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Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 2, by Edward Gibbon, [1781], at sacred-texts.com
The fate of Constans himself was delayed about ten years longer, and the revenge of his brother's death was reserved for the more ignoble hand of a domestic traitor. The pernicious tendency of the system introduced by Constantine was displayed in the feeble administration of his sons; who, by their vices and weakness, soon lost the esteem and affections of their people. The pride assumed by Constans, from the unmerited success of his arms, was rendered more contemptible by his want of abilities and application. His fond partiality towards some German captives, distinguished only by the charms of youth, was an object of scandal to the people; 69 and Magnentius, an ambitious soldier, who was himself of Barbarian extraction, was encouraged by the public discontent to assert the honor of the Roman name. 70 The chosen bands of Jovians and Herculians, who acknowledged Magnentius as their leader, maintained the most respectable and important station in the Imperial camp. The friendship of Marcellinus, count of the sacred largesses, supplied with a liberal hand the means of seduction. The soldiers were convinced by the most specious arguments, that the republic summoned them to break the bonds of hereditary servitude; and, by the choice of an active and vigilant prince, to reward the same virtues which had raised the ancestors of the degenerate Constans from a private condition to the throne of the world. As soon as the conspiracy was ripe for execution, Marcellinus, under the pretence of celebrating his son's birthday, gave a splendid entertainment to the illustrious and honorable persons of the court of Gaul, which then resided in the city of Autun. The intemperance of the feast was artfully protracted till a very late hour of the night; and the unsuspecting guests were tempted to indulge themselves in a dangerous and guilty freedom of conversation. On a sudden the doors were thrown open, and Magnentius, who had retired for a few moments, returned into the apartment, invested with the diadem and purple. The conspirators instantly saluted him with the titles of Augustus and Emperor. The surprise, the terror, the intoxication, the ambitious hopes, and the mutual ignorance of the rest of the assembly, prompted them to join their voices to the general acclamation. The guards hastened to take the oath of fidelity; the gates of the town were shut; and before the dawn of day, Magnentius became master of the troops and treasure of the palace and city of Autun. By his secrecy and diligence he entertained some hopes of surprising the person of Constans, who was pursuing in the adjacent forest his favorite amusement of hunting, or perhaps some pleasures of a more private and criminal nature. The rapid progress of fame allowed him, however, an instant for flight, though the desertion of his soldiers and subjects deprived him of the power of resistance. Before he could reach a seaport in Spain, where he intended to embark, he was overtaken near Helena, 71 at the foot of the Pyrenees, by a party of light cavalry, whose chief, regardless of the sanctity of a temple, executed his commission by the murder of the son of Constantine. 72
As soon as the death of Constans had decided this easy but important revolution, the example of the court of Autun was imitated by the provinces of the West. The authority of Magnentius was acknowledged through the whole extent of the two great praefectures of Gaul and Italy; and the usurper prepared, by every act of oppression, to collect a treasure, which might discharge the obligation of an immense donative, and supply the expenses of a civil war. The martial countries of Illyricum, from the Danube to the extremity of Greece, had long obeyed the government of Vetranio, an aged general, beloved for the simplicity of his manners, and who had acquired some reputation by his experience and services in war. 73 Attached by habit, by duty, and by gratitude, to the house of Constantine, he immediately gave the strongest assurances to the only surviving son of his late master, that he would expose, with unshaken fidelity, his person and his troops, to inflict a just revenge on the traitors of Gaul. But the legions of Vetranio were seduced, rather than provoked, by the example of rebellion; their leader soon betrayed a want of firmness, or a want of sincerity; and his ambition derived a specious pretence from the approbation of the princess Constantina. That cruel and aspiring woman, who had obtained from the great Constantine, her father, the rank of Augusta, placed the diadem with her own hands on the head of the Illyrian general; and seemed to expect from his victory the accomplishment of those unbounded hopes, of which she had been disappointed by the death of her husband Hannibalianus. Perhaps it was without the consent of Constantina, that the new emperor formed a necessary, though dishonorable, alliance with the usurper of the West, whose purple was so recently stained with her brother's blood. 74
The intelligence of these important events, which so deeply affected the honor and safety of the Imperial house, recalled the arms of Constantius from the inglorious prosecution of the Persian war. He recommended the care of the East to his lieutenants, and afterwards to his cousin Gallus, whom he raised from a prison to a throne; and marched towards Europe, with a mind agitated by the conflict of hope and fear, of grief and indignation. On his arrival at Heraclea in Thrace, the emperor gave audience to the ambassadors of Magnentius and Vetranio. The first author of the conspiracy Marcellinus, who in some measure had bestowed the purple on his new master, boldly accepted this dangerous commission; and his three colleagues were selected from the illustrious personages of the state and army. These deputies were instructed to soothe the resentment, and to alarm the fears, of Constantius. They were empowered to offer him the friendship and alliance of the western princes, to cement their union by a double marriage; of Constantius with the daughter of Magnentius, and of Magnentius himself with the ambitious Constantina; and to acknowledge in the treaty the preeminence of rank, which might justly be claimed by the emperor of the East. Should pride and mistaken piety urge him to refuse these equitable conditions, the ambassadors were ordered to expatiate on the inevitable ruin which must attend his rashness, if he ventured to provoke the sovereigns of the West to exert their superior strength; and to employ against him that valor, those abilities, and those legions, to which the house of Constantine had been indebted for so many triumphs. Such propositions and such arguments appeared to deserve the most serious attention; the answer of Constantius was deferred till the next day; and as he had reflected on the importance of justifying a civil war in the opinion of the people, he thus addressed his council, who listened with real or affected credulity: "Last night," said he, "after I retired to rest, the shade of the great Constantine, embracing the corpse of my murdered brother, rose before my eyes; his well-known voice awakened me to revenge, forbade me to despair of the republic, and assured me of the success and immortal glory which would crown the justice of my arms." The authority of such a vision, or rather of the prince who alleged it, silenced every doubt, and excluded all negotiation. The ignominious terms of peace were rejected with disdain. One of the ambassadors of the tyrant was dismissed with the haughty answer of Constantius; his colleagues, as unworthy of the privileges of the law of nations, were put in irons; and the contending powers prepared to wage an implacable war. 75
Such was the conduct, and such perhaps was the duty, of the brother of Constans towards the perfidious usurper of Gaul. The situation and character of Vetranio admitted of milder measures; and the policy of the Eastern emperor was directed to disunite his antagonists, and to separate the forces of Illyricum from the cause of rebellion. It was an easy task to deceive the frankness and simplicity of Vetranio, who, fluctuating some time between the opposite views of honor and interest, displayed to the world the insincerity of his temper, and was insensibly engaged in the snares of an artful negotiation. Constantius acknowledged him as a legitimate and equal colleague in the empire, on condition that he would renounce his disgraceful alliance with Magnentius, and appoint a place of interview on the frontiers of their respective provinces; where they might pledge their friendship by mutual vows of fidelity, and regulate by common consent the future operations of the civil war. In consequence of this agreement, Vetranio advanced to the city of Sardica, 76 at the head of twenty thousand horse, and of a more numerous body of infantry; a power so far superior to the forces of Constantius, that the Illyrian emperor appeared to command the life and fortunes of his rival, who, depending on the success of his private negotiations, had seduced the troops, and undermined the throne, of Vetranio. The chiefs, who had secretly embraced the party of Constantius, prepared in his favor a public spectacle, calculated to discover and inflame the passions of the multitude. 77 The united armies were commanded to assemble in a large plain near the city. In the centre, according to the rules of ancient discipline, a military tribunal, or rather scaffold, was erected, from whence the emperors were accustomed, on solemn and important occasions, to harangue the troops. The well-ordered ranks of Romans and Barbarians, with drawn swords, or with erected spears, the squadrons of cavalry, and the cohorts of infantry, distinguished by the variety of their arms and ensigns, formed an immense circle round the tribunal; and the attentive silence which they preserved was sometimes interrupted by loud bursts of clamor or of applause. In the presence of this formidable assembly, the two emperors were called upon to explain the situation of public affairs: the precedency of rank was yielded to the royal birth of Constantius; and though he was indifferently skilled in the arts of rhetoric, he acquitted himself, under these difficult circumstances, with firmness, dexterity, and eloquence. The first part of his oration seemed to be pointed only against the tyrant of Gaul; but while he tragically lamented the cruel murder of Constans, he insinuated, that none, except a brother, could claim a right to the succession of his brother. He displayed, with some complacency, the glories of his Imperial race; and recalled to the memory of the troops the valor, the triumphs, the liberality of the great Constantine, to whose sons they had engaged their allegiance by an oath of fidelity, which the ingratitude of his most favored servants had tempted them to violate. The officers, who surrounded the tribunal, and were instructed to act their part in this extraordinary scene, confessed the irresistible power of reason and eloquence, by saluting the emperor Constantius as their lawful sovereign. The contagion of loyalty and repentance was communicated from rank to rank; till the plain of Sardica resounded with the universal acclamation of "Away with these upstart usurpers! Long life and victory to the son of Constantine! Under his banners alone we will fight and conquer." The shout of thousands, their menacing gestures, the fierce clashing of their arms, astonished and subdued the courage of Vetranio, who stood, amidst the defection of his followers, in anxious and silent suspense. Instead of embracing the last refuge of generous despair, he tamely submitted to his fate; and taking the diadem from his head, in the view of both armies fell prostrate at the feet of his conqueror. Constantius used his victory with prudence and moderation; and raising from the ground the aged suppliant, whom he affected to style by the endearing name of Father, he gave him his hand to descend from the throne. The city of Prusa was assigned for the exile or retirement of the abdicated monarch, who lived six years in the enjoyment of ease and affluence. He often expressed his grateful sense of the goodness of Constantius, and, with a very amiable simplicity, advised his benefactor to resign the sceptre of the world, and to seek for content (where alone it could be found) in the peaceful obscurity of a private condition. 78
The behavior of Constantius on this memorable occasion was celebrated with some appearance of justice; and his courtiers compared the studied orations which a Pericles or a Demosthenes addressed to the populace of Athens, with the victorious eloquence which had persuaded an armed multitude to desert and depose the object of their partial choice. 79 The approaching contest with Magnentius was of a more serious and bloody kind. The tyrant advanced by rapid marches to encounter Constantius, at the head of a numerous army, composed of Gauls and Spaniards, of Franks and Saxons; of those provincials who supplied the strength of the legions, and of those barbarians who were dreaded as the most formidable enemies of the republic. The fertile plains 80 of the Lower Pannonia, between the Drave, the Save, and the Danube, presented a spacious theatre; and the operations of the civil war were protracted during the summer months by the skill or timidity of the combatants. 81 Constantius had declared his intention of deciding the quarrel in the fields of Cibalis, a name that would animate his troops by the remembrance of the victory, which, on the same auspicious ground, had been obtained by the arms of his father Constantine. Yet by the impregnable fortifications with which the emperor encompassed his camp, he appeared to decline, rather than to invite, a general engagement. It was the object of Magnentius to tempt or to compel his adversary to relinquish this advantageous position; and he employed, with that view, the various marches, evolutions, and stratagems, which the knowledge of the art of war could suggest to an experienced officer. He carried by assault the important town of Siscia; made an attack on the city of Sirmium, which lay in the rear of the Imperial camp, attempted to force a passage over the Save into the eastern provinces of Illyricum; and cut in pieces a numerous detachment, which he had allured into the narrow passes of Adarne. During the greater part of the summer, the tyrant of Gaul showed himself master of the field. The troops of Constantius were harassed and dispirited; his reputation declined in the eye of the world; and his pride condescended to solicit a treaty of peace, which would have resigned to the assassin of Constans the sovereignty of the provinces beyond the Alps. These offers were enforced by the eloquence of Philip the Imperial ambassador; and the council as well as the army of Magnentius were disposed to accept them. But the haughty usurper, careless of the remonstrances of his friends, gave orders that Philip should be detained as a captive, or, at least, as a hostage; while he despatched an officer to reproach Constantius with the weakness of his reign, and to insult him by the promise of a pardon if he would instantly abdicate the purple. "That he should confide in the justice of his cause, and the protection of an avenging Deity," was the only answer which honor permitted the emperor to return. But he was so sensible of the difficulties of his situation, that he no longer dared to retaliate the indignity which had been offered to his representative. The negotiation of Philip was not, however, ineffectual, since he determined Sylvanus the Frank, a general of merit and reputation, to desert with a considerable body of cavalry, a few days before the battle of Mursa.
The city of Mursa, or Essek, celebrated in modern times for a bridge of boats, five miles in length, over the River Drave, and the adjacent morasses, 82 has been always considered as a place of importance in the wars of Hungary. Magnentius, directing his march towards Mursa, set fire to the gates, and, by a sudden assault, had almost scaled the walls of the town. The vigilance of the garrison extinguished the flames; the approach of Constantius left him no time to continue the operations of the siege; and the emperor soon removed the only obstacle that could embarrass his motions, by forcing a body of troops which had taken post in an adjoining amphitheatre. The field of battle round Mursa was a naked and level plain: on this ground the army of Constantius formed, with the Drave on their right; while their left, either from the nature of their disposition, or from the superiority of their cavalry, extended far beyond the right flank of Magnentius. 83 The troops on both sides remained under arms, in anxious expectation, during the greatest part of the morning; and the son of Constantine, after animating his soldiers by an eloquent speech, retired into a church at some distance from the field of battle, and committed to his generals the conduct of this decisive day. 84 They deserved his confidence by the valor and military skill which they exerted. They wisely began the action upon the left; and advancing their whole wing of cavalry in an oblique line, they suddenly wheeled it on the right flank of the enemy, which was unprepared to resist the impetuosity of their charge. But the Romans of the West soon rallied, by the habits of discipline; and the Barbarians of Germany supported the renown of their national bravery. The engagement soon became general; was maintained with various and singular turns of fortune; and scarcely ended with the darkness of the night. The signal victory which Constantius obtained is attributed to the arms of his cavalry. His cuirassiers are described as so many massy statues of steel, glittering with their scaly armor, and breaking with their ponderous lances the firm array of the Gallic legions. As soon as the legions gave way, the lighter and more active squadrons of the second line rode sword in hand into the intervals, and completed the disorder. In the mean while, the huge bodies of the Germans were exposed almost naked to the dexterity of the Oriental archers; and whole troops of those Barbarians were urged by anguish and despair to precipitate themselves into the broad and rapid stream of the Drave. 85 The number of the slain was computed at fifty-four thousand men, and the slaughter of the conquerors was more considerable than that of the vanquished; 86 a circumstance which proves the obstinacy of the contest, and justifies the observation of an ancient writer, that the forces of the empire were consumed in the fatal battle of Mursa, by the loss of a veteran army, sufficient to defend the frontiers, or to add new triumphs to the glory of Rome. 87 Notwithstanding the invectives of a servile orator, there is not the least reason to believe that the tyrant deserted his own standard in the beginning of the engagement. He seems to have displayed the virtues of a general and of a soldier till the day was irrecoverably lost, and his camp in the possession of the enemy. Magnentius then consulted his safety, and throwing away the Imperial ornaments, escaped with some difficulty from the pursuit of the light horse, who incessantly followed his rapid flight from the banks of the Drave to the foot of the Julian Alps. 88
The approach of winter supplied the indolence of Constantius with specious reasons for deferring the prosecution of the war till the ensuing spring. Magnentius had fixed his residence in the city of Aquileia, and showed a seeming resolution to dispute the passage of the mountains and morasses which fortified the confines of the Venetian province. The surprisal of a castle in the Alps by the secret march of the Imperialists, could scarcely have determined him to relinquish the possession of Italy, if the inclinations of the people had supported the cause of their tyrant. 89 But the memory of the cruelties exercised by his ministers, after the unsuccessful revolt of Nepotian, had left a deep impression of horror and resentment on the minds of the Romans. That rash youth, the son of the princess Eutropia, and the nephew of Constantine, had seen with indignation the sceptre of the West usurped by a perfidious barbarian. Arming a desperate troop of slaves and gladiators, he overpowered the feeble guard of the domestic tranquillity of Rome, received the homage of the senate, and assuming the title of Augustus, precariously reigned during a tumult of twenty-eight days. The march of some regular forces put an end to his ambitious hopes: the rebellion was extinguished in the blood of Nepotian, of his mother Eutropia, and of his adherents; and the proscription was extended to all who had contracted a fatal alliance with the name and family of Constantine. 90 But as soon as Constantius, after the battle of Mursa, became master of the sea-coast of Dalmatia, a band of noble exiles, who had ventured to equip a fleet in some harbor of the Adriatic, sought protection and revenge in his victorious camp. By their secret intelligence with their countrymen, Rome and the Italian cities were persuaded to display the banners of Constantius on their walls. The grateful veterans, enriched by the liberality of the father, signalized their gratitude and loyalty to the son. The cavalry, the legions, and the auxiliaries of Italy, renewed their oath of allegiance to Constantius; and the usurper, alarmed by the general desertion, was compelled, with the remains of his faithful troops, to retire beyond the Alps into the provinces of Gaul. The detachments, however, which were ordered either to press or to intercept the flight of Magnentius, conducted themselves with the usual imprudence of success; and allowed him, in the plains of Pavia, an opportunity of turning on his pursuers, and of gratifying his despair by the carnage of a useless victory. 91
The pride of Magnentius was reduced, by repeated misfortunes, to sue, and to sue in vain, for peace. He first despatched a senator, in whose abilities he confided, and afterwards several bishops, whose holy character might obtain a more favorable audience, with the offer of resigning the purple, and the promise of devoting the remainder of his life to the service of the emperor. But Constantius, though he granted fair terms of pardon and reconciliation to all who abandoned the standard of rebellion, 92 avowed his inflexible resolution to inflict a just punishment on the crimes of an assassin, whom he prepared to overwhelm on every side by the effort of his victorious arms. An Imperial fleet acquired the easy possession of Africa and Spain, confirmed the wavering faith of the Moorish nations, and landed a considerable force, which passed the Pyrenees, and advanced towards Lyons, the last and fatal station of Magnentius. 93 The temper of the tyrant, which was never inclined to clemency, was urged by distress to exercise every act of oppression which could extort an immediate supply from the cities of Gaul. 94 Their patience was at length exhausted; and Treves, the seat of Praetorian government, gave the signal of revolt, by shutting her gates against Decentius, who had been raised by his brother to the rank either of Caesar or of Augustus. 95 From Treves, Decentius was obliged to retire to Sens, where he was soon surrounded by an army of Germans, whom the pernicious arts of Constantius had introduced into the civil dissensions of Rome. 96 In the mean time, the Imperial troops forced the passages of the Cottian Alps, and in the bloody combat of Mount Seleucus *_0037 irrevocably fixed the title of rebels on the party of Magnentius. 97 He was unable to bring another army into the field; the fidelity of his guards was corrupted; and when he appeared in public to animate them by his exhortations, he was saluted with a unanimous shout of "Long live the emperor Constantius!" The tyrant, who perceived that they were preparing to deserve pardon and rewards by the sacrifice of the most obnoxious criminal, prevented their design by falling on his sword; 98 a death more easy and more honorable than he could hope to obtain from the hands of an enemy, whose revenge would have been colored with the specious pretence of justice and fraternal piety. The example of suicide was imitated by Decentius, who strangled himself on the news of his brother's death. The author of the conspiracy, Marcellinus, had long since disappeared in the battle of Mursa, 99 and the public tranquillity was confirmed by the execution of the surviving leaders of a guilty and unsuccessful faction. A severe inquisition was extended over all who, either from choice or from compulsion, had been involved in the cause of rebellion. Paul, surnamed Catena from his superior skill in the judicial exercise of tyranny, **_0037 was sent to explore the latent remains of the conspiracy in the remote province of Britain. The honest indignation expressed by Martin, vice-praefect of the island, was interpreted as an evidence of his own guilt; and the governor was urged to the necessity of turning against his breast the sword with which he had been provoked to wound the Imperial minister. The most innocent subjects of the West were exposed to exile and confiscation, to death and torture; and as the timid are always cruel, the mind of Constantius was inaccessible to mercy. 100
69 Quarum (gentium) obsides pretio quaesitos pueros venustiore quod cultius habuerat libidine hujusmodi arsisse pro certo habet. Had not the depraved taste of Constans been publicly avowed, the elder Victor, who held a considerable office in his brother's reign, would not have asserted it in such positive terms.
70 Julian. Orat. i. and ii. Zosim. l. ii. p. 134. Victor in Epitome. There is reason to believe that Magnentius was born in one of those Barbarian colonies which Constantius Chlorus had established in Gaul, (see this History, vol. i. p. 414.) His behavior may remind us of the patriot earl of Leicester, the famous Simon de Montfort, who could persuade the good people of England, that he, a Frenchman by birth had taken arms to deliver them from foreign favorites.
71 This ancient city had once flourished under the name of Illiberis (Pomponius Mela, ii. 5.) The munificence of Constantine gave it new splendor, and his mother's name. Helena (it is still called Elne) became the seat of a bishop, who long afterwards transferred his residence to Perpignan, the capital of modern Rousillon. See D'Anville. Notice de l'Ancienne Gaule, p. 380. Longuerue, Description de la France, p. 223, and the Marca Hispanica, l. i. c. 2.
72 Zosimus, l. ii. p. 119, 120. Zonaras, tom. ii. l. xiii. p. 13, and the Abbreviators.
73 Eutropius (x. 10) describes Vetranio with more temper, and probably with more truth, than either of the two Victors. Vetranio was born of obscure parents in the wildest parts of Maesia; and so much had his education been neglected, that, after his elevation, he studied the alphabet.
74 The doubtful, fluctuating conduct of Vetranio is described by Julian in his first oration, and accurately explained by Spanheim, who discusses the situation and behavior of Constantina.
75 See Peter the Patrician, in the Excerpta Legationem p. 27.
76 Zonaras, tom. ii. l. xiii. p. 16. The position of Sardica, near the modern city of Sophia, appears better suited to this interview than the situation of either Naissus or Sirmium, where it is placed by Jerom, Socrates, and Sozomen.
77 See the two first orations of Julian, particularly p. 31; and Zosimus, l. ii. p. 122. The distinct narrative of the historian serves to illustrate the diffuse but vague descriptions of the orator.
78 The younger Victor assigns to his exile the emphatical appellation of "Voluptarium otium." Socrates (l. ii. c. 28) is the voucher for the correspondence with the emperor, which would seem to prove that Vetranio was indeed, prope ad stultitiam simplicissimus.
79 Eum Constantius . . . . . facundiae vi dejectum Imperio in pri vatum otium removit. Quae gloria post natum Imperium soli proces sit eloquio clementiaque, &c. Aurelius Victor, Julian, and Themistius (Orat. iii. and iv.) adorn this exploit with all the artificial and gaudy coloring of their rhetoric.
80 Busbequius (p. 112) traversed the Lower Hungary and Sclavonia at a time when they were reduced almost to a desert, by the reciprocal hostilities of the Turks and Christians. Yet he mentions with admiration the unconquerable fertility of the soil; and observes that the height of the grass was sufficient to conceal a loaded wagon from his sight. See likewise Browne's Travels, in Harris's Collection, vol ii. p. 762 &c.
81 Zosimus gives a very large account of the war, and the negotiation, (l. ii. p. 123-130.) But as he neither shows himself a soldier nor a politician, his narrative must be weighed with attention, and received with caution.
82 This remarkable bridge, which is flanked with towers, and supported on large wooden piles, was constructed A. D. 1566, by Sultan Soliman, to facilitate the march of his armies into Hungary.
83 This position, and the subsequent evolutions, are clearly, though concisely, described by Julian, Orat. i. p. 36.
84 Sulpicius Severus, l. ii. p. 405. The emperor passed the day in prayer with Valens, the Arian bishop of Mursa, who gained his confidence by announcing the success of the battle. M. de Tillemont (Hist. des Empereurs, tom. iv. p. 1110) very properly remarks the silence of Julian with regard to the personal prowess of Constantius in the battle of Mursa. The silence of flattery is sometimes equal to the most positive and authentic evidence.
85 Julian. Orat. i. p. 36, 37; and Orat. ii. p. 59, 60. Zonaras, tom ii. l. xiii. p. 17. Zosimus, l. ii. p. 130-133. The last of these celebrates the dexterity of the archer Menelaus, who could discharge three arrows at the same time; an advantage which, according to his apprehension of military affairs, materially contributed to the victory of Constantius.
86 According to Zonaras, Constantius, out of 80,000 men, lost 30,000; and Magnentius lost 24,000 out of 36,000. The other articles of this account seem probable and authentic, but the numbers of the tyrant's army must have been mistaken, either by the author or his transcribers. Magnentius had collected the whole force of the West, Romans and Barbarians, into one formidable body, which cannot fairly be estimated at less than 100,000 men. Julian. Orat. i. p. 34, 35.
87 Ingentes R. I. vires ea dimicatione consumptae sunt, ad quaelibet bella externa idoneae, quae multum triumphorum possent securitatisque conferre. Eutropius, x. 13. The younger Victor expresses himself to the same effect.
88 On this occasion, we must prefer the unsuspected testimony of Zosimus and Zonaras to the flattering assertions of Julian. The younger Victor paints the character of Magnentius in a singular light: "Sermonis acer, animi tumidi, et immodice timidus; artifex tamen ad occultandam audaciae specie formidinem." Is it most likely that in the battle of Mursa his behavior was governed by nature or by art should incline for the latter.
89 Julian. Orat. i. p. 38, 39. In that place, however, as well as in Oration ii. p. 97, he insinuates the general disposition of the senate, the people, and the soldiers of Italy, towards the party of the emperor.
90 The elder Victor describes, in a pathetic manner, the miserable condition of Rome: "Cujus stolidum ingenium adeo P. R. patribusque exitio fuit, uti passim domus, fora, viae, templaque, cruore, cadaveri busque opplerentur bustorum modo." Athanasius (tom. i. p. 677) deplores the fate of several illustrious victims, and Julian (Orat. ii p 58) execrates the cruelty of Marcellinus, the implacable enemy of the house of Constantine.
91 Zosim. l. ii. p. 133. Victor in Epitome. The panegyrists of Constantius, with their usual candor, forget to mention this accidental defeat.
92 Zonaras, tom. ii. l. xiii. p. 17. Julian, in several places of the two orations, expatiates on the clemency of Constantius to the rebels.
93 Zosim. l. ii. p. 133. Julian. Orat. i. p. 40, ii. p. 74.
94 Ammian. xv. 6. Zosim. l. ii. p. 123. Julian, who (Orat. i. p. 40) unveighs against the cruel effects of the tyrant's despair, mentions (Orat. i. p. 34) the oppressive edicts which were dictated by his necessities, or by his avarice. His subjects were compelled to purchase the Imperial demesnes; a doubtful and dangerous species of property, which, in case of a revolution, might be imputed to them as a treasonable usurpation.
95 The medals of Magnentius celebrate the victories of the two Augusti, and of the Caesar. The Caesar was another brother, named Desiderius. See Tillemont, Hist. des Empereurs, tom. iv. p. 757.
96 Julian. Orat. i. p. 40, ii. p. 74; with Spanheim, p. 263. His Commentary illustrates the transactions of this civil war. Mons Seleuci was a small place in the Cottian Alps, a few miles distant from Vapincum, or Gap, an episcopal city of Dauphine. See D'Anville, Notice de la Gaule, p. 464; and Longuerue, Description de la France, p. 327.
*_0037 the Itinerary of Antoninus (p. 357, ed. Wess.) places Mons Seleucus twenty-four miles from Vapinicum, (Gap,) and twenty-six from Lucus. (le Luc,) on the road to Die, (Dea Vocontiorum.) The situation answers to Mont Saleon, a little place on the right of the small river Buech, which falls into the Durance. Roman antiquities have been found in this place. St. Martin. Note to Le Beau, ii. 47. - M.
97 Zosimus, l. ii. p. 134. Liban. Orat. x. p. 268, 269. The latter most vehemently arraigns this cruel and selfish policy of Constantius.
98 Julian. Orat. i. p. 40. Zosimus, l. ii. p. 134. Socrates, l. ii. c. 32. Sozomen, l. iv. c. 7. The younger Victor describes his death with some horrid circumstances: Transfosso latere, ut erat vasti corporis, vulnere naribusque et ore cruorem effundens, exspiravit. If we can give credit to Zonaras, the tyrant, before he expired, had the pleasure of murdering, with his own hand, his mother and his brother Desiderius.
99 Julian (Orat. i. p. 58, 59) seems at a loss to determine, whether he inflicted on himself the punishment of his crimes, whether he was drowned in the Drave, or whether he was carried by the avenging daemons from the field of battle to his destined place of eternal tortures.
**_0037 This is scarcely correct, ut erat in complicandis negotiis artifex dirum made ei Catenae inditum est cognomentum. Amm. Mar. loc. cit. - M.
100 Ammian. xiv. 5, xxi. 16.


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Welcome to MSU Billings CQI page! The university is committed to an organizational culture of continuous quality improvement where all levels of campus community in all programs and disciplines are constantly motivated to improve their services. CQI emphasizes the continuous study and improvement of the processes of providing services to our "clients" and the community.
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), adopted from the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), provides the tools to help the university enhance existing programs, improve our effectiveness in the teaching-learning process, foster a collaborative work environment, and tap the expertise of University faculty, staff, and students. First applied in manufacturing and later expanded to service organizations, quality initiatives now assist colleges and universities across the country.
CQI also means a method of evaluation that is composed of structure, process, and outcome evaluations which focus on improvement efforts to identify root causes of problems, intervene to reduce or eliminate these causes, and take steps to correct the process. CQI recognizes that the majority of problems result from a failure in the process of providing the service, as opposed to being attributable to the providers themselves. Students, faculty and staff will find an improved climate for learning as MSUB moves forward with its continuous improvement efforts.
CQI efforts at MSUB will position the university in meeting several major mandates in the coming years such as the NWCCU commission visit in fall 2008, NCATE in spring 2009, AACSB and other program accreditation visits. In addition, it will help the university to meet the Board of Regents' cyclic program review mandate. Most of all, this approach will allow us to integrate the university strategic initiatives and goals into the self-study process that will be conducted using the processes outlined by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Program reviews and accreditation visits are end points of our efforts, but CQI is an ongoing effort that continues beyond those mandates.
This website is created to communicate the various activities and the progress of CQI on our campus. We invite you to explore this website for the deliberations of the CQI committee as we post the minutes of our meetings. We welcome your suggestions to improve this site and the communication of information on CQI activities through this site, and we look forward to your participation in the process.
Core Concepts of CQI
Quality is defined as meeting and/or exceeding the expectations of our customers.
Success is achieved through meeting the needs of those we serve.
Most problems are found in processes, not in people. CQI does not seek to blame, but rather to improve processes.
Unintended variation in processes can lead to unwanted variation in outcomes, and therefore we seek to reduce or eliminate unwanted variation.
Using the scientific method it is possible to achieve continual improvement through small, incremental changes.
CQI is most effective when it becomes a natural part of the way everyday work is done.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gallaudet University President Alan Hurwitz this morning defended his decision to place an employee on administrative leave after it was revealed she signed a petition to subject Maryland's recently passed marriage-equality law to a November vote, but said he would like to work with the staffer so she can return to work, according to The Washington Post.
Angela McCaskill, the university's chief diversity officer, was placed on leave after a fellow faculty member noticed her name, address and signature on a list of people who had signed the petition to force a vote on the marriage-equality law, according to Planet Deaf Queer, an online resource for deaf people, which had initially reported that McCaskill had signed the petition.
Dr. Angela McCaskill
(Photo by via Gallaudet.edu)
According to Planet Deaf Queer, McCaskill, who was known on campus as a strong supporter of the campus's LGBTQA Resource Center, confirmed to her co-worker she had signed the marriage petition after church, where her pastor spoke against marriage equality, and her husband then convinced her to sign the petition.
As the Gallaudet community became aware of the news, Hurwitz placed McCaskill on administrative leave, noting that some felt McCaskill's actions inappropriate and possibly in conflict with her duties as chief diversity officer.
"I placed [McCaskill] on paid administrative leave as a prudent action to allow the university – and Dr. McCaskill – the time to consider this question after the emotions of first reactions subsided," Hurwitz said in a statement in which he expressed hope that the university would be able to reach a resolution with McCaskill. "While this has become an issue beyond our campus, as President of Gallaudet University, my number one concern is our university community – our students, faculty and staff and so many others who support us. I act on their behalf, not with any agenda other than their well-being as all of us work to prepare these university students for the future."
Hurwitz's statement comes days after activists on both sides of the marriage-equality debate criticized the university for its actions. Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the coalition of labor, religious and community groups seeking to uphold the marriage law, faulted Gallaudet's actions and issued a statement in support of McCaskill.
"We strongly disagree with the decision to put the chief diversity officer on leave and hope she is reinstated immediately," Josh Levin, campaign manager for Marylanders for Marriage Equality, said in a statement issued Oct. 11. "Everyone is entitled to free speech and to their own opinion about Question 6, which is about treating everyone fairly and equally under the law."
But anti-marriage-equality opponents of Question 6, the Maryland marriage referendum, pounced on McCaskill's suspension, attempting to portray it as an example of how religious liberties would suffer if Question 6 passes and the state's marriage-equality law goes into effect.
"I join an ever-growing number of Marylanders in expressing my complete dismay over Gallaudet University's decision to place Dr. Angela McCaskill on administrative leave for signing the marriage referendum petition," Derek McCoy, president of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, said in a statement.
McCoy also pointed out that McCaskill's decision to sign the petition does not necessarily equate to a position on marriage equality, but indicates only her support for putting the decision whether to allow same-sex couples access to marriage licenses on the ballot.
"Unfortunately, this is only the latest in a long list of attacks on individuals who express support for marriage as a union between one man and one woman," McCoy continued. "If such attacks can be made before same-sex marriage is law, how can homosexual activists in good faith say that religious liberties will not be attacked if Question Six passes?"
Other conservative groups injected themselves into the controversy to denounce supporters of marriage equality, with Tony Perkins, president of the anti-gay Family Research Council, circulating a petition supporting McCaskill. The petition, which will be sent to Hurwitz, asks that McCaskill be fully reinstated.
"Gallaudet University's discriminatory action reflects a troubling nationwide trend of voter intimidation and bullying tactics against those who uphold marriage as the union of one man and one woman," Perkins wrote in an email promoting his petition, comparing the situation to the "bullying" he alleges was committed by the LGBT community against Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy following his public opposition to marriage equality. "We have seen that wherever marriage is redefined, we can only expect more of these civil rights violations."
Supporters of Question 6 and marriage equality have long maintained that, as written, Maryland's Civil Marriage Protection Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) in March, specifically underscores protections for clergy, churches and religious institutions, allowing them not to recognize or perform marriages that violate their religious beliefs.
As it appears on the ballot, Question 6 reads: "Establishes that Maryland's civil marriage laws allow gay and lesbian couples to obtain a civil marriage license, provided they are not otherwise prohibited from marrying; protects clergy from having to perform any particular marriage ceremony in violation of their religious beliefs; affirms that each religious faith has exclusive control over its theological doctrine regarding who may marry within that faith; and provides that religious organizations and certain related entities are not required to provide goods, services, or benefits to an individual related to the celebration or promotion of marriage in violation of their religious beliefs."


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Spearing trash from the bottom of Lake Tahoe
Special to the Bonanza
EDITOR'S NOTE: Truckee resident Karen LaFarge-Unrein recently submitted this first-person story and photos to the Sierra Sun in an effort to draw attention to how residents and visitors can better take care of our environment.
LAKE TAHOE — Taking advantage of the warm January weather recently, my husband and I were inspired to take our canoe out on the pristine east shore of Lake Tahoe.
The calm waters and sighting of two bald eagles gave us further reasons to push on farther along the shoreline to the Chimney Beach area.
However, as we paddled onto the beach, we saw a reflection on the bottom about 5-7 feet below us; it was a twisted mess of beer cans and a broken wine bottle top, intertwined with other debris.
Incapable of having the means to retrieve it, we left it, but knew we would be back.
Four days later, we returned to the same spot in our canoe. We had made a crudely formed implement of 8-10 feet so we could spear that trash out of the water. Over a period of three hours, we pulled out enough to fill a large garbage bag. We also cleared the beach of more litter left by careless people.
Does one not think of the environmental consequences to wildlife and the message it sends to all who visit the shores of Lake Tahoe?
Does the excuse for one's blatant disregard for beauty give them the right to leave the area unsightly? Do they never plan to return?
I challenge everyone to "Leave No Trace Behind," "Pack It In and Out," and carry a trash bag. If you can bring that six pack in, then what is preventing you from carrying it out?
I noticed that there are no signs that indicate promoting, "Leave it Clean." Couldn't the forest service place signs at the top of beach trails along all the basin shoreline indicating the need to pack it out?
Until then, as we have done for two decades, I will continue to pick up others' trash along the hiking trails, on the beaches, and in the rivers where we fly-fish, because I want to leave the area knowing I left it looking more beautiful and safer for the wildlife than what I found it.
Maybe others will see us doing this and catch on.


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Join NEA Webinar for Music Applicants on 1/30/13
January 17, 2013
On Wednesday, January 30, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will present a webinar for Art Works music applicants. The webinar will provide an overview of the Art Works funding category, discipline-specific information about how prepare a strong application, and answers to your questions from NEA staff. To join the webinar, which will be held from 1-2pm EST on January 30, please go to this page. Orchestras may also be interested in joining a webinar for arts education applicants that will be held on February 12 from 1-2pm. All webinars will be archived two days after they are conducted. Please mark your calendars with the newly announced application deadlines for FY14 Grant for Arts Projects, and be sure to download the League's updated guidance specific to orchestra applicants from our Tips for your application page.


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The 10th Annual Lil' Wrangler Barn Dance was held Sunday, November 18, to help raise funds for the operating expenses of an award winning youth country western dance group based out of Bryan/College Station. The country western dancers also asked their guests to bring in canned food to donate to the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
The group is made up of young dancers who have performed at a variety of events and have made a name for themselves throughout the years by playing venues such as the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo and at games for the San Antonio Spurs - not to mention many performances and events throughout the Brazos Valley.
Sunday's Barn Dance consisted of a dinner and show held at the Brazos Center on Briarcrest Drive in Bryan. The dinner was sold out, but guests came in and enjoyed the show and supported the young country western dancers.
The Lil Wranglers will be performing at halftime during the Spurs game in San Antonio on December 15. The Lil Wranglers said they were excited to be going back to San Antonio to perform, and if they could, they would perform forever.
You can watch the Lil Wranglers perform by clicking on the video below.


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MBA, Madonna University
BS, Physics, University of Michigan
Professional Network Engineer for 10 years
Mr. Lehrer II, CISSP, is a Senior Systems Engineer with XO Communications. He has successfully designed & implemented application solutions for enterprises in both voice and data communications. He is an expert architect for Virtual Private Networks and Managed Firewall services and develops security policies and firewall rules. He is focused on secure network topologies and analysis.
As an undergraduate physics student at the University of Michigan, Lehrer helped facilitate secure communication collaborations over the Internet pertaining to experimental data.
Upon graduation Lehrer joined the Sprint Corporation as an Associate Systems Engineer. He subsequently earned an MBA at Madonna University and was awarded membership to Delta Mu Delta Honor Society for Business Administration academic honors and in his spare time enjoys reviewing application firewall projects.


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Nearly two dozen fraternity members at Northern Illinois University have been charged with hazing-related counts after a freshman was found dead at their fraternity house following a night of drinking.
DeKalb police and prosecutors issued arrest warrants Monday for 22 members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity in DeKalb. Five members are charged with felony hazing, while the other 17 members are facing misdemeanor hazing charges.
The warrants were filed after David Bogenberger, 19, was found unresponsive at the fraternity house early on Nov. 2. The DeKalb County Coroner's Office said toxicology results found his blood alcohol content was about five times the legal limit for driving.
The coroner ruled Bogenberger's cause of death was cardiac arrhythmia, with alcohol intoxication as a contributing cause.
Trending: Man Shoots Buck Only to Find It Has Two Heads – But Not In The Way You Think!
The DeKalb Police Department said its investigation found the fraternity hosted an unsanctioned event on Nov. 1 that wasn't registered with the university or the fraternity's national chapter.
"The event that night involved the pledges rotating between several rooms in the fraternity house, being asked a series of questions, and then being provided cups of vodka and other liquor to drink," police said in a statement. "This resulted in the pledges drinking a large quantity of…


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VESTAL, N.Y. – UMBC softball's sophomore short stop Bridget O'Malley (Brooklyn, Md./Seton Keough) launched her first home run of the season, but it was not enough to take down Binghamton, as the Bearcats defeated the Retrievers, 6-2, in the series opener on Saturday afternoon at Bearcats Softball Complex
Binghamton improves to 10-10 on the season and 1-0 in America East action, while UMBC drops to 22-12 on the year and 0-3 in league play.
The Retrievers got on the board first in the top of the third inning. Junior Katlin Olesky (Irvine, Calif./Northwood/Saddleback College) singled to right field and O'Malley launched a two-run home run to center field to put UMBC out in front, 2-0.
Binghamton wasted no time responding in the bottom half of the frame. A single and an error put runners on second and third. Freshman Gabby Bracchi drove in the Bearcats' first run of the inning on a single and sophomore Lisa Cadogan followed with an RBI-single to left to even the score at two apiece. A two-run single from freshman Crysti Eichner put Binghamton on top, 4-2.
The Bearcats added two runs on three singles in the bottom of the fifth inning. Eichner registered her third RBI of the contest with a single that drove in Bracchi from second. Eichner stole second and came around to score on a single to center field from freshman Bridget Hunt.
UMBC led-off the top of the seventh inning with a triple from freshman Kaelin Jackson (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional), but were unable to drive her in.
In the circle, Demi Laney tossed the complete game victory to improve to 7-4 on the season. She allowed two runs on two hits and struck out nine batters. UMBC freshman pitcher Jessica Holte (Ashland, Va./Atlee) threw the six inning loss (13-5), allowing three earned runs on nine hits.
The Retrievers and Bearcats conclude the series on Sunday, April 6 with a doubleheader starting at noon at the Bearcats Softball Complex.


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OROVILLE >> A man initially arrested for a large-scale marijuana grow in 2011 was sentenced to state prison Thursday.
Butte County Superior Court Judge Kristen Lucena handed down a middle term sentence on Eldred James Varnado, 45, that included two years for cultivating marijuana and eight months for failing to appear in court.
Varnado had pleaded no contest to the felony marijuana charge in June 2013, but he failed to appear for his Aug. 8 sentencing.
The Butte County Sheriff's Office arrested Varnado and co-defendant Phillip L. Schamburg, 50, following a raid at a house near Forbestown on Oct. 20, 2011.
Officials confiscated 1,550 ? pounds of processed or drying marijuana found throughout the property and 29 growing plants, according to reports at the time.
Officers also reportedly found an alleged puppy mill with 19 puppies and 19 adult dogs. The animals were in kennels and tied to stakes around the property.
More than 20 chickens and roosters were also found, as well as rooster fighting spurs.
The animals were left on the property with a caretaker.
The defendants weren't charged for the animals. They were both initially charged with cultivating marijuana and possessing it for sale. Varnado also faced a misdemeanor count of possessing ammunition.
Schamburg pleaded no contest to the cultivation count in March 2012, but missed his initial sentencing date. He was sentenced in April 2013 to two years county prison, but was given credit for time served and released on mandatory supervision.
However, Schamburg allegedly failed to report to probation a week after his sentencing. He faces arraignment June 12 for the alleged violation of mandatory supervision.
During Varnado's sentencing Thursday, defense attorney Eric Ortner sought either probation or a middle-term sentence. He acknowledged that Varnado had failed to appear after making numerous earlier dates, but the defendant was gainfully employed in Oregon and had no further criminal violations.
Regarding the grow, Ortner said Varnado was responsible for his role as a worker, but the defendant's role was a minor one.
Deputy district attorney Robert Thomas III said Varnado was unsuitable for probation and sought the upper term. He said the pre-sentencing report indicated the defendant was irresponsible and unrepentant.
Thomas also noted Varnado had a 2004 conviction for second-degree robbery that excluded him from county prison.
Varnado was only eligible for probation if Judge Lucena determined the matter was an unusual case. The judge ruled the case wasn't unusual and said she would have denied probation anyway because Varnado's record indicated a pattern of regular criminal conduct.
In handing down the middle-term sentence, Lucena noted aggravating factors including Varnado's record and a prior prison term. In mitigation, the judge noted Varnado's prior satisfactory performance on probation or parole.
The defendant was given 189 days in custody credits and may be eligible for release in June 2015.
At the end of sentencing, Varnado addressed the court. He asked if he could be discharged to Portland when his term was completed. He had a job and family in Oregon, but he would be without a home or a job if he was returned to Butte County.
The judge acknowledged Varnado's comments and asked Ortner to discuss the situation with the defendant.
Reach reporter Ryan Olson at facebook.com/NorCalJustice and 896-7763.


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Cranberry Upside Down Cake – Holiday Recipe
3 weeks ago
When my husband said I could pick the color for the walls of the kitchen in our new house, I picked a paint called "neon celery." Everyone thought I was crazy. It turns out that the color is just bright enough, just retro enough, just different enough to have worked.


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About Howard
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, 30 Fulbright Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States.


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Welcome to Orthotic Shop
Thanks for visiting the Orthotic Shop! If you are looking for healthy footwear, you came to the right place. We take pride in being one of the top orthopedic shoe stores available, carrying a variety of foot care products that help our customers deal with common conditions such as plantar fasciitis, heel pain, flat feet and diabetic foot care. We strive to provide your body a solid foundation.
We offer orthopedic shoes and orthotic insoles from some of the most respected brands in the world! Browse in our specialized categories to see footwear from top brands such as Aetrex Shoes, Answer2, Vionic, Orthofeet, Softwalk and many more. Take a proactive position on the health of your feet and invest in a pair of orthotic shoes and replacement insoles to prevent or remedy foot aches and pains.
Orthotic Insoles
While your stylish pumps might look great, most footwear isn't designed to help you get comfortably through the day. Orthotic insoles slip into your favourite pair of shoes to provide that tender-love-and-care your feet need. Having proper orthopedic arch support helps alleviate discomfort from common foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis, flat feet, heel pain, bunions, hammertoes and over pronation.
Featured Orthotics & Insoles
Vionic Relief Orthotic Insoles - Orthaheel$34.95
SOLE Softec Response Thin Sport Heat Molda...$29.50
Vionic Relief 3/4 Length Orthaheel Insoles$34.95
SOLE Signature EV Softec Ultra Custom Insoles$34.00
Vionic Active Orthotic Insoles with Orthah...$39.95
SOLE Signature DK Response Custom Footbeds$34.50
SOLE Softec Response Insulated Custom Insoles$19.95
Vionic Slimfit Women's Dress Insoles - Ort...$34.95
Shearling Orthotic Insoles - Inserts for S...$29.95
SOLE Softec Ultra Custom Moldable Footbeds$36.00
Sole Active Thick Insoles - Ultra Cushioning$49.00
Betterform Sportsole Full Length - Leather...$29.95 - $32.95
Vionic Cold Weather Relief Orthotic - Shea...$39.95
Sole Active Medium Insoles Responsive Soft...$49.00
We are proud to carry orthotic insoles from the best companies in the industry, including Spenco and Powerstep inserts. Available in a variety of sizes, styles and fits, our high-quality insoles make it easy to find the right support for nearly any activity, from all day work wear to a pair of insoles that give your slippers a little extra orthotic support.
Casually Comfortable Sandals
Orthopedic open-toed shoes are a perfect example of casual footwear. In fact, comfortable, supportive sandals are one of the best-selling categories on our site! To avoid flat feet with your current pairs, you can purchase insoles designed explicitly to fit inside your summery footwear. In addition to inserts for sandals, we sell a number of sandals with built in orthotic arch support to slip on! Shop for orthotic shoes with healthy confidence as you choose from different styles including slide-on, thong-style, Velcro or any combination of those!
Featured Supportive Sandals
Vionic Pacific High Tide - Women's Platfo...$54.50 - $74.95
20 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Tide Aloe Women's Orthotic Sandals$56.50 - $79.95
11 Colors
SOLE Men's Sport Flip Flops - Orthotic Sup...$64.95
Vionic Rest Juno - Women's Slide Sandal$49.50
5 Colors - 2 Widths
Spenco Yumi Women's Orthotic Flip Flops$44.95 - $57.95
7 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Tide II - Women's Leather Orthotic ...$59.95 - $69.95
12 Colors
Olukai 'Ohana Women's Flip Flops$64.95
16 Colors
Vionic Bliss - Women's Orthotic Slipper Sa...$59.95 - $64.50
3 Colors
Spenco Kholo Men's Orthotic Slide Sandals$44.95
2 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Pacific Rio - Women's Adjustable Pl...$56.50 - $84.95
11 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Ryder - Chocolate - Orthaheel - Men...$64.95
Spenco Kholo Women's Orthotic Slide Sandals$44.95
2 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Skylar - Women's Adjustable Slide O...$74.95
2 Colors - 2 Widths
SOLE Men's Sport Slide Sandals - Supportiv...$64.95
Olukai 'Ohana Men's Flip Flops$64.95
11 Colors
Vionic Bella - Women's Orthotic Thong Sandals$53.50 - $74.95
23 Colors - 3 Widths
Vionic Wave - Unisex Orthotic Sandals$64.95
3 Colors
Featured Brandsmore...
Orthopedic Work Shoes
Whether you're looking for a pair of steel toe work boots to keep your feet safe at your construction site, or a pair of black oxfords to wear to the board room, Orthotic Shop has your work footwear covered. We offer orthotic shoes from some of the most popular manufacturers of foot health products, including Caterpillar, Propet, OluKai, Cobb Hill, Trotters and Drew Shoes.
Featured Comfort Shoes/Boots for Work
Klogs Naples Mens - Womens Clogs$129.95
17 Colors - 2 Widths
Klogs Bistro Men's Clog with Arch Support ...$59.95
2 Colors
Caterpillar Men's Excavator XL 6" WP Compo...$123.95 - $130.95
2 Colors - 2 Widths
Klogs Zest Women's Lightweight Slip-resist...$59.95
2 Colors
Caterpillar Second Shift Steel Toe - Honey...$79.55 - $91.95
2 Widths
Softwalk Murietta - Women's Clog$99.95 - $119.95
17 Colors - 4 Widths
Propet Stannis Men's Slip Resistant Casual...$84.95
4 Widths
Caterpillar Men's Excavator XL 8" Waterpro...$135.95
2 Colors - 2 Widths
Klogs Boca Closed Back Unisex Comfort Clog...$59.95
5 Colors - 3 Widths
Chung Shi DUX - Unisex Comfort Clogs with ...$52.00
8 Colors
Softwalk Mason - Women's Comfort Clogs$103.95
6 Colors - 4 Widths
Vionic Lidia - Women's Slip-on Supportive ...$69.50
3 Colors
Klogs Springfield Closed Back Unisex Clogs...$59.95
4 Colors - 2 Widths
Softwalk Abby - Women's Comfort Clogs$85.95 - $109.95
7 Colors - 4 Widths
Caterpillar Men's Excavator XL Pull On Wat...$143.95
2 Widths
Klogs Dusty Unisex Clogs - Made in the USA$59.95
6 Colors - 3 Widths
Klogs Austin Women's Leather Comfort Clogs$129.95
4 Colors - 2 Widths
Caterpillar Edgework 2.0 Steel Toe Waterpr...$112.95 - $120.95
2 Widths
Klogs Abilene - Comfort Unisex Clog - Made...$59.95
2 Widths
Vionic Kacie Women's Orthotic Support Clog$101.50 - $122.50
5 Colors - 2 Widths
If you're in the medical or restaurant profession you'll love our orthotic Klogs, Sanita, and Softwalk slip-resistant professional work shoes designed to keep your feet comfortable even after an entire shift. If you're looking for something for the outdoors, our selection of orthopedic waterproof shoes and boots will keep you warm in the winter months and your feet dry during those surprise summer storms.
Fashion, Without Sacrificing Comfort
When it's time to dress to impress, Orthotic Shop offers an impressive variety of fashionable footwear that will match even the trendiest outfits. From orthopedic heels and pumps to timeless formal oxfords, it's easy to find the orthopedic dress shoes for women that matches your personal fashion flair.
Featured Women's Casual Comfort Footwear
Vionic Agile Kea - Women's Suppotive Slip-ons$89.50
4 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Sunny Brinley - Women's Water Resis...$79.50
5 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Cosmic Cameo - Women's Slip-on$82.50 - $101.50
3 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Hilo Women's Supportive Moccasin$95.50 - $108.50
4 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Wise Waverly - Women's Slip-on Loafer$139.95
7 Colors
Vionic Fresh Linden - Women's Casual Slip-on$64.50
3 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Spark Minna - Women's Casual Shoes$82.50 - $129.95
16 Colors - 3 Widths
Vionic Cosmic Codie - Women's Casual Shoe$95.50
6 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Honor Virginia - Women's Supportive...$95.50 - $139.95
10 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Desiree Women's Quilted Flat Suppor...$119.95
3 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Splendid Dakota - Women's Slip-on Mule$79.50 - $89.50
5 Colors
Vionic Yvonne Women's Slip-on Casual Shoe$75.50 - $88.50
2 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Cosmic Cadee - Casual Slip-on$82.50 - $101.50
7 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Madison Mia - Women's Block Heel Pump$89.50
9 Colors - 2 Widths
Propet Travelfit Hi Top - Women's Active T...$39.55 - $55.20
6 Colors - 5 Widths
Vionic Kit Josie - Women's Heels with Arch...$95.50 - $149.95
15 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Spark Caroll - Women's Ballet Flat$82.50 - $119.95
10 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Gem Delilah - Women's Adjustable St...$82.50 - $95.50
3 Colors - 2 Widths
Vionic Lidia - Women's Slip-on Supportive ...$69.50
3 Colors
Vionic Savannah Women's Casual Shoe$82.50 - $139.95
5 Colors - 2 Widths
We offer the latest from the best healthy shoe brands in the industry like Ros Hommerson, Vionic, Aravon, and OluKai and we work hard to bring you the freshest fashions in footwear while giving your feet the support they need.
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Custom Made Orthotics, The Easy Way
If you suffer from a serious medical condition, or if you just want to make sure you get the most comfortable fit possible, the best foot health products are the ones built specifically for your feet. Fashioned using a mold of your feet, our custom made orthotic shoes and inserts are the healthiest fit imaginable and will provide maximum comfort.
Whether you're purchasing a pair of therapeutic shoes, or getting custom orthotic insoles you never have to worry that you'll end up spending money on something that doesn't work. The Orthotic Shop has been providing "custom made orthotics" backed by a fit-guarantee since 2005. If you order foot care products and they don't fit the way you want it, simply return it and pick out another pair or get your money back.
Find What You Need, Easily
At Orthotic Shop, we pride ourselves in having one of the largest selections online of hard-to-find extra wide orthotic shoes for both men and women. Since finding a pair of footwear is the first step in promoting podiatric wellness, most orthopedic or therapeutic shoes in our selection are also available in half sizes, which you means our shoes will fit your feet no matter their size!
Looking for a specific kind of shoe or foot health product? The Orthotic Shop has an advanced search engine to help you find what you need. Simply type in a search phrase at the top, for example, 'women's wide shoes' or 'men's extra wide shoes' and the system will give you relevant shoe styles to choose from. Our easy to use shopping experience is one of the reasons we are a top orthopedic shoe store, and we're constantly updating our website to help you find the healthy foot products you need as quickly as possible.
If you want to find the right solution for your specific orthotic needs, check out our foot condition section. Whether you're suffering from plantar fasciitis, diabetes, hammertoe or many other common podiatric conditions, we'll help give you the orthopedic products you need to find the proper orthotic or diabetic footwear and support.
If you have a question that you can't find the answer to, feel free to email, call or hit the live chat button. Customer service is available by phone Monday-Friday but we answer emails all the time, even on weekends.
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Vionic Noble Laurie - Women's Wedge Sandal$
4 Colors - 2 Widths
Powerstep Pinnacle Maxx Orthotics$40.30
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6 Colors - 3 Widths
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2 Widths
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6 Colors - 2 Widths
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Spenco Slipper - Men's Supreme Suede$84.95
4 Colors
Sports Orthotics with Foam - Custom Made$174.95


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Price exc vat :
When your Konica Minolta Bizhub copier prints for a pre-set amount of pages it will prompt you with the message "REPLACE IMAGING UNIT" warning on the LCD display and lock the imaging unit. If your Imaging/photoconductor unit is still perfectly good, why waste the money for a new one? Just replace the chip.
Replacing the chip will reset the counter back to full level and you can continue using the machine.
Most Konica Minolta imaging units run at least twice as many copies as they are supposed to, we know of one instance of tithe imaging unit being reset 5 times ! - this will vary depending on end-user application for the machine.
The chip will not fix any print defects
One chip per imaging unit, colour specific.
Each chip lasts for one cycle, after which they must be replaced again.


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Welcome to Firewalls.com
SonicWall TZ 105 is the most secure Unified Threat Management (UTM) firewall available for small offices, home offices and small retail deployments.
The SonicWall TZ 105 Series is Best For:
» An "Always-Up" network connection
» High-speed small or home networks
» Networks running DSL / Cable / or FiOS
» Teleworkers needing VPN connections
There are no products matching the selection.
Signature-based Scanning
Tightly integrated, signature-based intrusion prevention scans packet payloads for vulnerabilities and exploits that target critical internal systems.
Automatic Signature Updates
SonicWall's Research Team continuously updates and deploys an extensive list of over 5,400 IPS signatures covering 52 attack categories. These signatures take immediate effect and do not require reboots or any other interruption in service.
Outbound Threat Prevention
The ability to inspect both inbound and outbound traffic ensures that the network will not unwittingly be used in Distributed Denial of Service attacks and will prevent any Command and Control Botnet communication.
Intra-Zone IPS Protection
Intrusion prevention can be deployed between internal security zones to protect sensitive servers and to prevent internal attacks.
IPSec VPN for Site-to-site Connectivity
High-performance IPSec VPN allows the firewall to connect remote branch offices to a central location.
SSL VPN or IPSec Client Remote Access
Utilize clientless SSL VPN technology or an easy-to-manage IPSec client for easy access to email, files, computers, intranet sites and applications from a variety of platforms.
Redundant VPN Gateway
When using multiple WANs, a primary and secondary VPN can be configured to allow seamless automatic failover and failback of all VPN sessions.
Route-based VPN
The ability to perform dynamic routing over VPN links ensures continuous uptime in the event of a temporary VPN tunnel failure by seamlessly re-routing traffic between endpoints through alternate routes.
Clean VPN
SonicWall Clean VPN™ both secures the integrity of VPN access and decontaminates malicious threats before they can enter the corporate network.
Gateway Anti-Malware
SonicWall's patented RFDPI engine scans all ports and protocols for viruses without file size or stream length limitation. SonicLabs Researchers constantly provide updated threat protection, providing faster response times and threat prevention.
Reassembly-Free Deep Packet (RFDPI)
Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection keeps track of malware regardless of the order or inspection timing with which the packets arrive. This allows for extremely low latency while eliminating file and stream size limitations. This provides greater performance and security than outdated proxy designs which reassemble contents using sockets bolted to traditional anti-virus programs and are plagued with inefficiencies and the overhead of memory thrashing leading to high latency, low performance and size limitations.
Cloud Anti-Virus (AV)
Using the built-in RFDI engine, SonicWall can leverage the power of the cloud to provide the most comprehensive set of anti-malware signatures available, while minimizing latency or delay. The SonicWall Cloud Anti-Virus Service provides millions of additional malware signatures for inspection of executable files using the most up-todate information available.
Bi-directional Inspection
RFDPI can be performed on both inbound and outbound connections to provide protection in all network traffic directions.
24x7 Signature Updates
SonicLabs Research Team team creates and updates signature databases that are propagated automatically to the firewalls in the field, with those signatures taking immediate effect without any reboot or service interruption required.
Stateful Packet Inspection
All network traffic is inspected, analyzed and brought into compliance with firewall access policies.
DOS Attack Protection
SYN Flood protection provides defense against DOS attacks using both layer 3 SYN proxy and layer 2 SYN blacklisting technologies.
Flexible Deployment
Can be deployed in traditional NAT and Layer 2 Bridge modes.
Policy-based Routing
Create routes based on protocol to direct traffic to a preferred WAN connection with the ability to fail back to a secondary WAN in the event of an outage.
High Availability
Supports Active/Passive failover to ensure increased reliability by protecting against hardware or software faults.
WAN Load Balancing
Load balance up to four WAN interfaces using Round Robin, Spillover or Percentage based methods.
WAN Acceleration
WAN Acceleration decreases latency and increases transfer speeds between remote sites for even higher network efficiency gains.
Advanced QoS
Guarantee critical communications with 802.1p and DSCP tagging and remapping of VoIP traffic on the network.
DPI of VoIP Traffic
Predefined signatures detect and block VoIP specific threats.
H.323 Gatekeeper and SIP Proxy Support
Block spam calls by requiring that all incoming calls are authorized and authenticated by H.323 gatekeeper or SIP proxy.
Web GUI
An intuitive web-based interface allows quick and convenient configuration in addition to management through SonicWall Global Management System (GMS®), or the CLI.
SNMP provides the ability to protectively monitor and respond to threats and alerts.
Centralized Policy Management
With SonicWall GMS, monitor, configure and report on multiple SonicWall appliances from a single intuitive interface and customize your security environment to suit your individual policies.
Application Control
Identify and control applications or individual components of an application based on RFDPI technology instead of relying on well-known ports and protocols.
Application Bandwidth Management
Allocate bandwidth to critical applications while throttling unproductive application traffic for an efficient and productive network
Custom Application Identification
Create and configure custom application identification based on traffic parameters or on patterns unique to an application in its network communications.
Application Traffic Analytics
Provides organizations with granular insight into application traffic, bandwidth utilization and security in addition to powerful troubleshooting and forensics capabilities. (TZ 215 only)
Application Signature Database
A continuously expanding database of over 3,500 application signatures ensures that administrators are able to control the usage of all the latest applications on their network at a category or individual level.
User Activity Tracking
User identification is seamlessly integrated with Microsoft® Active Directory and other authentication systems enabling tracking and reporting of individual user identification.
|TZ 105 Series
|TZ 205 Series
|TZ 215 Series
|Firewall Overview
Stateful Packet Inspection Firewall Throughput
|200 Mbps
|500 Mbps
|500 Mbps
IPS Throughput
|60 Mbps
|80 Mbps
|110 Mbps
GAV Throughput
|40 Mbps
|60 Mbps
|70 Mbps
VPN Throughput
|75 Mbps
|100 Mbps
|110 Mbps
Full DPI (UTM)
|25 Mbps
|40 Mbps
|60 Mbps
Maximum UTM/DPI Connections
Unlimited File Size Protection
Dual Core Processor
Gigabit Ethernet
802.11n Support
Dual Band 802.11 a/b/g/n Support
|Security Services
Intrusion Protection*
Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and Cloud AV*
Content and URL Filtering (CFS)*
Enforced Client Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware*
Application Intelligence and Control*
|Firewall Overview
Hardware Platform
|Deep Packet Inspection Firewall
|Stateful Packet Inspection Firewall
|Unlimited File Size Protection
|Protocols Scanned
|ICSA Firewall Certified
Security Services
TZ 105 TotalSecure
TZ 205 TotalSecure
TZ 215 TotalSecure
|Gateway Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware & IPS
|Application Firewall
|Content Filtering Service (CFS) Edition
|ViewPoint Reporting
|Dynamic Support 24x7
|Comprehensive Anti-Spam Service
|Enforced Client Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware
Firewall General
TZ 105 TotalSecure
TZ 205 TotalSecure
TZ 215 TotalSecure
|5 GbE, 1 USB
|7 GbE, 2 USB
|Nodes Supported
|Included SonicOS Version
|Flash Memory
|Site-to-Site VPN Tunnels
|Bundled GVC Licenses (Max)
|0 (5)
|2 (10)
|2 (25)
|Bundled SSL VPN Licenses (Max)
|1 (5)
|1 (10)
|2 (10)
Firewall/VPN/ Performance
TZ 105 TotalSecure
TZ 205 TotalSecure
TZ 215 TotalSecure
|Stateful Throughput
|200 Mbps
|500 Mbps
|500 Mbps
|UTM Performance
|25 Mbps
|40 Mbps
|60 Mbps
|Intrusion Prevention Throughput
|60 Mbps
|80 Mbps
|110 Mbps
|Gateway Anti-Virus Throughput
|40 Mbps
|60 Mbps
|70 Mbps
|Full DPI (UTM)
|25 Mbps
|40 Mbps
|60 Mbps
|3DES/AES VPN Throughput
|75 Mbps
|100 Mbps
|130 Mbps
|Maximum UTM Connections
TZ 105 TotalSecure
TZ 205 TotalSecure
TZ 215 TotalSecure
|Voice over IP (VoIP) Security
|Route-based VPN
|Dynamic Routing
|802.11b/g Wireless LAN
|802.11n Wireless LAN
|Layer 2 Wireless Bridging
|Hardware Failover
|WAN Failover
|Automated Failover & Failback
|3G Wireless/ Modem
|With USB 3G Adapter/ Modem
|With USB 3G Adapter/ Modem
|Object-based Management
|Policy-based NAT
|Load Balancing
|PortShield Security
|Wireless Mgmt
Pricing - Buy Now
SonicWall TZ 105 firewall appliances are best suited when deployed in Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) environments, or in small branch offices of expanded organizations. Having the capability of supporting up to 8000 concurrent connections, and accepting up to 1000 new connections per second, these firewall appliances provide high level of security to the network of 5 to 10 users. SonicWall TZ 105 appliances are capable of performing content filtering, intrusion prevention, etc. SonicWall TZ 105 firewall appliances also have wireless model that support IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless standard and allow users to access the network through secure Wi-Fi channel using wireless devices such as smartphones, wireless laptops, etc. These appliances also support VoIP and optional Deep Packet Inspection (DPI).
SonicWall TZ 105 firewall appliances are best for:
SonicWall TZ 105 firewall appliances are a perfect solution for SOHO and branch offices because they:
In order to enhance the security of the network, and make the SonicWall TZ 105 firewall appliances work even more efficiently, following subscriptions can be purchased:
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The Avaire® Floating Porcelain Tile System was engineered with the latest technology in high-quality porcelain flooring tile, our patented SnapSys Interloc® tray base and our innovativeAvaire Flexible Grout. Each element is integral to ensuring a fast, easy installation of a durable, natural-looking, beautiful glazed porcelain tile floor in almost any room in your home.
Porcelain tile is one of the most durable glazed floor tiles available today. And with the SnapSys Interloc tray, Avaire Porcelain Tile can hold up in even the most demanding high-traffic environment, which makes it highly suitable for both residential and commercial installations.
Avaire porcelain tile comes in four design collections: Choice, Select, Plank and EleganceThe Choice, Plank and Elegance feature tile selections in our new, sleeker groutline series: Thin|Line. Choose from 32 stunning, natural-looking designs in five sizes. 8 grout colors ensure you will find the grout that complements your tile and room design perfectly.
With the system's SnapSys Interloc tray, an Avaire flooring tile floats on most solid sub- floor or floor surfaces including plywood, VCT, and even concrete— without the need for additional materials such as thinset or backer board. And unlike with a traditional tile installation, you can grout your Avaire tile floor the same day, which significantly reduces installation time and allows you to use your floor much faster.
Easy to Install. Easy to Clean and Maintain. Avaire Porcelain Tiles are less moisture-absorbent than ceramic tile which makes them more stain-resistant and much easier to clean.
Replacement is Easy, too. Since the Avaire system is a floating floor and not fixed to a subfloor, a single tile can easily be replaced as opposed to traditional tile, which is far more difficult and expensive to repair.
Questions? Customer support is available 7 days a week. Call (877) 263-5861
M-F 8am-8pm CST, Sat 10am-6pm CST, Sun 12pm-4pm CST • Text (402) 305-1961 • Email us


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Call for Presenters…Call for Exhibitors!
On March 9-10, 2012, the Louisiana Environmental Education Commission and the Louisiana Environmental Education Association will host the 15th Annual Louisiana Environmental Education Symposium – "Our Environment…Our Future" at the Lafayette Crowne Plaza in Lafayette, Louisiana. The theme for this upcoming conference will be "The Year of Outdoor Teaching!"
Exhibitors: Our target audience will include classroom teachers, pre-service teachers, business and industry representatives, non-profit organizations, state and local officials, legislators, and non-formal educators. Emphasis this year will be placed on engaging teachers and students in outdoor learning experiences! Postmark deadline for exhibitor registrations is January 10, 2012! Please see attached registration form and informational flyer below.
Presenters: Do you have a hands-on workshop, lesson activities, or exemplary program that you would like to share with environmental educators? Particularly one that incorporates the outdoor learning experience?! Consider presenting at the upcoming 2012 Environmental Education Symposium! Help teachers by giving them the tools necessary to conduct quality environmental lessons! Also, teachers love presentations made by fellow teachers so if you are a classroom teacher with an innovative lesson, please consider using the symposium as a way to ultimately reach a larger audience of students! Postmark deadline for presenter proposals is January 10, 2012! Please see attached proposal form and informational flyer below.
For more information: Venise Ortego, EE Coordinator at 337-948-0255, email@example.com, www.wlf.louisiana.gov/eec, or Juliet Raffray, EE Assistant Coordinator at 225-765-0124, email@example.com.
Find out about wetland outreach activities including symposiums, conferences, meetings, educational opportunities, volunteer opportunities, and related support material at the Louisiana Unified Coastal Community Calendar at http://lacoast.gov/calendar/
Venise Ortego, Environmental Education Coordinator, 337-948-0255, firstname.lastname@example.com
Juliet Raffray, Environmental Education Assistant Coordinator, 225-765-0124, email@example.com
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – www.wlf.louisiana.gov/eec


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Remember Judge Meenu Sasser? Recently in the Palm Beach Post she said, "I haven't seen any widespread problem,"…referring to fraudulent foreclosure documents.
The Bender's should take a look at this similar case…"Cat Out Of the Bag" (Trade Secrets) in CAPITAL ONE, NA v. Forbes, Fla: Dist. Court of Appeal, 2nd Dist. 2010
Foreclosure Crisis
4th DCA to review controversial switch of lender plaintiff
September 22, 2010 By: Polyana da Costa
arret Bender and his wife Gina started a court battle more than a year ago against SunTrust Mortgage, which wanted to foreclose on their Delray Beach house to recoup a $4 million mortgage.
The Benders asked the 4th District Court of Appeal to intervene last week after they came across what many foreclosure defense attorneys call growing and serious problems in South Florida courts — plaintiff substitutions and the increasing use of confidentiality in foreclosures against a backdrop of the muddled world of securitized mortgages.
Lender-plaintiffs have often lacked the documentation to prove they are the actual owner of the mortgage in question. Many loans in foreclosure have been sold in securitized packages numerous times and tracking ownership can be complicated. Critics say judges, overwhelmed by the volume of pending foreclosures cases, have overlooked the critical issue to move cases more quickly, taking away the homeowners' right of due process.
The Benders filed a petition to quash an order by Palm Beach Circuit Judge Meenu Sasser granting a motion by SunTrust to keep confidential the documents related to the transfer and sale of the Benders' mortgage. In the petition, the couple also criticized the order that allowed SunTrust to name a new plaintiff to replace itself in the foreclosure action. The order granting confidentiality was decided without a hearing and failed to identify the grounds for making the court records confidential, Fort Lauderdale appellate attorney Laura Watson claims in the petition she filed on behalf of the Benders. Watson did not return a call seeking comment by deadline.
Sasser ordered the documents related to the purchase and servicing of the mortgage be made available to attorneys representing the Benders but otherwise remain confidential. SunTrust claimed in its motion for confidentiality that the documents contained "proprietary commercial information."
Florida International University law professor Howard Wasserman said the ruling seems unusual since no hearing was held on the confidentiality motion and the justification for granting confidentiality isn't detailed in the order.
"Ideally, there would be an opportunity for the defense to respond, and you have to have good reason why the records should be confidential," he said.
Continue reading…DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW
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