text:
Oxymorons are not Antonyms
Tuesday, March 13th, 2012Stuart Gordon recently wrote:
"I dont think all your examples are oxymorons: Still moving is not. "Still" has two meanings but its meaning in this example is not "to be not moving". Like wise hot chili. Chili is not the same as the homophone chilly. These are plays on homonyms."
Thanks for your comment. In fact, all oxymorons are polysemous: one or both words have other meanings.
It affects the classic oxymoron, jumbo shrimp. Jumbo here means simply "large" and shrimp means here, well, "shrimp", too, as well as "small person". This applies across the board to almost every oxymoron in our list:
- civil war
- divorce court
- irate patient
- long shorts
- holy hell
Civil means simply "in one country" in the first of these, not simply "civil". Court means here "court" and not "engage in courtship". "Patient in irate patient is, of course, the noun patient and not the adjective. Shorts are pants, not the adjective and holy hell is an exclamation. This may be the only one that was intentional. Exclamations are, after all, meaningless. They serve to express our attitude toward something.
We wouldn't use oxymorons if they absolutely contradicted themselves; it would lead to too much confusion. There has to be a sensible interpretation of all of them.
We post these oxymorons because they are fun. We say them without thinking and it is fun to take stock in them. They are posted under our "Laughing Stock", after all.


text:
One of the most famous of the distant motion picture location ranches, Red Rock Canyon has been used in Hollywood movies almost continuously since 1925. Located in the heart of the Mojave Desert off of what the 49ers called The Midland Trail, it figures prominently in a number of classic films including the original 1933 version of The Mummy, William Wyler's The Big Country, and Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park™.
Its twenty-seven thousand acres are showcased as cinematic background for more than 130 major and minor films as well as television shows such as Lost in Space, Bonanza, and The Virginian.
This text, the first comprehensive volume written on Red Rock Canyon film making, is both a field guide to dozens of actual filming sites as well as a history of the Canyon and of its great benefactor Rudolph Hagen. The filmography lists every known occurrence of Red Rock Canyon in motion pictures including its 'secondary' appearances in rear projection scenes and stock shots.
- "a masterful piece of detective work, this in-depth guide covers every film-related cliff and crag in the state park"....... Harry Medved, author of The Golden Turkey Awards and the Hollywood Escapes (from St. Martin's Press)
102 pages. Illustrated (8 1/2 by 11). Photographs, maps, filmography, notes. Soft cover. ISBN 0-9719125-0-5

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Once again we sit stunned, watching the news coverage of a slaughter committed by an active shooter in Newtown, Connecticut. This time, far different from most school shootings, it was not a current or recent student but an outsider who forced his way in to attack the school. Even worse, this time the monster attacked little children — first graders.
Retired U.S. Army Ranger Lieutenant Colonel David Grossman has predicted such an attack for years and he compares his fictional scenario to the 1974 Ma'alot Massacre, a watershed attack on school children in Israel.
Colonel Grossman describes a worst-case scenario in which the attack is carried out by a terrorist team, similar to the 2004 massacre at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia (Russian Federation).
In Grossman's worst-case scenario, the American public will demand armed protection for every school and every school bus. Since our police and military resources are already stretched to their limit, would every school in the country close until sufficient protectors are hired and trained?
With so many children out of school for a year or more, how many parents would be forced to quit their jobs to care for their kids? Our already fragile economy would collapse.
Since the attack at the Sandy Hook Elementary School was not committed by a team of terrorists, but by yet another "troubled" young man, the public reaction will be more subdued. But the need to protect groups of innocents from attack by "lone wolf" active shooters has reached a point that demands action.
As a nation, we will argue in the coming months about potential preventions for these mass murders. Some will demand gun bans. Others will blame the mental health system. While our politicians and media point fingers and argue over causes and solutions, we sheepdogs can ignore the rhetoric and establish a system to protect our flock.
As I stated, there are simply too few active police or military personnel (including national guardsmen) to staff every school and every bus long-term. But, by looking back to our nation's founding, we have a no-cost solution readily available.
We need Minutemen to come forward and guard our lambs. Unfortunately, the noble concept of a militia has been bastardized by right-wing fringe groups adopting that name in the '80s and '90s, but we must overlook them.
Webster defines a militia as: "an organization of citizens with limited military training who are available for emergency service, usually for local defense." I suggest we organize Minutemen at the state and local level, using these individuals to put an armed protector (in plain clothes with concealed weapons) in every school and on every bus.
The volunteer Minutemen would be required to train periodically — at least a few days each year. Minutemen would, of course, need to be screened to keep out both those of evil intent and ill-equipped "wannabes." We already have the perfect screening process in place in every state, the background check system we use to hire police and issue concealed weapon permits.
Minutemen must be exempted from every geographic restriction placed on those who currently carry concealed weapons. Virtually every mass killing in recent memory has occurred in a "gun-free zone." We must authorize our Minutemen to carry everywhere, especially in gun-free zones.
Category 1 Minutemen: The Sheepdogs We Already Know and Trust
The core of my proposal revolves around the hundreds of thousands of former law enforcement officers already qualified for nationwide concealed carry under the federal Law Enforcement Officer's Safety Act (LEOSA - HR 218).
These men and women are fully trained, experienced sheepdogs. I am certain countless thousands of these former enforcers would readily step up to donate a couple of days each month to covertly sit in a school or ride on a bus with their concealed weapon. They would, at their own expense, provide their weapon and ammunition, and they would be required to train at least quarterly.
Many of these sheepdogs, like me, no longer have the strength or reflexes to go up against hardened terrorists, but we can certainly handle the cowardly young monsters who most often commit these atrocities.
Category 2 Minutemen: The Untapped Reservoir of Retired Warriors
By expanding the LEOSA statute, we can incorporate hundreds of thousands of retired military personnel into the ranks of Minutemen.
Again, we already know these people to be vetted, honorable citizens who have proven their willingness to protect their country. These experienced warriors are often even better prepared for battle than our police officers.
But since their training was focused on war, not law enforcement, retired military members would need specific training on legal use-of-force, in addition to the periodic in-service training required of all Minutemen.
Category 3 Minutemen: Honest, Armed Citizens
The third huge reservoir of potential Minutemen can come from the millions of U.S. citizens who have jumped through the legal hoops necessary to obtain a CCW permit (Carrying a Concealed Weapon) in their state.
These citizens have been screened through a background check system, and in most states are required to have some weapon safety and use of force training.
We must require further screening for CCW Minutemen to determine their suitability for elevation from the self-protection level to public-protection status. Their initial training would parallel that provided to citizens in Category 2, followed by the continuing in-service requirement.
This category of Minutemen includes armed school teachers, including the hundreds who already carry concealed weapons in their schools, spending every day protecting children in their gun-free zones.
The re-establishment of the American Minutemen could easily provide the huge numbers of protectors envisioned in Lt. Col. Grossman's scenario. The system could be established almost immediately from the Category 1 pool of retired law enforcement officers and be rapidly expanded by re-writing LEOSA to include retired military personnel.
Further down the road, states could consider the development of a "Level 2" CCW system to incorporate properly screened and trained CCW holders.
In every mass shooting in recent history a single armed, competent protector could have saved lives by taking down the active shooter before they fully ran their plan. Even sensible gun control proponents should embrace the use of Category 1 and Category 2 Minutemen, who have already established track records as armed protectors.
There will be myriad details to work out. How will we identify our Minutemen when they take action? Arriving police will need a standardized sign of their status. How will we train our Minutemen? We will need an organization to conduct the training, keep training records, and develop a schedule of assignments.
I can confidently predict we will see hundreds of thousands stand in line to volunteer for Minutemen service. A Minuteman's reward will be nothing more than; time away from their other pursuits, placing themselves in potential danger … and the chance to serve, once again.
The Minuteman's maxim will be a simple one: "Not here! Not today! These children are safe because I am here with my weapon and my training."
Once a sheepdog, always a sheepdog.


text:
Ceramic Pro South West OH
We Offer Creative Solutions To Your Ride
When you have an important job to do, you need a vehicle that will help you do that job as efficiently as possible. Our vehicle upfitting services can provide the customized solutions you need to bring every vehicle in your fleet up-to-standard. Our team can upfit your vehicle to meet your needs, whether you need police vehicles with K9 transport capabilities or a surveillance system in the back of your security van. No matter how big or how small the job is, we never sacrifice the high-quality of our products, attention to detail, or superior workmanship for which we have become known.
Middletown is a city located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, about 35 miles (47 km) north of Cincinnati. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886. The population of Middletown as of the 2020 census was 50,987. It is a town within the Cincinnati-Middletown, OH–KY–IN Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.The city was the home of AK Steel Holding Corporation (formerly Armco), a major steel works founded in 1900. Although offices were moved to nearby West Chester Township in 2007, the AK Steel factory is still in Middletown.
Avondale, Beavertown, Berkley Heights, Bond Hill, Carillon, Carthage, City View Heights, Claiborne East, Claiborne West, Columbia-Tusculum, Cornell Heights, Dayton View Triangle, Downtown, Dutchland Woods, East Westwood


text: SEAHOUSES, ENGLAND – JUNE 26: A Moon jellyfish swims beneath the waters of Inner Farne on June 26, 2011 at the Farne Islands, England. The Farne Islands, which are run by the National Trust, are situated two to three miles off the Northumberland coastline. The archipeligo of 16-28 separate islands (depending on the tide) make the summer home to approximately 100,000 pairs of breeding seabirds including around 36,000 Puffins, 32,000 Guillemots and 2,000 pairs of Arctic Terns. The species of birds which nest in internationally important numbers include Shag, Sandwich Tern and Arctic Tern. The coastline around The Farnes are also the breeding ground to one of Europe's largest Grey Seal colonies with around 4,000 adults giving birth to 1500 pups every year. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)


text:
January 2019
Empowering Community in the shadow of New Orleans' Interstate 10 (I-10)
This session explores the community empowerment that came about in the shadow of New Orleans' Interstate 10 (I-10) over the historic Claiborne Corridor, and how equity-based engagement changed the ownership of future investment decisions around a highway that destroyed a sacred civic space.When I-10 was built over Claiborne Avenue in the 1960s, it destroyed the physical heart of New Orleans' historic African American commercial corridor and cultural center including over 400 live oak trees, most of the area's businesses, and the value of housing in the neighborhoods that surrounded it. Since the early actions of local architects in the 1970s, plans have attempted to mitigate the devastating effects of the highway's construction and use by high-speed traffic and freight to downtown and the Port. Nationally renowned planners and architects supporting the City post-Katrina showed Claiborne Avenue restored and I-10 removed in their plans. In 2011, the City was awarded an EPA/FHWA jointly funded sustainability grant to study the options. The session will discuss how an interdisciplinary planning effort through a thoughtful equity lens, that included cultural heritage preservation, innovative public engagement, and integrated scenario planning, enabled the building of partnerships among non-profits, agencies, institutions, and culture bearers for residents to retake ownership of plans for Claiborne's future use and design.
Date | Time | Location | CM |
Wednesday, January 23 | 10:30 a.m. - 12 noon | County Administration Building
4th Floor Boardroom
14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 |
1.5 |
Speaker(s) / Instructor(s) Biography
Yolanda Takesian, Associate Planner, Kittelson & Associates, Inc.
Yolanda Takesian is a community planner with Kittelson and Associates, Inc. and an advocate for transit and bicycling in Baltimore. Her work brings people affected by transportation investments into the thinking and decision-making processes of agencies, elected leaders and designers. She enables dialogue within communities to hear from one another, understands differing points of view, learns from communities with similar experiences, and find common ground around needs and opportunities where transportation can be part of the solution. She leads and advises interdisciplinary teams to creatively respond with data-informed analysis and solutions that have made communities, downtowns and corridors more walkable, bikeable, and transit-supportive.
Yolanda's 28 years of experience includes investigating and refining premium transit concepts in support of users and transit-oriented development and orchestrating land-use/multimodal systems plans and strategies. She formerly led project development planning in Maryland's Department of Transportation's State Highway Community Design Division. As key staff in Maryland's early Smart Growth initiatives, Yolanda designed community planning processes, including Maryland State Highway Administration's "Thinking Beyond the Pavement" approach to project development.


text:
I everyone hope you all had a marvelous Easter
I did! Had the whole family for brunch and
the weather was fabulous!
Hope you will all hop over
and join me today at
today my chocolate bunny looks just like this
so sad and yet so yummy ;)
Today I am featuring
Boy this isn't just a great
Easter set but so many great
sentiment you can use
year round!
Bunny from Lawn Fawn
pierced, & scalloped oval from My Favorite Things
I hope everyone will
"Have a 24 Carrot Day!"


text:
Contrary to what I wrote here yesterday, F1 will be using 'most victories' to decide the champion in 2010. Leahonard_e pulled me up for missing a crucial line in the new 2010 regulations:
The Formula One World Championship driver's title will be awarded to the driver who has been classified first in the greatest number of races, all official results from the Championship season being taken into account. Points will be awarded to all drivers in accordance with Article 6.4 below and, in the event that two or more drivers win an equal number of races, the driver with the greatest number of points will be awarded the driver's title.
Is the FIA doing the right thing by changing the F1 points system?
The rules for 2010 are starting to look a real headache. We've already got teams running to two different sets of technical rules depending on whether they're competing under the budget cap or not.
And the FIA has confirmed the driver with the most points won't necessarily be the world champion in 2010 – it will be the driver with the most wins.
It's not clear from the regulations what the value of a win is in a shortened race. Was Jenson Button victory at Malaysia a 'whole win' or a 'half-win'?
Will the new systen make much of a difference to the championship? And does it disprove the conspiracy theory that the FIA were never interested in introducing the 'most wins' system, and only proposed it to deflect attention from the budget cap?


text:
One of my favorite things in the world is a well-loved Red Sox hat. You can pick them out at games among the crisp and unsullied -- hats that hearken back to the days of heartbreak, hats that bear the colorful signs of having been worn, and worn again, no matter where, no matter what.
So I was delighted when a Facebook follower sent me this picture today, of his own hat, and gave me permission to publish it:
Don writes:
Spring training ritual: reforming it for the upcoming season in the wake of its annual cleaning...
The cap shrinks after washing, and you have to wash it every once in a while, then reform/stretch it. It's an old wool one, not the new fake wool cap...so you have to do this occasionally. Either that or my head is getting bigger from all the 'roids like Barry Bonds' did...saw Pedro-Zimmer in this hat (although I was in the bleachers so I had a much better view of the Karim Garcia and Jeff Nelson beatdown of the Sox bullpen Rake Guy that happened later in the game)
We all have our rituals.
And hey, anybody else with a great Red Sox hat story out there? I'm always happy to hear it.


text:
Smart is the New Pretty: Ahead of the Game
It's no secret that smart is the new pretty, so how about we start this year off with some more knowledge? Anyone can look good in designer duds, but it's the girl with the knowing look that ends up the belle of the ball.
- But perhaps you aren't at any balls, yet are still searching for love. Dine with a stranger can help with that. [Mashable]
- What search engine do you use anyway? Probably not Yahoo! According to these numbers: Bada-bing! [Tech Crunch]
- Think you have nothing in common with dolphins and monkeys? Uh… think again. [Mashable]
- Speaking of animals, who the hell is buying all of these Crocs? No, seriously. [NY Mag]
- Probably the same people who eat Twinkies…. oh wait. [Gawker]
- If you already love Shazam… you're really going to love it now. Providing lyrics to all your heart's desire, it wants to be your music player too. [Mashable]
- Which may come in handy when trying to decipher the Tim Tebow inspired "St. Elmo's Fire" remake. [People]
- Oh wait… LL Cool J wants a piece of this music social networking too. Ladies do love cool James… [Mashable]
- Welp, if you're in NY, you should probably go head over to Apple's education event next week so you can start your own social network (I mean, everybody else is). [TechCrunch]
- Either that or book yourself a one way ticket to Mars. [Huffington Post]


text:
Blinding Flashes in a Shadowy War
The booms could be heard near Damascus twice in the space of 48 hours. Eyewitnesses report that the second series of explosions in the early hours of Sunday was louder and more ferocious than anything they had experienced so far since the start of the war in Syria. There is still some doubt as to the actual physical targets and the strategic aims of the air attacks.
But in consideration of statements by western intelligence sources, Israeli military experts and parties involved in the Syrian conflict, no one is now contesting the fact that Israel has carried out two military strikes on Syrian territory.
The New York Times and other media are wondering if Israel is now planning to intervene in the Syrian conflict. Syria's Deputy Defence Minister is trying to steer international interpretation in exactly this direction when he denounces the attacks, talks of an "Israeli declaration of war" and maintains that Israel is supporting the Islamist rebels against the Assad government.
Syria – battlefield of Sunni-Shiite antagonism
Does Israel want to intervene in the war between the Syrian regime and the armed, Sunni-dominated opposition? There is cause for considerable doubt over such a claim - and that is despite the fact that Syria's warring factions regularly accuse each other of making common cause with Israel. As the smoke clears after the bombardments, the real reasons for the destructive air attacks become more apparent.
Israel's regional-strategic agenda is not determined by the war in Syria, but by its own confrontation with Iran. For years now, an undeclared war has been smouldering between Israel and the Islamic Republic, a conflict that mostly takes place behind the scenes, and only occasionally flares up and reveals itself to everyone, as it did at the weekend near Damascus. The individual flare-ups are both temporally sporadic and geographically scattered, making it difficult for the public to assign them to an overall scheme.
It would appear that the Israeli military hit weapons transports and/or stores. It can be presumed that the weapons originate from Iran and that they were being temporarily stored on Syrian territory destined for the Shiite Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. If reports that the weapons in question were mid-range Fateh 110 missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometres are accurate, then it would make little sense to deploy such rockets in the Syrian war.
Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah may have conceded that his militia is fighting in Syria on the side of the Assad regime. But Fateh missiles are not suited to village-to-village or street-to-street fighting. These rockets are used as a deterrent, and in the case of an escalation as a way of retaliating against Israel. From South Lebanon, the missiles can reach Tel Aviv.
As long as the Assad regime was unchallenged and stable, Hezbollah stored part of its arsenal of missiles on Syrian territory. The Shiite militia believed its weapons were safer with its ally than in Lebanon, where they could more easily be traced and seized or destroyed by rival militias, UN inspectors or the Israelis. But since the start of the armed rebellion against the Assad regime almost two years ago, Hezbollah and its Iranian sponsor hold a different view.
They fear that while it is in Syria, the missile arsenal could fall into the hands of Sunni rebels. This is why back in the summer of 2011, Hezbollah began relocating parts of this strategic arms reserve to Lebanon.
The Tehran-Damascus-Hezbollah axis
The primary context of the Israeli-Iranian confrontation has been unfolding since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Since that year, Israel has perceived itself to be under threat from the Islamic Republic.
While Khomeini's 80s promise that his troops would not only conquer Karbala in Iraq but also march on Jerusalem could still be dismissed as florid Shiite fighting talk, the foundation of Hezbollah in Lebanon with Iranian help and its war of attrition against occupying Israeli troops in Lebanon represented a definite military confrontation. Israel has referred since then to the "Tehran-Damascus-Hezbollah axis".
In addition to this since the mid-1990s came Iranian support for the Palestinian group Hamas and the Iranian nuclear programme, which Israel believes is primarily focused on developing a nuclear bomb to end Israel's nuclear arms monopoly in the Middle East and creating a balance of fear in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened to scotch Iran's nuclear programme by military means if necessary.
Iran's rulers say they are leading the historic confrontation with Israel as imperialist foreign body in the region more effectively than any other Islamic nation. With this claim, they create trans-national political prestige and a sense of mission as a regional power. For the Iranian regime this is also a way of putting the Sunni Gulf monarchies in the shade.
Failed attempts to create a "New Middle East" on the foundations of an Israeli-Palestinian peace were always regarded by Iranian revolutionary leader Khamenei as an evil plan to marginalise the Islamic Republic within the power structures of the Middle East. This is why he always fought bitterly against the peace process while tenaciously consolidating Iran's alliance with the Damascus regime and Hezbollah.
Clandestine Israeli-Iran conflict
Iran's arming of Hezbollah is just as much an act in this shadowy war as Israeli attempts to stop the transports. Israel's air bombardments at the weekend follow the same logic as the attacks against a desert convey in Sudan in early 2009 taking Iranian weapons to Hamas via Egypt.
Israel's strategy is also flaring up in other ways: in the form of cyber attacks using computer viruses that paralyse Iranian nuclear facilities, or assassination attempts on Iranian nuclear scientists. And Iran is hitting back, from a concealed position but in a recognisable hand. For example, few would contest that Hezbollah was responsible for the fatal attack on Israeli tourists last July in the Bulgarian city of Burgas. It is therefore likely that Iran ordered the bombing.
While Israel consolidates its strategic alliance with Azerbaijan, Iran is courting the favour of the new, post-revolutionary leadership in Egypt. At some point, this undeclared clandestine war could lead to an open conflict between Israel and Iran.
The rebellion in Syria against the Assad regime is now being overlapped by two regional conflicts. Iran is playing a key role in both of these. For the time being, the Syrian conflict is being fought along confessional lines – Syria has become the new battlefield of Sunni-Shiite antagonism, with enemies Iran and Saudi Arabia pulling the strings. And since the latest Israeli air attacks, Israel is conducting its confrontation with Iran on Syrian territory.
Stephan Buchen
© Qantara.de 2013
Editor: Lewis Gropp/Qantara.de


text:
Campus Theatre
163 W. Hancock Street,
2 people favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Martin Theatres
Functions: Office Space
Styles: Art Deco
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 2, 2010 — Campus Theater in Milledgeville, GA reborn as college playhouse
- Jul 22, 2008 — Campus Theatre's auditorium lost - exterior restored
- Aug 6, 2007 — Georgia College proposes re-use of historic Campus Theatre
The Campus Theatre is typical of the many Art Deco sites built by the Martin (now Carmike) chain that once dominated the movie business in small towns throughout the southeastern United States. Most towns or counties with a population of at least 10,000 seemed to always include a theater named the Martin on the town square. In Milledgeville, the name was the Campus because it was located one block from the campus of Georgia College, which was located on the edge of downtown.
The entrance to the theater was a storefront located in an office building that fronted Main Street. There were other businesses on either side, and upstairs were professional offices for doctors, lawyers, and dentists. The box office was located outside in front of the entrance. You entered the theater after walking down a hallway that ran the depth of the office building. The downstairs held about 400 or so seats and the balcony about 150 more.
The projection booth was equipped with Century projectors, 2000 foot reels, and carbon arc lamps. The projectionist apparently was worried about seeing the cue marks so he placed a strip of opaque tape the length of the four cued frames. This double blackout at the end of each reel was distracting, but it was better than missing the changeover. They used a 2 to 1 ratio lens set up which meant that while the flat picture was nice and filled up the entire screen, the scope picture was badly cropped on both sides.
I attended the Campus many times while in college in the early 1970's. They usually changed movies twice a week, showing one feature for Sunday - Tuesday, and a different one Wednesday - Saturday. Sometimes, a big hit like "The Godfather" would run for an entire week.
The Campus Theatre and the Martin-operated Starlite Drive-In were the only theaters in town although there were about a dozen first run screens in Macon, Georgia, a 30 mile drive to the west. In 1972 Martin opened a single screen in the new Hatcher Square Mall just north of town. The better films played there while the Campus Theatre got what the drive-in used to play. The drive-in was closed and is now a Wal-Mart.
In the 1980's, Martin, now operating as Carmike, built a new six screen site in the mall parking lot and closed the mall screen and the Campus Theatre. The old downtown theater still looks much as it did the day it was closed up. The one sheet for its final attraction, "Married To The Mob", is still in its frame in the entrance hall. The old fashioned Martin Theatres logo is still visible on the front. The building looks to be in good shape and the other store fronts and professional spaces upstairs are still in use. It seems to be a great candidate for renovation for someone with the money and the love of old theaters. It would make a nice venue for live shows although the college auditorium gets all of that business. Since Carmike apparently still holds the lease it is doubtful they would be willing to allow anyone to reopen it as competition to their mall site.
Recent comments (view all 21 comments)
News from Georgia College & State University
August 2, 2007
Georgia College Proposes Re-Use of Historic Campus Theatre in Downtown Milledgeville — Project Would Include Performance Theatre and Retail Bookstore
Georgia College & State University today announced it is proposing to reopen the historic Campus Theatre on Hancock Street in downtown Milledgeville, adapting the building's interior into a "black box†performance theatre and retail book store. The theatre, which is a prominent part of the city's downtown area, was built in 1935 and closed in 1983.
"For several years, I have been looking for opportunities that benefit both Georgia College and the community — and reuse of the Campus Theatre as a performance theatre and bookstore is a great fit for both,†said Georgia College President Dorothy Leland. "Bringing this beautiful building to life once again will not only reutilize unoccupied space, but also play a significant role in the continued redevelopment of downtown Milledgeville.â€
According to President Leland, the project would preserve the building's exterior and readapt the interior to include space for the university's theatre arts program, including a "black box†which could be configured in a variety of ways. Examples of such configurations could include a regular stage and seating, a "theatre in the round†or other set up, depending on the program being presented.
As envisioned, the building would also house a book store that would feature a variety of general selections in addition to text books, providing the downtown area with a valuable new retail venue. Under the plan, the useable interior space of the building would be expanded from the current 17,000 square feet to 21,000 square feet.
"While we are looking to readapt the interior of the building, we will preserve and restore its historic exterior,†President Leland said. "The façade, marquee, doorways, ticket booth and other features will all look exactly as they were in 1935 when the building was constructed.â€
In announcing the proposal, President Leland said that while the university had completed the "due diligence†phase of the project, it must now prepare to ask for approval from the Board of Regents of the State University System of Georgia.
The initial "due diligence†phase of the project was completed by The Christman Company of Lansing, Michigan. Previously, the firm worked with the university on the multi-million dollar restoration of the Old Governor's Mansion, which is part of the Georgia College campus.
While preliminary discussions have been held with the owner of the Campus Theatre building, Randall Hattaway, President Leland stressed that negotiations are still underway and that the university has not yet executed purchase of the structure.
"We have taken the first step in this exciting project, but many more remain ahead,†she said. "It will likely be several months before all of the details and approvals are in place, but I am confident that Georgia College can â€" and will — do a first-class job of bringing the Campus Theatre back as a centerpiece of the downtown area.â€
-end release-
Regents approve key projects for Georgia College, FVSU
By Jennifer Burk –
CARROLLTON — Georgia College & State University received authorization Wednesday to move forward with the purchase and renovation of Milledgeville's downtown Campus Theatre.
The Board of Regents, which oversees the state's 35 public institutions, approved the project at its scheduled meeting at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton. The project was part of a seven-project list to be funded through a pooled bond issuance by the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority.
Also included on the approved list was a student center and stadium project at Fort Valley State University.
The Georgia College project is planned to convert the 21,000-square-foot art deco Campus Theatre into a bookstore and black box theater.
The estimated cost of the project is $6.9 million, and it is expected to be funded through tenant rental and retail sales revenue, according to University System of Georgia documents.
The bonds should be sold by the end of the year, and then the university can complete the purchase of the building and hire people to do the work, Georgia College President Dorothy Leland said.
"We're ready to go," she said.
The Baldwin Bulletin – Milledgeville,GA,USA
Funding for Campus Theater project gets the green light
By Pam Beer
Downtown's iconic landmark – the Campus Theater – became the scene of much activity this week as workers started in on creating something new within the confines of something old and treasured.
"We purchased the building in February using Auxiliary Services funding as a sort of a bridge,†explained Georgia College Director of Communications Bryan Jackson. The university's plans to finance the purchase of the building through bond funding from the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority were slowed as the state Attorney General's office examined the issue.
"That kind of funding was originally set up for college dormitories and the like,†Jackson said. What Georgia College plans to do with the Campus Theater is outside that realm so the Attorney General's office studied the issue to make sure the project meets the criteria for that type of bond funding.
The process took roughly three months, but college officials finally received word last week that the AG's office has approved the funding for the project as submitted.
The Baldwin Bulletin – Milledgeville,GA,USA
Funding for Campus Theater project gets the green light
By Pam Beer
Downtown's iconic landmark – the Campus Theater – became the scene of much activity this week as workers started in on creating something new within the confines of something old and treasured.
"We purchased the building in February using Auxiliary Services funding as a sort of a bridge,†explained Georgia College Director of Communications Bryan Jackson. The university's plans to finance the purchase of the building through bond funding from the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority were slowed as the state Attorney General's office examined the issue.
"That kind of funding was originally set up for college dormitories and the like,†Jackson said. What Georgia College plans to do with the Campus Theater is outside that realm so the Attorney General's office studied the issue to make sure the project meets the criteria for that type of bond funding.
The process took roughly three months, but college officials finally received word last week that the AG's office has approved the funding for the project as submitted.
According to a Feb. 2008 news release, the college plans to restore the exterior of the Art Deco building – including the facade, marquee, doorways, and ticket booth – to its original condition.The building will house a bookstore that features a variety of general selections in addition to textbooks. Under the plan, the useable interior space of the building will be expanded from the current 17,000 square feet to 21,000 square feet.
The interior also will include a "black box†performance space designed to accommodate a variety of configurations, depending on the type of programs being presented. According to the warranty deed, the building was purchased by the Board of Regents from local businessman Randall Hattaway for $817,996.41.
Currently contractors are working on abatement issues, removing debris and hazardous materials from the building. In November the bonds are expected to be sold, which will repay Auxiliary Services and provide funds for the balance of the project. Between now and November, Jackson said, a final design will be completed.
Georgia College hopes to open the facility some time in 2009.
Here are three photos of the exterior of The Campus Theatre. This facade is to be restored in the current renovation of the building. The renovation will replace the theatre's interior with a bookshop in the basement and a black box performance stage ( a simple performance space with black walls and a flat floor) in the current auditorium. The balcony will be converted into office space.
Lost Memory:
The Colonial Theater was across the street and has been the local pool hall for at least the past 50 years, and probably longer. If you go into the pool hall today, you will see in the tiled floor below you the word "Colonial" in the floor in darker colored tile than the normal floor. It is basically across the street from the Campus Theater and a little bit west.
former Milledgeville Resident 1979-1983; 1995-1998
The Campus Theatre â€" An Overview
By R. Bryan Jackson
The Campus Theatre was the most ornate movie house ever built in Milledgeville and an estimated 5,000 local residents turned out for its grand opening on March 18th in 1935. When the doors swung open at 1 p.m. for the first time, the crowd surged in to marvel at its sophisticated decorations, plush furnishings and state-of-the-art sound and projection systems.
Among the advanced features of the new theatre were the main doors, which opened electrically when a patron walked past an "electric eye.†A similar device turned on the water fountain in the mezzanine when it was approached. The lounge featured wicker furniture where patrons could relax while cooling off under ceiling fans.
A few days before the theatre's official opening, its manager, Frank D. Adams, had taken out a large newspaper ad to announce that "we have spent money, time and thought and the best talent we could get to give Milledgeville one of the finest theatres in the South.†The ad continued to say "We want the people of this city to feel free to use the auditorium… it will be open for public meetings at any time, when it does not interfere with our regular programs.†Adams' announcement also invited local ladies to "feel free to use the mazenine (sic) floor to serve refreshments whenever a theatre party is given.â€
To ensure a successful opening day, the Martin theatre chain â€" which had spent the staggering sum of $135,000 on the building's construction â€" made sure the bill at the Campus was chock full of entertainment. In addition to the day's feature film "Broadway Bill†and its all-star cast with Myrna Loy and Warner Baxter, the first program also offered a live six-act Vaudeville stage show with music and comedy starring "The Bob Continental Flashes†and its 25 member cast.
At 9 pm, with every one of the 1,328 seats in the auditorium filled â€" and thousands more turned away outside — the official dedication of the Campus Theatre took place. Theatre owner Roy Martin took the stage along with Milledgeville Mayor J.A. Horne and a host of other dignitaries to express appreciation for the new theatre and to highlight it as another forward step in the progress of the city. After the event, Martin hosted a barbeque diner and dancing at the country club for the managers of his theatres and their wives.
Like most theatres in the south at that time, the Campus was segregated and remnants of that legacy remain visible today. These include the main entrance â€" which was reserved for the use of whites only â€" and the separate side entrance that was used by black patrons, who were relegated to sit in the balcony.
Inside, the first floor mezzanine featured a lounge with a smoking area, men and women rest rooms, and a refreshment stand. The main theatre featured upholstered seats for its patrons. Again, these were reserved for the exclusive use of white patrons.
African-Americans (then called "coloredsâ€), were restricted to a separate side of the ticket booth, as well as their own adjoining exterior side entrance. This led up a staircase to a small lounge area with a candy stand, a single unisex bathroom, and a partitioned balcony which had separate seating for blacks and whites. Unlike the main theatre, the balcony was equipped with only wooden seats. These separate entrances and facilities remained in use until 1964, when the policy of racial segregation fell to the civil rights movement.
Still, the Campus Theatre was an exciting attraction for every moviegoer — including the opportunity to escape the often brutal heat of a summer's day in middle Georgia. In fact, newspaper ads for the theatre highlighted that it was "cool and comfortable†inside. The exact date air conditioning was introduced to the building is not clear, but it appears this amenity was added very early on and was quite powerful. Some patrons of those early days remember being so cold inside the theatre that they had to bring a sweater to keep warm — despite the fact it could be more than 100 degrees outside!
Ticket prices for matinee movies were ten cents for children under 12 and twenty-five cents for adults. For evening shows the price for adults rose to thirty cents. For small children who could be carried by a parent, admission was free. "Program Boys†could also earn themselves free admission by distributing advertising flyers on upcoming movies to homes in the surrounding neighborhoods.
During its early years, the theatre changed its movies as many as three or four times a week. However, there were occasions when a blockbuster hit like "Gone with the Wind,†would play for an entire week to packed houses.
During the 1930s and early 1940s, the Campus would also continue to regularly intersperse its film offerings with live stage entertainment. For example, on April 18th, a month after the theatre opened, it offered a live performance of a show called the "Passion Play.†According to a newspaper advertisement, it featured "Gorgeous Pageantry†and "Beautiful Sacred†music — and prices much higher than those for a standard movie admission, with tickets ranging from 50 cents to a dollar.
For Milledgeville, everything about the Campus Theatre was grand, with the Martin chain working hard to fulfill its claim that it was "the finest theatre in middle Georgia.†Patrons only had to step inside to experience the elegance as "usherettes†in neat navy blue uniforms with brass buttons escorted them to their seats. This "high class†atmosphere was further refined by strict rules which included no gum chewing and no talking during the performance. Armed with flashlights, these young hostesses would quickly approach and briefly illuminate such offenders amid the darkness, much to their embarrassment. Those who failed to heed the warning would find themselves confronted by the theatre's manager.
Saturday matinees were always popular, especially with kids. Many would spend an entire afternoon at the theatre enjoying cartoons, action-pack serial adventures, and whatever main feature film was playing. Of course, Saturday evening was also popular, especially with the dating set which often saw students from Georgia State College for Women (now GCSU) together with cadets from Georgia Military College. According to legend, more than one future marriage got its start at the Campus Theatre.
As the area's premier movie house, the Campus generally showed Hollywood's latest and best releases while the other local theatres â€" the Colonial and the Co-Ed — tended to get second-rate fare or second runs of films that had already been shown at the Campus. A review of the movie listings from the 1930s and 1940s clearly shows that all of the big films of the time were playing at the Campus.
The movie ads from that era also show that the Campus Theatre regularly hosted the films of a famous former Milledgeville resident, Oliver Hardy of the celebrated comic duo of Laurel and Hardy. In 1903, when Hardy was ten years old, his mother had moved the Milledgeville to run the Baldwin Hotel. A few years later, he was hired as the projectionist at the newly opened Palace Theatre, which was located just across the street from his mother's hotel. Working at the Palace sparked Hardy's interest in the movies and he eventually left Milledgeville to pursue his acting career, first in Jacksonville and then in Hollywood.
Oliver Hardy was still well remembered by many local residents when his larger-than-life image appeared on the silver screen of the Campus Theatre years later. According to movie ads which appeared in Milledgeville's Union-Recorder newspaper, The Laurel and Hardy two-reeler "Our Relations†was shown at the theatre on Christmas Eve 1936, and their feature film "Way Out West†was part of a double bill that played on Saturday, June 12, 1937. There is strong evidence that Laurel and Hardy films were a regular part of the theatre's line up, often with one of their "shorts†being double billed with a feature film.
While many people worked at the Campus Theatre over the years, none was more durable than Nathan Morgan, who would spend 43 years as its manager. During his early career with Martin Cinemas, Morgan oversaw the opening of new theatres all over Georgia. Then, in 1940, he was offered the opportunity to settle down and manage the Campus Theatre. With the chance to earn $35 a week â€" nearly double his current salary of $18 a week — he jumped at the chance and relocated with his wife and children to Milledgeville.
Morgan's dedication to the job â€" and to the theatre — was clear and he could be found working at whatever task needed to be done. One minute he might be in his office preparing financial reports for the home office, and the next he would be at the front door welcoming patrons and taking their tickets. For over four decades he remained a fixture in downtown Milledgeville, standing on the sidewalk in front of the theatre each day to greet those who passed by and to answer their questions about the movies that were playing. Fellow employees would often kid Morgan that he only stood outside so he could watch the girls from Georgia College walk past.
Unfortunately, like most downtown theatres, the heydays at the Campus Theatre eventually began to slip away. With the advent of television, more and more people began to stay home for their entertainment. The impact was dramatic between 1947 and 1957, as ninety percent of the homes in America saw television sets come into their living rooms. The decline was further precipitated as shopping malls grew in favor, siphoning off downtown shoppers to their stores and new multiplex cinemas.
As the end drew near, the Campus Theatre found itself with seats that were tattered and torn, carpet that was threadbare and a once ornate lobby that had been covered over with cheap paneling. Although memories of a more glamorous time could still be found in the art deco lighting fixtures that lined the balcony walls, the balcony itself had been closed off, and the heavy red drapes adorning the sides of the stage hung dirty and rotted.
With its grandeur gone, the Martin chain would move to close the Campus in early September 1983. For Nathan Morgan it would be a sad and difficult day, and his last as its long-time manager.
At 9 pm on Thursday, September 8th, the Campus Theatre would show its last film, a forgettable movie entitled "Space Raiders†in which a 10 year old boy is accidentally kidnapped by a futuristic spaceship filled with a motley crew of space pirates. It seemed to be a fitting end to the theatre, just as the all-star Frank Capra film "Broadway Bill†had been a fitting start 1935. Unlike the 5,000 people who had been on hand for its opening, only a handful trickled out the Campus Theatre's well-worn doors following the final flickers from its projection booth. Shortly after, the neon marquee also went dark, ending its nearly half-century run as a downtown beacon.
With his landmark downtown theatre now dark, Nathan Morgan transferred to Martin's new cinema at the Hatcher Square Mall (now the Milledgeville Mall), where he would assume the role of welcoming patrons as the theatre's "ambassador.†There he would remain on the job â€" and on the Martin payroll — until his death in 1991.
The Campus Theatre would eventually be sold three times in the coming years, eventually becoming the property of Randall Hattaway, an accountant who had located his business in offices on the second floor of the theatre building. Because the Martin chain had stipulated in its original sale of the building that it could not be used as a theatre for at least ten years, the movie house itself had continued to deteriorate.
Over the next several years the theatre portion of the building would find occasional use, including rental by a church for its services, and use at least once as the venue for a rock concert sponsored by Georgia College. Meanwhile, the first floor store fronts continued to be rented on a fairly steady basis by such groups as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Milledgeville MainStreet, a community development agency.
But efforts to re-open the theatre itself stalled when Hattaway found the cost of its renovation to be prohibitively expensive. At one point, in April 1999, there was brief hope that the Campus Theatre would see its big screen lit again. Cinema Grill, an Atlanta-based franchise, announced its intention to buy the building and turn it into a movie theater-restaurant. However, the idea never got past a feasibility study and the project was dropped.
Although the office space in the building continued to be in regular use for the next decade, it was not until February 22, 2008 that the next big step for the Campus Theatre took place. On that date, Georgia College & State University completed its purchase of the building, with plans to adapt it into a "black box†performance theatre and to convert its store fronts and office space into a retail book store. In keeping with the building's historic significance, the university's plans also call for the exterior façade to be brought back to it original 1935 art deco splendor, including restoration of its entrance, marquee and ticket booth. The project is now slated for completion by fall 2009.
According to Georgia College President Dorothy Leland, "our plan is to not only bring the historic Campus Theatre to life again, but to reutilize its space in a way that plays a significant role in the continued redevelopment of downtown Milledgeville.â€
As in 1935, the Campus Theatre is again in the spotlight as a forward step in the progress of Milledgeville.
Here is a July 18, 2010 picture of the Campus
When I visited the Campus in 2004 it looked bleak as far as being restored, I'm so glad Georgia College stepped in. I used to go to movies here in the early 60's. It adds so much to Milledgeville.
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.


text:
Japan's LDP could Use Some Competition
Please note that we are not authorised to provide any investment advice. The content on this page is for information purposes only.
For close to 40 years after 1955, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) dominated Japan's competitive party system. Opposition parties were not able to mount a successful challenge to LDP rule at the national level, but they had an important impact on policy and the political process. Japan had one dominant party but not a one-party system.
For close to 40 years after 1955, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) dominated Japan's competitive party system. Opposition parties were not able to mount a successful challenge to LDP rule at the national level, but they had an important impact on policy and the political process. Japan had one dominant party but not a one-party system.
The opposition was strong enough to prevent the adoption of many policies for which the LDP fought hard — constitutional revision, government financial support for the controversial Yasukuni shrine and the reintroduction of prewar morals education. Broad popular support for the Japan Socialist Party's (JSP) positions on rearmament and on defending the liberties enshrined in the constitution made it impossible for the LDP to implement key policies it espoused in its initial party platform in 1955.
Half a century later, the LDP is again pushing these policies forward with renewed vigour.
Polarised party systems with deep ideological and policy divisions tend to undermine political stability. However, in postwar Japan the tug and pull between a right-leaning LDP and a left wing opposition dominated by the JSP created a dynamic tension that drew the system towards the centre. Over time the LDP — which started out determined to overturn many of the political reforms adopted during the American occupation and write a new Constitution — downplayed its revanchist goals and made retaining political power its overarching objective. Emphasising a pragmatic approach, the LDP became the pre-eminent party of the centre.
The socialists did not make a comparable adjustment in their political orientation and moved to the left. Doing so led elements on its right wing to break off to form the Democratic Socialist Party and also made room for Komeito, formed in 1964, to occupy space that had opened up to the left of the LDP and the right of the JSP.
In the 1990s, the demise of the JSP seemed to be leading to a reordered political party system centred on competition between the LDP on the centre-right and the newly formed centre-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). It seemed possible that an alternation of power between two dominant parties might become the new normal. That view seemed to be confirmed when the DPJ enjoyed a landslide victory in the 2009 lower house election and took control of the government.
However, it was not to be. The three years the DPJ held power proved to be a disaster for the party and a godsend for the LDP. Many factors contributed to the DPJ's failure, among the most important being the ineptitude of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, the effort by Ichiro Ozawa to control the party, the party's bureaucrat-bashing approach, poor handling of the crises created by the Tohoku earthquake and the nuclear disaster at Fukushima. It looked as though the party might be getting its bearings under Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, but by then it was too late.
Since losing power to the LDP in 2012, the Democrats have been at a loss as to how to recover public support. Under chairman Katsuya Okada the Democratic Party, as it is now known, opted to define its goals not in terms of what the party stands for but what it stands against. It is against collective self-defence, against the classified secrets act and against constitutional revision.
Now it has a new leader, Renho Murata, the first female to lead a major Japanese political party. The former model and TV presenter, whose father is Taiwanese and mother Japanese, brings a fresh face to a homogeneous Japanese political world dominated by older men. However, she has an enormous task ahead in building party unity and formulating concrete alternative policies, especially on the economy, which is consistently the primary concern of voters.
Renho — she goes by her first name alone — will need to convince the public that she has a realistic understanding of security issues and that if her party held government again, they would not make a mess of it. Escaping the image of a party that stands for nothing but opposing LDP policies will be no easy task.
Public opinion is critical of LDP policies but the kind of intensity that led people to demonstrate in large numbers against the LDP years ago is simply not there anymore. The Democratic Party's effort to make opposition to constitutional revision the key issue in the 2016 upper house election campaign gained little traction. Prime Minister Abe downplayed the constitutional issue and emphasised the importance of sticking to his economic strategy. Democratic Party leaders never articulated an economic policy of their own.
Now that the LDP is no longer being pulled to the centre by parties on the left, the party's more conservative members are demanding that the party return to its roots and fulfil the vision of its founders. The changing dynamics of party politics in Japan has set in motion the LDP's rightward shift.
Those on the party right reject the pragmatic, economics-first strategy of the 'conservative mainstream' (hoshu honryÅ«) as an unprincipled betrayal of the party's ideals and goals. Prime Minister Abe, for example, has criticised his party for becoming a 'party to maintain power' rather than seeking to fulfil its original platform — the revision of the American-drafted constitution in particular. Abe believes he has a responsibility to give priority to the LDP's goals as set out by his grandfather, Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, more than half a century ago.
As far as the LDP's opposition is concerned, there is no future for the Democrats or any party that defines its raison d'etre in terms of what it opposes and that avoids taking clear positions on difficult issues of national security policy. The sad truth is that never in Japan's postwar history has the political opposition been as enfeebled as it is now. Renho has her work cut out for her.
Japan's political party system will be reinvented, one way or another. It is possible that reinvention will leave the LDP so strong and the opposition so impotent that Japan evolves into something similar to a one-party system in which the checks and balances essential to democratic governance are drastically weakened. Japan needs to find a new formula to sustain a system that cleaves toward the centre. The tug between revanchist conservatives and Marxist-dominated progressives that helped keep the centre on centre in the past is no longer relevant. Japan requires the presence of a catch-all centre-left party that offers the public a realistic alternative to the LDP.
Weak opposition is a cancer in Japan's political system is republished with permission from East Asia Forum


text:
By Yvonne Wenger, The Baltimore Sun
10:10 a.m. EDT, June 19, 2013
Ann Bartlinski placed the Eucharist and a pearl-beaded rosary blessed by the hands of the late Pope John Paul II on the chest of her 6-year-old daughter, Teresa, who lay Tuesday in a hospital bed, her tiny body rejecting a donor's heart.
Teresa remained still, connected to life support at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia while her parents, Ed and Ann Bartlinski of Catonsville, their parish priest, the Rev. Christopher J. Whatley of St. Mark Church, and the community prayed for a miracle.
About 250 people gathered at the St. Mark chapel for a vigil Tuesday night. They tried to understand God's plan. And they petitioned God to heal the child, born with a congenital heart disease in a village west of Beijing, whose last words before surgery were, "Tell Mommy I love her more."
Ann Bartlinski said Teresa is "fighting hard."
"All she needs is for the heart to start beating again; Jesus can do that," she said.
Bartlinski posted an update Wednesday on the family's blog, "Our Place Called Home," to say Teresa made it through the night. The child still has little heart function and she is at risk for seizures.
"Teresa had a pretty good night," Bartlinski wrote. "We had a few scary moments but she quickly fought back."
The family has waited since August for doctors to find a heart that would be a good match. The call came Monday while the Bartlinskis — who have five special-needs daughters adopted from China and four biological children — were on the beach in Delaware.
The couple collected the children, leaving the young ones with their grandmother at a hotel, and made the more than two-hour drive to Philadelphia with Teresa.
Doctors began to prepare Teresa for surgery about 8:30 p.m. and by 5:30 a.m. the heart transplant, from an unidentified child donor, was complete.
Not long after, though, the right and left ventricle began to struggle, Ann Bartlinski said. Teresa went into full cardiac arrest, and her medical team gave her CPR for 30 minutes. She was put on life support to give her heart a chance to rest, Bartlinski said.
Doctors told the family they intend to keep Teresa on life support, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, for several days, Bartlinski said. They intend to wake her up periodically to check her responses, but the longer she stays on life support, the greater her risk for suffering a stroke, blood clot or brain damage.
If she doesn't show signs of a recovery in several days, Bartlinski said, doctors would re-evaluate the situation and likely put her back on the transplant list. In the best-case scenario, the heart's failure could have been caused by trauma from the transplant and will adjust with time, she said.
"She just needs a huge miracle, and the more people we can get to pray for her, the better she will be," her mother said.
If Teresa survives the procedure, her parents, devout Roman Catholics, intend with their priest's help to petition the Archdiocese of Baltimore and, ultimately, the Vatican to declare the healing a miracle. The child is named for named for Mother Teresa, the late Catholic nun and Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
Teresa was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a birth defect that prevents the left side of an infant's heart from developing. Her condition caused significant damage to her lungs, and most doctors considered her too high-risk for a transplant.
The family, along with St. Mark parishioners and students at its affiliated school, have asked for the intercession of the late pope, now known as Blessed John Paul II, to petition God in Teresa's healing. For John Paul II to be declared a saint, the Vatican must ascribe one more miracle to him.
Declaring a miracle, an instantaneous occurrence that cannot be explained by science, in the Catholic Church requires scientific and spiritual evidence that must be investigated by church authorities.
The Archdiocese of Baltimore has apparently investigated only five miracles in the last 200 years, although the process is veiled.
Whatley, the Bartlinskis' priest, said Teresa's future may be uncertain, but the faithful must "entrust everything to a loving God."
"Our God is totally unpredictable," Whatley said. "Prayer is always effective; however, we never know in what manner the effectiveness will be displayed. This little girl right now is very critically ill. "Our existence on this Earth is temporary. If Teresa loses this battle, she has won the victory of her life." The family, friends and neighbors gathered for the vigil, recited the rosary, sang "On Eagles' Wings" and prayed for the child who donated his or her heart to Teresa.
In the back of the chapel, a prayer banner with 11 ribbons to signify each of the Bartlinskis was signed with personal messages, such as "Praying & hoping" and "Your strength and spirit inspires us."
Brigid Fischer and her daughter Addie, 12, came to the service to show "our hearts" are with the Bartlinskis. "They are an inspiring family in the way they live their faith," Brigid Fischer said. "It gives us real perspective on what's really important." Sheila Wheltle came to the vigil with her husband, Ray. "Everyone felt a sense of helplessness that we couldn't do anything more for them, and we just needed to come together in prayer," she said. Denise Campbell, a family friend of the Bartlinskis for decades, said the vigil was a remarkable display of support. "This entire community has fallen in love with this little girl. One tiny body has impacted so many people, and what we learned through her spirit, strength and resilience is something we will all be able to take away with us." firstname.lastname@example.com twitter.com/yvonnewenger To help A nonprofit group, "Believe In Miracles," was established to take donations to help cover Teresa's medical expenses. To contribute, send donations to Believe In Miracles, P.O. Box 21199, Catonsville, Md., 21228.
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-girl-heart-transplant-20130618,0,3834175.story?page=2#ixzz2WopubLIK


text:
Latest Lion Aid News
South Africa again supplies a controversial demand for wildlife products - tigers!
Tuesday 10th July 2012
We and others have pointed out many times that South Africa is now the prime supplier of rhino horns and lion bones to an apparently insatiable Asian market. We have also pointed out that this increased supply will create an increased demand, and already has stimulated illegal trade and poaching. South Africa absolves itself of any blame by invoking the right of private captive breeders to trade their products on the international market - but South Africa also facilitates this trade by supplying the necessary export permits. South Africa should well realise there is a significant problem created by allowing ever-increasing amounts of wildlife products to flow to Asia but does nothing about it (Environment Minister Edna Molewa said at least three years ago that she was going to seriously consider the levels of rhino poaching in South Africa – while well over a thousand more rhinos have been poached, she still appears to be seriously stuck in consideration mode). South Africa also ignores the tremendous impact on wildlife in other African countries by facilitating this wildlife trade (and thereby poaching). Rhinos are now being poached at record levels in Kenya for example. Asian nationals are being detained at Johannesburg airport for attempting to illegally export lion bones, an indication that poaching of lions is already happening and likely to spread. Not content with rhinos and lions, South Africa now seems to be heavily involved in the trade of tiger parts and live tigers. You might well ask why – tigers are after all not part of the African fauna. But once again, the captive breeders are allowed to do business despite a seemingly useless trade restriction in tigers and their parts by international regulatory organizations like CITES. How does this happen? Basically because CITES allows captive bred tigers a loophole in international trade regulations. But they still need export permits, and South Africa once again is happy to oblige. So how many tigers did South Africa export? In the live animal export category a total of 131 over the past 11 years (2000-2010). Twenty three tigers were in the hunting trophy export category over the same period – so people actually come to South Africa to shoot tigers? Can you imagine the uproar in Europe if the UK or Germany or France allowed tiger breeders to invite trophy hunters to come and pay significant money to "hunt" tigers? Or if India, a tiger range State, allowed the same? So why is the playing field so different for South Africa? Where did the live exports go? 54 to the Arab Emirates, and 16 to Vietnam. The Arab Emirates is a well-known staging point for the illegal trade of wildlife from Africa, and any live tiger sent to Vietnam will end up in an Asian Traditional Medicine pot to be stewed up for some tonic. But here is a real surprise – 28 South African bred tigers went live to Botswana. Why? Is Botswana now also becoming a conduit for the illegal wildlife trade? Or is Botswana getting interested in lucrative tiger and lion breeding to supply Asian markets? So where did the tiger trophy hunting exports go? Six to the Arab Emirates, three to Norway, two to the UK, two to the USA, and strangely, three to Lebanon? We have written many times to the Ministry of Environment in South Africa to give an explanation for their agreement to the trade in lion bones. They do not reply, and probably will not on the issue of tigers. We will now question Botswana about their tiger imports – they will also likely not reply. It seems to me that we should all take affirmative action. South Africa is directly responsible for the wildlife trade in rhino horns and lion bones they say is legal but is directly stimulating poaching. Now they seek to deal in tigers (trophies and live animals). The South African economy depends to a significant extent on tourism income, and much of that tourism has a wildlife component. South Africa will not pay attention to considered advice or questions on banning all exports of lions, rhinos, and tigers, alive or dead, to Asian countries known to be engaged in illegal trading. As responsible tourists might we in future reconsider plans to visit South Africa? Tags: South Africa, Illegal wildlife trade, Tigers, Categories: Illegal Wildlife Trade |
Posted by Pieter Kat at 15:39
No comments have been posted yet.
Add a new comment
Existing user
New user sign up


text: In the middle of a terrible desert, our heroes inadvertently wandered into Dark City. With no name but Dark, the city has fallen into ruin. The streets, even at midday, are vacant of people. But suddenly, a rare figure appears and begins to throw stones at Ash and friends. They had heard at a restaurant in town, that this town contains two authorized Pokémon gyms, but that their Masters try to battle traveling Pokémon trainers anywhere within the town. This is said to be the cause of the town's desolation. Will our heroes also be caught up in the whirlwind of these battles?


text:
I put out the call on Twitter and Facebook for everyone's best Disney Dining advice (because you guys are the experts!!). A lot of the responses could be combined, conveniently, into what I think is one awesome Top Ten list:
1. Make Reservations
This piece of advice was mentioned dozens of times: Make Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) no matter what…and make them early! We suggest you plan ahead and make dining reservations for your high priority meals 180 days ahead of your visit to Disney World and 60 days ahead of your visit to Disneyland. (To us, they're all high priority, so we just make all of our reservations as soon as we can.)
For those wondering if going to the parks during a traditionally slow season negates the need for ADRs, it doesn't. The popular restaurants are always popular, and Disney's "slow seasons" are getting shorter and shorter. Making reservations usually costs nothing, and can save you lots of time during your trip. Here's a primer on how to make reservations for Disney Restaurants.
Of course, if you're dead set against making advanced reservations, here are a few of our suggested restaurants you can still get into without an ADR.
2. Do Your Research
Lots of folks suggested that an important part of planning your Disney dining is doing research about the restaurants and dining options available. I couldn't agree more. Check out restaurant reviews, learn from other Disney fans how they handled Dining planning for their vacations, read trip reports, and sift through the posts here on the Disney Food Blog. The more you know, the better prepared you'll be to create a seamless Dining strategy that will be enjoyable for your whole family.
One great tip: take stock of the types of eaters you're bringing with you; make sure you know if you need to plan for fussy eaters, specific eating schedules, food allergies or intolerance, or just plan likes and dislikes, then translate that into your research.
We have plenty of dining reviews right here on the Disney Food Blog, of course, but we also have some great reference information on choosing restaurants when you have special diets to consider. Check out our Disney Dining Reference Page or the "food allergies" section below for more.
3. Coordinate Dining with Park Hours, Early Theme Park Entry, and Extended Theme Park Hours
This is another research tip, and a great way to make your time at the Disney theme parks go much more smoothly. Disney World posts their park hours on their website six months in advance, and Disneyland posts park hours in advance as well.Consider which parades, fireworks shows, and events you'd like to take part in, then book your dining based on where you'll be in the parks and resorts at which times. Remember, if you're taking Disney transportation, getting from one resort to another might take some time, so allow plenty of travel cushion!
4. Eat at Unpopular Times
This one's just about the easiest to plan for and work into your schedule — and it's probably one that will give you the most bang for your buck in terms of saving time and avoiding crowds! Most folks eat at prime hours: 8AM for breakfast, Noon for lunch, 6PM for dinner, or thereabouts. If you're eating breakfast at 10:30AM, lunch at 3:00PM, and dinner at 8:00PM, you're more likely to get a reservation, and you're more likely to be able to eat without feeling rushed or crowded. This is one of my favorite tips!
5. Be Honest About Food Allergies and Dietary Restrictions
Disney parks are renowned for accommodating food allergies and dietary intolerance; no matter what restaurant you choose, it should be able to produce a delicious meal that won't exclude anyone. Also, many people with food restrictions will probably find that they have many more options at Disney parks and resorts than they have at most restaurants.
If you know you'll be traveling with a difficult dietary restriction, contact Disney to create a dining strategy that works for you (reach Disney World here, and contact Disneyland at (714) 781-DINE). They'll reach out to chefs and restaurants to be sure you'll have creative, delicious food wherever you go.
Also, check out our resources here:
- Resources for Gluten-Free diets in Disney World
- Resources for Gluten-Free diets in Disneyland
- Best Disney Restaurants for Vegetarian Dining
- Tips for Eating Healthy in Walt Disney World
- Contacts for Staying Kosher in Disney World
For more info, check out our Disney Dining Reference Page.
6. Be Prepared for Costs
Disney restaurants are expensive. Interestingly, I had one twitter friend mention that the best piece of advice for dining in Disney was to "bring money!" while another gave the advice, "stop whining about money!" Bottom line? You're paying a premium for the "magic," but you knew that already.
The Disney Dining Plan isn't currently offered, but when it is, your cost is already budgeted into your vacation package most of the time. If you're winging it, we like to budget around $50 per adult, per day for food. This allows us to enjoy a counter-service meal along with a high-end table-service meal each day. We usually don't spend that much, but we like to budget on the safe side just in case — since the food blog came around, our food expenditures have been slightly higher 😉
7. Look for Discounts
There are lots of dining discounts available for those willing to seek them out! Specifically mentioned by several of our twitter and facebook friends was Tables in Wonderland — a fabulous program available to Disney World Annual Passholders and Florida Residents.
Don't forget that there are often plenty of discounts available at restaurants around the Disney parks and resorts as well. You don't have to stay on property to eat!
Our Disney Dining Reference Page has more information on dining discounts in both Disney World and Disneyland.
8. Try the Disney Dining Plans
The Disney World Dining Plans can save you plenty of cash in some circumstances, and they most certainly take all the guesswork out of budgeting for your dining. For those who want their Disney trip pre-paid with no spending surprises, Dining Plans are the way to go.
Disney World has even offered free dining as an incentive during the Autumn months; this can be a great money-saving option (but not always!). Be sure to check out Disney's other vacation package and room-only discount codes on offer to be sure the Dining Plan will save you serious dough. Note: If this seems like a headache, call a great travel agent to check the options and pricing for you — that's what they're there for! And it's usually free… .
(NOTE: The Dining Plans aren't currently offered. We'll update you when they return.)
9. Try New or "Under the Radar" Restaurants
While we all love the classics, it's always fun to try new places! And you get to benefit from the great bonus that relatively unknown restaurants are…unknown! It's easier to get reservations, the restaurants won't be crowded, and you'll probably feel less rushed and more relaxed. Here are some of our favorite overlooked restaurants!
10. Miscellaneous Suggestions
I couldn't NOT include some of the many wonderful, more specific suggestions I got from you guys, so here are the ones I could capture:
- Breakfasts/Buffets:
- Book breakfasts in the theme parks before the park opens — makes for great pictures!
- Book breakfast as late as possible so that you can skip (and save costs) on lunch.
- Try Resort Restaurants like 'Ohana, Yachtsman Steakhouse, and Hoop Dee Doo Revue. Not all of your dining has to be in the theme parks.
- Allow enough time to enjoy your meal. You're rushing around all day, so be patient and flexible with meal times.
- Eat at the "Kids' Restaurants"…even when you don't have kids!
- Consider ordering or bringing bottled water. Many guests dislike the taste of city water they're not used to, and Disney's bottled water pricing is high.
- Don't forget your Dole Whip, Mickey Rice Krispie Treat, and Mickey Premium Bars!
Thanks again to everyone who contributed their thoughts and insights into what can make your Disney Dining Planning go smoothly, and your Disney trip a wonderful experience!
If you have other tips, tricks, or stories about Disney dining planning, please share them in the comments section below. The more info, the better!


text:
Osi Umenyiorarecently got rid of his agent. Now he has a new contract.
Our long national nightmare is finally over after the New York Giants announced Friday that the defensive end signed a restructured contract.
"I'm just happy, I'm happy all that's over with," Umenyiora said. "It's time to get back to work."
Umenyiora hasn't been happy with his contract going all the way back to 2007. He had one year left on his deal worth $3.975 million. The exact terms of the new deal have not been disclosed, but we do know that he'll be a happy camper for the first time in a long time.
"This gives me peace of mind, definitely," Umenyiora said. "We just resolved a situation. It really was affecting me in a bad way. Because I didn't like all the negativity that was surrounding the whole situation. I couldn't stand it, because if you know me, you know I'm not that type of person."
ESPN's Andrew Brandt indicates that Umenyiora negotiated the deal himself. It reportedly does not extend beyond 2012, which makes it sound like this was a short-term salary boost to make Umenyiora happy rather than a long-term agreement.
"I'm just happy all that is over with and I'll be there. I'll play out this contract, I'll play this year and I'll play my heart out," Umenyiora said.


text:
Bidoun at the Los Angeles Art Book Fair
January 31– February 2, 2014
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
Bidoun presents Etel Adnan: To look at the sea is to become what one is
Sunday, February 2, 2014, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Democracy Forum at the Japanese American National Museum
Across the courtyard from the Geffen Contemporary
Stop by our booth this week at the Los Angeles Art Book Fair and join us Sunday morning for a special screening and reading event to celebrate the forthcoming anthology To look at the sea is to become what one is: An Etel Adnan Reader (Nightboat Books, 2014) starring Bruce Hainley, Hedi El Kholti, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Rijin Sahakian, and Noura Wedell.
The Otolith Group's film I See Infinite Distance Between Any Point and Another (2012), shot largely in Adnan's Paris apartment, centers on a reading of the first chapter of the renowned Lebanese-American artist's poem, Sea and Fog. The sound of Adnan's gentle voice, and the quiet but ever present ambient noise in her apartment, create a powerful, meditative atmosphere. If poetry can be understood as a study in constraint, the film, I See Infinite Distance Between Any Point and Another, can be understood as an experiment in concentration and a study of gestures, that speaks of the mobility of language and the movement of the ocean.


text:
SECAUCUS AND BEYOND – While the municipality of Secaucus continues to clean-up and recover from Hurricane Sandy, officials have been collecting donations and distributing food, supplies, and support to neighboring towns.
The municipality is accepting donations of blankets, clothes, non-perishables, baby formula and diapers, bleach, mops, and trash bags at the Secaucus Public Library, the Recreation Center, and 101 Centre Ave.
The Secaucus Public Library will host an emergency blood drive Nov. 9 from 2:30 to 8 p.m. For more information, call (201) 251-3703.
Secaucus-based Goya Foods sent the municipality 1,000 meals a day, which the town has distributed to Hoboken, Union City, and North Bergen. The Spanish food company donated over 300,000 pounds of Goya products and over 25,000 meals to victims of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey.
The municipality supplied Saint Margaret's Parish in Little Ferry in Bergen County with trays of food.
Mayor Michael Gonnelli said that the town was preparing for the nor'easter.
"There are so many trees that have been compromised," said Gonnelli. "It could cause some bad problems again." He noted that if there is a lot of rainfall it could flood low-lying areas and actually expand into some parts of the town that were not affected by Sandy. The municipality was preparing for the upcoming storm just as it had for Hurricane Sandy in rebuilding berms, checking and testing all equipment, and reviewing resources.


text:
Mom Story: Peta from Love Mae
How wonderful to introduce the lovely Peta from LoveMae to you.... she is the founder of love mae ... you know that beautiful fabric wall-decalls and wall stickers label with all the romantic colors and patterns ... "Love a little bit more passionately, live a little more recklessly and nurture a little more deeply. It is you that notices the precious detail in life and enjoys the moments that are truly important."
Peta lives in Stokers Siding in the Byron Bay area above Sydney together with her husband and two daughters.
Do you keep your children's play areas separate, or do you believe they should have a space in every part of the house?
I must admit I've always loved the idea of a children's creative area where they are able to hang out and create chaos. I imagined this as a space where they don't have to hear me ask them to tidy up constantly, so I made one of the rooms in our house into a craft room. I was so excited and thought that my our little home might be a bit tidier for it - we live in such a small cottage and mess can really take over very easily. It didn't work though, my girls follow me everywhere so if I'm cooking the bench gets covered in an amazing amount of stuff. I do however get a bit strict with the end of the day clean up. I figure I'm teaching them good habits, but I must admit it's because I work quite a bit when they go to bed at night and I need to house tidy to be able to concentrate better.
Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, or blogs?
of the above. I'm a very visual person and love being filled with
inspiration. I'm an addict. Small crazy bursts is all I can squeeze in
lately, but I'm sure I'll make more time for it soon. Blogs are much
more easier for me to access and enjoy. I find I completely go off on a
tangent when give the chance.
What are your children's favorite items in your house?
In the house, the love their craft supplies. I think all of us would be lost without them.
Some tidying tips? Do your children tidy up after themselves?
I love a tidy space, in fact its the only way I can clearly think. Not a good trait with two crafty girls. I promise I'm trying to work on it for their sake. I dream of built in cupboards where everything hides behind doors. In the meantime we find ourselves being quite minimal, we don't have lots of things. Living in the country most of our time is spent outdoors. Every month or so I do a complete tidy but otherwise they are encouraged (or cheekily tricked) to tidy at the end of each day. Especially when a cubby house has taken over most of the house.
If you are living in a foreign country, how do you feel about
it? How do you meet new people, make new friends? What is it that you
miss most about 'home'?
I don't live in a foreign country,
but 5 years ago we moved a rural location. A little cottage in a little
village. Finding new friends that you truly love the company of can be
difficult, especially when life is so busy. I find that my children seem
to attract like minded people. It's an amazing ability they have and of
course it's always convenient that their children and ours children get
along. I often fantasize about living close to all my good friends, but
with them scattered everywhere I know it will never be possible.
What is your idea of a perfect day with your children?
The perfect day would definitely start with a little bit of a sleep in - not so much that the morning is gone, but enough that you wake up naturally. Straight into the car and down the beach. A big swim and sandy play to work up a big appetite. We've got a family breakfast tradition going on the moment so we would head home for this. The rest of the day would be hanging out. We really love to entertain too so friends to join us in the afternoon and into the night would be a perfect day for us.
What is a normal day with your children? What do you do on the weekends?
It's warm here now and I can feel the summer sun. Our weekdays are very busy. Lots of school work and all sorts of activities including piano, circus and swimming lessons. Gosh children have so much going on. Our weekends are filled with beach, gardening playing and friends. We love all our weekends so very much. I'm travelling a lot at the moment so our weekends are filled with each other.
Can you mention some of your 'how-to-raise-your-kid' advice?
Some days I still can't believe that I'm a mother. I'm not sure if I have any advice as I feel like I'm stumbling along making all kinds of mistakes. I try to include my girls in everything and always remain honest with them. I don't really believe in the little untruths to get through a situation. I think understanding is the most amazing trait we can posses, and honesty has a big part to play in this. I believe you can love whatever you understand.
What kind of DIY projects do you like to do with your children?
are crafting mad in this house. Crazy messy crafters. My girls are
amazing at turning nothing into something. I stick to that sort of DIY.
My husband is a joiner so I try to steer clear of the DIY at home ...
don't want to mess with his manhood. In the Love Mae studio it's a
different story though, I wield a drill with passion.
Are you a crafter or DIY person?
Crafter when my husband is home and DIY when he's not. Its a much happier home that way.
Books, websites, local shops you would recommend for tips and ideas about kids crafting?
I'm a big Hello Sandwich fan. Everything Ebony Bizys does is wonderful. My girls and I find lots of amazing craft projects on lovely blogs.
Pinterest is amazing for storing these ideas. We are also lucky enough to have some great craft and origami books. We went through such a huge origami phase lately.
We are very excited about a new movement in a local town. A collective called Hey Maker is just about to deliver pure crafting goodness. Its a collective of women who see the need for a place where crafters can meet and craft together. They have classes for all ages and are really inventive with their courses. If only that kinda thing would roll out like McDonalds.
How do you like to celebrate birthday's and other special days in your house?
do the year on year off thing. One year we have a party and the next
the kids choose what they want to do. We find it really fun. I don't
think I could do a party every birthday. I've got this problem with
wanting to do absolutely everything myself and I end up quite a mess at
the end of it. I think mothers are crazy like that. When I'm sipping my
wine at the end of the birthday party day I always declare I'm crazy if
I do it again.
Are you a 'cook' or 'food lover' or both?
I'm part time both. At home I'm a cook, it goes with the country setting. I have an incredible talent of keeping the larder full as it's a 15 minute drive to the nearest town. I love cooking and entertaining. I travel alot with Love Mae so I balance this with dining out in every city I find myself in. The restaurant trail I find in Sydney, Melbourne and New York will always be a huge passion of mine. I get so incredibly excited when I find a good restaurant.
Where would you like to go to on vacation - with or without your children?
Our next vacation is to Cairns (Australia) to watch the solar eclipse. We are very excited and have a few side trips planned in the area. As for the next unplanned one, I'm doing my best to convince everyone that we need to buy a caravan. Then we could holiday without involving airports. My husband thinks I'm just trying to add to his work load, he knows I'll buy some vintage wreck that needs a complete overhaul. I drive him mad with my love for things that need 'a little work'.
~ Thank you Peta from LoveMae for sharing your home and thoughts with us! ~ irene
..Love Mae


text:
Send Results to This Email:
Street Address:
The Hampton Inn Memphis-Southwind hotel at 3579 Hacks Cross Road sold for $5.6 million in a successor trustee's deed following a foreclosure.
An entity called LB-UBS 2007-C6 Hacks Cross Road REO LLC – in care of Stamford, Conn.-based Five Mile Capital Partners – bought the property Oct. 29, although the Shelby County Register of Deeds didn't process the deed until this week.
Erika R. Barnes of Nashville law firm Stites & Harbison PLLC served as successor trustee.
The lender appointed her as successor trustee after the hotel's Memphis-based ownership group defaulted on an $11.5 million loan.
A first-run foreclosure notice that ran in The Daily News in September showed Hacks Cross Enterprises LLC took out the loan through Lehman Brothers Bank in 2007.
Built in 1999, the four-story, 72,680-square-foot Hampton Inn Southwind is on 2.2 acres on the west side of Hacks Cross north of Winchester Road, across from FedEx Express' World Headquarters.
Hacks Cross Enterprises bought the then-vacant land in 1998 for $935,000.
The property, currently appraised by the Shelby County Assessor at $7.3 million, was slated for sale Oct. 9 at the Shelby County Courthouse but later was postponed.
Source: The Daily News Online & Chandler Reports
– Daily News staff
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced charges Monday, Dec. 10, against eight former members of the boards of five Morgan Keegan mutual funds for "violating their asset pricing responsibilities under the federal securities laws."
The Memphis-based funds, according to regulators, were invested in some securities backed by subprime mortgages and "fraudulently overstated the value of their securities" as the housing market was collapsing in 2007.
The SEC and other state regulators previously charged the funds' managers with fraud, and Morgan Keegan – which has since been sold to Raymond James Financial Inc. – later agreed to pay a fine to settle the charges.
"Investors rely on board members to establish an accurate process for valuing their mutual fund investments," said Robert Khuzami, director of the SEC's enforcement division, in a statement about the action. "Otherwise, they are left in the dark about the value of their investments and handicapped in their ability to make informed decisions. Had the board not abdicated its responsibilities, investors may have stood a better chance of preserving their hard-earned nest assets."
Morgan Keegan issued a statement in response to the action blasting the action as the SEC "retroactively" regulating by enforcement an area the board has not provided "meaningful guidance" in through the normal regulatory process.
The eight fund directors named in the enforcement action are J. Kenneth Alderman of Birmingham, Ala.; Jack R. Blair of Germantown; Albert C. Johnson of Hoover, Ala.; James Stillman R. McFadden of Germantown; Allen B. Morgan Jr. of Memphis; W. Randall Pittman of Birmingham; Mary S. Stone of Birmingham; and Archie W. Willis III of Memphis.
– Andy Meek
Gov. Bill Haslam has decided not to create a state-run health insurance exchange, leaving the operation to the federal government.
Haslam announced his decision during a speech Monday, Dec. 10. The Republican governor, who had until Friday to decide, said the lack of information from the federal government was "scary."
The exchanges, part of the federal health care overhaul, create new online markets where consumers will be able to buy individual private health insurance coverage.
Haslam previously said the state likely could run an exchange more efficiently but acknowledged getting legislative approval would be difficult.
Many Republican lawmakers ran for office on a platform of opposing President Barack Obama's health care plan. Tea party supporters protested the idea of a state-run exchange outside the Capitol last week, deriding it as "Haslamcare."
– The Associated Press
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir are relaunching a financial literacy program, "Bank On Memphis," with a $10,000 contribution from Regions Bank for renewed marketing and other outreach costs.
Bank On Memphis was launched in March 2011 as a countywide effort designed to reach an estimated 96,000 unbanked or underbanked residents. The goal was then and remains to better explain the banking process and its benefits and lower barriers that might keep poorer citizens from depositing their money or prompt them to seek out legal but more expensive financial solutions like payday and title loans when lower interest financing options are available.
The relaunch will focus on the South Memphis area and it will worth in conjunction with Wharton's Innovation Delivery Team effort. The innovation team effort is a set of initiatives to reduce gun violence and encourage small locally owned business growth in three sections of the city, including South Memphis. It is funded separately by the Bloomberg Foundation.
– Bill Dries
The Memphis Bar Association has its new officers for 2013.
Linda Warren Seely, director of private attorney involvement with Memphis Area Legal Services Inc., is the 2013 president. Kirk Caraway, an attorney with Allen, Summers, Simpson, Lillie & Gresham PLLC, is the new vice president. Tommy Parker, an attorney with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC is the new secretary/treasurer.
New members of the board of directors include David Harris, Jana Davis Lamanna, Emily Landry, Mike Robb, Abby Webb, Shea Wellford and Young Lawyers Division president Annie Christoff. Newly elected section representatives are Dean DeCandia and Clint Hermes.
The National Eye Institute has awarded a grant worth $375,000 to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center for vision research.
The grant from the NEI, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will fund research to focus on development of new blood vessels for the retina.
The primary objective of the NEI's Core Grants for Vision Research is to provide groups of investigators who have achieved independent NEI funding with additional support for conducting vision research.
NEI, the first government organization solely dedicated to research on human visual diseases and disorders, was established by Congress in 1968.
Memphis-area home sales for November increased 8.5 percent from a year ago, with 1,180 total sales recorded in the Memphis Area Association of Realtors MAARdata property records database.
Total sales decreased 13.9 percent from October. Average sales price year over year was up 6.2 percent at $128,339.
Inventory declined 4.4 percent, with 6,805 units listed for sale. Sales volume year to date increased 19.3 percent to $1.79 billion.
The database includes records of all property transactions in Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties.
To see real estate information company Chandler Reports' November totals for Shelby County, see Page 1.
– Sarah Baker
Flinn Broadcasting Corp. launched a radio station Monday, Dec. 10, called Memphis Kissin' Country 97.7FM/1430 WOWW-AM.
A Flinn Broadcasting press release said that there are country listeners in Memphis that have requested "less talk and more music."
97.7 Memphis Kissin' Country will serve those listeners with music and "tons of giveaway opportunities."


text:
Though it doesn't deal directly with FreeNAS administration, this course may be of interest to some of you as it describes the differences one experiences when going from a Linux system administration environment to a FreeBSD one.
The course "FreeBSD for Linux Administrators" is one of the courses being offered at the OLF Institute as part of the Ohio LinuxFest. This one day course will be held on Friday, September 9 in Columbus Ohio. The course description and cost are detailed on the OLF Institute's website.