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YuswEd4t needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 169 designs submitted by 41 freelance designers.
Design a new logo, keeping the glasses if you can. The glasses feel sort of 1950's nerd.
Nerdwerx creates beautiful, usable web designs + promotes your site via search engines + builds your brand using social media + develops online strategies.
My guys tell me it's time for a logo update. I want to see what 99Designs can do here. We're young, hip, modern, and nerds. We're cool with that.
We've got a new website launching soon and it's time to put a freshened up logo on there, too.
I dig Web 2.0 styled logos, but cut back on using too much reflection and "plastic wrap" -- this logo has to look good when that stops being cool sometime later this year.
- Designs with and without our glasses
- Design must be adaptable to many environments: print, tv, vinyl, tshirts, stitching >> keep it simple
- Try some variations of the era that fits the glasses (50s?)
- Come up with a clever tagline? $65 bonus!
Follow the mantra of Dieter Ram:
- Good design is innovative.
- Good design makes a product useful.
- Good design is aesthetic.
- Good design makes a product understandable.
- Good design is unobtrusive.
- Good design is honest.
- Good design has longevity.
- Good design is consequent down to the last detail.
- Good design is environmentally friendly.
- Good design is as little design as possible.After this contest I'm hosting a business card and then stationary contest...keep your eyes open!!!
- Web address in the logo- "Overly Web 2.0"
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Slow Foodies participated in all steps of the process, including preparation of the food (produce to be canned should be firm), preparing the brine, and sterilizing the jars.
Our Recipe: Pickled Green Beans
Produces 6 half pints
- 2 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
- 2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup salt
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 bunch fresh dill weed (or dried)
- 3/4 teaspoon fresh peppers (or cayenne)
- Trim the green bean ends.
- Chop the garlic, dill, and peppers.
- Bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil.
- Divide the spices up into each jar equally.
- Fit as many green beans in each jar as you can.
- Pour over the hot liquid.
- Seal the jars.
Preparing the jars for the beans. "We're going to take a spoonful of the pepper garlic mix and then a spoonful of the dill and we're just going to spread it out throughout the jars."
Using the big boilers. Jars should be placed on a rack, steamer, or something similar in the pot, because of the high heat of the stove. "It's just a matter of the jars not touching the bottom of the pot and not touching each other. Um, so anything that you can figure out."
Several of the jars were processed at the demo, and individuals were each able to take a jar to take home to process on their own. Ready to start pickling? Read Sarah's post on the Persian pickle Torshi on the Boston Localvores' blog, and learn more about water bath canning from the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

subset: commoncrawl


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Event box
Library Help Desk
Stop by our Library Help Desk located in the Collaboration Room of the library in Building 38! This is where librarians and student workers are stationed from 11:30am until 1:30pm and can answer all of your in-person or online chat questions! The Library Staff are available outside these hours and can be reached by e-mailing email@example.com
- Date:
- Thursday, July 12, 2018 Show more dates
- Time:
- 11:30am - 1:30pm
- Location:
- IHP Library and Study Commons
- Campus:
- Main Campus
Event Organizer
Liz Bolduc


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GM-ACP-32B-L-Q Access Control Panel(32bit ARM, four door, one way)
Why we need this product?
These access control panel is used to link between computer and access controllers. Normally,
access controller can only work independently, it can not link to our computers. If you want to
manager these access controllers via computer, you should use these access control panels.
Below is the wiring picture between these products.
We have TCP/IP or RS485 access control panels, 16 bit or 32bit, users can choose it according to
their requirements.
For these access control panels, we have one door(two way), two door(two way) or four door(one
way). We have our own software to support each model. It is English version and easy to program
TCP/IP Access Control Panel(32 bit ARM, four door, one way)
Can connect with all access controller or card readers which has Wiegand output(from WG26 to WG40)
Communication Way: TCP/IP
Capacity of Manage Authority: 40000 cards
1000000pcs off-line storage record
Door quantity which can be controlled: four door
Card Reader quantity which can be connected: 4pcs
Networking Quantity: unlimited
Normal Features: Time period/Holiday/Timed Task, etc
Support time limited, frequency limited, card reading spacing interval setting, etc
Support regional anti-passback, interlocking, fire alarm, etc
Embed web server, can be viewed in web browser(B/S)
Support secondary development, DDL/Packet/Mobile Phone
Can be externally connected with intrusion alarm control panels or fire alarm control panels.
Maximum Distance between this panel and card readers(or access controller): 100m
Maximum distance between this panel and computer: depends on networking cover range
Time delay of door control: 1 second to 600 second(adjustable)
Working Temperature: -35 degree to +65 degree
Working Current: 100mA(without loading)
Size(L x W): 160 x 106mm
How to connect?
Why choose us?
1. We have been producing access control products in China for more than 8 years. We are
experiened in this business and product. All our products are CE certified or IP68 certified. We have
our own R&D engineeers, so, we can make any change for customers according to their
2. We don't have MOQ for all models. The more you buy, the lower prices we can give
3. We accept OEM or ODM when your order is more than 1000pcs
4. We provide 2 years warranty for all products after customers receive our cargos.
32 Bit TCP / IP Door Access Control Panel Images
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Public Engagement Newsletter (pdf)
Dear Community Partner,
On behalf of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), we hope you enjoyed the holiday season with friends, family and loved ones! There's something about the holiday season that makes us reflect on how fortunate and thankful we are for all of our blessings. While our hearts are filled with fond memories of joy and happiness from throughout the year, we also think about the New Year and make resolutions to better ourselves and those around us.
At the Department, we hold on to that spirit all year round and we are grateful for the work that we do and the lives we are able to touch every day. We also take pride in our efforts to foster relationships, partner with communities and build bridges to give a voice to individuals, families and communities across the state.
In this issue of our Public Engagement Newsletter, you'll learn that on July 1, 2012, we marked the 15-Year Anniversary since the creation of IDHS and after 15 years, our mission has been and will remain the same - to assist our customers to achieve maximum self-sufficiency, independence and health through the provision of seamless, integrated services for individuals, families and communities. Thanks to the partnerships we've developed over the past 15 years, we have made many strides in our efforts to achieve our mission, but the hardest work is yet to be done.
You'll also learn that our staff is dedicated to building on the success of our Culture of Caring in the variety of ways we serve our customers, work with our partners, and care for each other. You'll read that our Local Office PRIDE initiative has improved service processes and the physical atmosphere in many locations; IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler attended the C-4 drop-in center opening ceremony; and the Central Repository Vault has exceeded our expectations and garnered national recognition.
In addition, see which local offices received a visit from Secretary Saddler during her tour of Southern IL; learn why Unity Day is still alive and strong at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church after eight years; and get an inside look into IDHS' disabilities expo and employer panel.
This issue would not be complete without reading what Secretary Saddler had to say at the Illinois Legislative Latino's 10th Anniversary Conference; knowing how Redeploy Illinois saved the state $40 million; congratulating Illinois for ranking 25th among 50 states in a national poll of states with the most volunteerism; and learning how Illinois Governor Pat Quinn plans to make a major investment in early childhood education.
In other agency news, several IDHS staff received awards from various organizations; IDHS participated in the Illinois Latino/a Behavioral Health Conference; the SECA Basketball Tournament raised $1,731 for charities; and the Department's Culture of Caring extends beyond the brick and mortar of local offices.
As the New Year begins, IDHS is ready to embark on an aggressive statewide Earned Income Tax Credit public education campaign in partnership with the Governor's Office. We are recommitted to partnering with you to serve the individuals, families and communities who need us more now than ever!
On July 1, 2012, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) hit a major milestone by marking its 15-Year Anniversary. Did you know, since the creation of IDHS in July of 1997, the Division of Rehabilitation Services has assisted more than 87,476 individuals with disabilities in obtaining competitive employment outcomes, an average of 5,832 per year? In addition, the Division of Mental Health has purchased mental health services on behalf of Illinois for more than 1 million individuals and as many as 256,000 customers have worked their way off of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. These are just a few examples of how IDHS has reached its goals of helping people achieve maximum self-sufficiency and independence over the past 15 years.
To commemorate this special occasion, IDHS has developed a series of strategies and activities to highlight the Department's successes and recount some of the untold stories behind those successes. Some of the activities that have taken place and are planned include:
In addition, the Department is vigorously re-branding IDHS as the one-stop for human services needs; co-branding their partnerships, services and activities with providers; keeping staff abreast of IDHS happenings through internal messaging; and most importantly, engaging the public to improve IDHS services and policies.
"This is really a special time for all of our IDHS team members," IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "We hope that these, along with other strategies, will help us take our message and spirit across the state to service providers who will continue to join us in support of our program services and initiatives."
Towards that end, IDHS has pledged to maximize their limited resources to strengthen engagement efforts with diverse communities through meetings, presentations and comprehensive public awareness campaigns.
Since the launch of the Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) Local Office PRIDE (LOP) initiative last year in several of the Department's Family Community Resource Centers (FCRC), many front-line caseworkers, office managers and customers are increasingly feeling and embracing the Department's culture of caring.
With improved employee morale, streamlined business practices, and decreased waiting time for customers, the initiative is focused on ensuring that anyone who enters one of the Department's local offices can see and experience the Department's culture of caring. Some FCRCs have moved away from a caseload-based model in lieu of process-based teams that include waiting rooms greeters. Others have also had facility "makeovers" by having their local offices painted, rearranging the lobby area and receiving new office signage to streamline customer flow and traffic.
"The feedback we are getting from our local offices has been very positive," Division Director of Family and Community Services Linda Saterfield said. "Our employees feel appreciated and proud about what they do and our customers feel respected and valued as members of our IDHS family."
The LOP launches in the Woodlawn and Northwest FCRCs helped kick-start a ripple effect throughout other local offices such as DuPage County, Southeast, Northern and South Suburban, who today serve as model offices for consistently maintaining and displaying their local office pride. FCRCs throughout the state are also using the Department's 15-Year Anniversary as an opportunity to refresh and renew their efforts to expand and further the Department's culture of caring.
Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler took part in the grand opening of the new "Drop-in Center" operated by the Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C-4).
The center helps meet the terms of the Williams Consent Decree, which calls for a range of community-based services for people with mental illness.
Williams follows what began with the Supreme Court Olmstead decision that people have a right to live in the least restrictive setting possible. Williams, Colbert and Ligas decisions - and Money follows the Person - have supported Olmstead and the idea of community-based living.
The drop-in center, which serves up to 50 people a day, is an innovative idea to create an environment of support, socialization, self direction and empowerment for individuals in a non-clinical situation.
The center is for people who have lived in the larger settings for some time and may still want an environment where they can socialize with other class members.
The goal is to empower individuals to set recovery goals and take ownership of their own recovery through a community that promotes personal growth, empowerment, responsibility and greater independence, while incorporates messages of wellness, discovery and recovery.
According to the National Council of Nonprofits, Illinois has taken a big step forward in government-nonprofit contracting.
Launched in July of 2012, the Centralized Repository Vault (CRV) is the state's new information portal designed to eliminate duplication and confusion in the business process. Contracted partners can both download standard required documents such as Form 990s, and upload information they are required to provide such as their list of board members. It is expected to promote more efficient monitoring and auditing, and since all five state human services agencies will make use of this for their partners in service, all providers will save on administrative time and costs. This should allow dollars to be reinvested to an increased level of service to the community.
"Our community service providers fill a critical role in Illinois and we need to do everything we can to relieve them of burdensome processes that waste time and resources," Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "This new reporting tool is allowing providers to reduce administrative costs and reinvest those dollars into programs that help the most vulnerable among us."
The CRV is a key component of the Management Improvement Initiative. This 2011 law is aimed at increasing efficiency and easing the administrative burden on providers while they work with limited resources and manpower. Secretary Saddler was appointed by Governor Quinn to lead this charge, and all five human services agencies are required to participate in the Initiative.
The CRV accepts and securely stores data using an easy-to-use web form to make entries and upload documents for review by the state's five human service agencies - Department of Human Services, Department on Aging, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Public Health. Relevant data and documents from human service providers are collected at once and staff at each of the state agencies have access. This relieves providers of the administrative burden of repetitive requests for similar information. To date, more than 1257 providers have registered with the CRV and uploaded nearly 13,926 documents, saving an estimated $40,000 in paper, printing, and administrative costs.
Authorized personnel of community service providers under contract with a state human services agency have access to the CRV. Service providers register and receive authorization to use the system by visiting the Centralized Repository Vault (CRV).
Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler visited 15 local offices in 12 Southern IL counties, in September of 2012. The tour included stops in Anna, Harrisburg, Marion, Golconda, Metropolis, Cairo, Murphysboro, Benton, Chester, Mt. Carmel and Mt. Vernon. The visits were an opportunity for Secretary Saddler to meet staff and hear their concerns first hand.
Region 5 Administrator Alan Summers gives a tour of the Williamson County Family Community Resource Center to Marion Mayor Robert Butler, State Rep. John Bradley and IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler, in September of 2012, in Southern, IL.
Some pictures chronicling her FCRC/DRS office visits are below.
Massac County FCRC
Union County DRS
Pope County FCRC
Saline County DRS
Saline County FCRC
Choate Developmental Center
Randolph County FCRC
Union County FCRC
Choate Mental Health
Wabash County FCRC
Marion Provider Meeting
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) celebrated its annual Unity Day at Mount Vernon Baptist Church/JLM Abundant Life Center, in October of 2012, in Chicago, IL. Under this year's theme Accessing Services through Community Partnership, IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler served as the keynote speaker and used the opportunity to talk about change and how it requires the individual to want to change if they want to move from where they are to where they want to be or who they wish to become.
"We are proud of our diversity, our efficiency and the services that the agency and its community partners provide to Illinois citizens," Secretary Saddler said. "While the Department can be with you every step of the way, change starts within your core and your desire to better yourself and those around you."
Now in its ninth year, more than 300 individuals and approximately 45 social service agencies representing local, state and federal service providers were in attendance.
Unity Day is a gathering of churches, community organizations, businesses and citizens to increase awareness of IDHS services, fosters partnerships and provide potential job opportunities to attendees. Some of the other activities included a job fair, health screenings, information on social services available in the community and a free lunch.
The Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) hosted a job fair and disabilities expo, in October of 2012. As many as 80 local employers were prepared to distribute information, accept applications and perform on-the-spot interviews with prospective employees. Hosted in the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, the disabilities expo drew several hundred job seekers and interested individuals, including more than 150 DRS customers.
In addition, DRS and the Knox-Warren Transition Planning Committee (TPC) also hosted an Employer Panel discussion, in November of 2012, at Galesburg High School.
Local employers shared success stories and provided information about their business, available positions and the type of training and qualifications necessary for employment. Employers were also available to answer questions from the students about job search and employment.
DRS' Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program is operated from 44 offices across the State of Illinois and employs approximately 230 VR counselors, who assist persons with disabilities in becoming employed. Staff provide vocational guidance and counseling; assist customers in developing an individualized plan for employment; and arrange for provisions of training, restorative services and job placement to help customers achieve their employment goals.
Where We've Been and Where We're Going was the topic of a panel discussion at the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation's (IILLCF) 10th Anniversary Conference, in November of 2012, in Rosemont, IL, attended by Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler, Acting Assistant Secretary Nelida Smyser-DeLeon, and several other IDHS staff members.
The conference recognized the accomplishments Illinois Latinos have made in the past decade and looked at the challenges to be faced in the next 10 years. Secretary Saddler pointed out the success IDHS has had in hiring Latinos. "The department now has 878 Latino workers or 6.6 percent of the workforce, including 48 in management positions," she said.
The conference theme this year was La Presencia Latina: Reflections on the Past…An Agenda for the Future. The keynote speaker was Ray Suarez, an acclaimed author and well-known senior correspondent for PBS' The News Hour. His expert perspective on the meaning of The Brown of America provided the audience an insight on the status of Latinos in America. They had six conference topics: Education, Health Care, Jobs and the Economy, Immigration, Leadership and Human Services.
During one of the breakout sessions, Secretary Saddler served as a panelist on the Human Services Workshop. During her participation, she talked about IDHS' Latino and bilingual initiatives for individuals and families with limited English proficiency in the state.
"IDHS has taken the lead in forming a committee to address the needs of the Latino community by having IDHS divisions represented in the Limited English Proficient (LEP) committee to discuss the strides we've made in the past and our vision for the future," Secretary Saddler explained. "In fact, one of the Governor's initiatives is to form a statewide LEP."
She informed the audience that the Department has an Office of Hispanic/Latino Affairs that does in-house interpretations and translates documents from English to Spanish and Spanish to English all while serving over 43 different languages. She also talked about the IDHS Welcoming Center and how State Rep. Lisa Hernandez advocated strongly on this initiative to serve the people of the state. Secretary Saddler mentioned that the Welcoming Center is what IDHS calls, "Su casa …You're home!"
"It's a model office that makes you feel like you are at home and welcomed," Saddler explained. "A place that will talk to you in your primary language and provide you not only with nutritional and health assistance, but assess you for child services, employment, job readiness, and other supportive services."
According to IDHS officials, several sister agencies are co-located in the same location; making the Welcoming Center a "One Stop Shop."
Michelle R.B. Saddler, Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary; Lawrence Benito, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; and Judith Gethner, Illinois Partners for Human Service serve on various panels during the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Foundation's 10th Anniversary Conference, in November of 2012, in Rosemont, IL.
The Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) Redeploy Illinois initiative has saved the state $40 million in incarceration costs by helping to steer young people away from the prison system and onto the
right path.
"Redeploy Illinois' success is proof that community-based services are not only the best tools we have to truly help rehabilitate justice-involved youth, but they are also more cost effective," IDHS Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler said. "In diverting our young people from the path of imprisonment, we save them - and our state - from the social, emotional and financial costs of incarceration."
Redeploy Illinois was established in 2005 to provide financial support to counties in their efforts to provide community services for delinquent youth as an alternative to incarceration. Since that time, the program has cut in half the number of juveniles committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice, according to the program's most recent annual report. At the start of Redeploy Illinois, an average of 356 youth were incarcerated from the participating counties every year. Over the past seven years, that number fell sharply to an average of 178 youth.
A total of 854 juveniles were incarcerated from participating counties since Redeploy Illinois was implemented, which is more than a 50 percent decrease from the estimated 1,713 youth that were previously on track for incarceration. This 50 percent reduction in youth commitment rates resulted in an estimated savings to the state of $40 million in related incarceration costs.
Redeploy Illinois supports a wide array of services to help delinquent youth including counseling; substance abuse and mental health treatment; life skills education; and parent and family support services.
The program began in 15 counties and was later expanded to 29 counties, including Macon, Peoria, St. Clair, Lee and McLean. The report reflects the results achieved in 28 of the 29 participating counties - the outlying county, LaSalle, recently joined the program and has not yet collected data.
The program has been successful in mobilizing communities to direct resources to youth offenders who otherwise would have been incarcerated. Counties receiving Redeploy Illinois funds commit to reducing their number of commitments by 25 percent in exchange for grant funds.
The Illinois Department of Human Services' Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service
(Serve Illinois) recently commended the state's 2.73 million volunteers that made a difference through volunteerism last year. Illinois volunteers served nearly 360 million total hours, which is valued at $8.1 billion.
"Involved citizens do so much to make our communities stronger," Executive Director of the Serve Illinois Commission Brandon Bodor said.
"We view volunteerism as a vital piece of infrastructure here in Illinois. From education to health to disaster response, service threads through each community is fundamental to addressing critical issues in the state. We look forward to expanding the awareness of volunteer opportunities so that Illinois can build upon the momentum that we've displayed in this report."
According to the recently released Volunteering and Civic Life in America (VCLA) report, nearly 30 percent of Illinoisans demonstrated their commitment to improving their communities by volunteering, ranking the Land of Lincoln 25th among the 50 states.
The report shows the national volunteer rate reaching its highest level since 2006. More than 64 million Americans - or roughly one in four adults - volunteered approximately eight billion hours, valued at $171 billion. In addition, two out of three citizens nationally (65.1% or almost 144 million citizens) engaged in informal volunteering by doing favors for and helping out their neighbors, an increase of 9.5 percent from last year.
The VCLA data is part of the most comprehensive study of volunteering and civic engagement across the country. The annual report is issued by the Corporation for National and Community Service as part of its efforts to expand the reach and impact of America's volunteers, in partnership with the National Council on Citizenship, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau for Labor Statistics.
The Serve Illinois Commission is a 40 member, bi-partisan board appointed by the Governor. Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing traditional volunteer activities and supporting national service programs. The Commission is accomplishing this mission through the support of local community-based efforts to enhance volunteer opportunities and the administration of Illinois' AmeriCorps program. To find a volunteer opportunity, or to learn more about the Serve Illinois Commission and volunteerism in Illinois, visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.
Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler joined students, families and teachers to announce $45 million for vital improvements to early childhood education facilities in high-need communities across Illinois.
The 14 Early Childhood Construction Grants (ECCG), announced in December of 2012, are funded through Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program and will expand access to early childhood education, which experts have noted is critical to a student's success.
The ECCG announcement is part of the governor's comprehensive plan to strengthen Illinois' education system by improving early childhood education; modernizing school facilities; expanding science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) instruction; and implementing bold reforms that put children first.
"The achievement gap begins before a child steps foot into kindergarten," Governor Quinn said. "We know that investing in early childhood education is the best way to ensure lifelong success for our students. By setting our youngest learners on the right track now, we can prepare them for a lifetime of growth and strengthen our economy for the future."
The ECCG is the first program in the nation of its kind, created by Governor Quinn and funded through his Illinois Jobs Now! to increase early childhood services in underserved areas across Illinois. Organizations receiving the awards went through a competitive grant process, specifying how the funds will be spent to improve early childhood education in their communities. The awards may be used to acquire or construct a facility or expand an existing facility as well as to purchase equipment and make safety improvements. Early childhood providers in Cook, McHenry, Will, Winnebago, St. Clair, Kane and Kankakee counties were among the successful applicants.
The announcement was made at Cicero's Through A Child's Eyes pre-K program, which focuses on helping children deemed to be at-risk of academic failure. In the last school year, the program served 467 students, with 95 percent coming from families at or below the poverty level. By the end of the school year, approximately 90 percent of at-risk three and four-year-olds had met or exceeded expectations in literacy learning skills following their participation in the program.
"Thanks to these funds, some of our most vulnerable children will get access to early childhood education and services that might not otherwise be available," State Board of Education Chairman Gery J. Chico said. "Studies have proven time and time again that such programming changes lives and yields social, academic and economic benefits. This is especially important as we work to reduce the achievement gap in the coming years."
The ECCG awards follow an earlier announcement the same month that Illinois was awarded a $34.8 million Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) grant from the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funds will support quality improvements to Illinois' early learning system including the development of a unified system that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of programs.
The $34.8 million grant will allow the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Human Services and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to work together to improve the quality of all early learning and development programs in the state. The federal grant will be used to create a new Quality Rating and Improvement System to inform parents about program quality through a website that will be fully implemented in July of 2014. In addition, the grant will help communities connect children with the greatest needs to high-quality programs, strengthen the quality of early learning programs, and support the development of great teachers for early learning programs. These funds will also allow the state to make important one-time investments to improve efficiency, streamline program administration and data systems and evaluate effectiveness for early childhood programs.
"Making sure young children and their families get the support they need to prepare children for success in school and later life requires a coordinated effort from all of our agencies," IDHS Secretary Saddler said.
Since taking office, Governor Quinn has made strengthening Illinois' education system a top priority. Earlier this year, the Governor announced $623 million in Illinois Jobs Now! capital funding to help dozens of school districts statewide make critical repairs, additions and technology updates to classrooms. Combined with local dollars, the funding will allow school districts to complete projects totaling more than $1.2 billion. The program also includes $1.5 billion for higher education, including $788 million for public universities and $400 million for community colleges. The funds have been used to support many landmark projects including Lincoln Hall at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Cole Hall at Northern Illinois University, the Advanced Chemical Technology Building at the University of Chicago, the Transportation Education Center at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, as well as Western Illinois University's Riverfront campus expansion in Moline.
In addition to improving facilities, Governor Quinn has worked to enhance academic offerings in the state by supporting the Illinois Pathways Initiative, an innovative public-private partnership between public education institutions and the business community to foster STEM learning. The governor's goal is for 60 percent of Illinois adults to earn a college degree or career certificate by 2025.
Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Acting Assistant Secretary Nelida Smyser-DeLeon; and Hilda Frontany, IDHS staff from the Division of Family and Community Services, were honored at El Rincon's 40th Anniversary Celebration, in August of 2012, in Chicago, IL. Hilda Frontany received El Rincon's Lifetime Commitment to Advocacy Award.
Nelida Smyser-DeLeon receives El Rincon's CARE Award for Community Advocacy from MC Lourdes Duarte, WGN News; El Rincon's Executive Director, Rolando Correa; and media personality Bill Zayas, in August of 2012, in Chicago, IL.
Hundreds of staff, individuals and professionals in the Mental Health field recently gathered at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology during the month of October of 2012, in Chicago, IL, to participate in the Latino/a Behavioral Health Conference.
Under the theme Changing the Paradigm from Stigma to Wellness, the goal of the conference is to increase cultural competency of behavioral health providers, addressing the Latino/a mental health challenges in a culturally appropriate manner.
Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler provided welcoming remarks, while the keynote presentation was delivered by Henry Acosta, MA, MSW, using the topic Current Status & Future Directions of Mental Health for Latinos to provide his vision and direction on Mental Health for Latinos.
In addition, a keynote panel The Impact of Healthcare Reform on the Latino Population included Sen. Willie Delgado, 3th Legislative District; Sharon Matthews, Assistant Director, Illinois Department of Health and Human Services; Gustavo Espinosa, LCSW, Executive Director Region 1 Central, IDHS/DMH; Marvin Lindsey, CBHA MH Trade Association; and Facilitator Wanda Figueroa, Chief Operating Officer, Association House of Chicago, IL.
This year's conference was the result of the collaboration among network members including The Center for Latino/a Mental Health housed within the Counseling Department of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Sponsors included Proviso Township Mental Health Commission, The Naomi Ruth Cohen Institute for Mental Health Education, and the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Among others, IDHS Department of Mental Health staff member Mario Garcia and several other Latino professionals served on the planning committee.
Andrea Palmer, Program Services Administrator in the Bureau of Child and Adolescent Health of the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Family and Community Services, received the Service Excellence Award from Healthy Families America during their annual Conference, in October of 2012. IDHS congratulates Andrea Palmer for this award, and we thank her for being an invaluable member of our leadership team.
Illinois Department of Human Services Secretary Michelle R.B. Saddler and Secretary of State Jesse White were on hand for the SECA Charity Basketball tournament at Wells High School, in October of 2012, in Chicago, IL.
The tournament raised $1,731 for various SECA charities. Agencies that participated in the tournament included the Office of the Governor, Illinois Department of Human Services, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois Department of Corrections, Illinois State Police, and Central Management Services. Staff from the State Fire Marshall were on hand to provide medical emergency services if needed.
The Jesse White Tumblers also performed a display of skilled acrobatics for an enthusiastic crowd at the tournament. The Illinois Department or Children and Family Services were the winners of the tournament!
Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) staff have once again shown their generosity by spreading the Department's culture of caring to less fortunate individuals and families this winter. In Springfield and Chicago, a clothing and food drive led by IDHS staff members Ethel Spencer and Hilda Frontany, respectively, demonstrated that the Department's culture of caring extends beyond the brick and mortar of their local offices by helping families stay warm and fed this holiday season.
In mid December of 2012, IDHS staff delivered several boxes of new and used coats; dozens of hats, gloves and scarves; and toys and small gift items to a variety of organizations, shelters and needy individuals and families.
"I want to thank my colleagues and friends who have donated so generously during the holiday season," Spencer said. "I appreciate all of my co-workers for being willing to help in any way they can."
IDHS staff have been collecting coats during the holidays for several years. This is the second year IDHS has conducted the combined clothing and food drive for Springfield and Chicago area shelters.
"It's amazing what we can accomplish when we collectively put our efforts into a good cause," Frontany said. "And what better time than the holiday season to demonstrate to someone that you care."
Thousands of Illinoisans are boosting their paychecks by taking advantage of important tax benefits for workers. Governor Quinn is urging low-income Illinoisans to become aware of all of the federal and state tax benefits available to them. IDHS is reaching out to workers who are also eligible for IDHS programs to inform them of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and free tax counseling services offered by IRS VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program tax sites, the Center for Economic Progress and Ladder Up.
In 2012, Governor Quinn signed major legislation to double the State's EITC over two years, saving low-income workers an extra $105 million per year. The federal EITC can be worth up to $5,981 for a household with three or more children. Residents who claim the EITC can claim as much as $475 for the 2012 tax year.
Free income tax filing assistance is available to families with incomes under $50,000 or single persons with incomes of less than $25,000. Tax assistance will be available at 39 sites across the state. Last year the programs assisted more than 25,000 income tax filers. To locate an IRS VITA program tax site, please visit www.irs.gov or call 1-800-906-9887.
IDHS is sending information on the EITC and free tax help to all IDHS customers. Several other state agencies are also doing their part to promote these important benefits.
For more information visit the IDHS EITC home page. Please feel free to share, reproduce and distribute the attached EITC PDF files to your colleagues, networks and clients.
We hope you enjoyed reading this special year-end edition of our Public Engagement Newsletter. Please feel free to forward and share our newsletter with your networks, partners, colleagues, customers and friends!
Aurelio Huertas Fabrizio
Editor-in-Chief | Public Engagement Newsletter
Email: email@example.com


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Its -10 degrees outside. Its also one in the morning. Trek outside from a birthday party to walk for half an hour to go bowling? Okay
Its -5 degrees outside. The ground is still iced over. Go outside for a big $6 McGill breakfast? Okay
Its 0 degrees outside. The warmest in days. Walk to the gym? Ugggh No. It's too cold.
*Igloofest takes place outside at night in Montreal during winter with DJs as well as ice sculptures containing bottles of Jagermeister inside and igloos containing electric swing music inside. It's a Canadian thing I guess.
And the life lessons learned from those decisions? In order as above:
- Free marshmallows on a stick unintentionally frozen by the winter weather taste really, really good.
- Birthday cakes should always contain a layer of cookie dough "icing".
- $6 McGill Breakfasts. Always worth leaving the house for.*
- In contrast, the gym is not a motivator for leaving the house.*
*already known but again verified
And with this weather, there's one thing I'll pretty much always say okay to:
And with this weather, there's one thing I'll pretty much always say okay to:
Which is, do you want soup?
And this carrot ginger lime soup my friend Chloe introduced me to is one of the most interesting soups I've come across so far. It contains ingredients I don't normally love on their own (ginger, yuck), but unexpectedly compliment each other really well. Plus its low-fat factor might be a good idea for a body that has been sustained for a weekend on marshmallows, cookie dough, and bacon. Yah.
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium onions, chopped
5 cups carrots, chopped (about 7-9 carrots or 2 lbs)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
6 cups water or broth
Juice of half a lime
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Add the oil to a big pot and add in the onions, carrots, garlic, cumin powder and curry powder. Cook everything on medium heat until the onions have started caramelizing.
2. Add around 6 cups of water or broth, enough to just cover the top of the vegetables. Simmer uncovered for about half an hour or until everything is very tender. (You may need to add in more liquid as it starts evaporating)
3. When all the vegetables are tender, add in the ginger and squeeze in the juice of half a lime.
4. Blend mixture with an immersion blender in batches until smooth. Add in more broth or water to thin out the soup until desired consistency.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and once the soup has chilled slightly, garnish with lime zest and yogurt if desired. This makes a lot and stores well in the fridge or freezer.


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amazincc wrote:I'm all for "stretching the truth a bit" when it comes to making decisions based on what's the most compassionte and kindest thing to do in a terminal case... I'm with you 110%. I bet Sofie is goind to LOVE living w/you again.
Pizza... YAY for a good day, and being able to smell THAT!
Hang in there, both of you.
I was really shocked she could smell it, I mean she got right up in my grill and was pretty much like... "Dude, give me some!"
Thanks for the support, I think she will be much happier with me. Not to say my parents don't rock but I think she likes being with the other dogs and like being a part of something, like we get up go to work, and come home. Where at my parents she pretty much just sleeps all day and goes outside a few times.
iluvk9 wrote:Hey....you have all of our permission to LIE YOUR ASS OFF, if it helps Sophie!
Sorry she is having a few bad moments again. I know how frustrating it gets, and how you start thinking of all the new variables that might have added to the change.
Hang in there, Suzy-Q!
It really is frustrating. I worry sometimes that the end is going to come suddenly. Like the other day when she was acting funny she was shaking, but I immediately was thinking 'Is she trembling?' like is she having some uncontrollable focal seizure? Luckily of course she wasn't, but it definitely sucks when she's having these bad, not wanting to eat moments where your mind wants to think the worst every time.
Thank you for the support


text:
From the time Hans Wilsdorf registered the Rolex trademark in 1908, Rolex watches have been synonymous with quality, durability and reliability. Now, Best of Time International brings that quality and prestige to you with its extensive collection of men"s Rolex watches and women"s Rolex watches.
Top quality Asia Automatic Movement (21 Jewel)
With Smooth Sweeping Seconds Hand Hack mechanism (second hand stops when crown is pulled out to set the time-standard feature on all genuine Rolex watches).
Solid 316 Stainless Steel Case
Solid 316 Stainless Steel Strap
Sapphire Crystal Glass Face
with Anti-Reflective Coating
Man Size: 39mm


text:
UK Parkinson's Disease Consortium - UKPDC
- Home
- News
- Background
- Principal Investigators
- Co-Investigators
- Research Groups
- Collaborators
- Funding
- Publications
- Contact us
Parkinson's chromosome deletion linked to other genetic disorders
Researchers, led by BRC-supported Professor Nicholas Wood, UCL Institute of Neurology, have made a breakthrough in their understanding of Parkinson's disease after they discovered a chromosome deletion linked to Parkinson's disease and other genetic disorders. More...
Prof John Hardy is the first UK winner of $3m Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
Professor John Hardy (UCL Institute of Neurology) has been awarded the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for his pioneering research into the genetic causes of Alzheimer's disease, other forms of dementia and Parkinson's disease. More...
John Hardy awarded 2015 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson's Research
One of the UK Parkinson's Disease Consortium Principal Investigators, Prof John Hardy, has been awarded the 2015 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for his leadership in Parkinson's genetics research. The award was presented by Michael J. Fox at a ceremony in New York on April 15. From the Michael J. Fox Foundation website: More...
Video: Advances in Genetic Understanding of Parkinson's Disease
Webcast of the presentation entitled 'Advances in Genetic Understanding of Parkinson's Disease' given by Nicholas Wood (University College London, United Kingdom) presented at the Biochemical Society Hot Topic event, PINK1-Parkin Signalling in Parkinson's Disease and Beyond, held in December 2014. More...
GCH1 gene and Parkinson's risk
A study published in Brain, led by researchers
at UCL Institute of Neurology, has shown that genetic mutations which
cause a decrease in dopamine
production in the brain and lead to a form of childhood-onset Dystonia,
also play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease.
Research Groups
- Cell Physiology
- Clinical Neuroscience
- Clinical Studies
- Drosophila Genetics
- Mitochondria
- Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Molecular Neuropathology
- Neurogenetics
- Neurogenomics
- Neurological Biochemistry
- Neurological Signalling
- Protein Phosphorylation
Page last modified on 24 jan 11 17:19


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Jones Foundation gift to benefit music lab project 01-27-2004
Wayland Baptist University
A $50,000 gift from the Helen Jones Foundation of Lubbock will help fund an electronic music laboratory at Wayland Baptist University.
The grant covers half of the needed funds for the nearly $100,000 project, which includes installation, faculty training and use of a 15-keyboard SoundTree technology/keyboard lab.
The laboratory will enable students to experience music using electronic keyboards to explore sounds and to learn basic piano keyboard skills including playing songs with one and two hands and performing in duos and quartets.
Students are introduced to computer-assisted instruction software including Auralia, Music Lessons and Band-In-A-Box. Music notation is introduced through the Sibelius program and sequencing through the Emagic Logic program.
The General Music Curriculum, published by SoundTree, will be used. Personal arrangements and original compositions can be printed using Sibelius software to facilitate completion of a portfolio for each student.
The fundamental objective of the SoundTree lab is the integration of these technological skills into all areas of the students´ university music education, teacher training, lesson-plan development and performance abilities.
The dream of this lab started six years ago as we created a music technology course with visions of the future toward having an optimum space to teach it. We´ve only had three workstations until now, and we have electronic pianos that are 30 years old, said Dr. Ann Stutes, chair of the department of music at Wayland.
By building this lab, we are replacing keyboards and adding computers. The exciting thing for the entire music department is that every music student will benefit from this project. Every course we teach will use the lab in many diverse ways. Once it is completed, it will become the hub of activity for our department.
The Jones Foundation was established by Helen DeVitt Jones in 1984 from profits from her family´s share of the sprawling Mallet Ranch in Hockley County.
A longtime resident of Lubbock, Jones gave generously to many organizations, especially those with ties to education and the arts. Besides Wayland, the Jones Foundation has supported endeavors by Texas Tech University, the South Plains Food Bank, Lubbock Symphony, Ballet Lubbock, Boy Scouts of America, the League of Women Voters, the United Way, Meals of Wheels and the YWCA as well as libraries, hospitals and other public and private schools. Jones died in 1997.
The music lab is still in need of funding to complete the project. For information on gifts to this or other projects, contact Wayland´s development office at 291-3427.
Posted to MyPlainview: JANUARY 27, 2004 12:04 CST


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The FAA, as the U.S. Meteorological Authority, identifies the requirements for the products and services for the Washington WAFC and ensures the operation of ISCS. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NWS is the provider of the WAFS products, and has responsibility for the management and operation of both the ISCS and the WIFS.
WIFS is available for use 24x7. Between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm Central Time, Monday through Friday, live WIFS technical support is provided by the AWC. To contact AWC WIFS technical support, use the following email address and phone number.
E-mail: email@example.com
Phone: 1(816) 584-7200 or 1(877) 280-2811
Click here to submit a bug or issue with the WIFS site.
Outside of normal AWC support hours, users can expect a response from the AWC within three business days. If users require immediate help outside of AWC business hours they should contact the NWS Telecommunications Operations Center Help Desk for support:
|Probable Cause
|Actions to Take
|Data out of date, cannot be retrieved, or is not being properly displayed on the missing on the workstation
|WAFS data retrieve process failed
|Test the internet connection (Note 1)
|Check the data retrieve log file for errors (Note 2)
|Contact the WAFS workstation support team
|Data on WIFS is out of date
|Test the internet connection (Note 1)
|Browse to the WIFS online file list and check to see if data is up to date (Note 3)
|If data is out of date send an email to email@example.com and contact the NWSTG to report the problem.(Note 4)
|There is a WIFS data ingest problem
|Check the Advisories page for new advisories pertaining to data outages.
|If data is out of date send an email to email@example.com and contact the NWSTG to report the problem.(Note 4)
1. To test your internet connection, try the following URL in a browser: "http://www.aviationweather.gov". If the browser opens the page, you have a working internet connection. If it is not, contact your system administrator or your Internet Service Provider for assistance.
2. If you don't know where this file is or how to access it, contact the WAFS Workstation Support Team. WIFS Users Guide Page 11
3. In your browser type in the following URL: http://www.aviationweather.gov/wifs/data. Click on the appropriate category and find the data you are looking for. Take note of the file name with the latest date/time.
4. The National Weather Service Telecommunications Gateway (NWSTG) Helpdesk phone number is (301) 713-0902.


text:
Monday, December 13, 2010
Resilient Gardener Book Giveaway
Carol Deppe, a Harvard-educated biologist with over thirty years of plant-breeding and gardening experience, has distilled an incredible store of knowledge into this book, which tops the scales at over three hundred pages long. In the book, she discusses:
- Growing food in an era of unpredictable weather
- Gardening with little to no irrigation or store-bought inputs
- Keeping a flock of ducks/chickens and growing most of their food
- Saving seeds and breeding plants
- Storing crops
Ms. Deppe's unique perspective, which sometimes goes against conventional wisdom, kept the book both amusing and interesting. How often do you find gardening books with sections entitled "Why I Hate Drip Irrigation," "Why I Don't Compost Anymore," and "The Power of Pee?" She is also not afraid to take a stand on nutritional topics, and although I found the chapter on celiac disease a little distracting, I can see that the information might benefit many people.
Her discussion of diet and nutrition related to the five main crops, and especially her discourse on the specifics of storing foods and saving seeds, seems particularly versatile. As Ms. Deppe said in an interview with Makenna Goodman on Alternet, The Resilient Gardener is as much about storing and using food as it is about growing it, which makes the book as helpful for people learning to cook and use local food as it is for gardeners. While the sheer volume of information related to some of the topics was overwhelming at times, I think these sections may be worth their weight in gold when they are needed.
As usual, I found myself wishing that a gardening book had been written by someone who lived in Oklahoma. But can I really fault the author for living in Oregon, which has a very different climate than we have?
To sum it up: The Resilient Gardener covers a wide range of subjects, in great detail, that will interest people who plan to garden in a post-peak, unpredictable weather kind of planet. Carol Deppe is not afraid to defy conventional wisdom, and is brave enough to discuss some taboo topics. The Resilient Gardener also garnered rave reviews from Toby Hemenway (author of the permaculture classic Gaia's Garden - one of my favorite books) and Gene Logsdon (author of Small-Scale Grain Raising and Holy Shit: Managing Manure to Save Mankind).
So if you find yourself intrigued by this review, sign up to win a copy of The Resilient Gardener by leaving your name in the comments (no anonymous or non-U.S. lower 48 registrations, please). I will announce the winner on Wednesday morning. And if you don't happen to win... this book might make a great (i.e. useful) gift for the gardener in your life.
Final note: Because of the series of posts I wrote on resilient gardening, Chelsea Green mailed me a free review copy of The Resilient Gardener, however, I am keeping that copy for myself and sponsoring this holiday giveaway on my own dime.
19 comments:
- Kate said...
Interesting point you raise about how much you'd like to see a book written specifically from the point of view of a gardener local to you. I think many people feel the same, and I can't blame them. Though I'd like to see the book (and please count me in for the drawing!) I will likely have to filter many of her particulars because of the differences in zone, climate, soil, and geography between Oregon and PA. Makes a good argument for developing those very local resources of know-how and experience. Can't find those in books too often.
- December 13, 2010 at 7:13 AM
I'd *love* the book - and I promise to pass it on to other interested people who live nearby once I've read.
(who is normally not in the US, but who will be visiting San Diego over the New Year and so for *once* can participate in a giveaway - yay!)
- December 13, 2010 at 7:20 AM
- swiggett said...
This sounds like a wonderfully informative book; one that I would love to read. Please sign me up for the contest.
- December 13, 2010 at 7:25 AM
- miltonics said...
I am intrigued...
- December 13, 2010 at 7:50 AM
- Mareena said...
I sure would like to read that book. Here in Western NC I've been working to be resilient but I just hope I have enough time to make all my mistakes before TSHTF.
- December 13, 2010 at 9:08 AM
- ♥ Pacy said...
This is a book that I've been dying to read.
- December 13, 2010 at 9:26 AM
- esp said...
I've seen this book mentioned somewhere else, too, and though it sounded very interesting.
- December 13, 2010 at 10:35 AM
- Issa said...
Fabulous giveaway! Gardening to "the appropriate level of sloppiness" sounds just like how I want to garden. Count me in! :-)
- December 13, 2010 at 3:21 PM
- Frugal Pursuit said...
Sounds like an excellent resource to have so I am putting my name in the hat for the book.
- December 13, 2010 at 5:29 PM
- e4 said...
Wow, count me in. This sounds right up my alley, and approved by two of my all-time favorite authors (and one of my favorite bloggers too)...
- December 13, 2010 at 5:55 PM
- JenHarper said...
I'd like to check out that book!
- December 14, 2010 at 4:49 AM
- Brad K. said...
Please add my name to the list of hopefuls. 'Cause I am hopeful!
My garden last year over-ran with sloppiness. And grasshoppers. It was a slightly bitter race, whether the grasshoppers or sloppiness were bigger challenges. And bermuda grass. Sloppiness and grasshoppers and bermuda grass were my biggest challenges. And "getting around to it". Um.
I did get a few really wonderful Black Cherry tomatoes out of the season, and some great pimento-tasting Sweet Chocolate peppers, too. And one 4" watermelon. The Loofa grew, and spread, and bloomed - and never produced a fruit.
Thanks for the recommendation, even if I don't get the book!
- December 14, 2010 at 7:10 AM
- Christy said...
Sounds like a great book! Count me in:-)
- December 14, 2010 at 11:03 AM
- Patty said...
I would love one!
- December 14, 2010 at 12:00 PM
- Survival Mama said...
Add my name to the list too please! Sounds like a great book to add to my Wish List, just in case!
- December 14, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Perhaps we all should become more familiar with a diversity of ways to grow our food - short season, long season, hot, cold, wet, dry - it could all be rather unsettled for some time to come and we need to build resilience into the system as Something Will Always Happen every growing season. The year that it doesn't is a real bonus!
- December 14, 2010 at 2:34 PM
- Sue said...
I'd be very interested in this book as well, and this is the second reference I've read to it recently as well, though I'll be darned if I can remember where else I read about it. (Brain fog. Love it.) I will read it one way or the other and I'm curious how the advice will compare to Steve Solomon's Gardening When It Counts.
Thank you for for the give away- it's very generous of you.
- December 14, 2010 at 6:59 PM
- Jenifer said...
This book sounds really interesting!
- December 15, 2010 at 4:48 AM
- roseranchcowgirl said...
I'm probably too late for the drawing, but several of the authors' ideas are appealing (basic/core crops, not striving for perfection). The chapter on celiac disease sounds intriguing, as a friend of mine who has celiac disease believes it is vastly underdiagnosed.
Your giveaway is typically generous.
- December 15, 2010 at 3:42 PM


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The creators of "Phineas & Ferb," the popular Disney Channel animated series, were at Disney's Hollywood Studios Wednesday, watching their creations interact with guests and meeting with cast members that are incorporating their characters into animation classes at the theme park.
Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh gave tips to Disney World artists for drawing Agent P, a fedora-wearing platypus, including how squinty his eyes should be ("We don't want to make him angry," Povenmire says) and the perils of eyebrows ("It became an animation nightmare," Marsh says).
Agent P, Phineas and Ferb are being added to the rotation of characters at the Animation Academy attraction, where guests learn to create Mickey Mouse and other members of the Disney crew in 30-minute sessions.
Agent P also will be a major player in an upcoming attraction at Epcot. Agent P's World Showcase Adventure is set to debut this summer, replacing the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure.
"They have been really good through all of this stuff about including us really early on in the process, which has been really flattering," Marsh says.
"The Imagineering guys who are in charge of that, they all have kids and they all watch the show, so we knew it was in good hands because they all love the show," Povenmire says.
email@example.com or 407-420-5477


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Jose Reyes remains questionable for tonight's game with the Washington Nationals with stiffness in his lower back.
The Mets might be off the rug tonight in Washington, but if Jerry Manuel holds to form of sitting a player the day after he's removed from a game by injury – or in this case, from pre-game batting practice – then Reyes will sit.
And, he should.
Reyes isn't porcelain china, but he's extraordinarily valuable to this team and should be protected. The Mets made remarkable strides in June and would risk taking a step back if Reyes were to aggravate this injury and go on one of those prolonged "he's ready, he's not ready,'' situations.
Presumably, this isn't a serious injury and another day or two shouldn't hurt. The last thing the Mets need is to push Reyes unnecessarily and risk losing him.


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Few people have saved enough for retirement. As workers, they are told to save more. As retirees, they are told to spend less. Neither of these is easy.
It's a much less painful, however, to reduce the amount of money that financial firms take from your savings each year. Then workers can save a lot less and retirees can spend a lot more.
Assessment of your current financial status, as well as your plans for the future, require realistic expectations for investment returns. Returns, of course, are the annual growth rate of investments as if all dividends, interest and capital gains were reinvested. A small reduction in returns will lead to a huge reduction in accumulated savings for a worker and early exhaustion of funds for a retiree.
Figure 1 provides a simplified demonstration of how investment fees and costs hurt a single deposit. It shows that it would take a saver with an investment portfolio yielding 6% and 2% costs 84 years to double a deposit. That's about three times as long as it would take an index-fund investor with costs of between 0.25% and 0.5%.
Most people believe their choices of advisers, funds and saving vehicles are attractive. More often, they will discover that can be far from the truth. Fast talking brokers, advisers, and insurance salesmen can easily mislead investors with regard to returns, particularly when investments are rebalanced, deposits made or money withdrawn. Further, reports on the performance of individual funds won't tell the whole story when the funds are in an employer's savings account, IRA, annuity or under a professional manager's care — all of which take their own tolls.
The returns used for your future plans are likely to be optimistic and therefore devastating. Optimistic returns lead to over estimating the size of your future retirement nest egg and underestimating the amount you should be saving. It's even worse for retirees who need to determine an annual affordable budget because optimistic returns lead to overspending early in retirement thereby leaving elderly retirees and surviving spouses destitute.
Optimistic returns are key sales tools for the finance industry. The most blatant can be those of a financial person or firm seeking your business by overstating the future values using selected or even invented data and ignoring pertinent costs. Most professional planners use Monte Carlo analyses, which are based on statistics of the past, but the planners pretend they represent the future by citing "success probabilities." Keep in mind that the future may not be as good as the past, particularly considering the nation's debt, low personal savings and the rapid growth of the elderly compared with the number of workers.
We may not be able to project the future accurately, but we can do a lot to improve our likely outcomes by getting a better understanding of the devastating costs and fees associated with banking, mutual funds, employers' savings plans, IRAs, insurance, annuities, trading, turnover and so forth. Financial firms have annual revenues estimated at over $600 billion, which comes from the money they draw from our investments. It's common for a financial firm to make more money from fees and costs than investors make on their savings.
In fact, Vanguard founder John Bogle asked why we shouldn't get more than 20% of the gain even though we put up all of the money. That's because we are deprived of the gains from investments due to their charges which greatly reduce our returns.
Investment costs and fees often are hidden and, even when not, thought to be a small price to pay for expertise or safety. A percent or two sounds like a small number, but it's a large fraction of what you'll be able to earn. To understand this, suppose that you have a portfolio in which the underlying stocks and bonds would yield 8%. At the end of the year, the earnings from that 8% are worth less because of inflation. If inflation should be 3%, the REAL (inflation-adjusted) return would be about 5%. More precisely, the real return is (Actual Return – Inflation) divided by (1 + Inflation), or in this example, 4.85%. Any investment costs reduce that 4.85% directly, so even a good investment manager who charges 1% of assets each year and invests in funds with only 0.5% costs would leave the investor with a real return of a little over 3%, a far cry from the 8% index return. And that would be the result from a good investment manager. Too many people suffer more.
Savvy investors keep costs below 0.5%. Unfortunately few people know about costs and their detrimental effects. Many schoolteachers have costs of about 2.5% because the administrator has an annuity within a 403(b) and offers higher cost funds within the annuity. Some funds have 5% front-end charges or high back-end costs. Many have annual 12b-1 kickbacks to the administrator. Insurance products generally have generous commissions for the salesman and biased rules heavily in favor of the insurance company. Managed funds have undisclosed trading costs. These costs and more take their toll.
Hopefully employers who match funds select low-cost providers and offer low cost funds. If not, they are wasting a good part of their contributions. Nevertheless, even with higher costs, it's hard to beat free money, so from the employee's standpoint, it always pays to save at least the amount needed to get the full matching amount. Still pay attention to the individual costs of the funds you select within the employer's savings plan. There are many good alternatives to an employer's savings plan, but it's also hard to beat free money and the discipline of automatic deductions from each paycheck.
Of course fluctuations in the security markets themselves have a tremendous effect on both the performance of the saver as well as the retiree. Figure 2 illustrates this for a retiree. It compares the 20-year averages of index returns from a portfolio of 50% Standard & Poor's 500 Index SPX, +1.32% stocks plus 50% 10-year Treasury bonds versus the same portfolio with 1.5% investment costs for the stocks and 0.5% investment costs for the bonds netting 1% costs overall.


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Insurance for Professionals
The Herbert H. Landy Insurance Agency, Inc. has been a national leader in providing Professional Liability Insurance and Errors and Omissions (E & O Insurance) since 1949. We offer coverage through some of the finest, most financially-sound insurance companies to assist our clients in obtaining the best combination of coverage and cost to fit their own unique professional insurance requirements. Whether you are a professional seeking Errors & Omissions or Professional Liability Insurance for your business or an independent insurance agent securing coverage for a client, our goal is to make your insurance buying experience a positive one.
Why the Landy Agency?
Our success is simple. Our clients always come first. With our decades of experience, our clients and independent producers receive world-class service. And with innovations like our online applications, easy payment procedures and Policy Manager System, we will make it as painless as possible to receive exceptional coverage.


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Canal; date tbc (J0901091E87)
- Created on
- Tuesday 13 October 2015
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- Monday 12 October 2015
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Welcome to the Changing Face of Worcester photo gallery
Please note that this is a work-in-progress. Images are still being added and allocated to albums. Additionally descriptive information is being collated so if you have any information to add, please leave a comment.
All images are subject to copyright restrictions. However, please feel free to use them for research and educational purposes. Any images used should clearly acknowledge their source.
To assist you to locate the photographs you may be looking for, a series of albums have been created (and more are still to be added). However as photographs may be located in different albums you may also wish to use the search facility to locate photographs of interest. If you search for a particular topic, all relevant results will be returned, regardless of the album they are contained in.
Finally, our aim is to develop this site into a comprehensive collection of Worcester photographs through time. We are therefore interested in adding additional photographs to the collection. Any photographs uploaded would clearly acknowledge their source.
Please feel free to contact us should you wish to make any comment on the site or if you have any photographs you would like to add to the collection.