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Post By. Dr. Pearl Cenon
In my 15 years as a pediatrician, I've had the pleasure of being one of the first faces (outside of family) that new babies meet! A baby's first visit to the pediatrician is always an exciting one: parents are full of questions about their precious little one. Even if it's not a firstborn, each baby has her own unique personality so parents find themselves seeking new and different advice or trying to remember how things worked the last time around! Whether you are expecting your first or fifth child, this is a basic summary on your newborn's first visit to the pediatrician.
New moms and dads should expect to see their family pediatrician the most during baby's first year. Right after the baby is born, an appointment should be made for a visit. It's a good idea for two people to accompany baby so that one parent can focus on the discussion with the doctor, while the extra caregiver attends to baby. This will give parents an opportunity to get to know their pediatrician and exchange questions and answers. Questions can range from medical issues to common childcare topics, parental support groups, and any other practical matters. From this very first visit, a good pediatrician will make parents comfortable and assist them in every possible way.
Initially, your baby's weight, height and head circumference will be measured and plotted on a growth curve that shows how your baby compares to other babies the same age. These measurements will be taken at all subsequent infant visits because they help track your baby's growth. Interesting fact: generally speaking, (though your baby's milestones may vary; check with your doctor if you have questions), babies will double their birth weight by their sixth month of life and triple it by the age of one. Imagine if we tripled our weight within a year?!
Next comes a thorough, head-to-toe physical examination. In the head exam, the doctor examines the soft spots — called fontanelles – that are normally open and flat in the first few months. The posterior (back) fontanelle usually closes at two to three months while the anterior (front) fontanelle closes before the second birthday.
Though most newborn nurseries perform hearing tests before the baby is discharged, baby's ears will be examined again during this visit. To assess hearing, the doctor may ask how your baby reacts to your voice or loud sounds. The doctor will use an otoscope that provides a good view of the ear canal and eardrum.
Using a bright light such as an ophthalmoscope, the doctor will examine your baby's eyes to detect cataracts that sometimes form early in life. He or she will also track eye movements and check the pupil's response to light. Next is an exam of the mouth and neck, followed by use of a stethoscope to listen to the heart and lungs. The doctor is listening for murmurs, abnormal heart rhythms, and breath sounds.
The doctor will also gently apply pressure to your baby's abdomen to check for any abnormal masses or tenderness. If your baby still has the umbilical stump, he or she will show you how to clean and keep the area dry until it falls off. Genitalia are also checked for abnormal lumps or signs of infections. In baby boys, the doctor will examine the penis (and healing, if a circumcision was performed) and ensure that the testes are both down in the scrotum.
To assess for problems in the hip joints, your doctor will move your baby's legs to detect any abnormalities such as congenital hip dysplasia; early detection of this condition is critical for correction later in life.
Lastly, your pediatrician will ask about your baby's feeding, sleep patterns, and bowel/urinary frequency. It is crucial that you learn to recognize developmental milestones that your baby will reach; hence the doctor will discuss when you can expect your baby to smile, roll over, sit up, walk, and how he or she uses her hands and arms. During this visit, your pediatrician will also test the baby's reflexes and muscle tone.
Prior to baby's birth, consider asking your family members, friends, and even your ob/gyn for their recommended pediatricians; then make appointments to meet several. Just as you would interview childcare providers, you will want to ensure that the pediatrician you choose for your baby is someone that you trust and with whom you have a good relationship. You and your child will be in close contact with the family pediatrician for almost two decades… that's good reason to be choosy! A good pediatrician is one whose reputation is excellent, but also someone who can clearly answer your questions, is a good listener, instill confidence in you, and someone who always makes you feel welcomed!
Warm Wishes,
Dr. Pearl
All information contained in this blog and on our web site(s) should be independently verified by you by a medical professional of your own choosing and you should always conduct your own research and due diligence before making any decision related to the subject matter of this blog or our web site.
Dr. Pearl Cenon
A pediatrician in private practice in New Jersey for over 15 years, Dr. Cenon (we like to call her Dr. Pearl) also has two children of her own. Dr. Pearl's husband, Kevin McDonough is also a pediatrician and they work together. She'll write basic posts about topics that interest many parents, from skin care and nutrition to seasonal issues, such as allergies and colds. Her kind, approachable tone in each blog post will have you looking forward to the next one.


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Today I saw a captivating slideshow by William Sullivan, based on his book "Oregon Favorites". (Sullivan is best known for his "100 Hikes" series of trail guides, which are really excellent.) Sullivan has a busy year-round lecture schedule. Today's slideshow featured one favorite place in Oregon for each month of the year, with an emphasis on places that are rarely visited. Here is the list. . .
March – The Mulino Flour Mill is not a wilderness hike, but the water-powered flour mill still functions and is interesting the visit.
April – The Badlands loop, in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness near Bend, OR
May – Cape Horn in the Columbia River Gorge
June – The Scout Camp Trail, near Crooked River Ranch, OR
July – Visit the Wallowa Mountains, near Joseph, OR. Avoid the crowded trails, and visit McCully Basin.
August – Pinnacle Ridge on the NE side of Mount Hood.
September – Jefferson Park
October – Sisters Rocks, on the Oregon coast between Port Orford and Gold Beach
November – Eight Dollar Mountain along the Illinois River.
December – rent a fire lookout tower. Sullivan recommends Warner Mountain.
January – visit Fort Hoskins Historic Park
February – ski around Broken Top, using the pass/notch near Iceberg Lake

subset: commoncrawl


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Our business was established in 1980, meaning we know what our customers are after year in, year out.
We've supplied 250,000 customers in the last 35 years, and our in-house team of delivery staff means your orders are in safe hands.
We pride ourselves on our outstanding service: our Trust Pilot rating is 8.8 out of 10 and improving all the time, meaning we're a service you can trust.
With an average stockholding of £1.5 million, Instock is going from strength to strength.


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I'd like your help with the following claim to prove:
$$\lim_{n \to \infty} \int_{0}^{\sqrt n}\left(1-\frac{x^2}{n}\right)^ndx=\int_{0}^{\infty} e^{-x^2}dx.$$
I think I should use the claim:
Let $a,b$ two real numbers and $\{f_n\}$ a sequence of continuous functions on $\left[a,b\right]$ which converges uniformly to $f$ on $[a,b]$. Then $$\lim_{n\to\infty}\int_a^bf_n(t)dt=\int_a^bf(t)dt.$$
But for this, I must prove that $(1-\frac{x^2}{n})^n$ uniformly converges to $e^{-x^2}$. How do I do that? One of the hardest and trickiest things to do is to prove this uniformly converges.. every function has its own way. I believe that the more examples I'll see the easiest it will be. Thanks again!


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advice from mary poppins
We watched Mary Poppins with the kids this weekend, a movie my five year old had requested. One minute I was tapping along to "Step in Time" and the next minute I was getting a little teary as Bert delivers this wise little rhyme to Mr. Banks:
"You're a man of high position, esteemed by all your peers.
And when your little tikes are crying, you haven't time to dry their tears.
And see their grateful little faces, smiling up at you.
Because their dad, he always knows just what to do.
You've got to grind, grind, grind at that grindstone.
Though childhood slips like sand through a sieve,
All too soon they've up and grown.. And then they've flown.
And it's too late for you to give."
I watched my 6 year old ride down a huge hill on his bike yesterday, flying down as fast as he can, weaving in and out of obstacles in his way. My firstborn, my little boy.. all grown up it seems. Marching off to first grade with his backpack slung over his shoulder, spending more waking hours at school than he does at home. And I keep thinking "When did this happen?". When I look at him I still see my baby boy, his bright eyes and tiny fingers. I get busy just being in the thick of it everyday, but every once in a while I stand back and think... this is all flying by way too fast.


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Art Instruction Schools, Inc.
Art Instruction Schools Incorporated is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bureau of Engraving, Incorporated, a privately owned corporation. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the school has offered distance-delivered art courses since 1914.
Art Instruction Schools offers Fundamentals of Art and Foundation of Art Studies programs. The Fundamentals of Art program consists of 27 lessons and requires a typical student two years and more than 1,000 hours to complete. The Foundation of Art Studies program consists of 15 lessons and requires a typical student one year to complete. The curriculum of the Foundation of Art Studies program consists of the foundation courses of the lower and upper level courses of its sister program - Fundamentals of Art program. For each lesson, students must submit artwork that demonstrates proficiency in the techniques and concepts presented in the lesson. Students may, through independent work and practice, learn more than they are required to demonstrate in assignments. Institutions are urged to evaluate portfolios individually to determine the exact amount of credit to be awarded.
Students applying for college credit are required to take proctored, objective art examinations. Students are also required, as part of the examination, to submit a portfolio that is evaluated by a faculty committee and counts as part of the final grade. Institutions should review the portfolio in determining the credit award.
URL: http://www.artinstructionschools.edu
- Click the name of a course/exam to see the course/exam description.
- Click a column header to sort the results by that column (ascending or descending order).
- Click the checkbox of one or more courses to generate a printer-friendly list of selected courses/exams.


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01440 714939
Unit Size Available: 25kg
Coverage: Approximately 2.7m2 at 5mm thick per 25kg unit
The calculation above indicates the approximate number of units required, and does not allow for site conditions or wastage
The calculator below will tell you how large an area a unit of the selected grout will cover, based on the dimensions that you supply.
Simply enter the required figures in the boxes below and view the results in the results box.
All tile and joint dimensions are rounded up to the nearest number (no decimal points).


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- Home
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Announcement is made of the forthcoming marriage of Laura Antonio Libero of Salemburg and William Richard Hickman of Ocean Isle Beach. The bride-elect is the daughter of Angelo and Roberta Libero of Salemburg. The prospective groom is the son of Yogi and Gail Hickman of Ocean Isle Beach. A June 28 wedding is planned at New Beginnings Community Church.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Brunswick Beacon, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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Posted by Bob on November 23, 2000
In Reply to: 3 words that ends in gry. posted by autnes on November 22, 2000
: Hello,
: someone I know, challenged me to this tiny riddle which I am having a hard time figuring out...
: He told me that, there are 3 words in English that ends with the letters "gry."
: First one is Hungry, Second one is Angry, what is the third one?
: He even mentioned something about the origin of whoopee...which I find amusing.
We've visited this little amusement before. Just type "gry" into the search feature, above.


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Backer Board Profile
Walls + Forms Inc.
February 29, 2008
Walls + Forms expanded its SeküreFrame line with the addition of a backer board profile that allows users to place semi-permanent, diecut graphics behind the frame while leaving the front open for promotions. The front-loading graphic system is designed for interior and exterior applications and features an all-aluminum profile and spring hinges that can be added or removed to create a desired tension. The frame is available with an open back for wall-mounted applications or with a backer. The optional back feature gives users the capability to display a permanent message when the poster is not in place. The backer also can be used to allow for custom-shaped, diecut portions of the back panel to extend past the top/side of the frame. SeküreFrame is available in profile dimensions of 1.25 in. wide x 0.31 in. deep, with 0.05-in. wall thickness and an open back profile width of 1.28 in. (31.8 x 7.9 x 1.3 x 32.5 mm). The frame is offered in 3-mil, clear, satin, anodized or black anodized finishes and holds substrates up to 0.09 in. (2.4 mm) thick. Standard sizes include 8.5 x 11, 11 x 14, 18 x 24, and 36 x 48 in. (215 x 279, 279 x 355, 457 x 609, and 914 x 1219 mm). Walls + Forms Inc., PO Box 741112, Dallas, TX 75374, 972-745-0800, fax: 972-304-8402, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com, Web: www.wallsforms.com.
View more from this Screen Printing issue


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We'd never criticize anyone for fighting — hard — to make sure a promise is kept. We'd certainly never criticize anyone for fighting — hard — to defend their children's interests.
We'd never criticize anyone for fighting — hard — to make sure a promise is kept. We'd certainly never criticize anyone for fighting — hard — to defend their children's interests.
That's what some parents who bought into Alabama's Prepaid Affordable College Tuition plan have been doing.
Unfortunately, it looks like keeping that promise might accelerate PACT's demise.
PACT was launched in 1990 as a savings plan for families to ensure their children could afford college. Parents or grandparents would pay in a fixed amount in a child's younger years, which the program would invest, and the child upon graduation from high school would have four years' full tuition paid at a state university. More than 34,000 Alabamians currently are participating in the program, and nearly 11,000 PACT students are enrolled in college this fall.
However, the program has imploded for two reasons — plunging investment returns in the 2008 economic crisis and endlessly spiraling tuition costs.
Court cases resulted, and last year a settlement was reached by which PACT would pay tuition at 2010 rates and parents would make up the difference.
However, some parents who were intent on getting what was coming to them challenged that settlement. The Alabama Supreme Court in March tossed it out, ruling that reduced tuition payments weren't permitted. The Legislature, prodded by the PACT board, quickly passed a law allowing reduced payments that would retroactively apply to PACT participants. A Montgomery judge ruled that law constitutional, but the Supreme Court has re-entered the case and will have the final call.
Meanwhile, PACT is having to pay tuition at 2012 rates, and its resources are being bled dry. The program's board was told Wednesday by an actuary that its liabilities are about to exceed its assets by $605 million, and it will be completely out of money by the fall of 2015. The actuary said the only way PACT can remain solvent and operational is for the Supreme Court to approve the reduction to 2010 tuition rates by next summer at the latest.
Parents who attended the board meeting unloaded on State Treasurer Young Boozer, whose office administers PACT, again insisting that the promise of fully funded college tuition for their children be kept.
They told of sacrifices that were made to keep up with PACT payments and the difficulty they will face in keeping their children in college.
Our heart goes out to these people. If their side prevails in the Supreme Court, it will not be an undeserved victory.
But something that's "deserved" isn't necessarily desirable, or fair to everyone with a stake in the situation at hand.
We doubt PACT's actuary pulled that fall 2015 D-Day out of the ether. This promise may only be kept for 20 months or so, before things blow up and nobody gets anything. Is that really a victory?


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In today's world, scheduling is more challenging than ever. Most people's calendars are packed; they can be difficult to reach; and when you do reach them, they may not remember to respond.
Make it easy on yourself and use SurveyMonkey to create online polls for scheduling meetings! Instead of trying to hunt people down and follow up repeatedly by phone or email, use SurveyMonkey to build your poll. Then ask people to respond by sending a link out in an email, or embedding your questionnaire on web and Facebook pages. You can even automate reminders to respond.
Create Your Scheduling Poll Now
Launch your poll in a few minutes. It's easy, efficient, and FREE.
If you don't already have a SurveyMonkey account, sign up for free to create and send your online scheduling poll in minutes. We make it simple to compose your question (or a few short questions), or you can get a head start with expert-certified templates and questions from our Question Bank. Then email or post the link to your poll, and collect your responses. Voila!
Use online polls to refine your meeting scheduler for any meeting, event, class, or activity!
It's easy. Here's how you do it:
Simplify scheduling using SurveyMonkey online polls, and then explore other ways to use surveys. Use any one of our survey templates as the basis for your online poll, or start with one or more of the many methodologically sound and certified questions in our Question Bank. While all of our questions are written by professional survey methodologists, you can also customize questions to fit your polling or surveying needs.
Want to know what your customers are saying about you? Customer satisfaction surveys can help you find out what people think of your company, get feedback on customer service, and more.Visit Page
When you listen to your employees, you can make decisions that build a happier workplace. Want to measure performance? Engage or motivate your employees? Employee surveys can help.Visit Page
Organizing an event is tough work. Who's coming? What's their schedule? Event surveys can give you a clearer picture. When you're done, get post-event feedback to improve for next time.Visit Page
Here are some ideas to ensure that respondents will answer your surveys.
If your survey is short and sweet, there's a greater chance that more respondents will complete it.
Little incentives like small discount or an entry into a drawing can help ensure respondents complete your survey.
With SurveyMonkey Audience, you can purchase access to an audience who meets specific demographic criteria for your survey. It's a great way to get targeted responses from a specific group.
Send as many surveys and quizzes as you want—even with free plans.
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Check results on the go from any device. Spot trends as data comes in.
Surveys give you more than just answers. Get feedback and new perspectives.
Extract and share insights from your data with your team.


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Nice work! Enjoy the show!
Link Copied!
Swedish truck attack suspect pleads guilty
Opening Sequence
Facebook, Twitter spot fake posts on HK protests
Top CEOs pledge to put employees before profits
Netanyahu took 'page out of Trump's book' - Tlaib
NYPD fires cop who used lethal chokehold
British HK consulate worker held in China - reports
Connected devices vs consoles at Gamescom
Sargasso turtles threatened by high levels of microplastic
Elton John blasts press criticism of Harry and Meghan
Closing Sequence


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Obituary & Guest Book Preview for Donald Oesterling
Donald Oesterling Obituary
Published on Pennlive.com and in The Patriot-News on Jan. 24, 2013
First 25 of 204 words
: Donald O. Oesterling, 85, of Bedford, VA, formerly of Butler, PA, Harrisburg, PA and Fort Myers, FL passed away Sunday, January 20, 2013 at Elks...
View Full Obituary & Guest Book for Donald Oesterling
Donald Oesterling Guest Book | View 2 of 10 Entries:
"Sympathy & kindest regards to the Oesterling family & very many friends wherever they may be. God bess 1 & all. Take care." -
Ray Allen
"Dawn, I am truly sorry to read about your father.My parents always spoke so highly of him. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family." -
Jody Edinger Polen
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Encompassing 25 blocks of Gretna on the river, Gretna Hertitage Fest celebrates 19 years of food, music and culture this year on Friday, Oct. 4th (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.), Saturday Oct. 5th (12 p.m. to 11 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct 6th (12 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
This festival packs every city block with food and arts and crafts vendors plus seven stages delivering great live music from start to finish. The event is perfect for the whole family with amusement park rides and special entertainment for the kids. And, being right on the Mississippi River, attendees can enjoy the cool breeze on a hopefully warm, but not hot, October weekend.
Certain designated areas specifically celebrate a particular culture. For example, the German Beer Garden offers authentic German food and beer, including bratwurst, sauerkraut, hot pretzels, German apple cake and German beer, wines and Schnapps. There will even be a ceremonial keg provided by local brewer Heiner Brau that will be tapped at 5 p.m. in honor of the official opening of the Oktoberfest season.
The Italian Village features classic Italian food and drinks plus performances by Louis Prima, Jr., Carlo Ditta and The Yat Pac. The St. Joseph's Altar of Italian fare includes Italian sausage sandwiches, Italian sausage on a stick, muffalettas, meatballs, eggplant, Italian cookies, Italian wine, Moretti beer and even some Italian souvenirs.
As for live entertainment, the music offerings run the gamut. On Friday, catch sets from Earth Wind & Fire, The Molly Ringwalds, Rockin' Dopsie Jr & the Zydeco Twisters, Naughty Professor and New Birth Brass Band. On Saturday you can enjoy music from Chicago, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Marcia Ball, Tommy Malone of the Subdudes, Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots and Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes. And on Sunday, musical acts include ZZ Top, Ben Miller Band, Tab Benoit, Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, The Topcats and Glen David Andrews. Find a complete music schedule on Gretna Fest's website.
The music lineups are impressive, and the food and fun are on par with many other festivals you'd find in the city proper, but it's just across the river. You can drive or take the ferry over and enjoy the festival with the beautiful backdrop of the Crescent City in the background.
Tickets are $15 for one day and $40 for a weekend pass in advance, and they are $20 for one day and $50 for a weekend pass the day of the event. Kids aged 12 and under are free.


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Pet Sitting & Boarding
In order to help people find pet sitting and pet boarding facilities, PAWS provides links below to groups that maintain lists of pet services.
As a non-profit organization with limited resources, we do not have the ability to evaluate the businesses listed on these websites, therefore we are not endorsing them. As a caring guardian, please undertake full research before entrusting your companion animal to any service provider.
Follow these tips to help ensure a business is reputable and will meet your and your companion's needs:
- Ask for references from friends who have recently used a pet sitter, pet daycare or boarding kennel.
- Check the business' status with your local Better Business Bureau.
- Never leave your animal at a boarding kennel, daycare or other overnight facility without taking a tour and introducing your animal to the staff.
- Set up a time for a pet sitter, you and your pet to meet to ensure your pet and the sitter are comfortable with each other.
For a boarding kennel, daycare or other overnight facility, ask questions such as:
- Where will your animal be kept? Will your animal be kept alone?
- Will your animal have access to the outdoors?
- Are the kennels adequately ventilated and is the temperature regulated?
- How will your animal be exercised?
- Will your animal be interacting with other animals and/or staff members? Will cats and small animals be housed away from dogs?
- What are the facility's policies on veterinary care?
- Can the facility accommodate your animal's special medical or dietary needs?
- What vaccines does your animal need before he can enter the facility?
For a pet sitter, ask questions such as:
- Can she provide proof that she is insured and bonded?
- Will she administer medications to your pet if necessary?
- Can he provide written documentation of services and fees?
- Is she familiar with local emergency vet clinics?
- How does she keep track of your pet's needs?
Internet resources
These websites list contacts for a number of pet services. As a caring guardian, please undertake full research before entrusting your companion animal to any service provider.
Pet Sitters International
National Association of Pet Sitters
Pet Sit USA
Pet Sit Finder


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Having lived here for three months now, it's easy to forget how oblivious I was of this country before I arrived. Few even know where Azerbaijan is on a map. You (just about every one of you) has never and probably will never see this place.
So, here is a collection of photos from three months of travels. It's but a glimpse, an unworthy speck of what can be called life in Azerbaijan. Pictures from Sabirabad, Imishli, Bilasuvar, Agsu, Goychay, Beylagan, and Agjabedi.
Some towns are centuries old; others no more than a decade. Socioeconomic progress is slow to arrive for most. Life here hasn't changed much in generations. The grazing sheep and nutrients of the dirt still dictate one's future. The modern distractions of phones and television fill the void of free time left empty by stalled progress.
It is a different type of poverty here. Most people do have electricity and water. Many have sturdy homes and land for agriculture. Every day, they eat fresh meat and vegetables with their tea and candy.
But they wait. They can only support themselves to some extent for so long. In the meantime, the state-sponsored infrastructure and industry of the communist past is deteriorating; the nascent capitalist market painfully correcting a horribly inefficient economy. Most need the support of others, formal and informal. This inclues your support.
Here are some of those people and places, and their stories.
You can supprt Azerbaijan loans today. Visit the Kiva lend page and browse through the dozens borrowers uploaded by our three partners.
Dimitri Zakharov is a Kiva Fellow (KF20) currently roaming Azerbaijan. He has been living in Baku and working with three diverse field partners: Komak Credit Union, which lends primarily to internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Nagorno-Karabakh War; Aqroinvest Credit Union, which focuses on both IDPs and Azerbaijan's rural poor; and VisionFund AzerCredit, Kiva's newest and largest field partner in Azerbaijan. Join the lending team Supporters of Azerbaijan, and make a loan to a Komak, Aqroinvest, or AzerCredit borrower today!


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If you find a lower rate within 24 hours of booking, then, at a minimum, they will match that rate.
Our payment system is certified by Thai Bank in usage of security version SSL 256 Bit encryption , the most modern technological security system using nowadays websites in the world.
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LTC Ernest A. Szabo
Deputy Director of Academic Engagement
Phone: 717-245-4073
LTC Ernest A. Szabo is the Deputy Director of Academic Engagement within the Strategic Studies Institute, United States Army War College , Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. His current military specialty is Functional Area 59A, Strategic Plans and Policy Analyst. He is recently returned from a deployment to Afghanistan where he served as Team Leader for Afghan National Army, within the CJ-5 of NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. He is a graduate from the State University of New York at Oswego where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. LTC Szabo's formal education includes Masters Degrees in Military Arts and Science from the U.S. Army War College, Advanced Military Studies from the US Army Command and General Staff College, and Education from Canisius College. His military education includes the Armor Officer's Basic and Advanced Courses, US Army Command and General Staff College, the School of Advanced Military Studies and the US Army War College. LTC Szabo has served as a Strategic Plans and Policy Analyst with NATO Training Mission -Afghanistan, US European Command in Stuttgart Germany, Director of the Basic Strategic Art Program at the US Army War College, and CJ-35 US Central Command Forward in Doha, Qatar. Prior to becoming a FA 59, LTC Szabo served in Armor and Cavalry assignments in the U.S., Germany, Kuwait and Iraq during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. His decorations include the Silver Star and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.
SSI articles, editorial, and briefs by LTC Ernest A. Szabo
Should ROTC Return to the Ivy League?
March 10, 2011


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Posted on February 8
Take part in Black History Month and delve into the complex history of black feminism and the LGBT community, right here in Chicago! Join the Illinois Humanities Council at the Chicago History Museum to explore issues of identity, sexuality, and race with scholars Kimberly Springer and Jennifer Brier.
Kimberly Springer is the author of Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980 as well as "Queering Black Female Heterosexuality" in Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape . Jennifer Brier is a co-curator of Out in Chicago at the Chicago History Museum, and Acting Director of Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The program will begin at 1pm with a self-guided tour of Out in Chicago, a museum show which "spans diverse stories and perspectives and explores issues such as language, gender expression, formation of identity, the role of LGBT people in politics and culture, and family relationships. It balances private stories with public perspectives in relation to gender, community, and identity."
After the exhibit, Kimberly Springer will be discussing the history of lesbians in the black feminist movement and the future of queer, feminist, and women of color organizing. Jennifer Brier will be discussing insights on gender, community, identity, and the heritage of Chicago's diverse LGBT community. Take advantage of this opportunity to from inspiring individuals about black history from a feminist perspective!
Date: Saturday, February 18th
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Chicago History Museum, 1601 North Clark Street


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Toll Brothers
At Toll Brothers, an award-winning Fortune 500 company, we build more than homes; we build communities. Trusted since 1967, the Company embraces an unwavering commitment to quality and customer service. Each Toll Brothers home blends quality materials with superior design to create a dream home that is uniquely yours. Toll Brothers is currently building nationwide and is a publicly owned company whose stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: TOL). For four years in a row, Toll Brothers has been ranked the #1 Home Builder Worldwide on the FORTUNE Magazine "World's Most Admired Companies®" list.* The Company was named America's Most Trusted Home Builder™ 2015** by Lifestory Research, receiving the highest numerical score among the largest 133 home builders in the country. Toll Brothers was also recently honored as national Builder of the Year by BUILDER magazine, and was twice named national Builder of the Year by Professional Builder magazine.
Toll Brothers proudly supports the communities in which it builds; among other philanthropic pursuits, the Company sponsors the Toll Brothers–Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network, bringing opera to neighborhoods throughout the world.
Toll Brothers Is Proud to Help Preserve Our Environment
Our homes are designed to harmonize with the surrounding landscape, and we preserve as much open space as possible, including existing trees and ponds. Our homes also include numerous green features that help to minimize our impact on the environment and provide energy efficiency.
The Toll Brothers Buyer Satisfaction Program
To make sure your home meets your expectations and ours, we offer a unique two-step, pre-settlement orientation/inspection program. The first inspection takes place five to seven days before settlement, utilizing Toll Brothers' detailed checklist as a guide. Then, once again prior to settlement, you'll inspect your home to see that every item you noted at the first orientation has been addressed. For lasting peace of mind, we also give you a 10-year limited warranty.
Our Customer Care Representatives Are Here for You
From the moment you move into your new home, your customer care representative will be available to manage any questions or issues that may arise. We are committed to offering you the exemplary customer service we've built our reputation on.
* From FORTUNE Magazine, February 1, 2018 ©2018 Time Inc. FORTUNE and The World's Most Admired Companies are registered trademarks of Time Inc. and are used under license. FORTUNE and Time Inc. are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Toll Brothers, Inc.
** Toll Brothers received the highest numerical score in the United States in the proprietary Lifestory Research 2015 America's Most Trusted™ Home Builder study. Study based on 43,200 new home shoppers in 27 markets. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed between January and December 2014.


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Welcome to our website! As we have the ability to list over one million items on our website (our selection changes all of the time), it is not feasible for a company our size to record and playback the descriptions on every item on our website. However, if you have a disability we are here to help you. Please call our disability services phone line at 541-830-1110 during regular business hours and one of our kind and friendly personal shoppers will help you navigate through our website, help conduct advanced searches, help you choose the item you are looking for with the specifications you are seeking, read you the specifications of any item and consult with you about the products themselves. There is no charge for the help of this personal shopper for anyone with a disability. Finally, your personal shopper will explain our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, and help you place an order if you so desire.
Ambrose ABO-001 30"H x 22.8"W x 22.8"D
Surya ABO001
Aerial AEI-001 34.2"H x 29.3"W x 29.3"D
Surya AEI001
Adelaide AIE-001 8"H x 8"W x 8"D
Surya AIE001
Adelaide AIE-002 8"H x 7"W x 7"D
Surya AIE002
Adelaide AIE-003 9.4"H x 9"W x 9"D
Surya AIE003
Adelaide AIE-004 9.4"H x 9"W x 9"D
Surya AIE004
Adelaide AIE-005 7"H x 7"W x 8"D
Surya AIE005
Taos AOS-001 20.37"H x 40"W x 4.37"D
Surya AOS001
Axel AXL-001 33.25"H x 31.63"W x 31.63"D
Surya AXL001
Blair BAI-001 25"H x 20.9"W x 20.9"D
Surya BAI001
Blair BAI-002 25"H x 20.9"W x 20.9"D
Surya BAI002
Bellair BEI-001 28"H x 24.4"W x 24.4"D
Surya BEI001
Bellair BEI-002 28"H x 24.4"W x 24.4"D
Surya BEI002
Bellair BEI-003 20.7"H x 17.7"W x 17.7"D
Surya BEI003
Bellair BEI-004 20.7"H x 20.7"W x 20.7"D
Surya BEI004
Bellair BEI-005 21.3"H x 14"W x 14"D
Surya BEI005
Bellair BEI-006 21.3"H x 14"W x 14"D
Surya BEI006
Bijou BJU-001 11"H x 18.875"W x 18.875"D
Surya BJU001
Bijou BJU-002 11"H x 18.875"W x 18.875"D
Surya BJU002
Bijou BJU-004 12"H x 24"W x 24"D
Surya BJU004
Byrnes BYN-001 11.5"H x 9"W x 9"D
Surya BYN001
Candler CDL-001 18.5"H x 11"W x 11"D
Surya CDL001
Clarion CIO-001 33.5"H x 18"W x 18"D
Surya CIO001
Della DLL-001 15.5"H x 12.5"W x 12.5"D
Surya DLL001
Mccrae EMC-001 15.75"H x 11"W x 11"D
Surya EMC001
Mccrae EMC-002 15.75"H x 11"W x 11"D
Surya EMC002
Emory EMO-001 29"H x 26"W x 26"D
Surya EMO001
Emory EMO-002 21.25"H x 18.5"W x 18.5"D
Surya EMO002
Emory EMO-003 14"H x 12"W x 12"D
Surya EMO003
Ewing EWI-001 53"H x 15"W x 15"D
Surya EWI001
Filligree FGE-003 16.5"H x 23"W x 23"D
Surya FGE003
Fenwick FNW-001 7.5"H x 5"W x 5"D
Surya FNW001
Glebe GBE-001 11"H x 6.5"W x 6.5"D
Surya GBE001
Glasshill GLH-001 11.5"H x 4"W x 4"D
Surya GLH001
Garrison GSN-001 9"H x 11.75"W x 11.75"D
Surya GSN001
Glenview GVW-001 11"H x 6.5"W x 6.5"D
Surya GVW001


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Available for giftwrap!
Made in Buffalo, NY by Buffalonians... The HOME of the Chicken Wing!
*Also Available DIY Backyard BBQ Kit (Item #3156624) OR Hot Sauce & BBQ Kit (Item #3156809)
Does the Store-Bought Stuff Lack the Nuanced Burn that You're Looking For?
Challenge your creativity (or imbalance) while pleasing (or cauterizing) your taste buds with hot sauce you make using the ingredients in this kit and your choice of pepper(s).
Start off safe with Cajun Garlic Lover's Sauce or Easy Going Achiote or jump right into Tropical Storm or Flaming Fruit Sauce for a real lip melt-down. Or come up with your own mild or maniacal blend. Test the bounds of hot sauce technology with this red-hot kit!
Includes: 6 spices (allspice, black cumin, curry powder, achiote, Jamaican jerk, ginger), 3 bottles, instructions with pepper glossary, recipes, and handling and safety tips.
Stop contemplating, and start making your own hot sauce today!
Commercial Hot Sauce Manufacturing
There really are as many variations of Hot Sauce as there are cooks who make the sauce. But Tabasco® brand hot sauce is one of the oldest in the world, and best known commercially produced products. TABASCO® brand products are produced by McIlhenny Company, founded in 1868 at Avery Island, Louisiana, and still in operation on that very site today.
The Company's roots were actually cultivated a few years earlier, shortly after the McIlhenny family returned to the Island from self-imposed exile during the Civil War. According to family tradition, founder Ed McIlhenny obtained some hot pepper seeds from a traveler who had recently arrived in Louisiana from Central America. McIlhenny planted them on Avery Island, and then experimented with pepper sauces until he hit upon one he liked.
Since Tabasco® sauce is the longest continually produced hot pepper sauce, let's start with their procedure, which the McIlhenny Company has used for more than 125 years. After harvest, whole tabasco chiles are crushed in a hammer mill; salt is added in the amount of 8 pounds of salt for every 100 pounds of chiles. This mash is placed in Kentucky white oak barrels with salt-sealed wooden lids that have tiny holes which allow the gases of the peppers to escape during fermentation. The wooden tops are secured and placed on the barrels with stainless steel hoops (iron hoops disintegrate in the air of the salt and pepper mash).
Each 400-pound barrel is aged for three years, allowing the carbon dioxide to be released for the first two years. After this time, the salt topping hardens and naturally seals the barrel after the fermentation process ceases. The mellowing and aging process is called steeping, permitting the flavors and color to intermingle and mix naturally. The barrels are uncovered and oxidized mash is removed from the top of the barrels. The mash is inspected for aroma, color, and moisture. Upon being accepted under McIlhenny standards, the mash is pumped into large blending vats and mixed with distilled, all-natural white vinegar in the ratio of two-thirds vinegar to one-third mash. (Before being manufactured with commercial equipment, the blending process was referred to as "pounding," where the pepper mash was pushed manually through a strainer, where the vinegar was added, with a flat-headed "pounder". This was a very time-consuming process and took a lot of manual labor to do large quantities of sauce.)
*Also Available DIY Backyard BBQ Kit (Item #3156624) OR Hot Sauce & BBQ Kit (Item #3156809)
|More Information
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|Age Range


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Making More Students College And Career Ready: What It Means to be Ready and How to Get the Right Information to Determine Readiness
Date and Time
|Seminar Overview
Most students enter postsecondary education not fully ready or prepared to succeed in entry-level courses. A college-ready student is able to prepare for, engage with, and process challenging course content and intellectual tasks associated with success in the course, and do so with a high degree of independence. To get to college in the first place, high school students need specialized information to be able to select the right postsecondary environment, secure financial aid, and make a successful transition to what for most is a new cultural environment. All of this requires high schools to provide all students with much more specific and specialized knowledge, challenging intellectual experiences, and specialized learning skills, along with targeted information regarding postsecondary education opportunities, requirements, and expectations, particularly for those who would be first in family to attend college. This seminar identifies, defines, and explains four "keys" to college and career readiness which include: key cognitive strategies, key content knowledge, key learning skills and techniques, and key transition knowledge and skills. The seminar offers a model for creating a system of assessments and ancillary measures that can be used to gather multidimensional information in each of the four keys in order to help students prepare better and to enable colleges to make better determinations of student readiness for postsecondary education.
This symposium is co-sponsored by the PSU Challenge and LINK High School Programs and the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC).
Speaker Biography
Dr. Conley is Professor of Educational Policy and Leadership in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. He is the founder and director of the Center for Educational Policy Research (CEPR) at the University of Oregon, and founder and chief executive officer of the Educational Policy Improvement Center, a nonprofit educational research organization. Before joining the faculty of the University of Oregon in 1989, he spent 20 years in Colorado and California as a school-level and central office administrator in several districts, an executive in a state education department, and as a teacher in two public, multicultural, alternative schools. His areas of teaching and research include the high school-to-college transition, standards-based education, systemic school reform, educational governance, and adequacy funding models. His recent publications include "College and Career Readiness: Same or Different?" (2012), College and Career Ready: Helping All Students Succeed Beyond High School (2010), and Rethinking College Readiness (2008). Dr. Conley received a BA with honors in Social Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his master's degree in Social, Multicultural, and Bilingual Foundations of Education and his doctoral degree in Curriculum, Administration, and Supervision at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Register online today!
Click to register
for this event.
Please direct questions to
Brandi Kujala
(541) 246-2663.
The Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance has organized a seminar series highlighting the latest research on college access, persistence, and success. The goal of the each seminar is to highlight recent research or policy issues related to five areas of the access and success spectrum: early information and awareness, college preparation and readiness, access and choice, transfer and persistence, and success and completion. Each seminar will be held on the researcher's campus or in Washington, DC. The proceedings of the seminars will be used to prepare a primer on access and success for federal policymakers.


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Christmas has come early for actor Channing Tatum after learning his wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum is pregnant.
The Magic Mike star and his actress wife will become first-time parents next year.
A representative for the couple tells People.com, "(The Tatums) are pleased to announce that they are expecting the birth of their first child next year."
The news should come as no surprise to fans. Tatum, who was recently named the publication's Sexiest Man Alive, dropped hints the pair was keen to start a family in an interview last month, saying, "I'm ready; I think she's ready. The first number that pops into my head is three (children), but I just want one to be healthy and then we'll see where we go after that."
Tatum met his now-wife on the set of their hit dance movie Step Up in 2006 and they tied the knot in California three years later.


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The greatest little skifield in the world
Ohau Skifield, Ohau, Waitaki District, North Otago
Ohau skifield has a very unique feel about it, almost like you are coming home after a long time away.
Instantly you feel welcome, and almost part of the family with friendly, helpful staff that are totally unpretentious and there to make sure your day is as good as it gets.
There is something wonderful about heading to a smaller community based skifield, like you are not just a number in a crowd, that you are more than just another ticket and that the lifties actually do care how your day is going.
The views from the field are staggering, overlooking Lake Ohau and the barren yet beautiful MacKenzie basin and Waitaki Valley.
The field may be small but it packs punch, it has a very diverse field and caters for the complete learner right through to those that like strapping their skis to thier backs and searching for fresh tracks.
And there is nothing like sitting in front of a log burner at lunch with a good old New Zealand meat pie and freshly made soup, chatting away to those around you.
Ohau Lodge also provides the perfect location for a ski week away, with themed night, banquet dinners, bars and chill out areas with some of the best views (including Aoraki Mt Cook) in New Zealand.
If you want to get away from the crowds and experience a true kiwi ski holiday then you must visit Ohau skifield this winter.
Ohau I love to ski! Ohau I love Ohau.


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Shaman Shack
Reishi uplifts the spirit and builds protective power, a true Crown Chakra herb. (see front page link for more info on Reishi).
Shilajit is a full spectrum nutritional substance from the Himalayan mountains- It is thought to be comprised of broken-down carbons from ancient rain forests, sandwiched between rock strata as the Himalayan mountains were formed 50-100 million years ago, and now in spring, a black substance oozes out between rock strata in the high Himalaya, where it is harvested and dried into a powder. There is a whole pristine eco-system in Shilajit! and it is said to be excellent as a garden soil additive for minerals and plant nutrition.
Ormus is an alchemical mixture of semi precious stone silicates washed down from the mountains over eons, ground into fine clay-like sediments on ocean beds and eventually found in thin veins deep in the earth. At its base, ormus is thought to contain elemental alchemical substances that form precursors of both gold and crystal, quite fascinating! It is said that ormus can structure the water in the body, activating extra absorbability of the poweful nutrients and minerals in the Reishi and Shilajit.
This is an awesome super food, great in smoothies, or as a hot coffee-like drink. Add a little to your pet's food. 3oz powder in canister.
Possible Benefits of Reishi
Reishi is widely used in Asia to improve the cardiovascular system. It has been found to prevent and treat hardening of the arteries, angina and shortness of breath associated with coronary heart disease.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.


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There are underlying metabolic malfunctions common to all substance addictions. Sugar is the foremost "addictive-yet-legal" substance used today. Several other drugs such as amphetamines, psychedelics, cocaine, caffeine, and nicotine temporarily increase the release of sugar into the bloodstream; this creates a "high" through a metabolic process similar to that involving sugar and alcohol. These drugs also duplicate the mood-inducing effect of the body's endorphins, chemicals which transmit messages to the brain that help to relax the nervous system, or make it "smile." But perhaps one of the most serious addictions today is the widespread attraction to pharmaceutical drugs. There are some physicians who believe that this trend is the nation's "number one health problem."
There are many degrees of addiction. Some people are mildly addicted to one or two cups of coffee or a few teaspoons of sugar. Others consume two to three quarts of caffeine drinks with more significant amounts of sugar. Then, at the other end of the spectrum, are addicts drinking pints of alcohol daily, shooting heroin, and doing large amounts of other "hard" drugs.
It has been shown that individuals with substance addictions may very likely be suffering from an assortment of one or more metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia, hypoadrenia, hypothyroidism, Vitamin B deficiency, mineral deficiencies, liver malfunction, and depression. Serious maladaptive patterns, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypoglycemia, and candida albicans, have always been common among drug addicts and alcoholics.
Continual nutritional support is instrumental in gaining real and lasting recovery from addiction. It is not uncommon for those who remain drug or alcohol-free to simply substitute their chosen substance with excessive use of another addictive substance, such as sugar, caffeine, or nicotine. This behavior is often indicative of some metabolic disorder that the individual is trying to self-correct.
It is a good idea when beginning a nutritional program to include a clean diet: lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, plenty of vegetables and fruits, low fat, and little or no refined sugars. When selecting nutrients, you may want to begin with a particular nutrient or formula, and use it for one week, noticing whether or not its effect is beneficial. Then, select a second nutrient and note its effect. An overall increase in energy or a heightened sense of well-being indicates that the nutrient is probably helping.
Here are some nutrients that address common problems from which many recovering addicts may suffer:
Janet Zand, OMD, L. Ac. , is a respected naturopathic physician who lives and practices in the Los Angeles area. She has developed a unique and effective method of combining herbal medicine with nutrition, homeopathy and acupuncture. Her credentials include a Doctor of Naturopathy, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and Certified Acupuncturist. Dr. Zand has over fifteen years of clinical experience treating with natural medicine, as well as formulating her own line of herbal supplements. This year her book, Smart Medicine for a Healthy Child, will be available in health food stores.


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There were 47 bookings at the San Joaquin County Jail in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Monday. At that time, there were 1,406 people held at the jail, which has an official capacity of 1,411.
There were 47 bookings at the San Joaquin County Jail in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Monday. At that time, there were 1,406 people held at the jail, which has an official capacity of 1,411.
Shooting: Deputies responded to a hospital where a 29-year-old man was being treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his chest. The victim could not provide any information about the shooting, which occurred Saturday morning in the vicinity of North F Street and East Vail Avenue.
Shooting: About 6:15 p.m. Monday, a man was shot in the arm in the vicinity of Wagner Heights Road and Hickok Drive. His injury was considered non-life-threatening. No further details were available.
Weapons arrest: Community Response Team and San Joaquin County multiagency gang task force members went to the 300 block of West Oak Street about 6:30 p.m. Sunday after several reports over the past two weeks of shots fired in the area. They conducted a probation search and recovered a stolen and loaded handgun with a 30-round magazine. They arrested Dorrell Wesson, 34, on suspicion of weapons charges and possession of stolen property.
Robbery: A 54-year-old woman walking at Watts Avenue and East Flora Street about 12:45 a.m. Monday was robbed by a woman driving a white Mercedes SUV. The victim told police the robber stopped the SUV, got out, punched her and took her purse. She described her assailant as a white woman with red hair, 20 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds.
Robbery: A 22-year-old man was walking to his car near Wilson Way and Fremont Street about 11 p.m. Sunday when a man and a woman forced him at gunpoint to drive to an ATM and withdraw money, which they took. The gunman was described as Latino, 23, 5 feet 5 inches tall and 140 pounds and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. His companion was described as Latina, 28, 5 feet 7 inches and 160 pounds, with long orange and yellow hair, wearing a black shirt and black shorts.
Dwelling shot: A 51-year-old man reported that when he returned home early Monday in the 3200 block of Warick Court, he discovered his home struck by gunfire, police said.
Weapon arrest: Officers originally called to the 200 block of West Morada Road regarding a suspicious person possibly casing a home about 8:40 a.m. Monday arrested Raymond Sullwold, 22, on suspicion of a weapons charge after they discovered an unloaded .22-caliber revolver they say he threw in some bushes.
Resisting arrest: While checking several people for fare violations on a Regional Transit District bus at Pacific Avenue and Walnut Street about 12:30 p.m. Monday, a 17-year-old boy resisted arrest and was taken to the ground and subsequently taken into custody, police said. He was then cited for fare evasion and resisting arrest and released to a parent.
The California Highway Patrol did not provide an incident report Monday.
The Stockton Fire Department responded to 100 calls for service in the 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. Monday, including two vehicle accidents, 85 medical calls and two hazardous-materials incidents.


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Why Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose Say 'It's On Me' In adidas Campaign
October 14, 2009: Adidas is anticipating the upcoming NBA with its first campaign for the 2009-10 season, "It's On Me for My Brotherhood." The effort, which breaks Oct. 15, builds on its "Brotherhood" theme of previous seasons by spotlighting two of adidas Basketball's roster of stars: Dwight Howard, who led the Orlando Magic to the 2008-09 NBA Finals, and Derrick Rose, last season's Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Bulls.
The campaign will be anchored by an online initiative at www.Adidasbasketball.com that will feature films of Howard, Rose and adidas' other hoops stars: Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Tim, Duncan, Chauncey Billups and Josh Smith. Online also includes an NBA-adidas-EA Sports "Golden Ticket" promotion offering consumers a chance to win a trip to the 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas. Support includes a TV spot, print and an alliance with Eastbay.com to generate such exclusive content as an online chat with Rose. Tag remains, "Impossible is nothing." Adidas' lead agency is 180, Los Angeles.
Creative includes Howard claiming, "It's on me to get back to the finals for my brotherhood " and Rose saying, "It's on me to be faster than the game." Other players state, "It's on me . . . to rise up . . . to be unbreakable . . . to finish strong."
The effort supports TechFit compression apparel, which will make its debut this season as the official compression apparel of the NBA; and new hoops shoes: Howard, Duncan and Garnett will wear the TS Commander LT, which is 6oz. lighter than previous Commanders; Rose and Billups will wear the TS Cut Creator, which features ForMotion technology and a TPU lateral support piece to minimize stress during hard cuts, according to adidas.
"'Celebrating 'Basketball as a Brotherhood' has been widely successful for adidas. It hit home with the basketball-crazed consumer and we want to strengthen that relationship," Ryan Morlan, head of global communication for adidas basketball, said in a statement. "The 'It's On Me' insight is a celebration of Brotherhood as told through the players that make it up. While the focus is still on Brotherhood, it's a challenge to the individual to step up and be faster or stronger in order to improve the team."


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India have not hosted Bangladesh for a Test match since the Tigers gained full status in 2000. Bangladesh's only visits to India have been for one-day internationals.
India have played seven Tests in Bangladesh, including the inaugural match in Dhaka in November 2000, but remain the only Test-playing nation yet to welcome the Bangladeshis at home.
Bangladesh cricket chief Mustafa Kamal informed his colleagues in the BCB that he had been assured by his Indian counterpart Narayanaswamy Srinivasan that India will host Bangladesh this year.
Kamal met Srinivasan on the sidelines of the Indian Premier League tournament and he had "received assurance that India will host Bangladesh for a full tour later this year", a BCB statement said.
There was no immediate comment from the Board Of Control For Cricket In India, and it remained unclear how India will accommodate Bangladesh in their crowded schedule.
India are due to host New Zealand in August-September for three Tests, take part in the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September-October, and then host England for four Tests in November-December.
Bangladesh have lost 63 of their 73 Tests so far, winning only three, but opener Tamim Iqbal hopes his country will get to play five-day matches on a regular basis.
"If we want to really improve in Test match cricket, we need to play the format a lot more," Tamim, who is in India for the IPL, was quoted as saying by the Cricinfo website.


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Walking through his high-ceilinged factory here, explaining the production of sheets of copper, M. Brian O'Shaughnessy comes across as a staunch advocate of manufacturing in America.
But he invariably adds: "There is nothing made in the United States that has to be made here — that can't be shipped in from some other country."
As chairman and principal owner of Revere Copper Products, Mr. O'Shaughnessy runs one of America's oldest manufacturing companies, started by Paul Revere himself, a fact that exerts considerable pressure. As he put it: "What kind of a message are you sending to the people of the country if you abandon America?"
But spend a day with him, and a more complex picture emerges. He wonders sometimes about the less patriotic alternative of relocating production to Asia or closing the factory entirely on the ground that Revere's profit margin here is too thin — less than $1 million on $450 million in annual revenue.
"If we simply shut down today," Mr. O'Shaughnessy said, "I could sell the inventory and the machinery, which could be moved elsewhere in the world, and pay off our debts and walk away with $35 million to $40 million."
What staves off those alternatives are labor concessions and a substantial government subsidy, something he and others in the United States say is increasingly important to fuel a nascent recovery in manufacturing.
The labor concessions at Revere, in a contract endorsed by the United Automobile Workers, are much like those unions are giving to other manufacturers. The subsidy comes from New York State, which supplies, at cost, the electric power that Revere uses to produce copper sheets and slabs. Mr. O'Shaughnessy says it accounts for half of Revere's profit.
With such support, the key measure of manufacturing's presence in America is ticking upward. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis reported in April that manufacturing's contribution to the gross domestic product rose in 2011 to 12.2 percent from 11.7 percent in 2010 and 11 percent in 2009.
The current share is, of course, far less than in the 1950s, when manufacturing reached 28 percent of the economy, and then went into a long, gradual decline. But for the first time since then, the percentage has risen over a three-year period.
"Basically, manufacturers are realizing that the cost structure for making products in America no longer needs to be as unfavorable as it was," said Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington and a former chief economist to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The evidence is easy to spot. An American company, Element Electronics, for example, has made flat-screen televisions for years at a factory in China but is now expanding in America. It recently opened a factory near Detroit that is producing the first televisions made in the United States by any company in years.
At General Electric, local tax breaks and a concessionary union contract contributed to G.E.'s decision to manufacture its latest electric water heater in Louisville, Ky. — instead of in China. Similarly, the Otis Elevator Company is moving production to a new factory in Florence, S.C., from a plant in Nogales, Mexico, and Master Lock has switched the manufacture of combination locks back to Milwaukee from China.
At P.A.M.A. Furniture, in Jamestown, N.C., the owning Pennisi family has begun to manufacture upholstered chairs and sofas "from scratch," according to Anthony Pennisi, a vice president.
Until recently, the Pennisis imported chair frames from Italy and Indonesia, and finished them at the family's Jamestown factory. Manufacturing everything here is more expensive, Mr. Pennisi said, and he has asked for government help. "I think we are a prime example of a small manufacturer producing a Made-in-America product and trying to survive," he said.
The thread running through these decisions is an acknowledgment by management and labor that manufacturing needs a little help in the form of local, state and national subsidies for survival in a global economy in which Asian and European producers are routinely subsidized.
"The only manufacturers in America who go without government support are those whose markets are so insignificant that they are not noticed by foreign producers," said Mr. O'Shaughnessy, who is a co-chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, a lobbying group that seeks to strengthen domestic production.
Apart from subsidies, organized labor's givebacks in recent years have contributed significantly to what manufacturers call "lean" practices.
At Revere, "lean" means that employment has fallen to 360 from 450 two decades ago. The half-hour lunch break is no longer paid time for the 260 hourly workers. (They earn $19 an hour on average.) Employees pay some of their health insurance premium. And management alters factory routines and tasks without first consulting the union, U.A.W. Local 2367, which for months has turned the other cheek. Partly as a result, the time required to turn a 22,000-pound cake of copper into finished sheets of various thicknesses has been reduced to three days from three weeks.
"The company shows us a newsreel that makes the point that since the year 2000, the United States has lost 56,000 factories and five or six million manufacturing jobs," said Tom Slocum, chairman of the U.A.W. local's bargaining committee, "and the message is that, but for the O'Shaughnessys, the factory here could join the 56,000."
Despite those lost factories, the United States was the world's largest manufacturer in terms of value added for many years — until China gradually edged into the lead over the last few years. Value added means the value in dollars that is added when a $100 sheet of copper, for example, is cut and shaped into a $150 roof gutter. By that standard, a fully assembled car is worth more than the value of its numerous parts before assembly. Each factory operation adds value, and the measuring gauge speeds along, reaching $1.8 trillion in the United States in 2011.
In China, where the gauge has been rising faster than in the United States, the value added by manufacturing was about $1.9 trillion last year, according to government and private estimates.
That Chinese milestone is reflected in America's merchandise trade deficit, which has remained stubbornly high, mainly because of the imbalance with China. American multinationals have contributed to the shift, frequently making in Asia what they sell in Asia and, in many cases, in the United States.Revere hasn't participated, though, even as its customers moved their production of copper products like pots and pans, electrical wiring and roof gutters offshore. Those customers shifted to foreign suppliers.
"We have lost 30 percent of our business this way," Mr. O'Shaughnessy said. "We had to shrink our staff to stay alive."
Given his druthers, he would have the United States step up its own mercantilist practices, which means greater government support. A big one, from a manufacturer's point of view, would be a devaluation of the dollar to lower the cost of exports in foreign currencies.
Mr. O'Shaughnessy, who is a vigorous 69, has ceded management of Revere to a son, Michael, now chief executive. Freed of day-to-day responsibilities, he drove a rented Harley-Davidson last month across the Argentine pampas and the Andes, traveling alone from Buenos Aires to Valparaíso, Chile.
But most of his adventure has been here in Rome, where he became, in the late 1980s, the chief executive of Revere. He was hired after Michael Milken, the takeover king, acquired the company in a hostile leveraged buyout.
Mr. Milken's organization sold several divisions, including the one that made pots and pans, and soon sold control to Mr. O'Shaughnessy, who borrowed $64 million to make the purchase. He closed a second factory, in Massachusetts, where Paul Revere started the company in 1801.
Mr. O'Shaughnessy's boast about the potential windfall from closing the remaining factory here is rooted in the belief that conviction and determination, as much as economics, sustains manufacturing in America.
"As manufacturing moves abroad, mostly to China, could Revere follow? Yes," he says. "Will Revere? Never." To minimize the risk that his decision will be reversed after he is gone, he is leaving all his shares, he said, to whichever of his three sons is most likely to keep Revere's production in America.
That son might even someday restore electric power to a huge neon-lighted depiction of Paul Revere on horseback, who, back when the sign was lighted, seemed to gallop across the night sky high above the factory's roof. Mr. O'Shaughnessy cut the power to save money, and Rome, N.Y., lost a distinguishing spectacle — an animated landmark that drew schoolchildren and tourists and that heralded Rome as a proud manufacturing city.


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Giving Back While Traveling
Making a Difference with Terra Incognita Tours
Travelers give back with part of their fees going to great causes
By Kristina Kulyabina
Here's an opportunity to get your National Geographic photograph of a mountain gorilla in Africa while simultaneously helping to sustain the species.
When planning an international trip, the budget sheet tends to overwhelm my eyes. Is it really worth it? I hesitate at first but always choose pursuing adventure over conserving my savings. Recently, I discovered an ecotour company that allows travelers to feel a little less guilty about spending thousands of dollars on a safari in Brazil.
Terra Incognita Ecotours, a Florida-based travel company was founded in 2004 by 53-year-old Gerard Caddick from England with a mission to utilize ecotourism as a way to pay for conservation in some of the world's most remote regions. Travelers experience enticing wildlife including mountain gorillas, newly hatched penguins, pumas, among others in their natural habitats. In every destination, Ecotours partners with a conservation group or an organization in which a portion of each traveler's payment for the ecotour is a contribution to the conservation partner.
Caddick passionately believes that it is our responsibility as human beings to attempt to leave the Earth better than we found it. Conservation has always been important to him as he has formerly worked with endangered species and overall wildlife conservation.
Depending on the conservation partner, some donations are received during the tour or immediately after the tour. Sometimes, Ecotours makes donations several times a year to the same destination. In fact, where there is enough demand to justify multiple trips, Ecotours will make multiple departures per year to the same destination. The trips, however, are limited to group size so that travelers can keep environmental impact low.
For instance, in Rwanda, Ecotours partners with the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, also known as Gorilla Doctors. More than $75,000 had already been donated to Gorilla Doctors over the past seven years in efforts to help fund the protections and sustainability of the mountain gorilla population in wild Africa.
Gorilla Doctors
Mike Cranfield, 61, is the co-director of Gorilla Doctors and says that the gorilla population as a whole is currently growing faster than the human population by 4% in Rwanda and is the only great ape that is not diminishing in numbers.
"I feel that Ecotours is really doing the right thing by taking some of the profits gained from a destination and giving it back to the local supporting work," says Cranfield. "I am happy they have chosen us not just for the money but the exposure to some of the great people that we meet through Ged's company."
Cranfield also says that the project workers provide an evening talk to all the people that are trekking to educate them about the animals and some of the procedures that make the event safer for the gorillas. Many trekkers choose to tour the Gorilla Doctors facilities as well.
Gorilla Doctors is overall very conscious of its spending with the donation funds. Some goes towards wages, gas, and tires, and all things necessary to respond quickly and efficiently to a serious health issue.
Cranfield hopes that Gorilla Doctors can help promote and expand the one health approach. The overall goal of the organization is to improve the health care of the gorillas through training and research and to slowly build capacity so the governments of the African countries can take over the project.
The Tours
Each destination with Ecotours is visited at a different time per year – all depending on climate, desired view of animal species, etc. The trips typically last between ten days to two weeks. The limit for a normal group size is 16 people, although for puma watching in Chile and giant panda tracking in China limits the size to only eight people.
"Normally, we have two departures per year to China, two or three to Brazil, two or more to India, five or six to Chile and as many as ten departures per year to Rwanda," says Caddick.
Most activities along the ecotours include taking safari game drives and trekking to view extraordinary wildlife or visiting local cultural and historical places. Caddick says that the travelers do not directly take part in the conservation partner projects.
"We simply help fund the projects because they often require highly specialized, professional level skills, not manual labor. For example, veterinary care, GIS mapping, technical skills, etc.," he says.
Part of the selection process for new conservation partners is that the organization wants and appreciates the help from Ecotours. In a two-way partnership, Ecotours helps fund projects while in return the organizations provide tourists with beneficial insight and appreciation for the places visited.
"We always form very close, collaborative partnerships. They are more than just partners, they become friends," says Caddick.
Caddick also says that travelers often donate more after a trip and meeting a conservation partner, some of which have donated tens of thousands of dollars after they have returned. Ecotours has a high return rate for travelers –some are now on a sixth or seventh trip while the company has only been in operation for seven years.
One of the most unique countries formerly visited among these tours was Rwanda – which Caddick happens to visit five times a year.
"It's not just the incredible experience of looking into the eyes of a Gorilla, but the fact that you are walking on the same trails as Dian Fossey, or the fact that the people there today are so kind, gentle, warm and friendly, and yet have experienced the horrors of a Genocide so recently," says Caddick. "It is an incredible nation – probably my favorite on Earth!"
Ecotours has now donated over $100,000 to projects in Rwanda including the Gorilla Doctors, school-children scholarships, and the Akilah Institute.
Susannah Smith, 44, a communications professional from Florida participated in the weeklong Rwanda ecotour to view the endangered mountain gorillas. She says the country held the most bio-diverse landscape she has ever experienced – "tropical, lush, almost like walking in a salad bowl with birds from heaven. I'm not kidding."
Smith also says the Rwandans are the kindest and most warm-spirited people she has ever met. The overall experience helped her take a step forward in life.
"It was the trip of a lifetime- gut wrenching wildlife encounters, beautiful people, delicious food. And did I mention you crawl into bed with a cozy hot water bottle and your wake up call is coffee and biscuits delivered to your room as you hear the birds announcing the approaching sun?" she says.
More EcoTours Travelers
Joseph Darling, 71, is a retiree/volunteer at the Wolf Conservation Center who lives in New York. He traveled with Ecotours to Rwanda, Brazil, India, China, and is scheduled to go to Chile and the Falkland Islands.
He says he chose Ecotours because it provided him with the best possible wilderness experience to see the targeted wildlife of the area and because it is all structured to give back to the local communities and people.
"Ged Caddick 'gets' what I was looking for in a trip to see wildlife. Accommodations were generally among the best available and the tours were in the right area to best maximize viewing opportunities," says Darling.
Darling also says that Rwanda was fantastic. "Terra Incognita Ecotours has been doing this trip for a long time and has access to incredible lodging and a great feel for getting the best gorilla treks for people of any fitness level," says Darling.
"In my group we had a blind participant and Ged was able to get him to the gorillas for "the experience". He has also been supporting the gorilla rehab center for many years and has a marvelous reputation with the locals. The trek was arduous but, aided by the porters and trackers all members of our group easily got to the viewing areas for the gorillas that day."
The gorilla recovery efforts opened Darling's eyes to the difficulties and efforts that the people of Rwanda are enduring in order to preserve the "magnificent" species.
"One of the main reasons I travel with Terra Incognita Ecotours is the knowledge that part of my costs are going to support an effort in the community. When you are helping save a species it is a natural high," says Darling.
Further Information
Caddick says that he wants to develop the next Ecotours with trips to Uganda and Australia. The projects and itineraries are still to be announced. A traveler can sign up by simply completing a booking form and paying the deposit amount, which varies based on the specific tour. Sometimes it takes up to two to three years to develop a new destination and suitable partner. Caddick visits potential new locations several times, investigating logistics and identifying suitable projects and conservation partners.
To learn more about Ecotours and how to join an upcoming trek, visit ecotours.com.
Kristina Kulyabina is an editorial assistant at GoNOMAD. She's heading to Thailand to teach English in Fall 2013.
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23 Kan. App. 2d 85
No. 74,920
JUAN SOTO, Appellant, v. STATE OF KANSAS, Appellee.
1. It is good practice to provide a criminal defendant who is literate, but not in English, with translated copies of important pleadings.
2. Pursuant to K.S.A. 21-4721(c) of the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines Act, the appellate courts shall not review any sentence resulting from an agreement between the State and the defendant which the sentencing court approves on the record.
3. To facilitate entering a plea agreement, K.S.A. 21-4713 permits the prosecutor to recommend a particular sentence outside of the sentencing range when departure factors exist and are stated on the record. For example, a defendant who is faced with charges of first-degree murder and the possibility of life imprisonment can substantially benefit from a plea to second-degree murder even with a substantial upward departure sentence.
4. A defendant's right of allocution under K.S.A. 22-3424(e)(4) clearly requires the court to address the defendant personally and ask if the defendant wishes to make a statement on his or her own behalf and to present any evidence in mitigation of punishment. The harmless error analysis can apply to a sentencing court's failure to inform a defendant of the right of allocution.
Appeal from Mitchell District Court; THOMAS M. TUGGLE, judge. Opinion filed November 22, 1996. Affirmed.
Dennis McFall, of Concordia, for the appellant.
Rod Ludwig, county attorney, and Carla J. Stovall, attorney general, for the appellee.
Before RULON, P.J., PIERRON, J., and TOM MALONE, District Judge, assigned.
PIERRON, J.: Pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1507, Juan Soto appeals his departure sentence and the district court's failure to properly inform him of his right of allocution.
Soto was charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of felony murder, and two counts of felony theft. Soto speaks Spanish and has a limited understanding of English. The record reveals the court went to painstaking measures to make sure that Soto understood all pleadings and proceedings. Soto had an interpreter appointed for him on the day the charges were filed, and a majority of the pleadings were duplicated in Spanish. We commend the court for these procedures, which are extremely good practices.
Soto pled no contest to amended charges of one count of reckless second-degree murder, one count of aggravated robbery, and one count of felony theft. The plea agreement states in pertinent part:
|"Defendant pleads guilty or no contest to a complaint or information charging reckless second degree murder, aggravated robbery and felony theft. Defendant agrees to a departure sentence of 154 months on the second degree murder charge. Defendant agrees to sentences of 55 months on the aggravated robbery charge and seven months on the felony theft charge. Defendant agrees that all sentences are served consecutively for a controlling sentence of 216 months. The State dismisses all other charges and will not seek a controlling sentence greater than 216 months imprisonment."
Neither party filed a formal departure motion. At sentencing, both parties moved pursuant to the plea agreement to depart from the sentencing guidelines on the convictions of second-degree murder and aggravated robbery. The State did not argue for, nor did the plea agreement indicate, a departure for the felony theft conviction. The State based the motion for departure on the fact that Soto's conduct during the commission of the offense manifested excessive brutality of the victim in a manner not normally present in the offense. Soto's counsel stated that he and defendant agreed to the departure pursuant to the plea agreement.
With regard to Soto's right of allocution, the following occurred:
"MR. LUDWIG [PROSECUTOR]: Your honor, prior to imposing sentence, the State would offer
evidence in support of its motion to depart.
"THE COURT: Yes, and I'm not attempting to preclude that, nor allocution. Very well. The Court finds there is no reason why sentence should not now be imposed. Do the defendants wish to make a statement on their own behalf or present evidence in mitigation of sentence?
"DR. GUZMAN [CODEFENDANT'S INTERPRETER]: He says no, he has nothing to say.
"THE COURT: Mr. Dinkel, on behalf of your client, and after the State introduces any additional evidence, do you wish to make any additional statement?
"MR. DINKEL [CODEFENDANT'S ATTORNEY]: We would just ask the Court to impose the sentence that's been agreed upon. I think I mentioned earlier that Mr. Allende certainly didn't intend to kill anyone on this evening, it was a fight that got out of control, and alcohol was involved. I think it was a fight that, to some extent, was provoked by the victim in this case. That's all I have to say.
"THE COURT: Thank you. Mr. Thull, on behalf of your client, does he wish to present evidence or make a statement?
"MR. THULL [SOTO'S ATTORNEY]: My client does not wish to make a statement to the Court, but would like for me to address the Court.
"DEFENDANT SOTO: That's right.
"MR. THULL: May I address the Court?
"THE COURT: Certainly."
Next, the district court recited in open court the aggravating factor utilized to support its upward departure. The applicable sentencing ranges were 68 to 77 months' incarceration for second-degree murder and 46 to 51 months' incarceration for aggravated robbery. The court found the evidence demonstrated Soto's excessive brutality to the victim in a way not normally present in that type of offense. In accordance with the plea agreement, the district court sentenced Soto to consecutive terms of 154 months' incarceration for second-degree murder, 55 months' incarceration for aggravated robbery, and 7 months' incarceration for felony theft.
Soto did not file a direct appeal in this case. Approximately a year after sentencing, he filed a motion for correction of sentence, claiming that his sentence for 154 months' incarceration for second-degree murder exceeded the terms of the applicable sentencing guidelines grid box. The court informed Soto that his claim was in the nature of a proceeding under K.S.A. 60-1507 and he needed to submit his claim on a prescribed form.
On the prescribed form, Soto explained that he did not directly appeal because he was not informed of his right to appeal and he had a limited understanding of English and appellate procedures. Soto claimed his sentences for second-degree murder and aggravated robbery were excessive because they departed upward from the presumptive ranges of the respective crimes. He also claimed the district court failed to properly advise him of his right of allocution.
On Soto's K.S.A. 60-1507 motion, the district court ruled that the departure sentences were (1) within the sentencing court's authority and (2) in accordance with the sentencing agreement/departure agreement entered between the parties with benefit of interpreters and counsel. The district court also found that the sentencing court did advise Soto that if his case went to trial, he would be entitled to appeal the conviction to a higher court. Soto had indicated he understood this right.
The district court held that informing Soto of the right of allocution was unnecessary for two reasons. First, it stated that the sentencing court entered the recommended sentence and no error could be found since the sentencing court adopted a sentence that was specifically advocated by Soto. Second, Soto waived his right of allocution because he did not object on a timely basis to the sentencing court's failure to afford him the right.
Soto argues that the sentencing guidelines provide strict procedural and substantive requirements in order to accomplish the stated goal of uniformity in sentencing. He contends there are no provisions in the sentencing guidelines that permit an upward departure by agreement of the parties. He insists that the grossly disproportionate sentence he received is not permissible.
A sentence which does not conform to the statutory provisions, either in character or the term of the punishment authorized, is an illegal sentence. Where a prisoner asserts that his or her sentence is illegal, the prisoner may at any time, pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1507, move the court that imposed the sentence to correct or vacate the sentence. See State v. Scherzer, 254 Kan. 926, Syl. ¶ 1, 869 P.2d 729 (1994).
The district court did not err in finding that Soto's appeal of his departure sentences was not permissible. The State and Soto entered into a plea agreement, and the terms of the agreement were followed to the letter by the district court. K.S.A. 21-4721(c) expressly prohibits an appeal in this case. It provides:
"(c) On appeal from a judgment or conviction entered for a felony committed on or after July 1,
1993, the appellate court shall not review:
. . . .
"(2) any sentence resulting from an agreement between the state and the defendant which the sentencing court approves on the record."
Soto incorrectly argues that the sentencing guidelines do not provide for an upward departure by agreement of the parties. Soto's argument is contrary to the established principles of plea agreements. To facilitate entering a plea agreement, K.S.A. 21-4713 permits the prosecutor to recommend a particular sentence outside of the sentencing range when departure factors exist and are stated on the record. Faced with original charges of first-degree murder and the possibility of life imprisonment, Soto substantially benefitted from the plea negotiations, even with the departure sentence of 154 months for reckless second-degree murder.
It is also important to note that the district court properly followed K.S.A. 21-4718(c) by making findings of fact as to the reasons for the upward departure. K.S.A. 21-4718(c) provides that "[i]n each case in which the court imposes a sentence that deviates from the presumptive sentence, the court shall make findings of fact as to the reasons for departure regardless of whether a hearing is requested." The sentencing court stated on the record that the aggravating factor in this case was the excessive brutality to the victim in a way not normally present in that type of offense.
Next, Soto argues the sentencing court erred by failing to inform him of his right of allocution. He maintains that he should be resentenced and given an opportunity to utilize this right.
As a general rule, trial errors are to be corrected by direct appeal and not by a motion filed pursuant to K.S.A. 60-1507. Dunlap v. State, 221 Kan. 268, 269, 559 P.2d 788 (1977). Kansas Supreme Court Rule 183(c) (1995, Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 181), provides in relevant part that a "proceeding under K.S.A. 60-1507 cannot ordinarily be used as a substitute for direct appeal involving mere trial errors or as a substitute for a second appeal."
The district court that heard Soto's K.S.A. 60-1507 motion did not make the determination of whether the sentencing court failed to inform Soto of his right of allocution. Rather, the district court simply stated that allocution was unnecessary because (1) the sentencing court entered the terms of the plea agreement and (2) Soto failed to object to a lack of allocution. Contrary to the district court's ruling, K.S.A. 22-3424(e)(4) clearly requires the court to address the defendant personally and "ask the defendant if the defendant wishes to make a statement on the defendant's own behalf and to present any evidence in mitigation of punishment." See State v. Heide, 249 Kan. 723, 822 P.2d 59 (1991) (K.S.A. 22-3424[4], now K.S.A. 22-3424[e], unambiguously requires the court to advise the defendant of the right of allocution).
The district court erred in its finding that allocution was unnecessary, but its decision that the sentencing court did not commit reversible error should be upheld nonetheless. "The judgment of a trial court, if correct, is to be upheld even though the court may have relied upon a wrong ground or assigned an erroneous reason for its decision. [Citations omitted.]" State v. Wilburn, 249 Kan. 678, 686, 822 P.2d 609 (1991).
The sentencing court clearly asked Soto and the other codefendant whether they wished to make a statement on their own behalf or present evidence in mitigation of sentence. Soto's attorney informed the court that Soto did not wish to make a statement. Then, Soto's attorney stated that he would address the court. Soto replied, "That's right." There was a clear waiver of allocution or an express deferral to the attorney to speak and provide evidence in mitigation of punishment.
The court in State v. Borders, 255 Kan. 871, 879 P.2d 620 (1994), recently applied a harmless error analysis to a sentencing court's failure to inform a defendant of the right of allocution. In Borders, the defendant was given full opportunity to address the court, but he declined to do so. The defendant argued that he had been denied the opportunity to notify his family of the time of sentencing. The court stated there had never been any assertion that any family member desired to attend the sentencing and that the defendant failed to indicate that he had any evidence that he desired to present in mitigation of his sentence. As a result, the court did not find reversible error. 255 Kan. at 879-80. The court held:
|"We believe the requirement of a showing of prejudice to the substantial rights of the defendant is equally applicable to alleged violations of the allocution statute as it is to the many other areas of criminal procedure where prejudice must be shown to justify a reversal. The defendant here has shown absolutely no prejudice, and while failure to comply with a mandatory statute, such as [K.S.A. 22-3424(e)], is error, [it is] not reversible error unless prejudice to the substantial rights of the defendant is shown." 255 Kan. at 881
The sentencing court advised Soto of his right of allocution. He either declined or deferred his right. There is no evidence of prejudice rising to the level of reversible error.


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Beyoncé was recently seen leaving her NYC office in an especially vertiginous pair of blackGiuseppe Zanotti Biker Sandals with edgy silver hardware. (What exactly happens in a celebrity's office? All of the A-listers seem to have them. Inquiring minds would like to know.) You can find a pair of these 5″ stiletto GZ heels for $1,495 at Neiman Marcus.
The GZ brand has created numerous customized sandals and heels for Queen Bey's world tours, and as we reported a few months back, Bey is currently working on a single shoe collaboration with Giuseppe Zanotti himself. Why only one shoe, you ask, why not a whole capsule collection? Never question the whims of the Queen. No word yet on when the coveted Beyoncé-GZ design will hit stores.