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in reply to Looking for a CMS
Pursuing the thought made by Anonymous Monk, maybe the best approach would be to .. at least temporarily .. allow the old and the new to co-exist side by side. Apache rules (say...) could be used to separate the web requests very precisely, based on the contents of the URL string, so that, g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y (and should the need arise, reversibly ...), a different piece of software handles some of them. (The user will never know the difference.)
In terms of what that "different piece of software" ought to be, there are really an endless number of choices ... such that "the implementation programming-language" makes no real difference at all. Those thousands-of SHTML files are obviously crown-jewels because there are "thousands of" them, but, y'know, you say they're static, and Apache knows how to serve-up a static file with no help whatsoever. Therefore, the place to start is by identifying what is the business role of this system: literally, what does it do, and for whom. That is what you must painlessly replace, no matter how you do it.
Since there is a lot of real-world experience here, in a great many languages besides just Perl, why don't you tell us as much as you can about the business requirement? What do those "too many Perl scripts to replace" actually do, for the business? What sort of business-rules does it implement? How is "what this system does" both similar and different to, say, what WordPress does? (And never mind "how." Questions of "how" should not be on-the-radar yet.)


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We Didn't Come to Saturday Night Live To Be Cute
An excerpt from Tina Fey's Bossypants.
Amy Poehler was new to SNL and we were all crowded into the seventeenth-floor writers' room, waiting for the Wednesday read-through to start. There were always a lot of noisy "comedy bits" going on in that room. Amy was in the middle of some such nonsense with Seth Meyers across the table, and she did something vulgar as a joke. I can't remember what it was exactly, except it was dirty and loud and "unladylike."
Jimmy Fallon, who was arguably the star of the show at the time, turned to her and in a faux-squeamish voice said: "Stop that! It's not cute! I don't like it."
Amy dropped what she was doing, went black in the eyes for a second, and wheeled around on him. "I don't fucking care if you like it." Jimmy was visibly startled. Amy went right back to enjoying her ridiculous bit …
With that exchange, a cosmic shift took place. Amy made it clear that she wasn't there to be cute. She wasn't there to play wives and girlfriends in the boys' scenes. She was there to do what she wanted to do and she did not fucking care if you like it …
I think of this whenever someone says to me, "Jerry Lewis says women aren't funny," or Christopher Hitchens says women aren't funny," or "Rick Fenderman says women aren't funny. … Do you have anything to say to that?"
Yes. We don't fucking care if you like it.
So my unsolicited advice to women in the workplace is this. When faced with sexism or ageism or lookism or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question: "Is this person in between me and what I want to do?" If the answer is no, ignore it and move on. Your energy is better used doing your work, and outpacing people that way. Then, when you're in charge, don't hire the people who were jerky to you.
If the answer is yes, you have a more difficult road ahead of you. I suggest you model your strategy after the old Sesame Street film piece "Over! Under! Through!" (If you're under forty you might not remember this film. It taught the concepts of "over, "under," and "through" by filming toddlers crawling around in an abandoned construction site. They don't show it anymore because someone has since realized that's nuts.) If your boss is a jerk, try to find someone above or around your boss who is not a jerk. If you're lucky, your workplace will have a neutral proving ground—like the rifle range or the car sales total board or the SNL read-through. If so, focus on that.
Again, don't waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions. Go "Over! Under! Through!" and opinions will change organically when you're the boss. Or they won't. Who cares?
Do your thing and don't care if they like it.

subset: commoncrawl


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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An economist says one reason why New Mexico's unemployment rate is only 6.2 percent could be because some people leave the state to find work elsewhere.
University of New Mexico economist Lee Reynis says natural population growth and migration into the state increased the state's overall population in the 12 months ended last July.
But Reynis says that 7,500 more people moved out of the state than moved in during the same period.
She says the migration imbalance would produce a smaller workforce, resulting in a smaller share of the workforce that is unemployed despite the absence of job growth.
The Albuquerque Journal (http://bit.ly/ZVR1x2 ) reports that Reynis addressed the Eighth Annual Economic Outlook Conference on Tuesday in Albuquerque.


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Bringing the 50's back for a huge 50's bash to celebrate the world premiere of the highly anticipated hot rod period film "Deuce of Spades"
Featuring guest stars Gene Winfield and Bill Hines
Event includes: hot rod run to the event location - red carpet world premiere held at the oldest running theater int he country
Hot rods and classic cars show in main street in front of the theater
Meal served on authentic 1950 train (depicted in the film) at historical train station
Bands from the film performing doo-wop, 50's rock and rockabilly
Swing dancing demonstrations by world top dancers - open swing dancing for all
World renowned hot rod artist Tom Fritz painting exhibit - and more
All this in a setting right out of the fifties!
All participants to dress fifties style that day please. Event starts at non and ends at 8pm. Location: historic downtown Fillmore in Ventura County
Ticket price of only $35 dollars includes everything!! Get VIP parking for your car for an additional $15
Tickets go on sale 10/28 and will sell out very fast.
Keep a close eye on the website where they will become available for purchase


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You probably already know that Orlando is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, but did you know Orlando is one of the world's most popular wedding and honeymoon destinations?
With a menagerie of venues to choose from, from hotels and restaurants to museums and even theme parks, Orlando is an unforgettable setting for a dream wedding. Orlando is also the perfect destination for honeymoons with plenty of romantic hotels, relaxing spas and fine dining for newlyweds to indulge and create lasting memories.


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|Institution Type:
|Campus Setting:
|Mid East Large suburb
|Highest Degree Offered:
|Doctor's degree - research/scholarship and professional practice
|Level of Institution:
|Four or more years
|School Mascot:
|School Colors:
|Red, white, black, gold
The University of Maryland is a school full of possibilities. They show diversity in multiple ways, from the diversity in the people on campus, to the variety of majors, and…
It's huge, but I do really like it. There are tons of opportunities on such a large campus, from research to volunteering.…
The University is an extremely fun place to be at. Many people say the campus is extremely large, but it really isn't. After you learn the campus it'll seem small.…
UMD, College Park is a school full of opportunities and great education. It has a campus feel, but is large enough to feel like it's own town and easy access…
It is a good institution that has courteous staff. Its academic courses are challenging. There are many clubs to join and if their are any missing, it can be easily…
I am enjoying my experience at the University of Maryland because there are so many college activities that one can participate in free of charge. These free activities provide a medium for you to meet more people.There is also a great staff that helps when homework and class work when material gets a bit challenging.Read More
I love the school! The atmosphere is charged with that academic feel constantly, but not so much as to make it a boring school. Often times that feeling of academia is overlapped by the anticipation of the next football or basketball game, or the joyous feeling of celebration after finals or mid-terms.Read More
Every beginning of the new semester, there is a thing call 'look fare'. This event will be held in front of the main library and will have all kinds of religion related groups, ethnic related groups (KSA, CSA, JSA and so on), solarity/fraternity groups and so on. School work will be tiring and really tough but if you attend those kinds of clubs you will for sure enjoy being in college.Read More
College Park is really the most fun and interesting University to attend. Through my first year and a half here so far I have made some cool new friends and gone to some really wild parties. Another reason why I enjoy being at Marylland is because of all the intramural and club sports offered. From basketball to swimming to badminton whatever sport that you like or are interested in Maryland most likely offers it.Read More


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My mother's cousin Lucile Sonnemann married Martin Kaddatz and they lived on a farm near Watertown. We used to visit them fairly often.
Lucile Kaddatz, Grandma Yauman (Nora's mother), Danny Kaddatz, Nora Sonnemann, Karen Kaddatz
Billy Mann and Kathy Kaddatz, 2 Sep 1946
Danny Kaddatz, 1947
Danny Kaddatz, 29 Jun 1947
Danny Kaddatz, Mary Mann, Bill Mann
Mary Mann, Kathy Kaddatz, Jul 1951
Suellen Sonnemann, Danny Kaddatz, confirmation 1955, with book cakes baked by Ruth Mann
Front - Kathy Kaddatz, Mary Mann, Dick Zimdars, Marge Zimdars, Back - Ruth Mann, Jun 1957, Camp Luther
Lucile Kaddatz, Ruth Sonnemann Mann, Robert Sonnemann, Feb 1962
Karen Kaddatz (2)
Karen Kaddatz
Art Melcher and Karen Kaddatz, wedding 18 Sep 1959


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What is interesting about DHEA is that the data collected thus far shows that low levels correlate with many aspects of the decline with aging - from vigorous good health into what we think of as old age. What is even more interesting is that low-dose, physiologic supplementation of DHEA appears to enhance one's health and sense of well-being. Used as a medicine in higher doses, it appears to ameliorate many serious disease processes.
The Chemistry of DHEA
Until recently, scientists believed that DHEA only formed the pool from which other active hormones could be synthesized. It is clear that the chemical structure of DHEA is similar to that of testosterone. Both are derivatives of the cholesterol molecule. With the difference of one carbon-chain section of the molecule, cholesterol is strikingly similar to both DHEA and testosterone. Since it is similar to other steroid hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), it can convert of stimulate production of estrogens, testosterone, or cortisone, and many other steroid hormones when the body needs them.
Recent research indicates that, although DHEA is similar to other androgens, there are specific receptors on the cell surface that indicate a likelihood of individual function.
Potential Health Benefits of DHEA
The most important aspect of DHEA and health is that it has a barrage of claims for improving health in general, and reducing the effects of many chronic diseases. This may be the most powerful attribute to this over-the-counter hormone. To date, the following research has been performed with DHEA:
1. HEART DISEASE - Men with heart disease have lower naturally occuring levels of DHEA-sulphate than healthy men. They are three times more likely to die of heart disease. DHEA also lowers serum LDL cholesterol. The use of ingested DHEA may raise internal levels of the hormone and reduce the risk of aquiring heart disease. Research by Barret-Conner and colleagues confirms the risk reduction with the use of DHEA. It will be interesting to see if it is more-often prescribed (or taken supplimentally) in persons with one or more heart disease risk factors.
2. OBESITY - Obese mice do not become diseased if their diets are supplemented with DHEA. More research needs to be performed in persons with moderate and morbid (over 350 lbs.) obesity to see the benefits of taking DHEA would have, such as the reduction of peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, or hypertension.
3. CANCER - Mice bred for cancer do not develop cancer when their diets are supplemented. Also - there is an association with low levels of DHEA and breast cancer. If this concept can be applied to people, it would be one of the most significant attributes of taking DHEA. Mice bred for cancer have a much higer incidence rate for development of tumors than their non-experimental counterparts. If DHEA does completely reverse neoplastic development, it must be looked upon favorably. Remember that naturally occuring DHEA levels decrease with age, and all forms of cancer increase, so the relationship between low levels and tumor development is a sound one. We must also remember that much of the research in cardiovascular health in animals may not be directly applicable to humans. This research must be studied in humans with a strong family history of cancer development (in a primary prevention trial), or those who have had tumors removed, and followed for over a 5 year period to see what the remission status will be. None the less, it is a promising area of health improvement possibility.


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The People v. O.J. Simpson Recap: Christopher Darden Has the Worst Week Ever
Mar 15, 2016 11:00 PM EDT
It was one step forward, multiple steps back for Christopher Darden (Sterling K. Brown) and the prosecution on this week's episode of FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. Darden strikes out both inside and out of the courtroom, firs… Read more


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DUDLEY Town took a big step towards setting up a FA Cup derby clash against Stourbridge.
The Robins beat Bolehall Swifts 2-1 on Saturday in the Extra Preliminary Round of the competition thanks to goals from Steve James and Kyle Smith.
They will now face Market Drayton a week on Saturday with the winner handed a tie against the Glassboys.
Chairman Steve Austin said: "It is great for the team to progress and have another fixture to look forward to in the coming weeks. The money that the cup brings in will also help the club.
"We now have the added prize of facing Stourbridge should we manage to get the better of Market Drayton."
After a loss on the opening day of their league campaign, Town picked up their first point thanks to a 2-2 home draw against Haughmond last Wednesday.
They will now return to league action against Pegasus Juniors at home on Saturday and Gornal Athletic away on Monday.
"It doesn't get any easier for us but w can't hide away. The main thing is that we continue to show improvement as the weeks go on," added Austin.


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Hollywood Still Doesn't Realize That The Internet Drives Popular Culture Now
from the big-miscalculation dept
Of course, where it gets even more insightful is Baker's analysis not just of how the Democratic Party appears to have miscalculated badly the reaction to these bills, but how truly and spectacularly Hollywood has failed to understand what happened -- in part because Hollywood still thinks that it drives pop culture. The truth, however, as Baker points out, is that the internet drives popular culture these days... and on the internet, Hollywood is a big bully:
The [entertainment] industry still doesn't understand its adversary. From the start, studios saw the fight over SOPA as a struggle with a bunch of other companies -- Google and Internet service providers among them -- that were hoping to profit from the Internet travails of the entertainment industry.There's a lot more in Baker's article about the political implications of all of this, which are worth thinking about as well, but I wanted to focus on this key point. Last week, at the Midem music industry conference, I was amazed at how many people from the legacy music business believe, 100%, that the reason SOPA/PIPA were stopped was because Google stepped up its lobbying efforts. I can't even begin to count how many conversations I had with people trying to explain to them that Google only played a small role in what happened, really jumping on the bandwagon pretty late in the game. It was a widespread group of internet users who spoke up, and that really has changed the equation. And Hollywood still can't seem to wrap its mind around that.
That turned out to be wrong. In fact, the industry is fighting what amounts to a new popular culture.
Unlike the old pop culture Hollywood dominated, this one is largely independent of the music, movie and broadcast industries. In fact, people who spend hours online instead of watching TV or going to movies will probably encounter the entertainment industry only when YouTube videos of their kids dancing to Prince or spoofing Star Wars are pulled down by Hollywood's bots, or when the RIAA threatens to sue them for their college savings, or when digital rights software makes it hard to move their stuff to a new tablet or phone.
To the entertainment industry, these episodes might seem like collateral damage in the fight to stop piracy. To the new pop culture, though, collateral damage and misuse of enforcement tools are everywhere, and they threaten everyone. The content industry has made itself into the villain. Increasingly, it looks like an occupying power, obeyed at gunpoint, despised for its ham-handed excesses and resisted from every dark corner. Unfortunately for Hollywood, as its customers migrate to the Internet, it is losing not just their money but their hearts and minds as well.
That may be because Hollywood was popular culture for so long. It seems to just assume that this is still the case, when there's an awful lot of evidence suggesting otherwise. And really, that explains both Hollywood's confusion in how to deal with all of this, as well as one of the reasons it's lashing out. When Hollywood no longer drives pop culture, it loses its influence, and as it loses its influence, that's going to spell trouble for its business model. The biggest threat to Hollywood's dominance isn't piracy. It's that people no longer view Hollywood as the main source of pop culture any more. Art forms often lose their popularity over time. A few years back, we pointed to a quote from Paul Oskar Kristeller that seems worth highlighting again:
There were important periods in cultural history when the novel, instrumental music, or canvas painting did not exist or have any importance. On the other hand, the sonnet and the epic poem, stained glass and mosaic, fresco painting and book illumination, vase painting and tapestry, bas relief and pottery have all been "major" arts at various times and in a way they no longer are now. Gardening has lost its standing as a fine art since the eighteenth century. On the other hand, the moving picture is a good example of how new techniques may lead to modes of artistic expression for which the aestheticians of the eighteenth and nineteenth century had no place in their systems. The branches of the arts all have their rise and decline, and even their birth and death.Perhaps it's not piracy that Hollywood is fighting here. Maybe it's the industry's own cultural relevance.


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This Elk Ridge 8.25" spring assisted folding knife is the perfect tool to carry around in your pocket. Featuring a sharp and durable stainless steel blade, this knife will get the job done. The brown wood handle fits comfortably in your hand and offers an excellent grip. Comes with a belt clip & leather lanyard for easy carry.


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This story was inspired by Eric J Krause's Writing prompt #92: "A tiny dragon, no bigger than a hummingbird, befriends you."
This story is more or less a sequel to Accidental Sorcerers, but is intended to stand on its own.
Part 1: Dragon Rider
|Source: Webweavers
"I'm all right," she said. "I just got dizzy."
"Where did you see that dance?"
"A troupe from the Northern Reach came downriver last summer. They danced and played music in town. Some of the women did this dance, but they had long ribbons that wrapped around them as they turned. I don't know how they did it without falling down!"
Mik smiled. "Are you sure you're all right?" She nodded. "Good." He embraced her, she embraced him, and nothing more was said for several minutes.
At last, Sura nudged him. "We can't be too long," she whispered. "We need to gather the herbs."
Mik sighed, but knew she was right. He stood and helped her to her feet, although she needed no help, and they began walking. "What are we looking for again? I was only half-paying attention." The woods were quiet; patches of snow stood in shaded places and there was still a nip in the air.
"You need to focus."
"I know. But it was hard, thinking about coming out here with you, all by ourselves!"
Sura laughed and produced the list. "We probably won't find all of them right away, but these are the ones we need."
"Kingsalve? That's a healing plant, right?"
"It has magical properties, too."
"Oh. Right. I've been studying herbs so much, it all runs together after a while."
Sura took his hand. "I guess the mentor wanted you to be ready for spring. The first plants to come up in spring are the strongest —"
"I remember: because they have the powers of all four elements."
"See?" She squeezed his hand. "You remember some of it, anyway."
"Isn't that flameweed?" Mik pointed at a patch of bright red, off to one side. "We called it 'poor man's pepper' at home, but everybody uses it in spring until the traders come. It's coming up a little early this year."
"You can use it for pepper?" Sura grinned. "That's good to know. We're almost out of pepper too. I had to stretch our supply, because we only bought enough for two. But it's coming up at the normal time."
"Then spring comes a little earlier here than in Lacota." Mik crouched in front of the bright red plants. "You let it dry in a sunny window, then you can crumble it up and use it like pepper. How much do you need?"
"Fill a pouch. Our list has it too. Flameweed is good for fire magic."
"I — hey!" Mik flinched, and Sura heard a chittering. He spoke softly. "Sura… come see this. But slow."
Sura knelt next to her fellow apprentice and first love, and gasped. Something that looked like a tiny dragon poked its head over the flameweed, chittering and hissing at them. Its head and long neck were as red as the plants, but its body and wings were streaked with gold. Its underbelly, what they could see of it, was the blue of the sky.
"What is it?" she whispered.
"I don't know. But I think it's hurt." Mik stretched a careful hand toward the creature, ready to jerk away. The thing stood its ground, chittering again. "It's okay. We won't hurt you." He laid his hand, palm down, in front of it. "We just want to see you."
It sniffed, cheeped, and climbed aboard. Mik winced at the pricking of tiny, sharp claws, but let it get a secure perch before lifting his hand slowly.
"It looks just like a dragon!" Sura breathed. "But it's so tiny!"
"Is it a dragon?"
"I don't know. The only dragon I've ever seen was the ice dragon that you rode here." Sura laughed at the memory. "But the mentor will know."
"It's hurt, all right." Mik smiled as it spread its wings, revealing a body no larger than his thumb; one of its wings was twisted and torn. "Maybe it can sit on my shoulder while we find the rest of the herbs."
Perhaps understanding, it clambered up Mik's sleeve to his shoulder. It nestled against Mik's neck, and he snorted. "That tickles!"
"Yes," said Bailar, exchanging wary looks with the tiny creature on Mik's shoulder. "It's a dragon, all right. A Desert Dwarf, if my memory serves. I've never heard of one coming this far west, or north. Let alone at this time of year."
"Where do they come from?"
"A vast desert in the east, called the Ahm a'droog by the natives of the region. That translates rather literally to 'The Godforsaken.' How it survived in this cold, or how it was hurt? That I don't know."
"Can we help it, then?"
"Certainly, Mik. But know this: dragons have their own agenda. It likely befriended you because you were there in its extremity. Yet it is never wrong to aid a creature that offers no violence." His mentor smiled. "I named you Mik Dragonrider, since you came seeking my aid on the back of an ice dragon. But now, your name has a double meaning — you yourself have a dragon rider."
Bailar turned away, and Sura took Mik's hand. "Come inside now," said the mentor. "It needs warmth above all else. It will likely sleep by — or perhaps in — the fireplace until it's healed."


text:
An Open Letter to Turkish President Erdogan
Cheers to Ten Years!
Palm-Greasing and Gold-Panning
Abandoning a Sinking Ship
Prayer Rooms in Public School Buildings
Fantastic Diet Mr. Yildiz ...
Turkish Teachers --"Substituting" Qualifications
A Special Thanks
Oops -- Guess he forgot this one
Gulen's Egg Theory
He Sure Sobs a Lot!
Junket Mania
Are the Conditions Ripe?
The Illinois Grafters
The Affiliation Scam
Political Pandering
Gee Guys, Where's the Money Going?
Let's Change the Rules
Still Want to Deny the Gulen Connection?
The Miracle at Mayo
Best Bud with the Gulenists
Lone Star Mystery
The Honey Pot
The Tax Man Cometh
Wanted - Former Gulen Inspired Charter School Teachers!
Shout and Roar!
And That's What Brothers Are For...
Soap on a Rope
As the Breeze Blows
In Defense of Erdogan
Tuzuk - A Contract to Steal
Tuzuk in Turkish (Original Version 2005)
Friends and Visas
Dear Friends,
Hip - Hopscotch...
This Disgusting Country
Just Answer the Question!
"Has Tir"
One Way Ticket Home
Sam I Am
The Case of the Lopsided Turk
A Half a Billion Dollars!
Lead-laden Asses
Feels Like Home
Lie, Apply, Deny, and Move
Losing Blood?
Skimmers and Scammers
Pass the Brownies Arne
Loophole R Us
The Challenge of the Empty Interview
Game Over
When 839 = $3,038,019
67% and 100%
The Turkish Import System
In the Ring -- Erdogan vs. Gulen
53,000 Bucks in Immigration Fees - Oh! My!
Not So Zen
Our Turkish "Family"
Pawns R' Us
See Sam Squirm
Also Known As (AKA)
Shysters and Politicians -- One and the Same?
Identity Crisis --- Continued
Identity Crises -- Part 2
Foot and Mouth Disease
Is Blackstone Legally Blackstone?
Here's What I Know
Makes One Wonder
Wiki Leaks Gulen's Agenda
Nothing to Worry About...
Holy Toledo!
Bonus Points -- And the Winner Is...
Now What Do We Do?
Oh! Where or Where Did He Go?
Man, Hate It When This Happens...
The Tenth Round
The Pizza Guys
You are Cordially Invited to an Audit
Let's Just Change the Board Minutes
And They Said It Wasn't So...
Ticket to Ankara
Be the Elephant
A Terrorist Living in Pennsylvania?
Shut Them Down
Trouble is Brewing
Oops -- Caught Again!
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Movie Night
Pyramid Scam
A Spider in the Boot
Gender Confusion
A Hat in the Ring
Tandem Decisions
Extending Its Reach
The Lone Ranger
Strike Two
Tit for Tat
Sitting Duck
Suffer the Innocent
Send Him Home!
Oh! The Troubles They've Seen
More Disgruntled Employees?
Lies, Lies, and More Lies
Ohio Movie Premiere
Not So Sweet Magnolias in Los Angeles
A Tangled Web They Weave...
Running for Cover
Soon They Will Fall
Pie Charts Are Pretty Groovy
Corny but True
Christmas in July
Playing Ball for Jesus with US Tax dollars
He Said -- She Said
Let the Games Begin...
But They're Such Nice Guys!
Conveniently Deaf and Dumb
The Starting Point
Think This is Made Up Too?
Welcome Back Mr. Sagnak
The Gentleman in Pennsylvania
Hand Over the Files Boys!
Save the Date -- Again
Calling All Auditors!
Cut and Paste -- Gulen Style
Give Us Back our Cheese
How to Get a Turkish Teaching License
200 Million -- Oh! My!
News at 11
The Annual Mating Ritual
From the Land of Oz
Discrimination 101
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
Stage Fright
Moving, Moving, Moving....
Seeking Turkish Teachers...
Bored with the Board
A Solution or a Crime?
Telling a Fib...
The Double Standard
Ahoy Mateys!
Changing Grades Faster than Underpants
Maine Monkey Business
It Must be Kismet -- Oops -- We Mean Hizmet
Hey, Can You Loan Us Some Money Too?
It Only Takes a Calculator and a Turkish Man
The Turkish Bank of America
Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are...
How the Turks are Helping
Power Point and Graphs -- Oh Boy!
Hide and Seek Turkish Style
Where O' Where Did the Teachers Go?
Sign an Affidavit
Under the Influence
Pass the Motion
Wag the Dog
More Money, More Money...
The Case of the Missing Laptop
Death of Salesman
Buckeye Hunting...
Tracking Criminals
Closed for Business -- and Brainwashing!
Searching for an English Teacher...
Something Smells Fishy (Balik)
They Say -- Go Away
The Feds are Marching In
Cub Reporting
Bon Voyage Gulen!
Front and Center
Party in Pennsylvania
Don't Shoot the Messenger -- Again
The Pot Calling the Kettle Black
Politicians, Propaganda, and Payback
Busing Bozos
Swinging Towards Denial
Eviction 101
Twirling and Whirling with American Tax Dollars
Chicago Charlatans
Security Sleuths
Turkish Fiction Writing 101
And You Get to Work More Too!
Deny, Deny, Deny -- Quack, Quack, Quack!
Monkeys at the Saylorsburg Zoo
Boiling Frogs -- Again
That's Quite a Bonus
Who Are These People?
Loophole Expansion
Just Drink the Tea Ellison
Unmasking Liberty
Pass the Pie Please!
Who's Watching You?
Truebright's Truth?
Gulen's $50 Billion Empire
Hands in the Cookie Jar
Whistleblowing 101
Mississippi Mojo
Hoosier Hucksters
Chowder and Chumps
200 Sheep!
Minnesota Mischief
And They're Out!
Chirp -- Chirp!
Michigan Malarkey
Rubberstamping Education
Slick Willie...
Standing Tall (uzun boylu)
What Would Sam Walton Say?
Enough is Enough!
Great Pick!
Virginia is for Lovers
Aloha! Gulen
And They Say It Isn't So
Battleground Virginia
Party at Gulen's Compound
The Train Left the Station
The Sharks Are Circling
Rock Dwellers
The Mountain is Moving
Stop Them in Their Tracks
Engineering the Loudon Express
American Teachers
Sequel to American Teachers
Georgia's a Peach
Hush Money
Bad Girl
Bad Girl 2 -- The Finale
Part 3 of the Trilogy
Rumor Has It
Boo-Hoo Boys
Turkish Camp
No, No, No
When the EEOC Discriminates
Budget Blues or Baloney?
And the Plot Thickens...
But They're Such Nice Guys!
Pesky Teachers
We Smell a Rat
Reproducing Faster than Rabbits
Dancing the Texas Two-Step
Now You're Okay Oklahoma!
Chicago - Chicago...
Hoosier Hooligans
Adding Insult to Injury
Crazy About Oklahoma
Before You Vote...
Perimeter Primate Proof Perfect
Call to Action
The Texas Trade Mission
Not Okay Oklahoma!
Trapping a Fleeing Rat
Let the Sunshine In
The King is Naked
For the Record -- Again
Look What a Plate Will Buy
$40,000 is Not Enough
They Are Not as Smart
More News -- Same Story
Who Are We?
He's Crying the Blues -- Again
Where's Homeland Security?
Something Else is Erupting in Hawaii
Inquiring Minds Want to Know
Pleading the Fifth, Sort of...
It's What They Do Best
Fact Versus Fiction
"Frogs in the Kettle, Waiting to be Boiled"
Teachers with Guns
Beware of the Dragon
Even the Italians Know
Security or Lawyers?
Bad Boys -- Again
When to Draw the Line
Scholarly Advice
No Free Speech in Turkey
Tell Us Again
The Ticking Time Bomb
The Beauty of the 1st Amendment
Gulen's a Busy Guy
What's Good for the Goose...
Playing Favorites
The Book is Out
Another "Situation" in New Jersey
Rocky Mountain Low
Who Are These Guys?
The Teachers Are Catching On...
He Doesn't Read the US News?
And Like a Phoenix -- They Rise
And More School Stories...
"School of Choice?"
"Are You Listening?"
Compare and Contrast
Is Anyone Reading This Stuff?
Get Your Head Out of the Baklava
Taking on the Boys
Where Were the Turks?
And That's What We're Talking About!
Bullies Beware
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Higher Quality
Funny Thing About Evidence
Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words...
The Beauty of Brainwashing
Only 123 Left to Go
The Map of Gulen
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Defense Elements
Timeline of Events
The first phase of a Jury Trial is the Jury Selection or "Voir Dire". In a case involving the charge of Operating While Intoxicated -3rd Offense, the Jury Selection can take about 1 day. Effectively questioning the potential jurors and selecting those jurors that will be impartial and fair throughout the Trial is an art form. It has to be done with skill and confidence. Once the 12 jurors are selected, they become the Jury that will decide whether to find the defendant Guilty or Not Guilty. The Jury holds the future and fate of the defendant in their hands.
A Jury Trial in a case of Operating While Intoxicated -3rd Offense begins with the Opening Statements by the prosecution and defense attorney and quickly moves into the prosecution's Case-In-Chief. That is the time when the prosecutor will call police witnesses, eyewitnesses, and expert witnesses for one purpose – to convict the defendant of the charged crime. Solid cross-examination by an experienced defense attorney has to occur. You only get one chance to win. The difference between a conviction and an acquittal is often on very narrow grounds and requires strong advocacy by an attorney that is experienced in the courtroom. After the prosecutor presents its case, the defense will present its Case-In-Chief. The defendant may testify and other witnesses in support of the defense will testify at that time. After all the witnesses have testified, the attorneys will make their Closing Arguments, the Judge will instruct the Jury on the law, and the Jury will then be sequestered to decide its Verdict. The entire Jury Trial process will normally take between 3-5 days or more, depending on the number of witnesses and the time the Jury takes to determine its verdict. A verdict of Not Guilty will result in the immediate release of the defendant and the dismissal of the Operating While Intoxicated -3rd Offense charge. A Guilty verdict will require that a Sentencing date be scheduled.
If the defendant enters a guilty plea or is found Guilty at trial in Washtenaw County, the case is set for Sentencing, which normally happens about 4 weeks after the conviction is put on the record. After the conviction is entered in open court, the defendant will be ordered to speak to someone in the probation department about his/her criminal history, upbringing, life circumstances, and the incidents leading up to and including the offense. The probation officer reviewing the case will prepare a Pre-Sentence Investigation Report that summarizes the important facts of the case for the Judge to review at the time of Sentencing.
The last stage of the criminal trial process in Washtenaw County is the Sentencing date. A skilled defense attorney can often mitigate someone's sentence by proper investigation, preparation and advocacy during Sentencing. Although there are sentencing guidelines which are set by law and provide a framework for the Judge to determine the sentence length, both the prosecution and defense lawyer will provide input and argument at Sentencing about the appropriate sentence. Once the Trial Judge pronounces the defendant's sentence, there is normally nothing else that can be done to change the sentence other than the appeal process, which can take years to complete. Strong defense advocacy can often shave significant time off an otherwise indefensible Operating While Intoxicated -3rd Offense sentence.


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By Piya Sinha-Roy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After tackling zombies and killer cops, film director Edgar Wright melds British small town pub culture with a large scale alien invasion, an offbeat pairing that yielded "The World's End."
"The World's End," out in U.S. theaters on Friday, bookends a flurry of summer films dealing with global catastrophes, from Brad Pitt's zombie-fest in "World War Z," giant aliens versus giant robots in "Pacific Rim" or Seth Rogen and celebrity friends fighting the Biblical rapture in "This Is The End."
Wright's film follows washed-up alcoholic Gary King, who reunites with his high school friends in his hometown to complete what they were not able to as teenagers: the ultimate pub crawl, drinking at 12 pubs in one night.
Played by Simon Pegg, Gary is a flawed hero who is stuck reminiscing about his teenage glory days. He is faced with acknowledging his own arrested development and alcoholism as he and his friends discover an alien invasion and must overcome obstacles to complete their quest at The World's End pub.
"We have a lot of compassion for him, and even though he does some terrible things throughout the movie, at key points he makes the right decision," Wright said.
The film brings the British director back together with long-time collaborators Pegg and Nick Frost, who both starred in Wright's earlier films "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz."
Pegg, who played an average salesman with girlfriend troubles in "Shaun of the Dead" and methodical police officer Nicholas Angel in "Hot Fuzz," said he enjoyed the battle that each of his three characters face as individuals.
"The enemy in this film is the synthesis of zombies and the NWA (Neighbourhood Watch Alliance), it's that small town pride and influence and this collective force to fight against as an individual, whether you're Shaun, Nicholas or Gary," said Pegg, who also co-wrote the "World's End" script with Wright.
"The World's End" wraps up what Wright has labeled his "Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy," referring to the British-made ice cream brand that makes an appearance in each film - a red strawberry ice cream to signify the blood and gore in "Shaun of the Dead," blue original Cornetto in "Hot Fuzz" to represent the police, and green mint chocolate chip ice cream in "The World's End" to symbolize the sci-fi alien element.
Wright said the films are thematically linked through topics such as "perpetual adolescence, an individual versus a collective and the loss of identity" but they were not to be regarded as sequels.
"There's that tendency to make a franchise and lead over to a sequel but in all three movies - 'Hot Fuzz,' 'Shaun' and this one - there is no sequel," Wright said.
"For us, it's incredibly free as writers to think we are going to change the planet forever at the end of this movie."
"The World's End" budget was between $20 million and $30 million, according to Wright, and is projected to earn $8.5 million in its opening weekend in U.S. theaters. It has won positive reviews, with a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic.com.
Wright's films are rooted in quintessential British humor, and the director said he has never been concerned with how the jokes translate internationally.
"If you're making a British film, why try and make it more international because you're then just lying to yourself and other people," Wright said. "When I watch an American film, I don't want them to make it more international for my benefit. I want to see a window into another culture."
(Editing by Mary Milliken and Bill Trott)


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
In an effort to support local area high school seniors in their pursuit of higher education in the food service and hospitality industries, the Taste of Buffalo presented by TOPS is now accepting applications for its annual scholarships. Up to five scholarship winners will each receive $1,000 to be applied toward their college education.
To be eligible, students must be residents of Niagara, Erie, Orleans, Wyoming, Genesee, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus or Allegany counties and enrolling in a food service or hospitality curriculum at an accredited two- or four-year school this fall. For additional information or to download an application, visit http://www.tasteofbuffalo.com. Applications are due by March 27.


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The Correspondent
The desert in Kuwait seemed such a wasteland. Goose farms near the Iraqi border yielded huge quantities of s--t, which gathered along the sides of the roads and in the yard of the house where we were squatting. When the sandstorms blew, so did the s--t, smearing the world with its stench. That patch of desert already felt abandoned to the war. There was no question that it would slide in of its own weight; it was just a question of when. The border—the constant pounding of tanks, the hovering helicopters, and the military police patrolling—was a trembling faultline.
My Love for Marita
Susana Trimarco's quest to find her kidnapped daughter has uncovered the dark underbelly of Argentina's sex trade.
The Hunt for Kony
The leader of the Lord's Resistance Army has killed thousands of African citizens in the name of Christianity. Now he's on the run.
The Terrorist Myth In North Africa
America wants to expand the war on terror to Northern Africa. It shouldn't.
Africa Turns Away the Troops
Many experts worry that Africa could soon become the world's jihadist base of choice; its combination of failed states, poverty, and pockets of religious extremism offer the perfect breeding ground for terrorists. That's a big reason why in 2007 the Pentagon created AfriCom, a new command responsible for organizing U.S. military involvement on the continent. Why, then, are senior AfriCom officials still stationed in Stuttgart, Germany? The problem is that locals are not exactly enthusiastic. U.S. officials considered both Botswana and Liberia as possible homes for the new command, but strong local opposition forced them to scrap their plans. In general, say AfriCom officials, there is little appetite for a big U.S. base in Africa, since African leaders worry that an American base would inflame fears of a new era of colonialism. According to AfriCom's chief, U.S. Gen. William (Kip) Ward, the hunt for an African host is now "completely off the table."...
Zimbabwe's Diamond Mines a New Source of Plunder
Robert Mugabe is squandering a glittering opportunity for Zimbabwe. He has botched the development of the newly discovered diamond mines along his country's eastern border, which could be earning Zimbabwe as much as $600 million a month, according to a recent report by Partnership Africa Canada. That's enough to make a big dent in the $8.3 billion the country needs to reach its development and reconstruction goals. Instead, the mines have become a chaotic and militarized battlefield of panhandlers and corrupt police, while Mugabe allows his cronies to funnel the area's riches into their own bank accounts. To keep miners in line, government thugs often resort to violence, and Human Rights Watch has documented some 200 murders in the diamond fields over the past year. By demilitarizing the mining zone and implementing stricter oversight, Mugabe could boost revenue. Instead, Zimbabwe's diamond industry generated a paltry $20 million in the past month, and the...
Q&A With Zimbabwe's Embattled Prime Minister
For more than a decade, Morgan Tsvangirai has fought to unseat Africa's last Big Man, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. The effort nearly killed him. Tsvangirai was beaten, tried for treason, and jailed repeatedly. Then, last March, after elections most credit Tsvangirai with winning, Mugabe was pressured to make him his prime minister, and the two entered into an uneasy power-sharing arrangement. Tsvangirai spoke to NEWSWEEK's Scott Johnson. Excerpts: ...
The Real District 9: Cape Town's District Six
District 9, the new blockbuster film, was inspired by a very real South African disaster, District Six.
Bush Helped Africa More Than Obama Has
Barack Obama's plans for Africa are not nearly as ambitious as George W. Bush's were.
Is Nigeria the Latest Front in the War on Terror?
The Islamists' rebellion in Nigeria isn't the latest front in the global war on terror.
The Manhunt for African Cult Killer Joseph Kony
The hunt for Africa's last warlord
South Africa Gets a Different Kind of President
For good or ill, the next president is a lot different from his predecessors.
Falling Commodities Prices and Aid Hurt Africa
Commodity-rich Africa profited when the world was growing. Now that it's not, it will be the hardest hit.
South Africa's New White Flight
Fourteen years after apartheid, why are the best and the brightest leaving Africa's most successful state?
An Ex-Insurgent's Covert War on Al Qaeda in Iraq
He helped create and equip the Iraqi insurgency. U.S. forces tried for years to kill or capture him. Now he has a different mission: to destroy Al Qaeda in Iraq.
How Barack Obama Can Bring Stability to Somalia
Barack Obama has a unique opportunity to bring something resembling stability to Africa's Horn.
First U.S. Command in Africa Calls For Light Touch
The start of the first U.S. strategic command marks a policy shift toward lighter military involvement on the continent.
After Mbeki, Zuma's New Challenge
With Thabo Mbeki ousted, Jacob Zuma's next challenge will be to control the radical supporters propelling him toward South Africa's presidency.
Will Jacob Zuma Ruin South Africa--Or Save It?
Once touted as the man who'd ruin South Africa, Zuma has remade himself as mainstream moderate.
The Least Green Country On Earth
What happens when environmental weakness, poverty and poor governance collide.
Zimbabwe: Mugabe's Isolation Grows
Mugabe forced out his foe. What comes next won't be pretty.
Assault On The Law
In a further sign of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's descent into tyranny, his lackeys are terrorizing the country's lawyers with death threats and physical harm.Until recently, lawyers were the last line of defense against Mugabe's excesses, long after the country's judiciary capitulated to his power. But in 2006, the state-run newspaper, The Herald, began painting lawyers as tools of the opposition, and in May 2007, the regime began imprisoning members of the legal profession. Others started to get harassed by security forces. "It was a new type of warfare," says Arnold Tsunga, the International Association of Jurists' director for Africa.Now lawyers are joining Zimbabwe's fleeing millions to escape Mugabe's escalating war against them. Those who remain have taken to sleeping in different locations each night or hiding in safe houses. Some have had their vehicles torched or been threatened with execution. "The impact is to clearly say, if you think that lawyers protect you,...
Zimbabwe: Will Robert Mugabe Leave Peacefully?
Southern Africa is paralyzed by a hoary old drama—how to persuade an independence leader to go.
Somalia: Dilemmas of the Horn
Washington wanted to keep Somalia from turning into another Afghanistan. Now it's an African Iraq.
Digging Up the Dirt
A forensics team is tracking down South Africa's disappeared—and reopening some very cold cases.
What 10 Million Buys
Zimbabwe's new 10 million dollar bill is red, perhaps a warning that this money is melting down fast. Last week, 10 million Zimbabwe dollars could buy two rolls of toilet paper. By now, it probably won't get quite that much. Not surprisingly, the currency is not adorned with the face of president Robert Mugabe, but with a pastiche of fish.The world's most bankrupt economy has an inflation rate of 100,000 percent and a vast black market for oil, corn and cash. Citizens carry wads of 10 million notes in plastic bags. Money changers lose track of whether they're talking billions or trillions. The government, too, buys black market foreign currency to pay bills. As voters went to the polls last weekend, even backers of challenger Simba Makoni says they are unlikely to fix the mess. Legislator David Coltart admits they have no experts on this kind of hyperinflation. Precious few nations do.
Zimbabwe's $10 Million Bread
In a nation with rampant hyperinflation, bread is a bargain at just $10 million. Inside Zimbabwe's collapsing economy.
Mugabe's Last Stand
A former close ally may offer the best chance yet of toppling Zimbabwe's dictator at the ballot box.
Challenging Zimbabwe's Mugabe
An unexpected presidential contender discusses Zimbabwe's crippling problems and why he feels he can oust Robert Mugabe.
Q&A: Kofi Annan on Kenya's Tragedies
What is it with Africa? Not only do we turn on each other, but we blame the outside. This is a cancer from within that we need to fix.
Kenya: The Raila Odinga Story
Raila Odinga has a kaleidoscopic past and an unshakeable faith in the future. The forces that shaped the politician who says he won Kenya's disputed election.
Kenya: More Political Protests
A surge of political protests re-ignites clashes in Kenya.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Paul Saffo, Silicon Valley's leading futurist, recently described the current wave of technology as having gone through a transition from "personal" as in the personal computer, to "intimate" with the proliferation of smartphones.
But this intimacy — having a camera phone and a connection to the Internet in your pocket — is fueling increasingly annoying behavior.
Chip giant Intel Corp. INTC, -0.61% has even been conducting studies on mobile etiquette. In September, it released a study that found a lot of "oversharing."
"At least six out of 10 adults and teens said they believe other people divulge too much information about themselves online, with Japan being the only exception," Intel said. Read Intel's most recent mobile etiquette survey.
This column visited the issue of smartphone etiquette over two years ago. But I regret to inform you that it appears personal behavior is getting even worse, in no small part to oversharing on social media like Facebook FB, -2.69% and Twitter. Read Silicon Valley, meet Emily Post
So here are 10 tech blunders to avoid next year:


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By Lisa Richwine and Liana B. Baker
(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's TV sports network, ESPN, said it will shut its 3D cable channel in the United States, ending a three-year experiment after sports fans failed to embrace the technology in their homes.
ESPN launched the 3D cable channel in 2010 and will close the channel by the end of the year, said ESPN spokeswoman Katina Arnold. It presented 3D broadcasts of college football games and the Masters golf tournament, among other offerings.
Despite declining costs for 3D televisions and widespread use of 3D in movies, consumers have not rushed to bring the technology into their homes.
ESPN 3D was commanding monthly fees on average of $2.79 per subscriber from cable and satellite operators this year, among the highest for a cable channel, according to research firm SNL Kagan. Pay TV providers also pay $5.54 on average for the flagship ESPN network.
The network was carried by major operators such as DirecTV, Time Warner Cable Inc and Comcast Corp in various programming packages.
"They were just too early," SNL Kagan analyst Derek Baine said. "This technology is not ready for prime time."
ESPN will continue to experiment with other technologies including Ultra High Definition, or ultra HD, for its programming on ESPN and its sister channels, Arnold said.
"We are committing our 3D resources to other products and services that will better serve fans and affiliates," she said.
The network could return to 3D programming "if or when 3D does take off," she added.
ESPN, the dominant U.S. sports network and a major driver of Disney's earnings, operates its flagship ESPN channel and others, including ESPN2 and Spanish language ESPN Deportes.
Disney shares were down 0.5 percent at $63.45 on Wednesday afternoon on the New York Stock Exchange.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Liana B. Baker in Washington; editing by Ronald Grover and Matthew Lewis)


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Debt Collectors And DAs Team Up To Scare Customers Who Bounce Checks
It used to be that retailers and district attorneys' offices faced the same problem, but from different angles. People write an awful lot of bad checks. They might be trying to commit fraud, or they might have just forgotten to carry the one the last time they balanced their checkbook. Stores send the bad checks on to district attorneys' offices if they think there might be fraud, and the DAs can end up overwhelmed with bad-check cases. They also hire collection agencies to recoup the money owed from their customers, but the rate of return on that isn't so great. The not-so-obvious solution, which 300 district attorneys take part in: lend their names and letterhead to collection agencies, who in turn threaten check-bouncers with prosecution and prison.
Yes, let's get the question out of the way: "People still write checks?" They do. And as recently as 2009, people wrote $127 billion worth of bad checks. People wrote a lot more checks in general back in the late '80s when the first debt collector/DA partnerships began. DAs tell the New York Times that the scary letters only go out once customers have already ignored a few requests for payment. They typically include the amount of the original check, and fees that include tuition to mandatory "financial accountability" courses. The customer's local district attorney gets a cut of those fees.
In Prosecutors, Debt Collectors Find a Partner [New York Times] (Thanks to everyone who sent this in!)
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.


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Automatic license plate recognition computer programs are now used by police (skip the first 10 seconds)
A better way to utilize this plate recognition software for stolen cars is to have the cameras on over passes, any stolen car on the freeway or highway will be pinged instantly.
Lots of stolen cars are never found. I like that law enforcement is using this new tech, out there busting people with no insurance or stolen plates, or out of date registration. However no insurance company is going to lower our rates because cops find more stolen cars, I bet you. Two times, as they said in "Do The Right Thing"


text: UFC President Dana White has never been afraid of expressing his opinion and did so passionately this past Saturday night after judges awarded welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre a Split Decision win at UFC 167 despite the majority of onlookers feeling as though contender Johny Hendricks deserved a Unanimous nod. White had a chance to elaborate on his comments about the incompetence involved with Nevada's athletic commission on this week's episode of UFC Tonight, also talking to hosts Kenny Florian and Chael Sonnen about his reaction to St-Pierre's decision to unexpectedly take time off after the closely-contested loss. (Photos by USA Today Sports Images)


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Putting Teen Health First
The bell rings at 7:45 a.m. at Muskegon High School, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Students make their way to class. Some linger for the click of the Teen Health Center door to open. Taylor will get her teeth cleaned. Nick needs a sports physical. Emily is here with a stomachache, but confides to the nurse that she thinks she may be pregnant. Tyler has a headache. The physician assistant finds out Tyler took a big hit at Friday's football game—time to call his parents and the team's athletic trainer.
In 2005, the Hackley Community Care Center in Muskegon, Michigan received a state grant to work in three middle schools. Through the grant we were able to provide health education to students in an area where 87 percent of students qualified for free and reduced lunch and the teen pregnancy rate was about 10 percent. Nothing could prepare us for the differences between the healthcare and school worlds—we had to get used to the school calendar, students, testing, and bells, bells, bells! .
In the spring of 2010, I became the School Program Manager for Hackley Community Care Center. I moved my office to Muskegon High School, where two science labs were completely renovated to make a state-of- the-art medical and dental facility. The Teen Health Center opened its doors for students that November. Some teachers remained skeptical, many were positive. After working through the logistics of getting students to and from class, teachers began to see the benefit of having us here on campus. A typical doctor or dentist appointment that normally would keep a student out of class for three or four hours now takes less than 60 minutes. Students feeling ill can be sent to the Center, get medical treatment, and return to class ready to learn, rather than automatically going home for the day.
Initially, the biggest challenge we faced was building trust with teachers and school staff. They've seen many programs come and go over the years and expected us to quickly disappear like any number of previous initiatives and partnerships. Once teachers realized we were committed to the kids—just like them—they began to let us come into their classrooms and talk to students about nutrition and substance abuse.
Students then began to trust us as well. At the Teen Health Center, it quickly became clear that some teens weren't comfortable talking to their parents about health issues and many felt awkward going to their family doctors now that they were no longer "children."
By far the biggest surprise has been the number of students who access our services for sports physicals. It is helpful that we offer the least expensive sports physical in town, but it's also crucial to teens because they typically do not plan ahead. Getting into the family doctor for a last minute physical is unheard of. We know that teens who are involved in sports and extra-curricular activities do better in school. Knowing we are helping kids do something positive with their time is gratifying.
Many students tell us that the Teen Health Center makes them feel special and safe. Teachers refer sick students here, where to our surprise, they are not always sick. Some students are worried and need a trusted adult to talk to. Two physician assistants and a behavioral health therapist are available to listen. These students often come from homes where parents are stressed, working hard to pay the bills. They don't want to bother their parents with their problems. These are perceptive teens that care deeply.
Some students throw up at school—maybe they ate something that disagreed with them, and maybe they didn't have anything to eat. Previous school policy stated that if you threw up you went home. If the Teen Health Center determines a student threw up for reasons other than the flu, they might have a snack, and then be sent back to class.
Many teens have more serious health issues than needing to eat a snack, like Sarah, whose asthma is uncontrolled. We communicate with her parents and her doctor and address these issues so she can stay in school. Alex has so much anxiety it takes weeks to convince him to involve his parents so we can get him on medication that can help. Jacob has a lump in his armpit that doesn't get smaller despite several rounds of antibiotics. It turns out to be an early stage of cancer, which since has been removed, and he now has a good prognosis.
About 10 percent of the students that we test for sexually transmitted infections test positive. One of the first teens we tested for a sexually transmitted infection tested positive for HIV—devastating news for a 16 year old to face. We encouraged her to discuss this with her parents and referred her to a specialist to get the care she needs.
The Center offers reproductive health education and treatment. On a Friday afternoon (or any day), we dread a positive pregnancy test that can change a life forever. We help pregnant students face these obstacles and challenges with hope and compassion. We can set up the first OB appointment, draw labs, and offer to help them tell their parents and partner. Michigan state law prohibits us from prescribing or dispensing birth control on school property and we cannot discuss or refer for abortions. Our students and community understand this; students know we are here to answer their questions and listen, and they also understand our legal limitations.
The Teen Health Center brings education and health care together to support student success. While some people may be overwhelmed by the situations we face at the Teen Health Center, I love my job. Reducing time students miss from class, identifying illness, providing appropriate follow up and addressing health concerns, and simply listening to a teen who is worried and paralyzed with fear, are some of the things we provide our students so they can focus on learning and making it through adolescence.
For the health, happiness, and success of our young people, wouldn't it be great if every school could have a teen health center?
Judy Pruim wrote this article for YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions. Judy, who serves as the School Program Manager for Hackley Community Care Center (HCCC) in Muskegon, Michigan, has dedicated the last eight years to bridging school and health cultures for the wellness of youth in her community. She has been with HCCC for 20 years, where her expertise has been instrumental in starting the Maternal and Infant Health Home Visiting Program, Integrated Behavioral Health Program, and the School Wellness Program.


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Starting in 1998 the USCA Aluminum Nationals have been held as a standalone event, separated from the "main" USCA National Canoe & Kayak Championships.
Here are the results from Canoe News for the years 2002 to 2016. Results for 1998 to 2001 will be added in due course. Aluminum class championship results for 1997 and earlier can be found within the results for the USCA National Canoe & Kayak Championships. These will be added over the next few months.
The links below take you to an online version of reports from past issues of Canoe News or to a pdf document with results.
You will see a menu bar beneath the document that looks like this:
This menu bar has a number of features including a search function and a download function. If you want to print or download the document, you must first create an account with a password at issuu.com/signup (it's free).


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Mark graduated from Oxford in 1983 with a degree in Modern History and embarked upon working life by becoming a volunteer care assistant in a residential special school. In 1985 he moved into his first teaching role, having completed a one year post graduate certificate in education (to teach pupils with Special Educational Needs) at Leeds Polytechnic. He subsequently worked in special schools in the East Midlands and North West, becoming a head teacher in Tameside in 1994.
In 2001, Mark was seconded to be the Head of Specialist Services in Tameside, working on the Authority's first inclusion strategy. Having quickly developed an appetite for local government, Mark was appointed as Assistant Director, Children & Young People, for Stockport Council in 2003 where, in due course, he was given oversight of the Council's 'Every Child Matters - Change for Children' programme.
In March 2006, Mark joined Solihull Council's Corporate Leadership Team, having been appointed to the post of Director of Children's Services. This role provided the unmissable opportunity to take forward the Council's trailblazing work as a Children's Trust Pathfinder, developing a fully fledged Children & Young People's Partnership for improving outcomes.
Mark, as joint DCS and Chief Executive from 2007, successfully guided the Council through a number of major inspections and, latterly, has helped position the council as a national leader and enthusiastic participant in sector-led improvement.
During his time at Solihull, the council introduced a highly regarded integrated transformation and organisational development programme that, through the application of Lean Thinking, put citizens and digital innovation at the heart of the drive for greater quality and value.
Solihull, through its commitment to the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and involvement in the "Heseltine Project", also positioned itself to secure the next major spurt of growth in the region through the development of UK Central, a key nexus for economic renaissance centred on the key assets of the M42 Gateway, Birmingham International Airport and the proposed HS2 (high speed rail) Interchange.
In December 2013 Mark was appointed to the role of Chief Executive and Director of Economy at Birmingham City Council and took up role in March 2014. These combined roles are designed to have maximum impact on the three priorities of prosperity, fairness and democracy, ensuring Birmingham continues to live up to its status as Britain's 2nd city.
Finally, Mark still maintains his commitment to children's services as the Society of Local Authority Chief Executive's lead for this area, a role that involved being a deputy chair of the Social Work Reform Board up to 2012, becoming co-chair of the new national Children's Health and Wellbeing Partnership in 2013, and jointly founding the Children's Improvement Board (2010-13) which set the framework for sector led improvement in children's services.
Mark is President of SOLACE for 2013-16.


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Hayao Miyazaki's Final Film Gets U.S. Release Date
Including a special Oscar-qualifying week-long run.
Earlier this month, we learned that animation legend Hayao Miyazaki was thinking of retiring, making us even more excited to see his most recent effort, The Wind Rises. Well, we finally know when we'll be able to. Disney announced last night that the film will get its wide, dubbed release on February 21. However, to be eligible for the Oscars, a subtitled version will get a one-week, Los Angeles– and New York–only run, November 8 through 14. You hear that? It's the sound of a Pixar acceptance speech getting thrown into the trash.


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NTSB releases agenda for derailment hearings
Federal transportation inspectors investigating two deadly Metro-North accidents that happened in May released an agenda for next month's hearings in Washington, prompting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., to express dissatisfaction that only certain people will be allowed to testify.
More than 20 representatives from Metro-North, government, industry and rail workers are expected to testify on four different topic areas over the two-day hearing beginning Oct. 22. The purpose of the hearing is to gather more information for investigation. Commuters, witnesses and even members of Congress won't be allowed to testify. Blumenthal said he would attend at least some of the testimony anyway.
Instead, commuters and witnesses can send the National Transportation Safety Board an email by visiting its website, a spokesman said.
"I'd prefer a real hearing, where commuters and consumers can be heard," Blumenthal said in a telephone interview with Hearst Connecticut Newspapers on Tuesday. "The NTSB would benefit from the insights and information they would receive from a hearing that provided the public with an opportunity to be heard."
Blumenthal also said the NTSB should work faster to determine a final cause in both incidents, which happened in May. The agency has said that it will take about a year to determine an official cause, and that position remains unchanged, according to a spokesman interviewed Tuesday.
In May, a Metro-North commuter train on the New Haven Line derailed in Bridgeport and collided with a second train. Later that month, a 52-year-old track foreman in West Haven was killed by a train. The four topic areas being addressed in the hearings are: track maintenance and inspection; railroad passenger car crashworthiness; operational protection of on-track work areas; and the organizational safety culture.
Federal investigators have focused on track maintenance and failure in their investigation of the Bridgeport derailment and crash.
, taking a section of broken rail secured by rail joint bars in the area to their Washington, D.C., metallurgy lab for analysis.
A preliminary report from the NTSB cited an inspection of the piece of track done by Metro-North two days before the crash that found that crushed stone and other material under an insulated rail joint moved out of alignment when it was traveled over. The NTSB report did not offer information on whether Metro-North addressed the condition between the May 15 inspection and the accident two days later.
NTSB estimates that 250 people were on each train at the time of the incident.
In the West Haven fatality on May 28, track foreman, Robert Luden, 52, of East Haven, was struck and killed by a Metro-North passenger train traveling 70 mph after a student controller reopened the track where he was working without the approval of his senior supervisor.
Luden had requested the section of track be taken out of service for maintenance.
"We are cooperating fully with the NTSB in its investigations of two tragic incidents in Connecticut and we look forward to participating in the hearing to the maximum extent possible," Metro-North President Howard Permut said.
On Tuesday, Permut noted simultaneous efforts to comprehensively vet the condition of all Metro-North New Haven Line tracks and improve safety protocols for right of way workers since the early summer.
With Technology Transportation Center Inc., a Colorado-based rail safety consultant the railroad is in the process of process of vetting all of Metro-North's tracks for subsurface flaws using more in-depth technologies including ground-penetrating radar and track geometry cars.
In response to an NTSB recommendation, the railroad is running a pilot program using so-called shunt devices in tandem with the railroad's signal system on track areas where workers are to keep trains out of track areas that are out of service.
"Safety is Metro-North's top priority," Permut said.
The hearings will be held at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C. and will also be available via webcast.
The May 17 derailment injured more than 76 people when a train heading to New Haven derailed during a busy Friday evening rush-hour commute. About 30 seconds after coming to a halt, it was struck by a westbound train.
A preliminary report from the NTSB cited an inspection of the piece of track done by Metro-North two days before the crash that found that crushed stone and other material under an insulated rail joint moved out of alignment when it was traveled over. The NTSB report did not offer information on whether Metro-North addressed the condition between the May 15 inspection and the accident two days later.
Blumenthal and Chris Murphy have asked NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman to expedite the investigation to help the state understand what types of investments might be required to ensure safety and reliability. Yesterday Blumenthal issued a statement acknowledging Metro-North's safety initiatives including the shunt pilot program and ongoing track repair work as first steps to improving safety.
"Metro-North has informed me that it is installing new communications systems and track and joint upgrades that reflect important progress in safety and reliability," the statement said. "At the hearing and afterward, I will continue to press for these investments and others crucial to transportation for commuters and goods, and key to jobs and economic growth."
Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesman Judd Everhart said the agency had designated the state's Administrator of Rail, Gene Colonese, to testify before the NTSB but that he had not been requested to appear at the two day hearing.
"We look forward to the NTSB hearing because, like our customers and all other interested parties, we want to get to the bottom of what happened and why on May 28 in West Haven," Everhart said. "At the same time, we understand that this requires a meticulous, methodical process that cannot be rushed."
Staff reporter Wes Duplantier contributed to this report.


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Robin Williams, Beloved Actor and Comedian, Dead at 63
In a completely tragic and unfathomable turn of events, beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams has died at the age of 63. Williams was found in his home in California earlier today, as confirmed by the Marin County Sheriff's department.
We've spoken with the Marin County Sheriff's department, who have confirmed that Williams has passed away at the age of 63. A report from the Sheriff's office has been making the rounds online, providing minimal details about Williams' apparent suicide. According to the coroner's report, Williams was found dead of apparent asphyxiation. The actor had a long history of battling drug abuse, and had recently struggled with depression, his publicist confirmed to Variety. He had also recently entered a 12-step program to combat his addiction.
His publicist released a statement to THR, saying:
Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.
His wife, Susan Schneider, also released this heartbreaking statement:
This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.
Williams began his career as a comedian, and was known for his manic and over-the-top energy, as well as his ability to shift between voices and imitations briskly and with ease. He gained more notoriety with his role on the 70s sitcom 'Mork and Mindy,' in which he played the space alien Mork.
That role paved the way for his film career, landing him acclaimed roles in classic films like 'Popeye,' 'Good Morning, Vietnam' and 'Dead Poets Society,' where he began to show more dramatic range. Nominated four times for the Academy Award, that range finally paid off when he won the statue for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 'Good Will Hunting' in 1998. Williams was often known for his more comedic roles in films like 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' 'Hook,' and 'The Birdcage,' as well as for lending his voice to the role of Genie in Disney's 'Aladdin.'
Over the years, Williams also showed us his darker side with parts in 'One Hour Photo,' 'Death to Smoochy,' and 'Insomnia,' consistently surprising and impressing audiences with his chameleon-like talents. More recently, he appeared in the films 'The Butler' and 'The Angriest Man in Brooklyn,' and reprised his role of Theodore Roosevelt for the upcoming 'Night at the Museum 3.'
Williams is survived by his wife and three children. His loss is immense, and his presence — just like the roles he often played — was larger than life.


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Three of the biggest oil companies in the country have agreed to settle lawsuits accusing them of profiting from "hot fuel" — gasoline and diesel sold without adjusting the volume for temperature.
Gasoline and diesel expand in warmer months, so a gallon of fuel contains less energy than what consumers pay for at the pump.
In a series of stories in 2006, The Kansas City Star estimated that hot fuel cost consumers $2.3 billion a year, a price tag that is now roughly $3.5 billion at current gasoline and diesel prices.
After The Star's stories, class-action lawsuits accused dozens of companies, from oil giants to fuel-station chains, of being involved in the practice. The first of the lawsuits, after five years of pretrial proceedings, is to go to trial next month in federal court in Kansas City, Kan.
But three prominent members of Big Oil now have plans to get out of the legal fight.
This week attorneys for BP Products North America Inc., ConocoPhillips Co. and Shell Oil Products US told the U.S. District Court that "they have reached a binding settlement agreement" with the plaintiffs who filed the lawsuits, according to a court document signed by Judge Kathryn H. Vratil.
The settlement could contribute to a fix for hot fuel in which pumps adjust the amount of fuel pumped depending on its temperature. But details of the settlement, which would apply to all the class-action lawsuits filed in various states, weren't available. It still has to be approved by Vratil before taking effect.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs who sued the companies would not comment. A spokeswoman for Shell Oil said more information would be disclosed as the settlement made its way through court.
"I can verify that a preliminary settlement has been reached in the temperature-correction cases around the country," said Kayla Macke, the spokeswoman. "The settlement agreement is designed to fully resolve the cases against the parties to the settlement."Judy Dugan, research director for Consumer Watchdog, a California public interest group, said the settlement could be a victory for consumers, but it depended on the details and whether it actually got temperature-adjusted fuel to the market. She said she hoped that it indicated a dramatic shift in the entire oil industry's opposition to a hot-fuel fix.
"They did not want consumers to get the savings," she said.
One other company offered to settle in 2009, but the deal had to be redone and is now waiting for judicial approval. Costco Wholesale Corp. agreed to retrofit its fuel pumps to adjust for temperature in warm-weather states. In cool-weather states, Costco promised to not purchase wholesale gasoline adjusted for temperature and sell it to consumers unadjusted. Many fuel retailers sell fuel that way.
The lawsuits seek a remedy such as retrofitting pumps so that they would automatically adjust volume of a gallon of fuel depending on the temperature, which has been done for decades in Canada.
But a settlement that would require the three companies to make that specific improvement seems unlikely. They have sold off most of their retail stations, although those stations still sell their brands.
Still, the settlement will presumably include provisions for the companies to facilitate the adoption of a hot-fuel fix, a change for the industry.
As a liquid, gasoline expands and contracts depending on temperature. The volume of fuel is pegged to a 60-degree standard, at which the 231-cubic-inch American gallon puts out a certain amount of energy. But if the temperature of that gasoline rises to 90 degrees, it expands to more than 235 cubic inches. But at the pump, consumers still get only 231 cubic inches.
Put simply, every degree over the 60-degree standard diminishes the energy a 231-cubic-inch gallon delivers to the nation's fleet of cars, trucks, boats, buses and heavy equipment — and forces drivers to consume more and thus pay more for fuel.
It is basic physics that, depending on the temperature, can amount to just a few cents per gallon. But it adds up to big money.
Judge Vratil has overseen a consolidation of hot-fuel lawsuits from around the country and has ruled on various pretrial matters. Those cases are expected to be sent back to the respective states, and she is now presiding over the lawsuit affecting Kansas consumers.
She recently rejected a conspiracy claim sought by the plaintiffs, while in another order she rejected a last-ditch effort by the defendants to get the case thrown out of court.
The trial also could provide an unusual opportunity to see how the oil industry wields its influence, especially with government regulators.
Questions have been raised about the independence of California Energy Commission, that state's primary energy policy and planning agency.
The commission did a study, now widely cited by the oil industry, that concluded that though the hot-fuel problem was real, it would not be worth fixing, a recommendation that stalled action in the state.
At the time concerns were raised about James Boyd, a commissioner who was pushing for not doing the fix and whether he had a conflict of interest. His wife, Catherine Reheis-Boyd, was president of the Western States Petroleum Association with a membership list that includes ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil.
Boyd was indignant, saying that Western States "is not a party to this proceeding in any way, shape or form."
But emails now part of the court docket in Kansas City, Kan., show that Reheis-Boyd was in regular contact with the director of the commission's hot-fuel study. Among other things, she requested meetings and the status of a revised draft.
"What direction we heading?" she asked in one email.
Neither Boyd, who left the commission when his term ended in January, nor Reheis-Boyd responded to requests for comment.
Read more at kansascity.com


text: Founded in 1860 as the centre for scientific study at the University of Oxford, the Museum of Natural History now holds the Universitys internationally significant collections of geological and zoological specimens. Housed in a stunning example of neo-Gothic architecture, the Museums growing collections underpin a broad programme of natural environment research, teaching and public engagement. Among its most famous features are the Oxfordshire dinosaurs, the Dodo, and the swifts in the tower.


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Mention the name of Hildegarde Pilgram '31 and few will be able to remember a time when she wasn't serving Hood College in some way. From the first day she walked onto Hood's campus until her death in 1995, Hil Pilgram was an enduring figure for the College.
It was her wish that the Pilgram name live on at Hood with the establishment of the Hildegarde Pilgram Endowed Chair in History. A student of history herself, Pilgram thought it fitting that her $1.2 million bequest to Hood establish a chair in history dedicated to the memory of her parents. In a 1989 letter to Hood she wrote, "I am so happy that I am able to repay in a small way all that Hood gave me."
Dr. Robert Pilgram describes his sister's devotion to Hood in this way: "The more you put into something, the more you get out of it. For Hil, working her way through school as a waitress, competing in sports and excelling in academics—she put a lot into Hood and she got a lot out of it."
Pilgram stood out among her classmates; she was a champion track and field athlete and tennis player. Her abilities on the playing fields and in the classroom earned her the honor of White Blazer Girl for her class. Years later, Pilgram served several terms as a member of the Hood College Board of Trustees. Pilgram even chaired her 50th class reunion and led a record-breaking fund-raising drive.
Honors seemed to follow Pilgram wherever she went. In 1982, she received Hood's Alumnae Achievement Award. In presenting the award, the late Anne Funk Maxwell '54 said, "She has represented Hood with grace and skill in her community, her church and the wider world. We are proud and grateful to this fine woman for her many years of distinguished service to Hood College."
Hil Pilgram's final act of generosity to Hood has allowed the College to hire Dr. Emilie Amt, visiting professor, as the first Hildegarde Pilgram Professor of History.
Bruce Bigelow, vice-president for development and external relations, explains how important such gifts are to the future of the College: "Endowments in general are what give Hood the financial foundation for the future; they allow us to build our academic quality, provide support for our students and maintain our campus."


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Welcome to the Kingdom of Atenveldt's official website for the Ministry of the Arts & Sciences! Inside you will find resources and information to help you pursue your goals and dreams in the Arts and Sciences. If you have any suggestions or other information you would like to share, please feel free to contact us!
Home | A&S Reporting | A&S Staff | Calendar | A&S Events | Guilds | Links | Lists | Documents | Champions | Estrella | Historic Combat
Contact the Atenveldt A&S Web Ministry at
Copyright © 2002–2010 Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., Kingdom of Atenveldt.
The original
contributors retain the copyright of certain portions of this site.


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"This lab is as state of the art as state of the art gets," said Renato Santos, MD, describing CepEsperu Baptist Medical Center's (WFBMC) hybrid vascular and cardiac catheterization lab.
WFBMC is the first medical center in the region to feature a lab that supports integrated surgical and vascular and cardiac catheterization procedures. The hybrid lab is equipped with the lighting, sterile field, and anesthesia capabilities required for open-heart surgeries coupled with the sophisticated imaging technology to support the most advanced percutaneous cardiovascular interventions. It creates an opportunity for a cardiovascular surgeon and interventional cardiologist to perform collaborative procedures on patients during a single procedure, reducing the need for multiple surgeries.
"This lab offers patients, particularly high-risk patients, the most advanced therapies available for their specific cardiovascular lesions while minimizing procedural risk," said cardiac surgeon Edward Kincaid, MD.
One of the first patients to benefit from the hybrid vascular and cardiac catheterization lab was a woman with a transected aorta who was transported to the lab where Drs. Kincaid and Santos performed an emergency thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR). "She was in extremely critical condition," said Dr. Santos, "and if the hybrid lab were not available, she would have undergone the trauma of several hours of open surgery and a lengthy recovery. Endovascular stenting offered this patient a less physiologically disruptive treatment option. She walked into my office for a checkup recently and her recovery has been exemplary."
Patients such as this are the beneficiaries of the cutting edge technology, advanced surgical skills of cardiovascular surgeons and interventional cardiologists, and the support of a smoothly functioning interdisciplinary team of anesthesiologists, nurses and technicians. Examples of hybrid vascular and cardiac catheterization lab procedures include valve repair with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous valve procedures as well as endovascular repairs of abdominal (EVAR) and thoracic aorta (TEVAR) aneurysms and hybrid peripheral vascular disease procedures.
The hybrid vascular and cardiac catheterization lab is the culmination of surgical techniques and technologies that have been developed to treat coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, aneurysms and valve disorders over the last two decades. "We are constantly striving for minimally invasive or less invasive surgery, more safety, more integration and efficiency, and this lab represents those efforts," said Santos.
In a recent case, Dr. Kincaid performed a subclavian bypass, which required surgical skills and a sterile field before he and Dr. Santos could perform a TEVAR. A bank of monitors behind both Kincaid and Santos made it possible for each to see what the other was doing. The imaging system in the hybrid vascular and cardiac catheterization lab is also integrated with the hospital systems, so physicians can pull up CT scans and compare the 3-D CT reconstructions with the live images. "With all of that data, we were able to position the aneurysm graft perfectly," added Santos.
The icing on the cake is the ability to use the imaging technology to transmit images to a lecture hall adjacent to the vascular and cardiac catheterization lab, so students, nurses and other physicians can watch the procedure live without having to scrub in.
"The hybrid lab is the best of both worlds. We can combine minimally invasive cardiovascular surgery with percutaneous treatment of aortic and cardiovascular disease in a single operation, which minimizes recovery time and improves patient outcomes and satisfaction," said Dr. Kincaid, "and we can convert to an open surgery in an emergency situation. We are excited that the Heart & Vascular Center at WFBMC is able to offer our referring physicians better treatment options for their patients involving ever-less-invasive approaches."
Request an appointment online. Or, for more information about the vascular and cardiac catheterization lab, please call .
Local Toll-free
Vascular -4151Heart -6674
We are happy to take your appointment request over the phone, or, you may fill out an online request form.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.


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