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Huh? What's up with that last teaser about somebody hurting for the one cast aside? Cam Gigandet? Solomon Trimble? Krys? Wha...? KStew & Oregano? (Now I'm making shizz up. Ignore me.) Read the rest here.
Seems like uncleanliness isn't the only vice going on up in Vancouver. We're told by one of the New Moon castmembers (for all of you who are bitching and whining that we make this crap up) that their bonding sesh's not only include homemade dinners, but also group chain smoking.
But guess what they're all so busy puffing away on?
"Just plain ol' cigarettes," said a Twilight hanger-on. "But, like, tons of them. I think they smoke more than they have sex, actually."
Well, since everybody's so damn busy longing and mooning over each other, just like they do in the damn teeny franchise, sorta makes sense. Besides, I hear somebody's really hurting for the one they cast aside—only to want him (or her) back desperately now that filming's begun. More on that later in the week.
March 25, 2009
Twilight Cast Smokes More Than They Have Sex
E!Online said it, not me:
6 comments:
Okay...Now I'm confuzzleded.ReplyDelete
Uhm, but to be honest, I don't care.
I just want the goshdarn movie :)
I'm hoping it's Solomon - of course ;) - I want him back in the pack, dammit!ReplyDelete
meh. i don't really care if they're smoking, stinky actors, i still like them more than any other "Hollywood" group out there. They're so much more real-seeming to me.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 16, 2009 at 4:21 PM
like isn't smoking bad? like who are those people in that picture? are they famous?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 4, 2010 at 4:56 AM
dude no 1 gives a shit if they smock! they have sex more then u so y does it matter 2 u. give it up and any1 that agress with me probubly has sex 2. so if u thiink that u have the right 2 fucking critisice other people then u can kiss my ass!!!!!ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousAugust 20, 2012 at 7:26 PM
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subset: commoncrawl


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World Refugee Survey 2008 - Congo-Kinshasa
|United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
|Publication Date
|19 June 2008
|Cite as
|United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, World Refugee Survey 2008 - Congo-Kinshasa, 19 June 2008, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/485f50cca3.html [accessed 23 January 2018]
|This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
At year's end, the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo-Kinshasa) hosted around 177,500 refugees and asylum seekers mostly from Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan, and the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville).
Some 112,700 Angolan refugees remained, having fled the nearly three-decade long civil war which ended in February 2002. In 2007, some 4,700 repatriated, while the UNHCR and the Angolan Government officially concluded their five-year repatriation program in March. Most Angolan refugees lived among Congolese villagers.
Most of the 29,800 Rwandan refugees arrived during and after the 1994 civil war, many of them ethnic Hutus. Roughly 17,600 Burundians also remained and arrived in waves following inter-ethnic violence in 1972 and in the mid-1990's. There were also about 13,900 Ugandan refugees, many of whom fled the two-decade long conflict between the Ugandan Government and the Lord's Resistance Army.
In June, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) completed its repatriation program for Sudanese refugees after the return of 8,000 refugees since June 2006. Another 2,000 Sudanese refugees repatriated without UNHCR's help and some 2,500 Sudanese refugees remained.
Refoulement/Physical Protection
In November, Congolese authorities reportedly arrested four refugees from the Cabinda ethnic group in Seke-Zola refugee camp and handed them over to the Angolan Government. They were reportedly the third group of Cabindan separatists arrested by Congolese authorities in 2007. Nationals pressured refugees and asylum seekers from countries with which Congo-Kinshasa had been in conflict to return to their countries of origin.
Congo-Kinshasa was party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951 Convention), its 1967 Protocol, and the 1969 Convention governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa (African Refugee Convention) without reservation. The 2002 Refugee Law (2002 Law) applied the persecution-based refugee definition of the 1951 Convention and the more general one of the African Refugee Convention, prohibiting refoulement under either. The Law created a National Commission for Refugees (CNR) in the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to decide asylum cases, with a UNHCR representative consulting in its deliberations. It required asylum seekers to present themselves to local authorities, the Permanent Secretary of the CNR, or UNHCR within 30 days of entry into the country. The 2002 Law also provided that the Permanent Secretary prepare the case after issuing an attestation to the asylum seeker, then transmit the case to the Eligibility Commission, which had to intervene within six months. However, in practice, the CNR did not implement the refugee status determination (RSD) procedures prescribed by the 2002 Law, and the Permanent Secretary of the CNR did not transmit any cases to the Eligibility Commission. UNHCR was in effect the only body that conducted RSDs. There was no fixed date for the transfer of RSD responsibilities to the CNR.
The 2002 Law required the CNR to give rejected applicants written decisions with sufficient information upon which to appeal. If rejected, applicants had 90 days to submit an appeal to the Appeals Commission in the MOI, also with a UNHCR representative consulting in its deliberations. The Law prohibited any member of the CNR from deliberating on the Appeals Commission and required appellants to appear before the Commission in person. The Law permitted access to interpreters, and to counsel at the applicant's expense, as well as allowing asylum seekers to remain in the country until a final decision. Applicants could also appeal decisions of the Appeals Commission in court.
The 2006 Constitution recognized the right of asylum, stated that the Government should accord it to persons fearing persecution because of "their opinion, their belief, their racial, tribal, ethnic, or linguistic group membership, or their action in favor of democracy and in defense of human rights and the rights of peoples," and forbade refoulement. It also declared treaties to have higher legal authority than local statutes. The Constitution explicitly provided for the protection of all foreigners legally in the country and granted them the same nonpolitical rights and liberties as nationals, subject to the reciprocity of their governments toward its nationals. The Constitution also forbade any individual or group to use the territory as a base for terrorism or subversion against any government.
Detention/Access to Courts
Congo-Kinshasa detained 30 refugees and asylum seekers for lack of documentation, alleged membership in armed groups, espionage, rape, and defamation. Military intelligence agents reportedly detained Rwandan and Brazzaville Congolese refugees in military prisons, often because of their nationality. Conditions in prisons were unsanitary and overcrowded, and security forces tortured detainees. After UNHCR intervention, the Government reportedly released a Rwandan national whom authorities had detained four times in 2007 and tortured. The 2002 Law provided refugees access to courts and tribunals under the same conditions as nationals, but no refugees or asylum seekers contested their detention before a court in 2007.
The 2002 Law mandated that the MOI, through UNHCR, issue free refugee identity cards, equivalent to residence cards for immigrants that were valid for two years and renewable. In practice, UNHCR issued refugee attestations rather than cards, with the photographs of each adult refugee. The photos of minor children were included on the same document as that of either parent. At year's end, there were at least 150 asylum applications pending. Only eight asylum seekers received refugee attestations in 2007. Police forces recognized the validity of the documents. Reportedly, two-thirds of the Rwandan population in Kinshasa held only asylum seeker attestations, valid for 30 days. Many unaccompanied refugee children who arrived from Rwanda in 1996 did not have documentation attesting to their refugee or asylum status. Consequently, some of them worked as domestic laborers or as slaves in the equatorial rainforest in the north.
The Refugee Law also entitled refugees and their family members to birth, death, and marriage certificates on par with nationals. The Constitution reserved to nationals its guarantees of equality before the law and equal protection of the law, but not its due process protections in criminal matters, and the Refugee Law granted refugees the same access to courts as nationals.
Freedom of Movement and Residence
There were no refugee camps in Congo-Kinshasa.
The 2002 Law granted Convention refugees the same freedom of movement as nationals enjoyed. The Constitution extended to all the rights of freedom of movement and choice of residence. In zones of continuing conflict and instability, refugees had to obtain a one-time travel authorization from local authorities, who often charged high prices and demanded bribes.
The Refugee Law required the Government to issue free, renewable international travel documents to refugees who asked for them. Applicants had to demonstrate specific reasons for travel, such as resettlement offers, need for medical evacuation, enrollment plans at an educational institution, or evidence of imminent plans for travel, such as airplane tickets. The authorities issued no travel documents to refugees in 2007.
Right to Earn a Livelihood
Refugees could work legally in the country without permits. The 2002 Law granted recognized refugees the same right to professional employment as nationals, but a 1986 decree reserved certain professions for nationals. In urban and rural regions, refugees worked unofficially in jobs such as farming, trading, tailoring, and mechanical repair, and did not require special authorization. The country's 50,000 street children included refugees, who engaged in petty crime, begging, and prostitution. Police often abused and detained street children and there were reports of collusion in which refugee children bribed officers or had to hand over a portion of the goods they had stolen in order to avoid arrest.
Refugees could own property for farming, operate businesses, and own bank accounts, although there were complaints of petty extortion by officials. The Constitution expressly extended to foreigners its protection of investment and private enterprise, and did not reserve to citizens its protection of private property. The Constitution reserved to nationals the right to work. It recognized the right to organize and to strike generally, but provided only for citizens the right to form and join unions.
Public Relief and Education
Refugee children had access to primary education on par with nationals, but many could not afford to pay school tuition, and suffered harassment from peers and teachers for their identity as foreigners. Refugees continued to receive medical care, while asylum seekers received it only in rare cases as they were not entitled to it. The Government granted UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations access to refugees and asylum seekers.
The 2002 Law granted refugees the right to social assistance, health services, and education on par with nationals, charging the CNR with supporting their needs in housing, food, health, and education, according to its means and with the help of national and international organizations. A 2003 decree mandated that the Government, according to its means, meet all refugee needs, including food, lodging, health, and education. The Constitution did not restrict to citizens its rights to food security, health, potable water, decent housing, and electricity.
Congo-Kinshasa included refugees in the 2006 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper for international donors, along with displaced people, women and children, and the elderly on its list of target groups for priority actions. The report also said refugees caused insecurity and strain on resources.
USCRI Reports
- Africa: New Displacement of Nearly 3 Million Africans Largely Unnoticed by Rest of World (Press Releases)


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Top Story The Top Story: U.S. Government reopens and the debt ceiling raised
MHz Networks brings you The Top Story- the only digital short delivering each day's biggest global story back to back in English, as told by our premier international news broadcast partners. Today's Topic 10/17/13: The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation late on Wednesday to avoid a damaging default on government debt and to reopen federal agencies which were shut down for 16 days. As told by CCTV, France 24, RT and Euronews. Tags: Tags: MHz Networks, The Top Story, world news, digital, programming, RT, France 24, Euronews, United States, U.S. government re-open, debt ceiling raised


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Instead, group members feel they are more qualified to look at school curriculum.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, September 12, 2007, 2:23 AM
Original post made on Sep 12, 2007
Comments (32)
Here's an idea for the money. How about they finish the job of installing the elementary school portables they put in over the summer? The third grade classroom they set up literally adjacent to JLS classrooms (for Fairmeadow students), still has no phone line (safety issue), no internet access (for teacher access to her email or any other purpose), no outdoor lights, and several other missing and unfinished issues (broken door, broken/wrong running water situation, etc.).
AND the classroom is still obstructed from view of the main campus by two large storage units between it and the campus proper, and the front door of that room sits about 4 feet away from an always open gate through which people (parents, strangers, JLS students) move freely on and off Fairmeadow campus all day long. Well, since the teacher has no way to contact anyone, I guess her and her students are out of luck should a stranger decide to wander in. Let alone if her some of those students decide to wander out...
Oh, AND, they are going to have to tunnel through the blacktop on the campus to bring internet access to that room. How much will that cost? Did the brilliant District Staff include that in the 'level one/level two' cost/benefit analysis?
Well, anyway - good to see that getting this done right isn't going to be an issue of MONEY for the district.
The district staff under the former superintendent did some really amazingly shoddy work in planning and executing this modular situation. Lets see if the current superintendent (a) can solve problems left to him by the former superintendent and her laxidasical staff and (b)will get some competent staff.
Bloody hell.
So, let's see--20 to 30 percent of the kids aren't suited to a regular high school? One in four kids? Unh-unh. That's a high school failing its mission and blaming the victim.
Can't handle the third high-school question? Well, how about disbanding and getting some people who CAN competently address the question. I don't think outsourcing kids to miniprograms is going to compensate for the growth.
Can we PLEASE get a board with a backbone?
Apparently therew are 2 threads on the same topic. I posted in the other thread, in complete agreement with Ohlone Par:
Here's a radical thought: assemble a task force that is actually qualified to look at the issue of reopening the third high school, rather than changing the focus of the group. Or maybe as well as having the curriculum guidance group.
There are a bunch of children not being served in elementary school as well -- the ones who are quiet, well behaved and birght, but not completely self-instructing. Maybe we could include them for consideration.
If there's all this money, why do we need a bond?
Have to agree with OhlonePar on this one. The taskforce members don't feel qualified to look at the issue of the third HS, they feel more qualified to look at school curriculum, then why did they sign up for this taskforce. The description from the PAUSD website on the High School Task Force is very clear:
"The task force will explore alternatives to prepare high school students for the future in a rapidly changing world. The focus of the High School Task Force (HSTF), as directed by the Board, will be to focus on the three main options - expanding our current high school sites, opening a third comprehensive high school, or developing a specialty school."
The only issue for the task force should have been "do we or don't we". Then based on the outcome from that question the same or a different task force should have been created to discuss the additional programs (which I do think is valid and necessary).
Once again the BoE sees fit to fail to act. All that is really happening is delaying the problem for five years of so until the situation gets bad. Then it will cost even more money and time will be more crucial. If we need to get Cubberly re-opened, now is the time to give notice and start making plans, not when the need arises.
This sounds just like putting your head in the sand and waiting for the problem to go away, or alternatively until there is another BoE in place. We need to get a BoE willing to act in the present, not the future. It appears we have some spare money, lets use it for investing in future infrastructure rather than petty insignificant designer ideas.
I hope all the candidates for BoE have meaty comments on this rather than delaying tactical platitudes.
Not only that - but where the heck are they going to PUT all the students that are going to receive the new and improved programming this task force has appointed itself to study?
The issue is CAPACITY - and they want to come up with new programming alternatives for closing the achievement gap.
Worthy goal - but not goal that THIS particular task force was asked to address. If the board (FINALLY - 4 YEARS LATER) thinks closing the achievment gap is important, then FORM AN ACHIEVMENT GAP TASK FORCE!
We need a group of people to look at the HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY PROBLEM!
And there are COSTS to running this district like a series of private schools. Someone is eventually going to need to look at the costs of housing the high school students and ADD THAT to the cost of these fabulous new programs they want to develop. Who's going to do that - or are we going to be asked to approve BONDS to approve new programs, then later, BONDs to (WOOPS) open a new high school???
If these administrators on the task force are not qualified to talk about costs and capacity issues, but are only qualified to talk about curriculum, then the board appointed the WRONG TASK FORCE.
C'mon Skelly, so far, not so good.
BOE - PLEASE! You need to appoint an appropriately staffed task force for the job at hand - perhaps it includes both a discussion on programming AND facilities/capacity issues. But it certainly doesn't EXCLUDE a discussion on facilities/capacity issues!
The current BOE is a huge joke and some of the incumbents want to run again and will probably get in. Are we really that devoid of talent in this district?
"Let's call it additional, rather than alternative," Board President Camille Townsend suggested. "This is a case where enrollment growth leads to better educational opportunities for students."
Let's call it what it is, actually: an alternative focus that completely derails the discussion the task force was formed to have.
So, lets get this straight. The long awaited High School Task Force took the liberty of reassigning itself as a task force for Closing the Achievement Gap.
And our new superintendent encourages it.
And our current BOE (who's been around long enough to know very well that enrollment growht is our big burning issue) is passively going along with it, with barely a blink.
And Townsend is going so far as to find ways to SPIN the derailment with new vocabulary terms (as if improving what we call the thing makes it better).
The fact that Townsend is behind this (and is inexplicably touchy about the term 'alternative' programs in association with this brand new task force - should be a GIGANTIC red flag. Townsend has an agenda, and she's quietly working it.
Would someone please explain how it is that our high school task force is being hijacked for exploration (feasibility study?) of more choice programs?
Read up on it..I am actually completely delighted with the result. I wish the AAAG had thought of asking for at the very least a partial revision of its function also, to look at programmatic changes that could be done to ease the increasing enrollment.
And, no, I am a member of neither group.
This group, and the Board, and the new Super, are not saying that they AREN'T going to look at building a whole new high school for 1,800 students, they are just not going to do it right now because the projected numbers don't warrant a whole entire new huge high school.
What the numbers DO warrant is looking at a way to deal with an additional possible 800-900 students ( if I remember what I read correctly). So, there are many creative ways to look at this. One is to develop a specialty "sub" high school which will siphon off interested students into a different site, students with different goals from those most have. Nobody has decided that there won't be an additional site for the additional kids, they just aren't looking at a huge site.. For example, what if there are a number of kids who are completely certain that they don't want to become PhD physicists, and instead want to go into ...construction, auto mechanics, licensed vocational nurses, medical technicians, plumbing, carpentry, etc. I have no idea how many, if any, PA kids have these goals, but what if there are many, and it would be best for them to have their last couple years in a prep school for acceptance into post-high school apprenticeships or programs with scholarships? I don't know, just sayin'..
Or, what if there will be about 900 kids in our high schools who are certain they are heading into heavy duty math/science fields, and could do their last 2 years in a high school with a heavy emphasis on the maths and sciences?
Or, what if there would be about 900 kids in our district who are struggling academically/socially in our larger high schools, at risk for whatever reason, but would thrive in a smaller environment.
As for programmatic changes..have we explored how to adapt to increasing numbers of kids through having staggered days on campuses, using computers for some "at home" class-time, or any other creative ideas for campus/technology uses?
All this to say that I wouldn't be so quick to condemn this just because it isn't aiming for the expected outcome immediately.
The headline says it all
"Consideration of third high school paused"
More accurately it should say "Consideration of third high school PAUSD".
All the things you mentioned were all part of the realm of possibilities under the umbrella of a potentially 3rd new high school. Nothing new in what you are saying - its all part of the task forces original intent. And so if they come up with a program 800-900 kids - voila - a third new high school (or do you tuck them in to more portables, perhaps on the football field??
Well, sure, that is indeed one of the possibilities. What are the pros and cons to protables, construction on existing campuses, finding a new site, etc??? Well this task force isn't even going there - all they want to do is study programming! Nice easy punt.
They said they aren't qualified to study the 3rd new high school issues?
All well and good for them to study closing the achievment gap - they need to do it in the context of the issues, costs, capacities, and alternatives for physical location issues.
Otherwise you have another MI debacle on your hands. Jumping the gun with approval for some wonderful pie in the sky new educational program, with everyone standing around saying 'we have no idea where to put this in three years - we don't even want to STUDY where to put this in three years.' Lets just put our heads in the sand - or avoid the hard discussoin, so we can ram this down peoples throats in whatever way we see fit on the opening day of school three years from now. It all HAS to be studied together.
I understand what you are saying, and agree if there isn't any study of facilities happening before the final approval of new programs. But the way I read the article tells me that there IS another facility specific study group going to begin..do you read something different?
Am I actually not paying enough attention after all? :)
I don't know Paying Attention, I think you and I are reading this completely differently. I don't see anything about a separate group to begin a facilities study. Where do you see that?
I see a couple very clear comments from Skelly that says they'll talk about curriculum, but they won't talk about facilities, costs, etc.
Skelly says the discussion on third high school can be tabled for 5-7 years..
"Superintendent Kevin Skelly said he is satisfied with the change in emphasis. He said discussion of a third high school may not be necessary for five to seven years."
"The reason for the shift is that group members are more qualified to discuss improving Palo Alto's existing high schools than to examine developing a third, Laurence said.
"A third high school means talking about leases, property deals with Foothills or De Anza colleges, and all of a sudden you had a bunch of educators looking at a number of factors that were out of our area of expertise," Laurence explained on behalf of the task force."
It just sounds like they lopped off a large chunk of the problem (physcial site, and cost issues), and let it just slip away for some future BOE, some future task force (not named, not underway now), some future Superintendent? to deal with when capacity problems really come to a head.
How the heck to they think we're going to approve a facilities BOND if they have no concept of a comprehensive long term facilities plan?
I am confident Dr. Skelly will put together a comprehensive long term facilities plan. All this says is that the current members of the HS task force do not have the necessary skills to make the long term plan, but do have the skills to help in the shorter term.
As far as I am aware, this task force was made up of parents, teachers and educators. This group was put together by someone at Churchill who should have been able to do this task.
The AAAG was a similar group of people and were certainly educated enough with data and other information to gain the necessary skills to understand the situation. They felt that a 13th elementary school was needed and had good reasoning for this. They also discussed the need for a potential new middle school and high school.
If one group was able to discuss the situation and discuss this having been educated enough, why wasn't the same said of the high school task force. From my understanding they have met once in the spring and were meant to be doing most of their work in the fall. Is this something they can decide from just one meeting? The AAAG met many times before reaching its conclusions, maybe the hstf haven't discussed and been taught enough yet.
And, like the AAAG report, any recommendation will be ignored. Dr. Skelly appears to understand this already and is letting these groups go their own without wasting any more of the board's time.
Dr. Skelly, I salute you.
Well, understood - you have a good point - the recommendations of the task force will be ignored, like the AAAGs - but you got wrong who's time will/will not be wasted.
The task force was relieved of studying a situation where they would ultimately be ignored - so their time has been spared.
The board members will be required to do their own research to get the truth - which has been the case with every issue over the past year that has required staff report - so the BOE will spend a lot of time studying the issue themselves - but they would have had to do this anyway. So the time saved is probably the task forces time.
I certainly applaud Skelly for recognizing the mismatch between the task and the assembled personnel. But how about correcting the personnel assigned to the task, instead of changing the task? The need for the study hasn't gone away.
I'm still concerned about plans to help those 20-30% of the students who are not getting their needs met at the high school. Wouldn't it make some sense to explore how we best meet these student's needs before we abandon the decision of a third high school. I'm not sure that the solution is only met through new curriculum. I'm disappointed that the task force is taking a new direction so early in the game.
Ooh, boy, I'm in print this week. It was pretty funny to see part of this thread in the Weekly.
I'd say 800-900 new students--and remember projections have been historically low--does mean looking at reopening Cubberly. Not necessarily doing so, but looking long and hard at what would be involved. We're already looking at at-capacity high schools. I don't think monkeying with the curriculum and outsourcing education is a substitute for addressing the facilities question.
A number of people have told me that Gunn has 6 unused acres of land. If that's true, there is plenty of room for expansion there, a "school within a school", maybe an IB program?
There are ways to make a large school feel smaller, teams of core classes would work for a large portion of kids, most Freshman and Sophmore are in the same classes except for math and electives, even then the majority are split between 2 math levels.
I am not saying that this is or is not a good idea. (The Gunn post above).
But, I like the idea that we start with the premise "We have a growing population", then we DON'T draw an immediate conclusion that we automatically have to have more space, but instead really study ALL the ways we can deal with a growing population.
Who knows, we might still have to take back another space for a third high school, but I really like that we are going to actually try to think about other ways also.
Not that I'm an advocate for large schools, but PAUSD has been able to provide a rich variety of electives to high school students which would be financially prohibitive in a smaller school. Adding a "school within a school" to an existing campus would allow students to participate in the electives, athletic teams, etc. already available.
I agree with the decision to NOT contemplate opening another high school.
While I understand the district needs to plan for growth, a third high school could potentially compromise the top notch education Gunn and Paly impart. This, unless the third school gets seeded by the fantastic staff that gunn and paly boast.
Also, I can't imagine that a new school will be up and running at the same levels as the exisiting one's till at least 5+ years of its inception. For some of us, who's children will be going to High school then, it will be a time of uncertainities, questions and changes till the third school reaches the same quality as the other two.
Finally, many of us incurred a significant cost to buy a house in Palo Alto. I fear that should some parents be rezoned into the third "new" high school, it could mean lost real estate value for our homes as they would fall outside gunn/paly schools.
I would rather that Gunn and Paly be extended - new buildings and teachers - or perhaps even increase the class size somewhat. I realize that opening a third school is one of the many proposals to tackling growth, however, I encourage you to seek other alternatives keeping some of the abopve factors in mind.
The thing is, we already have a situation where people buy into the Gunn district and then can't get their kids into Gunn.
And, once the kids are in Gunn or Paly there's an issue of getting the classes they want--in part because of overcrowding.
I don't think Cubberly would automatically be a dramatically inferior high school. Maybe it wouldn't quite have the steller scores of Gunn, but I suspect they'd be good enough.
Just to clarify, I'm not wedded to reopening Cubberly--it's frankly really useful as a community center. A lot of programs could never afford to be in PA otherwise. However, I think it needs to be looked at--particularly with the south Paly housing projects (and ABAG's pressure for more).
Maybe Cubberly should house an IB program. Or maybe one should be built at Gunn if it has six truly usable acres.
I just want to know why they're jumping to conclusion and not studying the issue? What was their decision to completely drop the study of a third school (ie: What would it take? What would be the cost? Where could it go? Where could it NOT go? etc.)
Don't we need to at least understand what we're talking about (or not talking about)??? I don't understand how this district makes decisions.
In a recent interview I did with Judy Miner, President of Foothill College and member of the Palo Alto High School Task Force, I asked her what she thought of the high school's task force's decision not to open a third comprehensive high school at Cubberely.
"I'm thrilled," she said.
Currently the college has 19,000 students, and Miner wants to see the school expand to 25,000 in five years. She particularly wants to expand the "Middlefield campus," housed in the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto. The off-campus site offers a pharmacy tech program and emergency medical training, but the college has a new name in the works as part of a bigger and better school: The Northern California Center for Career Pathways.
"We really need that space and I think there is incredible potential there," Miner said. "What we want to do is develop a new career program that would be housed at Middlefield and provide enough general education coursework, so if a student chose, they could do their entire program at the Middlefield campus."
By the fall of 2008, the Middlefield campus may offer child development programs, she said. Foothill is also working closely with Mountain View and Los Altos high schools to offer more college credit courses.
Thank you Susan for bringing this to our attention.
I feel sure that this is news to most of us here in Palo Alto and it would be good to find out more on these plans.
The fact that we have a HSTF member with a conflict of interest is also worth knowing.
Yes, such conflict of interest is absolutely incredible. To have someone on a task force who has a desire to not even consider one option for the public school because his/her employer would not be happy is unbelievable.
This is how corrupt towns operate. I used to live in the supposedly most corrupt state in the nation. I naively believed I was moving to the land of transparent and ethical govt.
But the more I learn, the more I get confused about where I live!!
Maybe I will stop trying to fix my accent and just bring what I learned elsewhere to bear here.
Just to clarify, the HSTF has met only twice to date, May 16 and Sept 19. The Sept 11 BOE presentation and recommendation for moving the 3rd high school discussion to the PAUSD Property Committee was made by the HSTF Planning committee - Asst Super Laurence, the 2 high school principals, the dir of secondary ed Cohen and former Paly principal Pearson - not the full task force. None of the HSTF members, including Judy Minor, voted on the change.
Further, fyi, the task force includes not only reps from Foothill, but also Stanford and the City of Palo Alto, as well as parents, teachers and administrators from the 2 high schools and other reps within the district for a total membership of more than 20 people. This task force presents an opportunity to think outside the box to meet the needs of our growing high school population. Foothill currently runs Middle College, an existing program for some of our high school students, so they are PAUSD's educational partner now and a welcome participant at the table.
PS. OOps - A Gunn and Paly student are also members of the task force.
If that group was not qualified to consider whether to recommend that the property committee further inquire about the feasibility of opening a new third high school, who will be? I thought they were meetingto determine the need, not all the logistics.
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Aiutaci: queste pornostar appaiono in questo video?
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I would love to cum all over her belly. But I guess I'll just cum all over my own instead. :)
I watch her too and i had to due the same thing. I would love to find a young pussy that never been touch and put my 8inch cock in her. I would love to have a young pussy come over and due me when i home by myself
shame it was fake though
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Hot brunette Girl with a nice pussy
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whats her name?
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show some more pussies
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I want to suck cock as she gives me head.
you can suck my cock anytime you what
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A bit too much bar-slut vibe for me.
Dam you look like my ex girlfriend sister and how much i would love to watch her play with her pussy like you doing hear and how much i would love to fuck her but she married and i would have some advice so i can get her to fuck me
Unbelievably hot.... OMG....
bad fake is bad
i want to fill her with 10 of man meat and a hot load of cum deep inside her hot pussy
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do. not. look. into. the. camera!
.hu wants to FUCK in Hamilton
my dick and i sock her pussy. her lovely
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would love to play with that pussy and lick that too. I would love to put my cock into something her pussy. I would love to fill on my cock sliding up and down on my big cock
What a pretty little babe. I think she's perfect. Made my cock so hard, now I want to unload in her mouth.
The voluptious body was made in order to .... DO. How many men were offered ?
I,d like to fuck her their in her pussy she's need to be fucked I,d stick in real good and fuck her good I,d suck her titties to .
ungeschminkt, unoperiert, einfach eine geile natürliche frau, die bock macht... so wie sie ist.
Hunter games,it reminds me of hunter games.
what a girl.........
I fuck u so hard
I'm obsessed -- my dick is sore from the pounding I've been giving it to this video. Are there any more of her out there?
is Anna White from Shiny Tease
You are so nice :)
love how you playing with your pussy and wish i could play with you and put my dick into something like that soon
That would suck to be dumped by her!
te quiero ver en persona para podertela meter
fuck harder miss
A quite beautiful girl with perfect body I've ever seen. What she lacks is some pubic hair. I can smell the scent of her horniness.
you looklovely darl.i wish icould fk you
fuck yes
Good eye LF, it is fake! What a shame!
Her name? anything? She's one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen!
This is the real life? is this just fantasy?
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estas bien buena y te qui siera me ter la berga mamacita
bor geil
so nice
Shame The End Bit Was Faked, But The Beginning Wasnt. Watch Her Groin & Stomach Muscles, T
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cute little tits, I could watch them jiggle all day long
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search shiny you'll find a few more of her...
searching for have sex gilles breuzin disco-lab
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Perfect tits
Was good up till the end
Love to watch chicks jacking-off, particularly when they seem to be truly enjoying it. Very hot!
does someone konw what the name of her is? shes beautiful
she said her name was anna. sounds like a brummy?? wonder if she needs a hand?
i must have watched thousands of vids and she is the most beautiful sexy girl ive ever seen.love to meet her.
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i wont to get in the tv
she is young and Beautiful and knows what to do she needs a male companion though between her thighs
Never seen a girl so beautiful!!
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text:
When it comes to confession, Apple is once again the forbidden fruit.
The Vatican said that iPhone users cannot employ the gadgets to confess their sins. The statement, from Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, came after an iPhone application was launched and sanctioned by the Catholic Church in the United States. But officials clarified that it can be used to guide the faithful in the sacrament, not carry it out.
"One cannot speak in any way of confessing via iPhone," Lombardi said, adding that confession required the presence of the penitent and the priest.
"This cannot be substituted by any IT application," Lombardi added.
Confession: A Roman Catholic app takes Catholics through the sacrament and includes a "personalized examination of conscience for each user."
The $1.99 application, marketed by LittleiApps, was never intended to is not designed to replace going to confession but to help Catholics through the act, which generally involves admitting sins to a priest in a confessional booth.
Vatican officials have used sites like Facebook to "spread the word of God," though some have warned about the dangers of social networking with strangers on the Internet.
Selected Reading: Reuters, Bloomberg News, Christian Science Monitor.


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Overview Incidence Risk Factors Symptoms Evaluation Treatment questions for doctor specialist Home Care catheter care pain control warning signs Prevention Complications Underlying Cause Anatomy
Full and Painful Bladder Catheter Care
After Catheter Removal Care
- Drink plenty of fluids to flush out your urinary system
- Use pain medications as prescribed by your urologist.
- Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen for mild pain.
Basic Catheter Care
- Wash your hands. This helps avoid infection.
- Gently wash the area (twice a day for men; once a day for women) with soap and water where the catheter enters your body. This may be done in the shower, but not in the bath. Do not take a tub bath while you have a catheter in place.
- Dry the area gently.
- Males with a Foley catheter should place a small amount of Bacitracin ointment on a Q-tip and apply it to the tip of the penis where the catheter enters. If you can, do this twice each day. This will help keep the area from becoming infected.
Use of the Leg Bag
If you are up and about, you'll want to use a leg bag to drain your urine. The bag is attached to the end of your catheter and is strapped to your thigh.
Empty your leg bag every 3-4 hours or sooner if it is 1/2-3/4 full.
To empty the bag:
- Wash your hands.
- Stand or sit near a toilet or sink
- Loosen the strap closest to your knee so that the bag hangs over the toilet (or sink).
- Push lever on the bottom of the bag out and down.
- Drain the urine.
- Close the lever.
- Wash your hands.
Night Drainage Bags
Before you go to sleep at night, you should change your drainage bag to a night bag (see next section). When you aren't using your leg bag, it should be washed out with soap and water and hung up to dry. This should be done once a day.
The night drainage bag is larger than the leg bag and holds more urine. It is designed to hang on the side of a bed or chair, or to be attached to any loose-fitting pants (such as sweat pants). Remember, your urine drains into the bag by gravity, so you need a bag that will be below the level of your bladder. So whenever you are spending a lot of time lying down or sitting still, the night bag will work better. The night bag should always be used at night while you are sleeping.
Using a night drainage bag:
- Wash your hands.
- Empty the leg bag as explained above.
- Pinch off the catheter with your fingers.
- Disconnect the leg bag.
- Clean the tip of the night bag with an alcohol swab, and then connect the night bag to the catheter.
- Tape the catheter to your thigh so that the bag doesn't "pull" on the catheter when you lay down. That is, make sure there is some slack above the tape.
- Wash your hands.
- When you get into bed, arrange the tubing so that it does not kink or loop.
- Hang the night bag on the side of your bed, or place it on the floor. Be sure to keep the bag below the level of your bladder at all times.
- In the morning, wash your hands and empty the night bag into the toilet.
- Clean the tip of the leg bag with an alcohol swab.
- Pinch off the catheter, and re-connect the leg bag.
- Rinse out the night bag with soap and water, and hang it up to dry.
- Wash your hands again.
Other Catheter Tips
- Drink 4-6 glasses of water a day to keep your kidneys and bladder flushed out.
- You may shower, but do not take a tub bath.
- You may feel "bladder spasms" while your catheter is in place.
- This might feel like a cramp or a sudden, strong urge to urinate.
- You might feel it when you are moving your bowels, which is normal.
- If spasms are causing a lot of discomfort, let your doctor know.
- Take any prescribed medications.
- Keep scheduled appointments.
Continue to Full and Painful Bladder Pain Control
Last Updated: Nov 24, 2010 References
Authors: Stephen J. Schueler, MD; John H. Beckett, MD; D. Scott Gettings, MD
Copyright DSHI Systems, Inc. Powered by: FreeMD - Your Virtual Doctor
PubMed Full and Painful Bladder References
- Acheson J, Mudd D. Acute urinary retention attributable to sacral herpes zoster. Emerg Med J. 2004 Nov;21(6):752-3. [15496718]
- Ghalayini IF, Al-Ghazo MA, Pickard RS. A prospective randomized trial comparing transurethral prostatic resection and clean intermittent self-catheterization in men with chronic urinary retention. BJU Int. 2005 Jul;96(1):93-7. [15963128]
- Jensen P, Mikkelsen T, Kehlet H. Postherniorrhaphy urinary retention--effect of local, regional, and general anesthesia: a review. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2002 Nov-Dec;27(6):612-7. [12430114]
- Thomas K, Chow K, Kirby RS. Acute urinary retention: a review of the aetiology and management. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2004;7(1):32-7. [14999235]


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Shopping: Our Ten Must-Have Items For May
Shopping: Our Ten Must-Have Items For May
We might not indulge in all of our must have items every month, but there's no harm in making a list. This May, as the weather is getting warmer, we find ourselves wanting items that will ease the transition to spring. Whether it's an item in a bright hue or a lightweight fabric we're keen on shedding our winter style in favor of a more optimistic, summer-appropriate look. Check out our ten must have items for this month in the gallery below.
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Future of Jays hinges on Halladay
Ace's situation impacts rotation, direction of ballclub
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
The Jays entertained trade proposals for Halladay this past season and, given the current state of the organization, the club will likely continue to field offers over the winter. Toronto's financial situation may not allow it to pursue marquee free agents this offseason, leading manager Cito Gaston to wonder if seeing what is out there for Halladay might be the best option.
"If we don't add anybody or go get somebody that can help out, I doubt if we keep him," Gaston said. "That's just my opinion. I don't know that. Would it make any sense? Probably not."
Gaston's comments are based on the fact that Halladay is eligible to become a free agent following the 2010 season. The Jays would love nothing more than to keep the ace right-hander in the fold, but Halladay's desire to take the mound in the postseason might not make that possible. Toronto hasn't reached the playoffs since 1993, and the chances of making a run next year are slim.
For Halladay, being convinced that the Jays can contend quickly is his top priority.
"To me, it's based on being a contender," Halladay said. "Sometimes there's other ways to do it than just payroll alone, but I don't know. For me, it's going to be, 'How soon can we win?', and, 'How soon can we compete?' How do we go about it really isn't my concern, as long as I feel like we're going to be competitive and have a legitimate chance.
"I have a year left, so I'd like to win next year."
After the Blue Jays dismissed general manager J.P. Ricciardi on Saturday, Halladay said the GM was "probably the biggest reason I was here for the last eight years." That being the case, the star pitcher was asked if hanging the reins to new general manager Alex Anthopoulos might influence Halladay's decision to potentially sign an extension down the road.
"I don't think I can go that far right now," Halladay said. "I think you look at all that and evaluate it, but I'm not going to make a decision at this point based on that. I think there's still good people here. Obviously, I've enjoyed [interim president and CEO] Paul Beeston and think he's great. Alex has been great.
"It's not about evil replacing good or anything like that. It's somebody that you like that is gone and you just have to kind of look at the change and move on."
Anthopoulos indicated that he is going to chart out a plan and direction in the coming weeks before discussing what type of payroll the Blue Jays will have in 2010. The organizational direction will play a major role in Halladay's future.
Halladay's value will be higher this winter than it will be closer to the Trade Deadline next July 31, so exploring trade packages would seem to make sense. Then again, the Blue Jays believe their rotation will be stronger next year after injuries forced a youth movement in 2009. When Spring Training arrives, Gaston feels the pitching staff will be well ahead of where it was the previous year.
"Without a doubt," Gaston said. "Last year, we went out and got some older players to come into Spring Training to see if they could make the club. I don't think you really need to do that. I think you have enough kids, and hopefully you're going to get [Shaun] Marcum back."
Beyond Halladay's situation, Marcum's status will also have a major impact on the Jays. Over the offseason, Toronto needs to find a shortstop and a catcher, and the team would like to add a power bat to its lineup. However, it will be the possible returns of Marcum (right elbow), Dustin McGowan (right shoulder) and Jesse Litsch (right elbow) that could determine the team's 2010 fortunes.
Gaston is looking forward to seeing how Marcum bounces back. The experience gained by young pitchers Ricky Romero, Marc Rzepczynski, Brett Cecil, David Purcey and others in 2009 was important, but adding a tested arm such as Marcum to the mix for Opening Day could make the Jays that much stronger on the mound.
"It's a shame, I didn't get a chance to really see this kid be himself," Gaston said. "Even Doc told me, he said, 'Cito, you'll love this kid. He's not overpowering, but he knows how to pitch.' I never really saw that out of him last year, because he was never healthy.
"I'm hoping that he comes to Spring Training healthy and I get to see that Shaun Marcum that everybody talked about. If he comes in, he certainly can help this ballclub. That's where we need some help, the starting rotation."
Especially if Halladay is no longer in the picture.
Contract issues
Free agents: Rod Barajas, C; Michael Barrett, C; John McDonald, SS; Kevin Millar, 1B; Marco Scutaro, SS.
Eligible for arbitration: Jeremy Accardo, RP; Jose Bautista, UTIL; Shawn Camp, RP; Raul Chavez, C; Edwin Encarnacion, 3B; Jason Frasor, RP; Brandon League, RP; Shaun Marcum, SP; Dustin McGowan, SP; Brian Tallet, RP.
Non-tender possibilities: Jeremy Accardo, RHP; Jose Bautista, UTIL.
Rod Barajas, .226 BA, 19 HRs, 71 RBIs
Raul Chavez, .258 BA, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs
Kyle Phillips, .284 BA, 9 HRs, 30 RBIs (AAA/AA)
J.P. Arencibia, .236 BA, 21 HRs, 75 RBIs (AAA)
Brian Jeroloman, .217 BA, 6 HRs, 32 RBIs (AA)
The Blue Jays want to re-sign Barajas, but he may elect to test free agency. If he signs elsewhere, Toronto will receive a compensatory pick in the June First-Year Player Draft and the club will be in the market for a new starting catcher.
First base
Lyle Overbay, .265 BA, 16 HRs, 64 RBIs, .372 OBP
Brian Dopirak, .317 BA, 27 HRs, 102 RBIs, 42 2B (AAA/AA)
After another inconsistent season, Overbay will likely return as the Jays' starter at first base in 2010 -- the final year on his current contract. Toronto might explore trading Overbay, especially with Dopirak knocking on the door in the Minors.
Second base
Aaron Hill, .286 BA, 36 HRs, 108 RBIs, 103 R, 37 2B
Hill came back in a big way after suffering a serious concussion in May 2008, sidelining him for the rest of that season. Hill made his first All-Star team, set club records for homers and RBIs for a middle infielder and might be moved to the No. 3 hole of the lineup in 2010.
Marco Scutaro, .282 BA, 12 HRs, 60 RBIs, 90 BB, 100 R, .379 OBP
John McDonald, .235 BA, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs
Angel Sanchez, .305 BA, 6 HRs, 60 RBIs (AAA)
Scutaro and McDonald are both free agents, but the Jays will likely try to bring one or both back. Toronto does not have a replacement ready in the Minors, so finding a shortstop is a top priority. The Jays would receive two compensatory picks in the next Draft if Scutaro signs with another team.
Third base
Edwin Encarnacion, .225 BA, 13 HRs, 39 RBIs (CIN/TOR)
The Blue Jays acquired Encarnacion from the Reds in the four-player trade on July 31 that sent third baseman Scott Rolen to Cincinnati. Encarnacion is in line to be the starter at third for Toronto in 2010 and the club is hoping he can provide some power to the lineup.
Vernon Wells, .260 BA, 15 HRs, 66 RBIs
Travis Snider, .241 BA, 9 HRs, 29 RBIs
Jose Bautista, .235 BA, 13 HRs, 40 RBIs
Joe Inglett, .284 BA, 6 RBIs, 35 G
Buck Coats, .302 BA, 6 HRs, 56 RBIs, 25 SB (AAA)
Wells struggled through a down year in 2009, and Snider experienced some issues of his own throughout his rookie campaign. The Blue Jays are hoping both can rebound in 2010, and the club might look to upgrade its offense with a corner outfielder over the winter.
Designated hitter
Adam Lind, .305 BA, 35 HRs, 114 RBIs, 46 2B, .562 SLG
Randy Ruiz, .319 BA, 35 HRs, 123 RBIs, 50 2B (TOR/AAA)
There is a chance that Lind will play the outfield in 2010, but he enjoyed a breakout showing as the Jays' primary DH this past season. Ruiz -- a 31-year-old career Minor Leaguer -- is trying to convince Toronto to give him a shot next year as a DH or part-time first baseman.
Roy Halladay, 17-10, 2.79 ERA, 9 CG, 208 K, 230 IP
Shaun Marcum, 2.30 ERA, 15 2/3 IP, 5 GS (A/AA/AAA)
Ricky Romero, 13-9, 4.30 ERA, 141 K
Marc Rzepczynski, 2-4, 3.67 ERA, 60 K, 61 1/3 IP
David Purcey, 1-3, 6.19 ERA, 39 K, 30 BB, 48 IP
Brett Cecil, 7-4, 5.30 ERA, 93 1/3 IP
Scott Richmond, 8-11, 5.52 ERA, 117 K, 138 2/3 IP
Brad Mills, 2-8, 4.06 ERA, 72 K, 84 1/3 IP (AAA)
Jesse Litsch, 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 2 GS
Dustin McGowan, DNP, right shoulder injury
Robert Ray, 1-2, 4.44 ERA 4 GS
Reidier Gonzalez, 4-6, 2.90 ERA, 67 K, 93 IP (AA)
Zach Stewart, 4-1, 1.89 ERA, 93 K, 105 IP (AAA/AA/A)
Behind Halladay, who might be dangled in trade talks this winter, the Jays have a wide assortment of arms in the mix for jobs next year. Romero appears to be a lock for a role, and Marcum (right elbow) will have a job if he returns healthy. It will be an open race for the other spots. Litsch (right elbow) is out of the picture until at least May or June.
Scott Downs, 3.09 ERA, nine saves, 43 K, 13 BB, 46 2/3 IP
Jason Frasor, 7-3, 2.50 ERA, 11 saves, 56 K, 57 2/3 IP
Brandon League, 4.58 ERA, 67 G, 76 K, 74 2/3 IP
Jeremy Accardo, 2.55 ERA, 26 G, 18 K, 24 2/3 IP
Shawn Camp, 3.50 ERA, 50 G, 58 K, 79 2/3 IP
Jesse Carlson, 4.66 ERA, 73 G, 51 K, 67 2/3 IP
Josh Roenicke, 5.23 ERA, 24 G, 33 K, 31 IP (CIN/TOR)
Brian Tallet, 7-9, 5.32 ERA, 37 G, 25 GS, 160 2/3 IP
Dirk Hayhurst, 2.78 ERA, 15 G, 13 K, 22 2/3 IP
Brian Wolfe, 2-2, 8.22 ERA, 14 G
Casey Janssen, 2-4, 5.85 ERA, 21 G, 5 GS
The struggles of B.J. Ryan, leading to his release in July, forced Downs and Frasor to step up as Toronto's closers this year. They will likely share ninth-inning duties again in '10. With the acquisition of the hard-throwing Roenicke, the Jays feel they have a lot of talent in their 'pen for next season.
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Splendour in the Grass off to a shambolic - and muddy - start
Organisers may well hope gumboot fashion and an international music line up will calm frayed tempers after a shambolic start to the Splendour in the Grass Festival.
The first year of the festival's new location outside of Byron Bay was marred by teething problems which sent some fans demanding at least partial refunds.
On Facebook fans grumbled it had taken them up to five hours to enter the North Byron Bay grounds, with too few shuttle buses to transport ticketholders to and from the venue. There were extensive hold ups too at the entrance where fans reported problems with the new microchipped wristbands. Replacing the paper entry bands, they were introduced to cut queues and combat fraud.
One fan claimed to have set out at 12.30pm, and gained entry to the festival site at 6pm, having witnessed several verbal fights break out in the long queue. Once inside, premium ticketed Country Club campers complained there were as few as five showers to share, and drinking water at two amenity blocks had run out.
While skies remain clear, rains earlier this week have turned the grounds soggy underfoot, making gumboots a necessary fashion item but again causing disgruntled fans to complain about hefty mark ups.
Festival organisers appeared to acknowledge the logistical problems, issuing a short statement on Friday night: "We regret that there have been difficulties for both our Country Club patrons and with bus services. We hear you loud and clear and are in the midst of rectifying the issues as best we can. It is our first year at our new home and we feel we laid the best plans, however they have not been executed to the standard Splendour has always prided itself on. The bulk of the weekend is ahead of you and we hope you will enjoy all the splendid things we have planned for you!"
Meanwhile, organisers scrambled to announce line up changes after Sunday's headline act Frank Ocean returned to the US after incurring a small tear to his vocal chords. New Zealand 16 year old Lorde was drafted into the line up, and Iceland's Of monsters and Men will stand in as the festival's headline act.
Alt-J was named as the festival's mystery band.
Linda Morris is an arts and books writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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text:
2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog
WIU Home > Catalog > 2011 - 2012 > Programs
General Studies Degree
Director: Dr. Richard Carter
Office: Horrabin Hall 6
Telephone: (309) 298-1929 Fax: (309) 298-2226
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: wiu.edu/bgs
Western Illinois University offers a unique online bachelor of arts degree program designed to provide non-traditional students an opportunity to earn an undergraduate degree in a manner compatible with their educational needs and lifestyles: the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree. This highly individualized and flexible program recognizes that adults may have attended a variety of educational institutions and accepts transfer of passing coursework taken at other regionally accredited colleges and universities. Students may apply for academic credit through the preparation of a prior learning portfolio, which documents specific college-level knowledge gained through nonacademic pursuits that can be related to WIU courses. Students are encouraged to use the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Excelsior Examinations, and other testing programs. Additionally, students may use online courses or coursework offered through extension sites towards completion of their degree.
Students with baccalaureate degrees from regionally accredited colleges or universities may not be admitted to the WIU Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program. Firefighters who hold a bachelor's degree who would like to complete additional coursework through the Degrees at a Distance Program and attain a second bachelor's degree should contact the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach by calling (309) 298-1929 or via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Admission Requirements
- Applicants who have attended other colleges or universities must:
- have a C average for all work attempted;
- be in good standing at last college or university attended; and
- have had a scheduled high school graduation date at least five years ago; or earned an accredited associate's degree; or successfully completed 60 semester hours of coursework at a regionally accredited institution.
- Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements identified in 1 above may be
considered for admission if they:
- have been separated from higher education institutions for five or more years; and
- submit a letter of explanation to the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach explaining past academic performance and why they should be admitted to the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program.
Any former WIU student admitted to the degree program under option 2 above will continue under the last transcripted academic standing status (e.g., academic probation, academic warning). Applicants who do not meet the criteria indentified in 1 and 2 above may appeal to the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies Advisory Committee for admission. Note: Students who have been academically suspended or dismissed from WIU must be readmitted to the University before seeking admission to the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program.
Admission into the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program does not guarantee admission into any other degree program at WIU.
Transfer Credit
All academic credit earned before admission to the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program, regardless of when the credit was earned, may be transferred into the program provided that:
- The college or university was regionally accredited at the time the credit was earned.
- A grade of A, B, C, D, P, or S was earned.
- The credit could be applied at that institution to an associate or bachelor degree program.
- The course was not a repeated course.
- The course was not remedial or developmental.
- A "C" was earned for the equivalent of freshman composition.
Degrees at a Distance
The Degrees at a Distance Program (DDP) is a certificate program of 13 fire-related, upper division courses recognized by the National Fire Academy (NFA). Members of the fire service may choose to take any number of these courses to enhance their professional growth, and the NFA will award certificates for successful completion. The certificates meet the national fire service and training standards established by the U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Academy and the Department of Homeland Security.
For fire service personnel who would like to take one or more of these courses, and at the same time work toward completing a bachelor's degree at WIU, the degree associated with the DDP is the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies. The NFA has an agreement with WIU's General Studies degree to provide undergraduate certifications in:
- Fire Administration and Management
- Fire Prevention Technology
Through completion of one of the certificates, firefighters will be able to focus their General Studies degree in a fire-related academic area and have the certificate posted on their academic transcripts.
Prior Learning Portfolio Credit
A maximum of 30 credit hours for portfolio assessment may be accepted toward credit for graduation. University faculty evaluate and recommend credit for the prior learning. Upon approval of the department chair and college dean, the academic credit awarded as a result of a portfolio evaluation will be entered on the WIU transcript.
Degree/Graduation Requirements
All students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree must successfully complete the requirements listed below.
General Education: Satisfy the University General Education Curriculum—43 s.h. or the IAI Transferable General Education Core Curriculum requirements listed below: 37–41 s.h.
Courses approved as equivalent to those in the IAI Transferable General Education Core Curriculum may be used (itransfer.org). Courses available in the WIU Arts and Sciences University General Education and Curriculum requirements may also be used).
IAI General Education Core Curriculum: 37–41 s.h.
- Communication: 9 s.h.
3 courses, including a 2-course sequence in writing (6 s.h.) and 1 course (3 s.h.) in oral communication
- Mathematics: 3–6 s.h.
1 to 2 courses
- Physical and Life Sciences: 7–8 s.h.
2 courses, with 1 course selected from the life sciences and 1 course from the physical sciences and including at least 1 laboratory course
- Humanities and Fine Arts: 9 s.h.
3 courses, with at least 1 course selected from humanities and at least 1 course from the fine arts
- Social and Behavioral Sciences: 9 s.h.
3 courses, with courses selected from at least 2 disciplines
No more than 2 courses from any 1 discipline can be used to fulfill General Education Core curriculum requirements.
Students must earn a passing letter grade in each course used to fulfill requirements. A grade of C or better will be required for satisfactory completion of the Communication writing requirements.
- Communication: 9 s.h.
- Grade Point Average (GPA): Earn a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 (C). See page 47 for information about computing GPA.
Semester Hours: Earn a minimum of 120 semester hours. Of the 120 semester hour
- At least 40 must be earned from a senior (4-year) institution.
- At least 40 must be earned in upper division (junior/senior) level courses from a senior (4-year) institution.
- At least 30 must be earned from WIU (at least 16 must be upper division).
- MATH Competency: Demonstrate ability to use baccalaureate-level skills in mathematics. (See University General Education Requirements)
- Writing Requirement: Successfully complete a Writing Instruction in the Discipline (WID) course OR a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS) online writing course*.
- Foreign Language/Global Issues: Fulfill the foreign language/global issues requirement for the degree program.#
- Graduation Application: File an application for graduation in the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach by the following deadlines: fall semester— July 15; spring semester—November 15; summer session—April 15.
- Financial Obligations: Clear all financial obligations to the University before proof of degree will be provided.
#The foreign language/global issues graduation requirement may be fulfilled by successfully completing one of the following: 1) an intermediate foreign language requirement; 2) a General Education global issues course; 3) any major's discipline-specific global issues course; or 4) an approved study abroad program.
*BGS online writing courses: BC 323, 325, 328; CS 320; ENG 380, 381; HIST 422; LEJA 484, 485; PHIL 330; SOC 300, 360; WS 355, 360; UNIV 490.
Undergraduate Certificates
Certificate in Fire Administration and Management: 30 s.h.
Complete the following courses:
- EM 477 Disaster and Fire Defense Planning (3 s.h.)
- EM 478 Managerial Issues in Hazardous Materials (3 s.h.)
- ET 443 Fire Protection Structure and Systems Design (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 481 Fire Administration (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 482 Analytic Approaches to Public Fire Protection (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 483 Personnel Management for the Fire Service (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 484 Fire Prevention, Organization and Management (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 485 Political and Legal Foundations (3 s.h.)
- SOC 487 Application of Fire Research (3 s.h.)
- SOC 488 Community and the Fire Threat (3 s.h.)
Certificate in Fire Prevention Technology: 30 s.h.
Complete the following courses:
- ET 443 Fire Protection Structure and Systems Design (3 s.h.)
- ET 444 Fire Dynamics (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 481 Fire Administration (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 482 Analytic Approaches to Public Fire Protection (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 483 Personnel Management for the Fire and Emergency Services (3)
- LEJA 484 Fire Prevention, Organization and Management (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 485 Political and Legal Foundations (3 s.h.)
- LEJA 486 Incendiary Fire Analysis and Investigation (3 s.h.)
- PSY 481 Fire Related Human Behavior (3 s.h.)
- SOC 488 Community and the Fire Threat (3 s.h.)


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The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has scheduled public hearings on a change to state administrative rules regarding how state forestlands are classified.
The proposed rule refines language within ODF's Forest Land Management Classification System (Oregon Administrative Rule 629-035-0055) to add the classification of "High Value Conservation Areas" within state forest management plans.
The intent is to more clearly organize and display - on land use maps and in data systems, for example - areas of state-owned forests that are currently managed with a conservation emphasis. The rule change seeks to affirm state forests' current contributions to conservation. No changes to projected harvest levels or designations of additional conservation areas are proposed.
Currently, the Forest Land Management Classification System places all state-owned forest land into one of three types: General Stewardship, Focused Stewardship or Special Stewardship, with subclasses assigned for the specific forest resource or uses that require a Focused Stewardship or Special Stewardship classification.
The proposed change would divide the Special Stewardship classification into 1) Special Use and 2) High Value Conservation Areas.
Current language places lands that are managed with a conservation emphasis into subclasses according to specific attributes -- such as wildlife habitat or aquatic/riparian habitat -- or designates lands where timber harvest would be impractical or would put natural resources at risk due to steep slopes, rocky soils or other characteristics. Under the proposed change, all of these lands would be grouped in the new High Value Conservation Area classification. The Special Use category would contain lands with specific uses, such as recreation sites, rock quarries or power line rights-of-way.
Public hearings are scheduled as follows:
Cannon Beach - Tuesday March 12 at the Community Hall, 207 North Spruce beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Hillsboro - Wednesday March 13 at the Hillsboro Main Library, 2850 Brookwood Parkway, beginning at 6:00 p.m.
The hearing locations are accessible to persons with disabilities. Requests for an interpreter for the hearing impaired or other accommodations for persons with disabilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the meeting by calling the Department of Forestry at 503-945-7427.
Public comments along with staff responses and recommendations will be provided to the Board of Forestry for review prior to final rule adoption, which is anticipated in June 2013.
The proposed rule revision applies to all Board of Forestry-owned lands--the Tillamook, Clatsop and Santiam state forests in northwestern Oregon, the Gilchrist and Sun Pass state forests east of the Cascades, and scattered small parcels throughout Oregon. The revised land classification system would also apply to the Elliott State Forest near Coos Bay, although the Elliott's forest management plan already includes designated conservation areas as one strategy to achieve overall plan objectives. Most of the Elliott is under jurisdiction of the State Land Board, made up of the governor, state treasurer and secretary of state. An agreement is in place under which the Department of Forestry provides management.
The draft rule language is available for review on the Oregon Department of Forestry web site at: http://www.oregon.gov/odf/Pages/FLMCS-Rulemaking.aspx
Written comments on the proposed amended rule are being accepted through April 5, 2013, and may be sent to ODF through several routes:
Fax to -- (503) 945-7376 Attn: John Barnes


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Aviva Premiership
Stevens extends Sarries stay
ESPNscrum Staff
February 23, 2012
Matt Stevens has committed his future to Saracens © Getty Images
England prop Matt Stevens has extended his contract with Saracens.
The former Bath prop, who was named as a substitute for England's Six Nations clash with Wales on Saturday, was given a route back into the game in 2011 after a two-year ban for taking a recreational drug. And he has taken advantage of second chance by playing a central role in Sarries' charge to Aviva Premiership title last season and winning back his place in the England squad.
"It was an incredibly easy decision. I could not imagine playing anywhere else," said Stevens.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: "Matt is widely recognised as a world-class player, performing week in week out at the very highest level. We are fortunate to have a player of such quality within our squad, and we are very pleased he has agreed to extend his contract."
Meanwhile young hooker Jamie George has also signed a contract extension with Saracens. The 21-year-old, former England under-20 international, is vying with Schalk Brits and former Springboks hooker John Smit at Saracens but has already made a significant impact for the first team.
George said: "I have always been a Saracen and I hope I always will be a Saracen."
McCall added: "Jamie knows how much he is valued at this club. He's a hugely talented young hooker and a natural leader with massive potential in the game and we are delighted he has chosen to keep working hard to fulfil that potential at Saracens."
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Communication error please reload the page.


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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
LEADERS: Azerane Bam BinkyBunny JerseyGirl LBJ10 LittlePuffyTail LongEaredLions RabbitPam
Congratulations! I hope that brings in lots of donations!! I always get nervous about Easter. It really is the worst time for rabbits, or at least it will be a couple of months after Easter when many of the people, that were unprepared and uneducated, will give bunnies to a shelter or worse, just dump them.
So I hope the article will really help pump up the donation part so that the Haven can get geared up for the unfortunate post Easter bunnies.


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Tantalizing Talk About Technology
In this section we will have a brief overview of the implementation of anything new, wired or not, along with how it is being used. Often we will have Web site critiques for your use in this section. If you have a good web site, use our critique format and submit it for publication to this section.
We would like to challenge you and be challenged by you! Stay tuned as this section blossoms....


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Graham Contracting, part of Calgary, Alberta-based Graham Group Ltd., has as partners Balfour Beatty, Inc. and Denver-based Hamon Contractors, Inc.
The North Metro project is part of RTD's FasTracks transit network of expanded bus, light rail, and regional rail lines. North Metro is a proposed 18.4-mile electrified regional rail line, one of only two such U.S. lines currently being created west of the Mississippi River, that will connect Denver Union Station and Adams County points.
The consortium expects to complete work on most of the line by January 2018, according to RTD General Manager Phil Washington. "We'll negotiate with the team for a three- to four-year hold on the price of the option" to build the remaining portion of the line, between 124th and 162nd, in case more money becomes available, Washington told local media.
RTD plans to pay for the project by issuing $480 million worth of certificates of participation, which the agency can do because it owns the right of way for the line and can use that, as well as the line and rail cars, as collateral, Washington said.
"We want to give the notice to proceed in Denver and we want to break ground in January or February — we are FasTracking this," Washington said.
The Graham Group submitted an unsolicited proposal last February to build the line, which RTD found worth considering even as it asked for competing bids.


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UPDATE: Worst fears of Trimingham residents realised as woman suffers stroke while phone lines are down
PUBLISHED: 16:16 21 November 2012
The worst fears of Trimingham residents left without a BT line for nine days were confirmed when an elderly man spent 40 minutes looking for a mobile phone to call an ambulance after his wife suffered a stroke.
The 16 bungalows in Broadwood Close lost their landline and internet connection on November 7.
As reported earlier, resident Steve Howe raised concerns about the safety of his elderly and vulnerable neighbours, who don't have mobile phones, and called for the fault to be fixed as a matter of urgency.
The woman, who is in her 80s, suffered a stroke last Thursday - the day before the line was reconnected.
Vital minutes were wasted as her husband, who doesn't want to be identified, went from house to house to find a neighbour with a mobile phone signal to call for help.
Mr Howe said: "They say with a stroke that time is of the essence. My neighbour had no way of calling for help. It must have been very distressing for him. He eventually managed to find someone with a mobile phone and his wife got rushed to hospital."
He added: "There was always a risk of something like this happening. Two of my neighbours have panic buttons in their homes which haven't been working while the line was off. One of them is 92 and blind."
A BT spokesman said an engineer had visited Broadwood Close on Thursday, November 15 and diagnosed that around 115 metres of underground cabling needed to be replaced to make this repair. He said they were back on site on Friday, November 16, to carry out the cabling works and reconnect the lines.
Mr Howe, whose work in the printers and copiers industry has suffered because he cannot use the internet, confirmed the BT phone line was restored on Friday, but said the service was still intermittent. He said the outage had cost him thousands of pounds in lost business but he had only been offered £1 a day in compensation.


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- Malaysian Grand Prix
Tired Sepang needs investment
- Race:
- Malaysian Grand Prix
- Championship:
- FIA Formula One World Championship
- Circuits:
- Sepang International Circuit
Malaysia's Formula One venue is "tired" and needs a "revamp", circuit boss Razlan Razali admitted as drivers arrived for this year's race.
Sepang was the first of the new wave of Hermann Tilke-designed tracks to join the Formula One calendar, but the inaugural event dates back 12 years and the place is now beginning to look worn. Razali told local newspaper Today that, for example, the roofs of the unique grandstands are in need of major repairs after years of exposure to the weather.
"We need to revamp the whole circuit," he said. "The membrane on the roof of our main grandstand has already outlived its usefulness and has to be replaced. We are still 'version 1', but I am not saying Sepang should be like Abu Dhabi, which is already 'version 1001', but at least our track needs to get on par with Shanghai and Bahrain."
Razali said the cost of bringing Sepang up to scratch is more than $60 million. "Without it , we have been able to improve only the paddock area, which Bernie usually frequents. But, seriously, lots more need to be done, there are cracks here and there that need patching."
He said the Malaysian government was fully supportive of the Grand Prix for the first "four or five years" but then lost interest. "Maybe with the change in leadership, some ministries did not think Sepang and motor sport were important to Malaysia."
Government officials visited the track last week. "It is a good sign," said Razali. "I think with Lotus Formula 1 on the grid and our very own Fairuz Fauzy in the team, interest from the government is returning. Should they approve our request for funds, we can get to work immediately and get Sepang up to speed by next year."
Three years ago Bernie Ecclestone criticised the venue saying it had "become like an old house that needs a bit of redecorating. It's starting to get a little shabby and looks a bit tired. The circuit itself is fine, it's the general structure around. There is rubbish all over the place and it's not really a good sign for Malaysia. We're on worldwide television and it needs to look good, much like in the beginning."


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I wonder if the problems all came up with was Bargnani. This seems like a time when BC may make a desperation move to save his job. The raptors can't get much worse so how bad could a trade be?LOS ANGELESOn the sun-baked campus of UCLA, with the players and coaches wandering to the bus after a couple of hours of practice, Bryan Colangelo summed up the state of the Raptors with little equivocation.
This situation is, from all standards, unacceptable, the teams president and general manager said. Its disappointing, its embarrassing but this is where we find ourselves.
Where the Raptors find themselves is in a funk of unimaginable proportions. Theyve reached the quarter mark of the NBA regular season with a dismal 4-16 record, theyve lost nine of their last 10 games and the capitulation in Fridays 131-99 drubbing in Salt Lake City was cause for enough concern that players and coaches held a 25-minute soul-searching session immediately after the game.
Its obviously something we are addressing, we continue to look and evaluate. Again, 4-16 is unacceptable, Colangelo said.
Colangelo, who had long planned to join the team here at the end of a season-long road trip, was going to continue his fact-finding mission with a series of private sessions with some players and the coaching staff Saturday night.
Theres been a lot of dialogue, a lot of discussion, he said. Its constant evaluation of what were doing and how were doing it and why were doing it.
With a team going as poorly as the Raptors are, there are inevitable rumours circulating about trades and other roster moves and the future of the men in charge.
Colangelo, whose contract is not guaranteed past this year, and coach Dwane Casey, who has already had his 2013-14 option picked up, are the two most prominent targets for public angst.
But thats no greater than the pressure they put on themselves.
Were all under a microscope now, as should be the case, including myself, said Colangelo. We clearly have to make this right.
There might not be a quick fix, however. While rumours are abundant most swirling around enigmatic forward Andrea Bargnani the GM said hes not going to make a move simply to make a move. He believes its prudent to take a calm and measured path in his constant discussions about improving the roster.
Were always pursuing every possible avenue to get better, he said. When teams struggle, it creates opportunity sometimes. Sharks begin circling and different things start popping up but you cant believe everything thats been written out there, you cant focus on one thing or one player.
Youve got to look at this as a disappointing situation that were trying to make better.
With Casey saying earlier Saturday that he wasnt about to tinker with his starting lineup (although minutes and rotations will change according to production, the coach said), Colangelo defended the skill level of his team.
I dont believe this is a talent issue, he said. I think its a lack of focus, attention to detail, consistency of competing. Weve shown flashes of very good basketball, just not good enough to pull out games when we need to pull them out.
Casey said the post-game meeting in Salt Lake City didnt unearth any new revelations about whats wrong with the team. But he did say it was good to hear players come to the same conclusions the coaches have.
Its always good to hear them verbalize it and say it and speak to the issues that they feel are issues and, lo and behold, theyre the same issues that as a staff we saw and see, he said.
They tend to be honest when theyre talking about other players and the issues that are at hand pretty brutally honest and thats what you want.
You want guys to be honest and open.


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EVANSTON, Ill., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Multiracial people who are categorized as black may encounter stereotyping and prejudice, U.S. researchers suggest.
Destiny Peery, a graduate student in psychology, and Galen V. Bodenhausen, professor of psychology and marketing at Northwestern University, are co-investigators of the study "Black + White = Black" -- which suggests the immediate response of non-black study participants is to categorize a racially ambiguous person as black when it was known that one of the person's parents was black and one was white.
In the study, non-black study participants were asked to view a series of profiles of college students, with photos that depicted each one as black, white or racially ambiguous. Some of the racially ambiguous photos were accompanied with profiles indicating that one of the student's parents is black and the other is white.
Later, when participants completed spontaneous or immediate racial categorization tasks, they were more likely to consider the racially ambiguous faces to be black when they knew the person had mixed-race ancestry, than when they did not have that knowledge, the researchers said.
However, the study, published in the journal Psychological Science, said that upon more thoughtful reflection, study participants were more likely to categorize the same faces with the known mixed-race parentage as "multiracial."


text: They're not even trying anymore. Naked Gun and Hot Shots, they had a PLOT! And when they spoofed movies, they put their own spin on things and didn't simply rehash the scenes. Plus they actually had regular jokes that didn't involve spoofing. You know a character spoof or a cameo is bad if you have to say the name of the person.


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TechAmerica's Trey Hodgkins saya 'horse and buggy-era' funding is part of the problem in federal procurement. (Stock image)
The government has to undertake a wholesale review of the way it buys IT products and services in the wake of the meltdown of Health and Human Service's HealthCare.gov website, according to a procurement expert at a technology trade group.
"We're using Cold War-era processes" to buy IT technology, Trey Hodgkins, senior vice president of global public sector at TechAmerica, said during an Oct. 28 teleconference.
The federal budgeting process that fuels government procurement is also broken, adding to the IT problem. "We're using horse-and-buggy era funding processes to fund leading-edge technology. It can't keep pace. It's arcane and has a three-to-five year lead-time."
Hodgkins maintained that the HealthCare.gov crisis only further emphasized what TechAmerica has been saying for some time -- that regulations, some of which were created before the 1980s and pre-date cloud and mobile computing -- are a tall obstacle for innovation.
Recent efforts at procurement reform have been knee-jerk reactions to specific, sometimes egregious, contracting cases that failed to address wider reform, he said.
Hodgkins said he hopes any changes that result from the negative exposure of HealthCare.gov will offer a chance for a wholesale review of the procurement process, from regulations to the workforce to technological issues.
The need for a leaner, more efficient system has been recognized for a long time, according to Hodgkins, but he warned against more quick-fix tweaks.
Initial low-hanging fruit that could be addressed include incentivizing federal procurement workers to get the most effective solutions for each contract. He said less emphasis might be placed on the price in favor of an effective solution.
He called "lowest priced, technically acceptable" solutions "a fad" that doesn't contribute to value in the long run, particularly for IT goods and services. "Cheap printers are nice, but if it doesn't work it's not worth it," he said.
Making it easier for commercial entities to participate in federal procurement would inject IT solutions and products more quickly and easily into government projects.
HealthCare.gov, he said, was put together using a disjointed process that began with an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract from 2007, which predated the health care law and did not include a truly competitive bidding process. The site was cobbled together with task orders cut from that contract. The project, he said, would have been better served if the agency drew up a full and open contract for the specific project and put it out for competitive bids.
About the Author
Mark Rockwell is a senior staff writer at FCW, whose beat focuses on acquisition, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy.
Before joining FCW, Rockwell was Washington correspondent for Government Security News, where he covered all aspects of homeland security from IT to detection dogs and border security. Over the last 25 years in Washington as a reporter, editor and correspondent, he has covered an increasingly wide array of high-tech issues for publications like Communications Week, Internet Week, Fiber Optics News, tele.com magazine and Wireless Week.
Rockwell received a Jesse H. Neal Award for his work covering telecommunications issues, and is a graduate of James Madison University.
Click here for previous articles by Rockwell.
Contact him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter at @MRockwell4.
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An individual's walking gait will be the first biometric used to continuously authenticate mobile warfighters.
The former chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the lead sponsor of the IT procurement bill FITARA is calling it quits.
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord has been replaced as the chair of the group overseeing the massive cloud initiative known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure.
Government application of the ledger technology lags behind the hype, but expect more experiments to take off in the coming months.
After a 2017 filled with uncertainty and slipped deadlines, the Census Bureau faces a critical 2018 that could make or break the constitutionally mandated count.
Nick Sinai and Steve Kelman contend that a great way to "drain the swamp" is to fix the Do Not Pay shared service that was created to combat fraudulent and improper payments.
Although I think that procurement does need to be reviewed, we seem to be missing the real issues of the healthcare.gov failures. Some great comments here, but DC FED is really getting at the heart of the issue. What happened with healthcare.gov is symptomatic of federal IT, in which feds continue the "big bang" approaches to buying. Until leadership understand this is a fool's errand, we can expect more healthcare.gov, and subsequent waste of hundred of millions of dollars with little to show for the investment. Agile, load testing, system engineering, etc. are all buzzwords, as little is being done to effectively bring IT capability and innovation with software development into the federal space. These skill sets simply do not exist at the federal level internally, and many qualified companies are shut out because they do not have the access and the marketing muscle like the larger firms (e.g. the normal cast of characters, or the "IT Cartel" Vivek Kundra mentioned). We need to realize these problems are not so much about the rules and regulations, but the purposeful inflexibility federal leaders put into federal IT to propagate empire building and jobs programs for themselves, in addition to large companies and their Congressional influencers (lobbyists). If capability was desired, we would have real accountability, carefully crafted requirements that are achievable within budgetary and scheduling constraints, and real opportunities for commercial firms and small businesses, in particularly, with innovative solutions to transform the federal IT landscape. However, ignorance is bliss, and profitable.
I think the author is either poorly informed or egregiously disingenuous. The Federal Government acquisition workforce has numerous, very flexible, tools at our disposal to procure products and services . Nothing in the world says that any contracting officer must use LPTA in a source selection. The Government has every right to purchase the higher quality printer, providing that this is what they defined as their requirement up front. Poorly chosen acquisition strategies, including bad source selection criteria or failure to purchase commercially available solutions, are a matter of incompetence, not lack of tools. Yes, by all means, we could modernize certain things, but saying that we are significantly constrained by the rules gives an unfair crutch to those who merely failed to manage their acquisition effectively and make use of the flexibility available within the system.
Good article - "never let a good crisis go to waste" - this crisis certainly throws a spotlight on IT implementation in fed gov't, from budget to procurement to execution and operation.
@DC_Fed - concur that IT capability is a deficit in fed gov. lots of reasons for that, but the budgeting, program, and project management ball and chain in government drives people out. This leads to a death spiral of failure->excessive governance (procurement and IT)->flight of personnel->failure.
While I agree whole heartedly with the coment about LPTA and certainly a bad procurement strategy can tie the hands of a capable USG Program Manager in this case the Program Management (Leadership and Decision Making Process both by individuals and the group) failed. When the USG decided to be their own System Integrator they made what should be a career decision for the failed managers. They declared their own mastery as professionals and weren't up to the job. What would be said of a contractor in that position?
The acquisition process is arcane, inefficient and in severe need of reform/modernization. However, blaming the failure of Healthcare.gov on a lack of competitive bidding and a sluggish procurement process is disingenuous at best. It wont matter what kind of procurement process or vehicle you use if you dont pay attention to the fundamentals and that starts with strong and competent project leadership at the PM level and the project's CTO. An honest evaluation of this massive failure is going to point out the lack of qualified and committed program leaders from the Fed workforce as well as the contractors. You can already see the evidence of that statement by the way each leader that has been interviewed has publicly blamed others or dissembled in the face of probing inquiry. They don't know, or won't admit, what went wrong and they dont have a credible plan to fix it. The hearings and news interviews have thus far shown that the entire leadership behaved as rank amateurs lacking technical skills, lacking a grasp of their fiduciary responsibility to anyone but themselves, lacking demonstrable experience managing large scale projects, etc. AND the worst part of all of this, apart from the waste and abuse of the taxpayer, is that by demonstrating their own foolishness, they've painted the rest of the Federal IT workforce with the same brush. The press, the Congress and much of the American public are tagging us as incompetent and incapable. So let's stop trying to find blame for this failure on procurement and put it where it squarely lies, on the Federal and Contractor CO's, COR's, PM's and CTO's (and their political masters). Let's run them out of town on a rail so the rest of us can get on with our work without their spectre hanging over us.
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