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These minutes are in draft form and not approved by the committee.
Community and Junior College Libraries Section
Executive Committee I
Saturday, January 12, 2008
8:00 am – 10:00 am
Philadelphia Convention Center, Room 306
Attending: Matthew Burrell, Ann Coder, Michael LaCroix, Alice Lubrecht, Kenley Neufeld, Lora Mirza; Ellen Sutton, David Wright
Reaffirmed Executive Committee minutes from Annual Conference, Washington.
Reaffirmed Executive Committee minutes from Mid-Winter, Seattle.
Open issues
Chair Report: Kenley Neufeld
Action plan 2008: scholarships through ACRL; report Monday from Matt; Emerging Leader Elda Collier available to help with CJCLS project or committee member; ACRL Presidential candidates tomorrow at all committee meeting;
Vice Chair Report: Lora Mirza
8 people provided feedback expressing interest in 2009 conference planning committee;
Committees: membership committee Ellen Eva Lautman interested chairing; Kenley will report bad volunteer link on web page; Lora will send out call for volunteers this spring;
21 attendees at Friday dinner.
Webmaster Report
Ruth Lindemann added ALA Midwinter conference information to web; Lake County County College librarian interested as possible future section webmaster; webmaster problems: ALA web switched to new system; Kenley continued during interim and issues with Collage software.
Annual Program in Anaheim
Kenley has arranged for the Naples Ristorante $34-35 Friday night dinner to be co-sponsored by CA deans/lib directors; booked for 75 people;
David Wright is chairing the program on learning virtually; Speakers include John Finkelstein Learning Times, Dan Balzer Green Room; Elaine Fabreau Canada appeal those responsible training; Margo Sutton ACRL Virtual Learning & Linda Sleusser teleconferences; joint program with CLS and DLS & CJCLS; possible poster session; may be streamed free through Learning Times; reserved room for 500 attendees;
David will arrange Hot Topics Discussion group Sunday afternoon;
Handbook & Wiki
Ruth Lindemann: don't need to publish manual; history of section including past officers; need to update officers' duties page; Communications Committee will provide printout of page to ACRL for archival purposes; Kenley will examine/update duties and send to webmaster;
next steps include to look at officer duties and committee duties and link to web if content available and put links into wiki; when editing one should put name and date in comment section; Imogene, the section archivist, may provide information;
best practices: link but no content yet; need to add useful publications and occupational categories with new books; to be discussed Sunday.
New Business
ACRL Board Liaison Report: Michael LaCroix
Michael will take community college issues to ACRL Board;
Leadership Council: Strategic Plan important,
culture of advancement and innovation, assessment accreditation; link action plan to strategic plan;
ACRL doing well financially, Choice buying 3d floor of
condo in Middletown; by-laws changes combination of housekeeping changes and the addition of interest groups (established with a 25 people petition, plus board approval; members may join 2 sections + interest group or 3 interest groups or 1 section + 2 interest groups);
statistics surveys: community colleges consider NCES OK, though fill out ACRL survey.
ACRL National Conference Seattle
multiple choices including a discussion group or informal restaurant discussion or pre conference or workshops. The Executive Council will consider options at the Monday meeting.
Review of Activities at Midwinter
Hot topic discussion group and NCLR Saturday afternoon;
all committees meeting. Sunday;
Monday Executive Council.
Kenley urged us all on to the reception at the Moriarty Irish Pub, 11:00 pm Saturday. The old foagies chuckled over the hour, shook their heads, gathered up their walkers, and adjourned.


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A number of events in 2011 reinforce allegations of systemic abuse and torture and even the occurrence of possible extrajudicial killings in detention by law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan. On October 20, police in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, took a badly injured Bahromiddin Shodiyev, 28, to a local hospital. Shodiyev, who had been arrested on the previous day in connection with a theft investigation, died ten days later of head wounds. The police attributed Shodiyev's injuries while in custody to an attempted escape or suicide, claiming that he jumped from a first-floor window, but also alleged that he died not necessarily as a result of his injuries, but due to "multiple diseases of internal organs" (www.news.tj, November 1).
Shodiyev's relatives insist on a different explanation of his death. According to his mother, he told her in the hospital that he was beaten and given electric shocks at the hands of the police, until he confessed to a crime he had not committed. Following the incident, the Tajik human rights ombudsman and an anti-torture group called on the authorities to investigate Shodiyev's death. The growing publicity about the case led the authorities to launch an investigation as a result of which several police officers were dismissed; one facing criminal charges (www.news.tj, November 9, 15).
Analysts and human rights groups claim that what happened to Shodiyev is not an isolated incident, but part of a larger pattern of abuse in detention by police and security forces. In March, another detainee, Safarali Sangov, died in a Dushanbe hospital in almost identical circumstances. He was hospitalized several hours after being detained on drug-related charges. While police claimed that Sangov tried to commit suicide by hitting his head against a wall and jumping from a police station window, his relatives insisted that he died of police brutality (Asia-Plus, March 7). Also, in June, Ismoil Bachajonov, who was accused of drug smuggling, died in mysterious circumstances in a pre-trial facility in Dushanbe (Asia-Plus, June 9), while two minors were allegedly heavily beaten by police in the southern town of Kulob. In addition, a BBC reporter, Urunboi Usmonov, held for a month by the police in Khujand, was allegedly tortured to extract a confession (www.rsf.org, August 13).
Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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Specifically Christian newcomers to the study of Judaism frequently puzzle over why — as they themselves often put it — Jews "don't believe in Jesus."
The reality is simply that the entire Jewish concept of who and what a Messiah actually is (or does) is just nothing like what Christians themselves have in mind, when they talk about Christ (meaning Jesus) as having been — or being — "the Messiah," by which they mean a cosmic divine Savior, or a resurrected Son of God.
The Jewish concept of the Messiah, generally speaking, is of a mere mortal (not a divine being, not God incarnate, not God the Son incarnate, not a literal Son of God) who will be a political or military leader, rather than a spiritual or metaphysical "savior." The Messiah is not conceived of, in Judaism, as someone who will die as a cosmic sacrifice in order to atone for the sins of all humanity, but simply as someone who will defeat Israel's enemies, rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and establish a "Messianic Age" of lasting peace and justice.
The Jewish Messiah is in no way thought of as divine himself, nor as someone destined to die as a divine/human sacrifice and subsequently miraculously resurrected, nor as a Savior in whom one must place one's faith and trust in order to receive his gift of eternal salvation. All of those are uniquely Christian ideas, not Jewish ones.
So, when at times some Christian newcomers to the study of Judaism puzzle over why Jews don't believe that Jesus was (or is) the Messiah, part of their confusion may stem from perhaps not being fully cognizant of the fact that Jewish beliefs regarding the Messiah are simply not necessarily the same at all as Christian beliefs about the Messiah (or Christ). Perhaps without realizing it, they are looking at a Jewish concept with Christian eyes, or through Christian lenses, as it were.
What Christians have traditionally claimed about Jesus Christ for most of the past two millennia of Christianity's history — that he is the Son of God or God the Son incarnate, that he is a resurrected divine Savior whose death made salvation available to all humankind, that faith in Christ makes for salvation, that salvation and eternal life are available through Christ alone — simply is not, and never was, part of the Jewish concept of the Messiah in the first place.
And apart from differences over just exactly what a Messiah really is, Jews additionally do not believe that Jesus could possibly have been the Messiah since, after all, Jesus simply did not accomplish what Jews believe the real Messiah will succeed in accomplishing. The Messiah, when he comes, will establish the Messianic Age, a lasting era of world peace and justice, a world and an era in which all will worship the God of Israel; obviously, this has not occurred.
Christians may argue that all of this will yet occur, when Jesus returns. But Jews do not believe that Jesus is going to return, because they don't believe that Jesus was resurrected after his crucifixion. They don't believe that Jesus was in any way divine, or the Son of God; they certainly don't believe that Jesus was the incarnation of the second Person of a divine Trinity consisting of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, because the theological concept of the Trinity is also a uniquely Christian belief, and not at all a Jewish one.
(Jews — and Muslims, too, for that matter — absolutely insist upon a staunch and uncompromising monotheism. To them, the Christian claim that God is One and yet somehow also Three smacks less of pure unadulterated monotheism, and more of a disguised "tri-theism.")
And the many selected messianic verses found throughout the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) which many Christians cite as ancient Jewish prophecies allegedly predicting, anticipating, or otherwise referring quite specifically to Jesus Christ, are regarded by Jews as actually being nothing of the kind. Where many Christians see Jesus seemingly very clearly pointed to within such scriptural passages, Jews just as clearly see completely different meanings altogether. Jews read their scriptures with Jewish eyes or through Jewish lenses, whereas Christians read those very same scriptures with Christian eyes or through Christian lenses, and therefore their respective interpretations of those identical scriptural passages can and do vary widely (even wildly). As with the very concept of the Messiah itself, the differences here are also so great that it's almost a case of "apples and oranges."
And these are among the sorts of things that must be fully grasped, and appreciated, in order to begin to understand how and why Jews and Christians can have so much in common on the one hand (as sibling Abrahamic religions), and yet on the other hand differ so profoundly over certain absolutely core matters of their respective faiths.
Aside from the several other frequent areas of confusion which sometimes puzzle newcomers to the study of Judaism (areas which I've been discussing in my last several blog entries), there is yet another hazy area that is often uniquely puzzling to specifically Christian newcomers: why, as they themselves often put it, don't Jews "believe in Jesus"?
Such newcomers are often unaware of the fact that, even though the term Christ is indeed basically just Greek for the Hebrew term Messiah, Jews and Christians actually use these terms in very different ways — assigning very different meanings to this same single term, within their own very different religious contexts.
In other words, what Jews actually mean when they talk about their Messiah, and what Christians actually mean when they talk about their Christ, may in fact be two very different things altogether (at least insofar as those Jews, and those Christians, are concerned).
"Messiah" (from the Hebrew mashiach) and "Christ" (from the Greek christos) both literally mean "Anointed One." But there, to a great degree — and as far as a lot of Jews and Christians themselves are concerned — their similarity ends.
In popular parlance, both "Messiah" and "Christ" are generally understood to essentially equate to something like "Savior." But what, precisely, is meant by this? Just what kind of a savior are we talking about here? Who is this savior "saving" (or trying to save, or destined to save)? And what, exactly, is this savior saving "the saved" from?
Aye, therein lies the rub. Jews and Christians typically answer these sorts of questions in very different ways. (And some Christians sometimes don't quite realize, or appreciate, or understand this absolutely critical difference.)
Christians generally understand Jesus of Nazareth to have been the Messiah or Christ (e.g., "Christ Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" — so, no, "Christ" was not Jesus's last name, but a title bestowed upon him by his followers, the first "Christians"). But by "Messiah" or "Christ," they (Christians) have something very specific in mind. And what they have in mind is not really the same thing at all as what Jews specifically have in mind, when they for their own part talk about "the Messiah." (And until this key difference is fully grasped, the two sides will just continue to unhelpfully talk right past each other.)
Christians traditionally believe that Christ (whom they identify as Jesus) is "the Savior" in a very specific sense. This uniquely Christian understanding of "Christ" (or "Messiah") is that of a divine Savior of all humankind — a unique and literal "Son of God," even an Incarnation of God himself (or of "God the Son," the second divine Person in a three-part holy Trinity composed of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). This divine Savior came into the world in order to save humanity from the wages of sin, which according to Christianity is death and/or eternity in hell.
While there are subtle variants, the basic and perhaps most common view among Christians is that Christ took the sins of the world upon himself, and died an "atoning death" as a kind of cosmic self-sacrifice (not unlike the animal and other forms of sacrifice offered to God by Jews of the time at the temple in Jerusalem, in order to atone for their sins).
The death of Jesus, in other words, paid the penalty for all human sin, making salvation possible for all human beings — "salvation" here being generally understood as freeing one from the condemning taint of sin, thereby enabling one to enter heaven and enjoy eternal life (a post-mortem fate which many Christians regard as therefore unavailable to the "unsaved," meaning those who fail to take advantage of the salvation made available by the death of this uniquely Christian savior [e.g., non-Christians]).
(Even Christians themselves differ over precisely how one avails oneself of that salvation. For instance, Protestants maintain that it is accessed exclusively through faith alone in Jesus as one's savior; by contrast, for Catholics, "good works" as well as adequate participation in the grace-channeling holy sacraments of the Church [baptism, communion, confession, etc.] also play an important part in the salvation equation.)
Christians further generally believe that Jesus (the Christ, or the Messiah) was himself miraculously resurrected from the dead following his sacrificial atoning death upon the cross (he was, after all, divine himself), that he subsequently ascended to his rightful place in heaven (as God the Son, part of that aforementioned divine Trinity), and that he will someday return to preside over Judgment Day, when the dead will rise and be ushered into eternal heaven, or hurled into eternal hell.
All of this, with some variation here and there (Christians actually being a more theologically diverse lot than is often recognized), is pretty standard traditional Christian fare.
However, what some Christians seem to varying degrees unaware of is simply that Jews basically buy "none of the above" — not even the fundamental presupposition that such a savior is needed in order to absolve humanity from sin in the first place, nor that a savior per se is in any sense a divine incarnation of God (or a literal Son of God), much less that Jesus of Nazareth was any such a savior at all.
All of that is simply nothing like what Jews themselves have in mind when they talk about a "savior" (or about "the Messiah"); their entire conception of such a figure is just vastly different, to begin with. (And after all, as they often point out, Jews are the ones who actually came up with the whole "Messiah" concept in the first place.)
(To be continued, and concluded, in Part Six.)
As discussed in previous blog entries, a fairly sizable percentage of the American public seems to know surprisingly little about many of the basics of Judaism. In my own world religions courses, some students begin the semester with no real knowledge of the Jewish faith, and may even harbor some fairly common misunderstandings about it.
Many newcomers to Judaism (or to the Bible, for that matter) are frankly startled to learn that the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) prescribes not just the familiar Ten Commandments, but in fact a far more extensive total of some 613 commandments. These commandments cover everything from pious religious observances and ritual practices, to moral rules and ethical requirements, to what we today might label as family, civil, and criminal law. They extend even to matters of agriculture, modes of dress, and rules regarding diet (the well-known kosher food laws).
Collectively, these 613 commandments comprise "Mosaic Law" (e.g., the Law of Moses, to whom Jews traditionally believe they were revealed), or simply "the Law" (the term Torah literally meaning "Law," "Instruction," "Teaching"). Generally speaking, the traditional view is that these commandments still apply; they remain incumbent upon Jews to abide by, even today.
Of course, it is impossible now to keep some of them. For instance, many commandments relate to the sacrificial practices conducted at the Temple in Jerusalem during the biblical era, and since the Temple no longer exists (it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE), those particular commandments no longer apply (or at least are on hold; if the Temple is ever rebuilt, they may well once again apply).
That problematic sort of thing aside, however, the traditional view remains that those commandments which have not been rendered impossible to observe by "an act of God," as it were (such as the loss of the Temple), remain incumbent upon Jews to abide by.
But then, not all Jews today necessarily fully accept that traditional view; there is a spectrum of opinion within contemporary Judaism upon such matters, which is one of the things which has led to the current division into its Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform branches.
Jews at the more liberal or progressive ends of this spectrum may regard some of the commandments more as optional cultural artifacts of a bygone era. Jews at the more conservative end of this spectrum, on the other hand, may believe that all of these commandments are timeless and therefore mandatory directives straight from God, and as such surely apply just as much as they ever did.
Such Jews may go to great lengths to abide by all of the applicable commandments as possible, even if it means not wearing garments that blend wool and linen, not having sex until the woman has been ritually purified in a mikvah (ritual bath) following menstruation or childbirth, living close enough to a synagogue so that one may walk rather than drive there on the Sabbath (since starting a car's engine is like building a fire, which is expressly forbidden on the Sabbath), and keeping so kosher that separate sets of kitchen utensils — one set for meat products on the one hand, a separate set for dairy products on the other (sometimes also separate sinks and refrigerators, too) — are utilized in food preparation.
In addition to all of this business regarding commandments — which Jews take so seriously that Judaism's traditional coming-of-age "rite of passage" is known as a bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah (literally "son of the commandment" or "daughter of the commandment," a rite signifying the age at which a Jewish son or daughter is deemed old enough to be held responsible for obeying the mitzvot or commandments) — a fair number of Christian newcomers to the study of Judaism also remain deeply and sincerely puzzled as to just exactly why "Jews don't believe in Jesus" (as such Christian newcomers themselves often phrase it).
(To be continued, in Part Five.)


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Jan. 25, 2008
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Linebacker Bobby Abare (Acton, Mass.) has been elected captain of the 2008 Yale football team by a player vote taken Friday morning at Ray Tompkins House.
Abare helped the Bulldogs to a 17-3 record over the past two seasons, including a 12-2 Ivy League mark and the 2006 Ivy title. He was named honorable mention All-America last year after leading the team in tackles (86) for the second straight season. The Bulldogs were No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision in scoring defense, allowing only 13.7 points per game.
"There are a lot of leaders in our class, and it is a privilege to be elected from among them," said Abare. "I can't overstate how much of a privilege it is and how much I am looking forward to leading this team."
Abare is a leader by example who, along with racking up 178 tackles for his career, has 18.5 tackles for loss, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and six interceptions - including two that he returned for touchdowns in 2006.
"I think my actions speak for me, and I get my point across when I have to be verbal and honest," Abare said.
Abare was named first team All-Ivy and All-New England for the second time this past season. He has three varsity letters and has been making an impact ever since his freshman year, when he shared Yale's special teams player of the year award with his fraternal twin brother, Larry (a defensive back).
After Larry missed the final eight games of the 2007 season with an injury, the brothers will be reunited on the field in 2008.
"It's great to know that Larry's going to be back," Bobby said. "I talked to him right after [the election], and he knows he's going to be a big leader of this team also. He was a leader last year on the sideline, but being on the field is where he likes to lead the most."
Abare has the challenging task of taking over a team that achieved the school's first 9-0 record since 1960 last year only to fall to Harvard in the season finale, losing a perfect season and the Ivy League title all at once.
"I've tried to put last year behind, and just take a day-in, day-out approach," Abare said. "It was really tough to get to where we were [at 9-0]. The only way we did that was taking things one day at a time. This year, we're going to have to work even harder. You can't really think `Can we get back there?'. It's got to be `Today when I wake up, how hard am I going to go? How hard am I going to train? Am I ready to exert myself just in that one day, and the next day do the same thing?'."
A political science major and member of Jonathan Edwards college, Abare is the first Massachusetts native named Yale captain since Dorchester's John Smoot '76 led the 1975 team to a 7-2 record. Abare captained three sports at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, where he and his brother helped the football team to a state record 50 straight wins along with four league and state titles. Abare, who set the school rushing yardage record while also playing linebacker, played baseball and basketball when he was not on the gridiron.
The last linebacker to captain the Bulldogs was Peter Mazza '01, whose 2000 squad went 7-3. Jack Siedlecki, Yale's Joel E. Smilow '54 Head Coach of Football, sees similarities between the two players.
"I compare Bobby to Peter Mazza," Siedlecki said. "Peter was an impact player right away. [Even as a freshman] he acted like an upperclassman and was treated like an upperclassman. Bobby was the same way. There was no `feeling his way' as a freshman. You just knew he was a different guy."
Siedlecki noticed those qualities in both Bobby and Larry back when they were just recruits, playing for long-time Acton-Boxborough coach Bill Maver.
"Their whole story as high school players -- starting as freshmen, losing their first game and then winning 50 games in a row -- you had the impression they were more than good football players," Siedlecki said. "They were kids who were going to influence your football team in more ways than just going out there and playing. That definitely has proven true with both of them."
The Abares' father, Lou, and mother, Suzanne Larkin, are both UConn graduates. Lou played football for the Huskies.
Abare leads Yale into its 136th season of football. He will be formally introduced as captain at the annual Yale football team banquet Saturday night. The 2008 season opener is set for Sept. 20 against Georgetown at the Yale Bowl, Class of 1954 Field.
report by Sam Rubin '95 (firstname.lastname@example.com), Yale Sports Publicity


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Out of stock
Silver Clara Stud Earrings with Erinite Shimmer Swarovski Crystals
Was $28.00
Now $21.00
Perfect for a dressy, special occasion outfit, or to go with your favorite jeans and tee shirt, this pair of Silver Clara Stud Earrings is a must-have for any season of the year. Featuring Erinite Shimmer Swarovski® Crystals, its soft green hue is highlighted by a blue and gold gleam, giving it a unique sparkle like no other!
Product Information
- Base material: brass
- Hook material: hypoallergenic, surgical stainless steel with comfort Earring backs
- Erinite Shimmer Swarovski Crystals
- Finish: silver
- Approx. size: 3/8" diameter
- Nickel and lead free


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As the weekend approaches, it's time for the Weekend Watchdog to resume patrol!
Before we learn what politicians are scheduled to appear on the Sunday shows, what questions do you think should be asked this Sunday? What issues should not be ignored by the Beltway media establishment? What real scandals should not be pushed aside for the manufactured outrages that always seem dominate the media?
Fill up the thread with your thoughts. Contact info for the Sunday shows is below. The Watchdog will be back this afternoon with the full Sunday show guest list and recommended questions for key guests.
Contact ABC's This Week by clicking here
Email CBS' Face The Nation at firstname.lastname@example.com
Email Fox News Sunday at firstname.lastname@example.com
Contact NBC's Meet The Press by clicking here
Remember: always be brief, polite and respectful when contacting the media, so our voices will be taken seriously.


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We will consolidate and send your packages at great rates.
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Te Ata Tino Toa, the organisation that campaigned to have the Maori flag flown from the Auckland Harbour Bridge, now wants to see it fluttering above all public schools.
Spokeswoman Te Ao Pritchard said she was sure that Education Minister Hekia Parata would welcome the idea, given that it tied in closely with the educational values she promoted, namely that it would help schools engage with Maori, promote Maori language and culture, and would follow best practice in other countries, including Australia. "We think it would be great for our tamariki to walk into school in the morning and see the Maori flag flying side by side with other flags. It will be a small but significant boost for them," Ms Pritchard said.
"Flying the Maori flag at our public schools will improve the Government position on the flag by flying it all year."
Te Ata Tino Toa congratulated schools that were already flying the flag, along with organisations such as Archives NZ, the Museum of Wellington, kura kaupapa Maori in Auckland and the University of Auckland marae.
- The Northland Age


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The alumni H-Club at Hope College will present its "Hope for Humanity Award" to Dr. Glenn Van Wieren and Karla Wolters on Saturday, Oct. 23, during the college's Homecoming Weekend.
The alumni H-Club at Hope College will present its "Hope for Humanity Award" to Dr. Glenn Van Wieren and Karla Wolters on Saturday, Oct. 23, during the college's Homecoming Weekend.
Van Wieren and Wolters, who are both Hope College graduates, were long-time members of the faculty and coaches at Hope before retiring at the end of the 2009-10 school year.
The "Hope for Humanity Award," first presented in 1990, recognizes Hope athletic alumni for consistent service to others and demonstrating the values of Christian commitment and service. The H-Club consists of Hope alumni who were athletic letter winners and other honorary letter winners as approved by the H-Club's Board of Directors.
The group will honor Van Wieren and Wolters during its annual Homecoming luncheon, which will be held in the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse. In keeping with the theme "Called to Coach," the event will also feature a celebration of Hope alumni who have served as coaches at any level.
Members of the community are welcome to attend the event. Tickets are $15 and may be obtained through the college's Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, which may be called at (616) 395-7899.
° Glenn Van Wieren, who graduated from Hope in 1964, joined the faculty in 1966. Coach of the Flying Dutchmen men's basketball team for 33 seasons, he was associated with Hope College basketball for some 50 years, dating back to his playing days in the early 1960s.
He nurtured a basketball program that is highly regarded across all of NCAA Division III. Averaging exactly 20 victories a season over 33 years (660-219), he had just one losing season. The 2009-10 Flying Dutchmen posted a 21-8 record to mark a school-record 31st consecutive winning season. Van Wieren entered the 2009-10 season ranked the fifth-winningest coach in NCAA Division III history, both in victories (now 660) and winning percentage (now .751).
He guided the Flying Dutchmen to a record 17 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) championships and appearances in 21 NCAA Division III post-season tournaments, including this past season. His teams advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen six times, to the Elite Eight four times and the final four three times, most recently in 2008. Hope finished second in the nation twice (1996 and 1998) and was third in 2008.
Van Wieren recorded his 600th victory faster than any Division III coach in history. He coached two teams (1983-84 and 1994-95) through unbeaten regular seasons. He coached in 87 "Rivalry" games against CalvinCollege, posting a 46-41 record.
In 2006 he was honored by the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame with the organization's Lifetime Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan in 2003.
While at Hope, he also coached baseball, cross country and soccer. He is among the winningest coaches in MIAA history with a total of 19 league championships in basketball, baseball and soccer.
His wife Jacquelyn (Jackie Nyboer) is a 1967 Hope graduate. The Van Wierens have four daughters, Gretel, Heidi, Kuria and Rebekah.
° Karla Wolters, a 1973 Hope graduate who joined the faculty in 1987, both taught and coached throughout her time at the college.
During the 2009-10 school year, her classes included the upper-level Introduction to Physical Education course as well as activity classes in sports ranging from korfball to cross-country skiing.
She has a passion for the history of sports and a special interest in the history of the Olympics and women in sports. She enjoys sharing this historical information and her collection of antique sports equipment with her students and community members.
Wolters was softball coach from the spring of 1988 through 2010, and brought a new level of success to the program, leading the Flying Dutch to five NCAA Division III tournament appearances. She was named the Region softball coach of the year in 1991, 1992 and 1995, and the Hope staff was honored by the MIAA in 2006. She closed her career ranked the fifth-winningest NCAA Division III coach all-time.
In addition to softball, Wolters coached volleyball, field hockey and women's tennis during her time at Hope. A member of the faculty and coach at CalvinCollege - where she was named national Division III coach of the year in volleyball--before coming to Hope, she was among the most successful coaches in the history of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association with 20 conference championships in softball, volleyball and women's basketball.
She also introduced the sport of korfball to Hope and western Michigan through a class she taught. In the fall of 2005 Hope entertained a Korfball team from Europe and the next summer a team comprised of Hope students and recent alumni traveled to Europe for a series of games. Wolters served on the governing board of USA Korfball and in 2007 was an assistant coach on the USA team that competed in the World Championships in The Czech Republic.
In 2008, Hope honored Wolters and her husband, Tom, who is also a 1973 Hope graduate, by naming the new softball stadium in their honor.


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What happened to DESIGN byME?
The original Design byMe vision was for a unique customization service, where consumers could design whatever they imagined on their computer, and buy the real model in their own LEGO box. Design byMe attracted several million people each year to build a huge range of amazing creations using the LEGO Digital Designer (LDD) software. Despite this success, the overall Design byMe experience has struggled to live up to the quality standards for a LEGO service. As a result, the LEGO® Design byME service was closed in January 2012.
Where did my models go?
You can still design what you want with LEGO Digital Designer and upload models into a public gallery on the new LEGO Digital Designer website. All of your old existing models have been transferred the new LDD gallery . You will also be able to generate building instructions from LEGO Digital Designer to build your models.
What about other Custom products?
This is not the end of customization for the LEGO Group, but a revision. We believe in the future of customization, but the service we offer has to be right for our consumers.
If you wish to buy bricks separately, you can use our Pick a Brick service.
The LEGO Design byME and the LEGO Factory team would like to thank you all for six great years of custom building!
Please contact our consumer service department if you have any additional questions.


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Collaborative Adaptive Management in the Southwest
Since the 1970s, some natural resource practitioners and academics have argued that natural resource management should be collaborative and should be adaptable over time in the face of new information and changing environmental and social conditions. Collaborative adaptive management, or CAM, is a natural resource management approach in which a diverse group of stakeholders iteratively plan, implement, monitor, evaluate and adjust management actions to reduce uncertainty and improve decisions over time. While promising in theory, few examples of successful CAM have been identified in practice.
Jenna Kay (MCP '12) looked at three relatively effective CAM efforts in the southwestern United States to find out what CAM looks like in practice and what is enabling these efforts to be successful over time. Specific tools, such as the use of a trained mediator and joint fact-finding, were introduced in the cases to address process deficiencies interfering with the group's ability to collaborate or test management strategies. Factors such as effective long-term leadership, committed and enthusiastic participants, and strong organizational partnerships have also promoted the implementation of these programs.
More lessons from Jenna's research in the field can be found in Jenna's thesis.
Posted on July 26, 2012, in mediation and tagged collaborative adaptive management, environment, mediation, MIT, southwest. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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It�s your community, coming to a screen near you.
It�s your community, coming to a screen near you.
Tourism in Onslow County will get a boost with seven virtual welcome center screens that will provide real-time information bout local weather, tourism, current events and more. The welcome centers are making their way to locations across the county so locals and visitors can see what the area has to offer.
Onslow County Tourism Director Theresa Carter is spearheading the project and said the screens will be set up in the following locations:
- OnslowCountyMuseum
- Swansboro Area Chamber of CommerceWelcomeCenter
-Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce
- EllisAirport
- OnslowCountyEnvironmental EducationCenterand Branch Library in Sneads Ferry
- Jacksonville Landing visitors center
A 32-inch TV connected to a computer will be in the front lobby of the Swansboro Chamber�s Welcome Center at 203 W. Church St.and will be the only touchscreen out of all the virtual welcome centers. The rest will connect to a mouse for an interactive experience.
Onslow County Museum Division Head Lisa Whitman-Grice said they are very excited about getting one of the screens at the OnslowCountyMuseum, where the first center will be installed by the end of this week.
�We�re the perfect jumping-off point, the western gateway center into the county from the interstate,� Whitman-Grice said.
She said the information they plan to share on the virtual welcome center will include a calendar of events for the entire county not just Richlands, where the museum is located. She also wants to include items of historical interest, possibly even short historical films or clips, on the TV which will sit in the front lobby of the museum.
Carter said they have only just started exploring the many uses for centers.
Each location will be able to program location-specific information on its TV and will be able to share information with other virtual welcome centers as well. Carter hopes this will encourage visitors to explore other communities in the area.
Carter said the screens will provide a clearer picture of how many visitors are in the area at a given time by analyzing the activity on the TVs.
Each TV can be filled with information from its remote location or centrally from the county.
�The county could take them over in emergency situations if necessary,� Carter said.
Then it could display emergency messages to tell people pertinent information about safety or evacuation procedures � such as a hurricane that may be headed for the area.
If one community makes a video of a local event or festival, they can put it in the central system for other virtual welcome centers to use.
Carter said that will be especially nice in situations such as when one community is experiencing inclement weather, and they can encourage visitors to head to another town to see the sights.
�This is our way of helping push people to and from different places,� she said.
She said it�s possible locations such as the airport could use the 55-inch HD TVs with 3D capabilities as entertainment when a flight is delayed.
Additionally, in front of every building with a virtual welcome center there will be a quick response code so people with smart phones can scan it and visit the Onslow County Tourism website when the buildings are closed. Carter said she hopes to see the virtual welcome centers in locations that are open around the clock.
The tourism office pursued the idea of the virtual welcome centers when they learned that visitors were not venturing into Jacksonville. Folks visiting local beaches would either stay near the beach or gravitate toward Wilmington, not knowing what Jacksonville had to offer.
�The challenge was, �How do we get the word out about all the things we have to do? How are we pushing them back and forth across the town lines in the county?� she said.
Tourism teamed up with Onslow County and the City of Jacksonville for the project. Onslow County Board of Commissioners granted funding for the virtual welcome centers from the hotel occupancy tax fund.
The funding means Onslow County will own the centers outright, Carter said, allowing each location and the county to promote whatever events, activities and partners they wish without having to run advertisements.
Supplies were bought last month, and installation is tentatively scheduled to begin at the end of this month. Officials say they will be installed at least by the end of the year.Onslow County ITS IT specialist Matt Dolejs will help install the centers which will have the capability to hook up to the county's network.
Dolejs said the virtual welcome centers will give people information at their fingertips.
�Everyone, new and old, is getting used to technology,� he said.
Carter said the program is cost-effective when compared to opening more visitors centers or tourism offices with additional support staff.
�I can�t even begin to tell you all the things we�re going to use it for,� Carter said. �I just think it�s going to give us the ability to service our visitors better.�


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Expert Tips
What is a name brand carried by Ellis Brothers?
Drexel Heritage is carried by Ellis Brothers, their furniture blends common-sense comforts with sophisticated style and of course, incredible quality.
If you are looking for a dining room, what does Ellis Brothers have?
"Harden Furniture" manufactures heirloom-quality bedroom, dining room, and occasional pieces as well as a complete line of fully upholstered furniture.


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OPT for Charter Schools
Managing transportation can be very challenging for new Charter Schools. These two presentations from the NYC DOE's Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) will make that task easier. OPT Basics explains the structure of the Office of Pupil Transportation and how charter schools work with OPT; Charter School Transportation Overview has current information on topics including eligibility, MetroCards, yellow bus service, and special education needs.


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I've been playing around with Books Search to create a video demonstration of how it can help genealogists (watch it on our You Tube channel), and decided to share a few hints I picked up:
For best results, limit your search to books only: From the Google home page, click the more link in the top frame, then select Books.
Type a surname plus subject:genealogy in the search box to look for published family histories. Not that your results will also include books authored by people with that surname, even if that family isn't the primary focus. By searching for genealogy as the subject, you'll avoid lots of hits on books where the word genealogy just happens to appear in the text.
Search by county and local history books by typing the state, county or city name (use quotation marks around an exact phrase) and the word history in the search box. For example: ohio "wood county" history.
On the results page, look at the end of each listing for Full View, Limited Preview, Snippet View or No Preview Available. This tells you how much of the actual book you'll get to see.
If the book is too big or takes too long to download, an alternative is to save it to a personal Google library you create. You have sign up for a free Google account to use this feature.
For books with limited or no viewable pages, use the Find This Book in a Library link to go to WorldCat, where you can enter your ZIP code to locate it in a library near you or where you can get it on interlibrary loan.


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Community Development Director Don Sargent resigns
Summit County Community Development Director Don Sargent announced his resignation on March 13, saying criticism to himself and staff has become too severe to continue working with the county.
"I've been thinking about resignation for some time, with all the angst that seems to be relentless with the criticism," Sargent said. "And it's been personal. When it started to affect me that way and I saw it in my wife, I thought maybe this isn't worth it for me anymore."
Sargent acknowledged that the nature of the job invites criticism but that it had crossed the line.
"At that point it just isn't worth it anymore," he said. "I was hoping that as we got through some major issues, that it would subside. But it seemed to be getting worse, and I thought, there's no win here."
Sargent came under fire in late 2011 for a decision regarding Boyer Research Park.
After Sargent overturned a Snyderville Basin Planning Commission decision to deny the first Boyer building in the park, it came to light that Sargent may have been personally acquainted with the park's project manager, David Allen, who officiated at Sargent's wedding.
Sargent told the County Council at the time that Allen had only participated in his wedding years prior because Allen had been Sargent's church bishop at the time.
Sargent underwent an ethics investigation early the next year following a complaint on another matter filed by a resident. The investigation, conducted by the Cache County attorney, concluded that Sargent's employment with the county should be terminated, though Summit County Manger Bob Jasper chose not to do so.
At the time of the investigation, Sargent maintained he had done nothing wrong, and said that the complaint had been filed by a man upset by building department decisions.
Sargent has held the position of Community Development Director for almost five years, outlasting the previous five Community Development Directors.
"There's been six Community Development Directors in the last 18 years," he said. "I hold the longevity record by a couple years. My goal was to beat the record, but I thought I could go a little longer. I have friends who have been Development Directors for 20 to 30 years, so this is not common. But we have such a diverse county and politics gets so volatile, and this position becomes an easy target."
The Planning Department has the difficult task of working with a county diverse in perspectives, cultures and traditions, Sargent said.
"Sometimes it gets pretty difficult to understand which direction an application review should go based on the diversification issues of our population," he said. "I think we do a good job. I think the staff is very astute at respecting the needs and desires of the community, and making recommendations according to those."
Sargent added that the Planning Department relies on the Planning Commission and citizens to guide decisions.
"But it's been a little frustrating, the lack of respect for staff and their abilities to make recommendations, knowing the recommendations are per the code and ordinances," he said. "There has been some a few very outspoken critics that have been absolutely relentless, harsh, negative and downright mean sometimes. And that's not acceptable as far as I'm concerned. It does no one any good at any time in the process of trying to make good decisions for the betterment for the community."
Sargent said public input is critical in making decisions, and he's tried to encourage it and provide every opportunity for it.
"But when the current is so negative, accusatory and critical, it becomes unproductive to the process and starts to taint the whole public arena," he said.
The hardest part of resigning is leaving his staff, Sargent said.
"When I made the announcement, I teared up a bit," he said. "I have a close association with the staff, their skills and abilities, and who they are. It's difficult to step out of the family circle."
Sargent has been working for Summit County since 1992, when he was hired as a county planner. He held the job for three years, before moving to the private sector until 2004, when he returned to the county as the principal planning director.
Although his expertise is in government planning and he loves what he does, Sargent said he needs a break from it for a while.
"I need to step back and do something different," he said. "I'm looking at some related positions, but they are not directly related to government planning, though they are related to being a director, supervisor or manager. My wife and I are assessing things right now to see where we want to go and what we want to do."
Sargent said he hopes to move to Southern Utah where he has family.
"We like that area and go down quite often to hike and enjoy the red rock country," he said. "And things appear to be falling into place in that direction, so we'll see where it goes."
Sargent's final day with the county is April 30.
"I've been feeling the relief from the pressures already," he said. "I think it's going to be good for me personally and for my family, and I think it might even help the Planning Department move on. Hopefully the community will change perspective and give the new director the benefit of the doubt and try to move forward with the things we've been trying to do for so long."
County Councilmember Claudia McMullin said she had worked with Sargent for nine years and was sorry to see him leave.
"He's a great addition to the community," she said.
Jasper said he plans to hire someone to replace Sargent as quickly as possible.
"I don't know if I'll do the full-blown formal recruiting process," he said. "I'm in a hurry. There are head hunters and a variety of other ways to get good people interested. I just want to move quickly."
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.
Summit County focuses on 'shovel-ready' watershed, fire projects over legislative push for public lands
Opting against what could be a decade-long effort for federal legislation, Summit County directed staff to pursue projects with greater short-term impacts.


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Soybean plants typically are waist high by the end of August, but drought limited the height of plants, according to Shaun Casteel, an assistant professor of agronomy at Purdue. Although these plants just west of the Purdue campus in Tippecanoe County are only knee-high to Casteel, their height doesn't necessarily translate into reduced yields. Casteel, an Extension soybean specialist, is optimistic that late-season rains could increase yield levels. (Purdue Agricultural Communication photo/Tom Campbell)
By Jennifer Stewart-BurtonAugust 30, 2012
July and August rains have come just in time to preserve some of the yield potential of much of Indiana's drought-stressed soybean crop, and more was on the way as the remnants of Hurricane Isaac moved north from the Gulf Coast.
While the season-long drought has not yet ended, rains and a letup in record-setting heat have combined to rejuvenate the crop so much that soybean farmers in some areas of the state could still see trend, or more normal, yields, Purdue Extension agronomist Shaun Casteel said.
But rain from Isaac over the long Labor Day holiday weekend might not be such a good thing for the crop, which could be damaged by flooded fields and wind. Rainfall amounts were forecast from 2 inches in the far north of the state to 7.5 inches in the south, according to the Indiana State Climate Office based at Purdue University.
"We could see some standing water in areas of the state that have been getting rain, where soil moisture has been replenished," Casteel said. "Soybeans in areas of the state that haven't had much rain can still benefit from this weekend's rain provided it is not excessive."
Most soybean plants are shorter than normal this year, so wind would not be as much of a factor as it would have been in other years. But as soybeans have recovered from drought stress, some have elongated internodes, or the distance between trifoliate leaves, and heavy pod production on the upper two-thirds of the plants. Those top-heavy plants would be most at risk for lodging, or stalk damage, from strong winds, Casteel said.
In its August crop production report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture projected that Indiana soybean yields would average 37 bushels per acre, down 24 percent from the trend prediction of 48.7. But those estimates were based on crop conditions as of Aug. 1, and if steady rainfall continues, Casteel said there's a chance growers could make up some of the difference.
"Late-July and early-August rains have helped soybeans retain pods, and more recent rains have helped the plants fill pods," Casteel said. "At this point in the growing season, we're keeping an eye on seed size."
The average size of Indiana soybean seeds is 3,000 seeds per pound. But as it rains, Casteel said that number from this year's drought-damaged crop could notch closer to 2,500 per pound.
Short plant sizes have alarmed many growers this season, but smaller plants don't necessarily equate to smaller yields.
"Plant stature isn't a driving factor in soybean yields," Casteel said. "What's more important is having plenty of leaf area. In a more normal crop, soybean plants would have 5-6 times as much leaf area as ground area, but good yields can be obtained with leaf area that is only four times the ground area."
Casteel was quick to point out that conditions vary by region. The U.S. Drought Monitor update of Thursday (Aug. 30), for example, showed that most of the improvement in conditions was in northeast Indiana, where the drought was downgraded from severe to moderate, the second level of dryness. But some counties in southeast Indiana near Cincinnati deteriorated to extreme drought, the second-highest level.
"There really have been three drought scenarios in Indiana this year," he said. "Some areas have been dry all season long, some were dry early but then had timely rains, and other areas started out with rain but dried off late."
In the southwestern portion of the state, farmers have experienced exceptional drought throughout much of the season and still might not see much potential to preserve yield at this point. In parts of the state that started out dry but then got timely rains, soybeans are progressing well. This is especially true in the north-central and the northeast. The southeast had rain early but then dried off. Pod retention has been a problem in those areas.
Growers who do have soybeans to harvest will be able to take advantage of extremely high prices. Soybean futures for November 2012 and January 2013 are hovering around $17 per bushel. That's up nearly $6 per bushel from the November 2011 futures.
With prices that high, Casteel said growers need to be doing yield estimates for grain marketing.
He also said it's important for farmers to inspect plants for bean leaf beetles. The insect emerged earlier and at higher populations after a mild winter, which gave it time to produce a second generation that could now damage soybean yields.
"We need to be out in the fields looking for bean leaf beetles feeding on pods, not leaves," he said. "Treatment thresholds are going to be lower this year because soybean prices are so high."
More information about estimating soybean yields and bean leaf beetle is available in the Aug. 24 issue of Purdue Extension's Pest and Crop Newsletter.
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text: DigitalRoll Call: SHIFT Communications, SHADOW PR, Smithsonian Media and MoreBy Elizabeth S. Mitchell|September 21, 2012 ShareBy Elizabeth S. Mitchell|September 21, 2012 ShareSHIFT Communications has announced the addition of Victoria Shaw as vice president in its San Francisco office. She joins SHIFT with more than 14 years of communications and marketing experience working with organizations of all sizes — from start-ups through Fortune 500 companies. She will be responsible for building SHIFT's growing portfolio of B2B and B2C emerging brands. (Release)SHADOW PR, a full-service fashion, beauty, lifestyle and hospitality publicity agency based in New York City, has announced that Liza Bychkov and Michelle Davidson have been named partners. Bychkov and Davidson, formerly Vice Presidents of the Fashion/Beauty and Hospitality/Lifestyle divisions, respectively, have worked with the agency's Principals, Brad Zeifman and Lisette Sand-Freedman for nearly a decade and were instrumental in the company's development and overall success. (Release)Ricky Lee has been named communications director at Leila Heller Gallery. He had been president/founder at Press Secretariat. (MB)Lori Erdos has been named business development director of digital at Smithsonian Media. She had been VP of advertising sales at Gannett. (MB)Ben Schneider has been named leader of the media measurement and analytics team at Edelman Berland, the insights and analytics subsidiary of Edelman. Schneider previously worked as director of strategy and business development at Report International, and in the past he held positions at Dow Jones, Cision and CARMA International. Schneider will report to James Turner, UK Managing Director. (Release) Sharehttp://adweek.it/2kICVBL copy Adweek Adweek


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Job Description
MSELECT is looking for a Corporate Sales Representative on behalf of our client, a major Telecommunications Corporation in Hilla.
As a Corporate Sales Representative you will be responsible for promotion and sales of the products and services offered by the client to other corporations and institutes.
- Fill in and update full accounts information with proper account profile on monthly basis/after successful activation transaction.
- Prepare accounts plans and schedules to identify specific targets and to project the number of contacts to be made forecasted accounts.
- Achieve monthly targets through products/services, and acquire new corporate accounts and per defined area/region.
- Build good relations with all accounts.
- Follow up corporate account requirements in coordination with the business stakeholders.
- Attend industry conferences/events to develop industry expertise and to build network.
- Ensure and manage all documentation required per the business rules.
- Support all the customer with the required training, business system, daily operations.
- Ensure all account daily/weekly/monthly payments in coordination with internal stakeholders.
Working conditions:
- Field and office based.
- 5 days per week.
- Bachelors or Diploma in Business, Marketing or Management.
- At least 3 years' experience in corporate sales – preferred in Telecom industry.
- A strong understanding of sales skills, sales planning, team management.
- Ability to work with team environment.
- Fluent in Arabic and English is an advantage.
- PC literate (MS Office).
Personal Attributes:
- Persistent.
- Flexible attitude & team player.
- Knowledge and understanding of the marketing principles.
- Customer service oriented.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Result oriented.


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The National Science Foundation has awarded nearly $5 million dollars in grants to 14 universities through its Cluster Exploratory (CluE) program to participate in the IBM/Google Cloud Computing University Initiative.
Resources available through the IBM/Google Cloud Computing University Initiative include:
- A cluster of processors running an open source implementation of Google's published computing infrastructure (MapReduce and GFS from Apache's Hadoop project)
- A Creative Commons licensed university curriculum developed by Google and the University of Washington focusing on massively parallel computing techniques
- Open source software designed by IBM to help students develop programs for clusters running Hadoop. The software works with Eclipse, an open source development platform.
- Management, monitoring and dynamic resource provisioning by IBM using IBM Tivoli systems management software
In 2007, IBM and Google announced a joint university initiative to help computer science students gain the skills they need to build cloud applications. Now, the NSF is using the same infrastructure and open source methods to award CluE grants to universities around the United States. Through this program, universities will use software and services running on an IBM/Google cloud to explore innovative research ideas in data-intensive computing. These projects cover a range of activities that could lead not only to advances in computing research, but also to significant contributions in science and engineering more broadly.
The National Science Foundation awarded Cluster Exploratory (CluE) program grants to Carnegie-Mellon University, Florida International University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, University of California-Irvine, University of California-San Diego, University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts, University of Virginia, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin, University of Utah and Yale University.
"Academic researchers have expressed a need for access to massively scaled computing infrastructures that allow them to complete projects and research activities that have been difficult or impossible previously due to the amount of data involved," said Jeannette Wing, the Assistant Director for Computer & Information Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation. "We are pleased to provide the awards to these fourteen universities, enabling researchers to engage with and explore this emerging and pervasive model of computing."
"We're pleased and excited that the CluE program will support a wide range of original research," said Alfred Spector, Google's Vice President for Research and Special Initiatives. "We're looking forward to seeing the grantees solve challenging problems across various fields through creative applications of distributed computing."
The universities will run a wide range of advanced projects and explore innovative research ideas in data-intensive computing, including advancements in image processing, comparative studies of large-scale data analysis, studies and improvements to the Internet, and human genome sequencing, among others, using software and services on the IBM/Google cloud infrastructure.
- Researchers at Carnegie-Mellon University are using cloud computing to characterize the topicality of web content to more effectively process web searches. Routing searches topically requires less effort than traditional searches, enabling significant computational and financial savings. The project is using the Google/IBM cluster to "crawl" the web and perform the data cleansing and pre-processing necessary to develop a web dataset of 1 billion documents to support the research. The web dataset is also being made available to the larger information retrieval community to multiply the impact of the project on that discipline.
- Florida International University (FIU) researchers are leveraging cloud computing to analyze aerial images and objects to help support disaster mitigation and environmental protection. Specifically, the CluE effort at FIU relates to its TerraFly project, which is a web-service of 40 terabytes of aerial imagery, geospatial queries and local data. Students and researchers will now be able to precisely code these images in real-time.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Yale University are using the National Science Foundation CluE grants for a comparative study of approaches to cluster-based, large-scale data analysis. Both MapReduce and parallel database systems provide scalable data processing over hundreds to thousands of nodes, yet it's important for researchers to know the differences in performance and scalability of these two approaches to know which is more suitable when designing new data-intensive computing applications.
- Purdue University is using this project is investigating linguistic extensions to MapReduce abstractions for programming modern, large-scale systems, with special focus on applications that manipulate large, unstructured graphs. This will impact a broad class of scientific applications. Graphs have important utility in the social sciences (social networks), recommender systems, and business and finance (networks of transactions), among others. The specific case study targeted by the research is a comparative analysis of graph-structured biochemical networks and pathways which underlie many important problems in biology.
- The University of California-Irvine is investigating data-quality issues resulting from a variety of errors create inconsistencies in structures, representations or semantics. Simple spelling variations such as "Schwarzenegger" vs. "Schwarseneger," "Brittany Spears" vs. "Britney Spears," or "PO Box" vs. "P.O. Box" are an example of this. Dealing with these issues is becoming increasingly important as the volume of data being processed increases. This project is providing support for efficient fuzzy queries on large text repositories. Supporting fuzzy queries can ultimately help applications mitigate their data quality issues because entities with different representations can be matched.
- Researchers at the University of California, San Diego are studying how to manage and process massive spatial data sets on large-scale compute clusters. The specific test case is analysis of high-resolution topographic data sets from airborne LiDAR surveys. LiDAR datasets are of interest to many Earth scientists and providing efficient access and analytic capabilities will have broad impact within the Earth sciences.
- Many of today's data-intensive application domains, including searches on social networks like Facebook and protein matching in bioinformatics, require us to answer complex queries on highly-connected data. The University of California-Santa Barbara Massive Graphs in Clusters (MAGIC) project is focused on developing software infrastructure that can efficiently answer queries on extremely large graph datasets. The MAGIC software will provide an easy to use interface for searching and analyzing data, and manage the processing of queries to efficiently take advantage of computing resources like large datacenters.
- The University of Maryland-College Park is using CluE funding for a machine translation project that promises to bridge the language divide in today's multi-cultural and multi-faceted society. Systems capable of converting text from one language into another have the potential to transform how diverse individuals and organizations communicate. By coupling network analysis with cross-language information retrieval techniques, the result is a richer, multilingual contextual model that will guide a machine translation system in translating different types of text. The potential broader impact of this project is no less than knowledge dissemination across language boundaries, which will serve to enrich the lives of all the world's citizens.
A second project focuses on developing parallel algorithms for analyzing the next generation of sequencing data. Scientists can now generate the rough equivalent of an entire human genome in just a few days with one single sequencing instrument. The analysis of these data is complicated by their size - a single run of a sequencing instrument yields terabytes of information, often requiring a significant scale-up of the existing computational infrastructure needed for analysis.
- The University of Massachusetts-Amherst project focuses on how researchers at the Center for Intelligent Information Retrieval (CIIR) are using the CluE infrastructure to learn more about word relationships. These relationships are not labeled explicitly in text and are quite varied; by exploiting these relationships, this project will help lead to a more effective ranking of web-retrieval results.
- Imagine continuously zooming into an image from your personal photo collection. Unlike with modern image processing software, however, this zoom operation would reveal details missing from the original image. For example, zooming into someone's shirt would eventually show a high-resolution image of the threads that compose it. The research team in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Virginia plans to develop techniques for intelligently enlarging a digital image that use a database of millions of on-line images to find examples of what its components look like at a higher spatial resolution.
- The University of Washington is addressing many fundamental questions about the nature of the universe through a series of ambitious wide-field optical and infrared imaging surveys. New methodologies for analyzing and understanding petascale data sets are required to answer these questions. This research project is focused on developing new algorithms for indexing, accessing and analyzing astronomical images. This work is expected to have a broad range of applications to other data intensive fields.
- The University of Washington and University of Utah project is building a new infrastructure for computational oceanography that uses the CluE platform to allow ad hoc, longitudinal query and visualization of massive ocean simulation results at interactive speeds. This infrastructure leverages and extends two existing systems: GridFields, a library for general and efficient manipulation of simulation results; and VisTrails, a comprehensive platform for scientific workflow, collaboration, visualization, and provenance.


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Disclaimer: All items are hand made and as a result there may be slight variations from piece to piece.
All items are cast by hand and as a result each piece is one of a kind. Small variations are a natural part of the casting process and add warmth and beauty to each piece. These collections are designed to enhance kitchens, bathrooms fine furniture and important doors.
Disclaimer: Please Note, each piece is hand made using the traditional sand-cast method. Small variations are a natural part of this type of casting process and add warmth and beauty to each piece. Center to Center will vary from piece to piece, pre-drilling is NOT suggested.
Du Verre products are one of a kind and each piece is manufactured with an engraved brand stamp of authenticity.
- Brand:
- Du Verre Hardware
- Collection:
- Du Verre Hardware ( Series One ) by Scot Laughton
- Category:
- Sand-Cast Collection
- Sub Category:
- Sand-Cast Knob
- Color:
- Silver
- Specific Finish:
- Polished Aluminum
- Made In:
- China
- Base Material:
- Aluminum
- No Restocking Fee:
- Yes
- Screw Size:
- 8-32
- Shape:
- Oval
- Theme:
- Contemporary/Modern
- Weight:
- 0.06lb / 27.22g
- California residents:
- see Proposition 65 information


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Peyton Manning, more than any player of his generation, is known as a coach on the field. And no opposing coach has given him more problems than Bill Belichick.
Manning said Wednesday that the New England Patriots coach is the "best coach" he's ever competed against.
"He'll go down as the greatest coach of all time," the Denver Broncos quarterback continued.
Manning will play a big role in deciding if that proves correct. If Belichick can get a fourth title, especially with this injury-ravaged team, Tom Brady and Belichick may be regarded as the greatest QB-coach tandem ever for this sustained success. If Belichick's brilliant post-2004 stretch of success doesn't eventually include another championship, we doubt he'll be considered the best.
Vince Lombardi, Paul Brown and Bill Walsh aren't going to be replaced atop the NFL's mountaintop. But Belichick can join them, especially if he takes down one of the greatest quarterbacks ever with a depleted defense that will be lucky to keep Manning to fewer than 30 points.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" interviews Carolina Panthers star Greg Hardy and looks ahead to the conference title games.


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Zino, Buckshaw Record Shutouts as Rams Sweep Mount Saint Mary
-Zino Ups School Record for Strikeouts in a Game-
Game 1: Farmingdale State - 3, Mount Saint Mary - 0
Game 2: Farmingdale State - 8, Mount Saint Mary - 0
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State softball team improved their record to 25-9, 10-2 in the conference as they defeated Skyline Conference opponent Mount Saint Mary, 3-0, 8-0 in Farmingdale, N.Y. The Blue Knights fall to 16-20 (9-3 Skyline).
In the series opener, sophomore Hope Zino (Bay Shore, N.Y. / Bay Shore) allowed only two hits, no walks, and struck out 15, breaking her own previous school record for strikeouts in a game. Zino struck out 14 against Old Westbury on April 15, 2009.
Both freshman second baseman Maressa Mistretta (Shirley, N.Y. / Longwood) and sophomore left fielder Rebecca Richman (West Islip, N.Y. / West Islip) had RBI singles to help the Rams' offense.
For Mount Saint Mary, freshman Caitlin Maynes (Miller Place, N.Y. / Miller Place) pitched six innings, giving up six hits in defeat.
In the second game, the Rams jumped out to an early lead as sophomore center fielder Kaitlin Keenan (West Islip, N.Y. / West Islip) singled up the middle. Junior shortstop Nicole Farber (Oakdale, N.Y. / Connetquot) single through the right side, scoring Rickman who reach on an error. Sophomore first baseman Aubrey Walker (West Babylon, N.Y. / West Babylon) then flied out to deep left center, scoring both Keenan and Farber. Farber finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Freshman catcher Jennifer Jarczynski (West Babylon, N.Y. / West Babylon) provided the most offense for the Rams, going 2-for-2 with a double, three runs batted in and a run scored.
Junior Heather Buckshaw (Oakdale, N.Y. / Connetquot) gave up three hits over five innings, striking out five in route to the shutout.
Junior first baseman Jackie Governale (Plainedge, N.Y. / Plainedge) had a pair of singles, while sophomore shortstop Danielle Orender (Wall, N.J. / Wall) had the only Blue Knights' extra base hit of the day, a double to left center.
Farmingdale will host Purchase College tomorrow at Noon for a double header as they complete their Skyline Conference regular season schedule.


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On this day — Osama Bin Laden was killed by American forces in Pakistan; we welcome you to our much improved blog (and we haven't stopped working on it); Patti Hart breaks down the politics of Dewhurst' Rainy Day flip-flop-flip; Peggy Fikac looks at Perry's own evolving opinion on using the 'Rainy Day Fund;' there's a new push to regulate the payday loans industry in Texas; Legislative leaders are chafing against efforts to privatize prison health services; and Dewhurst gets a new political adviser.
"Justice Has Been Done"
American special forces killed Osama bin Laden during a raid on a highly secured housing compound in city about 30 miles from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad where the terrorist mastermind was suspected to be living, President Barack Obama said during an hastily scheduled address to the nation late Sunday night.
Bin Laden, the figurehead and financier of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network, was one of the masterminds behind the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks on Washington and New York City, which killed more than 2,800 people. He was also directly linked to the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in Africa, which killed more than 200, and the bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 19.
The death of Bin Laden is a defining moment in the American-led war on terrorism. What remains to be seen is whether it galvanizes his followers by turning him into a martyr, or whether the death serves as a turning of the page in the war in Afghanistan and gives further impetus to the Obama administration to bring American troops home.
Bin Laden was killed nearly 10 years after Qaeda terrorists hijacked three American passenger jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth hijacked jet crashed into countryside of Pennsylvania.
Late Sunday night, as the president was speaking, cheering crowds gathered outside the gates of the White House as word of Bin Laden's death began trickling out, waving American flags, shouting in happiness and chanting "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" In New York City, crowds sang "The Star-Spangled Banner."
"This is important news for us, and for the world," said Gordon Felt, president of the Families of Flight 93, the airliner that crashed into the Pennsylvania countryside after passengers fought with hijackers. "It cannot ease our pain, or bring back our loved ones. It does bring a measure of comfort that the mastermind of the Sept. 11 tragedy and the face of global terror can no longer spread his evil."
From the Associated Press' obituary of Bin Laden:
The most intense manhunt in history finally caught up with Osama bin Laden, but his life's story will be told many different ways by different people. Reviled in the West as the personification of evil, bin Laden was admired and even revered by some fellow Muslims who embraced his vision of unending jihad against the United States and Arab governments he deemed as infidels.
Bin Laden's money and preaching inspired the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed just under 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, and forever ripped a hole in America's feeling of security in the world.
His actions set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and a clandestine war against extreme Islamic adherents that touched scores of countries on every continent but Antarctica. America's entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terror attacks at home.
Bin Laden was killed in an operation led by the United States, President Barack Obama said Sunday. A small team of Americans carried out the attack and took custody of bin Laden's remains, Obama said.
– The Houston Chronicle's Patti Hart reports on new efforts to regulate the Pay Day Loan industry here in Texas.
– The politics of the 'Rainy Day Fund' may have taken Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst out for a ride, writes the Chronicle's Patti Hart in her weekend column.
– Speaking of the 'Rainy Day Fund,' Chronicle/Express-News Austin Bureau Chief Peggy Fikac charts how Gov. Rick Perry's position on spending money from the fund has dramatically changed.
– The Austin American-Statesman's Mike Ward reports that leaders in the Legislature are chafing against a push to privatize the state's prison healthcare service system.
– The Statesman's Jason Embry reports that Dave Carney has added Lt. Gov. Dewhurst to his client list.
***Welcome Home…
Welcome to the first 'Word' on our new WordPress based blogging system. As you can probably tell, a lot has changed. Our move to WordPress marks the first significant overhaul of the Houston Chronicle's blogs in six years. The transitions will be rocky at times, and we ask that you bear with us as we work out all of the new kinks.
Some of the improvements will be obvious to you right away: The comments section now works a lot like the commenting section on the Houston Chronicle or San Francisco Chronicle's webpage, which is a major usability improvement. Comment posts are now threaded, making it a lot easier to see who is replying to what. The functionality of the search engine has been greatly improved, making it easier for you to search our archives. And we've made it a lot easier to share our stories on Facebook and Twitter, just click on the new icons at the bottom of every post.


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|Head Coach
|(229) 931-2231
|12th Season
|Previous College:
|La Grange '93
Kelly Britsky enters her 12th season as the head women's basketball coach at Georgia Southwestern. She is just the second head coach in the program's history as a NCAA Division II member. The Lady Canes are coming off a 13-13 record in the 2016-17 season.
During Britsky's tenure the Lady Hurricanes have built the program's resume. Their appearance in the 2010 PBC Conference Tournament was the first time the GSW women's basketball program has made a post season tournament of any kind since the Lady 'Canes' appearance in the NAIA Tournament in 2001. That tournament appearance in 2010 represents the accelerated improvement of the program, which didn't win a conference game in the 2007-08 season.
Prior to her arrival in Americus, Coach Britsky coached at LaGrange College (1999-2007) in LaGrange, Ga. She was the first head coach of the Lady Panthers basketball program and helped lead LaGrange to a United States Athletic Association National Tournament appearance in the program's third year of existence. The Britsky era at LaGrange included two All-Americans, twelve All-Conference Team Players and five All-Freshman Team members and one Freshman Player of the Year. Her teams have also enjoyed a 100% graduation rate of students that finished their careers in program and have also had 16 All Academic Team Members. Britsky was honored as the 2001-2002 and 2006-2007 Great South Basketball Coach of the Year.
At LaGrange Britsky also coached volleyball for 10 years with a record after of 193-150. Her teams appeared in three United States Athletic Association (USCAA) national tournaments and finished runner-up three times in the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC). The Panthers won 20 or more matches in six of her ten seasons. The volleyball team produced four All-Americans, seven all-region players, a region player of the year, a three-time region setter of the year, 20 all-conference players and two conference players of the year and many All Academic team members.
Britsky attended Abraham Baldwin College and was a member of the 1991 National Championship team in softball, also named to the All-National team that year. She then went on to LaGrange College were she finished up her athletic career and earned a degree in history and education. She stayed on as an assistant coach after graduation in 1994 when LaGrange College won a national championship in softball. She left LaGrange and spent three years at Perry High School where she coached softball, basketball and track before returning to LaGrange College to continue her coaching career and earn her Masters in Education.
Britsky has been inducted into both the Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College Hall of Fame in 2010 and LaGrange College Hall of Fame in 2013. Britsky was honored for her time work on the 1991 Softball team at Abraham Baldwin. LaGrange College recognized her work as a student athlete (1993-94) and coach (1997-2007).


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November / December 2014 Human Rights Digest
The November / December 2014 issue of the Human Rights Digest has been added to CHRR Online. December 18, 2014.
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To the Editor:
I went to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6, as did many others at the City Center. We got there around 9:30 a.m. There was not a large crowd at that time.
I am partially handicapped. Standing is not something I'm able to do very much of.
I asked if there was an area or place where I could sit down to vote. I was directed to a cubicle with a chair, and someone was using it at the time. So I waited in line for the person to get done voting.
Nov. 11, 1918, at exactly 11 a.m., representatives of the forces fighting World War I signed the armistice which brought that deadly conflict to an end.
Up until 1954, when the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day, Armistice Day was observed as one of the top holidays in the United States. All schools, most cities and the nation had programs and observances of this important date.
Copyright 2012-2016 McLeod Publishing, Inc. | 716 East 10th Street | P.O. Box 188 | Glencoe, Minnesota 55336 | (320) 864-5518


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New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers
June 10, 2018
1. The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations
John McCain and Mark Salter
A memoir by the Republican senator from Arizona.
2. The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels
Jon Meacham
The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer contextualizes the present political climate through the lens of difficult moments in American history.
3. Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence
James R. Clapper with Trey Brown
The former director of national intelligence describes events that challenged the intelligence community and considers some ethical questions around its efforts.
4. How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
Michael Pollan
A personal account of how psychedelics might help the mentally ill and people dealing with everyday challenges.
5. Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"
Zora Neale Hurston
A previously unpublished, first-person account of Cudjo Lewis, a man who was transported and enslaved 50 years after the slave trade was banned.
6. A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership
James Comey
The former F.B.I. director recounts cases and personal events that shaped his outlook on justice, and analyzes the leadership styles of three presidents.
7. Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Empire
Bret Baier and Catherine Whitney
The Fox News anchor describes Ronald Reagan's 1988 visit to the Soviet capital.
8. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Michelle McNamara
The late true-crime journalist's search for the serial murderer and rapist known as "the Golden State Killer."
9. Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund
A look at our biases and the argument for why the world is in a better state than we might think.
10. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
John Carreyrou
The rise and fall of Theranos, the biotech startup that failed to deliver on its promise to make blood testing more efficient.
11. Educated: A Memoir
Tara Westover
The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.
12. Robin
Dave Itzkoff
New York Times
journalist details the career and struggles of the actor and comedian Robin Williams.
13. War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence
Ronan Farrow
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist chronicles the deterioration of American diplomacy.
14. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
Neil deGrasse Tyson
A straightforward, easy-to-understand introduction to the universe.
15. Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs
John Doerr
How a goal-setting system helped large tech companies succeed.
© 2018 All rights reserved by New York Times Syndication Sales Corp. This material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.
A version of this list appears in the June 10, 2018 issue of The New York Times Book Review. Rankings reflect sales for the week ending May 26, 2018.
Delaware County District Library
84 E Winter St
Delaware, OH 43015


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Premier League: Manchester United fire up at West Brom
Phil Jones, Wayne Rooney and substitute Danny Welbeck found the net to ensure Mel's wait for a first win in charge of the Midlanders was extended to seven games, with the victory lifting United to sixth in the Premier League above Everton and leaving West Brom deep in the relegation mire.
Mel's United counterpart David Moyes denied his players were not fully behind him in the build-up to the game, and the champions backed that up with a clinical display to keep their slim hopes of UEFA Champions League qualification alive.
West Brom began the game on the front foot, but United showed menace on the counter-attack.
Their much-vaunted front four of Mata, Adnan Januzaj, Rooney and Robin van Persie showed more cohesion than in previous games, but it was Chris Brunt who almost put United ahead after 16 minutes.
The West Brom captain inadvertently diverted Marouane Fellaini's 16th-minute header goalwards before Youssouff Mulumbu came to his rescue by clearing off the line.
The hosts then had former United goalkeeper Ben Foster to thank for keeping them level just before the half-hour mark when he kept out Rafael's powerful back-post header.
There was nothing Foster could do about the 33rd-minute opener, however, as Jones glanced Van Persie's free-kick past the keeper from eight yards for his first Premier League goal of the season.
West Brom should have drawn level five minutes later when Claudio Yacob nodded over from three yards, before Victor Anichebe outmuscled Jones with his back to goal only to drag wide from 12 yards.
Foster appeared fortunate to escape punishment just before half-time as he seemed to handle outside his area, with referee Jonathan Moss waving play on despite vehement protests from Moyes.
Mel's side began the second period as they started the first, and created a clear opening after 52 minutes only for Zoltan Gera to shoot tamely straight at David de Gea after a neat one-two with Anichebe.
Moss was again in the spotlight shortly after, as he deemed Van Persie's second wild lunge in the space of five minutes unworthy of a second booking.
The referee cautioned the Dutchman for his first poor tackle on Morgan Amalfitano, and could easily have dismissed him when he went in late on Steven Reid shortly after, but opted instead for a stern warning.
Moyes, perhaps mindful of his striker's fortune, substituted Van Persie for Welbeck just after the hour mark.
United were struggling to contain Anichebe's physicality, and the former Everton man almost created the equaliser when he fired across goal after once again shrugging off the attentions of Jones, but Rafael was on hand to clear before Brunt could tap in to an open goal.
Despite West Brom's promising start after the interval, they were undone by a moment of real quality from the visitors as Rooney doubled their advantage after 65 minutes.
Slick interplay between Rooney, Mata and Rafael ended with the Brazil defender finding the unmarked England striker with a pinpoint cross, and he made no mistake with a simple back-post header.
Welbeck then made sure seven minutes from time when he latched on to Rooney's perfectly weighted throughball and produced a smart finish.


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New York, NY (PRWEB) December 03, 2013
A new Ernst & Young LLP report shows that companies that have female CEOs, female independent chairs or lead directors, or female nominating committee chairs are more likely to have higher levels of gender diversity on the board and to have added new directors in recent years. The report – Diversity drives diversity– reveals that diverse boards are increasing their diversity, and that the historically slow pace of board turnover may be poised to accelerate as a result of expected turnover in board seats in coming years. This refreshment is an opportunity to fill vacated seats with diverse candidates and increase board seats held by women.
"Effective corporate governance demands a diverse mix of talent and experience in the boardroom," said Allie Rutherford, Director of the Corporate Governance Center at Ernst & Young LLP. "Boards can use a time of renewal to ensure an appropriate mix of talent, experience and attributes in the boardroom so companies will be poised to address tomorrow's most complex business challenges. A thoughtful and robust board evaluation process can help ensure that individual director competencies are fully understood, recognized, utilized and valued."
Key findings include:
Gender diversity accelerates board renewal and diversification. Companies with women on the board are more likely to have added new directors, including more women, to the board.
-The portion of companies with just one female director has stayed constant at 36% over the past seven years, however the portion of companies with two or more female directors has increased to 42% and the number of all-male boards has dropped to 22%.
Progress toward gender diversity on boards continues, while gender diversity by industry varies greatly.
-More women are being appointed to boards and to board and executive leadership positions, though change continues to be gradual. However, women still account for only 15% of board seats, which is less than the proportion of seats held by directors named John, Robert, William and James.
-The presence of women on boards varies depending on the industry. For example, companies in the power and utilities (20% female directors), consumer products and media and entertainment industries (each 19% female directors) have the highest levels of gender diversity. In contrast, construction and oil and gas companies have the lowest levels of gender diversity (each 10% female directors), and nearly 40% of technology companies do not have any women on their boards. Other industries most likely to have all-male boards include oil and gas, diversified industrial products, and real estate.
More women are joining public company boards for the first time. Industry experience is the top qualification cited by companies for newly appointed female board members.
-49% of female directors appointed to boards in the past two years are first-time public company directors, up from previous years.
-The six most common qualifications cited by companies for women joining boards in 2012-2013 include:
1. Industry experience
2. Financial / accounting
3. Executive leadership
4. Experience serving on other public company boards
5. Operational leadership
6. Strategic planning
-More than two-thirds of women joining boards in the past two years are current or former public company executives, though an increasing portion are at the vice president and managing director ranks.
Companies with female leaders have more women in executive positions, helping to build the pool of female board candidates.
-Companies that have female CEOs, female independent chairs or lead directors, or female compensation committee chairs are more likely to women in named executive officer positions (excluding CEO).
Composition of US boards is poised for change, as a substantial portion of directors are long-tenured or approaching retirement.
-45% of board seats are held by individuals with a tenure of 10 years or longer, and 88% of these are men.
-Around 27% of current board seats could turn over in the next five years. Men account for 94% of board seats held by directors age 68 and older.
The slow pace of change in gender diversity, lack of board turnover and lengthy tenures of some individual directors are raising concerns among investors around compromised board independence, group-think stifling boardroom debate and a lack of fresh perspectives and insights. Investors are more closely evaluating individual director tenure and are encouraging boards to engage in proactive director succession planning so companies have the diverse talent that can successfully address an increasingly competitive business environment.
For more information and to access to Diversity drives diversity and other reports, visit http://www.ey.com/US/en/Issues/Governance-and-reporting.
About Ernst & Young LLP's Corporate Governance Center
Ernst & Young LLP's Corporate Governance Center (EYCGC or the Center) offers balanced insights and data-rich content and analysis that foster alignment and bridges gaps among management, boards of directors and investors – raising awareness, creating understanding and serving as a conduit of information. The Center's insights and content are supported through its proprietary corporate governance database, relationships with outside governance organizations and ongoing conversations with members of the investor and governance community.
About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.
EY refers to the global organization and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
This news release has been issued by Ernst & Young LLP, a member of the global EY organization that provides services to clients in the US.