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Brad Keselowski: the NASCAR champion speaks his peace.... (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
By Mike Mulhern
RICHMOND, Va.
NASCAR has been cracking so heavy on its stock car teams lately that paranoia might well be building in the Sprint Cup garage.
Of course it's not paranoia if they really are after you LOL.
Let's ask Brad Keselowski, Whipping Boy #1, for his take on the latest NASCAR controversy. After all he's got a few days before his own appeals court showdown with that three-man panel of NASCAR judges....
"There's no doubt there's been a pretty significant ratcheting (up) effect to the penalties in the sport," the sport's defending champion says.
"It takes a lot to really surprise me nowadays... whether it was the penalty we received the past week or the one that happened to the Gibbs group.
"I understand both sides, in a sense, but then again I don't.
"What the sport really lacks right now is a way for us to curb fair play -- to balance the fair play the sport needs so that our fans can really relate to it without presenting this -- I don't want to call it an illusion, but presenting this almost like a façade.... as though there's cheating in the sport.
"I think it's pretty obvious when you look at Matt Kenseth's issue, the parts were not that influential to the performance, and probably didn't win him the race.
"Anyone could probably say that; but from NASCAR's side, they know if you give an inch, you've got to give a mile.
"Basically what we lack in the sport is some kind of proportionate response to manage that.
"It's a pretty significant penalty."
Matt Kenseth (L) and crew chief Jason Ratcliff (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
Indeed, if the full penalties are upheld, Kenseth and his team are all but out of championship contention. Two DNFs already, and now a potential loss of six weeks of car owner race points.
....not to mention what sponsor Home Depot might think of this mess. After all Home Depot has become almost a vanishing act as sponsor, and execs aren't pleased at watching arch-rival Jimmie Johnson win championship after championship.
Certainly NASCAR officials weren't paying much attention to sponsorship issues in the Kenseth situation, nor should they. Still, sponsorship is critical in this sport and increasingly fragile.
Keselowski repeats his position that something is amiss in NASCAR's rash of harsh penalties, but he's not sure just what.
The long-standing stance is that NASCAR will not allow teams to mess with engines, tires or fuel, and teams are well aware of 'the death penalty' looming over anyone who violates that.
For example, when car owner Junior Johnson's engine was found illegal post-race after the 1991 Charlotte All-Star race, Johnson, his crew chief and his driver were all suspended for 12 weeks. That penalty was cut, on appeal, to four weeks. Still the driver -- Tommy Ellis -- was not allowed to race.
At least Kenseth wasn't suspended by NASCAR...
Keselowski suggests NASCAR could find "other ways to take control of the situation."
Part of the problem these days might be that NASCAR isn't laying out the specific illegal parts for rivals to look at and consider.
That creates questions.
"More times than not, there's usually a series of events that lead up to such an instance," Keselowski says. "And that might have been the case.
"And those series of events are usually behind closed doors.
"But then obviously this situation is not behind closed doors."
Well, all the facts in the Kenseth situation may not be out in the open either.
And Keselowski says some pieces to the puzzle may remain secret. (Does anyone have the full story yet on Clint Bowyer's 2010 New Hampshire violations?)
"So it's difficult (to assess the Kenseth situation), because I don't think any of us probably know the full circumstance.. and there's a strong chance we probably never will.
"From my experience, there's usually a lot more than what you can see."
Transparency has never been a NASCAR strong point.
Keselowski may be right in that NASCAR executives should reassess the concept of penalties, rather than continue using a playbook from the distant past.
"I feel we need something in our sport similar to what the NBA or the NFL has -- 'fouls,' or 'yardage' penalties, or whatever," he says.
"We need something like that in our sport: something to control people from getting too far out, but without sending this large message that I think we send when we have issues like this that make people kind of question the competitors and where they're at.
"I know I personally don't enjoy answering the questions from fans in the scenarios we've been presented over the last few weeks: 'Does this mean you're a cheater?'
"I don't think that's fair. You look at the best players in the NBA: Michael Jordan committed fouls and you don't see the fans look at him and call him a cheater. It's just kind of part of the game.
"When you're pushing to the limits, sometimes things just step over, whether it's intentional or not.
"It sounds like that's what happened with Matt.
"And unfortunately we don't have a system to really keep that in check without it becoming almost a death penalty situation."
Paul Wolfe, Brad Keselowski's crew chief, facing six-week suspension for a questioned rear end at Texas (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
Keselowski is all over it, and what is needed is clearly defined and proportionate penalties for whatever the violation. NASCAR shouldn't be randomly selecting point values for penalties after the fact when it comes to tech violations with the car. They should be defined clearly in writing, and applied for everyone. Assigning the values to the infractions after the fact is ridiculous. Can you imagine the officials discussing a pass interference penalty after the play is over and deciding that the penalty will be for 30 yards? Then the next time it happens it's 20 yards. Then the next time it's 5. That's pretty much how NASCAR assesses things. There are not set penalties for tech infractions. It makes no sense, and makes NASCAR look like they play favorites when the point values for tech penalties differ from race to race and team to team.
© 2010-2011 www.mikemulhern.net All rights reserved.
Web site by www.webdesigncarolinas.com


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Come here to talk about anything related to the latest installment of the Deus Ex series!
29th Jul 2019, 10:37
Come here to talk about anything related to the popular Deus Ex series!
12th Jul 2019, 18:53
Having technical problems with a Deus Ex game? Come here and someone might be able to help you.
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text: We have beautiful English Springer Spaniel puppies. Our pups come in Liver & White or Black & White or even a Tri colored. We breed our dogs with families in mind. They have great temperaments and are in excellant health. I hope if you are interested in a Springer for your family, you will look over our pups and use the e-mail link to let us know what you think.


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GfK MRI's focus on excellence has made it the leading producer of media and consumer research in the United States. All the research conducted by GfK MRI reflects an enduring commitment to producing reliable and actionable information about the world's most dynamic consumer market.
GfK MRI's Survey of the American Consumer® is the industry standard for magazine audience ratings in the U.S. and is used in the majority of media and marketing plans in the country. In response to the evolving needs of its clients, GfK MRI has developed a number of innovative research products and services that use the Survey as their foundation.
The Survey's vast database of media usage, demographics, psychographics and consumer behavior makes it a powerful resource for penetrating insight into the actions and motivations of adult American consumers.
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Music Dispatch has everything a band or orchestra director needs to plan a successful program! From the bestselling Essential Elements methods to a full-line of original and pop band arrangements to solo and director resources, you'll find everything you need here.
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In the Lamrim teachings it says that just seeing an image of a Buddha places a potentiality on the mind that is a definite cause of enlightenment, and which nothing can destroy.
Tharpa's authentic and extensive collection of prints comes in a range of over 100 designs, depicting various Buddhas, Buddhist Deities, Buddhist Masters, symbols and quotes. Prints are available in various sizes and formats including mini cards, postcards, art prints, large format prints and canvases. These blessed images can be used meaningfully as a reminder of a particular Buddha you can carry with you, a meaningful focal point for your place of contemplation, or a centrepiece for your meditation room.
Click on each image to see the formats available or use the menu on the left to browse by category.
35 Confession Buddhas 2Looking with faith at the images of these Buddhas and reciting their names has a positive and purifying effect on our mind. Our mind will be filled with inspiring blessings, thus making us more peaceful and relaxed. We will also awaken our potentiality to see actual Buddhas in the future, and create the causes within our own mind to develop the sublime enlightened qualities these beings possess. The Thirty-five Confession Buddhas are the main objects visualized in the practice known as The Bodhisattva's Confession of Moral Downfalls, one of the most powerful methods for purifying our mind of all negativity. Learn More
Starting at: £1.80
A3 Amitayus (with Gurus & Buddhas) - LARGE POSTERThe Buddha of Long Life, Wisdom and Merit Learn More
Amitabha 1Buddha of Infinite Light, the manifestation of the speech and the discrimination of all the Buddhas. Learn More
Amitabha 2Buddha of Infinite Light, the manifestation of the speech and the discrimination of all the Buddhas. Learn More
Amitayus 2The Buddha of Long Life, Wisdom and Merit Learn More
Asanga - A6 SMALL POSTCARDA famous Indian Buddhist master of the fifth century who had a very close connection to Buddha Maitreya. Learn More
Atisha - A6 SMALL POSTCARDThe great Indian Buddhist Master who re-introduced pure Buddhism into Tibet in the eleventh century.. Learn More
Atisha 2Atisha, the founder of the Kadampa tradition who wrote the first text on Lamrim, the stages of the path to enlightenment. Learn More
Avalokiteshvara (1000-armed) 1The Compassion Buddha, the embodiment of the universal compassion of all enlightened beings. Learn More
Avalokiteshvara (1000-armed) 2The Compassion Buddha, the embodiment of the universal compassion of all enlightened beings. Learn More


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Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column "Connecting the Dots" for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute "Words of Encouragement" on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
Mary's Immaculate Conception and preservation from sin is a unique gift that the Lord, in his sovereignty, is free to give as he pleases. It is also, as I now saw, a sign pointing to the magnitude of Christ's power to save us all completely from sin. But still, there's a temptation here to say, "Why her and not me? How come I have to struggle with the effects of original sin and she didn't?" I don't have an answer to that, any more than I have an answer to the question, "Why were Abraham or Moses or David chosen for their call and gifts and not me?" All I know is that, biblically speaking, the chosen are always chosen for the sake of the unchosen. Thus, Abraham is chosen so that all the unchosen nations of the earth will bless themselves through him. Likewise, Moses and Israel are chosen so that they may be a priestly people for all the unchosen nations of the world. And David is chosen so that the Son of David may lead all the unchosen nations to the kingdom of God.
It's the same with Mary. The complete and perfect salvation God displays in her—a salvation that's entirely preventive and not curative—is not a sign of our exclusion. It is the sign that Jesus' awesome power to save is just as available to us who have been permitted, in the mysterious Providence of God, to struggle with the mystery of original sin. Because Mary is the icon of the Church and highest of God's creatures (yet not herself divine), she could, in her very person, give the lie to the philosophies of pride and their promise of liberation through rebellion by showing that:
• The human person is in the image of God.
• The human person comes from God and is made for union with God.
• The depth of Christ's power to save from sin is most fully displayed in Mary, so we may know he holds that same power to save us, no matter how grave our sin.
• The human person is the product of fathomless divine love.
• Sin, though real, is neither the foundational nor the final truth about man. Jesus Christ is.
• The human person is defined by love, not enmity.
• The human person is called to love God and neighbor.
• The human person is a reflection of the reason, order, and love of God himself.
• The human person finds his life in losing it and receiving the love of God.
• The human person only becomes more human through love, mercy, and humility.
• The human person grows in love by caring for the "least of these" since they are precious to Christ, who humbled himself to be born in a stable.
• The human person should seek self-donating love here on earth and a reward in heaven, because this life is not all there is.
• It is humble for us to think of ourselves as "made in God's image" because that is what we are. Humility recognizes our need of grace.
• Since God is the Lord of nature, we are merely stewards of creation. We find ourselves not by worshipping nature or ourselves but by worshipping God, who made and redeemed us through Jesus Christ.
In sum, as nineteenth-century man was busily laying the intellectual foundations of the culture of death, the Holy Spirit moved the Church to hold up Mary as the icon of how profoundly Christ could save us. As the one who is uniquely full of grace, she bore unique testimony to Christ's saving grace. As the woman who surrounds the man, she again acted as a hedge around the truth of Christ's saving power. And as the model disciple, she showed us how profoundly Christ's saving power can cleanse us of our sin and showed forth the true dignity of our origins in God, not in chaos. For as she is, so can the grace of Christ make us, bearing witness to the truth of St. Irenaeus' saying, "The glory of God is a human being fully alive."


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Copy Right© Do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden as they are the rightful product of Masashi Kishimoto. The only thing that I Yamijin own upon this site is its creation, boards, forums and guides as well as any custom creations which have been made that are not canon to Naruto. Any custom creations made by members of the site are their own however the idea of Naruto and Naruto Shippuden belongs purely to Masashi Kishimoto.©
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Water, water everywhere, but not a thing to do…that's how rainy days so often feel in our house. But given the recent weather, we've been trying to be creative and inventive when it comes to rainy-day activities. Rather than diving in to the muddiest of puddles (Peppa Pig has a lot to answer for), my children have been honing their building, making and cooking skills. Here are a few fun ideas you could try next time the day's a washout (i.e. tomorrow!).
1. Building A Den
There is something about cardboard boxes, suspended sheets and confined spaces that hold a mystical quality for children like no other. My two have spent many an afternoon happily ensconced in a cardboard box, pulling each other around the kitchen. We've stepped things up a gear in recent weeks, by building a den.
The easiest way to do this us to hang a bed sheet over two chairs, facing away from each other. Scatter cushions, or use a duvet on the floor inside to make it extra cosy, and pull out the fairy lights from your Christmas decoration box. You will have a guaranteed hour of peace, while they happily sit quietly under a sheet. Cardboard boxes can be used for tunnels and connecting corridors (we used a particularly large one as a princess castle, which was coloured in to pink perfection). For an extra treat, make a picnic and eat it in the tent. Something that always goes down well are "toasted" marshmallows (ordinary ones on chopsticks in our case). My two love them.
2. Homemade Popcorn
I love cooking, and think its so important to get kids involved with it from a young age. However, I do find that my two get bored after a few minutes, especially if there are lots of things they can't do (knives, hot pans etc). So, homemade popcorn is a brilliant option. It's far more nutritious than cakes or biscuits, quick to make and, best of all, lots of fun. There are lots if varieties of popcorn available, from bags that you put in the microwave, to blue-corn kernels, which you heat in a lightly oiled pan until popped. Once you've popped the corn, the world is your oyster in terms of flavours. Melt some butter (I use about 25g for every 100g of popcorn kernels), and add sugar for a caramel flavour, peanut butter for a nutty taste, or some chia and flax seeds with a squeeze of honey for a healthier treat. For a fun option, a drop of food colouring in the butter will make the popcorn any colour you choose.
3. Paper chains
Barely a day goes by without one of my children giving me a "work of art", normally a scribble on a piece of paper. They love being creative, and it keeps them busy and happy, so it works for me, too. But, rather than just painting or colouring, we have been making lovely decorations for their bedrooms. Seeing their proud faces as we hang paper chains and bunting up in their rooms is the icing on the cake.
Paper chains are great for younger children, as they are really simple and don't involve anything too messy. You can buy ready-glued strips, which you just lick and stick, but if you feel a bit more adventurous, and want some prettier chains, scraps of wallpaper work brilliantly, and you can match the chains to your child's bedroom decor. Simply use glue or sticky tape to make the interlocking loops. For bunting, again wallpaper scraps work brilliantly, or any paper. Cut out diamond shapes. Fold them in half, and use sticky tape (or staples) to secure some ribbon or string inside the triangles, in the fold. You can then decorate the bunting with their names or anything your children can come up with. The White Company Princess finger painting kit went down very well with my daughter.


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Russia's environment ministry has ordered the urgent evacuation of 16 scientists from a research station on an Arctic ice floe near Canada because the ice around it is disintegrating at an alarming rate, giving the station little chance of survival.
The emergency has sparked a wider debate among Russian Arctic researchers over how to continue their work amid rapidly changing climate conditions, and in an atmosphere in which the race for newly uncovered Arctic resources has become one of the most politically charged issues on the international agenda.
"It's getting harder and harder to find a proper block of ice to sustain one of these stations," says Viktor Boyarsky, a former polar explorer and current director of the Russian State Museum of the Arctic and Antarctic in St. Petersburg.
"There are fewer suitable ice locations, and they are much more mobile than in the past. The SP-40 expedition [being evacuated] lasted barely 9 months, and there are no proper ice floes in the area that they can move to. We'll go on sending these expeditions, but it's going to be much more costly. The best idea is to have a station that lasts for two or three years, but that's probably a thing of the past," he says.
The drifting "North Pole" SP-40 station, which is one of Russia's main field bases for studying all aspects of the Arctic environment, had been calculated to be solid and able to support work through to the end of September. It was established nine months ago, but the team of permanent researchers arrived only last month.
However, the ice floe suddenly began to break up as the surrounding icepack melted at a rate that surprised scientists, forcing the decision to abandon the base.
"The deterioration of the ice has put at risk the station's further work and the lives of its staff," the environmental ministry said in a statement.
According to the official RIA-Novosti agency, the nuclear-powered icebreaker Yamal will be dispatched to remove the station, which is now drifting near Canada's economic zone in the polar region. The Yamal is expected to reach the stranded scientists by about June 10.
Arctic specialists say that the drifting research stations are one of their most valuable information-gathering tools, but they have always been a risky endeavor. Several have been abandoned due to unforeseen ice conditions in the past.
However, this time most point to the accelerating meltoff of Arctic ice due to climate change as the prime source of the miscalculations about SP-40's survivability. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the past 10 years have been the warmest on record and Arctic ice sheets reached their lowest level on record last September.
Russia has been ahead of most other countries in accepting the climate change data that foretells the formerly icebound Arctic is going to be open water in future summers – and has embraced the strategic and economic advantages associated with that.
They include a northeast shipping route over the top of Siberia that will cut as much as two weeks off sea voyages between the far east and Europe, and the opening up of vast new fisheries, undersea petroleum deposits, and other hitherto inaccessible resources.
Russia aims to annex a vast zone of formerly international territory in the Arctic as its own "economic zone" and is negotiating with other northern states to divide the region up peacefully. But, just in case, it has also established a special Arctic military command with a permanent rapid deployment force.
"In a competition for resources, it cannot be ruled out that military force could be used to resolve emerging problems that could destroy the balance of forces near the borders of Russia and her allies," then-President Dmitry Medvedev said in 2008.
The chief of Russia's drifting ice research program, Vladimir Sokolov, says stations like SP-40 are about scientific research and nothing else, and are especially important for scientists to determine the rate and extent of climate change.
"For our planet, the poles are the refrigerators and the equator is the heater. The processes of exchange in the atmosphere and the oceans is what redistributes heat, so that the polar zones don't freeze completely and the equator doesn't become a desert…. Expeditions like this are crucial because they enable us to follow the circulation processes in the atmosphere and the oceans, and estimate the impact of changes in the Arctic. We need to find a way to continue these studies," he says.
If current trends continue, Russia will have to start building artificial platforms that can withstand Arctic ice conditions, experts say.
"We've been talking about this for the past 20 years, but now it's becoming really critical," says Viktor Dmitriyev, scientific secretary of the official Institute of the Arctic and Antarctic in St. Petersburg.
"It's a tricky technical problem. You need a platform that cannot be crushed by ice and will be virtually unsinkable to provide a base for scientists to live and work over long periods. It will be expensive. But we spend so much money on projects like the Sochi Olympics, it's to be hoped that we can find a bit of spare money for something as important as this," he adds.


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Calling all Genea-Musings Fans:
It's Saturday Night again -
time for some more Genealogy Fun!!
Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):
1) Go to Jill Ball's Geniaus blog post describing A Small Social Media Geneameme. Note the 8 questions.
2) Answer one, two, some or all of the questions in your own blog post, in comments to this post, in comments to Jill's post, in a Facebook Status post, or a Google+ Stream post.
Here's mine:
1) Go to Jill Ball's Geniaus blog post describing A Small Social Media Geneameme. Note the 8 questions.
2) Answer one, two, some or all of the questions in your own blog post, in comments to this post, in comments to Jill's post, in a Facebook Status post, or a Google+ Stream post.
Here's mine:
1. Tell us about your favorite social media tool and why you like it.
I spend a lot of time on Facebook, but I have to admit that blogging edges FB out as my favorite, simply because I am recording my family's history for future generations, and I have met several "new" cousins through writing my blog.
4. What aspect of Social Media makes you grit your teeth?
The political stuff that gets shared on Facebook. Most of the time, it is hateful, inappropriate, and if someone posts a comment that differs in opinion from the original poster, feelings often can get hurt. I consider Facebook a way to connect with friends and family that I am unable to see on a regular basis, if at all. A place to share both hardships and victories... kind of like the annual Christmas card newsletter! I do not think it is the place to force my opinion on others.
Also, I do not like the way Facebook and other social media has made us lose our manners. It seems that many people no longer know the proper way to send an invitation or a thank you. It has made us lose many of the social graces of communication.
5. How does social media assist with your CGD (continuing genealogical development)?
It brings me news from the genealogy world and links to my fellow genealogists' blog posts, thanks to my many genealogy friends on Facebook! Also, writing a blog forces me to research topics before I post them and that expands my genealogy knowledge.
6. How do you fit social media time into your busy day?
Having a smartphone has definitely made it easier for me to keep up with the world. I can now check Facebook, my e-mail, and even blog comments I receive during my work day (though with my hectic job, I usually only have time to check during my lunch!). Otherwise, the vast majority of my social media time is during the evenings and on the weekends when I check e-mail and Facebook, read blog posts, and post to my blog. I never have time to check anything out in the mornings before work. I am not a Twitter user other than to tweet links to my blog. I also am not a regular Google+ user. It has just not caught on with me. Again, I use it mostly to post links to my blog.
7. Do you have a story of how social media enabled you to connect with a long lost relation or fellow researcher?
There have been several! I met my "famous" cousin, Keith Tapley, through my blog. I have had several other long lost cousins post comments and share information with me on their family lines. It has been especially exciting to hear from cousins from family lines that I knew little to nothing about, such as Page and Schoonover. Of course, there are several who have left me one comment or e-mail and then never contacted me again. I would love to hear from them!
8. You have a minute to share a piece of advice about genealogy and social media. Go for it.
Keep in touch with friends and family, but don't become too invested in Facebook or other social media. They have their place and are useful, but their usefulness ends if you find yourself upset over what someone posted or whether someone defriended you. Researching my family has taught me more than anything that life is precious and short... use the time wisely (like on your genealogy!).


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Previous Month Date Night Next Month
The Cooking School
- May 18th, 2019
Date Night
5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Cooking a meal with your sweetheart can be a fun and romantic experience. This class will feature recipes and techniques that you can use to cook together at home.
Participation Level: Heavy
Each participant or group of participants will produce the entire roster of items within the given subject of each class. Students should feel comfortable working within a specific time frame, and working from recipes, chef's demos, and subject discussion. A great option for people with a bit more experience cooking and who feel comfortable multitasking in a kitchen environment.
Please note that if a minimum number of participants is not met 24 hours prior to the class, the class may be canceled and participants will be fully refunded. Should you need to cancel your class reservation, you may do so within 72 hours of the scheduled class start time without penalty and a full refund will be extended. If you cancel less than 72 hours in advance, the full cost of the class will be forfeited.


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Pollinator Habitat Sign
Do your part to Bring Back the Pollinators! Pollinators around the world are essential to our environment and they are in need of our help. Pollinator habitat is threatened by development and pesticide use. Take the Pollinator Protection Pledge to support these amazing creatures and order your sign now!
Produced by the Xerces Society, this durable 9″ x 12″ habitat sign is designed for outdoor use. You can hang it in your garden, on your farm, in a park, or anywhere you have habitat. The sign has two holes for hanging, but does not include a post or hardware.


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I have yet to see a process past or present that beats a contact print on platinum.
I couldn't get past a minute or two of the soporific man.
What does that have to do with anything? We'll all join him sooner or later.
...this was a nice glimpse, peek through the surface and between the spaces hidden there with a perfectly wonderful gentleman who radiated a personal calm and contentment as he walked us through his process/way of vision...I find it illuminating to feel the vision of others as they express and recall that vision...he understood layers and feathering radius well ahead of me, but what really resonated was his easy means of dwelling in his vision without needing to give that space a name...the tools we try to apply if we live long enough disappear and what they allow to fly free become easy extensions of our expression....So thank you Dave for this visit which I am personally glad to have shared...
In this case, the fault is with the viewer not the viewed. This is not a glib response.Peter
I guess, for your mentality, they should have tightly scripted the piece and added a techno-music sound track.


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Quilt Designer: Kim Diehl
From American Patchwork & Quilting, December 2006
1-1/2x20" rectangle green print (foundation)
1-1/2x20" rectangle light tan print (foundation)
8--1-1/2" squares assorted prints (foundation)
5x7" rectangle white batting (snowman body applique)
7x12" rectangle cranberry print (hat applique, handle)
Scraps of orange and gold prints (nose and star appliques)
1/2x7" strip blue homespun (scarf)
5x11" backing fabric
5x11" batting
6 small buttons in assorted sizes and colors
No. 8 perle cotton: black, red
Embroidery floss: brown
2 jingle bells
Lightweight fusible web
Freezer paper
Thread: monofilament, black
Polyester fiberfill
No. 5 embroidery needle
Finished size: 4x10" (excluding handle)
Quantities are for 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.


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Due to public demand, the recently opened museum in downtown Tacoma will welcome visitors 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
LeMay – America's Car Museum (ACM), which opened its four-level, 165,000-square-foot facility in early June, is reacting to increasing demand and will continue to operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, year-round. This decision trumps the museum's original plan, which was to shift from seven to five days a week during the fall and winter months.
"Demand for our museum continues unabated, and we welcome the opportunity to meet popular demand," said Paul Miller, ACM chief operations officer. "This change of plan is a reflection of the growing interest in our museum locally as well as outside the Pacific Northwest."
ACM joins a select group of local museums, such as Seattle's Museum of Flight and EMP, that operate seven days a week, year-round, a schedule that ACM President and CEO David Madeira says is long-term: "This is not a limited time offer. Our doors will be open to the public every day of the week, something most museums don't have the luxury of doing. This is testament to the culture and spirit of our entire organization, our unique, interactive exhibitry and, most importantly, America's ongoing love affair with the automobile."
After raising more than $60 million in the midst of the recession, ACM broke ground in June 2010. Two years later, the museum is hosting everything from music festivals to motorcycle shows while showcasing exhibits that include Ferrari in America, Indy Cars, the British invasion of the '60s, the classic car era, alternative propulsion, and the collections of jewelry magnate Nicola Bulgari and Tacoma icon Harold LeMay (whose vehicles were the impetus for creating the museum 14 years ago).
For more information on ACM, please visit www.lemaymuseum.org.
About America's Car Museum (www.lemaymuseum.org)
State Farm Presents LeMay – America's Car Museum, which opened June 2, 2012 in downtown Tacoma, Wash., explores how the automobile has fulfilled a distinctive role at the core of the American experience and shaped our society. The spacious Museum with rotating exhibits is designed to be the centerpiece for automotive history as well as an educational center and library. The campus, located adjacent to the Tacoma Dome, also contains a 3.5-acre show field, theatre, café, banquet hall and meeting facilities. To get information on museum hours, becoming an ACM member, volunteer opportunities or to make a donation, visit www.lemaymuseum.org.


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It's day ten of the Anthony Sowell murder trial and jurors continue to be questioned.
Late Wednesday, 162 jurors were asked what they knew about this case and the death penalty.
In all, about 200 jurors will be interviewed before attorneys start making their final picks.
Anthony Sowell is accused of murdering eleven Cleveland area women. The victims' bodies were discovered at Sowell's home on Imperial Avenue back in October 2009.
Some of the bodies were found hidden inside of the home, others were buried in the backyard.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Officer determined strangulation to be the main cause of the death in most cases.
Copyright 2011 WOIO. All rights reserved.


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View the current text of the law that established PBGC and its pension insurance programs in 1974.
Code of Federal Regulations
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29: Chapter XL - Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Federal Register Documents
Locate PBGC final and proposed rules, notices, and other materials published in the Federal Register on or after July 1, 1996.
Pension Protection Act of 2006
Learn about the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (Pub. L. No. 109-280), which was signed into law on August 17, 2006, and provided for stronger pension funding rules, greater transparency, and a stronger pension insurance system.
Reducing Regulatory Burden
Learn about PBGC's plan for reviewing its regulations to cut down administrative burdens, streamline the filing of premiums and information, and make it easier for small businesses to comply with the agency's regulations, and how you can submit comments on the plan or nominate rules to review.
Information Collections Requests Under OMB Review
Learn about information collections for which PBGC has submitted a request to OMB for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act.


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"Health is not only the absence of disease; it is about vitality, well-being, finding joy and achieving your full potential." — Dr. Brad Jacobs
Health & Wellness Retreats
There are currently no scheduled retreats. Please check back here for new retreat announcements and information.
Bradly Jacobs, MD, MPH – Cavallo Point Healing Arts Center & Spa
601 Murray Circle | Fort Baker | Sausalito, CA 94965
Phone: 415.339.2692 | Email: email@example.com


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Pope Benedict Arrives in Mexico; Condemns Drugs, Violence
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Mexico Friday as tens of thousands in the world's largest Roman Catholic country lined up along the streets to greet him with cheers and tears. He encouraged the nation and the church to fight the evils of drugs, violence and idolatry of money.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon and first lady Margarita Zavala received the pope at the Guanajuato International Airport, where he landed Friday to begin his first visit to Mexico and Cuba. "Your visit fills us with joy in moments of great tribulation," Calderon said as he welcomed the pope.
"This is a proud country of hospitality, and nobody feels like a stranger in your land," The Associated Press quoted the pope as saying upon landing. "I knew that, now I see it and now I feel it in my heart."
The German pope's visit was compared to that of his Polish predecessor John Paul's in 1979, the first-ever by a pope and at a time when the country had highly repressive anti-religion laws in place. To the surprise of many, Pope Benedict's arrival drew as much excitement as John Paul II received.
As Pope Benedict headed to Leon, where he will stay during his three-day visit, crowds lined more than 20 miles through the route from the airport, shouting, "Benedict, brother, you are now Mexican!"
Talking about Mexico's drug war that has caused the deaths of 50,000 people in five years, the pope said, "The great responsibility of the church is to educate the conscience, teach moral responsibility and strip off the mask [from] the idolatry of money that enslaves mankind, and unmask the false promise, this lie that is behind."
On board his Alitalia flight, Pope Benedict told reporters he was praying for all in need "particularly those who suffer because of old and new rivalries, resentments and all forms of violence."
"We must do whatever is possible to combat this destructive evil against humanity and our youth," the pope was quoted as saying. "One sees in Latin America and also elsewhere, not a few Catholics who have a schizophrenia between individual and public morality. These individuals are Catholic, believers, but in their public lives they follow other paths that don't correspond to the great values of the Gospel … so we must teach not just in individual morals but public morals."
The pontiff, who will turn 85 next month, added that he was coming to Mexico as a pilgrim of hope, to encourage the people to "transform the present structures and events which are less than satisfactory and seem immovable or insurmountable while also helping those who do not see meaning or a future in life."
He also called on Cuba to move towards democracy from a Marxism that "no longer responds to reality."
A day before the pope's arrival, a large Protestant church in Leon sought to raise the issue of growing religious divisions in the country, according to Reuters. The church held a service, prominently displaying a sign that read "We are not Roman Catholics."


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$1.1 trillion spending bill unveiled
House-Senate negotiators rolled out a $1.1 trillion spending bill Monday night — a giant package that fills in the blanks of the December budget agreement and promises to restore some order to government funding over the next year.
Under pressure from Republicans, the measure keeps a tight rein on new funding for Wall Street regulators and effectively freezes appropriations for President Barack Obama's health care program at the reduced, post-sequester level.
Story Continued Below
But the White House retains the flexibility to find the financing it needs to implement the health exchanges and appears satisfied to have avoided the most contentious restrictions proposed by conservatives.
( Also on POLITICO: What's in the $1.1T government spending bill?)
Among his other domestic priorities, Obama secured significant new funding he has wanted for pre-kindergarten education initiatives, albeit more through existing programs like Head Start than the new format he envisioned.
Indeed, the new $8.6 billion funding level for Head Start reflects one of the biggest investments in the bill — an estimated $1 billion, or 13 percent, increase over current funding and $612 million over its initial 2013 enacted appropriation.
At the same time, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) came away with two coal-related riders, one affecting mountaintop mining regulations and the other challenging new Export-Import Bank guidelines on the financing of coal-fired power plants overseas.
One legislative provision that all sides embraced would exempt disability pensions for veterans from a cost-of-living cut included in the December budget deal.
( Also on POLITICO: Senate delays unemployment vote)
The very evident give-and-take caps more than six weeks of often intense bargaining within the Appropriations Committees and sets the stage for what the leadership hopes will be a rapid series of floor votes sending the bill on to Obama by this weekend.
"This bill is a compromise, but it reflects Republican priorities and holds the line on spending in many critical areas," Rogers said.
His Senate counterpart, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), more colorfully described the deal as an end to "shutdown, slowdown, slam-down politics." And speaking for the White House, Budget Director Sylvia Mathews Burwell suggested lawmakers get on with it. "The administration urges Congress to move quickly to pass it," Burwell said.
To avoid any threat of a shutdown, the House will first take up a short extension of the current stopgap continuing resolution on Tuesday — moving the deadline back three days to Saturday. This should buy sufficient time for the House to act on the larger omnibus bill Wednesday. And Senate Democrats are hoping that there will be sufficient Republican support to avoid major battles over cloture Thursday and Friday.
( PHOTOS: Who's leaving Congress?)
This remains a tight time frame, but the rewards are substantial for both parties. And there is a genuine hunger to build on the December budget deal and not risk another government shutdown akin to last October's.
( Also on POLITICO: Senate Dems to meet with Obama)
Already, a long-anticipated farm bill has gone off the tracks since lawmakers returned from the holidays. If the omnibus were to fail as well, it would be a huge black eye for both parties.
One positive sign came from Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, the ranking Republican on Appropriations. In anticipation of the filing, he met with his fellow Republicans on the panel. Shelby said later he would support the bill and asked his colleagues to support it as well.
"I'm on board," Shelby told POLITICO. "If the House comes with a big vote, we'll get a big vote, too."
"It's not everything anybody wanted, but we've been working hard at it, and it will lead us, hopefully, to regular order."
As the former chairman of the Senate Banking Committee — and an ardent opponent of the Dodd-Frank reforms — Shelby left an imprint seen in the tight budgets for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The administration appears to have avoided restrictive riders proposed in the House, but the price is far less money than the president wants.


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Team ICO's long-awaited PS3 exclusive not vaporware yet
Fumito Ueda has assured Team ICO fans that The Last Guardian is still in development under his creative guidance. While the game's been in development for roughly ten thousand years, there is not yet cause for alarm with this PS3 exclusive.
"As some of you may have heard, I left Sony Computer Entertainment Japan Studio some time ago to pursue my creative passions," he wrote on his site. "Nevertheless, I continue working on The Last Guardian as a freelance contributor. While it's been a long time coming, The Last Guardian remains under my creative supervision and is still in development by an incredibly talented team."
The developer said we'd need to keep our eyes on Sony for any official details on the project. He added that he intended to continue working on The Last Guardian "as well as pursue new creative projects with a fresh perspective."
Will we catch a sniff of this project at Sony's big February 20th thing-of-things? Time will tell. It'd be nice to have some new screenshots, at any rate. Sick of using the same five header images for these "Last Guardian totally not dead yet" stories.
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Jan 24, 2014
The Central Connecticut women's lacrosse program will hold a 7v7 Spring Tune-Up Tournament on Sunday, March 9, at Arute Field. The tournament is open to players of all abilities in grades 8 through 12.
Location: Arute Field • Central Connecticut State University
Date: Sunday, March 9, 2014
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. • Check in at 9:00 a.m.
Players: Any girls lacrosse players grades 8-12
Cost: $60 per player & $475 per team of nine members or more*Please make checks payable to Central Connecticut State University Lacrosse
Registration Info: Teams must have a minimum of 9 players (including GK) and maximum of 12. Each team must have a Goalie. Players registering as individuals will be placed on a team with players of similar ability levels.
Please contact assistant lacrosse coach Gina Riitano with any questions.


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He is a man under many names, from his Puff Daddy days to toning down to his Sean John roots, yet his signature scent, Unforgiveable is anything but interchangeable. Unforgiveable is crisp and sleek, in a manicured bottle to finish off the premed look.
Sean John
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Unforgiveable is for every stylish man. The ultimate finishing touch to a dapper outfit, the Unforgiveable aftershave is premium to see, smell and touch.


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Hello lightning serpent,
I hope you're still in contact with the projet. I'm a little frustated right now because I don't have some components and I have to wait for them. So, now I'm think I could better analyze the jammer to learn things about electronics, the bases. I'm working on the PLL part and on the formules it uses for the filtor or for the dual feedback with the micro.
Should you recommend me any web site which I can visit to star a proper formation in electronics or something that allow me to analyze the PLL performance?
Thank you so much,


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About 150 people converged on the Texas Capitol to urge legislators and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to take action on Medicaid
"Two, four, six, eight; we need health care, we can't wait!" they chanted in the tiled hall outside of Dewhurst's office and in the Capitol rotunda. "Dewhurst, Dewhurst, you don't care; our taxes pay for your health care!"
A reporter then tweeted the Texas Organizing Project's chants, to which Dewhurst responded:
@amanbatheja I think it's "Dewhurst, Dewhurst, you're the first statewide elected official to stand up to Obamacare." #rotundaacoustics
— David Dewhurst (@DavidHDewhurst) May 8, 2013
Group organizer Allison Brim, from Dallas, said the protesters were visiting Austin to "call our Texas leadership out on their failed leadership."
Outside of Dewhurst's office, about 25 people sat in protest and chanted until they were asked to leave so the Texas Senate could convene. Connie Paredes, 41, said she trekked to Austin from Dallas to speak out for other Texans who, like her, are uninsured.
"Hope is dwindling that anything will change, so that's why we're here. We're not going to give up until the end," Paredes said.
A legal assistant who's now self-employed, Paredes said she couldn't afford to pay $627 a month for health insurance for herself and her two daughters. But without insurance, the costs of procedures like mammograms and even blood tests are too high, she said.
"We're looking for cheaper health care," she said. "We're not asking for a handout."
When asked how he felt about the protesters, who blamed him for inaction, Dewhurst, who opposes the current version of Medicaid, responded, "What protesters?"
He added, in a statement, "I respect people's rights to peacefully express themselves as part of the deliberative process."


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AOL just introduced a personal finance site aimed at addressing "the money matters of real people, such as debt management, finding the best deals, saving, retirement, insurance, mortgages, banking, taxes and more." That's nice, but does AOL deliver the goods?
WalletPop, as the new site is known, features a page design all its own, stripped bare of the usual set of links to other AOL properties like webmail, sports news, and so on. Instead, there's a barrage of consumer-oriented financial tools such as loan calculators, deal finders, and retirement savings advice. But calling them "tools" might be stretching the material a bit thin, because apart from the quite adequate assortment of calculators, it's all a big heap of plain-Jane articles slotted into categories by simple tags.
The real meat of WalletPop, then, is the article feed. Apart from a blog of its own, where all the original stuff here comes from, AOL draws on stories from Consumer Reports, Kiplinger, Bankrate, CNBC, Smart Money, and MainStreet.com. The blog posts tend to be of the short and sweet variety so far, where a story from non-partner sources like the NY Times or Guardian gets wrapped in 300 words or so and some advertising. In short, basic blog stuff.
I don't know if AOL will find new audiences with this site, or whether you'll find the material so compelling that you abandon Yahoo Finance, Motley Fool, or whatever other source you go to for personal finance advice today. WalletPop does a good job of pulling together stories from across the net in one convenient place, and maybe you're better off thinking of it as a fat news feed, packed with ads and a layout that can get tiresome for long articles. I don't think that AOL gained much by splitting this material out under an AOL-free name, because let's call a spade a spade—the whole thing still feels a lot like plain old AOL Money & Finance.


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Thompson Creek's Kevin Loughrey says bankers have been bitten by the gold bug
Thompson Creek Metals Company has spent most of its corporate life as a molybdenum mining company and while "moly" is a key ingredient in a wide range of high-performance products, well it doesn't trip off the tongue.
So in 2010 when the Denver-based mining company bought Mt. Milligian – a British Columbia copper and gold property – Thompson Creek found itself in a new game.
"There is a lot of interest in monetizing the value of gold," said Kevin Loughrey, Thompson Creek's chief executive officer.
Right off the bat, Thompson Creek was able to finance $311 million of the acquistion by selling a "gold stream" equal to about 25 percent of Milligan's estimated six million ounce reserve, Loughrey said.
Since then the company has been approached by bankers offering newly developed financial instruments – gold bonds, gold collars – that basically offer cash for a piece of the gold.
The U.S. spot market price has climbed from $607 a Troy ounce at the beginning of 2011 to about $1,616, according to Bloomberg data.
"The high price of gold has created a lot of enthusiasm to go out and create new gold instruments," Loughrey said.
Thompson Creek is in talks to take advantage of the finance opportunities, Loughrey said.
On a recent conference call, Loughrey said, one participant told him "the market is giving you a gift."


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OK - so apparently Randall Munroe has become outraged over copyright law. This is ok. Nothing wrong with that. But if you are going to make it into a comic, at least try to make it....comical. Basically we have a mini lecture about copyright law, an unneeded flow chart that may as well be labelled "Hey guys, if you don't want to read this waaaay long comic just check out the summary over here", and...that's basically it. Oh, and you have Mr. Hat, just kind of sitting there not being funny, as though his mere presence is enough to instill greatness upon the comic. Amazingly, this does not work!
How is this for a way to try to make this comic something more than just a lame piece of anti-DRM propaganda (not that I'm opposed to anti-DRM activism, I just don't like it right here): Some kind of comic with a guy at a computer, and a police officer warning him not to download music illegally. So he buys music, and then later he's at a new computer, and tries to copy his music, and the officer warns him that that's illegal, so he figures he'll download music illegally because he already bought it once legally, and the police officer warns him against that, too. So he goes over to his old computer and just starts playing the music there and listening to it while he's at his new computer, and the police officer tells him that's illegal too, and then warns him against humming the music, or thinking about music, or breathing, and then arrests him just to be sure. And then there's a tagline like "Pirated Music: Because DRM Is An Annoying Little Bitch"
Update: I forgot to mention last night, but commenters reminded me: iTunes does offer DRM-free music, it's just a little bit more expensive. So this comic is like saying "Boooo, Pop Cap Games suck because it's impossible to access the full version of games." Because you can, you just have to pay for it. So it's even more whiny than I realized. Commenters also point out that burning a CD removed the DRM. So....comic is like two to three times lamer than I first realized. See comments for more details.


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Restore Trillian Activity History On Windows 7, Import Trillian Chat History
As noted in previous articles my laptops Windows 7 Ultimate x64 operating system install became corrupted after I attempted to install the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 update. I believe the issue was related to some sort of software conflict so not necessarily all SP1's fault though you would think there would be some form of error checking involved in the install. I waited out the upgrade for over 8 hours but in the end it still failed out. Anyhow during the process of reinstalling Windows 7 x64 on my laptop and installing all of the applications that were installed previously I wanted to restore my Trillian chat history for all of the various Trillian Connections. Below I describe what connections were configured and what Trillian Connections chat logs were restored.


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Sheila Cox, a five-year employee of the Kangaroo Store across from St. Augustine Shores, spent eight hours Thanksgiving Day selling The St. Augustine Record for $1, with 20 cents of each dollar donated to the charity Give Kids The World.
Then she went home and cooked a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for her party of four.
That wasn't exactly how Cox planned to spend Thanksgiving when she reported for her 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift Nov. 22. But when she learned the store's computers were down, that the Kangaroo would be closed for the day, and that the Publix in the same shopping center was closed too, Cox knew people would be looking for a newspaper for Black Friday sales information.
And she didn't want anyone to be disappointed.
So with the blessing of store manager Steve Ruiz, Cox sat outside the store selling The Record and asking $1 for each newspaper so she could give 20 cents from each sale to the Kangaroo-endorsed charity.
Gesturing to the collection jar on the store counter at Wildwood Drive and U.S. 1 South, she said, "I did it for Linda, for the kids and for the customers," referring to Linda Thompson, The Record newspaper carrier whose territory includes that Kangaroo.
Cox said she explained to each customer what she was doing and how much would go to Give Kids The World. "They didn't have a problem with it," Cox said.
According to the charity's website, it began when a little girl named Amy, battling leukemia, had one wish, and that was to visit the theme parks in Orlando.
Hotelier Henri Landwirth endeavored to fulfill Amy's wish, but travel plans took too long to arrange and Amy passed away before her wish could be granted.
Pledging that this sad story would never be repeated, Landwirth called on those in the hospitality industry, including the theme parks, to help bring children with life-threatening illnesses and their families to Central Florida within 24 hours, if that was the need.
Eventually, a plan emerged for Give Kids The World to create a place that could better serve the special needs of families. As a result 70-acre Give Kids The World Village opened in 1989.
Ruiz said this was an "awesome" idea. He also described Cox as an employee who goes "above and beyond."
Thompson, The Record delivery person, heaped praise on Cox. "She's such a wonderful person. I always beef up the Kangaroo (paper numbers) when Publix is closed," she said. "Publix and Kangaroo are big stores."
Thompson, daughter of longtime Record newspaper carriers Sue and Russell A. Conrad, is a veteran carrier. She'd supplied 200 papers to Kangaroo for Thanksgiving, and Cox sold all but 54.
Cox told Thompson what she'd done and that she hoped that was OK.
Thompson said she quickly replied "Yes. That's great. What a good idea!"
Give Kids The World Today is a resort with over 140 Villa accommodations, entertainment attractions, whimsical venues and fun specifically designed for children with special needs that has welcomed more than 118,000 families from all 50 states and more than 72 countries. For information, visit the organization's web site, email Leah Bundy at email@example.com or call 407-396-1114, ext. 4252.


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|Strips of round steak, slow stewed with tomatoes and vegetables and served over a bed of garlic cheese grits.
Grillades and GritsGrillades and Grits {pronounced GREE-ahds}, found on the menu at debutante balls and definitely a staple at Mardi Gras, is a dish of smothered beef, slow simmered in a roux and tomato base, though the name literally translated actually means grilled. Made with just about any kind of beef, and sometimes even with pork or veal, I prefer to use inexpensive round steak.
Traditionally grillades are served over garlic cheese grits, which pairs up beautifully and should not be missed in my opinion. You can also make the grits in advance, refrigerate them, make them into fried grit cakes and serve the grillades right on top, which gives a bit of crunchy contrast. If you aren't a fan of grits, polenta, mashed potatoes and rice make a fine substitute - in fact, The Cajun prefers rice himself.
I prefer serving these savory dishes over stone ground grits, especially since I discovered them on Amazon! They aren't exactly common here in south Mississippi y'all, but I get the Palmetto Farms brand on subscription these days, so I use them exclusively now and they are worth every single penny. Grocery store grits, which are a bit more processed but still definitely good, don't come anywhere close to the creaminess you get from stone ground grits. They are highly perishable though, so store the active bag that you're using in the fridge and any spare bags in the deep freeze where they will keep very nicely. Let me know if you try them - they are my favorite brand!
While typically served at a breakfast or brunch and sometimes lunch, Grillades and Grits make a perfectly acceptable and delicious dinner dish in this house. Serve it alongside a mixed garden salad or a green veggie.
For more of my favorite round steak recipes, visit my page on Pinterest!
If you make this or any of my recipes, I'd love to see your results! Just snap a photo and hashtag it #DeepSouthDish on social media or tag me @deepsouthdish on Instagram!
Recipe: Grillades and Grits©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
- 3 tablespoons of cooking oil (canola, vegetable, light olive), or as needed
- 1 pound of bottom round steak
- 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
- 6 tablespoons of all purpose flour, divided
- 1 cup of chopped onion
- 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 2 cups of water
- 1 (15 ounce) can of stewed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet
- 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun or Creole seasoning (like Slap Ya Mama), or to taste, optional
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme, crushed
- Garlic Cheese Grits (click link for recipe)
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium high heat in a large iron skillet that has a lid. Slice the round steak into strips and season with the salt and pepper. Toss the meat strips in half of the flour, reserving the remaining flour, and drop the strips into the hot oil to brown. Remove and set aside.
Add additional oil to the skillet as needed to bring it up to 3 tablespoons. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of flour and cook over medium high heat until lightly browned. Stir in the onion and green bell pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Stir in the water and cook and stir until water is fully incorporated and mixture is thickened. Add the meat, tomatoes, Kitchen Bouquet, Cajun seasoning, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook on a low simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until meat is tender.
Serve over hot garlic cheese grits, mashed potatoes or rice.
Cook's Notes: Substitute veal shoulder or other cuts of braising beef or pork, trimmed to cutlets and pounded thin. When using leaner cuts, reduce cooking time accordingly.
Source: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/
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©Deep South Dish
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Check These Recipes Out Too!
Crockpot Coca Cola Roast Beef
Creole Smothered Steak
Steak Parmesan


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Make Booking Request - Devoran Village Hall (Charity Number 300540)
Before you proceed with your Booking Request for this Venue, and to keep our system free of SPAM requests, please enter your contact details below and protect them with a password. Existing users should login to continue. Once registered, you will be able to keep track of your booking(s) and ensure you get the best experience from our website.


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ISR News Story
Alumna Mounya Elhilali wins NSF CAREER award
Alumna Mounya Elhilali has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for Cognitive Auditory Systems for Processing of Complex Acoustic Scenes. Research coming from the five-year, $550K award will begin developing an architecture for sound processing based on cognitive and adaptive processes.
Elhilali earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 2004. She was advised by Professor Shihab Shamma (ECE/ISR). Currently she is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Johns Hopkins University, where she also is active in the Center for Language and Speech Processing.
Recent physiological findings are amending existing dogmas of processing in the auditory cortex; replacing conventional views of "static" processing in sensory cortex with a more "active" and malleable mapping that rapidly adapts to behavioral tasks and listening conditions. Hence, a new architecture for sound processing based on cognitive and adaptive processes promises to open a revolutionary frontier for hearing and speech technologies.
This research will develop effective algorithmic implementations to tackle challenging sound and speech processing problems in real ecological environments. It will provide a rigorous framework for designing experiments that tests the role and mechanisms of active and cognitive adaptation in the auditory system. This interdisciplinary effort will integrate techniques from neurophysiology, psychophysics, computational neuroscience and engineering.
The NSF CAREER program fosters the career development of outstanding junior faculty, combining the support of research and education of the highest quality and in the broadest sense.
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1. The volunteer rule provides that a party who, without mistake, fraud, or duress, voluntarily pays money on a demand which is not enforceable against him cannot recover amounts paid.
2. The volunteer rule does not preclude standing to recover statutory inspection fees when the gravamen of the action is the constitutionality of the statute.
3. The constitutionality of a statute is presumed, all doubts must be resolved in favor of its validity, and before the statute may be stricken down, it must clearly appear the statue violates the constitution.
4. The standard for determining whether a statute regulating business is unconstitutionally vague is a common-sense determination of fairness. If an ordinary person exercising common sense can understand and comply with the statute, it is constitutional.
5. In determining whether an ordinance is void for vagueness, two inquiries are appropriate: (a) whether the ordinance gives fair warning to those persons potentially subject to it and (2) whether the ordinance adequately guards against arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.
6. An inspection fee which does not yield excess revenue over costs and does not provide that the fee be placed in the state's general fund is not a revenue raising measure.
7. K.S.A. 2-1205 provides for payment of fertilizer inspection fees and is not a tax.
Appeal from Shawnee District Court; MATTHEW J. DOWD, judge. Opinion filed August 3, 2001. Affirmed.
Grant M. Glenn and R. Patrick Riordan, of Woner, Glenn, Reeder & Girard, P.A., of Topeka, and Michael V. Foust, of Goodland, for appellant.
Derenda J. Mitchell, special assistant attorney general, and M.J. Willoughby, assistant attorney general, for appellee.
Before GREEN, P.J., KNUDSON, J., and PHILIP C. VIEUX, District Judge, assigned.
KNUDSON, J.: Busby, Inc. (Busby) appeals the district court's dismissal of its action against the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). The central issue on appeal is whether K.S.A. 2-1205 is constitutional. The district court concluded Busby lacks standing to maintain its action and even if it does have standing, the statute is constitutional.
We conclude the district court erred in deciding Busby lacks standing; however, we agree K.S.A. 2-1205 is constitutional. Therefore, the decision of the district court is affirmed.
Busby is a Colorado corporation that formerly handled commercial fertilizer in Kansas and other states. In April 1994, Busby registered commercial fertilizer in Kansas. Under K.S.A. 2-1205, all individuals who have registered commercial fertilizer in Kansas must pay an inspection fee to the KDA due in January or July of the reporting year. In July 1994, Busby made a payment of $6,643.28 for inspection fees due for the January 1994 through June 1994 reporting period. Busby has not made any other payments. In October 1994, the KDA wrote Busby a letter requesting financial information for the years 1991 through 1993 in order to determine if Busby owed any fees for those years. Busby filed suit against the KDA in March 1995, alleging K.S.A. 2-1205 was unconstitutional and seeking an injunctiion to prevent further collection of inspection fees.
In March 1996, Busby informed the KDA it had sold most of its assets to another company. The sale included Busby's fertilizer business. After the sale, Busby was no longer engaged in the fertilizer business. In the sale, Busby retained the claim against KDA for recovery of inspection fees paid and also retained the liability to KDA for any inspection fees it might owe from past operations. At the time, the KDA indicated to Busby that "it appeared there were at least tens of thousands of dollars owing by Busby to the State of Kansas."
In April 1996, Busby filed a motion to amend its petition to include a request for certification as a class, a claim for a declaratory judgment under K.S.A. 60-1701 et seq., a claim that K.S.A. 2-1205 was unconstitutional, a claim for injunctive relief pursuant to K.S.A. 60-907, and a claim for refund of all payments made pursuant to K.S.A. 2-1205. The KDA opposed Busby's motion to amend and sought dismissal of the case. The district court dismissed the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. It found Busby failed to make a timely claim under the Kansas Judicial Review Act, (KJRA), K.S.A. 77-601 et seq.
In Busby, Inc. v. Kansas Department of Agriculture, No. 78,499, an unpublished opinion filed April 23, 1999, a panel of this court reversed the district court, holding that an attack upon the constitutionality of a statute is not tantamount to review of agency action and the KJRA is not the exclusive remedy available to Busby. The Court of Appeals also addressed the issue of standing. It held that since Busby, by contract, remained liable for any past due fees, it had standing to pursue the claim.
On remand, the district court granted Busby's motion to amend. In March 2000, the KDA filed a motion to dismiss Busby's amended petition. The district court granted the motion to dismiss in June 2000. It found Busby had no standing to challenge the constitutionality of K.S.A. 2-1205, and even if it did have standing, the statute was constitutional. Busby timely appeals both holdings.
We need only consider the standing issue under Busby's claim for a refund of the $6,643.28 inspection fees paid in 1994. The district court found the claim was not properly before the court as the fees were paid without protest. Busby argues the district court erred because the commercial fertilizer act does not contain any procedure to seek a refund.
On appeal, the KDA relies upon Regency Park v. City of Topeka, 267 Kan. 465, 981 P.2d 256 (1999). In Regency Park, the plaintiffs sought reimbursement of stormwater utility charges that had been paid under city ordinances declared invalid. The district court, relying upon the "volunteer rule," held the payors were not entitled to reimbursement. The "volunteer rule" provides that a party who, without mistake, fraud, or duress, voluntarily pays money on a demand which is not enforceable against him cannot recover amounts paid. 267 Kan. at 468.
On appeal, the Supreme Court held, inter alia, that the district court properly granted judgment to the City based on the volunteer rule. 267 Kan. at 473. The court reasoned that although the payors complained about the assessments, payments were made without any verbal or written statement to the City that the payors intended to demand the return of the amounts paid. 267 Kan. at 475. The court noted that it would have been helpful for the payors to have begun an action to contest the validity of the ordinance, attempted to enjoin collection, attempted to broaden the terms of the appeal provision, or to have taken any action which would have put the City on notice that the money it was collecting was in jeopardy. 267 Kan. at 476.
More recently, the Supreme Court decided BIGS v. City of Wichita, 271 Kan. ___, 23 P.3d 855 (2001). In BIGS, the appellants challenged the City of Wichita's charter ordinance permitting the assessment and collection of liquor license fees in excess of the fee allowed under state law. One issue was the standing of the license holders who had paid the license fee without protest. The court found the licensees did have standing and distinguished Regency Park, stating:
"We concluded in the present case that the City did not have authority to continue charging more than the statutory liquor license fees after the amendments to K.S.A. 41-2622 became effective on July 1, 1988, and thus this case presents the other side of the Regency Park coin. The City's charter ordinance would have been void rather than voidable and the City would have been collecting fees during the entire period for which Licensees seek refunds--from July 1, 1988, through November 28, 1995--pursuant to an ordinance that was neither valid nor binding. Thus, the Regency Park reasoning would not preclude refund of the liquor license fees collected under a void ordinance. Licensees cite Salthouse v. McPherson County, 115 Kan. 668, 224 Pac. 70 (1924), for the proposition that the volunteer rule has no application where the exaction was made without valid authority. In that case, the court stated: 'The statute under which the tax was collected has been held to be unconstitutional, being an attempt by the state to tax property which is by the federal law exempt. [Citation omitted.] The plaintiff was entitled to a return of his money unless his recovery was prevented by purely procedural considerations.' 115 Kan. at 669. After examining the various procedural considerations, the court affirmed the trial court's judgment in favor of Salthouse. We note, however, that Salthouse made the tax payment under protest, and for that reason the payment was not voluntary. 115 Kan. at 672.
"Licensees direct the court's attention to cases from other states' courts holding that a license fee paid in order to do business is made under duress and, thus, involuntary so as to remove it from operation of the volunteer rule. They rely particularly on Five Boro Elec. Assn. v. City of N.Y., 12 N.Y.2d 146, 237 N.Y.S.2d 315, 187 N.E.2d 774 (1962), in which several hundred electricians were permitted to recover excess license fees that had been paid without protest. In an earlier case, the license fees for electricians had been held to be so excessive as to be unconstitutional. Licensees also single out the case of State ex rel. S. S. Kresge Co. v. Howard, 357 Mo. 302, 208 S.W.2d 247 (1947), in which the Missouri court stated:
'The refund of taxes illegally exacted is ordinarily a matter of governmental grace. On grounds of public policy, the law discourages suits for the refund of taxes illegally levied and collected, and has imposed many restrictions on their recovery. It is generally held that taxes voluntarily paid without compulsion, although levied under an unconstitutional statute, cannot be refunded without the aid of a statutory remedy. [Citation omitted.]
'But here we have no general statute authorizing the refund of a domestication tax illegally exacted. Nevertheless, under the common law if the payment of a tax is deemed involuntary, a tax which is unlawfully collected may be recovered back by appropriate action. [Citation omitted.] Here we have a tax which was unlawfully collected under the express ruling of [an earlier case]. So the only question as to the common law right of relator to a refund is whether the payment of the tax was voluntary or involuntary.
'The tax was not paid under protest. Even so, that fact does not determine whether it was paid voluntarily or involuntarily and has little or no weight on the question. [Citations omitted.]
'In [an earlier case], we followed the prevailing rule that a voluntary payment of a tax made under a mistake of law but with a full knowledge of all the facts cannot be recovered. However, courts are now taking a more liberal view as to whether certain types of taxes are ever in fact voluntarily paid since the urgent and immediate payment of them is compelled in order to avoid the harsh penalties imposed for non-payment. The compulsion brought about by such penalties creates what the writers have termed technical or implied duress sufficient to make the payment of such taxes involuntary. We adopted the modern view of greater liberality in recognizing such duress in tax payments in Brink v. Kansas City, 355 Mo. 860, 198 S.W.2d 710, where we declined to follow the stricter view of some of our earlier decisions.
'And even more to the point in this case this court has held that the payment of a tax in order to avoid the forfeiture of the payor's right to continue in business "constituted such duress as would render the payment of the tax involuntary." [Citations omitted.] . . .
'In the instant case relator was faced with the forfeiture of its right to continue business here, and with other penalties, unless it paid the domestication tax. We hold that under these circumstances it was an involuntary payment. Being an involuntary payment of an illegal tax relator has a lawful right to have it refunded by the State.' 357 Mo. at 307-08.
"We find persuasive the reasoning of the Missouri and New York courts and accordingly conclude that a business faced with the forfeiture of its right to continue business unless it paid the fee does not pay it voluntarily. Here, the payments were involuntarily exacted pursuant to an enactment that was invalid and without effect. Thus, Licensees are entitled to a refund." BIGS, 271 Kan. at ___.
We conclude the reasoning in BIGS is applicable and Busby does have standing to challenge the constitutionality of K.S.A. 2-1205.
Busby's constitutional claim is based on the allegation that, under the clear language of the statute, the inspection fee under K.S.A. 2-1205 generates revenue far in excess of the cost of the inspection program. Busby argues that because K.S.A. 2-1205 generates excessive revenues, it violates Kansas Constitution art. 11, § 1, as well as the Commerce Clause and Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Busby also argues the statute is unconstitutionally vague.
"'The constitutionality of a statute is presumed, all doubts must be resolved in favor of its validity, and before the statute may be stricken down, it must clearly appear the statute violates the constitution.'" State ex rel. Stephan v. Parrish, 257 Kan. 294, 297, 891 P.2d 445 (1995) (quoting State ex rel. Schneider v. Kennedy, 225 Kan. 13, 20, 587 P.2d 844 [1978]).
K.S.A. 2-1205 states:
"An inspection fee shall be collected upon all commercial fertilizers sold, offered or exposed for sale, or distributed in Kansas, which shall be at a rate per ton of 2,000 pounds fixed by rules and regulations adopted by the state board of agriculture, except that such rate shall not exceed $1.70 per ton of 2,000 pounds. The inspection fee rate per ton of 2,000 pounds in effect on the day preceding the effective date of this act shall continue in effect until the state board of agriculture adopts rules and regulations fixing a different inspection fee rate under this section. Each person registering any commercial fertilizer shall pay the inspection fee on such commercial fertilizer sold, offered or exposed for sale, or distributed in Kansas, and shall keep adequate records showing the tonnage of each commercial fertilizer shipped to or sold, offered or exposed for sale, or distributed in Kansas, and the secretary, and duly authorized representatives of the secretary, shall have authority to examine such records and other pertinent records necessary to verify the statement of tonnage.
"Each person registering any commercial fertilizer shall file an affidavit semiannually, with the secretary, within 30 days after each January 1 and each July 1, showing the tonnage of commercial fertilizer sold or distributed in Kansas for the preceding six-month period, and shall pay to the secretary the inspection fee due thereon for such six-month period, except that the registrant shall not be required to pay the inspection fee or report the tonnage of commercial fertilizers or fertilizer materials sold and shipped directly to fertilizer manufacturers or mixers, but the fertilizer manufacturers or mixers shall keep adequate records of the commercial fertilizers sold or distributed in this state, and report to the secretary the tonnage thereof and pay the inspection fee due thereon. If the affidavit is not filed and the inspection fee is not paid within the thirty-day period, or if the report of tonnage is false, the secretary may revoke the registrations filed by such person; and if the affidavit is not filed and the inspection fee is not paid within the thirty-day period, or any extension thereof granted by the secretary, a penalty of $5 per day shall be assessed against the registrant and the inspection fee and penalty shall constitute a debt and become the basis for a judgment against such person. The secretary may grant a reasonable extension of time.
"The Kansas state board of agriculture is hereby authorized and empowered to reduce the inspection fee by adopting rules and regulations under this section whenever it shall determine that the inspection fee is yielding more than is necessary for the purpose of administering the provisions of this act, and the board is hereby authorized and empowered to increase the inspection fee by adopting rules and regulations under this section when it finds that such is necessary to produce sufficient revenues for the purposes of administering the provisions of this act, but not in excess of the maximum fee prescribed by this section. The secretary shall remit all moneys received by or for the secretary under article 12 of chapter 2 of Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments thereto to the state treasurer at least monthly. Upon receipt of any such remittance the state treasurer shall credit the remittance as follows: (1) An amount equal to $1.40 per ton shall be credited to the state water plan fund created by K.S.A. 82a-951, and amendments thereto; (2) an amount equal to $.04 per ton shall be credited to the fertilizer research fund; and (3) the remainder shall be credited to the fertilizer fee fund. All expenditures from the fertilizer fee fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the secretary of the state board of agriculture or by a person or persons designated by the secretary."
Busby alleges the statute is unconstitutionally vague because although it provides that commercial fertilizer be registered and that each person registering any commercial fertilizer must pay the inspection fee, it does not state who must register the fertilizer.
The standard for determining whether a statute regulating business is unconstitutionally vague is a common-sense determination of fairness. If an ordinary person exercising common sense can understand and comply with the statute, it is constitutional. Boatright v. Kansas Racing Comm'n, 251 Kan. 240, 243, 834 P.2d 368 (1992). In determining whether an ordinance is void for vagueness, two inquiries are appropriate: (1) whether the ordinance gives fair warning to those persons potentially subject to it and (2) whether the ordinance adequately guards against arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement. State v. Lackey, 232 Kan. 478, 480, 657 P.2d 40 (1983). The constitutionality of a statute is presumed, all doubts must be resolved in favor of its validity, and before the statute may be stricken down, it must clearly appear the statute violates the constitution. In determining constitutionality, it is the court's duty to uphold a statute under attack rather than defeat it, and, if there is any reasonable way to construe the statute as constitutionally valid, that should be done. 232 Kan. at 479.
K.S.A. 2-1205 sufficiently warns persons of common intelligence that "[e]ach person registering any commercial fertilizer shall pay the inspection fee on such commercial fertilizer sold, offered or exposed for sale, or distributed in Kansas," and that "[a]n inspection fee shall be collected upon all commercial fertilizers sold, offered or exposed for sale, or distributed in Kansas." Thus, any person selling, offering or exposing for sale, or distributing commercial fertilizer in Kansas should be aware an inspection fee will be collected on that fertilizer. Busby argues it is unclear who must pay the fee on the commercial fertilizer as there is a chain of distribution. Here, it is undisputed Busby was merely a "middleman." KDA conceded that as a "middleman," Busby was not liable for the fee on the fertilizer because its distributor would be responsible for payment of inspection fees. The Secretary's interpretation is consistent with the language of the statute.
Although K.S.A. 2-1205 is a statute regulating business that must be afforded greater leeway than a statute proscribing criminal conduct, Cardarella v. City of Overland Park, 228 Kan. 698, 706, 620 P.2d 1122 (1980), a penalty is provided for violation. K.S.A. 2-1208(3). Thus, although the statute does not specifically state who must register, it is clear that if one is involved in the commercial fertilizer business, a duty is placed upon that person to ensure the fertilizer has been registered and labeled, either by the distributor from whom they obtained the fertilizer, or to determine, if it is not already registered and labeled when it is acquired, if they need to do so. When construed in its entirety, there is no room for guessing by people of common intelligence as to the statute's requirements. We conclude the statute is not unconstitutionally vague.
Busby also argues the fee imposed by K.S.A. 2-1205 violates the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution, art. 1, § 8, cl. 3. Kansas may properly legislate the regulation of fertilizers as Congress has not acted in this area and the legislation is predominately a local influence on interstate commerce. See Morgan v. Virginia, 328 U.S. 373, 378-79, 90 L. Ed. 1317, 66 S. Ct. 1050 (1946). An analysis of a state's role in regulating interstate commerce necessarily involves making a determination as to whether the state's legislation only incidentally burdens interstate commerce or whether the legislation affirmatively discriminates against interstate commerce. Statutes in the first group violate the Commerce Clause only if the burden imposed on interstate trade is excessive in relation to the putative local benefits. Maine v. Taylor, 477 U.S. 131, 138, 91 L. Ed. 2d 110, 106 S. Ct. 2440 (1986). Here, there is no allegation nor evidence of affirmative discrimination against interstate commerce.
Busby's argument hinges on the amount of fee imposed. It argues the fee is disproportionate to the costs of maintaining the inspection program and the revenue obtained from the fees are improperly used for other state purposes. The main complaint from Busby is that a portion of the funds derived from the fees go to the State Water Fund. This argument is without legal merit. The portion of the fees which contribute to the State Water Fund also goes toward the program's purpose: The State Water Fund is designed to protect the State's most precious natural resource which is threatened by the use of fertilizers. Thus, the contribution is fairly related to the regulation of fertilizers and is not excessive to the local benefits conferred on the state of Kansas.
An inspection statute which does not yield excess revenue over costs and does not provide that the fee be placed in the state's general fund is not a revenue raising measure. R. B. Enterprises, Inc. v. State, 242 Kan. 241, 248-49, 747 P.2d 152 (1987). Here, it is clear the funds derived from the inspection fee are not placed in the general fund, are not a revenue raising measure, and are used for the purposes for which the program exists: to regulate the use of fertilizers which necessarily involves the protection of resources threatened by fertilizer use.
Finally, Busby claims the fee is a specific property tax and that it is an impermissible tax on inventories, both violative of Kansas Constitution art. 11, § 1(b). With respect to the claim the fee is an impermissible tax on inventories, it has been previously noted the fee is not a disguised tax as Busby alleges.
Busby's other claim is that the fee is a "specific tax" as discussed in Von Ruden v. Miller, 231 Kan. 1, 642 P.2d 91 (1982). However, a specific property tax, although perhaps fixed by some sort of weight or measurement, is still a property tax. The Von Ruden court discussed property taxes as falling into two categories: ad valorem and specific. 231 Kan. at 9. Merely because the fee in this instance is based on a measurement of tonnage sold does not make it a specific property tax. The specific taxes discussed in Von Ruden, and the cases cited therein, established that a specific property tax need not be based on property owned; however, it is clear that a property tax is a tax on property owned or revenues obtained from property owned. See Von Ruden, 231 Kan. at 8-9. The fee here is based on the tonnage of fertilizer sold, which funds the regulation of the product sold. Thus, it is not a specific property tax, nor a tax at all. It is a fee for the purposes of supporting the regulation of fertilizer for the health, safety, and welfare of Kansas citizens.


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Pfeiffer held its annual University Awards Ceremony today in the Chapel. Among the many awards given out were ones to outstanding students in various majors, the Junior Scholastic Award and the Order of the Sundial Awards. Dr. Tracy Espy gave the welcome address and Dr. Keith began handing out the awards before giving way to the deans and leaders of the various departments.
Today Pfeiffer held its "Passages" program, which is a celebration of its first-year students completing the beginning phase of the Pfeiffer Journey. One of the hallmarks of the Pfeiffer experience, Journey is a transformative four-year program integrating all aspects of college life — academics, student involvement, service opportunities and extracurricular activities.
Rev. Sherri E. Barnes has been named director of Pfeiffer University's Youth Theology Institute (YeTI). An intensive two-week summer experience for theologically minded high school students supported by Lilly Endowment Inc.'s High School Youth Theology Institutes initiative, YeTI will launch this summer, July 10-24.
The Milton Rose Research Fellows Program provides scholarships and funding for outstanding students of science as they prepare for continued education in medical or graduate school. These fellows participate in research and internship opportunities that include research presentations at both the state and national level.
Over the weekend, Pfeiffer University's Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) team delivered 14-first place, 10-second place and 11-third place finishes at PBL's North Carolina state completions in Charlotte, N.C., where they competed against students from 22 colleges and universities.
Pfeiffer University announces that Dr. Craig Burnette, a regionally and nationally known psychologist and expert on homelessness, particularly among U.S. military veterans, will address the class of 2016 at its commencement exercises, Sat., May 14, 10:30 a.m., Misenheimer campus, 48380 U.S. Highway 52N.
Pfeiffer University announces that Time Warner Cable (TWC) has become a member of its Partnership Program, providing an education option for North Carolina-based TWC employees who choose to complete undergraduate degrees or enroll in graduate degree programs.
Pfeiffer University mourns the death of Dr. Uli Froehich, whose presence at Pfeiffer from 1997-2015 touched the lives of hundreds of students, most notably from the graduate programs in business, leadership and health administration, as the leader of the Academy of International Business Studies.
From April 7-9, Pfeiffer University's Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) chapter will participate in the 2016 Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) state and national competitions at Hilton Charlotte University Place. The world's largest career student organization, FBLA-PBL helps more than 250,000 members prepare for careers in business. (PBL is the collegiate division of FBLA.)
Pfeiffer University Friends of the Library welcomes North Carolina author Dr. Elliott Engel to its annual spring luncheon. Dr. Engel, who lives in Raleigh, will present "The Inimitable Winston Churchill," Tues., April 12, 2016, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Misenheimer campus, Stokes Student Center, 48380 U.S. Hwy 52N.
To our community:
In response to the "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act" passed last week by the North Carolina legislature, Pfeiffer University remains deeply committed to equality, diversity and inclusion on all its campuses for students, faculty, staff and visitors.
Athletic Ministries at Pfeiffer University welcomes former broadcast journalist and National Football League (NFL) player Dave Rowe, Thurs., March 31, 2016, 8 p.m. He will speak at Henry Pfeiffer Chapel as a part of Athletic Ministries' weekly offerings at Pfeiffer. The community is invited; it is free of charge.


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Personal Finance
College graduate poll looks beyond salary at happiness in life and work
A new study tracking nearly 30,000 college graduates finds it's how a person uses time in college, not the type of school attended, that will have an impact on the quality of a lifetime of work and personal wellbeing.
The survey by Gallup and Purdue University also showed that Americans have a long way to go to make better use of their college years.
There have been few large-scale studies of college graduates, and most of them look at salaries, said Brandon Busteed, Gallup's executive director of education. The Gallup and Purdue study was unique for taking a broad look across the country at other aspects of the quality of life, he said.
The survey found no difference in workplace and life outcomes between people who went to public and private schools or highly selective schools and the rest. There was one exception, however: Those who attended for-profit institutions fared less well on both personal and employment measures.
The survey asked respondents about five aspects of personal life: Whether they liked what they did every day; felt safe and liked where they lived; were healthy and had enough energy; had support and love; and could manage their income and expenses in order to reduce stress and increase a sense of security.
The survey found only 11 percent said they were doing well in all five, and more than one in six were not thriving in any.
It also measured what Gallup called "workplace engagement," a predictor of job performance. The report on the survey said workplace engagement includes "being intellectually and emotionally connected with their organizations and work teams because they are able to do what they're best at, they like what they do at work, and they have someone who care about their development at work."
The survey found 39 percent of college graduates are "engaged at work."
The study also found that those who had a professor who cared about them as a person, a professor who made them excited about learning and a mentor who encouraged them, the odds of being engaged at work doubled, and the chance of thriving in personal wellbeing tripled. But only 14 percent of respondents said they'd had all three.
It also asked whether those surveyed had had internships or jobs that allowed them to apply what they learned in the classroom, had been involved in extracurricular activities, and had worked on a project that took a semester or more to complete. Only 6 percent said they'd done all three.
And only 3 percent said their college experience included all six of these categories about support and experience.
"When college is done right it has a profound impact on your life and career," Busteed said. "But that's not happening for most college graduates."