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Dealing with severe aggression in children
Having interviewed dozens of families, visiting with many for lengthy periods of time, and observing carefully parental learning, loving and leading of children with autism, aggression, physical limitations, environmental challenges and anti-social behavior, I've come to believe I know very little. I am totally amazed at how much effort it takes on the part of these parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers and others who love these children greatly to help these often gifted children see normal development for their individual lives. What is "normal" to us is certainly very seldom normal to them.
These loving patrons give time, talent and tremendous amounts of financial investment to help to ensure that their child has a fighting chance at life. I have two dear friends that I consider model parents of children with special needs in one way or another, and their gifts of intellect, interaction and involvement blow my mind. One has written a book that is surely most helpful to other parents struggling with the same issues.With this being written, I intend to deal today with a very sad situation and beg those I love to attempt to understand what I am writing. I recently had the opportunity or the challenge to deal with a child who is so aggressive and dangerous that he as a second grader in a public school has been banned from ever riding the bus to class. He has hurt several children and the teachers called for some type of intervention on the part of the parents. The grandmother volunteered to me that the mother could not or would not admit that her son had a problem and that she continued to react as though he did not. I found this hard to believe, but after four days and nights of observing the situation at close range, I saw it for myself and experienced the turbulence his actions can cause. As I wrote, it is sad, sad, sad.
The two adults and two children had only been in my home for about 30 minutes when I watched this almost 8 year old climb up to the top of our entertainment center, take down a very expensive sand globe or hour glass given to me by a dear friend for my last birthday, and begin to shake it furiously. It is a large object made of glass and my own grandchildren are not allowed to play with it. I bit my tongue and waited for the mother to suggest he put it back where he found it. She did nothing. Finally, my husband got up, took it forcefully from his hand and replaced it, only to have the child climb and retrieve it a second time. My husband then took it again and removed the object from the living room and placed it in our bedroom out of sight and far from inquiring hands.
An end-of-summer program was planned at our church for our Sunday school attendees and we invited this family to go with us since I had committed to help with the event. They accepted our invitation, and at the end of the evening, some gifts were given to the children who had earned them. The table decorations were used as prizes. I noticed in horror that this child was running from table to table gathering up all of the prizes he could hold in his hands. Please remember, he was a guest. I very quietly slipped over and suggested he put all of them down with the exception of one, which I told him he could keep. He literally threw a fit and demanded three sand buckets, several small toys, two games, and some sports equipment. While I was replacing the gifts he had gathered, I looked across the room and lo and behold, the mother had gathered up a large collection of the same gifts for her children. I gave up at that point and simply ended the gathering with as much dignity as I could muster.
When we came out of the fellowship hall, this young lad was stomping his feet and walking up and down the walkway screaming, "I am angry. I am so angry. I am so angry." After five expressions of his anger, I asked, "What are you angry about?" He informed me that he wanted all of the gifts for himself. His grandmother later told me that the family had been told to encourage him to express himself and for them to allow it when it happened. Don't know about you, but if I had "expressed myself" like this, my mother and grandmother would have disciplined me so that I no longer had any self-expression left. It was embarrassing.
When we got in the car to drive home, I tried to explain quietly and calmly that in a group everyone must share and that he was a guest and that whatever he received was a special blessing. He reached over and balled up his fist and hit the top of my hand so hard that I thought I heard bones break in an already arthritic hand that I use to make my living. I really had to exercise self-discipline to keep from hitting him back because he made me so angry at the moment. No one corrected him, told him to apologize or to stop hitting people.
Within the course of this visit, my receiver for DirectTV was broken from simply pushing buttons on the remote, changing things too quickly, and the controls for my Wii game console were slammed time and time again against each other until my husband took those to the bedroom, too. A glass tabletop was broken violently, several toys were destroyed, and my peace and sanity were on edge. When good meals were cooked and served, I was told, "Oh, so and so won't eat that. We'll have to make him a sandwich." And one of the adults would barter and dicker until he agreed to eat something of his choosing. I stopped trying to please him after the first meal.
My personal closet was gone through, my jewelry rifled, my grandson's room ransacked, the items on my desk where I work scattered, and not one time did I hear or see any correction, suggestion, or discipline. I fear for this child and for those he will be around in the future.I do understand children with needs, but I do not understand parents who do not see those needs because of their own deeply seated insecurities, self-interest or devotion to material things and worldly pursuits. Parenting is hard work and it takes dedication, determination and discipline done in love and prayer.
It seems so much easier at the moment to simply allow the child his own destructive behavior, but when that behavior affects the life and property of others, it is time for some regrouping, training and decision making. Several writers have offered suggestions for helping to modify this aggressive behavior in children. I have combined several lists to keep this advice short and practical and I pray it helps.
Experts in the field say that poor supervision is often a culprit and that when parents do not take or make the time to supervise behavior, it goes unchecked and gets worse with age. They also credit harsh or erratic discipline as adding to the problem. Parental disharmony often results in the managing of difficult children and parents must agree to work together. There are times when the rejection of the child — simply turning him over to his own devices — occurs. This is a very sad solution.
There is often low involvement in the child's activities from the mother or father. Parents tend to view the problem from afar and offer little positive encouragement. There is this lack of encouragement and reinforcement of polite or considerate behavior in the child, combined with giving the proper attention to the child when he yells or throws a tantrum that causes the most danger.
In the situation I observed, only the grandmother ever admitted the child had a problem. It was simply much easier for the parents to deny it, and therefore, they did not have to deal with it. This solution can only end in horror for the child and those around him. God help these young parents who have taken on much more of a task than they can or will know.
Brenda Cannon Henley is an award-winning journalist and writer living on the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast. Having enjoyed more than four decades in ministry, Brenda shares her columns with our readers and works with churches and faith-based programs nationwide. She can be reached at (409) 781-8788 or at brendacannonhenley [at] yahoo [dot] com.


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Marge was cheating on her husband with another man when they heard a noise on the stairs.
"Oh, my God, your husband is home! What am I going to do?"
"Just stay in bed with me. He's probably so drunk, he's not going to notice you."
Sure enough, Marge's husband crawled into bed, but as he pulled up the covers, he exposed six feet.
"Honey!" he yelled. "What the hell is going on? I see six feet at the end of the bed!"
"Dear, you're so drunk, you can't count. If you don't believe me, count them again."
The husband got out of bed and counted. "One, two, three, four. By damn, you're right, dear."


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Alaska Native Studies Conference comes to Juneau
By XH'UNEI - LANCE A. TWITCHELL
The development of indigenous studies programs has been the greatest thing to happen to American higher learning institutions in the past 40 years. Many of these programs started in the '70s, as other culturally diverse programs blossomed on campuses across the nation. This was not an easy process, nor is it today. Higher learning institutions often consider themselves, consciously or subconsciously, born out of the European consciousness. If we pay attention to the way things are discussed on and off campuses, we see that this notion has been embedded in American consciousness: higher forms of thinking occur in American English in America.
But what if we step out of the realm of Western Philosophy, or if we develop something that absolutely is not a descendant of the Ancient Greeks and other European thinkers. This is not to devalue them or what the university has been or is right now. However, I have seen discussions within the institutions and in the general public that put a higher value on western modes of thought. This is often phrased in statements like any of the following: you can take that as an elective to your program; that is fine if you want to pursue your personal interests; that is great, but you need some real world skills.
I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss issues like this, things that create divisions or tiers of intellect, spirituality, and language. The field of Alaska Native Studies, American Indian Studies, Hawaiian Studies, or Indigenous Studies has grown tremendously thanks to the dedication and courage of our intellectual predecessors. I think about some of the things I hear that are discouraging and show me that the systems are unequal, and then I think about what my mentors went through decades ago when people probably outright scoffed or laughed about indigenous studies program and other cultural programs having equal footing in academia.
Today we can study the works of Shaadaax' Robert Zuboff, Catherine Attla, Paul John, Ghandl, and others in a university setting with the same amount of work, dedication, and benefit as Shakespeare, Hélčne Cixous, Virginia Woolf, or Michel Foucault. Alaska Native languages and other indigenous language programs are gaining ground and notoriety despite the resistance of a monolingual environment. A series of wonderful things are happening right now that seek to make the world a more balanced place, and you have an opportunity to be a part of it.
The first Alaska Native Studies conference took place last April in Anchorage. Despite decades of invaluable contributions that brought indigenous knowledge into Alaskan learning institutions and built Alaska Native Studies and Alaska Native Languages options in the University of Alaska system, a regular conference specifically on Alaska Native Studies had not really occurred. Last year, leaders in education gathered to present their work and to talk about methods of continuing to develop Alaska Native Studies programs. This included a keynote from Graham Hingangoroa Smith, Distinguished Professor of Education and Vice Chancellor, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi: Indigenous-University of New Zealand.
The 2014 Alaska Native Studies Conference will kick off with the following activities on Friday March 14:
• Symposium on Alaska Native Literature & Art at the Juneau Arts & Cultural Center (JACC) from 1 – 5 p.m. ($20 registration fee);
• UAF Indigenous Studies Ph.D. Student Seminar at the UAS Schaible House from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.;
• Woosh Ji.een Dance Group performance at the Egan Lecture Hall starting at 7 p.m. (free and open to the public).
The Conference then begins on Saturday, March 15, and continues through Sunday, and includes the following keynote speakers:
Dr. Jo-ann Archibald (Q'um Q'um Xiiem) is a member of the Sto:lo First Nations in Canada. She is Associate Dean for Indigenous Education and Professor of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia. Her book "Indigenous Storywork: Education the Heart, Mind, Body, and Spirit" uses the metaphor of Indigenous basket weaving to introduce readers to Indigenous ways of understanding knowledge.
Dr. Malia Villegas is Sugpiaq/Alutiiq with family from Kodiak and Afognak Islands in Alaska and O'ahu and Lana'i in Hawai'i. She is an enrolled member of the Native Village of Afognak in Alaska. Currently Dr. Villegas is the Director of the Policy Research Center at the National Congress of American Indians. She received her PhD from Harvard and was a Fulbright scholar. Dr. Villegas has a strong network across the Indigenous Pacific and is a leader in community-based participatory research and is involved in major policy in the areas of Indigenous methodologies and research.
In addition, there will be presentations on indigenous studies, culturally responsive leadership, education, oral traditions, history, sovereignty and self-determination, Alaska Native science and math, documenting indigenous knowledge systems, ANCSA, and Alaska Native languages.
The conference is open to the public, although attendees are asked to pay a registration fee to offset the costs of the conference (which includes coffee and lunch). Please register soon so we can anticipate the number of participants. The cost is $125, $30 for students, and free for elders and veterans. We ask that attending elders and veterans contact the planning committee to register so we know how much material and food to have prepared.
Our hope is that the Southeast Alaska community takes advantage of this conference and gives all the participants a warm Southeast welcome. Alaska Native Studies might be the fastest growing field in Alaska, and without a doubt Alaska Native organizations, people, cultures, and languages are prominent in our state. All things have equal place and value, and it is an honor to be a part of the committee that organizes this event. We do our best to honor our cultures and languages, and all of those who built the houses in which we do our work: those who fought for a place for indigenous language in education. We have a long way to go until there is equality in terms of teaching methods and materials, but we are well on our way.
I hope to see you there. Gunalchéesh.
For more information, visit http://alaskanativestudies.org.


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Adele, Rihanna Among 2012 BRIT Awards Winners
Adele's awards show dominance shows no signs of letting up. The British superstar won twice at today's 2012 BRIT Awards in London, while Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and One Direction also nabbed trophies.
Adele took home Best British Female Artist and Album of the Year for '21.' After winning the latter award, presented by George Michael, Adele said, "I'm so proud to be flying our flag," before being cut off by producers trying to keep the show on schedule, according to The Guardian.
The only nomination Adele lost was British Single of the Year. That award, which is decided by sales and airplay throughout the year, went to One Direction's 'What Makes You Beautiful.' Newcomer Ed Sheeran won both British Male Artist and British Breakthrough Act, while Coldplay took Best British Group.
As for the international awards, Rihanna won for Female Artist, Bruno Mars captured Male Artist, the Foo Fighters took Best Group, and Lana Del Rey won International Breakthrough Act.
Complete list of 2012 BRIT Awards Winners:
British Male Solo Artist
Ed Sheeran — WINNER
James Blake
James Morrison
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Professor Green
British Female Solo Artist
Adele — WINNER
Florence + the Machine
Jessie J
Kate Bush
Laura Marling
British Breakthrough Act
Anna Calvi
Ed Sheeran — WINNER
Emeli Sandé
Jessie J
The Vaccines
British Group
Arctic Monkeys
Chase & Status
Coldplay — WINNER
British Single
Adele – 'Someone Like You'
Ed Sheeran – 'The A Team'
Example – 'Changed The Way You Kissed Me'
Jessie J feat. B.o.B – 'Price Tag'
JLS feat. Dev – 'She Makes Me Wanna'
Military Wives & Gareth Malone – 'Wherever You Are'
Olly Murs feat. Rizzle Kicks – 'Heart Skips A Beat'
One Direction – 'What Makes You Beautiful' — WINNER
Pixie Lott – 'All About Tonight'
The Wanted – 'Glad You Came'
Mastercard British Album of the Year
Adele – '21′ — WINNER
Coldplay – 'Mylo Xyloto'
Ed Sheeran – '+'
Florence & The Machine – 'Ceremonials'
PJ Harvey – 'Let England Shake'
International Male Solo Artist
Aloe Blacc
Bon Iver
Bruno Mars — WINNER
David Guetta
Ryan Adams
International Female Solo Artist
Lady Gaga
Rihanna — WINNER
International Group
Fleet Foxes
Foo Fighters — WINNER
Jay-Z & Kanye West
Lady Antebellum
Maroon 5
International Breakthrough Act
Aloe Blacc
Bon Iver
Foster The People
Lana Del Rey — WINNER
Nicki Minaj
British Producer
Paul Epworth
Ethan Johns — WINNER
Critics' Choice
1st: Emeli Sande — WINNER
2nd: Maverick Sabre
3rd: Michael Kiwanuka
Outstanding Contribution to Music Award
Winner: Blur


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- Harris will implement vendor-neutral Clinical Integration Solution for Scottsdale Health Partners.
- Clinical Integration Solution will connect hospitals, physicians, radiology, labs, and other providers.
- Clinical Integration Solution will help Scottsdale Health Partners focus on care quality, safety, outcomes, efficiency, and patient experience.
MELBOURNE, Fla. & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has been awarded a three-year, $7.9 million contract from Scottsdale Health Partners (SHP), a newly created joint venture between Scottsdale Healthcare and Scottsdale Physician Organization, to implement its Clinical Integration Solution. The Harris solution will help SHP intensify its focus on care quality, safety, efficiency, cost reduction and patient experience while preparing for a healthcare environment dominated by population health management, accountable care and payment-for-value rather than volume.
SHP will deploy the Harris Clinical Integration Solution, including Provider Portal, which aggregates patient information from disparate clinical data sources used by physicians; Smart Messaging, which enables secure electronic communication between providers; and Referral Management, which manages the referral life cycle. The Harris Provider Portal will also integrate clinical information and workflow with the MedVentive population management solution to help physicians identify at-risk populations.
The Harris Clinical Integration Solution offers a standards-based infrastructure that connects clinical systems with workflow and analytics tools that integrate complex data from diverse systems. In doing so, it delivers on clinicians' needs to better coordinate and manage care across provider organizations, access data from multiple sources, exchange clinical results and generate a more complete longitudinal patient record. Using tools provided by MedVentive, the solution also helps to identify at-risk patients in need of proactive management and measures and improves performance across care teams.
"Harris' vendor-neutral Clinical Integration Solution combines the workflow and patient-centric solutions Harris acquired from Carefx in 2010 with Harris' open architecture approach and secure IT infrastructure capabilities," said Tony Galluscio, vice president, Enterprise Solutions, Harris Healthcare Solutions. "SHP's decision to partner with Harris supports the reality that hospitals and physician groups must implement clinical integration to enhance coordination of care, eliminate duplication of services, manage risk and control healthcare costs."
SHP's decision to partner with Harris on clinical integration follows the Supreme Court's June 2012 decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which encourages providers to enhance care delivery, not only for sick patients but also for entire populations, communities or cohorts of patients. SHP plans to focus on the best possible patient outcomes, using clinical integration to improve care through evidence-based standards and full communication, coordination and collaboration among providers.
"As competing organizations continued to build narrow networks of physicians and insurance products, SHP determined that partnering with Harris would help us realize our goal of greater savings through better care," said Tiffany Nelson, M.D., chairman, Board of Managers, Scottsdale Health Partners. "Because the Harris Clinical Integration Solution will be developed with SHP's physicians, area residents can look forward to a more streamlined, efficient, satisfying and cost-effective healthcare experience."
A nationally recognized leader in clinical integration solutions, Harris offers a full range of interoperability solutions, including IT infrastructure and management, clinical workflow and analytics, health information exchange, and imaging. Harris solutions improve healthcare quality, safety, efficiency, cost and outcomes by ensuring that the right information travels, with security and privacy, to the right person, at the right time, on the right device, at the point of care.
About Scottsdale Health Partners
SHP is an Arizona limited liability company created as a partnership between Scottsdale Healthcare Hospitals and Scottsdale Physician Organization. SHP is a physician-led organization that is working to transform the delivery of healthcare in a way that improves quality, efficiency, cost and coordination among providers to improve the health of the patient population SHP serves. By developing innovative partnerships with payors and IT vendors, SHP strives to create a more collaborative relationship and experience for our patients.
About Scottsdale Healthcare
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, Scottsdale Healthcare is the community-based, nonprofit parent organization of the Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale Healthcare Shea Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak Hospital, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Healthcare Research Institute and Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation. A leader in medical innovation, talent and technology, Scottsdale Healthcare was founded in 1962 and is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. For more information, visit www.shc.org.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 125 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5.5 billion of annual revenue and about 15,000 employees—including 6,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at harris.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect management's current expectations, assumptions and estimates of future performance and economic conditions. Such statements are made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results and future trends to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Harris disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
The Pinkston Group for Harris Healthcare
Sean McCabe, 703-297-4898
Harris Corporation
Jim Burke, 321-727-9131
Source: Harris Corporation


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I've been spending a lot of time in my craft space working on some projects and layouts. Of course only after I've performed my duties.
I have something really fun in the works, but I don't want to say too much about it now. I can share with you this, two things I love, a cup of coffee in my favorite mug and photos waiting to be scrapbooked
And don't judge me, but I like my coffee with a lot of half & half. Around here we call it "coffee flavored milk."
I think I also promised you another layout today? This one was hard to do, but I'm going to share it you anyway. I made it just after Michael had passed away and at the time, I didn't really know if I would be able to scrapbook again or at least, I didn't know when I'd be able to scrapbook again. A huge part of why I scrapbook is to celebrate and remind myself of all of God's blessings in my life - and there are many. I am humbled by them everyday. At the time, it wasn't that I couldn't see the blessings in my life or didn't recognize them, it's just that it was hard to think about those things while simultaneously feeling such pain. Knowing you are loved and blessed and yet feeling such deep sorrow is perhaps part of the mystery of grief.
It was surprising to me then, when just after we lost Michael I felt a pull to create something. I knew that I wanted to create something that reminded me of something very good in my life. A gift. And so I made this layout
but I didn't add any journaling to it at the time.
Every time I went to add journaling, well, I simply couldn't do it. It just reminded me too much of the pain I was feeling when I made this page.
But, just under two weeks ago Glen and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary and I took that opportunity to finally put down some thoughts:
You and I have been married for six years.
In that time, we've shared a lot of happy wonderful memories together,
more than I could count.
more than I could count.
But the years haven't been without their sorrows.
Through it all, I have been so grateful that God gave you to me.
I am so very blessed to live my life with you. March 2011
I'm pretty sure I couldn't do much of anything without Glen. I'm also pretty sure that God knew what he was doing when he brought the two of us together.
Until next time, God Bless. =)


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Understanding the labels on your pesticides and herbicid
In a world of litigation and lawsuits it is no surprise that any pesticide being sold for profit must contain legal labeling. While it seems like a simple and common sense thing to do, many people never read the labels, or if they do, they don't really understand them. Consumers flock to the stores on Saturdays purchasing an arsenal of weed killers, insecticides, and fungicides, many times not fully understanding what they have bought or how to correctly apply it.>> read "Following Directions" #Advice #Health and Safety #Pests
How did you miss those insects? How did they get in?
You may notice yellowing or dropping leaves, or a sticky substance on the leaves or floor before you ever see a pest. Those are some of the symptoms that may clue you in that your plants have a problem.>> read "5 Houseplant Enemies and What to Do" #Containers #Insects #Pests
Caterpillars you are likely to run across at some time
Where there are plants there are caterpillars. As an avid gardener, you are probably familiar with several species of caterpillars, particularly those that damage some of your favorite plants, such as tobacco hornworms, cabbage loopers, and tomato fruitworms. But our gardens and landscapes are host to hundreds of other caterpillar species.>> read "Crazy Crawlers" #Insects #Pests
Often when pulling weeds or mowing the grass, my mind drifts to some of the challenges in the world. I don't mean solving world hunger or anything, but just considering some of those gardening questions not discussed on radio shows. This happens in a "stream of consciousness" where one thought or question runs into another and another and so on.>> read "Gardening Questions You Never Really Thought to Ask" #Misc #Pests #Uncategorized #Vines
When most people think of wasps, they think of paper wasps, and they probably think of them only as pests because of unpleasant past encounters with these stinging insects. However, the world of wasps is much larger and more complex than this! Our gardens abound with hundreds of species of wasps that vary greatly in size and life habits. Most of the wasps in our gardens are tiny, parasitic species that do not sting people and go largely unnoticed. These are definitely friends because they help control pest insects. There is also a group of wasps known as sawflies whose larvae look like caterpillars and feed on plants. These are usually foes because they damage landscape plants. Two other groups of wasps are the social wasps, such as paper wasps, and the solitary wasps, such as mud daubers and cicada killers. Wasps in both these groups are capable of stinging, and they definitely qualify as foes when they do so, but paper wasps also have a beneficial side.>> read "Wasps: Garden Friends or Foes?" #Beneficials #Insects #Pests
Managing weeds in flowerbeds
Gardeners take pride in the appearance of their landscapes. However, nothing detracts from the beauty of flowerbeds like weeds. Along with being aesthetically displeasing, weeds in flowerbeds compete with desirable plants for water, nutrients and light. If weeds are out of control, expect fewer flowers and more headaches. For most people, backbreaking hand removal is relied upon exclusively to remove weed problems. Hand pulling may be successful for a few weeds, but for most weed problems it is only partially effective.>> read "The Best Defense" #Pests #Turf Grass #Vines
Every gardener has experienced it, usually more times than they can count. You walk into the garden and discover a plant that's been defoliated or otherwise damaged by caterpillars. The canna leaves are riddled with holes, the cabbage leaves look like lace, half the tomatoes have worms in the fruit, or the azaleas have been stripped of their leaves. How could this happen so quickly?>> read "Caterpillar Calamities" #Pests #Vegetables #Wildlife
The term "canker" refers to a lesion on a twig, branch or stem, usually caused by a bacterial or fungal pathogen. The appearance of cankers varies, depending on the host and the pathogen. Often, the bark of the affected stem or trunk is sunken and discolored. Fluids may ooze from a canker or fungal fruiting structures may appear on the bark covering or surrounding the lesion. In some cases, lesions remain small and isolated, causing no major problems for the host plant. In other cases, the canker spreads widely, causing death of twigs, branches or even the main trunks of trees. The best known example of the destructive potential of a canker disease is chestnut blight, caused by the fungus Endothia parasitica, which caused the virtual extinction of the American chestnut within 40 years of its accidental introduction to the United States in about 1900.>> read "Cantankerous Cankers" #Disease #Pests #Trees
Integrated pest management or IPM is a smart way of managing insect pests for economic and environmental benefits. IPM starts with the timely detection and correct identification of pests, leading to intervention using multiple control tactics. Insect traps can be used as a tool for timely pest detection and decision-making in home or commercial settings.>> read "Smart Gardening" #Insects #Pests #Tools
If you have a garden, it's more than likely that you also have a pest or three. It should be no surprise that pests and critters like our yards and gardens as much, or more, than we do. We are encouraged to invite wildlife into our yards and gardens because we love seeing them, and, in theory, they help balance our desire for our garden and nature to coexist. But what happens when they go rogue and start eating, digging and destroying all of our hard work?
Scaring them away, or we could say gently discouraging, wild and sometimes not-so-wild critters to "Step away from the garden," is always a first and sometimes successful option.
Container gardening is one of the fastest growing sectors of the gardening world – and why not? Containers can be grown where traditional gardens cannot, such as apartment balconies, courtyards, decks and patios. Since most containers are portable, there is a strong temptation to bring this instant landscape and color into the home once autumn transitions into the cold of winter. However, in addition to the preparation of the plants' horticultural needs, extra precautions need to be taken to ensure that no unwanted visitors hitchhike into your home on these container plants and jeopardize the health of your current houseplants or cause a nuisance in the home.>> read "Move the Plants, Not the Pests" #Containers #Insects #Pests
Tall, multicolored 'Granny's Bouquet' zinnias flourish in the sunny border. We've been clipping them regularly for the table, which encourages new flowering. Heritage garden roses are into their second or third flush. Landscape roses continue strong and brighter than ever. Grape, patio and large luscious tomatoes are at peak production. Yellow and green summer squash are so prolific that neighbors walk the other way when they see you carrying yet another vegetable.
July and August also can bring out the worst in marginally healthy plants. Plants are a collection of living cells, just like us. We're more susceptible to going downhill fast when stressed, underfed, dehydrated, injured, too hot or too cold.
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Seed Viability
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4 Shrubs to Plant in Your Pennsylvania Garden
Best greenery you can plant in summer.
Featured Books for Pennsylvania
Pamela Crawford
$ 19.95
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A complete guide to simple container gardening designed for anyone who has ever killed a plant. It includes illustrated instructions to create gorgeous, fool-proof container gardens that even you can't kill!
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Dorie Byers
$ 16.95
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Enhance your health naturally with herbs from your own garden. Even if you've never gardened before, you can care for yourself and your family using time-tested herbal remedies harvested from your own medicinal herb garden. Master Gardener Dorie Byers offers simple growing instructions for more than 20 versatile medicinal herbs such as garlic, chamomile, and echinacea. You'll also find recipes and tips for using the herbs for first-aid and preventive health care.
>> more information


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the frantic stop-and-go effort in Congress to avoid a debt default and end a government shutdown is "a mess" as a gloomy mood descended over the White House with time running out to a Thursday deadline.
Obama, who is to meet Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Wednesday, and his Democratic backers stressed there is still time to avoid a historic default even as efforts to reach a deal in Congress floundered on Capitol Hill.
"My expectation is that it does get solved, but we don't have a lot of time," Obama told WABC in New York. "So what I'm suggesting to congressional leaders is, let's not do any posturing, let's not try to save face, let's not worry about politics, do what's right."
The president seemed hopeful in television interviews he gave in late morning, but those hopes were dashed later in the day when Republicans who control the House of Representatives failed to muster support for alternatives to a Senate plan that had bipartisan support.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, emerging from White House talks with Obama, looked glum, as did other House Democratic leaders Steny Hoyer and James Clyburn, speaking in dire tones about the potential for a default.
Americans will pay higher interest rates on student loans, car payments and credit card bills, Pelosi said.
"This is what is at stake here," she said.
Obama's public schedule has been pared down to only events pointing up the need to reopen the government after a shutdown of 15 days and counting. Monday he visited a charity food pantry where furloughed workers are volunteering and helped make sandwiches.
In recent days Obama has tamped down some of his more harsher partisan rhetoric, dropping the "gun to the head" metaphors, in an apparent effort to encourage some semblance of goodwill.
He is still making a point of blaming the shutdown and threat of a debt default on his opponents, saying conservative Tea Party Republicans made "a very extreme decision to use very extreme tactics" that moderate Republicans are struggling to overcome.
"And what we've seen as a result is the kind of mess that we're seeing today," Obama told WABC.
Of trying to work out a compromise with House of Representative Speaker John Boehner, the top U.S. Republican, Obama stated the obvious: That the more conservatives see Boehner working with him, the worse it is for the speaker among his Republican caucus.
"It weakens him," Obama said. "So there have been repeated situations where we have agreements, then he goes back and it turns out that he can't control his caucus. So the challenge here is can you deliver on agreements that are made."
Behind the scenes, White House officials have talked to both sides in the political battle but insist Obama is not negotiating even though he appeared to be giving their blessing to aSenate plan that contained small changes to Obama's signature healthcare law.
White House spokesman Jay Carney, pressed on the issue at his daily briefing for reporters, said Obama has remained firm in his position of not making concessions in exchange for raising the U.S. debt limit.
"It depends on what you mean by 'negotiate,'" said Carney. "He's been having conversations with lawmakers. What he will not do ... is give the Tea Party its ideological agenda in exchange for Congress opening the government or Congress raising the debt ceiling so that the United States doesn't default."
Obama has seen his own public approval ratings take a hit during the current fiscal stalemate but what he and his aides are most concerned about is the potential damage to the U.S. economy, with Fitch Ratings warning it could cut the U.S. credit rating from AAA.
"I'm holding out hope that we can get this done in the next couple of days," Obama told Univision's Los Angeles affiliate. "We need to because over the next several days we're going to lose the capacity to pay our bills and our borrowing. And that could affect our credit rating and have all kinds of adverse impact on our economy."
(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Sandra Maler and Jackie Frank)


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0 Members and 1 Lonely Barbarian are spying on this topic.
Azure District Magic can only legally be practiced within one area of the city, with the caveat that no spell effect can exceed the boundries of the area. To do so invites either death OR stripping of one's powers. Some people are considered innately magical so they can not leave the district without the magistrate's permission and a witchhunter guard. The district gets its name by the good sized walls that are painted a bright blue that mark the magic district. There are blue lines painted parallel to the wall at each of the three district gates. Taking the Azure boundry to heart, many of the people who live in the area have taken to painting their roofs cobalt blue as well. Inside the district, there are three areas. Along the main roads, shops and shop fronts of a bizzare variety can be found. There are alchemists, spell sniffers, book sellers (mundane and otherwise), scolliers, fortune tellers, curse mongers, healers, pyrotechnics experts, professional spell casters, candlemakers, mirror crafters, magic tinkers (using little spells to fix/ clean/ tweak things), talismongers, shops filled with strange and unusual (catering to the needs of the area) and a purvayer of exotic/ magical animal parts. There is also a shop that re-sells things from the main market, for those that will not leave the district. Several of the braver food carters make a daily journey to the district fountain plaza, to sell their wares quickly to the natives here. In all the but the eastern section of the district are the homes of the magic folk. These homes all have an antique charm of an older district, but they have interesting elements that sometimes scare mundane neighbors. Magelight lamp posts, illusions in the windows, glyphs of power and alchemical symbols upon the walls, and odd paint colors are some of the more tame additions to the homes. The eastern section , where there the gate has been blocked, is the less desirable section of the district. The homes are more rundown, and usually broken down to apartments. Some of the creatures live here and in the undertunnels (but within the azure district). Some are homeless, others haunt the few green areas there. There are a few pubs here, where brew and others entertainments can be found. While most blue folk won't mention it, but this is the area where you can "know a guy, who knows a guy" who can get you dark and black magic spells, components, and items.
Magic can only legally be practiced within one area of the city, with the caveat that no spell effect can exceed the boundries of the area. To do so invites either death OR stripping of one's powers.
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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
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Tuesday April 3, 2012 12:12 pm
Scion FR-S packing heat with a 5.0 Liter V8
Posted by Andrey Malskiy Categories: Mods / Hacks, Transportation, Videos
Well for those that wanted it to happen and those of you that said it would happen, here it is, the Toyota 86/Scion FR-S built into a drifter. But to everyone's dismay, the heavy mods have happened sooner rather than later.
The T86 features great low end driving dynamics, but lacks the same excitement on its top end; and its acceleration leaves much to be desired for seasoned drivers. It wouldn't take long for the aftermarket to find a remedy for this with ECU reflashes and chips, but a complete engine swap one would see later down the road.
Well that's not the case for the T86, as Manabu "Max" Orido's Toyota GT 86 popped a 5.0-liter V8, from Lexus's IS-F, into his T86. Though we wish this was a factory option, a video for now will have to suffice. Enjoy!
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Build your Home
Create a site to gather your clan members, invite new friends and share your accomplishments with the world. Use our tools and easily manage your players, discussions and schedules.
Don't waste time on complicated setups or tedious code and server maintenance. Start your own clan website in a few simple steps:
Just pick what you like!
Your Clan Website
- Layout
- Every element has its place.
- Logo
- A custom emblem represents your clan.
- Gadgets
- Add small tools to your page.
- Apps
- News, Forum, Calendar, Streams, Gallery and many, many more.
- Colors
- Determine the main theme of your site.
- Design
- Use our premade themes or create your own.
Choose your style
Pick your favorite gaming title or an elegant theme as a foundation for your individual design. These are some examples.


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Done in by pace and movement during the opening Test against Australia, the Indian cricket team is unlikely to get much respite in the second match as well with the pitch curator here promising a track which will initially aid fast bowlers.
SCG curator Tom Parker said the pitch he is preparing would favour fast bowlers on the opening day before settling down and turning later. A year ago, Australia registered a first-day score of 134/4 on a rain-marred first day en route to an innings defeat to England.
"I was happy with that (pitch for the game against England) and I was happy with the previous year's as well (against Pakistan)," Parker told 'ESPNcricinfo'. "The last two years we've really got it together and it has really come up well. I'm hoping to have a pitch somewhat similar to that.
"That's the ideal scenario and that's what we're aiming for. I don't see why that won't happen. The weather's been kind to me and the forecast is for hot sunny days in the lead-up to the Test and the first couple of days of the Test, so I don't see why it shouldn't be perfect for us," he added.
India lost the opening Test by 122 runs and Australian pacers played a crucial role in triggering the visiting team's batting collapses. It has been raining here but Parker said it won't affect the preparation of the pitch at the SCG, where the India-Australia match will be the 100th Test played here.
"There's been a lot of rain around but we have the covers on as well; we've had a lot of matches up to date and it hasn't affected our preparation too much on the centre," Parker said. "The thing that's been a bit of a downfall for us is the overcast conditions more than the rain.
"The hours of direct sunlight have been fairly minimal on several days, and that's been a bit of a pain as far as grass growth goes. In saying that, the outfield's in tip-top condition, as is the centre square," he added.
Parker said he would ensure a sporting track which has something for everyone -- pacers, spinners and batsmen. "That's what I've always aimed for. It has always been my goal to produce pitches with an even coverage of grass and pitches that were going to play consistently over the period of the match. We've got that mix pretty well right now.
"As long as you're going into the match with great preparation and good grass coverage, nice even moisture throughout the pitch, it usually pays off and the pitch will play consistently," he added.


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The Senate's Scrooge session
The deal-cutting is done for the year. The House is long gone. And there is no threat of fiscal calamity forcing Congress to act imminently.
But in the Senate, nothing is easy. Not even going home for the holidays.
Story Continued Below
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is warning lawmakers he's prepared to keep them in Washington until Christmas Eve unless Republicans allow quick votes on a wide range of President Barack Obama's nominations. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is effectively daring Reid to follow through on this threat while other Republicans warn they may boycott the Senate next week if it stays in session during Christmas time.
( Also on POLITICO: Senate poised to pass budget deal)
Year-end sessions typically conclude with a flurry of legislative deal-making and a slew of noncontroversial presidential nominations quickly winning the Senate's blessing as lawmakers rush to the exits. But in this Scrooge session, there's not much Christmas spirit in the air.
"It's entirely up to the majority leader," said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the Republican whip, when asked about the prospects of the two sides cutting a deal and avoiding a Christmas week session. "If he wants to ruin everybody's Christmas, he's got the authority and the power to do that. I would hope he would restrain himself."
Of course, Reid is fond of threatening to keep senators in the Capitol — frequently warning of weekend sessions throughout the year that don't come to pass. And senators may relent later this week knowing that Christmas is around the corner.
( PHOTOS: Harry Reid's career)
But Senate Republicans, still angry at Reid's use of the "nuclear option" to gut filibusters on presidential nominees, are in no mood to cooperate with the Nevada Democrat's demands for quick confirmation votes. And they have the power to drag out an afternoon's worth of work until next week even if the end result will be the same: The nominees will eventually be confirmed.
Even the House, plagued by political rancor in recent years, was able to wrap up its year with less drama, approving a bipartisan budget deal with a commanding majority and passing a stopgap farm bill in a simple voice vote.
The Senate is on the verge of passing the budget plan Wednesday, but partisan relations in the chamber are at an all-time low, poisoned by Reid's use of the nuclear option last month. Embittered senators, tired of the unproductive and unrelenting 2013 session, think 2014 will only be worse, with fights brewing over unemployment benefits, the debt ceiling and hot-button issues like immigration. And, of course, midterm election politics will be hovering over the Capitol.
( Previously on POLITICO: Reid fills up Senate schedule)
"I can't remember if it's been worse, but at the moment at least, this is not a great scene," said Sen. Carl Levin, the veteran Michigan Democrat who failed to persuade his party to avoid the nuclear option tactic.
Reid is not too concerned about being labeled the Grinch by the GOP. After all, he's not planning to travel to Nevada during the Christmas holiday, so — unlike many of his colleagues who are eager to return home — Reid feels little pressure to buckle.
"I don't enjoy it, but if that gives them some solace, let them do it," Reid said in an interview when asked about the sharp GOP attacks leveled against him since going nuclear. "It doesn't bother me."
( PHOTOS: Obama's second-term Cabinet)
There's some hope that a deal can be reached to allow senators to finish their work before Christmas Eve. Democratic sources said Tuesday that Reid is open to a deal that would allow quick confirmation votes on four nominees — Alejandro Mayorkas as a deputy secretary at the Homeland Security Department, John Koskinen to be commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, Brian Davis to serve on a Florida district court and Janet Yellen as the next Fed chair.
But there's a catch: Reid would take such a deal only if McConnell allows the other executive and judicial nominees to stay pending in the Senate next year, rather than forcing them to be renominated by the White House.
McConnell wouldn't show his hand on Tuesday, but in particular, Republicans are furious about the push to confirm Mayorkas because he's subject to an ongoing Department of Homeland Security inspector general investigation. McConnell indicated that the ball is squarely in Reid's court.
"I think we'll be on defense [authorization legislation] until close to midnight on Thursday," McConnell said in a brief interview Tuesday. "And we'll see how long the majority leader wants to keep us around on a bunch of nonessential nominations."
Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson fired back: "Confirming nominees is the Senate's job; it's a shame Republicans seem to find working inconvenient."


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September 2008
Chattanooga School for The Arts and Sciences
Hamilton County, Tenn.
|Selected Characteristics of Magnet School and Host Districta
|Magnet School: Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences
|Host District: Hamilton County, Tenn.
|Year Established as Magnet
|Population Typeb
|Mid-sized City
|542 square miles
|MSAPd Funded
|1,058 (grades K–12)
470 (grades 9–12)
|12,370 magnet out of 40,800 students
|Student Ethnicity
|2% Hispanic
40% African-American
56% White
3% Asian American
|Student Ethnicityd
|3% Hispanic
34% African-American
60% White
2% Asian American
|Special Education
|Special Education
|Free or Reduced-price Lunch
|Free or Reduced-price Lunche
|English Language Learners
|English Language Learnerse
a Source: 2007 CSAS Report Card, Tennessee Department of Education, http://www.tennessee.gov/education
b Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics' Common Core of Data for the school year 2005–06, http://www.nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch
c Based on the curriculum ideas of the American philosopher and educator Mortimer J. Adler, the Paideia model combines didactic instruction of factual information, intellectual coaching of skills, and seminar discussion of ideas, concepts, and values. Further information can be found at the National Paideia Center Web site: http://www.paideia.org
d U.S. Department of Education's Magnet Schools Assistance program
e Source:http://www.schoolmatters.com
A Socratic seminar on the "Anatomical Drawings of Leonardo da Vinci" engages students in questions and discussion about six sketches and a written article. The teacher notes who raises topics and who makes specific references to the text that contribute to the discussion. Throughout the 90-minute seminar, students make connections between mechanical principles and the human body, identifying da Vinci's purpose in producing the sketches and evaluating how well he succeeded. Unlike traditional whole-class discussions where the teacher fields and directs the conversation, students in seminar speak to one another, pose questions, and focus on citing the text to substantiate their opinions as they analyze why anatomical sketches are important to the study of anatomy and physiology. Chattanooga School for The Arts and Sciences (CSAS) was founded to realize the principles of democratic liberal arts education as developed by the philosopher Mortimer Adler in The Paideia Proposal (Paideia), first published in 1982. A parallel goal was to design an alternative for this community that had a long-standing tradition of racially segregated public schools and private schooling for the affluent. Jack Murrah, president of the Lyndhurst Foundation, a local philanthropy, had read Paideia and believed in its philosophy of setting a high standard for children from all backgrounds. He drew together civic leaders, parents, and members of the business community to discuss Paideia and eventually lobbied the Chattanooga Public Schools Board of Education to create a new middle school magnet, initially serving grades 5-8, to execute his vision.
CSAS was established as a magnet in 1986, the same year that a desegregation lawsuit from 1960 against the district was dissolved. Ten years later, CSAS became part of the Hamilton County district when Chattanooga deeded its urban, predominantly African-American schools to the more affluent, white, suburban county. The creation of new magnet schools became a primary tool for reducing minority-group isolation in the county, with a total of 16 more magnet schools developed from 1998 to 2001. As Hamilton County's pioneer magnet, CSAS continues to be one of the most racially integrated schools in the system. CSAS currently serves grades K-12, but remains small, with 470 students in grades 9-12. Recognized nationally as a model Paideia school, and with the vast majority (consistently 95 percent or higher) of its graduates continuing on to postsecondary education, CSAS has demonstrated that a college preparatory, liberal arts education can bring out the highest potential of any student who comes through its doors.
Mission and Curriculum
The Paideia philosophy, the school's magnet theme, articulates a broad goal of making a rigorous curriculum accessible to students from all backgrounds, empowering each to be a lifelong learner. "We don't say only some kids are capable of doing high-level work, and we don't track kids," explains Steve Ball, principal of CSAS.
Academics are clearly the focus, with graduation requirements closely meeting or exceeding the entrance requirements of highly selective colleges. For example, every student takes either French or Spanish starting in kindergarten and continuing through senior year. Advanced science electives in geology, physiology, chemistry, and physics are offered in addition to the four years of mandatory lab science. The program aims to develop well-rounded and intellectually curious students. CSAS offers 20 electives in the visual and performing arts, and the school has well-established band, strings, choir, and theater programs.
CSAS classrooms integrate the three types of instruction that distinguish the Paideia model: didactic (lecture), coaching (skills development in small groups), and seminar (whole group discussion and questioning). Teachers try to make no more than 20 percent of the instruction didactic so that students are actively engaged in their learning through small groups and seminars for at least 80 percent of the time. The third type of instruction, Socratic seminar, is an essential part of what makes CSAS's curriculum distinctive. These seminars are explorations of written texts or products of human art for the purpose of exploring complex issues and ideas.
The CSAS academic year is divided into two block-scheduled terms. Each term, students complete four courses, one of which may be an elective or community service. The high school program also requires two distinct exhibitions of student mastery, known as the Scholar's Journey and the Senior Project. To provide evidence of a student's readiness for promotion to 11th grade, the Scholar's Journey includes a working portfolio documenting ninth- and 10th-grade course work, a final portfolio of revised and exemplary work, and a roundtable presentation of the portfolio that includes a personal essay and reflection on learning. The Senior Project is a chance for students to demonstrate that they are independent learners who have mastered the skills and habits needed for managing work and following academic areas of interest. To graduate, students must complete this exit project, which includes a 10-12-page research paper, documented time spent with an expert in the student's chosen field, 30 hours of related community service, the creation of a tangible product, and two culminating presentations.
Continuous improvement is a large part of the school culture, reflecting a vision of education as a process of ongoing learning. While students are celebrated for achievements and accomplishments, they also receive a consistent message that they can always make improvements. One senior recalls a French class in which he had a 100 percent average, "and at my conference the teacher told my parents that I could do more, that I could work harder to improve my skills."
Ensuring Student Success
The same core curriculum is required of all students, though each may move through the progression at his or her own pace. There is no tracking, no class ranking, and no advanced placement classes. Because students are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis and there are no admissions criteria, emphasis is placed on supporting students to meet high expectations. At CSAS, "we believe that the best education for the best kids is the best education for all," says principal Steve Ball.
From strategic college counseling to award ceremonies that recognize students who have earned college scholarships, CSAS staff ensure that there are ample reminders and support for all students to think about college. Few college preparatory activities are optional: All juniors are required to participate in a week of college trips; all 10th-graders take PLAN, a preliminary assessment for the ACT college entrance exam; all juniors and most sophomores take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) along with any freshmen who have completed Algebra I. And the hallways are lined with college banners representing the different postsecondary institutions CSAS graduates have attended. College is a clear and consistent message communicated to students.
In addition to personalized attention that comes from small class sizes (typically 18-23 students) and small group instruction, students can access additional academic support services. CSAS teachers are paid to work with identified students in mandatory before- and after-school sessions, providing homework help and teaching literacy strategies. On a voluntary basis, students also can receive tutoring through the Academic Coaching department.
Building School Capacity
SAS boasts an accomplished staff: Of the 47 secondary school faculty and professional staff members, 80 percent hold advanced degrees. The Socratic seminar plays an essential role in adult learning for CSAS's faculty as it does for student learning. All faculty meet in grade-level teams on Tuesdays to plan for the next day's Socratic seminar with students. They plan preparation activities, discuss scaffolding strategies to help students access difficult texts, and design assessments. In this way, teachers across the disciplines collaborate on improving seminar instruction. A significant amount of professional development occurs in monthly Quality Circles, where small groups of teachers with common prep periods meet to collaborate and discuss instruction. Staff recently looked at the school's grading policy to address issues of equity, for example. Through ongoing, small group discussions like these, faculty work to create policies and safety nets that provide for more equitable outcomes for their struggling students.
CSAS has garnered strong community involvement with its service-learning component. To graduate from CSAS, a student must have completed 100 hours of community service, and for the Senior Project, each student must incorporate 30 hours of real-world service. This translates into students working in the community, alongside professionals, conducting expert interviews and volunteering their time in the field.
A team of college counselors engages a number of regional colleges and universities by making frequent contact, helping educate admissions officers regarding the unique attributes of CSAS (e.g., no ranking of students), and preparing students to make good impressions. According to many of the parents, having an open enrollment process that demands additional family commitment and support for the unique program is critical to the school's success. As part of the application process to all magnets, parents must commit to a minimum of 18 volunteer hours. In 2006, CSAS parents dedicated more than 28,000 hours within the school. Parents also are required to participate in at least two parent-teacher conferences per year. These requirements help create buy-in to the school program.
Achievement and Outcomes
For over 20 years, CSAS has sustained an innovative model of education that has proven successful in terms of integration and student achievement. The success of CSAS as part of the Chattanooga Public Schools led the way for the city system to create five more Paideia schools in the years following CSAS's opening in 1986. The school currently has a waitlist of 1,100 students (100 at each grade level) and has attracted families from every zone in the county, including families who had previously sent their children to elite private schools. In 2006-07, 97 percent of CSAS students were accepted to two- or four-year colleges, with 81 percent going on to four-year colleges.
CSAS's principal, Steve Ball, recalls hearing from professors of neighboring the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga that they notice right away which of their students are CSAS graduates: "They aren't afraid of hard work, they don't get intimidated by large assignmentss, and they embrace debate and intellectual disagreement."
As table 4 shows, a greater percentage of grades 9-12 CSAS students scored proficient and advanced on the 2007 state reading and mathematics assessments than did students in the district and state.
Table 4. Percentages of Ninth- through 12th-Grade Students Who Scored Proficient and Advanced on 2007 State Assessments in Reading and Mathematics at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences as Compared To Hamilton County and the State
|Hamilton County
School District
|State of Tennessee
|Reading/Language Plus Writing
Source: Tennessee Department of Education Report Card NCLB (AYP) 2007, Hamilton County, http://www.state.tn.us/education


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Seems like a good time to make a confession.
I despise Christmas music. Now before the shouts of Ebenezer get too loud let me point out it's not the holiday or season I dislike simply the soundtrack. Well, that and the glitter.
In honor of my confession I'm going to rank the 10 Worst (Fairly Well-Known) Christmas Songs. Sure there are even bigger monstrosities out there. Every Christmas song by the Beach Boys, the festive slop mainstream country hurls from Nashville, and those damn screechy Chipmunks but I tried to focus on the ones that radio stations play every hours this month.
10) You Are a Mean One, Mr Grinch - We tell our kids not to be bullies and yet here is this song that does nothing but belittle and ridicule. I dislike green things as much as anyone but where the the holiday cheer in this one?
8) All I Want For Christmas Is You - Who wrote
this? John Hinckley Jr?
7) A Wonderful Christmas Time - Come on Paul McCartney. Quit trying to pretend you are as talented as John Lennon was. Lennon's Happy Christmas had meaning. Your song is a cancerous ear worm that lingers in it's victims longer than fruitcake in the pantry.
6) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The musical equivalent to George Orwell's novel 1984. And yet another reason to fear Big Brother.
5) Christmas Shoes - Hey let's all gather 'round and sing a song about momma dying. Yeah, That's festive.
4) Santa Baby - Nothing creates that giving spirit like a song glorifying gold diggers.
3) All I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas - This little ditty teaches our kids bad rhymes and promotes unreasonable expectations.
1) Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer - This song has it all ... alcoholism (grandma staggering around drunk on eggnog), death (grandma), compassion (grandpa already trifling around with cousin Belle), necrophilia (incriminating Clause marks on her back), sacrilege (disparaging SAINT Nick as a blond fool) ... all wrapped up in a horrendously gaudy package.
So tell me what bad holiday song did I miss?


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Rocker Joan Jett is set to make history at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards this year when she becomes the first female to receive the prestigious Golden God title.
The I Love Rock 'n' Roll hitmaker will follow in the footsteps of previous honourees Motorhead, KISS star Gene Simmons and Alice Cooper,who have all taken home the top prize at the Los Angeles event in recent years.
Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose will be another big winner – he will be presented with the Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement accolade. Metallica took home the award at last year's ceremony.
Meanwhile, Black Sabbath, Avenged Sevenfold and Korn are among the multiple nominees for the prizegiving, which honors the best in heavy metal.
Ozzy Osbourne's group and their comeback release 13 will face off against Avenged Sevenfold's Hail to the King and Korn's The Paradigm Shift for Album of the Year, while Jonathan Davis (Korn) and M. Shadows (Avenged Sevenfold) have been shortlisted for Best Vocalist, as have Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and Ivan Moody (Five Finger Death Punch).
The Best Guitarist category will be a fight between Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) Munky & Head (Korn), Synyster Gates & Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold), John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) and Zoltan Bathory & Jason Hook (Five Finger Death Punch), while Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath), Fieldy (Korn) and Johnny Christ (Avenged Sevenfold) are among the nominees for Best Bassist.
Best Live Band nods go to Lamb of God, Rob Zombie, Slayer and Motley Crue, among others, and Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Nine Inch Nails and Queens of the Stone Age will compete for Comeback of the Year.
The awards, not to be confused with Metal Hammer's Golden Gods in the U.K., will take place at Club Nokia in L.A. on 23 April.
Rocker Joan Jett is set to make history at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards this year when she becomes the first female to receive the prestigious Golden God title.


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ST. GEORGE, Utah � Chipola faced the top two seeds in the NJCAA Division I national softball tournament Friday. And the Lady Indians lost to both.
ST. GEORGE, Utah � Chipola faced the top two seeds in the NJCAA Division I national softball tournament Friday. And the Lady Indians lost to both.
Chipola was eliminated from the event after two straight losses, the last a 4-3 decision against top-seeded Butler, Kan. Second-seeded Salt Lake defeated Chipola 12-0 earlier Friday in the winners� bracket semifinal. The third-seeded Lady Indians finished the season 45-11.
Salt Lake dominated Chipola starter Eva Voortman early, Chipola made four errors to lead to five unearned runs and was held to one hit by winner MaCauley Flint. Ninth hitter Kristen Allen collected the hit on a bunt single in the third.
Whitney Holt was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and four RBIs to lead an 11-hit attack. Hannah Williams had three hits and scored twice, as Salt Lake jumped out to a 5-0 lead in Voortman�s four innings of work for her first loss of the tournament. Salt Lake added a single run in the fifth and six more in the seventh against reliever Rosanne de Vries.
Flint yielded two walks to give Chipola three baserunners. She had nine strikeouts and helped Salt Lake advanced to the winners� bracket final against Wallace State-Hanceville, Ala., late Friday.
Chipola made two errors in a three-run second inning against Butler to fall behind 4-0. Starter and loser Karissa Childs of Sneads also gave up a run in the first and was replaced by Voortman in the third.
Chipola rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth against winning pitcher Mac Millspaugh to draw within 4-3. It also loaded the bases with one out in the sixth but was unable to score. The Lady Indians went down in order in the seventh, as Maggie Ham earned the save.
Allen had three hits and scored a run in leading Chipola. Voortman held Butler scoreless over the final five innings and had one strikeout. Childs gave up five of Butler�s eight hits.


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Life is a series of interactions. How we manage these interactions plays a meaningful role in our future. This is particularly relevant for entrepreneurs and investors, between which exists a delicate symbiosis that teeters between cooperation and competition. This is further complicated by the fact that investors often work together, yet have the dueling agendas of doing right by their portfolio companies as well as their limited partners. It is difficult to apply game theory to this problem because of its myriad dimensions and the vastly different utility functions of the players involved. That said, there is one over-arching principle that applies in all cases which makes the math infinitely more straight-forward: karma.
Notwithstanding the trend towards short-term thinking and immediate gratification in Government, media and across society, there are a few immutable truths:
- Life is a marathon, not a sprint; and
- Relationships matter.
This creates stress when short-term behaviors are then viewed through the lens of long-term relationships. Old saws such as "What goes around comes around" and "Payback is a bitch" (or other notions of "karma") didn't spring from nothing: they came from the observation that those who act badly tend to have bad things happen to them precisely because they weren't mindful of the longer-term implications of their behaviors. And the problem is that short-term thoughtlessness can take an awfully long time to overcome, as trust and credibility needs to be rebuilt and prior wounds need time to heal. It is much more efficient - and much kinder - to simply do the right thing in the first place, and to adopt a longer-term perspective from the start.
None of this is easy, mind you. Giving up your seat to an elderly person on the subway shouldn't require thought: it should be reflexive. Few karma points for this. But when something is truly difficult, like a founder giving up a significant chunk of equity to bring on a great senior leader or a venture syndicate lead making room for smaller strategic investors, this is where the karma test is in play. Classic knee jerk responses to the above are often akin to the following: "I'm not hiring that person: no way I'm diluting myself like that" or "I refuse to make room for this investor: I want to keep the capacity for myself." Sometimes it's best to take a deep breath, step back and think deeply about personal motivations and the long-term implications. "Might this new hire truly transform the business and massively expand the equity value pie, separate and apart from my percentage ownership dilution? Perhaps it does make sense for the company," or "While I'd really like to own those few more points in the business, the founders like and trust these investors and believe they can truly help the company." This issue no longer becomes simply what I want for me, now, but what is best for me - and others - over time.
In short, it's about the company, stupid. An easy concept to understand, but a hard one to put into practice when so many around us are perpetuating the myth that optimizing for the short term does not adversely impact the long term. I can tell you from experience that most (but clearly not all) of the time, short-term thinking is costly in the long run. It's not altruism, it's just good business. And good karma, too.
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We spent a decent amount of time talking internally about what the right sort of content for this session was. We wanted to make sure that the group got a chance to both get to know each other better while also learning something valuable that would help them in their day-to-day lives back at the office. The concept that ultimately emerged, in keeping with the spirit of the times in which we live, was to crowd-source both agenda and content, and ask the group to teach each other something.
So we gathered last week in a room at the NYU business school – the High Peaks team plus 14 CEOs – for a few hours of startup management wisdom. We hear all the time from the teams we work with about on or another of the ingenious management tools that they have either created or picked up along the way – secrets to recruiting, running the hyper-efficient management team meeting, driving on-time product development, keeping a team focused on a truly shared vision, establishing a metrics-driven culture, etc. We asked each CEO to come to the session with one pearl of wisdom that they had picked up along the way and "teach" a 10 minute lesson on it.
Based on the feedback we got from the group it worked spectacularly well. Not only did I get off the hook on having to come up with any content, but the CEOs got the benefit of a veritable buffet of startup management wisdom. There was some remarkable content, and I'll be sharing the most valuable gems in the weeks to come.
As I reflected on the discussion at the end of the day, however, I was struck by a meta-theme that had wound its way through many of the talks. That theme, which I was slightly surprised (but delighted) to see coming through so strongly, was openness. And when I say openness, I mean openness of just about everything in the organization.
Maybe it's a sign of my ever-advancing age, but the degree to which this group of hyper-talented managers had embraced full transparency and inclusiveness within their organizations was remarkable to see. I've spent a lot of time as a board member over the years trying to convince CEOs to open up. And when I was in the CEO seat myself I know I didn't play it as openly as I should have. But here, with a collection of New York's best and brightest, openness carried the day.
Not surprisingly, we heard a lot about creating a culture that expects direct, open, and honest feedback. This is a group that pulls no punches in that regard. They are creating open cultures of accountability, and they expect all players to contribute.
For many of the smaller companies, they start each and every day with a team huddle where everyone in the company reports quickly on what they're working on, what their goals are, and what they've achieved in recent days (many of the larger co's do this in groups). Be it a daily or weekly huddle, you can't hide from the accountability that structure drives. And that kind of clarity on what the entire organization is focused on helps individual contributors understand where their work fits into the larger picture. It also exposes people to weaknesses in the organization and creates space for them to try to impact areas beyond their immediate responsibilities.
We also heard about full transparency around corporate goals and performance. In fact, for most of these CEOs, nearly everything they discuss with their boards is then freely shared with the entire company. By and large, they find full transparency around financial performance and success or failure in meeting their goals creates a more engaged and motivated team. The standard seems to be that the only numbers kept private are individual compensation details.
The fundraising process has been opened up and demystified by this bunch. These CEOs are talking to their teams about what's working and what's not when they're out in the market talking to prospective investors. Not surprisingly, some good ideas come from that, and people like to know where the organization stands.
Recruitment is a complete team sport. The most progressive of the bunch are not only engaging the whole employee base to source talent but also seeking each team member's input on every hire. A couple of the companies are so relentlessly focused on creating exceptional cultures that are driven by A+ players at every position that each new hire must be approved by the entire existing team. If any one person is not excited about a candidate (and the burden of proof is indeed excitement), they don't get the job. Of course that's a practice that will have to evolve as the company scales from a 15 to a 100 person company, but there will be ways to do that.
Many of these tools and techniques, like the collaborative hiring decisions, will not scale in their current form as these companies scale. There will no doubt be growing pains. But given the monumental nature of the challenges that these companies face – each is an under-resourced David slinging rocks at the Goliath of their market – I was quite proud to see this theme of openness emerge through nearly every discussion.
As has been written by many people before, being a startup CEO is an unbelievably lonely endeavor. So why make it any lonelier than it needs to be? I'm glad to see that the CEOs of our portfolio companies are opening things up and working with their teams to make it all a little bit easier, and a lot more successful.
Follow me on twitter @bradsvrluga or my blog at bradsvrluga.com.


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Flat, residential roads & trail.
This trip is not open for members of the public to join.
Enter for a chance to win a bike. If you were invited by the trip leader to join this trip, you can fill out an entry form for a chance to win a bike.
0 people joining this ride have entered the sweepstakes.


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Mark Zuckerberg's baby girl was born in the last week of November 2015, but only made public on Dec 01, 2015. Dr. Priscilla Chan & Mark Zuckerberg's baby girl is named as Max Zuckerburg.
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan announced the birth of a baby girl named Max on Tuesday, Dec 01, 2015. But Max Zuckerburg's birth date is November 25, 2015.
In a moving letter posted in Facebook addressed to their child, the Facebook creator Mark Zuckerburg and his wife wrote, "Your mother and I don't yet have the words to describe the hope you give us for the future."
Zuckerburg posted "We're so happy to welcome our daughter Max into this world. Everyone is happy and healthy. Thank you for all your love and support through our pregnancy. There is so much joy in our little family."
"Max, we love you and feel a great responsibility to leave the world a better place for you and all children," Zuckerberg and Chan concluded. "We wish you a life filled with the same love, hope and joy you give us. We can't wait to see what you bring to this world."
Max Zuckerberg looks more like her mother Dr. Priscilla Chan. We have got some Photos of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg's Baby Girl Max Zuckerberg and posting here for our viewers –
Mark Zuckerberg's Baby Girl Photo Gallery
Max Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg's Baby Girl Video Gallery
Max Zuckerburg's video gallery will be added soon.


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WASHINGTON -- Is it a house or a boat? Does a coffee mug float? The Supreme Court struggled with all types of questions Monday as it tried to figure out what kind of floating structures fall under maritime law, a question that could have a profound impact on popular businesses like floating casinos, hotels and restaurants.
The question under discussion on the court's first day of arguments was about Fane Lozman's floating home _ a gray, two-story vessel approximately 57 feet in length that he towed to the marina in Riviera Beach, one of South Florida's poorest coastal cities. Lozman then started fighting with the city over a planned private redevelopment project for the marina.
The city in 2009 told Lozman, a former Chicago financial trader, his right to stay at the marina would be revoked unless he got the structure registered as a vessel and proved it could be moved when a hurricane or tropical storm threatened. The city also demanded payment of more than $3,000 in dockage fees. When Lozman refused to pay or leave the marina, the city used U.S. maritime law to impose a lien on the structure as a vessel. Lozman argued in court that it was a house (it had no engines, no bilge pumps, no steering mechanism, no lights or navigation aids), which would have given it some protection from seizure under state law.
But a judge sided with the city, and the property was seized, then bought by Riviera Beach for $4,100 and destroyed. The city has posted a $25,000 bond in lieu of Lozman's property.
More than 5,000 Americans own floating homes, and there are more than 60 floating casinos in the United States that could be affected by this ruling.
Justices didn't accept lawyer David C. Frederick's argument for the city that the current description of a vessel as something that "floats, moves, and carries people or things on water" was clear enough to carry the day.
An inner tube or inflatable raft would fit that description, Chief Justice John Roberts started. Justice Stephen Breyer then held up his coffee mug.
"A cup doesn't float," Frederick said. "Oh, well, this is lighter than you think," Breyer retorted.
"How about a garage door?" added Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Then Justice Elena Kagan jumped in: "Paste a couple of pennies on the inner tube. Now it carries things."
Lozman's lawyer, Jeffrey L. Fisher argued that his house clearly wasn't a vessel, because it was dependent on the land to work properly. "A floating home cannot function if it's not tied to land. It doesn't matter how many amps we want to fight about. It's whether it needs that power from land, whether it needs those connections to land. A houseboat, like any other vessel, can fully function away from port," Fisher said.
But a couple of justices didn't accept his definition either.
"Maybe these floating homes are just a poor man's houseboat," Kagan said. "The point of getting a floating home is actually to have a home that you can hook up to a boat and move from place to place, and so you don't have to, you know, have the motor running all the time or have the capacity to move it all the time, but when you want to move it on water and when you want to move your possessions on water, you have the capacity to do so."
The case is Lozman v. the city of Riviera Beach, Fla. No. 11-626.


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Reading (or listening) between the lines Monday, it's hard to come away with the impression that coach Tom Cable wants to go into the last three games of the season with JaMarcus Russell at quartertback.
Give him credit for not offering up a company line and insisting there's been some grand change in Russell in the three games since he lost the starting job to Bruce Gradkowski.
Cable could have said:
"We really feel good about having JaMarcus back in the lineup. He's gone above and beyond the call of duty in terms of preparation, appears to be taking his job more seriously and is turning it loose at quarterback. He played very well at Denver last season and we expect him to do so again."
Instead, Cable said this:
"I think certainly I'm going to look at what the options are and again as I told you before I'll do what's best for this team, what gives us the best chance to win. Right now, it's to figure out where Bruce is at here in the next 24-48 hours and then make that decision."
Reality check: Gradkowski is a quarterback who thrives through mobility and has one torn MCL and one partially torn MCL. He's not playing against Denver.
And this:
"You know after looking at it on film, I see some things that are the same. I think that there's a couple things he did that were good. Again, I'll look at all that here in the next 24 hours because if we're heading towards a decision at the quarterback spot, then I pretty much do diligence in all those things and I'll sit down and look through everything again."
You wonder where Al Davis comes out on all this. At one point, he liked Frye enough to have him up to the office for a talk when he came for a visit early in free agency (although Frye didn't sign until much later).
But Davis certainly wants Russell to begin achieving his potential, and there are three valuable lessons to be had.
Those three "lessons" could be the last games of Cable's Raiders head coaching career if they go down without a fight.
Frankly, the Raiders didn't put up much of one Sunday after Gradkowski went out of the game. Russell got almost no protection, and if you were to put Russell-Frye to a secret ballot as to which quarterback gives the better chance to win, the Raiders' actions on the field against the Redskins suggest it would be Frye in a landslide.
Russell didn't talk with reporters after the game, although Comcast SportsNet Bay Area managed to get a couple of minutes while Cable was addressing the press and before the quarterback made a hasty retreat.
"It's kind of different coming in, and not starting," Russell said. "Best thing to do is just let the game come to you, don't force anything. Couldn't get too much going. That's basically it. Nothing else to be said, just couldn't get nothing going."
Asked if about his protection and the six second-half sacks, Russell said, "I don't know, but I say everything is my fault, so I'll put it on me, maybe. I could've stepped up a different way to protect those guys, but that's what happened."
Cable didn't deny there seemed to be the entire team seemed to sag once Russell got in the game _ whether it was Russell's fault or not.
"Potentially I guess there was," Cable said. "I really didn't feel that because you're so into what you're doing and all that. When you look at it on film, we look like a different team but to put that on them that way, I don't want to do that. We've got to step up and all play better. That's really the bottom line here."
More Monday news and notes:
— Zach Miller walked past in an off-limits area of the Raiders facility, carrying a folder which had diagrams of the human brain on the outside. In his postgame press briefing, Cable said Miller had a stinger. He said Monday it was a concussion.
Miller also had a concussion on Oct. 4 against Houston.
"We'll be as cautious as we have to be, and what I mean is we'll protect the athlete and do all the testing and due diligence in terms of his return," Cable said.
Cable said he thinks the league will take a close look at the hit by Rocky McIntosh without the Raiders having to send in the film as evidence. And he was pleased to see safety Mike Mitchell and cornerback Louis Murphy take exception to Fred Smoot's celebration near the fallen Miller.
— Could be another week without rookie first-round pick Darrius Heyward-Bey at wide receiver. The improvement in his foot sprain has been "minimal" and Cable said he was day-to-day.
— Safety Michael Huff is day-to-day with a stringer and hopes to make it through the season.
"I first did it in Dallas, and then I reinjured it in Pittsburgh. I finished the Pittsburgh game, I finished the Dallas game, so I can play with it," Huff said. "I just have to make it through these last three."
— Wide receiver/return specialist Nick Miller will run on a machine this week and hopefully will soon graduate to grass. Is it possible Miller will make his debut in the Raiders season finale against Baltimore?
— The Redskins got to Raiders quarterbacks, and Russell in particular, with a Cover 1 defense in which any player that had a responisiblity to cover a back or tight end immediately became a pass rusher if those players were held in to block.
"Every pass play they can extra guy on you," Cable said. "So it's a matter of getting it out of your hand out there."
— Defensive end Greg Ellis played well in Cable's estimation and the hope is he can make it through the next three games. Ellis said afterward he has not thoughts of retiring and is committed to keeping his promise to Cable and Davis to help get the Raiders turned around.
Defensive end Richard Seymour, in the final year of his contract and potentially locked up with a franchise tag, said being with the Raiders if and when they become a good team would be gratifying, but noted, "Obviously that's the business side of the game. As we all know, I thought I was going to be in New England last year and six days before the season I'm here in Oakland. You never know what happens so I'll just let those chips fall where they may."
— Cable shrugged off a pass interference call against Stanford Routt (Santana Moss fell and Routt tripped over him _ not exactly the textbook definition of a PI) as part of the game. Cornerback Chris Johnson said he understands the game is not set up for cornerbacks to succeed.
"If they're going to call it like that, it may as well be touch football," Johnson said.
Johnson laughed when asked if defensive assistant and Raiders Hall of Famer Willie Brown talked about playing cornerback in the true bump-and-run days of the American football League.
"He said he would like just get up and choke them," Johnson said. "I'm like, 'You can't do that no more. You do that you'll surely get flagged.' We try to play the rules of this game. He tries to get us to do what he did back then. I said, 'Nah, that ain't going to work.' "
— A welcome sight _ Darren McFadden getting 74 yards on two snaps on the ball, one on a slant, the other on a slant-and-go, both against former SEC nemesis LaRon Landry (LSU).
"Just felt great to get out there and at least rip off a big play, whether it was running the ball or receiving, it just felt good get that in and get out there, move the ball around to me a little bit, felt good to move around out there," McFadden said.
— McFadden and Justin Fargas both said Michael Bush, who never saw the field on offense has been accepting his reduced time like a professional.
Bush chatted amicably with reporters Monday about college basketball, but politely declined to discuss his current role with the Raiders.


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94 N. Main Street, Jasper, GA - (706) 253-2457
Example of a typical conversation when a Pickens resident travels outside of this area.
Other person: "So, where do you live?"
You: "I live in Jasper, Ga."
Other person: "Jasper, huh? Where is that?"
You: "It's just south of Ellijay, where they have the apples, and just north of Canton."
Other person: "Oh, right. I remember passing through there."
For travelers, this county's pretty trees and hills seem to get admired only from the car window as motorists zip past on the way to somewhere else.
Despite Jasper being dubbed the "First Mountain City" we're not quite mountain, not quite suburbs, and are left with somewhat of an identity crisis when it comes to tourism. Unlike Gilmer to the north we have practically no public access areas for outdoor activities like hiking and fishing, and we lack the retail/commercial appeal of Cherokee to the south.
In the fall of last year, after rivers of cars funneled through Pickens to the Apple Festival in Ellijay, we ran an editorial about our lack of curb appeal along the Hwy 515 corridor. Why would travelers stop at a spot on the fourlane when they don't know there's a neat town to come to?
The retail businesses along the freeway provide some indication of life, but as we have said before, they offer absolutely no clue of the charming and historic places Jasper has to offer within a few minutes of the traffic signals on Highway 515 – places like the Old Jail, the historic wooden bridge, the Talking Rock schoolhouse, the Tate House, or the retail shops on Main Street. Chain businesses such as Captain D's or Waffle House, while nice to have, are never going to entice people to slow down and make a detour.
Time and again our editorial board has called attention to the need for economic development here that makes sense and that will be effective but that also maintains the charming, rural feel of Pickens. At a recent SPLOST planning meeting, the Pickens County Board of Commissioners and the mayors of Jasper, Nelson and Talking Rock began hammering out details about capital projects that will be included on the 2014 SPLOST, a referendum that will appear on the March ballot. While leaders are in agreement that road projects are the main concern with impending state cutbacks from GDOT, Jasper Mayor John Weaver suggested a gateway beautification project along Hwy 515 as part of the SPLOST projects and we couldn't agree more.
The beautification project, which would include landscaping, signage, and other improvements on the Hwy 515 corridor, would go a long way towards encouraging travelers to explore our county and would also, we believe, encourage more growth in Jasper's downtown area.
Weaver went on to point out that when traveling north on Highway 75 from Miami to Highway 575 and eventually to Highway 515, Pickens has the unique feature of being the first county where traffic signals are located on the interstate. This feature could be used to create separate gateway areas for travelers to enjoy, and to encourage them to slow down and make that turn to explore Jasper, Tate or Nelson.
We agree that roads are a main priority for our elected officials, and that the increased fire protection and library expansion are also important, but with a projected $24 to $27 million expected to be collected for the next SPLOST, if it passes, some of that funding would wisely be allocated for a more exciting, (and much less costly) project that would boost our economic development and help support and grow local business.
It's time to put some curb appeal out on the fourlane to draw visitors into the charming spots found in Pickens County.


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The Barrow Youth Soccer Association is holding registration for spring 2013. Players ages 4-19 are eligible. Sign-ups are available online at www.barrowsoccer.com or from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Barrow County Recreation Center.
Evaluations for Academy teams are 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 14-17.
BYSA hosting spring sign-ups
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