text:
David I. Sandberg, M.D.
Approximately 50% of tumors in children older than one year of age are infratentorial (46, 47).
The relative incidence of the most common infratentorial tumors in the pediatric population is outlined in Table 1. Table 2 lists less common infratentorial tumors found in children.
Epidemiological features associated with each of the most common subtypes, as well as intrinsic tumors of the brainstem, are outlined below in Section VI (Classification and Management of Specific Tumor Subtypes).
Table 1: Relative Incidence of the Most Common Infratentorial Brain Tumors by Histology (Excluding Intrinsic Brainstem Tumors) in Children (34)
Tumor Histology | Percentage of Tumors
Medulloblastoma (PNET) | 30-55%
Cerebellar Astrocytoma | 25%
Ependymoma | 20%
Table 2: Uncommon Posterior Fossa Tumors in Children (34)
Choroid Plexus Pappilloma
Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid
Acoustic Neuroma
Metastasis (most common: neuroblastoma, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, Wilms tumor)
Presentation varies significantly depending upon the patient's age, the tumor's location within the posterior fossa, and histological tumor classification.
•The most common presenting signs and symptoms are those associated with elevated intracranial pressure from hydrocephalus: headache, nausea, vomiting, and lethargy.
Infants may present with macrocrania and a full fontanelle or with more subtle findings such as irritability, failure to thrive, and loss of developmental milestones.
Infants may also present with torticollis.
Additional presentations include gait abnormality, other cerebellar signs such as dysmetria, or cranial neuropathies.
Progression of tumors is typically more rapid for malignant tumors, such as medulloblastoma, than benign tumors, such as pilocytic astrocytoma (47).
General Management Principles
Preoperative Imaging Studies:
MRI scan with and without gadolinium contrast is the imaging study of choice.
MRI scan of the total spine should be obtained preoperatively to rule out the presence of leptomeningeal disease, which may affect surgical management. It may be difficult to distinguish between leptomeningeal disease and surgical debris or blood products on postoperative spine MRI.
Management of Hydrocephalus Prior to Tumor Resection:
Dexamethasone administration: (0.5-1 mg/kg IV loading dose, up to 10 mg, then 0.25-0.5 mg/kg/day IV or PO divided q6 hours) accompanied by an antacid for gastrointestinal protection, admission to an intensive care unit, and timely tumor resection.
Ventriculostomy placement for lethargy, bradycardia, or neurological deterioration. Avoid rapid decompression of the ventricles and risk of upward herniation during ventriculostomy placement. Set no lower than 15 cm of H
O above the external auditory meatus.
Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (ETV) Prior to Tumor Resection: This is an area of current controversy. May reduce the incidence of postoperative hydrocephalus (59). However, only a minority of children require CSF diversion after tumor resection (20).
Shunt Placement: Not currently recommended.
Management of Hydrocephalus After Tumor Resection:
Permanent CSF diversion after complete or near-complete tumor resection is usually not required.
Need for postoperative shunt placement more likely to be required in younger patients and those with large tumors, large ventricles, or long-standing ventriculomegaly (32).
Relative indications for shunt placement (or possibly ETV) postoperatively include large ventricles associated with symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure, progressive ventriculomegaly on postoperative imaging studies, enlarging pseudomeningocele, and CSF leak.
Other Preoperative Considerations:
Any child with symptomatic hydrocephalus or rapidly progressive neurological changes associated with an infratentorial tumor should be admitted to an intensive care unit.
Dexamethasone should be started (0.5-1 mg/kg IV loading dose, up to 10 mg, then 0.25-0.5 mg/kg/day IV or PO divided q6 hours).
Antacid for GI protection.
Any relevant systemic medical issues should be addressed and the patient should be prepared for surgery as soon as possible.
MRI scan of the brain and total spine are obtained within 24 hours after presentation.
Surgery is generally performed within 24 hours thereafter. Patients with lethargy or rapidly progressive symptoms may require immediate operative intervention, and those without hydrocephalus and an indolent presentation may be treated more electively.
Type and cross blood. May need FFP and platelets for large or malignant tumors.
Postoperative Management:
Admit to an intensive care unit for hourly neurological checks, close monitoring of vital signs, and laboratory examinations as needed.
An urgent CT scan should be obtained for progressive lethargy or neurological changes in the immediate postoperative period to look for hemorrhage or acute hydrocephalus.
A postoperative MRI scan of the brain should be obtained within 48 to 72 hours after surgery, if possible, because enhancement thereafter may not represent residual disease (47).
If the postoperative MRI demonstrates a complete or near complete tumor resection, and postoperative edema is not extensive, dexamethasone can be tapered over approximately 7 days.
Surgical Approaches
Infratentorial tumors require surgical resection to establish the histological diagnosis and to reduce or eliminate the tumor burden.
Exceptions include diffuse brainstem gliomas, which do not require biopsy and are not surgically resectable, and intrinsic tectal gliomas, which can be observed with treatment only for associated hydrocephalus (47).
General Intraoperative Considerations
Positioning: In general, prone position with chest and hip rolls placed to avoid abdominal compression.
Pin fixation is typically used to maintain head position. Caution should be taken when placing pins in young children or in patients with long-standing hydrocephalus who may have a thin cranium.
Younger children and infants may be positioned in a padded horseshoe with caution taken to avoid pressure on the face or eyes.
While head flexion is helpful for surgical exposure, breath sounds and airway pressures should be checked carefully after positioning to ensure that the endotracheal tube has not been kinked.
Blood Loss: can be rapid and life-threatening.
Extreme caution must be taken when opening the dura in the posterior fossa, particularly in young children who may have enlarged dural venous sinuses.
Tumor bleeding during resection can also be extensive, particularly for malignant tumors such as medulloblastoma.
All patients should have an arterial line and appropriate venous access. In the event of extensive blood loss, coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia should be ruled out and aggressively corrected if diagnosed.
Neurophysiological monitoring: is controversial. Most useful in patients with lateral tumors involving the cerebellopontine angle or focal tumors intrinsic to the brainstem.
Prolonged Postoperative Intubation: May be considered for patients who require long operations, receive multiple units of blood, or who have extensive manipulation of cranial nerves and may not be able to protect their airways.
Midline Suboccipital Craniotomy
: the common surgical procedure performed for children with infratentorial tumors. The basic surgical steps for a midline suboccipital craniotomy for tumor resection are outlined below:
Midline incision from the external occipital protuberance to below the spinous process of C2.
Dissection through ligamentum nuchae, a relatively avascular tissue between the suboccipital muscles, and placement of self-retaining retractors to move muscles laterally.
Separation of muscle from the occipital bone, posterior arch of C1, and superior half of the posterior arch of C2. In infants, dissection over C1 should be especially cautious, as the posterior arch may not be fully ossified.
Wide craniotomy from just below the estimated location of the transverse sinus to the opisthion.
Removal of the posterior arch of C1 should be considered, especially for large tumors with significant inferior extension.
Dural opening, typically in a Y-shaped fashion, with caution regarding the presence of enlarged occipital and circular venous sinuses.
Drainage of CSF from the cistern magna and introduction of the operating microscope.
Identification of normal vascular structures (vertebral artery and PICA) and cranial nerves bilaterally.
Gentle elevation of the cerebellar tonsils to identify the floor of the fourth ventricle, and placement of a cottonoid paddy if possible to protect the brainstem and spinal cord.
Intraventricular tumors which extend far superiorly may require resection of the inferior portion of the cerebellar vermis to avoid extensive cerebellar retraction.
Tumors that extend to the lateral cisterns may be reached using the cerebellomedullary fissure (telovelar) approach without vermian resection (30). Tumors located within the cerebellar hemispheres or vermis may be identified with intraoperative ultrasound, which may facilitate approach through the least amount of cerebellar tissue.
Tumors are typically resected using a combination of ultrasonic aspiration and bipolar coagulation with suction. Orientation regarding the floor of the fourth ventricle is always maintained to avoid injury to the brainstem. Small amounts of tumor clearly attached to or invading the brainstem, or firmly attached to cranial nerves, are not resected.
Intraoperative ultrasound may be useful at the conclusion of tumor resection to confirm the extent of tumor resection.
Primary dural closure after tumor surgery in the posterior fossa is usually difficult, and duraplasty with pericranium or dural substitutes is usually performed.
Replacement of bone flap and standard closure of cervical muscles, fascia, and skin.
Other Surgical Approaches:
Cerebello-pontine angle tumors in children, such as ependymomas, may be approached via a retrosigmoid approach as reviewed by Sanford et al. (61) . Focal brainstem tumors are best approached by the route which provides the shortest trajectory to the tumor. Surgical approaches to various areas within the brainstem are detailed in other references (52).
Complications of Surgery
Postoperative hematoma: may be rapidly life-threatening in the posterior fossa and should be evacuated immediately if large and/or causing symptoms.
Postoperative acute hydrocephalus: may result from cerebellar swelling or obstruction of CSF pathways by blood products or residual tumor. If symptomatic, immediate ventriculostomy placement should be performed.
Vascular injury to PICA, vertebral artery, or transverse sinus.
Cranial nerve injury (abducens palsy, facial weakness, hearing loss, or vocal cord paralysis).
Brainstem injury causing cranial nerve palsy and/or hemiparesis.
Pseudomeningocele and/or CSF leak. If present postoperatively, hydrocephalus must be ruled out.
Cerebellar signs such as nystagmus, ataxia, or dysmetria.
Refractory nausea/vomiting.
Posterior Fossa Syndrome (a.k.a. Cerebellar Mutism): typically develops 1 to 4 days after surgery, even after patients initially demonstrate normal speech postoperatively. The syndrome includes mutism with emotional lability and possibly other neurological deficits. The mutism is typically transient and recovers after several weeks, although not always completely (64). Multiple etiologies have been proposed, but none have been definitively proven (67).
Classification and Management of Specific Tumor Subtypes
AKA primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the posterior fossa (PNET).
The the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor, accounting for between 15% and 20% of pediatric brain tumors and 30% to 55% of posterior fossa tumors (34, 54, 57).
Mean age at presentation is 5 to 7 years, and 80% of patients are younger than 15 (54).
More common in males than females, ranging from 1.4 to 1 to greater than 2 to 1 male to female ratio depending upon the study (8, 25).
Most commonly presents with signs and symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure from obstructive hydrocephalus, especially headaches and vomiting. May also present with cerebellar signs such as trunchal or appendicular ataxia or cranial neuropathies, especially sixth nerve palsy. Young children may present with irritability alone, sometimes associated with macrocephaly or loss of developmental milestones (40). Presenting signs and symptoms tend to progress rapidly in patients with medulloblastoma (47).
Typically hyperdense on CT scan. Hypointense or isointense on T1-weighted MRI sequences, hyperintense on T2-weighted sequences, and the majority enhance, at least partially, with gadolinium (39). Tumors are typically (although not always) intraventricular, may involve the vermis, and may invade the brain stem (57).
Treatment: complete surgical resection if possible, but subtotal resection should be performed if the tumor is noted at surgery to invade the brain stem. A small amount of tumor left behind (<1.5 cm2 on postoperative MRI scan) is not associated with worsened outcome (4).
Postoperative treatment algorithms are affected by stratification of patients into high risk and average risk groups, as defined in the table below:
Table 3: High Risk Versus Average Risk Medulloblastoma (42)
Average Risk
Age >3 years
No leptomeningeal seeding (ventricular, spine, or subarachnoid) by MRI
Negative CSF cytology (obtained >10 days post-op)
< 1.5 cm2 of residual tumor on post-op MRI
No extra-neural metastasis (bone, lungs)
High Risk
Failure to meet one or more of criteria listed for average risk
All patients at least 3 years of age should receive postoperative external beam radiation therapy (ranging from 2340 cGy to 3600 cGy of craniospinal radiation with a boost to the posterior fossa, typically to approximately 5400 cGy) in conjunction with chemotherapy (a variety of regimens have been employed). Reduced dose radiation therapy can be considered in average risk patients, and reduced dose radiation or no radiation can be considered in patients under 3 years of age (5, 23, 58, 71).
Current treatment regimens are associated with 5 year progression-free survival rates as high as 90% in average risk patients and may even exceed 80% in high risk patients (43). Recurrent medulloblastoma is associated with a much lower survival rate, with previous reports of 30% 5 year survival using high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue (13).
Survivors have been noted to have an increased risk of neurocognitive decline, endocrine effects, second malignancies, and a variety of additional complications associated with both radiation therapy and chemotherapy (21, 29, 31, 41).
Third most common pediatric brain tumor, behind astrocytoma and medulloblastoma, and accounts for 8% to 10% of primary CNS tumors in children and 20% of posterior fossa tumors (34, 57).
Tend to occur in younger patients than medulloblastoma. The mean age at presentation ranges from 3 to 6 years, and approximately 1/3 of patients are diagnosed before age 3 (19, 27, 45).
There is no reported sex predominance for patients with ependymoma (56, 68).
Presenting signs and symptoms are typically related to obstructive hydrocephalus (57). Nausea and vomiting may be induced by compression of the area postrema, and signs of cerebellar compression such as ataxia and nystagmus may be noted (35).
CT scan typically demonstrates a low density mass in the fourth ventricle causing hydrocephalus with intense, homogenous contrast enhancement and possible calcifications and cystic components. Tumors on MRI are typically hypointense to isointense on T1-weighted sequences, hyperintense on T2-weighted sequences, and enhance with contrast. Extension into the lateral recesses of the fourth ventricle may be visualized (35).
Leptomeningeal seeding is noted in approximately 5% to 10% of patients at presentation (45, 53).
Gross total surgical resection should be performed if possible. The completeness of surgical resection is the single most important prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival (9, 24). A near-total resection, defined as less than 1.5 cm2 of residual tumor, may have a similar prognosis to gross total resection (56). If resectable residual disease is visualized on postoperative MRI scan, re-ooperation should be offered.
Postoperatively, even patients with gross total tumor resection should receive external beam radiation therapy, as receiving radiation therapy leads to higher rates of recurrence-free survival even after gross total resection (60). Radiation dose for posterior fossa ependymomas without leptomeningeal spread of disease is typically 5400 to 6000 cGy fractionated to the tumor bed. Patients with leptomeningeal disease should receive cranio-spinal radiation therapy, typically 4500-5000 cGy (57).
Chemotherapy may be used in children younger than age 3 years of age to delay radiation therapy, but has not been proven to have benefit to date beyond delaying radiation therapy in young children (35). A study by the Pediatric Oncology group demonstrated that, in children less than 3 years of age, delaying radiation therapy by 2 years after complete resection is associated with a significantly lower survival rate than if radiation is delayed 1 year (12).
Stereotactic radiosurgery can achieve local tumor control and may be offered at the time of recurrence after maximal safe surgical resection of recurrent disease (1).
The 10-year survival rate for patients over 5 years of age at presentation is approximately 40% to 50% (35, 60). The overall poor prognosis is due to the fact that long-term survival is so dependent upon gross total tumor resection, and a total resection can be achieved in only 50% to 70% of cases (68). Many ependymomas are not safely resectable because they are firmly attached to multiple cranial nerves or the brain stem or have leptomeningeal disease at presentation (35). Neurological deficits, especially cranial neuropathies, are frequently reported after aggressive surgical resection and may be transient or permanent (68). The presence of anaplasia has been reported by some others to be associated with poorer prognosis, while other authors have reported histological grade to be of no prognostic value (56).
Patients with disease recurrences have a dismal overall prognosis for long-term survival, and complete resection is typically more difficult to achieve at the timie of recurrence (68). Younger patients have a poorer prognosis overall in many but not all reports (35, 60, 68).
Cerebellar Astrocytoma
Comprise approximately 15% of all pediatric brain tumors, 25% of posterior fossa tumors in children, and over 70% of cerebellar astrocytomas occur in children (28, 34, 47).
Mean age at presentation is 7 years, and cerebellar astrocytomas are rare in children less than age 1 (10).
No reported sex predominance (11).
Long history of slowly progressive symptoms, reflecting the relative indolence of these tumors (10, 28). Most children present with signs and symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure from gradual obstruction of the fourth ventricle and resulting hydrocephalus (47). Cerebellar deficits such as truncal or appendicular ataxia and nystagmus are also common (10). Younger children may present with macrocrania or regression of previously achieved motor milestones (70). Rarely present acutely with intratumoral hemorrhage (38).
May be cystic with a mural nodule, completely cystic, completely solid, or mixed cystic and solid (67). The solid portion of the tumor is typically hypodense or isodense to surrounding cerebellar tissue (18). The bone windows of CT scans may demonstrate a thin cranium due to long-standing hydrocephalus. The solid portion of the tumor is typically hypointense on T1-weighted MRI sequences and hyperintense on T2-weighted MRI sequences compared with surrounding cerebellum. The solid portion of tumors typically enhances brightly with contrast on CT and MRI, but cyst walls often do not enhance (67). Leptomeningeal seeding throughout the brain and spine is rarely observed (66).
Most are histologically benign lesions, typically pilocytic astrocytomas, which can often be cured by surgical resection without any adjuvant therapy. Gross total resection of all solid and enhancing tumor portions should be performed, but non-enhancing cyst walls do not need to be resected. If a cyst wall has thick enhancement, it is likely neoplastic and should be resected (67).
Re-operation should be considered for significant residual tumor on immediate postoperative or subsequent imaging studies, but small amounts of tumor may be observed because they may remain stable or even regress spontaneously (11, 63).
Radiation therapy, either focal conformal or stereotactic radiosurgery, may be considered for unresectable residual or recurrent tumor which progresses on serial imaging studies (7, 22).
Chemotherapy is also an option for recurrent, unresectable cerebellar astrocytomas, but is only rarely necessary to consider. Malignant cerebellar astrocytomas are exceedingly rare and are treated with postoperative radiation therapy and chemotherapy (67).
Long-term, event-free survival is achieved in the vast majority of patients after gross total tumor resection, with previously reported 5-, 10-, and 25-year survival rates of 90%, 89%, and 85%, respectively (11, 67). Tumor recurrence occurs in fewer than 10% of patients after gross total resection, but long-term follow-up is necessary, as extremely late recurrences, even 36 years postoperatively, have been reported (44, 67). Most patients have minimal, if any, long-term disability related to tumor resection (51).
Brainstem Gliomas
Comprise between 10% and 20% of all CNS tumors in children (62, 72).
Mean age at presentation ranges from 7 to 9 years, but patients can present anytime between infancy and the late teens (6, 16, 33).
No reported sex predominance (6).
Brainstem gliomas are typically classified as diffuse, dorsally exophytic, cervicomedullary, or focal (16). These subgroups which have distinct presentations, radiographic appearances, treatment options, and outcomes. Tectal tumors are a distinct type of focal brainstem tumor which should be considered separately because of their distinct presentation and management.
Diffuse Tumors
Typically present with rapidly progressive ataxia, long tract signs, and cranial nerve palsies, which are often bilateral (17, 37).
Typically hypointense on T1-weighted MRI and hyperintense on T2-weighted MRI with heterogenous and often minimal enhancement. The pons is diffusely expanded by the tumor, and this is particularly notable on T2-weighted sequences (17).
Surgical resection is not safe to perform and biopsy is not indicated. Previous reports of biopsy of these lesions demonstrated astrocytomas which varied in grade from WHO Grade II to IV, but tumor histology had no effect on prognosis (2, 3, 17).
No chemotherapeutic agent to date, either alone or in combination, has been shown to improve the prognosis in patients with diffuse brainstem tumors. Conventional external beam radiation therapy, typically approximately 5400 cGy, improves symptoms temporarily in the majority of patients (16, 17).
Prognosis is dismal. Median survival is 11 to 12 months, and only about 10% of patients are alive 2 years after diagnosis (16, 17).
Dorsally Exophytic Tumors
Most commonly present with symptoms of obstructive hydrocephalus similar to other fourth ventricular tumors. Typically benign, and symptoms progress very gradually. Most patients do not present with cranial neuropathies. Ataxia is common in older patients, and younger patients may present with a long history of vomiting and failure to thrive (26, 49, 65).
Imaging studies demonstrate a tumor attached to the dorsal surface of the brainstem filling the fourth ventricle. Typically hypodense or isodense on CT scan and hypointense on T1-weighted MRI sequences. Typically enhance homogeneously (26, 48).
Treatment consists of maximal surgical debulking without violation of the brainstem. Even if a small amount of residual tumor is present on postoperative imaging studies, observation without additional treatment is recommended. Repeat surgery, possibly followed by external beam radiation therapy, can be considered for disease progression (16, 26).
A complete tumor resection is usually not achieved. However, only a minority of patients require additional treatment for tumor progression (16, 26, 49, 65). Morbidity from surgery includes transient or permanent cranial nerve deficits, ataxia, nystagmus, or other cerebellar findings (26).
Cervicomedullary Tumors
Intra-axial tumors of the cervicomedullary junction are most commonly low-grade astrocytomas which present with a long history of progressive neck pain, paresthesias, and weakness due to spinal cord dysfunction. Alternatively, patients can present with lower cranial nerve dysfunction from the medullary component of the tumor (14).
Imaging studies demonstrate a tumor which has a caudal portion identical in appearance to an intramedullary spinal cord tumor and a rostral portion which pushes the medulla upward and may produce a bulge at the level of the obex (15). These tumors may cause obstructive hydrocephalus, are typically hypointense on T1-weighted MRI sequences, and have varying enhancement patterns (16, 48).
Should be surgically resected completely if possible in a manner similar to intrinsic tumors of the cervical spinal cord. Intraoperative ultrasonography and monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) are valuable adjuncts (14).
Postoperative management consists of observation with serial imaging studies and consideration of re-operation and possible postoperative radiation therapy for disease progression (48).
A gross total tumor resection is usually possible, and long-term tumor control is excellent, with only a 10% to 20% recurrence rate (16). The extent of motor and sensory deficits as well as cranial nerve dysfunction is typically directly related to the preoperative neurological status (14).
Focal Intrinsic Tumors
Present with progressive cranial neuropathies in association with motor deficits or other long-tract signs. The specific cranial nerves involved depend upon the tumor location (26, 48, 69).
Imaging studies demonstrate tumors limited to one segment of the brainstem which displace, rather than invade, normal structures. Tumors are typically hypodense on CT, hypointense on T1-weighted MRI, and have varying enhancement patterns. T2-weighted MRI sequences show a pattern of signal abnormality which overlaps completely with signal abnormality observed on T1-weighted sequences, which helps distinguish focal tumors from diffuse tumors (48).
Symptomatic patients may be offered surgical tumor resection via the route which offers the shortest and safest trajectory to the tumor (52). Because of the high risk of postoperative neurological deficit for surgery of focal tumors involving the pons or medulla, the role of surgery is less established for focal tumors of this region compared with those involving the pontine tegmentum (48). Surgical procedures are typically performed with monitoring of SSEP's, brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs), and relevant cranial nerve electromyography (EMGs). The goal of surgery is an aggressive subtotal resection with great care to avoid injury to normal brainstem structures. Residual tumor may spontaneously involute on follow-up imaging studies (48, 69). Re-operation and/or radiation therapy may be offered for recurrent disease (26, 48, 69).
Most reported series are small, with relatively short follow-up. Despite subtotal resection, subsequent tumor progression is observed in only a minority of patients and is typically treated with radiation therapy. Postoperative neurological deficits are common and are directly related to preoperative deficits and the aggressiveness of surgical resection (26, 48, 69).
Tectal Tumors
A particularly benign subset of focal brainstem tumors that typically presents with slowly progressive signs and symptoms of obstructive hydrocephalus such as headache, nausea, and vomiting. Patients may also present with sixth cranial nerve palsy from elevated intracranial pressure (36, 50, 55).
Usually associated with obstructive hydrocephalus on imaging studies. Typically isointense to brain on T1-weighted MRI sequences, hyperintense on T2-weighted sequences, and either non-enhancing or minimally enhancing (48).
Generally indolent lesions which are most commonly clinically and radiographically stable over many years of follow-up. Ony the associated hydrocephalus usually requires treatment, and these patients are ideal candidates for ETV. Patients are followed with periodic MRI scans, but neither biopsy nor any direct treatment for these tumors is generally indicated (50).
Long-term survival is expected in all patients with tectal gliomas with adequate treatment of associated hydrocephalus, and only a small minority of patients exhibit radiographic tumor progression over time (50).
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text:
VA Scandal Has Oregon Ties
Joan Mooney, top aide to Eric Shinseki and former chief of staff to US Rep. Darlene Hooley, resigns June 20 after grilling by House Committee on Veterans Affairs
The ongoing and expanding national scandal over veterans' care has claimed yet another victim. This time it was not another veteran who died while lost on a secret wait list; but rather a high-ranking member of former VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's immediate staff. On June 20, Joan Mooney, Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs, quietly announced her "retirement" following a withering barrage last month in front of a Congressional committee seeking answers to the recently released VA Inspector's General interim report that confirmed the worst fears of those looking into VA practices around the nation, including Oregon.
Loren Parks, Andrew Miller fund anti-Conger PAC
Monica Wehby's partner joins Nevada GOP donor to fund $106,000 PAC opposing Wehby's chief rival.
Last month Nevada businessman Loren Parks and Stimson Lumber President Andrew Miller made headlines together when it was reported the two GOP donors had contributed a combined $100,000 to a first-time candidate in a contested Republican primary for the Oregon legislature. What was not reported then was Parks and Miller had teamed up to funnel $105,950 into a newly-formed federal political action committee to oppose Jason Conger in the May 2014 GOP primary for US Senate.
According to its FEC filings, the anti-Conger committee boasts the whimsical name, "If He Votes Like That In Salem Imagine What He Will Do In Congress." For anyone familiar with Oregon politics in the past 20 years, that committee name is reminiscent of the committee names pioneered and popularized by Gregg Clapper, the public voice of several campaigns financed by Parks. And sure enough, the latest FEC filing for this committee reveals that Clapper has already been paid $7,500 as a consultant to the committee.
Of course, this is not the first time Parks and Clapper have collaborated in opposing a Republican in a contested primary. In 2006, Parks' money and Clapper's radio ads went after gubernatorial primary candidate Ron Saxton in a typical Clapper-esque radio ad which can be heard here. Despite the Parks-funded attack ads, Saxton defeated Kevin Mannix and Jason Atkinson in the May 2006 primary.
The original statement of organization for this "independent expenditure" committee was filed March 4 by attorney Tyler Smith, who serves as GOP chairman Art Robinson's right-hand man and is considered the de facto counsel for the Oregon Republican Party. Smith's filing indicated the committee's initial treasurer was Rodney Stubbs, whose Linked-In profile indicates he is the Managing Director for Pacific Freedom Foundation. The address for the committee also was that of Pacific Freedom Foundation, a foreign business corporation whose authority to conduct business in Oregon was revoked by the Secretary of State in 2013. According to the Secretary of State website, Stubbs was the corporation's registered agent and secretary while Smith was the agent for mailings. The committee dropped Stubbs as treasurer on March 31.
The committee's first quarter report shows that Parks gave the committee $75,000 on March 15, followed by Miller's $25,000 two days later. Then on March 19, Miller contributed an additional $5,950 in-kind contribution in the form of an anti-Conger billboard on I-205 in Clackamas County. The FEC report indicates $13,450 in expenditures, consisting of the billboard and Clapper's fee. But that number is certainly higher today, given the committee's recent media buy for anti-Conger radios ads.
Monica Wehby: "WydenCare Was a Good Plan"
GOP Hopeful calls Democrat Senator's Healthy Americans Act "a good plan" by "a friend" with whom "she thinks a lot alike" on health care policy.
Dr. Monica Wehby, the self-described moderate Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, continued her leftward lurch from the GOP conservative base with her recent public revelation that she supported Democratic Senator Ron Wyden's 2008 Healthy Americans Act, even going so far as to describe Oregon's senior Democratic senator as a friend with whom she "thinks a lot alike" when it comes to health care policy.
Wehby's stunning acknowledgment was reported in a recent piece by The Oregonian's political reporter Jeff Mapes. In the article Wehby described Wyden's HAA as "a good plan," but acknowledging she did not agree with every element to the HAA, which is viewed by most as the early precursor to today's Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. Dr. Wehby's praise for "WydenCare" was echoed by President Obama in a July 2009 interview with The Oregonian. But though the president indicated he also was in agreement "with 90%" of WydenCare, Obama also felt parts of the HAA were "too radical" for the country.
Obamacare: the Latest Civil Right?
Democrats' SB 1543 would make it unlawful for an employer to cut employee hours to avoid costs and penalties of Obamacare.
Under current Oregon law, "The opportunity to obtain employment or housing or to use and enjoy places of public accommodation without unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, age or disability hereby is recognized as and declared to be a civil right." ORS 659A.006(2). If Democrats in Salem have their way, Oregonians will see full-time employment and Obamacare added to the list of civil rights enforceable by civil lawsuits and the heavy boot of the Bureau of Labor and Industries or BOLI.
Senate Bill 1543, sporting the name, "the Health Care Accountability Act," sponsored by Multnomah County Democrats Michael Dembrow (SD23), Laurie Monnes Anderson (SD25) and Alissa Keny-Guyer (HD46), adds a new section to ORS chapter 659A, otherwise known by its short title, "the Oregon Equality Act." ORS chapter 659A is Oregon's statutory depository of civil rights legislation, including defining what acts are unlawful and specifying penalties for violations. As most Oregonians now know, it is unlawful for a Christian bakery to refuse to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple (see "Baking a BOLI Cake."). ORS chapter 659A covers a wide spectrum of prohibited employment discrimination, from the listed protected classes above, as well as whistleblowing, family leave, employee housing, and more.
SB 1543 would add to the ever-expanding list of civil rights by making it "an unlawful employment practice for an employer to reduce the number of hours a full-time employee works solely for the purpose of preventing the employee from qualifying for coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as specified in 26 U.S.C. 4980H." This provision deals with the so-called employer mandate of Obamacare, in which employers who employ more than 50 full-time equivalent employees must provide health insurance to those employees or face a government penalty. As widely reported this week, the Obama administration has once again delayed implementation of the employer mandate until 2016. But that does little to help Oregon employers who will be impacted by SB 1543.
Wehby Taps Out-of-State Cash
Portland Physician Latest in Line of Moderate GOP Establishment Candidates
As expected, the race for the 2014 GOP nomination to oppose Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley is shaping up as a two-way battle between a moderate GOP Establishment-backed candidate and a grass roots candidate relying almost exclusively on individual Oregonians for support. Any questions as to where Dr. Monica Wehby and State Rep. Jason Conger fit into that narrative were answered with the filing of their most recent FEC year-end campaign reports.
Wehby reported total receipts of $501,353, compared to Conger's $213,102. A closer examination of each campaign's report shows Wehby is relying heavily on out-of-state contributors and D.C. lobby PAC's, while 95% of Conger's money came from individual Oregonians. Of Wehby's reported half million dollars in receipts, some $216,630 or 43% were out-of-state contributions. In fact, Wehby's out-of-state fund-raising exceeded Conger's $204,000 raised in state from Oregon individuals.
Targeting Tootie
Multnomah GOP Boss Jeff Reynolds Hired to Defeat Republicans
Clackamas County commissioner and Republican candidate for Congressional District 5 Tootie Smith is no stranger to primary election battles. In 2000 Smith won a 4-way primary to reach the general election, where she defeated Democrat Mike Clarke to win the HD 28 legislative seat. Two years later, Smith beat James Buchal in the GOP primary and went on to defend her seat with no Democratic opposition. In 2012 Smith finished in the top two in the primary race for Clackamas County commissioner, then defeated Jamie Damon in the November general election.
Along the way Smith faced opposition from fellow Republicans in her partisan primaries and even in her county race. That is normal and expected for any political party. But Smith likely never faced the situation she faces today as an elected GOP county chair from her neighboring county not only is working to ensure her defeat, but is getting paid to do so. As expected, the latest FEC filing for 28-year old GOP candidate Ben Pollock shows that Multnomah County GOP chair Jeff Reynolds, along with his business partner and "chairman" of what remains of the Oregon Tea Party, John Kuzmanich, was paid $6,000 in the final quarter of 2013 to ensure Pollock's victory – and Smith's defeat – in the 2014 primary.
Mark Callahan: 2014 GOP Gadfly
Former Democrat, Pacific Green, now Republican, Callahan Stumbles Badly on Lars Larson Show.
Mark Callahan is certainly ambitious, if not persistent. Armed with his pocket New Testament and pocket Constitution, Callahan is one of five candidates stumping for the GOP nomination in the May 2014 primary. At stake is the chance to oppose Democratic incumbent Jeff Merkley in this year's US Senate race. Callahan has all the Tea Party talking points memorized, while repeating his mantra of liberty and personal responsibility. But as we saw earlier with John Kuzmanich, preaching personal responsibility to others is sometimes easier than practicing the same virtues personally.
Callahan has built his most recent campaign around his five-point Eagle Scout mantra of "Leadership, Integrity, Character, Honor and Trust." But a closer examination of the personal and political life of this GOP candidate reveals Callahan falls short in each trait he espouses. One thing is certain. Mark Callahan has never met a political party he wouldn't join or political race he wouldn't enter, ranging from local school board to President of the United States. And there's little Callahan won't say or do to get elected, a goal which he has yet to attain at any level.
It's Time for Jeff Reynolds to Resign
It's time for Multnomah County Republican Party chairman Jeff Reynolds to resign. No, the reason is not the bone-headed move to tie the MCRP raffle of an AR-style modern sporting rifle to the memory of Abraham Lincoln and slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, the latter of whom was murdered by an assassin wielding a scoped hunting rifle. MCRP has twice auctioned off DPMS AR-15 rifles before in an effort to raise money for the county party. Reynolds' provocative move to link a firearms auction to the memory of an assassinated president and revered civil rights leader achieved its short term goal of capturing local media attention for the 24-hour news cycle. But the long term effect on Multnomah County Republicans, already a punch line in Oregon's most liberal county, remains to be seen. Instead, Reynolds' political problems were occurring on the radio air waves, and had nothing to do with the attention-grabbing gun auction.
While local media were pushing the MCRP rifle auction story, another political event unfolded the same day that should cause Reynolds to step down from his position as MCRP chairman. As expected, Clackamas County Commissioner Tootie Smith finally announced she is entering the race to unseat Democrat Kurt Schrader in Oregon's 5th Congressional District. But before Smith can take on Schrader in a general election, she must first get past her primary opponent, Ben Pollock. As reported here in October, the Pollock campaign is being handled by the fledgling political consulting firm, American Strategies LLC, which is comprised of Reynolds and the self-styled "Chairman of the Oregon Tea Party," John Kuzmanich.
Cover Oregon Cover Up
In September of this year, Rocky King, then Executive Director of Cover Oregon, warned state legislators at a joint committee that the planned October 1 roll-out of the program would not go as planned. "It's not going to be a beautiful implementation," confessed King, in what should earn King the "Understatement of the Year" award. Indeed, the implementation of Cover Oregon has been an unmitigated disaster, despite $300 million of federal tax dollars poured into the program.
Even incumbent governor John Kitzhaber, who recently announced his re-election bid, acknowledges that Cover Oregon will be a political impediment for him to overcome, despite his substantial Democratic electoral advantage in Blue Oregon. While the media have been predictably slow to criticize Cover Oregon's abject failure, the silence from those who contracted with Cover Oregon to implement the plan has been oddly conspicuous. Now we know why.
Third party status reports on the Cover Oregon implementation indicate the state knew as early as November 2012 that it would never meet its planned and announced October 1 deadline. Meanwhile, the state was entering into contracts with "community partners" who would do the groundwork required to implement Cover Oregon. When it became apparent that Cover Oregon would not only fail to meet its October 1 deadline, but also fail to even go live online, the state realized it had a public relations catastrophe on its hands that even a $28 million ad campaign could not cover over.
So in October, Cover Oregon and the Oregon Health Authority quietly created and issued a one-page "Community Partner Confidentiality Agreement" that prohibited contracted partners, including their directors, officers, employees, agents, staff, volunteers and affiliates from making "any false, misleading, deceptive, libelous, defamatory, or obscene statements, written or oral, to the public or to Community Partner's potential or actual clientele regarding Cover Oregon and its board, officers or employees."
This non-disparagement agreement was so secret that Cover Oregon officials were confident enough to deny its very existence when asked about it by KXL News. However, when the producer of the Lars Larson Show specifically asked for a copy of the "Cover Oregon Community Partner Confidentiality Agreement," state officials complied and sent a copy of the same document provided earlier by a confidential source. Both my office and KXL have made public records requests for a list of all parties required or requested to sign these agreements. [Disclaimer: I provide legal analysis and on-air commentary for Alpha Broadcasting, which includes KXL News and the Lars Larson Show].
The AMA's War on Gun Owners
While the Affordable Care Act or "Obamacare" will clearly be one of the most important campaign issues in the 2014 elections, for many Oregon Republicans, especially conservatives and Tea Party activists, gun control will also be a defining topic for the May 2014 primary. Oregon conservatives survived a barrage of Democratic measures in the 2013 legislative session, led by the usual suspects like Ginny Burdick and Floyd Prozanski. At the federal level, Democrats' efforts to implement a nationwide "assault weapon" ban failed to ultimately materialize, though not for lack of trying.
With five declared GOP candidates vying for the opportunity to take on incumbent Democrat U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, the candidates' position(s) on gun control could play a major factor for activists who consider the 2nd Amendment a constitutional right not to be treaded upon. This issue could become problematic for Dr. Monica Wehby, who is being touted by some Tea Party activists as their "grass roots" candidate. But it is highly unlikely that Dr. Wehby will receive the endorsement of the National Rifle Association, since Dr. Wehby serves as a Board of Trustee director of the American Medical Association, which the NRA considers an enemy of the 2nd Amendment.
As noted in an earlier article, Dr. Wehby is an accomplished pediatric neurosurgeon who served as the president of the Oregon Medical Association in 2009. In 2011, Wehby was elected to a four-year term on the Board of Trustees of the AMA. One can presume that to be elected to the AMA board, one supports the policies of the AMA, and when it comes to gun control, the AMA is no friend of the 2nd amendment.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Perfect (Fairground Attraction song)
|This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2013)
|Single by Fairground Attraction
|from the album The First of a Million Kisses
|31 March 1988
|CD single, cassette single, 7" single, 12" single
|January 1988
|Soft rock
|Mark E. Nevin
|Fairground Attraction
|Fairground Attraction singles chronology
"Perfect" is a song by British band Fairground Attraction, which was released as a single in March 1988. The words and music of the song are written by Mark Nevin.
The single reached number one on 14 May 1988[1] on the UK Singles Chart, where it stayed for one week,[2] and stayed in the chart for a total of thirteen weeks. It also reached number one in South Africa as well as in Australia for three weeks in August and September 1988. In the UK, it was released as a 7" single, 12" single, cassette single and CD single. The song was included on the band's first album, The First of a Million Kisses, released later the same year. It was used in television advertising for Asda in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was re-released as a single in 1993 after it had reappeared on the compilation album Celtic Heart.
The song achieved crossover onto the US Hot Country Singles, peaking at number 85 in two weeks. It also reached number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] Additionally, the song reached number 23 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, the song's only Top 40 entry on any Billboard chart.[4]
"Perfect" won the award for Best Single at the 1989 BRIT Awards.
It was the last number-one single on the NME singles chart, on 14 May 1988.
Original release[edit]
- "Perfect"
- "Falling Backwards"
- "Mythology"
- "Mystery Train"
Celtic Heart release[edit]
- "Perfect"
- "Walking after Midnight"
- "You Send Me"
- "Captured" (Brian Kennedy solo track)
- ^ "The Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 488. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 141. ISBN 0-89820-177-2.
- ^ "Allmusic: Fairground Attraction - Charts & Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
External links[edit]
|Preceded by
"Theme from S'Express" by S'Express
|UK number-one single
8 May - 14 May 1988
|Succeeded by
"With a Little Help from My Friends" by Wet Wet Wet


text:
Consumer expert Clark Howard's column appears here each Thursday in conjunction with Deal Spotter, a weekly print section in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Have you seen those website ads that promise unbelievable bargains on electronics and some consumer goods? Who can resist those come-ons about getting, say, an iPad for some ridiculously low price like $2?
There's one particularly popular ad with a supposed anchorwoman giving an update on what looks like a local TV station. She goes on and on about this amazing new way to save money, giving the spiel about what are known as "penny auctions."
But they're really just an illegal game of chance in my book. Here's how penny auctions work: You enter bids for the items being advertised while others do the same across the web. You're required to pay more money each time someone else outbids you and you want to rebid. Only the final winning bidder actually gets the item.
So yes, it is true that the winner gets stuff ultra-cheap. But I cannot believe the various state attorney generals are asleep at the switch on this one. Lotteries can only be run by states. Gambling can only operate when permissible under state law. So any time money is collected from losers in a game of chance is patently illegal.
Know that these kinds of offers are deceptive on their face. MSBNC reported there was one auction for an HDTV where the winner got a $1,500 model for $228. But 22,000 bids were placed and the bids collectively exceeded the cost of the TV by a 9:1 ratio.
If you get involved in this kind of bidding, it can be addictive. In addition, you will probably spend far, far more in bids over time than you recoup in the value of an item you may win on occasion. It would probably be cheaper for you to outright buy whatever it is you want.
-by Clark Howard, Save More, Spend Less, Avoid Rip-offs
Find more answers to your consumer questions at ClarkHoward.com. You can also listen to his radio show live 1-4 p.m. Monday through Friday on AM 750 and NOW 95.5 FM News/Talk WSB.
March 31st, 2011
9:17 am
Thanks for your post about penny auctions. Though some are quick to label penny auctions as a lottery, there are a few additional factors to consider.
1. Many penny auctions sites offer a bid to buy option. This means that even if a bidder doesn't win the auction, he/she can apply the value of their bids toward purchasing the item at retail price. In other words, the worst case scenario is that a person pays retail price, which consumers do at stores everyday.
2. Penny auctions don't completely qualify as a game of chance. There are proven strategies that make some bidders more successful than others (as evidenced by bidder interviews on http://pennyauctionlist.com) and hypothetically a bidder could guarantee a win by refusing to stop bidding on the item until the auction ended. In other words, bidders can guarantee a win, but it may be costly. You can't guarantee a win when you purchase a scratch ticket or enter a raffle.
I think the important point to emphasize with penny auctions is that they are a form of entertainment, not a place for cash-strapped consumers to look for deals.
March 31st, 2011
9:18 am
Sorry about the broken link – http://pennyauctionlist.com
March 31st, 2011
9:48 am
it's obvious that you have not looked into this deeply enough before you go off and say they are lotteries.. as many penny auctions now offer BIN – Buy it Now , and the bids placed go towards buying the item at retail or retail + tax (usually on iPads). Yes it is one of the hottest things on the internet today… But for the most part I believe this is the way eCommerce is headed, Custom built PHP websites that offer more than just a plain old shopping cart and checkout button!
March 31st, 2011
10:57 am
beezid.com is a scam
March 31st, 2011
11:28 am
Ishop4cheap.com is really easy to win on without spending more than the cost.
March 31st, 2011
11:59 am
I can appreciate your comments on the extreme margins that the company can create off any product, but they do loose too, yes not on many but on some.
Also as stated before it is a skill to get good at buying these items indeed, but you can easily get cheaper products with a nominal investment, so I would not call this a lottery as this is not based off a randomly generated # as are lotteries and most gambling or games of chance, even Bingo is random thus gambling. These sites allow you to buy the product you wanted minus your investment of the bids used after the auction is complete, how is that gambling? Only bid on what you want, stop tossing your chips all over the table and get a strategy, then you will win…Oh yeah, they actually teach you how to win if you care to watch their videos.
March 31st, 2011
12:15 pm
For Penny Auctions to be illegal, they would need to satisfy three requirements in federal law to be considered illegal gambling: they need to require up front payment for participation, they need to decide the winner by chance, and they need to offer a prize. Penny auctions only satisfy one of these three criteria – they require up front payment for participation. However, the winning bidder is determined based on the last bid after the clock runs out, and there is no prize since participants still pay to obtain the item.
Whether this process is manipulated is another matter that doesn't fall under gambling law. While its understandable that the complexity of the process may cause some people to question it, the reality is that most of these sites are doing everything they can to be open, transparent and fair to avoid bad press or regulation. Additionally, people keep playing because participants do win these auctions and get good deals, the way they would in a traditional auction in eBay. Its true that you risk the up front consideration that you've been paid, but you do that to have a chance at a better price. You have control the whole time about how you bid, when you bid, etc.
What's important is that people understand how the auction process works. However, trying to put a label on this that's not factually correct is a bit misleading for your readers.
Here's a legal opinion that may help your readers understand this better:
March 31st, 2011
12:52 pm
The big thing about penny auctions is that the losing bidders also pay! If you do not win the auction you still pay money. This is not how a traditional auction works where if you do not win, you do not pay.
Penny auctions are games of brinkmanship and there are winning strategies. Check out this list of common penny auction mistakes http://www.bestpennyauctions.net/strategy/common-mistakes/ and you will see why it is important to be informed about how they work before putting your money down. Personally, I love them but know that I can lose money.
March 31st, 2011
1:26 pm
Funny, this blog was pumping a locally started Penny "auction" site just under a year ago.
Kind of saddens me to think this is the best the most exclusive private school in GA can produce.
It's not an auction b/c losers are still paying. It is a game and gaming generally requires regulation.
Personally, people stupid enough to bid on these deserve to lose their money but at least when they play the lottery some of that goes to fund scholarships.
March 31st, 2011
1:48 pm
why not just go Target and get the item cheaper than Walmart? Or even better drive to Birmingham and get a cheaper flight. Time to come up with something new.
March 31st, 2011
2:10 pm
I've tried http://www.HappyBidDay.com and won a lot of items! It's a great site. And they give free bids.
March 31st, 2011
2:13 pm
I still don't think that penny auctions are 100% gambling. After all, there can be strategies that can help you win, which is unlike a game of chance. Your winning depends not just on your actions but also on your competitors. Look at the new penny auctions: they REALLY have to sell at 90% off, getting a couple of dollars on a $25 gift card. Why? Because there are not enough bidders!
I think the real problem with penny auctions is not their model but their oversight. The industry should be regulated to avoid unethical practices like shill bidding (having a bot bid against you to artificially increase the price) or not sending the won items etc. This would be more helpful to the consumers.
By the way you should also have mentioned the recent lawsuit against the biggest penny auctions. I discuss that in my blog: http://quibidsblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/penny-auction-lawsuits-against-biggest.html
I think this lawsuit should shed some light on the legalities of penny auctions.
March 31st, 2011
2:36 pm
Really, Clark? I'm pretty sure anyone not living under a rock had already discounted these "auctions" as lottos several months ago. This article is as stale as your travel "deals".
April 5th, 2011
2:29 pm
Clark: Until now, I have trusted your opinions and I have been a devoted listener. However, you have made some carte blanche statements about penny auctions and it has made YOU look like a fool to many of your listeners who know penny auctions.
The Penny Auction concept swept the UK in about 4 years and it is still going strong. It arrived here in the U.S. in late 2008 so the concept over here is only a little over 2 years old and a lot of people have not heard of it and are still using EBay to do a lot of their shopping.
Last July 4th, my brother showed me a stack of gift cards 4 inches thick ranging from $25 to $250 for every business you can imagine…Longhorns, WalMart, Home Depot, Target, Red Lobster, etc….that he had won from a penny auction website. He said, "I have found a website that you are going to love!" and he was right. He got me interested, but, admittedly, I too thought that there might be a scam somewhere, but I tried it!
The first two times that I bought bids, I lost my A#@*!. But I don't like losing because I am very competitive. So I got on every blog, and goggled everything that I could to educate myself on penny auction techniques. I also researched the existing Penny Auctions sites (at that time, there were only 11). Clark, admittedly, there are some penny auctions that don't have their stuff together, so I avoided them. I checked out their analytics to see how many visitors were going there and the ratings of their websites. I am surprised that you didn't do the same before claiming them to be "illegal". Do you know what separates any business as being legitimate or not legitimate?….INTEGRITY of the owners! I hear you talk about EBay all the time, but thousands of people have been scammed on EBay. Penny Auctions are simply another concept of an auction. Remember when you first heard the name EBay? It wasn't that long ago and, Clark, I think that Penny Auctions are an emerging industry in its infancy. Because of the economy, people are looking for great deals as well as entertainment, and competition and Penny Auctions provide all three. I believe that Penny Auctions ARE legitmate, but it is the owners that make them a scam, just like a gun is not dangerous, but the person holding the gun.
Anyway, after I read everything I could, I bought more bids (my third investment of $27.50, so now I am up to ($82.50). I applied what I had read and won 3 times on items that were worth a total of over $300. Well, I figure that I am ahead of the game, but I didn't play anymore because I wanted to see if the items actually would be delivered. In the meanwhile, I researched other penny auctions and registered at two more that I thought were quality companies as a result of reading the results and complaints of other bloggers who were also gamers.
Clark, in 4 days, my items came to my door by UPS! Hooray! My confidence level doubled and I played again, but I was still using the bids that I had from the first time. Again, I won my limit! (They will only allow you to win 3 times in a 24-hour period, and 8 times in a month which is something that they call a "fairness clause" to enable everyone an opportunity.) I paid the shipping on my 3 items again (a total of $32) and within 5 days, they too had arrived.
Clark, I have kept a spreadsheet on my expenses and winnings so that I would KNOW whether I was spending too much money on my shopping or if I was actually getting a good deal. Here is the results of my first three months using 4 websites:
In the month of August: I actually spent a total of $1,091 (including shipping) and received all the items for a retail value of $8,917.
Some of the gift cards that I won (Visa/MC), I actually used in the purchase of more bids, but I haven't counted those in the cost since I won them with bids that I purchased.
In the month of September: I spent a total of $882 and won a total of $7,720.
In the month of October, I spent a total of $774 and won a total of $9,029.
Clark, I think even you would recognize the value of 10 cents on the dollar for quality items that you would have purchased had they been on sale at a retail store.
Clark, at that point, I told my wife, this is such a cook, unique concept, "I wish there was a penny auction for Outdoor Gear. I believe that a vertical market would do much better than an "across the board" merchandise selection." She said, "Why don't you start one?" and that was all the permission I needed.
Clark, I put 5 people (including myself) together in November of 2010 with a vision of a penny auction for folks who hunt, fish, and camp. I selected this market because I love the outdoors and participate in all outdoor activities, but also because these people in this industry are the people who compete! Competition is part of their lives and they challenge Mother Nature at her best each time they go out in the woods or on the lake. These are the same people who do NFL, NASCAR, and tailgating. These are also the people who love the outdoors and use the gear that I want to auction! Unlike EBay, all of this gear is brand new, brand name, quality gear just like you would buy at Sports Authority or Dicks.
Every business out there, Clark, has it's own scammers. The charity industry, the roofing industry, the insurance industry, the loan industry, the MLM industry and even the penny auction industry. But the people who let themselves get scammed by crooks are the ones who don't do their homework. They don't investigate the company. They don't look at the experiences of others, but that doesn't make the entire industry "illegal"!!
The concept of a penny auction is NOT illegal and I am shocked that you would use that term simply because you haven't done your homework.
My penny auction opens in April of this month. We have put thousands into its design and development and it won't be a scam, but I hope that it will provide lots of people with some great deals as well as providing 5 steward-conscious entrepreneurs an income to for their families, jobs for 25 people, an opportunity to contribute to their communities and tithe to their churches.
By the way, I won a 32-Gig iPad for $52.11!!
April 6th, 2011
12:27 pm
While I don't agree that penny auctions are gambling, there is a problem with so many people losing for one person to win. That's why we created GetInToo.com. We're not a penny auction, our auctions are won by the person who enters the lowest unique bid. If you enter bids and you don't win, we give the bids back to you so you can use them again.
Some people have asked how can we do that. We had 2 choices, we could sell the bids and let the auction run it's course and then keep all of the money from the losing bids or we could give those bids back to try again. It doesn't cost us any more to give them back or keep them so we decided to give them back to use. Instead of a buy it now option, we just let you keep trying until you win. We still need people to keep buying to make it run, but what business of any type can keep running without selling something?
You can find it at http://getintoo.com


text:
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text:
home |
kitchen sink
All that concrete made his back hurt.
It was time
to align his business as a concrete contractor with his
calling as a concrete artisan. Straightup has a soft spot for
people following their passion, not to mention cool concrete,
and thus a website, a tagline and a messaging framework
were born. The new b Form has all the integrity, know-how
and concrete dust of the old b Form, along with a growing
portfolio of architectural work (captured in digital form by
photographer Robin Bartholick) that showcases the fine
craftsmanship and modern sensibility that designers,
builders and owners appreciate about his work.
In collaboration with MahriaDesign
Can people walk on clouds?
How do we breathe?
What makes a light bulb turn on? What if these kinds of
questions didn't stop with childhood? They don't — at least
not when kids experience the thrill of discovering the
answers. That's the premise behind SPARK (Science-
Powered Adventures for Real Kids), a program of the
American Museum of Radio and Electricity (AMRE) designed
to connect kids to science in real and memorable ways.
The need for more and better elementary science education
is urgent; so too is the need for AMRE to raise funds. Both
needs could be met, museum leaders reasoned, by building
on the success of its popular science education program.
Once Straightup helped AMRE assess and prioritize its needs,
the task was to muster the right team (development,
branding and science-ed pros) for a swift but deep branding
and promotion plan aimed at fast, low-dollar, high-impact
solutions. Results? A new name, identity, brochure and
facts package, an iconic new
and next-phase ideas
for when funds become available. We worked so fast,
there's still time to give!
In collaboration with Group C Inc.
The design team toiled for months
with its giant
aerospace client to develop a revolutionary real estate and
workplace strategy aimed at putting the company in top
form for the oncoming knowledge- worker shortage. Their
strategy? Brilliant. The report detailing it? Pretty much a
dud. While intended to inform and inspire the cadre of facility
managers meant to take up the Future of Work baton, the
document barely warranted a skim, much less a study. We
re-imagined the material as a useful "Guide to [their new]
Universe" and redeployed it in a smart new package with
some jazzed up narrative, compelling quotes, great images
and a clear organizational structure. Now? The report
reflects the importance and excitement of its contents and
big changes are taking flight at Big B.
In collaboration with MahriaDesign
Client: "Please make a book
about our values. Make it something more than a
self-promotional vanity piece. Make it inspiring. Make it real.
Make it feel special. Make it worthy of the extraordinary
people and places it features."
Straightup Communication: "OK!"
That's the short version. The longer story involves a crack
team of designers, photographers, editors and client
collaborators, long, chocolate-fueled debates about content
structure and editorial nuances; choices regarding paper,
fonts, color and other designerly delights; as well as the
budget and schedule juggling necessary to create
Leadership, Artistry, Hope. This 268-page coffee table book
celebrates the values of a unique development company
whose endeavors defy conventional descriptions.
Client: "We love it!"
In collaboration with Group Inc.
Download exerpt of book here »
For nearly 50 years, Zervas Group Architects
has quietly been doing what must be done in a town known
fondly as "the city of subdued excitement:" undertaking a
remarkable variety of projects and making them the best
they can be in the face of small budgets and many priorities.
The result? An admirable body of thoughtful work with
lasting presence in a growing community. However, it is
possible ZGA has been a little too quiet, apt to focus more
on doing design than talking about it. And while it is true
that good work speaks for itself, their new website offered
the opportunity to steer the conversation a little. Based on
a branding process led by MB Design, we developed a
focused approach that highlights the many ways the firm
has been shaping the community since 1961.
Design by MB Design
Writing this remarkable story about
building an island-city in Qatar for a Callison partner involved
interviews, background research and synthesis of a variety
of source material, not to mention some serious channeling.
Download article here »
The mission was to capture the essence
of this deluxe Las Vegas condominium in under 600 words.
The challenge was to do it without visiting the project.
Download article here »
For an issue devoted to home offices,
this cover story highlights Ben Trogdon Architecture's
design for a studio addition to Seattle artist Barbara
Wollner's Madison Park home.
Download article here »
A naturopath, a business guy and
a communication expert walk into a Thai restaurant. Three
spicy dishes, one straightup gaffe and a few vivid
conversations later, we'd found a lighthearted and thrifty
way to spread the word about one seriously uncomfortable
digestive condition.
Dr. Stephen Wangen specializes in irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS). His book on the topic would debut at the same time
his new IBS clinic, and he needed to get the word out about
both. Needless to say, the budget was stretched pretty thin.
Also true: most people don't want to hear the term "irritable
bowel," much less talk about it. The straightup answer?
Make them laugh about it instead. As a complement to a
campaign that included public radio sponsorship spots, a
series of doctor-referral meetings and an open house, we
developed a targeted mailing using historical quotes from
Stephen's book that could double as the clinic's calling cards.
Design by Laura Gilbert
Imagine the straightup intrigue when
she asked for some "head o' the pin" marketing. Imagine the
straightup alarm upon learning she wanted to condense the
organization's entire reason for being, along with why anyone
should care, on a business card.
Turns out, she wanted to use an expanded business card for
her board members as a vehicle for talking points. Smart!
Board members are key ambassadors, but they often feel
unsure or uncomfortable when touting the organization. The
card gives them a way to more easily discuss the
foundation's purpose and goals – at a cost only marginally
higher than traditional business cards. Even smarter! Oh what
a happy exercise, turning paragraphs into sentences for the
benefit of a whole community.
Design by Kevin Kelliher
For three years, this 8-page newsletter
was part of firm-wide effort to position Callison as a
business-design leader in key markets. Each issue focused
on a particular sector with a cover trend piece. Inside, the
theme continued with a benchmark project and featured
service, as well as sidebars devoted to tips, lessons-learned
or market insights. The final page was reserved for
company news. As the person formerly known as a senior
member of Callison's marketing communications team,
straightup conceived, wrote and produced the newsletter
three times a year. Many of the articles formed the basis of
firm white papers, conference presentations and trade
publication articles.
| Say what you mean, mean what you say.
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text:
After seeing Will Gilmore's part this morning, in which he lays down two picture perfect front boards aged ten, we were inspired.
It doesn't take much for a room full of snowboard nerds like us to start flapping around tasks like trying to name the owner of the best front board ever, which is exactly what we've spent all afternoon arguing about.
Of course there is no real answer to who's is the 'best,' that's all subjective. But this is snowboarding and you should know that by now…
Anyway, after a lot of debate and some executive decisions by yours truly, here's a selection of the owners of some of the best front boards. Not the best, some of the best.
Surely y'all will have some opinions so feel free to share them below.


text:
Almost time!! :D
all the lucky bastards going tonight.
Almost time!! :D
all the lucky bastards going tonight.
I want to let it go, but that ruined my whole summer, how can I forget that? That's all I think of when I think about my summer. I just want to forget him. But I'm already in knee deep and drowning
I'm tired of every guy that complains they're in the friend zone, and us girls are so mean and only like jerks.
I'm in the damn friend zone by a GUY! So stop complaining, I know what it feels like.
I'm not a slut either, he actually even USED to like me, but in a day, his feelings changed for me.
From liking me, to: I'm sorry, I just don't have those same feelings for you anymore.
Now I get to be his "Best friend."
Freakin awesome!


text:
Legendary coach steps down at Arrowhead
In a shocking statement Tuesday afternoon, longtime Arrowhead varsity baseball coach Tim O'Driscoll announced that he has to resign immediately from that position because of health problems. O'Driscoll, 62, told Arrowhead athletics director Kevin Flegner Tuesday morning about his decision.
O'Driscoll, the winningest coach in Wisconsin High School Baseball history with a record of 742-328, learned of his illness Monday after a visit to the doctor.
"Right now it's not a life threatening illness, but it's something that has to be taken care of immediately," O'Driscoll said Tuesday afternoon. "But it is something I have to address and because of that, I won't be able to coach. It hurts a lot to leave the position. When you've been doing something for 35 years, it's not very easy to step away. It's a very emotional time right now for my family and myself."
He respectfully declined to provide more specifics about the ailment.
O'Driscoll coached the junior varsity team for two years before being named head varsity coach 35 years ago. He won state titles in 1979 and 2009, when Arrowhead won the summer baseball title in dramatic fashion last summer.
Baseball practice for the upcoming 2010 season is set to begin Friday, and defending state champion is ranked No. 1 in the state in the first preseason poll.
Flegner said an interim coach would be named as quickly as possible. He expected that coach to be named from the present Arrowhead staff. Vince Mancuso, a physical education teacher at Arrowhead, could be a leading candidate to take the job.
O'Driscoll said he had planned to coach the 2010 season and then retire. Last year, he led the Warhawks to the first perfect record in the 11-year history of the powerful Classic 8 Conference (21-0) before coaching them to the state championship in Stevens Point.
"I told my wife Caryl that 2010 was going to be it," O'Driscoll said. "I always said that when I can't pitch batting practice any more that it would be time to quit. I just pitched batting practice on Sunday for Monches in the Land O' Lakes. I was getting my arm ready for the upcoming season. But then I got the news from the doctor, and that was it. I knew I had to resign.
O'Driscoll played varsity baseball at Arrowhead and was an outstanding pitcher, then played four years at UW-Milwaukee and was team captain his senior year. He graduated from Arrowhead in 1966 and from UW-Milwaukee in 1970. He began teaching at Arrowhead and replaced Gordy Gill as the varsity coach in 1975. He taught in the social studies department for 36 years and also coached football in his run at the school.
"Coaching at the same school for 35 years really seems like a long time," O'Driscoll said. "I never thought I would coach that long when I took the job. A lot of players have gone through here over the years. I've enjoyed my time as coach more than anyone will ever know. I love baseball. Anybody that knows me knows that. It's going to be tough step away, especially the way it's happened."
O'Driscoll also had a brilliant Land O'Lakes career playing for Monches. He pitched the Irish to numerous winning seasons and two LOL Western Division titles. He later was named to the LOL Hall of Fame and is also in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame. Last year, he was named the summer baseball Coach of the Year and the Midwest Coach of the Year – an award that covers six states.
For more than 20 years, he has also been the official scorer at County Stadium and Miller Park for the Milwaukee Brewers. The Arrowhead baseball field was named in his honor two years ago.
O'Driscoll has two daughters, Meghan and Kelli.
"I'll be coaching this summer, but it will be coaching my grandson in the Nicolet T-ball program," O'Driscoll laughed. "That will be new territory for me. But it's going to be fun. My grandson is looking forward to having his grandpa as his coach."
O'Driscoll file
Tim O'Driscoll was the fifth coach in Arrowhead baseball history, following Al Vandertie, Wally Geske, Ken Schneider and Gordy Gill.
-- Overall varsity record at Arrowhead 742-328
-- Two WIAA summer baseball state championships (1979, 2009)
-- Two runner-up finishes at state (1975, 2006)
-- Six state tournament appearances (1975, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2009)
-- Named to the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and Land O'Lakes Baseball Hall of Fame
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Slayer frontman Tom Araya was admitted to the hospital and kept, thus canceling Slayer's Sydney, Australia tour date at Soundwave. Rumors abound as to why Araya was admitted, but details are cloudy right now. What's important is that Araya is reportedly "feeling better."
This week we discuss alchemy, camera technology, a first time guest host joins the show, and we review "As Above, So Below".


text:
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