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For immediate release
January 24, 2012
Add the Words Continues to Post Sticky Notes in Capitol
In an ongoing effort, members of the Add the Words, Idaho campaign, continue to post sticky notes daily on the doors of the House and Senate Chambers in the Capitol Building.
"It was a bit tense the first week when the state police still seemed determined to stop our volunteers from peacefully posting any of the hundreds of stickies we've gathered from around the state," said Mistie Tolman, spokesperson for Add the Words. "Still, volunteers and members of the community are posting the notes every day on the glass doors of the chambers and committee rooms. In meeting with the ProTem and Speaker they wanted us to understand that the notes will be taken down as soon as they are posted.It's frustrating for some of our volunteers but at least no one is being detained by the troopers. People's words are there in the statehouse. For some of us, that's a start to a powerful conversation that's constantly improving the outlook for the legislation this year,"
Lisa Perry was asked more than once to stop or she'd be removed from the building, "I went in there last week for my gay and transgender friends. We're determined to make sure people's voices are heard since in years past the community's never been given the chance to speak at a public hearing. People still live in fear and too often face discrimination at work and school and in renting houses and apartments."
Add the Words campaign member, Cody Hafer, explained that every day volunteers read the following statement as they post sticky notes: "This is the most peaceful way we could think of to both protest the fact that year after year we are denied a public hearing, and to make sure that those across the state can have their voices heard inside the capitol. Our sticky notes are simply words, not a permanent fixture, just our calm way of respectfully and quietly bringing the voices and stories of thousands of Idahoans here."
"We find that many lawmakers still believe that gay and transgender people have legal recourse when they get fired from their jobs or denied housing just because they are gay or transgender." said Emilie Jackson-Edney of Add the Words. "Many in the statehouse don't know how the Human Rights Act works. It created a process already in use in Idaho to investigate, mediate and make findings to protect both businesses and employees should discrimination happen. Even after six years there's still a lot of education work to do to explain that we are not asking for anything new or different, just to let the Commission work on those cases that involve us."
Add the Words, Idaho is an all volunteer organization of people across Idaho working to demonstrate the level of public support for inclusion of gay and transgender Idahoans in the state's laws banning discrimination in employment, housing education and public accommodation. Add the Words has gathered over 500 of messages to Idaho legislators written on sticky notes from people in more than 50 Idaho towns. Add the Words is working with organizations and individuals in more than 13 towns to hold public candlelight vigils, rallies and events on Saturday January 28th in support of passage of legislation to add the words "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" to Idaho's Human Rights Act.
Those wishing to send sticky notes to law makers or hoping to participate in the groups vigils, rallies and other events statewide on January 28 can go to http://addthewords.org , for more information.
For More Information please contact Mistie Tolman 208 861-4371 firstname.lastname@example.com
Add the Words First Video: The Sticky Note Story


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I also e-mailed Amphibico to see if they are going to release a housing for it. Here's their response I got today from them.
Good day,,,,
Thanks you for your request,, Next week we will introduce a EvoSE version for the HC7..-we should start shipping next Friday!!
You can check on the website , the Specification are similar to the SE unit for SR1,,but will come with a 0.55 lens, instead of flat port,,
Wow I didn't think anybody would have housings for at least 2 or 3 months.
just thought I'd share it will you guys
Edited by Heavy D, 08 February 2007 - 10:50 AM.

subset: commoncrawl


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Review regulatory updates and information on documentation for exporting and importing.
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Import Shipping and Recipient Information
Learn how to process import shipments with the same ease and reliability as your exports, and find out what you need to know about receiving international shipments.


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I used this recipe from Framed Cooks with a few tweaks. I added a bit of nutmeg to the egg/milk mix along with salt and pepper. I also topped the cupcakes with a slice of Roma tomato and a mixture of melted butter and Panko bread crumbs.
They were fun to make and also fun to eat! If I made them again, I think I'd use Ina Garten's mac and cheese recipe because it's just impossible to beat.


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Release date:August 15, 2006
SIFE group to honor women in business during
special event
PLAINVIEW – The Students in Free Enterprise team at Wayland Baptist University will honor female entrepreneurs and others in the workforce with a special "Women in Business" event.
Slated Aug. 24, the day will begin with a noon luncheon at the Plainview Country Club for interested women, featuring a round-table discussion of topics of interest to women in the business world. Information from the Small Business Administration on entrepreneurship will be available as well. A $5 donation is suggested to offset the cost of the meal, and an RSVP is encouraged by Aug. 21.
The celebration of women culminates in an after-hours reception that evening at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Nunn Business Building, featuring refreshments and guest speaker Sandra Aven, publisher of the Plainview Daily Herald. Aven was named Plainview Woman of the Year in January 2006 for her efforts with the Rainbow Room, the YMCA and Wee Care Child Center, and she took the reins as publisher on Jan. 1, 2006.
The major highlight of the event, however, is the presentation of the first Women's Entrepreneurial Honors to three local residents, recognizing their accomplishments in local business. This year's honorees include Evalene McDonald, former owner of Evalene's Imports; Peggy Wall, co-founder of High Plains Concrete; and Nell Hardage, former president of the American State Bank branch in Plainview.
"We hope to make this an annual event," said Stephanie Clements, a Wayland junior and president of SIFE. "We wanted something that would spotlight women and give them information on having their own business. There are a lot of challenges out there being a woman and having a business, and we want to encourage women who want to pursue this."
Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE, is an international organization with goals to educate citizens both young and old in the aspects of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, business practices and computer literacy. Sam Van Hoose and Dr. Bobby Hall, both Sam Walton Fellows, serve as SIFE's advisors.
To RSVP for the Women in Business luncheon, contact Van Hoose at 291-1029 or Clements at 296-7760.


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Wildflowers of the Western Great Lakes Region
James R. Wells, Frederick W. Case Jr., & T. Lawrence Mellichamp
Pages: 304 Size: 11.25x8.75
Dunes, forests, wetlands, plains, and rocky shores—these habitats and more comprise the mosaic that is the western Great Lakes region. This wide variety of habitats offers exceptional opportunities to see numerous interesting wildflowers. In an approach unique amongst wildflower books, Wildflowers of the Western Great Lakes Region presents more than 270 wildflower species to be found in the states surrounding the western Great Lakes as well as southern Ontario arranged according to the habitats in which they most commonly occur. Within the eleven habitat groupings, the full-color images follow as closely as possible the order in which the flowers can be found blooming in this area. Accompanying the photographs are brief descriptions of one or two salient features that, with the photographs, should enable the reader to identify the plant.


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Space is limited. Advance payment required to guarantee seating. Attendees must arrive within the registration period. If this program does not state that it is sold out, please feel free to register at the door. 48-hours (2 business days) cancellation notice required.
For questions about programs or program registration, send e-mail to our Member Service Department: firstname.lastname@example.com
The Los Angeles County Bar Association is a State Bar of California MCLE approved provider.


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If there wasn't a pro-Obama Dungeons and Dragons Crowd before the comment, there certainly was after. Wizards of the Coast sent a response to the McCain campaign, pointing out the remarks were disparaging, the number of military personnel who play, and Hasbro's donation of crates of product to support GIs across the globe. A Facebook group, named the Pro-Obama Dungeons and Dragons Crowd started and had several hundred followers (archived here) I was one of the administrators of said group.
McCain may have lost his opposed Charisma check with Obama, but the presidential D&D references continue in the 2012 campaign. Mitt Romney is shown courting votes at an RPGA convention on Saturday Night Live:
Go to 3:03 if you don't want to see the whole thing. We've also have some character sheets for numerous candidates here and here. Enjoy!


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These days, every tech conference you attend or tech article you read, you will get bombarded with the term 'Big Data". Whether you are a business analyst or a technical developer, it is important to get your fundamentals right - to be able to evaluate if you have a big data problem to solve in the first place and how to go about solving it, to be able to understand some of the core terms and terminologies of the underlying technologies. To this purpose, you could start with this free ebook from IBM - "Understanding Big Data"- . This book gives you a good basic introduction and overview of Big Data from both the business angle as well as the technical angle.
At the outset - there's an interesting slice of past in the executive letter from Anjul Bhambri tracing the evolution of data management - giving the reader glimpses of data management technoglogies - tracing from the beginnings of SQL, to warehouses and datamarts, XML and finally to the now common-place big data problem and solutions. Later in the book, is also a quick looking back at the innovations that IBM has brought to the industry, right from the first magnetic hard disk in 1956 to the Scalable Parallel Systems in 1993 to Watson's Question Answering technology in 2011.
Part I is for the business reader and covers the Big Data use-cases such as
- Log Analytics (how IBM has helped a client analyze 1 TB of log data each day with less than 5 minutes latecy ),
- Fraud Detection (how a modern-day fraud detection ecosystem was worked out for a large credit card issuer and reduced their processing time from 3 weeks to a couple of hours) and
- Sentiment Analysis - how Cognos Consumer Insights a point solution that runs on BigInsight has helped a client discover and understand the sentiment surrounding its new product launch. There is also an personal "sentiment" related anectode.
There is also a comparison drawn and context set for data stored in warehouse and data stored in hadoop - this is the core to understanding the big data problem and the platform for understanding all the other related technolgies.
Part II is for the technical reader - The first chapter introduces Hadoop, HDFS, concepts of MapReduce and all of its eco-system technologies - Pig, Hive, JAQL, Flume, HBase, OOzie, Lucene and Avro.
Following this, the next chapter of the book deals in depth with some of the key differentiating features of the enterprise edition of IBM BigInsights - such as the
- Integrated graphical installation, configuration and administration
- Security
- Text Analytics
- GPFS-sNC - how you gain performance improvements and high availability when you store data here
- IBM LZO Compression - "how you can compress your data with a high-performance algorithm"
- Improved Workload scheduling
- Adaptive MapReduce
- Large scale indexing
- Data discovery and visualization using BigSheets for the business user.
And a peek into the upcoming features
- Machine Learning Analytics
The last chapters deals with IBM InfoSphere Streams - which talks about analytics in motion to analyze data in realtime with micro-latency. Several usecases with customers in industries such as Financial Services Sector, Health and Life Sciences (University of Ontario is working on a smareter neonatal critical care center) and Telecommunications (Globe Telecom), Defence (TerraEchos use case) are discussed.
To summarize - "IBM's goal here isn't to get you a running Hadoop cluster - that's something we do along the path; rather it's to give you a new way to gain insight into vast amounts of data that you haven't easily been able to tap into before; that is, until a technology like Hadoop got teamed with an analytics leader like IBM.'. You can start reading the chapters from whichever point interests you. An end-to-end read may take a couple of sittings but at the end you would have a broader picture of what constitutes a Big data problem and solution. Are there other books that is good for beginners to start reading about Big Data technologies? Do let us know.


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"Jack the Giant Slayer," Bryan Singer's new version of "Jack and the Beanstalk," didn't get off the ground this weekend.
The nearly $200-million 3-D production opened with a disappointing $28 million, according to an estimate from distributor Warner Bros. It seems likely that the film will follow in the footsteps of another big-budget box office dud -- Walt Disney Studios' $250 million "John Carter," which launched with $30.2 million in March 2012 and ultimately collected just $73.1 million domestically.
It was a weak weekend at the box office overall, as three other new films also had lackluster debuts. "21 & Over," an R-rated college-set comedy about a drunken 21st-birthday celebration, was expected to start off with $15 million but instead collected an underwhelming $9 million. The low-budget horror sequel "The Last Exorcism: Part II" didn't come close to the original's $20.4 million opening, grossing just $8 million in its first weekend in theaters. And the Cold War submarine thriller "Phantom" posted one of the worst debuts ever for a film in wide release, taking in a jaw-dropping $460,000 from 1,118 theaters. (The company that released "Phantom," RCR Media Group, did not report an official weekend gross, so that figure is an estimate from other studios.)
Estimated total receipts tumbled 35% from the same three-day period last year., making this weekend the sixth in a row that ticket sales have been down compared with a year ago. Year to date, sales are down 8%, and attendance is off 9%, according to Hollywood.com.
Those who saw "Jack the Giant Slayer" this weekend, however, didn't hate it, assigning the film an average grade of B+, according to market research firm CinemaScore. The film's financiers -- Warner Bros., New Line division and Legendary Pictures -- are hoping that good word of mouth will help prop up the film at the box office in the coming weeks. But next weekend marks the arrival of another family-aimed movie, "Oz: The Great and Powerful," which is expected to launch with at least $75 million and dominate the market.
"Jack the Giant Slayer" features "Warm Bodies" star Nicholas Hoult as Jack, a young man trying to protect his kingdom from a legion of giants. The $190-million fantasy-adventure attracted a slightly more male audience -- 55% male vs. 45% female -- but the film was unable to pull in the young crowd the studio had been hoping to lure. In fact, 56% of the crowd was over the age of 25.
"Jack" will have to perform extremely well overseas if it is to be a financial success. Though the movie debuted in only seven foreign markets this weekend, Warner Bros. was already touting its minor international returns. On Friday, the studio said the film was No. 1 in six of the seven countries where it opened abroad, performing best in South Korea with an initial gross of $761,000. Final international numbers were not available early Sunday.
"21 & Over" is a disappointment for Relativity Media, which was hoping to replicate the success of R-rated party flick "Project X." That low-budget Warner Bros. movie, which opened on the same weekend last year, started off with $21.5 million and ultimately made a respectable $54.7 million in the U.S. and Canada.
The film, which follows three twentysomethings over the course of a wild night on a college campus, marked the directorial debut from "The Hangover" writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. (The duo also wrote "21 & Over.") Unlike that 2009 party movie, however, the pair's latest effort won't be a hit -- although at least Relativity and a consortium of Chinese companies spent a modest $13 million to produce it.
The few who did see the movie this weekend were young -- 73% of the audience was under the age of 25, and the crowd overall gave the film an average grade of B.
Meanwhile, inexpensive horror flicks have been struggling at the box office in recent weeks. Just a week after the scary "Dark Skies" opened with an unimpressive $8.2 million, "The Last Exorcism" also failed to find an audience. The movie, acquired by CBS Films from Strike Entertainment for $3 million, centers around a young women fighting against possession by a demonic force.
Though the film won't come close to reaching the $41 million the original made, Steven Friedlander, CBS Films' executive vice president of theatrical distribution, said he wasn't worried about the sequel.
"It's one of those pictures that will do well on video-on-demand and VOD," he said. "The original had a found footage premise and came out right when that genre was really fresh, but the sequel didn't have that hook."
As for "Phantom," the Ed Harris-David Duchovny film will go down in history with the ill-fated kids film "Oogieloves in the BIG Balloon Adventure." Last August, that film posted the lowest opening ever for a picture playing in theaters nationwide -- an embarrassing $443,901. While it's not yet official that the movie about a Soviet submarine on a possibly deadly mission will beat that record, the film is clearly sunk.


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Protect your property from the damage and dangers caused by birds in and on your home or office. Nesting and roosting birds or bats in the wrong place can cause millions of dollars to buildings, equipment and ventilation systems. They can pose a health risk to humans - to you, your family, your employees and your customers. We can help you find the right professionals to control a bird or bat infestation.
Thank you for visiting our Pest Control - Birds and Bats website. Please contact us with any questions or comments about our Pest Control - Birds and Bats products or services.
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We would love to solve your Pest Control - Birds and Bats needs and provide you a Service unlike any other company could.


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Onion, a source for online and printed satire that routinely skewers celebrities, apologized on Monday for a what it called a crude and offensive tweet directed at nine-year-old Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis.
The Internet was abuzz with commentary after The Onion on Sunday night referred to the young Best Actress nominee using a four-letter term seen as perhaps the most offensive word in American English.
Steve Hannah, The Onion's chief executive, found the tweet devoid of humor.
"On behalf of The Onion, I offer my personal apology to Quvenzhané Wallis and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the tweet that was circulated last night during the Oscars," Hannah said in a statement. "It was crude and offensive - not to mention inconsistent with The Onion's commitment to parody and satire, however biting."
"No person should be subjected to such a senseless, humorless comment masquerading as satire," he said.
The Onion removed the tweet within an hour of its publication, instituted stricter new procedures for Twitter and took steps to discipline the people responsible, Hannah added.
"Miss Wallis, you are young and talented and deserve better. All of us at The Onion are deeply sorry," Hannah wrote to the star of "Beasts of the Southern Wild," who became the youngest ever Best Actress nominee and gleefully reveled in the honors bestowed upon her in the film awards season.
Reporting by Daniel Trotta, editing by G Crosse


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Windsor Plaza
1000 Taylor Street North, ARLINGTON, VA 22201
- Year Built: 1994
- Type: Highrise
- No. of Units: 184
- Status: Completed
- Area: Ballston
Amenities & Features
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Any sharp throwing weapon used in the martial art of Ninjutsu. Includings things such as kunai (throwing knives, darts, needles) and shaken ("ninja stars", which by the way dont have to have 4 sides, i have one with 6).
In the darkness of the shadows, the assassin unsheathed several shuriken too rain down upon his target.
by Killa65 December 03, 2003
Shuriken-Throwing blades of the Ninja. Translates as basically Shu-Hand-Ri-released-Ken-blade. Hand released blade. Shuriken dont have *sides* as such, but have points. There were certain Shuriken particular to a tradition of Ninpo, ect Togakure Ryu used the classic 4 pointed Shuriken that appeared to be nearly square. There are only roughly 3 or 4 true designs of flat shuriken, commerciality has created many more. There are also Bo shuriken, which are practical iron darts. Each tradition has a specific specification ect one style would have 15cm Bo shuriken, another tradition would have 18 cm. Contrary to popular belief, Shuriken were not coated in poison. There was no need-Poison was dangerous to carry on sharp objects and difficult to aquire, and usually did not work quicly. Rust was the most dangerous aspect of a Shuriken-as throwing objects they were intended to distract and slow down as a ninja escaped ect, and would not fataly wound an enemy, but could penetrate. If rust got into the cut, it could be lethal. It is ironic that you can buy Shuriken through postal order these days-they used to be fuedal ninja famalies most closest guarded secrets.
Hey look, i found a Shuriken!
I got Shuriken and i aint' afraid to use 'em.
Ph34r my l33t shruiken of uNf47|-|omalbal d00m!
We practise Shuriken-jutsu at Honbu dojo every Sunday after lunch.
I got Shuriken and i aint' afraid to use 'em.
Ph34r my l33t shruiken of uNf47|-|omalbal d00m!
We practise Shuriken-jutsu at Honbu dojo every Sunday after lunch.
by Ninpo-Bugei July 28, 2006
by Diego August 30, 2003
An affirmation of ability.
by Anonymous November 12, 2002
by Mad Walrus August 06, 2002
Post Hardcore/Emo/Punk band from Scunthorpe, UK. They are ace.
Person1: You heard the new shuriken EP?
Person2: Yeah, evacuate/disintegrate rocked.
Person2: Yeah, evacuate/disintegrate rocked.
by Lewis February 06, 2005


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Vishnu temples in South India portray Vishnu in 4 types of poses. It is called 'Thiru kolangal'. The poses are "Nindraan" "kidandhan" "irundhan" "nadanthan" thirukolangal. An example of "Nindraan" is Thirupathi, where Srinivasa Perumal is in a standing pose. Oppiliappan is another example of standing pose. An example of 'Kidandhaan' is Srirangam where Vishnu is in reclining pose. An example of 'irundhaan' is Kanchipuram Varadaraja perumal, where perumal is in sitting pose.
Lastly, Nadandhaan. In Kanchipuram, Kumbakonam, Thiruneermalai and few other temples the Nadandhaan pose is gloriously portrayed. This pose is unique to the Vaamana avatharam. Each temple portraying the Nadandhaan thirukolam shows the famous raised-leg pose at a progressively higher and higher incline. The Ulagalandha Perumal Kovil in Kanchipuram (the uragatthan+Neeragatthan+karagatthan one) is the largest diety. The raised leg is so stunningly long that it is hard to see the tip of the leg without bending down and looking upwards. Thirukovilur (near Kadalur/Vizhupuram/Thiruvannamalai) is the main Vamana avatharam temple. Thiruneermalai near pallavaram has Vishnu in all 4 Thiru Kolangal.
King Mahabali is very dear to Keralites. I have heard that many Keralites, when they see Vaishnavites praying in Padmanabhaswamy temple on Thiru Onam - they say "Today is the day of our king Mahabali. Your vamana wouldnt exist without him."
So I'll leave you with my favorite two passurams: ஓங்கி உலகளந்த உத்தமன் பேர் பாடி and அன்றி இவ்வுலகம் அளந்தாய் அடி போற்றி
p.s: If anybody can locate more Vaamana avatharam based prabhandha paasurams - do leave them in comments section.


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After a long and contentious wrangle, the Florida state board of education voted 4-3 at its February 19, 2008, meeting to adopt a new set of state science standards in which evolution is presented as a "fundamental concept underlying all of biology." But now there are concerns that, due to a recent state law, the standards will have to be approved again.
The Evolution Learning Community at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, will be hosting "Darwin's Legacy: Evolution's Impact on Science and Culture" — a multidisciplinary student conference to be held March 19-21, 2009.
In San Francisco for a speaking tour, Lauri Lebo, who reported on the Kitzmiller v. Dover case for the York Daily Record and then wrote The Devil in Dover: An Insider's Story of Dogma v. Darwin in Small-Town America (The New Press, 2008), was interviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle's Nanette Asimov, with the result appearing both in the newspaper (October 31, 2008) and on its podcast.
NCSE's executive director Eugenie C. Scott spoke on science education at the Innovation 2008 conference, and video of her talk is now available (from 7:40 to 27:15) on-line.
A recent survey among Eastern Orthodox laity in the United States provides interesting data on their attitudes toward creationism and evolution. According to the report (PDF), published as Alexei D. Krindatch, The Orthodox Church Today (Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute, 2008), the survey was conducted from September 2007 to May 2008. Information was gathered by a mail survey of a nationally representative sample of lay members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America (GOA) and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), the two largest Orthodox denominations in the United States. There were nearly 1000 respondents from 103 parishes.
National Center for Science Education, Inc.
1904 Franklin Street, Suite 600
Oakland, CA 94612
fax: 510-788-7971
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Hell Naw You Goin To Hell For This: Gay Guy Does A Parody To The Disabled Guy Trying To Sing Mariah Carey's "Obsessed"
This guy is so wrong
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Brisbane East
French Care Care
65 Caswell Street, East Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- All of our vehicles can be driven on a standard Driver's License.
- Long term van hire is available – subject to availability.
Vans & Utes for hire | Australia Wide | At your local petrol station network | Modern Day vehicles. 24 hours Roadside Assistance with free replacement vehicle in the case of a breakdown that is not customers fault. 'Hire in style with Go With The Gecko'.
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If you are looking at moving interstate from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, then you have come to right place!


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Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Forum registration problems: Make sure you enter your email correctly and you check your spam box first. *Then* email KurtS2@gmail for help.Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
Marlboro 300 pit stop photo, Craig Fisher in the driver's seat as Penske talks to him. Mark Donohue with hand to chin, pondering the meaning of life.


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Npower League Two joint leaders Southend United and Cheltenham Town both registered wins this weekend as Crawley dropped points, but it still remains as tight as ever in England's fourth tier.
Paul Sturrock's Southend struck five on the road at Northampton. It was in fact the Cobblers who led at the break courtesy of John Johnson and Saido Berahino strikes.
The 2-1 scoreline was overturned in the second-half however, as braces by Liam Dickinson and Tunisian Bilel Mohsni saw the Essex club continue their good run this campaign. Dave Martin grabbed the other goal for the Shrimpers as promotion rivals Cheltenham also won.
Mark Yates' Robins overcame Aldershot 2-0 courtesy of goals at the beginning and end of the game. Luke Summerfield gave the hosts a perfect start with a 10th minute strike, but they had to wait until the 90th minute before Kaid Mohamed struck the second and made Cheltenham fans sigh with relief as they kept the pace with Southend at the top of the table.
Elsewhere, division strugglers Plymouth Argyle registered a crucial 2-1 win against Burton Albion. Simon Walton fired a brace and his second was a dramatic 89th minute penalty winner which draws the Pilgrims level on points with 22nd placed Dagenham and Redbridge.
Dagenham couldn't match the heroics of Plymouth as they went down 1-0 at home in a six-pointer with Hereford United. A Yoann Arquin strike gave the Bulls all three points and a four point advantage over their hosts.
One point ahead of Hereford are Lawrie Sanchez's Barnet who achieved a stand-out result in beating Accrington Stanley 3-0 away from home. The win lifted the Bees to 20th place on 26 points.
There was a late show of goals at Valley Parade as an 86th minute Andrew Davies own goal got Morecambe back in the game at 1-1. There were two more goals to come however as defender Marcel Seip thought he had scored the winner on 89 minutes, only to be denied two minutes later by Kevin Ellison. The Bantams continue to underachieve in League Two this season following this 2-2 score line.
Bristol Rovers caretaker boss Shaun North has made steady progress at the Memorial Stadium with a respectable 0-0 home draw with high-flyers Crawley, who now trail leaders Southend and Cheltenham following this slip up.
Torquay remain in touch with the play-off spots after a 2-1 victory at Macclesfield.
Crewe remain steadily in mid-table under the stewardship of Steve Davis after a 1-0 victory away at play-off contenders Oxford United.
AFC Wimbledon remain on course to consolidate in their maiden League Two campaign after a notable 2-1 victory away at Port Vale. Luke Moore struck the winner on 77 minutes.
A Matt Ritchie brace proved decisive as Paolo Di Canio's Swindon were victorious by 2-1 at the Don Valley Stadium. Rotherham replied after 2-0 via an Alex Revell effort but it wasn't enough in the end.
And finally, Graham Turner's Shrewsbury Town overcame fellow play-off contenders Gillingham by 2-0. Goals by Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Mark Wright kept the points in Shropshire.


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BillSavings needed a new web page design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 66 designs submitted by 9 freelance designers.
Looking for better logo, homepage design and form layout (steps 1 and 2) to help make the site look more professional and convert more visitors to leads.
New Homepage
New Logo
New Form Layout on Step 1 and 2 using existing form questions.
- Just looking for improvement to existing design and layout
- The main focus of the site is to get someone to fill out the request for a moving quote.Here are some other sites to look at:
- a Web page that does not draw attention to the form.


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Your browser does not support iframes.
By RYAN T. BUTLER
From the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge will be hiring four students for Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) this summer, according to Refuge Manager Andrew Gude.
The Youth Conservation Corps is a summer employment program for young men and young women, ages 15 through 18, who work and learn together by accomplishing needed conservation projects on public lands.
Congratulations to Refuge Officer Kenny McCain, the recipient of the Florida Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Outdoorsman of the Year Award for 2012.
Officer McCain was chosen by the Federation's board of directors to receive this award because of his "exemplary efforts as a fine outdoorsman and for your leadership in law enforcement which has made a significant impact for conservation throughout the region."
What are you doing July 2 through 6?
A Children's Summer Art Program at the Cedar Key Arts Center for 1st through 12th grade students is planned.
Youth can learn from the experts about ceramics, drawing, sculpture, photography etc.
Classes are from 9-11:30 am daily and there will be an exhibit of students' work on Friday, July 27.
Registration forms are available at the Cedar Keyhole, Chamber of Commerce or from Kathy Hudson at Cedar Key School.
Enrollment is limited and deadline is June 112. There is a $20 materials cost, but scholarships are available, just ask.
Pancake, sausage breakfast benefit
The Levy County Tax Collector's Office is having a benefit pancake breakfast for the Heddins Family from 7:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Levy County Courthouse.
Proceeds will be used to help defray the medical bills for James & Michelle Heddins' daughter Ashley. She is undergoing her fourth round of chemotherapy. The latest treatment is working, according to the family, and in coming months she will begin the stem cell transplant.
Cedar Key has a used cooking oil disposal program with six locations for donations.
Your used cooking oil will be purchased by Florida By-Products if you deposit it in the receptacles provided by Florida By-Products.
The owners of the properties where the receptors are located have very generously committed the revenue to be used by the Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce for its marketing program.
The Levy County recycling program is back in business and trailers are being distributed around the county this week.
The county pulled its recycling trailers in mid-February after the state closed a work camp that supplied inmate labor for sorting and handling the recyclables at the county landfill.
The county received its first work crew from Lowell Correctional Institute on Monday after an inspection by the prison officer in charge of the inmate work crew program at Lowell.
The Lions Club of Cedar Key and the Cedar Key News are joining once again to sponsor Candidate Forums in advance of this year's elections.
While there are discussions under way regarding a forum in September for candidates in the November general election, the focus now is on elections that may be settled by the Aug. 14 primary.
Ask any Florida angler the best place to fish and most will tell you about their favorite spot (hint: It's Cedar Key) right here in the Sunshine State; the fishing capital of the world (It's Cedar Key).
World Fishing Network, a 24-hour fishing lifestyle network, is asking anglers in the U.S. and Canada to select WFN's Ultimate Fishing Town 2012. The network is running separate contests in Canada and the United States. Florida has dozen of towns nominated from coast to coast (But they're not Cedar Key!).
Copyright © 2019
The Cedar Key Beacon is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Levy County and Cedar Key Florida, and the surrounding area.


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Florida Design Magazine621 NW 53rd St., Suite 370
Boca Raton, FL 33487
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Please use the navigation at the top to find the content you were looking for. If, however, you cannot find the information you were looking for, please feel free to contact us.


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Student or Learner
Could you please explain me when to use do/did with question that start with How many e.g.
How many Canadians died in ww2 ?
but How many Canadians do yoga ?
Is this the problem with object and subject question ?
Thank you Helena
"Died" is the past tense of "to die" (to perish).
How many Canadians died in WW2?
How many Canadians were killed in WW2?
Remember - if you don't use correct capitalisation, punctuation and spacing, anything you write will be incorrect.
Thank you for your reply. Could you clarify this for me a bit further ?
A simple question like below , no context, which is correct or both are ?
How many books you read ? or How many books did you read ?
The way I understand in the question
How many Canadians died in ww2 ?
Candians are the the subject so there is no need for do/did ( depending on the tense) like in a question Who told you ?
In the question How many books did you read? the subject are books, like in a question "Who did you tell " the subject is you.
As I understand Who did tell you ? is incorrect. So e.g. How many people did do yoga? is incorrect and How many people did yoga? is correct. Am I right ?
Thank you for you time.
"How many books you read?" is not correct, but you could ask "How many books have you read?" which means "How many books have you read in your life, up to this moment in time?"
Last edited by bhaisahab; 10-Dec-2012 at 21:18.


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Nina Ladenheim, a senior buyer who works in the fashion industry, searched for about two years before finding her dream space. Right before her apartment lease ran out, she finally found it. Her 1,000-square-foot industrial loft-style condo near Little Burgundy features 10-foot-high concrete ceilings, huge windows that flood the space with light, and direct access to the Lachine Canal's bike paths and the area's trendy restos.
When I came in here, I just got that feeling - it felt cozy. I'd seen lots of places, and I knew right away that this was the one. I could see myself living here, even though it looked nothing like this.
What did it look like when you first saw it?
The living room and dining room area was painted orange - a cross between tangerine and pumpkin. And this entire long wall had floor-to-ceiling wood bookshelves. The previous owner was a professor. He had no overhead lighting, just one lamp in the corner. His office was here in my dining room, and his dining room was where my sitting area is now.
What do you love most about this space?
I love the cement pillars, the high ceilings and the beautiful wood floors, and the layout is really amazing. It's just the perfect amount of space for me. From my balcony, I can see the Lachine Canal and St. Joseph's Oratory, so that's nice. Having two bathrooms is a huge bonus, too. The walk-through closet between my bedroom and bathroom is amazing. In my old apartment, I had things hanging on the door of the closet.
You've hung some lovely antique crystal chandeliers, and they work great with the industrial design elements of this space.
I like the eclectic new-mixed-with-old look. I don't like one style in particular, and I like the idea of having things that are old or traditional, things that have meaning. That lamp in the corner of my sitting area is an art deco one from the 1920s. I found it in an antique shop and just fell in love with it.
You have several framed groupings of old family photos on the walls that function as art.
My grandparents are no longer with us, and I just love seeing photos of them kissing when they were younger, of my grandmother holding me, of my dad as a child and my mother with her brother when they were little. I love looking at them and thinking about my family.
Then there's this gorgeous, very modern abstract painting above your couch.
That's my first real piece of art. I bought it at a gallery in Old Montreal. It's by Mont-real artist Simon Plasse, and I think it's just beautiful. I bought special lighting to highlight it, because you can't really see all the shades of green in there, but I haven't gotten around to installing it yet.
Your marble end tables are very cool.
I'd always wanted marble tables, and a friend of mine said we could make them. I found the metal bases at a garage sale up the street. The table bases were in pretty rough shape, but I got them cleaned them up, and then I bought the tabletops at a marble place in the east end. They used an end piece of marble and polished it up for me. I think both tables cost less than $150. I'm sure they would have cost me around $1,000 if I'd bought them at a high-end furniture place.
Living in a condo complex like this has a lot of advantages.
Definitely. I have indoor parking, there's a gym, a pool, a sauna. You can barbecue in the summer. I'm a five-minute walk from the Atwater Market. In the summer, I go there all the time. And the canal is right here. I walk there all the time, and I also walk from here to downtown, which takes me about 45 minutes if I walk fast. I think this building is very accessible to everything. There's so much action around here, and I love that there are many great restaurants on Notre Dame. This area is really the place to be.
Shelter is a weekly series featuring a conversation with tenants or condo owners.
Occupant: Nina Ladenheim, 46
Location: Atwater Market area
Size: 1,000 sq. feet (one bedroom, two bathrooms)
Purchase price: $330,000
Been there since: 2010
Home profile: Condo boasts high ceilings and view of the canal
Nina Ladenheim, a senior buyer who works in the fashion industry, searched for about two years before finding her dream space. Right before her apartment lease ran out, she finally found it. Her 1,000-square-foot industrial loft-style condo near Little Burgundy features 10-foot-high concrete ceilings, huge windows that flood the space with light, and direct access to the Lachine Canal's bike paths and the area's trendy restos.


text:
Delicious California Sweetpotatoes are not only a fit for your menu—from breakfast to main dish to midnight snack—they're a nutrition-packed part of your healthy, active lifestyle.
Delicious California Sweetpotatoes are not only a fit for your menu—from breakfast to main dish to midnight snack—they're a nutrition-packed part of your healthy, active lifestyle.
Extremely high in nutritional value, California Sweetpotatoes put the "super" in "superfood."
Bake them, boil them, broil them, grill them, fry them, steam them, roast them, sauté them, puree them or just wrap them in a paper towel and pop 'em in the microwave—savory or sweet, they're the clever cook's favorite vegetable.
It's one of life's biggest questions: How can something this super-nutritious be this profusely delicious? We're happy to ponder it while enjoying a vegetable so sweet it makes the other veggies jealous.
Well, actually even easier. When it comes to preparation, California Sweetpotatoes are equally comfortable totally dressed up or wearing next to nothing at all. Try one baked with a little olive oil and sea salt.
No, Sweetpotatoes didn't just fall off the turnip truck, but these days everywhere you look, chefs, cooks and culinarians of every description are discovering just how naturally amazing California Sweetpotatoes are.
California Sweetpotatoes are famous for their ability to deliver loads of fulfilling flavor. One reason is the manganese they contain. Manganese is a mineral that helps support healthy blood sugar levels, which can help stabilize the appetite for hours.
In the world of Sweetpotatoes, there's pretty darn good—and then there's premium.
In the world of Sweetpotatoes, there's pretty darn good—and then there's premium.
California's generous sunshine and warm, dry climate provide the perfect conditions for the highest quality product by enabling lush, rapid growth and a year-round Sweetpotato supply.
Sand grown rather than being grown in dirt, California Sweetpotatoes are raised in a unique region in the San Joaquin Valley—a low spot where rivers deposited sand many, many years ago when water tables were higher. This special sandy loam naturally resists insects and weeds and is the perfect place for our sweetpotatoes to catch some rays.
Naturally sun-cured on the vine, California Sweetpotatoes are cured in the ground before harvest to increase shelf-life, rather than being picked first and then cured in sheds.
Beautiful shapes and skin texture are made possible by hand-planting, selecting, sorting, sizing and packing. Getting up-close and personal with each Sweetpotato not only ensures it meets our high California quality standards, it minimizes scaring and scratching that often results from a mechanized process.
Food-Safe(r) – California agricultural regulations are among the strictest in the world to ensure food safety and environmental accountability.
A proud agricultural history with deep roots that extend back several generations. John Bettencourt Avila (1865-1937), a Portuguese-American who settled in Merced County, California has been called the father of the Sweetpotato industry. Most California Sweetpotatoes are still family grown on legacy farms in Merced county, and its neighboring counties, Stanislaus and Kern, by attentive farmers using sustainable practices such as controlled fertilization and mindfully managed drip irrigation.
Wider variety – color, size, shape, flavor! There are many types of Sweetpotatoes, ranging from white and mild to deep red and super sweet. You can even find purple sweetpotatoes. Many are grown in small quantities and can be found at local farmers markets around California. Approximately 12 types are available commercially, but the four most popular ones from California found in grocery stores nationwide are:
California's sandy soil is like a perfect 'resort'
for growing nutritious sweetpotatoes.
California's sandy soil is like a perfect 'resort'
for growing nutritious sweetpotatoes.
When selecting Sweetpotatoes, be sure to check them for signs of decay.
Don't store your California Sweetpotatoes in the refrigerator, as it will produce a hard core in the center. Instead, store them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated container at approximately 55 degrees F
For the best flavor and freshness, use your Sweetpotatoes within a week or two after purchase
Long, long ago, new immigrants to America thought that our Sweetpotatoes looked a bit like a smaller version of the very large root vegetable they knew back home as a "yam," and a misnomer was born that has lasted until now. Though there are many varieties of Sweetpotato, with different colors, flavors and textures, Sweetpotatoes are not the same thing as yams. Real yams, which are generally imported into the US, are dry and starchy and members of the Yam plant family. The scientific name of the relatively small, moist Sweetpotato is Ipomoea batatas and it's a member of the morning glory family. California grows both "dry flesh" and "moist flesh" varieties
"Sweetpotato" as one word is not only grammatically correct, it's a handy way to remind you that a Sweetpotato is not simply a "sweet potato." In fact, it's not a potato at all, but a different vegetable entirely, blessed with a totally different nutrient set. While both hail from the same botanical order, they come from different families. (And boy can your family make a difference in how you turn out!) Low in carbs, high in vitamins and minerals, the California Sweetpotato is a designated superfood. With almost twice as much fiber as a white potato, a California Sweetpotato's calories are burned more slowly and efficiently than a low-fiber carbohydrate. On a per-acre basis, California Sweetpotatoes are the most nutrient-dense of any commercially grown food.
We are a voluntary organization founded in 1977.
We are a voluntary organization founded in 1977.
The California Sweetpotato Council's main objective is to develop policies and programs that enhance the Sweetpotato industry in California.
For more information contact us.


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- Details
- Specs
- Reviews
- Manuals
- What's Included
Designed for use with either single pole or 3-Way applications, this SKYE Series Slide Dimmer from Cooper Wiring is an elegant, yet functional, way to upgrade the lighting control within a home. The Slide Dimmer features an integrated full-slide control which allows for precise lighting levels rather than having to only settle for the traditional options of ON and OFF. Below the slide-control is a separate ON/OFF switch that will turn the lights on to the preset dimming levels that the slide dimmer is set at. The SKYE Series Slide Dimmer also features Fixed Rapid Start technology which will ensure lamp start-up even when set to low dim levels; it also has electrostatic discharge protection and radio frequency interface filtering which reduces signal interference from audio, video and radio equipment.
The SKY Series Slide Dimmer is compatible with most dimmable LED and CFL bulbs up to 300 watts as well as 600 watt incandescent, dimmable fluorescent, halogen, electronic low-voltage (ELV) and magnetic low-voltage (MLV) light sources. During installation of the dimmer a neutral wire is not required and it can be installed on either the load side or the line side of a 3-Way location. This product is cULus listed and NOM certified.
Product Features (Slide Dimmer pictured in white)
Specifications Manufacturer Cooper Wiring Devices Manufacturer Product No. SAL06P-A UPC 032664730924 Dimensions See side image
Compatible with Decorator style devices and wallplates
Rating 120V AC, 60Hz Light Intensity Control Full-range, continuously variable dimming Dimming Performance Square Law Dimming curve
Solid State Dimming
Surge Protection Meets ANSI/IEEE standard C62.41-1980, tested to withstand voltage surges up to 600V and current surges of up to 200A without damage Radio Frequency Interference Designed to reduce interference with radio, audio and video equipment Power-Failure Memory Light returns to same level prior to power interruption Lamp Ratings 300W dimmable LED/CFL
600W incandescent, halogen, dimmable fluorescent, electronic low-voltage, magnetic low-voltage
Wiring Types Single-pole and 3-Way LED Indicators Load status indicator Voltage Ratings Permanently marked on device Flammability Meets UL 94 requirements
V2 rated
Temperature Rating -4°F to 158°F
-20°C to 70°C
Testing Code and Compliance cULus listed to UL1472, file no. E47967
NOM certified
Color Almond
- 1x - SKYE Series Slide Dimmer, Almond
- 1x - Instructions
- 1x - SKYE Series Slide Dimmer, Almond


text:
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text:
HB 233 by Representative Hochberg
A Proposal to Decrease Testing and Increase Savings
By Scott Hochberg
With Texas school districts facing state funding cuts of as much as $30,000 per classroom, demands for larger classes and 4-day school weeks are echoing through the halls of the Capitol. But, before we rush into changes that we know will cut educational achievement, we should put everything else on the table, including the huge amount of time and money that we spend on standardized testing of every student every year.
I believe we can reduce testing for most students without hurting educational quality or accountability. That's why I've filed House Bill 233, which would exempt fourth-grade students from TAKS testing in reading, math, or both, if they scored well in those subjects in third grade, and similarly exempt sixth and seventh-grade students from TAKS if they scored well in fifth grade.
This is a reform that makes sense because after years of testing and collecting data, we now know that a student who scores well on the third-grade reading test will pass the fourth-grade reading test more than 95% of the time. That's true for math as well as reading, and it's true for every grade where similar comparisons have been studied. Data show that there's barely any difference from school to school, or classroom to classroom.
Before we even give the fourth-grade test, we know very reliably that a large group of the students will pass, and we know which students they are just by looking at their previous year's scores. So, why spend so much valuable class time, and real dollars "preparing" them for a test on which we already know they will do well?
Under HB 233, all students would continue to be tested in third, fifth and eighth grades. But in fourth, sixth and seventh grade, our schools would only be giving TAKS to those students who failed, or barely passed, the previous year's test. Our accountability system in those grades would be focused on just those students most at risk of dropping out later. Rather than masking their testing outcomes by a school's higher performers, the academically at-risk students will become the basis of the calculation of school ratings.
Supporters of more testing will argue that we must test in each grade to measure the performance of each teacher. But, since almost all high-performing students pass TAKS each year, the test really doesn't tell us much about the teacher's value for those kids. And, besides, isn't the true measure of a fourth grade teacher how well her students perform in fifth grade, not how well she prepares them for a one-day test in April of fourth grade?
We've followed basically the same testing process for 20 years. It's time we learned what all that testing has told us, and focus our testing on those students who really need extra help and evaluation. HB 233 will take us a long way in that direction.
( 回首頁 Houston eWIND )


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Capture: Someone, Somewhere, In Summertime
1260 Responses
First ←Older Page 1 … 27 28 29 30 31 … 51 Newer→ Last
Chris Waugh, in reply to
And their tails!
Gareth Morgan is hiding out on Rangitoto?
Nora Leggs, in reply to
This is the faceless cat queen Hazel.
Gone all coy...
Russell Brown, in reply to
Nice to see David Shearer, er, out…
I gather he asked the Rainbow Labour people if he could walk with them. He genuinely seemed to be having a great time, and talked to people in the crowd all along.
Nora Leggs, in reply to
Gareth Morgan is hiding out on Rangitoto?
Anything is possible!
Nora Leggs, in reply to
headless oysties
Nice cluster there! I snapped some oyster-catchers yesterday too, they don't show up very well on black rocks though...
Islander, in reply to
Neat! An ichneuman!
Today is the 75th anniversary of the Kopuawhara disaster, when 21 people working on construction of the last section of the Napier-Gisborne railway were drowned in a flash flood that came in the dark about 3.30 am and swept away the single men's section of the No. 4 works camp, on the southern side of the hills south of Gisborne. (Before and after photos via the link.) Another drowned in another works camp flooded by another stream on the northern side of the hills, in the same rainstorm.
Sunday - 140 people gathered at the monument in their memory, having walked over 2 km by foot track and the railway line after a long drive on forestry roads, with the requisite access permissions granted for the occasion. The monument was erected in 1942 when building the railway was completed, on an elevated site where it would be prominently in view from trains passing by on the formation here seen in the background.
The monument inscription - worth studying for the poignancy of that sure memorial, in these uncertain times for the railway they built.
Among the speakers were sister and brother,12 and 6 years old then, living at the No.3 camp a few kilometres downstream but safe on higher ground, with their memories of the day and its aftermath 75 years ago. 12 + 75 = 87, pretty impressive.
Email Web
ChrisW, in reply to
I see what you did there, thanks Jos. I like it both ways - the imperfect raw stitched version as if the obelisk in yearning/ streching for the sky had popped up a segment of the frame to accommodate its apex.
The site of No.4 camp in the Kopuawhara valley, from the railway line, looking downstream. Monument at the left across the stream, in 1938 there were tiny houses for married workers on the now scrub/ forest covered surface below it, linked by a road bridge across the stream to the single men's camp on the lower surface at the right, where there were about fifty flimsy huts and the cookhouse/dining room.
There was and still is a small channel in the surface at the back of the camp against the slope to higher ground. When the flood came over the bank into the camp there was also an uncrossable torrent scouring that channel deeper. There were men awake to wake and warn their workmates, but they were all trapped on an island between two uncrossable torrents in the dark when the bridge was swept away. And within 15 minutes or so the island was submerged in fast water neck deep and more.
Fewer than half those in the camp that Friday night/Saturday survived, most on the roof of the small corner of the cookhouse that held up against the speed of the water and the battering by flood debris. Some many gone somewhere in summertime ...
Jos, in reply to
Email Web
Islander, in reply to
Looks absolutely delicious (best potatoes about I reckon – we've grown them since my Grand-dad's time (he exited, stage left, in 1952 when I was 5…the original spuds came from Purakaunui…)
Email Web
Wow, that's really nice to know! :)
Islander, in reply to
There is a suspicion that they were introduced by American whalers (who were certainly around at that time, and who urm *interacted* with the locals: my greatgrand-dad was almost certainly the result of one such interaction (& his father was, genetically, part-Tahitian)...so: connects!
Motoitoi is the immediate ancestor - she did a kind of Pocohontas act over 'John Miller' -
Islander, in reply to
Almost barbed wire swallows-
Email Web
Musical notes, I've always fancied a wrought iron thing with a treble clef and 5 bars for random birds to settle on and make random music. if you were good you could play along.
Geoff Lealand, in reply to
Email Web
Must add those screenings to my website. Currently sitting in the sun on Cuba Mall, after visiting the newish Light House Cuba on Wigan Street, after the obligatory stop-off at Slowboat Records (in Wellington, to deliver my daughter to university).
Wonder how I spot PA types in the passing parade....
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text: Trailblazing athlete Althea Gibson became the first great African-American player in women's tennis. Raised primarily in Harlem section of New York City, she won a string of American Tennis Association titles on the African-American circuit. After being allowed entry to the major tournaments, she became the first black player to win Wimbledon and the French and U.S. Open titles. Gibson turned professional in 1959, and made more history by becoming the first African-American competitor on the women's pro golf tour in the 1960s. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971, and later served as Commissioner of Athletics for the state of New Jersey.


text:
You are here
The End of the 2014 Legislative Session: Six New Laws Explained
By now, I'm sure everyone has heard of at least one bill that has passed through the General Assembly and then signed by Governor Deal becoming a law. Whether that's a bill regarding guns, Medicaid, drug tests for food stamps or statues at the Capitol, you've probably heard something.
But what else became a law? Here's a list of some bills Governor Deal signed into law that you might not have heard about:
HB 459: No more sight-seeing in the left lane. If you are driving in the left lane and a car pulls up behind you going faster, you must, by law, move over. To prevent accidents caused by frustration, HB 459 now makes it illegal to drive slower than cars behind you in the left lane.
HB 697: Zell Miller Grant. Full tuition will be given to technical college students who maintain a 3.5 grade point average or higher. With current enrollment numbers, this grant is estimated to cover about 16,000 students.
HB 965: GA 911 Medical Amnesty Law. Those seeking assistance during a drug or alcohol overdose will now receive limited prosecutorial immunity. Georgia is the 15th state to implement such a law. We're also the 19th state to allow legal protection for those who take naloxone (a prescription drug that can reverse the effects after a drug overdose) — another stipulation of HB 965.
SB 23: "Stacey Nicole English Act". Taking "Mattie's Call" (a successful alert system for missing disabled adults) a step further, this bill includes missing persons who have serious medical conditions. It also eliminates all mandatory waiting periods (currently required by local law enforcement) before any kind of missing persons report can be filed.
SB 240: Alcohol for educational purposes in certain museums. This is a new law allowing non-profit history museums to not only produce, but also give away small samples of distilled spirits for educational purposes. Naturally, there are plenty of restrictions and, keep in mind, this can only be done if the local jurisdiction already allows distilling. However, licensing fees will be minimal and normal bond requirements for commercial distillers are waived.
SR 941: More Korean Visas. This resolution urges Congress to increase the number of visas allotted for Korean citizens with certain skills and specialties who work in the United States. Our legislators argue that by increasing the number of Korean visas, we would be growing the United States economy.
Governor Deal actually had 3 options when reviewing bills and resolutions sent to his desk. He could do nothing, sign or veto each bill. Unlike the president, the governor doesn't have a "pocket veto." If he does nothing, the bill will become law without his signature. An actual veto is required to kill a bill that was sent to him. Last year, he vetoed 5 bills. This year, he vetoed 10. Take a look at the Governor's website to get more details about each bill he vetoed.
You can also check out the Georgia General Assembly's website for a full list of bills the governor has signed every year since 2001. Sort by year with the Session dropdown menu near the top of the page.
Last updated April 3, 2018.
About the Author
Bethany McDaniel is the Editorial Director for GeorgiaGov. She graduated from Berry College in Rome, Ga., with degrees in Visual Communication and History.
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The legislative session is over and done, and all that's left to do is obey the new laws, most of which take effect July 1.
While many of this year's new laws will have little or minor impact on Georgians' day-to-day lives, there is one big act that could have a drastic effect on highway safety.


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Posts Tagged 'Water View Marquee'
Free Live Music from 'The Jumps' Saturday 18th AugustTuesday, August 14th, 2018
Free live music at Chepstow's National Diving and Activity Centre.
On Saturday 18th August we will be hosting The Jumps.
Founded by Del Walker (Drums), current line up of Lisa Harman (Vocals), Paul Brown (rhythm Guitar), Will Sissons (Bass guitar) and Lewis Weyman (lead Guitar) Playing all your classic Rock // Pop // Indie covers from all decades.
This FREE gig will start around 730pm.
We've lots of other live music events planned so keep an eye on the website and our Facebook Events Page.
NDAC features on E4's Don't Tell The Bride!Tuesday, September 26th, 2017
We've had to keep this under wraps, but the National Diving & Activity Centre (NDAC) has featured on E4's Don't Tell The Bride
"Thrill junkie Lee plans an extreme wedding for his unadventurous bride Aimee. Will their wedding have the wow factor or crash badly?"
Filmed at the site, the episode features our Water View Marquee and its breathtaking views over our lake, as well as some adrenaline inducing activities!!
The episode aired at 9pm on Wednesday 27th September, but you can watch it online afterwards on E4
If you're looking for a great venue to host your wedding reception or event, please get in touch.
Mad Hatter's Tea Party this Easter at the NDAC ChepstowThursday, February 16th, 2017
Follow the white rabbit to Wonderland this Easter and join us for a great night out at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party
"We're all Mad here!"
Get together with your friends or family, dress up and and embrace the fantasy experience of a Mad Hatters Tea Party at the National Diving & Activity Centre, Chepstow. You might even see the Mad Hatter himself with Alice!
"Eat me… Drink Me"
There will be food and drinks, lots of fun, a complimentary glass of Prosecco with strawberry for the adults and a small gift for each child.
The Mad Hatters Tea Party will be held in the Water View Marquee, with breathtaking views over our lake and specially dressed for the occasion. The room will be decked out with vintage china, cake stands, teapots, bunting and themed decorations.
FREE Entry to Drive-In Cinema
Following the Tea Party you can enjoy watching Johnny Depp star as the Mad Hatter at a FREE screening of Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland at our Drive-In Cinema.
All of this for just £20 per person.
- Mad Hatter's Tea Party with tea, coffee, juices, sandwiches and cakes.
- Includes a complimentary glass of Prosecco with strawberry for the adults.
- Free entry to see Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland at our Drive-In Cinema (8:30pm).
- Fancy dress or Vintage outfits are optional.
- Small gift for each child.
"Don't be late
for this very important date"
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party will be running from Good Friday to Easter Monday
Friday 14th April 2017(Good Friday)
Saturday 15th April 2017
Sunday 16th April 2017(Easter Sunday)
- Monday 17 April 2017 (Easter Monday)
Spaces available – Book this date»
"The time, the time,
who's got the time?"
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party starts at 6:45pm.
The Alice In Wonderland Drive-In Cinema screening will start at 8:30pm.
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
"I don't much care where –"
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go."
Follow the rabbit hole to Wonderland at the National Diving & Activity Centre, just outside Chepstow on the A48
National Diving & Activity Centre
Tidenham, Chepstow
Why not make a night of it? – We offer overnight accommodation in our Wooden Wigwam Village, with a range of wigwams to suit all budgets.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this event please contact us via our online form, or by calling
Please be advised that the NDAC office is closed Monday to Wednesday, so emails and phone calls may not be responded to during this time. Depending on when you make your enquiry it may take a few days before we can get back in touch with you.


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Various rules of Go are used around the world. The particular set of rules used generally does not affect how the game is played. We have a summary of the most important rules differences, with links to deeper studies of them.
In Britain, the Japanese rules have traditionally been used. Use of the 1989 version of the rules could give rise to problems, so in 2006 it was decided to adopt AGA-style rules as our default rule set for tournaments.
If you are running a Lightning Tournament we have Rules for Lightning Go Tournaments.
If the organisers of a Go tournament in Britain, recognised by us, do not specify otherwise, then the AGA-style rules as specified in RULES OF PLAY apply.
Black gives White 7½ points Komi (under traditional Japanese rules, the Komi was 6 or 6½ points).
Triple kos and other such repeated positions are prevented by a "Superko" rule: It is illegal for a player to play so as to recreate a board position of the game, previously created by a play of the same player. (Under our previous rules, repeating the board position led to a jigo.)
Japanese professional games traditionally use the byoyomi system. When a player has only a few minutes left the seconds are counted down, and any move made in less than a minute does not use up any of that player's time.
In Britain we use the Canadian Overtime system instead. When a player has used all of their main time allocation (typically one hour), they go into overtime. Overtime is made up of an unlimited number of overtime periods.
In each overtime period the player must play a specified number of moves within a specified time period. This number is established by counting out 'overtime stones' from the player's bowl and making these clearly visible to the opponent. The overtime periods might be five minutes in which to play thirty stones.
A move consists of placing a stone on an intersection and removing any consequent captures, or passing, and then pressing the clock. Note that the clock is not stopped for capturing a large number of stones. When passing, an overtime stone should be given to the opponent. A player who fails to play all the overtime stones within the overtime period loses the game on time. The loss is immediate - the opponent does not need to 'claim' a win.
Once all the overtime stones have been played, the clock is stopped. A fresh set of overtime stones is counted out and the clock is reset to the overtime period. Then the clock is restarted.
The above tasks are shared: while one player counts the stones, the other is resetting the clock. Stones should be counted promptly, and whilst the clock is stopped neither player should be analysing the game.
In most tournaments, each overtime period will be identical, with the same number of stones to be played in the same interval. For example, twenty stones in five minutes abbreviated by 20/5 is often used in longer games. In many tournaments the overtime is 30/5 and players can quite happily continue for many overtime periods!
If your tournament is time-critical, i.e. you need to pack up by a given time, you may consider using an accelerated system instead. For example 10/5, then 20/5, then 30/5, then 40/5, and so on, increasing by 10 stones each period.
The overtime period critically affects the tournament class as summarised in our ratings policy. If you had a main time of 65 minutes and accelerated overtime of 20/5, 40/5, 60/5 increasing by 20 stones each period, the tournament would qualify for class A rating.
A player who arrives late by more than half the main time allowance loses the game by forfeit. The player's opponent gets a free win, and this counts for prizes and pairing, but does not count for rating points.
There are two interpretations to late:
You would use late by start of round if you had a tight time schedule. If you do use late by start of clock then be aware that in the extreme case Black could arrive 29 minutes late for a 60 minute game and then White could arrive a further 29 minutes late. The game would effectively start when other games had been going for an hour!
Any dispute by a player in either their own game or in another game must be communicated to the referee as soon as possible and in any case before the results of the game are published.
On-lookers are strongly discouraged from making any comments of any kind about a game in progress. If there is a suspected rule violation, then this should be brought to the attention of the referee, and should never be discussed with the players.


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Chris is busy distributing bikes today, so I (David) will be your guide to day 1 of our Pisgah adventure. Our journey started before dawn on Thursday morning, as we wanted to get out to Brevard in plenty of time to set up camp before the kickoff event for the race, the "Tornado Time Trial" (named in honor of the Brevard College mascot, on whose campus we would be racing).
In the morning rain, Chris and I loaded up the car with our supplies. Now since this was going to be a 4 day race, we really had no clue how much stuff we needed to bring along; you don't want a broken shoe to ruin the rest of the event. As you can see below, we erred on the side of "if it fits in the car, let's bring it!" This was Chris' clothing supply for the race, and I brought an equal amount of my own, not to mention spare tubes, shoes, helmet… even spare derailleur hangers!
Add to that our food and camping supplies and we had one packed little car. Here's Chris putting the finishing touches on the packing by loading up our race bikes.
We each brought a spare bike just in case (like I said, you can't be too prepared), but our main race rigs were both 2009 GT Marathon Carbon Pro Mountain Bikes, basically in stock configuration. The only difference on my bike was the addition of Kenda Nevegal Stick-E 2.1 tires, in deference to what I'd heard about the rugged nature of the Pisgah trails.
4 ½ hours of rainy driving later and we arrived in lovely Brevard, NC. After a quick stop at our campsite to set up our tents and get changed, we shuttled over to the Brevard College campus to check out the prologue course.
We got to the course early so we could set up the GT Dirt Coalition tent right on the finish line and show off our GT rigs. A lot of folks stopped by to ogle and ask about our carbon wonder bikes; you've got to admit, they do look good under the sweet GT tent:
And wouldn't you know it, as soon as we got everything set up, the skies cleared and we had ourselves a beautiful evening for racing. Here's a shot of the surrounding vista (once the clouds cleared):
Now of course since it had been raining non-stop all day, this still meant that the course was a swampy mess! Since we had time, Chris and I took a reconnaissance loop of the course by foot; it was only about a mile long and was sort of a mash-up between a cyclocross course and singletrack. Here's a picture of Chris trying in vain to scramble up what turned out to be a muddy descent midway through the course:
After that, the course snaked into a small wooded hillside with a brand new singletrack switchback climb. Since it was brand new, the singletrack section was super-soft and the off-camber roots were super-slick, as we soon discovered on a (possibly ill-advised) warm-up lap.
But hey, we came here to race! So we suited up and headed out with the first race group of the afternoon (the different categories were broken up into different waves on this first day since the course was so short). The pace was fast from the gun and folks were slipping and sliding their way through the woods; I quickly lost contact with the leaders, but you could always tell where they were by the lead moto pacing the pack on his very cool fat-tire motorcycle:
Due to the sloppy conditions, the race was shortened down to 4 quick laps; I guess it was a bit of foreshadowing when even the 1 mile prologue course was wet and brutal! But we made it through in one piece and without any major time gap to the leaders, plus we looked good in our Performance Velo Club and GT Dirt Coalition kits, respectively (that's me on the left and Chris on the right):
Plus it got our bikes used to being nice and disgusting, a state they would maintain for the remainder of the race:
Seriously, there was no hope keeping our rides clean in these conditions; I was continually amazed (and slightly suspicious) when people showed up the for the next morning's stage with spotless bikes. But I'm getting ahead of myself, so we'll save that for a later post.
Anyway, after getting mildly cleaned up (all we could get to was the bathroom to Brevard College's baseball stadium), we settled in to watch the rest of the racing. Mmm, barbecue:
After a few more heats, it was finally time for the pros to toe the line. The biggest name (and fastest rider) was definitely Jeremiah Bishop, but also in the field were Sam Koerber, Christian Tanguy, Harlan Price and Atlanta Olympic champ Susan Haywood on the women's side. Needless to say, these guys were fast! They were churning out lap times in nearly half the time it took our field; but they are paid to ride bikes after all! Here they are hammering off the start line:
And in case you are wondering about those sweet looking wheels hanging in the foreground, those are from the boys out at Industry Nine, based near Brevard. I was a fan of this model; nothing says mountain biking like ultralight hubs laced to a tubeless carbon rim (hey, why not):
Back the race, here's a clip from the first corner, with Jeremiah Bishop (in a recurring theme for, I don't know, every day for the next 3 days) leading out the field:
Once they got in the woods you could really see the skill level of these guys; they just seemed to power through sections that left me bogged down and grabbing for more gears. It was like they were ghosts mysteriously flying through the trees; alright, maybe not (I saw plenty of guys slipping through the mud, even in the pro race), but I wanted to come up with a cheesy tag line for this cool photo I took during the race:
Bishop kept killing it through the race, making it look way too easy in the singletrack:
As he lapped some slower competitors, he cruised in for the blowout victory. Arm's up, Jeremiah:
On a side note, also during the pro race, I saw one of the famous white squirrels of Brevard! No, seriously, they are renowned for these snowy rodents. You can read all about them here. Chris still doesn't believe me since I have no photographic evidence, but I can't be too crazy if they have a whole festival dedicated to the cute critters. I'm not sure what a "squirrel box derby" is, but I'm guessing that a: it's awesome and b: you probably don't want to tell the ASPCA about it.
So there you have it, our first day of the Pisgah Stage Race was done, and literally all of Pisgah's epic backcountry awaited us. The only real bummer of the weekend occurred when we got back to our free campsite that night and found out that some obviously cold folks had decided to help themselves to our sleeping bags and cooking stove. It wasn't exactly how we wanted to start our first night, but we packed up (what was left) of our campsite and headed down to the Davidson River Campground (where we stayed for the rest of the race). It was definitely the right move, as all of the folks at the campground (employees and campers alike) were super-friendly and helpful. A special thanks goes out to Nancy, a front desk employee, who loaned me a sleeping bag and mattress for the duration of the race; if you are in town to check out the trails, I definitely recommend giving the Davidson River Campground a try.
After a quick reset of the campsite, we packed it in for the night, with dreams of sweet singletrack dancing in our heads.


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The folks at Pioneer have been hard at work coming up with new ways to enhance your entertainment experience. Evidence of their work is found in the new top-of-the-line Pioneer AVH-P8400BH multimedia receiver. The unit is built around a high-quality seven-inch touchscreen display, complete with Bluetooth®, Pandora® and HD Radio™. But, what many users may find possibly even more exciting is a new technology Pioneer calls MIXTRAX, which brings club DJ-inspired audio and visual effects to your music. Another shot of the cool factor comes from Pioneer's AppRadio Mode, which allows control over a variety of smartphone apps right from the screen. Let's get into the nitty gritty details to see what's what.
Let's start with the focal point of any good AV receiver: the display. The AVH-P8400BH sports a removable seven-inch TFT touchscreen LED backlit display. Outstanding picture quality is made possible with a resolution of 800x480 pixels, making it extremely sharp and detailed. Something that may not be evident until you start using the unit, however, is the special anti-glare coating that allows the display to be much easier to read in direct sunlight and other high-glare situations. You'll appreciate this feature almost every time you drive with the sun behind you or with the top down.
The unit's control of an iPhone or iPod is very smooth, polished and fast. I'm able to scroll through over 5,000 songs in a couple of seconds using the handy scroll bar. I should add here that, while the audio playback is blazing fast, the display does take a couple of seconds to "catch up" with the artwork and track info. To me that is not an issue, but it may be for some.
The Pioneer MIXTRAX feature creates a continuous mix of your music library and adds DJ-type audio and visual effects. By adding transitions between songs and other effects, the MIXTRAX function will take the music from your iPod, iPhone or USB device and make it seem like there's a virtual DJ in the car with you. To use MIXTRAX, you first use the included PC software to analyze your library. The software analyzes each song, including beats-per-minute (BPM), bar, beat position, vocal position and mood. The MIXTRAX extension is then added to the music file and then saved to a USB storage device. When you playback these analyzed tracks on the AVH-P8400BH, you will experience full-featured non-stop mixes complete with dancing album art and the ability to adjust the song's BPM on the fly! You can also experience MIXTRAX as an app for the iPhone 4/4S or iPod Touch (fourth generation), using AppRadio Mode to control the MIXTRAX from the receiver's touchscreen.
AppRadio Mode adapts technology originally developed for Pioneer's AppRadio™ to this receiver (and two other current models). When you've connected your iPhone with Pioneer's CD-IU201S cable (sold separately), you'll be able to control more than a dozen compatible apps like Pandora, MotionX GPS Drive, INRIX traffic, Rdio and more new apps to follow. At this time, these functions are only for iPhone or iTouch users, which is too bad for Android or Blackberry users. I'm hoping Pioneer is working on an Android compatible version, particularly for the Pandora app, which currently cannot be used without an Apple device connected.
Built-in Bluetooth connectivity provides full hands-free telephony and the AVH-P8400BH will download and store your phonebook. Bluetooth connectivity also means you can stream audio from your phone using A2DP and AVRCP for control, which allows practically any smartphone user to stream audio from their favorite music apps through the AVH-P8400BH. The convenience and safety of Bluetooth hands-free calling is something that, once you've experienced, you won't want to be without.
Other cool and handy features include: HD Radio Artist Experience, which displays the song/artist/album metadata and album art that is transmitted by participating HD Radio broadcasters and iTunes tagging, which, speaking from experience, really helps build your music collection. In addition, you have the option to add Pioneer's AVIC-U220 hideaway navigation module to enable the AVH-P8400BH to have full navigation capabilities. And, to make backing up safer and easier, a rear-view camera can also be added to the unit's dedicated rear camera input. If your car has steering wheel controls, you can also retain that convenience by using an optional third party adaptor.
But, there's a lot more to the Pioneer AVH-P8400BH than just a bunch of high-tech wizardry and a great display. The audio section is just as fully-featured and well-designed as the rest of the unit. With a built-in four-channel 18-watt amplifier and front, rear and subwoofer preamp outputs sporting a full four volts of drive, the AVH-P8400BH will easily serve as a great source for a serious audio system.
Powerful DSP functions bring an eight-band equalizer with +/- 12 dB of boost as well as high and low pass crossovers, each with five selectable frequencies. The unit also features an innovative finger EQ setting feature that makes it effortless to quickly change sound settings by simply drawing (swipe of a finger) a desired EQ curve on the display. There are controls for woofer phase and level as well as a bass boost control that's separate from the built-in EQ.
The AVH-P8400BH is very easy to use and the mix of hard button and touchscreen controls are well laid out and intuitive. The unit does not have a rotary volume control, but it does have large hard key-type buttons that are clearly marked, have good tactile feel and, thankfully, are easy to find, ensuring your eyes and attention are on the road. The screen controls can also use swiping motions, which can be simpler to use, but it takes a bit of practice to master. The unit is very customizable, with 112 available colors and a favorites bar that allows you to customize the displayed menu options for items you use most frequently. You can adjust button colors to be different from the color of the background display and the front panel can be set at one of five different angles, providing a perfect position regardless of your viewing angle.
As one would expect from a head unit with this much technology, the AVH-P8400BH provides excellent sound quality regardless of the source. The sound of the CD section is pleasing with what sounds like just a hint of sibilance on the top end. Bass is warm and natural sounding with excellent detail and dynamics. DVD and DivX videos are reproduced excellently. For the fun of it, I play a couple of fairly-damaged CDs and the Pioneer's transport mechanism has no problem reading them, so I'd have to say the laser mechanism and error correction is pretty good. My iPod sounds great and, interestingly, does not seem to have the top end sibilance the CD section has. As usual, the Pioneer tuner brings in all my favorite local stations, regardless of AM, FM or HD Radio source.
Things get interesting once I move to the test bench. The sonic measurements of the CD mechanism show it is not as flat as other Pioneer units I have seen in the past. The response has a small bump in the bass region around 75 Hz and a distinct rise from about three kHz to 15 kHz. This is certainly audible, but I actually think many people will find this curve quite pleasing, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. Then, as I had expected from my listening session, the USB and auxiliary inputs measure almost ruler flat, thus confirming the response anomaly is restricted to the CD section. Signal-to-noise measures good as does the output impedance and crosstalk. The built-in amp meets its rated power numbers and provides a flat response. THD+N distortion measures low at 0.05% at one watt.
All in all, the Pioneer AVH-P8400BH stands proud in this well-populated market segment. For under 700 bucks, you get a class-leading display, intuitive and easy-to-use controls, very good audio performance and all the bells and whistles you'd expect. And, while I'm still hoping Pioneer builds a Pandora-enabled unit for non-iPhone users, it definitely deserves your full consideration.
CEA-2006A power per channel (all channels driven @ 4 ?)....... 18.4 W x 4 ch.
A Wtd S/N ratio (ref. to 2 V/1 W @ 4 ?) amplified output…...... -81.5 dBA (CD)
THD+N (ref. to 2 V/1 W @ 4 ? 1 kHz ) ……………………….. 0.05%
Frequency response (-3 dB) …………………………………...... 20 Hz – 15.4 kHz (CD)
20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)
Max usable RCA output voltage ……………………………… 4 Vrms
A Wtd S/N ratio (ref. to full output voltage)………………….. -89.1 dBA (CD)
Output impedance ……………………………………………… 92 ?
Frequency response (-3 dB) ………………………………….. 20 Hz – 15.7 kHz (CD)
20 Hz – 20 kHz (Aux)


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Benana (Elliott) McCroskey is a darn difficult woman to find! All I have are tantalizing tidbits. I have a funeral notice...
I have an obituary...
which I admit is really more than tidbits. The tantalizing tidbits are actually found in one of Alexander Judd Doran's notebooks. It simply states:
Benana Elliott Parents names. Father Benjamin Elliott.
Her mother was Angeline Crenshaw.
Benjamin Elliott died about Feb 1846
Angeline died 1864
While Benana Elliott was in a Federal prison in Marshall Mo Saline Co. She was 18 yrs old she never got to go to her mothers funeral. A negro slave came to the prison and told her that her mother was dead.
What?! Federal prison?! At 18?! Where?? And for what??
I don't have the faintest idea. I don't even know where to start. Benana (Elliott) McCroskey is a darn difficult woman to find!


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The intense meeting between Pope Francis and victims of clergy sexual abuse in early July at the Vatican marked a new chapter in the Church's response to the tragic scandal that has been part of Catholic life now for more than a decade.
Pope St. John Paul II worked in his last years to help the Church craft an adequate response to clergy sex abuse, even as he was criticized by some for the long delay in galvanizing the Church's resources. He was aided in the reform process by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger who, after becoming Pope Benedict XVI in 2005, moved swiftly to investigate and then punish Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, founder of the Legionaries of Christ, on charges of horrendous sexual abuse and misconduct and to implement international norms for dealing with cases.
Francis thus came to the papacy in March 2013 with a proven system in place for handling abuse, certainly in the United States. The result of the reforms in the United States has been striking as the annual audits of dioceses over the last years have shown a decline in new cases of abuse to the low single digits, a sea change from the early 2000s.
The question now to be asked is where the Church's response goes from here, especially under Francis?
The pope certainly is continuing the efforts of the recent popes to deal with the crisis, but he has also put his own stamp on the Church's pastoral approach to victims.
The pontiff is committed to following the laws of the Church in removing abusers as part of what he has repeatedly described as a "zero-tolerance" policy. In his homily at Mass with the victims of abuse at the Casa Santa Marta on July 7, the pope said, "There is no place in the Church's ministry for those who commit these abuses, and I commit myself not to tolerate harm done to a minor by any individual, whether a cleric or not. All bishops must carry out their pastoral ministry with the utmost care in order to help foster the protection of minors, and they will be held accountable."
Francis referenced this willingness to act against bishops during his in-flight press conference returning from the Holy Land at the end of May.
And he moved sharply and transparently in removing the apostolic nuncio to the Dominican Republic, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, when he was charged with sex abuse. Wesolowski was recalled by the Vatican, tried by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and laicized in June. He may also be extradited to the Dominican Republic or Poland. This was an unprecedented trial, and it is likely that similar steps will follow with other bishops in the future.
Institutionally, Francis assured the victims that the Church would "continue to exercise vigilance in priestly formation," and that he is dedicated to developing better policies and procedures for the protection of minors and for the training of Church personnel.
"We need to do everything in our power," he said, "to ensure that these sins have no place in the Church."
Just as significant, Francis is determined to expand the Church's pastoral care of victims. Last December, he established the Commission for the Protection of Minors and filled it in March with genuinely serious leaders in dealing with the crisis, including Cardinal Séan O'Malley of Boston and the Irish woman Marie Collins, who was abused as a girl. The commission will advise the pope on ways to improve the Church's approach to the problem, with a particular eye on bettering pastoral care and concern.
One of the keys for Francis in this pastoral solicitude is to meet with victims, something certain to become a regular feature of Francis' more expansive outreach. Pope Benedict XVI met six times during his pontificate with those who had been abused, including a session during his 2008 visit to the United States.
Francis, however, gave several days to the victims. He celebrated Mass for them, shared several meals with them and then spent almost 3 1/2 hours meeting with them one-on-one. Dismissed by the usual critics as a "publicity stunt," the sessions were described by Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, as "a very profound, spiritual and kind dialogue with a pastor." Look for Francis to hold additional encounters, including one during his anticipated visit to the United States next year.
For average Catholics, the pontificate of Pope Francis is a renewed opportunity to tell the truth of what is being done to prevent abuse and especially to care for the victims. And the pope is showing the way in the need to redouble our commitment to resist what he calls "execrable acts of abuse which have left lifelong scars" and to promote healing for the abused. There are still many victims in need of our prayers and attention.
Matthew Bunson is OSV's senior correspondent.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.


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Breast milk continues to be a valuable source of nutrition and disease protection for as long as a child breastfeeds. Find information and support for breastfeeding beyond the first year here!
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