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By Jean Bartlett Correspondent From the observation deck of the Robert G. Brownlee, the 90-foot research vessel owned by the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, students look out over San Francisco Bay 15 feet above water. The fully functioning research vessel has enough space to accommodate 70 students, and the Institute educates 42,000 students each year through its ship- and land-based programs. Every semester, Briana McCarthy, assistant professor for Biology and Environmental Science and Technology at Skyline College, takes 45 of her students aboard the Robert G. Brownlee, where they learn about the Bay, marine biology and marine stewardship. On the four-hour discovery voyage, the students collect and examine plankton, run hydrology (water chemistry) tests, and use a 16-foot trawl net to catch fish, then work in small groups to observe and identify the fish. Students also do a "mud grab," collecting a bottom sediment sample, examining it for organisms and invertebrates and discussing their observations. McCarthy has taught at Skyline for about four years. For the past five-plus years, she has also worked with the Marine Science Institute by teaching classes "on the water" every two months. Additionally she teaches biology and environmental science at Laney College in Oakland. Between the two colleges, McCarthy carries a student load of anywhere from 150 to 200 per semester and she loves her work. But being involved in the world of science was something she would not have predicted. The U.C. San Diego graduate originally headed off to college to study communications. "I still have a big passion for writing and I thought doing journalism would be satisfying," she said. "At that time I worked really well under deadlines and loved nonfiction writing. Those were my aspirations." On a whim, and to satisfy a course requirement, McCarthy took a seminar on how plants adapt to high altitudes. It was a great experience. "The instructor was so passionate and it was learner-centered," McCarthy said. "Suddenly 'science' was so interesting. I thought maybe I wasn't born to go into the science field, but writing about biology issues, that would be really appealing. I decided a science background would prove more useful than a writing background." Originally from Venice, California, McCarthy had never been a particular fan of science. She dropped out of high school biology because she just didn't think she was smart enough for it. But she did have a great passion for environmental issues, including climate change and habitat destruction. She received her degree in ecology, went to work for the Sierra Club for several years, then headed to graduate school at San Francisco State where she received her masters's in ecology with a special focus on biology, education and research. Her graduate thesis "involved understanding undergraduate students' conceptions of scientific processes-- primarily biological processes." With her San Francisco State courses on pedagogy, the recurring theme McCarthy learned was that students are taught to wonder about the natural world from a very young age, but in fifth or sixth grade, it's more about memorizing facts and all the standardized tests. "Science classes can too often expect students to be passive learners," McCarthy said. "A lot of the methods I use to teach are the ones I learned in grad school. Pair shares, for instance. Getting students to pair up and discuss the topic before we even discuss it in class." Recently, McCarthy added the "clicker" into her teaching methods. A clicker is a wireless student response system that allows the teacher to ask students a question and receive remote feedback. "If I have just taught them a concept and ask them a question that they don't answer correctly, then this allows me to reteach the concept. "In my classes, I try to cultivate wonder and emphasize how major advances in science have been the result of creativity or unexpected outcomes," McCarthy continued. "The first week of class is about -- is science boring, are all scientists anal retentive. The message is, don't let stereotypes about scientists deter you from following a path you are really passionate about." Two years ago, McCarthy, who is also the co-advisor of Skyline's Environmental Club, wrote a grant application with Anjana Richards, which created the Sustainable Campus Initiative. "We were awarded funds to do three different things," McCarthy said. "One, to run an environmental science learning course, two, to engage students, faculty and staff in sustainability issues on campus, and three, to engage faculty in emphasizing sustainability in their curriculum." "Sustainability means how do we provide for ourselves and use our resources responsibly so that future generations can use them as well," McCarthy continued. "It is really about planning for the future and everyone who attends is invited to engage. Their ideas drive what we do." In the spring, McCarthy was the recipient of the 19th Assembly District's Environmental Leadership Award for her exemplary efforts to educate students about biology and environmental sustainability. She was also recognized for her involvement with the Community College Biology Faculty Enhancement Through Teaching Program at San Francisco State University, as well as her work her with Expanding Your Horizons at Skyline College, which encourages young women to pursue careers in science, technology and math. The award was presented by Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo. "Sometimes I go into meetings with a bunch of scientists and I think, oh, I don't belong here," McCarthy said. "My mind doesn't work as linearly as some scientists minds do. I wasn't naturally great at science growing up and I never thought I had the type of science mind that was needed. But I found my niche in grad school. I took my education in my own hands. And I want to impart that on my students and show them that they can learn these complex subjects, if they identify their learning style and then follow that through. Sometimes I don't really love scientists, but I always love science."

Mat Chivers was born in 1973 and lives and works in Dartmoor, Devon. Through making sculpture, installation and drawing; Mat Chivers looks at some of the moments of process and states of flux that exist below the surface of things. He isinterested. His interest is focused at the location between data capture and its consequent interpretation. It is at this boundary that ambiguity often resides, potentially conflating notions of fact and fiction. His work has been included in exhibitions at The Courthauld Institute and The Venice Biennale among others. CV EDUCATION 1993-6 B.A.(Hons) Fine Art, Sculpture, The Nottingham Trent University ERASMUS, Escuela des Belles Artes, Barcelona, Spain COMMISSIONS / COLLECTIONS Association Vents des Forets, France Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust Bournemouth & Poole College Bristol City Council Chagford Arts Festival The Countryside Agency Dartmoor National Park The Devon Guild Doorstep Green ExLab / Big Picture The Fitzwilliam Museum The Met Office Mochary Collection, USA NHS Primary Healthcare Trust Norwegian Cruise Lines Soho House Group STRAW project Thelma Hulbert Gallery West Devon Borough Council AWARDS / GRANTS 2009 ECO 2009, PROOF Award 2005 Arts Council England Grant Devon ArtsCulture Award 2003 Arts Council England Grant PROJECTS 2012 'Moby Dick - 21st Century Whale' 'Overlay', The Bournemouth Natural Science Society & The National Trust Estate, Purbeck, Dorset 2009 'Outbreath', collaboration with research scientists, The University of Bristol 2002 'Shelter', site-specific collaboration, various locations, France SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2012 'Sculpture & Drawings', The Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton 2011 'Fascination', Maddox Arts, London 'States of Flux', Bridport Arts Centre 2007 'Sculpture + Drawings', Study Gallery of Modern Art, Poole 2002 'Incunabula', Buckland Abbey GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2012 'Material Matters: The Power of the Medium', East Wing X, The Courtauld Institute of Arts, London 'Exploratory Laboratory (ExLab), Art, Science & the Coast', AUCB Arts University College Bournemouth 'Overlay', The Bournemouth Natural Science Society & The National Trust Estate, Purbeck, Dorset 2011 'The Knowledge', Gervasuti Foundation, 54th Venice Biennale Exhibition of International Art, Italy 'Eleventh Plateau', Historical Archives Museum, Hydra, Greece 'Biliteral', Pertwee Anderson & Gold, London 'Eleventh Plateau 2', Archeological Society, Athens Biennial, Greece 'Before the Crash', Exeter, Rome, Prague 2010 'Holding Time', Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Indian Institute for Arts & Culture, London 'Ex-Lab', Bridport Arts Centre 'Sculpture', Great Western Studios, London 'On-Form', Oxford 2009 'Secret', Royal College of Art, London 'ECO, Exeter Contemporary Open', Phoenix Arts & Media, Exeter 'Perspectives on a Modernist Legacy', Woburn Abbey '18@108 - Stone', Royal British Society of Sculptors, London 'Vanitas Triptych', St Michael the Archangel, Chagford 'Sculpture', ArtContact, Limberhurst Arts Centre, Cambridge 'Ludlow Open Exhibition of Contemporary Art', Ludlow 2008 '2D to 3D - Drawings Towards Sculpture', Bournemouth University 'Visual', Beachcroft Space, Beachcroft LLP, Bristol '156th Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol 'It Ain't What You Do', Society of Artists, St Ives 'On-Form', Oxford 2007 'Summer Exhibition', Royal Academy of Arts, London 2006 'ArtLondon', Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London 'Re-View: Territories Inspire Art', Study Gallery of Modern Art, Poole 'Forest Dreaming, Part 3', Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World, (CCANW), Exeter 'On-Form', Oxford 'Mark', Dartington College of Arts Gallery 'Consistently Abstract', The Installation Room, Salt Gallery, Hayle 2005 'Elemental Insight' Canterbury Royal Museum and Art Gallery; Derby Museum and Art Gallery; Falkirk Civic Offices Hannah Peschar, Ockley '153rd Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol 2004 'Elemental Insight', BBC Media Centre; London, Black Swan Arts; Bridport Art Centre; Burton Art Gallery 'Big Jurrasic', Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton 2003 'Size Matters', Devon Guild 2002 'Vents des Forets', Lahaymieux, France

Middleton Pool is getting a £900,000 makeover, a new gym and a long-term future. Newport Pagnell Town Council has announced it has taken ownership of Middleton Pool and Willen Sports Ground from Milton Keynes Council. This has allowed them to sign a 15 year deal with Places for People Leisure Management Ltd, which will develop and operate the facilities. John Smith, mayor and chairman of the town council, said: “This new facility will upgrade Middleton Pool, allowing it to match and better other facilities in Milton Keynes. “Over the years Middleton Pool has served local people well and we are very pleased that this arrangement will maintain and improve this vital leisure facility.” The future of the pool and Willen Sports Ground were uncertain when Milton Keynes Council took away its £114,672 a year funding. Plans for Newport Pagnell Town Council and Places for People to make a deal were announced in January. The town council had to receive ownership of the two sports facilities from Milton Keynes Council for this to happen. While work is under way to renovate the pool, Places for People will be running a temporary gym. Robin Knight, Places for People Leisure Management Ltd business development manager, said: “We will be introducing exciting activities and programmes as well as investing £900,000 into the facilities. “We look forward to working with the council and the staff so that we can continue to provide a successful leisure service to the citizens of Newport Pagnell.” Almost Done! By registering you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of the website.

Fashion designer Montee Tayion Holland already gets his inspiration from Michigan. Now, he wants his clothes to be manufactured in his home state. “I will always have my headquarters here in Michigan,” said Holland, whose Metro Detroit-based men’s clothing lines Tayion and T-Fusion sell at stores nationwide. “I really do believe wholeheartedly that thousands and thousands of jobs can touch the apparel industry.” Holland and others in the industry and in the economic development world believe Michigan has the creativity, industrial space, workforce, manufacturing experience and raw material to make a go at becoming a garment industry hub. “We clearly have the know-how with our skill set from the automotive industry,” he said. He recently returned from a trip to Istanbul, Turkey, where he spoke with garment manufacturers about the opportunity to supply his fabric and produce and license his men’s suits. If the plan works out, the Turkish company would likely hire a handful of employees to handle sales and marketing in Michigan. Holland hopes they would eventually open a factory here. Other Michigan fashion designers and economic development leaders went on the trade mission to attend Istanbul Fashion Week and meet with representatives from Turkey’s more established garment industry. The trip was organized by statewide economic development group Prima Civitas Foundation. Board member Nurten Ural is Michigan’s honorary counsul general for Turkey and helped coordinate the trip. Most of the expenses were paid by the Turkish government. Prima Civitas and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. created the Michigan Garment Industry Council last year to promote and develop Michigan-made apparel and textiles. The council may end up being housed at Eastern Michigan University, which has an apparel, textiles and merchandising program. John Boyless, director for EMU’s School of Technology Studies, went on the Turkey trip and spoke with garment makers there about offering internships to EMU students. “As we know, the textile industry has pretty much left the United States, so this is an exciting opportunity for Michigan and we’re just glad to be a part of it,” he said. The auto industry helps Most clothing is now made in Asia, where low-cost labor keeps prices down. Michigan will have to find a niche if it wants to compete with foreign companies, Boyless said. FASHION IN DETROITWhat: A one-day event packed with 10 runway shows, a market area One way is through its supply chain infrastructure that is already developed, thanks to the auto industry, he said. And, in some cases, it could be more cost-effective to manufacture clothing in the U.S., depending on the price point and the time it takes to manufacture and ship. “We’re not looking to manufacture for Walmart or Target. We know ... we can’t compete,” said Eleanor Fuchs, who’s leading the garment industry initiative for Prima Civitas. “It’s about the price point. What we’ve identified is garments that cost $150-$200 — that’s the point where we can actually be competitive based on tax incentives, inexpensive space in Michigan, and even with labor costs.” And the state's fiber producers and processors can provide raw materials for textiles, such as alpaca wool and camel hair. "Clearly the presence of our agricultural community is an asset," said Rosalyn Jones, a project manager at the MEDC. Michigan also can take advantage of consumers’ desire to buy American-made products. ‘A tremendous opportunity’ Metro Detroit fashion designer Joe Faris said he has been contacted by a large national outwear company that is interested in manufacturing in Michigan so it can offer a “made in America” product. Faris competed in the fashion design reality television show “Project Runway” and has a couple of clothing lines that are manufactured in Michigan. He helped create Motor City Denim Co.. which makes products at TDIC Inc. in Sterling Heights. The company designs and manufactures protective covers for robots and industrial equipment. And Motor City Blues, a joint venture with jewelry designer Denise Ilitch, is going through sampling and small production runs at three Michigan factories. Each factory has a different background — one makes leather jackets, while another makes boat covers and bus and theater seat covers. Faris also is working with Peckham Inc. in Lansing to produce some of his items. The nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization provides job training for people with disabilities. Peckham designs and manufactures extreme-weather clothing for the military. “I see a tremendous opportunity to make clothing here,” he said. MADE IN MICHIGAN Here is a snapshot of four small businesses that create clothing and accessories right here in Michigan. Teamwork Bags, Grand Rapids Nick Stockton and Nick Stygstra design, make and sell bags out of recycled sailboat sails and unwanted military canvas. Messenger bags, backpacks, totes and other bags run from $45 to $325. “I make them all right now,” Stockton said. “We’re probably going to look out for manufacturing so we could up our production levels and make them available wholesale. We like to practice being as sustainable as we can,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to ship a bunch of fabric some place then ship back to us so we can ship it somewhere else.” The St. Luke’s North End Women’s (N.E.W.) Life Center Inc., Flint The nonprofit organization runs a three-year program to help at-risk women learn job skills, including sewing. Participants can interview for jobs sewing hospital gowns and scrubs, which are sold to doctors’ offices and area hospitals. Women have been making the gowns and scrubs for about three years, said Sister Carol Weber, one of the center’s founders. She said Michigan’s garment industry “has real potential. We need to get ourselves out there instead of just automotive.” WOUND Menswear and Motor City Sewing, Detroit Sarah Lapinski was among the Michigan-based fashion designers who went on a recent trade mission to Turkey. She is a self-taught designer who makes a menswear line and sews for other small businesses. Lapinski has been looking at domestic manufacturing facilities because she said she can’t continue making all the items in addition to designing, marketing, distributing and everything else associated with a clothing line. She would prefer to partner with a Michigan factory so she can more easily check on the work and make adjustments. “I know we can have a very strong manufacturing base here,” she said. “We have the right kind of space at the right price.” Milo Creative Studios, Grand Rapids Theresa Milanowski designs, sews and sells women’s clothing on Etsy.com, an online marketplace for handmade items. She is based in Grand Rapids but is considering a move to Detroit, where she said there seems to be more action in the fashion world. She said Michigan’s garment industry has “huge” potential. “It’s a market that hasn’t been tapped into,” she said.

The race to replace retiring Judge Donald Shelton features three experienced attorneys from the Ann Arbor area. Veronique Liem, Patrick Conlin and Michael Woodyard combine for more than 60 years of litigation experience and are vying for the seat on the 22nd Circuit Court. The contest to replace Shelton is a rare contest for an open seat at the circuit court level. Judges often retire in the middle of their terms, leading to appointments by political figures who then become entrenched incumbents before an election takes place. The candidates will face off in a nonpartisan August 5 primary and the top two vote-getters will have a runoff in the general election November 4. The elected judge will serve a six-year term at a salary of about $140,000 per year. In 2012, Woodyard ran against Circuit Court judge Timothy Connors and garnered 23 percent of the vote against the 21-year-incumbent, who raised more than $100,000 in the campaign. Woodyard, 47, reported about $4,500 in cash contributions July 26 and had spent nearly the same amount. As in his last election, Woodyard has been far outstripped in fundraising by his opponents. Liem, 61, leads the way in the race with more than $50,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. She reported spending almost $25,000 as of July 20. Conlin, 49, reported about $37,000 in cash and in-kind contributions and has spent approximately $18,000. Chief Judge David Swartz has indicated that the docket for the vacant seat will primarily deal with family law, especially cases of divorce and custody. Patrick Conlin Like Woodyard and Liem, Conlin said he sees the position of Circuit Court judge as an opportunity to serve the community and urged people to look at candidate’s website and take the election as seriously as they do nationally covered elections. “Most people go their whole life never having involvement with a judge,” he said. “But this Circuit Court bench will handle most of the divorces and everyone knows someone who has been divorced. When you’re there in that courtroom the judge is all of a sudden one of the most important people in your life.” Conlin, an attorney with Keusch Flintoft & Conlin, said his approach to litigation would help him as a judge. He said that while he acts as an advocate in the courtroom, he does not pull punches with his clients and lets them know when he believes they are in the wrong. “I don’t think I’m the kind of lawyer who deludes myself into thinking that everything my client says is the truth. As a judge, you have to be able to look at things from both perspectives, and then you’re going to have to deliver bad news to half the people,” he said. “But, if they feel they’ve been understood and properly heard, I think it helps that process immensely, and I think I have those skills.” Veronique Liem Liem, currently an attorney at Smith Haughey Rice & Roegge, has been practicing law for more than 25 years, with a specific focus on family law. She has also served as a mediator and said she has always emphasized cooperative methods of solving family law cases. “It is always best to solve things through collaborative divorce processes,” she said. “As a judge I would be actively supportive of those methods and would help people make good use of them.” Domestic violence cases could also appear on this court’s docket, and Liem said that as an attorney she has identified some improvements she would like to see made to help victims feel more comfortable in the courtroom. “Generally speaking, it can be very difficult for people who have been assaulted to be in the presence of the person who assaulted them, especially when there have been repeated instances,” Liem said. She added that she thinks there could be staggered arrival times or courtroom partitions to help victims avoid alleged assailants. “It doesn’t take much for an assailant to intimidate,” she said. “A glare across the courtroom can be very meaningful, and minimizing the potential contact during the trial is important. Victims who have to go to the courtroom to assert their rights should not feel threatened when they have to do so.” Michael Woodyard While Liem has focused her campaign primarily on her family law experience, Woodyard and Conlin have both emphasized the breadth of their legal practice. “It’s important to note that the circuit court is a court of general jurisdiction,” Michael Woodyard, currently a Wayne County assistant district attorney, said. “It’s not really reasonable to assume that the person who wins the election will be responsible for only family law or divorce cases. This could be a much broader docket.” Woodyard has been serving in the Wayne County court system for 12 years and has handled a number of cases dealing with abused and injured children. He said he wants to bring the experiences he’s had helping those who have been victimized back to Washtenaw County where he lives with his family. “I think if anyone is really truly interested in helping, the best place to do that is within their own community,” he said. “My work for the past 12 years has given me a great window into how peoples’ lives can be positively affected by the court system. My hope is to bring that particular skill set to bear closer to home.” Ben Freed is a general assignments reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at benfreed@mlive.com and follow him on twitter at @BFreedinA2. He also answers the phone at 734-623-2528.

GRAND RAPIDS -- David LaGrand, a 2nd Ward city commissioner and bicycling enthusiast, compares Grand Rapids' bronze designation as a bicycle-friendly city to President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize: It was given with an expectation of future achievements. Local bicyclists and city officials planned to gather today to receive the award from the League of American Bicyclists, which designates bicycle-friendly cities with bronze, silver, gold and platinum awards. League officials said they were impressed by the 255 miles of shared-use bicycle paths found in Kent and eastern Ottawa counties during a visit earlier this year. They also liked the 207 miles of Kent County roads with four-foot paved shoulders to accommodate bicyclists. "Grand Rapids is a standout community in Michigan for its initiative and progress to become more bicycle friendly," said League President Andy Clarke. Kevin McCurren, president of the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition, said much work remains as the state's third bicycle-friendly town. Ann Arbor has achieved silver status, while Traverse City also has bronze status. "We hope to help the people of Grand Rapids appreciate the benefits that bicycle friendliness brings to the city, such as sustainability, a more livable urban environment and better health," he said. Grand Rapids is one of 15 cities being added to the ranks of bicycle friendly communities this fall.

Placebo frontman Brian Molko has come out in support of Radiohead duo Nigel Godrich and Thom Yorke’s criticisms of Spotify’s business model. Backed by Yorke, Godrich has repeatedly lambasted the service this week, suggesting that certain streaming platforms “cannot work as a way of supporting new artists”. On Sunday (July 14), the producer announced the removal from Spotify of his latest album with Yorke, Atoms For Peace’s AMOK - along with Yorke's solo effort The Eraser and Godrich's own Ultraísta. Other classic Radiohead albums such as The Bends, OK Computer and Kid A - all released on EMI and all worked on by Godrich - remain on Spotify. In an official response from Spotify, the company said it was: “100% committed to making Spotify the most artist-friendly music service possible.” Its long-term potential has since been publicly supported by artist management trade body the MMF and Radiohead’s co-manager, Brian Message. None of Placebo’s six studio albums have ever been available on Spotify, making the band one of the most high-profile modern hold-outs from the service. Speaking to Music Week, Molko broadly agreed with Godrich’s points. “The jury’s still out on Spotify,” he said. “I don’t see any problem with putting your singles up there because they are on the radio and people can 'audio hijack' them - but I don’t see the point in negotiating really good digital rights for your record company for them to just put [all your music on streaming services].” “The amount you might get seems kind of negligible to me at the moment,” he said. “It’s the same thing with Facebook – it’s presented as something that is meant to be good for society, but I don’t think the motivation behind the people that run Facebook is to bring people together – it’s to create wealth for themselves. “Similarly with Spotify - I don’t think it’s got anything to do with fighting piracy or providing a service that’s good for the music industry and for new bands. They are just interested in making money at the expense of others. It comes from a place of just pure profit-making on their part.” Placebo are due to release their seventh studio album Loud Like Love on September 16. See tomorrow’s Music Week magazine for reaction to the Spotify debate from across the industry - including indie labels, artist managers and artists themselves. Advertisement

Riding The Shoulder With MS May 2, 2014 PHOTO CREDIT: MIKE MARQUES PHOTOGRAPHY Initially purchased as an attempt to connect while riding, Eric and Sue Freiburger recently discovered that their trusty bike provides a great deal more. It has taught them how to best navigate life’s unpredictable twists and turns, in tandem. Sue and Eric met while attending graduate school, Sue at the University of North Carolina and Eric at Duke University. Active students with a zest for all things adventurous, the two were quickly inseparable and two years later, married. While the young couple moved from state to state and started a family, they also opted in to each other’s hobbies, including Eric’s passion for cycling. “My college apartment had minimal furnishings, but I did have a kayak and three bikes taking up space,” said Eric, now 47. “It looked more like a sporting goods store than a home.” Since Eric had five more years of cycling experience than Sue, the duo found it difficult to stay together on rides. It was frustrating and they began to go their own routes. Until, that is, they bought a tandem bike. The years rolled on, and the couple found themselves settling in Pittsburgh with their three children, Eamon, Sean and Sarah. Eric was working, Sue was raising the children and their bike was tucked away in the basement. Life seemed to be picture-perfect, until Sue’s vision began to blur. “Whenever I was in motion, like driving in the car for example, the world wasn’t in focus,” explained Sue. “I didn’t think much of it, until my balance started to be affected too. But I still tried to press on.” Over the next year, Sue continued to have vision issues, vertigo, fatigue and weakness in her legs. She was seen by a variety of neurologists and specialists and underwent many tests, including several spinal taps. “We had the support of family and friends throughout this challenging time, but it became more difficult when I accepted a new position with Praxair in Buffalo, N.Y., three hours away,” said Eric. “We didn’t want to relocate the family during the school year so Sue stayed with the children in Pittsburgh as I started the new job. The hardest day was on our 16th wedding anniversary, when I got a call from Sue saying she had seen a new doctor and that we finally had an answer.” Sue had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. More than 6,000 Connecticut residents are affected by multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease. Symptoms of MS can include, among other things, numbness in the limbs, difficulties with vision and speech, stiffness, loss of mobility, and, in some more severe cases, total paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS cannot be predicted. “When I was diagnosed four years ago, I was rapidly losing function and fearful of what my future would hold,” Sue remembered. Within months, a new Praxair position relocated Eric to Praxair’s Danbury office, and the Freiburger family moved to Dutchess County, N.Y., where they now reside. Sue continued battling her symptoms, sometimes utilizing a cane, wheelchair or stair lift in the new home. It took a year of medication and multiple steroid treatments for Sue’s MS to become more manageable. However, once it did, she was adamant that it wouldn’t render her immobile ever again. “I started horseback riding and it really helped me regain my strength,” said Sue. “Soon enough I started walking the rail trail near our home and even participated in an thirty-mile MS Challenge Walk.” Then, one day while at work, Eric saw a recruitment table for the 2013 Bike MS. He sent a message to Sue asking if she was interested, and her response naturally was, ‘Yes!’ “There can be a stigma associated with MS in the workplace so we weren’t public with Sue’s MS, but we decided that this was our opportunity to raise some awareness,” said Eric, Corporate Director of Global Process Safety at Praxair. “I approached the team captain, Rich Jarrett, and told him that I would be riding on a tandem, with my wife who has MS. His first words were, ‘Wow, that’s fantastic, I’d love to talk to her.’ From that moment, I knew we had made a good choice.” The couple pulled their dusty tandem bike out of the basement. In the beginning, it was tough and only commitment motivated them; however, somewhere that changed and the motivation shifted to the simple joy of riding the tandem together. While some people remark that a tandem is a divorce waiting to happen, Sue and Eric see the tandem as something that brings them closer together. Today, they appreciate every mile on the tandem together; even the hills. “Riding on the tandem is pretty symbolic of my journey with MS,” said Sue. “I can't see the road ahead, I have no control of the steering or the brakes but if I just keep peddling, things will be ok.” Finally, in June 2013, Eric and Sue set out for their 50-mile Bike MS journey through the hills of Fairfield County. Despite suffering a spill directly into a poison ivy patch, they were determined to stick with it. “We had never ridden on a road with traffic before, and I for one was very nervous,” said Sue. “But Rich slowed down and rode right next to us for the first leg of the race, talking to me the entire time. Then, when we arrived at each rest stop, Rich was there waiting for us. We both knew that he could ride at a much faster pace, but he showed great team leadership by quietly giving us that support and encouragement.” Jarrett, a member of the Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club, signed on as team captain after realizing that other Praxair offices across the United States participated in Bike MS rides. With an office of nearly 400 employees in Praxair's World Corporate Headquarters, he thought the Danbury office should also help in this worthwhile cause. Last year, Jarrett led the Praxair Danbury team of 20 cyclists in raising nearly $38,000 for Bike MS. “We may have been one of the last bikes to cross the finish line, but the entire Praxair team was there cheering us on and greeting us with our medals,” said Sue. “There couldn’t have been a better way to end the ride and we immediately started talking about plans for 2014.” The 2014 Praxair Bike MS Ride, presented by Louis Dreyfus Commodities, will be held Sunday, June 1, in Windsor and Sunday, June 8, in Westport. Finish line festivities include a barbeque lunch, live entertainment, local vendors offering product samples, free massage therapy and more. “This year, with the combined Praxair title sponsorship and individual contributions and fundraising efforts, I am looking to double our total level of support for Bike MS,” said Jarrett, Director of Global Marketing and Business Development. “I know reaching our goal will require a variety of fundraising efforts and I look forward to adding events and programs in order to reach our goal.” Last year, Bike MS attracted more than 800 cyclists and raised more than $578,000. This year, the chapter hopes to raise $595,000. “Riding with Sue has really opened my eyes,” said Eric. “While the fatigue associated with MS can never be understood by an outsider, I know that by the end of our rides, I too am completely exhausted. Sue has issues with balance and often leans slightly to one side when she feels as if she is sitting upright As the captain in the front, I have to constantly compensate for this to keep the tandem balanced. I have to always be alert to changes I can’t predict, can’t control and can’t see. I can only react, and I think that’s a lot like what Sue encounters every day.”. “Events, such as Bike MS, give me goals to work for and have helped me regain control over my life,” said Sue. “I don't know what tomorrow will bring but, thanks to our team, I do know that Eric and I are not alone in this fight.” For an eighth year, WTNH News 8 anchor Darren Kramer will serve as the grand marshal of Bike MS. Community partners include WTNH News 8, The Fox 95.9 and WRCH Lite 100.5. “Sue has been a vital member of our local team,” said Jarrett, now in his 15th year at Praxair. “Her perseverance and willingness to share her story with others have served as an inspiration to me and our team. Eric and Sue also demonstrate a true partnership in life, so it only seems right that they use a tandem bike.” For more information on the 2014 Praxair Bike MS, presented by Louis Dreyfus Commodities, visit bikeMSct.org. To donate to the Praxair Bike MS fundraising team, visit. 5/2/2014

How Many Unaccompanied Minors Did HHS Release to Sponsors in Your County? How Many Unaccompanied Minors Did HHS Release to Sponsors in Your County? Here’s a nice way to localize a national issue: Congressman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) denounced the Obama Administration’s practice of sending illegal immigrants to Louisiana. The Obama Administration released state-by-state and county-level breakdowns of the number of illegal immigrants, showing there were 1,275 UAC released to sponsors in Louisiana between January 1 to July 31, 2014. Parish-level breakdown of UAC in Louisiana: East Baton Rouge Parish (Baton Rouge) — 173 Jefferson Parish (Southwest of NOLA) — 533 Lafayette Parish (Lafayette) — 51 Orleans Parish (New Orleans) — 237 St. Tammany Parish (Slidell, N. of NOLA) — 54 Total in Louisiana — 1,275 Cassidy released the following statement: “The Obama Administration announced that more than 1,200 illegal immigrants have been placed in Louisiana. This highlights how President Obama’s failure to secure the borders and properly enforce our immigration laws has impacted Louisiana. This crisis has further highlighted the inability of President Obama to lead on important issues. Senate Democrats are equally responsible. They left Washington without taking action. We must secure our borders and stop President Obama’s executive amnesty.” That’s aspiring senator Cassidy, of course. See how many unaccompanied border children HHS released to sponsors in your county here. For example, HHS announced they released 1,023 unaccompanied border children to sponsors in Fairfax County, Virginia. Morning Jolt reader William Perry Pendley, an attorney and president of Mountain States Legal Foundation, writes in to point out that the government is not actually legally obligated to provide a free education to children who come here illegally. The administration contends it is simple:. “The Obama administration is asserting that a Supreme Court decision in 1982, Plyler v. Doe, mandates that all schools in the country educate kids who are here illegally free of charge,” he said. “They’re taking it a step further and saying you can’t even ask about a student’s citizenship. They are also saying the Civil Rights Act says we have to educate people regardless of their citizenship, but that’s untrue, what the Civil Rights Act says is that we cannot discriminate on the basis of national origin, but what that means is ethnicity.” Pendley said times have changed drastically since the Plyler decision, and government policies should reflect that. U.S. taxpayers pay taxes to create public-school systems to educate American children. While it may be nice or generous or charitable to educate children here illegally, it is hard to conclude that it would be criminal for a school system to bar children who entered the country illegally. A school system does not have unlimited resources. (There are more than a million children on the wait lists for charter schools nationwide.) Our lax border-security policies are adding tens of thousands of children — most of whom are ESL — to America’s school systems. View Comments

Some low-interest home loans from the federal government could soon disappear for buyers in Smithfield and Clayton. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a number of rural housing programs, including guaranteed loans and direct loans. These help lower-income people in rural communities buy houses by offering small down payments and low interest rates. But according to the 2010 census, Smithfield and Clayton are no longer rural. That means people buying homes in those towns could soon be cut off from USDA mortgages. The good news for those buyers is that Congress has postponed applying 2010 census data to USDA loan programs multiple times. Originally, the new census data was supposed to apply on Oct. 1, 2012. But Congress keeps kicking the can, delaying action because it can’t reach a compromise. Under USDA rules, rural communities in urban areas are those with fewer than 10,000 people. The 2010 census put Smithfield’s population at 11,000. Clayton was even larger, with about 16,000 people. Losing the USA loans “would be catastrophic,” said Tammy Register, a broker and real-estate agent with Hometown Realty in Clayton. Without the loans, buyers would face larger down payments that they might not be able to afford, Register said. “They would have to rent,” she said. “They would have to wait.” First-time buyers especially don’t have a lot of money in savings, Register said. “They would not be able to say they have the joy of homeownership,” she said. Register said she could understand Clayton no longer being rural, but it doesn’t make sense to exclude Smithfield. The USDA doesn’t break down numbers by towns, but in Johnston County last year, the USDA issued 658 guaranteed loans for about $100 million. It issued 11 direct loans for about $500,000. Smithfield and Clayton are among about 30 communities in the state that could lose their rural status, said Delane Johnson, public information specialist with USDA Rural Development in North Carolina. About 920 communities across the country would lose that status, said Will Kenney, director of the state’s Rural Housing Service for single-family homes. For now, his office is waiting on the federal government but will try to help communities transition if they do lose the loans. “At this point, we’re still just waiting to get additional guidance,” he said. Eleanor Thorne, a mortgage lender with River Community Bank, works with first-time home buyers in Johnston County and Eastern North Carolina. Thorne said losing the loans would also hurt current homeowners. If current homeowners tried to sell, not as many people would be able to afford their homes, she said. Plus, “people will simply move outside of that footprint, making those homes that are right outside of Clayton and Smithfield even more attractive,” she said. That could hurt the value of houses within town limits. Steve Biggs, Clayton’s town manager, said losing the home loans would put Clayton at a disadvantage. “We think we have a lot to offer, and it should be a level playing field,” he said. Biggs said the definition of rural is outdated. “There’s been a degree of growth over the last 20 or 30 years, and certainly Clayton is not urban in the context of Cary or Raleigh or someplace like that,” he said. “What we think needs to happen is the standard needs to be updated. It needs to be adjusted to current-day conditions. It would need to be at an absolute minimum 20,000.”

“Bring in da noise/Bring in da Funk” Tony-award/Grammy-award nominated playwright, poet and author reg e gaines is bringing his solo performance piece – The Last Celebrity – back to Jersey City for Black History Month. He’s scheduled to perform today in Room B of the Gilligan Student Union Center Building of New Jersey City University, 2039 Kennedy Blvd,, from 7 to 9 p.m. Then tomorrow, Gaines will be speaking at the Greenville/Jersey City Public Library on from noon to 2 p.m. The Jersey City native began writing as a teenagers. A graduate of Synder High School, he began performing snippets of his journal entries and freelance pieces in local cafés and and his reputation as a poet grew. Gaines has three books of poetry including, “The Original Buckwheat,” and his work appears in anthologies including “Aloud: Voices From the Nuyorican Poets Café,” “The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry,” “Bum Rush The Page,” and “City Works Literary Magazine.” Gaines has read his poems on, The Arsenio Hall Show, Jon Stewart Show, and MTV’s Spoken Word Un-Plugged as well as on many other stages. His work as a composer includes the score for “Senior Year,” a thirteen episode series for PBS. He branched away from writing to direct several projects including Jerry Quickley’s, “Live from the Front,” Regie Cabico’s, “Straight/ Out,” and Marcella Goheen’s, “BLAK,” and others. Gaines first performed “The Last Celebrity” in early 2013, at Art House Productions in Jersey City. The show will feature Gaines’ use of poetry, music and spoken word to convey a journey as a local writer to almost achieving stardom – referring to his chosen title “The Last Celebrity. He will return for a sixth year as the artistic director of the New York City Downtown Urban Theater Festival. Those interested in attending the performance should email ljackson1@njcu.com.

Plans to move Bideford’s library to Burton Art Gallery 15:54 16 August 2013 The Burton could see an expansion to include the Bideford Library. Archant The scheme, which is in its early stages, could see the centre expanded to include the town’s library. TALKS have been taking place to discuss expanding the Burton Art Gallery and Museum and re-housing the Bideford library there. The idea, which is only in the early stages, could include providing an opportunity to attract more visitors to both facilities and draw more external funding. Devon County Council has identified the town as one of two high priority communities for a replacement library due to the poor disabled access and small size. Speaking at Bideford Town Council’s meeting yesterday (Thursday), Miranda Clarke of the Burton said it could be an opportunity to modernise the building. She said: “The next stage is for Torridge and Devon Councty Council to work together on a joint funding proposal for the Arts Council for a feasibility study. “Obviously there are parts of Victoria Park that we need to be sensitive to and this will outline this as well as other things.” Councillor Peter Christie said he was ‘very excited’ by the concept. He said: “I think it’s a marvellous idea and we should grab it with both hands.”

March 29, 2011 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDS) in Schools Download: Complete Bulletin. PDF file. In May 2002, legislation was approved to require all public school districts, BOCES, county vocational education and extension boards, and charter schools, to provide and maintain on-site, in each instructional school facility, at least one functional automated external defibrillator (AED). An AED is a device that is used to restore a normal heartbeat in an individual who has experienced sudden cardiac arrest. The AED provides an electrical shock to the heart, which helps to restore a normal rhythm. The legislation also requires public school officials and administrators responsible for such school facilities to ensure the presence of at least one staff person who is trained in the operation and use of an AED. In August 2002, an amendment to the legislation was adopted that allowed school districts, BOCES, county vocational and extension boards, and charter schools that are unable to comply with the new law by September 1, 2002, to delay implementation until December 1, 2002. Download: Complete Bulletin. PDF file.

THERMALITO -- A transfer from a lesser-known small reservoir in Butte County to one of the largest agricultural water districts in the state is moving ahead this year. Concow Reservoir is in the Concow Valley, and operated by Thermalito Water and Sewer District. The plan would transfer up to 2,500 acre-feet of water to Westlands Water District in the western San Joaquin Valley through the remainder of the summer. Locally, the Butte Environmental Council and a coalition joined by Chico's AquAlliance have written letters to the State Water Resources Control Board hoping to halt the new deal. Concow Reservoir can store up to 8,200 acre-feet of water. One acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, or enough water for about two California households for a year. The Concow Creek watershed provides more water than can be stored in the reservoir, explained Bill Paris, the water district's attorney. "Even though we have dry conditions in the state generally, Concow Lake is filled to capacity." The operations of Concow Reservoir include a deal with the Department of Water Resources. People who use water from Concow are allowed to take water whenever they need it. If there isn't enough water in Concow Reservoir at that moment, they are allowed to use Lake Oroville water. At the end of August, releases are made from Concow Reservoir into Lake Oroville to even out the amount of water used during the year. Water is then diverted again to storage at Concow Reservoir from Dec. 1 to April 1. Right now, residents tied to the Thermalito Water and Sewer District use between 2,000-3,000 acre-feet a year. But most of the time the reservoir is filled at 8,200 acre-feet until September. A few other restrictions are on the water system, including adjusting flows to allow for bass to spawn, Paris explained. Paris said the board of directors in charge of the reservoir is interested in selling excess water this year, but knows that in the future the area will be developed, and more surface water will be needed. To view the transfer petition: goo.gl/f8Aw6K. In the meantime, water transfers could benefit the small water district. "If this worked out, this would be a way for the district to utilize the full capacity of its water right," the attorney said. The plan would be to keep the storage at 5,200 acre-feet instead of the full 8,200. For the transfer, water stored at Concow would flow down Concow Creek to Lake Oroville, a few miles downstream, Paris explained. When released, the water would flow down the Feather River, to the Sacramento River, through the Sacrament-San Joaquin Delta, to the aqueduct that leads to Westlands landowners. Opposition Northern California groups have spoken against the water transfer. Carol Perkins, water policy advocate for the Butte Environmental Council, said water doesn't just stay in the reservoir and waterways. Residents near the reservoir use groundwater as well. "Anytime we're shifting, or the potential to switch from surface to groundwater, it's a concern because there is no way to monitor (groundwater usage). We don't know the impacts to the surrounding area," Perkins said. Perkins said the deal also took place without a lot of public disclosure. She also objects to Westlands Water District buying water from this area. Even smaller transfers contribute to the rest of the state becoming dependent on Northern California water, she continued. To read the BEC comments: goo.gl/psYK8o. AquAlliance, based in Chico, submitted 13 pages of comments with California Water Impact Network and the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance. The groups challenge the transfer stating there is no proof that fish and wildlife would not be harmed and that the transfer isn't consistent with groundwater management plans. The letter also states that an environmental review needs to be done for "serial transfers and illegal piece-mealing" of water transfers. Reach Heather Hacking at 896-7758, hhacking@chicoer.com, or on Twitter @HeatherHacking.

Obama Budget Realistic On Climate Revenue: Analysts Date: 27-Feb-09 Country: US Author: Deborah Zabarenko and Ayesha Rascoe President Barack Obama speaks about climate change reform before signing executive orders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, January 26, 2009. Photo: Jason Reed WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's estimate of $646 billion in revenue for the first years of a carbon-capping program to curb climate change is realistic or possibly a little low, policy analysts said on Thursday. Obama's budget for 2010 projects this revenue, from 2012 through 2019, will fund $150 billion in clean energy technology investments over 10 years and a tax credit to help Americans make the transition to a less carbon-intensive economy. "I don't think it's overly optimistic at all," said Brian Murray, director for economic analysis at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University. "It's on the conservative side," said Tim Profeta, the institute's director. Both spoke in a telephone interview. "From a substantive standpoint, the numbers are based on a good analysis," said David Gardiner, senior adviser to the Ceres coalition of investors, environmental groups and others aiming to curb climate change. The $646 billion figure, spread over eight years, presumes that a U.S. law to limit carbon emissions will be in place by 2012, and Obama has said he will work with Congress to make this happen. Obama has said he wants a so-called cap and trade system that would put a price on emissions of climate-warming carbon. Companies that emit more than the limit would have to buy emission permits; companies that emit less could sell emission credits. It would mean about $80 billion in revenue annually, the Nicholas institute's Murray said, with each ton of carbon emissions priced at $15 at the start of the eight-year period. Because the goal is to reduce carbon emissions, the carbon price would rise over the eight years. Cap-and-trade legislation that narrowly failed in the Senate last year foresaw higher revenues based on a carbon price starting at $18 a ton and rising from there. CAP-AND-DIVIDEND The Obama budget envisions that some revenue from the emissions permits would be returned to individuals in an idea known as cap-and-dividend. Democratic U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland announced on Tuesday he plans to introduce a cap-and-dividend bill. Meanwhile, Senator Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who shepherded a cap-and-trade bill to the Senate floor last year, has vowed to introduce carbon-curbing legislation this year. Environmental groups were jubilant at Obama's proposals on climate change. "It's a hugely important policy direction and another sign that Obama gets it when it comes to building a clean energy economy," said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. "Wall Street and Washington alike understand that the question is no longer if or when, but only how we will tackle global warming and build the clean energy economy that will rescue us from economic collapse," said Sierra Club's Carl Pope. Shell Oil Company president Marvin Odum also favors cap-and-trade. "The only really wrong thing to do, is not to do anything," Odum told a congressional hearing on Wednesday. "The reason I like a cap and trade system is it directly addresses the problem. So when money goes into buy these credits, then that money goes directly to reducing carbon emissions." The budget also raises the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency to $10.5 billion, a $3 billion rise from the previous year, with a $19 million increase for "a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and related activities that will provide data critical for implementing a comprehensive climate change bill," the agency said in a statement. (Editing by Jackie Frank)

Most of the biofuels on the market now fall into one of two categories: bio-alcohols, such as the ethanol engineered bacteria, designed to be completely compatible with engines that run on fossil fuel. Today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Exeter led by John Love announced that they've's engines. "The challenge we faced," he says, "was finding a way to make the fuel that the retail industry needs biologically, rather than mining it from the ground." First the team looked for an organism that might produce the same molecules that give a fossil fuel its energy—specifically, alkanes or saturated hydrocarbons. Lots of animals produce alkanes that are similar to what's in petroleum, usually for waterproofing. But after nine years of what Love calls bioprospecting, the researchers had come up short. "Instead, we went the way of synthetic biology," Love says. "If nature hasn't designed such an organism, we can still design our process using parts designed by nature." Ultimately, Love's team hijacked the process of fat production in strains of E. coli. This microorganism gets a bad rap because some strains can cause food poisoning and sickness in humans, but more versions are harmless and part of the natural bacterial system that lives in our guts. Because E. coli is so common in humans, scientists know a lot about it, and because scientists know a lot about it, the bacteria is a good candidate for this type of genetic tinkering. By manipulating the natural metabolic system of the bacteria, tweaking up to 10 genes throughout the process, Love and colleagues converted bacterial food (usually sugar) into fat, which could then be engineered into alkane biofuel. "We were trying to specifically generate the molecules that the fuel industry needs," Love says, "and we have—albeit in a very small amount. At this point, it's just a proof of principle demonstration." For now Love's team intends to compare the molecules they produced with their natural counterparts. They then hope to make the production process more efficient at the cellular level and boost the energy content of the resulting fuel. "Luckily enough," Love says, "we've got some money to do that with." The researchers then must confront the issue that hounds every synthetic fuel researcher—scaling up. Numerous studies have outlined new ways to make new fuels in the lab, but it's an awfully tall order to imagine scaling up such a complicated chemical process to the level of our nationwide energy economy. Love says the next step after the basic research is a life-cycle analysis to see how efficient the production process is. Then a small demonstration plant—one producing hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of liters for several years—would precede a small, and then a full-scale, industrial plant. "If all goes well," Love says, "we could potentially be talking about 10 years or so."

Commercial agency names new property manager in the Lowcountry A specialist in overseeing medical facilities has signed on with Lee & Associates Charleston commercial real estate firm. Carla Fix joins the property management team at Lee & Associates. She will be one of three commercial property managers for Lee in the three-county Charleston area. According to Lee & Associates, Fix has focused extensively on healthcare property management throughout her career — in particular keying on beefing up tenant relations and retention. Foreclosure inventory drops dramatically in state, nationwide The percentage of South Carolina homes in any stage of foreclosure dipped below the national rate in November, a real estate information firm shows. Foreclosure inventory in South Carolina works out to 2 percent of mortgages, down 1 percentage point from a year ago. It’s tied for 12th highest among “judicial” states that rely on the courts to remedy problem home-loan cases, according to Irvine, Calif.-based CoreLogic. Nationwide, foreclosure inventory fell to 2.1 percent, off 0.9 percentage points or 34 percent. The inventory, which stood at 814,000 as of November compared with 1.2 million a year earlier, includes all types of foreclosed mortgages. Completed foreclosures, cases where property owners actually lose their homes, stood at 9,552 in South Carolina for the year ending in November, placing the state seventh highest among judicial areas. Across the U.S., 622,686 foreclosures were completed for the year. There were 46,000 completed foreclosures in November, down 29 percent from 64,000 a year earlier. Meanwhile, completed foreclosures decreased 8.3 percent month over month from 50,000 in October. By comparison, completed foreclosures averaged 21,000 per month nationwide between 2000 and 2006. The housing market decline started in 2007. South Carolina likewise posted a lower share of serious delinquencies, 4.8 percent of all home loans; than the nation as a whole. The U.S. rate was 5 percent, or fewer than 2 million mortgages. Serious delinquencies are home loans that are 90 days or more past due. The national rate of seriously delinquent mortgages is at its lowest level since November 2008. Meanwhile, the country’s “shadow inventory” fell to 1.7 million homes as of October, down 24 percent from a year ago and the lowest level since August 2008, CoreLogic disclosed in its National Foreclosure Report for November. The report came out last week. America-wide, the inventory was valued at $256 billion, down 26.4 percent from $348 billion a year ago. The shadow inventory consists of loans that are delinquent or otherwise troubled but not yet in foreclosure. “Consumer confidence is definitely up as the economic rebound gathers more steam,” says Anand Nallathambi, president and chief executive of CoreLogic. “As the negative equity crisis abates and home prices continue to rise, most people are prioritizing the payment of their mortgage obligations. The result is a double-digit drop in the inventory of seriously delinquent homes in 48 states as of October,” he says. “Nationally, loan performance continues to improve. The rate of seriously delinquent loans is at a new five-year low, down 26 percent relative to a year ago,” says says. The five states with the highest number of completed foreclosures in November from a year ago were Florida at 115,000, Michigan with 54,000, California at 42,000, Texas at 40,000 and Georgia with 36,000. The highest foreclosure inventory rates as of November were Florida, at 6.6 percent of all mortgages; New Jersey at 6.5 percent; New York at 4.7 percent; Maine, 3.5 percent; and Connecticut with 3.5 percent. Cane Bay moves up among top 50 master-planned communities A burgeoning Charleston area neighborhood jumped to 24th largest nationwide last year among villages that map out designs, layouts and covenants up front. Cane Bay Plantation, situated off U.S. Highway 176 in Berkeley County, climbed 26 spots from No. 50 in 2012, according to a report on master-planned communities from John Burns Real Estate Consulting in California. The company bases its rankings on 2013 net sales. Gramling Brothers Real Estate & Development launched Cane Bay Plantation seven years ago. Original plans calling for expanded public education have culminated in the opening of new elementary, middle and high schools. Home sales rose 59 percent in Cane Bay to 341 in 2013, compared with 214 a year earlier. According to John Burns Real Estate Consulting, master-planned communities make up a sizable share of housing growth each year. The top 50 “masterplans” accounted for 5.4 percent of 2013 new home sales nationwide. Also, the 23,463 new home sales in the 50 largest master-planned neighborhoods amounted to a 12 percent increase from 2012. Texas tallied the most master plans in the top 50 at 17. Florida totaled nine and California, seven. Cane Bay wound up as the only South Carolina development in the top group. Among other report findings: - New home sales slowed down in the final six months of the year. The consulting group’s builder survey “revealed slowing sales and weaker pricing beyond seasonal expectations since September.” No region avoided the housing pause “as buyers assessed the impacts of higher rates and home prices,” according to John Burns Real Estate Consulting. - The top 50 list attracted a host of new communities; more than 20 percent were new to the ranking in 2013. “We expect that some of these new communities will rise in the ranking as they gain momentum and older communities reach completion,” the company says. - Tracking builder activity can prove insightful. The consulting group says “a small but growing” number of master-planned community developers do not track the builders’ activity. “As the housing recovery progresses, developers who are not tracking builders’ sales and inventory will not have a good read on when to develop more lots,” the consulting operation says. Lennar names sales manager for coastal Carolinas The new chief of a leading national homebuilder’s Grand Strand territory arrives with a notable lineage in real estate sales and marketing. Bob Peiffer has joined Lennar as area sales manager in its Coastal Carolinas Division. He will head up the company’s sales team in the Myrtle Beach area. According to Lennar, the manager has amassed in-depth real estate experience and extensive time in marketing and sales. Peiffer previously held positions with national builders Pulte and Centex, as well as Barefoot Realty in Myrtle Beach. “We are excited to welcome Bob Peiffer to our team,” says Jason Byham, director of sales with Lennar’s Coastal Carolinas division. “His strong background in sales and marketing bring a valuable skill set to our team,” Byham says, “and his wealth of knowledge of Myrtle Beach communities will be essential to Lennar’s rapid growth in the area.” Peiffer says it’s “great” joining Lennar and working with its top-notch team. “I’m looking forward to driving sales in such a strong market for Lennar,” he says. “Knowing the area well, I know there is great opportunity for the communities Lennar can deliver and I am excited to be a part of it.” Founded 60 years ago, Miami-based Lennar builds affordable, move-up and retirement homes in 18 states. For more information, visit Beach.com or. New agents join dunes properties in King Street digs Two South Carolina natives with backgrounds as advocates have hooked up with a local agency touting offices from downtown to the beaches. As an authority in eco-friendly buildings, Bryan McElveen brings a unique perspective to the real estate market in Charleston, according to dunes properties. At the same time, Catherine Scurry showcases experience as a paralegal, which has helped her transition to a career in real estate. The pair will join the sales team at The Real Estate Studio, situated at 214 King Street. According to dunes properties, McElveen elicits “a love for the natural environment,” making Charleston a great place to live. He specializes in downtown Charleston, North Charleston and Mount Pleasant communities. “His knowledge ranges from high-performance homes in Park Circle to faithfully preserved historic homes on the Charleston peninsula,” the agency says. McElveen since 2012 has authored Charleston EcoRealtor, a website pertaining to “eco-conscious retrofitting and sustainability-minded real estate,” the residential brokerage notes. “He is an advocate for the restorative balance of the places in which we live, work and play.” The Realtor’s hobbies include gardening, cooking and enjoying the area’s rivers and beaches. He can be reached at bmcelveen@dunesproperties.com or 843-276-0352. Scurry, who grew up in the Midlands, spent summers with her large family at Pawleys Island. She moved to the Charleston area with her husband, Jerry, after many years as a Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate for the State of South Carolina, according to dunes properties. After seven years in the Charleston area, she has “cultivated a love for the historic charm of Charleston and the Lowcountry,” the agency says. Scurry, as a former paralegal, uses her legal knowledge to help clients negotiate successful real estate contracts and “realize their dream of a beautiful home in Charleston,” the brokerage points out. Her off-the-job pursuits include reading at the beach, hiking, and cooking and entertaining with friends and family. She can be reached at cscurry@dunesproperties.com or 803-331-7671. dunes properties is a boutique real estate, vacation rental and property management company launched in 1989. Its offices are in downtown Charleston, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms and the Kiawah/Seabrook area. For more information, visit. Magazine names David Weekley Homes builder of year In an open letter, David Weekley commended colleagues for their “continued support and partnership” while touting the builder’s award-winning season. Weekley founded and now serves as chairman of Houston-based David Weekley Homes. The company, which dates to 1976, builds across the country including in the Charleston area. According to the chairman, “2013 was an outstanding year for David Weekley Homes, and I am proud to say we have reached some remarkable milestones and achieved amazing success across the country.” The year’s highlights include: - Being named 2013 Builder of the Year by Professional Builder magazine, making the company one of only two double-recipient homebuilders. - Entering its latest market last summer in Salt Lake City. The builder has opened four, fully furnished model homes and has counted numerous sales. - Making a profit in all 16 of its established markets for 2013. He credited the company’s “team members” for the top-notch financial perofrmance. - Attaining an objective of 90 percent satisfied customers for the year. He said customer satisfaction can be challenging as the real estate market picks up and housing starts increase. “Regardless of the market conditions, we met our goal,” he says. - Receiving its first public corporate credit rating and successfully issuing public bonds, raising $200 million of growth capital at six percent interest for 10 years, Weekley says. - Adding to its “in-house expertise” by acquiring the high-density land planning and architect firm Preston Wood & Associates. - Keeping the company’s Noble Journey 2025 growth targets in the forefront. “This past year, we made great strides in reaching those goals and look forward to another record-breaking year,” the chairman says. Weekley says the builder’s success is “a direct reflection of the incredible team who stands behind the David Weekley Homes brand each and every day.” The company, he says, stays excited about the future and a “successful and prosperous 2014.” The builder’s on track for $1.4 billion in sales this year, he says. “Rest assured, as we continue to grow, we will never lose sight of our purpose: “Building Dreams, Enhancing Lives!” Weekley.

NU Online News Service, June 8, 10:40 a.m. EDT BROOKLYN, N.Y.--Rating analysts at Standard & Poor's are starting to get concerned about loss reserving activities of commercial insurers, and insurance executives are eyeing the same troubling actions, said speakers at a conference. During the opening session of the Standard & Poor's Insurance 2009 Conference last week, Managing Director Thomas Upton said the firm is particularly concerned about the fact that insurers are taking down (or releasing) loss reserves they carry on their books for prior accident years too quickly. The releases are material for some long-tailed casualty lines, like workers' compensation, Mr. Upton said, referring to an S&P analysis contained in a report the rating agency published in January. The report, based on data through year-end 2007, shows that insurers took down $1.7 billion of workers' comp reserves related to accident year 2006 during 2007, while boosting reserves for prior accident years by $600 million. Evan Greenberg, chairman and chief executive officer of ACE Limited, agreed that S&P was highlighting a legitimate area of concern, even though he believes that industry reserves levels are currently adequate in the aggregate. Releasing reserves based on early developments is an optimist's view, Mr. Greenberg said. "Good news comes early in the casualty business. The bad news always comes late," he said. "I do think some companies have released reserves early in an effort to goose earnings," he said. "It may come back to bite them." In addition, Mr. Greenberg believes insurers are being overly optimistic in the initial loss ratio selections they make to set reserves for recent accident years. "The 2008 accident year will prove in aggregate to be deficient," he asserted, noting that it's "normal within the cycle" for insurers to start pegging current loss ratios below where they'll ultimately play out. "I don't think this one's any different, all the vigilance of third parties notwithstanding," he said. "I agree with that," said John Charman, AXIS Capital president and CEO, referring to Mr. Greenberg's remarks during a later session. Mr. Charman noted that while latent liability issues like asbestos that led to significant reserve strengthening in the prior decade have not reemerged, "as sure as night follows day, attritional losses sweep in seven or eight years after that business as has been written," he said. (The term "attritional losses" refers to losses other than those related to major catastrophes or exposures.) "I've been extremely concerned about some of the companies in our industry--both on the primary side and on the reinsurance side--[with regard to] their overly optimistic assumptions for loss [ratio] picks, as well some pretty staggering early releases of reserves on casualty business," he said, noting that the takedowns are coming just three or four years after insurers put them up. He added that he has begun to see a little bit of emergence [or] attritional activity coming back from the 2002 and 2003 underwriting years in industry data.

Kenneth Dunner ’79, ’81 (COS) was promoted to research laboratory coordinator within the Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Anthony Marzo ’81 (SCB) and Christopher Pong are proud to announce the completion of the adoption of their son, Christopher Anthony Marzo-Pong. Marzo adopted him in April at the age of 2. This followed an earlier international adoption by Pong. Marzo recently closed his law office to become a stay-at-home dad. Gale Bram Gand ’81 (CIAS) was asked by Chicago’s mayor to create the dessert for the Welcome Dinner when Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Chicago in January 2011. In addition, her Passover dessert recipes were published on the White House website. The Cooking Channel has started to air her show, Sweet Dreams, and she was a guest judge on an episode of Food Network’s Last Cake Standing. She has accepted a new position as the chef-in-residence at historic Elawa Farm in Lake Forest, Ill. Judith Krimski ’81, ’82 (CIAS) published her first children’s book, Vanilla Gorilla: Animal Art & Poems. The book, a compilation of full-color collage art animals with whimsical poems written by David Harrow, can be purchased through. She lives in Quincy, Mass., with her teenage son and is principal of Krimski Design, a graphic design and marketing firm servicing nonprofit organizations throughout greater Boston. Alan Church ’82 (CAST) engaged in his own civil engineering practice in Armour, S.D., and recently became the daddy of Amanda, who was born July 10. Church and his wife, Melanie, now have two boys and two girls. Allison Taylor ’78, ’83 (SCB) was awarded a Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in May and has accepted the position of senior epidemiologist at the Tennessee Department of Health in Nashville. Oliver Cannady ’83 (CAST) retired after 35 years of service to Allstate Insurance Co. Jonathan White ’83 (CIAS) is both the curator and a participating artist in the seventh exhibition of “A Fraternity of Artists,” featuring student and alumni artists from the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity from RIT and other chapters. The exhibition is opening on Jan. 6 and runs until Feb. 17 at 1570 Gallery at the Valley Manor Apartments, 1570 East Ave., Rochester. Daniel Bean ’83 (CIAS) enjoys being part of an 18-piece big band with singers from the Fox Valley Area. Check the band out on YouTube at. Martha Dimeo ’84 (CIAS) joined the Board of the New England Chapter of American Society of Picture Professionals as communications and membership chair. Christopher Lerch ’84 (CAST), ’91 (SCB) accepted a position at Heritage Christian Services in Rochester as chief information officer. He was previously employed at RIT as manager of IT at The Wallace Center. John Villard ’84 (CAST) and Kathleen Huggins are happy to announce their marriage on July 3 in Canandaigua, N.Y. They live in Farmington, N.Y. Michael Dawes ’82, ’84 (CIAS) was ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church on June 11 at the annual meeting of Susquehanna Annual Conference (a Pennsylvania regional conference). Steven Gregory ’84 (CIAS) has returned to his original interest of fine art photography after working 20 years in the commercial photography field. In 2005, he was chosen as the Best Emerging Artist at the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts. Since then, he has received a Hillsborough County Individual Artist Grant, a State of Florida Artist Fellowship, and was commissioned as a City of Tampa Photographer Laureate. His current project “Depth of Memory” is the exploration of memories through the symbolism of architecture. Alex Bruski ’85 (CIAS) redecorated a 1989 Tollycraft Yacht. “In addition to my handyman business, I have been enjoying the car races trackside by working as a corner marshal at Pacific Raceways. In May, I worked an event at Dirtfish Driving School in Snoqualmie, Wash., where they sponsored a national rally race that was televised by ESPN.” Bryan Wenner ’85, ’86 (CIAS) has been named client services manager in the American Print Management Division of e-LYNXX Corp., a leader in procurement innovation and print management in the United States and Canada. Marylou Singer Fraser ’87 (CIAS), owner of Fraser Interiors, was featured on This Old House for her work on the Auburndale House in Newton, Mass. Bonnie Hammer ’87 (CIAS) was recognized in the Sarasota (Fla.) Herald Tribune for teaching seniors about social networking. In the fall, she taught at Ringling College of Art and Design and did corporate training for Children’s First. Robert Firestein ’86, ’87 (CIAS) is with his daughter, Taylor, who entered her first year at RIT this fall as a photojournalism major. This photo was taken by Rick Brady ’72 (CIAS) during the Washington/Baltimore alumni cruise in Annapolis, Md. Christopher Toumbacaris ’88 (CAST) accepted a position at Pall Corp., Advanced Separations Systems Group in Cortland, N.Y., as controls project engineer. He was employed at Schneider Packaging Equipment as controls engineer for nine years. Stephen Kennedy ’88 (COS) writes, “I wrote a science fiction novel, Terra Forma, by my pen name J. Russell that is now published on Kindle and will be on shelves soon.” Joseph Pacher ’88, ’95 (KGCOE) is site vice president at R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Ontario, N.Y. He previously was the engineering manager at Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station in Scriba, N.Y. Pacher joined Constellation Energy Nuclear Group in June 1986 and has held a number of leadership positions at Ginna and Nine Mile Point. Gary Zeiger ’87, ’89 (CAST) is expected to release his first science-fiction novel, Stingray: You Can’t Hide Forever, on Thanksgiving Day. For more information, go to. Deborah Bernacki ’89 (COS) CEO and founder of Happier At Home, has been selected for inclusion in the 2011 edition of Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare by the International Association of Nurses. She also has been granted approval from New York state to franchise her business.. Susan Svika Smith-Hartman ’89 (COS) has been working in the private sector of OB/GYN ultrasound for the same physicians for 14 years. She recently became an advanced practice sonographer through the Society for Diagnostic Sonographers. She also was awarded Senior Member status through the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. She was honored in May as one of RIT’s invited alumni at the Women’s Career Achievement dinner.

Original Canterbury pioneers’ cottage up for sale. The Tod’s originally owned 200 acres of farmland on the eastern outskirts of Lincoln but over the years, sold down their landholding to concentrate on social-improvement activities in the The first of their philanthropic ventures was establishing Lincoln’s first school – which operated from their home. Presbyterian church services were also held at the residence. Community-spirited William and Mary Tod also paid for, and assisted with the building of, Lincoln’s first library, which later went on to become the town’s Pioneer Hall. Notes from Canterbury historical documents describe the Tod homestead as: “With its large sash windows and concave-roofed verandah, the house is similar in style to other early Lincoln dwellings. This, together with the observation that it appears to have been built to face the street, suggests that it dates from after the laying-out of the township – perhaps about 1875 – 1880.” The 120sqm home sits on 875sqm of landscaped, fenced grounds land just a short walk from the centre of what is now the bustling Lincoln township with its schools and kindergarten. The property is being marketed for sale by Bayleys Canterbury residential sales consultant Urszula Bedggood, who said there few surviving houses as old as Tod Cottage remaining in the town. “As Canterbury prospered through its sheep farming activities in the early part of the 20th century, many of the older homes were either bowled over or left to deteriorate as newer dwellings were built,” she said. “That Tod Cottage now remains as one of the few remnants of the early colonial settlement era is testament to the quality of workmanship and enduring materials used in its construction. It’s like that old cliché…. ‘they just don’t build ‘em like that any more’. “The construction techniques of 100-plus years ago, and the fact that the building is predominantly made of wood and sits on wooden piles, means the structure survived the earthquakes virtually unscathed – with only minimal cosmetic EQC repair work having already been done.” Ms Bedggood said there had been considerable interior modifications to Tod Cottage to turn it into its current modern layout with extensive insulation and partial double glazing just to mention a few of the features that have been added to make it into a warm and comfortable home while still retaining the early character of the dwelling. “The property also now has a modern garage with workshop and is tastefully landscaped to provide functionality, style with minimal maintenance,” she said. “With all the various ‘modernisations’ which Tod Cottage has experienced over some 144 years, it still very much has a pioneer cottage feel to it and stands out from the surrounding neighbourhood.” Ms Bedggood expected that any potential buyer for the cottage would be someone who appreciated the historic nature of the property, but with the mod con’s of contemporary home construction. “It’s a romantic, historic home that has a warm and inviting feel - but due to an expanding family the vendors are regrettably having to leave this much loved family home,” she said. “With Saturday and Sunday open homes from 3-3.30pm on both days, we invite people to come and have a look at this property which is for sale.” ends

"Otra, otra!" cheered some international students after Mariachi Buenaventura, Santa Fe's only all-female mariachi ensemble, finished playing a gleeful piece. The audience, including students, educators and carnival ladies in super-tall stilts, held hands while swaying to the music. A woman howled loudly, then kissed her boy friend on the cheek. The song finished. "Otra, otra!" the audience yelled again. That’s pretty much the usual scene in this year’s opening ceremony of ArtFest12, which was held Monday night in the Santa Fe University of Art and Design’s quad. Though Mother Nature seemed to have worn a troll face all afternoon—it rained pretty hard before and as the event started despite the nationwide drougt—she never deterred participants in this three-week festival, who have sojourned seas, or even oceans, just to get here. “We’re excited that all these students are thrilled to be here,” said Laura Nunnelly, Director of Student Life in SFUAD. “The energy’s been great so far.” Nunnelly said that the University conceived the idea of ArtFest on July 2011 with the basic purpose of informing the world that Santa Fe exists and that it is a major art destination. Preparations began October last year. According to Nunnelly, at least 300 people from countries such as Chile, Mexico, Germany and New Zealand have registered for ArtFest12. Organizers, she said, worked with international offices of many universities to bring awareness about how artsy the university and Santa Fe are. Though participants had to pay to enter in the workshops throughout the festival, Nunnelly said ArtFest12 gives them the opportunity to explore the city for a lot cheaper. “Some students can’t go to a full semester abroad program, so this gives them a unique look at the university and what [it] has to offer,” she said. Mayor David Coss also made a cameo in the ceremony. He wanted to prove that the city government supports art as much as the next Santa Fean, although they didn’t pitch in with funding this year’s festival. “There are many different artists and art organizations that the city just really wants to be good partners with,” Mayor Coss said. “We want to help them where we need to, and even come to events like I’m doing tonight to just say that we recognize the work and we support the work.” Besides birthing a new fabulous city festival and enhancing Santa Fe’s status as an art mecca, Coss believes that ArtFest12 definitely helps increase tourism in the area. “After this, there will be two or three hundred people that will go back to their home countries and say, ‘Santa Fe is a pretty cool place,’” he said. Additionally, the Mayor emphasized that SFUAD has been an integral moneymaker of the city in recent years, as it provides over a hundred jobs and accommodates 600 students. With that, he said that ArtFest12 will help improve our economy, and so in these times of slow economic recovery, the festival is a very useful boost. “I don’t think you can overstate the importance of a good strong art university in a city that makes so much of its economy based on arts and culture,” Coss said. Coss delivered a welcome speech during the ceremony. But the keynote speaker was Brian Hardgroove, producer and bassist of the hip-hop group Public Enemy. He gave a brief history of how he realized his calling as an artist, which involves seeing an Earth, Wind and Fire concert, then talked about how artists can impact society’s points of view. “Regardless of what we as artists believe, every stroke of a pen, every utterance, every lyric, everything we do will be heard. And there will be an impact,” Hardgroove said. He talked about his so-dubbed “Def Jam incident,” in which he turned down a grand offer from Def Jam Recordings to record songs with “misogynistic” lyrics. Although he said he does not judge people at Def Jam, he thought that women in his life would hear that record, and he did not want to offend them. Hardgroove advised artists to “realize their power as creators,” and to use that power to educate or even alter people’s skewed views. The ceremony carried on with Native American dance performances from the Southwestern Intertribal Dancers from Taos Pueblo. Students of SFUAD also showcased their talents with musical performances and poems. Carnival people from Santa Fe’s Wise Fool wandered around during the event, getting gasps, laughs and applauses from the audience. And of course, there’s the festive mariachi portion, which made this intern love mariachi for the very first time. Sounds fancy, no? Well ArtFest12 has just started, and the festival goes on until Aug. 3. Several events free to the public, including a concert with Vanilla Pop, a Chris Eyre Q&A and weekend events titled Shakespeare on the Quad, held later this month (See The Calendar). Locals can also participate in workshops for $300. Ultimately, Nunnelly hopes that ArtFest12 will be a success. “We’re hoping [the festival] gives these students from across the globe a little unique taste of Santa Fe so they’ll be interested in seeing the value of a global art perspective,” she said. Oh, and ArtFest13 is very likely to happen, according to Nunnelly.

By Ishaan . April 30, 2013 . 9:20am Last week, Nintendo announced that the company’s global president, Satoru Iwata, would be taking over as Nintendo of America’s CEO in addition to his ongoing responsibilities as president. Meanwhile, current NOA CEO, Tatsumi Kimishima, is being promoted to Nintendo’s managing director. In a financial results Q&A, Iwata shared what he hopes to achieve in his new position as CEO of Nintendo’s U.S. division. The goal, he says, is to intensify communications between Nintendo’s Japanese and U.S. branches. “I already communicate very frequently with those working for our overseas subsidiaries, but I will try to intensify the communications with them to make their marketing strategies and tactics more aligned with the management decisions at the headquarters,” Iwata shared. “I will also inform them about the products under development on a more timely basis so that they can take advantage of the sales potential of such products in their business territories.” Up until now, Iwata has also been the general manager of Nintendo’s Software Planning & Development division, the group within the company that oversees the creation of games such as Xenoblade, Style Savvy, Fire Emblem, Metroid and more. Once Nintendo’s new management changes go into effect, Shinya Takahashi—who is currently the deputy general manager of SPD—will replace Iwata as manager. This will allow Iwata to focus more on his added duties as Nintendo of America CEO.

How To Fix the New York Fed The nation's second-most powerful financial institution is a mess. These folks might be able to save. Steve Friedman quickly resigned as New York Fed board chair two weeks ago, when it came out that he bought Goldman Sachs stock while the Fed was dealing with Goldman's regulatory issues. The New York Fed would have us believe that his resignation clears up any potential conflict at the institution. But the fact that Friedman, a former Goldman chairman, was on the board as a "public" representative requires us to look at the possible intersections between the Fed's actions and the business interests of the Fed's other "public " representatives. Of the New York Fed's nine board members, six are chosen to represent the public. Three of these six are picked by member banks; the other three are selected by the Fed's board of governors in Washington, D.C. The member banks somehow have been able to fill only one of the three "public" board positions, so the public voice is limited to Jeff Immelt, the chairman of GE. Yes, that's right: The chair of GE, one of the nation's largest finance companies, is the only public voice on the New York Fed chosen by the member banks. One might fairly presume that the public representative on the board and the company he chaired would not be a direct beneficiary of Fed policies and bailouts. Such connections would, of course, be contrary to the ideal of bringing the independent, nonbanking perspective of the public to the board. But GE has gained hugely from Fed policies. It has been a significant beneficiary of the Commercial Paper Funding Facility, created by the Fed in October 2008 to insure liquidity in the commercial paper market. By putting a federal guarantee behind GE's issuance of commercial paper, GE saves very significantly on its cost of capital, thereby increasing its margins. * A back-of-the-envelope estimate of the value of these federal guarantees on the $80 billion in commercial paper that GE has issued with CPFF support: roughly $2.5 billion per year. Now, the fact that the Fed reinforced the commercial paper market and that GE therefore got these guarantees may be wholly justifiable as a matter of policy. But why is it that GE, unlike virtually every bank that got bailout funds, did not give warrants to the government to provide for some potential return of value to the taxpayer? That question remains to be answered. Immelt is a good and honorable man, and I do not mean to suggest that he has abused his position as a New York Fed board member for personal advantage. But I do wonder whether the board has the breadth of vision that it's supposed to have, given that two-thirds of board members are supposed to represent the public. Despite a year of financial crisis and bailouts, Wall Street still doesn't seem to acknowledge that its insular, self-dealing structure has not only destroyed public trust but undermined financial institutions. There is still a fundamental misunderstanding at the Wall Street level about the propriety of board members benefitting personally from corporate activity, about the true meaning of "public" board member, and about the nature of the fiduciary duty that public board members owe to the public. The structure of the New York Fed can be fixed, if the member banks take their responsibility to the public seriously. Instead of stocking the board with insiders such as Immelt, the banks should pick truly independent voices. Here are a few obvious choices: Jack Bogle, the brilliant founder of the Vanguard funds, now retired, and an essential voice on the nature of fiduciary obligations in the capital markets; Barbara Roper, the sophisticated director of investor protection at the Consumer Federation of America; Harvey Goldschmid, formerly an SEC commissioner and general counsel and currently a Columbia law professor whose writings about the capital markets are astute and prescient; Arthur Levitt, the former SEC chair, whose reformist tendencies were real and often at odds with the Wall Street's desires; and Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel laureate who has been remarkably accurate in his macroeconomic analysis. The Fed has been absent as a meaningful Wall Street regulator for too long. The reform process can start if the existing board vacancies are filled with genuine public voices, not Wall Street-ers who masquerade as public representatives.

Business Digest MyFamily reorganization affects around 10% of jobs Reorganization and expansion of the MyFamily.com family of genealogy Web sites and services divisions has resulted in a turnover of about 10 percent of the company's 500 jobs. Spokeswoman Mary Kay Evans said Wednesday that about 50 employees left the Provo company last week, even as about 60 new positions were opened. Employees have been invited to apply for the new jobs, she said. The work force shift came as MyFamily.com proceeded with plans to split into five business units - the original MyFamily.com Web site, Family History, Heritage Bankers (a direct sales company acquired last fall), Commerce (online/offline sales) and International. The International division is growing fast, planning this year to add Italy, France and Germany sites to those already serving Britain and Canada. - Bob Mims Medicity Inc. acquires iServices Group Medicity Inc., a Salt Lake City provider of Web-based electronic health records services, has acquired Park City Solutions' iServices Group. The combined organizations will operate under the Medicity name, continue to sell all products offered by both companies and anticipate no layoffs. The expanded Medicity serves more than 1,200 health care organizations, among them hospitals, physician groups and clinical laboratories. Kipp Lassetter will serve the new company as chairman and CEO, with corporate headquarters in Salt Lake City. Additional offices are in Chicago, Cleveland, Ohio and Chapel Hill, N.C. "With this new combination of talent and product, Medicity is twice as smart, twice as big, and twice as experienced," Lassetter said Wednesday. "All of our existing customers and future customers will benefit from this transaction." - Bob Mims Sorenson Legacy group donates $2M to hospital The Sorenson Legacy Foundation has donated $2 million to expand and develop a heart and lung center at Intermountain Health Care's Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George. The facility will be named the J.L. Sorenson Heart and Lung Center in honor of James LeVoy Sorenson, the billionaire biomedical entrepreneur who invented and produced many medical devices that are standard equipment in health care today Sorenson is known foremost for developing the first computerized heart monitoring system, the disposable paper surgical mask, the plastic venous catheter and the first blood recycling system for trauma and surgical procedures. In 2003, the Sorenson Legacy Foundation donated $14 million to the medical center IHC is building in Murray, according to a statement issued by the foundation. - Linda Fantin See more about comments here.

Media Contacts Carol Hively, Director - Public Relations and Team Communications HQ: +1.719.576.8000 The Space Foundation was right in the middle of a historic gathering of international space agencies Nov. 17 in Washington, D.C. The International Academy of Astronautics Heads of Space Agencies Summit was an unprecedented gathering of more than 300 world leaders, academicians and space experts, including the heads of 30 space agencies from around the world - from Argentina to Viet Nam. The program included remarks by two former national presidents (India by video and the Ukraine in person), the U.S. deputy secretary of state and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and presentation of four studies on the key areas concern to the agencies: All heads of agencies signed the IAA Summit Declaration, which highlights the need to foster closer international cooperation across the four topic areas to strengthen the effectiveness and support of global space activities. The Space Foundation sponsored the Summit luncheon and hosted two tables at the gala dinner. Space Foundation Board and staff members in attendance included: Guests included the agency head and a parliamentarian from Romania, the head of Nigeria's Space Research Agency and senior space agency representatives from the United Kingdom and China. Pictured: Heads of space agencies ranging from Argentina to Viet Nam fill the stage at the International Academy of Astronautics Heads of Space Agencies Summit Nov. 17 in Washington, D.C. Carol Hively, Director - Public Relations and Team Communications HQ: +1.719.576.8000

TELSTRA technicians worked through the night in a bid to have all ADSL lines from the damaged Warrnambool exchange in action by this morning. “We are down to the final few hundred,” corporate affairs manager James Howe told The Standard yesterday evening. “There are about 2000 landlines to come back and we are confident of restoring them all through the weekend. “It’s been a huge rebuilding task and I don’t think anyone could criticise the effort put in by our techs. “Work on getting the exchange back to normal will continue, but we hope to be able to give the workers a break at Christmas if services are stable by then.” The November 22 fire inside the Koroit Street exchange knocked out 100,000 services across the south-west and has been described as a disaster for businesses and householders. Medical priority customers who were switched over to a temporary satellite service after the outage will be brought back onto normal landlines from next week. “We will make the switch between midnight and 6am to minimise inconvenience on customers,” Mr Howe said. “There will be an increased presence of Telstra staff for the foreseeable future. “It’s going to take time on the technical and business side to work through all the issues with compensation and fault fixing.” Mr Howe urged customers experiencing technical faults to call the special help team on 1800 073 900. “Call centre staff have all been made aware of the Warrnambool issue,” he said. “There will be no charges for technician call-outs and bills have been frozen during this period of fixing damaged services. Again we apologise for the disaster.” Mr Howe said about 600 compensation packs were handed out after a public forum in Warrnambool on Thursday night. The packs have application forms for claims under $1000 requiring a statutory declaration and for claims over $1000 which require supporting documents. Two Warrnambool accounting companies have been engaged to help applications process necessary information and Telstra has promised payments within 15 days of a claim being lodged. However, it has advised it will not accept double-dipping. More forums will be held next week at Portland, Hamilton, Cobden, Balmoral and Casterton with Telstra representatives answering questions by disgruntled customers and explaining the compensation process. On December 17 a federal parliamentary inquiry instigated by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy will be held in Warrnambool at the Lighthouse Theatre

THEY might have been in a caravan park, but it didn’t stop one family having a traditional Christmas in Port Fairy yesterday. With a full-scale Christmas tree taking pride of place in front of the caravan, a plum pudding on the boil under the annexe and a turkey roasting in the barbecue, the Geelong family was ready to celebrate. The Castles — mum Amanda, dad Barry and children Imogen, 8, Gemma, 6 and Lucas, 4 — have been travelling from Waurn Ponds to spend Christmas at the Gardens Caravan Park for the past eight years, along with Mrs Castle’s parents Robert and Virginia Grant, from Newcomb, and grandmother Beth Grant, from Warrnambool. Santa even managed to find his way to the park, delivering a raft of goodies for the children. Mrs Grant said the family had been visiting since Imogen was a baby. “It’s a lovely way to spend Christmas,” she said. “We are all in Geelong, but Robert’s mum is in Warrnambool, so this makes it easier for her to see us all.” She said there was almost a disaster yesterday morning, with the caravan oven catching fire while the potatoes were cooking. “Imogen said she could smell something burning, so it was nearly a disaster, but that’s all part of the fun,” she said. Mrs Grant said the atmosphere in the park in the lead-up to Christmas Day was wonderful. “There are a few other families that are here the same time as us, so we always catch up and have a bit of fun together,” she said. “We have a bit of a tradition where we have a Scrabble tournament. “This year we were lucky enough to win, so the Scrabble cup has pride of place on the tree.” Next year the whole family is expected to be on site, with Mrs Grant’s other son and all nine grandchildren planning on making the trip for Christmas. “It’s a lovely, relaxed way to be all together,” Mrs Grant said. “I actually think it’s easier doing it this way rather than being at home.”

The Kentucky Institute for Aerospace Education may have to move to Southern Indiana if an agreement to build a 12,000-square-foot facility at. The facility would serve as headquarters for the statewide institute, and a site for summer aviation camps and teacher training. Smith says he hoped to reach the first phase of construction before this winter. “We weren’t looking at other options up until now, and now the latest issues that have come across have made us re-examine our other options,” he told The State Journal this week. “It has taken us two years to get this lease (in Frankfort), and it’s taken us two days to find a hangar in Indiana – it’s just amazing the time it takes to get something done.” Chuck Wolfe, spokesman for the Transportation Cabinet, said the agency is not pulling the plug on the lease agreement with the aviation institute. The Transportation Cabinet issued a request for proposals to expand the airport ramp but got no responses, Wolfe said. Since no companies responded, the project was withdrawn from last week’s bidding, he said. The ramp expansion would cost about $300,000. “Since there was no proposal for the hangar there is no need to go spend money on an apron out there,” Wolfe said. “That doesn’t mean the project cannot be put back into a future letting.” But Smith says aviation students can use the existing infrastructure without finding a second tenant. The institute would be willing to install a gravel parking lot and work out agreements with state and local governments to improve utility service to the area, he said in an email sent to The State Journal and state transportation and education officials last week Wolfe said transportation officials will meet with members of the institute Aug. 10 to discuss the situation. “It appears there is a disagreement between the folks associated with the institute and our agency,” Wolfe said. “Officials at the airport are not opposed to the concept at all.” Before the cabinet can agree to a lease for the airport hangar, the institute must have funding secured, Wolfe said. “We want that security to ensure the project would get completed,” he said. However, Smith said the institute needs a lease before it can start fundraising. Aviation students currently work in a small hanger without heat. A new hangar would allow them to avoid weather problems and house more planes. The entire project, which could include a library, classrooms, and flight simulators, is projected to cost $1.5 million. Besides the cost of renovations, use of the facility at Capital City Airport would have been free of charge because of an interagency agreement negotiated between the University of Kentucky and the state government. Smith says his organization is exploring other options as they await the Aug. 10 meeting with Transportation Cabinet officials. One possibility is moving to Jeffersonville, Ind., just across the Ohio River from Louisville. There is an airport there that is move-in ready, Smith says, and the location is closer to corporate aviation facilities in Louisville. It would also allow the institute to expand to high schools in Indiana and collaborate with postsecondary partners like Indiana State University or Purdue University. But the first priority is to stay in Kentucky, Smith says. Sixteen schools across Kentucky participate in the institute, which has supported aerospace education programs in schools for the last two years. Smith one day hopes to receive a retired 727 from FEDEX, but the plane would be a static learning tool – it would be too expensive to operate and maintain, he said. sign out Welcome, (edit)

Skiers and hikers who spend the night at a backcountry lodge in Breckenridge every year might not realize they’re sleeping in a monument. Francie’s Cabin, one of four backcountry cabins operated by the Summit Huts Association, is named for Frances Lockwood Bailey, a former Breckenridge resident who died 25 years ago in a plane crash about 600 miles away. On July 19, 1989, United Flight 232 was traveling from Denver to Chicago when the DC-10 lost all hydraulic power after the rear engine exploded. The crew used the remaining two engines to steer a winding course to Sioux City, Iowa, where the massive plane crash-landed, cartwheeling down the runway and bursting into flames before breaking apart in a cornfield. The crash resulted in what’s considered one of the most impressive life-saving efforts in aviation history. Of the 296 people onboard, 184 survived. That day, Bailey was traveling with two of her three sons, and both 6-year-old Brandon and 3-year-old Spencer survived. Brandon Bailey, now 31, said although the hut began as a tribute to his mom, it has since evolved and taken on life of its own. Staying at Francie’s Cabin unites people, he said. Skiers who snag open beds and share the cabin with a dozen people for the weekend often walk away with a bunch of new friends. And Summit County locals and visitors alike bond over the shared experience of staying at Francie’s. “That’s ultimately what the hut is about,” he said. “It’s all about bringing people together.” A CELEBRATION This Sunday, people will come together once again for Francie’s Cabin. The Summit Huts Association will host a barbecue at Carter Park in Breckenridge Sunday, July 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. Besides food and drink, the event will also have a raffle and games. The afternoon will be mainly a celebration of the hut, the people involved in creating and maintaining it and the people who’ve enjoyed it over the years, said Mike Zobbe, the organization’s executive director, but the event is also a fundraiser to replace the hut’s windows. The nonprofit operates the huts on a fee-based reservation system and sometimes holds fundraisers to support large capital projects. IN THE BEGINNING The Summit Huts Association was started in the late 1980s by Breckenridge Mayor John Warner, Tim Casey, Abbie Cobb and other residents, said Leigh Girvin, the nonprofit’s former executive director. Zobbe said the idea was inspired by huts in Europe. He described large shelters in the Alps that can sleep 100 people and are staffed by full-time caretakers who sometimes serve meals. In 1990, the association built a hut, Janet’s Cabin, near Copper Mountain, then decided to build one south of Breckenridge Ski Resort. Francie’s namesake had deep family roots in Breckenridge, and the project was funded by her widower, Brownell Bailey. Several sites within a half mile were chosen in the Crystal Lakes drainage area for the hut, said Paul Semmer, community planner at the Dillon Ranger District, who was involved with the Forest Service permitting process. He said officials ultimately decided on the hut’s current location because the other sites looked like they might be home to Canada lynx. Breckenridge resident Kent Sharp, who also worked on the project from the Forest Service side, said the hut’s construction was a community effort. “We all worked together to make sure that the footprint for the hut was really kept to a minimum,” he said. Zobbe said construction was challenging after a couple tough winters. He remembered dragging tools behind him on a sled to build the hut. The hut was completed in 1994 and hosted its first visitors in January 1995. Semmer said Francie’s was originally designed to be a shelter for people traveling in the backcountry from hut to hut. It quickly became a place where people wanted to stay for several days. Now Francie’s is the busiest hut in the state’s system, which includes about 60 huts and yurts. Brandon Bailey said he thinks it’s seen 60,000 visits in the last 20 years. FAMILY FRIENDLY Francie’s sleeps 20 people in single and bunk beds. Though its supplies are basic, it has mattresses, pillows, solar-powered lights and a well-furnished kitchen. It’s heated and even has an attached sauna. And unlike other huts, where users have to bundle up and trek through the cold to an outhouse, Francie’s has indoor composting toilets. “That’s the kind of thing that would’ve gotten Francie on a hut trip,” Brandon Bailey said. He said his mom would’ve liked that the cabin is close to a trailhead and especially suited for families with kids. Francie’s attracts all kinds of people, he said, from hardcore skiers and backcountry enthusiasts to people putting on snowshoes for the first time. “One of the great things about Francie’s is that it’s relatively easy to get to compared to other huts in state,” Girvin said. Sharp said the 2-mile hike in takes about an hour on skis with a pack on. “It’s such a great hut for families,” Shelly Grail-Braudis, the Dillon Ranger District’s snow ranger, said. She once went to the hut with several families for Easter, and they left the toys and electronics at home. The kids enjoyed wandering around with their skis on, “having the sort of adventures kids like to have,” she said. Zobbe said it’s not unusual to see three generations of a family at the hut. Visitors still need a good degree of avalanche awareness, but Francie’s is perfect for introducing kids and beginners to backcountry skiing because of the wide variety of nearby terrain. Semmer added that because the hike to the hut isn’t as far as others, the hut also draws people snowshoeing in to snowboard. Brandon Bailey, who now lives in Boulder, said he’s spent a weekend with friends and family there every year for the last eight years. “It’s been really fun for me to see or hear about friends going on hut trips or their very first hut trip, especially,” he said. The hut is “more broken in then it was 20 years ago, which I think is great. Shows that it’s getting used.” BEYOND RECREATION For many people, the trek to the hut might be the hardest thing they do in their lives, Zobbe said, and he’s glad the hut can provide that experience they might not otherwise have. “It’s more than just recreation,” he said. “People really come to learn that they can do different things.” Girvin agreed about the hut’s psychological benefits. “There’s a great sense of accomplishment and reward when you arrive at the hut under your own power carrying your own stuff,” she said. Semmer said the hut also gives people a chance to appreciate the nature around them. “This is a way of slowing people down a little bit.” A few years ago, when the association was hosting an avalanche awareness clinic, he said, participants saw a lynx right where the Forest Service vetoed a location for the hut. That was like a nice pat on the back, he said. Like nature was saying, “You made the right decision 20 years ago.” It’s also proof that people staying at Francie’s have plenty of opportunities to see wildlife. “We’re moving into Mother Nature’s backyard,” Semmer said. “If you wait long enough, she’ll give you a present.” In the summer, the cabin has a different feel but is still busy with reservations. Grail-Braudis said she knows people who have had intimate weddings at the cabin. “It really is a beautiful place to just go and enjoy the outdoors,” she said. 20 MORE YEARS Because of the hut’s popularity, especially with young people, its large windows have taken abuse over the years. “They’re just old,” Zobbe said. “Some of them don’t close completely.” He said replacing them could cost $20,000 or more. Grail-Braudis said the cabin just needs an upgrade. “Time for a little bit of TLC.” In hindsight, Girvin, who directed the nonprofit for 14 years and oversaw Francie’s construction, said she wished the organization had spent more money on the original windows so they wouldn’t need to be replaced so soon. Though she wouldn’t call it her favorite of the huts, “Francie’s is definitely one of my babies,” she said, adding that she breathes a sigh of relief every time she visits. “It’s kinda like coming home again.” “Francie’s Cabin, at 20 years old, she’s an enduring girl,” she said, “and I hope she’s around for many years to come.” A Facebook account is required

Arch Coal's Canyon Fuel Company subsidiary today announced that its Dugout Canyon mine in Carbon County has achieved 1 million man-hours and two full years without a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reportable lost-time incident. In addition, Dugout Canyon's Castle Valley Preparation Plant has a perfect 2011 record and has operated incident-free for five consecutive years. "We applaud Dugout Canyon's achievements and ongoing efforts toward working safely each and every day," said Paul A. Lang, Arch Coal executive vice president of operations. "Dugout's achievements demonstrate our employees' deep-rooted commitment to safety, which is prevalent across our operations nationwide." In 2010, Dugout Canyon miners worked 486,453 hours with a lost-time incident rate of zero compared to the national underground average of 3.72 incidents per 200,000 employee-hours. Arch's Canyon Fuel Company is Utah's largest coal producer and a large state employer, with a workforce of 900. It operates the Dugout Canyon, Skyline and Sufco mines.. In 2010, Arch's overall lost-time incident rate of 0.46 per 200,000 employee-hours was less than one-fifth the national coal industry average of 2.52 per 200,000 hours worked.

The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a proposal consisting of 16 measures to transform Taiwan into a “low carbon” country by 2020. At a fortnightly meeting, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) and ministers without portfolio reviewed the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ (MOEA) proposal, which was based on conclusions reached at the National Energy Conference held in April. The proposal includes earmarking NT$45.413 billion (US$1.38 billion) in government funds in the first year. The proposal set a long-term goal of cutting total annual greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by the year 2025. The Executive Yuan has also asked the legislature to complete a bill on reducing carbon emissions and another bill on developing renewable energy. Of the earmarked budget, NT$226 million will be used to promote renewable energy and facilities in homes and public buildings. The Executive Yuan said it would invest NT$20 billion over the next five years into advancing techniques in seven industries: solar energy, LED lighting, wind power, hydrogen energy and fuel cells, biofuel, energy information and communications technology, and electric vehicles. The measures also include enhancing cooperation between local governments and the central government on incentives for conserving energy and cutting emissions. The measures include creating two pilot communities per county or city over the next two years, with 50 percent of the energy supply in those areas coming from renewable sources. Six cities or counties should be fully transformed into “low carbon” areas within five years and the whole country should be made a “low carbon” region by 2020, the proposal said. Total carbon dioxide emissions nationwide were 277.645 million tonnes in 2006, representing 124.68 percent growth over 1990’s 123.574 million tonnes, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) says. The EPA’s data show that the.

Dry as a Bone: Lake Mead's H2O Situation Just Got a Whole Lot Worse A buoy warning 'no boats' stands on dirt at the abandoned Echo Bay Marina on July 13, 2014, in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada. (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) The days of millions of Sin City residents and visitors who love swimming in, boating on, and drinking water siphoned from Lake Mead could be numbered. After 14 years of drought in the Southwest, the water reservoir created by the Hoover Dam has officially dipped to its lowest water level since it began filling up with water from the Colorado River in the 1930s. On Sunday, the lake’s water level dropped to 1,081.7 feet above sea level, leaving the reservoir only 39 percent full. The body of water hasn’t been full since 1998, when it was about 1,296 feet above sea level. As the hot, dry summer months continue, the water level is expected to recede even more. "It's time for us to wake up. If this drought continues, we're going to be in a terrible situation within the next 12–24 months," Jay Famiglietti, senior water scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told The Desert Sun. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation regional chief Terry Fulp said, however, that there's enough water to meet the needs of the 40 million people who call the region home, including folks who live in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. "We continue to closely monitor the projections of declining lake levels and are working with stakeholders throughout the Lower Basin to keep as much water in Lake Mead as we can through various storage and conservation efforts," said Fulp in a statement. People living in Nevada and Arizona will see their water supply affected by shortages if Lake Mead's water level falls below 1,075 feet above sea level. The lake would need to drop another 80 feet from its current level for California, which has the oldest water rights to the water and which is experiencing such severe drought that the state’s economy is set to lose $2 billion, to see severe shortages. "It's very likely that the allocations need to be rethought," Famiglietti said. "Is it going to be a congressional thing? Is it going to be the western governors that get together or some combination? It probably has to be a top-down thing." It’s anticipated that winter snow, and melting snowpack in the spring, which will feed the Colorado River, will keep California from a worst-case scenario. But that annual replenishment allows officials to stick with short-term, year-to-year planning instead of long-term preparation for the effects of climate change in the Southwest. "We know about solutions that must be scaled up across our arid lands—water recycling, water banking, water pricing,” Kimery Wiltshire, executive director of Carpe Diem West, a nonprofit organization that works on the connection between climate change and water supplies, told The Desert Sun. What's less sure is whether policy makers and politicians have the political will to improve what's become a dire situation.

Tex.. The Texas Integrated Report satisfies the requirements of federal Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d). The TCEQ produces a new report every two years in even-numbered years, as required by law. The 303(d) List must be approved by the EPA before it is final. An advisory group works with the TCEQ on biennial reviews of the Guidance for Assessing Texas Surface Water Quality. This guidance is included with each Integrated Report. 2012 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality 2012 Texas Integrated Report The state's 2012 assessment of surface water quality. Waterways are assigned to various categories (1 through 5) depending on their attainment of the standards established to define and measure their quality. 2012 Texas 303(d) List Category 5 of the Integrated Report comprises the 303(d) List. The 303(d) list identifies those impaired waters for which the state plans to develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). The 2012 Texas 303(d) List was approved for submission by the TCEQ on February 13, 2013. It was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency on February 21, 2013 and approved May 9, 2013.. Inventories and 303(d) Lists from Prior Years - 2010 Texas Integrated Report and 303(d) List - 2008 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List - 2006 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List - 2004 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List - 2002 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List - 2000 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 2000 303(d) List - 1999 State of Texas Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List and Schedule for Development of Total Maximum Daily Loads - 1998 State of Texas Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List - 1996 State of Texas Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List - 1994 State of Texas Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List - 1992 State of Texas Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List For More Information Please call Michele Blair at 512-239-6682, or send an e-mail to swqm@tceq.texas.gov.

Glenys Stacey, the head of Ofqual, suggested that proposals to abolish foundation and higher tier papers – requiring all pupils to sit the same test – could undermine the “universal” nature of examinations. The comments threaten to undermine a key element of the Government’s wide-ranging plan to overhaul the examinations system in England. Currently, GCSEs are split into two levels. Foundation papers are traditionally aimed at low-ability pupils, allowing them to score a maximum C grade in tests. But Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, has condemned the move for promoting a "culture of low expectations". He said the system made it impossible for thousands of students to achieve the decent grades needed to get good jobs and proceed onto A-level courses. Under a shake-up of GCSEs, he wants to axe tiered papers and force all pupils to sit the same exam. But giving evidence to the Commons Education Select Committee today, Ms Stacey appeared to suggest that Ofqual may refuse to endorse the move, forcing the Government to drop the proposal. She said Ofqual must “have regard to Government policy but not to slavishly follow it”. "It is Ofqual's job to determine whether or not new GCSEs will be tiered or whether there is a better arrangement that could ensure that these qualifications remain universal, as the Secretary of State has asked, and remain accessible to the same proportion of students as they are now," she said. Ms Stacey said there were pros and cons of running tiered exams. She added: "The important point here is that we know that's our job and we will make the right decision about what is the best known way to ensure that these qualifications remain universal and accessible. “It may be tiering, it may not, but we have a job to do to get to the right solution." The comments were made as part of an evidence session on last year’s English GCSE grading fiasco. Exam boards suddenly shifted grade boundaries up between tests taken in January and June – resulting in tens of thousands of pupils missing out on good grades. Ms Stacey said major changes to GCSEs – including the abolition of bite-sized modular courses – would probably off-set a repeat of the episode this year. But she insisted there would still be "variations" between results in different schools. "We cannot guarantee that there will be no variations between schools,” she said. “That's what you would expect."

Credit Suisse cuts 300 jobs in local units merger Credit Suisse is to merge its retail and private banking arms in Switzerland from January, cutting 300 jobs at the Swiss bank to save 50 million Swiss francs (€42 million). The restructuring is part of an extra 1 billion-franc cost-cutting campaign announced by Credit Suisse three weeks ago as it seeks to boost profits and strengthen its balance sheet. The current head of Swiss retail operations, Christoph Brunner, will lead the streamlined unit, the bank said. “I am convinced that we can fulfil said that 2,500 of an overall 10,000 job cuts will be made in Switzerland. UBS is winding down its fixed income business and returning to its private banking roots. Julius Baer is also expected to cut some jobs in Switzerland as part of an overall reduction of 1,000 jobs, as it seeks to rein in costs following its purchase of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s international wealth management business. At Credit Suisse, Rolf Boegli, who is currently operating chief at the private bank, will lead a separate unit serving ultra-wealthy clients in Switzerland – typically those with more than $50 million (€39 four billion francs in cost savings by 2015, up from a goal of three billion francs it set in July and an earlier figure of two billion. The bank, which is already cutting 3,500 staff or seven per cent of its workforce, said job losses would be inevitable to achieve the extra savings, but until now have not detailed how many more staff would

Washington — Labor unions are seizing on last year’s landmark Supreme Court campaign finance ruling to change how they engage in politics, developing ambitious plans to influence nonunion households in the 2012 election and counter corporate money flowing into outside conservative groups. Labor unions had initially assailed the ruling, known as Citizens United, for allowing corporations and wealthy donors to vastly expand their spending on campaigns. That has indeed happened, with the proliferation of a new generation of political action committees, known as Super PACs, that can accept unlimited donations. But the. As part of this overhaul, Richard L. Trumka, president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., has said organized labor will be more independent of the Democratic Party, sitting out races where unions are disappointed with the Democratic candidate’s positions on issues important to them and occasionally financing primary challengers to Democratic incumbents. The unions said they even intended to back a few Republicans they judge to have been generally supportive of their agenda, like Representative Steven C. LaTourette of Ohio. Mr. Trumka said unions were tired of Democratic politicians taking them for granted after labor shoveled millions of dollars into Democratic campaigns.. Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, voiced skepticism about labor’s declaration of political independence, noting that union leaders have often said similar things in the past, before returning to the Democratic fold. Labor leaders complain that after unions spent more than $200 million to help elect President Obama and Congressional Democrats in 2008, the Democrats did not deliver on labor’s priorities, including a stimulus plan large enough to reinvigorate the economy and legislation that would make it far easier to unionize workers, central to labor’s hopes of reversing its decline. In an interview, Mr. Trumka said the A.F.L.-C.I.O. would initially inject $10 million into its still unnamed Super PAC — far less than the $100 million that some conservative Super PACs have — in large part to build a year-round political structure for labor. “The way we used to do politics is we’d set up a structure six months before the election, and after Election Day we’d dismantle it,” Mr. Trumka said. “Now we’re going to have a full-time campaign, and that campaign will be able to move, hopefully, from electoral politics to issue advocacy and accountability,” meaning holding union-backed lawmakers accountable. Unions are recasting how they do politics after labor leaders reluctantly recognized their political predicament: as union membership has shrunk in recent years, it has become harder for unions — perhaps the Democrats’ most powerful ally — to elect the candidates they support. Michael A. Podhorzer, the A.F.L.-C.I.O.’s political director, said the need for a new strategy became evident last November. He said that even though unions conducted a huge campaign operation in Ohio, the labor-backed candidate for governor, Ted Strickland, a Democrat, lost to the Republican, John R. Kasich. “It became apparent that even in races where union members voted overwhelmingly in support of a pro-worker candidate, we could still lose,” Mr. Podhorzer said. “President Trumka asked, ‘How do we get programs that win elections and not just put up a good fight?’ ” Before the Citizens United ruling, unions were banned from using dues money to reach out to nonmembers in political campaigns, but now unions plan to campaign among the 89 percent of Americans who do not belong to unions. Union officials have long complained that when their foot soldiers knocked on doors in, say, Milwaukee or Columbus, Ohio, they wasted huge amounts of time because they could visit only union members’ homes and often had to skip 90 percent of the houses. Now they can knock on every door on a block. Many Democrats wish that money would go directly to party building or individual campaigns. Moreover, many national Democrats fear that labor will focus on state and local races — at the expense of presidential, Senate and House races — to help assure union survival after Republicans in Wisconsin and Ohio enacted legislation sharply limiting the power of public-sector unions. Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter, said labor’s political overhaul had many national Democrats worrying that unions would not be as generous and active on their behalf. “Labor just seems to think that their challenge of survival is so great that state-by-state and ground-level fighting is more important than fighting in U.S. House and Senate races and plowing a lot of money into the presidential race,” Mr. Cook said. “But if we’re looking at a situation where the Republicans are going to hold the House and perhaps pick up a majority of the Senate and have at least a 50-50 chance of winning the presidency, I wonder whether labor will have to re-engage at the national level.” One example of labor’s more independent approach came two weeks before Mr. Obama’s jobs speech before a joint session of Congress. At a breakfast with reporters, Mr. Trumka criticized Mr. Obama as doing too little on jobs and becoming a follower, not a leader, by letting Congressional Republicans set the agenda. He also warned that union members, dismayed with the 9.1 percent jobless rate and Mr. Obama’s failure to do more about it, might not be energized enough to vote for him as many did in 2008. Union leaders like to think such words helped persuade Mr. Obama to push for a robust, $440 billion jobs program that is now before Congress. “He’s leading, and that’s exactly what we asked,” Mr. Trumka said. “I think everyone will rally around this.” The Service Employees International Union, often called the nation’s most politically potent labor group, has also revamped its political strategy in response to Citizens United. This summer it dispatched thousands of members to knock on hundreds of thousands of doors in blue-collar neighborhoods in Cleveland, Milwaukee and a dozen other cities, aiming to educate and mobilize union and nonunion workers on economic issues. It also helped organize a sit-in at the office of Representative Paul D. Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, to protest his plan to make sizable cuts in Medicare spending. “We’re solely focused right now on trying to get the national debate focused on jobs and everybody paying their fair share,” said Mary Kay Henry, the S.E.I.U. president. “It’s important for us to keep our eyes on who’s standing in the way of working people,” she added. “It’s not President Obama. It’s the corporations and the wealthy and the politicians they back who aren’t willing to pay their fair share and are applauding efforts to dismantle government.” Like many union leaders, she said Citizens United was far more advantageous to corporations than unions because corporations have trillions of dollars in assets at their disposal. This article, "A Campaign Finance Ruling Turned to Labor's Advantage," originally appeared at The New York Times.

UHWO welcomes first Distinguished Visiting Scholar Franklin Odo Odo will address UHWO Asian American History class on Dec. 6 at 12:30 p.m. in D102University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu Julie Funasaki Yuen, (808) 454-4870 Public Info Officer, Public Relations and Marketing Public Info Officer, Public Relations and Marketing Posted: Nov 30, 2011 Dr. Franklin Odo On Tuesday, Dec. 6, UH West O‘ahu’s first Distinguished Visiting Scholar Franklin Odo will return home to Hawai‘i to address students in Christen Sasaki’s Asian American History class. During his presentation on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the attacks on Pearl Harbor, he will discuss his research as it relates to the Honouliuli Internment and Prisoner of War Camp on O‘ahu during World War II as well as his latest book, scheduled for release in 2012, Voices from the Canefields, about the folk songs sung by Japanese immigrants on sugar plantations. Odo, a Kaimuki High School graduate and the first-ever to attend Princeton University from the school, was the founding director of the Smithsonian Institute’s Asian Pacific American Program since 1997. He was responsible for numerous exhibits highlighting the experiences of Chinese Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Filipino Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans, and Indian Americans. Odo retired from the Smithsonian in January 2010 and earlier this year, became chief of the Asian Division at the Library of Congress. “As UH West O‘ahu’s first Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Dr. Odo brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience to our campus along with insights into the inner workings of our nation’s most revered institutions and stewards of our cultural history, the Smithsonian Institute and the Library of Congress,” said UH West O‘ahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni. “We are honored to bring such an accomplished scholar to our institution to work with our students, faculty and other community groups.” Prior to his work at the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress, Odo’s 30-year teaching career included professorships at a number of prestigious universities including the University of Pennsylvania, Hunter College, Princeton University and Columbia University. Odo received his bachelor’s degree in Asian Studies from Princeton University, a master’s degree in East Asia Regional Studies at Harvard University, and completed his doctoral studies in Japanese history at Princeton University. He is the author of No Sword to Bury: Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i During World War II (2004) and editor of The Columbia Documentary History of the Asian American Experience (2002). In addition to his presentation at UH West O‘ahu, Odo will also address the Hawai‘i Library Association Annual Conference at the Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel on Dec. 5 about the Library of Congress and the future of reading, as well as speak with high school students at Mid-Pacific Institute on Dec. 7 about the Japanese virtues of enryo (restraint, tact), okage sama de (thanks to you), giri (duty, sense of honor), on (debt of gratitude) and more. He will also speak at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i and East-West Center, as well as address the Library and Information Science Program at UH Manoa’s Hamilton Library..

Florence Nightingale Environmental Theory And Contributions To Nursing Essay Florence Nightingale was born May 12th, 1820 to parents William and Frances Nightingale during the second year of their honeymoon tour and was named after the city of her birth, Florence, Italy. She was their second child, her older sister Parthenope was born one year prior and was also named after the city of her birth, Naples, or Parthenope in Greek (The Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, n.d.). Her parents were wealthy Unitarians and traveled in the highest English social circles. Her maternal grandfather was a liberal politician who believed in philanthropy and abolitionism (Attewell, 1999). Her father William, who had studied at Cambridge according to the Nightingale Museum website, was progressive for his time and taught his daughters mathematics, statistics, philosophy, history, economics, government, and multiple languages (Johnson & Weber, 2005). Florence was particularly interested in mathematics which she would later use to support her observations (The Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, n.d.). Her mother Frances was religious and although Unitarian she preferred the Church of England and her girls where raised in the church (O'Conner & Robertson, 2003). Florence felt a strong calling by God to help the sick and the poor and was finally able to convince her parents to allow her to attend nursing school at the school for deaconesses at Kaiserswerth, near Dusseldorf Germany in 1851 after she had visited there while on her European tour with family friends (The Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, n.d.). After graduating, she visited hospitals throughout England and Europe, studying their design and the incidence of disease through hospital reports and government publications (Attewell, 1999). In 1853, she accepted her first position as the superintendant of An Establishment for Gentlewomen during illness in London. War broke out in 1854 when Russia invaded Turkey and England and France went to Turkey's aid. Florence was asked to nurse British soldiers by her friend Sir Sidney Herbert, the Minister of War, after the public outcry over the number of deaths and the conditions of the hospitals for soldiers fighting in Turkey. She worked tirelessly caring for the ill and wounded with the other 37 female nurses she had recruited and became known as the "Lady with the Lamp" because she would check the wards at night using a lamp to light her way. During her time in Turkey, she became extremely ill with what is believed to be brucellosis which continued to plague her for the rest of her life. Florence returned to England after the war in 1856 and began to use mathematics and statistics to help her write and support her notes on the army, hospitals, and the causes of death of soldiers she cared for in Crimea. She is credited with creating the "polar area" or pie chart as it is know today (The Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, n.d.). She was upset by the number of soldiers who died from communicable disease versus war injuries and became semi-reclusive communicating primarily in writing (McDonald, 2009). It has been suggested that she was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from her experiences during the war (Mackowiak & Batten, 2008). In 1857 she declined her third offer of marriage to devote her life to the care of the sick and social reform. She wrote Notes on Nursing, the basis for her Environmental Model in 1859. The Nightingale Training School at St. Thomas Infirmary opened in 1860 utilizing money that was given to her as thanks for the care she provided to the soldiers in Crimea with the training for nurses being based on her model. In 1864, Florence helped to develop home nursing, hospitals for birth, the insane, and the poor, barracks for married soldiers, and the practice of separating the sick by gender, age, and disease. She continued to write on health and social reform issues such as rural hygiene, deaths during birth, and lying in institutions throughout her life despite being ill and bedridden for extended periods. In fact, she published over 200 books, pamphlets, and reports during her lifetime. The founder of the Red Cross, Henry Dunant, credits Nightingale with giving him the inspiration to create the Red Cross in 1872. Her father, who continued to support her financially and was the one person she allowed to see her on a regular basis, passed in 1874. Her mother followed in 1880 and her sister in 1890. In 1902 Florence became bed ridden for the last time and remained so until her death in 1910. For her contributions to society, public health, and nursing, Florence was awarded multiple commendations and medals including being elected the first female Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society in 1860, the Royal Red Cross in 1883, the first woman recipient of the Order of Merit in 1907, and the Freedom of the City of London in 1908 (McDonald, 2009). Florence Nightingale was many things during her lifetime: nurse, researcher, statistician, social reformer, educator, and theorist. Her contributions to nursing and society are numerous. Florence Nightingale has been referred to as the "mother of modern nursing" (Johnson & Webber, 2005). Before she became a nurse, it was common belief in England that nursing was only for holy sisters and women of low birth or moral character who were considered prostitutes, drunks, and thieves. Through her work and example, nursing became a respectable profession for women (The Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, n.d.). She tirelessly collected data through observation and research and applied that knowledge to social reform on the issues of public and military health and sanitation at home and abroad, rural hygiene, hospital planning, organization, and administration, rights of women and the poor, the definition of nursing, and the need for trained nurses and midwives to care for people in workhouses, hospitals, schools, penitentiaries, the military, and at home (Wellman, 1999). Due to the nature of her work and her commitment to improved patient outcomes by developing best practices based on observation and research, she should be considered the first public health nurse and champion of Evidence Based Practice. Florence was a statistician and an educator. She used her knowledge of math and her research to support her ideas and the necessity of reform (O'Connor & Robertson, 2003). She is responsible for initiating the professional education of woman in nursing outside of the sisterhood and promoting their employment in hospitals and workhouses throughout England and abroad (The Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, n.d.). Beyond nursing education, she was instrumental in changing military medical education through her observations during the Crimean War. In her Notes on matters affecting the health, efficiency and hospital administration of the British Army Florence writes: […] whatever amount of scientific information appears to be presented by the civil student on his entrance into (Attewell, 1999, p. 5). It is evident that her influence was genuine as the first Army Medical School in England was opened in 1860 by physicians and surgeons who were veterans of the Crimean War. Finally, Florence Nightingale was a theorist. She developed her Environmental Model in 1859 and titled it Notes on Nursing: What It Is and What It Is Not based on her observations and experiences while treating the soldiers during the war (Johnson & Webber, 2005). Nightingale wrote: (Nightingale, 1860, p. 2). Florence wrote these notes on practice, not intending them to be a manual on nursing, but ideas for women who take care of others because she felt that at some point, nearly every woman nursed somebody in her charge and it was up to them to manipulate the environment to help nature take its course (Nightingale, 1860). Her model includes 13 constructs with recommendations on implementing them. They are: ventilation and warming, health of houses, petty management, noise, variety, taking food, what food, bed and bedding, light, cleanliness of rooms and walls, personal cleanliness, chattering hopes and advises, and observation of the sick (Nightingale, 1860). Although Nightingale did not intend for her writings to become a teaching manual for nurses, her ideas were clearly applicable to teaching nurses how to care for the patient environment and was eventually used in her school to do just that (Johnson & Weber, 2005). Some of her hints on nursing are still applicable to practice today. They represent a holistic view of nursing by addressing the physical, mental, and social aspects of the patient environment. For instance, cleanliness of air, water, home, linen, and person are still important and helpful in preventing disease and promoting health. Also, adequate nutrition and sunlight are necessary for proper bodily function. Excessive noise and lack of variety can be harmful to mental health and must be remedied. Lastly, as nurses we still observe the sick, keep track of their vital signs, likes and dislikes, and monitor changes in their condition. All of this we record in the patient's chart much like Nightingale did when she recorded her observations 150 years ago. Although Nightingale's Environmental Model does not meet the guidelines of modern theory and has not spawned the same quantity of research as contemporary models, it can be said that her ideas have influenced nursing theorists and their respective models. Like all nurse theorists, Nightingale used her personal, spiritual, and educational experiences to guide her ideas (Johnson & Weber, 2005). The Living Tree of Nursing Theories was developed by nurses to illustrate the influence of Florence Nightingale on later nurse theorists. It proposes that person, environment, health, and nursing are the roots of the tree and Nightingale is the trunk supporting the branches, which are the modern theorists (Tourville & Ingalls, 2003). In essence, without Florence Nightingale's work and ideas, nursing theory would not be the same as it is today. She created the fundamentals on which nursing theory is built. In fact, when comparing modern theories to the Nightingale Model many similarities can be appreciated. Henderson was concerned that the early nurse practice acts did not clearly cover what nursing is and therefore promoted an unsafe environment for the public. She helped define what nursing is and what it was not. Her definition reads: (Johnson & Webber, 2005, p. 133). A direct connection can be made to Nightingale's model if one considers the changes in societal expectations and the growth of the nursing role from doer to helper in the 100 years between when the two theories were written. Henderson promotes helping the patient achieve independence through nursing assistance that Nightingale did not. Her 14 components of nursing are similar to Nightingale's 13. They include: breathe normally, eat and drink adequately, eliminate body wastes, move and maintain desirable postures, sleep and rest, select suitable clothing, maintain normal body temperature, keep the body clean and well groomed to protect the integument, avoid dangers in the environment and avoid injuring others, communicate with others, worship according to one's faith, work in such a way that there is a sense of accomplishment, play or participate in various forms of recreation, and learn, discover, or satisfy the curiosity that leads to normal development and health using available health facilities (Johnson & Webber, 2005). Faye Abdellah's theory titled, Patient-Centered Approaches, is just that, patient centered. Her 21 nursing problems are also similar to Nightingales 13 ideas and when advances in science and understanding of how the human body functions are taken into consideration a direct correlation can be established. Lastly, Sister Callista Roy's Adaptation Model relies on the construct that the role of the nurse is to manipulate the environment to free patients so that they can adapt to other stimuli. Although this is a deviation from Nightingale's theory, both nurses believed in the reparative process of providing the optimal environment for healing (Johnson & Webber, 2005).. Florence Nightingale devoted her life in the pursuit of helping others. Request Removal If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have the essay published on the UK Essays website then please click on the link below to request removal: Request the removal of this essay

COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 12 (UPI) -- U.S. college students who routinely use the social networking Web site Facebook typically have lower grade-point averages than those who do not, a study says. Researcher Aryn Karpinski of Ohio State University's education department said surveys completed by 219 U.S. undergraduates and graduates found that those who used Facebook achieved lower grades, The Sunday Times of London reported. "Our study shows people who spend more time on Facebook spend less time studying," Karpinski said. "Every generation has its distractions, but I think Facebook is a unique phenomenon. It is the equivalent of the difference between getting an A and a B." Facebook allows users to chat, take quizzes, post comments and search for new or old friends. Karpinski also found that 79 percent of study respondents who admitted to Facebook usage felt such online activities did not impact their studies, The Times said. No margin of error was given for Karpinski's study.

The University Record, February 11, 1997 OBITUARIES: Edwin N. Goddard Edwin Newell Goddard, professor emeritus of geology and mineralogy, died Feb. 1 in Kalamazoo. He was 92. An expert on geological mapping and a consultant to NASA's first manned lunar mission, Goddard taught at the U-M for 24 years. "Eddie was the quintessential field geologist," says Henry N. Pollack, professor of geological sciences. "He directed the department's summer field camp for years. More than anything, he loved being out among the rocks." Goddard first came to Ann Arbor as an undergraduate in 1923 and subsequently earned three U-M degrees---a B.A. in 1927, M.S. in 1928 and Ph.D. in 1936. He served as an instructor in geology from 1928 to 1930, when he joined the staff of the U.S. Geological Survey where he worked as principal geologist and geological map editor and published several articles on mining districts in the western United States. In 1949, he returned to the U-M as a professor of geology and director of geological field work. Goddard served as chair of the geology department from 1951 to 1956. He retired from U-M in 1970 and moved to California. He was living in Portage, Mich., at the time of his death. As consultant to the NASA Geology Experiments Team, he was part of a team of geologists who directed astronauts in their geological experiments during the first manned lunar landing and analyzed rock samples collected on the moon. Goddard was active in many professional organizations including the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Geological Society of America, the Mineralogical Society of America, American Geophysical Union, the Michigan Geological Society and Sigma Xi. Goddard is survived by his wife, Betty Stumm of Portage; three daughters, Patricia Vavrick of Blaine, Wash., Judy Goddard of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Bobbie Lam of Kalamazoo; three stepchildren, Virginia Christensen of Peterborough, N.H., Diana Stumm of Palo Alto, Calif., and Ernie Stumm of Portage; and seven grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be sent to the Summer Field Camp Fund, c/o Dept. of Geological Sciences, 2534 C.C. Little Bldg., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1063. Kenneth Allin Luther Kenneth A. Luther, professor of Persian studies, died at his home in Ann Arbor Feb. 2. He was 63. He joined the U-M in 1963 as assistant professor of Persian Studies, became associate professor in 1969 and professor in 1973. He was awarded the University Distinguished Service Award in 1970. He was associate director of the Center for Near Eastern and North African Studies in 1970-71 and served as the center's director in 1971-74. He specialized in Perso-Islamic/Iranian history and Classical Persian Literature, returning frequently to Iran to pursue research. Luther received his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida in 1955, his master degree in 1959 and Ph.D. in 1964, both from Princeton University. Luther served on a number of national and international committees, including the Joint Committee on the Near and Middle East of the American Council of Learned Societies and the Social Science Research Council and the Research and Training Committee of the Middle East Studies Association of North America. He was president of the American Institute of Iranian Studies 1977-79. In 1980, Luther was instrumental in getting adverse visa regulations rescinded for Iranian students in the U.S. He is survived by his wife, Marjory; three children, Anne Jackson of Ann Arbor, Katherine Lara of San Diego, Calif., and Capt. Kenneth S. Luther, U.S. Army, Fort Bragg, N.C.; two grandchildren, William Allin Jackson and Melissa Anne Jackson; a sister, Roberta Luther Lake of Gainesville, Fla., and two nephews. Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers, Mich., to the Adirondack Council, or to the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University for the Luther Prize.

Jason Mraz talks & sings 'Love' won and lost Grammy-winning Oceanside troubadour performs Saturday at Cricket Wireless Jason Mraz, with Christina Perri When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29 Where: Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre, 2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista Tickets: $17-$53.50 Phone: (800) 745-3000 Online:livenation.com Breaking up, to paraphrase the classic song, is almost always hard to do. Yet, for musicians ranging from Bob Dylan and Marvin Gaye to Roseanne Cash, Beck and the band Afghan Whigs, breaking up has also fueled a number of classic albums. Articulating an aching (or breaking) heart in song can be a cathartic process to help deal with the pain and loss. Enter “Love is a Four Letter Word,” the latest album from multiple Grammy Award-winning Oceanside troubadour Jason Mraz, who performs here Saturday at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. Released in April, “Love” came out in the wake of his 2011 breakup with fellow North County singer-songwriter Tristan Prettyman. Their six-month engagement and its much-publicized dissolution inspired some of the songs on both “Love” and Prettyman’s upcoming new album, “Cedar + Gold.” (The two had split up once before, a few years prior to their engagement, then reconciled. “I’ve created havoc in my life. Many times. But every time (it was) subconsciously. Otherwise, I would have entered into my relationships with the words: ‘Will you be my muse?’ ” said Mraz, who last year partly attributed his split with Prettyman to his desire to wait until same-sex marriage became the law of the land. “Many of the songs from ‘Love Is A Four Letter Word’ are the direct result of feeling like a failure after a relationship turned sour,” he continued. “They’re the songs I wrote that reminded me I’m still strong, worthy, lovable, and have lots of love left in me to give.” Those sentiments are perhaps best expressed in the inspirational ballad “I Won’t Give Up.” The first single from “Love,” it is infused with an infectious spirit of hope. Much like Mraz himself, the song’s lyrics are unabashedly optimistic and self-affirming, even in the aftermath of a relationship gone bad. It includes such lines as: I won’t give up on us / God knows I’m tough / He knows we got a lot to learn / God knows we’re worth it. To reinforce his message, between these lines, Mraz adds such call-and-response punctuations as: “I am tough!”; “We’re alive!”; “We are loved!”; and — the clincher — “And we’re worth it!” What results suggests a contemporary, feel-good response to the sentiments expressed in the classic 1936 song “Smile,” Charlie Chaplin’s simultaneously wrenching and uplifting classic of emotional tenacity in the face of emotion-sapping adversity. “I don’t think love is a tricky issue at all,” Mraz said, answering questions by email after a recent tour stop in Minnesota. . “However, if you’ve ever stopped to listen to birds singing, or smell some wild lavender, you’re sharing your time and interest with your environment and broadcasting love in the world. And if you’ve ever taken yourself to a yoga class or rewarded yourself with a movie night, you’re listening to yourself and truly loving who you are. Love isn’t something that comes and goes, either. It’s always there to experience. You just have to choose it.” Connect with The San Diego Union-Tribune - - - - -

Obesity options expand under Obamacare Federal health reform has given doctors a new prescription for weight loss — and a potential new business opportunity for everyone from gym owners to personal trainers. Because of the Affordable Care Act, all new health plans in the nation must cover obesity screening and counseling at no cost to patients, an official with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services confirmed Wednesday. That means overweight or obese people can get specialized counseling that may have cost them money in the past, in the form of copays or deductibles. The shift actually took place starting Jan. 1, but few consumers — and even a good number of health providers — haven’t heard about the benefit. “I suspect few doctors are aware of the availability of that coverage,” said Dr. James Hay, a family practitioner in Encinitas. It’s also a benefit that has been available to Medicare recipients since 2011. Physicians can conduct body-mass screenings and refer those with an index score of 30 or higher for dietary assessments, intensive counseling and therapy that can include weekly visits with doctors and referral to specialists for additional work on nutrition and exercise. Still unclear is whether the new weight-loss benefits brought about by the new law, also known as Obamacare, will mirror those already granted to those 65 or older through Medicare. Also unanswered is how many additional patients might be enticed to use the benefit, given that weight loss can often be a long and difficult process. But those uncertainties haven’t stopped the health and fitness industry from taking notice. How fitness experts can fill the potential rise in demand for weight-management support was the topic of a talk Wednesday at the San Diego Convention Center, where more than 10,000 members and exhibitors of the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association launched the start of their four-day annual meeting. Scott Goudeseune, chief executive of the San Diego-based American Council on Exercise, urged health club owners in the audience to immediately work on developing relationships with certified health coaches and other types of exercise professionals who might get referrals as a result of Obamacare’s new anti-obesity benefits. “We want the medical community to look at us, trust us, understand that we can really be a vital member of that team,” Goudeseune said. While the federal government has not said clearly that such workers will be eligible to receive doctor referrals, the executive said the window of opportunity is open for that to happen. “I think we can impact many, many more lives than we are doing today, and we can actually be lucrative and rewarding in doing it,” he said. The vote is still out on whether and how the exercise world might end up working with the health-care industry to provide obesity treatment. It’s in addition to the wellness services, including weight-control programs, sometimes offered by employer-based health plans. The question of who will provide additional obesity services is largely left to individual insurance companies, said Ted Kyle, advocacy adviser for The Obesity Society, a national research organization that works to advance scientific understanding of obesity. Connect with The San Diego Union-Tribune - - - - -

Residents see red over state fire fee 2011 through June 2012. Parcel owners will receive another bill in February 2013, for 2012-13. updated every five years by the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Board of Directors. The department, which goes by the informal moniker Cal Fire, bills itself as the largest full-service all-risk fire department in the western United States with more year-round fire stations than the cities of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago combined. The Cal Fire mandate includes vast forest and rangeland management responsibilities, in addition to prevention and suppression of forest fires. Public Resources Code section 4210 explains that the presence of structures in a SRA increases fire risk. The fee directs that extra cost to owners of those structures. Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant offered another rationale, explaining the fee as an attempt to protect Cal Fire’s prevention funding from Sacramento’s budget-cut shell game. Local opponents of the fee, notably including El Dorado Hills Fire Chief Dave Roberts, contend that creating a separate funding source for prevention ensures that current state funding for prevention will be cut in the future. In an Aug. 21 news release Roberts recounts his agency’s opposition to the fee when the governor first proposed it, and argues that the agency providing fire prevention and protection in El Dorado Hills is EDH Fire, not Cal Fire, and that residents already pay taxes for those services. As such, the fee constitutes a duplicate tax, “without providing additional fire services,” he said. Furthermore, Roberts contends, the fee jeopardizes the Master Mutual Aid System, which the chief called “a model of collaboration for the rest of the nation.” El Dorado County’s rural fire agencies currently face budget shortfalls that threaten their existence. Homeowners in the Pioneer Fire Protection District approved a ballot measure in 2011, taxing themselves $85 per year to keep their district afloat. As an undisguised tax increase, Pioneer’s Measure F required a two-thirds majority and achieved it with room to spare. Roberts argues that tax-weary residents are much less likely to approve any such taxes or similarly aimed fees or assessments in the future, “on top of the SRA fee charged by the state.” When rural districts reduce staffing and shutter stations the “model of collaboration” Roberts refers to can quickly break down, he said, explaining that the cross-boundary mutual aid chess game of move ups, coverage and “auto-aid” (closest resource) responses that Cal Fire’s Camino Command Center operates will require more of El Dorado Hills Fire, keeping firefighters out of district longer and more often, which increases response times and risk in El Dorado Hills. Prevention activities The state fee can only be spent in SRAs and only on “fire prevention activities,” according to Public Resource Code Section 4137 and 4214, which lists activities like education, fuel reduction, investigation, civil cost recovery, forest law enforcement, pre-fire planning, risk analysis and education, volunteer programs, defensible space inspections, hazard mapping and implementation of the State Fire Plan. The pertinent code sections were added by Assembly Bill X1 29, which was approved by the legislature in June 2011 with all the Democrats in favor and all Republicans in full, vocal opposition. Unlike Pioneer’s Measure F, the prevention fee didn’t require a public vote. Public hearings were held in San Diego and Redding, but not Sacramento. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association contends the fee is an illegal tax under Proposition 13 and has promised to challenge it in court. Because of the county’s strong mutual- and auto-aid policies, most residents care more about their PTA and the NRA than whether they lived in an SRA or LRA. Many El Dorado Hills residents now question the SRA boundaries. The LRA in El Dorado Hills forms a meandering north-south urban core, very loosely bounded by El Dorado Hills Boulevard, Serrano Parkway, Francisco Drive and Lakehills Drive, leaving thousands of suburban parcels in fully developed neighborhoods under tight homeowner association control designated as within the SRA. The state code defines the characteristics of a SRA as any of these conditions: (a) Lands covered wholly or in part by forests or trees producing or capable of producing forest products. (b) Lands covered wholly or in part by timber, brush, undergrowth, or grass that protects the soil from erosion or excessive runoff, if the water is available for irrigation or domestic use. (c) Range lands contiguous to either of the above. The vast majority of parcels in El Dorado Hills are suburban in nature, often with strict landscape controls. They aren’t forests, tree farms or grazing land and haven’t been for many years. And because most of the building is relatively recent, the threat from structures is greatly reduced. Ironic examples abound: Despite the wood and water in its name, the Lake Forest Apartment complex is neither (a) forest, (b) lake or (c) range land, although some weekend wildlife has been reported on the parcel, which is strictly SRA. The most upscale sections of Serrano, the “street of dreams” parcels surrounding the golf course, are SRA, as are the most of the less-opulent subdivisions north of Serrano Parkway. An equal number of parcels in similar neighborhoods south of the parkway are LRA. Other examples of SRA neighborhoods include Sterlingshire, Highland View, Highland Village, all the neighborhoods south of Green Valley road and east of either Francisco Boulevard or El Dorado Hills Boulevard. The Oak Ridge neighborhood, smack in the middle of El Dorado Hills, is considered SRA, perhaps because some of its parcels adjoin the ridge, which isn’t exactly range land, but is open space. Cal Fire officials contacted for this story pointed to section 4128 of the Pubic Resources Code as the rationale for seemingly arbitrary SRA boundaries. The section allows recognizable landmarks, including “pipelines or streams,” to be used as “arbitrary boundaries” — a provision that might be needed on actual timber or grazing land where few permanent landmarks are present. Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Kaslin conceded, “They had to put the boundaries somewhere.” The question of how those suburban neighborhoods became state responsibility remains unanswered at press time. The Regional Council of Rural Counties questioned the veracity of Cal Fire’s database of properties and owners subject to the fee, distancing themselves from the process with a statement that counties had no role in compiling the names or addresses. Assemblymen Kevin Jeffries, R-Lake Elsinore, and Paul Cook, R-Yucca Valley, have taken another approach, introducing Assembly Bill 1506, which would repeal the fee. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is governed by a nine-member board, two of whom are El Dorado County residents — Biologist Susan Britting of Coloma and Forester Richard Wade of Pollock Pines, a Sierra Pacific district manager. Parcel owners who believe they were billed in error can contest the bill by filing a “petition for redetermination,” but must do so within 30 days, and should include supporting documentation. Importantly, they should pay the fee. Information and instructions are available on the El Dorado Hills Fire Department website and also at the Jarvis protest site, firetaxprotest.com. Cal Fire has established a hotline for questions: (888) 310-6447, and a website with information on the fee: FirePreventionFee.org. Short URL: story falls on page "1" Last Login: Wed Mar 4 14:08:57 2015 Filed under Featured Stories, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed. The article made note of the Lake Forest Apartments property is considered SRA but failed to note an even more ironic factor that baffles the mind. The apartments sit across the intersection from the the EDH fire house that would most likely respond to an emergency.. This is awful, it is robbery plan and simple, hard to believe that Americans can be forced to pay a unlawful tax like this. Never thought I would see it during my lifetime. Thanks for voting leftists in to power- fools.

Jeff Douglas runs a small mortgage brokerage in Fairfax. (Jeffrey MacMillan/JEFFREY MACMILLAN FOR CAPITAL BUSINESS) Mom-and-pop mortgage brokers in the Washington area are bracing for a new set of rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last month that they say could make it difficult for some to remain viable. The regulations, which were originally authorized as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reforms, aim to protect consumers from risky and overpriced loans. The guidelines also limit the amount of compensation brokers can command per deal to 3 percent. A portion of that would go toward transaction fees as well as loan officers’ salaries, which area brokers argue leaves too small a cut for them. “Honestly, this will dictate how many mortgage brokers will be able to stay in business,” said Kevin Retcher, chief executive of First Meridian Mortgage Corp. in Alexandria. “It’s going to get a lot tougher.” The rules are slated to go into effect next January. Brokers and associations say there is still some confusion about exactly what fees and costs are included in the 3 percent cap. “We’re trying to get a total definition of what those fees will be and whether transfer fees and state taxes are included,” said Don Frommeyer, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. The CFPB is still fine-tuning the regulations and determining which fees will and won’t be covered. The bureau is accepting comments from the public until mid-February, said Moira Vahey, a CFPB spokeswoman. Depending on the wording, area brokers say it will be difficult to offer lower-priced mortgages. A $100,000 mortgage, for example, would result in a maximum $3,000 fee that would be distributed among several parties. “In the end, it’s going to end up hurting consumers who are looking for lower loan amounts,” said Diana Cook of Metropolitan Mortgage Services in Washington. The CFPB’s new guidelines include other provisions, as well: Mortgage brokers who connect home buyers to lending institutions can only receive payment from either the borrower or the lender, not both. Brokers also cannot receive incentives for persuading clients to agree to higher interest rates or fees. “The intentions are good, but we just don’t know what the repercussions will be,” said Jeff Douglas of Douglas Mortgage Services in Fairfax. A few years ago, during the last round of regulations, Douglas said he nearly threw in the towel. He was tempted to close his one-man shop and go work for a financial institution where he would be paid a steady salary. “A lot of mortgage guys went over to the other side, to the banks,” he said. “I was very much considering bolting, too.” But not all brokers say they’re worried. “I started in this business in 1993,” said Paul Skeens of Colonial Mortgage Group in Waldorf. “In 1995, there were all these new rules and everybody was sure we were all going to go out of business. But that didn’t happen, and it won’t happen this time.” “My philosophy is: Tell me the rules, and we’ll play by them,” he added.

Chimney Rock is surrounded by the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. Since its construction, Pueblo tribes split into the 19 current groups that are governed by the All Indian Pueblo Council. (Courtesy of Colorado University-Boulder) A thousand years ago, the ancestors of modern Pueblo Indians were among the ancient people who watched the sky. They built a village near an extraordinary rock formation in southwest Colorado that captures the rare Lunar Standstill. Today it is called Chimney Rock, a sprawling archaeological site covering nearly 5,000 acres in San Juan National Forest. President Obama gave it a National Monument designation last week, his third and the nation’s 103rd overall. Chimney Rock is surrounded by the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. Since its construction, Pueblo tribes split into the 19 current groups that are governed by the All Indian Pueblo Council. Santa Ana, Zuni, Acoma and other tribes spread into New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and other parts of Colorado, abandoning Chimney Rock, but recognizing it as an ancestral place of origin. “That’s why these sites have a deep significance to native people that you and I may not understand,” said Mark Fiege, an associate professor of history at Colorado State University. “It goes to the core of their being and their identity as a people. Their very sense of themselves is wrapped up in the land.” While declaring the designation Friday, Obama said it would ensure that the important and historic site between Pagosa Springs and Durango “will receive the protection it deserves.” More important to some, a boost in federal financing that the designation provides will lead to an improved experience for tourists at the site, and likely draw more of them. A June report by BBC Research and Consulting, prepared for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, estimated that the site’s enhanced profile would double the current economic impact from tourism, $1.2 million, within five years. The number of jobs at the new monument, about 17, would nearly double. “Thousands of people come every year to experience the cultural and spiritual significance of Chimney Rock,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, one of three administration officials who visited Chimney Rock for a ceremony Friday. monument designation was years in the making. According to the report, the national trust got involved with an effort to preserve Chimney Rock in 2007 by providing matching funds under the Save America’s Treasures Grant program. Two years later, the trust pushed to make it the first U.S. Forest Service monument “primarily for the preservation of cultural resources,” and got bipartisan support from Colorado’s congressional delegation. In Colorado, Chimney Rock is considered an ancient marvel, where carrying stone and trees and water up steep hills for its construction seemed impossible when it was accomplished between A.D. 900 and 1150. Hundreds of historians and scientists visit the site each year to observe the Great House Pueblo in the shadow of the dramatic pillars. University of Colorado archaeologists have studied it for decades. According to a history provided by the Chimney Rock Interpretive Program, the prehistoric inhabitants entered the area through the North Piedra River valley, walking past farmers already there. They did what others did at the time — planted corn and beans, hunted deer and elk, and gathered wild plants for food and medicine. At some point, the people who became the Pueblos moved up steep hills toward the mesa top. There, historians believe, inhabitants made a ceremonial center for festivals and rituals, tied to worship of the sun and moon. The community dates back a thousand years, before the arrival of Spanish explorers, who encountered people there and named them Pueblo Indians. They called the towers “La Piedra Parada,” or “Standing Rock,” and it later became Chimney Rock because it resembled a stone chimney, according to the interpretive program’s history. “The story of my tribe and our history is intimately connected to Chimney Rock,” said Chandler Sanchez, chairman of the All Indian Pueblo Council. “This place is still sacred to my people, and we want to see it protected for our children and grandchildren. That’s why the [council] is among so many Americans celebrating President Obama’s decision to preserve Chimney Rock as America’s newest National Monument.”

Vestal, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Before sending students off for the first day of school, parents can be confident their most popular mode of transportation is put through a series of strict testing before hitting the road. The New York State Department of Transportation conducts bus inspections every six months. "We do the safety items. All the interior checks, emergency buzzers, emergency checks, the tire and exhaust," said Jeff Corey with the DOT. The Vestal bus garage holds 66 buses and transports 3,800 students daily. Each school bus has a nearly 10-year lifespan, maxing out at roughly 150,000 miles. The regional DOT serves 15 counties and 4,500 buses. "We keep a running list of the buses and call the school district and give them a date that we'll be there with the bus numbers," Corey said. Under a state mandated law, the school has two weeks after the time of the call from the DOT to make sure the bus is inspected. "Every morning we have a quite a few moms and dads putting kids on buses expecting they're going to get a safe and comfortable ride to school, so that's our main function," said Roger Warren with the Vestal bus garage. The drivers are also responsible to check buses before they leave the lots. "There are procedures set up for pre-tripping, post-tripping, checking that bus before and after each run. Checking names of children making sure we get the children to the right place," Warren said. Warren adds that any bus that was inspected Thursday will be due for another inspection at the end of February.

Top Country Wedding Song Below you will find a top with the most appreciated country wedding songs that you can use at the religious ceremony or at the wedding reception. We advice you take a pen and start writing down some names because they will make the delight of your event. The first song to make it in our top country wedding songs is “I Do” by Paul Brandt. This single was released in 1996 and its lyrics talk about the benefits of love and long term commitment. This song became a hit because it concentrates on these simple, but powerful words: ”I Do”. Randy Travis manages to set a joyful tone over a wedding with his “Forever And Ever Amen” song. As the title suggests, the main idea is based on the “until death do us apart” theme. This is a very emotional song that will impress your married guests and will make them appreciate true love. If you are searching for a song to play on the moment when you will say you vows, the “When I Said I Do” song by Clint Black and his wife Lisa Hartman Black it’s a good choice. This song will intensify the moment when the bride and the groom promise each other eternal love no matter what. Another song that we thought it deserves a place among the best country wedding songs it’s “Bless The Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts. This song’s lyrics say how amazing is the moment when you find your half, especially if you have waited for it for a long time. The “Could I Have This Dance” song by Anne Murray it’s our 80s choice. This romantic song it’s appropriate for the first dance at the wedding reception. For your country event, who would be more proper to sing about love than a famous country couple? I’m sure you know I’m talking about Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The lyrics sound more beautifully because you can feel the strong connection between the two, through their voices. If you want to relive those infatuation moments from the beginning of your relationship, you should choose John Michael Montgomery’s song called “I Love The Way You Love Me”. You and your beloved one will surly remember some exciting moments from your past together. A very famous country song, often used on wedding events it’s “From This Moment On” by Shania Twain and Bryan White. This song celebrates the union between a man and a woman and talks about two persons being together through good and through bad. If you don’t want to consider country music as an option for your wedding event, you should think twice. This music genre it’s so rich with love, that it would be a shame not to enjoy it.11

The Port of Portsmouth is New Hampshire's only seaport, its oldest settlement, and its first capital. The Port of Portsmouth rests on the southern banks of the Piscatagua River across from Kittery, Maine. The city is a regional trade center for the surrounding agricultural region and a popular resort area. In 2008, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Port of Portsmouth as one of a "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" in the United States. In 2000, over 20 thousand people called the Port of Portsmouth home, and over 240 thousand lived in the Portsmouth-Rochester metropolitan area. In 1630, the village known as Piscatagua was settled by Europeans on the banks of the river with the same name. The Port of Portsmouth was soon renamed Strawbery Banke due to the abundant wild strawberries growing on the river's banks. With an excellent natural harbor and a strategic location for maritime trade between upstream agricultural and industrial interests and foreign merchants, the Port of Portsmouth was soon prosperous. The mainstays of the economy were shipbuilding, lumber, and fishing. Incorporated as Portsmouth in 1653, it was made the capital of the colony of New Hampshire in 1679. As it grew, the Port of Portsmouth became a retreat for refugees escaping the harsh Puritan culture in Massachusetts. In 1713, it was the site for the Treaty of Portsmouth that brought a temporary stop to conflicts between the Abenaki Indians and the English settlers of the area. During the American Revolution, Paul Revere rode to the Port of Portsmouth in 1774 with his famous warning that the British were coming. Even though the Port of Portsmouth was protected by the nearby Fort William and Mary, the new American government moved the State's capital further inland to Exeter to escape the wrath of the British Royal Navy. When the Embargo Act of 1807 forbade trade between the United States and other countries (in an effort to keep the US out of the Napoleonic Wars), many local merchants in the Port of Portsmouth lost their fortunes. The Act was very unpopular, though, and it was repealed the following year. In the early 19th Century, other fortunes were made in the Port of Portsmouth by privateers operating from the city during the War of 1812. In 1849, the Port of Portsmouth was incorporated as a city. For many years, the Port of Portsmouth was one of the United States' busiest and most important ports and shipbuilding centers. The wealth it gained was reflected it its wonderful architecture that included many Colonial, Georgian, and Federal style homes, many of which have been preserved. Much of the Port of Portsmouth's center contains Federalist-style buildings that were built at the same time after some devastating fires early in the 1800s. A fire in 1813 destroyed 244 buildings. The Port of Portsmouth has much in common with nearby Kittery, Maine, across the river. John Paul Jones boarded his ship, Ranger, at the Port of Portsmouth harbor, but the ship was built on Badger's Island in Kittery. In 1800, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard became the first federal navy yard in the country. When the Industrial Revolution arrived, the Port of Portsmouth lost its dominance over younger mill towns like Dover, Manchester, and Rochester. Despite the damage to its economy, the changes allowed the historic character of the Port of Portsmouth to be preserved, and much of the town's architecture survives, creating a base for today's tourism and healthy art community. In 1905, the Port of Portsmouth's navy yard hosted the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Portsmouth that ended the Russo-Japanese War.For most of the 20th Century, the Port of Portsmouth was an important center for the construction and repair of United States' submarines. Since 1971, the country's submarines have been repaired only at the navy yard there. Review and History Port Commerce Cruising and Travel Satellite Map Contact Information

When kidnappers were holding professor Alan Garen’s son Micah hostage in Iraq this summer, Yale stepped in to support the Garen family and aid efforts to free Micah Garen. Micah Garen, 36, a journalist, was working on a story in Nasiriyah when he was abducted by Al-Sadr militiamen on Aug. 13. His captors released him after nine days, and he returned to the United States in late August. Though Yale President Richard Levin declined to comment on any specifics, he said he became personally involved in the effort to free Micah Garen. The University’s Office of Public Affairs helped the family deal with the press while the story of the kidnapping was unfolding. It is common for members of the University staff to rally behind faculty members during hard times, Levin said. But he said in the Garens’ situation, he felt it was necessary to take a more active role. “We have a lot of staff around here to help take care of faculty — sometimes I get personally involved,” Levin said. “It’s a terrible ordeal they had to go through, and it’s a relief that Micah is OK.” Though Alan Garen declined to comment on any details related to his son, he said he appreciated the University’s involvement during a trying time for his family. “There’s always support on a personal basis,” Garen said. “People expressed their horror and concern and their relief at the outcome.” Alan Garen also received support from within his department, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. MB&B chairman Nigel Grindley said the department is a close-knit community. “Certainly there have been a lot of things we’ve done to help out,” Grindley said. Yale stepped in to aid the Garen family with the numerous media requests they received after Micah’s abduction was first reported. University spokesman Tom Conroy said the Office of Public Affairs offered assistance to the family by mediating between the Garens and reporters by “simply passing along information from the family to the media.” “As a general rule, when it comes to issues that are unrelated to Yale itself — in other words, media inquiries that are coming in because someone has an association with Yale — our general view is we’re glad to help if the faculty member wants that,” Conroy said. Though Conroy said OPA did not tell reporters who gathered near the Garen home in August to leave the premises, the office conveyed that the family would not release a public statement to the media. Having people outside the family deal with news media can be not only a relief to the family but also appreciated by reporters, Conroy said. “I think for the reporters who were gathered that day, some found it helpful to know there wasn’t going to be a statement,” Conroy said. In general, those working at Yale are responsive when a colleague is experiencing a situation related to a family dilemma like Garen’s, a Yale faculty member said. “I think there is that feeling that there is a solidarity when something major happens to a Yale faculty member, especially something like this,” said the faculty member, who declined to be named out of respect for the family.

John Lamb, Published February 03 2010 Plains Art Museum gets $1.2 million mural The commission had been in the works for years and planned when the renowned pop artist visited Fargo in 2005. Funding had been a hurdle in the acquisition. A press release announcing the arrangement on Tuesday said a donor gave $600,000, which was matched by the artist in labor, materials and lowering his fee. The donor’s name was not revealed, but Plains Art Museum Director/CEO Colleen Sheehy said the giver was from the community. “We’re so grateful because this donor was able to fulfill this dream,” said Sheehy. She called the piece of work a “resource to the community and the nation,” adding that the donation boosts the museum’s profile in the art world. Rosenquist was born in 1933 in Grand Forks. After attending the Minnesota School of Art, he moved to New York and worked as a billboard painter until establishing himself as major force in the pop art movement in the mid-’60s. The first version of “The North Dakota Mural” burned in a fire that destroyed his Aripeka, Fla., home in January 2009. Sheehy saw the original and after the fire asked Rosenquist to maintain the piece’s spirit. She and curator Mark Ryan will travel to Rosenquist’s home in March to examine the painting. The new piece is 13 feet high and 24 feet long. The painter used imagery associated with the state, like a meadowlark, a northern pike, a cow’s skull, a Native American tepee frame and the state seal. The mural will be unveiled in early October and will hang above the main floor in the Ruth and Seymour Landfield Atrium. “I’m ecstatic that we’ve finished one major piece in the capital campaign,” said Sheehy. This is the second recent announcement about major donations to the Plains’ campaign. In December the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Kresge Foundation gave $800,000 and the St. Paul, Minn.-based Bush Foundation gave $555,000. Sheehy says the goal for all fundraising is to finish by fall 2011. “We’re charging ahead,” she said. “There’s momentum.” Readers can reach Forum reporter John Lamb at (701) 241-5533

Caroline Forbes Dan Rothenberg developed The Mall at Chestnut Hill and other projects, and he gave to 200 nonprofits regularly. Even though Dan Rothenberg was one of the most successful real estate developers in New England, he kept a remarkably low profile. He was a developer of The Mall at Chestnut Hill and numerous other projects, but his name rarely surfaced in the media, as much by design as by chance. “My father really had an abhorrence of self-aggrandizement and ostentatiousness,” said his son, Ned, of Brooklyn, N.Y. “What mattered to him were the personal connections with the people he was dealing with, and his ability to see the actual effectiveness of what would happen. If he did something, he wanted it to make people’s lives better.” That was true in business and in the approach Mr. Rothenberg took to widely spreading the wealth he accumulated. Instead of making a few large contributions to well-known institutions, he gave to some 200 nonprofits regularly. He visited every place he supported and made it clear his donations were meant for them, rather than to reflect on him. He never wanted his name on a building. “He would often tell people if they sent him more than a handwritten thank-you note, he would never give money again,” said Deborah Denhart, who worked for Mr. Rothenberg on charitable matters. “He felt so strongly that the time, the money, and the effort should go to the work, and not toward making donors feel good about themselves.” Mr. Rothenberg, whose legacy stretches from the shoppers in upscale Chestnut Hill stores to the homeless his contributions helped house and feed, died in his sleep Tuesday in his West Newton home. He was 89. Among the institutions Mr. Rothenberg helped support was his alma mater, Dartmouth College, and human service agencies such as the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter. The vast majority of the agencies to which he contributed, however, were nonprofits such as Julie’s Family Learning Program, which only secured its own space in South Boston less than a decade ago. “Some of them are places you never heard of, that have tiny, tiny shoestring budgets,” said Denhart, who added that Mr. Rothenberg was so averse to flashiness that he didn’t like the word philanthropy. “He would say, ‘Deb helps me with my stuff,’ ” she said with a chuckle. “I have no business card. That is not how he operated, which is what made him a joy to work for.” When he visited each nonprofit to which he contributed, Mr. Rothenberg asked to meet the janitor, who he saw as a bellwether of how the agency was run. “He would always ask to talk to the person who, as he said, took care of the place, and wanted to know if that person was treated well,” Denhart said. A sharp and perceptive businessman, Mr. Rothenberg succeeded partly by paying close attention to the particulars of every project. He and Julian Cohen, his partner in C&R Management, pored over ever detail. “One day he told me, ‘If you can’t figure it out with a Number 2 pencil and a pad of paper, don’t do it,’ ” said Phil Ortins, vice president of the company. “And every deal they made was figured out on a yellow pad of paper,” Ortins said. “They would sit across from each other and talk about it. The next day, they’d do it all over again. They’d tear up the paper and do it again to make sure they didn’t make a mistake. And they’d keep doing it and doing it and doing it. It was very simple.” By the time Mr. Rothenberg and Cohen, who died in 2007, sought financing for a project, they carried in their formidable memories every figure a banker might want. When it came to projects, however, Mr. Rothenberg was as concerned about each fit in the fabric of the community. “This can be a joyous place, a neighborhood rather than a regional shopping center,” he told the Globe on the February day in 1974 when the ribbon was cut to officially open The Mall at Chestnut Hill. Two decades later, dressed unassumingly as always, he strolled through the mall, conversing with shoppers he recognized, and disposing of stray pieces of trash he spotted. “This is a nice place,” Mr. Rothenberg told the Globe in 1994. “It feels good.” Daniel E. Rothenberg grew up in Brookline. His younger brother, the late Dr. Michael B. Rothenberg, became a prominent child psychologist. Their father bought and sold goods and the family struggled financially in the Great Depression, and lived in a Coolidge Corner apartment. Mr. Rothenberg graduated from Brookline High School in 1942 and went to Dartmouth, from which he graduated in 1946. He spent part of his college years at Yale University, where the Army sent him for several months to study Japanese during World War II, until it disbanded the program. He also was stationed in Cuba. In 1948, Mr. Rothenberg married Susan Saftel, who skipped her Radcliffe College graduation for their wedding, which was on the same day. The couple went to Paris, where he studied at the Sorbonne. “Instead of a short honeymoon, they went to live in France for a year because he had money from the GI Bill and they had a great time,” their son said. Returning home, Mr. Rothenberg went into the real estate business and by the early 1960s was partners with Julian Cohen, who though younger had also attended Brookline High and Dartmouth. “They never had a contract between them,” Ortins said. “As Danny used to say, they never had an argument. They had disagreements, but they never had an argument.” Instead, they enjoyed a great deal of success, which didn’t temper the way Mr. Rothenberg treated tenants and workers at the malls and shopping centers C&R Management developed. “He would talk to them all, and he would talk to them the same way,” Ortins said. “It didn’t matter if you were the landscaper or the president of Bloomingdale’s. In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Rothenberg leaves a daughter, Ann of West Stockbridge, and two granddaughters. A service will be announced. “There are no Dan Rothenberg wings on any hospitals and there won’t be, which doesn’t mean he didn’t give to any hospitals,” his son said. “But he savored small organizations. He didn’t like to deal with development offices and people who were professional fund-raisers. He wanted things to actually happen.” Over the past 15 years, Mr. Rothenberg paid all the expenses not covered by scholarships for about 160 college students from low-income families: computers, books, travel to and from school, studying abroad, monthly stipends for sundry items. “He would say to them: ‘Don’t think about what you can’t do, think about what you can do, and then ask me,’ ” Denhart said. That was also the case with Rosie’s Place, a Boston shelter for homeless women, where Mr. Rothenberg facilitated renovations, expansions, and contributed to annual costs. “The great thing about Dan was that he heard what we wanted to do and he turned it into answers and solutions for us,” said Sue Marsh, the executive director. Mr. Rothenberg, she added, also “gave great advice for running a nonprofit. One thing he said was, ‘Don’t get trapped by the bricks. Don’t get trapped by what you’ve got. Think about what you need to do.’ ” When they visited a few weeks before he died, “one of the things he said was, ‘Aren’t we lucky that we get to do the things we do,’ ” Marsh said. “I will miss seeing him and hearing from him. He was a sweetie.”Bryan Marquard can be reached at bmarquard@globe.com. Wake up with today's top stories.Want each day's news headlines delivered fresh to your inbox every morning? Just connect with us in one of the following ways: subscriber log in

October 30, 2009 French author Victor Hugo once wrote, “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” A new study suggests that musical skills can also help people understand spoken words buried in a noisy cacophony. This ability may help explain why music training seems to help some people with other forms of learning and could eventually lead to new therapies for children with autism and older people with hearing difficulty. “The brain is set up with a lot of overlap for language and music,” says Laurel Trainor, a researcher who studies how infants acquire both language and music at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. “Many of the mechanisms used to process both are the same. And all of those rely on executive functioning—or memory, attention and the ability to inhibit [distraction].” So might musical training help enhance executive function? Nina Kraus, the head of Northwestern University’s Audio Neuroscience Lab, decided to test just that. “We reasoned that the nervous system works in economical and pervasive ways when it comes to speech and music,” Kraus says. “A basic musical skill is picking out a relevant signal from a number of other sounds—so we hypothesized that musicians may be better at hearing speech in background noise because of their training.” Kraus and colleagues Alexandra Parbery-Clark, Carrie Lam and Erika Skoe evaluated participants as they listened to and then repeated back sentences presented in varying amounts of background noise. Those who had musical training, defined as ten or more years of musical study, were much better able to repeat the sentences than those without it. Kraus says the finding supports the argument that musical training may harness areas of the brain that improve executive functioning. “There is a system of pathways that stretches anatomically from the cerebral cortex down through the brainstem all the way to the ear called the corticofugal network,” she says. “So we have this scaffolding, a true network in place that provides a top-down influence that tunes our sensory system to pick out meaningful sounds from ones that aren’t so important.” The study, published in the Sept. 3 issue of Ear and Hearing, could influence future therapies for both older people who can have difficulty differentiating speech in noise and children with disabilities like autism or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Music therapy has been linked anecdotally to improved attention and social interaction in autistic children , though researchers are unsure why. For Catherine Lord, director of University of Michigan Autism and Communication Disorders Center, Kraus’s findings offer the beginnings of an explanation. “People with autism often talk about getting overwhelmed by sound and say it’s hard to pull out what people are saying to them if it’s noisy or a bus happens to be driving by,” Lord says. “And if it’s possible to use music to help differentiate out the right sounds, that’s something that could be of great help.” But Kraus, Lord and Trainor say that there is still a lot of work to be done before they can make any firm conclusions about the role of musical training as a therapeutic technique. “There’s so much potential in what music may be able to do in special and elderly populations that’s, to date, been pretty much unexplored,” Trainor says. “And it’s time to start using good science and start exploring that.”

[tag: legal] 1-800-421-0004 Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. ET Sat.-Sun. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET Automated Telephone Banking: 1-800-439-8230 24 hours a day / 7 days a week Date Posted: February 06, 2013 NYACK, N.Y. – February 6, 2013 – Building onthe success of its entry last year into the Hudson Valley region, First Niagarahas announced the formation of its new Tri-State Region, which includes marketsin Lower Hudson Valley, Fairfield County, CT and Northern New Jersey. The central office for the Tri-State Regionwill be located in Nyack, NY, where First Niagara currently operates a branchoffice, and will be supported by its regional office in Norwalk, CT, which willcontinue to serve Fairfield County customers. Current centers of operations in New Haven, Hartford, and Manchester, CT– part of First Niagara’s New England Region – will remain the same. The new Tri-State Region offers significantgrowth opportunities for First Niagara’s commercial lending business inparticular. The three markets in the region have a high concentration of largefirms in the manufacturing, healthcare and other industries with substantialcapital requirements. “The Tri-State market provides an excitingopportunity to better serve retail customers and expand our commercial lendingbusiness across this newly organized market footprint,” said David V. Ring,Managing Director of Enterprise Banking for First Niagara. Ring noted that First Niagara is conducting a search for aTri-State Regional President and is recruiting to fill key regional leadershippositions. In addition to the new Tri-State Region, FirstNiagara’s other geographic regions and markets include Upstate New York(Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany); Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh,Erie); Southeastern Pennsylvania (Metro Philadelphia, Lehigh Valley andDelaware, Chester, Berks, Montgomery and Bucks Counties), and New England(Greater Boston, New Haven, Hartford and Springfield). Last May, First Niagara completed theconversion of Upstate New York and Connecticut branches acquired from HSBC BankUSA, with the bank opening more than 100 former HSBC branches as First Niagarabranches. First Niagara added more than 1,200 employees, including more than 250in the Hudson Valley, and more than 500,000 new customers across New York andConnecticut. In the Hudson Valley, First Niagara has 26branches from Ulster to Westchester Counties. Branches are located in thefollowing communities: (Westchester) Mount Kisco, Bedford Hills, Ossining,Yorktown Heights and Baldwin Place; (Dutchess) East Fishkill, Millerton, HydePark, Wappingers Falls, Pleasant Valley and Poughkeepsie; (Orange) HighlandFalls, Middletown and Vails Gate; (Putnam) Brewster; (Rockland) Blauvelt, PearlRiver, New City, Nyack, Nanuet, Spring Valley, Stony Point, Suffern and Tappan;(Sullivan) Liberty; and (Ulster) Kingston. About First Niagara First Niagara, through its wholly ownedsubsidiary, First Niagara Bank, N.A., is a multi-state community-oriented bankwith nearly 430 branches, approximately $38 billion in assets, $29 billion indeposits, and approximately 6,000 employees providing financial services toindividuals, families and businesses across Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts. For moreinformation, visit. Karen CraneCommunications Manager.

Expanded loan forgiveness program eliminates significant debt for grads pursuing public service careers Coinciding this week with the University of Pennsylvania Law School’s Public Interest Week and the 32nd annual Sparer Symposium, Penn Law has formally announced the revamping of its already generous loan repayment program to ensure that its graduates pursuing careers in public interest and public service can have significant student loan burdens eliminated, including having their loans paid in full. The changes to Penn Law’s Toll Loan Repayment Assistance Program (TolLRAP) place the Law School at the forefront of institutions seeking ways to increase access to legal education and to address a looming student debt crisis that afflicts all of higher education, while increasing access to legal assistance on the part of underserved communities. Such leadership in higher education is important today, amid nationwide concern about skyrocketing student loan debt; a record $1 trillion in outstanding debt on student loans in the U.S. has eclipsed credit-card debt, according to the New York Federal Reserve. “The pressures created by high student debt discourage many graduates – from law schools and other graduate and professional schools - from pursuing vital careers and accepting job opportunities in public service,” said Penn Law Dean Michael A. Fitts, whose own career began with a federal judicial clerkship and then service in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel. “The changes we are making to TolLRAP mean that Penn Law graduates will be able to apply their legal training and skills in public interest settings anywhere in the world - while wiping away significant debt burdens.” Several features of Penn Law’s reconfigured TolLRAP program, launched in 2013, include a high salary cap and additional payments to reward extended service, which make it among the most generous loan repayment assistance programs of its kind. New graduates whose public interest, government, or other public service jobs that pay up to $80,000 a year are eligible to have their loans paid by Penn Law, up to a maximum of $140,000. The TolLRAP overhaul offers graduates who remain in public interest work for up to 10 years and who have a qualifying federal loan to have their debt obligations paid by the Law School. After 10 years in the TolLRAP program recipients are eligible to have the remaining balance on their loans forgiven by the federal government, as part of the Income Based Repayment (IBR) program; importantly, recipients do not have to pay income tax on the loan forgiveness provided they are working in a public interest or service job. A unique feature of Penn Law’s program provides additional payments to students after their third year of eligible work as a reward for sustained service, known as TolLRAP-Plus. These extra payments can be used to pay down principal on loan debt or on other expenses, such as cost of living expenses, that may incur during service-related employment. Up to two years of a judicial clerkship, which many law students pursue as part of their legal training, can count towards TolLRAP-Plus eligibility. (Students whose annual income is between $80,000 and $100,000 are eligible for a TolLRAP-plus award.) The expansion of the loan repayment assistance program is part of the Law School’s comprehensive efforts to train a new generation of lawyers as leaders and problem-solvers in today’s multi-dimensional, global society. Over the past decade Penn Law has pioneered an innovative cross-disciplinary curriculum that, in addition to the traditional practice of law, prepares graduates for a wide variety of leadership roles across fields throughout the public, non-profit, and private sectors. “The TolLRAP program will make it possible for more attorneys to fulfill their dream of using their law degree to make the world a better place,” said Catherine Carr L’79, Executive Director of Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, who co-teaches a course on public interest lawyering at Penn Law. “And it will benefit us all to have them spend their careers in public interest law representing underserved communities and working to fulfill the American promise of equal justice for all.” The reconfiguration of TolLRAP enhances a program first launched in 1989 and reflects the Law School’s historic commitment to promoting the pursuit of public interest and government careers by its graduates. The program is made possible through the support of alumni, especially Robert Toll L’66 and Jane Toll GSE ‘66, for whom TolLRAP is named. “For more than 100 years, Penn Law has embraced service as a professional responsibility, and for more than two decades, it has played a leadership role in insuring that its graduates can pursue public interest and government careers with no debt or with manageable debt burdens,” said Robert Toll. “We are pleased to be able to help further that proud tradition.” Even prior to the 2013 update TolLRAP has been of great benefit to many recent Penn Law graduates. “As a former teacher, I went to law school with the goal of effecting change in education policy,” said Shaw Vanze L’10, Program Attorney in the General Counsel’s office of the U.S. Department of Education. “Thanks to TolLRAP, I was able to accept a position where I work on legal issues in national education programs.” Patrick Mulvaney L’08, who has worked as a Staff Attorney at the Southern Center for Human Rights since he graduated from Penn Law, added, “Most of my work involves representing poor people facing the death penalty in Georgia and Alabama. I could not have chosen this career path without the support of the TolLRap program. I’m very grateful to Penn Law both for focusing on public interest work within the school and for providing the financial support that enables students to engage in it when they leave.” To qualify for the loan repayment program, a graduate’s job must involve law-related public interest work. That could be work in a non-profit organization or international NGO, in government service at any level, as a law school clinical teacher involved in advocacy for underserved populations, or in for-profit employment intended to further the public interest. Penn Law has been a historic leader in encouraging a service ethic in its students and providing financial pathways to careers in public service. The Law School was among the first in the nation to require completion of at least 70 hours of public service before graduation, a requirement that students routinely exceed. For example, in 2012, almost 90 percent of the graduating class exceeded the requirement, performing more than 30,000 hours of service through the more than 25 student-led pro bono projects which provide free legal services for underserved clients and communities. In addition to the reconfigured TolLRAP program, the Law School each year offers generous scholarships and post-graduate fellowships to select students committed to practicing in the public sector, enabling them to assist in meeting underserved legal needs while helping them to launch the public interest careers to which they aspire. Related Coverage: National Law Journal, March 12, 2013: Top law schools boost scholarships and loan repayment assistance

A), which has advocated on Antebi’s behalf. According to Lukianoff, Occidental’s General Counsel Sandra Cooper and other college officials have engaged in a “ruthless and corrupt” smear campaign against Antebi, falsely accusing him, repeatedly, of serious criminal offenses such as vandalizing cars and making harassing phone calls. “In situation after situation,” the FIRE spokesman says, each accusation “was obviously false or baseless … and at least one administrator admitted to it at one point — that for many of the things they publicly accused [Antebi] of in an effort to convince organizations like FIRE and the ACLU not to come to his aid, they had no basis for those accusations. I mean, that’s just remarkable.” And equally amazing to Lukianoff is the school’s intractable attitude about censorship. He calls Occidental’s refusal to strike down policies restricting student speech the very height of arrogance. But the free speech advocate says rather than addressing its own problematic codes, the school tries instead to deflect attention from them. For instance, Lukianoff notes, “In their misinformation campaign that Oxy’s been aggressively pursuing in this case, one of the things that they said is that FIRE is wrong, that [Occidental] didn’t abolish the student government forever. Which is ridiculous, because we never said they abolished it forever. We said that they dissolved the student government, which they did, and which they can’t deny. Meanwhile, the activist points out, the basic complaint still has yet to be addressed. “One of the things that’s really funny,” he says, “is that [the school administrators] said they didn’t abolish it forever; but right now there is still no student government at Occidental College.” Lukianoff is urging Occidental’s Board of Trustees, donors, and alumni to stop listening to the college’s dishonest spin on the case. Meanwhile, he also faults the Los Angeles Times for what he calls the paper’s “anemic” coverage of the case. Some Occidental students believe the story is getting minimal local coverage because several of the professors at the school have ties to the L.A. Times. Schools: Occidental College

Goromonzi — For more than a decade, farm worker Maria Bhamu, 48, and her 10-year-old grandson have wandered across Zimbabwe's Mashonaland East Province, enduring a string of evictions in the aftermath of the country's fast-track land reform. Their itinerant life began in 2001, a year after President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF government began implementing the land reform programme, which saw thousands of white farmers - who employed an estimated 320,000 to 350,000 farm workers - displaced to make way for landless black Zimbabweans. Her husband was seriously injured when their employer's farm was taken over; he later died. Bhamu settled on a nearby farm where she was hired as a labourer, but several years later, that farm was also taken over. She now lives in a plastic-and-cardboard shelter in rural Goromonzi, about 40km southeast of the capital Harare. Her grandson begs for food and money nearby. The police have warned her that they intend to destroy her makeshift shelter. "Since 2001, when our employer was chased away by the war veterans, I have been moving from one place to another and, as you can see, this is where I have ended up. Who knows, you might find me gone if you return tomorrow, but then, I don't know my next destination," Bhamu told IRIN. Her most recent eviction was in February 2012, when she and 15 other families were forced from a farm about 12km away after a high-ranking government official claimed ownership from another resettled farmer. "Since the beginning of the land reform programme, things have not been stable. First, it was black people invading white farmers' land and now it is resettled farmers against their black comrades, but it is us [farm workers] who suffer the most," Bhamu said. Unknown number of IDPs Thabani Nyoni, spokesperson for Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) - an umbrella organization of more than 350 NGOs - told IRIN, "Even though we don't have specific figures of affected former farm workers, I can vouchsafe that the numbers are disturbingly high. The land reform programme created a number of problems for farm workers, problems that still persist." Although the government has called for a more comprehensive nationwide survey of internally displaced persons (IDPs), one has yet to be conducted, contributing to "the lack of information on the scale of continuing internal displacement," said a December 2011 report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). "Whenever ownership disputes arise, the workers are disregarded," Nyoni said. "They lose employment and, as if that is not enough, they lose their right to shelter. What is saddening is that these victims are suffering in silence as they don't know who to talk to and hardly anything is being done by government to address their plight." Nyoni said a tense political atmosphere is complicating humanitarian interventions, because the displacements mostly involve high-ranking officials. Aid agencies and members of civil society fear being labelled political enemies for helping out farm workers, he said. A 2008 report by IDMC noted, "Indeed, so sensitive is the issue of displacement in Zimbabwe that IDPs... are not even called IDPs but instead have come to be referred to as 'mobile and vulnerable populations'". Women and children After her husband died, Bhamu tried to find shelter at her home town, Mutoko, but the community leadership turned her down. "The headman said he could not give me a place to build a home because I left the area a long time ago. He also said I did not have an identity card, which I lost when we moved from one place to another, but I think he gave me all those excuses just because I am a woman, and they think I sympathise with whites," she said. Bhamu's grandson does not have a birth certificate; he has attended school only sporadically. Women and children are worst affected by the displacements, Nyoni observed. "Women, who [are] about 50 percent of the victims, face the burden of adjusting to new situations through livelihood activities such as fetching firewood, looking for food and caring for the children, who suffer the shocks that come with violence-related movements," he said. About 10 families that were ejected in April from a farm in Norton, about 50km west of Harare, have set up camp along a nearby river, joining about 100 other people living in an informal settlement there. "The government should give us land to build our own houses," Ben Bhauleni, 30, one of the evictees, told IRIN. "We don't have money to join housing cooperatives, and we fail to understand why we should continue to be victims of other people's disputes over the farms." This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations

THE investment appetite among foreign investors has largely been subdued this year as the country grappled to clear negative perceptions around indigenisation and empowerment laws and uncertainty over the country's political reforms. According to Zimbabwe Investment Authority, proposals worth US$821 million were approved in the 10 months to October, and with only a month left to the end of the year, approved projects this year are unlikely to match last year's. The investment authority approved projects worth close to US$7 billion last year. While the approved projects may not translate into real foreign direct investment, that could be used to determine foreign investors interest in the country. "I think there is still an issue of perception, where investors perceive the country as not being an easy place to do business and also as a risky place," ZIA chief executive Mr Richard Mbaiwa said recently in an interview with the Herald Business. He said there has been a wrong perception that indigenisation was aimed at nationalising assets of foreigner investors. The indigenisation law requires foreign owned companies to sell majority stakes to black indigenous Zimbabweans. "However we are seeing that there is a steady improvement and if you look at the World Investment Reports published annually by UNCTAD, you will see that there has been a significant increase in investment inflows from as low as US$40 million in 2006 to US$387 million in 2011. "Again, If I may use the World Investment Report Statistics you will notice that in 2008 total investment inflows amounted to US$52 million, in 2009 it was US$105 million, in 2010 the figure rose to US$166 million and in 2011 it was US$387 million. "I would attribute the steady increase to the policies that have been adopted by Government including dollarisation, which has brought investor confidence back." A Harare economist said indigenisation and mixed messages from parties in the coalition Government on political reforms were the major deterrent to foreign investments. "In an economy where there are mixed massages over policy issues from the Government, it is not easy to encourage investors to start a business. They normally adopt a wait and see attitude. "The figures can show that the appetite was quite subdued," said the economist. He however noted that the compliance level by some big foreign owned companies with the indigenisation laws could reignite inventors' confidence. Some of the companies that have complied or are in the process include Anglo America, Portland Holdings, Old Mutual, BAT Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Platinum Mines and Mimosa Mining Company. "That is an endorsement (of the law). Putting politics aside, I think investors are gradually appreciating indigenisation," said the economist. In the past few months, the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange witnessed an improved participation by foreign investors.

A lot of Americans want to pay less at the pump, and Nissan gave them the means with a sporty new electric car called the Leaf. But the car manufacturer this month released a Phoenix man from a $37,000 loan in order to resolve claims that the car was a lemon. And this is not the first time. Nissan repurchased three other cars this year from Arizona residents who also complained that the car’s batteries were unable to hold charges. Phoenix resident John Noble contacted Call 12 for Action after Nissan initially refused to buy back the car after a series of problems with the battery. Nissan advertises that its Leaf can run 100 miles per charge. Noble said he was sold on the alternative-energy car and bought a blue one in November 2011. Noble said he soon realized his battery life was depleting in the hot Arizona sun. He first started noticing changes in May, and his issues lasted all summer long. Noble estimates he lost 30 percent of his charge capacity in one year. Nissan said only 20 percent of battery life will be lost after the first five years of ownership. “It was extremely aggravating driving the car and (watching) mileage disappearing from it,” Noble said. Other Nissan Leaf owners, including Randy Miller, have gotten the carmaker’s attention. Miller owns the website wiltingleaf.com. It’s where Leaf owners can go to complain about their battery-range issues. In California, Leaf owners have filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Nissan of the same battery-depletion problem. Nissan officials said that lawsuit lacks merit. Miller and three other former Leaf owners in the Valley were allowed to return their electric cars for a refund, but Noble wasn’t getting anywhere. On Oct. 1, Call 12 for Action put Noble’s story on the air. “I tried to work with Nissan for four months, and two days after the story aired, all of a sudden, Nissan was calling me,” Noble said. The Japan-based carmaker used Arizona’s lemon law, which allows consumers to get their money back if they’ve bought a defective car, to buy back Noble’s car. Nissan gave him a check for nearly $7,000 and erased his $30,000 car-loan debt. But the automaker insists its product is not a lemon. In a statement, Nissan Vice President David Reuter said the repurchase of vehicles was “in the interest of owner satisfaction” and described it as a “non-Lemon Law repurchase.” He said the repurchase reflects no fault on the manufacturer. “Just as with Mr. Miller, we used a buyback formula modeled on an Arizona state repurchase law, given its established criteria,” Reuter said in his statement. “The Arizona state repurchase law was only used for formula guidance in determining appropriate terms and conditions of the repurchase, including calculation of the repurchase amount.” Noble accepts Nissan’s explanation. In fact, he bought another Nissan: a Versa, which is not an electric car. Noble said Call 12 for Action made the difference in his case. “We now have a new car, and thank you, Channel 12, for solving this, “ Noble said.

Orem-based VIA Motors, which develops and manufacturers electric motor trains for fleet vehicles, announced it has secured a $20 million contract to build and deliver electric pickup trucks and vans to fleets in California. The company will install its proprietary technology into each vehicle and will record and transmit data from them to the Deppartment of Energy to analyze the benefits of electric vehicles on emissions. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) is administering the contract, and the California Energy Commission also is participating in the project. SCAQMD is the air-pollution-control agency for Orange County as well as areas of Los Angeles and San Bernardino. "The pick-up truck is the No. 1-selling vehicle in America, and VIA Motors is the only automaker building electric light-duty pick-up trucks, cargo vans and passenger vans," VIA Motors president Alan Perriton said in a statement. "The all-in cost is actually lower than driving a gas truck; this is very welcome news to budget-constrained fleets who spend more and more each year on ever-increasing gas prices, who can now save money and reduce their fleet emissions." The trucks and vans that the privately-held VIA Motors outfit run the first 40 miles on electrical power but can go up to 400 miles on a single fill up. The vehicle also uses a range extender that recharges the battery during longer trips. vince@sltrib.com Electric cars get a jump from Public Service Commission The Public Service Commission has ruled that electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, which are used to recharge electric cars, are not considered a resale of electricity, opening the door for more of these stations to be built in Utah. The order will "help open the market for additional EV charging stations in Utah, providing EV drivers the confidence to take longer trips and giving consumers the confidence to purchase EVs," Samantha Mary Julian, director of Office of Energy Development (OED), said in a statement. The state agency promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency. The commission agreed that refilling an electric vehicle at a charging station does not constitute a resale of electricity but instead is similar to other services where the customer pays for the service and not just the electricity, even though electricity is exchanged in the transaction. In Utah, electric vehicles can produce less than half of the annual emissions of that of gas-powered vehicles, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy.

Jersey Shore, the recently canceled MTV reality show with the motto "gym, tan, laundry," is a health hazard, a skin cancer awareness group said in a formal complaint lodged today, says Eric Vaughn-Flam, a lawyer for the non-profit foundation, which is based in New York and funded in part by sunscreen makers. MTV said in a statement that there are "no plans" for warning messages, but "we applaud the Skin Cancer Foundation's've seen time and time again that our audiences can be trusted to understand the difference between entertainment and responsible and safe behavior and to act accordingly." Why is the cancer foundation making a fuss about Jersey Shore now, after six seasons and a December finale? Deborah Sarnoff, a dermatologist in New York and senior vice president of the foundation, says she actually met the cast and staged a tanning intervention with them in 2010, during the first season. After hearing about the well-established link between tanning and skin cancer, including deadly melanomas, "they promised to change," Sarnoff says. "But they didn't." says. Viewers who play tie-in electronic games are prompted to give their avatars deep tans and to check in at real tanning salons, the complaint says. Vaughn-Flam says MTV declined to add warning messages to the show at a meeting with foundation representatives in September. Sarnoff says there's no way to know whether viewers tanned more because of the shows they watched, says researcher Joshua Fogel, a health policy researcher at Brooklyn College in New York. But, he says, reality show tanning fans are an obvious audience for prevention messages. "The people on these shows may just be having fun, but this stuff causes cancer." Indoor tanners are 74% more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors, the foundation says. Read the original story: 'Jersey Shore' still promotes tanning, group says

Media release: DINOSAURS - Did you know? As DINOSAURS move into Sydney, how well do you know your prehistoric neighbours.... - The word dinosaur means 'terrible lizard' in Greek. It was coined in 1842 by Sir Richard Owen, an English professor of comparative anatomy and physiology. - Prior to 1842, dinosaur remains went unrecognised or were described as large lizards, dragons or giant humans! - Dinosaurs first appeared in the middle of the Triassic, about 230 million years ago, early in the Mesozoic era. - Dinosaurs dominated life on land until the Mesozoic came to an abrupt end 65 million years ago in a dramatic extinction event whereby an estimated 70% of plant and animal species perished. - Conifers like pines and araucarians dominated forested areas in the Middle Jurassic period. This produced an over-riding scent of pine - a smell familiar to us today. - Many flowering plants were evolving scent to attract insects in the Late Cretaceous. This made the smell very different to that of the Jurassic. These flowering plants grew and reproduced quickly, providing an abundant food source. The most common dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous were those that fed on flowering plants. - Giganotosaurus replaced T. rex as the largest meat-eating dinosaur when its discovery was announced in 1995. The Argentinean dinosaur was 13-14m long and weighed 7 tonnes! - The world's smallest dinosaur was the Microraptor zhaoianus found in China - it measured just 40cm long! - The first Australian dinosaur fossil to be found and described by a scientist was a theropod claw. It was discovered in 1903 at Cape Paterson, Victoria, by geologist William Ferguson. - Birds are actually specialised theropod dinosaurs - the idea that birds evolved from dinosaurs was first suggested in the 1860s after the famous fossil discovery of the primitive bird Archaeopteryx. - In the early 1960s, in an area south of Winton in Queensland, a local grazier uncovered some odd-shaped footprints preserved in rock. Later excavations revealed that these footprints - over 3000 of them - were left by dinosaurs on the shore of a lake about 95 million years ago. These footprints are now known as 'The Winton Trackway.' - We can get an approximate measurement of the speed a dinosaur was moving when it made a trackway. Calculations are based on a mathematical formula that uses stride length along with estimated leg length and body size of the dinosaur. - Fossil bones and teeth of many different types of dinosaur, including small carnivores and small through to large herbivores, have been found in the opal mines of Lightning Ridge, NSW. These fossils are opalised, a type of preservation that, for animal bones, is only known to occur in Australia. - Dinosaur life started out in a hard-shelled egg - more similar to modern bird eggs than to those of any living reptile. Fossil dinosaur eggs have been found at over 200 sites around the world with important sites in the USA, China, France, Argentina and India. - Our picture of the lone predator is changing. Recent fossil discoveries suggest some dinosaurs lived in co-operative packs, raised their young and were probably quite social. Publicity & Media Relations Phone: +61 (0)2 9320 6181 Mobile: +61 (0)421 617 019 Last Updated:

The nation’s sixth-largest city is ready to begin phasing out an “emergency” sales tax on food that was added in 2010 to address a massive budget deficit. While concerns about cuts to services delayed efforts to get rid of the 2 cents-per-dollar tax, leaders said the city is prepared to make up for the lost revenue. Councilman Sal DiCiccio, who voted against the tax, said it affects poorer people disproportionately because they spend a larger share of their income on food. “What the public wants is the food tax gone – clearly, across the board,” he said. “And it’s not just in my district; it’s across the board.” The plan calls for cutting the sales tax to 1 cent per dollar as of Jan. 1 and then allowing the tax to sunset in 2015, as called for when the City Council approved it. “I think it was a tax that had to be at the time,” Councilwoman Thelda Williams said. “I also think it’s time that we kept our word and we begin to reduce it and totally eliminate it on schedule, as the public was told.” Facing a $277 million deficit on a budget of $1 billion, the city added the tax in early 2010 on staples such as milk, meat and vegetables. For a family of four that spends around $150 a week on groceries, it works out to an extra $150 a year. Outgoing City Manager David Cavazos has said the Jan. 1 reduction would cost the city $33.4 million annually. In a memo, he suggested refinancing debt, streamlining operations and selling off extra land to make up for the revenue. “If we could actually sell two or three of our properties, we could make up the funding that we need – or that gap that we need – to fund the rest of the food tax,” Councilman Michael Nowakowski said. The City Council is holding public hearings as it prepares to vote on the plan next month. On a recent weekday, not one person attended hearings in central and north Phoenix. Two Arizona State University economists questioned phasing out the tax without another stable source of revenue in its place. Tom Rex, associate director of the Center for Competitiveness and Prosperity Research at the W.P. Carey School of Business’ L. William Seidman Research Institute, said selling land, for example, is a short-term fix. “But the next time the economy goes bad, you’re just going to have to cut even deeper, and chances are you’re going to be cutting into services that you’re providing to the same set of people that are being benefited from not paying the tax,” he said. Dennis Hoffman, a professor of economics at the W.P. Carey School of Business, said the City Council should focus on broadening the tax base rather than turning away from a food tax as being regressive. He said the city could offer low-income people a rebate on the food sales tax, for example. “My simple point is: I don’t think we should be turning our backs on food taxes, purely on this simplistic notion of regressivity,” he said. But DiCiccio said it’s time for the food sales tax to go. “This has been controversial since 2010,” he said. “It’s time to get past that, and the only way to get past that is to start the gradual removal of the tax.”.

Australian whole language guru Brian Cambourne has found himself in a minor dust-up Down Under for suggesting a “subliminal campaign” to undermine phonics as an approach to teaching reading by subconsciously linking it with the idea of failure. Cambourne, best known in the U.S. for his “Conditions of Learning” theory, sent a mass email to literacy educators suggesting they flood an education minister’s office with emails linking phonics to “readicide”, which Cambourne describes as ”the systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices found in schools,” the Australian reports. Cambourne’s suggestion was in response to the official’s announcement of the nation’s “first direct comparison of phonics-based reading methods with other techniques.” Asked why he had to resort to a subliminal campaign instead of relying on evidence, Professor Cambourne first said: “You don’t really believe we can influence the minister’s subconscious?” Cambourne tells the Australian:.” Framing things the way you want the reader to understand them to be true? Forgive me, but isn’t that a fancy definition of lying? “We have to use the same kind of tactics that have been used to demean and demonise whole language,” he said before adding that, if The Australian reported his comments: “I will deny I ever said this.” Oops.

The St. Paul police department has made the news on a few occasions recently. Earlier this fall, it welcomed Kadra Mohamed, the first woman of Somali descent to the department—a move made possible by the announcement that the police department approved an option for employees to wear a police-issued head scarf. Last week, the department swore in the nation’s first Karen officer. Ler Htoo is a graduate of the Law Enforcement program run jointly by Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) and Hennepin Technical College. The Karen ethnic group originates from the country of Myanmar, and there are about 8,500 Karen individuals living in Minnesota. During his time at MCTC, Ler was a student in the College’s TRIO Starting Point program. (You can also read the story of Deborah Montgomery, MCTC Law Enforcement instructor, who was the first woman hired to the St. Paul police department back in 1975.) The full story is pasted below, and available from the St. Paul Pioneer Press here. St. Paul swears in nation’s first Karen police officer Article by: JAMES WALSH , Star Tribune | Updated: December 19, 2014 – 9:42 AM Ler Htoo graduated from the St. Paul Police Academy on Thursday night, becoming what is believed to be the first police officer from Myanmar’s Karen ethnic group in the United States. When you are the first member of your community, your culture, to become something as quintessentially American as a police officer, well, you might be a little cautious about tooting your own horn. That’s why, as he was about to graduate from the St. Paul Police Academy Thursday night and become what is believed to be the first Karen police officer in the United States, Ler Htoo wasn’t quite ready to mark the accomplishment. “It’s not over yet,” he said before the ceremony, looking to the next 16 weeks of field training with veteran officers. “I’m not quite there yet.” Still, he’s come a long way. Htoo spent the first three years of his life in his native Myanmar and the next 15 in refugee camps in Thailand. In 2009, when Htoo was 18, he and his family moved to St. Paul. In 2011, he graduated from St. Paul’s Como Park High School, where he ran track and cross country. He then graduated from Hennepin County Technical College after studying law enforcement. His interest in becoming a cop was always strong. He joined the St. Paul Police Explorer Program before becoming an award-winning member of the department’s community liaison program, helping members of St. Paul’s Karen community navigate the laws and customs of a new country. Earlier this year, Htoo was a finalist for civilian employee of the year for his liaison work — teaching in-service classes, making presentations to business associations and schools and helping organize Karen youth groups and elder meetings. “This is what I like to do. I want to help people,” Htoo said. “I like when people approach me. I want to be the one they can count on in my community.” As the St. Paul Police band played “Pomp and Circumstance” from the Johnson High School auditorium balcony Thursday night, new officers marched to the stage, preparing to take their place among the state’s second-largest police department. An auditorium filled with families and friends taking photos, shooting videos and registering memories, looked on with pride. “Take pride in the work you do, for the department, for each other and for the city of St. Paul,” St. Paul Police Chief Thomas Smith told them. “Know that your actions will be judged not just by what you do, but how you do it.” Htoo is part of the largest — and most diverse — incoming class of new St. Paul police officers in at least 30 years. Forty-seven officers were sworn in Thursday. Five of the graduates are women, one is Latino, three are African-American, nine are Asian, 15 are military veterans. The class swells the ranks of the St. Paul Police Department to 615 sworn officers, the most in the city’s history. ‘A huge breakthrough’ Karen leaders praised Smith’s choice in picking Htoo. Saw Morrison, a program manager with the Karen Organization of Minnesota, said Htoo’s hiring represents a door opening for the Karen in Minnesota — of opportunity and responsibility to give back to the broader community. Htoo, he said, is “passionate and committed. His goal is very clear, to help the community and represent the whole community.” Chong Vang, executive director of the Karen Organization of Minnesota, was asked about the impact of Htoo becoming a cop. “It’s huge,” he said. “We have had a number of conversations about how to get a Karen person on the force, about how to improve cultural competency. This is a huge breakthrough for the community and for Ler, too.” There are an estimated 8,500 Karen in Minnesota. The ethnic group was persecuted in its native Myanmar. Not only will Htoo be able to help his fellow officers better understand the growing Karen community, but he will help the community better understand its responsibilities and expectations here in the United States, Vang said. “He can educate the community about the police force and their role,” he said. “That’s important, for a community that has been persecuted by the [Myanmar] government in the past.” Vang was asked if being the first Karen officer in Minnesota, and possibly the nation, puts pressure on Htoo. “There is always a level of pressure,” he said. “But Ler Htoo is smart. He has a good head on his shoulders. I think he will be able to navigate the challenges that will come his way. He is not shy about talking about the laws and regulations and what is OK and not OK.” Before he feels completely comfortable doing that, Htoo acknowledged, he has a bit more work to do. “You have to be constantly learning. With this job, you can’t stop learning,” he said, looking forward to the next four months with excitement — and a little nervousness. “With all the laws and the statutes, there is much to know.” James Walsh • 651-925-5041

The A.P. Clay Foundation and Little Zion Baptist Church recently held a community health fair at the Kenner church. The “If You Care, Beware — Know Your Status” event was held in February to coincide with Black AIDS Day, Feb. 7. The fair provided community members a plethora of information on living healthy. Mobile health units provided HIV testing and counseling on sexually transmitted diseases. Rivertown Optical provided eye tests, and St. Charles Community Health Center conducted glucose screenings and blood-pressure checks. “The church aimed to make the community aware of organizations that are readily available to assist in their needs,” said Carolyn Smith, church administrator. “This event coincided with the church’s National Week of Prayer, where we discussed the power of healing. What a better way to close it out than to have a health fair.” Abraham Narvaez, coordinator for the NO/AIDS Task Force, worked in the CareVAN mobile unit, which provided HIV testing and counseling for attendees. “When a church allows us to come, it lessens the stigma. People become aware, seek help and the counseling they need,” Narvaez said. Through the CareVAN, HIV counseling was available, along with two exam rooms for testing. “Everything is 100 percent confidential,” Narvaez said. “Sexual health is a another part of health care. It often gets left out until it’s too late.” Church member Robert Ogwin works for the NO/AIDS outpatient substance abuse program, Recovery Works, which provides direct services to those affected and infected with the AIDS virus. “Affected persons are family members and friends of those dealing with HIV and substance abuse,” Ogwin said. “You never know who’s positive or not. And the worst thing is people are afraid, not knowing about the disease, not wanting to know. “I think it’s great for my church to reach out to the community. If more churches reached out, it would help out a lot. I feel great about the number (of people) tested today. Hopefully we can do more events.” Also participating were Amber Tucker of the CHAT Project, which conducts HIV and STD prevention for youth; Portia Brown, a nutrition educator with LSU AgCenter’s Jefferson Parish office; and Ruth Minor, a Hispanic nutrition educator. The Young Stars youth group entertained with songs and a step routine. Erin Baker, 19, was excited for the opportunity to volunteer for the event. “I feel I helped a lot of people,” said Baker, who wants to become a registered nurse. “It was a success.” Michelle Parker, foundation spokeswoman and a registered nurse, helped Kywanda Clay, president and founder of the A.P. Clay Foundation, organize the event. Parker knows firsthand the importance of awareness and prevention. “I work in health care. It’s important for people to know what’s going on with their health,” Parker said. “If we only reach one person, we’ve made a difference.” Black history program held in Kenner Friendship Missionary Baptist Church recently held its annual black history program in Kenner. This year’s guest speaker was Marc Morial, National Urban League president and former mayor of New Orleans. The program, hosted by the church’s youth ministry, featured songs of praise, poems, speeches and dances . Morial encouraged young listeners to continue to strive for excellence and work hard to make a difference. He also thanked the church’s pastor, the Rev. Reginald Holmes, for dedication to the church’s youth. “You have not only been a pastor but a leader and a teacher who cares and shares with children,” Morial said.

Much has been said about Canada’s progressive business environment removing the glass ceiling for women in the workplace. But are our corner offices any more accessible for women today than they have been in the past? According to the findings of the recent Women in Leadership survey of 500 female managers and executives, conducted by Ipsos-Reid on behalf of Randstad Canada in late June, there are still many obstacles that women need to overcome in the workplace when striving to reach the managerial and executive ranks. Today, three in five (60%) women see managing work and family as the most challenging obstacle that women face, though outdated perceptions of women in managerial and executive roles (51%), limited opportunities in the Canadian market (50%) and a lack of female mentors and training (49%) remain difficult factors to overcome. While managing work and family is the most challenging obstacle, the vast majority of those polled (91%) felt they have been able to effectively strike a balance between the two well. Additionally, nearly half (43%) feel it is easier to manage work and home obligations today than it was five years ago. With that said, nearly one in three (28%) women felt it was actually more difficult to manage the two today than in the past. “What we’re seeing are some very positive signs for women that are striving to reach the managerial and executive levels of their organizations, but some very real challenges and obstacles that they are still facing,” says Gina Ibghy, Vice President, Organizational Development and Human Resources, Randstad Canada. “When it comes to excelling both at work and outside of it, women face unique challenges including, unfortunately, outdated perceptions that make it difficult for women to move up the ranks.” In fact, the survey results indicate that many Canadian women in managerial and executive roles continue to see a very real divide in the way men and women are compensated and rewarded when reaching the senior ranks. According to polling, more than three in four (77%) felt there remained a moderate or large divide between the salaries women can expect for performing the same roles as men, with Ontarians (83%) feeling it most strongly in their market. This divide extends to a number of other important elements, such as promotions, influence in making important decisions and being given the best jobs/projects. More than nine in ten (92%) women surveyed felt there was at least some discrepancy between men and women in terms of opportunities for promotions, while 70% felt men are more likely to be given the opportunity to make important decisions than women. Sixty-nine per cent of those polled also felt that men more frequently receive the best jobs and projects when compared to women in similar roles. However, there have been positive changes made in the past five years to encourage more parity between men and women. According to those polled, the biggest change in the past five years is that there are more women leaders seen demanding equal opportunity for promotions within organizations (28%), followed by better work-life balance and flexible working arrangements (16%) and more opportunities (12%). In fact, more than half of those polled (51%) expect to see more women in managerial and executive roles in five years compared to today – with only three per cent feeling there will be less in the future. Healthcare (58%) and Education (52%) are the two industries in which those polled felt there would be the greatest opportunity for women to move into managerial and executive positions over the next three years, followed by Not for Profit (35%), Financial Services (32%) and Hospitality (29%). Industries that have traditionally been seen as more male dominated, such as Engineering and Construction (6%), Transportation and Logistics (2%) and Manufacturing (1%) were seen as providing much less opportunity for women to move into senior roles in the coming years. “It’s apparent that many women still feel there is a very real divide between what they can expect in senior roles, compared to their male counterparts. However, there does appear to be optimism that more opportunities are on the horizon for women” says Ibghy. “In order to attract the top talent and truly promote gender diversity in more senior roles, it will be important for Canadian employers to demonstrate that the opportunities available to women in their organization are every bit as attractive as they are for men in similar capacities.” Other interesting insights from the Women in Leadership study include: • Quebec appears to be one of, if not the, most progressive markets in Canada, with fewer Quebec-based respondents noting challenges or obstacles to overcome in their progression into management or perceptions of a divide between men and women in terms of compensation and responsibilities at more senior levels. • Personal goals/passion (37% of respondents) and a desire to be self-sufficient (22%) have been the biggest sources of support/inspiration for those polled to strive for a managerial or executive position. • Eighty-two per cent of respondents feel that the decision to raise a family has a greater impact on a woman than it does a man looking to advance their career • Of the 500 women polled, over forty percent (41%) were already in an executive position within their organization. However, nearly as many (38%) responded that they did not personally aspire to a senior executive role within their organization. Only 21 per cent of those polled that were not already in a senior capacity responded that they aspired to obtain that type of role. • More than four out of five (84%) women polled said their organization had not provided them with a sponsor or mentor to help in their career path, though 79% feel internal sponsors are an important factor in helping more women obtain managerial and executive roles going forward. • Strong leadership abilities (98%), rational and quick decision making abilities (98%), exceptional results (94%), networking skills (93%) and self-promotion (89%) are almost universally seen as important skills or factors to helping more women obtain senior roles in the next three to five years. • On average, women are much more strongly represented in middle-management roles (46.2%) than in senior management (31.3%), senior leadership (28.4%) or executive board (24.5%) roles. • The majority of women (54%) are not interested in relocating, even to a new city in their own province, for a 20% increase in salary. Less than one quarter (23%) would be willing to relocate to a new country for the same pay raise. For those that would not relocate, the main reasons are because they are happy with where they currently live and work (73%) or they’re not interested in moving away from family or friends (40%). • Younger women (18-34) are more likely to consider relocation for a substantial raise, with seven in ten saying they would consider a job in a new city in their current province, while nearly forty per cent (38%) would consider relocating to a new country for a 20% pay increase. Full results from the study are available online at randstad.ca -30-

Marlena Wagschal, 10, plays the first movement of a Vivaildi concerto Tuesday at Bloomington High School South. She has played the violin since she was 4 years old. By Alyssa Schor Amy Lidell wants to be a professional violinist. Every Saturday, she and fellow members of the Jacobs School of Music String Academy rehearse group pieces. She also meets with a chamber ensemble once a week and attends a private lesson at least once a week. In between lessons and rehearsals, Lidell said she just practices and practices. The 18-year-old has been playing the violin since age five, following in the footsteps of her older brother. She began her violin career with the String Academy, which is open to children ages five to 18. “They made me into a player,” Lidell said. “They have amazing teachers and opportunities for us.” String Academy violin students, known as the Violin Virtuosi, are preparing for “Whiz Kids,” where they will perform with members of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. The concert will take place on Nov. 16. Virtuosi members will perform a Vivaldi concerto and Kreisler’s “Praeludium and Allegro” with the orchestra. The students play both pieces from memory. Their first joint rehearsal took place Tuesday night at Bloomington High School South. Brenda Brenner, co-director of the academy and one of its violin instructors, said the students performing in this concert are of the most advanced skill levels the program has to offer. These levels, she said, are called master class, violin ensemble and violin virtuosi, which is the highest level. “We take these kids from the beginning to playing artist’s literature and learning to play not only alone, but together as a chamber ensemble,” Brenner said. Matteo Vidali, 12, said he has played violin for about nine years. He said at that time, a family friend told his parents about the String Academy. “I just like playing music,” he said. “I like the group lessons especially because you get to meet with your friends once a week and play fun pieces.” Brenner, who has taught students in the academy for 21 years, said a program like this gives these students a creative outlet through music. “It enriches one’s life,” she said. “It’s something they can do their entire life. It gives them a support group of people who are developing the skill at a high level.” Brenner said about 110 violin students and about 30 cello students enroll in the program each semester. She said the students become great friends in addition to learning music. “They love each other like brothers and sisters,” Brenner said. “They really care about each other.” Nicholas Hersh, music director of the BSO, said he had heard about the String Academy, although he had never heard them play until Tuesday’s rehearsal. “This is one of the premiere young violin ensembles in the country,” he said. “They are absolutely great. I have no worries.” Donna Lafferty, executive director of the BSO, said seeing the students perform with the adult orchestra gives her hope for the future of classical music. “It makes me cry with happiness,” Lafferty said. “It’s beautiful, watching how dedicated they are. These kids are making me believe there’s a really positive future.” Although the private and group lessons and daily practice is a lot of work, Vidali said he always has fun playing and rarely gets tired of it. “Sometimes I feel like I want to give up,” he said, “but then the next day I just want to do it again.” Follow reporter Alyssa Schor on Twitter @SchorAlyssa. © Indiana Daily Student 2013

- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray testifies before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee November 12, 2013 in Washington, DC. - Getty Images. Mr. Duffy’s criticism, expressed at a House hearing Tuesday, comes as Republicans continue to lob complaints about the CFPB on numerous fronts, including the agency’s push to combat auto-lending discrimination and its mortgage-lending rules. Mr. Duffy is upset about being denied permission to attend a private meeting of a CFPB advisory committee in February. He has introduced legislation to make the CFPB subject to a federal law mandating public meetings for such advisory panel. The CFPB has three such advisory groups representing community banks, credit unions as well as a broad consumer advisory board made up of business people as well as consumer groups. While the regulator does hold some public sessions,, the agency is not required to open up such meetings to the public. That’s because it is part of the Federal Reserve, which is exempt from a federal law governing public disclosure requirements for such panels. The Central Intelligence Agency is also exempt. At Tuesday’s House Financial Services Committee hearing, Mr. Duffy pressed the CFPB’s general counsel, Meredith Fuchs on the advisory-panel issue. “Let us see what kind of advice you’re getting (and) who is giving that advice,” Mr. Duffy .” “It would serve the public very well.” Mr. Duffy questioned the need for secrecy, saying that issues being discussed by the CFPB don’t involve sensitive issues such as the Fed’s interest rate policy, or covert CIA operations. Other regulators do a better job of providing detailed minutes of similar advisory boards, Mr. Duffy said, while the CFPB puts out little information. At a hearing earlier this year, CFPB Director Richard Cordray said the agency needs to discuss some issues in private with advisory board members. “We always make it a point with every meeting to have an open portion,” Mr. Cordray said. “There’s a closed portion where we can get their unvarnished advice and we can speak candidly about matters that are not yet public that the bureau’s working

The government targets to boost the number of foreign visitors to the Philippines to 10 million a year, eager to make tourism one of the country’s biggest sources of foreign exchange together with remittances and foreign investments in business process outsourcing (BPO). Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, who also sits in the policy-making Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, said the Aquino administration wanted to further increase the country’s total reserves of foreign exchange from a record high of more than $80 billion last year through tourism. He said the current administration wanted tourist arrivals to more than double to 10 million in 2016, the end of President Aquino’s term. “The President wants to build a third, strong leg in the country’s foreign exchange position together with remittances and BPO investments,” Purisima said. In 2012, tourist arrivals to the Philippines hit a historic high of 4.27 million. The number was up 9 percent from 3.92 million the previous year but short of the government’s target. Tourism receipts grew as well, expanding by 17 percent year on year to about $3.7 billion. This amount, however, remained anemic compared with remittances and foreign investments in the BPO sector. In this year’s Philippine Development Forum (PDF) in Davao City that ended on Tuesday, representatives from the government and foreign lenders agreed to make tourism one of the major priority areas for development. The World Bank, which helped organize the PDF, said spending for tourism and agriculture infrastructure should be boosted to achieve the goal of job creation. With sufficient funding support, the World Bank said the tourism sector could quickly generate jobs and help lift people out of poverty. Tourism is believed to be a low-hanging fruit for the Philippines. Economists said that given the country’s natural resources, the revenue potential of tourism remained largely untapped. Last year, the country’s gross international reserves hit nearly $84 billion, the highest on record. The amount was enough to cover nearly a year’s worth of the country’s import requirements and about six times the country’s short-term, foreign currency-denominated debts.

WOOSTER, Ohio -- Right next to a commercial nursery and greenhouse operation on the outskirts of Wooster, paddlewheels keep water constantly moving in four 30-by-200-foot ponds shaped like automotive raceway circuits. The water is deep green and murky. That's just how Phil Lane likes it. Lane is a program manager for Touchstone Research Laboratory, a West Virginia-based company that operates this unusual facility on a stretch of farmland where the remnants of corn and soybean fields are now buried under snow. And the stuff making the ponds green is another type of crop that could one day grow alongside the more traditional fare occupying Ohio fields: algae. "Algae can be grown just about anywhere, so we are not competing with farmland for growing food crops," said Lane, who manages the Wooster algae pilot facility. "Algae can add value to marginal lands, generating a crop that can be turned into biofuel and a variety of bioproducts." Algae farming is expanding across the United States and around the world, showing great promise as a fast-growing and efficient source of natural oil for renewable transportation fuel, bio-plastics, food supplements and many other products. Growing algae in places like Ohio may sound like a strange proposition, especially in the middle of winter. After all, most large-scale algae operations are found in warmer climates with lots of sunshine, as these conditions allow for year-round production. However, the project in Wooster is seeking to change that. Built in late 2011 at Cedar Lane Farms, the two indoor and two outdoor raceway ponds host collaborative research between Touchstone and Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), whose Wooster campus is located just a few miles from this site. OARDC is the research arm of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Funded by close to $7 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Ohio Coal Development Office, this research involves testing of three innovative technologies that seek to make algae farming viable, more cost-effective and sustainable in a wider variety of climates and locations. The first technology, previously developed by Touchstone exclusively for algae production, is a phase-changing material that covers a majority of the pond surface. This material regulates daily temperature, helping the algae grow during colder periods; controls the infiltration of invasive species; and reduces water evaporation, which is a big problem with open-pond algae systems. "We are testing this technology at both the indoor and outdoor ponds," Lane explained. "For each pair, one pond will be covered by the phase-change material while the other pond will have no protection and serve as the control. "We are seeing up to 90 percent reduction in evaporation with this material. We are also looking at the impact of this material on other variables, for example, if algae growth increases, if lipid (oil) content goes up." The second technology serves an environmental purpose. It involves pumping carbon dioxide from Cedar Lane Farms' advanced coal-burning system into the ponds. Like all plants, algae needs CO2 to grow. And since algae grows very fast -- doubling its mass in 24-48 hours depending on the type -- it can use a lot of the greenhouse gas. How much? Lane said the goal for the four ponds at Cedar Lane Farms is to keep up to 60 percent flue gas CO2 generated by the facility's coal-burning system from being released into the environment. The third technology involves research conducted by OARDC biosystems engineer and OSU Extension specialist Yebo Li. As an alternative to using commercial fertilizers to feed the algae, Li is testing a liquid waste (called "effluent") that comes out of anaerobic digesters -- systems that produce biogas from organic matter. "The effluent is rich in nitrogen and phosphorous, two nutrients that algae needs to grow," said Li, who obtains this effluent from quasar energy group, an OARDC research partner that operates an anaerobic digester on the Wooster campus. This algae grown in Yebo Li's lab serves as the seed for algae production in Touchstone's research ponds. (Photo by Ken Chamberlain) In an effort to make this algae-growing system as sustainable as possible, Li is using the biomass left over after extracting oil from algae as a feedstock for anaerobic digesters. Doing this takes care of the algae biomass and also helps produce more clean energy, which in turn leads to more effluent fertilizer available. In other words, it's an integrated system in which nothing is wasted. "Algae biomass is rich in proteins and carbohydrates and works very well for anaerobic digestion," Li said. "Algae contains about 40 percent lipids and 60 percent biomass, so future large-scale algae farming would generate a lot of biomass residues that can be used as a fertilizer or for making energy." Li's laboratory also tests and grows the seed algae that is later added to the ponds to multiply. With these three technologies combined, the four ponds at Cedar Lane Farms can produce some 2,000 gallons of oil per year -- approximately 10 times more oil than what soybeans could yield on the same area of land. "Tests at his pilot plant will help us determine the operating costs and yields from this technology," Lane said. "We hope the pilot plant will attract investors to license this technology to others in the algae industry and that the production process will be adopted to provide energy savings and to reduce water usage. "Ultimately, the aim is to reduce costs enough to make the algae industry competitive with petroleum fuels." Brian Joseph, president of Touchstone, said Ohio is a good place for algae farming because it has a high water table that makes it easy to set up ponds, as well as a large supply of waste heat available. The opportunity to work with Ohio State is another important asset. "Having Ohio State as a partner is great," Joseph said. "They have great depth of expertise in every part of the biological spectrum that you can think of." -30- Mauricio Espinoza espinoza.15@osu.edu 330-202-3550 Yebo Li li.851@osu.edu 330-263-3855

llf VOLUME 52. ISSUE 4 lUESDAY. JULY 9. 1991 r pi W li i Weber State University Ogden, Utah DILji!i Doug Peterson appointed to State Board of Regents By Jim Sawdey Editor-ln-chlef of The Sgnpost Doug Peterson, last year's ASWSU president, has been appointed student regent to the State Board of Regents. Peterson will become one of 1 6 voting members of the State Board of Regents, the organization that governs institutions of higher education in Utah. Fifteen members of the board are appointed to a three- year term by the governor. The student regent is appointed for one year. Gov. Norman Bangerter notified Peterson, a WSU junior, that his one-year term became effective July 1 . But a state legislative interim committee is expected to ratify the appointment today, Peterson said. Bangerter chose Peterson from a list of three candidates submitted to the governor by the Utah Council of Student Body Presidents. Peterson is the second former ASWSU president to be appointed to the board since 1989, when Stephanie Jessen served. Having representation from WSU on the board won't directly benefit the university, Peterson said. "My foremost responsibility is to represent all the students in Utah." But his membership won't hurt either, he said. "I'd be an advocate of Weber State and its interests." (See REGENT page 6) Peterson proposes voting legislation By Jim Sawdey Editor-in-chief of 7he Signpost All freshmen who enter a college in Utah by this time next year will also be registered to vote if a proposal by newly appointed student regent Doug Peterson gains approval. Peterson, last year's ASWSU president, will become a voting member of the 16 member State Board of Regents if a pproved by a Utah legislative interim committee today. The term will be retroactive to July 1, Peterson said. He plans to introduce a proposal this month that would al-(See VOTE page 6) Out with the old ... ... AND IN WITH WHAT? Last Wednesday's demolition of the Lorln Farr School located on 22nd and Harrison was the sad end of an era for hundreds of WSU students and graduates who attended It over the years. DANIELLE MABEYTHf SIGNPOST Built In 1911 , it was demolished in hours. The Ogden City School district, which owns the building and land demolished the building to make the land more appealing to potential buyers. News y Ogden City could be in trouble if an earthquake strikes soon. Entertainment 10 Egyptian Theater renovation shows promise for Weber State. Sports 13 -Turning off music in cym is part of a communist plot to overthrow freedom. : Freshmen should utilize orientation services Academic Advisement prevents potential pain for incoming students at graduation By B. A. Bridenbecker and Joyce Zabriskie Staff writers of The Signpost Freshman orientation will begin Wednesday for general orientation and individual colleges at WSU. Paula Alger, academic advisor and orientation coordinator, said entering college can be a lot less stressful if freshmen can remember to stay in touch with their Academic Advisment counselors. The general orientation is for students who are not yet sure what they want to study and is designed to introduce the student to the registration process, the campus and to review the students ACT scores and assist in "Usually we only see the students at the front end of their college experience and never again until they register for graduation. It is important that the student stays in touch." -Paula Alger, academic advisor and orientation coordinator the registration. Students must set up an appiontment with Academic Advisement. According to Alger, as many as 2,500 students may enroll as freshmen autumn quarter. Students are urged to make contact early with their counselors and to get help them in planning their academic careers. The counselor can help a student determine whether to go for their general education requirements in one lump sum or to spread them through out their college career, (See FRESHMEN page 2)

Friends, we have found the worst list of all time, and it is Rolling Stone Readers Pick the Top Ten Live Acts of All Time: Bruce Springsteen. The Grateful Dead. Queen. The Rolling Stones. KISS. Pink Floyd. Pearl Jam. Led Zeppelin. U2. The Who. Yes, that’s all ten. Yup, that is a whole lot of white rocker dudes. Uh huh, the only band on that list that formed since the ’70s is Pearl Jam. Where to even begin? Instead of further dissecting the Rolling Stone list, we decided to make our own list of acts — all of whom you still might conceivably go see — that you need to check out live. This isn’t a definitive top 25; it’s just a roundup of Flavorpill staffers’ favorite live bands. Our recommendations are after the jump. You can add yours in the comments. Jean Grae You probably already know that rapper Jean Grae rocks the mic like nobody’s business. But did you realize, as social media manager Russ Marshalek points out, that “she’s fucking hilarious and self-effacing live”? Radiohead Sales manager Michael Orell understands that Radiohead are another platinum-selling gang of white dudes, but he still loves them after all these years: “The hallucinatory yet intimate sound that made me a fan in the first place never faded or diminished in the slightest, even though I was all the way in the back of Madison Square Garden. My firstborn to whomever the fuck does their sound.” His colleague, Dave Coll, adds: “Radiohead’s most amazing achievement in concert is that time and time again they play songs that the crowd can recognize 100% and yet has never heard before. They take a synth-based song like ‘Spinning Plates,’ and do the whole thing on the piano. They get the crowd dancing to ‘Weird Fishes,’ zoning out to ‘Everything in Its Right Place,’ and holding up cellphones to ‘High and Dry.'” The Books Social media intern Sophie Weiner can’t recommend this experimental act highly enough: “The Books are a pair of artists who mix audio samples, including everything from 1980’s hypnotherapy videos to thrift store voice mail cassettes, with gorgeous, intricate cello and guitar compositions and vocals. Seeing The Books live elevates their music from intriguing, if a bit inaccessible, to a realm of brilliance inhabited by only the greatest multimedia artists. Every song is paired with a video, many of which use the clips that their samples were originally from. The mesmerizing visuals and words illuminate a multitude of possible meanings for every song, while they play their instruments flawlessly over the top. As if that wasn’t enough, The Books prefer to play in unorthodox concert spaces, like art museums or churches, so when you have a religious experience, you know you’re in the right place.” Four Tet “It’s always hard to imagine how a man who looks like Skeletor can keep a crowd fixated with balloons, a sampler, a laptop, and a big smile,” writes Flavorpill London contributor Oliver Spall. But don’t let appearances fool you — we guarantee you’ll be riveted. Leonard Cohen Sometimes, you just have to give it up for a 20th-century master. “Leonard Cohen was also one of the best shows I’ve ever seen,” says Patrick Letterii, who works with Flavorpill’s venue partners. “He did like four encores, and he kept dancing the jig offstage and then dancing back on. This was last year. I think he’s like 80.” Close enough: he’s 76, so… yeah. Impressive.

This has to be inspirational entrepreneurshiip at its best – private sector risk and an imaginative, intelligent reading of opportunity. A new £2million vessel which aims to tap into Scotland’s growing renewable energy market was launched on Saturday, 19th May. The Helen Burnie, built to a unique design at Macduff Shipyards in Moray, will create up to 12 new jobs once she is working to capacity. The workboat is equipped with the latest technology to allow it to tackle specialist offshore windfarm and tidal survey work, as well as the more traditional workboat contracts. At a time when many companies are laying people off, the venture represents a huge leap of faith in Scotland’s renewable energy market by Inverlussa Marine Services, a small family business based on the isle of Mull. The company, which has two other vessels, has already carried out some tidal exploratory work off the islands of Skye and Islay. And Ben Wilson, Inverlussa’s Operations Manager, speaking at the launch of the Helen Burnie in Oban, said he believes renewable energy opportunities have a lot to offer far-flung communities. He said: “We think it’s a good time to invest in the renewables sector and the boat has been built completely with renewables in mind, because we do feel it is a sector with vast potential. ‘This is a state-of-the-art vessel, a total one-off design. It’s got the latest winch system and the latest crane. ‘It is a general purpose coastal supply vessel, available to assist with all the traditional marine service tasks which are the backbone of our business such as fishfarm feed deliveries and dive support work, but it is also kitted out to work on the construction stage of tidal and offshore wind farm sites.’ The company, evolved from a one man operation started by Mr Wilson’s father, Douglas, the company’s Managing Director, over 20 years ago, has employed 15 people in recent years. As the Helen Burnie sailed off on her first delivery contract to the Shetland Isles, Mr Wilson said: ‘The new boat has already created six new jobs, all local jobs, but there will be up to twelve jobs created on the island, depending on the contracts we secure’. The boat will be available for all logistical marine services, including cargo transport, general dive support, fuel and fresh water transfer, cable laying, container transport, plough dredging, anchor handling and towing work. But Mr Wilson, whose company has received the backing of the Clydesdale Bank for the project, said: ‘Due to her versatility and high manoeuvrability we expect that Helen Burnie will be in great demand for a variety of renewable energy projects – from offshore wind farm work to tidal energy surveys. ‘There is a lot of money going into these windfarms and I think it is a great opportunity for the West Coast to be involved in an industry which is attracting investment.’ Argyll SNP MSP Michael Russell said: ‘It is great to see such a significant investment being made by a local company and it shows the huge potential of renewables in this area. I wish them every success with this exciting step forward.’ Congratulations and best wishes to the Wilson family on your vision and enterprise. I’m not a fan of windfarms, marine or otherwise, but if they must be built then let’s ensure the associated service provision and employment is kept local. Like or Dislike: 0 0 Congratulations to the Wilsons (hope the mussels are going great as well!). Great to see local companies having the guts and foresight to invest in new capital in these testing times. And well done for prising money out of a bank! Look forward to seeing the Helen Burnie around Oban sometime. Like or Dislike: 0 0 Pingback: Inverlussa Marine Services invests £2 million in service capability for … – For Argyll | BoatAnchoring.com

MILWAUKEE — A change in the law allows revoked drivers the ability to get behind the wheel and not face jail time, despite mountains of citations against them. How do revoked drivers who can’t pay their citations get their license back, and what can be done as far as punishing revoked drivers who continue to get behind the wheel? Every day, just like the day before, Sarah Limberg makes a decision — whether to grab her car keys and get behind the wheel. “I usually just pray. I’m not supposed to be driving,” Limberg said. Limberg hasn’t had a license in nearly 10 years. She says she probably owes at least $3,000 in tickets. In just one week last month, Limberg was pulled over three times. Angelina Konaha’s license is also revoked. She works at Silk Exotic night club, but she’s not using her earnings to pay off her fines. FOX6 News found her shopping, partying at the bar and inking up her arm. “You find people that are suspended for not paying a fine, but are driving a pretty nice car, they’re up to date on their payments, they got the latest iPhone,” Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls said. On the day Konaha was supposed to be in court for her 11th revocation citation, FOX6 News cameras caughter her coming and going, but not to the courthouse. Since 2004, Konaha has racked up citations in Dodge County, Waukesha County, Milwaukee County and Ozaukee County. Two weeks after Konaha’s no show in court for citation number 11, she was cited in Jefferson County twice in one week. Michael Dorsey has 19 citations, and also does not have a license. But Dorsey can keep on driving because of a change in the law back in 2009. Before 2009, if revoked drivers kept driving and were caught without a license, the judge could throw them in jail. “The courts were absolutely packed with these operating after revocation, or OAR cases,” Julius Kim with Kim & LaVoy said. Governor Doyle and state lawmakers decided to decriminalize driving after revocation to deal with the jail overcrowding situation, and now, no matter how many times a revoked driver is cited, unless it’s tied to an OWI or the driver causes a crash, all police can do is give them another ticket. FOX6 News interviewed Christopher Brugger back when the law changed in 2009. He had already been charged with operating after revocation 17 times and had served time in jail. With the new law, and no more potential for jail time, Brugger said he’d never stop driving, despite his lack of a license. Six months ago, Brugger was cited again. Revoked drivers don’t just cause a problem for police, but also for other drivers on the roadway. Statistics show revoked drivers are more dangerous drivers. There are more than four million licensed drivers in Wisconsin, and just over 80,000 suspended and revoked drivers — less than 2%. Of the 515 fatal crashes last year in the state, over 10% involved a driver who had been suspended or revoked. A seven-year nationwide study by AAA found a similar trend. Sarah Limberg is a single mom, with three kids to shuttle around in a small town with no public transportation. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I wasn’t drunk. I wasn’t doing any drugs. I was just driving to get to the laundromat that day. I got pulled over and couldn’t pay it all at once. I’m never going to get my license back, no matter how hard I try,” Limberg said. Even though the courts will often offer a payment plan if you prove you don’t have the money to pay citations, that doesn’t protect you from new tickets if you keep driving. “You pay a little off, but the next year they keep pulling you over. You can’t ever catch up. It’s a constant battle,” Limberg said. Retired judge Jim Gramling heads a program that helps revoked drivers unravel that web. He says go to court, make your case and if you don’t have the cash, offer community service. “If someone comes in front of them with a practical solution, the judge is going to welcome it. It always helps if that person has talked to a non-profit agency already and can come in front of the judge and say ‘I’ve talked to the YMCA, I’ve talked to the food pantry at my church, and they’re willing to let me do the work,'” Gramling said. FOX6 News floated the idea to the head of the Assembly Transportation Committee, Paul Farrow. “If we give them the opportunity to do some community service, to give back, it gives them the opportunity to get back on their feet and get themselves on the right path,” Farrow said. However, Kim with Kim & LaVoy says there are some people in this world who simply won’t obey the law. Orpheus Houston, Jr. got busted in Waukesha County in March for operating after revocation — for his 26th time! “That might be a problem that’s insurmountable at this point. He might be an individual who simply can’t get a license,” Kim said. However, as long as the law lets him drive without a license, the tickets won’t be worth the paper they’re printed on, and revoked drivers facing a mountain of fines will realize they can get behind the wheel at will. What a lot of people driving revoked don’t realize is, there’s jail time involved if they seriously injure or kill someone. Gov. Scott Walker signed that law late last year. Revoked drivers in Milwaukee County can contact the Drivers License Recovery Program for help getting their license back.

AQHA axes 14 jobs in reorganization The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is axing 14 positions to align staffing with current demand for registration, transfer and membership services. It said the move was part of a reorganization to address its current business and financial needs. The association said it was a difficult decision to eliminate jobs. “Evaluating and reorganizing the way AQHA does business is not unprecedented and needed to be done in anticipation of top leadership changes,” president Johnny Trotter said. “There is no good way to announce job eliminations, and I hope the industry will see that AQHA is like many other organizations in that it must keep employee costs in line with current business trends. “We are working to protect and preserve our financial condition and will continue to monitor demand and activity, and make adjustments where they are necessary.” Don Treadway The association, with a membership of more than 270,000, said it was also beginning to prepare for the retirement of its executive vice-president, Don Treadway Jr. Last week, the AQHA Executive Committee named Trent Taylor as acting chief operating officer and treasurer. Taylor will take a more active role in the day-to-day management of the association as Treadway focuses on its strategic plan, business development, foundation gifts, and securing some expiring AQHA corporate partnership agreements. Tom Persechino will assume the duties for AQHA’s marketing, communications and publications entities as the transition of shows and judges to Pete Kyle continues to move ahead. Other changes will be announced as they become final. The association said it was continuing to look at cost-saving or income-generating measures.

Birth of Sally Lilienthal, founder of Ploughshares Fund A spunky child expelled from a tony private school for passing a note in class that contained dirty words. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College who grew up in a family where “there was some kind of message … that doing good was somehow naughty.” Precursors for a troubled life? Not for Sally Lilienthal. Instead her “life was spent in homage to art and opposition to armament,” the San Francisco Chronicle wrote when she died on October 24, 2006. Trained as a sculptor at what is now the San Francisco Art Institute, she worked in clay, plastic, and modeled resin. Appointed to the San Francisco Art Commission in the early 1960s, she later went on to co-found the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Rental Gallery, whose mission was to support artists while giving art lovers a chance to enjoy artworks for affordable fees. But her sculpting career ended when political and global issues came to the fore. She worked with the NAACP’s Legal Defense and Education Fund and founded Amnesty International’s Western Region, advocating for the release of political prisoners. In 1981, she founded the Ploughshares Fund as a way to get funds quickly to people with practical ideas for stopping the buildup of nuclear weapons. "The possibility of a nuclear war was the very worst problem in the world," she told the Chronicle." Founded in her living room, the Ploughshares Fund has since distributed millions in modest grants to fight the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weaponry. Lilienthal had the distinction to be associated with two organizations awarded the Nobel Peace Prize—Amnesty International in 1977 and the International Campaign to Ban Land Mines in 1997. As her friend Eleanor Friedman put it, “She never did things halfway, the normal way—only the unprecedented, outspoken way.” Sources: “Sally Lilienthal,” Ploughshares Fund; “Sally Lilienthal – founder of the Ploughshares Fund,” San Francisco Chronicle, October 26, 2006; “Sally Lilienthal, 87, a Leader in Opposing Nuclear Weapons, Dies,” New York Times, December 1, 2006. How to cite this page Jewish Women's Archive. "Birth of Sally Lilienthal, founder of Ploughshares Fund." (Viewed on June 29, 2015) <>.

“. Robert Basso Advantage Payroll Services Robert Basso began his career in the payroll industry in 1994 with a well-known national payroll company, and he left as one of their top-producing salespeople in the country. Basso, a graduate of Hofstra University, then opened Advantage Payroll Services’ Long Island regional office in 1996. Basso started the office with only a handful of employees, and in the last four years has transformed it into one of the premier payroll and tax-filing firms on Long Island and the New York metropolitan area. It is the third largest payroll company on Long Island, employing more than 20 and servicing over 1,000 accounts. Basso’s office in Syosset is the fastest growing and leading sales office for Advantage Payroll Services in the nation. The office has received the President’s Award for the past four years, and Basso is often asked to share his insights with the media into business trends that are apparent from his office’s operations. Basso has been featured on WLUX’s Long Island Money and Business program and stories have been written about him in accounting trade publications and other Long Island media. Basso has made numerous presentations to various CPA organizations regarding payroll-related topics. He has been an integral part of the National Network of Accountant Preferred Provider Network and was recently honored as the Provider of the Month for his leadership and the business he has brought to the group. He is an active member of the National Network of Accountant’s Preferred Provider Network, Advancement for Commerce and Industry, Long Island Association, Miramar Group, Listnet and National Conference CPA Practitioners. Basso is an active volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the March of Dimes. He has fostered a company atmosphere that encourages his meployees to attend and participate in charity events across Long Island. Camiolo, John Custom Benefits Group Providing a well-managed benefits program is key to hiring, retaining and motivating employees in today’s tight labor market. Jon Camiolo began researching this growing need, and he found that man Long Island companies were lacking and understaffed in their human resources departments. This led Camiolo to found Custom Benefits Group in Point Lookout, and the firm has since been instrumental in helping Long Island businesses construct, implement and administer employee benefits programs. Camiolo’s exceptional level of service in helping local firms navigate the complex arena of managed care and changing governmental requirements has transformed him into one of the highest-producing health insurance brokers on Long Island, with more than $12 million in annual sales. Camiolo is a five-time winner of Axa Advisors National Leaders Corps. He is also a four-time winner of the Axa Advisors Production Growth Award. Camiolo is also a true hero in Long Island philanthropy. Since 1996 he has been assisting Long Islanders in need of life-saving bone marrow transplants and has raised more than $250,000 for the Marrow Foundation through securing corporate sponsorships. To date his work has resulted in more than 4,200 Long Islanders being tissue-typed and placed on the National Marrow Registry. Camiolo is the founder of the Long Island Marrow Organization, which is increasing enrollment on the national registry and providing information and support for Long Islanders suffering from blood-related diseases. For his extraordinary efforts, Camiolo has been award the National Marrow Donor Program’s Allison Atlas Award and the Equitable Foundation’s Community Leadership Award. Caracciolo, John The Morey Organization The Morey Organization of Garden City is the Long Island entertainment powerhouse that consists of The Vanderbilt, the wildly popular banquet and event venue in Plainview, and three radio stations that are part of Jarad Broadcasting: WLIR (92.7), WDRE (98.5) and WXXP Party 105 (105.3). John Caracciolo’s success story started 15 years ago when he became chief engineer at WLIR. In 1996 he took over the position of general manager of Jarad Broadcastings WLIR and WDRE when the station had been through a disaster year due to a failed format change, low advertising and unimpressive community involvement. Under Caracciolo’s guidance and expertise, there was a quick and complete turnaround as the result of a new musical format, record sales, unrivaled cmmunity spirit and prominent fundraising for Long Island charities. Caracciolo then helped found WXXP in 1998, which shortle after broke all sales recorded for a one-year-old FM station. With all three radio properties thriving, the time seemed right for The Morey Organization to expand further in Long Island’s entertainment market. In 1999 The Vanderbilt was purchased. Caracciolo’s guidance as vice president and partner has helped to transform that facility into the most lavish entertainment complex in the region. Caracciolo, a graduate of New York Institute of Technology, was recognized by Newsday in their “Five People to Watch” series on people in radio and was nominated for “General Manager of the Year” by Radio Ink Magazine. He has written numerous articles for BE Radio Magazine and served on a national panel to determine the policy for the roll-out of digital radio broadcasting in the United States. Until 1997 Carraciolo was the engineering consultant for 16 metro area radio stations. Caracciolo has served on the board of directors for The Poe Project, which raises money for Long Island students’ education in the arts, and he advises the radio programs of Hofstra University and Plainview Old Bethpage High School. He is presently on the board of directors of the Carol Baldwin Breast Cancer Foundation, serves as vice president of the Long Island Ad Club and president and founding member of the Prostate Screening Awareness Foundation. Cerini, Kenneth Cerini & Associates Kenneth Cerini is the managing partner of Cerini & Associates; Cerini & Associates Consulting Group; and Cerini & Associates Financial Services. Cerini spent eight years at Ernst & Young before founding Cerini & Associates, in 1993. The Islandia firm provides accounting, tax, litigation support, management consulting, write-up and accounting assistance services to businesses, not-for-profits and individuals. Its sister firm Cerini & Associates Consulting Group is the holding company for Creative Pension Solutions, a full-service pension administration business. Cerini & Associates Financial Services provides a full array of financial planning services. All three companies employ a combined staff of 12. Cerini, a 1986 graduate of Long Island University’s CW Post campus, writes a quarterly accounting and management newsletter for the not-for-profit sector. He is the annual lecturer for the Foundation for Accounting Education. He contributes to a number of professional publications and industry newsletters and has lectured on various tax and accounting issues. Cerini has been inducted into Who’s Who in American Finance, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in International Finance and International Who’s Who of Entrepreneurs. He is a member of the New York State Society of CPAs, where he is on the not-for-profit technical committee and a member of the Suffolk Chapter’s Board of Director’s. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Board of Forensic Accountants, the Institute of Certified Financial Planners and the National Society of Fundraising Executives. Even in his private life, Cerini has reached for the stars: his civic affiliations include service as treasurer of the Museum of the Universe, an organization dedication to building the first astronomy museum on Long Island. Cohen, Allan Nixon Peabody Allen H. Coehn, a partner at Garden City’s Nixon Peabody, and head of its Corporate and Emerging Business Practice, represents more than 50 Long Island Businesses, from Fortune 500 companies to Internet startups. Since starting his practice in 1988, Cohen has led more than $2 billion of mergers and acquisitions deals and over $1 billion of securities offerings. He provides corporate counsel to a variety of public and private companies as well as individuals on Long Island, including Henry Schein, Inc., Pall Corp., Ademco Group, NEC USA and The Sammis Group. Many of Cohen’s corporate deals, including Bayer Ag’s investment in Schein Pharmaceuticals and the leveraged buyout of E.F. Johnson Company, have been listed in the “Big Deals” Section of The American Lawyer. In addition, his emerging business practice was recently features in The Legal Times’ dot com 2000 directory of high-tech and emerging companies. Cohane has dedicated himself to helping Long Island business thrive and assists entrepreneurs in the development and success of their emerging companies. He recently formed a panel of experts that included a well-known venture capitalist, a business plan consultant and writer and “Big 5″ accounting firm to simulate the step-by-step process of moving from an idea for a business to the formation and funding of that business. Cohen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Binghamton State University and received his J.D. From Columbia University, where he was named Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar and administrative editor of the Journal of Law and Social Problems. In 1998, after eight years of law practice in New York City, he joined Nixon Peabody to start its Long Island corporate practice. It has since become one of the fastest growing groups in the firm. Cohen is an active member of the Long Island Software and Technology Network, the Long Island Forum for Technology and the Long Island Venture Group. He is a Junior Achievement volunteer teacher at Garden City High School, a participant in the Eisenhower Fellowships Single Nation Program and a Syosset Little League coach. Cohen also works pro bono for the Route 110 Redevelopment Corp. Cook, Alan Computer Network Solutions Three years ago at his kitchen table, Alan Cook started Computer Network Solutions, (CNS) with a staff of three. Today it is an award-winning, $10 million, 45-employee company with offices in Plainview, New York City and New Jersey that provides network infrastructure and state-of-the-art monitoring services worldwide. CNS maintains pertnership status with best-of-breed manufacturers and solution providers. The company portfolio of services includes computer maintenance services and high end network integration solutions. CNS is one of the few companies in the United States that used Computer Associates flagship software, Unicenter TNG, in its own state-of-the-art Network Operations Center, providing remote, proactive monitoring and maintenance as a managed services provider. CNS was honored as the No. 1 Fastest Growing Private Company on Long Island in 1998 by Long Island Business News and Hofstra University, and remained in the top 10 the following year. Prior to founding CNS, Cook spent five years at Grumman Systems and left in 1987 to join US Computer Group (USCG), a young start-up with five employees and a small base of about $130,000 in annual maintenance contracts. Over the following 10 years, Cook helped grow USCG to more than $15 million in annual maintenance sales and over $10 million in network integration revenues. In his last three years at USCG, Cook held the position of senior vice president of sales and operations for the two main operating divisions of the company. Cook and CNS have given back to the community by donating video conference and network computing equipment and services to Westchester Medical Center/HealthStart System for children/parent interaction from hospital and home. The company has also made donations to Scneider’s Children’s Medical Center, the Southside Hospital Spring Ball, families in the Head Start program, H.E.C.H.T. of Long Island, Hope House and the Isabella Nursing Home and Hebrew Hospital. CNS has sponsored LI Cares food drives and golf outing and provides student internships and workshop programs for high school and Nassau BOCES students. Croce, Nicholas Doar Communications As the president of DOAR Communications, Nick Croce has been a principal force in the rapid and successful growth of the company. DOAR is a profitable, expanding provider of advanced technology-based systems and services for the judicial court, litigation and alternative dispute resolution markets. The company has become the U.S. Industry leader in integrated technology solutions for automating evidence presentation and courtroom communications in federal and state courts. Croce joined DOAR in 1997 as vice president of sales and marketing. His goals were to re-energize the firm and reverse its declining revenue and profits. Within his first year the firm sported a revenue growth by 50 percent and a return to profitability. In recognition of this dramatic turnaround, Croce was promoted to president in 1998. Under Croce’s presidency DOAR was awarded the Federal Contract for Courtroom Integration throughout the United States, and revenue grew to more than $11 million with commensurate profitability. Five regional offices have opened and the number of employees has grown to more than 50 (from a base of 14 when he joined the company). Additionally, DOAR has expanded to a new 36,000-square-foot headquarter facility in Lynbrook and converted to a fully integrated manufacturing accounting system. Through the dust of many crumbling Internet giants, DOAR has emerged as one of the rare companies to continue to progress, produce profits and remain attractive to investors. Croce, a graduate of Hofstra University, is credited with giving DOAR the direction to focus and deliver quality service to clients while providing an exciting work environment for employees. Croce has received national awards for engineering design work. He served two years on the executive board for Theta Tau, the nation’s largest professional engineering organization, and is often asked to speak at industry conferences. DOAR is a member of the Long Island Association, a participant in the Long Island Venture Capital Forum and a contributor to a number of local, state and national Bar Associations and legal organizations. Farley, Lori Adecco Employment Services Lori Farley joined Olsten Staffing in 1999 as general manager, and in her first year her market qualified for for the prestigious Pinnacle Award for outstanding achievement in profitability. In 2000 Adecco purchased Olsten Staffing, marking the largest acquisition in staffing history. Adecco, which moved its headquarters to Melville, is currently the largest staffing company in the world, boasting 5,300 offices in 58 countries. With the change, Farley was given a new title – vice president – and the challenge to unite TAD Resources, Olsten Staffing and the Adecco franchise in the Long Island Market. Currently Farley oversees sales, operations and profitability in several field locations. Last year Newsday.com named her one of the “Five People to Watch” in the staffing industry. Farley received her certification in human resources (PHR) from St. Joseph’s College. She is also certified by the National Society of Human Resource Managers. She is a board member and serves as secretary of the NY Staffing Association – Long Island Chapter, and she is an associate member of the Society for Human Resource Professionals. Farley is committed to a number of business and civic organizations. She was a member of the HIA & Sports committee from 1996 to 1999. She is a corporate member of the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women and a member of the Executive Women’s Golf Association and the Business Advisory Council. She is a committee member and was the 1999 co-chair of The Women in Business Golf Classic. Additionally, she was a committee member and sponsor of the Arthritis Foundation “Salute Your Staff” luncheon and theater party. Grippo, Mary Dolan The Garden City Hotel When Mary Dolan Grippo checked into the Garden City Hotel as a sales manager, the facility gained a team player who has helped the hotel and Long Island tourism thrive. After having served seven years as vice president of sales and marketing for the Garden City Hotel, Grippo was appointed to the newly created position of vice president of business development in September 2000. In this new role, Grippo is in charge of identifying new business opportunities and developing programs that will further enhance client services and client relationships for the Garden City Hotel. Grippo joined the Garden City Hotel in 1987. Prior to becoming VP of sales and marketing, she served as director of sales. Presently and all through her rise at the hotel, Grippo has made the time to share her leadership and expertise by becoming active with a number of local professional organizations. Her professional affiliations include the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (LICVB), where she has served as a board member since 1997 and currently serves on the executive board; the Long Island Hotel/Motel Association, where she serves as a board member; and the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), of which she has been a member since 1993. Other memberships include Meeting Planners International (MPI), which she joined in 1991, and the Education & Assistance Corporation (EAC) Advisory Council, where she has served since 1998. Grippo has also recently served as chairperson of the Belmont Stakes Festival in Garden City. Guthrie, Kim Cox Radio Long Island In an interview with Radio & Records in July 2000, Kim Guthrie, a former television news reporter in the Midwest, says she switched mediums after meeting her husband, a radio program director in Minnesota. “After hanging out with his friend, I realized that radio people were a real hoot compared to television people – and that was that.” A graduate of Iowa State University, Guthrie became general manager of WBLI/WBAB/WHFM (all owned by Cox Radio) in 1998 and completely overhauled the entire property. She is responsible for a 108 percent increase in profits, a 25 percent increase in ratings and a 50 percent increase in net revenues in a two-year period. Her contributions to WBAB include rebuilding the station and the morning show after the departure of its veteran morning man Bob Buchmann. The station now has its highest ratings in 10 years among adults 25 to 54, and the new “Roger and JP” morning show has posted the station’s best numbers in seven years. Guthrie has also been praised for leading WBLI to become the No. 1 station on Long Island (Nassau/Suffolk Arbitron Summer Book 2000), beating New York’s behemoth Z100 and dethroning WALK from the top spot in local ratings for the first time in nine years. Guthrie is also well known for sharing her busy schedule and her company’s high profile with a number of Long Island volunteer organizations. She serves on the Suffolk County Red Cross Board of Directors and received the 1999 Humanitarian of the Year award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Long Island. She is a board member of the New York State Association of Radio Stations 2000 (NYMRAD) and is active at Dogwood Elementary School in St. James, where two of her three daughters are students. She was the driving force behind the first annual Roger & JP’s Food For All food drive, which raised more than 100,000 pounds of food in three days, and the 106.1 WBLI’s Summer Jam 2000, which raised more than $10,000 for the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls. Hein, Jon PC & Mac Center / Lloyd Staffing As CIO of Lloyd Staffing, Jon Hein has taken the company to new technological heights, supporting 14 offices which include 182 staff members and more than 6,000 temporary staffing associates. He has led the company through a number of milestones, including building the corporate Web site, implementing the company’s Intranet, installing a company-wide e-mail system and setting up video conferencing. These advances have allowed all of Lloyd’s office locations to communicate seamlessly. Recently, Hein co-created Lloyd’s new online staffing procurement application. Hein is also executive director and co-owner of PC & Max Central, Lloyd’s computer training affiliate. He founded PC & Mac Central in 1991 as a means to bridge the gap between technology training and the employment marketplace. Since its founding, the company has experienced more than 100 percent growth leaps annually. Hein oversees computer skills training to CEOs, CIOs and various personnel in the corporate hierarchy. Clients include Sony Music, Cablevision, Bear Stearns, Colgate Palmolive, Calvin Klein, Ann Taylor, CMP Media and North Shore-LIJ Health System. In 1995 the Direct Marketing Association named Hein a “Pioneer of Cyberspace” for putting up one of the first 100 commercial Web sites for The Princeton Review (where he was employed from 1991 to 1995). In 1997 Hein, a self-proclaimed TV junkie, created a popular Web site – – devoted to determining when a TV show reaches and passes its prime. (The title comes from a Happy Days episode where “Fonzie” was challenged to water ski over a shark. Fans say that ludicrous storyline marked an unfortunate turning point in the quality of the show.) The Web site has won awards from Microsoft and Yahoo and has received recognition from The New York Times, Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Newsday and the Howard Stern Show. Hein has also partnered with Rolling Stone to create a similar Web site for rock bands. Hein volunteers at area high school to help students learn about navigating the Internet and exploring Internet career opportunities. He is also active with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and was awarded the Golden Sneaker in 1999 for his fundraising efforts. Hein is also an annual supporter of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Hullstrung, Lynda Deloitte & Touche Lynda J. Hullstrung joined Deloitte & Touche in 1989 upon graduation summa cum laude with a B.B.A. in public accounting from Pace University. She is a member of the firm’s Technology and Communications Industry Group where she specializes in providing assurance and advisory services to companies such as Symbol Technologies, Primedia and Twinlab Corp. In February 2000 Hullstrung was selected as a member of the inaugural class of the Long Island Top 50 Women, a program that recognizes the economic and community achievements of Long Island women professionals. For the last four years she has coordinated the Long Island Technology Fast 50 Program, Deloitte & Touche’s annual awards event honoring the fastest growing technology companies on Long Island. She also has brought together the CEOs of the Fast 50 companies and other prominent technology leaders to form the Fast 50 Roundtable, a group committed to addressing the needs of Long Island’s high technology companies. Hullstrung is a frequent instructor at both national and local Deloitte & Touche training programs and serves as the Long Island office coordinator for the firm’s Initiative for the Retention and Advancement of Women. She is a member of the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women, the Long Island Women’s Agenda, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Hullstrung serves as team captain for Deloitte & Touche’s annual United Way campaign. For the last several years she has served on the steering committee of Long Island Volunteer Enterprise (LIVE) and as the chairperson of its Resource Development Committee. In this capacity she has helped bring hundreds of Long Island corporate volunteer teams into LIVE and match them with meaningful community projects. Hullstrung is a board member and assistant treasurer of the American Lung Association of Nassau-Suffolk, and she remains very involved with Pace University’s alumni organizations and activities. Izzo, Russell NexTech Training Solutions Over the past 14 years, Russel Izzo has established a reputation in the Long Island computer industry as a leading entrepreneurial innovator in the field of technology. Izzo is known for his skills in management, finance, sales and marketing. His latest venture is the creation of NexTech Training Solutions, which recognized a need for high-quality computer-based training to address the shortage of information technology (IT) professionals in the United States and Abroad. As the company’s co-founder, president, CEO and member of its board of directors, Izzo has taken the company from a promising vision to an impressive reality, surpassing all projected growth. NexTech Training Solutions, under Izzo’s direction, has specialized in preparing students of information technology to pass certification exams offered by companies such as Microsoft, Novell and Cisco. Izzo assisted in the design of NexTech’s state-of-the-art training facility layout and its exclusive Hands-On Technical Training Lab, where students can build a personal computer and develop and construct a Windows NT-based network under the careful guidance of field-experienced Microsoft Certified Trainers. NexTech’s world-class IT curriculum is offered to corporate and private clients and to students enrolled at partner universities. Recently Izzo spearheaded a $2.5 million private placement program for NexTech to expand its services to additional locations. Hofstra University and the State University of New York at Stony Brook entered into partnerships with the firm, enabling NexTech to open locations at those campuses and deliver IT certification training to students pursuing technology careers. The success at Hofstra and Stony Brook has prompted other institutions of higher learning to pursue partnerships with NexTech. These include Dowling College, St. John’s University, SUNY Farmingdale, and the Jon Jay College of Criminal Justice. Izzo is an alumnus of City College, New York and SUNY Stony Brook. He was recently named to the Advancement for Commerce, Industry & Technology’s (ACIT) board of directors, and he has been named to the board of directors for the Long Island Philharmonic. Johnson, Neil C. Universal Photonics Universal Photonics, a privately held company founded in 1926 with headquarters in Hicksville, is a worldwide manufacturer of semiconductor and optics fabrication materials. The company conducts business in more than 80 countries with offices throughout the United States, Japan and Europe. The product line is comprised of materials such as lenses, semiconductors, infrared materials and glass. Primary markets for these products include precision optics, opthalmic, semi-conductor and CRT/TV glass. In 1979 Neil C. Johnson came on board at Universal as a processor on the manufacturing floor. Throughout the years he advanced to positions of increased responsibility in a variety of areas including sales management, operations and manufacturing. In 1994 he was named general manager, and subsequently corporate sales for Universal Photonics increased by an amazing 93 percent. As general manager, Johnson’s strategy was to expand the company’s manufacturing capability from one product type to five distinct product lines, thereby tripling production capacity. He is also credited with structuring an exclusive joint venture with the Bayer Corp. to co-develop and market that company’s electronic surfacing materials in North America. Johnson is responsible for several key acquisitions, including Hastings Development and Maracel Corp., both of which provided technologies necessary to satisfy the demands of the semiconductor and precision optics industries. Johnson also guided the campaign to increase penetration into a resistant Japanese market. Universal’s Japanese market share has since increased from 9 percent to more than 40 percent. Johnson was also behind the founding of the ESM (Electronics Surfacing Materials) division and its California headquarters in 1995 to focus on the growing semiconductor processing materials industry. This division can now claim customers such as IBM, Motorola, AMD and Hewlitt-Packard, and it has achieved approval from the industry consortium SEMATECH. Johnson holds a degree in engineering from Polytechnic University and a B.B.A. from Adelphi University. He received his M.B.A. summa cum laude from Columbia University. Johnson is active in community youth activities and coaches baseball, soccer and basketball. He participates in programs for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Hope Worldwide and the Prevent Blindness Foundation of New York. When Ari Kahn first co-founded FatWire with Mark Fasciano, their office space consisted of a bedroom over the garage of Fasciano’s parents’ home in Oyster Bay. The team was so short in funds that their initial operating expenses were charged to their credit cards. Kahn literally had to dig the ditch in which they laid their first T1 line for an Internet connection. While the office and staff have both expanded beyond their wildest dreams, Kahn remains as dedicated to FatWire as he was in those early days. And his hands-on approach has been instrumental in the company’s phenomenal success. Even before FatWire was an idea for a business, Kahn and Fasciano were doctoral students at the University of Chicago. At that time Kahn had already begun embarking on a long list of contributions to the systems development field. These developments included the DataCube server, one of the fastest data processing systems of its kind, and Perseus, the first robotic system to truly interact with people through human gestures. He also directed research and development teams at the University for high performance systems, ranging from robotics to missile guidance. FatWire was founded in 1996, and today it is the leading provider of dynamic content management software and e-business solutions. The company quickly outgrew the Fasciano residence and now boasts headquarters in Mineola, as well as offices in Washington, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco and London. The employee base has ground from the two founders to a staff of more than 120. FatWire’s revenues increased 300 percent during each of its first three years. As co-founder and chief technology officer of FatWire, Kahn recruits, trains and manages the FatWire technology team. Under his leadership this team has developed five releases of FatWire’s flagship product, UpdateEngine: the fastest solution to build and manage a scalable, database-driven Web site. Under Kahn’s leadership, UpdateEngine has become the content management standard. Katz, Neil D. Katz, Bernstein & Katz The Westbury law firm Katz, Bernstein & Katz is known for its expertise in diverse business formations, agreements and transactions, and for its taxation, estate and succession planning experience. Managing partner Neil Katz has represented large businesses in their reorganization and is active in business sales and mergers and acquisitions. Katz is widely respected on Long Island for his knowledge in the areas of federal and state income tax issues, as well as corporate, partnership, estate and gift taxation. He has provided his succession planning expertise on behalf of leading family businesses, drafting some of the most complex succession and estate plans to preserve the continuity of business in the event of death or retirement. Katz is a much sought-after lecturer and media source. He frequently speaks for various businesses and professional organizations, including the New York State Society of CPAs, National Conference of CPA Practitioners, International Association of Financial Planners, and Suffolk Life Underwriters Association. The New York Bar Association has recognized Katz as a provider of Continuing Legal Education. He is one of the founders, a primary lecturer and contributor to the development of Katz Tax Seminars, a successful continuing education program that is registered on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors as a sponsor of continuing education with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. In addition to these professional activities, Katz is an adjunct professor at Hofstra University. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his L.L.M. from New York University. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Katz chairs the Hofstra University Corporate Development Council and the 23rd annual Hofstra Golf Open. He is a member of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization and a member of the Children’s Medical Fund of New York. Krinick, Evan Rivkin, Radler & Kremer At the age of 30 Evan H. Krinick was elected partner for Rivkin, Radler & Kremer Commercial & Regulatory Litigation Practice Group and became the firm’s youngest limited partner. He was also the youngest attorney to be elected a full member of the firm when he was 34. Krinick has successfully represented clients in major litigation throughout the country. He represents clients in both state and federal judicial systems in a wide variety of commercial, business, insurance and banking disputes and oversees a staff of attorneys dedicated to sophisticated advocacy. Krinick’s clients include LIPA in litigation regarding its takeover of LILCO; the DeMatteis Organization, the developer of EAB Plaza; Benjamin Development, one of the largest developers of senior housing on Long Island; Nassau County in the creation of the County Legislature; State Farm Insurance; Hartford Insurance; Robert Plan Corp.; and the Town of Hempstead, among others. Krinick is the columnist for The Banking Law Journal‘s Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Commentary. His articles also regularly appear in The New York Law Journal and The National Law Journal and other publications. He is a member of the Board of Editors for Insurer’s Guide to Enterprisewide Risk Management. A frequent lecturer for the private sector and for the New York State Bar Association, Krinick has given presentations on issues such as insurance “bad faith,” lender liability, expert witnesses and appellate practice. He has also presented seminars accredited for Continuing Education Legal credit. Krinick has served as a member of the Leadership Council for the Long Island Mentoring Partnership since its inception seven years ago and was recently elected co-chair. He has also played a leadership role in making sure Rivkin, Radler & Kremer’s attorneys and staff stay involved with the community. Each year he organizes a job shadowing day for teens, and he has also coordinated a mentoring program that pairs the firm’s professionals with students for weekly meetings over a period of several months. Krinick is also involved with a number of committees of Temple Chaverim, and he coaches his son’s soccer and basketball teams. Lackmann, Andrew Lackmann Culinary Services Andrew Lackmann has been a prominent and instrumental leader in the nation’s food services industry. Prior to his executive’s status with Lackmann Culinary Services he held high profile posts at the world-renowned Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. Since joining Lackmann in 1992 he has held key positions as the food service manager for the University Center at Adelphi University and for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. He has created a number of innovative programs, including an etiquette training class for new graduates at his collegiate accounts. He was also instrumental in winning Lackmann’s largest account this year: NASA in central Florida. In 1998 his years of experience led to a very critical internal appointment to marketing director, responsible for Lackmann Culinary Services’ Strategy 2000. In this capacity Lackmann was responsible for developing and implementing the company’s new vision and direction across six internal departments: MIS, operations, food, service, marketing and new business development. His innovative approach and implementation of Strategy 2000 led to his current position at Lackmann’s corporate headquarters in Woodbury. Since Lackmann’s appointment to vice president in 2000, the company has seen increased sales from $72 million to $87million, expanded same-store sales by 2.5 percent and seen the implementation of new public relations initiatives. Lackmann is the recipient of a number of industry awards. He attended the University of Houston on a full academic scholarship and received his honors degree in hotel and restaurant management from Cornell University. Lackmann has seen to it that the company is active in philanthropic efforts throughout the country. He works closely with City Harvest, overseeing the donation of food, year-round, to New Yorkers in need. He volunteers to held his alma mater, Cornell, recruit top students to the School of Hotel Administration. He participates in organizing holiday celebrations for children in need in the New York metropolitan and central Florida regions. He also serves as a committee member for the National Society for Food Service Management. Louro, Stephen Professional Group Plans In 1993 Stephen M. Louro started Professional Group Plans (PGP) with one employee and a handful of clients. In this early era, he conducted business out of a 10′x10′ bedroom in his home. Seven years later, PGP is a leading player in the sale and servicing of employee benefit programs in New York with 88 employees headquartered in the Hauppauge Industrial Park. Louro has also introduced two new companies: PGP Life Brokerage, to meet the individual insurance needs of corporate executives and their employees, as well as Benefits.com, a merger Louro assembled with three other prominent insurance agencies. Using impressive acumen and foresight, Louro developed a strategic alliance between PGP and online benefits, enabling insurance brokers to place their clients’ benefit programs on a customized Web site for easy access by employees. Louro’s company provides and services benefit programs for more than 18,000 corporate clients and their 136,000 employees and family members. He has frequently served as a keynote speakers at various health insurance companies to provide better ways to meet the product, cost and service needs of brokers’ clients. Louro’s philosophy is that health insurance is a vital component and essential employee benefit, and his ability to better inform professionals will only help to build and enrich service to the business community. Among his community projects, Louro is proposing an initiative to acquire land within the Hauppauge Industrial Park for a softball field that he believes will promote competition business relationship and family interaction. Louro is a member of a number of Long Island volunteer organizations and is very involved with local Little League teams. He is also a softball team sponsor in the Town of Islip. Mangano, Edward Briarcliffe College / Nassau County Briarcliffe’s accelerated high technology computer training, e-commerce and graphic arts continuing education program are in the hands of Edward P Mangano. A graduate of Hofstra University and Hofstra School of Law, Mangano was admitted into the New York State Bar in 1988. At Briarcliffe, Mangano is responsible for information technology course development and course offerings at its Nassau and Suffolk campuses, as well as its development of strategic alliance technology partnering in Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan. Mangano expanded the school’s continuing education curriculum to include the launching of this region’s most extensive A+ certification course and the attainment of Briarcliffe’s status as a Cisco Regional Academy and Local Academy. These prestigious certifications recognize Briarcliffe as a leading institution for training teachers and educating students in information technology. In addition to his position as a dean at Briarcliffe, Mangano is serving his third term as legislator for the 17th District. As a Nassau County legislator, he is the ranking member of the Public Works, Recreation and Parks Committee. Mangano’s contributions to the 17th District include the establishment of a senior citizen and community center and a youth program for teenagers. Mangano has been recognized by environmental groups for his efforts in preserving land to protect the environment. Mangano has been recognized many times for his work and dedication to the Long Island community. Awards include the Humanitarian of the Year for Family Residence and Essential Enterprises; Legislator of the Year, Vietnam Veterans Association Chapter No. 82; Nassau Council Small Business Person of the Year; Citizenship Award Knights of Columbus Hartigan Council; Hicksville Leadership Award, Boy Scouts Troop 604. Mangano’s civic affiliations include service as an honorary trustee for Family and Children’s Services, past president of the Bethpage/Plainview Rotary Club, a board member of the Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Northrop/Grumman property development task. He has served on the board of directors of Children’s House, on the Good Will Games Committee, the steering committee for the Long Island Software Technology Network (LISTnet) incubator at Briarcliffe College, the Town of Oyster Bay Youth Advisory Committee, Salute to Staff Arthritis Foundation Committee and the Long Island Software Awards (LISA) Committee. Eric Manno is one of five founding partners of Invision.com, in Commack, and he is the company’s chief operating officer. Manno has addressed the company’s need for rapid infrastructure growth, developing internal systems, processes and a data center that has supported nearly 200 percent growth rates every year since Invision.com’s inception in 1995. Manno has also been instrumental in developing Invision’s long-term planning and sales. He is the driving force behind the company’s expansion into connectivity services, working with many of Long Island’s largest businesses and organizations to determine their best networking solutions. Invision.com has won numerous awards for business, including the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award and HIA’s Business Achievement Award. Invision has also been recognized for its fast growth by Deloitte & Touche (Rising Star Award), KPMG and the Long Island Software Awards. Prior to founding Invision.com with four friends, Manno joined the Air Force and earned an associate’s degree from the Community College of the Air Force and attained the rank of sergeant. He then worked for a Fortune 500 company in their IT support group. Manno is committed to helping the community utilize technology to improve the quality of education. He is a founder and current secretary of the LIWORKS Coalition, a partnership to improve the Long Island workforce through education. He sits on the advisory board of Briarcliffe College and holds positions on other education-related committees and boards on Long Island. Manno also serves as a member of the Smithtown Industry Advisory Board. Marsh, Peter Cogswell Realty Group Peter Marsh is one of the founding partners of Cogswell Realty Group. Since its inception in 1996 Cogswell has acquired more than five million square feet of commercial office space throughout the East Coast, concentrated primarily in the tri-state area. Recently Marsh has been involved in the acquisition, redevelopment and repositioning of the Long Island Technology Center (LITC). The LITC is a high profile, exciting redevelopment that has transformed a formerly vacant, 82-acre Northrop Grumman facility into a leading technology center on Long Island. Currently the LITC is home to more than 50 Long Island companies who use this highly sophisticated, community environment to collaborate on projects. Marsh graduated cum laude with a finance degree from George Washington University, and he graduated first in his class with a master’s in accounting from Pace University. Prior to co-founding Cogswell, Marsh worked for KPMG Peat Marwick and attained a certification in public accounting (CPA). Additionally he serves on Deloitte & Touche’s prestigious Fast 50 CEO Roundtable and is involved with several Long Island charities. Moll, David Colin Construction & Management David Moll, a dedicated and celebrated professional, juggles his time between his duties at Colin Construction & Management and doing as much as he can to raise the spirits of children in need on Long Island. As vice president of Colin Construction & Management, Moll works on new acquisitions of retail properties throughout the Northeast, and he maintains the management responsibilities of a significant retail portfolio in the New York metropolitan area. Previously, he served as director of leasing for the Tilles Investment Company, one of the Island’s premier commercial landlords. He is often invited to speak to real estate trade groups in reference to the office and industrial markets on Long Island. Career recognition includes Salesman of the Year at Corporate National Realty for best sales in the company island-wide; a feature in Newsday‘s “Winner” column and a feature in Long Island Business News‘ “Executive Focus.” Moll has said in interviews that his success should be measured by the difference he has made in the lives of local children in need. He has been associated with the Big Brothers for 15 years. He was honored at their 1999 Presidential Gala and chair their 2000 Gala. Both events brought more than $500,000 to the agency. Throughout this decade and a half with the organization Moll has helped raise more than $1 million for Big Brothers, Big Sisters (BBBS) of Long Island. About eight years ago Moll founded Christmas for Kids’ Sake as an extension service of the BBBS to provide food, toys and clothing for Long Island families in need. The group originally started by helping 25 local families. That number has since grown to 125 families, and Moll has recruited and coordinated more than 100 volunteers for the effort. He is also involved with the Adoptive Parents Committee State Association and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Adoptive Parents Committee Long Island chapter. He was co-editor and co-author of The Rollercoaster Ride to a Family, a compilation of more than 35 true stories of adoptive parents. The book was put together to help individuals who are beginning the adoption process. Moll’s additional community activities include support of the Coalition on Child Abuse/Neglect and Toys for Sick Children. He is also a current member of the Nassau and Suffolk Police Reserves. Morgan, Steven PeopleComm With 17 years of experience in the software and technology industry under his belt, Steven C. Morgan is the founder of PeopleComm, a prominent software industry consulting, sales training and executive search firm in Great River. He does triple duty as the founder of SalesRecruits.com, an Internet recruitment portal aimed at software industry sales executives, and the founder of the Sandler Sales Institutes for software and technology companies on Long Island. PeopleComm, one of the region’s fastest-growing companies, generated sales of more than $1 million in FY2000 and closed FY2000 at an annualized rate of $2.5 million. With Morgan at the helm, the company is currently on track to triple sales in 2001 from a ground-zero start-up position in January 2000. Prior to PeopleComm, Morgan spent three years with the California-based McAfee Software – which became Network Associates – where he was director of sales, a product vice president and a vice president of professional services. By the end of Morgan’s tenure, the company’s employee base has grown from 100 to 2,700 people, with revenues in excess of $1 billion. As product vice president for Network Associates, Morgan was responsible for sales strategy and execution, channel development, business development and product positioning for the help desk and network management and product lines. He was the senior sales executive responsible for executing the company’s $110 million acquisition of Magic Solutions, a provider of enterprise help software. Previously Morgan was co-founder, chief technology officer and executive vice president of sales and marketing for the Long Island- and Coral Gables-based LAN Solutions, one of the top 100 network integrators in North America for three years running. Morgan shares his technology expertise with a number of organizations and institutions on Long Island. He has coached basketball for the last four years, has served as a Childreach sponsor, a Feed the Children sponsor and a Small Miracles Foundation sponsor, member and volunteer. Morgan is also a member of the LaSalle Center Father’s Club and an Academy of St. Joseph’s Father’s Guild member. Pincus, Michele Lazer, Aptheker, Feldman, Rosella & Yedid Michelle Pincus of Lazer, Aptheker, Feldman, Rosella & Yedid is lead partner for the firm’s zoning and land use practice. She represents developers, property owners and national corporations and meets regularly with town officials and community groups to reconcile competing concerns and interests. She is called upon to monitor the best and most effective use of various real estate properties on Long Island, and in this regard she must appear before various town, zoning and planning board throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Pincus’ clients have included Reckson Associates, LIPA, Brandywine Real Estate Investment Trust, ManorCare Health Services, Amendola’s Fence Co. and Sportime, among others. She also continues to practice in the areas of commercial litigation and employment law where she is a zealous advocate on behalf of her clients. Pincus joined her firm as a senior associate in May 1991 and was appointed partner in January 2000. Business affiliations include membership in the Women Economic Developers of Long Island, a group of top-level women executives. She has served on the board of WEDLI for more than ten years and currently serves as secretary. Pincus is serving her sixth year on the board of directors of the Long Island Center for Business and Professional Women and currently holds an executive board position. Additionally, she is the editor of The Network, the Center’s bi-monthly newsletter, and she previously chaired the Center’s Working Parents Committee. Pincus received her J.D. from The National Law Center at George Washington University in Washington. She majored in both political science and psychology at Emory University in Atlanta. Pincus sits on the board of directors for the Melville Dependent Care Consortium, a not-for-profit corporation that oversees the operation of The Next Generation day care center. She volunteers her time to judge and counsel students at the annual intra-high school moot court competition hosted by Plainview Old Bethpage J.F.K. High School. She is also involved with WEDLI’s annual scholarship grant to students exhibiting entrepreneurial talents. Rende, Joseph KeySpan Energy Delivery Joseph Rende led the team that merged Brooklyn Union’s and LILCO’s natural gas sales and marketing process, an undertaking that included the development of a new organizational structure, marketing strategies, sales plans, budgets, job profiles, synergy targets and sales force automation requirements. The team recommended and received approval for significant resource increases for all aspects of the growth process and aimed to double Long Island sales in a short amount of time. As a result of his efforts, Rende was promoted to manager of key account sales in 1998 and then director of the Long Island sales region in 2000. He is responsible for all facets of KeySpan Energy Delivery’s natural gas sales growth strategies, plans and processes for the Long Island region. Under Rende’s direction, there has been a 100 percent increase in Long Island sales growth since the merger. Additionally, Rende initiated and created KeySpan’s Minority & Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) Account Executive Program. He was also behind a natural gas economic development discount for businesses that relocate to or expand on Long Island. Rende frequently volunteers his services to various business groups in the region. He has made a number of energy presentations to organizations like the Hauppauge Industrial Association, Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Huntington Economic Summit and the Town of Islip. He is the recipient of Brooklyn Union’s Alchemist Award for leading the commercial sales team to record results in 1997. He was appointed to Brooklyn Union’s presidential recognition of high potential numerous times. On a national level Rende was appointed to subcommittee chairperson for the AGA Industrial Marketing Committee and served for one year in 1993. Rende’s community service includes working on the board of FANS (Friends Assisting Nassau Seniors) and offering a variety of programs to assist the county’s senior citizen community. He serves on the Long Island Regional Economic Development Committee where he represents KeySpan’s sponsorship of the LightPath golf classic. He also serves on the Long Island Association Real Estate and Building committee and is KeySpan’s principle contact with the Association for a Better Long Island. Marc Riccio, perhaps the New York Jets’ most valuable player off the field, recently completed his fifth season with the football club where his primary responsibilities include sponsorship development, creation of new and alternative revenue sources, branding, licensing and fan development programs. Riccio, who holds a B.A. and M.B.A. from Hofstra University and a J.D. from St. John’s University, also oversees special events and all day-of-game marketing and promotional activities. Since joining the Jets in 1996, more than 50 new fan programs, special events and retail initiatives have been introduced. Most notably, Riccio created Jets Fest, a 50,000 square-foot interactive theme park that is open about 35 days each year at no cost to fans. During this time the Jets have doubled sponsorship revenue and experiences a 56 percent rise in the number of sponsor partners. Other achievements Riccio is credited with include initiating the first-ever customer relations management and database marketing system; opening the Club’s first retail store, merchandise catalog and Internet team shop business; and introducing and negotiating the first-ever rights deal for Spanish language radio broadcasts of Jets games. He hires, trains and manages a full-time and part-time staff of more than 50 people. Riccio will begin teaching sports marketing this spring as an adjunct professor for Adelphi University. He also serves as a college sports game analyst for Fox Sports Net New York. Prior to joining the Jets, Riccio was director of marketing and development for intercollegiate athletics at Hofstra. He developed athletic marketing, sponsorship and fundraising programs that increased revenues by 300 percent. Riccio has maintained his close ties with Hofstra by serving on the executive committee of the Hofstra Pride Club, the support organization for the Hofstra University athletic program. Riesterer, Karl Jr. Riesterer’s Bakeries Whether he’s in the kitchen turning out pastries of fighting fires for the West Hempstead Fire and Rescue Department, Karl Riesterer, Jr. has proven that he can stand the heat of running a successful business and being an involved citizen. For three generations Riesterer’s Bakeries has served Long Islanders in two capacities: as a successful shop/cafe and also as a participant in community endeavors. The responsibility has fallen to Karl Jr. to care and manage this family business, and he has emerged as a role model and leader in the process. As vice president of Riesterer’s Bakeries, Karl oversees three locations (West Hempstead, Rockville Centre and Garden City), as well as several wholesale routes serving the New York metropolitan area and Long Island. He is the leader of more than 120 employees. Every day Riesterer’s Bakeries produces a variety of 400 baked and pastry goods, totaling 25,000 pounds per week. Riesterer graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1990 as valedictorian, class president and president of the institution’s Bakers Group. He has served as a guest speaker at Chaminade High School and at commencement exercises for the Culinary Institute of America. His professional affiliations include serving as a member of the Retail Bakers of America, the New York State Bakers Association and the Nassau-Suffolk Bakers Association. Riesterer can be considered no less than a local hero: For 13 years he has served as a member of the West Hempstead Fire and Rescue Department and is currently the chief and director of fire prevention. He is a member of the West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce, the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, the West Hempstead Civic Association, and Kiwanis. He serves on the Seventh Battalion Chiefs Association, the Nassau County Chiefs Council, the New York State Chiefs Council and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He is also a member of the Long Island Antique Fire Apparatus Association and the Long Island Ford Model A. Club. Rose, Sean Clare Rose Nassau Founded in 1936, Clare Rose has become the sole wholesaler of Anheuser-Busch products in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and on Staten Island, with annual revenues of about $110 million. While helping to run this third generation business, vice president and general manager Sean Rose is making a name for himself by increasing the company’s brand distribution and customer base, interacting with and motivating sales personnel, instituting company initiatives and designing sales goals and objectives. Clare Rose currently ranks as one of the top beer wholesalers in the nation and one of Long Island’s top private businesses. The firm distributes other products, such as Boardy Barn Brew, and also rolls out imports such as Amstel, Beck’s and Heineken. Rose is an alumnus of La Salle Military Academy and Siena College. He went on to graduate school and received his master’s in management from Webster University in London. He is a member of the National Beer Wholesaler Association, the New York Beer Wholesaler Association, the Long Island Hospitality Association and the Empire Beer Association. Community service includes his work on the committee for the Association for the Help of Retarded Children. After a brief stint with electronics distributor Arrow Electronics, David Salav, along with colleague and friend Vincent DiSpignio, formed PWR Systems in 1991. With Salav as president and DiSpignio as chief executive officer, PWR quickly grew into one of the leading value-added resellers (“VAR”) serving new media, publishing and advertising industries in the New York metropolitan area. Since it was founded, the company has branched into other “e-solutions,” including streaming media, digital video production systems and systems integration. It as also developed a prestigious national client list that includes Viacom, Sony Music, American Lawyer Media and Simon & Schuster. PWR Systems, ranked the third fastest technology company in 1999 by Deloitte & Touche, has also been ranked one of the fastest growing technology companies in the United States by Inc. and Smart@Partner magazines. Salav has been integral to the phenomenal growth of PWR Systems. He is well-known among his colleagues and staff for his combination of leadership skills, expert knowledge of the e-solutions industry, and his common sense and down-to-earth decision making. In March 2001 PWR Systems was acquired by Vizacom, a public holding company listed on NASDAQ (Symbol: VIZY). Salav was appointed to Vizacom’s board of directors and acts as the company’s chief information officer. He continues to serve as president of PWR Systems. Salav is also recognized throughout Long Island for giving back to the community through his involvement in groups like Mt. Tremper Outdoor Ministries, Breast Cancer Help and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Galt Corp., founded in 1999, is an Internet professional services and venture accelerator firm that provides strategic business solutions to middle market enterprises. Galt specializes in building company intranets and extranets and helping clients develop and expand their e-commerce strategies. The Galt team consists of Web architects, software engineers, database designers and systems engineers, as well as business strategists and marketing consultants. Clients include Harvey Electronics, Dataline, Mercy Medical Center, Wise Optical, Tiffen Manufacturing and International Hotel Management. Enter Kevin Scalia, appointed president of Galt in April 2000. Prior to joining Galt, Scalia was the managing director of DKS Capital, a consulting firm that advised early stage companies in the venture capital and business planning process. He has also served as CEO, president and a director of Motion Diagnostic Laboratories (MDL), which developed a technology that allowed physicians to determine if a patient claiming to have an injury is indeed truly injured. Scalia raised more than $2.5 million in venture capital for the company and led MDL from a concept to the point where it is in trials with some of the largest insurers in the world. From 1989 to 1995 Scalia was the co-founder, chief executive officer and chairman of the Board of Directors of Advanced Acoustic Concepts, a developer and manufacturer of advanced supercomputers for use in submarine detection systems, sonar trainers and medical imaging systems. In 1995 AAC was ranked the ninth fastest growing business on Long Island. Scalia has a master’s of science from Polytechnic University and a bachelor of science from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he graduated first in his class. He is a founding member of LISTnet, where he is a regular moderator of the Business Strategies Council, and a member of the Long Island Association, where he has served on several committees including the technology committee of Project Long Island. He is also a member of the Long Island Venture Group and assistant treasurer of the Centerport Yacht Club. Scher, Rick Image Graphics Rick Scher started Window Image Graphics in 1989 and incorporated it in 1993. A year later Scher started Image Graphics as the main operating division of Window Image Graphics and today it is the pioneer in large format digital printing. Image Graphics is one of only two authorized 3M Scotchprint manufacturers on Long Island. Image Graphics, which is located in Deer Park, is a local leader in trade show graphics, storefront graphics, banners and posters, interior and exterior signage, pop signage, wall murals, backdrops, multi-media design, in addition to other creative services. The company designed and produced the backdrop graphics for the National Basketball Association’s 50th anniversary documentary “NBA,” which aired on the Turner Network – a career highlight for Scher. Another highlight was the award of a patent for fabrication techniques in large format graphics. Scher is an “August Heckscher Society member” of the Heckscher Museum, and he also serves on the steering committee for the Corporate Monopoly Challenge charity event for the Museum. Other community service projects include serving as a mentor for the Long Island Mentoring Program “Teens on the Job” and for Smithtown High School’s eCommerce and Entrepreneurship Program. He has worked on several Arthritis Foundation charity event steering committees. Scher was also an early member of LISTnet and has helped in the ongoing success of the trade organization by donating both his time and printing services. He has served on committees for the group’s annual report, its LISA Awards, its golf outings and market consulting. Scotto, Jerry Scotto Brothers Enterprises In a recent interview with Long Island Business News, Jerry Scott recalled a time when he was still in college and unsure where he was headed professionally. He got on an elevator where someone had written on the wall: “Next stop: Dad’s business.” It turns to be very sound advice. Today, Scotto is COO of Scotto Brothers Enterprise, a name as coveted in the wedding industry as Vera Wang gowns and Bloomingdale’s registry. Scotto began his career as a restaurateur early in life, working summers at Scotto’s Pizzeria where he became an assistant manager at the age of 18 While attending college he worked at Westbury Manor as a banquet manager and accepted the same assignment at Chanteau Briand from 1985 to 1988. It was in early 1988 that the Scotto Brothers took over Fox Hollow. Scotto worked closely with his father, Vincent, to learn all the intricacies of the business and became that facility’s general manager. This position was followed by his appointment to COO of the entire company. In addition to their Long Island event venues, Scotto Brothers Enterprises is expanding into the local hotel industry and is also looking to acquire a Manhattan branch. Jerry Scotto is an alumnus of American University in Washington and New York University. He was recently honored as New York State Restaurateur of the Year and has said the only downside to his job is that he finds it hard to enjoy a night out at anyone else’s restaurant. Shane, Suzanne Twomey, Latham, Shea & Kelley Suzanne V. Shane is a partner with the Riverhead-based law firm Twomey, Latham, Shea & Kelley, the largest law firm on the east end of Long Island, with 19 attorneys and satellite offices in East Hampton, South Hampton, Port Jefferson, Bay Shore and Hauppauge. Shane has a diverse legal practice. She represents individuals as well as corporations, municipalities and school districts in real estate transactions, contract negotiations, civil litigation and education law matters. With an emphasis in commercial litigation, Shane has successfully represented clients in state and federal court at both the trial and appellate level. Having represented corporations in both Manhattan and Long Island, Shane has accumulated significant experience in drafting and negotiating contracts, including acquisition agreements, shareholder and employment agreements and complex commercial financing and lease agreements. After graduating, Shane worked in Manhattan for six years a s a corporate attorney and litigator. In 1994 she decided to stop working in the city and accepted a position with the firm Twomey, Latham, Shea & Kelley, so she would be able to spend more time with her family and in her community. Shane is currently the head of the firm’s marketing and continuing legal education committees. She also oversees the firm’s Port Jefferson satellite office. Shane completed her undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and she graduated cum laude from New York Law School in 1988. While she was a law student, Shane served as a member and associate editor of the New York Law School’s Law Review and was selected as a member of Who’s Who Among American Law Students. Shane is a member of both the New York State and Suffolk County Bar Associations. A fourth-generation Setauket resident, Shane is a trustee of the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library and Girl Scouts of Suffolk County. She is also active in the Three Village Historical Society. Stuart, Scott Arthur Treachers / Jaspan Schlesinger Hoffman Scott Stuart is currently of counsel to Jaspan Schlesinger Hoffman, in the firm’s Creditor’s Rights/Bankruptcy Practice Group and Corporate and Banking Practice Group. His most recent appointment in a career marked by high achievement has been to secretary and general counsel of a popular and fast-growing restaurant chain, Pudgie’s Famous Chicken. Stuart’s legal and business knowledge, as well as his leadership skills, have been well-documented. Earlier in his career he was appointed mediator by bankruptcy courts in both the eastern and southern Districts of New York. He was also appointed to a task force designed to combat bankruptcy fraud in the region. Additionally, he was cited four times during his tenure with the United States Department of Justice, Office of the United States Trustee, for his outstanding performance as a senior attorney acting in the public interest on significant reorganization cases during the early 1990s. Stuart received his undergraduate degree with honors from the State University of New York at Binghamton and his juris doctor from Brooklyn Law School. He is a frequent lecturer on business topics and is affiliated with the Nassau County Bar Association, the Theodore Roosevelt Inns of Court, the American Bar Association, the Young Professional Networking Group and the Turnaround Management Association. Prior to joining Jaspan Schlesinger Hoffman, Stuart founded and headed the bankruptcy department at Rivkin, Radler & Kremer. He has taught paralegal courses at Lehman College and also hosted a radio program, “What’s Your Problem?”, heard on local stations WGBB and WLUX. Stuart volunteers as a pro bono attorney, appointed by the Nassau County Bar Association. He has also served as a volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes foundation, Breast Cancer Help and WLIW21. Trump, Fred III Insignia / ESG Fred Trump III possesses 15 years’ experience as a commercial real estate agent. He started his career in 1985 with the Edward S. Gordon (ESG) Company as a promotional broker and then spent four years at First Winthrop Corp. where he was responsible for the leasing and managing of a four million square-foot portfolio of office properties. From 1991 to 1996 Trump was a vice president at The Shorenstein Company, and he acted as the owner representative for such clients as MetLife, The Bank of Nova Scotia and The Travelers. Since rejoining Insignia/ESG in 1998, Trump has represented institutional owners such as Chase Manhattan Bank, DLJ Real Estate Capital Group and John Hancock Mutual Life, where he was also a member of the national strategic alliance team. Other notable highlights include the negotiation of Omnicom Group’s 300,000 square-foot, long-term lease at 200 East 42nd Street; Thirteen/WNET’s 230,000 square-foot lease at 450 West 33rd Street; and the 94,000 square-foot extension and expansion of Weiss Peck and Greer at 1 New York Plaza. Trump, nephew of Donald Trump, is currently representing the Lagardère Group, owners of Hachette Filipacchi magazines. He was recently appointed managing director of Insignia/ESG’s Long Island operations. His duties include developing new business, managing the offices sales and marketing effort as well as overseeing brokerage operations. Wagner, Robert Rockabilly Barbers Robert Wagner opened the first Rockabilly Barbers shop in East Northport in August 1998 and his second in Huntington the following year. Rockabilly is currently one of the Island’s top styling salons and also a place to chew the fat and reminisce about “the good ol’ days.” Wagner’s dream was to rekindle the services and the ambiance of the small-town, old-fashioned barber shop: where men come in for a shave and a haircut (and the occasional facial massage) at a reasonable price so they don’t mind coming back later the same month. With his background in club promotion and bartending, Wagner has gained a huge following of popular musicians her prefer Rockabilly haircuts. The shops’ stylists do old-fashioned buzz cuts, fades and the more modern styles. While waiting for an appointment, customers can play a game of pool or with a Sony Playstation while listening to classic rock tunes. Wagner received his master barber’s license in 1997 and holds a cosmetology license from the Wildred Beauty School. Previously he served three years active duty in the United States Marine Corps and three years active duty in the Marine Corps Reserves. Wagner is a big support of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Long Island and also donates his services to the Prostate Awareness Association Fund. He is a member of the East Northport Chamber of Commerce. His nostalgic business has been featured many times in the local media, including The New York Times, Newsday and News 12 Long Island. Weber, Henry RE/MAX of New York Henry Weber became president of RE/MAX of New York in 1997. Under his leadership, the Mineola-headquartered network has become the leading force in residential and commercial real estate sales in New York State. It has also been respected for its innovative use of Internet technology and sports marketing. In 1999 RE/MAX agents closed over 20,000 transactions, and since 1998 RE/MAX of New York has doubled its agent account to well over 1,100 experienced professionals across the state. Weber started in the real estate business in the early 1980s listing and selling real estate in Suffolk County. After a successful stint with Realty World, he joined the franchise sales department of Century 21 Real Estate Corp. He quickly rose through the ranks both in franchise sales and management of franchise sales teams. He also headed up the Automation Sales Teams. Weber was a member of the leading Century 21 franchise sales team and later became the top sales person on that team. After more than 14 years with Century 21, Weber formed Performance Marketing and for two years helped fledgling franchise companies develop marketing plans. After spending a short time consulting with RE/MAX, Weber was offered the opportunity to take the reins of RE/MAX of New York. Weber’s main priority after coming on board was to move the corporate office closer to the bulk of their customers downstate and replace the staff, based on regional needs. Weber has since grown the region from 65 to 80 franchises. Weber spends time coaching hockey and Little League in Wantagh. Through RE/MAX he has been very involved with the Children’s Miracle Network, helping to raise more than $155,000 for the organization in 1999. RE/MAX also uses its hot air balloon to raise funds for charities across the state. Wolkoff, Adam Heatland Business Center / Heartland Golf Park Adam Wolkoff has spent his entire career working at the Heartland Business Center in Brentwood, joining the firm immediately after graduating from Syracuse University and quickly becoming a key member of the management team. As vice president of the Heartland Business Center, Wolkoff is responsible for day-to-day workings of the commercial development firm that created Long Island’s most centrally located business center, which offers its local, national and international clients exceptional convenience and efficiency in a campus-like setting. Wolkoff’s expertise includes a full range of business activities, ranging from operations to marketing to sales. Wolkoff is also the president of the Heartland Golf Park, a golf facility located within Heartland’s 300-acre industrial part and open to members of the community as well as Heartland tenants. Wolkoff is a member of the Red Cross Board of Directors. Beyond this, he is very active with the youth of Long Island and in the inner city, making donations of time and money to each. Zar, Ira Computer Associates Ira Zar oversees Computer Associates’ (CA) global financial operations and is responsible for the management and compliance of the company’s corporate accounting, financial reporting, treasury and tax functions. During his 18 year career with CA – one of the largest independent software companies in the world – Zar has managed the financial expansion of business operations into more than 40 countries around the world. He has participated in more than 100 product and company acquisitions, including the $40 billion acquisition of Sterling Software in 2000 and the negotiation of several multi-billion dollar credit facilities. Throughout his tenure at CA, Zar has held various management positions in finance with increasing levels of responsibility. Four years prior to his appointment to CFO and senior vice president, he was corporate treasurer. Earlier he was U.S. controller with responsibility for CA’s general accounting and financial operation areas. Other assignments included international controller and manager of financial planning and reporting. In this latter position, Zar relocated to the United Kingdom to manage CA’s sizable European financial operations and assist in establishing many of the company’s European operations. Zar has participated in virtually every aspect of corporate finance, including the administration of internals budgets, acquisitions, mergers, information technology and accounting functions. By handling the full spectrum of CA’s financial matters, he has familiarized himself with the intricacies of CA’s business and has played a major role in the company’s impressive financial performance and record-breaking growth. Zar, a graduate of Bernard Baruch College of the City University of New York, is involved in a wide range of philanthropic activities. He has participated in industry task force groups, most recently the AICPA Revenue Recognition Task Force, which is represented by three industry representatives and officials from the Big 5 accounting firms.

AUSTIN - A $6.3 million grant awarded to the Texas Association of School Administrators will be used to train almost half of the state's school superintendents and principals on how to effectively use technology in the classroom. TASA, Texas Tech University and the Texas Business and Education Coalition applied for the grant awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as part of its three-year, $350 million commitment to improving education. Mike Moses, Tech deputy chancellor, chaired the coalition that applied for the grant. Moses said TASA and Tech the only two entities in Texas that submitted preliminary proposals for the grant funding were asked to work together on the effort, which had the backing of the Texas Education Agency and the Governor's Office. "I think we saw it as a good opportunity for Texas Tech to come to the forefront of leadership training, particularly in the area of technology training for superintendents and principals," Moses said. Ellen Bell, TASA associate executive director, said the grant will enable her association to broaden its Technology Leadership Academy, which has trained more than 400 school administrators in the past three years. About 4,200 superintendents and principals are expected to receive training over the next three years. "We see it as an opportunity to make our school leaders feel equipped to deal with the fast-changing world of high technology and make the technology work for student learning," Bell said. Gates Foundation spokeswoman Carol Rava said similar grants have been awarded to coalitions in only five other states. Recipients are required to match the grant awards, Rava said. TASA, which will administer the grant, will begin efforts immediately to secure matching funds, said Johnny Veselka, the association's executive director. The five-day program will cover a number of topics, including what schools need to have an effective technology system and how the technology can be integrated into classroom instruction. Bell said Tech will have a role in developing curriculum for the academy, which will be held at each of the 20 education service centers around the state. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal © 2015. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

- Landscape painter Eldridge Bagley explores simpler places in Virginia, like the scene depicted here in "Early Morning at 'Pumpkin Field'" (2013, oil on canvas). Forty years ago this year in January, Eldridge Bagley — at the age of 27 and still living with his parents — briefly left his family's tobacco farm in Lunenburg County and drove to nearby Victoria, a former railroad town that was long past its heyday. He was headed for Harold's 5 & 10 Cent store. It didn't have art supplies, but it did have paint-by-number sets and he bought one of those. That was the start of an unlikely career for Bagley, a self-taught painter, who perhaps more than any living artist has captured vanishing rural Virginia. "When I was in the tobacco field," Bagley recalls, "I would write songs and poems to keep myself occupied." He'd long felt a pent-up creative urge but he couldn't quite identify it. Then, by chance, he was leafing through an old Reader's Digest at home. He came across an article about the struggles that Grandma Moses, a farm wife who raised five children and lost five others, had overcome before she began painting in her late 70s and became one of America's most celebrated folk artists. Bagley felt a stirring. The only thing he'd ever known was the farm. Still, he thought that if an artistically untrained farm wife could overcome the obstacles facing her, perhaps he should try. He took out the paint-by-the number set he'd purchased in Victoria, went up to his room and began painting. "It was like a dam burst," Bagley says. "It's never let up." In 2011, the Folk Art Society of America named him artist of the year. Much of Bagley's career has been written in Richmond, which discovered and nourished him and fed the frenzy that accompanied his early work, when his one-man shows would sell out in minutes. People camped out in front of galleries to be the first in line. Others paid substitutes to stand in line for them, as would-be buyers maneuvered to have the first choice of his paintings. Many were sold sight unseen on the basis of photographs. Much of the frenzy has subsided, and the recession hit artists especially hard. But Bagley's one-man shows continue to be singular events, as buyers and Bagley-watchers wonder what curiosities will show up on his canvases. During a recent interview at his home on Poor Farm Road in Lunenburg County, Bagley, 67, reflected on his career, his life and his evolution as an artist. "I've never had a steady job and a paycheck," he says. "That's one way farming prepared me to be an artist — the uncertainty of income and the irregularity of it." In the beginning, Bagley showed his paintings wherever he could and wherever he thought people might have an interest: in bank lobbies, stores and local festivals. In 1978, he took some of his paintings to Arts in the Park in Richmond, which draws hundreds of artists and craftspeople every year. A local doctor who bought several of his paintings told Bagley — then a gangly 6-footer with rich black hair — that his paintings ought to be in a gallery. "I had never been in an art gallery," Bagley says. Not quite a year later, after painting furiously for a month, he arrived at the door of the former Scott-McKennis Fine Art Gallery in Carytown. He held two shows there before the gallery closed. Then Bagley was introduced to Helen Levinson, director of the former Cudahy's Gallery in Richmond. She became his representative and his guiding hand. It was 1981. "His paintings were heartfelt and very unique," Levinson recalls. "Even though I'm from New York City, I related to them. They were true: absolutely no phonies. Ours became a love relationship from the beginning." - Bagley Bagley's wife, Beth, a former registered nurse, says she had no idea how much of a local celebrity her new husband was when they married in 1991. But when people started arriving at his shows before dawn or rushed toward their car when they drove into a parking lot — perhaps hoping to buy a painting while he was unpacking — the celebrity hit home. It affected everybody, she says, except Bagley. "Eldridge never bought into that," Beth says. "He was never that impressed with himself. He was grateful there was interest, but he never took ownership." Bagley says he's never considering leaving the area of Lunenburg County. He draws his inspiration from the people he meets, the places he visits and a vast warehouse of memories that flood back every time he sits down to paint. His paintings most often tell stories about the rigors and joys and tragedies of rural life, the intrusion of the urban environment on the pastoral, the passing of one way of life for another. Years ago, Bagley had a small frame studio built behind his house. It's there that he retreats to bring a vision to canvas. He paints under a fluorescent lamp attached to a long arm that can be moved around while he examines different aspects of the painting. Stanley Spencer, a neighbor who lives across the road and grew up with Bagley, has seen a light in the studio late at night when he's gotten out of bed to get a drink of water. Spencer says he admires Bagley for taking care of his parents in their old age and donating many of his paintings to charity events to raise money for special causes. "Nobody I know has a bad opinion of him," Spencer adds, noting that Bagley remains the humble, churchgoing man he's always known. When the recession hit, and people began holding back on purchases, Bagley says that like many artists, he went looking for ways to expand his audience. He says not everyone wanted to pay the $4,000 or so that his traditional 18- by-24-inch landscape paintings typically bring. So after talking with Levinson and others, Bagley began also offering smaller works at smaller prices. He'd always done those smaller works, but has never shown them in one-man shows in Richmond. "I wanted to offer a variety of sizes that would stair-step up," he says. "What I came to realize — and this was really a revelation to me — that it opened a new door of creativity for me. The Glave Kocen Gallery on Main Street is the principal outlet for Bagley's work. One of the owners, B.J. Kocen, says that Bagley has responded magnificently to market demands, while introducing a new generation to his work. "Last year, we sold over half the exhibit," Kocen says. "These days, that's a knockout. Most galleries are happy to sell three or four pieces." A religiously devout man, Bagley has always believed that divine guidance has helped shape his career, his subject matter and his life. He doesn't know whether he's at the tail end of his career, midway through or only at the beginning of a new chapter. "Only God knows where I am," Bagley says. "It's not in my hands, but I sincerely believe that some of the best work I've ever done, or will ever do, is still in me." S "Grass Roots: New Works by Eldridge Bagley" runs June 14-July 15 at the Glave Kocen Gallery. Reception on June 14 from 6-9 p.m.

A 91-year-old World War II veteran from Willow Grove will receive medals and other forms of recognition he earned but never obtained after Senator Pat Toomey asked the Navy to provide the items recognizing his service as a young sailor 70 years ago. Walter Czerviski served on active duty in the Navy from 1942 to 1945. He served aboard the light cruiser USS Milwaukee and the heavy cruiser USS Chicago, among other duty stations. When Czerviski was discharged, he was given a card listing the awards he had earned. He never received the items of recognition and did not pursue them until recently. It was his wife of 65 years, Jackie Czerviski, who asked State Representative Thomas Murt at a random encounter in a local bank how he might obtain the items. Murt’s office made several requests to the Navy. But when various avenues were unsuccessful, the Czerviskis were referred to Toomey’s office. With the help of his constituent service advocate, Imani Johnson, Toomey contacted the Navy. The items of recognition arrived in Toomey’s office six weeks later. Toomey’s state director, Bob DeSousa – a lieutenant colonel in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard– and State Representatives Thomas Murt and Todd Stephens will present the long-overdue items to Czerviski on April 26 at the Willow Grove VFW. “Mr. Czerviski served our country with distinction in both theaters in World War II,” said Toomey. “I am overjoyed that we were able to help him receive the items of recognition that he earned. For more than half a century, Mr. Czerviski has been an unsung hero. World War II veterans are humble and often reluctant to accept recognition. I am glad that Mrs. Czerviski got the ball rolling, and I was honored to help Mr. Czerviski and his family finally get the credit and gratitude they are due.” Said Murt: “The men and women who fought in the Second World War have been called the Greatest Generation. These were young men who accepted responsibility and the consequences of their decisions. They took pride in personal accountability, but rarely talked about their actions. They did what was expected of them with grace and modesty. Walter Czerviski was one of those young men.” “It is a privilege to stand with Walter Czerviski as he receives the medals that have been owed him for his sacrifice during World War II,” Rep. Stephens said. “This honor is 70 years overdue.” Southeastern PA Regional News

Ron Arnold has called himself the “Darth Vader for the Capitalist revolution.” He’s stated that he would like to see national parks opened for drilling and mining, old-growth forests clear cut and endangered species delisted. He’s written several books explicating his positions, according to CounterPunch, he coined the phrase “eco-terrorist,” and he is the executive vice president of the Bellevue, Wash.-based Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise, a nonprofit education organization. But on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the annual Montanans for Multiple Use (MFMU) meeting, Arnold, who received a $1,000 speaking fee from MFMU, avoided policy like the plague, instead concentrating on raw political strategy. MFMU is a Kalispell-based nonprofit that advocates for the use of ATVs and increased logging and road building on public lands. The group is a longstanding foil to area environmental groups. About 70 people attended MFMU’s annual meeting, 12 of whom were local politicians running in this year’s election. A few local environmental advocates clustered toward the back of the Flathead County Fairground building where the meeting was held After the candidates took turns addressing the group, MFMU President Fred Hodgeboom handed the microphone to Arnold. The title of his presentation, projected on the wall via PowerPoint against the backdrop of a magnificent mountain lake, was “Being Right is Not Enough.” The title got right to the point of Arnold’s lecture—that ideas are not what win in the arena of public debate. Power, Arnold says, is what wins. And power, he says, “is a lot of money or a lot of people.” He points to seemingly obvious ways of acquiring both, focusing on how to network with other groups that share an interest, and projecting schematics of different types of networks, including the “star” network and the “chain” network. Arnold acknowledges that such information is “nuts and bolts,” but says, “If you want to win, you better learn this.” Arnold’s message isn’t just about gaining power, though. It’s also about reducing the power of your enemies. Arnold lists nearly a dozen locally active environmental groups lined up in opposition to MFMU, including Swan View Coalition, Montana Wilderness Association, Sierra Club and Friends of the Wild Swan. He says that according to his research into locally active environmental groups’ public tax records, such groups collectively have $119,526,661 at their disposal, although Arnold acknowledges that a good amount of that is concentrated in Sierra Club coffers. The number of groups and the amount of cash MFMU is up against seem pretty daunting, especially when the group’s vice president, Dave Skinner, blurts out that there’s only $280 in the MFMU treasury. But, Arnold tells them, “If they have a lot of money and people, maybe you can make some go away.” He then tells his audience about GuideStar.org, a website that allows users to view financial documents that the Internal Revenue Service requires nonprofits to file. As an example of GuideStar’s value, he projects sections of Swan Lake-based Friends of the Wild Swan’s (FOWS) IRS filings on the wall. Arnold guides his audience through the documents, showing them that in 1999 FOWS got $175,000 from Ted Turner’s Turner Foundation, Inc. The name Turner elicits a few reflexive moans from the audience, and Arnold refers to him as “The mouth of the south.” Arnold then jumps to another section of the FOWS documents showing that while the group’s total revenue for 2004 was $15,986, Program Director Arlene Montgomery earned $21,546 that year. He also points out a woman on FOWS’ board named Kathy Togni, who lists a Hong Kong address. In a follow-up interview with the Independent Oct. 19, Arnold declined to draw any conclusions about this information. In fact at the meeting he’d told his audience that they should never make any assumptions about what they might find. Instead, the strategy appears to be to provide others with ammunition for assumption. Arnold says that MFMU should, “Tell people about it, publish it on their website.” Hodgeboom says he isn’t planning to do anything with the tax information Arnold presented on FOWS. “We’d have to investigate it a little more,” he told the Independent. Montgomery says Togni, the board member with the Hong Kong address, helped found FOWS and decided to stay on the board after moving to Hong Kong. Regarding the group’s revenues and her salary, while Montgomery says she’s reluctant to talk about FOWS’ finances, she explains that some years the group takes in more money than in others, and that her pay isn’t based on a single year’s revenues. “It all sounds pretty bizarre to me,” Montgomery says. “I’m not sure what they were getting at.” What Arnold says he’s getting at is that activists shouldn’t “get too focused on content,” or promoting their own message, but should concentrate on networking with similar groups, and researching and exposing their enemies. But at least one problem with that approach became evident when it came time for audience questions. The first question Arnold was asked was about how conservatives, who are “free thinkers” and therefore prone to infighting, can possibly fight liberals “who think with one mind,” and therefore work well together. The second question was about what to do about “activist judges.” The third question related to Constitution Party beliefs about environmentalism being illegal because we live in a democratic republic, not a democracy, and was frankly difficult to understand. Arnold tried to explain that these questions are coming from the wrong place, that “hand-wringing” over “matters of opinion” accomplishes nothing. His audience seemed unconvinced, and continued arguing the existence of brain-sharing liberals, activist judges and constitutional conspiracies. But Hodgeboom, MFMU’s president, took the overall message to heart. He tells the Independent that MFMU has been trying to move beyond attempting to persuade others of the rightness of their cause, and into networking with like-minded groups and taking the battle to their foes. “The letter writing and the rallies don’t make any difference,” he says. ppeters@missoulanews.com

In an ironic twist of fate, Carroll’s senior cross country runners prepare for their final race with absolutely zero pressure. That’s right: no pressure to win. After winning four straight Northeast Hoosier Conference, Northrop Sectional, West Noble Regional and New Haven Semi-state titles, there are no thoughts of winning Saturday’s IHSAA State Championship. The Lady Chargers come to the state finals undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the state. In most years, a team this solid would have a legitimate chance at winning the state title. Not this year. Standing in the way is Carmel, ranked No. 1 nationally by Marc Bloom/Running Times. Ranked second in the state and 20th in the country is West Lafayette. Instead of feeling the pressure, for once the Lady Chargers are relishing the role of underdogs. “Carmel and West Lafayette are two of the best teams in the country,” said Carroll coach Zach Raber. “We’ve got nothing to lose, so we’re going out there and running like it’s business as usual. We just want to run well.” Asked about the possibility of winning, Carroll senior Amy Poynter said, “I’m not saying it won’t happen. (Carmel) has all the pressure now; there is no pressure on us.” Running with no pressure is a refreshing change for a quintet of seniors who arrived at Carroll with a tradition to uphold. At that time, Carroll had won nine straight sectionals and eight straight regionals. Conference titles were also a matter of habit as were running in the state meet. But this group would be different. There were no superstars among them, no single runner able to follow in the individual all-state footsteps after names like Kempf, Blanchard, Ginther, McClanahan and Johnson. Star power would come in the form of a pack. A group of interchangeable names: Olivia Hippensteel, Amy Poynter, Madison Stenger, Melanie Ruich and Alexis Norris. Heading into their fourth and final state meet, there isn’t one all-state cross country runner among them. But there are four of everything else: NHC, sectional, regional and semi-state titles. The last of which none of the superstars was able to do. “We have a hodge-podge of girls that collectively make a great cross country team,” Raber said. “We have girls (more suited for) the 800 and we have a few who probably won’t be the best until they run much longer distances in college. I don’t think there is a single 5K runner among them. But what they are, are runners who know how to win.” Along with all the titles, the Carroll seniors can conclude their careers with a third trip to “the podium”, meaning a top five finish at the state meet. Only a rash of injuries last year kept Carroll from a top five finish; they finished seventh, only four points from fifth. (As freshmen and sophomores, the Carroll seniors finished fifth.) A lack of depth may have hurt the Lady Chargers last year, but it won’t happen again: 10 runners, all under 19 minutes and 30 seconds for five kilometers, were vying for a top 7 spot. “We’re interchangeable,” Raber said. “We have 10 runners who can all run great. Unfortunately, we have to pick seven. So the goal is to put all seven in the top 50 Saturday and see where that places us.” Stenger has more aggressive goals. Without an all-state cross country runner on the team, she hopes there are four on Saturday. “We want to put four girls in the top 25,” Stenger said. “We want everyone to have their best race; it would be a great way to finish our last race together.” Stenger was then asked about the stress level, the pressure felt for one last race. “No, we’re all just really excited,” Stenger said. “We are looking forward to running great and then seeing how the younger girls do (in the future).” Afterall, the pressure’s off now.

Temple named to Military Friendly Schools list for fourth straight year Temple University has again been named to the Military Friendly Schools list honoring the top 15 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that do the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans, and spouses as students and to ensure their success on campus. Temple has been featured on the list each year since its inception four years ago. “Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools shows Temple University’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students,” said Sean Collins, director for G.I. Jobs magazine and vice president of Victory Media, the premier media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life. The Military Friendly Schools® list is compiled through extensive research and a data-driven survey of more than 12,000 schools nationwide approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Each year, schools are held to a higher standard via improved methodology, criteria and weightings developed with the assistance of an Academic Advisory Board of educators from across the country. Categories in which schools are rated include military support on campus, academic credibility, veteran graduation rates and tuition assistance, among others. “We’re creating a culture to best serve our veteran students, particularly those who are coming back from active duty and transitioning not only to civilian life but also to college life,” said Laura Reddick, Temple’s associate director for adult and veteran-student recruitment. “It’s a difficult transition, and we’re sensitive to that.” Veterans enrolled at Temple benefit from the university’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which allows veterans who are 100 percent eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill to apply for additional educational benefits such as tuition support and stipends for housing and books. In addition to being a Yellow Ribbon school, key student-services administrators across Temple have formed a Veterans Task Force Committee to better coordinate initiatives. The Office of the Registrar has streamlined the application process to ease veterans’ transition to college, and Reddick holds virtual information sessions for military personnel who are still in active duty but considering higher education. The university’s Disability Resources and Services can assist veterans with physical or mental disabilities, and student-veterans have access to the Temple Veterans Association (TVA), a student organization run by student-veterans that hosts guest speakers and organizes career fairs, employer panels and networking events. TVA, which has a seat on the Veterans Task Force Committee, is advised by Fox School of Business Senior Assistant Dean Debbie Campbell and Anthony E. Wagner, a Navy veteran and Temple’s executive vice president for financial affairs, chief financial officer and treasurer. “Temple really cares about our veteran students,” Reddick said. “As a university, we want to be able to help them come back from the military and pursue their dreams. We want to help them in every way we can.” The Military Friendly Schools website features the full list of 1,739 schools that exhibit leading practices in the recruitment and retention of students with military experience. For details on Temple Veteran Affairs, visit.

News Previous Next - June 29, 2015 | The Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Economy Avi Hasson signed a cooperation agreement with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The agreement will seek to open up new business opportunities for Israeli companies in Latin America. IDB is the largest investment authority in Latin America and the Caribbean with 48 member states in the bank, funding projects to the tune of $12 billion annually. The agreement forwards the Ministry’s commitment to cementing business ties in the Americas, an initiative instated two years ago. - June 29, 2015 | The app recommendation platform for smartphones Drippler announced that it raised $4.5 million in Series A funding in a round led by Titanium Investments. TMT Investments, iAngels, Reuven Agassi, Yanki Margalit, David Assia, Christian Gaiser and other private investors also participated in the round. Drippler was selected to be the ‘Must Have App’ on Google Play in 2015 for its app recommendations as well as the option allowing users to connect with one another. Drippler was founded in 2011 by Matan Talmi, Dotan Galron and Ronen Yacobi. - June 29, 2015 | An agreement was signed in Beijing to sell 51 percent of Israeli company Stockton Group to the Chinese Hebang Group for $90 million. Hebang is a public Chinese company that is traded on the Shanghai stock market and deals in a number of industrial fields, namely agronomics. This is Hebangs first investment outside of China. Stockton Group is an Israeli company specializing in crop protection that is innovative and eco-friendly. Stockton Group was founded by Peter Tirosh 20 years ago and today is managed by CEO Ziv Tirosh. - June 29, 2015 | Ben Gurion University of the Negev student Mordechai Guri has been awarded an IBM PhD Fellowship for 2015-2016. Guri, a student in BGU’s Department for Systems Engineering, is researching state-of-the-art challenges in cyber attacks and defense. The IBM PhD fellowship is a competitive worldwide program that honors PhD students solving issues relevant to IBM and its activity. In addition, IBM recently opened a Center of Excellence on BGU’s campus for joint research initiatives. - June 29, 2015 | The international healthcare company Merck announced that it will acquire Qlight Nanotech. Though the financial details of the deal were not disclosed, Merck will require the remaining stake in the Jerusalem-based company to control 100 percent of the company. Qlight Nanotech is the developer of semiconductor nanocyrstals and Merck hopes to use their technology to develop liquid crystal displays and OLED technology. The deal was announced at today’s (Monday’s) ‘Made in Germany’ event in Tel Aviv. - June 29, 2015 | The Israeli composite materials company Light & Strong submitted a prospectus to raise$13.3 million on Wall Street. Light & Strong serves such Israeli companies as the Israeli Aerospace Industry and Elbit Systems as a subcontractor and provider of composite materials. Light & Strong was founded in 2007 and operates out of the Kannot Industrial Zone. - June 29, 2015 | As Mylan nears its takeover of Perrigo, Israeli investment institution were ensured by the company that it would maintain Perrigo’s research and development activity in Israel. Perrigo employs some 1,000 Israelis, and not just in its R&D center. In addition, Mylan’s CFO John Sheehan ensured Tel Aviv Stock Exchange CEO Yossi Beinart that Mylan would remain committed to being listed on the TASE following the acquisition. Mylan is expected to acquire Perrigo at a $32.9 billion value, according to estimates. - June 29, 2015 | The stem cell therapeutics company Pluristem announced that it raised $17 million from private investors in a shelf prospectus. The offering was issued at $2.50 per share and was held without an underwriter. The company did not specify how it will use the funds. Pluristem was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Haifa. - June 29, 2015 | At the “Made in Germany” event held today (Monday) in Tel Aviv, the Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Brigitte Zypries, announced that the German government would invest €500,000 annually in Israel entrepreneurship. The funds will be invested through the Ministry for Economic Affair’s EXIST program for startups, which will now officially expand to Israel as of Fall 2015. EXIST is a government-supported program in Germany to encourage startup projects that come out of universities and research institutes. - June 28, 2015 | The Israeli cybersecurity company Cymmetria is know the first Israeli security company to be backed by Y Combinator. Cymmetria’s unique platform shifts the balanced between hackers and hacked by embedding networks with decoys and other tricks designed to draw hackers in and catch them. Y Combinator is a well-known American seed fund that invests small amounts of money in selected startups for 7 percent equity. Cymmetria was founded in 2014 by Gadi Evron and Dean Sysman. - June 28, 2015 | Hadasit Bio-Holdings announced a letter of intent to raise $2 million from a Chinese business group. Hadasit invests in R&D companies in the medical and bio-technology fields that are in clinical or advanced stages of moving toward clinical trials. The interested Chinese business group specializes on the health sector, namely the pharmaceutical industry. Hadasit Bio-Holdings is the technological transfer company of the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. - June 28, 2015 | The Israeli fraud prevention solution Forter was presented the Silver Stevie Award for ‘Best Startup of the Year’ in the Business Products category. The startup was presented the award at the 13th annual American Business Awards ceremony in Chicago, Illinois. Forter is a fraud prevention solution for online businesses and mobile payments technology that enables behavioral analytics and real-time decision making. The startup was founded in 2013 by Liron Damri, Alon Shemesh and Michael Reitblat. - June 28, 2015 | The Israeli co-investing platform for early-stage startups iAngels announced that it has appointed Darya Fuks as a Portfolio Manager. Fuks used to be a Vice President at J.P. Morgan’s Investment Bank and will lead deal flow and due diligence activities at iAngels. Fuks has a breadth of experience working in the US and Israel, as well as experience in conducting global corporate finance transactions. iAngels was founded in 2013 by Shelly Hod Moyal and Mor Assia. - June 28, 2015 | The international Internet company Amazon plans to hire up to 100 Israeli engineers in the next 18 months. The Israeli engineers will be hired to work at Amazon’s various departments including: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon Development Centers, as well as the Israeli company that was recently acquired by Amazon, Annapurna Labs. Amazon established its office in Tel Aviv in 2014 to support the growth of its AWS cloud services and to expand its customer base. - June 28, 2015 | The Israeli cybersecurity company Checkmarx announced that it raised $84 million from the New York venture capital firm Insight Venture Partners. The company plans to use the funds to accelerate its growth globally. Checkmarx was founded in 2006 by Matt Siman and employs 150 individuals in the US and Israel. Some of Checkmarx notable customers include SAP, Salesforce.com, Coca Cola and the US Army. - June 28, 2015 | The Canadian province of Ottawa has invested in the Canada-Israel Health Research Program, a joint effort between the countries to increase research in the areas of neuroscience and biomedicine. The seven-year-long and $35 million program is set to fund up to 30 different research projects. The initiative is a joint effort shared between the Azrieli Foundation, the International Development Research Center (IDRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Israel Science Foundation. - June 28, 2015 | The UK gambling service provider William Hill announced that it will open startup accelerators in London and Tel Aviv. As part of their accelerator, William Hill will offer startups a £25,000 ($39,000) investment and office space for the 12 weeks of the program. The program will be geared towards early-stage startups. William Hill established a presence in Israel in 2008 together with Teddy Sagi’s Playtech. - June 25, 2015 | The co-working space WeWork is raising a new round that could put the company at a $10 billion valuation, according to Bloomberg reports. In December the company raised funds at a $5 billion valuation, which made it one of the most highly-valued private tech companies in the world. WeWork was founded in 2010 by Miguel McKelvey and Adam Neumann and has three branches (and counting) in Israel. - June 25, 2015 | Kenon Holdings will reportedly list IC Power on the New York Stock Exchange at company valuation of $1.5 billion, according to a “Calcalist” report. Kenon, which was previously part of Israel Corp, is a full shareholder in IC Power, a company that develops and operates power plants in Latin America, the Caribbean and Israel. Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and Credite Suisse are expected to underwrite the offering. IC Power was established by Israel Corp in 2007. - June 25, 2015 | The video networking company Qwilt announced that it closed a $25 million Series D round led by Disrupt-ive. This round brings Qwilt’s total funding to $65 million, including new investors Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors and Cisco Investments. Qwilt is headquarted in Redwood City, California and was founded by Alon Maor and Dan Sahar in 2010. - June 25, 2015 | IdeaSpace, the non-profit startup incubator, and the Israeli Embassy in the Philippines are organizing a competition in which it plans to bring a local Filipino startup to the annual DLD Tel Aviv Digital Conference. In order to qualify for the competition, startups must have a revenue of no less than $30,000 and must be working on a prototype of their innovation. The winning startup will become the official Filipino delegation to DLD Tel Aviv, which will be announced on July 10th. - June 25, 2015 | The world’s largest hotels group, InterContinental sent a delegation of 60 managers and executives to Israel for the company’s annual conference. Besides the conference, InterContinental employees learned of the vast high-tech knowledge in Israel and were exposed to the latest in hospitality technology coming out of the country. Some of the Israeli startups that pitched to the hotel executives included EyeOnn, Bizzabo and Vatbox, among others. - June 25, 2015 | Redis Labs announced that it raised $15 million in Series B funding in a round led by Bain Capital Ventures and Carmel Ventures. Silicon Valley Bank also participated in the round. Since the company was founded in 2011, it has raised $28 million and the new funds will be used to market and sell Redis Lab’s hybrid database offering. Redis Labs is headquartered in Mountain View, California and was founded in Yiftach Shoolman and Ofer Bengal. - June 25, 2015 | The Israeli mobile marketing platform Moblin won the Silver Lion Award at the Cannes Lions Archive. The application that Moblin developed for Proctor & Gamble company Always was what won the company the prize. It’s project, called BeckMeApp, was selected out of 40,000 projects for its wild success in Israel, with over 2 million downloads in eight countries. Moblin was co-founded by VP of Business Development Omri Argaman. - June 25, 2015 | The Israel Ministry of Science, Space and Technology will partner with Lockheed Martin to improve the science, space and technology curriculum in Israeli high schools and kindergartens. Lockheed Martin plans to share its experiences as an industry leader and will take part in the program’s different activities. The pilot will begin in October at three kindergardens in the southern Israeli city of Be’er Sheva together with the municipality, the Rashi Foundation and the Ministry of Education. The Ministry and Lockheed will also partner during the International Astronautical Congress to be held in October 2015 in Jerusalem. -. - June 24, 2015 | The Israeli medical aesthetics company PhotoMedex sold its XTRAC division for the treatment of vitiligo and psoriasis to Mela Sciences for $42.5 million. The acquisition will help PhotoMedex recover the debt from its acquisition of LCA opthalmological clinics. PhotoMedex is headquartered in Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania and is headed by CEO Dolev Rafaeli. - June 24, 2015 | The Israeli sales promotion company Yotpo announced a $15 million funding round led by Marker LLC. Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors and Vintage Investment Partners were new investors in the round, together with existing investors Access Industries, Blumberg Capital, Rhodium and 2b-angels. The company will reportedly use the money to speed up product development and to expand its US office in New York. In addition, Yotpo announced that former CEO of GoDaddy Warren Adelman will join the company’s board of directors. Yotpo was founded in 2011 by CEO Tomer Tagrin and CTO Omri Cohen. - June 24, 2015 | Adama Agricultural Solutions and Phytech, an Israeli agritech company, entered into a commercial collaboration to establish Adama as the preferred business partner for the global commercialization Phytech’s PlantBeat System. The PlantBeat System is an alert-driven system that combines predictive algorithms, data analysis and other features that can impact the quality and yield of crops. Adama was founded in 1945 and Phytech was founded by Zohar Brenner. - June 24, 2015 | Nineteen members of the US Pro Football Hall of Fame visited Israel to preview the latest technologies coming out of the country. Their visit was hosted by the Israeli equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd as well as Jnext, the Jerusalem Development Authority that seeks to promote entrepreneurship in the city. The trip was entitled “Touchdown in Israel: Mission of Excellence” and was organized by the New England Patriot’s Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft and Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer. The delegation was presented with innovations from ten different companies, seven of which are funded through OurCrowd’s platform, including: ReWalk, EIMinda, OrCam and Inpris, among others. - June 24, 2015 | Israeli entrepreneurs in the field of digital health were in the UK this week to present cutting-edge technology that could improve patient’s lives and reduce healthcare costs. The delegation, which was made up of the founders from notable Israeli health tech startups like HelpAround, Telesofia Medical and Healthy.io, was organized by the UK Israel Tech Hub and Start-Up Nation Central and visited the UK cities of London and Manchester. The UK has put an emphasis on digital health tools in recent years and is the largest EU spender on tele-health and tele-care. - June 24, 2015 | The user-generated mapping tool Mapme announced that it raised $1 million in seed funding from angel investor Gigi Levy and Daniel Recanati. Mapme is a tool that allows organizations and companies to create maps based on particular interests and topics for the benefit of their customers. Mapme has launched its beta in over 30 countries, serving over 90 ecosystems. Mapme plans to use the funds to fuel its global expansion and to continue product development. Mapme was founded in 2015 by CEO Ben Lang. - June 23, 2015 | Prof. Daniel Rittel of the Technion Israel Institute of Technology was awarded the Angoila Gili e Cataldo Agostinelli International Prize for 2015. The award is bestowed annually by the Academy of Sciences in Torino, Italy. Prof. Rittel is a professor of mechanics and is the head of the Mechanics of Materials Center at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion. - June 23, 2015 | Ben Gurion University of the Negev Prof. Yoram Meital was awarded the first University of Massachusetts Lowell Medal for Intercultural Understanding. He was given the award for “his extensive work in the area of peace and conflict studies and his continued efforts to promote understanding and creative thinking in the context of the potential transition to democracy in the Middle East”. Prof. Meital is the Chairperson of the Chaim Herzog Center for Middle East Studies and Diplomacy. - June 23, 2015 | According to a “Calcalist” report, the Israeli-Russian company Medivizor has raised $500,000 from the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Medivizor is an Israeli startup founded in 2014 by Tal Givoly that provides people with serious or chronic medical conditions access to personalized health information and updates. - June 23, 2015 | Israel’s Ministry of Finance is considering altering the Law for the Encouragement of Capital Investments to grant a tax break to companies that transfer their intellectual property (IP) to Israel. According to a “Globes” report, the committee, headed by former Ministry of Finance Director General Yael Andorn, will submit its recommendations to current Finance Minister Moshe Cahlon for review. The tax break will be stipulated on a number of conditions, one of which requires that the IP be tied to domestic manufacturing. The initiative comes as a number of Israeli entrepreneurs, namely Gil Shwed of Check Point Software, assert that due to a lack of tax benefits in Israel, they prefer to register their IP overseas. - June 23, 2015 | The Israeli company that allows for in-app purchase in mobile games, Soomla announced that it raised $5.5 million in its initial round of funding. The funds will be used to continue building its platform called ‘Grow’, allowing publishers to share data across games. The company reports that its service is already used by up to 4,000 games and 400 million users. Soomla was founded in 2012 by Gur Dotan, Refeal Dakar and Yaniv Nizan. - June 23, 2015 | The smart crop irrigation company CropX announced that it received $9 million in funding from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt’s venture capital firm Innovation Endeavors. GreenSoil Investments and Finistere Ventures also participated in the round. CropX uses mobile sensors to collect an array of data from farms, like soil structure, topography and moisture levels to determine how much water is needed for each crop. CropX was founded by Isaac Bentwich in 2013. - June 22, 2015 | Ben Gurion University of the Negev Prof. Richard Isralowitz received an award from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). He received the award in recognition for his “Contributions to Scientific Diplomacy Through Outstanding Efforts in International Collaborative Research on Drug Abuse and Addiction.” Isralowitz is the Director of the Regional Alcohol & Drug Abuse Research Center (RADAR) in Ben Gurion’s school of social work. The center was established in 1995 to promote international relations between researchers and experts that deal with substance abuse prevention. - June 22, 2015 | The Israeli provider of identity solutions, SuperCom announced that it raised $25.2 million in a secondary offering on NASDAQ. The company raised the said amount at a share price of $12 per share. It is possible that the offering’s total will grow by an additional $8.3 million if the underwriters decide to buy more shares. SuperCom is managed by its CEO and President Arie Trabelsi and is headquartered in Herzliya. - June 21, 2015 | The European Union will support a joint project between Israel’s Elbit Systems and Norway’s Nicarnica Aviation that will help commercial pilots deal with threats of volcanic ash during flight. The companies signed an MOU to develop a system called AVOID (Airborne Volcanic Object Imaging Detector) to help pilots avoid dangerous ash-filled areas. Now through the European Union’s Eurostars program, the project will receive funding. Elbit Systems was founded in 1966 by Elron Electronic Industries. - June 21, 2015 | The predictive marketing company MentAd raised $4.7 million in Series B funding in a round led by Blumberg Capital and OurCrowd. The round, which follows a $1.2 million seed round and a $3.5 million Series A round, also saw participation from Edison Investments, Titanium VC and Flint Capital. MentAd was founded in 2011 by Yuval Baror and Daniel Romano and is based in Stanford, California. - June 21, 2015 | An innovative platform that notifies travelers when there is a cheaper rate to their destination, FairFly announced that it raised $2 million in Series A funding from Blumberg Capital. As part of the funding deal, Alon Lifshits from Blumberg Capital will join the company’s board of directors. Currently, FairFly’s services are only available in Hebrew, but the company hopes to use the funding round to expand overseas. FairFly was founded by CEO Ariel Siman-Tov, CMO Gili Lichtman and CTO Ami Goldenberg, graduates of IDC’s Zell Entrepreneurship Program. - June 21, 2015 | The deal for the sale of a controlling stake in Israel’s The Phoenix Holdings to China’s Fosun Group has closed. Yitzhak Tshuva’s Delek Group signed an agreement to sell 52.31 percent of the company for NIS 1.823 billion (approx $476 million). The Phoenix Holdings was founded in 1949 by David Hachmi. - June 21, 2015 | Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Microchips Biotech announced a partnership to explore integrating Microchip’s implantable drug delivery device into Teva’s products. The goal of such a partnership would be to improve the outcomes for patients that engage in chronic therapy. Microchip’s innovative technology can administer drugs over a period of months to years, releasing the drugs at pre-determined times. - June 21, 2015 | The early detection of medical conditions company EarlySense announced that it will prepare for a NASDAQ IPO. The prospect was proposed at a recent conference “From Seed to IPO” held at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. According to a “Globes” report, EarlySense was presented at the conference as a company “on the verge of an IPO”. EarlySense was founded in 2004 by Avner Halperin. - June 21, 2015 | In lieu of one of the worst droughts in California’s history, the City of Beverly Hills has announced a partnership with Israel to learn about water-saving technologies. The agreement is part of a larger agreement between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and California Governor Jerry Brown to foster economic cooperation and development, signed in March 2014. Besides water technology, the agreement is set to include cooperation initiatives on a number of other topics, including cybersecurity, public health and disaster preparedness. The final agreement is expected to be signed sometime this summer. - June 21, 2015 | The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust announced that it will donate $5.5 million to improve healthcare in Israel. The grants will focus on Israel’s southern communities including a medical rehabilitation center in Sderot, a regional medical center for the Halutza community, and an expanded dispatch center for United Hatzalah. Since 2009, the Helmsley Charitable Trust has donated over $150 million to a number of charitable organizations in Israel. - June 21, 2015 | A delegation of 100 leaders of major German companies will head to Israel to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the countries. The companies represented in the group include SAP SE, BMW, Bosch. Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Telekom and more. The delegation will spend two days in Israel at events organized by the Ministry of the Economy. - June 21, 2015 | Israel has signed a deal with the World Bank to provide its knowledge in water technologies to developing countries. According to the deal, Israel will commit $500,000 to the Water Global Practice initiative that is part of the World Bank in order to help developing countries face grave water security challenges, an issue that Israel has dealt with hands on since the country was established in 1948. The deal will also have Israeli experts travel to countries in need to present potentially life-changing technologies, as well as have experts from said countries come to Israel to learn about desalination and drip irrigation technology.

-Daniel aka Obsidian NASA Working With National Nuclear Security Administration On Plan To Use Nukes On Doomsday Asteroid . “There are swarms of them orbiting between Mars and Jupiter,” Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, said at a 2013 panel discussion of asteroids. “And some of them have orbits that come in a little too close, and cross the orbit of Earth around the Sun.” Dealing with a threatening near-Earth object isn't as simple as aiming a nuclear weapon at it.. Setting off a nuclear weapon above the surface of the asteroid would cause a slight change in velocity without damaging the asteroid itself. It's not exactly the big Hollywood finish, but it might be the most effective option. "A very modest velocity change in the asteroid's motion (only a few millimeters per second), acting over several years, can cause the asteroid to miss the Earth entirely," the agency said.." "Since the number of near-Earth asteroids increases as their sizes decrease, we are most likely to be hit by the relatively small objects that are most difficult to find ahead of time," the agency said. "As a result, consideration must also be given to the notification and evacuation of those regions on Earth that would be affected by the imminent collision of a small, recently-discovered impactor." Although researchers are working to change that, at least one expert isn't convinced we're ready. Retired astronaut Russell “Rusty” Schweickart, who was was part of the Apollo 9 mission in 1969, is co-founder of the B612 Foundation, an organization dedicated to planetary defense against asteroids. B612 is hoping to launch Sentinel, a privately funded spacecraft that would be able to detect and track potentially hazardous objects in space. In an interview with Newsweek, Schweickart didn't sound especially positive about the ability of nations to unite against a global threat. “I fear there’s not enough of a collective survival instinct to really overcome the centrifugal political forces,” he said. “That is, in a nutshell, the reason we’ll get hit. Not because technically we don’t know it’s coming, or we can’t do something about it.” The founders of Asteroid Day, which include Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May, have created the 100x Asteroid Declaration, which calls on governments to increase by a hundredfold the discovery and tracking of near-Earth objects. Along with May, backers of the declaration include Bill Nye, Carolyn Shoemaker, Brian Cox, Chris Hadfield, Mark Kelly, Lord Martin Rees and Richard Dawkins, as well as Schweickart and his fellow B612 cofounder Ed Lu.

By Denise Perreault PBN Staff Writer As part of their never-ending efforts to forge relationships with likely donors, colleges and universities actively seek donations from targeted businesses, but a $1 million gift spread out over 10 years remains a rare prize in the field of corporate donations. Alex and Ani Inc., based in Cranston, named one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies in 2011 by Inc. Magazine, announced late last month that it is giving $1 million – $100,000 in each of the next 10 years – to Bryant University in Smithfield to support the school’s well-recognized international-studies program. “Bryant offers local, unparalleled expertise for any serious business to access and leverage in its international efforts,” said Giovanni Feroce, CEO of Alex and Ani, known for its expandable bangles, earrings and necklaces, made in America. “As we try to develop our markets, [Bryant] is going to be a major asset to us.” At Bryant, James Damron, vice president of university advancement, heads a full-time staff of eight employees, including development officers whose job it is to solicit donations from individuals and corporations, with the majority coming from Bryant alumni. The Alex and Ani gift was unsolicited. “The focus at Bryant is on [donations from] individuals, that’s where most of the potential is,” Damron said. At Brown University, individual rather than corporate gifts also make up “the lion’s share” of donations, according to William Layton, executive director of corporate and foundation relations for the Ivy League school. A separate office for university advancement handles individual gifts. Layton heads a staff of six full-timers that solicits specific gifts from foundations and corporations, researching and writing proposals that align Brown’s needs with the goals of donating parties. For example, a private corporation involved in robotics or materials science would be approached for funds to support similar programs in Brown’s engineering division. He estimated that corporate donations make up only about 10 percent of the total donations Brown receives. In each of the last five years, corporate giving to Brown has ranged from $1.98 million to $5.5 million annually, Layton said. He added that he and his staff are always “on the lookout” for companies whose contributions would strengthen what Brown offers. The Alex and Ani gift to Bryant came about in part because Ralph Rafaelian, the father of Carolyn Rafaelian, who owns the jewelry-making business and designs its products, graduated from Bryant in 1955. The conference room at Bryant’s Center for International Business has been renamed the Ralph Rafaelian ’55 Conference Room.

CPS backs away from magnet school overhaul LaSalle Language Academy will not lose its citywide magnet status after all, CPS says. December 21, 2011 Chicago Public Schools is pulling back from a plan to radically change one of its most popular schools. The district wanted to phase out LaSalle Language Academy Magnet School, where 1,500 kids apply for about 70 open seats every year. WBEZ first reported the recommendation, which would have turned the high performing, citywide magnet into a neighborhood school with a posh attendance boundary. That would have relieved overcrowding at nearby Lincoln Elementary. But it also would have turned one of the city’s few integrated schools into a majority white school by closing the door on students from other neighborhoods. And parents feared their school’s unique language programs—run with desegregation funds—would be lost. They complained. Late Tuesday, schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard sent letters to parents at both Lincoln Elementary and LaSalle Magnet saying the proposal is off the table. “To address the enrollment challenges at Lincoln, my team is continuing to examine all possible options, including both short and long-term solutions. However, as part of that solution, I will not recommend any changes to LaSalle’s magnet status,” Brizard’s letter to Lincoln parents states. A CPS spokeswoman said in an e-mail that the plan to convert LaSalle to a magnet school “was just one possible solution raised at a parent meeting and we decided to explore other options.” However, an internal CPS document obtained by WBEZ lists five possibilities to relieve overcrowding at Lincoln. The document discounts four of the five as “infeasible,” "disruptive," “too costly” or “time-consuming.” Phasing out LaSalle as a magnet was “recommended.” Some LaSalle parents are concerned Brizard’s letters still leave the door open to changes that could fundamentally affect the school. “I think they’re trying to calm people down because there was an outcry,” said LaSalle parent Keith Thomas. “It has never made sense to us at LaSalle what they were recommending—and we still feel as though there still could be something coming where we’re involved.” Thomas says LaSalle parents want to help come up with a solution for Lincoln Elementary’s overcrowding issues. Overall, the school system is less than 9 percent white, but the number of majority-white schools has increased from 19 to 25 since a court stopped watching the situation in 2009. Previous post in Education Vallas to lead schools in Bridgeport, Conn

WND EXCLUSIVE Movie makers defy 'Don't touch this story' warnings 'October Baby' reaching screens with stunning surviving abortion message When Jon and Andrew Erwin worked as cameramen for ESPN, made TV commercials, music videos and then a TV pilot, these brothers from Birmingham, Ala., had no designs for making a feature film about an abortion survivor. But tomorrow, their first feature film, “October Baby,” opens in cities and towns in 40 states across America. Director Andrew Erwin and actors John Schneider, Rachel Hendrix and Jason Burkey spoke to WND about the film, the surprising audience reactions and their hopes for “October Baby.” “As a filmmaker you have to find your story, but most of the time it finds you,” Andrew Erwin told WND. “Jon and I are both pro-life and very passionate about the issue, but never really thought that would be our first feature film because it’s a risky topic. “Jon heard Gianna Jessen share her story as an abortion survivor. He first heard her online, then at a banquet – and he was so captivated because he didn’t really understand those two words, ‘abortion’ and ‘survivor,’ could go together.” As Andrew tells it, the more Jon researched abortion survivors, the more he wanted to write and co-direct “October Baby,” a fictional coming-of-age love story inspired by Jessen’s survival, abortion injuries, adoption and zeal for life. “Jon co-wrote ‘October Baby’ with Theresa Preston and put the first draft on my desk,” explained Andrew. “I read it, couldn’t put it down and said ‘I have to direct this movie!’” Rachel Hendrix stars as Hannah, a 19-year-old college freshman who steps onstage for her theatrical debut. Before she can utter her first lines, Hannah collapses and goes into convulsions – stunning the audience, including her parents (John Schneider and Jennifer Price). After medical tests, all signs point to one underlying factor: Hannah’s difficult birth. To Hannah’s shock, her parents reveal she was actually adopted after a failed abortion attempt. Instead of being grateful, Hannah feels somewhat betrayed by her parents and turns to her lifelong friend Jason (Jason Burkey), who takes her on a spring break road trip with some quirky characters (including Chris Sligh as Bmac). On the road, Jason helps Hannah to find her birth mother (Shari Rigby). And along the way, Hannah meets Mary (Jasmine Guy), a nurse who essentially tells Hannah her life is more significant than she could have imagined. “Now that the film has been made, it’s not what people expect,” Andrew Erwin explained. “But in the initial development stages, people told us ‘Don’t touch this story. This is too risky. Move on to something safe for your first film.’ We thought about it, but this one just so grabbed our hearts, we had to tell this story whether it was risky or not. “When it was finished, we showed ‘October Baby’ to the studios. One of the executives at a studio where we thought it was gonna end up said, ‘Jon, I love your story. I love the way it was told. I love the acting. You’ve proven that you can make a feature film. But we won’t touch this subject because it’s hard to pitch around at the cocktail parties.’” The “October Baby” trailer: When the Erwins asked what they should do, the Hollywood exec answered: “Sell this one off cheap, get whatever you can, let’s move on to the next one and then we’ll talk.” Instead, the Erwins went around the studio system and independently released their film with financial help from the American Family Association. “Because of it,” said Andrew, “we’ve maintained the integrity of the story we wanted to tell.” John Schneider admires the Erwins’ independence. He said, “Gutsy films can only be produced independently because they’re not committee films.” In addition to “October Baby,” Schneider stars in the mystical thriller “Doonby” and plays characters in other recent indie films, including “I Am Gabriel,” a family film with “Doonby” co-star Jenn Gotzon and Dean Cain; “Hardflip” a skateboarding drama with Rosanna Arquette; and “Not Today,” the story of a self-centered American party boy who goes to India and decides to rescue a little girl from slavery. He explained, “I never heard about failed abortions or ‘abortion survivors’ before ‘October Baby.’ I want people to consider their choices – consider their actions – and be educated about the long-term effects of choices, both good and bad. “‘October Baby’ is gorgeous,” Schneider added. “I think it’ll work well mainstream because it’s a good story. “The really amazing thing about the movie is that the Erwin brothers did not point any fingers at anybody. In fact, they said you are a person in need of and worthy of forgiveness regardless of what you may have done.” Rachel Hendrix agrees. She’s known the Erwin brothers since she went to art school with Andrew’s wife. After they featured her in a music video, then a TV pilot with Jason Burkey, she considers the Erwins family. Thus, she said, “I agreed to take the part in the film before I knew what it was about. With the story being so great, I would have been crazy not to take it. “Now, after the encounters I’ve been having with people, I’m blown away because I didn’t know ‘October Baby’ would have such power. It’s immediate after the film. Usually two or three women come to me, and a man goes to Jon the director or Jason the actor. And they say, ‘Let me tell you what this film did for me,’” said Hendrix. “My biggest hope is that the concept of the film will not be about abortion, but about forgiveness – and not be about whether you’re pro-life or pro-choice or a politician who’s conservative or who wants change. My biggest hope is that whoever you are, whatever you think, whatever you believe, you can wrap your head around the power of forgiveness and how that’s the center of the film.” Burkey said the Erwins sent him the script for “October Baby,” and “they had written these parts for Rachel and I, and a lot of other characters in the film.” “So I said, ‘Yeah. Where do I sign? I would love to work with you guys again.’ And then, as I was reading the script, I was kind of floored because, probably like a lot of people, I hadn’t heard of an abortion survivor. “What I liked about the script is that it wasn’t preachy. It wasn’t throwing anything in your face – I think there are some faith-based films that are a little more preachy, they are telling you what to think or what believe. But this is just a good story of hope, of forgiveness, of love – and that’s what attracted me to it,” said Burkey. “As we’ve been doing screenings and more and more people are seeing the film, we’re hearing stories of people who are really actually being healed by watching this film because it relates to their life in some way, to abortion in some way, because it’s kind of forcing them to face these secrets they’ve held all their lives. “So I just hope that the film will continue to bring healing, that it will entertain people, and that people will truly enjoy it. I hope it sparks discussion and makes people more aware of abortion survivors – of the whole topic of abortion – like it did for me.” The Erwins have many hopes for “October Baby,” especially that people will realize every human life is beautiful. The film opens tomorrow and tickets are available online.

Topeka A Senate committee endorsed a water-quality bill despite strong objections from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Secretary Clyde Graeber told the Senate Natural Resources Committee Friday his department did not back the bill, which would create a process for KDHE to reclassify streams for pollution control. Graeber said the bill, which will now go to the full Senate, mandates his agency re-evaluate all streams, including dry beds, and eliminate protection for some streams that carry water. "This new framework represents an environmental step backward and conflicts with federal regulations." Graeber said. The bill would create a process for KDHE to follow when classifying streams for different uses such as recreational and agricultural. It is a response to a lawsuit filed by two state environmental groups to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to enforce the federal Clean Water Act in Kansas. After the lawsuit's settlement in 1999, the EPA challenged the state's designation of 164 lakes and 1,292 streams as secondary waters, or not meant for swimming. The EPA wants those lakes and streams classified as primary. Supporters of the bill, including 21 agricultural groups, say without the changes farmers and ranchers would be forced to test and clean up stream beds that are dry most of the year. The committee, comprised of mostly farmers and ranchers, defended telling KDHE what to do. "We're trying to put the state back in charge, rather than some EPA bureaucrats," said Sen. Tim Huelskamp, R-Fowler. Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. We strive to uphold our values for every story published. Commenting has been disabled for this item.

WHO Collaborating Centres are institutions designated by the Director-General of WHO to form part of an international collaborative network carrying out activities in support of the Organization's programmes at all levels.As of 1 May 2012, there are 177 WHO collaborating centres (CC) in the Western Pacific Region, located in nine Member States. More than one-third of all CCs are located in China (62 including Hong Kong) and another one fourth of the CCs are in Australia (44). WHO CCs provide support to wide-ranging technical areas of work from traditional medicine to health systems development to serving as global or regional reference laboratories for specific diseases. The detailed information for each CC in the Western Pacific Region can be retrieved from the Global Database maintained by WHO Headquarters. The regional focal point for health research also serves as the regional focal point for the management of WHO collaborating centres, though the relevant technical officers are responsible for coordinating day-to-day implementation of workplans and in mobilizing support of CCs for their technical programmes. Other Links © 2005-2012 World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific Internship | Search | RSS feeds Dr Manju Rani Senior Technical Officer and Regional Focal Point for WHO Collaborating Centres Ms Elenita BonitoRegional Focal Point Assistantb New CC Designated in 2012 WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine: Chinese Medicine Division, Department of HealthWHO Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence: Tobacco Control Office, Department of Health, Hong Kong SARWHO Collaborating Centre for Safe Management of Drinking-water and Integrated Urban Water Management: PUB Singapore, Technology and Water Quality Office CCs designated in 2011

A Beethoven evening with Nikolaus Harnoncourt 29/10/2011 Berliner Philharmoniker Nikolaus Harnoncourt Rundfunkchor Berlin Ludwig van Beethoven Mass in C major (00:58:31) Julia Kleiter Soprano, Elisabeth von Magnus Mezzo-Soprano, Werner Güra Tenor, Florian Boesch Bass, Rundfunkchor Berlin, Simon Halsey Chorus Master Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor (00:41:16) - free Nikolaus Harnoncourt in conversation with Olaf Wilhelmer (00:17:07) The actually simple yet so dramatic opening chords of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony are the symbol for classical music par excellence. Some music lovers even believe they know the work too well to be able to enjoy further performances. For them – and of course for all the others – this concert with Nikolaus Harnoncourt is particularly good news. Harnoncourt, more than almost anyone else, is able to reveal overlooked aspects, even in the most popular of works and, thanks to intensive study of the sources, gain new insights into historical performance practice. Nevertheless, his interpretations are not musicological lectures, but wrestle – especially in Beethoven – with expression and drama. There is a recording of a rehearsal of the Fifth Symphony, which makes this clear when Harnoncourt compares the powerful beginning of the finale to a “ten-foot crocodile tearing open his mouth”. Although Nikolaus Harnoncourt is known primarily as the conductor of his period-instrument ensemble Concentus Musicus, he also performs with a small number of symphony orchestras. These have included the Berliner Philharmoniker since 1991. They now understand each other so well, that the orchestra responds “fire service-like” (Berliner Morgenpost) to the instructions of the conductor. A highlight of this partnership was in 2000, when Harnoncourt was presented with the Hans von Bülow Medal, the highest accolade awarded by the Berliner Philharmoniker. From Dogma to Freedom Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the C major Mass The idealization of Ludwig van Beethoven as a “titan” is nowadays dismissed as bourgeois hero worship, yet this honorific is still worth debating: Beethoven created music that stirred up his contemporaries more than any other. The disruption, overturning and reassessment of all musical values was something that neither Haydn nor Mozart had imposed on the public, nor did they take their audiences into the moral and spiritual realms that Beethoven did. “Titanic” indeed is the effect of his music, its concentrated drama and almost superhumanly painful struggle. Many proponents of the Romantic image of Beethoven were unaware that a concrete mythological figure lay behind the characterization: in the Eroica, the composer evoked Prometheus, the Titan who rebelled against Zeus, father of the gods, by stealing fire and bringing that life-sustaining element to mankind. For a time, Napoleon Bonaparte seemed to Beethoven to correspond to Prometheus in the political sphere. The composer also saw himself as playing this role: he bestowed upon humanity the visionary sounds of a still unattained free society. As an explanation of the Eroica or the Fifth Symphony, however, this is clearly inadequate. Anyone seeking to understand their epoch-making innovations, the historic quantum leap that took place in the early years of the 19th century, needs to address the issue of Beethoven the “Titan”, not only the composer. Old Haydn instinctively sensed the strangeness in his pupil’s nature and his music. He referred to his bristlingly self-confident junior colleague as a “Grand Mogul” and rejected Beethoven’s political views. Haydn hated the Revolution, and he was even out of sympathy with the reforms of Emperor Joseph II, on whose death Beethoven composed a funeral cantata in 1790. For Haydn, the so-called era of the Frenchman meant primarily a time of war and overturning the old order. Some of his works comment on these events: the “Military” Symphony composed in 1794, which eschews anything resembling a march, the mysterious “Drumroll” Symphony of 1795, the Mass in Time of War, written in 1796 as Napoleon’s army was approaching Vienna, and the “Nelson” Mass of 1798 – all works that strictly avoid the élan terrible, loved by Beethoven, of Paris composers like Gossec, Méhul and Cherubini. In Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony this is hard to miss, yet his contemporaries managed to close their ears to central messages in the work. Beethoven allegedly said that the Fifth Symphony’s principal theme represented “fate knocking at the door”. Even if the words were not actually uttered by the composer himself, they are apt. Advancing deafness, isolation, lack of recognition, but also a lack of freedom, the war and the forces of Napoleon – formerly admired, now the enemy – in the heart of Vienna: the fate that gave the Fifth Symphony its nickname had to do not with Herr van Beethoven alone but with whole nations. Other composers also paid the emperor tribute, and one of them, Etienne-Nicolas Méhul, even struck the same note of fate in his G minor Symphony, premiered in 1808, six weeks before Beethoven’s Fifth. It was no longer only Revolutionary propaganda that was coming out of France. Beethoven’s C minor Symphony, nonetheless, is not a commentary on current events. It reflects the struggle for freedom on a symbolic, meta-historic level. In spite of the triumphal finale, the emphasis is more on the “struggle” than on “freedom”. To this conception of per aspera ad astra – “through hardship to the stars” – Beethoven would remain true in the Ninth Symphony: even the greatest outburst of euphoria cannot efface the suffering that has been overcome or the memory of it. Is this what he wanted to tell us? If so, he has achieved his goal completely, even though the darkly rumbling first movement has always been understood as the symphony’s primary message, indeed as the epitome of classical music altogether. In the case of a complex personality like Beethoven, this interpretation is unfortunately just as easily assailable as any other. A not insignificant aspect of Beethoven’s amazing many-sidedness is his piety. Simultaneously with the Fifth Symphony he composed a large work for the divine service, the Mass in C major Op. 86. The work was commissioned by Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II, who celebrated his wife’s name day every year with the singing of a mass. In earlier years – for the last time in 1802 – these works had been provided by Haydn. At its first performance on 13 September 1807, Beethoven’s new mass was not well received by the prince, who afterwards received him with the words: “But, my dear Beethoven, what is this you have done now?” In his private correspondence Esterházy actually called the work “insupportablement ridicule et détestable”. What had gone wrong? Had Beethoven called into question the divine world order or tormented the prince with dissonances? Not at all. The piece simply sounded too rhetorical, the music was far too complex, and the concluding “Dona nobis pacem” much too restrained. The C major Mass gives precedence to the voice and therefore to the text, avoiding instrumental splendour and continual jubilation. Beethoven deliberately turned away from Austrian practice and thus away from his teacher Haydn. Although he had boundless respect for the older master’s mass compositions, he did not want to continue along the same path. In his sacred music, even more strongly than in his symphonic works, Beethoven showed that, even 22 years after leaving Bonn to settle in Vienna, he never really became Austrian. The young organist and choral director had been formed by a substantially different type of Catholic church music. The Electorate of Bonn, following the model of Protestant lands, permitted the use of sacred lieder in the service, in other words, of psalms, hymns etc. in German translation as well as newly created texts of religious character. These were prohibited in the Austrian Empire, as was the performance of Latin liturgical works in the bourgeois concert hall. It was, however, possible to circumvent the rule if the work had a German title, and this is what Beethoven did. In December 1808 in Vienna, two movements from the C major Mass were performed under the titles “Hymne” and “Heilig”, along with the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, the Fourth Piano Concerto and the “Choral Fantasy”. To facilitate further performances of the mass, Beethoven expressly recommended to his publisher that the entire Latin text should be underlaid by one in German. Whereas the religious impulse in Haydn’s masses is still so strong and steadfast that they could actually dispense with the text, the rather non-sectarian Beethoven with his North German austerity attached far greater importance to the word – although increasingly deviating from orthodoxy in the course of his compositional career. The creator of sacred works followed the same path as the symphonist: concrete, dogmatic content, whether religious or political, is suppressed in favour of universal messages for mankind. Beethoven’s artistic life suggests that same notion of per aspera ad astra to which he paid homage in so many of his works. The Titan did not extinguish his torch but rather elevated it to higher spheres, visible and comprehensible to people of all classes, races and religions. And presumably even Haydn. Volker Tarnow Translation: Richard Evid, Johann Strauss and Alban Berg, with whose Wozzeck he made his role debut at Oper Köln in May of this year. The baritone has previously worked together with conductors including Gerd Albrecht, Adam Fischer, Philippe Herreweghe, Michail Jurowski, Sir Roger Norrington, Georges Prêtre, and Franz Welser-Möst; Nikolaus Harnoncourt and he have enjoyed an artistic partnership over many years. These concerts will be the first time Florian Boesch has appeared often performed under the direction of René Jacobs. In the concert hall he has worked with orchestras of the eminence of the Dresden Staatskapelle, the London Philharmonic, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France and many European radio orchestras. Conductors with whom he has sung include Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Ton Koopman, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and particularly Nikolaus Harnoncourt. As a lieder recitalist he has appeared in London’s Wigmore Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, New York’s Lincoln Center and the Schubertiade Festival in Schwarzenberg. Werner Güra first appeared with the Berliner Philharmoniker under the direction of Daniel Barenboim in May 1999 singing the tenor part of Mozart’s Coronation Mass KV 317. His most recent appearance was in January 2010 as a soloist in Bach’s Magnificat BWV 243 conducted by Ton Koopman. Nikolaus Harnoncourt was born in Berlin in 1929 but grew up in Austria. Even while he was still learning to play the cello, he had already developed an intense interest in performing practice – initially of early music – and in the importance of sonority in music-making. He founded the Concentus Musicus of Vienna in 1953, a specialist ensemble performing on period instruments or on replicas of such instruments. Under his direction, the ensemble has become a world-famous institution. Until 1969 Nikolaus Harnoncourt also played the cello with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Since the 1970s he has made more and more appearances as a conductor of traditional symphony orchestras and has also worked in the opera house, allowing him to expand his repertory to Viennese Classicism, Romanticism and, more recently, the 20th century. Between 1972 and 1992 he taught performing practice at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. His interest in the subject is also reflected in several books, including Musik als Klangrede. Among the numerous awards that Nikolaus Harnoncourt has received are the Stockholm Polar Prize, the 1997 Robert Schumann Prize, the 2002 Ernst von Siemens Music Prize and the 2005 Kyoto Prize, one of the highest awards in the fields of science and culture, which he received for a lifetime’s achievement in music. He has appeared frequently with the Berliner Philharmoniker since his debut in 1991 and in March 2000 received the orchestra’s Hans von Bülow Medal. His most recent appearances were in March 2009, when he conducted performances of Haydn’s Orlando paladino. Julia Kleiter, born in Limburg, studied with William Workmann in Hamburg and with Klesie Kelly-Moog in Cologne. She first attracted international attention as Pamina in Paris in 2004, conducted by Jiří Kout. Mozart roles have since taken a prominent place in her repertoire, which also includes roles in operas by Handel, Gluck, Johann Christian Bach, Beethoven, Weber and Mussorgsky; a further focal point of her repertoire are the Strauss roles of Sophie, Zdenka and Daphne (the last so far in concert). Thus the soprano, who makes guest appearances on the stages of the leading European music capitals and festivals as well as in the Metropolitan Opera in New York, can be heard as Sophie at the Deutschen Oper Berlin in mid-December. Equally in demand as a soloist in the concert hall, Julia Kleiter has worked together with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Semyon Bychkov, Thomas Hengelbrock, René Jacobs, Marc Minkowski, Riccardo Muti, Jonathan Nott, and, not least, also on many occasions with Nikolaus Harnoncourt. In some of her regular recitals, she performs alongside the tenor Christoph Prégardien. Julia Kleiter’s first appearance as a guest of the Berliner Philharmoniker was in mid-May 2006 in three performances of Robert Schumann’s Manfred under the baton of Claudio Abbado. months in the premiere of Jonathan Harvey’s Weltethos, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.. In this field, the mezzo-soprano has worked together with conductors who include Claudio Abbado, Philippe Herreweghe, Sir Neville Marriner, Markus Stenz and Jaap van Zweden; under the baton of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, she was recently seen as Agnes (Háta) in an acclaimed production of Bedřich Smetana’s Bartered Bride as part of the styriarte Festival. Elisabeth von Magnus and the pianist Jacob Bogaart have performed together as a duo for some time. They have built up an array of variously themed programmes, ranging from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic to the 20th century. Solo performances with music by George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Kurt Weill form a new focus of her activities. In mid-October 2000, Elisabeth von Magnus made her debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in four concerts of Haydn’s Harmoniemesse, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

News: International military police officers find common ground at African Lion 14 Story by Sgt. Tatum Vayavananda TIFNIT, Morocco – Military police officers from the U.S. Marines, Army and Air Force, along with Royal Moroccan soldiers specializing in riot-control, found common ground as enforcers of the law during African Lion 14. The training engagement, out on the desert-lined coast of Tifnit, Morocco, focused on more than training alongside partners; it integrated the bilateral band of law enforcers as they ate, slept and worked together for the three-week exercise. “We are coming together totally integrated with them; we’re not just doing this training as a group of Army, a group of Moroccans, a group of Marines… Everything we do is mixed up to ‘shuffle the deck’ a bit,” said Marine 1st Lt. Philip J, Casata, a platoon leader for 2nd Law Enforcement Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Exercise African Lion 14 is an annually-scheduled, multilateral training engagement that is hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco. One of the largest of its kind on the continent, the engagement shows the commitment of the participating nations to military friendships, strategic partnerships and regional and global security. “The broad theme here is security and stability operations,” added the Portchester, N.Y., native. Stability and security elements that were shared between the joint-contingent of U.S. military police officers and the Royal Moroccan soldiers included: convoy security, crowd and riot control, vehicle and entry control points, nonlethal-weapons employment, escalation-of-force operations, humanitarian assistance, and peacekeeping operations. “We do everything as one unit and a lot of what we’re doing is sharing our [tactics and experiences], so there’s a little bit of ours and a little bit of theirs,” said Casata. In addition to their roles as enforcers of law and order on military installations, Marine and Army military police and Air Force security forces fulfill various combat roles in Overseas Contingency Operations, such as Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. “The U.S. Military as a whole is very used to the last decade of combat operations, so we see things one way. Moroccans are used to doing a lot of U.N. peacekeeping operations, so it’s very important for us to come together and exchange what we know and how to do things,” said Casata. U.S. military police in Afghanistan and Iraq have been used for duties ranging from convoy security, dismounted and mounted patrols to military working-dog operations, security details for VIPs and detainee handing. Royal Moroccan Armed Forces are an important partner in the Maghreb, where a professional and established military is integral to peacekeeping and regional stability on the continent. “They are the subject-matter experts in a part of the world we’re not used to operating in and on the other end, we bring a bit more of the combat expertise; we’re definitely able to exchange a lot of knowledge,” said Casata. Bonds as a combined, joint contingent of military police officers were as important as the sharing of knowledge. “It’s really interesting to see how many similarities we have and, at the same time, what each [U.S.] branch and each country does a little bit different,” said Tech Sgt. Matthew S. Devries, a lead noncommissioned officer from the 916th Security Forces Squadron, Seymore-Johnson Air Base, N.C. “But since we are all ‘MP’ companies for the most part, it’s generally the same, so it’s easy for us to adjust quickly and work together,” added Devries. The commonalties in riot and crowd control competencies helped the U.S. servicemembers work with their Moroccan partners more fluidly. “When you have ‘MPs’ working together, the exercises and qualifications are the same; it’s really easy to relate to each other… the Moroccans are really good at what they do and it’s always good just to work together for a common goal,” added Devries. The common goals go beyond proficiency in military police skill; it encompasses building on that proficiency with lessons learned by working with counterparts of different nations and different branches. “The Moroccans are a very good military; they are very disciplined and very eager to learn and share their knowledge. What we’ve been able to do is learn the tactics of the Moroccan military and add it to our own procedures,” said Army 1st Lt. Branden T. Varga, platoon leader of the 230th Military Police Company, Baumholder, Germany. “It’s important to build cohesion between the two different countries and their militaries and with the Moroccan military, who do a lot of UN peacekeeping missions, we can integrate their procedures and incorporate them into our techniques,” said the Vacaville, Calif., native. Through all the shared tactics, techniques and procedures, the most important lesson might be one not found in the military learning objectives; one about the bond of an enforcer of the law, despite country or service or location. “Everyone’s meshing pretty well; in general, we’re all some type of military police, whether Marines, Army, Air Force or Moroccan,” said Casata. “Given the different backgrounds we came from, it’s by no means a teacher-mentee relationship; it’s been a level training field and a great experience for everyone so far.” Connected Media A Moroccan soldier and Lance Cpl. Michael A. Laureano, a... A force of Moroccan riot-control soldiers and U.S.... Indie, a military working dog with 2nd Law Enforcement... Military police officers from the U.S. Marines, Army and... An international shield formation of Moroccan... This work, International military police officers find common ground at African Lion 14, by Sgt Tatum Vayavananda, identified by DVIDS, is free of known copyright restrictions under U.S. copyright law. Date Taken:04.07.2014 Date Posted:04.07.2014 04:34 Location:TIFNIT, MA Options

Press release Government action halts banking tax avoidance schemes This news article was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government The Government has today taken steps to close two aggressive tax avoidance schemes recently disclosed to HM Revenue & Customs by a bank. The Government has today taken steps to close two aggressive tax avoidance schemes recently disclosed to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) by a bank. The schemes, both of which are highly abusive, are designed to work around legislation that has been introduced in the past to block similar attempts at tax avoidance. By acting immediately, the Government will ensure the payment of over half a billion pounds in tax, protect further billions of tax from being lost and maintain fairness in the tax system. The first scheme seeks to ensure that the commercial profit arising to the bank from a buyback of its own debt is not subject to corporation tax. In a bold step not previously taken by this Government, legislation is being introduced today that will not only prevent the scheme’s use in the future, but will also act retrospectively to block its recent use by the bank that has disclosed the scheme and by any other company that has engaged in a similar scheme in the same period. The second scheme involves Authorised Investment Funds (AIFs) and aims to convert non-taxable income into an amount carrying a repayable tax credit in an attempt to secure ‘repayment’ from the Exchequer of tax that has not been paid. The Government is introducing legislation today to block any future use of the scheme. The bank that disclosed these schemes to HMRC has adopted the Banking Code of Practice on Taxation which contains a commitment not to engage in tax avoidance. The Government is clear that these are not transactions that a bank that has adopted the Code should be undertaking. David Gauke, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said:. The Government is committed to creating a competitive tax system and we have brought in a range of corporate tax reforms, but we are absolutely clear that business must pay the tax they owe when they owe it. Notes for Editors The legislation will be in the 2012 Finance Bill. The draft legislation, together with an Explanatory Note and Tax Information and Impact Note, can be found on the HMRC website. More information on the Banking Code of Practice on Taxation

Please join Laura Waterman Wittstock on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 as she talks about the book The Great Sioux Nation: Sitting In Judgment on America with book editor Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz, attorney Larry B. Leventhal, author of an article reprinted in the book, "Indian Sovereignty, It's Alive", and William Means, former executive director of the International Indian Treaty Council. Amazon says, "It features pieces by some of the most prominent scholars and Indian activists of the twentieth century, including Vine Deloria Jr., Simon Ortiz, Dennis Banks, Father John Powell, Russell Means, Raymond DeMallie, and Henry Crow Dog. It also features primary documents and firsthand accounts of the activists’ work and of the trial." Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz is Professor Emerita of Ethnic Studies at California State University, East Bay. Since retiring from university teaching, Dunbar-Ortiz has been lecturing widely and writes. Born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1938 to an Oklahoma family, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz grew up in Central Oklahoma, daughter of a sharecropper and a half-Native American mother. Graduating in History from San Francisco State College in 1963, she began graduate study in the Department of History at the University of California, Berkeley but transferred to the University of California, Los Angeles completing her doctorate in History in 1974. In addition to the doctorate, she completed the Diplôme of the International Law of Human Rights at the International Institute of Human Rights, Strasbourg, France in 1983 and an MFA in Creative Writing at Mills College in 1993. In 1974, she accepted a position as Assistant Professor in the newly established Native American Studies program at California State University at Hayward, near San Francisco, and helped develop the Department of Ethnic Studies,designing curriculum and teaching Native American Studies. In the wake of the Wounded Knee siege of 1973, she became active in the American Indian Movement (AIM) and the International Indian Treaty Council, beginning a lifelong commitment to indigenous peoples' right to self-determination and to international human rights. Her first book, The Great Sioux Nation: An Oral History of the Sioux Nation and its Struggle for Sovereignty, was published in 1977 and presented as the fundamental document at the first international conference on Indians of the Americas, held at United Nations' headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. The book was issued in a new edition by University of Nebraska Press in 2013. It was followed by two other books: Roots of Resistance: A History of Land Tenure in New Mexico (1980) and Indians of the Americas: Human Rights and Self-Determination (1984). She also edited two anthologies on Native American economic development, while heading the Institute for Native American Development at the University of New Mexico.

Santiago Peñailillo was one of the main artists of the publishing house Zig Zag, best known for his contributions to the horror comic 'Dr. Mortis'. Born in Cauquenes, Pañailillo studied briefly at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Santiago in 1969. After working for newspaper for while, he joined Editorial Zig Zag in mid-1969. In August of that year, he did his first 'Dr Mortis' story, and continued working on the series for many years. When Zig Zag became Quimantú in 1972, Peñailillo went to work for the magazines Infinito ('Eos Errante') and Dimensión Cero ('Aventura Espacial', 'Extraña Aventura'), while he also worked on new 'Dr. Mortis' stories with Juan Marino. In addition, he made 'Martin y Diana', with his own scripts, and 'Kouma, La Reina Blanca', with José Zamorano, in Mampato. He also did the puzzle comic 'Blackwel', and an adaptation of the medieval tale 'Amadís de Gaula'. For publisher Gabriela Mistral, he contributed to the magazines Intocable, Far West, Jungla and El Manque from 1974. Since 1975, Peñailillo had also worked for La Tercera on supplements like Icarito, for which he did covers and a series about the history of Chile. He continued to draw for other supplements throughout the 1980's, and made historical comics through the Artecrom agency. He cooperated with artists like Mario Igor, Manuel Cárdenas, Julio Berrios and Themo Lobos. He eventually returned to La Tercera in 1983, and remained there until 2002, working on supplements like Icarito, De Mujer a Mujer, Agro, and En Su Casa. In the 1990's, he was present in Pimpín with new adventures of 'Martín y Diana'. In 2004, he launched his own horror magazine, Makabro. Peñailillo on ergocomics.cl

The Source Career prep, technology featured at spring board meeting May 23, 2013 Undergraduates’ future career success and technology in higher education took center stage at the spring meeting of the Lewis & Clark Board of Trustees. The May 17 meeting also witnessed updates on retention and entrepreneurship and the passing of the chair’s gavel from Jim Richardson to Mark Dorman. At the Academic Affairs Committee meeting, CAS Dean of Students Anna Gonzalez briefed the trustees on structural changes in the Student Life division aimed at better preparing students for career success. In a presentation titled “Building a Culture of Career Engagement,” Gonzalez detailed changes including the separation of the two primary areas of engagement—careers and community service—now housed in the Center for Career and Community Engagement (3CE). Beginning June 1, career development will go forward in an enhanced fashion in a newly named Career Development Center under the direction of current 3CE Director Minda Heyman; community engagement will be part of a student leadership and service office reporting to Associate Dean Tricia Brand. Through more active outreach to students beginning in their first year, the new career office will help students optimize their curricular and cocurricular experiences and learn how to best present them to prospective employers and graduate programs, Gonzalez explained. At the same time, the office will further develop networks of alumni mentors and employers interested in hiring Lewis & Clark students and alumni for internship and jobs. With this new approach and more focused energy, Gonzalez says, “We will align our career services with the critical thinking and leadership skills our students are learning, and with the need for them to position themselves for the job market and graduate and professional schools.” The new structure was devised after a yearlong process that included an external review, a survey of students using 3CE, and recommendations from a career development committee. In a plenary session presentation on technology in higher education, Chief Information Officer Adam Buchwald spoke about massive open online courses (MOOCs) and other new technologies for teaching and learning. MOOCs, Buchwald explained, are essentially a “wrapper” around a variety of digital-learning resources widely created and employed by Lewis & Clark and other colleges, such as video and digital information-sharing platforms. Debunking the idea that MOOCs will replace the kind of education offered by Lewis & Clark and other liberal arts colleges, Buchwald said, “We pride ourselves on rich face-to-face interactions—research, residential experiences, and international and experiential learning. None of those things translate to a MOOC.” But that’s not to say that colleges like Lewis & Clark have no use for online lectures and the like, Buchwald said. Among other uses, students can consume these outside of class as part of their coursework and come ready to discuss and apply them in class. “It’s about freeing up time so you can devote class experience to discussing, applying, and creating new knowledge,” he said. Buchwald’s presentation followed an inspirational speech by graduating senior Julia Huggins. While describing the rich educational experiences she had through College Outdoors and international study and research programs, as well as in classrooms and labs on campus, Huggins thanked the board for the scholarship support she has received during her four years at Lewis & Clark, including funds donated by trustees Kent Swanson and Stephanie Fowler. Among other actions and reports, the board: - Thanked outgoing chair Jim Richardson B.S. ’70, J.D. ’76 for his service and installed Mark Dorman B.S. ’83 as the new chair - Approved a resolution honoring trustee and past-chair Ron Ragen for his distinguished service on the board and approved his new status as life trustee - Discussed the success of undergraduate science education at Lewis & Clark and possibilities for fundraising for new science facilities - Heard an update on CAS retention efforts, including the decision to have students declare their majors as sophomores rather than juniors - Received an update on entrepreneurship, including the venture competition and the search for a managing director for the new entrepreneurship center - Approved for board membership Ruth Sigal of Princeton, N.J., whose daughter, Ilana Sigal, just graduated from the college - Attended the annual Philanthropy Leadership Dinner, held May 16 at the Fred and Suzanne Fields Ballroom at the Portland Art Museum

By Holly O’Dell Creating an eye-catching effect on walls, furniture and more by smoothly transitioning a color from a light to a dark shade. Check out any recent red carpet event or late-night talk show, and you’ll likely see a celebrity with ombre hair: a duotone style where the roots remain dark and the hair gradually transitions to a lighter shade. However, ombre, French for “to shade,” isn’t relegated to the beauty industry. Interior designers and painters are employing the technique, in which a color gradates from light to dark, or vice versa, to create a subtle yet unique effect. In May, for its booth at Hospitality Design (HD) Expo 2014, Los Angeles−based Pacific Hospitality Design Inc. showcased custom metal and wood furnishings that used Sherwin-Williams® Product Finishes to create a gradient running from a rich cobalt to a very light blue. “I like how ombre uses the same hue for a monochromatic look,” says Ana Maria Martinez-Stumpo, a furniture designer and vice president of Pacific Hospitality Design. “I also like bringing fashion to furniture, and the ombre look we’re seeing with hair is beautiful when applied to furniture.” With a background as a decorative painter, interior designer Marina Klima Goldberg of Klima Design Group in Morganville, New Jersey, has used the ombre technique on everything from drapery trim to air vent covers. “Ombre is more than a trendy fad,” Goldberg says. “It can be used in any setting — traditional or modern. The effect is subtle, so it’s hard to get tired of it.” Many designers are using the ombre technique to bring character to forgotten or traditionally drab spaces. Teri Pollard, ASID, IIDA, CID, interior designer and principal at Designworks Morgan Hill in Morgan Hill, California, has implemented ombre to bring depth to staircases. “Ombre gives visual interest to a staircase in a place that might otherwise just be a way to get from one floor to the next,” Pollard says. “When you pick up paint chip cards at the paint store, the manufacturer has already done the grading for you with three to five colorways on a card,” Pollard says. She suggests selecting at least three of the colorways. She also advises starting at the top of the steps, painting two risers each color and transitioning from very light to dark. “If you use the lightest color at the top, it will feel like you’re going toward the sky,” Pollard says, “and if you use the darkest at the base of the staircase, then it feels grounded.” Pollard applied the same principle to full-height, tongue-and-groove wood paneling in a vacation home to update a dark room. Pollard first applied primer on the paneling, then painted two panel widths at a time, using warm white, sandy beige, dark linen and potato skin, and repeating. “This treatment added brightness, rhythm and interest to lackluster paneling,” Pollard says. “I found linens in the hues I used on the panels, and it changed the whole feeling of the room.” Tips on technique A successful ombre treatment is dependent on mixing the paint and glaze correctly to achieve the right proportions and consistency. Goldberg suggests practicing on samples first. She typically primes a 20ʺ x 30ʺ piece of cardboard and starts to experiment. She places blue masking tape on the cardboard, paints over it, then takes it off right away and uses a brush to smudge the distinct line and soften the gradation. “Think about it as if you’re doing makeup for a smoky eye look,” Goldberg says. In addition to paint, designers have achieved the ombre look through fabric-based treatments such as wall coverings and upholstery. While Martinez-Stumpo has found fashion fabrics with an ombre treatment, these materials don’t generally stand up to upholstery uses. “Instead, we’ll find different fabrics in the same hue that go from dark to medium to light, and cut and sew them into a gradation,” she says. Next on Martinez-Stumpo’s list: experimenting with plating finishes. “I’m thinking about a piece that goes from a brass to a pewter to a chrome, or starting with chrome and ending with glass,” Martinez-Stumpo says. Whether achieving color gradient on a wall, furniture, drapery or decorative element, “you have to be careful that the shade change is subtle,” Pollard says. “Otherwise, it will look more like a banded treatment than ombre.”

Cars measuring 3.5 metres will be required to pay Sh80 toll charges in the financial year 2012/2013 and Sh90 in 2013/2014, up from the current Sh60. Trucks measuring five metres will pay Sh250 in 2012/2013 and Sh280 in 2013/2014, up from Sh195. The current charges were approved by the government in 2010. They were commissioned when the KFS operations almost came to a halt because it was running at a loss and the infrastructure had deteriorated. KFS managing director Musa Hassan said the new tariffs will ensure the operations are stabilised to weather the economic turbulence. He said priority will be given to security. Speaking at a meeting in a Mombasa hotel, Hassan said he has signed three Memoranda of Understanding with the police and the National Youth Service to offer support in curbing crime at the channel. "Even though we face so many challenges and the machines fail us at times, we promise to improve our services," he said. Despite frequent mishaps with the ferries, the KFS management said ferry service provision at Likoni and Mtongwe channels has improved compared to last year. Service provision, measured in terms of reliability and availability, rose to 99 and 99.4 per cent respectively compared to 98 and 86 per cent last year, according to KFS. KFS has a fleet of seven ferries. It serves about 1.9 million vehicles annually with an expected annual increment of five per cent. About 100 million pedestrian are ferried across the two channels annually. The tariffs review is expected to fund extended service hours and provide ferry service to the greater Mombasa region with possible extension to Kilifi, Malindi, Lamu and the South Coast.

For its first full-length album, independent Philadelphia band The Panic Years really went for the lived-in approach. The band moved a studio into lead singer Edward Everett’s basement, and the band and the producer lived together for three months, until “The Month’s Mind” was finished. “It was really neat to see the French horn player in there reading his notes that he’s made on the track off the refrigerator,” Everett said. The final result can be heard when the band makes its Amarillo debut Friday at The 806, 2812 S.W. Sixth Ave. The close recording quarters were creatively beneficial, Everett said. “It allowed us to live together, and we never really had any time constraints. If you get stuck on a part, you just stay up all night and work through it, then climb upstairs and go to bed,” he said. The environment was perfect, Everett said, because the band was working on a concept album based on the titular concept of celebrating the life of a loved one a month after he or she dies. “We knew it would be hard to just go in and out of the studio and keep that kind of idea tight,” Everett said. “You basically have to live in the idea, be inside of it. “It definitely was claustrophobic, it could get pretty terrible at times, but the end result was exactly what we wanted.” The album was inspired by the deaths, in quick succession, of a close friend, the mother and the grandmother of Everett. “It was a year of feeling horrible, then another feeling more horrible and then another year of feeling the most horrible, and then you finally start to come to grips with that,” Everett said. Those feelings couldn’t help but color whatever album Everett might be working on — “You have to write the record that comes out,” he said — so the band’s hopes for a lighter, escapist pop album were put on the back burner. Despite the somber inspiration, Everett said he hopes the album, which was released June 12, doesn’t come off “too self-serious.” “That is a really gross thing that I hate when other people do it,” he said. “I tried to be objective about it, not to make it a bigger deal than it is. When I listen to it now as objectively as I can about a record my band made, I think they’re cool indie rock songs.” LGBT community unites to spread awareness | Comments: 8

PHOTOS: Check out this bikini bike wash that helped raise money for the Ronald McDonald House! (USA TODAY) -- The discovery of one plague-infected squirrel in Southern California is not the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse. It's merely an indication that our public health system is working smoothly. There are about seven cases of the plague each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most are in the West, where the Yersinia pestis bacteria that causes plague lives in rats, squirrels and other rodents and the fleas that infest them. While the Black Death may have wiped out one-third of Europe's population in the 1300s, it couldn't happen today. Antibiotics are a very effective treatment. Today about 90% of plague victims who get prompt medical attention survive. The discovery of the infected squirrel was routine and part of ongoing public health surveillance, says Ken Gage, chief of CDC's flea-borne diseases section in Fort Collins, Colo. States where plague is known to exist "are quite good at responding quickly," Gage says. In the United States, plague is regularly found in the West. Since 1970, cases have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. States where the plague exists began testing rodents for the disease the 1930s and today have effective programs in place to control it, Gage says. The plague-infected squirrel in Wrightwood, Calif., was found July 16 by the California Plague Surveillance and Control Program. As soon as tests for plague came back on Wednesday, health officials closed three nearby campgrounds in the Angeles National Forest to protect campers. They also posted notices in the area to warn residents to avoid dead animals that might carry fleas, Gage said. Health officials will now track down the squirrel's burrows and dust them for the fleas that actually carry the plague bacteria. The campgrounds will be reopened after testing shows they're plague-free. The only way to get plague is to be exposed to infected fleas or rodents or to have the plague bacteria get into an open wound or cut, the CDC says. With modern housing and pest control, that's a lot less common than it was in 1350 when entire villages died from the disease. About 80% of plague cases in the United States occur when people come into contact with infected fleas jumping from dead animals or animal burrows to humans, Gage said. Last summer, a 7-year-old girl was camping with her family in Colorado and got the plague from a dead squirrel. The animal-loving girl asked her parents if she could bury the squirrel. Her mother said no, but the child hid the squirrel in her sweatshirt anyway. Doctors found insect bites on her torso and think fleas on the carcass bit her. After weeks in the hospital she survived. Another 15% to 20% of cases are in hunters or trappers. "That could be hunters who have shot rabbits or trappers who have trapped infected bobcats," CDC's Gage says. In one case several years ago, a National Park Service wildlife biologist died from the plague after handling a mountain lion. He had fitted it with a radio collar. When the animal later died, the biologist found the carcass and took it back to skin it, Gage says. A tiny proportion of cases come when people are in contact with infected cougars, bobcats and domestic cats. "Felines are very susceptible to plague, and they can spread the disease to people through coughing and bites," Gage said. However, there have only been 30 such cases since 1977, he said. The plague first arrived in the United States around 1900, in rat-infested steamships arriving from infected areas, most likely Asia. There were several plague outbreaks across the West early in the century. The last major one was in Los Angeles in 1924 and 1925. Plague symptoms include fever, chills, headache, weakness and swollen and tender glands in the neck, underarms or groin.