text:
It's been the cautionary tale of the summer: If the N.C. General Assembly continues to skimp on education spending, teachers will leave.
It's been the cautionary tale of the summer: If the N.C. General Assembly continues to skimp on education spending, teachers will leave.
Little money for education is nothing new. School funding has been strained since the economy bottomed out in 2008. Teacher salaries were frozen that year, and school districts across the state tightened their budgets.
Five years later, the story is much the same. Apart from a 1.2 percent pay raise last year, which all state employees received, teacher salaries have still not increased. North Carolina has seen the sharpest decline in the country in teacher pay, according to the National Education Association. When adjusted for inflation, teacher salaries dropped by 15.7 percent from 2001 to 2011, the group says. The average teacher's salary is now $46,000, putting North Carolina 46th in the country in teacher pay.
The General Assembly's 2013 education budget also hit teacher salaries. Legislators did away with supplements for teachers who earn their master's degrees after the 2013-14 school year, moving instead to a system where teacher pay will be tied to their yearly evaluations and students' test scores.
The Legislature made other changes that educators aren't happy with: cutting funding for teacher's assistants, offering vouchers for private school tuition to low-income students or requiring teachers to undergo online training rather than invest in face-to-face professional development.
It's hard to tell if slumping pay and legislative changes are sending teachers to other states or other professions that pay more. The state Department of Public Instruction each year puts out a teacher turnover report, which tracks the reasons teachers leave their jobs. The overall turnover rate for the 2011-12 school year, the most recent for which the state has data, was about 11.1 percent. Some of that represents teachers who moved from one district to another or who took an administrator position in their district.
Since 2008, the percentage of teachers who left to teach in another state has stayed constant, between 3 and 4 percent. But the percentage of teachers who listed "dissatisfied with teaching" or "career change" as their reason for leaving has jumped slightly, going from 5 percent in 2008 to 7 percent in 2012.
So far, there's little data to suggest that waves of teachers are leaving the state or the profession. But there is anecdotal evidence that illustrates a growing frustration. The StarNews spoke with three teachers from Southeastern North Carolina who left the profession or the state at the end of the 2012-13 school year. All three emphasized that the decision to leave was personal and might not be for everyone. But for them, they said, being a teacher in North Carolina was no longer working.
Sollosi got a teaching job at Laney High in 2006, right after she graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She taught civics and economics and advanced-placement world history and helped pilot Laney's freshmen academy. Last year, she was named the best high school teacher in New Hanover County.
That's when things started to change. Sollosi, along with other top teachers, was invited to an education reform forum hosted by the speaker of the state House of Representatives. Sollosi and her peers were asked to tell members of the state House what they thought was and wasn't working in North Carolina schools.
But once she saw how those same lawmakers were voting, "it was apparent that they didn't care at all about what we said," Sollosi said. "I just couldn't do it anymore."
She was on maternity leave from her teaching job at the time. So she started looking for another job and, within a month, found a position as an office manager at an insurance company. Though an entry-level employee with no insurance experience, Sollosi said she's already seen a significant salary increase and better benefits for her family of four.
The decision to leave teaching was agonizing. Sollosi says she was "one of those critical kids" – a natural explainer who analyzed her teachers' style. She made the decision to go into education as a high-schooler and received a scholarship to UNCW through N.C. Teaching Fellows, a program that gave scholarships to students who promised to teach in North Carolina for at least four years after graduation. (That program was also phased out in the General Assembly's 2013 budget.)
"Part of me feels like a quitter," she said. "Part of me is ashamed for not being able to stick through it like my peers who are starting another year."
But she wants members of the General Assembly to understand that she decided to leave because of the decisions they made.
"I know I was an amazing teacher. I loved that relationship with the kids and the families," she said. "But at the same time, I'm prideful. It is embarrassing to teach in North Carolina."
"I couldn't hold my head up."
Kyle and her husband got married five years ago – a date that coincided perfectly with the freeze on teachers' salaries in North Carolina.
That put some extra strain on Kyle and her new husband, who'd bought a house soon after their wedding. Both were educators: Kyle taught language arts and worked as a literacy coach at Holly Shelter Middle School, and her husband was an assistant principal in Brunswick County Schools. With those salaries, they could pay the mortgage on their new house – but not comfortably. And if they wanted to put money in their savings, or enjoy a dinner out once in a while, they needed to get second jobs, Kyle said – or leave the state.
Kyle struggled with that idea. She grew up in Salisbury, attended Appalachian State University and has spent her entire nine-year teaching career in North Carolina, working in Mount Airy City Schools and in New Hanover County. Her parents and three siblings are all here.
"There was no part of me that wanted to leave," she said. "Yes, a better paycheck sounds great. But at the cost of leaving my entire family?"
Both Kyle and her husband picked up second jobs to make ends meet. But at the start of the 2012-13 school year, her husband put his foot down: If we want to start thinking about having children, he told Kyle, we have to leave North Carolina. We can't afford to raise kids here. So the pair moved to Pennsylvania, where Kyle's husband is originally from. They both found jobs in education, with salaries that almost doubled their household income.
But Kyle said her decision to leave the state was about more than money. As a teacher in North Carolina, "I felt like I was no longer valued as a professional at all," she said.
It's a different environment for Pennsylvania teachers, she said. She pointed to master's degrees as an example. When she told her Pennsylvania co-workers that the state had eliminated supplements for teachers with advanced education, they were floored, she said. In her new district, teachers are encouraged, almost required, to hold a master's, and they're reimbursed for at least 90 percent of their tuition.
Kyle still misses her home state. But she's slowly settling in to her new life – and the respect she gets as a teacher is helping that.
"It's completely different. You're definitely viewed as a professional," she said. "People in politics are fighting for you to be viewed as a professional as well."
Brown stood before the Brunswick County Board of Education last month and told the members he was leaving his job as a chemistry teacher at South Brunswick High School.
He didn't make that decision because of anything that happened in Brunswick County, or even anything that happened in Southeastern North Carolina, he said. It was because of the state.
Stagnant salaries are hard enough to stomach, Brown said, pointing to teachers' frozen pay and the General Assembly's decision to remove tenure. But what bothers Brown the most are things like the move to merit pay, where teachers whose student test scores fall in the top percentile will receive bonuses.
Brown called the trend of professional learning communities made up of several teachers within a school "one of the biggest breakthroughs in education."
"(Merit pay) is just going to drive a wedge between teachers," he said. "It's going to ruin that collaboration we've worked so hard on."
For Brown, who's now working as a chemist, the decision to leave ultimately came down to kids. He thinks about his own, saying that he and his wife – an English teacher at South Brunswick High School who's keeping her teaching job – couldn't even talk about having a second child on two teachers' salaries. While they're not trying to have another child right now, he said, they at least wanted to have the option.
He also thinks about the students in his old classes. They felt like his kids, too, he said, and leaving that was his first thought when he quit his job. But "the negatives were beginning to outweigh the positives," he said, and he needed to make a change.
But the students know he's gone. On the first day of school, Brown got word from his old assistant principal: One of his former students had taped a poster along the windows at the front of the school to honor him. It read, "We love you and miss you, Mr. Brown."
If Brown could talk to Gov. Pat McCrory and the legislators about the changes they've made, that's what he'd tell them.
"It's not going to be you that suffers," he said. "It's going to be these kids."
Pressley Baird: 343-2328
Twitter: @PressleyBaird


text:
Costs for travel and lodging through October for Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's State Police security detail totaled slightly more than $105,000, according to accounts first reported Monday by the Virginian-Pilot and the Richmond Times-Dispatch from open records requests.
The costs spanned from January through the middle of October and included mostly air fare, lodging and food for Executive Protection Unit agents who provide protection to the governor at all times.
Most charges were for travel on state business, with $79,000 from trade missions that included Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, England, Ireland, Canada and New York City.
Most political travel was covered by political action committees for McDonnell, the Romney presidential campaign or the Republican Governors Association, which he heads. Since state police didn't bear those costs, they're not in the report.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Heritage Covenant Schools promotes and provides!
HCS PROMOTES home education.
HCS PROVIDES support services for families who wish to teach their children at home, such as:
Storing & maintaining academic records
Personal counsel and support with just an email or phone call
Heritage Covenant Schools was the first school in Tennessee established to work primarily with families who wish an alternative education for their children.
Heritage Covenant Schools was the first school to recognize the defects of the Tennessee home school law and to develop an alternative which we call "satellite classrooms." After a twelve year up-hill struggle, the concept developed by our founder Rev. David O. Jones became recognized by the Tennessee Department of Education through the publication of the Jeter Memorandum.
Heritage Covenant Schools was the first school to specifically design reporting procedures which provide a concise and accurate record of educational progress for the student educated outside the traditional classroom which are consistent with public and private school systems. Because HCS did not begin as a regular day school, its services and procedures are not an adjustment from something else.
Heritage Covenant Schools is a Tennessee church related school.
2018-19 is our 33rd Year of Service to the Families of Tennessee
"Thanks so much for another school year and continuing to enjoy the freedom of having an alternative to the public school system. I don't think the Lord gave us children to send off and let some one else raise." — N.C. (mother)


text: Joey and I have been asked to make a presentation and introduce geocaching to a local Boy Scout troop next Tuesday. As evidence by the lengths of my forum posts, I am no public speaker (in fact this is probably the longest post I have made). Any suggestions on how to make an interesting presentation that will keep the kids interest? There is a micro nearby, but if there is a ballgame going on that night we wouldn't be able to search for it.


text:
This year, Bangkok will become the most popular city for tourists, beating out perennial favorites like London and Paris.
The Thai capital is expecting 15.98 million international arrivals this year, according to the Global Destination Cities Index forecast.
So what is luring in those millions of tourists?
With its centuries-old-temples, modern nightlife and restaurants, and incredible food, Bangkok is one of the most dynamic and exciting cities in the world.


text:
Parisian Holiday and Giveaway
10 comments:
- Ceilidh said...
You ladies are so inspiring!
Your holiday collection is absoutely stunning...I love everything about it all!
You know how much I love Paris...and this makes Christmas cards even more special knowing that they have the Eiffel Tower on them!
Now that Halloween is over, it's time to get ready for Christmas!
- November 2, 2010 at 7:23 PM
- Heather {WhipperBerry} said...
I was going to leave a comment anyway, but the giveaway is a total bonus. You ladies are aaaamazing!! Your designs are divine!!
Heather from WhipperBerry
- November 2, 2010 at 10:21 PM
- The Ryans said...
I absolutely love all your stuff - so girly and glittery!
- November 3, 2010 at 5:02 AM
- Sam said...
As always, your work is gorgeous!
- November 3, 2010 at 7:22 AM
- merium said...
love the ballerina!
- November 3, 2010 at 12:00 PM
- Amy @ Blowout Party! said...
This collection is so lovely!
- November 4, 2010 at 9:39 AM
- Mystica said...
The collection is marshmallow pretty - soft, nice and pretty colors!
- November 4, 2010 at 4:23 PM
- Lee said...
I came here via Whipperberry! And I am so thankful! Beautiful work ladies and i love love the French designs! My husband is French and my daughter and I love anything w/ a French theme!
thanks for the giveaway. Butler83ataoldotcom
- November 5, 2010 at 5:05 AM
I knew you girls wouldn't dissapoint us with the new line!! This line is absolutely stunning! I love the color pallete...so soft and sweet. My favorites are the sugar plum ballerina and the effiel tower that looks like a Christmas tree!
- November 5, 2010 at 7:12 PM
- Taylor Bara said...
If you would ever write a research essay you should start from here https://homeworkhelper.net/blog/research-essay-introduction
- July 15, 2019 at 4:20 AM


text:
J-734 Black
Cut and Sew
- All customer made orders, we can follow your requests make appropriate adjustments, which include fabric, color, logo, sponsor logo, etc.
- We also accept customer self-design order once the vector graph has provided.
- Please note: Adult and Youth sizes available in this product


text:
Friday, August 27, 2010
RedPoppy Giveaway from Felix Rey!!!
• Delicate Mesh body with mesh bow
• Inside zipper pocket
• Zipper closure
• Leopard print grosgrain lining
• 8½"W x 6¼"H
In order to win this clutch RedPoppy is trying to reach for the stars: 400 Followers, of which I will be choosing a winner at random. Thanks to all of you who've responded with amazing comments as to where you'd love to carry this clutch to, and for all your support...So please refer your friends, family, acquaintances, lovers, co-workers, and anyone else who enjoys a good dose of fashion, culture, and redheads, and join RedPoppy through Google Friend Connect on the sidebar. We've also added our giveaway to a great search engine called Giveaway Scout, where you can search for the latest giveaways on the web. So start following today!!!
83 comments:
- Connie @ SogniESorrisi said...
Good luck reaching 500! I'm a follower.
- August 3, 2010 at 10:12 AM
- Shooting Stars Mag said...
wow, very nice. my sister would love this when out with her girlfriends. i already follow.
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com
- August 3, 2010 at 2:54 PM
- Vittoria said...
i'm a new follower! gorgeous clutch! i'd wear it to all the upcoming weddings i have to attend!
- August 3, 2010 at 3:14 PM
- LilyBiscuit said...
I'm officially follower #247. I love this clutch too! We have a couple of family weddings soon. This would be perfect....they're both evening weddings. I'm going to send my friends to follow here as well.
vac924 at gmail dot com
- August 3, 2010 at 4:21 PM
- Judy G said...
I am a new follower! Glad to have found your site.
- August 3, 2010 at 5:06 PM
- Gigi said...
very pretty
gingerpye at gmail dot com
- August 3, 2010 at 5:30 PM
- Wendy13 said...
I am follower 250 ;] Great blog! This would be an adorable clutch to take to my friends' many oddly themed tea parties :]
- August 4, 2010 at 1:30 AM
- Tracey said...
I'm a follower. I'd carry this stunner on my weekly Girls Night Out.
- August 4, 2010 at 4:24 AM
- Ľubaša said...
I am already follower. This clutch would be great accessory to my friend wedding. Love it...
lubaska dot k at gmail dot com
- August 4, 2010 at 4:35 AM
- Aik said...
I'm a follower!
aikychien at yahoo dot com
- August 4, 2010 at 8:12 AM
I follow as samsakara and this would be great to use at my cousins wedding.
- August 4, 2010 at 11:43 AM
- Tee said...
good luck reaching 300 and then 500! i'm a follower and i've referred you to friends + family!
this clutch and a muted white and tan outfit would be amazing!
- August 4, 2010 at 1:30 PM
- bbc said...
I'm a follower now as Darija Brekalo and I would love to wear this cluth at my best friends wedding.
- August 4, 2010 at 2:02 PM
- RedPoppy said...
I'm reading all your amazing comments and thank you so much for all of them!! - RedPoppy
- August 4, 2010 at 2:11 PM
- Surge said...
I'm a follower :) I would love to wear this to my family events, we have a lot of them
contact email: tsgiveaways(at)hotmail.com
- August 4, 2010 at 3:24 PM
- Katie @ Left Hand Reviews said...
I'm already a follower! :)
I'd love to wear this for drinks out with my ladies! It's gorgeous.
kkondek at gmail.com
- August 4, 2010 at 5:44 PM
- liz said...
Gorgeous clutch !
I will use it to go hang out to the part with my girls and my hubby :)
It so it girl item :)
Contact me dear :)
thankies for helding this sweet giveaway and have a perfect day :)
- August 4, 2010 at 11:36 PM
- Benita said...
What a fabulous gift. I'm already a follower.
- August 4, 2010 at 11:43 PM
- Annika said...
I follow you with my red hair :D
- August 5, 2010 at 7:07 AM
- Roxy said...
my boyfriend's sister's wedding!
hockiemack at hotmail.com
- August 5, 2010 at 12:34 PM
- Popartrockgirlyeah! said...
Good luck!! I am a follower and I have also added your link to my sidebar. Ps just putting together a post on your beautiful hats - please let me know if there are any particular pictures you are keen for me use :-)
- August 5, 2010 at 3:20 PM
- CCakaJapan said...
This is gorgeouuuuuss! Good luck on gettin 400 followers! And I'm not just saying that so I'll have the chance to win :)
Thank you!!!
- August 5, 2010 at 7:07 PM
- mim said...
already a follower, good luck!
- August 5, 2010 at 10:23 PM
- Mamavalveeta03 said...
I follow you on GFC. The bag is so cute that I might have to actually develop a nightlife!!!
valhoff3 at yahoo dot com
- August 6, 2010 at 5:38 PM
- sunchicka said...
Love this clutch!
- August 6, 2010 at 7:56 PM
- sarah said...
love, love, love the bag!
- August 7, 2010 at 6:22 PM
- Vanessa S said...
I would love to wear this at my daughter's college graduation next year...
- August 7, 2010 at 7:46 PM
- Katherine said...
I guess bringing this to do my weekly grocery shop is a bit too much? This is absolutely gorgeous! I'd love to use it for a night out with my man ... I don't own a single clutch purse and am always ruining my look with purses that have straps across the front or clunky ones on my shoulder :) Am following you on GC. Cheers x
- August 8, 2010 at 5:17 AM
- Elena said...
I am already your follower!
- August 8, 2010 at 6:18 AM
- AnnaOj said...
It's gorgeous!
I'm a follower (Joanna O) and I put you in my Google Reader.
I'd wear it everywhere I could! I think it's really pretty, but not too over the top so I could wear it dressed down with jeans or all glam'd up when I go out.
Good Luck reaching as many followers as you want! & Thanks!
- August 8, 2010 at 10:33 AM
I'm a Google Follower & I'd die with joy if I won this clutch cause it's just dreamy! If I won it, I'd wear it to the theatre and higher end events, as well as photoshoots, and post it on my blog www.sailorettes.com ! <3 Good luck everyone xox
- August 8, 2010 at 6:23 PM
- Kat said...
This would look awesome with a little black dress!
katch05 at gmail dot com
- August 8, 2010 at 9:17 PM
LOVE this! It would be great for a night out... all my bags are HUGE, so this would be great- just slip some money, your cell phone and lip gloss in.
- August 9, 2010 at 9:37 PM
Whoops! I forgot to add my email address- I am the commenter who said all her bags are huge, haha!
fashuneesta [at] AOL [dot] com
- August 9, 2010 at 9:42 PM
- danielle said...
i'm a fellow redhead and LOVE the idea of this blog!! i would use this clutch to dress up a cute and casual outfit when i'm out on the town. it's perfect!
- August 11, 2010 at 10:11 AM
- Glamutante said...
Following (Google Friend Connect via Twitter profile @Glamutante)
- August 11, 2010 at 6:27 PM
- V said...
I'd love to take this to formal events!
vivafire at gmail dot com
- August 11, 2010 at 8:59 PM
- Julie said...
I am follower 274 :)
thanks for the giveaway
- August 11, 2010 at 9:03 PM
- Audrey said...
New follower. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck reaching 400.
- August 12, 2010 at 12:34 AM
- mischief manager said...
I'm a new follower..good luck for 400!
- August 12, 2010 at 5:56 AM
- Cassie said...
I'm a follower!
13cls13 at gmail dot com
- August 12, 2010 at 9:39 AM
- Katia said...
Cute clutch! New follower.
- August 12, 2010 at 3:48 PM
- Lydia A. said...
Gorgeous clutch!
- August 12, 2010 at 9:21 PM
- daunfamily said...
new follower, feel free to follow me back :) love the clutch and would love to wear it to my next formal event!
- August 13, 2010 at 12:27 AM
- Emily said...
I'm a new follower! I would love to wear this out on my upcoming trip to Vegas!
- August 13, 2010 at 10:01 AM
- firstname.lastname@example.com said...
i'm a follower
- August 13, 2010 at 7:37 PM
- Books And... said...
I'd wear it to a great night out on the town with some jeans, pumps and tank.
i follow. yospinks[at]booksand[dot]net
- August 14, 2010 at 5:25 PM
Became GFC follower my name sswpss
I would wear this out to somewhere fancy or even to church!
sswpss at yahoo dot com
- August 15, 2010 at 10:43 PM
- gustosa said...
blog follower, i will wear this on my cousin debut party.
gustosagiveaways at ymail dot com
- August 16, 2010 at 4:15 AM
- nightowl said...
I just signed up to follow.
I would use this clutch when going to parties, out to dinner, luncheons, etc.
- August 17, 2010 at 7:53 PM
- Saretta said...
Good luck at reaching your follower goals! I shared this post on facebook to help you!
I would use this bag for all my special evening events...or maybe just to go to the dentist's and other normal things...I'd never want to put it down! :-)
- August 22, 2010 at 5:18 PM
- Katie said...
I am for sure a new follower! I wish you luck with reaching 400 soon :)
That is a HUGE accomplish (and i am sure you will get it!)
I think that this purse is fantastic!! So fantastic that i don't know if i would want to save it for a special occassion to let everyone ooo and awww over it. OR use it whenever i go out!
But i think that I will be a good girl and would save it for this christmas holiday parties! It is perfect seeing as it looks like a beautifully wrapped present :)
Good luck!
Oh and i follower under kshuttle :)
- August 23, 2010 at 1:53 AM
- Wander said...
Yay....love it!
I'm a follower!
I'd wear it to the prom! As a staff member!
- August 24, 2010 at 1:42 PM
- Andrea D said...
i now follow u! i would wear this for a great night out!
andrea d
- August 27, 2010 at 10:55 PM
- Cece said...
I have been a follower since day one, you are fabulous! I hope to win the bag to wear to my daughter's wedding.
- August 29, 2010 at 1:25 AM
- misscaseylee said...
i'm a follower and i love this clutch! thanks so much!
- September 7, 2010 at 2:05 PM
- getpalmd said...
- September 9, 2010 at 1:06 PM
- ewhatley said...
Follow you via gfc. Thanks for the great giveaway.
ewhatley at embarqmail dot com
- September 9, 2010 at 5:48 PM
- Cassie said...
I'm a follower and my daughter would love this for Christmas! Thanks!
- September 9, 2010 at 7:25 PM
- tina reynolds said...
I follow, good luck!
- September 9, 2010 at 11:38 PM
- Naomi said...
I'd love to carry this bag to a gallery opening!
- October 6, 2010 at 12:39 PM
- mamavalveeta03 said...
I'd love to win because if I had something so gorgeous to carry, then I'd have no reason to NOT have a social life!
I follow you on GFC!
I'll share on Facebook!
- October 6, 2010 at 12:41 PM
- Angela K. said...
I'm a new follower! Beautiful item...
- October 6, 2010 at 2:33 PM
- georgy said...
I'm already a follower. I would love to wear this with a large oversized sweater, leggings and suede boots...love your site
- October 6, 2010 at 5:06 PM
- Eve said...
Im already a follower! I hope you get the number of followers you need! Great prize by the way. I would love to win because I think this purse is beautiful and would pair it with a hot mini dress and take it to a party!
shopgurl101 at gmail dot com
- October 6, 2010 at 7:23 PM
- sd0126 said...
Lovely clutch! I follow the blog.
- October 6, 2010 at 9:18 PM
- Ming said...
I love that bag, too cute!
- October 6, 2010 at 11:14 PM
- Ľubaša said...
Great giveaway! thanks for a chance to win.
"old" follower.:-)) Lubaska
lubaska dot k at gmail dot com
- October 7, 2010 at 9:46 AM
- Westland said...
I am a follower and I really love your sense of style & the clutch is so adorable I have to have it! Good luck on achieving your goal, you have an awesome blog & an awesome giveaway item so I know you're going to reach it in no time!
- October 7, 2010 at 10:06 AM
- Tracey said...
I follow. I'd carry this stunner on my weekly Girls' Night Out at the clubs with my BFFs.
- October 7, 2010 at 4:02 PM
- Lydia A. said...
Good luck! I tweeted to my followers so they can start following you as well! =)
- October 7, 2010 at 11:02 PM
- RedPoppy said...
Thanks so much for all your fab comments and for Following! xox
- October 7, 2010 at 11:10 PM
- sunchicka said...
gorgeous clutch
- October 8, 2010 at 10:33 PM
- Ann On and On... said...
You're almost there.... (I'm a follower.)
Thanks for the amazing bag giveaway.
- October 9, 2010 at 2:31 PM
- Tee said...
Good luck reaching 500!! I'm a devoted follower.
Good luck to everyone!!
- October 10, 2010 at 10:44 AM
- suggie said...
Follower #336! :) The clutch is so cute!
- October 10, 2010 at 8:58 PM
- Vanessa A. Johnson said...
following on Twitter and posted link on FB. Nice clutch. would love to win.
- October 11, 2010 at 10:37 AM
- Cynthia said...
I'm following you via gfc!
You're on your way! less than 80 more to go!
- October 12, 2010 at 1:31 AM
- Jeweled Chavon said...
New follower here!
- October 12, 2010 at 1:31 PM
- Yasmeen said...
I'm a follower of your blog! This clutch is just lovely! It's fashionable and so cute. I could use it on my trip to Washington D.C. if I win. I'm looking forward to this giveaway! Thanks for posting this great giveaway! Best of luck to all and...me, ha ha!
- October 13, 2010 at 8:14 AM
- Kate said...
LOOOOVE that bag! How fabulous! Want to take to upcoming charity ball I'm hosting! I'm a follower! email@example.com
Hope you get to 400
- October 13, 2010 at 1:44 PM
- RedPoppy said...
Thanks for all your amazing comments!! xo RP
- October 14, 2010 at 6:54 PM
- FashionParty said...
I've been following your blog for a long time and absolutely love it!!! Always love your insight and sparkling fashion sense :) I'd love to win this!
- January 23, 2011 at 12:32 AM


text:
You can download many of our free publications in PDF format, or
place an order to receive print copies by mail.
Click here for the order form. To receive Brain in the News, subscribe here or contact email@example.com to order multiple
See also our resources in other languages: •Spanish •French •German •Italian •Portuguese •Turkish
Brain in the News is a monthly print publication that features neuroscience content from around the world and a column from Dana scientific advisor Guy McKhann, M.D. We mail this to subscribers around the world.
Q&A: Answering Your Questions About The Brain
A pamphlet that provides the answers to commonly asked questions about the brain and its disorders.
We all know people who seem to blossom after 50, or stay sharp into old age. What can we learn from them? Find out what steps you can take to improve your brain fitness, regardless of your age.
A series of free downloadable puzzles based on Successful
Aging & Your Brain.
Four lifestyle factors contribute to the maintenance of
cognitive function: mental activity, physical activity, social engagement, and
the control of vascular risk factors. Order copies of the bookmark here.
Ten classic Brain Awareness Week puzzles.
It's Mindboggling!
Packed with information about the brain in a fun format of games, riddles, and puzzles for elementary and middle school students. (PDF)
Other languages available:
Spanish, Flemish, French, German, Italian, Turkish
An addition to It's Mindboggling!, this publication is a closer look at learning and memory, the senses, drug addiction, and how the brain and nervous system work, for elementary and middle school students.
Mindboggling Workbook
A fun-filled activity book about the brain for children in grades K-3 (ages 5-9). Provides an introduction to how the brain works, what the brain does, its importance, and how to take care of it.
Turkish, Portuguese
More Puzzles from Brain Awareness Week
New in 2016: a series of fun and challenging puzzles that teach kids about the brain. The puzzles are organized by grade and age level. Each packet contains the puzzle answers and is available in color and black and white versions.
You've Got Some Explaining to Do: Advice for Neuroscientists Writing for Lay Readers
A "must read" for neuroscientists writing for the general public. The author, who served as the first editor in chief of the Dana Press, brings more than 20 years of experience in translating neuroscience to lay readers. This is an easy-to-follow reference book where you can learn about your reader and your voice, common practices that sharpen your writing, and style. You'll want to keep it handy. (Also available as Free PDF in English and Spanish)
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What started as a simple string and pedal sales catalog has grown exponentially over the past thirty years. The early days were a time where catalogs didn't have much of a presence in the industry, but what began as a college dorm room operation grew rapidly. In 1986 we moved to a full product offering and 64-page catalog, which over the years has grown to 162 pages. Join the AMS family and get your free catalog now!
Copyright © 1996-2019 American Musical Supply, Inc. All rights reserved. American Musical Supply reserves the right to correct pricing and/or product specifications in the event of typographical errors found in our print catalog or on our website. If a product is listed at an incorrect price due to such errors or because of inaccurate information received from a supplier, American Musical Supply shall have the right to refuse or cancel any orders placed, whether or not the order has been confirmed and your credit card charged. If your credit card has already been charged for the purchase and your order is canceled, American Musical Supply will issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge.


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December 01, 2010
Story Landis, Ph.D.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
View Article as PDF
Remarkable advances during the Decade of the Brain set the stage for the decade that just ended, and recent findings make us optimistic that progress will accelerate.
Basic neuroscience research in the 1990s has been an important part of this momentum. The following is just a sample of the many important findings during the Decade of the Brain: In 1991, researchers discovered the molecular basis of olfaction—our sense of smell—which made the olfactory system as attractive as the visual system for exploring neural development and sensory processing. The identification of molecules in multiple systems that guide axons—fibers involved in communication between neurons—led to a new understanding of how connections form during development. Finally, molecular and biochemical studies showed that synapses—the junctions at which nerves communicate—are complex molecular machines rather than simple structures, as earlier images from electron microscopes suggested.
Although neuroscientists believe that advances in basic science ultimately will improve our understanding of neurological disease and thereby will guide treatments, genetics has had the most immediate impact. The discovery in 1991 that Kennedy's disease, a motor neuron disorder, is caused by a specific gene mutation was the first of a stream of significant findings, including gene mutations involved in Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease) and Rett syndrome. In addition to identifying mutations responsible for these undeniably familial disorders, investigators discovered a mutation in the alpha-synuclein gene in a large European family with Parkinson's disease. This finding was particularly noteworthy since the consensus in the field had been that Parkinson's had environmental causes. Now more Parkinson's researchers have expanded their search to include genetics, which accounts for the disease in some patients and may contribute to it in others.
In the past decade, the list of single gene defects that contribute to neurological disorders grew at an extraordinary pace, leading to almost an embarrassment of riches. For example, at least 15 identified genes cause spinocerebellar ataxias, and almost as many additional genes are suspected culprits. Classification for ataxias by genetic profile has replaced the clinical classification based on time of onset, rate of progression and subtleties of the clinical exam. In addition, researchers have identified at least six additional Parkinson's-related genes; together, these genes appear to underlie the disease in as much as 35 percent of patients with Parkinson's disease.
Gene identification has immediately benefited patients. For many of the rare neurological disorders, patients and their families might have spent many years and thousands of dollars in their search for a diagnosis. For some diseases, an inexpensive genetic test can now bring that odyssey to a rapid and conclusive end.
We hope for more than the ability to diagnose, however. Implicit in the discovery of a causative gene is the belief that this knowledge will quickly lead to a better understanding of disease processes, and this in turn will yield better treatments. But to date this translation has proved to be much more difficult than we had imagined. For example, in 1987, researchers discovered that mutations in the dystrophin gene cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a disorder that results in the death of affected boys, usually before age 20. Despite two decades of research and the availability of both mouse and dog models, the only treatment currently in use is corticosteroids.
Similarly, scientists identified the genetic defect in Huntington's disease in 1993; today, no treatments slow the disease's progression, and those that address symptoms in the middle to late stages are not particularly effective. Scientists still debate whether aggregates formed in the brain from the Huntington's gene's mutant protein are toxic or protective. We have, however, become much more sophisticated about defining and testing targets for therapeutics development, and we now have at our disposal exciting new technologies, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), to turn our knowledge of gene mutations into treatments.
Other basic science developments offer significant promise for the current decade. One such advance is human pluripotent stem cell technology. Using recipes for specific classes of neural cells, scientists can use human embryonic stem cells to generate thousands of dopamine neurons, motor neurons or myelin-producing cells suitable for studying and potentially treating Parkinson's disease, ALS or multiple sclerosis, respectively. In 2006 scientists learned how to turn back the developmental clock of mouse skin cells to make them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells that closely resemble embryonic stem cells. A year later researchers extended this remarkable technology to human skin cells. In proof-of-principle studies, investigators have turned skin cells from patients with ALS or Parkinson's disease into induced pluripotent stem cells. Then they have differentiated the cells into motor neurons or dopamine neurons. Scientists are already using such cells in the search for disease-modifying drugs. Many investigators believe that well down the road, human embryonic stem and iPS cells may be useful in replacing nervous system cells lost or damaged by neurological disorders.
Kennedy's Disease
"Kennedy's Disease Information Page", National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Web site.http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/kennedys/kennedys.htm
Alpha-synuclein gene:
"Alpha-synuclein: Unlocking the Secrets of a Protein Implicated in Parkinson's Pathology"
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Researchhttp://www.michaeljfox.org/living_viewpoints_researcherAreaPositionPapers_alphaSynuclein.cfm
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's Disease—The Dana Guide
Ira Shoulson
March 2007http://www.dana.org/news/brainhealth/detail.aspx?id=9826
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
"A Breakthrough on Stem Cells"
Alice Park
Time.com, 11/20/2007http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1685965,00.html
IPS cells in ALS:
"Stem Cells Offer Insights, Screening Tools, for ALS'
Elizabeth Norton Lasley
Dana Foundation News article
February 2, 2009http://www.dana.org/news/features/detail.aspx?id=19180
* This article was previously published in Cerebrum, 2010
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Welcome to Academic Advising
The Citadel ranks No. 3 nationally among public colleges and universities in our Carnegie classification in the percentage of students who graduate in four years. That category includes colleges with master's level programs. The latest data shows that 56.2% of entering freshmen graduated from The Citadel within four years, 65.8% within six years. The national average four-year graduation rate is about 30%.
The Citadel leads South Carolina public colleges and universities in its four-year graduation rate.
The U.S. News & World Report rankings for 2012 recognize The Citadel in several different categories:
- The Citadel ranks No. 1 among the top public universities in the South that offer a full range of undergraduate and master's degree programs
- No. 5 among the best public and private universities in the South offering up to a master's degree but few, if any, doctoral programs.
- The School of Engineering ranked No. 21 for best undergraduate engineering programs in the nation.
Moreover, The Citadel provides numerous services and resources to help you resolve problems and support your success!
Academic Advisors are here to help students navigate the requirements, policies, and opportunities and to help them explore and achieve their academic goals. Each student is an important member of the Citadel family; and faculty, staff, and administrators want everyone's experience at The Citadel to be a successful one. We invite you to explore this Web site to learn more about the Advising Program at The Citadel.
The Mission of the Academic Advising Program at The Citadel is to assist students in using the educational programs offered by the college to meet the student's individual needs, enhance their abilities, and to achieve personal, educational, and career goals consistent with the institutional mission of Honor, Duty, and Respect. The integrated program will assist all students to make a successful transition to, and establish their place in, college life; to take responsibility for learning how to set academic, career, and personal goals, and the strategies for achieving them; and to graduate in a timely manner, successfully meeting all requirements. Successful advising contributes to the Citadel's ultimate goal of developing mature and self-directed students capable of making appropriate decisions, becoming life-long learners, and being successful leaders in communities.
Please click the following links to learn more about:
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Please visit the items on the sidebar to find out more about Academic Advising at The Citadel and feel free to contact us with further questions or concerns at email@example.com.


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Governor Jack Markell signed legislation Sept. 18 to enhance support services that will better prepare youth in foster care for adulthood.
Governor Jack Markell signed legislation Sept. 18 to enhance support services that will better prepare youth in foster care for adulthood.
Several young adults in attendance at the bill signing helped draft House Bill 163, known as the "Ready by 21" bill.
"It is so important we allow these young people to have a direct say in decision making related to their lives," said Governor Jack Markell. "Turning 18 can be difficult for any young adult, but for youth in foster care there are often additional hurdles they must overcome. By allowing them to identify the areas in which they need additional support and services, we'll ensure they experience a smoother transition to adulthood."
One of the key components of HB 163 is the formalization of financial assistance for youth exiting foster care. These needs-based stipends can be used for housing, bills related to housing such as electric, insurance, and transportation needs to name a few. The use of the funds will be monitored by the youth's Independent Living (IL) services provider quarterly, and youth will be required to complete a financial literacy course.
"So many of our youth have incredible potential, but they need a helping hand," said Jennifer Ranji, cabinet secretary for DSCYF. "This bill provides a way for us to formalize our support system so that we can assist with their transition into adulthood, in a way and at a pace that is most appropriate for each individual young person."


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Nation & World
Hezbollah takes casualties in Syrian rebel offensive; peace talks set for January
Rebels on the outskirts of the Syrian capital launched an offensive over the weekend that apparently succeeded in breaking the government siege of several contested villages in a long battle that apparently involved the Lebanese Muslim Shiite militant group Hezbollah.
Three rebel commanders confirmed to McClatchy on Monday that the offensive was ongoing, but each refused to provide details, saying that the newly dominant faction that controls rebel forces around Damascus had put a news blackout in place.
Abu Yaser, a spokesman for Jaysh al Islam, a coalition of Islamist rebel groups, said details of the fight would be made public when the operation was completed.
Photos posted on Facebook and Twitter showed rebels celebrating what appeared to be a series of bloody victories over Hezbollah fighters who'd been supporting the Syrian army in the area. Rebels appeared to be holding prisoners, and some of the photos depicted apparent executions.
Word of the fighting came the same day that the United Nations announced that the United States and Russia had agreed to Jan. 22 as the date for the so-called Geneva 2 peace talks, intended to find a political solution to the civil war.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced the date in New York. If the talks take place as planned, it will be the first meeting between representatives of President Bashar Assad's government and the opposition since the civil war broke out in 2011.
"At long last and for the first time, the Syrian government and opposition will meet at the negotiation table rather than the battlefield," Ban said.
It was still unclear who'd be attending the conference, which was originally called for in the so-called Geneva Communique agreed to by the United States, Russia and several other countries in June 2012. Assad has said he'll send a representative, but it's been unclear which rebel factions will appear and whether countries such as Saudi Arabia, which supports the rebels, and Iran, which supports Assad, will be invited.
"We are still discussing the complete list of participants, and we will be meeting again on Dec. 20 for another trilateral, maybe the last one before the conference," Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.'s special envoy to Syria, said in Geneva, referring to a meeting of representatives from the United States, Russia and the U.N. "We are in touch both with government and the opposition. We are asking them to name their delegations as early as possible, hopefully before the end of the year."
He ducked questions on whether Iran would be invited, noting only that Ban and the head of the Arab League have said they'd favor its participation.
The announcement of the date for the talks and the rebel offensive probably were coincidental, but the timing underscored a key rebel concern: that peace talks would begin while their campaign to oust Assad appeared to be flagging.
In recent months, the Syrian army, with the help of Iranian advisers and fighters from Iraq and Lebanon's Hezbollah, has successfully pressed to retake areas around Damascus that had been under rebel control. Ghouta and the adjacent suburbs of Damascus have been under heavy government siege and bombardment for almost a year as pro-Assad troops sought to weaken rebel forces that occupied the area. Little in the way of food or medical supplies has arrived in the besieged area.
"The battle is ongoing, and the fighting brigades were able to liberate townships that were being controlled by the regime army," said a rebel activist, who asked that his name not be used so as not to offend the rebel units that insist on a news blackout. He identified the rebel units participating in the fighting as Jaysh al Islam and the Islamic Union of Ajnad al Sham and Ahrar al Sham, two conservative Islamist groups.
"Yesterday, all of al Bahariyah was liberated," he said, referring to a town east of Damascus that's been contested for months. He said rebels also had taken the towns of Deir Salman and al Qisa, which had been in rebels hands at the beginning of the year but fell to the army over the summer.
Rebel video showed dozens of bodies of what the insurgents claimed were Hezbollah fighters. Several showed prisoners whom the rebels identified as Lebanese.
A Hezbollah commander in Beirut said he was aware of at least 21 casualties from the weekend fighting and that the Shiite community of southern Lebanon was bracing for high casualty figures.
"I have a list of 21 names of our martyrs from this weekend, but there will be more," he said. "It could become at least 40 in the next few hours."
Residents of Beirut's Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs said there were signs that some bodies had been returned from the battlefield just a few hours away and that families with sons in Syria were expected to hear of more casualties.
The Hezbollah commander described a murky ongoing situation in Ghouta and around a strategic highway interchange that links the capital to the mostly rebel-held city of Aleppo to the north.
"Yesterday our units came under a human wave attack by hundreds of terrorists and rebel fighters," said the commander, who asked not to be identified because he wasn't authorized to discuss Hezbollah operations with reporters. "They took several villages and took several Hezbollah positions."
When he was asked whether the Hezbollah units would be reinforced, the commander said elite units from Hezbollah were already being sent to the battle.
"It's not over. We will retake those positions," he said.
One resident said a mass mobilization of these units was readily apparent in the tight-knit community.
"Everyone's phones are ringing and buses full of special forces are leaving" the neighborhood, the resident said. The resident asked not to be identified for security reasons.
McClatchy special correspondent John Zarocostas contributed to this report from Geneva.


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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prosecutors on Tuesday charged 18 people with fraud for allegedly creating and using thousands of fake identities to ring up hundreds of millions of dollars in credit card purchases.
The 18 people were the ringleaders of a massive credit card fraud scheme that lasted nearly 10 years, according to a criminal complaint. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was in the processing of making arrests on Tuesday morning. The 18 people were located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
"The arrests today are the result of an investigation into a sophisticated, organized group that operated internationally and in the United States," said an FBI spokeswoman in New Jersey. "This elaborate scheme involved the creation of thousands of fraudulent identities and bank accounts," she added. According to the criminal complaint filed in New Jersey, profits from the scheme "supported a massive network of co-conspirators.
," some located in Pakistan, India, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, China, Romania and Japan. The complaint does not include any names of credit card companies defrauded in the scam.


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WASH in Schools Empowers Girls' Education in Freetown, Sierra Leone: An Assessment of Menstrual Hygiene Management in Schools
Download: English
From June through July 2012, Emory University and UNICEF collaborated in research aimed to understand the range of challenges faced by girls during menstruation in urban Freetown, as well as the determinants of those challenges. This report presents the methods, findings and key programmatic recommendations to address menstruation-related challenges among girls. More than 100 participants were engaged in eight schools and two communities, including teachers and girls, both in school and out of school.
Common challenges during menstruation discussed by girls included: pain; teasing and shame related to revealing menstrual status; leaks, stains and menstruation-related odour; lack of understanding of menstruation; lack of preparedness for menstrual onset; and inability to effectively manage menstrual flow at school. Participants discussed how coping with challenges had negative impacts on education, such as missing or leaving school to manage menses, reducing participation in class, distraction and missed educational opportunities. Such impacts could compromise girls abilities to advance in school. Girls also reported itching and concern for infection, self-exclusion from their peers, and misinformation about the reproductive cycle that may put them at risk for unplanned pregnancy.


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ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The Army has finished the Network Integration Evaluation 12.2, where it validated and finalized Capability Set 13, the first integrated set of advanced tactical communications equipment that will be delivered to brigade combat teams starting this fall.
But two thousand miles from the desert of White Sands Missile Range, N.M., Army engineers are already focused on the next target.
The integration activity that began in Army laboratories at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) last week will lay the groundwork for Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE, 13.1 in October, where the service will evaluate the initial baseline network for Capability Set, or CS, 14. Upgrades with CS 14 include integrating the network on heavy vehicle platforms and greater convergence of operations and intelligence applications.
The ongoing risk reduction in APG laboratories is critical to the successful execution of the NIEs, semi-annual field exercises that leverage 3,800 Soldiers conducting realistic operations in order to measure network performance. By replicating the NIE network in the lab environment, engineers can resolve integration issues before systems get to the field -- reducing test costs and allowing Soldiers to focus on the fight instead of the technology behind it.
"The less they talk about the network, the more successful we are," said Col. Dan Hughes, director of Army System of Systems Integration. "Good pre-planning and good engineering leads to success in allowing us to get the evaluation done."
That was the case for NIE 12.2, where a combination of risk reduction in the labs and up-front integration in the field delivered a complete network -- connecting command posts to vehicles to dismounted Soldiers -- to the brigade before it started operations. More than 60 issues were discovered in the lab, many of which were resolved with software or firmware updates.
Compared to the previous two NIEs when more troubleshooting occurred in the field, the process for 12.2 allowed the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, "to run more threads and more execution, and give the Army better feedback on the system as a whole," brigade commander Col. Dan Pinnell said.
As Army leadership now begins to review NIE 12.2 results in preparation for the fielding of Capability Set 13, engineers at APG are engaged in risk reduction for NIE 13.1, which includes building the network for Capability Set 14.
In the labs, engineers create a representative NIE architecture incorporating radios, satellite-based systems, handheld devices, mission command applications, routers, cables and other network components. Through a combination of actual and simulated hardware and software, they recreate the end-to-end NIE network -- which requires distinct configurations and different combinations of systems for each battalion within 2/1 AD.
"When you build a holistic, to scale representation of your network, you can represent your mobility, you can represent your various degree of spectral constrainment, you can go through various mission command configurations," said Dennis Bushmitch, SoSI chief analyst. "The lab is your controlled environment where you can test things up to scale in all possible configurations, which will lead to a fieldable design."
Under the Agile Process, the Army's new quick-reaction acquisition methodology to address defined capability gaps and insert new technologies into the overall network at a lower cost, companies respond to a "sources sought" notification, and then enter the laboratories for technology evaluation, assessment and integration. The lab assessments inform the Army's choices on what systems will participate in the semi-annual NIEs and provide detailed "score cards" to industry on how their technologies performed and what could be improved in the future.
"We are in a unique opportunity to evaluate vendor systems early and provide technical recommendations to validate the claims vendors make on their products," said Scott Newman, Program Director for Systems Engineering and Integration for Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center, known as CERDEC. "Each vendor receives a detailed score card and technical report explaining what tests were performed and the results of the tests. This allows the vendor to see what the Army is looking for and hopefully make their products better in the future."
Once systems pass this phase, they enter Lab-based Risk Reduction,or LBRR, where the NIE network is replicated in a lab environment. All systems going to NIE 13.1 must first go through LBRR at CERDEC's C4ISR Systems Integration Lab, known as CSIL, where system functionality, interoperability, and all configuration settings and mission threads are validated prior to going to NIE. The lab activity also benefits industry by allowing companies to plug their systems into the holistic Army network and discover any interoperability challenges before Soldiers encounter them during NIE.
"This is the first time the vendors actually come into a full network, and they get to integrate and test their system without any retribution," said Vivek Agnish, SoSI Deputy Division Chief for Network Design Integration & Analysis and lead for the LBRR effort. "They get a better opportunity to be in NIE and work well, instead of breaking down in NIE and getting a negative assessment."
With a brigade's worth of hardware and software in close proximity, the lab is also a more cost-effective environment to isolate and fix a problem than White Sands, where 2/1 AD spreads more than 100 miles across rough desert and mountain terrain. One issue discovered during LBRR for NIE 12.2 would have taken days to track down in the field, but in the lab was solved in one afternoon, said Paul McCabe, SoSI test execution lead for LBRR.
"They really were able to run a problem down very efficiently," he said. "This environment is very comfortable. You can really look deep into what your problem is."
As risk reduction for NIE 13.1 gets underway, engineers are applying lessons-learned from the previous cycle, and will incorporate more mission command software for greater realism. Another change this time is that LBRR will be centrally executed out of the CSIL.
"The CSIL's goal is to reduce risk at the actual NIE event," Newman said. "By bringing all of the products together in a lab environment we can validate everything in a controlled, repeatable, and defendable environment. With the subject matter expertise residing on the APG campus we can work together as a community to make the NIE as successful as possible by fixing problems here instead of out in the field."
The lab-based risk reduction effort finds and fixes problems early in the Agile Process, thus reducing risk of finding various bugs and integration issues in the field. This allows the Army to evaluate each system for merits and operational benefits, Agnish said.
"We are going to build on the successes of 12.2 LBRR and improve the process for 13.1 LBRR to provide an effective transition to NIE and the Soldier," said Lt. Col. Carlos Wiley, the incoming military lead for 13.1 LBRR.


text: 07 Aug 2013 09:00 Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today outlined a range of major changes to its Australian operations, including new aircraft, new routes, additional flights and new airport facilities. Speaking in Sydney at the CAPA Australia Pacific Aviation Summit, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, James Hogan, said Australia was a key and long-term market for the airline and one for which there were exciting growth plans. Mr Hogan said the airline's future steps for Australia included: Airbus A380 aircraft from Sydney and Melbourne to Abu Dhabi Construction of premium lounges at Sydney and Melbourne Airports from 2014 Additional flights from Melbourne and Brisbane to Abu Dhabi Commencement of nonstop flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi He also reaffirmed that Etihad Airways was already moving to increase its equity in Virgin Australia, following recent approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board to increase from a 10 per cent shareholding to 19.9 per cent. "Virgin Australia is a key member of our ever-expanding airline equity alliance, and Etihad Airways is an active and long-term investor in Virgin," Mr Hogan said. "We have a significant presence in Australia, with 28 weekly departures, annual expenditure of over $100 million, direct employment of 106 staff and engagement of 415 local contractors," he said. "The Virgin Australia partnership enables us to connect with 45 destinations in Australia, New Zealand and South-East Asia, while we reciprocate by providing connections via our Abu Dhabi hub to a wide range of destinations in Europe, UK, Ireland and Africa." Mr Hogan also highlighted the contribution of codeshare partners such as Air France, KLM, Alitalia and Air Serbia to strengthening Etihad Airways' position between Australia and Europe. "Together with our partners, we have a continuous wave of flights coming down from Europe over our global hub in Abu Dhabi with connections to a significant network of destinations," he said. Mr Hogan said the Etihad Airways equity alliance – an alternative to legacy airline alliances – now had five members, following a deal last week to invest in Serbia's national airline. Etihad Airways also is awaiting regulatory approval for investment in a sixth airline, India's Jet Airways, which gives the equity alliance a combined total of more than 420 destinations, 500 aircraft and more than 96 million passengers each year. While in Sydney, Mr Hogan will also host a VIP event at Sydney Opera House to celebrate Etihad Airways' 10th anniversary and its sixth year of flying to Australia. The airline is a major partner of Sydney Opera House having signed a three-year agreement with the iconic World Heritage-listed performing arts centre in January this year. Contact met Etihad Als wereldwijd opererende luchtvaartmaatschappij hebben wij natuurlijk overal ter wereld vestigingen. Lees hoe u contact kunt opnemen met uw dichtstbijzijnde Etihad-kantoor. Bekijk onze contactgegevens Feedback Als u een opmerking, compliment of klacht wilt doorgeven, of een vraag wilt stellen, klik dan hier Vind ons leuk Bezoek onze Facebookpagina! Bekijk ons Bekijk ons YouTube-kanaal! Volg ons Etihad Airways | Etihad Aanbiedingen | Etihad Help | Etihad Rewards


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Drink like a local! A Hong Kong Islander local that is.
Craft beer has exploded onto the scene of Hong Kong these past 3 years so it's a great time for your taste buds to try some local brews.
Though there is a lot of beer drinking to be done, but we will also be learning about each of the local breweries & what beer they're known for. You'll be able to taste at least 14 different craft beers, each around 100 ml in size. Yes, there's a lot of beer drinking in this tour! The breweries that we will be visiting have especially been curated to be different in terms of size and personality, from a smaller family-run brewery, to one of Hong Kong's biggest craft beer brewery, & then to a brewpub, in order to give you an overall flavour of the Hong Kong craft beer scene.
The Local Craft Beer Brewery Tour is designed to give you a beginning to end holistic vibe of craft beer & why it's becoming so popular in Hong Kong.
During the tour, you'll be able to:
Get insider tips
DRINK a lot. Sample 14 local craft beers (each around 100ml in size)
VIP & behind the scenes access into the breweries
Recommendations of the best local brews to try & the best craft beer bars
Hear fascinating stories about each brewery and their journey
Learn about the brewing process
Explore the future of craft beer and where it's headed
Local breweries you may be visiting*:
| Black Kite Brewery | Young Master Ales | Little Creatures Hong Kong | HK Brewcraft** | Mak's Brewery | Lucky Dawgs Craft Beer Brewery |
Craft beers varieties you may be drinking*:
| IPA | Imperial IPA | Pale Ale | Golden Ale | Gose | Seasonal, limited brews | Homebrew | Amber Ale | Rogers Ale | Pilsner | Stout | Porter | Imperial Porter | Bright Ale | Lager | Current monthly housebrews |
Come learn about the grain to glass process of making craft beer, taste 14 different craft beers, explore each brewery's story, and discover more about the vibrant local craft beer community.
We rotate between the local breweries that we partner with and may at times, throw in some new breweries as well. The brewery lineup is confirmed 2 weeks' in advance of the tour date and we will send out an email to our confirmed guests at that time. Please note that the starting location of the tour may change as a result of that. Should there be a change in the starting location of the brewery tour, that will also be announced in the email.
It will be a 5 min walk to our first two breweries, and for our last brewery, we will be slipping back onto our trusty MTR to reach Kennedy Town. From there, there will be another 5 minute walk to our last brewery. Please note that the MTR train costs ($8.2HKD from your Octopus or $9HKD for a single ride ticket) are not inclusive to the tour price.
Please note minimum legal drinking age is 18 in Hong Kong. It is your responsibility to ensure you are complying to the legal drinking age of Hong Kong. Please bring photo ID and we reserve the right to check your ID as we deem fit.
Photo credits go to our guest Jamie Zhou (IG @jamiehaozhou).
Note: The cut-off time for booking is 12am on the same day as the event. If you're still interested in the event, please email us directly at firstname.lastname@example.com to see if there are still spots available.
* The craft beer breweries and craft beers are subjected to change without prior notice.
** HK Brewcraft is a homebrew workshop and supplies and craft beer reseller store.


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Here in Bulgaria we have a traditional festival that takes place every year in January. We call it Kukerovden (Kuker day). The whole thing is more like a carnival (like the one in Rio, but scarier). Men, and recently women also, dress in hand made costumes witch cover most of the body and they also include decorated wooden masks of animals (sometimes double-faced) and large bells, called chamove attached to a belt. The Kukers walk and dance through the village to scare evil spirits away with the costumes and the sound of the bells, as well as to provide a good harvest, health, and happiness to the village during the year. All the people from the village gather to see that show, and to drink some home made red wine.
Tag Archives: carnival
Carnivals and parades


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BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – After a wild second half, which saw men's soccer overcome a three-goal deficit to tie the game at 3-3 and force an overtime period, Wednesday's non-conference match between UMass Boston and Bridgewater State would come to a close five minutes into the first overtime with the Bears Steve McAvoy scoring the game-winning tally to give Bridgewater State a 4-3 win at Swenson Field.
With the loss the Beacons overall record fell to 3-6-2, while Bridgewater State improved to 4-5-1 on the season.
McAvoy's deciding goal, his second of the year, came off of an assist from Braima Samati who crossed the ball into the middle, where it was met by McAvoy, who then managed to dribble through the Beacons defense and place the ball to the far low post bringing an end to Wednesday's match.
Setting up the overtime period was a three-goal flurry by the Beacons all of which came in a four minute window. Sparking the late rally was Victory Hugo Costa (Brasilia, Brazil) who netted UMB's first goal of the night 74:32 to make it 3-1 in favor of the Bears.
After that it was Reyn Johnson (Mangilao, Guam) at the 76:56 mark which made it just a one-goal game. Johnson's score marked the second of the week for the senior. Both of the Beacons first two goals came off of headers off of corners, while UMass' final goal, which was scored by Kelvin Martinez (East Boston, Mass.), came as a result of shot that was redirected by a Bridgewater State defender. The final Beacons goal came at the 77:51 mark capping off one of the Beacons best rally's to-date.
On the night the host Bears outshot the Beacons 24-13, with 14 of those shots ending up on goal, while UMass tallied six shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Bryce Menard (Randolph, Mass.) came-up with nine saves, while his Bridgewater counterpart Matt Bagley totaled three stops. UMass Boston did hold a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks.
In the first half, Bridgewater controlled most of the play as they took a 2-0 advantage on goals from Jeff Braverman and Ramon Ambrosio. The Bears led the first 45 minutes in shots 12-3, while in the second half the shot total was much closer with Bridgewater holding just +2 advantage in the shots column (11-9). The Bears only goal of the second half was netted by Simao Mendes just three minutes in.
Men's Soccer returns to action on Saturday when they host UMass Dartmouth at 1 p.m. in a Little East Conference match.


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By Rob Glidden
Staff Writer
New York Times bestselling author Charlotte Rogan, whose novel "The Lifeboat" is featured in the Southington Library's 2013 Big Read, discussed her book and the publishing industry in a recent interview with The Observer.
The novel chronicles the sinking of a fictional ocean liner and the aftermath when survivors crowd into a lifeboat that can not hold them all. Everyone in the boat will drown unless some of the passengers are sacrificed.
Rogan was inspired by two 19th century court cases where shipwrecked sailors had been on trial because of their behavior in these grim scenarios.
"It was the moral dilemma that hooked me," she said. "What does a person really do in that situation? The decisions they make sound terrible if you're sitting in a living room, but what if that decision is the only thing that can get you back into your living room?"
The novel is set in 1914, an era where it was becoming routine for enormous ships to carry a diverse crowd of passengers across oceans. The sinking of The Titanic is two years before the fictional tragedy that sets the story of "The Lifeboat" in motion. Rogan also chose the time frame because it coincided with the start of World War I and a sense that "the old world" was coming to an end.
"I saw the lifeboat as an overarching metaphor for our world," she said. "It has limited resources and is overpopulated."
Readers often respond strongly to the lead character, a 22-year-old widow named Grace who becomes ruthless in her determination to survive the ordeal. The author said that gender issues were a large part of the novel and that the varying reactions of readers to Grace illustrate these issues even further.
"There's something deep in our nature that wants women to be kind and nurturing," Rogan said. "There are a lot less female antiheroes in fiction than male ones."
"The Lifeboat" is her first novel and has drawn major sales and acclaim since its release in April 2012. Aspiring authors tend to distrust the publishing industry and seek other venues to get their work into the public, such as self-publishing, but Rogan is an example of a success story within this system. She said other authors often seek her out for advice, but that there was no "magic formula."
"It's very hard, but if you have good content and you're persistent, you should be able to find a publisher eventually," Rogan said. "They do offer valuable professional advice if you get that far. Getting a book out there with a great publisher and having it find an audience was the success. Everything that has happened afterwards is just frosting."
The author will speak about her novel at the Big Read event on March 20 at the Aqua Turf Club. Registration for the event began on February 1 and copies "The Lifeboat" are available at the library.
"It's a fabulous idea," Rogan said of the Big Read. "The people who get involved in events like these really love it. It's a way to bring the town together and to utilize the library in a nice way."


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N. Venice, FL – PGT Industries (NASDAQ: PGTI), the nation's leading supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors is pleased to announce that Dean Ruark, PGT Code Compliance Manager has received the American Architectural Manufacturers Association's (AAMA) Residential Products Group Distinguished Service Award at the 77th Annual Conference Awards Banquet held in Orlando, FL. This award is presented to an individual who accomplishes formative work on behalf of the association and the Residential Products Group.
"Dean is relatively new to AAMA," stated Kim Flanary, President of the AAMA Residential Products Group. "His first national meeting was just four years ago, but in that short time he has certainly made his mark."
Dean's involvement with AAMA spans many committees and task groups across diverse topics including regional issues, code-related concerns, education, and green/sustainability specifications. "This is a great achievement for Dean," said Rod Hershberger, PGT's President and CEO. "He currently serves on 29 committees and task groups and is the leading officer of five of those groups."
Most notably, Dean is currently serving on the Code Action committee and is instrumental in developing code change proposals for the international codes as well as the Florida Building Codes. He also serves as Vice President of the AAMA Southeast Region.
PGT pioneered the U. S. impact-resistant window and door industry and today is the nation's leading manufacturer and supplier of residential impact-resistant windows and doors. Founded in 1980, the company employs approximately 1,500 at its manufacturing, glass laminating and tempering plants in North Venice, Florida. Utilizing the latest designs and technology, PGT products are ideal for new construction and replacement projects serving residential, commercial, high-rise and institutional markets. PGT's product line includes PGT Aluminum and Vinyl Windows and Doors; PGT WinGuard and PGT PremierVue Impact-Resistant Windows and Doors; PGT Architectural Systems; and PGT Eze-Breeze Sliding Panels. PGT Industries is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT, Inc. (NASDAQ: PGTI). For additional information visit pgtindustries.com.


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Archive Pages » 2013 North Block » 2013 - North 5
Welcome to North 5
Please click on the images below to look that some of the activities that we have been working on in our class this year. We hope you enjoy looking at our photos.
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text: Male to male massage, massage given by a male massage therapist for a man, is considered to be in the main stream of society to be a homosexual act. However, is male to male massage truly an act of homosexuality or can it cross over into the world of metrosexuality?Massage by a male can be both therapeutically fulfilling as well as emotional satisfying. In the homosexual community, if sensual massage is part of the session, being touched and caressed by another men is part of his inherent growth. Many homosexual men desire a sense of emotional and physical connection with another man and can satisfy this by a man to man massage. Whether sensual, therapeutic or emotional, or a combination of everything, the touch of another male can be considered the ultimate high in the male gay community.With the rise of the metrosexual, defined as an urban male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle, straight men are finding that it is okay to be sensually touched and not meaning erotically touched allowing themselves to receive a man to man massage without the stereotype of being considered gay. Many centuries ago, men loved to pamper themselves with the finer things in life. It wasn't until recently that straight men have started spending money on such things as man-to-man massage without the feeling of being labeled a homosexual. A male man to man massage can be strong, therapeutic and in the metrosexual community, a strong sense of male bonding.In today's society, whether you are a homosexual or metrosexual, the benefits of male massage can defiantly be much greater than not even being able to enjoy a massage at all.


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Copyright Compliance in Teaching and Learning at Wabash
As a private, independent, four year Liberal Arts institution that "educates men to think critically, act responsibly, lead effectively, and live humanely," Wabash College recognizes the importance of intellectual property to the creation and dissemination of knowledge. In acknowledgement of its ethical and legal obligations the College strives to comply with copyright laws and licensing agreements in the responsible use of information for teaching, learning and administration of the College. To that end the College has adopted a Copyright Compliance Policy that seeks a balance between the need to easily access and use information for scholarship and the right of the copyright owner to exercise reasonable control over its use.
U.S. Copyright Law, Title 17 of the United States Code protects most modern intellectual property. It gives the copyright owner exclusive rights to restrict use of his or her work by others. However, "fair use" provisions of the law grant limited exemptions for educational purposes. There are few hard and fast rules in those provisions. The purpose of this web site is to provide guidelines to inform the fair use of protected works in teaching and learning activities, and procedures for obtaining permission for use when needed. Use that is neither exempt by provision of copyright law nor allowed by permission of the copyright owner is copyright infringement.
The sidebar on the right organizes the copyright compliance guidelines by material type (audiovisual, text, music, and images) and means of delivery (coursepacks, library reserves, and Canvas). The Site Index offers an alternative form of guidance, as do the Frequently Asked Questions, Rules of Thumb
For information about what material is protected by copyright and "fair use" provisions of copyright law, please refer to the Selected Tools listing. For additional assistance, please contact Diane Norton.


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THE OTHER PLACE Hosts Sloan Panel Discussion Today
Manhattan Theatre Club announces the guests for the upcoming Sloan panel discussing Sharr White's The Other Place. The panel will focus on the role of science in the play and will feature novelist Stefan Merrill Block, author of The Story of Forgetting; playwright Sharr White; neuroscientist Heather Berlin; and genetic counselor Jill Goldman. The panel will be moderated by NPR's Robert Krulwich. The panel will follow the 2 PM matinee performance today, January 27 at MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street).
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has provided a grant to Manhattan Theatre Club to support the development of plays that address themes of math, science, and technology and that depict scientists, mathematicians, and engineers as major characters. The aim is to bridge the divide between the "two cultures," science and the arts.
In addition to providing a grant for commissioning engaging plays with science and technology themes and characters, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has provided production support for MTC's Broadway production of Sharr White's The Other Place, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello. This season, the Sloan Foundation also provided production support for MTC's recent Broadway production of Sloan-commissioned writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz's adaptation of An Enemy of the People directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes.
MTC first collaborated with the Sloan Foundation in 2000 with the production of David Auburn's Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Proof. MTC's partnership with the Sloan Foundation has expanded to include multiple annual commissions for emerging, mid-level, and established writers as well as a production grant to stage Sloan-related works. In addition to Proof, Sloan supported MTC's production of Charlotte Jones' Humble Boy in 2003.
Since partnering with the Sloan Foundation, MTC has commissioned a total of 40 writers: Stephen Belber, Glen Berger, April De Angelis, Lisa D'Amour, Charles Evered, Melissa James Gibson, Daniel Goldfarb, Rinne Groff, Sam Hunter, Ron Hutchinson, Nick Jones, Lucy Kirkwood, Bryony Lavery, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Kenneth Lin, Craig Lucas, Michael Mitnick, Peter Morris, Hannah Moscovitch, Itamar Moses, Rona Munro, Brett Neveu, Nick Payne, HAnnie Rayson, Melissa Ross, Heidi Schreck, Mark Schultz, Eric Simonson, Dava Sobel, Simon Stephens, Shelagh Stephenson, Sarah Treem, Catherine Trieschmann, John Walch, Anne Washburn, Jason Wells, Michael West, Bess Wohl, Beau Willimon, and Anna Ziegler.
The Other Place, which was recently extended at MTC through Sunday, March 3, stars Laurie Metcalf ("Roseanne," November), Daniel Stern ("The Wonder Years," Diner), Zoe Perry (Broadway debut), and John Schiappa (Assassins, Take Me Out).
Metcalf gives a "dazzling, must-be-seen performance" (Variety) as Juliana Smithton, a successful neurologist whose life seems to be coming unhinged. Her husband has filed for divorce, her daughter has eloped with a much older man and her own health is in jeopardy. But in this brilliantly crafted work, nothing is as it seems. Piece by piece, a mystery unfolds as fact blurs with fiction, past collides with present and the elusive truth about Juliana boils to the surface.
The Other Place had its world premiere at MCC Theater (Robert LuPone, Bernard Telsey, William Cantler, Artistic Directors; Blake West, Executive Director), opening on March 28, 2011 where it extended due to popular demand. The Other Place was nominated for two Outer Critics Circle Awards, a Drama League Award, and three Lucille Lortel Awards. Metcalf won an Obie Award and a Lucille Lortel Award for her performance in the production.
The creative team for the production includes Eugene Lee & Edward Pierce (scenic design), David Zinn (costume design), Justin Townsend (lighting design), Fitz Patton (original music, sound design), William Cusick (projection design), Caparelliotis Casting (casting), and Telsey + Company (casting).
Production support provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as part of the MTC/Sloan Science Theatre Initiative. Additional support for The Other Place is provided by The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation. For more information on the foundation, visit: www.sloan.org.
Tickets for The Other Place are available by calling Telecharge at 212-239-6200, online by visiting www.Telecharge.com, or by visiting the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Box Office (261 West 47th Street). Ticket prices are $67 - $131.


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Wood does it all in victory over D-backs
CHICAGO -- The Cubs have had a tough time scoring lately, so pitcher Travis Wood took matters into his own hands.
Wood belted a three-run homer, hit an RBI double, and struck out nine over seven innings to lead the Cubs to a 5-1 victory Monday night over the D-backs.View Full Game Coverage
CHICAGO -- The Cubs have had a tough time scoring lately, so pitcher Travis Wood took matters into his own hands.
Wood belted a three-run homer, hit an RBI double, and struck out nine over seven innings to lead the Cubs to a 5-1 victory Monday night over the D-backs.View Full Game Coverage
"He was a one-man wrecking crew," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of Wood.
The four RBIs matched Wood's career high, set last May 30 against the White Sox when he hit a grand slam. The lefty seemed to do it all and may have even helped the grounds crew deal with the rain that washed out batting practice. First pitch was delayed one hour because of the precipitation. Maybe Wood took advantage of the extra time to take a few more swings in the cage.
How good was Wood? He had a chance at even more RBIs in the sixth when the Cubs loaded the bases with one out against Bronson Arroyo. Arizona manager Kirk Gibson pulled his starter in favor of J.J. Putz, who got Wood to hit into a 1-2-3 double play and end the inning.
"I can see where [Gibson] was looking at a guy who was swinging the bat today, and he probably felt he needed more velocity with [Putz's] split," Renteria said of the move. "Even on the fastballs that Putz threw to Woody, it seemed he was on them."
Wood was upset about the double play. He did recall one time last season when an opposing team made a pitching change before his at-bat.
"It feels good that they respect you up there and you're doing your job," Wood said. "Anything I can do to help the team and help myself out there. I'm not just out there in the nine hole to fill a spot. You have to try to be as best you can."
"That's supposed to be the free out in the lineup," Arroyo said of the pitcher's spot, "and tonight it obviously wasn't. He pushed across almost all their runs. He's always been good at the plate, and that's something you don't want to let beat you, but that's the way it went tonight."
Starlin Castro continued his home hot streak with a single with one out in the Chicago second against Arroyo and scored one out later on Welington Castillo's bloop single to right. Castro has a hit in every one of the Cubs' 10 home games.
Ryan Kalish then singled to set up Wood's first home run of the season off a 1-0 pitch from Arroyo. It was Wood's seventh career homer; he hit three last season.
"That was a 1-0 curveball," Arroyo said. "Travis is a good hitter. I played with him for a long time. He's usually really aggressive, so I was trying to throw him some off-speed [pitches]. But he knows me pretty well, he's kind of a thinker up there, a bit of a guesser, and it looks like he was looking for the breaking ball and I left it up in the zone."
Wood does like to hit. In the sixth, he took three aggressive swings against Putz and it looked as if he was aiming for Waveland Avenue behind the left-field bleachers.
"I was," Wood said. "I always do. It just didn't happen."
In the Chicago fourth, Kalish singled with two outs and Wood followed with his double past a diving Tony Campana in center. Last season, Wood hit one double among his 14 hits.
The lefty was 0-for-3 at the plate over his four previous starts, and began the game with a career .177 batting average.
"He can swing," Castillo said of Wood. "Everybody knows it. He helped us a lot today."
Wood also can pitch. He held the D-backs to six hits and matched his personal best with nine strikeouts, done twice before, including his second start of the season April 10 against the Pirates. The only blemish was Mark Trumbo's homer with one out in the seventh.
"He's a guy who's kind of a steady Eddie, who goes out there and does his thing and has been getting better every year," Renteria said. "It was a nice outing for him today."
Wood had good fastball command, and Renteria said the only pitch that got away from the lefty was the ball Trumbo hit.
"I made a mistake with Trumbo, but otherwise it was pretty solid [outing]," Wood said. "It was supposed to be back door slider [to Trumbo] but it hung there and he did what he's supposed to do."
The last Cubs pitcher to collect two extra-base hits in a game was Carlos Zambrano on April 28, 2009, when he doubled and homered against the D-backs.
"He's a competitor," Castillo said of Wood. "He goes out every day, every outing and does the best he can, even if we're not hitting when he pitches. He does the best he can and he tries to help us when he takes his [at-bats]."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat.


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Mayor Bloomberg's endorsement of President Obama on climate-change grounds is depressing because it is so surprising. It tells us something quite bleak that 1) someone had to make clear the relevance of climate to Hurricane Sandy; and 2) someone doing so came as a shock to people. Indeed, through the campaign, climate has been essentially ignored as a political issue. Why is that?
Obviously, the reason is complicated, and much of it concerns the Great Recession. In such circumstances, environmental issues will often take a back seat. But not always. Congress reauthorized the Clean Air Act in 1990, during the middle of a recession. Instead, we need to frankly admit that environnental organizations have not done an effective job at building a political constituency for saving the planet.
This observation hardly implies that major environmental organizations have been ineffective. Far from it. Most importantly from a law professor's perspective, organizations like NRDC, EDF, and CBD have conducted an enormously effective legal strategy, from blocking many of the Bush Administration's most egregious attempts at despoiling the environment to preventing the licensing and expansion of coal-fired power plants. And they do superb research work.
But the environment has ceased to be a potent political force in the United States. In the early 1970's, Richard Nixon and Senator Edmund Muskie (whom everyone assumed would the Democratic nominee in 1972), competed vigorously as to who could be seen as a better environmental protector. It's almost impossible to imagine that now.
So what happened? Here are a few tenative ideas:
1) Environmental organizations do a poor job of grass-roots organizing. With the important exception of the Sierra Club, environmental organizations do not have local chapters. I am a member of the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund, but there is no Los Angeles chapter. There are no armies of door-knockers and GOTV people present in congressional districts such that legislators realize that developing strong alliances with them could mean the difference in marginal races both on the state and federal levels.
2) Electoral politics is not seen as a primary activity in the environmental movement. Environmental organizations stress issue advocacy — climate, Keystone XL, ANWR (always ANWR) — and urge their members to "make your voice heard" in the halls of power. But they do not work at getting people elected to those halls in the first place. For more than 30 years, evangelical Christians have been organizing to get their members on local school boards, city councils, and state legislatues. That isn't what environmental organizations generally do. I am a member of my local Sierra Club chapter, and it is fair to say that while local political organizing is one potential activity among others, it is not stressed by the chapter.
3) The Republican Party's rejection of science and environmentalism has undermined environmentalism's political leverage. My previous analysis has ignored the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), which actually does focus on electoral politics. But LCV's strategy has failed, for reasons beyond its control: the Republican Party has decided to reject science — which forms a crucial part of environmentalism — as a matter of principle. This has upended LCV's principal political strategy, i.e. support environmentalists in both parties as a way of pushing environmental legislation. The idea, I think, is that LCV can say, "if you don't support us in this campaign, we will back your opponent, who also has a pretty good record." But with the current GOP, that will never be the case. What exactly are environmentalists supposed to do when President Obama makes the horrible decision on ozone regulations; threaten to walk and support Mitt Romney?
4) Many if not most pro-environmental voters embrace it as one of a cluster of issues: their vote does not ride on environmental issues. The National Rifle Association is powerful because even though its membership is relatively small, it has a small number of people in dozen of swing congressional districts who will vote on guns and guns alone. Maybe that's only 2% of the electorate, but that 2% will make the difference. I seriously doubt that environmental voters are the same way. They won't oppose, say, a pro-choice candidate with a bad environmental record, because they will like his or her record on choice.
5) Donors to environmental causes are uninterested in political organizing. At least so I hear. And no, this isn't about 501(c)(3) status: there are lots of ways around that if you think through it. Many voter registrations organizations have tax-exempt status. But political organizing requires "patient capital". It could take years to pull off, and requires a whole lot of false starts, small victories, bigger defeats, trial and error, identifying voters, etc. etc. This is a familiar story to anyone in progressive politics: the Right had a series of foundations that knew what they wanted and were prepare to invest in it for years. There are no counterparts on the Left, and "mainstream" foundations want The Next Big Thing, Which Will Of Course Become Self-Sustaining In Three Years.
These are formidable problems. In the coming weeks, I will try to write a little on how the environmental movement might try to overcome them. But I can't say that I have particularly innovative or brilliant answers. If there were solutions out there, someone much more savvy than I am would have already put them together.


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Facebook to roll out autoplay video ads by April: report
Heads up - you might see video ads on Facebook next year, and yes, they'll start playing automatically.
Numerous TV advertising executives have confirmed to Ad Age that the one billion-member social network has plans to roll out autoplay video ads to its website and mobile apps by April.
According to the report, Facebook is interested in TV ad money and will make a play for it by offering advertisers 15 second video ads that will show up on users' News Feeds and start to play automatically.
To grab users' attention, autoplay video ads will also expand into the left and right columns of the Facebook website. The report says Facebook is also working on a way to ensure the video ads grab users' attention on mobile apps too.
Autoplay video ads would probably draw criticism from Facebook users, and some of the executives told Ad Age that there are serious concerns on their part about a potential backlash.
"There could be serious outrage," one of Ad Age's sources said in the report.
The report follows another advertising issue Facebook is confronting after its photo sharing social network Instagram announced controversial new terms of service. The new document includes a section that says Instagram will allow companies to pay to use people's photos and other information for advertisements.


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