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Self-confidence can make the difference between a manager and a leader.
Self-confidence can make the difference between a manager and a leader.
Sure, some animals can smell fear, but can your employees smell yours? Managers with strong self-confidence are better able to listen and lead, and are more likely to develop the kind of command presence that is most effective in the workplace.
Timothy Bednarz, author of Great! What Makes Leaders Great: What They Did, How They Did It and What You Can Learn From It (Majorium Business Press, 2011), studied and cataloged the common attributes of 160 influential American leaders over 235 years. Among the similarities he discovered was a deep sense of confidence, which encouraged these leaders to take their first steps toward greatness and to pick themselves up when they hit bumps along the way.
There are dozens of books and articles available on building self-confidence, but Bednarz says the initial focus must be on developing self-belief. "This implies knowing without a doubt that you can do it, no matter what you realistically set your mind to do," he says. Henry Ford was such a strong believer in people with this sort of outlook that he "would hire workers who didn't understand the meaning of impossible and would keep pushing the limits of their imagination."
According to Bednarz, self-belief fuels the strong sense of optimism that leaders need to take the risks that jump-start their careers. He quotes Jeff Bezos of Amazon as saying: "optimism is essential when trying to do anything difficult, because difficult things often take a long time. That optimism can carry you through the various stages as the long term unfolds. And it's the long term that matters."
It also allows leaders to overcome the adversity and failure that inevitably follow initial risks. John Chambers of Cisco apparently held strong to his belief in himself and the company, even during a difficult period when revenues were collapsing. Managers in the company indicated that his optimism that Cisco would "come out of the bust stronger" was infectious.
According to Bednarz, almost all the leaders he researched experienced a prolonged period of adversity, disappointment, discouragement and failure early in their careers. But their self-confidence enabled them to prevail during those difficult times, which ultimately defined their character, shaped their vision and values, refined their critical thinking, and established their legitimacy as a leader.
Jack Griffin, author of How to Say It for First-Time Managers: Winning Words and Strategies for Earning Your Team's Confidence (Prentice Hall Press, 2010), writes that self-confidence comes from knowledge: from knowing your job, knowing your facts, knowing the basis for your own decisions and, at least as important, knowing what you don't know.
"Intelligent self- assurance, a key to creating credibility, is built on the bedrock of solid knowledge," Griffin writes. "There is no substitute."
Self-assurance also helps managers listen and learn from critics instead of shouting them down, and invite criticism by making clear they are open to all points of view, Griffin says. This is vital to earning trust.
The takeaway message for government managers: If you want to motivate your team to perform better, then it first might be worth spending a moment to make sure you believe in yourself.
Elizabeth Newell covered management, human resources and contracting at Government Executive for three years.


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Why the heck can't they just SIGN the darn things???
Because of the guaranteed attribution.
Any attribution of an unsigned piece is no more than an educated guess.
Quote from: josordoni on May 03, 2007, 03:36:24 PMWhy the heck can't they just SIGN the darn things???... if they did, we wouldn't be able to read it anyway
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Students with disabilities put adaptive lab resources to test during summer program
June 24, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Six college students with disabilities are able to be active members of research teams where laboratory equipment can be adapted and assistive technologies added for their personal mobility and visual or hearing challenges as part of a Purdue University summer program.
"The United States needs more students studying science and engineering, and many interested and qualified students are discouraged from the biomedical sciences because of physical challenges in traditional laboratory settings," said Brad Duerstock, an associate professor of engineering practice and director of Purdue's Institute for Accessible Science. "There may not be room to maneuver or lab bench space may be inaccessible to wheelchair users, or people with limited vision can't use standard lab equipment, such as light microscopes and spectrophotometers. Through this program, we identify such challenges and then work with the research community to make adjustments so students can pursue an education and careers in science."
The IAS Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program, which started June 2 and goes through July 28, matches undergraduate students, including two from Purdue, with a researcher and program of their interest. The participating areas of study are animal sciences, biological sciences, food science, biomedical engineering, and medicinal chemistry and molecular pharmacology.
"The institute provides financial support to the faculty member and assists with addressing any obstacles or providing assistive technologies specific to the students' disabilities," said Susan Mendrysa, an associate professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and principal organizer for the summer program. "Some accommodations we've made so far include machines labeled with Braille, printing tactile graph representations of data, a voice labeling system for equipment, and weight measurement tools that don't just show measurements but also speak them."
The Institute for Accessible Science is partnering with the Purdue Graduate School's Summer Research Opportunities Program, which is focused on enhancing diversity in science and graduate education. Through this partnership, the Summer Research Opportunities Program coordinates some essential program components such as travel, living arrangements, and a GRE preparation workshop.
"Thanks to them, this allows the institute to focus our efforts on addressing the specific accommodations or assistive technologies that are required by an IAS fellowship recipient in order for them to have a successful summer research experience," said Mendrysa who is assistant director of the Institute for Accessible Science.
The summer program gives the institute, which is in its third year, the opportunity to test assistive learning technology for student use. The Institute for Accessible Science is supported by a $2 million grant from the National Institute of Health Director's Pathfinder Award. The grant awarded in 2011 made it possible for the research team to collect information and study laboratory and research challenges for science students with physical disabilities. This information is often collected through the institute's hub at IASHub.org. The summer program's students also will maintain program blogs that are shared on the site, and information that Duerstock and his team learn also will be posted and prepared for journal articles and presentations.
"The goal is for the science community, especially at universities and colleges, to benefit from what we've learned so we can encourage more students with disabilities to pursue science careers," Duerstock said.
High school students' interest in STEM fields is comparable, at 18 percent, between the disabled and non-disabled. That interest drops, Duerstock said, for students with disabilities during their college years, partly because of few role models in STEM fields, lack of student research and internship experiences, physical challenges to using wet-lab facilities and equipment, and lack of awareness of where to find more information regarding STEM accessibility.
In addition to the summer fellowship program, the Institute for Accessible Science also created the Accessible Biomedical Immersion Laboratory, known as AIBL, which is located in the Discovery Learning Research Center. Using information from people with disabilities, Duerstock and his team are redesigning the traditional lab space. In this lab, the wet-lab space and the emergency safety area are reconfigured for people in wheelchairs. Other features include a motion-activated biohazard bin, adjustable-height lab table, and talking scale and pitcher that can report data for those with visual impairments.
Duerstock, whose academic appointments are in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and School of Industrial Engineering, uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility. His personal experience inspired him to develop new technologies such as the AccessScope, which is a remote-controlled research light microscope for people with limited use of their arms. He also is working on redesigning the micropipette, a high-precision instrument used for dispensing minute amounts of liquids. They also are working with other Purdue researchers to assist students with disabilities in the lab using robotic systems.
"Our mission goes beyond just inclusion during education and while at universities. We want what we offer to carry over to the industry and professional practice," Duerstock said. "We are providing tools to help people seek employment in science and engineering fields, which is necessary for keeping people employed and increasing the number of those with disabilities working in STEM fields."
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, firstname.lastname@example.com
Sources: Brad Duerstock, email@example.com
Susan Mendrysa, 765494-8622, email@example.com


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In a business environment that's ever more competitive, complicated, and costly, partners are crucial. but partners always fight. what goes wrong?
Like most cronies who go into business together, Paul and Jim launched their courier service with a pledge to share and share alike. And share they did -- except Jim's reading of "alike" proved more liberal than Paul's. An inveterate gambler, Jim assumed that ownership entitled him to help himself to cash whenever he was short. Paul put up with his partner's peccadillo until a couple of gentlemen camped out in the foyer and demanded $2,500 for Jim's failure to pick the Super Bowl winner. Paul locked the safe and hid the key. When Jim came back to work, he brought a guard dog, coaxed the peckish animal into Paul's pickup, and then had the receptionist ask Paul to move his truck.
Not every alienated partner hires a Doberman to put teeth into a rivalry. Modern infighting includes ploys like the business-meeting snub, the utter silence, the contract disavowal, the title grab-and-hold, the air-it-in-public revelation -- tactics of the corporate culture that trained many of today's partners.
Business-starting buddies don't necessarily come from one family or one neighborhood anymore. Forcibly retired by mass layoffs or voluntarily emancipated from cloistered positions in manufacturing, research and development, government, science, sales, and service, today's partner candidates constitute a mobile and unprecedented force of diverse and well-heeled talent. They're capable of supplying capital, spreading the workload, apportioning the risk of failure, and furnishing built-in expertise that their enterprise would otherwise have to buy. Then how can they miss?
The same ways as always, unfortunately. To catalog some of them, Inc. interviewed principals from scores of enterprises whose founders or owners shared -- financially and administratively -- their business's operation. These six accounts typify the patterns of stress. (Because we promised anonymity in return for frankness, names and other details have been disguised.)
1. "While I was out there working, they were in there plotting." A plastics fabricator was purchased as a going concern by three of its middle managers via a leveraged buyout in the late 1980s. Unexpectedly, the business returned more profit than the model had projected. Two partners contrived to gain larger shares of the bonanza by subtly pressuring out the third. They scheduled business meetings and didn't tell him. They took customers to lunch and didn't invite him. They hired assistants for themselves but none for him. They awarded themselves big raises and gave their partner only an extra week's vacation. "They threw every humiliation at me they could think of," the third now perceives, "but I was so absorbed with building the company that I didn't dream they weren't." He woke up the afternoon his partners announced, "John, after you go home tonight, don't come back." However, John did come back -- brandishing the exit instrument the three had signed. His partners conspired to shortchange him through that conveyance as well. "They used the noncompete part against me," John complains, "and everything that was designed to benefit me, they ignored or violated. If people's moral intentions are no good, the best legal document in the world is hooey."
2. "My partners were fabulous as friends; as partners they were revolting." A marketer for a large long-distance-telephone-service provider, Mark wanted to start his own telecommunications company but was too insecure to go it alone. He persuaded three pals to join him. "I was nave, and I didn't screen our business goals," he admits. From the start, his partners' expectations were the opposite of his. "They wanted the company to pay for their cars and to conduct meetings in the Bahamas. I wanted to plow the money back into the business." Outvoting him, his buddies kept finding ways to "draw off the fat," until the operation was rendered so lean that it collapsed. Now Mark doesn't even nod when he passes one of his ex-chums in the street. "I never thought a business relationship could overpower friendship, but this one did," he says with regret. "Where money's involved, people change."
3. "I made all the decisions; they made all the complaints." Insurance broker Henry combined with lawyer Charles and contractor Louis to acquire a small mall; each would put in the same capital and put out the same effort. Charles would handle the forms and filings, Louis the maintenance and construction, Henry the sales and support. But when it came to drafting a rental agreement, the lawyer told Henry, "I can't get to it for a few days; if you need it now, write it yourself." And when it came to painting, the contractor "couldn't get to it," and so on. Yet it wasn't that the others weren't doing their parts that ultimately unhinged Henry, so much as that his no-show partners griped about how he did their parts: colors were wrong; leases favored tenants. "Partners who aren't job doers," Henry concluded, "become job questioners." The last straw was when a pipe burst at midnight. Louis was out of town, so Henry hired a plumber. When Louis returned, he admonished Henry, saying, "You've got to learn to shop around. I could've found someone for half the price." Says Henry now that he's out: "I don't want to have any more to do with partners. Benevolent dictatorships are the way to run a business. You take everyone's opinion into consideration, but somebody has to be responsible in the end. That doesn't tend to happen among partners."
4. "I spent the time; my partner spent the dough." Constance and Carla pitched into CafÉ Latte Stores on a half-and-half basis. As their enterprise expanded past seven figures and 20 employees, Constance bore the brunt of the work, but Carla took home the same money. "You're more skilled at management and production than I am," is how Carla dismissed the inequity. "Well, I'm not going to carry you. However much I'm willing to do, I want you to be willing to do, too," Constance shot back -- in her head. She couldn't bring herself to challenge Carla out loud. "I have to walk on eggshells around her, or her emotions will explode." Constance's conundrum: "Carla won't work more, and it's not to my benefit to work less." Her consolation: "It's the different way we value things that's the problem. My reward isn't money -- it's doing a good job."
5. "My partner was a self helper -- to what was really mine." Bob was the leading biller at one corporate-design firm, Clarence the leader at its competitor. So, leaving their respective employers in a simultaneous lurch, they started their own company. Clarence argued that as the elder, with more experience, he risked more taking on Bob than Bob did taking on him. Therefore he, Clarence, claimed a majority. Bob acceded to a 49%-51% split and to a compensation arrangement by which, after divvying up expenses, each partner directly pocketed the fruits of his own sales. As expected, the first year Clarence earned more. The next year, though, Bob shot ahead as unexpected and requested reconsideration of the terms. "I urged Clarence to regard me not as a risk anymore but as an asset." Well, no asset's going to make more than I do, was Clarence's apparent response. He hired a support team -- for himself, not for Bob -- and stopped sending Bob the figures on which their take-home pay was based. Bob coaxed copies from the accounting department's computer and discovered that his partner had siphoned off more than $10,000. He went to Clarence and Perry-Masoned him. "OK, OK, I took it," his partner confessed. "But I deserved it; I had to manage that staff."
6. "What, me worry?" One day when Charles was in his partner's office, the phone rang. His partner pushed the speaker button. "Your lawyer called," the partner's secretary announced, "and said the name for your new corporation has been approved." So. He's dropping me, Charles rightly concluded. Let him. He'll have to buy me out according to the terms. But for how much? Charles got an arbitrator, his partner got an arbitrator, and the two arbitrators got an arbitrator. After months of bickering, all five got a judgment: the partner was to repay the capital that Charles put in 10 years back, plus 50%, parceled out over five years. Charles got the first parcel, but when the second was due, he received in its stead news that the partner had both thrown the company into Chapter 7 and declared personal bankruptcy.
(They Say the Same About You)
On the theory that combative partners blame others but are unaware of their own contributions to discord, business therapists Mardy Grothe and Peter Wylie ask coworkers in a business to evaluate one another on 25 critical leadership characteristics.
The anonymous tabulations divulge self-deceptions and usually motivate the offender to amend his or her ways. But for some, the returns are a red flag. In one instance, the companywide opinion on number 6 came out so overwhelmingly negative that the partner involved fired Wylie and Grothe on the spot. He then asked his wife, kids, and bridge club to rate him. The unanimous consensus: the partner's colleagues were right. The doctors were rehired.
Here are their benchmarks:
1) Is a good team player
2) Does his or her job competently and skillfully
3) Is a genuinely likable person
4) Is good at giving feedback to others
5) Is a good listener
6) Is open and receptive to feedback from others
7) Treats people with dignity and respect
8) Looks for "win-win" solutions to disagreements
9) Is good at facing up to tough problems
10) Is a person you can trust
11) Will "go to bat" for other people
12) Gets along well with almost everybody
13) Uses time efficiently and effectively
14) Will admit it or apologize when wrong
15) Has what it takes to be a good manager
16) Is a good problem solver
17) Speaks his or her mind, even when it's unpopular
18) Is well organized
19) Treats people fairly and equitably
20) Is good at giving compliments or positive feedback
21) Is enjoyable to be around
22) Is open to other people's ideas and opinions
23) Is levelheaded, even under stress
24) Presents ideas clearly and articulately
25) Has good people skills
© Peter Wylie and Mardy Grothe. All rights reserved.
Partners who make it work acknowledge one another's talents . . . and don't do one another's jobs
"Don't you tell me what to do. That's what we hired him for."
Not two, not three, but four brothers cofounded high-tech Scopus Technology Inc. in 1991 -- and they haven't argued yet. Their secret? The Sasson brothers have constituted a fiscal unit of sorts since their adolescence in London, during which their parents were often traveling on business. The youngest was clever at wheedling favors from the grocer; the oldest became good at passing for their father when officials demanded to see a parent. Another unifying factor, says CEO Ori Sasson, was their agreement to leave their salaried jobs at the same time. "We arranged it so that if the company went down, we'd go down with it together. It was do or die, so we put in incredible hours." Acknowledging their strong egos, they avoided overlap by each committing to a particular functionÑone to sales and marketing, another to operations, the third to technology, the fourth to financeÑand pledging to stay with it. Three years later the company reached $8 million and had 70 employees. The brothers didn't argue, but, admits youngest brother Ori, they did have "differences of opinion." Which reveals the real secret: "We went out and got a salaried president to act as referee."
"Which rules you more, (a) your head? or (b) your heart?"
A talented software program- mer in his own right, Jerry Fiddler didn't need a scientist for a partner. But when his landlord evicted him and his embryonic enterprise from a garage in 1983, Fiddler seized the moment to do some traveling. He paid an engineer friend to mind what was left of the store. On Fiddler's return, the friend announced that at the current salary, he no longer cared to work for him. Work with me then, Fiddler offered, and the two shook hands on a 50-50 share of, essentially, nothing. "There was no capital," Fiddler relates. "If we needed equipment, one or the other would spring for it." When they officially incorporated Wind River Systems, it was capitalized not in dollars but in the paraphernalia each owned. The union blossomed, and soon the partners had to decide who'd take engineering and who'd take operations. A personality-grading test revealed Fiddler's partner's insistence on detail and susceptibility to anxiety; it also revealed the laid-back Fiddler's diametric inclinations. "I hadn't thought of us as fragmented before," says Fiddler, "but it must be good to be opposite in those ways, since we've never had a fight." They're not apt to. Fiddler took the position of CEO; his partner took vice-president of engineering. On the day their company went public last year, its market value was $79 million.
The professionals who counsel partners all agree that learning how to talk is the key. Learning how to listen helps, too
Jack Rosenblum
A management consultant for 25 years, Rosenblum joined the Atlanta Consulting Group in 1983 as one of four partners to train business teams to work together.
Jack Rosenblum: "We believe in a concept called 'working by agreement,' based on the notion that people who keep agreements build credibility, which eventually builds trust. Getting to trust is essential. We ask partners to make only agreements they fully intend to keep, give early notice when an agreement must be broken, and initiate the cleaning up of any broken agreements they've caused.
"There was a partner who was great at criticism but not at acknowledgment, so I got him to promise to do three acknowledgments a day. It became fun for his partners to be near him late in the afternoon, just when he remembered to start.
"Talking is scary. Partners are afraid that bringing up disagreements will ruin the relationship. So they ruin the relationship anyway by not talking. A solution is to make an 'I' statement instead of a 'you' statement. No one can challenge my views, my feelings, my opinions. I'd say to you, 'I feel I'm being treated unfairly in terms of compensation, given what we're each contributing' -- and you can't call me a liar, because I'm the sole authority on me. But if I say, 'You're incompetent,' it's a judgment defining someone else.
"I was lecturing in front of a group when one of my partners interrupted and said, 'Jack, give me all the change in your pocket.' I trust the guy, so I gave it to him and asked, 'OK, why?' He said, 'I can't stand your jingling change while you talk.' I had no idea I was doing it. A total blind spot. We all have them, and the bigger the blind spot, the bigger the danger. The antidote is regular feedback. But most people won't risk giving unasked-for feedback. You have to seek it by asking questions like, 'What am I doing that hinders you on this job?' People will tell the truth, because you've established a safety zone: 'I'm committed to listening. I want to know.' "
Mary Moore
Holding an M.B.A., with a specialty in executive behavior, Moore was a corporate manager for more than 15 years before she formed a consultancy that deals with technology companies.
Mary Moore: "My aim is to get the partners to hear the facts. I start by interviewing, observing, and testing. Then I sit down with each partner and give him the feedback. Maybe something like, 'You see yourself as a strong businessperson, but that isn't how you're perceived. Your long suit is extraordinary technical wizardry. It would be unusual to possess both skills, and I don't think you do. Nobody else here thinks so, either.'
"Then I bring the partners together, and we talk about what we've talked about behind closed doors. It's amazing how open they are about some very tough feedback. Somebody might say, 'I got a lot of response that says that while I'm not good at this, I am good at that.' That allows the rest to answer, 'You know, that's true.' That's something neither side would have been able to say before.
"If a partner retains more control than he can handle, problems manifest themselves in a dangerous way. Product liability might soar because no one has been paying attention to quality.
"A high level of trust is a positive dynamic, but it leads to problems when partners have developed such a standard of mutual support that they don't deal with each other strongly. Accommodating relationships feel good, so it's hard for people to say no to each other, but such relationships bring about dreadful inefficiencies.
"By keeping their doubts and grudges in check, partners think they're saving each other. But each remains troubled by the other, forcing colleagues to pick up the ball when one partner or the other isn't capable. Eventually, the problem surfaces at the bottom line. So actually, there's some benefit to being rancorous right out front -- the open discord is so evident to others that it forces the partners to get help sooner."
Peter Wylie, Mardy Grothe
In their own two-person partnership, psychologists Wylie and Grothe have spent the past 15 years counseling the principals both of family enterprises and of large corporations.
Peter Wylie and Mardy Grothe: "Many partnerships fail before they even begin because they go through the same 'snag' preliminaries a courtship does: before the union, the parties are on their best behavior. Once the partnership is achieved, the partners let their hair down and vent their held-back behavior. 'I don't have to play suitor anymore.'
"In some businesses, founders pass ownership to their children. But in doing that, they anoint the new owners with leadership -- they expect their kids to manage the business as well as own it. In most cases the kids aren't equipped to run an organization, and maybe they don't even want to; they accept it just to please Dad.
"We see a lot of partners who communicate only by memo -- actual stony silence! The partners assume the employees don't care, but the employees wonder, 'Is this place going to be here tomorrow? Did we do something to cause these problems?'
"Inevitably, there's conflict in any partnership. Fighting itself isn't bad, but inappropriate fighting is destructive. The biggest problem is holding in resentment.
"As counselors, we develop ways for one partner to draw another out and hear what he has to say without interrupting or telling him he's full of crap. 'If you want him to listen to you, you've got to listen to him.' Eventually, one partner learns how to consider what the other has to offer. Lo and behold, the second partner responds, 'Jeez, you really listened!' Then he shuts up for 20 minutes, which he's never done before, either.
"We get all the partners together to talk and listen to one another. This is no rope-climbing session on some island in Maine. Pain comes out, love comes out, deep resentment, embarrassment, guilt, angst -- it pours out because it's been waiting, sometimes for decades. Then each partner tells what he's going to work on. He makes a public commitment: 'I tend to be sarcastic, and I'm going to work on not hurling zingers at people.' If we don't schedule a follow-up in the next month, the partners aren't likely to live up to the pledges, which came out of a very intense experience. When they know that Wylie and Grothe are coming back, it keeps them honest."
1. Great minds think alike -- but it's your mind your partner should be thinking like. "A partner may feel, 'Not only do I wish you were more like me, you should be just like me -- after all, look at what I've accomplished.' " -- Mary Moore
2. Just because your partner tries to make a point doesn't mean you have to acknowledge it. Doodling and gazing out the window are effective diversions. "When one partner expresses a feeling or concern, the other needs to listen until that partner is done talking, and to summarize what the partner just said." -- Peter Wylie/Mardy Grothe
3. Why risk unpleasant encounters? If ignored long enough, conflicts settle themselves. "When partners lack the skills to confront issues in a manner by which they can get resolved, resentments fester and eventually blow up the partnership." -- Jack Rosenblum
4. Your partner sees your company as maturing and in need of broader talents. You see it as still your baby and in need only of you. "Roles change over time as a company succeeds. When partners are required to give up power, many can't bring themselves to." -- Mary Moore
5. Handing out positions to offspring is a prerogative of ownership, but must you put up with your partner's kid when yours is so much smarter? "Draft an understanding on nepotism from the outset, or it'll bring you down." -- Jack Rosenblum
6. The irksome shortcomings your partner exhibits can't have been inspired by you, insofar as you have no irksome shortcomings. "One per-son's not seeing that the other's allegedly deficient behavior may be in reaction to his own is a failure that applies in all important relationships. Often it's rival versus rival, acted out on a business stage." -- Peter Wylie/Mardy Grothe
7. Business is business. Admiration, respect, and loyalty your partner can get from a pet. "Partners are like plants: they need watering. A relationship withers without frequency of contact and positive expressions of appreciation." -- Jack Rosenblum


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4/13/13 Mets at Twins: Target Field
Just a few short hours after I had left Target Field to go back to St. Paul and my dorm, I was back yet again to see my Twins take on the New York Mets:
Once again, the below-freezing temperatures scared people away, so I wanted to start the game off strong. I did so by quickly get a ball from who I believe was Brian Duensing soon after the gates opened:
After I snagged this baseball, I headed over to left field. Over there, first of all, nothing was going over the fence again because of the cold, but I also managed to get Anthony Swarzak to toss me a baseball. He tossed it to me over three rows of fans, so when I got the ball I asked a kid in the front row if he had gotten a ball yet, and when he told me he hadn't, I tossed him the Swarzak ball:
When the Twins finished batting practice, I headed over to foul ground to try to get a ball from the infielders/pitchers warming up:
This time there was no snow (yet) but I managed to get Jeremy Hefner to toss me a ball:
That would be my third on the day. After that, the only ball I got for the remaining portion of BP was tossed to me by Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the right-center field seats. In my recounting of batting practice, it may seem like it went really quickly, but it didn't. It's just that the other part that I'm not writing about is me running back and forth between left and right field and the Mets again not hitting many home runs during batting practice. It's truly frustrating because I like snagging hit baseballs waaaaay more than I do toss-ups, but this stadium is just awful for hit baseballs to begin with and was not being helped by the cold weather knocking everything down, so all I could really hope to get was a couple of toss-ups.
After batting practice, though, the opportunity presented itself for me to snag a different type of ball:
What you are seeing is a Softball home run derby about to begin. The notable contestants were TC, the Twins' mascot, and then the two hosts of the radio show I had been on the day prior, Mark Rider and Lindsay Guentzel. As you can maybe tell from the picture, I was in left field for the beginning of the derby. Neither of the two right handed hitters pulled the ball my way (although Lindsay was the only one of the two to hit a home run). So when I realized that Rider wasn't going to be hitting the ball into the stands in the opposite field any time soon, I headed up to the second deck in right field (both he and TC Bear are left handed). By the time that I got up there, Rider was already done, but look what I got once TC took his hacks:
The story of the ball is I saw it coming towards me right off the bat, but then I realized that the ball wasn't going to hit under the overhang. It was at this point that I ducked and covered my head with my glove and other hand. When I heard the ball bang off of the 96.3 K-Twin advertisement (serendipitous, eh?), I looked around for where the ball dropped and picked it up. As you can see i the picture inside of the green circle, the ball left a big dent in the sign. Now here is the ball with the softball set-up in the background to give you an idea of how far it traveled:
The bear's got some pop. He ended up winning the home run derby. I think I've only seen him get beat once in all of the derbies that I've seen.
Interestingly enough, my next notable moment of the game also included the K-Twin crew. For the game, I was again out in the standing room section, ready to snag as always:
Of course nothing came even close to me, but I was ready if it did. Anyway, in the bottom of the sixth inning, I took a lap of the stadium to keep warm, and when I got back, the K-Twin radio hosts were in the standing room. In addition to being a part of the home run derby, they were also being invited to sing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" for the seventh inning stretch. Since the stretch is sponsored by Lexus, they give out hats for all of the singers. They had an extra, so Lindsay asked if I wanted it to thank me for being on the show the day prior. And while I already do have a bajillion hats, of course I would:
That guy who is giving the low thumbs-up and smiling would be the person who was filming both Lindsay and Rider as they did their various activities throughout the day. I thought it was cool that before I took that picture *he* asked me how many baseballs I had snagged that day. And of course I also had to put the hat on right away:
Anyway, I would get nothing out there all game, as I previously mentioned. But towards the end of the game I first got a cup of hot chocolate, because I was freezing and needed SOMEthing to warm me up since it wasn't exactly sweatshirt weather. And then, I headed down to the dugout and got a ball from home plate umpire, Marty Foster. After that, I stuck around for a while longer just in case anyone else was in the dugout. (This and last night's snag would not have been possible in New York, since I probably would have been told to leave before the game even ended.) Eventually, Mario, the attendant popped out of the clubhouse in order to do his final cleanings, and when I held up my glove, he picked up a ball that was there and tossed it to me with surprising accuracy:
I say surprising because he needled the ball right through the opening between the camera and the diagonal dugout railing from half-way down the dugout. Had he been off by a foot in either direction–something many major league players have been when tossing balls to me–the ball would have hit either and not reached me/possibly have taken out a camera.
After that I headed out, and found it funny that this sign I had seen earlier in the game had been left on the ground by its owners:
And with that I left
to enjoy the rest of my baseball-free weekend to go do homework the next two days because I had spent all of my time thus far in the weekend attending baseball games.
- 6 Balls at this game (5 pictured because I gave 1 away)
Numbers 459-464 for my lifetime:
- 18 Baseballs in 4 Games= 4.50 Balls Per Game
- 6 Balls x 28,804 Fans= 172,824 Competition Factor
- 66 straight Games with at least 1 Ball
- 16 straight Games with at least 2 Balls
- 3 straight Games with at least 3 Balls
- 2 straight Games with at least 4-6 Balls
- 73 Balls in 18 Games at Target Field= 4.06 Balls Per Game
- 17 straight Games with at least 1-2 Balls at Target Field
- 3 straight Games with at least 3 Balls at Target Field
- 2 straight Games with at least 4-6 Balls at Target Field
- Time Spent On Game 11:35-7:17= 7 Hours 42 Minutes
Oh, and a column that I wrote for mygameballs.com is up now, so if you want to go check it out, here's the link:


text: \r\nADELAIDE, Australia, Jan 26, 2013 (AFP) - Local hero Simon Gerrans celebrated Australia's national day in style with a thrilling win in the fifth stage of the Tour Down Under on Saturday. Gerrans flashed home to edge out Dutchman Tom-Jelte Slagter, who seized the overall lead from Welshman Geraint Thomas with another superb ride. \r\n\r\nGerrans, the 2012 champion from Australian team Orica GreenEDGE, sent the huge crowd at the finish line on top of Old Willunga Hill into raptures as he passed Slagter with 200 metres to go and held on to win his first stage of the week. \r\n\r\nSlagter's second place was enough to see the Blanco Pro Cycling rider take the ochre leader's jersey from Thomas, who was well in contention until he ran out of steam 600 meters from the finish line. \r\n\r\nThomas slipped back to 17th place, 28 seconds behind the Dutchman, and now lies in fifth place in the general classification, well out of contention for overall honors with only Sunday's 56- mile stage on the Adelaide street circuit remaining. \r\n\r\nSlagter, 23, had celebrated his first win as a professional when he won Wednesday's second stage to Stirling. He is now almost certain to be crowned overall winner when the race finishes on Sunday, giving Blanco, formerly known as Rabobank, a win in their first race as a new team. \r\n\r\n"This whole week has been amazing for all the team—the first win for me and today I can hang this (ochre) jersey around my shoulders, it's amazing," he said. \r\n\r\nSlagter said he hoped the success would help attract a new sponsor, following Rabobank's decision to withdraw funding in the wake of doping scandals. \r\n\r\n"For everyone it's the first race so to go home with the stage win and hopefully the general, it's the best start you can have," he said. "This is the best way to show to the Dutch people and the world how nice cycling can be and what we can do. I'm proud of the team and I hope we can find a new sponsor." \r\n\r\nSaturday's 151.5-kilometer stage from McLaren Vale to the top of Old Willunga Hill saw the riders complete three circuits around Aldinga Beach before two climbs up the infamous Category One hill. A group of seven broke away on the first of the three beach circuits and at one stage had opened a gap of over four minutes. But the peloton picked up the pace and gathered them in right at the start of the first climb up Old Willunga. \r\n\r\nMovistar's Eros Capecchi and Jose Herrada Lopez then attacked on the hill along with AG2R La Mondiale's Guillaume Bonnafond, and they were soon joined by Jurgen Roelandts from Lotto-Belisol. The four riders crossed the top of the hill 300 meters ahead of the peloton and opened a slight lead on the last circuit before the final climb. However, the peloton closed again and the race was back together at the bottom of the hill when the final attacks began. \r\n\r\nSwiss rider Steve Morabito (BMC Racing), Portugal's Tiago Machado (RadioShack Leopard) and German Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma-Quick-Step) opened a small break, before Machado tried to go on his own. \r\n\r\nWith 800 meters to go Gerrans flew from the front of the peloton and passed Machado, only for Slagter to go past them both, leaving a spent Thomas in his wake. \r\n\r\nHowever, Gerrans stayed on Slagter's wheel and delighted the fans when he overtook the young Dutchman. \r\n\r\n"I've been really struggling with my asthma and today was the first day that my chest was clear," Gerrans said. \r\nStage 5 Results: \r\n1. Simon Gerrans (AUS/OGE) 3hr 36min 25sec \r\n2. Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED/BLA) s.t. \r\n3. Javier Moreno (ESP/MOV) at 10sec \r\n4. Jon Izagirre (ESP/EUS) at 12sec \r\n5. Tiago Machado (POR/RLT) at 13sec \r\n6. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BLA) at 16sec \r\n7. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) s.t. \r\n8. Rafael Valls Ferri (ESP/VCD) s.t. \r\n9. Daniele Pietropolli (ITA/LAM) s.t. \r\n10. Ben Hermans (BEL/RLT) s.t. \r\n\r\nSelected: \r\n17. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) at 28sec \r\n61. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/BMC) at 3min 02sec \r\n103. Andy Schleck (LUX/RLT) at 12min 49sec \r\n\r\nGeneral Classification: 1. Tom-Jelte Slagter (NED/BLA) 16hr 35min 33sec \r\n2. Javier Moreno (ESP/MOV) at 13sec \r\n3. Ben Hermans (BEL/RLT) at 25sec \r\n4. Jon Izagirre (ESP/EUS) at 28sec \r\n5. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) at 29sec \r\n6. Tiago Machado (POR/RLT) s.t. \r\n7. Gorka Izagirre (ESP/EUS) at 32sec \r\n8. Daniele Pietropolli (ITA/LAM) s.t. \r\n9. Wilco Kelderman (NED/BLA) s.t. \r\n10. Jussi Veikkanen (FIN/FDJ) at 37sec \r\n\r\nSelected: \r\n26. Simon Gerrans (AUS/OGE) at 3min 17sec \r\n35. Philippe Gilbert (BEL/BMC) at 5min 50sec \r\n64. Andre Greipel (GER/LTB) at 12min 34sec \r\n127. Andy Schleck (LUX/RLT) 39min 29sec


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A new coach, an emergency quarterback and the toughest schedule in school history.
There are several places to look for an explanation for Colony High School's 0-3 start to the football season.
Steve Randall literally was drawing up plays in the dirt during summer passing league. The former Ontario head coach wasn't hired by Colony until the end of May, which allowed him two weeks of practice prior to a dead period.
Of course, the quarterback who threw for him during passing league transferred out of Colony, along with one of his best receivers, just prior to the season.
"We've been behind the eight ball ever since," Randall said. "This isn't the start anybody taking over a program would want. We're just trying to play catch-up."
The Titans also play a schedule set up for the program that reached the semifinals last season as it built steam in its second year under former head coach Matt Bechtel, now an assistant at Chino Hills. Randall labeled it the toughest schedule in school history and Colony has yet to face the most revered member of that slate. This week the Titans pay a visit to undefeated Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro, a CIF-SS Pac-5 Division semifinalist last season.
The first three on the schedule were West Covina South Hills, Corona and Glendora, which are a combined 5-2 this season. One of those losses is to a defending CIF champion.
It was against Corona that Colony was forced to employ its emergency quarterback after a back injury to Jonathan Trucks, whose primary position was expected to be punter this season. Nerve damage to the junior could keep him out for several weeks.
It's not that the Titans are in bad hands. After all, their emergency quarterback is a receiver committed to Arizona. But Samajie Grant is so versatile that limiting him to the backfield may be a disadvantage.
"Jonathan tried to suck it up and play for a couple of weeks, but his back was just getting to a point where he was starting to have a hard time even walking and we just couldn't do it anymore," Randall said. "With Samajie, he's got a tremendous arm and he's our best athlete.
"You've got people saying that it's great to have the ball in his hands every play but that also limits the other things he does."
Grant threw two touchdowns and ran for another in Friday's 47-29 loss to Glendora, the only one of three games to get out of hand. Even then, the Titans trailed by just a touchdown entering the fourth quarter, but a young linebacking corps allowed Glendora running back Cade Lindsey to finish with 315 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
The Titans nearly began the season with the momentum rolling in the opposite direction but gave up 21 consecutive points in the second half of a season-opening loss to West Covina South Hills.
Of course, once Mt. Baldy League play arrives Sept. 21, Colony will begin anew.
The four league teams that made the playoffs last season have a combined record of 2-10 thus far.
"When I saw the schedule after I got the job, I told the kids we could go 0-4 and still be a good football team," Randall said. "I've been places where the expectation is to win and that's why I came here, 'cause I want to win. But I understand that the fan base at a place like Colony can get impatient when you start 0-3."


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Collections Policy
Students will not be allowed to register for a future semester, receive grades, transcripts, or diplomas until the balance on their student account is paid in full. The University will report students with delinquent accounts to a collection agency and the student will be responsible for all collection and attorney fees associated with efforts to collect on monies owed.
Prior to any future registrations, Suffolk University reserves the right to require payment in full regarding previously delinquent accounts.
Tuition Accounts
When a student leaves or withdraws from Suffolk University with an unpaid balance, the account becomes delinquent. Suffolk performs in house pre-collection outreach prior to assigning accounts to a collection agency.
Former students who have unpaid delinquent balances are not eligible to re-enroll or receive academic transcripts until their balances, including all fees, if applicable, are paid in full.
After a student leaves or withdraws from Suffolk with an unpaid balance, Suffolk will send the student a billing statement for the entire debt. Students are given one month to pay. If the debt is still unpaid after this time, the account will be assigned to the billing servicing company, ECSI, which provides an additional 90 days for students to pay. When an account is placed with ECSI, students are directed to pay through their website. If account remains unpaid after 90 days, the account may be assigned to a collection agency for further actions.
181 Montour Run Road
Coraopolis, PA 15108
Suffolk University utilizes the following collection agencies:
|General Revenue Corporation
|Williams and Fudge, Inc.
11501 Northlake Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45249
PO Box 11590
Rockhill, SC 29731
Additional placement:
|Glenn Associates, Inc.
|Regional Adjustment Bureau
PO Box 2407
Woburn, MA 01888
7130 Goodlett Farms Parkway, Suite 100W
Cordova, TN 38016
Once an account is referred to a collection agency, the student is responsible for the delinquent tuition balance, institutional fees, all collection and attorney fees, if applicable. After a matter is referred to a collection agency, all questions about repayment options should be directed to the collection agency controlling the account, not Suffolk University.
Perkins & Institutional Loans
Please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of the Master Promissory Note to understand your rights and responsibilities. Late payments are subject to late fees and will be reported to the national credit bureaus.
Suffolk University utilizes the following collection agencies:
|General Revenue Corporation
|Williams & Fudge
11501 Northlake Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45249
300 Chatham Ave
PO Box 11590
Rock Hill, SC 29731
Additional placements:
|Regional Adjustment Bureau
|Glenn Associates, Inc.
7130 Goodlett Farms Parkway
Suite 100W
Cordova, TN 38016
|PO Box 2407
Woburn, MA 01888


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This Guest Post is by my friend, Mark Tankosich, who has dan rankings in both Sho-ha Shorin-ryu karate and Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei jodo. Along with the martial arts, his passions include the Japanese language. He currently lives and teaches in Hiroshima, Japan.
A couple of years ago, I "realized" (not intellectually, but more of what the Japanese call "jikkan," or "really feel") something that I'd like to write about today. I don't know how well I can explain it, so please bear with me.
As I've mentioned in a previous blog, my instructor of many years is in the United States, while I'm in Japan. Because I've been unwilling to change instructors, almost all of my practice takes place alone, on a river bank near my home. I stay in touch with my sensei via phone calls, videos, and occasional visits by him or by me, but basically it's just me, a few days a week out on the riverbank. The summer heat can be amazing, the winter cold is not insignificant, and of course, there are times when I either train in the rain or not at all. I should also add that living in a foreign country comes with plenty of isolation as it is, let alone engaging in a solitary activity like I do.
So with all this, it's not hard to understand, I think, that I might sometimes ask myself, "why?" Why in the heck am I doing this? Japan is probably the safest industrialized country in the world and I am significantly bigger than almost all Japanese people anyway, so there's not really much concern for self-defense. And surely it'd be more fun (maybe even more healthy!) to spend my time with other people. So what are my reasons? Obviously, there are many reasons why folks like us continue with our training, and a couple of years ago I had an experience that helped me to really understand what one of mine is.
Without going into the details, at that time I had to undergo a medical procedure that involved the doctor putting a camera down my throat. At first I was fine, but it took much longer than I expected, and about half way through I was on the verge of panic. I could feel the camera in me, I could hardly breath, and I was sure that I was about to choke on my own saliva. And then, it hit me: "This is why I train. I have the strength to deal with this because I train." Somehow, I found something inside of me (no, not the camera!) that I instinctively knew was a result of my efforts on the riverbank, and I was OK. I was still uncomfortable, but I was OK.
When I later thought about it, it seemed to me that the hardships (or more accurately, fighting the hardships) involved in my workouts (the weather, the loneliness, my own laziness, etc.) actually contributed in a positive way to the development of whatever it was that I found while laying there on the exam table, semi-choking and on the verge of panicking.
As I wrote above, there are lots of reasons why I and others like me continue to train, year after year. Knowing your own reasons makes it easier, I think, to persevere over the long run.
Mark Tankosich


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Signup Deadline: Sunday, April 7
Includes: guaranteed 7 games (6 regular season games, 1+ playoff game), referee, colored t-shirts (to be delivered to your gym Week 1), game equipment, online schedule/standings, Players championship fleeces for the winning team. Each matchup consists nine 5-minute mini games! 6 men/2 women start on the floor for each game. Rosters due by Week 2 of the league!
Click here for the Players' Dodgeball Rules!
Dodgeball teams will receive a different colored set of team shirts (1 shirt per player listed on roster). Captains can submit color preferences & size requests will be honored until the Sunday before the league starts.
Reserve your TEAM spot for just $100! Then use Team Payer to assign fees for each of your teammates to pay online directly to us! Team Payer is available until 4/14. No matter when you register, you'll get at least 5 days to use Team Payer!
Looking for teammates? Post on our Facebook page to round out your team!
To complete the process, remove the app from your Facebook settings.
Feel free to try again, and be sure to grant the requested privileges.
Feel free to try again, and be sure to grant the requested privileges.
Feel free to try again or contact us for assitance.
|Last Login
These are the accounts with the same email address as your Facebook account ().
If you'd like to use a different account, log into that account using your email (or username) and password, then connect your Facebook account from your Player Page.
*NOTE: In order to keep your site and player info safe, Admin and Staff accounts cannot be linked to Facebook.


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Family Photographer, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Parties, Events, Reunions, School Functions, Lifestyle Photographer
Phone (773) 769-7771 firstname.lastname@example.com
North Shore, Glenview, Northbrook, Deerfield, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Lake Forest, Park Ridge
Serving Northern California since 1996, Chicagoland since 2013.
Galaxy Fights - Yuba City, CA July 28, 2012 http://KOcamera.com - Professional Fighter & Martial Arts Photography since 1996. Professional Photography for your Event! Fighters: get your professional profile and fight portfolio built today by calling 916-672-8569 or 773-769-7771 (in Chicago).
galaxy fightsyuba city mmayuba city bjjTomMillsPhotosC201282470


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Welcome to Our Parts DepartmentAt Jack Sherman Toyota, our Parts Department offers a wide variety of performance parts and accessories for all Toyota models. From OEM to aftermarket, see all we have to offer. Please check out our parts specials on all Toyota models including the Tacoma, Corolla, Camry, and other models that we sell.
Toyota Parts Center at Jack Sherman Toyota offer one-stop shopping for parts and accessories for the do-it-yourselfer as well as for dealer-installed products. Located within our Toyota dealership our store offers a full selection of Genuine OEM Toyota Parts and Accessories. You'll also find brand-name car-care products at competitive prices. If you're looking for expert technical help or how-to pamphlets, you'll find it all our Toyota parts Department we also carry auto body parts too.
Genuine Toyota Parts are manufactured specifically for your year and model. They're just like the parts your vehicle was built with, so they're the best choice in terms of fit, performance and overall quality we also have TRD performance parts like superchargers, wheels, and many more - and of course, TRD apparel.
Own a Scion? Your Scion will receive proper care by trained technicians using Genuine Toyota Parts.


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I wish… Actually I don't. I refuse to go down the thought pattern of "I wish…" there are so many possibilities that I could wish for, I could wish Claire […]
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As beautiful, peaceful islands of greenery, parks can help reduce stress and promote mental health. But this is the case only if parks provide a safe and welcoming environment. An empty, frightening park, or one overrun with activity that requires constant vigilance, can increase stress and damage mental health. This is a complex issue. On the one hand, parks need active public use to provide the safety of "eyes and ears"; but well-used parks need rules and enforcement to ward off stress from overcrowding and inappropriate behavior.
Activities that may provoke stress include panhandling, behaving raucously (including playing loud music), riding bicycles at high speed on crowded trails, and, of course, leaving trash and litter from picnics. Such actions need to be controlled by setting clear rules and then enforcing them. Just because parks are green spaces doesn't mean they can serve as urban jungles. Despite agency cutbacks it is essential that there be some kind of uniformed presence to allay park users' concerns—if not police, then uniformed maintenance workers, or perhaps even an "orange hat" group of volunteers who patrol in pairs and carry communication radios. For every person who may be annoyed by the "petty" enforcement of park rules, many more will be grateful knowing that civilized, thoughtful behavior is being enforced. Research shows that this is particularly true among lower-income and minority park visitors.
A special stress factor is automobile traffic, particularly for parents with children. An excess of park roads and parking areas not only reduces field space and the number of trees in a park, it also adds unhealthy noise and smog and may create real and perceived dangers from vehicles. Park managers who recognize the problem have instituted slow speed limits, speed humps, or circuitous routings—all designed to calm traffic. But some cities permit or even encourage fast, unimpeded traffic and even high-speed commuting through their parks. (Perhaps the most outlandish case was in Detroit, where for several years Belle Isle Park—designed by world-famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted as a pristine getaway—was annually the site of a Grand Prix auto race.)
Automobiles also increase stress in parks by pushing many bicyclists and most roller skaters off roads and onto pedestrian pathways. This can convert a pleasant walking experience into an annoying or even frightening one and decrease the total number of park users.
A completely different parklike space that can reduce stress and promote health is the community garden. Community gardens have been around for more than a century, but only in recent decades have city park departments comprehensively moved into this field. Many departments have designated garden areas within existing parks. A few have acquired established gardens and officially added them to the park system. The resultant spaces benefit public health in numerous ways: by promoting physical activity, social connections, and mental relaxation; by fostering feelings of self-worth and self-reliance; and by producing healthful food—of particular importance in low-income neighborhoods, where residents may have less access to fresh produce.
At the far unhealthy end of the spectrum, both mentally and physically, is outright violence in a park—either through injury from assault or through reduced park use from fear of an attack. Occasionally' a park gets a reputation for danger that is worse than the reality, such as when a homicide is committed elsewhere but the body is found in the park. But making parks feel safe is a complicated interplay between culture, rules, enforcement, design' and programming, one that also involves socioeconomic factors in the surrounding neighborhoods. Although much about crime and violence is not yet understood, better-used parks are generally safer, particularly if some of the users are engaged in organized programs.
Importantly, not everyone perceives parks in the same way. Residents of wealthier neighborhoods, where danger and personal safety are not overwhelming concerns, frequently prefer leafy, natural parks. Residents of poorer neighborhoods often shun forested areas and prefer open areas with lots of activity. There, enlivening parks is a high priority—from sports leagues to festivals, cultural events to cleanup activities, tree planting and vine pulling to outdoor classrooms and exercise cooperatives, "screen-on-the-green" movie nights to volunteer safety patrols. High-capacity park departments may be able to organize many activities without help; others should at a minimum have an outstanding volunteer coordinator to encourage and support partnership efforts to make events happen.
One effective way of increasing park use in dangerous areas is through "park-pooling"—group travel from neighborhoods to parks. Pennsylvania State University Professor Geoffrey Godbey interviewed a group of black women in Cleveland who walked together to a park, initially joined by a police escort. They told Godbey that they liked to see police, although as more women joined the group the escort eventually was not needed. In New York's Central Park, there is an established meet-up time and location for females who wish to jog together for safety.
Though Patterson Park is now considered the most successful park in Baltimore, this was not always the case. There was a time in the 1970s and 1980s when the city came close to losing the park and, with it, the surrounding Patterson Park neighborhood. Demographic changes to the neighborhood, crime, vandalism' and drug dealing began tipping the 135-acre park from amenity to liability. Structures were damaged and vegetation was killed; arson destroyed the beloved Music Pavilion. The nadir came in 1985, when a youth was severely beaten in the park in a widely publicized racial incident.
The first few save-the-neighborhood efforts sputtered and died. Finally, in 1993, community leaders produced a plan that included a vision for improving the park. Under guidance from a University of Maryland urban studies professor and funded by a federal grant, a student spent two years inventorying all the park's physical features, measuring erosion, and also organizing a park festival and an ongoing friends group. At the same time, a visitor survey threw up two red flags: Patterson Park's users were overwhelmingly male, and almost half of the community's residents never went there at all. It became clear that any effort to maximize the park's value—including social and health benefits—depended on attracting new users, especially women and girls.
What turned the tide was the Friends of Patterson Park, which quickly grew in effectiveness, in part because it received staff support from two local organizations working on housing and senior services. The Friends began by tackling infrastructure improvements—raising private funds and lobbying public agencies to renovate the park's iconic pagoda, install new perimeter ighting, and reconstruct playing fields and two ark entrances.
But the real turnaround was due to programming. Thanks to the Friends, the park gradually became the favored site for a wide variety of family festivals and events, including such longtime local favorites as the Turtle Derby (in its 70th year), Preakness Frog Hop, Doll Show, and Fishing Rodeo. Early years saw a canine extravaganza called Bark in the Park and a monthly Art Market Fair. Newer events include the Great Halloween Lantern Parade, the BikeJam Race and Festival, and the eye-popping Kinetic Sculpture Race of homemade human-powered vehicles.
Summer now brings concerts every other Sunday night, Shakespeare in the Park, outdoor movies, and four large cultural gatherings—Polish, Ukrainian, Hispanic, and African. Youth soccer leagues are ever present. Occasionally there are even more unique happenings, like 1999's Synchronized Swimming Water Ballet by an ethnically and physically diverse cast of neighborhood residents ages 8 to 52.
"One of our goals was to do as much outreach as possible in the parts of the neighborhood that were less connected to the park," said Kini Collins, former events coordinator for the Friends. "The main thing was to have fun!" Along with the fun, Patterson Park is delivering improved health for its neighbors and other Baltimore residents. Two health-related items on the Friends' wish list are a children's farm to teach about gardening and nutrition and a collaboration with nearby Johns Hopkins School of Public Health to capture specific health data for children and other park users.
Want to know more ways urban park systems can best promote health and wellness? Read this publication from The Trust for Public Land.
Filed under: crime & safety, green infrastructure, health, partnerships, planning, programming | Tagged: baltimore, community gardening, health, mental health, seattle | Leave a comment »


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This is one of those cases where the authorities seem to be blaming the victim for the crime of the perpetrators. Almost 3 weeks ago, a private party in Khomeini Shahr, in Central Iran was attacked by gang members. The gang put all the men in a room, locked them in, and then raped the 12 female attendees in the party. The story quickly became a national scandal and now the authorities say they have set up a "special court" and a "police task force" to expedite the trial of 14 men who are arrested in relation to this heinous crime. What is shocking, is the statement by some government authorities in this regard: Mr. Mohseni Ejeii, the official Judiciary Spokesman told reports "if the women adhered to Islamic rules [and not attended this mixed party and dressed provocatively], perhaps this crime would have never happened."
Hossein Hosseinzadeh, the head of the Isfahan's Police's Investigative Unit repeated the say logic, saying; "those attended the party were consuming alcohol and the women were not properly dressed. If those women had decent outfit, they may have not been sexually assaulted. "
Hassan Karami Nejad, the head of the Iran's Police Forces told the national TV that "those in the party had a provocative behavior".
But perhaps the most outrageous response came from the local religious authority, Mr. Musa Salemi. The Friday Prayer Imam of the town where the crime took place told the reporters; "those who were sexually assaulted were not totally innocent either. They came to our town to party, drink alcohol, and have a good time. They should be tried for their action too!"
It should be noted that drinking alcohol and having mixed parties in Iran is considered to be punishable crimes.
Hossein Alizadeh
Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
You can read more about this story here: (unfortunately the text is in Persian only)


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"For Bass, try deep near rocks on dam and old willow stumps, try watermelon colored plastic worms and lizards and twitch slowly. Bream are biting, fish redworms or..." Tom Bailey Lake Dam
"Creek channels and drop offs got the limit today of crappie...." Okatibbee Lake
"Most bass are moving shallow right now and stocking up for the pre-spawn and can be caught on squarebill crankbaits and jerkbaits near weeds and brush piles. Catfish can..." Washington County Public Lake Dam
"Crappie can be caught on minnows near brush piles and fallen trees. Bass can be caught right now on shallow crankbaits and jerk baits right now in the pre-spawn as the..." Coffeeville Lake


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Cuba brought out in me all sorts of emotions...happiness, frustration,bewitched, angry, empathy, sadness, alive, amused,charmed and the list goes on.
A lady comes out with a fruit tray as we adventured out in the blazing sun on a walking trip near the hotel we are staying by the beach.
While waiting for our freshly made Pina Collada I noticed these amazing chairs made with cow hide.
Now in Havana and I exchanged smiles with my friendly neighbour across the road.
We go from amazing architecture and superb detailed ceilings...
To this!
The glass and the light remind me of Moroccan design.
And here was our lovely tour guide Ania ordering us and the driver one of our best meals in Cuba made in a lady's house which was sold to Cubans (since she wasn't allowed to acompany us to the hotel restaurant we decided it wasn't for us also).
And I loved the fact people gathered in the afternoon to dance the tango.
And with all this contraditions would I go back? Absolutely...
Pictures are my own.


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It's not often easy filling positions on small-town boards and committees. Fayette council might solve that problem by inviting more people to the table.
At the Aug. 23 meeting, councilor Ken Delphous spoke about a proposal to involve township residents in the park planning. Since township residents use the village parks and recreation programs, membership on a joint panel would give them a say in how the parks are run. The move would also serve as a source of ideas.
In the past, said village administrator Tom Spiess later, a suggestion was made to create a district-wide park system that would include Gorham and Franklin townships.
"It would take some time to get this worked out," he said.
Spiess said there's a need to study future park use in relation to the new school. When athletic fields are constructed at the new school site, the use of park facilities will change.


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3814 0466 04
Shipping Delivery
~ POS Malaysia as our courier company .
~ Every parcel will bee packed safetly provided with tracking no.
~ We ship from Monday ~ Friday , except Saturday and Sunday and Public Holidays .
~ Parcel will be shipped on next working day after receiving full payment and stock is available .
~ PosLaju tracking no. will be updated thru order on same shipment day .
Delivery Period
~ All order delivery time is typically around 3~5 working days in Penisular Malaysia ; 5~7 working days in East Malaysia once the payment is cleared to our bank account .
~ No delivery for 1st Saturday of the month and Public Holidays .
When Receiving Parcel
~ Please ensure that there is a recipient in the delivery period (9am~6pm) .
~ Kindly inform us after received the parcel .
~ Contact us if the parcel is opened or no in good condition .
- 012-968 6881 (Call / Wechat / Whatsapp / Line)
Unexpected Acciddent
~ Delivery may delay due to location address , Public Holidays or delivery workload of PosLaju .
~ Parcel will be send to nearest PosLaju office left a notice , if recipient miss the delivery .
~ Recipient need to self collect it by showing IC notice at the PosLaju office .
~ Contact us if parcel does not arrive within 5 working days .
- 012-968 6881 (Call / Wechat / Whatsapp / Line)
~ Call PosLaju Service line : 1-300-300-300 before 3pm .
~ Official PosLaju Website : http://www.poslaju.com.my
1) Please retain your original receipt and warranty card for warranty claim . However , postage fee for re-delivery to the intended address will be paid by customer .
2) POS Malaysia as our courier company . We will free shipping for all customers within Malaysia ; oversea customers will be imposed postage fees .
3) Please contact us if your parcel does not arrive within 5 working days .
4) After shipping , we will E-mail the consignment note to customer . After 2 weeks , any unclaimed consignment will be sent banck to us and the customer will incur the shipping charges to have their unclaimed consignment to send out again .
1) Warranty Policy
~ All products sold at SEINE NETWORK have 1 YEAR warranty period. Kindly refer warranty card for more details.
2) Cancellation Policy
~ Request for cancellation if product has not been dispatched after payment completion.
3) Return/Exchange Policy
~ All our products are authentic, brand new and fully inspected before your shipment is dispatched.
~ Please note that prior to return of any products, customer must inform us with the following information:
- Original receipt
- Warranty card
- Your contact details
- Reason of return
~ Products purchased are not refundable except when faulty or wrong product is being delivered. Please kindly contact us within 3 days and deliver it back to us within 7 days.
~ Please note that customer will be responsible for any return shipping charges during second times.
~ Please make sure all returned products are well packaged and sent via trusted postal service or courier. SEINE NETWORK will not take responsibility for any return products damaged or lost in transit.
~ We will only refund upon receipt of the products and fully checked that products are qualified for return. If you have any questions about our returns policy, please get in touch with our customer service on firstname.lastname@example.com
|5 star
|4 star
|3 star
|2 star
|1 star


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Biology Department
The biology imaging center houses confocal, upright, inverted, and stereo microscopes as well as jointly operating a state of the art environmental scanning electron instrument in conjunction with the Geology department. Advanced optical techniques such as differential interference contrast, phase contrast, and fluorescence are implemented on several pieces of the equipment.
The electron microscopy instrumentation consists of a Philips Quanta-400 scanning electron microscope which is equipped with a peltier cooling stage, EDAX EDS detector, and an EBSD detector. The confocal microscopes are a Leica SP5 along with a Nikon PCM2000. A steromicroscope (Nikon SMZ1500) has been adapted for fluorescence imaging. Histology equipment includes an automated tissue processor, several microtomes and ultra microtomes, glass knife makers, an embedding station, and diamond knives for the preparation of tissues for microscopic observation.
Images taken at the Imaging Center
Images taken with the Leica SP5 confocal microscope
Contact - email@example.com


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This is not an offer for credit and should be used for estimation purposes only based on the information you provided. You should not base your decision on this estimate alone. Title, registration, tax and other fees, and personal circumstances such as employment status and personal credit history, were not considered in the calculations.
A perfect combination of muscle and flexibility, the Carryall 1500 is an all-around, high-performance machine. It's the only utility vehicle in the industry with our exclusive IntelliTrak™ system, an automatic, four-wheel-drive system that senses the ground you're on and gives you more traction when you need it.
Powered by a gasoline V-twin or commercial-grade diesel engine and sporting a full 12 inches of chassis clearance, this vehicle has what it takes to handle the toughest jobs in the toughest places.
Front - Twin-piston
Rear - Single-piston hydraulic disc
Mechanical disc park brake
Wide ratio CVT; 3.7:1 low, 0.59:1 high
Gear Selection - Forward / neutral / reverse
Front - Independent double A-arm with coil-over shocks
Rear - Semi-independent 4-link solid axle
Standard – Dark Grey, Dark Green
Premium - Beige, Classic Blue, Titanium Silver, Black


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So I have been poking around for a while and haven't found to much in regards to horsepower increases. I did find a supercharger and a turbo (both way out of my price range).
So I was wondering what some of you guys have done to get a little more. Freer flowing exhaust perhaps or maybe a cold air intake? I know on some makes and models you can exchange things like throttle bodies to get more horsepower: is there stuff like that for the trailblazer?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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Buffalo, NY
June 24th, 2017
Outer Harbor
325 Fuhrmann Boulevard
Buffalo, NY 14203
Check-In: 5:00pm
Event Start: 7:00pm
FREE REGISTRATION ENDS ON Jul 17 Full Price is $40 dollars
Regular Price: $50
What Is The Blacklight Slide™?
Blacklight Slide™ is an incredible experience unlike any other. This night event, focused on UV Neon Glowing fun, brings you and your loved ones together for the best night of your lives! At the Blacklight Slide™, you get the chance to go down slides filled with Neon Glow-in-the-Dark water, assuring you and your friends that you will Get Glowed™! Following this insanely fun event is an after party with the best music from the top DJs in the country. You'll get to dance, play, and have the time of your life. When the Blacklight Slide™ is over and you're glowing with excitement, we know for a fact that you'll be counting down the days until the next one.
Every Participant Will Receive:
- Unlimited trips down the glowing Blacklight Slide™
- A Blacklight Slide™ Glow-in-the-Dark Temporary Tattoo
- Blacklight Slide™ Special Edition Towel
- Admission to the amazing Blacklight Slide™ Celebration
- Donation to a local charity
Event Day Info
This is where you'll find all of the information you will need for event day and the days leading up to it.
Packet Pick Up
Outer Harbor
325 Fuhrman Boulevard
Buffalo, NY 14203
*If you are unable to attend Packet Pickup on the day right before the event, it will be reserved for you on Event Day for a fee. There is a $5.00 fee per packet, per paid participant on Event Day, cash only. To avoid paying this fee, please attend Packet Pickup in person the day prior, or send a friend with a copy of your race barcode.
How Does It Work?
Step 1 – Get Registered!
Step 2 – Wear a white shirt or comfortable swimsuit top. Wearing a swimsuit only is welcome, too!
Step 3 – Grab your inner tube for the best sliding around! (Max size is a 36-inch inner tube.) Want to glow it up even more? We have Special Edition Blacklight Slide™ inner tubes available for purchase.
*Inner Tube Required to Slide
Step 4 – The most important rule: HAVE A BLAST! After you go down our Blacklight Slides™, you'll be covered in UV Neon Glowing water color and ready to party!
Typically there is a parking fee for the event that is handled by the venue. With THOUSANDS of smiles present on race day, please arrive early to avoid traffic!
Event Day Check-In
Tonight's the night! Gates open at the time listed above. If you are unable to pick up your wristband and/or registration on the pickup date, you will be able to do so on event day starting at the time listed above.
Pre-Order Merchandise
All items that have been pre-ordered MUST be picked up by start time on event day or at packet pickup. Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to mail items to you after event day any items that have not been claimed will be forfeited and donated. Please make time to go pick up you pre-ordered GLOW Gear. Pick up your pre-ordered GLOW Gear at the packet pickup location or the event.
Have Questions? Visit our FAQ page for answers.
FREE REGISTRATION ENDS ON Jul 17 Full Price is $40 dollars
Regular Price: $50
Want to get involved and get your glow on? Volunteering is the best way! Dedicate your time to the Blacklight Slide™, get a free t-shirt, and get a chance to be a part of the #BlacklightSlide—the brightest and most fun you'll ever experience.
Want to join the #BlacklightSlide lineup and be a part of the Blacklight Slide™ celebration? The real question is why wouldn't you want to be involved? We're excited to have you and want to hear from up-and-coming talent in our area. Tell us what you can bring to the Blacklight Slide™ team.


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Sell Your Car to Norden Volkswagen
We pay more thanks to the size of our dealership network and customer requests
Go Auto's Appraisal Process
The appraisal process is simple. Once you book your appraisal with us, our trained professionals will give it a thorough evaluation.
Once we have inspected and appraised your vehicle, we will present you with an offer to purchase your vehicle on the spot.
This offer is no obligation, and good for a few days. Remember, you don't need to buy one of our vehicles for us to buy yours!
We Value Your Vehicle
Go Auto's appraisal specialists will look over key parts of your vehicle to give you a fair value. We look at your vehicle's physical condition:
- General Exterior and Interior Condition
- Any Aftermarket Modifications
- Any Mechanical issues (determined by test-drive)
- Year and mileage of your vehicle
The information regarding the physical quality of your vehicle is then input into our vehicle optimization system, which also takes into account other factors:
- Maintenance history of your vehicle (bake sure to bring any records)
- Technical bulletins regarding your make/model/year
- Current market conditions such as sales trends and auction data


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At Pawsitively Mobile Veterinary Services LLC, we offer a variety of services to care for your pet. Unlike most of our competitors, we perform house calls and treat your pet right at your home. If you have any questions or would like more information on how we can care for your pet, please contact us today.
We're pleased to offer the following for our patients in Sharon, MA at Pawsitively Mobile Veterinary Services LLC:
- Routine wellness care (e.g. vaccines)
- Sick visits
- International and Domestic Health Certificates
- Labwork including: heartworm and tick screening, full chemistry and CBC, urinalysis and more
- Microchips
- Hospice Care
- Euthanasia
- Surgery
- Dentistry
- X-rays
- In-house/point-of-care labs/diagnostics
Please contact us today if you have any questions or would like to learn more about how we care for your pet.


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Center Line's Most Trusted Choice for Garage Door Replacement
Town & Country Door has been specializing in Garage Door Replacement for over 20 years with an outstanding team of experienced technicians. Choosing us means you'll receive effective service from a friendly team with no hidden agendas.
Our staff is answering your calls every day, including weekends and evenings at no extra charge. We even offer same-day service for your emergencies. Just call us within our extended hours, and we'll send someone to you as quickly as we can. Our goal is to treat every customer with respect and fairness so we can maintain a relationship with each of them for life. Once you've experienced our friendly team and quick, affordable service, you'll know why we are the biggest garage door replacement company in the area.
Garage Door Repair for Center Line homes
If your garage door is not functioning properly, it could pose a threat to the safety of your home, family, and property. Similarly, garage door repairs are not something an inexperienced person should try to complete themselves. At Town & Country Door, we specialize in the repair of garage door springs and cables in Center Line MI. Our technicians can quickly assess and diagnose your problem for speedy correction.
Garage door springs hold the entire weight of the door itself, and work hard to open and close the door. These springs support a large piece of equipment and should be repaired with caution. We will use the best quality parts on your garage door for maximum durability. Town & Country Door holds extremely high standards for our work, and we will do everything we can to make sure each customer is happy with their repair job. We complete all repairs thoroughly, correctly, and carefully all at an affordable cost. If for any reason we can't perform the needed repair, your service call is free!
Signs that your garage door needs repair include:
- Inconsistency in movement/Difficulty operating
- Slow open/close time
- Shaking when opening and/or closing
- Screeching/unusual sounds
- Increase in energy bill
- Noticeable breaks in wires/cabling
- Significant dents or dings
- Door sags lower than it should when down
- Door appears uneven/isn't flat on the ground
Is Your Garage Door Opener Broken?
Town & Country can repair any garage door opener, even if we did not install it! If your garage door opener isn't functioning, our team can diagnose the issue to determine whether you need it replaced, or just fixed. We will inspect your wall switch, receiver, garage door springs and more to determine the source of the problem. We also have years of experience working with garage door remotes and can assist with programming your device as well.
Don't waste time looking for Garage Door Replacement when the best choice is right here in Center Line! Call Town & Country Door today to get started!
Customer Satisfaction with Our Company
With many years of experience we have had the privilege of working with many customers and value what they have to say about our services. Here's some of their insight:
Referred to TCD through our home buyers policy due to a 20 year old grinding door opener. Service was prompt and professional. Gary handled call to insurer and provided a better opener for a slight upcharge. He honestly and accurately described why it was a bit more. Completed the installation in an hour. No surprises. Easy peasy. I will call them direct if service is needed.Keith*
Got home from work at 4:42. Garage door opener inoperative. Fiddled around and called them at 5:20 and they showed up at 6:50. Nice technician and professed that he knew the problem. Finished at 7:30. Door worked perfectly. I mean what else can you ask ??? Great service all the way around. Highly recommended.Customer in Madison Heights, MI*
Would recommend this company to anyone that needs their garage door spring(s) replaced. The work was completed in a quick, yet just as importantly, a professional manner.Michael*


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The i60 instruments are designed to complement the all new Raymarine multifunctional displays. Designed specifically for sailboaters, these stylish, dedicated-function instruments cover wind and close-hauled wind options in analogue and digital formats. Excellent viewing angles for both day and night conditions and simple, push-button controls make i60 instruments extremely easy to see and use. They are also simple to install thanks to the front-mount design.
View the full specifications
Looks great with i50 Instrument displays
The i60 displays look great with the new i50 dedicated function instrument. The i50 is available with Speed, Depth or Tridata.
Explore the i50 Instruments
Looks great with the i70 multifunction instrument
If you require more from your instrument then adding an i70 instrument display to your i60 network could be the answer.
Explore the i70 Instrument
Looks great with Raymarine's new generation multifunction displays
The i60 instruments compliment Raymarine's new generation MFDs to give you a great looking dash.
Explore the new MFDs
i60 Wind display with a65 Multifunction Display and i70 Multifunction Instrument
View the related products tab for information about depth transducers
View the related products tab for information about speed transducers
Order your i60 Instruments through your local Raymarine dealer
Accessories can be ordered through your local Raymarine dealer
Rotavecta and wind vane transducers
Dedicated Depth, Speed and Tridata displays
Multifunction instrument: Depth, Speed, Engine, Environment and more
Dedicated Autopilot Control Heads
Designed for sailing yachts, the p70 offers simple 1 and 10 degree direct course changes at the touch of a button
Features a rotary dial for power boaters.
Multifunction Displays
5.7" to 12" touchscreen network displays
9" and 12.1" keypad controlled network displays
7" to 15.4" Premium HybridTouch™ network displays
eS Series
The new face of high-performance navigation
gS Series
9" to 19" Glass Bridge touchscreen network displays
Select the software update below depending on which Multifunction Display you will be using to perform the Remote Update. Please note if you have a G Series or a/c/e/gS Series you must check what version of software you have installed in the unit that you are using to perform the upgrade (We require the G-Series to be running latest software). For further information on this please click here.
This firmware update process is done at your own risk. Before initiating the update process be sure to backup and make copies of all important files. If the firmware process is interrupted your product may not function properly, therefore do not interrupt the process and ensure the unit is on a reliable power supply. Damage caused by incomplete upgrades will not be covered by Raymarine warranty. By Downloading the software, you agree to these terms.
Some Raymarine products contain software code developed by third parties that are covered by open source GPL and LGPL software license agreements. You can view the third party license agreements by visiting the Manuals and Documents section of our website.
To access the open source GPL and LGPL licensed executables click here
Download high resolution i60 images
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CRABTREE & EVELYN Nantucket Briar Body Lotion
Regular price
Full Description
Drench dry skin with our Nantucket Briar Scented Body Lotion. A blend of Nantucket-inspired fragrance and moisturising glycerine, this lightweight lotion is infused with heather and rosehip extracts to help condition your skin. So it's left soft, scented and ready to face the day.
- Apply after a bath or shower to lock in moisture
- Formulated without colour, mineral oil, parabens, phthalates or propylene glycol
The story of Nantucket Briar®
Abundant and aromatic, the wild briar rose adorns weathered cottage doorways and fog-filled harbours on Nantucket. But the "Grey Lady" (so-named for her oft misty shores) has an exotic side, too. For centuries, ships from around the world landed on her shores with rare spices and oils.
Our Nantucket Briar Collection is an eclectic mix of on-island ingredients and imports from afar. Scents of peony, wild rose and ambergris get a refreshing boost from the citrusy fragrance of bergamot. Meanwhile, notes of vanilla, patchouli and exotic spices add a proper dose of the unexpected.


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Pat Croce has worn many hats: physical therapist, entrepreneur, owner and president of the Philadelphia 76ers, motivational speaker, Jim Croce hanger-on, philanthropist, and, of late, "pirate aficionado."
Croce was part of the team that recently located Sir Francis Drake's shipwrecks off the Panama coast, and he sounds for all the world like a man with more money than he knows how to spend, and a grade school love of pirates.
"Here I am, a homeboy from Philadelphia in the Caribbean and we score! It's pretty wild."
"If it weren't for Sir Francis Drake, we might all be speaking Spanish. He was the ultimate pirate, bro. I love this guy."
We'd make fun, but we honestly cannot think of a better way to spend our semi-retirement, bro.
Sunken treasure: Croce & crew uncover Drake shipwrecks missing for 400-plus years [Philadelphia Daily News]


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Shoe misses Hillary as she speaks at recycling conference in Las Vegas
Hillary Clinton's Las Vegas adventure Thursday might be good training if the Democrat runs for president and has to dodge critics — in this case one armed with a strappy shoe.
Hillary Clinton's Las Vegas adventure Thursday might be good training if the Democrat runs for president and has to dodge critics — in this case one armed with a strappy shoe.
A female protester threw the footwear at Clinton near the start of her speech at a metal recycling conference as well as some papers that fluttered in the air like wings, prompting the former secretary of state to declare: "Is that a bat?"
When Clinton, who wasn't hit by the shoe, realized someone threw something at her, she took it in stride.
"Is that somebody throwing something at me?" Clinton asked, putting her right hand above her eyes to cut the glare of lights from the stage at Mandalay Bay
"Is that part of Cirque du Soleil?" Clinton quipped, prompting laughter from the audience.
"My goodness, I didn't know that solid waste management was so controversial," she added, referring to what she was talking about when the protester took action around 1:52 p.m. "Thank goodness she didn't play softball like I did."
The audience of more than 1,000 people attending the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries' annual convention applauded Clinton's gumption and some stood, giving her a standing ovation.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed the protester had sneaked into the convention and wasn't associated with the group. The convention organizers said she was initially denied access to the ballroom, but later rushed past security.
"The subject was not a ticketed guest and had eluded hotel security to enter the event," said Secret Service spokesman George Ogilvie.
Secret Service agents noticed the woman and as they and hotel security approached her she threw a shoe. The women then turned around, threw her hands into the air and began marching toward the back of the room.
The woman was immediately taken into custody by Secret Service and hotel security, Ogilvie said.
No information was immediately released about the woman's identity.
Dylan de Thomas, a reporter for a trade publication called "Resource Recycling," said he saw the protester throw the shoe.
"It looked like a shoe with a strap on it," de Thomas said.
The Secret Service didn't release information about the papers the protester threw. But an attendee handed a reporter a piece of paper that was apparently thrown by her and it appeared to be a copy of a Department of Defense document labeled confidential and dated August 1967, The Associated Press reported. It referred to operation "Cynthia" in Bolivia.
After Clinton's speech, which focused on environmental issues and international affairs, she took some prewritten questions from the audience. She didn't mention any presidential plans, although she has said she'll decide later this year.
Jerry Simms, the outgoing chairman of the scrap metal recycling trade group, started the Q-and-A by apologizing to Clinton for what he called "that crude interruption."
Clinton, a former U.S. senator from New York and President Barack Obama's first secretary of state, was asked about a range of issues, several centered on whether the administration was robust enough in its responses to international crises.
On Syria, for example, she was asked why Obama didn't follow through with a threat to take military action if President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons, which he apparently did against his own people during that nation's civil war.
Clinton said the United States decided it was better to work with Russia to get Syria to give up its chemical weapons, which she said the country had stockpiled, representing a greater threat to the entire Mideast region.
"As of today, more than 50 percent of the chemical weapons have been removed," Clinton said. "And that's an incredible accomplishment because you are doing it in the middle of a war."
Clinton disputed the idea posed in another question that the U.S.-Israel relationship had weakened under Obama.
"The relationship has never been more solid," she said. "The actions between our two countries, I think, are on a very strong footing."
She noted the U.S. helped fund the Iron Dome missile defense system Israel is using to intercept missile attacks.
On Russia's move to grab Crimea, Clinton said the U.S. and NATO would act more forcefully and be obligated to act militarily if Moscow made moves against former Soviet states now included under NATO's defense umbrella.
"If he were so foolish as to move into the Baltics or Romania or Bulgaria or any of our other NATO allies who used to be part of (the Soviet Union), that would trigger a military defense because an attack on one is an attack on all," she said.
Clinton's visit to Las Vegas comes as she's thinking about running for president in 2016 and ahead of the publication of her new book on her time as Obama's secretary of state.
Although she said she won't make a White House decision until later this year, all signs seem to point to Clinton launching a second presidential bid as the far and away leader of the potential Democratic field of candidates, polls show. Her Nevada stop was part of a three-state speaking tour this week that also included events in Oregon and California.
If she runs, Clinton will have a ready-made campaign foundation. A super PAC "Ready for Hillary," which is urging her to run and promoting her already, raised $1.7 million in the first quarter of the year, according to Politico. The total includes low-dollar donations with more than 80,000 contributions so far, the political publication said.
"Ready for Hillary" organizers followed Clinton's tour to sign up supporters and hand out buttons and bumper stickers.
Clinton, 66, reportedly receives about $200,000 plus travel and hotel expenses for such speeches to private groups.
In 2008, Clinton lost the Democratic primary to Obama in a tense, hard-fought race. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, served in the White House for two terms, from 1993 until 2001.
Review-Journal reporter Maria Agreda contributed to this report. Contact Laura Myers at email@example.com or 702-387-2919. Find her on Twitter: @lmyerslvrj.