text:
Loren Thompson, Contributor
If you pay any attention to media coverage of the F-35 fighter program, then you know the Pentagon's biggest weapons program is "troubled" (to use the favored adjective of reporters). Flight tests are lagging, costs are skyrocketing, and overseas partners are beginning to get cold feet. So the Joint Strike Fighter, as it used to be called, is looking like another black eye for the Pentagon's fouled up acquisition system, right?
Wrong. The reality is that for the third straight year flight tests are ahead of schedule, the cost to build each plane is falling fast, and international partners are so enthused that new customers are getting in line for the F-35 on a regular basis (South Korea will be next). So how come you don't know any of this? The reason you don't know it is that political appointees have decided they can score points with Congress by attacking their own program, and national media always lead with the most sensational information.
For instance, Pentagon officials recently disclosed that the cost of building and operating the F-35 had risen to $1.5 trillion — without mentioning that a third of that total is unprovable estimates of future inflation and two-thirds of supposed increases from the program baseline reflect changes in how costs are calculated rather than real increases. Officials also didn't mention it would cost two or three times more to stick with the current fleet of fighters, given the cost of maintaining aging aircraft. Most news accounts just cited the trillion-dollar price-tag, preferring to stick with the "troubled program" theme. Easy to write, no thinking required.
There's another side to this story, and it's mostly positive. It helps explain why none of the three services receiving the plane is going to cancel its version and why none of the allies who signed on to the program when economies were stronger is now going to back out. F-35 is well on its way to being the most capable, cost-effective tactical aircraft in the history of warfare, and you can see that fact clearly reflected in how the flight-test program is progressing, the production cost is falling, and other countries are jockeying to get the plane.
Flight tests. Let's start with the flight tests that are steadily verifying all the performance features of the aircraft. The program has surpassed its goals for flight testing in each of the last three years, doing 15 percent better than planned in 2011 and 20 percent better than planned so far in 2012. Collectively, the three versions of the F-35 have now flown well over 2,000 times, accomplishing more than a quarter of the planned tasks in a comprehensive testing regime. By the end of this year, the most common version of the plane — the one that will be used by the Air Force and exported to most foreign customers — will be 45 percent of the way through all its flight tests.
There has been a lot of talk lately about the dangers of producing F-35s before testing is completed, because if problems are found then planes already built will supposedly require costly fixes. So far, though, the danger seems to be mainly theoretical: Wikipedia says the price-tag for correcting problems uncovered in testing is $1.3 billion, which is less than one-half of one-percent of the production cost for 3,000 domestic and foreign fighters. Another concern has been delays in software; however, as of today 95 percent of the plane's airborne software is either being used in flight tests or being tested in labs. No show-stoppers in sight, either in the hardware or in the software.
Few outsiders realize how smoothly the F-35 flight-test schedule is unfolding, so here are a few milestones of progress thus far this year. On January 18 the Air Force version performed its first night flight. On March 22 it conducted its first night-time refueling mission. On April 21 it completed its first aerial-refueling mission while carrying weapons. The Marine version accomplished the same refueling with weapons on board two week earlier; designed to land on a dime almost anywhere, the Marine variant has performed over 500 short takeoffs and over 300 vertical landings. The flights generally go well, which is why the testing schedule is so far ahead of plan.
Production Costs. The factor that usually trips up new weapons programs is cost, because while nobody in Congress understands how to measure the stealthiness of an F-35, everybody thinks they understand a price-tag. Pentagon leaders have thoroughly confused this issue by making it sound like the cost of F-35 is going up while actually taking huge amounts of money out of the program each year. In 2011 they cut 122 planes and $10 billion from near-term spending plans for the program; in 2012 they cut another 124 planes and $9 billion; and now in 2013 they have proposed cutting 179 planes and $15 billion. Cutting the rate at which F-35s are produced definitely increases the cost of each plane, but during the Obama years the program has become more of a piggy bank than a money pit for Pentagon planners.
Obviously, any money that already has been spent can't be recovered. However, when you look at the cost going forward to build each new plane, that's coming down — and fast. The "unit recurring flyaway" cost for the most common variant of F-35 fell below $150 million each in the third low-rate production lot and will fall below $100 million in the fifth lot currently being negotiated. By the time its gets to the tenth production lot, the recurring flyaway cost of the most common variant will be approaching what legacy F-16 and F/A-18 fighters sell for today. Granted, that's just what it costs to "drive it off the lot," and doesn't include items like training and spare parts. On the other hand, the price-tag on legacy fighters doesn't include all the equipment they will need in combat (the F-35 price-tag does), and older fighters don't have the F-35′s stealth.
Foreign Partners. The F-35 effort was conceived in the Clinton years as a program that would provide next-generation fighters not only for the United States, but for eight other countries. The United Kingdom contributed $2.5 billion to its development, while Italy and the Netherlands each contributed $1 billion. Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Turkey each contributed over $100 million. Thus, any sign that these overseas partners are wavering in their commitment is taken as evidence that trouble may lie ahead for the program.
I don't know where you get the idea that the F-35 is all fine and well. The F-35 is headed for a defeat in the Korean contest, where the head of acquisition admitted that the F-35 was only in the contest to put pressure on the viable bidders to extract a better term, and that they could drop the F-35 but doing so would lessen the competition and harm the national interests. The year end presidential election also puts a pressure against the F-35 win, as the F-35 is being associated with political corruption and backroom dealings in Korea, and its win would greatly harm the conservative's chances of winning the presidential election. Some observers suspect that's what the current president may wants, as he would be better off with a opposition rule than the rule by his biggest political rival from the ruling party.
Anyhow, the F-35 is headed for a defeat in the Korea FX contest, and this may shake the JSF partner's confidence in the F-35 and may start looking an alternative in return.
Maybe he means "fine," Like Obama means it about the private sector's hiring.
you should know that s.korea have no better option than f35.
f15se is now just paperplan and eurofighter"s cost of
maintenance cost too much for mycountry.and china and japan will have stealth fighters soon and we should retire old fighter like f5,f4.
i just hope f35 goes well and cost would down.or delay fx contest 2or3years….ㅜㅜ
i'm southkorean student in seoul
you should know that s.korea have no better option than f35.
f15se is now just paperplan and eurofighter's cost of maintenance cost too much and they are not stealth.and china and japan will have stealth fighters soon and we should retire old fighter like f4,f5.i just hope f35 goes well and cost would down.
I understand your logic, but perhaps there is so much risk in 'hoping' for eventual F-35 development and maturity at affordable cost, starting in 2017?
What if something goes wrong and the maturity is not so successful and the systems or aircraft structure are flawed and need more extensive work? What if the purchase cost is %50 more than currently expected and operational costs are 100% more than currently expected?
That is a huge gamble for SK, yes? In order to replace F-4 and F-5??
Remember, Korea has big time goals and plans to develop a future 5th gen fighter. That deserves respect and support. If anyone can do it solo and cheaply, it can be Korea. Be patient.
In the near-term, it would seem to be most rational and realistic to acquire upgraded next-gen F-15K+ variants with latest avionics, radar, cockpit and self-protection/EW systems. These can be more cost-effectively sustained under the existing logistics and training budgets. Acquire next-gen heavy-ECM jamming pods and other next-gen systems for additional capabilities and flexibility.
Supplement with Korean FA-50 acquisition. That is quite a couple.
Then Korea can acquire more superior VLO UCAV platforms and next-gen Korean 5th gen platform as planned!
The best option I think.
Besides, the more reliable F-15′s next-gen APG-82 and an all-in-one heavy-ECM pod, combined with next-gen Sniper pod and IRST system will provide superior endurance and Long-range surveillance/situational awareness to commanders, compared to any block III F-35!
That is my opinion. And by the way, I was in Seoul 2 months ago, for a brief time. A truly impressive and wonderful city.
I have dreams too,but,the F-35 A, B and C is a dream not reality. the $cost keeps going up, the problems of all sorts never end. I suggest Wikipedia and about 30 hours of reading, to conclude your opinions. Closer to 1 billion $ than 100 million$ is reality. Cost and service for 42 years. Ask any country involved with the International Participation.
Given the grossly bloated defense budgets, many taxpayers no longer have ears for the Pentagon's big d-ck projects. Enough. The Security Military Industrial Complex is sinking this country – not securing it. Its agencies can spend any amount of money claiming "covert activities," and have zero accountability to taxpayers. They're all playing very expensive games with our money. Wise up.
The F-35 program is in for a world of HURT later this year and the rest of this decade and beyond. Why?
1) The U.S. govt. is technically bankrupt and cannot afford a single Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), let alone 2,443 of them (the largest – by far – planned buy among the JSF partner nations).
2) Fed. debt ceiling crises (by early Nov. 2012 & beyond).
3) "Sequestration": $500B of U.S. Dept. of Defense spending cuts over 10 years that comes into effect on Jan. 2/13. That's on top of the $487B in cuts over a decade currently underway.
In May 2011, Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the powerful U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) said: "We cannot sacrifice other important acquisitions in the Department of Defense investment portfolio to pay for this [F-35] capability."
At the same hearing, the Pentagon's chief of major weapons systems procurement, Dr. Ashton Carter, said that the JSF had become "unaffordable." No kidding!
Ranking SASC member Sen. John McCain stated: "The facts regarding this [F-35] program are truly troubling. No program should expect to be continued with that kind of track record, especially in our current fiscal climate. It seems to me we have to start at least considering alternatives." (The Pentagon has quietly been doing so.)
McCain & his allies are trying to roll back "sequestration", but it's very doubtful they'll be wholly successful, and even a partial roll-back (<$500B) may not happen. Why? Because of the tax-hating Tea Partiers & far-right-wingers (FRWs) in the GOP. They will re-use the same 'weapon' – the threat of debt default – that they employed last year during the debt ceiling crisis to get what they want: fed. spending reduced more. The Dept. of Defense was not spared last year & won't be this year & beyond.
Specifically, in 2011, for the first time in U.S. history, non-moderate right-wing politicians (Tea Partiers & FRWs) were willing to allow the govt. to default on its multi-trillion-dollar debt. They forced Pres. Obama & Speaker of the House Boehner & moderates in Congress in both parties to surrender to their demands. And the result for the military? An additional $37B in spending axed on top of the $487B mentioned.
Then what happened? The Pentagon announced that F-35 production would be slowed FURTHER & the price per warplane would RISE. On Feb. 14/12, Pentagon & Lockheed Martin officials said the aircraft's price was going UP.
After the political dramas associated with the debt ceiling & "sequestration" crises are played out later this year, we're going to see more cuts to the F-35 program, which is already $200B over its original budget of $197B.
In late 2011, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said: "The end result of these cuts after ten years would be the smallest ground force since 1940, the smallest number of ships since 1915, and the smallest Air Force in its history."
McCain added: "The United States would face the substantial risk of not being able to meet our defense needs. The consequence of a sequester on the Defense Department would set off a swift decline of the United States as the world's leading military power."
In addition to debt ceiling crises (this decade & beyond) & looming "sequestration", there are mega-issues that WILL negatively impact the F-35 program & other military fleet procurement projects. In June 2011, USA Today reported:
"The government added $5.3 trillion in new financial obligations in 2010, largely for retirement programs such as Medicare and Social Security. That brings to a record $61.6 trillion the total of financial promises not paid for.
In Dec./09, Forbes published a report (it's online), "Trillions Of Troubles Ahead", that every teenage & adult American should read. The sub-headline was "A crushing burden of debt threatens to sap America's growth for years to come."
The writing is on the wall, folks – for the F-35 program, and the nation.
I agree, it's time for USAF to break loose from DoD dictates and immediately request modification to FY 13 appropriations for advanced procurement of new F-16 and F-15 as interim recapitalization stopgap!
Strategy is the key now, going forward. Past procurement acquisition processes are hereby retired! Finally! (After being talked about being reformed for what, the last 10 years now?)
To restart the F-15s and 16s would cost more than the F-35!


text: Syria crisis Syrians on the run from war What does it mean to be a refugee? Hear from some of the nearly 3 million Syrians who've fled their country and see what life is like where Mercy Corps works to support them. How we help ▸ Children & Youth Building tomorrow today Learn about how Mercy Corps helps children and youth overcome poverty, conflict and disaster to build more productive communities for the future. How we reach youth ▸ Emergency response Crisis in South Sudan Mercy Corps is providing emergency food and water to thousands of families who've fled the violence. Latest news ▸ Philippines 6 months after Typhoon Haiyan What does recovery look like for families devastated by the massive storm last November? See photos ▸

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Where Did Reggae Come From Pt. 2
With Jamaica celebrating 50 years of Independence, there has been, quite understandably, a look at what has happened in the country's history. That is no less true of the country's music. This year, The Gleaner has published, on a number of occasions, different aspects of that history. In one 'Story of the Song', a weekly feature produced by Mel Cooke, Toots Hibbert spoke of first coming up with the term 'reggae'. More recently, Edward Seaga spoke about The Heptones being responsible for the first real reggae track. The views are uncountable, but as Jamaica looks at 50 more years of Independence, we continue to look with much curiosity at our past.
Reggae Bad Boys To The Rescue
WITH over 40 years in the music under their belt, Inner Circle has just about seen and done it all. Recently, the band launched their latest, and arguably, most important, initiative. Their dissatisfaction with contemporary Jamaican music inspired the Saving The Reggae Music campaign. Bass player and founding member Ian Lewis warns that "unless proper steps are taken, then we are going to lose the best thing that we ever had." Lewis says current reggae is too influenced by American hip hop. In light of this trend, the group is pushing their latest song, This Is Reggae Music, a cover of the Zap Pow band's hit song from the early 1970s.
Music Is A Mission, Not A Competition
The proven adage of conscious reggae music is the guiding theme of Glen Washington's new 17-track album, Masterpiece (ZHP). Reflecting his personal and artistic commitment to truth, rights and love, Masterpiece shows the mission is fully on course. From serious conscious roots, to playful lovers reggae, Glen Washington lends, not just his voice but his soul to a masterpiece of both music and message. Signature Zion I Kings musical arrangements emphasise layers of sound in which the interplay of percussion, breezy horns and bubbling bass lines tell a story themselves. Here, Washington's husky vocals lead the listener on a reggae journey inspired by soul, mento and gospel. Glen Washington's Masterpiece is available July 10 worldwide on Zion High Productions via A-Train Entertainment (digital), Ernie B Reggae (CD/USA) and August 1 via CRS (CD/Europe).
Maxi Priest: I Just Keep Going
When Maxi Priest sits down and crosses his legs, his dreadlocks drape and curl around his body, hanging over one ankle and the edge of his chair. Though the singer was born and raised in England, they are a tangible reminder of his Jamaican heritage. He's combined the two to produce his own distinctive (and very successful) brand of reggae fusion. In Sri Lanka to perform at the Hikkaduwa Music Festival (?) and the opening ceremony of the Sri Lanka Premier League, Maxi is also looking forward to watching some cricket. "I love the 20-20," he adds, "You know who my boy is? The one who bowls like this," he says, doing a creditable imitation of Lasith Malinga's bowling action. "I think he's great. He's exciting. He's brought a great energy to the game." Right now, Maxi is hot off the June release of his new album, which bears the self-explanatory title of 'Maximum Collection.' "It's 36 songs from way back when to now," he says.
Bob Marley Documentary Now On Dvd
Iconic reggae superstar Bob Marley's too-brief life is chronicled in this documentary lovefest. Though he died from cancer at age 36 in 1981, his music and his influence live on. Loaded with rare footage, performances and interviews, the 2012 film also discusses Marley's infidelities, even though it's made with his family's cooperation. It's directed by Kevin Macdonald, best known for his dramas "The Last King of Scotland" and "State of Play." Macdonald set out to make a film that would inform the Marley children and grandchildren about Bob's life, which led to Billboard posing the question to Ziggy Marley about which stories he had never heard. One concerned his father's concern about his fair skin, the other about the song "Small Axe," which has long been seen as a song about taking down corrupt governments. In reality, it was about specific people in the Jamaican music industry. PG-13, 145 minutes. Extras: interviews, photos and director commentary. From Magnolia Home Entertainment. Released Aug. 7.
Lee Scratch New Album
Grammy-winning reggae icon Lee "Scratch" Perry has some unfinished business that has just been completed. The renowned dub and reggae pioneer will release his next album, entitled Master Piece on September 11, 2012. The album will contain a few tracks that were initially released in 2010. See Of Sound, the record label releasing the new album, says the tracks that have been reworked for Master Piece were originally issued in an "unfinished" state. The upcoming release Master Piece offfers ten tracks from the Mad Professor that are mixed with the inclusion of lounge-dub, hip hop, jazz and trance. Produced by Born Free and The Next Room, the album is a distinct, if not extreme, departure from virtually all of Perry's past works.
Bob Marley Day In Los Angeles
The City Council will declare Aug. 7 Bob Marley Day in Los Angeles, honoring the late iconic Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter in connection with the DVD release of the documentary "Marley." Two of Marley's children, Ziggy and Karen, will accept a proclamation from Councilman Tom LaBonge announcing Bob Marley Day in Los Angeles. Born Feb. 6, 1945, in the rural community of Nine Miles in the mountainous terrain of the Jamaican parish of St. Ann, Marley went on to become the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae bands The Wailers and Bob Marley & and The Wailers.
Andrew Tosh Eye To I
Marvin Gaye may have protested more elegantly, but "What a Gwaan," the first single off Tosh's fifth album, has conviction born of lineage. It's an anthem that is as applicable to the plight of Trench Town as it is to the Greek financial crisis — a forceful, defining chant that is vintage old school reggae from the scion of one of the founders of the genre. "It is about Jamaica, but it's really what's happening all over the world — no money, blood running, people getting killed and exploited by the greedy," says Tosh, the 45-year-old son of late reggae legend Peter Tosh, in an interview. The album, Eye to I, will be released this fall. Tosh who looks and sounds remarkably like his father, will preview it when he plays Toronto's Jambana festival at Downsview Park on Aug. 6, a commemoration of Jamaica's 50th anniversary of independence. But in 50 years of freedom, Tosh is still singing songs of protest — of economic slavery and exploitation — that his father, who taught Bob Marley how to play guitar, sang so passionately about.
How To Emancipate Yourself From Mental Slavery
Reggae icon Bob Marley, in his highly acclaimed Redemption Song, exhorted listeners: "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds."Most fans attribute the saying to him. Only a relative few are aware that Marley was quoting from a 1937 speech given by pan-African visionary Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The ultimate irony is that they don't know because they have never read Marcus Garvey, the philosophical fountainhead for Marley.Were it not for Marley's clever musical cloaking of this profound idea, it would never have gained such popularity. And this speaks to two unfortunate truths which may be limiting the career achievements of a lot of people. Both reveal why many people, while celebrating the Jamaica 50 Jubilee, remain mentally enslaved to states such as fear, ignorance, low self-esteem, self-doubt and pessimism.
Do The Reggae Hollywood Zion
"Reggae is only what you hear and think is reggae," Peter Tosh pronounces at the beginning of Heartland Reggae (1980)—and a lot of what sounds like just that is playing at BAMcinématek during the long-weekend program Do the Reggae, which ends on the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence. Concert documentary Heartland Reggae, to give one essential example, is an effort to record the music's Woodstock or Wattstax, cherry-picking performances from 1978's One Love Peace Concert, arranged to squash beef between Jamaica's then-warring political parties. Homecoming headliner Bob Marley is supported by Tosh, performing an interminable "Legalize It," along with 11-year-old dynamo Little Junior Tucker, doing his best James Brown, and exuberantly shirtless Jacob Miller, antagonizing the police presence with a wielded spliff. (Miller died in 1980, while his bandmates, Inner Circle, later found running-dog fame with "Bad Boys," the theme song from COPS.)


text:
• The Oakridge Softball Team beat cross-town rival Clover 11-1 on April 11. Kayla Ogle dominated the Clover hitters, striking out nine batters, while only giving up one hit and allowing no earned runs (the lone run given up was unearned).
The highlight defensive play of the night came from a fully extended diving catch by Lilly Wallace, robbing a Clover hitter of a line drive single. Leading the Lady Golden Eagles on offense were: Michelle Aragon, 1 for 2, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Casey Eagan, 2 for 4, 2 RBI; Lilly Wallace, 2 for 4, 2 runs; Taylor Morneault, 1 for 3, 2 runs, 1 RBI; Melia Venezia, 2 or 3, 1 run, 1 RBI
• The Oakridge Softball Team swept Springfield in a doubleheader on April 15 to clinch the Eastern Division Title. Kayla Ogle pitched the Lady Eagles to an 8-2 victory in the first game, striking out 11 hitters in the process. Pacing Oakridge on offense was Lilly Wallace who went 4 for 4 with 3 RBIs. Melia Venezia pitched the Lady Eagles to an 9-2 victory in game two, striking out 9 hitters. Leading the way on offense in game two was Brooklyn Thomas who went 4 for 4 with 2 RBIs.
Girls track
• The Lady Golden Eagles girls track team defeated cross-town rivals Clover Middle School 62 to 33 on April18. Scoring for OMS were:
First place: Jesse Defalco, 1600M; Chloe Crank, 100M; Cassie Williams, Long Jump; Grace Huston, A'Shanti Carothers, Chloe Crank, and Haniyah Watson, Sprint Medley; Kendra Hickman, Jennifer Ramsey, Ashley Atkinson, Daniela Ariza, 4x400; Joelle Keffer, shot put; Nautica Hughes, discus.
Second place: Grace Miller,1600; Cassie Williams, High Jump; Daniela Ariza, 400M; Nautica Hughes, Long Jump; Jesse Defalco, 800M; Chloe Crank, 200M; Joelle Keffer, Discus.
Third place: A'shanti Carothers, 100M; Nautica Hughes, Shot Put; Kendra Hickman, 400M; Shelby Sturdevant, Long Jump; Grace Miller, 800M; Amber Skeens, Discus.
Boys track
• The OMS boys track team lost a close track meet on April 16. The final score was Sullivan Middle, 57.5; Oakridge Middle 56.5 OMS set new school records in the meet: AJ Fulmore, 57.57 in 400M and 2:20.40 in 800M; and Julian Williams, 25.40 in 200M.
First place: AJ Fulmore, 800M; Julian Williams, 200M; 4 X 400 Relay, Blake Watson, Jackson Wood, Andrew George, AJ Fulmore; Austin Malcolm, shot and discus.
Second place: 4 X 100 Relay, Omari Adams, James Westergard, Charlie Hoffman, Julian Williams; Ben Clark, 1600M; Julian Williams, 100M; AJ Fulmore, 400M; Sprint Medley, Elijah Robinson, James Westergard, Wyatt Emory, William Emory; Blake Watson, long jump; Wyatt Emory, discus
Third place: Cameron Marvin, 1600M; Ben Clark, 800M; Wyatt Emory, high jump; Elijah Robinson, long jump.
Fourth place: William Emory, high jump and long jump.
In the same meet, the Lady Golden Eagles faced stiff competition and placed third in the home meet. Scoring for the Lady Golden Eagles:
First place: Joelle Keffer, discus.
Second place: Sprint medley team, 4x400 team
Third place: A'shanti Carothers, 100M; Kendra Hickman, 400M; Jesse Defalco, 800M; Joelle Keffer, shot put; Nautica Hughes, discus.
• The OMS boys track team defeated Clover April 18, 80.3 to 15.6. Scoring for the Golden Eagles were:
First place: 4X100 Relay, Julian Williams, James Wintergard, Omari Adams, Elijah Robinson; Wyatt Emory, High Jump; Ben Clark, 1600 M; Julian Williams, 100M; AJ Fulmore, 400 M; Elijah Robinson, Long Jump; Austin Malcolm, Discus; Sprint Medley, Elijah Robinson, James Wintergard, Clay Rollins, Brendan Fisher; AJ Fulmore 800M; Julian Williams 200M; 4X400 Relay, Blake Watson, Andrew George, Jackson Wood, AJ Fulmore.
Second place, Cameron Marvin, 1600M; Blake Watson, 400M and Long Jump; Wyatt Emory, Discus; Ben Clark, 800M; Austin Malcolm, Shot Put; Josh Chappell, High Jump
Third place: James Westergard, 100M; Jackson Wood, 400M; Clay Rollins, Long Jump; Luke Darling, 800M; Phillip Rector, Shot Put
Boys soccer
• The OMS boys soccer team had a great game on Tuesday, April 16. Playing with as few as 8 players vs. 11 to allow for quality play, the Golden Eagles were victorious over Sullivan Middle School 12-0.
Goals were scored by Ashanti Long, two for Gavin Shepard, Buddy Curtin, Zach Wallert, Dylan Pridgen, Matthew Ringler, Austin Gunnels, JD Davidson, two by Alexander Harrell and Joe Glover. Assists were by Ben Vogt, three by Ashanti Long, two for Buddy Curtin, two for Parker Largen, two for Garrett Neuffer, Austin Gunnels, and Ethan Pierce.
Girls soccer
• On April 11, the OMS Lady Golden Eagles tied first place Gold Hill with a score of 0-0. After a first half dominated by Gold Hill, OMS responded by reversing the attack in the second half.
Kaidyn Nadolny, Samantha Hybarger and Janelle Taliaferro kept Gold Hill's defenders on their toes with relentless shots on goal, but missed by inches each time.
Defensively, OMS was led by Krystal Nielson and Elizabeth East. Erika Drutis and Sydney Combs combined for the shut-out, our fifth of the season.
Comb's game-saving diving save in the final minutes preserved the win.
• The OMS Lady Golden Eagles tied a much improved Sullivan team 2-2 on Monday, April 15. OMS and Sullivan were tied at the half 1-1. Kaidyn Nadolny got the scoring started 11 minutes in to take a 1-0 lead.
Sullivan then tied it at the 20:00 mark. Sullivan then took the lead five minutes into the second half. OMS was able to respond with 4:00 to go on a goal by Leah Endean to tie it. Multiple shots by Nadolny, Endean, and Haley Stewart were taken, but they were not able to put it through. OMS' record is now 3-2-5.
• The OMS Baseball came up with a big win on Thursday, April 11, beating Banks Trail 11-8. Kyle Kalick earned the win in relief for Tanner Tolson. Cole Hybarger earned a big save. The three pitchers throw six innings, earning 4 strike outs and only giving up 3 earned runs.
Offensively the Golden Eagles came up big, with the team scoring 11 runs on 12 hits and 7 walks. Standing out for the team were: Kyle Kalick, 2 singles and 2 runs; Bryan VanScoyoc, 3 walks, 1 single and 4 runs; Timmy Parker, 1 single, 2 doubles and 3 RBIs; Cole Hybarger, 1 single and 1 double; and Clint Jenkins, 2 doubles and 5 RBIs
Defensively the Golden Eagles were led by a solid performance by Timmy Parker behind the plate and Clint Jenkins at first base.
• On Monday, April 15, despite a stellar performance by Graham Whitesides on the mound, the OMS baseball team lost to Fort Mill 7-0. Cole Hybarger got the only hit for the Golden Eagles and Hayden Milley played well defensively.
• April 25 vs. Fort Mill, away
• April 24, conference tournament, away
• April 23 vs. Banks Trail and Springfield at Springfield
• April 25 vs. Clover, Fort Mill, Gold Hill, Springfield, Banks Trail at Fort Mill High School
• April 30 vs. Conference Meet - field events - at Clover, 4:30 p.m.
• May 1 vs. Conference Meet - running events - at Clover, 4:30 p.m.
• April 23 vs. Banks Trail, away
• April 25 vs. Clover, home
• April 29-May 1, conference tournament, home
• April 23 vs. Banks Trail, away, 6:15 p.m.
• April 25 vs. Clover, home
• April 29-May 1, conference tournament, home


text:
Get ready to explore the last frontier
Fairbanks, the "Golden Heart City," earns its nickname from its residents, who are famous for their generous spirit, hospitality, and genuine friendliness. While in Fairbanks you'll find a dynamic arts and entertainment community, eclectic Alaskan gift shops, and plenty of adventure opportunities. Experience the midnight sun all summer and the brilliant Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) during the winter.
The last frontier is absolutely marvelous and ready for you to explore.


text:
Today our nation witnessed one of the most horrific events that one can imagine as a gunman took the lives of approximately 20 elementary school children and several staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Our hearts go out to the families of the students and staff members who were impacted by today's tragedy, as well as the entire Newtown community.
Even though this took place hundreds of miles away from Katy, its impact reaches across the nation and gives us reason to pause and think about our own schools and the safety and well-being of our own children, as no community is immune to random acts of violence.
At this hour, there is still a lot of information to learn with regard to the Connecticut shooter, his relationship to the school, how he gained access to the building, and the security measures that were in place. I want, however, to take this opportunity to reassure you that here in Katy ISD we take proactive measures to not only be prepared to respond to such incidents, but to prevent – to the extent that we can – them from occurring in the first place.
As an immediate response, Katy ISD police officers will have an increased presence in and around our campuses next week. In addition, our counselors have been put on standby to be prepared to meet with students who may have emotional concerns as a result of today's tragedy.
In addition to the above, the district has other measures in place to help keep students and staff safe. For instance, in recent years we have upgraded many of our facilities with entry vestibules to help control access to our campuses and have established procedures for all campus visitors. We also provide training to our campus staff to reinforce proper procedures with regard to keeping doors locked, questioning suspicious individuals and proper response procedures should an intruder make their way on campus.
Katy ISD also has plans and procedures in place to address emergency situations that a campus or the district may face. The district's School Safety Task Force, which includes representatives from each campus, as well as from local EMS, fire, and law enforcement, reviews these plans annually. In addition, an emergency response guide is located in every classroom and is accessible from the desktop of every staff computer in the district.
Finally, I would also like to stress the important role we all have in keeping our students and schools safe. Research shows that in cases involving school violence, someone knew something about the threat but never alerted anyone. Please take this time to talk to your children about the important role we all have in keeping our schools safe by reporting potential threats to the proper authorities.
The safety and security of students and staff members on our campuses is of the highest priority and by working together to create healthy and positive relationships with teachers and the school, we can ensure that we provide safe teaching and learning environments.
Klein ISD
The Klein ISD extends heartfelt condolences to the Sandy Hook Elementary School community in Newton, Conn., during this tragedy. This is a stark reminder of the importance of the safety procedures already in place in the Klein ISD. There is district protocol for these types of crisis management situations, including lockdown procedures, for every campus. Alongside the 37 Klein ISD police officers, the administrators, teachers, and staff are trained regularly on safety procedures. Rest assured that the safekeeping of students and staff in the Klein ISD is always a top priority.
New Caney ISD
The shooting this morning is a stark reminder of the importance of our safety procedures and our check-in and screening processes for all visitors to campuses. While this seems to be an isolated incident, we have asked that our principals be sensitive to concerns or questions that parents may have regarding our own procedures. We remain vigilant in our processes and procedures to protect our students.
Check the school district's policies regarding visitors on campus.
Pasadena ISD
In Pasadena ISD, we have notified our principals of the shooting so that they are aware of the tragedy. We do have policy requiring visitors to report to the front office of each campus. When they come, we process their ID through a Visitor Tracking System (Raptor). Then they wear a "visitor badge" while on campus. The entire policy is available at: http://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/597?filename=GKC(LOCAL).pdf
Pearland ISD
Pearland ISD administrators are aware of the tragic situation this morning at an elementary school in Connecticut and express our deepest sympathy.
District personnel work closely with Pearland Police Department and emergency management officials to keep abreast of issues that could impact the safety of our students and
We frequently review our crisis management procedures and students and staff regularly perform safety and lock-down drills to prepare for emergencies.
Our objective is to prepare students for any situation while also protecting them from messages or images that would alarm them. We strive to balance the need to be informed with the maturity levels of our students. The safety and security of our student and staff is always our top priority.
Regarding Pearland ISD's policy/procedures to visitors on campus:
· Pearland ISD has a very strong presence of police officers throughout the district available to get to any problem quickly, if they are not already on the campus.
· All visitors to a campus must sign in with the receptionist/front office and provide a photo ID.
· For campus security, the district uses an electronic database to store information concerning visitors to district campuses.
· Pearland ISD facilities have video camera coverage at the main entrances.
· Doors at our facilities, except for the main entrance, are locked. Visitors must enter through main entrance.
Stafford MISD
The district always places a priority on ensuring the safety of students and employees. Standard procedures are implemented and tested on a regular and ongoing basis to reduce the likelihood of an event happening like the tragic shooting in Connecticut. The district requires visitors to schools to submit identification which is processed using an online visitor screening and management system (Raptor).
Texas City ISD
"We are always on alert to have a safe campus. I've provided policy, procedures from the handbook and information from our Emergency Operations Manual on how we drill and how we would respond to a crisis situation similar to what happened today. Please be cautious on what you share as to not threaten the safety of our plans.
Every campus has a secured entry. That was accomplished with the 2007 Bond projects. Visitors are forced to check into the office first and receive a visitor pass and be scanned through our Raptor system They have to have a specific purpose to be on campus.
We will have additional officers patrolling the perimeters of all of our schools this afternoon and each day next week.
Our teachers and staff receive annual training. Those pages are attached. All campus staff received training in August from our Galveston County Sheriff's Liaison Officers called When Seconds Count, a reenactment of a school shooting.
Waller ISD
The safety of Waller ISD students and staff is always a top priority. Our Administration Team and our School Resource Officers are aware of the tragedy. We are deeply saddened
by this tragedy. Our deepest condolences go to family and loved ones during this time of grief.
Parents and other adult visitors are welcome to visit District schools provided they show a state issued ID. All visitors must report to the receptionist and sign in to get a visitor's badge. The visitor's badge must be worn while visiting and returned when the visit is over. Visits to individual classrooms during instructional time shall be permitted only with the principal's approval. Such visits shall not be permitted if their duration or frequency interferes with the delivery of instruction or disrupts the normal school environment. Classroom visits should be arranged at least 24 hours in advance. Driver's license/identification will be kept in the front office until the visitor checks out. Student visitors are not allowed
Note: No visitors are allowed campus visits on state assessment testing days.
When visitors, volunteers, or contractors check in to a campus - or when parents come to pick up students during the day - they will be asked to present a valid state-issued ID for entering into the V-Soft system. The V-Soft system is a computerized visitor tracking system that screens visitors using public sex offender database information as well as any additional alert data entered by the school in regard to custody issues, restraining orders, and WISD prohibited persons.


text:
Official correspondence from the North Shore Electricity Aggregation Consortium communities regarding electricity aggregation will be mailed this week to all eligible residential customers.
, one of the largest aggregation groups under a single form agreement in Illinois, includes Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Highland Park, Park Ridge, Deerfield, Glencoe, Northbrook
and Skokie.
This correspondence will come under the letterhead of each resident's community. Residents will not receive a telephone call from their community, or from the Consortium's provider, mc2. This correspondence will explain the program and provide information for customers.
Once the correspondence is received, customers will have 21 days to determine if they want to "opt‐out" of the municipal program. Under this "opt‐out" program, all residential and small commercial retail customers (those whose annual usage is 15,000 kWh or less) will be switched automatically to mc2, unless the customer affirmatively opts‐out of the program and wishes to
remain with ComEd.
Residents and small businesses that have already switched to an alternative provider will be able to "opt‐in" to the municipal aggregation program; those residents and businesses should contact mc2 directly at (888) 808‐7731 or e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information about registration.
This week, the Consortium announced a new rate for electricity that will yield at least 41 percent savings off the current Commonwealth Edison residential electricity rate, and save residential customers hundreds of dollars annually.
- See related story:


text:
Mildred L. Sullivan Hunt (1913 - 1995) - Find A Grave Memorial
Accuracy Disclaimer and Terms of Use
People: Mildred L. (Sullivan) Hunt
Crozier's general armory; a registry of American families entitled to coat armor (1904) Pg. 124
United States
Crozier's general armory; a registry of American families entitled to coat armor (1904) http://archive.org/details/cr...
People: Edward Sturgis, Thomas Swift, Sr.,, Hendrick Rycken and 5 others.
Quebec Vita land Church Records Drouin Collection
Quebec, Canada
People: Mary Bennett, Napoleon Rinfret, M. Rinfret and 2 others.
Coleen Sullivan.tiff
People: Coleen Sullivan
People: Joseph Sullivan
Mandeline Sullivan Wharton (1740 - 1826) - Find A Grave Memorial
Accuracy and Copyright Disclaimer
People: Maudeline Wharton
William Wallace Ramsey 1910 United States Federal Census.jpg
People: W. Ramsey, Mary Ramsey, W. Asher and 4 others.
1936 - Marriage of Eunice Ruby Thurston & Timothy Sullivan
January 11, 1936
Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire, United States
Ancestry.com. New Hampshire, Marriage Records Index, [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc...
People: Eunice Loveren, Timothy Sullivan, Richard Sullivan and 3 others.
1940 United States Federal Census for Timothy Sullivan.jpg
Franklin Street, Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire,USA
People: Timothy Sullivan
1900 census.jpg
People: Virginia Sullivan


text:
These images are very interesting. They give you a sense of what the Apostles really looked like
The Apostle John
Photograph by Pier Paolo Cito, AP
A newfound painting of the Apostle John (pictured in an underground Roman tomb on Tuesday) is among the oldest known depictions of some of the original 12 Christian Apostles, experts say.
The Santa Tecla catacombs—situated beneath an office building in Rome's Ostiense area—contain fourth-century-A.D. paintings of the Apostles Paul, Peter, John, and Andrew, who were early followers of Jesus Christ.
(See: "St. Paul's Tomb Unearthed in Rome.")
The ancient art was revealed by lasers that burned off inches of calcium carbonate, which had accumulated on the paintings over the centuries in the humid chamber, according to Italian news reports.
The two-year restoration effort cost the Vatican—which maintains the catacombs—some $73,400 (60,000 Euros).
—Brian Handwerk
Published June 24, 2010
Catacomb Painting
Photograph by Pier Paolo Cito, AP
Paintings adorn the walls and ceiling of a Roman tomb (pictured Tuesday) where the oldest known icons of the Apostles were recently discovered.
Experts believe the Apostle depictions were painted to watch over the remains of a devout Roman noblewoman buried in the tomb, according to Italian news reports.
(Related: "Ancient Cult Chapels, Egyptian Noblewoman's Tomb Found.")
Early Christians—as well as other faiths—buried their dead in extensive networks of catacombs outside Rome.
Published June 24, 2010
Catacomb Fresco
Photograph by Pier Paolo Cito, AP
Catacomb archaeological superintendent Fabrizio Bisconti describes frescoes found in the Santa Tecla catacombs on Tuesday.
In 2009 the Vatican announced that the oldest known icon of the Apostle Paul had been found on the catacomb's ceiling.
New laser-restoration efforts have revealed that Paul's image is part of a larger work that also includes the Apostles Peter, John, and Andrew—as well as Christ himself, depicted as the Good Shepherd, according to Italian news reports.
Restorers also discovered more artwork, including the frescoes. (See picture: "'Last Supper' Explodes Into Hi-Res.")
"I think the way they're positioned indicates a devotional dimension," Bernard P. Prusak, chair of Theology and Religious Studies at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, said in an interview.
Published June 24, 2010
The Good Shepherd
Photograph by Pier Paolo Cito, AP
An image of Christ as the Good Shepherd (pictured Tuesday) centers a square painting that also features iconic likenesses of four Apostles at its corners.
Villanova's Prusak noted that these four Apostles represent a rather odd grouping because they're not closely associated in the Gospels. But there's no doubt why Peter and Paul were included.
"The two important figures for Rome were Peter and Paul, who were both said to have died in Rome," he explained, "so [their images in the tomb] is a clear connection to the city."
Published June 24, 2010
How to Feed Our Growing Planet
Explorer Moment: The Little Foxes
Anders Angerbjörn learns little foxes have big attitudes.
The Innovators Project
Megafishes Project
The unprecedented use of fresh water has led to the declining populations of these aquatic giants. Learn more about these big fish before they disappear.
Latest News Video
The Bee-utiful World of an Unconventional Scientist
For Sam Droege, bees aren't just a job—they're a way of life. His house abounds with them and his macro photography offers a dazzling glimpse of bees.
Something to Share?
Special Ad Section
Shop Our Space Collection
Be the First to Own Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey
The updated companion book to Carl Sagan's Cosmos, featuring a new forward by Neil deGrasse Tyson is now available. Proceeds support our mission programs, which protect species, habitats, and cultures.


text:
Staff Reports
— The 914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office has released a statement about the suspicious package at the airbase:
"Today at approximately 2:00 p.m. the Niagara Falls air base received a suspicious package prompting base officials to initiate standard emergency protocols to secure personnel and property on the installation.
The package in question was received on base via civilian mail carrier and had no return address. No other details concerning the package are available at this time.
Federal and state law enforcement has been called in to help determine the nature of the package.
Local emergency response crews are also present as a mutual aid agreement exists between the air base and the local community for mutual support either off base or on in the event of an emergency."


text:
2010 Tour de France Stage 5 Recap: Cavendish Finally Takes Home The Win
Oakley's Mark Cavendish of Great Britain returned to form in spectacular fashion today, producing a superb sprint finish to claim victory in the fifth stage of the Tour de France.
The Manx rider was under pressure following his failure in the sprint yesterday despite a seemingly perfect lead-out from his HTC-Columbia team, and responded in the perfect fashion, blasting through the pack to beat Gerald Ciolek and Team Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagen (Oakley) into second and third respectively.
Fabian Cancellara (Oakley) stays in Yellow, Thor Hushovd (Oakley) stays in Green (Points) and Geraint Thomas (Oakley) stays in White as the best young rider.
Oakley now has three stage wins.


text:
Dr. Scholl's® Genuine Leather Casuals
3 Layers of soft, protective cushioning, thanks to Dr. Scholl's® exclusive Tri-Level Comfort® Insole!
Plus: Moisture-Absorbent Foam-Backed Fabric Lining! Padded Ankle Collar for No Irritation! Cooling Mesh Breeze-Ways! Traction-textured, flex outsole makes every step safe, & easy on/off dual elastic gores for a perfect fit. Genuine Leather upper with handsome grainy finish and smooth man made trim, plus a fancy weave-thru collar. Order right now! Hurry!
©2013 Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc. Manufactured for Brown Shoe Company, Inc., under license from Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc.
- $34.99
- 2 for $64.97 -
- 3 for $94.95
Customer Reviews
Have had the shoe about one week and some what happy with it. Wish is had more padding because I have Neuropathy in my feet. Been looking for something to help with the foot pain..
Haband Email List
Join the Haband mailing list to receive Haband news and special offers.


text:
Do you think that significant spending caps and entitlement reforms will be attached to the debt-limit increase?
Democrats (31 votes)
Yes: 48%
No: 39%
Depends, don't know (volunteered): 13%
"Unless President Obama stands up and fights back to protect his health care reform and the Democratic legacy."
"I think something like the Bowles-Simpson proposal will have to be adopted before we're able to pass a debt-ceiling increase."
"Obama has shown he will not fight and cannot negotiate."
"Senior GOP House members have said [that] the only way they'll vote to raise the ceiling is with caps and reforms, but it's not something the American people are behind."
"The GOP will not vote without it."
"Since Obama wouldn't stand up to Republicans over issues like the tax cuts and budget negotiations that, compared to a default, are rather piddling, the Republicans have all the leverage here. Without a change in the current dynamic, [House Speaker John] Boehner will essentially decide how much he can put on this thing, and Obama will take it."
"Do I support that? No!"
"Republicans have already proven that Obama will do hostage negotiations with tea party terrorists and give up his priorities as a result."
"I think something will be attached. The Republicans would add cuts to a vote on approving the journal, if they could."
"Republicans will attempt to attach conditions, but a fuller budget settlement will require a different process and more time."
Depends, don't know
"Won't pass if bells and whistles [are] added—it may not pass without them."
"Certainly, the Republicans will try, but it should be a clean bill."
"Too early to tell."
"It is foolish to play chicken with America's credibility on the world financial stage. All would agree—keep partisan issues out of debt-limit operations."
Do you think that significant spending caps and entitlement reforms will be attached to the debt-limit increase?
Republicans (32 votes)
Yes: 91%
No: 9%
"It is the only way it will pass."
"There's no way to get the support of our conference without them."
"Americans won't tolerate an increase in the debt limit without real spending cuts and budget reforms."
"Both sides actually agree on the need for spending caps, so that should be easy. Entitlement reform is tougher, but there must be something, as well as a balanced-budget vote in the Senate."
"Entitlements are driving factors behind our $14 trillion deficit."
"A 'clean' debt-limit increase is too much of a nonstarter for too many that there will simply have to be spending caps and reforms attached. This is the fight to be having, and it will be a big one—as the rhetoric has already been ramping up."
"If spending caps and entitlement reforms aren't included in the debt-limit increase, it won't pass!"
"I think significant reforms are imperative. Failing to act by coupling structural changes to the debt-limit vote would be a missed opportunity."
"Obama needs to get in front of the parade again, and he sees entitlement reforms as his reelect vehicle."
"Spending caps are a must. As a parent, if my child irresponsibly maxed out my credit card, I would pay the bill. But I would also cut up the credit card to make sure it couldn't happen again."
"At some point, he has to get off the campaign bus and govern."
"If there aren't, it won't pass the House."
Who do you think gained the most from the deal on the continuing resolution?
Democrats (31 votes)
John Boehner: 42%
President Obama: 26%
Neither: 26%
Also receiving votes: Big Oil, 3%; both, 3%.
"Boehner's probably asking himself how much more he could have gotten if he started at an even higher levels of cuts, given Obama's unwillingness to stand up to Republican bullying tactics. Answer: probably 80 percent of whatever he asked for."
"He now fully controls the debate topic, large cuts and only large cuts. He got more than he originally sought. He began the process of limiting the tea party members."
"He is setting the agenda, and Obama looks weak."
"Boehner was beholden to his right wing, and he was able to use their threats to extract concessions from his negotiating partners. But this will pose difficulties for him, as well as for us, long term."
"The Republicans had the upper hand in the negotiations. The cuts are too deep and indiscriminate, and many members still don't know the specifics. At the end of the day, the tea party won."
"It's official; Boehner leads a caucus at war with women, seniors, and the environment. Not a turn-on for independents."
"Boehner put a brave face on a clear retreat."
"Boehner will take his lumps from the tea party members who were cheering for a shutdown. When Michele Bachmann is the voice of reason on avoiding a shutdown, you've got a leadership problem."
"I think the president gained the most because he is not seen as the one to agree to cuts. It is expected from the tea party-controlled Republicans."
"I thought that our country probably gained the most."
"No one 'wins' when our country looks so foolish."
"The public has no idea what a CR is; spin it anyway you want. None of it makes sense to Main Street."
"Just a game of male media chicken; the public is tired of it."
Who do you think gained the most from the deal on the continuing resolution?
Republicans (32 votes)
John Boehner: 84%
President Obama: 3%
Neither: 13%
"Where the speaker has been successful is focusing the debate on what and how much to cut, rather than if we should cut."
"He was incredible: kept his cool; kept the majority of his conference together; kept pushing the envelope."
"John Boehner advanced spending cuts in an unprecedented way, so this has to be seen as a victory for him."
"Obama's initial position was zero spending cuts, and once he locked in on $33 billion, Boehner pushed him even higher."
"Boehner was the Clinton of this government shutdown crisis—the central figure and the clear winner. Obama barely mattered. He was outthought and outfought at every turn."
"He took the first step in making significant spending cuts and kept policy riders, opposed by the Dems, in place."
"He was outnumbered, yet he came out with a deal that, at least initially, appears to have enough votes to pass."
"He had the most to lose and the most to gain from the deal."
"Boehner, even though President Obama tried to take credit for it."
"Obama was an absentee negotiator. How can you win when you aren't engaged?"
"The citizens [gained the most]."
Democratic Congressional Insiders Sens. Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin, Thomas Carper, Frank Lautenberg, Barbara Mikulski, Mark Pryor, Jon Tester, Tom Udall, Mark Warner; Reps. Jason Altmire, Robert Andrews, Tammy Baldwin, Karen Bass, Xavier Becerra, Howard Berman, Lois Capps, Michael Capuano, Dennis Cardoza, James Clyburn, Gerry Connolly , Jim Cooper, Joseph Crowley, Elijah Cummings, Diana DeGette, Rosa DeLauro, Eliot Engel, Anna Eshoo, Sam Farr, Chaka Fattah, Bob Filner, Alcee Hastings, Rush Holt, Mike Honda, Steve Israel, Marcy Kaptur, Jim Langevin, John Lewis, Zoe Lofgren, Nita Lowey, Carolyn Maloney, Ed Markey, Jim McDermott, Jim McGovern, Jim Moran, Gary Peters, Collin Peterson, David Price, Silvestre Reyes, Linda Sanchez, Jan Schakowsky, Allyson Schwartz, Jose Serrano, Adam Smith, Pete Stark, Bennie Thompson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Henry Waxman, Peter Welch, and Frederica Wilson.
GOP Congressional Insiders Sens. Lamar Alexander, John Cornyn, Jim DeMint, John Ensign, Lindsey Graham, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Johnny Isakson, Richard Lugar, Jeff Sessions, Olympia Snowe, John Thune, David Vitter; Reps. Michele Bachmann, Brian Bilbray, Marsha Blackburn, John Boehner, Charles Boustany, Kevin Brady, John Campbell, Eric Cantor, John Carter, Tom Cole, Mike Conaway, Jeff Denham, Charlie Dent, David Dreier, Sean Duffy, Jo Ann Emerson, Jeff Flake, Scott Garrett, Bob Goodlatte, Trey Gowdy, Kay Granger, Doc Hastings, Nan Hayworth, Darrell Issa, Mike Kelly, Peter King, Jack Kingston, Adam Kinzinger, John Kline, Dan Lungren, Kenny Marchant, Kevin McCarthy, Patrick McHenry, John Mica, Candice Miller, Sue Myrick, Devin Nunes, Mike Pence, Tom Price, Dave Reichert, Mike Rogers of Michigan, Phil Roe, Paul Ryan, Aaron Schock, Pete Sessions, Adrian Smith, Steve Stivers, Lee Terry, Pat Tiberi, Fred Upton, Daniel Webster, and Joe Wilson.
This article appears in the April 16, 2011 edition of National Journal Magazine.
National Journal


text:
PURE Cafe
Upload Photo
Drag box to select area
100% Were impressed
Located inside Wexford's PURE Athletex Sportsplex, the PURE Cafe provides area residents with an array of healthy food and drink options. Catering primarily to the gym and fitness sets, PURE's menu consists primarily of healthy eating options, including fresh salads and wraps, sweet and savory crepes, hand-squeezed juices and a variety of smoothies chock full of fruit, protein and your choice of energizing boosters.
119 Neely School Rd, Wexford, PA 15090
(724) 935-1515
- Hours: Mon - Thu, 10am - 9pm; Fri, 10am - 7pm; Sat, 9am - 5pm; Sun, closed
Posts awaiting your approval 0
Copyright ©2014 Planck LLC d/b/a Patch Media. All rights reserved | Patch Network


text:
Archive for category : Northampton
Bog turtle crises averted, ID for immigrants discussed at Lehigh Twp. meeting
By JOE KORBA The Lehigh Township supervisors meeting on July 8 opened with a discussion of what should be included
BREAKING: East Allen Township fire
BREAKING NEWS Our staff was live on the scene at a house fire that broke out today, June 20, on
470 Northampton High School Graduates Receive Diplomas
By BILL HALBFOERSTER At the 113th annual commencement exercises on Saturday afternoon, 470 Northampton Area High School seniors received their
Nazareth Pallet Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Nazareth Pallet Company is celebrating 30 years in business. In May of 1984, Dorris and George Frack Sr. of Nazareth
Pa. State DECA Competition Winners Meet School Board
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The students who participated in State DECA competition came to the meeting of the Northampton Area School
Farmers Market To Get Boost With Casino Money
By BILL HALFOERSTER The Home News The Northampton Farmers Market, located in downtown Northampton, is getting a financial boost, it
Residents, Allen Planners Hear More About FedEx Plan
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News Nearly 150 residents attended a meeting of the Allen Township Planning Commission on Monday
19th St. residents get their wish – no student parking
By BILL HALBFOERSTER The Home News Dan Hertzog and other residents of East 19th St. told Northampton Borough Council on
The New K-Kid on the Block
By Tyler Trumbauer Ever since Mark Scisly left coaching in the Lehigh Valley Conference back in 2004, he has always
Allen residents continue to oppose FedEx plans
By BILL HALFOERSTER The Home News Another meeting, in what promises to be a long series protesting warehouse distribution center


text:
Tommy Mann Jr.
The Orange Leader
Local residents will be able to pay homage to a man of history and vision by walking through the streets of Orange this Monday.
The annual march in honor of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. returns Monday after a one year hiatus. It will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, and will start at Turret Road and Second Street in Orange.
The procession will travel from its starting point to the Orange County Courthouse where a short program will be held featuring guest speakers. Following the ceremony at the courthouse, the participants and the public are invited to return to Mount Olive Baptist Church for another program beginning at approximately 1:30 p.m., in the Life Center.
"We've been waiting to receive our permit and it finally came through this week," said Jackie Mayfield of the Orange chapter of the NAACP. "We're looking forward to a good turnout and good weather."
Mayfield said he is looking forward to Monday's event and hopes the public will embrace this event by attending the programs and participating in the march to the Orange County Courthouse.
"Dr. King's march was a media tool to gain attention to the cause," Mayfield explained. "He used the church as his gathering place before the march and returned their following it, and that's what we will do after the ceremony at the courthouse."
The program at Mount Olive Baptist Church, located at 106 W. Park St. in Orange, inside the Life Center and will feature several speakers, music and a tribute to Dr. King.
"Our focus will be on the youth to teach them about the man and the movement," Mayfield added.
The Orange chapter of the NAACP was forced to cancel its annual MLK March in 2012 because the organization was not able to obtain the necessary paperwork from the NAACP National office in time to meet with the mandatory requirement from the City of Orange to provide liability insurance, something all organizations and groups must do. The event was not held in 2010 as organizers opted to hold a larger community event at a local church on Sunday, the day before the holiday. However, this met with mixed results.
Monday's march is an important event for not only the black community, but for all of Orange and for all people, according to Mayfield.
"All people need to know (Dr. King) is an American hero, not just a black hero," Mayfield explained. "He was much more than a dreamer. He had world significance, and we want to pay tribute to him and his ideology.
"There is always going to be injustice," he added. "But Dr. King symbolized there is a recourse of action without having to take up guns or resorting to violence."


text:
Archives Search
Search only: Library, Archives Advanced Search, Ancestors, Images, Search All
To submit a comment, contact firstname.lastname@example.com
Description found in Archives
File part of
1868, April, 1 - 1869, May, 20
Place of creation
No place, unknown, or undetermined
Scope and content
Copies of letters, memoranda, and telegrams from the officer commanding and his brigade major to the Adjutant General and other officers in Great Britain, the Commanding and otherofficers in Canada, Bermuda, Newfoundland and New Brunswick, and officers, clergy, and civil officials in the command. Alphabetical index of subjects.
Microfilm reel C-3710
Finding aid no.
Other system control no.
- Date modified:


text: The EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens offers the focal range equivalent of a 29-216mm lens in the 35mm format and because it is compact, lightweight and offers a broad focal range, it is an ideal day-to-day lens with wide-angle to full telephoto capabilities. An Image Stabilization system provides the lens with movement compensation for sharper images when shooting in low light and at longer focal lengths. In addition, the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III lens with telephoto to super-telephoto zoom capability, equivalent to 120-480mm in the 35mm format, is included. It is a lightweight, autofocus lens with a long reach for bringing distant subjects close or shooting close-ups with nice background blur. Combined with the Rebel T3i and the EF-S 18-135mm lens you can shoot high quality photos and HD video in almost every shooting situation.


text:
Paint, Draw & More! is pleased to announce their 2012 Fall Session 2 at the Redding Community Center on Thursday afternoons. The Mixed Media class runs November 1 – December 13 (No class 11/22) from 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. ages 5-8. Classes are $110.00 per six week session. All materials included.
Children will learn to draw in a non-judgmental, creative environment. They will use a variety of materials to draw what they see and to enhance their drawings with their own creative ideas. Drawing concepts like design, shading, and perspective will all be taught. We will use pencils, markers, watercolors, pastels, etc.
The Purely Painting class runs from November 1 – December 13, (No class 11/22) 4:15 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. for ages 8-13. In this class students will work on watercolor or acrylic paintings, learning different techniques with each medium. Classes are $120.00 per six week session, with all materials included.
To register, please call Redding Parks & Recreation at 203-938-2551 or visit their website: www.townofreddingct.org.
For more information please call Paint Draw and More! at 203-544-8551 or visit our website www.paintdrawmore.com.


text:
Diyun is known to travelers as the Hanging City. Visitors marvel at its cliffside rope bridges and gawk at its many hanging prison cells, temporary homes to ruffians, spies, thieves, and, worst of all, gambling cheats. She is a city built on vice; her two true loves are food and gaming, and she overindulges in both. Diyun is a crossroads for some and a destination for others.
Welcome, travelers, to the Hanging City! Mind your step, and keep one hand on something solid—like your wits! Step right up, enter my lift, just a coin per head for a scenic ride to the top. Beats scaling the stairs, if you don't mind me saying. The finest gaming houses await you at the top of this chain, ready to challenge a clever sort like yourself. And welcome, one and all, to Diyun!
About the Author
Will Hindmarch is a freelance writer and game developer whose work has appeared in numerous pen-and-paper roleplaying games, board games, and video games over the past decade. He is also co-founder of Gameplaywright Press and a periodic contributor to The Escapist magazine. Do not talk to him about zeppelins or we will be here all day.


text:
Marblehead — Rufus Cutler Cushman Jr., "Sandy," age 79, of Marblehead, passed away on Wednesday, February 13th, 2013, in his home after a battle with cancer. He was the son of Rufus and Elizabeth Cushman of Brookline and Marblehead.
Sandy was a graduate of the Loomis School in Windsor, CT, and went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he met his loving wife of 55 years, Joan Cushman. He had a long and prosperous career of 27 years at Fidelity Investments beginning as a Portfolio Manager. During his time at Fidelity he also ran the Bond Department and Personal Trust Group before retiring in 1998. He served as a Trustee of both the Loomis Chaffee School and Proctor Academy of Andover, NH. He was President of the Gut 'n Feathers Club of Marblehead and The Miles River Marsh Rats of Manchester, MA.
Sandy will be remembered as a loving and caring husband, wonderful father, a special grandfather and a respected and loyal friend. Sandy enjoyed traveling with his wife Joan and his family sharing in his love of the beauty of the world. He was an accomplished soccer, baseball, hockey, tennis and badminton player. An avid outdoorsman, his passions included fishing, hunting and skeet shooting. He has made us laugh with his wonderful wry sense of humor, secured the future of his family and went out of his way to help others without any thought of attention to his kind deeds. He was a principled man who gave his best no matter the task, lived life well, and made all around him better for having known him.
Sandy is survived by his wife Joan Sprecher Cushman, son Thomas Cushman, daughter-in-law Louise Ann Cushman and three grandchildren, Zoe, Max and Ian Cushman, all of Marblehead, MA. His daughter Karen Lee Cushman passed away of diabetes in 1993.
ARRANGEMENTS: A memorial service will be scheduled in the spring with a date and location to be announced later. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Islamorada Fishing and Conservation Trust, care of IFACT, P.O. Box 22, Islamorada, FL 33036. Arrangements by the Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home, Marblehead. Please visit the online guest book for Sandy at www.eustisandcornellfuneralhome.com.


text:
John Gaudiosi, Contributor
I've been covering video games, Hollywood and technology for 20 years
Sony confirmed a holiday release date for its next generation PlayStation 4 at PlayStation Meeting 2013, but it saved a lot of the important details like price point, actual release date and what the console even looks like for a later date. But that hasn't stopped retailers around the world from starting to take pre-orders for the new device. Stores in the UK like Game and ShopTo are taking small deposits to reserve a console for Christmas. Amazon in the UK has a dedicated PS4 section where you can sign up for updates on when they'll take pre-orders.
In the US, GameStop hasn't started taking PS4 pre-orders yet. A press note said that "there simply aren't enough details announced" – and that was after the press conference in New York. Instead, the retailer is asking its GameStop PowerUp Rewards members to join the PS4 First to Know List "to receive title announcements, trade and pre-order details, and similar offers related to the PS4" at any brick-and-mortar story or online at www.GameStop.com/PS4.
"Customers on the list will be the first to get PS4-related news from GameStop, like when GameStop opens pre-orders on the PS4 system and games," read the release. "However; joining the list is not a reservation, nor does it guarantee a PS4 on a specific date or at a certain price."
Tony Bartel, president of GameStop, told me: "We are very excited about the upcoming holiday launch of the new Sony PS4. The new system brings much needed innovation to the video game market. Our consumer base has shown strong early enthusiasm for the PS4 as evidenced by more than 100,000 people who have already signed up for our First To Know List."
KontrolFreek is taking a different approach. The company, which makes really cool accessories for controllers that improves accuracy, but more importantly makes long play sessions more comfortable, is offering gamers a chance to win one of four PS4 consoles.
The KontrolFreek PS4 Score Sweepstakes will guarantee four winners will own a PS4 this fall by securing a pre-order for the console – again, a console that has been announced but isn't actually for sale anywhere yet. Still, it's a good way to gain attention for its accessories.
To enter, contestants only need to "Like" KontrolFreek on Facebook. Contestants can gain additional entries by recruiting their friends. The PS4 Score sweepstakes runs from Feb. 21 through March 5, 2013.
"We are excited about Sony's announcement and the opportunity to give our community of gaming enthusiasts a chance to win the new PS4," said Ashish Mistry, CEO of KontrolFreek, in a release.
Right now, this is the first company to jump into the "win a PS4" console, but there are sure to be others. In the past big brands like Mountain Dew partnered with Microsoft to give away an Xbox 360 every 10 minutes at launch. While that exact promotion might not be replicated, I expect big companies to take advantage of the short supply PS4 will be in this Christmas. For that matter, the next Xbox, if indeed it launches this fall, will also be hard to find. Even the Nintendo Wii U couldn't keep up with demand last year. And historically, no new console has ever been able to keep up with the number of global gamers willing to pay whatever price to be the first to own a new console.
One thing to watch out for is scammers. There are sure to be scams between now and launch for both PS4 and the new Xbox that will attempt to lure people with promises of free consoles, or even just guaranteed consoles. Stick with real retailers and you'll be safe. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
awsome cant wait i have a ps3 slim and i love it
ps4 will rock
I dont think demand is going to be high for the PS4 and also I don't think they will be hard to find since the majority of gamers that I have seen so far aren't even interested in buying a PS4 or giving up their PS3 to buy a PS4
Just say what you really mean… You can't afford a ps4 and are gonna hate on it for that reason alone. PS4 has evolved console gaming on a similar scale to PC gaming when it comes to quality. It is about a year behind PC gaming at this point…. Where as PS3 was about 5 years behind when it was initially released… Microsoft is going to have their hands full trying to compete with PS4 and is going to need more than the Illumiroom Gimmick
well maybe that's not what they really meant. just because you can afford it doesn't mean you have to go buy it because it's "evolved console gaming" or "the ps3 was 5 years behind". the ps3 is still a good useable console and i know a lot of people who will be sticking with it, myself included.
It's naive and ignorant to actually think a multi-billion dollar corporation such as Microsoft is going to lack in specs when it comes to something like a next-generation gaming console. Do you honestly believe they are going to rely on the Illumiroom tech and give little bumps in hardware? They are fully aware this is a highly competitive market and Sony wasn't/isn't just going to sit on their hands and come out with some mediocre product.
Agreed. Altho I do think the Illumiroom is pretty cool.
Is it naive? If ps3 hadn't took a chance on the new cell processor xbox wouldn't have had as much success as it had. Personally I switched to 360 for this reason alone, Certain games were only playing at 30fps when they were playing at 60fps with the 360 early on when devs were not familiar with ps3 hardware. With ps4 working with devs since 2007 to make the perfect gaming rig for developing, Microsoft now has a lot on its plate as far as competition. Sony has 144 developers atm with that likely to increase in the near future as the ps4 date is becomes closer. When all is said and done the PS4 will be the superior console. If the 720 comes out with an 8 core processor, 8gb of dd5 memory, and a Custom Fitted GPU with the likes of the 7950 card or better than I will concede. The OS of the ps4 alone and the features it has brought to the table are brilliant and quite innovative. We will see what the 720 offers us in comparison.
Sorry if my comment seemed a bit more hostile than what I had meant it to. I am actually biased towards Microsoft as I love my 360, but I would agree that Microsoft had better not rely too much on the peripheral technologies such as Kinect and illumiroom in order to compete. Sony's machine impresses from a specs standpoint thus far, and we've really only seen the tip of the iceberg as what Sony has to offer. I'm assuming they have a Kinect technology included based on the controller sensor. I think both machines will be pretty comparable spec wise, and each will have something the other won't, but if Microsoft feels the need to sacrifice slightly in the gaming area to give more power to stuff like Kinect and their OS apps (like being able to run multiple apps at once or something) then they could very well lose my interest.
I've seen the rumors that it will require a constant internet connection, which would be a big turnoff for me even though I have access, and i've seen that they have an 8 core processor, but 2 cores alone will be dedicated to Kinect with another 1 or 2 dedicated to the operating system. While they're obviously just rumors at this point, utilizing the machine's cores or GBs of RAM etc in such a manner is not something that impresses me, and i'd assume the more hardcore gamers would agree.
maybe you should read up before you go into battle to defend the xbox… microsoft has said that it is not aiming to compete with the specs of the ps4 and is taking a different approach. its obvious you are just a xbox zealot, because even the current generation ps3 is more powerful than the xbox. the only "benefits" to the xbox are the controller (size/shape not layout) and it is easier to develop for (reason why xbox has so many small "indy" games). the benefits of the ps3 over the xbox are too many to count… also the next gen ps4 fixed the development problem and on a side note my hands have never gotten sore form the ps3 controller.
Hi John Gaudiosi, thanks for that update. How come all the UK is always ahead of us when it comes to Sony stuff? They already got Xperia Z lined up for purchase in the UK (and France too) next March. Well, hopefully your blog posts will help coax retailers in the States to follow suit with PS4 pre-orders and promos! Thanks again!!


text:
The Battle over Texas
The most important race in Texas is the one you haven't heard about. Texas Representative Scott Turner is making his way around Texas, taking his conservative message directly to the people, to explain why he, and not Joe Straus, should be Speaker in the Texas House of Representatives. The message is simple: Without a conservative Speaker there will be no conservative legislation. Conservative leadership in | Read More »


text:
"Good Reading with Maybe a Hint of Controversy"
There's an interesting story by Marvin West on bowl coaching, with some appropriate stats for famous coaches.
Salient Quote: "Some leaders were much better than others in bowl psychology and preparations. Bob Neyland never solved the mystery. His Volunteers won two and lost five. Critics said the General was too serious, that he practiced too much and allowed very little fun time.
"Johnny Majors went 0-2 in bowls as coach at underdog Iowa State, 1-2 at Pitt and 7-4 at Tennessee. Phillip Fulmer had an identical 8-6 holiday record. For some reason, we keep remembering the Fiesta Bowl of Jan. 4, 1999."
As they say, it's good reading with maybe a hint of controversy
First of all, to compare anything from the 1930 etc to modern days is a total disservice. They played a horrific schedule, no spotlight and no crowds. Segregated players and a bad bowl record. In fact, the 1951 year, UT only played one team in the final top 25 and that was the bowl game they lost.
Majors rarely played any good teams. He was always in bowls that do not exist anymore.
The Fulmer era had 2 SEC titles (last SEC coach to win back to back), about 4 SEC east Titles that would have been considered SEC Titles before his tenure. Neyland only had 2 outright titles in more years. His record relative to all historical SEC coaches is as good as it gets. If he had coached at Alabama, there would already be a statue of him at the stadium on Phillip Fulmer Way.
Interesting. The Tennessee coach with the winningest percentage in bowl games (apart from Coach Dooley, who is 1-0 but has not yet coached a UT team in a bowl game) is Bill Battle, who was 4-1 from 1970 to 1974.


text:
Work > Motor City Cribs and Rides
|Motor City Cribs and Rides ARCHIVES
|More Lifestyle Stories
Cycles of change (9/22/2010)
Little bar on the prairie (9/15/2010)
Down on the corner (8/25/2010)
|More from Doug Coombe
Motor City Cribs (9/29/2010)
Motor City Rides (7/21/2010)
Motor City Cribs (7/14/2010)
Published 12/31/2008
In five years, this guy Al McWilliams has built up Quack! Media into one swingin' media empire. By doing everything from making demented Super Deluxe videos, distributing Found Magazine and releasing records by area powerhouses Tally Hall, the Hard Lessons, Great Lakes Myth Society and the whole Suburban Sprawl roster, the dude has already left an indelible footprint on Michigan's creative scene.
Given Quack!'s success and cool office that overlooks Ann Arbor's (downtown) Main Street, you'd think McWilliams would sport a pretty sweet ride. Truth be told, the head of the Quack! universe doesn't even own a car.
McWilliams could afford one, certainly, but he prefers to roll his dough into the company and not into wheels. Though Michigan ain't exactly known for decent public transpo, Ann Arbor has a good system in the AATA — and if you work in downtown, you're eligible for a go!pass, which lets you ride buses for free. So McWilliams gets about town on his go!pass, and when he needs a car he'll rent one from Zipcar, which recently set up shop in Ann Arbor. Besides, McWilliams says, "I hate driving. I would spend an hour and a half stuck in traffic commuting from Oxford to Cranbrook when I was in high school and it made me realize how much time we waste stuck in cars. Now I just use cars when I really need to."
Quack! Media will release the Hard Lessons' new album, Arms Forest, around May 2009.