text:
FACS Division Newsletter
Happy Winter to all of you! I trust this newsletter finds you well into the swing of a new year, semester and back into the pace of promoting Family and Consumer Sciences with our students and communities.
Although our weather in many places may not prove it--- winter is definitely here! And with it, plans for the National Policy Seminar at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. Make your plans to join us there March 5-7! It's always the most important time to get to make those hill visits and share our success stories with legislators and make our voices heard for advocacy of our funding and programs. I have scheduled a meeting for all FACS Division members in attendance this year at NPS on Monday, March 5, from 5:30-6:30 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott. The exact location will be in the program. It will be a short, information meeting to focus on information that we need as FACS professionals. I hope you will join us to focus on the issues that we need to discuss with our legislators on the hill.
I received an email from Michael Benjamin that was forwarded to him from ACTE regarding the need for student CTSO members to present STEM and Agriculture related projects on the Hill on February 28. This is quick notice, but for some of you, it would be a doable thing in having your students present and represent Family & Consumer Sciences and our role in the Agricultural arena. Here is a portion of the email that I received:
NASDCTEc, ACTE and the Congressional CTE Caucus are sponsoring a Capitol Hill event on Tuesday February 28 at 5:30 p.m. to close out CTE Month. The theme of this event is the integration of STEM and agriculture. We want to highlight two things with this focus: STEM is a part of CTE, and that "old voc ed" has evolved and is relevant to today's economy. Our working title is "Beyond the Farm: Agriculture in the 21st Century."
In our vision, we see students representing CTSOs around the room showcasing CTE projects which focus on STEM and agriculture issues. We will need students who are articulate and engaging. The ideal students will be able to exhibit their interactive projects on Capitol Hill and explain to Congressional Members and staff the project and how CTE is preparing them for their future, especially related to postsecondary and workforce goals. Ideally, we would like a mix of secondary and postsecondary students. We would like to have students from around the country, but we understand that this is probably unlikely due to costs and scheduling. Local students will work well too.
NASDCTEc and ACTE will be paying for the event, and we ask each CTSO to "sponsor" one of their students by paying his/her way (transportation and lodging) to and from Capitol Hill. If the student is working with others on a remarkable project, then that group of students is more than welcome. We are not limiting the number of students who participate in a specific project, but we are sensitive to the limitations of space on the Hill and will be working with you to identify the best possible mix of participants and projects.
This will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase their CTE skills in front of Congressional members and staff members!
I would like to personally thank all of you for a great ACTE convention in St. Louis. If you didn't attend this year, you missed a great convention! It's always a wonderful time to focus on the important issues that impact us; share with fellow FACS professionals; and take back tools that help us improve what we do as Family & Consumer Science educators.
Thank you to the FACS Division Policy and Planning Committee members for their help in the planning and assistance in preparing for our convention and for the dedication and many hours of review of presentation proposals and planning of the many details that go into our convention.
Thank you to the NATFACS Committee Chairs -Financial Growth Chair, RaAnn Miller, Registration Chair; Ginny Stone, and Local Arrangements Chair, Tracey Newman; and Betty Brown, NATFACS Administrative Assistant, for an outstanding job of the planning and manning the FACS Division Resource Room. Our Resource room was welcoming and informative with lots of resources, refreshments served by local culinary students, packets and assistance and lots of networking with fellow professionals.
A welcome reception for those FACS members who were attending their first ACTE convention was well received. Thank you to NATFACS President, Dr. Michelle Aldrich, and the other NATFACS officers in welcoming and offering this reception for them.
Shopping at the "Nook" was a hit with lots of great donated items for sale for our scholarship fund. Many thanks goes to NATFACS Financial Growth Chair, RaAnn Miller, who did a fabulous job with the "Nook" this year. Thank you again to Continental Sewing who donated a sewing machine again for our NATFACS Scholarship, "Nook" fundraiser but was not present for our Awards Brunch. Many states and individuals made wonderful donations of wonderful items. If you haven't shopped with us, you've missed a wonderful opportunity to get some unique gifts for yourself and others while raising funds for our students in Family and Consumer Sciences Education college programs.
Special thanks to Lindsey Shirley who inspired us all as our guest speaker for our FACS Opening session! You are greatly appreciated! Our members are still talking about your "Start the Movement" presentation. It's left a lasting impression that all of us can't stop sharing!
Many thanks to our many presenters who gave excellent tips and leadership through their many presentations! We all appreciate the dedication of our Family and Consumer Sciences Coalition members who provided us an opportunity to look at the Future of Family and Consumer Sciences with a round table led dialog with members. We also appreciated the Marketing Showcase round table presenters and many members who brought data, research and marketing ideas on ways to promote and move our programs into the forefront. We benefited from many individual sessions from experts in our field and I hope that you found all of their hours of preparation and dedication beneficial to all who participated in their sessions.
We have so many ways that individuals and groups sponsor and support our Family and Consumer Sciences Division, NASAFACS, NATEFACS, and NATFACS organizations. There are many whom I never get names or items that have made donations, whether in kind, monetary, or in gifts. So to all of you who have contributed in any way, you are all appreciated and our program would not be the success it is without your networking and joining us to promote our mission, recognize our accomplishments and encourage all of us along our educational journey. Thank you to our sponsors, for their involvement and support of our awards and Family & Consumer Sciences programs!
Our sponsors and guests at this year's FACS Division Recognition and Awards Brunch were:
FCCLA- Kristy Paquette, National FCCLA VP for Public Relations
Michael Benjamin, Executive Director
Michelle Flinton, Director of Programs
ACTE- Karen Mason, ACTE President-Elect
Reality Works- Timm Boettcher, President
National Restaurant Association - Wendi Safstrom
AAFCS- Carolyn Jackson, Executive Director
Pitsco-Dr. Harvey Dean, CEO
Many of our guests and sponsors provide scholarships, materials and workshops to us. Thank you so much for the many ways that you support and encourage our members and division.
If you know of an organization or group that would be beneficial for both of us in collaborating with us, please let me know their contact information. Successful organizations always do better in growing and strengthening the needs of their members by alliances with other groups. There is strength in numbers.
Thank you once again to Tim Boettcher and Reality Works for the donation of the Reality Works Infant Simulator at this year's convention. This year's recipient was Andrea Jandt from Missouri. We are so appreciative of Reality Works' contribution and of Tim Boettcher's active support of our Family and Consumer Sciences programs and FACS Educators. Thank you for your years of support!!
NATFFACS Showcase Presenters Overview
Pam Rock, NATFACS Program Chair
St. Louis, Missouri
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thanks to all who made the NATFACS Showcase of Best Practices a huge success! Much gratitude goes to Pam Rock, Utah, for the great job in contacting FACS educators to share in this event. Lots of wonderful teaching ideas were shared and enjoyed by all! We would love to have you participate in next year's Showcase in Atlanta. A great way to present great ideas at a national meeting! Special thanks to those presenters who made this year's event a success! I thought I would share with you brief descriptions of those who participated:
During the ACTE FACS Division Recognition Awards Brunch in St. Louis on November 18, the FACS Division was proud to present the following awards:
Fellowship Awards- which allow us to play an important role in nurturing the up and coming leaders with our guidance and support with fellowships along the way. The first fellowship was awarded in 1967 and 93 have been awarded for over $200,000. Thank you to the Lela Goar and her committee who reviewed this year's fellowship applications:
Dr. Mari Borr- North Dakota State University
Dr. Cheryl Johnson- East Carolina University
Dr. Margaret Lichty- University of California at Long Beach
Congratulations to this year's Fellowship Recipients who will each receive a fellowship from the FACS Division:
Congratulations to all of you! We look forward to hearing from you at future ACTE meetings.
Thank you, too, to Lela Goar, FACS Division Fellowship Chair, and the great job that she continues to do in that role!! Please take the time recognize those in your state who will benefit from the Roll of Honor and Fellowship Awards. Applications may be found on the ACTE website and sent by the November 8 deadline to:
Lela G. Goar
Burnet, TX 78611
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Roll of Honor Awards- which allow us in Family and Consumer Sciences to recognize those professionals who have made significant contributions to our profession. Established in 1960, 111 professionals have been placed on the Roll of Honor. This is a very special award, in that the honorees are nominated by their peers and contributions are made to the Fellowship Fund in their honor. Contributions must be made in the amount of $500 to add a person's name to the list; however, many have been well over this amount. We had no additions to this year's Roll of Honor Awards and ask that all of you look for outstanding professionals to nominate and recognize for next year's awards in Atlanta.
Thank you, too, to Lindsey Shirley, who continued as our FACS Division Awards Committee Chair.
This year, two Outstanding Contributions Awards were given to two great FACS professionals:
We applaud them for their outstanding contributions to Family and Consumer Sciences and our division over the years and look forward to their many future contributions!
Please consider those who are eligible to be nominated for the Outstanding Contributions and Citation awards as explained below for the 2012 awards:
i. Someone in the State Department (Career and Technical Education Division)
ii. A professional co-worker or fellow professional
iii. An officer of the state Career and Technical Association
iv. Present Employer
No Citation Awards were presented this year. Please consider nominating those in this category for the 2012 Awards presentation.
During the FACS Division Brunch, Dr. Cheryl Johnson, FCSEA President, brought greetings from FCSEA. The award for the FCSEA Educator of the Year Award was presented to Renee Ryburn by Dr. Johnson and Dr. Harvey Dean, CEO/Pitsco.
November 18, 2011
St. Louis, MO
During the ACTE FACS Division Recognition and Awards Brunch in St. Louis, the National Association Teachers of Family & Consumer Sciences also presented their 2011 Awards.
It was an honor to recognize professionals for their strong support and dedication to Family & Consumer Sciences Education. Thank you to all the states for your selection of outstanding individuals to honor with our awards.
The first award category is the Award of Merit. This award recognizes a NATFACS member who has made significant contributions to Family and Consumer Sciences, and/or ACTE, and/or NATFACS and is considered to be an outstanding leader in the field. There were two recipients for the Award of Merit. Pam Pruett, AR and Lorri Carlile, OK.
To receive the Distinguished Service Award an individual must have been a member of ACTE and NATFACS for a minimum of 10 years. The award recognizes an individual for outstanding service to NATFACS and professional contributions above and beyond the traditional expectation of duties assumed. No nominees were received for the 2011 Award. Please consider nominating deserving members from your state for the 2012 Awards.
The Pride Award is given to recognize a NATFACS member who is aFamily and Consumer Sciences Education classroom teacher using outstanding marketing endeavors and promotional ideas for the continued development and enhancement of Family and Consumer Sciences Education. This year's recipient was Kerrie Goggin, KY.
The New Professional Award is given to recognize a member who has completed no more than five years of teaching Family and Consumer Sciences. Significant contributions in the classroom, through curriculum development and/or providing multiple FCCLA opportunities for students are the criteria for this award. This year's recipient was Brooke Kusch, OK.
The Champion for Family and Consumer Sciences Award was awarded to The Dibble Institute. This award is given to recognize a person, business, company, government or community-based agency or a representative there of who has exemplified extraordinary support and concern for Family and Consumer Sciences and NATFACS. We encourage members to nominate deserving recipients for this award for next year's awards.
Congratulations to all NATFACS award recipients. We ask that all of you take the time to honor the outstanding accomplishments of Family and Consumer Sciences professionals in your state and be part of our national awards presentation at out next meeting in Atlanta. The 2012 AwardApplications can be found on the www.natfacs.org website. Dr. Michelle Aldrich will serve as the NATFACS Awards Chair for the 2012 Awards Committee.
Submitted by
Mary Mason
NATFACS Scholarship Chair
The NATFACS Scholarship Committee reviewed applications for the 2011 NATFACS Scholarship Awards and awarded scholarships to the following students with their university and home state listed:
Baylee Lane, Missouri State University, MO
Bailey Childer, South Dakota University, SD
Beci Walker, Eastern Kentucky University, KY
Whitney Hilderbran, Eastern Kentucky University, VA
Molly Smith, Bridgewater College, PA
It's always a pleasure to recognize the Past FACS Division Presidents at our FACS Division luncheon. This year we were pleased to have the following past Division presidents in attendance and thank them for their service:
Mary Beth Stine, 1983-86
Daisy Stewart, 1992-95
Sally Combs, 1998-2001
Karen Mason, 2004-2007
Becky Cox, 2007-2010
I am pleased to announce that Gayla Randel, Kansas, has been selected to represent the FACS Division on the National Family and Consumer Sciences Coalition. She joins RaAnn Miller, Kentucky, in representing our ACTE FACS Division on this board. We welcome Gayla and look forward to her leadership on the Coalition! At our FACS Division Business session we also recognized Marcia Ritter who completed her term as our ACTE representative to the Coalition. Thank you, Marcia, for your many years of service and dedication to the National Family and Consumer Sciences Coalition and for your outstanding leadership and representation for our Division!
Thanks to the following Family & Consumer Sciences members who have accepted the opportunity to represent our FACS Division on ACTE committees:
Charlotte Gray, MO - Nominating
Karen Rodriguez, AL -Resolutions
Dr. Kathy Croxall, KY - By- Laws
I would like to personally thank them for accepting this assignment and representing our division on each of these committees.
Although no plans have been finalized for next year's Career Tech Vision 2012, which will replace our existing convention format, I am looking for engaging ideas for professionals that will meet the goals of this new venture where you will:
Career Tech Vision 2012 will take place in Atlanta, GA, November 29-December 1, 2012. The new program format is in its formative stages right now and looks as though most ACTE meetings, including FACS Division and our three sections -NASAFACS, NATFACS, and NATEFACS- will have most of their business meetings on Wednesday during the day. The ACTE Opening general session, certification and program sessions will continue on Thursday and Friday with the Closing session and state association activities on Saturday to close out the program. Although ACTE may make changes with input from our Board of Directors meeting at National Policy Seminar, that is the format that has been tentatively given at this time.
As you may have noticed, the usual presentations procedure is not currently yet in place. I will send out an eblast when I gain information on how that procedure will work for next year's program.
I am excited that I am making contact with new sponsors and presenters who are interested in providing certifications and in depth content that you will want to have for your success as a Family & Consumer Sciences professional.
Your assistance in identifying which certifications and trainings that you might need or which industries and sponsors that you would like to have invited for presentations, certifications or demonstrations would be much appreciated.
I am excited about our possibilities! Any input or suggestions you may have for us to achieve success with next year's meeting, would be warmly welcomed!!!
FACS Certifications
We have been asked to create a list of certifications that are important for our students to have from our programs. I need your help with compiling this! Any assistance that you can offer would be greatly appreciated! I would also like to know of any FACS Certifications that you would like to see offered during our Vision 2012 summit for teachers, as well.
Reminders for Family and Consumer Sciences Division Members:
I have had an active second quarter serving as your ACTE VP for FACS by:
During the next quarter, my activities as your representative to the FCCLA Board will continue, along with joining many of you at NPS in March; the NATFACS Policy and Planning Board meeting in Louisville in April; and the NASAFACS Board in Atlanta in the May for continued convention planning. The new Convention format - Career Tech Vision 2012 will bring many challenges and changes during the second quarter of this year. I look forward to working with all of you to provide the best representation for Family and Consumer Sciences education.
I have taken words from Lindsey Shirley's presentation with me since convention...."start a movement." I know that many of you are seeking ways and tools that demonstrate and acknowledge what we represent and the true value of our role in educating society. May Lindsey's words challenge all of us....to "start a movement" on the local level...speak to others about the great things that are happening in your classroom. And if there aren't "great" things happening in your classroom---NOW is the time to look for creative and new ideas that connect with those we serve so that others not only see, but feel the movement we have begun. I challenge you: Reverse the movement that could take FACS out of your educational institution; and begin a movement so BIG that the momentum catches hold and gives clarity to others that you and your programs are vital, precious and worthy to be held tightly by our educational system and all that's right for our students.
I have heard so much lately of the world's perception of "home economics" and Family and Consumer Sciences; and many perceptions have an outdated view. We all know that what we teach is foundational to life. What we have to offer are all categories of headlines in magazines, newspapers, social networks and marketing campaigns....so how do we capitalize on that momentum?
How would you change the world's view of what you are passionate about and what you teach? How could you ignite that vision to your kids to produce a marketing tool powerful enough to "start a movement" of changing the world view of who we are, what we teach and its importance?
I am giving you a challenge to do just that...to "START A MOVEMENT" ...to make a You Tube or School Tube video to market your FACS program. I realize this is a crazy busy time to ask this....but NOW is the time that schools are making decisions about programs and staff to cut...now is the time for them to hear you loud and clear....
Here are the rules:
What will you share that will speak to the world about all we do?? Look at commercials and marketing ads that inspire, move and speak to you...isn't your program worthy of an ad?? Include your students...you'll be surprised at the momentum and swiftness that they can handle this task!!
At the conclusion of this, I'll share our "start a movement" marketing videos to all to be used to share who we are to the world. Won't you join me???
Remember that this is the year we will elect a new member to replace me on the ACTE Board of Directors. I will be sending out an e-blast in the spring newsletter for the exact timeline for the election process which has not yet been confirmed with ACTE. Please consider those who would be committed to representing our FACS Division on the ACTE Board of Directors. You may find the application and guidelines in the FACS Division Handbook on the ACTE website in the FACS Division section. Is it time for you to take a leadership role with ACTE and represent us?
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
On a final note from convention...I wrote and shared my version of "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" at our FACS Division Awards Brunch. I had several of you request this....so instead of attaching the power point to the website, I just thought I would close this newsletter with it for you to use.
Oh, the Places You'll Go With FACS!!
Today is your day. You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
FACS Teachers have brains in our heads and feet in our shoes
And we can steer ourselves any direction we choose.
You're on your own...With all sorts of changes...
and the next latest and greatest thing to add to your list to your ranges!
You'll look over courses AND students-look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go THERE!"
But with your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you know you're TOO SMART to go down any not-so-good street.
So You'll Choose to Go Look for Those Creative Places!
In wide open air...Field trips, guest speakers, and internet spaces!
Out there things can happen and frequently do...
To those FACS teachers who risk like some will not do!
And when things start to happen, don't worry...don't stew...
Just go right along! You'll start happening, too!
You'll be on your way UP!
You'll be seeing great sights...
You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
As your students compete and get honors galore!
And administration keeps asking for more!
You won't lag behind, 'cause you'll have the great speed;
to pass the whole gang and soon take the lead!
WHEREVER You Fly, You'll be the best of the BEST!
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest!
Except when you don't, because FACS teachers never give up!
Even when banged up, or hung up, or left in a lurch.
We're creative, resourceful and full of great fun!
Wouldn't want to be anything other than one!
And when in a slump with an unpleasant bump...
Call your FACS teacher to give you a nudge...
Because sometimes it's just not easy to budge..
If you come to a place where the streets are not marked;
Where courses, grading, labs and the such;
Become all jumbled and a little bit much...
A place where change and much help is needed...
Find a FACS teacher to meet you for lunch!
Because we're good at things with food!
And seem to think better and less likely to brood!
You can get so confused that you'll start in to race
down long winding roads at a break-necking pace...
And go on for miles among wild student space...
Headed, I fear, toward a most useless place...
THE WAITING PLACE...For people just waiting...
Waiting for a new principal or coworker or two;
a budget, a grant or a workshop or two.
A pay raise, a new schedule, or perhaps a new job;
A thank you, an "atta girl or guy", or a class that's a joy;
With "yes mam" or "no mam" respectful social graces..
With no discipline problems, but smiles on kids' faces
With excitement to learn...
Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful we longingly yearn...
With our room the great hub of the school...
With ice to be borrowed...Just a knife, bowl or two...
Do you have any cups? Any milk? Any napkins?
How 'bout a Ziploc? A needle or thread?
And do you have time to refashion this little black dress?
Or launder the football team uniforms that are a mess?
Will the list never end for a FACS teacher's call?
In addition to lesson plans, FCCLA, committees and such...
We manage a home, a few kids and a faculty lunch.
We wear many hats that can be a bit much;
But we have to learn how to not lose our touch
With our family, our friends and our sanity, too!
That's a large call, heaven forbid, something new!
Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying.
You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing
With banner flip-flapping, once more you're riding high!
Ready for anything under the sky!
With students ready to shape and to learn.
It makes us so happy that we've helped with a turn.
Remember the reason you chose this profession..
And money was NOT the reason you're confessing!
Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored and games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with your group,
Will make you the NUMBER ONE TEACHER IS THE SCOOP!!
You'll be famous as famous can be
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes they won't.
I'm afraid that some times you'll play lonely games, too...
Whether you like it or not...Alone you will be something you'll be quite a lot.
And when you're alone, there's a very good chance-
That a few things will scare you right out of your pants.
There are parents and students and new principals, too...
New handbooks, new courses, new content, it's true. And praying your program will make it and your job, as well, too.
But go on you will!!
FACS teachers though the weather be foul.
Will go on and meet challenges with enemies on the prowl.
With teachers who say, "Your job looks like fun";
With exactly no clue of the job it involves.
Grocery shopping, lab classes, FCCLA in the middle...
With piles here and there...NO TIME to PIDDLE!
But on and on you will hike....
And I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems, whatever they are.
Step with great care and great tact...
Because remember being a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher is a great balancing act!
Just NEVER forget to be dexterous and deft...and
NEVER mix up your right foot with your left!!
AND will you succeed?
Yes! You, will indeed!
(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed!!!)
So whatever your name is, FACS Teacher,
You're off to GREAT PLACES!!
Today is your day!
So, off to your classroom...
So...Get on Your Way!
~~Leslie Watkins
All the best to you as you meet all of the challenges that a new semester brings!!!
I am always an email away if you need me. See you at National Policy Seminar!
Always here to serve,
Leslie Watkins
ACTE Family and Consumer Sciences Division Vice President


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French for work (properly) is the regular ER verb fonctionner, in the most practical verb table yet devised.
So, if you want to know how to say work (properly) used to refer to machines in French, how to express the verb in all the main tenses, here it is.
Yes, send me my free Learn French newsletters. My details are:
Your privacy is important to us. We do not sell our mailing lists.

subset: commoncrawl


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Texan Fumewort Corydalis micrantha
The continuing quest to photograph Texas Wildflowers
Family - Fumariaceae (Bleeding-heart)
Genus - corydalis (Fumewort)
Species - micrantha
ssp - texensis (Texan Fumewort)
Found in Ft. Worth, Tarrant county, TX
6-18 in tall. Flowers about 1/2 in long and crested. Blooms Feb to May, usually in disturbed soil. However, it may be found on bluffs, hills, in woods and on river banks. The genus found here in Texas is lemon yellow.
The flower does not appear to be attached at the end but rather in the middle. This is because the upper petal has a spur that extends back past the end of the flower.
The subspecies australis (smallflower fumewort) is sometimes know as golden smoke in southeastern US..
The various species of this genus are difficult to identify sometimes and require an eye loupe and seed examination to separate some eastern species. This one was reasonably easy due to geographic location.
A bonus was the teensy weensy spider catching gnats in her incredibly tiny web.
Be sure to click on photographs for larger views


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GXR FAQs - By Product
[Question] Details on picture quality modes and image size (A12 28mm).The file size of a still image is determined by a combination of its picture quality mode and image size. There are three picture quality modes depending on the compression ratio used – Normal mode (N), Fine mode (F), and RAW mode (RAW). For a movie, you can select the movie size.
|Normal mode (N)
|An image is compressed higher, then the file size becomes small.
|Fine mode (F)
|An image is compressed lower, then the file size becomes large. This is a higher quality than Normal mode.
|RAW mode (RAW)
The RAW images are the files recorded as RAW data, that the camera captures but without any image processing in the camera. A JPEG file associated with a DNG file is recorded at the same time. DNG files can be developed and edited in a computer with the application software that is compatible with the DNG file format.
For Windows, the Irodio Photo & Video Studio comes with the package, which allows you to do some simple editing of a DNG file.
For Macintosh, use the software commercially available that supports the DNG format (No software for DNG comes with the package).
[Picture Quality Mode and Image Size]The picture quality and image size varies depending on the camera unit attached. The chart below shows in case of GXR with GR LENS A12 50mm F2.5 MACRO.
|Setting items
|Aspect ratio (Image size/pixels)
|Image quality (compression rate)
16:9 (4288x2416)
4:3 (3776x2832)
3:2 (4288x2848) *2
1:1 (2843x2843) *3
JPEG copy option / FINE, NORMAL
|L (large)
16:9 (4288x2416)
4:3 (3776x2832)
3:2 (4288x2848) *2
1:1 (2843x2843) *3
|M (middle)
16:9 (3456x1944)
4:3 (3072x2304)
3:2 (3456x2034) *2
1:1 (2304x2304) *3
|4:3 (2592x1944)
|4:3 (2048x1536)
|4:3 (1280x960)
|4:3 (640x480)
- *1)This is the setting used for the JPEG copy that is recorded with the RAW image. The options are selectable from FINE / NORMAL in the compression ratio, or VGA in image size.
- *2) Black borders are displayed at the top and bottom of the picture display to illustrate the shooting range.
- *3) Black borders are displayed at the left and right edges of the picture display to illustrate the shooting range.
- *4)In the [Skew Correction] in the SCENE mode, the available settings are [1M] or [VGA] only.
- •The file size of the captured still image will vary depending on the combination of the image size and the quality mode.
- •The number of shots that can be stored in internal memory or on a memory card depends on [Picture Quality/Size].
- [How many pictures can the camera store in each image size ?]
[Shooting in RAW mode]
Although JPEG images have a small file size, the image quality is decreased by compression. RAW images are not compressed. This increases file size, but avoid the loss of picture quality associated with compression.Note the following when shooting in RAW mode.
- •Some settings cannot be used, as detailed in the section for the affected setting.
- •[Date Imprint] option applies only to the JPEG image that is recorded with the DNG image. In the DNG image, the Date Imprint option will not work.
- •The [Image Settings] option set in the Shooting menu applies only to the JPEG image that is recorded with the DNG image.
- •The number of RAW photographs that can be taken in a single burst in Continuous mode varies with the option selected for [Noise Reduction]. Up to 4 photographs can be taken when noise reduction is disabled (Off), or [Weak] ; when noise reduction is [Strong], this number is up to 3.
- •The size and quality of the JPEG copies recorded with DNG images can be selected using the [RAW/JPEG Setting] option in the Setup menu.
- •The image displayed in the camera is a JPEG file that is recorded with a DNG file.
Let me know about RAW images.
Answer ID: gxr05003
Date created: September 22, 2010
Date modified: --
Product: GXR (GR LENS A12 28mm F2.5)
Operating system: --
Category: Hardware specifications
Date created: September 22, 2010
Date modified: --
Product: GXR (GR LENS A12 28mm F2.5)
Operating system: --
Category: Hardware specifications
Useful LINKs:
Do you need other information? Please click any link you want from the following.
Related Links
Quick Links


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WebCTT Product Line
As of February 28 2006, Blackboard has merged with WebCT, Inc. Currently, there are two major releases of WebCT:
- Campus Edition (CE) 4
- Vista 3/4 and Campus Edition (CE) 6 – now called 'Blackboard Learning System - Vista Enterprise License' or 'Blackboard Learning System - CE Enterprise License'
At this point, we only have information pertaining to the CE4 version.
WebCT CE4
Gap Analysis
Exporting from WebCT CE 4.x
What is exportable, how to export, caveats (e.g., what isn't exported), sample files?
- Entire Course
- Content Module
- Quizzes and Questions
- Files/Folders in MyFiles
- Discussions
- Calendar
- Grades
Importing into Sakai 2.x
What to import to, how to import, where to import to, how good?
My Files -> Resources
- Using WebDAV in Sakai 2.x
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text:
Reading the coverage…
Houston Texans
Rookie tackle David Quessenberry's recent surprises include a stolen truck and a lot of playing time at right tackle, says Tania Ganguli of the Houston Chronicle.
Like most starters, Danieal Manning isn't participating in minicamp but he offered a coaching eye, say Ganguli and John Brannen of the Chronicle.
A couple former Texans -- Connor Barwin and Eric Winston -- are among the 10 players who have lent their names to a new line of clothing which is being sold by the NFL Players Association in honor of LGBT Pride Month, writes Ganguli.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are sorting through four players and 1,300 pounds as they seek to fill their nose tackle position, says Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.
The Colts were an 11-5 playoff team in 2012, but that hasn't stopped general manager Ryan Grigson from a massive roster overhaul that could yield nine new starters, says Chappell.
Until they signed Ahmad Bradshaw, the Colts commitment to improving the running game had been mostly verbal, says Conrad Brunner of 1070 The Fan.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Veteran Marcus Trufant is sharing his expertise with a young group of defensive backs, says Ryan O'Halloran of the Florida Times-Union.
The Jaguars will wrap up minicamp with a public practice, says Vito Stellino of the Times-Union.
Mike Mularkey said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he would start Chad Henne over Blaine Gabbert if he had to pick one right now. (Audio.)
Thoughts on how the quarterback situation could shake out between Gabbert, Henne and Mike Kafka from Cole Pepper.
Tennessee Titans
The No. 2 cornerback job is open for the taking, partly because Alterraun Verner doesn't exactly fit what the Titans now want to do, says Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean.
While the offense is simplifying, is the Titans defense getting more complicated and too complicated, asks Music City Miracles.


text:
There is so much to write about vis-a-vis the following article.
First off, the headline's focus, while semi-accurate, is misplaced. The onus should be on those adults who attach themselves to kids and will stop at nothing in order to eventually financially benefit from entry into the mega riches world of NBA contracts.
What Michael Beasley fails to say (or wasn't asked) in the article is would he have stayed on a team and played for a coach who insisted that he play defense? You and I both know the answer.
His promise was evident very early on and it was all about currying his favor. One of his club team coaches has a job as an assistant coach at Kansas State, making over $400,000 a year. This is his second year there. Of course, he got the job due to getting Beasley to come to Manhattan. The assistant coach was previously at Charlotte and Beasley was headed there until the assistant coach made a better financial move to K-State.
Plus, shoe companies are a financial force behind the high level club basketball teams. Take them out of the equation somehow (yeah, as if that is going to happen) and much of the chicanery would end (until they found another way to fund the most promising players).
Then there are the street agents who will do anything asked of them as they are compensated by the NBA certified agents who are trying to lock up the next Michael Jordan.
But we salute those mentors in AAU and club team basketball who do it to make the kids, the basketball community and the world better. They certainly do exist, even if we don't read about them very often.
American kids flunk Basketball 101
Kevin Clark
The Wall Street Journal
June 30, 2009
One system that prepares young American players for the pros, the Amateur Athletic Union, is, by most accounts, broken. Without a rigid minor-league system like baseball's or the extra seasoning football players get in college, America's basketball gems increasingly get their training from teams affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Union, a vast national youth-basketball circuit that has groomed many of the sport's top stars.
For some time, coaches have grumbled that the AAU's emphasis on building stars and playing games over practicing produces a lot of talented prospects who have great physical skills but limited knowledge of the fundamentals. Now some players are speaking out.
By the middle of the last NBA season, as concerns build about his dwindling playing time and rough transition to the NBA, last year's No. 2 overall pick, Michael Beasley of the Miami Heat, finally conceded a fundamental flaw: No one, at any level in his basketball career, had asked him to play defense. And especially not in AAU. "If you're playing defense in AAU, you don't need to be playing," he says. "I've honestly never seen anyone play defense in AAU."
Go here for the remainder.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
An exodus from the Cal women's team
We can't offer any insight nor would it be appropriate to jump to any conclusions but losing three players at once is unusual. Morris will be a catch for any program.
Ex-Piedmont High star Morris among three to leave Cal's basketball programGo here for more.
Jennifer Starks
Inside Bay Area
The Cal women's basketball team's offseason has evolved into a turbulent stretch, as three players have left the program. Kelsey Adrian, Casey Morris and Angelei Aguirre have all decided to play elsewhere, coach Joanne Boyle confirmed Saturday...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 10:36 AM No comments:
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Remember Zach Johnson?
Does anyone recall big Zach Johnson out of the Sacramento area (Natomas High)? He signed with Washington but knee injuries prevented him from ever really getting on the court.
In searching for something else (isn't that how it usually works?), we came across his name on the roster of the Chaminade basketball squad. He's listed at 6-8, 290 and played in 16 games last season, averaging seven minutes a contest.
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 11:26 AM No comments:
Monday, June 22, 2009
Here's to Christmas
Here's a kid who has out-worked most and may just find a spot in the NBA.
What Does It Take to Make the NBA?Go here for the remainder.
And does Dionte Christmas have it?
E. James Beale
City Paper
June 17, 2009
It is 4:17 on a Thursday afternoon and Dionte Christmas and I are standing underneath the northernmost basket on the main court of Temple's McGonigle Hall, talking hoops. He's just come from the final class of his senior year, and he's decked out in a blue and white button-down and dark navy slacks. The outfit covers up his newly-filled-in 6-foot-5 frame and, if it weren't for a pair of dark basketball sneakers poking out from under his business-casual clothes, you might forget the fact that, in one week, Christmas will officially be a professional athlete...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 9:19 PM No comments:
Effort is a skill
We've always admired Tyler Hansborough (minus the flopping, especially when there is no contact) and he is climbing the NBA draft board because he has a motor very few can match (and that is a factor totally up to each individual). There's a great quote in the last paragrpah we featur in the following article:
Psycho-T brings the painGo here for the remainder (which has no further Hansborough material).
Sekou Smith
Atlanta Jounral Constitution
Hawks Blog
On 10-point scale, Tyler Hansbrough's Sunday morning workout for the Hawks at Philips Arena ranks at the very top of anything conducted in the past five days.
It wasn't any one thing in particular that had the Hawks' coaches buzzing. It was everything. Hansbrough's energy, effort and obviously better-than-advertised shooting and athleticism caught more than a few folks in attendance by surprise.
"He kicked the meter up. It was off the Richter Scale," said Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew, who ran the team's workouts all week. "That was one of those 8.0s, one of those quick, hard earthquakes. Because his energy is at another level. You just don't see many players capable of playing with that type of energy and effort and can sustain it through a game, or even a workout. He plays at a totally different level than some of these young guys out here."
I felt like I needed an ice bath after watching his 90-minute workout. But Hansbrough proved a theory that a wise Eastern Conference executive reiterated to me Sunday night, "effort is a skill in the NBA." And Hansbrough has it in reserve...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 9:13 PM No comments:
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Jordan Richardson
Jordan Richardson is going to liven up the Bay Area point position battle for supremacy this season. He's from Texas but his father was transferred out here and now the family is moving into the Tracy area.
NorCalPreps currently has him ranked as the 18th best 2010 prospect -- that will change.
JR was at a Tulsa camp recently and had this written about him:
Chris Harmon
InsideTulsaSports.com Publisher
June 11, 2009
Another cat-quick guard, Richardson had some good battles during scrimmages. The 6-footer from Lewisville, Texas, is a quick athlete with very quick hands. He gobbled up a few steals, lost a couple defenders with a solid crossover, and showed a soft mid-range jumper. Richardson showed off his athleticism with lots of elevation on his jumpshot.
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 2:41 PM No comments:
Labels: Bay Area Hoosiers, Jordan Richardson
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Here's hoping Drew Gordon heals quickly
Drew Gordon has endured a string of injuries the last couple of seasons, high school and college. Here's hoping that becomes an all-in-the-past thing.
UCLA basketball's Gordon will not need surgeryGo here for the remainder.
Brian Dohn
Daily News
UCLA center Drew Gordon exhaled freely after an MRI Thursday revealed the partially torn patellar tendon in his right knee will not require surgery, and he could be back on the court later this summer...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 10:47 AM No comments:
Labels: Archbishop Mitty, Drew Gordon, UCLA
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Press Democrat picks its all-stars
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat -- Rich Rupprecht in particular -- names his area all stars in the following:
Petaluma's Greco co-Empire Player of the YearGo here for the remainder.
Rich Rupprecht
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
June 15, 2009
While scoring averages and individual statistics are usually the center of attention in high school basketball circles, this year's All-Empire players seemed more intent on making sure their teams were operating smoothly.
The feel-good postseason story of the small and overachieving Analy Tigers boys pointed out that role players and smart basketball count as much as double-digit scorers...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 12:14 PM No comments:
Phil Handy on the NBA Finals
You can't go wrong working with Phil Handy -- phil at sacvsbayshowdown.com -- if you are willing to work hard at improving your game. He counts soon-to-be #1 NBA draft pick Blake Griffin among his pupils but also works with any level of middle schoolers, high schoolers, college ballers -- you name it.
NBA Finals Phil Handy PredictionGo here for the video.
June 4, 2009
Phil Handy is the leading basketball instructor in Northern California and specializes in advanced skill development for ballers. Phil owns and operates 94 Feet of Game and was a former University of Hawaii standout who earned WAC All-Defensive Player of the Year and All New Comer honors. He went on to play professional basketball in the US and in Europe - teams and leagues include the Golden State Warriors (NBA), Portland Trailblazers (NBA), CBA (first team All-Rookie), Israel, Italy, France, England, Germany and Australia. Phil currently trains over 20 NBA players, many European and top level college basketball athletes as well as most of the top ranked high school basketball players in California.
Streetball caught up with the basketball guru and asked him this question. Who will win the 2009 NBA Championship, the Lakers or the Magic?
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 11:53 AM No comments:
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
More updates on transfers
6-foot-8 Matt Cousins (pictured), of Santa Rosa Junior College, is transferring to Chaminade in Hawaii and will have three years of eligibility. Chaminade, victorious over Virginia and Ralph Sampson in 1982, is a member of the Pacific West Conference...
...Michael Weimer, a 6-foot-5, 230 pound frontcourter from Foothill College/Westmont High is moving on to Cal State-Maritime to become a Keelhauler. Cal State Maritime is an NAIA school in the California Pacific Conference which also features BYU-Hawaii, Dixie State, Hawai'i Hilo, Grand Canyon, Hawai'i Pacific and Notre Dame de Namur...
...Lawrence Donelson, a 6-9 center, is transferring to William Jessup after playing at Los Medanos College and Deer Valley High prior to that...
...Point Cervante Burrell is heading north from Yuba College to Seattle University. Teammate Milos Milosevic, a 6-foot-7 all muscle-no fat forward and a native of Montenegro, is transferring to Valparaiso. Both have three years of athletic eligibility remaining.
...Michael Weimer, a 6-foot-5, 230 pound frontcourter from Foothill College/Westmont High is moving on to Cal State-Maritime to become a Keelhauler. Cal State Maritime is an NAIA school in the California Pacific Conference which also features BYU-Hawaii, Dixie State, Hawai'i Hilo, Grand Canyon, Hawai'i Pacific and Notre Dame de Namur...
...Lawrence Donelson, a 6-9 center, is transferring to William Jessup after playing at Los Medanos College and Deer Valley High prior to that...
...Point Cervante Burrell is heading north from Yuba College to Seattle University. Teammate Milos Milosevic, a 6-foot-7 all muscle-no fat forward and a native of Montenegro, is transferring to Valparaiso. Both have three years of athletic eligibility remaining.
Ryan Sypkens and John Dickson shine
It wasn't what was expected but Ryan Sypkens (pictured) and John Dickson made the most of their opportunity:
Classy Sypkens helps save day for undermanned Sac stars in OaklandGo here for the remainder.
Bill Patterson
June 14, 2009
Ryan Sypkens is a glass half-full guy.
When the Franklin High star point guard and Bee All-Metro first team selection realized he was one of only three players that showed for the Sacramento stars in their match-up with the Bay Area stars on Saturday at Laney College, the classy young man didn't pick up his basketball and go home.
"I just looked at it as more minutes for me," said Sypkens, a 6-foot-3 graduated senior headed for UC Davis in the fall on scholarship. "It was an honor to be picked, and I had a lot of fun playing."
Sypkens scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and helped make Fairfield's 6-5 John Dickson look like the second coming of LeBron James in Sac's 109-103 loss. Dickson put on a show of athleticism in scoring 45 points and grabbing 11 rebounds...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 11:18 AM No comments:
Labels: John Dickson, Ryan Sypkens
Monday, June 15, 2009
Ed O'Bannon turns a corner
Remember UCLA's Ed O'Bannon? His life is much different now and that's all right with him. The following is a good read and portrays that there will be a life to live after the basketballing ends.
From the Court to the Sales FloorGo here for the remainder.
Ed O'Bannon, An Example of When a Promising Career Goes Bust
Dave Sheinin
Washington Post
June 14, 2009
HENDERSON, Nev. -- Retiring was the easy part -- because, really, what was it that Ed O'Bannon was walking away from in the summer of 2004? A career? No, basketball had long since ceased being a career, or even a passion, by then. It was at that point just a profession, a paycheck, a mostly joyless succession of one-year contracts with godforsaken European teams. Basketball was a way to stave off the day when he had to go out and get a real job.
So the act of retiring was simple: Go to your hotel in Eugene, Ore., take off your sweats and your sneakers, leave them behind. Don't even shower. Change into street clothes, cab to the airport, call the wife and say, "Baby, I'm coming home." Don't even tell those folks from the tryout for that Chinese basketball league, the ones who didn't even know who you were or what you have done in this game, that you were packing it in. And by all means, don't look back.
But retirement -- the noun, the state of being? That was dark. That didn't go so well.
It was great at first. Who wouldn't want the life of leisure? But there were a lot of hours to kill between the time when he would send his wife Rosa off to her job and haul the kids off to school, and the time when everyone got back home. There were too many afternoon beer-buzzes, too many self-pitying viewings of the 1995 NCAA championship game, when nobody could stop Ed O'Bannon and those UCLA Bruins...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 7:30 PM No comments:
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Remember Garry Hill-Thomas?
Here a feel good article on a young man who came out of the Oakland area basketball scene and is doing just fine:
Hill-Thomas is a basketball gladiatorGo here for the remainder.
Chris Murray
Reno Gazette-Journal
June 12, 2009
When Garry Hill-Thomas was a member of the Nevada basketball team, he would spend his summers in the Bay Area playing for a team that featured pros.
Playing time was sparse in his first season and Hill-Thomas was thinking about not playing in the league the following year. He consulted then-assistant coach David Carter for some advice.
"I just told him that if you're not getting a lot of playing time you have to win the crowd over like the Gladiator," Carter said, referencing the Oscar-winning movie. "Once you win the crowd over with your energy and your passion, then the coach has to play you."
Hill-Thomas heeded the advice and shortly thereafter earned the nickname "Gladiator." And once his playing days at Nevada ended, the Gladiator tag stuck, becoming the namesake of his burgeoning athletic clothing brand and also his life mantra.
"I got that gladiator nickname and that's kind of how I live my life now," Hill-Thomas said...
This is a fascinating article
It's not directly related to northern California prep or club team basketball -- although it's definite some kids from here appear in a number of these reports -- but the following is yet another very good and worthwhile read:
NCAA scrutinizing scouting servicesGo here for the remainder.
Club basketball programs sell information to colleges recruiting their players
Ken Tysiac
Charlotte Observer
May 30, 2009
West Coast club team power Pump N Run has been the summer training ground for many notable college basketball players, including North Carolina's Larry Drew II, who could start at point guard next season, and former Duke player Mike Dunleavy Jr.
That is not the team's only connection to college programs recruiting its best players. The club is a subsidiary of Double Pump Inc., which has sold a recruiting subscription service to many of those same college institutions for about 23 years.
North Carolina was among the programs that paid $600 for Double Pump's service in the 2007-08 fiscal year, and Double Pump co-founder Dana Pump said Duke also is among the service's many longtime subscribers.
The idea that Double Pump and other club teams are selling information to colleges that might be recruiting the clubs' talent has brought these scouting services under the NCAA's scrutiny. Although these payments do not violate NCAA rules, there is concern among college coaches and administrators that some club coaches could be treating a subscription payment as the price of admission to coaches who want to recruit their players.
The issue of payments to scouting services tied to club teams will be reviewed by the Division I men's basketball issues committee when it meets Monday in Indianapolis. Committee chairman Kevin Anderson said some college assistant coaches brought the recruiting service issue to his attention. The coaches said a new rule eliminating April evaluations for college coaches drove them to recruiting services to obtain information on prospects, Anderson said, and some college coaches are afraid that if they don't subscribe, club coaches will prevent them from getting access to players...
Kevin Galloway is leaving Kentucky
For Sacramento High star Kevin Galloway has seen more of this country than most of us and now new Kentrucky Coach John Calipari's talk with him has Galloway looking for yet another place to call home.
If memory serves us right (which certainly isn't always the case), Galloway also was at Fresno State albeit briefly -- or at least signed with the Bulldogs after departing USC.
If memory serves us right (which certainly isn't always the case), Galloway also was at Fresno State albeit briefly -- or at least signed with the Bulldogs after departing USC.
Galloway looks forward to his next stopGo here for the remainder.
Jerry Tipton
Lexington Herald-Leader
June 14, 2009
Kevin Galloway said new coach John Calipari told him he could play more minutes somewhere else and maybe impress NBA scouts.
Maybe having already played for three college teams, basketball nomad Kevin Galloway could sense his days as a Kentucky Wildcat were numbered.
So when new UK coach John Calipari told him last week that his basketball future would be best served elsewhere, Galloway was ready to accept that advice.
"I was already getting mentally ready for it when the coaching change was made," Galloway said on Saturday. "I got mentally prepared for the worst. I'm not frustrated."
After becoming a star for Sacramento (Calif.) High, Galloway played 13 games for Southern California (2.8 ppg and 2.0 rpg). Then he went to the College of Southern Idaho for a season (8.4 ppg and 8.4 apg) before coming to Kentucky last year as part of then-coach Billy Gillispie's roster alterations...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 12:13 PM No comments:
Labels: Kenticky, Kevin Galloway, Sacramento basketball
Battle of the Best Showdown results
Jimmy Durkin has the coverage of yesterday's Battle of the Best Showdown at Laney College:
Go here for the remainder.
Bay sweeps through Sac, South
Jimmy Durkin
Oakland Tribune
OAKLAND — Will Cherry and Justin Standley exacted a measure of revenge toward Southern California on Saturday at the Battle of the Best Showdown at Laney College.
The two McClymonds High graduates, who lost to Westchester-Los Angeles in the California Interscholastic Federation Division I state championship game, combined for 47 points to lead Northern California to a 115-99 win over Southern California in the highlight game of the day.
The Montana-bound Cherry had a team-high 26 points, and Standley made six 3-pointers and scored 21 to help the North rally after trailing by as much as 15 in the first half...
Go here for the remainder.
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 10:29 AM No comments:
Labels: Battle of the Best Showdown
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Freeberg File
Sometimes what you see is not what you get. This certainly applies to relationships, too often regarding purchases and yes, even basketball. 6-foot-3 Connor Freeberg of Albany High is just such an example.
Freeberg has somewhat of an angelic look about him but mistake him for a mark at your own risk. Let's allow one of his Bay Area Hoosiers coaches, Mark Perelman, to take it from here. "As a player, Connor has a really deceptive look about him, sort of quiet and innocent. But then he'll jump and grab a rebound above the rim or block a shot. He is unbelievably bouncy."
The senior-to-be concurs about his athletic prowess. Asked to name his best basketball skills, Freeberg offered, "My jumping ability and quickness."
Here's Albany High Coach Andrew Strawbridge on his protégé: "Connor's biggest strength is his ability to get to the rim. He also goes to the boards really well as he's one of the best offensive rebounders and is very athletic."
As for those at the next level taking notice, Freeberg is generating the most interest from American University, Pennsylvania (in the Ivy League), San Diego and Portland. He's looking to set up some official visits come October and November.
What also may not be evident to the average fan is the dual roles Freeberg plays on the court. "At Albany High, I'm one of the tallest players on the team," he said. So he often finds himself playing inside, definitely on the defensive side. Coach Strawbridge runs a motion offense and that allows Freeberg to get different looks at the basket.
He averaged over 15 points per game this past high school season and garnered second team All-Bay Shore Athletic League honors, moving up from honorable mention the previous season.
"But with the Hoosiers, I'm a guard type," Freeberg continued. Here's Perelman again on his charge: "Connor is used to playing with his back to the basket in high school but has worked hard to convert from a 4 or a 5 to a guard, which is what he is. He spent time bettering his ballhandling and shooting skills and is now an effective perimeter player. He worked his tail off to change his game."
There is also the so-called intangibles Freeberg brings to a team. "Connor is a very mature young man who understands basketball and how a team should function and operate," Strawbridge said, adding "he is always respectful, works hard and follows direction."
Strawbridge sees a developing role for his senior-to-be. "We want Connor to get into more of a leadership role for us."
Freeberg sees a marked difference between high school and club team ball. "It's totally different games. The talent and athleticism you face [in the spring and summer] makes high school ball easier."
However, there was a time when baseball -- not hoops -- was Freeberg's reigning sport. At 12, his little league team was the first in Albany history to win the district championship. Then in his freshman year, he batted over .500 and went the entire season without a single strikeout. "After my freshman year, it [baseball] got too slow for me," Freeberg explained. "Basketball is more my pace."
What makes this all the more interesting is that Freeberg's father was a water polo player on a Northern California championship team that sent two players to the Olympics, covering the trifecta of sports within the family.
Freeberg's best basketball moments number three. "Between my freshman and sophomore years, I had two game-winning shots playing AAU ball," Freeberg said, "and I got a last second tip -in to win a game against Galileo this year."
Academics are also a strong suit. "I was a 3.0 plus student early in high school but lately I've earned a weighted 4.0 grade point average," Freeberg offered. He likes mathematics and is thinking of majoring in engineering come college.
His preference for basketball styles is "free flowing, getting up and down the court." The transition game is the most fun -- "I like to rip a rebound and dribble through traffic before the defense gets back."
Tom Hanks has a new film out titled "Angels and Demons" which is not based on Freeberg as a cherub battling opponents on the court. Yes, he can jump with the best -- just not quite to the heavens.
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 7:35 PM No comments:
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Great story even if it isn't northern California related
This book sounds like a great read. The other element we take from this article is we would never allow any relative of ours to play for Rick Majerus. The basketball world is a different crucible but there is no room for sadistic behavior anywhere, anytime.
Against all odds / 'Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA'Go here for the remainder, especially the Majerus mentions.
Becky Wright
June 7, 2009
"Longshot: The Adventures of a Deaf Fundamentalist Mormon Kid and His Journey to the NBA," released May 26 by HarperOne ($25.99), is Allred's autobiography.
Rebounding is not an athletic skill.
"Most of it's just the ball has to bounce your way, but then after that, it's up for grabs, and that's when it's all about heart and wanting to go get it," said Lance Allred, 28.
The ball hasn't always bounced Allred's way, but heart and the determination to go after his dreams have made him a premier rebounder -- on and off the basketball court.
More than a story about how he beat the odds and wound up one of the best rebounders in the NCAA as a center for Weber State University, and then played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, it's a personal account of Allred's struggle to rebound from challenges and make peace with himself...
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 8:01 PM No comments:
Labels: northern California basketball
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Does the name Isaac Fontaine ring a bell?
This name should ring a bell but it does go back a ways: Isaac Fontaine.
Joe Davidson in the Sacramento Bee has an update on the former Jesuit High star.
Joe Davidson in the Sacramento Bee has an update on the former Jesuit High star.
Ex-Jesuit star loving life after basketballGo here for the remainder.
Joe Davidson
Sacramento Bee
June 6, 2009
Isaac Fontaine is the best combo guard working in a suit and tie for any accounting firm in the country. Has to be.
The man still looks like he could back someone down in the paint or run the break. But his basketball days are behind him now. The former Jesuit High School star and state Player of the Year now plies his trade downtown with numbers and meetings as a senior associate for the Reznick Group. Fontaine offered flashbacks and his trademark grin Friday while being presented with a proclamation from the city from Mayor Kevin Johnson for his years of sporting impact, including being inducted into the Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Hall of Honor in January...
Can Antonio Kellogg do it?
Antonio Kellogg's past is checkered but he certainly has time remaining to achieve his dream of being in the NBA. So will he or won't he? He certainly has the tools for a nice career overseas if it comes to that.
Here's some history.
Ex-USF star knows pitfalls of turning pro too earlyGo here for the remainder.
Jeff Faraudo
Inside Bay Area
Former McClymonds High star Antonio Kellogg was among a dozen basketball players working out at Piedmont High's gym last Saturday morning.
In a one-on-one full-court drill, San Leandro High's Jared Cunningham, who will play point guard at Oregon State next season, made a slick crossover move that left Kellogg sprawled face down on the floor. Cunningham finished the play with a dunk.
The next time down, Cunningham tried it again. Kellogg cleanly picked the ball from him before casually returning to the back of the line.
That's pretty much where Kellogg finds himself at age 23 as he pursues his dream of playing in the NBA. The 6-foot-3 guard left USF two years ago, after his sophomore season, and he's no closer to the NBA now than he was then...
Here's some history.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Zac Tiedeman update
Zac Tiedeman came out of Montgomery High as a scappy 6-foot-1 point and subsequently played a season at Santa Rosa Junior College. Dick Davey, then the head coach at Santa Clara, liked what he saw and signed Tiedeman to play for the Broncos.
After a season in the South Bay that included seven starts, word came from Coach Kerry Keating (the critical component in this as it is with most coaching changes) that on-court time for Tiedeman would be very limited because of a group of new recruits coming to Santa Clara.
Tiedeman then decided to play for Humboldt State and put up these numbers in 20082-2009:
* a team-leading 13 points per game
* shooting .50% overall, 47% on three-point attempts, 89% on free throws
* 133 assists versus 55 turnovers
* 28 steals, tops on the team
His production this season earned him a spot on the California Collegiate Athletic Association First Team squad.
After a season in the South Bay that included seven starts, word came from Coach Kerry Keating (the critical component in this as it is with most coaching changes) that on-court time for Tiedeman would be very limited because of a group of new recruits coming to Santa Clara.
Tiedeman then decided to play for Humboldt State and put up these numbers in 20082-2009:
* a team-leading 13 points per game
* shooting .50% overall, 47% on three-point attempts, 89% on free throws
* 133 assists versus 55 turnovers
* 28 steals, tops on the team
His production this season earned him a spot on the California Collegiate Athletic Association First Team squad.
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 6:32 PM No comments:
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Another Argenal enters the coaching ranks
Gus Argenal has been in the coaching ranks for a while, having assisted at Arizona State, UC Davis and University Texas San Antonio after attending De La Salle High. Currently, he is at Chico State and part of the staff that in producing a renaissance at the D-2 school north of here. Go here for a profile on him.
Now, his brother, Justin Argenal, has entered the coaching fraternity. The Chico State all time leader in assists and steals, Justin is a graduate assistant on the staff at Mississippi. Go here for the feature.
Now, his brother, Justin Argenal, has entered the coaching fraternity. The Chico State all time leader in assists and steals, Justin is a graduate assistant on the staff at Mississippi. Go here for the feature.
Posted by Kevin McCarthy at 4:44 PM No comments:
Labels: Chico State, De La Salle, Gus Argenal, Justin Argenal
Jason Conrad resurfaces
Jason Conrad came out of Gilroy High a couple of years back as a long -- 6-foot-10 or so -- and lean center prospect. He signed with Portland State and the future looked quite rosy.
His senior years was marred by a serious injury but all still looked like a go up in The Shining City.
We believe Conrad spent his freshman year in Portland but didn't play. He eventually left Oregon and returned home.
Now, Conrad is headed to Chico State in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Congrats to him as the Wildcats are collecting a big batch of local and regional players and look to on the way to becoming a major player in the D-2 ranks.
His senior years was marred by a serious injury but all still looked like a go up in The Shining City.
We believe Conrad spent his freshman year in Portland but didn't play. He eventually left Oregon and returned home.
Now, Conrad is headed to Chico State in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Congrats to him as the Wildcats are collecting a big batch of local and regional players and look to on the way to becoming a major player in the D-2 ranks.
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Hotels in Giza
25 Accommodations in Giza
Hotel Le Meridien PyramidsGiza 12.3 km from city centre 2471 reviews
A mere glance out a guestroom window reveals one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Le Méridien Pyramids hotel & Spa is surrounded by...
Cataract Pyramids ResortGiza 12.8 km from city centre 435 reviews
The air-conditioned hotel comprises a total of 383 rooms including 8 suites. Facilities of the hotel include an impressive lobby with a...
Hotel Barcelo Cairo PyramidsGiza 9.1 km from city centre 0 reviews
Barcelo Cairo Pyramids Hotel is ideally located only a short drive from the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, offering modernly furnished...
Hotel Gawharet El AhramGiza 10.8 km from city centre 0 reviews
With a stay at Gawharet Al Ahram Hotel, you'll be centrally located in Giza, convenient to Cairo University and Hanging Church. This...
Hotel Amarante PyramidsGiza 8 km from city centre 138 reviews
Built in the early 1940's, the original building was the residence of the famous actor and founder of the Egyptian theater,...
Hotel The OasisGiza 12.5 km from city centre 522 reviews
The hotel consists of 300 rooms of which 6 are suites and 1 is a royal suite. Guests at this air-conditioned hotel may make use of the...
Hotel Mercure Cairo Le SphinxGiza 12.4 km from city centre 1347 reviews
This hotel combines an exciting location & incomparable service. This impressive hotel offers its guests a unique opportunity to explore...
Resort Cairo Pyramids HotelGiza 12.3 km from city centre 885 reviews
The club resort is designed in a laid-back fashion as a bungalow holiday village and is surrounded by lush gardens in an ideal setting...
Hotel Marriott Mena HouseGiza 12.5 km from city centre 1340 reviews
Built in 1869, this hotel is spread over 4 floors and comprises a total of 498 rooms, of which 24 are suites. Guests are offered a...
Zoser HotelGiza 9.1 km from city centre 146 reviews
Opened in 2002, this 7-storey city hotel comprises a total of 410 rooms of which 30 are suites. Facilities include a foyer, a lift, a...
Grand Pyramids HotelGiza 11.2 km from city centre 527 reviews
Staying in one of the Hotels in Cairo in Egypt like the Grand Pyramids Hotels in Cairo is truly luxurious. Guests may choose...
King HotelGiza 3.8 km from city centre 0 reviews
With a stay at King Hotel Cairo in Giza (Giza - Pyramids), you'll be convenient to Cairo Opera House and Cairo Tower. This hotel is...
Hotel Tiba PyramidsGiza 10.9 km from city centre 76 reviews
Guests of the Tiba Pyramids Hotel Cairo will find that shopping and dining can be found within easy reach. The hotel also...
Hotel Holiday Inn Cairo MaadiGiza 13.5 km from city centre 295 reviews
173 classically-designed rooms (including 126 non-smoking, two junior suites and one room equipped for guests with special needs), Submit...
Bed and Breakfast Guardian Guest HouseGiza 13 km from city centre 0 reviews
With a stay at Guardian Guest House in Giza (Giza - Pyramids), you'll be minutes from Great Sphinx of Giza and close to Pyramids at Giza....
Hotel Soluxe CairoGiza 12.1 km from city centre 0 reviews
With a stay at Soluxe Cairo Hotel in Giza (Giza - Pyramids), you'll be convenient to Pyramids at Giza and Great Sphinx of Giza. This...
Accommodations in GizaEnjoy your stay in Giza. Make your visit to Giza an unforgettable experience by staying in the hotel you deserve. Still don´t know where to stay? At Destinia we offer you a wide variety of hotels in Giza, Egypt, so you can choose the one that´s right for you, depending on your expectations and your budget. There are numerous hotels in Giza that are ideal for a business trip, a family holiday, a weekend getaway or an outing with friends in Giza. No matter the reason for your trip, at Destinia, you´ll find the greatest variety of hotels and hostels, always at the best prices, guaranteed. Are you looking for a deluxe hotel in Giza city centre with a spa, Internet access or a pool? Perhaps a hotel that accepts pets or that has a child-care centre? We have that, too. Why not give our hotel finder a try? It´s quick, simple and the most effective way to find the best lodging in this part of Egypt. Whether you need a single-occupancy room, double-occupancy room or even a suite, with Destinia´s search engine, you´ll always find the best deals, so all you´ll have to worry about is packing your bags and enjoying your trip to Giza.
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The Mind Body Dude
Holistic Medicine – Mindfulness – Philosophy – Metaphysics
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This was part of Tuesday's Rice Notebook, but I thought it was worth a pullout in the blog:
Rice coach Wayne Graham is being cautious with All-America third baseman Anthony Rendon, who has been nursing a sore right shoulder during the first eight games of the season.
Graham said Rendon has not been cleared by team doctors to return to the field. As a result, Rendon will continue to be used in the designated hitter spot, where he has played the last five games.
"Obviously we want him out there, but I'm not going to mortgage the season to win now," Graham said.
In the last seven games, Rendon is hitting .520 with two home runs and four RBIs. Rendon had both homers, along with six walks, during a three-game weekend sweep of Southern California.
Michael Ratterree has moved from second base to third in Rendon's absence.
The Owls continue their tough early-season stretch with a two-game series at No. 17 Arizona Tuesday and Wednesday. Rice will face Kentucky (Friday), No. 20 Texas A&M (Saturday) and No. 16 Baylor (Sunday) this weekend in the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park.


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Fubon Financial Holding Co (富邦金控), Taiwan's second-largest financial services provider by assets, yesterday denied irregularity charges over its acquisition of Taipei Bank (台北銀行) and threatened to take legal action against accusers.
The denial came after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) repeatedly questioned President Ma Ying-jeou's (馬英九) integrity based on the acquisition of Taipei Bank by Fubon Financial in 2002 when Ma was mayor of Taipei.
"We regret the volley of charges over the acquisition, that are inaccurate but have hurt the company's image," the conglomerate said in a statement.
In the statement, Fubon Financial said it was the parent company rather than its banking unit that bought the municipal lender.
The parent firm had a net worth of NT$101.2 billion (US$3.34 billion) in June 2002, higher than Taipei Bank's net worth of NT$45.6 billion, rendering the charge of a smaller lender acquiring a larger peer unfounded, the statement said.
Furthermore, Fubon Financial won Taipei Bank by offering the highest bid of NT$36 per share, beating four other contestants including Cathay Financial Holding Co (國泰金控), the statement said.
The Taipei City Government has benefited from the share transfer as seen in enlarged equities whose market value rose from NT$26.1 billion in 2002 to NT$40.9 billion this quarter despite an acute correction, the statement said.


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original 7ani.net
Who has not heard at least once in life a conspiracy theory. Who has not heard of organizations such as the CIA, NSA, MI 6, etc., or: Bilderberg Group, Trilateral Commission, Vatican, etc?
Who has not heard of conspiracies: New Age, Jewish, Enlightenment, Freemasonry, aliens, Chinese, etc?
Perhaps only those people for whom nothing in the world that does not matter, except food, drink and entertainment.
For the rest: we live in a world of conspiracies and theories. Continue reading
Filed under: opinions | Tagged: Bilderberg Group, CIA, Conspiracy, Dualism, Freemasonry, invisible war of secret agencies, Mason, MI 6, Middle Ages, NSA, secret societies Vatican, Trilateral Commission, World government | Leave a comment »


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Not exactly sure which I'd label the more stressful event of the past month - a tornado unexpectedly ripping through my neighborhood late one afternoon or my five year old son starting Kindergarten. If I had to lay money down, I'd probably go with the latter.
Seems like only a moment ago my wife and I brought my son home from the hospital that sunny spring afternoon, quietly watching him sleep as we shared a bowl of cereal, both of us too exhausted and drained by the previous 48 hours to make a decent meal for ourselves. Now as my son ambles down the street each morning toting a "Transformers" backpack almost as big as him stuffed with mini-textbooks, lunch and a toy chicken (don't ask), I can't help but marvel at the passage of time.
After the morning schoolyard drop-off, the house strangely silent, my wife at work and my studio computers yet to rev up for the day, I sit with a wandering mind in front of yet another bowl of cereal. After splitting my time over the past five years between caring for my son and freelance music work, I'm suddenly feeling out of balance, off base, kind of like those poor trees on my block post-tornado. It's certainly been a whirlwind half decade and now with my new album out into the world (kind of like a second child) and my son taking his first steps from the fold, I suppose the nest is feeling a tad empty.
As I trip over a toy and make my way from a quiet Camp Elmo down to my studio space, I realize I'm holding an expression on my face not unlike that of my son's as he walks through those schoolhouse doors each morning, both of us facing the future with equal parts melancholy and excitement for the new twists and turns that lie ahead.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Twisters, Textbooks and the Passage of Time
Posted by Queens English at 1:36 PM
Labels: Mark Bacino, parenthood, time
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Norwegian Air Shuttle 787
Low-cost carrier (LCC) Norwegian Air Shuttle will acquire two Boeing 787-9s—its first of the type—and is seeking to further expand its fleet with the -9 version to bolster new long-haul operations. The new aircraft are being acquired from new York-based lessor MG Aviation and are due to enter service in the first quarter of 2016. Norwegian currently has three 787-8s in operation, with five more due to be delivered—four next year and one in 2015. The new -9s will take the ...
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Season 2019 has ended for the winter! We welcome you in our new season which starts in April 2020.
The ferry leaves once daily at 11 am sharp. Seats are limited. Please reserve your tickets in advance to be sure of a spot on board. On specific dates there is an extra departure at 1.30 pm, these dates will be mentioned here on the website.
Do you experience difficulties booking your tickets? Please fill in the contact form below!


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Creamy soft, pleasantly cool and soothing. Perfect taste of iced coffee in the style of the snowy peaks of the highest mountains in New Zealand.
Just as the snow from the peak of Mount Cook slowly melts towards the mocha brown coloured foot, this ice coffee will slowly melt in your mouth arousing a magically poetic sensation combined with exquisite aromas and flavours ... First, icy cool and refreshing, followed by the taste of the finest coffee and ultimately a pleasantly soothing experience. Local milk from New Zealand gives Mt COOK ice coffee its unmistakable aroma and flavour.


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NetGen Communications offers Fax over IP (FoIP), IP PBXs, IP phones, and wireless PBXs for SOHO, medium-sized businesses, and ITSPs, resellers and agents. With the most advanced IP technology offered, including Smart FoIP®, NetGen has a complete telecommunications solution to meet today's business needs.
This comprehensive product line allows the NetGen channel partner to offer the SME a total communications solution sourced entirely from NetGen Communications.


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These chicks are the first to hatch from my new Brinsea incubator. The hatch was a great success, 96% hatch rate! The best rate I ever got was around 70% using styrofoam incubators. I've started the second clutch, a total of 28 eggs.
I was amazed by the difference in the hatching process between the solid plastic, double walled Brinsea Ovation Eco 28 and the styrofoam incubator, a Hova-Bator circulated air model.
In the Brinsea, the chicks all hatched within 20 hours, compared to a three-day process for the styrofoam. In the Hova-Bator, it was always evident when the eggs were hatching because the chicks made so much noise. They often peeped very loudly. In the Brinsea the chicks are quiet. The double plastic walls do insulate sound, but there is no loud, endless crying.
The chicks in the styrofoam tended to move all over the inside of the incubator, peeping and scrabbling around, disturbing the eggs still hatching. In the plastic model, the chicks all gather in the middle of the incubator and fall asleep.
The Brinsea incubator also seems to dry the chick fluff more quickly than the styrofoam incubator. They fluffed up hours before chicks that hatched in the Hova-Bator. At the same time, the humidity level was well maintained. The chicks stayed moist inside the eggs and easily broke out of the shells.
The most telling thing for me was the cleanliness of the new incubator after the hatch. The inside contained just broken shells and loose fluff. No nasty smells or egg insides stuck to components.
With the styrofoam incubator there was always a smelly mess. The inside was always smeared with meconium. There was none in the Brinsea incubator. Early expulsion of meconium, the contents of the intestines that formed during the development of the embryo, can be a sign of stress in any newborn. With this first hatch from the plastic incubator, none of the chicks passed meconium until they were placed in the brooding box.
I think this fact and the quiet, calm demeanor of the chicks during and after the hatch are testimony to the greatly reduced stress achieved by the Brinsea incubator. Even now, several days after the hatch, the chicks are more calm compared to past hatches.
The only complaint I have about the Brinsea is that the well holding the water for humidity is too shallow. There are two wells, the second is to be filled only at the time of hatch. Using just the one well requires adding water about every other day. This can be annoying. Filling both wells during incubation would probably raise the humidity too high due to an excessive water surface area. However, overall, I would say this new incubator is a great addition to my operation.
I look forward to watching these babies mature and to the results of the other hatches I have planned this year.
Also, let me state that I have not received any remuneration from any incubator seller. This comparison is based solely on my personal experiences with two incubators I chose to use.


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How Coral Networks Keep Fish Stocks Strong
Photo by eutrophication&hypoxia; via Flickr Creative Commons
The Coral Triangle is an area around Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines that is one of the richest places on earth for coral reefs, and over one third of the planet's reefs are found here. Where there are coral reefs, there are lots of fish, so that means many fish populations are dependent on the health of these reefs -- and many humans too. The coral reef ecosystems provide food and income for upwards of 100 million people, and a new study shows exactly how that networks keeps fish in the oceans. Ocean Leadership reports on a new paper titled "Connectivity and the development of population genetic structure in Indo-West Pacific coral reef communities" by Johnathan T. Kool, Claire B. Paris, Paul H. Barber and Robert K. Cowen. In it, the researchers note that the key to keeping healthy populations of fish (besides, of course, strict regulations on overfishing) is maintaining a healthy network of links between major reefs.
"Maintaining the network of links between reefs allowing larvae to flow between them and re-stock depleted areas, is key to saving coral ecosystems threatened by human pressure and climate change," Dr Kool explains. (Dr. Kool, by the way, is probably the most awesome name a scientist can have.)
Thus healthy "links" between larger reefs where both coral and fish larvae can safely move among reefs keeps both the reefs healthier through biodiversity, and fish populations higher.
"Knowing where coral spawn comes from is vital to managing our reefs successfully. Even though coral reef communities may not be connected directly to one another, reefs on the edge of the Coral Triangle have the potential to contribute significant amounts of genetic diversity throughout the region."
This is a topic that came up last June, when some scientists noted that most of the evolution (and thus adaptation) is happening at the edge of coral reefs while conservation efforts seem to happen most in the middle. To maintain healthy reefs, the edges can't be ignored. This newest study hammers that point home by showing how important those edges are to networking coral and fish larvae.
The scientists also point out that because reefs overlap national boarders, that networking is important among politicians as well -- governments need to talk with each other and get in sync with conservation efforts to ensure reefs' survival and strong fish populations. Because full stomachs and hearty economies rely on reefs, networking both above and below the waves is more important than ever.
Follow Jaymi on Twitter for more stories like this
More on Coral Reefs
Global Coral Reef Health Depends on Tougher US Laws, Experts Say
How Boosting Shark Populations in Belize Can Save Coral Reefs Worldwide
Malaysia Closes World-Famous Diving Sites to Save Coral Reefs
Caribbean Coral Reef Conservation Ignores Evolution


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SAN JUAN, P.R. — The governor of Puerto Rico and the chief executive of its beleaguered electric company faced hours of questioning on Tuesday in Congress, where skeptical legislators questioned whether to give the island an enormous aid package on the heels of a botched high-priced contract to fix its power grid.
Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló came to Senate and House committees with a huge ask: $94.4 billion to help Puerto Rico "build back better" after Hurricane Maria destroyed or damaged 472,000 homes and knocked out the island's electricity. He also said that Puerto Rico should have more authority over its own fiscal affairs, and that he had "zero role" in awarding a highly criticized $300 million deal to a small Montana firm to help restore power.
"If we get more resources to rebuild, people will come back to rebuild stronger," the governor said, alluding to the thousands of Puerto Ricans who have already left for Florida.
In a report submitted to Congress, Mr. Rosselló requested $15 billion for health care, without specifying what medical facilities needed to be fixed. He said the island needed another $8.4 billion for schools, without noting what damages the schools had incurred. The power grid, he said, needs $17.7 billion.
"I'm looking at this — 90 billion, 100 billion — a colony on Mars is the same amount," said Representative Jody Hice, Republican of Georgia, said at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing.
Representative Garret Graves, Republican of Louisiana, asked why Congress should pay so much for Puerto Rico, when Puerto Ricans are exempt from most federal income taxes.
Legislators also wanted answers about Whitefish Energy Holdings, the firm that got a contract with steep markups that several members of Congress described as "price gouging." The Federal Emergency Management Agency distanced itself from the contract and the government was forced to cancel it after a public outcry.
Ricardo L. Ramos, the chief executive of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, known as Prepa, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that he had hired Whitefish instead of enlisting the help of other utilities under mutual aid agreements because he did not have enough supplies for even his own crews.
"We had no fuel, no phone, no internet. No nothing," Mr. Ramos said. "How could I bring more people into that situation?"
Whitefish was a contained unit with its own satellite phones and tents, he said.
However, in emails released Monday between Prepa and Whitefish, it was clear that the Montana company had also struggled with housing and logistics, and that Prepa was able to accommodate them.
In an email exchange between the chief executive of Whitefish, Andy Techmanski, and Prepa, Whitefish requested hotel rooms for his workers, and the utility provided 60 rooms for them. Whitefish had trouble bringing in materials, and needed help from both the Jacksonville Electric Authority and Prepa with logistical problems that were preventing the company from getting the work done.
"We have 60 rooms at Verdanza hotel reserved to accommodate your first wave," wrote Ramón Caldas Pagán, a senior manager at Prepa, in an email response to Mr. Techmanski. "We need to know what are your needs to transport your equipment as soon as possible."
At the hearings, Mr. Ramos suggested that the procurement office and legal department at Prepa were to blame, and insisted that there had been no corruption. "I don't know of anyone being offered a kickback," he said.
The records were released by the House committee, which is seeking to strengthen the authority of the fiscal oversight board that manages Puerto Rico's finances.
The documents showed that Puerto Rico's electric company disregarded its own lawyers' advice when it signed the contract. The agreement offered so few protections that it allowed some workers to bill for "nearly every waking hour" they were on the island, according to the House panel investigating the deal.
A review by The New York Times showed the company was paying some subcontractors about one-seventh what it billed Prepa. The contract called for linemen to work 16-hour days and seven-day weeks at $319 an hour — 17 times the average wage of the Puerto Rican workers. But Mr. Ramos said that five other bidders had offered similar rates.
Prepa's lawyers had recommendations on everything from how the contract could be terminated to how the rates should be set. But the guidance was not followed — and the final provisions agreed to were tilted in the Whitefish's favor, the records show. Even Prepa's own risk management officer had balked, because he was never offered the opportunity to evaluate the terms, nor did the office receive proof of insurance.
"We are conscious of the urgency of the work to be done," Sammy Rodríguez Ortega, a Prepa executive, wrote in an Oct. 19 email to Prepa's finance director and staff lawyer. "However, there are high risks associated with the scope of this work."
The emails show that a lawyer for FEMA in Puerto Rico had also expressed concerns.
A spokesman for Whitefish, Ken Luce, said the company would cooperate with Congress.
"Whitefish Energy continues to make progress on our assigned work to restore electrical transmission infrastructure on Puerto Rico and our team of more than 500 workers remains fully committed to this mission," Mr. Luce said in a statement.
The Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing power restoration efforts in Puerto Rico, but Mr. Rosselló said the agency was slow to ramp up its work. Nearly eight weeks after Hurricane Maria trampled the island and tore up everything from transmissions towers to power poles and miles of lines, the grid is generating just 49 percent of its capacity.
Kenneth Mapp, the governor of the United States Virgin Islands, also testified and offered a bleak view of conditions there, urging Congress to change the way it allocates medical and storm relief funds to the territories.
Only 30 percent of residents have electricity after Hurricanes Irma and Maria pounded the islands, where nine schools and two hospitals were destroyed. Families are living in their cars and getting soaked in homes with no rooftops or walls, he said.
"With each rainfall, families are being harmed," Mr. Mapp said.


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Summer Interns
Welcome to Summer Internships! PVAMU made a bold beginning by offering the Summer Training & Enrichment Program (PV S.T.E.P.), in which the emphasis shifted to the students acquiring work skills that complemented their major. This program works in conjunction with the "Earn and Learn" Program and is dependent on budget.
Ms. Renee R. Williams, Director of Equal Opportunity & Diversity has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies.
Ms. Williams can be reached at: P.O. Box 519: Mail Stop 1337; Harrington Science Building, Suite 109; Prairie View, TX 77446-0519, or by calling 936-261-1730


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Aug. 24, 2017, 9:23 p.m.
Categories: In the Media
Health Extension Pet Care, a leading holistic pet food company, announced that Adam Katz has joined its growing team as director of Strategic Accounts. Katz hails from Multipet International where he has spent 13 years in a number of key sales and management positions, most recently as national account/brand development manager. In his new role at Health Extension, he will be responsible for helping the sales team build even stronger, more rewarding relationships with National and Key Accounts.
"We're overjoyed that Adam made the decision to join our growing sales team," Health Extension Pet Care President Brad Gruber said. "He brings a unique combination of skill, enthusiasm and experience to this high-profile senior management position."
View full article here: http://www.petage.com/health-extension-pet-care-grows-its-team/


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A4 (29.7 x 21cm)
A3 (42 x 29.7cm)
A2 (59.4 x 42cm)
A1 (84.1 x 59.4cm)
A0 (118.9 x 84.1cm)
Yislamoo's fine art prints are digitally printed on Hahnemuhle Matt 308gsm paper. The result is a beautiful print with vibrant colors. Each A4 print is packed in a cellophane wrapper with supporting backboard. A3 sizes upwards come rolled up in an art tube.
Each art print is nested beautifully within a white margin/border in an unmounted black/white (as per your selection) acrylic frame and glass, ready to hang!
Yislamoo's fine art prints are digitally printed on Hahnemuhle Matt 308gsm paper. The result is a beautiful print with vibrant colors.
Digitally printed on high-grade canvas stretched over natural solid wood bars, ready to hang!
The Sheikh, the ruler and leader of the tribe. This art print looks beyond the rather intimidating title, to the beautiful traits that would make a man to earn this title. The rich and vibrant colors breathe modernity into the piece and is an outlook to the man's true colors.
In a desert filled with monotones, the colorful art print is like an oasis. This modern Islamic art piece shows the real beauty of Arabia and blends well with any wall art decor you have whether motivational posters or quote posters. Perfect wall art for living room or if you're searching for bedroom wall pictures, this cool art print would be a great addition.
This is my second purchase, love how they keep adding new items and fresh designs, great job and great customer servise