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Eastern gray squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis, common name eastern gray squirrel or grey squirrel depending on region, is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus. It is native to North America but now also inhabits other regions.
Sciurus carolinensis is native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of eastern Canada. The native range of the eastern gray squirrel overlaps with that of the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), with which it is sometimes confused, although the core of the fox squirrel's range is slightly more to the west. The eastern gray squirrel is found from New Brunswick to Manitoba, south to East Texas and Florida.[1] There are breeding eastern gray squirrels in Nova Scotia, but it is not known if this population was introduced or came from natural range expansion.[3] It has also been introduced into Ireland,[4] Britain, Italy, South Africa, and Australia (where it was extirpated by 1973).[1] Eastern grey squirrels in Europe are a concern because they have displaced some of the native squirrels there.
A prolific and adaptable species, the eastern gray squirrel has been introduced to, and thrives in, several regions of the western United States where in a few areas it competes with the shyer western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus). The gray squirrel is an invasive species in Britain; it has spread across the country and has largely displaced the native red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris. In Ireland, the red squirrel has been displaced in several eastern counties, though it still remains common in the south and west of the country.[5] There are concerns that such displacement might happen in Italy and that gray squirrels might spread from Italy to other parts of mainland Europe.[6]
The genus, Sciurus, is derived from two Greek words, skia, meaning shadow, and oura, meaning tail. This name alludes to the squirrel sitting in the shadow of its tail.[7] The specific epithet, carolinensis, refers to the Carolinas, where the species was first recorded and where the animal is still extremely common. In the United Kingdom and Canada, it is simply referred to as the "grey squirrel".
As the name suggests, the eastern gray squirrel has predominantly gray fur, but it can have a brownish color. It has a usual white underside as compared to the typical brownish-orange underside of the fox squirrel.[8] It has a large bushy tail. Particularly in urban situations where the risk of predation is reduced, both white[9] - and black-colored individuals are quite often found. The melanistic form, which is almost entirely black, is predominant in certain populations and in certain geographic areas, such as in large parts of southeastern Canada. Genetic variations within these include individuals with black tails and black-colored squirrels with white tails. (See Tree squirrel for more information on these color variations.)
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The tracks of an eastern gray squirrel are difficult to distinguish from the related fox squirrel and Abert's squirrel, though the latter's range is almost entirely different from the gray's. Like all squirrels, the eastern gray shows four fingers on the front feet and five on the hind feet. The hind foot-pad is often not visible in the track. When bounding or moving at speed, the front foot tracks will be behind the hind foot tracks. The bounding stride can be two to three feet long.[12]
Like many members of the family Sciuridae, the eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery.[1] Some caches are quite temporary, especially those made near the site of a sudden abundance of food which can be retrieved within hours or days for reburial in a more secure site. Others are more permanent and are not retrieved until months later. Each squirrel is estimated to make several thousand caches each season. The squirrels have very accurate spatial memory for the locations of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to retrieve them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a few inches of the cache.[citation needed]
Squirrels sometimes use deceptive behavior to prevent other animals from retrieving cached food. They will pretend to bury the object if they feel that they are being watched. They do this by preparing the spot as usual, for instance digging a hole or widening a crack, miming the placement of the food, while actually concealing it in their mouths, and then covering up the "cache" as if they had deposited the object. They will also hide behind vegetation while burying food or hide it high up in trees (if their rival is non-arboreal). Such a complex repertoire suggests that the behaviors are not innate, and imply theory of mind thinking.[13][14]
The eastern gray squirrel is one of very few mammalian species that can descend a tree head-first. It does this by turning its feet so the claws of its hind paws are backward pointing and can grip the tree bark.[15]
Eastern gray squirrels build a type of nest, known as a drey, in the forks of trees, consisting mainly of dry leaves and twigs. Males and females may share the same nest for short times during the breeding season and during cold winter spells squirrels may share a drey to stay warm. They may also nest in the attic or exterior walls of a house, where they may be regarded as pests, and as fire hazards due to their habit of gnawing on electrical cables. (See Tree squirrel for more on interactions with humans.) In addition, squirrels may inhabit a permanent tree den hollowed out in the trunk or a large branch of a tree.[16]
Eastern gray squirrels are crepuscular,[11] or more active during the early and late hours of the day, and tend to avoid the heat in the middle of a summer day.[16] They do not hibernate.[17]
Predators include humans, hawks, weasels, raccoons, foxes, domestic and feral cats, snakes, owls, and dogs.[16] In its introduced range in South Africa, it has been preyed on by African harrier-hawks.[18]
Eastern gray squirrels can breed twice a year, but younger and less experienced mothers will normally have a single litter per year in the spring. Depending on forage availability, older and more experienced females may breed again in summer.[19] In a year of abundant mast crop 36% of females will bear two litters, but none will do so in a year of poor mast crop.[20] Their breeding seasons are December to February and May to June, though this is slightly delayed in more northern latitudes.[11][16] The first litter is born in February or March, the second in June or July, though, again, birthing may be advanced or delayed by a few weeks depending on climate, temperature and forage availability. In any given breeding season an average of 61 - 66% of females will bear young.[20] If a female fails to conceive or loses her young to unusually cold weather or predation, she will re-enter estrus and have a later litter.
Normally, one to four young are born in each litter, but the largest possible litter size is eight.[20] The gestation period is about 44 days.[20] The young are weaned at around 10 weeks, though some may wean up to six weeks later in the wild. They begin to leave the nest after 12 weeks, with autumn born young often wintering with their mother. Only one in four squirrel kits will survive to one year of age, with mortality of around 55% for the following year. Mortality rates then decrease to around 30% for following years until they increase sharply at eight years of age.[20]
Eastern gray females can rarely enter estrus as early as five and a half months old,[16] but females are not normally fertile before at least one year of age. Their mean age of first estrus is 1.25 years.[20] Male Eastern Greys are sexually mature between one and two years of age.[21] These squirrels can live to be 20 years old in captivity, but in the wild live much shorter lives due to predation and the challenges of their habitat.
As in most other mammals, communication among eastern gray squirrel individuals involves both vocalizations and posturing. The species has a quite varied repertoire of vocalizations, including a squeak similar to that of a mouse, a low-pitched noise, a chatter, and a raspy "mehr mehr mehr". Other methods of communication include tail-flicking and other gestures, including facial expressions. Tail flicking and the "kuk" or "quaa" call are used to ward off and warn other squirrels about predators as well as to announce when a predator is leaving the area.[22] Squirrels also make an affectionate coo-purring sound that biologists call the "muk-muk" sound. This is used as a contact sound between a mother and her kits and, in adulthood, by the male when he courts the female during mating season.[22]
The use of vocal and visual communication has been shown to vary by location, based on elements such as noise pollution and the amount of open space. For instance, populations living in large cities generally rely more on the visual signals, due to the generally louder environment with more areas without much visual restriction. However, in heavily wooded areas, vocal signals are used more often due to the presence of less noise and a dense canopy restricting visual range.[23]
Eastern gray squirrels eat a range of foods, such as tree bark, tree buds, berries, many types of seeds and acorns, walnuts, and other nuts, and some types of fungi found in the forests, including fly agaric mushrooms (Amanita muscaria).[24] They can cause damage by tearing the tree bark and eating the soft cambial tissue underneath. In Europe, sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) suffer the greatest damage.[25]
Eastern gray squirrels have a high enough tolerance for humans to inhabit residential neighborhoods and will raid bird feeders for millet, corn, and sunflower seeds. They will also raid gardens for tomatoes, corn, strawberries, and other garden crops.[26] On very rare occasions, when their usual food sources are scarce, eastern gray squirrels will also prey upon insects, frogs, small rodents including other squirrels, and small birds, their eggs and young.[1][16] They will also gnaw on bones, antlers, and turtle shells – likely as a source of minerals scarce in their normal diet.[24]
In the wild, eastern gray squirrels can be found inhabiting large areas of mature, dense woodland ecosystems, generally covering 100 acres (40 hectares) of land.[16] These forests usually contain large amounts of dense understory vegetation that provides them sufficient amount of food sources and favorable shelters. Oak-hickory hardwood forests are preferred over coniferous forests.[11]
Eastern gray squirrels generally prefer constructing their dens upon large tree branches and within the hollow trunks of trees. They also have been known to take shelter within abandoned bird nests. The dens are usually lined with moss plants, thistledown, dried grass, and feathers. These perhaps provide and assist in the insulation of the den, used to reduce heat loss. A cover to the den is usually built afterwards.[citation needed]
Close to human settlements, eastern gray squirrels are found in parks and back yards of houses within urban environments and in the farmlands of rural environments.[27]
The eastern gray squirrel is an introduced species in a variety of locations in western North America: in western Canada, to the southwest corner of British Columbia and to the city of Calgary, Alberta;[28] in the United States, to the states of Washington and Oregon and, in California, to the city of San Francisco and the San Francisco Peninsula area in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, south of the city. It has become the most common squirrel in many urban and suburban habitats in western North America, from north of central California to southwest British Columbia. At the turn of the 20th century, the eastern gray squirrel was introduced into South Africa, Ireland, and England.
In South Africa, though exotic, it is not usually considered an invasive species owing to its small range (only found in the extreme southwestern part of the Western Cape, going north as far as the small farming town of Franschhoek), as well because it inhabits urban areas and places greatly affected by humans, such as agricultural areas and exotic pine plantations. Here, it mostly eats acorns and pine seeds, although it will take indigenous and commercial fruit, as well.[29] Even so, it is unable to use the natural vegetation (fynbos) found in the area, a factor which has helped to limit its spread.[30] It does not come into contact with native squirrels due to geographic isolation (a native tree squirrel, Paraxerus cepapi, is found only in the savanna regions in the northeast of the country)[31] and different habitats.
It spread rapidly across England and then became established in both Wales and parts of southern Scotland. On mainland Britain, it has almost entirely displaced the populations of native red squirrels. On the island of Ireland, this displacement has not been as rapid because there was only a single introduction, in County Longford. Schemes have been introduced to control the population in Ireland to encourage the native red squirrels. Eastern gray squirrels have also been introduced to Italy, and the European Union has expressed concern it will similarly displace the red squirrel from parts of the European continent.
Displacement of red squirrels
In Britain and in Ireland, the eastern gray squirrel is not regulated by natural predators,[32] other than the European pine marten which is generally absent from England and Wales.[33] This has aided its rapid population growth and has led to the species being classed as a pest. Measures are being devised to reduce its numbers, including one plan for celebrity television chefs to promote the idea of eating the squirrels.[34] In areas where relict populations of red squirrel survive, such as the islands of Anglesey and Brownsea, programs exist to eradicate gray squirrels in an effort to allow red squirrel populations to recover.[35]
Although complex and controversial, the main factor in the eastern gray squirrel's displacement of the red squirrel is thought to be its greater fitness and, hence, a competitive advantage over the red squirrel on all measures.[36] The eastern gray squirrel tends to be larger and stronger than the red squirrel and has been shown to have a greater ability to store fat for winter. The squirrel can therefore compete more effectively for a larger share of the available food, resulting in relatively lower survival and breeding rates among the red squirrel. Parapoxvirus may also be a strongly contributing factor; red squirrels have long been fatally affected by the disease, while the eastern gray squirrels are unaffected but thought to be carriers. However, there have recently been several cases of red squirrels surviving as they have developed an immunity - although it is worth noting that their population is still being massively affected. The red squirrel is also less tolerant of habitat destruction and fragmentation which has led to its population decline, while the more adaptable eastern gray squirrel has taken advantage and expanded.
Similar factors appear to have been at play in the Pacific region of North America, where the native American red squirrel has been largely displaced by the eastern gray squirrel in parks and forests throughout much of the region.
Ironically, "fears" for the future of the eastern gray squirrel arose in 2008, as the melanistic form (black) began to spread through the southern British population.[37][38] In the UK, if a "grey squirrel" (eastern gray squirrel) is trapped, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is illegal to release it or to allow it to escape into the wild; instead, it should be humanely destroyed.[39]
As food
Gray squirrels were eaten in earlier times by Native Americans and their meat is still popular with hunters across most of their range in North America. Today, it is still available for human consumption and is occasionally sold in the United Kingdom.[40]
See also
- ^ a b c d e Linzey, A.V., Koprowski, J. & NatureServe (2008). Sciurus carolinensis. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2008-11-18.
- ^ Thorington, R.W., Jr.; Hoffmann, R.S. (2005). "Sciurus (Sciurus) carolinensis". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 26158608.
- ^ Huynh H., Williams G., McAlpine D., and Thorington R. (2010). "Establishment of the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in Nova Scotia, Canada". Northeastern Naturalist 17 (4): 673–677. doi:10.1656/045.017.0414.
- ^ McGoldrick, M. and Rochford, J. (2009). "Recent range expansion by the Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin 1788". I. Nat. J. 30: 24–28. JSTOR 20764520.
- ^ Carey, M., Hamilton, G., Poole, A., and Lawton, C. (2007) The Irish Squirrel Survey 2007. COFORD, Dublin, ISBN 1902696603
- ^ "Summary (of Bertolino S., Lurz. P.W.W., Rushton S.P. 2006, DIVAPRA Entomology & Zoology)". Europeansquirrelinitiative.org. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ Hamilton, H. (1990). Smith, D., ed. Eastern Grey Squirrel. Hinterland Who's Who. ISBN 0-660-13634-1. Retrieved 18 November 2008.
- ^ "New York's Wildlife Resources" (PDF). Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. p. 2. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
- ^ Nelson, Rob. "White and Albino Squirrel Research Initiative". UntamedScience.com. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ BBC: Science and Nature, "Grey squirrel: Sciurus carolinensis"
- ^ a b c d "Red & Gray Squirrels in Massachusetts". MassWildlife. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Retrieved 3 April 2012.
- ^ Murie, Olaus Johan and Elbroch, Mark (2005). Peterson Field Guide to Animal Tracks, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, p. 79, ISBN 061851743X.
- ^ Grant, Steve (21 October 2004). "The Squirrel's Bag Of Tricks: They Can't Get Out Of The Way Of Cars, But Other Behaviors Demonstrate Advanced Thinking (for A Rodent)", The Hartford Courant.
- ^ "Smart squirrels fool food thieves", BBC Home, 17 January 2008.
- ^ Alexander, R. McNeill (2003). Principles of animal locomotion. Princeton University Press. p. 162. ISBN 0691086788.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lawniczak, M. (2002). "Sciurus carolinensis". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
- ^ "The Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)" (PDF). Grey squirrel Advisory. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
- ^ "Polyboroides typus (African harrier-hawk, Gymnogene)". Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ^ http://www.ccenassau.org/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/Squirrel_factsheet.209103258.pdf
- ^ a b c d e f Koprowski, John L. (2 December 1994). "Sciurus carolinensis" (PDF). Mammalian Species 480: 1–9. doi:10.2307/3504224. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
- ^ Webley, G. E.; Pope, G. S.; Johnson, E (1985). "Seasonal changes in the testes and accessory reproductive organs and seasonal and circadian changes in plasma testosterone concentrations in the male grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)". General and comparative endocrinology 59 (1): 15–23. PMID 4018551.
- ^ a b Kelly, John (April 9, 2012). "Learn to speak squirrel in four easy lessons". Washington Post. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
- ^ http://www.currentzoology.org/temp/%7B9776C11E-254E-42C9-8B99-06749C919867%7D.pdf
- ^ a b Long, Kim (September 1995). Squirrels: a wildlife handbook. Big Earth Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-55566-152-6.
- ^ Butler, F. and Kelleher, C. (eds) 2012. All-Ireland Mammal Symposium 2009. Irish Naturalists' Journal, Belfast, ISBN 978-0-9569704-1-1
- ^ "How to Manage Pests - Tree Squirrels". University of California. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "The Leading America Zoo Site on the Net". americazoo.com. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "Hinterland Who's Who – Eastern Grey Squirrel". Hww.ca. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ "The Grey Squirrel – Sciurus carolinensis of Southern Africa". Home.intekom.com. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ "Sciurus carolinensis (Grey Squirrel)". Biodiversityexplorer.org. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ "Tree Squirrel | Rodent | Southern Africa". Krugerpark.co.za. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/infd-6l4fdh
- ^ Emma Sheehy, Colin Lawton (March 2014). "Population crash in an invasive species following the recovery of a native predator: the case of the American grey squirrel and the European pine marten in Ireland". Biodiversity and Conservation (Springer) 23 (3): 753–774. doi:10.1007/s10531-014-0632-7.
- ^ "Jamie 'must back squirrel-eating'". BBC News. 23 March 2006. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
- ^ "Red squirrel conservation, squirrel ecology and grey squirrel management". The Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
- ^ Wauters, L. A., Gurnell, J., Martinoli, A., & Tosi, G. (2002). "Interspecific competition between native Eurasian red squirrels and alien grey squirrels: does resource partitioning occur?". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 52 (4): 332–341. doi:10.1007/s00265-002-0516-9.
- ^ "Black squirrels set to dominate". BBC News. 20 January 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
- ^ "The pack of mutant black squirrels that are giving Britain's grey population a taste of their own medicine". Daily Mail (London). 26 April 2008.
- ^ "Defra Rural Development Service Technical Advice Note 09" (PDF).
- ^ "Wild meat: Squirrel nutcase". The Economist, Vol. 402 Number 8772 (3 March 2012).
Further reading
- Koprowski, John L. (2 December 1994). "Sciurus carolinensis" (PDF). Mammalian Species 480: 1–9. doi:10.2307/3504224. Retrieved 2014-03-26.—A comprehensive survey paper, with extensive references
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sciurus carolinensis.
|Wikispecies has information related to: Sciurus carolinensis
- ARKive – Still photos and videos
- Eastern Gray Squirrel Facts from Hinterland Who's Who
- An Exotic Evolution: Black Squirrels Imported in Early 1900s Gain Foothold – an article from The Washington Post
- WildlifeOnline – Natural History of Tree Squirrels
- Smithsonian Eastern Gray Squirrel article
- A high definition video of a young grey squirrel, filmed in the United Kingdom
- Grey Squirrel feeding on peanuts in a British park


text: A light graffiti image of Ms Dhu is projected on a building in Perth. Ethan Blue November 28, 2016 Seeing Ms Dhu: how photographs argue for human rights Jane Lydon, University of Western Australia and Donna Oxenham, University of Western Australia Noel Pearson has accused the ABC of racism in dwelling on indigenous alienation. But many advances in the status of Aboriginal Australians have been prompted by revealing ill-treatment, which is why Ms Dhu's family want footage of her last hours made public.

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Disgraced former college president and conservative pseudointellectual Dinesh D'Souza would very much like to be relevant again:
While President Barack Obama was finishing up the State of the Union address during a nationally televised speech Tuesday night, hundreds of copies of a DVD featuring an interview with his impoverished half-brother were being mailed to senators, congressmen, the governors of all 50 states and the nine Supreme Court justices.
One copy of the movie, 2016: Obama's America, also was mailed to the president at his White House address and another went to Vice President Joe Biden. The film tries to make the point that Obama's agenda is bad for America and that the rationale for his policies stems from a hard-left ideology that was instilled in him by the example set by his absentee father.
2016: Obama's America is the second best-performing political documentary of all time. But just because it drew a paranoid sector of the electorate to the box office doesn't mean it's an effective political advocacy tool. Congress already has a terrifying number of members who believe that President Obama is a socialist whose birthplace remains in question, and who probably aren't going to make time to watch a movie that reaffirms their convictions. And I doubt that Nancy Pelosi is going to settle in for movie night with some popcorn and end the evening shaken, dash her oversized pearl necklaces to the floor, and hustle off to brunch with Michele Bachmann to discuss how they can work together. In both cases, no matter what members of Congress (and Joe Biden) think of the president and his ideological motivations, the fact remains that Barack Obama was reelected. That he is president and has the power to push for legislation and make executive orders and decisions is a fact, and not something that you can wish away.
Besides, if you're going to entertain Congress with insane conspiracy theories about President Obama, the actual documentary to watch is Dreams From My Real Father. A truly uproarious piece of cinema, the movie uses old pin-up photos to argue that Obama's actual father is the left labor activist, publisher, and deeply pretentious poet Frank Marshall Davis, and suggests that Obama had a nose job so he'd look less like his real father. The movie never explains why it would have been better for Stanley Ann Dunham to have become pregnant by a Kenyan PhD candidate than a semi-wacky American. But its self-seriousness is at least really, really funny. And it's a truly delightful illustration of how deranged Obama's made people. This movement isn't just about deligitimizing his claim to the presidency. It's about running permanently down rabbit holes.


text:
WALLENPAUPACK - Fifty years ago, in June 1964, the first high school class to graduate within sight of Lake Wallenpaupack held their commencement. Wallenpaupack Area High School brought together the venerable Hawley High School and Southern Wayne High School (Newfoundland), part of a consolidation plan which dated to 1959.
WALLENPAUPACK - Fifty years ago, in June 1964, the first high school class to graduate within sight of Lake Wallenpaupack held their commencement. Wallenpaupack Area High School brought together the venerable Hawley High School and Southern Wayne High School (Newfoundland), part of a consolidation plan which dated to 1959.
Here we can only offer a brief review, emphasizing the formation of the new school district and the early years at the high school. Some highlights of the past five decades will also be mentioned, at
the risk of inadvertently missing some important event.
There were just 92 students in the first class to graduate by the lake, and that seemed big. Attorney Jack Spall remembers it well. A member of the class of 1964, WAHS, he is also in the unique position to preside at the 50th anniversary as president of the Wallenpaupack Area School District Board of Directors. In fact he has been an elected school board member for 25 years, half the history of the high school.
As of June 4, 2014 there were 296 students poised to graduate on June 13th. The height was in 2010 when 360 graduated; like other rural districts in Pennsylvania, Wallenpaupack's enrollment has been slowly decreasing. Since 1964, over 9,300 students have received Wallenpaupack diplomas (9,355 through 2013; a projected 9,651counting 2014).
The Class of 1964 moved up from Hawley High School and the school in Newfoundland in February of that year. It was quite an adventure, with a brand new school. Not everyone in Hawley, however, was happy with the move; Spall said that change is hard. There were some already out of school who wished the high school had stayed put.
The group from Newfoundland was much smaller than the seniors from Hawley. Former rivals in school sports, the two groups needed to integrate, and before long new friendships were forged.
••• How it came about
Spall recalled that the Hawley High School was growing and while the old red brick school on Academy Street wasn't a bad school, it had outgrown them. Next door was the large elementary school, which housed Hawley's original high school, built in 1879. More change would come: the old elementary was torn down in 1964 as well. The brick high school, constructed in 1937-1938, became the new elementary, when 7th through 12th grade moved to the new Wallenpaupack Jr.-Sr. High School.
Early in 1959 it had become clear that changes were needed. Forty percent of the elementary students in Hawley were tuition students coming from school districts outside of Hawley. Two thirds of the high school students were coming from beyond Hawley's borders. There were also problems with the elementary building on Academy Street. The PA Department of Labor & Industry had written to the Hawley School Board in February giving the board 10 days to bring the old elementary building into compliance. The Hawley School District had postponed making the necessary repairs for years. With time and money in short supply, the board had only one option, to close the second floor of the elementary school.
Temporary elementary classroom space was made available in the Hawley VFW Post – the current Hawley Senior Center next to Bingham Park – until a permanent solution could be found.
Talk intensified into fashioning a joint school district- referred to as the Wallenpaupack Jointure. Meetings were long and heated. Local school boards would continue and each would retain regulation over their own taxes, under this system. Each would keep their school buildings. The Jointure, however, paid the expenses of the schools with each district contributing its share. The prime concern was creating a new junior-senior high school, financed by an authority established by the Jointure.
PA Department of Education backed the idea with increased state appropriations.
The new Joint School Board was in place with the opening of school on September 7, 1960. The new Jointure consisted of school districts from Hawley, Blooming Grove, Lackawaxen, Palmyra- Wayne, White Mills, Palmyra-Pike and Paupack.
••• School District forms
There was a separate Southern Wayne Jointure that had brought together Greene, Dreher and Sterling Township school districts. This jointure was dissolved that summer, and Greene and Dreher joined the
Wallenpaupack fold. There were nine local school districts involved, totaling 45 school directors.
In 1970, further consolidation took place, creating three union-type school districts, Wallenpaupack, Western Wayne and Wayne Highlands. Wallenpaupack at last became a single unit for taxing and
administrative purposes, with a single board of nine directors.
Donald Kranich (Lackawaxen) became the first board president of the district; Daniel Eckes of Palmyra-Pike became vice president. Other board members were Elmore Haag of Dreher; William McLaughlin, Blooming Grove; Evelyn Haldaman, Greene; Rev. Robert Mark, Hawley; George Haas, Palmyra-Wayne; Walter Kostige, Paupack and B. Ray Minich, White Mills.
Supervising Principal Howard Michener became the first District Superintendent in 1970. The budget for the first year was $1,685,000 (the proposed budget for 2014-2015 exceeds $65 million).
••• Building the new school
Eleven different sites for the new high school were being considered by the seven member Joint School Board.The decision was made in February 1961 to utilize a 31 acre tract along Lake Wallenpaupack, belonging to Pennsylvania Power & Light (PP&L) Company.
PP&L viewed the land use as compatible with their mission to be good stewards of the land and protect the scenic quality of the lake. Healthy economic growth was also foreseen for the area with the new, modern high school.
The land was to be leased from PP&L for $1,000 a year. In a philanthropic gesture by PP&L, the payments were placed in an academic fellowship program to fund higher education for qualified teachers.
In August 1961 Everett Associates, an architectural firm, began making a plan for a building to serve 650 pupils. Bids were opened in July 1962, with the total of low bids at $1,656,692. Construction was ahead of schedule. The framework was finished in early November.
On April 4 - 5, 1964, an open house was scheduled, and a dedication ceremony was held on May 24, 1964 for the "Wallenpaupack Area Joint High School". Roger M. Blough, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Steel Corporation and a former teacher and principal at Hawley High School, gave the keynote address.
Blough said in part, "This world has seen so many changes, the catalog is endless. Students today are bigger, stronger, more intelligent and more advanced than were the students of my day, and the school itself is also a contrast.
"Changes are so rapid, so confusing, that life long education has become imperative. Constant updating of knowledge and professional training is necessary. Today's world is not easy... competition is endless and intensified. We must remember that today's skills will not hold tomorrow's jobs."
He referred to the new Wallenpaupack school as a "splendid new center of learning... here a boy or girl can grow up with all of the advantages..."
Maurice H. Bobst was Supervising Principal. Daniel Callaghan was High School Principal.
"Dan Callaghan lived across the street from me," Spall recalled. "He was an interesting man." An early basketball coach at Hawley, he was a strong advocate for the athletics programs at the school. As an administrator, "he ran a tight ship," Spall said.
A beloved educator at the Hawley High School, who was Supervising Principal when he retired in 1956, was Albert Haggarty. When the new Wallenpaupack Area High School was built, the original library was dedicated in his honor.
••• Big change
Mrs. Melva Vogler taught mathematics at Wallenpaupack 52 years, retiring on March 31, 2013.
The Hawley resident said she first taught at the Lake Consolidated School for five years, before coming to Hawley High School in 1960. They were already calling the Hawley school "Wallenpaupack," she said.
When the new school opened, she was off on maternity leave. Her son Robert Vogler was born in November 1964, and is today teaching third grade at the Wallenpaupack North Intermediate School.
There was some hesitancy concerning the consolidation at the Southern Wayne High School in Newfoundland. The biggest problem was from the parents who felt they were losing their school, than the students, Mrs. Vogler reflected. It was also hard for the families in the southern end when Sterling Township was broken off and joined with the new Western Wayne district.
She said a lot of credit should go to Thomas Peifer, who was a Wallenpaupack Middle School principal and later became superintendent. Peifer, who attended the school in Newfoundland, did a lot in easing the transition and helping the two segments come together.
The faculties of the two school were also combined.
Spall said that there were some rough spots but overall the transition was smooth. Suddenly they had an enormous school district stretching the length of Lake Wallenpaupack and past that. The weather differences could be so extreme from one end to the other, closing school and making more "snow days" for everyone.
"It was very difficult on many levels," said Terry Baughan of South Sterling. He was one of the "Newfoundland kids" who came up from the Southern Wayne High School half way through the school year and joined their Hawley counterparts in 1964.
He said there were approximately 30 students transferred from the school in Newfoundland. They were moving up to a big, spanking new modern school he described as a "Taj Mahal." He said it was a "culture shock."
He said the Newfoundland gang stuck together "to a point." The boys and girls from Newfoundland who were going out with each other were still going out with each other. Still, the merged student body allowed for new friendships to form.
It may have helped that their teachers from Newfoundland also made the move.
They were also former sport rivals. Baughan was on the basketball team at Newfoundland, where their mascot was the Stag. Now they were Buckhorns. Those who shined as athletes in the smaller school in Newfoundland now had to share the spotlight, and act as one.
They had new uniforms, and a new coach.
He said the transition for the sports teams was a little easier because they had merged earlier, in November 1963.
Among his new friends was Jack Spall, he said, who was one of the Hawley basketball players now on the Wallenpaupack team. "Jack was our captain," he said. "A good guy."
John Kiesendahl (WAHS '65) was also on the team, he recalled.
The Southern Wayne High School, however, has never been forgotten by the alumni, he noted. Baughan is president of the Greene-Dreher Alumni Association which since forming in 1915 has given away hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to high school students from Greene or Dreher townships. They currently give away about $20,000 a year. Wallenpaupack, he said, has no alumni association.
Baughan worked as a Realtor and retired two years ago from Xerox.
Miriam Kreitner, who resides in Seelyville, worked 31 years in the Guidance Department at Wallenpaupack. She started at Hawley in 1961. Prior to that she was a mathematics teacher at Honesdale. Her twin sister Marilyn [Barbe] returned to the area and took her position, when Mrs. Kreitner "retired" when her first child was born in 1956. In those days, she said, a teacher was expected to retire when she had a baby.
She had taken studied guidance at Penn State in the summers, and was certified in that area. There was a need for a guidance counselor at Hawley, and Supervising Principal Maurice Bobst asked Mrs. Kreitner to consider coming to Hawley.
Telling Mr. Bobst she would only be available for a year, she soon found herself attached to the students and loved the work, and was there 31 years.
She recalled that they had to do a great deal of rescheduling when they moved up to the new school in mid-year. She also had to accommodate the new students coming from Newfoundland.
Mrs. Kreitner said that the transition went very smoothly, "amazingly so."
••• 1964 Commencement
Baccalaureate was held in the auditorium on June 7, 1964.
Judy (Goodman) Stephens, Class of '64, shared her copy of the senior class photo, taken by Honesdale photographer Robert F. Jennings. He is still taking the class picture, after all these years.
The first commencement was held on June 12, 1964.
Spall recalled that the newly combined class, bringing together Hawley and Newfoundland seniors, sported new school colors: Purple and White.
The old colors at Hawley were Maroon and Gray. Newfoundland High School's colors were Blue and Gold. "This probably was a compromise," Spall reasoned. "Everyone tried to be sure no one took advantage. We created a new identity." (Class colors, however, were Red and White and the Class Flower was the Red and White Rose.)
Commencement was held in the Richard A. Porter Auditorium. Dr. Porter was the president of the Wallenpaupack School Board. Porter was given this honor for his leadership during the discussions that led to forming the Jointure and planning the new high school. A medical doctor, he was scheduled at the May 24th dedication to accept the building key for the board of education but was called out on emergency hospital duty. It was announced that Dr. Porter was instead delivering a baby, anticipated to be a future student in Wallenpaupack schools.
L. Bruce Worrel was the president of the board by the time of the graduation the next month.
Stephens also shared a copy of the commencement program.
Keeping a tradition that extended back to the very founding of Hawley High School, a minister led in prayer. Rev. Robert W. L. Mark, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Hawley, gave the Invocation and Benediction. This practice remained at commencement through 2013 when Constitutional issues surfaced.
Joan Arter and Michael Smith were Co-Presidents of the Class of 1964. William Hutchinson and Lucille Marro were Co-Vice Presidents. Marilyn Mowatt and Margaret Wohlfart served as Co-Recording Secretaries. The late Wayne Stephens, who latter married Judy Goodman, was Financial Secretary. Allan Heller and Bonnie Price were Co-Treasurers. Van Eckes was School Treasurer.
John C. Villaume, President, International Correspondence Schools, gave the keynote address. His topic was "Be Docile."
Class speeches centered on Abraham Lincoln's words, "We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility" Delivering speeches were students Michael Smith, Shirley Smith, Joan Arter and Richard Wallat.
The school's Instrumental Group played "My Fair Lady" and other selections.
Class awards were presented. The School Board President handed out the diplomas.
There was no yearbook until the first full year at Wallenpaupack, for the Class of 1965. Before that time, there was a monthly newsletter,"The Herald," with student essays, poems and information.
••• Wallenpaupack develops
Full advantages of academics and extracurricular activities offered at the new high school did not appear until the first full school year by the Big Lake.
Rita Saylor, Wallenpaupack Area High School Librarian, allowed review of old yearbooks for this article. Here we find the procession of years, the changing hair styles and eyeglass frames so evident as a new group of students took the place of those before them. We take note of the big and developing array of activities, from sports to school plays, and the less frequent change in the names of administration and faculty.
Clubs proliferated, from a Model Club and Coin Club to Future Nurses, Future Farmers and Future Homemakers.
Wallenpaupack Chorus, Marching Band, Girls' Ensemble began filling the air with music.
The first school play at the new High School took place May 7-8, 1965, with "Brigadoon" presented by the Theater Arts group and Vocal Music Department.
Student Council began hosting the annual Sadie Hawkins Dance. As the 1965 "Lake Echo" yearbook stated, "This is an informal dance... latest fashions from Dog Patch."
Senior Class trips in those days went to Washington, D.C,
Enrollment was increasing. By 1982 they had reached a class of 176; by 1996 it had surpassed 200. The 300 mark was surpassed in 2006.
More and more families were moving from urban areas and settling at Lake Wallenpaupack. Mrs. Kreitner recalled that this brought special challenges for the Guidance Department, in having to provide for what each new student was going to need to have enough credits for graduation. Assimilating students from other areas and backgrounds also brought challenges.
Mindful of the safety of their students, Wallenpaupack over the years developed an emergency action plan and has been host to many drills as well as a couple major exercises with regional emergency response agencies. A big step took place in 2013 with the hiring of the District's first armed Student Resource Officers.
••• Sports teams added
"Buckhorns" as the school mascot, Mrs. Vogler, said, predates the new Wallenpaupack school and was in use at Hawley. The term came from the "Buckhorn Mountain" which is the ridge along the falls bordering Hawley.
Basketball and baseball were the big sport programs at the beginning, Spall recalled. They also had Boy's Soccer, which began in 1963, coached by Robert Haag. Girls' Soccer is a recent development, starting in 2000 and coached by Mike Soskil.
The football program was introduced in 1976. James Oplinger was the Head Coach. That year they scored six wins and four losses.
A golf program was introduced in 1965, coached by Henry Arnberg.
Girls' Tennis came in 1981, coached by Judy Horth.
Ann Pietrobon was the first coach of Field Hockey, started in 1973.
Girls' Cross Country came in 1978, with Coach James Godlewski. He also coached the Boys' team when it began the year later.
Boys' Basketball in 1965 was coached by Robert Haag. Mrs. Donatelli coached Girls' Basketball.
Wrestling debuted in 1968, with Paul Hilliard as coach.
The Rifle Team was active 1970-1992, at first coached by James Smith.
Joyce Marshall coached Softball in 1974.
James Ball coached Boys' Tennis in 1982.
Baseball, in 1965, was led by Coach Fred Schuster.
Boys' Volleyball, led by Thomas Simons, formed in 1972. Girls' Volleyball began the same year, coached by Ann Pietrobon.
Boys' Track came in 1968, led by Coach David Wycoff. Girls' Track started in 1975, with Coach Edith Bender.
The Swimming Team, led by Lynn Vanderhoof, debuted in 2014, with a boys' and girls' division.
••• Building boom
Elementary classes continued in the brick old high school on Academy Street. The school is still part of the Wallenpaupack system. The wood-frame elementary school next to it was finally taken down in the spring of 1964, no doubt with a tinge of sadness for many in Hawley who had received their education in its hallowed halls.
Roland Seiler was elementary school principal in this time period.
There were several additions to the Wallenpaupack Area High School through the years, as the Baby Boom generation swelled the District and more families were also moving to the lake area from other regions.
Mrs. Vogler said she started out with a "lovely math room with windows" but said, "I soon lost the windows." They always seemed to be in the midst of construction. "Patio after patio were closed in," she said.
Additions or alterations were completed in the following years: 1972, 1976, 1982, 1990, 1993, 2000 and 2007. The new gymnasium was added in 2000. The new library opened in 1993.
Growth in the District also brought need for new facilities. A major change came in 1977 with the opening of the Middle School, dedicated on October 16. The High School became 9th-12th grade. The property for the Middle School, known as Wilson Hill, was purchased in 1973.
On October 30,1988 the North Elementary School was dedicated, connected to the Middle School. This later became the North Intermediate School.
Wallenpaupack South Elementary School in Newfoundland was dedicated on October 29, 1989.
Administrative District offices were built adjoining the High School.
On November 20, 1994, the North Primary School was dedicated.
A major renovation to the heating and air conditioning system took place in 2013, bringing geothermal wells to the High School and nearby North Campus, and other energy-saving measures. The mixed match of various additions to the High School through the years created poor efficiency in management of energy and costs.
••• Reflections at the Lake
Spall spoke highly of their faculty, which the District has enjoyed a good record. "We have had a lot of outstanding teachers who gave above and beyond," he said. Academically, he said, Wallenpaupack scores high.
Mrs. Vogler, as a long-time teacher, reflected that the quality of offerings at the Wallenpaupack school has been remarkable, bringing so much to the local student that was not available before.
She spoke very highly of both former Superintendent Thomas Peifer and current Superintendent Michael Silsby. She noted that both of them are from the area, attended Wallenpaupack schools and have truly cared about the schools and their students.
Long time a leader in the teachers' union on the state level and defending the rights of Wallenpaupack's faculty, Vogler said that they have been treated fairly. Teachers are never compensated to the extent that they deserve, while the local school boards have given more than they should, in terms of their budgets. Vogler said they were always able to reach a compromise, and although the teachers had once talked about striking, they never reached that point. "Neither side wins in a strike," she said.
Mrs. Vogler was elected in December to chair the Pennsylvania Public Schools & Retirement System. She retired from teaching last year so she could run for the open seat on their board assigned to a retired school employee.
"I was always proud to be a Wallenpaupack teacher," she said.
Mrs. Kreitner also said that they had a great faculty and administrators through the time she was there.
Spall reflected on the tremendous changes and progress at Wallenpaupack in the last 50 years. Better facilities came with growth. Students have computer stations; language labs were added. Community education classes have flourished, helping make Wallenpaupack a community focal point.
Both the Theater Arts Department and the Athletic Program have grown. Spall said that the presentations of the WAHS Players bring packed crowds in the auditorium.
He made special note of the leadership given by both their former Superintendent Peifer and Superintendent Silsby. He said Peifer managed and Silsby is managing the District incredibly well. "Both (have) had foresight for the future. We have been really fortunate."
He said that from the administration of Superintendent Peifer to the present day, Wallenpaupack has ranked as the 11th or 12th lowest tax district in Pennsylvania. Considering the size of the District, Spall said much credit must go to the good work of adminstration as well as the various elected boards of directors through the years.
As chairman of the board, the 1964 WAHS Buckhorn will once again be seated at the stage when the Class of 2014 assembles for their diplomas.
"I'm proud of my school," Spall said.
=== Wallenpaupack's Alma Mater ===
Near Wallenpaupack's rugged shores
Firmly stands our Alma Mater
With lakes and forests at her doors,
Holding dreams of Chief Paupackan's bravery
There Wallenpaupack e'er will be
A symbol of fidelity.
Through fires and floods and searing wars,
She will guard our country's liberty.
Information on the origin of the Wallenpaupack Area High School Alma Mater is still being researched. Anyone having information is invited to contact Editor Peter Becker at 570-226-4547 or email@example.com.
The Wallenpaupack Area: History of a School District (1997) by George J. Fluhr
Wallenpaupack Area High School archives
Wallenpaupack Historical Society archives of The News Eagle


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The following transit lines have routes that pass near Ketvergių St. - Bus: 11A, 28.
Which public transportation lines pass through Ketvergių St. in Klaipėda, Lithuania and stops near me?
Want to see other transit options? Bus are possible transit options that you may use to get to Ketvergių St.. Choose from this list of lines that pass close to your destination - Bus: 11A, 28.
You can also find live directions to Ketvergių St. or see the closest bus stop or Bus stations near me by downloading the Moovit App.
There's no need to install a bus app to check the bus time, or to download a train app to get train time. Moovit is the only all-in-one transit app that you helps you get where you need to go.
Try Moovit and see why the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store voted us as one of the best public transportation apps available.


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Travel Japan: Our Great Honshu Road Trip
Japan has long been a destination for any traveler dreaming of an excursion in Asia, where teeming mega-cities are offset by ancient temples, and provincial spa towns meet neatly cultivated farm regions and rugged wilderness. A Honshu road trip in Japan is the perfect way to see Japan. Continue Reading →


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ChexSystem is a reporting agency sort of like a credit reporting agency, like Experian, Equifax or TransUnion, but unlike those bureaus, ChexSystems only reports on activity related to deposit accounts, like checking and savings accounts. Often times, people are reported to ChexSystems if they have bounced a series of checks or have an account with an unpaid negative balance.
ChexSystems keeps a report on closed bank accounts and provides that information to banks when a new checking or savings account application is made. ChexSystems doesn't approve or deny accounts, they simply manage a database and provide information to banks.
A bad report can mean a bad day, and shouldn't be taken lightly, so here are the things you need to know about cleaning up your report.
1. Obtain a copy of your report
If you've been denied a banking account such as a checking or savings account, then ChexSystems likely has information about you that banks don't want to hear. To order your report, click here and follow the steps provided. You'll need to share personal information, such as your social security number and driver's license number. Even if you think you already know what the problem might be, order the report to know for sure.
Depending on how many bank accounts you've had in the past, there may or may not be a lot of activity on your report. Look for anything unusual and for any errors. Negative information will generally remain on the report for five years unless the bank contacts ChexSystems to remove it.
2. Write to ChexSystems
If you have had some problems such as accidentally bounced checks or other account activity and you know you are the responsible party, that doesn't mean all hope is lost. If you've paid money owed to a bank, you can dispute the information to try to get it removed. The only catch is that you have to do it in writing using this online form and mailing or faxing it to ChexSystems after carefully filling it out.
Responses on the form are limited to 100 words, or if you live in Maine, 200 words. Be concise, to the point, and above all, keep it business-like and professional. ChexSystems will reject any statements that contain profanity, names of other businesses or people, and each response must solely pertain to the information on the report. ChexSystems also warns that any personal information such as medical issues and other information you provide will be provided to any bank which requests a report in the future. Think very carefully about developing a persuasive, factual argument that won't come back to haunt you later.
ChexSystems is responsible to live up to the regulations laid out in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, so they are obligated to report back on errors to you within 30 days, or 21 days if you are a Maine resident.
3. What to do if your identity has been stolen
If you think you are a victim of identity theft, you have additional rights, but also some additional problems to deal with and steps to take. The Federal Trade Commission has information about your rights. One of the first things to do, in addition to working with ChexSystems, is to file an initial fraud alert and contact contact Equifax, Experian, andTransUnion to make sure everyone is up to date.
Next up is filing an identity theft report to get an extended fraud alert, which will allow you an additional free credit report over the next year to keep an eye out for any additional fraudulent activity and have the reporting agencies block the related information.
You may have to jump through extra hoops, such as contacting debt collectors, but it's worth the time and trouble. A lot of future moves like getting a line of credit, buying a home or a car can rest on how much effort you put into fixing your information early.
This article 3 Quick Ways to Fall Off ChexSystems' Radar So Banks Won't Hate You originally appeared on My Bank Tracker.


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Goshen Players to host auditions for spring show
GOSHEN >> Goshen Players, Inc. announces auditions for "Rumple Who?" Auditions for this hilarious comedy (with music) for Young Audiences will be held Jan. 6-7 at 7 p.m. Callbacks, if needed, will be held Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013 at 7 p.m. All auditions will be held at Old Goshen Town Hall, 2 North Street, Goshen, (at the Rotary, Junction of Routes 4 and 63)
For more information call contact producer Alex Giacin at email@example.com. Performance dates are March 2-3, 9-10 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., with eight performances total.
All actors must commit to the dates and all shows.
Book and Lyrics by Will Bartlett. Directed by Beth Steinberg; Musical Direction by Scott Stanchfield. Brief synopsis: A wonderfully hilarious take on the "Rumplestilskin" Fairy Tale! The greedy Queen wants nothing more than more and more and MORE gold! Her whiny, hen-pecked son, King Henry, needs nothing more than to grow up. The lovely Miller's Daughter wants all her dreams to come true and that scamp, Rumplestilskin, wants nothing more than to make trouble.
Performance dates are March 2-3, 9-10 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., with eight performances total. All actors must commit to the dates and all shows.
Audition requirements: Sing your favorite children's song, read from the script, be prepared to move and have fun! Wear loose fitting clothing and comfortable shoes.
Rehearsal schedules will be announced based on availability of actors and staff.


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calton70 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 106 diseños de 13 diseñadores freelance.
The site will be MyBidConnection.com and will be a service oriented site for bidding on various construction jobs. It will allow free posting of residential and commercial housing/building projects. The site will appeal to a large market - see below. We are going for simple, yet catchy, clean, Web 2.0 - think Twitter.com, and professional (but not boring corporate).
Compare to BidClerk.com - a simple home landing page.
The target audience are home owners, contractors, architects, and commercial developers.
You have full reign of colors and design at this point. As the contest develops, I may direct things towards certain colors.
Logo: MyBidConnection (.com not required)
Tagline: Post. Find. Bid. Connect. ( ** this is not 100% certain at this point and may change ** )
All files must be in vector format - AI and EPS (CS4 acceptable)
Would like to have original copy with fonts included as well - pre creating outlines in the event we change the tagline. I would like versions with outlines as well.
Most likely the logo will appear on white, light grey, or lighter backgrounds
Must be original
Would like a stylized house logo in the design - not just a name mark
Logo will appear mostly online, but may also appear on cards, signs, and billboards
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Comcast spreads cash wide on Hill
There's little that tends to unite a leading liberal like Dick Durbin and a conservative firebrand like Ted Cruz.
But when the two senators join their colleagues for a hearing this month on Comcast's $45 billion bid for Time Warner Cable, many of them will have something in common — they've each collected Comcast cash.
Story Continued Below
The Philadelphia cable giant historically has been a major Beltway player, and it's sure to strengthen its political offense in order to sell the new, controversial megadeal. Yet even before announcing its plans for Time Warner Cable, Comcast had donated to almost every member of Congress who has a hand in regulating it.
( Earlier on POLITICO: Netflix, Comcast cut deal for smoother service)
In fact, money from Comcast's political action committee has flowed to all but three members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Checks have landed in the campaign coffers of Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), who oversee the chamber's antitrust panel.
Meanwhile, the cable giant has donated in some way to 32 of the 39 members of the House Judiciary Committee, which is planning a hearing of its own. And Comcast has canvassed the two congressional panels that chiefly regulate cable, broadband and other telecom issues, donating to practically every lawmaker there — including Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.).
Comcast stresses its donations are a function of its business. "Comcast NBCUniversal operates in 39 states and has 130,000 employees across the country," said spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice. "It is important for our customers, our employees and our shareholders that we participate in the political process. The majority of our PAC contributions are to the senators and members who represent our employees and customers."
( Also on POLITICO: Full technology policy coverage)
But others see Comcast's strategy as more than geography. "Comcast is a very sophisticated political player. They know that the money they give to both Republicans and Democrats buys them access — everybody admits that in Washington today," said Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation. "So they have covered their bases by giving to nearly every single member of the committees that do oversight."
Comcast even in normal years is a major political donor. The company spent more than $3.5 million during 2011 and 2012 on a slew of Democratic and Republican candidates, and it has shelled out just under $2 million already in the 2014 cycle, according to federal records. That's in addition to millions of dollars of lobbying — and big donations to charitable causes and groups — that Comcast has committed to Washington annually.
The company similarly donated to lawmakers and lobbied aggressively on Capitol Hill before winning the government's permission in 2011 to buy NBCUniversal. A stable of congressional allies at the time wrote letters and publicly defended the NBC acquisition.
( Sign up for POLITICO's Morning Tech tip sheet)
With this recent bid to buy Time Warner Cable, Congress again will be a key political battleground — a source of potential support for the company as it submits to a formal review by the Justice Department and FCC.
"Comcast reportedly has an army of over 100 lobbyists ready to swarm Capitol Hill and whose goal is to push this through. Their top priority is Comcast's bottom line — not whether this deal will be good for consumers," said Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) in an email, adding the merger could result in higher prices and less choice for consumers. "There's also a pretty cozy relationship between Comcast and the regulators that will evaluate this deal, which I find troubling."
And many of the lawmakers who might scrutinize Comcast's purchase have received the company's campaign contributions.


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Emotion. Drama. Intrigue. Philosophy. Yes, I'm talking about scientific proposals to ornithological taxonomic authorities. Take, for example, the gem I found in the latest round of proposals to the American Ornithologists' Union's North American Classification Committee.
The proposal, titled "Change English name of Columbina inca from Inca Dove to Aztec Dove," begins thus: "I'm serious." Oh, honey.
"[Inca Dove is] a completely misleading, nonsensical, embarrassing name that should not be perpetuated…. In fact, I wonder how the planet manages to continue to rotate on its axis," continues the author, Dr. Van Remsen, without a trace of melodrama.
Inca Doves (Columbina inca) by triggzBb
The problem, of course, is that the Incas ruled the Andes, but Columbina inca resides in southern North America and Central America, over much of which the Aztecs once ruled. There does not seem to be a good explanation for why a Mesoamerican dove was named for a South American empire.
So, Dr. Remsen, while pointing out that he ordinarily prefers stability in English names, proposes a switch from Inca Dove to Aztec Dove. You can read the whole proposal here.
Honestly, I will be surprised if this proposal passed the committee (we'll find out next month). On the other hand, maybe it struck a chord. I'm on the fence myself. Dr. Remsen clearly feels that continuing to use the name perpetuates ignorance — and perhaps, if I may extend the thought, prejudice.
What do you think? Do you favor the switch? Does continuing to use a nonsensical name makes us dumber, or would the resulting confusion after a switch be worse? Does it open important philosophical and cultural questions, or is it much ado about not much? Weigh in down in the comments section, please. I'd love to hear what you think.
If They change Inca Dove because it doesn't make sense then should they not change Connecticut Warbler, Cape May Warbler and many others as well?
You might want to check your wordpress installation: I happened to look at this page via readability, and it just gave me a load of spammy links about free photoshop downloads and windows keys and suchlike.
Sure, rename the dove. But 1) The Inca was a title passed down through a lineage of rulers, not a name for a people, and 2) "Aztec" is a terminological invention of the nineteenth century. If one wanted to name the bird after a specific group of people, it would have to be "Mexica", "Nahua," etc. All of which sets aside the larger question of what cultural work is done by predominantly white ornithologists naming birds after poorly-defined groups of native americans. What was it about this dove that ever marked it as "Inca(n)"? I think there are larger questions about the relationships of the birding community to indigineous people that this would gloss over.
Well, I might be on the fence, except that given the bird's specific epithet of "inca" (which cannot be changed) it seems unnecessarily confusing to change the English name to something different. I don't think binomials or common names are often looked to as accurate representations of any aspect of human history. I'd rather we quit calling birds from different families "grosbeaks" than worry about people thinking the Incas lived in Mexico.
Say's Phoebe is named (three times: common name and twice in the binomial) is named for an Entomologist…if you want to talk about travesties!
Do it. I'm just a birder, not an ornithologist, so I love watching this stuff happen.
No, lets call it Nahuatl Dove or how about Mesoamerican Columbina? I think that has a great ring to it! Seriously though, the name of this little, long-tailed Columbid is already so well established that we might as well keep calling it an Inca Dove.
I propose that in the year 2020 – after scientists using DNA are more accurately able to place the various species on the evolutionary tree – that we have a wholesale renaming of birds world wide, including scientific names. This way we can clean up a lot of the naming messes of the past. I think birders and scientists will get over the heartburn of these changes quickly enough as we trend toward accuracy.
Though I respect the great ornithologists of history, I too prefer common bird names that differentiate the bird from others rather than being named after and honoring people.
I second Robert's terrific proposal.
Why not give Columbina inca a Nahuatl name? The language group is indigenous to Mesoamerica, and we already use loan words from Nahuatl for animals like the quetzal, the coyote, the ocelot and the axolotl [and for lots of other things, too: tomato, avocado, mesquite, jalapeño]. In Spanish, a number of common bird names come from Nahuatl — the Mourning Dove, if I recall correctly, is Paloma Huilota, from the Nahuatl word for dove, huilotl.
My recommendations for common names:
1. What do the indigenous people call the bird? Use that, or an appropriate variation.
2. No satisfactory indigenous name? Use a name that reflects the bird's range, habitat, voice, behavior or appearance.
But don't give birds common names in honor of scientists, wealthy philanthropists, historical figures or whatever. Scientific names, sure, but no more common names honoring people, please. I will totally throw up if my beloved Mountain Chickadee is ever, in a million years, renamed B… B… [OMG, I can hardly bring myself to say it] "Bailey's Chickadee" [shudder].
How do people relate this proposal to another on the table this year- the one proposing a newly-minted Hawaiian name for the Maui Parrotbill? My first reaction was to be entirely opposed to it. My objection is that the name is new. In most cases, a Hawaiian name was already established before westerners came along and those names rightly precedence.
The discussion on the Inca Dove name change had me rethinking my view in the parrotbill proposal. After all, if we are going to set aside precedent when correcting egregious mistakes, it would be uncharitable to refuse native Hawaiians the opportunity to name their birds, at least the ones they recognized as good species historically. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the native Hawaiians were not aware of the Hawaii Creeper as a species, which is why they never named it. The parrotbill, on the hand, was almost certainly known to them and therefore must have a had a name. Unfortunately, that name was lost.
The name may well be nonsensical but then so are a great many others and that includes scientific names (e.g Larus ridibundus, Larus melanocephalus). Why single out Inca Dove for attention? To suggest changing just this one name is also nonsensical!
The IOU has already made an attempt to bring in 'recommended English names' but has shied away from trying to change some such as American Robin (North American Lawn Thrush perhaps?) because whatever new name is proposed it is unlikely to be accepted and brought into common usage.
As for naming birds based on their appearance, that approach has also landed us with many nonsensical names that refer to features that aren't the most obvious or which can only be detected in the hand.
There is a story about a one-day conference at which all of the world's birds were named. Those that were dealt with in the morning got reasonably sensible names but after the alcoholic lunch…
RE; SAY'S PHEOBE: The old timers were generally wider ranging than just what they published in.
Actually I know many Mexican and Guatemalan birds by scientific name rather than approved (by Whom?) common names. Even more so in insects whose species numbers are huge.
I have a ?. In 1983 went fishing off pacific coast of Guatemala. We were told it was "mal agua" = bad water. Lots of gas bubbles coming to surface. 3 Antarctic skuas, about 75 yaegers(but no long-tailed) and as we trolled fore 30 miles phalaropes as far as we could see. Liturature said they should be off Peru. dDo they locate by smell or by sight?
I like the poetry of descriptive names, like Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Ash-throated Flycatcher. Like Robert, I also don't think birds should be named after people. These are birds not people, and it seems a llittle human-centric, maybe even arrogant, IMO to name birds after people.
Of the 2,078 AOU area species, 126 are named after people. This is 6% of the bird species that are named after people. Personally, I love the descriptive names of the remaining 94%. I propose we rename the 6% to descriptive names.
I think it's kind of silly to say we shouldn't rename the Inca Dove simply because there are already so many other poorly-named birds. That's like saying we shouldn't try to get anything right because there's already so much that's wrong in this world, so why bother? Must we wait for a single all-encompassing proposal to change every bird name in the world before we try changing a single one? Moorhen got changed, and rightly so – so why not Inca Dove?
On the other hand, we may ask how far down the rabbit hole we really want to go. How about renaming Turkey Vultures, Ring-necked Ducks, Summer Tanagers, and American Goldfinches? You can make an argument that none of these names makes sense either.
And is it necessarily the case that a descriptive name is preferable to naming something after an individual in all cases? Do we really want to rename Hermit, Swainson's, and Bicknell's Thrushes? What kind of descriptive names would really be any more helpful or meaningful than those, given the superficial similarity of all these species?
© 2013 10,000 Birds. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise.


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Vega's mask, Hadouken, Chun-Li's wrist cuff, M. Bison, Ryu and Blanka take the place of the steam iron, Scottish terrier, top hat, thimble and the rest of them in the specially commissioned Street Fighter version of Monopoly. Capcom-Unity members chose the six pieces by poll, and they're included with the board game made by USAopoly.
It's supposed to be available on Amazon right now, but it's not. Whether that's because Street Fighter fans raided the stock or the listing popped up before everyone was ready, who knows. But in addition to playing like the regular-old Monopoly board game, the Street Fighter edition will feature 22 iconic fighting arenas from the series' 25-year history. Players will improve the properties (arenas) they own with training rooms and dojos, which sound like houses and hotels to me.
MONOPOLY: Street Fighter Collector's Edition available now + poll results [Capcom-Unity]


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People keep waiting for the "war" to begin in Ukraine. But a 21st century-style war has already begun here, and may be almost over – something that Vladimir Putin seems to understand even if the rest of us do not.
In a world where Youtube, Twitter and Facebook dominate, the overt "hard power" of guns and bullets is no longer as publicly palatable as it once was. Autocratic states prefer to bankrupt dissidents instead of executing them; NGO workers are not "disappeared" but their offices are shut down for zoning irregularities. Nowadays even dictators have to be "post-modern."
Story Continued Below
Putin, schooled in the art of covert power, understands this new world, both instinctively and politically. To adequately comprehend what the Russian president is doing in Ukraine you have to travel across the occupied east, which is both a journey into a country falling apart and a gradual immersion in the realities of Russian geopolitical strategy.
Across eastern Ukraine, city centers are now deserted; checkpoints and barriers control the central thoroughfares while shops and bars are closed. In the industrial town of Sloviansk, the center of the crisis, ATMs are running out of cash and the people wait in line for bread. Gun-toting men mix with bored youths and old women while armored personnel carriers perform tricks in the road — skidding around in circles — for cheering crowds and a man can go from anonymity to self-appointed mayor in the space of a few hours.
Moscow, through its links with local pro-Russia militia and ex-President Viktor Yanukovych's former ruling party as well as its dealings with local oligarchs like billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, has ensured that normal city life has disappeared across Eastern Ukraine. What has replaced it is the perfect mix of institutional chaos and public confusion that is, day by day, separating east from west. The pro-Russia protestors are violent and determined and, occasionally, organized, but they are politically and ideologically hapless: big on rhetoric but short on ideas.
It was the same in each city I visited over the course of an intense ten days: Russian flags fluttered from barricades while amplifiers boomed out marching songs from the Great Patriotic War. Poor, unemployed East Ukrainians reveling in their rebirth as armed "revolutionaries" told me they were ready to resist the "fascist junta" in Kiev and that Putin was "strong" and Russia "great." These emasculated men and women, all yearning to be part of a greater, dimly conceived whole, told me endless stories about attacks on the Russian language but nothing about how their lives might substantively be improved through alliance with Moscow.
In tandem with chaos comes lawlessness. In the cities of Donetsk, Luhansk and Sloviansk I saw not one policeman – not one – at any of the demonstrations I attended or occupied buildings I entered. My investigations (I became determined to find at least one cop in each city I visited) always yielded the same result: the eventual discovery of a few officers loafing in groups or sitting in cars a few streets away.
One night in Dontesk, the sheer scale of the problem became clear to me. I had spent several hours with the pro-Russia demonstrators outside the occupied Regional administration building in what had until that point been a low-key gathering, largely confined to general ill-temper and anti-Kyiv sloganeering. At around midnight one or two of the masked, bat-wielding men who had been warming themselves around fires built on the street suddenly became agitated; they had clearly received some information and began to run to a side road by the building. More and more of their comrades began to run after them and I followed.
Turning the corner I saw that what was now a mob had surrounded a bus filled with policemen parked on the sidewalk and were hurling insults at its occupants, demanding to know what they were doing there. Fearful of inflaming the situation, the police – largely young men in their twenties – remained silent until one officer tapped a text into his phone and held it up to the window. As the crowd surged forward to look, I caught a glimpse of the message: "We are with the people," it read. "We are not going to storm the building."
On the outskirts of Sloviansk, now the center of the east's crisis, things reached their logical conclusion when I encountered a checkpoint on the town's outskirts manned by both pro-Russia militia and the police. "What are the police doing here?" I asked the militia leader, a skinny man with a camouflage cap on his head and a crumpled cigarette dangling from his lips. "Oh, they're with us," came his nonchalant reply. "We are representatives of the people, and they are the people, too."
The region still retains much sympathy for Yanukovych and his Party of Regions. Yanukoych is from the Donbass region and his son, also called Viktor, remains involved in regional politics. Personal and political loyalty to the Yanukovych family is strong in the east and both Donetsk and Luhansk are Party of Regions strongholds. Pro-Russian protesters were invariably eager to let me photograph their party sweatshirts and raincoats.
But it's the mysteriously absent police who arguably matter more. "Yanukovych had especially strong links to the police force," says Nataliya Gumenyuk, a Ukrainian journalist and co-founder of the independent online TV station Hromadske.TV. "The police in East Ukraine have been the most corrupt sphere of local government for a long time; they are politically controlled and on the payroll."
Little surprise, then, that despite their numbers (Ukraine has 300,000 policemen compared with 100,000 soldiers, Kyiv mayoral candidate and former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko told me), for the most part the police have failed to even try to combat the unrest. It is merely the most egregious example of the truth at the heart of the situation in east Ukraine: What remains of Ukrainian national organizations and loyalties are cracking, dissolving, disintegrating.


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Got this shirt from my boss. I guess I've been know to say this phrase a time or two.
Cool shirt but it's a men's and still too big after I shrank it.
No problem!!
Here's what I did.
Good thing there are so many creative, ingenious people out there for me to copy! :)
And this is my new workout shirt.
(please pardon the mess on the chair)
Excuse me while I go lift some weights.
Just kidding, I think I'll have some chocolate. :)


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5 Easy SoundCloud Music Promotion Tips
SoundCloud continues to be a terrific location for music promotion. Taking advantage of SoundCloud's growing community of music lovers should be a strategic practice of all musicians, big and small. Sharing tracks, creating sets, and interacting with other users are all essential parts of good SoundCloud promotion. Add to that commenting, following and group joining, and SoundCloud becomes the online pulse of social music.
Looking at the current success of Skrillex and his presence on SoundCloud, you can't help but get excited about the potential for music discovery that SoundCloud offers. To help gain the most out of SoundCloud and reach the widest audience possible, I've put together some tips and ideas that any musician can easily implement. I call them my 5 Super-Social Easily-Implemented Just-Do-It-Already SoundCloud-Tips.
Tip 1: Share
Sharing your SoundCloud tracks is very important. In today's age of social networking this should not come as a surprise. In fact, this should be second nature by now. When you release a new track or a new set, always remember to share it on Facebook, send out some tweets, embed a HTML5 player on your site, post the music on Tumblr, share the track with SoundCloud users who are not following you already, and send some old-fashioned emails. SoundCloud even lets you connects various networks in their Settings area to assist in this process. Make sure you use it.
Tip 2: Be Free
Everyone likes free stuff, including free SoundCloud downloads. Don't be afraid to release tracks for free every so often. Many people have grown up not even paying for music anymore. And although that can be detrimental to the starving artist, letting a track go for free can have it benefits. Free downloads have a certain type of virality. When the right fans get their hands on them they can spread across the world at a much faster rate than paid tracks. Use free downloads to produce a larger fan base. With a larger fan base, you have a greater chance of selling more music.
Tip 3: Join Groups
Joining groups that are befitting to your musical tastes is both fun and rewarding. When you decide to join a group or submit your tracks, remember to think outside the "dropbox." Submitting tracks to groups that reflect your genre of music is important, but don't forget about location based groups. Targeting SoundCloud groups in your city and state is one technique that many musicians neglect. These groups can help to build a grassroots type audience and provide many opportunities for future gigs. Join only the groups that make the most sense.
Tip 4: Comment
If you've ever had someone comment on one of your tracks then you know the excitement that it generates. Provide that same type of excitement for others. Comment on the SoundCloud tracks of other users in a constructive and sincere way. By taking the time to applaud another artist and extend your support, you are also creating an opportunity to get yourself noticed. I know this may sound self-serving, but that's because it is. We're talking about SoundCloud promotion. Promoting your music is always self-serving. But this does not mean that you should make insincere comments. It does not mean ignore what's happening within the track to blatantly write something about yourself. People most definitely notice when you comment on things. Make sure you're using the right, constructive words.
Tip 5: Follow
Do not hesitate to follow and/or follow back. This is perhaps the most obvious of all 5 Super-Social Easily-Implemented Just-Do-It-Already SoundCloud-Tips. Why? Because following is a recurring action. If another user sees you're following them, guess what, it's very likely that they'll not only follow you back, but also check out your tracks. This leads to more exposure. Maybe they'll happen to love your latest release, download it because you let it go for free, share it around their network, and bring you more fans. A scenario similar to this is not unrealistic.
And so there you have it, my 5 Super-Social Easily-Implemented Just-Do-It-Already SoundCloud-Tips. These tips are nearly effortless and can greatly increase your SoundCloud promotion. Be sure to leave me some feedback in the comments section below. Add a sixth tip, share an awesome SoundCloud experience, or just plug your profile page. Catch you later.
This post was contributed by Konnie Mack of MackAndBrown.com | Music and Tech Blog covering the stories affecting your lifestyle.


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Michael Burton necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 31 diseños de 14 diseñadores freelance.
We're a (very) small group of developers who have built a library that makes life easier for people who develop software for Android, the Google Phone OS. http://www.android.com/
We think other developers will find this library useful too, and we'd like to start promoting it soon. Having a cool logo will be instrumental in making the project appear professional and mature, although as you'll see from the attached materials we're definitely looking for something with a touch of humor and fun.
Because we're open source, we recognize the value of self promotion and would be happy to mention you by name on our site and include a link to your site if you so desire.
We're targeting other developers for google's Android phone. Who are these people? They're geeks with a sense of humor. They're smart. They're nerdy. You probably know some of them. They probably like anime. They hang out in dark rooms, post to IRC channels, and think robots are cool.
We're looking for a logo/icon for our RoboGuice project.
We're looking for something that looks like the Android mascot and plays on the idea of "juice", since one of the technologies we use is called Guice. One thought was to have the robot from the Android logo made to look a bit like a green Jamba Juice or juice box container with a straw sticking out of his head.
Like this: http://tinyurl.com/yjrfto2
* Should be obviously the Android robot
* Should be obviously a juice pun
* Should be usable on the main landing page of the project. So maybe roughly 300-350px square?
* Layered PSD
Nice to Haves:
* Shrinkable to maybe 64px for use as an icon
* It would be fun to make it a robot flying to fight evil, like astroboy or superman
Useful Source Material:
* Concept Sketch: http://tinyurl.com/yjrfto2
* Official Android Logo: http://tinyurl.com/yzdgqoj
* Astroboy concept: http://tinyurl.com/yzfgf7d
Here are some example styles that we like. Do not feel obligated to use these styles, we'd love to see your own personal style come through:
* http://tinyurl.com/yatekcv
* http://tinyurl.com/yevrn3z
* http://tinyurl.com/ydx9mtb
* http://tinyurl.com/yaqq2os
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text: Sanchez Event 781 Albuquerque City Councilor Ken Sanchez attends the May 14, 2010, Shoes-for-Kid event. http://www.cabq.gov/council/images/vargas_payless_event_781.jpg/view http://www.cabq.gov/@@site-logo/seal-small.png Sanchez Event 781 Albuquerque City Councilor Ken Sanchez attends the May 14, 2010, Shoes-for-Kid event. Click to view full-size image… Size: 31KB Navigation Online Services Find Your Councilor Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Agendas, Minutes & Legislation Meeting Schedules Albuquerque City Council Upcoming Meetings & Events Projects Committees Legislation Office of Neighborhood Coordination Council History Albuquerque Police Oversight Board Application Liquor Hearings and Alcohol Permit Applications Vial of Life Albuquerque Bernalillo County Government Commission Old Town Virtual Task Force Albuquerque NeighborWoods images 07-09 Sanchez Event 781 Latest from Twitter Tweets by @ABQCityCouncil Contact Information Michelle Montoya City Council (505) 768-3100 [email protected] Full contact information Most Popular Pages Find Your Councilor Albuquerque City Council Isaac Benton - District 2 Meeting Schedules Trudy E. Jones - District 8