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LampPost Realty® Website Redesigned With You In Mind!Posted by Mike Halpern on Friday, May 25th, 2012 at 3:07pm.
Over the years, we've received a lot of positive feedback on our website, as well as suggestions for improvement. When we decided it was time to redesign and relaunch our website, we took all that valuable feedback and went to work.
You asked for more quick searches as well as more detailed search options to create your own targeted searches customized to your property needs and wants. You also wanted the ability to search property listings while on the go from your mobile devices and our mobile IDX takes mobile property searching to a whole new level.
In addition to the traditional property searches by city, price range, number of bedrooms and baths, etc. our website now offers the following quick searches:
- By Property Type - Waterfront, Waterview, Foreclosures, Short Sales, New Homes, Single Family, Multi-Family, Rentals, Condominiums and Townhouses
- By Community and Development
We also added a number of detailed search criteria to help in narrowing down properties that match your needs and wants, including a Search By Map feature.
You won't find another website with better property search features for your computer and mobile devices. In addition, once you find properties that interest you, our website allows you to drill down into the details of each property, including interior and exterior pictures, Google Map, Google Streetview and Microsoft Bird's Eye View.
For those of you who are new to the Wilmington area, we've included links to top attractions and cultural venues as well as sources of information on schools, city and county governments and more. Check out the Area Info section of our website and discover the many reasons we wouldn't think about living anywhere else!
Speaking of the area and why it's such a great place to live, enjoy the pictures of the area that rotate on the top section of our website. These pictures were taken by yours truly and, not being a professional photographer with a special camera or lenses, I let the area's beauty and charm speak for itself!
I hope you enjoy getting to know this wonderful area from the pictures, property searches and area information links included on our website. Please don't hesitate to call or email us with any questions you have. We're here to assist you and provide an exceptional real estate buying or selling experience.
Mike Halpern
Founder and CEO - LampPost Realty®
Be the first to comment on this blog entry!


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Carnation measure would maintain police services
CARNATION - In order to keep its current level of police service, Carnation voters are being asked by the city to approve a $324,000 levy, which would be spread out over three years.
The city contracts with King County to provide police services, and employs one part-time police chief, Scott Sterland, and two full-time officers. The levy would help fund police services to the tune of $108,000 a year. The owner of a $200,000 house would, if the levy is approved, pay less than $14 a month toward to the bond measure.
In order for the levy vote to be valid, 310 residents are needed to cast their ballots. To reach the 60 percent approval mark, which is required to pass a levy, 186 people must vote to approve it.
Joan Sharp, a city councilwoman and member of the committee organized to help pass the levy, said when Carnation first negotiated its contract with King County, it received several credits that helped reduce the total cost.
Those credits, she said, are no longer available. Couple that with the recent passage of tax-cutting initiatives and having to follow federal and state regulations like the Endangered Species Act and the Growth Management Act, and Sharp said Carnation doesn't have enough money to go around.
"If we're going to maintain our police services, this levy is critical," she said.
"We did fund some of the police services our of [the city's] reserves this past year ... which is obviously not a tenable position for the city to be in."
Another obstacle is that, unlike other cities such as Snoqualmie, Carnation is not growing as more and more people move to and work in the Eastside.
"The city's pretty well built out for its capacity," Sharp said.
While the City Council and administrators have tried to cut costs, Sharp said any more cutting would mean a reduction in services to Carnation residents.
"There's really no good choices to be made in terms of where to cut," she said. "The city runs a quality operation with what I would consider to be a sort of minimal staff. I'm not aware of any positions that are not essential."
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subset: commoncrawl


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Anonymous sources have told The Wrap that Sony Music is expected to end its relationship with the controversial and influential producer Dr. Luke. The label has faced sharp criticism after Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, was accused of sexually abusing pop star Kesha.
Kesha had gone to court to try to be released from Sony's contract that had her working with Dr. Luke and was denied, sparking outcry from the public as well as fellow musicians such as Lady Gaga and Adele.
"The fact that this hasn't already been taken care of is confusing," said one Sony insider of Dr. Luke's possibly impending exit. Jeva Lange
The Cleveland Indians took Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday night in Cleveland, beating the Chicago Cubs 6-0 thanks largely to catcher Roberto Perez's bat and starting pitcher Corey Kluber's arm. Kluber faced off against Cubs ace Jon Lester, but while Lester had a rough start, allowing two runs in the first inning thanks to a series of walks and a hit by pitch, Kluber pitched six scoreless innings to earn the win. Perez hit a solo homer in the fourth off Lester, then drove in three more runs with a second homer in the bottom of the eighth.
The Cubs and Indians have a combined 176-year championship drought; the Indians last won the World Series in 1948, and the Cubs in 1908. They meet again for Game 2 on Wednesday night, also in Cleveland. Peter Weber
Megyn Kelly tells Newt Gingrich to work on his 'anger issues' after he says Kelly is 'fascinated by sex'
A testy exchange between Newt Gingrich and Megyn Kelly descended into chaos Tuesday night, ending with Kelly suggesting the former Speaker of the House take his "anger issues and spend some time working on them."
On Tuesday night's Kelly File, Gingrich, a Donald Trump surrogate, started his segment by declaring that the media is showing bias against the Republican nominee, and he doesn't trust any of the polls. When Kelly began discussing allegations of sexual misconduct made against Trump, she started her sentence by saying, "If Trump is a sexual predator…" and was quickly interrupted by Gingrich. "He's not a sexual predator! You can't defend that statement!" Kelly said she was not taking a position, with Gingrich responding, "I'm sick and tired of people like you using language that's inflammatory. That's not true."
Kelly told Gingrich neither one of them know if the allegations are true, and his "defensiveness on this might speak volumes." Gingrich then went on the attack, telling Kelly that if "you go back through the tapes of your show recently, you are fascinated by sex. You don't care about public policy." Kelly scoffed at Gingrich, and said the only thing she is fascinated by is the "protection of women and understanding what we're getting in the Oval Office, and I think the American voters would like to know."
That opened up a whole new path for Gingrich, who launched into a tirade against Bill Clinton and demanded that Kelly say the words "Bill Clinton sexual predator." Kelly warned Gingrich that he shouldn't summarily dismiss any of the women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct, and said The Kelly File has reported on Bill Clinton and the accusations made against him. Clearly irritated, Kelly had the last word: "We're going to leave it at that, and you can take your anger issues and spend some time working on them." Watch the fiery back-and-forth below. Catherine Garcia
Donald Trump has a message for Vice President Joe Biden: You. Me. Behind the barn. Be there.
Last week during a Hillary Clinton rally in Pennsylvania, Biden said he was often asked by reporters if he wished he were the one debating Trump. "No," he said. "I wish we were in high school. I could take him behind the gym. That's what I wish." During a rally Tuesday night in Tallahassee, Trump mangled Biden's dream — "did you see Biden wants to take me to the back of the barn?" he asked the crowd — but agreed that he would be down to brawl. "I'd love that," he said. "Oh, some things in life you could really love doing." (It should be noted that Trump is 70 and the vice president is 73.) Trump also called Biden "Mr. Tough Guy when he's standing behind a microphone by himself."
If he's looking for a rumpus, should he lose the election, Trump could always make like the last Republican presidential nominee and hop into the boxing ring. Catherine Garcia
As outrage over current and retired National Guard soldiers being told they must pay back re-enlistment bonuses they received erroneously continues to grow, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced he has put a top Pentagon official in charge of fixing the problem.
Over the weekend, the Los Angeles Times revealed that in the mid-2000s, at the height of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, soldiers in California were told if they re-enlisted, they would receive bonuses of more than $15,000. An audit found that many of these soldiers were not eligible for the bonuses or overpaid, and a former official was sentenced in 2012 to 30 months in federal prison after being convicted of submitting more than $15 million in false claims to the Department of Defense. The audit was finally completed last month, and the Pentagon told the affected soldiers if they didn't pay the money back immediately, they could face interest charges, wage garnishments, and tax liens. Many told the Times they were struggling to come up with the money, with some talking about selling their homes.
During a press conference in Paris on Tuesday, Carter said he was aware of the issue, and while it has "complexities to it," he has asked Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work to resolve the matter. Any person who "volunteers to serve in the armed forces of the United States deserves our gratitude and respect," Carter said. "Period." Catherine Garcia
She's called him a "pathetic coward," a "thin-skinned racist bully," and a "chicken," and on Tuesday during a Hillary Clinton rally in North Carolina, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) came up with a new way to insult Donald Trump.
.@SenWarren calls Trump "a selfish little sleazeball" #inners https://t.co/TZk6gAIuOm
— All In w/Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) October 26, 2016
"I hope you heard Donald Trump in the debate, when he said he was smart not to pay any taxes," she told the crowd. "He is smart, and all of you who pay taxes are dumb. Everyone who pays taxes to keep our roads and bridges working is dumb. Everyone who pays taxes to support our world-class military is dumb. Everyone who pays taxes to support medical research and scientific research is dumb, dumb because Donald Trump doesn't plan to pay, he just plans to use all those things you pay for." So, Warren asked, "what kind of man does that? A selfish little sleazeball, a man who will never be president of the United States."
Warren then set her sights on Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, who is seeking a third term. Trump "hasn't been hiding who he is," Warren said, and Burr is "like a puppy on a leash, sticking right there with Donald Trump. If Richard Burr is just going to be Donald Trump's lap dog, then let him go off and do that, but the people of North Carolina need a strong, independent voice to fight for the families of North Carolina, and that is Deborah Ross," the Democratic nominee. Trump has yet to respond, but it's easy to imagine him high up in Trump Tower muttering, "That nasty woman!" Catherine Garcia
The Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC with ties to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), is investing $25 million in six key races, with the fund's president saying they'll "go out guns blazing."
Steven Law told Politico Tuesday that Republicans won't have an easy time keeping their majority, and in many close races, Democrats are outspending GOP candidates by millions of dollars. "Democrats feel like the presidential race is in the bag for them and are looking for fresh game in the Senate," he said. The fund will send $7.5 million to Nevada, where Republican candidate Joe Heck recently announced he is no longer supporting Donald Trump. More than $5 million will be spent in Pennsylvania, $4 million in Indiana, $3 million in North Carolina, and $2 million in New Hampshire and Missouri. Most of the money will go to purchase commercials, which are very expensive this late in the campaign season. "This isn't a cheap date," Law said.
Karl Rove, a former adviser to George W. Bush, assisted the Senate Leadership Fund with its fundraising efforts. Law would not reveal the names of any donors to Politico, but did say they are aware "we're going to take casualties but we're going to go out guns blazing." Catherine Garcia
On Tuesday, Apple announced that annual sales fell to $216 billion in the 2016 fiscal year ending Sept. 30, the company's first annual sales decline since 2001, the year the iPod was introduced.
Apple had a record $234 billion in sales in 2015. The company's largest source of revenue is the iPhone, CNN Money reports, and only 45.5 million were sold in the September quarter, down from 48 million during the same time in 2015. Analysts say because the newest iPhone is very similar to the previous two models, customers are not clamoring to upgrade. The company says it is projecting it will have sales of $76 to $78 billion in the upcoming quarter, up from $74.8 billion last year. Catherine Garcia


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Nope, No Live Feed/YouTube for Prop 8 Trial, Say the Supremes
In a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court backed the defendants in Perry v. Schwarzenegger and granted their request to keep cameras out of the courtroom. The unsigned decision applies only to the satellite feeds that were going to be made available in five cities, but it's far reaching enough to assume the YouTube delayed videos are also off the table. "The Court, chastizing the trial court for attempting "to change its rules at the eleventh hour," issued an unsigned 17-page opinion. The ruling came out nearly 40 minutes after an earlier temporary order blocking TV had technically expired."
And based on the Court's explanation, they're issuing the ruling based on a technicality: "We are asked to stay the broadcast of a federal trial. We resolve that question without expressing any view on whether such trials should be broadcast. We instead determine that the broadcast in this case should be stayed because it appears the courts below did not follow the appropriate procedures set forth in federal law before changing their rules to allow such broadcasting. Courts enforce the requirement of procedural regularity on oth- ers, and must follow those requirements themselves."
What a fetid load. SCOTUS blocked it because the comment period on the rule change was supposedly too short. Weren't there like 133,000 comments, with all but a handful in favor? Did SCOTUS really think that those percentages were going to change given another couple of weeks? No, this is really about SCOTUS's own reluctance to allow its proceedings to be recorded. SCOTUS is one of the most secretive bodies in the country and it will be damned if it will allow anything that might one day encroach on the secrecy in which it fetishistically enshrouds itself.
5-4 AGAIN…with Kennedy siding with the conservatives. Is this a harbinger?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/01/13/national/w135132S05.DTL&tsp=1 has more details, specifically,
"The four justices in dissent were Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and John Paul Stevens. In a dissent written by Breyer, they said the high court should have stayed out of the issue. Breyer said 'the public interest weighs in favor of providing access to the courts.'"
One might note that Sonia Sotomayer is the one justice appointed so far by President Obama. Whether or not you feel that Obama is moving too slowly on gay-rights issues, removing the conservative bias of the U.S. Supreme Court by new appointments is critical to getting favorable rulings.
The arguments against making videos of the trial public are all bogus – Judge Walker had specifically allowed any witness who felt uncomfortable to testify without a camera turned on. I.e., someone who is camera shy or stutters a lot when nervous can request not to be shown or heard on television. So the real
motivation is to make sure the public is not exposed to a
serious discussion regarding Proposition Eight – it would
expose how the campaign to pass it really was motivated by bias.
Maybe we should complain about "activist judges", the ones in the majority on this ruling, as that is what the other side always does when there is a ruling they do not like.
Finally, that guy Tam may not be off the hook even if he is allowed to withdraw as a defendant/intervener. It seems the plaintiff would like to call him as a (hostile) witness due to his rants being so obviously biased.
Have another bowl of ice cream, Maggie. Hopefully the clogged arteries aren't too far away. Someday you'll eat crow.
Not a great surprise, but not necessarily a sign of things to come, either. Especially given, as FakeName suggested, that this could lead to pressure to broadcast their own cases.
Besides, when would this land in the SC? How likely is it that there will be some turnover by then?
We should give somewhat sigh of relief about Sotomayor, there was concern she was a stealth conserative……….However if anyone thinks that we are going to see a change anytime soon…forget about it. Cause the only change that is in the forseeable future is JPS, who bless his heart is like 300 years old. And there is rumblings that he is ready to step down. Thus the imbalance will remain the same as far as anything that begins with the letter "G". Scallia, UncleThomas, Alito, Roberts are all solidly against us and Kennedy is almost always in lockstep on the matter………….sigh………
This is precisely why I've had concern with this case at this point in time with the present composition of the SC. Hopefully Obama gets to replace at least one conservative during his tenure, but don't hold your breath. Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Roberts would be sure to keep themselves fit and in good health while a lefty is in the White House.
As a NY'er there was little doubt in my mind about Sotomayor… she lived in the village and most likely saw openly gay couples everyday unless she stayed under a rock. To this day I keep wondering… why oh why did Sandra Day O'Connor retire?
A 5-4 vote on this doesn't mean jack when it comes to the main issue. This is about the Court's own opinion on cameras in the court room and its anger at Kozinsi. (Yes, I said Kozinski, not Walker. Look into it. There is a bit of history here involving a few of Kozinski's antics as Chief Judge of the 9th Circuit. There was a lot leading up to this bitch slap other than what you'll find in the opinion of the Court. I am 100% sure of this. )
As for gay marriage, the sky is not falling. Yes, we know where Scalia and Thomas stand on the issue. And we likely know where Roberts and Alito stand. (Though Roberts may be somewhat on our side.) But Kennedy is responsible for the only two pro-gay rights opinions the Court has ever authored, Lawrence v. Texas and Romer v. Evans. Don't write him off. When push comes to shove, Kennedy will vote for gay marriage. He doesn't want to be remembered as the justice who was the swing vote for bigotry. That's the way his mind works. Count on it.
Thanks, great post. I feel better. Although the 5-4 decision is not what we wanted, the facts of the trial are still available thru the internet and for those fortunate enough to be onsite at the courthouse. But for those of us not lucky enough to be local, maybe it's time to get creative. Remember how some in Hollywood created "Prop 8: The Musical" after it passed? I say we hit them up for a sequel, based on this trial.
I still believe SCOTUS will support marriage equality in the future. I agree with Republican. I am Democrat/Green Party supporter. But honestly, I never viewed marriage equality or Gay Rights issues as a "Rep v. Dem" or "Religious" issue. Because Gay Rights is Human Rights.
No. 12 · Totakikay wrote, "But honestly, I never viewed marriage equality or Gay Rights issues as a 'Rep v. Dem' or 'Religious' issue. Because Gay Rights is Human Rights." … you may not but the Karl Rove types did – that's why the Republicans tried to (halfheartedly) push a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. It was being done to get W. elected in 2004 with a goal of getting out the religious right wing vote.
It occurred to me recently on this issue, that the Supremes may do something that no one anticipates, at least that I have seen, namely rule against "marriage" but require an equivalent, with all the rights and privileges as a federal law. That way they can more or less satisfy everybody. Not sure how I feel about that, but it occurred to me that it might happen.
@No.14 Romeo,
I see what you mean. I would feel upset if SCOTUS wanted to satisfy the discriminatory opposition to marriage equality. They shouldn't be satisfied with their illegal actions under the law. And like many have said, "Separate is NEVER equal." Marriage is the only remedy to solve this human rights issue.
I have a question though: If SCOTUS were to legalize same-sex relationships as Marriage under the law, what will stop or prevent the discriminatory opposition from enacting a heteronormative-marriage ban into the United States Constitution? That's a huge issue to have to deal with. The government can repeal it, but what will stop the constant abuse of the Constitution? It will probably never end. Who knows.
Congress, mostly: there's no way 2/3 of the current Congress would vote for such a thing, and not a chance of its makeup changing that far fast enough to outrun people's getting used to the idea once it's been legal a while.
Republican sez: But Kennedy is responsible for the only two pro-gay rights opinions the Court has ever authored, Lawrence v. Texas and Romer v. Evans.
There have been a few other pro-gay decisions out of SCOTUS but usually they were couched in terms other than homosexuality. For example, in ONE, Inc. v. Olsen in 1958, the Court ruled that homosexual subject matter did not automatically make a magazine obscene, opening the mails to gay publications. But for the most part LGBTs have not been welcomed at the Court. Read Joyce Murdoch and Deb Price's book Courting Justice. It was published in 2001 so it doesn't include Lawrence but it's still a valuable resource. In an appendix it lists case after gay case where cert was denied.
Romeo sez: It occurred to me recently on this issue, that the Supremes may do something that no one anticipates, at least that I have seen, namely rule against "marriage" but require an equivalent, with all the rights and privileges as a federal law.
I don't believe under the particulars of this case that such an option is open to them. The question of whether LGBT couples don't have the rights and privileges of married mixed-sex couples is not posed in the lawsuit. The question is whether under the federal Constitution a fundamental right may be taken away by state constitutional amendment. Ordering a national civil union registry and requiring that it be accorded all marriage rights is beyond the scope of the case and I believe beyond the Constitutional power of the judiciary. Even if it weren't, there's no way that a majority would engage in this sort of "judicial activism".
The best possible outcome would be for the SC to eventually rule that government has no role in "marriage" – that it's a religious sacrament, and rule all marriages void! The government should be in the business of granting rights through a license – call it whatever you want. If you want to get "married" – you'd go to a church. The churches that don't believe in same-sex marriage would not be required to do so, but there would be plenty of churches that would.
To those who are worried about a Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage if the SCOTUS rules for equality, there are two ways for the other side to pass such an amendment.
One way is for the Congress to approve it by two-thirds majority. The amendment is then sent to the states where three-fourths of the states must approve it. This is the method the bigots would most likely try to use. However, there is another way, though it has never been used. The states themselves can call for a Constitutional Convention. (Requires two-thirds of the state legislatures to call such a convention.) Any proposed amendments that come out of such a convention would have to bee approved by three-fourths of the states. If the bigots were smart, they'd try this route, as there is no way in heck Congress (regardless of who is in the majority at the time) will vote by such a huge margin for a discriminatory amendment. It's one thing to bluster and make hot air about it when you know you don't have the votes. (Like the republicans did a few years ago.) It's quite another to actually pass such an abomination.
Is anyone else outraged by the infringement on the freedom of the press?
And for what it's worth, I take a slightly different approach to this issue. I do think the bigots will be less likely to say extreme stuff if they know it's going to be on youtube. Yes, there will be transcripts and reports, but not near as many people read those as look at youtube.
Now, some of you may say, that's great and laugh at the scared bigots who refuse to show up or who lie on the stand. But I think it's far wiser to be building a record that shows just the kind of nutty thinking that was behind Prop 8. Why? Because when the appellate courts (especially SCOTUS) look at this on review, they're going to be looking for signs of animus. And the more hateful and insane comments from the pro-8 witnesses you have, the easier it is to make that case.
I, too, wish people in general understood just how crazy some of these people are, but my desire to see that wish come true does not outweigh my desire to win this case.
And, of course, I think it's smart to not let the other side portray itself as a victim that is getting harassed for its "opinion". Yeah, we all know how silly that claim is, but people do fall for it. Better to give the bigots the perfect trial before smacking them down hard in an opinion.
Now, what I do find odd is the concern over video being displayed in other courtrooms in the 9th Circuit. I understand the Court's ultimate decision on the matter, because it's part of its objection to proper procedure not being followed, but I don't understand why the Pro-8 people care about it. Do they think people will sneak in cameras and tape those broadcasts?
I really dont see what the big deal is televising this trial. I want to watch it, everyone wants to watch it. Whatever their reason i doubt it will affect the outcome though.
I just wish i knew who was winning? Or is it too early to surmise? Both sides are passionate about this case.
@naghanenu: FAR too early. The defense hasn't even begun yet.
@Republican: Have there ever been even serious attempts to call a Constitutional Convention? If there have, did any of them get anywhere remotely close to passing 2/3 of the states? My understanding is that there are two very good reasons it's never been done: it's always going to be more difficult than getting 2/3 of Congress to go for the idea (unless maybe it's something only beneficial to low-population states), and the last time we had a convention to amend the constitution, they drew up a new one instead.
@Chuck Martens: How would that be better than simply allowing gay couples to participate in civil marriage? It wouldn't. And while I don't think a Supreme Court justice has ever been lynched, but dissolving millions of marriages at once and stopping those who aren't religious from ever obtaining another one under the name that has always been used for such things would be a good way to become the first.
You're having a laugh if you think people would try to get a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage passed in this day and age. the nation is almost split right down the middle on this issue; for there to be an amendment there'd have to be at least 70-30 approval nationwide for it to even be CONSIDERED.
And a constitutional convention, you mean like the last one they had in the late-1700's where our first constitution was drawn up? They'd seriously have such an extreme event to prevent gays from getting married? Who would support it like 20 Congresspeople? LOL.
Allow me to clarify what I meant by "70-30 approval"; I meant 70% approval in favor of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. They could barely even get half approval for that in 2004.
Scalia is a disgrace. The man worships the Vatican, ignoring the rights of good gay American citizens.
No. 24 · PopSnap wrote, "And a constitutional convention, you mean like the last one they had in the late-1700's where our first constitution was drawn up?"
See http://topics.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlev which is fairly short:
"The Congress, whenever two thirds of both houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that no state, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate."
What this means is that, if the legislatures of 2/3 of the states agree (by a simple majority vote) they can call a convention for proposing amendments. What the convention actually does is a different question (it could go off on its own and do anything it wants), and then any amendment has to be approved by 3/4 of the states.


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Here's some sobering statistics to start the school year, brought to you by a group called the Alliance for Excellent Education.
- Every school day, nearly 7,000 American high school students become dropouts.
- Only 70 percent of all entering freshmen and slightly more than half of students of color finish high school with a regular diploma.
- Only 30 percent of students entering high school read at grade level.
- Among developed nations, the United States ranks 17th in its high school graduation rate.
- An estimated 85 percent of current jobs and almost 90 percent of fast-growing and best-paying jobs now require some postsecondary education.
- Dropouts from the class of 2006 alone cost the nation more than $309 billion in lost wages, taxes, and productivity over their lifetimes.
- High school dropouts often have trouble finding well-paying jobs, are generally less healthy, die earlier, are more likely to become parents when very young, are more at risk of tangling with the criminal justice system, and more likely than not will need social welfare assistance.
I've also never heard of the Alliance for Excellent Education, which describes itself as a national policy, research and advocacy organization acting on behalf of millions of at-risk, low-performing secondary school students."
Based in Washington, D.C., the group indicates it partners with business, research, education and other organizations to "build consensus and inform the public."
But digging into the organization's Web site, I found that it has ideas about how to address the dropout problem. Now sometimes you see a group like this, and it's first recommendation is to spend more money, and its second recommendation is to spend even more money.
But that's not what I found here. The Alliance lists its "Ten Elements Every High School Should Have in Place," and I thought it is worth sharing.
Challenging classesSome interesting stuff, and I don't think too many educators would disagree. The question they'd have is how exactly do you provide these things?
All students must learn the advanced skills that are the key to success in college and in the 21st century workplace. Every student should take demanding classes in the core subjects of English, history, science, and math; and no student should ever get a watered-down course of study. Further, students should also be given the opportunity to earn industry certification or some college credit while in high school through programs such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or those offered through a local college or university.
Personal attention for all students
Every high school should be small enough -- or divided into small enough units -- to allow teachers and staff to get to know all students as individuals and to respond to their specific learning needs. By the ninth grade, student should have a detailed plan for graduation -- identifying the specific courses they must take, opportunities they should pursue, and extra help they need in order to succeed in high school and beyond. And every student should receive frequent and ongoing support from at least one academic adviser throughout their high school years.
Extra help for those who need it
Every high school should have a system in place to identify kids as soon as they start to struggle in reading, math, or any core subject, and every school should reserve time and resources for the immediate help those kids need to stay on course.
Bringing the real world to the classroom
High schools should help students make the connection between book learning and the skills needed to be successful in life. Students must develop the work habits, character and sense of personal responsibility needed to succeed in school, at work, and in society. As part of their class work, students should have opportunities to design independent projects, conduct experiments, solve open-ended problems, and be involved in activities that connect school to the rest of the world.
Family and community involvement
Students thrive when their high schools encourage positive learning relationships among families, educators, faith groups, civic organizations, businesses and other members of the community. Parents should have many chances to visit the school building, talk with teachers and staff, voice concerns, share ideas, serve as volunteers, and suggest ways to improve the school. And school leaders should reach out to their neighbors by attending community events and forming partnerships with local organizations in order to increase effectiveness and tap additional resources.
A safe learning environment
Every high school must guarantee the safety of its students, teachers, staff and visitors, and every school should be kept free of drugs, weapons and gangs. School leaders should build a climate of trust and respect, they should encourage peaceful solutions to conflict, and they should respond directly to any bullying, verbal abuse, or other threats.
Skilled teachers
Every high school teacher should know well the subjects they teach and should know well how to teach all kinds of students, from all kinds of backgrounds. New teachers should get the guidance and mentoring they need to be successful in the classroom. All teachers should have enough time to plan lessons, carefully review student performance, and continuously improve their teaching.
Strong leaders
Every high school needs a skillful principal, one who supervises personnel effectively, manages finances capably, and keeps the organization running smoothly. Every school also needs a strong educational leader (this could be the principal, a senior teacher, or another staff member), to define a vision of academic excellence, work with teachers to develop an engaging and coherent curriculum, and serve as a mentor and role model for teachers and students alike.
Necessary resources
Every high school should provide all students and teachers with the books, computers, laboratory equipment, technology and other resources they need to be successful. And every school should maintain safe, clean facilities that are fit for teaching and learning.
User-friendly information
All community members should have easy access to information that gives a clear, straightforward picture of how well the school is serving all of its students, including those from every income level, ethnic group, and racial background. Some of the key pieces of information include a school's graduation requirements, graduation and dropout rates, and student performance on state tests.
Michigan has started down the path of the first element, with its new graduation requirements and high school tests that include the ACT.
And Grand Rapids has tried breaking down its high schools into smaller schools within schools, and even gearing them around professions, such as the health careers program at Central High, which is a block away from the Medical Mile rising on Michigan Street.
And if you read the previous post, you know what happens when you bring up the topic of resources.
The group's Web site also has a breakdown of each state's statistics. Here's Michigan's page (PDF).
It's interesting to see that our state fares well compared to the national average, including graduate rate, posting that 77 percent of the students finish school, compared to 70 percent nationally.
E-mail Dave Murray: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Federal Way School Board picks Griffin as newest member
Angela Griffin was selected as the newest Federal Way School Board member at a special meeting June 11.
Griffin is currently the executive director of the Federal Way YMCA. She has worked with the Federal Way Public Schools' family partnership office and the Federal Way Diversity Commission.
After interviewing five finalists for the position on Wednesday, school board members deliberated for an hour before making their final decision.
"We had a really strong candidate pool, and that's why it took us so long to make our final decision," said school board member Amye Bronson-Doherty. "What really impressed us about Angela was, first of all, she has a really extensive background working with families and children... both professionally and also volunteer-type community service that she does."
Griffin will add diversity to the board, Bronson-Doherty said.
"She would bring a perspective to the board that was unique and coming from a different angle than the other board members, and we really wanted to create a diverse and balanced board... we felt that she really filled a spot that needed filling," she said.
I think I speak for everyone on the board when I say we're really excited to welcome Angela and we look forward to working together."
Griffin will be sworn in at the next regular school board meeting on June 24. Until then, she said she will work hard to get up-to-date on issues important to the board. She plans to meet with school officials and the district's chief financial officer, Sally McLean, before the next meeting so she will be prepared to vote on next year's budget.
"I know I have a challenge ahead of me," Griffin said. "I am looking forward to whatever I can do to serve our community and make sure that our kids have access to the highest quality education and that they're successful."
Griffin will serve until the next school board elections in November 2009.
Contact Margo Hoffman: email@example.com or (253) 925-5565.
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This deal has ended.
These SR Fashions Boleros drop to $12.99 at Zulily. That's $35 off the original price and the best deal we saw anywhere. They are marked as one size fits all (0-12) and come in 6 color options, like the pictured olive. Shipping starts at $5.95, but earns you free shipping on all other Zulily orders for the rest of the day. There is no sales tax (except KY, NV, OH, WA).No longer available


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Got a spare dollar?
As of Thursday night, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $201 million. A jackpot winner could opt to take a one-time cash option of $128.3 million.
The drawings are held at 11 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays. Tickets are $1. Winning numbers are listed at Pennlive.com. In addition to the jackpot, there are nine other prizes from $2 to $250,000.
This week's potential jackpot isn't close to the biggest win of 2011. Two tickets in Idaho and Washington split the $380 million jackpot for the Jan. 4 drawing, the second-largest in Mega Millions history.
Of course, you might have more luck finding a dollar on the street than winning the jackpot. It's estimated that the chance of winning the Mega Millions jackpot is one in 175,711,536.


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MOBILE, Alabama – A bounty hunter with ties to Birmingham pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he targeted people in the criminal justice system in Mobile County, posed as a police officer and then hit them up for money.
Mobile County Circuit Judge James Wood set a Feb. 5 trial date for Eddie James Briskett and appointed attorney William "Kyle" Morris to represent him. Morris could not be reached for comment.
The indictment charges Briskett, 48, with impersonating a peace officer, intimidating a witness and two counts of extortion. The most serious charge, extortion, carries a prison sentence of two to 20 years upon conviction.
According to law enforcement authorities, Briskett victimized three people in February and March in Mobile and Prichard.
"He would go to their homes, in many cases, and tell them he was a police officer or a bail bondsman, and if they didn't pay him a certain amount of money, he threatened to put them in jail," Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Keith Blackwood said.
In two of the cases, Blackwood said, Briskett arrived with blue lights on his vehicle and told the victims – who both had pending criminal charges – that he would take them to jail and hold them with no bond.
In one case, according to the indictment, Briskett demanded $325 and accepted $85. In another case, the indictment alleges, he collected $250.
"He had handcuffs with him and after they would give him the money, he would write them a receipt," he said.
The witness intimidation charge stems from allegations that Briskett threatened to arrest a woman if she did not sign paperwork to drop charges against a man facing a domestic violence charge.
One of the alleged victims complained, setting off an investigation by the Prichard police and the District Attorney's Office. Court records indicate that Briskett was living at a residence on Airport Boulevard in Mobile, but he also has listed a Birmingham address in the recent past.
Blackwood said the allegations are unusual.
"It's absolutely bizarre," he said. "I've never come across anybody like Eddie Briskett. We will prosecute his behavior to the fullest extent of the law."Follow Brendan Kirby on Twitter: Follow @BrendanKKirby


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International Edition
October, 28, 2016
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Summit reveals Israel seeking economic ties with Taiwan
March 7, 2014, 12:09 am TWN
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Israel's representative office in Taiwan held a seminar Thursday on investment opportunities in Israel that was attended by representatives from Taiwanese and Israeli companies, in an effort to boost economic ties between the two countries.
The seminar in Taipei, titled "Israel — Venturing toward Innovation," was the start of a long-term partnership between Israel and Taiwan, said Doron Hemo, head of the Economic and Trade Mission at the Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei.
A total of eight Israeli investment companies traveled to Taiwan to attend the one-day seminar on investment in innovation, giving introductory briefings while seeking cooperation with their Taiwanese counterparts.
Representatives of Taiwanese companies that have invested in Israel also shared their experiences at the seminar, which was attended by 130 representatives from around 100 Taiwanese baking, venture capital firms and information and communications companies.
Szu Kuo-i, vice executive president of Taichung-based Hiwin Technologies Corp. (上銀科技), said the investment in Israel helped the machinery company to upgrade its business and expand its global market target.
The investment in the Israeli city of Haifa has given the company the opportunity to learn from other foreign high-tech companies with presences in the Middle Eastern country, he said.
During the seminar, Hemo also gave a presentation to introduce the investment environment in Israel and incentives for foreign investors, such as tax benefits.
Later in the day, one-on-one meetings were scheduled to take place so that the Taiwanese participants could meet with those from the eight Israeli companies to explore opportunities for mutual cooperation.


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FOXBOROUGH – Tom Brady took shots at Patriots fans last week for being too quite and friendly at games.
But that was before they signed running back Danny Woodhead.
When Woodhead finished off a 22-yard run to the left side of the end zone in the second quarter against the Bills, a loud roar rose from the crowd as they jumped to their feat to cheer on the 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back on his first NFL touchdown.
"I thought they were great, I really did," Brady said. "They were into it and really loud."
Woodhead became the second player in college football history to eclipse the century mark by scoring 109 times at Division 2 Chadron State in Nebraska. But even though his last touchdown came nearly three years ago, he wasn't concerned with his individual achievement or the sentimentality that goes with it.
Woodhead chose not to keep the ball as a momento and was only worried about helping out his team.
"It was just good to help the team out," Woodhead said. "I'm not so concerned with getting my touchdown. I'm concerned with getting the victory."
Woodhead, who was signed after being released from the Jets last week, made the start for the Patriots and ran three times for 42 yards.
When asked what it is that allows Woodhead, or as Randy Moss refers to him, "that little stub guy", to be successful, Wes Welker explains the team's theory.
"Some guys have talked about him – he's so small you can't really see him."


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Get an overview of this hotelHotel in San Clemente with business center and 24-hour front desk
Located in the heart of San Clemente, this hotel is within 1 mi (2 km) of San Clemente Municipal Golf Course and San Clemente State Beach. T-Street Beach and San Clemente Pier are also within 2 mi (3 km).
Hotel Features
Along with coffee/tea in a common area, this hotel has a business center and a 24-hour front desk. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, express check-out, tour/ticket assistance, and a front-desk safe are onsite.
Room Amenities
All 31 rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and microwaves, plus free WiFi and TVs with cable channels. Hair dryers and free toiletries are also available to guests.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Americas Best Value Inn San Clemente Beach2002 South El Camino Real San Clemente CA 92672
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. A business center is on site. This San Clemente hotel also offers tour/ticket assistance, coffee/tea in a common area, and express check-out. Limited complimentary onsite parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- 24-hour front desk
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Express check-out
- Total number of rooms - 31
- Number of floors - 2
- Business center
- Coffee/tea in common areas
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free WiFi
- Parking (limited spaces)
- Free self parking
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Free Wi-Fi
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, Parking (limited spaces)
Room Amenities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Television
- Cable TV service
- Free WiFi
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
Nearby Activities
- Golfing nearby
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 5 PM
Minimum check-in age is 21
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
No rollaway/extra beds available
No cribs (infant beds) available
Hotel Name
- Americas Best Value Inn Beach Hotel San Clemente
- Americas Best Value Inn San Clemente Beach
- Americas Best Value Inn San Clemente Beach Hotel
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.


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Remember, if you have a valid Club Sycuan card and play weekend mornings, don't forget to enjoy your free breakfast! If it's your birthday and you're a Club Sycuan member, make sure to get your $10 Birthday Coupon! And if you're a senior and are a Club Sycuan member, be sure to get your Senior Discount!
For more information, contact us or visit with a Sycuan Bingo Representative on premises.


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The Portland Barbers, a Triple-A American Legion baseball team based out of Madison High School, capped a perfect 4-0 record with a 1-0 win over Lake Oswego in the Lake Oswego Grenade Classic tournament Sunday at Lake Oswego High School.
A Kevin Lave RBI single in the top of the fifth was all that pitchers Robby Heiberg and Cole Stringer needed to run the Barbers' record to 19-1. Heiberg went 6 1-3 innings to earn credit for the win, and Stringer picked up the final two outs of the game to earn the save.
The Barbers picked up their first tournament championship of the year with the win, and they've been a busy bunch already this summer. They have been playing games for 11 straight days, and counting, and head coach Joe Duran said he likes how his team has progressed already.
"We're just staying on that grind," he said. "This is just going to get us ready for where we want to be at the end of the year -- playing for a state championship."
Their only loss of the season was to the Eugene Bi-Mart Challengers, which are based out of North Eugene High School. The Challengers are year-in and year-out one of the state's best Legion teams, and the Barbers split a doubleheader with them earlier in the season.
Portland has players from Madison, Reynolds, Liberty and Central Catholic high schools on the club.
Lake Oswego stayed right with the Barbers with some dynamic defensive plays. In the fourth inning, after the Barbers loaded the bases with nobody out, Lake Oswego turned a slick 5-2-3 double play to cut down a run headed toward home. The next Portland batter struck out, and the Lakers made it out of the jam without any harm done.
Lake Oswego relief pitcher Mitch Verberg had a key strikeout with two runners on the in the seventh to stop a potential Barbers rally, but the Lakers couldn't come up with any runs in the home half of the final frame to extend the game.
The Barbers were playing out of affiliation the entire tournament, playing teams in the Oregon Independent Baseball Association. Teams in the OIBA are typically younger than that of Legion since graduating seniors don't typically play for their school's OIBA program. In Triple-A Legion, players can be up to 19 years old and be eligible to play.
You wouldn't have known the age gap after seeing the Lakers play, though. They gave the Barbers all they could handle, and will be in the thick of the mix when the OIBA holds its postseason.
The Barbers will get back into Triple-A Legion Zone 2 play Monday against Putnam.


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The Flux Drive
08ASD (adjustable speed drive) is a mechanical power-transmission device that
provides soft-start and variable speed (energy savings) to centrifugal load
applications such as pumps and blowers.
The unit is made up of two components - an induction rotor and a
magnetic assembly. Adjustable speed is
achieved by controlling the overlap of an organized magnetic array, as it spins
around an induction rotor. When the magnetic assembly and the rotor are
disengaged, slip increases and the output speed decreases. As the magnetic assembly and the rotor are
full engaged, the torque increases to 98.5 percent of the input speed. It
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Power Transmission is across an air-gap, therefore no touching parts to wear
out. The Flux Drive
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older eddy current technology which is found in other magnetic couplings. The constant magnetic circuit operates at
higher torque and horse power in a smaller footprint with less slip than other
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For more information:


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Don't let it get away!
Keep track of the stocks that matter to you.
Help yourself with the Fool's FREE and easy new watchlist service today.
When Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL ) announces a new product or service, the world listens. And so it was when CEO Steve Jobs introduced the company's new iCloud offering. Fans applauded. Critics sniffed that iCloud is merely content management, not real cloud computing. I doubt that most people care; typical Apple customers will just want to know what iCloud can do for them.
iCloud will store music, photos, apps, calendars, documents, email, and more online. It will automatically synchronize with multiple devices wirelessly. Apple calls it "the easiest way to manage your content." Jobs says iCloud will "demote" PCs. It will be a free service that replaces Apple's $99-per-year MobileMe offering. MobileMe syncs and stores email, contacts, calendars, photos, and files online and across multiple devices.
In the competition with Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN ) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG ) to lure and lock people into an ecosystem, much of the current focus is on online music lockers. Thus, iCloud's most distinguishing feature may be its ability to get songs into iCloud without having to go through a time-consuming loading process. Songs purchased from the iTunes Store will be automatically moved. For other songs, a $24.99-per-year service called iTunes Match will scan your iTunes collection and automatically load any song that's in the iTunes Store -- even if it wasn't purchased from the iTunes Store -- into iCloud. iTunes Match is the only part of iCloud that won't be free.
Another distinguishing feature of iCloud is its device-centric approach to the cloud. This approach has its advantages. It allows users to function digitally without being connected to the Internet. It also reduces the need for expensive and limited bandwidth. Given that AT&T (NYSE: T ) still hasn't completely fixed its bandwidth-related dropped-call problem, trying to stream music over its wireless network would only compound the situation.
Information is power
For Apple, Amazon, and Google, the cloud offers potential to profit from information. Knowing someone's location and interests is a powerful sales tool. Smartphones provide information about location. Searches, purchases, and emails provide information about interests. Amazon, Apple, and Google are working to gather this information by offering a must-have service. Here's an outline of each one's strategies:
Amazon Shoppers
iTunes Store
No. 1
Amazon Shoppers
iTunes Store
eMail / Communications
MobileMe / iCloud
Gmail, Chat
Ship to Address
Android Phones
Source: The Motley Fool.
Of course, not all information is created equal. Smartphones provide here-and-now location information, which can be much more valuable to retailers than ship-to addresses. Similarly, iTunes searches and purchases are primarily media and entertainment oriented. Searches on Google, Amazon, and Yahoo! pick up interest in purchasing a wide variety of goods. Purchases on Amazon involve a wide variety of goods, signal greater interest than searches, and create opportunities for add-on sales.
All three companies' primary sources of profit are different. Amazon is a general store that sells digital and physical goods. (It also offers services that help other businesses sell on Amazon, but that's a different market.) Google profits primarily from selling ads. Having information about and access to users helps it sell more ads and increase its ad rates. Apple primarily sells hardware, software, and digital entertainment (songs, digital books, videos, and games).
Better right than first …
Critics like to point out Apple is late to the cloud. It was late to the MP3 player, smartphone, and tablet markets, too, and that doesn't seem to have hurt it. More than a few iPod owners don't know iPods are MP3 players. That shows that getting something right can be far more powerful than being first.
… if it just works
That's if iCloud works, of course. The New York Times' David Pogue called its predecessor "MobileMess." The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg called MobileMe "far too flawed to be reliable." The harsh words are surprising, since both tech columnists are typically Apple fans. My experience after more than a year as a subscriber and dozens and dozens of hours of tech support is that MobileMe still just doesn't work.
Foolish takeaway
There's a lot of hubbub among investors about cloud computing. But the cloud has many facets. Apple's iCloud plan is about what has made the company such a raging success: its ability to offer compelling products and services.
In many ways, iCloud puts Apple on a collusion course with Amazon and Google. Apple is particularly good at locking in customers. The greatest inhibitor to repeating that success with iCloud is whether or not it just works. If it doesn't, that improves opportunities for Amazon, Google, and Android device makers such as Motorola Mobility (NYSE: MMI ) and Dell (Nasdaq: DELL ) .
What to you think: Will iCloud be a success? An easy way to stay on top of the debate is The Motley Fool's free new My Watchlist feature. You can get up-to-date news and analysis by adding these stocks to your Watchlist now:


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Authorities have charged four more people in connection with an alleged massive mortgage fraud scheme in Monmouth County.
The five suspects, all charged with theft by deception and conspiracy, are accused of filing fraudulent mortgage applications that cost lenders more than $4 million in bad loans, said Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis Valentin.
The defendants are accused with inflating the value of seven properties and funneling money from the closings into shell companies. They also charged inflated fees and also falsified their income to secure the loans, prosecutors said.
Six of the properties were in Monmouth County, and one was in Florida. Lenders have already foreclosed on six of the properties, the prosecutor said.
Arrested were John Pereless, 39, of Colts Neck; Kevin Deickmann, 34, of Red Bank; Ramon Iglesia, 24, of the Lincroft section of Middletown; and John Pereless' mother, Susan Pereless, also known as Susan Coonan, 65, of Tinton Falls. Pereless is listed as an official with Morgan Financial.
Ezra Lustado, 34, of North Caldwell, surrendered to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office on Thursday, the prosecutor said.
Valentin said Deickmann's brother, John Deickmann, 27, of Red Bank, who was also involved in the scheme, pleaded guilty on Monday to one county of misconduct by a corporate official. Under the plea agreement, he is expected to testify against the other suspects, Valentin said.
The Deickmanns are listed as principals in RateCast, a Fair Haven-based mortgage lending firm. Pereless is listed as a principal in a Naples, Fla.-based mortgage lending firm by the same name.


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by Marianne Jones, guest community blogger
If you love running, dogs, and beer (or any combination of the three), then the 2011 Run for the Love of Dove 5k on June 12th at Lucky Lab in Northwest Portland is the race for you. Runners and walkers, including your furry canines, of all abilities are invited to pound the pavement and help raise money for the DoveLewis Stray Animal & Wildlife
Program. The Love of Dove 5k is chip-timed by AA Sports. There is also a ½ K puppy
run for the kids!
This flat and fast 5K goes through the neighborhoods of NW Portland (click here to see a course map). The Lucky Lab at 1945 NW Quimby serves as both the start and finish line. Strollers, dogs, and music are all allowed! Doggies must be kept on leash. Start practicing poses with your dog – my dog, Morgan, has mastered the " hungry" and " take me for a walk" looks - because there will be photographers along the racecourse.
Here are the vitals, with more info below from the event website:
For the Love of Dove 5k Run and Walk (Portland)
What time: 9a
Where: Lucky Lab at 1945 NW Quimby
Register: Online here for $30 without the shirt or $35 with the shirt - guarantee your shirt size when you register before May 20. DOR it's $45 without the shirt.
Post Race Activities: Staying after for the post-race activities is a must! You can
enjoy food, beer and music – Lucky Lab is donating 30% of beer sales from 9am to 1pm
to DoveLewis. You' ll also have a chance to show " Running Ann Schatz" and other local
celebrity judges how talented your pooch is. Judging contests include best voice, coolest trick, best owner/pet look-a-like, best mix and best name.
How to Register for the event: Visit www.runfortheloveofdove.com to register
online. Registration is $30-without shirt, or $35-with shirt. Online registration deadline:
June 8th at 5:00pm. Event is capped at 750 runners! Race-day registration (if available) is $45.
Fundraising Challenge: Help raise even more money for the Stray Animal and
Wildlife Program by collecting donations from family, friends, and co-workers. Even
if you can' t make it to race day this is a great way to support DoveLewis. Anyone can
participate in the Fundraising Challenge! Visit www.runfortheloveofdove.com to log in
and start building your fundraising page today. Top team and individual fundraisers get
special prizes and recognition. Fundraising challenge goal is $20,000.


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Every year Yoshio and Keiko Toyama come from Tokyo to perform at Satchmo Summerfest. And they always bring the gift of music with them -- new and refurbished trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, trombones -- from the people of Japan.
Thursday morning, in the band room of O. Perry Walker High School, the Toyamas presented 23 gleaming instruments to members of the O. Perry Walker Jazz Ensemble, after the jazz band played a rousing rendition of "The Groove Factor" for the audience.
"It's a pleasure to know your great instructor, Wilbert Rawlins, and to get a chance to help him and you," Yoshio Toyama said.
During the presentation, he told the students why he and his wife, Keiko, had started their Wonderful World of Jazz Foundation:
"When I was about your age, I met Louis Armstrong's music, and I was greatly impressed," he said.
He explained that his idol had gotten in trouble for shooting a gun when he was a young boy, and that his punishment had led him to playing the trumpet.
"New Orleans brought him up in a rich tradition, and he changed the whole world of music," Toyama said.
• What: The jazz band, supported by The Japan Foundation, performs at Satchmo Summerfest.
• When: Sunday, August 2, 3 p.m.
• Where: The Red Beans and Ricely Yours Stage on Barracks Street.
He told them how his love of "Pops" and his music brought him and his young bride to New Orleans in 1968 to study with the old jazz masters who played at Preservation Hall -- and how they enjoyed watching the Carnival parades "with all those bands and all those shiny instruments."
The Toyamas returned to Tokyo in 1973 to play traditional jazz at home. When they came back to New Orleans for Mardi Gras 20 years later, they were upset to see high school bands marching with ancient, battered horns, and they were sad to learn that teenagers had guns. So they decided to find a way to put new musical instruments in their hands instead.
"I was thinking, 'When they get a trumpet, they might be like Louis Armstrong,'¤" Yoshio Toyama said. "Since then, we have brought more than 730 instruments from Japan."
For the past 10 years, the instruments have been shipped free by Nippon Express, he said. They are a gift from people in Japan who care about the children of New Orleans.
When he finished, Toyama introduced a member of the foundation who brought an envelope with him and spoke to the audience in Japanese. Toyama explained that the man's wife had died suddenly and that he wanted to give $1,000 to the O. Perry Walker band department from both of them.
Band director Wilbert Rawlins Jr. stepped up to the microphone to thank the visitors for their instruments, their donations -- for all the gifts they have brought to New Orleans over the years.
"We appreciate everything you do," he said. "And these kids, they're like Louis Armstrongs -- and Louise Armstrongs. I care about the well-being and future of our kids."
The evidence of Rawlins' care was there in the band room: In the sharp appearance of his students. In the excellence of the ensemble he started less than six months ago. On the sign that said, "It's all about respect, trustworthiness, leadership, honesty, fairness."
Rawlins told the Toyamas about something new at O. Perry Walker: a Jazz Wall of Fame.
"You are going to be the first couple on it," he said, holding up a plaque that will be put on the wall with their picture on it.
He added that there would be a second plaque for Jimmie Smith, the drummer in Toyama's band, who had been playing with the students before the program began.
He told the musicians that Smith reminded him of his dad, Wilbert Rawlins Sr., who was Irma Thomas' drummer until his death in 2004. He said that Smith was a famous drummer, that he had played with musicians like Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie.
"We're going to put you up on the wall with your biography, so the kids will know who was here today," he told Smith.
He turned to Alvin Hutton, the drummer in his jazz band.
"Mr. Jimmie Smith just tuned your drum, Alvin," he said, with awe in his voice.
When Smith stepped forward to see his plaque, he had tears in his eyes.
"Oh, man .¤.¤. thank you so much," he said softly. "I played with a lot of famous people, but I never received an award before."
Finally, it was time for what the Wonderful World Jazz Foundation is about: making music.When the jazz ensemble played "Another Bump in the Road," Toyama couldn't wait any longer. He grabbed his trumpet and joined them.
Then it was time for Yoshio Toyama & the Dixie Saints to play for the students. Their first selection was a faithful rendition of "Mahogany Hall Stomp," written by Louis Armstrong in 1928.
"We play the same kind of music like you play, but old," Toyama said, laughing.
That number was followed by "What a Wonderful World" and "Hello, Dolly," with Toyama singing in his gravelly Satchmo voice. Their last official selection was Duke Ellington's "Take the A Train," featuring Smith's spirited drum solo.
At the end of the program, Toyama picked up his horn again, motioned to the high school jazz musicians, and began to play Satchmo's version of "When the Saints Go Marching In."
Soon, he and Keiko were leading Rawlins and the kids in a second-line around the band room, filling the room with music and love.
Columnist Sheila Stroup can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 985.898.4831.


text:
CRANFORD — The schedule maker has not been kind to the Cranford Field Hockey team over the first month of the season. Coach Jess Berkowitz' team has faced a who's who of state powers, starting off 1-5. But the Cougars ended the month of September with the signature victory they had been searching for when they edged rival Westfield 2-1 on Sept. 27 at Westfield to improve to 2-5.
Junior Charley Hurley scored a goal and had an assist and senior Julie Schott also scored as they dropped Westfield to 4-4. Senior midfielder Erica Faraone played her usually solid game in midfield, junior attacker Catherine Miller created numerous offensive chances and senior goalie Jessica McCoy stopped all but one shot.
McCoy, a four-year starter at goalie has faced many of the top teams in the state during her career and this year has faced top five teams, West Essex and Oak Knoll as well as top 20 teams Montclair and Montclair Kimberly. In a 5-0 loss to West Essex, McCoy was spectacular with 24 saves. McCoy believes that taking their lumps early has its benefits later in the season.
"I think starting off with a tough schedule like this is an advantage," said McCoy, who will also be a four year starter for Coach Jackie Dyer's basketball team this winter and was second team all county last year. "It challenges us at the start of our season, so we have to raise our level of play to compete with theirs. Of course, it'd be nice to play them again at the end of the season to see how we would do, but I think playing teams like Oak Knoll and West Essex early on improves our skills and prepares us for the rest of the season."
Although field hockey primarily uses a different athletic skill set, McCoy does see many complementary skills.
"In terms of skill, the two sports don't overlap much to affect my abilities," added McCoy, who has learned much in her four years. "However, because I play goalie in field hockey, I'm in a unique position where I'm on the field and involved, but also detached. This allows me to observe team dynamics and has also taught me the importance of intangible qualities like hustle. These dynamics and qualities are vital to basketball as well and I think that recognizing them in field hockey has provided me with a new perspective to keep in mind while in the thick of a basketball game."
"The most important thing I've learned from this position is that you have to brush off your mistakes," McCoy continued. "As a goalie, mistakes have greater consequences, but allowing them to pile up in the back of your mind is even worse. Being a goalie taught me that in order to be successful in the present, you have to focus on the present."
Miller has been the team's leading scorer with four goals, all scored in the team's other victory thus far, a 5-0 win over Union on Sept. 11. Faraone also scored and added two assists. Faraone also scored in a 3-1 loss at number15 Montclair. The schedule does not get any easier as October begins with games against powers Kent Place and Summit but Berkowitz, an all state field hockey player for Cranford and first Team All-American at The College of New Jersey, is hoping to continue Cranford's steady rise as a county power.
"My coaching experience has been developed through camp and clinic programs," said Berkowitz. "I have returned to my college at various times to help with practices and that has really helped in my ability to analyze and break down the game. I am lucky enough to still have my college coaches and former teammates who are now high school coaches to bounce ideas off of."
"I think my greatest contribution to this program is my intensity, knowledge of the game, work ethic, and high expectations for the girls," Berkowitz continued. "I believe in having high standards and expectations. Nothing great was ever achieved with low expectations; you have to set your goals high and don't stop until you get there. If I can get the girls to understand the importance of playing every practice at game speed, then I think we will have a great advantage over our opponents because we will know nothing other than giving our absolute best in every match. I would also like to see more Cranford girls playing at the college level in future years."


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First camera samples from the Sony C650X Odin 5-incher leak
0. phoneArena 22 Nov 2012, 08:04 posted on
One of the pictures is from an album that has SEMC in the title, which stands for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications, so there is a good chance these are taken in a Sony office with the upcoming Odin handset. While none of the pics represents the true abilities of the 13 MP Exmor RS sensor, they definitively prove that the C650X Sony Odin exists, and we hope it will be announced in January at CES 2013 for arrival in the spring...
This is a discussion for a news. To read the whole news, click here
1. PhoneArenaUser (Posts: 5498; Member since: 05 Aug 2011)
"First camera samples from the Sony C650X Odin 5-incher leak"
And what about this:http://www.phonearena.com/news
2. fouadqr (Posts: 326; Member since: 21 Nov 2012)
nice photo... but can it stand to?
HOW MANY DISLIKE i'll get ?
5. PhoneArenaUser (Posts: 5498; Member since: 05 Aug 2011)
But can Nokia 808 PureView stand to the other Sony C6503 Odin specifications than only a camera?
3. fouadqr (Posts: 326; Member since: 21 Nov 2012)
808 pureview and lumia 920
4. bakhtawar (Posts: 41; Member since: 22 Nov 2012)
:D it will f**k 920 gurantted !!!!!
7. xperiaboy (Posts: 12; Member since: 08 Nov 2012)
is that the speaker im seeing in the top and bottom part of the phone ? :)


text:
Klaus Wachsmann Uganda Collection
Enanga zither tuning of two instruments [larumu tuning] - Klaus Wachsmann Uganda Field Recordings
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Recording date
Recording locations
Pajule, Uganda
Pakpala, Otim (enanga trough zither; singer, male), Arinie, Lokong (enanga trough zither; singer, male)
Wachsmann, Klaus, 1907-1984
Item notes : Wachsmann's original recording no.: 54.735. Performer notes : From available documentation: Mr. Otim Pakpala and Mr. Lokong Arinie are both from Palwo.
Metadata record:
Enanga zither tuning of two instruments [larumu tuning] - Klaus Wachsmann Uganda Field Recordings
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text:
Last month, the New York Police Department conducted yet another one of its periodic 24-hour crackdowns on drivers who use hand-held cell phones to talk or text while they're behind the wheel. And just as happened in previous editions of the enforcement blitz, thousands of summonses were issued throughout the five boroughs.
But now, because so many drivers continue to be willing to flout the law banning using a hand-held phone while driving, Staten Island's top cop says he's going to make the crackdown a full-time affair — as in all day, every day.
"Cell-phone usage in cars is at an epidemic level. It's bad. It's every car you see," lamented Assistant Chief Stephen Paragallo, the NYPD borough commander. "And anecdotally, we can confidently say a good percent of our accidents are caused by drivers using cell phones."
That's exactly why there's a ban in the first place, but that realization hasn't seemed to have dawned on large numbers of drivers who have apparently decided that this is a law they should be allowed to break.
And we'd bet a lot of these people would bristle at the suggestion that they are anything less than first-rate, law-abiding citizens.
As the chief suggested, if you stand on any corner and watch, you'll see an appallingly high percentage of drivers using hand-held phones. Often, it seems as if a majority of drivers are yakking away on their phones when they should be paying attention to the task at hand — safely operating one- or two-ton machines that can easily kill or maim others.
So he has decided to hammer away at thick-as-bricks drivers with the message that using the cell phone while you're driving is really and truly illegal. And he's doing it by instructing his troops to enforce the ban aggressively and consistently.
"It's not going to be one of these one-day initiatives that you see every once in a while," he said before the holiday weekend. "You're out there. We know you're out there, and you're going to cause an accident. . . . We're going to be out in full force."
The one-day crackdowns typically net between 6,500 and 8,000 offenders citywide. But those average number haven't declined despite the barrage of publicity warning motorists about the enforcement offensives.
Even more depressing, records show that law enforcement authorities on Staten Island have been handing out between 9,000 and 10,000 tickets for using cell phones while driving every year since 2003. That number isn't going down either, which shows the message isn't sinking in.
Maybe when word starts to get out that a lot of drivers have been getting $130 tickets for their overpowering need to talk on their phones while they're driving, it will.
It's exactly the right approach: Only when drivers have a reasonable expectation of getting caught and fined for committing this dangerous violation will they start to wise up. Consistent, predictable enforcement is the way to get public attitudes to that point.
So let the word go forth to all those obstinate cell-phone talkers — just not on a cell phone while they're driving.


text:
This taxon is Not Recognised as a species by BirdLife International.
Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: #http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of _the_WP15.xls#.
Taxonomic note
Charadrius tricollaris and C. bifrontatus (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) were previously lumped as C. tricollaris following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2016) Species factsheet: Charadrius tricollaris. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/10/2016. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2016) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/10/2016.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
|Key facts
|Current IUCN Red List category
|Not Recognised
|Charadriidae (Plovers)
|Species name author
|Vieillot, 1818


text:
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2013)] [Notices] [Pages 7826-7828] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2013-02298] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-68752; File No. SR-BATS-2013-003] Self-Regulatory Organizations; BATS Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Amend BATS Rules in Connection With the Elimination of Discretionary Orders for BATS Options January 29, 2013. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that on January 18, 2013, BATS Exchange, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or ``BATS'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been prepared by the Exchange. The Exchange has designated this proposal as a ``non-controversial'' proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b- 4(f)(6)(iii) thereunder,\4\ which renders it effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1). \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4. \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change The Exchange is proposing to amend BATS Rule 21.1, entitled ``Definitions,'' to remove an order type, a Discretionary Order, from the types of orders allowed by the BATS options market (``BATS Options''). The text of the proposed rule change is available at the Exchange's Web site at http://www.batstrading.com, at the principal office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant parts of such statements. A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change 1. Purpose The purpose of the proposed rule change is to amend BATS Rule 21.1 to remove Discretionary Orders from the types of orders allowed by BATS Options. As currently offered, Discretionary Orders allow Exchange Users \5\ to enter orders that have a displayed price and size, as well as a non- displayed discretionary price range, at which the entering party, if necessary, is also willing to buy or sell. The Exchange adopted the Discretionary Order order type for BATS Options based on [[Page 7827]] experience with an identical order type offered on the Exchange's cash equities platform. Although the Exchange believed that Discretionary Orders would translate well to BATS Options, Discretionary Orders have not been widely used on BATS Options; to the extent Discretionary Orders have been used on BATS Options, BATS has observed that it does not appear that the Discretionary Order order type incentivizes Exchange Users to enter aggressively priced, displayed liquidity that effectively contributes to the price discovery process. Accordingly, the Exchange proposes to remove the ability to submit a Discretionary Order to BATS Options, and thus, to delete reference to Discretionary Orders in Rule 21.1. The Exchange does not propose any difference to the existing discretionary functionality for the Exchange's cash equities trading platform. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\ As defined in BATS Rule 1.5(cc), the term ``User'' means ``any Member or Sponsored Participant who is authorized to obtain access to the System pursuant to BATS Rule 11.3.'' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Statutory Basis The rule change proposed in this submission is consistent with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder that are applicable to a national securities exchange, and, in particular, with the requirements of Section 6(b) of the Act.\6\ Specifically, the proposed change is consistent with Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,\7\ because it would promote just and equitable principles of trade, remove impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of, a free and open market and a national market system, and, in general, protect investors and the public interest. Specifically, the Exchange believes that elimination of Discretionary Orders for BATS Options will enhance price discovery and aggressively priced, displayed liquidity on BATS Options, which will have potential benefits for all market participants. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b). \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change imposes any burden on competition. As noted above, the proposal would eliminate an order type that is not offered by any other options exchange. C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on the proposed rule change. III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action Because the proposed rule change does not (i) significantly affect the protection of investors or the public interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii) become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or such shorter time as the Commission may designate, the proposed rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \8\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(6) thereunder.\9\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A). \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission. The Exchange has satisfied this requirement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A proposed rule change filed pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6) under the Act \10\ normally does not become operative for 30 days after the date of its filing. However, Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \11\ permits the Commission to designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has asked the Commission to waive the 30-day operative delay because the Exchange plans to stop supporting the Discretionary Order order type as of February 1, 2013. Furthermore, the Exchange notes that the Discretionary Order order type is not widely used on the BATS Options market and, as such, the Exchange does not believe that discontinuing its availability would negatively affect Exchange Users or the Exchange's market. The Commission believes that waiving the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public interest. Therefore, the Commission hereby waives the 30-day operative delay and designates the proposal operative upon filing.\12\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). \11\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). \12\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay, the Commission has considered the proposed rule's impact on efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. IV. Solicitation of Comments Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or Send an email to email@example.com. Please include File Number SR-BATS-2013-003 on the subject line. Paper Comments Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BATS-2013-003. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-BATS-2013-003 and should be submitted on or before February 25, 2013. [[Page 7828]] For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.\13\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \13\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kevin M. O'Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013-02298 Filed 2-1-13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011-01-P