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Owners stuck with flawed homes in Montrose, Memorial
Families' costs mount, but state, builder give scant help, files show
For years, neighbors in a stylish Montrose cul-de-sac named Hyde Park Crescent fought to get something out of the developer they claim failed to fix faulty windows, water-soaked balconies and defective roofs that spawned leaks, mold and rot in their nearly new $350,000 homes.
Families alleged in a lawsuit that they were sold flawed town homes and then stuck with thousands of dollars in repair bills. They also contended that the men behind the company committed a kind of corporate identity fraud to avoid responsibility and keep right on building on other fertile ground in construction-friendly Houston.
Over the years, the builder, and other companies associated with it, have left a trail of documented damages and unresolved consumer complaints involving at least four other Houston housing developments, according to documents reviewed by the Chronicle, including lawsuits and Better Business Bureau and government records.
Texas laws offer minimal recourse for homeowners, and their complaints often drag on for years with disappointing results, advocates say. Some owners lose money fixing their homes or lose their homes because they can't afford to fix them.
Jordan Fogal, a homemaker and autobiographer who lost her Hyde Park town home to foreclosure, eventually won a finding of fraud against the builder, Stature Construction, in a costly arbitration proceeding that further depleted her retirement funds.
A neighbor, Susan Ellis, pursued a lawsuit that forced the company into settlement negotiations — after a four-year fight. Ellis and her husband were joined in their suit by four other families at 1515 Hyde Park Blvd., where nine of 44 units built in a tight 2 acres off Waugh Drive have been lost to foreclosure since 2003. The Ellises alone have paid $50,000 in repairs.
'We tried to fix things'The Ellises and two of the other families recently settled for confidential amounts, their lawyer, William Ferebee , said. The other two couples expect to go to trial in May.
But the builders have never paid Fogal and her husband the $37,308 that an arbiter awarded in October 2006, according to the Fogals and their attorneys.
"I always wondered what life would be like in our sixties. However, I never envisioned ... being homeless, a restraining order against us, being sued ... and having to share a closet," Fogal wrote in one of several online journal entries she's penned about her experience.
Meanwhile, Jorge Casimiro and Thomas Thibodeau, who ran the company responsible for Hyde Park, blamed most of the mess on a subcontractor, saying roofs had been improperly installed, according to legal documents filed when the two sued the roofer.
Casimiro, former CEO of Stature, said his company made plenty of repairs, yet the problems kept mushrooming and homeowners kept complaining, according to court records. "And I do remember that we went out there and we tried to fix things. And I believe that we fixed them at that time," he said in a deposition.
Casimiro and Thibodeau did not respond to repeated requests for interviews.
William Chesney III, an attorney for Casimiro and Thibodeau, said he expected the Ellises' lawsuit to be settled. But he attacked Fogal's claims as lies, as frivolous and as unreasonable, documents show.
Casimiro and Thibodeau continued to develop property under myriad names.
One company Casimiro ran botched the Memorial Villages police station that serves three small towns just west of Loop 610, public records show. In 2002, Stature Commercial Construction was fired from the $3.2 million project.
While under construction, the station filled with mold. The company blamed a roofer but Stature's bonding company paid more than $1.5 million for repairs and other expenses related to the debacle, documents show.
Another related company developed Montrose's Tremont Tower, a troubled condo project that bears the dubious distinction of having one of the region's highest 2007 foreclosure rates, according to a Houston Chronicle analysis of data collected by the Foreclosure Information & Listing Service.
Last year, nearly two dozen Houston homeowners who live in three other developments built by Stature or Tremont Homes asked the Harris County District Attorney's Office to investigate the companies. Their town homes were built in and around Montrose and near Memorial Park.
No criminal actionThe homeowners took photos of tell-tale brown stains under leaky balconies. They collected inspection records showing how the builder had sometimes skipped getting required permits.
They documented how the company changed names and then denied warranty claims.
And they provided their own mounting repair bills.
The District Attorney's Office refused to take the case. In a letter, consumer fraud division attorney Valerie Turner said she thought it would be too difficult under Texas law to prove Tremont "intentionally and knowingly promised performance to the consumer, which they knew would not be performed."
"Your complaint, while very serious, is not criminal," the letter concluded. "We are sorry that civil remedies afforded to you and other homeowners under Texas law ... seem inadequate."
Sarah Reid Ford, one of the homeowners, was confounded by the response.
"We could get dozens of witnesses to say: 'These people cheated me, they defrauded me,' ... and at the end of the day, the DA's office does nothing," she said.
Several years earlier, the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston also unsuccessfully urged prosecutors to investigate after Stature/Tremont failed to respond to consumer complaints and then changed names, said spokeswoman Carol Ritter.
The BBB ejected both companies from its membership rolls.
Though construction complaints are common, Ritter said, allegations about a pattern of substandard construction and deception by Stature were disturbing.
"They know that if they can string this out for as long as possible, they will just bankrupt everybody," she said.
Complaints increaseThough it's possible in Texas to make a criminal case against a builder or remodeler who repeatedly takes homeowners' money and never performs any work, state laws are not strong enough to protect homeowners in many other situations, said Russel Turbeville , chief of the Harris County district attorney's consumer fraud division, who has seen construction-related complaints surge.
"Texas is a bad place to be if you've got a construction problem with your home," he said.
Tort reform and lack of legal protections have left homeowners who believe they have been victimized by builders with fewer ways to fight back, advocates from Home Owners for Better Building and Texas Watch say.
"To the extent there are builders who are gaming the system and preying on consumers we need to have significant reform," said Alex Winslow, of Texas Watch.
But Lee Parsley, an Austin attorney for Texans for Lawsuit Reform, said, "Lawsuit reform is not related to the problems people may be having collecting judgments or arbitration awards, and it has nothing to do with whether the district attorney can attempt to punish a person or company that refuses to pay."
In 2001, Stature Construction had been listed by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the nation's largest Hispanic-owned businesses, with $28 million in revenue.
For years, the company steadily pumped out more than 50 homes a year in the burgeoning Houston market, according to depositions given by Casimiro.
But Casimiro has claimed his company was a casualty of the lawsuits and subcontractors' substandard work. Casimiro, a former member of the Harris County Housing Authority, has been building in Houston for years — first fencing, then affordable homes and then upscale inside-the-loop developments.
His partner at Stature was Thibodeau, a Houston builder who founded the company with Casimiro's father in 1989. Thibodeau oversaw construction; Casimiro was the business manager who oversaw warranty matters, according to depositions.
Casimiro used Norman Chapa, his brother-in-law, as his go-to guy for dealing directly with homeowners' warranty issues.
Chapa, who has no construction experience, went to federal prison last year after pleading guilty to taking part in an international visa fraud ring involving Chinese citizens, according to his sworn statements and federal court records.
In 2001, the year Stature Construction became inactive, Casimiro and Thibodeau founded other companies, including Tremont Homes. Initially, at least, Tremont Homes used the same offices and many of the same employees.
The hidden defectsThe Hyde Park Crescent project, started in 1999, featured a three-story boxy design with steep-pitched roofs and decorative accents. Several couples, like the Fogals and the Ellises, were captivated by what seemed like a sure-thing investment.
"By outward appearances the homes were masterpieces with spacious rooms, hardwood floors and detailed interior finishings," said the Ellises' lawsuit. But in reality, they were "nightmares in the making."
The first problems seemed small — it rained in a few windows; a bathtub leaked.
It took several rounds of repairs before the Ellises and others learned about the mostly hidden defects, their lawsuit says. Roofs and balconies accumulated moisture that slowly discolored and undermined stucco facades.
The Fogals eventually learned their own home had been filled with mold before they bought it for $368,564 in April 2002. There had been nothing in the paperwork at closing that disclosed leaks or roof problems, according to arbitration documents.
Unable to pay needed repairs, the Fogals lost their home to foreclosure in June 2005.
Staff writer Purva Patel contributed.


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My transfer from Neosho was a low key affair. The Milwaukee was moored 2 piers down from Neosho at Norfolk Naval Station. So on a rainy and cold April day I shouldered my seabags and walked to the Milwaukee. This would be my home for the next 2 and a half years.
If I thought the Neosho was big at 28,000 tons displacement, then the Milwaukee was huge. She carried 7 million gallons of fuel compared with the Neoshos 5 million gallons. Her draft was 36 feet fully loaded. With a beam of 98 feet and a length over 800 feet long she was a behemoth!
She was also a lot newer than Neosho which was built in 1952. On Neosho it was not uncommon to wake up with something scurrying across your chest or crawling up your arm. The Milwaukee by comparison was launched in 1969 in Newport, Rhode Island and was clean as a whistle.
The Captain was a "maverick". That is someone who joined as enlisted and went on to become an officer. It was quite a feat and the crew loved him. This was Captain Hawkins. He knew every ones name and every ones job assignments. He had an open door policy and encouraged the crew in circumventing the Chain of Command in order to get things done.
She was a hard working ship, never pausing too long before heading back to sea and more assignments. She also dispensed food and ammunition along with all the same fuels that we handled on Neosho. It was clear that we would never go hungry. And that we would always be busy!
We had a sponsor in the Milwaukee Beer Company. They provided us with a supply of beer for recreational use when the ship threw parties ashore. Our engines were painted with the Milwaukee Beer emblem as were the sides of our 2 helicopters. We carried 2 CH-46 Seahawks and housed them in a hangar on our aft helo deck. This was also an area where the crew hung out at sea, playing basketball and Frisbee. It was rumored that you could track us simply by following the trail of Frisbees and basketballs that had gone overboard at various times. Hey, it's hard to make a free throw while the ship is rolling.
I was assigned again to a deck Division. I stood watches and did maintenance. I was beginning to realize that I should have taken a school.
When you first come aboard any ship you are assigned things like a lifeboat, a duty station, a cleaning task, etc. My first UnRep (Underway replenishment) station was on the flight deck as a "Cargo Hooker." This involves attaching a 6 foot lightweight plastic pole to a cargo net that is filled with supplies. These supplies can range from ammunition to food or clothing. You stand in the center of the helo deck and when the chopper is about 5 feet over your head (an awe inspiring experience to be sure!) you "hook' the pole to the bottom of the helo and away she goes.
I was preparing to go on deck when an old Chief petty Officer handed me a steel shackle and said, "Here kid, better take one of these so you don't get blown overboard." He was joking so I put the shackle down and stepped out onto the helo deck. Here comes the first chopper. It gets about 10 feet over me and the downward force of wind from the rotors has me reeling like a drunk! I get the cargo hooked and run back into the hangar. Finding 2 15 pound shackles I attached them to my inflatable life vest, one on each side near my waist. I would never go out there again without my 30 extra pounds! That old Chief may have been kidding me but the shackles were a great help.
One day while standing watch on the bridge I noticed the Quartermaster laying out the ships course to Spain. He was using a pair of dividers and walking them across the chart laying out our PIM. (Plan of Intended Movement) I was struck then and there as if by lightning. This is what I wanted to do. Navigate.
I approached the Quartermaster who smiled and said- "Oh yeah, well take this copy of Bowditch and when you're done you can ask for the courses to take the test." Sounds really simple. But let's explore the offer.
Bowditch was written by Nathaniel Bowditch in the 1700's and is comprised of everything known about Navigation since the Egyptians and even includes Navigation in Space. It is also a very math oriented subject. Now I had graduated High School with only a General Diploma due to not having had the required 4th year of math. So I had to set about learning trigonometry and logarithms if I wanted to do this.
I went to the training officer who did all he could to discourage me. I put a request in through the Executive Officer, LtCdr. Martin, who flatly refused me based on my having been busted for grass and also having done 3 days bread and water for an Unauthorized Absence while aboard Neosho. So I took things in my own hands and set about to become a Quartermaster.
In the Armed Forces you can request any courses you want from The Naval Education Training Command in Washington. They send you the study materials and the tests. When the tests are done you mail them in and they grade you. If you pass they send the Notification to your ship and the Captain. This puts him in an awkward position. If he has an opening in that field he must use you or explain to the Commodore why he is going to the extra expense of having someone else assigned and transferred to his ship to do the job when there is already a qualified person aboard. So it was full steam ahead.
This was also around the time that I became known as "Willie". Everyone in the service gets a nickname. Mine was merely a shortening of my last name. But it was bestowed on me due to my demeanor while on the helm. Casual is the best description. I usually had one hand on the wires overhead and assumed a somewhat slumped posture while steering- as if this was all pretty routine. Like Tugboat Willie.
I passed my course with Excellents and Superiors. I think my lowest score was a High Average. So against their better judgement Cdr Martin and Captain Hawkins were forced to let me become a "striker" for QM3. It was a rank that I would hold and lose several times before my enlistment was over. But my overall responsibilities continued to grow, even when I was demoted.
I loved "star time" which is the time around dawn and again at dusk when you take sightings with a sextant and use the resulting lines of position to correct or at least monitor the error in your electronic gear. This was before Navigation satellites and GPS systems. We had Loran and Omega systems- they were good but were frequently affected by the weather. At times like that we would steam based on a dead reckoning position which theoretically is alright but does not account for the set and drift factors caused by the wind on the surface and the currents below. So it was an art as well as a science.
I became quite good at the sextant as well as the electronics. One time we had steamed 4 days in the Med without a star fix or sunline. We were pretty sure of where we were but needed to prove it. Dennis Laglands and I cranked out the radar to something like 80 miles and picked up a Cape. Consulting the chart we drew a line of postion from that Cape to our assumed Dead Reckoning position and were with in 5 miles! Not bad considering that we had been taking educated guesses at the set and drift of the last several days.
Late in November of 1978 we got word that we would have 2 weeks in the port of Valencia, Spain. This is a city on the East coast of Spain, very cosmoplitan and with several Universities located there. There was a music district with nightclubs and coffee bars. There was hashish available everywhere and we lost no time in making friends with the local college crowd.
We were, as I've said, scheduled for 2 weeks of uninterrupted bliss in this great town for the Christmas and New years holidays. But in the Navy things can change quickly. One night we were out drinking and carousing about when the Shore Patrol came around and ordered everyone back to the ship. It was the 23rd of December and some Admiral wanted us to head out to sea immediatley to re-fuel some ships the next day- Christmas Eve! Having no say in this matter we headed back in drunken groups and in spite of our intoxication we got the Old Milwaukee to sea and made the rendezvous the next afternoon.
We worked until about 11 PM that night, grumbling, as all good sailors do. At about 11:30 PM we heard an announcement on the 1 MC that really shocked us. I don't believe it has ever been repeated on any other ships. "All hands lay to the Mess decks for Holiday Spirits." Captain Hawkins had instructed the Medical Officer to bring all the ships medicinal brandy to the Mess Deck and give everyone a shot. We eagerly complied and when we were done I don't believe that there was any brandy left aboard! What made this so remarkable is the fact that consuming alcohol aboard a Naval vessel is illegal. This could have had bad repurcussions for the Captain. But this was his way of acknowledging our hard work and saying Merry Christmas. I don't think any of us have ever forgotten it.
It was not the first time that the Captain had "bent" the rules. Earlier in the year, about 200 miles off the coast of New Jersey, in the Gulf Stream, we were granted a "swim call." This is so rare that it is easy to find sailors who have been in for 30 years or more who never had the opportunity to swim in the middle of the ocean. We had two 24 foot motor whale boats circling in a designated area around us. They each carried 2 Gunners Mates with M-14's. They were supposed to shoot any sharks that might come around. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that the guns were to shoot anyone that was being attacked by a shark, rather than shooting the shark, which would be almost impossible to do.
I have never been a strong swimmer but I gladly jumped in and it was the most heavenly feeling to have the "motion of the ocean" buffeting you gently in the current. It was also a little scary, knowing that danger did lurk beneath the surface.
Soon we heard the shouts of "Shark!" but it turned out to be a false alarm. It was dolphins that had come to play. Now I don't know about you but at 135 pounds I was not an appropriate playmate for a dolphin. So when one nudged me, gently I might add, he cracked one of my ribs. I was forced to dog paddle back to the side of the ship and painfully made my way up the cargo net that was strung over the side for us to climb aboard. But I have never held it against the dolphin- after all I was playing in his yard!
In January of 1979 we had a Change of Command and Captain Hawkins was replaced by Captain Page. He immediately closed the door on Captain Hawkins "Open Door Policy." There was some grumbling but not much we could do about it.
Captain Page was an "airdale" meaning he was a jet pilot. He flew A-6's and had also been a flight instructor. The day he came aboard we got underway and I was on the bridge at the helm. Captain Page entered the bridge and everyone snapped to attention when "Captain is on the Bridge" was called by the Boatswains Mate. When Captain Page glanced over my shoulder for a look at the compass I turned to him and said, "You've got a real 'can do' ship here sir. With a real 'can do' crew." I think the candid way in which I spoke with him was a bit of a surprise. He looked at me and said he was glad to hear it.
For the next 2 years and more we would steam across the Atlantic and back 4 times, head down to South America, transit the Panama Canal and visit the Mid East several times. We never missed a single commitment. During that time we were awarded several Unit Citations for Excellence in Engineering and also Sea Service Deployment Ribbons for time spent at sea. We were a hard working crew and consequently we played equally hard.
Our port visits were the stuff they make movies about. We bribed ships agents to load hashish in with the fresh vegetables and smuggled whiskey aboard in great quantities. There were also small group of sailors who would comb the pharmacies in search of Valiums.
A typical liberty would see the crew rushing out to the brothels and bars. I usually hit the grocery stores in search of tea and snack foods. This also gave me a chance to mix with the locals. I carried foreign language dictionaries with me and could have some discourse by pointing out words and the translation in the books. Through this I was usually able to find some smoke without resorting to the really sordid places where you might get more than what you were looking for. But sometimes it was necessary to resort to the bars and the hookers in order to find something. These times were always fraught with peril.
One time we were in Barcelona and had been making a deal down a dark side street. We sensed something wrong and when we turned to go we were faced with about 8 guys slowly coming towards us. There were 3 of us. Realizing that we had been set up we took the dealer down very quickly, keeping the drugs and taking a refund of our money plus whatever else he had on him. Then Ron said he would take the 2 on the left- and Dennis would take care of the right side. I would take the package and head straight for the guy in the middle. Kind of like football.
We ended up breaking through the line and were chased all the way back to the Navy Yard. Liberty expired at 2 AM and it was past that time now and the gates were locked! There was some scaffolding in place on the side of the wall and we scampered up to the top - our friends in hot pursuit. The wall was 30 feet high and there was no scaffolding on the other side. It would have to be a straight drop.
Ron jumped first and then Dennis went. He hung off the wall before dropping, this cut the length of fall by 6 feet. Good idea. So I did the same. I landed on the steel rail of the train tracks and shattered my leg. Our pursuers did not enter the yard. They remained at the top of the wall cursing us in Spanish. If they had eneterd and got caught they would have been shot. It was kind of like "Sanctuary."
I was fined $100 for having broken my leg and my liberty was restricted for about a month. The rule was that when you got back on board you had to be able to stand on your own, face the after end of the ship and salute the flag. You could not lean on anyone or anything. You had to be upright. I tried but the leg would have none of it and I went down.
Following this cruise we proceeded to the Panama Canal and through it to support the situation in Nicaragua. Like I said, if there was something to be done the brass knew to call the Milwaukee. About this time we were known as the "Mighty" Milwaukee.
In January of 1980 we were berthed in Norfolk at Pier 2. We were "cold iron", which means we were connected to shore power. Typically it takes about 12 hours to prepare a ship like Milwaukee to get underway. We were about to set a speed record.
On the night of January 3rd I was out with Ron and Dennis and Kurt Baker. It was the usual driving around in Ron's AMC looking for girls and smoking pot. We were also doing qualudes and drinking. So we were in "high" spirits as we returned to the ship about 11 PM or so. As we headed down the pier to the gangway we heard the Collision Alarm go off and we thought, "Oh man, someones in trouble for doing that!" As we boarded the ship was rammed by a Malaysian Tanker named Sanko prestige. She had lost power to her steering and left the channel heading straight for us. As a matter of fact she would impact the area just below my berth and as she rode further in tore my bunk clean off! All that was left of my rack was the JP-5 pipe that carried fuel to the helo deck which was located right above our sleeping area. You can see my towel still hanging from the pipe in the picture.
Dennis, Ron and I raced to the bridge. We began to energize all electronic gear and synch in all Navigation Systems. We phoned the Engine Room and the watch down there began to get steam up to the boilers. We weren't sure what orders we would receive, but in the event of fire we needed to be ready to pull out to an anchorage. Carrying 7 million gallons of fuel is no laughing matter. An explosion will take out just about everything for a quarter of a mile in all directions.
Captain Page was called from his home in Virginia Beach and made the half hour trip in about 15 minutes. He was more than pleased with our performance that night. We never did have the fire and so didn't have to pull out- but the point is that we were ready.
The result of this collision was a "yard period" across the river in Hampton Roads. We were scheduled for some major work which was completed in about 3 weeks. At that time we were asked to refuel a task Group across the Atlantic in the Azores. This would turn out to be one of the biggest adventures of my time at sea.
We made the Azores and did some work in the Caribbean on the way back to the US. This was now February of 1980. It was a Wednesday and I believe it was the 6th. I had the Dog watch that afternoon, that is the watch that runs through evening chow and you get relieved for about 30 minutes or so by the oncoming 8-12 so that you can get to eat.
Upon returning from chow I noticed that the barometer had dropped another .02 of an inch for the second hour in a row. Something was brewing along the lines of a low pressure system that would bear watching in the coming hours. I informed the officer of the deck, I believe it was Ensign Tyler that evening- he was a portly, pipe smoking fellow who affected an intellectual air that was mostly a façade. He reacted with a derisive "Hmphh." This was not all that unusual a response to receive from some of the younger officers. They seemed to look down upon the enlisted as an inferior class of people, lacking the money, or brains, or sometimes both- to get into college and become officers. They never understood that there were people who wanted to enlist, in the ranks, and serve there.
So nothing was done except that I informed the deck officer that heavy weather was approaching and a life line on deck would be a good idea. A 500 foot mooring line was secured to the after and forward bulkheads by means of shackles affixed to padeyes which were welded to the respective bulkheads. For some reason no precautions were taken to secure the ship for heavy seas.
I was relieved by QM3 Baker at 1945 for the 20-2400 watch. Star time was not an issue that evening due to the weather. We were running on Omega and Loran with a dead reckoning tracer as a back up. I entered into the Pass Down the Line log that the barometer had fallen for 2 hours in a row and to be aware of any changes in the sea etc. I left the bridge, and as was the custom of the day, smoked a joint before preparing to shower and retire.
By the time I got back to the after house and the Navigation Division berthing space the ship was being tossed and buffeted by huge swells and violent gusts of wind. The helmsman was a deckhand and the ship was not being handled properly. We were taking a lot of punishment that could have been avoided by having a more experienced man at the helm.
By now, objects all over the ship were being loosed by the storm and there was no way to stop the seeming avalanche of food supplies, crates, forklifts etc that had not been tied down. The 7 million gallons of fuel that we carried started to have its' own inertial effect upon the handling of the vessel, making it even more unstable. The "Mighty Milwaukee" was taking rolls in excess of her design and the ship would shudder as she laboriously struggled to right herself after each successive roll. Standing was now impossible and most of the men were braced in their "racks" with feet and hands braced against the nearest stanchion or bulkhead, feet dug into the rims of the thin sleeping surfaces that served also as covers to the coffin like clothes compartment that lay beneath each. The coffin like similarities of these lockers were not lost on the men at a time like this.
Lockers were toppling and tables and chairs were being literally pitched as the violence of the storm increased. Most of the crew was now motion sick and those that weren't were unable to do anything but hang on for the wildest ride any of us had ever been on.
Shortly after 2300 (11 PM) the phone rang and someone told me that the bridge was on the phone. I was told that the Captain was ordering me to the bridge. I went, on the double, expecting that I was about to be chewed out for the storm having taken us by surprise. I started across the deck and made it about 50 feet before turning back and using the cargo deck- which although it had the advantage of being enclosed , had the hazard of forklifts,tools and cargo being tossed and thrown about with considerable violence. Added to this was the possibility of falling into one of the open elevator pits. These were large, seven story deep shafts that were sometimes left open. Tonight , unfortunately, was one of these times. The effect of the ship moving about under me not only prevented me from walking a straight line at this point, but it was now carrying me close to these pits and several times I came near to falling in one. They were located on both the port and starboard sides, increasing this likelihood as I struggled forward.
At the end of this journey on the cargo deck I was faced with 4 interior ladders, steeply angled as compared with a normal stairway, but still an improvement over the exterior ladders which were precisely that, ladders welded to the bulkheads. Unknown to me at this time was that many of these ladders had been torn away by the tons of water crashing against the superstructure.
The bridge was a scene of disaster. There were 22 people in there- way too many. Captain Page was braced in a corner, legs apart and arms against the forward portholes, concerned but very much in command. "Well Willie- what do you think we should do?" Captain Page had been a Pilot– flew A-6's and also was a flight instructor. With a good sense of humor and a relaxed demeanor among the men, he was a well liked captain and a good leader. He had a hard act to follow, coming on the heels of Captain Hawkins, who had come up from enlisted ranks via the NESEP program, which although not that rare, was quite an accomplishment and the men had idolized him as "one of us." But Captain Page had more than filled his shoes and it was a "tight" crew.
My first suggestion was to rid the bridge of as many of the puking , moaning men as possible, placing them in the passageways leading to the bridge itself. Everyone had plastic trash bags to puke in and the stench was beginning to become overpowering.
Standing was impossible at this level, we were hanging on to the overhead and the wire banks and piping that line it. Captain Page ordered me to take the helm.
The compass card was swinging wildly, port to starboard and back again over a field of approximately 180 degrees. We were at the mercy of the sea unless we could stabilize ourselves and begin to make some sort of headway. The Captain then ordered me to steer as necessary to make headway and hold course- I was hanging onto the overhead and steering with my feet- literally counteracting the swells by kicking the helm hard left and hard right.
I then received via the Captain , several course changes prompted by the other officers present on the bridge looking for the course that would give us the "best ride". Captain Page asked my recommendation and I chose West as that would bring us toward our destination of Norfolk but not put us in shallow waters that could hazard the vessel. I was of the opinion that with 65 foot swells breaking over the bridge and winds of 98 knots (107 mph) with gusts greater than that, there was no course that was going to give a good ride. The Captain ordered me to make it so, which I immediately did.
We spent the next 9 hours or so riding through this maelstrom and upon breaking out of it in the morning and later approaching Virginia Beach, we were greeted by the most dazzling sight- over 12" of snow blanketing the Beach and everything beyond! After the violence of the past 10 hours the contrast was extraordinary and we began to open hatchways and portholes to air the ship out. The crew began to come back to life- restowing all the gear that had been thrown about but not washed overboard. The Officers took toll of the structural damage to the ship- ladders gone, boats torn loose, rigging fouled and ruined.
We moored at D and S Piers on the James River and there my memory fades a bit- we were very tired and I imagine that we cleaned ship and had an early knock off that day.
A week later on the 12th of February we were already back out to sea. We were doing an underway replenishment when Captain Page approached me at the helm with an envelope saying "It's a little bit late- read it later."
The remainder of the spring and early summer found us everywhere doing everything. We even played cat and mouse with the Russians off Greece for a week or so.Around this time they were testing the limits of our foreign policy to see how far they could go in provoking us at sea. They were also beginning to become a "blue water" Navy, going out of the Baltic and further into the Med and Pacific. We were not permitted to respond to any of their actions and this was a very hard thing to swallow.
In late July we reported to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for repairs and conversions. It was a real thrill to sail up the Narrows and under the Verazzano Bridge. I had watched that bridge being built and when it opened in November of 1964 my brother and I were the first bicycles over it. When the Milwaukee got to the Brooklyn Bridge we had to cut the mast to pass under. Someone had misjudged our draft.
We entered the Navy Yard and moved into barracks across from the Yard. I stayed with my parents for a few days before finally moving in with Mark and Lois. Their house would continue to be a haven for me over the next several years.
By September I was mustering out and it was especially nice to be getting out in my hometown of Brooklyn, New York. Now it was time to put my experience of the last 4 years into action. I was going to get my Seamans Papers and join the Union. I was going to be a Merchant Marine.
Thursday, January 14, 2016
It's Only Me- Chapter 17- USS Milwaukee
Labels: Captain Hawkins, Captain Page, Chapter 17, Dennis, It's Only Me, Ron, USS Milwaukee
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subset: commoncrawl


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September 09, 2019 – Many believe that dreams are simply something that happens to us when we sleep, perhaps when we have something on our mind that is bothering us. There are many books on how to interpret our dreams which of course goes back to biblical times with Joseph interpreting the Egyptian Pharaoh and it can be exciting to imagine that our dreams could come true! It would be pretty far-fetched for many of us to think that a dream is anything more than just that.
However one Melbourne lady, Emma Woolrich, now dubbed the 'Dream Queen', who educates and challenges Australians to take more notice of their dreams, is proving that dreams are so much more and in fact, a dream is anything but random and is something a person can control and can be used to influence the way someone respond to life's everyday occurrences.
"There is so much power within a dream – they are an untapped resource and overlooked simply because we don't understand them and little is known about them. We can in fact proactively seek solutions to problems we face in our waking life," explains Emma.
And with the amount of time we spend asleep, or would like to sleep, it kind of makes sense that maybe there is more to a dream than a nice to have;
Emma is showing Aussies how to figure out everyday problems from 'Where did I put my keys, through to 'How can I fix a family feud' by using their dreams and she contests that anyone can learn how to do this.
Emma goes on to say:
"Most people are looking to interpret random dreams they have experienced usually caused by subconsciously suppressed emotions attached to a situation either recently, or a very long time ago. Your body is using this 'downtime' to try to make sense of what took place, or you 'thought' took place. We can actually take a more proactive approach to our dreams and make use of them by choosing the topic we want to dream about to specifically provide answers to something we have been struggling with".
Emma stumbled across this rather odd phenomenon quite by accident when she lay in bed and decided she would consciously dream about fixing her health as she had been struggling with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
"I recognised our sleeping hours were actually more important than we gave them credit for – sleeping was not merely a time to rest and a necessity. Imagine if you could consciously choose what you could dream about during your sleep and that it could have some effect on your actions during the day", says Emma.
So, Emma set about exploring this idea and created a five-step process to not only help people remember dreams, but to actively choose what they were going to dream about to provide direction and solutions to everyday problems the following day and as a consequence, also discovered how this process began to assist those who struggled to sleep in the first place due to stress, overwhelm and a poor bedtime routine.
For information on how you can use your own dreams to fix everyday issues or improve your sleep quality contact Emma Woolrich – +61 411 404966 www.lifesymmetry.com.au
Media ContactCompany Name: Life Symmetry Pty LtdContact Person: Emma WoolrichEmail: Send EmailPhone: +61411404966Address:15b Palermo Street City: MentoneState: VictoriaCountry: AustraliaWebsite: www.lifesymmetry.com.au


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World of architecture pays tribute to Andy MacMillan
Modernist designer Andy MacMillan has died after suffered a brain haemorrhage while judging this year's Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) Andrew Doolan Awards
The architect joined Gillespie Kidd & Coia in 1954 from the Scottish East Kilbride Development Corporation, where he formed a partnership with Isi Metzstein. Neither architect was fully qualified, yet by 1956 they had assumed creative control of the company.
MacMillan served as head of the Mackintosh School of Architecture between 1973 and 1994, during which time Gillespie Kidd & Coia was dissolved. He continued to teach at the Glasgow School of Art up until his death.
"Andy was a great architect, an educator of international renown and one of the finest human beings it has been my privilege to know," said Iain Connelly, president of the RIAS, and a fellow judge of the Andrew Doolan Awards, which honours the best new buildings in Scotland.
"Andy's contribution to Scotland was among the most significant of any architect in the post World War II era. He will be remembered as someone who lived life to the full, who inspired all those he taught and all those who encountered him, as an individual of enormous talent, tremendous enthusiasm and irrepressible fun," he said.
RIAS secretary Neil Baxter said: "There will be architects the length and breadth of Scotland and well beyond who will be very saddened at the news that the great flame that was Andy's enthusiasm and joyous embrace of architecture and life has been extinguished."
Tony Chapman from RIBA also paid tribute. He said: "In his writing and his broadcasting Andy embodied creativity, wit and irresistible spirit.
"He wrote on urban design, design method, architectural education, Glaswegian and Scottish Architecture and on Charles Rennie Macintosh [Scots architect and water-colour artist]. He was also the author and presenter of the [TV] series Six Scottish Burghs demonstrating his easy erudition, charm and impish humour."
The architect is survived by his wife Angela, his son and his three daughters, who are inviting donations to the restoration fund for St Bride's Church, East Kilbride, in his memory.


text: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad [EPA] Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's audacity knows no bounds. Last week, in an interview with AP news agency, he denied that his forces were besieging rebel-held eastern Aleppo. "If there really is a siege around Aleppo, people would have been dead by now," said Assad, expecting us to believe not only that there is no siege, but that no one there has died. This despite regime and Russian air strikes killing hundreds of civilians within days of the latest ceasefire collapsing, in what the United Nations describes as the most intense bombing of the city in years. Explainer: Who controls what in Syria? Assad questioned how his regime could "prevent food and medical aid from reaching that area". The answer is in UN statements blaming the regime for obstructing aid deliveries to Aleppo - a fundamental element of the ceasefire agreement - and in the UN's warning in July that the city is "on the brink of starvation". Denial of access Besides denial of access, last week's attack on UN aid lorries heading to rebel-held Aleppo - just hours after the regime proclaimed the end of the ceasefire, in an area where only Syrian and Russian warplanes operate, and which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described as an "apparently deliberate attack" - led the UN to temporarily suspend all aid convoys. OPINION: Russia overplays its hand in Syria "How could you accuse Syria of attacking hospitals?" Assad asked. Easily and credibly. An Amnesty International investigation this year found that regime and Russian forces were "deliberately attacking" hospitals and other medical facilities "as a strategy of war", in "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law". A man walks on the rubble of damaged buildings after an air strike on the rebel held al-Qaterji neighbourhood of Aleppo [Reuters] Such attacks were also highlighted by Human Rights Watch last month. In the last week of July alone, the regime bombed six hospitals in Aleppo. In June, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) reported that since the start of the conflict, regime and allied forces were responsible for 90 percent of attacks on medical facilities (344 out of 382), and 93 percent of medical personal killings (703 out of 757). PHR said the regime's "assaults on Syria's hospitals, doctors, and patients" are "a clear violation of the universally recognised principle of medical neutrality". Assad claimed that rebel-held parts of Aleppo "have everything" they need. Not water, Unicef said on Saturday, the results of which could be "catastrophic". Its deputy director said Aleppo "is slowly dying", echoing the Red Cross's assessment in July that "the situation is devastating and overwhelming", and "the bombing is constant". Denial is integral to the regime's war strategy. War strategy Denial is integral to the regime's war strategy. Last year, Assad had the gall to tell the BBC that his forces did not use indiscriminate weapons, including barrel bombs, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. He also denied using chlorine gas, despite the UN and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons reporting otherwise last month. Never underestimate the power of denial. It is always easier and quicker to deny wrongdoing than to admit culpability or explain oneself. It stifles legitimate scrutiny in favour of a simplistic "yes or no" argument that is designed to confuse and deceive. This is what makes denial so appealing, and hence so prevalent in cases of injustice. OPINION: A world of dark clouds and silver linings Denial is the default setting of the pro-Assad propaganda machine, as with other oppressive regimes. There are striking similarities in this respect, for example, between the Syrian regime and Israel. Members of the Civil Defence rescue children after what activists said was an air strike by forces loyal to Assad in al-Shaar neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria [Reuters] According to Assad's apologists, there was no peaceful, popular uprising against decades of dictatorship and repression, no brutal crackdown, no war crimes or crimes against humanity, and no opposition to the regime except from "terrorists". To them, it was a violent, jihadist insurgency from the start, fuelled by foreign agitators, against a benevolent, misunderstood leader whose only fault was defying the West and Israel. None of this is true, but propaganda does not have to be - it just has to be effective, and if lies are told often enough they are eventually believed, even by those telling them. As such, one can wonder whether Assad - like other human rights abusers who surround themselves with yes people - has become so detached from reality that he really believes his warped narrative. Danger of denial The danger of denial is that it is based on delusion or deceit. It only makes matters worse, shutting down debate and making common ground impossible. Accusations by respected human rights organisations are met with counter-accusations that they are biased and part of an international conspiracy. Ironically, those counter-accusations are made by people who have cited those organisations on other issues. Last week, Ban accused the regime of killing the most civilians in the conflict, echoing his former human rights chief Navi Pillay, and Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, head of the UN commission investigating war crimes in Syria. However, this will fall on the deaf ears of those who claim, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that the regime is defending Syrians. Denial is fostered by impunity, in Israel's case by its Western allies, and in Syria's by the regime's Eastern allies. As such, engaging in diplomacy with it is pointless, because a party drunk on its false self-righteousness feels no need to negotiate sincerely or concede anything significant. That is why the regime has repeatedly violated every ceasefire, and insists that Assad's fate - the crux of the conflict - is untouchable. It is why he has preceded both ceasefires this year with vows to retake the whole country, and followed their collapse with major onslaughts. As with Israel, the Assad regime engages in diplomacy as a fig leaf towards pacification, not peace. Sharif Nashashibi is an award-winning journalist and analyst on Arab affairs. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy. SOURCE: Al Jazeera ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sharif NashashibiSharif Nashashibi is an award-winning journalist and analyst on Arab affairs. @ sharifnash War & Conflict Politics Middle East ISIS Syria's Civil War


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There is nothing I love more about a holiday than delicious themed treats and these Valentine's Day treats are no exception!
We also love these DIY Valentine's Day boxes! They are perfect for Valentine parties at the kid's schools!
Valentine's Day Treats
Multi colored heart shaped rice krispie treats that take less than an hour to make via Pint- Sized Treasures
Chocolate dipped Valentine's rice krispie treat pops via Pint- Sized Treasures
Print out a Star Wars Valentine and attach it to this cute light saber treat via Joys of Boys
These pretzel hugs Valentine's treats only have a few ingredients and look so delicious via Crafty Morning
Adorable M&M butterflies that are a perfect little Valentine's gift via Crafty Morning
Valentine's Day Oreo pops that look to die for via Happiness is Homemade
Incredibly crafty Valentine's Day robot snacks that your kids can help make via Crafty Morning
Valentines marshmallow treat to include with your Valentine gift bags via Crafty Morning
A healthy alternative to Valentine's day treats is this beautiful strawberries and cheese treat via Foodlets
These Valentine's Day cupcakes with conversation hearts inside look incredible via Kids Activities Blog
Red velvet cake balls are the perfect Valentine's day party treat and this post also comes with a free printable via Kids Activities Blog
A Valentine's Day popcorn like this one would be the perfect binge worthy snack via Kids Activities Blog
Chocolate bark recipes are amazing, but Valentine's chocolate bark recipes are even better via Kids Activities Blog
Valentine's Day pretzels are super easy to make and the kids can help with them too via Kids Activities Blog
These Valentine's Day smores look deliciously messy via Kids Activities Blog
Here is another beautifully made healthy fruit heart Valentine's day treat via Crafty Morning
Looking for more Valentine fun? We have 20 Valentine's Day crafts for kids and DIY Valentine boxes for kids here too!


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Luxor West Bank
It had been a while since I visited Luxor. I finally managed to make a visit last week and it was great to be back to my favorite sites, King's Valley, Dier El Madina, Karnak & Luxor temples.
There was a great traffic of Egyptians discovering their country. It was great to see Egyptian families listening eagerly to their guides explaining the history of these great sites.
The inbound tourism was not of large numbers. The majority of nationalities i have seen were Japanese & Indian. There is a presence of Chinese but i have not seen exceptionally large traffic of them around the sites.
There are few Nile cruises operating. In the good old days the Nile would be like a busy street in Cairo with all the cruises going up & down the river. But generally, it is better than same time last year.
If you plan to visit Egypt, now is the time.


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Our Story
Baxter touches the lives of millions of people around the world every day. Our products and therapies can be found throughout hospitals and clinics – from the ER to the OR, from the pharmacy to the ICU – as well as advancing patients' care in their homes.
For more than 85-years, we have been at the critical intersection of saving and sustaining lives. And now, we are determined and uniquely positioned to realize our greatest opportunity to transform global healthcare for years to come.
Baxter in New Zealand
New Zealand operations commenced in 1980 and consist of a head office in Auckland; warehouse and distribution centres in Auckland and Christchurch; and aseptic compounding pharmacies in Auckland and Christchurch.
Committed to Saving and Sustaining Lives
Honors and Recognitions
We are proud to be recognized by numerous global, national and local industry associations and publications around the world. Some examples of our recent accomplishments highlight Baxter as an employer of choice, our efforts to nurture an inclusive and diverse workplace and as a socially responsible and sustainable business.


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Winning Poker Tournaments Part III – Hand No. 34
by Matthew Hilger | Published: Jan 22, 2014
Winning Poker Tournaments One Hand at a Time Volume III by Jon "PearlJammer" Turner, Eric "Rizen" Lynch, Jon "Apestyles" Van Fleet, and yours truly, analyzes 50 online poker hands. In Volume III, PearlJammer, Rizen, and Apestyles analyze the same hands and then I give a summary of lessons learned at the end of the hand. This article looks at hand No. 34. Of course, A-A is easy to play. But it is critical to maximize your return when dealt premium hands, since they don't come along very often. Many players like to focus on how to play trouble hands, or hands like 10-10 and J-J. But maximizing the return on hands like A-A, K-K, and A-K is just as important. One of the first decisions is always when you should three-bet and when you should call. This hand was submitted by a member of my forum at internettexasholdem.com, Brent Catalano, ...
The Inside Straight
Strategies & Analysis
Commentaries & Personalities


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Logging Options
Note: possibly see FaqSwitchOnLogging,FaqStartupParameters and FaqNetbeansConf how to turn on an extra logging.
There are loggers shared across all the classes of the view hierarchy. They use the following notation:
where logtype may be one of the following:
- op - operations performed on the view hierarchy such as model-to-view or view-to-model translations etc.
- change - tracks changes that trigger structural updates of view hierarchy such as highlighting layer(s) changes.
- repaint - tracks repaint requested by clients or by the hierarchy itself.
- paint - debugs how view hierarchy handles paints: size of the clipping area and number of lines that will be painted.
- span - logs changes of view spans along horizontal and vertical axes and how do they propagate upwards in the view hierarchy.
- build - tracks view rebuilds in response to changes reported by view factories (namely highlighting layers and code folds).
- event - logs events fired by view hierarchy
- settings - logs settings affecting or used by view hierarchy e.g. antialiasing settings.
Consistency Checking
checks consistency of the view hierarchy during structural changes. FINER or FINEST levels may be given which increases checks complexity but may decrease performance significantly especially for large documents.
Font and Metrics Information
logs font(s) being used by the view hierarchy and corresponding metrics info.


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1. a riddle, the answer to which involves a pun or play on words,as What is black and white and read all over? A newspaper.
2. anything that puzzles.
1. Music. an instrumental composition irregular in form and suggestive of improvisation.
2. an ecstatic expression of feeling or enthusiasm.
3. an epic poem, or a part of such a poem, as a book of the Iliad, suitable for recitation at one time.
4. a similar piece of modern literature.
5. an unusually intense or irregular poem or piece of prose.
So, we have an unusually intense or irregular punny experience… CONundrum's Rhapsody is an experiment where discussion about geek culture and fan-run conventions can abound. Come by often, and see where the path goes next.


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Availability: In stock, ships on Monday
Greta Retro Side-Button Shoes are beautiful 1930s/1940s shoes with a historical twist. Historicism in footwear was popular in these decades, with side-button shoes and boots harkening back to the Victorian era, complete with the experience of buttoning your shoes with a button hook! The Gretas have a true side-button closure paired with an elastic gusset on the inside of the foot to provide a perfect fit.
Gretas come in black, green, and garnet. You will want a Victorian Button Hook for fastening your Gretas, available here.
"Spice It Up"
Fall/Winter 2018
Delivery August / September 2018
You can find a full sizing chart and fitment advice or more information about materials and product origins behind the MATERIALS/SIZING tab (above this description).
|Sizing Trends & Size Chart
|Sizing Trends
|Runs true to size for most customers.
We strongly recommend purchasing your usual shoe size (unless you have a wider foot in which case we recommend ordering 1/2 size larger than usual).
|Shoe Width
|B width (average)
|Sizing Chart
|Garnet Reddish-Purple
|100% Leather - smooth and suede
|100% Leather
|Leather Covered
|Heel Height
|2.5" / 6 cm
|Leather padded with arch support
|The buttons and button fly are functional. These shoes also have an elastic gore on the inside of the foot.
|Designed by Royal Vintage Shoes, from original shoes from the 1930s.
|Made in China
Greta Retro Side-Button Shoes (Garnet) has an average rating of 5/5 from 1 reviews.
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If you are a Georgia blogger and would like for me to link to you please drop me an email at email@example.com .
Here are this week's new additions and don't forget to enjoy the latest Georgia Carnival that posted Friday. You can reach it here.
LegalEagle Judgments – from the site……"Over the past four years, "Legaleagle" has contributed to more than 100 topics in "SavannahNow," Atlanta Journal & Constitution, New York Times, etc. More often than not, these opinions are read and approved by hundreds, based upon their emails, posts and comments. I strive to be accurate. I take sides after I have obtained knowledge of facts, details and accounts. Please do me the great honor of reading and responding; together we can make the United States of America a better place!" A recent post included We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For….a bit of a background regarding Obama's speech containing the words "We are the ones…"
Foodshed Plant – the tagline states nurturing sustainability, close to home and around the world (And other food for thought). Recently Patti observed, "The light is changing yet again and the sun streams in just so right after dinner, a little differently than even just a week ago. And like the swallows return to Capistrano, I have returned once again to soap-making, so in love am I with standing there at the stove in that fading, golden light, and stirring mindlessly, a book cracked open in my other hand, as the distant sound of children's laughter punctuates the air" in her post How Time Passes How Light Changes
Sustainable Dunwoody – This blog, also by Patti, is all about building a more beautiful city. In one post she advises Dunwoody Greenspace is one-third of what it should be.
Bombchell - In Atlanta – Bombchell lives in Atlanta. She's a college grad and is currently spending her time not working, partying, watching movies and hanging out. Oh, to be in my 20s again…..She just got back from Dallas, Texas
Trailer Witch – Constance Cooper focuses on exploring rural Southern issues from a rural Southern perspective. Her site is dedicated to the "Trailer Witch"….strange little girls who grew up far from an interstate and, for reasons no one understands entirely, saw their bright little lives stagnate. A post that caught my eye included a video regarding an interview with a member of the DeWolfe family from Rhode Island. The interview revolves around a documentary concerning the family and their responsibility in bringing over 10,000 West Africans to the United States and Cuba in chains. Constance has an interesting take on the documentary.
Journey of Words – Eric writes about education and education technology. Hs post Fifth Grade State Standards Wordle Cloud appeared in the most recent edition of the Georgia Carnival.
Real Estate Investment Business Blog – Shane Wilson writes about investing in real estate and he also had a post featured in the last edition of the Georgia Carnival….Beginning Investors Guide To Making Money in 2008
Exurban Adventures – is a blog covering sports, music, concerts, events, and the Arts in Gwinnett County, Georgia brought to us by Buzz Brockway. Buzz's post regarding Dave Ramsey was featured in the Georgia Carnival 41.
Lori Thornton's blogs Mississippi History and Genealogy Notes and Smokey Mountain Family Historian have also been added to the "State and Place" blogroll.
Monday, August 4, 2008
More Georgia Blogs!
Posted by EHT at 2:49 PM
Labels: Georgia Blogroll Additions
3 comments:
- Bombchell said...
aww thanks for the add. I sound so jobless, which is pretty true & accurate lol.
- August 5, 2008 at 8:11 PM
- Cathy said...
Thank you so much for adding me - I'll try to visit the other blogs.
- August 11, 2008 at 3:00 PM
You should visit my shop if you're wanting to sack Saxby Chambliss this November! http://www.cafepress.com/SACKSAXBY
- August 12, 2008 at 10:23 AM
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Trade Expo Indonesia
The 33rd TEI in 2018 is an international B2B-focused tradeshow present showcases of Indonesian premium and vest, develop business networks, and investment. The 33rd Trade Expo Indonesia presents numerous products, encompassing Manufacturing Products, Strategic Industry Products, Creative Products & Service, Furniture, Food and Beverage Products, Craft and Lifestyle Products and Local Champion Products.
You can download the booklet below here:


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Seeing footage and photos of the Waldo Canyon Fire burning the Southern Front Range was enough to make one's stomach turn. But imagine being an evacuee; having to leave the comfort of your home and most of your possessions behind without assurance that you would see it all again. From there, think about not having friends or relatives to flee to, but instead relying on a makeshift shelter in a school gymnasium, full of strangers in the exact same situation.
Though most evacuees were incredibly grateful to have places to go, evacuation was still an unnerving experience. One crew of Mile High Youth Corps – Colorado Springs knew just how these people felt, as they were evacuated from a work site themselves, then went on to help run an evacuation shelter.
The Hayman Crew from Colorado Springs, who has been working on erosion control structures in the Hayman Burn Area all summer, was pulled from their work site mid-week at the end of June. Crew Leader, Julia McCleary, recounted the situation.
"We actually didn't know we were being evacuated," she said. "We came down early from the hills in the Trail Creek area [on Wednesday, June 27], where we had been working, because there was a thunderstorm. There was a ranger waiting for us and he told us that Woodland Park was evacuated."
After speaking with their supervisor at the MHYC office in Colorado Springs, they were given two options: to either work on another environmental conservation project in Canon City or to head to Divide to help set up a Red Cross evacuation shelter. Though the Divide shelter filled up quickly, the crew was still adamant about spending the rest of their week working with evacuees. A new shelter was quickly issued to open in Cripple Creek at the high school, so they headed there.
"Part of the NCCC group we were working with before was already there and they were doing shifts of about two hours of sleeping then six hours of being awake, and all of them were on-call for basically 24 hours a day," she said. "We helped out here and there that day, then the next morning we were at breakfast at 7 a.m. and started helping out wherever – mostly unloading people's donations and inventorying them."
"We helped out a lot with food preparation; we chopped a lot of vegetables, we helped with lunch and flipped burgers and hot dogs," said Corpsmember and crew mentor, Mareya Becker. "We organized a lot of the food donations and helped people set up cots and get comfortable. We tried to engage with people and try to keep them distracted [from the fire]."
The crew really enjoyed the change of pace from their regular routine and feeling that they were making a difference in their community during such a chaotic time.
"My favorite part was being able to actually interact with the people involved," said Corpsmember, Hope Radford. "What we do on a daily basis is just based on the environment, which I like, but I liked getting direct interaction. I helped a lot with food preparation and one of the guys there said that there's not a lot of comforts in an evacuation shelter, but one of them is a good meal."
Aside from food preparation and serving, the Corpsmembers were asked to aid frazzled parents.
"Other than [serving food] we just comforted people," said Corpsmember, Brendan Smith. "We hung out with them a lot. The shelter had a kids' room and I would watch movies or play games with a bunch of little kids – it was pretty fun."
The crew camped in the football field behind the high school. Though the shelter wasn't terribly populated – according to McCleary, there were roughly 30 evacuees there – the crew certainly eased the burden on those running the shelter.
"It was amazing, the things people donated – tons of food, blankets, clothing, all kinds of stuff," said McCleary. " So much of the time, we do work that's behind-the-scenes and it's hard labor – it's not service for the sake of helping individuals. It was really nice for the team to have a couple days to see people in the community helping other people in the community and being able to be a part of that. They were so pumped."
McCleary said that even after the fire, whenever the crew makes supply runs to Walmart, people see their uniforms, think that they're firefighters, and thank them for all they do.
"When we say we're not firefighters but we are out there doing erosion control from the Hayman, they say, 'You're still helping us so much! We were evacuated from that fire too. Thank you so much for for all your service,'" said McCleary.


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Limousine and Chauffeur Service
Limousine and Chauffeur Service in Munich – the most comfortable and convenient way to travel
With its more than 300 km² and 1.5 million inhabitants, the Bavarian capital of Munich is the third largest city in Germany. Munich and its surroundings are highly sought locations for both business and pleasure, especially the Allgäu Alps, which is a top holiday destination. With our Limousine and Chauffeur Service in Munich, we make sure your stay in the city as well as all your transfers go as smoothly as possible. Booking our limousine service means that a luxury car with chauffeur for your planned trips is at your disposal. This includes both the transfer trip in Munich from A to B and a trip to Munich's surroundings. The Limousine and Chauffeur Service in Munich will take you to wherever you need to go promptly and conveniently. You should also know that the Limousine and Chauffeur Service can be booked for business trips as well as for other occasions like stag, family, and corporate parties.
Different Advantages of booking the Limousine and Chauffeur Service in Munich
When you book our Limousine and Chauffeur Service, you won't have to worry about a thing. Driving in the city of Munich is not much fun for visitors. If you drive in the wrong lane, for example, it can be a nerve-wracking situation. With our Limousine and Chauffeur Service, passengers can sit back and enjoy themselves, especially in a stretch Sedan, Cadillac, or Lincoln. Other noteworthy advantages include:
- Individually tailored luxury service
- A comfortable ride in a modern, well maintained vehicle guaranteed
- No more searching for a parking space, paying parking fees, or getting road rage
- A personal service doesn't compare to the queuing up at the taxi rank or at the bus stop.
Our limousine service is not the same and does not cost the same as rental cars and parking fees, not to mention the Munich subway or S-Bahn tickets. At the airport, in the hotel, at the Munich Trade Fair, or at any other destination, our chauffeur will drop you off right at the door and not just at the entrance gate. You do not need to walk or carry your luggage yourself. Our service is without any ifs and buts as it's a real service to the customer.
Chauffeur with Sedan Can be Hired by the Hour or by the Day
Our chauffeur service can be booked according to your wishes and needs. The journey from the airport to Munich city centre or vice versa can take 1-1.5 hours. This service makes your transfer easy and comfortable. You can also book our limo service including a chauffeur for the day; For example, for sightseeing in Munich or for a day trip to one of the Bavarian lakes in and around Munich. You can rest assured that you will be in good hands. Our chauffeurs drive safely, are knowledgeable, multilingual and communicative. Individual requests during the journey are gladly received. The Chauffeur and Limousine Service in Munich should and will be an unforgettable experience.
Limousine Service Reservation Made Easy
You can book our chauffeur and car service online or by telephone. We are always by your side to help and advise you if you have any questions about your stay in Munich and the surrounding area. Our service is much more than just a transfer from here to there; we offer comfort, luxury and discretion. The next time you plan to come to Munich, remember to book the Munich Business Shuttle First Class Service instead of renting a car.


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See this page in: Dutch
The doctrine of Evolution tends to magnify the competitive aspects of nature and to minimize the cooperative aspects. "Nature red in tooth and claw" is indeed the theme of many Evolutionary books. However, the living world around us has many examples of cooperative or symbiotic behavior at many different levels. We need look no further than our own bodies for some of the most marvelous instances of cooperative activity in all of creation. The processes of breathing, digestion, muscular contraction and coordination, nutrient transport, and their direction by the neural and endocrine systems, have shown an amazing sophistication of cooperation through molecular biologic research.
The discovery of such intricate cooperation at the cellular level should not surprise Christians as the Bible speaks of the human body as being a symbol of the great congregation of God's people, or the "body of Christ."
Cancer upsets this normal state of harmonious, cooperative cellular function. For childhood growth and adult maintenance to occur, cells must divide constantly in the human body. However, cancer cells are characterized by their uncontrolled growth—they do not respond to signals to stop the division process, but instead continue on and on. In the body, cancer cells invade and kill their neighbor cells. They may cannibalize each other. They often outgrow their own blood supply, thus killing even themselves.
In artificial cell culture, cancer cells will show this trait in a slightly different way, for they will grow until they pile up and suffocate each other. Normal cells in culture, on the other hand, will grow on the bottom of the bottle until they form a continuous single cell layer. Then, sensing the presence of a neighbor, they will chemically signal each other to quit replicating. Normal human cells will respect boundaries and not harm their neighbors, whereas cancer cells will aggressively invade, suffocate, and destroy their neighbors.1
Biochemical research shows other ways in which cancer cells are "bad neighbors." For example, some cancers produce abnormal or excessive signalling chemicals (hormones or cytokines) which upset the normal chemical balance of the body. Cells of advanced cancers have altered metabolic pathways, making them voracious and inefficient users of nutrient molecules. Thus, they are chemical as well as physical competitors with normal cells.2,3 Of course, the eventual outcome of all this disordered and violent cellular behavior is death for the body, unless the cancer cells can be controlled or eliminated.
So, what is the cause of cancer? This is a question that has haunted physicians for thousands of years. Galen, the ancient Roman, noted the crablike appearance of cancerous tumors (Latin, cancer = crab) and thought that they were caused by an excess of black bile, according to the humoral disease theory of Hippocrates. The true answer began to emerge in the 1800s when the cellular nature of tumors was seen with the microscope, but it has only been in the last 20 years that a more complete answer has emerged.
The discovery of "oncogenes" in the 1980s, followed by the "tumor suppressor genes" and "DNA repair genes" in the 1990s, has given us a clear picture of why cancer cells reproduce without restraint.
To summarize this research, whole banks of genes have been discovered that control the cell's replicative machinery. Certain genes, when activated, cause cell division to occur—these are the "oncogenes," and there appear to be about 60-70 different ones in the human genome. The oncogenes are held in check by the "tumor suppressor genes," which shut down the replicative process.
It has been shown that most cancers arise through a multistep process—multiple mutations may cause continuous activation of some oncogenes and may inactivate some of the tumor suppressor genes. While genetic analysis does show certain large-scale trends, most cancers are highly heterogeneous in their mutation profile—no single set of mutations seems to characterize most cancers. However, there is no doubt that the key word in cancer causation is "mutations," which lead to the uncontrolled growth. A mutant cancer cell may be fairly compared to a damaged car in which the accelerator is stuck "on," and the brakes have failed, resulting in a dangerous loss of control.4
In addition to these replication-controlling gene banks, important mutation-correcting mechanisms are also being identified. In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear that without these mechanisms, we would all die of cancer in childhood.
An important textbook of medical physiology gives an interesting perspective on these mechanisms and (perhaps unwittingly) testifies to the marvelous grace of God in creating and sustaining these cellular processes:
The incredible precision of the DNA replication process has also been referred to as "replication fidelity" by secular scientists. Fidelity is the Latin word for "faithfulness." Great is His faithfulness, indeed!
On the other hand, increasing efforts are being made to interpret all of biology through the Darwinian lens, and cancer biology is no exception. In fact, the whole process of cancerous cellular change has been viewed as a special case of Darwinian Evolution.6
In many other important ways cancer cells have degenerative features. They show no gain of information, but generally show a loss or disorder of functions. This is only another example of the peculiar insistence of Evolutionists of perceiving advancement where there is only variation.
Conversely, is there a creationist lens through which to view cancer biology? One may be suggested, as was previously hinted. This new knowledge may be used to extend the natural theology of the Apostle Paul, expressed through his analogy of the "body of Christ," from the macroscopic level down to the microscopic. Indeed, this may be a more accurate view of final reality, as there are to the anatomist only several thousand macroscopically visible parts of the body. The Bible tells us that the host of the redeemed will be "a great multitude, which no man could number" (Revelation 7:9). Carrying this analogy to the cellular world of our bodies produces a graphic picture of the vast gulf between good and evil.
Lawless Behavior
One needs only a slight acquaintance with the panorama of history to be dismayed by the continual succession of violence, thievery, and other forms of lawless behavior displayed by sinful humanity. The most degenerate human societies sink to ritual murder, cannibalism, and torture. These human behaviors, which have plagued the world almost from its beginning, are remarkably similar to the physiologic behaviors displayed by cancer cells.
On the other hand, the Bible foretells a time when violence will be suppressed and peace will be the norm for the whole human community. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the Earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9).
World peace has been sought in vain by many philosophers and utopian architects. It is ironic that each of us carries with us a daily parable, acted out at the cellular level, of the peaceful virtues that will be the future norm of the City of God. Metaphorically, the expression of those peaceful virtues in our body cells leads to a state of health. When those "virtues" are lost in a clone of cells, we have cancer. This is not to claim that cancer is always a moral problem, or that cancer suffering necessarily results from sin. Nor are individual cells capable of moral choice in their behavior. However, these phenomena create a vivid object lesson for us, as do many other aspects of God's creation.
To conclude, the tragedy of cancer is the result of ongoing genetic deterioration in our body cells, and as such is a manifestation of the Edenic curse of decay and death. However, a close look at cancer biology can give us a deeper appreciation of the vast wisdom and goodness of God, and of the unutterable vileness of sin.
Author: Dr. David Demick (pathologist), contributor, Films for Christ.
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At Millbrook, using the National Curriculum. we are committed to teaching a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum that challenges all of our pupils and enriches their lives.
Our reading scheme is the Oxford Reading Tree from Oxford University Press, supplemented with the "Floppy's Phonics" scheme. We use the " Letters and Sounds" programme to teach phonics.
|Term 1
|Once Upon a Time
|Term 2
|Inspirational Inventors
|Term 3
|The Great Fire of London
|Term 4
|The Great Fire of London
|Term 5
|Wish you were here… in the desert
|Term 6
|A Pirate's Life for me
Linked Documents
Recent updates from Seahorse class
Book Week 2020
Teachers and TAs really embraced the start of World Book Week by dressing up as a character or prop from the book that their class is focusing on this week. Check out some of the costumes!
Alexander Graham Bell visits KS1!
Key Stage One enjoyed a special visit from Alexander Graham Bell as their WOW starter! They had prepared questions to ask him and he was able to give them lots of information about his life. They then used this information to write fact files.
KS1 – Library visit
KS1 enjoyed their recent trip to West Swindon library. The librarian told the children all about the huge variety of books on offer and they then had the chance to share a book with their friends – which they thoroughly enjoyed. The trip was then rounded off perfectly with a lovely story read to them by the librarian. They were also able to take some books back to school to enjoy.
Term 1 fun in Year 1 – Fables and Materials
Seahorses and Turtles had a great first term learning all about fables and materials. We had a visit from a tortoise, investigated which material would make the strongest house, did lots of practical Maths, completed a range of exciting challenges and even visited the local Library. We can't wait to see what term 2 brings!
Science in Year 1
In Year 1 we are learning about plants and our five senses in Science. We explored different fruits, herbs and plants including lemons, basil and garlic and used our senses to describe them. We even had a go at tasting some of them!
Infant Nativity
Well done to all the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One children for an excellent performance of "Away in a Manger"


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I have one more thing for you here; a time lapse video shot in Utah and Arizona. I set a GoPro Hero2 camera running at 5-second intervals. We start by going into, and then out of Monument Valley, before crossing the desert landscape towards Page, AZ. Sadly the camera ran out of battery just before we dropped down from the hills. Bear in mind this is a two-hour drive and this is what the vast majority of the trip was like; hundreds of miles of desert between the occasional town.
Next up is the drive into, and through, Zion National Park, stopping at various parking lots on the way. We had to search for parking spaces in some of them which is why the video gets a little dizzy in places! Just pause it; and look at the mountains :-)


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Nobody wants to pay too much for a product or service. Likely, you didn't wake up this morning and think, "Let's see how much more I can spend on ductwork today!" Right. We get it. You want the ductwork products that you need without paying too much. But, how do you really calculate the cost of ductwork?
At US Duct, we know there is more to the price of ductwork than the discount and the bottom line.
Ductwork, like all products has a number of cost variables. Of course, you have to consider the price of the parts (how much does a 5' section of 18" rolled-lip pipe cost me?). However, many resellers don't calculate other contributing costs: RFQ time, product quality assurance, delivery dependability, available technical assistance, and unexpected installation needs. In actuality, these contributing costs can drastically increase the cost of your ducting project – far beyond the cost of the ducting components.
Analyze the complete cost of your ductwork and you'll find that US Duct offers the best price in the Industry.
RFQ Time: There are only so many hours in the day. The time you have for selling, increasing revenue flow, is important. Spending too much time requesting and analyzing pricing from different manufacturers takes away from selling and management time. Too often the end results of any product cost savings you find by 'shopping' is consumed in the time and effort that you spend researching. Furthermore, having to double check pricing and billing on different projects in order to assure you are receiving the 'best' price can strain your resources and the relationship with your ductwork vendors.
Delivery & Installation: "The best laid plans of mice and men, often go astray." No matter how well you design, specify and plan for a project, it is common to have last minute, onsite issues that require additional products or changes in product specifications. What will it cost to get that part made and shipped quickly? How responsive is your vendor to work with you and find ways to avoid delays? Nothing costs more than project delays due to late deliveries. Equipment costs, labor fees and angry customers make delays expensive in every way. What are the costs of shipping errors or missed production deadlines for ductwork project? Is a lower freight cost worth the risk of missed delivery times? How adept is your vendor at providing dependable shipping and delivery options – at a manageable cost?
Order Accuracy: The old adage is true, "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten." When considering a ductwork manufacturer, are you certain that you will get the product precisely as you have ordered it? Will the specifications be what you expect? Will the welds, bends and dimensions meet your requirements? What quality controls does your manufacturer have in place? What happens if a part or parts aren't delivered or arrive with inaccurate specifications? The cost of time and money to replace these parts can be substantial and the damage to the relationship with your customer can be irreparable.
Technical Assistance: Some product orders are simple, some are not. When you need more than a piece of duct, what is the cost of design take-offs, air flow calculations, 3D drawings, product recommendations and feedback? Getting "another set of eyes" on a project can help avoid potential design problems or discover possible product options to provide you with a competitive advantage for your bid/quote. Is your technical contact readily available by phone or do you have to deal with voicemail and long communication delays? Having accessible and experienced technical support can reduce your overall project costs.
Given all of the factors that make up the total cost of your ductwork project, are you paying too much? Want to change that? At US Duct, We Make Selling Ductwork Easy with convenient and quick quotes, dependable delivery, order accuracy and more technical assistance than should be legal, and all for a competitive price on your ductwork components.


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Sea Cliff nonprofit Penelope's Odyssey raises more than $20G
After a Sea Cliff couple found gaps in counseling services during their toddler's fight with leukemia in 2010, they formed a nonprofit to raise awareness for pediatric cancers.
Lori Schneider's daughter, Penelope, was diagnosed in 2010 with leukemia at age 3. After receiving a bone marrow transplant in January 2011, Penelope, now 5, is in remission.
In June 2011, Schneider and her husband Matthew Ruderman formed a nonprofit called Penelope's Odyssey, named after their daughter's journey battling leukemia, and has partnered with DKMS Americas, the world's largest bone marrow donor center.
At the nonprofit's inaugural fundraiser, "Supporting Braveness with Kindness," on March 21 at Cedar Creek American Bar & Grill in Glen Cove, they raised $22,127.
"Many people came knowing we started the nonprofit but didn't really know why," Lori Schneider said. "It was really cathartic for us to share our story and to see how touched people were by what Penelope went through and what we're now trying to do."
Nearly 140 people attended the event, sitting among white-and-teal decor with an open bar, live entertainment and silent and Chinese auctions. They could win a trip to Argentina, Islanders tickets, massages, movie tickets, paintings, jewelry and other items.
Schneider's dream is for the nonprofit to someday offer mental health support for families with sick children, host bereavement groups and have a tutor center.
"Our goal is to have a space that's Penelope's Odyssey, a place families can come for resources," she said. "This really isn't about Penelope anymore. She's just one representation of the many children in New York and Long Island living with cancer."
For more information, visit penelopesodyssey.org.