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We head back to school and learn how to kick the 2013 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Racing Mustang RTR sideways. Can an old dog learn new tricks?
Just in time for the release of the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang, we've made sure to showcase this awesome video of Justin Bell learning to drift in Vaughn Gittin, Jr.'s in the 2013 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Racing Mustang RTR. Bell is a well-known British racecar driver turned automotive journalist and hosts "World's Fastest Car Show" on the Motor Trend Network on YouTube, which airs every Friday. Vaughn Gittin, Jr. is an American, self-taught professional drifter from Maryland who is the creator of the Mustang RTR (his version of the Mustang that is available at Ford dealers world-wide.)
We begin with Bell visiting the final round of the 2013 Formula Drift Championship at the Irwindale Event Center in Irwindale, California. He's given an all-access pass to watch and observe the races before being given a ride in Gittin Jr.'s Formula Drift Ford Mustang competition car. When Bell hops in the 2013 Mustang (S197 platform) for a ride, it's easy to notice his immediate discomfort. Coming from a background in a much different style of racing, drifting is not something Bell has ever learned to do. He quickly adjusts as Gittin Jr. takes him around the track. By the end of the lap, he's smitten and excited to give it a try himself.
The video then takes us to Willow Springs; a track located 80 miles north of downtown Los Angeles in Rosamond, California. While at the track, Bell hops in Gittin, Jr.'s 2013 Monster Energy Nitto Tire Ford Racing Mustang RTR one more time with Jr. behind the wheel for a lesson on how to drift. When the lesson is finished, Bell hops in the driver's seat and surprises Jr. with an impressive drift around the cones. A few more laps and Bell has the hang of it. It just goes to show you can teach an old dog a new trick!


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While daydreaming about my upcoming firsthand view of the Carson Palmer "I-Should-Have-Stayed-Retired" Tour, I started thinking about what could entice me to me break the Hillside Federal Bank and contribute to the Lambeau Field expansion, not to mention broaden my investment portfolio.
I came up with a list of things that, had they been included with the Packers share mailed to my house, may have tipped the scales and enticed me to pull the trigger on a purchase.
- One game per year that I control the music in Lambeau Field. Sorry, "Jock Jams," you're out.
- The sauerkraut at one Lambeau food stand is called "Frank's Kraut". Wait, there's trademark issues with that name?!?!
- A personal urinal for whatever game I attend during the season. No one else is allowed to use this urinal except me...unless they tell me an acceptable Bears joke, then they have a 45 second window to get in and get out.
- Five whole minutes to take any picture I so choose with the Lombardi statue outside of the atrium. For anyone who has tried to do this, you know this is worth a lot...maybe more than one share.
- A personal shopper at the Packers' Pro Shop that will guide me through the store. Not that I'm not familiar with it, I just want to get to Curly's sooner.
- A tiny picture of myself displayed somewhere in Ted Thompson's office. It doesn't even have to be visible to visitors, just the fact that I know it's there is worth $275 for me.
- A sponsored cold tub with daily reports on who uses it and for how long. Yes, as part of this ownership, I would do post-season cleaning of said cold tub. That is considered part of the purchase.
- Souvenir, game-worn, ankle tape from a random Packers' player from each game. What would I do with this? I don't have the faintest idea, but I think it would be cool to say I have a pile of Packers' ankle tape in my basement.
- A Ted Thompson, draft-warroom-worn, pastel yellow, Packers button-down shirt. (I'd buy three shares for this)
- A "Packers Shareholder" T-shirt autographed by the Packers' staffer who processed my stock purchase. I think it would make the share a much more personal possession then.
- Mark Murphy to reenact a Ron Weasley scene from the one of the Harry Potter movies and post it on YouTube....What? They kind of look alike...they're both gingers.
- A Christmas card from someone on the practice squad. It better sound heartfelt too.
- A play drawn up by Mike McCarthy on a Lambeau Field napkin.
- A taxi cab in Green Bay when I need it on game night...okay, that's selfish, I know NO ONE gets that.
- The declassified file on why Tracy White was cut.
Hmmm...these all seem ver reasonable to me. Maybe in 10, 15, 20 or 30 years when the next stock offering occurs, I hope to see one or two of these as an accompaniment to my share. (Please make it the last one)
Congrats to all the owners.

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
South Africa 16-32 New Zealand, Rugby Championship
Awesome All Blacks complete clean sweep
October 6, 2012
New Zealand's Sam Whitelock powers over for his side's opening try
© Getty Images
Story of the Game
New Zealand wrapped up an unbeaten Rugby Championship campaign with a clinical 32-16 victory over South Africa in Johannesburg.
The All Blacks secured the title with victory over Argentina last weekend but there was no let up from Steve Hansen's charges against a Springboks side that was determined to deny them a clean sweep in the inaugural staging of the new-look battle for southern hemisphere supremacy.
A try from in-form winger Bryan Habana gave the hosts a deserved early lead but the resilient All Blacks bounced back with a try from lock Sam Whitelock that was followed by another for scrum-half Aaron Smith. The world champions still trailed 16-12 at half-time thanks to Elton Jantjies' first Test points but they wrestled back control of the contest with 20 unanswered points after the break with tries from midfield duo Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith hammering home the All Blacks' dominance.
In an impressive show of strength, the All Blacks were also able to weather the loss of fullback Israel Dagg to a second half yellow card as the Boks floundered with the result a sixth consecutive win in the competition and a record 100th Test victory for captain Richie McCaw.
Ahead of the game South Africa captain Jean de Villiers backed rookie fly-half Johan Goosen to handle the pressure, his predecessor Morne Steyn having had a terrible day with the boot when the two sides met in Dunedin three weeks ago. But Goosen did not get off to the best of starts, missing two early penalties, the second rebounding off a post.
But the Springboks got the opening try of the match in the 12th minute as Habana took a pass from De Villiers to run in unchallenged after a loose ball in midfield proved elusive for All Blacks. Goosen this time made no mistake with his kick as the hosts led 7-0.
The fly-half appeared to be finding his range and knocked over a penalty before the All Blacks got on the board in the 25th minute thanks to a superb counter attack. The Boks missed touch with a clearance and their rivals immediately capitalised by moving the ball out to the left where No.8 Kieran Read put Whitelock away and powerful second row was able to ride tackles from Adriaan Strauss and Goosen on his way to the line.
Carter missed the conversion, but the visitors soon had their second try, Habana missing an interception attempt and Hosea Gear streaking clear before offloading to Aaron Smith, who scored under the posts.
Carter's conversion put the All Blacks 12-10 in front but Jantjies, on for an injured Goosen, knocked over a penalty to put the hosts back in front by one and did it again on the stroke of half-time.
The second half was all New Zealand, though, and they started it as they meant to go on, Nonu touching down after the All Blacks attacked straight after the restart and Carter adding the extras. Jantjies missed two quick-fire penalties as the Boks' kicking problems mounted, and their opponents took advantage with a fourth try in the 52nd minute.
Conrad Smith ghosted through a gap to touch down, with Carter's conversion making it 26-16 to the All Blacks. Carter extended his side's lead with a drop-goal in the 63rd minute.
The hosts were thrown a lifeline when Dagg was sin-binned for slowing down the ball, but the one-way traffic toward the South Africa line continued.
A Carter penalty with nine minutes to go took his tally to 11 and the New Zealand lead to 16, and Aaron Cruden even had time to miss a late three-pointer as the visitors closed out a convincing win.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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askwendy necesitaba un nuevo diseño de impreso o envases y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 81 diseños de 17 diseñadores freelance.
see requirements for details
We are a content creation company and work with various organizations to help them create books, audio books, and other similar material. We are always on the lookout for good graphic designers and if you do a good job for us, we will have more work for you.
PLEASE NOTE - It is likely we will pick more than one submission.
This book is for people who are in the business of selling things. It is very similar to what's available from authors like Zig Ziglar or Brian Tracy, so you can look to those covers for examples of the style most familiar to this audience.
We are open to designs that play on the "seduction" theme, but would also like to see plain/standard designs, as the client sometimes likes to have a "conservative" design as backup. Because of this, we will likely pick more than one design for this project.
We want imagery that conveys these words...
- money
- sales
- business
- success
Title: The Art of Sales Seduction
Sub-Title: 21 Ways to Get More Prospects, Get More Sales, and Make More Money
Author Name: Wendy Mead
Size: 6"x9"
Resolution:300 dpi
Color Space: CMYK
LPI (lines per inch): 180
Preferred file format: PDF
Bleed: 1/8" (3.2 mm) all sides
NOTE: Once we approve final cover front, we can supply you with a template, if that helps.
We will provide all back cover copy and ISBN information/graphic once front cover is approved.


text:
It wasn't always like this in Eugene's Whiteaker neighborhood.
A former working-class district that later became a hippie haven, "The Whit" — named for Oregon's first governor, John Whiteaker — was once considered a dangerous area for the average person to wander.
Located west of the Washington-Jefferson Street Bridge and north of Eighth Avenue, about a mile northwest of downtown, the Whiteaker has recently become identified as Eugene's primary brewery district. Several craft breweries, including Ninkasi, Hop Valley and Oakshire, have established themselves within a few blocks of one another in The Whit. And more are on the way.
A mix of residential and commercial structures, the Whiteaker became a magnet for counterculture in the late 1960s. By the 1980s, it had attracted a significant homeless population as well, and with that an increase in drug arrests and violent crimes.
But a community council ignited local activism, which led to citizen vigilance in the district as well as the building of a spacious new park.
By the 1990s, the Whiteaker had earned a reputation as a center for radical politics and anarchism. Along with staunch environmental and animal-rights groups, anti-globalization and Occupy Eugene protests centered here, and over the years there have been several ugly confrontations with police.
But these same nonconformists have helped to make "The Whit" a vibrant hub of culture and the arts. Artists, musicians, writers, independent filmmakers, community gardeners, creative restaurateurs and others have established homes and studios on the quiet residential avenues north and east of Blair Boulevard. One can now safely wander the streets to see colorful murals on the outer walls of 1930s-era homes and an eclectic mix of small businesses, residences and private galleries.
Sam Bond and Papa Soul
One of the Whiteaker's early residents was Sam C. Bond, who owned and operated a garage on Blair Boulevard at Fourth Avenue from 1926 to 1972. Bond's grandparents had come to Eugene as 19th-century pioneer homesteaders, and he honored his heritage by serving 12 years on the Eugene City Council and guiding the Blair Boulevard Commercial Area (a designated historic district) through the Great Depression.
Today, Sam Bond's Garage — yes, that's its official name — is a casual restaurant and night spot famed near and far for showcasing regional musicians on an almost-nightly basis. It has been so since 1995, recently earning accolades from Esquire magazine as one of America's best bars:
"You're in the family room of one of the weirdest neighborhoods in America — a shady, overgrown co-op of artists, eco-anarchists, spirit healers, drug dealers and permanently circling vagabonds. ... The strong-limbed waitresses circulate the beers in mason jars and smile, but only if they really mean it. It's like a frontier dance hall in a mining town where the vein's gone dry."
What Esquire didn't mention is that Sam Bond's soon will be leaping onto the brewing bandwagon with its own beer. Owner Mark Jaeger and brewer Jim Montgomery are converting a nearby 1895 warehouse space on Eighth Avenue, called The Foundry, into a craft brewery whose production will be pouring from pub taps early next year.
Across the street from the Garage is Papa's Soul Food Kitchen and BBQ, a blues joint established here by the late Ted "Papa Soul" Lee. He opened the restaurant in 2006, having first made his culinary mark at a bright-red food cart at nearby Seventh and Polk streets. His death three years later shocked the neighborhood.
"People who you wouldn't catch dead in Whiteaker would go down to Papa's and ... stand in line to eat," one local told The Register-Guard, Eugene's daily newspaper. "He was really helping Whiteaker to turn around."
Within three blocks of these businesses, up and down Blair Boulevard and intersecting Van Buren Street, a curious mix of restaurants and other businesses prevail.
There's a traditional Japanese bar and cafe (the Izakaya Meiji Co.), a vegan pizza restaurant (the Pizza Research Institute), two other vegetarian cafes, as well as Thai, Mexican-Salvadoran, Italian and a farm-to-table prix-fixe restaurant. Private residences are sandwiched between bakeries and ice-cream purveyors; the Red Barn Natural Grocery occupies a repurposed dairy barn, and around a corner is the lively Eugene Whiteaker International Hostel, which for years has provided budget lodging to travelers from around the world or up the block.
Amidst all this is the Serbian Orthodox church of St. John the Wonderworker, its bulbous golden domes rising above a rust-red building beside Vanilla Jill's Scoops and Soups Cafe. Built in 1997 — three years after the canonization of John Maximovitch (1896-1966), a clairvoyant and healer who led congregations in Shanghai, Paris, Brussels and San Francisco during a 40-year career in the priesthood — its location appears to be incongruous with its surroundings. But that is certainly in keeping with the diverse nature of the neighborhood.
Beertopia emerges
Into this mishmash in 2007 stepped Ninkasi Brewing. Only a year before, partners Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge had brewed the first batch of Total Domination IPA inside a leased German restaurant space in Springfield. So immediate and complete was the reception to this initial brew, Ninkasi established a 15-barrel brew house in the Whiteaker — a system that, six years later, has grown to 50 barrels.
A small tasting room opened four years ago at the front of the brewery building on Van Buren Street. Adjoining is a large patio area, covered by an open tent in winter, that serves as a public beer garden. The brewery doesn't have a kitchen of its own, but a rotation of local food-cart operators set up here daily to serve patrons.
Ninkasi beers are available throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska, as well as in San Francisco. In addition to the flagship IPA, the brewery produces a popular double IPA, a double red ale and oatmeal stout. And its various seasonal brews fill out a substantial selection.
Hop Valley Brewing Co. established a 15-barrel brewery and restaurant in Springfield's Gateway District in 2009, then added its large new 60-barrel production facility in the Whiteaker. The new First Avenue facility, its emerald-green facade marked by hop vines climbing ropes beside an outdoor patio, opened this summer.
Brewmaster Trevor Howard, an Oregon State University graduate and ex-Rogue Ales brewer, controls a flavor profile that is specifically "hop-centric." I sat in the German-style beer hall and watched as the tasting-room bartenders drew from 25 separate taps — two dozen for beers, including Hop Valley's 10 signature brews, and one for cider.
My favorites were Alphadelic IPA — an orange-hued ale with a citrus rose, employing several hops varietals and two malts — and Howard's original Vanilla Bean Porter.
Oakshire Brewing, launched by brothers Jeff and Chris Althouse in 2006, wears its public face at its Madison Street tasting room, four blocks east of Van Buren near Second Avenue.
Also filled with large communal tables, it is unique in serving a new single-batch beer every week (it was a pink pumpkin ale on my recent visit). The release parties take place on Tuesdays.
Brewmaster Matt Van Wyk and lead brewer Tyler West (formerly of Bend's Silver Moon) don't work here, however. Their production facility is in an industrial district near the railroad tracks in Eugene's Bethel district. On the first Saturday each month, by appointment, they're glad to show visitors around the brewery.
Falling Sky
Falling Sky Brewing didn't start out in the Whiteaker. Partners Jason Carrier, a scientist who formerly owned a home-brew shop, and Rob Cohen, previously an upstate New York restaurateur, launched the business in a vacated, back-alley garage in downtown Eugene in January 2012.
Utilizing the creative skills of lead brewer Scott Sieber, once of Rogue Ales, Falling Sky offers a non-repeating menu of beers — between 15 and 17 at any one time, from pilsners to chocolate stouts, according to general manager Josh Evert. The small-batch beers are produced in a seven-barrel, twin-kettle system: "We're not production-oriented," said Evert. "Instead, we're tied to the experience of the space."
It didn't take long before Falling Sky expanded into the Whiteaker. In July, the Falling Sky Pour House and Delicatessen assumed the lease on a restaurant at Eighth Avenue and Blair Boulevard. Long and spacious, the room accommodates more rustic communal tables, from which chef Corey Wisun and his crew deliver fresh and authentic Jewish deli cuisine in the New York style.
I found myself with a plate of veal tongue with kale and fresh chanterelle mushrooms on Israeli couscous, and it was amazing. "It's a Northwest take on an East Coast deli," said Cohen.
Counting Sam Bond's, there are now a dozen separate craft breweries in greater Eugene, including one of them — Viking Braggot, which retains a small unit in an industrial park — that specializes in Norse braggot, a fermented blend of beer and honey (or mead).
Brewing connoisseurs who want to sample as many beers as possible will find a remarkable selection at the Bier Stein, on 16th Avenue at Willamette Street in downtown Eugene. At any given time, there are 30 international beers on tap, and nearly 1,000 — yes, you read that correctly — available by the bottle. They come from all over North America and, indeed, from all over the world.
But few of them have their roots in a neighborhood as quirky as the Whiteaker.
If you go
Next week: Woodinville, Wash.
Travel Lane County. 754 Olive St., Eugene; 541-484-5307, 800-547-5445, www.eugene cascadescoast.org/eugene-springfield/
Downtown Inn. 361 W. Seventh Ave., Eugene; 541-345-8739, 800-648-4366, www.downtownmotel.com. Rates from $53.99
Eugene Whiteaker International Hostels. 970 W. Third Ave., Eugene; 541-343-3335, www.eugenehostels.com . Rates from $25 (dormitory), $45 (private room).
Executive Motel. 1040 W. Sixth Ave., Eugene; 541-683-4000, 888-851-0943, www.executivemotel.net. Rates from $42.99.
Hilton Eugene. 66 E. Sixth Ave., Eugene; 541-342-2000, 800-937-6660, www.hilton.com. Rates from $114.
The Secret Garden Inn. 1910 University St., Eugene; 541-484-6755, 888-484-6755, www.secretgardenbbinn.com. Rates from $99.
Cornbread Cafe. 1290 W. Seventh Ave., Eugene; 541-505-9175, www.cornbread cafe.com. Three meals (vegan) every day. Budget.
Grit Kitchen and Wine. 1080 W. Third Ave., Eugene; 541-343-0501, www.gritkitchen.com . Prix-fixe dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Moderate.
Izakaya Meiji Co. 345 Van Buren St., Eugene; 541-505-8804, www.izakayameiji.com. Dinner every day. Budget and moderate.
Laughing Planet Cafe. 760 Blair Blvd., Eugene; 541-868-0668, www.laughing planetcafe.com. Also at 2864 Willamette St., Eugene; 541-505-5399. Lunch and dinner every day. Budget.
Papa's Soul Food Kitchen and BBQ. 400 Blair Blvd., Eugene; 541-342-7500, www.papas soulfoodkitchen.com. Lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Budget to moderate.
Sam Bond's Garage. 407 Blair Blvd., Eugene. 541-431-6603, www.sambonds.com. Dinner every day. Budget.
Whiteaker brewpubs
Falling Sky Pour House and Delicatessen. 790 Blair Blvd., Eugene; 541-653-9167, www .fallingskybrewing.com/deli/. Lunch and dinner every day. Budget to moderate
Hop Valley Brewing Co. 990 W. First Ave., Eugene; 541-485-2337, www.hopvalley brewing.com. Also at 980 Kruse Way, Springfield; 541-744-3330. Eugene tasting room and Springfield brewery and restaurant are open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Ninkasi Brewing Co. 272 Van Buren St., Eugene; 541-344-2739, www.ninkasibrewing.com . Beer garden open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Oakshire Brewing. 207 Madison St., Eugene; 541-688-4555, www.oakbrew.com . Tasting room open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Other Eugene-area breweries
Agrarian Ales. 31115 W. Crossroads Lane, Coburg; www.agales.com. Tasting room open 3 to 8 p.m. Friday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Claim 52 Brewing. 1030 Tyinn St., Suite 1, Eugene; 541-554-6786, www.facebook.com. Tasting room open 4 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Falling Sky Brewing. 1334 Oak Alley, Eugene; 541-505-7096, www.fallingskybrewing.com . Tasting room and gastropub open lunch and dinner hours daily.
McMenamins High Street Brewery & Cafe. 1243 High St., Eugene; 541-345-4905, www.mcmenamins.com. Open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Plank Town Brewing Co. 346 Main St., Springfield; 541-746-1890, www.planktown brewing.com. Brewery and restaurant open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Rogue Ales Public House. 844 Olive St., Eugene; 541-345-4155, www.rogue.com. Open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Steelhead Brewing Co. 199 E. Fifth Ave., Eugene; 541-686-2739, www.steelheadbrewery.com . Brewery and restaurant open lunch and dinner hours daily.
Viking Braggot Co. 520 Commercial St., Unit F, Eugene; 541-653-8371, www .drinkviking.com. Tasting room open 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Gas, Bend to Eugene (254 miles, round-trip, at $3.30/gallon): $33.53
Lunch, Laughing Planet Cafe: $11
Lodging (two nights, with breakfast), Secret Garden: $216.81
Dinner, Sam Bond's Garage: $14
Lunch, Papa's Soul Food Kitchen: $17
Dinner, Izakaya Meiji: $12
Lunch, Falling Sky Delicatessen: $22


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Subscribe To Prepare To Be Creeped Out By The New Trailer For We Need To Talk About Kevin Updates
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Parents are supposed to love their children. It's a matter of evolution: mom and dad take care of junior until he/she is strong enough to be on their own and continue the bloodline. But it doesn't always work out perfectly. Sometimes there are mutations or mistakes. Sometimes things can go very, very wrong. When it does you get something like the relationship between Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller in We Need To Talk About Kevin. And by that I mean you get something horrifying.
The new trailer for the upcoming drama has been released online. Check it out below or in HD over on Apple.
I've been hearing great buzz about this film for months, but only now am I incredibly interested in seeing it. Not only does Miller look absolutely terrifying, if the performance by Tilda Swinton is as powerful as advertised the movie could be one of the best of the year. Frankly, the most amazing thing about it is how little John C. Reilly is in the movie yet how great it looks anyway. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Lionel Shriver and was adapted by both Rory Kinnear and Lynne Ramsay (who also directed the film). The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and has since been shown at Telluride, Fantastic Fest and many other international festivals. We Need To Talk About Kevin will be released in New York and Los Angeles on December 9th (to qualify for Oscar season) and will go wide on January 27th next year. The film is Ramsey's first since 2002's Morvern Callar.


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Whenever you have to audition for a gig, it can be a "loaded" situation to say the least. Every gig, every person, every audition is completely different from the next, and you really can never know what to expect when you show up! That is of course, unless you actually know the people involved, and that the deck is already "stacked" in you favor as you try out for the gig. Even then, though there will no doubt be some surprises waiting for you, as I believe everyone is looking for something "new" from you regardless of how much you think they "know" you. Perhaps it's just because they like to feel that "power" they hold over you, or if they just like to mess with you, but in the end an audition seems to always "feel" like an audition!
The best way for you to approach it is to try to remain as calm as possible, and to remember why they called you for the gig in the first place, and therefore to put your "best foot" forward. I know that from my own experience, unless the given gig was totally inappropriate for me, I usually did a good job of impressing the parties involved, and usually turned opinion around, even if there were doubters of me to begin with as I walked in. I almost always walked out having impressed everyone, and in fact sometimes messing things up, because they thought they already had their minds made up, but I managed to change their minds!
It's really one of the best feelings ever to do a great job at an audition, and you must remember not to "judge" how you did based on their ultimate decision. It should really depend on how you feel about how you performed, and whether or not they got to see the best you have to offer. That has always been my biggest regret when it comes to auditions; when I feel as if I never really got my best "chance" to do the best I could, and to really show what I can do. Unfortunately, it's often feeling like a "victim of circumstance" that can negatively affect you, as often the music just isn't really your cup of tea!
I remember passing the audition for The Billy Joel gig, but already being offered the tour with Art Garfunkel at the same time…..Billy was certainly nice enough, and they really wanted me, but I realized that there wasn't a single guitar solo in the show at that time, and I was not about to "fade into the background" with a band at the age of 25! I wanted to be heard, and Art Garfunkel to me was a much more established artist at that point, and so much of the show was really just he and I, as I was playing Paul Simon's parts, and had other opportunities during the show to showcase my creativity. Not to mention the fact that the gig was much easier, less touring, and yet, better money!
So as you can see, there are many, many things that can go into an audition and the eventual decision that either you or the others make, but as long as you feel that you gave it your best shot, you should never feel let down. There's always something new and exciting around the corner for you…trust me!


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RICHMOND, Va. – It's almost time for the spring tennis season to crank up and what better way to kick off the season than with the both VCU tennis squads ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls.
With both programs coming off CAA titles last spring, the women's team finds themselves ranked 31st in the ITA Division I national team rankings, while the men are 72nd.
On the individual side, two sophomores, Josefin Hjertquist (68th) and Max Wennakoski (123rd), will start the season ranked on the singles side.
In the fall, Hjertquist highlighted the Black and Gold at the ITA Atlantic Regionals when she reached the semifinals. She also teamed with junior Ana Bara to pick up a doubles victory at the tournament. The Spanga, Sweden native posted an 11-4 record during the fall season.
Wennakoski made a name for himself with an impressive run at the ITA Atlantic Regionals. In the round of 32, he battled with UVA's Justin Shane, the eighth-seed, and was the only player to win a set off Shane. The Helsinki, Finland native finished the fall season with a 3-2 ledger.
Full VCU tennis previews of the upcoming spring season will be on VCUathletics.com next week.


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Confusion surrounds the case of imprisoned Indian journalist Naveen Soorinje, who was jailed for exposing an attack on young men and women last summer by extremists belonging to the Hindu Jagran Vedike, self-appointed moral police in coastal Karnataka. Soorinje's report helped lead to the arrest of dozens of attackers. But Karnataka state--ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP)--has grouped him with the very attackers he exposed. Soorinje's continued imprisonment warrants a look at the larger picture in coastal Karnataka.
A September 2012 fact-finding report by the People's Union for Civil Liberties-Karnataka found that the moral policing attack that Soorinje exposed was not an isolated event. Since the BJP took power in the state in 2008, attacks on the press have also increased.
In 2008, CPJ reported escalated violence against the local media. The Kannada-language daily Karavali Ale, which has a record of reporting on Hindu nationalist groups, said its editions were confiscated from vendors and torched. Its printing press was also attacked in November of that year, according to local news reports. The reports quoted B.V. Seetaram, editor-in-chief of the media group Chitra Publications which owns the newspaper, saying local Hindu nationalist groups with the support of the state's BJP government were targeting the paper in retaliation for articles criticizing their activities.
More recently, CPJ reported that an employee of Karavali Ale was attacked this month. Its newspapers were once again confiscated and torched, and vendors distributing the newspaper were threatened.
And last week, activists belonging to Hindu nationalist groups threatened local residents who were produced in court to help secure bail for journalist K.K. Shahina, according to her husband, journalist Rajeev Ramachandran, news reports said. Shahina's 2010 report criticized a police investigation and arrest of a suspect in relation to a 2008 bomb attack in the state.
Journalists like Soorinje have been instrumental in exposing the activities of the Hindu nationalists, journalist Sudipto Mondal of The Hindu told CPJ. "The local law enforcement has been completely complicit with the Hindu right," Mondal told CPJ by phone. Soorinje's testimony reveals that on the night of the attack that he reported, then-Commissioner of Mangalore Police Seemant Kumar Singh threatened the journalist, saying "I will teach him a lesson. He has said that there is Taliban culture in Mangalore...This time I will not leave him. We will fix him. He may have any number of influential friends. But I will definitely fix him." Ironically, Singh has since been transferred to work in the civil rights enforcement wing in Bangalore.
Despite last month's decision by the state cabinet to drop charges against Soorinje, the 28-year-old journalist languishes in prison. The state's chief minister, Jagadish Shettar, has yet to sign the resolution that would help secure Soorinje's release. Meanwhile, on Monday a senior minister cited "pressure" from a Hindu nationalist group which is calling on the state to drop charges against others implicated in the attack before Soorinje can be set free, according to The Hindu.
Soorinje, although a Hindu, has opted to be held in the Muslim ward of the Mangalore jail, apparently in order to avoid those in the Hindu ward who he has exposed by his pen. In the meantime, Soorinje has not relinquished his pen. Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed, a journalist for Frontline, recently visited Soorinje in prison. Sayeed told CPJ that Soorinje has lost weight since the last time he saw the jailed journalist, "but he remains upbeat" based on Sayeed's 45-minute visit with the prisoner. "He remains a journalist even in jail where he is reporting on stories he is coming across."


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gives the numeric output response of systems model sys to the input u for tmin≤t≤tmax.
gives the output response of the discrete-time system sys to the input sequence u[i].
gives the symbolic output response of system sys to the input u as a function of time t.
gives the output response for multiple inputs ui.
- OutputResponse is also known as impulse response, step response, and ramp response.
- OutputResponse solves the underlying differential or difference equations for the given input.
- The systems model sys can be a TransferFunctionModel, a StateSpaceModel, a continuous-time AffineStateSpaceModel, or a continuous-time NonlinearStateSpaceModel.
- A linear TransferFunctionModel or StateSpaceModel sys can also be a descriptor and delay system.
- The initial values for the differential and difference equations are taken to be zero for a TransferFunctionModel. For the state-space models, they are taken to be the state operating values of sys unless specified.
- OutputResponse[{sys,{x10,x20,…,xn0}},…] can be used to specify the initial state for a state-space model sys.
- For descriptor state-space systems, the initial states need to be consistent.
- For delay state-space systems, the initial states include history and can be given as xi0[t] for t≤0. »
Examplesopen all close all
Basic Examples (4)
The step response of a second-order system:
The output response of a transfer-function model to a sinusoidal input:
The response of a state-space model from nonzero initial conditions:
The response of a discrete-time system to a sampled sinusoid:
Scope (41)
Generalizations & Extensions (3)
Applications (3)
Properties & Relations (5)
Possible Issues (3)
Introduced in 2010Updated in 2014


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Choose your room
Exclusive hotel located in the heart of the Pirineos, where you can breathe the relax of a real home offering all the necessary. It has wonderful rooms with elegant decoration, unique views over the Valle de Arán and big bathrooms. The hotel offers exclusive gourmet spaces with three restaurants, one of them with show cooking, offering a gastronomy that goes from the creative catalan to the Japanese in La Pleta Sushi Restaurant and a light cuisine in Petita Borda. The hotel ends its facilities with a gym, a beauty area and a indoor pool.
Useful information:Tourism Registration Number: HVA000804
Other names for Rafaelhoteles by La Pleta:
La Pleta Hotel
La Pleta By Rafael S
La Pleta Spa
Hotel La Pleta By Rafael Hotel Flexiski


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The Olympic ice skating duo, Rena Inoue and John Baldwin, are engaged, and in the cutest way imaginable. John proposed to Rena on the ice, during a performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, in St. Paul, Minnesota. From People: "John Baldwin didn't win a gold medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this weekend […]
Entries Tagged 'Rena Inoue' ↓
John Baldwin & Rena Inoue: An Icy Engagement
January 29th, 2008 — John Baldwin, Rena Inoue


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YES! Poster: Watershed Moments
Steward our watersheds, share the water fairly, and live within our means. Here is what sustainability looks like:
Only a tiny fraction of Earth's water is available as fresh water.
We're already at the limits of supply in parts of the United States. But even with climate change and growing populations, there's enough for everyone if we work together to keep it clean, use it wisely, and share it fairly.
PDF download
Purchase the Watershed Moments poster.


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Bananas on a podium? A big gorilla on the ring apron? Yes, California-based promotion Pro Wrestling Guerilla (PWG) has based themselves around a gorilla theme, which only adds to their uniqueness. PWG has had the Indy world buzzing as of late, with their high flying and mat based mix of wrestling, with their overseas stars from Japanese promotions and with their entertaining matches and promos.
I was given the opportunity to review PWG Kee_ The _ee Out Of Our _ool and PWG 88 Miles Per Hour and both DVDs were fairly good. PWG has brought in the likes of Frankie "The Future" Kazarian, Spanky and "Classic" Colt Cabana to mix it up with their own mainstay talent such as Babi Slymm and "Scrap Iron" Adam Pearce. The combination of the two will leave a lasting impression on all those who watch it.
Here are my thoughts on both DVDs:
PWG 88 Miles Per Hour
This DVD had its perks about it. An entertaining Ebessen "Match", a great main event and a good tag team outing for Pearce/Hardkore Kidd and Kazarian/Slymm. I felt that the Danielson/Bradley match was absolutely horrible. Bradley moved way too slow and that threw both of them off. The match got better, but still suffered and really brought me down. The opening match between Puma and Black Tiger wasn't that bad, but again, another slow match.
The rest of the card was pretty solid. It was interesting to watch the competitors from Pearce's match on, work with a broken bottom rope. (The rope snapped in mid match during Pearce/Kidd vs Kazarian and Slymm.) All the wrestlers used that difficulty to their advantage and didn't let it affect their matches. The mark of true professionals.
Overall- A Decent DVD.
PWG Kee_ The _ee Out Of Our _ool
This show brought the house down, despite the missing 'P'. Excellent line up of matches and impressive showings by all involved. Glad to see Spanky doing some post-WWE Indy work. I was also ecstatic to see ROH grappler Samoa Joe, who did his job and helped to put on a good tag team contest along with phenomenal indy star, The American Dragon against The Ballard Brothers. Spanky and Frankie "The Future" Kazarian put on a great match up, as expected. These two can work, it's a shame they aren't showcased in a brighter light. The rest of the card was equally impressive.
Nothing to complain about here. All that action and an unmasking. No surprise, the crowd was very much into this show as they were on the edges of their seats the entire time. Top to bottom, a worthwhile DVD.
Overall- Great DVD
Both DVDs contain interview extras. PWG has some talented workers who can wrestle and work the mic. I was impressed like you wouldn't believe with Vander Pyle's promo on the Kee_ The _ee Out Of Our _ool DVD. That guy has the gift of gab and can use the mic to an extent that many on the Indy scene can't.
PWG has some outstanding talent on their roster. More often than not, I was impressed with their in ring ability, and their ability to speak in front of a camera. You tend to see a lot of young guys and gals come through the ranks with amazing wrestling ability, but when you give them a mic and stick them in front of a camera, they clam up. Not here, you'll find quality interviews done by quality wrestlers.
Bottom Line- Check out these DVDs!
Chris Sokol is from Long Island, NY and is the youngest member of the SLAM! Wrestling staff. He can be emailed at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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With a simple push of a button, you can open and close this umbrella automatically.
It offers a 47" vented, wind-resistant canopy with reflective edge trim
for high visibility. Other features include a sure-grip, custom-molded carry
handle, rubber wrist strap and convenient storage sleeve.
Approximate Dimensions:
Approximate Weight:
Features and specifications are subject to change without notice
Enter your zip code for a more accurate delivery estimate.


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Since players have been specially invited for this, they can boast about it here until the games begin.
David Kennett (Essex)
Neil Pickup (Essex)
Marc71178 (Worcestershire)
Since players have been specially invited for this, they can boast about it here until the games begin.
David Kennett (Essex)
Neil Pickup (Essex)
Marc71178 (Worcestershire)
Sreesanth said, "Next ball he was beaten and I said, 'is this the King Charles Lara? Who is this impostor, moving around nervously? I should have kept my mouth shut for the next ball - mind you, it was a length ball - Lara just pulled it over the church beyond the boundary! He is a true legend."
LOL @ whoever invited Marc to New Road.
I have taken out substantial insurance to cover my trip, and I suggest that DK does the same. Should be a great season for the Eagles with that calibre of a bowling attack!
MSN Messenger: minardineil2000 at hotmail dot com | AAAS Chairman
CricketWeb Black | CricketWeb XI Captain
ClarkeWatch: We're Watching Rikki - Are You?
Up The Grecians - Exeter City FC
Completing the Square: My Cricket Web Blog
Essex and Neil...
Never thought I'd see the day.
A True Champion - Bob. Rest in peace. 15/04/06
"People today have too big a devil and too small a God"
- Stephen Currie
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1
They signed Halsey last season, but went for the bigger budget option this time.
I'm just disappointed Kadeer won't be there for me to learn from.
marc71178 - President and founding member of AAAS - we don't only appreciate when he does well, but also when he's not quite so good!
Anyone want to join the Society?
Beware the evils of Kit-Kats - they're immoral apparently.
Thought the opportunity to perhaps bowl with fellow International Neil was too good to pass up...
Signatures are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.
Cricket Web Red
263 Matches. 1830 Runs @ 7.66. HS: 57*. 92 Ducks. 170 Catches
1107 Wickets @ 26.91 . BB 7/38
First CW player to reach 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100 FC wickets
Congrats all. Well deserved contracts.
yeh agreed. itll be awesome to see how everyone does. best of luck dave
Jesus brings life eternal
Didn't I get invited this season Liam?
CWXI Regular - Member of CW Black
Blacks ftw
If your name isn't on that list and you haven't received an email, I'd guess not.
Who else is playing though? Do we know???
Just them i would say...
1 other was invited, but he has not responded.
I never got your e-mailOriginally Posted by Mr Mxyzptlk
Nah, it wasn't me
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My cart
$ 0.00
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Executive Summary – College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
**The below information is from the 2006-2016 UIS Strategic Plan. For information on the current 2018-2028 Strategic Compass, visit https://www.uis.edu/strategiccompass/ **
Mission Statement
"The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences contributes significantly to the University of Illinois at Springfield's aspiration to be a premier small public university with innovative high-quality liberal arts and professional programs."
In fulfillment of our mission, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences remains committed to delivering a dynamic and challenging curriculum that combines the values of a liberal education with the practical knowledge and skills required to solve real-world problems. Our courses provide vibrant and valuable opportunities for student-faculty interaction, mentoring of student research and creative projects, and experiential learning through field placements. Drawing on existing strengths in study abroad and a general education curriculum with comparative and international perspectives, as well as emerging online partnerships with selected colleges and universities in other countries, we are becoming a model in globalizing the curriculum, and in preparing citizens for lifelong learning and effective participation in an interdependent, diverse, and rapidly changing world. We also work in interdisciplinary ways to address complex problems. Consistent with our history of accessibility, we provide a first class-liberal arts education to location- and time-bound through selected online degrees. We also contribute substantially to the campus and regional communities by sharing the talents and achievements of our faculty and students through public events and strive to make a difference in the world.
Vision Statement
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences aspires to teach students in a transformative environment that stimulates engagement with ideas, each other, and the world.
Statement of Strategic Intent
Our overriding intent is to support the University of Illinois at Springfield's intention to become "one of the top five small public liberal arts universities in the United States." Accordingly, the College will create a premier liberal arts oriented educational experience – an experience reflecting many of the characteristics and best practices of small private liberal arts colleges – for both undergraduate students and graduate students, and for those on the physical campus as well as online. However, we will also develop a distinctive identity.
On the one hand our benchmark will be to attain the degree of excellence embodied in members of the prestigious Council on Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). On the other hand we will develop stretch ideas and distinguishing characteristics that will constitute a model both within and beyond this group. These are no small objectives.
It is especially important that CLAS attain its goals. It is the largest of the four colleges at the University of Illinois at Springfield, generating over 44% of the total UIS credit hour production and incorporating 45% of the UIS faculty (FY 06). The ability of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to rise to the challenge has important ramifications for UIS as a whole.
We lay out a pathway to a brilliant future that is concrete and attainable. It is based on an extensive analysis of the curricular offering and distinctive features of our aspirational peers in COPLAC as well as our regional competitors. We also examined our own comparative strengths and weaknesses. The following were our chief curricular findings:
- We are lacking in a number of majors/minors compared with regional competitors and COPLAC schools, and several existing majors need strengthening.
- We have areas of curricular strength that include a strong internship program, the only online liberal arts degrees among our competitors or COPLAC, a strong graduate program compared with all but one COPLAC school, and our GE program is a liberal arts model.
- We have opportunities to build on our existing and emerging strengths to construct a distinctive curriculum that would not only equal COPLAC but would be a national model in the areas of student engagement and active learning, globalization, diversity and interdisciplinarity. We can also establish a model liberal arts online campus that complements and interacts with that on the ground.
This strategic planning exercise has been both opportune and of great importance as we chart the future.
Strategic Goal # 1
Curricular Excellence
Baseline curricular excellence depends upon offering a curriculum consistent with COPLAC and our regional competitors. To do so we first need to increase our number of majors and minors and enhance some existing programs. However, we will also go well beyond that.
The Actions we propose to establish a baseline of curricular excellence include enhancing breadth/depth in existing majors/minors; and creating new Majors (Theatre, Global Studies, and Journalism), new minors (Music, Art History, Physics/Astronomy, Earth Sciences, Pre Med, and Public Relations), and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Studio).
Though many colleges have espoused globalization and diversity in the curriculum, few have attained it any systematic way. Similarly, though the importance of interdisciplinarity has long been recognized, its concrete realization in college curricula has been piecemeal. This is true of much of the COPLAC cohort and of our regional competitors. We can do better. Building upon our new and model general education curriculum ("Citizenship From Local to Global) we will enhance globalization in the curriculum by a series of steps including developing area studies tracks (starting with Latin America and Asia); instituting language Majors/Minors (Spanish, French) to complement our existing extensive introductory offerings; and expanding the number of courses with global content in existing disciplines. We will also systematically enhance diversity in the curriculum by strengthening Women's/Gender Studies and African American Studies. Additional important steps directed towards globalization and diversity are also developed under Goal #2. Finally, we boldly pursue an objective that has remained elusive in higher education: interdisciplinarity. In addition to a variety of interdisciplinary fields of study, such as bioinformatics and global studies, as well as a variety of incremental interdisciplinary enhancements, we propose a radical reintegration of the sciences with the "arts" through a new and rigorous BA/BS degree to produce a new generation of leaders.
Strategic Goal #2
Intellectual engagement with ideas, each other and the world
Many of the curricular initiatives identified under Goal #2 will also bring us beyond baseline curricular excellence. Reflecting our vision statement "to teach students in a transformative environment that encourages imagination and intellectual engagement with ideas, each other, and the world," we will encourage student-centered and active learning along multiple dimensions: undergraduate and graduate research/creative activities, service learning, global engagement and dialogue across difference in the classroom.
The robust expansion of research/creative opportunities in every discipline will not only align us with COPLAC norms, and help to create an intellectually vibrant campus, it will give us a distinctive edge regionally. This will be done through a research fund, an annual college-wide (or university-wide) student research conference, and establishing a student research journal for both on campus and online students. Upper-level Honors tracks, commonly involving a research component, are a common feature of premier liberal arts and sciences institutions. They are not widely available in CLAS and we will encourage their development.
On the graduate level we will also explicitly strengthen the graduate student culture/community through brown bags, research symposia, clubs and general opportunities for more peer interaction outside the classroom.
We will also enhance service learning. This is consistent with the pioneering role that SSU/UIS played in linking the classroom to the community through its AST Program. Such linkages are now considered "cutting edge" in American higher education, but our historic and current achievements are insufficiently recognized. We need to recapture momentum and visibility, and also further "mainstream'" service learning in appropriate courses.
We also believe we are uniquely positioned to develop a national reputation as a model for globalizing the curriculum through direct cross-cultural engagement. We will continue to support study abroad programs, and their expansion. We will also develop international internship experiences for grad students; and establish partnerships with third world NGO's to provide international service learning opportunities. However, because of constraints of time and finances, only a minority of students are likely to participate in these "on the ground" opportunities. Online can provide an alternative. We will expand our pilot program of shared online courses involving ourselves and universities in other countries (currently Poland and Bangladesh), which encourage direct cross-cultural dialogue. Our online capacity can also be used in other ways to encourage cross-cultural contact, including marketing our programs to international students who currently make up less than 1% of online enrolments.
Engagement with each other and the world, and active student learning, also imply robust but respectful classroom discussions of difficult topics including diversity issues and differences of values. Civil and rational discourse is essential to the academy. Yet the current polarized political and cultural climate can on occasion lead to difficult classroom dynamics. We will structure thoughtful dialogues on our campus and join national coalitions that foster this. None of our regional competitors are similarly engaged and only two COPLAC schools, providing us with another opportunity for distinctiveness, and one entirely consistent with the historic involvement of UIS in public engagement.
We also have an opportunity to attain national eminence in providing a model online liberal arts "campus" that breaks down on-campus/off-campus boundaries. Peer learning and a rich co-curricular life are intrinsic to liberal arts and sciences excellence in traditional settings. Through the use of technology we will minimize the distinctions between the Springfield and online campus, and create a model for collegiate online learning. We will create a "gateway" online campus orientation; bring the on-ground campus online by web casting campus speakers and concerts; provide opportunities to interact with speakers; sponsor virtual "brown bags; create an online "global dialogues" course for online majors; create an online journal for student research with participation open to all students; and market the online campus as a unique opportunity for a high quality and engaged public liberal arts education.
Finally, we continue to embrace the SSU/UIS tradition of educational innovation. Accordingly, we will establish a fund to encourage educational innovations at the programmatic level. As we pursue our vision to become a premier liberal arts and sciences college, it is important that this tradition of innovation be retained, and that we are not merely imitative.
Strategic Goal #3
Mentoring and Faculty/Staff Development
There are important internal faculty and staff development issues to address in order for us to reach our goals. There has been a rapid turnover in senior faculty ranks due to retirements. Consequently over 60% of our faculty are young, imaginative, and energetic, but they are largely untenured. Faculty development and mentoring are of paramount importance as is recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty. Establishing college-level structures for effective faculty mentoring and development as teachers, advisors, academic leaders, scholars, professionals, and as individuals within an academic community is an urgent need. College growth and curricular change also places great demands on college staff who too need expanded professional development opportunities.
In addition to creating a faculty mentoring network, we will support workshops and discussions of pedagogy and grantsmanship, press for the establishment of informal meeting spaces, improve internal college communications, and establish programming for adjuncts. We also recognize the need for faculty load incentives to fully implement a college-wide and enhanced student research program, as well as the need for competitive opportunities for release time to encourage new areas of teaching expertise and to encourage scholarly/creative activity.
Strategic Goal #4
Making a Difference In The World
As the American Association of Colleges and Universities notes, the liberal arts and sciences free us from "the constraints of ignorance, sectarianism and myopia." As such they are very directly relevant to the development of self-awareness, the construction of informed public policy, and effective citizen action. "Making a Difference in the World," or public engagement, implies that we make knowledge accessible to the general public beyond familiar professional channels of dissemination. Our goal is to inspire public debate and to directly enrich community cultural and intellectual life. Accordingly, we will support public arts, humanities, social science and natural science programming, including Emiquon; participate in the "Imagining America Consortium" (a nation-wide public humanities initiative); support the forums or dialogues offered by the Center for State Policy and Leadership and other units.; make "Difficult Dialogue" expertise available to the community; enter into P-16 discussions; and establish a CLAS "Making a Difference" Award for students, staff, and faculty.
Strategic Goal #5
Strengthening college infrastructure and visibility
The College is a comparatively young one, and inherited a highly fluid administrative infrastructure as part of an earlier innovative SSU tradition. While fluidity helped to foster broad-based collaboration and numerous initiatives, it has also carried organizational costs into the present, among them an absence of "departments" or chairs as defined by the University of Illinois statutes. This sparse infrastructure no longer serves us well.
The ability of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to ensure a first-class learning environment, to manage further change and expansion, and to implement this Strategic Plan will depend in no small measure upon efficient operational systems and strengthened infrastructures including adequate staff in programs and in the college. We will encourage the development of a department/chair model in larger programs, some clustering of smaller ones and an enhanced Science Division and professional development for chairs. College administrative procedures will also be better documented and disseminated. Equipment, space, safety and facilities are also serious issues. As well, despite the College's long tradition of path breaking academic innovations, these achievements and its current academic strengths are not well recognized externally. A clear communications message and coordinated marketing will be developed in consultation with relevant units. Building a committed base of alumni is also important to a strengthened college. Finally, enhanced staffing is essential as many new but important initiatives and duties have already been added to the college over the past four years, and absorbed largely by redeployment or as "add-ons".
Stretch ideas for the college of liberal arts and sciences
In a profound sense much of this Strategic Plan is a "Stretch Idea" for the College of Arts and Sciences. We have taken very seriously the UIS statement of Strategic Intent to become one of the top five small public liberal arts universities in the United States. We have analyzed and identified the benchmark curriculum, faculty/staff development and infrastructure to make us competitive with our COPLAC aspirational peers. However, we have also identified potential areas of exceptional excellence and distinctiveness to reach the very highest rankings, and ones consistent with our heritage.
Resource Needs
|Resource Type
|Faculty FTE
|35.0 (-8FTE/ estimated UIS plan overlap)
|AP Staff
|Clerical Staff
|$ 44,000
|Other Operational
|$160,000 ($100,000 non-recurring)
Space: 36- faculty offices; 6 additional program/staff offices; 9 GA offices; Performing/Visual Arts complex; Science project (5) & teaching (3) labs; Lounges (2).
Resource Procurement Strategy
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences as a constituent unit of UIS has limited internal sources of funding. Though we will be largely dependent upon centralized funding sources, we nevertheless will make every effort to secure internal college resources for a plan that we regard as vital to our collective future.
Resource Procurement Strategy #1 Centralized allocation.
Though some of the Strategic Thrusts developed in this plan can be achieved through CLAS internal resources, most will depend upon University commitments. There are many areas of overlap and synergy between CLAS Goals and those of the University. Future enrolment growth should bring additional revenue streams. Programs proposed by CLAS have the potential to attract new majors and increase application yields.
Resource Procurement Strategy #2 Donors
The following items that directly reflect CLAS needs are part of the UIS Campaign; globalizing the liberal arts; Arts Programming; Theatre and Visual Arts facilities; and the Emiquon Project. In addition, the following items relate to CLAS as well as other colleges: Student research support; Service-learning support; Endowed chairs/professorships; Faculty research support.
Resource Procurement Strategy #3 Course Fees
Given the substantial additional expenses involved in delivering science and many studio art courses, a case can be made for special lab course fees in these courses.
Resource Procurement Strategy #4 Grants
We will pursue grant opportunities both for curricular initiatives but also for faculty research and equipment (sciences).
Resource Procurement Strategy #5 Continuing Education Revenue
We believe we can develop a modest revenue stream by mounting continuing education classes, and have already initiated an online pilot project.
Resource Procurement Strategy #6 Annual budget reallocation
The College will attempt to find a minimum of $25,000 per year internally to fund initiatives. This represents a substantial undertaking for our college budget.
Resource Procurement Strategy #7 Reallocated faculty/staff time
Internal reallocations of faculty effort have already taken place as part of the lower division expansion. Some modest further reallocations are possible, but the more realistic option is shared lines and cross-listed courses to maximize efficiency. In addition, some initiatives will involve faculty on special assignment ("NIAs"). Existing staff will also assume additional responsibilities in some instances.


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Braised Beef Brisket with Rancho Gordo Beans & Ancho Peppers
- Serves 6
- Brian Streeter
- Pairs well with:
- Syrah, Napa Valley
Rancho Gordo is an ongoing participant in our American Harvest Workshop. Chef Brian streeter created this dish inspired by Rancho Gordo featuring their "Yellow Indian Woman" heirloom beans. Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Syrah.
1 T. olive oil
2 lbs. beef brisket, cut into 4 pieces
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 ancho peppers, re-hydrated, de-seeded, and chopped
2 T. chopped garlic
1 c. tomatoes, seeded & diced
1 c. red wine
1 c. Rancho Gordo, "yellow Indian women" beans* soaked overnight
1 qt. beef broth
1 T. oregano, dried
2 T. cumin, ground
1 T. coriander, ground
1 T. smoked paprika
1 T. epazote**
salt & pepper
2 T. fresh cilantro
4 T. sour cream
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Place a medium deep-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 T. of olive oil. Lightly season the brisket with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides in the sauté pan. Make sure that the meat is browned well on all sides. Remove the brisket from the pan and place on a plate to rest.
Immediately add the onions and carrots to the sauté pan, stir in well and reduce the heat to medium. After 5 minutes, add the anchos and garlic, stir well. Five minutes later add the tomatoes and cook until dry or all the excess liquid has evaporated. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the beef broth and bring the ingredients to a slow boil. Place the pieces of brisket in the broth, covering it with liquid. Place a lid on the pan and place the pan in the 350°F oven. Cook for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, remove the pan from the oven and add the beans, oregano, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, epazote and stir well. If the liquid has been absorbed or the pan looks dry add more broth or water until it has a soup consistency. Cover with the lid and place the pan back in the oven for 1 hour.
Take the pan from the oven and remove the beef from the beans to a plate to rest. Taste the beans for seasoning, if needed add salt and pepper. To serve, slice the brisket; ladle the beans in a bowl, top with the sliced brisket, and garish with fresh cilantro and sour cream.
*Rancho Gordo beans can be found at www.ranchogordo.com.
** epazote can be found a most Mexican markets or gourmet specialty stores


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The streets of Dubai are one of the few places in the world where you have a decent chance of catching a glimpse of a supercar on your way to work, they just usually aren't pink. Behold the unusual. This far too pink Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was filmed cruising on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai .
The 599 is believed to be owned one of the members of the Royal Al-Thani family in Qatar which probably explains (but doesn't excuse) the bizarre color choice. Amazingly enough, it wouldn't be the first time royal colors have been to blame for a matte pink supercar.


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RCIA gives a model for Holy Saturday:
187. SONG: When the elect have gathered, the celebration begins with a suitable song.
188. GREETING: After the singing, the celebrant greets the elect and any of the faithful who are present, using one of the greetings for Mass or other suitable words.
189. READING OF THE WORD OF GOD: Where indicated in the particular rites, the reading of the word of God follows; the readings may be chosen from those selected for each rite. If more than one reading is used, a suitable psalm or hymn may be sung between the readings.
190. HOMILY: Where indicated in the particular rites, a brief homily or an explanation of the text follows the reading of the word of God.
191. CELEBRATION OF THE RITES CHOSEN: See nos. 193-202.
192. CONCLUDING RITES: The celebration may be concluded with the prayer of blessing and dismissal given in nos. 204-205.
Previously in RCIA, when a suitable song is called for, it often means a psalm setting. Don't forget that appendix II of the RCIA (nos. 595-597) contains texts for liturgical songs. It may be helpful to utilize some of the Easter Vigil psalm settings here. Psalm 19, which follows the sixth reading, might be good for the Recitation of the Creed. Psalm 42 is used after reading VII, and is appropriate for the Ephphetha rite. As for the Choosing of a Baptismal Name, Psalm 16, used after the Abraham and Isaac reading, seems to fit well.
Other thoughts?


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Masala Cotton Patchwork
100% cotton
Traditional design over dyed cotton patchwork in beautiful masala colours, masala is a mix of spices used in India. The bed cover and the cushion cover are kantha stitched, kantha is a traditional type of embroidery typical of eastern South Asia.
(Total Products 2, Showing: 1 to 2) Sort By: Price Low to High | Price High to Low


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Steve Martin has changed diapers on screen, but for the first time the beloved Hollywood actor known for his comic wit, banjo playing and well-written prose is a dad in real life, according to the New York Post.
Martin, 67, and his wife, Anne Stringfield, 41, reportedly had the baby in December and have kept their bundle of joy a secret for two months (Lindsay Lohan you can learn from this).
Martin is active on Twitter but he has yet to send any photos of his child into the Twittersphere. The child's sex and name are unknown.
"They've had a baby, and how they kept it a secret nobody knows," an unnamed source told the Post. "Steve's very private. They are thrilled. They worked hard to have the baby."
Stringfield, a journalist and former staffer at The New Yorker, is Martin's second wife. The two married in a surprise ceremony in 2007. Martin was married to his first wife, actress Victoria Tennant, from 1986 until 1994; the two never had children together.
Of course, the issue with this news is going to be Steve Martin's age. While 60 might be the new 50, he is on the older side for fatherhood. Is 67 too old to start having kids?
Steve Martin might be a first-time dad, but he has played family man for many years on the Hollywood screen. Take a look at a few of his best dad roles.


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Customer Service Training: Delivering Next Level Service
Simply satisfying customers is no longer enough. Service can only make an impact on an organization's bottom line when it is taken to the "next level" and customers are consistently delighted. This workshop introduces customer service professionals to six basic principles required to deliver customer service at that next level.
The course draws upon cutting-edge research from the book, Service Failure, which reveals hidden obstacles that make it hard for employees to serve their customers.
The workshop uses hands-on activities to help participants discover these challenges. Proven best practices are also shared so participants can deliver exceptional customer service.It is a fun and interactive program that centers around six universal customer service principles:
- Have a Vision: Define great service from the customer's perspective.
- Connect and Build Rapport: Create a warm and personal connection.
- Focus on Customer Needs: Understand what the customer truly wants.
- Go the Extra Mile: Find ways to exceed customer expectations.
- Take Ownership: Accept responsibility for solving problems for customers.
- Neutralize Emotion: Avoid or reduce negative emotions (yours and theirs).
Here are just a few comments from participants who attended the workshop:
- This is the most entertaining and enjoyable training I have ever attended.
- When I arrived, this department was segregated and unfriendly. Now we work together better.
- The best part of the class was the interaction, examples, and in-class exercises.
- Excellent customer service scarce in this world and it is nice to have a trainer who can give the knowledge that we need to pass this information on to others.
- The trainer was AWESOME! Very knowledgeable and fun. Great job. Never boring.
Anyone who interacts with external or internal customers
Several convenient formats are available (or let us customize a format for you):
- Two ½ day sessions
- Six one-hour 'lunch & learn' sessions
- Half-day "overview" session
Schedule a Class
Contact Jeff Toister to receive a quote or to schedule your workshop.


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SANDVIKA, Norway (Reuters) - Two office blocks by the Oslo fjord will generate more power than they use from 2014 after a radical refit meant to show that the world's energy-squandering building sector can do more to fight climate change.
Geothermal and solar energy generated on site will make the 1980s buildings "energy positive" in a tiny step to cut demand from the building sector that burns about 40 percent of world energy and emits a third of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
So far, most focus in green energy has been on new buildings, not refits. Yet about 80 percent of existing buildings in developed nations will still be standing in 2050, by when governments are planning deep cuts in emissions.
"There is a huge global potential" in renovations, said Svein Richard Brandtzaeg, chief executive of Norwegian aluminum group Norsk Hydro which is a partner in the Powerhouse alliance behind the 110 million crown ($20 million) project near Oslo.
"We believe this is the first time in the world that a normal office block is being renovated to such strict standards," he said of the 3 and 4-storey blocks in Sandvika, south Norway, with space for more than 200 workers.
The renovation will use a heat-retaining black wooden facade, an interior design that makes air flow without fans, and high-grade insulation to cut energy use by up to 90 percent. Backers say it will make long-term economic sense by eliminating bills for heating and lighting.
And an energy-positive refurbishment in Norway, where winter cold pushes up heating bills and scant sunlight makes solar panels inefficient, would show that they can be achieved anywhere in the world.
"We see it ... as a big possibility for us to take a strong market position," Brandtzaek said, hoping for new orders if successful. Aluminum will be widely used, such as in window frames.
The European Union says that new buildings owned by public authorities will have to be "near zero energy" from 2019 and other new buildings from 2021. California has a "net zero energy" standard by 2020 for residences.
The U.N. Environment Programme says the building sector has the biggest potential of any sector - from industry to transport - for big and money-saving cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases that are released by burning fossil fuels.
In rich nations, the rate of renovations would have to triple from one percent of buildings a year to meet goals of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, said Peter Graham, head of the Global Buildings Performance Network.
Meanwhile, emerging economies led by China and India need stricter codes for new buildings and cities, he said.
"For Europe and the United States more than 80 percent of the existing building stock will still be around in 2050. In China and India, 80 percent of the buildings in 2050 have yet to be built," he said.
Big clean energy building projects include Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, to be run on solar and renewable energy. Nations from China to France have some zero or positive energy new buildings.
In New York, the 39-storey United Nations headquarters is being renovated to a "gold" standard of energy use, just below a top "platinum" rating under a U.S. system called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
In Norway, one problem is that tall elm and ash trees shade the coastal site, where workers are tearing out insulation and other fittings this month.
"There aren't optimal conditions for solar energy," said Fredrik Daehli, project manager at construction group Skanska. Other partners are Norsk Hydro, Norwegian architects Snohetta, environmental group Zero and property owners Entra Eiendom.
After the renovation, an environmental and architecture consultancy, Asplan Viak, will move in from February 2014.
The on-site electricity will more than cover lighting and heating and the energy used to produce and recycle building materials. It will not cover energy used by equipment brought by the tenants, from computers to coffee machines.
Tine Hegli of Snohetta, which has contracts including a re-design of Times Square in New York, said solar energy was far easier to use than wind on buildings.
"Wind turbines can cause vibrations, and mean buildings need a lot more reinforcement with concrete," she said.
($1 = 5.4892 Norwegian crowns)
Editing by James Jukwey


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Sharon Lass Field 2007 inductee into the Ruth C. Bishop Volunteer Hall of Honor
The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) has chosen Sharon Lass Field as the 2007 inductee into the Ruth C. Bishop Volunteer Hall of Honor. The Cheyenne Genealogical and Historical Society nominated Sharon for this honor. The Ruth C. Bishop Family History Volunteer Hall of Honor is the most prestigious annual award recognizing volunteers in the genealogical community. The criteria for choosing the winner is based solely on the amount and type of volunteer service rendered.
Sharon will receive a registration to the FGS conference in Fort Wayne , Indiana August15-18, five (5) complimentary hotel nights (Tuesday through Saturday) at the conference hotel, airfare to the conference, and a ticket to the FGS banquet. Sharon will also merit a cash award of $1,000, donated on her behalf, to the Cheyenne Genealogical and Historical Society.
Sharon joined the Cheyenne Genealogical Society in 1968, serving as president from 1974 to 1976. She was instrumental in moving the genealogy collection from the Wyoming State Library to the Laramie County Library. In addition she was on the Society committee to design and build the glass wall enclosing the genealogy collection.
Sharon 's real passion, however, is improving the genealogy collection. She has served as chairman of the acquisition committee of the Society since 1972. Even when she goes on vacation, she scouts local bookstores for genealogy and western history books. She's donated several dozen books over the years.
Sharon has been a Society volunteer in the genealogy room at the library since 1972. She has contributed over 10,500 hours helping people find their ancestors. Along those lines, Sharon taught beginning and intermediate genealogy classes through Laramie County Community College for 10 years. Many of us owe our success in researching our family histories directly to her.
For over 10 years Sharon led a cemetery walk through Lakeview Cemetery . She did the research on each gravesite that would show the crowd something unique about the well known and rich, and the everyday and infamous persons that reside there. Three years ago, the Society asked Sharon to rewrite the script to include members of the society portraying those residents. Sharon rewrote the script and the Society presents the " Living History Cemetery Walk " at the cemetery during Frontier Days.
Sharon has been called a "fierce defender" of the genealogy collection and resources. When the society learned in 1997 that the Wyoming legislature was considering a bill to digitize documents and destroy the originals, Sharon and 3 other Society members compiled a notebook of "horror stories" about the destruction of original records for each member of the senate committee studying the issue. The bill did not make it out of committee.
Since 1955 Naturalization records have been open to the public, but the Wyoming county clerks of court were not allowing access. Sharon took it upon herself to rectify this. It took her 8 years of phone calls and letters to find the documentation that allowed public access to naturalization records. Sharon requested and received a copy of that documentation, and subsequently sent a copy to every clerk of court in the state.
When Sharon discovered the Laramie County clerk of court office had no records of any naturalizations being filed in their offices, she knew this had to be in error. She relentlessly looked until she found a very old flip-card index in the back of the courthouse with "naturalizations" imprinted on it. The current clerks didn't know how to use this index as it referred to district court journals. They maintained their office didn't keep records like that. Sharon went to the Wyoming State Archives, located the microfilm of the journals and made copies to prove her point. Sadly, in Laramie County , most of the declarations, petitions and applications were destroyed. The index cards have been microfilmed and the original cards are now housed in an archival-safe box at the Wyoming State Archives.
A former Laramie County librarian ordered the books in the Mary J. Carpenter Collection of Western Americana the collection be inventoried and many of the books sold on a "ten cents" table, or added to the circulating collection. Many eager collectors snatched up those priceless books. Sharon and Ellen Mueller protested to the librarian and the final result was the collection being moved into the genealogy department where the genealogy volunteers could keep a watchful eye on them.
Sharon and Ellen Mueller became known as the "grave ladies of Wyoming " because of their efforts to record graves and cemeteries in Wyoming . Sharon says she spent so much time in cemeteries that her two children thought it was perfectly ordinary to take a picnic to a cemetery and watch Mom write down information on tombstones. Sharon also read hundreds of trail diaries recording any names, dates, and approximate location of burials that occurred on the many trails that cross Wyoming . Ellen has retired, and Sharon will donate her hundreds of files when she completes a database and index. This work has spanned over 40 years, taken thousands of hours and is still ongoing.
Sharon is a published author. She wrote Fort Fetterman's Cemetery researching and documenting the burials there and History of Cheyenne . During the two full years it took her to compile and edit the book, she had to suspend her own family history research.
Sharon is frequently asked to speak at the CGHS meetings and around the area. She has amassed a large repertoire of informative and entertaining topics. We always look forward to one of Sharon 's presentations.
Sue Seniawski, President Cheyenne Genealogical and Historical Society
Summer 2007


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ATLANTA - Georgia Attorney General Thurbert E. Baker announced today that his office has prevailed in a long-fought securities fraud case. In an opinion issued Monday, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed a decision of the Superior Court of Tift County finding that GFI Financial, Inc., and Virgil Womack had engaged in the illegal sale of securities. The lower court order had also permanently enjoined and restrained the sale of those illegal securities.
The case, State of Georgia, ex rel. Lewis A. Massey v. The GFI Financial, Inc., and Virgil Womack, was filed in the Superior Court of Tift County on May 20, 1997. It involved the sale of unregistered securities to 90 to 100 consumers for total sales of $6,000,000.
The case began when the Office of the Attorney General on behalf of the Secretary of State successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and the appointment of a receiver. After his appointment, the receiver successfully seized assets held by GFI totaling over $4.75 million. Beginning on January 3, 1997, Mr. Womack and GFI's agents sold GFI "promissory notes" to investors, misrepresenting that the notes would result in high yields of 10 to 28 percent, that 100% of investors' money would go to work for them immediately, and that there were no front or back end loads or management fees charged to investors. Although GFI represented that it had assets of $1.2 billion, the Superior Court in its October 20, 1997, order found that GFI's liabilities exceeded its assets by over $1.6 million. The Superior Court also found that GFI did not engage in any investment activity with the funds received from investors.
A unanimous Supreme Court held on appeal that GFI's promissory notes were securities under Georgia law and that Defendants had failed to carry their burden of showing that the notes were exempt from the requirement of registration with the Secretary of State. The Court rejected all other arguments advanced on appeal by Womack.
Once the Supreme Court's order is final, the receiver will proceed with a plan of liquidation and a distribution of the proceeds of liquidation to the investors and other creditors of GFI.


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I would wager that some Cameroonian polygamists have discovered that maintaining two families isn't all it's cracked up to be. I say the same thing about maintaining two blogs. When Kiva gets its dues, you lose out. I apologize. The best I can do is try to share the goods and hope to stretch them twice as far. The following comes from our Kiva Fellows Blog.
I am proud to say that I have earned two blisters in the last week: one from hand-washing my clothes (I've now learned to really scrub 'em), and another from pulling the kernels off corncobs. As a woman who has earned most previous blisters from breaking in new hiking boots or rowing crew, both luxury sports of a sort, this feels different.
Work in its many forms is so deeply ingrained in the culture in Bamenda that it takes shape in language. In pidgin, you would not believe how frequently the words "struggle" and "suffer" are used, usually not as self-pity but rather as matter-of-fact. When someone is getting by, they are "managing." I suspect you may have to hear these words pronounced in Bamenda to get their full meaning.
My favorite new word is "ashia," a way of greeting, sympathizing with, or appreciating someone who is working hard. The response, if you are a bit confused, as I was the first few times I received an "ashia", is a simple "thank you." The best parallel may be saying "bless you" when someone sneezes in the U.S. – although my sneezes here (which I've managed to suppress over the years so that they actually sound like the word "achoo") tend to elicit laughter, since "achoo" is a favorite kind of soup in Cameroon.
Ashia has become a special word because there is no direct translation. It expresses something that I cannot express in my English – although when I tried to explain this to some people here, they tried to explain to me that "ashia" is English, meaning here that it is not from any one of the many dialects spoken in the Northwest Province, but is rather part of the common language, pidgin English.
Once I finally convinced my coworkers at GHAPE that we really don't have the word or anything like it in the U.S., discussion ensued. Calista (the accountant) asked, "Well, how do you appreciate someone?" I struggled and pondered for the better part of five minutes, and finally offered the possibilities of "thank you", "good work", or "good luck," none of which capture "ashia." Could you say "Thank you" to a stranger on the street who you saw pushing an especially heavy load?
I've discovered that "ashia" is the best way to break the ice of being an obvious stranger. Naturally, as two of very few white folks in Bamenda (I may have seen two or three other white folks in the whole time I've been here), we stick out. By this time, five months of travel through West Africa later, we're used to sticking out and everything that comes along with it – "You are welcome!" How is Cameroon?" "Come here!" "Where are you going?" "White man!" and many other things regularly shouted at us on an everyday walk to the market.
But, at a certain point, like one month into our stay in Bamenda, the desire to just be part of the scene grows. Since we can never be invisible, I've got a couple of tricks to break the ice or turn the tables. When an adult shouts, "White man" or once in a while acknowledges gender and says, "White woman," I usually shout back "Black man!" This brings laughter that I find pretty refreshing after 26 years marinating in P.C. land, U.S.A. When it's a child shouting, "White man!" and usually pointing, I either make faces and point back at them, or sing the song I've just learned, apparently a childhood favorite of everyone in Bamenda:
White man, white man, white man,
White man with a long nose,
Since my mother born me,
I've never seen a white man!
It doesn't get much better than that for winning laughter and respect.
As far as fitting in goes, well, "ashia" is the best. I can catch someone's eye as they're toiling over some project, pronounce an "ashia," and immediately feel some kind of communion. The communion is enhanced if I adapt the Bamenda way of addressing folks as "sister", "brother", "auntie", "mami", "pa," etc.
The same day that we discussed the word "ashia," Auntie Calista (the GHAPE accountant) asked me, "What do you say if you want to give someone respect?" This question also left me without a good response. Of course, we have "sir" or ma'am" but to my American ear now used to Cameroon, these both sound awfully formal. When we say "sir" or "ma'am" it is usually in a formal context, almost pushing someone away from us as we offer respect. In Cameroon, these respectful terms are add-ons to someone's name and at least in feeling bring them closer. To an older woman or a woman I want to respect, I can say, "Auntie" or "Mami" (pronounced like mommy). To an older man, I can say "Pa." To a woman about my age, I can say "Sister." All these show respect and immediately break the ice for me, a "stranger" as they say here.
Not that there's much ice in Cameroonian culture. Using these terms of respect, I don't feel like I'm dancing the who-can-out-polite-who dance that I've felt in other parts of the world. I don't ever feel like I've given someone offense. And, nearly every argument or serious discussion I've witnessed in Cameroon ends in laughter, usually a burst of it that comes out mid-rant as if someone has suddenly heard themselves talking or seen things form a bird's eye view and finds it all hilarious.
This is a culture I enjoy settling into.


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Shrinky Dinks Insects
Please check your favorite toy retailer for availability. Prices may vary.
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Product Description
Color, bake and shrink grasshoppers, ants, dragonflies and more with Shrinky Dinks Insects. 76 piece kit includes everything, even the colored pencils, you'll need to make your ShrinkyDinks, except the oven! We pre-cut all the fun great shapes, you add fun color, then watch them bake. Recommended for children 5 years of age and older
- Includes 26 preprinted and precut Shrinky Dinks, 8 color pencils, 12 stands, 28 pipe cleaners, 2 key chains and easy instructions
- Make insect figurines and key chains
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