ready for digitization.
- Has the collection been organized and processed?
- Are there MARC records or some other form of catalogued records for the collection?
- Is there a finding aid - either paper or online?
If the collection has not been organized, organization should be completed before the collection receives further consideration for digitization. If there is no form of description by way of a finding aid, catalogued entries, etc., project planning and project costs will increase. In order to create a finding aid or descriptive records, there must be ample documentation on the collection and the objects in the collection, otherwise the necessary level of search and discovery can not be supported. Users require factual description at the item level.
Existing description should be evaluated by the Metadata Librarian with regard to its quality and potential for metadata harvesting. All description should be brought up to minimum standards for shareable metadata before the digitization project has been completed; this additional work may add significant cost to the overall project.
Relationship to Other Digital Collections
It is important to contribute to "critical mass" of digital materials in the subject whenever possible. By complementing existing online collections, the value of your collection will enhance the subject area and, in turn, the user experience. The following questions can help guide selectors through this aspect of decision making:
- If published material, has it already been digitized? All? Parts of the collection?
- Would cooperative digitization effort improve this project? Could you find partners?
- How does this collection fit in with other digital collections? Will the whole be greater than the sum of the parts?
- Are there complementary collections in other institutions? Would one of these institutions be interested in partnering?
Formats/Languages/Nature of the Materials
Some formats are more established for digitization and online delivery than others. Digital Services can digitize all of the following formats: Currently, we have the equipment necessary to digitize:
* unbound documents (such as letters) and photos; * unbound books in good condition, if not oversized; * bound books dependent upon condition, looseness of binding, margins and size; * fragile documents, dependent upon archivist recommendations; * slides and glass plate negatives * artifacts, dependent upon size; and * cassette and reel-to-reel (1/4 inch) audio tapes.
We do not currently support the online storage and delivery of video.
Special formats such as newspapers represent another type of material that would require special systems to store and deliver.
Foreign-language materials require project staff who are proficient in the language(s), which may add to the difficulty of assembling the project team. This factor may also add to the expense of the project and the timeline.
Creation of searchable text requires additional time and skills; non-Western languages present challenges. Searchable text in a foreign language requires the user to enter text in this language. In general, the decision to provide searchable text, either corrected or uncorrected, adds considerable expense to a text project and should be evaluated using the other factors noted above.
Another factor related to the format is the condition of the materials. Digitization may serve either a preservation or access need, but most projects address both issues. Digitization may protect fragile items by reducing handling of the originals. However, these materials must be able to withstand the handling necessary for digitization. If the determination has been made that the items can withstand digitization, the condition of the material will also be a factor in deciding whether to outsource digitization or perform the work in-house.
Sources of Funding
Digitization projects are funded with internal university funds and external grant funds. Oftentimes, the funding agency stipulates priorities for funding. The goal is to match a high-priority project with the appropriate funding source. Other funding opportunities may present more difficult challenges, such as requiring a large number of partners or a specific type of partner or specifying very short deadlines for completion of the work, without the possibility of an extension.
The best approach with regard to grant funding is to develop skeletal outlines for digitization projects for a number of important collections and then research potential funding sources. Once a good match has been found, the details of project planning can be finalized, bringing the project in line with funding requirements and evaluative criteria as closely as possible.
Selection references: [[1]]


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Flyer Description:
Cake Flyer Vol.2 was designed for exclusively corporate and small scale companies. Also it can be used for variety purposes. Click on preview image to see further details. I hope you like it guys.
Flayer Feature:
- Fully Layered PSD files
- Easy Customizable and Editable
- 8.5" x 11" (8.75" x 11.25" with bleed setting)
- CMYK Colors
- 300 DPI resolution
- Print Ready Format
- Only Free Fonts Used: Font.txt with download links.


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Special Reports
Fort Benning and the war in Iraq: Programs available to help soldiers with PTSD
Three years after his third deployment to Iraq, Staff Sgt. James Simon was medically discharged from the Army because of lingering injuries from the battlefield.
"I was military retired because I had PTSD, traumatic brain injury and I got messed up over there," said Simon, who served with 4th Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Simon, 40, is among the 32,220 service members who left the battlefield with serious injuries in a war that cost 4,488 lives. Ten years after the war started in Iraq, post traumatic stress disorder is one of the top medical issues facing deployed soldiers along with traumatic brain injury and major loss of limbs.
A gunner operating a .50-caliber machine gun, Simon was with the 3rd Infantry Division training in Kuwait before the brigade joined Marines and other armed forces for the land march to Baghdad, which started 10 years ago this week.
"We got halfway there and they wanted us to set up outside the city," said Simon, whose parents live in Ellerslie, Ga. "They went in and we went in a couple of hours after that, after the heavy fire and rockets and all that."
In a support role, soldiers in Simon's unit picked up bodies and weapons and resupplied soldiers with ammunition. "There was still a lot of fire fights going through there," he said. "Most of everything was blown, damaged or killed. We had to maneuver between where we were going and where they were going. We weren't going the same way."
Much of Simon's first deployment was spent guarding checkpoints near Saddam Hussein's and his sons' palaces after the leader's soldiers fled north of Baghdad or faded into the city.
"A lot of soldiers, the Iraqi soldiers, didn't want to fight," Simon said. "The ones who didn't went into hiding and ran away. Saddam left his palace."
The city of Baghdad was a scene of destruction and death. "It was just all day, every day, you smelled nothing but dead bodies, buildings blown up," he said. "It was just mayhem. There was no organization until they cleared the city. Most of the time everything was just out of whack."
One of Simon's close calls occurred when four vehicles loaded with Iraqi soldiers in civilian clothing tried to overrun a security checkpoint, forcing him to fire the .50 caliber on the advancing vehicles. They were armed with AK-47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
"I would say it was about a good hour fire fight," he said. "People came after the checkpoint."
None of the 4th Brigade soldiers were lost in that battle.
The injury that would later force him to leave the military occurred on Simon's third deployment in 2007. He was part of a convoy picking up equipment left by American forces when an explosion ripped into a nearby vehicle.
"An RPG -- or something like that -- I forget what it was, but it hit one of the vehicles I was standing next to and I got hit in the face with shrapnel and a big-ass piece of metal," he said. "It knocked me unconscious. The last thing I remember was waking up in a hospital."
Married and the father of three children, Simon said he lost his memory for about a month. "I didn't know where I was at," he said. "I didn't know I had family. I didn't know I was married. I didn't know my name."
The blast occurred sometime in the fall of 2007. Simon said he was in a hospital in Balad, Iraq, for about two months before they sent him back on duty with his unit.
He still wasn't well, with blurred vision, severe migraines and nausea. "They never got me out of there," Simon said. "They just waited until it was time for me to redeploy."
He returned to Fort Stewart in 2008 and started asking other soldiers questions about what he was experiencing. Those conversations led Simon to get the help he needed.
Getting help
Whether soldiers remain in the military or transition out, they can still get the same treatment for their injuries, said Terry Beckwith, public affairs spokeswoman for Martin Army Community Hospital at Fort Benning. More than 400 wounded warriors are housed at Warrior Transition Battalion Complex, where ill and wounded soldiers are provided needed services.
Beckwith said the Army gets support with treatment from the Bradley Center and The Pastoral Institute in Columbus because there are more soldiers than doctors who can see them.
Many Fort Benning soldiers with traumatic injuries see Lt. Cmdr. Amy Cason, acting chief of social services with the U.S. Public Health Service. Cason said most of the soldiers she's treated recently are dealing with trauma they experienced nearly 10 years ago. "If I were to look at the last three and a half years, look at soldiers on that level, very often it is not the most recent deployment, it is not the most recent trauma that they pinpoint," she said. "It is something that occurred in 2004 or before."
For soldiers who are hurting, trauma doesn't discriminate. While you may think the ill soldiers would come from the infantry, Cason said she has seen many from the ranks of medics and even cooks. Soldiers who work in the kitchen also take part in recovery of bodies and other duties.
Brad Soule, chief of psychiatry for the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care, which covers central Alabama and part of west Georgia, said veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing problems similar to those who served in World War II, Korea and even Vietnam.
Many veterans have problems sleeping because of bad dreams and react unexpectedly to noise or popping sounds from plastic material used in packages.
"Typical problems are those of adjustment," Soule said. "When you are exposed to war it changes you. We call that an honorable wound which PTSD is. Many of these people find war to be sort of an isolating experience. It's hard to view life the way they did before they went off to war. It's harder to feel joy."
A plastic bag fluttering alone in the gutter might seem innocent to most people, but not to soldiers who have been driving the roads of Baghdad. "It might look like an IED (improvised explosive device) and send your blood pressure rising through the roof," Soule said.
Trauma from an event in war can appear after a long delay. Soule said one of his World War II patients recalled the Bataan death march. Soldiers returning from Iraq may feel pretty good until something happens.
"Maybe they will be hospitalized with chest pains or suddenly flooded with nightmares," Soule said. "Something comes on and all of a sudden everything comes tumbling out of the closet. More often than not, people know right away that they got a memory to take back home they wished they didn't have."
Without getting too graphic, Soule said you can imagine seeing soldiers under fire and the impact of engagements on the enemy.
"We are talking about mayhem, physical damage to people," he said. "Images people bring home are the ones that would break your heart."
Some key symptoms of PTSD are avoidance, re-experiencing and withdrawing. A person also may be hypervigilant and unable to feel comfortable in crowds.
Prompt assistance by health care professionals makes a difference. "As soon as we can intervene for treatment, we have a higher percentage of recovery. We can do something," Cason said.
Treating PTSD is not like treating strep throat, Soule said, but people can get better.
"People carry these honorable wounds with them," he said. "War changes people. We are able to help people adjust and live fulfilling lives. Obviously we are not eradicating everything and everybody, and that is the first thing we tell people. There is not a silver bullet."
Soule points out that, unfortunately, some victims are lost to suicide in the fight against PTSD.
"We put a lot of energy into preventing outcomes like that," Soule said. "Obviously, there are casualties to this. We do feel that the outreach we make very early in case detection makes a difference."
Cason said she hopes people realize the situation is a condition that does not have to be a life or death sentence.
"It doesn't have to be something that is a declaration you carry around the rest of your life," she said. "Yes, you can have PTSD in that diagnosis and after treatment it is possible to either achieve full recovery and/or significant recovery so that you can manage symptoms and move forward."
Simon lives one day at a time, taking medication and going to the VA for treatment.
"It's still a struggle," he said.


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Social Services (California Department of)
The California Department of Social Services administers four major programs: welfare program operations; social services to families and seniors, persons with disabilities, licensing, and disability evaluations.
Complaint jurisdiction:
Child care agencies, foster homes, delivery of payments and benefits to welfare recipients, group homes, halfway houses, evaluations of the disabilities of applicants for various Social Security Act programs and state disability programs.
Complaints outside jurisdiction:
Baby sitter agencies, Social Security payments, housing assistance.
Department of Social Services
744 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(800) 952-5253
(916) 651-8848
Consumer Resource & Referral Guide
Directory of State Agencies
Directory of Federal Agencies
Return to DCA Home Page


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Last night Dakhla city welcomed the KPWT and its riders in extravagant style.
The opening ceremony was held at the main square in the city centre and invited all to share in the KPWT experience.
The opening ceremony included:
- The Wali of the Region Oued Eddahab Lagouira
- The President of the Regional Counsel
- The President of the Provincial Counsel
- Elected Members of the region.
- The High ranking members of the Military
- The President of all Social Associations
- The Delegates of the Region
The skippers meeting began at 09h00.
Vita Adamicek, the race director announced the rules and what is expected from the riders.
Head judge, Pedro Pulido then instructed the riders as to what they will be looking for and marking in the freestyle discipline. "A complete freestyle kitesurfer with a combination of old and new school"
Pedro Pulido: "I will be using my previous experience on the KPWT. We have a good team here in Dakhla and I am sure we will have a great event"
The first heats for men's freestyle started the competition and conditions were perfect!
Competition area was on the flat Dakhla lagoon, with an average of 20 knots throughout the day. You can keep up-to-date with conditions on Windguru and search for: Dakhla lagoon.
The heats were run over 7 minutes with 3 minutes transition time and 2 riders on the water. The race director has 2 rescue boats, 7 smaller boats on standby, 2 jet skis and one helicopter at his disposal should he need them.
An exciting match up in the second round was between Vincent Tiger (FRA, F-ONE) and KPWT Canada Freestyle champion, Stefan Permien (GER, KITEFACTORY). This heat could very well have been a final with both riders pushing themselves, with strong power moves and stylish old school tricks. Permien advanced to face Matthieu Judic (FRA, CABRINHA) in the quarterfinals.
The final was set for both women and men in the Dakhla Kitesurf Pro 2009!
Jesse Richman (HAW, CABRINHA) faced Leander Vyvey (BEL, JN) in a well- contested final with both riders using, the now 25 knot wind, to get some good power and perform an array of old and new school tricks.
For the women, Gisela Pulido (SPA, AIRUSH) faced up against the KPWT Canadian Freestyle Champion and overall points leader for 2009, Kari Schibevaag (NOR, OZONE).
The junior competition then took centre stage at 17h30 and the young riders looked excited to get their chance to show off their skills and have some fun on the water.
It has been a fantastic day here in Dakhla, with the singles and the juniors completed under some excellent conditions. All look forward to this evenings activities and a chance to chill out to the sounds of local music and good food.
Thank you again to Dakhla Attitude, Mr Driss Senoussi and Soufiane Hamaini for their contributions towards such a successful event here in Dakhla.
Single Elimination Men:
Jesse Richman (HAW, CABRINHA)
Leander Vvyey (BEL, JN)
Peter Tyushkevich (RUS, FLEXIFOIL)
Single Elimination Women:
Gisela Pulido (SPA, AIRUSH)
Kari Schibevaag (NOR, OZONE)
Kriss Kinn (US,STRIBOG)
Junior Freestyle:
Kamil Gadjinski (POL, NORTH)
Blazej Ozog (POL, NORTH)
Forest Baker (FRA, FLEXIFOIL)


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This page last reviewed July 22, 2015
Early Action Items
Discrete Early Actions
Early Action Video
What's New
- NEWS RELEASE: ARB Staff Proposes to Triple Early Action Measures Required Under AB 32
- NEWS RELEASE: California Moves Swiftly to Further Address Climate Change Emissions
This web page describes the Air Resources Board (ARB or Board) staff's activities related to early action measures to reduce global warming emissions. These measures will become part of the State's comprehensive strategy for achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions under the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32). AB 32 requires ARB to identify a list of "discrete early action greenhouse gas reduction measures" by June 30, 2007 (Health and Safety Code section 38560(a)). Once on the list, these measures are to be developed into regulatory proposals, adopted by the Board, and made enforceable by January 1, 2010. Additional early action items include a comprehensive framework of regulatory and non-regulatory elements that will result in significant and effective GHG emission reductions.


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A Picture on the Wall? Why Not Do the Whole Wall?
While digital cameras have largely shoved aside film cameras, how we store and show off our snapshots has changed little since the heyday of Kodachrome. Overstuffed shoeboxes have simply been replaced with cluttered hard drives and Flickr streams, leatherbound albums supplanted by Facebook uploads.
Luckily, however, one perk of the digital age is the opportunity to use printing techniques and materials once reserved for professionals.
Some of these can take favorite photos and turn them into works of … Read more


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OGDEN — An Ogden couple accused of killing their 3-year-old appeared in court for the second time in a week so prosecutors could review evidence regarding their case.
Miller Costello, 25, and Brenda Emile, 23, sat in court while police and forensic experts answered questions about evidence collected in the case. Costello and Emile are accused of killing their child, Angelina Costello.
The prosecution first called Michael Belenky, a forensic pathologist who conducted the child's autopsy for the state Medical Examiner's Office, to testify regarding what he found during the autopsy. Belenky outlined the many injuries the child suffered.
An autopsy photo shown to the court pictured the child's brain, and Belenky pointed out three points of brain hemorrhaging. Other photos showed the child's hygiene at the time of the autopsy, which Belenky called "deplorable."
Deputy Weber County Attorney Christopher Shaw asked Belenky if a burn on the child's chest could have been from a sparkler, which is what Emile told investigators caused the burn.
Belenky said the burn was too large to be a sparkler burn, and a sparkler would leave more of a dot. Belenky said the burn — which was healing at the time of Angelina's death — was 3 centimeters by 7 centimeters. The burn was also covered in makeup when the body arrived at the medical examiner's office, Belenky said.
Belenky testified that injuries the child sustained on her back were consistent with healing burns from cigarettes. Cigarette burns were found on the child's face, lower back and fingers, Belenky said.
During the autopsy, he said he found no signs of clostridium difficile colitis, a colon infection that Emile told investigators the child suffered from.
He wasn't entirely sure when the child died, but he did have a finding for the child's manner of death.
"I believe the manner of death is homicide," Belenky said.
After a short recess, the court resumed with more testimony from law enforcement officers.
Detective Colette Allred, who works in the Ogden Police Department's Special Victims Unit, was at the scene of the crime the day Angelina's body was found. Allred told the court that seeing the child's body "brought back memories of Holocaust victims."
Ogden Police Sgt. Justin Gorman described cellphone data that placed the defendants moving throughout the country in the year leading up Angelina's death.
Story continues below photo.
With all the evidence presented, the next court hearing will consist of oral arguments on whether the case should go forward. The issue of bail will also be decided. Judge Michael DiReda tentatively set the next court hearing for Monday, May 14, in Ogden's 2nd District Court.
During the Friday preliminary hearing, police officers and investigators took the stand and described the crime scene and the state of the child's body. Prosecutors also played videos and showed pictures found on the defendant's phones.
Buffy Emile, Brenda Emile's mother, was also arrested Friday following an outburst in court. During Shaw's opening statements, Buffy Emile opened the courtroom door and said to Costello, "You killed my baby, motherf-----."
DiReda immediately instructed bailiffs to arrest her for contempt of court, which they did.
Lt. Joshua Marigoni said in an email Monday that Buffy Emile was held at Weber County Jail over the weekend and was released from custody Monday morning.
Costello and Brenda Emile are being held at Weber County Jail.
Contact reporter Jacob Scholl at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him on Twitter @Jacob_Scholl.


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Matt Bennett can still hear the reporters laughing, all 90 of them. He can still picture Sam Donaldson doubled over, guffawing, on a riser that looked out over a dusty field in suburban Detroit. Bennett was a 23-year-old political rookie in 1988 when he was sent to a General Dynamics facility in Sterling Heights, Mich., to organize a campaign stop for Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis: a ride in a 68-ton M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. The visit, meant to bolster the candidate's credibility as a future commander-in-chief, would go down as one of the worst campaign backfires in history.
Following the event, after the reporters' laughter subsided and Dukakis's entourage was preparing to leave, one of the candidate's traveling aides approached Bennett. "Nice event, Matt" he deadpanned. "It may have cost us the election. But beside that, it was great."
Story Continued Below
* * *
Dukakis and the tank. The image of the diminutive Massachusetts governor pretending to be something he wasn't and, in the process, making a fool of himself on Sept. 13, 1988, has haunted me, as it has every other advance person who has been entrusted—for a few hours or even a few minutes—with a candidate's fate.
Like Bennett, I too worked on the Dukakis campaign, and we went on to serve together in the Clinton White House. I sat in countless meetings in which some smartass warned that a stop on the president's schedule had the makings of a "Dukakis in the tank moment." The caution usually came when some type of costume was involved, and the tank ride is still to this day invoked anytime politicians decline to put hats on their heads—as President Obama did earlier this year when he was handed a Navy football helmet but refused to try it on. ("You don't put stuff on your head if you're president," he said. "That's politics 101.") But the story of the disastrous tank ride also endures as an example of the broader laws of unintended consequences in political stagecraft.
And that, to me, has always been the most fascinating part of this disaster story, a mystery to be solved: Why had an event that everyone now agrees was such a terrible idea ever happened in the first place?
Twenty-five years after the notorious disaster, I set out this summer—with help from Steve Silverman, a fellow advance man from 1988 and a longtime Clinton colleague—to discover what had set the infamous tank ride in motion and why no one had put a stop to it. In more than 20 lengthy interviews, I found a story that surprised me: The truth is, many of Dukakis's advisers did try to forestall the tank ride even while others were convinced the photo op was essential. They argued with each other over it, sent warnings back to headquarters, huddled in anxious meetings and even dispatched an expert fixer, all to no avail. That some tried to stop it but couldn't is, in its own way, a very human story about simple inertia, the difficulty of changing course once a plan is set in motion. But it's a story about accountability, too—a failure of leadership that led a candidate who was busy proclaiming his technocratic "competence" to run a myopic and incompetent campaign.
To unravel the tale, I started with Bennett, an old friend from the Clinton years. He shared with me his quarter-century-old journal entry about the tank debacle, six typewritten pages printed out in the old dot-matrix style.
Bennett's diary made for an excellent start. But I also wanted to talk to others who were there, including Dukakis's hosts at General Dynamics Land Systems, the campaign aides flying on the Dukakis plane and the governor's foreign-policy advisers, James Steinberg and Madeleine Albright, both of whom were in Sterling Heights that day and had helped shape the campaign's message behind the tank ride.
Members of the headquarters staff told me what it was like to plan the trip from Boston, and about the queasy feeling they had watching the tank ride unfold on television. In Washington, the Bush-Quayle team was watching, too. Deputy campaign manager Rich Bond recalls that the tank was "a huge gift" whose impact was clear on the morning of Sept. 14 as his team reviewed news clips from the evening before and studied photos from that day's papers.
The Republicans I tracked down were happy to chat; the Democrats less so. Several did not want to be quoted. Others sparred over perhaps the most pivotal detail: just how that idiotic-looking tank-commander's helmet ended up atop the candidate's head.
Victory, as they say, has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.
* * *
Bennett arrived in Sterling Heights, in the center of Michigan's Macomb County—a Detroit suburb rich in Reagan Democrats that Dukakis needed to court—on Thursday, Sept. 8. He had gotten his orders from Katie Whelan, his scheduler at headquarters: Orchestrate a tank ride for the governor, to be followed by a speech. At the time, it seemed logical enough.
Dukakis had prevailed in the fight for the Democratic nomination that year, touting a business renaissance in the Bay State, the so-called "Massachusetts Miracle," and his personal story of a Greek immigrant family's embrace of the American Dream. If only he had used his biography to greater advantage during the general election. Instead, he fixed his message on competence and left himself vulnerable to a fusillade of attacks from Vice President George H.W. Bush's team that ushered in a new era of political combat. One target was Dukakis's policies on national defense. Although future events would prove him prescient, Dukakis had positioned himself too far ahead of the Cold War's end. He argued that President Ronald Reagan had spent too much on the country's nuclear arsenal and shortchanged conventional weaponry. The Abrams tank that Dukakis would ride in was the physical representation of that argument. At least that was the idea.
Bennett checked into his hotel, met the other members of his team and introduced himself to his hosts at General Dynamics, the makers of the $4.3 million M1A1 tank.
Members of advance teams are slated into specific roles: lead, press, site, crowd, motorcade and hotel. In Sterling Heights, Paul Holtzman was the overall lead while Bennett was the site lead, essentially the event's producer, responsible for the choreography and stagecraft of the visit.
Bennett believed the visit was a bad idea and tried to warn headquarters, but his initial concerns had little to do with presidential image-making. As an undergraduate, he'd written his senior thesis on the dangers of the military-industrial complex.
"I argued General Dynamics is the wrong company for the Democratic nominee for president to be in bed with," he wrote in his journal. "Not surprisingly, I was told, in so many words, to shut up and do my job."
LISTEN: Matt Bennett: "I was very nervous about this event from the beginning."
The decision to visit General Dynamics had been made by senior advisers far above Bennett's pay grade, and it grew from a message developed much earlier in the campaign. While Dukakis was still cementing his lead in the Democratic primary, he made a stop at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Derry, N.H. It was two days before the first-in-the-nation primary in February and Dukakis gave a speech billed as "Renewing America's Strength: A Foreign Policy for the 1990's." As Jim Steinberg told me, "The idea was to try to figure out an angle that would give him some credibility on national security and foreign policy." The angle turned, in pragmatic Dukakis style, on arithmetic and cost savings. "A focal point of the argument," Steinberg says, "was that he was against all these nuclear weapons because we didn't need them and it was taking away money from conventional weapons that we did need." Weapons like a tank, for example.


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Holiday gatherings don't have to be all about gravy and roasted meats.
With an ever-growing number of people looking for health-conscious food, parties offer the ideal opportunity to share dishes that emphasize the healing power of plants with your friends and family.
To help you craft a holiday menu that includes a healthy dose of plant-based dishes, I contacted local chefs and cooking instructors who have a reputation for preparing meals that combine great taste with loads of nutrition. Here they share their favorite vegan and vegetarian dishes perfect for any festive table.
You'll notice the use of superfoods — including sweet potatoes, cranberries, mushrooms, nuts and beans — is a common theme in these recipes. While these recipes range from hearty, savory main dishes to sweet, decadent desserts, all are based around plants.
This means you don't need to give up flavor to gain proven health benefits this holiday season.
From Maggie Knowles and Elizabeth Fraser, owners of Kids Gone Raw, kidsgoneraw.com.
Here is an amazing recipe that looks exactly like a grilled salmon but is papaya. We cover it with a dijon honey sauce. It is so elegant and our new favorite dish to surprise people with at a party. This is inspired by Alissa Cohen's papaya steak recipe.
Serves six
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and carved to look like fish/salmon
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut aminos (soy sauce)
1 to 2 tablespoons mustard (see mustard recipe below)
2 teaspoons chopped sage and rosemary
Arrange carved papaya on a platter. Whisk together maple syrup, coconut aminos and mustard and pour over papaya. Sprinkle herbs on top of papaya and place in a dehydrator. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 3 hours, basting the steaks with the sauce approximately every half hour. Add a little more coconut aminos if needed.
Sweet and spicy mustard:
Makes 16-oz. jar of mustard.
1/2 cup mustard seeds
3/4 cup cashews
4 pitted dates
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water or more as needed
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Stores great in a jar in the fridge for three weeks.
From Lisa Silverman, Five Seasons Cooking School, fiveseasonscookingschool.net
A sweet-and-sour crimson cranberry glaze complements the nut-like taste of tempeh in this main dish. Tempeh is made from whole, cooked soybeans.
Serves eight
Four 8-ounce packages tempeh
3 cups fresh cranberries
4 cups unfiltered apple juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Four pieces of 1-1/2 inch orange peels studded with cloves
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons shoyu (soy sauce)
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 tablespoon mirin
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam tempeh for 20 minutes.
While the tempeh steams, wash cranberries and place them in a small saucepan with apple juice, salt, orange peels, maple syrup and shoyu. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
In the last 5 minutes add ginger, mirin and the spices. Take out orange peels and blend the rest of the ingredients together.
Slice steamed tempeh into triangles. Place in baking dish and pour cranberry glaze over tempeh. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
To serve, arrange tempeh on a platter and garnish with rosemary.
From Chris McClay, Modern Vegan Cooking School, modern-vegan.com
Mix up the varieties of squash. The more interesting looking, the better.
Serves six
Six squash 6 inches in diameter, such as carnival, kabocha or bora bora
2 pounds portabello mushrooms, halved, then sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 leek, the white part only, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
1 celery root, peeled and diced into generous 1/4-inch pieces
10 cipollini or white boiling onions, peeled, ends cut off, otherwise left whole
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup drinking-quality dry red wine
2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 1/4 cup cold water until diluted
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the cap of the squash by stabbing the squash in a circle 2 inches down from its top. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds and innards of the squash and discard. Place the squash upside down along with the lids in two separate baking dishes filled with 1/2 inch water.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the squash are tender. Test by poking with a sharp knife.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add half the mushrooms to the dry pan, covering the bottom, searing them until they begin to release their liquid. Cook 2 minutes longer and remove from the skillet. Set aside. Repeat with the other half of the mushrooms.
Using the same skillet, add the leeks and garlic and saute for 10 minutes, or until translucent, adding a tablespoon or two of water to keep from sticking. Add the carrots, celery root, onions and portabellos that you set aside, along with the bay leaves and dried herbs, and saute for another 3 minutes, adding another tablespoon or two of water to prevent sticking.
In the order written, add the additional ingredients except for the parsley, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, just until the veggies are tender.
Add the cornstarch mixture and simmer for another 5 minutes until thickened.
Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the bourguignon in the squash bowls with their lids and garnish plates with remaining parsley.
From Toni Fiore, host of the VegEZ online vegan recipe series and co-host of Delicious TV's new "Vegan Mashup" television series, delicioustv.com
This succulent pate is a holiday favorite. So full of rich savory flavor, you'll have to convince dedicated vegetarians they aren't actually eating meat. Indulge without overindulging.
Serves six
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-1/2 cup crimini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (mixed parsley and thyme work very well)
15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
Truffle oil, optional
Extra slices of mushroom for garnish
Toast the walnuts in a small cast iron skillet until nicely crispy.
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over low heat, then add the onion and saute slowly, until it's soft and transparent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the toasted nuts, the mushrooms, garlic and herbs. Cook until the mushrooms are softened and the liquid is mostly evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Season the mushroom mixture well with salt and pepper, then place the mixture with the drained, rinsed beans in a food processor. Process or pulse until the texture is smooth — but be careful not to process to a liquid.
Spoon the pate into a small bowl and chill for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
Just before serving, if desired, pour a small amount of truffle oil over the pate and spread on crackers or fried tempeh triangles.
From Michelle Goldman, Sea Change Cooking, seachangecooking.com
Serves six
1 bunch of chard
3 cups dry black beans or two 14-ounce cans black beans rinsed and drained
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
11/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (I prefer Gryffon Ridge) or 2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup of cashews
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sugar
Soak 3 cups black beans overnight. Rinse, drain and set aside.
Place beans in large sauce pan. Add water to pot so water covers beans by 2 inches. Add bay leaves to pot. Bring water to boil and maintain rolling boil on medium-low heat for 40 minutes. Drain and season with 1 teaspoon salt. (If using canned beans, warm drained and rinsed beans in stock pot over low heat and season with salt.)
While beans are cooking, brush sweet potatoes with olive oil and toss with smoked paprika or chili powder. Spread in casserole and roast at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, or until soft.
Remove stalk from chard and slice stalk cross-wise into 1/4-inch pieces. Tear chard leaves into smaller pieces. Place stalk on a bottom of a steamer basket and place leaves on top. Steam for 8 minutes. Remove chard from steamer basket, keeping chard stalk separate from chard leaves.
Place a bed of chard leaves on each plate.
Toss chard stalk with sweet potatoes and beans. For each serving, place 1-1/2 cups sweet potato and bean mix on top of steamed chard leaves.
In blender, place 1 cup cashews in 1/2 cup hot water. Add 1 cup canned coconut milk. Mix to smooth. Small nut pieces will remain. Place mixture in saucepan. Dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 2 teaspoons hot water, add to cashew mixture. Add 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.
Pour 1/4 cup cream over each plated serving of bean and sweet potatoes.
From Kitty Johnson, vegan health educator along with her husband and retired surgeon, Dr. Gaylen Johnson
Serves six
4 medium sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk — may be soy or nut milk
1 tablespoon light molasses (not blackstrap)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Wash sweet potatoes and pierce with a fork.
Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until sweet potatoes are soft and juices are appearing.
Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes. Add remaining ingredients. A food processor works well to combine all ingredients.
Pour into a casserole dish and top with chopped walnuts.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
From Susan Lebel Young, author of the forthcoming book, "Food Fix: Ancient Nourishment for Modern Hungers"
To eat plant-based during the holidays, I fill up at home on lots of colorful fruits and veggies, and I don't arrive at any party hungry. Here's a simple, raw, delicious dessert adapted from "Thrive Foods" by Brendan Brazier.
Serves six to eight
2 cups raw cashews
6 cups water
1/4 cup agave nectar or sweetener of choice
1 cup ground flaxseed or granola
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced strawberries (or mixed berries or other fruit)
Soak cashews for 6 hours in 4 cups water. Drain and rinse (I sometimes soak and sometimes I don't. With a really powerful blender, the cashews get ground up well in either case.)
Blend cashews, 2 cups water and agave nectar to a creamy consistency.
In a large glass bowl or among individual parfait glasses, spoon in a dollop of cashew cream, cover with a thin layer of flax or granola, then arrange a thin layer of strawberry (or fruit) slices.
Repeat with one, two or more layers. Serve chilled.
From Rich Curole, owner of Crazy Dick's Cajun Foods, crazydickscajunfoods.com
Serves six to eight
1 to 2 teaspoons Crazy Dick's Hot or Smoky Cajun Seasoning
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 cup butter (melted)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup all purpose or whole wheat flour
1/3 cup honey
2-2/3 tablespoons butter (melted)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes on baking sheet for 45 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and tender throughout. Chop pecans in food processor, then mix in flour, melted butter and honey in that order. Set aside.
Once sweet potatoes are safe to handle, cut into small chunks (leaving the skin on) or scoop meat of potatoes into food processor. As sweet potatoes are mixing, add applesauce, almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon, melted butter and Crazy Dick's Cajun Seasoning.
Place sweet potato filling in 8-by-8 baking pan or similarly sized casserole dish.
Lightly warm pecan topping, then spread evenly across the sweet potato filling.
Lower oven to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes, until topping is golden to dark brown. Scoop to serve as a side or cut into squares to serve as dessert.
Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at:
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Following a discussion thread about moderation, I agreed with the regular commenters here that there should be an extra rule, which we hereby dub The HetPat First Directive (HPFD).I have now amended my Comments on Comments page to include the following
HPFD: Thou shalt not generalise about gender activist movements or judge people's arguments by their association.
What this means in practice is that I shall consider moderating any comments that make sweeping generalisations about feminists, MRAs or any similar group. This is not because all such generalisations are necessarily false (although in my view they usually are) but simply because such sweeping generalisations act, almost without exception, to derail threads and discussions, spark angry reactions and foster an atmosphere that is corrosive to debate.
Examples would include statements like these:
"Feminism is a hate movement committed female supremacy and the subjugation of men and boys."
"Men's Rights Activists are misogynistic trolls with no interest in the real issues affecting men and boys."
"Your opinions are worthless because you are a feminist / MRA"
Et cetera.
We've already identified a need for a First Exemption
HPFD1;X1: "In cases where the poster generalises about all movements equally without discrimination, the First Directive shall be held inapplicable."
Example: "I think all social movements are prone to failing, turning sour or collapsing under criticism." This is not a provocative statement about feminism or whatever, and is instead an observation on the nature of organisations. That has to be allowed.
I'm more than happy to consider additional exemptions, corollaries or sub-clauses as the need arises, if there is a strong consensus from you guys of course. Post your suggestions below and we'll talk about it.


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Assuming you watch TV news or read a local paper, you may have heard about a dead man in Florida named Rudy Eugene who berserkered on weed and attacked a bystander, Ronald Poppo. A street person in his 60s, Poppo apparently did not know what hit him. The autopsy showed only marijuana in Eugene's system, but the police initially suspected a synthetic or designer drug called bath salts (technically, methylenedioxypyrovalerone) since, apparently, this drug has caused bizarre behavior in some. (I take everything the Associated Press says about street drugs with a grain of salt -- just not that kind of salt.) To put it bluntly, Rudy Eugene went chupacabra on poor Poppo. You remember the urban legend of chupacabras don't you, the goat-like or half-goat, half-man creatures that were mutilating livestock in the Mexican deserts? But the autopsy ruled out bath salts, LSD, and synthetic marijuana (aka "potpourri").
Now, I must suppose that marijuana use might conceivably bring out a violent streak even in a person known, as Rudy Eugene was, by family and friends, as a non-violent, nice person with a cheery disposition and friendly attitude...or so Eugene was described. I have been a heavy user of alcohol -- got off it 18 years ago and have no interest in ever drinking again, as bad a crutch as Jesus. I started smoking weed in the wild 60s in L.A. where it was delivered door to door. (We had our own studio dealer when I worked at Paramount. He had Thai sticks and Tibetan temple balls.) I can tell you as a person of authority that the personality of a zonked pothead is Dr. Jekyl; the same personality on alcohol, Mr. Hyde. (Some actually claim that Stevenson was using the split personality as a metaphor for dipsomania.) Booze makes people nasty, hurtful, snarly, creepy, hard to get along with, and paranoid. Pot might make an amateur smoker paranoid, and hey, just because you are paranoid doesn't mean no one's out to get you. But pot mellows and pacifies. It is alcohol that should be illegal; alas, we tried that and it did not work.
Rudy Eugene literally ate a lot of Mr. Poppo's face off. (They probably will make a movie about it and call it Face Off.) I mean, this is something a bear might do if you got lost in the wild and came upon her with her cubs accidentally, or even a chupacabra, should you encounter one of those. (I've been all over Mexico and I never saw one.) The story said Poppo was horribly disfigured. Think of that poor woman whose friend's chimp got frisky and brought on about 158 skin grafts. I got to read the AP story a little further and laughed hysterically right there in a local eatery, the San Luis Mexican Restaurant, spitting out half of my taquito, sending chorizo and egg across the table. I could not believe my eyes! The writer was calling this crime inexplicable, and since the police shot Eugene to death, we will never be able to ask him what it was that, to quote his brother, "triggered" such behavior. Well, my God, there is was!:
"Eugene's friends and family have said he was religious."
Views: 745
Embarassing enough; I have to acknowledge that I am not as well read on this subject as I should be! So, I apologize for this.
I remember a scene in a very good movie starring Jack Nicholson; "Hoffa"! In the scene Jimmy Hoffa was in the office of Bobby Kennedy's and Hoofa was giving Bobby down the road about his allegations of being connected with organized crime and some mis-use of the Teamsters Pension Fund. And, in the scene Jimmy Hoffa mentions that the Kennedy are nothing more than Rum-Runners and thats how they came into power! And, of course Jimmy Hoffa being of Irish descent!
I remember the scene very well. That is exactly how I remember it.
men like dog not far from snap at all times especially with proper training. there's dark sides to all bible thumpers is all i can say. couple that w/synthetic weed keep u up for days not good. sure it was 'THC' but mixed w/some chinese shit! ; ) state should have tried to help him at 'threatened to kill mother' look it up tazed em'
Gosh, Guitar Zeroh, I had no idea there was anyone so up on this story when I posted about it originally.
James, funny you should mention Burroughs. Brings back memories of the '60s and Allan Ginsberg. I always loved Burroughs line where he compared bureaucrat functionaries to walking ticker tape machines spewing pre-programmed pap. I don't have it exact but something like that. Right on.
Hey, you guys. Click on the Atheist Novel as at the right so I can continue supporting A/N. My month is almost over.
I clicked on the Atheist Novel! It's August so I assume you made the July cut!
James, I think the excerpt brings out a serious problem. Middle class families would rather submit their children to the rigors of indoctrination rather than violence-prone city schools. This gives the churches the power to produce the leaders of the next generation.
Consider the Repubican debates for presidential nominee. Not one candidate raised their hand when asked if they believe in evolution. This is more ignorant than the public at random.
To tell the truth, I think the candidates were wooing evangelicals and knew that saying they believe in evolution would screw them. Remember, though, McCain said he believed in evolution..."but I also enjoy a nice sunset" (or words to that effect, implying belief). Points to yet another reason he lost to Barack: equivocation. Romney is good at it, too. For me, there is no middle ground. You either believe we are the products of millions of years of natural selection, or we are the creation of God, who put us on earth all at once about 6,000 years ago, in Mesopotamia, not Africa, and that this same god created dinosaurs at the exact same time. The creationists claim that "God put fossils in the earth to fool Darwinists." Anyone who makes a statement like that is a total, unmitigated capital "I" Ignoramus.
The 'set up' was a little long .......but the punchline was priceless.
In the words of the immortal Sheldon Cooper, Bazinga!
James, what's your opinion on my supposition in Mirror Reversal that the Church has usurped inestimable power due to the deplorable condition of the public systems across the country, particularly in the inner cities? The line I'm referring to is:
"Urban schools are so tough that most families with any money would rather pay high tuition for private or parochial school than a free public school. What's that tell you?"
Are you familiar with the Lateran Pacts of 1929? Mussolini and Pius XI (predecessor of the controversial Pius XII) carved up Italy like a bloody pizza pie. The Vatican was established as an independent state, the national religion and got control of family matters (like outlawing divorce), national holidays and the school system.
It's relevant because U.S. parochial schools are acquiring fresh young minds by default, ready to be conditioned and proselytized. It's as if there's an entente cordiale between the churches and the government that sets up this self-perpetuating system. It's not that parents are devout; they just want their kids in a disciplined and non-violent atmosphere.
In memetics there's a concept of "belief space." A young child entering school is like a blank slate on which anything can be written. Children are extraordinarily vulnerable because of evolutionary pressures. They'll believe any nonsense the sisters and brothers feed them. Clerics are quick to take advantage of this human trait and the cycle turns over and over. Even in my own family, as anti-Church as I am, I sent my own son to St. Martha's rather than the tough, anti-intellectual public high school.
I think that's one way the Church is maintaining power and hegemony in this country. They control who gets higher education and political power.
The pols allowed the educational system to go into decline for the same reason one party is trying to severely limit access to the polls. Uneducated people make poor citizens. There is a process ongoing whereby the people are dumbed down so that they will not see a con when it pops up. Only the best educated rise to the top. It may be a coincidence that the churches, and especially the RCC, operates so many of our private schools, but I doubt it. That was the point of the voucher controversy. If you can afford a private school you are going to get 10X the education you get in public school. We are an oligarchy, not a democracy. And oligarchs remain in power by keeping the masses ingorant. That explains the "America is a Christian nation" b.s. too, since the oligarchs, a Seneca said, know how to use social issues -- especially so-called "religious freedom" -- to manipulate the voters. That's my take on it. Dovetails to large extent with yours!
marijuana...i hope it is soon legalized.
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Thursday Mens 5:30 PM Draw 1
|League Info
|Member Info
Thursday Mens 5:30 PM Draw 1
This is a Men's League with a maximum of 14 teams. Each team plays a 7 week draw with one bye during that time. Teams are reorganized after 7 weeks to give members a chance to meet and play with other members.
- Draw 1 runs from Oct. 10, 2019 to November 21, 2019
There are also two other draws that complete this league. Members may select 1, 2 or all 3 draws. The other 2 draws are:
- Draw 2 runs from November 28, 2019 to January 30, 2020, with a 2 week break over Christmas and New Year's.
- Draw 3 runs from Feb. 6, 2020 to March 26, 2020
If you have to miss more than 2 games in a draw then we request that you sign up as a spare and not for the draw.
Scores are recorded after each game and team placements, first, second and third are announced at the end of each draw.
There is a $5.00 fee collected from each member of the draw at the beginning of the draw by the draw captain. This money is used for prizes for the top teams in each draw.
All draw members are encouraged to meet in the lounge after the game and sit with your opponents for a beverage and socializing. Tradition dictates that the winning team buys the first beverage for their corresponding opponent, ie. the winning vice buys for the losing vice etc. The losing player should "offer" to purchase a second beverage to the winning player if they so desire.


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Last chance!
Replacement seat fabric only for your sport version 1 or 2 buggy, complete with harness.
This seat fabric can be replaced using a standard screwdriver. Once the screws holding the fabric onto the buggy have been removed, you will need to remove the handle, half fold the frame to unhook the seat at the bottom before sliding it up the frame and completely off at the top.
* The sport seat cannot be replaced with the fabric from any other stroller model.
Black72.00 Available now. Ships now
FREE shipping on all orders over € 200.00


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Home /
K-12 & Community
K-12 Engagement
All 10 pubic school districts in Washtenaw County are participating in the Understanding Race Project, thanks to our many K-12 Partners. Each district sent representatives to five monthly, day-long training sessions from January through May 2012, funded by the U-M Diversity Council and the National Center for Institutional Diversity and led by the U-M Program on Intergroup Relations with support from storyteller and activist La'Ron Williams.
In-depth preparation continued during a Summer Institute funded by the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation led by Melanie Morrison of Allies for Change and Shayla Griffin. District representatives will help prepare teachers to discuss race with their students before and after they visit the Race exhibit. For information about brining a class to see the exhibit and participate in a facilitated discussion, click here.
The Museum of Natural History is offering an Educator's Preview of the Race: Are we so different? exhibit on Tuesday, February 12 from 4:30 to 7:30 PM. Educators and their families are invited to preview this travelling exhibition produced by the American Anthropological Association, learn about special scholarship opportunities, pre and post-visit activities, teaching resources, and more. Refreshments will be provided.
Please register on-line at http://bit.ly/
Community Engagement
With major funding from the National Center for Institutional Diversity, we have been reaching out to community members, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies to invite participation and to connect the community with University of Michigan scholarship, students, and faculty.
Community members from all walks of life have been participating in monthly Community Conversations since January 2012. You are invited to the next event! Bring teens and an open mind. RSVPs are appreciated; send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Community Engagement Co-Planners are dedicated to keeping the work going after the Race exhibit departs, with a particular focus on undoing institutional racism. The Co-Planners organized a special training weekend in January 2013 for experienced community-based facilitators to lead conversations with community members and groups following visits to the Race exhibit, with generous funding from the United Way of Washtenaw County.
Thanks to our many Community Partners for their support, encouragement, and participation. Major partners include the Neutral Zone's SEED program and the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads program.


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Who you consider to be related is determined, to a large extent, by your cultural and social background. My Grandmother used to say, "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your relatives." This was usually a response to something negative happening in our family. But, in a sense, you can choose your relatives. You and your family make family and many genealogical decisions based on who you think are your relatives. For example, say someone dies and they are a "relative," how close does the relationship have to be before you feel compelled to go to the funeral?
Now, this is a trick question. Because of inter-family relationships, you may refuse to go to the funeral of a member of your immediate family. But what I am talking about is not this family squabble kind of relationship, but the basic structure of your family's kinship. These relationships do not come from our knowledge of our family through contact, but are culturally established through linguistic and social mechanisms. But sometimes these relationships are established through inherited family fights and prejudices.
I frequently have people come up to me and declare that we are related. Most of the time, this relationship stems from a rather remote common ancestor. Other than acknowledging our shared ancestor, the existence of this type of relationship seldom engenders any further social contact or obligations. Occasionally, there is an incentive to share some kind of records or photos, but there is no real sense of family created merely by reason of descent from a common ancestor. The exception is belong to a remote ancestor's family organization, especially if the the remote ancestor had a large family or was famous for some reason.
In every family with which I am acquainted, there are certain family members who, through past experience, are fighting for one reason or another. In some cases the family is fragmented by coalitions of siblings. Some of this antagonism spills down through the generations and their descendants lose contact with each other over the years. My maternal grandparents' family was a good example of this issue. As children, we had very good relationships with my Mother's parents but virtually no contact at all with some of my Mother's siblings. In fact, my contact with some of my uncles and aunts was limited to one or two visits during their lifetime while others were visited frequently. Over the years, I have had no contact at all with the cousins who are the children of these estranged relatives but have more frequent contact with other cousins of family members who we visited. I can only guess at the underlying causes of this disruption in the family. Interestingly, I see the same type of thing happening in my own family with my own siblings.
It appears, that to some extent, inter-familial relationships can govern who we consider to be our relatives. Of course, from a genealogical sense, anyone who is related by blood or marriage is a candidate for research, but I suggest that we select our research efforts, in some instances, based on our concept of who we are willing to associate with. I have found this to be the case with some of my friends who were raised by their mothers when their fathers had abandoned the home and there was a divorce. There is a measurable degree of antagonism in researching the divorced husband's line.
One of the common occurrences in families, the re-marriage of a spouse after a death or divorce, creates another interesting conflict situation. This seems to happen frequently when a mother or father remarries when the children of the first (or second or whatever) marriage are adults with children of their own. There are frequent instances where the parent's new spouse is unwelcome and literally written out of the family record. I saw this in my own family with my paternal grandfather's second wife. Although she was technically my grandmother and lived until I was quite old, I saw her on only one occasion.
Maybe we need to examine our attitude towards our present and past family members to see if we are making genealogical research decisions based on inherited family fights.
In all of this, there is another underlying issue; that is, the relationship we have with the families of those relatives we call "In-laws." This issue also extends to the spouses of our bloodline relatives. Are you really related to the wife of your bloodline uncle or aunt, the children of a grandparent? Usually, you are not related to your own spouse "except by marriage" and so this relationship is a cause of a certain amount of discussion among genealogists as to the appropriateness of "doing research" for unrelated lines. Do you feel any obligation at all to research the family of those who are married to your brothers and sisters?
Again, maybe we need to examine our attitudes towards those who "married into" the family and evaluate whether or not we consider their families as proper subjects of our research. When we read a surname book or look at research done by relatives, it is useful to recognize that family relationships may have affected the structure and content of those records.