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The economic loss from premature motor failure is devastating. In most cases, the price of the motor itself is trivial compared to the cost of unscheduled shutdowns of processes. Both high and low voltages can cause premature motor failure, as will voltage imbalance. Here, we'll look at the effects of low and high voltage on motors and the related performance changes you can expect when you use voltages other than those noted on the nameplate.
Effects of low voltage. When you subject a motor to voltages below the nameplate rating, some of the motor's characteristics will change slightly and others will change dramatically. To drive a fixed mechanical load connected to the shaft, a motor must draw a fixed amount of power from the line. The amount of power the motor draws has a rough correlation to the voltage 2current (amps). Thus, when voltage gets low, the current must increase to provide the same amount of power. An increase in current is a danger to the motor only if that current exceeds the motor's nameplate current rating. When amps go above the nameplate rating, heat begins to build up in the motor. Without a timely correction, this heat will damage the motor. The more heat and the longer the exposure to it, the more damage to the motor.
The existing load is a major factor in determining how much of a decrease in supply voltage a motor can handle (see sidebar, below). For example, let's look at a motor that carries a light load. If the voltage decreases, the current will increase in roughly the same proportion that the voltage decreases. For example, a 10% voltage decrease would cause a 10% amperage increase. This would not damage the motor, if the current stays below the nameplate value.
Now, what if that motor has a heavy load? In this case, you already have a high current draw, so voltage is already lower than it would be without the load. You may even be close to the nameplate's lower limit for voltage. When you have a voltage reduction, the current would rise to a new value, which may exceed the full-load rated amps.
Low voltage can lead to overheating, shortened life, reduced starting ability, and reduced pull-up and pullout torque. The starting torque, pull-up torque, and pullout torque of induction motors all change, based on the applied voltage squared. Thus, a 10% reduction from nameplate voltage (100% to 90%, 230V to 207V) would reduce the starting torque, pull-up torque, and pullout torque by a factor of .92.9. The resulting values would be 81% of the full voltage values. At 80% voltage, the result would be .82.8, or a value of 64% of the full voltage value. What does this translate to in real life? Well, you can now see why it's difficult to start "hard-to-start" loads if the voltage happens to be low. Similarly, the motor's pullout torque would be much lower than it would be under normal voltage conditions.
On lightly loaded motors with easy-to-start loads, reducing the voltage will not have any appreciable effect, except that it might help reduce the light load losses and improve the efficiency under this condition. This is the principle behind some add-on equipment whose purpose is to improve efficiency.
Effects of high voltage. An assumption people often make is that since low voltage increases the amperage draw on motors, then high voltage must reduce the amperage draw and heating of the motor. This is not the case. High voltage on a motor tends to push the magnetic portion of the motor into saturation. This causes the motor to draw excessive current in an effort to magnetize the iron beyond the point where magnetizing is practical.
Motors will tolerate a certain change in voltage above the design voltage. However, extremes above the design voltage will cause the amperage to go up with a corresponding increase in heating and a shortening of motor life.
For example, manufacturers previously rated motors at 220/440V, with a tolerance band of 510%. Thus, the voltage range they can tolerate on the high-voltage connections is 396V to 484V. Even though this is the so-called tolerance band, the best performance would occur at the rated voltage. The extreme ends (either high or low) put unnecessary stress on the motor.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking you're okay just because your supply voltage falls within these tolerance bands. The purpose of these bands is to accommodate the normal hour-to-hour swings in plant voltage. Operation on a continuous basis at either the high or low extreme will shorten the life of the motor.
Such sensitivity to voltage is not unique to motors. In fact, voltage variations affect other magnetic devices in similar ways. The solenoids and coils you find in relays and starters tolerate low voltage better than they do high voltage. This is also true of ballasts in fluorescent, mercury, and high-pressure sodium light fixtures. And it's true of transformers of all types. Incandescent lights are especially susceptible to high voltage. A 5% increase in voltage results in a 50% reduction in the life of the lamp. A 10% increase in voltage above the rating reduces incandescent lamp life by 70%.
Overall, it's definitely better for the equipment if you change the taps on incoming transformers to optimize the voltage on the plant floor to something close to the equipment ratings. In older plants, you may need to make some compromises because of the differences in the standards on old motors (220/440V) and the newer "T-frame" standards (230/460V). A voltage in the middle of these two voltages (something like 225V or 450V) will generally result in the best overall performance. High voltage will always tend to reduce power factor, thus increasing the losses in the system. This results in higher operating costs for the equipment and the system.
A standard figure (found in motor books and in the original print version of this article) illustrates the general effects of high and low voltage on the performance of "T-frame" motors. This graph is in wide use in a variety of reference materials. But, it's only representative and does not give precise information that applies to all motors. Instead, it represents only a single motor type, with much variation from one motor design to the next. For example, the lowest point on the full-load amp line does not always occur at 21/2% above rated voltage. On some motors, it might occur at a point below rated voltage. Also, the rise in full load amps at voltages above rated tends to be steeper for some motor winding designs than others. The sidebar, on page 78, offers some guidelines for determining the effects of voltage variations on individual motor designs and frames.
Don't place stress on your electric motors and other electrical equipment as a result of operating a power system at or near the ends of voltage limits. The best life and most efficient operation usually occur when you operate motors at voltages very close to the nameplate ratings. When supplying voltage to motors, stay away from the "outer limits."
This text is an adaptation of The Cowern Papers, courtesy Baldor Electric Co., Wallingford, Conn., edited by Mark Lamendola, EC&M Technical Editor. Cowern is an Application Engineer for Baldor.


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The Financial Services Authority is understood to be taking action against Santander after a mystery shopping exercise revealed that many bank customers were given poor advice on Isas, pensions and investment plans.
The regulator conducted a mystery shopping exercise between March and September last year and found that in one in 10 cases customers received poor advice. In a further 15pc of cases banks failed to gather enough information to ensure the product sold was suitable.
The FSA said it was "disappointed" by the results – and said further action would be taken again one bank. It is understood that this is Santander.
The bank is currently not selling investment products, while its staff undergo retraining.
The FSA said that where problems had been identified, banks would also review previous sales to identify if customers have been sold an unsuitable product.
The regulator said this is the first time it has published the results of a mystery shopping exercise since it conducted a similar investigation into the sales of payment protection insurance (PPI) in 2008.
This subsequently triggered one of the biggest consumer mis-selling scandals in UK banking history.
In total there were more than 230 visits made to the six main high street banks and building societies. The main problems identified were that advisers failed to identify the level of risk customers were willing to take, did not take into consideration the length of time customers want to hold the investment and did not always take a customers' financial circumstances into account.
For example, some advisers recommended that customers invest in a saving plan, rather than using this capital to repay credit card debt or loans.
Clive Adamson, director of supervision at the FSA, said: "Mystery shopping allows us to understand what customers experience when they purchase financial products. This review shows that customers are not consistently getting the quality of advice on their investments that they should expect when visiting an adviser in a bank or building society.
"While we are disappointed by the results of this review, we are encouraged by the action that the firms involved have taken to rectify the situation for their customers. Since this review took place, we have introduced new rules on investment advice which have increased the professional standard of the advisers operating in the market and have removed the potential for advisers to recommend products that pay the largest commission but may not be right for the customer."

subset: commoncrawl


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Post race track cancellations in the Track Cancellations/Updates section so they get seen and not missed because they get pushed too far down in the topics if no one posts on them and just reads them....thanks
PLEASE make sure the track is REALLY cancelled before posting. If you want notice sent to your phone or email as soon as the track cancels sign up with RainedOut.com. It's great!!
Here is the link to check for any local track cancellations viewforum.php?f=62
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WBEZ News
Inside Blagojevich jury deliberations
After delivering their sweeping conviction of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Monday, jurors took a few minutes to talk to reporters.
They convicted Blagojevich on 17 of the 20 corruption charges. It's a vastly different outcome than the one reached by the first Blagojevich jury, which convicted on one minor count and was deadlocked on everything else. This second jury hopes their overwhelmingly guilty verdict sends a message to Illinois politicians.
In high-profile federal cases, court administrators will sometimes make a courtroom available where jurors can talk to reporters if they so choose. There's only one television camera and one microphone for radio stations, an attempt to make the whole experience less intimidating.
In Blagojevich's first trial, none of the jurors talked at court, and as a result reporters started tracking them down at their homes that evening. In an apparent attempt to avoid a repeat, Judge James Zagel seems to have suggested it might not be a bad idea for jurors to get it over with. All of them made themselves available for a 21 minute Q and A, and the forewoman even started with a prepared statement. "As a jury, we have felt privileged to be part of our federal judicial system," she said.
The jurors spent nine days deliberating, but the forewoman, a retired church musician and liturgist, says it's not because they were arguing. She says they carefully went through each of the 20 counts. "Throughout the process we were very respectful of each other's views and opinions, and as a result we feel confident we have reached a fair and just verdict."
They found Blagojevich guilty on 17 counts of trying to use his office to enrich himself, but they still kind of liked him. Juror 103 (the court hasn't released the jurors names yet but they're expected to do so Tuesday morning) spent a week listening to Blagojevich testify. She sat in the jury box in the front row, closest to the witness stand. As Blagojevich walked up to the stand he would often mouth or whisper a hello, or a "how ya doin" to her. He also jokingly rolled his eyes at her when attorneys were taking too long dealing with issues at sidebar.
Juror 103 said that connection "Made it, I wouldn't say it made it a bit harder but because he was personable it made it hard to separate that from what we actually had to do as jurors, you know, we had to put aside the fact that whether we liked him or didn't like him and just go by the evidence that was presented to us."
Another juror echoed the sentiment that Blagojevich is more than just a caricature. "We know he's human, he has a family, and it was very difficult and there were many times we would talk and say, or I would say, here's all the evidence, and I'd come in thinking okay, he's not guilty and then all of a sudden, gosh darn you Rod, you did it again, I mean he proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty, so it was very difficult. I mean we, I really tried to just try to find everything I could to make him not guilty but the proof was there."
But not everyone was smitten by the former governor. One juror said she felt he was manipulative and an alternate juror said she felt Blagojevich could remember everything for his lawyers but then seemed to forget everything when the prosecutors were asking the questions.
In the end, the jurors agreed that Blagojevich committed crimes and they said that was made clear from the governor's phone calls, which were secretly recorded by the FBI. Jurors said the easiest counts to convict on included the allegations that Blagojevich tried to cash in on the ability to appoint Barack Obama's successor in the U.S. Senate. And they didn't buy the defense claim that Blagojevich was just talking and throwing around ideas. One said, "He was being tried on attempting and not committing the crime and when you say you're going to float an idea as opposed to asking someone to do it, that's where and there was several times where he said you know, do it, push that, get this done, and I think that's where you cross the line of just floating an idea and actually doing it."
After talking to reporters for 21 minutes, a court employee brought the questioning to an end, and the jurors made their way to the basement of the federal court building and got into a 15-passenger van that took them to various train stations. A half dozen got out near Union Station and they hugged on the sidewalk outside the idling van. Two of the women were actually alternate jurors who came downtown just to hear the verdict. They didn't participate in deliberations, something they're still stewing about. "You know after you've been sitting through that for several weeks, I mean I had four notebooks full of notes, I was ready to deliberate and I knew what I wanted to say in deliberations, so unfortunately we never got that chance. But I will say I don't think I would have done anything differently than what they chose," said juror 190.
The two part ways outside an entrance to Union Station, giving each other yet another hug. The say they love each other and promise to see each other again, but they are both anxious to catch their trains, and Juror 190 is also anxious to finally talk to her family about the forbidden topic that's consumed her life since she was picked for jury service two months ago.


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The ANI team believes what Nannies do every day is some of the most important work on the planet. Seriously.
We want to show everyone how hard you work and how amazing you are!
We've launched our new Instagram page and want you to help us fill it with awesome pictures and videos of you doing what you all rock at….Nannying!
Want to Join us? Here's what to do:
1. Get permission to post pictures/videos of you with your nanny kids first! If you can't include kiddos, just send us a picture of you!
2. Post on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter and tag Annie's Nannies and include the hashtag #watchmenanny.
3. You can also email us your pictures/videos and we will post for you!
FIND US and FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram: anniesnanniesinc
Facebook: Annie's Nannies, Inc.
Twitter: @AnniesNannies
Now let's blow up social media with #watchmenanny!!
Also, check out ANI work in our video mashup we posted yesterday!


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Find us on:
3 Kidney Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892
1-866-454-3639 (Voice - Toll-free)301-402-8182 (FAX)
National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) is an initiative of the National Institutes of Health, designed to reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by kidney disease and its complications. NKDEP aims to raise awareness of the seriousness of kidney disease, the importance of testing those at high risk (those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of kidney failure), and the availability of treatment to prevent or slow kidney failure.
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2015
Language Assistance Available


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Like us on Facebook
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Hướng dẫn tai game android cho điện thoại
Hey dude, I've started a Formula 1 thread. I'm fairly new to the sport but want to get some discussion going, please come and post down there!
(I saw your sig and thought you might be interested )
PSD's Ryan Tannethrill
PSD's Joe Webb


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Friday's forecast: More snow in the Northeast
A winter storm will continue to wallop the Northeast and New England on Friday with heavy snow inland and cold rain and sleet along the coast.
A separate storm is forecast to bring snow around to the Great Lakes, Midwest and Ohio Valley. That same system should dump heavy rain and showers on much of the Tennessee Valley and mid-Mississippi Valley.
Mountain snow is likely in the Pacific Northwest, while rain will fall closer to the coast.
YOUR TAKE:Share your weather photos
The southern tier of the nation will be dry and mild, while bitterly cold temperatures remain for the northern Plains.
Weather history for Feb. 14: In 1899, three feet of snow fell on Cape May, N.J. In 1996, Dallas reached a record high temperature of 85 degrees.
In 2007, 42 inches of snow fell on Fairfield, N.Y.


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Jordi Savall Tickets
Go for quality this year and secure your Jordi Savall concert tickets through Vividseats.com. Vividseats.com is the ticket marketplace that places fantastic concert tickets in music lovers' hands with as little hassle as possible. We're the largest independent ticket agent on the market and we offer you thousands of great choices on concert tickets every year. We've amassed an impressive selection of Jordi Savall tickets that can place you right in the center of an amazing live show. Use the Jordi Savall tour schedule posted above to check on the details of upcoming shows and find the tour date(s) you want to attend. We've got a healthy supply of seating choices to nearly all of the Jordi Savall tour dates so your options are very flexible. After you've decided on a concert date, click on the "Find Your Seats" link to search through our concert tickets for that particular show date. The added bonus of purchasing Jordi Savall tickets through Vividseats.com is that unlike many other ticket vendors, we allow you to choose your own seats. Find the seats you like and be on your way to a great concert with discount Jordi Savall tickets from Vividseats.com. All orders of concert tickets are processed by our reliable internet server.


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Cabin Rental at Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest
Blue Cross RiverRink
101 S Columbus Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA, 19106
11:00 AM (event ends at 10:30 PM)
Varies. Select a cabin for specific pricing.
- Please select a specific Cabin Number via the "Best Available" button. A drop down menu will appear with prices and available cabins for the desired timeslot.
Cabin #1 is furthest to the left, Cabin #5 is furthest to the right.
- ICE SKATES AND SKATE HELPERS ARE NOT ALLOWED in the Cabin area, Firepit area, The Lodge, and any surrounding areas that are not rubber matted.
- Please CHECK-IN at the Guest Services counter located inside the skate rental lobby upon arrival for your Cabin rental timeslot.
Cabins are not refundable
Upcoming Events
Blue Cross RiverRink
- Sorry, there are currently no upcoming events.


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You can create a finish script to automatically add packages or patches after the Solaris software is installed on a system. By adding packages with a finish script, you reduce time and ensure consistency in which packages and patches are installed on different systems at your site.
When you use the pkgadd(1M) or patchadd(1M) commands in finish scripts, use the -R option to specify /a as the root path.
Example 4–3 shows an example of a finish script that adds packages.
Example 4–4 shows an example of a finish script that adds patches.
#!/bin/sh BASE=/a MNT=/a/mnt ADMIN_FILE=/a/tmp/admin mkdir ${MNT} mount -f nfs sherlock:/export/package ${MNT} cat >${ADMIN_FILE} <<DONT_ASK mail=root instance=overwrite partial=nocheck runlevel=nocheck idepend=nocheck rdepend=nocheck space=ask setuid=nocheck conflict=nocheck action=nocheck basedir=default DONT_ASK /usr/sbin/pkgadd -a ${ADMIN_FILE} -d ${MNT} -R ${BASE} SUNWxyz umount ${MNT} rmdir ${MNT}
The following describes some commands for this example.
The following command mounts a directory on a server that contains the package to install.
mount -f nfs sherlock:/export/package ${MNT}
The following command creates a temporary package administration file, admin, to force the pkgadd(1M) command not to perform checks or prompt for questions when installing a package. Use the temporary package administration file to maintain a hands-off installation when you are adding packages.
cat >${ADMIN_FILE} <<DONT_ASK
The following pkgadd command adds the package by using the -a option, specifying the package administration file, and the -R option, specifying the root path.
/usr/sbin/pkgadd -a ${ADMIN_FILE} -d ${MNT} -R ${BASE} SUNWxyz
#!/bin/sh ######## # # USER-CONFIGURABLE OPTIONS # ######## # The location of the patches to add to the system after it's installed. # The OS rev (5.x) and the architecture (`mach`) will be added to the # root. For example, /foo on a 8 SPARC would turn into /foo/5.8/sparc LUPATCHHOST=ins3525-svr LUPATCHPATHROOT=/export/solaris/patchdb ######### # # NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS PAST THIS POINT # ######### BASEDIR=/a # Figure out the source and target OS versions echo Determining OS revisions... SRCREV=`uname -r` echo Source $SRCREV LUPATCHPATH=$LUPATCHPATHROOT/$SRCREV/`mach` # # Add the patches needed # echo Adding OS patches mount $LUPATCHHOST:$LUPATCHPATH /mnt >/dev/null 2>&1 if [ $? = 0 ] ; then for patch in `cat /mnt/*Recommended/patch_order` ; do (cd /mnt/*Recommended/$patch ; echo yes | patchadd -u -d -R $BASEDIR .) done cd /tmp umount /mnt else echo "No patches found" if
In the past, the chroot(1M) command was used with the pkgadd and patchadd commands in the finish script environment. In rare instances, some packages or patches do not work with the -R option. You must create a dummy /etc/mnttab file in the /a root path before issuing the chroot command.
To create a dummy /etc/mnttab file, add the following line to your finish script:
cp /etc/mnttab /a/etc/mnttab


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You have not viewed any products recently.
450 lb. capacity - made from heavy-duty 1" dia. tubing. 1-4 step ladders have 10" D. top step with 7" intermediate steps and ship flat in a box via UPS. 5 thru 7 step ladders have a 14"D. top step and ship KD. Ladders also available assembled (SU), see Related Items tab below. Treads available in Expanded Metal, Serrated Grating, Perforated Step, and Abrasive Mat. FOB Shipping Point.
Surcharge may apply.
See Related Items tab for Options for Spring Loaded Casters Ladders.
Not all options available on all part numbers, call for details.


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Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has unequivocally stated that he has not intention of selling Angel Di Maria - despite substituting the winger in Saturday's Copa del Rey draw with Olimpic Xativa.
It has been claimed that the winger has growing increasingly frustrated by the intense competition for places at the Santiago Bernabeu and is now considering moving to Monaco in order to boost his chances of representing Argentina at the 2014 World Cup.
But Ancelotti categorically denied the 25-year-old is heading for the exit door, insisting the decision to replace him with Karim Benzema was because of a minor injury concern - and not any dissatisfaction with Di Maria's display.
"He told me he felt discomfort so I told the others to warm up and, after that, I introduced Benzema," Ancelotti explained after the match.
"But he has not talked about his future. He is happy here and he will not leave Real Madrid."
Madrid looked toothless in attack without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on the artificial turf of La Murta, but Ancelotti was unconcerned with his side's inability to find a breakthrough.
"I do not mind not having scored," the former Chelsea boss insisted. "This team makes a lot of chances and scores a lot, so we'll try to score in the next game.
"I'm satisfied. [Alvaro] Morata worked well for the team, had chances but could not score. Our opponents defended well, and it was clear we were not used to the [artificial] grass."
Via SyndiGate.info
Copyright © 2019 Goal.com All rights reserved.


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COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech softball team dropped another pair of one-run contests as it fell to Northwestern State 2-1 and North Texas 5-4.
The Golden Eagles began the day with another pitchers duel, as the Lady Demons of Northwestern State dealt Tennessee Tech its fourth one-run loss of the season by the score of 2-1.
Both teams stranded one runner in the first, but the Lady Demons were able to get a rally going in the second inning as they scored a pair of runs, off a walk, a hit and an error to take a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Eagles staged a two-out rally beginning with a double to left field off the bat of senior Callie Schmidt. Senior Kaleigh Gates' RBI single to left center brought Tech within one at 2-1.
Kylie Roos and Brooke Boeing batten down the hatches in the circle for Northwestern State for the final three innings as they allowed a combined two hits to secure the victory of the Lady Demons.
Junior pitcher Holly Thomas took the loss and is now 1-1 on the season as she went the distance giving up two runs, one earned, while strikng out three.
Tech finished day two of the Sleep Inn Classic with a 5-4 loss to the host North Texas.
By the top of the fifth the Golden Eagles had built themselves a 4-1 lead behind two RBI from senior Lacie Coquerille and one from sophomore Brittney Spalding.
The Mean Green managed to claw its way back as it put up a pair of runs in the fifth fifth and the sixth to take the lead at 5-4. Tech recorded three hits in the final two innings, but North Texas managed to stop any potential rally to secure the win at 5-4.
Sophomore Whitney Cummings was saddled with the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season.
Tech (1-5) wraps up the Sleep Inn Classic Sunday as it takes on Nebraska, at 10 a.m.


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Riverlodge Backpackers
River Lodge offers the best of both city and country living. A fantastic backpackers - self catering, clean & homely, high ceilings, wooden floors - c
We have segregated smoking areas.
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Security
- Airport Transfers
- Bar
- Bicycle parking
- Breakfast Not Included
- Cable TV
- Child Friendly
- Common Room
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Currency Exchange
- Telephone/Fax Facilities
- Free City Maps
- Free Parking
- Hot Showers
- House Keeping
- Laundry Facilities
- Linen Included
- Security Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- Mini Supermarket
- No Curfew
- Non Smoking
- Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Outdoor Terrace
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Reading Light
- Shuttle Bus
- Swimming Pool
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Towels For Hire
- Wheelchair Friendly
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 1 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
12 minutes from the airport:
Take the N2 towards Cape Town take exit 10 Raapenberg Road (Pinelands). From Raapenberg Road turn left into Alexandra Road.
10 minutes from the Cape Town Central:
Take the N2 towards Airport; follow the signs to the Airport on Settlers Way. Take Exit 10 Raapenberg Road (Pinelands). From Raapenberg Road turn left into Alexandra Road.
30 minutes from the Stellenbosch Wine Route:
Take the N1 towards Cape Town; take Exit 7 Koeberg Interchange to get onto the M5 to Muizenberg. From the M5 take the Pinelands off-ramp to Raapenberg Road, turn left into Alexandra Road.
Located Near
We are within walking distance from Vincent Pallotti Hospital and a 3min walk from Pinelands railway station which is a 12 minute train ride to Cape Town city centre as are Mowbray Golf Course, the Red Cross Childrens Home. We are also conveniently situated 10 minutes from the Waterfront, city centre and Cape Town International Airport and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. A 30 minute drive will take you into the heart of the winelands, the Atlantic and Falsebay seaboards. Riverlodge is 1 minute off the N2 and 5 minutes off the N1 our national roads.


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Adventure playgrounds. Brendan Crain blogs how the playgrounds have changed and the how the "play structure" has become something that doesn't use the child's imagination and play.
"Over the past few years, we have siloed different types of play within playgrounds, just as we have siloed different types of uses in cities. Pieces of play equipment that might be transformed into fantastical alternate worlds when jumbled together are isolated (a slide here, a tire swing there), underlining that each piece is meant to be used in one specific way. But research and support have been mounting for years to back up what many of us feel on a gut level: these sanitized playscapes are junk."
Via Project for Public Spaces blog Related: The Strange Case of a Suburban Park
Architecture and a more connected future. What role does architecture play in this technology-driven age? More company leaders are looking to the future when it comes to workplace design.
"The conventional architect is becoming extinct. I believe that the world will cease to be built out of concrete, steel and glass. New buildings must mirror our current reality, which consists of bytes of information, shared technology and interconnectedness. Construction will evolve into something which is beyond architecture. A building should empower people through the materials it use."-- James Law, CEO and founder of Hong Kong-based firm Cybertecture, believes that great design can inspire creativity and increase productivity.
Via Mashable Related: Cybertecture
Vision for Houston's bayous. Kevin Shanley blogs that in the last 40 years, more grassroots organizations and programs seek to protect and enhance Houston bayous and reduce flooding in environmentally sustainable ways, supporting the vision of landscape architect Arthur Comey.
While Comey's vision has demonstrated how parks and greenspaces can improve the economy, environment and health of the city, there is more work to do. Now is the perfect opportunity to purchase distressed properties along the city's bayous in the hopes of further revitalizing and expanding Houston's parks and greenspaces before those properties are sold for development or redevelopment.
Via APA's Sustaining Spaces Blog First published on SWA Bayou By Us blog
Urban biking a global trend. In cities across the United States, bicycles are becoming an increasingly popular form of urban transportation. A survey of 55 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. found that bicycle commuting rates increased, on average, 70 percent between 2000 and 2009.
The growing popularity of urban cycling has led to a proliferation of bicycle infrastructure in many cities. Over the past decade, Washington D.C. has laid down over 50 miles of bicycle lanes, New York is preparing to launch bike sharing programs and Los Angeles has temporarily prohibited cars from driving on designated streets for certain Sunday afternoons,
Via The Dirt


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Hi, I'm having a problem with the mediaelement in WPF.
I need to make a audio/video player that plays media from a streaming server (my streaming server) the problem is that I can't get the seek bar to work. The same video played from "c:\video.ogv" works perfect and from "http:\127.0.0.1\video.ogv" has no seek bar, the video plays fine, but without seek bar.
I've tried two formats (flv & ogv) with two different streaming servers (apache module for flv & Icecast2 for ogv) and the two have the same result. I have tried opening the streaming videos with another player (outside WPF) and the seekbar works fine for noth options (SMPlayer). Another thing worth mentioning is that I couldn't find any example of a media player in WPF with this feature working, every single one of the examples in the web have working seek bar works for local video and no one works with streaming video (I also tried WPF mediakit)
Does someone know how to fix this or another way to make this work, even a commercial control? I have one important restriction the streaming sever must work on linux & the format of the streaming video must be royalty free.
Thank you very much.
0 Replies - 1161 Views - Last Post: 13 November 2009 - 12:30 PM
Seekbar problem in wpf media element when playing a streaming video
Posted 13 November 2009 - 12:30 PM
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Pictures relating to Kingston, ACT
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Lasting Memories
Jean Lois Bell
June 16, 1929-Dec. 2, 2011
Pleasanton, California
Submitted by Douglas Bell
Jean L. Bell, 36-year resident of Pleasanton, California, passed away peacefully in her sleep Friday, Dec-2., here in town, surrounded and comforted by all of her closest family. She was preceded in death by her husband William Kenneth Bell in 1993, and is survived by their only child Douglas K. Bell, of Pleasanton, her daughter-in-law Deirdre A. Bell, and her three grandchildren whom she adored: Kandice D. Bell (Livermore), Victoria C. (Bell) Monical (Pleasanton), and Devin D. Bell (Pleasanton).
Jean was born and raised in Lebanon, Indiana. She received her bachelor?s degree in music education from Northwestern University, Illinois, and spent 40 years teaching grade school and middle school band.
After retiring in Pleasanton, she attended Lynnewood United Methodist church, enjoyed playing the recorder with friends, was a student of the Art Made Easy class at the Pleasanton Senior Center for many years, enjoyed travelling, and loved watching TV sports.
She was immensely kind and friendly to all, kept her humor right to the end, loved the Lord, and was the best mother a man could ever have.


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This story begins, as it inevitably must, in the Old Country.
At some point during the tenth century, a group of Jews abandoned the lush hills of Lucca, Italy, andat the invitation of Charlemagneheaded for the severer climes of the Rhineland and Northern France. These Jews didn't have a name for themselves, at first. They were tied together mostly by kinship. But ultimately, they became known as Ashkenazim, a variation on the Hebrew word for one of Noah's grandsons.
In some ways, life was good for the Jews in this strange new place. They'd been lured there on favorable terms, with promises of physical protection, peaceful travel, and the ability to adjudicate their own quarrels. (The charter of Henry IV, dated 1090, includes this assurance: If anyone shall wound a Jew, but not mortally, he shall pay one pound of gold . . . If he is unable to pay the prescribed amount . . . his eyes will be put out and his right hand cut off.) But in other ways, life was difficult. The Ashkenazim couldn't own land. They were banned from the guilds. They were heavily taxed.
Yet the Ashkenazim did very well, in spite of these constraints, because they found an ingenious way to adapt to their new environment that didn't rely on physical labor. What they noticed, as they set up their towns, located mainly at the crossroads of trade routes, was that there was no one around to lend money.
So there it was: a demand and a new supplier. Because of the Christian prohibition against usury, Jews found themselves a financially indispensable place in their new home, extending loans to peasants, tradesmen, knights, courtiers, even the occasional monastery. The records from these days are scarce. But where they exist, they are often startling. In 1270, for example, 80 percent of the 228 adult Jewish males in Perpignan, France, made their living lending money to their Gentile neighbors, according to Marcus Arkin's Aspects of Jewish Economic History. One of the most prolific was a rabbi. Two others were identified, in the notarial records, as poets.
Success at money-lending required a different set of skills than farming or any of the traditional trades. Some, surely, were social: cultivating connections, winning over trust (or maybe bullying your way there, Shylock's awful pound of flesh). It probably required some aggression, because the field was competitive, with Jews suffering so few professional options. But it also required cognitive skills, or something my generation would call numeracya fluency in mathematics, a dexterity with numbersand my grandmother's generation would call a head for figures. If you were Jewish in Perpignan in 1270, and you didn't have a head for figures, you didn't stand much of a chance.
Numeracy, literacy, critical reasoning: For millennia, these have been the currency of Jewish culture, the stuff of Talmudic study, immigrant success, and Borscht Belt punch lines. Two Jews, three opinions . . . Keep practicing, you'll thank me later . . . Q: When does a Jewish fetus become a human? A: When it graduates from medical school.
Of course, there's another side to this shining coin. Jewish cleverness has also been an enduring feature of anti-Semitic paranoia. In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther said Jewish doctors were so smart they could develop a poison that could kill Christians in a single dayor any other time period of their choosing (and four centuries later, Pravda suggested Jewish doctors were spies sent to kill Stalin). After the calamities of September 11, one of the creepier conspiracy theories to whip through the Muslim world was the idea that only Jews were cunning enough to have pulled off the hijackings.
Last summer, Henry Harpending, an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of Utah, and Gregory Cochran, an independent scholar with a flair for controversy, skipped cheerfully into the center of this minefield. The two shopped around a paper that tried to establish a genetic argument for the fabled intelligence of Jews. It contended that the diseases most commonly found in Ashkenazimparticularly the lysosomal storage diseases, like Tay-Sachswere likely connected to and, indeed, in some sense responsible for outsize intellectual achievement in Ashkenazi Jews. The paper contained references, but no footnotes. It was not written in the genteel, dispassionate voice common to scientific inquiries but as a polemic. Its science was mainly conjecture. Most American academics expected the thing to drop like a stone.
It didn't. The Journal of Biosocial Science, published by Cambridge University Press, posted it online and agreed to run it in its bi-monthly periodical sometime in 2006. The New York Times, The Economist, and several Jewish publications risked their reputations to legitimize it. Today, the paper has a lively presence on the Internettype Ashkenazi into Google and the first hit is the Wikipedia entry, where the article gets pride of place.


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The D.C. Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety passed two bills intended to benefit members of the LGBTI community Thursday, allowing District residents to amend the gender on their birth certificates to align with their gender identity, and expanding the ability for people to be authorized as a marriage officiant for specific weddings.
The committee, led by Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), unanimously approved an amended version of the JaParker Deoni Jones Birth Certificate Equality Amendment Act of 2013, which amends the Vital Records Act of 1981 to allow individuals to request a new birth certificate that would reflect their gender identity. To amend the gender or name on the new birth certificate, a person must provide a written request and a signed statement from a licensed healthcare provider stating that the individual has undergone a gender transition.
Councilmember Tommy Wells
The bill, named after Deoni Jones, a transgender woman who was stabbed and killed while waiting at a bus stop in February 2012, was introduced by Councilmember David Catania (I-At-Large) and co-introduced by Wells and Councilmembers Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5), David Grosso (I-At-Large) and Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D). Most of the remaining councilmembers signed on as cosponsors, with the exception of Councilmember Marion Barry (D-Ward 8).
In passing the bill, the Judiciary Committee made a number of substantial amendments to the original text that incorporated seven criticisms offered by LGBTI community activists hoping to pass a law that could serve as a model for other states.
One of those changes to the bill eliminates the so-called "publication requirement" for people seeking a name change, regardless of their gender identity or reason for seeking such a change. The bill does this by repealing a section of the D.C. Official Code that previously required any individual seeking a name or gender change to have that information published in a general circulation newspaper for three consecutive weeks. Proponents of the change say the old requirement requires the person seeking the name or gender change was cost-prohibitive for some, and, moreover, is outdated and a relic from a time when people relied largely on newspapers for their own information consumption. Eighteen other states have already independently eliminated publication requirements for those seeking a change.
Other alterations to the bill included repealing, rather than revising, older language from the D.C. Official Code that required a court order and proof of a surgical procedure for those seeking to change the gender on their birth certificates; and allowing those who seek such changes to obtain a "clean" birth certificate that would not be marked "amended" or give any other indication there had been a change in gender designation.
The bill also allows any licensed health care provider, not just those licensed in the District of Columbia, to sign the statement attesting to the fact that a person has undergone a gender transition. In pushing for this change, activists argued that requiring a practitioner to be licensed in the District would exclude a number of doctors in Maryland and Virginia who specialize in treating transgender patients who reside in the District but seek competent medical care elsewhere.
Another change added clarifying language in the signed statement that would attest that the individual had undergone "surgical, hormonal or other treatment appropriate for the individual," in order to ensure people would not have to subject themselves to treatment deemed unnecessary by their health care provider.
The revised bill also included new language addressing the issue of people with intersex conditions, meaning those that do not have genitalia that can be distinctly classified as male or female. Those with intersex conditions are often forced to undergo surgery after birth to adhere to one particular gender that may not align with their gender identity. The new law would allow that gender designation to be corrected if needed, once the person becomes older and their gender identity more developed.
A final change to the bill allows any District resident to seek a declaration by D.C. Superior Court that recognizes the change of gender. In addition, District residents born in other states or foreign jurisdictions are able to obtain a court order from D.C. Superior Court that directs the birth state or jurisdiction to amend the original certificate or issue a new birth certificate with the appropriate gender designation.
During a May 16 hearing, District resident Alyssa Majano, who was born in Texas, testified that this last provision would allow her to obtain a court order to require Texas to change the gender designation on her birth certificate. In addition to Majano, a number of other witnesses testified that, under current law, where an amended birth certificate is marked "amended" and draws attention to the change of gender, transgender people can be discriminated against or denied employment by employers uncomfortable with transgender individuals.
Andy Bowen, a local transgender activist and the driving force behind the bill, said she was pleased with the unanimous vote and the adoption of all seven recommendations made by representatives for the District's transgender community.
"This is a massive improvement for people's quality of life and opportunity for advancement," Bowen told Metro Weekly after the vote. She said she hopes the bill will be able to serve as a model for other states wishing to reform their laws to be more trans-inclusive.
The bill now heads before the full Council, where it must be voted upon and passed twice. According to Charles Allen, the chief of staff for Councilmember Wells, both votes are expected to occur sometime before the Council's July 12 recess. Once passed by the Council, Mayor Vincent Gray (D) is expected to sign the bill into law, after which it will undergo a 30-day congressional review period before taking effect. Allen said he expects the law to take effect sometime in the fall.
"This should be a model bill," Allen said. "To the extent that we can author the most inclusive and respectful legislation, we want to be that model. We would welcome other jurisdictions to follow suit."
The Judiciary Committee also passed the Marriage Officiant Amendment Act of 2013, which allows those over the age of 18 who are not clerks, judges or religious officials to obtain authorization to perform a marriage ceremony, provided they have been authorized and pay a registration fee of no more than $25. Among those who may be designated as officiants are the mayor of the District; a "civil celebrant," meaning someone who is a member of a secular or non-religious organization; a temporary officiant who has been authorized by the clerk of D.D. Superior Court; or the couple marrying.
By expanding the group of people who may be designated as officiants, the legislation provides more options for couples, particularly same-sex couples who may be interested in arranging a ceremony officiated by someone other than a court clerk or judge.
While religious clergy may be designated as officiants of a marriage under existing law, no priest or clergy member is required to perform same-sex marriages if they violate personal or religious beliefs. As the committee stated in its report on the bill, "the intent of Bill 20-118 is to acknowledge the rights of non-religious or secular citizens to have a marriage celebrated by an officiant of their choosing, just as religious citizens do today."


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Every NBA draft, there is a guy chosen around 20 who pans out better than a guy taken 8 spots or so earlier. That prompts fans to jump all over their GM for missing such an obvious choice (even though it was anything but obvious at the time).
The 2009 draft is one big version of that. It's a GM killer.
After the obvious choice of Blake Griffin for the Clippers — because they need to shoehorn a rookie into an already overcrowded frontcourt — every remaining guy has big questions about him. A couple of guys are going to answer those questions in a few years and develop into stars, but good luck figuring out today who those guys will be.
Spain's Ricky Rubio has uncanny court vision and feel for the game, is a walking YouTube highlight reel, and is a kid who at 17 hung with the best in the world as a key point guard on the Spanish national team that won the silver medal in Beijing Olympics. But he can't shoot. He went 28 percent from the field in the Olympics and was 2 of 12 from three.
What about UConn's Hasheem Thabeet — you can't teach 7'2". He can block shots and rebound at the NBA level right now. The problem he is offensively limited — his low-post repertoire makes Dwight Howard look like Hakeem Olajuwon.
It goes on and on. Arizona State's James Harden can score in traffic at the college level, but he is not an exceptional athlete so can that transfer to the next level (he was shut down in the NCAA tournament)? Stephen Curry can shoot the ball, but at 6-2 and not very quick can he defend at the NBA level. Syracuse's Johnny Flynn has rocketed up the draft boards lately, but he has an inconsistent outside shot and played nothing but zone defefense in college.
And those are the guys expected to go in the top 10. The holes get much bigger as you work your way down the list. The thing is, some guy like point guards Eric Maynor or Jrue Holiday will put it together in a few years.
When they do, you can be sure fans and radio talk show hosts will howl — "How could you have passed this guy up?"


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Looking for great scout fundraisers for your troop, pack, or other scouting group?
Enjoy using the Scout Fundraisers library, and be sure to add your favorite Scout Fundraisers and money making ideas for others to read!
Currently showing all 83 Scout Fundraisers
Add your favorite fundraising idea!
Search by keyword, title, or score!
A Breakfast with Santa
Sell tickets $10 in advance, and $12 at the door. Make a large breakfast with sausage, pancakes, eggs, etc. Have Santa come around and visit kids at the tables. Then let the kids come sit on Santa's lap and sell pictures....[read full fundraiser]
All You Can Eat Pizza
This event costs $12.00 per person, but after the dinner our restaurant then donates $6.00 back to your organization in cash, which the scouts can use however they wish. (This tip was submitted by conniespizza.com)...[read full fundraiser]
Babysitting Evening
On a night like Valentine's Day, when many parents want to go to dinner, a youth group can have a fun night babysitting all of the kids in an area....[read full fundraiser]
Ballroom Instruction/Lessons
Talk to local dance instructors/studios and ask if they're willing to donate their time for a few lessons. Sign people up, and collect payment in advance. You can divide students into groups such as beginner and experienced, ...[read full fundraiser]
Best Seat in the House
Sell tickets out to people for a chance to win the best seat in the house. Provide a couch for the winner to sit in at a local sporting event and cater pizza and pop to them in the middle of the game....[read full fundraiser]
Bike Scavenger Hunt
Provide a list of 30-40 objects in your town. Participants can sign up individually, or in a team. Teams are responsible for their own well-being, bikes, and cameras. The competition is to see which group can photograph al...[read full fundraiser]
Blind Auction
Have donors wrap up their gifts. You can do funny presents, or things you have that you don't really want. Wrap presents in an extra box, or put a brick in to throw off the weight and shape of the package....[read full fundraiser]
Have each participant get sponsors to pledge 5 or 10 cents a pin for 3 games. Participants will also take donations and pay for their games and shoes....[read full fundraiser]
Car Smash
Compose 2 teams of 8 people and let the race to see who can take two old donated cars apart the fastest. Charge admission to sit in the stadium and watch....[read full fundraiser]
Car Wash
Advertise a car wash, and ask people if they would like to donate to receive a free car wash. You can just squeegee off their windows, or wash the whole car....[read full fundraiser]
Cardboard Boat Race
Give each team a certain amount of materials they can use (cardboard sheets, tape, paint, glue), and limit their time. Have the participants race, and give awards for most effort and durability. Expect most boats to capsize...[read full fundraiser]
Cheater's Spelling Bee
In this spelling bee, you can charge teams to enter and cheat, or allow the teams to enter and then give them certain lifelines, like on popular game shows. They can donate to receive more lifelines, and be creative with the...[read full fundraiser]
Chinese auction
Get stores and businesses to donate items, gift certificates and services. Host the auction where people can purchase tickets for $1.00 each. They then place as many tickets as they want in container for item they would lik...[read full fundraiser]
Community Service
Have the youth in your group get sponsors for each hour of community service they do. Arrange to spend several hours over a couple weeks doing service at some local organization. People will love to donate to service!...[read full fundraiser]
Crazy Hat Day
Pick a day to be crazy hat day (also works for hair or shoes) and tell people to pay to enter a competition and have a panel of judges pick the craziest hat....[read full fundraiser]
Crowdvance Fundraising Online
We give booster clubs the ability to accept donations online through customizable fundraising pages and incentivize donations by rewarding donors with specialty discounts to national brands that we've partnered with. Instead ...[read full fundraiser]
Cuffing Contest
Inform the members of your community of the rules, and allow them to pay a fee to nominate a person. You will cuff one member of your organization to one outside participant. The pair will then try to raise money until they...[read full fundraiser]
Curb House Number Painting
Use cardboard stencil cutouts to apply the paint. Paint a black background first, and then paint the house numbers over the black rectangle in reflective paint. Contact your city to check if a permit is needed. Work in tea...[read full fundraiser]
Dance Dance Marathon!!
A continuous, multi-hour event in which participants raise funds through pledges. This event blends dancing, music, games, food and a variety of entertainment into one amazing experience....[read full fundraiser]
There are plenty of buildings and landmarks that are destroyed each year. Raffle tickets for the opportunity to press the button at the demolition....[read full fundraiser]
Dodgeball Tournament
Collect a registration fee from teams and sell tickets. You can earn extra money by having a concession stand! ...[read full fundraiser]
Donation Can Cans
Obtain several cans and decorate them with information about your organization. Ask local companies if you can leave the cans by their cash registers. Collect the cash from the donation cans each week....[read full fundraiser]
Doughnut Eating Contest
Charge an entry fee and see who can eat [6] doughnuts the fastest....[read full fundraiser]
Duct Tape Trap
You will need duct tape and a chair. Place a chair against a wall, and have the victim (a popular teacher) stand on it. People can now pay to place tape over the person and wall, to stick them on the wall!...[read full fundraiser]
Eat for a Cause
Arrange with a restaurant to get 10% of their profits for a certain night, in exchange for advertising. Advertise to people that eating there that night will be donated to your cause!...[read full fundraiser]
Egg and Beg
Go door to door in small groups and ask them for an egg. Then ask them how much they will pay to do various things with the egg (e.g. "how much will you give me to crack this egg over my head"), until you think you...[read full fundraiser]
Egg Cycle
Go door to door in small groups and ask the first house if they will give you an egg. Then go to the next house and ask them how much they will donate for the egg....[read full fundraiser]
Face Painting
Get volunteers, paint, towels, brushes, and face painting books. Charge for face painting....[read full fundraiser]
Flag Service
Need pvc pipe flagpole, flags, rebar....[read full fundraiser]
Flag Subscription.
Go around and collect subscriptions to place flags in yards on 5 patriotic days throughout the year. Charge $25-50 per house per year. Profits will be reduced the first year, because you have to pay for the materials to mak...[read full fundraiser]
Flamingo Flocking
Purchase and place several cheap pink flamingos on people's lawns with contact signs. Provide the option to pay to have the flamingo removed, or pay more to have it moved to another person's lawn. Also provide the option to...[read full fundraiser]
Food Fight
Host a large event where you bake several pies and charge people an admission to come to the fight. You can use graham pie crusts and 6 oz of custard in each pie, and give each participant 2 pies to throw, and charge a 5$ ad...[read full fundraiser]
Frisbee Golf Tournament
Turn this popular outdoor competition into a great fundraiser by collecting entrance fee. Keep the fees reasonable and let everyone have some fun!! Consider getting frisbees donated with local business logos on them:)...[read full fundraiser]
If your organization holds multiple small fundraisers throughout the year, then you can sell a fundraising insurance for $20, protecting that person from fundraisers for 6 months! You can just give them a small wallet sized ...[read full fundraiser]
Garbage Can Cleanout Service
Conduct the fundraiser on the first day after garbage is picked up so that the cans are empty.. Send signup forms around ahead of time, and then ask again as you pick up the garbage cans. Load the empty garbage cans on a tr...[read full fundraiser]
Gift Wrapping
Arrange to set up a booth at a local mall around Christmas, Father's day, Valentine's day, or Mother's day. Purchase gift wrap, tape, etc. for your wrap staff. Have the store announce over the intercom your wrapping service...[read full fundraiser]
Goat Insurance
Sell tickets for $10 that allow you to enter 3 people's names for the goat contest. Inform these 3 people that their name will be entered in a drawing to win a goat, unless they pay insurance. After you deliver the donated ...[read full fundraiser]
Guessing Jar
Get a large jar or container, and fill it full of something small (candies, pennies, etc.). Have people pay per guess at how many objects are in the container. Use an abnormally shaped container, abnormally shaped items, or...[read full fundraiser]
Hearts Marathon
Have volunteers obtain pledges from sponsors to pay a certain amount per point earned in the games. Then have the volunteers play Hearts (or any one card game) for 24 hours and collect their pledges....[read full fundraiser]
Hydro Joust
For a donation, teams can participate in the joust. You can also charge admission to watch the event. Canoes build up the best speed, but inflatable rafts can be used for a safer environment. Use a long padded pole for the...[read full fundraiser]
Indoor Mini Golf
Set up a mini golf course inside of a building. You will need golf clubs, golf balls, and astro turf. Charge each person a fee to enter into the tournament and tour the building....[read full fundraiser]
Karaoke Night
Rent a karaoke machine and songs. Provide drink and snacks for everyone that attends. Charge a $5 admission, and have a great karaoke night!...[read full fundraiser]
Large Vehicle Show
Rope off a large venue and charge admission. Get a whole bunch of trucks, tractors, firetrucks, and whatever you can find to come be in the show! You can even see if you can get some military vehicles, civil vehicles, or a ...[read full fundraiser]
Lawn Aerating
Rent power aerators from a local tool rental company....[read full fundraiser]
Lobster Racing
Try to get a seafood market to donate lobsters (or anything you could race). Construct channels filled with sea water. Charge admission to the race or allow people to place bets on which lobsters will win. Get local compan...[read full fundraiser]
Luau for Love: A pig roast + tiny drink umbrellas x grass skirts = equation for a fun time. Charge admission and sell drinks. Another idea is to host a Hula contest- and see who wants to wear the grass skirt to show off thei...[read full fundraiser]
Magic Show
What kids don't love magic? Let the kids of your troop/school put on a magic show for us...yes, it might be obvious how they did the trick...but enjoyable and raise money charging an admission fee at the door:)...[read full fundraiser]
Make Believe Tea Party
Mail out fancy invitations with a cheap bag of herbal tea to lots of people. Explain to them that on a certain day at a certain time they can enjoy their bag of tea to participate in the imaginary tea party. Encourage a don...[read full fundraiser]
Mall Coat Check
Arrange with the local mall management to set up an area where you can check coats. Try to secure an area where you can hang the coats and store items. Request a minimum $1 tip....[read full fundraiser]
Mini Golf-a-thon
Rent out a mini golf course for your youth group. Have each participant get sponsors to pay 10 cents per hole, and have participants golf 100 holes in 2 hours. Make money golfing!...[read full fundraiser]
Mischief Insurance
Type up an insurance policy against pranks. Charge $5 for the insurance. Say that you will clean up any mess made on Halloween (but not repair vandalism)....[read full fundraiser]
Collect pre-orders. When people come to prepurchase their order, have them fill out a personal card. On the day before some holiday or big event, assemble corsages and charge $10 per. For an additional charge, deliver a si...[read full fundraiser]
Movie Night
Rent a movie to show on a projector or big screen. Provide snacks and drinks. You can sell admission or concessions....[read full fundraiser]
Movie night
Find an open area like your front yard, back yard, etc. Pick up a popular movie or a couple and have the guests vote on which one they want to watch. Get a tarp and some tables for a concession booth(don't forget to buy drink...[read full fundraiser]
No Talent Show
Tell people that it is $1 to enter, and $5 to exit. Arrange the talent show so that people perform pointless talents or perform talents poorly (singing out of tune, dancing out of sync, etc.)....[read full fundraiser]
Pet Parade
Find a park or someplace you can set up a fashion show. Set up a walkway and invite people to come dress their pets up and walk them down the walkway. Have a panel of judges give awards for creative categories. Charge admi...[read full fundraiser]
Photo with Live Animals
Set up at the mall or at a fair. See if you can get some animals from a local shelter/humane society (some of them may get adopted!), or have members of your organization bring any docile animals. Charge them to have their ...[read full fundraiser]
Picture Voting
Hold a competition and let people submit their pictures of a certain theme (sports, pets, babies). Hold the photos in a store, or at a local event. Let people vote for each one by placing money in the respective jar....[read full fundraiser]
Pie Throwing
Sell whipped cream pies, $3 for one pie, $5 for two pies. People can donate and throw a pie at their favorite person!...[read full fundraiser]
Pink Flamingo Insurance
Home Owners can then hire the scouts to remove the pink flamingo to a neighbor's house for a small donation ($5). This is very fun in our community. We also sell pink Flamingo insurance policies for larger donations ($25)....[read full fundraiser]
Polar Bear Plunge
This works great if you live near the ocean or a lake, but you can also set up swimming pools of cold water. Have everyone do the polar bear plunge and jump in the freezing water early in the morning, and then sell hot choco...[read full fundraiser]
Potato Bar
Bake a bunch of potatoes with all the fixings. Provide some salads and sides and accept donations....[read full fundraiser]
Potty Protection Insurance
Colorfully decorate a toilet and deliver it to local businesses and homes. People can pay to have the toilet removed from their lawn, moved to someone else's lawn, or pay insurance to make sure it never returns to their lawn...[read full fundraiser]
Pumpkin Launch
Have volunteers construct a trebuchet big enough to launch pumpkins in. Charge people to have their pumpkins launched, or sell pumpkins for people to launch...[read full fundraiser]
Pumpkin Painting Party
Set up tables with pumpkins, paints, and tablecloths. It's lots of fun for the kids to paint faces on their pumpkins however they want, and you can also bake pumpkin pies, breads, and cookies to sell....[read full fundraiser]
QuickStove Fundraiser
QuickStove's Emergency Preparedness Fundraising Program is a simple and straightforward way for your organization to raise money. Many of our fundraisers have raised well over $40,000. - You keep up to $10 per sale - No upfr...[read full fundraiser]
Read a Book
People can donate, and then just stay home and read a book. Raising 100% profits with no hassle!...[read full fundraiser]
Redneck Games
Set up like a carnival, but with redneck games! You can have a hubcap toss, various mud pit competitions, bobbin for pigs feet, and the toilet seat horseshoe toss....[read full fundraiser]
Rent a Puppy
Contact an animal shelter or the Humane Society in order to borrow puppies from them. Advertise beforehand, and then set up the puppies in a park, and rent them for $5 per 30 minutes....[read full fundraiser]
Rent a Youth
Set a time period, such as two weeks, for the fundraiser. Tell people in your community they can rent youth to do jobs, for a price such as $10 per youth per hour. Make sure you use proper youth protection guidelines....[read full fundraiser]
Report Card
Give your youth a form to collect pledges from people. They can offer a one-time donation, or offer to pay per A and B. It encourages good grades, while raising money for your organization....[read full fundraiser]
Scout Cake Bake
Have each scout make and decorate a cake.(We do this at Halloween)Because of the theme.But can be used any time. Have scout parents/friends/relatives/teachers/firemen/policemen/etc. Make baked goods such as cookies-Bars-Bread...[read full fundraiser]
Scouts Slam out Hunger
The local amature wrestling league has offered to put on a show to help some of our scouts with uniform items and shave off some of the cost for space camp. We are planning it for the High School GYM. We are offering admissi...[read full fundraiser]
Scrabble Tournament
Teams of 4, 6, or 8 compete in separate categories. They pay $30 if they bring their own board, $40 to use one that you provide. Teams all start with the same word, and have 30 minutes to see who can get the most points. P...[read full fundraiser]
Silly String Shoot Out
Auction off or sell cans of silly string and take aim at volunteers who are willing to have the can pointed at them-- (think dunk tank:) A scoutmaster, teachers,etc. Or put the boys in the middle and let the parents take aim:...[read full fundraiser]
Super Sundae
Use cheap metal gutters and put ice cream in, and charge people to decorate part of it, and then let everyone eat it all at once!...[read full fundraiser]
Swap Meet
Charge a $3 admission and a 25% commission on each transaction. Have a large area and let people come buy and sell their used equipment, clothing, etc....[read full fundraiser]
Swim-a thon!!
Each member of the pack/den/troop can compete and make this part of the swimming merit badge requirements....Each person must complete a set number of laps during a designated day. Get individuals and sponsors to pledge a cer...[read full fundraiser]
Take some money and divide it among members of your organization. Give each person $5-$20 and let them do their own individual fundraisers. They can use the money to buy ingredients for baking, materials for crafts, or gas ...[read full fundraiser]
Toilet Seat Horseshoes
Set up like a regular game of horseshoes, but use a plunger and toilet seats instead of horseshoes and stakes. Set up the plungers 20 feet apart from each other....[read full fundraiser]
Ugly Tie Contest
Get people to donate their ugly ties. Have children decorate them with lace, buttons, etc. Have people vote with their money for the ugliest one....[read full fundraiser]
Volunteer Jobs
Have the members of your organization write a service they would be willing to perform on a 3X5 card, and then let other people take the services, and donate....[read full fundraiser]
Yard Sale
Our Chatering Org. gave us the hall for free and we set up the yard sale Fri. evening and held an indoor yard sale Saturday. No cost to the unit, all profit! Clothes, toys, household goods, sporting goods, etc... sell chea...[read full fundraiser]


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Using HDR technology, I captured this image at Thies Farm in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
7 responses
Urbano Desprini (Deleted) gave props (31 May 2010):
nice compo and lovely hdr
Cheryl Dumcum gave props (3 Jun 2010):
Excellent shot for the theme!
ugur uludag said (3 Jun 2010):
very nice angle. good shot.
Katie Damien gave props (3 Jun 2010):
love this. What is HDR technology? I think you could write a story on it.
Melody Golden (Deleted) gave props (4 Jun 2010):
Cool shot!
Leanna Lomanski gave props (6 Jun 2010):
Well done!
Lisa Toleno (Deleted) gave props (10 Jun 2010):
cool HDR capture! nice work!
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Winter holidays represent one of the most beautiful period of the year when all the family comes together, you receive presents and enjoy the time spent with all your dear ones. However, women usually have to face a little weight gain as all those tasteful meals and mouthwatering sweets are absolutely irresistible. In this context we tend to surrender and forget about all restrictions whatsoever. Well, no one says we should constantly be on diet, but with a few simple tricks you can preserve your silhouette on holidays without feel... Read More


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Tips Don't Add Up for Most Waiters and Waitresses
Some Live in Poverty, While Median Income Falls Below Average
The American system of tipping holds the promise of great rewards for waiters and waitresses, but for most servers, the numbers don't bear that out.
Nearly 15% of the nation's 2.4 million waiters and waitresses live in poverty, compared with about 7% of all workers. They are more likely to need public assistance and less likely to receive paid sick leave or health benefits—and their ranks are increasing. From the start of the recovery in 2009 until June of this year, restaurant jobs have increased by 13%, while all other jobs...


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By John Goralski
Sports Writer
It's been a little more than 25 years since Dave Majeski called John Fontana back to third base after their discussion during a regular season game, but the former high school coach still smiles when he tells the story.
Majeski topped a baseball but beat the throw to first base. On the next pitch, the sophomore stole second. On the following pitch, he stole third. Fontana signaled timeout to talk to his brash underclassman. "I told him to stay put at third base, but he called me back as I walked back to the dugout," said the coach. "'What is it?' I asked."
Majeski smiled a devilish grin. "Even if it's a long fly ball for a base hit?"
"That was him. He was a joker, but he was just a great athlete," said Fontana. "People might dispel this, but he was the only guy—the only guy—that I never put a steal sign out for. I let him decide for himself. I had a lot of good runners, but this kid was something else."
Majeski remembers their relationship a little differently. Sure, his coach allowed him to run. Why wouldn't he? Majeski set a single season record as a sophomore in 1985 with 30 stolen bases. He graduated with the program's career mark with 63 steals, but Majeski doesn't remember any freedom when he decided to steal. He knew he would always have to explain himself.
"Sure, I had the green light to go haphazardly, but when I'd come into the dugout Coach Fontana and Coach [Joe] Daddio would be there asking me why I went on that pitch," he said. "They'd tell me if I should have gone on another one. It was such a teaching situation even though I had a green light."
From the very start, Majeski was known as a student of the game, and Fontana said he would have made a good coach long before he graduated Southington High School. But Majeski wasn't ready to hang up his glove. He was the rare mix of intensity, talent, and knowledge coupled with a good sense of humor.
The 155 pound fielder might not have turned many heads with his size, but facing him at the plate was like trying to stop a runaway train. He out-thought you. He out-worked you, and he always out-played you.
"Dave Majeski was just an amazing athlete. He could run. He could field, and he had just a hell of an arm from the outfield," said Fontana. "He was a guy that was so baseball knowledgeable that you never had to tell him anything. If he came up and there were no outs with a man on first and second, you would never have to put a bunt on. He would bunt on his own because he would do whatever he was supposed to do to win a game. He always made good decisions."
He made it look easy. In an era of upperclassmen, Majeski worked his way into the varsity lineup as a sophomore. He worked his way into the University of Florida lineup as a freshman. He credits his 'Little Man Syndrome.' Opponents credit his talent, but it really came down to hard work and dedication.
Growing up, Majeski would play for hours in pick-up games as one of five kids in his family. In high school, he'd travel to the New Britain YMCA over the winter just for a chance to take batting practice at their indoor facility. In college, he would steal down to the field every chance he got to hone his skills. His success was no accident.
In college, his relentless approach was necessary to survive against the crowd of division one giants during the steroid era.
"On my lunch hour, I'd grab the towel boy and have him put balls on the tee for me for hours on end. On midnight study breaks, I'd got down to the field with my college roommate and hit over and over," he said. "It didn't come easy, but I wouldn't change a thing. I was at a place where the weather was great. You could play year-round, and Florida had the type of money to provide everything you needed. I was always a skinny kid with something to prove."
The proof is in the statistics. At the end of his high school career, Majeski owned four single-season records for the Blue Knight and five career bests. He set the single season steals record as a sophomore. He set the record for runs (42), doubles (18), and total bases (218) as a senior. Nobody collected more total bases (442), runs (80), doubles (28), or stolen bases. As a junior, he reached base 15 consecutive times—another record, and his batting average in 1988 (.560) was the best by any Southington player except for Mike Mauro's high water mark of .567 in 1953.
Majeski credits the team's preparation each season, including an annual trip to Florida that was financed through off-season fundraising. "We'd have three-a-day practices, and Coach Fontana would bring coaches that would instruct us and drill us so much that, by the time we got home, everyone else was still shoveling off their infields and we had sunburn," he said. "It really was wonderful how much preparation we put into it. I can tell you that it really showed me how to work hard, and it paid off in college. I knew how to keep my focus and put in the hard work."
With his three years of varsity dominance, it was no surprise that college coaches beat down the door. Fontana said that he was approached by more than 70 college programs with offers for Southington's prized fielder. The Gators won the bidding war, and Majeski was able to secure a rare five-year contract from a division one program at the top of their game, coming off the program's first College World Series appearance.
"The University of Florida was on television, and everybody was looking at these monsters," he said. "Everybody asked me what I was thinking going there. I guess I was just a cocky kid that wasn't going to let anything stand in my way."
Once again, Majeski quieted critics with a quick rise to the top. In his freshman season, two senior outfielders collided during a play and both left the field with broken legs. Majeski was thrust into the upperclassman lineup and held his own as Florida battled atop the NCAA rankings.
"It was trial by fire. The seniors were used to so much success, and here comes this smiling kid from Connecticut," he said. "I had to learn quickly and produce quickly."
Once again, Majeski embraced the challenge. He worked his way up to leadoff hitter as a junior, and helped lead Florida back to the NCAA tournament. He currently ranks in the university's top 10 in games played (242), hits (262), at bats (812) , and runs scored (186). Each season, his average improved from .258 in 1989 to .314 as a sophomore, .333 as a junior, and .342 as a senior. He finished his college career with 90 RBI, 34 doubles, eight triples, 116 walks, and six home runs.
He still holds three postseason records for the Gators with most hits (21) and runs (13) in the SEC Tournament. His seven scores in the 1991 SEC Tournament is still the most by any Florida player in a single tournament. It was no surprise that Majeski was drafted by the Cleveland Indians and the Milwaukee Brewers in different Major League drafts, and it was no surprise that he signed to a minor league contract with the Brewers in 1992.
The surprise came when Majeski—at the top of his game—decided to leave his playing days behind him. He said it was a tough decision, but he has never really questioned it. It's hard to balance a family life with a professional baseball career.
"There were a couple of years after I left that I'd be watching the pros and see some of the guys I played with or against," he said. "I'd think that I was better than that guy. I worked harder than that one, or I could hit better than that one. But I didn't really second guess myself."
Majeski didn't really retire. This was the start of his second career that has carried him to the present day. His coach had said that Majeski would have made a good coach by the time he left the high school. He was ready to fulfill that promise. Majeski returned to the dugout as a high school baseball coach in Florida where he led Eastside High School to their best record in 12 years before moving to Santa Fe High School and leading that program to district titles from 1998-2001. In 1998, Majeski was selected as the coach of the year by the Gainesville Sun.
"I liked to help other kids develop and chase their dreams," he said. "I was lucky enough to find a new way to enjoy the sport."
Once again, Majeski's star was on the rise. Once again, his strong commitment to family caused him to reassess his goals.
"My twin girls were about two and a half or three. With teaching and coaching, I was never around the house too much," he said. "One of them slipped and bumped her head. She started crying, looked up at me, and immediately went running to mom. Right then and there, I retired from coaching. My girls were more important. I handed in my resignation the very next day."
His retirement was short-lived. Six months passed before a newspaper notice for a charity softball tournament caught his attention. The University of Florida team was challenging local sportscasters and players to a celebrity game. Majeski registered for the contest and settled himself into a spot late in the order to study the pitcher. He noticed that she made each batter swing foolishly at a few pitches before lobbing a hittable ball. By the time he stepped to the plate, Majeski had formulated a plan.
He launched the first pitch over the outfield fence and into a distant lake. The coach invited him to a practice in the days that followed and soon offered him a position on her staff.
"I guess I should have known that softball was different—and I've come to know that there are some real differences—but I just jumped right in and taught the kids everything I know," he said. "It didn't take long for us to start seeing some results, and that's how I got into it. It was the right place at the right time I guess."
He spent a few years on the Gator staff before a one-year stint in Memphis. In 2003, he was hired as the head softball coach at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. He hit the ground running, leading the team to a 30-16 record in his first season and ushering the team into a jump to NCAA Division I competition.
Armed with his threefold coaching philosophy designed to help his players become better people, learn the game, and raise expectations, Majeski led the team to 21 wins in 2010 and eclipsed that mark with a 28-20-1 record and an overall record of 112-120-1 when he resigned from Presbyterian College at the end of the 2011 season.
Since then, Majeski has switched his focus to his growing business, the Sweet Spot Hitting Facility in Greenville, S.C.
"It's a lot of work, but there are a lot of kids that want to be good hitters," he said. "I'm having fun. Where else to you get to act like a two-year-old and kids keep coming back? Life is good. The hours and money are good, but most importantly I get to see my girls play ball."
With such a storied career, it was no surprise that committee members selected Majeski to be inducted into the Southington Sports Hall of Fame. He will be inducted during a ceremony at the Aqua Turf on Thursday, Nov. 8.
"There are major leaguers, state champions, and people with so many accolades that this is just a really big honor," he said. "Without sounding cliché, I have some really fond memories of my high school years in Southington. I still come back at least twice a year to visit my friends. It's an absolute honor to be included in the hall of fame."
For tickets, contact Jim Verderame, (860) 628-7335.
To comment on this story or to contact sports writer John Goralski, email him at jgoralski@ southingtonobserver.com.


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Thursday, January 26, 2012
bunches of bentos: Goodbyn Bynto and Lock & Lock boxes
But I came across some bento pics from recent weeks that I never posted. So here they are! It's their time to shine. Or at least, not be lost and forgotten in old picture files.
First up, a Goodbyn Bynto box lunch:
- granny smith apple slices (dipped in juice to prevent browning)
- Whole Foods cereal bar and homemade granola bar, and Ritz crackers
- turkey and cheddar cheese
Judging by the bento pick with the ornament on it, this bento predates Christmas!
Second up, another Bynto box lunch: (I could have sworn I had posted this one! I can't find it on the blog though...still, I apologize if this one's a repeat!)
- carrots and grapes in a jumbo silicone cup
- turkey and cheddar cheese, cut into bunny head shapes
- mini saltine crackers
To cut those bunny heads I used a small metal rice shaper tool, like this one.
And finally, a Lock & Lock lunch:
- mini saltine crackers
- Whole Foods cereal bar
- homemade granola bar
- carrots
- turkey and cheese, cut with an elephant cutter (discontinued special offer from Jello YEARS ago)
This box seems to be out of stock at a couple places I checked. I'm not positive, but it looks like it might be getting replaced by this new style. Not sure what I think about that!
Has anyone bit the bullet and bought a Bynto lately? I have to say, I'm kinda wishing I had tried it sooner. We love this box! It's been the most-used box for Ethan's lunches since getting it. :)
18 comments:
- Meghan McCabe said... [Reply to comment]
I bought a bynto a few months ago, then my fiance bought the original goodbyn after he saw how nice mine was. I love those lunch boxes, we don't even have kids! We use them for our own lunches haha.
- January 26, 2012 at 9:18 AM
- Melissa said... [Reply to comment]
That's awesome! I've used the Goodbyn (the big one) for my lunches too - the giant "head" section is perfect for salads. :)
- January 26, 2012 at 9:33 AM
- Kerry said... [Reply to comment]
I just bought a bynto last week, and it's been perfect for my daughter's lunches! (I still love her EasyLunchboxes, but the Goodbyn is quickly earning its place in the rotation!)
- January 26, 2012 at 9:36 AM
How do you send it to school? Do you just stick it in the backpack like it is or do you have a case for it? What about a drink? I saw a Goodbyn at a discount shop here but I passed over it.
- January 26, 2012 at 9:43 AM
- Rebecca said... [Reply to comment]
Walmart sometimes has the Good Cook 3-pc cookie cutter set with an elephant. It's not as nicely defined as your Jello one, but it is still fun. I usually see it on an end cap near the produce/freezer section. There's also a sea animal themed one.
This is what it looks like. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Good-Cook-3pc-Cookie-Cutter-Set/15376275 I have used the alligator cutter the most.
- January 26, 2012 at 9:45 AM
- Rebecca said... [Reply to comment]
I have heard complaints about the Goodbyn being difficult to open and close securely. Is this Bynto version better? Something a kindergartener/first grader could handle?
- January 26, 2012 at 9:49 AM
- Melissa said... [Reply to comment]
Nikki - the Bynto fits in a standard sized lunchbox! So I put it in a lunchbox, with an ice pack and his drink (usually a Thermos Funtainer of milk). :)
Rebecca - those are super cute!
- January 26, 2012 at 9:49 AM
- Melissa said... [Reply to comment]
Gosh, I really need to do my review of this box already - Rebecca, the Bynto is WAY easier to open and close than the original.
- January 26, 2012 at 9:50 AM
I bought 4 Byntos last week at the 40% off facebook store!!!! Can't wait till they arrive!
- January 26, 2012 at 11:38 AM
- The Planet Pink said... [Reply to comment]
Darn! I've been meaning to get a Lock and Lock box for-evah and now they're GONE? Wah!
- January 26, 2012 at 12:33 PM
- Callie said... [Reply to comment]
Amazon still has the lock and lock boxes.
- January 26, 2012 at 9:33 PM
- Candy Girl said... [Reply to comment]
Bummer about the Lock&Lock... it's my 10 year old's container of choice, and I kept meaning to get a 2nd one. Wonder if he'll like the new version... if not, might have to try a Bynto for him. Thanks!
- January 30, 2012 at 9:53 AM
- Corey @ Family Fresh Meals said... [Reply to comment]
Super cute! I totally hear you about the winter months. Come on summer!
- January 30, 2012 at 9:26 PM
- Ivona@SugarsticksParties said... [Reply to comment]
We have the Bynots and they close REALLY well, you just need to snap in the lid one compartment at the time. And from the evidence my 4yo doesn't have a problem opening hers. It is also great because my 12 yo will usually put it in his backpack as if it's a book without any issues.
- February 13, 2012 at 12:53 PM
- Amanda said... [Reply to comment]
Your creativity is just absolutely amazing! I love how you cut the cheeses into such fun shapes! It must be a lot of work for you to make those lunches!
- February 24, 2012 at 4:04 PM
Super cute! I love these ideas!
- April 10, 2012 at 10:33 AM
- Megan said... [Reply to comment]
Do you happen to know the Cup-capacity of the 4 square lock n lock container? I am trying desperately to find one for my 1st grader.
- August 13, 2012 at 2:03 PM
- Melissa said... [Reply to comment]
Megan, the ones I have are 870ml/29oz/.9 qt. So cup-capacity would be around 3.5, I think.
The ones I have with the 4 boxes seem to be discontinued. They've been replaced with this style: http://bit.ly/TzGZAe
This one is listed as 800ml which is only marginally smaller than the old style. The biggest different here is that the four sections are in only two removable inserts and the "divider" on them extends higher, allowing less room for food to potentially spill from one section to another.
- August 13, 2012 at 3:04 PM


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Military News
Monday Q&A: Filmmaker makes nuanced account of JBLM "Kill Team"
An award-winning documentary focusing on one of Joint Base Lewis-McChord's darkest chapters in the Afghanistan War is coming to the Puget Sound this week when "The Kill Team" opens in Seattle.
The film follows Adam Winfield, the slight soldier who tried to blow the whistle on rogue troops in his JBLM Stryker platoon when they killed an Afghan boy on a January 2010 patrol.
Winfield told his father about the murder, but his dad's call to JBLM did not lead to any action from the Army.
Five months later, Winfield himself became one of the "kill team" participants when he joined ringleader Staff Sgt. Calvin Gibbs and Spc. Jeremy Morlock in another unjustified shooting.
All told, four Stryker soldiers were convicted or pleaded guilty to three Afghan civilian killings they carried out by manufacturing combatlike scenarios to cover up their crimes. Seven others were convicted of lesser misdeeds.
California filmmaker Dan Krauss was drawn to Winfield's story as the whistleblower-turned-killer when he read about the soldier in a 2012 magazine story.
He got exclusive access to the Winfield family as they prepared for court hearings and interviewed two other "kill team" soldiers on camera to produce a striking 80-minute film that raises questions about the moral weight of America's longest war.
Krauss spoke with The News Tribune about the movie.
Q: What attracted you to this story?
The thing that was alarming about the Winfield story was that at some point he had the impulse to act in the moral right but was ultimately accused and convicted of acting in the moral wrong. In between those two way points, there was not much detail. I just had to ask myself, "What happened to this kid?"
Q: How is Adam Winfield now?
He's struggling today. Obviously he is suffering tremendously from a feeling of guilt for not doing more to prevent the murders.
He also has a federal involuntary murder charge on his record, and every time he applies for a job or a school, there will be questions.
It's not all gloom and doom, though. He is moving forward. He is taking college courses. He's a smart guy. He's ambitious. He has a great family.
Q: Do you think he had another choice?
There were options he could have availed himself of — riskier options — but he chose not to because he was afraid. Who wouldn't be afraid in that situation? Part of his accepting responsibility of this is realizing that he had options.
His parents suffer from a similar guilt. They could have made more calls, raised their voices louder. Just as Adam is feeling he could have done more, they also feel they could have done more.
Q: "Kill team" ringleader Gibbs is never on camera. He insisted at his court-martial that the engagements were legitimate. What would you have asked him if you could have?
How are you different today than before you were first deployed? How do you think the war changed you?
This was a guy who deployed several times. We've heard about a similar situation. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales deployed four times. You can sense that these deployments have enormous psychological influences.
Q: No one above Gibbs' rank was reprimanded in public for allowing this conspiracy to occur. What do you think of the Army's decision not to prosecute this group's officers?
I can appreciate on some level that the nature of these crimes in some ways is larger than the institution of the Army. War crimes go back to ancient times. In "The Iliad" or even in the Bible, there are instances of war crimes. The question of accountability becomes interesting because in every armed conflict we see evidence of war crimes. There is no such thing as a clean war.
Q: What is your impression of how our society talks about these crimes?
A: War fatigue has set in in many ways. I was surprised and disappointed that the "kill team" didn't register on the national radar in the way that Abu Ghraib did. We're talking about premeditated murder. These in some ways exceeded the horror of Abu Ghraib and yet barely a blip on the national radar
I would tell people about the film and the majority would say "How come I never heard about this?" This is the longest war in American history. It's really hard to sustain an interest in the events happening overseas, particularly when the results are so destructive and counterproductive to our purpose.
People are just legitimately tired of hearing about this. I hope this film will have some effect on refocusing the public on what we sacrificed for this war, on what everyone sacrificed, and was it worth it?
Q: Did anything surprise you in making this film?
We hear a lot about the trauma that soldiers endure by seeing combat overseas. There's not as much discussion about the guilt, the tremendous guilt, that soldiers feel when they feel compelled to take an action, or fail to take an action, that offends their moral sensibilities.
It's not something that can be treated with a medical prescription. It requires almost a spiritual cleansing. How can these soldiers live for the rest of their lives with decisions they have to make in a split second?
Q: How is the military responding to the film?
The film is not intended to cast stones at the U.S. military. The film is not intended to be political. It is intended to be an exploration of the human psyche, an exploration of these young soldiers. I really hope the audiences give these soldiers a chance.


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how to cite: Anderson, Gregory D.S., Banele Ndlovu, Christine Nyoni, Emmanuel Chabata, Jeffrey Wills and K. David Harrison. 2014. Ndebele Talking Dictionary. Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. http://www.talkingdictionary.org/ndebele
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