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Administrative Rules of the Unified Court System & Uniform Rules of the Trial Courts
Uniform Rules for N.Y.S. Trial Courts
PART 200. Uniform Rules For Courts Exercising Criminal Jurisdiction
Rules Applicable To All Courts
Section 200.1 Application; definitions.
(a) The rules of this Part shall govern procedures in each criminal court of the State.
(b) For purposes of this Part:
(1) Chief Administrator of the Courts shall include the designee of the Chief Administrator.
(2) Clerk as used in this Part shall mean the chief clerk or the appropriate clerk of the trial court, unless the context otherwise requires.
(3) Other words or expressions used in this Part shall have the same meanings as they have under provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law.
Historical Note
200.2 Terms and parts of court.
(a) Terms of court. A term of court is a four-week session of court, and there shall be 13 terms of court in a year, unless otherwise provided in the annual schedule of terms established by the Chief Administrator of the Courts, which also shall specify the dates of such terms.
(b) Parts of court. A part of court is a designated unit of the court in which specified business of the court is to be conducted by a judge or quasi- judicial officer. There shall be such parts of court as may be authorized to be established from time to time by the Chief Administrator of the Courts.
Historical Note
200.3 Papers filed in a criminal court; form.
In addition to complying with the applicable provisions of CPLR 2101, every paper filed in court, other than an exhibit or printed form, shall contain writing on one side only, and if typewritten, shall have at least double space between each line, except for quotations and the names and addresses of attorneys appearing in the action, and shall have at least one-inch margins.
Historical Note
200.4 Submission of papers to judge of a criminal court.
All papers for signature or consideration of the court shall be presented to the clerk of the trial court in the appropriate courtroom or clerk's office, except that where the clerk is unavailable or the judge so directs, papers may be submitted to the judge and a copy filed with the clerk at the first available opportunity. All papers for any judge that are filed in the clerk's office shall be promptly delivered to the judge by the clerk. The papers shall be clearly addressed to the judge for whom they are intended and prominently show the nature of the papers, the title and the identification number of the accusatory instrument or instruments by which defendant is charged, the name of the assigned judge, if any, the name of the attorney or party submitting them and the return date of any motion to which the papers refer.
Historical Note
Section 200.5 Appearance of counsel in criminal actions.
Each attorney appearing in a criminal action is required to file a written notice of appearance on or before the time of the attorney's first appearance in court or not later than 10 days after appointment or retainer, whichever is sooner. The notice shall contain the attorney's name, office address and telephone number, the name of the person on whose behalf he or she is appearing, and the identification number of the accusatory instrument or instruments by which such person is charged.
Historical Note
Section 200.6 Engagement of counsel.
No adjournment shall be granted on the ground of engagement of counsel except in accordance with Part 125 of the Rules of the Chief Administrator of the Courts (22 NYCRR Part 125).
Historical Note
Section 200.7 Authorization to administer oaths.
(a) All court clerks employed in court parts devoted in whole or in part to the disposition of criminal actions, and such other employees as the judge presiding therein may designate in accordance with section 105 of the Uniform District Court Act, section 105 of the Uniform City Court Act, section 109 of the Uniform Justice Court Act and section 23(1) of the New York City Criminal Court Act, are authorized to administer oaths, take acknowledgments and sign the process of the court under the seal thereof.
(b) Copies of written authorizations to administer oaths required by section 58 of the New York City Criminal Court Act to be filed with the New York City Criminal Court are to be filed with the chief clerk thereof.
Historical Note
The forms set forth in Chapter VI of Subtitle D of this Title, designated "Forms for use in courts exercising criminal jurisdiction," shall be the official forms of those courts and shall, in substantially the same form as set forth, be uniformly used throughout the State.
Historical Note
Section 200.9 Certificate of relief from disabilities; notification of eligibility.
(a) In all criminal causes, whenever a pre-sentence probation report is submitted to the court, such report shall contain information bearing upon the eligibility of the defendant to obtain a certificate of relief from forfeitures and disabilities under article 23 of the Correction Law and shall further contain a recommendation as to the appropriateness of granting such discretionary relief at the time sentence is pronounced. Whenever a defendant has been sentenced to a period of probation, and has not received such discretionary relief, and if such defendant is apparently eligible for consideration of such discretionary relief, the probation officer supervising such defendant, prior to the termination of the probation period, shall inform the defendant, of his right to make application to the court for a certificate of relief from disabilities, and shall provide such defendant with the required forms in order to enable him or her to make application to the court if he or she should wish to do so.
(b) In all criminal causes, whenever a defendant who is eligible to receive a certificate of relief from disabilities under article 23 of the Correction Law is sentenced, the court, in pronouncing sentence, unless it grants such certificate at that time, shall advise the defendant of his or her eligibility to make application at a later time for such relief.
(c) Failure to comply with the requirements of subdivision (a) or (b) of this section shall not affect the validity of any sentence.
Historical Note
Section 200.10 Applicability of sections 200.10-200.14.
The rules of these sections shall be applicable to each superior court.
Historical Note
Section 200.11 Assignment of criminal actions.
Criminal actions shall be assigned as follows:
(a) General. Except as the Chief Administrator of the Courts may otherwise provide, all criminal actions in Supreme Court and in County Court shall be heard and disposed of in accordance with an individual assignment system.
(b) Arraignment-conference part. The Chief Administrator of the Courts may authorize the establishment of an arraignment-conference part for any superior court. Where an arraignment-conference part has been established, upon commencement of a criminal action in the superior court, the action shall be assigned to such part. The judge presiding therein shall arraign the defendant and hear and determine any bail application. If no plea of guilty is entered within 14 calendar days of the defendant's arraignment, or if the judge presiding determines that it is unlikely that a plea of guilty will be entered, the action shall be assigned to a judge as provided in subdivision (c) of this section. If a plea of guilty is entered within such time period, the action shall remain in the arraignment-conference part for sentencing and any further proceedings therein.
(c) Assignment of actions to individual assignment judges. Except as provided in subdivision (b) of this section, upon commencement of a criminal action in the superior court, the action shall be assigned to a judge by the clerk of the court in which it is pending pursuant to a method of random selection authorized by the Chief Administrator. The judge thereby assigned shall be known as the "assigned judge" with respect to such action and, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d) of this section, shall conduct all further proceedings therein.
(d) Exceptions.
(2) The Chief Administrator may authorize the assignment of one or more special reserve trial judges. Such judges may be assigned matters for trial in exceptional circumstances where the needs of the courts require such assignment.
(3) Matters requiring immediate disposition may be assigned to a judge designated to hear such matters when the assigned judge is not available.
(4) The Chief Administrator may authorize the transfer of any action and any matter relating to an action from one judge to another in accordance with the needs of the court.
Historical Note
Section 200.12 Preliminary conference.
As soon as practicable after the assignment of an action to an individual assignment judge, the assigned judge shall conduct a preliminary conference. The matters to be considered at such conference shall include establishment of a timetable for completion of discovery and filing and hearing of motions, fixing a date for commencement of trial, and consideration of any other matters that the court may deem relevant. At the conclusion of the conference, the directions by the court to the parties and any stipulations by counsel shall be placed on the record or incorporated in a written court order. In the discretion of the court, failure of a party to comply with these directions shall result in the imposition of such sanctions as are authorized by law. The court may direct the holding of additional preliminary conferences as may be needed.
Historical Note
Section 200.13 Impaneling of grand juries.
There shall be a grand jury drawn and impaneled for such terms of a superior court as may be provided on the annual schedule of terms established by the Chief Administrator of the Courts. Whenever the public interest requires, additional grand juries may be drawn and impaneled as authorized by the Chief Administrator.
Historical Note
Section 200.14 Transfer of indictments between superior courts.
Upon authorization by the Chief Administrator:
(a) An indictment pending in the Supreme Court at a term held in a county outside the City of New York may, prior to entry of a plea of guilty thereto or commencement of a trial thereof, be removed to the County Court of such county.
(b) An indictment pending in a County Court may similarly be removed to the Supreme Court at a term held or to be held in the same county.
Historical Note
Section 200.15 Appointment of a special district attorney.
Any party filing with a superior court an application for appointment of a special district attorney, pursuant to section 701 of the County Law, shall make the application to the Chief Administrator of the Courts or to an appropriate Deputy Chief Administrative Judge. The Chief Administrator, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge, or appropriate Administrative Judge shall assign a superior court judge to consider the application as provided by law, selected from a list of judges established for that purpose that has been approved by the Chief Administrator and the Presiding Justice of the appropriate Appellate Division.
Historical Note
200.16/200.27: Issuance of Order Confirming Disclosure and Notice Obligations
In all criminal actions on an indictment, prosecutor's information, information, or simplified information, where counsel for the defendant has provided the prosecutor with a written demand as specified under CPL 240.10(1) and 240.20, or where the prosecution has waived such demand, the court shall issue an order to prosecution and defense counsel that, inter alia, (1) confirms the prosecutor's disclosure obligations pursuant to Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150 (1972), People v Geaslen, 54 N.Y.2d 510 (1981), and their progeny; and (2) confirms defense counsel's professional obligation to provide effective assistance of counsel and meet defendant's statutory notice obligations. The order shall be issued on the first scheduled court date, following demand, where both the prosecutor and defense counsel are present. The Chief Administrator of the Courts shall promulgate a model order for this purpose that the court may use as it deems appropriate.
Historical Note
Section 200.20 Applicability of sections 200.20-200.22.
The rules of these sections shall be applicable to each local criminal court.
Historical Note
Section 200.21 Procedure in local criminal courts; local court rules.
Procedure in each local criminal court shall be as provided by the Criminal Procedure Law and such local court rules as may be adopted in compliance with Part 9 of the Rules of the Chief Judge (22 NYCRR Part 9).
Historical Note
Section 200.22 Assignment of criminal actions.
Criminal actions in a criminal term shall be assigned to judges in a manner authorized by the Chief Administrator of the Courts.
Historical Note
Section 200.23 Recordkeeping requirements for town and village courts.
(a) Each town and village court shall maintain:
(1) case files containing all papers filed, orders issued, any minutes or notes made by the court of proceedings or testimony, and a copy of any original documents or papers forwarded to another court or agency;
(2) an index of cases with a unique number assigned to each case when filed; and
(3) a cashbook which shall chronologically itemize all receipts and disbursements.
(b) In each case, except for parking violations, the court shall assign a unique case number for each defendant. In addition to the papers filed and orders issued, the court shall maintain records which shall include the following information:
(1) the defendant's name, address, and date of birth if under the age of 19;
(2) the State law or local ordinance, including section number, of each offense charged;
(3) a brief description of each offense charged and the date of its alleged commission;
(4) the date of arrest;
(5) the name of the arresting agency or officer;
(6) the date of arraignment;
(7) the name and address of the prosecutor and the defendant's attorney;
(8) a record of the arraignment proceedings, including the following entries: whether the charges were read to the defendant; the constitutional and statutory rights of which defendant was advised; whether counsel was assigned; the plea entered by defendant; a summary of other actions taken by the court at arraignment, including the form of release and amount of bail set; and the date of the next scheduled appearance;
(9) the defendant's NYSID number and court control number, where available, for fingerprintable offenses;
(10) a summary of all other actions taken and proceedings conducted before trial;
(11) the names and addresses of all witnesses sworn;
(12) whether the defendent waived a jury;
(13) each diposition after trial, and each disposition other than by trial and the reasons therefor;
(14) whether a presentence report was ordered and made available to the defendant or the defendant's attorney;
(15) any sentence imposed by the court; and
(16) a summary of all post-judgment proceedings.
(c) A model recordkeeping system which complies with the requirements of this Part will be prepared and distributed by the Office of Court Administration.
Historical Note
Section 200.24 Recordkeeping in city courts.
Each city court may, consistent with the provisions of section 2019 of the Uniform City Court Act, maintain records of all criminal actions and proceedings in accordance with section 200.23 of this Part.
Historical Note
Section 200.25 Procedure for Accepting Guilty Pleas by Mail in the New York City Criminal Court
(a) Establishment. The Administrative Judge of the New York City Criminal Court may establish a procedure for accepting guilty pleas by mail whereby a defendant charged in an information with a designated petty offense defined outside of the Penal Law may enter a plea of guilty to such petty offense, and be sentenced by the Court to pay a fine and any applicable surcharge on the resulting conviction, without making a personal appearance in the action. For purposes of this section, the term "petty offense" shall have the same meaning as in subdivision (39) of section 1..20 of the Criminal Procedure Law
(b) Applicability. The procedure established pursuant to subdivision (a) shall apply only where a defendant has been served with an appearance ticket in lieu of an arrest, returnable in the Summons Part of the New York City Criminal Court, for a petty offense defined outside of the Penal Law that has been specifically designated by the Administrative Judge of the New York City Criminal Court as appropriate for disposition under this section.
(c) Appearance Ticket; Form and Content.
(d) Procedure. A defendant served with an appearance ticket pursuant to this section charging the defendant with a designated petty offense defined outside of the Penal Law may enter a plea of guilty by mail by indicating, in accordance with the instructions in the appearance ticket, that he or she pleads guilty to the charge, and by signing and mailing the completed ticket, by first class, registered or certified mail, to the Court at the address provided on the ticket, together with payment of the amount of the fine and surcharge set forth on the ticket for the offense charged. Provided an information has been filed charging such offense, the Court then may dispose of the case as though the defendant had been convicted upon a plea of guilty in open court, or, because of the defendant's prior criminal record or other special circumstance, may refuse to accept the plea of guilty. If the plea is so refused, the Court shall inform the defendant in writing that he or she is required to appear before the Court at a stated time and place to answer the charge, which shall thereafter be disposed of pursuant to the applicable provisions of law, and shall return to the defendant any fine or surcharge payment that may have accompanied the defendant's proffered plea of guilty. Where an information charging a designated petty offense is dismissed by the court, any plea of guilty to such offense entered pursuant to this section shall be refused, and the court shall inform the defendant of the fact of the dismissal and shall return to the defendant any fine or surcharge payment that may have accompanied the defendant's proffered plea of guilty. A plea of guilty to a designated petty offense that is refused pursuant to this section shall be deemed a nullity.
Added 200.25 on March 22, 2005.
Section 200.26 Issuance of certain securing orders in town and village courts; duties of the court, assignment of and notification to counsel; notification to pretrial services agency
(a) Where, following an arrest, a defendant is brought, pursuant to CPL § 120,90, 140,20 or 14CL27, before a town or village court for arraignment on an accusatory instrument filed with such court, counsel for the defendant shall be given an opportunity to be heard before the court issues a securing order fixing bail or committing the defendant to the custody of the sheriff.
(b) If the defendant appears at such time without counsel, the court shall:
(c) Where it appears, pursuant to paragraph (ii) of subdivision (b) of this section, that the defendant is financially unable to obtain counsel, the court shall, prior to issuing a securing order fixing bail or committing the defendant to the custody of the sheriff, assign counsel. Such assignment shall be in accordance with the plan for representation adopted by the county pursuant to County Law § 722, and shall, in accordance with such plan:
(d) Where it appears, pursuant to paragraph (ii) of subdivision (b) of this section, that the defendant is financially able to retain counsel, the court shall inquire whether the defendant intends to retain counsel, and whether there is a particular attorney the defendant intends to retain. If the defendant identifies a particular attorney he or she intends to retain, the court shall, where such information is readily available, provide the defendant, in writing, with the telephone number of such attorney. Where the defendant does not identify a particular attorney, or where the attorney so identified is not present in court at the time the court intends to issue the securing order fixing bail or committing the defendant to the custody of the sheriff, the court may issue such securing order in the absence of counsel. Upon issuing such securing order in the absence of counsel, or, if not practicable, within 24 hours thereafter, but no later than 48 hours thereafter if extraordinary circumstances so require, the court shall notify the director of the local pretrial services agency or head of the pretrial services unit of the county probation department, if any, and the administrator of the assigned counsel program or director of the local public defender office or legal aid society, as appropriate, by telephone, and in writing or by written fax, of the defendant's appearance before the court and of the court's preliminary determination that the defendant appears to be financially able to retain counsel.
Such notification shall also include the defendant's name, the names of any codefendants, the charge or charges contained in the accusatory instrument, the docket or case number, if available, the adjourn date and time, the terms of the securing order and such other information as the court deems appropriate. The court shall include with such written or faxed notification to the administrator of the assigned counsel program or director of the local public defender office or legal aid society a copy of the accusatory instrument.
(e) Each town and village court shall obtain from the administrator of the assigned counsel program, public defender, legal aid society or other provider of indigent criminal defense legal services in that jurisdiction, and from the director of the local pretrial services agency or head of the pretrial services unit of the county probation department, if any, the names, addresses, telephone numbers and fax numbers required to effectuate the notification provisions of subdivisions (c) and (d) of this section.
(f) Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to preclude the court from:
(g) Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to relieve the court of any obligation imposed pursuant to CPL §§ 170.10 and 180,10.
(h) Each town and village court shall maintain a record in the case file of any communications and correspondence initiated or received by the court pursuant to this section, and shall make such records available to the defendant's counsel and the prosecutor upon request.
(i) The Office of Court Administration shall prepare and distribute to each town and village court such forms as may be necessary to implement the notification provisions of this section.
Added 200.26 on August 1, 2005.
Section 200.30 Applicability of sections 200.30-200.33.
The rules of these sections shall govern procedures in appeals to county courts in criminal actions.
Historical Note
Section 200.31 Judges who may stay judgment pending appeal to county court.
Upon an appeal to county court from a judgment of sentence of a local criminal court, an order pursuant to CPL 460.50, staying or suspending execution of the judgment pending termination of the appeal and either releasing defendant on his own recognizance or fixing bail, may be issued by a judge of the county court to which the appeal has been taken or a justice of the supreme court in the judicial district in which the local court is located. In the case of any appeal as of right from a judgment or sentence of a city court, such order also may be issued by a judge of such city court.
Historical Note
Section 200.32 Duration of order staying or suspending execution of judgment.
(a) An order issued pursuant to CPL 460.50 shall contain a statement that, if an appeal has not been perfected within 120 days after the issuance of the order, the operation of such order terminates and the defendant must surrender himself to the criminal court in which the judgment was entered in order that execution of the judgment be commenced or resumed.
(b) No extension of the 120-day period specified in CPL 460.50 shall be granted except by the county court.
Historical Note
Section 200.33 Perfection of criminal appeals.
(a) When a notice of appeal is filed with a local court, a copy shall be filed with the county clerk by the person filing with the local court. After an appeal has been taken pursuant to CPL 460.10(2), and within 10 days after two transcripts of the stenographic minutes of the proceedings shall have been filed with the local criminal court pursuant to CPL 460.70(1), the local criminal court shall file with the clerk of the county court the notice of appeal, a transcript of the proceedings, a copy of the accusatory instrument and any decision on pretrial motions, and shall notify the appellant and the respondent. If the local criminal court does not file the notice of appeal and transcript within the prescribed period, or if the transcript is defective, the county court, upon application of appellant or respondent, shall order the local criminal court to file them or shall order the parties to settle the transcript before the local court in the manner prescribed by CPLR 5525(c) within a designated time which the county court deems reasonable.
(b) Within 20 days after the affidavit of errors and the return of the lower court have been filed with the county court, where an appeal has been taken pursuant to CPL 460.10(3), or within 20 days after the notice of appeal and transcript have been filed with the county court, where an appeal has been taken pursuant to CPL 460.10(2), appellant shall notice the appeal for the next term or special term of county court by filing with the judge of the county court, not less than 14 days prior to the date for which the appeal has been notice, a brief and notice of argument with proof of service of a copy of each upon respondent. If the defendant is the appellant and the district attorney did not appear in the local criminal court, defendant shall also file proof of service of a copy of the brief and notice of argument upon the district attorney. Respondent's brief, or the district attorney's brief, if any, shall be filed with the judge of the county court within 12 days after service of appellant's brief, with proof of service of a copy upon appellant.
(c) If appellant does not comply herewith, the county court may, upon respondent's motion, or upon its own motion, dismiss the appeal.
(d) Upon motion, the county court judge hearing the appeal may, for good cause shown, extend the time to a subsequent term or special term, in which case the appellant must notice the appeal for such subsequent term. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, appeals may be submitted without oral argument. Motions for reargument may be made after decision is rendered, and must be made within 30 days after service upon the moving party of a copy of the order entered on the decision, with written notice of the entry.
Historical Note
Section 200.40 Obligation of the court to advise of right to counsel on people's appeal.
(a) When a criminal court issues an order suppressing evidence, dismissing an accusatory instrument, setting aside a verdict or sentence, vacating a judgment or denying a motion made pursuant to CPL section 440.40, where such order may be appealed as of right by the people pursuant to CPL section 450.20, the court promptly shall advise the defendant, on the record or in writing:
(1) that the people have the right to take an appeal;
(2) that the defendant has the right to retain counsel to represent him or her on the appeal or to respond to the appeal pro se;
(3) if the defendant can show no financial ability to pay for the cost of counsel on appeal, the defendant may make application to the appellate court for assignment of counsel to respond to the appeal; and
(4) that the defendant must provide the court and the defendant's trial counsel with an address where he or she can be contacted should the people appeal the order of the criminal court.
(b) In addition to the circumstances set forth in subdivision (a) of this section, where a court imposes a sentence, and where the people have indicated to the sentencing court their belief that the sentence is invalid as a matter of law and may be appealed by them on that ground, the court, upon imposing the sentence, shall advise the defendant of the rights enumerated in subdivision (a) of this section.
Historical Note


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Hamblin released from prison this year
Sex offender's court appearance on similar charges delayed
Hamblin released from prison this year
But his hearing was postponed to next Wednesday, News 5's Karin Johnson said.
A convicted sex offender won't be back in court Wednesday after all.
Michael Hamblin is no stranger to the court system and he'll go before a judge on charges that he was exposing himself to children again.
But his hearing was postponed to next Wednesday, News 5's Karin Johnson said.
The 43-year-old man was released from prison earlier this year after being found guilty for enticing children in 2008.
Now he's facing more time behind bars for what allegedly happened at a Middletown park last month.
A parent claims Hamblin was taking pictures of children and says when she approached him she discovered he was exposing himself to kids through his shorts.
Hamblin has a long history of similar incidents and has been arrested at least three times.

subset: commoncrawl


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Saturday, August 18, 2012
Rebates v Takeout: On Leveling the Playing Field
August 17, 2012--Bennett Liebman, Governor Andrew Cuomo's consultant on all things gaming, equates gambling on races to purchasing consumer items and regards rebates as "free-enterprise ingenuity." What he didn't consider, perhaps, is that racing's customers aren't simply consumers, they're competitors.
Unlike fixed-odds events in casino games and sports betting whose customers "play against the house," racing's customers themselves determine what the payoff for winners will be. Thus the "free market" is already built-in to racing and it is being tampered with to make it likelier that bettors with the biggest bankrolls will be profitable.
The "ingenuity" that spawned rebating is the same as that which divined off-shore bank accounts, tax shelters, skimming, and other vehicles to divert funds away from their intended destinations.
Even if the ethics involved weren't suspect, the capacity of rebating to support money laundering, book-making, and excess Advance Deposit Wagering profits (at host track expense), should be a sufficient deterrent.
The rebate "problem" is a takeout problem. Rebates are possible only when direct takeout rates are too high. If rates weren't excessive, there would be no "wriggle-room" to subsidize a favored few while fleecing the rest.
Not all venues want to keep the playing field tilted against recreational bettors, but they are reluctant to lower takeout rates; afraid of a precipitous drop in revenue if the rates decrease doesn't immediately fuel a handle increase. They also fear the formerly-rebated will reduce their play without their virtually insurmountable advantage.
Although I was unsuccessful in accessing any examples, perhaps Mr. Liebman subsequently explored alternatives to selective rebating of individuals that could be considered more equitable approaches for ALL bettors/customers. I can suggest at least three and, hopefully, this article will inspire more.
I'll use the term "Qualifying Pari-mutuel Pool" (QPP) to represent any pool in which an equitable adjustment to payoffs will be authorized once defined levels of handle are reached:
(1) Paying rebates at an equal rate to all participants of any QPP regardless of an individual's wager size
(2) Paying bonuses at an equal rate to all winners in a QPP
(3) Dynamically lowering equal direct takeout for all participants in every QPP
(4) Others to be determined
Multiple objectives are involved:
(a) Restore a level playing field on which competitors of all bankroll sizes have an equal opportunity to come out ahead given sufficient skills, information, and good fortune.
(b) Increase long-term handle at levels capable of supporting purses, operations, and capital improvements as well as generate revenue for appropriate taxing entities.
(c) Minimize short-term cost of adjustments to existing process
(d) Increase popularity of racing and attendance through greater opportunity and transparency
What is required is a commitment to continually experiment with takeout strategies to find the "optimal" level of direct takeout in support of (b) for each wager-type/race-condition combination at each race meeting. As the relationship among wagering competitors changes so should the distribution of wagers. Depending on the priorities established, some combination of (1) through (4) may be appropriate.
One approach to experimenting, while attempting to minimize negative initial impact, would be to first concentrate on pools where whales actually participate. The TRPB should already know that by now. Handle thresholds for each member of the QPP subset could be established to automatically adjust takeout rates once handle reaches the next defined level.
Of course, bet cancelation policies would be a factor, but - as the rebaters have already demonstrated – where there's a will there's a way. We just need guys in white hats establishing the criteria, ensuring they are legitimately met.
It's my understanding that rebated players were not affected by the 1% overcharge to NYRA customers that the Administration deemed a "scandal" justifying its intervention. That 1% is dwarfed by the 5% minimum rebate that the average player is effectively also overcharged; making rebates racing's real takeout scandal.
If the state is going to run racing in New York, then there is no justification whatsoever for its providing an "edge" to a tiny subset of its customers comprised predominantly of professional gamblers that is not extended to the overwhelming majority of recreational bettors that includes New York residents, voters, and taxpayers.
Level the playing field, Mr. Liebman, for horseplayers as well as for horsemen.
It should be clear to anyone who has actually sampled the wealth of Liebman's work available on the Internet, that the man has carefully considered, clearly articulated, and occasionally debated a preponderance of the issues that need to be addressed by the NYRA Board and executives.
The optimist in me believes that at least some needed reform will result from the Cuomo-Liebman connection. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that the Governor will agree with his advisor's recommendations and priorities, or that he has the political will to overcome established opposition to some of them.
The Governor, the Senate, and the Assembly should not make their chosen board appointments a "fait accompli" without feedback from concerned parties outside the government, politics, and "Old" NYRA – all of which Liebman himself has been a part. The sooner the Administration resumes open communication with the media regarding the takeover of NYRA, the more likely it is that the entire racing community will benefit from the Governor's act.


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MSU's Bailey redefining role of go-to player
Hoover, Ala. – Elgin Bailey is redefining the role of go-to player.
Mississippi State fans will likely never see the senior forward be that go-to option offensively during the 2010-11 season but his teammates certainly see him that way off the floor and in practice.
"Elgin is a guy that has been through the wars," Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury said. "He understands what we expect of him and a tough, tough guy after going through that knee injury like he did."
Coming off a season where he's losing the NCAA's all-time leading shot blocker in Jarvis Varnado, who played 35 minutes per game last year, Stansbury knows that having Bailey's 265-pound frame will be key no matter if he's not 100 percent physically in terms of how his ankle and left knee rehabilitation goes.
"He's the one guy that I'm not 100 percent sure of," Stanbury said. "They tell me he's ahead of schedule where he's supposed to be but he's nowhere near where he was. It's very obvious we need him to be productive for us early."
Bailey, who sat out the entire season last year while recovering from his severely dislocated ankle, was the mature force for then-freshman forward Renardo Sidney during the yearlong NCAA investigation. That whole saga would eventually lead Sidney to losing eligibility of the 2009-10 season due to unethical conduct and being forced to sit out an additional 30 percent (an estimated nine games) of this upcoming season due to impermissible benefits received prior to signing and arriving on the Mississippi State campus.
More importantly, Bailey was the one Sidney credits as a motivating force in his peer group that not only kept him in Starkville to play for the Bulldogs this season but helped him keep his mind on the game when the chances seemed dim that he would ever suit up for Bulldogs.
"I call him my little brother and you look at the things I've been through – they're just life situations," Bailey said. "I've sat out in high school (due to a Louisiana prep rule involving transfers) and sat out last year (with an injury). He knew where I was coming from because Renardo was used to playing."
Bailey has been Sidney's roommate off the court since he arrived on the Starkville campus and his practice opponent on the floor. While the older Bailey says he's currently the only one that can guard the former McDonald's All-American, he can't help but rave about arguably the most talented newcomer Mississippi State has had in decades.
"You can expect just a great big bowl of talent," Bailey said with a laugh. "He's a big guy that's light on his feet with good hands around the goal. He's special no doubt."
Bailey also used his major in human sciences to spread the counseling over to junior point guard Dee Bost after he experienced a rough summer where many questioned if he would get his college eligibility back.
"I kept him positive and told him they were just taking their time but they'd always clear him," Bailey said. "We know we're going to be without Dee for some games but that's just something we'll handle as a team. It's also something we'll continue to talk about whenever he gets frustrated."
So while being a physical presence in the post on both offense and defense, Bailey also has acted like the team counselor when things aren't going well for any of the guys in the Bulldogs locker room.
"The whole team always seems to come and talk to me," Bailey said. "One of the freshman said one day we look at you like the daddy of the team. I was like, 'wow, okay."
The NCAA decided to reinstate Bost's eligibility Sept. 29 but has issued him a nine-game suspension when he becomes academically eligible. The suspension by the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff is specifically for Bost failing to properly withdraw by the May 8 NBA draft deadline.
Bailey was named as a co-captain of the team for his final season of college basketball for his ability to lead his teammates more so in situations that State fans don't see on a daily basis.
"It meant a lot to me because coach watched me grow," Bailey said. "A big part of that is being more vocal and not just getting frustrated that I'm not playing, sitting out and all the injuries."
Bailey was averaging 10 minutes per game throughout his sophomore season two years ago until suffering the gruesome dislocated right ankle that has kept him from playing competitive basketball since March 2009.
"I'll be able to give the team a lot more than everybody is expecting," Bailey said. "They're expecting me to be a leader."
Mississippi State began practice last week and opens the 2010-11 season with a Nov. 12 game at Humphrey Coliseum against Tennessee State.


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The Chicago home shared by Terri Smith and her husband, Brad Roback, boasts the sort of organized chaos so typical of families with a toddler. Terri sits at the kitchen table with their 18-month-old daughter, Sachi, sharing puréed-squash soup. Clad in a giraffe bib and multicolored knit booties, Sachi peers up at her mom with huge brown eyes, angling for a spoonful. "Hey, Toots!" Brad proclaims as he walks into the room, kissing his daughter on the forehead. Their home is an eclectic mix of modern orange and aqua furniture, black-and-white family portraits, a rainbow of mismatched plates and goblets nearly tumbling out of a built-in hutch, and an armada of stuffed animals lining the floor.
Upon closer inspection though, a key detail emerges, suggesting this household is a bit different: In the kitchen, a cluster of syringes and bottles stand poised for Sachi's evening medication ritual. Soon, Brad will set about filling one needleless syringe with a bitter-tasting but lifesaving HIV drug called Kaletra; a second syringe holds maple syrup, to sweeten Sachi's mouth immediately post-squirt. The entire process takes about a minute, and after a brief struggle, Sachi is happily sucking on a bottle of milk that contains AZT and Epivir, two more powerful antiretrovirals. Except for the raspy coughing of their dog Boutros, the room is peaceful. A statue of Ganesh—a jolly Indian deity with the head of an elephant, known as the Remover of Obstacles—looks over from the hallway, smiling.
There are 2 million children like Sachi worldwide—living with HIV, a retrovirus that had for years been considered a death sentence, and often still is in places like Haiti, Vietnam, Ethiopia, and India. But thanks to a small but growing group of would-be parents looking to bring a child into their homes and lives, and the increasing manageability of HIV in areas with access to medical care, they're finding homes...and thriving.
While no hard numbers exist for HIV adoption, the field is growing by "leaps and bounds," says Erin Henderson, the coordinator for HIV-positive kids at Adoption Advocates International (AAI) in Port Angeles, WA. In 2005 AAI helped two HIV-positive Ethiopian children come to the U.S.; in October 2009 the agency had 45 such adoptions in process or completed.
The fact is, science and medicine have come so far that "we would rather treat pediatric HIV than juvenile diabetes," says Kenneth Alexander, M.D., chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Chicago. "If you look at how well our medications work, there's no reason not to expect that Sachi will one day see her grandchildren."
Elation...Then Devastation
For a decade, Terri's job teaching Ashtanga yoga had taken her to India once a year to study with her guru. Friends there knew the couple wanted to adopt, so in August 2007 they called Terri and Brad with news of an eight-months-pregnant woman who would not be able to take care of the baby. Brad had to work, so Terri made the 24-hour journey to Mysore, India, alone that October. Her jet lag and exhaustion counterbalanced by excitement and suspense, she went to pick up the baby, whom she and Brad would soon name Sachi Tulip (Sachi means "Grace" in Sanskrit).
The couple had seen just a few photos but had no reason to believe Sachi was anything other than a healthy baby girl. Yet the first thing Terri noticed in person was how small she was—only about four and a half pounds at 1 month. "She looked like one of those kids in the Sally Struthers commercials," she recalls of the malnourished newborn who was also struggling with listlessness, diarrhea, and dehydration. Nonetheless, Terri cried tears of joy. "I was so happy. I felt like, 'Oh, my God, she's so darling, and she's mine.'?"
While Terri was in India that first month, trying to navigate the relatively nonexistent adoption process, a friend suggested having the infant tested for HIV. Concerned that a Westerner bringing an Indian infant (with whom she had no legal ties yet) to get tested would raise eyebrows, Terri had her friend Deepak take her. The results were immediate, and he returned elated, announcing, "Good news! It's positive! She doesn't have it!"
But Terri knew what "positive" meant: Sachi did have it.
"I was wrecked. Devastated. Completely unable to deal," Terri recalls. "I didn't know what to do. We didn't know thing one about HIV, how long she would live, how much she would suffer."
Brad, who works for the city of Chicago in sustainable development, spent that first long night online, seeking out information. "I recall seeing some articles about living until age seven, that the quality of life for these kids wasn't very good," he says. "I didn't find anything too promising at first." Understandably, he grew frantic, wondering if Terri or he might be at risk. Some family members pleaded with Terri to drop the little one off at an orphanage; friends in India promised, "We'll find you a better baby." But Terri had been living with Sachi for a month and the bonding process had grabbed a firm hold: "She was my daughter. It was unfathomable that people's attitudes were 'find someone else to take her.'"
Fortunately, Brad's research led them to Chances by Choice, an agency that specializes in HIV adoption in nearby Oak Park, IL, which provided the couple the education and support they needed to go ahead. Still, the complex web of international adoption proved daunting—Brad and Terri had to locate an Indian orphanage with a license to process international adoptions, as well as fill out reams of government paperwork to bring a baby with an infectious disease into the U.S. At last, a four- flight, 32-hour odyssey brought 11-month-old Sachi home to Chicago on August 25, 2008.
Managing HIV
"The first thing would-be parents ask me about is transmission," notes Linda Walsh, a family nurse-practitioner and director of clinical operations and outreach for the University of Chicago's Pediatric and Adolescent HIV team. "People come to me and say, 'HIV adoption sounds like a wonderful idea and a beautiful thought, but tell me the reality for my family.'?"
The reality is, there are only a few ways HIV can be transmitted: through unprotected sex, sharing needles or other blood-to-blood activities, breastfeeding, and from the mother to the child during pregnancy or childbirth. Sachi and her parents can—and do—share utensils, swap kisses, bathe together. Sachi can grow up and ride bicycles, play soccer with other kids, share a bathroom with girlfriends, all without fear of passing on the disease. (There is a tiny risk—1 in 4 million—of transmitting HIV through sports-related or other injuries, but there have been no known cases to date.)
The day after arriving home, an anemic Sachi was admitted to the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital for ten days of blood tests and treatment for dehydration and a bad ear infection, which may have resulted in partial hearing loss. Since then, Walsh and her team have had the privilege of watching Sachi transform from a slumping, malnourished infant to a bubbly, giggling little girl. When she arrived, her viral load—a measure of how many "pieces" or copies of the HIV virus are in the blood—was over 300,000 copies/mL. (Patients with a viral load of 100,000 are at risk of the disease progressing to AIDS and need treatment, according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines.) Thanks to her medication regimen, after six months of treatment, that viral load was undetectable. ("Undetectable" doesn't mean one's HIV is cured, but that it's below machine-measurable levels.) Sachi weighed in at 12 pounds on her first birthday, and nearly doubled that weight over the next year.
Today Sachi's care involves hospital visits every eight weeks, which will eventually decrease to every three months. She undergoes a physical exam, has her viral load monitored along with her CD4 levels (a marker of how the immune system is functioning—unlike viral load, the higher one's CD4 count, the better), and has her liver and kidney functioning checked to ensure the drugs are not damaging her organs. "With proper treatment, these children can live a pretty normal existence. It's manageable," emphasizes Walsh, who has watched kids in her program grow up and go off to college.
Unique Challenges, Happy Surprises
Back at home, Terri and Brad say they don't even think of Sachi's HIV on a daily basis. Parenting her isn't different than parenting any other child, aside from giving the medications, which has evolved from a challenging and disconcerting ritual to a seamless routine. What can be trying: explaining their daughter's status to the rest of the world. "It's really amazing because nobody knows about the advances in treatment," Terri says. "Everyone is just as ignorant as we were." Responses range from heartfelt concern about Terri and Brad's bringing home a "terminally ill" child and the suffering that would surely ensue to a more selfish fear of contracting the disease themselves.
Sadly, a few people have dropped out of their lives; most, though, have welcomed Sachi into their hearts and homes with open arms. "When you start this," Terri says of HIV adoption, "right away you realize there are people who aren't going to understand or will be angry. It was really, really sad [that some friendships faded], but it didn't make me stop and think, 'Am I going to trade off my daughter for this person's peace of mind?' I knew we had to do what we had to do, everyone else be damned."
Disclosing a child's disease status is one of the most pressing issues HIV adoptive parents will face. In terms of disclosure laws, each state differs, but regardless of Illinois's requirements, Terri and Brad have decided they will alert Sachi's school of her HIV when the time comes for her to enroll. "My husband and I feel like if we decide to maintain secrecy about her condition, then we'll be fueling the stigma, which causes a lot of emotional pain," Terri says. "We've decided to be really up front about it with anybody we have close contact with. I wouldn't broadcast her HIV status to people in a park where she's playing, but if I were to enroll her in preschool, I would talk to the director about whether they should let other parents know." (In a daycare facility or school that takes universal precautions—guidelines requiring the use of gloves or other protective barriers when touching someone's blood or other bodily fluids—the transmission risk is greatly reduced.)
On the horizon, the challenge of adolescence looms large. In addition to the potential social stigma of being a teen with HIV, the birds-and-bees discussions in these families will likely be more in-depth and serious than those occurring in the homes around them. Compliance with medication is another concern, as parents Lori and Greg Anderson of Newton, KS, found. The couple has adopted two daughters with HIV, Kalli, 8, and Nikki, 15. Their older daughter went through a rebellious stage recently where she didn't want to take her medicine. But this insidious disease preys on missed doses, and if adherence is not as close to 100 percent as possible, the HIV virus can become resistant, rendering entire classes of medications ineffective.
Lori Anderson brushes aside the notion that parents who adopt a child with HIV are doing something extraordinary. "We're just everyday people," she promises. "I fully intend these girls will go to college, get married, live their own lives." By empowering her daughters to look after their health, Anderson is sure, "I'll be bouncing grandkids on my knee one day, and they'll be HIV negative because their moms are taking care of themselves." (In the U.S., mother-to-baby transmission of HIV can be prevented 99 percent of the time.)
Terri and Brad also encourage other families contemplating adoption to consider their less-traveled route. "Years ago, if an agency had called and said, 'We have an HIV-positive child,' I might have said no out of total ignorance," Terri admits. "But if somebody like me had told me their story, I probably would have considered this."
For this family, out of those tearful, soul-wrenching first nights following Sachi's diagnosis, a unique and beautiful sense of hope has blossomed. And when their little girl finally took her first steps and uttered her first word—"Mama"—Terri and Brad were over the moon, as any parents would be. "We know she's going to reach her potential," Terri joyfully proclaims, "and it will be as good as anybody else's."
Chicago-based writer Leslie Goldman is the author of Locker Room Diaries.


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2018: National Parks & Canyon Country with Rapid City Start (8605)
13 days from Rapid City to Las Vegas
Marvel at premier natural wonders on this multi-state vacation that focuses on some of the West's most scenic national parks. This National Parks tour starts in Rapid City and ends in Las Vegas. In between, you'll visit Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, and Grand Canyon National Park. From spectacular rock formations and deep canyons to sparkling waterfalls, geysers, and lakes, you'll see a wide variety of breathtaking natural treasures.In South Dakota, visit Crazy Horse Memorial, built to honor the famous Sioux Indian leader; incomparable Mount Rushmore; and Deadwood, once a lawless gold-mining town. In Wyoming, stay two nights inside Yellowstone National Park and see magnificent views of Yellowstone Canyon, Lower Falls, and world-famous Old Faithful Geyser. Yellowstone has the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states, so have your camera ready for wildlife such as bison, elk, and pronghorn. Journey into breathtaking Grand Teton National Park-home to 13,770-foot-high ridges-for a delightful stroll along glacier-fed Jenny Lake.More stunning scenery awaits you in Utah, where you'll visit Bryce Canyon National Park. You'll be amazed at the bright red, yellow, and pink pillars called "hoodoos." Zion National Park is home to canyons sculpted over millions of years and soaring cliffs resembling temples and cathedrals. In Arizona, enjoy Lake Powell and overnight in Grand Canyon National Park, giving you an amazing opportunity to see breathtaking views and to take an evening stroll to marvel at the dramatic sunset. If you miss the sunset, sunrise is also spectacular!This value-minded, National Parks tour offers all of this and much more-including time in the Wild West town of Jackson, Wyoming. Just wait until you see the awe-inspiring scenery!
KEYSTONE Mt. Rushmore White House Resort (T)DEADWOOD Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort (MF)CODY Buffalo Bill Village (ST)YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Yellowstone National Park Lodges (NP) or West Yellowstone (BA) JACKSON Mountain Modern Hotel (ST)ALPINE Flying Saddle Resort (MF)SALT LAKE CITY Crystal Inn Hotel & Suites Downtown (MF)BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK Best Western Ruby's Inn (ST)PAGE Quality Inn Lake Powell (ST)GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK Yavapai Lodge West (ST)LAS VEGAS SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (MD)
KEYSTONE Mt. Rushmore White House Resort (T)DEADWOOD Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort (MF)CODY Buffalo Bill Village (ST)YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Yellowstone National Park Lodges (NP) or West Yellowstone (BA) JACKSON Mountain Modern Hotel (ST)ALPINE Flying Saddle Resort (MF)SALT LAKE CITY Crystal Inn Hotel & Suites Downtown (MF)BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK Best Western Ruby's Inn (ST)PAGE Quality Inn Lake Powell (ST)GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK Yavapai Lodge West (ST)LAS VEGAS SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (MD)
Call (317) 736-0528 for more information or to book today! Mention code 13996398
- Tour Operator
- Cosmos
- Offer
- Offer valid through 9/30/2018
- Duration
- 13 Days
- Escorted
- Escorted - Yes
|Day 1
|Rapid City
|Welcome to Keystone in the beautiful Black Hills. Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
|Day 2
|See Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument carved out of a mountain that pays respect to the great Native American hero, Chief Crazy Horse. Drive deep into the Black Hills, through what was Sioux Indian territory, to see the stunning granite faces of MOUNT RUSHMORE, a giant monument to four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Afterward, visit TATANKA: The Story of the Bison, and experience the richness of the Lakota people. On to Deadwood, a lawless frontier town during the 1876 Gold Rush, where Jack McCall murdered Wild Bill Hickok during a poker game. Overnight here, and discover Deadwood's Wild West ways as you walk in the footsteps of legends like Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock.
|Day 3
|This morning, head through high country, where open-range cattle kings made war on the homesteaders in the 1890s. Drive past Sheridan in the Bighorn Mountains, site of battles between the U.S. Cavalry and the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Crow Indians. Overnight in Buffalo Bill's frontier town of Cody. (CB)
|Day 4
|Yellowstone National Park
|Proceed through Shoshone National Forest to YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. Travel along Grand Loop Road to Artist Point for views of the Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Overnight in Yellowstone National Park.NOTES: Accommodations used by Cosmos in Yellowstone National Park are typically open from late May through late September. Departures before or after these opening dates will stay in West Yellowstone.Routing and areas visited in Yellowstone National Park are always subject to favorable weather, gate access, and road conditions; therefore, routings may be adjusted.
|Day 5
|Yellowstone National Park
|Today, explore more of America's first national park by returning to visit the geyser basins with bubbling mud paint pots and the reliable 'blow' of Old Faithful. In addition to superb mountain scenery, the park is one of the world's principal wildlife preserves and a photographer's paradise.
|Day 6
|Head south into magnificent GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, one of America's last preserves of wild solitude. Its 13,770-foot-high ridges are crested with snow most of the year. Stroll along the shores of beautiful glacier-fed Jenny Lake before ending the day in the Wild West town of Jackson with its wooden sidewalks and swing-door saloons. This evening, join an optional barbecue cookout and Wild West show or independently stroll along the old-time boardwalks and have supper at a swing-door saloon.
|Day 7
|The day is free in Jackson to explore the shops and museums of historic downtown. Maybe join a scenic trip down the Snake River? Enjoy an 8-mile float trip that begins at Pritchard Creek and passes nesting areas of bald eagles and ospreys. Overnight in Alpine located on the banks of the Snake River.
|Day 8
|Salt Lake City
|Today, travel to Salt Lake City, Utah's vibrant capital. Set on the edge of Great Salt Lake Desert, this center of the Mormon religion is where Brigham Young declared to his followers, 'This is the place.' An included sightseeing tour offers a glimpse of Temple Square, the Capitol Building, and the beautiful downtown area.
|Day 9
|Bryce Canyon National Park
|Journey through sagebrush landscape to BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK with its 20 miles of sandstone cliffs and ever-changing colors. See some of Earth's most brilliant shades of rock, sculpted by nature into pillars called 'hoodoos.' (B)
|Day 10
|First stop today is ZION NATIONAL PARK with its landscape carved over millions of years by rushing streams. Steep canyons, stone towers, and verdant vegetation form the scenery of Zion. Then, head east into Page on the shores of Lake Powell, originally built to house workers during the construction of the massive Glen Canyon Dam, which holds back the waters of 186-mile-long Lake Powell.
|Day 11
|Grand Canyon National Park
|Enjoy an optional flight over scenic Monument Valley. Then, cross the Painted Desert and head through Kaibab National Forest before arriving at GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK in the early afternoon. Marvel at one of the Natural Wonders of the World as you experience amazing views. You'll have plenty of time to do some viewing before dusk, as your accommodation is inside the national park. (CB)
|Day 12
|Las Vegas
|For a once-in-a-lifetime thrill, take an optional helicopter flightseeing trip over the Grand Canyon, with incomparable views of flame-colored walls plunging 7,000 feet into the Colorado River. Leaving the high country of Arizona, we pass through Williams on famous Route 66, and then the old Mojave gold-strike country, which still has traces of century-old ghost towns. Arrive in Las Vegas-a neon desert oasis packed with spectacular hotels and casinos.
|Day 13
|Las Vegas
|The trip ends today with guests departing on individual schedules. Transfers to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport are included.
- Dates/Pricing
- Disclaimer
- US$ Price Details
Gratuities for Tour Director and driver are available for pre-purchase.Prices are per person, based on double room occupancy.Single Room Supplement:from $850 to $1,140Triple Room Reduction per person:from $200 to $265Additional accommodations before or after your tour may be available.
Travel Terms & Conditions
The purchase of any travel services offered by Globus, constitutes a contractual arrangement between you (the Traveler) and Globus, and represents your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions. Please ensure that you read carefully and understand the Terms & Conditions prior to booking. These Terms & Conditions cover Deposit & Final Payment information, Air-Inclusive Deposits & Final Payment, Revisions & Revision Fees, Air Arrangements, Participation, Travelers Who Need Special Assistance, Young Travelers, Smoking, Price Policy, Visas and Passports, Hotels & Accommodations, Baggage Allowance, Travel Documents, Not Included in the Land Price, Refunds, Service Inquires After the Vacation, Holidays, Safety, Photos & Pictures, Optional Excursions, and Responsibility.
Important Notes
- Vacation departures, itineraries and prices are subject to change.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required for Globus to reserve space for you. View Terms & Conditions for limited exceptions.
- The following charges are not included in the land vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; Intra-vacation air unless specified in the itinerary; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees including the September 11th Security fee up to $11.20 per person, passenger facility charges up to $18 per person, Federal domestic flight segment fees up to $4.00 per segment, and U.S. and International arrival and departure and other government-imposed added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas (except on Cuba programs) and vaccinations; tips to your Tour or Cruise Director, Globus Group Leader in Cuba, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted Globus menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature.
Booking your Vacation with Air
For air departure dates within 331 days, you'll be offered a choice of carriers and flight schedules as well as price points to choose from when selecting your flights. Your schedule will be provided to you at the time of booking (schedules are subject to change by carriers). Globus offers 2 air options: Flex Air and Instant Purchase Air. Flex Air allows flexibility if you want to make changes to your vacation schedule. Instant Purchase Air may offer additional airline options but has more restrictions. Some vacations may only offer one Air type option. Guaranteed air-inclusive prices: air is only available to passengers traveling from the United States and only available when booked in conjunction with a land vacation. An additional $300 per person non-refundable air deposit is required for Flex Air booked in conjunction with any land vacation (i.e. air-inclusive vacation). Air can only be booked by Globus in conjunction with a vacation package. Instant Purchase Air requires air payment in full at time of booking (i.e. air-inclusive vacation) plus non-refundable per person service fee ($30 for North/Central America, $50 for Europe/Middle East and $80 for all other destinations. Once booked, Instant Purchase Air is non-refundable, and non-changeable. Some vacations may only offer one Air type option. However, once your airfare is confirmed and Globus has received your full air and land deposit, your air-inclusive vacation price is guaranteed.
Air-Inclusive Vacations - Applicable Taxes & Fees
Air-inclusive vacations include government-imposed taxes and fees applicable at the time of booking and will be shown as a Total Amount. Additional airline fees for baggage may apply. At the time of booking your air-inclusive vacation online, carrier Websites will be provided to check baggage fees, or you can visit www.iflybags.com for up-to-date baggage pricing/restrictions. For return travel from some countries, international travelers are required to pay entry and/or exit fees at the airport. These fees will be collected by the local government and are payable by the traveler at time of travel. Your confirmation booking information will contain information about these fees.
* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s) - please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Globus).


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Adam Lambert: 'Whataya Want From Me' Goes Platinum!
Adam Lambert pushes his bags through Berlin, Germany's Tegel Airport on Thursday (April 29).
The 28-year-old singer has been all over Europe promoting For Your Entertainment – and it seems to be paying off! "Whataya Want From Me" is #1 in Germany this week and recently went platinum in America!
"Thank you so much for supporting me!" Adam tweeted. "I feel so f—-n lucky!"
When Adam comes home, he'll be playing shows all over the country as part of his Glam Nation tour – check out dates and locations here!


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Registration for this NBAA PDP course is managed through the registration process for the Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference. You may choose to register for this PDP course without registering for the conference.
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Any person who attends an NBAA convention, conference, seminar or other program grants permission to NBAA, its employees and agents (collectively "NBAA") to record his or her visual/audio images, including, but not limited to, photographs, digital images, voices, sound or video recordings, audio clips, or accompanying written descriptions, and, without notifying such person, to use his or her name and such images for any purpose of NBAA, including advertisements for NBAA and its programs.


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Five years after the Terezin Declaration was approved to recognize the advancing age of Holocaust survivors and the imperative of delivering them aid and justice in their final years, progress remains slow.
As this article in the Jewish Telegraphic Agency notes, many restitution advocates had high hopes that a corner had been turned in the struggle for survivor justice.
B'nai B'rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin is quoted within the story. Read full article below:
The Terezin Declaration, which had the support of 46 countries participating in the conference in the Czech Republic, outlined a set of goals for property restitution. It recognized the advancing age of Holocaust survivors and the imperative of delivering them aid and justice in their final years.
But five years on, progress on securing restitution has been painstakingly slow.
The lingering Euro Zone crisis has hampered efforts to get Eastern European countries to pass restitution legislation. The Terezin Declaration, while verbally bold, did not require any concrete commitments — or even the signatures of those countries present. Poland, the only European country occupied by the Nazis that has not enacted substantial private property restitution, did not even bother to show up for a follow-up conference in 2012.
In fact, since 2009, Lithuania has been the only country to enact substantial restitution legislation: a $53 million package announced in 2011, to be paid out over 10 years for communal property seized during the Holocaust.
"Most countries resist having to engage in restitution or compensation for lost property," said Douglas Davidson, the U.S. State Department's special envoy for Holocaust restitution issues.
The week before Passover, Davidson was in Zagreb with Jewish restitution leaders negotiating with Croatian government officials. Croatia is one of the few countries that negotiators say is holding serious restitution talks and where a deal is conceivable in the foreseeable future.
"They want to do it, they know they should do it, but their economy is in disastrous shape and by their reckoning it would cost them 1 billion euros to compensate for property that was nationalized by the communist regime in Yugoslavia after the war," Davidson said.
In a bid to add some fuel to the campaign for restitution in countries that are dragging their feet, the World Jewish Restitution Organization is mounting a new effort to drum up public and political pressure within the European Union. In February, the group helped orchestrate a letter by 50 British parliamentarians to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk pressing him on restitution.
"Unfortunately, Poland stands out in its failure to fulfill — or even recognize — its responsibility to victims," said the letter, whose primary signatory was Baroness Ruth Deech. A Jewish member of the House of Lords, Deech had grandparents on both sides of her family who owned substantial property in Poland.
"Poland has a responsibility to elderly Holocaust survivors, their heirs and other victims to return property which was seized by the Nazis or subsequently nationalized by the Communist regimes," the letter said. "Democratic Poland continues unjustly to benefit from the victims' private property. Many of these victims and their heirs — both Jews and non-Jews — are British citizens."
This month, British Foreign Secretary William Hague lent his support to the campaign.
"Europe is a partner that is as important and in some cases more important than the United States," said Gideon Taylor, WJRO's chairman of operations. "Making this a multilateral issue is going to be the way we need to go if we really want to use the last few years survivors are with us."
The Obama administration also is trying to strengthen restitution efforts, with Vice President Joe Biden reportedly raising the issue in private meetings with European leaders.
During the heyday of Holocaust restitution legislation in the 1990s, the newly independent countries of Central and Eastern Europe viewed restitution as a way to curry favor with the West and improve their chances of gaining admission to NATO. Holocaust restitution often came up in U.S. Senate hearings on NATO membership, and it was during that era that several major restitution agreements were reached. The opening of state archives after the fall of the Iron Curtain helped keep a spotlight on the issue.
When Germany reunified in 1990, the restitution of East German properties once owned by Jews was a condition of the nation's reunification agreement, and since then more than $3 billion in assets have been restituted.
Today, the main leverage for negotiators is the demand for justice, as well as the urgency of getting deals done before the last generation of survivors dies out.
"We had some leverage at a certain point in this process — the issue of countries coming into NATO or the EU — but that was accomplished in the 1990s or the early part of the 2000s," said Daniel S. Mariaschin, executive vice president of B'nai B'rith International, which is a member of the WJRO. "What we really are dependent on now is the moral imperative of the case, or the goodwill or lack of it by the governments involved, and on WJRO's persuasive abilities. That's a pretty challenging task."


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The 17-year Brood II cicadas are set to swarm the east coast this year and David Letterman has some news for them. The cicadas will be interested in smartphones and certainly wonder how the Al Gore presidency turned out. Also on The Late Show last night, Letterman noted NASA's plan to send people to Mars and was curious about the application process.
On Conan , Bill Clinton's pants are nowhere to be found, while The Tonight Show' s Jay Leno knows the new slogan for the Benghazi hearings . Late Night 's Jimmy Fallon was quick to compare Joe Biden to a toddler once again.
Fast forward to 2:00 to see how John Kerry and Vladimir Putin met to discuss important foreign policy.


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Lineup announced for governor's ag meeting
The speaker lineup for the 2012 Governor's Ag Conference Feb. 15-16 at Kearney is set.
The theme for the 24th annual conference is "Nebraska Agriculture: Today's Challenges, Tomorrow's Opportunities."
The conference begins at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, with a panel of opening speakers who will discuss connecting consumers with farmers and ranchers to share information about agricultural production. The panel includes Willow Holoubek from the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN), Dawn Caldwell from Common Ground Nebraska and Pete McClymont with We Support Agriculture.
The "Celebrate Nebraska Agriculture" reception follows, featuring a wide variety of Nebraska food products and entertainment.
Conference activities resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The keynote presentation will be delivered by John Doggett, senior lecturer of International Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainability as well as a senior research fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. He will discuss the role of Nebraska agriculture in the future global economy.
Featured speakers include Bruce Knight of Strategic Conservation Solutions, who will provide an update on the federal Farm Bill reauthorization.
Dr. Archie Clutter with the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska will explain how the University is positioning itself to be a part of meeting the challenge of providing food to a growing world population.
Bill Holbrook from The ProExporter Network will discuss the opportunities and challenges farmers will face in meeting that food production demand.
"It is a pivotal time for our industry, but I have great confidence in our farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses," NDA director Greg Ibach said. "Attendees can expect a wealth of information that will help them as the industry progresses."
Those interested in agriculture issues are invited to attend. An $80 registration fee covers participation at activities on both Wednesday and Thursday. Registration is available online at www.agr.ne.gov, or by calling NDA toll-free at 800-831-0550.
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This is my first and last Mazda. I purchased the 2004 RX-8 and the car can be described as nothing more than a lemon. My troubles began shortly thereafter. The engine would run sluggishly or completely stall in the middle of the intersections. This problem was finally resolved by getting a brand new engine!
After further research, I learned that this was an issue across the board and also learned of the coming problems that I would experience: leaking taillights (known issues with Mazda, not covered), cracked visor above the driver's seat, (known issue, not covered) and costly tune-ups ($1,500) that I found needs to occur every 30,000 miles or the car will simply become inoperable.
The newest issue is the heater control (well-known issue with on websites and with the dealer repair center). In the middle of winter, the heater control knob allows for heat about 50% of the time or stops working mid-drive. It is not on recall, but I was told that I could pay for the $600 repair and be reimbursed if they decide to recall it.
Since this was a known issue, I called 'customer service' to get this resolved. Follow up was done and they decided not to pay for it. I asked to speak to a supervisor since this was not an isolated concern, but encompassed the 3 years of me owning this vehicle. She hardly listened and showed no remorse for what I was going through.
After a point, where I assume she was finished listening to me, she hung up. I assured myself that it was an accident and called back. She assured me that she did in fact hang up on me and assured that there was no one else that I could speak to. After a moment or so, she again hung up. I called back and tried to speak to a different supervisor and was told, several times that there was no one that I could speak to above her and was transferred again to her!
I have only owned Toyotas and Hondas in my past and have NEVER dealt with anything remotely close to what I experienced. I will be trading in my car this weekend and taking loss, but at least will be finished with the continuous issues that I have been facing. The point of this blog is that hopefully I will save an undecided customer the same stress and aggravation that I have been faced with over the past three years with Mazda.
ADELAIDE, FLORIDA -- DO NOT BUY MAZDA CAR!!! Otherwise, there is no warranty guaranty!!! I bought a Mazda 3 recently, and the new car warranty expires until April, 2014. However, the paint of the car roof has already peeled off by itself and the window plastic frame was already broken. This car has always been looked after and always garaged.
I went to Mazda customer to do the warranty this morning. To my great surprise, they told me it was not a quality issue and will not covered by the warranty. I complained this to the SA service manager (Australian Motors Mazda Pty Ltd), he told me that they cannot do anything about that and asked me to report this issue to Melbourne head office. I reported this to the head office; they told me there would be no warranty for the paint and window frame of my car.
I was so disappointed with Mazda customer service and felt extremely helpless. I cannot believe the quality of Mazda car is so bad. I cannot do anything about my car warranty even the warranty expire next year, I just wish people think twice to buy Mazda. The quality is so bad and you cannot have the real warranty after you paid the car.
I have contacted with Consumers Affairs SA, they indicated me that I could use social media to seek help. If Facebook could not get their attention, I will contact Channel 9 and 7 current affairs. Now they have blocked me to post on Mazda Facebook, they don't want me to tell people the truth and how bad they are. Again, stopping buying Mazda car!!!
Navigation system (my second in this car) takes me in circles and to towns I have not inputted. It takes me to dead end streets and tells me I have arrived at my destination, even when it is to a landmark like a restaurant or a museum. Customer service said it would send me updated software but couldn't get it to me in 16 days or less (when my next major trip is scheduled).
I am moving to Colorado next month from Massachusetts and fear for my life as I try to get around in that rugged and strange environment. I will never again purchase a Mazda and we have owned 7 of them. Asked for a VP to write to, no can do either. My letter will go right to the very customer assistance dept. I talked to on the phone today.
In 2003 I purchased a used B3000 extended body pickup. At that time there was some surface rust on the chassis and most underbody areas. I was told by the dealer O'Hara Mazda in Fairhaven, MA that this was not a problem. I took it to a RI garage that specializes in rust restoration. It cost $500 to have it sandblasted and coated with special chemicals to inhibit further problems.
Just recently I noticed that the chassis is corroding away along with brake lines, springs, etc. I was told by my mechanic to dump the truck ASAP. When it was purchased it, on 7/8/04 it had 36,721 miles on the odometer. As of 7/15/12 it now has 55,078 miles on it. As you can see it's not a high mileage truck as it's used mainly to bring trash and recyclables to the Town dump. My problem is that I am afraid that soon it will collapse and injure myself or some other person. What can I do???
I bought a 2005 Mazda 6 around August or September of 2005. The rear wheel wells are rusting. A Mazda representative told me the rust warranty was for sixty (60) months. The car runs great and I planned to keep it. Now I am very disappointed that the body (rust) of the car did not last longer.
2008 Mazda 3 with only 60,000 miles. I just spent $999.97 to replace the air conditioner compressor, accumulator, and expansion valve. What a rip-off! I am warning everyone not to buy a Mazda. My mechanic said this is a common problem and it will happen again in another 60,000 miles. I should have bought a Toyota.
I ordered a turbine sensor and they gave me 2 speed sensors, so for 6 months I went around and around trying to figure out why my sensor weren't working. It's because the whole time they gave me the wrong sensors and then blamed me and said it's because I said I needed speed sensors. Why would I say speed sensors when the code from the diagnostic machine read turbine sensor? Then they said because I don't use a professional diagnostic machine then it doesn't read the accurate information.
The timing belt tensioner spring for my 1999 Protege is priced at $8. However, it cannot be purchased separately from the tensioner bearing which costs $185. As a result, it is not normally replaced or recommended for replacement by Mazda, during the scheduled 60k mile timing belt replacement.
So even if you follow the Mazda maintenance schedule recommendation and have the timing belt replaced at 60k miles as I did, you can still end up with a dead car and a large ($936) repair/towing bill shortly thereafter, because the $8 spring broke. A part that could have and should have been replaced at the same time as the timing belt.
A complaint letter to Mazda will get you a meaningless form letter in return that does not even address the complaint. Do newer or other model Mazdas have this same maintenance problem? I don't know and don't care because I will never buy another Mazda. Mazda's motto is "zoom zoom". This must be the sound of money flying out of your wallet.


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Back to the Calendar
Date: February 25, 2018
Occurs: Every Sunday
Time: 09:30AM til 11:00AM
Location: 5938 Skillman Street, Dallas TX 75231 (Show me a map)
We meet at the Dallas Children's Theater which is located on the northeast corner of Skillman and Northwest Hwy. Enter the parking lot from Theater Way next to Home Depot and enter the building through the main entrance on the west side. For more visitor's information please see What to Expect.


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(Reuters) - At least two New Jersey school districts this week put armed police guards at the entrance to public schools in the wake of the Connecticut elementary school massacre.
In Marlboro Township in central New Jersey's Monmouth County armed guards were on duty on Wednesday to check every child, teacher and visitor as they arrived and left any of the district's eight schools, which serve children in pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade.
Further north, in Passaic County, the Totowa School District on Wednesday also started using armed police officers in its two elementary schools, according to local media reports.
Marlboro Schools Superintendent David Abbott said the reaction from the community has been mixed, but he is defending the decision.
"At least during a 90-day period, temporarily, as we sit down and look - and there's a good debate in the community about what it is that we want to do and not do - but while we're doing that, let's make sure that our schools are as safe and secure as we possibly can, given what's happened," Abbott told Reuters.
Twenty children and six staff members died when a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The attack on December 14 was the second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.
As surviving pupils returned to classes on January 3 in a new building in a neighboring town, the motives of the killer remain a mystery.
In Arizona, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans on Monday to start deploying a volunteer posse to Phoenix-area schools as part of a new program to boost security for students following the Connecticut shootings.
Uniformed posse members, some of whom will be armed, will be stationed daily outside a majority of the roughly 50 elementary, middle and high schools located under Arpaio's jurisdiction, his office said. The posse will be present throughout the school day.
The 3,000-member posse has been a fixture at shopping malls during the holiday season since 1993 in an attempt provide a visible law enforcement presence for visitors.
Posse members receive special training and about 500 are qualified to carry firearms, Arpaio's office said.
(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg; Additional reporting by David Schwartz in Phoenix; Editing by Tim Gaynor, Richard Chang and Leslie Adler)