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What It Is
A Honda Civic that's not much changed on the outside but greatly improved throughout.
Best Thing
Loads of technology, refined ride, outstanding fuel economy.
Worst Thing
Engine can get buzzy, expensive with all the options.
Snap Judgment
The segment's top-seller shows why it deserves that honor.
I remember gluing an Autozone plastic cupholder to the dashboard of my dad's 1991 Honda Civic. A small gesture on my part, it was a gift nonetheless because he needed it. He'd frequently enjoy a cup of coffee in the car on a chilly Ohio morning, but he was left to his own devices when it came time to figure out where to put it.
As I pressed the keyless door opener in the 2014 Honda Civic, sat down on its leather driver's seat, pushed the starter button, turned on the seat heater, cracked the sunroof, and scrolled through the touchscreen infotainment system, it dawned on me that this car bore the same name as its predecessors, but hardly was it the same car. Most of those aforementioned features are new to the ninth-generation car, keeping up with a segment characterized by downsizing without downgrading.
The ninth-gen was originally supposed to be a backstep in amenities, however, carrying a lower price and less content to contend in a recession-stricken economy. But things got better more quickly than Honda had anticipated, with the 2013 model—the second year of the car's life—receiving a vastly upgraded interior and driving dynamics. In its third year, Honda has nary kept well enough alone. Instead, it has opted to bestow the Civic with a new continuously variable automatic transmission in place of the dated five-speed auto and upgrade the infotainment system in addition to tweaking styling. The 2013 Honda Civic already restored our faith that Honda had once again remembered how to build a compelling compact. The 2014 has impressed us even further.
What We DroveMy father's 1991 Civic was a DX-level sedan, meaning that it couldn't get any more basic. By contrast, the 2014 Honda Civic we had to test was a top-level EX coupe with leather and navigation. Honda hasn't sold anything with a DX badge on it for the better part of a half-decade.
Under the current packaging structure, the most basic Honda Civic one can get is an LX model, which still comes with power windows and power door locks, among a long list of other standard features. After that, Honda bundles its options as full-fledged trim packages: EX, EX with leather (EX-L), and EX-L with navigation. All EX-level models come with a robust 7-inch monitor in the dash, and a phone-based navigation can be installed through Honda's apps for $59, but our car came with the voice command-operated satellite-linked system. With all the toys, it totaled $24,830, including $790 for destination and handling—nearly $6,000 more than a base model.
On the safety front, Honda has heartily upgraded all of its Civics with its new ACE II body structure, which is designed to excel in the IIHS's new small front overlap test. And excel it has, earning Top Safety Pick honors for 2014 and a five-star government safety rating.
The CommuteWe've had other Civics in my family; my bother has an eighth-generation model, which largely uses the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, now with 143 horsepower. The difference: Whereas his car has a five-speed manual at a time when a five-speed auto was optional, the new car comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission that's part of Honda's Earth Dreams portfolio of technologies; a direct-injected Earth Dreams four-cylinder with more power and better fuel economy is also expected sometime soon, but Honda's not rushing it.
And it's not like it needs to. The current engine with the CVT can easily exceed its EPA fuel economy numbers of 29 city/38 highway if driven gingerly. While we averaged 32.1 mpg over our week with the car, we saw as high as 42.3 mpg with little effort. Unless it's put under heavy acceleration, the engine thrums along quietly like a sewing machine. Under more force, however, the CVT does knock the engine into high revs, which gets buzzy without too much added interior vibration. Credit the noise to Honda's frugal use of sound deadening materials, which means it is louder than some direct competitors like the Chevrolet Cruze and Kia Forte. But not by much.
The Grocery RunThe Honda Civic has always been big for its breeches in terms of having the ability to engulf whatever it may need in a relatively small space. The coupe, on the other hand, has always traded off a bit of this in the name of style. While providing a 11.7 cubic-foot trunk, and 60:40 split-folding rear seat for larger items, the pass-through is a little compromised, not being as large as it could be. Likewise, while the Honda Civic sedan's rear seat provides enough leg room for adults, the coupe's isn't really meant for anything more than short trips.
Still, the Civic is comfortable, easily maneuverable, and compact enough that it's a charm to use while navigating a busy parking lot, even if its longer-than-usual doors mean you have to pay a little extra attention to keep from accidentally bumping a neighboring vehicle.
The Weekend FunKvetch as we did, Honda still hasn't tightened up the electric power steering to where it was in the eighth-generation car, which used a less-efficient hydraulic power steering rack. Still, it's class-competitive, but it's not as sporty as it used to be. For that, it's best to splurge an extra $175 for a similarly equipped, but six-speed manual only, Honda Civic Si. That is, if you don't mind the fuel economy penalty as well.
Still, the 2014 Honda Civic EX-L coupe has plenty of endearing qualities, including that seamless new continuously variable automatic transmission with paddle shifters that actually blip the engine and make the car a little more entertaining than it ought to be.
What's more, this car is chock-full of technology in its new infotainment system. On the navigation screen, the map can be pinched to zoom in or out just like a smartphone. Other menus can shift in and out of a mind-numbing number of entertainment and diagnostic readouts, and when parked, Honda's unpublished Easter Egg is that it can play full movies on-screen. There's even a menu in HondaLink that lets you bring up your cell phone screen when coupled with a high-power data cord.
Because if young shoppers like our tech toys, Honda aims to deliver. The only downsides: Honda uses a pressure-sensitive pad for the volume control on the stereo. If you're used to using the knob to adjust volume, you're out of luck, and the new flush pad isn't that easy to use in motion. Also, if you're using the navigation, you have to switch the screen into audio mode before selecting a channel that's not pre-programmed. Good ol' fashion knobs would do a world of good for this car, and this is coming from a guy who's right in the middle of Honda's Gen Y demographic.
SummaryNow in its third year on sale, the ninth-generation Honda Civic has gone from mediocre to good to excellent. Why Honda hasn't been this ambitious with its best-selling compact car until now is beyond us. But we're glad it is.
With the 2014 Honda Civic coupe, the automaker has added some aggressive haunches up front and refined the overall package. We're not huge fans of the new grille, but it serves its purpose and clearly defines the Civic coupe as the sporty model in the lineup. Coupled with new technology and one of the best CVTs out there, Honda ought to have no problem maintaining its segment dominance. A far cry from the 1991 Civic I learned how to drive a manual transmission with—or even my brother's 2008 Civic EX, which doesn't even have as many toys as today's LX model—the 2014 Honda Civic has evolved into a car for people who aspire to luxury without having to pay a premium for it. And we're big fans of what it has to offer.
For people like my dad, Honda will have plenty to keep more budget-sensitive shoppers entertained when it unleashes the fitter-for-2015 Fit subcompact hatchback on the U.S. in just a few months.
Spec BoxPrice-as-tested: $24,830
Fuel Economy
EPA City: 29 mpg
EPA Highway: 38 mpg
EPA Combined: 33 mpg
Cargo Space: 11.7 cubic feet Child Seat Fitment, Second Row: Fair
Estimated Combined Range: 435.6 miles
Intellichoice Cost of Ownership: Average


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Currently BrowsingProductivity
Just a little over two years ago, when I moved from Linux to the Mac, I set out to find an app launcher similar to what I was accustomed to. At the time, Quicksilver was pretty much defunct and Launchbar… well that just didn't click with me. Then I found Alfred and have never looked back.
Dubbing Alfred as a mere application launcher is very misleading though, simply because it's capable of so much more. It a true productivity powerhouse, the backbone of so many of my workflows… An app without which I would feel crippled on a Mac.
As is the case with any vital tool, when I hear the words "New version" or "Major rewrite", I cannot help but cringe and feel a little bit anxious with what lies ahead. Will it remain the crux of my workflow, or will the glue that holds the many intricate pieces together fail? Well… Will it?
Productivity plays an important role in our daily lives and, therefore anything that can enhance it is of interest and deserves closer inspection. For that very reason, we recently reviewed two productivity apps based on The Pomodoro Technique.
Today I decided to take a look at Zonebox, an app aimed at timeboxing tasks. Timeboxing is another popular time management technique, which essentially consists of assigning time limits for the duration of a task. Although initially used by teams in software development, it's gaining more and more traction among individuals as a means of boosting their productivity. Read on to see how Zonebox can help.
I am a man of simple tastes, which is precisely why I love my Mac and the apps on it. I don't want to have to read through lengthy tutorials and spend an hour of my time learning how to use an app before I can start playing around with it — to me, it should just be install the app, open it up and start using it. And it's precisely this that drew me to Moneywiz.
I find that money management apps tend to overwhelm the user with their interface and countless features and aren't really designed with the customer in mind. Moneywiz, however, defines simplicity, yet it does this without compromising on functionality and features. It is, in my mind, the slickest and most usable money management app on the App Store. Here's why.
Evernote may be a brilliant tool for creating text, audio, and image-based notes that live in the cloud, but it's still not so great when it comes time to actually browse through all of your notes — especially the older ones.
Bubble Browser tries to fix this problem, organizing your notes via colorful bubbles and presenting them in a three-panel browser that make it easy to explore Evernote visually. It's a bit lacking in a few areas, and could do with more features, but its cool interface and straightforward navigation may be worth the price of admission alone.
We've probably all set an app to perform a task, convert videos or download a big file, and then walked off to do something else. When you get back, though, the worst possible thing that could happen did; your computer went to sleep, you lost all of your progress, and you have to start over.
Sure, you can change when your Mac goes to sleep in System Preferences, but you have to remember to change it back or you could end up in worse trouble. Let's face it, though, you're not going to remember to constantly change those preferences. You don't have to, though, because Wimoweh is going to keep your Mac awake. Let it know what applications to be on the look out for, and it won't let your Mac sleep. But how does it stand up to competitor Caffeine? We'll find out! (more…)
Minimalist text editors burst on to the Mac app scene a few years back (actually the Soulmen were pioneers of this field back in 2002, but the truly minimalist apps came out years later). Since that time, there has been a proliferation of minimalist text editors—some would even say the category is too crowded. Many of these editors incorporate Markdown or MultiMarkdown syntax for formatting, with some even providing a live preview and standard keyboard shortcuts for applying syntax (see Byword).
I was searching for an app that would easily create HTML, but display the text as rich text, and stumbled upon Texts. I was in for a big surprise when I discovered just how powerful this "minimalist" text editor is. Read on to find out what I mean. (more…)
I went for years not even knowing what a text insertion or text expansion app was, and when I finally did learn, I was so put off by the high prices of some of the big names on the market that it took awhile before I even found out what the big deal was. Once you've started using a text insertion app, though, it's hard to imagine those days of yore, when you used to actually type things. The memories still haunt me.
But man, are those apps expensive, right? Not necessarily, and today we're going to take a look at aText, a great text insertion app with a tiny price tag. But does that mean it's also going to be small on features? We'll check it out! (more…)
Working on your computer can be of huge help or hugely distracting. It's very easy to get anything done on it, but it becomes less likely that you'll get things out of the way when you've got a world of entertaining distractions one click away.
Some people might be mentally strong enough to keep interferences out of their way on their own, but for the rest of us weaklings, it might be a little harder to keep procrastinations out, and that's why productivity methods like Pomodoro are so popular. We've already looked at one Pomodoro technique app this week – Tadam – which is a nice but minimal app, so let's look at another app that's more full-featured. It's called Tomatoes.
In the past few years, plain text has come back as a popular format. Instead of using full-featured word processing and notes apps, many of us are sticking to plain text for everything. It's simple, works everywhere, and an increasing number of new apps are using plain text instead of their own proprietary formats, which makes it even easier to keep your data in sync.
From note-taking to task managers, most of the writing in our lives can be easily formatted from plain text files, with a system of simple syntax instead of proprietary formatting. TaskAgent for Dropbox enters the plain-text app market as a new way to manage your tasks in plain text.

subset: commoncrawl


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Talking with a personal injury lawyer right away after your accident is the right move. If you incurred serious injuries and pain and suffering in the accident and it wasn't your fault, you'll want to receive damages from the at-fault party. This can only be done by filing a personal injury case with an attorney. Once you meet with them, they'll want to gather the following information and evidence.
1. The basics
First, they'll need to know where and when the accident happened. Tell them how you remember the accident happening, and don't leave anything out. If you think of it, at the scene of the accident, take notes for yourself. You'd be surprised how much you forget once a few days or weeks go by, and it's a good idea to have a first-hand, at-the-moment account of the accident.
2. Photographs from the scene, including all involved vehicles and injuries
Your personal injury lawyer will also want to have photographs from the scene. If you can, take photographs of your injuries or any other injuries in your passengers. You should also photograph the cars involved in the accident and the entire scene from different angles. Don't let anyone tell you that you cannot take photos at the scene of the accident.
3. Eyewitness accounts from people at the scene
Passengers in your car or any other eyewitnesses who saw the accident should be spoken to as soon as possible. Get their accounts of what happened, and get their full names and phone numbers so that you can also contact them later if necessary.
4. Police reports
The police officer who responds to the car accident must make a police report of the incident, and you are allowed to have a copy of this. Ask for one as soon as possible.
5. Medical reports
You are also allowed to have any copies of medical reports made by emergency medics at the scene. These may be useful later for your personal injury lawyer. You should also get medics' names and phone numbers in case you need to talk to them later as witnesses or experts.
Making an Appointment With a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have recently been in an accident that was not your fault, any pain and suffering or injuries that you incurred may be able to be returned to you. But starting this process means talking to a personal injury attorney at a personal injury law firm in your area as soon as possible.
Make a consultation appointment with an experienced and trained lawyer in your area as soon as you can to learn more about how they can help you win your case and get you the legal compensation or settlement you deserve. Visit Preszler Law and learn more information from the available resources.


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Audio-Technica supplied more than 120 vocal and instrument microphones for the 50th Annual Country Music Association (CMA) Awards. The awards show featured an extensive selection of Audio-Technica hard-wired microphones, plus Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless systems with AEW-T6100 a handheld microphone/transmitter. Audio-Technica microphones were chosen for their ability to provide clear and consistent audio quality for live broadcast./p>
The CMA Awards presentation is recognized as country music's biggest night and represents the pinnacle of achievement for those involved in country music. Audio-Technica's acclaimed Artist Elite 5000 Series UHF wireless system with the AEW-T6100a hyper cardioid dynamic handheld microphone/transmitter was used for lead vocals The backline mic complement of A-T wired microphones included the AT4081 phantom-powered bidirectional ribbon microphone on guitars; AT4050 multi-pattern condenser microphone on overheads; AT4047/SV cardioid condenser microphone on guitars; AE2500 dual-element cardioid instrument microphone on kick drum; AE5100 cardioid condenser instrument microphone on hi-hat and ride cymbals; ATM650 hyper cardioid dynamic instrument microphone on snare; and ATM350 cardioid condenser clip-on microphone and ATM250 hyper cardioid dynamic instrument microphone on toms drum.


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Eco Nuts Large Size (360 loads)
Do your laundry with Berries! Eco Nuts are berries that grow on a tree and naturally contain soap. Award winning and certified USDA Organic by Oregon Tilth. Our soap nuts are both de-seeded and sterilized for consumer protection - the only soap nuts on the market that are both! Smaller than your average detergent bottle! *Super Saver* at 9 cents per load. By buying this box, you are stopping a huge plastic bottle from ever making it to a landfill. With this product you'll receive three reusable wash bags, instructions, and enough Eco Nuts™ for approximately 360 loads. We guarantee our loads! As with any natural product there can be some variations. If you ever feel you are not getting your loads, please contact us! Note: if you are using an HE (front loading) machine, we recommend our Liquid Detergent. Eco Nuts soap nuts will get the job done, but the liquid works better and is specially formulated for HE machines.


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What do you want to know about your Congressman/Senator's background? Different tools offer varying degrees of information about members of Congress. VoteSmart.org provides excellent background and biographical information. Go to www.votesmart.org and select from the left hand column "Biographical Information." Select your state from the list provided.
Once you have chosen your state, pick Congress.
Then select your Congressman or Senator.
Project VoteSmart.org provides a wealth of information that includes birth dates, educational backgrounds, family information, professional backgrounds, organizational memberships, political experience, committee assignments, Web site addresses, email addresses, capitol office contacts, district office contacts, and campaign office contacts.
Biographical Information from Other Tools
Congresspedia has also compiled detailed biographical information on members of Congress.
Click on your state.
Congresspedia takes you to the state page where you see a list of all the members of Congress from your state.
Click on your representative or senator and you go to a wiki page for that official, complete with useful biographical information covering professional and political experience.
This is Jim Oberstar's Page – Congressman from Minnesota


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The first Colts player elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Art Donovan had a remarkable athletic career. Joining the Baltimore Colts in 1950 was an amazing accomplishment for Donovan, who had been overlooked during his college career at Boston College, but the unfortunate Colts folded after one season. Art Donovan moved to the New York Yanks in 1951 and then played for the Dallas Texans in 1952. Ready for stardom, Donovan moved back to Baltimore to play for the new Colts team. As the Colts turned into a championship team, Donovan developed into one of the best defensive tackles in league history.
Gaining the reputation of being almost impossible to trap, Donovan became one of the most popular players in the league. He was an All-NFL selection in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, and 1958. In addition, he played in five straight Pro Bowls. As great a presence as he was on the field, many feel he was just as valuable to the Colts as a morale builder. With his sharp wit and contagious laughter, Art Donovan makes for an exceptional speaker and memorable spokesperson.
If you want a smart, talented, influential star for a speaking engagement or endorsement, TSE is ready to work for you. We can take care of the Art Donovan speaker negotiations and our expertise can save you time and money.
**Art Donovan Speaker**
Regarded as a jovial and humorous person, Art Donovan is a remarkable person with a winning personality. The list of possible Art Donovan speaker topics extends well beyond the normal sports stories. An Art Donovan speaker appearance will enhance any event.
**Art Donovan Appearance**
Donovan has not only entertained football fans, but children as well. Art Donovan appeared on the children's show "The Adventures of Pete and Pete" on Nickelodeon. From football stardom to kid show adventures, an Art Donovan appearance will be a show-stopping success!
**Art Donovan Endorsement**
Big, strong, fast and smart, Art Donovan embodies the complete player. An Art Donovan endorsement illustrates that your organization is associated with an all around successful image. An Art Donovan endorsement will be sure to complete your company's package.
Complete this form or call (866) 520-7081 to speak with a TSE representative.
|01. Phelps, Digger
|02. Frazier, Walt
|03. Cunningham, Randall
|04. Kornheiser, Tony


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High speed
ECHELON a new era in ruggedized data acquisition systems, it's powerful enough for the lab and rugged enough for the field!
The new ECHELON ruggedized data acquisition systems offers:
Extreme Environmental Performance including IP 67 rated protection against water and dust, shock rating to 100g on 3 axes and -40° to +80° C operating temperature. Sealed connectors, gasketed module interconnects, solid state storage media and low mass, industrial temperature rated components ensure performance in even the harshest conditions.
Distributed processing ensures streaming and process capabilities, regardless of channel count. Each Echelon processor module supports streaming and processing of up to 4 input modules (up to 64 high speed channels, 64 low speed isolated thermocouple channels AND hundreds of CAN and Digital channels per processor module). Need more channels? Simply add another processor module and add additional input modules. Start/stop and synchronized, high speed data collection and real-time processing are managed internally.
Integrated Universal signal conditioning offers software selectable conditioning for virtually any sensor type including strain gages, accelerometers, thermocouples, load cells, and pressure transducers on a per channel basis for maximum configuration flexibility. Need to mix and match sensor types in any configuration? No problem with the Echelon.
Up to 1 MS/s per channel streaming to removable media, regardless of channel count, offers orders of magnitude improvement over the competition. Streaming data can be stored directly to up to 256 GB removable ruggedized SSD drives or CFAST flash cards. Stored data can be offloaded in a PC readable format via integrated USB or Ethernet or by simply removing ruggedized media and transferring to an external PC receiver.
Real-time display, control, and setup from any PC or mobile device using Hi-Techniques E-Connect or Synergy software. Whether it be on-the-fly analysis or data reduction, real-time spectral analysis or selectable filtering, Hi-Techniques has a software for every need.
Combine and synchronize data from a variety of different data sources including sensor and analog inputs, CAN and vehicle bus data, IRIG/GPS time and position, video, rotational as well as digital I/O and frequency inputs. Low power architecture capitalizes on recent advancements in mobile computing and mobile communications to provide best in class performance in a low power architecture that operates independently of a PC. System power is less than 20 W for most configurations, excluding sensor excitation. System supports 9-36 V DC input, power over Ethernet and optional 80 Wh battery packs (hot swappable). External 120/240 V adapter included.
Hi-Techniques' unique Echelink™ interface provides system connection, remote power and multi-system time synchronization using a single Ethernet interconnect cable. Power over Ethernet (PoE) provides power from a remote system or a trickle charge to optional battery pack. Echelink™ utilizes IEEE 1588 protocol to synchronize data collection from multiple systems to <1 µs accuracy. Start/stop all systems with the single press of a button. Remote systems can be positioned near the measurement point increasing noise performance and reducing cabling time and cost.
More information about the ECHELON ruggedized data acquisition system you can find here »
Please feel free to contact us at any time if you need more information or want to discuss your needs and requests with us.


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Staycation Destinations That Prove Connecticut Isn't So Bad
A few Connecticut cities got some bad press when it comes to summer vacation destinations. But with mountains, rivers, and a bit of coastline, this small state has much to offer for any residents spending the summer months closer to home. Click "show caption."
Copyright © 2018, Hartford Courant


text: [Federal Register: May 23, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 100)] [Notices] [Page 33309-33312] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr23my00-37] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No. 84.326J] Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Grant Applications under the Special Education--Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities Program AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2000. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance and information through programs that support States and local entities in building capacity to improve early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their families, and address systemic- change goals and priorities. Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, and Indian tribes or tribal organizations. Applications Available: May 31, 2000 Deadline for Transmittal of Application: July 17, 2000 Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 17, 2000 Estimated Number of Awards: 1 Maximum Award: We will reject and will not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,900,000 for any single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary may change the maximum amounts through a notice published in the Federal Register. Project Period: Under this priority, the Assistant Secretary will make one award for a cooperative agreement with a project period of up to 60 months subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation awards. During the second year of the project, the Assistant Secretary will determine whether to continue the Center for the fourth and fifth years of the project period and will consider in addition to the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a): (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of three experts selected by the Assistant Secretary. The services of the review team, including a two-day site visit to the project, are to be performed during the last half of the project's second year and may be included in that year's evaluation required under 34 CFR 75.590. Costs associated with the services to be performed by the review team must also be included in the project's budget for year two. These costs are estimated to be approximately $6,000; (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the project; and (c) The degree to which the project's design and technical strategies demonstrate the dissemination of significant new knowledge. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection criteria for the priority under this program are drawn from the EDGAR general selection criteria menu. The specific selection criteria for this priority are included in the funding application packet for the applicable competition. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only. General Requirements: (a) The Project funded under this notice must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in project activities (see Section 606 of IDEA). (b) Applicants and the grant recipient funded under this notice must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see Section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA). (c) The Project funded under this competition must (1) use current research-validated practices and materials, and (2) communicate appropriately with target audiences, including young people, families, State and local agencies, and employers. (d) The Project funded under this priority must budget for a two- day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of the project. (e) Part III of the application submitted under the priority in this notice, the application narrative, is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that are used by reviewers in evaluating the application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 70 pages using the following standards: [[Page 33310]] * A ``page'' is 8.5" x 11" (on one side only) with one- inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). * Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. * If using a proportional computer font, use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character density no greater than 18 characters per inch. If using a nonproportional font or a typewriter, do not use more than 12 characters per inch. The page limit does not apply to Part I--the cover sheet; Part II-- the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography or references, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III. We will reject your application if-- * You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or * You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit. Waiver of Rulemaking In most instances the Assistant Secretary is required to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section 661(e)(2) of IDEA makes the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the priority in this notice. Priority: Under section 685 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet the following priority: Absolute Priority--Secondary Education and Transition Technical Assistance Center (84.326J) Background: Federal activities in support of transition have shifted in focus from a historical emphasis on the needs of students with significant disabilities to a more recent emphasis on students with high-incidence disabilities. Yet, based on the results of the National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students (NLTS) and data from the Monitoring and State Improvement Program Division of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), it has become apparent that the transition needs of all students with disabilities are not being adequately met. The transition needs of students with disabilities are reflected in many factors. First, school completion rates for students with disabilities are low, while at the same time, national studies report that students with disabilities who complete high school are more likely to be employed, to earn higher wages, and to enroll in postsecondary education and training. Second, the labor market demands higher levels of education and skills, and the completion of high school and further education become even more critical. Third, practitioners lack knowledge about integrating academic and career preparation into a seamless, individualized education program for youth with disabilities. Finally, general education initiatives have increased public accountability through more rigorous curriculum standards, large-scale assessment of student performance in relation to those standards, and increased graduation requirements. To help meet demands for improved results, the IDEA Amendments of 1997 put forth a broader vision of secondary education with greater emphasis on participation and involvement in the general curriculum as a means to improve educational results for students with disabilities and to increase their rates of high school completion. Moreover, earlier transition planning is expected to result in improved postsecondary education participation and employment rates. To achieve this vision of improved postschool outcomes, collaborative partnerships must be developed among multiple systems, such as education, vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, health, social security, housing, and transportation. To ensure full implementation of IDEA and to achieve quality education and transition results for students with disabilities and their families, Congress found that National technical assistance, support, and dissemination activities were necessary. For that reason, the Secondary Education and Transition Technical Assistance Center (SETAC) will be established to carry out activities that are national in scope, coordinated with other technical assistance and dissemination efforts, and aligned with other Federally-funded synthesis and research centers and institutes in order to avoid duplication. The goals of this Center are to: (a) Promote secondary education and transition models that integrate academic, career, work-based, and community-based learning; (b) Support State and local capacity building to improve education and transition results for youth with disabilities; (c) Promote systemic change by facilitating school and community- based linkages in the provision of transition services to youth with disabilities; and (d) Translate research into practice by using technical assistance and dissemination mechanisms. The Center will be responsible for a wide range of work, including developing products and materials, conducting technical assistance activities that are topic-specific, and disseminating information about research-based models and practices. The Assistant Secretary is particularly interested in projects that engage the active participation of multiple partners. Priority: The Assistant Secretary establishes an absolute priority to support a Center that will identify and promote effective policy and practice to improve secondary education and transition results for children with disabilities. At a minimum, this project must-- (a) Provide technical assistance and information by: (1) Developing a network of researchers, technical assistance providers, and disseminators of research-based and promising practices to facilitate transition from post-secondary education, work, and independent living. This network must: (i) Work collaboratively with other researchers, technical assistance providers, and disseminators to: (A) Coordinate technical assistance and dissemination activities; (B) Develop communication and dissemination strategies; and (C) Develop products that include research findings and promising practices, including findings from OSEP-supported research and lessons from the School-to-Work program and other Federal youth transition programs, and are designed to broaden the capacity of technical assistance and information providers, particularly regular and special education technical assistance and information providers; (ii) Include, at a minimum, Federally-funded national research institutes, technical assistance providers, and disseminators that address secondary education and transition issues. These entities may include, for example, the Research Institute for Secondary Education Reform; the Institute for Academic Access; the Center for Promoting What Works; the National Center for Education Outcomes; Regional Resource Centers (RRCs); the National Information Center on Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY); the National Center on the Study of Postsecondary Education Supports; the National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities (HEATH); the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; and Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers, as well as researchers, technical [[Page 33311]] assistance providers, and disseminators from regular education, such as the National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education and other related projects. (2) Targeting, through proactive strategies and coordination with the IDEA Partnerships, organizations of policymakers, service providers, local-level administrators, and families. Targeted technical assistance must: (i) Include policy and practice briefs explaining comprehensive secondary education and transition service requirements, and other emerging issues, trends, and legislation; (ii) Include tools based on (i) above to assist in implementing research-based best practices; and (iii) Be designed to use research-based and promising practices to: (A) Improve academic results in secondary education; (B) Improve transition practice; (C) Increase postsecondary education participation rates and employment rates; and (D) Prevent dropouts and increase high school completion rates. (3) Conducting, in consultation with OSERS, a dynamic and innovative national summit in years two and four of the project. The summit must: (i) Be designed to: (A) Identify research-based and promising practices and initiate discussion on emerging issues and trends that affect postsecondary results for youth with disabilities, particularly through secondary education and transition services; and (B) Sustain development and implementation of systems linkages and systems collaboration for effective transition; and (ii) Include participants who are national experts in the field or key representatives of Federal agencies, and national organizations, and participants who represent local level leadership, families, employers, and persons with disabilities; and (iii) Support systemic collaboration among SEAs, LEAs, and Federal education and workforce development programs including Healthy and Ready to Work, Youth Opportunity Grants, Youth Councils established under the Workforce Investment Act, relevant Social Security Administration programs, related Rehabilitation Services Administration and National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research programs, relevant mental health programs, and other related programs and projects. (4) Designing and implementing capacity-building training institutes on improving results for youth with disabilities, participation and involvement in the general curriculum, self- determination, interagency collaboration, implementation of the transition requirements of IDEA, and strategies for addressing other identified needs. The purpose of the training institutes is to assist technical assistance providers and disseminators to reach front-line service providers. The institutes must: (i) Help develop, implement, and sustain systemic changes in secondary special education and transition services, that will improve results for all youth with disabilities and their families, including youth from minority backgrounds and youth with limited English proficiency; (ii) Provide training for RRCs, HEATH, NICHCY, IDEA Partnership Projects, Parent Training Centers, and national technical assistance providers and disseminators; and (iii) Provide targeted assistance to State technical assistance and information systems, including systems change projects. Targeted assistance includes training and technical assistance activities for implementing research-based practices, increasing participation in the general education curriculum and in large-scale assessments, developing effective interagency collaborations, and sustaining systemic change. (b) Use state of the art technologies, such as accessible and interactive web sites, list servs, chat rooms, and video-conferencing, in providing technical assistance and disseminating information, including technical assistance and information on research-based and promising practices. (c) Design and carryout a strategic management plan, including project evaluation. This plan must be designed to provide information to guide necessary, ongoing refinements to the structure, activities, and products that will improve the impact and effectiveness of the Center and will be collaboratively developed with the OSEP project officer and other Federal officials, customers, and network members during the first three months of the project. This plan must include: (1) Annual data collection activities for needs assessments if extant data are not available; (2) A clear description of effective strategies for meeting and evaluating project goals and activities; (3) Goals, objectives, and activities that support the IDEA Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) Performance Plan; and (4) Procedures for measuring the impact of the Center on its primary purpose--to identify and promote effective policy and practice for secondary education and transition services for youth with disabilities. (d) Support, through internships or other collaborative arrangements, graduate students who will concentrate their studies in secondary special education or transition services and who show promise for continued service in leadership positions. These graduate students must be involved with all aspects of project activity. (e) Meet with the OSEP project officer in the first four months of the project to review the needs assessment, evaluation plan, technical assistance, and dissemination approaches and the plan for collaboration with various network members. (f) Budget three trips annually to Washington, DC (two trips to meet and collaborate with U.S. Department of Education officials and one trip, as specified in the general requirements, to attend the two- day Office of Special Education Programs Technical Assistance Project Directors' Conference). Competitive Preferences: Within this absolute priority, we will give the following competitive preference under section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are otherwise eligible for funding under this priority: Up to ten (10) points based on the effectiveness of the applicant's strategies for employing and advancing in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in project activities as required under paragraph (a) of the ``General Requirements'' section of this notice. In determining the effectiveness of those strategies, the Assistant Secretary can consider the applicant's past success in pursuit of this goal. For purposes of this competitive preference, applicants can be awarded up to a total of 10 points in addition to those awarded under the published selection criteria for this priority. That is, an applicant meeting this competitive preference could earn a maximum total of 110 points. FOR APPLICATIONS CONTACT: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877- 4ED-Pubs (1-877-433-7827). FAX: 301-470-1244. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call (toll free) 1- 877-576-7734. You may also contact Ed Pubs via its Web site http://www.ed.gov/ pubs/edpubs.html or its e-mail address email@example.com [[Page 33312]] If you request an application from Ed Pubs be sure to identify the competition as follows: CFDA 84.326J. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 260-9182. If you use a TDD you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact persons listed in the preceding paragraph. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternate format by contacting the Department at the address listed. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the application package. Intergovernmental Review The program in this notice is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. The objective of the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened federalism by relying on processes developed by State and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance. In accordance with the order, we intend this document to provide early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for those programs. Electronic Access to This Document You may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the following sites: http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html Dated: May 17, 2000. Judith E. Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. 00-12923 Filed 5-22-00; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-U


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Having lived in big cities on both coasts and a few places in between, David is a well-rounded individual with broad and varied life experience. Naturally inquisitive, with a fervor for integrating cross-cultural wisdom, he considers himself a patient "student of life," with a commitment to perpetual learning. In his spare time he enjoys visiting museums, cycling, yoga, backpacking, appreciating fine ales and lagers, and of course, reading.
David earned his M.S.L.I.S. degree, with a certificate in Rare Books and Special Collections, from the Palmer School of Library and Information Science, Long Island University, in May 2011. He also holds a B.A. in Sociology, magna cum laude, from San Francisco State University. His research interests include bibliography of early printed books and ephemera, archival preservation of rare and unique cultural heritage materials, anthropological study of indigenous cultures, modern art, and architecture.
He currently lives and works in New York City.