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Simulation Games as Historical Interpretations
Simulation Games as Historical Interpretations: Critiquing Rome: Total War in the High School History Classroom
Based on a work at gamingthepast.org.
The serious application of computer games as learning tools in the classroom is still very much in its infancy. Consequently, recent research has noted the need to establish greater practical connections between the theoretical benefits of games and the actual educational experiences of students (Thomas 2005; Squire 2005). To forge these links, classroom teachers must assume an active partnership with educational technologists and learning scientists to develop game-based classroom pedagogies. As an effort to meet this need, I have drawn on my training as a historian and experiences as a high school history teacher to suggest how games may be used effectively in the history classroom. Following the outline of this theory is the description of a lesson using Creative Assembly's computer game Rome: Total War to teach 9th grade history students to criticize historical interpretations.I have two goals in mind: to offer a practical implementation of a game applied within the real educational context of classrooms and to elicit other classroom teachers to share their own practical experiences using games as effective learning tools.
This article approaches the values of simulation games in the classroom with a basic conviction that I have acquired through my years of training in history, writing and publishing a historical monograph, and teaching history to adolescents and young adults for the better part of a decade: history students are best served when they are taught that history is a discipline and learn to practice skills and methods of historians. On the flip side, students are least served when they are taught that history is a fixed body of dates, events, facts, and stock interpretations and that their own job is simply to memorize this corpus of information. Therefore high school history curricula should focus on training students to evaluate evidence, form evidence-based interpretations of the past, and critique competing views through writing and meaningful debate.
The ability to critique others' interpretations of the past by comparing them to independent evidence is a crucial part of the historian's role. It is critical that students of history also learn this skill. Certainly, practicing historical criticism will help students develop their analytical and evaluative abilities. Critiquing a historical interpretation involves several elements of higher order thought. First, students must analyze the interpretation. Then they must identify, evaluate, and use valid evidence to assess the ideas contained within an interpretation. Ultimately, they must judge whether and how much the interpretation is warranted by the evidence. Essentially, therefore, students learning to critique historical interpretations are learning important ways of thinking. More importantly in the real world vocal political, religious, and media figures offer versions of reality that are often in conflict. It is extremely valuable for students (and adults) to be able to evaluate these competing claims to the truth.
This skill does not come easily. Studies of high school history students examining historical texts, such as those of Wineburg (1991a; 1991b) and Rouet, Britt, Mason, & Perfetti (1996), have done much to help us understand the nature of historical thought. The results of these studies emphasize the challenges teachers face: students do not naturally practice the skills of evaluating evidence, placing it within historical contexts, and developing interpretations; nor do they demonstrate any particular inclination to criticize textbooks as sources of information. This underdevelopment of historians' skills, however, comes from a lack of training, not aptitude. If we are to avoid a world of young adults who accept uncritically what they read and see, we must teach them to marshal valid evidence and evaluate historical accounts from a variety of media. This requires active teaching and ample use of effective lessons so that students can develop and practice their skills.
Historical computer games can be an engaging and effective form of interpretation for students to criticize. Certain games have a level of authentic historical detail that merits their treatment as accounts of the past. This is not to say that these games represent the past in wholly accurate ways—not even the best historians manage that. The games, however, do present detailed systems of cause and effect based on models of the past. To this extent, they can be treated like historical reconstructions. There are tangible benefits to doing so. Well-designed games are basically interactive simulations that allow students to explore the relationship between different factors in history (see Foreman, 2005 for a discussion of games as simulations). Through these interactive simulations, learners can test how different decisions might have produced different outcomes in the past. At the same time, students can learn to critique the underlying assumptions adopted by these simulations.
Presenting games as models to be challenged is a proposition different from using games as an engaging means to promote students' interest in various subjects. Certainly, it is a viable use of computer games to generate students' empathy with historical figures and to increase their appreciation of the constraints under which actors made their decisions in the past. Still, more can be done with games in a curriculum designed to teach students historical thinking. The real-world discipline of history requires practitioners to analyze evidence and critique interpretations. Therefore, when students encounter historical games, they should be encouraged to critique them, not passively accept them. Use in this way, games can provide students much needed and engaging means to practice evaluating others' versions of the truth.
Before turning to the implementation of this theory, it is worth considering the potential objection that few designers of historical games claim to represent the past wholly accurately. Indeed, none probably imagine that their games could or should be subjected to historical criticism. For the purpose of training students to judge interpretations, however, the intentions of the designers simply does not matter. The value of this exercise is that it encourages students to think about what can and cannot be sustained by historical evidence. So long as a game has enough historical merit that students will be challenged to critique its validity, the pedagogical objectives of this lesson will be served. Indeed, inaccuracies in the game serve a useful function: they give students an opportunity to challenge, just as the accuracies give them a chance to support. This is not to say that a fantastical game or one too simplistic in nature should be selected for a class to critique. If a game offers a blatantly poor model of the past, students would likely be encouraged to dismiss the whole exercise of critiquing.
As an example of the phenomenon where game critique blurs into the practice of history, see the Rome: Total War Online Strategy Guide at GameSpy – Not only is this site a helpful overview of the concepts in RTW, it provides an interesting example of how the analysis of a historical game can become–consciously or not–an act of historical criticism and interpretation. The author ends up addressing a number of game play principles that historians of ancient warfare would recognize.
Rome: Total War as a Simulation of Ancient Warfare
RTW is a real-time strategy game that places players in the roles of ancient generals. The campaign mode contains a number of engrossing but unhistorical concepts that are best left to gamers. The custom battle creator, on the other hand, provides the flexibility to create a variety of conflicts between armies of historically belligerent cultures. Two players may compete or one player can fight against a computer opponent. In either case, a battlefield is selected with terrain ranging from plains to hills and forests. In the single player game, the player begins by looking down on her troops from a bird's eye position. Before the battle begins, the player arranges her troops by clicking on them and indicating where they should be positioned. She knows the direction from which the opposing army will come, but does not know the arrangement of her opponent's troops.
Once the troops are deployed, the battle begins. The player-general commands by right-clicking on the desired unit and left clicking on the desired objective. If the objective is a location on the map, the unit will march or ride to it. If the objective is an enemy, the unit will close and attack. Additional commands order troops to, among other options, change formation, charge, and fire missile weapons. Each unit has a set of associated statistics including an attack rating, defense rating, and morale level. So long as units have sufficiently high morale, they will follow the player-general's commands and do battle. Units suffering from low morale can rout, however, and flee the battlefield. Victory comes in one of two ways determined prior to the battle. Either the side with most enemy units destroyed or the last side with un-routed units on the battlefield is declared the victor. Once one of these two conditions has been met, a statistics screen gives a summary of the battle.
It is a truth of ancient military history that no account can give a true depiction of the reality of war. That said, RTW's combat model is reasonably faithful to conventional ideas about ancient warfare—enough to warrant using the game as an interpretation of the past.5 Although there are some bizarre troop selections available (incendiary pigs), most troop types faithfully reflect the historical considerations of the period. Roman options, for example, include all the various types of infantry available in the Republic as well as early and later imperial legionaries. Weapons are also portrayed essentially accurately. The Greek phalanxes fight with spears while the Roman hastati have both pila (javelins) and gladii (short swords). Additionally, formations are faithful to what historians assume was true of the past. Troops that historically fought in close order, such as hoplites and Roman legionaries, do so in the game. Loose order troops from history also maintain their spacing in the game. Finally, although maneuvering troops in the game is assuredly far easier than it was in real life, troops commanded by mouse clicks are not always quick to react and take time and space to change formations. In these respects, RTW is faithful to historians' understandings of ancient warfare.
Additional elements add to the overall authenticity of the game as a simulation. Light cavalry will not engage enemy troops directly unless directly commanded, preferring to harass opponents from a distance with missile weapons. Similarly, light troops automatically retire after casting missile weapons rather than fight heavy infantry. The player-general can only override these behaviors by deliberate commands to close with the enemy.
The inclusion of morale as a significant factor lends further credibility to the game model. Units will not always fight to the death. If a unit's morale sinks below a certain level, its soldiers will flee the battlefield. Certainly this is consistent with the consensus view of historians that ancient battles were more a contest of morale than casualties; most casualties occurred only after the soldiers in an army chose to flee and exposed their vulnerable backs to the weapons of their enemies. Whether the levels of morale are set appropriately in the game is open to debate. At times RTW's Greek phalanxes fight enemies to the front and side (a horribly demoralizing situation in real battles to be sure) and stand firm with a casualty rate greater than 90%. On the other hand, cavalry charges against an army's flanks can have a devastating effect on enemy morale, as can the charge of war elephants. Regardless of one's feelings about how morale is factored into the RTW battles, the fact that it is included enriches the experience of evaluating the game.
RTW's strengths as a model outweigh its flaws, most of which are the understandable result of efforts to make the game entertaining. The greatest inaccuracy is that the player-general has an ability to survey the battle and command troops that even a modern commander would envy. The player can control his view of the battlefield by rotating the game camera 360º and zooming in or out on almost any point in the field. All units are listed below the view-screen and their fighting strengths and morale levels can be determined by holding the mouse over them. Any unit can be selected and ordered. None of this information, of course, was available to ancient generals. They were limited to a ground-level view of the battle and commanded through the strength of their voice and the speed of their messengers. Provided they could have even seen an already engaged unit on one wing or the other, they would have been nearly powerless to control it. The excessive power of the player-general, however, provides a helpful way to discuss limitations of command in ancient battles. By thinking about the flexibility the player-generals have in the game, a better appreciation might be had of the difficulties real generals faced.
Using the Game in the Classroom
Recently, I implemented these theories in the classroom. Although it was conceivable that students begin their excursion into critiquing games by playing a demo version on their own, I opted to create a battle scenario that the class would observe as a whole. According to the plan, I would control the troops in the battle, but solicit input from students to guide my control. Several factors dictated this choice. The purpose of the exercise was to introduce students to historical criticism, a difficult enough task in itself. It seemed appropriate in this first encounter, therefore, for students to focus on their thought processes, not on issues of controlling the game. Many students have never played a complex computer game of this sort and it would have been rash to assume that all children would have immediate facility with such games; indeed, research has suggested that children can find it quite difficult to learn to play computer games (McLester, 2005; Squire, 2005). So long as the first lesson went well, I planned for my students to take a more independent role critiquing RTW in a future lesson. Most difficult concepts—critiquing games among them—can best be taught by progressing through stages of difficulty, and this teacher-led observation was only meant to be the first stage.
I created a simple custom battle between phalanxes for the lesson. A few minor issues had to be addressed along the way. RTW was designed to depict the battles of the Roman Republic and Empire, not those of Classical Greece. To simulate Greek phalanxes, therefore, a battle had to be created between the Carthaginians and the Greek cities. Although the Carthaginians seem an odd choice, the game does not allow custom battles to be created between two armies of the same culture (except for the Romans).6 The Carthaginians, under the circumstances, offered an adequate substitute for Greeks because their forces include Sacred Band units, a type of Greek phalanx. The army of the Greek cities consisted of five armored hoplite units while the Carthaginian army consisted of five Sacred Band units. More units could have been deployed, but keeping to five per side allowed the whole battle to be surveyed easily. Grassy flatland was selected as the terrain option both because Greek phalanxes tended to fight on plains and because the flat terrain would provide an unobstructed view of the battle.
On the first day of the lesson, the purpose of the exercise was presented to the students. As a class, we discussed the importance of critiquing historical interpretations and explored the idea that historical computer games offer versions of the past just as movies, textbooks, and historians' writings do. After this introduction, it was time to move to the instructions for the lesson itself: students would examine a packet of primary sources and photos of Greek vases depicting hoplites. Using these documents, they would form an idea of Greek phalanx warfare. Then they would view the game, ask questions, and record their own observations. Finally, they would evaluate whether the game was accurate or inaccurate.
Curiosity was high, and the students dug into the research component. In groups of three or four, they read through the sources and generated inferences based on the evidence. Each student recorded their inferences, along with the supporting evidence, on one side of an observation log according to the following categories:
- Weapons and Equipment
- Formations, Organization, and Fighting Style
- The Role of the General
- The Role of Casualties and Morale
The next day, we discussed the conclusions generated for the first two categories. At this point, eight weeks into the year, my students knew enough of the discipline of history to challenge their peers' interpretations and support their own opinions by referring to specific evidence from their primary source packets. Because the sources themselves were insufficient in number and scope to allow full responses to categories 3 and 4, these categories were discussed more hypothetically. First, the students brainstormed the limitations a real general might have faced when commanding armies of this type. Then I explained the concepts of casualties and morale to the class and suggested we pay attention to how RTW simulated this aspect of ancient battle.
It was time for the game to begin. RTW was run from a Toshiba M-200 tablet computer and projected onto a screen. Students watched and took observation notes on how the computer game simulated the weapons and formation of the phalanx, the role of the general in battle, and the role of casualties and morale in determining whether units remained in battle. The battle progressed in stages. The class watched from the vantage point of the player army while the computer army slowly advanced across the screen. As I pointed out the number of soldiers in each unit and surveyed the army from above, the students continued to record their observations. Finally the game camera was set just behind the front ranks of the player army and we waited as the computer phalanx approached (see figure 1). Before the two armies collided, I paused the game, and the class took the opportunity to ask questions and share initial observations. The game continued and armies clashed.
Figure 2. Awaiting the enemy phalanx.
Soon I let the students guide my control of the game. We paused when they had questions, and I moved the camera to focus on those parts of the battle they wanted to see. They began to offer input on the conduct of the battle. I had intentionally left a reserve unit in the rear; after several minutes of the battle had passed, some grew increasingly discontent with this seeming misuse of forces. We discussed where reserves were needed most. The majority of the class concluded that the enemy phalanx's flank was open to attack. I duly dispatched our reserves, and the class observed how the game rendered the marching, and reformation of the unit on the enemy flank. Some students wanted to see what would happen if a unit were commanded to wheel while already engaged. We gave the order and watched—the students were a bit skeptical at how easily the unit followed orders while supposedly engaged in battle. We also paid particular attention to those units who had received considerable casualties noting that these units did not flee until they were reduced to a single man.
Figure 3: Maneuvering the reserve unit into position.
After twenty-five minutes of observation and experiment, the class was over. On the next day, students wrote a brief reflection about their reactions to the game. As a final assessment for the activity, they each argued in outline form how effectively RTW simulated Greek warfare.
Student Feedback and Assessment
Three types of writing assignments provided a picture of the classes' overall success with the activity: the observation logs, a "Supporting an Argument" assessment, and a written response to a set of reflection questions. The number of assignments gave students practice writing in a variety of formats and allowed for the collection of different types of anecdotal evidence. Collectively, they testify to the success of this activity.
According to the observation logs, some elements of the simulation were deemed accurate such as the rendering of the weapons and equipment of the hoplites. The formations were also considered realistic. An archetypical comment from one student: "[The hoplites] fight together as a team more than as individuals." Another student felt the game portrayed ancient infantry formations in too perfect a manner: "[RTW] showed every man moving together. The idea is correct, but if it were a real battle, they would be a little less together."
Other elements of the game met with greater skepticism. The power of the player-general, for example, was a particularly enticing target for the class. "How could a real general get the word to the infantry during a battle?" inquired one student. Another judged that the role of the general in the game "is not accurate because there is no way that all of those people would be able to hear him." A third student remarked, "The game shows you who's dying, who's fleeing, who's giving up, etc. A general back then wouldn't have had that control." This particular student also found it suspicious that "the game lets you move troops around in the middle of battle." The role of morale and casualties also spurred some disbelief. According to one student's commentary, "The units never flee unless they are ordered to, which is very unlike real life." Another observant participant pointed out an error in the program by noting that "a guy in back [of the phalanx] died when no one tried to stab him."
In the "Supporting an Argument" take-home assessment, students had to judge whether RTW effectively simulated one of the four categories—weapons, formations, the role of the general, or the role of casualties and morale—by referring to evidence from the primary sources. This entailed writing a thesis statement, describing how RTW simulated one of the categories, and finding three pieces of evidence to validate or refute RTW's simulation of that area. The majority chose to focus on the weapons or formations—not surprising given the nature of the available evidence. Most decided that the simulation was reasonably accurate in these areas and were able to offer credible evidence in support. From a purely academic perspective, therefore, the students were successful in their efforts to critique the game and, thus, successful in practicing higher order thinking.
In the third written assignment, each student had the opportunity to reflect on the whole experience by writing free-form answers to any or all of the following prompts:
- What were the advantages and disadvantages of using a computer simulation to study Greek warfare?
- Did the primary sources help you see accuracies and inaccuracies in the simulation?
- Was the activity a good way to practice critiquing interpretations of the past?
- Did watching the simulation give you a better sense of how Greek phalanxes may have fought?
The responses to the activity were resoundingly positive; there is no question that the class was engaged with the experience. Some students commented on the interactive nature of the experience as opposed to a lecture. Others who identified themselves as strong visual learners felt it was especially effective to critique a visual interpretation rather than a text-based one. Still others found it helpful to critique a game, something so familiar to them from their daily lives. All noted that it was a fun experience.
Other responses demonstrated that the students, in general, grasped the learning objectives for this lesson and found the game to be a particularly effective tool for meeting those. Some students noted that the game was useful because it had a balance of accuracies and inaccuracies, which offered many options for critique. Others suggested that because of this activity they had learned to compare sources and not simply trust what they saw. One student said the game made for a good lesson on historical criticism.
One of the most meaningful responses, however, came from one student, not a computer game player, who journeyed through the reflection to come to some real understanding. Asked whether the activity was effective at teaching historical criticism, this student responded: "Yes and no because one thing that confused me was the difference between the game and what was based on history, but I guess that is what made it good practice for critiquing an interpretation of the past. So, actually, yes, it was a very good activity because I had to separate what was real (based on history) and what was not. Overall, I really enjoyed the game." The student journeyed from an initially negative response to a full appreciation of the merit of this activity.
Conclusions – The Promise of Historical Games as Interpretations
The effectiveness of using games more often in these types of activities needs to be researched further. Nevertheless, the students clearly did succeed in analyzing and evaluating RTW. Their feedback suggests they found the activity intellectually engaging and felt the medium of a computer game was particularly helpful when learning to practice historical criticism. The thoughtful comments from the observation logs and reflections combined with the success of the "Supporting an Argument" assessment suggest that the learning objectives were reached. It is worth remembering, too, that this was an introduction to historical criticism, a skill set that is often difficult for students just out of middle school to acquire. With these factors in mind, it is not unreasonable to be optimistic about using games in this way.
A final element in the student evaluations hints at the real potential of using games as historical interpretations. A small, but not insignificant, number of students remarked that it was difficult to tell what was accurate and what was not in the game. In other words, far from feeling that the critique of a game was mere play, these students felt challenged by the experience. Perhaps this was the first time they had formally been asked to distinguish between valid and invalid claims.
If the class is to learn the skills of historical criticism, they should experience lessons similar to this RTW activity often. Much of the time students will evaluate written accounts, but the lessons learned in this game activity will serve as a valuable reference point. In January, my students will return to critiquing the interpretations found in RTW. This time, however, the challenge of the task will increase. In conjunction with a unit on ancient Rome, teams of students will play through the battle of the Trebia River7 contained in the demo version of RTW. After learning how to play the game, they will have several weeks to critique its interpretation. The evidence for their critique will come from the ancient battle accounts of Polybius and Livy and some excerpts from modern historians' works. Students will need to move beyond critiquing the model of ancient battle to comparing the disposition of troops and terrain in the game with what is attested by the ancient sources. The inclusion of excerpts from historians' works, furthermore, should help reinforce the idea that there are many versions of the past, whether written on paper or rendered into binary code. I hope to assess this expanded critical thinking exercise in a future article.
For now, it is worth recalling the guiding historical principle of this experiment. E.H. Carr may have said it best in his seminal work, What is History: "To praise a historian for his accuracy is like praising an architect for using well-seasoned timber or properly mixed concrete in his building. It is a necessary condition of his work, but not his essential function" (1961, p. 8). Historians and history students alike should not be distinguished by their ability to master facts about the past. Knowledge of historical facts is simply a prerequisite of the discipline, not a goal. Instead, historians and history students must be skilled in amassing and using valid evidence to judge others' visions of the past and construct their own, whether in text or game form. Therefore, while there is value in students learning facts about the content and processes of history from games, such an approach limits the extent to which students actually learn how to be experts in history. Far better that students learn to identify the models inherent in games and critique the accuracy of those models. These are the skills that will serve them as they navigate the real world.
September 7, 2016 at 10:01 pm
I know this is probably a bit late, but the morale issue is something easily solved by changing a variable or two in the txt files of the games. So that element can be readily made more accurate.


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Edward Zwick to receive Cinema Audio Society's Filmmaker Award
I remember a few years ago, one of the more surprising Oscar nominees for both Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing was Edward Zwick's "Blood Diamond." It made sense in hindsight. Not only was it great work from respected artists, but Zwick has always had an ear for quality sound work; four of his films have been recognized with Oscar nominations by the branch. So he's a nice choice for this year's Filmmaker Award at the 50th annual Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Awards.
"It seems fitting that in celebration of 50 years of the CAS we are honoring Edward Zwick, a producer/director/writer of both award winning film and television," CAS President David E. Fluhr said via press release. "His projects on both the big and small screen have consistently demonstrated a commitment to quality in story and craft, particularly sound. In continuing the CAS tradition of synergy between our two honorees, Zwick our Filmmaker Honoree and Andy Nelson, our Career Achievement Honoree, have collaborated on five film projects including the CAS and Oscar-nominated "Blood Diamond" and 'The Last Samurai."
Speaking of the sound categories, they once again had tricks up their sleeves. The Society had some interesting picks (that tipped us off to the potential for an "All is Lost" miss in Best Sound Mixing) and Peter Jackson's latest installment of "The Hobbit" managed to slide into both categories.
The 50th annual CAS Awards will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22.

subset: commoncrawl


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- Home
- Modern Watches
- Mr. Jones*
- Mr. Jones Cyclops Summer Nights -Ladies
Product Description
Cyclops Summer Nights Ladies
Cyclops Summer nights is a special edition version of the most popular designs from Mr. Jones' Cyclops. This version has a black case and dial with an alternate arrangement of the colored hour markers. This is the ladies version, in the smaller ladies dress watch size case (there's also a unisex version if you prefer your watch with a larger face)
The idea with Cyclops is that it can be read with a relaxed kind of accuracy - after all most of us don't need to know that it's 4:43 and 27 seconds, we need to know that it's about a quarter to five. The design dispenses with the conventional hour, minute and seconds hand; instead the time is read by observing the position of the white hoop as it moves around the colored dial.
Each watch comes in a MJW presentation box with a specially commissioned artwork by Alice Brisland. Inside the box you'll find the guarantee card - every watch is guaranteed for 12 months from the date of purchase against any original manufacturing defect.
Smallest strap diameter:140mm
Largest strap diameter: 200mm
Width (3 o'clock to 9 o'clock): 28mm
Height (from top lug to bottom lug): 33mm
Depth: 9mm
Mechanism: Single jewel quartz mechanism
Waterproof: 5ATM
Guarantee: 12 months


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Rex Grossman Admits To Being Out Of ShapeAugust 9, 2011 – 11:23 pm by Ryan Phillips
We mentioned this a few days ago, but last week Rex Grossman showed up to Washington Redskins camp in awful shape. He was visibly carrying around a gut and some pretty serious man cleavage. Since that time, Grossman has been listed as the top quarterback on Washington's unofficial depth chart.
With the full weight of the starting job on his ever-widening shoulders, Grossman took to the airwaves on Tuesday and admitted that he wasn't exactly in peak physical condition. The portly signal-caller told ESPN-980 AM in Washington D.C. that he was a little overweight, saying, "I'm gonna get down to where I need to be. I have to lose maybe five or six pounds."
Come again? You only have to lose five or six pounds? Yeah, in your bra.
Dude, Rex, who are you Kirstie Alley or Jennifer Love Hewitt? Have you actually looked in a mirror lately? Trimming six pounds off your body would be like tossing a deck chair off the Titanic.
The crazy part about all of this is that Grossman's natural talent hasn't gotten him anywhere so far in his career. He's entering his ninth year in the league and he's nothing more than a punchline as a quarterback. For his career he's thrown as many touchdowns as interceptions (40), completed just 54.2 percent of his passes and racked up an awful quarterback rating of 70.9.
In 2006, his best season as a pro, he took the Bears to the Super Bowl. More accurately the Bears reached the Super Bowl despite having Grossman as their quarterback. That year the former first round pick completed just 54.6 percent of his passes, threw for 3,193 yards, 23 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and had a quarterback rating of 73.9.
You'd figure a guy with those numbers would work extra hard in the offseason to get himself ready for camp, especially if he has a chance to start at the most important position on the field, right? Instead, Grossman showed up out of shape.
Frankly, that's Rex Grossman's career in a nutshell. He has been handed an opportunity and rather than put the work in to get better, he just showed up out of shape and expected his natural ability to get him through it.
Nice work Rex.


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Your Chamber and You
Piece by Peace Sensory Rooms are located at 2850 Weir Ave., on the Krazy 'Bout Sportz Entertainment Complex's second floor.
Statistics show one in 88 children will diagnosed on the autism spectrum, with the disorder four times more prevalent in boys than girls.
The sensory rooms provide a therapeutic place where people of all ages, diagnosed with cognitive disorders from autism to Alzheimer's can improve posture; movement; gross, fine and oral motor skills; adaptive behavior; learning and memory; and speech and language. This is achieved through one-on-one guided play with parents and/or therapists.
One of two planned rooms is open. This room is an interactive playroom where senses are developed with activities such as playing on a trampoline, swinging, searching for toys in rice, rolling on exercise balls, finger painting and building with blocks.
In the near future, the quiet room will open. The room will include soft lighting and soft furnishings with things such as bubble lights, a projector, a swinging hammock chair, interactive wall panels, lava lamps and computers for games and/or listening.
For a tour or information, call (304) 914-3248.
Your Chamber and You
Tri-State Medical Group has been an active member in the Weirton Chamber of Commerce for many years. They value both the networking and community outreach opportunities that have emerged from the long-standing relationship.
Tri-State Medical Group is made up of Tri-State Pharmacy, Follansbee Pharmacy and Tri-State Medical. They take pride in providing fast, friendly service at each location, free delivery six days a week, free medication reviews, medication therapy management counseling, vaccinations for flu, pneumonia, and shingles and compounding services.
Compounding is a service in which a pharmacist makes a specialized medication that is not available commercially or is not available in a specific strength, dose or form.
Tri-State Pharmacy has the area's only compounding pharmacy that is Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board-certified. They undergo thorough onsite visits from a PCAB surveyor. The evaluation includes the following: a review of the testing procedures for product quality, a review of records and procedures required to prepare quality compounded medications, and verification that the pharmacy uses ingredients from FDA-registered or licensed sources. They test the quality of each of their products to ensure that their patients receive a high-quality product every time they come to our pharmacy.
Your Chamber and You
The St. Joseph the Worker and St. Paul parishes' holy name societies are hosting their annual wine-tasting event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 13 at the Madonna High School gymnasium and cafeteria.
Parishioners want to extend an invitation to everyone in the local community to join us for an enjoyable evening of tasty wines, good food and great fellowship.
More than 30 area winemakers will be present. There will be something for everybody throughout the evening including plentiful servings of finger foods, a selection of soft drinks, 50/50 drawings, and a do-it-yourself chocolate fountain.
As proud members of the Weirton Area Chamber of Commerce, the parishes wish to thank the many local businesses who are sponsoring the event, the Chamber of Commerce staff for the event promotion, the local area winemakers who provide their tasty creations, and the volunteers who make this event an annual success.
Sponsorship packages are still available. The event is open to public, adults 21 and over. The cost is $15 per person. Tickets are available in advance or at the door. Contact Mike Veltri at (304) 670-0722 or Rich Pellegrino at (304) 748-1909 for tickets or sponsorship information.


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Campus Mental Health Case Studies is packed with 25 topical case studies covering a full range of mental health issues and concerns that campus professionals may encounter in students. Each case study comes with:
- Discussion Questions
- A Counselor's Perspective
- Key Issue Tags
Case Study Topics Include:
(1) Depression & Suicide (JoAnne): This case involves JoAnne, a first year student who attempts suicide in the residence halls.
(2) Anxiety & Stress (Alex): This case focuses on Alex, a senior biology student who has been accepted to medical school pending an A in his chemistry class. He is experiencing high amounts of stress and panic attacks.
(3) Homesickness (Kevin): This one reviews the case of Kevin, a first year student who struggles with adjusting to college. He is experiencing homesickness that may cross over into a depression.
(4) Veteran Issues (Kyle): This case describes Kyle, who has recently returned from Afghanistan and is struggling with how to succeed on campus.
(5) Violence and Aggression (Ella): This case spends time with Ella, who struggles with her anger and aggression. She recently yelled at a professor in class and threw a chair over while leaving.
(6) Aspergers (Davis): This case involves Davis, who has Aspergers disorder and has been having difficulty all around campus interacting with students, faculty and staff.
(7) Eating Disorders (Maria): This case focuses on Maria, who has an eating disorder and has worried several people around campus with her weight loss and over-exercising.
(8) Threatening Behavior (Darryl): This case involves Darryl, who has exhibited threatening behavior around campus to a few different offices (registrar, financial aid, food service).
(9) On-going Depression (Crystal): This case follows Crystal, who comes up often around campus as a depressed and withdrawn student of concern. Her depression rarely involves suicidal thoughts or ideations, but she often worries those around her that she "just doesn't seem ok."
(10) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Justin): This case focuses on Justin, who is jumpy and generally anxious and worried around campus. He has a history of being assaulted and struggles with PTSD issue.
(11) This Isn't Like Home (Muriel): This one describes Muriel, who is from Australia and having some adjustment issues to life in the United States.
(12) They Don't Belong Together (Alice and Mark): This case involves Alice and Mark, who have been dating for a number of years and recently broke up. Their verbal arguments are notorious around campus and both have requested on campus "stay-away" orders on each other through the conduct office.
(13) Trying to Balance it All (Vincenzo): This case focuses on Vincenzo, who is struggling with coming back to school and the stress caused by balancing his academic assignments with his family and work obligations.
(14) Alcohol Problems (Lisa): This case describes Lisa, who is struggling with her drinking. She is involved in a sorority on campus and has been failing many of her classes due to her partying ways.
(15) Hearing Voices (Charlie): This case involves Charlie, who is schizophrenic and has periods of good and bad times on campus. Lately he has been more erratic with his medications and has been causing problems around campus.
(16) Legalize Weed! (Summer): This one focuses on Summer, who believes that she should be able to smoke marijuana on campus and has been trying to start a pro-pot organization on campus. She admits to smoking several times daily and has no intention of stopping.
(17) Too Much Porn (Jesse): This case describes Jesse, who has an addiction to pornography and has recently gotten into trouble with the IT department, his roommate and some other friends on the floor who are worried about him.
(18) Pressure (Kara): This case follows Kara, who plays tennis for the university team and recently had a very public break down after losing a big match and falling behind in her class attendance. She feels stressed and jittery and experiences panic attacks.
(19) Picking on Boris (Boris): This case is about Boris, who has a history of being teased and picked on for his weight, lack of hygiene and difficulty getting along with others. He is often teased to the point where he loses control and starts yelling and crying.
(20) Attention! (Carol): This case focuses on Carol, who has trouble balancing too many activities on her schedule. She jumps from group to group and has difficulty focusing. She is diagnosed with ADHD and things seem to be getting worse.
(21) Family Problems (Pablo): This one involves Pablo, who has problems with his family. His parents are over-involved in his education and want him to come home often to help with his brothers. He is confused and overwhelmed.
(22) Diversity (Howard): This case is about Howard, who is an African American student at an all-white campus. Recently he and his friends were singled out for threatening a white female student.
(23) No More Meds (Billy): This case describes Billy, who has been on medication for bi-polar disorder for most of his life. He finds the medications make him feel "tired and without passion."
(24) Addicted to Pain Pills (Hassan): This case involves Hassan, who has been abusing prescription pills for six months. His friends are concerned and trying to find a way to help.
(25) OCD (Diego): This one is about Diego, who has been having trouble with his anxiety disorder and OCD now that he is getting close to graduating.


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New to Yankees Magazine: The Art of Sport
July 21, 2014 – Beginning with the August Issue of Yankees Magazine, there will be a new department titled "The Art of Sport."
This feature will mirror the "5 Minutes With…" Q&A pieces that have been part of the publication for several years, but will delve deeper into the lives and crafts of the subjects.
As is the case was with the "5 Minutes with…" pieces, "The Art of Sport" will feature subjects from all walks of life, with the title changing to reflect the arena in which the subject has had his or her greatest success.
The "5 Minutes With…" pieces will continue to be included in the First Pitch section, while the longer "Art of Sport" interviews will be run throughout the magazine.
–Alfred Santasiere III


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It's time to discuss gun control issue
I'd like to begin by saying that gun violence in the U.S. is a complex problem with many influencing factors involved including our mental health policies, gun control laws, and sensationalism of violence in the media to name a few.
However, gun control tends to be the most divisive issue we face with good reason because of our long-standing right to bear arms. Gun-rights advocates believe we can do a better job of enforcing laws already in place. In light of the recent shootings in Connecticut and elsewhere around the country we have been reminded of our consistent inability to keep even our most precious citizens safe.
Yes, we can begin tougher enforcement of some of our existing gun laws, but there are other inefficiencies we must address as well including a ban on assault weapons, a ban on high-capacity magazines, and extensive background checks on all gun purchases.
The Constitution will always protect an individual's right to own a gun, but we should begin to have a respectful, open and honest discussion about what is and is not allowed.
If the death of 20 elementary aged children has not convinced you of that, then I am not sure what will.
– NICK KALLFA, Westfield
Casino at Big E would be a disaster
A resort casino on the grounds of the Big E would be a disaster. The residents and businesses on and near Memorial Drive would be severely impacted. There is no doubt businesses would close.
I imagine the yearly Exposition would be affected also and would not be the same family-oriented event.
I would really miss the Big E if it was discontinued. Instead of traffic being a 17- day nightmare during the Big E, it would be a 365-day nightmare if there is a resort casino.
Western Massachusetts already has three casino proposals on the table. The Big E has many successful yearly events, and I believe they should keep on doing what they are doing and stay out of the casino business.
– VERA O'CONNOR, Springfield
Holyoke High School assembly could prevent bullying
The Holyoke School Committee's rebuff of a member's plan to handle high school assemblies on controversial issues in advance of a Feb. 15 assembly scheduled by the Gay Straight Alliance was disappointing.
One of the issues brought up is that parents should be given the opportunity to pull their kids out of school from the assembly when it is related to sexual education. This assembly was not intended to be on sex education. If anything, the topic of the assembly would fall under the category of prevention of bullying.
There has been much commotion and laws made about students being bullied in schools. This assembly would only highlight this problem by raising the awareness of acceptance of Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual Transgender (LGBT) students and those perceived as LGBT. It's not OK to bully kids on their sexual orientation just like it is not OK to bully kids on anything else.
– MELANIE MARKHAM, Holyoke
Palmer is grateful for Wing Memorial Hospital
I am not speaking negatively, I am only addressing a positive. We people of the Palmer area are very fortunate to have what I call "Charlie's Angels", Wing Memorial Hospital in our midst. With all the specialists assembled in that place on the hill, it quietly takes care of all the ills of the people. If they can't help you, they'll send you to someone who will try. I'm sending a bunch of kudos to Dr. Cavagnaro and company. They don't get enough thanks for what they do.
Gone is the little house on North Main Street which served the purpose in the old days.
This is not a fund-raising commercial, just a thank you.
I hope people appreciate what we have in town and its affiliation with University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.
– JOE IWASINSKI, Palmer


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MADISON, Alabama -- No. 3 Bob Jones took two of three from No. 2 Hoover, 13-25, 25-12, 15-9, to help get the Patriots ready for the playoffs, which start in two weeks.
Bob Jones was led by junior Jeneva Salter with 11 kills, Erin Shockey with 20 assists and Melaina Hissam with 16 digs.
Hoover (32-9) got off to a quick start in game one, building a 7-0 lead with a very good serve game. Bob Jones (35-8) had difficulty passing the hard serves of the Bucs and could never get back in the game as Hoover won, 25-13.
In game two, the Patriots did a much better job of handling the tough serves from Hoover and were able to make several runs that built a huge lead and eventually a 25-12 win.
Game three was back-and-forth until, tied at 5-5, Bob Jones ran off six straight points to take an 11-5 lead. As the Patriots built their lead, the Bucs made several passing miscues and their serves were not as strong. Bob Jones took advantage of the miscues and finished the game with confidence, winning 10 of the last 15 points to take a 15-9 win and the match.
Patriot coach April Marsh was very pleased with the way her team bounced back after losing game one.
"We had to focus on receiving their serves better. We were not passing very well and it hurt us," she said. "When the pressure got on maybe they didn't serve as well, but we definitely passed better in game two and three and that made the difference."
Hoover was led by Anna Claire Johnson with seven kills, Kathryn Cather with 11 assists and Addison Hoven with 11 digs.
In earlier action Bob Jones defeated James Clemens, 25-19 and 25-15, while James Clemens beat Hoover, 23-25, 25-17, 15-12.


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The Secret to Screencasting with Ubuntu and Free Software
Beth Kanter has asked me to write a little on how I prepare my screencasts under Linux, using only free and open source software. There's little information available on line already but here's how you can easily create a screen cast using Ubuntu.
Unfortunately the recording software I use, xvidcap, doesn't come included with Ubuntu but there's a Debian package available which worked just fine for me. It's not as sophisticated as many of it's Windows counterparts but you could be able to use the accessibility features of your desktop to compensate for features such as magnification. I've created a short meta-screencast giving a brief tour of xvidcap.
Once you've finished with xvidcap you'll be left with an MPEG video file which you could upload straight to YouTube or another hosting service. I'm happy with this informal style of short screencasts as single takes but the video editing software Kino comes with Ubuntu for your basic editing needs.As is usual for free software there are many alternatives, this was the selection of software that worked best for me as a complete beginner to screencasting and video in Linux. You might also wish to look at ffmpeg and Istanbul for screen capture and Cinelerra and LiVES for editing.Take a look at the WordPress screencasts I've produced, or read about how to use WordPress for web publishing.


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Actual Turkish water use and projection for 2023
For references, please go to www.eea.europa.eu/soer or scan the QR code.
This briefing is part of the EEA's report The European Environment - State and Outlook 2015. The EEA is an official agency of the EU, tasked with providing information on Europe's environment.
PDF generated on 25 Oct 2016, 08:31 PM


text:
|Download : Programming : Active X : PDF417 ActiveX Control and DLL
PDF417 ActiveX Control for barcoding in Access, Excel and VB - Windows Demo $129. The PDF417 ActiveX Control creates barcodes for Access, Excel and VB. The demo version is fully functional and contains documentation with implementation examples. Supports Text, Binary Compaction and MacroPDF.
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This ActiveX Control is a high performance component created in C++ using ATL. After installation, it should reside in the Windows/System32 directory and be registered as a COM object. It has no dependencies and may be distributed in your application with a Developer's License. Compatible with Windows 98 and above including Vista.
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Barnacles, a restaurant and bar outside Tampa, Fla., has a reputation for seafood, 457 television screens and Florida Gators fans.
But a funny thing is happening this season. The defending national champions have lost twice, falling out of college football's top 10, while the University of South Florida -- just a quick drive up I-75 from Barnacles -- sits at 6-0. And now, USF fans are staking their claim at the local watering hole.
The crowd is split between fans wearing orange and blue and those wearing green and gold, said Barnacles manager Mark Seland. Revenue is up as much as 25 percent from last fall and three-quarters of that is a result of South Florida's success, he said. Tomorrow night, when Rutgers plays host to the No. 2-ranked Bulls, Barnacles will be staffed as if it's a Saturday.
"We're going to be in for one hell of a Thursday," said Seland, who expects a crowd of 1,000 at the Brandon, Fla., restaurant.
Thanks to the most topsy-turvy season in years, the center of the college football universe isn't in Tuscaloosa or even Tallahassee -- at least if you listen to some people in Tampa, center of a metropolitan area with more than 1 million residents. Long known for its picturesque bayfront, Cuban heritage and the NFL's Buccaneers, Tampa is now just as much the home of the Bulls.
"The only thing comparable was when the (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) won the Super Bowl in 2003, and in some degree this has even more of an enthusiastic feel to it," said Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who earned a master's degree from USF, which didn't even have a football team a dozen years ago. "Now people in the Tampa Bay area can show their loyalty to USF, and that is adding a different dimension to our city."
This year the fervor started, in earnest, leading up to South Florida's nighttime Big East opener against then No. 5-West Virginia. Sept. 28. Three weeks before that, the Bulls had stunned Auburn with an overtime victory on the road, earning their first Top 25 ranking in the football team's 11-year history.
Iorio declared the Friday of the West Virginia game "Green and Gold Day" and hung a Bulls banner on the side of the Tampa Municipal Office Building. At night, the top pyramid of the SunTrust Financial Center, a dominant tower in Tampa's skyline, was lit up in the school colors.
"Then they won, and it was like, wow, pandemonium," said Gerry D'Angelo, manager of Bucs & Bulls Heaven, an apparel store in north Tampa about four miles from the USF campus.
The 21-13 win over West Virginia catapulted USF to No. 6. Two wins later -- plus losses by other top teams -- and the Bulls are in contention to play for the national championship. They are No. 2 in the AP poll, No. 3 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll and No. 2 in the season's first BCS standings -- figures that many Tampa residents can readily recite.
At Bucs & Bulls Heaven, which didn't carry Bulls gear until 2005, sales have quadrupled and six additional seasonal staff members have been added, D'Angelo said. The University West Wal-Mart, located across from the campus, sold just a smattering of school apparel in August but now has an 8-foot display in its main aisle.
It is no secret that there have traditionally been stronger athletic interests than USF in the city of Tampa. The Bulls share the pewter-and-red-saturated Raymond James Stadium with the popular Buccaneers, and history ensured that college football talk triangulated around the big three Sunshine State schools: Florida, Florida State and Miami.
But this season -- with the program's first two home sellouts at the 65,000-seat stadium -- is upsetting the status quo.
"We're never going to be called a college town because we're a metro city, a trendy cosmopolitan town," said USF senior Michael Uglialoro. "But there is a good college feeling, and everywhere you look it's hard to ignore. People who used to politely brush off USF conversation now engage in it."
Uglialoro hopes to further that conversation as president of the Beef Studs and Beef Babes, a USF student organization that models itself after the Cameron Crazies at Duke basketball games. When it was founded five years ago by 2005 graduate Brandon Faza and his friends, there were just four members who loyally painted their bodies for every home game. Now there are more than 100 studs and babes, the tailgates begin five to eight hours before kickoff, and body painting is done via methodical assembly lines.
They were among the thousands who, for the first time in school history, camped out for more than 12 hours to receive West Virginia tickets. When senior associate athletic director Bill McGillis saw the crowd in the wee hours of a Monday morning, he remembers being awed, not so much by the size as by how quickly the zeal had mushroomed around USF.
"The frenzy of it all was pretty sudden," McGillis said. "It was a Bullstock."


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Passionate play and increased scoring marked week six, the midpoint of the Men's Basketball League played at the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA. Week six consisted of three games:
The first game ended with Nothing But Net 65 and Dream Team 57. Nothing But Nothing, at 3 wins 2 losses was supposed to beat the 0-5 Dream Team. Nobody told Dreamer's Captain Chris Mattina, Rookie Mike Ruccio (13 and 12 points respectively), Lou Jones 10 or Dennis "the" Wall, nine. Dream Team hung around the whole game, knotting it at 52 with two minutes to play. Then, Nothing But Nothing awoke, ending the dream. Nothing But Nothing Rookie Brian Parker posted 28 and Captain Marlon Brown added 20 points. Nothing But Nothing improved to 4-2. Dream Team falls to 0 and 6 but are getting closer to that elusive first win.
In game two, Full Court finished with a final score of 62 and Dominators finished with a final score of 47. The final score does not indicate how close the game was. Full Court took a two-point lead after the first quarter. The Dominators led by one at halftime and it was tied at 34 after three quarters. Full Court's 28-13 run in the fourth settled the matter. Jack Ryan's 30, Jerry Baglien's 13 and Jason Holley's 9 paced Full Court who also got 8 points from Marc "I object" Rogoff. Ian Brown was Dominant with 21 and Peter "family man" Chemidlin added 9. Dominators fall to 2 and 4 while Full Court improves to 5 and 1.
Game three closed with SWISH finishing with a score of 46 and Ballerz's final score was 39. Leading 26-17 at the half, the Ballerz looked to cruise to win number 5 but SWISH turned the game into a free throw shooting contest earning 35 attempts and converting 22. Ballerz' shot 6 of 8 from the line. SWISH player Jamal Berry poured-in 16 of his game-high 28 points in the second half on 5 of 6 shooting from the line down the stretch (15 of 21 for the game). Eric Lyght added 9 and Steve Filler posted 5 points for SWISH. Ballerz' Jason Shann tallied 15 points and Scott "Patriot fan" Lowder chipped-in 10. Ballerz fall to 4 and 2 while SWISH level off at 3 and 3.
The Y is the nation's leading non-profit committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
For information on membership or programs, or to request a schedule of classes, call the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA at 908-889-8880 or visit fanwoodscotchplainsymca.org. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.


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Rutgers football camp opens up today. While summer camp is important to all players and teams, it is even more important for a team coming off a 4-8 season as picked to finish last again by the Big East media. Rutgers has a lot of question marks. Today begins the process of answering those questions.
Here are Rutgers players who must have good camps for the team and fans to feel confident heading into the 2011 season:
1. Savon Huggins
This seems like an obvious choice. But it should be noted that the Scarlet Knights don't need Huggins to be the next Ray Rice this season. They just need him to be good enough to win the job. Essentially they need him not to be a bust. They will need him to not struggle at the onset. Too much has been invested in him – from last year's leading rusher in Jordan Thomas moving to defense to Joe Martinek, the team leader in rushing yards in 2009 being moved to fullback.
If Rutgers comes out of camp and Schiano is saying that Savon has played well but he needs work on his pass blocking, being patient and waiting for holes or anything else, then the team will have problems. Pay attention closely to the coach speak on during camp and whether or not Huggins can secure the job from the break of camp. The staff and QB Chas Dodd would love to see Huggins be the 2011 version of Dodd's high school teammate and South Carolina RB Marcus Lattimore.
2. Andre Civil
Yes, this list can be expanded to 11 simply by putting all five linemen on the list of players that will need a good camp. So why Civil? The Blindside. Defensive Ends will be barreling down at Civil in just over a month from now. He will have hopefully put on enough weight to be effective as a Left Tackle and protect Dodd. He is a very athletic player but is being trusted with perhaps the most important position on the offensive line.
3. Chas Dodd
Another obvious choice as he is the starting quarterback. But his progress will be monitored closely because of the events that led to him taking over the starting role last season. In almost a similar position last year Tom Savage, fresh off a productive rookie campaign, seemed to have regressed in camped. He left the door open for Dodd. Remember Dodd played against Norfolk State in week one. It was 6-0 at the half before the game was broken up and the Scarlet Knights went on to win 31-0. This was before Savage's injury, and the staff made the decision to not tray and space the two young quarterbacks by a year.
Many eyes and ears will be on Dodd and the media and Schiano's praise, or lack there of, as a sign if he is indeed progressing as a second year quarterback and in a new scheme.
4. Ka'Lial Glaud
With Steve Beauharnais and converted Safety Khaseem Greene flanked to his outside, Glaud will have plenty of help sideline to sideline. However, as the quarterback of the defense the junior will be charged with calling defensive signals and still being able to play instinctively enough to get in the mix on the action in the middle. If he has a good camp, the linebacker unit could end up being a strong point of this defense and one of the better units in the conference.
5. Manny Abreu
The fifth year senior will be moving over to defensive end after playing linebacker the last four years. Abreu is a naturally gifted athlete who struggled at times with pass coverage out of the linebacker position. As an end he will be the one causing mismatches for opponents. The 4-star recruit has yet to fulfill his potential. He has an opportunity to live up to that billing by providing Rutgers with much needed pass rush off the edge. Like some of the ends before him such as Jamaal Westerman, George Johnson, and Jonathan Freeny he may be able to parlay a good season into an NFL opportunity. He has perhaps the best physical skills of all those players and now just needs to put it all together.
I'm on facebook now: rufanjerry
Follow me on twitter: @rufanjerry
To donate to the Eric LeGrand Believe Fund go here.


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"It is past time for this town to have a change and to have leaders who make consistent decisions," challenger Jeffery Lyons, 41, said. "The council members need to remember they work for everyone who lives here."
"I think the council needs a new voice," challenger Dale Burnham, 55, said. "A lot of people have complained to me about how the council members have been there too long."
Burnham and Lyons both are seeking to fill one of three, four-year terms up for election this fall. The race also includes incumbents Richard Brooks, 59; Ray Fuller, 44, and Brad Keeler, 53.
"I want to see the mill project move forward and maintain services without raising taxes," Keeler said. "The council must delegate tasks to reach those goals and be prepared to react to the unpredictable times we face."
"One key is to keep good staff members," Fuller said. "But the council also needs to step up and help with the workload. We must stay focused and do things correctly the first time around."
"Communication is the most important thing," Brooks said. "Everyone has jobs to do for these projects but we must have the right people in place to handle the tasks and keep everyone information about what is happening."
Talk about budget concerns and other issues surfaced as the men, all Plainwell High School graduates, spoke about the workload facing city leaders.
"The city made more than $225,000 in budget cuts this year and we know that next year won't be any easier," said Brooks, who has coached many sports teams.
Raising taxes isn't an option so the city must find ways to cut costs, Brooks said. Some options might be combining services, delaying roadwork or postponing the purchase of major equipment.
"But we also need to maintain the infrastructure we do have and work to retain the businesses that are already here," Brooks said.
Burnham, who previously worked as an ordinance enforcement officer for the city, said the current council did "a good job" handling budget cuts last year.
"The council just needs to continue managing the budget effectively," he said. "But council members also need to apply common sense and small town values as different things come up."
For example, Burnham said the city must more consistently enforce ordinances and encourage staff to establish better relationships with residents even though resources are stretched thin.
Council must invest its energy making sure the mill redevelopment and public safety building projects are done correctly while fostering other development to counteract declining tax revenue, Fuller said.
The council also must make "difficult decisions" to balance the budget while educating everyone about the budget challenges, said Fuller, who worked to have city staff distribute a budget "snapshot" report.
"But we must ensure the values of the city and its residents are maintained," Fuller said. "Council must pause to look at every side of the issues and work to maintain the little things that make Plainwell special."
The unpredictable economy makes it hard for city leaders to plan very far ahead, said Keeler.
"We need to stay focused on the big goals — like redeveloping the mill property-and deal with the challenges as they come," Keeler said. "We have to keep operating costs as low as possible and be prepared for future cuts."
Keeler said he also will encourage continued efforts to improve relationships with surrounding municipalities so there could be more regional efforts to provide fire, police and other community services.
Lyons said the city should redirect funds to services benefiting more people.
"Instead of setting up a temporary ice skating rink each year for a only a few people to use," Lyons said, "have the city workers spend that time plowing roads or consolidating plant displays in parks to reduce time needed to weed whack. Simple changes can save a lot."
The city also needs to redevelop the mill property sooner and pursue generating hydroelectricity on the millrace, Lyons said. "There are lots of great ideas in this town but follow through and communication isn't so great."


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LaRocco will speak at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo at a free event from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. A book signing will follow.
LaRocco's book includes lessons from top business leaders who spoke with LaRocco, producer of "Squawk Box." The executives shared their strategies and challenges in growing during the economic downturn.
Business Review West Michigan and the Kalamazoo Gazette are media sponsors of the event.


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Smartwool Mountaineer Sock
Very good. I love good socks and feet are so important…
Price Paid: $22.95
Very good. I love good socks and feet are so important to safety and success of adventure and competition.
Warm, thick padding, smooth and comfortable but not too hot as they vent well and with good temperature control. As well they move moisture well too. I use a liner sock under them when using in excessive movement conditions and this makes nice benefit and safety against any possibility of blisters if even that could happen.
At the end of a day when they may be needing a wash / rinse this is easily done and with a gentle ringing out of the water they also dry well, e.g. overnight.
If any change I would like them to be up to 5 inches longer.
Yes, I do recommend and would buy again from REI.
SmartWool hiking socks are some of the most expensive…
Price Paid: $18
SmartWool hiking socks are some of the most expensive socks in the market. I have no problems paying more for a piece of gear that will out perform less expensive items of similar purpose, however it is not the case of SmartWool socks that they are worth their price.
Smartwool socks wear out so fast it's ridiculous - you could buy socks from a cheap department store and those would last longer. While it may be true that SmartWool has some attractive, comfortable designs, so do some other companies.
My advice is that you try a WigWam sock because they are less expensive, just as attractive and comfortable, and it is not possible for a sock to wear out faster than SmartWool.
My favorite winter hiking/camping sock for several…
Materials: merino wool blend
Use: winter mountaineering/snowshoeing
Break-in Period: none
Weight: not much
Price Paid: $18
My favorite winter hiking/camping sock for several years. thicker and warmer than anything else i have been able to find (caveat - i'm testing a pair of Bridgedale summit socks that are pretty close). because the sock is so thick, i can't wear them with any of my non-winter hiking boots. they are reserved for the really cold days snowshoeing in Pac Boots or the winter mountaineering boots. paired with good boots, my feet have been toasty in these socks at thirty below zero, fahrenheit, and they would have been happy at much colder temps.
durability has been excellent. no holes, no noticeable wear. they tend to "pill" a little on the exterior. that's cosmetic and hasn't affected the fit or performance; the loops inside the sock have worn very well. on longer trips, the socks tend to become a little stretched out, though not so much so that it has been a problem.
not a good sock for the clothes dryer. line dry them to avoid shrinkage over the long term. washing them inside out can help with pilling. i have also noticed that the clothes dryer tends to make the fuzzy interior bunch up somewhat over time.
a winner. pricey, but...having ten toes is priceless.
I purchased two pairs, which is bad because they don't…
Price Paid: $19/pair
I purchased two pairs, which is bad because they don't even stay up. They bunch down in my boots and start to cause hot spots. I am going to send them to Smartwool and see what they will do.
I have big soccer calves too, by the way, but they need to be taller and a little more snug. Maybe my calves stretched them or are they meant just for very slim built people.
Where to Buy
Similar Products
Smartwool Mountaineer Sock


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Flat Tire Ends MB Motorsports Night at EldoraDriver Bobby Pierce had St. Louis based truck in 1st until late in NASCAR dirt race
Driver Apologizes For Gateway Truck Race FightSpencer Gallagher says he's ashamed of Saturday night's conduct
Bell Wins NASCAR Truck Race at GatewayKyle Busch Motorsports driver endures rain delay & lots of caution flags
Hometown NASCAR Driver Spreads Awareness of Recent AttackA popular NASCAR driver and St. Louis area native wants to use his terrifying experience as a warning to others.
Gateway Motorsports Park Hosts NASCAR Event SaturdayRookie William Byron, 18, is pushing for the points lead in the NASCAR Truck Series.
Carl Edwards Ready for "Home" TrackNASCAR Sprint Cup racer from Columbia, Mo. likes visiting Kansas Speedway
Carl Edwards Stays Hot In Sprint Cup RacingMissouri native wins at Richmond, his second-straight victory on the circuit
Carl Edwards Wins Bristol RaceMissouri native led more than 270 of the 500 laps on Sunday
Edwards Takes 2nd Consecutive NASCAR PoleMissouri native will be joined by teammate Matt Kenseth on front row, sunday
Carl Edwards Takes Pole Position At TexasColumbia, Mo. native is 4th in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing points this season
Harvick Edges Edwards In Photo FinishMissourian places 2nd at Phoenix
Kyle Busch Is NASCAR King For 2015It's his first Sprint Cup Series championship


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One killed in Barbour County accident
Toys for Tots works to make Christmas merry
ELKINS – A local organization is working to make this Christmas a bit more merry for area children than it otherwise would have been.
Chairman Roger Ware and The Elkins Marine Corps League is working in nine counties to gather up toys for their 11th annual "Toys For Tots" campaign.
"We do this because we love seeing the happiness people have when they receive the toys," Ware said.
Toys for Tots supplies toys to children and teens up to the age of 16 who would not have received any on Christmas. Collection boxes are set up at many area stores and businesses where the public can donate new, unused toys.
Some of these places include but are not limited to Kmart, CVS, Walgreens and Big Lots in the Elkins area as well as Dollar General and Family Dollar stores all across the region.
In addition to stores and businesses, local schools are getting in on the act. Robert L. Bland Middle School in Weston is having a competition to see which homeroom class can collect the most toys. The winner will be rewarded with a pizza party, supplied by Larry Haddix, owner of H&M Motors in Weston.
Tucker County High School is also holding a competition to see who can gather the most toys, with the winner being supplied a party by Performance Motors in Parsons and free day passes to ski at Cannan Valley Resort.
Families must pre-register to receive toys. Distribution of toys will take place from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. on Dec. 19 and 20 at the Elkins Randolph County Airport. Each family will be given a time to pick up the toys based on the first letter of the last name of the parent or guardian. Each child receives 4-6 toys with more going to younger age groups.
On average, the Elkins Marine Corps League provides for 2,000 children and helps 1,000 families in the region. They have been able to collect more than $12,000 in toys for this years event.
"We have fun doing this," said Ware. "It's the biggest project we do."
Toys for Tots was founded in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in Los Angeles, Calif. A total of 5,000 toys were collected during a campaign before Christmas that year. The first toy given was a handmade doll. The next year, the US Marine Corp adopted the program and expanded it to a nationwide community action project.
The Toys for Tots now famous train logo and first national poster were created and donated to the organization by Walt Disney. The yearly posters have become a recognized part of the annual program the world over and have featured numerous famous Disney characters throughout the years.
Financial donations are accepted year round and can be mailed to PO Box 852, Elkins, WV 26241. For more information or to make arrangements to qualify for toy pickup you can call 304-636-8353 or 304-636-4365 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.


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A 70-year-old Bethlehem woman reported to city police Monday that $30,000 in cash was taken from her home on Yeates Street, police said.
The woman had the money in 20-, 10- and 5-dollar bills in her dresser drawer, she told police. She said the money was taken some time between Feb. 17 and March 2.
The theft did not appear to involve a forced entry break-in, police said.


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MOBILE, Alabama -- Perhaps it is fitting that Gene Montgomery first sighted a Hubig's while hunting in south Louisiana.
Because the things remain a bit of a challenge to find in these parts.
Montgomery, a teacher and "retired" hunting and fishing guide who lives in Mobile, said that he got hooked on Hubig's about 20 years ago. He'd stockpile them every time he visited Louisiana. But his wife startled him a few weeks back when she found them locally and brought some home.
"I really was surprised to see them turn up here," Montgomery said.
"It becomes sort of like a little quest to find them," Bruce Byrd said last week.
"That," continued Byrd, a friend of Montgomery's and a more recent Hubig's convert, "is probably part of the attraction."
So how does a Hubig's -- the fresh-baked, New Orleans Style sweet fried pie -- migrate east along the Gulf Coast?
It takes a ride on Interstate 10 with a guy who is hunting his own recession-proof way to make a living.
Daniel Wilson had been in the furniture business for about 10 years, he said, when he reached a point late last year that he had to do something different.
"The economy got to the point that it was ridiculous," said Wilson, 39. "So I shut the store and got into the food industry because food is recession-proof. People got to eat."
And just like that, Port Time Distributing was born.
Once a week, Wilson and his fiancée, Misty Bryant, head west from Mobile toward New Orleans in the wee hours of the morning. They load up a trailer with somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 of the pies, then haul them back toward home.
The pies are sorted, then distributed to some 50 small convenience-type stores. Locations start at the Mississippi-Alabama line and go as far north as Evergreen, as far east as Gulf Shores.
He handles other items -- Merita and Wonder breads, pralines, Zapp's chips -- but Hubig's is the backbone of the new business. Just two months into the new venture, Wilson said he's expanding the New
Orleans-made product line.
He's got a couple of locations selling Leidenheimer French bread -- some say it's the only "real" container for a po-boy -- and plans to add a specialty meat product within a couple of weeks.
He's about to add a second weekly New Orleans road trip, and he's considering a few additional places for selling either the pies, the French bread, or both.
"We don't want to saturate the market for these pies," Wilson said. "We want everybody to be able to get them, of course, but I don't want them in every single store so that they're not something special."
Three generations of pie-making
Drew Ramsey, operations manager for The Simon Hubig Pie Co., represents the third generation in a business that has been turning out pies since 1922.
For years, he said, the business model was to be baker and delivery company.
But then came the hurricane, and rising gas prices, and an economy that went in the tank.
"Post Katrina, when we got back less employees, when gas went up, when we lost half of our delivery fleet ... it wasn't the most innovative business decision not to employ someone we didn't have," said Ramsey. Now, in addition to the company's direct customers, it sells through brokers.
"We take the (retail) cost of our pies and discount them. But then we don't drive them to market, we don't collect the invoice. ... It makes sense for a lot of reasons."
The pies, which carry a "Made Fresh Locally" logo on the package, don't have a long shelf life. A sell-by date is printed on each package. Hubig's will honor returns for its direct customers and insists that its distributors do the same.
"We are ubiquitous in New Orleans -- convenience stores, grocery stores, vending machines, warehouses, hospitals," Ramsey said. "We are in Walmarts, family grocery stores and convenience stores. ... If you get arrested in New Orleans, you will get a pie in prison.
We don't pretend to have mastered the marketing genius of scarcity when it comes to our pies."
Even so, Ramsey said, the company has the sales footprint that it is comfortable with -- generally places within an hour or two's drive from its bakery near the French Quarter.
Outside of that, he said, "brokers can pick up the ball and run with it."
"We sell out every week"
Judy Bradley said last week that she had no idea how many of her customers were craving a taste of New Orleans before Port Time started delivering the pies.
"We sell out every week," said the clerk at Lake Forest Short Stop in Daphne.
At Jubilee Shell in Daphne, Deidre McCants admits to being about as hooked on Hubig's as some of her customers.
In fact, putting a handful of pies on her checkout counter elicits a friendly warning: "You're fixin' to start something that's going to be hard to stop."
(Readers may write K.A. Turner at the Press-Register, P.O. Box 2488, Mobile AL 36652-2488, call her at 251-219-5644 or e-mail email@example.com or call 251-219-5644.)