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On Sunday, Nov. 25 at 4 p.m., bringing a moving change to the 2012 Thanksgiving weekend celebrations, eight active organizations based in Laguna Woods and Orange County will join in the efforts to make the public aware of the perpetuation of the crimes of sexual assault in the military by screening a powerful film.
The award-winning, documentary film, "The Invisible War," by director Kirby Dick and producer, Amy Ziering, illustrates an unforgettable pattern of events unimaginable to the civilian eye. Servicemen and women alike share the experience of loving the military, being assaulted by fellow servicemen and then ostracized, criminalized and abandoned for trying to get help.
To address this will be guest speaker, Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D., a clinical and research psychologist and an Associate at Harvard University's DuBois Institute. She authored the book, "When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home: How All of Us Can Help Veterans," which has won three national awards.
Guest speaker, Alejandra Rishton, member of the Iraq Veterans Against the War, was trained in the Army as a multimedia specialist in graphic design and public affairs at the Department of Defense Information School in Fort Meade. She will speak about the Veterans for Peace and the need for education about the military and alternatives for young people.
The screening event will be held in Clubhouse 5 main room, doors open at 4 p.m. for sign ins, refreshments and introductions. The film is to begin at 4:30 p.m. Speakers and Q & A will follow the 93-minute film for a wrap up before 7 p.m. Suggested donation is $5.
Participating organizations are: Association of University Women: Laguna Hills Branch; Concerned Citizens of Laguna Woods Village; Laguna Woods Democratic Club; National Council of Jewish Women-Saddleback Section; National Organization for Women: Orange County; United Nations Association Orange County; Women For: Orange County; UN Women:-USNC SoCal Chapter and presented by the Discovering Documentary Film Club. For info or RSVP, write firstname.lastname@example.com or call CeCe Sloan at 458-7967.


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Bully [2011] (DVD)
Lee Hirsch
From Sundance Award-winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, comes a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary following five kids and families over the course of a school year. Offering insight into different facets of America's bullying crisis, the stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate and often shocking glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals' offices, this is a powerful and inspiring film that every educator, parent and teenager should see.
Product Details
- Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
- Number of Discs: 1
- Rating: PG-13
- Label: Anchor Bay Entertainment
- Release Date: 02/12/2013
- Run Time: 99 minutes
- Catalogue #: 59886
Special Features
- The Bully Project at Work Featurette
- Communities In Motion
- Deleted Scenes

subset: commoncrawl


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Android Gaming Weekly: Mass Effect 3, Scramble with Friends, Samurai vs. Zombies
Welcome to our new column Android Gaming Weekly, where we recap all the new releases and highlights every Thursday. We post small bits throughout the week related to Android games, but readers have requested a condensed summary that makes it easier to keep up with all the latest news. Read on for this week's ... Read More »


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Get excited about reading again with fun and interesting tips from our experts, including The M.D., our dietitians, and our fitness expert. In our health library, you will find all of the information you need to achieve your goals of making a healthy lifestyle change. So, start reading and start losing!
Women's Health
Discover everything you need to know about women's nutrition in this section devoted solely to woman's issues. Topics covered include weight gain during menopause, and tips on how to detect and avoid breast cancer.
If you're wondering how to lose pregnancy weight, wonder no more. If you don't have time to make meal plans, count calories, or shop for special foods, BistroMD is the diet plan for you. It's especially wonderful for new mothers, who have little time to spare for dieting.
Gourmet meals will be delivered right to your home, and you'll never have to wonder how to lose pregnancy weight again. You'll eat delicious foods like Stuffed French Toast, California Wraps, and Beef and Broccoli with BistroMD's diet delivery service. All you'll have to do is heat and eat the delicious diet meals, and you'll begin losing weight. It's nearly effortless, and that's a wonderful thing to have—especially if you are a busy new mom.
BistroMD was founded by Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., a weight loss management physician, who is also a mother of four children. Every single meal is approved by Dr. Cederquist for optimal nutrition and effective weight loss before it is prepared by our expert chefs. BistroMD provides free dietitian support for every client to help them stay on track. BistroMD makes losing weight simple, and you know that you'll be staying healthy for your new baby. You'll lose weight, and you'll feel great, all without a lot of work. You'll soon be dying to tell all your friends how to lose pregnancy weight!
BistroMD and their diet delivery service is how to lose pregnancy weight the healthy way. Watch your energy levels increase and get back into your pre-pregnancy clothing with BistroMD. You'll be able to take care of your new baby without the extra work that dieting can mean. That's important for new mothers.
How to lose pregnancy weight will never be a question in your mind again. You won't have to wonder because you'll already know - BistroMD is the best way to lose pregnancy weight. Contact us right away, and get started!
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BistroMD™ is the nation's leading physician-designed, chef-prepared diet meal delivery company. Founded by Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., one of several hundred medical doctors in the country board certified in the field of weight loss, Dr. Cederquist has been helping clients lose weight for over 15 years. Building upon her medical expertise and her nutritional knowledge of a balanced diet, BistroMD helps people achieve healthy weight loss through home-delivered meals that are healthy, delicious and convenient. For more information on BistroMD visit: www.BistroMD.com.
Simply answer a few questions so we can figure out your weight loss goals and provide solutions for a lighter, healthier you. Our weight loss meal plans are designed to help real people achieve real and lasting success.
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NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED Notice is hereby given that Philip E. & Sandra B. Gerlack, Trustees, holders of tax certificate No. 3043 issued May 23, 2001, have filed same in my office and have made application for a tax deed to be issued thereon. Said certificate embraces the following described property in the County of St. Johns, State of Florida, to-wit: PARCEL NUMBER 103540-0000 SEC 41 TWP 07 RGE 29 2-56 BOVEES SUBD LOTS 23 & 24 BLK B OR740/1263 The assessment of the said property under the said certificate issued was in the name of JAMES GIBSON & DEBRA GIBSON. Unless said certificate shall be redeemed according to law, the property described therein will be sold to the highest bidder at the front door of the St. Johns County Judicial Building, 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, Florida, 32084, on JUNE 2, 2004 at 12:00 o'clock noon. Dated this Apr 12, 2004. (OFFICIAL SEAL) Cheryl Strickland Clerk of Circuit Court of St. Johns County, Florida In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act persons needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Clerk of Court at 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine, FL 32095 no later than seven days prior to the sale date. Telephone: (904) 823-2333 Ext 310; 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (V), via Florida Relay Service. L956-4 Apr 28, May 5, 12, 19, 2004
Posted from 28-Apr-04 to 19-May-04
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


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Japan Firms Prepare for Implementation of Kyoto Protocol
Nov. 5TOKYO Japanese companies are stepping up preparations, such as trial runs to make employees familiar with carbon dioxide (CO2) emission trading, ahead of the implementation in February of the Kyoto Protocol on curbing global warming, industry and government officials said Friday.
Sumitomo Corp. has set up a section to specialize in trading rights for CO2 emissions, while Mitsubishi Corp. has founded a company that will serve as a go-between for buyers and sellers of CO2 reductions.
Mitsui & Co., another major trading house, has purchased a stake in a major U.S. broker of emission trading.
Among other companies, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. has begun in-house trial runs of trading involving offices and plants to make employees familiar with complicated trading methods.
Preparations for the protocol, which also includes the development of energy-saving motor vehicles and other products, are accelerating as Russia's ratification has paved the way for its implementation in February.
A senior official of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Japan will try to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets under the 1997 protocol by promoting the development of energy-saving products and contributing to the overseas construction of energy-efficient production and power-generation facilities with advanced technologies owned by Japanese companies.
To see more of Kyodo News International, go to http://www.kyodonews.com© 2004, Kyodo News International, Tokyo. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.


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1. The raffle is organized by Suunto Oy (Valimotie 7, 01510 Vantaa, "Suunto"), and is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Youtube. Each participant shall fully release Youtube from any and all liability with respect to the contest.
2. The contest may be participated by any person anywhere in the world above the age of 16, excluding employees (including their family members) of Suunto or its affiliates.
3. The contest is open until October 28, 2015, 23:59 pm GMT and does not require purchase.
4. In order to participate you must hold an Internet connection.
5. To participate, vote for your favorite Dream Traverse video on suunto.com and complete the voting form with your contact information.
6. Three (3) winners will be chosen. The winners will be chosen by Suunto by lottery, the outcome of which shall be final.
7. The winners shall be contacted by Suunto after the voting has closed. Each winner shall reply within fourteen (14) days after having been informed by Suunto of the win, in the absence of which Suunto is free to select another winner.
8. The prize consists of one (1) Suunto Traverse outdoor watch. Suunto reserves the right to replace the prize by another prize of the same value for any reason beyond Suunto's reasonable control.
9. Any offensive or inappropriate comments (as deemed by Suunto) will be immediately deleted and dismissed.
10. Suunto's privacy policy shall apply to the contest and is available at: www.suunto.com/Privacy-Policy/
11. You accept these terms by participating in the contest. Suunto reserves the right to amend these rules at any stage.


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Palisades > Polemonium Peak > Climber's Log
Polemonium Peak Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
|Palisade traverse
Date Climbed: Sep 25, 2010
|From Thunderbolt to Polemonium as a dayhike-I enjoyed the 4th class, fun climb
|Posted Sep 26, 2010 7:43 pm
|From Sill
Date Climbed: Jul 17, 2010
|Took some friends up. Started at Gayley, then Sill, then over to Pole. Ended the traverse after being chase by thunder and rain.
|Posted Jul 21, 2010 7:47 pm
Date Climbed: Jun 21, 2010
|A hour 40 min roundtrip from the u-notch. Glad to have done it.
|Posted Jun 28, 2010 5:23 pm
Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2010
|Great day, and tougher than I expected. Next time I will try not to punch through the 'schrund.
|Posted Jun 10, 2010 12:26 am
Date Climbed: Jun 6, 2010
|Via the U-notch. Fun climb, great mix of snow ice and rock.
|Posted Jun 7, 2010 12:54 pm
|U-notch and done!
Date Climbed: Oct 11, 2009
|My last CA 14er. Via U-notch, much harder for me than expected. The ice was extremely hard and brittle, was glad to get onto the short yet super fun rock pitches at the top. Made the last rap down over the 'shrund in the dark, long day.
|Posted Oct 28, 2009 4:27 pm
|via V-notch
Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2009
|Climbed with kovarpa and hamik via the V-notch on our way to North Pal and Starlight.
|Posted Sep 22, 2009 5:52 pm
|Palisades Traverse
Date Climbed: Sep 6, 2009
|Climbed as part of the Thunderbolt to Sill traverse.
|Posted Sep 13, 2009 10:40 pm
|"Continue up & right...."
Date Climbed: Aug 11, 2009
|Polemonium, the first in our three peak traverse that included North Pal & Starlight. We approached via the west chute from Palisade Basin. The climbing above the U-notch was much more challenging than I anticipated. Safely summitting and descending was made possible through the team effort of my partners, Phil & Joe.
|Posted Aug 14, 2009 11:17 pm
|Traverse in a day
|Part of a traverse
|Posted Aug 11, 2009 4:12 pm
|Thunderbolt to Sill Traverse
Date Climbed: Aug 8, 2009
|Day hiked the Thuderbolt to Sill Traverse in just over 20 hours. Started at South Lake and ended at the shuttle car at Glacier Lodge. Climbed with SPer's Forjan,Kevin Trieu,Dave S,Luis Gijon and Corey Harelson. Great views from the top.
|Posted Aug 10, 2009 8:35 pm
|Topped out at 5:30pm ish, after a windy night in the bivy sac. Rapped in half dark.
|Posted Nov 24, 2008 12:01 pm
|From North Pal
Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2008
|I looked for the Clyde Variation and probably missed it, so this was trickier than I had expected...
|Posted Sep 5, 2008 2:05 pm
|kevin trieu
|belay slave
|got 12 peeps to the summit after two hours of belaying 4th class section
|Posted Aug 26, 2008 5:08 pm
|Augie Medina
|Part of "Mini" Traverse
Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
|Did this with Tom Becht and Glenn Gookin on a beautiful day. Truth to tell, after doing Thunderbolt's summit block and Starlight's "Milk Bottle" this peak was anti-climactic. we spent more time rapping down the U-Notch than scrambling up the other side to Polemonium.
|Posted Aug 4, 2008 3:36 am
Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
|Long day doing the Palisades Traverse with Glenn and Augie. The peak was relatively easy after wasting a lot of time rapping into the U-Notch.
|Posted Aug 3, 2008 10:12 pm
|Summitted as part of Palisade Traverse
|Hit PP as part of the Palisades traverse last summer. Great exposure and difficult route-finding, but Bruce kept us on course.
|Posted Jul 12, 2008 10:00 pm
|From the U-Notch
Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2008
|Fine climb with Samantha, Hakan (sierrawolf), and Vladimir. Vlad lead the two pitches. The second pitch should have a 5.6 rating.
|Posted Jul 7, 2008 1:37 pm
|Solo from U-notch
Date Climbed: Jul 1, 2008
|An early morning err in routefinding put me in the U-Notch couloir, wondering where the f@#! Mount Sill was. Meant to traverse Sill to T-Bolt, but only ended up doing Polemonium to Starlight. Saves some peaks for next time though - sometimes they are sweeter the second time around.
|Posted Jul 3, 2008 5:35 pm
|breath takingly exposed
Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2008
|Traversed from Mt Sill. I was not expecting the knife edge ridge. Wow!
Pics here:
by skydiveken
|Posted Jun 29, 2008 11:38 pm


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Music education in the lower grades is popular with many parents, the Fayette County Board of Education was reminded Monday night.
Eliminating fifth-grade band or orchestra and repurposing assistant band directors at the county's five high schools was on the meeting agenda, and band parents showed up in strength — even a band director from neighboring Coweta County.
The school board meeting room during recent meetings where budgets and school closures were hot topics was full to overflowing again Monday night. The large crowd attending the meeting included a wealth of parents and students advocating during public comments for the school board to reconsider the measure and find other ways to save on expenses for next year.
All 19 people speaking during public comments requested that board members understand that eliminating fifth-grade band and orchestra would have a negative effect on a child's future.
Some speakers suggested that board members consider cutting back on a portion of some athletic programs.
If fifth-grade bands or orchestras are eliminated, the high school assistant band directors currently working part-time with those students would transition that time to the county's middle schools to help teach beginning band students, the board heard.
One of the speakers was Alan Armstrong, band director at Northgate High School in Coweta County. Armstrong said he had been in a similar situation where assistant band directors had been eliminated and then reinstated a number of years later. The cuts took a toll on both band directors and the schools' ability to compete in venues outside the school system.
If approved and depending on how the band and orchestra programs are restructured, the move could also eliminate up to five full-time equivalents (FTEs) and save as much as $320,000.
Whatever the outcome, or even a variation of the proposal, a decision on the topic is expected to come on April 29.


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They are the best of the best. The players that are wanted by every program and destined to make a big impact at the college level and beyond.
Rivals.com has identified the first five-star prospects for the 2013 class and is unveiling them this week. Ten prospects have been awarded five-stars but are not ranked at this time and we will profile two each day. The next player to receive the five-star spotlight is Lake City (Fla.) Columbia offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Five stars: Laremy Tunsil
Tunsil already has a long list of offers from top college programs.
Laremy Tunsil, OT, Lake City (Fla.) Columbia
Attributes: 6-6, 275 pounds
Top schools: Offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Purdue, South Florida, and USC with many more to come.
Scouting report: Tunsil has been a multi-year starter for Columbia and earned all-area accolades as a sophomore while handling left tackle duties for Columbia. He has benefited in his high school career of competing day-in and day-out with college-level defensive linemen such as Timmy Jernigan, now at Florida State, and Dequan Ivery, who is committed to Louisville. On Friday nights, a majority of Columbia's offense goes directly behind Tunsil's blocking at the line and he provides the ability to get down field and make a key block to spring huge plays.
Analyst's take: "Tunsil already has excellent size as a high school junior with a long, lanky frame and a great, wide wingspan. He has great bend, very quick, agile feet and is explosive off the snap. He has good strength but is continuing to make gains with regards to that. He has great instincts and reaction. His initial punch on blocking is very good and he keeps his feet moving on contact. He is an excellent pass blocker and has developed very well as a run blocker over the past season. He does a fair job of getting to the second level or into space as a run blocker and is adept at hitting a moving target." - Chris Nee, Florida Analyst, Rivals.com
Why he's a five-star: "There is no way 2013 can possibly match the 2012 offensive tackle class, but Tunsil is a guy who would fit right in with this year's bumper crop. He is a superior athlete for his size, has room to grow and add good weight, uses his long arms very effectively and pays with consistent pad level as well as with an aggressive nature. His footwork is excellent and his upside is sky high because he already has pass blocking down which is something many young tackles struggle with. He's as complete as they get at a very important position in this class. " - Mike Farrell, Rivals.com
His coach says: "He has all the physical assets to be one of the better ones to ever play his position. That kind of sums it up about him. He has the ability to be a first-round draft pick. Looking at the guys I played with and against (in college and the NFL), at this early age and this stage of his career, he has all the tools to be one of those guys they are calling off the board with a top ten pick five years from now. I really think he is that special. … I really think the sky is the limit for him." - Columbia coach Brian Allen
Odds and ends: This past summer, Tunsil earned Tallahassee Nike Camp MVP honors on the offensive line. Others who competed amongst the offensive line segment in Tallahassee included LSU senior offensive line commitment Patrick Miller…. Tunsil was one of only a few underclassmen who was invited to Nike's 'The Opening' this past summer in Beaverton, Oregon….The big man says that his biggest inspiration is his mother.
NFL player comparison: D'Brickashaw Ferguson, New York Jets


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A group has taken action to defend Dewsbury Cemetery against litter, vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
New Friends of Dewsbury Cemetery members have put hours of their time into repairing and maintaining the site.
The group has become a registered organisation and will meet Kirklees Council next month to discuss the cemetery's future.
Chairman Simon Reed said: "We are moving forward slowly but surely. We have carried on working while we are waiting to hear from the council.
"They said they would help us raise funds and let us use gardening tools."
Mr Reed said the group had worked hard on the cemetery's appearance but there was still room for improvement.
"We've been keeping a log of activity and different group members have been going to check on the cemetery at different times of day.
"Some of the flowers we planted recently had been pulled up. We were genuinely gutted about that.
"But it feels like a nicer and safer place to be. We still have some problems with gangs drinking around the gate, but I think it helps to know someone is looking after it."
A council spokeswoman said: "Work to make the chapels safe was completed earlier this year and we are currently working with the New Friends of Dewsbury Cemetery on improving the appearance of the cemetery itself."
But with council funding due to be slashed Mr Reed admitted it would be difficult to get any money directly.
Mr Reed said: "The chance of money coming from the council is less likely than ever, but if we are given tools and some assistance to raise money we can do the rest ourselves."


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L'Oreal moves against forest destruction
L'Oreal, the world's largest beauty and cosmetics company, has committed to remove forest destruction from its products by 2020.
Top brands like Garnier, Diesel, Lancome, Giorgio Armani and Yves St Laurent will no longer be contribute to forest destruction following this promise by the world's biggest beauty products company.
However the company has granted itself until 2020 to achieve this objective in full - far longer than necessary, say campaigners.
Among the biggest drivers of deforestation today is palm oil. A boom in this commodity, driven by demand for fuel, food, industrial and cleaning and cosmetic products, is causing rainforest to be replaced with palm plantations around the tropics, most of all in Indonesia.
But L'Oreal's move also applies to other commodities such as wood and wood fiber, and soybean oil.
Stop peddling dirty oil
Bustar Maitar, head of the Indonesia Forest Campaign at Greenpeace International, said: "In a win for consumers around the world, L'Oreal has committed to ending its role in forest destruction.
"Thousands of people in Indonesia and around the world who have signed up demanding forest-friendly products will be turning their eyes to companies such as P&G, the producer of Heads & Shoulders, and Colgate Palmolive to guarantee that they too are not peddling dirty palm oil from forest destruction."
Greenpeace expects other companies to follow with more ambitious timelines.
A growing club - but too slow by far
L'Oreal is joining Nestlé, Unilever and Ferrero, which have already committed to 'No Deforestation' policies. Other palm oil giants are starting to move too.
The world's largest palm oil trader in the world, Wilmar International, committed to a 'No Deforestation' policy late last year due to public pressure from NGOs and consumers.
"While L'Oreal's and Unilever's 'No Deforestation' commitments send a strong signal to the sector, they still allow their suppliers six more years to clear forests", said Bustar.
"With global warming and rapid biodiversity loss, we urge these companies to guarantee consumers that their products will be free from forest destruction before their 2020 deadline."
According to L'Oreal's statement, its purchases of palm oil are already compliant with Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards.
Now it will move further to give preference to suppliers that respect additional standards that include the free and informed consent of indigenous peoples. Full compliance will be in place by 2020.
Read more from our affiliate, The Ecologist.
L'Oreal image via 360b/Shutterstock.


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Please Welcome Our Third Night Writer Audition: Nell Jensen
Hello, readers.
Nell here. How did I get here? Your guess is as good as mine. I come to you via Michigan, Madrid, Istanbul, Florida, Mumbai, Brooklyn and a few other places I have now forgotten due to age. According to the GPS indicator on my cell phone and the large number of people around me in the coffee shop sporting down vests in combination with shorts and flip flops, I currently live in southern California.
Before trying my hand at blogging, I was at one time or another a camera assistant, a paralegal, a waitress, a vagabond volunteering in India, an au pair, and an executive assistant to a mediocre stock trader — in other words, "a writer." My poor mother still has no idea how to tell anyone what I do in her annual Christmas letter to the relatives.
Anyhow, enough with the niceties. I'm looking forward to your feedback on my audition in the comments.


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passing of Dr. Grothe
Permalink Submitted by Hussainatu Blake (not verified) on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 10:23pm
My heart still hurts. Uncle Peter (as I and many of my friends called him) was a great man and my mentor. May his spirit for learning and excellence live on. RIP Peter Grothe.


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USCB grad looks forward to next step
While Jennifer Dolin was not born in Bluffton, she considers Bluffton home.
After leaving to attend college, Dolin returned after her freshman year at Elon University — a small private school in North Carolina — to be with friends and family.
"I did not want to graduate with $80,000 in debt, and I realized it was just not worth it," she said. "I had forfeited scholarships that I had for in-state to go there that I could get if I came back into South Carolina. I came back here, and had plans to go to Columbia too, but I am so glad I stayed at USCB the whole time for the next three years."
Like many high school students, Dolin was excited to get away, but she does not regret her return to the Bluffton area.
"It was a struggle at first only because I had this negative stigma of USCB in my head growing up...It's so horrible that there's that negative stigma because, especially with the economy the way it is, there is no sense in taking out student loans for private school. Honestly, you can get an awesome education here....Coming back here I had that support system with my family and my friends. It was an adjustment and it took a little bit, but once I got involved with the Psychology Club and got involved on campus a little bit, then I felt more at home and every semester got better."
Dolin was recognized during a ceremony before commencement Friday when she received the Psychology Program Award, which recognizes a student from the department who went beyond the normal classroom duties.
"Our faculty thinks quite highly of Jenny," wrote Charles Spirrison, chair of the Department of Social Sciences at USCB, in an email. "She's a great student who has been actively engaged in psychology, both in and out of the classroom. Jenny held office in our Psychology Club, was a member of our chancellor's inaugural leadership in practice class, worked in the research labs of our faculty and was a member of the USCB Psychology Quiz Bowl team that took first place in an annual state-wide competition. We know that Jenny will go on to accomplish important things."
On top of all of that, Dolin was one of two co-authors with assistant professor Jennifer Beaudry for a chapter in the Eyewitness Section in the Encyclopedia of Criminology.
Dolin, whose family moved to Bluffton when she was 9 years old, went to M.C. Riley Elementary School and McCracken Middle School. She graduated from Bluffton High School in 2008. She met her husband in fifth grade. The couple will celebrate their first anniversary in June. Her husband is set to graduate from USCB with a major in psychology next year.
"I'm not interested in living anywhere else at this point," she said.
Dolin was accepted into a distance education program for mental health counseling at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Her brother is also attending USCB, but is planning to transfer to the Columbia campus to pursue a degree in journalism.
Dolin was part of USCB's largest graduating class with 289 students who were eligible to participate in the eighth baccalaureate commencement ceremony.
The ceremony marked several firsts for the campus, as well. The first student to earn a bachelor degree in sociology graduated, and the first Sand Shark athlete to ever compete — cross country runner Katie Mock — earned her degree in biology.


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The stupidity of crime
We were troubled to learn about an alleged shooting incident that occurred in Brattleboro on Sept. 15, and not just because using a firearm to settle a dispute is just plain wrong. We were horrified to learn the alleged gunman took a shot while his victim was standing in front of a playground. If that's not bad enough, behind an embankment behind the playground is the Green Street School. So not only did this suspect put his alleged victim in harm's way, he also jeopardized the safety of who knows how many children.
If this person is found guilty of what he stands accused of, we hope this can be factored in during his sentencing.
What we hope is not factored in is that the alleged suspect had a blood alcohol content of . 161, slightly more than twice the legal limit for driving, when he was stopped by police a few minutes after the shooting.
While we know alcohol contributes to a number of stupid actions committed by a number of otherwise responsible people, it's not an excuse. And neither is anger, a thirst for vengeance or just plain stupidity. But as prosecutors, defense attorneys, jurors, judges, law enforcement agents or observers of the judicial system can attest to, there is never a shortage of anger, vengeance, substance abuse or stupidity in those hauled into court. (There is also no shortage of those with mental illness in the system, but that's a subject for a different editorial. )
And time and time again, those brought into court have regular relationships with the courts because they continue to wind up on the wrong side of the law. We're not sure if this is because they feel they are above the law or that they can get away with breaking the law (maybe it's because of the way Hollywood has glorified petty crime and criminals), or because they just don't have the mental capacity to adequately evaluate the ramifications of any particular action. Either way, some people just can't seem to wrap their heads around the concept of how to behave in civilized society.
We here at the Reformer see the names of repeat offenders coming through the fax machine every day -- whether it's multiple DUIs, domestic assaults, burglaries, robberies, disorderly conducts . . . the list goes on and on -- and many of these people receive slaps on the wrist or very little jail time. We know that our judicial system is complex and weighted toward innocence, and we know that our prisons are flush full up to their fluorescents with petty drug offenders, but those who commit serious and violent crimes against people and our society need to be held accountable and need to be sentenced in a manner that imparts the fateful consequences of lawlessness.
Whether that means asking the Legislature to change sentencing standards or demand that the courts punish the guilty to the full extent of the law, a message needs to be sent.
Unfortunately, the message will be lost on many of those who need it the most; as we've noted above, common sense is not abundant in many of those who find themselves in handcuffs.
Another factor that needs to be addressed is how serious are we about rehabilitation and what is the best way to give repeat offenders the intellectual tools they need to stay on the right side of the law? It's not cheap, but neither is running our judicial system or keeping offenders locked up . . . not to mention the costs in security, safety and sense of well-being in our community as a whole.
But in all reality, despite what we do, whether that's increased sentencing standards or intensive rehabilitation, there will always be people who just can't stay on the straight or narrow. That's who jail should really be for.
~ Brattleboro Reformer
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text:
Valverde throws 'pen sessions for scouts in D.R.
Reunion with Tigers unlikely, but workouts draw interest from multiple teams
By Jason Beck / MLB.com
A reunion between Valverde and the Tigers is characterized as highly unlikely, despite the team's current situation. Still, some wonder whether Valverde's agent, Scott Boras, might re-engage the club and its ownership now that plans have changed.
Boras told MLB.com on Thursday that Valverde has thrown bullpen sessions for scouts from multiple teams in recent days in the Dominican Republic, and will throw for a couple more shortly. He would not specify which teams, though he said more have gotten involved as Opening Day roster decisions have come down.
Boras said Valverde is throwing his fastball at 93-94 mph, by scouts' readings.
Once those workouts are complete, Boras said he expects a decision and a deal to come together fairly soon.
"Our plan was to wait and see what closer options availed themselves at this time," Boras said.
Boras said Valverde is open to a one-year contract.
Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said Thursday morning that the Rondon decision would not change their approach to the market. Though the Tigers have been rumored to be interested in potential trades for relievers, such as San Diego's Huston Street and Luke Gregerson, Dombrowski told the Detroit News last week he has not made a trade proposal.
Dombrowski has said all spring that he believes they have options in camp to fill the closer role, whether Rondon made the team or not. Now that Rondon hasn't, Dombrowski said they have options to close games, even if they don't have a closer.
"We have guys that we feel very comfortable can close games," Dombrowski said. "We may not have a closer anointed, but we have many guys that we think can close games. And so [manager] Jim [Leyland] will, kind of like he did in the postseason at times last year, mix and match."
It was Boras who coined the term "philosophical cliff" at the Winter Meetings in December to describe bringing Minor League prospects to the big leagues and putting them in roles with certainty. He didn't mention the Tigers by name when he made those statements, but his comparisons echoed the team's situation.
"I think you count on one hand the number of closers under the age of 23 that have ever gone to the big leagues and at a young age put together 30 saves, let alone pitch in the postseason and be effective," Boras said at the time.
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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OK, so we are gluttons for punishment, and having successfully achieved L60 with our first two characters, we are trying again using the Power Leveling to 60 trick via Refer-a-Friend (RAF). I will use this post to provide thoughts on what is working better ... or not...
Current Status = Level 51
Game Clock Time = ~28 hours
Rate of Leveling = ~30+ min / level ave. (faster at start; slower toward the end)
Power Leveling Characters:
- Night Elf Druid
- Human Warrior
Helper = Level 71 Human Pally
Overall the rate of leveling has been faster (thanks to some of dezel's tips!).
Strategies we're using:
- Completed intro levels 1-7 individually (<1 hr)
- Quested together around SW for levels 8-10 (~1 hr)
- Had Paly run Deadmines (lots of times) to go from 10-20 (~4 hrs)
- Had Paly run Stockades (lots of times again) to go from 20-25 (~ 3 hrs)
- Honestly, got bored running instances repeatedly...
- NEW TACTIC: Use Paly to blow through normal quests very fast; only do instances ONCE for high EXP quests!
- Used UWGuide together with Wowhead to optimize quest order and type
- Did all "quick" quests (i.e. those NOT requiring gathering lots of random drops) in Wetlands, Arathi, and Strangethorn
- Now we've moved on to Gadget in Tanaris
- Don't miss the Hinterland quest series! Worth 2-3 levels at 42 and very quick (with a helper...)
- Wow, Searing Gorge was a goldmine from 45 to 49! We got 4 levels here in very rapid time. Quests are close together, easy, and valuable!


text:
We want you to be able to watch your Dynamo, so we're happy to announce that MLS Live is offering 30% off the first month of a monthly subscription ($10.49) until 10:00 PM CT on June 29.
With MLS Live, you can catch almost every Dynamo match* including tonight's match against Montreal! Click here and use the promotion code DYNAMO to gain access to live and archived matches on your computer, tablet, or smart phone.
Subscribe now, this special deal won't last forever!
Get 30% off your first month of MLS Live
*Matches broadcast on national television and on KPRC are subject to blackouts


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, July 29, 2013, 10:50 PM
Town Square
Paly assistant principal Diorio named to school's top job
Original post made on Jul 29, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Monday, July 29, 2013, 10:50 PM
Comments (27)
a resident of College Terrace
on Jul 29, 2013 at 11:13 pm
This is great news! Mrs. Diorio is great!
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Jul 30, 2013 at 7:52 am
I am so pleased that they have appointed someone from within rather than an outsider.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Jul 30, 2013 at 8:20 am
Keep the Positive Mojo Rolling.
Much better than going outside.
Winston set a great tone, and Ms Diorio was / is a key part, and now the new leader of the team.
Looks like a great move from here.
a resident of Gunn High School
on Jul 30, 2013 at 11:58 am
"new technology systems such as Naviance, Mytonomy and Docufide... Naviance is an online platform for college and career planning; Mytonomy is a "near-peer" social network designed to bring alumni advice to students and Docufide is an electronic transcript service."
Great tools for kids! Ms Diorio must be a visionary leader. I hope, Mr. Skelly finds ways to share innovations among schools. There is no reason for not implementing these great tools at both high schools.
a resident of Green Acres
on Jul 30, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Have worked with Mrs Dioro when she was at Gunn. Her talent, enthusiasm, drive and genuine concern for students, parents and teachers is genuine. Having held the positions she has and continuing to advance herself academically makes for a combination that will serve Paly very well. She is hard working and ethical, ingredients that are essential to this position.
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Jul 30, 2013 at 12:09 pm
I hope Paly Parent knows his/her facts about the legacy left by Winston, that the great tone set is about all children.
a resident of Evergreen Park
on Jul 30, 2013 at 12:39 pm
[Post removed.]
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Jul 30, 2013 at 1:18 pm
At least she's had experience dealing with Palo Alto parents so it won't be a total shock. Glad to see she is carrying on Winston's legacy of helping students succeed. Winston proved that one does not need an Ivy League degree to be a successful administrator. She has a two year old; her husband must be an engaged parent.
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 30, 2013 at 4:34 pm
I am also hopeful, by picking someone already familiar with Paly and already involved in the direction Paly is going, that Kim will be a good new principal. I believe she now has 2 small children, she was on maternity leave in 2012, and I'm impressed that this did not hinder her from seeking this position.
a resident of Downtown North
on Jul 30, 2013 at 8:47 pm
Winston was anything but capable or fair. He was overly susceptible to parental pleadings and undermined any attempts to level the playing field because he refused to enforce the "no cheating" policy, among many other failings. [Portion removed.]
a resident of Downtown North
on Jul 30, 2013 at 8:52 pm
[Post removed.]
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 30, 2013 at 9:39 pm
Skelly has to pick from within the group of administrators that have supported him through the last two years of issues. He needs to avoid the Callan situation of late 2006. He did not have Kim Diorio on a short list for any principalship in the last three years so naming her principal is a pretty big deal and clearly Skelly is doing anything to keep his job. Giving Kim her reward is long overdue and I'm confused at what is different now. Remember that Skelly made bold moves three years ago in choosing Phil and Katya. This move doesn't seem bold, it smells desperate. Skelly must still go. I haven't forgotten about last month, last year, 2009-10, or any other bungled leadership.
a resident of Leland Manor/Garland Drive
on Jul 31, 2013 at 12:48 am
1. Kim Diorio is no relation to Scott Laurence.
2. Laurence gave decades of excellent service to this district as a teacher, school site and district administrator. [Portion removed.]
3. It's amazing how determined some people are to see everything through Skelly-lenses. Yes, the district leadership has the final say, but there's a staff-parent-student interview panel that looked at her and other candidates and must have recommended her. And I'm not sure how anyone knows if Diorio was on any short list in the past. Do you even know if she applied in the past? And if you do know, shouldn't you not be blabbing about it here?
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Jul 31, 2013 at 1:04 am
[Portion removed.] Winston was the best and popular with both students AND parents. We are grateful for his improvements to Paly.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 31, 2013 at 8:29 am
Kevin Skelly is the one who decides who are principals are. The committees send two to three candidates to him and he picks despite their ranking. There is also the paper screening to prevent certain applicants from being considered. Take some time and review Kevin Skelly's hires over the last six years. On the one hand, you can gush about some of them, as many posters have done, but just the last few months showed some glaring mismanagement and lack of basic leadership that has cost this community time, dollars, and student wellness. Having Kevin Skelly collect his $300,000 for another year is unacceptable to me. Scrutinizing his hiring and the message it sends about needed change is only prudent. I like these two new principals, but they represent more of the same for now. If you like Kim Diorio, then why has she been passed over for so many years by Skelly? The public is being played.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jul 31, 2013 at 8:41 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Jul 31, 2013 at 9:20 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Jul 31, 2013 at 9:31 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jul 31, 2013 at 9:39 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:00 am
I think the fact that you would say that Charles Young is "managing well" means that you have literally no idea what is happening or you work for the district in some way. Only someone who is either dishonest or out of touch with reality would suggest that Young is has performed "well" in his role as Compliance Officer.
Charles Young's in my opinion has already cost the district tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, with at least one damage claim in the pipeline and perhaps more to come after OCR concludes its investigations. At the end of the day, all of these investigations, complaints and compliance issues seem to be in my opinion traceable to him and I think that in my opinon he was the one responsible for ensuring that they were properly managed to protect children (and to protect the district from problems). A reasonable question is whether he did either? Should he still work here? Is he even minimally competent as a compliance officer?
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:03 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:22 am
And to stay on topic, I, too, think that both Kim Diorio and Pier Angeli La Place are nice people and administrators. Will they be the movers and shakers needed for this district? Probably not. The reason Kevin Skelly (and Charles Young) play into this is that they are not politically strong enough to make any forward moves, hence you get this conservative hiring and maybe even insular move. Certainly, some district shill will cry foul that a citizen dare criticize these hiring practices, but it is the PAUSD leadership that caused this environment, not the dreaded WCDBPA, and not those of us who are independent and also criticize, but get attacked by the current regime's supporters. This hiring makes things status quo at best. [Portion removed.]
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:25 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:29 am
[Post removed.]
a resident of East Palo Alto
on Jun 8, 2014 at 3:38 am
George Orwell is a registered user.
Well, even my jaw drops, sometimes.
"Just hoping" wrote above (on July 30th, 2013):
I hope Paly Parent knows his/her facts about the legacy left by Winston, that the great tone set is about all children.
I am actually quite curious to know what "Just hoping" wrote on July 31, 2013. that comment was removed, and the thread was resticted.
Here's to the New World!
a resident of Atherton
on Jun 8, 2014 at 7:40 am
Peter Carpenter is a registered user.
Thank you Mrs. Diorio for providing the kind of leadership and discipline which the students deserve and need.
An important part of a young person's education is learning that there are rules and limits in life and how to accept and prosper under those rules and within those limits.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Jun 13, 2014 at 11:35 am
frustrated mom is a registered user.
I wish Dr. Skelly, PAUSD superintendent, would had told us the real reason why Phil Winston was leaving (sexual harassment). It was really bad that he sent them to work with special needs kids. Now he teaches another class, but is still for specia ed. kids and minority kids who are doing really bad in reading. Why give the worst teachers to minority and low income students?
This time we're not lying. HONEST! No, really!
By Douglas Moran | 12 comments | 956 views
Couples: When Wrong Admit It; When Right; Shut Up
By Chandrama Anderson | 0 comments | 847 views
One-on-one time
By Cheryl Bac | 0 comments | 602 views


text:
By Rob Mahoney
With the NFL out the way for Sunday scheduling purposes, the NBA's weekend matinees are in full bloom. This week's showcase featured the presumed title favorites in the Heat and the underwhelming Lakers, and though that pairing had the potential to end in a nationally televised blowout, the final product was a competitive, chippy game that brought out stellar individual play from most of the biggest stars involved.
That said, there was only so much that the Lakers could do to fight off the inevitability that comes with playing a better, healthier team. After holding a slight lead or keeping pace for much of the game, Los Angeles committed eight fourth-quarter turnovers and finally gave way to a late Miami run that earned the Heat a 107-97 victory.
The Heat pushed their winning streak to five and stretched their lead in the Eastern Conference to 2½ games over the Knicks. The Lakers completed a 4-3 road trip and fell four games out of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.
• The fact that Miami played much of this game either from behind or at a virtual draw isn't at all insignificant, but it also offers no real reason for concern. Though I'm sure coach Erik Spoelstra would sleep more soundly at night if his team built and maintained earlier leads, the defending champion's most impressive attribute may be its elasticity. No team is more explosive in coming from behind, as we've seen the Heat absorb blows game after game only to eradicate deficits in mere minutes. That trend won't be sustainable against the Heat's best playoff opponents, but it's easy to trust a team this smart and this talented when it comes to biding its time, in part because of performances like this one.
The Heat were never on the ropes on Sunday, but minor errors in their execution -- exacerbated by some spectacular plays from Kobe Bryant, who finished with 28 points on just 19 shots to go with nine assists -- afforded the Lakers a few too many quality looks for Miami to create a buffer. As such, the two teams traded baskets for far longer than they reasonably should have, until the Heat used pure talent and effort to overwhelm their opponent with a few minutes remaining.
LeBron James (32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, seven rebounds and four assists) drove past any defender unfortunate enough to be assigned to him, and in the process extended his incomprehensible hot streak. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, LeBron joins Moses Malone and Adrian Dantley as the only players in NBA history to score 30 or more points and shoot at least 60 percent from the field in five consecutive games. James is also the first player in Heat history to record five 30-point games in a row, and in those performances he shot 55-of-77 (71.4 percent) from the field.
"He's making greatness look easy," Spoelstra told reporters after the game.
Yet this wasn't an entirely LeBron-centric showing for the Heat. Dwyane Wade's work off the dribble proved vital in closing out the game, and he finished with 30 points (also on 12-of-18 shooting) and five assists. The outstanding play of James and Wade was flanked beautifully by a collective hustle toward every loose ball and a gang rebounding effort that allowed Miami -- which doesn't count offensive rebounding as a strength -- to earn second chances on nearly 30 percent of its misses. That combination is just brutal for most opponents to contend with, as the Lakers discovered all too well despite their solid all-around performance.
• L.A. is still in crisis mode because of the very real possibility of missing the postseason, but the Lakers deserve credit for surviving their various injuries to demonstrate some decent improvement. Bryant has done well over the last few games to prop up an offense that can turn lame at times, but L.A. is also getting nice contributions from Steve Nash (who looks old, but no longer looks geriatric) and Earl Clark (who has been terrific as a release valve, including an 18-point game on Sunday), as well as much-needed help from an injury-hampered Dwight Howard.
Still, it's hard to watch the Lakers and not see the caveats in their play. This is a team that so often succeeds in spite of itself, starting with a still-concerning lack of defensive accountability. The chemistry between Howard and Clark is significantly better than the defensive synergy between Howard and Pau Gasol, but that alone isn't enough to make up for Metta World Peace so consistently misplaying his hand on the perimeter and Bryant's clear disinterest in playing any kind of fundamental defense whatsoever. Those aren't just pointed gripes after a game in which World Peace and Bryant were asked to contain James and Wade against all odds, but a more general indictment of more problematic defensive habits given that the Lakers just don't have the ability to compensate reliably on the back line.
Offensively, the tendency to work through Bryant so consistently is still a bit worrisome, particularly with Howard's expressed interest in playing a bigger role in the offense and Nash's obvious value as a ball-handler. Coach Mike D'Antoni doesn't have any obligation to give Howard what he wants (and understandably wants to operate through his best offensive player), but considering the injuries that the Lakers are dealing with and the fact that Howard will be a Laker through at least the end of the season, it would make some sense for L.A. to jazz up its offense beyond the unimaginative designs that put Bryant in a position to create a disproportionate amount of the team's looks.
Kobe has been terrific in generating points when put in that position, but in addition to whatever extent that Howard might feel marginalized (a concern that's less glaring as long as his shoulder injury limits what he can contribute), Bryant's deliberate work off the dribble often reduces several of his teammates to being standstill non-contributors. Limited though the Lakers' supporting cast may be, the lack of schematic help in those situations is striking. Freelancing through Bryant with some loose offensive principles certainly can work to an extent, but this group of role players would be better served by more focused directives in terms of off-ball movement, lest L.A.'s fortunes rest solely on Kobe's ability to draw double teams or score on difficult attempts.
• Although Chris Andersen's box score contributions on Sunday were unimpressive (zero points, three rebounds, two blocks in 13 minutes), he still manages to do a lot of good for the Heat in relatively short bursts. In fact, the sporadic nature of Andersen's stints actually aids his performance. As a non-essential contributor, Anderson is able to fill whatever bit of playing time necessary without conserving energy, unleashing the full extent of his frenzied play without regard for fatigue or foul trouble.


text:
Chris Gray will never forget when his daughter Amber had her first open-heart surgery at age 12. Doctors at CHOC had to replace a narrow valve that was hampering blood flow, the result of a condition she was born with called aortic stenosis.
The very next morning, doctors' orders were for her to get up and start walking to pump blood through her mended heart. Gray recalls his little girl was ghost- white, hooked up to a maze of tubes, IVs and monitors.
"She looks over at me and says, 'Dad, can you help me?' I say, 'Sure.' I picked her up with her tubes and IVs, and we were off."
Flash forward another 12 years: The Grays, from Orange, were back in the hospital, this time at Loma Linda. Amber's heart, having reached full maturity, needed a final valve replacement, so she had to undergo a second open-heart operation. Her father was once again perched at the foot of her bed, waiting for her to awaken. "This time, though, there was also Matt," Gray says.
Matt Bridges had been dating Amber for two years at that point. A cowboy boot-wearing, country music-cranking, fishing and hunting kind of guy, Matt was ambling his way through a business degree at Cal State Fullerton. "I might have failed a few classes," the Placentia native admits with a smirk. "It took me six years to graduate."
He met Amber one night when he struck up a conversation with her at Paul's, a bar on the Circle in Orange. "Real classy, I know," says Matt, 28. This booze-and-pool joint is known to have a good juke box, but it wasn't Amber's typical hangout. Friends had dragged her there to cheer her up, as an ex had just trampled her delicate-in-so-many-ways heart.
What did she think of the guy with the high-wattage smile and the blue eyes? "I was skeptical at first," says Amber, who at the time was studying photojournalism, also at Cal State Fullerton. Maybe the fact, as her dad says, that "Matt is just Matt" made her lower her defenses, but whatever the reason, the two were soon inseparable. "I think we maybe didn't see each other a total of five days the whole first year we were together," says Amber, 27.
Then, it was time for her surgery. Matt accompanied her to all her pre-op appointments, and waited with her parents for her to come out of the seven-hour surgery. "When I came to, he was sitting there," Amber says, a routine he maintained for the four days she was hospitalized. "He was in his last semester of college, and was driving about an hour from Fullerton to Loma Linda, and would stay there until the nurse kicked him out."
Unlike the first surgery in childhood where she "snapped right back," Amber says this recovery was tough and painful. She was connected to three IVs, including one that ran from her neck, and she felt weak and sick.
"Just seeing her like that was … scary," Matt says.
Gray watched it all transpire. "I remember Matt was kind of shocked, because Amber's normally tanned face was ashen, but, he wanted to be there."
The morning after the surgery, says Gray, just as had happened a dozen years earlier, the doctor came into her room. "He said, 'Amber, I want you to get up and walk down the hallway,' so I am ready to get up – but Amber says, 'Matt, can you help me?' So I sat on her bed and watched Matt get up and walk her down the hallway. And that," he says, "is when I gave my daughter away."
But it still took awhile longer – another four years – for Matt to actually get down the aisle with Amber: "I figured we'd get married eventually, but …" says Matt, who seems to be a six-year-plan kind of guy (see: college).
"Every vacation we went on, my friends were like, 'He's going to do it.' When we went to Cabo, even his mom told me, 'Oh it's going to happen.'"
Then, they went to Santa Barbara for their fourth anniversary, and everybody was sure it was going to happen, because he borrowed his father's convertible Porsche. "We brought a blanket down to the beach, and were watching all the boats in the harbor. I thought, 'It's going to happen!' And instead he was like, 'Hey, let's get another bottle of wine. …'"
"I'm oblivious to stuff like that," says Matt. "I wasn't thinking she was expecting anything."
She tried dropping the classic, "Oh what a nice ring" hints; she tried guilt with the tick-tock of her biological clock, which, in her case, is more like Big Ben. Doctors advise her not to have children any later than 30, as pregnancy will put too large a strain on her heart as she ages. Still, nothing.
And then, one day about a year ago, he asked her to come over to see the concrete he'd just laid at a house he was renovating for his company, MB Management, which he owns with his father, Mike Bridges. "I thought, whatever. I'd long since stopped expecting anything. I had my hair in a ponytail … and an old shirt – I just looked disgusting," says Amber.
But when she got to the path leading to the spot he wanted to show her, she noticed rose petals. Lots of them. Suddenly, Matt was on one knee, shaking, ring in hand. In the concrete he'd written, "Will you marry me?"
"I couldn't figure out how I wanted to ask her, and one day we were pouring concrete at my house … and I thought, write it in the concrete and then it will be there forever."
So on Sept. 29, at La Purisima Catholic Church in Orange, in front of 270 friends and family, Chris Gray finally got to officially do what he foresaw that day in the hospital – give his daughter away. Never mind that it took the groom awhile to get to it. As Gray told the crowd of well-wishers during his toast to the couple at their reception at Red Horse Barn in Huntington Beach:
"Nobody is perfect – until you fall in love with them."
Contact the writer: email@example.com or 714-796-6892


text: Who cares about how the US covers the Raptors, when they aren't even covered that well in the country they play in. Aside from the GTA, basketball in a whole is not covered very well by the rest of the country. I mean, if there was no NHL lockout, do you really think people in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg would care about a 5 game win streak?


text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. farmers say they will plant some of the biggest corn and soybean crops ever this spring, racing to keep pace with unrelenting global demand that's rapidly depleting stockpiles and driving up food costs.
A government survey found corn plantings would be the second-largest since World War Two and soybeans the third highest ever. But traders focused on a companion report that showed unexpectedly small stockpiles, sending corn prices up by 5 percent. Wheat and soybeans surged more than 3 percent.
"We are not going to run out of (corn and soybeans) but we are in a very tight situation," said Joe Glauber, Agriculture Department chief economist, in an Insider interview.
The USDA reports underscored that U.S. farmers are reaching the limits of arable land in the world's biggest crop exporter, with increased corn crowding out soybeans and cotton. Spring wheat sowing, while among the biggest in decades, could yet shrink.
This year's spring planting season in the world's biggest crop exporter is being watched more closely than ever by countries fearful that further increases in already record-high food prices could stoke unrest. Traditionally docile U.S. food prices are forecast to rise a sharp 3.5 percent.
A Reuters analysis of likely plantings and historical yields suggested the corn harvest could be the largest ever, at 13.7 billion bushels, and soybeans the third-largest at 3.3 billion bushels.
Even so, corn inventories at the end of the 2011/12 season would equal a three-week supply. Soybeans would dwindle to scarcely 10 days' cover. Analysts say prices must rise high enough to reduce demand.
"This turns us back to having to ration the corn," said Charlie Sernatinger, analyst at ABN Amro.
Corn for May delivery jumped 30 cents to $6.93-1/4 a bushel, the largest daily rise allowed in Chicago markets. Options trading suggested further gains to more than $7.15, near the post-2008 peak of $7.35 hit on March 4. Soybeans jumped to over $14.18 and wheat recouped part of its 20 percent slump since mid-February.
Farmers plan to sow 92.2 million acres with corn, the most since 2007 and second-largest since World War Two. That's up 4.5 percent from a year ago, more than the 4.1 percent rise that traders expected.
But it will barely replenish stocks drained by strong ethanol and livestock feed demand at home and ravenous demand abroad, including surprise buying from China. Stocks are falling faster than expected, with inventories as of March 1 at 6.52 billion bushels, about 2.5 percent less than forecast.
Corn usage was at a record high for the three months ending on March 1, said USDA, with 28 percent of the 2010 crop consumed.
Soybeans, which have fallen 5 percent since hitting a post-2008 peak of $14.50 a bushel in February, will be sown on 76.6 million acres, the third-most ever and down 1 percent from last year. But inventories on March 1 were 1.25 billion bushels, 4 percent less than traders predicted.
USDA's estimates are based on a survey of growers during early March. Farmers can change plans before planting ends in May. Wet weather often delays planting, which can prompt farmers to sow soybeans over corn.
Farmers will sow 253.8 million acres to the eight major crops this year, up 3.5 percent from last year and the most since 1998. Analysts say this will require double-cropping on some land -- planting soybeans after reaping wheat in the spring, for instance -- or bringing lower-quality land into production rather leave it fallow or in pasture.
Iowa, the No. 1 corn state, is expected to plant 13.9 million acres of corn, up 4 percent. Illinois, the No. 2 producer, was forecast to plant 12.8 million acres, up 2 percent from 2010. Nebraska, also a premier grower, would plant 9.5 million acres, up 4 percent.
Corn would expand while soybean shrinks -- USDA said Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio each will reduce soybean area by 100,000 acres or more.
Wheat plantings were forecast at 58 million acres, up 8 percent from 2010, led by a 10 percent increase in winter wheat.
The Prospective Plantings report overstated corn plantings in 12 of the last 20 years and under-stated soybeans in 13 of 20 years. The margin of error for both crops is 3.5 percent.
Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton, Christopher Doering, Emily Stephenson and Russell Blinch in Washington and Karl Plume in Chicago;editing by Sofina Mirza-Reid


text:
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text:
HOUSTON - Car thieves seem to hitting the same north Houston business in broad daylight.
"We've had four truck thefts right here in this parking lot," said Will Birdwell, general manager of Rigs Derricks, Etc. "About 6 months ago, I had to put in security cameras. All these (thefts) happen in broad daylight."
The latest theft came Monday around 3:45 p.m. Surveillance video caught images of a gray-colored sedan pulling into the manufacturing company's parking lot. In a span of five minutes, several men were seen getting out of the car and one of them took off with a dark blue pickup truck that was parked in the lot.
"Inside my truck was welding equipment more valuable than the truck itself," Felix Valdez said. "On the streets, that (equipment) will sell for half of its worth. All of those tools are high-dollar in the black market."
Harris County sheriff's deputies couldn't say whether the men in the sedan were responsible for any thefts other than the one that occurred Monday.
Another employee, Carlos Trevino, said that his pickup has been stolen from the parking lot twice. Trevino said that he worries about what these brazen thieves might do next.
"If they were willing to do that in the daylight, who knows what they're willing to do at night," Trevino said.
Other area business owners said that thefts seem to be pretty prevalent in the neighborhood.
"We had someone come in with their vehicle and physically hit the gate with their vehicle," business owner Jay James said. "They cut the lock about two weeks ago. We've also had fuel stolen, we've had equipment stolen, trailers stolen from the facility. It seems to be a problem up and down the road."
"It's kind of hard on the working man," Valdez said. "You got a decent job and your tools to do it with and somebody that doesn't work, doesn't care about anybody else but themselves come and steal something."
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
Copyright 2012 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Published September 19, 2013
PAUSA Art House is not your typical Buffalo music club; look, for example, at this weekend's lineup.
Cuban-born percussionist Dafnis Prieto, a MacArthur Fellow, headlines tonight. Friday spotlights a local dentist who moonlights on the tabla and other Indian instruments. On Saturday, Tom Kolor, director of UB's Percussion Ensemble, is the featured performer.
The trio of shows, part of an ongoing series dubbed the Buffalo Percussion Festival, is only a taste of the eclectic mix of chamber music, jazz, poetry, paintings and other art forms featured every weekend at PAUSA.
"We provide an atmosphere that encourages musicians, artists and other performers to be creative and experiment," says Jon Nelson, UB professor of music, who along with his musician wife, Lazara, own and operate PAUSA.
"At the same time," he continues, "we cater to an audience that wants to sit down, enjoy a glass of wine and listen to world-class musicians or view dynamic art without the fuss of large crowds and other distractions."
Located at 19 Wadsworth St. in Buffalo's Allentown neighborhood, PAUSA is the realization of a long-term goal for the Nelsons.
Both spent years as working musicians in New York, Mexico City, Boston and other cities. Opening an art house in those locations, where the competition is intense and the real estate market is expensive, would have been extremely difficult, Jon Nelson says.
So they turned their attention to Buffalo, where the idea of settling down, raising a family and buying a building to pursue their dream wasn't as daunting.
That building, a turn-of-the-century house steps away from the restaurants and bars on Allen Street, had its share of problems when the Nelsons bought it in early 2012. They spent a year working with an architect, plumbers, electricians and other contractors to renovate the space.
Open since March—typically only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights—PAUSA features wooden floors, vintage furniture and vibrantly colored walls. New, original artwork is exhibited and for sale.
Overall, it feels more like a friend's living room than a club or restaurant (though café-style food is available). Unlike most performance spaces, there is no stage.
"A stage is a barrier between the performer and the audience," Nelson says. "We want the audience to feel like they're part of the performance."
The dynamic is particularly suitable for chamber music, which is classical music performed by a small group. Too often, he says, these groups play large venues that are simply too large for the music.
With a capacity of less than 100 people, PAUSA runs counter to that arrangement. It offers listeners the opportunity to hear subtle acoustics and gives performers the chance to experiment with volume dynamics that aren't possible in many venues, he says.
Not surprisingly, the venue has become an unofficial satellite of UB's Department of Music. In addition to Nelson and Kolor, other faculty members, such as pianist Eric Huebner, have performed at PAUSA.
Past and present UB students perform there as well. Graduate student TJ Borden recently debuted an original cello composition set to the classic silent film "Nosferatu."
The shows typically cost $5 and all proceeds go to the performers. It can be a great learning experience for the students, Nelson says, many of whom are not accustomed to playing outside an educational environment.
The Nelsons also bring to PAUSA out-of-town musicians they've met during their travels. Among them is Prieto, who received a MacArthur Fellowship, often called a "genius grant," in 2011.
"These are people that would normally not be playing Buffalo," he says.
All shows start at 8 p.m., with a short break usually occurring before 9 p.m. The musicians tend to mingle with the crowd before the second half of their performance, which typically ends around 10 p.m.
For more information about PAUSA, including a schedule of performances, visit the art house's website.


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It's disappointing that there were 4 books in the series, and all of them had meaningful covers except one! That really makes me mad, that SM didn't have a say in that cover. Someone just had to take over and make it look pretty, if not actually mean anything. DIdn't they know that all of us Twilighters prefer things to have meaning than to just look pretty?!? Those publishing people don't know us fans at all.
Anyway, here is my interpretation of the flower, just to come up with something cuz otherwise it bugs me that it has no meaning whatsoever and all the others do.
By this time in Bella's life, she is not as normal as she used to be, or could have been had she not met Edward. That is why the flower is white, like the innocence of Bella, but tainted with blood because she has already been through a lot, with James coming after her, and now with Edward leaving and her basically flipping out. She's a different person than she was before, still a delicate and fragile flower, but no longer unaware of the danger she is in by being around Edward. In the beginning of Twilight, she had no idea how she was putting her life in jeopardy all the time by being around Edward. Now, she does, and she's had to learn it the hard way, so blood infringes on her pure, white flower. However, the real problem is that Bella WANTS that flower to be all red, and Edward wants it to stay all white. When Edward leaves, he thinks that Bella's flower will turn white again, since he is not around to put her in danger, so he thinks. But Bella is a danger magnet, and the flower turning red, slowly but surely, is a foreshadowing as to what happens in Breaking Dawn to Bella, the newly become incredibly strong and beautiful red rose.
That's my explanation. Take it or leave it.


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Comment posted to "Model Mutual Fund and ETF Portfolios: Choosing a Benchmark Isn't Easy," by James B. Cloonan, in the May 2012 AAII Journal:
Is there a reason why the mutual fund portfolio doesn't include an international fund? The Model ETF Portfolio does, and several past articles in the AAII Journal have said that international exposure would enhance performance and reduce risk. What am I missing?
Peter from Maryland
James Cloonan responds:
Thank you for your comment. We are making some changes to the Model Mutual Fund and ETF Portfolios in August, and the subject of international diversification will be examined more carefully.
In general, it appears that foreign index funds provide less return than similar domestic funds and that the diversification produces only very short-term risk reduction. Obviously, some foreign funds, such as emerging market funds, provide excellent returns, but, in general, they do not have the promised benefits. We would always consider a foreign fund on the same basis as domestic funds, but we wouldn't include it just because it was foreign.
Comment posted to "Notes on the Current State of the Muni Bond Market," by Annette Thau, in the May 2012 AAII Journal:
A couple of comments about the sidebar on closed-end bond funds. Another reason for holding this type of security is unrestrained liquidity. Many open-ended bond funds (for example, Vanguard's) have frequent trading and liquidation limits that may affect one's ability to liquidate positions in down markets. Looking at the bond fund duration data will give an indication of interest rate volatility. Finally, many closed-end funds sell at either a discount or at a premium for long periods. Buying a fund at a discount to net asset value does not necessarily mean that it is a bargain. Looking at pricing history is a better w
William from Florida
Comment posted to "The Balance Sheet: Assets, Debts and Equity," by Z. Joe Lan, in the May 2012 AAII Journal:
These articles are very informative. For those of us who have never been in finance on a business level, it is enlightening. I serve on the board of our regional hospital, and this helps me be a better steward of the finances, as well as helping me to better analyze a company. Thank you.
John from Washington
Comment posted to "Money From Momentum: Positive Feedback Can Drive Returns," by Shelly X. Liang, in the May 2012 AAII Journal:
I believe momentum trading works, but nothing works perfectly all the time. I was one of the early members of the NY Traders Society, and tried many of their systems, but kept refining and trying to improve my 1970 system, which I now use in a somewhat revised customized fashion at StockCharts.com. It sure is faster than the slide rule. However, I still do a lot of pencil work, because I find just looking at computer outputs doesn't give one the feel for change that one gets from recording certain data with a pencil or pen in hand.
I've found signposts in the system that say when to sell and move on, or buy and get in. But I still find that it's hard to do what the system says, like sell a nice winner, or buy an investment early if it has been a loser. Experience in and a feel for the market is very important and should be developed over the years. Investor's Business Daily can help. One needs to determine why one isn't winning in the market and refine a momentum system that helps one to become a winner. Even then, systems need refining as the market changes, and that is a constant battle.
A. from Michigan
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11.0218 Review board-Function-Procedure generally.Cite as [A.S.A.C. § 11.0218]
(a) The review board is the body of the agency authorized to perform the determination of need function of 13.0205 ASCA.
(b) The function of the review board shall be to review applications for certificate of need. In reviewing such applications, the review board shall follow such procedures as are prescribed under 11.0250 of this code.
(c) Following the review of each application the review board shall make a determination of the need or lack of need for the proposed project and shall accordingly recommend approval, approval with conditions, or disapproval of each such application. In making such determination the review board shall consider criteria contained in 13.0205 ASCA and adopted under 13.0209.1 ASCA, as appropriate, and any other criteria established by this chapter or amendments thereto, and also the staff analysis report of the agency, and any comments of the public in relation to the application.
(d) The review board shall forward its findings to the director of health for official action within 30 days of the completion of its review.History: Rule 8-79, eff 16 Jul 79, Det. of Need Rules and Proc. § 10.3.2.


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Proposed Canon
A Gwiffon is a non-humanoid flying Unit roughly the shape of a bird. It is fast moving and a capable combatant. They are used by Jillian as mounts.Erf-b1-p007Erf-b1-p009 Gwiffons emit a 'peep!' sound effect.Erf-b1-p050
Gwiffons take a small penalty to movement when passing through mountains and no penalty when passing through hills.
Gwiffons get squishy when rained on.
Known users
- Royal Crown Coalition - specifically Jillian Zamussels.
- Faq - an extinct side, to which Jillian Zamussels was once heir, which raised shmuckers by hiring out Gwiffon riding mercenaries (including Jillian) to other sides.Erf-b1-p082
Jillian refers to them as 'gummy beasts',Erf-b1-p050 referring to the fact that they seem to be one sticky, gelatinous material all the way through.Erf-b1-p012 This may explain why they get squishy in the rain.
In the first intermission, page 15, Jillian allows her Gwiffons to eat the marrow, hooves and horns from horned sheep carcasses. These feeding habits are a reference to the fact that gelatin is made from the bone marrow of animals.
Interesting Side Notes
When Wanda is summoning Parson, Stanley asks for someone who (among other things) snacks on gwiffons and eats Marbits for breakfast.[1] Sometimes, Stanley actually gets what he asks for.
Real World Reference
Gwiffons appear to be based on the Marshmallow Peep, a favorite snack food of Parson's.Erf-b1-p015


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Holy Family KC council unload rice in El Campo
April 16, 2014 at 7:02 p.m.
Updated April 15, 2014 at 11:16 p.m.
Holy Family Knights of Columbus Council No. 9088 received 4,000 pounds of rice, delivered by Ricebelt Elevator, of El Campo, and unloaded by B and B Metal Buildings, of Victoria.
The rice was bagged into 2-pound bags by 14 members then donated to Victoria Christian Assistance Ministry for distribution to the needy.
Pictured and taking part in the bagging of the rice are, from left, Bob Purdy; Ed Lehnert; Tommy Treybig; Mike Bludau, B and B Metal Buildings; Rodney Tegeler, Ricebelt Elevator; Jim Spacek; Cody Bradley, Ricebelt Elevator; and Ted Sheblak.
Others helping to bag the rice, not pictured, were Clyde Svetlik, Harvey Kocian, Gene Rehak, Emory Migura, Steve Dolezal, Richard Bomkamp, Betty Migura and Rena Spacek.


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Instrument Maintenance
Q: How has instrument maintenance changed in the past few years?
A: In the past, it was very difficult -- if not impossible -- to understand the full circle of instrument utilization, including the number of sets in inventory, how often they had been used in the OR, were the correct manufacturer's instructions available for the technicians when processing instruments, when was the last time any of the instruments or sets had been repaired, who had touched the sets during processing and where they had traveled before being used on a patient. If any type of report existed in the past, it probably was a static report that documented when a set was purchased.
This static report was great for anything purchased, but didn't report out the eventual use of the new tray – did the hospital recoup its investment and was it being cared for as the manufacturer had described?
Now with instrument management systems, the full depth and breadth of instrument management can be discovered through the creative use of this type of software. And the pivotal data point is utilization, which is so important for the CPD manager. The instrument management system can validate that purchases made were indeed utilized (or not utilized!) as predicted at the time of purchase. The CPD manager now has a complete view of utilization for everything that is a part of the department: trays and individual instruments in inventory, equipment used to process the trays and the employees who managed the process. Trays and individual instruments can now be scheduled for inspection and repair by utilization not by an arbitrary date in time, which was the only way to manage tray repairs in the past.
Q: What would you say are the biggest mistakes healthcare organizations continue to make when it comes to their instruments and the way they are maintained?
A: Past practice was to manage a department by "gut" and past experiences. For experienced managers, this usually worked. As hospitals ask managers to take on areas they may not have familiarity with, it is important to have data to help them quickly learn the important throughputs of the area. The systems need to be easy to learn to use – intuitive – and is easy for the individual employees to enter data while performing their duties. Hospitals are tasked with buying IT systems every year, and the CPD systems are as important as those in caregiving areas. Any delay in moving to an instrument management system will continue to hamper the hospital's and CPD manager's best efforts in understanding their business and failing to make permanent positive changes. Data is the only sure way to diagnose problems and monitor the methods used to correct dysfunctional processes. It is too difficult to collect data in a manual way and manual methods are usually static – a snapshot in time. There is no better way to collect report and analyze data than by a system.
Q: How does CareFusion help extend the life and quality of their instrumentation?
A: CareFusion also has an instrument management system offered by the world-class V. Mueller brand call the IMPRESS system. IMPRESS is a robust instrument management system that is real-time, connected to a web-based server and has the capability to collect data at any point in the instrument pathway to best understand instrument utilization and process steps used to manage instruments in their CPD and OR. While the system itself is impressive, V. Mueller has invested in a team of implementation managers and sales specialists. This team ensures the initial implementation is seamless to the department's operations, and then periodically checks with the CPD manager and key users to ensure the system is best utilized to meet the customer's needs.
Quick tips for improved instrument management:
- Educate…and then educate some more! CPD is a complicated department: complex instruments and instrument sets, equipment and chemicals to clean and process instruments, a physical environment that can be challenging to work within and external regulatory agencies that are monitoring the department's processes. Education is the key step to ensure employees are appropriately equipped to perform the job.
- Invest in an instrument management system. It is just not possible to know everything that occurs in the complex departments a manager may need to manage in today's hospital environments. IT systems are an essential tool for a manager to be able to manage departments and continually drive process improvements so essential in today's climate of "doing more with less."
- Streamline processes and eliminate waste. Educated staff who understand and practice to standards and having an instrument management system will allow the manager to effectively change processes to "do more with less".


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Georgia Regents University President Ricardo Azziz has asked the state university system to conduct an independent review of the use of state resources for a family wedding held at his home.
Azziz asked University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby for an "impartial assessment" of the issues and actions connected with the Saturday wedding, which was held for his niece at the president's home at 920 Milledge Road.
"Due to the questions raised around use of university resources in conjunction with a wedding held at the University President's Home, I have requested an impartial review by the University System of Georgia," Azziz said in a prepared statement released late Wednesday. "My team and I will make every effort to support the System in their assessment."
It was unclear Wednesday how such a review will be conducted.
John Millsaps, the spokesman for the university system, did not return calls Tuesday and Wednesday seeking comment about the situation.
The call for a review comes after a Tuesday story in The Augusta Chronicle about the wedding. University officials acknowledged the use of state resources at the event and said the Azziz family planned to reimburse the state $416 for the use of a marked patrol car and a university system shuttle bus to ferry guests from the hotel to the event and to other locations. Four GRU police officers also worked as security for the wedding.
University spokeswoman Christen Carter said she was originally told the police officers volunteered their time at the wedding, which amounted to a combined total of 20 hours off-the-clock work.
In response to questions about whether the officers should have been paid, Carter said she was informed Wednesday that the four state employees – GRU Police Chief Bill McBride, Maj. Eugene Maxwell, Lt. Derik Still and Officer Peter Barbara – were paid in cash by the bride and groom.
Later it was determined that Barbara – a nonexempt employee who is paid by the hour – should have been paid through the university payroll system, and the matter was corrected, Carter said.
McBride said he wasn't aware that Barbara wasn't eligible to work off the clock at the event. He said after he was informed about the pay situation, he arranged to have Barbara paid by his normal hourly rate, plus any overtime he was owed for the 5.75 hours he worked at the wedding.
Carter said the other three officers are salaried employees and exempt from overtime rules for such events.


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Best Dressed Celebrities and Models Week of April 9, 2012
This Week's Best Dressed
>> Spring party season is in full swing, bringing New York's fash pack out in droves. On Thursday, Ferragamo feted the reopening of its gorgeous 5th Avenue flagship by inviting Solange Knowles — divine in head-to-toe Ferragamo, of course— to spin records for a well-heeled crowd that included Sarah Reynolds, Lauren Remington Platt, and Genevieve Jones.
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Across the street, Cartier celebrated the opening of its "Cartier & Aldo Cipullo, New York City in the '70s" exhibit with a glam soiree that saw the likes of Arizona Muse, Lily Collins, and Charlotte Casiraghi. Later that evening, the party continued downtown, where Leigh Lezark (left) kept the crowd — which included Chanel Iman and Karlie Kloss, both in Cushnie et Ochs — dancing all night long.
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See pics from those events — plus, knockout looks from Amanda Brooks, Crystal Renn, Coco Rocha, Karen Walker, and more at a bevy of other occasions — here, in our best-of-the-week slideshow.


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Stephen Decatur football players Delonte Tate and John Rich are the last two recipients of the Atlantic Physical Therapy "Tough Guy of the Week" awards for their contributions during the Seahawks' two big win in the last two weeks. Pictured above, left is Tate (center) flanked by Coach Bob Knox and ATP lead therapist Charles Curran. Pictured above, right is Rich (center) with Knox and ATP president Bob Hammond.
Submitted photos


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Join us for a members only pistachio production seminar led by Bob Beede, UCCE Farm Advisor, Emeritus. Discussion topics will include: Water Scheduling, Drought Strategies, Insect Management (NOW, Citrus Flat Mite, Stink bugs), Harvest Timing as a Strategy to Reduce Insect Damage and other miscellaneous cultural practices.
If you are not an APG member, JOIN NOW to take advantage of this member benefit.
Please reserve a space for one of the locations by Monday, June 16.
Contact the APG office at (559) 475-0435 or email firstname.lastname@example.com


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Sharp Aquos LC-52D62U 52-inch LCD HDTV
Perhaps the only thing better than a flat-panel TV is one with full 1080p resolution. But to appreciate the incredible detail such a TV can provide from a comfortable seating distance, you need to go bigscreen -in my book, that means 50 inches and up. Plasma TVs filling that bill start at a whopping $8,000. Fortunately, there are other 1080p options, including the new Sharp Aquos LC-52D62U 52-inch LCD HDTV that streets for around half that price.
The LC-52D62U packs a revamped Sharp panel, among the first to come out of a new factory in Japan. Sharp claims it has a fast 4-millisecond response time, higher contrast ratio, and a wider viewing angle than previous models. And its enhanced backlight is designed to deliver richer reds - something I could see immediately upon powering up the set.
The LC-52D62U's spiffy looks also grabbed my attention. A thin, gloss-black bezel surrounds the screen, and the set is propped up by a matching black stand. A silver grille concealing the speakers slopes gently across the set's bottom - an elegant design touch. A few control buttons are located way up on the TV's top edge. There are no front- or side-panel convenience inputs, but the jacks around back are near the edge for easy access. Connections include 1080p-capable HDMI inputs and component-video inputs (two each) and an RF jack.
Sharp's generous-size remote control has a clean layout and a backlit keypad for finding buttons in the dark. Good thing, too, since important controls such as Input, View Mode (aspect ratio), and one for selecting video presets are scattered randomly. The Input button calls up an onscreen menu showing only the active inputs, which can be assigned names and toggled through or selected with the arrow keys. The View Mode button switches among Stretch (16:9), Smart Stretch, Zoom, and Dot-by-Dot (1080i/p signals only) for high-def programs. For standard-def, there's Sidebar (displays 4:3 pictures with black side panels), Stretch, Smart Stretch, and Zoom.


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By Rebecca Williams
A viable plan to reduce our country's mounting deficits and debt will be built on painful choices that include revenue increases and cuts to all government spending, including entitlements and defense. With such thorny issues at stake, it should come at no surprise that many policymakers turn to the easy issue first -- foreign aid. Even here, though, there are no exceptions to the need for government to act and spend strategically.
Skeptics of foreign aid question its effectiveness and value, and some hope to dramatically reduce America's debt by slashing aid. Meanwhile, proponents insist that foreign aid is an art more than a science -- a modest investment that furthers U.S. foreign policy and addresses a few of the world's ills.
But hardliners in both camps distort what actually goes on.
Americans significantly overestimate how much our government spends in this area. Respondents to one poll guessed that around 25 percent of the federal budget goes to foreign aid. In reality, it's approximately 1 percent. The U.S. government will spend $39 billion on foreign aid in FY2011, a sum equal to 3 percent of the estimated $1.4 trillion deficit.
Ending or deeply cutting foreign aid will not radically alter federal spending or contribute significantly to debt reduction efforts. Foreign aid is but one piece of the larger puzzle, something to be evaluated like every other component of federal spending.
Within these parameters, though, foreign aid is in desperate need of reform which should be part of the spending conversation. The Foreign Assistance Act is outdated and full of competing goals. Strategy is lacking on major questions like how foreign aid relates to national security. And absent clear prioritization, foreign aid programs have proliferated to the point of being offered in nearly every country, though to varying size and degree.
Implementation also is a problem. A multitude of federal departments and agencies are charged with implementing foreign aid but they lack a coordinating mechanism. Just the international affairs budget -- the largest funding vehicle for U.S. programs abroad -- covers the State Department, Agency for International Development and a host of other independent agencies like the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Peace Corps. Such a fragmented structure reduces effectiveness and causes duplication, two of the main reasons cited for reducing foreign aid.
The President's 2010 development review started to address these concerns, arguing that international development is "essential to our security, prosperity, and values." But the follow-up remains minimal as Obama's words have not been backed up by coherent organizations, processes, authorities and funding that would elevate development to greater prominence.
For Congress to restore our nation's fiscal health, foreign aid -- like all government spending -- must be scrutinized and considered for reductions. But it won't save Congress from the tough choices it will have to make on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and defense. Foreign aid shouldn't distract us from the hard road ahead.
Rebecca Williams is an international affairs researcher with the Henry L. Stimson Center's project on budgeting for foreign affairs and defense, as well as a regular contributor to its blog, The Will and the Wallet. The Stimson Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted to enhancing international peace and security through a unique combination of rigorous analysis and outreach.


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Jun 5, 2014 4:05 pm
A big CONGRATULATIONS! is in order for Austin & Ally star Laura Marano! She graduated high school! See what she had to say about the experience of graduating below:
"AHHH, last Saturday morning, I felt a mix of pride, joy, sadness, and gratitude (Basically, I was an emotional wreck)," Laura captioned this pic. "In my four years of high school, I experienced some of the happiest moments I've had in my life so far... I literally can't describe how lucky I feel to have had those experiences! YAY #HighSchoolGraduate #Weirddd."
Make sure to wish Laura congratulations in the comments below!


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Emma Ruby-Sachs
About the Author
EMMA RUBY-SACHS's journalism has been published in The Nation and The Huffington Post. A graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Toronto law school, Ruby-Sachs lived in South Africa for periods in 2003 and 2004 while studying. She has worked as a civil litigator in Windsor and Toronto and currently works with Avaaz, a progressive online organization. Emma lives in Brooklyn.