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Friends of Animals
Standards Not Met
- 4
777 Post Road, Suite 205
Darien, CT 06820
777 Post Road, Suite 205
Darien, CT 06820
Standards Not Met
This organization does not meet one or more of the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Click the conclusions section below for more information.
Standards Legend
- Meets Standards
- Standards Not Met
- Did Not Disclose
- Review In Progress
- Unable to Verify
Standards For Charity Accountability
Board Oversight
Oversight of Operations and Staff: Standard 1
Organizations shall have a board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff. Indication of adequate oversight includes, but is not limited to, regularly scheduled appraisals of the CEO's performance, evidence of disbursement controls such as board approval of the budget, fund raising practices, establishment of a conflict of interest policy, and establishment of accounting procedures sufficient to safeguard charity finances.
The organization meets this standard.
Board Size
Number of Board Members: Standard 2
Soliciting organizations shall have a board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.
The organization meets this standard.
Board Meetings
Frequency and Attendance of Board Meetings: Standard 3
An organization shall have a minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation. A conference call of the full board can substitute for one of the three meetings of the governing body. For all meetings, alternative modes of participation are acceptable for those with physical disabilities.
The organization meets this standard.
Board Compensation
Compensated Board Members: Standard 4
Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.
FoA does not meet this Standard because:
- Two members out of the five member board of directors (40%) are compensated either directly or indirectly. The President of the organization is directly compensated, and the other board member is the relative of a paid staff member.
Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest: Standard 5
No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation. Factors that will be considered when concluding whether or not a related party transaction constitutes a conflict of interest and if such a conflict is material, include, but are not limited to: any arm's length procedures established by the charity; the size of the transaction relative to like expenses of the charity; whether the interested party participated in the board vote on the transaction; if competitive bids were sought and whether the transaction is one-time, recurring or ongoing.
The organization meets this standard.
Measuring Effectiveness
Effectiveness Policy
Board Policy on Effectiveness: Standard 6
Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
The organization meets this standard.
Effectiveness Report
Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness: Standard 7
Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.
The organization meets this standard.
Program Expenses
Program Service Expense Ratio: Standard 8
Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.
The organization meets this standard.
Fundraising Expenses
Fund Raising Expense Ratio: Standard 9
Spending should be no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising. Related contributions include donations, legacies, and other gifts received as a result of fund raising efforts.
The organization meets this standard.
Accumulating Funds
Ending Net Assets: Standard 10
Avoid accumulating funds that could be used for current program activities. To meet this standard, the charity's unrestricted net assets available for use should not be more than three times the size of the past year's expenses or three times the size of the current year's budget, whichever is higher.
The organization meets this standard.
Audit Report
Financial Statements: Standard 11
Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. When total annual gross income exceeds $500,000, these statements should be audited in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $500,000, a review by a certified public accountant is sufficient to meet this standard. For charities whose annual gross income is less than $250,000, an internally produced, complete financial statement is sufficient to meet this standard.
The organization meets this standard.
Detailed Expense Breakdown
Detailed Functional Breakdown of Expenses: Standard 12
Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities. If the charity has more than one major program category, the schedule should provide a breakdown for each category.
The organization meets this standard.
Accurate Expense Reporting
Accuracy of Expenses in Financial Statements: Standard 13
Accurately report the charity's expenses, including any joint cost allocations, in its financial statements. For example, audited or unaudited statements which inaccurately claim zero fund raising expenses or otherwise understate the amount a charity spends on fund raising, and/or overstate the amount it spends on programs will not meet this standard.
The organization meets this standard.
Budget Plan
Budget: Standard 14
Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
The organization meets this standard.
Fundraising & Info
Truthful Materials
Misleading Appeals: Standard 15
Have solicitations and informational materials, distributed by any means, that are accurate, truthful and not misleading, both in whole and in part. Appeals that omit a clear description of program(s) for which contributions are sought will not meet this standard. A charity should also be able to substantiate that the timing and nature of its expenditures are in accordance with what is stated, expressed, or implied in the charity's solicitations.
The organization meets this standard.
Annual Report
Annual Report: Standard 16
Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
The organization meets this standard.
Website Disclosures
Web Site Disclosures: Standard 17
Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.
The organization meets this standard.
Donor Privacy
Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy: Standard 18
Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.
The organization meets this standard.
Cause Marketing Disclosures
Cause Related Marketing: Standard 19
Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).
The organization meets this standard.
Complaints: Standard 20
Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fund raising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues.
The organization meets this standard.
Friends of Animals does not meet the following 1 Standards for Charity Accountability:
Standard 4 - Compensated Board Members
Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.
FoA does not meet this Standard because:
- Two members out of the five member board of directors (40%) are compensated either directly or indirectly. The President of the organization is directly compensated, and the other board member is the relative of a paid staff member.
Friends of Animals meets the remaining 19 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Year, State Incorporated
1957, New York
Primarily Primates, Inc.
Stated Purpose
"to cultivate a respectful view of nonhuman animals, free-living and domestic; to free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation."
FoA operates a spay-neuter program to help pet owners avoid the high costs of altering in order to reduce overpopulation of cats and dogs. In 2015, the organization reports that they spayed-neutered more than 27,000 cats and dogs. FoA reports that as part of their animal protection program, their successful lawsuit against the US Fish & Wildlife Service challenged the hunting of three endangered African antelope species at fenced hunting ranches. The organization also works in West Africa to secure protection for wild chimpanzees in their natural homelands. One Senegal project involves digging wells as a solution to the competition between humans and chimps over access to water. FoA reports that they are funding an island-refuge a national park in Gambia, which is home to more than 100 chimpanzees. Project staff monitors chimps and provide protection, extra food, and other care when needed. The park also supports manatees, hippos, baboons, monkeys and birds. In addition, the organization operates, Primarily Primates, a San Antonio-based sanctuary, which is home to 400 residents including 60 chimpanzees, 32 species of other primates, birds, wild cats, and more. Some ($135,924 or 5%) of FoA's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.
|Spaying and neutering costs
|Public information and animal protection costs
|Total Program Expenses:
Governance & Staff
Chief Executive
Priscilla Feral, President
Chair of the Board
Carol Fleischmann
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Psychotherapist; Founder and President, Partnership of Women Entrepreneurs
Board Size
Paid Staff Size
*2014 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Method(s) Used:
Direct mail, print advertisements, grant proposals, Internet appeals, and planned giving.
FoA incurred joint costs of $284,860 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs $148,936 was allocated to fund raising expenses and $135,924 was allocated to program expenses.
Fundraising costs were 5% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $4,522,346, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)
Tax Status
This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
The following information is based on FoA's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2015.
|Source of Funds
|Spay and neuter certificates issued, net
|Investment income
|Miscellaneous income
|Change in value of trusts
|Merchandise and literature sales
|Total Income
- Programs: 90%
- Fundraising: 5%
- Administrative: 5%
|Total Income
|Program expenses
|Fundraising expenses
|Administrative expenses
|Total expenses:
|Income in Excess of Expenses
|Beginning Net Assets
|Ending Net Assets
|Total Liabilities
|Total Assets
Note: According to the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2015, FoA received $79,871 in contributed advertising.
An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.
This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.


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Davenport College paralegal certification
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Learn about Davenport College paralegal certification, and registering for discussion sections and departmental seminars. As a student, your first stop should be the registrar's office, where you can pick up a free copy of both the academic calendar and course catalog, in order to find available credit classes that you may be interested in taking. It may surprise you that it's possible to enroll for a full-time course load, without having any 8am classes at all. Finally, check with your major department for assistance with prerequisites, tuition payment deadlines, and Davenport College legal studies information. Please use the form above to request admissions info for Davenport College.
Paralegals work in law firms, under the supervision of a lawyer, and assist attorneys by reducing case loads, investigating the facts of cases, and performing legal research. Ranked as one of the best jobs in America by CNN, job opportunities in the paralegal field are plentiful, due to rising legal fees, and the fact that more clients are demanding the use of paralegals. Court reporting is an alternative career path, involving transcription during court trials, depositions, and other legal proceedings. Some court reporters provide captioning for television and real-time translation in business meetings, or in classrooms.
A paralegal may draft pleadings, deposition notices, subpoenas, and prepare briefs. Paralegals may assist in preparing depositions, administrative proceedings, and other legal documents. Job duties may include filing documents with the court, and assisting at hearings and trials. However, paralegals cannot give legal advice, represent a client in court, establish legal fees, or sign any legal documents. Paralegals generally possess at a minimum, a 2-year associates degree, a bachelor?s degree, or a paralegal certificate. Beyond consideration for Davenport College paralegal certification, you may think about Cuyahoga Community College changing majors for complementary electives to your primary course of study.
Admissions Representative
Centura College
Prefer prior admissions experience at a private for profit college or technical school. Centura College - Chesapeake, VA.
5 hours ago Undergrad Admissions Counselor
Yeshiva University
The Admissions Counselor will support student recruitment and participate in the admissions decision process.
5 days ago International Admissions Officer, Admissions
Columbia College Chicago
Route admission files appropriately. Columbia College Chicago is an EEO Employer. Assess the eligibility of applicants for admission.
2 days ago Student Affairs
The Art Institutes
Coordinate New Student Orientation in cooperation with Admissions, Education and Student Affairs staff and promote a successful transition to college life.
16 hours ago Student Loan Customer Service Rep
Delta Management Associates, Inc.
1 year experience or more in debt collection/recovery, sales, finance, accounting, accounts payable/receivable, banking, college admissions, or customer-service.
12 hours ago

subset: commoncrawl


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Mark your Calendar: Another Level Ministries Holy Convocation 2010
Senior Pastor Ishmael Wilson and the Another Level Ministries celebrate Holy Convocation 2010. Two years ago, Another Level Ministries opened its doors in the Capitol Heights neighborhood. This ministry brought new life to a neighborhood that many people had begun to write off. Holy Convocation 2010 brings some awesome people of faith, from The Temple of Praise Pastor Lamar Staples, Soteria Christian Center Pastor Eric Avery, The Life Changing Church Pastor Herbert H. Jackson, Jr., Lion of Judah Church (LOJ) Bishop-Elect Frank L. Gibson, III, and Grace and Truth Bible Church Pastor Matt Anderson. I am definitely marking my calendar for this event!!
Date: March 2, 2010-March 7, 2010
Time: 7:30pm (Nightly)
Place: Another Level Ministries
8839 Walker Mill Road
Capitol Heights, Maryland 20743
Website: www.anotherlevelministries.org


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Cameron Diaz has opened up about her father's death last year, insisting the tragedy has helped make her a stronger person.
Emilio Diaz died suddenly at the age of 58 from complications with pneumonia in April 2008 and the Hollywood star admits the sad news had a profound effect on her.
But she has managed to move on from the tragedy and learned to appreciate all the good times she shared with her beloved dad.
She tells Vogue magazine, "I think emotionally it definitely took its toll. It's the human experience. You know, that's what the heart does.
"Things are given to us, and things are taken away. And I think the heart becomes stronger, more capable."


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Concourse (A Five Boroughs novel)Santino Hassell
Ashton Townsend is the most famous celebutante of Manhattan's glitterati. The black sheep of his wealthy family, he's known for his club appearances, Instagram account, and sex tape. Most people can't imagine him wanting for anything, but Ashton yearns for friendship, respect, and the love of his best friend—amateur boxer Valdrin Leka.More »
Kinky SprinklesL.A. Witt
Joel has finally walked away from his abusive ex and is ready to meet new people. But that isn't easy for a guy who's shy, self-conscious, and struggling with his body image.
Andre has wanted Joel since the first time he laid eyes on him, and finally Joel is single. But Andre is a Dom and a sadist, and Joel is unapologetically vanilla. There's no happy medium—either Andre reins in the kinky side that took him years to accept, or Joel grits his teeth and subjects himself to kinks that aren't his thing. No matter who bends, someone's going to be unhappy.More »
All the Wrong Places (A Bluewater Bay Novel)Ann Gallagher
Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn't meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.More »
Stealing InnocentsCari Waites, Lisa Henry
Those who dare to scratch the surface of ordinary, everyday life may be horrified to find a sick underbelly beneath—a nightmare world populated by villains and victims, predators and prey, where the rules of society no longer apply.More »
Rough Road (A Lake Lovelace Novel)Vanessa North
Eddie Russell is many things: A wealthy pillar of the community. An outrageous flirt. A doting best friend. A masochist with a kink for brawling with his bedmates. But he is definitely not a man who invites intimacy. His friends are close but few, his lovers rarer still.More »
The Harder They FallLisa Henry, Heidi Belleau
Tad's trust fund buys him anything and everything he wants. But all the cash in his pocket can't keep boredom at bay, so he finds his way to the Address, the city's most exclusive brothel. Tad is ready to play—the man who walks through the door is supposed to be at Tad's mercy for the rest of the evening.More »
On the Clock (A Market Garden Novel)Aleksandr Voinov, L.A. Witt
When Blake Raleigh's favorite rentboys retire from Market Garden, they're sure their friend Jason will be a perfect replacement. Though Tristan and Jared are a tough act to follow, Blake returns to London to test out their recommendation.
Jason is right on the money. Negotiations turn him on. Getting paid turns him on. The higher the stakes, the hotter things get. Each trip to London is more expensive than the last, and the webcam sessions don't run cheap, but Jason is well worth the sticker shock.More »
For Real (A Spires Story)Alexis Hall
Laurence Dalziel is worn down and washed up, and for him, the BDSM scene is all played out. Six years on from his last relationship, he's pushing forty and tired of going through the motions of submission.
Then he meets Toby Finch. Nineteen years old. Fearless, fierce, and vulnerable. Everything Laurie can't remember being.More »
Rules to Live ByHeidi Belleau, Anah Crow, Dianne Fox, Lisa Henry, Cari Z, Anna Zabo
Four intimate tales of power exchange, discipline, risks taken, and pleasures earned.
A list of rules to live by.
Not Fade Away (Hell or High Water, #3.5)SE Jakes
Truth or dare.
Ever since superspy Cillian moved into Prophet's building, their game of Steal the Couch has been funny to Prophet, but a thorn in Tom's side. Then Prophet gets bored one night during an ice storm and insists on playing another simple game with Tom: Truth or Dare. In exchange for one of Prophet's truths, Tom steals the couch one last time.More »


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Dale Watson's El Rancho Azul enlivens the heart pulsating within roadhouse honky-tonk music. The legendary Austin-based singer-songwriter's new collection backs healthy bravado with equal measures warmth and wit and swiftly chases every measure with a buoyant two-step beat.
"I recorded the record before I came up with the title," Watson says. "El Rancho Azul is a real ranch outside of Dallas. Some friends own it, and we play up there, and it just has the same vibe as the record does."
The 50-year-old spoke to CMT Edge about the new album, recording at legendary Pedernales and Sun studios and his upcoming hometown appearances at South by Southwest in Austin.
CMT Edge: Does El Rancho Azul have a common lyrical theme?
Watson: Well, there are a lot of drinking songs. (laughs)
Right. So how much truth is in songs like "I Lie When I Drink" and "I Drink to Remember"?
Well, actually, that "Lie When I Drink" song came from a guy in the audience at the Continental Club. We play the Continental every Monday night in Austin. Some guy just hollered out when I was talking, "You lie when you drink!" I said, "That's a good idea for a song title." So I just kind of wrote it onstage there. There isn't any story behind that other than I thought that was a good title.
How essential is drinking to country music?
(laughs) Well, essential? I wouldn't call it essential, but if you're gonna write a drinking song, I think it's essential that you drink. (laughs)
How does this album represent your evolution as a songwriter?
I could probably accuse myself of writing the same songs over and over, but I think these are the better songs that I've written in this vein. These are the best honky-tonk songs I've written in a long time. This is probably the best example of that.
Where do you do your best writing?
I write best onstage. Yeah, I get more inspiration from the crowd and the vibe wherever we're at. Making up songs onstage is definitely the best place to write.
Are you able to write a whole song onstage, or do you finish them later?
I do the whole thing onstage. I usually get my iPhone out and push record and go back through it later and try to remember what I said.
What'd you do before you had the iPhone?
I just had to remember it. I'd probably do the song twice in a night, so I'd remember the melody.
Tell the story behind writing "Daughter's Wedding Song."
There's always a father-daughter dance in the weddings I've played. I've been doing "The Farmer's Daughter" by Merle Haggard usually, but that song talks about the mom dying. It's not as cheery as I'd like. So I thought I should write one. My daughters aren't married or anything, but when I was writing it, I was certainly thinking about them.
Describe recording the new album at Pedernales Studio.
Willie [Nelson]'s studio, yeah. This is probably the sixth or seventh album I've recorded there, maybe more. Recording at Willie's is always relaxing, to say the least. It's the closest thing I have to a home recording studio because I've been there so much. It's really comfortable, plus they're always upgrading this and that.
Willie comes in there quite a bit. One of the days while we were recording the new album, he came in. He still writes and records a lot, and he likes to see what's going on in his studio. Getting to hang out with him is a little fringe benefit.
How does working at Sun Studio compare?
Oh, they're light years apart. Being in Sun Studio is … aw, man … like recording in the Grand Ole Opry or something. There's an unmistakable sound. Not a lot of studios have their own sound, especially nowadays. Being in Sun Studio, you get a sound, but I don't think you get that if you're playing a different type of music. The kind of music I play lends itself to that sound. You know, the band U2 recorded there, but you couldn't really tell the difference. They could've done it anywhere in the world.
At the same time that El Rancho Azul comes out in the States, Dalevis: Sun Sessions 2 will be out in Europe. What impact has Sun had on country music today?
I just think that it's everywhere. The sound is timeless. That's where its impact is. It's giving you a timeless sound and letting people know that roots is still alive and well. It's still something that people can hear and draw a straight line to the roots.
What do you draw from the Sun guys like Elvis and Roy Orbison?
Oh, man, they're the real singers. They're definitely influences of mine. Whenever I write a song that's got a Johnny Cash or Elvis vibe, I definitely hear that in my head when I'm writing the song. When I'm singing it, I'm sure I lean that way, as well.
Your website says you play "explicit hardcore country music." Explain.
(laughs) Well, what it is, is songs about living, dying, loving, taxes and war and hate and electrocution. It's just about life, really. Explicit doesn't mean there's cussing in it, just that it's not candy-coated stuff that you hear in a lot of modern country music. It still deals with life, the bad side as well as the good side.
You mentioned the Continental. How essential are your residencies there and at the Broken Spoke and Ginny's Little Longhorn as a working musician?
Oh, they're very essential. When we're home, I'm able to get the guys paid. I'm pretty lucky where I have mailbox money coming in from songs and some from commercials and acting, but my guys depend on me to keep them working.
Will that keep you in Austin for a while?
Oh, yeah, I'm staying in Austin. Austin's home to me. I like it there. I travel enough where sometimes I feel like I don't live there, but it's home. That's where I'm staying.
Are you playing South by Southwest this year?
Oh, yeah. I'll be all over. As a matter of fact, I'll be doing a live record at (Ginny's Little Longhorn's) Chicken Shit Bingo. I'll probably do a Chicken Shit Bingo tour of honky-tonks with my Chicken Shit Bingo band. (laughs) I know you can't say that on CMT, but we are definitely doing a live record at South by Southwest that Sunday. It's 4 in the afternoon to 8. Please swing by.


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|"be consistent"
Re: Arguements for upgrading from Perl 5.8by admiral_grinder (Pilgrim)
|on Nov 18, 2011 at 14:38 UTC ( #938843=note: print w/replies, xml )
|Need Help??
The question is are you able to do it and prove it to your boss that there is low risk? Do you have good automated tests? At least enough do demonstrate that 'it mostly likely will work, until users do something screwy'?
My argument would be that as you expand the code you are going to want to use some new feature or bug fix and then that is going to cascade into dependency hell trying to get it supported.
200 CPAN modules shouldn't be an issue unless you don't archive them and have a list of supported versions. I had an app that by the end of 3 days required me finding and installing 125 modules. That led me to come up with an XML file that would describe what modules I wanted, what the dependencies where and other things I needed to consider. I then took a few days to create a script that would read it, build, test, and install modules. Only took about 2 weeks of active use to work out all the bugs in it, but I use it all the time now with no issues (unless a module has a screwy install).
I believe it would be better in Ubuntu to setup a new Perl instead of one of 200 CPAN modules borking up the system. While the CPAN shell is nice about resolving dependencies, you don't really realize how big some of those trees are (XML::Compare needs at least 18 modules). Alternative is to make a new location for CPAN modules in your app and make sure your privileges are read only on your system perl.
In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom


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National Autism Association Announces the Launch of Its "Big Red Safety Box" Program to Combat Wandering
Apr 20, 2011, 10:21 ET from National Autism Association
NIXA, Mo., April 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In an ongoing effort to combat the rise in wandering-related tragedies and deaths within the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) community, the National Autism Association (NAA) announced today its launch of the "Big Red Safety Box Program" made possible by a generous grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation. The safety box is designed to provide caregivers wandering-prevention educational materials and tools. Wandering, elopement, "running" or fleeing incidents within the autism community have led to a rise in fatalities among those with ASD.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090918/NAALOGO)
Yesterday, authorities found the body of Blake Murrell, a four-year-old boy with autism who went missing in Payne County, Oklahoma. In 2010, ten children with autism died following a wandering incident. According to news reports, four children in the U.S. have died this year, and there are two known cases abroad. Adam Benhamama, a three-year-old boy with autism from Quebec has been missing since early April. "We see a lot of wandering-related fatalities among younger children with ASD," says NAA Executive Director Rita Shreffler. "They tend to be especially vulnerable as warmer months approach." Shreffler added that general wandering incidents within the ASD population are not uncommon. "During summer months we'll see four to five cases a week," she says.
While there has been no official tracking of wandering-related incidents involving individuals diagnosed with autism, in an online poll conducted by NAA in 2007, 92% of parent respondents said their children with autism have a tendency to wander. A 2008 study from Denmark found that the mortality rate within the autism population is twice as high as in the general population. In 2001, a California research team attributed elevated death rates among people with autism in large part to drowning. Drowning, prolonged exposure, and other wandering-related factors remain among the top causes of death within the autism population. "People with wandering tendencies can be gone in the blink of an eye despite even the most diligent supervision," says NAA President Wendy Fournier. "It is our hope that these safety tools and resources will better prepare caregivers to ensure that they do not experience the devastation that can result from wandering-related incidents."
The Safety Box will include educational materials, door alarms, a waterproof ID, and visual prompts to deter children and adults from exiting their homes or classrooms. Regardless of any tools caregivers may have in place, NAA says it's critical that caregivers maintain close supervision and security in all settings. "Wandering prevention takes a multi-faceted approach, and because different types of wandering exist, there is no one answer in solving this issue," added Fournier.
Those diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and who are at risk of wandering/bolting from a safe environment, qualify to receive a Big Red Safety Box while supplies allow. To apply, visit http://nationalautismassociation.org/bigredsafetybox.htm
The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation was founded in 1954 to provide other nonprofit organizations with a means to educate the public about the needs of children across the nation. To date, they have provided over $9 million to help children in need in this country. To learn more, visit http://www.cwf-inc.org/
The National Autism Association is the leading voice of the ASD wandering issue. In 2008, NAA released its first article addressing the lack of Emergency Alert System Coverage for minors with developmental disabilities through Federal AMBER Alert guidelines & State Silver Alert guidelines. Minors with autism and developmental disabilities who may wander currently do not qualify for AMBER Alerts unless a known abduction has taken place.
In 2009, NAA launched its FOUND Program, which provides funding to law enforcement agencies for tracking programs such as Project Lifesaver and LoJack SafetyNet.
In April and October of 2010, NAA brought the ASD wandering issue before the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), requesting urgent action be taken to combat wandering-related incidents in the ASD community. The group asked for data collection, federally-backed educational materials, parent outreach, assistance in obtaining AMBER Alert coverage for minors with autism, an ICD-9 medical diagnostic code dedicated to wandering, first-responder training, mandatory parental notification of wandering incidents in schools, and urgent federal support. The group also urged IACC to form a subcommittee dedicated solely to ASD safety issues. Also in 2010, NAA launched the Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts & Education (AWAARE) Collaboration and the http://awaare.org web site as a central source for wandering-prevention information and materials.
The organization's mission is to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential. For more information, visit nationalautism.org.
Rita Shreffler, NAA (Nixa, MO) 417-818-9030
Lori McIlwain, NAA (Cary, NC) 919-741-1646
SOURCE National Autism Association


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PING G Series SF Tec Fairway
Custom-engineered with weight closer to the heel, a lighter swing weight, and higher lofts for players whose typical miss is to the right, the G SF Tec produces right-to-left shot bend. A lower lead edge helps slide the clubface under the ball so impact occurs higher on the face. Discretionary weight saved by thinning the crown was used to lower the CG, increase forgiveness, and make it easy to get the ball in the air, even when struck lower on the face.
Carpenter 455 steel has a high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for a thinner, variable-thickness, precision-machined face that increases flexing for fast ball speeds, high launch and greater distance. A unique process adds friction to the face to reduce spin.
To fine tune your launch conditions prior to a round, adjust the loft up to ±1° using Trajectory Tuning 2.0, which utilizes a lightweight, aerodynamic and high-strength 7075 aluminum hosel sleeve. Turbulators on the crown give the ball a captured appearance and aid in alignment.
Additional Information
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PING G Series Fairway
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Special Price $197.00
PING Anser Fairway Wood
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PING G Series Hybrid
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PING G400 SF Tech Fairway Wood


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St. Mary Parish began using Fast ForWord products in the 2006-2007 school year with eight elementary schools. Over the next few years they continually expanded until they had a full district implementation by 2009-2010. Overall, Fast ForWord and Reading Assistant products were used by almost 6,000 St. Mary Parish students by 2010.
This study investigates the changes during that time to the district's performance on the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program, or LEAP for short. This test is given to 4 thand 8 thgrade students. The following analyses consider four main subtests: English/Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science.
After implementing Fast ForWord products, the St. Mary 4 thgrade passing rate for ELA converged upon, and then exceeded the state average. After Fast ForWord was introduced, the percentage of the district's students passing the LEAP Math test increased dramatically. The 4 thgrade Science test exhibits the same trend as does the 4 thgrade Social Studies test.
The gap in passing rates between black and white students has also been reduced for both the elementary English and elementary Math LEAP tests. There has also been a longitudinal increase in the percentage of 4 thgraders meeting the overall promotion standard since Fast ForWord products were introduced - from 65% in 2006 to 85% in 2010.
Following Fast ForWord implementation, district LEAP performance approached and then exceeded the state average in all four subjects. The performance gap between black and white students closed significantly. And finally, the 4th grade promotion rates steadily increased.
For more information, please see the Educator Briefing on this study as well as any of our 200+ additional reports on Fast ForWord software results. If you have questions about any of our research studies, please contact us.
Related Reading:
Can Scientific Learning Products Improve School Test Scores?
Over 45% Relative Improvement in Students Reaching Proficiency
Dr. Donald Aguillard: Improving Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) Scores in St. Mary Parish Schools
A research study was conducted in Western Australia to evaluate the use of Fast ForWord productsfor improving language and literacy skills. This study was conducted by educators at four primary schools in a major metropolitan area of Western Australia. Clinicians with Sonic Hearing, a local private practice, supported the educators with training and expert assistance in Fast ForWord implementation. Across the four schools, 144 students participated in the study.
At the beginning and end of the study, the students' language and literacy skills were assessed by school personnel, using a battery of tests from the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals and the Queensland University Inventory of Literacy.
The study was conducted using a randomized controlled trial design. Half of the students were randomly assigned to an intervention group, and only the students in this group used the Fast ForWord products during the study. The remaining students were assigned to a control group. Students in the control group did not use the Fast ForWord products until after the study. Research evaluators such as the What Works Clearinghouse consider this type of study to provide strong evidence about an intervention's effectiveness. The randomized controlled trial design is also known as a "Gold Standard Study."
The intervention group used the Fast ForWord products for an average of 9 weeks – typically working 50 minutes per day, 5 days per week. Most of the students used two Fast ForWord products, starting on Fast ForWord Language, or Fast ForWord Middle & High School, and then advancing to Fast ForWord Language to Reading.
Scores from the test battery were combined for statistical analysis. The results of this analysis showed that, on average, the students who used Fast ForWord made significantly greater language and literacy gains than the students who did not. These results suggest that using the Fast ForWord products strengthened the students' foundational skills and better positioned them to benefit from the classroom curriculum.
For more information, please see the Educator Briefingon this study as well as any of our 200+ additional reports on Fast ForWord results. If you have questions about any of our research studies, please contact us.
When making a buying decision about educational software for a school or district, one of the most important questions to ask is whether the product is effective. Administrators considering the Fast ForWord® and Reading Assistant™ programs want to know: Do they help students learn and succeed? Do they improve school test scores? Are they evidence-based?
The answer to all of these questions is yes. Scientific Learning programs have been proven to improve language, reading, and cognitive skills as well as to improve school test scores on state assessments and other standardized tests for schools that follow the prescribed protocols. Our Scientifically Based Research page is your starting point for exploring the 200+ studies that have evaluated the effectiveness of the programs and that serve as evidence of improved learning outcomes.
On average, students can see a 1-2 year improvement in reading level on school test scores in as little as 8-12 weeks. English language learners, struggling readers, and special education students have all been positively impacted. So have students performing at grade level and above.
Here are just a few examples:
Dallas Independent School District, TX (View PDF)
St. Mary Parish Public School System, LA (View PDF)
Bridges Academy, Winter Springs, FL (View PDF)
The benefits of Scientific Learning products go beyond improving state assessment scores. Researchers have measured improvements in self-esteem, communication skills such as vocabulary and pronunciation, improvements in listening and understanding, and stronger memory for things like phone numbers and event sequences. Review our scientifically based researchfor detailed information.
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In your view, how safe are the high-rise constructions going-on these days in Kathmandu Valley considering earthquake scenario?
(A 12-Storeyed Reinforced Concrete (RC) Frame Structured Building Under-Construction)
Posted by BREINS Structural Care on 6-NOV-2010
Key Words : Ring of Fire, Plate Tectonics, Continental Plates, Convergent Plates Boundary, Divergent Plates Boundary, Transform Plates Boundary, Fault Planes, Seismic Codes, Seismic Coefficient Method, Soil Structure Interaction, Soil Amplification Effect, Site Specific Response Analysis, Liquefaction, Local Site Effect, Ductility Demand, Drift Limitations, Pounding Effect, Response Spectra Curves, Seismic Control Systems, Poor Construction Practices, Social and Legal Aspects in Construction
Excerpts :
"Kathmandu Valley is in highly vulnerable situation not only due to its geographical location across the globe and its geological conditions but also due to weaker structures built on it in our part. Design and construction practices have not evolved as per the technological advancement and the building design codes adopted are also obsolete"
"Concerned government authorities have made it mandatory to submit the Structural Design Drawings of high‐rises for construction approval. But it is NOT mandatory to be designed by Structural Engineers. In such, public seem to be perplexed to hire the Structural Engineers where Civil Engineers are practicing such designs using simplistic codal approach neglecting the Local soil effect, Building Dynamics, Structural Ductility and many more factors those are essential for structural safety. Design prepared using such simplistic approach could be highly inaccurate hence unsafe in earthquakes"
"Critical structures as Hospitals, Telecommunication buildings, Government offices & other Community building structures should be designed so that it basically remains elastic; which could be reoccupied immediately. Immediate Occupancy should be its performance level. Only minor damages are allowed. Such structures couldn't offer damages as they need to remain operational even after major earthquake"
"WE must not forget that recent Chilean Earthquake of magnitude Mw 8.8 claimed about 800 human lives whereas Haitian earthquake Mw 7.0 claimed more than 200, 000 human lives. Of course this huge difference in casualties was due to the non‐engineered buildings in Haiti which could have been saved by the use of proper technology"
(Please download the following PDF file link for complete comment on the topic)


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Melting Ice Experiment
Our countdown to Christmas continues for day 23 of Advent. I'm sharing a Christmas science idea with you at the beginning of each day until Christmas. Day 23's activity is a Melting Ice Experiment.
Melting Ice Experiment
In our snow science experiment, we looked at which location would melt the snow first. The difference between the locations was their temperature. What if we kept the location temperatures the same – could something else effect how quickly the snow {or ice since all of our snow is gone} melted? This experiment looks at conduction. Which surfaces conduct/transfer heat more easily?
Here's what you need:
- a variety of surfaces made of different materials
- metal {like a pot or pan}
- plastic {like a cutting board, a lid, or a bowl}
- paper {like a paper plate}
- glass {like a bowl or a cutting board}
- etc
- ice
Choose a variety of surfaces for your ice to melt on. Compare metal, plastic, glass, and paper to see which makes a better conductor of heat. We used two different plastic cutting boards, a glass cutting board, a paper plate, a plastic lid, a glass bowl, and a metal pot.
Before placing the ice on the surfaces, have your child place his hand on the different materials. Which one feels the coldest? Which one feels the warmest? We used a thermometer to test the surface temperatures. They were all around room temperature {between 71 and 74°F}. The metal pot was cooler to the touch than the other surfaces.
Ask your child to make a hypothesis {a prediction} about where the ice will melt faster. On which surface will the ice melt the fastest? Do you think it's the surface that felt the warmest? Or maybe it's the surface that felt the coolest? Or maybe one of the other surfaces?
Add the ice cubes to the surfaces. Which ice cube begins to melt first? How long does it take? Which one melts next?
The ice cube in the metal pot was the first to melt. It happened very quickly. The other ice cubes took much longer to melt.
Our next ice cube to barely begin to melt was on the thin glass cutting board. The other ice cubes were still frozen. This is what the ice cube in the metal pot looked like.
Why did the ice in the metal pot melt first? The metal pot was the best conductor of heat. Conduction is the transfer of heat through a material {object, air, liquid}. The material itself doesn't move. Heat moves from a high temperature material to a lower temperature material. The metal pot allowed the heat to move from the room through the pot and to the ice more easily than the other surfaces.
I'll see you tomorrow for Day 24's Christmas science activity.
More Christmas Activities for Kids
- Catch all of our Christmas Science Advent Calendar ideas.
- Explore pine needles and Christmas trees and take our Christmas science challenge.
- Turn your child's art into a great Christmas project with these 15 Christmas ideas with children's art.
- Check out all of our Christmas ideas.
Stay connected with Inspiration Laboratories so you don't miss a thing! We're on Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, or Facebook . You can also subscribe to my posts by e-mail.
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Traveling Luck for Fagernesfjellet, Nordland, Norway
Where is Fagernesfjellet?What's around Fagernesfjellet?
Wikipedia near Fagernesfjellet
Where to stay near Fagernesfjellet
Also known as Fagernesfjell
The timezone in Fagernesfjellet is Europe/Oslo
Sunrise at 07:47 and Sunset at 16:22. It's Dark
Latitude. 68.4169°, Longitude. 17.5281° , Elevation. 1269m
Weather near Fagernesfjellet; Report from Evenes, 36.9km away
Weather :
Temperature: -9°C / 16°F
Wind: 11.5km/h Southeast
Cloud: No cloud detected
Weather :
Temperature: -9°C / 16°F
Wind: 11.5km/h Southeast
Cloud: No cloud detected
Satellite map around Fagernesfjellet
Loading map of Fagernesfjellet and it's surroudings
Geographic features & Photographs around Fagernesfjellet, in Nordland, Norway
- populated place;
- a city, town, village, or other agglomeration of buildings where people live and work.
- Fagernes (3.1km)
- Kvitsandøyra (3.4km)
- Silsand (4km)
- Holmen (4.1km)
- Narvik (4.4km)
- Orhaugen (4.7km)
- Bromsgård (4.8km)
- Millerjord (4.9km)
- Nyborg (5.1km)
- Lyngneset (5.1km)
- Slåttvikstrand (5.2km)
- Finnbekken (5.2km)
- Laukvik (5.9km)
- Haugen (6.1km)
- Ankenes (6.1km)
- Beisfjord (6.2km)
- Framnes (6.4km)
- Øyjorda (6.4km)
- Kvitevik (6.6km)
- Marka (6.7km)
- Trældal (7.2km)
- point;
- a tapering piece of land projecting into a body of water, less prominent than a cape.
- Orneset (4.2km)
- Skarveneset (4.4km)
- Jektneset (5.3km)
- Øyjordneset (5.8km)
- Aspeneset (5.9km)
- Ankeneset (6.1km)
- Leirvikneset (6.1km)
- Framnesodden (6.4km)
- Kalvikneset (6.7km)
- Framnes (6.7km)
- locality;
- a minor area or place of unspecified or mixed character and indefinite boundaries.
- Storstein (3.8km)
- Litlekleivhamaren (3.9km)
- Kleivhamaren (4.1km)
- Kleiva (4.4km)
- cove(s);
- a small coastal indentation, smaller than a bay.
- Ytre Djupvika (4km)
- Ornesvika (4.9km)
- Taraldsvika (4.9km)
- Litlevika (6.1km)
- section of populated place;
- a neighborhood or part of a larger town or city.
- Oskarsborg (4.4km)
- Taraldsvik (5km)
- Frydenlund (5.1km)
Accommodation around Fagernesfjellet
- hill;
- a rounded elevation of limited extent rising above the surrounding land with local relief of less than 300m.
- Lapphaugen (3.6km)
- Kvitvikberget (6.5km)
- fjord;
- a long, narrow, steep-walled, deep-water arm of the sea at high latitudes, usually along mountainous coasts.
- Beisfjorden (3.2km)
- Rombaken (5.1km)
- bay;
- a coastal indentation between two capes or headlands, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf.
- Narvikbukten (4.7km)
- Vassvika (5.5km)
- peak;
- a pointed elevation atop a mountain, ridge, or other hypsographic feature.
- Beisfjordtøtta (2.5km)
- Rombakstøtta (3km)
- stream;
- a body of running water moving to a lower level in a channel on land.
- Mølnelva (3.6km)
- Taraldsvikelva (4.6km)
- sound;
- a long arm of the sea forming a channel between the mainland and an island or islands; or connecting two larger bodies of water.
- Fagernesstraumen (4.8km)
- farm;
- a tract of land with associated buildings devoted to agriculture.
- Mattisjorda (7km)
- railroad station;
- a facility comprising ticket office, platforms, etc. for loading and unloading train passengers and freight.
- Straumsnes (6.2km)
- airport;
- a place where aircraft regularly land and take off, with runways, navigational aids, and major facilities for the commercial handling of passengers and cargo.
- Narvik Iii (5.8km)
- farms;
- tracts of land with associated buildings devoted to agriculture.
- Fagerjorda (6.2km)
- rock;
- a conspicuous, isolated rocky mass.
- Kvitvikskjeret (6.6km)
- mountain;
- an elevation standing high above the surrounding area with small summit area, steep slopes and local relief of 300m or more.
- Fagernesfjellet (0km)
- cape;
- a land area, more prominent than a point, projecting into the sea and marking a notable change in coastal direction.
- Fagerneset (4.2km)
- park;
- an area, often of forested land, maintained as a place of beauty, or for recreation.
- Gulbrandsons Park (4.9km)
Wikipedia entries close to
- Silsand city city o
- Narvik city city i
- Beisfjord city city o
- Narvik Airport, Framnes airport airport
- Håkvik city city o
- Skjomen waterbody waterbody
- Indre Sildvikvatnet lake
- Hartvikvatnet lake
- Bjerkvik city city o
- Katterat city o
- Ofotfjord waterbody waterbody
- Sealggajávri lake
- Storvatnet, Ballangen lake
- Riksgränsen city city n
- Lossivatnet lake
- Niingsvatnet lake
Airports close to Fagernesfjellet
Evenes(EVE), Evenes, Norway (36.9km)
Bardufoss(BDU), Bardufoss, Norway (84.6km)
Andoya(ANX), Andoya, Norway (115.7km)
Kiruna(KRN), Kiruna, Sweden (138.5km)
Tromso(TOS), Tromso, Norway (156km)
Airfields or small airports close to Fagernesfjellet
Kalixfors, Kalixfors, Sweden (139.2km)
Jokkmokk, Jokkmokk, Sweden (249.8km)
Photos provided by Panoramio are under the copyright of their owners.


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Researchers at Google's freshly bought Motorola Mobility are hard at work on a new Google phone.
Dubbed the "X phone" the beast is supposed to push Google into the handset market.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the X phone is supposed to be a marquee handset with cutting-edge features to stand apart from existing phones.
Google wants it in the shops next year, but it is finding that the manufacturing side of the business is a little slow.
Hurdles associated with manufacturing and supply-chain management that have caused the company to rethink some initial plans for the X phone, such as using a bendable screen. If the phone is delayed too much then it will have a knock on effect on the X tablet, which was supposed to arrive afterwards.
The Journal said that Google was having trouble managing the complex relationships with smartphone makers that use its Android.
The X phone project is led by former Google product manager Lior Ron. Motorola wanted better colour saturation on the camera and the ability to take panoramic shots. But some of the features drained battery life or already have been incorporated into other devices.
Motorola ran into difficulties when it looked into using a bendable screen and materials such as ceramics that would allow the company to make the X Phone more stress resistant and better colours and shapes.
Developers insist that the problems are normal, but there are some who see the problems as an additional complication for the Google/Motorola deal,
Google claimed that the deal will push Android. But it also put them in opposition to their hardware partners.
Some fear that Samsung, for example, could develop a "forked" version of Android to take Google out of the picture.
Some in Google think that Motorola is an insurance policy if Samsung shifts strategy. If they develop lots of exciting things on Android and demonstrate it working then Samsung will have to go along for the ride.
Others fear that it will just stick Google in direct competition with its suppliers to such an extent they will be force to go their own way.


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The Flat Rock Interior Design project was a lot of fun, and I was able to work among many talented designers and craftsman. I write about the local art and accessories used to create the warmth and coloring in the master bedroom.
From the beautiful faux finishing by Lyna Farkas to the art from Barbara Hipwell to the special items from my own past, the project has special meaning for me. Well, really each and every one of my projects has special meaning.
At "Interlude" I was honored to receive a Carleton Varney Interior Design Award. He is one of my favorite interior designers, and also one of America's best known. He has designed for properties, both famous and private, and people all over the world. From castles to condos, he brings vibrant color and energy to his projects. You can read more about Carleton Varney on the designer's website, Dorothy Draper & Company.