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$10 All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast
- Date: 07/04/2019 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM
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Torrance, California 90501
Come out and support the Torrance Fire Department Explorer Port 343 for their 2nd annual All You Can Eat Pancake Breakfast for just $10 on July 4th, 2019.
All proceeds will go to support Torrance Fire Explorer Post 343.


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. . . And In Health
This story appears in the April 2000 issue of Business Start-Ups magazine. Subscribe »
It was early 1996, just months after he and his wife, Jacquelyn, founded their contract rehabilitation company, Achievement Therapy Professionals (ATP) Inc., when Ted Langdon first heard rumblings that times, they were a changin' (in the health-care industry, that is). Hearsay trickling down the grapevine of home-health and rehabilitation providers pointed to the inevitable: President Clinton's Balanced Budget Act of 1997 would cut back on Medicare, not only bringing about a cap on outpatient rehabilitation services, but also lowering per-visit costs to Medicare-based home-health agencies, hospitals and skilled nursing facilities.
Sadly, looming business woes were the least of the Langdons' worries that year. In the summer of 1996, at age three, their son Spencer-twin brother of Tyler-was diagnosed with leukemia, warranting three years of chemotherapy and approximately $1,000 worth of medication each month. Faced with circumstances that would obliterate the future goals of most, the Langdons didn't fold, but instead expanded ATP's services to override the Medicare massacre.
Making ATP a "one-stop shop" by adding outpatient rehab to its services was the ultimate goal, but first the Langdons had to move the company out of their Carrboro, North Carolina, home (situated in a bedroom, no less) and into a Hillsborough, North Carolina, office complex. To Ted, outpatient was ATP's salvation. "I really started seeing the effects [of the Balanced Budget Act] in 1997," says Ted, 33. "Medicare-based agencies were laying off staff, and the first people to go were with contract companies." If they didn't go out of business or merge with other corporations, agencies drastically reduced their pay rates to contract companies, lowering the therapists' wages. Some just didn't pay at all-like House Calls, a statewide home-health agency in North Carolina whose owner was nabbed for allegedly double-billing his way to Medicare/Medicaid fraud in 1997. "I tried everything I could to retrieve [the $14,000 House Calls owed], but they were sued by everyone," says Ted. "They had everything frozen, and I was so far down on the lawsuit list that, basically, I never got paid."
Now when you're a national chain of rehab clinics, a less-than-$10,000 loss might cause a dent in operations. But when the two-year-old business you bootstrapped using savings, a couple credit cards and retirement money is hit with that kind of blow-and you're paying for your son's chemotherapy treatments-believe Ted Langdon, it hurts. "The banks sure wouldn't loan us any money," he remembers. "It's a service company, and the profit margins are too narrow." And don't forget the risk factor amid all the health-care reforms. It may have taken a year to fully recover, but by injecting his own capital-earnings he'd saved from the six-figure salary he made working, sometimes seven days a week, as a licensed physical therapist assistant prior to starting ATP-he dug himself out of the hole.
Gearing Up
By July of 1998, ATP was reaping the fruits of its new home, conveniently located in front of a large sporting facility with an ice rink, swimming pools, spring training equipment and a seminar room. The company had also started providing outpatient rehab and education, as well as consulting services in addition to the professional rehabilitation staffing and management services it already provided for central North Carolina health-care organizations. "That's really what saved us," Ted says. "And I was able to keep a lot of my [prior] contracts just because of my reputation and the people I knew. But the volume wasn't there like it was in 1995 through 1997."
Although the addition of new physical, occupational and speech therapists (paid on a per diem basis to start) helped drum up business, clients that dragged out their payments-sometimes for months-put a damper on growth. That was Ted's clue that monthly billing wasn't cutting it. He quickly switched to weekly.
Hiccups aside, ATP was poised for the expansion Ted sought. But then he and Jacquelyn, ATP's corporate secretary of administration, were dealt another blow just two years after Spencer's diagnosis: Their then-five-month-old son Jack Grier was diagnosed with osteopetrosis, a rare bone disease that, according to Ted, affects only 200 people in the world. "He ended up having to have a bone-marrow transplant, so my wife was with him in the hospital for three months," recalls Ted. "And a bone-marrow transplant's not cheap. It's about a million dollars." But because the Langdons were valued members of the community and their church, friends and strangers pulled together to raise money. They helped the family organize a bone-marrow drive through the local Red Cross, held dances, benefit auctions, barbecues, yard sales-even a lemonade stand that raised $900, courtesy of the children in the community. It only solidified the feeling that anything was possible with teamwork and support.
For The People
Perhaps it's because they selflessly gave time and money to him and his family in their time of need that Ted is so set on making rehabilitation accessible to everyone in the 12 North Carolina counties ATP serves. Not only does the company, with about 30 employees (including contract therapists), offer free therapy screening, it also provides discounts on a sliding scale to patients with no insurance or no, or limited, out-of-network benefits.
Ted admits it may not be the wisest strategy, because ATP, with sales expected to hit $750,000 this year, has yet to go big-time. "The way I look at it is, we're trying to give back to the community. And if I can at least cover my costs and make a very slight profit margin, then we'll do things like that," Ted says. "I write it off as marketing, because, hopefully, they'll refer more patients with insurance who can afford it." Keeping overhead low by having therapists in management work full time, using extra space in health clubs and schools as quasi-clinics, and making employment forms for prospective and present therapists available on ATP's Web site (http://www.atprehab.com) all help his cause.
When you don't have financial backing (at some point, he would love to secure $250,000 to $500,000 worth), the owner also has to make sacrifices. "My salary fluctuates," Ted says. "I'm always the last one to get paid. I pay all my expenses first, then I pay my therapists [therapists' wages have decreased by about 20 percent since 1997], and then I pay myself. If referrals are down, I may need to cut back when I get paid."
But you'll never see the day when ATP gives quickie service to increase profits. "We call them `shake and bake' outpatient facilities," says Ted. "They'll do anything as cheap as possible, so they can pocket the rest. ATP is not about that. We may go out of business as a result of that philosophy, but I think people will start to recognize quality care is more important."
Because the health-care industry is "such a volatile field," Ted has diversified more than his company's services-which earlier this year entered the health and wellness arena with offerings like yoga and therapeutic massage, and may also add T'ai Chi and nutrition counseling. To add another revenue stream, he founded AptBilling LLC, a medical billing practice management company, with ATP's chief financial officer, Lynda Taylor, this past November. And he's partnering with Jacquelyn, 29 (also an independent kitchen consultant with The Pampered Chef), on two new ventures: a therapy-supply e-commerce company and an assisted technology company geared toward the blind and deaf, inspired by their son Jack Grier, who is blind as a result of osteopetrosis.
Expanding statewide is this year's goal, but facilitating independence, be it for himself, his family (Spencer and Jack Grier are doing well), his patients or his therapists, has always been Ted's main goal. A family man who's "just figuring out how to be an entrepreneur in this type of setting" (and who often works 60- to 70-hour weeks to do so), he helps contracted therapists set up home offices and seek autonomy-even though they really work for him. "I try to show them they can take a bedroom or a corner, set up a computer and a fax line, and have a homebased business just like I did," he says. "I'm keeping the entrepreneurial spirit alive."
"I'll Take Those Odds."
No business is a guaranteed success. As entrepreneurs, you face not only financial peril, but also stress that would put most 9-to-5ers out of business-and not all of you make it. Of course, the greater the odds, the greater the payoff, and these are the stories of those of you who prove it.
The Matchup
The Ents: Ted Langdon was on the path to medical school to study sports medicine when someone suggested getting a physical therapist assistant license. The money was so good, he took it to the next level: his own business. But his timing couldn't have been worse.
vs. The Odds: Medicare cuts resulting from the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 not only damaged Ted's contract-rehabilitation business early on-it landed the company in subpoena-land, where it had to try to squeeze payment from near-extinct businesses.
"I'm just trying to ride the wave before we have a wipeout." Ted Langdon
The Outcome
By diversifying his company's services and spreading out to supplementary businesses, Langdon conquered the fate of the fallen health-care agencies around him and will have $750,000 in sales this year to show for it.


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Official Statistics * Unofficial DataVolley Statistics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 11, 2010) – After losing the first set to Finland, the U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team woke up to win the next three and captured its first 2010 FIVB World League victory, 3-1 (25-27, 25-18, 27-25, 25-18) on Friday in Tampere, Finland.
The U.S. Men improved their World League record to 1-2 while Finland fell to 1-2. The two teams will play again on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. local time (11:30 a.m. ET; 8:30 a.m. PT). In the other Pool C match on Friday, Russia defeated Egypt, 3-1 (26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15).
U.S. outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) led all scorers with 22 points on a match-high 21 kills (0.57 kill percentage) and one block. Opposite Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added 16 points on 13 kills (0.37) kill percentage, one block and two aces. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) scored 13 points on seven kills (0.87 kill percentage), three blocks and a match-high three aces.
Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled 12 points on a match-high nine blocks, two kills, and one ace. Outside hitter Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) contributed 10 points on 10 kills (0.45 kill percentage).
"I think that this was well played match from both teams at this early stage of World League," U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said in an FIVB release. "Finland was very aggressive in serves and put a pressure to us. I am very happy with my team."
Antti Siltala paced Finland with 20 points on 18 kills and two aces. Urpo Sivula added 16 points on 15 kills and one ace. They were the only Finnish players in double digits.
The U.S. Men out-blocked Finland 14-7 and the two teams were tied in aces 6-6. The U.S. scored 29 points on Finland errors while committing only 20.
U.S. setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) was credited with 23 running sets and no faults on 85 attempts. He set the U.S. team to a 0.46 kill percentage and a 0.33 hitting percentage. Finland's kill percentage was 0.44 but its hitting percentage was 0.27.
The United States had 41 digs, led by Suxho with 12 and two faults on 16 attempts. U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was credited with 11 digs and three faults on 15 attempts and Salmon had seven digs and one fault on nine attempts.
Salmon led in "excellent" service receptions with 16 and four faults on 30 attempts. Rooney was credited with 15 excellent service receptions and no faults on 21 attempts. Lambourne had 11 excellent receptions and one fault on 17 attempts.
Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Rooney and Salmon at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Anderson at opposite, Suxho at setter and Rich Lambourne at libero.
He stuck with the starters throughout the match. Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) played as a substitute.
The U.S. Men opened up an 8-4 lead at the first technical timeout (TTO) of the first set as the U.S. Men scored on a block by Millar, two kills from Salmon, a kill from Anderson and four Finland errors. The U.S. increased its lead to five at 12-7 when Finland scored on two quick kills to pull to 12-9. Later, with the U.S. leading 14-10, Finland pulled to within two points with two more straight kills. The two teams traded points until the U.S. reached the second TTO with a 16-13 lead on Finland's serving error. Finland used a 3-1 run coming out of the break to pull to within one at 17-16, but Finland's serving error put the U.S. Men back up by two. The teams traded points until Finland tied the score at 22-22 on two straight kills. Knipe called timeout, but a U.S. attack error put Finland ahead by one. Knipe called timeout and a Finland serving error tied the score for the U.S. An ace by Lee gave Team USA set point. But Finland responded with a kill and ace for its own set point at 25-24. Finland's serving error tied the score at 25-25. But Finland scored twice on a kill and an ace to take the set.
Finland's momentum carried it to a 6-3 lead in the second set. But the U.S. men responded with five straight points, including kills from Salmon, Anderson and Millar, to lead 8-6 at the first TTO. The teams traded points until the U.S. was leading 9-8. That's when it scored three straight points on a Finland error, Lee block and Rooney kill. Finland Head Coach Mauro Berruto called timeout, but the U.S. responded with three more straight points on kills by Lee and Anderson and an ace from Millar. With Team USA leading 15-8, Finland stopped the barrage with a block. The U.S. Men scored again on a Rooney kill to ready the second TTO. After the break, Finland scored twice to cut the U.S. lead to 16-10. But the U.S. Men kept up the pressure with three straight points on a Rooney kill and blocks by Lee and Anderson. The United States led 21-12 when Finland went on a 5-1 run that forced Knipe to call another timeout. A Finland serving error gave the U.S. a 23-17 lead. A Finland attack made it 23-18. But a Rooney attack gave the U.S. Men set point and Anderson ended things with a block.
The U.S. Men led 8-4 at the first TTO of the third set, scoring on two kills by Rooney, two from Salmon, a kill and block from Millar and a Lee block. Finland got a kill before the U.S. Men scored on a kill by Anderson and ace from Millar to force Berruto to call timeout. The two teams traded points until the U.S. led 13-8. Finland got the serve on Team USA's service error and then scored four straight points to tie the score at 13-13. The U.S. Men regained the lead on Salmon's kill and the two teams traded points until the U.S. lead was 17-16. Finland scored twice to go ahead 18-17. The U.S. regained it on two straight Anderson kills. Finland took it back once again on two straight kills. Knipe called timeout and the U.S. responded with straight kills by Rooney and Anderson. Two straight U.S. errors gave Finland a 22-21 lead and the teams traded points until Finland reached set point at 24-23. A Salmon kill tied the score at 24-24 and Lee's block gave Team USA the set point. Finland fought back with a kill. But Rooney, dealing with a bloody nose, ended the set with two successful attacks.
Team USA took an 8-5 lead at the first TTO of the fourth set, scoring on two kills and a block from Millar, an attack and ace by Anderson and a Salmon kill. A block by Rooney gave the U.S. a 9-5 lead. The teams traded points until the U.S. lead was 11-7. Finland scored three straight points on an ace and two U.S. errors to pull to within one point at 11-10. Team USA fought it off with an attack by Rooney and a Lee block. With the U.S. leading 17-13, Finland again scored three straight points to pull to within one. Knipe called timeout and the United States' Millar took the serve on Finland's setting error. Millar served for the next five points, including an ace, two more blocks from Lee and a Rooney kill. Finland called timeout and responded with a kill to make the score 23-17. But Team USA reached match point on Finland's serving error. A U.S. hitting error gave the Finns one more point before Rooney ended the match with a kill.
For the U.S. Men's World League Media Guide, click here.
To view a match photo gallery, click here.
To read Rob Browning's World League blog, click here.
The USA Volleyball page for World League information is http://usavolleyball.org/events/2878.
To visit the FIVB World League page with photos, statistics and live scoring, click here.
2010 FIVB World League
June 11-12 in Tampere, Finland
U.S. Roster
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State)
2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine)
3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara)
4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State)
5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU)
6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State)
7 Donald Suxho (S, 6-5, Korce, Albania, USC)
8 C Reid Priddy (OH, 6-5, Richmond, Va., Loyola Marymount)
9 Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Utah, BYU)
10 Riley Salmon (OH, 6-6, League City, Texas, Pierce College)
14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford)
15 Russell Holmes (MB, 6-8, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU)
17 Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State)
19 Alfee Reft (L, 5-10, Oxnard, Calif., Hawai'i)
Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Team Leader: Rob Browning (Newport Beach, Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Trainer: Ron Larsen (Lafayette, Calif.)
Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)
Pool C Standings (As of June 11)
Country (points) record
Russia (9) 3-0
Finland (4) 1-2
Egypt (2) 1-2
2010 U.S. World League Schedule and Results
Date: June 4-5
Location: Ekaterinburg, Russia
June 4: Russia def. United States, 25-15, 26-24, 25-14
June 5: Russia def. United States, 25-14, 25-22, 21-25, 25-21
Date: June 11-12
Opponent: Finland
Location: Tampere, Finland
June 11: United States def. Finland, 25-27, 25-18, 27-25, 25-28
Date: June 18-19 (7 p.m. both days)
Opponent: Egypt
Location: Cabarrus Arena in Concord, N.C. - www.visitcabarrus.com
Date: June 25-26 (7 p.m. both days)
Opponent: Finland
Location: Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.
Date: July 2-3
Opponent: Egypt
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Date: July 9 at 7 p.m.; July 10 at 6 p.m.
Opponent: Russia
Location: Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan. - www.wichitasports.com/
Final Round (must qualify)
Date: July 21-25
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Other Pool C Results
June 5: Egypt def. Finland, 23-25, 26-24, 25-16, 20-25, 15-13
June 6: Finland def. Egypt, 25-22. 23-25, 25-20, 25-19
June 11: Russia def. Egypt, 26-24, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15


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Thursday, April 5, 2012
Talking dogs and Spicy Beauty Queens in sequels
The most promising and ambitious of the pair is Ma Mha 2 (มะหมา 2), a follow-up to the NGR studio's 2007 talking-dog movie that had the English title Mid-Road Gang.
A rare talking-animal movie in the Thai industry, it proved pretty popular and was even praised critically. It also led to more opportunities for the Chaipak Dog Training Center, which has since supplied many trained dogs to the entertainment industry.
Pantham Thongsang again directs. He co-directed the first one with Somkiet Vituranich.
Some of the old dogs have returned, but there's also new dogs doing all kinds of new tricks, like running through alleys and jumping through hoops as if they were Tony Jaa in Ong-Bak.
The canine cast this time around led by a pure-breed Thai Bangkaew named Jer. He's voiced by young actor Jirayu La-ongmanee. Jer runs into trouble when he's unjustly accused of attacking his master's child but in fact, the infant has been kidnapped and it's up to Jer to rescue the tyke. Pitisak Yaowananon, who starred in Pantham's 2004 drama Ai Fak, also stars.
More about the movie is in a Bangkok Post story. The trailer is embedded below.
Now they are back in their sequined costumes and outlandish wigs. Jaturong Pollaboon returns as the ringleader, after having fled abroad. He comes home to finally have that operation. But then the hospital is stormed by a radical student group, led by Somchai Kemklad, doing his usual Somchai Kemklad hotheaded act.
Original cast member Charoenporn "Kohtee" Onlamai is among the returnees. They're joined by Kirk Schiller, among others.
Actress "Tak" Bongkote Kongmalai is also in cast. Apparently she and Poj have forgiven each other after they feuded during the making of the martial-arts flick Chalee's Angels a.k.a. Dangerous Flowers.
The trailer is embedded below.
Posted by Wise Kwai at 12:00 PM
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This was published 6 years ago
Search for MH370: Suspected debris lies above undersea volcanoes
The cluster of suspected debris from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been sighted above a giant undersea chain of volcanoes whose complex terrain has barely been charted, an Australian marine geologist says.
Robin Beaman, from James Cook University, said so little of the southern Indian Ocean sea floor, including the search zone, had been mapped in detail that any attempt to retrieve wreckage would require extensive 3D mapping, possibly by ships with multibeam echo sounders.
But Australia no longer has the capacity to chart depths of 3000 metres, the average depth of the search area, because the only government vessel capable of conducting mapping of that kind, the RV Southern Surveyor, had been decommissioned in December.
The research vessel's replacement was being built in Singapore and was about to undergo sea trials, Dr Beaman said.
''It's bad timing really. Australia has no capability of mapping these depths,'' he said. Multibeam echo sounders send out sound pulses in the shape of a fan, returning depths of the sea floor directly under the ship and on either side, a pattern known as a swath.
Dr Beaman said the first piece of debris spotted by DigitalGlobe satellites on March 16 was located about 60 kilometres south-west of the active zone of the Southeast Indian Ridge, a chain of underwater volcanoes that ran from the south-west of Australia to below New Zealand. Another object sighted by a Chinese aircraft was about 180 kilometres south-west of the ridge.
The suspected debris picked up by an Australian aircraft on Monday was spotted about 200 kilometres to the north-east of the ridge, Dr Beaman said.
''On the flanks of the ridge, which is very likely where any crash zone occurred, there has been virtually no … mapping apart from the odd strip,'' he said.
The complex terrain of the ridgeline, with peaks tens of metres tall, would make it difficult to spot any debris without good charts and remote-operated underwater vessels.
''It's all going to have to be remapped, there's no doubt,'' he said.
International research groups had conducted sea floor surveys in the region, using multibeam echo sounders to create 3D maps of the sea floor, but the last two surveys occurred almost 20 years ago and used outdated technology, he said.
These surveys charted several areas about 70 kilometres wide while other research ships had gathered detail on the sea floor as they sailed from one port to another, but the paths they charted were only about 10 kilometres to 20 kilometres wide.
''It'll be very unlikely that debris has fallen in those little 10 to 20-kilometre wide zones,'' he said.
''You're left with gaps of hundreds of kilometres where there is no detailed understanding of what the sea floor terrain looks like.''
Dr Beaman said it was not surprising that an area of deep open water so far from land or regular shipping routes had not been charted in detail. ''You have to put your effort where it's most needed,'' he said. ''There's very little to bump into and the search zone is 2000 kilometres from the edge of our exclusive economic zone.'' Only depth readings were available for most of the search area.
A Defence spokeswoman said while the search area was within the Australian Hydrographic Service's area of charting responsibility, it had not been mapped to great detail because of the very deep nature of the region, which made it less risky for ships.
Nicky Phillips is Science Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald.


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Friday, December 26, 2008
My Last Blog Entry
By Richard Firsten
Retired ESOL Teacher, Teacher-Trainer, Columnist, Author
I've never been good at good-byes. I end up trying to hold back emotions and risk coming off cold and distant, or I end up letting it all hang out and risk looking like a sentimental slob. I'll try to maintain the middle ground here.
This has been a wonderful experience for me. First, I was flattered by being invited to write a blog on AzarGrammar.com and by being told that I could write on whatever topic came to mind and say whatever I felt. There aren't too many people that would give somebody free reign like that, and I've appreciated that confidence in me very much.
I hope that, over the past year, I have given you food for thought that kept you interested and wanting to come back to read some more. I hope I've entertained and even amused you at times. I know that I thoroughly enjoyed working on each and every blog entry, and I hope that that came through as you read my pieces.
I would like to thank Betty Azar and Sue Van Etten for their invitation to write this blog, for their guidance, and for their moral support during the year. They're both marvelous professionals and an absolute joy to work with. Thank you, Betty! Thank you, Sue! And thank you for all the kind things you've said about me, Sue. I'm blushing!
I'm very glad that the blog will go on and morph into something with such exciting possibilities. I think this is a wonderful chance for all of you who have important, interesting, enlightening things to contribute to have your thoughts published in cyberspace. What a great opportunity to share your thoughts with thousands of your colleagues worldwide. Wow! So please do take advantage of the invitation that Sue has made. Let's hear from you. I may even pop up once in a while to add a thought or two to what one of you has posted.
So I'll take my leave now with one last thank-you, and this one's for all of you who have stopped by over this past year and visited with me in my cyberspace living room. It's been a great experience for me, and I feel confident that the blog will continue to be a great experience for all of you who roll your sleeves up, pitch in, and post your thoughts on this site. I can't wait to read what you guys have to say!
Richard Firsten


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Microsoft today launched Lync 2010, the next generation of Office Communications Server (OCS). Unlike OCS, Lync manages various forms of communication from one UI: instant messages, voice calls, video calls, meetings, and shared whiteboard sessions. Lync also includes enterprise voice capabilities to reduce legacy infrastructure costs.
Microsoft Lync works with applications in three other Microsoft families: Office, SharePoint, and Exchange. Lync succeeds both OCS 2007, released in November 2007, and OCS 2007 R2, released in February 2009.
Microsoft Lync 2010 and Microsoft Lync Server 2010 will be available for purchase on December 1, 2010. Lync Online, which includes instant messaging, presence, audio and video conferencing, and PC-to-PC voice calls, will come as part of Office 365, with voice capabilities slated to arrive in 2011.
Lync can also connect with Windows Live Messenger for voice and video conversations, though there's no mention of support with the Xbox Kinect. On a conference call, when someone has poor audio or is adding background noise, Lync will automatically identify which phone to mute. More interestingly, device switching lets you swap between your headset and phone in the middle of a call, and you can also use your headset to make a phone call using WiFi.
A 180-day trial of Microsoft Lync Server 2010 is available on the TechNet Evaluation Center. Separately, the Microsoft Lync Server 2010 SDK is available from the Microsoft Download Center. More information and download links are available below.
"Lync delivers on our vision to unify all of the modes of modern business communication, giving people a more collaborative, 'in person' experience with features like HD video, conference recording, and social features like status updates and activity feeds," Gurdeep Singh Pall, Microsoft Lync & Speech Group corporate vice president, said in statement. "In addition to transforming how people communicate, IT departments are also looking to Lync to evolve their infrastructure and enhance or eliminate their traditional PBX systems, saving money and saving time."


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20 "Cakes" of Java in Brazilsteveonjava | July 14, 2015
To celebrate 20 Years of Java we did a cross-country tour in Brazil for 20 days, visiting Java User Groups and Events across the country. It was long and grueling, but a lot of fun. And most importantly, we got to eat cake! Cake for breakfast (thanks to Otavio and his chocolate passion) and a Java cake for dinner… every single day!
We raced robots in Campinas
And ate SOUJAVA cake!


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Marco Polo New World redefines global trading solutions through innovation and reliability
Perseus Telecom providing ultra-low latency connectivity and infrastructure to Marco Polo New World
NEW YORK – 30 September 2013 – Recently acquired Marco Polo Securities today announced that it has integrated with 'Marco Polo New World.' The Marco Polo New World vision encompasses new management along with next generation technology, befitting the firm's testament to reliability and performance that have kept loyal financial services customers in place for fourteen years.
Cliff Goldman, CFO and President of Marco Polo, stated, "Launching Marco Polo New World coincides precisely with the strategic repositioning the firm has made, in the context of being a vendor of strength and reliability for the customers we serve in developed and emerging markets."
Established in 2000, the original firm set out to overcome the barriers to investing and trading between developed and emerging markets. Today Marco Polo New World, with its new focus and technology, has in place a global electronic trading platform which currently provides connections to 70 plus countries representing more than 100 markets. This trading platform has an extensive global network of broker dealers and asset managers that enjoy neutrality and flexibility, all whom are backed by an experienced and knowledgeable service team that works around-the-clock.
Defining global trading solutions
- Premier global electronic trading provider with experienced and professional customer support
- Committed to continually providing new gateways to Emerging Markets
- Strong new leadership and vision, committed to innovation and reliability
Anthony Orantes, Managing Director of Marco Polo New World, says, "Customer feedback has been phenomenal throughout the Marco Polo New World launch. We have strong support and backing by Perseus Telecom, which helps our customers take advantage of the Perseus global ultra-low latency connectivity to exchanges and trading venues. We also selected a world-class management team comprised of executives with significant experience operating in global markets, who understand market structure, advanced technology, and electronic exchange trading," he concludes.
'Defining global trading solutions' is central to the Marco Polo New World value proposition. "Our New World brand name, and even our logo, is based on innovation, technology, and connectivity. This core value reinforces what we are committed to deliver to our global customer base," said Kamran Rafieyan, Director of Marco Polo New World. "With the new leadership in place our firm can deliver a higher level of service for our current and future customers."
With the new management team of Dr. Jock Percy, Marco Polo New World Chairman, Cliff Goldman, CFO and President of Marco Polo Securities, Anthony Orantes, Managing Director Sales, and newly appointed Kamran Rafieyan, Director of Marco Polo New World, the company's vision is being executed by a team of trusted, experienced, and performance-driven partners. Under the guidance of this leadership, Marco Polo New World will work closely with its customers to help them navigate through the array of complexities in today's global trading markets.
Perseus provides network and infrastructure to Marco Polo New World resulting in significant advantages for the firm and its customers. In addition to more efficient operations for the company, by utilizing the Perseus award winning ultra low latency network, Marco Polo New World customers will be availed to increased trading speeds.
Marco Polo New World, through its local exchange and brokerage relationships, offers intra-market connectivity and routing to brokers and exchanges in more than 100 markets. "Perseus Telecom is a global market-to-market exchange connectivity provider with the lowest latency available, and it is now supercharging the Marco Polo New World platform," said Dr. Jock Percy, CEO of Perseus Telecom. "Perseus serves a significant number of trading firms, exchanges and technology providers with unsurpassed speed and precision," Percy added.
Source: MarcoPolo & Perseus,30.09.2013
Filed under: Asia, Latin America, Trading Technology, Asia, Brazil, Brokerage Firms, DMA Direct Market Access, Emerging Markets, Latin America, Marco Polo Network, Perseus Telecom, Trade Connectivity, Trading Hubs, Trading Network, Trading System


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W. Dean Robinson
- BS Chemical Engineering 1946
- Chemical Engineering 1942
Mr. W. Dean Robinson was born in the middle of the Copper Country in Ahmeek, Michigan in 1921. He graduated from Michigan Tech in 1942 with a BS in Chemical Engineering. He served as Captain in the Army Corps of Engineers in overseas airport construction through 1945 when he returned to graduate study at Michigan Tech. He completed his MS in Chemical Engineering in 1946. Later, he completed an MS in engineering administration from Washington University in St. Louis in 1956.
His first industrial position was with the Monsanto Company where he worked for 36 years until 1982. His last responsibility with Monsanto was Manager, Research and Development. In this capacity he provided technology support for several major chemicals including the world's first production of maleic anhydride from butane. Following his retirement from Monsanto he founded Robinson Technical Associates, Inc. in 1985. In this new venture he provided technical assistance to the three largest maleic anhydride plants in the world.
In 1946 he married Genevieve Trione from Laurium, then Secretary of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Michigan Tech. They have three grown children and live in Webster Groves, MO. Dean is the recipient of 13 U.S. patents and many foreign patents. His technical publications include the maleic anhydride sections in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. He is a 50+ member of the AIChE and ACS.
From 2000 Induction to the Department of Chemical Engineering Academy


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The unlock code of Alcatel X100X comes from the calculator and works 100%.


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What we're NOT going to do is spill the beans on any of "Source Code's" intriguing plot secrets. What we ARE going to do is clue you in to a couple clever little "Easter eggs" hidden by director Duncan Jones in the film, along with a little 411 on the helmer himself.
All you need to know going in is that "Source Code" features Jake Gyllenhaal in a unique and twisty bit of time-jumping, revisiting eight crucial minutes repeatedly as he frantically tries to avert a major catastrophe. And if that reminds you a tiny bit of a certain time-jumping 80s/90s cult TV show, keep a sharp ear out for a super-subtle vocal cameo from "Quantum Leap" star Scott Bakula.
Jones, who wowed audiences with his first feature "Moon" in 2009, says tapping Bakula to voice an off-camera – but important – character was a "massively" intentional homage to "Quantum Leap." "In fact, if you pay close attention to the dialogue, we actually managed to slip in there him saying 'Oh, boy!'" Jones tells PopcornBiz, evoking Bakula's catchphrase as time-traveler Sam Beckett. "I think the fact that we got away with that is probably the thing I'm most proud of all in this film!"
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"When I first read the script, I couldn't help but think of many, many influences that obviously must have been there when Ben Ripley was writing," explains Jones, "and there was that moment where Jake sees himself in the mirror – that's a 'Quantum Leap' moment to me. We were working out the voices and it just occurred to us, 'Wouldn't it be great if Scott Bakula did that?' And he's the right age and the tenor of his voice is definitely a supporting, nurturing voice that he has. We brought him in and he was so lovely and willing to take it seriously, and he got why we wanted to have him do it. It was great, really lovely to have him do it."
"It's subtle, and like I said, the "Oh, boy" was the thing that I was not sure about," laughs Jones. "Would we get away with that? But he did a few versions and I think we got it just right, that it just slips past most people."
Jones admits to a little self-referencing as well, reusing Chesney Hawke's one-hit song "The One and Only" in "Source Code" after featuring it in his debut film. "There's a little nod to 'Moon' in the ringtone that Christina [Michelle Monaghan] has. There's a song that plays, and that's the same song that Sam Bell's [Sam Rockwell's] alarm clock is in 'Moon.'" And as in "Moon," there just may be a subtle significance to the song as well.
Pop culture factors significantly in Jones' life – he's the son of rock icon David Bowie, and he admits it took him a while to find his own path away from his father's famous shadow. "He's always been incredibly supportive," says Jones. "I think it really does help that we work in different areas. It would have been really horrible to try and have a career in music. That would have been difficult. I know other people who've tried that – Julian Lennon, who's John Lennon's son, did it, and he's a very, very talented man, but he was always for the whole of his career living in the shadow of his dad. Fortunately my interests were never musical, so I don't have a musical bone in my body. It really helped me that I was working in a different area, and also there was a decent gap in time between when my father was casting his biggest shadow and when I was releasing my first film. There was enough time there that people were willing to give me the benefit of the doubt and see what it was that I was doing."
Calling himself "a late bloomer" (Jones pursued a PhD in philosophy before moving behind the camera, first in advertising and then in film), the director says he initially struggled to find his own unique voice. "I think I probably could have let it go if my dad hadn't said 'You've got to find the passion in your life,'" he says, "which was a gift and a curse, because I completely agreed with him, but it meant that I really had a long hunt to try and get the right thing for me. It's a real struggle; I know how difficult it is. Some people are very, very lucky and they find the thing that they really want to do early on in life. It took me a long time to come to terms with it and actually go with it."
Given Bowie's considerable acting resume ("The Man Who Fell to Earth," "The Hunger," "Labyrinth," "The Last Temptation of Christ" and "The Presitge," among others), is there any chance father and son might collaborate on screen someday? "Maybe," muses Jones. "I think I'm not the director that I would want to be to work with my dad. I think if I ever got to the point where I really felt I could be supportive in the way that I want to be to him, I think maybe – but I need more experience before I ever take that on."


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Republican News
Republican News
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today advanced legislation to improve the efficiency of the federal government in addressing issues related to the interdependence of energy and water.
(Click for video of Sen. Murkowski's opening statement)
"Water is essential in every aspect of daily life. In addition to its vital role in sustaining life, it is crucial for the nation's economic well-being and sustained growth," Murkowski said. "Without water there's no electricity, no fuel to power our industry and our means of transportation, and no plants to produce cleaner biofuels. This is the water for energy that we cannot do without.
"And when it comes to energy for water, we need energy to convey water from its source to its consumers. We need energy to pump and treat and, increasingly, to reuse water in the numerous wastewater treatment plants across the country; and we obviously need energy to treat and provide safe and readily available drinking water."
Murkowski's comments were made at Wednesday's Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Water and Energy Subcommittee hearing on the legislation – the Nexus of Energy and Water for Sustainability (NEWS) Act (S. 1971).
Introduced in January, Murkowski's legislation would direct the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy to establish a committee to coordinate and streamline federal energy-water activities.
The energy-water nexus refers to the water used to produce energy, including raw resources, refined products, and electricity; and the energy required to treat, transport, and distribute water.
Murkowski, the top Republican on the energy committee, said the NEWS Act would increase the federal government's focus on the interconnectedness between energy and water by streamlining coordination and data collection among the various departments and agencies involved.
"Federal agencies must do more to ensure that we have the best possible data, technology and know-how to ensure that the energy-water nexus is understood and continuously optimized to sustain quality of life and promote economic growth," Murkowski said.
In May Murkowski released a white paper – The Energy-Water Nexus: Interlinked Resources That Are Vital for Economic Growth and Sustainability – on the importance of the energy-water nexus to the U.S. economy.
Full video of Wednesday's hearing is available on the energy panel's website.


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Therapy Dog Registration for Maggie
Owner: Carla Cooper
Breed: Shih-Tzu
Dog Training Status: My Dog Is Already Trained
Country: Canada
Territory: Ontario
Registration Type: Therapy Dog Registration
ID Cards
Letter of Registration
Recent News
Training Service Dogs
August 10, 2020For three local veterans, service didn't stop after life in the military. "We train service dogs for people that have disabilities, whether that be medical, like physical, or it be mental," said Taylor Carnell, an owner and co-founder of King and Queen Diamond K9, "Our main focus is on mental health." Taylor, along with his […]
Service Dog Helps Students
August 10, 2020A fresh and fluffy face will greet students at Stephens Elementary School this year and provide an added layer of comfort to improve the children's daily lives. LeeLee the facility service dog is trained to sense anxiety, concern and behavior changes to ease the minds of students and teachers. "She can help with social and […]
Canine Companions
August 10, 2020A Georgetown man was given the gift of a lifetime: making everyday tasks much less easier to accomplish. Andres Jimenez is one of 89 people with disabilities across the country that was given a therapy dog during the pandemic by the nonprofit Canine Companions. Based out of California, the nonprofit has six offices, including […]
Veteran Reunites With K-9
August 10, 2020When we first met Mark Lee Jr. in 2018, he had been working with the group Justice for TEDD Handlers to try and reunite with his K-9 partner Rayco. The two were part of the Army's bomb detection team. Lee was injured in Afghanistan and left in 2012. It was the last time he saw […]
Companions For Heroes
August 10, 2020Companions For Heroes, a nonprofit founded by Georgia Senate District 3 Republican candidate David Sharpe, is under investigation by the Georgia Secretary of State's office. State officials declined to release details about the investigation other than to say it is ongoing. Sharpe, CEO of the nonprofit, has given widely varying accounts of the number of […]
PTSD Service Dog
August 7, 2020A Hampton Roads-area first responder with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the first firefighter to receive a service dog through Service Dog of Virginia. Now, he's encouraging others to to seek help if they're struggling. "I just want everyone to know that it is OK to not be OK," Chris Moore said. Moore is a […]
Dog Of The Year
August 6, 2020The two Maine service dogs have won their categories in the 2020 American Humane Hero Dog Awards and will appear on the Hallmark Channel this fall, competing for the grand title of "American Hero Dog." Aura, a 7-year-old Labrador retriever/golden retriever mix from Brunswick, serves as a hearing dog for Gretchen Evans, an Army veteran […]
Orlando's Working Dogs
August 6, 2020Work Like a Dog Day (Aug. 5) is a holiday honoring people who put in that extra bit of hard work to make sure the job is done right. But it also recognizes the strong work ethic of canines, especially service and other working dogs. Around Central Florida, canines work in hospitals as therapy dogs, […]


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FBI asked to monitor HPD probe into amputee's killing
Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland has asked the FBI to investigate the fatal weekend shooting by a patrolman of a double-amputee in a wheelchair who threatened officers with a silver pen.
The chief contacted FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Morris early Saturday morning and notified him of the shooting involving someone he described as a "violent person," confirmed FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap.
McClelland asked the FBI to monitor HPD's internal inquiry and conduct a parallel investigation into the incident.
"As I have done throughout my tenure as police chief, to the extent I can, the Houston Police Department will be open and transparent in all aspects of our response to this tragic event," McClelland said in a press statement.
Meanwhile, two separate civil rights groups demanded independent investigations into Saturday's shooting of Brian C. Claunch, 45, who was unarmed and mentally ill.
The Texas Civil Rights Project-Houston said the public is entitled to a "full and open" review of the circumstances of the shooting.
"There needs to be a serious investigation into why a Houston police officer is shooting a double-amputee in a wheelchair down in cold blood,'' said staff attorney Wayne Krause Yang. "TCRP is very concerned about what policies and training led two fully armed police officers to lose control of a situation with a man with one arm, one leg, one felt tip pen that should have been routinely handled."
'Where is the training?'
The shooting also prompted members of the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice to ask U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to accelerate the group's earlier request to launch an investigation into "patterns and practices" of civil rights violations by HPD against minorities and others, according to a statement from activist Johnny Mata.
"These cases occur so often, and they are treated so indifferently at all levels of law enforcement, this review is necessary to get the attention of the public and public officials," Mata said. "Where is the training? There could have been another way this case could have been handled. There were two officers at the scene, and they couldn't find a way to apprehend this person?''
Calls to the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department for comment on the group's request were not returned.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker on Monday offered condolences to Claunch's family and friends, adding she expects the police to discipline any officers if their finding warrants punishment.
"There is a process in place to determine if the officer acted appropriately," Parker said. "Until the facts are in place, it is premature to draw any conclusions. I have utmost respect for the very difficult job of our Houston Police Department. However, if there were mistakes made, I know the police chief will take appropriate action."
'Waved a shiny object'
Police say officer Matthew J. Marin was protecting his partner when he shot Claunch in the head. Staff members called police early Saturday morning to the Healing Hands Assisted Home Care facility at 4309 Polk in the East End after Claunch became upset because his caregivers would not provide him with a cigarette or soda.
"The suspect was agitated and began to yell at the officers and threatened to kill them and the other residents of the home," according to an HPD statement released Monday. "As he yelled at the officers, he waved a shiny object in his hand in their direction. The suspect refused the officers' verbal commands to drop the object and advanced in a threatening manner toward one of the officers.
"As the suspect backed one of the officers into a corner, he attempted to stab the officer with the object," the statement said. "Officer Marin, fearing for his partner's life, and his own safety, discharged his duty weapon one time, striking the suspect. The object was discovered to be a shiny, ball point pen."
Saturday's shooting was the third call officers have made to the small facility in the past 14 months. On July 6, officers were dispatched to the home to investigate an assault between two residents after a incident involving spilled ammonia. And on March 2, 2011, police were called to the home after a resident claimed to be suicidal, HPD confirmed.
HPD officials said all officers are equipped with Tasers. HPD spokeswoman Jodi Silva, however, would not confirm if Marin had or used a stun device, saying this would be part of an investigation by HPD's homicide and internal affairs departments. Marin shot and killed a knife-wielding man in October 2008, after the suspect killed a neighbor and injured his girlfriend during an attack.
Was ward of state
Claunch has been a ward of the state since February 2003, after a probate court judge ruled that he had become incapacitated by mental illness and could no longer care for himself, according to court records. He was placed at Helping Hands facility in May of last year, left for a time, and returned in March, said Estella Olguin, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Guardianship Program.
Claunch lost an arm and a leg after he was hit by a train.
"Obviously we're saddened and shocked by the shooting death of Brian Claunch," Olquin said. "We are working closely with authorities and their investigation in providing information."
All police shootings in the county also are reviewed by the Harris County District Attorney's Office, whose staff then presents its findings to a grand jury to determine if criminal charges are warranted. A statement issued by Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos said her office is "carefully reviewing the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Brian Claunch."


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For Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato, Saturday night's concert wasn't like the rest.
The two performers decided to do something special for dozens of employees at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando as part of their cross-country Honda Civic Tour.
In a Facebook post shared over the weekend, fans learned that several workers were able to enjoy the duo's show for free. In fact, they even got to take part in a meet-and-greet before the show.
U.S. & World
"Nick Jonas &Demi Lovato, thank you for making the pulse family smile #onepulse #orlandostrong #pulseorlando," the post read. "We will rise and not be defeated! #onepulse #pulseorlando."
According to TMZ, close to 30 employees also received a private suite at the Amway Center for Saturday night's show.
During the emotional gig, Jonas and Lovato surprised the crowd when they welcomed Andra Day onto the stage for a special collaboration of "Rise Up."
As the three artists showed off their vocals, the names and ages of the victims from the recent Orlando shooting were shown on the big screen. "The Voice" contestant Christina Grimmie was also honored during the sold-out concert.
"Orlando you were incredible last night." Jonas shared after the show. "Thank you @andradaymusic for helping DEMI and I are honor the victims of the terrible acts of violence recently. #riseup #hondacivicfuturenowtour"
Lovato added, "I adore you Miami. Thank you. #loveislove #hondacivictour @futurenowtour."
How to Help Orlando Shooting Victims: Crowdfunding Campaign Raises More Than $1.6 Million


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China's Twitter generation squares off against the "Great Firewall"
Barely two months after Xi Jinping was named China's new leader, the Twitter generation seemed to be gaining the upper hand over the nation's status quo regime. Ham-handed censors rewrote an editorial in the newspaper Southern Weekend without notifying the editors—and even managed to add a glaring historical error. Censorship is routine in China, especially for liberal periodicals such as Southern Weekend, but this time the editors went ballistic. They cried foul on Sina Weibo, the country's popular microblogging platform, and wrote an open letter calling for the removal of the provincial propaganda chief. Voices of Netizens joined in support with signature petitions online. Protesters appeared in the streets of Guangzhou.
The event smacked of the Arab Spring, when authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and northern Africa fell to rebellions that were in part inspired by social media. Indeed, the Guangzhou protesters managed to obtain concessions from the authorities, who reportedly granted the newspaper more autonomy in its future operations. The incident marks a new degree of openness in the way state authorities deal with online and street protesters. Some observers have said that it may signal more radical political change to come. That is not likely, however.
To be sure, for more than a decade China's ruling Communist Party has been under pressure from the rise of information technologies—the Internet, blogs, social media. Westerners tend to see what is going on in China as a battle of rebels against an autocratic state. Yet it would be more accurate to think of China's social media revolution as a Tai Chi–style contest—a long entanglement of slow advances and tactical retreats whose result is not determined by a few strong blows. State authorities and contentious citizens are engaged as if in a half-choreographed war dance, constantly shifting their positions to avoid or absorb their opponent's force while awaiting the opportune moment to attack.
The technology that gives citizens more power to interact and organize has also given the central and provincial governments a great deal of power to obfuscate and confuse. To contain Internet dissent and protest, China aggressively censors Web sites. New regulations or crackdowns are often implemented after new outbursts of online protest. This was the case when the first policy to regulate electronic bulletin boards took effect in 2000. When crude sanctions failed to curb online dissent, the government turned to a more subtle measure: sprinkling anonymous Internet commentators to promote the party line throughout the blogging community. According to a report issued by the official news Web site People's Daily Online, more than 60,000 government accounts were active on Sina Weibo alone by the end of 2012. With its enormous resources, the government can have its Web sites pour out large volumes of information that serve to inundate dissent.
Netizens and activists fight back by being creative.
via Scientific American – Guobin Yang
The Latest Streaming News: China's Twitter Revolution updated minute-by-minute
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|Candy overload!!
Cross Country - First High School Time Trial
4 days ago
|So while Joseph was on Spring Break last week one of the fun things we did was take the Hammond's Candy Factory tour. It was interesting to learn about how they make their candy and even get to watch them roll some Lollipops out. Joseph was like a kid in a candy store the whole time. Hahahaha
|Me and my sugar baby
|Candy overload!!
Posted by Humphries at 10:11 AM 2 comments
A few weeks ago we spent a great day in Breckenridge with friends. It was a perfect day with the sun shinning and it ended up being warm enough that we didn't even need our coats. We got up there before the Ice Castles opened so we had time to walk around town, have lunch at the Crepe cart which was some of the best food I have ever eaten, and then we went to the Ice Castles. The kids had a blast crawling through the ice tunnel, going down the slide and playing in the igloo. I had forgotten Joseph's snow pants, but that didn't stop him from having fun and getting completely soaked. I will have to remember that for next year.
|Joseph, Mara and Megan
|Tiny ice sculptures
|Ice cave
|King of the ice cave
|Ice crystals
|My handsome boys
|View looking up
|Looking at them straight on.
|Just one more time mom.
Posted by Humphries at 10:05 AM 2 comments
|We were so lucky that Sam, Nat and the kids were in town for Maddie's birthday. We had a wonderful weekend full of fun, laughter and lots of Princess's. On Saturday afternoon after Nat and I had put together this incredible Princess cake we went swimming at the Apex Center, which is this awesome indoor swimming pool, and once everyone had tired themselves out there we came home to have a family party for Maddie. We had Pizza, Root Beer, breadsticks and topped it off with Princess cake with Strawberry Ice Cream. We loved getting to spend time together and were very sad when they had to go home.
|Every girl needs a Princess birthday banner.
|Inspecting the Princess balloons.
|Cinderella is mesmerizing.
|Humphries Family!!
|Make a wish
|Licking all the frosting off the Princess's
|Time for cake.
|I like soda. :)
|Oh now I can curl my own hair.
|Balloon fun
|Sweet birthday girl!!
|Swimming bugs
|Making faces at Aunt Lynsey
|Love my baby!!
Posted by Humphries at 9:45 AM 0 comments
|This year for Valentine's Day Ben and I had some friends who let us spend the weekend at their mountain house. It was a perfect weekend to rest, relax and reconnect. Ben and I played games, watched movies, read and ate yummy food. On Saturday Joseph and Grandma came up for a few hours to have lunch with us and play on the four wheeler. It was so much fun spending time together and getting away from the world for a few days.
|A girl can used to this view.
|A little Father/Son Ping-Pong
|Yes! Dad let Joseph drive.
|I also got a turn to drive. I was a crazier driver then Joseph was.
|A family ride.
|Look out Mom!!
Posted by Humphries at 3:09 PM 1 comments
|On February 5th, the second graders of BFA put on a wonderful musical. The school music teacher wrote the words and music, and directed all the kids to put on this fantastic show, Cheftacular. It was so much fun to watch all their personalities really shine, and I was so impressed that she got them all to participate and smile. I tried to put up a video, but blogger is being silly and won't co-operate.
|Joseph and Kyle. I don't think these two can take a nice picture. They are always being goofy. :)
|My little chef.
|Joseph with his class
Posted by Humphries at 10:54 AM 0 comments
|Joseph had his first Pinewood Derby this year on January 24th, and what a fun evening it was. His friend Kyle came to cheer him on, and when he wasn't racing they were running around like a bunch of Monkeys. Even though Joseph didn't win, he had fun participating and cheering on his friends. He also earned his Bobcat badge, and I am so proud of all the hard work he is doing to earn all of his scouting badges and achievements. He is already planning what he is going to do for his Pinewood Derby car next year.
|The car
|A fun night
|Racing down the tracks
|Joseph and Kyle being silly.
|The boys
|So proud of my Bobcat!
|Mom, are you done yet??
|One last one with Dad.
|So proud of Joseph, and all the hard work he put into earning his Bobcat, and making his car.
Posted by Humphries at 9:02 AM 1 comments
|Joseph had a four day weekend in January, so we took a family trip to see Sam, Nat, Brad, Maddie and Macy. Unfortunately for me, I came down with the flu the night before we were supposed to leave, so I spent the weekend on the couch. :( Ben, Joseph, and Brad flew into Minnesota on Friday morning, drove up to the Wisconsin Dells with everyone, where they spent two days, and then flew home on Monday. A great time was had by all between the swimming, playing games, and eating yummy food. Joseph and Brad could not get enough of the Wave pool, and only tried a few of the other rides. I am so bummed that I missed out on this trip, but I won't miss out on the next one!!
|Sam and Maddie
|Joseph riding the waves!
|Waiting for the next wave
|Bring on the waves!
|Brad and Joseph chilling in the Lazy River
Posted by Humphries at 8:34 AM 0 comments


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Danielle Krivak — Babe of the Day
How much do we love Danielle Krivak? Let us count the ways.
Smoking body? Check. Perfect face? Check. Great smile? Double check. Letting us hang out underneath her bedroom window for occasional peeks inside. We haven't asked yet but we're sure it's totally cool.
In addition to her modeling career, Krivak, who loves in Los Angeles, is trying her hand at acting. While we have not seen her act, we're going to go ahead and say if she is as good at acting as she is modeling, we might be seeing her on Red Carpet…SHE'S LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW! EVERYONE DUCK DOWN!
She could read the dictionary on screen and we'd pay to go see it. That's a high compliment because we HATE the dictionary. That's how much we love Danielle Krivak.


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I just now came across the following:
- In Brazil, pope to face a church losing hold
Priest shortage, evangelicals represent challenges
By Monte Reel
Washington Post, via MSNBC
Updated: 4:02 a.m. ET May 9, 2007
This article said some things I expected, such as the following:
Latin America is still predominantly Catholic, but not like it used to be. In Brazil, for example, as evangelical Pentecostalism has spread, the country's population has gone from being 89 percent Catholic in 1980 to about 64 percent today, according to a survey released this week by the Brazilian polling firm DataFolha.
But there were also some surprises (to me, anyway). In particular:
Young people have shown a greater reluctance to join the clergy, resulting in a priest shortage that is 10 times more severe regionwide than it is in North America or Europe.
"There is a trend here — even among priests — that people should be more free to follow their own conscience, and there's a growing distance between most Catholics and the church's hierarchy," said the Rev. Luiz Roberto Benedetti, a Catholic priest who is a professor of social science at the Catholic University of Campinas, near Sao Paulo. "It's a trend that goes in the complete opposite direction of the message that the pope wants to send."
Very interesting, and quite contrary to Philip Jenkins's characterization of the Catholicism of the southern hemisphere, in general, as a hotbed of Catholic traditionalism and love of hierarchy. (See The Next Christianity by Philip Jenkins, originally published in The Atlantic, Volume 290, No. 3, October, 2002, about the recent explosive growth of the more fanatical forms of Christianity in non-Western countries.)
I would be interested to hear from anyone who can give me solidly sourced information about religious trends in Latin America.
(For more about religious trends in general, see the many articles listed on my page about The growing number of Christians of kinds which inherently fear demons, Satanists, witches, occultists, Pagans, and atheists.)