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Set on the Pacific Ocean, Peru's capital is a low-slung city of traditional colonial buildings contrasted with a growing cosmopolitan centre of gleaming skyscrapers.
Lima is the second-driest capital city in the world, looming above a coastline of crumbling cliffs that often draw a veil of dense fog up into the streets. Despite Peru's otherwise relaxed pace, the city bustles from dawn to dusk with a soundtrack of pacific waves crashing into the shore and the snarl of noisy traffic.
Like most capital cities, Lima embraces both old and new architectural influences. High-rise apartment blocks in shimmering steel and glass sit alongside pre-Columbian era temples; museums display ancient pottery while contemporary galleries showcase the latest modern art; religious processions fuse with dance clubs reverberating to a Latin beat.
Much has been done to restore the city's colonial centre to its former glory, including reinvigorating museums like the Museo de Oro – the Gold Museum, and the Museo de Antropologia y Arqueologia, which celebrates the country's people, archaeology and history.


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Brockport, N.Y. – January 22, 2011 – The Springfield College women's gymnastics team totaled a season-best 177.000 points as it finished fourth out of four teams at the Brockport Invitational on Saturday afternoon.
Cornell won the competition with a score of 190.425, followed by Southern Connecticut State's score of 186.725. Brockport finished with a total score of 186.125 as the host, while the Pride rounded out the teams with its 177.000.
Annmarie Graziosa had a standout day for the Pride as she tied for seventh on the vault with a mark of 9.350. She also finished 12th on the balance beam after scoring a 9.125. Christina Pagella tied for 10th on the floor exercise after earning a 9.400, while teammate Kristina Lantos was awarded a 9.175 on the vault, good enough for 13th place.
In the all-around competition, Carly Flynn finished in fifth with a 34.825, while Brittany Baglow recorded a sixth-place finish with a total score of 34.625.
Springfield returns to action on January 30th when it hosts Ithaca at 1:00 pm.

subset: commoncrawl


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We report our recent work on surface plasmon polaritons manipulation of two-dimensional arrays of subwavelength bottle-shaped cavities on gold surface. By tuning the geometry of such "nanobottle" it is possible to control the resonant frequencies and near field patterns of different surface plasmon resonances. The plasmonic band structures are not sensitive to the sizes and depths of the nano-bottles, but depend strongly on the polarization. In particular, by using different polarizations, it is observed that different types of plasmonic resonances, whether propagating or localized, can be excited independently. Moreover, we find that the local field and field intensity can by fine-tuned by controlling the topology of the bottleneck of the nanobottle. As a result, we believe these nanobottle arrays are useful for making plasmonic devices.
©2008 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
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Adv. Opt. Photon. 4(2) 157-321 (2012)
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J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 29(7) 1641-1647 (2012)


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Just Saying "Yes."
"If they ask if you can do something, just say 'Yes' and come on home; we'll figure it out," my dad used to tell me.
Saying "Yes" and "Sure" to get a job and then figuring it out was the way that at least three generations of Nelsons made it through some tough times. It's been a pretty successful strategy.
When dust, drought, the Depression, and finally, the banks drove even stubborn Scandinavian immigrants off their land, my grandparents, Carl and Dagny, piled their eight children and a few other belongings in a vehicle and headed out of Flasher, North Dakota, for the coast.
My dad, though young, could remember and describe the Hoovervilles, cardboard camps, and Steinbeckian misery along the way. That's probably why none of the Nelsons ever had time for people who badmouthed Roosevelt.
The family of ten arrived in Ferndale, Washington, with eight dollars. Other Scandinavians helped them out, and years of work — real work: back-breaking before dawn to after dusk, try-to-survive work — ensued. It would take a small epic to tell. They got few breaks.
But one of the breaks came when my Grandfather applied for a job at the Blodell-Donovan saw mill. A crowd of desperate men had shown up, but most had never worked in a mill and were turned away. "Have you worked in a mill before?" The interviewer asked. "Yes," said Grandpa. "Can you be a sawyer?" He inquired. "Sure," Grandpa said. "Come back on Monday," said the man. My grandpa went home to figure out what a sawyer was.
A sawyer runs the saws in the mill. It requires a lot of skill. I don't know what my Grandpa did to figure it out, but he must have done it well: he was soon the Chief Sawyer — the guy who starts the process and determines the best use of the log in order to get the most lumber out of it. It's kind of like the guy who makes the first cut in a diamond, the cut that determines whether the investment is worthwhile or worthless. They do it by computer now.
My dad had similar stories, like when he got a job at the Bellingham Shipyard. He, said, "Yes," and "Sure," and eventually ended up becoming a Journeyman Loftsman by the time he was in his early twenties. A lot of the Nelsons have stories like that: aunts, uncles, cousins, and kids.
The thing about the strategy, however, is that you have to be able to back it up. When the time comes for you to do what you said you could do, you gotta be able to do it. You can't really use it for something like, "Can you fly this airplane?" or "Do you know how to do an emergency appendectomy?" And even if you don't apply it to flying or surgery, the strategy of saying "Yes" and "Sure" can make for some harrowing moments.
One of mine came when I applied for a Rotary International Fellowship to go to Rome. It was a long shot, but I really needed to spend some time in Rome studying the manuscripts that were part of my dissertation. It was a big scholarship, enough for a year.
The only problem was that, like a Fulbright, you were supposed to be conversant in the language of the country you studied in. I wasn't. But I couldn't get the scholarship without it. So I checked "Yes" on the application anyway.
I got an Italian tutor and bought a set of Italian tapes. I played the tapes as I walked the mile walk to the bus stop and repeat the phrases: SOno mOlto liEto di fAre la sUa conoscEnza ("I am very happy to make your acquaintance"). PArlate lentamEnte, per piacEre ("Speak slowly, please"). People along the road probably thought I was a lunatic, especially when they heard me going or coming in the dark.
I had to submit an essay in Italian along with the application. I got a dictionary, a book of idioms, and a guide called "Italian is easy if you know Latin." When I showed my essay to my tutor, Flaminio, he was initially impressed, but then burst out laughing. I had tried to say that I could "converse and socialize with many different kinds of people" and instead implied that I could have sex and become a socialist with them. While some Italians might might be impressed, Flaminio said, the Rotary probably would not be. I revised and submitted my application. I made it to the interviews.
Fortunately, none of the dark-suited committee of silver-haired Rotarians spoke Italian. After a long and ranging interview, one asked me, "Are you confident that you can communicate the ideas we have been talking about here today in the host language?" "Sure," I said. I got the scholarship.
However, one final hurdle remained. Before I left, I had to pass an Italian proficiency exam at a Foreign Service Level II. If I didn't pass the exam, it was over. I was cramming Italian into every possible waking moment on top of graduate school. The exam was only two months away. It was time to back up my claims.
When, the day came. I drove to the Berlitz office in downtown Seattle, playing my Italian tapes in the car all the way. My examiner, a youngish woman with shoulder-length black curly hair, began the conversation. It started out easy. I relaxed a bit. Then, it got harder. She spoke faster and asked more complex questions. I started to sweat. The questions went on, and on, and on, until I couldn't have held a conversation in English without stammering.
Finally, she asked me something that I didn't understand in the slightest, and paused to let me answer. My head was swimming. I had no idea — absolutely no idea — what she had said. But it sounded like an open-ended question. She was sitting like a cocker spaniel, head slightly cocked, waiting for me to respond. My mind raced, searching out in all directions for a slight recognition of a word — any word — that she had used. Nothing came back.
But I couldn't give up. Not now. Not so close. So I pursed my lips and bobbed my head like Flaminio did when he was thinking things over, and finally said, "Non sono securo, ma certamente spero di si" ("I'm not really sure, but I certainly hope so"). "Bravo!" ("Well done!"), my examiner exclaimed, and the exam was over.
I walked out of the office, and into a remarkable phase of my life. The risk of taking on a challenge and the work required to be ready to take it on by the time the rubber met the road paid off, was to pay off in life-altering dividends that I had yet to imagine.
But that's another story.


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Sometimes in Hollywood, projects lie dormant for a while, only to suddenly leap forward. Such is the case with the film adaptation of Assassin's Creed, the highly successful video game franchise from developer/publisher Ubisoft.
About a year ago, Sony Pictures scooped up film rights to the series, working with newly-created Ubisoft Motion Pictures to bring the games to life onscreen. Then, just a few months ago, Michael Fassbender signed on to produce and star in the film. However, the deal with Sony fell apart, leading to a new partnership with New Regency and Twentieth Century Fox that put the project back on the fast track.
Assassin's Creed has emerged as a top priority for Ubisoft - no doubt due to the first-week sales of 3.5 million the latest entry of the video game earned earlier this year. There's no better time for the company to capitalize on its success, and a film version is the next natural step to expanding the brand. However, the question remains when moviegoers can expect Fassbender's adaptation to hit theaters.
Now, in an interview with Games Industry International, Geoffroy Sardin, Ubisoft's chief sales and marketing officer, has commented on the project's status. Here's what he had to say on expanding the Assassin's Creed franchise:
"Another thing that is very important for the lifecycle is the transmedia offer. All the figurines, the books, the publishing, and we have a movie in the next coming year. So it's not only about games, we are talking about a global brand, and this is the life cycle management we want to set up now."
With 2012 all but over at this point, one could easily take "the next coming year" to imply that the Assassin's Creed would likely not release until 2014 at the earliest. After all, the script has yet to be completed, and then there's Fassbender's schedule to consider.
The in-demand star – who turned in a memorable performance in this summer's Prometheus – is already committed to musician comedy Frank, western Jane Got a Gun, director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave and Ridley Scott's The Counselor, all of which are expected to meet 2013 release dates at this point. Of course, let's not forget that Fassbender is also due to reprise his role as Magneto in Bryan Singer's hotly anticipated X-men: Days of Future Past, which hits theaters July 18, 2014.
Even if Ubisoft and New Regency were somehow able to get Assassin's Creed into production in early 2013 (and that's a big "if"), the schedule of its producer/star would make a 2013 release severely unlikely. Besides, since Assassin's Creed is Ubisoft Motion Pictures' first effort to bring one of its properties to the big screen – and such a high profile one at that – the company is better off taking its time and perfecting the project rather than rushing it out to theaters.
Are you looking forward to the Assassin's Creed movie, Screen Rant readers? Let us know in the comments.
We'll keep you posted on the development of Assassin's Creed as it gets closer to production.
Source: Games Industry International


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The Truth About the Late Tom Hayden—Whitewashed by the MSM
The death of Tom Hayden last Sunday at the age of 76 produced obituaries and tributes in scores of newspapers throughout the United States, as well as notices of his passing on major network news programs. In the 1960s, Hayden helped define and popularize Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), which garnered support on many college campuses. It was Hayden who made the phrase "participatory democracy" popular, by which he and the original author of the phrase, philosopher Arnold Kaufman, meant that individuals should have decision-making power in all decisions that affect their lives. A new politics, Hayden believed, would lead to "common participation" and put an end to apathy and the meaningless, corrupt politics of the mainstream political parties.
Newspapers now have produced glowing and inaccurate accounts of Hayden's life and politics. Most egregious was The New York Times, which started incorrectly by writing that he "burst out of the 1960s counterculture as a radical leader of America's civil rights and antiwar movements." However, unlike the apolitical and culturally oriented counterculture leaders--such as contemporaries Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin and the so-called "Yippies"—Hayden always was political and committed to building a serious political movement, not one based on "tuning in, turning on and dropping out."
The worst claim in the Times' obituary is that Hayden was a "peace activist" who "opposed violent protests but backed militant demonstrations." He could be called a peace activist only if one views someone who supported a Communist victory in Vietnam as a proponent of "peace." As I have written in a past PJM column, Hayden "moved to create his own group, the Indochina Peace Campaign, which fought nationally for an end to the war in Vietnam. He and his wife, the movie star Jane Fonda, traveled to North Vietnam, where he took a camera crew and came back with a propaganda film: Introduction to the Enemy. Hayden would write after his first trip to Vietnam that the Vietnamese Communists had created a "rice-roots democracy." After the war's end, when Joan Baez passed around a petition protesting the human-rights violations of the winning Communist side in Vietnam, Hayden denounced those who signed it as tools of the CIA."


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By one year your child should be able to help you as you dress them by pushing their arms and legs through items of clothing. By 2 years they should be able to remove an unfastened jacket.
By 2 ½ years they can put on easy clothing such as a jacket or open front shirts without zipping/buttoning.
By the age of 3 they should be able to assist with zipping and unzipping and separating the zip at the bottom of a jacket. Between the ages of 3-4 your child should be able to put their hands through both armholes and down the sleeves in front opening clothing (e.g. jacket). They should also be able to take the same item off completely.
By 4 years old children should be able to get their clothes on and off independently but will not be able to manage fastenings (e.g. zips and buttons) for another year or two.
It is much easier for your child to learn how to undress before dressing. Therefore practice taking off their jacket first.
Children learn in different ways so you might need to vary your approach. There are a number of ways in which you can help;
Physically assist your child
Show your child
Tell your child
You can use each of these ways individually or any combination depending on what suits your child. Please be aware that some children cannot look and listen at the same time so limit the amount of information you giving.
A good way to teach your child how to get dressed is to break down each task into small steps and teach him the last step first. This technique is called backward chaining (more information is available on the website). Once they can do the last step of the task, teach them the second-last step, then the third-last step and so on.
If your child is struggling it can be tempting to take over. Give your child time to work it out for themselves and give loads of encouragement. If necessary, talk them through what to do and only intervene if they get really stuck. It is often better to practice these things when you are not in a rush so weekend mornings are better than when you are rushing out to nursery/work.
Your child needs opportunities to practice putting their arms into sleeves. This can sometimes be easier when using larger items of clothing so let them practice on your jacket.
Instead of automatically correcting a mistake (e.g. twisted collar or button incorrectly matched) why not encourage your child to look in the mirror and get them to identify the problem. You may need to ask them some questions to focus their attention.
There are a number of methods that can be used to put on a jacket. Try all methods to see which way your child has more success with (see below for further advice sheets and videos). Once you have identified the method that suits your child share this with others (e.g. nursery, grandparents, child minder etc) so that everyone uses the same method.
Make a game of this by taking an adult size shirt/jacket, seal the cuffs with elastic bands and then hide small toys down each sleeve. Ask your child to put their arm in and pull out the toy.
Play dress up with your child; use a variety of oversized clothes.


text: Waupaca School District taxpayers should see a reduction in their school taxes when they get their property tax bills in December. Preliminary budget numbers show a reduction of 58 cents per thousand in the district's tax rate, which equates to a reduction of 58 dollars on a 100,000 dollar home. The district will again be taxing over a million dollars under the state's allowable revenue limit. Waupaca was one of only seven districts in the state that did that last year. The district is receiving more in state aid this year, only the 2nd time in the last 8 years state aid has gone up. It's up by about 114,000 dollars. The school's public budget hearing is October 27th.


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The most grueling case to hit Polk County in recent history unfolded last week as four victims were recovered in a five day search that involved local, state, and federal agents who found themselves in a desperate attempt to locate the two young children that had been listed as missing in the heinous crime.
In a case that has shaken people across the county and devastated a family, law enforcement and the Prosecuting Attorney's office now have the duty of piecing together the evidence in what turned out to be a quadruple homicide involving the deaths of 43-year old Bethany Jo (Scarbrough) Wester, of Mena, her two children, Reilly James Scarbrough, age 9, and Acelynn Carrie Wester, age two, and Bethany's uncle, 66-year old Steven J. Payne, of Hatfield.
The case began when Wester's body was found near a creek southeast of Cove, Ark. on Tuesday, April 25, 2017. The next morning, her children were announced as missing or endangered. On Thursday, Wester was officially identified. When law enforcement arrived at the home of Payne to inform him of the positive identity, they found Payne's body. The search for the children continued.
At a press conference on Friday evening, an emotional Sheriff Scott Sawyer confirmed that the body of a toddler had been found and they assumed it to be that of Acelynn Wester. She was located in a heavily wooded area near where her mother's body was recovered.
On Saturday, at another press conference, Sawyer announced the final blow – Reilly's body had also been recovered, also in a heavily wooded area, but was located west of Hatfield, miles from his mother and sister.
All four victims were sent to the Arkansas Crime Lab for further investigation. The causes of death have not been released in the case, as it is an active homicide investigation.
Sawyer said that 70-80 certified law enforcement personnel from the FBI, Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Mena Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Grannis Police Department joined the search for the children and have assisted in the case.
Brian Bliss Travis, age 37, of Mena was arrested on unrelated charges to this case in the very early morning hours of Wednesday, April 26. Travis was the live-in boyfriend of Bethany Wester. During Saturday's press conference, Sawyer announced that Travis had assisted officers in finding Reilly's body.
On Monday, May 1, 2017, Travis was formally charged with four counts of Capital Murder and is being held in the Polk County Detention Center without bond. Also during the arraignment, Polk County Circuit Court Judge Jerry Ryan issued a Protective Order in the case, prohibiting any party from making extrajudicial statements. This process is also known as a 'gag order.' Travis was also arraigned on a count of Furnishing, Possessing, or Using Prohibited Articles.
A benefit account has been established at Union Bank of Mena to assist the Scarbrough family with the funeral expenses of Bethany Wester, Steven Payne, Reilly Scarbrough, and Acelynn Wester.
Memorial services for all four victims will be held on Friday, May 5, beginning at 1 p.m. at CMA Iron Mountain Facility.


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World Cup: Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo to quit playing for Italy after World Cup
Last Updated: 11/06/14 7:57pm
Italy star Andrea Pirlo has admitted he is likely to retire from international football after the World Cup.
The Juventus playmaker, 35, believes bowing out in Brazil will be the perfect end to his international career.
Pirlo, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, feels the time is right to let some younger players come through into the Azzurri fold.
"As I already said, I am still thinking of retiring after this World Cup, as I have a certain age and it's only right to leave the field to the next generation coming through," said Pirlo. "It would be pointless to continue."
As I already said, I am still thinking of retiring after this World Cup, as I have a certain age and it's only right to leave the field to the next generation coming through
Andrea Pirlo
However, Pirlo has refused to close the door on possibly playing on for Italy if he is needed by his country.
"If I am needed, then there's no problem in coming back," added Pirlo.
"If I come on international duty and don't play, then I'd get angry! It's perhaps better I stay home..."
Pirlo believes Italy are good enough to go all the way in Brazil despite being handed a tough group containing England, Uruguay and Costa Rica
"Can Italy win the World Cup? Of course. When I play, it is solely to win," he said. "I am never just content with getting through the round. We have a competitive squad and will give our all to achieve this objective.
"We have what it takes to go far. The important thing is to believe, sacrifice ourselves, work hard and the results can arrive."


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Is it April 25 or January 25?
It was hard to tell Monday as a strong rainstorm -- one you'd expect to see during springtime -- blew through bringing damage, power outages and headaches.
Wind gusts topped 60 m.p.h. as more than 2-inches of driving rain fell in and around Philadelphia.
Huge trees like the 80-year-old oak that once stood in The Butler's Fitzwatertown Road yard toppled like sticks.
Talisha Butler's dark bedroom became bright as day when the tree split her Upper Moreland Township, Pa. house into two just after 10:30 a.m.
"I can't even begin to imagine how lucky I am and I was knocked out asleep. Next thing I know 'Boom,' white and insulation and tree and water," she said.
Butler's father, who was also home at the time, broke down her door to help her out of the house. Luckily, neither were hurt -- something Talisha calls "a blessing."
The counties to the west of Philadelphia saw the biggest rainfall with some areas almost 3-inches by the time the storm moved on.
In the Lehigh Valley, the powerful storm sucked the electricity from homes and businesses and roads were blocked by floodwaters.
For Rachel Harf's little girl, the storm ruined afternoon TV time and Mac 'n Cheese.
"She keeps asking why we can't watch TV or why she can't play with something or when will I be able to make macaroni and cheese," Harf said.
At the height of the storm, more than 75,000 homes went dark from the mountains to the shore. PECO saw the highest number of outages with more than 35,000.
Flooding was a major concern for authorities in Camden, N.J. after the Copper River spilled over its banks and onto the Admiral Wilson Boulevard.
The road, a major thoroughfare hat connects Philly and Camden with Routes 130, 70 and 38, turned into a lake. Drivers who tried to traverse the waters got a rude awaking as their cars quickly flooded and stalled.
"The water actually did not look that deep," Angela Whittaker said as her car was towed from the water. "And when I got into the water I said 'Uh-oh! This is a little deep.'"
Angela wasn't alone. One woman had to be coaxed from her stalled BMW by firefighters.
"My car is just dead," the unidentified woman told reporters.
A little further south in Gloucester County, students had to be evacuated from Washington Township High School after the roof was ripped off the school's 9th and 10th grade building.
School officials put a shelter in place plan into action and eventually evacuated all students.
The school will be closed on Tuesday as crews work to fix the damaged roof.
Schools were also closed in Atlantic City and Egg Harbor Township due to the wild weather.
If there was a silver lining to Monday's storm, it would the balmy temperatures. The mercury rose to 60 degrees throughout most of the area, providing welcomed relief to winter's freezing cold.
But, that won't last for long. NBC Philadelphia Chief Meteorologist Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz expected temperatures to plummet towards the freezing mark overnight.
And as this storm moves out to sea, Glenn and the rest of the EarthWatch team are turning their attention to the Gulf of Mexico where another storm is set to roll though by the end of the week. But this time around, we could see snow.
Spring-esque Storm Stomps Across Area
Driving rain, blowing winds, blackouts and balmy temps brought by wild weather system
Is it April 25 or January 25?


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Vanessa Hua is a terribly cool girl. The kind that writes gorgeous stories, wins important awards, and is impossible to hate because she's one of the hardest working writers I know.
RQD: What are you working on now?
Vaness Hua: After finishing the latest revision of my novel, I decided to step away and work on short stories. In the novel, I'd been working on a thread involving female relationships and betrayal, and I continued to explore that in a short story, albeit in a far different setting, and with far different characters. I'm also working on a comic story, based on true events, yet with a high degree of the absurd. A lot of fun to work on, and the perfect break to take before returning to the novel manuscript. At present I'm figuring out how to work in the brief, brief, moments that I have to myself.
RQD: What's interesting to you about the characters you're writing about now?
VH: Both stories involve deceit and secrets, and how the characters carry that burden. I've found that's an ongoing theme in my work. I became a first time mother in August and I'm interested to see how that will influence and change my writing.
RQD: What other art or artists influence you?
VH: I always struggle with the question of influence. While I can readily tell you whose art and music I admire, who am I to say if those elements are present in my work? It seems presumptuous at best, self-deluded at worst. That said, if my writing reflects the playfulness of Calder's mobiles, the tactile sensuality of Moore's sculptures, the reimagining of the familiar of O'Keefe's paintings, then I would be proud and ecstatic.
When working on specific projects, when pondering character and setting, I'll listen to music and look at art from that era and locale. For example, for my novel, I pored over Cultural Revolution propaganda art and musicals.
RQD: What book or story or poem do you return to over and over?
VH: It depends on what I'm working on. For example, when figuring out how to weave together narrative arcs in two time periods, I studied Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides and Veronica, by Mary Gaitskill, among others. Anything I read while working on a novel, I find myself drawing connections and comparing, analyzing how other authors solve different narrative issues.
RQD: What are you reading now?
VH: World and Town, by Gish Jen and The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski
RQD: What were you reading as a kid? how did those books impact the writing you do now?
VH: I read widely and voraciously, from the copy of Little Women that my mother brought over from Taiwan, to my older sister's copies of Candide and Animal Farm (the allegory flew far over my head), and Russian fairytales I found on the bookshelf at home. In elementary school, I wanted to read every book in the library! My favorites were female heroines who were writers: Jo from Little Women, Anne from Anne of Green Gables, and Laura from Little House on the Prairie, and their examples must have made becoming a writer seem possible. I continue to be an omnivore in the subjects and characters I write about.
Photo: Georgia O'Keeffe via PBS


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Scott Robinson Honda
20340 Hawthorne Blvd. Torrance, CA 90503
Scott Robinson CDJR
20900 Hawthorne Blvd. Torrance, CA 90503
Welcome to the Scott Robinson Auto Group website, the South Bay's favorite online resource for new Honda, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram models and used vehicles and your portal to our family of dealerships in Torrance, CA. We've been a part of the South Bay community for many years are we are proud to provide access to high-quality new and used vehicles to drivers from Torrance, Carson, Gardena, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach Manhattan, El Segundo, and the surrounding communities. Come visit either of our dealership locations – Scott Robinson Honda and Scott Robinson Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, both located on Hawthorne Blvd. – to find an exceptional deal on the new or pre-owned car you've been dreaming about.
The Scott Robinson Auto Group is proud to provide a variety of automotive services to the South Bay's drivers aside from simple vehicle sales. In our trio of certified Automotive Service Centers, you'll find a team of highly skilled mechanics and technicians capable of repairing and maintaining any type of vehicle, be it a Honda, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, or otherwise. We also provide access to a huge inventory of genuine car parts for sale in the South Bay. Find the car or truck part you need quickly and easily with our online ordering and catalog system, and all of our parts are available for direct sale for both DIY projects and professional installation by our service team. In our on-site Finance Departments, you can get a fantastic car loan or even a new car lease. We'll be happy to help you secure hassle-free financing for your new or used car purchase, you can even fill out our finance application online if you want to get pre-approved before you shop!
Come to the Scott Robinson Auto Group in Torrance for all your automotive needs, both of our dealerships are located conveniently on Hawthorne Blvd. in Torrance, CA and our staff is eager to serve you!


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The history of human civilization keeps thousands of subjects concerning development of societies and nation states. Great empires collapsed, but in their place there appeared new born state that declared starting to develop rapidly.
In modern times on the wreckage of the Soviet Union there emerged young states. One of them is the Republic of Kazakhstan, which in a short historical period has achieved impressive economic success.
Today our country has set itself one of the most ambitious goals, i.e. joining the 30 developed countries. This target would be unthinkable without our common heritage - Independence. In this perspective the Hall of Independent Kazakhstan plays an important role in the visual demonstration of the achievements of the established Kazakhstan.
The Hall's exposition is aimed at highlighting the historic role of the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in establishing and strengthening the independent state, adoption of new attributes and symbols of the sovereign republic, demarcation and delimitation of the state border, maintaining the integrity and unity of the democratic state, recognition of Kazakhstan as an equal member of the international community.
The Hall reflects the history of independent Kazakhstan since the proclamation of the republic as an independent state in 1991 and until today. The exhibition presents the state symbols of the Republic of Kazakhstan: the emblem, anthem, flag and Standard of the President, Kazakhstan's Constitution adopted in 1995 and being the fundamental law of the Republic. A separate section is devoted to state awards of Kazakhstan - "Халық қаһарманы", "Парасат", "Алтын Қыран", "Отан", "Данқ" medals and etc. And there are also banknotes, types of passports and stamps issued in Kazakhstan.
In addition one can see the materials presented here, which show the development of economy, science and culture of the country today. Volume layouts of Proton-M rocket and KAZSAT-2 Kazakh satellite reflect the achievement and potential of Kazakhstan in the space industry.
The history of the country is being presented in wide and diversified thematic complexes. By utilizing the latest hardware thematic exposition complexes clearly show the path of Kazakhstan since becoming a new state, implementing political and economic reforms, construction of a new industry, foreign policy achievements, reforms in education and science, culture and sport.
Large LED-screens, touch screen kiosks display historical photographs and materials as well as infographics reflecting the implementation of all the Messages of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of foreign and domestic policy since independence. And traditionally the exhibition presents real and voluminous exhibits.


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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's book:
Title: Soundless
Author: Richelle Mead
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Pages: 272
Summary (from Goodreads): From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy and Bloodlines, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore.
For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei's home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.
Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei's jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever…
Goodreads | Book Depository | Amazon
The Vampire Academy series is so amazing! Richelle Mead's new book is sure to be incredible as well. I love the fact that this stand-alone novel is inspired by ancient Chinese history. The cover alone is absolutely stunning!


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Migration Scams Are Becoming Widespread
Migration scams are becoming more widespread as prospective migrants and visa applicants to Australia are easily mislead by fraudulent Australian government sites.
Migration scammers claim they guarantee you a visa, and urge you to apply by saying it's your 'only chance' to travel or migrate to Australia. You are also asked to register online and provide credit card details, after which you are charged without receiving any immigration assistance before or afterwards.
"It is vital that people are aware of fraudsters' tricks before handing over money for immigration assistance which is never provided," the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, said.
"This is why the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) has launched a new online consumer protection resource to help people to learn about migration scams online and safeguard against scams. The Protect Yourself from Migration Fraud information kit includes victims' stories, tips to stay safe online, information on how to identify non-genuine websites and fraudulent emails, links to consumer resources and a video testimonial."
Additional scammer tactics includes illegal operators who pretend to be migration professionals. In Australia, migration agents must be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority, according to Mr Bowen.


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Yeah, so I forgot to mention that I'm on a cruise so there won't be any posts for a week. The upside is that I have a criminal amount of free time, so I'm going to whip out a few posts for posting later.
Highlights so far :
We arrived at our cabin and the default arrangement is the worst possible. I would break out MS Paint and show you, but it's really not that important. We skipped the "mandatory safety drill" to pass beds over each other in the tiny room and totally rearranged the room. I may have found my passion - I'm totally awesome at rearranging cruise cabins.
A few cruises ago I was with my friend Mick (name changed because I don't know if he wants credit or not). Mick is a super master hacker, or at least he claimed to be. I was sorta skeptical. We got to the internet cafe, which charged an obese .75 cents per minute to check out 16 year old hotties on Myspace. I asked him if he could hack it to let us get on the internet for free.
"Of course," he replied.
I didn't believe him, but within a few minutes he had it such that through a complicated process we could access any web page for about 3 minutes. After those few precious minutes, the software realized we were in violation, and kicked us out.
I asked when it would be 100% working. He said that by the dinnertime the following day we'd be able to easily use the internet for as long as we liked. He was right, and it was totally amazing. I even went on the same ship 4 months later, and it was still working.
Anyway - I decided to try the same thing here. After a lot of (what I consider to be) brilliant ideas, I totally defeated all of the restrictions on the computer. The problem? It has a proxy server, and I have no idea how to get past that. Oh well.
Last night they had karaoke. I was really excited, but didn't expect that they would have any songs that I would like. Wrong. They have "Ice Ice Baby", "Gin and Juice", and my standard choice, "Hypnotize". The one hitch, of course, is that Hypnotize is in no way appropriate for the cruise population, which boasts a median age of about 65. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go look up the lyrics of the song.
We sat down and surveyed the crowd. There were a lot of people, and only 4 of them were under 40. I signed up for Ice Ice Baby. It's relatively tame. The crowd clapped politely, not really knowing what sort of devil music I had unleashed upon them.
Nervously, I handed the second card to the DJ. Hypnotize. I sat back down and surveyed the group while the singer sang "Fever". How would people react? Would they all just leave? Would the staff shut off the speakers? Would they trap me under a walker and beat me with their canes?
"Due to the success of his last performance, I'd like to welcome Tynan back to the stage."
I don't get nervous at Karaoke anymore. I grabbed the microphone and looked out at the innocent grandparents staring back at me. This was going to be bad.
"This next one is a gangsta rap classic," I offered. No reaction.
"UH! UH! UH! Come on! I'm hot, sicker than your average. Papa twist cabbage off instinct... "
It was showtime. The reaction was mixed. A majority stared at me with a mixture of contempt and confusion. I was not singing Kenny G and there was no misunderstanding about that. Occasionally I'd realize that I was about to say something totally offense, but I never held back.
The karaoke hosts looked at each other saying things like "what should we do?". Jonah sat in the audience and laughed louder than I was singing in some cases. A 25 year old girl sitting near us laughed as well. She and her sister enjoyed it.
The song came to an end. If you're familiar with the song (which you would be if you came to my Karaoke nights), then you know it ends with about 8 repetitions of the chorus. The chorus is traditionally sung by a girl, so I sang a few and stopped, with the intention that the host would cut the music. He didn't.
I stood on the huge stage, alone, while a karaoke chorus sang in the background, feeling every last stare from the old people. It was one of the more awkward moments of my life. A full minute of silence later, Jonah started clapping loudly to save me. The senior citizens followed in turn and the host thanked me. I returned to my seat where the 25 year old said she enjoyed the song but that some of the old people were shaking their contempt-laden heads. Oh well. There's another karaoke tonight...
As you may have read in the past, Doug and I host Karaoke every Wednesday at Firehouse Lounge in Austin, TX. We now also host it at Shakespeare's on Tuesdays. Tazeroke, which started as a one time event, has now become a weekly event. Yep, we electrocute people every week with an 800k volt stun baton. Somehow no one has shut us down yet.
[caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo by Gordon Roque"][/caption] I just posted another song from my album on myspace. It's a quiet little ballad with piano, acoustic guitar, and chamberlain. This is the song that opens up my album "Seahorses". I vividly remember when I wrote this song. It was a slow build over a few months during my last year living in Charlotte, NC. I was living in the university area north of uptown at the time and was heading home after work. It was one of those long summer days when the Sun seemed to refuse to set. I looked up as I was driving through my neighborhood from work and was awestruck by the sky. Hues of golden yellow, orange, billowy white, and the lightest of blues cascaded up above the earth. Of course, it was just another late afternoon in the south, but it felt like there was something magical in the sky--something so far removed from these comparitively mundane lives we live. I was five blocks from my house when the idea for a song popped into my head. I started to hum a melody to the words "I wonder why . . .". As soon as I parked the car, I rummaged around my truck for a pen and paper. Not finding any paper, I tore off a piece of a cardboard box and just started writing. I remember writing the words "I wonder why he's blue as the sky', and the rest was history. I sat there in my truck and parked in my driveway for half an hour just writing a bunch of lyrics. Through the next few weeks, that melody I hummed came to me at the piano. I coaxed it out of hiding, and it exists for all to hear on my album. During that whole year, I was at a crossroad in my life. Feeling compelled to leave Charlotte towards an adventure unknown. Feeling all the fears and uncertainty that come with tumultuous change. As I wrote this song, I was thinking about the idea of freedom within the realm of imprisonment--a dichotomy and a coexistance. I've often said during many of my shows that this song in particular is blatantly about me. Well, it is, actually--in more ways than I care to count or dare to mention. Here are the lyrics:
Lyrics and Music by Gordon Roque © 2008 Gordon Roque BMI (All Rights Reserved) He's the boy in the room Who stands on his own Could it be that he's not So alone He stands as he stares out of his window As the sun shines down Chorus: And I wonder why He's blue as the sky He roams in a world Where lullabies swirl As a caged bird sings As a caged bird sings He goes far away To places unknown And he runs from his own shadow He walks through a path To a beat he follows As the songs fill his soul Something carries him away From where doors close below Something hurries him to shelter Away from the cold Something quietly sings a melody As he lives and breathes _________________________________ I was honestly tickled pink when I finished this song. It was a sense of accomplishment that embraced me so lovingly. I am very proud of this song. It is a graceful, elegant, and understated testament to this life that I have lived. I am now so proud to share it all with you. Just click here to hear it for yourself. More to come soon. -gordo


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180 East 88th is a new full-service luxury condominium in Carnegie Hill with only 48 half and full-floor homes that offer an exceptionally rare combination of 14'+ ceiling heights and views far beyond Central Park. An unprecedented amenity program spans eight floors and includes a half-court basketball court, one of New York's only private indoor soccer pitches, a children's playroom, game room, resident lounge and proper wine storage. Designed to reinvigorate a classic pre-war aesthetic, 180 East 88th is a refreshing addition to the Upper East Side. 180 East 88th's Upper East Side luxury condominiums are now available for purchase.
Penthouse Terrace
360-degree view from the Penthouse overlooking Central Park, the East River, the Hudson River and Downtown. The private terrace is framed by vaulted arches, glass railings and bronze details.
A private gated entry on East 88th Street provides residents with a true sense of arrival through a planted garden.
The 24/7 attended lobby features vaulted ceilings, Italian travertine flooring inlaid with Austrian white oak and a fireplace with custom hand-sculpted plaster wall by German artist Jan Hooss.
A unique addition to the Upper East Side with a façade elegantly composed of handmade, handset Kolumba brick from world-acclaimed Danish brickmaker Petersen Tegl complemented by oversized windows by Albertini of Italy.


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Images are for illustration purposes only. Packaging may change from time to time and images on our website may or may not be updated.
Estimated dispatch within 1 working day.
A refreshing and deep-cleansing freshener for improving the health and hygiene of your dog or cat's mouth. The formulation contains beneficial active ingredients that are also highly palatable. Ideal for use as a cleanser after routine dental procedures, and also great as an after dinner cleanser to reduce unpleasant odours and promote the shine of teeth.
All prices include VAT where applicable.
Under almost all products on our website is an Estimated dispatch time, check this for a delivery prediction specific to the item you are looking to purchase. These badges are updated live based on the stock levels we have and also those of our suppliers - so are usually very accurate, but cannot be guaranteed. In more general terms, we aim to dispatch all orders within 1 working day of receiving payment (and a prescription if required). If we cannot do so within 3 working days we will contact you by email.
For UK delivery, we charge the following:
|Order Total
|Under 2kg
|Under 2kg
|Under 2kg
Prices quoted are for delivery to all parts of mainland UK except certain Scottish postcodes (where the price is higher for items sent by courier. Delivery of food abroad (including Channel Islands, N. Ireland and other islands around the UK) is charged at a higher price and free delivery is not available. Temperature controlled products are also not always subject to the standard and/or free delivery options.
For full information on our delivery charges, including prices on heavy deliveries to Scotland and abroad, see our delivery information page.
We can deliver most items to all around the world, but prices do vary. To find the exact cost of shipping your item, and to see all options available, follow these steps:
Due to restrictions aerosols can't be sent by Royal Mail. We appreciate your understanding.
Some products, such as non-ambient items and frozen food, need to be delivered in insulated packaging to prevent them from getting too warm (or too cold) during transit from us to you. Purchasing any of these items in your order will result in a £1.99 charge being added to the total to cover the high cost of the insulated packaging materials. You only pay the £1.99 once per order, regardless of how many temperature controlled items you purchase in that order.
Please call us as soon as possible if you need to amend or cancel an order on 01582 842096. If your order has been processed for dispatch we will be unable to cancel or amend the order. You will however be able to return your product for a full refund*.
To return an item, you must contact us by phone or email to arrange this BEFORE posting any product back to us. We will explain the process at this stage for you.
*For full details on returns, see our terms and conditions page.
Below are some recent questions we've received regarding Hexarinse for Dogs & Cats, including answers from our team.
Linda Hutt
Mollie has another mild dose of gingivitis and I have just received a bottle of hexarinse. I took her to the vet and he gave her a steroid injection to try to curb this problem. He said to use the mouthwash but trying to get it in her mouth is very hard. Can I put it in her water or cat milk and if so how much please? Thanks Lyn
I think you could add it to her drinking water at a diluition of 1ml Hexarinse to 100mls water. I would not recommend any more concentrated than that. However it will not be nearly as effective as applying a little directly into the mouth. That can indeed be very difficult with cats, but that is a better way of using it. I suggest you try to persevere if you can.
How is hexarinse administered please
With difficulty if you have a non-cooperative pet, but with surprising ease with practice on most pets. You have to lift the top lip at the side of the mouth and gently squirt a small amount onto the side of the teeth beneath, then repeat on the other side. Then movement of the tongue and lips will distribute the solution around the mouth quite well before it is gradually swashed away by saliva and swallowed. If done regularly this does make a difference. If you can manage to brush the teeth a bit with a soft toothbrush first, it is even better, though not many people can. Just the outer surfaces of the upper teeth along the sides of the jaw are most important. Just the Hexarinse alone will help though.
VioVet Visitor
My cat is 15 & recently had 6 teeth removed and her remaining teeth cleaned. She had a course of capsules as she has/had gingivitis. She has been fine but now 5 weeks later, she is starting to struggle to eat again as it must have come back. Would this product help or can you please recommend anything else. Thanks Lyn
This product could certainly help, but can be difficult to use if the mouth is sore. Ideally the teeth should be physically cleaned too. This can be achieved by brushing gently with a soft toothbrush if your cat will tolerate that, but again it is difficult. Some cats will chew up items of food to mechanically clean the teeth and this works well if they will (dried strips of meat intended as dog treats are good for this) but again your cat may not be interested/able. The worst thing is to just eat foods which leave a thin coating of food residue on the teeth afterwards, which just feeds the bacteria in the mouth and results in a high population and sore gums. Even crunchy biscuits leave a film of crumbs/fine particles mixed with saliva on the teeth. Chewy foods are much better if your cat will eat them as they leave no residue.


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Industrial and Commercial Lighting services:
– Maintenance of both indoor and outdoor lights – from changing fittings and lamps to fault finding…
– Design / Install efficient lighting schemes
– replacement lighting schemes
Artificial lighting can form a major part of the electricity usage for many businesses, in particular where old outdated systems are used. With constantly rising energy costs it stands to reason that by using modern energy efficient fittings and by employing well specified intelligent controllers (e.g. presence detection) large savings can be realised very quickly.
By getting a light design right, not only can large savings be achieved but the quality of the working environment can also be significantly improved.
The application of the proposed scheme is the most critical factor when assessing the quantity, type, location, brightness, colour, efficiency and control system for any scheme. By correctly identifying the exact requirements savings can be made by simply not over lighting the area. Once the application has been identified then you can move on to select the appropriate lighting levels required for that task and ensure money is not wasted.
Our aim is to help businesses understand the need and benefit of good lighting design combined with the common sense application of controls.
There is no justification for over complicating a simple scheme, contact C Gascoigne Ltd who can provide comprehensive independent, computerised schemes with accurate payback information for your exact requirements.
Click here to view some lighting scenarios


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Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
tote something up
to add something up. The clerk toted the bill up and asked for an enormous sum. Tote up your expense report quickly and submit it to accounts payable.
1. n. someone who abstains from alcohol. (From total abstainer.) I'm not a tote, but I do have a limit—rather low by your standards. Have a drink, or are you still a tote?
2. n. a small portion of cannabis. (Drugs.) The cops found a tote when they tossed Bart, but that was all.
3. n. a small pipe for smoking cannabis. (Drugs.) Her father found a tote in her room and really hit the ceiling.


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Hindutva – Its true meaning and implications
After defeat of BJP in the 2009 elections, there is much talk about HIndutva, whether it should be diluted to keep the RSS with BJP as its cadre party and source or to abandon it altogether to make BJP a truly secular so that it also attracts Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and other small minorities of India to make BJP truly All India Party and an All India challenge to Indian National Congress.
The word Hindutva was coined and used first of all by V.D. Savarkar. "Hinduism is a religion that all Hindus follow with all the rituals and worshiping all the Hindu Gods, Lord Rama, Krishna, Hanuman and other regional gods whose statues are all over India and worshiped by devout Hindus. It also means respect and if possible knowledge of Ramayana, Mahabarat, Vedas, Shastra and other many millennium old Hindu or Vedic Literature. Hindutva also means that India Civilization embraces all those who live in India, to whatever religion they belong but they have to love Indian Civilization in contrast to Muslim Civilization as propagated in Mecca and Christian Civilization as explained and propagated by Pope of Rome."
RSS Chief K S Sudarshan in 2201 while addressing a large gathering in Hardwar said " The time has come when both Muslims and Christians who are living in India should Indianize their religions. They should sever their links with Mecca and Pope and instead become swadeshi." (The Tribune Chandigarh March 9, 2001) An extremist Hindu Brig B N Sharma (Retd) in his book, " A Nation on Fire," defines Hindutva as: Hindutva collective essence of " Hinduism and is the end product of three elements, cultural nationalism, intense patriotism, and a pride in the collective memory of India's past glory." But Brig Sharma, as the title of book reveals, is not moderate but fundamentalist. He has ridiculed so called seculars who are more concerned with vote bank than with nation's interest.
If BJP follows fully and faithfully what K.S Sudarshan says then BJP can never become all embracing Indian Political Party where followers of any religion will be welcome, just as Hindus, without any discrimination. It is pertinent to quote Dr Chaudhary as under.
"The seeds of pathological antipathy and diabolical hatred against Muslims and Christians in India sown by Savarkar have now fully fructified, thanks to the constant watering and manuring of seeds at the hands of the Sangh Parivar. It resulted into the shameless act of demolition of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in 1992 followed by communal holocaust all over the country in which hundreds of innocent citizens lost their lives. Then came the systematic persecution of Christians resulting into the horrendous act of burning alive of an Australian Christian doctor engaged into healing lepers, along with his adolescent sons in Orissa." (South Asia Today)
If BJP follows Hindutva, in its full form with all the implicayions, it may attract towards BJP more and more Hindus with the active help of more than a dozen RSS volunteering organizations in virtually all fields like student and teacher organization, workers of industrial and academic fields, women and in tribal sphere etc,etc… But still it will remain only a Hindu Communal organization. To be a Secular All India Party BJP will have to dilute HIndutva and make it appear truly an Indian Civilization and part of all comprehensive Indian Cultural, linguistic, religious and ethnic groups of whole of India.
It was mainly Atal Bihari Vajpayee's farsight and determination that transformed Bhartya Jan Sangh a Hindu Party like RSS into BJP an All India National Party like Indian National Congress and captured power in 1998 and ruled the country for full term of 5 years without virtual alliance with any party except Akali Dal as in Punjab. If BJP tries to be a truly secular party lot of uncommitted voters from religions and regions will support it.
Since Advani's praise for Jinnaha, when he visited Pakistan, without bothering to go deep into Jinnaha's thinking in 1940's and actions in 1946 to instigate West Bengal Government of Muslim League to abandon the rights and rules of and go ahead with 'Direct Action' which led to Kolkata Killings—it was certain that Advani should either quit BJP Presidentship and as leader of opposition, Lok Sabha, or would be ousted. Accordingly during early December 09, on the advice of RSS Chief, virtually little known in national politics, Nitin Gadkari 52 years old was chosen to replace Advani as BJP president. In Advani's place Sushma Swaraj, who once contested elections against Sonia Gandhi in South India though lost but proved to be both daring and well-versed in parliamentary affairs, was nominated as leader of opposition while another prominent BJP young leader Jaitley was to continue BJP leader in Rajya Sabha.
All these developments had to be stated in brief because both Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely are moderates and not enthusiastic about Hindutava. They are more interested, like Vajpayee, to make BJP an All India Party to include all Indians of all castes and religions. It is heartening to note that in his first interview on 20th December 2009, Godkari, new BJP Chief has said " I would like to involve more Dalits, Tribals and Muslims in the BJP" He father said: "I would like to concentrate on youth workers and farmers. I will concentrate my polities of development at the national level." If Godkari sticks to what he has said in this interview, it would mean dilution of Hindutava for BJP.
No doubt Muslim terrorists, jehadis of many hues and Taliban by their incursions and killings through suicide bombing like 9/11 in USA and 26/11 in Bombay have encouraged RSS followers, Israelis and some Christian Countries to give befitting reply. But for peace of the world and peace in their own country tact, patience and action are required as and when necessary. So far as India is concerned because of Indian farmers, skilled and unskilled labourers and since last two decades Indian technocrats and managers being in limelight particularly in USA, it is imperative that Indians shun fundamentalism of Hindutava. India must remain secular and India's image should be that of biggest democracy in the world.


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An Expert's Opinion
One of our students, Maryam, had an opportunity to interview Dr. Sandra Postel via email. Here is the transcript:
Maryam: In your words, how would you describe the water crisis?
Dr. Sandra Postel: There are three distinct components to the global water "crisis" in my view. One, water is finite, but our population and consumer demands keep growing. So there are a growing number of river basins where our demands are reaching the limits of the water supply. Two, some 860 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Women and girls must spend hours each day collecting water, instead of going to school or starting a business. Plus, the lack of safe drinking water is a leading cause of disease and death, particularly for children under the age of five. Third, pollution. A good share of rivers, lakes and groundwater are polluted, in some cases with contaminants at levels harmful to health.
M: How do you think the water crisis affects those who are marginalized?
S: The poor are most affected because they do not have the resources they need to access safe drinking water or irrigation water. So they end up drinking unsafe water or going hungry because they cannot afford the technologies to irrigate their land during the dry season. Fortunately, a number of groups are now designing and marketing irrigation systems for the farmers living on 2 dollars a day -- which is transforming lives and lifting millions out of poverty.
M: What would be some of the most effective ways to educate the public, those who have objections and/or doubts, and future generations regarding the water crisis in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?
S: We are trying to do exactly this at National Geographic. Our freshwater portal (nationalgeographic.com/freshwater) has a rich array of content on the freshwater challenge, as well as tools to help people calculate their own water footprint and learn of ways they can conserve.
M: How do we combat depleting water resources and water pollution?
S: Cities, farmers, industries and individuals can all do their part to conserve water and use it more efficiently. It takes 700 gallons of water to make a cotton T-shirt. Do we all need to buy so many T-shirts?!
M: What 3 simple steps would you suggest Americans can do in order to address the global water crisis?
S: 1. Examine our own water footprint and make changes in our lives to shrink it. Our National Geographic calculator can help any American do this. Easy changes that save a lot of water include eating less meat, especially feedlot beef, which is very water intensive. Each American's water footprint lands in river basins all over the world (check out our tool on this here), so consuming less and more consciously can make a big difference when multiplied by millions of people.
2. Get educated and involved in your local watershed. Know where your drinking water comes from, how sustainable and healthy the source of your water is, and engage in grassroots efforts to protect your watershed.
3. Join our Change the Course campaign. For every pledge made, we return 1000 gallons of water to depleted rivers in the Colorado River Basin. It's not a pledge of money; it's a pledge to take some action to conserve water in your own life. Our corporate sponsors turn your pledge into dollars that we invest in on-the-ground restoration projects. So your pledge can help us restore needed water to depleted rivers, in addition to shrinking your own water footprint. Check out Change the Course here; and make a pledge here. We can use your help. Thanks!!


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Yes! I am wearing ALL black in the desert! Insane I know, sue me 😉 I couldn't help it, I loved the mix of fabrics; leather, sequin, satin, chiffon….decadent. I absolutely love the pants with the slits up the sides! How rock star is that!?
I wish the pictures showed more detail! But the sun is so intense it almost washes everything out! This is even more of a reason to get a DSLR camera! 🙂
•Top – Express •Vest – Thrifted •Jacket – Zara •Pants – St. John •Shoes – Dolce Vita


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The Jewish Public Library in Montréal and Library and Archives Canada's Jacob M. Lowy Collection invite you to attend
This unique collaboration celebrates over 500 years of Jewish printing, which started in Europe and spread around the world. Come and see a selection of rare books providing a gateway into the published heritage of the Jewish people.
Wednesday, November 1, 2017, at 7:00 p.m.
395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario
Register today!
This free event will be in English, and all are welcome to attend.


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The Western Pacific Virtual Museum
The Western Pacific Railroad was unique in many ways, from its very beginnings as a company looking for a "better way" across the mountains, and its unique way of establishing a foothold in Oakland, to the Company's refusal to degrade services on the California Zephyr, despite the enormous financial losses incurred in the effort.
So, here is a look back at this feisty railroad that proudly wore the moniker
"The Wobbly."
What's New (Updated 4/7/99)
Exhibit Halls:
Post Cards from the Trip
Time Tables
The Dining Car
Literature and Advertisements
WP Annual Reports
Ghosts: What Remains of the WP
Credits and Links
A note about the California Zephyr: From 1949 through 1970, the CZ was in many
ways the heart and soul -- and almost the death -- of the WP. While certain CZ items that
are directly related to the WP are displayed here, the majority can be seen on their own
web site, the California Zephyr Virtual Museum.
This site is maintained by Alan Radecki (firstname.lastname@example.com). All items displayed are believed to be in the public domain, and are from my collection unless otherwise noted.
Scans or photographs of items from other collections are invited and always
welcomed, and will be credited to their owners.
You are Guest number: since June 7, 1998. Thanks for stopping


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Keys to Investing for Retirement
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Principles that can help create a portfolio designed to pursue investment goals.


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Google TV Is Back, With Friends
LAS VEGASGoogle's home-theater variant of Android, Google TV, got off to a rocky start last year. With only two companies offering Google TV products and no apps to offer the flexibility promised in the interface, it didn't get much attention. It didn't help that the first Google TV products cost $300 and up. Based on what has been announced at CES 2012, that be might be changing, because it looks like Google TV is getting ready for a comeback.
Google announced partnerships with several electronics manufacturers, meaning at least four companies will offer Google TV products this year and two more will offer the parts needed to build them. Sony is going to be joined by Vizio, LG, and Samsung in offering Google TV HDTVs and set-top boxes. Marvell and MediaTek are going to produce chipsets for future Google TV devices. It's the support Google TV has been waiting for, after a slow first year.
Sony was one of the first companies to offer Google TV products in its Sony Internet TV HDTV and Blu-ray Player last year. Vizio has already announced that Google TV will be used in Vizio Internet Apps Plus products, including its new streaming media box, Blu-ray player, and two of its new high-end HDTVs. LG will be adding Google TV to its Smart TV platform in several new HDTVs. Samsung has not yet announced any Google TV products, but Google says that the company will start selling Google TV devices of an unspecified type this year.
These products have nothing to do with the Lenovo K91 Smart TV, which doesn't use Google TV despite using Android. The Lenovo TV runs a version of Android 4.0, and won't be hitting the United States any time soon. Sony, Samsung, LG, and Vizio's products will use Google TV, presumably version 3.1, and will be available in the US.
This comes just a few months after the company updated Google TV to Honeycomb and added an app market. Google TV was quiet through most of 2011 after the first products came out, and the lack of updates to Logitech's Revue set-top box didn't signal a promising future for Google TV. The update and new products announced at CES should go a long way toward breathing much-needed life into the interface.


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Leap into Service- February 29th!
We have an extra day this year, why not volunteer?
Leap into Service- February 29th!
Consider starting this year off right and using Leap Day to volunteer. Take advantage of this "bonus day" that only comes once every four years and make a meaningful impact in our community!
Free Pruning Lessons in the Award-Winning Heritage Rose Garden!
Wednesday Feb 29
Ages: 18 and up
Light Rain = event is on, Heavy Rain = event is off
Hands-on rose pruning lessons are being offered by volunteers in San Jose's Heritage Rose Garden every Wednesday and Saturday, beginning Wednesday, January 4th and ending in late February. Lessons begin promptly at 9:00 am.
Come to learn and have fun! If you have favorite leather gloves and bypass shears, bring them; otherwise, loaners are available. Please wear closed-toed shoes and bring a refillable water bottle. We will meet in the center of the garden.
The Heritage Rose Garden is located on West Taylor St. near Walnut St. Free parking is available on Seymour Street, Taylor Street or Walnut streets. All minors (minimum age 18) without parental supervision must bring our signed minor release form.
Some drop-ins for regularly scheduled work days are okay, but groups of 3 or more need to be scheduled in advance.
Call us at 408-298-7657


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What I cannot really understand is why people think that committing a suicide is a cowardly act, or even worse, something wrong. I really can't understand it, despite trying. I simply can't figure out what is so cowardly and wrong about it.
The people around me tell me that it is a cowardly act because supposedly suicidal people shy away from the harsh realities of life and are not strong to face them. Well, on the contrary, I think that people who shy away from the harsh realities of life are those who are the happiest and call people who commit suicide cowardly and weak. I am pretty sure that these are the kind of people who pile up armies of newborn babies without the second thought.
Yes, I do agree that a person in charge of looking after a child of his or her own would be irresponsible in committing suicide, but in that case I would really criminalize their act of procreation without responsibility and you could extend it to their act of suicide if you choose to.
Yes, suicide is criminalized. How pathetic is that. But according to some moral standards, such as the ones practiced by most of the post-colonial Pakistani and Indian societies, suicide or attempted suicide is actually considered a punishable crime.
Well, I can agree that suicide is not a healthy act in itself, I can even agree that it is a cowardly act, but how in the world is it a crime? It's pretty frightening how moralists try to take control of everything. Now you cannot even commit suicide in peace?
I think committing suicide is everyone's right.
Actually, they need to declare it a basic human right, so moralist and fascist governments and laws do not deprive people of this right. So that no government can lodge an FIR against anyone who survives a self-immolation attempt and sends them to jail instead of offering them therapy.
You can speak ill of them at their funerals if you want, that is your right. But frankly, this sort of moral highhandedness sickens me to the stomach. Also, the feeling of guilt that the families needlessly bear afterwards.
It is not that I want the society to radically change their view about it. I don't want to judge them on the moral grounds that they thrive on. But I would like to see a suicide given its due respect.
To me, a suicide takes a lot of courage because it is not easy to resist life. Also, it is not easy to consciously end your own life, with a realization of what awaits in the immediate future. You can experience how it feels like by merely imagining for a moment that you are about to kill yourself.
While everyone who suffers from depression have suicidal tendencies every now and then, it is the mental pressures of depression rather than any "cowardice" that drives the suicidal people to such an extreme step.
Of course it is a fair deal that the society offers these people a lot of depression to deal with, or let me be a bit more lenient towards them, that life gives them a lot of depression to deal with as long as they suffer the abuse gladly. So how in the world is that a crime and how in the world is that cowardice? I say they endure all the pressure rather well because I am quite sure that a lot of people who ridicule and criminalize suicide would be horrified by the very mention of that feeling.
Only a few days earlier, there had been a lot of debate about school children and hostel students committing suicides within a span of three or four days. While the incidents shocked the entire nation, I would like to point out that the verdict from some of so-called intellectuals that the suicidal persons had stopped believing in the mercy of God was a completely preposterous diagnosis of the problem.
Like always, religious morality gets in the way of the much needed understanding of suicides. They don't understand that even the most affluent people may commit suicides under depression and that is why some start making it a political issue. And the same suffocating and bullying morality that ridicules the people who commit suicide ensures that they are driven to find a moment of peace for themselves in this very manner.
Let's just hope that there is no moral mob on the other side to deprive them of that peace.
But I envy the suicide and am very impressed by their courage.
We are the cowards.
Filed under: Commentary | Tagged: abuse, bravery, cowardice, cowards, crime, death, depression, education, government, humanity, humans, law, life, moralists, morality, Pakistan, Peace, philosophy, religion, respect, society, suicide, taboo | 1 Comment »


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Laparoscopic surgery is also known as minimally invasive surgery. It uses small incisions, ranging from 5 mm to 12 mm, and uses ports or trocars that go into the hole. These ports allow instruments to enter the abdomen and perform surgery.
The operation is the same inside the abdomen, no matter if the surgery is done with a big incision or several small incisions. Advantages are much smaller scars, less pain, quicker recovery, and a shorter stay in the hospital. For the surgeon, the camera actually offers a better view of the deep pelvis and the abdomen.
Laparoscopic surgery is longer than open surgery.
Most surgeries are now done laparoscopically. We offer laparoscopic colon and rectal resections. We have removed the entire colon through 4 incisions: 1 incision measuring 1.2 cm, 2 incisions measuring 0.5 cm, and one incision measuring 3 cm (to get the colon out).
We can treat a wide variety of diseases, such as colon cancer, rectal cancer, Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, rectal prolapse, and other diseases.
The procedure is the same inside, no matter how big or small the incision is. We do start almost all our cases laparoscopically. If it is not safe to proceed, we covert to a big incision. Reasons for conversion include dense scar tissue, infection, inability to tolerate air in the abdomen, or other reasons.


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Publications and Works in Progress
Works in Progress
Mother Knows Best: Pregnancy, Applied Ethics and Epistemically Transformative Experiences
Your Mother Should Know: Pregnancy as an Epistemically Transformative Experience and the Value of the Human Foetus
Motherhood and Objectification
Can You Harm Your Foetus? Pregnancy, Physical Indistinctness and Difficult Deontological Distinctions. Co-authored with Elselijn Kingma) (Please email email@example.com for the most recent version.)
These papers are works in progress and thus may not be fully polished. Some references may be missing and there may be some typos. Please excuse these.
If you have a comment on a work in progress, please do email me.
(Obviously comments on published papers are welcome too, but I'm especially interested in comments on works in progress.)
I have also written quite a few blogs and other pieces about guilt and shame surrounding infant feeding decisions. For links, see my page on Philosophy and How Babies Are Fed.
Doing and Allowing Harm, (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2015).
Journal Articles
"Should we talk about the 'benefits' of breastfeeding? The significance of the default in representations of infant feeding" Journal of Medical Ethics, Published Online First: 22 August 2018. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2018-104789
"Double Effect, Doing and Allowing and the Relaxed Nonconsequentialist", Philosophical Explorations, Vol. 20, Issue sup2 2017.
Breastfeeding and Defeasible Duties to Benefit. Journal of Medical Ethics Published Online First: 10 February 2017. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2016-103833 Co-authored with Lindsey Porter. (Author's accepted version available here.)
"Motherhood and Mistakes about Defeasible Duties to Benefit," Philosophy and Phenomenological Research doi:10.1111/phpr.12355 (Author's accepted version available here.)
"Dimensions of Demandingness", Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 116 (1):89-106 (2016). Draft paper available here. Podcast available here.
"I, Me, Mine: Body Ownership and the Generation Problem", Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, 97 (2) (2016).
"The New Problem of Numbers in Morality", Ethical Theory and Moral Practice (Online First, February 2014) 10.1007/s10677-014-9496-x
"If This Is My Body… A Defence of the Doctrine of Doing and Allowing", Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, Vol.94, No.3 (September 2013): 315-341. doi: 10.1111/papq.12002.
"Have We Solved the Non-Identity Problem?" Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Vol. 15, No. 5 (November 2012): 677-690.
"The Doctrine of Doing and Allowing I: Analysis of the Doing/Allowing Distinction", Philosophy Compass, Vol. 7, No. 7 (July 2012): 448-458.
"The Doctrine of Doing and Allowing II: The Moral Relevance of the Doing/Allowing Distinction", Philosophy Compass, Vol. 7. No. 7 (July 2012): 459-469.
"Most Ways I could Move: Comparing Subsets of the Behaviour Space in Bennett's Act/Omission Distinction", Mind, Volume 120, Issue 477 (January 2011): 155-182
"Doing, Allowing and the Deliberative Requirement", Ratio, Volume 23, Issue 2, (June 2010): 199-216
"Doing and Allowing, Threats and Sequences", Pacific Philosophical Quarterly Volume 89, Issue 2 (June 2008): 261-277
"Marriage and the Norm of Monogamy" (co-authored with Bryan R. Weaver), The Monist, Volume 91, No. 3-4 (July-October 2008): 506-522.
"Forsaking All Others: Monogamy, Norms and Value" (co-authored with Bryan R. Weaver), Alejandro Cervantes-Carson & Beatriz Oria (eds) Intimate Explorations Reading Across Disciplines, (Interdisciplinary Press, Oxford, 2009): 23-32.
Encyclopaedia Entries, Reviews, Critical Notices and Popular Philosophy
'Monogamy is Marvellous', The Critique, February 14th 2017.
Doing vs Allowing Harm, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2016.
Review of From Morality to the End of Reason by Ingmar Persson, Ethics, 125 (1): 272-276 (2014).
"Saving Strangers: What Does Morality Demand?", Dialogue: A Journal of Religion and Philosophy (April 2012).
"Cheating with Jenna: Monogamy, Pornography and Erotica", Dave Monroe (ed.) Porn: Philosophy for Everyone- How to Think With Kink, (Wiley-Blackwell, Malden MA, 2010): 93-104.
Review of Sexual Solipicism by Rae Langton, Times Literary Supplement, 19th March 2010.
Review of The Reflective Life, by Valerie Tiberius, Philosophical Quarterly Volume 59, Number 236 (July 2009): 570-573.
"Intricate Ethics and Inviolability: Frances Kamm's Nonconsequentialism", Critical Notice, Ratio, Volume 21, Issue 2 (June 2008): 231-238.


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Pan-fried fish fillets with sweet stem broccoli and Asian sauce
Photo by Tamara West
Real quick and easy tonight, using one of our new vege favourites — sweet stem broccoli and a simple Asian sauce. You will find sweet stem broccoli sold under the Fresh Grower brand (they call it Bellaverde) in select supermarkets and vegetable stores. They are the young sweet stems of the broccoli plant. If you can't find it, just use standard broccoli.
|¼ cup
|Chicken stock, or vegetable stock
|2 Tbsp
|Vegetable oil
|3 Tbsp
|Light soy sauce
|3 Tbsp
|1 Tbsp
|Coconut sugar, or caster sugar
|4 fillets
|White fish, firm (about 150g each)
|1 handful
|Toasted sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and tamari roasted almonds, chopped
|2 handfuls
|Broccolini, tender stem, trimmed
- Heat 1 Tbsp of the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add stock, soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar then set aside.
- Heat a large frying over medium heat, add the remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and place in the fish fillets. Pan-fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once. Cooking time will depend on thickness of fish fillets.
- Steam the broccolini or cook in lightly salted water until bite-tender, about 1 minute. Drain if necessary and place on a warmed serving plate.
- Bring the Asian sauce to the boil then pour over the broccolini. Sprinkle with chopped seeds and nuts. Serve with pan-fried fish fillets.
- Serve with steamed rice or your favourite mash.


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A firefighter lowered from a hovering helicopter rescued a dog from the Los Angeles River during a sudden afternoon rain storm on Friday.
The small brown dog was spotted floating down the swollen river near Memorial Drive and Forest Lawn Drive, said Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department. It was safely hoisted to a nearby embankment, according to an alert from the LAFD.
Heavy rains fell across Los Angeles on Friday afternoon, complicating the start of the weekend for millions of local commuters, and at least one very wet dog.
The National Weather Service warned heavy downpours will continue Friday afternoon, accompanied by lightning in some places, but said the weather is expected to clear for Saturday.
Click here to read the full story at LATimes.com.


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With the release of the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Black Red occurring yesterday, and its Zebra-inspired rendition to follow in two weeks, another colorway of the highly-coveted silhouette is revealed to debut sometime later this Spring/Summer.
According to reputable source @theyeezymafia, this dark green variation will be dropping either in May or June 2017. The model bears a monochromatic finish, which is somewhat reminiscent of the 350 Moonrock, although, this rendition boasts the revamped primeknit upper with its distinctive stripe overlay and "SPLY-350" branding camouflaged.
Furthermore, while the featured image above is from the Yeezy Season 4 fashion presentation, the forthcoming retail pair will also include a heel tab. Finally, a semi-translucent sole unit with ridging encapsulating the signature boost rounds out the sleek design altogether.
Stay tuned to KicksOnFire for additional updates and its official reveal.
h/t: theyeezymafia/SneakerNews


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Services & Support
High Challenge. High Support.
Culver asks a lot from students, not only in academics, but in athletics, leadership roles, community support, and many other areas. Those high challenge opportunities are matched with high support from our faculty and staff - both in the academic sphere as well as the social sphere.
Campus Services
- Barber Shop
- Box Office & Ticketing
- Campus Store
- Fitness Center
- Lay Dining Center
- Post Office
- Rubin Cafe
- Uniform Shop
Barber Shop
Box Office & Ticketing
Admission to ticketed events in Eppley Auditorium can be procured at the Steinbrenner Performing Arts Center Box Office M-F or at the Eppley Auditorium Box Office prior to the event. For more information, visit the Fine Arts page.
Campus Store
Fitness Center
Lay Dining Center
Daily Menu
BRC (Breakfast)
- Sunday* (7:30-10:30AM)
- Monday - Friday (7:30-9:00AM)
- Saturday (7:00-9:00AM)
DRC (Lunch)
- Monday - Saturday (11:00AM - 1:30PM)
- Sunday (10:30AM - 2:00PM)
SRC (Supper)
- Monday - Friday (5:00PM - 7:30PM)
- Saturday (5:00PM - 6:30PM)
- Sunday (5:00PM - 7:30PM)
*All hours are subject to change according to class schedules, special schedules, parade, etc.
Post Office
Rubin Cafe
Uniform Shop
Health & Wellness
Campus Security
Security 24/7. This group of trained officers provide saftey and security services and audits on a regular basis. Not only do they serve as a physical point of contact, but work on strategic ways keep students and employees safe. They are constantly assessing risk management and implimenting new technology to better equip students and staff in case of an emergency.
Campus Saftey & Security also utilizes LiveSafe - an application used to communicate timely information in the event of an emergency.
Emergency: 911
Campus Saftey & Security: 574-842-4088


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WHEN I see Amelia swinging atop the trapeze, back straight, eyes clear and true, I think: "Anything is possible."
I don't think about the time I tried to take her to another circus class someplace else and they said no. No, because she's deaf and autistic and it was all too hard. My daughter wasn't worth the effort.
I don't even think back to the day I took her to a soccer clinic and she lost it, running across the pitches to avoid me, screaming and yelling.
I kept falling over in my desperate effort to catch her, to get us out of there. My legs were grazed and people stared. Their eyes said, "Thank god that's not me."
After an eternity in hell, a burly, tattooed man helped me carry her away to our final point of collapse on the nature strip. I held that stranger's hand so tight and cried enough tears to flood the street.
I forget his name but not his kindness.
My mind has moved on and carried me elsewhere, to human pyramids and balancing acts. To death-defying feats like the tentative first steps taken on a wire.
To a place where a young woman has learned some Auslan without being asked just so Amelia can be more involved. I want to hug her for the longest time.
To Thursday nights when we drop her off in the safe hands of her new troupe of friends and we don't worry.
We sneak a peek at her from the doorway, transfixed by her form sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with kids her own age.
She watches everything like a hawk and is not afraid to try. Suspending her strong body from brightly coloured sashes she looks weightless and free. So are we.
We don't want a lot more in life than to see our child happy and healthy and safe. To be able to join in and feel included. They're basic things but what else could be more important?
Nothing. In our world we've learned to appreciate the smallest of triumphs. Like the look on Amelia's face when we pick her up at 6pm and she's flushed from the fun of it all.
We dreamed of this for her and now we are here. Our little girl's run away to join the circus but she has our blessing along with our hearts.


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I recently gave my first sermon in the United Methodist Church. This is the full text of my message.
It was about ten minutes to midnight, and I was more alone than I'd ever been in my life. Oh, to be sure, I was surrounded by people — hundreds of people, in fact. But I was utterly alone, and so scared I was crying like a child.
You see, I was lost. More lost than I'd ever thought possible. I was lost and I had no idea how to change my situation. I was standing in the middle of Milan station, in the heart of downtown Milan, Italy. And I'd missed the last train home.


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October 13, 2017
The Pacific Center for Special Care has received $3,578,239 in new grants to support expansion of the Virtual Dental Home System it developed. The funding will support work with the California Regional Center system to improve oral health for people with disabilities in that system, development of value-based payment methodology, and expansion activities with partners across the West Coast and Hawaii.
"This level of funding from multiple sources indicates tremendous interest in supporting systems that can improve the oral health of the vast number of people who do not currently have access to oral health services and good oral health," said Dr. Paul Glassman, director of the Pacific Center. "The fact that these funding awards come from multiple federal and state sources — as well as philanthropic foundations in multiple states — shows that Pacific's work in these areas is being recognized as an important strategy for focusing the oral health system of the future on achieving better outcomes and lowering the cost of doing so."
The Pacific Center's recent grants include:
$861,000 contract from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The contract is part of a HRSA-funded State Oral Health Workforce Grant awarded to CDPH. Pacific will be working with several health centers to start a Virtual Dental Home system. In addition, Pacific will develop measurement and data collection methodology that can be used to develop value-based payment systems for oral health care. Value-based payment is the concept of providing incentives for improving the health of groups of people. Traditional health care payment systems base incentives on the number of procedures, visits or other interventions conducted, rather than outcomes. There is great interest in value-based systems across the health care industry, although less work has been done in this area in oral health care.
$150,000 grant from the Delta Dental Foundation to work with the Rolling Hills Community Health Center on launching a Virtual Dental Home system in Tehama County. Tehama County has a large rural population along with many low-income people who are not accessing dental care in the traditional dental care system.
$140,235 grant from the Alta California Regional Center to train and support dental providers in the Alta Regional Center catchment area to work with Alta clients with developmental disabilities. This project will include providing continuing dental education programs, on-site training and an incorporation of Virtual Dental Home outreach systems to reach and improve the oral health of people within the Alta Regional Center area.
Four county grants as part of the Dental Transformation Initiative (DTI) project with the California Department of Healthcare Services (DHCS). California has embarked on a $750 million DTI program supported by a waiver from the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Approximately $180 million of this program is to fund local dental pilot projects (LDPPs). The Pacific Center was selected to be a participant in eight of the 15 LDPPs that were approved by DHCS. Pacific has received subcontracts from four of these counties at this point. They are:
$332,626 grant from Fresno County to support dental providers there in their adoption of the Virtual Dental Home system.
$140,235 grant for the first year of a 3.5-year project from San Joaquin County. Pacific has been working with the Community Medical Centers FQHC for the last few years under grants from the San Joaquin Kaiser and Sutter Hospital Foundations. This DTI grant will significantly expand the reach of this program with the addition of multiple schools' Head Start centers. The grant will also focus on children in special needs education as well as Early Head Start (EHS) programs, which serve children under the age of three and pregnant women.
$684,243 grant from the Sacramento County Department of Public Health. This project will involve working with four provider entities who will serve children in the Twin Rivers School District in Sacramento. It will also involve the three health plans currently contracted with DHCS to provide dental care under the Geographic Managed Care (GMC) system. This project is unique in its goal of demonstrating that the Virtual Dental Home system can improve the delivery of oral health services within a managed care environment.
$650,202 grant from the First Five Commission in Orange County. This project will support the development of Virtual Dental Home systems working in conjunction with six FQHCs. Project will also support the expansion of the Virtual Dental Home system started by Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County (HSKOC) with training and support by Pacific several years ago.
$30,000 grant from the Western University School of Dentistry to train dental hygienists to place Interim Therapeutic Restorations and implement Virtual Dental Home care systems. This is the third year of funding for an existing project in conjunction with Western to expand the availability of dental care and the use of dental hygienists in community settings.
Two foundation grants to expand Pacific's partnership with the Hawaii Department of Health in their efforts to implement the Virtual Dental Home system as a method of improving oral health for the people of Hawaii. The Hawaii Dental Service (HDS) previously funded two years of work to start a Virtual Dental Home system on the Island of Hawaii. The new grants are:
$319,235 grant from HDS. This grant continues support for the project on the Island of Hawaii for another year, as well as the establishment of a new Virtual Dental Home system on the Island of Maui. (see below)
$125,000 grant from the Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) Foundation. This grant and the HDS grant will support Pacific's work with the Hui No Ke Ola Pono Native Hawaiian Community Health Center as they begin to use the Virtual Dental Home system to serve children on Maui in Head Start and WIC programs, as well as in Hale Makua Health Services' skilled nursing facilities.
$130,000 from the Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry (OHSU). This grant will support OHSU in their testing of the ability of dental hygienists to place Interim Therapeutic restorations and the inclusion of a number of dental care organizations in their Virtual Dental Home expansion project.
The Pacific Center for Special Care is an organization within University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry committed to improving the oral health of underserved people on the local, state and federal level. The Pacific Center has been building its capacity to train and support systems and providers at this scale for many years. The center has developed tools for project management milestone tracking, online education resources, performance reporting, and technical assistance.
For more information about any of these projects please contact Dr. Paul Glassman, Director of the Pacific Center for Special Care, at 415.929.6490 or email@example.com.
Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, email@example.com
Contact: Office of Marketing and Communications, 415.929.6434, firstname.lastname@example.com: Awards, Community Impact, Featured, Honors, Pacific Center for Special Care, 2017


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JBJ was on both The Late Show with Stephen Colbert & The Howard Stern Show where he discussed the upcoming single "When We Were US". Stephen Colbert debuted the artwork for the single and Howard Stern played a 30-second clip, both posted below with additional clips from both shows.
A re-release of This House Is Not For Sale will debut on February 23 and contain two new singles, "When We Were US" and "Walls".
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – Interview
The Howard Stern Show – Additional Highlights
Listen to the full interview here.