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ITS Service Fees
Information Technology Services provides a diverse set of technology services and solutions in support of academic and administrative functions. Most services are provided at no cost to the current faculty, staff, and students; however there are circumstances where a fee may be applied.
- Network and Telecommunications Services
- Cable Television
- Media Services
- Production Services
- Email and Document Management
Network and Telecommunication Services
A communications faceplate can support network, telephone, and campus cable television services, up to a maximum of four services per faceplate. One communications faceplate with connection for network service and one basic voicemail box are provided at no cost. Additional fees are listed below:
- Communications faceplate, $200 installation charge for 1st service. $50 installation charge for each additional service on the same faceplate to a maximum of four services per faceplate.
- Additional service added to an existing faceplate: $200 for 1st service, $50 for each additional service to a maximum of four services per faceplate.
- Long Distance Calls (average rates) – within the state or state-to-state, 6.5 cents/minute, international, varies by country called.
- AT&T® Directory Assistance Calls – $1.99/call, AT&T® operator assistance rates apply.
- Analog Telephone Line – $17.25/month
- IP Telephone Line – $17.25/month
- Additional voicemail boxes – See Email
Monthly fees are not pro-rated. The full monthly fee is assessed for any portion of a month in which the service is utilized.
Cable Television Services
There is no charge for cable television service to classrooms or to general use public areas throughout the campus. Monthly charges for Departments and Divisions are below:
- Cable Television (~78 channels) – First connection, $25/month, additional connections in the same physical space – second connection, $4/month, third connection, $2/month, fourth connection and beyond, no charge.
(Installation of the communications faceplate needed to deliver cable television service is a separate charge. See Network and Telecommunications Services in the above section.)
Monthly fees are not pro-rated. The full monthly fee is assessed for any portion of a month in which the service is utilized.
Media Services
ITS at UIS places priority on the needs of our academic community. We will provide services without charge for instructional use and for academic and campus events which are sponsored by students, faculty, and staff on campus supporting the University's mission. These may include events involving outside customers and grant sponsored events. Occasionally services are also provided for external state agencies and projects generated by clients through Conference Services.
Commercial and external events will be supported by ITS for a charge, based upon staff and resource availability. Commercial and external events include conferences, alumni and all other users, including individuals, groups attending conferences on campus, and state agencies requesting service. All service requests for commercial and external events must be planned and prices negotiated in advance through UIS Conference Services. Standard service rates are set forth below. All prices are for daily rental of equipment, except where noted.
It is important that you communicate your complete audiovisual needs to us in advance for instructional and campus sponsored events, so that we can most effectively provide services for your event. Please contact Media Services at 217.206.6550 for additional information.
Pricing May Reflect
Visual Equipment
• Flipchart/Sign stand – $10/day
• Flipchart Paper Pad – $15/day
Video Equipment
Video Playback
• Blu-Ray/DVD/VHS Player – $30/day
Video Recording
• DVD Camcorder – $50/day
Video Display
• Large TV Monitor – $50/day
• LCD Data/Video Projector – $75/day
• Document Camera – $25/day
Projection Equipment
• LCD Data/Video Projector – $75/day
• Front Projection Screen – $50/day
Desktop/Laptop Computers
• Windows Desktop or Laptop Computer – $50/day
• Macintosh Laptop Computer – $50/day
Computer Labs/Laptop Carts
• Small Computer Lab (<25 stations) – $250/day
• Small Computer Lab 1/2 Day (4 hours or less) – $150/day
• Computer Lab – $300/day
• Computer Lab 1/2 Day (4 hours or less) – $175/day
• Laptop Cart (5 – 24 laptops) – $250/day
• Laptop Cart 1/2 Day (4 hours or less) – $150/day
Network Switches/Cables/Internet Access
• Network Switch, up to 22 ports and cables, without Internet connection – $100/day
• Network Switch, up to 22 ports and cables, with Internet connection – $150/day
• Internet connection only – $50/day/port
• Wireless Internet connection, standard guest access – no charge
• Wireless Internet connection, other – negotiated and dependent on service required
• Wired Microphone – $20/day
• Wireless Lapel Microphone – $40/day
• Wireless Hand Held Microphone – $40/day
• Border Microphone (used for special applications) – $20/day
Public Address Systems
• Portable P.A. System – $15/day
• Large P.A. System – $100/day
• Conference Room P.A. System – $40/day
• Brookens Auditorium P.A. System – $40/day
Playback and Recording
• Compact Disc Player – $15/day
Miscellaneous Audio
• Audio Distribution Amplifier – $20/day
• Conference Speaker Phone – $30/day
• Touch Tone Telephone – $15/day
Presentation Accessories
• Projection Cart/AC extension cord – $5/day
• Kensington® Presentation Remote complementary with computer rental
• Audience Response System (Clickers) – $5/day/clicker
Other Services
• Recording of Events w/Multi Video Camera in Brookens Auditorium. (Labor not included) – $25/hr.
• PolyCom™ Video Conferencing System (BRK 180G and BRK 141A) – $50/hr.
• Skype for Business Video Conferencing – $25/hr.
• Video Conference System/Telecom Set up Tech Op charges – $50/hr.
• GoToMeeting Web Conferencing Service with VoIP- $25/hr.
• CaptureSpace Lite Lecture Capture (DVD burning labor/hosting services not included) – $60/hr.
• Presentation Recording with CaptureSpace Lite (DVD burning labor/hosting services not included) – $25/hr.
• Public Event Web Casting Services (Labor not included) – $100/hr.
• University Event Web Casting Services – $50/hr.
Technical Operator Labor
• Tech Op Labor – $40/hr. on campus $50/hr off campus
Production Services
Media Duplicating/Production (as of May 4, 2009)
• B&W / Grayscale Print (8.5″ x 11″) – $.10
• B&W / Grayscale Print (11″ x 17″) – $.20
• Partial Color Print (8.5″ x 11″) – $.25
• Color Print (8.5″ x 11″) – $.50
• Color Print (11″ x 17″) – $1.00
• CD w/ label – $2.00
• DVD w/ label – $3.00
• Lamination (3mil, 8.5″ x 11″) – $1.00
• Lamination (10mil, 8.5″ x 11″) – $2.00
• Wide-format printing (20″ x 30″ Print) – $23.00
• Wide-format printing (20″ x 30″ Print – Mounted) – $27.00
• Wide-format printing (24″ x 36 " Print) – $28.60
• Wide-format printing (24″ x 36 " Print – Mounted) – $33.60
• Wide-format printing (custom size) – Request for quote
• Audio Dubbing (up to 60min, blanks not supplied) – $6.00/hr.
• Audio Dubbing (60min +, blanks not supplied) – $8.00/hr.
• Audio Conversion (up to 60min, blanks not supplied) – $8.00/hr.
• Audio Conversion (60min +, blanks not supplied) – $12.00/hr.
• Video Dubbing (up to 60min, blanks not supplied) – $6.00/hr.
• Video Dubbing (60min +, blanks not supplied) – $8.00/hr.
• Video Conversion (up to 60min, blanks not supplied) – $8.00/hr.
• Video Conversion (60min+, blanks not supplied) – $12.00/hr.
• Labor (Production) – $40.00/hr.
NOTE: – Mass duplication project requests may not be accepted. Copyright protection applies to all duplication
Application Programming and Database Design
• Programming – $50.00/hr
• https://www.uis.edu/its/iss/itsworkshops.html
The UIS campus employee email system is currently Microsoft Exchange. One mailbox with 5 GB of email storage space is provided to each employee at no charge. Employees that require additional email storage space for academic or administrative needs may submit a request by emailing the ITS Client Services Center (email@example.com). Requests should include an explanation of the need for additional space and funding source. Upon approval, up to 5GB of storage may be granted in increments of 1 GB. Only one mailbox is allowed per person.
- Each additional 1 GB of storage space above standard amount: $10 per month
Each department is provided with one mailbox with 2 GB of storage space at no charge. Each departmental mailbox must be assigned to an 'owner', someone who is responsible for actively overseeing the mailbox content and usage. Departmental mailboxes that are not actively monitored for new messages may be deleted. Requests for additional storage or additional mailboxes should include an explanation of the need for additional space and funding source. Upon approval, up to 2 GB of storage may be granted in increments of 500 MB per mailbox.
- Each additional 500 MB of storage space above standard amount: $5 per month (per mailbox)
- Additional Department Exchange mailbox – $50 setup, $12 per month


text:
361 members8 Likes
Darren Dorsey has not received any gifts yet
Hey Darren,
Thanks for the reply. I actually fly out in the morning (Sunday). I'm usually on the road Sunday - Friday. Let's try to connect soon. Emmett
I was out of town and could not get back to you. I am open to weekday evenings and weekend mornings. We have courts in Northlake college in irving.
Feel free to msg me if you would like to hit. 972 746 8462
Are you available now? I will be available now till 1pm to hit at Richland or Eastfield courts.
I checked this reply too late. I won't be available till maybe this coming Tuesday morning or are you available evening during the weekend?
like this weekend
Hi Darren,
I'm looking to find friends to hit with around here. I live in Carrollton can drive out to LB Houston courts and sometimes Uptown on weekends. A solid 4.5 here.
Let me know what you think!
© 2020 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Reasons for School Absence in Past Month, by Grade Level
Download & Other Tools
Download & Other Tools
- Definition: Estimated percentage of public school students in grades 7, 9, 11, and non-traditional programs who have missed school in the previous 30 days, by grade level and reason for absence (e.g., in 2013-2015, an estimated 28.9% of 7th graders in California had missed school in the previous month because of illness).
- Data Source: WestEd, California Healthy Kids Survey. California Department of Education (Jul. 2017).
- Footnote: Years presented comprise two school years (e.g., 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years are shown as 2013-2015). County- and state-level data are weighted estimates; school district-level data are unweighted. Students in non-traditional programs are those enrolled in community day schools or continuation education. The notation S refers to (a) data for school districts that have been suppressed because there were fewer than 10 respondents in that group, and (b) data for counties that have been suppressed because the sample was too small to be representative. N/A means that data are not available.
Learn More About School Attendance and Discipline
- Measures of School Attendance and Discipline on Kidsdata.org
Kidsdata.org offers the following measures of school absence and exclusionary discipline:
*These measures are available by grade level (7, 9, 11, and/or non-traditional), gender, level of school connectedness (based on a scale created from responses to five questions about feeling safe, close to people, and a part of school, being happy at school, and about teachers treating students fairly), parent education level, and sexual orientation.
- The number and rate of K-12 public school students expelled, suspended, and truant from school, as recorded by the California Department of Education
- Estimates of reasons for absence in the past month and truancy in the past year among students in grades 7, 9, 11, and non-traditional programs, derived from student reports*
- Staff reports of the extent to which truancy or cutting class is a problem at their school
- School Attendance and Discipline
- Students Truant from School
- Students Suspended from School
- Students Expelled from School
- Reasons for School Absence in Past Month, by Grade Level
- Truancy (Student Reported), by Grade Level
- Truancy or Cutting Class Is a Problem at School (Staff Reported)
- Bullying and Harassment at School
- Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Bias-Related Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Disability as Reason for Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Gender as Reason for Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Race/Ethnicity or National Origin as Reason for Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Religion as Reason for Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Sexual Orientation as Reason for Bullying/Harassment, by Grade Level
- Cyberbullying, by Grade Level
- Student Bullying/Harassment Is a Problem at School (Staff Reported)
- Disconnected Youth
- High School Graduation
- Impact of Special Health Care Needs on Children & Families
- Math Proficiency
- Health Care
- Pupil Support Services
- Reading Proficiency
- School Safety
- Perceptions of School Safety, by Grade Level
- Fear of Being Beaten Up at School, by Grade Level
- Physical Fighting at School, by Grade Level
- Carrying a Gun at School, by Grade Level
- Carrying a Weapon Other Than a Gun at School, by Grade Level
- Perceptions of School Safety for Students (Staff Reported)
- Perceptions of School Safety for Staff (Staff Reported)
- Student Physical Fighting Is a Problem at School (Staff Reported)
- Student Weapons Possession Is a Problem at School (Staff Reported)
- Youth Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use
- School Climate
- School Connectedness (Student Reported), by Grade Level
- School Supports (Student Reported), by Grade Level
- Caring Relationships with Adults at School (Student Reported), by Grade Level
- Meaningful Participation at School (Student Reported), by Grade Level
- Students Who Are Motivated to Learn (Staff Reported)
- School Motivates Students to Learn (Staff Reported)
- Adults at School Care About Students (Staff Reported)
- Adults at School Believe in Student Success (Staff Reported)
- School Gives Students Opportunities to Make a Difference (Staff Reported)
- School Fosters Youth Resilience or Asset Promotion (Staff Reported)
- Why This Topic Is Important
Regular school attendance is a predictor of academic success (1). Frequent absences (excused or unexcused) are linked to negative school outcomes, including lower test scores and higher dropout rates, which can have lifelong effects on employment and earning potential (1, 2). A child might miss school for many reasons, including health problems or other excused absences, unexcused absences (truancy), and exclusionary punishments (suspensions and expulsions).
A growing body of research shows that students who are suspended or expelled are more likely to have academic problems, drop out of school, and enter the juvenile justice system (3, 4). In the 2013-14 school year, 2.8 million K-12 public school students were suspended from school at least once in the U.S., resulting in a significant loss of classroom instruction time (5). Suspensions and expulsions disproportionately affect students of color (particularly African American boys), students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth (3, 4, 5).For more information on this topic, see kidsdata.org's Research & Links section.
Sources for this narrative:
1. Attendance Works, & Everyone Graduates Center. (2016). Preventing missed opportunity: Taking collective action to confront chronic absence. Retrieved from: http://www.attendanceworks.org/research/preventing-missed-opportunity
2. Child Trends Databank. (2015). High school dropout rates. Retrieved from: http://www.childtrends.org/?indicators=high-school-dropout-rates
3. Carter, P., et al. (2014). Discipline Disparities Series: Overview. The Equity Project at Indiana University. Retrieved from: http://rtpcollaborative.indiana.edu/briefing-papers
4. Losen, D., et al. (2015). Are we closing the school discipline gap? UCLA Center for Civil Rights Remedies. Retrieved from: https://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/are-we-closing-the-school-discipline-gap
5. U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2016). 2013-14 Civil Rights Data Collection: A first look. Retrieved from: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/crdc-2013-14.html
- How Children Are Faring
Whether children miss school, along with their reasons for absence, vary by student and family characteristics. According to 2013-2015 estimates, 41% of California students in grades 7, 9, 11, and non-traditional programs with high levels of school connectedness did not miss any school in the previous month, compared with 27% of students with low levels of connectedness. Across groups with data in 2013-2015, common reasons for absence not related to physical illness were lack of sleep, needing to assist family or friends, boredom with school, and feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, stress, or anger.
In 2015 more than 2 million California students—almost one-third of public school students statewide—were truant (meaning they missed more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three or more times during the school year). That same school year, more than 243,000 students were suspended and nearly 5,700 students were expelled. The rate of students suspended has declined in recent years, from 5.7 students per 100 in 2012 to 3.8 per 100 in 2015.
Student reports from 2013-2015 show that an estimated 29% of 7th graders, 34% of 9th graders, and 49% of 11th graders in California had skipped school or cut class at least once in the previous year. Across student groups, rates of skipping school at least once were 50% or higher for students in non-traditional programs, students with low levels of school connectedness, and gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. A survey of public school staff from the same period shows that student truancy or class cutting was a moderate or severe problem according to 17% of reports from middle school staff, 46% of reports from high school staff, and 58% of reports from staff at non-traditional schools.
- Policy Implications
Frequent disciplinary removal from school is associated with higher student dropout and delinquency rates (1, 2). In fact, students who regularly miss school for any reason—unexcused or excused—are at increased risk of academic failure and dropping out (3). While disciplinary removal may be necessary at times, students often are removed for minor disruptions, and suspensions and expulsions do not result in safer schools, better student behavior, or improved academic performance (1, 4, 5). In addition, research has documented disparate disciplinary treatment of youth of color, students with disabilities, LGBTQ youth, and other vulnerable groups (2, 6). The U.S. government has issued formal guidance urging school leaders to take immediate action to address discipline disparities, and state and federal law now require use of alternatives to exclusionary discipline (5, 6).
While California has made progress in reducing suspensions and expulsions in recent years, much more work is needed to ensure that all schools—from preschool to high school—implement effective, equitable discipline policies and provide healthy learning environments (5, 7). In accordance with state and federal guidelines, many districts are turning to evidence-based strategies that focus on creating a positive school climate and providing students with the support they need to succeed (1, 5, 7). In addition, policies that help schools document absenteeism and truancy early, and intervene in non-punitive ways, can help reduce student absences and improve academic success (1, 3, 8).
Policy options that could reduce school absences, suspensions, and expulsions include:
For more information, see kidsdata.org's Research & Links section, or visit Attendance Works and the Supportive School Discipline Communities of Practice. Also see Policy Implications under these kidsdata.org topics: School Connectedness, High School Graduation, and Bullying and Harassment at School.
- Ensuring that schools engage families and community partners to create positive school climates, which can help prevent problematic student behavior; such efforts should involve staff training, programs to build student social-emotional and conflict resolution skills, and systems to address student behavioral health or other needs, including early screening for disabilities (4, 5)
- Uncovering and flagging chronic absenteeism—both unexcused and excused—early in elementary and middle school by tracking individual student attendance in real-time and by collecting and publicly reporting absence data at the district, school, grade, and student subgroup levels (3, 8)
- Ensuring that schools and community partners use attendance data to reach out to parents early, before absences become chronic, to offer support and promote good attendance; also, creating or increasing use of formal collaborations (such as school attendance review boards) among local agencies and service providers to engage hard-to-reach families and address underlying causes of absences (3, 8)
- Collecting, reporting, and using data at the school and district levels on the prevalence of suspensions and expulsions by student race/ethnicity, gender, disability, English learner status, and LGBTQ identification, including cross-tabulations of these factors, e.g., African American/black boys with disabilities (1, 5, 7)
- Implementing and training staff on non-punitive school discipline policies that are clear, fair, consistent, and promote a positive learning environment; such policies should be based on a tiered system of appropriate responses to misconduct that keeps students in school when possible, and should include clear, equitable classroom behavior management practices (4, 5, 7)
- Setting clear goals for reducing exclusionary punishments and the disparate use of such discipline, while continuously evaluating the impact of discipline policies on all students, as directed by federal guidelines (4, 5, 7)
- Addressing discriminatory discipline policies through administrative or legal enforcement (5, 6, 7)
Sources for this narrative:
1. Losen, D., et al. (2015). Are we closing the school discipline gap? UCLA Center for Civil Rights Remedies. Retrieved from: https://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/federal-reports/are-we-closing-the-school-discipline-gap
2. Carter, P., et al. (2014). Discipline Disparities Series: Overview. The Equity Project at Indiana University. Retrieved from: http://rtpcollaborative.indiana.edu/briefing-papers
3. Attendance Works, & Everyone Graduates Center. (2016). Preventing missed opportunity: Taking collective action to confront chronic absence. Retrieved from: http://www.attendanceworks.org/research/preventing-missed-opportunity
4. Morgan, E., et al. (2014). The school discipline consensus report: Strategies from the field to keep students engaged in school and out of the juvenile justice system. Council of State Governments Justice Center. Retrieved from: http://csgjusticecenter.org/youth/school-discipline-consensus-report
5. U.S. Department of Education. (2014). Guiding principles: A resource guide for improving school climate and discipline. Retrieved from: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/guiding-principles.pdf
6. Public Counsel. (2017). Fix school discipline: Toolkit for educators. Retrieved from: http://fixschooldiscipline.org/educator-toolkit
7. Losen, D. J., et al. (2015). Closing the school discipline gap in California: Signs of progress. UCLA Center for Civil Rights Remedies. Retrieved from: https://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/resources/projects/center-for-civil-rights-remedies/school-to-prison-folder/summary-reports/ccrr-school-to-prison-pipeline-2015
8. California Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General. (2016). In school and on track 2016: Attorney General's 2016 report on California's elementary school truancy and absenteeism crisis. Retrieved from: https://oag.ca.gov/truancy
- Research & Links
- Websites with Related Information
- Attendance Works
- California Dept. of Education: Safe Schools
- California Dept. of Justice, Office of the Attorney General: Truancy Hub
- California School Boards Association: Safe and Supportive School Environment
- Civil Rights Project / Proyecto Derechos Civiles: School Discipline. UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.
- Dignity in Schools Campaign
- Fix School Discipline
- Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
- National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments: Discipline. American Institutes for Research.
- National Clearinghouse on Supportive School Discipline
- National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC)
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. U.S. Dept. of Justice.
- School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. U.S. Office of Special Education Programs.
- Youth.gov. Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs.
- Key Reports and Research
- 2020 California Children's Report Card. Children Now.
- Attendance Playbook: Smart Solutions for Reducing Chronic Absenteeism in the Covid Era. (2019). FutureEd & Attendance Works. Jordan, P.
- Beyond Suspensions: Examining School Discipline Policies and Connections to the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students of Color with Disabilities. (2019). U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
- California ESSA Consolidated State Plan. (2019). California Dept. of Education.
- Chronic School Absenteeism and the Role of Adverse Childhood Experiences. (2017). Academic Pediatrics. Stempel, H., et al.
- Cops and No Counselors: How the Lack of School Mental Health Staff Is Harming Students. (2019). American Civil Liberties Union. Whitaker, A., et al.
- Educating the Whole Child: Improving School Climate to Support Student Success. (2018). Learning Policy Institute. Darling-Hammond, L., & Cook-Harvey, C. M.
- Educational Exclusion: Drop Out, Push Out, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline among LGBTQ Youth. (2016). GLSEN.
- Protecting Students' Civil Rights: The Federal Role in School Discipline. (2019). Learning Policy Institute. Cardichon, J., & Darling-Hammond, L.
- Pushing Back Against School Pushout: Student Homelessness and Opportunities for Change. (2018). California Homeless Youth Project. Herr, E., et al.
- Race, Discipline, and Safety at U.S. Public Schools. American Civil Liberties Union.
- School Discipline Consensus Report: Strategies from the Field to Keep Students Engaged in School and Out of the Juvenile Justice System. (2014). Council of State Governments Justice Center. Morgan, E., et al.
- School Discipline Practices Associated with Adolescent School Connectedness and Engagement. (2019). UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Babey, S. H., et al.
- The Hidden Costs of California's Harsh School Discipline. (2017). California Dropout Research Project & Center for Civil Rights Remedies. Rumberger, R. W., & Losen, D. J.
- The Link Between School Attendance and Good Health. (2019). Pediatrics. Allison, M. A., et al.
- The Unequal Impact of Suspension on the Opportunity to Learn in California. (2018). Center for Civil Rights Remedies. Losen, D. J., & Martin, K.
- Using Chronic Absence Data to Improve Conditions for Learning. (2019). Attendance Works & American Institutes for Research. Chang, H. N., et al.
- County/Regional Reports
- 2018-19 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being. Children Now.
- Live Well San Diego Report Card on Children, Families, and Community. (2019). San Diego Children's Initiative.
- New Measures, Similar Results: Oakland Public Schools and the New State Dashboard. (2018). Oakland Achieves Partnership.
- Santa Monica Youth Wellbeing Report Card. Santa Monica Cradle to Career.
- Youth Need Data. Get Healthy San Mateo County.
- More Data Sources For School Attendance and Discipline
- California School Climate, Health, and Learning Surveys Public Dashboards. WestEd & California Dept. of Education.
- California School Dashboard. California Dept. of Education.
- Child Trends Databank: Student Absenteeism
- Civil Rights Data Collection. U.S. Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights.
- Civil Rights Project / Proyecto Derechos Civiles: Online Data Resources. UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.
- Crime and Safety Surveys. National Center for Education Statistics.
- DataQuest. California Dept. of Education.
- Discriminology
- Education Data Partnership (Ed-Data) California Dept. of Education, et al.
- KIDS COUNT Data Center. Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- Local Control Funding Formula Reports. California Dept. of Education.
- National Center for Education Statistics: Data Tools. U.S. Dept. of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.
- What Are the Factors that Affect Learning at Your School? Chronic Absence: School and Community Factors. (2019). Brookings Institution, Hamilton Project.
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text:
Im new to the group!
Ive been working with BK's for a few years and a question came up to me that I couldn't answer.
Does anyone know what "GPH" actually stands for?
We kicked around some ideas, such as "Group Programmable Handheld"
Anything you guys have that I can learn would be great. Thanks!
GPH Question
This forum is created for the discussion of Bendix King Radios.
Moderator: mancow
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It's that your kids aren't learning squat about American history. And the reason they aren't is because their teachers are boring, incompetent ideologues who hate this country and all it stands for.
Luckily for you, Mike Huckabee is here to help. He and the folks at his new Save Our History initiative have it all figured out:
When our company's co-founders, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Brad Saft, first got together, they had a mutual goal: to make learning history fun for kids. As they discussed the challenges of getting kids interested in history, they discovered the problem is not the stories themselves (in fact, the stories are incredibly fascinating!) Instead, the founders determined that the problem exists in how kids learn history.
It's widely accepted that kids learn best through experience. But, unfortunately, the only way kids are experiencing history today is by having it force-fed to them through dry text books, monotonous lectures and boring lessons.
See? They're not only thinking about history, but thinking about how kids learn. If only professional educators had thought to do this, then we wouldn't be in this fix.
On top of that, our children's classes and learning materials are often filled with misrepresentations, including historical inaccuracies, personal biases and political correctness.
And if you didn't know this already, then you clearly haven't been spending enough time on the Internet.
With this knowledge, we set out to create the most experiential history product ever – one that would make it easy and fun for kids to understand American history, while remaining true to the facts and free from distorted messages that dilute the significance of our nation's most important stories.
I know you're probably sitting on the edge of your seat, grasping your computer's keyboard with white knuckled-intensity as you wait for me to reveal what the "most experiential history product ever" entails. Well, I won't keep you in suspense any longer. They're going to send your kids cartoons to watch.
Educational cartoons designed specifically for kids! Is that not revolutionary? What could be more experiential than sitting on your keister while watching a video? I mean, if there's one thing kids don't get an opportunity to do enough these days, it's sit around watching cartoons.
I was so awestruck at this revolutionary notion of taking the time to examine how kids learned and then applying the results that I decided to share it immediately. My mom actually trains teachers in a university's education department, so I grabbed the phone and gave her a call.
"Mom," I said, "you'd better brace yourself, because I'm about to blow your mind right the @#$% up."
She told me to watch my language and explained that education programs actually require prospective teachers to take courses in pedagogy, learning styles, child development, and so on. Then she asked me if I had any idea what time it was, and hung up.


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I recently bought Bibleworks and am in love with it. I'm now considering purchasing BDAG/HALOT but am not sure if it is worth my money.
I did a search for help here but couldn't find a similar question, sorry if another thread has answered it.
Are they better than the standard lexicons? What do they offer that the standard ones don't? I'm interested in your opinions and if you can point me to some reliable reviews.
I'm currently a theological student planning (Lord willing) to work as a church pastor who will always refer to the Hebrew and Greek in sermon preparation.
Thanks a lot.


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Diaspora: An Introduction
Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life
Kevin Kenny
Professor of History, Boston College
Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Time: 12:00-1:15pm
Location: Boisi Center, 24 Quincy Rd
Abstract: The concept of diaspora is increasingly popular in academic, political, and cultural usage. But what does it mean? This talk examines the origins of diaspora as a concept, its changing meanings over time, its current popularity, and its strengths and limitations, with examples drawn from Jewish, African, Irish, and Asian history.
Kevin Kenny is Professor of History at Boston College, where he specializes in the history of migration. He teaches courses on American immigration history and on global migration and diaspora. He is author of Peaceable Kingdom Lost: The Paxton Boys and the Destruction of William Penn's Holy Experiment (Oxford University Press, 2009), The American Irish: A History (Longman, 2000), and Making Sense of the Molly Maguires (Oxford University Press, 1998); and contributing editor of Ireland and the British Empire (Oxford University Press, 2004). Professor Kenny is currently working on Diaspora: A Very Short Introduction (forthcoming, Oxford University Press, 2013).


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In a surprising change-of-heart, two more Tory leaders have come out in favor of same-sex unions in the UK.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling, one of the Government's most senior Right-wingers, indicated yesterday he will vote in favour of legalising same-sex unions next week, while Baroness Warsi, who has previously expressed concern, also revealed she is to back the reform.
Additionally, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, a powerful voice within the party, will most likely abstain, although there are signs that he may indeed back the legislation. That said, there is still much opposition within the party, as well as from the party's grassroots. Either way, it looks as if same-sex unions will soon become law, with at least some support from all the major political parties.


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Woodworth Lecture Series
The Laurence Neal Woodworth Memorial Lecture series honors the memory of Laurence Neal Woodworth, a 1940 graduate of Ohio Northern University and long-time Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation. Dr. Woodworth joined the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation in 1944 after he received his masters degree in Economics from the University of Denver.
He became Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee in 1964 and served with distinction in that position until he was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy, the principal tax policy official in the executive branch, in 1977. His term as Assistant Secretary ended suddenly with his death in 1977. In recognition of his service, he received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest decoration awarded by the Treasury Department. As Chief of Staff, Dr. Woodworth played an important role in shaping such landmark legislation at the Tax Reform Acts of 1969 and 1976 and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974.
Dr. Woodworth had an encyclopedic knowledge of federal tax law and policy, and he was able to explain even the most complex legislative proposals clearly and simply. He was known for his bipartisanship in leading the Joint Committee, as well as for his gracious and kindly personality. Dr. Woodworth also was mentor and friend to economists and lawyers who went on to make outstanding contributions in government and in private tax practice. Dr. Woodworth also served his community and Ohio Northern with distinction. Dr. Woodworth was mayor of Cheverly, Maryland. He also served as a trustee of Ohio Northern from 1969-1977 and was instrumental in establishing endowed chairs in History and Political Science and in Economics and Business at Ohio Northern.
The Lecture Series: The lecture series was endowed by Dr. Woodworth's friends and associates. The lectureship is a fitting memorial to Dr. Woodworth because of his deep, long-standing concern for tax policy and the federal tax system. As David Brockway, a Washington tax attorney and colleage of Dr. Woodworth's has stated: "Dr. Woodworth was very concerned with having a rational tax system, one which both served the well-being of government and which was fair to people. He saw a fair tax system as being important in securing people's trust in their government." The lecture takes place annually in connection with the May meeting of the American Bar Association Tax Section. Lectures are published in the Ohio Northern Law Review (citations below).
Previous Lectures:
- 2015 "Prospects for Tax Reform," David W. Camp, recent Chair, House Ways and Means Committee.
- 2014 "Global Trends and the Tax System" Douglas H. Shulman, former Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service 41 ONU L. Rev. 671 (2015)
- 2013 "A Brave New World: The Taxpayer Experience in a Post-Sequester IRS Environment," Nina E. Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, Internal Revenue Service, 139 Tax Notes 1189 (2013).
- 2012 "Where Rubber Meets the Road: A View of the Tax System from a Tax Administrator's Perspective Heather C. Maloy, Commissioner of Large Business and International Division, Internal Revenue Service, 39 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2013).
- 2011 "And then Cnut Told Reagan...Lessons from the Tax Reform Act of 1986" Pamela F. Olson, Leader Washington National Tax at PWC and former Assistant Secretary of Treasury for Tax Policy, 38 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2012).
- 2010 "Tax Policy in the 21st Century: Challenges and Changes from the Time of Larry Woodworth," Thomas A. Barthold, PhD, Chief of Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, 37 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2010)
- 2009 "The Role of Tax Expenditure Analysis in the Legislative Process" Edward Kleinbard, recent Chief of Staff, Joint Committee on Taxation, Ivadell and Theodore Johnson Professor of Law and Business, Gould School of Law, University of Southern California, 36 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2010).
- 2008 "Meeting the Tax Policy Challenges of the 21st Century" Michael Graetz, Justus S. Hotchkiss Professo Emeritus of Law and Professional Lecturer in Law, Yale Law School, 25 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2009).
- 2007 "Tax Changes Since Woodworth's Time: Implications for Future Tax Reform" John Buckley, Democratic Chief Tax Counsel, House Ways and Means Committee, 34 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2008).
- 2006 "The Evolution of U.S. International Tax Policy: What Would Larry Think?" Paul Oosterhuis, Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom, 33 ONU L. Rev. 1 (2007).
- 2005 "The Role of Tax Policy in the Development of Tax Legislation: Larry Woodworth's Era and Today" Panel discussion among, The Honorable William Archer, Ms. Pamela Olson, Prof. Michael Graetz, Ms. Lindy Paull, Mr. Mark McConaghy, Mr. Bernard M. Shapiro (Moderator) 32 Ohio N.U. L. Rev. 1 (2006).
- 2004 "Tax Enforcement: Tax Shelters, The Cash Economy, and Compliance Costs" Joseph Bankman, Ralph M. Parsons Professor of Law and Business, Stanford University 104 Tax Notes 185 (2004), reprinted in 31 Ohio N.U. L. Rev. 1 (2005).
- 2003 "From FDR to W: The IRS as Financial Intermediary" Lindy L. Paull, Recent Chief of Staff, Joint Committee on Taxation, 29 Ohio N.U. L. Rev. 1 (2002-2003).
- 2000 "Two Cheers for the Income Tax" Jerome Kurtz, Prof. Of Law, New York University School of Law 90 Tax Notes 811, reprinted in 27 Ohio N.U. L. Rev. 161 (2000-2001).
- 1999 "Reflections on the Process of Enacting Tax Law" Harry L. Gutman, Partner, KPMG, LLP, heading Federal Tax Legislative and Regulatory Services 86 Tax Notes 93 (2000), reprinted in 26 Ohio N.U. L. Rev.183 (2000).
- 1998 "Assessing the Income Tax: Transparency, Simplicity" Kenneth W. Gideon, Partner, Wilmer, Cutler, and Pickering Fairness, 81 Tax Notes 999 (1998), reprinted in 25 Ohio N.U. L. Rev. 101 (1999).
- 1997 "Saving the Income Tax: An Agenda for Research" Daniel Halperin, Stanley S. Surrey Professor of Law at Harvard Law School 77 Tax Notes 967 (1997), reprinted in 24 Ohio N.U. L. Rev.493 (1998).
- 1996 "Federal Income Taxation Then and Now" Boris I. Bittker, Sterling Professor of Law emeritus at the Yale Law School 74 Tax Notes 903 (1997), reprinted in 23 Ohio N.U. L. Rev. 617(1996-1997).
- 1995 "The Decline and Fall of the Income Tax" Michael J. Graetz, Justus S. Hotchkiss Professor of Law at the Yale Law School


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By Stan Choe
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- It was easy to make money with mutual funds last year, as long as you picked ones focused on stocks.
Stock markets around the world surged in 2013, from New York to Frankfurt to Tokyo, and that helped lift all flavors of stock mutual funds. The market's ascent spread across not only geographies but also industries. That meant everything from high-flying technology stock funds to stereotypically dowdy utility stock funds rose. As long as investors held onto their stock funds through the year--and resisted the temptation to sell at each blip of concern--they enjoyed the best returns in a decade for many funds.
Out of nearly 3,650 stock funds tracked by Morningstar, 92 percent rose over 2013. But funds that focus on bonds struggled, many of them after years of solid performance. Here's a look at some of the trends that shaped the year for mutual-fund investors:
-- Portfolio managers with passports were popular. The U.S. stock market surged to a record high in 2013, but investors put more money into funds that invest in stocks outside the U.S. During November alone, investors poured $1.72 billion into the Vanguard Total International Stock Index fund (VGTSX), for example. Its biggest investments include Nestle of Switzerland and Samsung Electronics of South Korea.
Through the year's first 11 months, investors plugged a net $129.38 billion into world stock mutual funds, according to the most recent data from the Investment Company Institute. That's nearly five times the $27.15 billion that they put into funds focused on just U.S. stocks.
The moves are part of a long-term migration investors are undertaking as they make their portfolios look more like the world's: Stocks outside the U.S. make up more than half the world's total by market value. Plus, foreign stocks sometimes zig when U.S. stocks zag. By adding foreign stocks, the thinking goes, a portfolio becomes more diversified.
-- The dollar's moves matter. Many headlines trumpeted the 56.7 percent surge for Japan's Nikkei 225 index last year. That beat the 29.6 percent rise for the Standard & Poor's 500 index of U.S. stocks. But many U.S. investors in Japanese stock funds didn't feel the full benefit. That's because the Nikkei rose 56.7 percent in Japanese yen terms. When converted into dollars, the performance wasn't as good, and Japanese stock mutual funds returned an average of 26.7 percent last year, including dividends. That's less than the S&P 500.
It's a result of the yen's value dropping steadily through the year against the dollar. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has championed big stimulus efforts to jolt the world's third-largest economy. One dollar bought 105 yen at the end of 2013, up from 87 yen at the start of the year.
Some mutual funds try to blunt the effect of shifting currency values in a process called hedging. But many funds don't hedge against currency moves, saying it's too unpredictable or too expensive to do so.
-- Health care funds took the lead. Health care stock funds returned an average of 48.2 percent last year. That beat everything from technology stock funds (an average gain of 35.5 percent) to financial stock funds (34.6 percent). To see why, look at the holdings of the Franklin Biotechnology Discovery fund (FBDIX), which led the way with a 68.6 percent surge in 2013.
The fund keeps about a fifth of its portfolio in just two stocks: Gilead Sciences and Celgene. Both more than doubled in 2013 amid an explosion of interest in the biotech industry.
-- Small was big. Some of the best returns in 2013 came from mutual funds that focus on the smallest stocks. Small-cap growth stock funds jumped an average of 40.9 percent, for example. Managers of these funds focus on stocks with market values closer to $300 million, like 1-800-Flowers.com, than those worth a total of $300 billion, like Microsoft. Large-cap growth funds returned an average of 33.9 percent.
Small stocks surged more than the rest of the market amid excitement that their earnings can grow faster. Smaller companies tend to get more of their revenue from customers in the U.S. than big multinational companies do, and the U.S. economy looks to be in better shape than many others. The unemployment rate fell last month to a five-year low, and the Federal Reserve has seen enough improvement that it is slowing its bond-buying program meant to stimulate the economy. To be sure, the gains for small-cap stocks have been so great that some fund managers are worried that they've become too expensive.
-- Emerging downers. Not all stock mutual funds rose. Many of those that focus on China, Brazil and other emerging markets fell, with the average emerging-markets stock fund down 0.1 percent. Latin American stock funds fell 12 percent.
Worries about slower economic growth hurt, as did concerns that foreign investors will pull out of developing economies amid a slowdown in stimulus from the Federal Reserve.
-- Many bond funds struggled. For years, investors looked to bond mutual funds for a safe way to avoid the whipsaws of the stock market. During 2008, when the S&P 500 lost 37 percent amid the financial crisis, intermediate-term bond funds lost an average of just 4.7 percent.
But last year, bond funds were a big source of fear. Investors yanked a net $57.92 billion from bond funds through the first 11 months of 2013. It's a sharp turnaround from 2012, when they deposited a net total of $303.6 billion into bond funds.
Investors were worried about the threat of rising interest rates, which hurt bond prices. When rates rise, it suddenly makes the lower yields paid by older bonds less attractive. That means prices for them drop, hurting the returns for the bond mutual funds that own them. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose from a low of about 1.6 percent in May to 3 percent at the end of 2013.
Intermediate-bond funds are the biggest category of bond funds, with $935 billion in total assets, according to Morningstar. They lost an average of 1.4 percent in 2013.
-- A good rotation. Many experts predicted a "great rotation" in 2013, where investors would dump bonds en masse and move money into stocks. A shift did occur, but many fund managers say the magnitude doesn't yet qualify as "great."
Some types of bond mutual funds were still able to attract money through 2013, even with the worries about rising rates. That's because some funds are better able to tolerate rising interest rates. Bank-loan funds, for example, own loans whose interest rates can rise and fall with the broad market. Investors flocked to them last year and deposited a net $58 billion through the year's first 11 months. That helped the category's assets nearly double from a year earlier to $135 billion.
Published: Mon, Jan 13, 2014


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Google Trend growth of Physical Therapists.
Bureau of Labor Statistics information for Physical Therapy.
Listed below is information that is specific to Physical Therapy job salaries that you can expect to receive in that state area. Our state by state breakdown allows you to see which state is best to get a job as a Physical Therapist. The salary information provided below is off of real-world job listings for Physical Therapists and the pay offered for those jobs. We source Indeed, Simply Hired, PayScale and GlassDoor.com. The information provided by Indeed about their process for collecting salary averages is as follows: "Indeed Salary Search is based on an index of salary information extracted from over 50 million job postings from thousands of unique sources over the last 12 months. Many job descriptions don't contain salary information, but there are enough that do to produce statistically significant median salaries for millions of keyword, job title and location combinations – in fact, most job searches you are likely to think of. As new jobs are added each day, the Indeed Salary Search index is automatically updated with fresh salary data, so the salary results are as up-to-date as they could possibly be."


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Pac-12 2011-12 Post-Mortem Wrap-UpPosted by AMurawa on May 4th, 2012
Over the last few weeks, we've run down each of the teams in the Pac-12, recounting the high and low points of the 2011-12 season, saying goodbye to departing players, introducing you to new faces around the conference, as well as pointing out reasons for hope and concern for the future of each program. Along the way, we also handed out MVP awards for each team, and we graded each team compared with their expectations. In case you've missed any of those posts, below you'll find a link to each team's post-mortem, along with the MVP and grade we've chosen.
- Colorado: MVP: Andre Roberson, Overall Grade: A
- California: MVP: Jorge Gutierrez, Overall Grade A-
- Stanford: MVP: Aaron Bright, Overall Grade: B
- Oregon: MVP: Devoe Joseph, Overall Grade: B
- Washington State: MVP: Brock Motum, Overall Grade: B
- Washington: MVP: Tony Wroten, Overall Grade: B-
- Oregon State: MVP: Jared Cunningham, Overall Grade: C+
- Arizona: MVP: Kyle Fogg, Overall Grade: C+
- Utah: MVP: Jason Washburn, Overall Grade: C-
- Arizona State: MVP: Trent Lockett, Overall Grade: D
- UCLA: MVP: Lazeric Jones, Overall Grade: D-
- USC : MVP: Byron Wesley, Overall Grade: F
As for upcoming features, beginning in June, we'll spend one week on each team taking you through the dog days of the summer looking ahead to the 2012-13 expectations for the Pac-12 conference. Then every Friday throughout the offseason, we'll also post a Weekly Five, detailing recent news around the league. And, as events warrant, we'll drop additional posts as needed and may come up with a handful of other ideas to keep us all entertained as we suffer through the Great Sports Desert.


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The Hills returns SOON!!
I can't for the new season of The Hills to start! But being in Canada I probably won't be able to see it on MTV.ca until the season is over. You can see the new trailer if you live in the States on MTV.com. Just make sure to tell them that I sent ya! (Photo courtesy: USmagazine.com)
Spencer Pratt and Brody Jenner have broken up!
After being friends for more than 10 years Spencer Pratt and Brody Jenner have broken up. It's about time someone can't be under Spencer's charm. You know Brody isn't that bad now that he has woken up. May be he will get a reputation back since he won't be linked with Spencer. Way to go Brody....may be you should talk to Heidi??? (Picture courtesy: USmagazine.com)
BREAKING NEWS-Lindsay Lohan arrested for DUI again!
Lindsay Lohan has been arrested for DUI again...this morning in fact. Two Breathalyzer tests determined Lohan's blood-alcohol level was .12 percent and .13 (the legal limit is .08). Lohan was driving a 2004 Yukon that didn't belong to her, and was chasing a 2001 Escalade being driven by the mother of Lohan's personal assistant, according to police. Lohan later posted $25,000 bail and was released from jail at about 6:30 a.m. It looks like Lindsay hasn't stopped drinking and has not changed her ways. (This pictures was taken this morning.) (Photo courtesy: People.com)


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For picture captions hold mouse cursor over picture.
My story – the one that leads in the general direction of The Place that Time Forgot – probably begins back in 1963, but perhaps a little earlier when I became absorbed in adventure books, stories of lost and buried treasure, and exploring the jungle, and spent more time reading these than on my schoolwork. Thus I was never top of the class except in woodwork; close in math, but not in English, though since I have spent much of my life writing.
In 1963 I left my home on the south coast of England to work in the City of London, aged 18 earning only 7 pounds a week (around $11) of which half went on digs, more on train/tube fares, leaving little more than a pound for food. It was tough.
Though I was working as a management apprentice for Europe's largest timber company and learning the ropes, going from one department to another, and with my second greatest love after adventure – wood – I had the wanderlust. London wasn't the place for me for any length of time.
Thus I saved what I could until I had enough for a boat fare to Canada and a plan to hitch-hike across Canada to the mountains of British Columbia where I would live in the woods and pan for gold to support myself. A dream, perhaps not uncommon in those days, yet today it may appear to be a little absurd and unrealistic.
But I did it. In May 1964 I left Tilbury docks aboard the Greek Line Arcadia for Quebec City together with a companion who had contacted me after a TV appearance on the show Three Go Round with Fred Dinenage. After hitching across Canada I spent six months living wild in the Cariboo Mountains panning for gold. How different from London.
It was at this time, wandering through the mountains that one day I came across the (almost) ghost town of Barkerville. This frontier gold-rush town dating back to the 1850's was in a remarkable state of preservation and had, I found out later, been taken over a few years earlier by the BC government to restore as a Historic Park.
Standing here, at the 'entrance' to the town was St Saviour's Church – a remarkable accomplishment under very difficult conditions by the Reverent Reynard. I mention it here because it was an inspiration to me that someone could do what he did, and part of the detail on Chapel-in-the-Clouds here at The Place that Time Forgot is taken from St Saviour's.
I visited Barkerville many times over the succeeding years and in the late 1980's and early 90's when I was running wilderness adventure tours for young people I made it a stopping place, making camp a few miles to the north where I had originally prospected for gold. Shortly after I bought a 30 acre island in the Fraser River and the confluence of the Bowron River, which flows near Barkerville.
My last time at Barkerville was in November 2003 when I had the whole town to myself – it was cold and drizzling with rain and so no tourists had ventured there. It is the best time to visit and see the town without the hordes of tourists that make it seem more like a Disney creation than a true frontier town.
Earlier I said that my story started around 1963 when I was making preparations to head for Canada which started a whole chain of life-changing events, but in 1958, and the age of 13, I went to see a movie. In those days, going to the 'pictures' was an important event – TV was in its infancy – and for a kid of 13 it was the highlight of the week. At that time, one of the most exciting things for a kid was to go to the 'pictures' – I lived for it. In the next town the film Carve Her Name with Pride was playing. It was 9 pence to get in – a whole week's pocket money. (9 pence in 'old' English money – 4 pence today or about 7 cents US). Without extra for the bus fare I had to cycle, and to get better value for my 9 pence I watched the film twice.
That film, and the renowned poem from it, has reached out over the year's and by strange circumstances now has a special place at The Place that Time Forgot. And there is more to it as visitors find out.
After spending much of the year 1964 living in the Cariboo mountains I spent 1965 on Oak Island in Nova Scotia looking for the famous treasure there. That year, three other treasure hunters on the island were gassed to death in a pit on Smith's Cove. I was one of the last people to see them alive before rowing across to nearby Frog Island where I became marooned. Stupidly I had not pulled my boat far enough up the beach and did not see it float away. Fortunately I had a gun with me and was able to attract attention by firing off shots. I still have one claim-to-fame there that cannot be beaten in that I was the first person to land on Oak Island by car – before any causeway was built for motor access. It was, of course, in an amphibious German Amphicar.
After spending the summer on Oak Island and being short of funds I got work on a Norwegian fishing trawler working off the coast of Newfoundland. In November on a wintry day we put into port at St John's, Newfoundland. This helped me do some research into a link between this city (a sea captain) and Cocos Island in Costa Rica – reputed burying site of vast treasures.
At that time and on the other side of the harbour was a large Scottish stern trawler and factory ship – the Fairtry ll. Not having a great deal of success with fishing on the Norwegian ship I decided to approach the captain of the Fairtry to see if I could sign on, and get a free trip back to England in time for Christmas!
Well, as usual, things didn't work out as I had planned and after getting a job and leaving port I was advised that we were going back out to sea off the Grand Banks until the holds were filled – perhaps the skipper was a little less than honest! As it happened there were constant engine breakdowns when we drifted waiting for parts, and we limped back to England on only one engine at snail speed. My short trip back to England lasted for 101 days at sea and we arrived back around mid February 1966 shortly after my twenty first birthday which was spent at sea being tossed about in a wintry gale.
I spent much time on returning researching the Cocos Island treasure – much harder in those days with no Internet or anything like it – and later that year I was able to make it to Costa Rica and Cocos Island, but only for a brief time. Subsequently I produced one of my earliest publications – The Lost Treasure of Cocos Island.
In 1967 I was living near Manchester running a coffee bar with a friend and renting out (small time) pin-tables and one-arm bandits. I was quite excited then (as any young person would be) in that the News of The World was going to run a double page feature on my Cocos Island treasure hunting adventures. Unfortunately on the Thursday before the Sunday it was scheduled to appear the Manchester Evening News pipped them to the post and the News of The World didn't want to play second fiddle and cancelled the feature – despite the one in the Manchester Evening News being smaller. I was naive enough to give the story to two papers simultaneously but it did lead, however, to a few television appearances.
Running a coffee bar in the 60's was a great experience and that was the time I was introduced to Land Rovers, buying a secondhand one – four year's old. But, the wanderlust got to me again and in May 1968 I bought a new long wheelbase Land Rover – fully equipped it – and shipped it to Montreal, Canada, spending that year again in British Columbia before driving down to British Honduras (now Belize). I am recalling this here because the year before I started creating The Place that Time Forgot I bought a restored classic 1970 Land Rover which brought many memories. Also, to bring visitors here we use classic Land Rovers.
Later that year I flew to British Guiana (now Guyana) and had my first taste of jungle life prospecting for diamonds and gold in the Mazaruni River. I had previously read the book by Peter Fleming of his exploits on the Mazaruni and wished to experience the same. It was tough getting back there and I remember hanging on the tailgate, literally, of a truck for eight hours along an appalling 'road' to get back to an access point for the river, and one time falling out of the boat into the river with immediate thoughts of the pirana! At this time I also made a brief intrusion near into Brazil by dugout canoe across the Orinduik River.
The following year was a complete change of pace when I became interested in crossbow design and opened up a small one-man factory to produce hand made crossbows and a 'cross-pistol' I had designed (the first ever I believe). This continued reasonably successfully (I made a living anyway) until I decided to go back to Canada in early 1971. I had enough money to buy a motorcycle in Quebec and enough for fuel, but not much else, nevertheless I decided to make the trip across Canada back to British Columbia even though it was winter. To some it may seem a foolhardy trip – I slept out in the open at night and had no gloves so wore two pairs of socks on my hands. I warmed up from time to time in restaurants with a 10 cent cup of coffee and hamburger (I no longer eat any meat) but was often so cold with numb fingers that I could not unfasten my helmet so had to ask the waitresses to do it.
I lived off and on in British Columbia for the next few years where I started writing books. It was a time when people seemed to thirst for knowledge which then, could only be obtained by research in libraries. I did well, publishing everything from A Beginner's Guide to Gold Panning to How to Build a Log Cabin, and series for people who wanted to find a new life … How to Emigrate to Canada … How to Emigrate to the USA … How to Emigrate to Australia …etc. Most were smallish concise and factual publication of around 100 pages, some were larger like A Complete Guide to Purchasing & Leasing Canadian Crown Lands – the 'Bible' and Live & Work in the USA (though I would not recommend that to anyone today!).
By writing I was able to enjoy my love of the frontier lifestyle and work my own hours. In 1975 I bought a remote lake in Nova Scotia, in 1978-9 I lived, and wrote, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and in 1982-3 I owned a remote old mine and a mile of glorious lakeshore in Northern Ontario only accessible by a long boat ride.
Something happened then that changed my life. While I won't dwell on it here I will give a few details as some of the Lessons from Chapel-in-the-Clouds provide information that every person should know, and from my own experiences. In 1983 I was fit and in my late 30's. But, within a week I was reduced to the state of being in a wheelchair with almost no use of my legs. I was diagnosed with Transverse Myalitis whereby my spinal cord had been damaged by a virus. I was told to face the prospect that I would probably never walk again – indeed, I had a visitor at the hospital who told me all was not lost as they could provide me with a car that could be driven by hands alone! This is not something I could face – some people can, but not me. I would either get back the use of my legs, or end it.
I bought a cottage in the Highlands of Scotland with no near neighbours, no electricity, no telephone, no heating save by open fire. It was tough at first but gradually I got back the use of my legs – getting stronger over the next three years that I spent there. I have still not recovered completely with discomfort most of the time – but I consider myself to be one of the lucky ones, and I could still go on to create The Place that Time Forgot.
What caused my illness? At the time the doctors really had no idea, but now I have traced it to a polio vaccine I had when I was a baby.
Moving on, in 1987 I bought a remote log cabin in British Columbia and then, as it was good exercise for my legs, started running my 2000 Miles of (Wilderness) Adventure trips.These were not your typical trips and always off-the-beaten-track using backroads, living in the forest.
I ran these until 1991. Missing the Highlands of Scotland I bought a small 700-acre estate with a beautiful loch within its boundaries and long frontage on another lock. No neighbours for miles in any direction. I built a small forestry cabin (bothy) here and while not living there all the time did spend a significant amount of time walking the hills, enjoying the wonderful scenery, and planting trees.
I also bought another delightful 200-acre property near Inverness where I was going to build a castle. I went as far as getting (difficult) planning consent and having all the plans drawn up and permits in place ready to start construction. But then I got cold feet thinking that no matter how hard I tried to make it look like a 'real' castle, it would always be a fake, and thus sold part of it to the son of Lord Lovat who led the Lovat Rangers on to the shores of France on D-Day – portrayed in the film The Longest Day.
In 1993 I bought 600-acres of maple, oak, birch, forest with two mountain 'peaks' in the Adirondack Park of upstate New York. I have always loved the fall colour so felt that it would be nice to have a special place where I could immerse myself in them. I built a cabin here and enjoyed this place like no other until 1998. Then, I had another sadness.I was not on the property at the time but in Bolton, England, in the house of my son and his mother – a wonderful historic 400-year old 'hall' steeped in history – when I received a phone call from my nearest neighbour who said that a terrible ice storm had descended and was destroying all the forest around.
The spectacle that greeted my arrival was one worse than anyone could ever have imagined, even when being told what had happened. On the whole property there was hardly a tree standing. Oak trees a foot in diameter had been snapped as though they were a matchstick. Others that had not snapped under the weight of the accumulated ice on the limb and branches were bent to the ground in a tangle that can only only be described as spaghetti. The only thing that had miraculously survived was the cabin which had not taken a direct hit. I spent the next two summer seasons with a chain saw trying to clear the old trails of the impossible tangle – a dangerous task as many limbs were under pressure and tension and it was not always possible to tell which ones to cut first. Twice I got it badly wrong and was lifted off the ground and thrown by the springing limb with chainsaw running.
Having bought the property to enjoy the fall colour and beauty of the woods it was all destroyed. What I had was no more. There was no alternative but to sell the property and hope that I could find a buyer. I eventually did – someone who I believe needed a tax loss. In a way, this may have been a blessing in disguise because when I bought the land back in 1992 the property taxes were just over $3,000 a year. I'm told that today the taxes on the land and the simple cabin with no road access, no electricity, no services, is approaching $15,000! For little or nothing other than to feed a corrupt government.
In the meantime I had bought an old gold and silver mine in the Kootenay Mountains of British Columbia – which I still have at the time of writing this. This is at 6,500 feet altitude with almost impossible access and the nearest neighbour (house) about 40 miles (60 kilometres). Today, the only real access is by horse on a 10-mile (15 kilometre) steep trail from a railway siding. It's a dangerous place to live alone with no communications. I built a cabin there – and was on top of the mountain on 9/11 - but have not been back since 2003 when I found the cabin vandalised – a common occurrence these days.
In 2001 I also bought a mile or so of beach frontage on the East coast of Scotland north of Inverness with two old fish factories on the beach. I spent some time converting one of them but, while the closeness of the buildings to the beach is what originally attracted me there, over time I started to become ever more apprehensive. One day when everything was 'right' – the moon and tide – huge waves came right over and through the building I was working on. I then decided not to spend more money on something that would eventually be washed away. My time at sea with a spell in the Canadian Coastguard had taught me a great respect of the sea.
This leads us to Costa Rica. Whiling away a little time on the computer I came across a property for sale in Costa Rica with huge waterfalls and extensive virgin forest in the mountains – as wild as it is possible to be. Simply put, it took my fancy and I bought it. Whether or not it is one of the best things I did, or the worst, I do not know at the time of writing this. The jury is still out, and from the things that have happened here over the five years I have spent transforming the original overgrown farmstead and protecting the property, perhaps you can best judge from afar.
On this website you will see how the original overgrown old farmstead was turned into the Place that Time Forgot, dominated by Chapel-in-the-Clouds, and all the 'treasures' in the surrounding mountains and high jungle.
But my work here is now finished and the property will be maintained by the Highland Heritage Landmark Trust which will permit limited access to visitors. I will be at The Next Place!
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International Shipping
Ryderwear ships to most destinations around the world. At checkout, please select your country from the drop-down menu. All orders are shipped from our one and only location in Australia and you will receive an email confirmation with tracking details once the order has been dispatched from our warehouse.
Australia (AU) Shipping
Regular shipping is $5.95 AUD (comes with tracking and estimated 3-10 business days for delivery).
Express shipping is $9.95 AUD (1-2 business days, rural areas up to 5 business days).
For all orders over $120.00 AUD express shipping is FREE!
You can make your selection at checkout in AUD here www.ryderwear.com.au
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Express shipping is $5.95 USD (comes with tracking and is estimated 2-4 business days for delivery).
For all orders over $120.00 USD express shipping is FREE!
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Express shipping is £3.99 GBP (comes with tracking and estimated 2-4 business days for delivery).
For all orders over £80.00 GBP express shipping is FREE!
You can make your selection at checkout in GBP here www.ryderwear.co.uk
*Due to current worldwide events, some international deliveries may be subject to delays. While it's important to remember the best things in life are worth waiting for, you can also rest assured we're doing everything in our power to get your Ryderwear order into your hands as soon as possible. When making a purchase, we recommend choosing a home address for shipping, as workplaces may experience closures.


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It feels like just yesterday that the Behance team debuted Portfolio Review Week in May 2012, so we can hardly believe that the 5th PRW is coming up this Spring.
Twice annually, Behance presents Portfolio Review Week, an unprecedented series of volunteer-organized events that has spread to hundreds of cities internationally, with a goal of bringing together creative professionals.
Our team has been hard at work preparing behind-the-scenes. Some changes this time around:
- A brand new home for PRW!
- Launch of speakers at all PRW events
- New materials for our hosts in their kits, including Photobooth props, a more comprehensive Handbook, and more
- Branding improvements from our design team
We can't wait to launch PRW5 later this week! Stay tuned for news….
Sneak peek at the new Behance Reviews site!
Getting inspired by custom posters designed by past hosts
A page out of the new host's handbook


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There comes a time when a little food cart needs to grow up and get a "real" business…or at least that's what they tell us.
We wonder–why not both? KOi Fusion has been defying odds since its inception in 2009, and now we are doing it again. Presenting our very first ever brick & mortar location, koi-ly nicknamed KOi DStreet for its location in the D-Street building on SE Division at 30th.
This location boasts indoor, climate-controlled seating for 35, 2+ taps of amazing, cold beer (Hop Valley Brewing & Base Camp Brewing), our deep-fried wonders like the K-Dog & Sweet Potato Fries, and much more! You will also notice upon your first visit that KOi's kind of gone to space–look for some new branding with wall murals and table tops by local designer Gage Hamilton. We went back to the basics with classy black and white with accents of light grained wood. This location of KOi will be introducing some new, never-before-seen menu items at our new location too!
Trippy, right?
We are so excited to share this new location with you all!
Current DStreet Hours Monday-Sunday 11am-10pm
Phone in Orders to 503-889-0422
Why D-Street?
Many people have asked us since sporting the above shirts at Eat Mobile 2014–what is a D-Street Native? What many of our long-time K'Heads know is that we were one of the original food carts on Division at 30th. After the beginnings of construction, all of the carts had to relocate, and once construction went to its finishing phase, the developers invited us to be one of the first businesses back in the area. It's because of this that we've coined the term DStreet Native, one that originated from the same spot on Division.
We owe a huge thanks to all the people who helped us get to where we are today. KOi has grown so much and we aren't stopping yet! We still have our killer carts (have you been to our newest spot on SE Oak next to Base Camp Brewing?) Look for more news as the year moves forward!
Thank you Steve Shomler!
Steve is a local author and huge K'Head! He recently released a book all on food carts! Grab a copy of Portland Food Cart Stories: Behind the Scenes with City's Culinary Entrepeneurs on Amazon. You can also follow his adventures on his blog!


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Back in January, Facebook moved to ban private gun sales on its platforms, but its enforcement of the policy has been lax at best.
A reporter from BuzzFeed News decided to test the social network's policy last week and was able to pick up an AR-15 variant, a weapon similar to the ones used in recent mass shootings in Connecticut, Colorado and San Bernardino, according to his report Wednesday.
The reporter, Alex Kantrowitz, said he found the gun, negotiated a purchase price and agreed to buy the weapon, all through Facebook.
U.S. & World
Kantrowitz reported that he found the seller through Facebook Groups, where there are hundreds of buy/sell/trade groups, including several gun enthusiast groups. In one of the groups, the seller had posted a photo of the AR-15, with all the specs, and Kantrowitz messaged him directly, expressing his interest. The seller replied the next morning using Facebook Messenger.
Kantrowitz clarified that, for the most part, people aren't selling guns illegally on Facebook - it's not a black market. They're just blatantly disregarding the social network's policy.
Facebook released the following statement in response to the BuzzFeed report:
"The purchase, sale or trade of firearms between private individuals is not allowed on Facebook. When we become aware of any content that violates our community standards, we remove it immediately. We have teams around the globe, speaking more than 40 languages, that work 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week to ensure continuous review of more than a million pieces of content reported each day for violating our standards."
In January, Facebook said it would rely on its users to report any violations of the new rules and would remove any post that violated the policy, according to a New York Times report. Beyond that, the company said it could ban users or severely limit the ways they post on Facebook, depending on the type and severity of violations, the Times report said.


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The key to your castle℠.
Continuity of service makes all the difference and our clients can count on us each step of the way. From a loan approval, to closing, to home improvement financing and lowering monthly payments – we give our clients the advantage. And by establishing expectations, our clients have peace of mind.
- Honesty, integrity and transparency
- Exceptional customer service
- Multiple branches to serve you locally
- Simple, smooth, paperless loan approval process
- Express funding technology to close your loan fast
- Approved Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae direct seller and servicer
- Full suite of loan products designed to meet the needs of more borrowers
Who Is Castle & Cooke Mortgage?
Castle & Cooke has proven its commitment to clients since 1851. When Castle & Cooke Mortgage opened its doors in 2005, that dedication grew stronger and our successes have grown right alongside those of the communities we serve.
Castle & Cooke Mortgage aims to provide you with preeminent service. That means industry-leading funding times and a broad array of loan programs to meet the diverse needs of today's borrowers.


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Experience the taste of the Blue Mountains at the Hydro Majestic Pavilion
The new Hydro Majestic Pavilion, will be the place to discover the history of The Hydro Majestic and to share all that is remarkable about the Blue Mountains.
Celebrating the spirit of the Royal Easter Show pavilions of Sydney's old showgrounds and operating as a magnificent interactive 'living' history space, the Hydro Majestic Pavilion will house a vibrant display showcasing boutique and unique food and wine from the Blue Mountains and its regions. Regions showcased will include Mudgee, Bathurst, Orange and the Western Plains.
Demonstrating the best regional gourmet food and wine of the area, "The Taste of The Blue Mountains" this retail and exhibition space totalling approximately 500 sqm is a tourism destination to explore the history of the Hydro, including multimedia screening areas and history tours.
The Hydro Majestic Pavilion will definitely be a destination not to be missed by any traveller!
Monday - Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm
Saturday - Sunday 9.00am - 5.00pm


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QUESTION: How do you record a large Broadway cast album?
With The Hit Factory Studios and Legacy Studios A509 closed, there are not many large rooms left in New York City to record Broadway cast albums, particularly ones that require an orchestra and a group of singers to be recorded at the same time. Our Studio A is large enough to accommodate both in one room and have a proven track record to do it successfully. Sure you can do it split across two rooms, but why pay for two when you could do it in one and why add the additional complexity and heighten the risk of something going wrong?
Avatar Studios has recorded many cast albums over the years including Les Miserables, A Catered Affair, Avenue Q, Cabaret, Grey Gardens, The Pajama Game, Spelling Bee, Sweeney Todd, Little Women, Next To Normal, Xanadu and many others. The most recent cast album we tracked was Stephen Sondheim's Road Show. By doing many of these types of sessions, we have accumulated experience in carrying out what some might describe as a pressure cooker since there are many actors / actresses / musicians involved, who are all on the clock, and the sessions are often attended by producers, songwriters, other production personnel and sometimes VIPs.
The important factor here is to be able to isolate the players. There will be some leakage, but minimizing the effect is the key. Taking a session we did in Studio A for Les Miserables, the set up that worked well is shown below (click on image for a larger view). In this session, there were a dozen singers and the orchestra was made up of a dozen string players and a woodwind and brass section.
Studio A has two large isolation booths in the rear – the piano room and the rhythm room, which can be closed off using sliding glass doors. Studio A also has two smaller iso booths next to the control room. The multiple singers and chorus section were all situated in the piano room with eight microphones. The rhythm section consisting of percussion, drums and guitars were in the rhythm room. The principal singers were in the small iso booth closest to the main live room. The main live room was split down the middle using a wall of tall gobos to isolate string players from the horn players. Looking out from the control room, the string players were on the left side and the horn players on the right all facing away from the control room. The conductor was at the edge of the main live room facing towards the control room. The Fender Rhodes player was right in front of the conductor. All the singers and players had a clear view of the conductor as did the people in the control room.
Some variation of this set up was used in other cast album sessions. Sometimes the conductor stood in front with his back against the control room glass with all players looking towards the conductor / control room. Sometimes, the singers / chorus and rhythm section swapped rear iso booths depending on the sonic and size preferences, i.e. one booth is more lively and slightly smaller than the other larger and drier rhythm room.
Another important point is to be organized and have multiple cue mixes go out to each subsection and make sure that everyone with headphones is comfortable. Typically in these sessions, we assign two experienced assistant engineers with one or two additional runners. We usually spend a few hours preparing and setting up either the day or night before the session. After a while, the set up goes fast.
This type of session is quite hectic and often lasts one full day, but once the session is done, there is a great sense of accomplishment of having successfully dealt with so many people and any unexpected hiccups (countered by quick workarounds). It is all about working quickly and you cannot do these types of sessions unless your equipment is well maintained and your staff is right on the ball. It also helps to have thick skin. I know these are not the kind of things one thinks about when listening to cast albums, but hopefully you now have an insight into how it was recorded.
More Recording Tips
For relatively inexperienced bands, here is a helpful list of studio recording tips.
10 Tips for Success in the Recording Studio
(From KnowTheMusicBiz.com)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Recording A Large Broadway Cast Album
Posted by Avatar of Avatar at 4:04 PM 2 comments:
Labels: Broadway, Cast Album, Studio A
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The ultimate makeover: shepherd's pie
Angela Nilsen works her magic on a classic and gives Shepherd's pie a superhealthy face-lift
Nutrition and extra info
- Freeze before baking
- Healthy
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal444
- fat12g
- saturates5g
- carbs57g
- sugars14g
- fibre10g
- protein22g
- salt0.51g
For the filling
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil
If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has…
- 1 onion, chopped
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 3-4 thyme sprigs
This popular herb grows in Europe, especially the Mediterranean, and is a member of the mint…
- 2 carrots, diced (total weight 300g/11oz)
The carrot, with its distinctive bright orange colour, is one of the most versatile root…
- 250g lean minced lamb (we used 10% fat)
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder, made up to 350ml/12fl oz stock with boiling water
- 227g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 400g can green lentil with no added salt, drained
The lentil plant (Lens Culinaris) originates from Asia and North Africa and is one of our oldest…
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
For the topping
- 650g Maris Piper or King Edward potato, roughly chopped
- 250g sweet potatoes, roughly chopped
Sweet potatosweet po-tate-toe
Sweet potatoes have a creamy texture and a sweet-spicy flavour that makes them ideal for savoury…
- 2 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan or saucepan. Tip in the onion and thyme sprigs and fry for 2-3 mins. Then add the carrots and fry together for 5-8 mins, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to brown. Stir in the mince to break it down. Fry for 1-2 mins until no longer pink. Stir in the flour, scraping the bottom of the pan in case the meat sticks, then cook for another 1-2 mins. Pour in the stock and stir until thickened. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, lentils and Worcestershire sauce and season with pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 mins, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare the topping. Drop all the potatoes into a large pan of boiling water. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for 12-15 mins or until the potatoes are tender. Drain well in a colander then tip back into the pan. Mash with a masher or, briefly, with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Beat in the crème fraîche and milk with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Spoon the meat into a 1.5 litre pie dish and remove the thyme sprigs. Top with the mash and smooth over with a knife. Use a fork to create a ridged pattern on top. Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 mins until piping hot and the filling starts to bubble around the edges. If the top is not brown enough, pop it under the grill for 5 mins or so until the mash is crisp and golden. Let it sit for 5 mins then serve.


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Cinnamon-Cayenne Ice Cream Recipe
Yield: 1 quart Zest Factor: Medium
This ice cream feels cold, but tastes oh-so-warm on the tongue thanks to a collection of spices. Recipe by A.J. Fox for Chile Pepper magazine. For other spicy ice cream suggestions to make and to buy, check out my Serious Heat post.
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons Calvados or brandy
In a medium, heavy-duty pot, warm milk, cream, granulated sugar and cinnamon stick, until scalding. Remove from heat, cover, and let infuse for at least 1 hour.
Place cream mixture back on stovetop, heating until scalding again. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and brown sugar together. Slowly, stream entire hot cream mixture into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid curdling. Return entire mixture to pot, and cook over low heat until mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F, and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
This Recipe Appears InSerious Heat: We All Scream for Spicy Ice Cream
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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It would be difficult to imagine an event that encompasses a wider spectrum of golf - professional and amateur, individual and team, formal and informal, players from all over the world - than the week of the Volvo Golf Champions and the Volvo World Golf Challenge which has just finished at the fabulous Fancourt Estate in Western Cape, South Africa.
This unique and extensive mix of events is an unparalleled opportunity for Volvo to interact with customers and prospects. Thanks to massive media coverage, Volvo also gets to showcase the brand including vehicles on display on site.
The professional event - the Volvo Golf Champions - is a world-class tournament open only to last year's European Tour winners and players with at least ten victories in their career.
The event offers important marketing and relationship management opportunities - it is preceded by the exclusive Pro-Am and followed with After The Champions where customers and stakeholders get to play the stunning Links Course the day after the event with the course set up in the same way.
The Volvo Golf Champions came to a thrilling climax on Sunday, attracting thousands of spectators to the event, when the leading 11 finishers contained no fewer than 8 Major winners. Screened live on television across the globe to a potential worldwide audience of hundreds of millions of people, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen were joined by emerging star Brandon Grace in a play-off. Playing the last hole in sudden-death, Grace managed to win and claimed the winners' cheque of €350,000.
In parallel, the amateur competition - the World Final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge - was the culmination of hundreds of qualifying competitions held in more than 25 countries and attracting in excess of 50,000 enthusiastic club golfers. The 55 finalists played two rounds and Italian Johannes Zelger held his nerve to win by two shots from Austrian Henning Frech, with young Swede Mikael Hedberg in third. An additional excitement which is attracting ever-increasing interest is that the following day, the top-finishers each got the chance to take part in 'Playing With The Pros', live on television on the European Tour.
South African hero Retief Goosen and English star Lee Slattery partnered Volvo-customer and amateur Mark Vandenberghe from the UK to victory. The Pros were excited about each winning a Volvo V60, whilst Mark had the time of his life, a day he will never forget.
This unique combination of the amateurs joining the pros for one round during their tournament has been a driving force in attracting club golfers from all over the world into playing in Volvo events.
For more, please visit www.volvoingolf.com
For information on how Volvo Cars process your personal data in relation to Volvo Cars Global Newsroom click here.
Volvo Cars Newsroom makes use of cookies in order to optimize your user experience on this website. The cookies on the website do not store personal information. For more information, read our Cookies Policy page.Accept


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On Monday, NBCUniversal announced two key leadership changes.
John Wallace is being promoted to president of NBCUniversal Media Works, and Valari Dobson Staab will take over his former position as president of the NBC Local Media group.
NBC full news release below:
The latest business news.
Valari Dobson Staab Joins Company as President, NBC Local Media
John Wallace Promoted to President, NBCUniversal Media Works
NEW YORK – April 4, 2011 – NBCUniversal today announced two key leadership roles, naming Valari Dobson Staab as President, NBC Local Media group and promoting John Wallace to President, NBCUniversal Media Works. Wallace, who will begin his new role immediately, will continue to oversee the Local Media group until Staab officially joins the company in June.
Staab comes to NBCUniversal from the ABC Owned Television Stations, where she was the President and General Manager of KGO-TV, the market leading station in San Francisco, since 2002. As President of NBC Local Media, she will be responsible for NBC's ten owned-and-operated television stations, its local online properties, and digital out of home division. She will also oversee the local lifestyle programming production company LX.TV and the in-house marketing and promotion company Skycastle Entertainment.
Ted Harbert, Chairman, NBC Broadcasting, to whom Staab will report, said, "We're thrilled to have an executive of Valari's caliber join our Local Media group. Throughout her career in local television she's had tremendous success growing the businesses she's worked for and placing a premium on creating quality local news that resonates with viewers. She will do an outstanding job building on the great work of our Local Media group as we continue to invest in our stations and establish them as leaders in their markets."
Wallace, who served as President, NBC Local Media since 2007, will be responsible for the company's technology and studio operations, including the areas of information technology, digital projects and services, sourcing, environmental health and safety, and crisis management. He will also oversee NBCUniversal's multi-million square-foot real estate portfolio, which includes Rockefeller Center in New York and Universal City in California. Wallace takes over for John Eck who will be leaving NBCUniversal.
Pat Fili-Krushel, Executive Vice President, NBCUniversal, to whom Wallace will report, said "John has shown tremendous skill and creativity running our Local Media group, reshaping the organization and guiding the stations through a time of digital transformation. I look forward to his continued ingenuity running our vast technical and studio operations, helping to keep NBCUniversal at the forefront of today's rapidly evolving digital landscape."
Fili-Krushel added, "I'd like to thank John Eck for his many years of service at NBCUniversal, culminating in his role leading our Media Works organization. John also played an integral role in the NBCUniversal and Comcast integration, helping to ensure a smooth transition between the companies. He has made a lasting impact on NBCUniversal."
As President and General Manager of KGO-TV, Staab oversaw the No. 1 rated television station in the San Francisco Bay Area. Under her direction, KGO-TV grew in ratings and profitability and was the most watched television station in the market, earning four Local Emmy Awards and two Regional Edward R. Murrow awards for Overall Station Excellence. She spearheaded the development of two locally produced shows, "The View from the Bay" and the live, local talk show "7Live," and significantly improved KGO's digital efforts both online and through mobile applications. In addition, Staab orchestrated several new business opportunities that generated incremental revenue for KGO, including the production of two shows for the Live Well Network and a partnership with an independent Bay Area television station to provide them with an ABC-branded newscast.
Prior to KGO-TV, Staab spent 15 years at the ABC stations group, serving in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility, including President and General Manager of WTVD in Raleigh Durham, President and General manager of KFSN-TV in Fresno, CA and Director of Creative Services for WPVI-TV in Philadelphia.
During his tenure as President, NBC Local Media, Wallace worked to redefine the local group and diversity its portfolio. He made significant investments in the division's local content offerings, acquiring LX.TV in 2008, creating an internal digital media group and reshaping the station's daytime programming portfolio. He also spearheaded the creation and launch of the NonStop digital channels, round the clock local news, information and lifestyle channels, in four of the group's ten markets.
Before that, Wallace was the Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal's Television Operations and Production Services, where he ran broadcast operations across the company's extensive television properties, including the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, its cable networks and the owned-and-operated station groups. Previous assignments include leading the operational integration of the NBC and Universal merger and serving as the Senior Vice President, Broadcast Operations for NBC's Owned stations division. He joined the company in 1988 as a member of the NBC Page Program.