text:
D-Link Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router DIR-825
Manufacturer: D-Link Part number: DIR-825
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The D-Link Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router DIR-825 is a stable performer with great features and an excellent Web interface. The outdated and bulky design, relatively short range, and merely average throughput, however, lessen its appeal.
Read more
Where to buy
store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
| See Site Get free shipping on orders over $35.00 | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 03/11/2014 | |
Once you know, you Newegg! | | In stock | as of 03/11/2014 | |
Memory4Less.com | Not yet rated | In stock | as of 03/11/2014 |
CNET editors' review
price range: $99.00 - $233.03
- Reviewed by: Dong Ngo
- Edited by: Matthew Elliott
- Reviewed on: 10/26/2008
The good: Virtual networked USB port; mobile router capability; true dual-band; intuitive and responsive browser interface; gigabit LAN and WAN; easy to set up; support separate wireless networks for guests; convenient preset settings.
The bad: Slow mixed mode performance; 5Ghz range could be better; bulky design.
The bottom line: The D-Link Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router DIR-825 is a stable performer with great features and an excellent Web interface. The outdated and bulky design, relatively short range, and merely average throughput, however, lessen its appeal.
User reviews
Extremely Buggy
by lconly on July 23, 2009
Pros: 1. Device seems promising; I've had good luck with d-link in the past
Cons: - Firmware is very buggy
- Many features DO NOT work
- WPA2 auto disables
- Horrible speed/range
- Bad form factor; difficult to keep upright with Ethernet cables attached
- LED's are way too bright; cannot integrate into an open AV setupSummary: Strongly suggest avoiding this device. Software is buggy and device often turns off WPA2 security leaving itself open for anybody to attach to it.
Summary: Strongly suggest avoiding this device. Software is buggy and device often turns off WPA2 security leaving itself open for anybody to attach to it.
3 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
All the bells and whistles of a more expensive router!
by jack5578 on May 14, 2009
Pros: Dual band, great User Interface, lots of bells and whistles, lots of functionality. This router has all the functionality of a more expensive "gaming router" at a much better price.
Cons: Kind of bulky looking design.
Summary: This router is a great value for the price. It has all the current bells and whistles. 2.4 and 5.0 Mhz, simultaneous dual band, gigabyte ethernet ports, USB ...
Summary: This router is a great value for the price. It has all the current bells and whistles. 2.4 and 5.0 Mhz, simultaneous dual band, gigabyte ethernet ports, USB port to plug in any USB device to share. The user interface is really nice and has a lot of features to set your router up any way you want. This router has all the features of the more expensive "gaming routers". I'm using this router for everything; web surfing, gaming, voip phone, video streaming, media server with PS3, and file and print sharing. This router doesn't miss a beat. I have experienced no shuttering or slowdowns. Video streaming is smooth and steady, and voip calls are as clear as a landline.
If you buy this router, download the latest firmware for the router on the dlink website. I struggled for two days trying to get the shared printer to work. But once I downloaded the latest firmware it worked immediately. There is a little button in the user interface that says "check for latest firmware version" or something like that. When you click it, it says you already have the latest version. That was the first thing I checked when I had problems with the printer. Two days of struggle later, I went to the dlink website and saw there was a much newer version of the firmware. So, don't believe the little status button in the user interface, go to the dlink website and look for yourself, download and update to the latest firmware.
Looking through all the older reviews, it seems all those problems have been corrected in the current version of the firmware. I think the problem is that d-link released this router before the firmware was ready for prime-time. Now the problems appear to be fixed in the newest version of the firmware.
I love this router! So many features! A big upgrade from my three year old wireless G router.
The only real negative I read on reviews from other websites concerning this router was the signal range. I live in a two story concrete house. The router is in the second floor in the far front of the house. I can go outside all the way to the back of my back yard and still get "excellent" signal with all bars showing. That's got to be a total distance of 200 feet through about four drywall walls and an exterior concrete wall. So the latest firmware might have solved that issue that was reported with the first versions that came out in late 2008 and early 2009.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Very poor coverage! I sent it back....
by swillason on April 22, 2009
Pros: Customer service was quick and helpful.
Cons: Poor coverage, especially in a mixed n and g network.
Summary: Maybe I'm stupid but this router had worse coverage than my Linksys WRT54G router which I was trying to replace. I tried everything, including calling customer service, but the ...
Summary: Maybe I'm stupid but this router had worse coverage than my Linksys WRT54G router which I was trying to replace. I tried everything, including calling customer service, but the coverage and signal strength were not acceptable. I thought (again maybe I'm just naive) that an "n" router was suppose to have better coverage (ALL our computers have n cards). Even in "n" only mode the coverage and signal strength were below par. The 5GHZ band was useless - you had to be in the same room as the router to get coverage - why have a wireless router then? I really can't imagine what the positive reviews are talking about - I just don't see this as a good product.
I returned the D-Link and went back to using my old Linksys. This has been my only experience with an 'n" router and I won't try again for quite a while.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Excellent Product - will have to give D-Link a look.
Pros: Dual band
speed from 4.5mbps in speakeasy.net to 8mbps
gigabit portsCons: Require software for the USB to function - unlike others, but this may be fixed in a futures firmware - but not a big deal to me now.
Maybe a bit complicated setup if not technical.Summary: I am not a D-Link fan, never like them, but I tried this after it was the onl other product besides Cisco's junk for dual band.
As a power ...Summary: I am not a D-Link fan, never like them, but I tried this after it was the onl other product besides Cisco's junk for dual band.
As a power user all worked as described. I returned the useless junk of Cisco-Linksys wrt610n, which I only had problems and disconnects.
Purchased this unit and was up and running taking advantage of the dual band in minutes.
Qos, WISH, Firewall all setup the next day with no issues. Two SSID's with two dfferent tunnels - one for my Netflix and movies feeds from the HD, and te other for every day surfing my my computers - Perfect!1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Terrible router.
by dloofa on October 16, 2009
Pros: None, unless you like to reboot your router very frequently.
Cons: **** poor reliability. Read the remarks about D-link's firmware issues and how they could care less about fixing their firmware bugs at the "D-Link Beta Forum" - Google for it.
Summary: Pass on this router and save yourself some grief.
Summary: Pass on this router and save yourself some grief.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
constantly drops internet
by babs1950 on July 22, 2013
Pros: easy set-up
Cons: very unstable and intermittent wifi
Tech support very difficult to understand, English very bad.Summary: Do not buy this router!
Summary: Do not buy this router!
The DIR-825 is a great product for anyone.
by DJM213 on April 22, 2013
Pros: The DIR-825 router is a great product and the price point is hard to match for a dual band. Setup was extremely easy, and coverage on the dual bands are excellent!
Cons: I think a better design on the antennas is needed. Auto update on firmware would be good as well.
Summary: After some searching I decided to go with the DIR-825. I was not disappointed. I got it out of the box, powered it up. I had some issues while setting ...
Summary: After some searching I decided to go with the DIR-825. I was not disappointed. I got it out of the box, powered it up. I had some issues while setting up, but after updating my modem from my cable company, all issues went away. I got both bands up and running. Connect my PC and MAC Desktops to the 5GHz channel and mobile, gaming devices to the 2.5HGz. Everyone was happy. I tested the speed and quality of the 825 this past saturday. We had a party and I had everyone connect to the router. No one had issues and everyone had full bars 40 feet away in the backyard. I am not sure how others say they are having distance issues. I have no issues, and have great connection at a long distance. Iphone, Ipads, and Android devices were connected. So we had a ride rang of OSs running perfectly.
Never ever buy this piece of crap. Ever
by Sparroo1 on November 24, 2012
Pros: It works sometimes. just sometimes though
Cons: Lags hard a lot
Drops connections a lot (and never recovers them unless manually restarted)
non-user friendly interface
Will drop all other connections if someone uploads anything
Takes FOREVER to reboot when you have to fix any of these problemsSummary: Absolute Garbage. Had it for almost 2 years and nothing but problems. I tried hundreds of things to fix the problems but nothing ever worked. I bought a netgear router ...
Summary: Absolute Garbage. Had it for almost 2 years and nothing but problems. I tried hundreds of things to fix the problems but nothing ever worked. I bought a netgear router for half the price i bought this one for and it actually works better than the dir-825 ever did.
its bad and stinks
by coolman2323 on September 3, 2012
Pros: read down there
Cons: OK one of my computer can connect to the 2.4ghz and 5ghz and the other 2 laptops and desktop can only get the 2.4ghz
Software will not load
by carguy4sp on November 7, 2011
Pros: none .....
Cons: Bad customer support, will not replace bad software.
Summary: do not buy dlink
Summary: do not buy dlink
- Manufacturer: D-Link
- Part number: DIR-825
- Description: The D-Link Xtreme N Dual Band Gigabit Router (DIR-825) is the addition to the award-winning Xtreme N product family. The dual band technology in the DIR-825 supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz wireless signals at the same time. This allows you to check e-mail and browse the Internet using the 2.4GHz band while simultaneously streaming High-Definition (HD) movies and other media on the 5GHz band. The DIR-825 is designed for users looking to get a true HD wireless connection that can handle multiple HD video streams throughout the house, while being backward compatible with existing 802.11g and 802.11a products.
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Device Type Wireless router - 4-port switch (integrated)
- Enclosure Type Desktop
- Connectivity Technology Wireless ,
Wired - Data Link Protocol Ethernet,
Gigabit Ethernet,
IEEE 802.11b,
IEEE 802.11n,
IEEE 802.11a,
IEEE 802.11g,
Fast Ethernet - Network / Transport Protocol L2TP ,
IPSec - Remote Management Protocol HTTP
- Encryption Algorithm WPA2,
WPA - Features Firewall protection ,
Quality of Service (QoS) ,
VPN passthrough ,
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) ,
Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) ,
NAT support Communications
- Type None
Expansion / Connectivity
- Interfaces LAN : 4 x Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45,
WAN : 1 x Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45,
USB : 1 x Networking
- Networking type Wireless router
- Networking standards [Jul 2, 2008 from CDS: Networking] IEEE 802.11g ,
IEEE 802.11a ,
IEEE 802.11n ,
IEEE 802.11b ,
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ,
IEEE 802.3u ,
IEEE 802.3 Antenna
- Antenna External detachable
- Antenna Qty 2
- Cables (Details) 1 x Network cable
- Microsoft Certifications Compatible with Windows 7
Software / System Requirements
- OS Required Apple MacOS X 10.4,
Microsoft Windows XP SP2,
Microsoft Windows Vista Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
Dimensions & Weight
- Width 7.6 in
- Depth 4.6 in
- Height 1.2 in
- Weight 11.2 oz
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse D-Link products on Shopper.com
- Manufacturer:D-Link
- Address:
17595 Mt. Herrmann Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 - Phone: 1-800-326-1688


text:
Established in Abu Dhabi in January 1998 as a recruitment and HR consultancy; and being one of the few companies in UAE to be awarded an official Recruitment Services Licence, SUNDUS's clients include most of the top 100 companies in UAE. We have a large number of employees, many of whom
Read More...
Sr. Recruitment Consultant
Location: United Arab Emirates
Receptionist-UAE National
Location: United Arab Emirates
Recruitment Manager-UAE National
Location: Abu Dhabi
Barge Engineer(Offshore)
Location: United Arab Emirates
Aircraft Maintenance-UAE National
Location: United Arab Emirates
Emiratisation and Executive Search
2013 - The Year of Emiratisation Following a directive from the Government of the United Arab Emirates to make 2013 'The Year of Emiratisation', SUNDUS Recruitment Services, under the direction of the SUNDUS Board of Directors setup SUNDUS Emiratisation and Executive Search department to focus on Emiratisation and the hiring of senior executives. The department's aim is to connect talent to employers. An executive search service is differs from a recruitment agency service in that it is not about mass collection and distribution of CVs for client review but field search, negotiation and confidentiality in order to ensure that talent acquisition is achieved in the most professional manner that safeguards the interests of all parties.
Read More...

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tanabe-Sugano diagrams are used in coordination chemistry to predict electromagnetic absorptions of metal coordination compounds.
Tanabe-Sugano diagrams are used in coordination chemistry to predict electromagnetic absorptions of metal coordination compounds of tetrahedral and octahedral complexes. The analysis derived from the diagrams can also be compared to experimental spectroscopic data. Armed with spectroscopic data, an approximation to the crystal field splitting energy (10Dq), generated by ligands attached to a metal center, can be found.
Within Crystal Field Theory, the interaction of the metal and ligand arise from the positive charge of the metal and negative charge on the ligands. The theory is developed by looking at the five degenerate d-orbitals and how the energies are changed on being surrounded by the negative point charges of the ligands. As the ligands are moved closer to the metal the repulsion between the electrons of the metal and ligands break the degeneracy of the d-orbitals. In the case of an octahedral complex 6 ligands surround a metal center with a single pair on each axis. This raises the energies of dx^2-y^2, dz^2 relative to those of dxy dxz dyz. This energy split is called Δoct. The tetrahedral energy split is about 4/9Δoct.1
Racah parameters were generated as a means to describe the effects of electron-electron repulsion within the metal complexes. The Racah parameters are A, B and C. In the case of Tanabe-Sugano diagrams each electron configuration split has an energy that can be related by the B value. A is ignored because it is roughly the same for any metal center and C generally approximated as being 1/4B. What B represents is an approximation of the bond strength between the ligand and metal.1 Comparisons between tabulated free ion B and B of a coordination complex is called the nephelauxetic ratio (the effect of reducing electron-electron repulsion via ligands). This effect is what gives rise to the spectrochemical series of ligands described later.
\[ \beta = \dfrac{\beta_{complex}}{\beta_{freeion}} \]
The x-axis in a Tanabe-Sugano diagram is in terms of the crystal field splitting parameter, 10Dq, or Δoct, scaled by the B Racah Parameter. The y-axis is in terms of energy of a electronic transition, E, scaled by B. Each line represents the energy of an electronic state while varying the strength of octahedral ligand field. And while only a few electronic states are spin allowed the spin forbidden electron transitions are included since spin forbidden transitions can appear in spectrum. Each term symbol is created from the splitting of term symbols from spherical to octahedral symmetry. With the relative energy ordering of the states are determined via Hund's rules.
Diagrams for d4, d5, d6, and d7 metal ions have a discontinuity in energies as the ligand field is varied. The discontinuity, shown with the vertical line, represents complexes changing from high-spin to low-spin complexes. At the line, the spin pairing energy is equal to the crystal field splitting energy. To the left of the line metal complexes are high-spin as the spin pairing energy is greater than that of the ligand field splitting. To the right of the line metal complexes are low-spin as the spin pairing energy is less than that of the ligand field splitting energy.
Example 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A Cr3+ metal complex has strong transitions and λmaxat 431.03, 781.25 and 1250 nm determine the Δoct for this complex. SOLUTION
107(nm/cm)/(1250 nm)= 8000 cm-1 107(nm/cm)/(781.25 nm)= 13600 cm-1 107(nm/cm)/(431.03 nm)= 23200 cm-1 4. Allowed transitions are 4T1g<-4A2g,4T1g<-4A2g and 4T2g<-4A2g
5. Sliding the ruler perpendicular to the x-axis yields the following values:
6. Based on the two tables above it should be assessed that the Δoct/B value is 10. B is found by finding the dividing E by the height.
7. Next multiply Δoct/B by B to yield the Δoctenergy. 10*800 = 8000 cm-1=Δoct Each problem is of varying complexity as several steps may be needed to find the correct Δoct/B values that yield the proper energy ratios. |
Imagine you had an abundance of V(H2O)63+ (d2) which has two absorptions. If you had no other available metal centers, but an abundance of ligands, the complex's absorption spectrum (therefore its color) could be changed via application of the spectrochemical series:
I− < Br− < S2− < SCN− < Cl− < NO3− < N3− < F− < OH− < C2O42− ≈ H2O < NCS− < CH3CN < py (pyridine) < NH3 < en (ethylenediamine) < bipy (2,2'-bipyridine) < phen (1,10-phenanthroline) < NO2− < PPh3 < CN− ≈ CO
If you wanted higher energy absorptions (shift toward purple colors) you use ligands to the right of H2O and if you wanted redder colors attach ligands to the left of H2O. Here you could measure the nephelauxetic ratio of the ligands to compare how each ligand modifies the B Racah parameter. The series of complexes would also serve as a very good demonstration for a classroom. The reason behind modifying metal ligands has implications for commercial products. Unique colors in ceramics and glass products can be traced back to many metal compounds.
An NSF funded Project
UC Davis GeoWiki by University of California, Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at firstname.lastname@example.com. Terms of Use


text:
We develop collaborations between the best of British and Indonesian creativity.
We develop collaborations between the best of British and Indonesian creativity.
Are you planning to study in the UK? Attend one of our monthly EducationUK events.
Stimulating village economic development.
Find out about British Council events and learn more about our activities in Indonesia.
An event of partnership between British Council, ITB, and University of Leeds
We connect people with learning opportunities and creative ideas from the UK. Whether you want to find out about our work in the arts, study in the UK, take an exam, learn or teach English: this is the place to start.
IELTS is accepted worldwide; study abroad with IELTS.
Find out about boarding schools, language courses and funding opportunities in the UK.
Workshop coordinated by Loughborough University and Institute Teknologi Bandung.
We enable UK-Indonesian collaborations creating mutual understanding.
We link UK and Indonesian education sectors and help schools find partners abroad.
We provide new solutions and programmes in targeting global challenges and social issues.


text:
"Ocean Conserve" is an Ocean Conservation Portal and Internet Search Tool that provides access to reviewed ocean conservation news and information
Updated: 39 weeks 17 hours ago
Shell Digs Deep To Tap Into Lucrative Oil, Gas Reserves
National Public Radio: Royal Dutch Shell is pushing ahead with plans for the world's deepest offshore oil and gas production facility. It will be nearly two miles beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana. It is testing the bounds of the oil and gas industry's capability to drill ever deeper.
Categories: TOPP News
Marshall Islands: Action to halt global warming will save my nation
Reuters: Minister Tony de Brum of the Republic of the Marshall Islands describes the clear and present danger posed by climate change to his nation, and urges the world to act against this threat.
My country needs a precious gift from the world's people -- the vision to take bold, urgent action on climate change, and the will to follow it through. Only concerted action can protect us from the rising seas and lack of fresh water that now threaten my nation's very existence.
I am from the Republic of...
Categories: TOPP News
Jersey shore town makes its 'own luck' and escapes Sandy
ClimateWire: The Lois Lane trail meanders along the high dunes that protect this little beach town. It makes it easy for walkers along the sand and gravel path to forget just how close to the ocean they really are -- were it not for the swooshing sound of waves washing ashore or the salty breeze blowing in their faces.
You go through a shaded tunnel created by the cedars, wild cherries, holly trees and shrubs that help reinforce the dune before the trail opens onto rows of newer, grass-covered dunes. Farther...
Categories: TOPP News
Finally, Some Not-Terrible Climate News: Greenland Not Melting Any Faster
Climate Desk: Back in 2006, scientists in Greenland made an alarming observation: Glaciers were crumbling into the ocean twice as fast. And not in little cocktail-sized cubes, either: Glaciologist Jason Box accurately predicted the spot where a hunk four times the size of Manhattan would later shear off into the sea.
At the same time, the inland top of the ice sheet was thawing at record levels; last summer, for the first time in 150 years, its entire surface was melting. By summer`s end, this water alone raised...
Categories: TOPP News
Criteria for 'Red List' of Endangered Ecosystems Released
LiveScience: With many of the world's ecosystems threatened or endangered by human activities like logging and urbanization, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published its criteria for a new "Red List" of endangered ecosystems today (May 8) in the journal PLOS ONE.
The list, which measures an ecosystem's risk of collapse, will be similar to the group's authoritative Red List of Endangered Species, which created internationally accepted criteria for assessing extinction risk.
Categories: TOPP News
Greenland's Ice Loss Slows, But Still Won't Save Coasts
Climate Central: The flow of Greenland's glaciers toward the sea may have increased significantly in the past decade, but a new report in Nature finds that rate of increase is unlikely to continue. "The loss of ice has doubled in the past 10 years, but it's not going to double again,' said lead author Faezeh Nick, a glaciologist at the University Centre in Svalbard, in Longyearbyen, Norway, in an interview.
That conclusion, based on a new, sophisticated computer model, makes the worst-case scenario of sea level...
Categories: TOPP News
Sandy Eco-Restoration Gets $1 Billion+ in Federal Grants
Environment News Service: The Department of the Interior is releasing $475.25 million in emergency Hurricane Sandy disaster relief appropriations to 234 projects that will repair and rebuild parks, refuges and other Interior assets damaged by the storm.
Sandy struck the U.S. Atlantic coast on October 29, 2012, and affected 24 states, including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and west across the Appalachian Mountains to Michigan and Wisconsin, with severe damage in New Jersey and New York. In New York...
Categories: TOPP News
Plan to sustain marine economy amid rising sea levels, pollution
VietnamNet: Viet Nam is urgently seeking ways of sustaining its marine economy as climate change warms and raises sea levels - and, together with massive pollution, continues to destroy the nation's 110,000 hectares of coral reefs.
Ly Son island. The marine economy now contributes about 48 per cent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and there are plans to raise this to 53-55 per cent by 2020. It includes industries related to trade and investment in seafood products, ship and boat building, water...
Categories: TOPP News
Encroaching sea already a threat in Caribbean
Associated Press: The old coastal road in this fishing village at the eastern edge of Grenada sits under a couple of feet of murky saltwater, which regularly surges past a hastily-erected breakwater of truck tires and bundles of driftwood intended to hold back the Atlantic Ocean.
For Desmond Augustin and other fishermen living along the shorelines of the southern Caribbean island, there's nothing theoretical about the threat of rising sea levels.
"The sea will take this whole place down," Augustin said as he...
Categories: TOPP News
Fish piracy costs $10 billion to $23 billion a year -report
Reuters: Fish piracy - seafood caught illegally, not reported to authorities or outside environmental and catch regulations - represents as much as $10 billion to $23 billion in global losses each year, a non-profit conservation group estimated Wednesday.
Because pirated fish is sold on black markets, specifics of the economic impact are tough to decipher. But Oceana, a Washington-based organization, looked at the records of fish catches by country as reported to the United Nations, then compared those...
Categories: TOPP News
Global warming changing nature of New Zealand coral reefs
Xinhua: Global warming might be killing off many species of coral as the world's oceans acidify, but the future for biodiversity in coral reefs might not be as bleak as previously forecast, according to a study by New Zealand and Australian scientists.
"It has been predicted that many reefs will end up being dominated by algae rather than corals, which will have negative effects on biodiversity and ultimately on the ability of humans to derive protein from reefs," marine biologist Dr James Bell, of New...
Categories: TOPP News
Canada: When science goes silent
Macleans: As far as the government scientist was concerned, it was a bit of fluff: an early morning interview about great white sharks last summer with Canada AM, the kind of innocuous and totally apolitical media commentary the man used to deliver 30 times or more each year as the resident shark expert in the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). So he sent an email off to Ottawa notifying department flaks about the request, and when no response had been received by the next morning, just went...
Categories: TOPP News
In California some ships plug in to power up
Associated Press: In less than a year, many of the towering cargo ships loading and unloading goods at California ports won't just tie up at dock — they'll also plug in. In January, the state will become the first government body in the world to require container fleets docking at its major ports to shut off their diesel engines and use electricity for 50 percent of their visits — or face crippling fines. The requirements also include slashing fleet emissions by half, and those requirements rise to 80 percent in...
Categories: TOPP News
In the Gulf, a long history of oil spills and cover-ups
Grist: When BP`s Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in 2010, it hemorrhaged roughly 210 million gallons of crude into the Gulf of Mexico. We know now, thanks to recent court hearings and settlements, that all this happened because oil company managers were cutting corners on safety, and the federal government's monitoring system for offshore drilling was broken.
We also know that it wasn`t the first time oil companies had spilled in the Gulf. What we don't know - and probably never will - is how much...
Categories: TOPP News
Rising seas in southern Caribbean offer dark preview of future amid climate change
Associated Press: Rising sea levels are threatening tens of thousands of people living near the coastline in the Caribbean, especially in southern island of Grenada.
The old coastal road in the fishing village of Telescope sits under a couple of feet of murky saltwater, which regularly surges past a hastily-erected breakwater of truck tires and bundles of driftwood intended to hold back the Atlantic Ocean.
People here say they have been watching the sea eat away at their shoreline in recent decades, a result...
Categories: TOPP News
Pacific islands look for model to combat changes due to global warming
Guardian: With islands and atolls scattered across the ocean, the small Pacific island states are among those most exposed to the effects of global warming: increasing acidity and rising sea level, more frequent natural disasters and damage to coral reefs. These micro-states, home to about 10 million people, are already paying for the environmental irresponsibility of the great powers.
"Pacific islands are the victims of industrial countries unable to control their carbon dioxide emissions. The truth of...
Categories: TOPP News
UK government failing to protect population from potentially radioactive food
Ecologist: 2013 has seen a major surge in the potential for expansion of UK nuclear power. In February, the Environment Agency (EA) found no objection to the discharge and disposal of radioactive wastes from a proposed nuclear power station with two CPWRs (contained pressurised water reactors) at Hinkley Point on the Somerset coast. It stated that the discharge of gaseous and liquid wastes to the marine environment and atmosphere of the Bristol Channel could proceed.
One month later the UK Government granted...
Categories: TOPP News
Arctic faces further threat from ocean acidification
Reuters: The Arctic ecosystem, already under pressure from record ice melts, faces another potential threat in the form of rapid acidification of the ocean, according to an international study published on Monday.
Acidification, blamed on the transformation of rising levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air into carbonic acid in the sea, makes it harder for shellfish and crabs to grow their shells, and might also impair fish reproduction, it said.
Cold water absorbs carbon dioxide more...
Categories: TOPP News
United Kingdom: The desperate battle to save our coastline
Telegraph: The 95-mile Jurassic Coast between Poole Harbour in Dorset and the Exe estuary in Devon is an extreme example of geological exhibitionism. Among its many wonders are red and white cliffs, fossils galore, England's most elegant sea arch, offshore stacks and the delightfully symmetrical scoop of Lulworth Cove.
They exist because this is a coast on the move, under continual attack from tide and tempest. Last week, a small part of it, at the base of a cliff on the edge of St Oswald's Bay, fractured...
Categories: TOPP News
Canada: Debate on Kinder Morgan Tar Sands Pipeline Takes Center Stage in B.C. Election
Rabble: For a climate organizer, the ongoing British Columbia election campaign has been a rare treat. For the first time in a very long time, climate change and fossil fuels are taking centre stage in an election campaign.
The past two federal elections have been marked more by the absence of discussion of climate change than its presence. Even in the most recent U.S. federal election, climate only broke into the campaign thanks to the force of a climate supercharged hurricane crashing into New York...
Categories: TOPP News


text:
June 27July 4, 1996
cover story
Unqualified Disaster
Half of Family Court's so-called psychologists are unlicensed and, in most cases, they ignore recognized testing guidelines when evaluating juvenile offenders and youths at the center of custody disputes.
Does this decades-old system place children in danger?
By Scott Farmelant
Nine days shy of his 12th birthday, the cops busted "Thomas" on a burglary rap. Six months after the court dismissed those charges, the teen clubbed a kid over the head. Probation lasted six months. At age 13, the cops caught Thomas pulling a heist.
Thomas' third strike brought a court-ordered "mental health assessment," better known as an MHA. Judge Kathryn Lewis ordered the test to learn whether Thomas was fit to stand trial. So Thomas went to 1801 Vine St., home of Philadelphia's Family Court, on a frigid winter day, and trudged to the Northeast corner of the building.
Thomas met a clinical psychologist working for the court H. Eduardo Pino. At Pino's request, a calm and pleasant Thomas drew a house, a tree, a person. Thomas read flash cards. Thomas looked at geometric figures and copied them. Pino summed Thomas up after an hour-long session.
"No major emotional disorder ... attentive, pleasant and compliant ... amenable to rehabilitative measures," Pino wrote on the MHA.
Three weeks later, Thomas took another MHA, this time with court psychiatrist Dr. Frederic Shecter. Thomas told Shecter that Dad was long gone, Mom's back gave out a few years back and he lived now with his crack-head sister. Thomas noted his fondness for girlsand a desire to become a big league ballplayer.
"Non-psychotic ... no intent of harm to others or self," concluded Shecter.
Backed by the two reports, Lewis sentenced Thomas to "intensive probation."
Free again, Thomas robbed again. And was arrested again.
This time, Judge Ida Chen ordered Thomas to reform school at St. Gabriel's Hall in Audubon. In the court's eyes, Thomas not yet 14 was just another punk in need of harsh discipline. Based on the two MHAs and a nondescript history in public schools, what else would a judge think?
A month later, Thomas raped a boy. But Thomas, deemed harmless by the court's counselors, would not enter a sex-offender treatment for three years.
It's impossible to say how many cases like Thomas' exist in Philadelphia's Family Court. But one thing is clear. In a system that handled 8,700 delinquency cases in 1995, a system where nearly every judge orders an MHA, children who need help receive suspect treatment.
To wit:
Though it's not illegal, four of the court's eight psychologists are not licensed by Pennsylvania's Board of Psychology.
Three of the four unlicensed counselors conduct clinical assessments without supervision by a Ph.D.-level psychologist as required by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Only two of the four with licenses have a Ph.D.-level degree as required by the state board and APA guidelines.
Three of every four Family Court MHAs are done on the basis of tests which national experts describe as useful for screening purposes, not as mental health evaluations.
One unlicensed psychologist, a woman who refuses to divulge her credentials, has performed thousands of MHAs in custody cases where parents can't afford qualified evaluators. Those reports factor heavily in custody cases.
Why are MHAs important? The Family Court's role differs from adult court's. Instead of merely doling out punishment, the system is responsible for learning why children commit their crimes. The system is then asked to attempt rehabilitation so juveniles will not graduate to a lifetime of crime. As such, MHAs should reveal the nature of a child's troubles and lead to proper treatment. Former and current family court judges who spoke with City Paper also say they rely on court MHAs when choosing a treatment program or a punishment option.
"I always used [MHAs] when making my decisions," says Judge Ed Rosenberg, a former custody judge in Family Court and now a senior judge in the Court of Common Pleas. "They would give me insights into what I was doing."
"I wouldn't even handle a consent decree without a psychological report," adds retired Family Court Judge Joseph Patrick McCabe, who handled delinquency cases. "The [MHAs] are significant, no question about it. They are extremely important."
While judges use MHAs to help place delinquents, the reports also help dictate the course of rehabilitation. Wherever a delinquent goes, the report follows and stays on a juvenile's permanent record until age 18.
Beyond credentials and testing methods, a City Paper review of MHAs uncovered more troubling facts. Two of the unlicensed employees Barbara Sulik and Gail Sampson-Clemens have issued hundreds of single-page reports that read like carbon-copies. Though both women wrote their reports over the course of several years, the work is indistinguishable from one year to the next or from one case to the next a suspicious practice according to many experts.
The situation isn't new. Yet despite widespread concern among lawyers, social workers and support staff, there is little evidence of change on the horizon. And judging by court reaction to City Paper's request for information, Family Court officials appear content with silence and status quo.
City Paper sought but was denied access to statistics involving the caseloads of court psychologists. The court also refused to provide the recidivism rate of Philadelphia delinquents. When City Paper asked for the educational background of the court's psychologists, the Family Court's administrative justice, Judge Paul Panepinto, rejected the request.
"If you wish to have their resumes, I suggest you write to each of them," wrote Panepinto on June 11.
Given the court's reluctance to open its operations to public scrutiny, some fear Philadelphia's poorest and most vulnerable delinquents will continue to face irreparable harm.
"The problem with the court psychologists is the court sends kids into treatment and doesn't really know anything about them or their underlying problems," says Mingo Stroeber, an attorney with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, which represents thousands of indigent juvenile delinquents. "This is clearly outrageous. They use screening measures to make diagnoses. Lord only knows how many kids slip away because of these reports. I have no idea. But I can guarantee that hundreds of kids are at risk."
After the rape, St. Gabriel's sent Thomas back to Family Court, saying they could not handle him. Judge Jerome Zaleski then ordered Thomas to the state forestry camp at Loysville where he celebrated his 14th birthday with an attempted rape. The "attentive, pleasant and compliant" youth was now a full-blown predator.
Thomas spent a year at Loysville, then went home to play hoops, attend Audenreid High and orally rape a little girl. Judge Panepinto ordered a second MHA for Thomas.
Back at 1801 Vine, Thomas drew more houses, trees and people, copied more figures and completed sentences for Shoshana Rubinstien Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist who works for the court.
On that day, Thomas stood at the crossroads. Rubinstien'sevaluation could convince Panepinto to give Thomas treatment in a program for juvenile sex-offenders. But Rubinstien's two-page report, which found Thomas had "difficulty in interpersonal relationships ... tends to need attention and may feel rejected by others," made no such suggestion. Rubinstien advised Judge Paul Panepinto to lock Thomas up. Panepinto jailed Thomas.
On the surface, Rubinstien's report seems innocuous. The methods used to reach the recommendation, however, violatethe APA's ethical guidelines.
Steve Ceci, a psychology professor at Cornell University and an APA expert, describes tests like "Projective Drawings" and the "Bender Gestalt" test as "not perfect by any means."
"These tests don't give enough information for an evaluation," Ceci says. "They're tests you would use for screening ... for preliminary decisions."
Yet Rubinstien one of just two court psychologists with a Ph.D. used the basic tests to make an assessment and a recommendation. Family Court data and hundreds of MHAs suggest the practice is routine.
The Crime & Justice Research Institute (CJRI), a think-tank located on the corner of Spring Garden St. and Delaware Ave., has studied the medical branch since January 1994. In that period, Phil Harris and Peter Jones have examined nearly 5,800 MHAs produced by Family Court.
CJRI's data reveals that court psychologists used the simplistic, preliminary Slosson intelligence test in 3,781 cases through March 1996. At the same time, court psychologists used the more in-depth Weschler Intelligence tests, known as the WISC, in 1,063 cases.
Experts like Ceci and Bob Sternberg, a nationally recognized expert in psychology and a professor at Yale, describe the Slosson examination as "short and dirty," a rudimentary procedure useful for non-evaluation purposes. Both label the WISC as the best measure for evaluating juveniles.
CJRI's Jones says research found that Slosson results on MHAs painted a distorted picture of Philadelphia's delinquents. In MHAs that used the Slosson, less than 20 percent of juveniles were deemed "retarded" or "borderline" retarded while 41.3 percent were placed at the level of "average" intelligence. The Slosson results described 13 percent of the kids as "above average" or higher intelligence.
By comparison, WISC results deemed that 50 percent of delinquents in Family Court are either retarded or borderline. So-called "dull" children accounted for 27.8 percent of the cases. With WISC results, less than 20 percent were average and less than 1 percent were above average.
Jones says the results show that the court relies on flawed testing methods.
"There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which test is used, there is no clear selection procedure," Jones says. "But the image of a kid [on the MHAs] is dependent largely upon the type of test they take. And the Slosson seems to inflate a child's intelligence."
The discrepancies between Slosson and WISC results may extend beyond statistics. Experts say results are worthless if tests are not given or supervised by qualified individuals.
"In any test, you must make sure the person who's administering the test is fully qualified," Ceci says. "It's easy to misuse these tests, either to give them incorrectly or to misinterpret the results."
Only Rubinstien and Anthony Zongaro, assistant chief psychologist for the Family Court, have earned Ph.D.s, which the APA says is necessary to properly conduct WISC testing. The remainder Sulik, Sampson-Clemens, Eva Wojciechowski, Kenneth Moberg and Thomas Kenny are not qualified.
(Due to Panepinto's refusal to provide the psychologists' resumes, it is unclear what qualifications the five have earned. Moberg and Kenny, however, are licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. Moberg and Kenny were unavailable for comment.)
Zongaro admits that the psychologists perform their assessments without the benefit of supervision.
"There isn't time for that," Zongaro says of case oversight.
In truth, the psychologists are burdened with a sizable caseload. Zongaro reports that Rubinstien, Sulik, Sampson-Clemens, Kenneth Moberg and Thomas Kenny perform an average of three MHAs each day.
Based on that figure, Samuel Knapp, professional affairs officer with the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (PPA), says it would be impossible for anybody licensed or otherwise to perform fair and accurate assessments.
"How can they do that?" Knapp asks. "I don't see how they can do a good job with that workload."
While Family Court judges dismissed the license issue as unimportant, experts say the matter is significant.
Steve Golding, a psychology professor at the University of Utah and an APA expert on unlicensed psychologists, says a license doesn't ensure competency. But Golding says licenses provide a "minimal guarantee" regarding a psychologist's education, training and supervision. Golding notes that people without licenses should not conduct evaluations which affect a child's life.
"When mental health professionals issue reports and perform services that the courts rely upon, the level of expertise should go far beyond the minimal level of licenses," Golding says. "These people need specialized training."
The PPA's Knapp notes that the state legislature made it legal for government agencies to hire unlicensed psychologists. But Knapp notes the legislature did this "with the expectation that government would provide good oversight ... [and] will have public protection measures."
Zongaro simply says that "licenses aren't required for employment here... I can only respond to myself as far as credentials go."
Beyond licensing, testing methods and lack of supervision, dozens of MHAs written by Sulik and Sampson-Clemens reveal a pattern of repeated phrases sometimes word-for-word in reports spanning several years.
For example:
"Basically, she is an impulsive young lady who does what she wants with little regard to the consequences," wrote Sulik on May 13, 1992.
"Basically, he is a highly impulsive young man who tends to do what he wants with little regard to the consequences," wrote Sulik on Feb. 2, 1995.
"The projected drawings show a timid, insecure, angry, frustrated, emotionally impoverished young man," wrote Sampson-Clemens on Jan. 21, 1992.
"The projective drawings suggest an insecure, frustrated, evasive young man," wrote Sampson-Clemens on Oct. 12, 1995.
Despite these apparent problems, Zongaro says the psychologists provide quality services.
"I feel for what the court is asking and the amount of cases that we get, we do okay," says Zongaro.
Others disagree.
"Based on three drawings [of a house, tree and person], these people make an evaluation of sexual proclivity and sexual orientation, aggressive tendencies," says William Russell, a Ph.D. in forensic psychology who operates Assessment and Treatment Alternatives (ATA) and performs MHAs for the Defenders Association. "[Court psychologists] make quantum leaps based on little or no evidence."
"I should be so good," jokes Russell.
"The court would be better off using astrologers," says Stroeber.
Each year, thousands of parents come to Philadelphia's Family Court and wage war over their children's future. In cases where parents can't afford representation there were 1,751 such matters between Feb. 1995 and April 1996 the court appoints lawyers and psychologists.
Because of this, Eva Wojciechowski has spent decades performing MHAs on parents and children at the heart of domestic disputes. For the most part, Wojciechowski is the only court employee handling these matters.
But Wojciechowski isn't licensed to practice psychology in Pennsylvania. Further, nobody connected with Family Court is willing to divulge Wojciechowski's educational background. When asked, Wojciechowski a court employee for 25 years refused to list her credentials.
Wojciechowski, however, did acknowledge complaints regarding her work and credentials. But she declined an interview request, saying "it would be better" not to comment.
Steve Anderer, a family lawyer with Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, explains that quality evaluations for custody cases involve a lengthy process of interviews and testing and costs anywhere between $2,000 and $10,000 per case. Specifically, Anderer says qualified psychologists should meet individually with parents and children, then conduct joint sessions with all parties. Further testing may also be required.
Anderer stresses that "for evaluations to be thorough, they must meet APA guidelines." Wojciechowski, Anderer notes, does not conduct tests within APA guidelines.
The situation surrounding Wojciechowski has not gone unnoticed. Lawyers, child advocates, and expert psychologists slam Wojciechowski for what they describe as unethical behavior. The most serious criticisms against Wojciechowski claim the court employee makes diagnoses without proper foundation and chooses sides in custody battles.
"Unless I have a client who's really, really poor, I'm going to use private therapists," says Elaine Smith, a partner with the family law firm Smith & Leibel. "There's no way I'm using the court's [psychological] services. [Wojciechowski] really doesn't look at parenting skills. Anytime I have a client who can afford to, I always go private."
Wojciechowski's "work is sloppy and she will place fault based upon where she considers the fault to lie, not where the fault lies," says Napoleon N. Vaughn Ph.D., an expert Philadelphia psychologist who specializes in custody matters.
David Steerman, co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Custody Committee, has received numerous complaints regarding Wojciechowski. The biggest concern, stresses Steerman, is her lack of credentials and the "very alarming" procedures she employs.
Wojciechowski "makes snap decisions based on relatively short interviews" adds one prominent family law attorney, who spoke on conditions of anonymity. "She makes sweepingly negative or positive conclusions that are just not consistent with the facts."
The prime concern regarding Wojciechowski centers on the importance of MHAs in custody cases. Unlike delinquency cases, judges may enter MHAs into the record without labeling them evidence. Therefore, opposing lawyers often do not challenge an MHA. Moreover, several family law attorneys say Wojciechowski often does not complete MHAs before a trial begins.
"These things slip in unchallenged all the time," says one attorney. "The only question, is 'How many cases?'"
Though Family Court refused to provide statistics on MHAs in custody cases, Frank Cervone, director of the Support Center for Child Advocates, says 70 percent of Domestic Court cases involve some form of free representation. With this, Cervone "presumes" that Wojciechowski's impact is significant.
A major problem, says Cervone, is that Family Court judges value Wojciechowski's opinions despite her lack of credentials. Cervone stresses that Wojciechowski's opinions can affect everything from a child's living arrangements to matters like religion, education and healthcare.
An MHA "might be critical," says Cervone. "The court only gets to meet the parents and children in a very superficial manner. The judge needs outside help [to make decisions]. That's where the MHAs come in."
Despite the concerns raised by Cervone and the others, none of the Family Court judges contacted by City Paper expressed concern over Wojciechowski's role in custody cases or her seeming lack of credentials.
"I'll tell you frankly, I never looked at [Wojciechowski's] reports based on whether she was licensed or unlicensed," says former Family Court Judge Ed Rosenberg, now a senior judge in the Court of Common Pleas. "I accepted them as professional."
Wojciechowski "has been here for years and years and there's never been a complaint," says Family Court Judge Nicholas Cipriani, who handles custody cases.
Judge Steven Levin, a former Family Court judge now serving in the Court of Common Pleas' civil section, knows about Wojciechowski's license status. Levin strongly defends the veteran court employee.
"I don't give a damn whether somebody gives [Wojciechowski] a piece of paper that says she's competent," says Levin. "I have found her to be an extraordinarily competent person. She has great insight into human beings."
Yet Levin admits that he never relied on Wojciechowski for anything other than a "snapshot" of a family's condition.
"I have been uncomfortable at times because [Wojciechowski] didn't have higher level" of education or licensing, Levin says. "The tests she uses really don't have any validity, or so I've been informed. I didn't rely on the tests, I didn't care about the tests. Basically, I was interested in seeing how [Wojciechowski] viewed these people."
Asked why the court allows Wojciechowski to conduct tests it considers useless, Levin says judges are not in a position to limit her activity.
"[Wojciechowski] is the psychologist," Levin says. "I don't have a right to tell somebody that they shouldn't use a test if they think it's helpful to them."
But how helpful are those tests to the children?
Psychologists like Vaughn say the judges' comments reveal a bias that goes against the public interest.
"The court seems to put an absolute value on tests done by [court psychologists] without knowing why," Vaughn charges. "They don't have to back up any of their conclusions ... because the judges don't ever question [the results]."
Robert Tanenbaum Ph.D. is an expert psychologist specializing in the Bricklin Test, a method of examining parenting skills from numerous viewpoints. Tanenbaum stresses that Wojciechowski's reported propensity for making snap judgments is a serious charge and should be examined carefully.
"If [a psychologist] is going beyond their data and making decisions that speak to the future of a given family's life, they really need to be on solid ground," says Tanenbaum. "The rule of thumb is to say what you can and don't say anymore than that."
Tanenbaum and Vaughn add one more point: the Family Court's custody unit should privatize its assessment services.
"Maybe the court's approach meets some minimum standard of practice but it does not reach for the standard where you go beyond the rudiments and look at each family as unique entities," says Tanenbaum. "As a result, absolutely overwhelmed judges must rely on [MHAs] that typically don't tie a parent's capabilities with a child's needs."
"This situation [with unlicensed psychologists] is very, very dangerous," argues Vaughn. "It is a scandalous situation. However, [the court] justifies it by saying they're overloaded, that they don't have enough personnel. The bottom line is children lose out."
Early in 1994, 18-year-old Thomas finished a lengthy stint at the VisionQuest program, a residential treatment facility. The program's exit report on Thomas depicts a stay dominated by aggression toward smaller boys and menacing sexual behavior towards women.
VisionQuest's conclusion? Thomas "sound[s] like a potential rapist ... it seems evident ... that he will re-offend when he returns to the community."
The Philadelphia Child Guidance Center (PCGC) backed VisionQuest's concerns. After a full psychiatric evaluation, PCGC labeled Thomas an "anti-social personality," then referred him to the Joseph J. Peter's Institute for sex offenders. Thomas lasted less than three months in an outpatient program that confronts sexual aggression with confrontational therapy.
Counselors at J.J. Peters placed Thomas through rigorous psychological tests aimed at digging into the history of sexual deviance and aggression. But Thomas maintained a long-held pattern of denial. A "manipulative" Thomas was found not amenable to treatment even though he fell into the "high" risk category for re-offending. Judge Joseph Bruno committed Thomas to the open program at New Castle State Youth Development Center.
Thomas now would cost the taxpayers real money, $229 per day or $83,500 per year. Philadelphia picked up 40 percent of the tab.
Najma Davis, director of juvenile social service for the Defender's Association, says cases like Thomas' are not exceptions.
"We're supposed to help kids," says Davis. "But by the time they have been misdiagnosed and sent to one or two different programs, the damage is irreparable. The kids feel like they are failures ... so they begin to sabotage themselves. They go back to stealing, to doing drugs. They have lost faith in the system and once that happens, they no longer believe us when we say we can help them. It's too late."
Davis, a critic of the Family Court's psychologists, says a delinquent's alienation begins with the MHA process. Davis says everything from the setting for tests (drab, grim, colorless rooms and sometimes holding cells) to the interview techniques create an adversarial situation where cooperation is needed. Davis is not alone in her criticism.
Debbie Williams is a court representative with the Juvenile Justice Center of Philadelphia. In that role, Williams escorts delinquents to and from various appointments in Family Court. Williams claims the MHA testing process leaves kids scarred.
Delinquents "go in one way and they come out totally different," Williams insists.
"The kids always complain that they're frustrated about [the exam] and how they've been treated during the exam," adds Sabrina Allen, a court rep with the Northeast Treatment Center.
"Most kids are upset" after testing, agrees Mark Elvin, VisionQuest's director of Community Based Shelters.
The most significant complaint about the court testing process focuses on Barbara Sulik, the unlicensed psychologist (the state board of education certified Sulik as a school psychologist in June 1982). People like Davis, Williams and Allen say Sulik asks inappropriate questions, then threatens her interview subjects if they do not cooperate.
Specifically, the trio allege that Sulik asks every test subject "Have you ever had sex with your mother?" Further, they say Sulik discusses placement options with the delinquents and reminds them of her authority within the process.
Sulik "threatened one of my kids just last week," says a VisionQuest court rep who spoke on terms of anonymity. "She said 'You're going to end up going somewhere where there are retarded kids.'"
Sulik "asks them, 'Did you have sex with your mother?'" says Davis. "That is a totally inappropriate question."
Sulik asks "'have you had sex with your mother?'" says Williams. "Out of every child I've taken [to Sulik], I've only had one in two years who came out with no problems at all," says Williams, noting that Sulik demands that juveniles and non-professionals address her as "Doctor."
Allen further backs allegations regarding Sulik's questioning on incest issues. Elvin reports "hearsay" reports on Sulik's conduct but declined to comment.
"I have to work very closely with the courts," Elvin says. "I have to protect my relationship with them."
Sulik declined comment on the allegations when contacted by City Paper.
"I have been told not to talk," Sulik says. "I wish I could comment. [But] I like my job."
Zongaro, one of Sulik's supervisors, says he's not allowed to not address the matter either.
"That's a personnel matter," Zongaro says. "I'm not at liberty to discuss anything like that, only things pertaining to myself."
Davis says Sulik's approach to issues of incest is damaging to delinquents in two ways. First, Davis notes that direct questions about incest place a juvenile on the defensive and violate a delinquent's sense of privacy. In addition, Davis says the approach guarantees confrontation. Secondly, Davis argues that Sulik's approach makes kids tune her out.
Sulik "barks at children and dresses them down for 'negative attitudes' so they ignore the questions," Davis says. "One kid said to me, 'If [Sulik] has no respect for me, I have no respect for her.'"
Davis also says many clients beg for a second test after visiting with Sulik.
"If children are asking to be retested, you know there's something really wrong," Davis says.
In the end, says Davis and others, misdiagnosed delinquents are sent to programs for which they are not suited.
"To be perfectly honest, we've had some problems [with court MHAs]," says Peter Ranalli, VisionQuest's director of operations. "There have been several kids who've come into the program [from Philadelphia] who've had mental health issues that we weren't capable of handling and we've had to throw them out. It happens. I've got to admit that."
Ranalli says VisionQuest now screens Philadelphia delinquents "really closely." But Ranalli admits that when misdiagnosed kids slip through, the kids VisionQuest are trying to help suffer as does the unsuitable kid.
"Our goal is to make these kids a little more human so they aren't out on the streets killing," Ranalli says. "[But] with a bad placement, a kid's right back into the system again. We've done no good. And a bad placement is a drain on our resources while he's here. That kid takes away from the other kids."
Jones of the CJRI says statistics over the past two-and-a-quarter years show that 5 percent of Philadelphia delinquents leave treatment programs within a month of sentencing. Jones adds that anywhere between 10 to 35 percent leave various programs within six months. Jones stresses that shortened stays can stem from poorly done MHAs but,more often, involve running away, committing crimes within a program or unruliness.
Still, Jones says the statistics convinced CJRI to begin ask programs why placements fail.
"We need to understand why kids are leaving these programs very quickly," Jones says.
Kirk Heilbrun, co-director of the law and psychology program at Medical College of Pennsylvania and Villanova Law School, offers an alternative to the court's evaluation services. Heilbrun, a nationally recognized expert in the area of juvenile forensic psychology, says the 25 students in his program could provide the court with testing services that he would closely supervise.
"The court is relying on the accuracy of [MHAs] to make real important decisions," Heilbrun says. "And it's not like the court can go back and correct the course it's taken once it's been taken. That decision pretty much stands. They need good information."
Heilbrun's plan would save the court money, time, and elevate the quality of MHAs. It is similar to the 1993 pilot program which the Defenders Association initiated via a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Dr. Ralph "Mac" Turner of Temple oversaw that "enhanced evaluations" effort. But Family Court officials did not expand upon the program.
Russell of ATA says the court should consider alternatives because the current system focuses on the existence of problems, not the causes.
"The problem with the court is they're trying to treat the symptoms rather than the underlying dynamic that causes the symptom," Russell says. "It's like trying to treat a fever. If you don't treat the underlying infection, you're not going to cure the fever, you're not going to cure the disease."
One Philadelphia juvenile probation officer who makes recommendations for juvenile placements also says the court should consider alternatives.
"The problem with the [court] psychologists is how can somebody who spends an hour with a kid tell me what to do with that kid's life?" says the officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "But the court thinks anybody can wave a magic wand call it a Slosson test, whatever. They're mistaken."
The court, however, seems reluctant to change.
"What does a license give you?" asks retired Judge McCabe. "A license is a piece of paper. [The psychologists] are the professionals. I looked to them to make the right decisions."
In the same breath, McCabe admits that he's "not familiar with" either the Slosson or WISC tests despite his lengthy service in delinquency court.
"The what?" McCabe asks when questioned about the court's testing methods.
McCabe's comments typify the court's approach to scrutiny. Sources say administrators promised major changes after the 1990 Jean Sosnowski scandal. That debacle unfolded when the Daily News reported that Sosnowski, then clinical chief over the psychologists, did not have a Ph.D. in psychology (Sosnowski's Ph.D. is in education guidance and counseling).
The only change, however, came when the court fired Pino, the psychologist who blew the whistle on Sosnowski.
When City Paper approached Family Court for information, the system reacted with hostility.
John Fitzgerald, who earns $62,769 as director of the "Medical Branch" where the psychologists work, refused to discuss the matter.
"I'm not making any comments," says Fitzgerald, who oversees the psychologists despite having just a high school degree. "I'm not supposed to nor am I going to."
Asked about complaints regarding Sulik, Sampson-Clemens and Wojciechowski, Fitzgerald denies having authority over the psychologists.
"That's their concern," Fitzgerald says. "I have nothing to do with that. Anthony Zongaro, he's their supervisor."
Fitzgerald also refuses to reveal his duties and responsibilities despite taking home a large salary courtesy of Philadelphia taxpayers.
"My job is of no concern to you," Fitzgerald says. "I have nothing to do with the public."
Fitzgerald's boss also declines comment.
"My position is that [Fitzgerald] is the director the Medical Branch," says Andrea Hoffman-Jelin, director of Children and Youth Services for Family Court. "I'm employed by the Court of Common Pleas. In that position, I'm not at liberty to comment on anything related to the courts."
"The problem is that I'm just the assistant chief," Zongaro says. "There is no chief."
The court's pass-the-buck attitude apparently filters down to the lowest levels of staffing.
"Why are you writing about us?" asks Sandy DeMuro, secretary for the court psychologists. "You should do a story on DHS [Department of Human Services]. They're really a mess."
Dominic Masciantonio, an attorney who represents the court and Panepinto, says the court would not release the psychologists credentials because it "is a matter of privacy." Masciantonio adds that he disagrees with Judge Panepinto's stance.
"As far as I'm concerned, these are matters that ... everybody should know," says Masciantonio. "[The psychologists'] education ... should not be a secret. [But] I don't give orders."
Masciantonio also denied that the court psychologists were ordered not speak with City Paper.
"This is a free country," Masciantonio says. "Anybody can talk."
Critics of the psychologists say the situation has existed for years due to Family Court's highly political atmosphere. As ex-Judge McCabe puts it, "the Family Court was always a family court. It had a lot of family members, whether it was political family or personal family."
Family presents a problem for change. Should Panepinto reform the medical branch, he would risk angering Fitzgerald, the brother-in-law of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Frank Montemurro. If that happened, Panepinto might alienate Montemurro. The Supreme Court Justice is one of the people who appointed Panepinto to his post as the Family Court's administrative justice.
The specter of court politics apparently convinces some people to remain silent.
"We would rather not comment at all," says Joe Lavoratano, St. Gabriel's clinical director. "You have to appreciate that we're a private contractor with Family Court. It behooves us to have a friendly relationship with the Family Court."
Ellen Sterling Ph.D., an expert in custody psychology cases, also would not discuss the situation at medical court.
"Any remarks I make could be held against my clients," says Sterling.
Thomas' last court MHA his third in seven years came in the winter of 1995. Thomas Kenny administered Thomas' most vigorous court evaluation yet the Slosson, drawings and copying geometric figures. Kenny's one-page analysis found Thomas "self-centered and preoccupied." Judge A. Frank Reynolds returned Thomas to New Castle.
Thomas will turn 21 in less than a year. At that time, his release is inevitable. Thomas' next birthday present is freedom.
And as Najma Davis notes, the chances of helping Thomas began slipping eight years ago in a Family Court psychologist's office.
Thomas "was not a sociopath [when first arrested]," Davis says. "He was neglected, perhaps abused and he was highly dependent. But he could have been helped through treatment. Maybe his crimes were a cry for help. But the reasons were not identified. The system failed."
Davis still holds hope that Thomas can be rehabilitated, noting that he's participating in therapy for sex offenders at New Castle. At the same time, Davis admits Thomas could easily re-offend next year.
"You can't predict this," Davis says. "There is chance. The hope is that he won't, but you can't predict it."
Knapp of the PPA says the odds are stacked against delinquents like Thomas once they do not receive proper care.
"When you have kids with depression, anxiety disorders, they need a facility that emphasizes treatment. But if you get a kid in the wrong facility, it's going to be a mess. The kid will not be rehabilitated. That kid who's not getting treatment, he's going to re-offend. And when that happens, the system's failing. When the kid turns 21, he's in the adult system. Then everyone pays. Prison is very expensive."


text:
1968 - Chevelle SS - 396 V-8 - P.B. - Manual - White - ($38,950) ... More
Sometimes you run across a car that the factory COULD have built but didn't. This 1967 Chevelle convertible is such an animal packing a... More
This is a true "138" Super Sport hardtop. The car is in excellent shape. The odometer shows 68,000 miles, which is believed to be... More
This 1965 Chevrolet Chevelle SS (Stock # F1110) is available in our Fairfield, CA showroom and any inquiries may be directed to us at... More
Every now and then an automaker releases a car that's nearly perfect in stock form. The list is short but the 1969 Chevelle SS... More
Nothing says summer like a bright red Chevelle convertible and when you add a big block to the mix the result is a car... More
A solid dry rust free US car with one repaint in the correct Butternut yellow and perfect black cloth bench seat interior. A unique... More
1968 Chevy Chevelle SS. 138 code, 396 engine, auto, power steering and power brakes. American Racing wheels. Needs nothing. Excellent driver.... More
1966 Chevy Chevelle SS Replica for sale by owner in Michigan. This Chevelle SS replica is not only a real eye catcher it is Extremely... More
How about a true Super Sport Chevelle with a fresh rebuilt 396, 4 speed transmission, black vinyl bucket seats with console, black vinyl top,... More
1969 CHEVELLE, 396 CI, V8 WITH TURBO JET W/350HP, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NUMBERS MATCHING ON THE ENGINE & TRANSMISSION, ORIGINAL PAINT, RED IN & OUT,... More
1969 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE. SS 396 CUBIC INCH. IT HAS THE ORIGINAL L78 375 HP FACTORY CAR. IT HAS A NOM 396. IT HAS A... More
1969 CHEVELLE SS JD CODE 396/375HP ENGINE L78 CORRECT 4 SPEED TRANSMISSION CORRECT 12-BOLT POSI REAR 3.73 RATIO FACTORY HIGH RPM TACH POWER DISC... More
This 1964 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu SS has a 283c.I. 2 BBL V8 (#s Match)Powerglide 2-Speed Automatic TransmissionGM 12 Bolt w/ 3.08 LSDNew Dash BezelNew... More
BODY OFF FRAME RESTORED, RUST FREE NEW MEXICO CAR. ONLY TEST MILES SINCE FINISHED. ORIGINAL FLOORS, ¼'S ETC UNDERSIDE PAINTED SATIN BLACK. ALL NEW... More


text:
KCET Statement Regarding SoCal Connected
KCET Statement Regarding SoCal Connected
We have
every intention of airing a new season of SoCal Connected and we are confident
about its future. The show's funding
model is such that we secure underwriting for the show during the summer months
at which point we plan for next season.
About SoCal
SoCal Connected, winner of the Peabody and duPont-Columbia awards, 14 Emmy® Awards, 15 Golden Mikes, 18 LA Press Club Awards, the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best News Documentary and Los Angeles Magazine's "Best New Local TV Program" of 2009, airs Fridays (9:00 p.m.), with encores Saturdays (6 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.), Sundays (1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.) and (6:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.) and Mondays (10:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.) exclusively on KCET. For more information, to view episodes online or to post comments, please visit http://www.socalconnected.org.
Connected is made possible through the generous support of The Ahmanson
Foundation, serving the Los Angeles community since 1952; Jim and Anne
Rothenberg; The Maddocks-Brown Foundation; The Elizabeth Hofert-Dailey Trust;
The John Randolph Haynes & Dora Haynes Foundation; The City of Los Angeles
Department of Cultural Affairs and UCLA.
- Broadcast Area and Channels
- KCET Productions
- Press Room
- Broadcast Submissions
- KCET Digital
- Boards & Management
- Facility Rentals
- FCC-EEO and CPB Annual Reports
- FCC Public Inspection File
- Financial Information
- Public Meetings
- KCET Awards
- Career Opportunities
- Special Events
- Blogs & Social Media Directory
- Thank You's & Acknowledgements
Vice President of Communications
email: email@example.com
tel: 747-201-5243
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
email: email@example.com
tel: 747-201-5886
Junior Publicist
email: firstname.lastname@example.com
tel: 747-201-5705
twitter: @KCETPR


text:
Yorkshire Terrier dog small pewter spoon, UK made Yorkshire Terrier dog gifts.
Handmade in lead free pewter by Glover and Smith. Great dog lovers gifts, all lovingly handmade by us in Wiltshire.
Why give a spoon as a gift?
The gift of a spoon implies caring and themed spoons imply empathy: the tree lover's spoon, the dog lover's spoon. The giving of such spoons recognises the passions and personality of the recipient. Unlike the knife, the spoons friendly and feminine character makes an ideal gift or souvenir; an expression of love commitment and memory.
made from:
100% polished lead free pewter
Length 95mm, boxed
product code:
This product is dispatched to you by Glover & Smith.
MAINLAND UK | order now and receive this item on or before | price |
Free Delivery | Monday 17 March | FREEFREEFREEFREE |
NON-MAINLAND UK | estimated delivery | price |
Highlands/Islands of Scotland |
2-5 days from dispatch
£1.75$3.48€2.27$3.14 |
N Ireland |
2-5 days from dispatch
£1.75$3.48€2.27$3.14 |
Other UK Islands |
2-5 days from dispatch
£3.95$7.86€5.13$7.09 |
INTERNATIONAL DELIVERY | estimated delivery | price |
Western Europe |
2-5 days from dispatch
£4.45$8.86€5.78$7.99 |
USA & Canada |
5-10 days from dispatch
£6.95$13.84€9.03$12.49 |
Far East & Australasia |
5-10 days from dispatch
£6.95$13.84€9.03$12.49 |
You have 28 days, from receipt of cancellable goods, to notify the seller if you wish to cancel your order or exchange an item.
Please note: goods that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements, perishable products and personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken are non-refundable, unless faulty.
Should you choose to return or exchange your order you will need to deliver the item(s) to the UK, where this seller is based.


text:
By: Jillian Wilson
Air travelers could soon face serious delays at airports because of sequestration cuts.
800,000 people fly in and out of the Quad City airport each year and some of those fliers say they don't want travel to get any more complicated.
"That would make me very unhappy especially since I travel for work," Liz Schwendenmann, a frequent flyer.
Liz flies back and forth to Maryland a few times a month for business.
"I've gotten very used to showing up at the airport an hour early and still fly out," says Schwendenmann.
But the new sequester cuts could seriously change that.
Shutting down towers, plus employee furloughs, all meaning longer delays.
Today, Congress woman Cheri Bustos met with fliers about how they'd be affected.
"The uncertainty, are they going to be able to make it to their trip. Are they going to be able to make it to their business meeting?" says Cheri Bustos, 17th Congressional District of Illinois.
Bustos is also on the transportation and aviation committee and she says the cuts would make 90 minute delays the norm in major hubs like O'Hare and Detroit.
"That is something that sequestration has led to, the uncertainty not only in people's pocket books, but even in planning for their business or leisure," says Bustos.
While many blame Congress, Bustos says she'll continue to do her part to help people right here in the quad cities.
"This is budget insanity. There's no reason why time and time we should be on the brink of something like this," says Bustos.
Also, TSA workers and other federal employers could take major hits to their paychecks. Those cuts will go into effect in 30 days.