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The SF K Files is a place for parents who are seeking a school in San Francisco. The site offers up reviews of public, private and charter schools, as well as lots of advice and opinions from the community.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Miraloma Elementary
The Facts
Web site: www.miralomasf.com
School tours: Reservations are made via the school web site (eVite registration) not by phone.
Four tour options are available to accommodate as many schedules as possible:
* Self-guided tours: Oct. 17 and 24 (can be accompanied by video podcast, details below)
* Saturday morning guided and self-guided tours: Nov. 15
* Early-evening guided tours: Oct 14, Nov. 18, Dec. 1
* Thursday morning guided tours: Oct. 23, Nov. 6, Nov. 20
Additional tours in Dec. and Jan. will be posted on the Web site as they are scheduled. One great new feature this year is the self-guided tour and video podcast (which you can view and download from the web site www.miralomasf.com). This option provides flexibility for those who enjoy exploring on their own, whether it's a quick walk through the school in a few minutes or taking your time to read what's posted on the bulletin boards. The podcast can be downloaded to your MP3 player (iPod) and used to guide you through the school. Otherwise, a guide booklet will be provided to assist and inform as you walk through the school. Parent volunteers will be available to answer your questions.
Location: 175 Omar Way, on Mt. Davidson off Portola Dr.
Grades: K–5
Start time: 7:50 a.m.
Kindergarten size: 60 students, three classes of 20 children
Playground: cozy kindergarten playground; larger big kid area; neighboring city park where kindergarteners play on Fridays
Before- and after-school program: MEEP for K–5; program available through YMCA starting in 3rd grade; also, chess club, Girl Scouts, basketball league
Language: After school Spanish (beginning and intermediate) and Mandarin offered two times a week.
Highlights: Smaller class sizes in 4th and 5th; poet in residence; kiln and cermacist; art show once a year; full-time coach for P.E. and coordinated games at recess; chorus for grades 3–5; school-wide annual fair; UC Berkeley math consultant; science with Lawrence Hall of Science; gardening with credentialed instructor; social worker; speech therapist; resource specialist; USF interns for children dealing with death in family, divorce, and so on; LGBT family eduction
Kate's impressions
If you go to Miraloma's Web site and click on the "About Miraloma" section, there's a photograph of the school perched on the side of Mount Davidson—with a rainbow rising above it. It's as if Miraloma were a little pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And as I toured this school, I kept thinking, I've found a treasure.
No doubt, this is a special school. When I first stepped through the entrance, I was welcomed by the sound of children—lots of them—singing. In the auditorium, some 160 students were bellowing out "Great green gobs of greasy, grimy, gopher guts" as a teacher played the piano and two students strummed guitars. They sang other songs such as "Hey, now. Hey, now. Iko iko an nay." And as they sang, they clapped and snapped and moved their hands about.
At Miraloma, the third through fifth graders have sing-along every Thursday, 8–8:30 a.m. There's also a sing-along for kindergarten through second, on Fridays 8–8:30 a.m. If you're interested in this school, attend a Friday morning sing-along. It's something I plan to do with my daughter Alice. You just need to drop by the office beforehand so you can get a visitor pass.
Okay, so now let's get to the actual tour. It started in the library. When I walked in, I was immediately greeted by a parent named Carol Lei—who is best described in one word "awesome." She's the person who started the Mandarin after-school program at Miraloma and somehow she's involved in bringing Mandarin to Starr King and Jose Ortega. She's a real go-getter: "The one thing I really like is if you want to change something, you can speak up and make it happen."
Lei had four other parent guides helping her greet prospective parents. We split into groups; I was in Lei's. She started by telling us about the library, with over 6,000 books. It sounds like a few years ago the same room housed only 2,000 tomes. But through read-a-thons the children raised money to stuff their library with books. This is the sort of story I kept hearing again and again at this school, which has taken great steps forward in recent years. The library is always open during school hours and classes visit once a week.
As we walked by the auditorium where the kids were still singing, Lei told us that the symphony performs for the kids a few times a year on the stage. They also have two talent shows a year. An international cultural day. And other assemblies and performances.
Next stop: Cafeteria. The interesting story here is that Miraloma was the pilot program for the district salad bar—that means kids who buy their lunch, which costs only $2, also get to pick from fruits and veggies in the salad bar. The hot lunch includes things like macaroni and cheese, bean and cheese burritos, and cheese pizza. No, it's not organic but what do you expect for $2? To meet the families interest in organic produce, the school has a relationship with Eat Well Farms, so parents can pay for and pick up a box of locally grown organic produce on Thursdays.
The full-size gymnasium, with a climbing wall, is connected to the cafeteria. The dance teacher, who looked like a British pop star, greeted us. Kids were moving around to techno-sounding music. The teacher would stop the music and the kids froze their bodies in interesting poses.
As we walked through the hallways, I admired the artwork and displays adorning the walls: pictures of the school's participation in a sandcastle-building contest, a community service board, paintings, tons of quilts, murals, a parents' corner, Day of the Dead art projects, jokes and riddles written and illustrated by students, poems.
We stepped into the computer lab with 33 purple iMacs. The school doesn't have a tech instructor; teachers bring kids into classroom once a week, sometimes more. However, the computer lab will be dissolving next year—because the school has grown. As I understand it, the upper grades weren't filled to capacity so there were only two classes but in recent years the school has become more popular so they need an additional classroom (Please someone correct me if this is wrong). While we're on the topic of class size: Miraloma has three kidnergartens, first grades and second grades. Each class has 20 students. There is one fourth grade, one fifth grade, and two fourth-fifth combo classes to keep upper grades smaller with only 25 or so students.
Into a classroom: Ms. Huang's first grade. The kids were all working in small groups at tables. One group was doing some simple math, another writing, another was reading along with a Book-on-Tape, and another was doing an art project, tracing their hands and coloring them like turkeys. Outside the classroom, a snack sign-up sheet indicated which parents were brining snacks each week. "Families bring snack for everyone so no one goes without," Lei explained.
Next: Ms. Shivers's second grade. We walked into the room and a happy kid said, "We're making comic books."
We dropped by the school garden with sunflowers, lettuces, herbs. Lei explained that they had recently harvested pumpkins for Halloween. Her daughter was involved in a project where she had to count all the seeds in a pumpkin. The classes visit the garden once a week.
The kindergarteners were at recess when we walked into their rooms, which sit right on their little play yard. The classrooms are cozy and full of fun stuff: bean bags, dress up, puppet theater, piano, guitar. Outside in the playground, where lush green vines grew over the fence, some kids were jump roping while another group played soccer. The school staggers recess so kindergarteners get some alone time and then the first graders come out and join them. Same thing with the upper grades. A parent asked Lei how the school deals with bullying. "It's not so much an issue because we stager recess and because there's always a coach out there to organize the children," she said.
The tour wrapped up in the library where the principal Ron Machado addressed the parents. This guy is truly amazing; he wins my prize for the district's best principal. He reminds me a bit of Adam Sandler, and I mean that in a good way. His voice is sort of nasal like Sandler's—and he's funny and animated and youthful and absolutely darling—now I can see why so many Moms were hanging around the halls. He struts around the school in a coat and tie and as we toured the school he was walking in and out of classrooms. He seems to be comfortable with all sorts of parents and teachers—there's no chip on the shoulder of this principal.
Machado gave us a little background on himself. He's in his second year at Miraloma. He started out as a teacher and then went through the principal leadership program at UC Berkeley. Next year his contract is up and he plans to sign another three year contract. Yeah! He has two young children; I think he said four and 20 months and he hopes to see them go through Miraloma.
He initially went into education as a teacher because he wanted to make changes in children's lives. And he wanted to become a principal because as a teacher he realized that administrators aren't always supportive of their teachers. "I'd heard too many teachers talk about principals who weren't supportive."
So what's Machado doing to support his teachers at Miraloma?
Every month, the teachers get a half day away from their kids to develop class curriculum and collaborate. Also, teachers visit other classes so they can teach the same lesson plan several times. For example, one of the kindergarten teachers has a specialty in science so she might teach a science unit to each of the three kindergarten classes. "This allows her to teach the assignment three times rather than just once and she can actually learn how to improve on the assignment."
A parent asked, What's been your biggest challenge?
He said that when he arrived at the school recess was chaotic. He changed that by staggering recess so the older kids are grouped together. And he came up with the idea for kids to play first and then eat and then return to class. "When they arrive in class after eating, their heart rates are lower and they actually eat more," Machado said. "Before we made the switch, we had so much compost because the kids weren't eating their lunches."
Teacher turnover?
The average teacher stays at Miraloma for seven years, he said.
What about GATE?
This year the school has 300 percent more kids in GATE. He estimated that there are 70 students in the program that's offered to grades third through fifth. He mentioned that the GATE students are in the process of launching a school newspaper.
A parent pointed out that the older grades looked more diverse than the lower grades. She was concerned that the school is losing some of its diversity due to its increasing popularity.
He responded that the upper grades are 35 percent other white; the lower grades are 45 percent other white.
What's your guiding philosophy?
We're focused on the whole child, he said. "We're making sure that we're developing these children in all aspects."
Then he went on to say, "We'll never be a school that teaches to the test. We're not aspiring to be a school that scores 1,000."
The questions kept coming. Even the hard ones he answered quickly and confidently. Machado knows his stuff.
How many students on free and reduced lunch?
Last year, it was 29 to 30 percent.
Why do you no longer work with Sports 4 Kids?
Because you need to have 50 percent or more of your kids receiving free or reduced lunch.
How much money does the PTA raise?
Last year, $135,000.
What's your dream project?
I want Smart Boards in every classroom because some kids are visual learners. I want laptops for teachers. LCD projectors.
He ended by telling parents that he knows the SFUSD process is tough. And he said, "You'll know with your heart what's right." And I'm thinking, this guy knows in his heart what's right.
This school is fabulous. The only thing missing for me is immersion—but even though it doesn't have Spanish, I'm putting it on my list. It's irresistible.
20 comments:
Thanks for your wonderful write-up! I'm particularly struck by the prinicpal's comments about not teaching to the test and teaching the whole child instead. How refreshing! It's so tempting to just look at the schools with the highest test scores, and his comments highlight one of the many reasons why that approach would lead you to miss some wonderful schools (not that Miraloma test scores are low). As a parent, I feel that I can't complain about teaching to the test and then use test scores as the main determinant of where we apply.
Also, thank you so much for this blog. I do not have the ability to tour all of these schools, and you are providing a really valuable service by helping me refine my decisions about where to tour.
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 9:22 AM
My oldest child is in 5th grade, and I remember well when some of our preschool cohort got into Miraloma, and were intially shocked and horrified. One year later they were bragging about the poetry workshops. Two years later they were crowing about how the school was up and coming, and how great it was to be a part of the change. By that point it was considered a "hidden gem" in PPS terms. Now I think we could safely say it has arrived!ReplyDelete
Some of the best options, I think, are the ones on the upswing, if you can figure out which ones those are. In any case, I'm glad you found one you love so much.
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Thanks, Kate. Miraloma does seem like a wonderful school, and I met Mr. Machado once and he's great.ReplyDelete
Question -- so which schools are considered the next up-and-comers? Is there inside dirt on such things? Anyone know anything? Thanks much.
One thing about Gen. Ed. vs. Immersion is that the former may have more room in the curriculum for differentiated learning, especially in language skills. Our daughter spent K at Mckinley, which has individualized learning plans for reading, and then transferred to Lilienthal Korean IP in 1st and found herself reading a bunch of books all over again. The little bookworm had worked ahead in reading in K, but the Korean IP curriculum wasn't as flexible (I don't see how it can be, with one class per grade in the whole SFUSD).ReplyDelete
We were definitely impressed with Mckinley's K reading program. The kids are flooded with teaching resources: teacher, assistant teacher, and tutor for 1 on 1.
A good measure of diversity performance is how well the school brings the K kids up to speed, given that some kids didn't have preschool, ABC's etc., and they did a very thorough job.
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 3:23 PM
question for the previous poster who had their daughter at McKinley: did you leave McKinley because you wanted her to be in the immersion program at CL? Or did you have issues with McKinley itself? I ask because I have McKinley on my list of schools to tour, but I haven't spoken with any actual parents there yet. I went there one day by mistake, on the wrong tour day (duh!), but the principal was very gracious and showed me around for a bit anyway, which was lovely. It seemed like a sweet little school.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 3:33 PM
We just moved to Sunnyside a few months ago, and I was wondering if anyone had a child at Sunnyside Elementary or had toured the school yet or knew anything of it in general. I know Miraloma seems to be the shining star in this neck of the woods these days, but I wanted to give our "neighborhood" school a look too. It looks cute from the outside ...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 6:04 PM
I have a 5th and 3rd grader at Miraloma - it brought tears to my eyes to read your review of Miraloma! You really captured what it's all about. Miraloma is everything I'd hoped my kids would have in elementary school - public or private. We have been so happy there. To top it off, we have made some wonderful family friends that we'll have for life.ReplyDelete
Important to remember is that Miraloma, like many other public schools, was underenrolled and not a popular school until recently. A handful of parents started a PTA (12 parents five years ago, it's over 200 today) and started giving tours to change enrollment trends (245 kids five years ago, 360 today.)
When my oldest was in kinder I wore a Miraloma T-shirt to Tower Market. A parent in line asked if I was a teacher there. When I said I was a parent she said with distaste "I can't believe anyone would send their child there by choice". Two years later, same shirt, same store I'm cornered by parents wanting to know how to get into this fantastic school.
The point is: sometimes people have to just check it out for themselves and help create the community school you want. The principal, teachers and parents at Miraloma did just that.
There are so many examples of this successfully happening all over the school district: McKinley, Grattan, Peabody, Grattan, Sherman, Lafayette, Flynn, Sheridan,Starr King, Marshall --- I could go on and on!
To find out more about 'hidden gem' schools contact Parents for Public Schools (who put Miraloma on our radar to begin with) and they can get you hooked up with Parent Ambassadors from almost every school in SFUSD to answer your questions about their experience.
A Parent Ambassador spent 2 hours on the phone with me 6 years ago to answer all my questions - and I've done the same since for dozens of families - many are now the leaders and volunteers at Miraloma.
PPS can be reached at www.ppssf.org or 861-7077.
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 8:48 PM
I have been told that some of the up and comers now include:ReplyDelete
- Fairmount
- Flynn
- Marshall
- Monroe (all of which are SI)
- McKinley
- Grattan (is pretty up there already)
Schools that have already come include:
- Sherman
- Miraloma
- Alvarado
I'd be curious to hear more.
- AnonymousNovember 9, 2007 at 10:12 PM
I'd agree with:ReplyDelete
- Fairmount (SI, already lots of requests)
- Flynn
- Marshall (SI, heart, great activist parents)
- Monroe (SI)
- McKinley (for several years)
- Grattan (is pretty up there already)
- Peabody
- Lafayette
- Sherman
as mentioned, new "top schools" in the last six years:
- Alvarado
- Miraloma
don't forget these up-and-comers of the last year or two:
- Starr King
- Jose Ortega (both new Mandarin immersion programs)
- Daniel Webster--some parents were working on this in Potrero Hill; don't know how it's going but worth checking out or making a phone call at least.
It's important to mention:
- Harvey Milk has had wonderful leadership in the last few years, has done some amazing work building community, several mixed-race families I know swear by it
- SF Community, not for everyone but an amazing bunch of people over there, project-based learning, very committed community, has been this way for a long time
- New Traditions has its boosters
- Paul Revere is in turn-around mode, and has SI, worth checking out though still raw
And oldie but goodies with good academic reputations on the west side:
- Lawton
- Jefferson
- Commodore Sloat
- Ulloa
- Alamo
- Sunset
new Dianne Feinstein seems to be performing well.
this list is actually leaving out the Big Ones that so many will say are the "only good ones": Clarendon, Lilienthal, Rooftop, Lakeshore, and additional top-performing Chinese immersion schools Alice Fong Yu and West Portal
There. I've mentioned 31 schools. These are the ones I know about from friends, so I hope others will write in with their faves.
I'm looking at middle schools myself and am actually impressed with the list I can comfortably put down for my kid there. (Now if we could feel as confident about parenting in the teenage years, that would be great!).
We left Mckinley only because of Korean (family reasons), and we were quite happy there. We got a wait-list spot in first, after missing in K. Mckinley was our second choice.ReplyDelete
Bonnie was actually a principal or assistant principal at Lilienthal before Mckinley, so she gave us some tips.
- AnonymousNovember 10, 2007 at 11:27 AM
I live in Sunnyside and have older kids. I highly recommend this school (if my kids were just coming into kinder, I'd have no hesitation about going there.) There are many families in the neighborhood walking there and it's a sweet community with a growing parent group. The families I know there really love it. You can talk to them as PPS Parent Ambassadors by calling 861-7077 or emailing email@example.com
- AnonymousNovember 10, 2007 at 11:44 AM
Yick Wo is also a great school and increasingly popular in the last few years.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2007 at 11:38 PM
Kate, I received a postcard that there is a MCDS "coffee" on Thursday night, if I remember correctly, at the Bay School (?), at, I think, 6.30? I'd call the school if interested, as I can't find the postcard.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousNovember 12, 2007 at 11:39 PM
sorry, I meant to post that to the 'events' post. I'm sleepy!ReplyDelete
I think the revolution is happening. Years ago I said that the school options in SF just weren't reasonable. We don't want to pay $15,000 a year for kindergarten (when we should be saving for middle school - ha ha), and we don't want to leave the City. What if we all sent our kids to public school? We'll help and we'll fundraise and we'll donate and then public schools will be viable options again!ReplyDelete
Schools need parent involvement and the up-and-comings and the not-there-yets truly benefit from the investments of money, energy, organization and time that often come with middle class families. Some schools already have tons of help, money and enrichment programs. Consider that whatever help you offer a school helps beyond your own child's education. You make a valuable contribution to the lives of so many other kids while you're at it. And that's a big deal.
- AnonymousNovember 13, 2007 at 11:20 PM
kathy b, when I was looking for kindergarten for my oldest I saw more options than I had anticipated. We chose what was then an up and coming school, not yet wildly popular though. At the time I told my husband that we could at least be glad we could send our kid to public school through elementary and save our money for middle school, just as you say. Or move out of town at that point, which neither of us wanted to do.ReplyDelete
I also thought then we would only have one child, so many plans have gone out the window with "surprise" #2 kid. So now we're looking for middle school and also elementary again (no sibling preference as the older is moving on). There are so many more options for elementary this time, really wonderful ones.
And, another surprise, we will be sending kid #1 to public middle school. Not only because of the money factor (okay, two kids=less money), but because we have five middle schools we are more than happy to put down on the form. They are different from each in some interesting ways, but all viable for our family.
Our daughter has participated in that search by going on tours, as have many of her friends, and they are actually excited about some of the programs offered at that level, ranging from comprehensive music and other arts programs to the new salad bars.
I agree, the revolution is happening. I've seen it happen with one "generation" of elementary kids. It seems to be happening at the middle school level too.
Also agree with you too about the benefits of participating in turning around a school. It's actually a lot of fun, too. We have all learned a lot, including my daughter, and I mean that in a good way. She's also done more than fine academically.
- AnonymousNovember 14, 2007 at 9:59 AM
I too am surprised and heartened by the middle school situation. When we went to public elementary school, we assumed it would just be K-5 because "everyone" said the middle schools were awful.ReplyDelete
But lo and behold, I haven't even toured any private middle schools. Why should I when I've got three good public choices relatively close to my house? The teaching I've observed on tours has been first rate. And, the middle school enrichment opportunities just can't be matched by any K-8 public or private.
- AnonymousApril 1, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Our family has been at Miraloma for many years now, starting when it wasn't making the grade. Since Ron Machado has taken over, and my dealings with him, he has lied to me, refused to deal with bullying issues at the school, and made some very racist comments to me.ReplyDelete
I am highly disappointed because he tends to do this in one on one conversations. I was even more shocked when I have been approached by a great number of parents regarding similar issues with him.
- AnonymousOctober 13, 2008 at 11:09 PM
Miraloma has changed the school tour schedule significantly this year (Fall 2008). Here are the notable changes:ReplyDelete
School tours: Reservations are made via the school web site (eVite registration) not by phone.
Four tour options are available to accommodate as many schedules as possible:
* Self-guided tours: Oct. 17 and 24 (can be accompanied by video podcast, details below)
* Saturday morning guided and self-guided tours: Nov. 15
* Early-evening guided tours: Oct 14, Nov. 18, Dec. 1
* Thursday morning guided tours: Oct. 23, Nov. 6, Nov. 20
Additional tours in Dec. and Jan. will be posted on the school web site as they are scheduled.
One great new feature this year is the self-guided tour and video podcast (which you can view and download from the web site www.miralomasf.com). This option provides flexibility for those who enjoy exploring on their own, whether it's a quick walk through the school in a few minutes or taking your time to read what's posted on the bulletin boards. The video podcast can be downloaded to your MP3 player (iPod) and used to guide you through the school. Otherwise, a guide booklet will be provided to assist and inform as you walk through the school. Parent volunteers will be available to answer your questions.
As an aside, my family has been at Miraloma for 4 years (2 children), and we couldn't be happier with the school, the teachers, the staff, or the amazing principal Ron Machado.
- AnonymousOctober 27, 2008 at 11:19 AM
I too find that comment about Ron Machado interesting. We are new at Miraloma with a kindergartener. We have nothing but fantastic things to say about the school. Our daughter is absolutely thriving there! And I've been very impressed with Ron Machado. About a month ago, there was an incident where an openly gay teacher noticed some derogatory graffiti on a poster in his classroom. Mr. Machado immediately held a meeting with all the parents about it, and I thought he treated the issue seriously and with nothing but respect. I for one was impressed with how immediately, directly, and respectfully this was handled. To me it communicated that Miraloma welcomes everyone and it established Mr. Machado as a strong leader.ReplyDelete
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- In modern homes, bedrooms have become more than just a place to sleep; they can be a retreat, a home office, a library, a relaxation zone. What are some ways you make the most of your bedroom?:
- In my bedroom I have a chair for reading when I don't feel like sitting in bed and a vanity that doubles as a place to apply makeup and put on jewelry as well as a desk to work on my laptop for nights when I'm feeling extra productive and not ready for bed.


text: Rekomart is one of the leading online shopping portals in India. Rekomart serves thousands of customers across India with its top-notch service, best brands, large number of products and unbeatable prices. We have network across India to source and deliver products. Rekomart provides delightful experience of online shopping in India by in time delivery of products like mobiles, tablets, books, cameras, clothes, electronics, gifts, jewellery, footwear, laptop, games & consoles, computers, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, home appliances, TVs, DVD players, baby products, movies, music, posters, magazines, toys, kitchenware, kitchen appliances, and many more novel products..


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Vivacious, charming, sexy and fun-loving are just a few words that come to mind within moments of meeting exotic beauty – Joyce Giraud. This hot Latina has not only captivated the world of beauty and television with her international appeal, she ignited the silver screen after winning the lead role of "Dona Flor" in Coralito Tiene Dos Maridos, a modern day version of the well known classic Latin love story. Joyce proved she was "not just a pretty face," demonstrating her versatility, strength and undeniable appeal as an actress- in this – her acting debut. As a follow-up, and after just two weeks in Los Angeles, Joyce landed the co-starring role of "Piper" in USA Network's Good vs. Evil. Two weeks later, she won the co-starring role in a Pilot titled The Freddy Soto Project and then Joyce captured the lead role in the new national Coca-Cola commercial campaign.
Clairol named her their International Cover Girl and Spokesmodel creating a whirlwind of excitement throughout the beauty industry – as Joyce was the FIRST Latino to win this prestigious contract. The nationally televised talent show Destination Stardom, named Joyce "Best New Star Model of 2000." It goes without saying that Joyce is no stranger to the spotlight. She has not only graced the covers of countless national and international magazines, numerous national and international commercials – but Joyce has the distinction of being the First Latin SuperModel to have entire catalogs and magazines devoted to, and featuring only one person – Joyce Giraud!!!
She has been a correspondent for E! Entertainment Television, hosting several of their series (Wild on the Islands, Wild on Puerto Rico as well as Wild on Waikiki). Joyce has been an International VJ for MTV Philippines, featured on Access Hollywood, Extra and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. Joyce has also served as the Host and Emcee for various Internationally Televised Specials and Concerts. In addition, Joyce was crowned 1994 Miss World Puerto Rico, 1996 Queen of the Atlantis International, 1997 Miss Venus International as well as the 1998 Miss Universe Puerto Rico where she was the second runner-up at the Miss Universe Pageant.
Since moving to L.A., Joyce has kept busy working as a spokesmodel and as an actress. She says she is working on her life-long goal of having the opportunity to hear her name at the Oscars. In the meanwhile, she landed a guest star-reoccurring role as Ursula, the dream girl of Disney's The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. She was the lead on the America's Next Top Model parody for the Writers Guild. She showed off her comedic abilities in the feature film Miss Castaway next to Eric Roberts and Michael Jackson. She showed her softer side as Claudia in the feature film Latin Dragon with Gary Busey. She was a series regular on NBC's show Heist with Ted Danson. She played a vampire and fulfilled one of her dreams when she worked next to "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter, who was Joyce's childhood superhero, in the feature film Slayer. She currently plays "Angel" in the hit series Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and most recently got a part in David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Interestingly, get to know Joyce and you realize it is not her extraordinary beauty, or her charisma, or even her undeniable sex appeal that sets her apart. It is Joyce's heart and soul – the deep-seeded passion that drives her – the desire to achieve – the pursuit of excellence and her unshakeable will to win. Joyce is a member of SAG.
Link to the Pageant website: www.QueenUniversePageant.com


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Painting, Scotland Forever
Painted by Elizabeth Butler, Scotland Forever (1881), depicts the charge of the Heavy Cavalry at the battle of Waterloo fought in 1815. The British victory at Waterloo ended the Napoleonic Wars, and ensured Britains position as the worlds most dominant imperial power. Elizabeth Thompson, later Lady Butler, was a leading artist of military scenes in the late nineteenth century, and she continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy until 1920. Her pictures depicting soldiers in battle led John Ruskin to admit that hed been wrong in asserting that women could not paint military scenes. Married to Lieut. Gen. Sir William Butler, Elizabeth Butler took care to draw soldiers as accurately as possible. Although she never observed soldiers fighting in battle, she did watch soldiers training on maneuvers and took great care to correctly represent military uniforms. The enormous popularity of military paintings in the late 19th century, especially those depicting the Napoleonic period, suggests that there was a nostalgic desire to return to a past imagined as glorious and unchallenged.
Source: Butler, Elizabeth. Scotland Forever. 1881.


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The Sports Xchange
Analyst: Knicks could be worth $3 billion
The New York Knicks could be worth up to $3 billion, according to Albert Fried & Company.
The research company announced it revised Madison Square Garden's price target Friday, making its stock price worth nearly $85 per share.
Analyst Rich Tullo wrote that he believes the Knicks are now worth between $1.4 billion and $3 billion after the revision was made. The value is based on percent premiums of recent sales prices paid for franchises such as the Los Angeles Clippers at $2 billion, the Milwaukee Bucks at $550 million and New Orleans Pelicans at $338 million.
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers from the Sterling family for a record $2 billion after Forbes magazine valued the team at $545 million.
"While much of the Clippers premium is excessive in our view, we think the bid does suggest the market for iconic sports franchises is robust," Tullo wrote. "We argue despite the recent sale value, intrinsically the New York Knicks as part of MSG are worth at least 50 percent more than the Clippers because MSG operates a regional sports network and owns its arena."
Tullo estimated that the Knicks generated twice as much money in tickets sales that the Clippers did last season. The Knicks sold more than $100 million in ticket sales. The Knicks also receive 100 percent of the money they make off suites, some leasing at $1.8 million a year.
ESPN.com reported that the Clippers make no more than 10 percent of suite sales because of their lease with Staples Center, which is owned by AEG.
Tullo wrote that he believes Madison Square Garden is worth $2 billion to $3 billion and that the land alone would be worth that amount if the Knicks moved.
Also, the New York Rangers' playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals helped raise MSG's fourth-quarter revenue from $267 million to $339 million.


text:
Next Episode of Da Vinci's Inquest is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
Vancouver coroners, pathologists, and homicide detectives inhabit a murky world as they attempt to solve the mysteries behind the unnatural, accidental, or suspicious deaths committed in the city's back alleys and bedrooms. At times selfless, at times grudging, they all have agendas and histories, passion for their work, and ambition for their futures. Charismatic, controversial, and mercurial Vancouver Coroner Dominic Da Vinci is the pivot around which this complex world spins.
Sarah Jane Redmond(Sergeant Sheila Kurtz)
Venus Terzo(Det. Angela Kosmo)
Ian Tracey(Det. Mick Leary)
Gwynyth Walsh(Patricia Da Vinci)
Donnelly Rhodes(Det. Leo Shannon)
Alex Diakun(Chick Savoy)
Gerard Plunkett(Chief Coroner Bob Kelley)
Suleka Mathew(Dr. Sunita "Sunny" Ramen)
Sarah Strange(Helen)
Nicholas Campbell(Dominic Da Vinci)
Robert Wisden(Chief Coroner James Flynn)
Kim Hawthorne(Det. Rose Williams)
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
About Us
The Division of Cardiovascular Sciences conducts basic science research and is devoted to the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with cardiovascular function and mechanism of cardiovascular injury.
In addition to pursuing their individual research interests, faculty are responsible for the operation of the DeBakey Heart Center Research Cores that develop and analyze models of cardiovascular disease in various species.
Research funding of the division comes from both individual and multi-investigator grants from National Institutes of Health, private foundations, and pharmaceutical companies.
The division is also responsible for the DeBakey Heart Center Cardiovascular Ph.D. track within the Graduate Program in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (Baylor login required), which involves faculty from organizations throughout Baylor.


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The Schematron
is a simple
and powerful Structural Schema Language.
It is now an ISO standard
ISO/IEC 19757 - DSDL Document Schema Definition Language -
Part 3: Rule-based validation - Schematron
Schematron is regularly reinvented, independently: this shows both that it meets a widespread need and that the approach it takes (assertions and Xpaths) is convenient to implement and to think about. ISO Schematron is the result of enhancing Schematron, the leading assertion language, with improvements gleaned from other, subsequent similar languages and from multiple developers on all the most important modern platforms, and from almost five years of use. Schematron is mature, well-respected, widely implemented, well thought out, and, most importantly, small enough to be convenient. In 2007, please consider adopt ISO Schematron, rather than rolling your own home-made or proprietary language. Members of standards committees evaluating Schematron-like alternatives may appreciate that ISO Schematron is a framework that allows use of other domain-specific languages in place of the default XPaths. Rick Jelliffe
(If you have have news about Schematron or similar schema languages, please email Rick Jelliffe ricko (at) topologi.com
(Due shifts in countries and jobs, I was not able to maintain this list for about a year. I apologise for this, especially for people who had news - Rick Jelliffe)
For old news, see the old home page.
The Schematron differs in basic concept from other schema languages in that it not based on grammars but on finding tree patterns in the parsed document. This approach allows many kinds of structures to be represented which are inconvenient and difficult in grammar-based schema languages. If you know XPath or the XSLT expression language, you can start to use The Schematron immediately.
And it has free and open source implementations available. The Schematron is trivially simple to implement on top of XSLT and to customize. (There are also implementations in Python and Perl)
The Schematron allows you to develop and mix two kinds of schemas:
The Schematron is based on a simple action:
The Schematron can be useful in conjunction with many grammar-based structure-validation languages: DTDs, XML Schemas, RELAX, TREX, etc. You can even embed a Schematron schema inside an XML Schema <appinfo> element!
There are only 6 basic elements in Schematron 1.5 which makes it very easy to learn, especially if you already know XPaths. (There are others, but these mainly just help construct nice user interfaces for validators.) Here is the basic structure
So here is a very small example. It is a mini-schema for Schematron.
<schema xmlns="http://www.ascc.net/xml/schematron"> <title>A Schematron Mini-Schema for Schematron</title> <ns prefix="sch" uri="http://www.ascc.net/xml/schematron"> <pattern> <rule context="sch:schema"> <assert test="sch:pattern" >A schema contains patterns.</assert> <assert test="sch:pattern/sch:rule[@context]" >A pattern is composed of rules. These rules should have context attributes.</assert> <assert test="sch:pattern/sch:rule/sch:assert[@test] or sch:pattern/sch:rule/sch:report[@test]" >A rule is composed of assert and report statements. These rules should have a test attribute.</assert> </rule> </pattern> </schema>
In that mini-schema, the rule element sets the context: the rule applies to any sch:schema element in a document. The rules say that there must be at least one child element sch:pattern, at least one child element sch:pattern with a child sch:rule with a context attribute, and at least one child element sch:pattern with a child sch:rule with a sch:assert or sch:reportwith a test attribute.
This is probably not the most useful schema: it only tells you what is wrong with an empty document rather than checking a full Schematron schema. However, it does show that there are many different kinds of schemas possible: some of them similar to DTDs and some of them very different. Schematron lets you perform many kinds of new validation!
Copyright 1999-2001 (C) Rick Jelliffe, Academia Sinica Computing Centre, Taibei. The Schematron software and this page are available for any public use, under the conditions of the zlib/libpng license (the least restrictive), but please mention our names in any documentation or About screens for any products that uses it. Comments, fixes and upgrades welcome: email email@example.com


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'Stairway Walks Day' Coming to Burien's Eagle Landing Park Saturday, Feb. 9
From 10 a.m. – Noon on Saturday, Feb. 9 you may see a bunch of people walking up and down the stairs at Burien's Eagle Landing Park – all part of Feet First's 'Stairway Walks Day' – an event featuring 15 simultaneous walks across the region to celebrate our valuable legacy of 650 publicly accessible stairways.
If you're at all interested though, you'd best RSVP quickly, as there are only 20 openings – RSVP online for free at www.stairwaywalksday.brownpapertickets.com.
This local version of the event will be lead by WABI Burien, the group behind the monthly 'Walk-n-Talks.'
"These stairs, many of them more than 100 years old, form a network of "scenic byways" for neighborhood discovery – a priceless asset for outdoor fun, fitness and health," reads an announcement. "The stairway routes featured on Stairway Walks Day are from Cathy and Jake Jaramillo's new book Seattle Stairway Walks: An Up-and-Down Guide to City Neighborhoods. The book is intended to help urban adventurers discover and appreciate the beautiful greenspaces, history, art and architecture that make up the vivid fabric of our neighborhoods."
According to the city's website:
Eagle Landing Park, with its shoreline access, 247 feet of beach, 2 acres of tidelands, and 6 acres of wooded uplands, is a new member of Burien's developing park system. The goal of the park is to "provide an open space where community education and access are in harmony with habitat and critical areas preservation. . . ." The park entrance is at the west end of SW 149th St. The park contains an eagle nest viewpoint, interpretive trail, and five-car paved parking lot. The quarter-mile trail from the parking lot to the beach drops 275 feet in elevation. The park contains many native plants, mammals, and birds.
Early History and the Branson Family
In the early 1900s, the land known as Eagle Landing Park belonged to the Branson family. The Branson property was part of a 200-acre parcel owned by the Seahurst Land Company, which supplied water to local residents from springs on the property. The original Branson estate was a 9-acre wooded waterfront residential lot. In 1915, a relative of the owner built a residence in the northern portion of the property, which was upgraded and expanded in the 1930s. A county road through the property was platted but never built, and has been vacated since 1935. The property was logged about 90 years ago, when much of the timber in Burien, Seahurst, and Gregory Heights was felled to supply wood for America's Liberty Ships in World War I.
The steeply sloped property sits atop two geologic units – glacial lake clay and silt below, and glacial outwash sand and gravel above – both deposited during glaciation of Puget Sound in the last Ice Age. Springs trickle from the hillside at an elevation of about 50 feet. The area has a long history of slope instability, according to oral history and the topographic features of the site.
"Stairways are truly the scenic byways to neighborhoods, and we're always curious about what's at the top – or the bottom," said author and Feet First Neighborhood Walking Ambassador Cathy Jaramillo, "They get you to, and between, places you'd probably never know about otherwise. We're excited about celebrating them with so many people on Stairway Walks Day!"
Feet First Executive Director Lisa Quinn adds, "Stairways provide a great way to exercise and improve health and get to know a neighborhood. Stairway Walks Day encourages people to explore the Puget Sound region's unique and beautiful neighborhoods by walking."
Here are the details:
WHAT: Stairway Walks Day!
WHERE : Eagle Landing Park Stairs, located at 14641 25th Ave. SW (map below).
WHEN: All walks start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9. Please RSVP for detailed instructions about the meet up location here.
INFO: Extraordinary Eagle Landing Park sits right above the Sound in a quiet, woodsy residential part of Burien. The single up-and-down trail passes a viewing area where you can search for the eagle's nest somewhere high among the Douglas Firs. We'll quickly reach the one major stairway, which is the fourth-longest of all Seattle stairs. Its unique steel structure floats through the trees, above the fragile and slipping hillside. At the bottom, we'll be treated to views of Vashon and Maury Islands across the Sound, and Three Tree Point southward down the beach. After you finish, you'll find lots of eating, drinking and strolling opportunities in revitalized Olde Burien.
RSVP: For more information about Stairway Walks Day, please contact Darcy Edmunds by emailing [email protected] or calling 206-652-2310, ext. 5. Space is limited to 20 people per walk. Please RSVP in advance at www.feetfirst.org or www.stairwaywalksday.brownpapertickets.com.
WALK LEADER: WABI Burien
DISTANCE: 0.4 miles: 289 steps down and 289 steps up
More about Feet First
Since 2001, Feet First has worked to ensure that all communities in Washington are walkable. Walking is a vital transportation mode that connects communities, reduces pollution, improves health and physical fitness, and allows people to explore their natural environment.


text:
Vegetable Korma
Produced by Preferred Brands International
last checked Jan 19, 2013
"Many Tasty Bite products are gluten-free. You can view which items are gluten-free by clicking on our Special Diets section."
"This information is also included on each package of Tasty Bite."
ContactPhone: 1-888-827-8900
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm ET
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Store Locator:
Buy Online:
Important: We try to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information available. However, please keep in mind that manufacturer policies and formulations can change at any time, and that some information listed on this site could be out-of-date or contain unintentional errors.
Remember to always read product labels and check with the manufacturer directly if you have any concerns.


text:
Paul Roa/For the Chronicle
Rimes and Cibrian.
Leann Rimes and Eddie Cibrian's happy engagement news has been soured by scathing comments from the actor's ex-wife, who has criticized her former partner for announcing his wedding plans to the world before telling his kids.
The couple became involved back in 2008 while they were both married – Rimes has since divorced dancer Dean Sheremet and Cibrian ended his union to Brandi Glanville.
The "CSI: Miami" star sealed his romance with Rimes by proposing over Christmas and she announced the engagement in a post on Twitter.com.
But the news has provoked an angry response from Glanville, who claims Cibrian failed to tell the former couple's two sons about his plans to marry Rimes.
In a message sent to Cibrian on Twitter.com, Glanville writes, "Congrats! (Again) Thanku (sic) for announcing this to the press before telling our kids. As u leave 4 vaca (vacation), once again, I got this!"
— WENN Newsdesk


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The following Press Release came to Olive Tree Genealogy in yesterday's email:
SALT LAKE CITY— FamilySearch International announced today a change in
its chief executive officer. Effective January 2, 2012, Dennis C.
Brimhall will succeed Jay L. Verkler as CEO of FamilySearch. Mr.
Verkler will continue in a consulting capacity for a few months to
ensure a smooth transition.
It is the business culture and practice of FamilySearch, as an
organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, to regularly rotate its senior leaders. This pattern assures the
forward momentum of its core programs.
Over the past decade under Mr. Verkler's leadership, FamilySearch has
shifted its vast stores of genealogical records and resources to a
digital, worldwide, internet-based focus. FamilySearch has developed
partnerships with many genealogy and technology industry organizations,
helping form a broad and deep industry community including companies,
societies, and archives.
FamilySearch has helped make the world's historic records easier to
access online, publishing over 2.4 billion names in historic records at familysearch.org,
including 870 collections from over 50 countries indexed by over
250,000 volunteers. During this period, FamilySearch has also created an
unprecedented, free global service organization that engages over
70,000 volunteers who provide needed local and online support to
research patrons and the genealogical community. FamilySearch has
pioneered genealogical search, record linkage, imaging, crowd-sourcing,
and digital preservation technologies.
"It has been a career highlight for me to work in such a significant and
meaningful effort," said Jay L. Verkler regarding his time at
FamilySearch's helm. "I have had the privilege to work with countless
great individuals, organizations, and companies, all striving to provide
the best of user experiences."
Mr. Brimhall comes to FamilySearch with a deep background in
management. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and
Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. He recently
served for 17 years as president and CEO of the University of Colorado
Hospital in Denver from 1988 until 2005. Since then Mr. Brimhall has
held positions of increasing responsibility in The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints.
"I am very excited to help lead the work of FamilySearch, to continue
the great things that have been done and move forward in new directions
as appropriate," said Brimhall. "FamilySearch provides services to
millions of people worldwide. We really need to understand our
customers' needs and satisfy them. Our focus will be to ensure that
FamilySearch's customer experiences are really first rate."
FamilySearch looks forward to further strengthening its commitment to
the global genealogical community, to publishing and digitizing the
world's records, and encouraging all people to discover, preserve, and
share their family histories.


text:
All In The Family...
I hate being dependent, but there are drugs that I really must have -- the ones that help keep my blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
I've been to the doctor today and he's renewed all my prescriptions, so I shouldn't have to see him for another six months. (That makes me happy!)
I am fortunate that Crestor, the well-known cholesterol-lowering drug, works well for me. Since I started taking it two years ago, my total cholesterol and my LDL ("bad" cholesterol) have both dropped about 75 points.
For blood pressure, I take two drugs, Diovan and HCTZ (hydrochlorothiazide). The combination keeps my blood pressure safely below 120/80. I am thankful.
Here's how I found out that my blood pressure was totally out of control. I got off work one Friday evening and went to Kroger to get groceries. Just on a whim as I passed through the pharmacy, I decided to sit down in the blood pressure chair.
When I saw the readings, I left my shopping cart and drove straight to the doctor's office because I was scared! When the nurse checked my blood pressure there, it was even higher.
It's a wonder I hadn't had a stroke. I had been having headaches every day for months, but I just thought it was my job.
Soon thereafter, I got a little battery-operated cuff so I could check my own blood pressure. One day I had it at work and all the girls were standing around my desk, checking their blood pressure. Roger, one of the bosses, came by and decided to check his, too. It was something like 200/130 -- terribly, unbelievably high.
We all urged him to drop everything and go to the doctor immediately, but he wouldn't do it. He said that his blood pressure always ran high, and he just laughed it off. About six months later, he had a stroke at work one day. Fortunately, he survived and now he takes medicine for his blood pressure.
I hope you are keeping track of your blood pressure and cholesterol, and if you need medicine to help control either of them, I hope you are taking it. We're fortunate to live in modern times with many effective drugs.


text:
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text:
Have you ever wants to make a change in a current situation? It could be your personal life, politics, or about anything you think needs change.
All you need is one person to start the action and another to follow. Soon you have a movement…get enough people to see it happening and BAM…everyone wants to join in.
Checkout my blog post Are You Ready to Start a Movement and think about being that 1st person to start or jumping up to join as the 1st follower.
Change doesn't happen by sitting on your butt saying or doing nothing. Changing something takes action that others can see…if no one sees what you are doing, no one will join in.
Sheryl Loch


text:
HappyChick wrote:I stand by my statement. No, I was not there either, but IF the accounting that I read IS true, it's disgusting. Regardless of who is faulted, it is sad and you can bet human error is the cause.
BTW, I didn't think I read a "media" account. I thought what I read was written up by the rescue and posted on the rescue's website. Wouldn't that be kind of like me writing up a description of an incident and posting it on my website?
Stand by it all you want. It's still wrong and indefensible.
A cursory view of the material available about this incident feature multiple statements from people who were there that contradict each other. So the people who were on scene can't agree about what happened. Yet, you somehow know the truth based on what you read on the rescue's (obvioulsy unbiased ) website? Ridiculous.
This is why I hope I am never at the mercy of 12 people not smart enough to get out of jury duty.


text:
Jaguar will turn the XJ into an electric sedan rivaling the Tesla Model S, according to Autocar which on Monday reported that an electric XJ will be revealed in late 2018 to mark this year's 50th anniversary of the nameplate. Sales are said to follow in 2019.
And it won't just be the powertrain that will reportedly be changing. Autocar also reports that the flagship sedan will become more of a hatch than a traditional sedan, something akin to the Porsche Panamera and aforementioned Model S.
Jaguar had been debating whether to return to a more conventional 3-box sedan shape for its next-generation XJ or stick with the current model's coupe-like design. The automaker at one point was even thought to be going with two distinct body styles for the car.
2017 Tesla Model S
It seems that Jaguar will now focus on a coupe-like design, which is probably a good move as the design will help further distinguish the car from its German rivals. And going the electric route should also keep the car relevant in a segment that's seeing buyers switch to SUVs.
But what about those buyers, especially in China, looking for a roomier option in a flagship sedan? That's where sister company Land Rover will apparently fill the void. The new "Road Rover" model that we heard about last fall will reportedly be developed alongside the electric XJ, and this one should be roomier as it will be something of a blend between a sedan and SUV.
Jaguar already has the powertrain technology for electric cars. The automaker will start selling its I-Pace later this year. At launch, the small electric SUV will feature a 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery and a twin-motor drive system delivering a combined 400 horsepower, and its range should be about 220 miles. Given the modular nature of the powertrain's design, utilizing it for a future XJ shouldn't prove too much of a challenge.


text:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Valhalla Golf Club, home to some of the game's most dramatic major championships and the site of the last victorious United States Ryder Cup Team, has been selected to a rare berth in the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame.
Valhalla follows Hillerich & Bradsby, makers of the famed "Louisville Slugger" (2006) and Churchill Downs (2012) as the only entities to be selected into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. Valhalla is part of a seven-member class that will be inducted June 18, in a ceremony at the Crowne Plaza in Louisville. The other 2014 honorees are: sportscaster Paul Rogers, triathlete Susan Bradley-Cox, basketball coach Stan Hardin, boxer Rudell Stitch, baseball coach Bill Miller and horse trainer/breeder Charles "Redd" Crabtree.
"The PGA of America is honored that Valhalla Golf Club, synonymous with historic moments in the game, is receiving this recognition by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame," said PGA of America President Ted Bishop. "The PGA has a great appreciation for the outstanding sports fans in Louisville and throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. To have Valhalla, a PGA of America property, enshrined alongside the state's greatest legends is testament to those who have worked hard to bring the best in golf to Kentucky and showcase it to the world."
Founded in 1963, the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes athletes and sports figures who were born in or who have played their respective sport in the State of Kentucky. Past inductees include Muhammad Ali, Pee Wee Reese, Pat Day, Denny Crum and nine with golf connections, including 1964 PGA Champion Bobby Nichols and Valhalla founder Dwight Gahm. Overall, the current class brings the total Hall of Fame membership to 267. Hall of Fame honorees are perpetually enshrined in Freedom Hall at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
"We're very proud of all the great sports facilities in Kentucky, and proud that Valhalla Golf Club joins the Hall of Fame," said Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame member and current board member Dan Neal. "It is up there in its own class for the great excitement that it has generated and the championships it has hosted over the years. Valhalla brings out the best of Louisville and Kentuckians."
Opened in 1986 and designed by legend Jack Nicklaus, Valhalla Golf Club is listed by Golf Digest as one of "America's 100 Greatest Courses." It was the site of the 1996 and 2000 PGA Championship, and will host the 96th PGA Championship, Aug. 5-10.
The PGA of America assumed full ownership of Valhalla after the 2000 PGA Championship and the club's legacy in history-making events included hosting the 2008 Ryder Cup, the 2004 and 2011 Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid and the 2002 PGA Professional National Championship.
All net proceeds from the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame luncheon and ceremony benefit Kosair Charities. To purchase tickets, visit kyathletichalloffame.org
About Kosair Charities
Since 1923, Kosair Charities has had one primary mission - helping children in need. Kosair Charities knows that the quality of a child's tomorrow depends largely on the quality of health, medical treatment, and support a child receives today. For more information please visit //kosair.org or call 502.637.7696.
For more about the PGA of America, visit www.pgamediacenter.com
Julius Mason, PGA of America 561/624-8444 email@example.com
Erin Jones 502/774-0767 email@example.com
Vicky Weber 502/637-7696 email@example.com


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Our ability to treat common bacterial infections with antibiotics goes back only 65 years. Yet increasing resistance to these wonder drugs has already returned us to an era when many strains of bacteria cannot be easily treated. If left unaddressed, antibiotic resistance has the potential to derail the health care system and recreate a world where children and the elderly - and even hometown sports heroes and our fighting armed forces - routinely die from simple bacterial infections. The world could be faced with previously treatable diseases that have again become untreatable, as in the days before antibiotics were developed.
As an indication of the scale of the problem, high-level penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae in the United States has experienced a thousand-fold increase in the last 20 years - from 0.02 percent in 1987 to over 20 percent in 2004 (CDC 2005). From 1974 to 2004, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has climbed from roughly 2 percent to more than 50 percent in many U.S. hospitals. Drug-resistant infections affect patients, health care systems, and society by increasing the cost of treating infections and causing greater disability and death. Billions of dollars' worth of avoidable costs accrue to our health care system because resistant infections require longer hospital stays and more expensive drugs. Infections from just six common resistant bacteria cost our health system nearly $2 billion a year – more than the total annual spending on influenza. In addition, modern medicinal procedures, from organ transplants and chemotherapy to basic surgery, require effective drugs that can ward off infection.
The problem of resistance is an evolutionary game played between humans and microbes: we try to stay ahead by creating new antibiotics, and microbes develop resistance to our drugs. Unfortunately for us, microbes evolve resistance to antibiotics faster than we can create new drugs, meaning that, in recent years, bacteria have been winning this "arms race." Antibiotic use disturbs microbial communities, and in these disturbed environments, the bacteria that thrive are those that are naturally invasive—the equivalent of weeds. Not all bacteria are bad. We are all colonized by bacteria that live on our skin and in our gut, where they do important things like help us process food. They become a medical problem only when they cause an infection—an invasion of otherwise sterile areas, such as the bloodstream, lungs, or urinary tract.
Antibiotics work by killing bacteria. But by mutating, bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic use selects for resistance in several species of bacteria simultaneously because the drug affects both target (harmful) and nontarget (helpful) species. While their competitors are killed off, those individual bacteria that survive because of some mutation are able to grow unchecked. Bacteria that evolve resistance can ultimately spread to other people just like any other bacterial infection—through personal contact or coughing. Bacteria can also acquire resistance to antibiotics when they share genetic material with related bacteria. Entire sets of genes can move from soil microbes, farm animal bacteria, or even "good" bacteria in the gut into dangerous pathogens . Genes that confer resistance to antibiotics let bacteria become resistant to many related antibiotics all at once. Resistant bacteria can spread on a large scale when intensive use of antibiotics gives them a window of opportunity to colonize a host while sensitive bacteria cannot.
When these advantages are strong enough, resistant bacteria tend to spread. A simple principle thus arises: certain thresholds on the rate of antibiotic use favor resistant bacteria. Since antibiotics are heavily used in health care facilities, patients who transfer to and from hospitals and nursing homes can help spread the pathogens. Evolved mutations have increased the frequency with which resistance emerges, and resistant bacteria have been rapidly spreading. Antibiotic resistance cannot be prevented. But it can be slowed. Biology points to three possible policy objectives:
• delay the emergence of antibiotic resistance;
• slow the spread of resistant bacteria; and
• reduce infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
These are discussed in more detail in the Solutions section.


text: I don't particularly consider myself an artist and certainly not a painter. But last week, I had the opportunity to be both when photographer & fashion designer Kandace Wilson invited me to participate as a collaborator in her ongoing horse painting project. Kandace grew up at the track, always around horses -the underlying inspiration behind building this body of work. The end products are a portfolio of stellar images of the painted horse, textiles created from the painted imagery, and fashion designs using those textiles. There were a host of constraints and challenges in the process that make the experience one-of-a-kind: time is your biggest challenge as you're working with a large furry animal that gets bored quickly and requires both entertainment and breaks; the fur, in both color and texture provides a challenging canvas to work on; working on location requires a certain degree of spontaneity and creativity… but beyond the challenges came some sweet and unexpected rewards both in the finished product that begins to take on a living, breathing life of its own, and in the experience of working with this majestic animal. Kandace continues to search for, and looks forward to connecting with willing participants, artists (and horses) of any variety who would be interested in future horse-painting collaborations.


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I would appreciate input and thoughts on what a good page layout for a mathematical article looks like in latex. What would you consider good practice? What is your own personal preference? Which page layouts annoy you as a reader? 11pt or 12pt? Standard latex fonts, or do you prefer another (commonly available) choice? What's a good compromise between traditional typographic rules (no more than 60 characters per line) and not wasting too much empty space on a page?
To make it really concrete, let's say I am specifically asking for guidance for articles to be posted on the arXiv, i.e. the article will be printed both on letter and A4 paper. And unlike journals, you don't have the luxury of choosing your page size appropriately.
(P.S.: What are good examples of layout for math content on A4-sized pages done by professionals?)


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To create the dome shape, bake this flourless chocolate cake in a foil-lined bowl. The cake is crusty outside with a tender center: rich, fudgy and irresistible. And it's a great addition to your holiday table.
- Yield
- Makes 10 to 12 servings
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee
- 2 2/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 pound)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 10-cup ovenproof glass bowl or 10-cup metal bowl smoothly with foil. Spray foil with nonstick spray. Combine dark rum and instant coffee in small bowl or ramekin; stir to dissolve coffee.
- Combine chocolate chips and butter in large bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water. Stir until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat in sugar, then coffee mixture. Beat until mixture cools to lukewarm, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Transfer batter to foil-lined bowl.
- Bake cake until top is cracked and dry and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in bowl on rack 15 minutes (center of cake will fall). Press edge of cake firmly to level with center of cake. Refrigerate cake uncovered until cold, at least 6 hours and up to 2 days.
- Invert bowl with cake onto platter, allowing cake to fall onto platter. Lift off bowl; peel off foil. Beat cream in large bowl until peaks form. Spread whipped cream all over cake, mounding cream in center. Cut into wedges and serve, or refrigerate up to 6 hours.
Related Video
Nutritional Info
- Calories560
- Carbohydrates50 g(17%)
- Fat40 g(62%)
- Protein6 g(11%)
- Saturated Fat23 g(116%)
- Sodium52 mg(2%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat2 g
- Fiber2 g(9%)
- Monounsaturated Fat13 g
- Cholesterol167 mg(56%)


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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State swimming and diving program announced the hiring of diving coach Dennis Ceppa on Tuesday (Sept. 10). Ceppa joins new head coach Tim Murphy's staff after serving as the diving coach at George Mason University for four seasons.
"Dennis Ceppa has a proven track record," said head coach Tim Murphy. "His divers perform at the highest level in the sport. Most recently one of his divers competed at the World Championships."
Ceppa comes to Penn State with much success as a head diving coach. During his tenure at George Mason, Ceppa earned Colonial Athletic Association Diving Coach of the Year honors twice in just four seasons. The Patriots captured four conference titles and had two divers earn the CAA Diver of the Year award. In 2012, Ceppa guided diver Derrick Butts to qualify for the NCAA Championships, becoming the first male diver in George Mason history to reach nationals. The coach is thrilled about the opportunity to join the Penn State program.
"I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity of being with Tim during his inaugural season here at Penn State," Ceppa said. "I cannot wait to get started and help our athletes make Penn State swimming and diving stronger than it has ever been."
Prior to his time with the Patriots, Ceppa enjoyed an impressive eight year stint at Rider University, where he claimed five Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and two East Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards. Similar to his time at George Mason, Rider produced its first diving NCAA national qualifiers from the men's and women's squads.
Going along with the achievements in the college ranks, Ceppa's pupils have thrived on the national level. Amanda Burke, a current USA National Team member, 2012 Olympic Trials finalist and 2013 World Championship team finalist, trains under Ceppa at the Mason Dive Academy, where the coach serves as the program director.
Ceppa graduated from the College of New Jersey with a bachelor's degree in technology education in 2003.


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Edward leaves for a second time and left bella hopeless and heartbroken. 50 years later bella is a vampire and returns to her home town forks to meet back up with her once true love.Can their love be back together after so long, or just be torn even farther apart.
Bella must survive as a vampire!! I don't own any characters except:Allen and May!!
1. Forks again...
Rating 4.5/5 Word Count 451 Review this Chapter
In all my 50 years as a vampire, I never thought I'd see the rainy town of forks again.
"Oh how I hate this place" I thought to myself.
"Give it back!!" May yelled. "No!!"Allen threw back. "Shut up..."I mumbled quietly.
"Give it!!!" May continued. "Stop it" I mumbled once more. I was at my last straw.
"ALLEN!!!" May shouted "SHUT UP NOW!!"I shouted, slamming on my brakes.
I was in their faces in less than a second. "I'm trying to drive!" I explained, trying to keep calm. "Sorry bella..."May whispered, Allen nodding. "It's okay." I said. I turned around and started back up the road, in silence. I loved getting to be in charge of our family.
We made it to our home, which was three stories high and had a forest as a front yard. I was loving it!! We unpacked and got ready for school in the morning. "School, no!!" I thought. I seriously hated school as a vampire, it sucked...*sigh*But I had to deal with it...
"Yes, school!!" At least May was excited about her new school. "Great..." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. She glared and Allen laughed. I crossed my eyes and stuck my tongue out at her. Allen was bursting into laughter and I giggled at him. May, of course, started a fight with me and we wrestled. I won.
This morning on the way to school, I wanted to slaughter Allen. "I think I eat too much..." He complained again about his stomach-ache. "Well then, stop being a pig!!" I teased him. He glared and I winked.
We stopped and parked my car in the front of the school. "I hate this place too."
May and Allen went straight to the office, but I looked over to my side out of old habits.
There in front of me was the Silver Volvo that haunted my every thought." No!!!"
This couldn't be real. He left, they all left. I grabbed at my chest and tried so hard to breathe evenly. "He's here. My...Edward..."
That day went by so slowly. I couldn't concentrate and didn't pay attention to anything that was going on. That was his car and he was here. I didn't have a chance to think it straight before lunch came. I jumped up at the sound of the bell. I had to face him, them, no matter what. "Why did I have to come back? I shouldn't have come back!!" I thought over and over again. But it didn't matter now, I was already too late. I walked in the cafeteria, changing my life forever...
- Author
- Bella_Edward13
- Rating
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- 30 May 07
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Dîner en Blanc New York was held at Robert Wagner Jr. Park on Thursday, September 15, 2016.
5000 people dressed beautifully in white, descended upon the the riverfront of New York Harbor. With views of the Statue of Liberty, guests mingled, dined, danced, celebrated and made new friends all in the spirit of Dîner en Blanc. Photography by Jennifer Heffner/Vita Images.
DEBNYC2016JenniferHeffnerVitaImages0604Diner en BlancDiner en Blanc NYDiner en Blanc New York 2016White Party


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Editing the User profile in the My Profile Settings of Moodle
Users can edit their profiles within the My profile settings of the Settings section in Moodle 2.3. The User profile can be customized and fine tuned for specific Course related information. Extra fields can also be added to the profile. See the Editing User profile fields in Moodle tutorial on this. This tutorial will briefly explain the User profile settings.
Modifying My Profile Settings in the Moodle Edit Profile page
- Log into the Moodle Dashboard
- Navigate to My profile settings > Edit profile in the Settings section on the left.
Important! Keep in mind that Editing must be turned on in the Settings section in order to edit any of these options.
- Next the User Profile page will load. The first section is the general information for the user. In this section, the Username and password can be changed. Also the basic information like First name and Last name (Surname), Email address, City/Town, Country, Language, and Description can be changed or edited here.
The user can upload an Avatar or profile picture in the Edit Profile page. In the User Picture section, drag an image to the New picture block. This will automatically upload an image to the user profile.
The Interests box if for listing Course related interests that will display on the User profile. Also, the Users webpage, phone number, Instant Messenger IDs for Skype, AIM, Yahoo, and MSN can be added in the Optional area. When done with the User Profile page, click Update profile.
- Finally, when viewing the profile, the View profile page will look like the following snapshot.
This concludes the article for Editing the User profile in the My Profile Settings of Moodle. Please check the next article on Configuring notification methods for incoming messages in Moodle. If the previous tutorial was missed, please visit Please check the next article on Restoring Moodle from a backup to review the article. For more information on this Education Channel please visit Getting Started with Moodle - Moodle
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›Section 14: Configuring notification methods for incoming messages in Moodle
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text: It's pumpkin spice latte season, and that can only mean one thing: fall TV premieres are right around the corner. Thankfully, Hulu (like several other providers, if you have cable or satellite just take a look at your video on-demand menu) is once again letting you get the jump on your water cooler gossip by offering an early look at a few new and returning shows from ABC, NBC and Fox in advance of their television air dates. So, if you've been suffering from severe withdrawal from The Mindy Project (now with 100% more James Franco) or been intrigued by the overripe nostalgia of The Goldbergs, you're in luck. Also available on Hulu right now are new episodes of Back in the Game, Trophy Wife, Ironside and Welcome to the Family. To get into the spirit of premiere season, follow the source link below.


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MBTA wants funding, but will hold off on service cuts or fare hikes for now
New chief hopeful of legislative remedy in next two months
MBTA officials will hold off until at least March before resorting to fare increases or service cuts, waiting for lawmakers as they debate potential tax hikes to address the state's long-simmering crisis in transportation funding, the T's new general manager said Wednesday.
MBTA general manager Beverly Scott, in her first extended interview since starting last week, said she hopes lawmakers in the next two months will come up with new funding for the T, relieving pressure on the agency to once more raise fares or cut service to balance its budget.
"These first 60 days are going to be very, very critical,'' Scott said. "The last thing I want to have to do is start off the year scaring people.''
Also Wednesday, T officials put the size of the MBTA deficit at $132 million for the budget year that starts July 1.
Scott's interview came as the T announced another monthly ridership increase, with statistics showing an average of 1.33 million riders each weekday in November — nearly 2 percent higher than in the same month a year earlier, and the third month out of five that ridership has grown since the T raised prices an average of 23 percent last summer. State planners had projected that ridership would fall after the fare hike.
While higher fares and ridership have meant more money for the T, it's a drop in the bucket compared with the state's overall transportation funding shortfall.
Past estimates suggest the state has a roughly $1 billion annual gap between how much it raises to fund transportation and what it should actually spend on highway and transit operations and upkeep, a problem partly masked through heavy borrowing.
When lawmakers approved emergency funding for the T and the state's smaller bus agencies in June — avoiding steeper fare increases as well as service cuts — they acknowledged it was just a temporary fix. They called on Governor Deval Patrick to propose a larger solution by January.
Patrick is expected by Jan. 7 to submit a plan that will be less a blueprint for how to solve the crisis than a tally of what it would cost to shore up the transportation system and pay for expansion. It would probably show how much money could be raised by increased or new taxes, tolls, and fees. Specific recommendations are expected to follow in Patrick's budget plan for the Legislature.
Representative William M. Straus, co-chairman of the Joint Transportation Committee, said lawmakers will debate how much the state should invest in transportation, and how to raise that money with an eye on the MBTA's calendar. State law calls for the T to pass a balanced budget for its upcoming July-June fiscal year each April.
"In no sense should people think the T is out of the woods,'' Straus said, underscoring that last June's fix was a temporary solution.
Pressure on the T has been mounting since 2000, when lawmakers ended the longtime practice of writing a check to cover the difference between MBTA expenses and fares.
To help the T balance its budget, the Legislature dedicated part of the state's sales tax to transit. But they also saddled theTwith debt to pay off politically popular transit expansions, including projects that the state was legally required to complete to offset the air-quality impacts of the traffic generated by the Big Dig project.
The T responded by reducing staff and generating more money from advertising, while lawmakers have helped tighten employee pension rules and reined in health care expenses.
But annual costs — fuel, electricity, federally mandated door-to-door service for the disabled, and especially debt payments — have grown much faster than the sales tax, which has lagged through recessions and tax-free online shopping.
Scott, who has led or worked for large transit agencies in several regions, said she believes leaders and the public here understand the issues and want to reinvest in transportation.
She attributed the T's continued increase in ridership to a recovering economy, relatively high gas prices, and customer service improvements from the T, such as a smartphone application for commuter rail ticketing and next-train countdown signs at subway stations.
Analysts at Northeastern University's Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy had predicted ridership might hold steady, because fares had not risen since January 2007 and because Greater Boston residents increasingly live or work near transit, with development concentrated around transit stations.
"What people do when they're faced with an increase is a function in particular of what their alternatives are,'' including the ease and price of driving and parking, said Stephanie Pollack, associate director at the center. "If you start raising fares [yearly], you'll see a much sharper dropoff.''
At South Station on Wednesday, riders interviewed said they absorbed the fare increase as a necessary expense.
"It's almost like gasoline,'' said Paul Toland, a 26-year-old who commutes from Weymouth to downtown, parking in Braintree to take the Red Line. "You've got to pay what they tell you.''


text: The silver 3 in 1 Powerbank, Torch and Hand Warmer is a multi-functional device that would make a great gift for any gadget lover. Simply click your way through the different functions and enjoy its various uses. Designed to work universally on any phone, the Energy Tube has a high-powered Samsung battery inside which will fully charge an iPhone 5 in approximately 90 minutes. The LED torch will give out around 50 hours of light, whilst the hand warmer will provide 4-5 hours of heat. The gadget has a USB and micro USB port at the bottom for easy recharging. - L.M. Features: 3 gadgets in one: Phone charger, torch and hand warmer Twist and click to select each function Durable aluminium casing Insulating sock for the hand warmer LED torch provides around 50 hours of light on a single charge Hand warmer provides 4-5 hours of heat Will fully charge an iPhone 5 in 90 minutes Designed to work universally on any Smartphone: iPhone, Sony, Samsung, HTC, Blackberry Will not charge tablets Has a Samsung battery inside Capacity: 2300 mAh Li-ion USB and micro USB port at the bottom for easy recharging Dimensions: 2 x 12cm (approximate)