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WASHINGTON (AP) – Jonathon Niese pitched seven solid innings, striking out a career-high eight for his fifth straight win, and the New York Mets held off the Washington Nationals 5-3 on Friday night.
Washington rallied for two runs in the ninth before Roger Bernadina, in a colossal baserunning blunder, was picked off second base by Francisco Rodriguez for the final out.
Niese (6-2) allowed six hits as he improved to 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA in six starts since coming off the disabled list June 5. He fanned eight in his first four innings – striking out the side in the fourth – and didn't walk a batter. To top it off, Niese added his first career RBI on a double in a four-run fourth.
David Wright, who batted .404 in June, had three hits and Alex Cora a three-run triple for the Mets, who started the evening two games behind NL East-leading Atlanta.
Josh Willingham homered off Niese in the seventh for Washington's first run. The Nationals scored twice off Elmer Dessens in the ninth on RBI singles by Bernadina and Ian Desmond.
The Mets chased Luis Atilano (6-5) in the fourth.
In the first, Ruben Tejada was hit by a pitch, moved to third on Wright's single up the middle and scored on Ike Davis' infield out.
Atilano loaded the bases in the fourth on Wright's double and two walks. He got Rod Barajas on a short fly to center and Jeff Francoeur on a liner to shortstop before Cora tripled off the right-field wall to clear the bases. Cora scored on Niese's double – his first major league RBI.
Bobby Parnell worked a scoreless eighth. Pedro Feliciano struck out the only batter he faced in the ninth and Dessens got one out before Rodriguez picked off Bernadina, with a slick tag by Tejada, for his 19th save.
While the Mets are 25-12 since May 22, the Nationals reached the halfway point heading south. They're 35-46, which projects to 92 losses – far better than the two straight 100-plus loss seas ons they've endured, but they're 15-31 since May 15.
Atilano allowed all five New York runs and five hits in 3 2-3 innings.
NOTES: Mets SS Jose Reyes missed his third consecutive game with a stiff back, and will be out until at least Sunday. "I have to take care of this and see what happens in the next couple of days," Reyes said. … New York 2B Luis Castillo (bruised right heel), who's missed a month, will soon play a rehab game. "I think Luis is to start playing sometime next week," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. … New York signed ex-Nationals RHP Brian Bruney to a minor league contract.


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Byron Kerr talks with Dennis Eckersley about Strasburg's impact on baseball
Jim Riggleman discusses his opinion on including a DH in the lineup
Juan Samuel talks with the media about Brian Matusz's start in the O's 3-1 loss
Luke Scott talks with the media about overcoming the O's struggles this season
Brian Matusz talks with the media after the O's 3-1 loss to the Mets
Willie Harris talks with Byron Kerr about facing a tough Fausto Carmona
Bob and Rob recap Fausto Carmona's performance in the Nats' 7-1 loss
Jim Riggleman talks with Johnny and Ray about Adam Kennedy and the Nats' loss
Byron Kerr talks with Ryan Zimmerman about what to watch for from Fausto Carmona
Byron Kerr talks with Austin Kearns about what it's like to face his former team
Jim Riggleman talks with the media about what makes J.D. Martin successful
Mike Boddicker talks with Jeremy Guthrie about mentoring the O's young starters
Mike Boddicker and Rick Dempsey talk about what Brian Matusz has to do to be successful
Amber talks with Luke Scott about staying positive in the middle of a slump
Jen Royle sits down with Francisco Rodriguez to talk about the N.L. East
Brad Bergesen talks about his bullpen outing after the O's 5-1 loss

subset: commoncrawl


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Fourth Tier My . . .
Don LeDuc, President and Dean | October 29, 2012
It's time for some plain talk about the major attitude problem in education—particularly legal education—elitism. In America, the country that fought a revolution to rid itself of hereditary monarchy, the titled aristocracy, and governance by a privileged few, we accept a hierarchy within legal education based on very similar characteristics and accorded similar entitlements. In the land of opportunity, law schools that provide access and opportunity are treated as inferior, if not as wrongdoers. And in a culture that has succeeded based on innovation, the legal education establishment discourages change and rewards tradition.
A Caste System
Reinforced by accreditation standards, reliant on peer review to judge quality, and wed to rankings that further entrench the privileged elite, educational institutions are categorized, pigeon-holed, and dismissed in a caste system as restrictive as any in historical Asian culture. Legal education is just about the worst offender in all of education. A school is second-, third-, or, shudder, fourth-tier. Assigning a lower tier label to a school consigns it to law school oblivion; deprives it of being judged on the merits of its program, faculty, staff, and facilities; and makes it a target for the disaffected and mean-spirited denizens of the Internet.
Law schools like to blame the rankings done by U.S. News and World Report for this condition. That organization's disingenuous ranking system is certainly deserving of blame. But the law schools are fellow travelers. While they denigrate the rankings, they quickly trumpet any move up in those rankings, publicize any mention of their schools on one or another of the specialty lists, and some even lie to improve their position.
Of course, U.S. News favors the elite. The lynch pins of their ranking system are exclusivity and reputation. Each involves reinforcing prejudices that further reinforce that very prejudice, assuring that the same privileged few retain their privileged position.
Exclusivity Does Not Equate With Quality
Exclusivity rewards exclusion and punishes access and opportunity, exactly the opposite of the needs of our country regarding law schools and lawyers. A school is better if no one can get into it, worse if anyone who wants a chance to be a lawyer can get into it. A key measure of exclusivity is the percentage of applications a school rejects. A school that rejects lots of applicants gets a higher ranking, which in turn attracts more applications from those who are taken in by this flawed reasoning.
Most of the applicants to these exclusive schools are pawns. In the fall of 2011, most of the elite schools experienced double-digit declines in applications, but managed to retain their entering class size and entering class profiles despite this substantial downturn. How did they manage this? They have more high-profile applicants than they enroll. Applicants not meeting that profile level, who apply in large numbers, have no chance of getting in, but continue to dream of doing so. Thus, the schools continue to tout their exclusivity, and the U.S. News continues to reward them for being exclusive. And they are exclusive, but how many applications they can induce hopeless candidates to submit is not a valid measure of their quality.
The only measures used by the schools and U.S. News to evaluate a school's profile are undergraduate grade point averages and LSAT scores. LSAT is a measure of only one thing—predicted first-year class rank based on projected first-year academic performance. And even that measure is a school-specific measure, validated only by studies examining the first-year grade point performance of each school's entering class. The LSAT is not a valid indicator of any other quality or outcome. It is certainly not a measure of the character of a student or of the teachers of that student or of the educational program of that school or of the likelihood that the graduate will be a good and ethical lawyer.
Likewise, college grade points are not valid measures of anything other than first-year law school performance. And over the past few decades, the predictive capacity of college grade points has eroded measurably as grade inflation and soft evaluation processes at American colleges and universities have undermined the meaning of the "B" grade point average that once commonly stood for "good" academic performance.
Good grades in college and high LSAT scores are indicative of the potential for success of an individual in law school and after. But they are not predictive at the level of the minute differences emphasized in law school entering criteria. The idea that the students the law schools at Harvard and Yale are superior to those at Columbia and New York University because the former schools have median LSATs of 173 and the latter have medians of 172 is ridiculous. So is the notion that the students at Western New England and New England are inferior to those at Pace and Albany, whose median LSAT score is one point higher. But that is the way the ranking system works and it is driving admissions decisions at some schools.
The flaw is that none of this measures what happens with and to these students at the law schools they select. The elitists quit thinking about this at the front door. They do not measure the quality of the instruction the students get, they do not measure the improvement in performance of the students attributable to the schools faculty, and they do not measure how these students perform as lawyers. They do not, because they cannot. And elite law schools do not wish for new measures that might compare how their products do in practice. Why should they change, when the current system rewards them with prestige and unquestioned, continued high status?
To emphasize these measures so heavily that they largely control judgment about the quality of the law schools is like ranking the quality of vehicles based upon the quality of the steel and aluminum used to build them. Design, engineering, and performance would be irrelevant, if the exclusive profile premise of the law schools were applied to the automotive world. Similarly, college and professional football teams would be measured by the quality of their recruiting classes and draft choices; the coaches would be irrelevant and the games meaningless, if the legal education concept were applied to football.
Reputation? Reputation for What?
The reputational aspects of the rankings are even worse, enforcing even more the undeserved importance of elitism. In the first place, the question "reputation for what?" is never asked, and the concept of reputation is never defined. The surveys are meaningless.
Half the practicing lawyers in America are in solo or small practice, but the reputational surveys are distributed only to judges--who constitute a tiny fraction of the practicing bar and who tend to hire clerks only from the elite schools—and to unknown "hiring" partners at unidentified law firms. Of course, only the larger law firms have hiring partners and most of them hire exclusively from their own favored few law schools, mostly the current elite schools that many of them attended. Small firms and solo practitioners do not have hiring partners. Government and business employers, who hire significant numbers of law school graduates, are not surveyed. How could the reputational surveys do other than confirm that the elite law schools are elite?
Another group of reputational surveys goes to selected law school faculty members, which on its face seems likely to produce better results. But these surveys are likewise flawed because the legal academy is dominated by graduates of the elite law schools to nearly the same extent as the big law firms.
The law school faculty surveys have another flaw shared with the hiring partner/judge survey—they solicit the views of the woefully ignorant. While it might seem that law school teachers would know a lot about the nation's 200 law schools, that is simply not the case.
At best, the most informed individuals in both surveys know only a handful of things about a handful of schools. Most of those surveyed have the attitude that if they do not know anything about a school, that school can't be too good, or they would know it. Most participants in the surveys would fail an easy test regarding the simplest facts about the law schools they attempt to rate, such as which are public and which are private or in which state are they located.
The Legal Academy's Commitment to Elitism Stifles Opportunity and Diversity
Although the leadership of the legal academy echoes the call of the American Bar Association to increase diversity in the profession, its commitment to elitism deters schools from achieving diversity, since to increase diversity means to lower the profile standards they hold so dear. Blinded by the notion that the sole measure of quality is entering student profile, they cannot accept that a school can have quality if student profile is lowered.
Some Valid Measures for Law School Quality
This is not to say that the so-called elite schools are not good schools, because at least in my view they are. But so are the schools snobbishly characterized as fourth-tier. What should be the measure of quality of a law school? I suggest that the following should be considered: (1) the mission of the school and its ability to satisfy that mission; (2)the ability of its education program and curriculum to prepare the graduates of the school for the practice of law; (3) the ability of its faculty and staff to provide the school's graduates with the knowledge, skills, and ethics of the legal profession; (4) the level of service that the school renders to the legal profession and the community in which it is located, including pro bono services; (5) the quality of the school's facilities in providing a conducive learning, training, and working environment; (6) the size and quality of the school's library and information technology; and (7) the value that the school adds to the students it educates.
Of course, these are hard to define and hard to measure, being inherently subjective. But most of these qualities are measurable. They are certainly superior to the mindless reinforcement that assures that those who were elite yesterday will be elite tomorrow.
My own school is very good at providing legal education and preparing our graduates for the practice of law. We have a great program of legal education that prepares our graduates for practice in a superior collection of facilities, while providing a climate that fosters professionalism and service. Our access mission, which stresses opportunity and demands performance, allows us to have a highly diverse student body that provides an opportunity to study law to more minority students than any other law school.
Cooley is not alone in this. All the independent law schools and many university-related schools are automatically considered inferior because of their educational missions or geographical locations or affiliation with particular universities. We all deserve better.


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Michelle Williams' reality show 'Fix My Choir' set for November premiere
Listen to Michelle Williams on iHeartRadio
Michelle Williams has announced that her new reality series, "Fix My Choir," will officially premiere on the Oxygen network on November 5.
The premise of "Fix My Choir" has Williams travelling across America to mentor struggling choirs alongside Preachers of L.A. star Deitrick Haddon. According to a press release, their job is to help the choirs "find perfect harmony both within their music and among their members."
This isn't the only Christian-themed project Williams has taken on lately. She's been touring the country as Mary Magdelene in the latest arena production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," and has a new gospel-pop album dropping later this year.
Take a listen to her latest single below, and look out for her reality TV takeover later this year.
Photo Credit Getty Images


text: If you ever wondered if it was possible if Michael Lohan could screw up a kid worse than he screwed up Lindsay Lohan, he is trying to give you the opportunity to see for yourself. Despite Michael and Kate Major having a very young child living at home they continue to fight almost every day and have had the police come out twice in the past month. Last night Kate was getting drunk again as per her custom and she started arguing with Michael. Kate started beating Michael for wearing his mesh shirt around the house again and Michael was scared for his collection so called the police. Kate, not wanting to get arrested and probably thinking they couldn't catch her if she left, got into her car and tried to drive away. She made it as far as a neighbor's bush which stopped the car from going any further and Kate was arrested for DUI. Tell me again why a judge doesn't yank this child out of their home and find someone who is normal to watch the child. Just go into court and show the judge a collection of photos of Lindsay and you win your case. The only problem is I wouldn't want to leave the kid with anyone related to Michael or Kate. Do you think Denise Richards would be willing?


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SWEDEN: KappAhl Q3 profit nearly halves
Third quarter profit at value fashion retailer KappAhl has nearly halved, the Swedish company said today (24 June), and warned that the weak economy is likely to "last some time."
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Fox Host Finds Clinton's Phone Interviews "Disconcerting" After Trump Spent Hours Calling Into Network
Video ››› ›››
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A New York Times analysis found "historic increases" in those covered by the Affordable Care Act, destroying right-wing media predictions about health care reform including that it would "topple the stock market" and enslave Americans. The Times analysis is just one of many pieces of research that have highlighted the successes of the Affordable Care Act.
Conservative pundits are bickering over Donald Trump's campaign, especially after National Review's "Against Trump" issue and the backlash it engendered. On one side are pundits who want to stop Trump's candidacy in its tracks. On the other are conservatives who are lauding Trump's candidacy, even if they have not officially endorsed him. Media Matters breaks down exactly who is on which side (click for the full-sized image):
The influential conservatives who penned essays for National Review urging voters not to cast their ballots for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump have their own histories of extremism. They have called President Obama a "racist" with a "deep-seeded hatred for white people" and compared him to a "skinny, ghetto crackhead"; termed Supreme Court Justice David Souter a "goat fucking child molester"; reportedly "helped push" Sarah Palin onto the 2008 GOP presidential ticket; and offered inflammatory Islamophobic comments.
Conservative media outlets are attacking Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley for purportedly "taxing the rain" as governor of Maryland. But as The Baltimore Sun noted, the state did "not tax the rain." O'Malley approved an anti-pollution levy on certain property owners to comply with federal law protecting the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.
The talking point that O'Malley allegedly "taxed the rain" has been frequently used by conservatives since his presidential announcement. For instance:
Media outlets have argued that Indiana's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) mirrors RFRAs passed in other states as well as the federal RFRA signed into law in 1993 by then-President Bill Clinton. In fact, Indiana's RFRA is broader than other versions of the law, and experts say it could allow private businesses to discriminate against LGBT customers on the basis of religion.
Conservative media figures issued apocalyptic warnings and predictions about the consequences of passing health care reform. Yet in the five years since President Obama signed the bill into law, the number of uninsured Americans has dropped by the largest amount in four decades, insurers can no longer deny coverage for preexisting conditions, and the Congressional Budget Office estimates that Obamacare subsidies will cost $209 billion less than projected.
On the anniversary of health care reform's passage, Media Matters looked back at right-wing media's most dire predictions.
In November 2009, Glenn Beck declared that the possible passage of health care reform "will be a nail in the coffin of America" and would cause the public to "all wallow in misery." Obamacare would be "the end of prosperity in America forever ... the end of America as you know it."
Beck later predicted health care granted Obama "the pieces the president needs to control every aspect of your life," including control over whether and when people can have children.
Rush Limbaugh argued in 2009 that Obamacare was "aimed at robbing you of your humanity and forcing you to bow down to the state." He predicted, "All of us will be slaves" because "the road to serfdom ... is paved in Obamacare."
The next year, Limbaugh forecast that health care reform would lead to "250 million uninsured."
Radio host Jim Quinn argued in January 2010 that the passage of Obamacare would bring "an insurrection. You're going to see an uprising." According to Quinn, "Your taxes are going to go through the roof. It's going to be a bloodbath."
CNBC's Jim Cramer predicted in March 2010 that Obamacare would topple the stock market, arguing it was the "single biggest impediment to the stock market going higher." (Notably, the DOW and Nasdaq neared all-time highs in March 2015.)
Cal Thomas claimed on Fox News in 2010 that while they may not "pull the plug on Granny" due to Obamacare, "they will deny her care because she's costing too much and she's too old."
The Islamophobic rhetoric spewed by right-wing media in response to the deadly attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris is just the most recent in a long history of conservative anti-Islam vitriol.
At least 15 Fox News hosts and contributors have recently campaigned with two political organizations created and heavily funded by billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch. Many of those same Fox News personalities have also defended the Kochs from attacks and praised their political efforts on-air.
The controversial conservative brothers founded the 501(c)(4) group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and its 501(c)(3) sister group the Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) in 2004. David Koch has called AFP the group he feels "most closely attached to and most proud of" and chairs AFPF's board. (The Washington Post notes of the IRS code distinction: "A 501(c)(4) is allowed to do considerably more issue advocacy work than a 501(C)(3), however. Neither group has to disclose the identity of its donors or the amounts of money those contributors have given.")
Politico's Ken Vogel reported that AFP "intends to spend more than $125 million this year on an aggressive ground, air and data operation benefiting conservatives, according to a memo distributed to major donors and sources familiar with the group." The Washington Post wrote that with a paid staff of 240, split between 32 states, AFP "may be America's third-biggest political party." In 2012, "More than $44 million of the $140 million the organization raised in that election cycle came from Koch-linked feeder funds."
AFP and AFPF are part of a massive $400 million network of political groups spearheaded by the Kochs. The Huffington Post's Paul Blumenthal noted, "It is the electoral focus of the Koch nonprofits and their sophisticated efforts to shield donors' identities -- plus the vast sums of money they move -- that has brought them the unwanted attention of both Democratic Senate leadership and reporters. There exists no outside network or organization supporting Democratic Party candidates in elections, while not disclosing its donors, that spends money in comparable amounts."
AFP states that it "mobilizes citizens to effectively make their voices heard in public policy issue campaigns" and "educates citizens about where their elected officials stand on our issues." AFP campaigns have included false attacks about health care reform, clean energy, economic issues, and elected Democrats like President Obama.
Fox News personalities are the public face of many AFP/AFPF events. Promotional materials heavily tout the speakers' affiliation with Fox News to increase attendance. According to a Media Matters review, the following Fox News personalities have participated in AFP and AFPF events since 2012: Guy Benson, Tucker Carlson, Monica Crowley, Jonah Goldberg, Greg Gutfeld, Mary Katharine Ham, Mike Huckabee, Laura Ingraham, Andrew Napolitano, Sarah Palin, Charles Payne, Dana Perino, John Stossel, Cal Thomas, and Juan Williams.
The Koch/Fox News events are aimed at rallying attendees to support conservative causes and fight progressive initiatives. For example, an invitation for a May event featuring Tucker Carlson stated the rally will "send a message to the Left that we know the truth and support free market solutions." Information for a November 2013 rally with Monica Crowley said participants will "learn how you can fight back against government restrictions, taxes, and out-of-control spending." And an October 2012 event with John Stossel was a "Hands Off My Health Care Rally" which sought "to fully repeal Obama's deeply flawed health care bill."
Media Matters previously documented how numerous Fox News personalities campaigned for Republican candidates and organizations during the 2011-2012 election cycle.
Conservative media are exploiting alleged problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to argue for the privatization of the VA's health care system -- a solution opposed by experts and veterans organizations as unnecessary and ineffective.
Latest Sign Of Fox News' Cozy Relationship With Extreme Anti-Gay Groups
Fox News contributor Ben Carson is slated to be the keynote speaker at the first Gala dinner of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), becoming the latest Fox figure to appear before an extreme anti-gay group.
In a May 6 email to supporters, NOM President Brian Brown wrote that "it's 1972 for marriage," referring to the year before the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a woman's right to an abortion and the growing expectation that the Court will take up marriage equality once again by 2015. To protest the frightening possibility that same-sex couples nationwide will soon enjoy civil equality, NOM will hold its second annual March for Marriage in Washington on June 19. Brown's email touted Carson's appearance - previously flagged by GLAAD's Jeremy Hooper - at NOM's gala that same evening (emphasis original):
It was a crisp winter day in 1973 when the United States Supreme Court issued their horrific decision in Roe v Wade. How much would you sacrifice to go back in time to a few months before that fateful decision, to the Fall of 1972, and mobilize the American people BEFORE the Supreme Court issued that infamous decree?
Just about anything, right? Well, when it comes to marriage, we have that chance!
You see, it's 1972 for marriage. Within the next 12 months, it is very likely that the United States Supreme Court will take up the marriage issue again. Many people have bought in to the lie that the courts redefining marriage is somehow "inevitable." Well, I refuse to believe that, because it's simply not true!
That's why the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is organizing its second annual March for Marriage this summer on June 19th in Washington, DC -- bringing together thousands of marriage activists from all across the country to make sure the elites in our nation's capital hear loud and clear: Marriage matters because every kid deserves a mom and a dad!
One incredibly courageous leader who is standing up for marriage is Doctor Ben Carson, who will be the keynote speaker at NOM's first ever Gala dinner on the evening of the March for Marriage. He said in a speech earlier this year that the "P.C. police" have "tried to shut him up" because he's willing to state his belief publicly that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Social conservatives will descend on Washington, D.C., next month for the Values Voters Summit (VVS), an annual convocation put on by an assemblage of anti-LGBT groups that will prominently feature high-profile right-wing media figures.
Sponsored by organizations like the Family Research Council (FRC) and the American Family Association (AFA) - both Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)-designated hate groups - VVS got its start in 2006. As in the past, this year's gathering promises to feature leading opponents of equality for women and LGBT people. Several confirmed speakers will be familiar faces to consumers of right-wing media:
Among the right-wing media personalities slated to speak at the conference:
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Fox News contributor and syndicated columnist Cal Thomas has joined the chorus of right-wing commentators proclaiming national doom in the wake of the Supreme Court's same-sex marriage decisions last week.
In a July 1 column for FoxNews.com, Thomas condemned the high court for its rulings striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and dismissing the Proposition 8 case on the grounds that its supporters lacked standing. Like his Fox colleague Todd Starnes - who tweeted that the Supreme Court had "overrule[d] God" - Thomas accused the Court of poking its finger in the eye of the Almighty
The Supreme Court has narrowly, but effectively, removed another standard on the way to full acceptance of its right to redefine marriage and raise itself to a level higher than the Creator.
What or who is to stop them? Various religious-political groups formed over many years to confront cultural erosion are in retreat and increasingly ineffective.
Thomas then proceeded to reprise his claim that a nation that embraces marriage equality will soon condone polygamy and pedophilia:
Polygamist groups have made it known they wish to be next in line to enjoy full constitutional protection for their lifestyle. Utah was forced to outlaw polygamy before admission to the Union. Can it, should it, revert to its previous practice and who has the authority to say "no"?
There are people who favor sex and marriage between adults and children. On what basis should they be denied their "right to happiness"?
Today's "that goes too far" easily becomes tomorrow's "right" with a morally vacuous media leading the charge and a morally exhausted people who are afraid to say "stop," for fear they'll be labeled "bigots."
Among the developments Thomas cites as the basis for the nation descending a slippery slope into accepting polygamy and pedophilia: "The New York Times recently editorialized in favor of transgender rights."
In Thomas' estimation, the advance of equal rights for LGBT citizens will lead to nothing less than civilizational collapse: "History is full of examples of empires that collapsed from within before they were conquered from without."
While Fox's relatively tame reaction to the Court's rulings suggested that the network was wary of leading a crusade against marriage equality, its willingness to grant moral scolds like Thomas a platform indicates that bigotry and anti-gay misinformation still enjoy an outlet there.
Fox News contributor and conservative columnist Cal Thomas promoted the popular right-wing talking point that marriage equality would create a slippery slope toward polygamy and marriage with children, despite the fact that this myth has been consistently disproven.
In a March 12 column for FoxNews.com on "what we ought to be asking gay marriage advocates," Thomas posed the question - if same-sex marriage is legalized, what reason can be given for denying polygamous marriages or marriages with underage children?:
What advocates for same-sex marriage should be asked is whether they consider any other human relationship worthy of similar constitutional protection and based on what standard? The Constitution doesn't guarantee the right to marry. States, not the federal government, issue marriage licenses.
Current laws restrict "underage" marriage, as well as polygamy. If same-sex marriage is approved, what's to stop polygamists from demanding legal protection and cultural acceptance?Justice Antonin Scalia predicted as much in 2003 in his dissent of the Lawrence v. Texas case, in which the Court struck down the sodomy law in Texas. So I ask, if "fairness" and "equality" are the standard, isn't it also "unfair" to "discriminate" against polygamists who wish to live in "loving" and "committed" relationships?
Since we are rapidly discarding the rules for living and social order set down in a book found in most motel room drawers, what is to replace it? Opinion polls? Clever legal arguments? Fairness? What exactly does "fairness" mean and who decides what's fair? Many things may seem "unfair," but not all can, or should, be addressed by courts. [emphasis added]


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Bike Rack InstallationCircle Bike Racks
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Bicycle Program conducted a pilot program in 2005, installing 11 "Bicycle-Circle" racks on meter posts in Capitol Hill that otherwise would have been removed as the neighborhood transitioned to an electronic based Paystation Parking system. Working closely with Creative Metalworks, the Bicycle Program staff refined the design of the rack into a product suitable for installation on public sidewalks. The design changes include:
- Thickening the rack and the top and bottom mounting brackets, making them more difficult to bend;
Because the pilot program was successful, SDOT is expanding the installation of the Bicycle-Circle rack into other neighborhoods.


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Huichol Indian Nation
Huichol Deer 2007
Beaded sculpture with horn antlers
24 x 27 x 14 in.
Gift of the Highland Park Sister Cities Foundation, the Puerto Vallarta Sister Cities Committee, and the people of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico.
The sculpture, from Puerto Vallarta, was created by the Huichol Indians and is made with thousands of small glass beads in intricate designs. The designs represent special symbols to the Huichols, natives of the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico, known for their intricate yarn and bead artwork. In their artwork, the Huichol express their deepest religious feelings and beliefs. Thematic designs in their art, and the colors in which they are composed, have spiritual significance. Red represents the east, green is heaven and white represents clouds.
Photo by Michael Tropea


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Electronic Funds Transfer
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, let me express my appreciation to you for allowing me the privilege to appear before this Subcommittee.
The General Services Administration (GSA) supports the implementation of the electronic funds transfer (EFT) provisions contained in the Debt Collection Improvement Act. While we recognize that there are some concerns, EFT is another step toward our goal of implementing electronic commerce in the Federal Government. Electronic commerce is a term that has been defined in a variety of ways. We define electronic commerce as the use of information technology to improve commerce. Electronic commerce works by using technology to improve, eliminate, or create new and better ways to do business.
Over the past several years, the Federal Government has been engaged in a major effort to use electronic commerce to reengineer a number of functional areas. Today I'd like to talk to you about several of our major initiatives and where we are going.
One of the key electronic commerce tools that we see having a major impact on Government operations is card technology. With the advent of the Internet and intranet access to Government and industry information and services, smart card technologies have emerged as the key mechanism for identification, purchase of supplies and services and access control. Industry has presented smart card systems as the vehicle for portable access control. Smart cards represent the ideal platform for Government to use these market changes in its reinvention and reengineering for the future. Card services and systems can provide secure transactions and unique personal identification.
Our vision is for every Federal employee to carry one card and be able to use it for multiple purposes -- travel, purchases, identification, and other financial and administrative purposes. For the near term, we expect that hybrid cards, combining magnetic stripe and integrated circuit chip technologies, will be a critical tool in the reengineering for electronic business processes. Card systems and, in particular, smart cards are an extremely effective and efficient tool to identify the system users. The portability of smart cards enables the user to gain access to systems applications and conduct business in any location where network connections can be made. Already this capability of connecting is virtually guaranteed through the worldwide web. Through the use of standard ID identifiers such as a minimum ID data set or use of standard digital certificates, card access interoperability can be simply and efficiently accomplished for a wide range of applications.
In order to effectively implement smart card technology, the Government must consult its customers and build its services for the future on customer needs. To illustrate, the Federal Supply Service (FSS) has actively pursued the input and advice of Federal agencies and industry in order to plan for the new card service contracts for the fleet, travel, and purchase card programs. FSS heard the need for Federal agencies to modernize and take advantage of smart card technology and other commercial industry tools for reinventions FSS first issued a draft statement of work for the new programs in December 1996. At the same time it encouraged Government users and industry suppliers to take a critical view at the plans and requirements for the new programs. To make sure that all views were heard and considered, FSS issued a draft request for proposal (RFP) in May 1997 with additional public forums to discuss these services. The final RFP will be released in July 1997 with award expected in January 1998. By issuing the RFP, FSS seeks industry input for solutions to integrate multiple business applications on a single card platform. The RFP will also reflect the requirement for intra-governmental transfers compliant with the Department of the Treasury's (Treasury's) cash flow requirements.
Similar efforts to establish partnerships within Government and with industry are necessary to carry out this ambitious plan to migrate to smart card technology to support the Government's card programs and electronic commerce initiatives. Another example of partnering to implement electronic commerce is with electronic benefits transfer (EBT). Three years ago Vice President Al Gore established the Federal EBT Task Force, consisting of key policy officials from the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Health and Human Services (HHS), Treasury, Social Security Administration (SSA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to work with states and industry to implement a nationwide EBT program by 1999. Today, three years later, virtually every state in the country is operating an EBT system or has contracted with a service vendor to begin EBT operations by 1999.
Government service delivery through smart card systems is already a reality in Ohio. In partnership with USDA, Ohio has launched a statewide EBT system using smart cards. EBT will be just the beginning as Ohio explores how best to include other forms of Government services, such as public transportation, health information and licensing, through smart card service delivery.
We believe what we have already accomplished in EBT is just the beginning. In the follow-up report to the National Performance Review, Access America, Vice President Gore has called for an intergovernmental pilot test of common benefit and service delivery across multiple Federal and state agencies. We are forming an interagency effort to explore how best to build access to all forms of Government benefits, from education loans to Veterans benefits, through common, inter-operable EBT systems. We plan to pilot such expanded service delivery through smart card systems next year to provide customers with secure "one-stop" shopping for all levels of Government benefits and services, regardless of the mode of access.
While card technology is an important part of electronic commerce, other technologies are also pushing the effort. In particular, web technologies, taking advantage of the communications technology of the Internet, are promising to revolutionize how Federal agencies procure and pay for products and services. The growth of electronic catalogs and electronic malls will allow buyers to rapidly find products that provide the best value for taxpayer dollars. The General Services Administration has been a pioneer in electronic catalogs. GSA Advantage!, launched in the fall of 1995, provides buyers the capability of searching across multiple GSA catalogs to compare and purchase a wide variety of products. By the end of fiscal year 1997, GSA expects to have all GSA schedules available through GSA Advantage!. GSA Advantage! allows buyers to search for products using multiple criteria and buy using a purchase card instead of going through the paper procurement process.
Other Federal agencies are following GSA's lead and putting their contracts on the Internet. Over the next few years we expect that the Federal Government will have a "virtual mall" where buyers will be able to search across multiple catalogs from both Federal and other sources to buy products.
To take advantage of these new technologies and a broadened vision for electronic commerce, the Federal Government has created a new electronic commerce management structure. Last summer, John Koskinen, OMB's Deputy Director for Management, sent a letter to GSA requesting that the agency take a broader role in implementing electronic commerce across the Government. In response, GSA and OMB, working with the Department of Defense (DoD), Treasury, and other agencies, formed the Electronic Processes Initiatives Committee (EPIC).
The EPIC is a subcommittee of the President's Management Council and is chaired by John Koskinen. Other members include senior managers from Defense, Treasury, and David Barram, GSA's Administrator. The EPIC, formed to provide high-level vision and direction to the Federal electronic commerce program, began meeting in January 1997. Two EPIC task forces have been formed- one on card technology and another dealing with buying and paying. The task forces will be developing strategies, launching pilots, and working actively with Federal agencies, state and local governments, and the private sector to enable the Federal Government to quickly take advantage of the latest commercial technology and practices.
In addition to the EPIC, GSA has formed an Electronic Commerce Customer Advisory Board and co-chairs an Electronic Program Office with DoD. These two groups help provide a broader buy-in and focus to help support the work of the EPIC.
Before I close, I would like to bring to your attention one other area where your leadership and support would be helpful. Several years ago, Congress passed the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), which brought many needed reforms to the Government's acquisition processes. One part of FASA was the Federal Acquisition Computer Network (FACNET). FACNET was envisioned as a virtual network where public broadcasts of requests for quotations and vendor responses could be achieved through a single face with common standards and commercial technologies. It was felt that FACNET would be a panacea to small businesses because they could go to a single place to obtain information on Federal procurement opportunities in the simplified range ($2,500-$100,000). Because of a variety of reasons, not the least of which is newer technologies, FACNET has fallen short of its intended vision. Recognizing this, we have worked with OMB and DoD to develop new legislation that will modify the FACNET provisions of FASA and allow agencies more flexibility in achieving electronic commerce while retaining critical single face and interoperability needs. This new legislation was recently sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee as part of the Defense Authorization. We recognize that this is currently a Senate bill but we ask for your support for this provision when the House and Senate get together on the final DoD bill.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak on electronic commerce. As you know, electronic commerce is a dynamic area that promises to provide numerous benefits to the Federal Government, and its citizens and business partners in the years to come. GSA will keep you informed on developments in the Federal electronic commerce implementation and we thank you for your continued support.


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http://www.eliterestaurantequipment.com/winco-sheet-pan-rack-alrk-20.html http://www.eliterestaurantequipment.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/265x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/w/c/wcalrk20.jpg ALRK-20 Winco
Winco ALRK-20 - Sheet Pan Rack
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We have one goal in mind: provide food service professionals with all the products they need under one roof at affordable prices. Since then we have succeeded in creating an innovative, easy to use website that meets the needs for food service professionals throughout the United States and Canada. Food service experts, programmers, developers, content writers, technical support staff, and warehouse employees work together to make certain that we provide the best service and industry knowledge on the web.
Return Policy: All stocked items may be returned to us if the item has not been used and is in original packaging. In order for returns to be accepted, your items must be returned within 30 days from receipt. Please note when placing an order you agree to our return policies. Please contact a customer solutions specialist before returning an item. We will create a return authorization for you and send you an e-mail with instructions on how to complete the return. You will be credited 24-72 hours upon receipt and inspection of returned product(s). Products returned may be subject to restocking fees. All parts are non-refundable.
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Quick Overview
Whether you are in the food service industry is baking, catering or a full-service restaurant, an aluminum pan rack is an invaluable, light-weight method for storing and food products. This Winco Sheet Pan Rack [ALRK-20] is a durable yet easily maneuvered pan rack. Five inch casters are included with this model which features all-aluminum construction with tray slides welded to vertical posts. Holds up to 20 pans without taking up much room. Perfect for walk-in freezers or catering. Overall this is a quality product with an unbeatable price.
Product Description
|Ship Weight:
|36.60 lbs.
|Base Material:
|26"L x 20.25"W x 69"H
|20 pair
|18" x 26" Pan Capacity:
|Load Direction:


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UK cinemas to show Wimbledon final in 3D
For once UK exhibitors won't be hoping for rain as Odeon and Showcase will screen men's final in 3D.
UK Odeon and Showcase cinemas will screen the men's Wimbledon tennis final live on Sunday afternoon. Vue is among other cinema chains to have the event listed on its website.
Odeon will screen the event at 16 of its venues, including Odeon Covent Garden, Swiss Cottage and Wimbledon in London, Cardiff, Manchester (Printworks), Newcastle East and Belfast.
Exhibitors will be hoping British semi-finalist Andy Murray can become the first British male finalist at the tournament since 1938. And for once, they will also hope it stays rain-free for a few hours.
"It's the next best thing to being there in-person," said Drew Kaza, evp of digital development for Odeon Cinemas. "In fact, it might be better than being there live…it's a fantastic opportunity to get one of the best perspectives possible and as close to the nail biting action as the ball boy or girl or back judge on court. The scale of the action on the big screen is not to be missed - the ball seems to jump off the screen at times and it gives you a new appreciation for how tremendously gifted these players truly are."
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Soquel Doctors
Find Soquel doctors who are part of Northern California's Sutter Health network. Sutter Health is committed to your individual needs and includes a wide range of world-class hospitals, experts and medical groups throughout the region.
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A simple but essential part, the drain cock (or valve) threads into your tank(s) and allows you to drain the tank(s) of water and moisture. Most are 1/8" or 1/4" male NPT and have either a knurled-style knob or wing nut to open/close the valve. Since most are brass or steel, they will rust over time and should be replaced as soon as they start to leak. Be sure to drain the tank after every extended use, as it can save your expensive tank from developing leaks.
1/4" x 50 Ft Noodle Air Hose with Coupler and Plug
$40.13 $25.95


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I am now just realizing that I need more rings in my life. After wearing the big sparkly one I bought at Aldo Accessories I know I need more! Call it a budding obsession with statement rings.
But, everyone should have at least one statement ring. If you don't, then you have no idea what your outfit is missing.
In fact, while doing a little bit of ring browsing online, I came across a few rings that caught my eye. Rings that need to be on my fingers soon!
They were in various simple, yet bulky stunning shapes and angles. Most are from ASOS and Topshop and are designed to stand out. I love the minimalist designs.
The Abstract Cut Out Ring from Topshop ($20) is HOT! Which one is your favorite?


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Father: George Valentine Morgan b: 14 FEB 1850 in Wright Co., Missouri
Mother: Malvina Robert Stith b: 7 JUN 1844 in Meade Co., Kentucky
Marriage 1 J.M. Shaw
RootsWeb.com, Inc. is NOT responsible for the content of the GEDCOMs uploaded through the WorldConnect Program. If you have a problem with a particular entry, please contact the submitter of said entry. You have full control over your GEDCOM. You can change or remove it at any time.


text: Given all of the queries about manbags (totes, duffles, top-handled cases, messenger bags, backpacks, etc.), I thought a single, relatively comprehensive thread in which we could share the brands about which we have some knowledge might be useful and, over time, could develop quite well. It could be a companion to this thread, which has pictures: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=98796 Please add your favorites! FORMAT: To keep it organized, please list the brand name first (preferably underlined or bolded) along with pros and cons, so far as you see it. Critiques/counterarguments or other ideas could be quoted in subsequent posts by others. Also, try to give an idea of pricing for standard bags. For example: The Famous/Infamous: Prada:: ($750-2000) PROS: Full men's collection each season, in addition to "standards" that fit every variety from messengers to totes to briefcases. Bags starting with "V" or "VA" in the model number usually from luggage or men's collections and generally better quality than others, with better hardware and leathers. Also follows seasonal trends and can often be obtained at discount. CONS: Absurd retail price and must-see-it-in-person quality variations. "Entry Level" items have very low quality and crappy hardware. As well, sometimes styling is garish with too many logos. Also MANY fakes floating around, so buying on ebay or discount locations NOT recommended unless you know the brand well. Avoid "LUNA ROSSA" like the Plague!!! FINAL VERDICT: Still one of my go-to brands; I've had probably 15-20 Prada bags since the mid 1990's. Louis Vuitton ($1000 and up) Pros: Excellent construction and durability, for the most part. Leathers are good, canvases get better and softer over time. Also, if you have issues with the bags, they are generally good about fixing/replacing them for your. Cons: Retail price, which is dumb to the point of being a joke. Styling can be garish, especially with logos. Recent popularity has meant more bags being produced, which means there will be more "mistakes." Also, WAY too many fakes out there, so only buy from reputable sources. LV doesn't have regular sales, so a "NWT" bag that is 1/3 retail is almost assuredly fake. FINAL VERDICT: Too expensive, too "bling-y," too high-profile. Occasionally get a bag here and there, but not a "go-to" for me. Gucci ($750-$2500) Pros: Some nice styles, sometimes, especially in the more "classic" areas and in older bags from Tom Ford's tenure. Cons: The new designer there makes really, really ugly shit. Quality is also quite low, in general, with top-tier prices. They make good stuff sometimes, though, but CAVEAT EMPTOR. FINAL VERDICT: I really don't even look at Gucci anymore, sadly. A/W 2004 was the last stuff I bought. Hermes ($2500 and up) Pros: It's Hermes. It's superlative. You can't complain about anything, except that sometimes the styling can be dowdy. Cons: You can't afford it. Sorry. Neither can I. Even on sale. FINAL VERDICT: When I marry a rich Baron who loves me and will give me an allowance of $150K per month, I'll buy Hermes. Dior ($500-2000) Pros: Simple, dark, classic styling. I really like Dior styling, overall. Cons: Construction is usually really quite shitty. My friend who used to work for Dior Japan never recommended to anyone in private that they buy Dior, if they planned to use it for longer than six months. This isn't an absolute, of course, but in general be wary as you may not get the use you'd expect from spending $1000 on a bag. FINAL VERDICT: I've been disappointed with the longevity of all 3 or 4 items I've owned. Won't make the same mistake again. Fendi ($700-2500) Same pros/cons as Dior, though the styling can sometimes be garish to the point of making you go, "WtF?" FINAL VERDICT: Same as Dior. Givenchy ($800-2500) PROS: Unique styling, good quality leathers and linings, under-the-radar logo that is distinctive, but not garish. CONS: Variability between items and insane retail prices. Some are made in France, Italy, and Spain (these are very nice). Others are made in Morocco, Turkey, and Eastern Europe (these are so-so). Finally, some are made in China (these are cheap and crappy, though priced absurdly high). Unfortunately, it is often hard to tell which is which at first glance. FINAL VERDICT: If you can handle/see the bag in person, often the items are beautiful. Ordering blind, though, can be VERY risky and not recommended. I also wouldn't order from Yoox, because they don't mark clearly which item comes from which line. Salvatore Ferragamo: ($700-2500) Pros: Seasonal items, especially, are very low key, "sophisticated" without being boring. Large distribution network that lets you find them on sale OR easily repaired by them in the case of damage. Branding ranges, but often seasonal/runway items have very low-key logos. Cons: Hilarious retail price w/ sub-par hardware and materials for that retail. For $1500, you don't want crappy zippers or very thin lining or straps. GOOD on sale, not at retail. FINAL VERDICT: I can get them generally for good prices on sale, so I pick them up fairly regularly and use them for work. Bottega Veneta $1000-and up. Pros: Beautiful, simple, relaxed styling with luxe leathers and materials. No overt logos and an overall understated, no-nonsense approach to design. Beautiful color pallete, too. Cons: expensive as hell, sometimes the quilting/patterns can go overboard. Sometimes leathers TOO soft/smooshy and so can be difficult to keep clean or in good shape, if you are rough of your bags. Overall assessment: I love BV and where Maier has taken the brand. If you can afford it, go for it. In addition to their famous "quilted" patterns, also check out their very sturdy and hardwearing "Marco Polo" line of luggage. Coach ($400-1000) I see nothing to recommend, sadly, especially with the high pricepoint and abysmal construction and attention to detail. I wouldn't even put it on my list of brands to review, unless I happened to come across an older bag.


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The 1904 Fiat sitting in the LeMay: America's Car Museum lobby, is not only old, but it also contains all of its original parts from when it rolled off the manufacturing floor 108 years ago.
The metal, paint and even the leather seats are original, which makes it a one-of-a-kind uber vintage car in a world where many "classic cars" are largely rebuilt or pieced together from parts of several cars.
The Fiat Company was formed at Palazzo Bricherasio in 1899, taking its name from an acronym of Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, which is Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. The car maker got into the racing world from the start, developing cars with little regulations that lead to bare bones chassis with performance engines to keep weight down and increase speed.
The 1904 Fiat, with its 60-horsepower engine, was introduced to meet the demand of rich export markets, including America, since it had a large number of would-be drivers who wanted style.
Designed to a high standard of luxury in every detail, it was welcomed by American coachbuilders such as Quimby and Demarest. It was originally equipped with a four-cylinder engine block, which was later replaced with a six-cylinder engine block that delivered five more horsepower and was manufactured at the plant in Corso Dante.
The car on loan to the ACM is owned by Bob Sullivan.


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Second kitchens are not new. Before the days of air conditioning, homes with basements sometimes had kitchens downstairs to use during hot weather. If there was no basement, you could find a cook stove off the back porch.
Fast-forward to today and you discover fashionable outdoor kitchens. This trend provides masonry product producers a new market, as contractors still use cast-in-place concrete but want to expand textures and move away from imitation.
Tom Ralston, of Tom Ralston Concrete in Santa Cruz, Calif., recently became a licensed masonry contractor with the goal of incorporating rock and maximizing the natural look of concrete. When homeowner John Hogan asked for a unique backyard design for a kitchen barbeque, Ralston created a curvilinear installation that included a concrete countertop for the kitchen, a textured concrete pool deck with a spray of flagstone running through it, and pool and spa copings with a sand finish.
"The problem with stamping concrete patterns is that it can become a poor imitation of what it is trying to look like," says Ralston. When building a countertop, the question is how to make it artistic, not merely a stone imitation. Ralston created a 2-inch-thick engineered countertop using his own mix design.
Cast upside down, the countertop has integral black concrete against each end and leaves an open center. He then placed polyethylene sheeting to form an irregular border for the black concrete before placing a mix of white portland cement.
Ralston's coloring techniques include using eyedroppers and straws to precisely place liquid color for a truly random pattern. In larger areas, he loads brushes with stain and "trapezes" color through the concrete, melding it with additional color to avoid a contrived look.
Concrete masonry block forms the walls that support the barbeque and enclose the refrigerator. A concrete overlay with a scratch coat beneath provides the vertical surface color and texture. He finished the surface using sandstone color hardener with a weathered sage release agent that was textured with a slate skin.
He faced the spa walls with vertical flagstone resting on a concrete footing. The pool coping, the spa cap, and the wall cap surface had a wash of muriatic acid to reveal the color hardener's fines, creating a little sparkle and grit.
Ralston jointed the main 4-inch-thick concrete patio deck slab for crack control except under the flagstone, where the reinforcement prevents cracks from reflecting through.
A 5x5-foot slate grid pattern imprinted into the concrete ties all the elements together with sandstone and weathered sage colors. He sealed the concrete work but left the flagstone in its natural weathered state.
— By Jeanne Fields, a freelance writer and owner of Fields Marketing, Douglas City, Calif., providing services to the decorative concrete industry.


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In MS Word, what's the difference between Ctrl + U and Ctrl + Shift + W?
Give up?
The answer is one little word: spaces.
Let me explain.
I'm sure you all know that Ctrl + U will underline text, spaces and all like this:
In contrast, the Ctrl + Shift + W will underline only the text, like this:
See how the spaces are not underlined?
There you have it, in a word, the difference is the spaces!
~ April


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LISTEN: Janelle Monae covers David Bowie for Pepsi ad
Listen to Janelle Monae on iHeartRadio
Janelle Monae is putting her spin on David Bowie's classic "Heroes."
Janelle's rendition is a part of her Pepsi Max "FutbolNow" commercial that's being used to promote the upcoming 2014 World Cup in Rio De Janeiro.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, the R&B singer reveals she didn't have any nerves about covering "Heroes" because she says, "Bowie knows what's up!" She says the two have a "mutual" respect for one another, and she also has a supporter in his wife, supermodel Iman.
Janelle adds that the music legend is "part of [her] musical DNA in so many ways," and that she tried to record her version of "Heroes" as if she was hearing it "in [her] dream."
Check it out below:
Photo Credit Getty Images


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Washington : Government Printing Office
|Chap. 171
|Percival H. Glenn.
Page 555
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to issue to Percival H. Glenn a patent in fee to the following-described lands, known as allotment numbered 2368 on the Crow Indian Reservation, Montana: The west half of the southwest quarter of section 3, lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 and the southeast quarter of section 4 and the west half of the northwest quarter of section 10, township 4 south, and the east half of section 33 and the west half of the west half of section 34, township 3 south, range 27 east, Montana principal meridian, containing nine hundred ninety-six and twenty-four one-hundredths acres.
Approved, June 28, 1951.


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As previously stated, the finished 14,400 drawings were miraculously free of damage and their conservation needs were stabilization and housing. Because storage space is at such a premium at the Library, a housing solution that would provide proper support for the individual drawings while minimizing expansion was desired. The Conservation Team designed individual folders made of 2-ply mat board covered with a translucent paper. 25 drawings would be housed in a custom sized clam-shell box. The folders were designed to provide the support necessary for the drawings since flexing of the paper resulted in loss to the brittle opaque white material. The translucent paper covering the drawings would provide a smooth surface next to the friable graphite and prevent smearing while allowing for easy viewing of the cartoon. All materials proposed for storage were tested for quality by the Preservation Research and Testing Division. A few drawings would require more extensive treatment such as pressure sensitive tape removal, backing removal, consolidation and white lead conversion prior to their housing.
The collection of roughs presented another level of conservation challenges. Their condition and inherent poor quality would require an enormous investment of resources in order to allow for access. It was decided to provide the basic level of stabilizing treatment and housing until such time as the resources are available to digitize the collection.
« Previous: Background | Next: Treatment and Housing »


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Mines ranked No. 2 for undergraduate internships
GOLDEN, Colo., March 8, 2011 – U.S. News & World Report has ranked Colorado School of Mines second among 81 national universities in the percentage of bachelor's degree recipients who have worked as interns during the course of their education. Experiences provided by internships can greatly contribute to successful job searches.
In a cooperative effort among students, employers and the Mines Career Center, Mines students have a wealth of opportunities for real-world applications of their studies prior to graduation. Internships are usually paid, not-for-credit jobs held full-time during the summer and/or part-time during the academic year. The jobs typically provide technical experience relevant to students' majors.
Of Mines' 620 students who earned bachelor's degrees in 2008-2009, 84 percent reported at least one, and in many cases multiple, internship experiences.
"This percentage is a true reflection of how focused, proactive, and incredibly talented the Mines students are. Furthermore, it is a testimony to the strong collaboration between the Mines faculty and Career Center staff in promoting the importance of all recruiting and professional development activities to the student body," said Jean Manning-Clark, director of the Mines Career Center.
Listed first by U.S. News, the University of Pennsylvania reported 90 percent of its graduates in 2008-2009 had taken part in internships. Others listed in the top 10 are American University at number three, followed by Seton Hall University, Duke University, Fordham University, University of Pittsburgh, George Washington University and Johns Hopkins University.
The average internship participation among the 81 national universities who provided data to U.S. News was 32.8 percent. For more information see the full report.
David Tauchen / 303-273-3088 / firstname.lastname@example.com
Marsha Williams / 303-273-3326 / email@example.com
Karen Gilbert / 303-273-3541 / firstname.lastname@example.com
Marsha Williams / 303-273-3326 / firstname.lastname@example.com
Karen Gilbert / 303-273-3541 / email@example.com


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Richard Dawkins: The Making of a Scientist
The Commonwealth Club
Wednesday, October 9, 2013 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (PDT)
This program is sold out.
Evolutionary Biologist; Author, The Selfish Gene, The God Delusion and An Appetite for Wonder: The Making of a Scientist
In conversation with Kishore Hari, Director, Bay Area Science Festival
Dawkins has been central to the debates surrounding creationism, intelligent design and religion. He coined the word meme, and his gene-centric view of evolution helped popularize the radical new understanding of Darwinism.
From his early childhood in Africa to his educational awakening at Oxford, Dawkins shares his personal experiences that shaped his remarkable life and intellectual development.
Time: 6:15 p.m. check-in, 7 p.m. program, 8 p.m. book signing
Location: Santa Clara Convention Center Theatre, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara
Cost: General admission: $25 non-members, $15 members, $10 students (with valid ID).
Premium (priority seating and copy of book) $55 non-members, $45 members.
What is the refund policy?
All ticket sales are final. We do not offer refunds.
The Commonwealth Club is the leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues.
In order to purchase these tickets in installments, you'll need an Eventbrite account. Log in or sign up for a free account to continue.


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Carbon Tracker a Powerful New Tool to Track Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide by Source
March 21, 2007 - Scientists from the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory announced today a new tool to monitor changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by region and source. The tool, called CarbonTracker, will enable its users to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to reduce or store carbon emissions.
The online data framework distinguishes between changes in the natural carbon cycle and those occurring in human-produced fossil fuel emissions. It also provides verification for scientists using computer models to project future climate change. Potential users include corporations, cities, states and nations assessing their efforts to reduce or store fossil fuel emissions around the world.
"NOAA encourages science that adds benefit to society and the environment. CarbonTracker does both," said retired Navy Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "Increasingly, observations of the Earth are demonstrating a remarkable impact on our understanding of human and natural systems. We are transitioning this understanding gained from intensive research into operations that benefit the environment and the economy."
CarbonTracker distills an accurate assessment of greenhouse-gas increases or decreases. The resolution will increase to observe differences in concentration on finer geographical scales over time as data become available. Using the limited data that currently exist, the model can characterize emissions each month among U.S. regions, such as the West or the Southeast. As the observation network becomes denser, however, policymakers will be able to check the CarbonTracker Web site to compare emissions from urban centers. For instance, the resolution will be fine enough to determine the difference in net emissions from Sacramento as compared to San Francisco.
CarbonTracker's initial applications are primarily for scientists, and to attract new partners in NOAA's efforts to expand greenhouse gas observations in the United States and globally. NOAA and its partners are encouraging the addition of new monitoring sites around the United States and around the world to increase the resolution of point sources. Ultimately, the site will provide easy-to-use information on local scales for policymakers, business leaders, teachers and the public.
"CarbonTracker's potential is enormous," said Pieter Tans, head of the NOAA Earth System Research Lab's Carbon Cycle Greenhouse Gases group, who developed the tool. "We are moving into an era where emissions could have a price tag. If carbon trading, emissions reduction and sequestration schemes become more common around the globe, society will need the ability to compare their relative value. Accurate and objective information on changing atmospheric concentrations will be essential for both research and impact assessments."
Until now, scientists have relied on limited direct records of atmospheric carbon dioxide, mainly from remote locations. Also, previously available computer models could not maximize the utility of the information derived. Only analyses of very broad global patterns of carbon dioxide emissions and uptake were possible. Estimates of local carbon emissions have used proxy data, such as reported point-source inventories, gasoline sales records, and other tallies from energy organizations and nations monitoring greenhouse gases, but there has been no way to verify what was actually released into the atmosphere.
CarbonTracker uses many more continuous observations than previously taken. The largest concentration of observations for now is from within North America. The data are fed into a sophisticated computer model with 135 ecosystems and 11 ocean basins worldwide. The model calculates carbon release or uptake by oceans, wildfires, fossil fuel combustion, and the biosphere and transforms the data into a color-coded map of sources and storage "sinks." One of the system's most powerful assets is its ability to detect natural variations in carbon uptake and release by oceans and vegetation, which could either aid or counteract societies' efforts to curb fossil fuel emissions on a seasonal basis.
"Only the atmosphere itself can give us the real answer on all sources and sinks," said Wouter Peters, who led the development of CarbonTracker at the NOAA Earth System Research Lab and also is affiliated with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences. "This information will be critical. How atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases change in the future is one of the key uncertainties in the global climate models and the biggest driver behind climate change."
NOAA collaborates with partners in France, Australia, Brazil and other nations to measure greenhouse gases globally. Through a longstanding collaboration, Environment Canada has provided a quarter of the data for North America. However, the global network is still sparse. Using today's data, the system can distinguish surface emissions on a broad scale, but plans are underway to refine observations and modeling of carbon sources on much smaller scales.
The NOAA Earth System Research Lab is the only institution measuring atmospheric greenhouse gases globally and provides more than half of the world's data. The network includes individuals gathering air samples in flasks that are then shipped to the Boulder, Colo., lab for analysis, aircraft carrying automated samplers to grab air from higher altitudes, and sensors atop tall towers transmitting data via telephone.
CarbonTracker is a NOAA contribution to the North American Carbon Program, a multi-agency effort to quantify, understand and predict the continent's carbon cycle. CIRES is a partnership between NOAA and the University of Colorado.
NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is celebrating 200 years of science and service to the nation. From the establishment of the Survey of the Coast in 1807 by Thomas Jefferson to the formation of the Weather Bureau and the Commission of Fish and Fisheries in the 1870s, much of America's scientific heritage is rooted in NOAA. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of the nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
More Information
- NOAA CarbonTracker
- NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory
- More NOAA News Stories
Media Contact
Anatta, NOAA Research, (303) 497-6288


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What is included in this decision aid?
In this decision aid, you will learn about:
- How osteoporosis increases your risk of breaking a bone.
- The dangers of breaking a bone.
- How and when your doctor will test you for osteoporosis.
- Medicines that can lower your risk of breaking a bone.
The information in this decision aid will prepare you to talk with your doctor about keeping your bones healthy.
At the end of this decision aid, you can save and print out both an Information Summary of this decision aid and a Summary of Medicines to take with you when you talk with your doctor. These summaries will help you decide with your doctor which treatment option is best for you.


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Bassett 52S53SL 15X12 D-Hole Lite 5 on 5 3 In BS Silver Beadlock Wheel
Click image to enlarge
Please note the following about this product:
- Ground Shipping Only - Can't Ship Air.
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What's in the Box
InfoBassett combines their proven 8 D-Hole center design with proprietary 15" diameter lightweight spun form rim shell and ultra tough beadlock kit for the lightest, strongest beadlock wheels on the market. The beadlock utilizes 100% spun-form rings. Spun-form shells and rings are stronger, lighter and have less runout than our competitors' roll-formed beadlock wheels.Another important feature is a true measured width. Many beadlocks on the market are actually wider than reported, creating a stagger problem on the right rear corner of a dirt race car. The beadlock also uses 18 high grade bolts, which prevent premature wear and air leaks. Available in widths from 8" - 15" wide.
The following must be considered when using Bassett wheels for on highway / street use applications when the wheel/tire assembly is being balanced. Bassett Wheels are lug centric, which means they are built off of and must be balanced using the bolt circle and NOT the wheel center hole. Improper use of a tire balancer that centers the wheel on the hub bore, not the bolt circle will result in an incorrect reading for rim runout, as the center hole is not in the perfect center of the bolt pattern. The only machine capable of performing a lug centric balance is the Hunter GSP 9700 with the flange plate bolt circle adapter and no centering cone.


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Thodos Dance Chicago Presents A LIGHT IN THE DARK, THE STORY OF HELEN KELLER AND ANNE SULLIVAN, 2/16 & 3/2
Award winning choreographers Ann Reinking and Melissa Thodos are teaming again to co-choreograph A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, their second full-length contemporary story ballet, this time telling an intimate family story about the extraordinary woman who was deaf and blind yet went on to become a world-famous writer, political activist and inspiration to all.
A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan is an equally powerful yet more intimate, family-friendly follow-up to Thodos Dance Chicago's recent success with The White City: Chicago's Columbian Exposition of 1893, a Reinking/Thodos collaboration that told the story of Chicago's legendary 1893 World's Fair through contemporary dance,and wasnamed "Best Dance 2011" by the Chicago Sun-Times. In fact, the same White City creative team is returning to collaborate on A Light in the Dark, including composer Bruce Wolosoff, who is creating an original score exclusively for this new work, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Christopher Kai Olsen, who will create a behind the scenes film, dance legend Gary Chryst, who will provide rehearsal and stage direction, Nathan Tomlinson, TDC's resident lighting designer, and Nathan Rohrer, TDC's resident costume designer. Characters in A Light in the Dark include Helen Keller, Helen's mother (Kate), Helen's father (Arthur), Helen's brother (Philip), Anne Sullivan, Anne's brother (Jimmie, who died young in an asylum), and Anne's students at a school for the blind where she taught before becoming Helen's teacher.
A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan will be the first act of Thodos Dance Chicago's Winter Concert 2013, which also will boast a second act featuring the new work Rest is Not Always Possible by west coast choreographer KT Nelson, Co-Artistic Director of ODC Dance Company in San Francisco, another world premiere by TDC founder and artistic director Melissa Thodos titled Subtle Passages, and a reprise ofLullaby by Brian Enos,guest choreographer for TDC's recent New Dances 2012 choreography performance series.
Thodos Dance Chicago's Winter Concert 2013 will be presented in two Chicago-area venues, first tonight, February 16, 2013 at 8 p.m. at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Boulevard in Skokie. Tickets are $36-$46. Student tickets will be available with a valid ID. For tickets and information, call (847) 673-6300, or purchase tickets online at northshorecenter.org.
TDC will reprise its Winter Concert 2013 Saturday, March 2, 2013 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 East Randolph Street in downtown Chicago. Tickets are $30-$60. Student discounts will be available. Purchase tickets to the Harris performance via phone at (312) 334-7777, or online at harristheaterchicago.org.
More about A Light in the Dark, the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan: Through contemporary dance, A Light in the Dark tells the story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan, specifically revealing how Anne, Helen's teacher, led her from a state of almost feral wildness into education, activism and intellectual celebrity.
Helen Keller was born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. It was not until she was 19 months old that she contracted an illness, possibly scarlet fever or meningitis, that left her unable to see or hear. Anne Sullivan, herself visually impaired and only 20 years old, was hired in March 1887 to become Keller's instructor. Immediately upon arrival, Anne began to teach Helen to communicate by spelling words into her hand, beginning with "d-o-l-l" for the doll that she had brought her new charge as a present. At first, Helen was frustrated because she did not understand that every object had a word uniquely identifying it. Her big breakthrough in communication came the next month, when Helen realized that the motions her teacher was making on the palm of her hand, while running cool water over her other hand, symbolized the idea of "water." Helen then nearly exhausted Anne demanding the names of all the other familiar objects in her world. It was the beginning of a 49-year-long relationship, in which Sullivan evolved from teacher into governess and then eventual companion, while Keller went on to become a world-famous speaker, author and advocate for persons with disabilities, amid numerous other causes.
According to Ann Reinking, "The story of Helen Keller inspired me because human miracles inspire the soul. Naturally I thought of Melissa, our past creative collaborations, and her incredible ensemble of dancers when I wanted to take the idea of telling Helen Keller's story through dance from mere concept to reality."
Melissa Thodos added, "As part of our research while creating A Light in the Dark, Ann and I travelled to the Helen Keller National Center on Long Island where persons who are deaf and blind are in residence to learn new life skills and how to navigate with their disability. We spent an entire day at the center with its staff, an interpreter, and its residents and came away with a deeper understanding of the deaf/blind community and a fueled passion for the development of our new work together. In addition we learned personal information about both Helen and Anne that has proven invaluable as we create and set this new work based on such an inspiring American story on Thodos Dance Chicago's talented ensemble."
Note: Thodos Dance Chicago has created an experiential education outreach component targeting school and community groups that will link the story of Helen Keller, A Light in the Dark and contemporary dance to spur discussion about disability awareness.
Ann Reinking is a Broadway and film veteran, a Tony Award-winner for Best Choreography for the 1997 Broadway revival of the Bob Fosse musical Chicago, and a Tony nominee for Best Actress (Goodtime Charley, 1975), Best Featured Actress (Dancin', 1978) and Best Director (Fosse, 1999). Her work on Chicago has also honored her with the 1996 L.A. Drama Critics' Award, the 1997 Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics' Circle Award, as well as the Astaire Award. Her previous work in the city of Chicago include the world premieres of The White City in 2011, Fosse Trilogy in 2009, Rossini Recess - What Dancers Would Do If They Still Could Go Out and Play in 2007, and CAUTION: Side Effects in 2004, all for Thodos Dance Chicago, as well as choreographer of Pal Joey at the Goodman Theatre in 1988 and 2001's Kander & Ebb premiere of The Visit, also at the Goodman. The Visit was revived again in the spring of 2009 at the Signature Theatre in Washington, DC. She was raised as one of seven children in Seattle, WA. She started ballet lessons in sixth grade and as a teenager won a Ford Foundation scholarship to study with the San Francisco School of Ballet and a second scholarship to study with Robert Joffrey. Following high school she moved to New York where she began her extensive career with the Corps de Ballet at Radio City Music Hall.


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Sunshine Coast Skydivers are located in Caloundra, just an hour north of Brisbane
on the sparkling Sunshine Coast of Queensland, Australia. We provide an
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There's absolutely no better way to see the Sunshine Coast!
You are in the safest of hands with our friendly and expert tandem masters
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Safety is our number one priority and our equipment is certified and up-to-date.
Check out this awesome skydive video to get you pumped for your skydive:
7,000ft skydive for $298 or 15,000ft for $448
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- Sunshine Coast Skydivers t-shirt
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* An additional $7 fee is attached if postage is required. All products can be picked up from our office.
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