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Jacqueline R. (Davis) Lopes
Jacqueline R. (Davis) Lopes, 78, of 300 Lambert Lind Highway passed away June 11, 2012 at Kent Hospital. She was the beloved wife of James R. Lopes for 44 years.
She was the daughter of the late Millard and Alice Davis. Mrs. Lopes was a retired switchboard operator for the former ITT Grinnell
Her funeral service will be held Friday, June 15 at 10 a.m. in the Thomas & Walter Quinn Funeral Chapel, 2435 Warwick Ave. Burial will be in Highland Memorial Park, Johnston. Visiting hours Thursday 4-7 p.m
Information and condolences, visit TheQuinnFuneralHome.com
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Henry Cavill & Gina Carano Add a Puppy to Their Family
Henry Cavill and his on-again girlfriend Gina Carano are all smiles while posing with their new puppy in this new pic!
"We are proud to announce the newest members of the Big Bear family! Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and Gina Carano (Fast and Furious 6) are the proud owners of a Big Bear Akita. It was so great working with Henry and getting to meet him as well as Gina was truly a treat," breeder Big Bear Akitas shared about the 30-year-old actor and the 31-year-old actress.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Henry Cavill
They added, "Both Henry and Gina are genuine and a joy to be around. It was truly an honor to add them to our extended family and thank them for their patience in meeting us and our children. It's not everyday that an A-list celebrity, much less 2 celebrities come to Beebe, AR to visit."

subset: commoncrawl


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Writing my usual mom musings seems trivial right now and while I don't have anything profound to say about the Newtown shootings, I did want to share this little story from last night, about Alex's first prayer...
I don't have anything profound to say about the Newtown tragedy except that it hasn't been off my mind for one minute since I first saw the breaking news alert flash across my homepage. Like many of you, I've been in a constant choked up state, the tears always ready to fall, which they do often. I've been watching the coverage, reading about the horrors, the heroism, all of it too unbelievably awful to comprehend. It's literally been hard to breathe at some points. Nick and I were just discussing how if we feel this distraught and sad and we don't live near the town or know a single soul who was personally affected, what must it be like for the people who do?
We had our annual Christmas party Saturday night (60 people at my house!) and though all day I felt weird about hosting such a thing in the wake of such a tragedy, it turned out to be just what everyone needed—to be with friends (almost all of us are parents) and to be thinking about something other than the unthinkable, if only for a little while. Like so many parents I've been kissing my kids more, telling them I love them more, staring at them more. And crying a lot. Every time Alex says something sweet (which is often these days), I feel worse. When I picked him up from my parents' house yesterday morning he said, "Mom, I heard you looked very pretty last night. Will you try your dress on for me?" Nick and I looked at each other with tears welling. On the flipside, any time I get frustrated with the kids, I also cry out of guilt. And of course when Alex asked me to lie with him for a little while last night at bedtime, I said yes.
Nick had read him some books and was downstairs watching the president speak, waiting for our Chinese takeout to arrive. I had finished tucking in Nora and went into Al's room where we talked about Christmas and about Santa and went through our list of things we wanted to get everyone. Then I suggested we say a prayer, which felt strange coming out of my mouth. Despite the fact that Nick and I are both Catholic and grew up going to church every single Sunday, we do not have a very religious home right now. We're still trying to figure out what it all means to us and how we want to raise our children. But I am a believer. And especially with Christmas here, we've been talking a lot more about church and baby Jesus (we have a Little People nativity set) and God. And last night, for the first time in a long time, felt like the right time to reach out to him. Maybe I was inspired by watching the Newtown memorial service and hearing the moving words of all the various religious leaders, maybe the Christmas spirit propelled me, maybe I just don't know what else to do at this point, but I found myself teaching Alex how to pray. I told him a prayer is when we thank God for all the good things in our life and when we ask him to help others and take care of the people we love who are sad and sick. And to guide us through rough times. He said, "Mom, do you know that some people believe that God is invisible?" and then he asked me to say a prayer first, so I did:
Dear God,
Thank you for my family and for my wonderful friends and for my children and please keep my babies healthy and safe. Amen."
"That was nice mom," he said. Then he gave it a shot:
"Dear God, thank you for my family and thank you for this world and for all the kids in it and for keeping them healthy and for letting everyone live to be very old like 100 years old and for keeping our world clean and nice and thank you for Clorox bleach because that really makes everything clean and healthy, right mom? Except only moms and dads can touch it not kids. And thank you for the alphabet. Amen."
Of course tears were streaming down my cheeks but I was also smiling. There really are no words. I have none, anyway. We haven't told Alex anything about what went on and I am really hoping no one else does. But I don't know if that's realistic. This morning when I dropped him off at his kindergarten enrichment class, the teacher pulled me aside and asked if Alex knew anything about the shootings. Apparently a few of the kids do and so the teachers decided to just make ornaments and do festive activities all day instead of having circle time and optional comment when some of that stuff might come up. His teacher, who I adore, was visibly affected, as we all are. I wanted to give her a hug so badly but I knew it would unravel us both. And Alex was particularly clingy this morning, giving me tons of hugs and finally saying, "I just want to give you one more hug mom, OK? Because I love you so much it's just so unbelievable." I cried the whole way home.
I am thinking of all of you today, of all parents and our children, and of the teachers and administrators who work so hard to keep our children safe and make them feel loved. And I am thinking of everyone in Newtown and beyond who has been personally affected by this horror, especially those parents who are laying their babies to rest today. My heart continues to break for all of you. For all of us.


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I. In Focus This Wee
U.S. Postal Service announces new special rate for elections mail
Program expected to be in place by 2012
Sometimes, it doesn't matter how hard you work, sometimes all it takes is being in the right place at the right time to fulfill years of effort. Such was the case for Cathy Pearsall-Stipek, chair of the Election Center's Election Mail project.
For almost 15 years, in some fashion or another, the Election Center's Postal Task Force and Election Mail project has been working on a way to improve the process and pricing of elections mail by creating a an elections class of mail instead of relying on nonprofit mail.
Although the group received positive feedback from the U.S. Postal Service and the Postal Regulatory Commission nothing ever really came from their proposal.
"The Postal Regulatory Commission loved the idea, but the U.S. Postal Service wasn't really interested in creating anything new," explained Doug Lewis, director of the Election Center. "As long as they were doing well, they didn't need to listen to new ideas."
Now, facing a more than $200 billion budget deficit, and with the Postal Service losing millions of pieces of mail a day to other modes of delivery, things are a bit different so about two years ago, the group began working on a new proposal for the U.S. Postal Service to provide a specific postal class for elections mail. The goals of the new proposal were:
- That it be simplified so that there are not confusing rules to create barriers to usage;
- That it apply uniformly across the US;
- That it have first class service including all first class endorsements (enhancements included only with First Class Mail);
- That it include all elections related mail including ballots and voter registration cards, election notifications, sample ballots, and voter communications;
- That it not be subject to opening and inspection so that ballots or balloting materials are secure;
- That it become available at a heavily discounted rate to allow more mail communications with voters;
- And, most importantly, that it not be able to be caught up in regulatory red tape that kills the value of the program.
Once again, the proposal was met with interest from U.S. Postal Service officials, but not much headway was made until Pearsall-Stipek attended a conference in 2010 and came face-to-face with Paul Vogel, president and chief marketing officer of the U.S. Postal Service.
"Kathy just stood up when Paul Vogel took over and confronted him about the postal mail program and Vogel — this was one of those confluence of event things — Vogel to his credit latched on to the idea," Lewis explained.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Postal Service announced its plans to move forward with an elections class mail program. A program that will allow any mailpiece created by a state authorized election/ voting registration official and mailed to a citizen of the United States for the purpose of participating in the voting process: Ballots, sample ballots, election notices, pamphlets, forms, polling place notifications, voter registration cards, and applications to name a few.
Any elections mail weighing up to 3.3 oz will be eligible for this postal rate and the mail, which will include a special elections class logo, will be treated as First Class mail instead of standard, thus decreasing the processing time to as little as one day in some cases.
While elections offices could use the new rate to provide postage-paid return envelopes for ballots, a voter will not have the possibility of going to their local post office to purchase an elections mail stamp.
Although the specifics — and costs — of the program have yet to be worked out, Lewis said they have an agreement in principle with the U.S. Postal Service for the program and hope to see something in place by 2012.
"Our goal is to at least have a program in place that can be used in 2012," Lewis said. "But we're under no illusions. This program will not be widespread in 2012 because new things aren't necessarily going to catch your attention in a presidential election year, but there are states, particularly those with sophisticated mail operations, that I think will be able to use this in 2012."
Sheryl Moss with the Washington Secretary of State's office was part of the task force working on the program and she stressed the positive impact this program will have on Washington, which other than Pierce County is a vote-by-mail state.
"Most counties in Washington are currently able to send election mail, including ballots, at non-profit rates," Moss explained. "While this rate is considerably less than first class, the service does not include many of the options first class provides. This new class will allow us to have first class service at a reduced rate."
While neither Moss nor Lewis felt the new rate would immediately create more vote-by-mail states, they did see how those states that are close to making the switch — California, Colorado, Montana and Florida — would be spurred on by this new elections class.
"This is typical of any time you use something new you don't just overnight decide you're going to use something and do it in a big way," Lewis said. "It took Oregon 20 years to get where they are. I don't honestly think at this point that anyone needs to worry about or get excited that it's going to lead to vote-by-mail nationwide."
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Discover a chauffered hybrid car rentals in Paris for business or personal purposes.
CO2 emissions are offsetted and your private chauffeur will drive fuel efficient!
Arrival/departure from any place in the city.
Booking on line is only available at least 48 hours before departure.
Extra hour: 45 Euros VAT included, each hour commenced is payable.
Book your rental as soon as possible: we will confirm you the booking and its payment as soon as possible, according to our disponibility.
For any question, contact us by mail contact ecovisitparis.com or phone +33 (0) 6 10 19 32 81.
Reviews about this Chauffeured car rentals Paris hybrid Prius: 8 hours (0 reviews)


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There may be community transport services available in your area for people who have problems using public transport.
For example, there might be services providing trips to local shopping centres.
Some areas have local voluntary groups called good neighbour schemes. They provide practical help to people who need it.
This often includes help with transport to hospital or your GP.
The British Red Cross can provide personal transport services across the UK. This includes providing a companion for a journey on public transport, or a private car with a driver. A contribution towards costs is usually asked for, but no one will be refused a service because they can't pay.
In Wales, St John Wales can provide transport for people who have difficulty using public transport or their own vehicle.
Visit stjohnwales.co.uk or call 0292 044 9600.
Other local services include dial-a-ride (wheelchair accessible transport, which can be booked to take you from door to door) and reduced-fare taxi schemes.
Shopmobility schemes provide wheelchairs and scooters for disabled people to help them get around town and shopping centres. Visit shopmobilityuk.org or call 0844 414 1850.
Local councils must also offer people with a disability free off-peak bus travel on local bus services. Contact your local council for details of transport services available to people with a disability in your area.


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Antibiotic resistance is a well-known menace: Witness the dangers of hospital-acquired MRSA infections, or the totally drug-resistant tuberculosis found in India earlier this year. FDA statistics show that over 80 percent of antibiotics used in the US are given to livestock, and heavy animal use is thought to be one of the drivers of resistance among human pathogens. So it behooves veterinarians and public health officials alike to stamp out antibiotic resistance in animals.
In the hunt for how this resistance develops, though, scientists have been mostly looking at bacteria inside the digestive system. But it turns out they might have, er, the wrong end of things—a new study finds that drugs excreted in pee and feces may be even more worrisome than those circulating in the bloodstream.
Thanks to antibiotics, we tend to think of urinary tract infections as no big deal. Pop some cipro, and you're done. A good thing, too—if the E. coli that usually cause UTIs crawl up the urinary tract, they can cause kidney failure and fatal blood poisoning.
But antibiotics may not be saving us from UTIs for very much longer. Scientists tracking UTIs from 2000 to 2010 found a dramatic uptick in cases caused by E. coli that do not respond to the drugs that are our first line of defense. In examining more than 12 million urine analyses from that period, they found that cases caused by E. coli resistant to ciprofloxacin grew five-fold, from 3% to 17.1% of cases. And E. coli resistant to the drug trimethoprim-sulfame-thoxazole jumped from 17.9% to 24.2%. These are two of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics used to treat UTIs. When they are not effective, doctors must turn to more toxic drugs, and the more those drugs are used, the less effective they in turn become. When those drugs stop working, doctors will be left with a drastically reduced toolkit with which to fight infection.
Shiga toxin is nasty stuff. If you are infected with a Shiga-producing bacterium, like Shigella dysenteriae or some E. coli strains, there is no clear treatment: if you are given antibiotics, your infected cells will explode, spraying the toxin all over neighboring cells and exacerbating your symptoms. Each year, 150 million people are infected with Shiga-producing bacteria, which cause dysentery and food poisoning, and a million of those die. The lack of effective treatment for such Shiga toxicosis infections is one of the main reasons this year's outbreak of E. coli poisoning in Europe was so deadly, with more than 3,700 people infected and 45 dead. But now scientists studying how the toxin makes its way around the cell have discovered that treating mice with the metal element manganese makes them resistant to Shiga poisoning. Since manganese's chemistry is already well understood and it's readily available, the possibility of using it as a treatment is exciting.
Here's how manganese blocks Shiga's spread, according to the group's experiments in cultured human cells:
One of the most universally agreed upon facts in the world is that raw cookie dough is delicious. But it can also make you sick, though the ingredient to blame may be a surprise: In study published online in the journal Clinical Infectious Disease, researchers linked the 2009 outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 to tainted flour in Nestlé's Toll House ready-to-bake cookie dough. Although they haven't conclusively pinpointed the culprit, flour is the prime suspect after a detailed traceback investigation, since the other ingredients—including eggs—underwent a "kill step" to eliminate germs. In homemade cookie dough, eggs remain a possible source of contamination, particularly from Salmonella.
E. coli.
Scientists have generally thought that superbugs are weaker than normal bacteria in drug-free environments because they expend more resources to maintain resistances, as seen by their slower cell-division rates. But researchers have now reported in the journal PLoS Genetics that some antibiotic-resistant superbugs can out-perform their normal cousins even when there are no drugs present. The results suggest that fighting these resilient bacteria will take more than just curbing antibiotic use.
Fenugreek seeds
The European Food Safety Authority has released a scientific report on the deadly E. coli outbreak that has sickened more than 3,500 people and killed at least 44 in the last seven weeks, and the news is grim: the apparent source of the contamination, a shipment of fenugreek seeds from Egypt, has been scattered all across the continent, making recall tricky and new outbreaks likely until the seed packets reach their expiration date in three years. Maryn McKenna of Superbug expertly breaks down the report in all its chilling detail:
What's the News: A massive outbreak of E. coli is spreading through Europe, with 17 people dead in the last two weeks and 1,500 people sickened in Germany alone, where the outbreak began. Authorities are still trying to figure out where the outbreak originated and how it can be treated.
Staphylococcus aureus
What's the News: Adding sugar to certain antibiotics can boost their bacteria-battling ability, according to a study published today in Nature. In particular, sugar helps the drugs wipe out persisters, bacteria that evade antibiotics by essentially going dormant only to flare up again once the danger has passed. This technique could lead to the development of inexpensive, more effective treatments for bacterial infections.
E. coli
What's the News: Some bacteria can live in extreme "hypergravity," found a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, surviving and reproducing in forces 400,000 times greater than what's felt on Earth. These findings fit with the idea that microbes carried on meteorites or other debris—a ride that would have subjected them to hypergravity-strength forces—may be the ancestors of life on Earth.
Cockroaches take advantage of our messy hospitality, skulking around in the cracks and holes of our houses and devouring the scraps we leave behind. Soon, though, maybe we'll be the ones taking advantage of their fondness for filth.
The brains of these insects carry some serious antibiotics—strong enough to slaughter bacteria that have evolved resistance to the hospital antibiotics we use. The researchers presented their work at the Society for General Microbiology meeting this week in England, and say that while the finding is terrific, it's no surprise given the roaches' living circumstances:
"Some of these insects live in the filthiest places ever known to man," says Naveed Khan, coauthor of the new study. "These insects crawl on dead tissue, in sewage, in drainage areas. We thought, 'How do they cope with all the bacteria and parasites?'" [Science News]


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What happens in the future might change everyone's perspective, but right now — today — it's hard for Tampa Bay to believe it didn't get snookered by the Royals in that big off-season deal.
Ex-Ray Wade Davis survived a shaky start Sunday in working six strong innings in a 5-3 victory over his former club at Tropicana Field. And ex-Ray Elliot Johnson ignited a tie-breaking, two-run sixth inning with a double.
And ex-Ray James Shields, you might remember, beat Tampa Bay when the teams met earlier this season at Kauffman Stadium, (OK, Shields hasn't won since — despite pitching well.)
Maybe they were just well trained.
Anyway, the four prospects the Rays received for Shields, Davis and Johnson, including 2012 consensus minor-league player of the year Wil Myers, are still in the minors.
Or were.
The Rays announced after the game they planned to recall Myers from Class AAA Durham prior to Tuesday's double-header in Boston. The move came after scoring just 11 runs over the last four games against the Royals.
Davis insisted it mattered little that he was pitching against the organization where he spent his previous nine professional seasons. He attributed his rocky first inning to mechanical issues, not emotional ones.
"I was jumping a little bit in the first inning," Davis said. "I was flying open early. I got into the stretch early, and I was fighting myself. I got back out (in the second inning) and was able to settle down a little bit."
Whatever it was, he was a different pitcher after a 35-pitch first inning that saw him allow three hits and two walks...but just two runs.
"I knew once he got through the first he was going to settle in and be fine," manager Ned Yost said. "I just had a good feeling that if he could get back in dugout, he would regroup and hold them right there."
Davis, 4-5, retired 16 of the last 18 hitters he faced before handing a 4-2 lead to the bullpen to start the seventh inning. A bullpen relay of Aaron Crow, Tim Collins, Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland closed out the victory.
Holland permitted a one-out homer in the ninth to Jose Lobaton before securing his 14th save in 16 chances.
The Royals' attack, meanwhile, continues to show signs of emerging from an extended slumber. Their 11-hit attack included two singles and a double from Alcides Escobar, and a game-tying homer from Jeff Francoeur.
Throw in two hits apiece by Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler, and two RBIs from Alex Gordon … it was a balanced effort.
"We thought coming out of spring that we had a deep lineup," Francoeur said. "In April, we did OK. May was just a disaster. For a while here (in June), Salvy (Perez) has been carrying this team offensively.
"Some of us are starting to wake up now. And this is what we imagined — this kind of game."
Escobar contributed two key hits. His two-out RBI single in the sixth broke a 2-2 tie, and his leadoff double in the eighth inning turned into an insurance run that made things easier on the bullpen.
"Like I've been telling you, I've been feeling good the last few days," he said. "I didn't put my head down. I know I can swing the bat well. Today, I got three hits, and I feel much better."
The Royals are also 5-1 this year against the Rays, with one still-unscheduled makeup game remaining, after winning three of four this weekend at The Trop.
"They flat beat us," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "They're playing at a high level right now. They beat us in some crucial moments."
The Royals won for the the 10th in 12 games and pulled them back to within one game of .500 at 33-34. They open a three-game series Monday at Cleveland.
Davis was the last of the three players acquired last December from the Rays to face his former team — and it didn't begin well: a 35-pitch first inning after the Royals staked him to a 1-0 lead.
"I was up in the zone," he said. "The result was the walks. A couple of hits came on balls I left up a little bit."
It stayed 2-1 until Francoeur opened the fifth with a line-drive homer on a 3-2 slider from Rays starter Roberto Hernandez, who was formerly known as Fausto Carmona.
There were two outs an inning later when Johnson just missed a homer on a deep drive to right. Johnson settled or a double, which prompted an intentional walk to Francoeur.
Escobar spoiled the strategy by ripping a first-pitch fastball from Hernandez, 4-7, to left for an RBI single.
"I told myself on that at-bat, 'I don't want to miss this ball,'" he said. "I went after it and got a base hit. I'm looking for a fastball, and threw me a fastball. I got it right on the needle."
The Rays appeared to have Francoeur trapped between second and third, but he avoided the tag in scrambling back to second. That turned into a key play.
"It was bang-bang," Francoeur said. "When the ball came out of Luke Scott's hand, I didn't know if it was going to go high or low. Then I realized (Johnson) was going to score. Thank God, I got back."
The Rays brought in Jake McGee for a left-on-left matchup against Gordon, who pulled a sharp RBI single to right for a 4-2 lead. Francoeur (again) barely avoided a tag, this time at the plate.
"Flipping Gordo," Francoeur joked. "He had to hit a (hard line drive) right at the guy. Told him to hit it a little softer the next time."


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Ian Davis took a very high 25th place for Ireland at the 5th KPMC. He won 4 games (against Kazakhstan, Portugal, Brazil and Norway) and lost 3 (against Denmark, Slovakia and Sweden). Piers Shepperson ended 45th for the UK having won 3 (against Panama, Malaysia and Luxembourg), but losing 4 (to Spain, Poland, Columbia and Netherlands).
Results [1]
[1] http://www.eurogofed.org/results/world/kpmc2010.htm
[2] http://www.britgo.org/taxonomy/term/24


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NEW YORK (AP) — Investments in mythical kingdoms, alien invasions and a famously flamboyant musician are paying off for Time Warner.
The company, which owns HBO, CNN, TNT and Warner Bros., said on Wednesday that it posted an 87 percent jump in net income in the April-June quarter thanks to spending on quality original programming that helped to boost viewer interest, and revenue, at its television networks.
The results beat Wall Street's predictions and the New York-based company raised its full-year guidance.
But Time Warner Inc.'s stock gave up its midday gains and slipped 24 cents to close at $63.84 in trading Wednesday after earlier hitting $66, its highest price in more than a decade.
Chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes pointed to popular series such as TNT's "Falling Skies," which tells the story of humans fighting an alien invasion, "Game of Thrones," HBO's critically acclaimed fantasy drama series, along with HBO's Emmy-nominated Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra." He said those and other original shows, coupled with another strong NBA season, helped draw viewers, advertisers and affiliates to Time Warner's networks. As a result, revenue at the division increased 7 percent to $3.84 billion.
"We had about double the number of original hours in prime time this quarter compared to last year and it is paying off," Bewkes said on a conference call with investors. Ratings on the company's prime-time originals more than doubled from the same quarter a year ago, he added.
Bewkes also noted that Time Warner's TNT and TBS networks ended the quarter as two of the top advertising-supported cable networks for viewers in the 18 to 49 age range. In addition, ratings at CNN jumped nearly 70 percent among its target audience and HBO viewership remained strong.
Wedbush analyst James Dix backed his "Outperform" rating for Time Warner's stock, noting that the company's increase in network revenue was better than he expected. He attributed the strong growth to a jump in advertising revenue that more than offset slightly lower-than-expected growth in subscription revenue.
Outside of the network division, revenue at the company's Warner Bros. film and TV entertainment division increased 13 percent to $2.94 billion on strong ticket sales for "Man of Steel," ''The Hangover Part III" and "The Great Gatsby."
Those gains more than offset lower revenue at the company's publishing division. Time Warner had planned to spin off its ailing Time Inc. magazine unit by the end of this year, but said Wednesday that it needs more time and that the spin-off would instead be complete by early next year. Revenue at the publishing division fell 3 percent to $833 million on both lower subscription and advertising sales.
For the April-June period, Time Warner Inc. earned $771 million, or 81 cents per share. That's up from $413 million, or 42 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding items, the company earned an adjusted 83 cents per share for the recent quarter.
Analysts expected 76 cents per share.
Revenue rose 10 percent to $7.44 billion from $6.74 billion. Analysts expected $7.11 billion in revenue.
For the full year, the company says it now expects to post an earnings-per-share percentage increase in the "mid-teens." When it announced its first-quarter results in May, the company said it expected a percentage increase in the "low double digits."


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of the JudiciaryChief Justice Chase T. RogersApril
13, 2011
Mister President,
Mister Speaker, distinguished members of the House and
Senate, my colleagues on the Supreme Court, ladies and
gentlemen. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to
address you today.
Related Statistics
I don't have to tell
you that we are all confronting the biggest deficit in our
state's history. The Judicial Branch is anything but
immune from this crisis. In fact, for the past several
years, as a partner with the Executive and Legislative
Branches, we have shouldered our fair share of budget cuts
and reductions. This year,
we worked with the new administration to reduce our already
austere budget request for the next fiscal year by the
substantial amount of $34 million. Frankly, it is as
large a reduction as we can absorb without affecting where
and how the courts operate.
Now, the budget is before you. Although we are hoping
for the best, we also must prepare for the worst, and I will
tell you that we are working on contingency plans to address
whatever happens going forward. I feel it is important
to let you know that, if there are ultimately more
significant cuts or layoffs, the branch that we know today
will look very different in the future. For example,
the continuation of the initiatives that I highlight over
the next several minutes may not be possible.
Regardless of the resources that are available, however, I
can assure you that our commitment to three basic principles
will remain intact. These principles are: Number one,
access; Number two, the efficient resolution of cases; and
Number three, fairness.
Starting with the first principle, we must provide access to
everyone regardless of race, religion, age, sex, sexual
preference, disability, marital status or national origin.
I can assure you that the
Judicial Branch takes its obligation to provide access to
justice very seriously. For this reason, we have established
an Access to Justice Commission to oversee and coordinate
all of the Branch's efforts in this regard.
While its charge is broad, a key area the Commission will
address is one of our court system's biggest challenges –
providing access to self represented parties. If you aren't
aware of this troubling trend, the following numbers may
surprise you. In 2010, an
astounding 84 percent of all family cases and 27 percent of
all civil cases had at least one party who was
self-represented. The numbers are close to 90 percent
in housing matters. The
Judicial Branch is concerned about this trend because we all
know that people are far better off when they have legal
representation. In addition, this trend impacts the
entire court system. Judges and staff must spend more
time going over basic procedures, which ultimately results
in delays. This is frustrating, not only to the self
represented party but also to the judges, staff, opposing
counsel and the other litigant.
In short, we must find ways to address this growing
challenge. The current situation is of even greater concern
when you consider that legal aid organizations are able to
meet only a small fraction of the legal needs of those who
cannot afford an attorney.
To address this problem, I have appointed a
Bono Committee that brings together members of the
bench, the private bar, the legal aid community and senior
in-house attorneys at some of our largest Connecticut-based
corporations. The goal of the committee is to increase
the number of attorneys willing to assist people who cannot
afford legal services. We believe that, while all
attorneys take seriously their obligations to provide pro
bono legal services, many do not know where or how to get
started. Among other
initiatives, the Pro Bono Committee plans to hold a summit
in September that, for the first time, will bring together
leaders of the bench, the bar and corporate communities.
The goal of the summit is to help every segment of our
diverse legal community easily identify the pro bono
opportunities that exist. This summit will provide these
attorneys with the tools and support necessary, including
training and insurance, to take on pro bono matters.
Based on the initial response, we are certain that this
undertaking will generate a significant dedication of time
and resources by our talented attorneys to assist those in
need. I should also note
that we already have two volunteer attorney programs up and
running in the area of family law. As of March 2011,
these experienced family practitioners had assisted more
than 650 self-represented parties. We hope to expand
the program to the New Haven foreclosure docket in May.
Aside from finding ways to
encourage attorneys to provide legal services to those who
cannot afford them, we are working to provide access to
justice at the front door, when your constituents enter any
state courthouse. What we have found is that many
people simply don't know where to go. This makes a stressful
situation even more stressful.
I am happy to say that we have taken great strides in making
our courthouses easier to navigate. For example, by
shifting resources we now have employees available in four
of our busiest courthouses to greet and direct members of
the public to where they need to go immediately upon
entering the building. Since January 2010, this program has
assisted over 8,000 court patrons.
To further assist self represented parties, our
court service centers
and public information
desks provide assistance in completing forms and also
provide lawyers and others access to computers and fax
machines, as well as other resources.
Additionally, advances in technology have played a key role
in enhancing these resources. Our website, for
example, is user friendly in English and Spanish and filled
with helpful information and links for the public and the
Bar. Of course, we could
make all of these enhancements, but if a Judicial Branch
employee is not helpful, then our efforts will be futile.
Anybody visiting our courthouses should not feel as if they
are entering a minefield of bureaucratic hostility.
This can be as simple as accepting a check with no home
address, as long as there is another form of identification.
Or, it could be taking the time to patiently and
respectfully listen to a member of the public painfully
recount a personal situation.
Therefore, we are taking a hard look at how our Branch
employees interact with the public. While the majority
of our employees are professional and courteous, we know we
can always do better. And
we know from asking people who use our courts regularly that
they value integrity, fairness, respect and professionalism
in their interaction with Branch employees. To focus
on these values, a comprehensive employee training program,
called Pillars of Service Excellence, has been developed
in-house at no cost. Training has now begun for all of our
staff. In addition, we now
have a team of employees who pose as members of the public
and regularly visit our facilities to determine whether
people are being treated professionally. While we have
received overwhelmingly favorable feedback, in those
instances where there is a problem, we are moving quickly to
rectify it. As you
can imagine, I was a little nervous about how this program
would be received by staff. Interestingly, rather than
resisting these efforts, the vast majority have welcomed the
input they have received as a result of this program.
I would now like to turn to
our second commitment – the timely and efficient resolution
of cases. You should know that our courts are facing an
increase in the number of cases filed. Over the past
four years, we have seen an increase in the number of civil
cases added to our dockets by 37 percent. Most of this
increase is attributable to the increase in foreclosure and
contract collection cases. In addition, our family
docket has grown by 8 percent over the past four years and
there has been a small increase in criminal cases.
I can't tell you
scientifically that these increases are due directly to the
economy, but common sense tells us that it is certainly a
significant factor. And this means, that more people
have turned to our state court system for resolution of
their disputes. In turn, the courts don't have the
option of turning away people due to lack of resources.
To ensure that disputes are
resolved efficiently, we have been re-evaluating the
programs that we have in place, particularly in the area of
civil litigation. It is important to recognize that the
resolution of civil cases has serious implications, not only
for the parties, but for the state as a whole.
Two years ago, a report was issued in Florida entitled "The
Economic Impacts of Delays in Civil Trials in Florida's
State Courts Due to Under-Funding." This report showed that
a growing population and a growing foreclosure docket
combined to create a civil case backlog. More
important, it showed that this development severely affected
Florida's ability to create and keep jobs.
This problem could become a reality in Connecticut and it is
essential that we avoid a similar situation here.
To that end, one area of
extensive review has been our Complex Litigation Docket.
This is an effective resource for handling some of our most
complicated civil cases involving, for instance, commercial
disputes or complex medical malpractice claims. The
regular civil trial dockets are currently not backlogged and
trial dates are readily available. Nonetheless, for
especially complicated cases, the litigants may choose to
apply to have their case transferred to the Complex
Litigation Docket, where they will benefit from the
oversight and management of a single judge.
And to ensure that Connecticut has one of the strongest
complex litigation dockets in the country, the Judicial
Branch is committed to assigning judges with expertise in
these matters to serve on the docket and to train all judges
on issues relevant to commercial and business litigation. To
further enhance the docket's efficiency, and by again
shifting resources, each judge assigned to the docket has
recently been given access to a dedicated group of
experienced law clerks to assist with research.
We are also examining our
court-sponsored Alternative Dispute Resolution programs that
resolve civil matters short of trial and provide an off-ramp
from full-blown litigation. The importance of this program
is that it can save considerable time and money for
individuals and businesses in Connecticut.
Yet another area that has a substantial impact on the state
is the process by which land is developed in Connecticut.
The courts play an integral role in overseeing disputes
involving such development. Over the past year, we have
worked diligently with members of the land use bar to
propose sweeping revisions to our court rules regarding
planning and zoning and other land use appeals.
We also plan to institute special land use dockets with
dedicated judges and staff. The impact of these
changes should be far-reaching and expedite the processing
of land-use appeals.
Another area of great concern is foreclosures. As you are
well aware, the number of foreclosure cases filed in the
courts has reached unprecedented levels. Fortunately,
for Connecticut, you had the foresight in 2008 to enact
legislation creating the
Mediation Program, which we administer.
Through January of this year, over 9,400 homeowners have
completed mediation. Of those, 79 percent reached a
resolution and 64 percent were able to stay in their homes.
These settlements obviously benefit not only the homeowner
but also lending institutions and communities throughout our
state. In fact, the
Connecticut program has been heralded as a national model.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently highlighted our
program as a successful, results-based way to address the
foreclosure crisis. I
would also be remiss if I did not address jury service,
which is the most visible example of why our court system
must operate efficiently.
While jurors are absolutely essential to our system of
government, it's frustrating to receive a jury summons and
to make the necessary arrangements only to find out the
night before that your presence is not required. It is
also very disruptive to businesses and employers who are in
effect lending their workers to the state of Connecticut.
In response, we have been
working hard to ensure the number of jurors summoned
reflects the court's actual need on any given day. As
a result of these efforts, the number of jurors actually
summoned has been reduced by over 10 percent, which
translates to more than 68,000 people not having to take
time from their lives and work to come to court.
Now, I would like to turn your attention to the third
commitment – fairness. Toward that goal, one of the
most significant changes that has occurred has been at the
appellate level.
Beginning with the 2009 term, the Supreme Court changed its
longstanding policy regarding how it hears cases.
Before that time, most cases were heard by panels of five of
the seven justices. Now, the Court sits en banc in
panels of all seven justices whenever possible. We
believe this change enhances the confidence of the public in
the rulings of our state's highest court.
Finally, I want to talk for a moment about our superior
court judges. They do not have an easy task. If you walk
into a courtroom on any given day, you may see a criminal
court judge sentencing a young adult whose recklessness
killed a friend. In the same building, you may see a
judge wrestling with a complicated medical malpractice suit.
Another judge in juvenile court may be dealing with a
terrible child abuse case in which neither parent appears
fit to raise their baby – who at six months is already the
victim of significant trauma.
A courthouse truly represents a microcosm of society's
problems and the public looks to our judges every day for
resolution and justice.
And, we know that sometimes fair and just decisions can also
be very unpopular. Yet, the rule of law necessarily
depends on independent courts where judges make decisions
based on facts and law, not popular opinion. These
decisions must be free from improper influence, which
includes political or special interests. Only this
ensures that all litigants are treated fairly and equally.
Unfortunately, I am aware
from speaking to my colleagues in other states of efforts to
remove judges from office because a particular group
disagrees with a ruling that is based on an interpretation
of the law. I am pleased
to report that this is not the situation in Connecticut and
I want to take this opportunity to thank you, on behalf of
our state justices and judges, for your unwavering support.
The bottom line is that we need judges who are not afraid to
do their job – which is to apply the law to the facts at
hand, without fear or favor. The stakes in a democracy
are that high. We make
difficult decisions every day, and we will continue to do
so, because that is the constitutional compact we have with
your constituencies – and ours.
I hope that from just the few examples I have spoken of
today, it is evident that the Branch is looking for every
way possible to improve the state courts and, therefore,
sustain the public's confidence in our judiciary.
Thank you, again, for the
opportunity to address you this morning.
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2015 National Urban League Conference to be held in Fort Lauderdale
February 1, 2013 | WPLG Local 10 News
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Urban League of Broward County will host the 2015 National Urban League Conference, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial and Urban League of Broward County President and CEO Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh announced Thursday.
The conference will take place the last week of July 2015. "Dr. Smith-Baugh has been instrumental in establishing the Urban League of Broward County as the community's leading civic and social services organizations, and one of the most dynamic community outreach networks in the nation," said Morial. "I can think of no better setting for a conference that is focused on effecting community change."
"I'm proud and thrilled to welcome the National Urban League Conference to the Broward County for 2015," Smith-Baugh said. "Not only do Fort Lauderdale and Broward County represent an exciting cross-section of cultures, but we feel that our affiliate's thriving public and private partnerships throughout the region can be a model for the nation."
"It's about so much more than the $8 million economic impact that the National Urban League Conference brings to Broward County. It's about strengthening the community by becoming the destination of choice for the country's largest and most influential black professional organizations," said Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The National Urban League Annual Conference is a national forum for debate and discussion on policy issues and creating solutions to the challenges confronting African Americans and urban communities. The 2013 Conference is scheduled for July 24 – 27 in Philadelphia, followed by the 2014 Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.


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WEST TRENTON — The New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Unit has just taken a significant step forward in reporting crime throughout the state. Today, a link was placed on the public web site that connects users to very recent and comparative crime data for municipalities and counties. The data is updated every week, or as often as municipalities provide fresh numbers.
"For the first time, we are able to give the public a sense of the current crime picture in their area. Even as preliminary data, this will be a great new tool for the public," said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.
The data on the web site is unverified, and published as it is received from the sending municipalities. Consequently, the data may later be revised or otherwise altered in the State Police's annual Crime in New Jersey report, which will continue to be made public in the fall of every year. The 2011 Crime in New Jersey report can be found at http://njsp.org/info/ucr2011/index.html
Initially, this information is offered in the form of a PDF document, however, the UCR Unit members are developing an interactive web page format that will allow users to search for specific data.
The new data can be viewed at http://www.njsp.org/info/ucr_currentdata.html
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text:
Event: Bollywood biggies like Shahrukh Khan, Neha Dhupia, Preity Zinta, Amrita Arora, Arbaaz Khan, Sushmita Sen & others at Shilpa Shetty's Birthday Bash.
Guest List: Shahrukh Khan, Raj Kundra, Shamita Shetty, Shilpa Shetty, Neha Dhupia, Preity Zinta, Malaika Arora Khan, Amrita Arora, Tabu, Arjun Rampal, Suzanne Roshan Khan, Sushmita Sen, Fardeen Khan, Jackky Bhagnani, Arbaaz Khan, Neelam Kothari, Karan Johar, Prateik Babbar, Sanjay Kapoor, Samir Soni, Siddharth Mallya, Harman Baweja, David Dhawan, Rocky S
Bollywood celeb Aamir Khan along with wife Kiran Rao were spotted at PVR.
Bollywood producers-directors Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Krishan Kumar, Ravi Bahl, Divya Khosla Kumar, Sajid Nadiadwala, Wardha Nadiadwala celebrate diwali with Bhushan Kumar
Bollywood celebs Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Sonali Bendre, Nimrat Kaur among others were snapped by paparazzi.Bebo looked super cool in a casual look. She wore a white t-shirt with yoga pants...
Bollywood actress Shama Sikander celebrated Diwali festival at her residence.
Bollywood celebs Aamir Khan, Zaira Wasim, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Anil Kapoor, Nitesh Tiwari, Aparshakti Khurrana, Bhushan Kumar, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Sachin Tendulkar, Rajkumar Hir...


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The year 2011 marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. It also marked the beginning of a three-year Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI ) study of the Bible's place in the everyday lives of Americans.
With a $507,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture – a program of the IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI – set out to answer questions of how, where, when and why ordinary Americans use the Bible.
According to findings made public online in the 44-page "The Bible in American Life" report, the four-centuries-old King James Version of the Bible is far from dead. Despite its archaic language and a market flooded with newer, more modern English translations, more than half of the individuals and two-fifths of the congregations surveyed still prefer the King James Bible.
And of those surveyed, African Americans reported the highest levels of Bible engagement.
Seventy percent of all blacks said they read the Bible outside of public worship services, compared to 44 percent for whites, 46 percent for Hispanics and 28 percent for all other races.
Bible memorization is highest among black respondents, 69 percent, compared to 51 percent among white conservative Protestants and 31 percent among white moderate/liberal Protestants.
"There are no measures, individually or in congregations, where 'black' is not strongly correlated with the most conservative, most active, most involved level of scriptural engagement, no matter which other group comes closest," the report says.
"If one wanted to predict whether someone had read the Bible, believed it to be the literal or inspired Word of God, and used it to learn about many practical aspects of life, knowing whether or not that person was black is the single best piece of information one could have."
The report first looks at the practice of scripture reading in the United States, and then explores eight measures among those who read the Bible, such as Bible translation used; scripture memorization habits; favorite passages; and race.
Roughly half of Americans have read religious scripture outside of a public worship service in the past year. For 95 percent of those, the Bible is the scripture they read.
What did the study reveal about Bible readers?
Most of those people read at least monthly, and a substantial number – 9 percent of all Americans – read every day.
Women were more likely to read than men; older people were more likely to read than younger; Southerners were more likely to read than those of any other region.
The percentage of verse memorizers among Bible readers (48 percent) equates to roughly a fourth of the American population as a whole, or nearly 80 million people.
Psalm 23 – which begins "The Lord is my shepherd" – was the most popular Biblical passage.
Younger people, those with higher salaries and, most dramatically, those with more education among the respondents read the Bible on the internet or an e-device at higher rates.
The written report, based on survey questions on both the General Social Survey (1,551 individuals) and the National Congregations Study III (denominations represented among the General Social Survey respondents), is the first stage of the study and offers sociological data about the role of the Bible.
"Historians and sociologists have been working for years to understand how religion is lived out on a daily level," said Philip Goff, executive director of the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture and one of the three principal investigators who led the study. "This gives us a good snapshot of the practice of Bible reading. That should also help ministers understand the people in their pews."
Goff's co-investigators are Arthur Farnsley, associate director of the center; and Peter Thuesen, chair of the Department of Religious Studies at IUPUI.
full article found here


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Jodi Waltman: A dedicated caregiver to the community
As citizens of or visitors to the area, we expect that the community be safe and healthy at all times. We wouldn't allow anything less for our families, our friends or ourselves.
Yet how often do we consider the people and the processes that are behind the scenes, doing just that?
As the administrator for the Phelps-Maries County Health Department, Jodi Waltman provides an eye-opening glimpse into the essential and immense responsibilities that rest on the shoulders of our public health department.
Josephine Waltman is originally from Pasadena, Texas, and made her way to Rolla by way of Washington, D.C., in 1987.
A retired United States Army nurse for 22 years and a pediatric nurse for 20 years, with a master's in nursing from VCU (Virginia Commonwealth University) Medical Center, and a master's in education from Boston University, Waltman has been caring for the health and well-being of others her entire career.
She also holds a bachelor's of science in nursing from Texas Women's University and has made the field of health and safety not only her career, but a passion in her life.
Upon retirement from the Army ranking lieutenant colonel, she ends her path in the military just as her father did after serving in World War II.
She joined the health department in 1999 and manages a community care clinic for low-income or uninsured individuals. This begins her longtime career and dedication to the department and a healthier environment for the area.
With determination and perseverance driving her interests Waltman explains, "The food code helps to prevent illnesses from happening."
Food safety classes are offered to volunteers and extreme care is provided during natural disasters and emergencies. The health department acts as first responders in these instances by inspecting food and fire safety precautions, providing lists of safe temperatures for food items and advising when to destroy food items to prevent the growth of bacteria.
Inspections are also performed to confirm that the proper items have been destroyed or are being stored properly. Waltman refers to these as "win-win partnerships."
She also explains, "The public doesn't think of us as first responders." However they often are. This is among many of the misconceptions the public has regarding the health department and their vast amount of services.
Waltman explains that there are 700 notifications of food recalls per year and the department is responsible for each of these items to be pulled from the shelves of our stores.
The most serious of these diseases are labeled "class one" and range from glass found in a food item to the deadly disease listeria. Listeria can read as flu-like symptoms which can be an issue when further diagnosis is not made.
The services provided by the department continue with the ever-important task of safeguarding our children when in the care of licensed day care facilities. Experienced nurses work hand in hand with local day cares providing many forms of care and prevention including CPR instruction and infection control.
Continuing education credits are also provided to assure that licensure and instruction is kept up-to-date. The safety of the public is also protected during inspections of our lodging facilities. Pool safety, fire safety and inspections of laundry areas are performed and smoke alarms are tested to ensure they are kept in proper working order.
Septic systems must also be permitted through the health department. Also in the works is a community health center which will charge on a sliding scale. Funding for this facility is pending.
The work that is done by the Phelps-Maries County Health Department is intently focused on prevention of illness and the promotion of health within the community.
By successfully preventing illnesses in the community and by providing better nutrition and health screening for pregnant mothers and children through the WIC (women, infants and children) program, the department seeks to maintain healthy families.
There are between 1,300 and 1,500 visits to the WIC program in the City of Rolla each year. This program is nationally funded and provides supplemental nutrition to mothers and children who meet the income requirements.
Immunizations protect citizens from many diseases. The department offers walk-in immunizations and conducts an influenza vaccination program each fall by giving 2,500 flu shots. The department visits each school in both Phelps and Maries counties and works in close contact with the school nurse in administering flu shots each school year.
Waltman advises, "If you can get 30 percent to 40 percent of school-age children the flu vaccine you can decrease the flu by 60 percent in the community."
Vaccinations for whooping cough which is spread to children through adult contact are also provided through the immunization program.
There is also a program in place, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Project (BCCCP) that focuses on early detection screening for low-income or uninsured individuals.
The understanding of how communicable diseases are spread and what precautions should be taken are the life's blood of the work done by Waltman and her associates. A sharp attention to detail along with highly educated, experienced and trained individuals ensures that our public health is protected vigilantly.
The health department notifies doctors, nurses, school nurses and clinics about increases of diseases in the community.
Many illnesses reported to the department consist of flu-like symptoms, therefore nurses must be consistently conscientious of different symptoms that may allow them to identify illnesses that can be contained and protect the health of the community.
For example, an individual who reports flu-like symptoms and works with cattle or sheep would also be tested for Q fever as these and other animals carry the bacterium that causes the disease. Many diseases caused by ticks also cause "flu-like" symptoms. Notice of an illness increasing in the community can aid a doctor in diagnosing a patient's condition.
Doctors, hospitals and laboratories report communicable diseases to the health department. Waltman states intently, "There are 600 communicable disease investigations per year and there are 36 reportable diseases in the state of Missouri."
The use of a technique called surveillance is highly implemented at the department. This technique serves as an advanced warning system that seeks out issues that could become more serious.
The hospital and clinics share information weekly on the types of symptoms being seen (respiratory, rashes, stomach illnesses) to monitor trends. Alerts are sent to the department to inform Waltman and the department of surges in specific medication sales.
This type of technology allows for the early action that is needed to keep issues from becoming more widespread and complicated. These alerts also give opportunities for the department to take any needed precautions in protecting the community.
The health department coordinates with several important businesses including Phelps County Regional Medical Center (PCRMC) and its infectious disease nurse who notifies the department of any issues or possible problems.
Also in partnership are The Community Partnership, Red Cross, Pathways and local home health businesses. There are currently 40 individuals trained as Medical Reserve Corps volunteers to coordinate with the department in providing families better lives through the services of the health department.
Waltman says that successful public health practices seek to "spread the efforts and not to duplicate them."
Working with community partners to improve access to health choices is among these efforts in hopes of creating healthier families. A focus on making affordable produce more accessible is paramount to Waltman and her team.
She speaks in a discouraged state as she explains that fruits and vegetables are expensive for families to purchase.
Fast, easy access to food with plenty of fruits and vegetables at home, school and work will protect our health. How we eat and exercise will affect our health for decades and can prevent or cause chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease.
The health department seeks to promote access to safe areas for exercise and affordable produce for our communities.
With the combined efforts of the individuals at the Phelps-Maries County Health Department and its coordinates, the community has an experienced, educated and purposeful team maintaining its health and safety.
Waltman and her fellow associates can take pride in their ongoing and heartfelt efforts to keep the community safe, happy and healthy.
The Phelps-Maries County Health Department is located in the Phelps County Courthouse at 200 North Main St., Suite G51, Rolla, and can be reached at 573-458-6010.
Visit the Phelps-Maries County Health Department website at www.phelpscountyhealth.com for current investigations and other information.


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Bedford girls basketball team spreads the scoring wealthBy HARRY KOZLOWSKI
Special to the Union Leader
March 12. 2014 10:15PM
Trying to game plan against the Bedford High girls' basketball team is tricky.
Most teams riding a 38-game win streak have a star player or two on whom an opposing defense might focus. But how do you defend against such a team when it puts up 61 points per game without a single player averaging double digits?
That's what fourth-ranked Nashua High North is trying to figure out as it prepares for Thursday night's snow-postponed NHIAA Division I girls' semifinal against Bedford, the top seed and defending champion.
Bedford is scheduled to tip off against North, a team it beat 65-39 during the regular season, at 6 p.m. in the first half of a doubleheader at Southern New Hampshire University.
Second-seeded Londonderry and No. 3 Pinkerton Academy of Derry are the opponents for the 8 p.m. semifinal, with the winners due to return to the SNHU Fieldhouse for the championship game on Sunday at 6 p.m.North was the last team to beat Bedford ... but that was more than a year ago. And the Bulldogs, coming off a 67-22 victory over Keene in the first round of the tournament and a 54-34 triumph over Trinity of Manchester in the quarterfinals, seem to be only getting better.
In Bedford's 20 NHIAA games this season, nine different players have filled the role of leading scorer. Rachel Collins' team-leading average is a relatively modest 9.1 points per game, but five other players average 7.7 points or more.
Even when the Bulldogs racked up a season-high point total in an 82-49 romp over Salem, two players shared top-scorer status, with Bri Purcell and Nikki Tucci contributing 16 points apiece.
According to head coach Sue Thomas, Bedford's entire 12-player lineup has seen action in all but three games this season, and with such depth, there's little drop-off when she goes to her bench.
"We don't have a go-to player; it's just who's scoring that night," she said. "It depends a lot on what defense we see."
Such adaptability comes not only from depth but from experience, with a lineup led by Collins and fellow seniors McKenzie Brown, Caroline Conrad, Haley Driscoll and Ali Glennon.
"Our five seniors have played together since sixth grade," said Thomas. "These seniors built the program to what it is today."
"We've played with each other so long, we know where our teammates will be even before they get there," said Glennon, one of the team's captains.
That's true on defense, as well as offense. In fact, according to Glennon, Thomas insists that the Bulldogs focus on stopping their opponents before thinking about putting the ball in the basket.
"She always says defense will win the game and the offense will come along." Glennon said.
Glennon will continue her career next season as a scholarship player at NCAA Division II St. Anselm College. Collins and Driscoll also entertained scholarship offers before committing to Division III Middlebury College and Colby College, respectively.
But even with such talent and experience moving on after this season, Thomas says the team's future is bright beyond the 2014 tournament.
"Bedford has a great feeder system," she said. "They start playing in third grade. The Lurgio Middle School team just won a title, and our JV team had a terrific season."
Leading rebounder Gabby Hunter will return, as will the starting guard tandem of Purcell and Tucci.
"We'll still have the best backcourt in the state with Purcell and Tucci," Thomas said.
Thomas knows being a the top seed means having a target on your back.
"There's a lot of expectations and pressure," she said. "There are three (other) great teams left in the tournament. Us being undefeated means nothing to them."
Thomas cites the unbeaten Manchester Central boys' team needing double overtime to beat 12th seed Memorial in Monday's Division I semifinals as an example of a lower-seeded team rising to the occasion in the tournament.
"But no matter what happens this weekend," she said, "I want my kids to enjoy the experience and appreciate the great things that they've already accomplished."


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April 18. 2013 12:57PM
Senate approves bed-bug bill
By GARRY RAYNO
State House Bureau
CONCORD - The war on bed bugs in New Hampshire is heating up as the Senate today passed House Bill 482, which outlines the parameters for dealing with bed-bug infestations and the responsibilities of landlords and tenants to remediate the problem.
The bill is a compromise among all the stakeholders, including tenants, landlords and municipalities. Proponents say the bill will allow a rapid response that clarifies the responsibilities for remedial action.
The bill grew out of the work of the Bed Bug Action Committee, bringing those affected by bed-bug infestations together to reach a compromise on the best methods to fight the problem.The bill now goes to governor.


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By Gerry Shih
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Square Inc, a closely watched payment-processing company, made a significant push into the hardware business on Tuesday, unveiling a new credit-card reader that it claimed could be the centerpiece of the next-generation checkout counter.
At a press event in a sunlit San Francisco cafe, Chief Executive Jack Dorsey introduced the "Square Stand," a white, molded-plastic iPad holder that lets businesses accept credit cards with a mounted iPad and an integrated card reader.
Coupled with an iPad and Square's free iPad software, which processes credit-card payments wirelessly and tracks sales, the new Stand represents a complete offering for small businesses that can replace existing point-of-sale systems, Dorsey said.
"We wanted to unveil not just a great piece of software that allows them to build their business up, but also hardware to match," Dorsey said. "Square is extending its hardware story."
Square's Stand, which is aimed at brick-and-mortar stores such as coffee shops or clothing retailers, goes on sale online on Tuesday. It will become available at Best Buy, beginning in July for $299; iPads are not included.
Privately held Square, on track to process $15 billion in payments a year, has faced the challenge of thin margins, according to analysts, since it relies on middlemen such as banks and credit-card networks to complete transactions every time a merchant swipes a card through a Square reader.
Square's business model has prompted some analysts to encourage the company to focus on software that could bypass traditional credit-card companies rather than continue to develop physical card readers in the face of intense price pressure from competing payment processors.
For instance, PayPal, the online payment giant owned by eBay Inc, is going head to head against Square in brick-and-mortar stores by offering slightly lower processing rates and other incentives.
PayPal President David Marcus said on Tuesday that, beginning next month, PayPal will process payments for free for the rest of the year for any merchant that replaces its existing cash registers with one of PayPal's new point-of-sale services.
But the new Square Stand could help the company win over merchants who can integrate the devices into their software network in the long term, analysts said.
The new Stand, is "about a merchant land grab. If you can catch a merchant at startup time and get them using your point-of-sale system, you have a long-term client," Aite Group senior analyst Rick Oglesby said.
The local brick-and-mortar retail market is 20 times the size of online sales, and providing the offline equivalent of online e-commerce services represents a massive opportunity for companies, Oglesby said.
"The strategic piece of it is to become the online marketplace of the local commerce world," Oglesby said.
Although Square has sold matchbox-sized card readers since its inception in 2009, the Stand represents a slight departure for a company that has focused on refining its software offerings in recent years.
Dorsey, compared with late Apple Inc chief Steve Jobs by Silicon Valley commentators for his focus on product design, recruited former Apple industrial designer Jesse Dorogusker last year to develop Square's hardware.
Sporting a sharply tapered suit and Converse sneakers on Tuesday, Dorsey pushed back against the notion his company should focus on software.
"The thing people always say is, 'Is the Square Reader going away? You're not a hardware company,'" he told Reuters. "No, we love building hardware. The more hardware we can build, the better. But only if it's additive. It can't be distracting at all. And this is additive."
(Reporting by Gerry Shih; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe, Bob Burgdorfer and Jan Paschal)


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There are a couple of cars I have been looking for, for quite some time now and can't seem to find. As I know the community here knows a lot about these types of cars I was wondering if anyone knows of any for sale. I appreciate any tips and look forward to hearing everyones opinion in general about these cars.
1.) 1989 Ferrari 328GTS
2.) Aston Martin DBAR1 Zagato
3.) Bentley Continental SC (found two of these for sale but neither are in great shape)
4.) Ferrari 575 Superamerica Stick Shift


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Breaking Dawn Part 2 came out just in time to kick off the holidays, but man, oh, man, is this a rough season for Twilight fans. The finale of the saga is out. But then again, the finale of the saga is out ... it's all over! And Team Jacob fans really got hit hard, didn't they? Taylor Lautner's faithful could use some awesome gifts to pick them back up!
SPOILER ALERT (but there are some awesome holiday gift ideas, so you might want to click through anyway, m'kay?).
Now that you've seen the movie (what, three times?), you know for sure that even with that surprise ending, Jacob didn't exactly get his girl. Well, he did, just not the one he wanted all along.
But that's no reason for Team Jacob fans to be glum this holiday. It's just more reason to go out and treat yourself to something extra nice, right? Or at least to try to convince your friends that you need something extra special as a pick-me-up? We've got just what you need: a gift guide "Taylor" made for all those Team Jacob fans.
What's your favorite from the list?
Image via Summit Entertainment


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How To Nail Blagojevich
Prosecutors can ask for a five-year sentence for Illinois' ex-governor—but they shouldn't.
After the public spectacle surrounding the arrest and trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the jury's decision to hang on 23 of 24 charges has largely been viewed as an embarrassing failure for Patrick Fitzgerald, Chicago's top federal prosecutor. The editorial boards of the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, among others, have suggested that a retrial crosses the line from prosecution to persecution and would be a huge waste of public resources. Still, government lawyers declared that there would be a rematch, and the judge overseeing the case scheduled it for the beginning of next year.
But there's another good reason to forego a retrial and it's one that could redeem Fitzgerald's efforts. A controversial federal rule allows (and arguably requires) judges to consider virtually any conduct related to any conviction when deciding on a sentence. Even if it's conduct underlying a charge on which a defendant has been acquitted. So, although Fitzgerald may only have been able to convict Blagojevich on a single count of lying to the FBI, he still could obtain the maximum sentence for Blagojevich on that charge—five years. But should Fitzgerald actually use this weapon to nail Blagojevich without retrying him?
The possibility arises from a congressional decision in 1987 to adopt the United States Sentencing Guidelines. The guidelines require judges to hold defendants accountable at sentencing for all of their "acts and omissions . . that were part of the same course of conduct or common scheme or plan as the offense of conviction" as long as they are established with some level of reliability. In 1997, the Supreme Court held in United States v. Watts that this specifically includes "all other related conduct, whether or not it resulted in a conviction." Together, the guidelines and Watts mean that judges can base prison terms on any conduct associated with any count of conviction—that is, any "relevant conduct" —as long as it has been established by a preponderance of the evidence. This standard is much lower than "beyond a reasonable doubt," which of course is the burden of proof prosecutors must satisfy to secure a conviction. As professsor Doug Berman of the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University has noted, at least one federal appellate court has gone so far as to rule that it's a mistake not to consider such conduct in the sentencing process.
This concept may seems Kafka-esque, but it's historically unsurprising. Before Congress enacted the sentencing guidelines, federal criminal statutes simply gave judges a punishment range: They could imprison a defendant anywhere up to 20 years, say, for mail fraud. (Sentencing laws vary from state to state.) Judges were free to consider whatever they thought relevant in meting out a punishment anywhere within that broad spectrum. There's really nothing different about how sentencing works today. Judges still operate within a given range, and they set the length of a defendant's jail term within that range based on an independent determination of a whole host of factors, including the guidelines, the nature and circumstances of the offense, and the history and characteristics of the defendant. After all, there would be no point in setting maximum penalties if criminals didn't at least face the possibility of receiving them.
Though Blagojevich faces a maximum of five years for his conviction, some legal experts believe that federal guidelines suggest a shorter sentence. But because jurors were reportedly deadlocked 11-to-1 in favor of conviction on three key counts *, Fitzgerald could easily establish that he proved those charges by at least a preponderance of the evidence—"your Honor, but for one lone juror"—and that the judge should take that conduct into account, to the extent it's related to the conviction for lying to the FBI, and give Blagojevich the max.
But this result risks undermining the public's confidence in the fairness of the judicial system and Fitzgerald's motivations for going after Blagojevich. As David Feige has observed in Slate, basing sentences on conduct that did not result in a conviction gives prosecutors an extra edge. If they bring multiple charges against a defendant, but a conviction on even one can result in the same jail term as a conviction on all, then there's no reason for any defendant to put government lawyers to the ultimate test by forcing them to prove their case at trial. Prosecutors can stick to seeking a conviction on the easy stuff, and then shoehorn in the hard stuff at sentencing with the benefit of the lower preponderance of the evidence standard. By contrast, if the law didn't permit judges to consider a defendant's "relevant conduct," prosecutors would have to prove everything beyond a reasonable doubt at trial before a sentence could be based on it.
Using relevant conduct as a basis for imposing a harsher sentence also allows judges effectively to skate by jury verdicts and make their own findings of fact. This is particularly peculiar today, as it seems to fly in the face of a string of recent Supreme Court decisions holding that judges violate the Sixth Amendment right to trial by jury when they increase sentences based on facts that they, instead of the jury, find. This line of cases begins in 2000 with Apprendi v. New Jersey, in which the Supreme Court invalidated a 12-year prison sentence because it was based in part on the conclusion of a judge, rather than a jury, that the defendant had violated a state "hate crime" law. In 2004, the justices similarly scrapped a sentence in Blakely v. Washingtonthat was based on a judge's conclusion that the defendant acted with "deliberate cruelty," and in 2005 they did away with the sentence in United States v. Booker,which was based on the judge's determination that the defendant possessed more drugs than the amount presented to the jury at trial.
And yet the Supreme Court still allows judges to impose sentences based on facts that juries expressly reject—like the charges Blagojevich essentially beat. For example, in 2008 the justices refused to hear the appeal of Mark Hurn, whose 17½-year sentence was based almost exclusively on crack cocaine charges of which he was acquitted rather than the powder cocaine charges for which he was convicted. As Judge Nancy Gertner of Massachusetts (who has written for Slate) forcefully argued in another case, sentences like Hurn's just don't square with Apprendi and the other Supreme Court cases that follow it. As she put it: "It makes absolutely no sense to conclude that the Sixth Amendment is violated whenever facts essential to sentencing have been determined by a judge rather than a jury … and also conclude that the fruits of the jury's efforts can be ignored with impunity by the judge in sentencing."
Beyond a reasonable doubt, Blagojevich is guilty of lying to the FBI. But while he may well have committed other crimes, prosecutors just couldn't convince all the jurors of that. That should be the end of the story. But it may not be. Instead, there's a possible postscript: Fitzgerald could ask the judge to consider Blagojevich's other alleged offenses when sentencing him on the one proven crime—even though a jury wasn't able to reach a verdict on that other conduct. That may sound good in this case, but it actually reveals a larger injustice. Not only for Blagojevich, but also for all those other defendants you've never heard of.
Like Slate on Facebook. Follow Slate on Twitter.
Correction, Sept. 3, 2010: This article originally stated that jurors were reportedly deadlocked 11-to-1 on 23 counts. (Return to the corrected sentence.)


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LONDON (AP) — Two men have pleaded guilty in a British court to stealing a bronze Henry Moore sculpture worth up to 500,000 pounds ($793,800).
"The Sundial," created in 1965 as a working model for a larger sculpture, was stolen from the grounds of the Henry Moore Foundation in Much Hadham, eastern England, in July.
The distinctive bronze sculpture was found following a televised appeal for information.
Liam Hughes, 22, and 19-year-old Jason Parker admitted Monday at St. Albans Crown Court to stealing the sundial sculpture and the sculpture's bronze plinth.
They were granted bail and are to reappear at Luton Crown Court on December 4 for sentencing.
Moore, who died in 1986, was one of Britain's best-known 20th-century artists.


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Batman '66 #8 (You twisted Academian! Spoilers)
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
by Punchy » Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:11 pmAnother hugely entertaining issue of Batman '66, and this time both stories have a fun historical feel.
The first, longer story sees Batman and Robin going up against the villainous King Tut. The Dynamic Duo spot him sailing down the Gotham River in his barge, and try to bring him in, but he tells them he hasn't actually committed any crimes. So how does he have so many valuables and gold on board? Tut gives Batman a piece to examine, and it turns out that it's not been stolen, but is in fact only 12 years old. How is this possible? Time-Travel baby! I love that this series went a bit more sci-fi here, and once again did the kind of story you know the actual 1966 TV series would have loved to do if they had the budget. Batman and Robin track King Tut down to the Museum, where it turns out that an Ancient Sarcophagus also serves as a portal to Ancient Egypt himself, where Tut is trading chocolate for gold, which is just awesome and hilarious.
Perhaps the best scene in the issue was when Tut throws our heroes into the Nile, leaving them to be devoured by crocodiles. But of course, Batman prepared for this, and in fact altered his famous 'Shark-Repellent Spray' (from the movie!) into 'Crocodile-Repellent Spray', which is… yeah, I can't believe Jeff Parker actually went there. What's next? The return of 'some days you just can't get rid of a bomb'? Oh wait, The Dark Knight Rises already did that! Tut is eventually forced to abandon the past when one of his henchman drinks a magic potion in one gulp, insulting his hosts, and back in the present, Batman and Robin are easily able to defeat them. However, the henchman who drank the potion, who is driven into a rabid brute, escapes. I imagine he'll return, these stories don't have much continuity, but they do have some. The story ends on a clichéd note, with Batman and Robin having accidentally led to themselves being included in hieroglyphics, but you have to love stuff like that.
The second story sees Batman and Robin go up against a Cowboy-themed villain called 'Shame' (I guess it's a play on Shane? I dunno) who has been on a crime spree across the west. This story was very funny, and I loved how Parker made fun of Shame's attempts to live a Cowboy life, and how inaccurate his perception was. I especially liked his Native American henchman subverting expectations by actually being a physics genius who had been driven to a life of crime. The story ends with Batman in a showdown with Shame on top of a moving train. Will Batman draw? He has one of Shame's guns, but of course he's sworn never to use one. Luckily, Robin saves the day with a precisely timed Batarang. This was a light story, but as I said, it was funny, you have to love any story where Batman wheres a Cowboy hat and rides a horse.
Ruben Procopio draws both stories here, and his cartoonish style is a great fit for the tone of Batman '66. Also of note is that he uses a different style for each story. The King Tut is drawn traditionally and coloured by Lee Loughridge, but the Shame story looks to have been fully painted by Procopio, which is awesome, and gives it the look of an old Western book cover.
Batman '66 just delivers pure comic book entertainment every month, if you're looking for superhero comics with a light touch that nevertheless don't turn into outright parody, this is the book for you.
by Stephen Day » Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:50 pmOne of the more interesting things about this series is the revelation of some of the minor villains that were created for the 60s TV series.
Some of them, like Shame, I had no idea even existed.
by Stephen Day » Sun Feb 23, 2014 4:52 pmAs for the king Tut story, it was fun. I enjoyed seeing Batman have to fight one of his foes in ancient Egypt.
Bat-Crocodile Repellant.
by Stephen Day » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:03 pm
And looking at that article again, it looks like Shame appeared in four episodes -- who knew.
by Punchy » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:42 pm
And he was played by Uncle Ben from the Raimi Spider-Man movies!
by Stephen Day » Sun Feb 23, 2014 6:49 pm
Well, that's pretty cool.
by Punchy » Sun Feb 23, 2014 7:02 pm
He also won a best actor Oscar for 'Charly'
by Stephen Day » Sun Feb 23, 2014 7:09 pm
Charly, Shame and Uncle Ben, well, it certainly shows that he had range as an actor.
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