text:
The city of Bell extracted tens of thousands of dollars from plumbers, carpet cleaners, even people scavenging for bottles and cans, by seizing vehicles for alleged code violations and then pressuring the owners to pay arbitrary fines.
In hundreds of cases, city officials created documents that looked like official court papers declaring individuals were making a payment to the city as part of a "civil compromise." Normally, such cases would be reviewed by a judge to ensure that they had been settled fairly. But the vast majority of these cases do not appear to have been presented to a court. Times reporters reviewed 164 cases, roughly one-third of those located in the city's records, and found only three that were filed. All three were dismissed.
The practice took place for at least eight years until The Times inquired about it recently. Interim Chief Administrative Officer Pedro Carrillo, who said he had been unaware of the scheme, has now stopped it and said code enforcement officials were no longer impounding vehicles. He also said he is looking into allegations that some confiscated property disappeared.
FULL COVERAGE: High salaries stir outrage in Bell
"It stinks, honestly," he said. "I see no pattern in these things. It just seems targeted."
Experts said Bell's practice was unheard of elsewhere and legally questionable on at least two grounds: the failure to have a judge review the "settlements" and the seizure of property, which was often done on the grounds that cars, trucks and other goods were evidence needed for investigations that do not appear to have taken place.
The reason for requiring a judge's involvement is that "it's done in open court. There's a certain integrity there," said Maureen Siegel, senior assistant Los Angeles city attorney.
Mark Sellers, former Thousand Oaks city attorney, said that for a code-enforcement officer to say: "'I'm going to confiscate your vehicle because you were digging for cans and bottles'" amounts to "depriving that person of an important property right without due process."
Those cited include a husband and wife passing out handbills, a taxi driver dropping off a customer, a woman selling mangoes and a homeless man picking up bottles. The fines varied widely, with amounts ranging from $25 to $1,000, plus a promise to pay an additional $1,000 for any future violation of the Bell municipal code. One person caught selling strawberries paid $75. Another paid $200, according to the records.
One of those snared was plumber Frank Santiago. Three years ago, a Bell resident called Santiago to check out a leaking kitchen pipe. He found nothing wrong and was backing his van out of the driveway when a code enforcement officer pulled up and blocked his way, the plumber recalled.
The officer wanted to know if Santiago had a license to do plumbing in Bell. Santiago said he told the officer he hadn't even pulled out any tools, but the officer cited him anyway and towed the van. Santiago and a supervisor showed up the following day at City Hall to settle the matter and were directed to pay for licenses for all 10 vehicles in the company fleet. In all, they paid $2,200 in fines and fees, according to records and interviews.
"They were just trying to get money one way or another," Santiago said. "What they did wasn't right."
READ THE DOCUMENT: See how Bell created documents that looked like official court papers.
The program is a prime example of the aggressive efforts that officials in one of Los Angeles County's poorest cities were making to raise revenue, some of which was used to help pay the large s alaries of top officials. State auditors already have concluded that Bell levied unlawful taxes and fees on its residents. The Times previously reported that city officials demanded tens of thousands of dollars in fees from business owners and pushed police officers to meet a daily quota on impounding cars. Those programs are being investigated by authorities.
Bell's former city administrator, Robert Rizzo, and seven other current and former officials were charged by Los Angeles County prosecutors this fall with multiple counts of corruption, mostly related to efforts to conceal salaries as high as the $1.5 million Rizzo was set to earn this year. All have pleaded not guilty.
Records show the citations, impounds and settlements were overseen by Eric Eggena, who served as city prosecutor and head of code enforcement. Eggena, who earned $421,402 annually, was fired in October after he was identified as one of the city's top-paid officials.
Eggena did not respond to requests for comment.
Thousands of pages of documents reviewed by The Times revealed more than 450 code-enforcement cases involving civil compromises.
In each, the person cited for violations signed documents titled "Superior Court of The Southeast/North Judicial District," referring to the courthouse in Huntington Park. Although most of the individuals had been cited for code infractions, the documents stated that they were agreeing to pay a fine to settle a "criminal action."
And while the justification for impounding property was that it was needed as evidence for an investigation, many of the cases reviewed by The Times were settled within hours of the citation, and many of the people cited admitted their violations at the scene. There were no reports showing that any evidence was gathered from the impounded cars. In addition to the fines, the city charged a $400 release fee and received additional money from the tow yard depending on how long a car had remained there.
A number of those caught up in the enforcement efforts were struggling to get by. Bell resident Alfredo Moreno, 73, was laid off three years ago from his job as a packer at a Norwalk market. Since then, he has collected bottles and cans to survive, waking up at dawn to scour streets and alleys. On a good day he makes between $10 and $15.
In April, he was scavenging when a code enforcement officer cited him for "unauthorized collection" of recyclable material, records show. His 1999 Ford van was impounded as evidence.
Moreno said the enforcement officer gave him two choices: He could settle the matter by paying a fine at City Hall or go to court. "He told me 'If you pay later, it will be more expensive,'" Moreno recalled.
Two weeks later, Moreno came to City Hall and signed his civil compromise, which was approved and signed by Eggena, records show. The fine was $50. After borrowing money from his children, he also paid $500 to retrieve his van.
A Spanish speaker, Moreno said he didn't understand the document and did not challenge it. Moreno expressed the helplessness that many in Bell felt over the city's aggressive efforts to raise money — and the difficulty they faced in getting anyone to work on their behalf.
"What can I do against them?" he said of the city. "Nothing."
In some cases, city records do not indicate whether seized property — including couches, kitchen utensils and an ice cream cart — actually was returned.
Carrillo, the city administrator, said code enforcement officers told him Eggena took control of some property, and they don't know what happened to it. Prosecutors are investigating allegations that seized property disappeared, according to investigative reports reviewed by The Times.
One such case involved Alfonso Lewis Booker, who pulled into a gas station parking lot in a rented new Cadillac on a Friday in 2008 to sell silver- and gold-plated jewelry. He had just started doing business, he said, when he was spotted by a code enforcement officer.
Booker was cited for illegal vending, and his rented car was towed. City records show that 58 gold- and silver-plated watches, rings, chains, medallions and bracelets were also seized.
Booker recalls the officer gave him the number of someone in City Hall to settle the matter. When he called, he said the man told him to bring $200 to get his jewelry back. He went to City Hall with the money 11 days later, records show.
He signed a civil compromise but said he never got his jewelry back. Documents released by the city include no receipt showing that the items were returned.
"They said I waited too long to do that," Booker said. "They wouldn't give it back."
Times staff writers Corina Knoll and Ruben Vives contributed to this report.


text:
P is for Practical | |
PerlMonks |
Re: opening a file destroys nulling entries in a list?!?!by Albannach (Prior) |
on Aug 07, 2003 at 03:42 UTC ( #281733=note: print w/replies, xml ) | Need Help?? |
Well I was about to post a clarification of cfreak's node, but sgifford beat me to it, so I'll just add that map returns a list, so to avoid making perl do all that work for nothing (and not bothering to put a variable in quotes where no interpolation is needed), I'd use:
Of course for also aliases array elements to $_, so this will still suffer from the same thing that caught you unless you use the local $_ in your sub. As a matter of (possibly paranoid) habit I tend to avoid the various implicit uses of $_ in code that I expect to keep any length of time. While it's extremely handy for one-liners, it's just not worth the potential trouble in more complex code. --
In Section
Seekers of Perl Wisdom

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What I will be remembering -- and which I sincerely urge that today's politicians and media personalities read up on -- is the fact that the Civil War was actually postponed for decades by the most fierce ideological divide in our history.
Read Whole Story
American ideas are important, an essential element for charting our future. Unfortunately, we may be losing our ability to discern quality debate.
While we are indeed currently politically divided and somewhat polarized, this is actually our normal state as a nation -- and on the polarization scale, we're nowhere near the "most divided" we've ever been. Far from it.
Just as the free states could not tolerate the spread of slavery into their midst, so too, free, middle-class America will not tolerate the yoke of socialism put upon our necks.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand." --Lincoln. "When you have both extremes saying they're unhappy, I think it's [the Senate's December 2...
Get top stories and blog posts emailed to me each day. Newsletters may offer personalized content or advertisements. Learn more.


text:
Canada's brightest poker players are part of the highly regarded Team PokerStars. With titles at the World Series and elsewhere, Team Canada boasts millions of dollars in tournament winnings at the biggest events around the world.
» To play poker against Team Canada, download the free PokerStars software today
With several World Series bracelets and WPT wins under their belts, Team Canada's results are daunting. Highlights include:
*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Caesars License Company, LLC ("Caesars"). Caesars does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with PokerStars or its products, services, promotions or tournaments.


text:
When we had democracy, We, the People made the rules and we ran our country and our economy for our benefit. Now that we are a plutocracy things are different. The reason our elites are not doing anything to fix the economy is because from their viewpoint, things are just fine.
plu·toc·ra·cy noun \plü-ˈtä-krə-sē\
1: government by the wealthy
2: a controlling class of the wealthy
Our political leaders dance with the ones that bring them. Increasingly they are dancing with the billionaires and their giant corporations.
Our politicians are doing and saying increasingly incomprehensible things. The separation from regular people is unbelievable. But in politics you "dance with the one that brung ya," and these things become comprehensible and believable when you look at who is bringing them to the dance.
Our Benefit
In a democracy a successful business is the result of our investment in infrastructure, education, and a system that enables our businesses to thrive. A business can't deliver products except over the roads or ports or the Internet our government built. Our police and firefighters protect our businesses. Our schools and universities train and educate the inventors and managers and line workers. Our scientific research brings about the innovation that leads to new technologies and products.
"Entitlements" are the things We, the People are entitled to as citizens of a democracy. Those who do well as a result of our investment in our system pay back through taxes, good jobs and great products. When we were a democracy we were entitled to a minimal level of retirement, and health care, education, protection if we lost our jobs, protection of our environment, protection from corporate fraud, and other things that are now disappearing.
Now that democracy is gone, a wealthy few are living off our past investment, and cutting back on the things we used to do for each other.
Why All The Cuts, No Jobs?
Here is the reason that our leaders are cutting back on the things our country does for We, the People, and are not working very hard to do anything about the high unemployment and economic troubles most of us are feeling:
2010: Corporate Profits Were the Highest on Record Last Quarter
2011: Corporate Profits At All-Time High As Recovery Stumbles
2012: Corporate Profits Just Hit An All-Time High, Wages Just Hit An All-Time Low
2012: Bank CEO pay rises. Corporate profit margins rise. Worker wages, not so much.
2012: Richest 1 Percent Account For Nearly All Of U.S. Recovery's Gains: Report
The billionaires and their giant corporations are doing just fine, thank you.
The reason our leaders are not doing anything to fix the economy is because, from the viewpoint of our real leaders, the economy is working just fine.
Golden Oldie
A golden oldie (updated a bit): Democracy Or Plutocracy? A Chart
We, the People | Wealthy Few |
One Person One Vote | One Dollar One Vote |
Majorities | Markets |
Government | Limited Government |
Majority | Supermajority |
Budgets | Budget Cuts |
Taxes on the Wealthy | Tax Cuts for the Wealthy |
Information | Propaganda |
Public Schools | Private Schools |
Education | Training |
Studying the arts, literature, history, philosophy, etc. | Mocking people for studying the arts, literature, history, philosophy, etc. |
Jobs programs | Bank Bailouts |
Welfare | Warfare |
Express Lanes for 2 or More People | Express Lanes for 2 or More Dollars |
Security Lines at Airports | Special First-Class Security Lanes at Airports |
Public Investment | Private Investment |
Public Transportation | Private Jets |
Accountability | Impunity |
Rule Of Law | Above The Law |
Justice | Just Us |
Transparency | Secrecy |
Sustainable growth | Polluter Growth |
Medicare-For-All | Healthcare For Profit |
Clean Elections | Rigged Elections |
Savings Accounts | Offshore Accounts |
Credit Card Debt | Credit Default Swaps |
Union members | Serfs |
Layoffs | Payoffs |
Homies | Cronies |
Grassroots | Astroturf |
Pensions | 401Ks |
Honest Brokers | Self-Interest |
Free Will | At Will |
Citizen | Consumer |
Citizen | Employee |
Participant | Observer |
Actor | Acted On |
Doer | Done To |
Healthy Communities | Gated Communities |
Bedford Falls | Pottersville |
George Baily | Henry F. Potter |
Savings | Debt |
America the Beautiful | America the Profitable |
The Many | The Rich |
People | Cogs |
Humanity | Efficiency |


text:
After a stellar career at Spring Hill high school, Melody Hanson will continue to play volleyball at Fayette, Missouri this fall. She recently made it official signing a national letter of intent in front of family and friends in the school's library.
Hanson was a four year letter in Volleyball and Basketball in Spring Hill. Last spring she earned second team All-Frontier honors in both sports.
Hanson, a setter, helped the Lady Broncos to a five hundred record fall action. This summer she has been involved with the South Wind Rising volleyball club of Olathe. The team recently placed 26th out of 48 teams in a national tournament in Dallas, Texas.
Academically, Hanson held a 3.86 at Spring Hill- the top ten percent in her class. She will pursue a degree in Athletic Training and hopes to add a graduate degree in Physical Therapy later.
She is the daughter of Rick and Kim Hanson of Spring Hill.


text:
Gold Rush!
The gold rush is on! Sell your land, pack your bags, and grab the next ride out, because fortune lies just 2,500 miles away. Become Jerrod, a young man earning a meager living in Brooklyn, New York. Travel with Jerrod as he joins the mad rush for riches in sunny California. Joining the ranks of Sierra's greatest adventures, Gold Rush! recreates an unpredictably treacherous path paved with graves of many who never saw the gleam of California gold. Over 150 scenes, including realistic onscreen maps of early American travel routes. Historically accurate - face the same obstacles and travel the same routes as our early American forefathers. Great for home or school use - discover the American frontier!
Game List Statistics
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0 Users
Wish List
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Hot List
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text:
404 File Not Found
Host by NetBox Version 2.8 Build 4128
Kids Preferred Buttercup Doll
Healthy Baby Toys are asthma and allergy friendly and an ideal choice for those concerned with reducing the levels of allergens-such as dust mites and pet dander-around children. The unique design and quality construction of Healthy Baby Toys can withstand the frequent washings required to keep allergen levels low without damaging the "new" look and feel of the toy. In addition, parents can be confident the toys do not contain harmful chemicals known to trigger symptoms of asthma and related allergies.
Only toys bearing the "asthma and allergy friendly" certification mark have met the standards adopted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Each toy has been independently tested and scientifically proven to be more suitable for people with asthma and certain types of allergies. Doesn't your baby deserve Healthy Baby Toys?
Measuring 11 inches tall, this sweet dolly gets her name from her buttery yellow outfit complete with a yellow cap. Her inviting smile and soft features make her the perfect companion for a snuggle, a car ride or tucked under the covers all night. Certified asthma & allergy friendly(tm).
Product Notes
List: $15.00
Buttercup Doll |
Currently Unavailable |
For the purchase limit reached item, please choose a quantity to Add to Registry
Quantity:SELECT A CART
Please choose which cart you want to add the item.
By choosing one of the above, you are able to shop for both yourself and a registrant at the same time. Once you are ready to checkout your items will be waiting for you in both your personal and registry shopping carts.
Still need assistance?
Please contact us at 1-800-Diapers (1-800-342-7377)


text:
The War of The Marvels is over, but before Carol Danvers can deal with its aftermath, she must brace herself as she faces down the biggest mistake she made before her apparent death…promising Spider-Man she'd go out with him!
Then, Ms. Marvel vs. Mystique! She raised Rogue, the woman who stole Carol's powers and memories, and now the sinister shape-shifter is coming for Ms. Marvel herself! Collecting Ms. Marvel issues #47 to 50, written by Brian Reed, pencilled by Mark Robinson and Sana Takeda, with cover artwork by Paul Renaud.Marvel, hardback, 112 pages, published April 2010
This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 20 January, 2010.


text:
Chazen Museum of Art (formerly Elvehjem)
Located on the UW-Madison campus, the Chazen Museum of Art presents a year-round schedule of temporary exhibitions celebrating national and international art and artists. The permanent collection houses over 16,000 works exploring cultures and art movements from 2300 B.C. to the present.
Hours of Operation
Tues-Fri: 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun: 11am-5pm. Closed Mondays.
Located on the UW campus.
- Disabled Access
Museum/Gallery Type
- Art


text:
Career Center
Post Jobs and More
Welcome to AAPD Career Center
Registered Nurse - RN - Medical Acute
SCL Health
March 5, 2017
Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver, CO
Full Time - Experienced
Registered Nurse - RN - Medical Acute-17000780 Care Site Description Saint Joseph Hospital is part of SCL Health, a faith-based, nonprofit health care organization. Interested in making a difference? Then check us out. Our rich heritage and mission, and our focus on health care delivery that values person-centered care, excellence and accountability are a winning combination as we bring health – and hope – to our patients. Fast Facts Denver (estab.1873) Largest acute care provider in Denver area 2,397 associates, 1,332 medical staff, 108 residents 371 beds New $623 million, 360-bed, 826,000-square-foot replacement facility (December 2014) Services & Expertise Breast Care Center Cardiovascular Services Center for Women and Infants Comprehensive Cancer Center Emergency Services Medical Imaging Orthopedics Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Rehabilitation Surgical Care Weight Loss Surgery Center Kudos: Saint Joseph Hospital offers excellence across the continuum of care for patients. Visit: http://www.saintjosephdenver.org/ Description The Medical unit at the new St. Joseph Hospital is 32 beds and sees patients with multiple diagnoses varying from GI, pulmonary, infectious diseases, sepsis, detox etc. This is a fast paced floor with a highly motivated and compassionate team who strives for excellence in patient care. Come join us! The Registered Nurse will provide direct patient care, meeting both psychological and physical needs of the patients in accordance with physicians' orders, Joint Commission, OSHA, nursing and department guidelines. The RN fulfills these duties to contribute to the continuity and quality of care which fosters the best interest and well-being of all patients and their families. Conduct and document a thorough assessment of each patient's medical status upon admission and throughout the patient's course of treatment. Assist in the development and implementation of an individualized treatment plan for each assigned patient. Comply with evaluation, treatment and documentation guidelines described. Complete required documentation in an accurate and timely manner. Oversee care delivered by Licensed Practical Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants. Attend and participate in clinical team conferences regarding patient progress, problems and needs. Act in compliance with hospital, regulatory and professional standards and guidelines. Access continuing education opportunities appropriate to discipline and responsibilities in order to maintain clinical currency. Adheres to facility policies and procedures and participates in facility quality improvement and safety programs. Perform other duties, as assigned. · The information above is for summary purposes, and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of essential functions. Qualifications Associate's degree in nursing, required Bachelor's degree in nursing, required within 5 years of employment Valid license as a Registered Nurse in the State of practice, required Possess a current Basic Life Support Certification, required Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, required One (1) year of RN experience in an acute or sub-acute/rehab hospital setting, required Organization: Saint Joseph Hospital, Denver, CO Primary Location: CO-Denver/Boulder/Surrounding Areas-Denver Department: SJD-MS1-Med-Surg-Unit Schedule: Full-time Shift: Night Shift Job Posting: Feb 2, 2017, 8:27:53 PM FTE: 0.9 Nursing Professional (RN) |
Internal Number: 17000780
About SCL Health
We reveal and foster God's healing love by improving the health of the people and communities we serve, especially those who are poor and vulnerable.
Inspired by our faith,
•We will be distinguished as the premier person-centered health system and trusted partner.
•We will share accountability with clinicians and other stakeholders to coordinate care across all settin...gs and improve access, quality, health outcomes, and affordability.
•We will grow as community-based health networks to serve more people in partnerships with others who share our vision and values.
Caring Spirit - We honor the sacred dignity of each person.
Excellence - We set and surpass high standards.
Good Humor - We create joyful and welcoming environments.
Integrity - We do the right thing with openness and pride.
Safety - We deliver care that seeks to eliminate all harm for patients and associates.
Stewardship - We are accountable for the resources entrusted to us.
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text:
Meetup Applies Self Organizing to Itself
Heather GreenA few weeks ago, I met Scott Heiferman from Meetup for lunch down in Soho. As we sat by a set of big floor to ceiling windows, watching some workers pour a concrete sidewalk outside, he described the big management shifts that the company was going through. After piling on layers of bureaucracy as the company grew, the execs decided to upend their organization chart and put in place a new management system where employees decide what they would work on and how they would arrange themselves into teams.
This week, I wrote about the experiment. What's fascinating is how a company based on self organizing is getting back to its roots. But there are also lessons for other companies to take from Meetup. WIth the Internet, people have much different skills and expectations. And the control over information that created the management class in the past is over.
It was a big bet, but one that Meetup's execs felt that they had to do to get the company moving forward on the fast track again. And it's working. Next week, the company plans to launch a whole slew of features that are really important for them.


text:
- Internships /
- Technology /
- Web Developer, Online Marketing and Customer Service
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Web Developer, Online Marketing and Customer Service
Bookmark This
Business & Gaming Technologies
7340 E. Washington St
Indianapolis, IN
Posted: August 24 2016
Application Deadline: Available Year-round
Position: Part-time, Unpaid
Always be on the alert for potentially fraudulent job postings online - never send money to a potential employer.
Computer company is looking for an individual who has web development skills and wants to grow more. This intern position will allow you to build web development and social media marketing skills, utilize your customer service skills and build relationships with new businesses and retail customers.The company provides computer repair service and sells computer components to retail customers, creates web sites and provides onsite technology services to businesses.
Send a resume to express your interest or call 513-377-1679.
Candidate will contribute to the development of existing and new websites, will promote websites online and drive more visitors those websites. Candidate will have opportunities to: work with customers on web solutions, build websites, update websites, market websites online, and track progress of web marketing initiatives.Candidate will work with walk-in customers who need computer services. This includes: creating service tickets on the problems, consulting on solutions to those problems, and maintaining communication with customers.
Must have some web development skills and be passionate about growing web and online marketing skills.Must have excellent communication skills, verbal, written and online.
Must be skilled in office technology products like Microsoft Office.
Must be a team player and able to work independently.
Must be dependable.
Must be available in the mornings.


text:
Formulates and carries out educational programs designed to minimize or eliminate discriminatory practices, receives and investigates complaints alleging any discriminatory practices, provides mediation services to resolve incidences of alleged discriminatory practices, endeavors to eliminate discriminatory practices, and advises the City Council on human rights issues. Minimum qualifications for the seven member commission include a strong commitment to human rights and a belief in the principles of equal opportunity. Length of terms is three years, with openings occurring in March.
Rose Wibbenmeyer, Assistant City Counselor
573-817-5024 or via email at email@example.com
Sec. 12-16. Commission created; membership; qualification; terms; vacancies.
There is hereby established a commission on human rights. The commission shall consist of seven (7) members. All members shall be residents of the city. The members shall have demonstrated a strong commitment to human rights and a belief in the principles of equal opportunity embodied in this chapter. The council shall endeavor to appoint individuals to the commission from various protected categories that have historically been discriminated against. Of the seven (7) members first appointed, three (3) shall be appointed for one year, two (2) shall be appointed for two (2) years and two (2) shall be appointed for three (3) years. Thereafter, appointment shall be for terms of three (3) years, except that appointments to fill vacancies shall be for unexpired terms only.
(Ord. No. 13194 § 2, 12-16-91; Ord. No. 20788, § 1, 10-18-10; Ord. No. 22462, § 1, 6-1-15)
Sec. 12-17. Officers; meeting and quorum; rules and procedures; compensation; attendance; training.
(a) The commission shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and secretary from among its members and create and fill such other offices as it may determine. The term of such elective officers shall be for one (1) year.
(b) The commission shall meet periodically as necessary. The chair shall preside at all meetings, but in the absence of the chair or such person's inability to preside at any meeting, the vice-chair shall preside. Four (4) members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting.
(c) The commission shall adopt rules and procedures for the conduct and transaction of its business and shall keep a record of its proceedings.
(d) The members of the commission shall serve, without compensation, for the terms of their appointments and until their successors are appointed.
(e) The chair of the commission is authorized to excuse any member from attendance at a commission meeting; provided, that the member requested to be excused before the meeting. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from twenty-five (25) per cent of the regular commission meetings held in a calendar year shall automatically forfeit the office. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from three (3) consecutive regular meetings shall automatically forfeit the office. The chair shall promptly notify the city council through the city clerk of such vacancy.
(Ord. No. 13194 § 2, 12-16-91; Ord. No. 17127, § 1, 1-7-02; Ord. No. 17658, § 1, 4-21-03)
Sec. 12-18. Functions, powers and duties.
The commission shall have the following functions, powers and duties:
(1) To formulate and carry out educational programs designed to minimize or eliminate those discriminatory practices made unlawful by Article III of this chapter.
(2) To receive and investigate complaints alleging any discriminatory practices made unlawful by Article III of this chapter.
(3) To endeavor to eliminate discriminatory practices made unlawful by Article III of this chapter by conference, conciliation and persuasion.
(4) To provide mediation services to resolve incidences of alleged discriminatory practices made unlawful by Article III of this chapter.
(5) To cooperate with other organizations, private and public, to discourage discrimination.
(6) To encourage fair treatment for all persons regardless of age as it relates to employment, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, handicap, sexual orientation or familial status as it relates to housing.
(7) To advise the city council on human rights issues.
(8) To hold public hearings on the state of human rights and relations in the city and on specific human rights issues.
(9) To sponsor or initiate specifically targeted workshops and on-going programs to improve human relations and to decrease tensions in the city.
(10) To present informational programs on human rights to school, business, service and other organizations.
(11) To adopt rules, regulations and guidelines pertaining to the investigation and disposition of complaints consistent with the provisions of this chapter.
(12) To make recommendations to the city manager for funding human rights enhancement activities.
(Ord. No. 13194 § 2, 12-16-91; Ord. No. 17127, § 1, 1-7-02; Ord. No. 20659, § 1, 6-21-10)
Sec. 12-19. - Human rights enhancement program.
(a) Upon the recommendation of the commission, the city manager is authorized to enter into agreements with local organizations for human rights enhancement activities.
(b) No program shall receive more than five hundred dollars ($500.00) in any fiscal year under this program and the program is limited to the availability of funds appropriated for the program.
(Ord. No. 20659, § 1, 6-21-10)


text: From Our 2012 Archives Sleep Apnea Linked to Higher Cancer Death RiskBy Serena GordonHealthDay Reporter SUNDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep apnea has already been linked to a host of adverse health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Now, new research suggests that in people who already have cancer, the sleep disorder may raise their risk of dying from cancer. Latest Cancer NewsPeople with the most severe sleep apnea -- those who have 30 or more episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour of sleep -- had almost five times the risk of cancer death compared to someone without sleep apnea. "Sleep apnea is the periodic pausing of breathing during sleep that results in drops in oxygen levels in your blood. It causes snoring and sleepiness during the day," explained study author Dr. Javier Nieto, chair of the department of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, in Madison. "Aside from being an annoyance to your spouse, family members and maybe even your neighbors depending on how loud your snoring is, sleep apnea is a severe problem. Drowsiness and sleepiness during the day increase the risk of accidents, and sleep apnea is associated with cardiovascular disease, heart disease, strokes, hypertension and cardiovascular mortality. Now, we see this new angle: an increase in cancer mortality," said Nieto. Nieto is scheduled to present the study Sunday at the American Thoracic Society International Conference, in San Francisco. Nieto said the new study was suggested by researchers from the University of Barcelona in Spain who found that when mice were deprived of oxygen periodically, skin cancer tumors grew faster in the mice. And, cancer cells in the lab that are deprived of oxygen produce molecules that stimulate the growth of blood vessels in an attempt to get more oxygen, he said. Nieto and the Spanish researchers wondered if this effect was the same in humans. To test that theory, they reviewed data from more than 1,500 people included in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort. This study included 22 years of mortality data, as well as information from sleep studies. The researchers adjusted the data to account for age, sex, body mass, smoking and other factors that might affect the risk of cancer death, and they found that sleep apnea increased the risk of cancer death. They also found that the more severe the sleep apnea, the more likely someone was to die from cancer. People with mild sleep apnea -- five to 14.9 episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour -- had a 10 percent increased risk of cancer death, while those with moderate sleep apnea -- 15 to 29.9 episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour -- had double the risk of cancer death. Those with severe sleep apnea -- more than 30 episodes of low or no oxygen in an hour -- had a 4.8 times higher risk of cancer death. Nieto said the study didn't prove a cause-and-effect relationship, but the association was quite strong. And, he noted that the findings were consistent in humans, animals and in cells. He added that there is also a plausible mechanism for this association. When you have cancer and you repeatedly have episodes of low or no oxygen, the cancer cells "try to compensate for the lack of oxygen by growing additional blood vessels to get more oxygen. It's a defense mechanism," Nieto said. And, as those blood vessels keep growing, it helps the tumor to spread, he explained. Dr. Steven Park, a sleep medicine specialist and otorhinolaryngologist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, said he wasn't surprised by the findings. "This goes along with the link between sleep apnea and pretty much every chronic medical condition out there," Park said. But, he added that this study's findings need to be confirmed in other studies, and ideally be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Research presented at medical meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. "Anyone with snoring, severe daytime fatigue, lack of memory or focus, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even someone who has to get up to go to the bathroom at night should be screened for sleep apnea," Park said. He added that it's possible to have sleep apnea without snoring, especially for women. So, if you're getting enough sleep at night, yet still feel tired during the day, it's important to bring this up to your doctor. Park said there are home-monitoring devices that can be used to screen people at home initially. Nieto said that treating sleep apnea will improve your quality of life, as well as reduce your risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. And, if you have cancer, he said, treating sleep apnea may help increase your odds of surviving cancer. Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Javier Nieto, M.D., Ph.D., chair, department of population health sciences, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison; Steven Y. Park, M.D., sleep medicine specialist, surgeon and otorhinolaryngologist, Montefiore Medical Center, New York City; May 20, 2012, presentation, American Thoracic Society International Conference, San Francisco |


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There's talent here, but Eduardo Villanueva, like a young artist still influenced by his elders, needs to find his own style or he'll become a skilled yet unexciting copyist.
Autodidact Eduardo Villanueva's sophomore feature, "Penumbra," is the cinematic equivalent of museum labels that attribute paintings to "Latin American School, early 21st century." Contributing to the generic designation are: an elderly, impoverished couple in the provinces; mystical nature; spare dialogue; handsome, slow pans; a painterly use of light; and Arvo Part. Even the title brings to mind other films such as "Silent Light" and "Post tenebras lux." There's talent here, but Villanueva, like a young artist still influenced by his elders, needs to find his own style or he'll become a skilled yet unexciting copyist. A modest fest life awaits.
Though "Penumbra" occasionally resembles a documentary, and lead Adelelmo Jimenez's life is part of the multihyphenate helmer's inspiration (along with the works of author Juan Rulfo), this is fiction. Jimenez plays a homonymous hunter living with his second wife, Dolores (Carlota Rodriquez), in a depopulated area of western Mexico. The opening sequence is particularly fine, as Patrick Ghiringelli's Super 16 camera slowly circles around their modest home, seamlessly cutting while turning to show Jimenez waking up and preparing himself and the house for the day. As the title would suggest, Villanueva shoots the film in the crepuscular hours, capturing the rhythms of that in-between period. While Jimenez goes out hunting, Dolores busies herself in and around their home, plucking a chicken, making soup, doing the laundry. Her time is largely confined to the domestic sphere (the exceptions are church and cemetery), while his is in the surrounding forests, where he tracks deer and collects medicinal plants. Little things signal their slow decline: She breaks a vase (a portent of death?), he loses his appetite. We learn that her son is dead. Entwined with their lives are religion — the camera lingers over a blurry shot of a painting depicting the Virgin and Child — and the spirits of the forest, which earn Jimenez's respect in the way that all good hunters honor their prey. Though Dolores is a presence, this is Jimenez's film, and the sense of an inner life comes largely from his wordless sojourns in the woods. Viewers immersed in the arthouse scene will draw parallels with "Paraguayan Hammock," Carlos Reygadas and even Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Though occasionally repetitive, and not without certain longueurs, "Penumbra" displays a refined sense of composition and a burgeoning sensitivity to the play of light and shadow. There's a beautiful slow pan across lichen-stained trees, the colors and forms melding to give the sensation of mottled granite; it's a lovely image, yet a sense of organic integration is lacking. Arvo Part has become the musical equivalent of the iconic Che Guevara photo: overused and facile. Villanueva uses a snippet from the "Salve Regina" at the very end — why not try Josquin des Prez for a change?Penumbra
An Eduardo Villanueva production. Produced, directed, written by Eduardo Villanueva.
Camera (color, Super 16), Patrick Ghiringelli; editors, Villanueva, Zazil Barba; production designers, Villanueva, Alvara Ugarte; art directors, Sofia Beas, Mario Navarro; sound (THX), Pedro Martinez Negrette, Sergio Diaz, Cristian Manzutto. Reviewed at Rotterdam Film Festival (competing), Jan. 27, 2013. Running time: 99 MIN.
Adelelmo Jimenez, Carlota Rodriquez.


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Dad-child bonding is a topic I cover a lot here. In a lot of cases, the bonding in question is with young kids. But in this guest post, Caden Rogers has some suggestions for dads whose kids are in school.
In a world where people are always quickly moving from job to job and activity to activity, dads might realize that they do not spend as much quality time with their children. Fortunately, there are always countless opportunities to change this. Though you might be tempted to want to go out and fish like you did as a child with your father, remember that sometimes, the best way is to meet your kids halfway. With the advent of the digital age, it's likely that your child has a lot of interests that not only would facillitate bonding, but might also be useful for you to learn about! Regardless, whether it's through technology or something a bit more old-fashioned, these ideas will help any father to develop a stronger bond with their child.
When dads are away from their kids all day or for a few days, they should learn how to text. Children will often feel at ease sending a quick message to their dads throughout the day, and it's an excellent way to keep in touch.
Some dads do not see their children for long stretches of time, whether it's due to divorce or work circumstances. With Skype, fathers can read bedtime stories to their little ones or sit down for a cup of hot chocolate with their high schoolers at the end of the day.
Nature Walks
Sometimes, in order to bond, people need to break away from that day-to-day hassle. Take your children to the local park, and go for a walk around the lake or stream. You can take photos of the animals and plants out there in nature, and make a scrapbook later.
Homework Time
Whether it's math, science, reading, history or one of the other disciplines, your budding scholar will likely need help at one point or another. Make sure you're that person who gives him or her advice on remembering the quadratic formula or tips for incorporating quotations into essays.
Facebook Pages
As long as your child is old enough to have a Facebook page and you ensure that all of the privacy settings are top-notch, this is another excellent way for the two of you to bond. When you have free moments during the day, you can send each other a picture or write each other a message.
Father/Child Vacation
Consider taking a little trip for just the two of you if you haven't had time to connect lately. It could be an overnight stay at a favorite amusement park or a trip to some local historical sites. Just make sure it appeals to your child's interests as well as yours.
Cook Together
If you're a dad who works long hours, cooking is probably left to your partner most of the time. Show your child that you can be a great chef too. Pick out a recipe, go to the store together for ingredients and then come home to make that delectable dish.
Maybe the two of you want to redo his or her bedroom or perhaps you're looking for some birthday party ideas. Start up a Pinterest account, and you'll be able to look through some of the various options together and save them all for future reference.
Religious Services
Many people find that they are able to bond better over prayer and reflection. No matter to which faith you belong, make attending services at a house or worship part of your daily routine. If you're not religious, consider other community groups such as rec leagues for great bonding opportunities.
A Fun Project
Find something that you both love, whether it be woodworking or pottery, and work on creating a project together. Once it's done, it can be displayed in the home or yard. Who knows? Maybe you'll become quite a team and can someday profit off this new talent.
It's no secret that quite a number of ways exist in which fathers can bond with their children! All you have to do now is take the initiative – have a blast!
Caden Rogers writes about parenting, education and more. He particularly likes to write about his journey finding an affordable online mba.


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Adults with congenital or acquired heart disease may be transitioned to the Adult Congenital Heart Program in consultation with their pediatric cardiologist. You or your family member will be evaluated for possible arrhythmias, thromboembolic complications, pulmonary hypertension, and heart failure. Patients with certain types of heart disease require special attention during pregnancy, and our cardiologists provide this specialized care in conjunction with obstetricians and perinatologists.
The Adult Congenital Heart Program offers outpatient consultations at Cohen Children's Medical Center and the Center for Comprehensive Cardiac Care. In addition, inpatient consultations are available at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and North Shore University Hospital.


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Infant baggage allowances vary depending on whether the Weight Concept or Piece Concept applies.
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Up to 10 kg (22 lb) additional baggage, in addition to your usual baggage allowance.
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One extra piece of baggage in addition to your usual baggage allowance, regardless of cabin class. This extra piece must be 23 kg (50 lb) or less, with total dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 115 cm (45 inches).
Cabin baggage
Passengers traveling with infants in any class of service are also permitted one (1) handbag for infant food (weight must not exceed 5 kg / 11 lb) and other in-flight necessities and one (1) fully collapsible stroller / carry-cot, as a carry-on item if cabin space is available or else as checked baggage in the hold.
Handbag: 55 cm x 38 cm x 20 cm (22" x 15" x 8")
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I wish I had a photograph of how I stored scraps of plywood before I built this cart but I never thought to capture that poor, riffle shuffle. (By the way, a riffle shuffle is the card shuffling technique you see used frequently and if performed 7 times consecutively will fully randomize a deck of cards. This might be the only piece of information I recall from a high school course entitled: Discrete Mathematics.) I digress…
It suffices to say the method of storage was both cumbersome and an eyesore. This Plywood Storage Cart will:
- increase linear feet of storage space by % 240
- decrease shop floor footprint by % 20
- be portable
- maintain stock integrity
- look better
[Author now pushes eyeglasses back to top of the nose with index finger]
Following is a video illustrating how it all went down.
Good day.


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The brouhaha over readers mixed reactions over The New York Times' front page photo of a breast cancer conqueror enrages me.
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I'm not a doctor, but from what I was told, and from all that I've read over the years, cancer is cancer.
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The Daviess-DeKalb Regional Jail Board will meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 30, at the training trailer. New business items include Employee PTO time; CHP Medical Inmate Contract; Goldberg, Sullivan and McCrerey (Criminal Justice Planning). Old business: Annie Gibson.Closed session: an investigation – Kenneth Schulte, MSHP.
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Bierzo conference pears
The Conference pear, grown in the Leonese county of Bierzo, has unmatched flavour and texture, qualities that make it a much appreciated variety.
Although it is not a native crop in Bierzo, it can be demonstrated that, since the first plantations in the area, this variety has become perfectly adapted to the climatic and soil conditions of the county, giving rise to a pear with extraordinary quality both in its external appearance and the sensory properties that define an exquisite flavour. One of the main characteristics of the Bierzo conference pear is the rust on its skin, very highly appreciated, which is due to the characteristic climate of the area, with a great deal of mist. Its pulp is consistent, with a high sugar content, and it is rather large. The quality of the conference pear makes it suitable to be eaten fresh or to be made into preserves, either in wine or syrup. Because of all that, this variety of fruit is on the way to becoming a product with a Designation of Origin.
More information
Product information
- Type of product: Fruit
- Season: The conference pear is harvested between the end of August and the beginning of September. Only part of the production is intended for immediate consumption.
- Origin: The production, preparation and packaging area is the county of El Bierzo, in the north-west part of the province of Leon. This is an area surrounded by a ring of mountains with a series of geomorphological and climatological traits ideal for producing high quality pears.
- To drink with it: The pears are excellent eaten with sweet or sparkling wine and, if cooked with wine, can be eaten as a dessert together with a young red.
Nutritional information
- Energy: Low
- Cholesterol: 0
- Comments: Rich in fibre.


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Muppet High mugs
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In 1991, Presents produced a line of merchandise for a TV series concept, Muppet High, which was discussed at the Jim Henson Company in the months before Jim Henson's death. The series would have presented the Muppet characters as 1950s high school students, in the same vein as Happy Days and Archie Comics.
The merchandise line included a set of PVC figures, two Muppet High plush dolls, and a set of mugs, picturing Kermit the Frog as a leather-jacket wearing teen with his motorcyle, "The Green Machine".


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Rebecca Jade at Cafe 21
...and the best of the rest in San Diego jazz clubs this week
Robert Bush noon, March 26
Mitch's Surf Shop
631 Pearl Street, La Jolla
Opened in 1967, Mitch's Surf Shop in La Jolla is probably the oldest surf shop in the city under single ownership. Today it offers brand-name, fashionable surf wear and everything you need to make a surfboard, including different sizes and shapes of blanks, resin, and parts. The owner says it's safer and easier to sell videos on how to make surfboards than explain everything. Local surf shops often send their customers to Mitch for parts they don't have. Videos sell for about $30, and the items to make a surfboard run about $200.


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Birth date:
Birth place:
Date of death:
Place of death:
Nov 1638
Drumoak (near Aberdeen), Scotland
Oct 1675
Edinburgh, Scotland
[John Gregory] was a man of courage and foresight but was not conspicuous for outstanding intellectual gifts ...
James seems to have inherited his genius through his mother's side of the family. Janet Anderson's brother, Alexander Anderson, was a pupil of Viète . He acted as an editor for Viète and fully incorporated Viète 's ideas into his own teaching in Paris. James was the youngest of his parents three children. He had two older brothers Alexander (the eldest) and David, and there was an age gap of ten years between James and David.
James learnt mathematics first from his mother who taught him geometry. His father John Gregory died in 1651 when James was thirteen and at this stage James's education was taken over by his brother David who was about 23 at the time. James was given Euclid 's Elements to study and he found this quite an easy task. He attended Grammar School and then proceeded to university, studying at Marischal College in Aberdeen.
Gregory's health was poor in his youth. He suffered for about eighteen months from the quartan fever which is a fever which recurs at approximately 72-hour intervals. Once he had shaken off this problem his health was good, however, and he wrote some years later that the quartan fever (see for example ):
... is a disease I am happily acquainted with, for since that time I never had the least indisposition; nevertheless that I was of a tender and sickly constitution formerly.
Gregory began to study optics and the construction of telescopes. Encouraged by his brother David, he wrote a book on the topic Optica Promota. In the preface he writes:
Moved by a certain youthful ardour and emboldened by the invention of the elliptic inequality, I have girded myself with these optical speculations, chief among which is the demonstration of the telescope.
The reader may not understand Gregory's reference to "the elliptic inequality" which in fact refers to Kepler 's discoveries. Gregory, in Optica Promota, describes the first practical reflecting telescope now called the Gregorian telescope.
The book begins with 5 postulates and 37 definitions. He then gives 59 theorems on reflection and refraction of light. There follows propositions on mathematical astronomy discussing parallax, transits and elliptical orbits. Next Gregory gives details of his invention of a reflecting telescope. A primary concave parabolic mirror converges the light to one focus of a concave ellipsoidal mirror. Reflection of light rays from its surface converge to the ellipsoid's second focus which is behind the main mirror. There is a central hole in the main mirror through which the light passes and is brought to a focus by an eyepiece lens. The tube of the Gregorian telescope is thus shorter than the sum of the focal lengths of the two mirrors. His novel idea was to use both mirrors and lenses in his telescope. He showed that the combination would work more effectively than a telescope which used only mirrors or used only lenses.
The book was only a theoretical description of the telescope for at this stage one had not been constructed. Gregory remarks in the book :
... on his lack of skill in the technique of lens and mirror making ...
In 1663 Gregory went to London. There he met Collins and a lifelong friendship began. One of Gregory's aims was to have Optica Promota published and he achieved this. His other aim was to find someone who could construct a telescope to the design set out in his book. Collins advised him to seek the help of a leading optician by the name of Reive who, at Gregory's request, tried to construct a parabolic mirror. His attempt did not satisfy Gregory who decided to give up the idea of having Reive construct the instrument. However, Hooke learnt of Reive's failed attempt at making the parabolic mirror and this would lead to a successful construction of the first Gregorian telescope around ten years later.
In London Gregory also met Robert Moray, president of the Royal Society , and Moray attempted to arrange a meeting between Gregory and Huygens in Paris. However, Huygens was not in Paris and the meeting did not materialise. Moray was to play a major role in Gregory's career somewhat later.
In 1664 Gregory went to Italy. He visited Flanders, Rome and Paris on his journey but spent most time at the University of Padua where he worked on using infinite convergent series to find the areas of the circle and hyperbola . At Padua he worked closely with Angeli whose :
... teaching profoundly influenced Gregory, particularly in providing the twin keys to the calculus, the method of tangents (differentiation) and of quadratures (integration).
In Padua Gregory was able to live in the house of the Professor of Philosophy who was Professor Caddenhead, a fellow Scot. Two works which were published by Gregory while he was in Padua are Vera circuli et hyperbolae quadratura published in 1667 and Geometriae pars universalis published right at the end of his Italian visit in 1668.
Of Vera circuli et hyperbolae quadratura Dehn and Hellinger write in :
In this work Gregory lays down exact foundations for the infinitesimal geometry then coming into existence. It is remarkable that some decades later, at the time when analysis was in a state of revolutionary development, exactness was at a much lower standard than with Gregory, and generally with the authors writing before the discoveries of Newton and Leibniz (e.g. Huygens , Mengoli , Barrow ).
The work we are dealing with is of quite a different character. On the one hand, the source from which he is getting his inspiration is quite unknown to us. On the other hand we find here a singular mixture of far-reaching ideas, exact methods, incomplete deductions, and even false conclusions.
The work was really trying to prove that π and e are transcendental but Gregory's arguments contain a subtle error. However, this should not in any way detract from the brilliance of the work and the amazing collection of ideas which it contains such as: convergence, functionality, algebraic functions, transcendental functions, iterations etc.
Before he left Padua Gregory published Geometriae pars universalis which is really :
... the first attempt to write a systematic text-book on what we should call the calculus.
This book contained the first known proof that the method of tangents (differentiation in our modern terminology) was inverse to the method of quadratures (integration in our modern terminology). Gregory shows how to transform an integral by a change of variable and introduces the x x - 0(x) idea which is the basis of Newton 's fluxions. Perhaps it is worth saying a little about how Gregory's work relates to that of Newton . By the time that Gregory published this work Newton had formed his ideas of the calculus so probably had not been influenced by Gregory. On the other hand Newton had not said anything of his ideas and so certainly these ideas could not have influenced Gregory. Essentially Newton and Gregory were working out the basic ideas of the calculus at the same time, as, of course, were other mathematicians.
Gregory returned to London from Italy at about Easter 1668. He had sent a copy of Vera circuli et hyperbolae quadratura to Huygens and written a covering letter saying how he was looking forward to hearing the expert opinions of Huygens in it. Huygens did not reply but published a review of the work in July 1668. In the review he raised some objections and also claimed that he had been the first to prove some of the results. On the one hand the summer months that Gregory spent in London were profitable, particularly through his friendship with Collins . It was a time of rapid mathematical development and Gregory found that Collins , with his up-to-date knowledge of developments, was most helpful to him. On the other hand he was upset by Huygens ' comments which he took to imply that Huygens was accusing him of stealing his results without acknowledgement.
It was indeed unfortunate that these two great mathematicians should enter into a dispute, although having said that it is worth noting that disputes were common at this time, particularly regarding priority. Looking at the dispute with the hindsight of today's understanding of the mathematics involved we can say that Huygens was certainly unfair in suggesting that Gregory had stolen his results. Gregory had proved them independently and Huygens should have realised that Gregory could not have known of them. However, Huygens ' main mathematical objection to Gregory's proof is a valid one. Despite there is brilliant work in this text and in Scriba shows how close Gregory was to making further major discoveries. He writes :
Clearly [Gregory] could not see the consequences that lay concealed in his construction. But he had an unerring sense of where they would lead ...
The dispute had another unfortunate consequence, namely that Gregory became much less keen to announce the methods by which he made his mathematical discoveries and, as a consequence, it was not until Turnbull examined Gregory's papers in the library in St Andrews in the 1930s that the full brilliance of Gregory's discoveries became known.
We can now be certain that during the summer of 1668 Gregory was completely familiar with the series expansions of sin, cos and tan. He also established that
sec x dx = log(sec x + tan x)
which solved a long standing problem in the construction of nautical tables. He published the Exercitationes Geometricae as a counterattack on Huygens . Although he did not disclose his methods in the small treatise he discussed topics including various series expansions, the integral of the logarithmic function, and other related ideas.
Also during his time in London in the summer of 1668 Gregory attended meetings of the Royal Society and he was elected a fellow of the Society on 11 June of that year. He presented various papers to the Society on a variety of topics including astronomy, gravitation and mechanics. We have already mentioned that Robert Moray was a member of the Royal Society with whom Gregory was friendly. Moray was a fellow Scot and a graduate of St Andrews. It is almost certain that it was through Moray that Charles II was persuaded to create the Regius Chair of Mathematics in St Andrews, principally to allow Gregory a position in which he could continue his outstanding mathematical research.
Gregory arrived in St Andrews late in 1668. He was not attached to a College, as were the other professors, but given the Upper Hall of the university library as his place of work. It was the only university building which was not part of a college so was the only possible place for an unattached professor. Gregory found that St Andrews was of classical outlook where the latest mathematical work was totally unknown. In 1669, not long after arriving in St Andrews, Gregory married Mary Jamesome who was a widow. They had two daughters and one son.
While in St Andrews Gregory gave two public lecture each week which were not well received:
... I am often troubled with great impertinences: all persons here being ignorant of these things to admiration.
However Gregory was to carry out much important mathematical and astronomical work during his six years in the Regius chair. He kept in touch with current research by corresponding with Collins . Gregory preserved all Collins ' letters, writing notes of his own on the backs of Collins ' letters. These are still preserved in the St Andrews University library and provide a vivid record of how one of the foremost mathematicians of his day made his discoveries.
Collins sent Barrow 's book to Gregory and, within a month of receiving it, Gregory was extending the ideas in it and sending Collins results of major importance. In February 1671 he discovered Taylor 's theorem (not published by Taylor until 1715), and the theorem is contained in a letter sent to Collins on 15 February 1671. The notes Gregory made in discovering this result still exist written on the back of a letter sent to Gregory on 30 January 1671 by an Edinburgh bookseller. Collins wrote back to say that Newton had found a similar result and Gregory decided to wait until Newton had published before he went into print. He still felt badly about his dispute with Huygens and he certainly did not wish to become embroiled in a similar dispute with Newton .
The feather of a sea bird was to allow Gregory to make another fundamentally important scientific discovery while he worked in St Andrews. The feather became the first diffraction grating but again Gregory's respect for Newton prevented him going further with this work. He wrote:
Let in the sun's rays by a small hole to a darkened house, and at the hole place a feather (the more delicate and white the better for this purpose), and it shall direct to a white wall or paper opposite to it a number of small circles and ovals (if I mistake them not) whereof one is somewhat white (to wit, the middle which is opposite the sun) and all the rest severally coloured. I would gladly hear Mr Newton 's thoughts of it.
The Upper Room of the library had an unbroken view to the south and was an excellent site for Gregory to set up his telescope. Gregory hung his pendulum clock on the wall beside the same window. The clock, made by Joseph Knibb of London, was purchased in 1673. Huygens patented the idea of a pendulum clock in 1656 and his work describing the theory of the pendulum was published in 1673, the year Gregory purchased his clock.
In 1674 Gregory cooperated with colleagues in Paris to make simultaneous observations of an eclipse of the moon and he was able to work out the longitude for the first time. However he had already begun work on an observatory. In 1673 the university allowed Gregory to purchase instruments for the observatory, but told him he would have to make applications and organise collections for funds to build the observatory. Gregory went home to Aberdeen and took a collection outside the church doors for money to build his observatory. On 19 July 1673 Gregory wrote to Flamsteed , the Astronomer Royal, asking for advice. He then travelled to England to purchase instruments.
Gregory left St Andrews for Edinburgh in 1674. His reasons for leaving again paint a sorry picture of prejudice against the brilliant mathematician. Writing after taking up his Edinburgh chair Gregory said:
I was ashamed to answer, the affairs of the Observatory of St Andrews were in such a bad condition, the reason of which was, a prejudice the masters of the University did take at the mathematics, because some of their scholars, finding their courses and dictats opposed by what they had studied in the mathematics, did mock at their masters, and deride some of them publicly. After this, the servants of the colleges got orders not to wait on me at my observations: my salary was also kept back from me, and scholars of most eminent rank were violently kept from me, contrary to their own and their parents wills, the masters persuading them that their brains were not able to endure it.
In Edinburgh Gregory became the first person to hold the Chair of Mathematics there. He was not to hold the chair for long, however, for he died almost exactly one year after taking up the post. It was a year in which he was still very active in research in both astronomy and mathematics. On the latter topic he had become interested in the problem of solving quintic equations algebraically and made some interesting discoveries on Diophantine problems. His death came suddenly. One night he was showing the moons of Jupiter to his students with his telescope when he suffered a stroke and became blind. He died a few days later at the young age of 36. Whiteside writes in :
For all his talent and promise of future achievement, Gregory did not live long enough to make the major discovery which would have gained him popular fame. For his reluctance to publish his "several universal methods in geometry and analysis" when he heard through Collins of Newton 's own advances in calculus and infinite series, he postumously paid a heavy price ...
We have mentioned in this article many of the brilliant ideas which are due to Gregory. However, we now summarise these and other contributions in the hope that, despite his reluctance to publish his methods, his remarkable contributions might indeed be more widely understood: Gregory anticipated Newton in discovering both the interpolation formula and the general binomial theorem as early as 1670; he discovered Taylor expansions more than 40 years before Taylor ; he solved Kepler 's famous problem of how to divide a semicircle by a straight line through a given point of the diameter in a given ratio (his method was to apply Taylor series to the general cycloid); he gives one of the earliest examples of a comparison test for convergence, essentially giving Cauchy 's ratio test, together with an understanding of the remainder; he gave a definition of the integral which is essentially as general as that given by Riemann ; his understanding of all solutions to a differential equation, including singular solutions, is impressive; he appears to be the first to attempt to prove that π and e are not the solution of algebraic equations; he knew how to express the sum of the nth powers of the roots of an algebraic equation in terms of the coefficients; and a remark in his last letter to Collins suggests that he had begun to realise that algebraic equations of degree greater than four could not be solved by radicals.