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Donors bent on saving struggling Catholic schools have deep pockets and even deeper commitment.
The closing of Our Lady of Sorrows School in Portland, Oregon was the last straw for business owner David Brands.
Seeing yet another Catholic school close its doors signaled to Brands that Catholic education was secure only for well-off schools and a few cutting-edge, alternative schools that had sophisticated fund-raising mechanisms already in place—such as the urban Cristo Rey schools, with their corporate work-study program that sends students out to work, often in professional settings, for five days per month.
Small parish schools in poor, working-class, or middle-class neighborhoods, urban and rural, seemed doomed. Those schools were barely hanging on, desperately begging donors for funds to keep their doors open for one more year, cutting programs and staff in a harsh blackboard jungle survival of the wealthiest.
Our Lady of Sorrows had been doing well and seemed to be on its way up. But then two years later it was closed. "With the right kind of leadership," says Brands, "that school would be open today."
Brands, president of Coast, a manufacturing business, and his fellow supporters of Catholic education were left searching for a solution. He and his family already sponsored a scholarship fund and volunteered at Catholic schools. His daughter Elizabeth had signed on with Notre Dame's Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE), a service program that sends teachers to under-resourced Catholic schools and trains school administrators. All of that was surely part of the answer, but it wasn't enough.
Then Brands heard about the Fulcrum Foundation in Seattle.
"To my knowledge, [Seattle is] the largest diocese to not have closed any schools in the past 15 years. Instead we've opened five new schools," says Joe Womac, Fulcrum's executive director. The foundation, which helps support the Archdiocese of Seattle's under-resourced Catholic schools, raises money from people and foundations around Western Washington and beyond. It then donates funds to students and schools in need of assistance, dispersing nearly $3 million in 2011.
Beyond those capital infusions, it also helps schools become stronger. It is exactly the kind of safety net Our Lady of Sorrows could have used.
Fulcrum is one of about 20 or 30 similar stewardship foundations—or large-scale endowment funds—around the country. The Big Shoulders Fund in Chicago is one, as are the Inner-City Scholarship Funds of New York and Boston, the Jubilee Schools of Memphis, the Catholic School Development Program ("helping schools help themselves") in Camden, New Jersey, and the Catholic Foundation of Los Angeles.
Not all are diocesan-wide; some focus only on inner-city schools. But all work in similar ways, transforming the schools' business and governance models, jump-starting innovative programs, and offering scholarships to students.
They give grants to schools for academic programs or building maintenance, and may ask major donors, Catholic and non-Catholic, to adopt or partner with a school for two or three years.
Those patrons expect regular reports on how the school is using their time, talent, and treasure, insisting upon more transparency, accountability, and the best practices that have been shown to work elsewhere.
Some schools emerge looking like successful charter schools with a Catholic foundation of faith and teachings.
"We look to Fulcrum as a model of what we'd like to do here in Portland," says Brands.
Giving big
While traditional family scholarship funds help individual students who need tuition assistance, these large-scale foundations save entire schools. There are only a few so far, but where they exist they've provided a safety net that doesn't just save a school for one more year but instead has made many self-sufficient.
Holy Cross Father Joe Corpora, the U.S. bishops' consultant on education and director of university-school partnerships for ACE, believes that kind of input from large-scale endowments is one of five keys to turning around the decline in Catholic schools. The others are outstanding principals; supportive, engaged pastors; a deep-seated understanding that Catholic schools belong to the entire church, not just the local parish; and vouchers or other ways to channel public tax dollars into the schools.
At the point that Our Lady of Sorrows started its downturn, it arguably had none of Corpora's five factors going for it. Sadly, it was one of many schools in that fix. According to the National Catholic Education Association, 1,942 Catholic schools—nearly 24 percent—closed or were consolidated between 2000 and 2012. Enrollment during that time declined by 621,583 students—23.4 percent. Most of the children who experienced the wrenching closure of their school were elementary students.
Womac is certain those losses can be stopped and even reversed, but the transformative component is essential.
"Just giving money to a school every year is a Band-Aid—it isn't sustainable," says Elizabeth Brands, David Brands' daughter and graduate of Notre Dame's ACE program.
John Schoenig, director of Notre Dame's Program for K-12 Educational Access, sounds the same note. "The goal can't be survival," he says. "It has to be true transformation. We have to develop models that won't create dependence. In most cases the financial challenge isn't the root of the school's crisis. There are other, far more influential issues going on. The board may be ineffective, the teaching isn't good, there's no marketing. This is the hour that laypeople with vision can effect a systemic transformation in our schools."
The Specialty Family Foundation in Los Angeles funded a nationwide study of best practices in Catholic schools. They found that sustainable schools have access to expert professional marketing and fund-raising, which increase enrollment, community awareness, and financial support—and reliably save schools.
"What we're seeing in the last 10 years is a systemic shift from a funding model to a stewardship model on the part of philanthropists and major donors," says Erik Goldschmidt, director of the Church in the 21st Century Center at Boston College. "There's less interest today in unilateral giving and more interest in strategic investments.
"That means greater transparency from the schools, more data, more reporting on the outcome of the investments," he says. "As for the schools, they're shifting from just receiving to being more competent, data-driven programs. They're more willing to engage in this strategic conversation."
Goldschmidt acknowledges that "mission" schools serving the poorest neighborhoods will need support in perpetuity, but he doesn't see that as being true for "middle-ring" schools—like Our Lady of Sorrows—that are in neighborhoods between the wealthiest and poorest. Donors were feeling especially frustrated with results from those schools, many of which were closing. "Do those donors withdraw their scholarships out of frustration, or do they get more involved, using their talents for a stewardship model?" he asks.
Most parish schools operate on a parochial governance model, with the principal in charge of day-to-day operations but the pastor effectively the chairman of the board, bogged down with overwhelming responsibilities and authority. That worked well for decades, especially when parishes had plenty of priests. Many if not most of the stewardship foundations insist upon a different governance model, with empowered school boards who share in the responsibility for approving budgets, administering fund-raising, and analyzing the school's performance.
Foundations such as Fulcrum offer a vehicle for instituting such changes. The foundations are separate entities from their diocese but, Womac says, they are typically still empowered by the bishop. Pastors and principals are therefore more open to changes.
Money and heart
David Brands, hoping to launch a stewardship foundation in the Archdiocese of Portland, apologizes for how little progress he and his cohorts have made over the past five years. He's probably being too hard on himself: Billionaires and bishops have largely propelled new large-scale endowment funds into existence.
The Diocese of Memphis created the trust that funded school superintendent Mary McDonald's "Jubilee Schools." In New York City, Cardinal Terence Cooke in 1971 worked with executives to set up the Inner-City Scholarship Fund to provide tuition assistance for low-income children.
On the other hand, Chicago business leaders inspired by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin founded the Big Shoulders Fund in 1986. One single family, James and Joan Peters, founded the Specialty Family Foundation, which focuses on 12 inner-city schools in Los Angeles.
Retired Archbishop of Seattle Alex Brunett, now serving as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Oakland, California, was the impetus behind Fulcrum.
"We can keep the schools open if we want to," says Brunett. "I'm appalled at the negative attitude some people have."
Brunett is impatient about the usual reasons given for Catholic schools closing down—from the loss of nearly free staffing by women religious to the church's sex abuse scandal that diverted money and focus away from education. "We had just as many lawsuits as any other diocese," he says. "That doesn't mean you stop living. It's all a matter of priorities; if you have your heart in it, people are incredibly generous."
Mary McDonald, the force behind the reopening of eight abandoned inner-city Catholic schools in Memphis, has described donors as investors. Her work was buoyed early on by a $10 million gift from a non-Catholic philanthropist who saw his gift as a good investment.
The Seattle archdiocese, Brunett says, accepted the reality of where the schools were and then recreated their school system. "We started with the principle that if we were going to invest in Catholic education, it wasn't going to be just for the privileged but for every child. The only way we could do that was to raise a lot of money."
In 2002 they founded Fulcrum, beginning with a goal of raising $40 million for an endowment fund. People responded, and the fund is at $70 million today. It doesn't have to pay for Fulcrum's operating expenses—an annual dinner does that, raising about $1 million each year.
In Chicago the numbers are even more staggering. Big Shoulders has raised $225 million over the past 25 years, including $6.3 million at a one-night event in 2012. Ninety-three inner-city Chicago schools have benefited from that fund. Big Shoulders has saved schools, students, and even neighborhoods according to a recent study from Notre Dame, which shows a link between Catholic school closures and increases in crime.
There's no official umbrella organization for foundations like Fulcrum or Big Shoulders, no group with the mission to help start similar foundations in other dioceses, but Womac (who also came out of Notre Dame's ACE program) has co-chaired a few ad hoc meetings of the two dozen or so new-style foundations for Catholic schools over the past eight years.
"We are more and more seeking each other out to learn about best practices, to find wheels that we don't want to be recreating," says Womac.
Dreams within reach
In Tacoma, Washington, Holy Rosary School in the gritty Hilltop neighborhood seemed as though it might break Fulcrum's winning streak. By July 2011 enrollment had dipped to 94 students, and the parish served few families with children.
And yet just a couple miles away the child-friendly Spanish language Masses at Sacred Heart Parish were standing room only. "We looked for a funder who wanted to help Latinos," says Womac. "They often can't afford the cost of Catholic education but they also see cultural barriers."
Fulcrum found a donor in New York City who made a transformative gift to Holy Rosary, which opened San Juan Diego Academy within the current school. Beginning with this year's kindergarten and new pre-kindergarten, the school will grow by one year of bilingual instruction per year, meaning that next year will see a first grade that also enjoys half and half English and Spanish instruction and cultural immersion.
There's a waiting list now, and the program is fully enrolled. It is the first Catholic bilingual grade school in the state of Washington, and every child will be tested at grade level in both English and Spanish.
Fulcrum and similar foundations still use much of their money for old-fashioned scholarships, at Holy Rosary and elsewhere. In Seattle Maurice Lekea's two youngest children are students at St. Therese Academy. "[Fulcrum] made the dream possible," says Lekea, a single father who works about 12 hours a day as a translator and French language coach. Lekea, educated in Catholic schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo, fled his country's bloody wars and came to the United States, managing also to bring his five children, ages 11 to 21. Once settled, he sadly realized that Catholic schools in the United States were beyond his financial reach.
It was a friend who approached Father Michael Ryan, legendary pastor of St. James Cathedral in Seattle, on behalf of Lekea's children. Ryan asked Lekea if he wanted his children to attend a Catholic school. "I told Father Ryan yes, I've been dreaming of that, but I cannot afford it. He told me, 'By the grace of God, maybe something can be done.' "
Fulcrum provided the two youngest Lekea children with scholarship funds to attend the Catholic school of their choice. Lekea was pleased when they chose St. Therese, a school with about a 95 percent African American student body that has recently reinvented itself, again with Fulcrum's help.
The current principal, Theresa Hagemann, found just 94 students when she arrived in 2010. Fulcrum helped the school get a $300,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plus additional seed money—nearly $150,000—from Seton Education Partners, a group founded by charter school entrepreneur Scott Hamilton.
St. Therese School became St. Therese Academy, a model for "blended technology learning," with laptops for each student in fourth grade and up, and shared laptops in grades one to three. A summer marketing campaign plus buzz from parishioners and parents broadcast the news about the school.
Enrollment now stands at 170, and Hagemann expects those numbers to keep going up without a loss of effectiveness in the classroom. That's because in each classroom at any given time, some students are working on lessons on their laptops while others work with the teacher or study independently.
"The Lekea family is a perfect example of why Fulcrum is here," says Womac. "They're a blessing in our lives, a real source of positive faith. As for St. Therese, the feeling in that community is: How can we continue this amazing progress? It's also cheaper by about $3,000 per child to run the place."
The Lekea story shows how these new foundations work: with scholarships but also stewardship and the transformation of each school.
"There's great hope throughout the nation for Catholic schools," says Elizabeth Brands. "We have a responsibility not just from a faith standpoint but from a social justice standpoint."
Lekea, a friendly man with a ready laugh, recently teased his children about going back to their old public schools. His joke didn't go over well. "No," they told him. "We are not going back."
This article appeared in the February 2013 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 78, No. 2, pages 22-26).
Image: Tom A. Wright


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I'd like to address a few issues that may seem a bit "out there;" but they're still important to highlight because it reveals the USMC endorsement of an interesting ideal. Beneath the veneer of what most would call a fairly simple philosophy exists an almost sacramental worldview that has, unfortunately, dismantled almost everything to which the Corps aspires. It is these lapses that should serve as a warning to young people that envision a USMC of reason, moderation, and logic. To begin, I'm a firm believer that "frustration is part of the process." Frustration is good! Frustration while fixing your car, learning a new trade, reading a difficult book or dealing with an idiosyncratic person is part and parcel to becoming better at life. Frustration builds character. Frustration makes you stronger. Marines love to attach this fact to the rigors of daily life in the Corps by listing the existing challenges and insisting that it's all good for you. But I beg to differ. In real life, frustration is part of the process. In the USMC, frustration seems to be the goal with no substantial payoff in the end.
In the eyes of the Corps:
– a pt session that begins before the sun rises isn't sufficient. You need to be yelling at the top of your lungs to demonstrate to your superiors that you're motivated. Why?
– on Monday morning, your neat and tidy low regulation haircut is an indicator to the SNCOs that you're not as motivated as you should be. You're wrong. Why?
– projecting your voice in a manner that allows everyone concerned to hear you is not good enough. You must be louder, even if it's overkill. Why?
– long and tedious room inspections are somehow analogous to success on the battlefield. Why?
And the list goes on. The main point is that Marines believe everything can be improved upon, even if the subsequent measures make no sense. It's part of their mentality to be a superior breed of men, even if this brand of superiority is sustained on an intangible and unseen dimension. This reminds me of someone.
Ah, yes- Nietzsche. For you philosophy buffs out there, don't get the wrong idea about where I'm going with this. I'm not suggesting Marines believe God is dead (far from it), nor am I saying they endorse collectivism. But there are some stark similarities between the man and this institution. Nietzsche created two theories that resonate strongly with the Marines; 1. the Overman, or Superman mentality, which shatters the limitations society has placed on people with extraordinary potential, and 2. tapping into man's basest instincts. The first theory need not be explained- most everyone will agree that a real Marine pursues his goals with maniacal zeal, and in many respects that should be admired. But there is a backlash, and that comes by way of tapping into the deepest recesses of man's primal desires in an unrestrained fashion.
The reason why the USMC is now a two-steps-forward-one-step back institution is that they have not yet married the concepts of reason and zeal within the enlisted ranks. Moderation. Marines have a reputation for being the best fighters, runners, lovers and workers due to their love for the Corps. Even though this really isn't true, it's a theme they've embraced. I'm going to drop another bomb here, and again, it's not what you might think. Adolf Hitler believed that if you're going to endorse an ideology, you need to abandon any and all "contemplation" on the issue and embrace it entirely. Balls-to-the- wall energy and passion is the order of the day. What does this rhetoric remind you of? But he also celebrated the lapses his adversaries suffered from by not taking the time to THINK. I suppose I should explain that I'm not calling Marines Nazis, nor am I an adherent to any kind of racial superiority. If you're going to attack this argument, at least be fair about it.
There is a disconnect running rampant in the Corps, and it's found most acutely in POG Land. Some of you may be wondering why POGs are some of the most infamous motards. It's because they're operating under a distorted view of what it means to be a Marine on the universal level, regardless of how they view it individually. I was an enlisted POG. There is a greater balance between Motivation and Diligence being advocated among the commissioned ranks; so what kind of indictment does this bring down on the enlisted ranks, particularly the POGs? In POG Land, reasonable and mature behavior eclipses college fraternity antics by an unacceptable margin. That 10% is more like 20%, and frankly I think the 10% theory is a cop-out. Conversely, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who has most likely gone to War College and is classically educated doesn't tell his commanders to execute a battle plan without a sound strategy. The motivation is effective because he's attached it to a repertoire of skills his men already possess. In the enlisted ranks, in my experience, it was the opposite: "motivation" was given as a prerequisite in order to accomplish whatever menial task that was assigned for the day.
So I am tempted to say the commissioned ranks are part Nietzsche/part Plato, which is an almost perfect marriage of existence. Nietzsche accused his fellow Germans of thinking too much while Plato encouraged deconstruction and logic. The enlisted ranks are mostly Nietzsche, if you'll follow the analogy in its proper context (in this sense I'm labeling many enlisted POGs as reactionary and purely instinctual). The Corps is doing its job at the "tip of the tip of the spear" in an effective manner, where the execution of the combat mission is most crucial. But it's doing something wrong at the lower levels, which is an injustice to many enlisted Marines who are absolutely brilliant at their respective jobs and deserve a reprieve from the childishness of "motivation." We're not talking about intellectualism here, where a butter bar who has majored in English literature is pretending to be superior to a LCPL on his third deployment. The issue here is fusing the berserker-like persona of a PFC with the maturity and knowledge of an officer. THAT is the definition of a real Marine, but so few exist.
So to whom am I assigning responsibility for this? If you track down the epidemiology of this "disease" of motardedness, it lies squarely on the shoulders of the SNCOs and the lower recruiting standards. It's a combination of their lack of combat experience, a lot of overcompensation by way of their self-styled motard antics, and the disillusionment of just waiting for retirement. For a lot of SNCOs, it's just not fun anymore. As for the latter issue, the standard for the enlistment quotas have gone down the toilet. How can you expect a depraved pedophile, ex con, or juvenile delinquent to learn anything when his superior could be a depraved pedophile, ex con, or juvenile delinquent? You can't expect optimum results when one cross-eyed nitwit is leading a gaggle of cross-eyed nitwits.

subset: commoncrawl


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Conference Rooms
Need to hold a meeting at Bishop? Ask about the use of our conference rooms right at the airport. We have two rooms that can accommodate large and small meetings. We're here to help you make the most of your business trip. If you're interested in renting one of our conference rooms or having a meeting catered, please send an email to . We'll help you make your business trip a success from start to finish.
The Pelavin Room is 728 sf. in size. Room is located on the second floor of the terminal building, just west of the escalators. Room has teleconference capabilities, color monitor capable of computer connection, and Wi-Fi is available. Capacity is 30 people.
The Sharp Conference Room is 1,570 sf. in size. Room is located on the second floor of the terminal building at the far east end of the balcony. Room has projection screen and limited kitchen facilities. Capacity of the room is 60 people.


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Griffintown is once again in the news, and it always seems to come down to heritage.
In 2008, Mayor Gérald Tremblay's Société du Havre summarily destroyed the very last house in Faubourg des Récollets – a charming little 1842 Greek Revival house.
The mayor then trained his sights on the New City Gas complex, targeting the 1848 Greek Revival gasworks for destruction for a bus-corridor project that neither the Agence métropolitaine de transport nor the Réseau de transport de Longueuil wanted. Public hearings in 2010 made Tremblay back down on that one. The corridor was redirected around the property, but it is still under threat.
Since 2008, there has been an outpouring of support for the foundation that is trying to acquire the Griffintown Horse Palace property, the city's last functioning horse stable, built in 1862. While the Sud-Ouest borough has thrown its backing behind the effort to save it, the city does nothing. In December it was sold off piecemeal, and its future is in doubt.
The same goes for the 1875 Édifice Rodier, Montreal's signature flatiron building on Notre Dame St. W., being allowed to go to pot until it is partially demolished to make way for the same bus corridor that the Office de Consultation Publique de Montréal public hearings strongly recommended against.
Condo projects zing through city hall, while the administration ignores the preservation recommendations of the 2008 Griffintown Plan Particulier d'Urbanisme, the 2010 Projet Bonaventure hearings and the Conseil du patrimoine recommendations, Heritage Montreal's list of threatened heritage buildings (which those cited above are on), and what the public wants.
It seems the lesson of Old Montreal and the Plateau – that heritage sells – has totally escaped notice at city hall. Old Montreal has some of the priciest property in Montreal. The Plateau is now the youngest neighbourhood on the island, drawing young people and families. The same phenomenon is unfolding in the Sud-Ouest and Verdun boroughs. When heritage is given value, culture is preserved, property values soar, quality of life improves.
The significance of these Griffintown buildings is breathtaking. New City Gas, with its 1848 gasworks and 1859 gas storage house off Ottawa St., is the world's largest remaining example of first-generation (1830-1860) gaslight complexes. Both buildings were designed by John Ostell, the famed architect of McGill University, the Old Customs House and so much more. Most of the few remaining such complexes in the world have been restored. Moreover, the industrial owner, Harvey Lev, is very sympathetic to heritage and the arts. This should be enough to guarantee its future. But no, the city administration's response has been to harass Mr. Lev relentlessly, slap an expropriation reserve on his property and tear up the original cobblestones in front of the buildings.
As for the Griffintown Horse Palace, it is the city's last remaining French lot with all the original buildings on it: an 1862 front house, an 1869 rear duplex, and the 1862 brick stable. When this one goes, there will be no other, and this example of an 18th- and 19th-century way of life will have disappeared. A private foundation has worked hard to put together a credible project involving the horses, with significant private financial support. The Sud-Ouest borough has made Ottawa St. a cultural corridor. But no guarantees or heritage citation have come from the city.
These are the kinds of properties that make Griffintown. Without them, it becomes just another bunch of streets with condos.
While most of North America moves relentlessly toward a heritage-based policy of urban renewal around sustainable quality-of-life principles – a guaranteed formula for reversing the exodus to the suburbs – Montreal's administration goes back to the hoary principle of Dixie-Cup throwaway redevelopment.
Portland, Ore., is a prime example of a city with a sustainable-development plan. That plan has fostered high-tech-based and culture-based industries providing excellent salaries. The city's population has nearly doubled, and most of these new residents are university-educated young people.
Whither goes Montreal?David Hannais a professor of urban affairs and tourism in the school of management at the Université du Québec à Montréal.


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Halo 4: Spartan Ops Episode 2 teaser released
Halo 4: Spartan Ops Episode 2 is out next week, and in it, the "mysterious artifact recovered" from Requiem takes over the vital systems on the UNSC Infinity. This forces the Spartans of Crimson and Majestic back down to the planet to "look for a way to free the ship." Have a look at the video teaser below. The downloadable co-op campaign is free, and 343 Industries has said new missions will be released every week for 10 weeks, totaling 50 in all. Thanks, OXM.


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Palissade Dining Bench
Designed by
Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec
Designed by
Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec
Product Category:
Outdoor - Seating
Outdoor - Seating
- Product information
- Materials
- Downloads
The Palissade collection is visually light yet reassuringly strong; it is classical in form and simple in construction. Each individual piece has been carefully engineered to hold the body in perfect balance. There are almost imperceptible, but significant changes to the angles, curves and the juxtaposition between the frame and slats in each different typology.
The design itself provides comfort and elegance, while the colour palette of light grey, anthracite and olive allow the pieces to be at home in both natural landscapes and urban settings. The collection perfectly suits domestic terraces, gardens and balconies, or more commercial outdoor environments such as cafes, bars and restaurants.
1600m W x 800mm D x 740mm H
Lead time
12-16 weeks
Good to know
- 2-year warranty


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As Cincinnati is mourning the loss of a player killed in a car accident Saturday night, Clemson is thankful that, by the grace of God, they're not doing the same.
That same night, defensive tackle Carlos Watkins was injured, not seriously, in a car accident near his hometown in North Carolina. While Watkins avoided serious injury, one of Watkins' closest friends died in the accident.
The car in which Watkins was a passenger hydroplaned in bad weather and slammed into an electric pole. Dabo Swinney said Sunday, in essence, his player is lucky to be alive.
"It's very fortunate that Carlos is OK," Swinney said. "It was a very serious car wreck. There was a fatality, and it's a very tough situation for him. …
"[H]e was in the car, compressed in the chest area, for two hours."
Watkins was hospitalized overnight and released Sunday. Swinney said the defensive lineman might return to campus Monday.
As for his availability for the Tigers' game against Wake Forest Saturday afternoon, that is, obviously, not part of the discussion at this point in time.


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Hello everyone.
As many of you may have noticed, Rockhopper's ship is getting closer and closer to the island of Club Penguin. Here is what his ship looks like at the moment:
To me, it looks like he will get here just in time for the Fall Fair in Club Penguin! 😀 Everytime I hear of Rockhopper coming back to Club Penguin, I always think about what free item he will bring with him when he gets here.
Do you have any ideas of what free item you think he will bring? If so, post your answer in a comment! 😀
Well, that's all the updates for now!
~Cool Boy 714
Filed under: Club Penguin Cheats, Club Penguin Mascots | Tagged: Club Penguin, Club Penguin Cheats, club penguin fall fair, club penguin mascot tracker, Club Penguin Rally, Cool Boy 714, rockhopper on club penguin | Leave a comment »


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La Petite Tribale Earrings Gold-Finish Metal and White Resin Pearls
Reference: E0671TRERS_D301
La petite Tribale earrings in gold-tone finish metal and white resin beads.
- Width of beads: 2.5 cm
Reference: E0671TRERS_D301
Free customs duty.
Free returns within 30 days for every order
Your order will be presented in an iconic Dior gift box and accompanied by a personalised message
Order your product* online and collect it in store.
*Except for jewellery and watches collections


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Surely you stocked up on pinkish wares when the color "honeysuckle" was declared Pantone's Color of the Year 2011, but it's already time to update your wardrobe/home decor/personal color preferences. The company dubbed "tangerine tango" next year's "in" color after seeing requests for an orange hue from designers and retailers. But don't think this is some scheme to make consumers buy crap they don't need. It was selected for its "happy connotations," meant to cheer us during these dark economic times. Though, as the Wall Street Journal points out, it was popular in the 1920s and 1960s, with a brief comeback in the 1980s, or "heady economic periods later followed by devastating crashes." So if you subscribe to bullshit economic indicators, orange is really nothing to be happy about.
More from Jezebel
Kat Callahan
I assure you, Orange is ALWAYS in style, in several different shades.


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Turtle Leggings
Designer: MINI RODINI
Mini Rodini PRE SS18
Grey leggings in organic cotton with printed turtles and soft elastic at waist.
Made in TURKEY
These leggings is produced in a factory that is part of Mini Rodini's living wage project. Instead of paying the workers just the minimum, which is almost impossible to live on, they pay a wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of living. Since they are working with products that are mainly used by children, the control of chemical use is of the utmost importance to them. These leggings is GOTS certified – the strictest certification for organic material on the market today, which includes rigid controls throughout the entire manufacturing process including chemical use and working conditions.
Mini Rodini is a Swedish children's wear brand that was founded in 2006 by illustrator Cassandra Rhodin as a tribute to all children, their imagination and sense that everything is possible. Mini Rodini takes children seriously with playfulness, meaning it is important that children too have clothes that match their own personality, mood and creativity.
Mini Rodini's vision has always been to make it both easy and exciting for parents to buy better products for their kids in regards to the design as well as environmental and ethical aspects of the production. And while the playful and humorous aesthetics may speak directly to the children, the quality of the products is equally important. A Mini Rodini garment is not only fun to wear or just look at, but is also produced in a way that is kinder to the environment and the people behind it.
At Mini Rodini, they want what they do to matter. They take their ethical and sustainable commitment .very seriously and it will always be the most important factor in Mini Rodini's growth. It's not just about getting better at what they do, but wanting the very best and a better world. This commitment affects decision-making at all levels in their organisation, as it is an on-going process that demands an innovative approach to their whole business long-term.


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Rania al Ambaki was handcuffed to a gate at an Iraq security checkpoint. She was a human bomb, CBS News reports.
Suspicious officers immobilized her, jammed cell phone signals that could detonate the explosives, then carefully removed her suicide vest.
She turned out to be just 15 years old, and her story is an increasingly common one.
She comes from Baquba, an al Qaeda hot spot just north of Baghdad. It's a recruiting ground for women suicide bombers who are responsible for much of the recent carnage in story=3220766>Iraq.
Last year, there were eight women bombers. So far this year, there have been 35. A CBS News crew traveled to Baquba to meet Rania in jail.
"I now thank God that I didn't get blown up," she said through a translator.
Rania told police she had no idea the vest was a bomb. Family members, including her husband, she said, had helped her put it on.
Police think they may have drugged her, and meant to blow her up by remote control.
Rania said through a translator: "They told me that it was a kind of medical vest for back pain."
Gen. Abdul Kareem Qalaf helped interrogate Rania. He said: "She has a low IQ and is a vulnerable teenage girl."
Why does there suddenly seem to be so many women suicide bombers?
Qalaf said through a translator: "Al Qaeda uses these people – the mentally ill, children and very young women. This shows al Qaeda is failing."
Al Qaeda is using women bombers – because it works. In a conservative Muslim society, they're less likely to be searched, and there's a shortage of female security agents to do the job.
As for Rania, she lived to tell a tale that helped police arrest her husband. But her aunt, the suspected ringleader, is still on the run. She's one of a new breed of Iraqi women turned into key players in the ruthless business of terrorism.
Filed under: human rights, islamic violence, Terror Attack | Tagged: abdul kareem qalaf, afghanistan, al qaeda, al-quran, bukhari, cbs, clinton, edi mubarak, halal, haraam, human bomb, human bombs, hussein, iran, iraq, islam, islamoscope, islamterrorism in islam, kurdish, muslim, quran, rania, saudi, saudi arabia, scud, suicide bombs, surah, terror, terrorism, terrorist, women in islam | Leave a comment »


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- Posted: July 2, 2016 by Alan Porter -
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With Harzand and Minding taking the Epsom Derby (gr. I) and Epsom Oaks (gr. I), and then following up with wins in the Irish Derby (gr. I) and Pretty Polly Stakes (gr. I), it's interesting to reflect how both go back to families developed by the great English breeder, Major
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No German band has had a greater influence on international music than Kraftwerk. The band formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, two former architecture students, laid the foundations for the development of electronic pop music and the techno aesthetic.
Kraftwerk came together in 1970 in Düsseldorf. Three years later, as true synthesiser pioneers, they decided to create all their music electronically. The album Autobahn (1974) was an international hit. Kraftwerk created the image of a mechanical, computerised world through their monotone rhythms and synthetic sounds, and on stage they styled themselves as robots. Today Kraftwerk's cyber visions are highly regarded in the international art world.
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Overview Explore Specification Prices Towing Accessories
Finance & offers ▼Buy online Brochure Test drive
The L200 Barbarian is now available in a stylish Black edition, with brand new exterior and interior styling.
The L200 Black special edition sports a wealth of custom black exterior enhancements and custom leather interior.
The Barbarian Black Features custom leather interior illuminated entry guards, mood and footwell lighting and custom Black mat set.
The Black special edition sports exclusive black alloy wheels, roof rails, front and rear bumpers and more.
Available in the following colours with a choice of 3 tops
CV OTR from £30,500.00
Choose one of three tops fitted as standard
Maximum cargo capacity, opening side and front tinted windows for access and ventilation.
Fully integrated lockable gas lift cover and interior lighting for ease of loading.
Lockable roll top that sits flush with the lip of the load bed and strong sports bars.
Available on PCP financeFinance Calculator
PCP credit is subject to status and only available for retail sales to UK residents (excluding Northern Ireland dealers) aged 18 and over. This credit offer is only available through Shogun Finance, 116 Cockfosters Rd, Barnet, EN4 0DY. Shogun Finance Ltd is part of Lloyds Banking Group. Offer is subject to availability, whilst stocks last and may be amended or withdrawn at any time. Offer not available in conjunction with any other offer and is available between 27th June 2019 and 26th September 2019.


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kidzsearch.com > wiki Explore:images videos games
Radioactive decay
Most chemical elements are stable: If they are not part of a chemical reaction, they do not change. Chemical elements are made of atoms. In stable elements, the atom stays the same. In a chemical reaction, the atoms will form chemical bonds, with other atoms. Even if the bonds change during a reaction, the atoms themselves do not.
In the 19th century, Henri Becquerel discovered that some chemical elements have atoms that change: During their change they send out a particle. In 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie called this phenomenon radioactive decay.[1] Becquerel and the Curies were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery, in 1903.
Most carbon atoms in the world have six protons and six neutrons in their nucleus. This carbon is called carbon-12, because 12 is the number of protons plus the number neutrons in the carbon-12 nucleus (six protons + six neutrons = 12). Carbon's atomic weight is 12. If a carbon atom has two more neutrons it is carbon-14. Carbon-14 acts chemically like other carbon, because the six protons and six electrons are what govern its chemical properties. Carbon-14 attracts six electrons no matter how many neutrons it has. In fact, carbon-14 exists in all living things that contain carbon; all plants and animals contain carbon-14. However, carbon-14 is radioactive and so it can be detected. Carbon-14, in the small amounts found about us in nature, is harmless. In archeology, this kind of carbon is used to determine the age of finds: The method is called Radiocarbon dating.
Different kinds of decay
Ernest Rutherford found that there different ways in which these particles penetrate matter. He found two differerent kinds, which he called alpha decay and beta decay.[2] Paul Villard discovered a third kind in 1900. Rutherford called it gamma decay,in 1903.[3]
Other kinds of decay were discovered later. The types of decay are different from each other because different types of decay produce different kinds of particles. The starting radioactive nucleus is called the parent nucleus and the nucleus that it changes into is called the daughter nucleus. The high-energy particles produced by radioactive materials are called radiation.
These various kinds of decay can happen sequentially in a "decay chain". One kind of nucleus decays to another kind, which decays again to another and so on until it becomes a stable isotope and the chain comes to an end.
Speed of decay
The speed at which this change happens, is different for each element. Radioactive decay is governed by chance: The time it takes, on average for half the atoms of a substance to change is called half-life. The rate is given by an exponential function. As an example, iodine (131I) has a half-life of about 8 days. That of plutonium ranges between 4 hours (243Pu) and 80 million years[4] (244Pu)
The rate of decay is calculated using equations. An equation has a nuclide on the left, a right-pointing arrow, and the reaction products of the decay on the right. The equation must be balanced to follow the conservation laws of quantum mechanics for nuclear reactions. Certain things are not changed by decay. Thses are called conserved entities. The conserved entities are total energy (including mass), number of nucleons, linear and angular momentum, and lepton number. The particles or nuclei in the equation are written with a superscript to show mass number 'A' and a subscript to denote atomic number 'Z.'
Nuclear transformations and energy
Radioactive decay changes an atom from one that has higher energy inside its nucleus into one with lower energy. The change of energy of the nucleus is given to the particles that are created. The energy released by radioactive decay may either be carried away by a gamma ray electromagnetic radiation (a type of light), a beta particle or an alpha particle. In all those cases, the change of energy of the nucleus is carried away. And in all those cases, the total number of positive and negative charges of the atom's protons and electrons sum to zero before and after the change.
Alpha decay
During alpha decay, the atomic nucleus releases an alpha particle. Alpha decay causes the nucleus to lose two protons and two neutrons. Alpha decay causes the atom to change into another element, because the atom loses two protons (and two electrons). For example, if Americium were to go through alpha decay it would change into Neptunium because Neptunium is defined by having two protons fewer than Americium. Alpha decay usually happens in the most heavy elements, such as uranium, thorium, plutonium, and radium.
Alpha particles cannot even go through a few centimeters of air. Alpha radiation cannot hurt humans when the alpha radiation source is outside the human body, because human skin does not let the alpha particles go through. Alpha radiation can be very harmful if the source is inside the body, such as when people breathe dust or gas containing materials which decay by emitting alpha particles (radiation).
Beta decay
There are two kinds of beta decay, beta-plus and beta-minus.
In beta-minus decay, the nucleus gives out a negatively charged electron and a neutron changes into a proton:
- [math]n^0 \rightarrow p^+ + e^- + \bar{\nu}_e[/math].
- where
- [math]n^0 [/math] is the neutron
- [math]\ p^+ [/math] is the proton
- [math] e^- [/math] is the electron
- [math]\bar{\nu}_e[/math] is the anti-neutrino
Beta-minus decay happens in nuclear reactors.
In beta-plus decay, the nucleus releases a positron, which is like an electron but it is positively charged, and a proton changes into a neutron:
- [math]\ p^+ \rightarrow n^0 + e^+ + {\nu}_e[/math].
Beta-plus decay happens inside the sun and in some types of particle accelerators.
Gamma decay
Gamma decay happens when a nucleus produces a high-energy packet of energy called a gamma ray. Gamma rays do not have electrical charge, but they do have angular momentum. Gamma rays are usually emitted from nuclei just after other types of decay. Gamma rays can be used to see through material, to kill bacteria in food, to find some types of disease, and to treat some kinds of cancer. Gamma rays have the highest energy of any electromagnetic wave, and gamma ray bursts from space are the most energetic releases of energy known, even more energetic than supernovas.
- ↑ Pierre Curie, Marie Curie, G. Bémont (1898). "Sur une nouvelle substance fortement radio-active contenue dans la pechblende" (in French). Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des séances de l'Académie des sciences (127): 1215-1217. http://archive.org/stream/surunesubstancen127curi#page/n9/mode/2up.
- ↑ Ernest Rutherford (1899). "Uranium Radiation and the Electrical Conduction Produced by It". Philosophical Magazine 47 (5): 116. http://www.chemteam.info/Chem-History/Rutherford-Alpha&Beta.html.
- ↑ Ernest Rutherford (1903). "The Magnetic and Electric Deviation of the Easily Absorbed Rays from Radium" (PDF). Philosophical Magazine 5 (6): 177. . http://web.ihep.su/dbserv/compas/src/rutherford03/eng.pdf.
- ↑ D. C. Hoffman, F. O. Lawrence, J. L. Mewherter, F. M. Rourke (1971). "Detection of Plutonium-244 in Nature". Nature (234): 132–134. ..


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If there's ever an occasion to have a one night stand on Twitter, this is it. It's the night of the 2012 Presidential Election, and a few key people are sure to have something to say as the evening unfolds. Here's a look at the names we'll be checking over the next few hours. Try them out, and—who knows—you might just stick with them for the next four years.
Nate Silver
The blogger behind the New York Times' polling blog FiveThirtyEight @fivethirtyeight is a preternatural political soothsayer.
Ezra Klein
Columnist for the Washington Post and Bloomberg View, @ezraklein runs the left-leaning Wonkblog.
Michelle Malkin
One of the most influential conservative print and online columnists in the U.S., @michellemalkin has been covering politics for two decades.
McKay Coppins
Reporter for Buzzfeed Politics and Newsweek/Daily Beast alum, McKay Coppins puts out a nice mix of his own newsy tweets and sharp reactions.
Anthony de Rosa
One of the fastest aggregators online, @AntDeRosa is a one-stop shop for news.
Matt Yglesias
The business and economics correspondent for Slate, @MattYglesias delivers a ton of information with an irreverent slant.
Annie Lowrey
The economics policy reporter for the New York Times, @AnnieLowrey is like a polite guest making your Twitter stream smart without cluttering it with traffic.
Erin Gloria Ryan
Jezebel's @morninggloria is not an exclusively political writer—she's just brilliant over 140 characters or 1,000 words.
Chuck Grassley
If you're going to have a politician in the mix, it might as well be the best one on Twitter—Iowa Senator @ChuckGrassley will not disappoint.
Come on. It's @SHAQ. It's worth following.
Who did we miss?
Image Credit: Shutterstock.


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Phone: 718-597-FOOD
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In response to the current Covid-19 situation and for the safety of our customers and employees, we have temporarily closed our dine-in services.
But that doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying a Delicious, Fresh Cooked Meals!
Give yourself a break from the pre-packaged meals and canned food, and treat yourself and the family to delicious meal! We offer a wide selections of meals to choose from and options to please everyone.
We look forward to the days to come when we see your happy faces in our dining room. But in the meantime, stay healthy and treat yourself to a delicious takeout meal.
We appreciate you and thank you for your patronage.


text:
Much as we enjoy some new cars, as our reviews show, there's something to be said for cars born before the glut of safety and emissions controls that define modern automobiles.
Nissan not-so-famously restored and re-sold some old 240Zs they had lying around to drum up interest in their upcoming 240z Concept and 350Z. At $24,000, nobody really bought them because they were too expensive compared to used examples. But what if the original 240Z had never been built back in the day and Nissan somehow had debuted the S30 chassis in 1998 just as it would have in 1969? You can bet that we would have drooled over a relatively light, underpowered, but fun little coupe like that.
If it was introduced for the first time today, what old car would you buy new?
(QOTD is your chance to address the day's most pressing automotive questions and to experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits, and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good Question of the Day, send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)
Photo Credit: Trevor Page


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Does your idea of a perfect travel getaway include a hip boutique hotel, a charming restaurant, a luxurious lounge at a fabulous beach club or a tantalising drink at a chic cocktail bar?
Is your lifestyle too hectic to have time to trawl through travel magazines and guidebooks, sifting out the best hotspots for your next holiday?
Are you looking for personalised and selective travel tips from fellow travel hedonists? Do you want to be inspired and spoilt?
If you know your travel destination, or just know the kind of travel vibe you are seeking for your holiday, let Mr & Mrs Crystal be your personal travel concierges and indulge your senses…
What are you waiting for? Carpe diem. Seize the moment.
Are you ready to start living your travel dreams? 'Pop' one of these champagne bubbles ... we have, and life will never be the same again.


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February 28, 2017
Real Estate Buyer Tip: How to Find a Deal
Posted in Buying and Video Tips by Tara Sharp
If you are ready to buy a home in a seller's market, don't despair. Windermere Real Estate agent, Michael Doyle, shares how you can find a good deal on a great home, even in the hottest housing market.
Read More >
February 24, 2017
Windermere Foundation By the Numbers
Posted in Community and Windermere Foundation by Christine Wood
Every dollar donated to the Windermere Foundation is put to good use! As you can see from the infographic below, even small donations make a big impact and help us fund things like food bank meals, school supplies for underprivileged students, and resources for children in crisis.
Read More >
February 21, 2017
New Features vs. Character
Posted in Buying by Tara Sharp
We are often asked, "Which is the better buy, a newer or older home?" Our answer: It all depends on your needs and personal preferences. We decided to put together a list of the six biggest differences between newer and older homes:
Read More >
February 16, 2017
Four Reasons Why Dodd-Frank Will Not Be Repealed
Posted in Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Many worry about President Trump's pledge to remove regulations relating to financial services and the rollback of the 'Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act'. For those who may be unware of this very substantial bill, it represented the most comprehensive financial regulatory reform measures taken since the Great Depression, and was a result of the financial crisis ...
Read More >
February 09, 2017
Oregon and South West Washington Real Estate Market Update
Posted in Market News and Oregon and Southwest Washington Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Economic growth in Oregon continues to trend well above the nation and it is one of the fastest-growing states in the country. The region's housing market is benefiting greatly from this economic vitality. Sales activity continues to slow, but this has not adversely affected home prices. The market still clearly favors sellers and, even with recent increases in mortgage rates...
Read More >
February 06, 2017
Colorado Real Estate Market Update
Posted in Colorado Real Estate Market Update and Market News by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Annual employment growth in Colorado was measured at a respectable 2.2% in November and will likely finish the year having created around 55,000 new jobs. Within the metropolitan market areas included in this report, we are seeing employment growth at or above the state level and I anticipate that this will continue to be the case in 2017.
Read More >
February 02, 2017
Nevada Real Estate Market Update
Posted in Market News and Nevada Real Estate Market Update by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate
Employment in the Las Vegas market slowed modestly towards the end of 2016 after having performed very well for the past couple of years. November data showed that 943,100 people were employed in Clark County; this is up by 19,000 from November of 2015, representing a growth rate of 2.1%. In a further sign of an improving labor market, the local unemployment rate has dropped...
Read More >


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Doug Finke Statehouse Insider column for Sunday, March 2.
*For months, Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH and his press staff have denied that he is the most famous code name in the history of Illinois, Public Official A.
If you believe federal prosecutors, Public Official A had charming acquaintances, like STUART LEVINE and ANTOIN "TONY" REZKO. Levine and Rezko were charged with shaking down companies trying to do business with the Teachers' Retirement System. Levine pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges.
Throughout the court papers filed on Levine and Rezko, Public Official A appears, talking about how he has "a lot of ways of helping friends" and how he can award contracts, legal work and other goodies to bolster campaign fundraising efforts.
Using anonymous sources, news outlets long ago said Blagojevich was Public Official A. However, he and his press staff persisted in their denials. It's not like anyone was being directly quoted saying the governor is Public Official A.
Now someone is. Federal Judge AMY ST. EVE last week confirmed what everyone except the governor already knew, that he is, in fact, Public Official A. Of the administration's responses to the new revelation, the one given to the Daily Herald is the best.
"The media has been closely covering the allegations in this case for well over a year, and (the) disclosure repeated what's already been reported," spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff told the paper.
Of course, what was already reported was denied by the administration. No problem. The new line is that even if Blagojevich is Public Official A, the activities ascribed to said official just don't sound like the governor.
Rezko's trial starts Monday. We'll know soon enough if Blagojevich sounds like Public Official A.
*This week's contest involves Public Official A. Try to guess how many public appearances he will make once the trial gets under way. No bonus points for guessing how many times he will answer questions at those appearances. That one's too easy.
*There's growing skepticism about Northern Illinois University's plans to memorialize the students killed or wounded in a shooting rampage two weeks ago. There well should be.
NIU wants to demolish the building where the shootings occurred and use the site for a memorial. A new building will replace the demolished one. The price tag is $40 million.
No one is suggesting that there should not be some fitting memorial to the students, but $40 million? That's excessive. The Vietnam, Korean War and World War II memorials at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield didn't cost $5 million together.
In addition, there is no indication the building to be demolished — which is 40 years old — has any serious structural problems. Until the shootings, it wasn't a candidate for demolition.
Blagojevich's press staff sent an e-mail to reporters making it clear that this thing wasn't his idea, that it originated with NIU. Nonetheless, Blagojevich went to NIU, endorsed the plan and called on lawmakers to fund it. It's the best of both worlds. Get a photo-op showing empathy for the dead and wounded students, then dump it all back on lawmakers to pay for it. If the project doesn't happen, it's not the governor's fault.
That leaves lawmakers caught in the middle. They know there isn't $40 million lying around to spend on a memorial. But they're also going to be under pressure to pay for it and not appear insensitive to the tragedy.
There seems to be a general feeling among rank-and-file lawmakers that they're not going to get rushed into this, regardless of sentiment. Good for them.
*The Illinois Senate was scheduled to be in session Tuesday. They've now canceled.
"Several members indicated they would not be available," said CINDY DAVIDSMEYER, spokeswoman for Senate President EMIL JONES, D-Chicago.
One reason for that is that several of those "several members" will be out of the state working on behalf of presidential candidate BARACK OBAMA. A number of primaries are scheduled Tuesday, including pivotal ones in Texas and Ohio.
Oh well, it's not like there's any pressing state business in Illinois.
*Model Illinois Government, where students emulate the activities of the General Assembly, is meeting this weekend at the Capitol.
There was no early word if their session has descended into acrimony and stalemate that would force them to continue meeting for several more weeks.
Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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I watched Man on Wire yesterday, about Philippe Petit, who did the most subversive thing in 1974, which was to walk a tightrope between the World Trade Center towers. It was a beautiful, sublime act, a fantastic insanity. One of the interviewed commented that Petit approached each day like a work of art. Someone else said that in order to pass as an American, he put a lot of pens in his pocket, because Americans like to do that, apparently.
I think we are all animals, and simply making the best of it.


text:
Posting this again since my original post accidentally got removed!
So I'm using these 2 pre-written demo-files:
Java Tutorials Sample Code
Java Tutorials Sample Code
if you go to this webpage you'll see an image of what the applet does: How to Write a Mouse-Motion Listener (The Java Tutorials > Creating a GUI With JFC/Swing > Writing Event Listeners)
What I'm trying to do is just add the ability to draw when the mouse is clicked (dragged), nothing fancy, just a black line. Maybe add a reset button or something, but I've had no luck!
I don't need any sort of super deep help, I just want to be able to draw on the yellow space


text:
DeWilde named ALMH Employee of the Month
Send a link to a friend
[January 31, 2014]
Arlene DeWilde of Lincoln has
been named the January Employee of the Month at Abraham Lincoln
Memorial Hospital. DeWilde has worked at ALMH for 30 years. In
addition to her current role in materials management, she has served
as a nurse's aide and in sterilizing.
She was nominated anonymously by a co-worker who said: "Arlene
always has a smile on her face. No matter how busy she may be, she
always takes a moment to say hello. She is also willing to help. She
is a pleasure to deal with. She is a true example of a great
DeWilde said she loves working at ALMH "because of the caring
people who work here. She added: "Employees care not only for the
patients who come here but also for each other. I can't imagine
working anywhere else. We are all blessed to have ALMH."
[to top of second column]
Born and raised in Calumet City, she made Lincoln her home
after attending Lincoln Christian College (now Lincoln Christian
DeWilde lives with her husband, John, their dog Ludo and cat
Ophelia. They have two married children and two grandchildren.
ALMH, at 200 Stahlhut Drive in Lincoln, is a 25-bed
critical-access hospital affiliated with Memorial Health System. The
hospital employs 315 in a variety of roles. For more information,
visit www.almh.org.
[Text from file received from
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital]
< Top Stories index
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text:
IL managers prep for 'Amazin Race' ahead
An experienced class of managers will guide the 14 teams of the International League in 2010, headlined by two-time IL Manager of the Year Rick Sweet of Louisville, and Durham's Charlie Montoyo, who led the Bulls to the 2009 Triple-A National Championship.
Bisons' manager Ken Oberkfell will bring his 2010 Buffalo Bisons up from Port St. Lucie, FL in hopes of capturing a Governors' Cup championship. If he does, it will be his second title this year.
2010 Caribbean Series Champs: READ MORE!
A former IL manager,Steve Smith, has taken a break from coaching to appear on "The Amazing Race" and a chanced to win $1 million.


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Thank you for visiting the Galveston Yacht Basin web site!
For over 40 years GYB has been the center of boating on the Gulf coast. Our friendly staff is highly motivated to make your experience at GYB flawless. We're located just minutes from the Gulf of Mexico right off the Galveston Ship Channel at a location which simply no other marina can offer. Conveniently positioned within the heart of Galveston Island! Beaches, Shopping, Hotels, Night life, Dining, and the historical strand district are within a few miles of GYB. Our convenient location and surrounding amenities allows everyone the opportunity to enjoy their time on the island while the avid anglers are exploring the endless inshore and offshore fishing that only the gulf coast can offer. Explore our site and you'll learn how GYB can be the center of your own fun-filled boating and island adventure.


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New rustic road in Sauk County
112 roads in Wis. have designation
TOWN OF LAVALLE, Wis. — Wisconsin has a new rustic road and it's in Sauk County.
Gov. Scott Walker has designated Bundy Hollow Road in the town of LaValle as State Rustic Road No. 112.
The Wisconsin State Journal reported the road is slightly less than three miles long.
Wisconsin's Rustic Road system was created in 1973 to preserve scenic, lightly traveled country roads for the enjoyment of bikers, hikers and motorists. Rustic roads have a speed limit of 45 mph.
The state's system now includes more than 640 miles of rustic roads through 58 counties.


text:
Okay, so I know Vanity Fair is suppose to be the "End-All" for all things elite, but evidently that doesn't apply to their own copy. I received an email this morning with a link to their "International Best-Dressed List" with "DOUCHE-BAGS" in the subject line. I have to say I agree. You should see how they've listed who and, more importantly, why they've chosen this years best.
MORLEY SAFER- Because he always plays it Safer.
ZAC GOLDSMITH- Because he's solid Goldsmith.
BROTHERS ANDREA and PIETRO CLEMENTE- Because they're the crème de Clemente.
LAPO ELKANN-Because he's the Lapo of luxury.
KANYE WEST- Because, yes, he Kanye.
JULIA KOCH- Because Koch is the real thing.
DAVID BECKHAM Because he's ab fab.
SYDNEY and CHARLES FINCH- Because they're birds of a feather.
JULIAN SCHNABEL- Because he's the cat's pajamas.
COUNT MANFREDI DELLA GHERARDESCA-Because style still counts.
IRIS APFEL- Because she's the Apfel of our eye.
BRYAN LOURD- Because he is the Lourd of the manner.
H.S.H. PRINCE HEINRICH VON UND ZU FÜRSTENBERG- Because we like Heinrich's maneuvers.
BROTHERS RAFAEL, THE DUKE OF FERIA, and DON LUIS MEDINA- Because they're Spanish fly.
MATT LAUER- Because he is an NBC peacock. (What?)
Click here if you think you can stomach more.


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Part #: BW-MLBCHCDB-16
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Get in the game and get a great value with a printed team display plate bundle! Our 15" L x 7.5" W printed display plate highlights the awesomeness of a MLB baseball field with detailed base paths, mowed grass lines and your favorite MLB team's logo displayed as big as we could get it! Add in three of your favorite team minifigures and the display becomes the perfect buildable to show your team pride! This displayable, playbable and buildable bundle is a must-have for any baseball fan! A 23% savings vs. buying items individually!
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The avf2ppm utility converts a collection of vector field files (e.g., .omf, .ohf) into color bitmaps suitable for inclusion into documents or collating into movies. The command line arguments control filename and format selection, while plain-text configuration files, modeled after the mmDisp configuration dialog box, specify conversion parameters.
The avf2ppm launch command is:
tclsh oommf.tcl avf2ppm [standard options] [-config file] [-f] \ [-filter program] [-format <P3|P6|B24>] [-ipat pattern] \ [-opatexp regexp] [-opatsub sub] [-v level] infile [infile ...]where
.ppm for type P3 and P6 file output,
.bmp for B24 file output.
Note that by default avf2ppm is run with the standard option
-tk 0. This means
avf2ppm will not use or initialize Tk.
Tk is only needed to convert background color requests
misc,background in the configuration file discussion below)
from symbolic form to hexadecimal representation
(#RRGGBB). If the background color is not specified using the
hexadecimal format, then Tk is needed, and avf2ppm must be
run with -tk 1.
The file specification options require some explanation. Input files may be specified either by an explicit list (infile ...), or by giving a wildcard pattern, e.g., -ipat *.omf, which is expanded in the usual way by avf2ppm (using the Tcl command glob). Unix shells (sh, csh, etc.) automatically expand wildcards before handing control over to the invoked application, so the -ipat option is not needed (although it is useful in case of a ``command-line too long'' error). DOS does not do this expansion, so you must use -ipat to get wildcard expansion in Windows.
As each input file is processed, a name for the output file is produced from the input filename by rules determined by handing the -opatexp and -opatsub expressions to the Tcl regsub command. Refer to the Tcl regsub documentation for details, but essentially whatever portion of the input filename is matched by the -opatexp expression is removed and replaced by the -opatsub string. The default -opatexp expression matches against any filename extension of up to 3 characters, and the default -opatsub string replaces this with the extension either .ppm or .bmp.
If you have command line image processing ``filter'' programs, e.g., ppmtogif (part of the NetPBM package), then you can use the -filter option to pipe the output of avf2ppm through that filter before it is written to the output file specified by the -opat* expressions. If the processing changes the format of the file, (e.g., ppmtogif converts from PPM to GIF), then you will likely want to specify a -opatsub different from the default.
Here is an example that processes all input files with the .omf extension, sending the output through ppmtogif before saving the results in a files with the extension .gif:
tclsh oommf.tcl avf2ppm -ipat *.omf -opatsub .gif -filter ppmtogif
(On Unix, either drop the -ipat flag, or use quotes to protect the input file specification string from expansion by the shell, as in -ipat '*.omf'.) You may also pipe together multiple filters, e.g., -filter 'ppmquant 256 | ppmtogif'.
Configuration files
The details of the conversion process are specified by plain-text configuration files, with fields analogous to the entries in the mmDisp configuration dialog box. Each of the parameters is an element in an array named plot_config. The default values for this array are taken from the default configuration file oommf/app/mmdisp/scripts/avf2ppm.def, which is a Tcl script read during avf2ppm initialization.
The sample default configuration script can be used as a starting point for user (per-run) configuration files. Refer to this sample file and the mmDisp documentation as we discuss each element of the array plot_config. (See the Tcl documentation for details of the array set command.)
array set plot_config { colormaps { Red-Black-Blue Blue-White-Red Teal-White-Red \ Black-Gray-White White-Green-Black Red-Green-Blue-Red } arrow,status 1 arrow,colormap Black-Gray-White arrow,colorcount 0 arrow,quantity z arrow,autosample 1 arrow,subsample 10 arrow,size 1 arrow,antialias 1 pixel,status 1 pixel,colormap Teal-White-Red pixel,colorcount 225 pixel,quantity x pixel,autosample 1 pixel,subsample 2 pixel,size 1 misc,background #FFFFFF misc,drawboundary 1 misc,margin 10 misc,width 640 misc,height 480 misc,crop 1 misc,zoom 0 misc,rotation 0 misc,datascale 0 }
User (per-run) configuration files are specified on the command line with the -config option. To create a user configuration file, make a copy of the default avf2ppm.def configuration file, and edit it as desired in a plain text editor. You may omit any entries that you do not want to change from the default. (Each entry consists of a name + value pair, e.g., misc,width 640.) You may ``layer'' configuration files by specifying multiple user configuration files on the command line. These are processed from left to right, with the last value set for each entry taking precedence.


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DETROIT Researchers at Wayne State University have discovered a potential way to improve the lipid profiles in patients undergoing hemodialysis that may prevent cardiovascular disease common in these patients. Patients undergoing hemodialysis for kidney failure are at a greater risk for atherosclerosis, a common disease in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. Atherosclerosis can lead to serious problems including heart attack, stroke or even death.
The team of researchers discovered that a unique combination of vitamin E isomers known as tocotrienols improved the patients' lipid profiles. The study, "Vitamin E tocotrienol supplementation improves lipid profiles in chronic hemodialysis patients," was published in a recent issue of the journal, Vascular Health Risk Management, and showed that patients in the randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel trial who were given the vitamin E supplement had notable improvement in their lipid profiles compared to those given the placebo.
"After 12 and 16 weeks of intervention, the hemodialysis patients taking the Vitamin E supplements showed significant improvements in their blood lipid profiles," said Pramod Khosla, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition & food science in Wayne State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "Specifically, their triglycerides were reduced and their HDL cholesterol levels increased, as compared to the placebo group."
"This study could potentially have positive clinical implications in the future for hemodialysis patients that need to improve their triglyceride and HDL levels, but first these findings need to be verified in a much larger group of subjects. Additionally, we need to tease out the interactive effects of the tocotrienols with various medications that are routinely prescribed to these patients," added Khosla.
"Accelerated cardiovascular disease is a major problem in the end-stage renal disease population, and these findings may lead to new approaches to understanding its pathophysiology and to treatment," commented James Sondheimer, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine in Wayne State's School of Medicine. "A multicenter trial to confirm these findings and determine clinical significance is clearly called for." Sondheimer was not involved in the study.
|Contact: Julie O'Connor
Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research


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Disclosure & Sam Smith Reunite For "Omen": Watch The Video
So here we are with the reunion of Disclosure and Smith (not to mention "Latch" songwriter Jimmy Napes), "Omen." It's the second single off Guy and Howard's upcoming sophomore LP Caracal (out September 25), and I think it's pretty fantastic. The first person I played it for this morning said, "It's not as immediately catchy as 'Latch'" — a sentiment I don't quite agree with, but you say tomato, I say tomahto; I think it's the same pleasantly-lazy house beat, and a slightly more instantly memorable chorus.
Anyway, as for the video, it was directed by Ryan Hope and is the second in a series of four clips coming from Disclosure that tell some type of story or other about a man and a woman on the run in Mexico City during what appears to be some futuristic, military-state type takeover.
The first in the series was "Holding On," which premiered earlier this month.
Labels: Disclosure, Sam Smith


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Our Giant RabbitIn June of 2014, we had to cut down longtime a giant Hemlock that grew in front of our shop in Richmond, Illinois. To honor the tree which had been in town as long as our family had, we carved the stump into a giant rabbit!
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