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|Oracle® OLAP DML Reference
11g Release 2 (11.2)
Part Number E17122-05
|View PDF
The VALUES function returns the default status list or the current status list of a dimension or dimension surrogate, or it returns the values in a valueset. VALUES returns a multiline text value that contains one dimension value on a line.
Note:Because composites do not have status, you cannot use the VALUES function with a composite. When you attempt to do so, Oracle OLAP displays an error message.
Return Value
VALUES(dimension [keyword] [INTEGER])
A text expression whose value is the name of a dimension, dimension surrogate, or valueset.
One of the following keywords that specify whether you want the current status list or the default status list for a dimension or a surrogate:
NOSTATUS which indicates that VALUES should return the default status list of a dimension or dimension surrogate rather than its current status list.
STATUS which indicates that VALUES should return the current status list of a dimension or dimension surrogate (Default).
These keywords do not affect valuesets. For a valueset, VALUES returns all the values in that valueset whether you specify
STATUS, or nothing.
When you use the INTEGER keyword, the function returns the position numbers of the dimension or dimension surrogate values rather than the values. When you use INTEGER with a valueset, the function returns the position numbers of the values in the existing dimension, not in the valueset.
Usage Notes
Using a LIMIT Statement With a STATUS Keyword Rather than VALUES
When possible, when you want Oracle OLAP to use the dimension values that are presently in status, use a LIMIT (using values) command with the STATUS keyword (or a LIMIT function with a similar construction) rather than using a VALUES statement. A LIMIT with the STATUS keyword is more efficient than a VALUES (dimname) statement.
Comparing VALUES to CHARLIST
The VALUES function is very similar to the CHARLIST function.
VALUES(MONTH) returns the same list as
The main differences are:
For dimensions, the NOSTATUS keyword of VALUES lets you use the default status without first limiting the dimension values to
The VALUES function lets you use a text expression to specify the dimension or valueset name. See Example 8-162, "VALUES with Text Variables".
Special Considerations for an Ampersand (&)
Under certain circumstances, an ampersand (
&) that is intended to be a character in a dimension value name is interpreted as ampersand substitution. When this happens, Oracle OLAP generates an error message.
This happens because Oracle OLAP recognizes special characters in dimension value names with when they are used in tuples in text expressions. For example, you can include spaces, such as naming a dimension value
York instead of
NewYork. When you have dimension values that include ampersands in their names, refer to Example 8-163, "Workaround for Dimension Value Names Including an Ampersand".
Example 8-160 Listing the Values of a Valueset
The easiest way to display the values of a valueset is simply by using the name of the valueset in a SHOW or a REPORT statement. You can also use VALUES to list the values in that valueset.
For example, suppose an analytic workspace contains a valueset called
monthset that has the values
May95, and
Dec95. The following statement displays the values.
SHOW VALUES(monthset) Jan95 May95 Dec95
Example 8-161 Listing Position Numbers of a Dimension
You can use VALUES to list the position numbers instead of the actual values in a dimension or valueset. In this example, because you are using the INTEGER keyword with a valueset instead of a dimension, the function returns the position numbers of the values in the
month dimension as shown by the output returned by the following statement.
SHOW VALUES(monthset INTEGER) 61 65 72
Therefore, the value
Jan95 is shown as the 61st value in the
month dimension,
May95 as the 65th value, and
Dec95 as the 72nd value, although they are the first, second, and third values in
Example 8-162 VALUES with Text Variables
This example shows how to assign a dimension name to a text variable and use the text variable in the VALUES function instead of the variable name itself. As the following statements illustrate, when the variable
textvar has the value
VALUES(textvar) returns a list of
district values.
textvar = 'district' SHOW VALUES(textvar) Boston Atlanta Chicago Dallas Denver Seattle
To list the values of
district using the CHARLIST function rather than VALUES, you must use an ampersand.
SHOW CHARLIST(&textvar)
Because ampersands in a program can degrade performance, use VALUES rather than CHARLIST in such cases.
Example 8-163 Workaround for Dimension Value Names Including an Ampersand
When a dimension value name contains an ampersand (
&) as one of its characters, and when that dimension is a base dimension of a conjoint dimension, then a text expression that contains the names of dimension values in a tuple can generate an error in certain circumstances. This example shows how to avoid this error.
Suppose you use the following statements to define two dimensions.
DEFINE prod DIMENSION TEXT DEFINE geog DIMENSION TEXT
Next, you use the following statements to define two conjoint dimensions.
DEFINE conj1 DIMENSION <prod geog> DEFINE conj2 DIMENSION <prod geog>
The following statements add dimension values to the
prod and
geog dimensions.
MAINTAIN prod ADD 'prod1' 'prod&val2' MAINTAIN geog ADD 'geog1' 'geog&val2'
The following statements add tuples (combinations of dimension values) to the CONJ1 conjoint dimension.
MAINTAIN conj1 ADD <'prod1' 'geog1'> MAINTAIN conj1 ADD <'prod&val2' 'geog1'>
Now, suppose you want to use the VALUE function with a MAINTAIN statement to add those same tuples to the
conj2 conjoint dimension. When you attempt to use the following statement, it generates an error message.
MAINTAIN conj2 ADD VALUES(conj1) ERROR: (MXMSERR) val2 does not exist in any attached workspace.
This error occurs because the ampersand in the dimension value name
prod&val2 is interpreted as an attempt at ampersand substitution.
Instead of using the preceding MAINTAIN statement, you can use the following statement to add the tuples to the CONJ2 conjoint dimension.
MAINTAIN conj2 MERGE < KEY(conj1 prod) KEY(conj1 geog) >


text: When we think of wooden stands, we definitely don't think of the BLÖCT models that are currently available. They are somewhat large, but have a rustic appeal that would make them interesting to use at home. For all of you who think that wood is good, here are some great wooden stands for all of your tablets.

subset: commoncrawl


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Trina Tinglum
Legal Writing Faculty
Professor Tinglum joined the faculty in 2012 as a Lecturer in the Legal Research & Writing Program. She received her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and her Master's Degree in Library & Information Science from the University of Wisconsin " Milwaukee. Professor Tinglum brings many years of skills-teaching experience to the classroom, at both the law-school and undergraduate levels. She taught legal research and advanced legal research at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, as well as courses in legal research and writing as an adjunct professor at Hamline University. She served as a law librarian at the University of St. Thomas, where she also created customized research classes for an upper-level law course.
After receiving her law degree at UW, Professor Tinglum practiced law in Maine before returning to the Midwest to take a position at West Publishing Company. At West, she served in a number of capacities, including most recently, as Acquisitions Editor, providing editorial assistance to authors of legal publications. Professor Tinglum also created research tutorials for law students, assisted lawyers with online legal research, and trained West account managers. She was a recipient of West's Excellence in Law Librarianship Award and a co-recipient of the Minnesota Association of Law Libraries Distinguished Service Award. She is a native of Madison.


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SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Navy says a trained dolphin has found a 130-year-old torpedo off the San Diego coast.
The 19th-century Howell torpedo was found in March near Hotel del Coronado as the dolphin was being trained to find and mark the location of underwater mines.
The torpedo's tail and midsection were found but not the warhead.
The Howell was the Navy's first self-propelled torpedo. The 11-foot-long brass weapon was driven by a flywheel and contained 100 pounds of explosive. Fifty were made in the 1870s and 1880s. The Navy says only two have ever been recovered.
It's unclear how this one wound up off San Diego.


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For the promotion of overall health and reduction of risk around developing diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease, the most effective fitness plan incorporates both cardiovascular training and strength training. There are different benefits to the different types of exercise, so it is ideal to plan your weekly workout routine split (2-3 days of each) between strength and cardio training.
Benefits of cardiovascular training
- Breathing harder and deeper increases amount of oxygen in the blood
- Heart, lungs, blood vessels work more efficiently with cardio exercises to transport oxygen through the body
- Burns calories – one hour of running burns approximately 600 calories in a average female and 750 calories in the average male
Benefits of strength training
- Increase muscle mass – you will be able to do activities longer after building muscle mass
- Maintain joint flexibility
- Increase bone density
- Manage your weight – Note that muscle burns more calories than fat so if you have more muscle your metabolism is likely to be higher and you are likely to be slimmer.
Lack of sufficient exercise contributes to the possibility of developing conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cancer. All forms of exercise can reduce your risk of developing diseases that can be harmful to your overall health.
If you can exercise 5 – 6 days a week for over 30 minutes a day, you are ahead of the game. And if you can't make 30 minutes a day, start small by taking the stairs at work, doing some calisthenics when you wake up in the morning, or by going for a short bike ride with your children. Work it in when you can – your body and health will thank you for it!
Related Resources:
How to Prevent Plantar Fasciitis
Understanding & Preventing Tennis Elbow
Tennis Elbow Isn't the Only Thing that Causes Tennis Elbow
Understanding IT Band Syndrome
Understanding Runners Knee
About Dr. Mason
Dr. Amadeus Mason is an assistant professor in the Orthopaedics and Family Medicine departments at Emory University. He is board certified in Sports Medicine with a special interest in track and field, running injuries and exercise testing. He has been trained in diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound, orthopedic stem cell therapy and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. Dr. Mason is Team Physician for USA Track & Field, Tucker High School, and Georgia Tech Track and Field.
Dr. Mason is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, the America Road Racing Medical Society, and the USA Track and Field Sports Medicine and Science Committee. He has been invited to be a resident physician at the US Olympic Training Center, a Sports Medicine consultant in his homeland of Jamaica and the Chief Medical Officer at multiple USA Track and Field international competitions. He is an annual speaker at the pre-race expo for PTRR, Publix marathon and Atlanta marathon commenting on a wide variety of topics related to athletics and running injuries.
Dr. Mason is an active member of the Atlanta running community. He attended Princeton University and was Captain of the track team. His other sports interests include soccer, college basketball and football, and the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). A Decatur resident, he is married with three children.
About Emory Sports Medicine
The Emory Sports Medicine Center is a leader in advanced treatments for patients with orthopedic and sports-related injuries. From surgical sports medicine expertise to innovative therapy and athletic injury rehabilitation, our sports medicine physicians and specialists provide the most comprehensive treatment for athletic injuries in Atlanta, Duluth, Johns Creek and the state of Georgia. Constantly conducting research and developing new techniques, Emory sports medicine specialists are experienced in diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of sports injuries.
Our sports medicine patients range from professional athletes to those who enjoy active lifestyles and want the best possible outcomes and recovery from sports injuries. Our doctors are the sports medicine team physicians for the Atlanta Falcons and Georgia Tech and provide services for many additional professional, collegiate and recreational teams. Appointments for surgical second opinions or acute sports injuries are available within 48 hours. Call 404-778-7777 today.


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Corporations Now Reporting Sustainability
While sustainability is usually associated with nonprofit organizations and government planning, corporations have begun to take sustainability seriously and are reporting their progress to their shareholders.
These Corporate Sustainability Reports (or CSRs) are popping up on the websites of major companies like Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Coca Cola, Nike, GE, UPS and Nokia. These reports can include data on carbon disclosures, emissions, water usage and challenges in implementing sustainable growth policies.
CSRs should be transparent and authentic, as they are telling their customers and stakeholders what they are doing to help people, the planet and the economy. Data should be measured comparatively and the corporation should provide a baseline for the statistics that they provide. Sections can include balancing short and long term profitability, management of economic and environmental issues, risks and opportunities.
If you'd like to read some real reports, here is a list from Triple Pundit that ranks the top 10 sustainability reports from the past year. Does your company produce a sustainability report? Will it in the future? Hopefully at least one of these answers is yes!
Posted on February 22, 2013, in Energy, Entrepreneurship, Trends, Uncategorized and tagged corporation, nonprofit, planning, sustainability. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Happy New Year: 2012
Thanks for stopping by my blog on New Years day! I like to wish all of my followers and visitors a Happy New Year!
Are you making resolutions? I haven't yet officially, but I'd like to post more in 2012. So let's get started.
This is a page I created for my last family Christmas card for 2012. Well, it's hard to tell for sure since my family is so large. I hope to get some more late! I used My Minds Eye paper, Creative Imaginations Die (Red and White die), My Minds Eye chipboard sticker, Sizzix dies (green glitter) and Joys of the Season (White Pointsettia). I glammed up the white Cricut cut by adding some Art Glitter Berry Red glitter in the center. Over the glitter, I placed some Robin's Nest Dew Drops. I love the glitter under the clear colored dew drops! On the edges of the poinsettia, I used Art Glitter D25 Confection Dazzlers. I can't get over how professional and store bought this embelly looks and I made it myself!
The border under the photo mat is a Martha Stewart boarder punch I used at my friends last crop. She had a business of hosting crops and has wonderful supplies and organizational skills. She no longer hosts paid events, but has friends over once in awhile. I attended her New Years Eve crop and made the page there. Thanks Bridgette!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Advent Calendar Completed on Time
Well I finished all seven of my Advent Calendars on time! I am just getting around to posting pictures today. Not sure if anyone really wanted the CCR files, so if you would like them, please leave a comment I will get them to you.
Here are some close ups of my days. The Bell and the snowflake are both cut with the Cricut.
The sled is from Joys of the season and I filled it with color on my Imagine with Snow Angel. The cone is made with a DieNamics die from My Favorite Things and rolled together and stapled to make a cone. I used a glue dot at the bottom, as the stapler wouldn't reach. The banner is CTMH Art Philosophy filled with Snow Angel image, enlarged and centered using CCR.
The frame is cut with Fancy Frames cart in brown card stock, with a white black out image. My sisters can add any photo they wish or a bible verse. The red label is Snow Angel.
The teal ornament is also Snow Angel. The triangle box is a freebie from Craft Secrets and can be found HERE. I just added sticky back velcro to the bottom of the box, so my sisters and fill it with goodies next year!
The file folder is Sizzix die. I think this could be used for another bible verse, or tickets!
The Snowman is Snow Angel cart. The purse is Imagine More Cards and I made it with lip gloss in mind. Everyone needs some Berts Bees or Chapstick, don't they? I loved that I could get 4 of these boxes with CCR in one sheet of paper! If I cut it on my Imagine alone, it will only fit one on a single page.
The rosette was made by printing out the Snow Angel "sweater" paper, and cutting it with Tim Holtz's Rosette die. If you have Ribbons and Rosettes you could try this too! I just got the cart after I finished this, and still need to find time to play! The Christmas day was made with free sheet music image I found on the internet and the poinsettia I did NOT make with my Cricut. There must be a cartridge you can use for this! Try searching in the CCR for a poinsettia! The dress is made with a Sizzix die. I sold most of my Sizzix dies when I purchase my Cricut, but kept this one, as I love fashion images!
I just realized while writing this post, that I never took a picture of the whole calendar with every piece. Will have to bug my sisters for a picture and post later! I did not make my families Christmas celebration as I was at my husband's families celebration. My sisters told me that when it was time to open presents, they all asked to open mine first. Guess I'm doing well with my $5.00 budget!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Challenge at Fantabulous Cricut #91
Tonight I worked on a Get Well card for my uncle and am submitting it to the Fantabulous Cricut Blogs, Challenge Me Monday #91: Tags. I used my Imagine and the Mystical Garden Cartridge. I pulled out this cartridge, because the patterns remind me of my father's neckties and it seems masculine. I made my tag with George, Basic Shapes and embossed it with the swirls Cuttlebug folder. The sentiment was printed on my home computer and the border was made with Martha Stewart's Iron Gate punch.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Black and White Christmas Elegance
When I saw the Case Study Challenge #70, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it: scrap book my sisters Christmas card! The inspiration card from the Case Study challenge has such black and white elegance (2nd photo), with a touch of teal and my sisters card had the same color scheme! I made this my own, by adding the deep red to the color scheme, and love the results (top photo)!
To get started, I pulled out my Cricut Imagine and my Damask Decor cartridge and worked in the Cricut Craft Room to make a beautiful circular motif in the print only mode. I can get the look of the Teresa Collin's Black and White Cartridge, with the Damask Decor cartridge, the Imagine and CCR while I wait for the cartridge to fit into the budget. I then stamped some snowflakes with Gelatin Fancy Flakes - Big set around the Damask Decor image.
I loved the rosette inspired poinsettia I made for one of my Christmas cards and had to make another to go into a scrapbook! This one has another vintage button center, a beautiful glass button in black and gold! The rosette and the red paisley motif are both cut from The Robin's Nest Red Paisley paper.
The grey snowflake border is Martha Stewart Skyward Snowflake punch. I used the same punch to make the round snowflake at the top of the embellishments, just punching two of the sides opposite each other.
The teal and grey snowflake is Cricut When it's Cold Outside cartridge, embellished with The Robin's Nest Cotton Candy Dew Drops. The silver doily is Wilton. The back flower, with white details is a Stampin Up Rubon embellished with some rain drop stickers from Cloud9 Designs. I love this little folk art look!
The black and white stripe paper is Basic Grey. The teal polka dot stripe is made with Coordinations paper and the Cuttlebug Swiss dot folder.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Great Lakes Great Finds Box
So much to share today: Another idea for those Advent calendars that did not get scrapped before Advent, and how to make fabulous titles with Word Art from Microsoft Word! Last year I purchased the Kaisercraft Advent Calendar and I finally finished it using beautiful papers from The Robin's Nest! This time instead of an Advent Calendar, I made a box for my boys rock collection! You might be able to pick some up an advent calendar on clearance the day after Christmas!
Every summer we visit Lake Michigan and the boys are always finding fossils and other rocks. If you make the Kaisercraft Advent Calendar I recommend you visit the Merly Impressions Blog HERE as the instructions on the Kaisercraft site were not helpful or detailed. I painted the box with acrylic paint and allowed it to dry. I used the assembly instructions found in the tutorial at the link above. For the drawer boxes you can find a list of all the beautiful Robin's Nest papers and embellishments at the bottom of this post.
Using The Robin's Nest Glitter Sea Shore paper I created the background for the inside square in the box. I trimmed off the glittered print at the bottom and trimmed the plain teal portion at the top, so that it measured 8 1/2" wide to fit through my printer. It is so trendy right now to have text and book like backgrounds on your pages. So, I found an image on the internet for free of the Great Lakes and printed it onto the top portion of the Glitter Sea Shorepaper. Be sure to make a test print on scrap paper first if you use this technique!
To make the title I used the Word Art in Microsoft Word. Here's how:
1) Open Microsoft Word and an empty document
2) Click on the Insert Tab at the Top of the screen.
3) Click on the Word Art Icon on the right hand sideChose the Word Art you want to use by clic
king on it. I wanted a word that was wider at the beginning and end of the word and narrow in the middle.
4) Chose the font you want and type your Text in the dialog box that appears and click OK
Above is how mine looked.
5) Drag to resize as desired
6) Print out this file if you have NO digital software that works with a cutter, for those of you with a cutter, skip to step 8
7) Temporarily adhere your printout to the paper you want to use in the center of the box and hand cut
8) If you have a cutter with digital software such as SCAL, Make the The Cutter or other, Hit the Print Screen button.
9) Open Paint software
10) Paste your screen print into the new paint document and save as a JPG image
11) Open your digitial cutter software and covert the JPG to the format used my your digital cutter. For SCAL2, this is click on the File menu and click Trace Image. Click Browse and select the photo you saved in step 10. Now you have your title! For the cursive font that says "Lakes" and "Finds" I used the Opposites Attract Cricut Cartridge and my Cricut DS software to weld the letters.
This box is great because you can place the bigger rocks on the shelf as pictured and limit your kids to smaller rocks to fit in the drawers. The Robin's Nest papers were perfect for a masculine box that even a Mom could love for her home decor!
Supplies Used
The Robin's Nest Glitter Sea Shore Paper (center of box)
The Robin's Nest Glitter Sea Shore Paper (center of box)
The Robin's Nest Calamity Jane Stripe (Stripe mat for title & on drawers)
The Robin's Nest Glitter Witch Accessories Paper (Chocolate Brown ships wheel, drawers & title)
The Robin's Nest Veranda Love/Stripe Paper
Making Memories Ribbon
Vintage button
Microsoft Word Software
SCAL or other cutting software (optional)
Ribbon (not sure as it has been in the stash for sooo long)
Art Glitter (on Dragonfly)
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Snow Angel Rosettes
I am almost finished with my advent calendars! I am working on December 24th and making rosettes. I printed out the sweater paper from the Snow Angel Imagine Cartridge and cut them into 2" strips. I then used the Tim Holtz rosette die to cut them and made the following rosettes. I think they are fabulous and you just might want to give them a try! I can't wait to try this with the red sweater print on Snow Angel too!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Imagine Advent Calendar Days 6-10
So, I'm moving on to days 6-10 on my Imagine Advent Calendar. If your following along, I am continuing to use the Snow Angel Imagine cartridge and day 6 is made with Close to My Heart Art Philosophy. I enlarged the pattern and centered it in my heart box. Find the CCR files for all 5 days HERE.
Day 7 is just the stocking from Snow Angel! Quick and easy to print and cut!
Day 8 is a box from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More. I did make the sweater pattern bigger! This is actually much like the box we know from childhood for holding a deck of cards. I decided to leave the top open and will add the number to the white space. I stapled the round paper clip to the box, so that when the box is filled with goodies (such as chewing gum) it won't fall off the calendar!
Day9 I made snow angel and cut her inside the circle. This one is made in two steps as before. Print ONLY file first, leave it on the mat and then use the CUT ONLY file. The faux snow if from Art Glitter.
Day 10 is made with Close To My Heart Art Philosophy. I enlarged the pattern and centered it again to see the snow couple!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Congratulations to My Fellow Team Mates at The Robin's Nest
I am so excited to make the design team at The Robin's Nest for a second term! Congratulations to all of my team mates on design team for this term! The are: Terri Sproul, Carole Lassak, Becky Conley, Erika Taylor, Peg Rounds, Irit Shalom , Kristi Parker Van Doren, Amanda Marks, and Michelle Cummins.
I'd also like to wish the previous design team members a fond farewell and thank them for all the wonderful things they shared with me and taught me! I will miss you on The Chattering Robin's blog Gini Williams Cagle, Jan Holland Hennings, Tenny D. Kusuma and Kristin Keller!
Last Minute Christmas Crafting!
I have a confession to make: I am a last minute Christmas crafter! This year, I have set myself an ambitious goal: an Advent calendar for my sisters. I have six sisters and I am making one for a sister in law for a total of seven. Along with the goal of an advent calendar, I have set the following goals:
1) Spend no more than $5.00 on each Advent Calendar! This is a family rule we came up with long ago to keep Christmas affordable and it has become a challenge to see who can give the best gift for $5.00!
2) Make it using the Cricut Craft Room software. I really want to learn how to use it and I learn best by doing!
3) Make it with the Snow Angel cart and my existing Cricut cartridges (I'm not confessing how many I have).
4) Get the best use of my paper! When I worked in fashion design, I made markers for cutting clothing. These are the patterns for cutting the garment pieces from the fabric used by the digital cutters. The goal was to use 80% off the fabric. I think that it is a great idea to use the most of my 12 x 12 sheet! Now some of the items don't take a whole page, and some take more than one page. I am just making it a goal!
5) Create CCR files and share them for others to make the same or similar calendar.
6) Finish on time. So, I think I will need to make 5 days at a time.
7) Not run out of ink! So, I will be supplementing my Imagine images with some of my scraps and some internet free printouts!
8) Pack myself day kits to work on while I have down time. So, for each day I print and cut the items and packed them in freezer size baggies. I brought them with me to work on in the school pick up line and out to crops. I even had a girl friend offer to help me and because I had them packed with one sample made, we got through 35 items in an hour! Thanks so much Tina!
So, are you with me? Well maybe you don't have six sisters, but at this price, you can make one for yourself, the teachers, and your relatives! Maybe you can save these and use them next year!
Supply List
White canvas 16" x 20" (Michael's with a coupon) Price $3.80 each
Red Wire Price per calendar $0.95
Staple gun and staples
White 12 x 12 Cardstock
Cricut Imagine
Snow Angel Cartridge
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge
Cricut Doodlecharms Cartridge
Cricut Winter Woodland Cartridge
Cricut Martha Stewart Seasonal Cakes Cartridge
Pop Dots and your favorite glues
Prepare the Canvas
Begin the calendar by preparing the canvas. You can paint the canvas, or distress it with some distress ink. If you plan on using white items on your calendar as I did, you will want to have some color on the canvas before you start adding your wire. Divide the length of my canvas (20") into 4 sections and mark it with a pencil along both sides. Then drape the red wire across the top width of the canvas, and at every one of the marks, stapling them in place. Leave a bit of excess on the edges and curl around a pencil to make it cute!
Calendar Row One: Day's 1-5
For my calendar, I planned the following for each line: One bible verse, one pocket and or box, one blue item, one green item, one red item, one brown item, and one Christmas themed shape or die from a cartridge. A decided to make most of my numbers up at the end of the project in case I want to move an item or two. However, I did decide to make up day one and Christmas day first and then work from there. So, my file for day one will have a number in it. FIND ALL OF THE CCR FILES AT THIS POST ON THE CRICUT MESSAGE BOARD.
Day one is made with Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake cart, but if you don't have this just do a search of the CCR for a postage stamp! I think there are over 8 cartridges with postage stamps you can use! I also used Snow Angel for the pattern and used the CCR to make the pattern bigger. I can't tell you how exciting this feature is to my CAD minded brain! I used Microsoft Word to make the verse bubble. Just insert a round text box and type your verse choice! I changed the color to the green default in Microsoft word and printed it on and HP printer. I think the color matches well! I then punched the circle using my Creative Memories circle punch 1 1/4". The scalloped circle is from Art Philosophy and is cut at 1 1/2". Use pop dots for the # one layer. Punch a hole in the top of the stamp tag portion to hang on the calendar. Here is the CCR file for you to use. Day one requires one piece of card stock.
Christmas Tree Day two: Just use some of your printed carstock at home that coordinates with Snow Angel and cut the tree with Art Philosopy. After I cut the tree I mated it on white cardstock and hand cut, but you can add your own layer to the CCR file.
Snowglobe Day 3: Alright, confession here...you will have to create this snow globe in several steps. For some reason, Imagine images on my machine have a color border that the machine cuts around when I try and WELD an Imagine image to a standard cartridge image. It is not the same color as the image, and so stands out. Since I wanted my girl in the snowglobe to not have this border, I took the time to print only! Then created a cut only globe file cut file. Now, there should be a method to make this all one file, but despite watching the video three times I can't get the layers to work correctly to make this one file. And I'm under a deadline here people, so be gracious! You will need Snow Angel and Doodlecharms.
Pocket Skate Box Day 4: Just a brown box cut with solid card stock and Tags, Bags, Boxes and More. Here is the CCR file for the box. Get your reading glasses out to score this one ladies as the smaller box has smaller score lines! I love that this has slots of ribbon as I have a ribbon habit. Now, the skates here are stickers, but I have to keep this on budget, so I will cut the rest with Winter Woodland.
Warm Woolen Mittens Day 5: You will just need Snow Angel for this project. And here is my switch up for you and new feature to try on CCR: change your pattern! If you look at the cart the mittens are green, but I wanted blue to balance my colors. So I swapped it out! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this CCR feature! I also used the separate layers feature so I could add a little embellishment under my mitten cuff. Attach your choice of trip and pop dot the cuff to acomodate the bulk of the trim. I used some rubons and bling from the stash to ad a detail too!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Souvenir Keepsake with The Robin's Nest
I love to make gifts for the people I love! This year, I worked made a souvenir box/mini album purse using The Robin's Nest products. The purse is made with a vintage wooden handbag I picked up at a garage sale over the summer.
Above you can see before pictures of the purse, inside and outside. To make the purse into a mini album/souvenir box, I notched a doll rod with a saw and added round binder clips. I then nailed it to the inside of the purse. I created three pages one for each country visited using Italy Stickers,
Germany Stickers, and France Stickers. For the papers I used Ocean colored Fleur (on Germany page), on the Italy page, and for the France page.
On both sides of the purse, I lined the insides with Calamity Jane Stripe. I cut my lining a bit off on the left side, but added a bit of the paper, some ribbon and some Lullaby Tear Drops to make a faux beaded trim. I then sandwhiched a bit of organza between the side of the purse and the paper on one side. On the other side, I lined the purse with more paper, and added some adhesive hook and loop tape. To the organza I sewed some more of the paper and the other side of the hook and loop tape. The idea is for this side to hold some souvenirs such as ticket stubs, Eurail passes, loose foreign change, etc.
On the outide of the purse, I used the Ocean Fleurs striped side and pleated it to look like ribbon. I sewed it on to some ribbon that I think is by Anna Griffin and hot glued the ribbon onto the sides of the purse. I created a label using Glitter Gold Journaling, and Glitter Gold Letters. I hand cut around the journaling block and matted it on more of the brown paper.
I cut some flowers using the Ocean Fleur, and love paper using My Favorite Things Mini Rolled Rose and Rolled Rose dies, the leaves are just fussy cut from the brown paper. The tag I made with the Robin's Nest Veranda Love Stripe paper, and my Microsoft word on my computer, was used to print "Europe." I love that I can change my ink color to match my project!
Yes, I Do Do Windows!
Just had to try another window project with the Heartfelt Creations die! These are the only windows I do, but I do do windows! The stripe paper is Pink Paisley, the pillow box is Cricut Easter 2010, with the bunny hidden. The flowers are sequins from Michaels and the branch is made with an EK Sucess punch. Snow is SU, glue is Art Glitter Dries Clear Adhesive. I scavenged the wreath off of some Christmas wrapping from last year! I made this as part of the design team try out for Pink Paisley!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Celebrating Hobbies & A Birthday with Moxie
When I saw the Basic Grey Weekly Challenge (back on Nov 18) to use punches, I knew what I wanted to do for my sister's birthday card! She is to quilting what I am to scrap booking: obsessed! I knew that this card would be perfect for the Moxie Fab World Celebrating Hobbies Challenge! We have both been in love with the Cathedral Window block since childhood and both the Basic Grey page and my card was inspired by a quilt block called Cathedral Window. But, I wanted to challenge my self to use the Cricut Craft Room software to make this card and NOT use punches!
So, to get this look:
1) Open and Create a new CCR file
2) Plug the Accent Essentials Cricut Cartridge on one side of the Imagine and the Audrey Imagine Cartridge on the other.
3) Create a circle using this image from Accent Essentials
4) Use the Hide Select Contour to hide the middle scallop shape
5) Copy the circle and paste two times. You will notice that the copies appear in the same line just below the orignal!
6) Now select the three circles and copy and paste two times. And YES, they line up just to the right to form the grid of 3 by 3!
7) Select and Copy all 9 circles
8) Paste them and move them to the right of the orignal 9. I adjusted these to fit an A2 card size.
9) Fill all the original 9 circles on the left with assorted black patterns from Audrey
10) Fill all the copied 9 circles on the right with assorted color patterns from Audrey
11) Save and PRINT ONLY these images!
12) Allow the Paper to dry completely and flip this over on the mat!
13) Edit the original circles using the Hide select contour to show the middle scallop and HIDE the outside circle.
14) Set the color to white on all the remaining scallop shapes
15) Save your file
16) Leaving your original paper that you printed before ON the mat, send the white scallop shapes in the PRINT & CUT mode to the Imagine. Since the Imagine assumes your paper is white it will only cut the center shape from the original black circles.
Now trim the paper to the A2 card size and you will have two of these cards! I added a bit of ribbon from Michaels and an SU buckle. I stamped the sentiment with CTMH celebrations set that matches Art Philosophy!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Winner of Here We Come a Caroling is...
I used Random.org and picked a winner from the sweet comments you all left, and the winner of the Here We Come a Caroling Blog hop prize is: Kristan!
Kristan's comment was: very pretty!! thanks for the tip with the printer!Kristan Getting Cricky Jr. DTM
Kristan, I will send you an email, but sometimes my prize winner's email filters block emails with prizes in the title. If you have any problems receiving your notice just email be using the contact button on this blog!
I am always afraid to be the first commenter on blogs with contests, but as you can see it can happen! Random.org really picks a random winner!
Clare's Entry for Case Study Challenge # 68
I saw the current challenge at Case Study and loved the colors! I knew that I wanted to get out The Robin's Nest Ocean Fleur and make up a little thank you card for Nancy H. over at Just About the Details for the Cricut Cartridge I won from her blog. I tried black with the teal and orange combo and thought it too dark, but I often used a dark chocolate brown instead of black. So, here I used The Robin's Nest Witch Accessories paper. I won Lovely Floral and had to use it in her than you card! I cut the circle in The Robin's Nest Distressed Honeycomb paper and inked the edges. I then welded the Thank You and the flourished circle together with my Gypsy. I hand stitched a detail around the circle to add a bit of white and then punched the butterflies with a Creative Memories punch. I added a few dots to my cut with the white Signo pen.
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Shield of Poseidon Pendant
Jewelry Design Focus: Shield of Poseidon Pendant
A Good Jewelry design example, the Shield of Poseidon is a creative Pendant design. Shield of Poseidon was designed in 2011, and here is a how it is described by its designer: When Poseidon was defeated in his last battle, the pendant fall from his neck and disappeared to the abbyss. The shield of poseidon was forgotten in the depths of the ocean for millenia, until it was found in 1942 by artifact hunters. The hunters made drawings of the object and stored them in a container. However a terrible storm took place that night and their ship was sunk and pendant got lost again. The container containing the drawings of the pendant was found at a coastal village and taken to the museum of constantinople. It is told that whoever wears the Shield of Poseidon can breath under the sea.
Shield of Poseidon Pendant Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to DXGN Design Journal homepage.


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Okay…I promised you guys another embarrassing story. This one, mind you, was actually published by Redbook Magazine. Yeah, I'm so good at putting my foot in my mouth and finding myself in those awkward situations that the big magazines help humiliate me.
Anyway . . . on to the story—after the birth of my son, and especially after the embarrassing pop-my-water in the drive-thru while Burger King employees watched, I had decided my birthing days were way past over. Now, unlike some people, I really did know what caused the birthing condition.
Don't get me wrong, I still wanted to practice making babies, but it was the pills and gadgets where gadgets didn't belong that I minded. So, I sat my husband down for what I had expected to be a very long talk. But nope, when I casually slipped in the word vasectomy, he casually remembered that the oil in my car needed changing. Changed, right then, like it might blow up if the dirty oil stayed in that engine one more minute.
When I approached him after the oil job was done, he suddenly remembered the backyard fence needed painting. And God forbid someone see it was peeling. The next couple of days, he retouched up all the in trim in the living room, stopped a toilet from needing a constant jiggle, and re-bleached the grout in my kitchen. That's when; I pretty much realized he was doing chores just to get out of our discussion. So, I did what most women would do in that kind of situation.
I took full advantage of it until I had every household chore I needed completed.
However, when he had started working on getting better television reception, which I knew had nothing to do with our wiring, and everything to do with our neighbor's interest in CB radioing and his sky-high antenna, I put an end to my husband's charade.
I cornered the man. Fully armed with ammunition, I let him have it. I gave him all the info about how it was just a tiny little snip for men, and I would have to have a major surgery. Hey, I could die. I threw in about how I'd already suffered through the pain and agony of giving him a son to carry on the Craig legacy. When reason, guilt, and family legacy didn't flip him, I pulled out my big guns, sent him my sexy smile, and tossed in the fact that we could have much more spontaneous sex. Face it, we all know how men love spontaneous sex. (Basically, they think it means they get out of foreplay.)
I tell you, I never dreamed that spontaneous sex would lose out to a little snip-snip. Even if it did involve what he referred to as, "The Boys."
But not to be deterred, I did what I had to do. I attacked his male ego. Did he know that our neighbor, the CB loving guy, who messed up all our phones, all our electronic equipment, including our television, was man enough and loved his wife enough to sign up for a vasectomy?
After my hubby spoke to my neighbor, he came back in, ego hanging around his knees, and relented. So, the next day, I signed him and his Boys up for a snip-snip appointment for the following month.
A couple weeks later, we were grilling burgers. As I cut the corner in our backyard, I hear my husband and the neighbor talking. I spot the neighbor, 50 feet in the air, putting up a new, larger antenna, sure to destroy reception for any electrical equipment I have in my house, especially in my bedroom because it backed up to the giant antenna.
"It works," my neighbor called down to my husband.
Never one to keep my two cents to myself, I added, "For goodness sakes, it should work, it's big enough. If it gets any bigger, I'm afraid it's going to end up in my bedroom."
The neighbor nearly fell off his pole. My husband burst out laughing.
When my husband finished his laughing jag, he explained, "We weren't talking about his antenna, Christie. We were discussing his recovery from his . . . vasectomy."
I promptly took myself and my two cents back inside.
So there you have it. My foot in my mouth vasectomy story. Now it's your turn. And don't you guys be shy. We've told you guys our dirty little secrets. And come November 1st, we'll be picking another lucky person who posts on our site. So come on … let us hear from you.
Crime Scene Christie
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
My Face Was Red
Posted by Christie Craig at 5:54 AM
30 comments:
- Jana DeLeon said...
LOL Christie! A good example of why we should always keep out .02 to ourselves unless we were in on the converstion from the beginning. Guess your neighbor won't be landing anything in your bedroom, huh? :)
- October 16, 2007 at 9:05 AM
- Christie Craig said...
You know, I'm always slow at learning lessons and fast at inserting foot in mouth.
And the neighbor appearing in my bedroom just ain't gonna happen.
Thanks for posting!!
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 9:52 AM
- Jenyfer Matthews said...
That was too funny! I'm pretty good at putting my foot in my mouth as well, but nothing to compare to that story.
Strangely though, nothing comes to mind. I think that I've done it so many times that I've just blocked them all out...
- October 16, 2007 at 10:11 AM
- Christie Craig said...
You know the thing about mental blocks, they work fine and then one day your brain get this great idea that you can handle it now and bam you are suddenly ownership of memories that your really didn't care to have.
Personally, I think my brain could keep a little more items hidden in the trunk.
Thanks for posting girl!
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 10:16 AM
- Jenyfer Matthews said...
Actually, some of those memories have resurfaced as a result of reading this blog, but nothing that's particularly relevant to today's post!
- October 16, 2007 at 11:07 AM
Okay, so is it just me, or am I the only one imagining the neighbor explaining that to his wife?
Too funny.
- October 16, 2007 at 12:06 PM
- Lucy said...
One of my old bosses was having a problem with his laptop. I'd asked a co-worker to come help us figure out how to make it work. Then later my boss asked me something and I responded giving him the play by play and said something like "And that's when *insert co-worker's name* was in your office playing with your thing."
He teased me about that (did I mention we were good friends as well as being boss and secretary?) and told anyone who would listen. Kind of embarrassing. LOL
- October 16, 2007 at 12:10 PM
- Christie Craig said...
I've spent the last ten years praying that he didn't tell her!
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 12:12 PM
- Christie Craig said...
LOL. Love it. Thanks for the laugh girl.
Who would have guessed that a little word like "thing" could get you in trouble.
Too funny.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 12:15 PM
ROFL!!! I can see myself doing that, too. *giggle*
- October 16, 2007 at 2:03 PM
- catslady said...
Isn't selective memory great. I'm sure I've put my foot in my mouth hundreds of times but for the life of me, I can't think of any right now.
- October 16, 2007 at 2:10 PM
- Christie Craig said...
My motto seems to be...Speak first and think later. I think I really need to work on a new motto.
Thanks for posting!
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 2:16 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Thanks for posting. My size 5 1/2s have passed these lips so many times that I have foot prints on the roof of my mouth.
It's not easy being me.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 2:23 PM
- Estella said...
I'm really fast at putting my foot in my mouth, but really slow at learning not to.
- October 16, 2007 at 2:29 PM
- Christie Craig said...
LOL! I love that saying. Can I borrow it?
Sometimes I find when the foot goes it, I get in more trouble trying to get out than if I'd just shut up. My husband sometimes tells me..."Hon' your foot is so far down your throat, don't try to spit it out. Just swallow it."
- October 16, 2007 at 2:32 PM
- Leslie Langtry said...
That's a great story! I was lucky, my husband was so eager to get a vasectomy after our second, he would've done it himself if I'd let him. Of course, he thought we were even - his little snip-snip in comparison to my giving birth twice. Silly, silly man.
- October 16, 2007 at 5:26 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Funny stuff.
So you didn't hand him a pair of clippers and say go for it?
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 5:31 PM
- Gemma Halliday said...
Please tell me this is going in a book sometime! Too funny!
- October 16, 2007 at 6:37 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Well, I haven't put this in book yet, Gemma, but my whole foot in mouth problem is inherited by all characters.
Thanks for posting.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 6:47 PM
this is even funnier when you know the real characters.
- October 16, 2007 at 8:53 PM
- Christie Craig said...
You know how red my face can really get!!!
Thanks for stopping in.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 16, 2007 at 9:06 PM
- Jenyfer Matthews said...
Oh! I thought of one :)
Way back when I was working as a librarian at a law firm, the library started putting out a monthly newsletter. Different members of the library staff contributed different parts of it, but one person in particular was a very poor writer. I felt like that reflected badly on the newsletter (and the library) so I went to my boss to talk to her about it.
I told her what I thought and suggested that if she liked, I could edit the articles from that person. I thought she would be pleased by my offer and initiative. Instead she looked at me and said, "I edited the articles myself."
OMG - I practically choked on my foot as I backed out of her office...
(you know, I could have lived without recalling that particular moment!! LOL)
- October 17, 2007 at 4:02 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Hmm...So you too know the taste of your foot occasionally.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 17, 2007 at 6:54 AM
- Jenyfer Matthews said...
Oh yes - and it isn't a flavor I relish!
BTW, I have added a link to your blog from my blog if that counts for anything :)
- October 17, 2007 at 8:58 AM
- Christie Craig said...
Flavor? Hmm...good expensive leather, at least a two inch heel, always tastes a bit better.
And as for linking us? Yeah! Thank you, thank you, Jenyfer!!!
Crime Scene Christie
- October 17, 2007 at 9:01 AM
I enjoyed the story. I am always doing things like that-I recently saw a schoolmate of mine that I hadn't seen in about 20 years. I said Hi, and the usual stuff and then said, "How are you Carolyn?" (which was his wife's name) but this was not the original wife. Boy was I embarrased. But hey, they really looked alike.
- October 17, 2007 at 12:39 PM
- Christie Craig said...
Oh my God. I hate it when that happens.
I once had one of my husbands old buddies call and talk to me on the phone for a long time before he realized I wasn't the wife that he'd actually been the best man at the wedding.
Boy did I have a good laugh.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 17, 2007 at 1:04 PM
- Nathalie said...
Very funny... but I don't remember an embarassing story (or maybe I don't want it)
- October 17, 2007 at 6:44 PM
- Christie Craig said...
It all goes back to selective memory. Thanks for posting.
Crime Scene Christie
- October 17, 2007 at 7:04 PM
- Kathy Bacus said...
I really needed a good laugh this morning, Christie, and you gave it to me! This is so funny!!!
~Bullet Hole~
- October 18, 2007 at 10:26 AM


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Shadow attended Salida's "Hooligan" race on the Arkansas River during the 63rd annual FIBArk Festival this year.
Prior to the race, a few folks floated downstream in inflatable tubes suitable for swimming pools, not the raging river. He was VERY concerned!
A good boy Lum! He takes his job very seriously! ;))


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Jimmy Kimmel Brings Back "I Told My Kid I Ate All Their Halloween Candy"
ByLeah Rocketto
Nov 2012
Nov 2012
With Hurricane Sandy postponing Halloween for some and causing chaos for many, it seems everyone was in need of a laugh this week. Luckily, Jimmy Kimmel knows how to lighten even the darkest of moods.
Famous for challenging parents to humorously torture their children, the late-night talk show host brought back a fan favorite this week. "I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy (Again)" showcases the funniest (and somewhat sad) reactions of children who've been told their Halloween candy has disappeared. Want a laugh? Watch this.
What do you think of the video? Would you play a prank like this on your kids?


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The Surf Co. Tee
ecologyst men's standard fit 100% organic cotton t-shirt with Surf Co. print.
- 100% GOTS certified organic cotton 9 oz jersey knit
- Pre-shrunk, medium weight fabric
- Flatlock stitched seams
- Bartacks at garment stress points
- Straight hem
- Water based screen printing ink at front left and centre back
Model is 5'9" and wearing size S. A traditional style with a moderate relaxed body to give the wearer room for mobility.
Our 9oz cotton jersey is not only GOTS certified, it is also milled, dyed and finished in Canada. Find out more: Organic Cotton
Made in Canada
Take Responsibility for your garments to extend the life-cycle.
- Only wash when necessary
- Machine wash on a gentle cycle, in cold water with like colours
- Use biodegradable soap or detergent
- Avoid harmful bleaches or softeners
- Hang to dry. Tumble dry if necessary
- Store your jersey folded to prevent warping or stretching
Our Lifetime Guarantee
We make quality goods that we can stand behind. We test them in the wild to make sure they'll be with you for the long haul.
If your new Ecologyst goods arrive and they're not exactly what you expected, we'll happily exchange, refund or offer store credit. We want you to love your gear and use it for a lifetime.
Keep it out of the landfill.
Snagged your sleeve? Lost a button? We offer a repair program to keep your gear going strong.
Reach our team at email@example.com and we'll get you sorted.


text:
The Mary & John Elliot Charitable Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization created to provide financial support to the various needs of the local community and of the Elliot Health System (also a non-profit charitable organization). The Foundation is committed to building an ongoing circle of friends whose financial support will help Elliot Health System identify and meet emerging healthcare needs.
We listen. The world of healthcare is constantly changing and presenting new challenges. Elliot Health System views change as opportunity. Change encourages Elliot to continually assess the needs of the community and adapt accordingly to meet those needs. Positive change often comes to fruition via philanthropic contributions from our generous community.
This is what Mary Elliot envisioned over a century ago. One caring, compassionate and charitable woman changed the community and the future of healthcare for all of Southern New Hampshire. In 1890, Mary Elliot, created Elliot Hospital, the first general hospital in New Hampshire, based on her deep belief in community-based healthcare.
We respond. Elliot Health System is the leading provider of comprehensive healthcare services in the region and has built a reputation for quality and state-of-the-art care. Elliot Health System provides specialized services such as behavioral health, geriatrics, oncology, sleep evaluation, pain management, cardiology, wound care, urology, rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, integrative and 1-day surgery, and occupational health.
The cornerstone of Elliot Health System is Elliot Hospital, a 296-bed acute care facility and the Region's only Trauma Center. Elliot Hospital is also home to Folkways, the fifth largest gero-psychiatric partial hospitalization program in the nation. Through the Elliot Regional Cancer Center, Elliot Hospital coordinates all-inclusive services for cancer patients from across the state.
Elliot Hospital's attention to women and children's health has made the facility a national leader. With over 1,900 births each year, more babies are born here than any other hospital in northern New England. Additionally, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, providing care to premature and sick babies, is only one of three Level 3 NICUs in the state.
Elliot Health System has demonstrated its responsiveness to emerging needs of the community with the construction of the Elliot Senior Health Center. This 20,000 square foot Center meets the unique needs of the age 50+ population, providing a seamless network of physicians, nurses, technicians, social workers, dietitians, and fitness specialists all under one roof.
For these and the variety of other programs and initiatives at Elliot, the Mary & John Elliot Charitable Foundation provides resources that are generously donated by our philanthropic friends, families, foundations and local businesses.


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Schools leaders had vowed to have $10.3 million in savings by next June
New costs recently discovered by school district officials could threaten the district's ability to bring its reserves to state-mandated levels.
But leaders say that new savings measures — including a hiring freeze and central office reductions — will soon be enacted to drive down almost $4 million in additional costs. The district will likely rely on property sales to cover any remaining difference.
Budget reports indicate that though the district vowed to have $10.3 million in savings by next June, current projections would put reserves almost $1 million shy of that goal.
State statutes require school districts to keep savings at 3 percent of their operating budget. In Manatee County, that is $10.3 million.
But Deputy Superintendent Don Hall said it is too soon to say what consequences the district would face for not meeting the requirement, or if the district would be unable to meet it.
New costs appear driven by a need for more staff, including aides for special needs children that are required by law and more teachers for oversized VPK classes.
Staffing allocations for special needs classrooms were revealed to be out of compliance after an audit of the special needs and gifted student department was conducted by a new director, said Deputy Superintendent Don Hall.
The district also has taken on the expense of helping schools pay for career counselors and it owes the state $410,000 in fines for violations found in last year's Auditor General audit, among other expenses.
While the district closed Central High School at the end of last year to generate extra cash, school officials neglected to budget the spots they filled in other schools, a mistake that will cost $800,000.
"That was a budget error," Hall said, pointing out that all budget changes will be presented to the board and the public as they occur. "We were doing everything in such a short amount of time. It honestly slipped by us."
Financial strife began here last year, after former Superintendent Tim McGonegal revealed a budget deficit that forced his resignation and later grew to more than $13 million.
Recovery has been a struggle for new leaders, who laid off staff last spring and built a new budget from scratch this summer.
Hall said Tuesday that savings opportunities will help the district narrow the gap in projections. But the corrective measures come at a time when the district and schools are feeling widespread strain.
District officials plan to reduce the budget of the Central Office by $1 million, enact a hiring freeze starting in November and have district staff take one day a month to serve as substitutes.
The new substitute program would help the district save money and aims to help district staff be more connected to the classroom, Hall said.
Land sales also continue to be an anticipated source of relief for the district.
School officials are in the process of selling the Checkers-Owens Annex next to the district administration building. Other parcels are expected to be approved for sale in upcoming board meetings.
But property sales also are key to covering recovery initiatives such as a sales tax audit, legal fees and a school policy revamp, in spite of being an obvious source of funding for any shortfall.
"The remaining shortfall of $950,000 will continue to be addressed, which could be covered with property sales," schools spokesman Steve Valley said in a statement on Tuesday.
For now, Hall said, the staff is prepared to deal with budget changes and will consistently present them to the board and the public.
"If we miss in one area," he said, "we'll try to overshoot in other areas."


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For those of you who were disappointed because we ran out of silver dolphin ball caps, we now have them back in stock.
I would like to thank each one who supported the reunion with their purchases at the reunion all the proceeds from these items goes straight back into the kitty for the next reunion. We will be building up the ship store over the next two years, but items are available all year round, so take advantage of it by buying from the real ships store. If you don't see an item you would like to have, just shoot me an email. We can make anything. Please contact us for an item instead of those who send out advertisements who say they are the Madison ship store, but from whom we get no benefit.
The lapel pins were quite popular and they were a suggestion from Don Hixs, as with many items, we had to pay an initial setup fee to get them made, but I believe we recovered our initial investment.
The new style of dry fit shirts were also very popular and we sold out of many sizes of those. I will be getting pictures of the new shirts and the Madison scarf to Keith to post on the ship store page.
One individual bought one of the older shirts and they dye washed out of it. I talked with the manufacturer and there was one time a number of years ago that they had a dye problem and they are replacing the shirt. It probably came from the first or second reunion. Please let me know if there were any manufacturing problems with your items and we will make it right. Our goal is to provide you with some wonderful keepsakes of the Madison and your reunion and we don't want anyone disappointed.
I want to sit down and write some of my observations of the reunion when I have time, but I enjoyed this one so very much. Thanks to Fred and Charline and Bob and Bill for all they did to make it run so smoothly.
VP and Storekeeper
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The National Institute of Retirement Security released a study on Thursday that found defined-benefit plans are strongly preferred over defined-contribution plans in the public sector.
The study, "Decisions, Decisions: Retirement Plan Choices for Public Employees and Employers," analyzed seven retirement systems in six states that offer a choice between pension-style plans and 401(k)s. It found that pension-style plans were selected between 75% and 98% of the time.
The report notes, though, that much like high 401(k) participation rates among private sector workers due to automatic enrollment, many public sector employees are defaulted into their employers' pension plan. "The overwhelmingly high take-up rates, then, could be at least partially driven by inertia on the part of employees, a large number of whom do not make an affirmative choice," according to the report.
The public sector hasn't seen the same level of defection from pension-style plans that the private sector has. Private sector DB coverage fell from 76% of full-time employees in 1986 to 24% in 2008, while participation in DB plans among public employees only dropped from 93% of full-time employees in 1987 to 88% in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The report found pension-style plans typically earn higher investment returns than 401(k)s because assets are pooled and professionally managed. Research from Boston College found that asset management fees in pension plans average 0.25% of assets, compared with fees that range between 0.6% and 1.7% in 401(k) plans.
Pension plans also tend to use broadly diversified portfolios and managers who follow a long-term investment strategy. Employees in 401(k)s, though, are less likely to make good investment decisions on their own, say the study's authors.
States that consider moving from a defined-benefit plan to a defined-contribution plan in order to address unfunded pension liabilities find that such a shift does not close funding shortfalls and can increase retirement costs, according to the study.
Defined-contribution plans do not have the same economic efficiencies that defined-benefit plans do, the report found. Pension plans are more cost efficient than 401(k)s due to higher investment returns and longevity risk pooling, according to NIRS. Furthermore, maintaining two retirement plans is more expensive than a single plan. Typically, employers aren't able to move their DB plan participants out of their current plan into a new DC plan, forcing them to maintain two plans for some period of time. Phasing out a DB plan could take "many decades," according to the report, as its participants "complete their careers, retire and ultimately die."
While the study only analyzed plans in Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina, Mark Olleman, consulting actuary and principal with Milliman Inc. and report co-author, noted that experiences in Nebraska and West Virginia were also helpful to the research.
"Both states chose to put new hires in a DC plan, and then later changed to DB," Olleman said in a statement. "Nebraska offered some employees hired between 1964 and 2003 only a DC plan, but also maintained a DB plan for other employees. Over 20 years, the average investment return in the DB plan was 11%, and the average return in the DC plans was between 6% and 7%."
Closing teachers' defined-benefit plan to new hires in West Virginia in the early '90s did not solve the state's funding problem, Olleman continued, and those who had only the defined-contribution plan found it difficult to retire.
"West Virginia performed a study, found a given level of benefits could be funded for a lower cost through a DB plan, and put all teachers hired after July 1, 2005, in the DB plan as a cost-saving measure," he said. "Both Nebraska and West Virginia found a DC plan did not achieve their goals and changed from DC to DB."
Ilana Boivie, report co-author and economist with the National Institute on Retirement Security, noted that the report's findings are consistent with an earlier opinion poll by NIRS that found 83% of Americans believe those with pensions are more likely to have a secure retirement.
"Employers understand that pensions remain the most cost-effective way to fund a retirement benefit, and that switching from pensions to individual accounts can drive up costs for taxpayers," Boivie said. "These economic facts coupled with strong employee preferences for pensions suggests that public employers are unlikely to mimic the trend away from pensions that has occurred in the private sector."


text: Text of the Be Food Safe Brochure Be Food Safe,™ from USDA and the Partnership for Food Safety Education Harmful Bacteria Can Make People Sick. Four Easy Lessons in Safe Food Handling Did you know that in the United States each year... ...76 million cases of foodborne illness occur. ...more than 325,000 people are hospitalized for foodborne illness. ...5,000 people will die from foodborne illness. Food handling safety risks are more common than most people think. Follow These Four Easy Steps To Help Your Family Be Food Safe. Clean. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get on hands, cutting boards, knives, and countertops. Frequent cleaning can keep that from happening. WASH hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food. RUN cutting boards and utensils through the dishwasher or wash them in hot soapy water after each use. KEEP countertops clean by washing with hot soapy water after preparing food. Separate. Cross-contamination is how bacteria spreads. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices away from ready-to-eat food. USE one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and another for salads and reday-to-eat food. KEEP raw meat, poultry, and seafood and their juices apart from other food items in your grocery cart. STORE raw meat, poultry, and seafood in a container or on a plate so juices can't drip on other foods. Cook. Even for experienced cooks, the improper heating and preparation of food means bacteria can survive. USE a food thermometer—you can't tell food is cooked safely by how it looks. STIR, rotate the dish, and cover food when microwaving to prevent cold spots where bacteria can survive. BRING sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating. Chill. Bacteria spreads fastest at temperatures between 40 °F - 140 °F, so chilling food properly is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. COOL the fridge to 40 °F or below, and use an appliance thermometer to check the temperature. CHILL leftovers and takeout foods within 2 hours, and divide food into shallow containers for rapid cooling. THAW meat, poultry, and seafood in the fridge, not on the counter, and don't overstuff the fridge. To find out more about food safety, visit befoodsafe.gov. Questions? Click on Ask Karen or call 1-888-MPHotline. # [Detachable bookmark] Clean. (Photo, handwashing.) Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces often. Separate. (Photo, separate cutting board for meat.) Don't cross-contaminate. Cook. (Photo, checking poultry with food thermometer.) Use a food thermometer. Chill. (Photo, appliance thermometer.) Chill food promptly. To find out more about food safety, visit befoodsafe.gov. Questions? Click on Ask Karen or call 1-888-MPHotline.


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|© 2007 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
With 4 homers, Cameron crows05/02/2002 11:16 PM ET
By John Ralph / MLB.com
CHICAGO -- One of the greatest aspects of baseball's rich history, is that on any given day it can be rewritten.
And Seattle's Mike Cameron had pen in hand Thursday night at Comiskey Park.
The 29-year-old center fielder tied a Major League record by hitting four home runs in the Mariners' 15-4 win over the White Sox.
Cameron is the first player to accomplish the feat since the Cardinals' Mark Whiten on Sept. 7, 1993, and he is just the fifth to hit all four in consecutive at-bats, joining Bobby Lowe (Boston, May 30, 1894), Mike Schmidt (Philadelphia, April 17, 1976), Lou Gehrig (New York, June 3, 1932) and Rocky Colavito (Cleveland, June 10, 1959). Schmidt's four blasts were also in Chicago, against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Lowe and Cameron are the only two in history to have hit two dingers in one inning on their way to a four-homer game.
"Today was pretty groovy," said an elated Cameron at a press conference after the game. "I wasn't thinking about anything up there. It was just one of those days. It was like when M.J. (Michael Jordan) hit those six three-pointers (in the NBA finals) against Portland and just shrugged his shoulders.
"It's very special. I'm still living the moment. I feel like the king of the hill today ... and it couldn't have happened at a better place. I am going to shower, get dressed and check my voice mail, because everybody will be calling me. I'm going to definitely enjoy this night all the way to New York."
Cameron's fourth home run came in the fifth inning and was his third straight off Chicago reliever Jim Parque and third of the night to straight-away center field. All four home runs were solo shots and they traveled an estimated 1,254 feet.
He had two chances at a fifth home run, but was hit by a Mike Porzio pitch in the seventh and flew out to the warning track in the ninth inning.
Prior to Cameron's final at-bat, White Sox pitching coach Nardi Contreras hustled to the mound to talk with his pitcher. Porzio's first offering was a hanging breaking ball that Cameron let go by for a ball. After two fastballs high and away made the count 3-0, the Comiskey Park faithful, on their feet to see Cameron have a swing at history, began to voice their displeasure.
Porzio then poured one down the middle for a called strike, and Cameron took a healthy cut and fouled off a 3-1 fastball to run the count full. With the ballpark on edge, the Seattle slugger ripped the 3-2 pitch to deep right field, but Jeff Liefer ended the drama with an over the shoulder catch on the warning track.
"I tried to go for it because I don't think the guys would have been happy if I didn't try," said Cameron. "I hit it well enough but not high enough to go over the fence. Liefer made a nice play out there.
"I really wanted to make it happen, but I didn't want to swing at that 3-0 pitch, because I didn't want to make my team look bad. But I think if I did swing at it, it would have been gone. I just know it." The little-known Porzio avoided the opportunity to become the answer to a trivia question.
"I read the scouting report that he's a guy you have to get the ball inside of because he's so strong," said the 29-year-old reliever. "I didn't look at it as history. I'm just trying to get the guy out."
Cameron's assault on the record book began in the first inning when the Mariners erupted for 10 runs off White Sox starter Jon Rauch and Parque. Cameron and Bret Boone made Major League history by becoming the first pair of teammates to hit two home runs apiece in the same inning, and for good measure both sets of roundtrippers were back-to-back. Boone and Cameron are also the 14th and 15th players in AL history to have hit two homers in one inning.
"I told everybody to stay away from that guy right there," Boone said. "Stay away from him. He just kept hitting. It was unbelievable." Both of Cameron's first-inning blasts cleared the 400-foot sign in dead center field. The first came off the 6-foot-11-inch right-hander Rauch, while the second was hit off Parque.
Cameron's third and fourth home runs, also solo shots off Parque, came in the third and fifth innings, respectively. Alex Rodriguez had been the last Seattle player to homer three times in a game, doing it at Toronto on April 16, 2000.
When he wasn't hitting home runs, Cameron was catching them. He robbed Magglio Ordonez of a grand slam in the bottom of the third with a leaping catch at the center field wall.
Prior to the game, Seattle manager Lou Piniella shuffled the lineup to try to shake up a struggling Mariners' offense. He moved a struggling Boone from third to second in the order and bumped Cameron, who was in a 4-for-32 funk with more strikeouts (31) than hits (22) this season, up to third.
"It's a thing of beauty," said Cameron. "Boonie and I have been struggling. Being a part of history is a thing of beauty because the game of baseball is a thing a beauty."
His manager agreed.
"I've never seen anything like it in my life," Piniella said. "It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."
The 29-year-old Cameron was an 18th round draft pick of the White Sox in 1991. He rose through the Chicago farm system and made his Major League debut in 1995, batting .184 in 28 games as a late-season call-up. He split time between Chicago and the minors in '96 & '97 before playing a full season with the White Sox under first-year manager Jerry Manuel in 1998, batting .210 with 27 steals in 141 games.
"You've got to be excited for Mike in the sense that he's a tremendous young man," said Manuel. "He put on a tremendous show tonight. None of them were cheap either."
After that season, the White Sox dealt him to Cincinnati for first baseman Paul Konerko. With the Reds, Cameron began to blossom into a more complete player, and after hitting 21 home runs and stealing 38 bases, he was traded again -- this time to Seattle with three players for Ken Griffey Jr.
"I guess there's another asterisk that goes by name now," said Cameron. "Being traded for Junior and now this."
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Saturday, June 18, 2005
One of the things to love is the bright orange room of over-the-top Chris Norris drawing/paintings. Something to really hate is the presentation of the works from the collection. I thought the curatorial connections might bother me but I wasn't prepared for how badly some of the the older work would be displayed.
I'll go into more detail in a future post.
UPDATE 6/20/2005: At the recommendation of an artist friend I contacted the curator, Amy Hauft, for more insight into some of the presentation decisions. I'll share her ideas in the next Relativity post.
RELATED: Chris Norris is also one of the members of Feast, currently showing at 1708 Gallery. I've added a little to my original post on this show. Go see it before it closes on June 25th. Feast is very good.
P.S. - Hello Richmonders! More of you are reading this since that Style Weekly article came out and I'd like to encourage you to leave comments on local shows and art things. Comments can be left anonymously, you don't need to feel shy. This blog is read by people across the country (mostly in NY, VA, and CA) and is an opportunity to give some local names more national exposure. I'm sorry it has been so much about myself lately but I've been a little busy. You are welcome and encouraged to leave comments on a show/artist not covered in the post.
6 comments:
- Hans said...
What is a local artist ? Local sounds like second class. By the way I'd like to be a B-artist, as weird as the old B-pictures ;-)
- Anonymous said...
Hey Martin,
Wanted to say that you were right about Chung's piece. Just because it is ironic for an Asian to be Southern or to play crochet doesn't make it art. Similar to your posting on glib art a few weeks earlier. Chuckles don't move the mind forward. I agree about the display of the Hockney and Guston, it was terrible and disrespectful in my mind. I just don't find Norris' work having anything to do with those two great artists, I do appreciate Chris' craft mostly I just think his style is overdone and can be quite boring about half the time. Feast is a 1708 Mob show who the hell really cares about them, that gallery acts as if there is no art that they do not show. I just can't remember seeing a good show there in the six years I've been around Richmond.
- Martin said...
Dennis - You're a madman. Thanks for speaking your mad mind.
I think Feast and Chris Norris are really good. Don't remember what I might have said about Sun-Tek's work to you beyond a shrug of the shoulders. I plan to go back to the show soon and spend more time with all of it.
- donald yi george said...
i am definitely sympathetic with dennis' plight. although i believe that anything can be interesting, most of the art i see around here is uninspired and uninformed. there are definitely exceptions though. but we are in the "provinces" and that is to be expected.
also, i am particularly into painting as i believe dennis is too, so i understand his frustration with art that concerns itself with things besides painting. i really like painting and seeing good painting. painting is after all, a "unique genre with its own complex syntax and history." hopefully, with dennis kickin' ass we'll see some more good painting around this piece.
about Sun-Tek Chungs work: i think it's kind of along the lines of Nikki S. Lee who does similar work, where she photographs herself (shes asian) immersed and costumed in different cultures (punk, skater, hiphop, etc). part of the work has to do with thinking about cultural identity. what is cultural identity? at what points do race, ethnicity and culture intersect? i don't think it has so much to do with being ironic sense but is probably more of an extension of ideas about indentity politics that were big in the 80s. i'm asian too and i've studied a little about identity politics, but i could be wrong.
- Anonymous said...
Thanks Martin and Donny,
Perhaps I am a madman, a young painter who still believes that the good painter does more than attempt to cleverly subvert its history and contemporary context in a media filled society. Its not enough to just discover that something happens through the medium whether it be yourself as the medium or a cellphone on vibrate happens to spiral. I just believe that it takes the highest level of guts (cajones) to paint something unlike what has been done before, you know Martin alot of people I talk to you really don't appreciate your work but I do because of this same sense of bravado and effort that has very little historical standard for example your mounds are not Guston heads nor do they come from monoliths found behind Mary in Renaissance pictures. And that is fine.
- Anonymous said...
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Rep. King's immigration comments draw criticism
Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King of Iowa is drawing criticism for comments he made to a news website about people in the country illegally.
King last week told the conservative news website Newsmax that he didn't agree with the suggestion that many youths who aren't legal citizens are also high-achieving.
King told the website, "For every one who's a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they've got calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
The comments come as the U.S. House is considering proposals to change the nation's immigration laws.
Florida Democratic Rep. Joe Garcia called King's comments offensive, saying they're "beneath the dignity of this body and this country."
Other Democrats are also fired up, saying the nation was built on immigration.
"When you make remarks like (what) one of the members made, it is not only ignorant but, quite frankly, stupid by not recognizing the history of this country," said Rep. Albio Sires.
But King is not backing down.
"It's utterly true, and I haven't found anybody who came up with a competing number. Certainly, I pulled 100 out of a hat, but I think that's probably a low number," said King.
Residents in King's district in Harrison County, Iowa, are also weighing on their representative's latest controversy.
"He's right on a lot of issues and he's passionate on his issues, and that's one of the things I like about him. I don't agree with him on everything, but you at least know where he stands," said resident Curt Mether.
"I'm kind of having a hard time deciding what my opinion is on his latest comments," said resident David Dickinson.
"It was an exaggeration, I think, but he likes to get his point across with exaggeration," said Mether.


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It was a snowy Monday in NY back in January of 1992, when a man named "Battle" donned the Celtics jersey, with the number 8. In only his second game with the Green, he'd score 10 points on perfect shooting, in an impressive Celtics win in Cleveland. That'd be a preview of the Eastern Conference Semis, the last time Larry Bird would wear a Celtics uniform. Unfortunately this week's What the Hell Happened To feature player, wouldn't be on the team by then. You definitely remember Kenny Battle.
In college Kenny attended Northern Illinois before transferring to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Along with future pros Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill and Stephen Bardo, Kenny helped lead UI to the Final Four in 1989. Looking back, that Illinois team was loaded and probably should've won it all. Battle was the emotional leader of the team. If you watch this video, it discusses his unyielding energy and how his relentless play persevered in his teammates:
After that memorable season, Kenny would be picked in the first round of the 1989 draft, with the final pick of the first round, by the Detroit Pistons. However he'd be traded draft night with Micheal Williams (nope not misspelled) for Anthony Cook. His rookie season with the Suns in 1990 was the longest he'd play for one team when he stuck around and played 59 games and 8 playoff games, which included the Suns walloping the Enemy in the second round [in case you forgot, that was the season where the Flakers realized Magic was becoming a defensive sieve as Kevin Johnson obliterated him].
In addition to the nice performance in Cleveland that got the Celts a road win against one of the top teams in the league, Kenny would only appear in 7 more games and score 4 more points total. For his time on the Celtics, he shot a perfect 8-8 from the foul line.
But alas, Kenny wasn't done in Boston! He'd play for 3 more games the following season after being waived by Golden State, whom he had latched on with after Boston released him the first go-round. Two more free throws, and two more makes. 10-10 from the line in his time on the Celtics. I wonder how many other Celtics have shot perfect from the foul line during their Celtic career with a minimum of 10 attempts?
today he'd be listed at 6'8), body type was very similar while they both sported #8. In hindsight Kenny was more of a tweener than 'Toine. Sort of like Corliss Williamson, although Corliss was the more skilled player and adapted surprisingly well to playing more at the small forward during his NBA career. Imagine if Antoine's skills could've been combined with Kenny's heart? We may have been looking at a big-time player.
Each season at the University of Illinois they give out the Kenny Battle Inspirational Award to the player who shows the most hustle during each year (Off the top of my head these are two guys who would never have won that award).
Today Kenny is the head coach of the AAU Team KB Hoops in Illinois. I'm guessing the KB are for his initials. Their mission statement is:
KB Hoops was started in 2005 by Kenny Battle to promote youth basketball in a fun and safe environment. We promote good habits on and off the court. We teach fair play and good sportsmanship.
Kudos to Kenny for giving back to the community. I wonder if the champ of Illinois could face the champ of Ohio. Then we could have a Kenny Battle-Ronnie Grandison showdown. That'd be amazing.
For a list of all the "What the Hell Happened To" Series please click here. tb727 10/06/2011 09:23:00 PM Tweet Edit


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