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As part of efforts to be a leading institution in helping college students from underserved communities succeed academically, Franklin & Marshall College is expanding a faculty-led advising model with support from the Booth Ferris Foundation.
The foundation has awarded F&M a $220,000 grant to be used over the three-year life of a pilot program that will broaden mentoring for students -- many of whom are the first in their families to attend college -- to ensure high retention rates and help them flourish in college, said Dean of the College Margaret Hazlett.
The program begins this 2013-14 academic year, and aims to build on a growing body of research and demonstrated success of peer learning communities and mentoring programs.
"Many talented, high-achieving students applying to college today grew up in communities where going to college wasn't always an expectation, and it may be an experience that no one else in their families has shared," Hazlett said. "For these students, who may not know how to take advantage of the resources available, a program of faculty mentoring and a model based on peer support from classmates provide the early intensive support that helps them acclimate to and succeed in college."
Selected students will be invited on a voluntary basis to join one of three mentoring cohorts, Hazlet explained. They'll participate in a faculty and peer model designed to give the students a safe space to freely share concerns and resources to support each other in maximizing their academic and social integration into college.
Throughout the program's first two years, weekly sessions with a faculty mentor, two upperclass peer mentors and a program director will introduce the students to topics including academic planning, research assistance at the library, counseling services, leadership development, career mapping and taking advantage of professors' office hours and departmental tutoring.
F&M plans to assemble the three new cohorts of approximately 10 students in each of the first two years, for a total of about 60 students in the program. The cohorts will be made up of students from a range of predominantly public schools, including students from rural Pennsylvania, the Southern California College Access Network, and various public charter networks like KIPP and Achievement First. The program will be funded by the Booth Ferris Foundation grant through April 2016.
The College won the competitive grant through a proposal arising from a collaboration between the Provost's office and Dean of the College's office, with the support of F&M's Grants Council and the Office of the President.
"These are outstanding students with many college options," F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield said. "I admire the way that F&M faculty and peers are interested in helping make sure that students who choose F&M are supported in translating their intelligence, perseverance, resilience, resourcefulness and hard work into distinctive college success. This program is an expansion of our commitment to strong faculty advising, paired with the unique benefits of a peer network, to help students shoot high and succeed."
College leaders believe the program will build on the documented success of mentoring programs at the national Posse Foundation, which identifies high-achieving students in underrepresented groups and sends them to partner colleges across the country, including F&M, Porterfield said. After educating Posse students for seven years, F&M in 2012 became the third institution in the country, and the first liberal arts college, to offer a STEM Posse for students in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.
Testing the faculty model
Interim Provost and Dean of Faculty Joseph Karlesky said the pilot program will test the efficacy of a F&M's faculty-led advising model that focuses on retention and academic success for first-generation and underrepresented students. In the past two years, first-generation students have constituted about 15 percent of F&M's incoming classes.
"This program reflects our faculty's strength, not only in educating well, but also in demonstrating the power of higher education to respond to the promise of students from every segment of the American economy and from every community across the country," Karlesky said. "We are focusing on the transition to college to ensure that strong students get the strongest possible start."
An important element of the pilot program is that it provides support to help equip the faculty mentors who will play a key role in the success of the students, Karlesky said. The upperclass mentors will help faculty plan and facilitate weekly group meetings, the Dean of the College's Office will provide administrative support, and F&M Senior Associate Dean for Planning and Analysis of Student Outcomes Donnell Butler will provide ongoing assessment of the program's effectiveness.
F&M's proposal to the Booth Ferris Foundation framed the program as part of an expansion of ongoing efforts to promote college access and success. These efforts have included doubling financial aid since 2008; enhanced admission outreach; creation of partnerships with leading college access programs and school networks in underserved communities nationwide; launching a pre-college immersion program called F&M College Prep; and hosting an annual "College Summit" for high-achieving students from rural Pennsylvania high schools. The College also evolved its career services model in 2012, launching a new Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development.
Established in 1957 under the wills of Willis H. Booth, a New York City banker, and his wife, Chancie Ferris Booth, the Booth Ferris Foundation contributes to organizations pursuing efforts in areas that include progressive higher education programs.
Casey Castañeda, vice president and program officer for the foundation, said Booth Ferris looks for projects that create not just access for first-generation students, but develops and sustains their academic and personal success.
"Franklin & Marshall's project was, from that perspective, compelling," Castañeda said. "Other colleges provide access to first-generation students, but not all provide the guidance necessary for them to succeed. This seems like a creative way to address that."


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New Milford petitioners think Towne Crier Cafe would be a good fit to their music scene
NEW MILFORD - A petition is circulating on Facebook to try to get a popular music spot across the border in New York state to come to New Milford.
The Towne Crier Café in Pawling, N.Y., a long-established venue for live music, is looking to relocate. It is now going month to month in its current location.
"I heard that Danbury and Westchester would like the Crier there, but they have live music venues already. There's nothing here, so there would be no competition," Mr. Brophy said.
"But why not come to New Milford?" said local resident Bob Brophy, of the musical group The Blue Yodels, who has posted a petition on Facebook ("musical petition to bring the Towne Crier Café to New Milford").
The idea, he said in an interview Thursday evening, "came to life on its own."
"There's a huge population here--more than 200,000 in the area, and there's easy access to main highways. It's only 12 minutes from New Milford High School to the Danbury Fair Mall. In fact, it's only a half hour--15 miles--from the Towne Crier's current location to Bank Street, the heart of downtown," Mr. Brophy said.
On the Facebook page, he lists the population of New Milford (28,671) and that of Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, Newtown, Roxbury, Sherman, Southbury, and Washington as the immediate drawing area."
"There is a music scene here, at the bars, but no place anywhere around here for bigger shows," he said. But there are spots that could accommodate a crowd, he noted.
There are vacant storefronts in the Stop & Shop Plaza on Danbury Road (Route 7), Mr. Brophy said by way of an example, adding that a friend mentioned the former location of CVS on Main Street, opposite the Green, as another suggestion."Everyone around here who likes music has probably been to the Towne Crier, and there are probably more people from around here that go there than there are from where the Crier is now," Mr. Brophy said.
The musician said he has not approached the Crier's owner, Phil Ciganer, with the idea.
"But I don't think I need his permission to make a petition saying 'Come on over here, to New Milford.' I posted the petition two days ago and have already had a lot of positive response, and a friend of mine said he spoke to Phil about it.
"I don't know what Phil knows about New Milford, but he should come and check it out," Mr. Brophy said.
Adding that he believes in taking "the buckshot approach--take a shot in the air and see where the pellets land," Mr. Brophy said that in addition to starting a petition he has spoken with the town's new economic development supervisor, Christopher Blocker, and sent out e-mails to the mayor's office and a few Town Council members.
"I want to get everyone thinking about it and talking about it, so maybe something can be done about it," he said. "I don't anything about the business, but I think all kinds of things could be arranged.
Mr. Ciganer said in an interview this morning that he heard about the petition, adding that he has had "a tremendous outpouring of invitations and opportunities, from all over--from Ossining and Yonkers [in New York state] to Great Barrington [Mass.]"
"There have been a lot of emotional responses. It's very gratifying and heartwarming," he said.
Mr. Ciganer, who lives in Dover Plains, N.Y., said he has been to New Milford. "Where I live is not far from Kent, and New Milford is just down Route 7."
He declined to say, however, whether it might present a viable opportunity for him to re-establish his popular business in New Milford.
"I moved before," he said. "The Crier is not in the original location. I moved in '87 to an interim place in Millbrook, N.Y., but it wasn't working out and then I found this location in Pawling. The original place was a stagecoach stop and was historically charming. This place is charming by design.
"What I've learned is that it's better to be in a more populated area rather than be a destination," Mr. Ciganer continued. "When I moved the business to Pawling, [business] was supposed to have a lot of potential in this area, but the economy went south twice since then.
"I hope that the next time I move will be the last time. My goal is to move a step up, not a step down. The environment conditions have to be right. I don't think that setting up some tables in a storefront would work for me. I don't know yet what would, but I'm taking my time. You do the best you can and hope that the decision will be the right one. In the next week or two, I might be closer to an answer," he said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Thursday, August 19, 2010
People will usually take the time to file a complaint, but how often do we go out of our way to pay a compliment? Well, I'm enjoying one of the promotional deals from Direct tv, so I want to take the time to express my appreciation. We've had Direct TV for over 9 years, and have received excellent customer service and picture quality. They've always offered us the best deal to meet or beat their competitors prices. There are so many channels to choose from with DIRECTV by DirectSatTV, that you can find something for everyone to enjoy. Now, not only can you choose what you want to watch, many channels are available in High Definition. Direct TV offers the most channels in High Definition. Find out how new customers can get free HD for life!
There are always great direct satellite tv offers, and there are packages to suit everyone's needs. They offer 6 packages including the Family package with 45+ channels, the Premier package with 265+ channels, and packages in between that allow you to find exactly what your looking for without having to pay for channels that you don't need. If you're looking for a company you can depend on to answer your questions and offer you the best deal, you won't be disappointed with Direct TV. They value their customers, and continue to offer us promotional discounts and offers for being a loyal customer.
By now, you've probably already learned that you have to switch to digital transition, but if you want to learn more about how dtv transition will benefit you, there are plenty of websites dedicated to providing information on the transition. All full-power television stations have stopped broadcasting in analog, so if you watch TV at all, you've already had to switch, but it's nice to know what this change means to us. If you have satellite television, you should already be receiving digital signals. If not, you'll need a box that includes a digital broadcast tuner. The show must go on!


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Latest News
In talking about Egypt, Obama officials won't even mention the word 'coup'
U.S. officials went to great lengths Monday to avoid calling Egypt's abrupt regime change a coup, a label that could force a suspension of aid to the stalwart Arab ally at a time when the U.S. appears to be losing leverage in conflicts across the Middle East.
At separate briefings, White House spokesman Jay Carney and State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki each responded with verbal acrobatics when journalists asked directly whether the U.S. considered the Egyptian military's ouster of democratically elected Mohammed Morsi a coup.
Carney deemed it "an incredibly complex and difficult situation with significant consequences" and warned against moving "unnecessarily quickly" in calling it a coup. And when Psaki was asked how the State Department justified not taking a firm position on the removal of an elected leader, she replied with a curt, "We're just not taking a position on this specific case."
In another sign that the U.S. is hesitant to challenge publicly Egypt's military brass, the two offered only muted criticism of the latest escalation in the spiraling political crisis: the deaths of more than 50 people who were killed by security forces firing into a crowd of pro-Morsi protesters outside a military facility in Cairo. Carney and Psaki each urged Egyptian forces to use "maximum restraint" when confronting protesters, then added that protesters, too, should remain nonviolent. The Muslim Brotherhood and some human rights groups, on the other hand, call the incident "a massacre."
Analysts say the Obama administration's reluctance to weigh in decisively on Egypt stems primarily from wanting to protect what's left of U.S. leverage in a changing country that's still of great strategic importance as the keeper of a peace treaty with Israel.
If the recent events in Cairo are labeled a coup, the United States would have to suspend all but humanitarian aid to Egypt, which is, after Israel, the second-largest recipient of U.S. assistance. Egypt gets $1.5 billion in aid, $1.3 billion of which goes to the military, which is now the country's de facto ruler.
The administration's lawyers are reviewing the matter, and U.S. officials said they'd take into account the huge demonstrations of popular support for the military's power grab that, many argue, make defining what happened in Egypt more difficult than looking up the meaning of "coup" in a dictionary.
"The administration's response is recognition that it will have limited leverage for changing the military position to remove Morsi, but wants to hold out the possibility that it can suspend aid as a way of enhancing its leverage," said Eric Trager, a specialist of Egyptian politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a research center.
"While it's true that Morsi's removal has the trappings of a coup, it's important to examine the context," Trager added. "By the time of his removal, Morsi was really a president in name only."
President Barack Obama's only remarks on the matter came Wednesday in a statement that didn't call the turn of events a coup, but which promised a review of aid to Egypt.
Nathan Brown, an Egypt specialist with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a foreign policy think tank in Washington, said the close U.S.-Egyptian relations date back to the Nixon administration. Obama, he said, probably would follow his predecessors in accepting almost any government that emerges in Egypt as long as it upholds the peace treaty with Israel and doesn't disrupt other regional powers, especially U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf.
"Ultimately, they're willing to deal with it. They'll work with it," Brown said. "Calling it a coup would disrupt relations, especially in this absolutely poisonous environment in Egypt."
Some members of Congress were less willing to avoid the word, in spite of its potential impact on Egyptian aid.
"It is difficult for me to conclude that what happened was anything other than a coup in which the military played a decisive role," Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said Monday in a statement on his website. "Current U.S. law is very clear about the implications for our foreign assistance in the aftermath of a military coup against an elected government, and the law offers no ability to waive its provisions. I do not want to suspend our critical assistance to Egypt, but I believe that is the right thing to do at this time."
Many members of Congress already had advocated cutting aid to Egypt over that country's conviction on criminal charges of 43 Americans and Egyptians for working for international pro-democracy organizations. A Congressional Research Service report released just a week before Morsi's ouster noted that aid to Egypt, "which was contentious during the reign of former President Hosni Mubarak," was continuing to spark debate between various lawmakers and the administration.
Brown, the Carnegie analyst, said he doubted the Obama administration was eager to wade into a semantics war in which any terminology it chooses will be seen as partisan. One possible U.S. strategy, he said, is drawing out the legal review long enough that some form of elected leadership is in place, in hopes of avoiding a ruling with potentially serious implications for U.S.-Egyptian relations.
"Any time you get the lawyers involved, especially with a situation that's extremely sensitive, it's going to take a while," he said.
The lawyers would have to drag their considerations out only until February, the month Egypt's transitional president, Adly Mansour, said Monday would be the deadline for parliamentary elections.


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Winners for May 11, 2009 Giveaways
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The two winners of the Care4Hire.com giveaway are:
#9 - Shelly from Shelly's Bookshelf
#11 - Erica Rooks from The Candy Bar
The winner of the Borders $15GC giveaway is:
#12 - Leslie from Live, Love, Laugh with Leslie.
The winner of the 5 Factor Diet book is:
#10 - Peggy from PegsPlay
I am emailing all of you. You have 48 hours to respond to my email or I will have to choose other winners!
I have the following giveaways ending this week also, so be sure to enter:
Good Home Cookbook (ends 5/13)
Florastor for Kids (ends 5/13)
What's For Dinner Gift Baskets (3 winners!) (ends 5/15)
Last Kiss by Luanne Rice (ends 5/15)
Coupons for Dove Ultimate (25 winners!) (ends 5/15)


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DirecTV Pays Studios To Help Confuse Customers Further
from the restrictions-may-apply dept
The film studios have convinced Netflix to sign deals that expand the company's access to streaming film licenses -- in exchange for agreeing to delay new releases by 28 days. Studios, of course, think this will somehow magically ramp up user purchases of physical DVDs, though it seems the primary result is going to be a lot of confused consumers, who see new releases for rent in one place, but not in another. But the studios are likely quite pleased with themselves, given the deal gives them more license negotiation power -- and allows them to charge companies more money if they want a perceived leg up on Netflix. If nobody is willing to pay, the studios figure they've still managed to create a wider delay window (the exact opposite of what should be happening in the broadband age).
But Blockbuster quickly jumped at the opportunity, throwing money at the studios, not only to avoid the new release delay, but so they could use the opportunity to mock Netflix instead of having to innovate. DirecTV has also now decided to play along, and will be paying for the honor of offering new releases under the "DirecTV Cinema" brand. Like Blockbuster, it didn't take DirecTV long to brag that unlike Netflix or Redbox, they'll be getting Avatar the same day it hits store shelves:
"As many as 400 new movies will be available this summer through DirecTV Cinema. Titles from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. will be given to DirecTV subscribers 28 days before they can be rented on Netflix, said Paul Guyardo, DirecTV's chief sales and marketing officer"Granted this might not hurt Netflix much, given the fact that DirecTV agreements with the studios ban them from offering subscription service, so if users want these new releases -- they have to pay between $4.99 and $5.99 per title -- nearly the cost of a Netflix subscription. You also had better hurry up and watch your movie, given that under a 2008 DirecTV agreement with the studios, movies you store on your DVR will be automatically deleted after 24 hours. While the studios think layering restriction upon restriction onto how, where and when customers can consume their product is helping them save the traditional DVD -- all they're really doing is delaying the inevitable death of physical media, annoying and confusing customers, and making it harder for people to consume their product.
Filed Under: movies, release windows
Companies: directv, netflix


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Bill would provide 'off ramp' for divorce superhighway
Minnesota courts are working to process divorces more quickly. Research shows the longer divorce cases drag on in the courts, the more animosity builds up, particularly if couples have children.
But some wonder if speedy divorces are too quickly rushing people to end marriages -- even couples who might have some hope of reconciling. To address such concerns, the Legislature is considering a bill that family advocates say would provide an "off ramp" on the superhighway to divorce.
"We have data on 2,500 divorcing people in Hennepin County. [They are] parents who are a lot more ambivalent and reluctant about getting a divorce than anybody realized," said Bill Doherty, a marriage expert at the University of Minnesota.
Doherty and his research team, which included a family court judge, surveyed 2,484 divorcing parents in 2008 and 2009, and found that 70 percent of couples agreed divorce was the best course of action. But in about one-third of the cases, at least one spouse wasn't sure.
Some were wavering. Others said they'd stay if their spouse significantly addressed problems such as alcoholism or infidelity, and others said they'd do anything to save their marriage.
The most likely person to be interested in saving a marriage was the person left behind. Since two-thirds of divorces are brought by wives, husbands are more often what Doherty calls "the hopeful spouse."
But the courts aren't designed for such uncertainty, said Doherty, a licensed psychologist and director of the university's Marriage and Family Therapy program.
"The way the courts view it is you have a legal right to a divorce," he said. "And just like when you show up to get your driver's license, nobody says, 'Are you sure you want to drive?'"
The Couples on the Brink bill that Doherty is championing would use an additional $5 tax on marriage licenses to develop a way to identify couples who might want to reconcile -- and improve the quality of marriage counseling they'd receive.
"They go to clergy who often don't know what to do with them," Doherty said. "They go to counselors who are sometimes not well trained in marriage counseling. And even if they do some marriage counseling, these are difficult situations."
Doherty likens it to practicing medicine in an emergency room. He said that with better training for counselors and clergy, 10 percent of couples headed for divorce might be able to restore their marriages.
"That's a lot of children," Doherty said. "That's a lot of families."
Couples with a history of domestic violence would not qualify.
"[They are] a lot more ambivalent and reluctant about getting a divorce than anybody realized."
State Sen. Steve Dille, R-Dassel, the chief author of the Couples on the Brink bill, thinks the bill could strengthen families.
"We want government to be less intrusive and less of a factor in our lives," Dassel said. "And in order to get people to be able to depend less on government, we need strong, healthy, prosperous families. So I've promoted that angle to try to meet Republicans' goals."
Dille's bill has bipartisan support, but it hit a snag with Gov. Tim Pawlenty's administration. Dille had hoped to redirect money from an existing $5 tax on marriage licenses that funded Doherty's research on unmarried parents.
Although that project has ended, the Pawlenty administration noticed the $100,000 the tax was still generating and redirected it to help solve the state's budget deficit, Dille said.
"They're just running around picking up money where they can find it, and they found a little bit there so they took it," he said.
Under Dille's bill, the costs of a marriage license would increase from $110 to $115. Couples who complete 12 hours of pre-marriage education currently pay a $40 fee and wouldn't have to pay the additional $5.
Divorce lawyers say there are better uses for this public money. The Minnesota State Bar Association's family lawyers narrowly voted against supporting Couples on the Brink, said Pamela Waggoner, chairwoman of the bar's family law section.
"We have other programs that are wanting -- domestic violence prevention programs and programs that assist parents in successfully parenting their children as a separated couple," she said.
Waggoner said funding those efforts would be a better investment of public monies than training marriage therapists.
As for the question of whether couples who might want to give their marriages one more chance can find the off ramp from divorce court, Waggoner points out that the courts already allow couples to put their cases on inactive status for a year if they want to try to reconcile. In her experience, that rarely happens.


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Peace Out
Imagine these are peace signs
It's easy if you squint
No need to wonder
Look, here's another hint:
Imagine all the bakers
Failing in this way:
(Ow OW owww ow ow ow...)
Imagine education
It isn't hard to do
Hey, look, this is a peace sign:
Is that so hard for you?
Imagine all the people!
Asking, "what's with the Ys?"
(Why WHY why why whyyy?)
You may saaay I'm a screamer
(No, no, noooo!)
But that's not the only one
(Ah, ah, AAAAAAH)
I hope some day they'll wise up
(Theeey neverrrr wiiiilll)
But 'til theeeen
This piece is done!
Thanks to Amy K., Tracy S., Chris H., Lauri K., Angi, Lindsey S., Cheryl N., Kim Z., & Daisy, who think Mercedes should give me a kickback for this post. AND I AGREE.


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Unique Book Cover Design Wanted for The Legacy Lawyers (TheLegacyLawyers.com)
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text:
I decided to do a full review on Givenchy Poudre Libre in Poetique Orchid. I was hesitant this would not work for me as the majority of Givenchy's face products are fragranced so irritation was a concern. Poudre Libre is a loose powder quartet. Poetique Orchid is part of the fall collection and contains shades of apricot, beige, soft yellow and white (the white contains fine glitter, which I feel is an unnecessary addition).
Due to the packaging I find it very difficult to get just one shade out so use them all mixed together. I am however surprised that I like really like this. It gives very good coverage (which sometimes can threaten to look cakey so a good brush is a must) and gives a nice soft glow and really evens out the complexion, ruddiness gone and dare I say that it gives me a more youthful look. My only problem with this is after about 4 hours wear my skin can feel a bit itchy, so its not the best for me to wear for work which is a shame as I really like the overall effect. If you haven't got sensitive skin this is worth a try.
Friday, 25 September 2009
3 comments:
The packaging on that powder is amazing, I've never tried anything Givenchy but I might have to give this a whirl.ReplyDelete
I also had this one, let's say it was OK. Color was maybe too warm for winter period for me.ReplyDeleteReplies
Hi Ana,Delete
Yes, I have to say after trying this I wasn't impressed enough to go buy another :)
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Dodos (City Plaza)
The San Francisco based Dodos are best known for their beautiful and catchy indie rock that is usually based around an acoustic guitar. However, at Hopscotch the band put aside their acoustic instrumentation and put on one of the better rock n roll shows I have seen in a while. The songs off of their newest album No Color sounded great on the big speakers in city plaza and new songs found new life with the more "rocking" instrumentation.
Guided By Voices (City Plaza)
Right after Guided By Voices' headlining set in City Plaza a friend pointed out that the band is pretty much a bar band. While it is easy to see how one could think that, fans of the band realized that they were seeing one of the most prolific songwriters of the 90's perform his classic songs, possibly for the last time. Whether or not the band's set ends up being the bands last, it was clear that they were playing like it was. Guided By Voices packed in songs like Gold Star For Robot Boy, Game Of Pricks and many other fan favorites into their all too brief set.
Swans (Fletcher Opera Hall)
It's hard to hold a large crowd's attention at a festival when there are ten other bands playing in other venues at the same time. For two hours the legendary genre-expanding band did just that. After opening with a 30-minute version of track No Words/No Thoughts the band filled the Fletcher Opera Hall with their abrasive yet beautiful songs. Continue reading


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Dog Lung Cancer
Veterinarian Reviewed on November 23, 2012 by Dr. Janice Huntingford
Dog Lung Cancer
There are many diseases that your dog can get and some of these can be very serious as well as fatal. It is, therefore, quite essential that you have regular veterinary checkups for your dog. These will be able to allow the vet to find any serious diseases and then find a treatment for them. Lung cancer is just one disease that, although is very rare in dogs, can be treated if found in the early stages.
Dog lung cancer explained
The lungs are vital organs in your dog's body and their main function is to transport the oxygen into your dog's bloodstream. Unfortunately, lung cancer does spread quite rapidly and will spread to the central nervous system very easily and quickly. Although lung cancer is not that common it can spread too easily and this is often the fatal reason for a dog's untimely death.
Symptoms of lung cancer
In the early stages of lung cancer there are normally no symptoms and this is why the disease goes undetected for so long. As the disease progresses your dog will excessively pant and will seem to be constantly short of breath. As the cancer begins to spread, your dog will begin to show signs of Dog Weight Loss and will also experience a Dog Loss of Appetite. The areas that the cancer has spread to will begin to suffer and deteriorate and this is often when dog owners finally realize their dog is unwell.
Treatment of the cancer
If you are lucky enough to find the cancer in the early stages then your vet will be able to treat your dog effectively. This will be through surgery so your dog will need to be fit and well and young enough to have a good chance of surviving the procedure. The vet will remove the single mass from the lungs and then chemotherapy or radiation treatment is then used to ensure all of the cancer is stopped. Aftercare will need to be given to your dog and in many cases they will make a full recovery.
If the cancer is found early enough then the likely hood of your dog making a full recovery is very high. The recovery rate does depend on many factors including how advanced the cancer was and how healthy your dog is. If you take your dog to the vet regularly then it is more likely that you will find problems out before they get too bad. The quicker you can have them diagnosed the better chance you are giving your dog of survival.
Ways to help your dog
Ensuring that your dog leads a very healthy lifestyle and has a good Dog Diet will help them to combat diseases and boost their immune system. You should also ensure that they have regular exercise and that you take them to a vet as soon as you become concerned about their health. Your dog will try to tell you in their own unique way that they are unwell and you need to read these signs. Your dog relies on you to care for them and ensure that they have a good and comfortable life.
Suggested Products
Respiratory Aid for Dogs
ES Clear for Dog Cancer Support
Cancer Support Kit for Dogs
Nu-Pet Vitamin and Anti-Oxidant Wafers for Dogs
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This afternoon I took a ride to one of my favorite farms in Hollis, New Hampshire. What ever the season, Brookdale Farm always has the best and sweetest fruit available. Today the native peaches were calling my name. I came home and made this dessert before I even patted my dog Bella. It's really that quick.
This is so simple it borders on the ridiculous. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pit. Spray flesh side of the peach with butter flavored Pam and place flesh side down on the grill. Grill about 3 minutes or until the peach loses a little of its firmness. Remove the peach from the grill and immediately place a little piece of chocolate in the middle


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To me the world seems to have lost it's mind. Last few days have looked at pictures of gitmo bay and almost threw up. The dehumanizing of people was beyond words. History talked of hitler and auschwitz. Decades later what I saw in those photos of gitmo made me think of images of the the very humiliation that the United states once fought against. Turkey is burning because of fighting back the government turned on it's own people like a mad dog. here in america we finally start getting rights for LBGT . Along comes salvation army saying that it should be a death sentence. Killing people over religion seems to be on the rise. in india women are burning for supposed witchcraft and girls killed being victims of rape . The catholic church is says birth control is wrong . Nuns who argue with church are being excommunicated. In last political race it was debated whether women had a right to their on viginas . People are dying world over because of religion and lack of even basic medical and dental care. there is hope for this world right?
Views: 3149
Haha I wasn't referring to the equal pay part of your post only the "WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE?" part. :)
Equal pay is a fine idea, the devil is always in the details and I haven't read that Texas law (why would I?), so I don't have an opinion on it.
RE: "I haven't read that Texas law (why would I?)" - because it was in the news?
But it's Texas. LOL
I don't live there and my own State is fucked up enough to keep me busy anyway. :)
I'm not as concerned about the state, as I am that it continues to produce Presidential candidates.
Now we are back full circle to WHAT'S WRONG WITH PEOPLE (who vote)? Hahaha.
@Misty - Your flip flops are our thongs - different meaning in Australia. We would be quote happy to remove our thongs, if asked politely. By the by our thongs are your G-string :)
Speaking of people who have lost their minds, I found this interesting:
ABC News' Nick Watt spent a weekend with the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas.


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14 Aug 2013 Elizabeth Shaw First to Graduate from Regents' Scholars Program
On Aug. 10, Elizabeth Shaw graduated from Texas A&M University-Commerce, becoming the first member of the university's Regents' Scholars Program to do so. Shaw, an English major with a 3.57 GPA, was one of 25 students admitted to the inaugural cohort of the program in 2010.
For standout freshmen, the Regents' Scholars Program provides four-year scholarships that cover 70 percent of tuition, fees, room and board. The students pursue bachelor's degrees while receiving leadership training, advocating student travel and engaging themselves with international issues and global cultures in their communities and overseas.
The program includes a rigorous tiered curriculum that, according to Shaw's adviser, Jennifer Hudson, asks students to expand their comfort zones rather than step out of them.
"These students take classes others shy away from. They are mindful of not only local and campus communities, but how day-to-day actions affect the other seven billion people around the world. When they graduate, we hope each one knows the world is so much bigger than they imagined," said Hudson.
Shaw, a native of Graham, Texas, and a graduate of North Hopkins High School, has had many opportunities to go far as a member of the program. Equipped with two semesters of study in the Spanish and German languages, Shaw has pursued her academic interests – which include a focus on history, grief and their ties to memory – in London, Paris and Bayeux, France, and Munich. She has also explored the recognition of World War II losses while immersed in German society.
"My favorite part of being a Regents' Scholar was learning to be a global citizen, learning about the various aspects of leadership and seeing my peers develop as global citizens as well," said Shaw.
A member of the English honor society Sigma Tau Delta and the International Dean's List Society, Shaw will continue her studies at A&M-Commerce in the joint MA/PhD program in the department of Literature and Languages where she hopes to teach while further investigating memory and grief.
The Regents' Scholars Program, which works to close the gap between the number of available student awards and student interest in the university, has made it possible for more undergraduates like Shaw to reap the benefits of attending A&M-Commerce. With the success of the first three classes of the program, 35 students will join the university in the fourth cohort this fall.
"It is the type of growth we thought would take years and years to accomplish. We are moving from a period of experimentation with our student programming, leadership training and foreign travel into a period where we work to perfect the students' experience and sustain quality into the future," said Hudson.
Hudson and Dr. Ricky Dobbs, dean of the University College and director of the Regents' Scholars Program, said that increasing student input to the program shows its efficacy.
"It is producing thoughtful, informed and effective young people who will make a difference in the world," said Hudson. "We may teach the classes or travel with them, but it's their hard work and high academic achievement that makes the program what it is. We hope that we have instilled in each of them not only a strong bond with the program but an allegiance to the institution."
For more about the Regents' Scholars Program, visit http://j.mp/143gIxX.


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Sportsmen bill stumbles in Senate
A major sportsmen bill to improve wildlife habitat and expand access to federal lands for hunting and fishing stumbled badly in the Senate on Monday night — the victim of an obscure budget dispute over how to count a proposed $10 increase in the price of duck stamps to pay for wetlands conservation.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) let the roll call run for more than an hour but still ended up with just 50 votes — 10 short of the required 60 to waive the budget point of order.
Story Continued Below
Reid was hurt by Democratic absentees, but the outcome was dictated by Republicans and reflected the continued harsh feelings still in the chamber.
Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, insisted later that he would be open to compromise. But with time already short, the partisan-tinged fight was a stunning setback — and perhaps fatal — for the coalition of gun and conservation forces who have backed the legislation.
"This is not even taxpayer spending," protested Gary Taylor, legislative director for Ducks Unlimited. "This is waterfowl conservationists and hunters reaching into their pockets to pay for stamps and wetlands."
No less than the National Rifle Association has been a prime mover behind the bill, and through most of Monday, proponents were already thinking ahead to the next step in the House — not on getting out of the Senate.
"We're looking for quick action," James Baker, the NRA's legislative director, told POLITICO earlier in the day. Indeed, the NRA's strong ties to the Republican leadership complement the likes of The Wilderness Society and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, which enjoy ties with liberal Democrats.
"It's time we did something in a bipartisan fashion," said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), the lead sponsor on the Senate floor bill. "It's a bill about habitat, it's a bill about access, it's a bill about opportunity for people who enjoy our outdoors in this country."
But among Senate Republicans, only retiring Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe joined him on the motion to waive the point of order while others who had co-sponsored the package with Tester backed away.
"The fundamentals of this bill are good," Sessions insisted, but with a new round of budget talks now under way, he said it was no time to condone even small violations of earlier budget agreements.


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Published Aug 12, 2014
Who motivates you to get in shape?
Running with friends is always better. Which club do you run with? see the Top 5 →
Yoga builds strength and aids in flexibility. Tell us your choice for the... see the Top 5 →
Zumba is a great way to stay in shape. Where do you dance away those... see the Top 5 →
Where do you go to enjoy a meal al fresco? see the Top 5 →
These restaurants take old ideas and melt them into tasty new ones. Who... see the Top 5 →
Who knows what's hot when it comes to creating something brand new and... see the Top 5 →
The 2014 Boston A-List awards are based on more than 68,000 votes from local Boston-area experts.


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Azu Restaurant and Tapas Bar
457 E. Ojai Ave.
For years I've made the mistake of avoiding Azu because of a tendency to write off tapas as too much money for too little food. A friend told me that I was missing out — that there are entrees, a reasonable lunch menu, and that if you're on a modest budget you can still enjoy yourself and leave Azu feeling nourished and buzzed.
From the street, the long, dark wooden bar suggests a moody interior, but you find just the opposite once inside: the bar is just a big presence that runs through an airy front room enlivened with large paintings full of movement. The modern and sexy atmosphere plays off historical elements like cast-iron hardware and exposed brick, and is bolstered by more art and abundant lighting as the restaurant extends toward a far back patio.
First things first: Before you get involved in the food menu, you should browse the cocktail menu. The beer list is primarily local, and there's a broad range of wines from California and the Mediterranean (including more than 20 by the glass). But cocktails are the reputed highlight here. Mixed into many spins on classics, you'll find high-end liqueurs and bitters, fresh juices, house-made simple syrups, and occasionally pickled vegetables.
My eyes darted around the drinks list like a high-velocity pinball, bouncing off preferences and sometimes price. Among gin cocktails, the Green Lady has loads of botanical appeal, but the Spanish 75 seemed to be a good compromise, with the venerable mix of St. Germain elderflower liqueur and dry gin (Greenall's Bloom) brightened with lemon and sparkling cava wine. Lingering shards of ice and well-restrained liqueur signaled a skillful hand.
Showing up for the charitably-timed happy hour — every day from 5:30 to 7 — opens up a range of tapas options well-suited for starting out. A great one is steamed mussels, a set of four seated in a full-bodied garlic and white wine broth, which is best appreciated by sopping it up with the spongy and yeasty house bread (as our server suggested). Whole sautéed prawns (known here as gambas) carry similar flavors without the broth.
Along with seafood, the kitchen at Azu has a knack for making the most of a humble potato. Patatas fritas might be the best fries you've ever tried; crisp, angular wedges heavily dusted with coarse salt and pepper become perfect after a dip into thick, garlicky aioli. The spherical little croquettes are seriously satisfying too; these shredded potato fritters are stuffed with Serrano ham and manchego cheese, deep fried, then arranged on a pool of smoky chipotle aioli.
With a cocktail and a couple of happy-hour tapas down, you feel pretty good. An entree might beckon, but another tapas order per person will also work. My mom insists that stuffed dates are amazing here. Organic medjool dates are filled with chorizo, wrapped in bacon and fried, so those probably would have been amazing. But, stupidly, I didn't listen to mom.
We ended up going for lamb kabobs, because Moroccan spiced lamb is pretty unbeatable when there's some chill in the air. The ground meat was medium rare and juicy, but too light of a hand on the spices left the pleasantly thick and cooling house-made tzatziki with too little to stand up against.
The seafood paella was impossible to resist, despite knowing fully the risks inherent in ordering something you cook at home. There are just so few local restaurants preparing it. The shellfish was fresh and perfectly cooked — think soft, creamy bay scallops — and the Spanish sausage had the boldness of smoked paprika and fat to provide a surf and turf feel.
But this paella fell short on the second half of the dish: the rice had no socarrat, the crisp little panes of caramelized grain from the bottom of the pan that bear testament to a lovingly made paella. Instead of fluffy yet crusty, it was creamy like risotto. Still a tasty dish, with flavors that work fantastically well with a glass of the house garnacha, but veering from tradition worked against it.
The service was irreproachable. I'd heard otherwise, and a neighboring table remarked that their chocolate soufflé was taking long even by soufflé standards, but our experience was entirely positive. We were greeted immediately upon walking in, and throughout the dinner the service was team-oriented and attentive without being too present. Our server in particular was one any server could take notes from.
If you're also a reluctant tapas eater, it might surprise you to feel satisfied eating less than you'd have guessed — good evidence that spending more time eating your meal is a healthy practice. It's helpful that the ample seating here allows you to enjoy yourself, and finish with some creamy house-made gelato, without feeling any pressure to leave.


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May 6, 2008 (Washington) -- A new, once-a-month shot shows promise for the treatment of schizophrenia.
The new drug is called paliperidone palmitate. It's an injectable form of the second-generation, or "atypical," antipsychotic medication Invega.
A study pitting injectable paliperidone palmitate against placebo was halted early because of its clear benefit in preventing relapses, says David Hough, MD.
Hough is a psychiatrist who led the study while at Johnson & Johnson, which makes paliperidone palmitate and funded the work.
The study involved more than 300 people with schizophrenia whose condition stabilized when they were given injectable paliperidone palmitate for six months. Then, half were randomly assigned to continue the drug and the other half to a placebo.
Over the next year, 40% of those taking placebo relapsed, Hough tells WebMD. In contrast, only 10% to 15% of those given injectable paliperidone palmitate relapsed.
The most common side effects were weight gain and stomach flu.
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
Second-Generation Antipsychotics
Schizophrenia afflicts about 2.4 million American adults in a given year. Typically beginning in young adulthood, patients suffer hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking. There is no cure.
The first generation of antipsychotics, such as Thorazine and Haldol, proved quite effective in reducing the intensity of symptoms. But the drugs had side effects resembling Parkinson's disease: tremor, rigid muscles, and abnormal or restless movements.
More than a decade ago, the second generation of atypical antipsychotic drugs was introduced. They're much less likely to cause Parkinson's-like side effects, although they do carry an increased risk of extreme weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
Most of the second-generation antipsychotics -- such as Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Geodon, and Abilify -- come only in pill form.
The only second-generation injectable drug for schizophrenia, Risperdal Consta, has to be given every two weeks.
Compliance an Issue
Because it only requires going to the doctor once a month, injectable paliperidone palmitate may make it more likely a person will comply with his or her treatment plan, doctors say.
"Using an injectable agent ensures the drug gets into the blood. You're not relying on the patient to remember to take a pill every day," Hough says.
Temple University's David Baron, DO, chairman of the committee that chose which studies to highlight at the meeting, says that compliance is a huge issue in schizophrenia -- "conservatively affecting 50% to 60% of patients."
"Some patients have trouble swallowing pills. And in inpatient settings, some 'cheek' or spit out their pills. That's why we need injectables. [This will be] one more tool in the toolbox."
"Paliperidone palmitate solves a disadvantage of Consta -- patients having to come in monthly for a [psychiatric] consult but every two weeks for an injection," says Donald Goff, MD, director of the schizophrenia program at Massachusetts General Hospital.
But, he adds, injectable antipsychotics have been generally slow to catch on in the U.S.
Baron says that's because oral medications can be stopped quickly if there are side effects or if they're not working. With injectable drugs, "once they're in, they're in."


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Note: This item is more than 11 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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Media Contact: TPWD News, firstname.lastname@example.com, 512-389-8030
May 23, 2008
State Parks to Host Houston Meeting Regarding Feral, Exotic Species
AUSTIN, Texas — The State Parks Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will host a public meeting on Thursday, June 12 at 7:00 PM at the Bellaire City Hall Auditorium, 7008 South Rice Avenue in Bellaire. The meeting will focus on natural and cultural resource management activities on state park properties, with a particular focus on management challenges at Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Following a short informational presentation, the public will be invited to comment on current management strategies for removal of feral animals such as burros and exotic species such as aoudad sheep from the park and may offer alternative solutions and suggestions.
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Mythos XTR Series
The Mythos XTR series models are ultra-slim on-wall/on-shelf high performance loudspeakers designed to match today's super shallow TVs. The award winning Mythos XTR-50 was the first ultra-shallow (only 1.5" deep) high performance speaker to enter the market. It's patent pending technologies and premium materials yielded sound performance that equaled or exceeded full-depth on-wall speakers. Now there are four XTR series models to answer any application need, including a dedicated surround channel speaker.


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Set up Dictation
Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Dictation. Turn on Dictation and choose from these Dictation options:
- Choose whether to use Enhanced Dictation, which lets you use dictation when you're not connected to the Internet.
- Choose your language and dialect. Some languages, such as English, have multiple dialects.
- Choose the keyboard shortcut you will use to start start dictating.
- Choose your preferred microphone from the pop-up menu below the microphone icon.
In macOS Sierra, you can ask Siri to "turn on Dictation" for you. Siri isn't the same as Dictation, but you can ask Siri to compose short messages, such as email and text messages.
Use Dictation
- Go to a document or other text field and place the insertion point where you want your dictated text to appear.
- Press the keyboard shortcut for starting dictation, or choose Edit > Start Dictation. The default shortcut is Fn Fn (press the Fn key twice).
When your Mac is listening, it displays a microphone to the left or right of the page, aligned with the insertion point. If you turn on advanced dictation commands, the microphone appears in the lower-right corner of your screen, and you can drag it to another position. When your Mac can hear you, the input meter inside the microphone rises and falls as you speak.
- Speak the words that you want your Mac to type. Dictation learns the characteristics of your voice and adapts to your accent, so the more you use it, the better it understands you. If it doesn't understand you, learn what to do.
- To stop dictating, click Done below the microphone icon, press Fn once, or switch to another window.
Speak the following words to enter punctuation or other characters. These may vary by language or dialect.
- apostrophe '
- open bracket [
- close bracket ]
- open parenthesis (
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- open brace {
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- colon :
- comma ,
- dash -
- ellipsis …
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- hyphen -
- period, point, dot, or full stop .
- question mark ?
- quote "
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- semicolon ;
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Speak these words to change text formatting:
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- tab key (advances cursor to the next tab stop)
If you turned on Enhanced Dictation, you can also use dictation commands to bold, italicize, underline, select, copy, delete, undo, and perform other actions.
About Enhanced Dictation
Enhanced Dictation is available in OS X Mavericks v10.9 or later. With Enhanced Dictation:
- You can dictate continuously.
- You can dictate without being connected to the Internet.
- Your words might convert to text more quickly.
- You can use dictation commands to tell your Mac what to do.
Without Enhanced Dictation, your spoken words and certain other data are sent to Apple to be converted into text and help your Mac understand what you mean. As a result, your Mac must be connected to the Internet, your words might not convert to text as quickly, and you can speak for no more than 40 seconds at a time (30 seconds in OS X Yosemite or earlier).
If you're on a business or school network that uses a proxy server, Dictation might not be able to connect to the Internet. Have your network administrator refer to the list of network ports used by Apple software products.
About Dictation and privacy
To learn about Dictation and privacy, choose Apple () menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, click Dictation, then click the About Dictation & Privacy button. At all times, information collected by Apple is treated in accordance with Apple's Privacy Policy.
Learn more
- To use dictation on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap the microphone on the onscreen keyboard, then speak. Consult your iPhone or iPad user guide for details.
- If the Slow Keys or Sticky Keys feature is turned on in the Accessibility pane of System Preferences, the default keyboard shortcuts for dictation might not work. If you need to use those accessibility features, create a custom dictation shortcut: Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, click Dictation, then choose "Customize" from the Shortcut menu.


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RIVERVIEW, Fla. | The Tampa Bay area seems to be a fertile breeding ground for an exotic lizard that wildlife officials want to keep from becoming the state's next invasive species problem.
More than 100 black-and-white tegu lizards have been spotted in Hillsborough County, mostly in an area south of Riverview, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The area is now considered home to one of three tegu breeding populations in the state.
Wildlife experts tell The Tampa Tribune (http://bit.ly/MnSGeo) that some native species may become competition or even prey for the lizards.
"They have a broad diet and consume fruits, seeds, insects, snails, as well as small vertebrates, including reptile and bird eggs," said Steven Johnson of the University of Florida's Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. "They are a particular threat to imperiled species such as gopher tortoises and scrub jays."
The lizards are native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, and they are an invasive species in Florida. Many tegus have been found in Miami-Dade County, and last year about 30 were rounded up in Panama City, where a breeder abandoned his stock and left them to breed in his yard.
Tegus can grow to be more than 4 feet long. Officials say that many tegus found in the wild once were pets or are descended from pets whose owners released them when they became too much to manage.
The wildlife commission urges anyone who spots a tegu to report it to the state's exotic species hotline at 1-888-483-4681 or online at IveGot1.org.
The state is closely watching the tegu populations reported in Miami-Dade, Polk and Hillsborough counties to learn where they may go next, said wildlife commission spokeswoman Carli Segelson.
"It's very difficult to determine population estimates," she said. "We're not studying populations as much as we are trying to assess where they are located and the extent of their range."
Information from: The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune, http://www.tampatrib.com
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Template:Scouting news/archive
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
Revision as of 13:20, February 13, 2014 by BartHumphries (Talk | contribs)
- August 12: Boy Scouts prepared to launch marketing campaign to connect with digital-era youth. Full story
- July 15: The Mining in Society merit badge, previewed at the National Jamboree, will be released Feb 24, at the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration's Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. First overview
- July 1: The World Organization of the Scout Movement welcomes four new member organizations. Full story
- June 11: Four Boy Scouts dead and dozens injured from tornado at Little Sioux Scout Ranch in Iowa. Full Story
- May 15: A bill to issue a commemorative silver dollar to honor the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America is passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 403-8. Full Story
- March 27: Original manuscript of Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys goes on public display for first time. Full Story
- March 16: The United Kingdom's longest-serving Girl Guide honored for 80 years of unbroken service. Full Story
- February 25: J. L. Tarr, former Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America died.Full Story
- February 25: The Boy Scouts of America selects logo for centenary. Full Story
- February 18: The United Kingdom's oldest Scout troop celebrates its centenary. Full Story
- February 11: The Governor of Texas urges protection for Boy Scouts of America against left-wing secular groups. Full Story


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RALEIGH � North Carolina has been awarded a $74 million grant to keep developing a one-stop shop for affordable health insurance, even as Republican leaders are unsure they want the state to operate one.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded an additional $1.5 billion to North Carolina and 10 other states so they can build new insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. North Carolina was previously awarded $14 million.
Exchanges are supposed to start next year. Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue said in November the state and federal governments would run North Carolina's exchange jointly.
New GOP Gov. Pat McCrory is deciding whether the federal government should run the exchange. Senate leader Phil Berger says there's little support among senators for state-run or hybrid exchanges.


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Lots of musicians tweet -- but all that Twitters is not gold.
Why You Should Follow: Hip-hop artist B.o.B.—otherwise known as Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr.—makes music that's out of this world. Literally. His Ziggy Stardust-esque Twitter bio reads, "I am from a planet not too many light years from the planet called Earth currently residing in Atlanta making music for the masses." The masses do, in fact, love his music—his songs "Nothin' On You" and "Airplanes" (which featured vocals from Paramore's Hayley Williams) both peaked pretty high on the Billboard 200. Last week, it was announced that B.o.B. would be performing at the upcoming MTV Video Music Awards and that he would provide the main support for Paramore during their November U.K. tour. Follow him as he travels the world, ponders life's great questions ("Does stewie griffin have a twitter?"), and hangs out with Rivers Cuomo and the cast of The Hard Times of R.J. Berger—at the same time. Bonus points: He often uses Twitter to communicate with fans—and the people who tweet-hate on him!
Best Tweet of the Week: "@yelyahwilliams I'm ready whenever you are!!!"—in reference to practicing "Airplanes" for their upcoming tour.
Read the article on Spin.


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Garage Door Opener Company Bricks Customer Hardware After Negative Review
from the you're-really-not-helping dept
So if there's one thing we've probably repeated more than others around here, it's the idea that in the IoT and copyright maximalist era, you no longer truly own the things you think you own. It doesn't matter whether we're talking about video game consoles, software, smart home hubs, ebooks, DVDs or routers -- in the always-connected, copyright mad, instantly-upgradeable firmware age, companies are often quick to remove some or all functionality at a whim, leaving you with little more than a receipt and a dream of dumb technology days gone by.
But we've also noted repeatedly that part of this new paradigm involves companies using this capability to punish customers for poor reviews. This is, it should go without saying, an idiotic policy that almost always invokes the Streisand effect and makes the "problem" of a negative review significantly worse than if the company in question had done nothing at all.
Case in point: internet-connected garage opener Garadget, which is taking heat this week for bricking a customer's 'smart' garage door opener after the customer in question left a negative review on Amazon. Earlier this month, a Garadget user posted to the company's message board, complaining about problems with the iPhone app that controls the garage door opener:
Just installed and attempting to register a door when the app started doing this. Have uninstalled and reinstalled iphone app, powered phone off/on - wondering what kind of piece of shit I just purchased here...
Not really uncommon in the internet of broken things era. The user then followed that up with a one star review over at Amazon making the same complaints:
Junk - DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY - iPhone app is a piece of junk, crashes constantly, start-up company that obviously has not performed proper quality assurance tests on their products.
At this point the company had several options. They could have ignored the complaints, or perhaps done something crazy like use the input to make a better product. Instead, Garadget boss Denis Grisak apparently thought it would be a good idea to inform the user on the company's message boards that his product would no longer be allowed to access the Garadget servers:
Martin, The abusive language here and in your negative Amazon review, submitted minutes after experiencing a technical difficulty, only demonstrates your poor impulse control. I'm happy to provide the technical support to the customers on my Saturday night but I'm not going to tolerate any tantrums.
At this time your only option is return Garadget to Amazon for refund. Your unit ID 2f0036... will be denied server connection.
Yes, nothing teaches somebody a lesson about impulse control quite like -- exhibiting extremely poor impulse control. Only after the entire fracas went viral via the internet of shit Twitter account and over at Hacker News did Grisak begin to realize the error of his ways, posting a follow up forum statement indicating he was fully aware that the Streisand effect was in full bloom:
Ok, calm down everybody. Save your pitchforks and torches for your elected representatives. This only lack the death treats[sic] now.
The firing of the customer was never about the Amazon review, just wanted to distance from the toxic individual ASAP. Admittedly not a slickest PR move on my part. Note taken.
A quote from a random guy.
PS: Anybody has Streisand's phone number?
That's really a halfhearted apology, especially considering the "toxic" user had what appeared to be entirely legitimate complaints about app functionality. Perhaps the idea that "there's no such thing as bad press" is actually true, but it's just as likely that Grisak's overreaction ensured that countless potential customers -- worried that the product they buy would be arbitrarily nuked -- may look elsewhere for their next garage door opener.
Filed Under: bad reviews, denis grisak, garage door opener, iot, ownership, reviews
Companies: garadget


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I think Mandy said this was a sports logo of some sort:
Which the bakery in question did a fantastic job recreating in CCC form:
[derisively] Ahahahahahah!
[snorting hiccup-turned-choke]
[coughing fit]
Ack ack ack!
[sound of water glugging]
[setting glass down] Ahem. Wow, who knew sarcastic sounds of [cough, cough] contempt could be so dangerous? Whew! Gonna have to dial back the maniacal laughter in the future.
What's that? The Wreck? Oh, well, Mandy, I gotta tell ya: Transporter malfunctions like these are why I prefer to travel by shuttlecraft.


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There seem to be a decent amount of contests going on here in Washington State and this is no exception. This past Saturday, Brouwer's Cafe hosted Seattle Weekly's Homebrew Contest. Beer was poured, tasted, judged and ultimately a difficult decision was made.
Nate Muller took home the title of best homebrew for his Belgian Dubbel, called "Ommeknate". Not only will Nate's Dubbel be on tap at Brouwer's for the month of November, he gets to brew this recipe on Big Al's system. Lucky guy. So head down to Brouwer's and get a taste of victory. However, others were rewarded for their innovation and skill as 5 home brewers received recognition for producing the best beer of their category.
Below is a complete list of all the best of this year's home brewing competition–>
Best Stout/Porter: John Herman, for his Baltic Porter, called "Smokey Smoke"
Best Pale Ale/IPA: Mike Ritzer, for his IPA, called "Pucker Up"
Best Belgian: Ted Stone, for his Belgium Specialty Ale, called "Black Betty"
Best Wheat Beer: Mark Guth, for his Dunkelweisen, called "Summer Dunkel"
Best of the "Other" Category: DJ Moxley, for his American Brown Ale, called "BMW Brewing: Cardinal Ale"
So congrats to Nate and the other winners for your dedication to craft brewing. Keep up the hard work! If you attended this event at Brouwer's and you have an opinion about which home brewer tickled your tastebuds, then leave a comment or email me at firstname.lastname@example.com!
Filed under: Seattle, US, The Events Tagged: Big Al, Brouwer's Cafe, Home Brewing Contest


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In Spirit and Truth seeks to encourage discussion and deeper consideration of representation issues in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It is hoped entries will prompt reflection and dialogue on aspects of expanding representation and supporting full participation in the PCUSA, especially at the assembly and mid council levels.
This blog will occasionally feature content written by one of the fourteen members of the General Assembly Committee on Representation, who are church members, ministers (teaching elders) and ruling elders from across the country, as well as links and articles of particular interest. The ministries of advising, consulting, advocating, promoting inclusion, reviewing and recommending actions are vital to the life of the whole Body of Christ. Committees on Representation and/or their functions exists at all councils above session so from time to time we may highlight activities and insights from sister committees on representation at lower councils throughout the church.
Any views or opinions presented in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. or the General Assembly Committee on Representation.
Author/Facilitator Molly Casteel is an Assistant Stated Clerk and the Manager for Equity and Representation in the Office of the General Assembly. She is a teaching elder (a.k.a. Minister of Word and Sacrament) in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary.
What are you giving up for Lent? That was the question. In fact, I will always remember a new friend's answer to that question. She proudly said, "Do you know what I'm giving up for Lent? I'm giving up celibacy," and before I could feel my ears turning red and my cheeks blushing she announced "I'm getting married!" The idea of giving something up for Lent may or may not be in our Presbyterian/Reformed ethos. We tend to say that our grace-oriented faith does not require our efforts to purify ourselves to please God. But instead, we ...


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NEW YORK -- Marriott International Inc. said Wednesday that it turned a bigger-than-expected profit in the third quarter on higher prices and strong occupancy rates.
The company earned $143 million, or 44 cents per share, compared with a loss of $179 million, or 52 cents per share, a year ago. The 2011 quarter was hit by charges related to the spin-off of its time share business. Without those, it earned $104 million or 29 cents per share last year.
Revenue in the quarter, which ended Sept. 7, fell 5 percent to $2.73 billion.
The results topped Wall Street's and Marriott's own expectations. Analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of 40 cents per share on revenue of $2.65 billion. In July Marriott forecast per-share earnings of 39 to 41 cents.
Marriott is the first major hotel company to report earnings for the peak summer travel season. The company, which based in Bethesda, Md., also operates Ritz-Carlton hotels, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Courtyard and Renaissance, among other brands.
Revenue per available room, a key performance measure for hotel companies, rose 7 percent in the quarter. That metric includes everything from the price of the room to what visitors spend at the minibar.
In a statement president and CEO Arne Sorenson said the summer pickup was widespread. Group revenue at Marriott Hotels and Resorts in North America rose 8 percent in the third quarter with room rates up 3 percent. Revenue per room for all other travelers rose 6 percent, with strong last-minute demand. Marriott offered fewer discounts than usual, which helped to increase average rates.
For the fourth quarter, the company expects revenue per room to rise 5 to 7 percent in North America, but only 3 percent elsewhere.
Next year it sees that metric continuing to increase at a mid-single digit rate despite sputtering growth in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Marriott shares rose nearly 2 percent in after-hours trading. They finished up 37 cents in the regular session to end at $39.


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Nice work! Enjoy the show!
Link Copied!
Clinton defends home turf in New York
Opening Sequence
War of words escalates over Saudi Aramco oil attacks
Trudeau apologizes for brownface makeup
Pelosi unveils Demcrats' drug price plan
Amazon, Bezos step up fight to tackle climate change
Trump bars California from requiring cleaner cars
Netanyahu's rival rebuffs his coalition bid
U.S. drone kills 30 farm workers in Afghanistan
OECD cuts growth outlook to post-crisis low
Central banks keep markets guessing
The scaly mammal caught in illegal trade
Closing Sequence


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Sunday Sweets: 2010 Cake Odyssey
Last week, I promised that we would bring you the sci-fi and fantasy cakes from That Takes the Cake, the cake and sugar art show that took place recently in Austin. I have gone through what seems like thousands of photos trying to pick out the coolest and most creative and I think I succeeded. Most of the photos here were found on snarkygurl's Flickr page and a couple were taken by Lynn Moore who should be a professional photographer if she's not already. As with last week, I only know who made a couple of these so, if it's yours, let me know and I'll credit you. On to the sweets!
This first one is one of our favorites:
And check out these adorable close-ups of the robots:
And here's a sweet little topsy-turvy Robots cake:
I don't know anything about this robot. Except that he's made of awesome.
This next one falls into the Sugar Art category (no cake) but I think it took top honors:
...though I'm not sure how this fits into the sci-fi and fantasy theme. Cute though! Love the balloons.
And lastly, we have a B-movie classic:
Nominate a Sweet or suggest a theme by e-mailing me at Sunday Sweets [at] Cake Wrecks [dot] com.Similar Sweets: (Dr.) Horrible Sunday Sweets


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ACUSON S1000 Ultrasound System, HELX Evolution with Touch Control
Exceptional Value
Imaging Performance – Available to You.
The S1000™ Ultrasound System, HELX™ Evolution with Touch Control was designed with a dedicated focus on Vascular and Shared Services imaging.
Sharp, clear images give you the diagnostic confidence you need to make the first diagnosis the right one.


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Designer Michelle Smith of Milly went super futuristic at fall 2013 New York fashion week. And it's definitely a lot of look. We took to the streets to see what a real guy and girl thought.
He said:
"I think the look is too flashy; it doesn't look sexy to me," said Jake H. "I also think the way the blue cuts off at the shoulder makes the top look like a uniform and I'm not into that."
She said:
"I would definitely wear this look. It's sexy, modern, trendy, and I like that it's shiny," said Vanessa P. "I'm not sure I would wear the two pieces together though, and I would accessorize it with a statement necklace or other jewelry. But I like that it's futuristic and holographic-looking."
Now, we want to hear what you have to say...
Photo: Getty Images


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savory style breakfast/
The other morning, while reading blogs, I came to Jessica's post on caprese baked eggs. You've come to know I'm egg obsessed and just thinking about this delicious recipe had me more than excited to try it out.
I gathered the necessary ingredients, plus a few extras.
Farm fresh, local, organic eggs.
Nothing beats them.
Instead of ramekins, I used mini soup crocks. Either will work just fine. There is definitely room for two eggs in the mini soup crocks, but I only used one.
Ingredients included:
- spinach
- grape tomatoes
- sharp white cheddar [organic valley – my fav]
- button mushrooms
- basil
- egg
- s+p
I tried this recipe yesterday for lunch and again this morning for breakfast, because I wanted to test something out.
And well, it was just that good!
2 things I noticed.
- In comparison to Jessica's version, I used 3 "wet" ingredients. –> spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes – All three of those release a lot of liquid while cooking. In the first version, I added the 1/2t cream [okay, I was out of cream, so I added almond milk], but the end result created too much liquid. I'm sure if you're only adding 1 "wet" ingredient, like in Jessica's version, adding the 1/2t cream would be a great addition. However, if you add 3 "wet" ingredients, you can leave the cream out.
- This morning, I left the cream/milk out and added 1t flour to the bottom of the dish. I wanted to see if this would help soak up a little of the liquid and it definitely did!
So, if you decide to make this version, I recommend leaving out the 1/2t cream and adding 1t flour as an option. If you're dipping crusty bread into the finished dish, the flour isn't necessary. With the whole "no gluten" thing, I have no crusty bread around for dipping. Sad!
Can you believe my basil plant is still thriving?? I'm shocked that it isn't dead. The rosemary + thyme are doing excellent as well!
After baking + broiling [great method!], the end result is what you see below.
A slightly runny egg, with perfectly cooked veggies, and gooey melted cheese.
Veggie Baked Eggs [adapted from Jessica's Caprese Baked Egg Cups] serves 1
- 2 eggs
- 1/2c freshly grated cheddar cheese [loosely packed]
- 4-6 grape tomatoes, sliced
- 2 large mushrooms
- 3 fresh basil leaves, sliced
- small handful of spinach ~1/2c
- s+p
- butter to grease
- 1t flour [opt]
- Preheat your oven to 350*
- Grease 2 mini soup crocks, or ramekin dishes.
- If using, sprinkle 1t flour [white, whole wheat, oat, buckwheat, quinoa…] in the bottom of the dish. If you plan on dipping bread into the dish, you can skip this step.
- Place 1/2 the spinach, 1/4 of the tomatoes, 1/4 of the mushrooms and 1/4 of the cheese in each dish.
- Crack an egg overtop and add the remaining tomatoes + mushrooms.
- Top with remaining cheese + basil.
- Bake for 8min, then turn your broiler on for another 3-6min, depending on how "done" you want your egg. Watch closely while broiling.
- Top with salt + pepper
*Feel free to cook 2 eggs in 1 cup as well. They might need to bake and/or broil for 1-2min longer.
Besides pleasing my taste buds, this recipe also pleased my patience. You can throw it together in under 5 minutes, while your oven is pre-heating. Then it's done cooking in 10-14min, which allows you a little morning time to check your email, throw on makeup, or sip your coffee.
In need of crusty bread.
Topped with salt + pepper, this is a savory breakfast dream.
When you start to dig in, don't get too over zealous.
Or this may happen.
Tomato fail.
Happy Friday!!


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Utilizing FOIA requests, NBC Action News obtained more than a dozen cadaver videos, and searched government databases with hundreds of pictures and thousands of pages of reports documenting whole corpse and partial cadaver testing.
The documents detail 4,010 tests funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration using full cadavers or cadaver parts since 1981.
What's more, there doesn't seem to have been any clear consent for this:
Our investigation indicated it is unlikely that the donor ever had any idea he'd be contributing to automotive safety through cadaver impact testing.
Standard release forms in willed body programs reference "use in medical education or research" but don't mention potential use in impact tests.
The NBC report also indicates the U.S. military and NASA have used bodies donated for medical research:
NASA has used cadavers to test space craft and the Army has used cadavers in landmine explosions for tests to improve footwear design for soldiers.
The Catholic Key Blog reported a while back on the lack of consent for bodies used in the "fascinating" and "real" travelling "educational" show of young, unnamed, unconsented, flayed and playfully-posed, plastinated Chinese cadavers that wasn't such a hit at Union Station.
You'll remember the "educational" justification used by the bodies show promoters - See how the body works. Look what happens to your lungs if you smoke. See what drinking does to your liver, etc.
Visitors to bodies-type shows also gain such important "educational" insights as - What dead people look like playing checkers, riding a bicycle or kicking a soccer ball.
So here's a Swiftian suggestion for the continued, good educational benefit of used-up crash test, NASA and military cadavers. Why not plastinate them and put them on display? Valuable educational lessons could be learned - See what happens if you don't shell-out for the side-impact airbags. The importance of watching your step in minefields. Ever wonder how a body responds to sudden depressurization?


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With budgetary pressures increasing and deficits mounting, the United States Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") is continuing its campaign to find U.S. citizens and residents who have failed to report both (1) their worldwide income on their U.S. federal tax returns and (2) all non-U.S. financial accounts in which they have a financial interest or over which they have signature authority. The IRS has stepped up its two-pronged effort to get U.S. citizens and residents to comply with U.S. tax laws. First, for taxpayers who have unreported income from non-U.S. financial accounts, the IRS is offering a new voluntary disclosure program that permits taxpayers to avoid severe civil penalties and possible criminal charges if they voluntarily disclose their unreported income from non-U.S. accounts and pay back taxes, interest and specified penalties—all before August 31, 2011. Second, for persons and entities that have signature authority over or a financial interest in foreign financial accounts (even if such persons or entities are not the beneficial owners of such accounts), the IRS has clarified the law requiring that U.S. citizens and residents must report all of these foreign financial accounts. This report is commonly known as the "FBAR."
Voluntary Disclosure Initiative of Non-U.S. Accounts
In February 2011, the IRS announced a second round of the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative, which is a voluntary disclosure program for U.S. citizens and residents who have failed to report income from non-U.S. checking accounts, savings accounts, mutual funds and other financial accounts (i.e., all financial accounts held outside the United States). [CAUTION: If a person's non-U.S. income has already been reported or the relevant foreign accounts have generated no income or gains, the voluntary disclosure program is not appropriate]. The voluntary disclosure initiative allows taxpayers to become compliant with U.S. tax law, avoid substantial civil penalties and eliminate the risk of criminal prosecution.
But voluntary disclosure comes at a price. Participants with unreported income from non-U.S. financial accounts for the tax years 2003 through 2010 must file amended tax returns for such years, pay all back taxes plus interest, and pay a 25 percent penalty on the highest value of the unreported account(s) during the years in which the income went unreported. However, some individuals with low account balances in their financial accounts may be eligible for a lower penalty. You should check with your tax advisor to determine if you qualify for the reduced penalty.
The IRS previously implemented a similar initiative in 2009, which imposed a slightly lower percentage penalty. Approximately 15,000 people participated in the 2009 initiative. For taxpayers choosing to participate in the new voluntary disclosure initiative, amended returns must be filed for years 2003 through 2010, and all such amended returns and required tax, interest and penalty payments must be submitted by August 31, 2011. Participants in the voluntary disclosure initiative also must file all unfiled FBARs (as described below).
The FBAR
Apart from the voluntary disclosure initiative described above, U.S. citizens and residents are required to disclose information to the U.S. Treasury Department relating to non-U.S. financial accounts in which they have a financial interest or over which they have the ability to dispose of assets in the account, including any type of signature authority. This information is disclosed by filing Form TD F 90-22.1, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts—commonly known as the FBAR. The FBAR requires, among other things, disclosure of the maximum value of the accounts during the calendar year reported, the account numbers or designations, and the name and address of the financial institutions in which the accounts are held. The FBAR must be filed in each year that a person meets the FBAR requirements.
Three groups of people must file FBARs: (i) participants in the voluntary disclosure initiative; (ii) U.S. citizens and residents with a financial interest in a foreign account; and (iii) U.S. citizens and residents with signature authority over foreign accounts (even if they have no foreign income, have no financial interest in the foreign account and do not participate in the voluntary disclosure program). As an example, assume a U.S. citizen works for a U.S. holding company in New York. The holding company has a foreign subsidiary and the subsidiary has a bank account in the U.K. If the U.S. citizen has signature authority over the subsidiary's U.K. bank account, then such person must file an FBAR. Another example involves a U.S. resident who owns more than 50 percent of the stock of a non-public corporation that has a brokerage account in Hong Kong. The U.S. resident/shareholder is deemed to have a financial interest in the corporation's Hong Kong brokerage account and therefore such person must file an FBAR.
Generally, the FBAR is due on or before June 30 of the year immediately following the calendar year being reported. The deadline for filing a 2010 FBAR is June 30, 2011. Unlike a U.S. federal income tax return, which is a separate and distinct filing from the FBAR, there is no extension of time available for filing an FBAR. Recently, however, the filing deadline was extended until June 30, 2012 for certain FBARs pertaining to calendar years 2010 and earlier years filed by employees and officers of specified entities, such as investment advisors, who have signature authority but no financial interest in a non-U.S. financial account. Similarly, some individuals with signature authority but no financial interest in a non-U.S. financial account may be permitted to delay filing FBARs for calendar years 2009 and earlier until November 1, 2011, if they were previously granted proper extensions.
The penalties for failing to file an FBAR are significant. Failure to file is punishable by penalties up to $10,000 per failure. However, if the failure is willful, the civil penalty is the greater of $100,000 or 50 percent of the value of the foreign account, and criminal penalties may apply as well.
If you have any questions, please contact one of the attorneys listed below. You may also view the alert in the PDF linked below.
Kenneth K. firstname.lastname@example.com
Vicki Martin-Odette214.651.5674vicki.martin‑firstname.lastname@example.com
Richard S. email@example.com
Circular 230 Notice: In order to comply with certain U.S. Treasury regulations, unless expressly stated otherwise, any U.S. federal tax advice that may be contained in this written or electronic communication, including any attachments, is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person for the purpose of (i) avoiding any tax penalties that may be imposed by the Internal Revenue Service or any other U.S. federal taxing authority or agency or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.PDF - Crackdown_on_Foreign_Account_Holders
Sending an email will not establish an attorney-client relationship. You should not send us any information that you want treated confidentially. By clicking Accept you acknowledge that we may review and use any information you transmit to us.


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What's the first thing you would do if you stole an Xbox 360 but forgot to grab the power supply? If you answered "call Microsoft tech support and give them my full contact information", you're probably in a jail in Wellington, New Zealand right now.
Microsoft privacy defence delays police [Stuff via Kotaku]


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Hello, and welcome to my website, where you can read excerpts from my first two books, We Take Me Apart and Desire. Or view #littlebitsoffit from Fit Into Me, the third installment of my ongoing series.
* If you're looking for MoGa Mini Gallery, visit my Etsy store.
All in Reading & Writing


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The Medical Center has over 250 physicians on the Medical Staff representing nearly 50 specialties. Our physician directory provides information about a physician's specialty, education and training, board certification(s) and office contact information. To find a physician, search by specialty and/or last name.
If you cannot find the physician or specialty you are looking for,
please check our Alphabetic Listing of the Physician Directory


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- About us
- Blogs
- Funding/Donations
- Challenges
- Chapters
- Papers
- Projects
- Code of Conduct
- Google SoC
- Recent posts
- Security Workshops
Malware is the raw-material associated with many cybercrime-related activities. Cuckoo is a lightweight solution that performs automated dynamic analysis of provided Windows binaries. It is able to return comprehensive reports on key API calls and network activity.
Cuckoobox was originally developed as part of GSoc 2010 by Claudio Guarnieri and has been greatly enhanced in subsequent GSocs under Claudio's leadership.
An online version of cuckoobox is available at http://malwr.com/.
Current features are:
Cuckoo is available from http://www.cuckoosandbox.org.