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For Sale
1856 Greek Revival
109 West Main St
Bishop Hill, Illinois
Bishop Hill, Illinois
Bishop Hill Colony Administration Building/ Gallery Inn
|Full Baths
|Heated Sq. Ft.
|Lot Size
|101' x 101'
|Property Taxes
- Has Rentable Unit(s)
- Commercial Property
- 1st Floor Bath
- 1st Floor Bedroom
- Attic
- Breakfast Room
- Galley Kitchen
- Living room
- Walk-Up Attic
- Master bedroom upstairs
- Porch
- Storage Building
- 2nd Staircase
- Built-in Bookcases
- Ceiling Fans
- 1 Fireplace
- High Ceilings
- Original wood windows
- Skylight
- Wood floors
- Shingle Roof: Asphalt shingle
- Central air
- City water supply
- Gas heating
- Range
- Refrigerator
- Septic Tank
- Water Heater - Electric
- 9-foot Ceilings
- Hand-hewn Beams
- Plaster Walls
- Ripple Glass
- Cantilevered Balcony
- Multi-Flo Septic System
- Walnut Staircases
- Zoned Commercial/Res.
Like This Listing?
Agent Contact Information
Jim Johnson
Phone: 309-927-3080
Mobile: 559-901-0837
Tell 'em you saw it on OldHouses.com!
Local and Regional Links.
More About This HouseOverlooking the State Park in the center of town, the stately Bishop Hill Colony Administration Building was built in 1856 to serve as offices and living quarters for the Colony Administrators. The original Colonists constructed this example of Greek Revival architecture with brick produced on site. The walls, five courses thick, were then covered with stucco. The building consists of three floors, each measuring 1400+ feet, a full walk up attic and two second floor balconies, one with a unique cantilevered design.
The property is zoned for both commercial and residential use. The first floor has been used primarily as retail space, and has recently been converted into a two bedroom living space with the addition of a kitchen and 3/4 bathroom with washer/dryer hookups. Since 2010, the second floor has been home to a small Inn with three guest rooms [each with full private bathroom] and a guest kitchen and parlor. The Gallery Inn webpage is bishophillgalleryinn.com. The walk up attic features a skylight with roof access and original 1856 plank flooring, milled on site in Bishop Hill. The original shutters for the building are located here as well.
Surrounding AreaWith a population of 125 full time residents, Bishop Hill is a throwback to an earlier time and place; A safe, quiet village with a tree-filled park in the center of town. Located two hours west of Chicago in Henry County, Illinois, The Bishop Hill Colony was founded in 1846 by a group of Swedish immigrants seeking religious freedom in the United States. It was the first Swedish settlement in the Midwest and its history is an important part of Swedish heritage as well as the greater immigrant story of the United States.
Designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1984, The Bishop Hill Colony is also listed in The National Registry of Historic Places and is a State Historic Site in Illinois. A number of original colony buildings are still in use, with continuing restoration projects being undertaken by private owners and the Bishop Hill Heritage Association.
Today the village maintains its Swedish feel and roots as a combination of museums run by the State of Illinois and the Bishop Hill Heritage Association, quaint shops showcasing antiques, pottery and quilting, gift shops,the original Colony Store, restaurants and overnight accommodations. The village is host to a yearly calendar of seasonal festivities and holiday celebrations.
Recent ImprovementsIn the 1980's the first of two restoration projects took place. The front double staircase and the cantilevered balcony were rebuilt to match original construction with balcony support beams extending 14 feet into building. Work on the first floor included lowering the floor to allow for 9 foot ceiling height. A complete sub floor drainage system with sump pump, and walnut staircase were added on first floor, and electrical service was increased to 400 amps. The second major project began in 2008. All windows were repaired and re-glazed. On the second floor, all ceilings and walls were repaired and resurfaced, paint was scraped down to bare wood on all trim work and repainted. New pex plumbing was installed along with ceiling fans in each room and hallways. All bathrooms and complete electrical wiring were installed. Rear staircase and railing were completely rebuilt. The 3rd floor is mostly an untouched jewel, ready to finish to suit. Walls, woodwork, windows and floors have been repaired and or restored, electrical circuit box is installed and Pex plumbing has been run to this level.
Comments & Feedback
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. OldHouses.com is not responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless.


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CR Impact Points
Click the VOTE button to give KRYSTAL 100 CrowdRise Impact Points (CIPs). Vote for the Volunteers and Fundraisers that are answering the call to service, raising money for charity, and making an impact for their causes. Come back and Vote every months. CIPs can earn you the highly coveted, highly respected CrowdRise Royalty Status.
CR Impact Points
If you're seeing the grey VOTE button, you should feel great about yourself. It means you already voted for KRYSTAL this month. Come back next month and vote again if you still love KRYSTAL. Thanks to your vote, KRYSTAL earned 100 CrowdRise Impact Points (CIPs). CIPs can earn you the highly coveted, highly respected CrowdRise Royalty Status.
Total Impact Points
KRYSTAL ZAWODZINSKI's Fundraisers
I'm working on creating my first super compelling Fundraiser so please keep hitting refresh over and over until my first Fundraiser shows up. Or just wait for me to email you about it.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sullen Sully
Hi all! Number 1 here with an ode to my favorite PIXAR movie: Monsters Inc.! Every single time I see it, I laugh harder than I did before. I'm not the only one, either. Loyal Wreckporter Michelle and her grandson Zacharia love this animated masterpiece so much they even ordered a cake that looked like James P. Sullivan, or "Sully," for Zacharia's 2nd birthday.
In case you've never seen the film, here's what Sully looks like:
Now, ready to see what Michelle got back from the bakery?
(wait for it...)
(keep waiting...)
(don't forget how cute and fluffy Sully is...)
"Oh, you're supposed to bake the cake before you frost it? That explains a lot."
Of course, what matters is what the birthday Boo thought of his special cake:
Thanks, Michelle R. for sending in this sugary beast. Better luck next year, Zach!


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Navigating The 21st Century Notation Landscape With Noteflight
Last Updated on
I am pleased to post my clinic materials from the Noteflight Clinic that I presented at the 2011 Michigan Music Conference. This was a hands-on clinic where I "walked" people through using the software. Please use the following links to access the materials.
Software Program:
The free version was covered extensively in the clinic, but I did make mention of the Crescendo, Studio, and Classroom Versions as well.
PDF Materials:
- Handout – MMC 2011 Noteflight Cilnic Handout [PDF] – Right-Click – Save-as
- Noteflight – Noteflight Quick Keys and Short Cuts [PDF] – Right-Click -Save-as
- Tutorial – Direct Link: Noteflight Materials [PDF] – Wiki @ CCARH.org
Noteflight Site Links:
- Studio – http://www.noteflight.com/info/learn_more_private
- Classroom/District – http://www.noteflight.com/info/learn_more_k12
- Crescendo – http://www.noteflight.com/info/learn_more_individual
- Manual – http://www.noteflight.com/info/help
Noteflight Videos:
- Overview of creating and sharing music with Noteflight
- Basic editing: note entry and modification
- Editing with Drag and Drop
- Advanced editing #1: Cut/Copy/Paste/Repeat, part and measure insertion, and other techniques
Noteflight Forum:
Joseph M. Pisano, Ph.D. is an industry innovator, education clinician and lecturer, trumpeter and conductor, and the creator of many education websites. He is currently the Vice President of Innovation and Engagement at Keystone Ridge Designs, Inc. After twenty-three years as a professor and administrator at Grove City College, he made the move into industry in 2018. As one of the youngest full professors in Grove City's history, he served in various roles over his tenure including the Technical Director of the Pew Fine Arts Center, Assistant and Associate Chairs of Music and Music and Fine Arts, Director of Music and Fine Arts Technology, Director of Jazz Studies, Stage Manager, and he finished his tenure as the Director of Bands where he directed the college's Symphonic Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, Pep Bands, and various small ensembles.
He been named a TI:ME Teacher of the Year, received the JEN Jazz Educator Award, the PA Citation of Excellence, and named a "member for life" of the PA Intercollegiate Bandmasters Association. He is a past Vice President of the Technology Institute for Music Educators, an associate member of the American Bandmasters Association, a past President of the PA Intercollegiate Bandmasters Association, and a member of various education and music honoraries. He has written for numerous publications including DCI Magazine, Teaching Music Magazine, and was the Educational Editor for In-Tune Monthly Magazine for eight years; he has contributed hundreds of articles to various publications. He is an active conductor, trumpeter, clinician, and educator. Find out more at his website jpisano.com.
#biography #bio #josephmpisano #josephpisano #musiced #musiceducation #industryleader


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- This event has passed.
Volunteer Art Show
December 5, 2018 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every day that begins at 9:00am, repeating until February 25, 2019
A variety of artworks showcasing the awesome talents of New Jersey Audubon volunteers, staff and board members.
PLEASE NOTE: On Sunday event begins 12pm and closes at 4pm, Closed on Monday


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*Please contact dealer to verify price, options, and other vehicle details.
MPG Disclaimer: *Based on 2013 EPA mileage and driving range ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your MPGe/MPG and driving range will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery age/condition, and other factors.
You may qualify for Additional rebates. Pricing based on GMS criteria. See dealer for details.


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About Global Woman
Founded in 2012, the organization, Global Woman merged with another organization called P.E.A.C.E. (People Everywhere All Created Equal); the name was officially changed to Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation. In the same year, the organization received its 501c3 tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service under the new name.
Contact Info
- Tel1.703.818.3787
- Fax1.208.460.1773
- Add14001A Grumble Jones Court Centreville, Virginia 20121


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Bethesda has announced the contents of the collector's edition of Fallout: New Vegas:
"May 11, 2010 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced the Fallout®: New Vegas™ collector's edition (CE) for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows. The limited collector's edition is available in North America for pre-order now through participating retailers.
In addition to including the highly anticipated game, this premium version of Fallout: New Vegas also includes the game-inspired items below:
- "Lucky 7" poker chips. Each of the seven poker chips was designed to represent chips from the major casinos found on the New Vegas strip and throughout the Mojave Wasteland.
- A fully customized Fallout: New Vegas deck of cards. Each card in the pack has been uniquely illustrated to depict characters and factions found within the game. Use the cards to play poker, blackjack or Caravan, an original card game that was created by Obsidian especially for New Vegas!
- A recreation of the game's highly coveted "Lucky 38" platinum chip.
- A hardcover graphic novel "All Roads", that tells the story of some of the characters and events that lead up to Fallout: New Vegas. "All Roads" was written by Chris Avellone, the game's creative director, and created in conjunction with Dark Horse Comics.
- 'The Making of Fallout: New Vegas' DVD. This documentary DVD will contain exclusive video content, including interviews with the developers in which they take you from concept to creation and discuss topics such as story, setting, legacy of the Fallout franchise and more.
"We're offering this very cool collector's edition to give fans the opportunity to own some of the items that they'll discover while playing Fallout: New Vegas," said Pete Hines, vice president of PR and marketing. "We are also expanding their experience with the game by including a top-notch graphic novel worthy of the Fallout name and a DVD that gives them a behind-the-scenes look at how the game was created."North Americans can pre-order at any participating retailer — like GameStop — starting today. European pre-orders will be available throughout Europe in the weeks to come."
Thanks, RAMMONS444!
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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The Modern Workforce
The Modern Workforce infographic from unum shows that the workforce demographic has changed in the last 30 years, but the benefits have not evolved to support this. There are more women, disabled, and older people in the modern workforce, but the protection, time away from work, and services given to employees are not keeping up.
The research finds significant gaps have opened up between employer-provided benefits and the protection required by today's workforce. At a time when the demographics of the modern workforce are shifting towards employees that have a greater need for financial benefits, the research shows that the ratio of wages to employee benefits is outdated.
As a result, we're more likely to fall into financial difficulty than we were 30 years ago. And, if we're in financial difficulty we're less productive, so it's in an employer's best interests to better protect their people.
We've published research called Keeping Pace? Financial Insecurity in the Modern Workforce with Cass Business School. It paints a picture of how the make-up of our workforce has changed. It also makes recommendations about what employers should do to better protect their people.
The infographic has some great data from their case study research, but the design could have done a better job making the information easier to understand for readers. Many of the visualizations don't match the data from the study.
For example, the pie slices shown in the Demographic Changes section changed their radius instead of their angle. This creates a false visualization because the area of a pie slice with twice the radius is much larger than the data values. So, the visualization is displaying a much larger increase than the data actually shows. This design mistake with the radii was repeated in the Social Changes section, so that visualization doesn't match the data either.
Thanks to Ed for sending in the link!


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Once you've experienced it you don't forget it, vertigo that is. Vertigo is a symptom of a balance disorder and it is most typically felt as brief, intense movement in the head or in many cases felt as "the spins" upon movement. It's a symptom that can increase with age.
"Vertigo is a symptom, not a diagnosis," says Dr. Robert Battista, of the Ear Institute of Chicago in Hinsdale and assistant professor of Otolaryngology at Northwestern University Medical School. "Vertigo is the hallucination of movement. So, some people describe the symptom of vertigo as if things around them are moving, or when walking, the floor seems to shift under their feet. It is also described as a feeling of movement inside their head."
Balance disorders that bring on vertigo can be caused by a number of things, according to the National Institutes of Health website: (nidcd.nih.gov). Medical causes include viral or bacterial infections in the ear, a head injury, or blood circulation disorders that affect the inner ear or brain.
"The causes of vertigo due to inner ear conditions include: benign positional vertigo, Meniere's disease and vestibular neuritis (irritation and swelling of the inner ear)," says Battista. "Neurological causes of vertigo include migraine and stroke. Of these conditions, benign positional vertigo and migraine are by far the most common causes of vertigo."
The NIH describes benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or BPPV as a brief, intense episode of vertigo that occurs because of a specific change in the position of the head. Sufferers feel as if they are spinning when they look for an object on a high or low shelf or turn their head to look over their shoulder, such as when backing up a car. Commonly, people also feel this when rolling over in bed. The spinning sense may last for 10 to 20 seconds, and depending on severity can also lead to nausea.
Loose crystals
BPPV is caused when otoconia (tiny calcium fragments or crystals) break off in one ear from the inside lining of the vestibule, the larger fluid filled chamber that is part of the inner ear. The problem occurs if a fragment gets into one of the semicircular canals which sense movement of your head. Conflicting messages are sent to the brain about the position of the head. The extra messages from the affected ear conflict with the normal messages from the other ear. The brain becomes confused and reacts to cause the vertigo symptom.
BPPV sometimes may result from a head injury or just from getting older. Many people experience problems with their sense of balance as they get older. Balance problems and dizziness also can result from taking certain medications.
"Vertigo can occur in any age group, but the incidence is higher in older adults," says Battista. "Of the conditions I discussed, men and women are affected equally except for migraine. Migraine is twice as likely in women than men. The cause of migraine is not known, but there is believed to be some hormonal basis, which may explain the difference in incidence between women and men."
Diagnosis, treatment, prevention
A visit to your physician is the best way to diagnose dizziness or vertigo. The first thing a doctor will do is determine whether your vertigo is caused by a medical condition or medication. If it is, your doctor will treat the condition or suggest a different medication. Battista says treatments vary from oral medications, physical therapy to surgery.
To diagnose BPPV, during an examination a doctor will check for symptoms of dizziness that are prompted by eye or head movements that decrease quickly, in less than a minute, as well as symptoms that occur with specific eye movements when you lie on your back and turn your head to one side.
In the case of BPPV, your doctor may instruct you on physical therapy called the Epley Maneuver, simple movements that can help train the otoconia to settle back in the vestibule, relieving symptoms. BPPV often goes away on its own after several weeks or months without any treatment. The otoconia are thought to either dissolve or move to a place in the labyrinth where they cause no symptoms.
Since the causes for vertigo are broad, so is prevention.
"There are multiple medical/surgical treatments to prevent vertigo in Meniere's disease," says Battista. "There are also several medications used for prophylaxis to prevent dizziness in migraine," he adds. For benign positional vertigo, surgery is an option but only in cases that do not respond to more conservative treatment. Otherwise, there are no treatments to prevent vertigo, Battista says.


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Dez Bryant's lawyer told NFL.com and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Tuesday morning that his client "did not want to be a distraction" to the Dallas Cowboys.
|Dallas Cowboys WR Dez Bryant was arrested for assaulting his mother, according to police. (DeSoto Police Department/Special to NFL.com)
The details emerging following Bryant's recent misdemeanor domestic violence arrest in a Dallas suburb will make that difficult.
The DeSoto, Texas, police department's report following Bryant's Monday arrest indicates the victim was his mother, Angela. The report alleges Dez Bryant "got upset during a verbal argument and grabbed mother by her shirt and hair and hit her in the face with ball cap."
"I can't keep letting him do this," Angela Bryant said in a call to 911, according to ESPNDallas. "I can't keep letting him do me like this. I'm tired. I'm going to put an end to it today. I'm going to put an end to it today. I'm tired."
Bryant's mother told police that she told her son to leave during an argument, and he became upset. Angela Bryant did not complain about injuries on the day of the alleged assault. Two days later (Monday), she complained of pain in her wrists, hands and arms. Officers observed swelling in her wrist. She also had bruising on her upper right and left arm.
Bryant's lawyer, Royce West, said the case has yet to be filed with the district attorney. No court hearing is scheduled.
UPDATE: NFL spokesperson Michael Signora told NFL.com and NFL Network, "We are aware of it and it will be reviewed as appropriate."
"Dez does not want this to be a distraction for the Cowboys," West told Rapoport. "Whatever the issues are that are involved, he's going to get them dealt with. And needless to say, he's going to be cooperative with law enforcement to get those resolved. The fact of the matter is, he has never ever been arrested for anything involving these types of allegations at all. And so, obviously it comes as a shock having to be fingerprinted, but reality is is that he's going to work his way through this and be prepared for the season."
The third-year pro has had off-field issues dating to his college days, but this is his first arrest. Any potential discipline by the Cowboys or the NFL will be complicated. For now, the legal process is just getting started.


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Choose the right sling, try ourTry also our other guidesGo to the Fabric Guide »Go to the Size Guide »
Liko SupportVest is used with Sabina sit-to-stand lift. The SupportVest is a comfortable sling which lifts behind the back and under the arms. It is easy to use and requires only minimal individual adjustment to suit any patient.
SupportVest's soft padding distributes pressure evenly and comfortably. The belt holds the SupportVest in place around the body during the initial stage of raising.
Liko SupportVest is available in different sizes and is used in combination with Sabina sit-to-stand lift with the narrow sling bar (35 cm/14 in).
The belt does not lift; it holds the vest in place at the start of raising. If the belt is tightened during or after raising, you must remember to loosen it during the lowering.
SupportVest often works well even without the padding.
Read more in the Instruction Guide.
As an alternative to the SupportVest, we recommend either Liko SafetyVest or Liko ComfortVest. For the ComfortVest, Sabina with Comfort SlingBar (wide) is used and the patient's arms are held inside the vest
Please contact your closest Liko representative for access to Sling Asessments, instructions for Periodical Inspection, etc.
From the very beginning consideration for those for whom we develop our products has been our most important guiding-star. Our concept reflects our vision in our daily activity - always to improve life quality for patients and caregivers globally.
helps you find the right sling
Liko AB • Nedre vägen 100, SE-975 92 Luleå, SWEDEN • Tel: +46 (0)920-47 47 00 • Fax: +46 (0)920-47 47 01 email@example.com • User Terms • © 2018 Liko R&D AB ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


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Welcome to the Chippenham Folk festival news pages. Here you can see some of the latest information about the festival in specific pages, make comments, and have a valuable input to your favourite folk festival. To access these pages scroll down to the section on the right.
Please remember that this blog is family based site run by volunteers in their spare time and therefore you may occasionally see some errors and omissions.
Enjoy the site.
Hi Please be aware that this is a family based blog page so moderation of content is always required. Thank you


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Captain's ReportThe 20 Outlaw Aims at Delivering the Ultimate Ride "You don't steer this boat, you aim it!" This is the marketing slogan Baja Marine came up with for their newest entry into the performance runabout market place. The 20-foot Outlaw was designed to get the speed hungry, first time buyer into the Baja family. With a list price of under $25,000, you too can experience exhilarating performance as you rocket around the lake at over 60 mph.The Outlaw series of offshore performance boats is known for their edgy, race-ready looks, and the newest addition to the family is no different. With the classic flat deck and transom design, Baja has refined their legendary 24-degree deadrise v-bottom running surface, and incorporated it into this 20-foot speed machine.At first glance, you'll notice that the 20 Outlaw has a simple look. Clean lines on the hull and deck are carried over into the cockpit with smooth flowing upholstery. In front you will find comfortable bucket seats. The driver seat is adjustable fore and aft to accommodate drivers of all sizes. The passenger seat can swivel and lock 180 degrees, providing the perfect spot for the ski observer. The helm has just the right amount of gauges to keep tabs on the engine and is complimented by the Morse controls mounted on the right. Trim adjustment is handled by a toggle switch mounted on the steering wheel column, and can easily be activated with your left hand fingers while you hold on to the wheel.You'll find that the cockpit is spacious for a 20-foot boat and there is plenty of room in the bow to store wakeboards, skis, and other water toys. There is a wide aft bench seat with plenty of room for your speed loving friends and family to enjoy a day on the water. Underneath the bench seat is more storage space for lines and a cooler. If it's sun you're looking for, then the engine hatch sun pad is for you. This manually operated hatch uses gas-assist lift struts and is large enough for two people to stretch out and soak up rays. The hatch also conceals the heart of this Outlaw: the engine.Our boat was tested with a 260-horse power MerCruiser 5.0-liter MPI engine. Now you might think that is not enough power, but one test ride will convince you that nothing larger would be safe or sane for that matter. Coupled to an Alpha drive and turning a 14 ¼ in. Vengeance prop, we recorded a white knuckle top speed of 62.6 mph. Time to plane was a mere 4 seconds and 30 mph was only a little over 4 seconds after that. If you just feel like cruising in your 20 Outlaw, you will be rewarded with a scant 3.75 mpg and still be moving at 39 mph while turning at 3500 rpm. I should point out that we found this boat to have a flat fuel consumption curve between 3000 and 4000 rpm. This means that between 32 and 46 mph you will still achieve a great burn rate of only 3.75 mpg. You get a lot of performance and value in the 20 Outlaw. This is a great boat for all types of water fun especially wakeboarding. The punch out of the hole is enough for big skiers or boarders to use. The true V-bottom design gives you a great wake for tricks without having to add ballast. My only real complaint is that this boat desperately needs trim tabs. Because of its light bow weight and short length, the proposing effect negatively impacts the good overall design. Spend the extra few bucks and get your dealer to install them before delivery, you'll be glad you did.By Capt. Ron SvobodaTest Captain
Test Result Highlights
- Top speed for the Baja 20 Outlaw is 62.4 mph (100.4 kph), burning 18.7 gallons per hour (gph) or 70.78 liters per hour (lph).
- Best cruise for the Baja 20 Outlaw is 39.0 mph (62.8 kph), and the boat gets 3.75 miles per gallon (mpg) or 1.59 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 158 miles (254.28 kilometers).
- Tested power is 1 x 260-hp MerCruiser 5.0L.
Standard and Optional Features
|CD Stereo
|Standard Clarion
|Power Steering
|Trim Tabs
Exterior Features
|Carpet: Cockpit
|Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
|Swim Ladder
|Swim Platform
|Cockpit Cover
|Optional Sunbrella
Hull Warranty
5-year Limited Warranty
Yes - Limited
Deck Warranty
|5-year Limited Warranty http://www.bajamarine.com/index.asp?display=ownerswarranty&tab=4&
Engine Warranty
Powertrain Warranty
Gelcoat Warranty
3-Year Limited Warranty
Blistering Warranty
|3-Year Limited Warranty http://www.bajamarine.com/index.asp?display=ownerswarranty&tab=4&
|NMMA Certification Other Certification
|Yes IQ Certified
(It's quick and FREE!)
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Do you live here? Request your inspection report
Recent Inspection Results
According to data published by HUD.gov, the most recent inspection for MCGURK HOUSE was February 6, 2017, in which it received a passing score.
This score was 9.9 points better than the average for Virginia (89.1).
Inspection History
MCGURK HOUSE has had at least 2 physical inspections between 2013 and March 2018.
|March 24, 2014
|February 6, 2017
In a small percentage of cases, a HUD inspection may have taken place between the published reports and is not shown here. That is why we use a dotted line.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Note: This database contains all inspection reports made available to the public by HUD from 2013 to March 2018. If a property is inspected multiple times within a short time period, it is possible that HUD has not publicly released all of those inspection scores. Data for multifamily complexes only includes facilities with an active HUD contract.


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Beautiful Weather on the Red River for Bass Master Classic
Amazing weather all weekend long for the Super Bowl of bass fishing, the 2012 Bass Master Classic on the Red River here in Shreveport. It began Friday and ends tonight. We've had sunny skies each day with highs in the mid 60s, and clear nights with lows in the upper 30s.


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Content is still king. Period. With all the digital content options and the proliferation of cable alternatives, one thing is still clear: There is no substitute for CBS' top-rated shows or Sunday Night Football. There are a lot of substitutes for that $100-plus cable TV bundle.
CBS and Time Warner Cable didn't reveal the terms of the deal that resolved the monthlong blackout of CBS and Showtime to 3 million-plus subscribers in the key markets of New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. But the comments from both companies speak to a clear CBS victory. Not only did the company win a price hike but it did not have to hand over to Time Warner Cable all the access it wanted to the online content CBS sells to digital distributors.
CBS CEO Les Moonves described this digital rights victory as "the ability to monetize our content going forward on all the new, developing platforms that are right now transforming the way people watch television."
Why did CBS win? It all comes back to that leverage of original content.
"It doesn't take much to push a consumer to say, 'I don't want to miss the football season, and I'd be just as happy or happier if I had Verizon FiOs anyway.' That put Time Warner Cable in a very vulnerable position as you head into the first week of the NFL season."
(Read more: CBS win squeezes TWC's margins)
The proliferation of content distribution alternatives is massive: There are the satellite TV giants like DirecTV; the telecom players such as Verizon FiOS, which just a week and a half ago renewed its deal with CBS; and soon tech giants will be offering alternatives—Intel is working on a pay-TV package that it will stream to subscribers. And for those looking to cut the cord to a hefty monthly bill, companies such as Aereo stream limited live-TV channels to mobile devices for less than $10 a month.


text: done with great success. We don't think we'll be seeing this latest player on the pitch anytime soon, though. It's something of an exhibition robot, a creation sponsored by Castrol to beat the legendary leg of Cristiano Ronaldo, who can kick the ball at 130km/h. This bot from Castrol can top 200km/h, which is mighty impressive -- until you see the size of it. We're pretty sure we saw limos smaller than this out in Vegas, and we're positive that even they are more useful than this thing. Still, check out the video after the break, and watch that plywood defender's leg go flying.


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Fiyawerx Productions is burning down stages from Chicago to New Orleans with a steady flow of killa music for the masses. Whether it be up north, down south or anywhere in between, you can guarantee we're bringing the heat. When it comes to funk, Fiyawerx don't mess around.
Check out our past events to see what we've been cooking up.
Upcoming Shows
Great music is what fuels the Fiya and what keeps us rolling. Every Fiyawerx Productions show is filled to the brim with talent, musicianship and guaranteed good times. Our past line-ups include our favorite artists and bands that range from music legends to the funkiest new up-and-comers, and we plan to keep that trend going. Lucky for y'all, we've got great taste.
Chris Rogers was born and raised in New Orleans and now resides in Chicago with his wife, Jill, and their two children, Ian(7) and Ella Mae(4). He makes it back to New Orleans monthly and stays deeply connected to his entire family and his friends that live there. Chris has been an ardent supporter of the local music community in New Orleans since he was very young and has created close friendships with many of the city's very best musicians and industry professionals throughout the years. These relationships and connections, combined with his drive and passion for great music and the culture of his hometown, made the transition from a 9-to-5 to Chris' current roll with Fiyawerx a natural, long overdue progression. Now, with a hold on the Chicago and New Orleans music scenes and an eye on more, Chris is helping Fiyawerx explode on a national level.


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Faster, Bigger, Stronger, and Smarter: The Next Generation Internet Needs the Cisco Elastic Core
In a blog post last week, Cisco cited its recent landmark 100 Gbps IPoDWDM trial with BT, which demonstrates ways to create a Next-Generation Internet, one that can handle a million minutes of video every second without having to trench new fiber or dig up streets. However, there is more behind this story because faster alone doesn't represent a complete solution to the enormity of the challenge facing network operators. Carriers such as BT need the solution to be bigger, stronger, and smarter.
Take for example, the complexity of traffic flows. To a basic user, the Internet "Information Superhighway" of yesteryear had essentially one on-ramp and one off-ramp. Traffic traveled largely in a very straightforward pattern. Due to the growing popularity of mobility and cloud computing, traffic is quickly becoming multidirectional. According to Cisco's recent Visual Networking Index (VNI) forecast, the mobile Internet will increase 18-fold by 2016 and cloud services will expand 12-fold by 2015. What's more, VNI research indicates that by 2016 there will be nearly 19 billion global network connections. That's 2.5 connections for every per person on earth!
To keep up, service providers must deploy networks that are more elastic to more easily grow and keep pace with these shifts. Like exercise, these innovations are vital for the heart of the Next-Generation Internet, the service provider core network. Today we announced several innovations for the Cisco Carrier Routing System (CRS) to help service providers of all sizes, including CESNET and GTS CE, handle both the deluge of data and the complexity of its flow.
The "Elastic Core" brings the IP, transit and transport capabilities together in one unified solution. It's enabled Cisco's new Cisco nLight™ technology. With it, IP and optical network layers can work together like never before at speeds of 100G and beyond. By sharing control plane information, Cisco nLight technology allows network operators to automate zero-touch provisioning. Service requests that used to take months can now be done in minutes! These capabilities are based on Cisco's Open Networking Environment (ONE) to create entirely new levels of network programmability.
The "Elastic Core" adds new, advanced anti-Distributed Denial of Service or anti-DDoS capability to the carrier-grade service options already available on CRS. Unfortunately, while the growth of the Internet has brought huge benefits, it's also made it easier for the bad guys to create problems. With anti-DDoS in the Cisco CRS, network operators have another tool to help keep the Internet safe (and offer a new revenue-generating service, too).
The "Elastic Core" increases the flexibility of our Cisco CRS multi-chassis technology. Now deployed in over 1,000 systems worldwide, it's the industry's most robust, scalable, and widely deployed multi-chassis core router. Historically, the scale enabled by multi-chassis was predominantly a requirement of the world's largest network operators. With the exponential growth of the Internet, it's an issue for everyone. Smaller service providers need to know that they can cost-effectively grow into a multi-chassis system without impact to continuous operations when required.
The heart of the Next-Generation Internet is multi-dimensional and complex. Innovation must span multi-dimensions: faster, bigger, stronger, and smarter. This suite of innovations protect the investment of over 450 existing CRS customers worldwide, including some of the world's largest network operators, like AT&T, BT, and China Telecom and many others, to meet the demands of mobile, video, and cloud. Cisco demonstrates industry leadership in the SP core routing space by bringing entirely new levels of programmability, convergence, and scale to the Next-Generation Internet.
For more information on the Cisco Elastic Core solution please visit here.
In an effort to keep conversations fresh, Cisco Blogs closes comments after 60 days. Please visit the Cisco Blogs hub page for the latest content.


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I recently fell in love. HARD. I discovered the vision and talent of Rachel Castle. Her sunny Australian outlook mixed with clean white backdrops make her creations nothing short of perfection. She is primarily an artist, but also has a fun line of bed linens and cushions. I immediately knew I needed a piece from her insanely happy line so I settled on the HELL YEAH seen above. Bad words never looked so good!
I would be more than happy to fill a whole house with her creations. Just tell me this doesn't make you happy!
(I won't believe you)
Rachel at work in her studio.
Check out Rachel and her beautiful creations here, I promise you will leave with a smile.


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Top Items:
Christine Monaghan / Apple:
Apple Adds New iPhone & iPod touch Models — Apple® today added new models of the iPhone™ and iPod® touch which have double the memory, doubling the amount of music, photos and videos that customers can carry with them wherever they go. The revolutionary iPhone now comes …
Discussion: Good Morning Silicon Valley, The Technology Chronicles, Apple 2.0, last100, Bits, Digital Daily, Podcasting News, Silicon Alley Insider, Tech Trader Daily, Web Worker Daily, Digital Trends, Mobility Site, CyberNet, Cult of Mac, MacUser, Gadgetell, ParisLemon, jkOnTheRun, Apple Gazette, Technology Live, Seeking Alpha, IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband and Insanely Great Mac
John Murrell / Good Morning Silicon Valley: Apple iPhone and iPod Touch — now in video-rental-friendly sizes!
Ellen Lee / The Technology Chronicles: More room on your iPhone — Apple said Tuesday it is doubling …
Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Apple 2.0: New iPhone and iPod touch, same price structure
Steve O'Hear / last100: iPhone, iPod Touch get supersized
John Paczkowski / Digital Daily: Oh, One More Thing: It's Not 3G
James Lewin / Podcasting News: Apple Adds 16GB iPhone & 32GB iPod touch
Mike Gunderloy / Web Worker Daily: Apple Doubles iPhone RAM Again
Geoff Duncan / Digital Trends: Apple Doubles iPhone, iPod touch Memory
Petemortensen / Cult of Mac: Apple Doubles Storage for iPhone, iPod touch
Dan Moren / MacUser: Apple inflates capacities on iPhone, iPod touch
Robert Nelson / Gadgetell: Apple adds 16GB iPhone, 32GB Touch, both at $499
Kevin C. Tofel / jkOnTheRun: Apple iPhone gets 16 GB, iPod Touch hits 32 GB
Michelle Kessler / Technology Live: 16 GB iPhone is here! — Apple released new versions of the iPhone …
Russell Shaw / IP Telephony, VoIP, Broadband: Bulletin: 16GB iPhone debuts today
Paul Miller / Engadget:
16GB iPhone just around the corner? (updated) — There's been plenty of conjecture (pictured) about a 16GB iPhone — and its mysterious absence from the initial lineup — ever since the 16GB iPod touch graced us all with its minuscule presence, but things are starting to look up.
Discussion: 9 to 5 Mac, Pocket-lint.co.uk, The Boy Genius Report, Slyck, CNET News.com, Apple 2.0, Forever Geek, Gizmodo, Hardware 2.0, The Mobile Technology Weblog, Gearlog, The Unofficial Apple Weblog, Byte of the Apple, Infinite Loop, TechWag, Tuzworld.com, Gadget Lab, Electronista, SMS Text News, textually.org, MacRumors, Newlaunches.com, TechCrunch UK and O'Grady's PowerPage
Chauncey Dupree / 9 to 5 Mac: How much does 8gb of RAM cost in an iPod/iPhone?
Amy-Mae Elliott / Pocket-lint.co.uk: 16GB iPhone to go on sale in UK today
Zach Epstein / The Boy Genius Report: 16GB iPhone and 32GB iPod Touch Released
Thomas Mennecke / Slyck: Apple Doubles Capacity of iPhone and iPod Touch
Tom Krazit / CNET News.com: Apple doubles iPhone, iPod Touch capacity
Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Apple 2.0: Reports: New iPhone, MacBook Pro imminent
Jesus Diaz / Gizmodo: iPhone 16GB and iPod Touch 32GB Available
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / Hardware 2.0: 16GB iPhone now available ... oh, and a 32GB iPod touch
Brian Heater / Gearlog: Apple Double iPhone and iPod Touch Capacities
Arik Hesseldahl / Byte of the Apple: The Rundown: New iPhone, iPod Touch
Jacqui Cheng / Infinite Loop: iPhone goes to 16GB while iPod touch hits 32GB
Charlie Sorrel / Gadget Lab: 16GB iPhone Coming Any Minute Now
Mike Butcher / TechCrunch UK: UPDATE: 16GB iPhone confirmed to launch today in UK
Chris Barylick / O'Grady's PowerPage: Apple Store Down: 16 Gigabyte iPhone Rumor Comes Alive
Thomas Ricker / Engadget:
Official: 16GB iPhone available and 32GB iPod touch — both $499
Official: 16GB iPhone available and 32GB iPod touch — both $499
Discussion: Tech Talk with Dean Takahashi, DVICE, greg hughes, Orbitcast and Byte of the Apple
Dean Takahashi / Tech Talk with Dean Takahashi: Apple launches new iPhone and iPod models
Arik Hesseldahl / Byte of the Apple: Store Down: IPhone, MacBook Pro Rumors Hot.
Darren Murph / Engadget:
Fourth undersea cable cut near UAE, suspicions rise — For the fourth time in a week, an undersea communications cable has apparently been cut (or "failed due to a power outage," as some sources suggest), and while no official reports of subversion have surfaced just yet, things are beginning to get suspicious.
Discussion: International Herald Tribune, Switched and Digg
Heather Timmons / International Herald Tribune: Ruptures call safety of Internet cables into question
Brittany Bohnet / Official Google Blog:
Be part of the Super Tuesday action — They don't call it Super Tuesday for nothing! Today marks an exciting day in the race to the U.S. Presidency: voters in 24 states will choose their party candidates. This will be the largest number of primaries taking place at one time in the history of the U.S. electoral system.
Discussion: ParisLemon, VentureBeat, MediaShift, Google LatLong, Lifehacker, Laughing Squid and SEO and Tech Daily
MG Siegler / ParisLemon: Google and Twitter Team Up - Will Twitter Stay Up?
MG Siegler / VentureBeat: Follow Super Tuesday results live with Google
Mark Glaser / MediaShift: Live-Blogging Super Tuesday:: …
Brittany Bohnet / Google LatLong: Super day for a super map
Gina Trapani / Lifehacker: Track Super Tuesday Results with Google and Twitter
Charlie Anzman / SEO and Tech Daily: Update: Google joins Twitter for Super Tuesday
Josh Lowensohn / Webware.com:
Google teams up with Twitter for Super Tuesday geomap
Google teams up with Twitter for Super Tuesday geomap
Discussion: TechCrunch
Duncan Riley / TechCrunch: Google Teams With Twitter For Super Tuesday Tracking
Google, Yahoo Going After Outlook — Google and Yahoo are rolling out Web software on steroids to compete with Outlook, another clue why Microsoft is shelling out $45 billion and going into debt for Yahoo. — SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Business software units of Yahoo and Google …
Discussion: InfoWorld, VentureBeat, TechCrunch and Between the Lines
Juan Carlos Perez / InfoWorld: Update: Yahoo's Zimbra ships ZCS 5.0 suite upgrade
Matt Marshall / VentureBeat: Zimbra releases more versatile IM and other features that put Outlook to shame
Mark Hendrickson / TechCrunch: Yahoo's Zimbra Releases v5.0 with BlackBerry Support, New Ajax Features
Google simplifies the business of email security and message discovery
Google simplifies the business of email security and message discovery
Tony Ruscoe / Google Blogoscoped: Google Adds Postini Security Products
Nathan Weinberg / InsideGoogle: Google Releases Postini-Powered Security Hosted Services
Scott Petry / Official Google Blog: A Super Tuesday for business
Janet Meiners / Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim: Google Adds Features and Free Trial for Google Apps Premiere
Zach Epstein / The Boy Genius Report:
HTC Magnum Video Surfaces; WTF?!? — What you can't tell from the video above is that the guy holding the Magnum is actually 11-inches tall... We're honestly not sure exactly what to make of this, but we have to assume that in reality it's is some sort of crazy internal prototype built to test some new hardware.
Discussion: IntoMobile, GottaBeMobile and Ubergizmo
Stefan Constantinescu / IntoMobile: HTC Magnum: 11 inch Windows Mobile 6.1 dagger of power
Warner Crocker / GottaBeMobile: The HTC Magnum. So This is Mobile?
Opera unleashes innovative technology in latest mobile Web browser — Opera Mobile 9.5 — Faster speed, new interface and Opera Widgets bring users closer to a full desktop experience — Exclusive preview at Mobile World Congress 2008 (February 11-14, Barcelona)
Discussion: last100, Download Squad, IntoMobile, Sunny Talks Tech, the::unwired, Symbian-Guru.com, CyberNet, The Mobile Gadgeteer, jkOnTheRun, Phone Scoop, Gizmodo and Mashable!
Steve O'Hear / last100: Opera Mobile 9.5 announced: we can do the grown up web too
Brad Linder / Download Squad: Opera Mobile 9.5 coming soon - Video
Saptarshi Purkayastha / Sunny Talks Tech: Opera Mobile 9.5 - Desktop Internet for Mobiles
Arne Hess / the::unwired: RELEASE: Opera Software unleashes its latest mobile Web browser - Opera Mobile 9.5
Dotsisx / Symbian-Guru.com: Opera Gets Updates
Matthew Miller / The Mobile Gadgeteer: Opera Mobile 9.5 to be shown at Mobile World Congress 08
Kevin C. Tofel / jkOnTheRun: Opera Mobile 9.5 might have you browse on Windows Mobile again
Eric M. Zeman / Phone Scoop: Opera Updates Mobile Browser to 9.5
Stan Schroeder / Mashable!: Opera Mobile 9.5 Announced
Nick Miller / Sydney Morning Herald:
Torvalds pans Apple with 'utter crap' putdown — Linus Torvalds, the founder of Linux operating system. — Apple's much-touted new operating system, OS X Leopard, is in some ways worse than Windows Vista, says the founder of the Linux open source project, Linus Torvalds.
Discussion: Engadget, MacUser, MacDailyNews and Macsimum News
Donald Melanson / Engadget: Linus Torvalds calls Apple's file system "utter crap"
Dan Moren / MacUser: Linux founder Torvalds dishes on OS X, Windows
Driver problems still haunting Vista — When Steve Sinchak's new Intel network card became "really slow" after upgrading his Windows Vista PC with a pre-release version of Service Pack 1, he tried uninstalling its software driver and replacing it with a new one.
Discussion: One Microsoft Way and Hardware 2.0
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / Hardware 2.0: Vista SP1 highlights in 60 seconds …
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes / Hardware 2.0:
Vista SP1 will contain undocumented fixes
Vista SP1 will contain undocumented fixes
Discussion: InfoWorld
Marc Andreessen / blog.pmarca.com:
Silicon Valley after a Microsoft/Yahoo merger: a contrarian view — This post is not about the potential Microsoft/Yahoo merger. — Instead, let's just assume for the moment that Microsoft succeeds in its bid for Yahoo. — What would a Microsoft/Yahoo merger mean for startups in Silicon Valley?
Peter Kafka / Silicon Alley Insider: Why Google Wants Microsoft-Yahoo
David A. Utter / WebProNews: Count Out Murdoch As Yahoo Bidder
Ross Mayfield / Ross Mayfield's Weblog: Death by Mainstreaming
Brad Feld / Feld Thoughts: Marc Andreessen Said It So I Don't Have To
Grant Gross / IDG News Service:
FCC Approves Sale of Nationwide Spectrum to AT&T — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved the purchase by AT&T of 12MHz of wireless spectrum that covers 60 percent of the U.S. — AT&T bought the spectrum from Aloha Spectrum Holdings. The spectrum, in the highly coveted 700MHz band …
Discussion: RSS
David Meyer / CNET News.com:
ICANN turns on next-gen IP addresses — The great migration from Internet Protocol version 4 to IPv6 has officially begun, after the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers added the first addresses to its root servers that conform to the new version.
Discussion: Download Squad, Ars Technica, The Tech Report and BBC
Todd Ritter / Download Squad: IPv6 coming to a root server near you
Iljitsch van Beijnum / Ars Technica: ICANN flips switch on IPv6 DNS root servers
Cyril Kowaliski / The Tech Report: ICANN begins migration to the IPv6 protocol
John Schwartz / New York Times:
Satellite Spotters Glimpse Secrets, and Tell Them — When the government announced last month that a top-secret spy satellite would, in the next few months, come falling out of the sky, American officials said there was little risk to people because satellites fall out of orbit fairly frequently …
Discussion: Slashdot, Boing Boing and Smart Mobs
Bryan Alexander / Smart Mobs: Spying on spy satellites: satmobs
Danny Sullivan / Search Engine Land:
A Bad Month For SEO's Reputation — We seem to be going through another wave "SEOs are scumbags" incidents, and I find myself with little energy to push back against them with yet another defense of the industry. It's not that SEO doesn't deserve better treatment.
Discussion: Search Engine Watch
Doug Aamoth / CrunchGear:
'HiPhone' looks mighty familiar, almost iPhone-like — All hail the new king of fake iPhones. It's $239.00 (plus $15 shipping) direct from China, has two (count 'em, two) SIM slots, triband GSM, is unlocked and carries no contract, comes with two (count 'em, two) batteries, and I have no idea how much storage is onboard.
Discussion: Ubergizmo and The Raw Feed


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Maybe you've done a backflip or two in your time, but were you ever driving a
at the time? Guerlain Chicherit, rally driver and freestyle skiier, was. He drove the highly modified Mini up a ramp like those used for a standard quarter pipe,
and landed as planned on a snow bank. Definitely don't try that one at home.
GETTING THE DROP: Sick of your windscreen fogging up? If we understood better how water droplets adhere to surfaces then perhaps we could do something about that. Researchers at MIT were able to adapt a scanning electron microscope to push and pull droplets across a surface with a tiny wire. They found that a key factor in determining whether a droplet sticks to the surface is the angle of the droplet's leading and trailing edges relative to the surface. They also found that surface texture is crucial to adhesion, and droplets stick more on a rough surface. The researchers have now developed a mathematical system for precisely predicting droplet behaviour. Or maybe make windscreens with superhydrophobic coatings?
UP IN THE AIR: When you draw with a pen on paper you're applying ink in 2 dimensions. The 3Doodler is a different kind of pen. It resembles a soldering iron, but its heated tip extrudes 3mm ABS or PLA melted plastic so you can draw 3D shapes by lifting it up in the air. The pen weighs less than 200 grams and measures 180mm by 24mm. You may need a steady hand for this.
BRAIN BOX: Many of us spend all day looking at a computer screen, filling our heads with information, some of it useless. What say the computer could read our mind and adjust the information flow to suit our needs? A team at Tufts University are working on that. They've created a headset that beams infrared light into the wearer's prefrontal cortex. Some light is absorbed while the rest is reflected back. By measuring the reflected light the system can tell when the wearer is concentrating intently. When that data is matched to what's on the computer screen the system can make better predictions about what's useful and what's not. This kind of flow control could be specially useful for drivers or air traffic controllers. And employers.
FALLING ELECTRICITY: What do you do if you have an old open-pit mine lying around that you no longer need? Well, you could turn it into a hydroelectric energy scheme. In Ontario one power company has plans to use an abandoned open-pit iron ore mine for a pumped storage hydroelectric project. It would create a waterfall 5 times the height of Niagara Falls from the slag mountain to the mine pit below. At night the company would use cheap electricity to pump water up to a reservoir. Then releasing the water during the day would generate 400-megawatts of power they could sell at high prices. Buy low, sell high is a handy maxim.
Miraz Jordan, knowit.co.nz


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STEP ASIDE BOYS, the girls have the floor — the basketball floor, that is. We begin nearly 30 years ago in 1984 when Sheila (Callaghan) Colson scored 43 points against the Dover Green Wave on Jan. 25, 1985, in a losing effort by a score of 66-61. Colson recalls her memorable and historic evening clearly shooting 18 for 20 from the floor and seven for nine from the stripe thus becoming Spaulding High's all-time girls single-game record holder.
A prolific outside shooter, she ended her three-year career (1983 to 1986) with 964 total points — one year shy of benefiting from the 3-point field goal implemented during the 1987-88 season. Pointing to a highlight of her basketball career wearing a different uniform, Colson fondly remembers playing for New Hampshire AAU teams where she played a major role defeating the talent-laden Ed Beattie-coached clubs from Nashua.
Beattie, incidentally recently retired after 31 years coaching girls basketball at Winnacunnet High in Hampton. His 519-173 career wins included seven state titles, five straight, and his teams, at one stretch, won 84 straight games.
After 22 years of teaching on the elementary level in Rochester, Sheila Colson presently is the Physical Education Director at Spaulding High.
AFFINITY TO the sport of basketball is no stranger to the Callaghan family. Mom Dorothy, while attending Keene State College, and who could also put the ball in the hoop, joined up with the Derry "Pin-Ups" that played in the New Hampshire Women's AAU Basketball League in the late 50s. She remembers playing against the Rochester entry and particularly engaging into some "bitterly" competitive battles with Anita Berry.
DON'T FORGET DAD! In March of 1967, Frank Callaghan was appointed the official timer of state schoolboy basketball tournament by the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) . Callaghan, who operated the scoreboard for Spaulding High football and basketball games for 65 years, was the recipient of the Carl H. Lundholm Award in 2007 for service to youth and athletics in New Hampshire. He was also inducted into the NHIAA Hall of Fame and the Elks Lodge Hall in 2007. He died July 27, 2009 at the age of 85.Senior Tiffany Bryant came on the basketball scene in explosive fashion, becoming the first Spaulding High girls' hoopster to score over 1,000 points. She reached the milestone on Jan. 15, 1991, hitting a jump shot just inside the three-point line with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter. Although the Red Raider girls lost to Pinkerton Academy, 48-39, Bryant tossed in a game-high 19 points. Accepted on a scholarship to N.H. College, she continued her lofty scoring, compiling 1,000 career points. Bryant's 1,194 career points places her second (behind Tammy Fowler) on the list of all-time Spaulding girls scorers.
KELLY DONOHUE (1994-'97) , who scored only two varsity points as a Spaulding High freshman, went on to record 1,107 career points and similarly reached her 1,000th point with a 12-foot jumper, also against Pinkerton Academy. Donohue led the Red Raider girls averaging 19 points a game in 1997 enabling Spaulding to notch 15 wins (18 overall) — the most by a girls' team. She was selected the 1996-97 Courier Times Player of the Year and also the 1996 Rochester Athletic Association's (RAA) Athlete of the Year. After graduation, Donohue played a significant role on the UNH women's basketball team as a preferred walk-on for four seasons.
FAST FORWARD to 2003 to introduce Spaulding High's all-time girls career scoring leader — Tammy Fowler. In fact, her 1,299 totals ranks her fourth including boys and girls at the school. On a Sunday evening in January against Bishop Guertin, Fowler wasted no time in recording her personal high of 42 points — one short of Sheila (Callaghan) Colson's school record — and registering her 1,000th point on the strength of nine 3-pointers. She netted 17 points in the first half, and after scoring only five in the third quarter, she was on her way to the milestone exploding for 20 points, surpassing the magic number at the 5:18 mark.
DEB LAVALLEY became the fourth female Red Raider to eclipse the 1,000-point goal doing so on Feb. 17, 2009 on a back-door layup at 7:28 of the third quarter. Following the script of two of her high scoring predecessors (Bryant and Donohue) , LaValley's milestone also were against Pinkerton Academy of Derry. Since her freshman year LaValley steadily improved and adapted her game to fit the team's needs. She averaged 5.3 points a game that first year, hitting the game-winning 3-pointer in her very first varsity game, a 50-48 win over Portsmouth. LaValley averaged 11.2 as a sophomore while the Raiders were in the midst of a 37-game Class L losing streak that soon ended during her junior season when she averaged 16.8 points a game and led Spaulding to the playoffs for the first time since 1997.
LaValley is currently finishing up- her college career at Southern New Hampshire University, where she is averaging 4.6 points per game off the bench for 9-8 SNHU.
ALTHOUGH THEY didn't wear the togs of the Red Raiders during their illustrious basketball careers, but definitely worth mentioning for their Rochester-based relationships.
Julie Donlon (1987), a standout at Nute High school, racked up 2,502 career points, the second most in N.H. by a female. Donlon later starred at UNH, developing into a sterling 3-point shooting talent and coached the Spaulding girls hoop team for four seasons, which included three trips to the then Class L playoffs (1994 to 1996). She is the daughter of James "Jeep" and Estelle Donlon, where the former is regarded as one the greatest ever to play at Spaulding.
FINALLY, Kristy Woodill played at bothj Nute and Farmington totaling over 1,800 career numbers in six years. She was part of three FHS tournament teams and earned a scholarship to New Hampshire College where she also scored over 1,000 points and set several 3-point shooting marks unsurpassed to date. Woodill is the grand-daughter of George and Diane Woodill of Rochester.
Sanfacon is a life-long Rochester resident and sports historian.


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Chances are you've come in contact with a piece of flat-pack furniture from Ikea. You may even have put a shelf or desk together with the help of an allen wrench and a single-sheet instruction manual. Ikea has successfully innovated in pricing, logistics, packaging, and store layout to become a global phenomenon.
But the lesson we, the UX community, can learn from Ikea isn't directly related to their low prices, or making customers put products together themselves. Rather, the valuable lesson we can take from the self-assembly giant comes from an earlier point in a product's lifecycle: the design stage.
When it comes to design, Ikea is a price-first company. Sure, they pride themselves of their Scandinavian design and ingenuity, but above all else they want their products to be as affordable as possible. As a result, the target price for a product defines and constrains the product design, rather than the other way around. Instead of specifying a product and then determining how much it will cost, Ikea decides how much a product should cost and then designs it to fit within the cost constraint. In an interview with CNET, Ikea product developer June Deboehmler said, "When we decide about a product, we always start with the price... Then, what is the consumer need?"
To some this may seem like a counter-intuitive approach. But in actuality, creativity loves constraints. It may seem that a cost constraint would be burdensome to designers but in fact it helps focus and guide their work. Even if cost isn't the leading constraint (as it is with Ikea), it's always a critical constraint that should be factored into design.
But in the world of software and UX design, you seldom see projects where cost is treated as a primary, initial constraint. Instead, cost is treated as something that's derived from scope. Foundational problems with scope, budgets, and constraints are a setup for failed projects and poor UX. But how can we all learn from Ikea in a way that makes sense to industry? We have defined four lessons that will guarantee smoother projects before they even start.
1. Cost is a primary constraint
After they've outlined a product's scope, most companies already have a strong sense of what they think the product should cost, or at the very least how much they can afford. But, in the majority of cases, rather than communicating both the scope and cost expectations to their vendor or internal development team, they withhold the cost information. This forces the development team to go through a complicated, error-prone process of trying to extrapolate a cost estimate from the scope. This is followed by a back-and-forth of discussion until the estimate comes into alignment with the original cost expectation. The cost expectation (or limit) was known all along but everyone has to participate in a ritual dance before it's disclosed.
In most other settings, this practice would be considered dysfunctional, and an example of how poor trust and communication wastes time and money. But, oddly, it's standard practice in software and Web development. If the cost expectation is fixed and present from the beginning—in other words, it is a primary constraint—why not simply let the development team know about it? Constraints give the team better understanding of what will be possible, reduces errors in their projections, and gets them working sooner.
Companies are generally wary of sharing their budget numbers upfront for fear of having the development team take advantage of their trust. Their concern is that the development team will charge the full amount in the budget even though the scope of the project should actually cost something less. But, in actual practice, this can't happen because the scope is never smaller than the budget. For innovative, UX-focused product and website development efforts, the project's requirements will always grow as large as the budget will allow—again, cost is the project's primary constraint. The entire course of a project always entails an ongoing negotiation between the stakeholders and the development team about how much work can reasonably be accomplished, and how many requirements can reasonably be fulfilled, before the budget runs out. This is true whether or not the budget is initially disclosed, and whether the project is charged fixed-bid or hourly, because of the weaknesses of upfront planning and the ambiguity inherent to scoping documentation. If the development team is aware of the real cost constraint from the outset, their projections about what they can accomplish will be much more accurate—and, often, much more ambitious—than if they were left to make guarded guesses about what the cost constraint might be.
2. Goals are more important than specs
Initial scope and specifications documents are a form of guesswork product design often done by whoever owns the project, rather than by actual product designers. Such documentation is meant to serve as the definitive blueprint for the project, but have you ever (seriously, ever in your life) seen an early scoping document that turned out to be anywhere close to accurate when the project was done? This isn't because the people drafting these documents are incompetent; it's just that product design is something best left to, well, product designers.
And even for the most experienced product design professionals, the beginning planning stages of a project are the time when the least is known about what the project will actually entail. This is the worst time to have to lay out definitive specifications for the product. Complex, UX-focused software projects just don't lend themselves to extensive upfront planning and specifications efforts—too much of the project's actual needs won't be discovered until design and development commence. So how, then, can project stakeholders ensure their vision and requirements for the product are met? By expressing their needs very clearly in terms of the business' goals for the product. Goals are another form of constraint.
When business stakeholders attempt to build detailed specifications up front, they are attempting to extrapolate specific requirements from their general goals. If Ikea took this approach in their product design, businesspeople would spend a week in a conference room trying to describe in words in long, numbered lists, exactly what a chair or table should look like and what features it should have. This would obviously be silly; product requirements (for both furniture and software) are best expressed through design materials and prototypes, not through lengthy specs built by business stakeholders. The stakeholders' role is to clearly express the constraining goals for the product and hand those off to product designers who can begin to design the specifics.
Business stakeholders need to ask themselves, what does it mean for a project to succeed? Is it successful if it fulfills on guesswork requirements built by the wrong people at the wrong time in the project, or is it successful if it meets the business' goals and stays within its budget constraints? Business stakeholders have the clearest understanding of what the company needs the product to accomplish, but the team that will build the product will advise them best on how to meet the goals. Setting clear, high-level goal and sharing the project's budgetary constraint gives a reliable development team the ability to plan accurately, reduce risk, and squeeze the most bang out of a buck.
3. Honesty and trust are mandatory
As we mentioned, many companies refuse to share their budget out of worry that they'll be taken advantage of. If you tell a car salesman that you're willing to spend $30K, he'll try to sell you a $20K car for $30K. If, on the other hand, you keep your budget constraint to yourself, you may drive out with a $20K car and $10K in savings in your pocket. But when shopping for cars, you're dealing with products that have already been built, and you're just picking the one that suits you. But when you're building software or a website, you're building something entirely new with great uncertainty about, and flexibility in, the details of the implementation. The scope of the product is a direct function of its available budget.
It's critical that you be able to work honestly and openly with your development team or vendor. You'll collaboratively manage a project to ensure it fulfills its goals, stays within its cost constraint, and delivers the best value possible. If you don't think you can trust your development team or vendor enough to share your budget with them, then you're working with the wrong team. That lack of trust will undermine the success of the project by crippling your ability to collaborate effectively. You and the development team need to be partners in building a great product, not adversaries who are managing each other as risks. In an adversarial or arms-length relationship, the development team will always be trying to do the least amount of work for the most money. The business stakeholders, for their part, will be trying to take advantage of the ambiguities in the initial scoping documents to get the development team or vendor to do more work for the same price. Both parties will be focused on protecting their interests, rather than working as true partners toward the joint goal of a good outcome for the project.
This partnership with the design team is what Ikea achieves by staying goal- and cost-focused. While it's uncertain what the product will look like, it's never ambiguous what the definition of success is for that product. This business stakeholders and design team are working toward the same goals without needing to keep information from each other.
4. Abandon guesswork for concrete understandings
This guessing game of "what's my budget" is very much a waste of time. Some business stakeholders think they couldn't possibly guess what a project should cost, but in thinking this they're approaching the problem backwards. When it comes to important, high-complexity, UX focused software and website development efforts, the question isn't "what should this cost," but instead "what can this cost?" One needs to have a number in mind—a limit that will constrain the scope and ambitiousness of the project. Giving development teams a pile of guesswork specifications documentation will just get you a pile of guesswork price estimates. What you end up with are unreliable specifications and unreliable cost estimates. By providing development teams with a specific understanding of your cost constraints, you make it much easier for those teams to make accurate projections about what will be possible. This also lets development teams show you other projects from their portfolios that had similar budgets. This, in turn, allows everyone to work from a solid understanding of the cost constraint with a concrete example of achievable scope. Development teams can help stakeholders by providing detailed information about the budgets and challenges encountered in their portfolio projects.
We believe that these four lessons are important to succeed in the high-complexity domain UX-focused software and Web development. Making cost a primary constraint and sharing budgets with development teams may require a shift in thinking by all parties involved. Business stakeholders need to trust the teams they work with, and therefore choose to work with teams that are trustworthy. Development teams need to earn that trust by clearly communicating what they will do with the information and by being honest and transparent about their projections and about project progress once it's underway. And if there's any doubt on either side, you can always say, "Hey, it works for Ikea".


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The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Wine Pairing Cheat Sheet
courtesy of seriouseats.com
The best wines to bring to a barbecue. [Photograph: IStock by Getty Images]
Wine at a barbecue seems a little out of place, kind of like the guest who shows up in knee-high leather boots when everyone lazing around the pool is in flip-flops. When we think of those brawny meats charring away on the grill, our immediate thought is to quench our thirst with a PBR from the ice chest. Sometimes, we might be handed a disposable cup filled with a friend's latest sangria experiment, or their too-boozy whiskey lemonade.
If there is a round of enthusiastic wine sipping happening on the patio while the potato salad is being made, typically that rapidly draining bottle will be rosé. There is perhaps no wine more emblematic of summer than this chilled, blush-colored beaut—make mine bone-dry, please. At the first glimmer of a hot day, along with the excitement of slipping into sundresses and shorts, comes the confident purchase of rosé. As soon as the nights grow cold again, it gets unfairly shunned, much like iced coffee, for warmer, toastier counterparts. I'll save the merits of sipping rosé on even the most frigid of January eves for another time. Right now I'd like to point out that while rosé will be welcome at any alfresco fête, at least if you are hanging out with the right people, there are plenty of other bottles, white and red alike, that should be opened with relish as the steak sizzles in the background.
[Photo: Josh Bousel]
Easy-to-sip Grüner Veltliner, Austria's star grape, snaps with grassy and apple notes. All those green overtones make it a good fit for any skewers stacked with vegetables, or a blackened ratatouille salad.
You may not immediately think washing down eggplant or grilled zucchini withChardonnay is a good thing. After all, so many of them are heavy-handed with the oak. Yet many surprise, unfurling lovely flavors of lime, cantaloupe, and pineapple. Extend the farmer's market theme by looking for a Chardonnay that retains fresh fruit flavors by doing time in stainless steel.
Grüner Veltliner to try: Forstreiter 'Grooner' Grüner Veltliner 2012, Austria ($11); Thiery Weber Animo Grüner Veltliner 2012, Austria ($13).
Chardonnay to try: Crew Wine Company Sawbuck Chardonnay 2012, California ($10); Corvidae Mirth Chardonnay, Washington ($12).
[Photo: Vicky Wasik]
Marrying a seafood dish with white wine has long been tradition. For a piece of grilled fish, naked save for a few squirts of lemon and a light brushing of olive oil, seek out something complementary that ratchets up flavor instead of masking it.
A meatier fish, like say, a swordfish steak, does need some backbone, and that's when fresh, fragrant Grillo—Sicily's little known but delicious white grape—gushing mango, should be sought out. Traditionally, Grillo was used for the production of Marsala, Italy's famous fortified wine. On its own, Grillo is full bodied and bright. When it gets paired with, say, a bit of oak-aged, floral Viognier, as in the case of one favorite, Dalila, it pops.
If you're grilling up a side of salmon or other softer-flavored fish, think of Pinot Gris. Unlike its usually flabby, one-dimensional cousin Pinot Grigio, the ones from Oregon's Willamette Valley tend to have more gumption thanks to a lively blend of citrus and mineral flavors.
Grillo to try: Stemmari Grillo/Viognier 'Dalila,' Sicily ($14); Stemmari Grillo "Baci Vivaci," Sicily ($10)
Pinot Gris to try: Montinore Pinot Gris 2012, Oregon ($14); Elk Cove Vineyards 2013, Oregon ($19).
[Photo: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
Often deemed a blah substitute for the array of smoky meats favored on the grill, chicken can be its most flavorful when seared over coals. While an everyday roast chicken goes well with, say, a delicate Cabernet Franc or Pinot Noir, a bird's time on the grill provides intriguing contrast to easy-drinking whites. A yeasty Verdelhofrom Portugal, with aromatic peach and pear flavors, will do the trick. Typically a base for the country's impressive fortified wines, Verdelho now spawns some well-balanced whites wherein creaminess is offset by racy acidity. Another Portuguese alternative: lighter and leaner Vinho Verde—unfussy, floral and a killer value.
A Greek Moschofilero is another good bet. Walk into any of those blue-and-white tavernas slinging tzatziki, and hunched over plates of chicken souvlaki you will find many a diner sipping the white wine. Moschofilero, from Greece's Peloponnese, is fruity and floral, crackling with orange and grapefruit flavors. Pleasant acidity makes you happy to have it in your glass all dinner long.
Verdelho and Vinho Verde to try: Herdade do Esporao Verdelho 2013, Portugal ($10); Casa de Vilacethino Brazao Vinho Verde 2013 ($9).
Moschofilero to try: Semeli 'Mountain Sun White' 2012, Greece ($12); Troupis Fiteri Moschofilero 2012, Greece ($12).
[Photo: Josh Bousel]
At first, a hearty red seems like a boon with grilled sausage. But given the meaty coils' predilection for spice and snap, Riesling—especially a dry Alsatian—provides a rush of acidity that enlivens like no other. Just think of all the sauerkraut-laden choucroute these German-speaking French eat with their Riesling day after day.
Red is not verboten, of course. Just consider one that is soft and lush, devoid of overpowering tannins, like those from Jura. Sommeliers from around the country have an obsession with the wines from this burgeoning region in eastern France for a reason. Sausage of the lamb variety, say, a zesty Moroccan merguez, is an ideal match for Jura's light, bright Poulsard grape.
Riesling to try: Domaines Schlumberger Riesling Les Princes Abbés, 2011, France ($15); Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Riesling 2012, France ($24)
Poulsard to try: Bodines Arbois Poulsard, 2011, France ($24); Domaine Rolet Poulsard 2011 ($19)
[Photo: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
No two burgers are made alike. Of course there is the basic version of the all-beef patty—that's going to get slid into a squishy Martin's potato roll and topped with cheese, (fresh-from-the-garden) tomatoes, and hopefully a smattering of raw onions and pickles. But your pals may have more gourmet hankerings, desiring to pile their burgers with a heady blue cheese or the sweet mango chutney they fell for at the Indian grocery. These tweaks set the agenda for what should be in your glass.
In general, though, burgers make a fine pair with Cru Beaujolais. Now, forget everything you think you know about the B word. Real Beaujolais is decidedly not Beaujolais Nouveau, an annual marketing gimmick meant for chugging and forgetting about until the following fall. Cru Beaujolais is a celebration of the thin-skinned Gamay grape that hails from France's south-of-Burgundy region of the same name. It is simultaneously earthy and bursting with red fruit, exactly what you want to wash down a pink-in-the-middle, protein-packed sphere redolent of charcoal. Cru Beaujolais is traditionally served slightly chilled, making it an even more appealing summer sip.
Cru Beaujolais to try: Nicole Chanrion Côte-de-Brouilly 2012, France ($22); Domaine Diochon Moulin-à-Vent 2012, France ($21).
[Photo: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]
Because not all diners are robust carnivores, you may be grilling up a turkey orveggie burger. The former does not demand a red, nor is a white the only option. This is when the season's ubiquitous rosé should make a cameo, adding much-needed fruity zing. If it's a veggie burger you're throwing on the grill, tangySauvignon Blanc, with its layers of puckering citrus, will invigorate a medley of veggies.
Rosé to try: Bedell Cellars Taste Rosé 2012, Long Island ($25); Bodegas Nekeas Vega Sindoa Rosado, Spain ($9).
Sauvignon Blanc to try: Mapuche Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Chile ($10); Uppercut Sauvignon Blanc, California ($12).
It's a familiar adage, one oft-repeated because it's true: steak and red wine make the best of buddies. It does not mean, however, that the red in question needs to be a powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only does that varietal instantly conjure a roaring fireplace—which has no place in summertime daydreams—buying a good bottle is often a pricey investment. Remember, you're at a cookout eating off paper plates, not a white tablecloth steakhouse. This is a good opportunity, then, to savor the depth of more offbeat gems. Chilean Carménère, filled with violet and red cherry notes, is a suitable—and much more affordable—alternative to cut through a fatty, glistening steak. Or, reach for a bottle of Tempranillo. Spain's thick-skinned indigenous grape yields a ruby liquid both high on tannins and acid. The combination of earth and spice adds luster to each morsel of that melt-in-your-mouth meat.
Carménère to try: Baron Philippe de Rothschild 'Anderra' Carménère 2012, Chile ($10); Undurraga Sibaris Riserva Especial Carménère, 2012, Chile ($21).
Tempranillo to try: Flaco Tempranillo 2013, Spain ($9); Bodegas Volver 'Volver' Single Vineyard Tempranillo 2011, Spain ($15).
Yes, rosé should be in your kitchen at all times. But so should Lambrusco. This subtly sparkling red from Italy's Emilia-Romagna region has loads of fruit and acidity and magically goes well with almost everything—from summer squash to German brats. Prosecco often overshadows Lambrusco, but the latter's roundness and versatility make it a season mainstay—whether you're just waiting for the steaks to flip or you want to linger on the porch all night.
Lambrusco to try: NV Lini 'Labrusca' Lambrusco Rosso, Italy ($15); NV Barbolini Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Italy ($14).


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Weight Loss with These Schemes? Fat Chance!
By Carole Carson , June 21, 2012 09:04 AM
Desperate to lose weight? You're not alone. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, according to recent statistics. Although some of us accept our expanding girth, others of us are so discouraged by the number on the scale that we'll try anything that promises quick results. Protect yourself by familiarizing yourself with popular schemes designed to lighten your wallet more so than your body:
Fat-Burning Injections: Weekly shots of fat-burning injections costing about $20 a pop, usually consist of vitamin B12, vitamin B6, methionine, inositol and choline. Some individuals receiving the shots report positive results; however, there is no scientific evidence confirming that the shot is an effective means for achieving weight loss.
More likely, say doctors, positive changes are due to changes in the patients' habits, such as eliminating soda and bread. The placebo effect is credited for positive results in patients who report weight loss with no changes in their dietary or fitness program. As Dr. Catherine Stallworth, president of the Nashville Academy of Medicine, attests, "The placebo effect is a very powerful effect." Dr. Stallworth says the shot isn't harmful; it is simply a waste of money.
hCG Injections: The hCG diet, which consists of daily injections in the stomach and a near-starvation diet (500 calories per day), costs $1,000 or more a month. While positive anecdotal results have triggered the craze, no scientific evidence is cited to back promoters' claims. The injection, a prescription form of the pregnancy hormone, human chorionic gonadotropin, carries serious cardiovascular risks for some patients, as well as an increased risk of blood clots, depression and headaches.
Fraudulent Weight-Loss Supplements: In light of the expansion of scams, the FDA has released a report warning the public about fraudulent weight-loss supplements. In addition to dietary supplements that promise amazing results but prove benignly ineffective, some contain potentially harmful prescription drugs. Michael Levy, director of the FDA's Division of New Drugs and Labeling Compliance, warns, "These products are not legal dietary supplements. They are actually very powerful drugs masquerading as 'all-natural' or 'herbal' supplements, and they carry significant risks to unsuspecting consumers."
Tainted Weight-Loss Products: In December 2010, the FDA released a list of fraudulent weight-loss products to help consumers to avoid ineffective or even potentially harmful supplements. The FDA identifies Herbal Xenicol, Slimbionic and Xsvelten as three specific weight-loss products to avoid. These products, along with others, and their dangers can be reviewed here.
Nature abhors a vacuum, and so do marketers. A plethora of weight-loss products (some benign and some dangerous) are rushing to fill the need for quick weight-loss gimmicks. Falling for the latest weight-loss schemes will make you lose-but not your surplus pounds. Instead, you'll lose your money and perhaps your health.
Fortunately for us, the key to successful weight management is finding a way to eat and exercise that works for our unique body, lifestyle, habits and preferences-a regimen that is enjoyable and sustainable. Self-monitoring combined with emotional support can make the difference. If you tackle your weight issues in this healthy way, you won't be tempted by a too-good-to-be-true weight-loss scheme.
Photo credit: Calgary Reviews on Flickr.


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Source: World Dairy Expo
World Dairy Expo has become well respected as the premier dairy cattle show, and also as a source for tapping into the latest research and cutting-edge technologies for the dairy industry. Many of the Expo Seminars and the Dairy Forage Seminars qualify attendees for continuing education credits. The American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) and the American Association of Veterinary State Boards' Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) are issuing additional credits for their members who attend the seminars.
All fifteen of the Expo Seminars and the Dairy Forage Seminars are qualified for one continuing education credit for ARPAS members. In addition, the Expo Seminar series is qualified for the RACE program credits. Members of ARPAS and vets will want to take advantage of these continuing education opportunities by attending World Dairy Expo.
2012 Expo Seminar topics include "Building a Strong Management Team, " "Avoiding Drug Residues in the Dairy Industry, " "Building U.S. Agricultural Exports: One BRIC at a Time," "Planning for Change: Transitioning the Family Farm," "How Many Replacement Heifers Does Your Dairy Need?" "Making Sense of the Global Dairy Markets," "The Effect of Risk on Dairy Farm Management" and "Should you Treat Them or Should You Eat Them? How to Improve Your Mastitis Treatments and Maintain Healthy Cows". The Expo Seminars will be held in the Mendota 2 meeting room in the Exhibition Hall.
The Dairy Forage Seminars topics include "How Low Can You Go with Protein in Dairy Cattle Diets," "Corn Silage Quality Varies from Field To Field," "Silage Inoculants Seem to Affect Animal Performance as Well as Crop Fermentation," "The Economics of Feeding Dairy Cattle with High-Priced Forage and Grain," "Using Ruminal Digestibility Data to Improve Intake, Feed Efficiency or Diet Costs for Lactating Cows," and "Using Plant Analysis to Diagnose Alfalfa Nutrient Needs." These seminars will be presented on stage in the east end of the Arena Building where attendees may also view the winning forage samples on display.
World Dairy Expo takes place at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. "Market Fresh" is the theme for the 2012 show scheduled for October 2 through October 6. For more information, visit www.worlddairyexpo.com or call 608-224-6455.


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The photographer Ingrid Berthon Moine is taken with testicles, both figuratively and physiologically; turning to the anatomically accurate statues of Classical Greece for her project Marbles, she focuses her lens on representations of the male sex organ. Isolated from the rest of the statues, the male sex organs take on new meanings, their textured curves wrought in stone with masterly precision.
The careful renderings of the genitalia reveal tender folds of skin; set against the aged and worn marble, the apparent softness is complicated by durability. Testicles, as a cultural symbol, retain these nuances; they are simultaneously representative of sexual vigor and unfaltering power, but they are also framed as a physical weakness, an immensely vulnerable organ. As Berthon Moine explains, the word itself gave rise to aggressive, powerful words like "detest, protest, or contest or […] testify." But the artist was also inspired by the theory of the neuroscientist John Coates, who posited that the testosterone hormone played a role in the financial recession; these marble testicles hope to express both the powers and dangers that we assign to them.
In a world where artworks depicting naked women outnumber works by women artists in our most renowned art museums, Berthon Moine's work serves to turn the male gaze in on itself. She explains that until recently, only women were made to feel aware of being watched, judged by their sexual allure. She sees this dynamic shifting to expose both genders to the gaze of others, and this series, uncomfortable to some and amusing to others, is a part of that transition. (via Hyperallergic)


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New options for ease and accuracy in extraction of rare cells or separating blood
(Medical Xpress)—Using something called "inertial microfluidics," University of Cincinnati researchers are able to continuously and selectively collect rare cells, such as circulating tumor cells, based on their size vs. other biomarkers. This could reduce analysis time and increase selectivity while reducing reliance on antibody-based testing in clinical tests.
Ian Papautsky, associate professor in UC's School of Electronic and Computing Systems (SECS), part of the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and a UC team are leading these research efforts.
In a paper titled "Continuous Rare Cell Extraction Using Self-Releasing Vortex in an Inertial Microfluidic Device" by Papautsky and co-authors Xiao Wang, UC doctoral student, and Jian Zhou, research associate, a new concept for separation of rare cells, such as prostate cancer cells or circulating tumor cells, using microfluidics, is detailed.
"Last year we showed we can selectively isolate prostate cancer cells, but only by running small sample volumes one at a time. Now we show that we can do this continuously," Papautsky said. "This is exciting because it allows for an entire blood draw to be processed, in continuous matter, in a shorter period of time."
These blood draws can be used to identify tumor cells for diagnostic or prognostic purposes. "Our approach is based purely on size. It doesn't rely on antibodies, which is important because not all cancer cells express antigens. So, if the cancer cells are, let's say, larger than 20 microns, we'll extract them," he explained.
The most common approach for looking for these circulating tumor cells is via a system that uses a selection using antibodies to detect antigens. "We could also use our device to prepare samples for systems that use antibody-based selection." This combined approach could potentially help reduce occurrence of false positives while significantly increasing the accuracy of the antibody-based tests.
Another area in which this device could be useful is in working with cell cultures. "If you have a mixture of multiple cells where some cells are small and other cells are big, we could separate these cell populations very easily," Papautsky explained. "Anytime you need to separate based on size, we can do it using inertial microfluidics."
The advantage of inertial microfluidics in cell separation is that it can be done easily and without cumbersome equipment. This research is leading to an entirely new generation of testing capabilities which particularly lend themselves to direct use in the field and in physicians' offices in just about any country and any economic setting.
In another paper, titled "Sorting of Blood in Spiral Microchannels" Papautsky and doctoral student Nivedita Nivedita demonstrate continuous sorting of blood utilizing inertial microfluidics via a simple passive microfluidic device. Papautsky's lab has been developing the concept of using inertia to manipulate cells and particles during the last few years. "It's truly different and innovative because these microfluidic devices are really low cost while offering very high throughput," said Papautsky.
The device is, essentially, a clear, plastic, flexible square that is relatively small in size, at about a half an inch across, but big in concept. "With this particular device we can take a drop of blood, put it in the input port in the center, and separate," Papautsky explained. The device contains four outlet ports which separate the blood into different streams, allowing the collection of outputs containing dilute plasma, red blood cells and white blood cells.
"There are a lot of clinical diagnostic tests that are based on blood," he said. One of the most common tests that are done in a hospital is the complete blood count (CBC). Through this test, a wide range of conditions like anemia, malaria or leukemia are diagnosed. "In all of these diagnostic tests, blood must be separated into its components, and that's what this device does," Papautsky explained. "So, instead of using a big centrifuge to do it, we can do it with this little device." Using the microfluidic device allows for a diagnosis in less time in a much easier fashion.
This quick, low-cost way of running a diagnostic test could potentially be used in a resource-limited setting. "One of the issues that I hear from my colleagues who work in these areas that do tests is that they have equipment," he said, "but don't always have personnel or stable power to operate them. So in places like India, Africa or Central America, our devices could be useful."
Researchers will present four papers At the Sixteenth International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (microTAS) to be held Oct. 28-Nov. 1, in Okinawa, Japan.


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Neuro-fuzzy and Soft Computing: A Computational Approach to Learning and Machine Intelligence
Prentice Hall, 1997 - Computers - 614 pages
Neuro-Fuzzy and Soft Computing provides the first comprehensive treatment of the constituent methodologies underlying neuro-fuzzy and soft computing, an evolving branch of computational intelligence. The constituent methodologies include fuzzy set theory, neural networks, data clustering techniques, and several stochastic optimization methods that do not require gradient information. In particular, the authors put equal emphasis on theoretical aspects of covered methodologies, as well as empirical observations and verifications of various applications in practice. The book is well suited for use as a text for courses on computational intelligence and as a single reference source for this emerging field. To help readers understand the material the presentation includes more than 50 examples, more than 150 exercises, over 300 illustrations, and more than 150 Matlab scripts. In addition, Matlab is utilized to visualize the processes of fuzzy reasoning, neural-network learning, neuro-fuzzy integration and training, and gradient-free optimization (such as genetic algorithms, simulated annealing, random search, and downhill Simplex method). The presentation also makes use of SIMULINK for neuro-fuzzy control system simulations. All Matlab scripts used in the book are available on the free companion software disk that may be ordered by using the enclosed reply card. The book also contains an "Internet Resource Page" to point the reader to on-line neuro-fuzzy and soft computing home pages, publications, public-domain software, research institutes, news groups, etc. All the HTTP and FTP addresses are available as a bookmark file on the companion software disk.
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Introduction to NeuroFuzzy and Soft Computing
Fuzzy Sets
Fuzzy Rules and Fuzzy Reasoning
22 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
action adaptive network ANFIS applications approach approximation architecture backpropagation backpropagation MLP bell MF binary CANFIS Chapter chromosome cluster centers color crossover curves data pairs data points data set defined defuzzification denoted derivative descent method dynamics Equation error measure example firing strength formula fuzzy controller fuzzy if-then rules fuzzy inference system fuzzy logic fuzzy relations fuzzy rules fuzzy set Gaussian genetic algorithms gradient ha(x Hopfield identification initial input space input-output iteration learning rule linear linguistic MATLAB file matrix membership functions minimize modified neural networks neuro-fuzzy neuron nonlinear objective function obtained operator optimization output unit parameters partition pattern perceptron performance prediction problem procedure Q-learning radial basis function random RBFN receptive field reinforcement learning shown in Figure sigmoidal functions signal simulated annealing simulation soft computing steepest descent step structure supervised learning T-norm techniques tion Touretzky training data tree update variables vertex weights
References to this book
Fuzzy Modeling for Control
Robert Babuška
No preview available - 1998
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Nonlinear System Identification: From Classical Approaches to Neural ...
Oliver Nelles
Limited preview - 2001