text:
Date: December 6, 2017
Expired Ad
January 5, 2018 (287 days ago)
Beach Community Bank
location on Google Maps.
in new tab.
We make lje eay APY 13 Month Certificate of Deposit No Penalty After 6 Months Beach- Community Bank Member FDIC Garden Street! 202.9900 Cordova l 202.9000. Nine Mile I 202.9109 Gulf Breeze l 916.5100. Navarre l 515.1344 www.beachcommunitybank.com APY (Annual Percentage Yield) on balances of $5,000 or more. APY is accurate as of 11/28/17. $5,000 minimum balance to open and earm stated APY. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Fees could reduce eanings. The APY assumes interest remains on deposit. Product "flip- flop" is available only one time after the first twelve months of account opening. New money only. New money is defined as funds not currently on deposit with Beach Community Bank. Offer available for a limited time. Rates valid only for customers in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Escambia and Walton counties in Florida. If you are out of these areas, please call 866.36BEACH/866.362.3224 for a rate quote


text:
Neurofibrosarcoma in Dogs
Dear OncoLink "Ask the Experts,"
I am a veterinarian. I have a patient with neurofibrosarcoma. She is a 2-year-old female dog. This diagnosis is new for me, please send me information about this disease.
Lili Duda, VMD, Editor of the OncoLink Veterinary Oncology Section, responds:
Neurofibrosarcomas are one type of soft tissue sarcoma, which are common connective tissue tumors in dogs. Other similar tumors that share the same biological behavior are fibrosarcomas, nerve sheath tumors, hemangiopericytomas, Schwannomas, etc.
These tumors tend to be low-grade histologically so they are locally very invasive but unlikely to metastasize. High-grade versions of these tumors are uncommon, but do occur, so careful attention should be paid to the histological diagnosis, particularly in a young dog. High degree of pleomorphism, mitotic index, necrosis may indicate a high-grade tumor.
The treatment of choice is a wide surgical excision. This means at least 3-cm lateral margins and at least one fascial plane deep. These tumors tend to grow along fascial planes and neurovascular bundles, so there can be tendrils of tumor well beyond the primary mass. If clean surgical margins can be obtained, the prognosis is good. If the tumor is so large that complete removal is impossible, radiation therapy should be considered. Chemotherapy is generally not useful in control of the primary tumor.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Halfway House, The (UK - DVD R2)
Our Marcus takes a trip to a Welsh inn and gets more than he bargained for.
A group of strangers arrive at the Halfway House Inn in rural Wales. Each with their own troubles, the group all have their own reasons to get away from their real lives. However the Halfway House is more than it seems and soon the strangers realise they all may have something in common that only this strange place can fix.
A 1944 Ealing Studio's black and white movie isn't exactly what fills my chosen movie watching schedule, so sitting down to watch this I was hoping to be won over. For the first twenty minutes or so I got pretty much what I expected—not to put it too bluntly but it was a collection of far too well spoken characters talking about their situations in an unconvincing fashion. The film was losing me by the second mainly due to the seemingly unending introductions to more and more characters. I wasn't at all sure where this was going? Then the diverse group arrived in Wales and things started to change.
There's a scenes where two characters are standing on a hill trying to find the inn. There's nothing on the horizon and suddenly, as if from nowhere the Halfway House appears where it simply wasn't before. Okay, now I was intrigued. Then when the characters all started arriving, the host, Rhys (Mervyn Johns) simply appeared out of nowhere too, acting totally normal and started saying things like "A lot of people that don't know where they're going find their way here" or implying that the Halfway House actually burnt down a year ago. Okay now The Halfway House had me. This sort of stuff awoke the Lost fan in me and so I started trying to put the mystery together.
During their stay here, the strangers let the hosts of the inn, Rhys and Gwyneth (Glynis Johns) in on their mixed up lives. How they lost their son in the war, or how a daughter wants her mother and father to get back together, or simply what route to take next in their lives. Each story has its spotlight and for every tale, Rhys and Gwyneth subtly nudge the troubled guests towards making the right decision to make their lives better (yeah, my Lost fan alter ego was loving this).
Of course there's also another motivation here and that's the war. The propaganda here is thick enough to swim in. Many a suggestion for the next step in these character's lives is to aid the war somehow. Don't sit on the fence, support the war, don't grieve for your failures go back to the war, not sure what to do after getting out of prison, why not go back to the army. Any excuse and it's the suggestion of maybe going to war. It's not subtle.
Without giving the game away to this sixty seven year old movie (do spoilers have a cut-off date?) the wrap up here is a satisfying blend of time travel, ghosts, inner turmoils overcome and some explosions (yup, there's that Lost connection again). For a bunch of characters I cared nothing for in the first twenty minutes, I'd actually grown to like before the end. I love seeing stories like this with a supernatural element being used to enlighten its characters and this was a fine example of how to do it pretty well, other than the fact these ghostly halfway house owners seem to be all about signing people up for going to war.
What more is there to say beyond saying it like it is. This is a British black and white movie from 1947. Now picture your initial take on that description and that's exactly what this DVD looks like. The transfer is pretty soft, is full of artefacts, scrapes and cloudy edges and exterior location shots look frickin' terrible. There's an odd wobble to the frame and from time to there's even a bit of warping (which is distracting when you notice it).
That said, none of this really takes away from the viewing experience (okay, well the warping does a bit). If this wasn't exactly what I expected from an old black and white movie, I'd be a little more critical but generally speaking this is an okay presentation with the unavoidable print damage on show.
Again 1947 B&W movie. Think how you'd expect it to sound and it's exactly that. Shrill children's voices, a slight hiss to everything and when louder sound effects show up they don't sound pleasant. Everything is how you'd expect. It's a relatively talky movie and the dialogue is clear, so that's one big hurdle passed but every other audio element is less than basic in its design.
No extras at all here. Not even a link to join the army, in case all that propaganda worked sixty seven years later.
The Halfway House wasn't my ideal movie to watch on a Monday night but it did win me over with its supernatural elements and the simple theme of people having the opportunity to overcome their troubles. The disc is barebones, has nothing flashy in regards to a clean-up and really all I can say to promote this to a modern crowd is Lost fans might get a bit of a kick out of this one, I know I did.
Review by Marcus Doidge
Wilson Bros Reviewer Join Date: August 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 1,182
Nice review there, Marcus, and we think we might have watched this God knows how many years ago.
Whenever we think of an abode in that part of the world, we're always reminded of the Alas Smith & Jones commercial parody:
"Come home to a real fire...buy a house in the Welsh countryside."
Whenever we think of an abode in that part of the world, we're always reminded of the Alas Smith & Jones commercial parody:
"Come home to a real fire...buy a house in the Welsh countryside."
Suitable for all
Disc Details
Release Date: 20th June 2011
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: PAL
Aspect: 1.33:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: No
Audio: Dolby Stereo 2.0 English
Subtitles: N/A
Extras: N/A
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Basil Dearden
Cast: Mervyn Johns, Glynis Johns, Sally Ann Howes
Genre: Drama and Mystery
Length: 92 minutes
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text: Gabriela Torres was born suffering from the effects of cytomegalovirus, or CMV. The 8-year-old functions at about a 4- or 5-year-old level but can still play baseball and soccer. She's in need of new cochlear implants; her present ones are seven years old and aren't waterproof, and the family is conducting a fundraising campaign through www.gofundme.org/earsforgabby. She lives in Stockton with her parents, David and Cheryl; her sisters, Juliana, Kyla and Mattea; and her brothers, Noah and Jeremiah.


text:
The University of Derby's Information Technology (IT) Services department has been shortlisted in the Times Higher Education Leadership and Management Awards.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on June 17.
The University has been shortlisted for the Departmental ICT Initiative of the Year award, for a programme it delivered during 2012/13 comprising multiple projects delivering technology and services to improve the management of iMcidents, issues, maintenance, development and portfolios. The initiative has substantially enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of IT services at the University.
Neil Williams, Director of IT Services at the University of Derby, said: "We are delighted to have been shortlisted for these prestigious awards. This was a challenging project, and the team worked hard to ensure it was delivered to the highest standard.
"The combined technologies and services are unique and the benefits are visible to all areas of the University. We are delighted that our achievements have been recognised nationally."


text:
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text:
Stripboeken browse by: Shop category:
Artist Mr FabBeschikbare series in de webshop categorie "Stripboeken"
Mr Fab (ook bekend als Fabien Esnard-Lascombe) in the COMICLOPEDIA
" Fabien Esnard-Lascombe, who is best known as Mr Fab, was born in Paris. He studies graphic design at the Atelier Met de Penninghen in Paris, then fashion design and illustration at the Royal Academy of Arts in Arnhem, the Netherlands. He worked with Jean-Paul Gaultier from 1992..." [ Lees meer ]


text:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – As he stepped to the podium Tuesday morning for his introductory news conference, Shaquille O'Neal reached down to goose Mark Mastrov, a long-time acquaintance and now a fellow minority owner. Just because.
This is going to be fun. And different. Probably unlike anything ever seen in an NBA front office, actually. This is going to be nutty, free-flowing, stream-of-consciousness Shaq who can make people love him or make people really dislike him or now, in the case of his suddenly updated Sacramento history, both.
This is going to be tricky.
The Shaquille O'Neal the Kings got Tuesday — glib, handling the attention as if it was Greg Ostertag, creating excitement just by his presence — is the one that will make a positive difference as a marketing move. He charmed, though it helped that one of his toughest tasks was responding to all the requests from media members to take a picture with him. O'Neal even apologized, with all apparent sincerity, for referring to his new team as the Queens a couple lifetimes ago during the Lakers-Kings playoff matchups layered in antagonism.
It's the other one that could be dangerous. O'Neal bought into the new ownership group, at approximately 2-4% by Forbes' estimates, not only with the understanding that he will have input on the direction of the team but with majority owner Vivek Ranadive encouraging him to speak up.
For one thing, Shaq does not need to be encouraged to speak up. For another, he should be very careful when he does.
It may not happen, but this would be a good time for O'Neal to hang back on the basketball front. The Kings have good things going on and the smart hire as general manager, Pete D'Alessandro, and the smart hire as coach, Michael Malone, should be allowed to work. Most anything connected to O'Neal creates the possibility of disruption and even outright conflict. It's just who he is. It's gravity.
Ranadive and D'Alessandro are saying all the right things about wanting an open environment around the team and welcoming the input, especially from a center bound for the Hall of Fame. It sounds good. But knowing Shaq, as many coaches and front offices around the league do, means starting a clock on how long before he throws someone from the Kings under the bus or gives instructions to DeMarcus Cousins counter to what the coaching staff wants. And knowing he envisions himself as a potential general manager of the future, and having once said he didn't know all the starting centers within his own division as a player, O'Neal may push for moves without having fully scouted or studied.
"I think DeMarcus has had good people around him," D'Alessandro said. "I've met a lot of those people. I've met his family. Great people. It helps me to have Shaq around, so I know it helps DeMarcus to have Shaq around. It helps the business side to have Shaq around. It's going to help everyone. The focus is really that. And now we have a great young emerging talent at the same position. It's going to obviously effect that as well."
Asked if he expects to hear from O'Neal on personnel matters, D'Alessandro said: "I hope to. I'm a believer, much like Vivek, in that open flow of communication, and if someone has a strength, if someone has a perspective, every perspective is good, especially the perspective of a Hall of Famer like him. So I would hope so, yeah."
The specifics of his role remain vague, so maybe O'Neal will primarily be a marketing magnet. Tuesday, when asked to describe his specific duties around the team itself and with Cousins, Shaq had no specifics to offer. The closest was "We will have conversations" (regarding Cousins) and "We will let the general manager and the assistant general manager do what they do" (regarding basketball operations). Ranadive did add that "We're not going to micro-manage. We're just there to support them and help them in any way."


text:
Since it's already mentioned in the rules, I thought I'd bring up a jokes-thread
A man who lived in an apartment block thought it might be raining, so he put his hand out the window to check for raindrops. As he did, a glass eye fell into his hand.
He stuck his head out to look up to see where the eye came from - just in time to see a young man looking down.
"Is this yours?" he asked.
He said, "Yes, could you bring it up?", and the man agreed.
The man, who turned out to be very attractive, was profuse in his thanks and offered the man a drink. Naturally, he agreed.
Shortly afterward he said, "I'm about to have dinner - there's plenty; would you like to join me?" He readily accepted his offer, and both enjoyed a lovely meal.
As the evening was drawing to a close the man said, "I've had a marvelous evening. Would you like to stay the night?"
The man hesitated, then said, "Do you act like this with every man you meet?"
"No," he replied, "only with those who catch my eye."


text:
Andrew Banks owner of Squeeze Digital has been a supporter of the Foundation for a long time but his most recent offer to pledge a minimum 5% of his business profits to the Foundation has inspired other local businesses to Pledge to the foundation in similar ways.
Andy set Squeeze Digital up ten months ago and has made a big splash in the industry not just locally but nationally. Squeeze Digital often works with clients such as ASDA, Morphy Richards, Ben Shaws, Shop Direct, Russell Hobbs, BuyAGift.com.
These clients know they can trust Andy & Squeeze Digital to produce clever up to the minute strategic plans for them to market their products online, this is because the company may be young but Andy and his ever-expanding team are full of knowledge passion and experience.
Squeeze Digital clients also know from past experience that Squeeze Digital and its employees have produced growth in on-line marketing for each of their clients, they do this by understanding their client's business, brand and commercial objectives.
The list of what these guys do is extensive but to give you a flavour of what they can do: Strategic Services
• Strategy development and delivery
• Digital project management
• Campaign planning and delivery
• Market research, analytics and insight
Digital Marketing
• Search marketing – SEO/PPC
• Email marketing
• Social media marketing
• Tracking and measurement solutions
• Conversion optimisation
Planning and Creative
• Information architecture
• Wire framing and prototyping
• Website design
Digital Build / Development
• Website development across all technologies
• E-Commerce development
• Magento expertise
• Technical integrations
• Playtech and Virtue Fusion integrations
Squeeze Digital know that UK consumer spend more on-line than any other country and it is their passion & talent for what they do that makes them the company for internet marketing strategy and implementation.
Why not show your support for this young company and nominate them in the New Business category of this year's Halifax Courier business awards here
Or for more information about how you can pledge to the Foundation click here


text:
1989 Remelluri Gran Reserva Rioja Spain. 13% alcohol. Imported by Tempranillo Imports, Mamaroneck, NY.
Soon after I got interested in wine, I read somewhere that buying three bottles of a particular wine, and then comparing them over time was a good approach. It's actually been quite interesting comparing Janet's and my individual reactions to the various trios. Here's a typical set of three notes, and the Parker review that encouraged me to buy the trio in the first place:
6/22/97 1989 Remelluri Gran Reserva Rioja Spain. Bertelli. $39.00. Janet: "Smells horrible. [Refused to taste it.]" Strong fruit aroma with herb overtones; medium red color; good fruit taste with mild tannins; fifteen second finish. 4*.
7/17/97 1989 Remelluri Gran Reserva Rioja Spain. Janet: "Very good." Excellent red color; limited aroma with elements of hickory nuts, spices, fruit and herbs; excellent mouth feel; complex taste of smoke, spices, chocolate, fruit and herbs; 30 second finish. 5*.
6/28/06 1989 Remelluri Gran Reserva Rioja Spain. Janet: "What a pretty aroma. This is very nice, isn't it." Pretty red color, medium hue, lovely aroma of fruit, spice, herbs, bit of earth, mushrooms; excellent fruit tastes earth, tobacco, herbs and chocolate; medium mouth feel; beautiful balance of mild tannins and a hint of acidity; light oakiness; long, long finish -- the entire package improved in the glass for over two hours. A very satisfying wine. 5*.
Parker 93. Only 250 cases of the 1989 Rioja Gran Reserva have been released. The last vintage that Remelluri declared a Gran Reserva was 1985. The 1989 exhibits an opaque garnet color, and a huge, provocative fragrance of hickory smoke, barbecue spices, chocolate, jammy black fruits, truffles, and herbs. The bouquet's immense complexity is followed by a wine of extraordinary power, richness, and body. Imagine a top Brunello di Montalcino aged in 100% new oak given an injection of steroids, and readers might have an image of just how rich and boldly-styled this Rioja has turned out. The wine boasts remarkable length, an unctuous texture, and plenty of tannin lurking beneath the layers of creamy, sweet (from ripeness, not sugar) fruit. Already stunning, this wine should drink well for a decade. This relatively young winery is one of the showcase producers for the newer style of Spanish reds - earlier bottling, small barrique aging, and an unmanipulated, artisanal style. I enjoyed Remelluri's debut releases, and the recent offerings have taken the intensity level to greater heights as the estate's vineyards have matured.


text:
With a big June 3 storm wiping out piping plover nests up and down the Atlantic coastline, the state's preliminary figures from the nesting season are showing a record low number of offspring for the protected species.
With a big June 3 storm wiping out piping plover nests up and down the Atlantic coastline, the summer really didn't start out well for these tiny endangered shorebirds.
When birds attempted a second try, predators such as crows and coyotes moved in. So it was no surprise that the state's preliminary figures for fledged birds from the nesting season are not just low, but a record low.
"The good news? The number of nesting pairs increased by 3 to 4 percent to 680 breeding pairs. The bad news is the productivity was the lowest we have ever recorded in over 20 years of collecting this data," said Scott Melvin, senior zoologist with the state Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.
"Not a good year. Dismal," said Sandy Neck Beach Park manager Nina Coleman. The tidal surge from the June 3 storm wiped out all but one nest. While the birds set up new nests and laid a second clutch of eggs, a fox family on the island ended up finding and eating most of them, Coleman said. Despite the efforts of two seasonal workers, and a staff trained to assist with the plover recovery effort, the net result at the end of the season was just three chicks fledged out of 41 nesting pairs of birds.
"A lot of man hours were put into it," Coleman said.
The piping plover, with an estimated 1,700 to 1,800 nesting pairs, is federally listed as a threatened species. A federal recovery plan sets 2,000 pairs as its goal, but the plover population hasn't made much progress over the past few years, Melvin said.
One indicator to gauge the effectiveness of the federal plover recovery program is a productivity measure that averages the number of chicks that fledge, birds that are ready to fly and leave the nest. Melvin said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service scientists estimate that an average of 1.2 to 1.25 fledged chicks per nesting pair is needed maintain the current population. Last year Massachusetts had 655 pairs with an average of 1.18 chicks per nest. Preliminary numbers for this year indicate a record low of 0.70 chicks per nest in Massachusetts.
"It only takes a handful of these poor productivity years in a row to see this population take a nosedive," Melvin said.
The Cape Cod National Seashore lost 43 nests and miles of protective fencing in that June storm.
"It was just catastrophic. It was a bad one at the worst possible time," said Mary Hake, a natural resource specialist with the Cape Cod National Seashore's plover protection program. Many of the 99 nesting pairs from Provincetown to Eastham had set up nests and were sitting on eggs.
Crows and coyotes took a heavy toll on the second round of eggs.
"I think we'll have very, very low numbers, too," said Hake, although the final report was still being compiled and written.
The Seashore has moved away from using fencing that protects nests and adults from predators while allowing the tiny birds to come and go with food. By observing nests day and night, park staff learned that predators were attracted to the cages as a source of food, and predation on adults had increased.
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge in Chatham was one of the few areas with a relatively successful plover year. Their 39 nesting pairs produced 54 fledged chicks, or 1.38 chicks per nest.


text:
John Drevs
Title/s: Director, Web Services
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
John Drevs is the Web Services Director at Loyola University Chicago. He oversees the UMC Web marketing team and is tasked with setting the strategic direction for the Web at Loyola.
Prior to coming to Loyola, John started Shamrock Net Design, a pioneering interactive marketing agency that focused on providing Internet solutions to achieve marketing goals. He also spent time as the director of online sales at Pepid, a software company that provided point-of-care information for physician's handheld devices.
John graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1997, with a business degree.


text:
On one side of the clubhouse, where the prospects sit, Xander Bogaerts deals with high expectations and the pundits who believe he will have to move from his beloved shortstop position as he gets bigger and stronger and loses foot speed.
Where the veterans sit, free agent acquisition Stephen Drew, who will be the Red Sox starting shortstop for 2013, is here to resurrect a career derailed by a devastating ankle injury that took a year to repair.
Jose Iglesias, the resident defensive whiz, sits somewhere in the middle, trying to find a little offense that would make him complete.
Pedro Ciriaco, who started 11 games at shortstop last season, understands he will be the jack-of-all-trades and the stopgap should Drew go down.
And former No. 1 draft pick Deven Marrero, after just 29 games at short-season Single-A ball in Lowell, is in his first major league camp.
Twenty-four shortstops have started for the Red Sox since Nomar Garciaparra was sent to the Cubs in a three-team deal at the trading deadline in 2004. Julio Lugo tops the list with 245 starts, followed by Marco Scutaro's 233, Edgar Renteria's 153, Alex Gonzalez's 150, Jed Lowrie's 130 and Mike Aviles' 129.
Drew will be No. 25 this year. But after that, Boston will have permanent shortstop options for the first time in years.
The biggest hope is the Aruban, Bogearts, who consistently makes the top 100 prospects lists of those who compile such things. At age 20, he is already 6 feet-3 inches and 210 pounds. And the hype surrounding him has been uncomfortable at times.
He will play for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic, but at third base or DH because Texas' Jurickson Profar and Braves prospect Andrelton Simmons have the shortstop position manned.
Bogaerts, one of the most hyped Red Sox prospects in recent times, does not want to make a positional change in Boston. He doesn't care how big he is getting, he feels he can be a very good defensive major league shortstop. Yet he knows with the abundance of options there, a change may be inevitable.
Bogaerts, who speaks four languages, is motivated to prove those wrong who say he will outgrow shortstop.
"I'm getting bigger, but I'm not like (Derek) Jeter or A-Rod," Bogaerts said. "Cal Ripken was 6-5. It doesn't matter as long as you can do the job."
Bogaerts's power is emerging. He hit 16 homers at Greenville (Single A) in 2011 and then 20 combined between Salem (Single A) and Portland (Double A) in 2012. It appears he will start his 2013 season in Portland.
Many have compared him to Hanley Ramirez, who also happens to be Bogaerts' idol.
"I just love the way he plays," he said. "I'm not talking about attitude or off the field, but on the field. When I hear I'm compared to him, that's an honor."
And he is looking forward to the WBC, even if it means playing third.
"It's still the left side of the infield," he said. "I know the ball is going to come at you harder and the throw is different, but I'll start taking some infield there in the next few days to get used to it. I'm excited about playing in the tournament and playing against all the great players."
As for the expectations, Bogaerts said, "I try to tune that stuff out. I know my friends and family like to hear it, but I need to focus on getting better."
Drew, who will wear brother J.D.'s No. 7, knows about expectations; he was a No. 1 pick, 15th overall, by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004. He has been a good offensive shortstop, once hitting 21 homers, but his ankle injury — sustained on a slide into home — cost him parts of the 2011 and 2012 seasons and subjected him to criticism from Diamondbacks management for taking so long to come back.
Having heard all about Fenway from J.D., he feels the ballpark will be suited to his stroke. He feels he's been a solid shortstop the last three seasons and that working with Dustin Pedroia should be similar to playing alongside Gold Glover Orlando Hudson.
The Red Sox signed Drew to a one-year deal, believing that would give their crop of young, talented shortstops one more year of development.
"Right now, I'm just going to focus on this year," Drew said. "I'm excited to be here and hopefully I put up a good year and get this team back in the World Series.
"I worked hard this offseason trying to get my ankle right. It was a horrible accident, and I didn't know whether it would result in having to curtail some things or even retiring. But the work I put in has given me confidence. I feel great again."
He considers himself a gap hitter and sees opportunity in the bigger portions of Fenway's outfield in left and right center. He has 52 career triples, with three years in double digits.
"I'm a gap hitter," he said. "You got 420 in center and the Big Monster. If everything clicks and I'm hitting the ball the other way, it's going to be a big advantage for me."
Drew said he's similar to J.D. in that "we're still both low-key guys. That's what you'll see probably more than anything, with a little feisty here and there once in a while."
He did look up to J.D., saying he was a great role model and "a true professional in the way he handled things."
Iglesias, who is just 23, spent the offseason just trying to get his body stronger so he can avoid injuries, particularly with his back. He worked out with Pedroia in Arizona. He may be the best defensive shortstop in baseball, but if he doesn't hit reasonably well, he won't be a full-time player for this organization.
Marrero, 22, seems to be an advanced college player (Arizona State) who could be a decent defender and above-average hitter. He, too, could switch positions.


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The 2018 - 2019 William Allen White Children's Book Award Master Lists have been posted.
Remember, that the new lists are only for use in ordering and planning by librarians and teachers right now. Don't mark your books or identify them as being on the lists until after your students vote. Until then, let's keep the kids' focus on the current nominees.
Each year the William Allen White Children's Book Awards Committee creates a Master List of titles, chosen from books published during the previous year. Since 2000, there have been two Master Lists, one for 3rd to 5th Grade and one for 6th to 8th Grade.
Questions or suggestions about this website firstname.lastname@example.com


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Table of Contents
The Department of Human Services/Division of Mental Health (DHS/DMH) Program Manual is a resource for funded providers to obtain more detail about procedures or requirements contained in the Attachment B to the Community Services Agreement and the DHS/DMH Provider Manual.
DHS/DMH has the following detailed policies and procedures in certain program areas:
Top of Page
Funded providers are expected to be in full compliance with all laws, rules, policies, procedures and mandates specified in the Community Services Agreement, DHS/DMH Attachment B, as well as other applicable administrative rules and all other referenced documents. It is the responsibility of the Provider to notify their DHS/DMH Region Office of any difficulties in meeting any contractual obligation.
DMH is responsible for activities including, but not limited to:
Providers may request technical assistance by contacting their DHS/DMH Regional office.
Billing instructions for mental health Medicaid, PAS/MH (Pre-admission Screening/Mental Health), and ICG (Individual Care Grants) can be obtained by contacting the DHS/DMH Regional Office.
As the Provider, in addition to State and Federal rules and regulations governing the programs you deliver you are responsible for complying with all of the State sources below, if applicable:


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Katie McQuaid's Scene in Manchester: Grappone Automotive Group owner not afraid to go her own way
January 12. 2014 10:09PM
Before she even opened her mouth, something told me Amanda Grappone Osmer isn't your average car salesman. I think it was probably her banjo.
I was lucky enough to hear the 40-year-old owner of the Grappone Automotive Group play before she spoke at the Women & Money Forum at Southern New Hampshire University last Thursday.
Osmer said she is one of the fewer than 10 percent of females nationally working in sales or service in the car dealership world, and it has helped her change the way Grappone runs its business.
"As a female, you can get away with a lot of things," she said. For example, she can write an email to her more than 300 team members and sign it "Love, Amanda," without it being "creepy or weird."
Osmer was one of many exceptional women pursuing various business goals at the forum hosted by the Center for Women's Business Advancement. The organization based at SNHU provides future and current women entrepreneurs with the necessary resources and support to advance their business goals.
All kinds of women in business were represented. Kit Reno was there to learn how to grow her new business, Mosaic, which makes organic artisanal oatmeal. Doreen Austin, commercial lending manager at Northeast Credit Union (and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen look-a-like), was there to network and learn more about marketing strategies.
The forum, in its second year, offered dozens of workshops designed to recognize the unique abilities and needs of women in business. I thought I knew a thing or two about social media marketing until attending the "Social Media for Sales" session with Pat Spirou. The professor of marketing/advertising/social media at SNHU and owner of PAS Consultants taught me I have a lot of work to do in that area, like figure out this whole Pinterest thing.
Grappone's Osmer had a lot to teach the crowd from her experiences as the first female owner of the family business started by her great-grandparents. Like not being afraid to do things differently. The Canterbury resident said as a younger person she never wanted to make a career at Grappone, and even moved to California after college. "And I ended up selling cars because no one else would hire me."
So she came home and started to learn the business. Of her four siblings, she is the only one who ultimately embraced the company. And it was that sales job in California, she said, that made her understand how distasteful it could be to negotiate car prices and the difficulty of living life on an unstable, commission-based paycheck. That's why Team Grappone no longer negotiates car prices or pays the sales team on a commission basis.
Osmer, a mother of three, believes that Grappone's "product specialists" will be better at their jobs if they are happy with their jobs. Under her leadership, Grappone has added a meditation room, paid volunteer time, Tuesday night jam sessions, and summertime Boat-to-Work days, when team members can park at New Hampshire Technical Institute and paddle down the river to Team Grappone.
"Because it's more fun than driving," Osmer said.
To learn more about The Center for Women's Business Advancement, visit www.cwbanh.com.
Science in the kitchen
I loved the new Science in the Kitchen exhibit at SEE Science Center. It was recently donated by Great NH Restaurants — owners of Cactus Jack's, T-Bones and The Copper Door — and designed by the company's corporate chef, Nicole Barreira. No surprise, the kid-sized kitchen is all pink, just like Barreira's signature chef's jacket.
Barreira is known for her dedication to healthy food and getting young children involved in meal preparation. The exhibit encourages children to become familiar with the ins and outs of a real kitchen, and how much fun it is to be involved in the planning and preparation of meals. They can even dress up in hats and aprons while learning the science behind eating healthy. The exhibit will be open for the year.
NH365.org Event of the Week
There is a wonderful opportunity for parents and kids to practice yoga together at Yoga Balance at 135 Hooksett Road this Saturday. The Family Yoga Workshop will combine physical exercise, partner poses, kid-approved yoga poses, breath work, and relaxation, mixed in with a healthy dose of family togetherness. There will be two sessions. The 1:30 p.m. slot is for children 5 to 8 years old with a parent. The 4 p.m. slot is for those 9 to 13 years old with a parent. The cost is $20 for each parent/child couple.
Visit www.NH365.org for more fun family events in and around the Queen City.
If you have an interesting item for Scene in Manchester, write to email@example.com.


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Message Board
Robert Rice Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Rice has written!
Author Rice's Book Reviews
The Nature of Midnight
Forge, June 2003, 25.95, 400 pp. ISBN 0765303604 Postal Inspectors are the law enforcement branch of the US Post office and have full police powers for cases within their jurisdiction. Max Dombrowski is a Postal Inspector who is forced to work in Internal Affairs by Constance Barton, finding the dirt on people she wants out of the service. He is forced to obey her orders because she has something on him that if revealed could send him to jail. ...


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An Evening with Guion Bluford
A weekend of events celebrating the grand reopening of the Lucile H. Bluford Branch begins with a presentation at the Central Library by Guion Bluford, the nephew of civil rights pioneer Lucile Bluford, about his experiences as America's first black astronaut in space.
A veteran of four space missions, Bluford is an engineer and a colonel (retired) in the United States Air Force. His first mission in space was in 1983 as a member of the crew of the space shuttle Challenger.


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Rebels talk of splitting Ukraine as East votes on self-rule
MARIUPOL/SLAVIANSK, Ukraine – Pro-Moscow rebels expressed confidence that eastern Ukraine had chosen self-rule in a referendum on Sunday, with some saying that meant independence and others eventual union with Russia as fighting flared in a conflict increasingly out of control.
Well before polls closed, one separatist leader said the region would form its own state bodies and military after the referendum, formalizing a split that began with the armed takeover of state buildings in a dozen eastern towns last month.
Another said the vote would not change the region's status but simply show that the East wanted to decide its own fate, whether in Ukraine, on its own or as part of Russia.
A near festive atmosphere at makeshift polling stations in some areas belied the potentially grave implications of the event. In others, clashes broke out between separatists and troops, over ballot papers and control of a television tower.
Zhenya Denyesh, a 20-year-old student voting early at a university building in the rebel stronghold of Slaviansk, said: "We all want to live in our own country". But asked what he thought would follow, he replied: "It will still be war."
In the southeastern port of Mariupol, scene of fierce fighting last week, there were only eight polling centres for a population of half a million. Queues grew to hundreds of metres in bright sunshine, with spirits high as one centre overflowed and ballot boxes were brought onto the street.
On the eastern outskirts, a little over an hour after polls opened, soldiers from Kiev seized what they said were falsified ballot papers, marked with Yes votes, and detained two men.
They refused to hand the men over to policemen who came to take them away, saying they did not trust them. Instead they waited for state security officers to interview and arrest them.
On the edge of Slaviansk, fighting broke out around a television tower shortly before people began making their way through barricades of felled trees, tires and machinery for a vote the West says is being orchestrated by Moscow. The Ukrainian Defence Ministry said one serviceman was wounded.
A man was later reported killed in a clash in the eastern town of Krasnoarmeisk, Interfax-Ukraine news agency said, adding to a toll so far in the dozens but creeping higher by the day.
Western leaders, faced with Russian assertiveness not seen since the Cold War, have threatened more sanctions in the key areas of energy, financial services and engineering if Moscow continues what they regard as efforts to destabilize Ukraine.
The European Union declared the vote illegal on Sunday and may announce some modest measures as soon as Monday, limited by the bloc's reluctance to upset trade ties with Russia.
Moscow denies any role in the fighting or any ambitions to absorb the mainly Russian-speaking east, an industrial hub, into the Russian Federation following its annexation of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea after a referendum in March.
But, in a sign it may have set its sights beyond Crimea, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said he had brought to Moscow a petition by residents of Moldova's Russian-speaking breakaway region of Transdnestria backing union with Russia.
Ukraine's Interior Ministry called the eastern referendum a criminal farce, its ballot papers "soaked in blood". One official said two thirds of the territory had not participated.
Ballot papers in the referendum in the regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, which has declared itself a "People's Republic", were printed without security provision, voter registration was patchy and there was confusion over what the vote was for.
In Slaviansk, self-proclaimed mayor Vyacheslav Ponomaryov said turnout was 80% and the result was not in doubt.
Asked if he knew what would come next, the former businessman, who wore a Ralph Lauren polo shirt with a pistol in an underarm holster, said: "Of course we know. Work starts on the establishment … of the Donetsk People's Republic."
Engineer Sergei, 33, voting in the industrial centre of Mariupol, said answering "Yes" to the question: "Do you support the act of state self-rule of the Donetsk People's Republic?" meant leaving behind "that fascist, pro-American government (in Kiev), which brought no one any good".
But in the same queue of voters, 54-year-old Irina saw a "Yes" vote as endorsement of autonomy within Ukraine: "I'm not against a united Ukraine, but not under those people we did not choose, who seized power and are going to ruin the country."
Others see the vote either as a nod to absorption by Russia or merely Russian aid. Shop assistant Katya Yutkalo, 28, rushing to vote in Slaviansk, said it would mean a better life. "I don't know how exactly, but it means Russia will help us too."
Annexation is favoured by the more prominent rebels, but the ambiguity may reflect their fears that an explicit call for full "independence" might not have garnered the support they seek and could leave them in an exposed position towards Kiev.
The present Kiev government took power when president Viktor Yanokovich was toppled in February after mass protests.
Pro-Western activists were angered by his decision to discard a co-operation accord with the European Union in favour of closer ties with Moscow. They also accused him of corruption penetrating all areas of the Ukrainian state.
After voting ended in the hastily arranged referendum in 53 locations, the rebels hoped to have the ballots counted by Monday afternoon, although its outcome will not be widely recognized internationally or by Kiev.
One way or another it is likely to show a large "yes" vote, and one leading separatist said Ukrainian troops would be declared illegal occupiers once results were announced. "It is necessary to form state bodies and military authorities as soon as possible," said Denis Pushilin, a leader of the self-styled Donetsk republic, according to Interfax news agency.
Roman Lyagin, head of the rebel central electoral commission, struck a less radical tone to reporters in Donetsk.
"With the announcement of the results, the status of the Donetsk region does not change in absolute terms. We do not cease to be a part of Ukraine, we do not become a part of Russia," he said, although he left those options open.
"We want only to declare to the world that we want changes … We want to decide the fate of our region ourselves."
Moscow has massed troops on the border and Kiev fears they may be called in as peacekeepers. Serhiy Pashinsky, head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, said a column of armoured vehicles on the Russian side of the border bore the colours of UN peacekeeping forces. He offered no evidence or detail.
"We warn the Kremlin that the appearance of these forces on the territory of Ukraine would be assessed as military aggression and we would react as we would in the case of military aggression," he told reporters.
Ukrainian leader Oleksander Turchinov has urged eastern political leaders to join a "Round Table" discussion on devolution of powers in Ukraine. But he says he would not negotiate with "terrorists", a formulation meant to exclude most of the more prominent rebel leaders.
Pashinsky said Ukrainian forces had "destroyed" a separatist base and checkpoints in a broad operation around Slaviansk and nearby Kramatorsk in retaliation for attacks on their posts.
"This is not a referendum. This is a desultory attempt by killers and terrorists to cover their activity," he said.
The rebels in the east and the Kremlin say the pro-European Kiev government that replaced Yanukovich lacks legitimacy. Kiev aims to banish such questions by holding a presidential election on May 25 and the United States and European Union have threatened Russia with sweeping sanctions if it disrupts it.
Adding to confusion over who controls the east, the Metinvest company partially owned by Rinat Akhmetov, one of Ukraine's wealthiest businessmen with interests in the coal and steel industry in the region, said it was deploying a volunteer militia in Mariupol with workers from steel plants.
Akhmetov has presented himself as neutral in the conflict and Metinvest urged Kiev to refrain from sending troops into the city if his militia maintained order with police.


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Raise the lemon bars and more with beautiful ceramic bakeware and serveware that looks good enough to eat. Sturdy cookie tiers and glass-domed cake stands put delicious baked treats on the pedestals they deserve. Dessert bakers, loaf pans, and casseroles have durability and style to take homemade fruit crisps, pies, and other baked goods right from oven to table. And every piece features ceramic "icing" details with white or colored interior glazes for an heirloom-quality flourish.
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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
One of Western New York's time-honored traditions is the running of the YMCA Turkey Trot. Held each Thanksgiving morning on Delaware Avenue, this event draws more than 14,000 serious runners and walkers alike, many of which are adorned in colorful and creative costumes making the event quite a spectacle.
Race participants are asked to join in for the second annual YMCA Turkey Trot costume contest on race day, Thursday, Nov. 28, at 8:30 a.m., in front of the Delaware Family YMCA (2564 Delaware Ave., Buffalo). Strut your stuff in front of the judges for a chance to win great prizes. Winners will be selected in two categories: best individual and best group costumes.
This contest is not open to the general public. For more information on the YMCA Turkey Trot costume contest, contact YMCA communications director Kathy Romanowski at [email protected].
Locally founded in 1852, YMCA Buffalo Niagara is an inclusive association of people committed to a common effort to help individuals and families reach their fullest potential in terms of spirit, mind and body. The YMCA's focus on health and wellness is reflected in the variety of programs offered for all ages and abilities. A not-for-profit organization, YMCA Buffalo Niagara serves more than 100,000 people annually through the seven branches located throughout Western New York, YMCA Camp Weona, as well as at 40-plus community-based program sites. For more information, visit www.ymcabuffaloniagara.org.


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Man arrested after charging troopers with tractor
Man arrested after charging troopers with tractor
MAYFIELD, Ky. —
Kentucky state troopers have arrested a western Kentucky man who they say charged at them with a farm tractor.
A Graves County woman called the KSP Tuesday night and said a man was threatening to destroy vehicles at her home. The man fled on a tractor, which troopers chased into a field.
Police say the man tried to hit their cars and came at them when they followed him on foot. They shot out a tire of the tractor and hit the driver with a stun device, but still had to wrestle him out of the cab.
Officers charged 45-year-old Michael A. Rose with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, evading police and resisting arrest. He was booked into the Graves County Jail in Mayfield.


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Kid found alone in Wilmington parking lot; dad passed out nearby: police
Kid found alone in Wilmington parking lot; dad passed out nearby: police
A man was charged with child abuse after being found passed out next to a parking lot where his 6-year-old son had been playing alone for hours, Wilmington police said.
Jonathan William Curtman, 28, was arrested after police responded to the Dollar Store on College Road around 8:50 p.m.
Curtman was found passed out in bushes next to the store's parking lot.
Police allege Curtman bought toy cars from the store, told his son to play with them on the ground by his motorcycle and left his child alone before passing out.
Curtman had two packets of "Spice," or synthetic marijuana, in his pockets at the time of his arrest, police said.
Curtman was held in jail under a $5,000 secured bond. The child is in the custody of the mother.


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CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - It's no doubt traffic control can be one of the most boring jobs a law enforcement officer can face. But we found 4 deputies determined to bring a little pizzazz to the duty.
There are thousands of extra police in Charlotte for the Democratic Convention. 4 deputies from the Clayton County Sheriff's Office in Georgia, have turned into one of the most sought-after sights of the event.
In Uptown Charlotte, camera phones were rolling as the deputies performed the most entertaining traffic control routine you've probably ever seen. "None of us work traffic on a regular basis," said the Captain in charge of the group.
"The image of Charlotte is forever changing, and it's very positive," said a bystander who said he was from Sweden.
The deputies performed traffic control maneuvers with wild gestures instead of simple arm waving.
One routine involved a deputy mimicking the gesture of reeling in a fish as two people crossed the street towards him.
Another involved acting as the starting line judge for two bike taxi's as they started off after a light turned green.
What was even more unique about the scene though, every single person who crossed the street with the dancing deputies leading the way, was laughing.
Smiles could be seen down the street. "I think it's crazy but it's nice," said one woman who was recording the scene on her phone.
"They come up mad, but they leave laughing, so it kind of works out," said the Captain.
The Queen City is in the middle of what may be her crowning event. It was nice to see people stopping to enjoy the extra gem.
Copyright 2012 WBTV. All rights reserved.


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Granger could return when Pacers host Bobcats
It's still a mystery as to when Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger will make his season debut, but he has been practicing with the team and should return soon.
The Pacers are hoping Granger, who has been sidelined all season with a balky knee, can see some action Wednesday versus the Charlotte Bobcats. If not, he will most likely debut after the All-Star break versus the New York Knicks.
Granger looked back to form in a recent practice video on the Pacers' official website and coach Frank Vogel told IndyStar.com that he would like to see the New Mexico product get playing time versus the Bobcats. Granger would most likely come off the bench to work on his timing and rhythm before inserting him into the starting lineup.
"He said he felt really good," Vogel said after practice. "Couple of movements he felt like he was still getting his confidence back to explode. No pain or anything. Just normal recovering type of stuff in your first live action."
When Granger does return, it will only make the Pacers that much bigger and longer. They are currently riding a two-game slide after winning five straight and dropped 0-2 on a five-game homestand with Monday's 89-84 overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets. It was Indiana's second straight overtime loss as it had a 15-game home winning streak stopped in Friday's setback to Toronto.
Against the Nets, George Hill scored 22 points and both Lance Stephenson and Jeff Pendergraph added 14 points. David West, one game after scoring 30 points versus the Raptors, was held to seven points against Brooklyn. All-Star Paul George delivered 26 points in the defeat to Toronto and followed that performance with just five.
"We tried to tell the service people in the gym to take the lid off the rim," Hill said tongue in cheek. "Today was that day that things just didn't fall. You can't be upset about it. We got great looks, especially late in the game."
The Central-leading Pacers have now dropped back-to-back home games for the first time in a year (last Feb. 11-14) and are 20-5 in Indy this season.
Indiana still has New York and Detroit left to play on the homestand.
Meanwhile, Charlotte looks to put the brakes on a six-game road losing streak in the opener of a short two-game trek Wednesday.
The Bobcats were able to stop a seven-game slide with a 94-91 win over a tired Boston squad at home as Byron Mullens recorded 25 points and a career-high 18 rebounds to lead the charge. Ramon Sessions put the Bobcats ahead for good with a late jumper after the Celtics grabbed a short-lived lead and ended with 19 points.
"This was a good win for us, especially with the Celtics coming in with a really good win streak." Mullens said after halting Boston's streak at seven.
Mullens has two double-doubles in his last three games. Kemba Walker scored 18 points, grabbed six rebounds, handed out six assists and had three steals.
Charlotte will try to win back-to-back games for the first time since November and will also visit the Orlando Magic. The Bobcats are just 5-20 as the guest.
The Bobcats have lost two of three meetings with Indiana this season and 13 of the past 16 matchups in this series. Charlotte hasn't fared any better in Indiana, losing eight in a row there.


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PRINCETON — It was three years ago this month that University of Illinois Extension administrators announced a series of public meetings to gather information about a reorganization of Extension. Reduced funds from the state and the university required $7 million in cuts, and those cuts would result in a consolidated administrative structure, closing center offices, and staff reductions.
Today, almost all of the fears expressed at those meetings have not come to pass.
"Since the statewide reorganization, things are going very well," said Jill Guynn, director for the multi-county unit that includes Bureau, LaSalle, Marshall and Putnam counties.
The previous 72 units were reconfigured into 27 units in May 2010, and Guynn, who was previously in charge of the Bureau County office, was put in charge of the new multi-unit.
Guynn said there was a lot of change at every level, which made it a difficult transition for the whole organization.
"But the outcomes and where we are have definitely been worth it, and it's all positive," Guynn said.
Guynn said the Extension office was able to maintain all its transitional programs as well as bring in new programs. There are also three educators dedicated to the four-county unit in the areas of family life, youth development and community and economic development.
In addition, the county offices have stayed open, and with the exception of the former county leaders, almost all of the staff has remained in place.
In addition to the offices in Princeton, Ottawa and Henry, there will soon be another office in Oglesby. Guynn said the unit council decided Illinois Valley Community College would be a good central location for Guynn and the three educators. Guynn said the office should open sometime after the completion of the new technology center at the college.
Some of the new programming has come in the area of 4-H.
"One of the nice things about having a multi-county unit is we do still have three separate 4-H programs," said program coordinator Jennifer Caldwell. "But we're able to work together on some things as well and actually bring in some additional opportunities for youth. If we have a program in one county that maybe isn't offered in the other two programs, youth from those counties can participate."
One new multi-county project is Science Excited, which is working through 13 after school science clubs throughout the multi-county unit. The clubs meet once a month, and the students get to do different science projects and activities.
Caldwell said they are also working on healthy lifestyles programs.
"Two of the programs that we have coming up are Health Rocks, which is a substance abuse prevention program for students, and we actually train high school students to go and present the program to elementary students," she said. "There's also Health Jam, which is for fourth- and fifth-graders to learn about health careers and living a healthy lifestyle."
More new programming will be coming in the area of community and economic development. Guynn said new educator Jordan Ellena is working with the state team and learning about the different resources and programs that are available.
Guynn said people should feel free to contact the Extension office about the programs that are available. The family life educator can present programs on Fit Wits - a brain exercise class; Stories from the Past, or Looking for the Funny Side, and there are also more concentrated programming, such as Care for the Caregiver. There are also inter-disciplinary programming like youth gardening.
Guynn said the reorganization has helped with the financial concerns.
"The financing has changed because of the state reorganization and has been a cost effective opportunity for our units because now we have shared expenses which make things cheaper," she said. "The funding formula is more beneficial to units now because we have more federal funding and state general revenue funds, in addition to our state matching funds."
Guynn said the unit's budget is still based on local donations, and they receive 75 cents from the state for every dollar of local donations.
"Our local donations determine whether we're here or not," Guynn said. "We're very grateful to all of our funders."
Those local donors support Extension in a number of ways, whether through annual gifts, memorial donations or fundraisers.
"All those things make it possible for us to deliver the programming that we have," she said. "I feel very comfortable that as we move forward, we'll find new funders through the some of the different programming that we hope to offer. Our goal is to maintain our current funding and grow new fundings."
Comment on this story at www.bcrnews.com.


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Montevideo, Uruguay, Oct 18, 2012 / 05:04 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- By a vote of 17-14, the Uruguayan Senate voted to ratify a bill allowing abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy, sending the measure to President Jose Mujica for his promised approval.
The Oct. 17 vote came after the bill was passed in the Uruguayan House of Representatives on Sept. 25.
A recent survey revealed that 56 percent of Uruguayans oppose abortion and want protection for the unborn.
The new law stipulates that women who wish to obtain an abortion must first appear before a commission of doctors and social workers to receive information about their decision. After a five day waiting period, they will be allowed to proceed with an abortion if they wish.
It also grants conscience protection to doctors and health care workers who refuse to perform abortions. They are required to notify their hospital or clinic administrators of their objection, which will apply to any other institution where they provide services.
Sofia Reyes of the Provida movement said lawmakers who approved the law are discriminating against women. "With or without the law, our work remains supporting mothers so they can have their babies."In August 2012, 20 pro-life organizations denounced the process that led to passage of the law as a serious violation of democratic principles that revealed the intentions of the anti-life lobby to impose abortion on Uruguay at all costs.
The bishops of Uruguay have voiced their rejection of the legalization of abortion on numerous occasions and have called for "an alternative proposal that respects and protects women, maternity, the family and the life of the unborn … without eliminating the right to life of the unborn child."
In 2008, the Uruguayan Congress voted to legalize abortion up to the 12th week by a vote of 49-48, but then-President Tabare Vazquez vetoed the measure.


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Transform your photos into one-of-a-kind, hand painted masterpieces!
by Nadi Spencer
Bear Post by Nadi Spencer - 10.000" x 7.500"
Acrylic Print
Hanging Wire
Assembly Charge
Acrylic Print
Bear Post acrylic print by Nadi Spencer. Bring your artwork to life with the stylish lines and added depth of an acrylic print. Your image gets printed directly onto the back of a 1/4" thick sheet of clear acrylic. The high gloss of the acrylic sheet complements the rich colors of any image to produce stunning results. Two different mounting options are available, see below.
Ships Within
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Love your work! So different and vibrant! Almost a craftsman-style.
Mounting Option #1
Mounting Option #2
Bring your artwork to life with the stylish lines and added depth of an acrylic print. Your image gets printed directly onto the back of a 1/4" thick sheet of clear acrylic.
The image is the art - it doesn't get any cleaner than that!
All acrylic prints ship within 3 - 4 business days and arrive "ready to hang" with four aluminum mounting posts (Option #1) or hanging wire (Option #2).
The high gloss of the acrylic sheet complements the rich colors of any image to produce stunning results.
There are two different ways to mount your acrylic print.
Option #1 (Mounting Posts) - Attach your print to your wall with four aluminum mounting posts. The cylindrical cap of each mounting post can be removed, allowing you to thread a small screw along the center axis of the of post and into the wall. When you're finished, simply reattached each cap, and you're done. The mounting posts act as stand-offs and keep your print separated from the wall by 1". All of the required mounting hardware (i.e. posts, screws, and wall anchors) is included with your print. Click here for mounting details.
Option #2 (Hanging Wire) - With this option, your acrylic print is attached to a 1/4" thick black board which has a wooden frame and hanging wire attached to the back. There are no metal mounting posts at the corners. Simply put a nail in your wall, hang your print from the hanging wire, and you're done. Due to the thickness of the black board and mounting frame, your print is separated from the wall by 1.50" Click here for mounting details.
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A black bear and her cubs hang out at the Kaweah Post Office in Three Rivers, CA.
I'm known for my colorist paintings and murals � my goal is to capture my passion for nature and life with color. I have been a professional artist for 40 years, painting in watercolor and acrylics, loving both. It's rejuvenating, like changing the music from opera to rock. My vibrant , close-up watercolor views of animals and food represent a slice of the whole picture, challenging you to look closer � to fill in the rest of the story. My acrylic paintings range from landscapes of the Sierras to murals that tell a much broader story. I am inspired by the foothills and mountains of the Sierras surrounding my gallery, and I looks forward to spending a lifetime painting the area. I live in the most beautiful place in the world. You just...
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text: Alumni & Giving / Giving / Planned Giving print Legacy Society Planned Giving Legacy Society Extraordinary Leaders The Brooklyn Law School Legacy Society, established in 2003, honors an extraordinary group of alumni and friends who have made the Law School a beneficiary of a bequest, trust or other planned gift. The Law School thanks the alumni and friends who have the foresight to include the Law School in their estate plans. With their permission, Legacy Society members are listed in the Law School's annual report and other publications. Planned gifts are critical to the Law School. They help us build our endowment, fund capital improvements, and underwrite projects of particular importance to the Law School. Such gifts can take many forms. In addition to bequest intentions, they include charitable remainder trusts, retained life estates, charitable lead trusts, and gifts of life insurance or retirement plan assets. Membership in the Legacy Society is open to anyone who has made such a future commitment, regardless of the donor's age or the amount of the gift. If you have already arranged such a gift, we ask you to let us know so that you may be enrolled in the Society. If you would like more information, please call Sean Moriarty at (718) 780-0516. Click here to make a gift online. Related Links: Attend an Event Join the Alumni Association Join Our Alumni Social Networks View the Impact Report Have questions? We have answers. Development Office 250 Joralemon Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 Telephone: (718) 780-7505 Email: email@example.com Special thanks to alumni, friends and family who gathered on the Intrepid to honor BLS trustee emeritus Robert B. Catell's distinguished 50-year career.


text:
March 2011
• Volume 3, Number 1
In this issue:
OPINIONIndustry Needs a More Quantitative Approach to
fMRI By CATHY ELSINGER,
TECHNIQUES The Need for Open
Imaging Archives: How Open Imaging Archives Benefit Algorithm
Development By RICARDO S. AVILA,
ON QIBA Funding
2011 QIBA Meeting
BIOMARKERS IN THE LITERATURE PubMed
Search on Imaging and Biomarkers
Industry Needs a More
Quantitative Approach to fMRI
By CATHY ELSINGER, PhD
Recent advances in
functional neuroimaging techniques have revolutionized the approach to surgical
planning. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) is a
noninvasive imaging tool with enormous potential in the field of brain mapping,
combining high-resolution anatomical images and physiological information.
Functional imaging data provides critical information to the neurosurgeon in
terms of deciding which therapy to employ and in considering therapeutic
approaches that might otherwise be dismissed due to perceived procedural risk.
Adopting fMRI technology for clinical brain mapping has increased not only due to
improved outcomes but also in part to the introduction of Current Procedural
Terminology (CPT) codes which provide a mechanism for insurance
During the early years of
BOLD imaging, software for stimulus delivery and analysis of BOLD imaging data
was developed by researchers and available as freeware. Peripheral equipment for
stimulus presentation, response collection, synchronization of stimulus delivery
and image acquisition were not provided by the MR vendor, but were available
through third-party vendors or developed in-house. Multidisciplinary teams of
researchers (biophysicists, neuropsychologists, statisticians, etc.) were
required to integrate and implement solutions, resulting in significant
variability in methodology and workflow. FDA-cleared, commercially available
turnkey fMRI systems that could be implemented by a single radiologist or
clinician did not exist. This has now changed.
Barriers to widespread
clinical adoption and a more quantitative approach still exist because the model
of integration across data acquisition systems, MR platforms and data analysis
software solutions remains. The challenge is improving functionality and
integration capabilities where there is variability in methodologies and
protocols employed across vendors and sites. Advancing the field of fMRI requires
that those of us in industry be willing to address improvements in functionality
to satisfy the growing need for a quantitative approach, to better meet the needs
of the end user. To remain compatible with the installed base of equipment and
multiple vendors providing alternative component solutions, industry must invest
what resources we can in support of the groundwork required to reach this
QIBA's mission is to improve
the value and practicality of quantitative imaging biomarkers by reducing
variability across devices, patients and time. QIBA's fMRI Technical Committee is
tasked with developing best practices guidelines for implementing and optimizing
fMRI protocols and associated outcomes measures and defining quantitative outcome
measures for each specific use-case. We see our current groundwork requirements
as threefold: describe the biomarker and establish performance expectations in
terms of readout measures; understand what is achievable in terms of accuracy,
reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity; and describe the system (required
infrastructure, quality control measures, etc.), required to transition the
biomarker into practice, as well as provide guidance to clinicians, industry and
standards group regarding implementation and test guidelines. We ultimately
envision a need to establish recommendations within the DICOM standard for full
realization of this goal.
Industry is in the unique
position to greatly influence this effort if we maintain dedication to the
ultimate goals and are willing to invest available resources in support of QIBA's
ongoing efforts.
Elsinger, PhD, is Chief Scientific Officer at NordicNeuroLab AS, an adjunct
instructor in the Department of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and
a co-chair of the QIBA fMRI Technical Committee. With a background in cognitive
neuroscience and psychobiology, Dr. Elsinger has executed experimental design for
functional imaging studies of neurological disorders with special interest in
assessing disease state, therapeutic response and monitoring recovery in movement
disorders, traumatic brain injury and stroke.
The Need for Open
Imaging Archives: How Open Imaging Archives Benefit Algorithm
By RICARDO S. AVILA, MS
Over the last decade,
numerous quantitative imaging biomarker conferences and workshops have made
recommendations to increase the number, size, and quality of open image archives.
This highly consistent call for action is motivated by the many benefits likely
to be achieved if access to high-quality imaging data was much less of a barrier
to imaging biomarker development. While the benefits of open image archives are
often difficult to objectively measure, it is nevertheless worthwhile to briefly
review them so as to help clarify the importance of the recommendations.
We will do so here in the
context of early algorithm development, where the open availability of data can
have a profound impact on scientific progress.
It is important to recognize
that benefits can be obtained from open archives of all sizes. While clear goals,
large collections, and high quality datasets are hallmarks of successful image
archives, smaller data contributions with little or no metadata can still impart
a great deal of benefit to many algorithm researchers and developers. For
example, a collection of CT lung datasets without further information on the
location of abnormalities or conditions can be helpful to many algorithm
developers. The development of a lung segmentation algorithm, often a necessary
and critical component of a computer-aided detection or diagnosis algorithm, must
support a wide range of patient lung presentations. The availability of
additional public datasets helps provide researchers with needed resources.
To better understand the
critical need for even modestly sized datasets, it is instructive to examine
research into algorithms for MR imaging bias field correction, an important
processing component of many potential quantitative imaging biomarker algorithms.
A 2007 review article summarizing the state of the field using 60 bias field
correction algorithm publications over a 20-year period found that the median
number of datasets used for the evaluation of algorithms, per publication,
increased from less than 5 to approximately 10 datasets, with the growth owing
largely to the open availability of simulated datasets[1]. Of additional concern was that only 10% of
publications used 5 or more real patient datasets for the latter decade studied.
As more open MR imaging archives become available and are embraced by
researchers, we hope to see further improvements in these numbers and a
corresponding rise in the collective statistical significance of findings in the
Open Image Archives
Accelerate Innovation, Build Consensus
Another benefit associated with open image archives is the acceleration of
innovation when more researchers are allowed to investigate and undertake a
project in a research area. When an open image archive is made publicly
available, researchers around the world are able to instantly access this
information and explore algorithmic ideas as well as reproduce published
observations and findings. This can help increase the number of researchers
performing investigations as well as shorten the time for research groups to
commence a research project. Related to this is the fact that commonly available
datasets can help build scientific consensus on the performance of different
classes of algorithmic methods. This has been successfully employed in evaluating
image registration algorithms by the RIRE project for over a decade
[2] [3]. There is also benefit to enabling scientists and
engineers from other fields to investigate a research area. Given that the study
of quantitative imaging biomarkers is increasingly relying on cross-disciplinary
knowledge, this is also a potentially large benefit.
Some of the greatest
benefits of open image archives can be obtained when a research community fully
supports and embraces the effort and builds data resources that not even the
largest institutions or groups could possibly attain on their own. For over a
decade, the scientific communities supporting the Protein Data Bank (PDB)
[4] and GenBank
[5] initiatives have required the
submission of supporting data to an open repository as a requirement for
publication. As a result, each of these repositories has experienced decades-long
periods of exponential data growth, with GenBank currently doubling in size every
18 months. This now vast scientific resource is being utilized for a wide range
of research projects that would have not otherwise been possible. If the medical
imaging community was to adopt a similar approach, routinely publishing the wide
diversity of patient presentations with structural, functional, and molecular
imaging, we would be able to contemplate a new set of population-based
investigations and algorithms, particularly if we were to establish links to the
open and now fairly mature genetic and macromolecule databases.
These are some of the more
important benefits associated with the expanded adoption and support of open
image archives. As a research community, we must work to increase the number,
size, and quality of open image archives for the development and evaluation of
imaging biomarker algorithms.
[1] RA Review of Methods for Correction of Intensity Inhomogeneity in MRI.
IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, March 2007;
26(3):405–421.Vovk, U., et al.
[2] Comparison and Evaluation of Retrospective Intermodality Brain Image
Registration Techniques. Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, 1997;
Vol. 21, No. 4, 554-566. West, J., et al.[3]
The Protein Data Bank: A Historical Perspective. Acta Cryst., 2008; A64,
88-95. Berman, H.M.[5]
Ricardo S. Avila, MS, is the senior director of Healthcare Solutions at
Kitware Inc., and co-chair of RSNA's Imaging Biomarker Roundtable Ad Hoc
Committee on Open Image Archives. He has been leading the development of
quantitative imaging biomarkers and computer-aided diagnosis algorithms for
nearly two decades with a particular emphasis on the development of algorithms
for the quantitative measurement of lung lesions with high-resolution
QIBA Steering
Committee Discusses Funding
The QIBA Steering Committee met in January in Washington, D.C.,
to work toward finalizing decisions on the first round of project funding. As a
result, it is anticipated that approximately $600,000 will be awarded to fund
projects closely aligned with QIBA goals, almost equally distributed across
volumetric CT, DCE-MR and FDG-PET modalities.
SAVE THE DATEQIBA Fourth Annual
May 24-25,
2011Renaissance Arlington
Capital View Hotel, Arlington, Va.
The Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers
Alliance (QIBA) was established late in 2007 with representatives from
pharmaceutical companies, imaging equipment manufacturers, imaging informatics
companies, government agencies, imaging societies, RSNA leadership and clinical
trialists. Since then, QIBA working meetings have been held each year in
Efforts are under way to improve the
accuracy and reproducibility of quantitative imaging biomarkers. Through the work
of its five Technical Committees, QIBA is engaged in understanding and reducing
measurement variability across imaging devices, patients and time.
The ongoing work of the Technical
Committees is posted on the QIBA
Additional details about QIBA's 4th
Annual Meeting will be posted as they become available at www.rsna.org/QIBA.
New participants in QIBA Technical
Committees are always welcome; please contact email@example.com for more information.
PubMed Search on the
Importance of a Quantitative Approach to fMRI
The December 2010 issue of QIBA
Quarterly contains a related article, "The Challenges of Making fMRI
Reproducible," by James Voyvodic, PhD. To view the article, please click
Each issue of QIBA Quarterly will
feature a link to a dynamic search in PubMed, the National Library of Medicine's
interface to its MEDLINE database. Click here
to view a PubMed search on the Importance of a Quantitative Approach to fMRI in
Take advantage of the My NCBI
feature of PubMed that allows you to save searches and results and includes an
option to automatically update and e-mail search results from your saved
My NCBI includes additional features for highlighting search terms, storing
an e-mail address, filtering search results and setting LinkOut, document
delivery service and outside tool preferences.
QIBA in the Literature
Two QIBA-related articles by Andrew J. Buckler, M.S., and colleagues have been
accepted for publication by Radiology:
Improve the value and practicality of
quantitative imaging biomarkers by reducing variability across devices,
patients and time.
Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers
Alliance (QIBA)
QIBA Wiki
Contact usComments &
suggestions welcome
Daniel C. Sullivan,
MD, RSNA Science Advisor


text:
Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Jordan says ask the old guys about the Beatles.
IMO: DANGIT!!!! I wanted them out this leg to get points in mswood's game.
AAARRRGGGHHHHH Undercover Boss, I think I hate this show as much as I hate Andy.
Great. Two weeks with tasks I hate... Intersection and Blind U-turn>
I don't mind a switchback. But what would they do? There are two options: walk through the sewers. TAR 1 and make a racecar TAR 4. That's not very memorable...
Right before the end of the previews a pic is on the U-Turn sign , I wonder if a vidcap can be darkened to see the image.
Page created in 0.072 seconds with 32 queries.


text:
Thank you both for the advice. I will try having my mom spoon-feed DS or give him EBM in a cup and we'll see if that helps
Thank you both for the advice. I will try having my mom spoon-feed DS or give him EBM in a cup and we'll see if that helps
One more idea: see if he is willing to take smaller bottles more frequently during the time that you are gone. You might be able to get another ounce or two in during the day.
With regards to the night waking, you can try making it less appealing to wake up at night. Offer the breast for shorter periods of time, take him off the nipple and change his position so his mouth is away from you. Kind of what No Cry Sleep Solution offers as ideas to encourage more solid sleep at night.
In any case, my sympathies. It's not fun to be awake 3-4 times a night!
I know that when Lilah was reverse cycling - well beyond her entire first year -I would have been very uncomfortable with limiting the breast when we were together, day or night. I coslept with her - and am cosleeping with Trixie - to make sure that they can make up for the mama milk they miss out on during the day. I think Trixie wakes up 3 or 4 times a night to nurse, but falls right back to sleep, so it's not that big of a deal.
Mommy to
Lilah 10/08 nursed 25 months
Beatrix 01/11 nursed 30 months


text:
Just as Ciaran Burke had told us in his family's pub that morning, the view from the top of Mount Gable was spectacular.
In fact, you could see most of the places my sisters and I had visited, driving around the west of Ireland that week:
To the west were the Maumturk Mountains, and poking up behind them, the mountain peaks of Connemara, one of which we'd climbed on Kathleen's 60th birthday.
To the south, across Lough Corrib with its hundreds of islands, you could just barely make out Galway City, where we'd spent an afternoon walking around the medieval city center.
Beyond that was Galway Bay, the limestone heights of County Clare, and off to the right, a...


text:
If you're looking for a great party theme for little ones, check out these Sesame Street party supplies and ideas. Lots of cool Elmo, Big Bird, and Abby Cadabby decorations to make your child's birthday extra special.
My son was an Elmo fan forever. Kids relate to his bright colors, big smile, and happy, excited energy. He's fun to watch and kids think of him as their first, best friend.


text:
A Song of Ice and Fire Golden Dragon Coin Set
Fire cannot kill a (gold) dragon
- Set of three coins from Westeros
- Brass coins look like gold
- Yours is the Fury
Littlefinger has taught us all that controlling the coin of Westeros gets you a powerful position in the Kingdom: particularly when a harsh winter is coming. Full coffers make you a powerful ally (if anyone in Westeros can *really* be called allies) and a dangerous enemy. Who wouldn't want that?
Be the Master of Coin of your own kingdom with this set of Golden Dragon coins from the Game of Thrones books and TV show. Each coin set includes one coin each with the faces of Westeros royalty throughout the ages: Jaehaerys Targaryen, Daemon Blackfyre and Joffrey Baratheon, each pressed from a hand-engraved steel mold, plus a folded insert including information about the three of them.
Product Specifications
- Set of three "Golden Dragon" coins
- Officially Licensed Game of Thrones Collectible
- Valid currency throughout the seven kingdoms
- Materials: Brass (copper/zinc alloy); hard plastic case with printed insert
- Weight: Each coin is approximately 14 grams; the set in its case is approximately 72 grams
- Dimensions: 5 in. x 7 in.


text:
Ted Siefer's City Hall: Osborne says to let voters decide tax cap issue - againBy TED SIEFER
New Hampshire Union Leader
April 14. 2013 1:03AM
Could the tax cap end up on the ballot yet again?
It could, if Ward 5 Alderman Ed Osborne gets support from his colleagues at Tuesday's board meeting to back a charter amendment for the November election.
Osborne has been consulting with the City Solicitor's Office on the feasibility of the plan, and the tentative answer is yes, it's permissible, assuming the Charter Commission doesn't propose its own tax cap measure.
It's looking increasingly unlikely that the commission will do so. While plenty of the commissioners have been critical of the cap, the begrudging consensus seems to be that putting it on the ballot would sink the whole slate of changes, which must be approved or rejected in their entirety.
Commissioner Mike Lopez, who has emerged as the swing vote on the issue, has noted that the aldermen have the authority to place single-issue amendments on the ballot, and at the panel's meeting Wednesday, Lopez mentioned Osborne's intentions.
Osborne said he dislikes taxes as much as the next guy, but he said the cap, in effect, places "handcuffs" on the aldermen.
"If voters mean to stay with the tax cap, let it be done; at least we'll know for sure this is what they really want," he said. "The first time around, it was touch and go. Now people have a taste for what's going on."
Will the other aldermen go for it? Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Craig, for one, said last week she supported the idea.
Only a simple majority would be necessary to pass the measure, though Mayor Ted Gatsas could veto it, in which case 10 votes would be necessary for an override.
Gatsas said he would wait and see how the debate proceeded before deciding whether to issue a veto, but he clearly doesn't think it's a good idea to put the cap on the ballot again.
"The public has made it clear. They voted twice to keep it in place," he said, adding, "I think the tax cap is working."
- - - - - - - - -
Go figure. Monday's meeting of the Joint Committee on Education was pretty exciting.
Gatsas revealed he would be willing to support using $1.2 million in expendable trust money - a special school district account - to hire more teachers, beyond just filling vacancies, which is what his original $155.7 million tax cap budget proposed.
This was a big deal because Gatsas was essentially going on record saying he was willing to violate his credo against using "one-time" money.
He estimated this would allow the district to add 24 new teachers - a number not too far off the 41 new positions called for in Superintendent Tom Brennan's $160 million budget, the one he says is necessary to meet minimum state standards.
But the mayor revealed his thinking about the trust money in the context of a more immediate concern. His proposed $2.8 million technology bond has been held up single-handedly by Alderman Craig, despite the strong support Brennan and members of the school board have expressed for the proposal.
Craig supports the parts of the bond earmarked for upgrading Internet infrastructure and security systems, but she's argued that the $1.8 million designated for the purchase of computers and tablets could wait because it wouldn't happen for another couple of years. Reducing the bond amount would mean less annual debt service, which would mean more money for teachers, she's argued.
Later in the week, Craig said she was "very surprised" by the mayor's statement concerning the use of the trust money. "The expendable trust, the aldermen can't touch that, but certainly I'm in favor getting as many teachers as possible in the classroom," she said.
Gatsas said the proposal to use the trust money wasn't exactly new; he's made it verbally, but not in the ink of his budget, he said.
"If we have the ability to reduce class sizes, that's what we should do. It's that high a priority," he said. "And the highest priority is we make sure we get the technology piece done."
- - - - - - - - -
The idea behind forming the joint education committee panel last year was to facilitate communication between the aldermen and the school board - and members of both boards learned something new last week. The track at Livingston Park is in such a state of disrepair that is can no longer be used for school track meets.
"It's unfortunate; Livingston is a new track, and it's already unusable," Ward 1 school board member Sarah Ambrogi said.
Ward 8 board member Erika Connors said there's a problem with tree roots under the track and that it would cost about $120,000 to repair. Good to know.
- - - - - - - - -
On Tuesday, the top brass from eight city departments appeared before the aldermen for a budget hearing, and as it stretched into its seventh hour, one wonders whether some of the officials thought it ironic that the aldermen were lecturing them about efficiency.
It came as no surprise that the departments were concerned about their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year, particularly the fact that the severance account was left unfunded.
But there were some refreshing ideas put forward about how departments could generate more revenue. The Fleet Management Department's new garage, for example, could be used to service the vehicles of neighboring municipalities. Or the police, rather than arresting people for disorderly conduct, could in some circumstances write tickets for city violations. Then the fines would go to city coffers, not the state.
Generally speaking, the response from the weary department heads was, "We'll get back you on this."
- - - - - - - - -
American Medical Response, the city's designated emergency ambulance company, has certainly taken its hits in the aldermanic chambers. The company has been dogged by complaints over its billing practices, and the aldermen are considering putting the ambulance contract out to bid in the coming weeks.
But AMR received a standing ovation ahead of Monday's school board meeting. The company donated $9,000 to enable the three high schools' DECA teams to attend the national conference in California at the end of the month.
Three oversized checks were presented to representatives of the DECA teams, which focus on business and marketing skills.
Gatsas said he didn't think the move was calculated for public relations. "I think they're just looking to be good corporate citizens," he said.
Ted Siefer may be reached at email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @tbsreporter.


text:
Frances Ford may be the only person in Charleston who uses a No. 15 surgical scalpel blade and a bone saw without performing surgery.
Her work has a forensic element, but it's not medicine. She discovers more about old buildings.
Ford spends part of her work week teaching. She's a conservation lecturer and lab specialist with Clemson and the College of Charleston's joint Historic Preservation Program.
But she moonlights as a consultant who can use that lab's high-tech tools to help property owners pinpoint the many colors that their buildings have been painted over time.
The new pink hue of the French Huguenot Church is just one example of her handiwork. Ford discovered that was the church's original color when first built in the 19th century.
Many discoveries aren't nearly as interesting.
"That's a problem: People who have expectations for a result, but that's not what we have when I'm done," she says. "Sometimes, the colors are just beige, white and then white and then beige ... ."
The process begins with Ford using a scalpel to carve tiny samples, about four square millimeters, from wood siding, window trim, a wall, etc. There's an art to choosing these spots because good painters often remove a good bit of old paint before they start.
"You have to think of how the painters prep," she says. "You've got to try to outsmart the people who came before."
The samples then are placed in a tiny ice cube tray, numbered, covered with a bioplast that hardens into a hard clear rock after a day or two. Then, the cube is cut with the diamond-tipped Isomex bone saw and put under a Nikon Eclipse 80i telescope with a Craic spectrophotometer.
"We have more advanced equipment for paint analysis than any other grad school in the country. No one else has this equipment," Ford says. "It's cool, no doubt about it."
The best images are photographed and analyzed, then Ford types them up into a report for the property owner, who may be looking for guidance about repainting or who may simply want more documentation on the building.
Ford acknowledges she's not the top expert. She defers on all things to Susan Buck of Delaware, whose doctoral study of the paints inside Charleston's Aiken-Rhett House won a University of Delaware prize for the outstanding doctoral dissertation in the Humanities in 2003.
But Ford has worked on some interesting jobs of her own, assisting in analyzing the paint on the weather vane atop Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
While working on her master's degree, she took 16 samples from an ornate cornice inside the grand Charleston home at 60 Montagu St.
Should a client desire, and be able to pay for it, Ford can work with Clemson Restoration Institute's Warren Lasch Conservation lab to do further analysis, including pinpointing not just colors but materials constituting each layer of pigment and binder.
Most of the time, however, she's simply trying to find which color on the Benjamin Moore palette was the original one for this or that bit of siding, wall or trim.
"I'm trying to make it more accessible, to devise a system where I can do it with a reasonable amount of money for a client so they're willing to go forward," she says.
It's a fine line. Ford charges about $350 for one sample area, which she says is probably not enough. On the other hand, she says, "I certainly write proposals that aren't accepted."
And while she doesn't get enough business to work as a conservator full-time, she's still in demand.
"Just when I finish one project, it seems the phone rings again."
Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771.