text:
Home Stimulation for Brain-Asphyxiated Infants
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00006516
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : November 22, 2000
Last Update Posted : September 26, 2016
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Hypoxia, Brain Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain
|Behavioral: Infant stimulation
|Phase 2
Although the incidence of brain injury in infants is only 2 to 5 per 1000 births, the legal and medical costs, the developmental delays, and the impact on the family are profound. Twenty to 30% of survivors of brain injury have some long-term neurologic sequelae.
This randomized controlled trial will enroll 120 term and near-term neonates with a history of asphyxia to 1-year of a standard follow-up program (provided by the Los Angeles Regional Centers) or a home-based intervention program (Utah State University's Developmental Curriculum and Monitoring System, CAMS). The experimental intervention will include individualized cognitive/neuromotor stimulation given by the child's parents under the guidance of public health nurses. Following the intervention, measures will be used to determine functional capacity (Bayley II scale and neurologic examination), behavioral outcomes (HOME and NCAST by developmental specialists), and maternal outcomes (including parent-infant interaction and perceived stress). Infants will be assessed after the 1-year intervention by psychologists and physicians masked to the intervention. Functional MRI brain studies will be conducted at discharge and 18 months of age at UCLA to assess qualitative and quantitative sensorimotor representation. Secondary outcomes include care stress and social support as reported by parents, and demographics and medical factors obtained from the hospital records.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Estimated Enrollment :
|120 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Neuroplasticity of Brain-Asphyxiated Infants: Efficacy of Intervention
|Study Start Date :
|September 1999
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|August 2004
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|up to 1 Month (Child)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria
All of the following criteria must be met:
- Gestation age (GA) at birth >= 28 weeks
- Discharged to home care with parent or other guardian who has legal authority to give informed consent
- Greater than 10th percentile for GA at birth using the scales according to Lubchenco, Hansman, and Boyd from Pediatrics 1966 volume 37 and Battaglia and Lubchenco in the Journal of Pediatrics 1967 volume 71
- Jewelry in pierced body parts can be removed
- Mothers > 17 years old
- Recruited within 60 days of EDC (estimated date of conception)
Two or more of the following must be met:
- Intrapartum distress as determined by placental abruption, thick meconium staining of amniotic fluid, sustained fetal bradycardia of heart rate < 100 beats/min, or late or absent heart rate variability
- Profound metabolic or mixed academia as determined by umbilical artery pH < 7.0, base deficit of > 10 mEq/L or pH < 7.1 and base excess greater than 14 mmol/L within 72 hours of birth, Apgar score < 5 at 5 minutes or beyond, or need for positive pressure ventilation resuscitation for > 1 min after birth
- Neonatal neurological manifestations such as seizures during hospital stay, lethargy, hypotonia or hypertonia, stupor, flaccidity, or decerebration
- Multiple organ system dysfunction
- Abnormal EEG, CT scan, or MRI consistent with hypoxic or ischemic brain insult
Exclusion Criteria:
- Infants of substance abusing mothers (ISAM)
- Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)
- Infants requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the neonatal period
- Hearing or visual impairment
- Congenital cyanotic heart disease with cyanosis and requiring PGE infusion. Children with minimum cardiac structural anomalies (e.g., PDA or VSD or peripheral pulmonary stenosis) will not be excluded from the study.
- Congenital abnormalities of the central nervous system such as congenital hydrocephalus
- Grade IV intraventicular hemorrhage requiring ventriculo-peritoneal shunt (VP shunt)
- Trisomy 13, 18, or 21, or Fragile X
- Metabolic encephalopathy from inborn errors of metabolism (e.g. PKU, OTC)
- Metal or wire mesh implants, pacemaker implants, cochlear implants, orthopedic surgical wires or implants
- Status epilepticus
- Ventilator dependent at discharge
- Infectious meningitis
- Encephalitis with radiological evidence of severe cortical or severe hemispheric destruction
- Silastic catheters, broviacs, or Hickman port home TPA
- Infants who may not be available for the duration of the study
- Any infant who in the opinion of investigator has no potential to benefit from the intervention (e.g., children with prenatal herpes meningitis, severe cortical destruction, mother does not follow up with the intervention or with the follow-up appointments)
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00006516
|United States, California
|University of California at Los Angeles
|Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095
|Principal Investigator:
|Meena Garg, MD
|University of California at Los Angeles
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00006516 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
1R01HD038600-01 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|First Posted:
|November 22, 2000 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|September 26, 2016
|Last Verified:
|May 2011
Keywords provided by Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD):
Neonatal brain injury
Brain Hypoxia
Cerebral Hypoxia
Brain Hypoxia-Ischemia
Brain Ischemia-Hypoxia
Cerebral Hypoxia-Ischemia
Cerebral Ischemia-Hypoxia
Environmental enrichment
Cognitive/sensorimotor stimulation
Parent-infant interactions
Prenatal hypoxia
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Hypoxia, Brain
Brain Ischemia
Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain
Pathologic Processes
Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory
Signs and Symptoms
Brain Diseases
Central Nervous System Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Cerebrovascular Disorders
Vascular Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases


text:
Lil BEdit
Lil B is the best character in Def Jam Icon and the strongest. His strengths is that he got all of the bitches. His finishers are to fuck your bitch and the Ter Ter Blooken
I feel like Ellen
Right hand Ellen
Big blank rang
But I feel like Usher Raymond
Put me on the couches
Interview my girlfriend
Swag, swag, swag, swag
Brang-dang-dang your girlfriend
Girlfriend look like Ellen
Chain like Degeneres
"Damn Lil B, you done came up!
Now you touring heavy and your show costs 30 Gs
Damn BasedGod, you doing everything"
And I still swag harder
Iced-out ring real big like a charger
Yeah, he tight, but I'm swagging harder
See me on the Internet, 10 million Youtube
950 MySpace, 10 million MySpace
Young BasedGod met a girl off of MySpace
Now I'm on TV like Ellen Degeneres
"30 thousand for his show: oh he's so generous!"
[Verse 2]
See me on set at 10 o'clock
Practicing my lines, swag to the tenth
Backstage pass, VIP pass
Iced out ring, Iced out chain
Ellen Degeneres, you're so generous
Everybody shows up, everybody loves you
30 thousand Showtime, 20 thousand maybe
Ellen Degeneres: mamis go crazy
Name's Lil B but the girls call me Swayze
See me at the show, hair cut like a baby
Ask a hundred girls if they know what my name is
Lil B BasedGod, Ellen's so famous

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Kathryn J. Snyder, 81
Kathryn J. Snyder, 81, of Champion, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, at Renaissance North.
She was born July 25, 1931. in Punxsutawney, a daughter of the late Dallas Milliron and the late Lucy Burkett Milliron.
She married Ronald Snyder on June 7, 1950.
She attended the Church at Warren and loved her church family.
She was employed as a press operator at Packard Electric for 20 years.
Kathryn was a God-loving woman, and she had a very gentle heart.
She was very proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was always interested in what was going on in their lives.
She had a caring nature, which showed in her prayers and giving to those in need.
She also loved her furry friends and had many through the years.
If there are birds in heaven, she'll be feeding them.
She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her daughters, Linda (Ralph) Masters of Farmdale and Tina Snyder of Mineral Ridge; a son, Michael D. Snyder Sr. of Champion; a brother, Dallas (Darlene) Milliron II of Punxsutawney; a sister, Helen (Homer) Enterline of Punxsutawney, 10 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ronald D. Snyder, who passed away on June 13, 1998; a son, Kenneth Snyder; a daughter, Vicki Meardith; a sister, Evelyn, and her twin sisters.
Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, at Carl W. Hall Funeral Home in Warren, Ohio.
Friends may call from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb, 21, 2013, at the funeral home.
Entombment will be in Crown Hill Burial Park.
The family requests that material contributions be made to the charity of the donor's choice, in Kathryn's memory.


text:
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text:
2016 Best of The Back Mountain
2017 Best of The Back Mountain
College Hoops Quiz
Form Default
Healthy Eating Quiz
Home Maintenance Quiz
New Years Resolution Quiz
Puppy Quiz 2015
Stadium Food Quiz
Test Your Lawn Care IQ
Thanksgiving Quiz 2015
Valentines Day Quiz
What breed of puppy is perfect for you?
What Halloween Candy are You?
What Season Are You?
What Should You Get Mom For Mother's Day?
Who said it Baseball Edition 2016
Who's Your TV Mom? 2016


text:
2008-12-24 / Columnists
Pets, Pets, Pets
The "Twelve Dogs of Christmas" highlight some happy endings of the year (courtesy of folks working together), one for each month; a microcosm of all the joy and sadness that happens at shelters everywhere. This list promises not to mention partridges, turtle doves or French hens. The 5 golden rings have already been melted down to generate more moola for rescue. Start singing:
•January-"Lucky" was not so lucky. This 9 year old Smooth Fox Terrier suffered from the "Lady& the Tramp" syndrome"- New baby came; he was shipped to the shelter. After an extended stay, he moved to the Last Hope Dog Center where he was adopted by a volunteer. Soon after Lucky and his new Mom Terry were in the TV audience during Martha Stewart's "rescue dog" show.
* February-"Jack Daniels" didn't realize timing is everything. This Beagle pup was turned into Babylon Shelter while I was celebrating at the Best In Show Brunch with the Westminster winner, Uno the Beagle. "Jack Daniels" also became a Last Hope dog, now cherished by new owners.
•March- "Charles" a frightened Newfie mix puppy foraging in St. Charles Cemetery was captured in a humane trap by the cemetery staff and his Good Samaritans feeders, taken to Babylon Shelter, then to Last Hope Dog Center. He now relaxes in a happy home with several other dogs.
•April- "Blaze" the Fugitive Feist (think-Jack Russell) showed up with his leash tangled in a N. Amityville shrub. Babylon Shelter traced his microchip to an ecstatic owner in Atlanta. Her pet sitter had lost him 6 months before. How he got from Georgia to LI remains a mystery. We were able to fly him home with Air Tran at LaGuardia giving our pup the VIP treatment and "comping" his ticket. "Blaze" also appeared on Ch 12 News.
•May- "Don", a lemon & white English Pointer, almost the reincarnation of "Sensation" the Westminster Kennel Club emblem whose 1887 grave I been searching for in Babylon, came into Oyster Bay Shelter as a rambunctious stray. After a transport to the Statue of Liberty, Don went to a wonderful foster home in Ithaca via Pointer Rescue where he learned canine etiquette, then to a forever family.
•June- "Toy Poodle Trio" - SPCA seized lots of neglected tiny dogs from an E. Northport breeder and held them at Huntington Shelter. Many people wanted to adopt them but placements were held up by litigation. By the time, the dogs were available, the media attention and crowd had dissipated. Poodles lingered at the shelter. "Renoir, Matisse and Cassatt" went to Last Hope; 2 were placed together and the other as a single pet.
* July -"Jessie" is an older German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP)) discovered the day we went to look at the Toy Trio. Via Last Hope again, Jessie joined a family with another GSP who wears a life jacket when he goes boating.
* August-"Edgar Afghan Poe", one of the 67 traumatized Afghan Hounds seized from a hoarder in New Mexico, is the new handsome man in my life. Along with 6 siblings, Edgar was flown to LI by Afghan Rescue for triage. He fits perfectly with my pack where his new Afghan and Cavalier sisters are helping him become a not-so-neurotic New Yorker.
•September- "Mama Mia" a Pitbull raised 9 puppies at Babylon Shelter, saw them "leave the nest" and then waited for months for a home of her own. She waited months more at Last Hope, but patience paid off. Mia now resides with her male clone-"Riley" and loving pet parents.
* October- "Paco", the Chihuahua rode the "Babylon line" to Last Hope. Little Paco had an intermittent limp that didn't seem to bother him. X-rays revealed a stoic pup with multiple injuries most likely from a close encounter with a car. After an orthopedic specialist
redesigned his leg and hip, we held a surgery fundraiser fiesta called "Pesos for Paco" at a Mexican restaurant. The guest of honor wasn't invited. Paco was already settled in his new home in Massachusetts.
•November-"Latte", a terrified Brussels Griffon mix wandered around Wheatley Heights for weeks. A kind school bus driver noticed her on her route and tried each day to catch her. Then Babylon Shelter set a humane trap. Latte was re-christened "Lucy" when Last Hope's dog coordinator Letty adopted her.
•December- "Lima", a loving Boston Terrier puppy had been an impulsive pet store purchase passed around a family that had no time for her. She was surrendered to a town shelter. This highly adoptable dog cried out for the best possible home. Gary Berg, a director of Boxer Angels Rescue- www. boxerangelsrescue.com, is truly an angel to all smooshed faced breeds. He has helped so many from LI and NYC. (Note: last spring Gary adopted "Archibald", a Pug puppy from the same shelter. He cured a skin condition. Shortly after a congenital liver issue surfaced, fixed with mega-money specialist surgery. Price tag: Paco times two. Re-named "Archibucks", the Pug has joined Gary's household.) This time Gary placed Lima, the "Boston bean", with a special owner in NJ- a quadriplegic artist, who paints by mouth. The painter's 24/7 caretaker will help him provide for his new canine companion.
I lied. More than a dozen dogs are mentioned above. Merry Christmas.
•Coming adoptable attractions for 2009- additional links in the Babylon Town Shelter/Last Hope chain: "Felicia" a 6 week Chow mix puppy was discovered nestled in a tiny feral cat shelter when TNR (Trap/Neuter/ Return) volunteers were feeding their colonies in Wyandanch. If unclaimed at Babylon by an owner, Felicia will become a Last Hope dog, as soon as she's spayed via the shelter. To inquire about fostering or adopting "Felicia", call 631-957-0023.
Saint Bernard sisters were turned into Babylon Town Shelter (631-643-9270) Lamar St. W. Babylon. The pretty girls are two-and-a-half years old and would do well with breed experienced homes. So far, "Brandi", the more outgoing Saint, has moved to Last Hope (www.lasthopeanimalrescue.org) while "Flower" is still in Cage 45 at the shelter. "Flower" needs some TLC and reassurance before she has a parade of volunteers leash walking her in an unfenced area, especially during the holidays.


text:
Cookies and Cream Pie
0.0/5 rating (0 votes)
- Category: Desserts
- Print Recipe
- 1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup marshmallow crème, such as Marshmallow Fluff
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1⅓ cups lightly crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos (about 12 cookies)
- Optional: Cool Whip or whipping cream to top pie
- 2¼ cups finely crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos (about 24 cookies)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For crust: In a medium bowl, stir together crushed cookies and melted butter until combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until set, approximately 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
For filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and marshmallow crème at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. In a medium bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form, approximately 4 minutes.
Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture; stir in crushed cookies. Spread filling into cooled crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Top with sweetened whipped cream and cookie before serving, if desired.
Recipe courtesy ofTaste of the South
Rate this recipe
0.0/5 rating (0 votes)


text:
stroix needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 51 designs submitted by 15 freelance designers.
Nachle Express, Inc.
We are a new upstart company and we are looking for a bold and expressive logo for a Dance Competition we are organizing with some of the best college dance teams performing cultural dance styles. There will be special acts by professional dance teams, comedians, and singers. The message we are trying to send is that we are a professional, yet an exciting dance and song entertainment company that is a fresh, new, bold, and colorful Event holder in the city of Chicago.
We are targeting the people from the ages of 15-65 in the Chicago-land community. We want people of all ages to excited about the competition. We are also seeking the support of small and big businesses in the community.
1. We would prefer a round emblem with design on the inside of it and "Nachle Express" in the emblem. Please provide a matching text separately also. Please display the logo as a package so I could see how it translates as letter head, promotional fliers, posters, and envelopes.
2. The colors red and black would look nice, but please don't hesitate to use other colors of your choosing and be creative!
Please avoid anything "rainbow" like or clip art designs.
3. The logo should be something bold, expressive, professional, and modern.
4. Should have some 3D aspects to it, so that it stands out on a busy poster or fliers. You may use a glossy finish that is not overdone.
5. "Nachle" means to dance and "Express" means a train, please keep in mind.
This is to give an idea to get you started, however we are looking for something more detailed: http://alturl.com/zfpm
It is not necessary to have dancers on the logo, but something general with the train theme would be appreciated.
Please provide art work in 300 DPI, either in photoshop (.psd) or illustrator (.ai). We would also require a CMYK print ready version. Provide fonts used when possible.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
Lansing has a handful of fantastic, inconspicuous eateries, and Jose's Cuban Sandwich & Deli is on that list.
Housed in a gas station at the corner of Kalamazoo Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, Jose's has been serving up sandwiches since February. Owner Jose Antonio Vivanco, who was born in Lima, Peru, has been in the restaurant business for 20 years.
"I've always had that little dream of owning a restaurant," Vivanco says. "I just thought it would be when I was old and retired, but it happened now."
Barely visible from the street, Jose's is situated inside the Marathon station that opened, closed and re-opened again within the last couple years.
The location suits Vivanco well for now; his goal, based on experience in the restaurant business, is to grow slowly, to make sure each sandwich is made the way his customers want and expect, and to build his reputation primarily through word of mouth.
"We haven't done very much advertising at all," he says.
The deli's cuisine may be inspired by an island 90 miles south of Florida, but Vivanco is hoping to spread a variety of Latin-American flavors throughout the area. Most of his seasonings rely on garlic, cumin, pepper and chilies, among other typically South American ingredients, and he's willing to try new ideas and combinations all the time. Each week, Jose's features a special sandwich, sometimes Latin-inspired, sometimes not. Last week, the brie chicken ($5.25), combining the soft, flavorful cheese with onions, cilantro, guacamole and chicken, sold well.
"I want to do more Latin-inspired specials, but it depends on how well they do," Vivanco says.
The medianoche — "the midnight" — ($4.95) is a prototypical Cuban sandwich. Vivanco spreads a bit of mustard and mayo onto one side of a sandwich bun, followed by a layer of Swiss cheese and onion. Roasted pork comes next, followed by a healthy slice of ham. It's the flat grill press — a plancha — though, at the end that flattens, gently toasts and warms the sandwich through that gives it a truly Cuban flair. It's a hearty sandwich with a tangy bite.
All of Jose's sandwiches are pressed in a similar manner, from the turkey to the ham and egg. The Caribbean chicken is another Latin-inspired creation Vivanco first introduced as one of his weekly specials. A delicious blend of chicken, onion, lettuce, tomato and Swiss cheese is taken one step further with creamy avocados turned into a guacamole spread. You might get a tad messy eating it, but only because it's so hard to put down once it's started.
Much of Jose's business comes from deliveries as the location it's in now cannot accommodate seating. It gets some walk-in traffic from the neighborhood, and passersby who want a bite to go, but, more often than not, Vivanco finds himself and his small staff heading toward Eats Lansing, where students and university employees crave his sandwiches for lunch and dinner.
One sandwich that sells particularly well around campus is the buffalo chicken wrap ($5.19). It's a Latin touch to the seasoning in the buffalo sauce, Vivanco says, that gives this particular wrap its character.
Like his sandwiches, his wraps are flattened and grilled, too.
Vivanco has even found ideas suspiciously similar to his own appear on other menus. Dining out one evening not long ago, Vivanco noticed a menu item that appeared to be a slightly modified remake of his artichoke dip chicken sandwich with jalapenos.
"Not many people will do that kind of sandwich," he says with a forgiving smile.
Daily combo specials ($6.25-$6.50) include any sandwich or wrap and some combination of rice and beans, salad, fresh-baked cookies, cheesecake, potato chips or soda. Pork or chicken platter specials ($6.95) suit a stronger appetite, and catering is available for larger groups as well.
Amid a culinary landscape that offers assembly line sandwiches every other mile from dreary franchise after franchise, Jose's is a breath of fresh air, even inside a gas station.
"People tell me they can taste that I put a little bit more love into my sandwiches," Vivanco says.
Jose's Cuban Sandwich & Deli
401 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing
11 a.m.-10 p.m. or later Monday-Friday
Noon-8 p.m. or later Saturday & Sunday
(517) 862-8420
$, TO, D, OM at josescubansandwich.com


text:
Articles June and proofreading
Budżet £250-750 GBP
articles June, proofreading
Przyznany użytkownikowi:
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text:
Contemporary Jewish Labor Campaigns: The Labor Movement Begins at Home
Explore contemporary Jewish labor campaigns on issues such as the living wage and the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights, and analyze how and why Jewish organizations are advocating in solidarity with oppressed workers.
Enduring Understandings
- Mechanisms for protecting the rights of laborers found in the Classical Jewish tradition continue to serve us in the contemporary Jewish world.
- As employers, employees, and consumers, we are all engaged in labor relations and responsible for making sure working conditions are fair.
Essential Questions
- What does Jewish tradition teach about fair and unfair working conditions and why everyone should be concerned, regardless of whether they experience harsh working conditions themselves?
- In what ways do unfair labor practices violate basic human rights and what approaches are currently being used to abolish them?
Materials Required
- Copies of the Improvisational Acting Guidelines, the introductory essay on the domestic worker campaign and the Living Wage Teshuvah, and the Lesson 8 Document Study: Jewish Sources on Labor for each student.
Notes to Teacher
In this lesson, students will learn about two contemporary labor issues that look at labor relations "at home" (both within the home and within the Jewish community) and why and how Jewish organizations are working in solidarity with oppressed workers. Students will use classical Jewish sources, as well as primary and secondary sources, to create contemporary labor "before" and "after" improvisational (improv) scenes. It's important that students understand that being concerned about and responding to these social problems is not uniquely Jewish —domestic workers and low-paid workers have allies in many different communities. However, as Jews, we and our students can make use of traditional texts to remind us of our responsibility for these problems and their resolution. It's also important for students to understand that while they themselves may not be victimized workers (although young employees are often subject to worker abuses), they may be witnesses to or beneficiaries of unfair, abusive, and illegal employment practices. For example, the cleaning staff in their school may be paid less than a living wage even if they are paid minimum wage; and the nanny looking after the kids next door may not be given a day off every week.
This lesson will work well in conjunction with Lesson 4, as both lessons look at the role of contemporary Jews as potential allies of workers. In addition, we refer you back to Lesson 2 for materials about origins of Jewish working women in the labor movement.
Additionally, Lesson 2 walks students through the process of writing their own personal work manifestos which will allow them explore their principles and intentions for their work lives. This activity could be a good way to wrap up Lesson 8 and to tie the larger themes and struggles of the labor movement to a piece of students' individual experience.
Introductory Essay(s)
Contemporary Jewish Labor Campaigns: Introductory Essay
Throughout history, Jews have been in the roles of both workers and employers, working alongside Jews and non-Jews and employing Jews and non-Jews. Yet about a third of the way through the twentieth century a significant economic and cultural shift took place in the American Jewish community. Whereas the majority of Jewish workers until the 1930s and 1940s had been skilled and unskilled "blue collar" laborers, after the 1930s and 1940s the majority of Jews became "white collar," professional workers. While Jews weren't the only immigrant group to experience this shift, it marked a profound change for the American Jewish community. Often within just one generation, the level of education achieved among many Jews, the professional status accessible to them, and the standard of living it afforded Jews as a group increased substantially. Parents who worked in the factories and shops of the Lower East Side were able to see their children go to college and move into the professional class.
In some fields, becoming white collar workers meant moving away from the labor movement, since many white collar professions are not unionized (with the major exceptions of teachers, writers, and some engineering jobs). However, many of the children of unionized, blue collar workers retained the values about fair treatment of workers that they had learned from their parents. Even those without personal union experience often remembered that they had been taught never to cross a picket line and retained a sense of collective solidarity with all workers.
In 21st century America, Jews fall on all sides of debates about labor and the role of unions. Many still feel a sense of Jewish identification with the labor movement, even if they are not personally involved with it; some advocate specifically as Jews on behalf of oppressed workers today. Others, however, do not feel that the historic relationship between American Jews and the labor movement has any relevance to labor conditions today and to their own position within labor relations.
Many of today's Jewish labor activists—whether they are religious or secular—recall not only their historical predecessors but also the texts of the Jewish tradition that address fair labor practices. For example, Deuteronomy 24:14 and 15 state: "You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger in one of the communities of your land. You must pay him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets, for he is needy and urgently depends on it; else he will cry to the Lord against you and you will incur guilt." The Talmud discusses the meaning of work—whether or not some kinds of work are more valuable than others, for example—and the role of a place's custom regarding the treatment of workers. However, a dissenting opinion preserved in the Talmud suggests that even more important, perhaps, than the custom of the place can be "the inherent dignity of the workers [which can transcend] any entrenched customs."[1] If the custom of the place is ungenerous to or abusive of workers, the dignity of the workers may be the higher value to which employers should be held.
Two examples of contemporary campaigns in which Jews have advocated in solidarity with workers who are struggling against unfair labor practices are the campaign for a domestic workers bill of rights in New York State, and the campaign to support workers in the hotel industry. (See Lesson 4 for information about a similar campaign, which advocates on behalf of unfree agricultural laborers.) These are two industries in which immigrant (sometimes undocumented) workers predominate and in which workers are particularly vulnerable to the unjust demands of their employers. Here is the stated goal of the Shalom Bayit: Justice for Domestic Workers Campaign of Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ):
Since 2003, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice has been organizing employers of domestic workers and other allies in the New York Jewish community in solidarity with Domestic Workers United (DWU). In 2010, DWU and JFREJ won an enormous victory—the first ever Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in the country! It was a tremendous win not just for domestic workers but for women, immigrants, people of color, low-wage workers, the Jewish community, and many more. The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights victory is reverberating nationally and internationally, paving a road for dignity and recognition for all excluded workers. JFREJ's work organizing synagogues, rabbis, Jewish legislators, employers, and Jewish community organizations was instrumental in this landmark victory.[2]
In this campaign, JFREJ, a progressive organization drawing on a secular Jewish justice tradition, focuses on a labor issue that is literally "at home" in the Jewish community: the conditions of domestic workers. JFREJ's Shalom Bayit campaign seeks to improve conditions for domestic workers (e.g. housecleaners, nannies, home health aides) by educating their Jewish employers in ethical treatment and creating models for discussing and standardizing contracts that include a living wage, provisions for hours, vacation time, and sick and holiday leave. JFREJ also worked alongside Domestic Workers United to advocate for state legislation to guarantee basic work standards and protection for domestic workers, which was achieved in 2010. JFREJ's campaign focuses on educating and organizing the Jewish community, given them tools to create fairer employment conditions, rather than on organizing the domestic workers; the workers are doing this for themselves.
Similarly, in the campaigns to support hotel workers striving for more just working conditions, Jewish allies are targeting their fellow Jews who patronize those hotels, asking them to boycott hotels that treat workers unfairly and to let the hotels know that they will withhold their business until the hotels change their practices. They have also joined the workers on the picket lines to express their solidarity. The Jewish Labor Committee and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, for example, issued petitions and appeals to Jewish organizations to boycott Hyatt hotels until the hotels ceased unfair practices, such as using staff members to train new staff who then replaced them at a lower pay rate.[3]
Jews have also used traditional Jewish legal forms to encourage fairer labor practices within the Jewish community. For example, Rabbi Jill Jacobs wrote a teshuvah (responsum) regarding paying workers a living wage, and it was adopted by the Rabbinical Assembly of the Conservative movement.[4] Rabbi Jacobs argues that Jewish organizations need to do more than pay the minimum wage to employees in their hire, and she finds Talmudic support for going beyond the letter of the law regarding fair business practices. Rabbi Jacobs surveyed Torah, rabbinic literature and modern-day commentaries to propose standards by which Jewish organizations can determine whether or not they are paying their workers a living wage. Rabbi Jacobs's [lightbox:15065]teshuvah[/lightbox] reminds Jewish organizations to examine their own employment practices in light of Jewish values and Jewish law.
[1] Jacobs, Jill, There Shall Be No Needy: Pursuing Social Justice Through Law and Tradition (Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2009)108.
[2] Jews for Racial and Economic Justice website, "Campaigns" "Shalom Bayit: Justice for Domestic Workers" page, http://www.jfrej.org/shalom-bayit-campaign.
[3] The Jewish Chronicle online, http://thejewishchronicle.net/view/full_story/4977004/article-Jewish-Labor-Committee-calls-for-Hyatt-boycott?instance=news_special_coverage_right_column
[4] Jacobs, Rabbi Jill, "Work, workers and the Jewish owner," JSpot.org, May 30, 2008, http://www.jewishjustice.org/download/section72/Jacobs_Living_Wage_Teshuvah.pdf
Full text is now available online on the Rabbinical Assembly Website
Lesson Plan
Raising Awareness
Pose the following questions to students to stimulate interest in and get a sense of what your students know about the lesson's content. Some students may know a great deal about the topic and others very little. Give students time to write their answers to the questions, solicit their responses, and put the students' responses on the board.
- What kinds of working conditions might be considered unfair, unjust, or abusive?
- What does Jewish tradition teach about why we should we be concerned with those who suffer unfair working conditions?
- Do unfair working conditions affect you personally even if you're not the worker experiencing those conditions? Where do you interact with workers in your daily life?
- In what ways do unfair labor practices violate basic human rights and what methods are currently being used to abolish them?
- Who are some of the workers who may be most vulnerable to unfair conditions?
Allow students to share their responses without having judgments made about them, either by the teacher or fellow students. Responses may include such statements as "I don't care about unfair working conditions" or "I'm not responsible for working to abolish unfair labor practices." Students are more likely to see a role for themselves in solving these societal problems, or at least to come to appreciate society's responsibility for fair labor practices, if they are not put on the defensive for making such statements early in the lesson.
Have students read the Lesson 8 introductory essay and/or do an internet search for more information on the topics of domestic work and the activism of Jewish organizations on behalf of domestic workers and on the topic of the living wage. They can start by visiting the websites of Jews For Racial Economic Justice, and looking at A Living Wage Teshuvah by Rabbi Jill Jacobs. Be sure that students gather and understand the following information:
- Summary of the problems that domestic workers experience or of the issue of a living wage
- Why Jewish organizations are working on these social problems or what Jewish organizations are advised to do regarding paying a living wage
- What the organizations are doing to help workers and what adopting Rabbi Jacobs's recommendations would do for low-paid workers in Jewish organizations
Before and After Improv Scenes
- Explain to students that they are going to be working in groups to interpret and use the primary sources, which include both classic Jewish texts and a modern-day responsum written by Conservative Rabbi Jill Jacobs to create improv scenes about current labor conditions and how they are being addressed or might be addressed by Jews.
Create four groups of students, each with a minimum of two and a maximum of six students. Suggest the following roles to students as examples of whom they may choose to include in their scenes: domestic worker, janitor, home health aide, food service worker, Jewish organization personnel, employers of domestic workers, employer of shul cleaning staff, rabbis and synagogue leaders, and innocent bystanders like the students themselves who witness or benefit from the work being done. Explain that they will have 10 minutes to plan their scenes, and assign each group one of the following scenes:
- Domestic laborers before the establishment of a Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights
- Domestic laborers who have achieved a Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights
- Workers paid below a living wage
- Workers after their employer adopts the recommendations in the living wage teshuvah
- Read through the primary sources as a class and answer students' questions about the sources to ensure their comprehension. Explain to students that each group must use examples in their scenes from at least two of the primary source excerpts on their sheets. They can quote directly or paraphrase.
- Go over the Improv Acting Guidelines. You can give an example or two to demonstrate such concepts as being aware of and using props in the space, working with scene partners versus stopping the action or making a joke that makes the scene partner look bad, etc. There's no need to spend a whole lot of time on this, as students will likely have some experience with improv. Give students ten minutes to plan their scenes, reminding them to keep it simple and not to over direct it ahead of time.
Have students perform their scenes in the order suggested in the scene list above. Be sure that the groups watching do so respectfully and applaud those performing when they are done. After the scenes are over, lead a discussion about the concepts and values concerning Jews and modern-day labor issues that you and the students noticed in the scenes. Questions to pose to students can include the following:
- What does Jewish tradition teach about why we should we be concerned about unfair working conditions, even if it is not a problem we experience personally?
- In what ways do unfair labor practices violate basic human rights? What approaches are currently being used to abolish unfair labor practices?
- Why do you think formal guidance and rules about working conditions and payment (such as a teshuvah about living wage, or a Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights) might be necessary?
- In what ways can we act in solidarity with oppressed workers in our midst?
Document Studies
Jewish Sources on Labor
Jewish Sources on Labor
Exodus/Shemot 22:20
20 You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
Discussion Question
What is the implication for how Jews should treat non-Jews who are in their employ?
Leviticus/Vayikra 19:13
13 Do not oppress your neighbor and do not rob him. Do not keep the wages of the worker with you until morning.
Discussion Question
Why does this text compare not giving the worker his/her wages on the day the labor was completed to oppressing and robbing one's neighbor?
Deuteronomy/Devarim 24:14-15
14 Do not oppress the hired laborer who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your people or one of the sojourners in your land within your gates. 15 Give him his wages in the daytime, and do not let the sun set on them, for he is poor, and his life depends on them, lest he cry out to God about you, for this will be counted as a sin for you.
Discussion Questions
- Why is the hired laborer assumed to be poor and needy?
- How should Jewish employers treat workers working for them who are not Jewish?
Mishnah, N'darim 49b
Rabbi Yehuda used to go into the beit midrash (house of study) carrying a pitcher on his shoulders. He would say, "Great is work, as it gives honor to the one who does it." Rabbi Shimon would carry a basket on his shoulders, and would say, "Great is work, as it gives honor to the one who does it."
Discussion Question
What is the value given to work by Rabbis Yehuda and Shimon?
Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia 83a
תלמוד בבלי - מסכת בבא מציעא
We need [this statement] for the case in which the employer raises the workers' wages. In the case in which he says to them, "I raised your wages in order that you would begin work early and stay late," they may reply, "You raised our wages in order that we would do better work."
Discussion Question
What does this say about how employers should treat workers?
Excerpt from the Living Wage Teshuvah
2) Jewish employers are obligated to treat their workers with dignity and respect. This obligation should include, but should not be limited to, prohibitions against publicly yelling at, mocking, or otherwise embarrassing workers; forbidding employees from speaking their native languages at work; banning all bathroom breaks; changing work hours or adding shifts without advance notice; or making improper sexual comments or advances toward workers.
3) Jewish employers must pay their workers on time, according to an agreed-upon schedule, and may not pay workers with bad checks. Employers must pay workers for the full time worked, including mandatory preparation and clean-up hours. Employers who hire workers through a contractor should make every effort to ensure that these workers are being paid on time.
4) Jewish employers may not knowingly put their employees' lives at risk by failing to provide appropriate safety equipment and training, or by knowingly forcing workers to work under dangerous conditions.
5) Jewish employers should strive to pay workers a "living wage"… When deciding among the options available, employers should not select a wage level that, while technically considered a living wage (according to a local ordinance, for example), is so low that employers know that workers will certainly need to take on additional jobs, and/or to endanger their health by working an excessive number of hours.
6) In most cases, unions offer the most effective means of collective bargaining and of ensuring that workers are treated with dignity and paid sufficiently. Jewish employers should allow their employees to make their own independent decisions about whether to unionize, and may not interfere in any way with organizing drives by firing or otherwise punishing involved workers, by refusing workers the option for "card check" elections, or by otherwise threatening workers who wish to unionize. When hiring low-wage workers or engaging contractors who supply low-wage workers, Jewish employers should strive to hire unionized workers when possible.
7) The principle of dina d'malkhuta dina obligates Jewish employers to comply with federal labor laws, even when these laws are inconsistently enforced.
8) Jewish employees are obligated to work at full capacity during their work hours, and not to "steal time" from their employers. Jewish union leaders should similarly strive to ensure that workers uphold the halakhic obligations of employees to employers. The ideal worker-employer relationship should be one of trusted partnership, in which each party looks out for the well-being of the other, and in which the two parties consider themselves to be working together for the perfection of the divine world.
Discussion Questions
- Can you find any influences from Torah or Talmud not already cited on these pages that support Rabbi Jacobs's recommendations?
- What are the implications from Rabbi Jacobs's teshuvah for Jews' responsibilities to help domestic workers and unfree workers?
Excerpts from "Who Cleans Your House?"
When Jews hire people to do household jobs—anybody who cleans, cooks, does the laundry, cares for children or elderly parents—we are the ones who represent a privileged class, with funds to hire help. Jews today are generally wealthier and better educated than most other Americans. But the widespread practice of having "help" goes all the way back to our grandmother's day, when even Jewish families in modest circumstances very often had cleaning ladies, perhaps because the wages for domestic work were so low that even working-class families could often afford this small luxury… Our relationship with the women who work in our homes is still inherently an unequal one… And it's time to talk openly about the relationship between Jewish women and "the help" (almost always female) we employ in the intimate settings of our own homes and families, especially in the context both of the global discussion of immigration laws and the more local desperation of working mothers juggling many needs. According to Domestic Workers United, virtually all domestic workers today (and "domestic workers" is the term they prefer) are immigrants, the vast majority of them undocumented, which makes it all too easy for employers to exploit them, wittingly or not. The good news is that there's movement to encourage Jews to treat those who work for us with fairness…
Money, of course, is a real issue. Many domestic workers are badly paid. According to Domestic Workers United, some day workers receive as little as two dollars an hour; some live-ins are paid 250 dollars a month. Domestic Workers United recommends a living wage of 14 dollars an hour. Even though labor laws technically protect all workers, documented or not, in reality the laws fail domestic workers. Domestics do not have the right to unionize, and most are undocumented immigrants, which makes them doubly vulnerable. These facts make it nearly impossible for them to demand such rights as health care, severance pay, paid vacation, sick days, notice of termination—all things that we would likely assume were due us if we were the employees ourselves. But how domestic workers fare depends entirely on the will, good or ill, of their employers…
[Gayle] Kirshenbaum [of JFREJ] described hosting a ["living room"] meeting at a home in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a neighborhood where a majority of the women pushing strollers on the streets look to be other than the babies' mothers. "There were perhaps 11 people there. We raised issues like the fact that if you go on vacation, you need to pay your domestic worker. And people said, but no, if I'm going away, I shouldn't have to pay."
"But then," Kirshenbaum continued, "I could see people shifting categories, for the first time. It was like light bulbs going on. These women had thought of their domestic workers as casual baby sitters, not as women who were counting on this salary to pay their own household bills. And now, they were suddenly realizing, 'We are employers and they are our employees, and of course I get sick leave, so why shouldn't they?'"
"There is no shame in hiring someone to work for us," Kirshenbaum said. "The only shame is in not treating them well."
Discussion Questions
- Why are domestic workers particularly vulnerable?
- What are the challenges associated with creating fair conditions between employers and domestic workers? Why?
- How does formalizing employment conditions in a contract change the situation of domestic workers? How might it change the situation for employers, too?
- Do you think the fair treatment of domestic workers is a Jewish issue? Why or why not?
Improv Acting Guidelines
Improv Acting Guidelines
Below are a few guidelines for creating believable and understandable improv scenes even if you've never acted before![1]
- IF YOU BELIEVE IT, SO WILL YOUR AUDIENCE. If you believe you are digging a ditch or scrubbing a floor, so will your audience. You just have to put it in your mind and body. If you believe yourself that you are actually doing what you are pretending to do, then your audience will have no trouble following your performance.
- KEEP IT SIMPLE. Keep your movements minimal enough so that your audience gets the picture and is not straining to understand what you are doing. While you should know that you are planting carrot seeds on a 40-acre farm in rural Georgia, all your audience needs to know is that you are planting seeds. Remember: be specific with your actions.
- COMMIT! If you are sewing shirts in a sweatshop, do not suddenly start playing a musical instrument. Finish what you start.
- CREATE YOUR PROPS AND DO NOT TRIP OVER THEM. If you need a table, allow there to be one in a particular place in the room. Do not forget it is there and walk through it when you get out of your chair and walk out of the room. If your scene partners create props like tables, be sure to remember where they are. If you walk through tables, walls, or bathtubs, your audience will not believe you.
- CREATE YOUR SPACE. If you are in a restaurant kitchen or an office suite, for example, be aware of your space: how large or small, how low the ceiling, is there a carpeting on the floor, and so on. Put imaginary props in the space to define it better.
- BE SPONTANEOUS. In improvisation there is no script. You know who you are, where you are, your relationship to the other players, and what the scene is about. Do not think about specifics; remember what the scene is about and make offers of dialogue, etc. to your scene partners and accept theirs.
- MAKE YOUR SCENE PARTNERS LOOK GREAT. Your scenes will be best if all of the players do their part and look good, so if someone offers you an imaginary cup of tea, take it and drink! Don't be a talking head; use as few words as possible with as much physical action as possible. Be respectful of scene partners' bodies: no rough shoving, hitting, or other hurtful actions. If you are trying to show an employer's abuse of an employee, be sure to do so without actually touching the person.
[1] Adapted from Lori Shaller, "Learning About Human Rights and Slavery," Rabbis for Human Rights – North America, http://www.rhr-na.org/documents/Slavery-Teaching.pdf
Teacher Resources
How to cite this page
Jewish Women's Archive. "Contemporary Jewish Labor Campaigns: The Labor Movement Begins at Home." (Viewed on December 18, 2018) <https://jwa.org/teach/livingthelegacy/labor/contemporary-jewish-labor-campaigns-labor-movement-begins-at-home>.


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Last month South Walton Fire District�s (SWFD) pension board of trustees received their annual actuarial valuation. While some may see a cause for celebration, hold the champagne. For the first time in six years, the pension fund is out of intensive care but barely.
The industry uses a pension�s �funded ratio� as a measure of well-being. An 80 percent funded ratio generally indicates a healthy pension; don�t put on your party dress, SWFD squeaks in at 80.22 percent.
Unlike many investment advisors, I support defined benefit pensions and our country�s drift toward defined contribution plans, a.k.a. defined chaos, portends a bad moon rising. Defined benefit plans simply require adequate funding or benefits will be unsustainable. You just have to eat your peas.
The SWFD�s board of commissioners will meet April 1 for an employee benefit/human resources review. No doubt someone will point out the pension fund earned roughly 18 percent from Oct. 1, 2011 through Oct 1, 2012 but, April Fools, the S&P 500 was up more than 30 percent over the same time.
Last year, fire district plan participants increased their deferral by 1 percent. With robust market returns and increased employee funding, the pension barely clears the 80 percent threshold. I�m not trying to bust the pension�s chops but when the market goes up people, smart people anyway, don�t reduce their 401(k) or IRA contributions.
Look on the report�s page 14 for a telltale sign.
The alleged good news relies on an 8 percent expected return, a dangerous fantasy. The retirement planning software we use, Moneyguide Pro, reduced projected returns last July per investment and retirement guru Harold Evensky�s analysis. The retirement planning community has long recognized Evensky, a noted author and Certified Financial Planner, for his acumen and insight. A Moneyguide Pro portfolio similar to SWFD�s pension allocation (60 percent) uses a 6.97 percent return. California projects 7.5 percent for their state�s pension plan (CalPERS). John Mauldin argues (February 12, 2013, Thoughts from the Frontline) a 5 percent discount rate more accurately reflects future returns for pensions.
Averaging the last three years, SWFD chalked up a 6.87 percent return, 14 percent lower than our expected return.
As logical as it seems to use a reasonable expected future return, no constituency wants change. An inflated return allows firefighters to continue the charade their plan is solvent while a realistic projected return means higher taxes, a policy staunchly opposed by the Walton County Taxpayers Association.
It�s ironic, dontcha think, to see the monetary stalwarts of the Walton County Taxpayers Association less fiscally conservative than liberal Californians. The firefighter union controls the pension board; if they continue their present policies, only bad choices will be available in the future.
Currently we over-project returns and potentially underestimate costs. While not an issue since the plan has a solitary beneficiary, as more retire cue Deep Purple�s Smoke on the Water �Some stupid with a flare gun burned the place to the ground.�
I have no antipathy toward defined benefit plans but they necessitate prudent funding, realistic assumptions and sound investment practices. In the wake of an economy on the mend and new highs on the Dow, the pension plan remains underfunded.
Buz Livingston, CFP offers hourly financial planning and fee-only investment management to clients along Florida�s Emerald Coast. Contact him at 267-1068, firstname.lastname@example.com www.LivingstonFinancial.net.


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15 April 2013, Kabul, Afghanistan - In a ceremony attended by Afghanistan's Minister of Finance, Dr. Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, twenty senior and mid-level civil servants from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) were inducted into the inaugural Executive Master's Degree Programme in Development Policies and Practices (DPP) in a ceremony held at the Ministry of Finance in Kabul on Sunday, April 15.
The event was attended by Mr. Alex Mejia, UNITAR's Local Development Programme Manager, who headed the mission to Kabul accompanied by Dr. Alexandre Domeier Freire, the Graduate Institute of Geneva's Director of the DPP Executive Master's Degree Programme. The joint endeavour between UNITAR and the Graduate Institute of Geneva, combines the capacity building expertise of UNITAR with the research-based academic training of the Graduate Institute. This unique degree programme, specially customized to meet the needs of the Afghan Ministry of Finance, was designed to enhance professional workplace skills while affording beneficiaries career mobility.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Mejia noted "I am very delighted and honored to be counterpart with the ministry of finance and to be part of the capacity development of MoF civil servants and as a whole to provide an opportunity to develop Afghan leaders through this programme." Each of the 20 incoming beneficiaries was presented with their acceptance letters by Dr. Freire who expressed his pleasure in welcoming Afghan beneficiaries into the joint UNITAR-Graduate Institute Master's Programme.
Designed for maximum engagement, the year-long training consists of three main modules and incorporates a mix of face-to-face and e-Learning courses, project-based thesis research and one-to-one coaching, and culminates in the granting of a degree in a graduation ceremony set to take place in Geneva in February 2014. Expressing his approval of the degree based training, Minister of Finance Dr. Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal said in his opening remarks: "I am very delighted to see the launching of Masters Programme for core officials from the MoF and look forward to a long term strategic relationship with UNITAR and the Graduate Institute of Geneva."
Photo: Afghanistan's Minister of Finance (MoF), Dr. Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal, seated in the center surrounded by the entering class of senior and mid-level civil servants from the Ministry of Finance. To the right is UNITAR Local Development Manager, Mr. Alex Mejia. Sitting to the left of the Minister if Dr. Alexandre Freire, the Graduate Institute's Director of the DPP Degree Programme.


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By Sarah Johnson Correspondent
Ferne "Rusty" Waskowicz has a special show of her artwork being displayed at The Gallery at The Orchards until March 28. The show is titled "Art in Stained Glass." The Gallery is maintained in the community room at the senior living complex. The Southington artist whose business is called Rusty Originals, retired from Connecticut Community Care and now pursues her art full-time. Rusty creates three-dimensional stained glass art on framed mirrors, as well as custom clocks with the glass. Jane White is helping to facilitate Rusty's show. She oversees the various gallery displays and is the manager of the space. "I wanted to display this art because it is so unusual," Jane said. "The three-dimensional glass is wonderful. Rusty's subjects appeal to all different types of people." And there are many subjects to her work. Rusty's mirrors play canvas for everything from bald eagles to nautical scenes to flowers and abstract symbols. "I am the only one I know who works in 3-D," Rusty said. "It's not all I do, though. I paint in oils and acrylics and also do pastel pieces." Rusty belongs to the Southington Arts and Crafts group, that meets once or twice a month at The Orchards. There are people who do quilting, painting and other hand crafts. "I was a member years ago and dropped out for some time. I just came back last year and now I am the recording secretary," Rusty explained. Rusty supports other local arts communities as well. She is a member of the Plainville Art League, where she is also the secretary. The group meets once a month at the Plainville Library, which regularly hosts its own art displays. "Last year, my eagle mirror piece took first place at the Plainville Art League's juried show," Rusty said. The process of working with stained glass is not something that comes naturally to everyone, but Rusty showed a knack for it during her very first classes, over 22 years ago. Her husband Don participates in the work, too. "I actually cut my finger the first time I tried to work with the glass," Don said. "So that was enough of that for me. Now I just build the frames that hold her mirrors!" Rusty buys her stained glass from Stella Pelegano at Pelegano Studio on the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike. But that's not even the first step in the process. Everything starts out on the drawing board, according to Rusty. She plans out which pieces can become three-dimensional against the mirror glass and how the pieces will be cut out of the stained glass. The pieces are numbered and transferred to tracing paper. These are pasted on to the correct color of stained glass with rubber cement. The purchased glass (bought by the square foot) is then marked with the shapes of the pieces needed for each object and cut with a hand-held glass cutter and cutter oil. A grinder is used to roughen the edges of the glass so it holds the joining foil. The oil is washed off each piece and the copper foil is attached to the glass edges on both sides using a pressing tool called a "fid." The pieces are then built up to make the object using solder and then cleaned. The lines of solder can be colored or given a patina. The process from there involves attaching the glass pieces to the mirror by cutting lines into it and painstakingly cleaning it afterwards. After all her years of working in her craft, Rusty isn't slowing down a bit. She is still taking commissioned requests for special mirrors, candle-holders, clocks and other home décor objects. She is also going to be participating in the "Because of 26" event in Southington on June 15. The event was the idea of two mothers whose children attend Plantsville Elementary School and who wanted to honor the 26 slain children from the Sandy Hook shooting. Twenty-six butterfly bushes will be planted along the Rails to Trails path. A mural will be painted on the path of 26 butterflies rising from cocoons, and Rusty will be one of the 26 artists creating a butterfly. Other artists looking to get involved can call Mary DeCroce at (860)621-6143. Rusty can be reached for more information about her work at email@example.com. "Everything in the show is for sale, except me," she laughed. Jane White can be reached to arrange a viewing of the Art in Stained Glass show at (860) 621-4424 or housescapeart@ netzero.com The phone number for The Orchards is (860)628-5656.


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He famously broke out of prison in a hijacked helicopter.
Now, John Reginald Killick faces a flight back to jail, after losing his fight against extradition to Queensland.
The 72-year-old was only released from a Sydney prison in April after serving more than 15 years for a series of armed bank robberies and a brazen jail-break in a helicopter hijacked by his then girlfriend Lucy Dudko.
Dudko commandeered the chopper at gunpoint in 1999 and had it flown into the Silverwater Prison exercise yard, where it picked up Killick amid cheers from inmates and gunshots from prison guards.
The pair was captured after 45 days on the run.
After his release from jail in April, Queensland authorities sought to have Killick extradited for a breach of parole in 1993.
Magistrate Janet Wahlquist on Thursday ruled that the transfer go ahead, dismissing arguments that the extradition request was an abuse of power and not legally valid.
"It's difficult for my family but look, I'm not without blame and we knew this was coming," Killick said outside Downing Centre court.
Killick was released on bail after Thursday's ruling and has been ordered to report to Queensland Police headquarters in Brisbane on May 8.
But his solicitor Eidan Havas expects a review of the extradition to be heard in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday or early next week.
If that fails, Killick may launch a further appeal in the Queensland Supreme Court.
Killick said there was no chance of him reoffending and said he'd go to Queensland if the reviews fail.
"Everything that I did ... it all happened last century," he told reporters outside court.
"I'm not the same person - I'm older and wiser."
Asked if he thought the authorities should give an old bloke a rest, Killick replied: "It'd be nice."
He faces another two and a half years in jail for the 1993 parole breach, though it remains unclear how much of that he'd serve.
Mr Havas said he expected Killick would be released on parole almost immediately after reporting to Queensland authorities.
"Which is why I'm kicking and screaming as to what a waste of taxpayers' dollar this is," he added.
Prosecutor Kellie Chessor opposed Killick's bail and asked that he be immediately taken into custody and extradited to Queensland.
She said the fact he escaped jail by helicopter should not be dismissed as "historical and trivial".


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Ron Bingham
As you said in your post – awesome. I believe going good is not just possible, but a part of my business plan. And what I'm talking about is that what I want to be doing is generating revenue while doing good for others. I personally use my business as a platform for doing good. I do appreciate the comments in this post. Thanks.


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Topic Title: Epic Grill
Created on January 2, 2013 at 08:22 PM
James R
I'm thinking about buying an Epic. I understand that the bottom shell is made out of aluminum and will resist rust and corrosion. My grill will be under a shelter so I'm wondering what kind of life expectancy I should see out of this grill. Should I spend the extra $200 on the Apex? I want a grill that will last me a very long time. By the way, I had a Holland many years ago and it lasted about 12 years before it rusted out. I was very satisfied with the grill.
Tom Kirkman
My guess is that the Epic, cared for as you mention, will last a long, long time. However, in for a penny in for a pound. Buy the Apex. You're going to like this grill and will find yourself using it quite often. The Apex takes little bit longer to heat up, but holds heat better and will save you money on propane in the long run. It will also be with you even longer than the Epic will.


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Camby market haul
That chair has so much potential for awesomeness. I quite like the pretty detail of the tacking too, adds a bit of a feminine, lacy touch.
I also bought a couple of bunches of leucadendrons for a project I'm slowly working on...
And the bowls.. they're lovely too! I bought a similar chair, and LOVE it! I thought about replacing its orange vinyl(!) but somehow it's found a place in my heart! There's a pic here http://www.devonred.com/2/post/2010/12/benchairs.html
okay, i have MAJOR chair envy! awesome find!
I was out walking this morning and found a chair on the side of the road! I carried it home hehe. Will need some lovely upholstery fabric for it soon.... : )
Perhaps you were a Satin Bowerbird in a past life? Collecting blue thing for the nest :) Love the shape of the chair. Proteaceae are fav with me too & can't wait to see what you do with the leucadendron (art-wise).
love ink and spindle and i so love all the flea marketing on your blog (as a fellow addict) yes- magpies and bowerbirds unite! these chairs rock!
you must have amazing taste. I'm in a native flower phase right now. these are gorgeous.


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Lancaster Super Speedway will host the Huey Knight Benefit Race on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Huey Knight, who has been ill this year, has been around Lancaster Super Speedway almost since the time it was built, some 60 years ago.
He has worked on many race cars over the years.
Huey even raced some, and for several years he drove the LSS wrecker.
Huey moved down the straightaways with the door open, saying it gets the air flowing inside the wrecker.
Ross Bailes of Clover, has many feature wins at Lancaster Super Speedway, be it in a crate late model, a limited late model, but now he is a super late model winner.
Bailes scored his first "super speedway" win with his No. 87 Bailes Construction entry after scoring a lap 11-lead over Rock Hill driver Ben Watkins, the Carolina Clash series point leader.
Watkins, who along with Chris Ferguson of Mt. Holly, N.C., each lowered the previous track record of 18.422 seconds set by Jared Landers in March 2012.
Mitchell Duvall won the highly anticipated River Wars race for the Deal 1 SECA Crate Sportsman main event Saturday night at Lancaster Super Speedway.
Ricky Greene and "Mr. Excitement," Travis Payne, were the front row, and when the green flag fell, it was Payne, Green, Mitchel Duvall and Trey Tarlton battling for the lead entering turn one.
Exiting turn two, Payne led, while Duvall was on his back bumper.
Scott Barrett made it two straight, taking the M&M Garage Extreme 4 main event Saturday, Aug. 29 at Lancaster Super Speedway.
The front row had David Laney and Scott Barrett, and when the green flag dropped to start the main event, it was Laney, Barrett, Adam Bowers and Chris Baker battling for the lead.
Barrrett led exiting turn two, while Laney chased. As the laps ticked off, Barrett extended his lead over Laney.
The Limited Late Models, a fan favorite, return to highlight action Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Lancaster Super Speedway.
To date in the Limited Late Models, the "Rock Hill Bad Boy," Ben Watkins, has posted two wins, while track veteran Timbo Mangum has one victory.
The Limited Late Model Division has been providing great car counts during the 2015 racing season at LSS.
Lancaster Super Speedway action featured a wild night of racing at the half-mile oval Saturday, Aug. 22.
In the Faith Funderburke Realty Super Stock main event, the front row was Brandy Baker and Johnny Starkey.
When the green flag dropped to start the race, it was Baker, Starkey, Joseph Engelbrecht and Joseph Richardson battling for the lead entering turn one. Exiting turn two, Baker, Starkey, Engelbrecht and Andy Hodges battled for the lead.
Lancaster Super Speedway is set to host six divisions of racing, headlined by the SECA Crate Late Model Division on Saturday, Aug. 22 at the half-mile oval.
The Saturday night racing card will feature the SECA Crate Late Models, Faith Funderburke Realty Super Stock, Deal 1 Auto Sales SECA Crate Sportsman, Cauthen Motors Renegades, U.S. Bonding Vintage and M&M Garage Extreme 4.
After the wild and exciting night last Saturday evening at LSS, anything is possible to happen this week at the track which is in its 61st season.
Robbie Helms captured an exciting win in the Cauthen Motors Renegade main event at Lancaster Super Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 15.
Andrew Baker and James Marion were on the front row for the Renegade race.
When the green flag waved, it was Andrew Baker, Marion, Brandy Baker, Russell Kaye and Helms battling for the lead entering turn one.
When the field came out of turn two for the lead, it was a dogfight, as all drivers had a chance for the lead.
As the laps ticked off, it was soon Baker, Marion and Helms battling for the lead.
Lancaster Super Speedway is back in action Saturday, Aug. 15 when LSS hosts the Back To School Bash and Fan Appreciation Night at the half-mile track.
LSS, after taking Saturday, Aug. 8 off, will feature five divisions running.
Track action will include the Faith Funderburke Realty Super Stock, Deal 1 Auto Sales SECA Crate Sportsman, Cauthen Motors Renegades, U.S. Bonding Vintage and M&M Garage Extreme 4.
The Faith Funderburke Realty Back To School backpack giveway is for the first 50 kids, ages 5-12, through the grandstands gates.
Lancaster Super Speedway will host the Smokehouse 25 on Saturday, Aug. 1.
Headlining the night will be the SECA Crate Late Model Division paying $2,000 to win with a $100 entry, 12 or less cars $150 start, 13 or more cars $200 to start.
Some of the Carolinas top SECA Crate Late Model drivers will compete for the $2,000 payday.
For the 2015 racing season, the SECA Crate Late Model winners list is Steve Banal with two wins; Timbo Mangum, two; Brandy Baker, two; Benji Knight, one and Trent Ivey, one.
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Retired U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, president-elect of one of the nation's prominent conservative think tanks, has formed a conservative think tank in South Carolina.
DeMint, a Greenville Republican who spent 13 years in House and Senate, is investing $300,000 from his remaining campaign money to establish the Palmetto Policy Forum. He also will serve as chairman.
In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, DeMint said, "All over the country states are becoming the innovators of bold public policy" on topics including education, energy development and tort reform.
"The muscle behind these ideas is often coming from very innovative...policy groups" at the state level, DeMint said. "South Carolina can be one of those policy innovators."
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The Heritage Foundation, where DeMint is president-elect, is working with state-based policy groups around the country, he said.
Oran Smith, director of the Palmetto Family Council, will serve as a senior fellow contributing to legislative research at the Palmetto Policy Forum. Education, healthcare and infrastructure will be the first topics the forum tackles, Smith said.
Ellen Weaver, DeMint's former state director, will become the forum's president and chief executive on March 4 after helping with the transition of U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, a North Charleston Republican whom Gov. Nikki Haley appointed to fill DeMint's seat last month.
Other board members are:
• Former U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett, now the stewardship director of NewSpring Church
Michael Brenan, state president of BB&T and Gov. Nikki Haley's appointee to the S.C. State Board of Education
• Michael McBride, chairman of Anderson-based HMR Veterans Services Inc.
C. Dan Adams, president and chief executive of Greenville-based The Capital Corp.
• Stu Rodman, founder and the forum's vice-chairman
House Speaker Bobby Harrell shared the news with the House GOP caucus Tuesday.
"They will be a very positive force for us pushing conservative ideals, something that a lot of us enjoyed a few years back – looking forward to enjoying that right now," he told lawmakers. "I am thrilled Sen. DeMint has decided to step up and help us get these kinds of ideas in front of the General Assembly."
S.C. Democratic Party Chairman Dick Harpootlian said state lawmakers should not rely on DeMint or a think tank to "do their thinking" and criticized the former senator's limited government philosophies.
"Obviously he wants to tout himself as the guy with all the great ideas," Harpootlian said. "He could never convince anyone in Washington they were great ideas."