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August 9, 2007
The grants will provide customized training for
eight area businesses during the 2007-2008 fiscal year.
VANCOUVER, Wash. – Clark College's Corporate Education unit has been awarded over $244,000 in Job Skills Program (JSP) grants to provide customized training for eight Clark County businesses during the 2007-08 fiscal year.
The grants include $108,000 in Lean Manufacturing training for Columbia Machine; $104,000 in Six Sigma training from six local manufactures including: Isonics Semiconductor, Commercial Vehicle Group, KASO Plastics, Bemis Company, New Edge Networks, and Pacific Die & Casting; and $32,000 in ISO Certification training for AIMMco.
Clark College President Robert K. Knight said, "By partnering with subject matter experts like Washington Manufacturing Services (WMS) and the ETI Group, Clark College Corporate Education has been able to act as a bridge between the needs of local industry and subject matter expert organizations. We've been able to secure funding sources available through the State Board of Community & Technical Colleges (SBCTC) to benefit local businesses and our community as a whole."
Bryan Goodman, Vice President Manufacturing at Columbia Machine, said "We truly believe that training employees, and empowering them to implement improvements in all areas of the value stream, is key to our long term global competitiveness." Goodman added, "It is great that our leaders in the State of Washington recognize the importance and invest with business in these efforts. We look forward to working with Clark College and Washington Manufacturing Services to execute this grant in a manner that allows us to maximize the impact on our business and, ultimately, the community we operate in."
According to Todd Oldham, Executive Director of Corporate and Continuing Education, "In the past two years, the college has stepped up its efforts to facilitate greater access for the businesses community to funds available through the State Board of Community & Technical Colleges."
Oldham noted that workforce development is "one of Clark's six mission imperatives. This year's awarded funds represent a 38% increase over last year's funding. It's the highest level of JSP funding we've received in at least five years."
The Job Skills Program (JSP) is a commitment by the state of Washington to extend its education and training resources so that Washington employers will be provided with a well-trained and skilled workforce. Through dollar-for-dollar matching grants, the Job Skills Program (JSP) funds industry-education partnerships to deliver customized, short-term and job-specific training. The program supports skill training or education that is separate from and in addition to existing workforce education programs. Each year, the 34 community and technical colleges within Washington compete for the funds available.
EDITORS' NOTE: The following training terms are mentioned in the above release.
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a measure of variability, typically for a given manufacturing or service business process. When a process is performing at Six Sigma levels, output variability is so low that the process is considered to be virtually defect-free.
International Standards Organization (ISO) 9001
ISO 9000 is a family of standards for quality management systems and is maintained by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization. It encompasses a set of procedures that cover all key processes in the business including the facilitating of continual improvement.
Lean Manufacturing
Lean Manufacturing shows you how to do more with less (less capital equipment and less floor space) by getting the waste out and replacing it with value-added processes. Adopting a "lean" approach is helping companies become faster and more efficient.


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I cannot wait for August 22! Not only is the fifth season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiering on E!… but The Spin Crowd will air it's first official episode right after!!
This is a the brand new show, which I am executive producer on, and follows my friends and PR pros, Jonathan and Simon, as they share all their fun ventures with you guys!
You must make sure you tune in on Sunday, August 22 at 10 pm PST for Keeping Up, and stay tuned to watch The Spin Crowd right after at 10:30 pm!!
Shall I throw a big party to celebrate!? LOL

subset: commoncrawl


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Monday, February 12, 2001
Salle Pierre-Mercure — Centre Pierre-Péladeau
300, boulevard de Maisonneuve Est [métro Berri-UQAM], Montréal, Québec
Tickets: 514-987-6919
Maurice Ravel, Trois poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé (1913)
soprano, two flutes, piano and string quartet
Franz Liszt, Nuage gris (1881-85)
flute, clarinet, horn, percussion, violin and cello
Franz Liszt, Bagatelle sans tonalité (1881-85)
flute, clarinet, horn, percussion, violin and cello
Denis Gougeon, L'oiseau blessé (1987)
Commission: Lise Daoust
Maurice Delage, Quatre poèmes hindous (1912)
two flutes, oboe, two clarinets, harp, two violins, viola and cello
Kurt Weill, Frauentanz, op 10
flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn and cello
Claude Vivier, Hymnen an die Nacht (1975)
soprano, and piano
Chan Ka Nin, Nuage précieux (1987)
oboe (and English horn), clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, harp, piano (and celesta), violin, viola and cello
Commission: SMCQ, with support from the CCA
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky, Deux Poésies de Konstantin Balmont (1911, 47)
soprano, two flutes, two clarinets, piano, two violins, viola and cello
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky, Trois Poésies de la Lyrique japonaise (1913)
soprano, two flutes, two clarinets, piano, two violins, viola and cello
The SMCQ has been moving in step with the lively rhythms of new music for almost fifty years. With its regular concert season, its Série hommage (Homage Series), an international festival, and a young listener's programme, the society has served both as a platform for today's composers and as a window on creative works for everyone.
even_detail@mtl35_21779 generated in Montréal by litk 0.600 on
Monday, June 30, 2014. Development & maintenance: DIM.


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Georgina returns to the Upper East Side but it's not the same Georgina we all knew, she's changed. Chuck and Nate relationship is at a crossroad because of their mutual interest in Blair. Serena relationship with Gabriel get's more complicated.
PoGDesign TV Schedule & Episode Calendar | [0.8, 0.77, 0.62]


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R. Kelly, "Gotham City" from "Batman & Robin"
Only R. Kelly can turn a song about a city full of deformed freakshows and masked vigilantes into a very-nearly gospel song, full of easily digestible spiritual uplift and a chant-along chorus. (A more-further-removed-from-Batman remix version, which featured a lot more references to "the ghetto, ghetto," appeared on Kelly's needlessly self-indulgent 1998 double-album R.) What's so amazing about "Gotham City" is how you do genuinely get caught up in the song's blindingly positive message, even though everything you've been shown thus far has suggested that Gotham is not "a city of justice, a city of love, a city of peace," as Kelly so emphatically croons. It's nice to have a little R&B back in the Batman soundtracks, though. Sing it Kels!
Siouxsie and the Banshees, "Face to Face" from "Batman Returns"
"Batman Returns" is sorely lacking in the pop music department, mostly because of Burton's outrage at his forced usage of the Prince songs for the first film. But that doesn't mean there isn't at least one memorable pop music moment, and it comes courtesy of eighties art-pop sensations Siouxsie and the Banshees. The song, "Face to Face," was co-written by Danny Elfman, which is kind of incredible given the amount of music he wrote for the film (about double the normal amount of music for a typical film). The song plays over the masquerade ball hosted by Christopher Walken's character, which Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) and Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfieffer) mistake for being a black-tie dinner. Alternate versions of the song were released, including a more pop-friendly version with an Elfman-penned chorus and a club mix (by big beat pioneers 808 State). It's just as good as anything on the Prince album.
U2, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" from "Batman Forever"
Produced by No Doubt stalwart Nellee Hooper and featuring a wholly animated music video (with animated versions of U2's ZooTV personas), "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a jangly glam-rock ditty that perfectly captures the anarchic spirit of Gotham City (much better than, say, "Gotham City"). Originally conceived during the Zooropa sessions (it does have that reverb-y feel of some of those songs, most notably "Numb"), it was a big hit for the album, if not the critics (it was nominated for the Razzie for Worst Original Song, unsurprisingly losing to a track from "Showgirls"). The song is a whole lot of fun to this day, and was resurrected for the band's live show during the 2010 U2 360 Tour (which we feel like is still going on somewhere). As a kid we also loved the comic book-y single sleeve. So there's that, too.
Smashing Pumpkins, "The End is the Beginning is the End" from "Batman & Robin"
It's interesting to think that "The End is the Beginning is the End," a rollicking Smashing Pumpkins track from "Batman & Robin," was some of the first new Smashing Pumpkins material to come out after the blockbuster success of their era-defining double-album Melon Collie & the Infinite Sadness. It kind of makes it even more impressive. Featuring predominantly electronic elements (foreshadowing the direction the band would go in with their next album, the unfairly ignored Adore), the song mixes Billy Corgan's dreamy lyrics (what exactly is a "crystal crow"?) with a propulsive beat and a gnarled, shredding guitar. (A more down-tempo variation, "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" also accompanied the album.) It's a far more intellectual and deeply felt piece of pop song-craft than you would expect for a movie that features Arnold Schwarzenegger spouting ice puns.
Kevin Peterson | July 4, 2014 10:51 PM
Tia Carrere's song from Mask of the Phantasm?
Sasquatch | July 25, 2012 5:34 PM
I prefer "The Beginning is the End is the Beginning" rather than "The End is the Beginning is the End"
crossing the river | July 19, 2012 3:48 PM
Actually, "The Future" is played during the casino scene.
Holden | July 19, 2012 6:49 AM
Underworld - Moaner (Batman & Robin)
Sam | July 18, 2012 10:32 PM
half of these are songs i immediately think of when people say Songs from a Batman Soundtrack. you failed.
Dryer | July 18, 2012 2:55 PM
I still laugh thinking about when I was 9 blasting the '89 soundtrack cassette on my parents stereo system and singing along. But one particular song Bat Dance I was completely oblivious to the induendo lyric, let me stick the 7" in your computer. Today kids would probably would pick up on it right away. The soundtrack surprisingly still holds up today, have "Vickie Waiting" on my iPod.
Gabe Toro | July 18, 2012 2:40 PM
R. Kelly's "Gotham City" is the greatest thing to ever happen to Batman.
Jonathan | July 18, 2012 2:12 PM
What, no Sunny Day Real Estate!? That Batman Forever soundtrack was the greatest thing in the world in 1995. And how could anyone ever forget that "Kiss From A Rose" was on a Batman soundtrack. The music video is burned into my brain.
cirkusfolk | July 18, 2012 1:35 PM
It's amazing that U2's song got nomed for a Razzie when it was also nomed for a Golden Globe. Now it didn't get an Oscar nom but imo opinion should've won one. It's an awesome mix of rock/electronic with some cool orchestration and great Bono vocals. Also samples a riff from T. Rex which is a plus.
JD | July 18, 2012 1:26 PM
"The Future" actually is in the first Burton Batman--it's in the opening scenes, playing faintly in the background as the family walks through the streets of Gotham City, as if it's on a radio or something.
And yeah, Prince's Batman album deserves a lot more respect. : )
email@example.com | July 18, 2012 1:21 PM
"eye" the smashing pumpkins song they contributed to the david lynch film "lost highway" is actually the first song they recorded after MCIS not the batman song
Marko | July 18, 2012 12:52 PM
For a really forgotten pop song from a Batman soundtrack, there's "I Never Even Told You" by Tia Carrere from the Mask of the Phantasm soundtrack.
Of course that song is terrible.
juicebox | July 18, 2012 12:28 PM
While I appreciate its inclusion, I would disagree that people don't associate "Kiss From A Rose" with Batman Forever... I remember it being such a weird match as to be unforgettable.
Rodrigo at The Playlist | July 18, 2012 12:25 PM
I fucking loathe all these songs and most of these movies. Take that as evidence that we're not a hive mind and our writers have their own say.
rotch | July 18, 2012 12:20 PM
great piece, but the headline is not accurate. as you well say, 'kiss from a rose' is far from forgotten, as are most of the tracks. 10 Songs From 'Batman' Soundtracks You Probably Forgot Where From 'Batman' Soundtracks seems more accurate.
cirkusfolk | July 18, 2012 12:17 PM
Really cool piece. I love both Partyman and Trust which I felt were always better than the single Batdance. I'm also glad u included the Pumpkins track although I vastly prefer the slow version which we used on the trailer to Watchmen.
Katie Walsh | July 18, 2012 12:15 PM
The Batman Forever soundtrack is the first CD I bought. True Story. Also probably still my fave Batman movie-- saw it at a very impressionable age. CALL ME WHEN TDKR FEATURES CHRIS O'DONNELL'S ROBIN CODPIECE.


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Posting from LA Progressive by Paul Hogarth. Reviewing last Saturday's article in the NY Times.
Democrats did not win back Congress because Rahm recruited more Blue Dogs. As I wrote in 2006, only about five of the 30 House seats that Democrats gained that year could be from "conservatives" – the rest were progressive Democrats like Carol Shea-Porter and John Hall, real team players who took the risk of standing up for liberal values in swing districts. And those – not Bobby Bright – are the ones who deserve to be helped today.
Like Secretary of State Elaine Marshall for instance?
Things politically seem to be going downhill fast for the Obama administration and it is being said that his advisors/staff can take responsibility for that. There are articles that say that just as presidents in the past, Obama needs to take a close look at this staff and make some changes or continue to see a deeper dip in his polls.
I am not sure how The Daily Beast leans politically, but the article does make sense on a number of levels.
Monday, Feb.22nd,2010 - The White House and President Obama's announced Healthcare bill proved my worse fears - that there was never any intention by Democratic Leadership or the President to support the Public Option.
And along the way, the base of the party was once again strung along with glimmer of hope in the form of the 'Bennet letter.'
Today's Healthcare Bill not only signals an end to the Public Option, but the Bennet letter can only be characterized as the worst form of manipulation of the democratic voters by the White House.
Nationally, one of the hottest topics in progressive politics is whether or not the Democratic Party should consider the South a lost cause.
Thirty years ago that subject would have been considered absurd on its face. Back then the South was the indispensable partner in Roosevelt's New Deal coalition. The South was the lynch pin, the hinge, the fulcrum of Democratic power. Now some believe that it is the great nemesis of the Democratic Party, and chasing after the South is about as useful, and ennobling, as calling your ex-wife and asking her for a date.
This argument has both its advocates, and its critics throughout the progressive movement. Howard Dean has staked tremendous political capital on his "50 State Strategy" and the contention that a truly national party must compete everywhere. Other influential leaders in the party, like Rahm Emmanuel, would argue that spending fifty cents on grass roots organizing in Mississippi is fifty cents wasted.
True to earlier reports that Patrick McHenry has become the designated pit bull for House Republicans, there's a quote offered from the quarrelsome Congressman in today's Washington Times. This staunchly conservative paper has been making much of a mention in the Ethics Panel report on the Mark Foley scandal that Rahm Emmanuel may have had early knowledge of Foley's unpleasant e-mails. The Washington Times is trying to expand this insinuation into a story, without any corroboration, that Emmanuel shopped the e-mails to newspapers before November's election.
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Home | Contact Us
Epstein Becker Green's Bankruptcy and Corporate Reorganization lawyers provide responsive, cost-effective, and results-oriented counsel to clients in a wide variety of industries. We handle bankruptcy-related representations of virtually any size and complexity, as well as the full range of distressed business and asset transactions, throughout the country. We represent debtors, secured and unsecured creditors, lenders, trustees, and creditor and equity committees in all aspects of bankruptcy cases and out-of-court restructurings. Our team has handled bankruptcies and reorganizations in various industries, with particular emphasis on health care and life sciences, distribution, entertainment, manufacturing, real estate, retail, and technology.
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Women's Volleyball Wraps Up Home Season
Women's Volleyball Wraps Up Home Season
Click on the above video player for an interview with Pepperdine freshman Caitlin Racich.
Pepperdine Women's Volleyball Notes (PDF)
November 3, 2009
THE FACTS - The Pepperdine women's volleyball team plays its final two home matches of the season this week as the third-place Waves host Portland on Thursday and Gonzaga on Saturday. Seniors Kiah Fiers and Rachel Grochmal will be honored prior to Saturday's match. Three more road matches remain in the regular season after this weekend.
MATCH #23 - Thursday (Nov. 5) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine (12-10, 5-4 WCC, third place) vs. Portland (5-18, 1-7 WCC, seventh place) at 7 p.m.
MATCH #24 - Saturday (Nov. 7) at Firestone Fieldhouse: Pepperdine vs. Gonzaga (9-13, 4-4 WCC, tied for fourth place) at 1 p.m.
ON THE WEB - Live video of all home matches are available to Wave Casts subscribers at www.pepperdinesports.com. Live statistics will be available for all home matches free of charge, and links are provided to the home team's website when the Waves are on the road. Go to the "Wave Casts" link toward the top of the home page for more information.
TICKETS - Single-match tickets to all home women's volleyball games are $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and free to all Pepperdine students and faculty with a university ID.
RANKINGS - After being ranked as high as #19 in the AVCA poll on Sept. 7, the Waves have been in the "others receiving votes" category the past seven weeks.
OPPONENTS - Pepperdine is 42-3 all-time against Gonzaga and has won 25 in a row. The last Bulldog win was in 1996. All three Gonzaga wins have taken place in Spokane, as Pepperdine is 22-0 at home ... Pepperdine is 43-2 all-time against Portland and has won 29 in a row. The last Pilot win was in 1994. Both Pilot wins have taken place in Portland, as Pepperdine is 22-0 in Firestone Fieldhouse.
LAST TIME AROUND - Pepperdine swept both matches on the Northwest road swing, beating the Bulldogs 25-22, 25-23, 29-26 on Oct. 8 and the Pilots 25-23, 25-19, 25-14 on Oct. 10. Over the six sets, Rachel Grochmal averaged 4.83 kills, Kiah Fiers averaged 12.17 assists and 4.50 digs and Kim Hill hit .581 with 3.50 kills. The Waves won in Spokane for the 13th straight year and in Portland for the 15th straight season.
LAST WEEK - Pepperdine nearly knocked off both WCC co-leaders on the road. The Waves began the week by sweeping then-#19 San Diego in front of an ESPNU audience (36-34, 25-17, 25-18), but then lost at Saint Mary's in five sets (22-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-20, 15-13). The Waves beat USD twice in the same season for the first time since 2003. Saint Mary's beat Pepperdine twice in one season for only the second time ever. The Waves' last three losses have been in five sets. Rachel Grochmal had a career-high 25 kills at Saint Mary's and averaged 4.50 kills per set for the week. Kim Hill averaged 3.00 kills and Lilla Frederick was at 2.75 kills and 3.38 digs.
WCC STATS - Pepperdine is first in service aces (1.29) and digs (15.34), second in opponent hitting percentage (.205), third in hitting percentage (.236) and sixth in blocks (1.91) ... Stevi Robinson is first in service aces (0.42) and third in digs (4.87) ... Kim Hill is first in hitting percentage (.389) ... Kiah Fiers is second in assists (10.90) ... Rachel Grochmal is fourth in kills (3.34), fourth in service aces (0.29), fourth in points (3.85) and 10th in digs (2.72) ... Lilla Frederick is seventh in kills (2.97) and ninth in points (3.30).
NATIONAL STATS - According to the NCAA ... Kim Hill is 14th in the nation in hitting percentage (.389) ... Kiah Fiers is 34th in assists (10.90) ... Stevi Robinson is 41st in service aces (0.42) and 44th in digs (4.87).
CAREER RECORDS WATCH - Kim Hill's career .369 hitting percentage is on target to set a school record ... Stevi Robinson's career average of 4.84 digs per set is on pace to set a school record ... Rachel Grochmal is #2 in service aces per set (0.35), #3 in service aces (127) and #10 in kills (1,146) ... Kiah Fiers is #3 in total assists (4,152) and #4 in assists per set (11.70).
2009 HONORS - Kiah Fiers and Kim Hill were named to the preseason All-WCC team ... Fiers was named Tournament MVP at the Colorado State Asics Classic and was joined on the all-tournament team by Lilla Frederick and Rachel Grochmal ... Fiers was also named WCC Player of the Week on 8/31 following the Colorado State event ... Stevi Robinson was named WCC Player of the Week on 9/7 after the Pepperdine-USC Tournament ... Robinson and Frederick made the all-tournament team for the Pepperdine-USC Tournament ... Robinson was the Tournament MVP at the Pepperdine Asics Classic and Kristen Seaton also made the all-tournament team.
FIERS - The leader of Pepperdine's attack is senior setter Kiah Fiers (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula HS), who is averaging 10.46 assists per set. She is a three-time All-WCC selection (once on the first team, twice on honorable mention). She recorded her 4,000th career assist a couple of weeks ago, moving past Lee Hoven and into the #3 slot on Pepperdine's all-time list (she is now at 4,152).
GROCHMAL - Pepperdine's other senior starter is outside hitter Rachel Grochmal (Brea, Calif./Brea Olinda HS). Formerly Rachel Lumsden, she got married this past summer. She is a two-time All-WCC honorable mention selection and began the season as Pepperdine's all-time leader in service aces per set. In 2009, she is averaging a team-best 3.34 kills along with 2.72 digs. She recorded her 1,000th career kill vs. Saint Mary's on Oct. 1.
ROBINSON - Possibly one of the best liberos in the country, sophomore Stevi Robinson (Hermosa Beach, Calif./Mira Costa HS) was the WCC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 after averaging a WCC-leading 4.81 digs per set. She's been just as good in 2009 at 4.87 digs and 0.42 service aces per set.
HILL - After earning WCC Freshman of the Year honors last season, sophomore middle blocker Kim Hill (Portland, Ore./Portland Christian HS) is shouldering an even bigger load in 2009. She is among the national leaders in hitting at .389 and is averaging 2.64 kills and 0.71 blocks.
FREDERICK - Sophomore Lilla Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS) is contributing 2.97 kills and 2.49 digs per set. She made the WCC All-Freshman team last season and played on the USA Junior National Team the past two summers.
SEATON - Back in the rotation after redshirting 2008 due to a foot injury, sophomore Kristen Seaton (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo HS) has been one of the Waves' options at opposite. She is averaging 1.96 kills and 0.65 blocks.
FRIEDMAN - An occasional starter in the back row, junior Krista Friedman (La Verne, Calif./St. Lucy's Priory HS) has carved out a role as a defensive specialist. She is averaging 1.53 digs per set.
ADELHELM - Of Pepperdine's seven newcomers, only one was asked to step into the regular starting lineup from the beginning, and that's freshman middle blocker Victoria Adelhelm (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./Santa Fe Christian HS). She has made a nice transition to Division I volleyball, averaging 1.81 kills and 0.85 blocks. She was #85 on prepvolleyball.com's Senior Aces list.
RACICH - Earning more playing time as of late has been freshman outside hitter Caitlin Racich (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos HS), who has started several matches for the Waves. She is averaging 1.88 kills and 1.40 digs. She was #70 on prepvolleyball.com's Senior Aces list.
MORE NEWCOMERS - Among the other five newcomers, freshman Brittney Clark (San Jose, Calif./Presentation HS) has seen the most playing time, averaging 0.67 kills and 0.67 blocks as a middle blocker or opposite. Three other newcomers are also true freshmen. Kelli Branning (Menlo Park, Calif./Menlo-Atherton HS) is a libero who has been seeing more and more action as a defensive specialist. Justine Hunter (Hollister, Calif./San Benito HS) is the backup at setter and Ashley Broadwell (Bothell, Wash./Archbishop Murphy HS) is an outside hitter. Redshirt sophomore Janea Rosell (Los Angeles, Calif./Bishop Montgomery HS), a transfer from Arizona State, is competing at middle blocker. The website prepvolleyball.com rated Pepperdine's recruiting class as #12 in the country.
NINA MATTHIES - Now in her 27th season as head coach of the Waves, Nina Matthies entered the 2009 season with a career record of 494-294 (.627), which includes 10 conference championships and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances. She is by far the WCC's all-time winningest coach and is a nine-time WCC Coach of the Year. On Sept. 11, 2009, she won the 500th match of her career with a victory over Seattle. Matthies was among the world's top players and is a member of the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame. Earlier this fall, Dig Magazine rated her and former partner Linda Hanley as the second-best women's beach team of all time. She won two AIAW national championships as a player at UCLA.
ROSTER - The Waves return four starters plus the libero and lost only two starters from the 2008 squad. Seven returners (six letterwinners and one redshirt) are joined by seven newcomers (six true freshmen and one transfer) to bring the squad total to 14. It's a fairly young team, as the eligibility breakdown is two seniors, one junior, five sophomores and six freshmen.
WCC PRESEASON POLL - San Diego received seven of the eight first-place votes and was picked to win the title. Pepperdine was second, followed by Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Loyola Marymount, and then Gonzaga and Portland (tied). Kiah Fiers and Kim Hill were named to the All-WCC preseason first team.
VOLLEYBALL HISTORY - The Pepperdine women's volleyball program is synonymous with the word excellence, as the Waves are a perennial power. The Waves have advanced to postseason play 25 times in 34 seasons, including 11 trips to the NCAA Championships in the last 12 seasons. Pepperdine's best finishes in recent years came when the team made the regional final of the 2002 NCAAs, and then in 2003 when the Waves posted 27 victories (most in the Nina Matthies era).
2008 RECAP - It was another solid year for the Pepperdine women's volleyball team. Julie Rubenstein earned AVCA All-American third team honors and became Pepperdine's first All-American since 2003. She led the conference in kills and points. The Waves advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth year in a row but suffered a first-round loss to Long Beach State. There was a school-record-tying 13-0 start, and though they tied for fourth in the WCC with an 8-6 record, the Waves finished 20-8 overall, the 17th 20-win season in program history. Kim Hill earned WCC Freshman of the Year honors and Stevi Robinson was the WCC Defensive Player of the Year.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE - Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won a total of nine NCAA championships in five different men's sports - one of just 14 schools to have accomplished this feat. Of the 14, Pepperdine is the only non-BCS school and has by far the smallest enrollment. The majority of Pepperdine's teams are ranked nationally year after year and compete for conference and national titles.


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Ski Trab Volare
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Where to Buy
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Retailers' Descriptions
Here's what other sites are saying:
A true afficionados backcountry ski; the Ski Trab Volare is the strongest, lightest ski with modern dimensions for laying tracks down any mountain.
- CampSaver.com
Blending traditional camber with modern, mid-fat dimensions, the Ski Trab Volare Ski is rearing up like a wild pony to get first tracks after Mother Nature showered your world with snowy love. Built to perform in a wide variety of conditions and over a large spectrum of terrain, this nimble, torsionally stiff, swallow-tail stick can handle everything from ski-mountaineering expeditions to dawn patrol tele turns. The traditional camber profile provides tons of edge contact for reliable grip on hardpack, and 99mm underfoot handles shin-high powder so you won't just tank when there's a dusting in the backcountry. Fat tips don't make for good texting, but they make for buoyancy whether you're breaking trail or leaving a trail of smoky cold powder behind you. When you're zig-zagging towards the summit, the last thing you need is extra weight bringing you down. At roughly three pounds a ski, your feet won't forget about the ski, but you won't be dragging unnecessary weight up the 1,500-meter ascent you've planned for your dawn patrol. The Aero Core honeycomb design keeps the weight off, and quad cap construction helps you keep your edge on the ascent. Poor-fitting skins can wreck a smooth ascent, but the Volare has Evo(lved). Between Evo tip technology and the cleaved tail, you can slap a skin on the base of the ski and take it off just as easily.
- Backcountry.com
Ski Trab Volare
currently retails for:
$494.45 - $539.37
$494.45 - $539.37


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LaVera Edick has always loved art and writing but for the longest time, life got in the way. She grew up in Nebraska, a child of the Depression, the Dust Bowl, the dirty 30s. But she recalls not everyone was destitute.
"Some people recall they were the good days during the bad days because even though there was a shortage of money, there was an abundance of love and family togetherness. My father taught me early in life that God has a plan for each of us. And God helps those who help themselves," says Edick.She outlines her life story in her book, Four Score and More, which she started three years ago at the age of 85. She tells of her childhood, three marriages, five children, and learning to support herself and her family over the years. It was while she was selling Stanley Home Products, makeup and cleaning supplies, that she was transferred to Bismarck."I became almost a hermit, I guess, in writing that book for the past three years. I'd even find myself waking up in the middle of the night with a thought that just had to be gotten down right now. I kept a pad and pencil by my bedside. But oftentimes I'd get up and write for two to three hours at night," says Edick.And she's not resting on her laurels. She's doing the illustrations for her second book, called Kat Tales and Kitty Capers, about a woman she considers to be her second mother."I'm hoping that my readers will find enjoyment in recalling memories of their own bygone days, or perhaps those of their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents. Also, I hope it will inspire some people to leave a legacy to their family," says Edick.And she did it without the help of a computer. She wrote her book in longhand.
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>


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As adults, we spend more time teaching and telling than we do learning and listening. One of my favorite blog posts is the Dear Jr High Becca letter I wrote to a younger version of myself. It's full of things I've learned since then and advice I'd give to my younger self. And fair enough I suppose – we've learned a lot along our journeys and aren't the insecure, pimply, sweaty, brace-faced versions we once were.
Maybe there is a Conservation of Knowledge theory out there – that as we grow into our adult selves, we must dismiss and replace pieces of our younger selves. I hope this isn't true and I hope we can regain some of the curiosity, wonder, and bravery that we had as 8 year olds.
This week's TEDnesday post is from an ambitious 12 year old, Adora Svitak:
What have you learned from children? Lessons from your own nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, grandbabies, neighbor kiddos?


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One week removed from the second of two consecutive missed cuts at the The Players Championship and the European Tour's BMW PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy drilled an eagle on his back-nine to erase a terrible start at this week's Memorial Tournament.
McIlroy, who said earlier in the week that he was "working on a few things" to help him prepare for next month's U.S. Open title defense, notched a quadruple-bogey-7 at the par-3 12th hole (his third) and quickly fell to 3-over. He got one back with a birdie at the par-4 third and a chip-in for eagle-3 at the par-5 fifth bounced him up to even-par through 15 -- just three shots back of the early leaders.
"These two-day weeks aren't really that good for me, so I just want to get some competitive rounds in," McIlroy, with a smile, told reporters on Wednesday about his plan to play a week before the Open at next week's FedEx St. Jude Classic. McIlroy, who tends to lay off competitive golf right before a major, admitted last week that he "might have taken my eye off the ball," and clearly needed what Tiger Woods is so fond of calling his "reps."
"I'm working on a few things," said McIlroy, "and I feel trying to put them into competition will be the best way for me to prepare going into the U.S. Open."
Golf Magazine's 2011 Player of the Year, who has been ping-ponging with Luke Donald for the No. 1 ranking in men's golf, was unconcerned about his recent less-than-stellar starts, as was fellow young-gun Rickie Fowler.
"Obviously there's going to be speed bumps along the way," said Fowler, who beat McIlroy in a playoff at the recent Wells Fargo Championship. "I wouldn't look at Rory's game any differently just because of missing a cut or having a bad round here or there. He's still been playing one of the best -- between him and Luke. It's definitely a challenge to figure it out, and you can't make it perfect."
Donald, for his part, wondered if No. 2's off-course life as the globe-trotting boyfriend of tennis star Caroline Wozniacki were not one of the reasons for McIlroy's current woes inside the ropes.
"I remember when I was 23 and had an attractive girlfriend," Donald said Wednesday, "I would take my eye off the ball sometimes, as well. You can't blame the kid."
Not about to put the onus for his struggles on his significant other, McIlroy conceded he was trying to find "a balance between being a top-class golfer and handling media commitments, sponsors' commitments, trying to have a life outside of all that, just trying to balance everything."
"It's something that it's hard to do all of them all at the same time," McIlroy said. "Yeah, it's something that I'm still figuring out how to do. But I've got a good team around me, and we're trying to figure that out at the minute."
One change was additional time with his coach Michael Bannon, whom he met with last week and with whom he had a six-hour range session on the range on Tuesday and another extended shift after yesterday's pro-am and presser.
"We'd always have a practice session and we'd go inside and we'd look at my swing and just look at the lines and make sure everything is okay," McIlroy said. "I said to him that I felt like I haven't really seen my swing that much this year. So we sat in his hotel room last night and went through a few swings from the past, from recent weeks, from yesterday, and just going through what's different and what needs to be corrected."
McIlroy said the two determined what the problem was and "it's just a matter of putting in the time on the range and trying to tease it back into the positions that I want it to be."
The player who beat the course and his competitors into submission last year at Congressional Country Club acknowledged that his rough patch had sapped him of some of his confidence. Indeed, he was in unfamiliar territory after the consecutive MCs.
"When you've [gone] on a run where you've hardly finished outside the top five and then all of a sudden two missed cuts, it's more of a shock than anything else, just a little bit surprising," he said. "It's something I haven't really had to deal with in a while, and I just have to knuckle down and figure it out and get back to the way I was at the start of the year."
About the upcoming Open at the Olympic Club, McIlroy hoped to get game-ready before the June 14 kickoff to the PGA Tour's second major of the season.
"I want to get my game in good shape going into Olympic," McIlroy said. "I'd love to be able to get it in good shape after this week and come out of this week after working hard and say, you know what, I've really made progress this week, let's try and make a little bit more next week in Memphis and feel really good and ready for the U.S. Open."
A few more eagles wouldn't hurt McIlroy's prep.
As for the master of "reps," despite a double-bogey at the par-4 18th (his ninth hole of the day), Woods carded three birdies and was at 1-under through 14.


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With the election only four days away, Friday is the last day for Texans to cast their ballots early. Over the past couple of weeks, Texans, and many people in states around the country, have been participating in the early voting process.
FOX 7's Ann Wyatt Little reported live this morning on what Texas residents can do to get their vote in early.
KTBC FOX 7119 East 10th StreetAustin, TX 78701Phone: (512) 476-7777Fax: (512) 495-7001


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When the Big Ten paired conference newcomer Nebraska with Iowa for the final game of the season, the prevailing thought was that the border state schools would quickly become heated rivals.
It's hard to maintain much intensity when one team has nothing tangible left to play for.
The free falling Hawkeyes (4-7, 2-5 Big Ten) will play in a meaningless game for the first time in 12 years on Friday when they host the 17th-ranked Cornhuskers (9-2, 6-1).
Nebraska can clinch a spot in the Big Ten title game with a win.
All Iowa can do is walk away with a victory that wouldn't ease the sting of perhaps its toughest season under 14-year coach Kirk Ferentz.
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Technology on ICE: Telemedicine in Antarctica
Information Services' Jake Angelo, left, and Dr. Steven Viegas
conquer the South Pole for UTMB
The Preparation
The invitation to the ICE, as it is called, actually began over a year ago when the UTMB Telehealth Center asked that we facilitate a connection from the three Antarctic Stations at Palmer, McMurdo and South Pole to UTMB for telemedicine. This request started a chain of events that eventually ended up at the 2002 Ice Summit meeting of Raytheon Polar Services hosted by UTMB. The meeting was held in Galveston to give the physicians headed to and returning from the region a chance to interact with the consultants with whom they have been and will be working as part of the telemedicine contract for services.
On September 19, 2002, Dr. Ronald Shemenski, Acting Medical Director, Raytheon Polar Services asked me if I thought a trip to the ICE would help us understand the environment under which they work on a daily basis. My reply was positive and was the trigger for the events to follow. The next day Dr. Ben Raimer, Vice President for Community Outreach, asked if I would accept an invitation to visit McMurdo and South Pole stations along with a UTMB physician and I immediately answered yes.
After a brief discussion with Dr. Shemenski and Dr. Betty Carlisle from McMurdo Hospital , I began making plans for this exciting adventure. The start of the preparation was to break the news to my wife and family. This was the easy part since my wife supports me in numerous off-the-wall schemes which I have attempted during our 29 years of marriage.
Next was the process of physical qualification for the trip, a requirement of the National Science Foundation and Raytheon. This process can be compared to a scavenger hunt with attitude. Knowing what was to follow I made a medical and dental appointment in order to present the documents to the respective services for completion. At this point in time my co-adventurer was named and I learned that Dr. Steven F. Viegas, who has been an active part of telemedicine at UTMB, was to travel with me on this wonderful journey. The physical qualifications (PQ) turned out to be two months worth of work which was crammed into just a few days. All inclusive were complete physical and dental exams (with accompanying x-rays and a page and a half of lab tests). These were rushed through the system in just a few hours.
The grand part is that this 55-year-old fat man actually passed the PQ process and was fit enough to survive the trip. What this really meant is that my physical condition was no excuse for backing out now. Tickets in hand, calendar cleared, bags packed and attitude maximized, I was ready to experience whatever was to follow.
The Journey Begins
As it turned out the actual trip to the pole included some 27 flying hours in a variety of aircraft. The journey began at Hobby Airport with an American flight to Dallas and then to Los Angeles . After a short wait it was time to board the Qantas flight for Christchurch , New Zealand .
Five movies and several short tours of the 747 (to keep my legs from revolting) later and we landed at Auckland , New Zealand where we cleared customs and boarded a domestic flight to Christchurch .
We were met at the Christchurch airport by a uniformed Raytheon employee who gave us our hotel assignments (and immediately took our return tickets) and directed us to the shuttle vans into the city. We were assigned a time to go to the Clothing Distribution Center (CDC) and delivered to the hotel for the rest of the day.
The next morning we were directed to the International Antarctic Center for the official distribution and fitting for our Extreme Cold Weather gear (ECW). This event gave an air of reality to the trip. Piles of coats, fleece, long-johns, very heavy sox and what proved to be the best pair of boots I have ever worn along with several hats and caps, three progressively larger pairs of glove/mitten combinations, snow goggles and sun glasses all of which had to be packed into two large orange bags for the trip to the ICE.
The first afternoon in New Zealand was beautiful lots of people, very clean streets, and due to the location of the Heritage Hotel, it was easy to walk Cathedral Square and take advantage of the street vendors and shops in the area. The trip would have been wonderful if this had been our destination but reality struck with our wake up call to head for the airport. The flight to Antarctica checked in at 6 a.m.
Once at the airport we began the preparing for the C-130 flight to McMurdo Station Antarctica, a flight which we knew would be long, tiring and cramped. It proved to be all three and as an added feature there was a deafening roar from the props. As we arrived at McMurdo Station Antarctica and the aircraft door opened the cold air rushed into the cabin as if to say this is not Texas anymore. Even though the temperature was only about 24° F it was colder than I have been in a couple of years being a coastal dweller.
As I exited the plane it became obvious that this was going to be an adventure. We rode a bus-like vehicle with tires taller than me affectionately called Ivan the TerraBus to the station which Dr. Viegas likened to a college campus and old mining camp. The streets were rimed with ice and snow but the majority of the terrain was black rock, no grasses and no trees of any kind. I saw two birds and one seal.
We were issued our room keys and taken to the dorm to unpack and settle in. Dr. Viegas and I quickly claimed our spaces in the four-person room and went off to the hospital. We were met by Drs. Carslile and Otto along with the staff from the hospital. All of them were very excited to see us. Dr. Carslile called the Information Technology office and Rick Pierce came over to meet with me to plan our next few days together. Rick and I had worked together over videoconferencing for a long time on this project but never in person so we did not feel like strangers. Over the next few days we went over the video system, discussed the network issues and became familiar with each others working environments.
There was an urgency to fix the ultrasound equipment which had never successfully transmitted real time cardiac images from the station. The National Science Foundation (NSF) wanted to participate in a video call with a real patient but their flight from the South Pole was delayed and they missed the live telecast. Dr. Otto provided a video camera to record the event which they watched the next day. Rick and I had solved the problem with the ultrasound unit and for the first time the ultrasound was used in a live telecast and it proved very effective in diagnosis of the cardiac condition of the patient.
Between duties at the hospital Dr. Viegas and I both managed to do some selective sightseeing and participated in the research projects on the ICE, all of which were fascinating and unusual. One of the first research events was a Wednesday night presentation by none other than the marine team from Texas (see related links at the bottom of this page). I guess Here for the Health of Texas is true. Not only were we able to assist in the telemedicine project but we were afforded the opportunity to see inside of some of the projects that are ongoing in the Antarctic, an experience which I will not soon forget.
South Pole Station
There was much discussion about our next leg of the journey, that to the South Pole Station. With the posting of our date and time for what is called South Pole Bag Drag, a little ceremony at which you hand carry everything needed at the Pole up the hill to the transfer station and weigh in for the flight. Ours was 7 p.m. the night before the trip.
The next morning we arrived at the aircraft which would take us some three and a half hours south to the bottom of the earth. The LC-130 (C-130 Transport with "skids" where the wheels were) was old hat by that time and we settled in quickly. As we approached the Pole the crew announced our arrival and that we should make sure that all of our cold weather gear was in place. This proved to be very good advice.
The landing was smooth even on skids instead of wheels. After a few minutes arrived at the terminal which was a box with a fuel hose in it and some orange safety cones with a van parked next to it.
Once out of the plane it hit me. I am standing on the coldest, driest, windiest and most barren spot on the planet; 9,800 miles from home; 10,000 feet elevation, minus 37° F with a wind chill factor of about minus 65° F, and fewer than 300 people for 1,000 miles around.
There were no smells, nothing of color, 2 inches of powdered snow and two miles of base, as they say. It was a scene I will carry in my mind forever. There was nothing in all directions. The rise to the North (every place you look is to the North) hinted of civilization but not much of that. The largest terrain feature was the C-130 and it was loading to go back to McMurdo with more people and stuff leaving the South Pole Station. We were then whisked away by Dr. Will Silva, resident physician at the Pole to the warmth of the dome and to a good hot lunch and orientation talk.
The South Pole Station is an interesting place. Activities center around a large dome constructed to protect the buildings inside from the wind, snow and cold. Within the dome are a number of small buildings I refer to as walk-in coolers. These all have cooler outer doors, an inner door and inside you can find the dining room, communications center, library, post office, gift shop, hospital, and fire station all within their respective coolers (or warmers in this context).
Outside the dome is the new station opening soon and some well insulated huts and out buildings which serve as dormitories for those of us lucky enough to visit there for any length of time.
Generally I found everything there difficult and very cold. The day we arrived I was invited out to do some work on a satellite antenna which failed to track the daily satellite as it peeked over the horizon. We took a short ride across the ice to another freezer attached to a large antenna which had a software glitch, thus cutting off communications from the station for most of the day. While I visited the satellite facility Dr. Viegas worked with Dr. Silva and his staff on a hand lecture series.
While posing for a photo at the antenna site I had my face uncovered and with a wind chill of about minus 70° F, it did not stay uncovered for very long. At one point my hair started to crunch when I touched it not a good sign.
We spent the remainder of the trip working out some bugs in the system and making video and images from the Pole more reliable. It was a productive two days.
The Return
The one memory that I will carry with me forever and am happy to share came from Dr. Will Silva. In a conversation we asked him why he came back to the Pole time and time again to care for this handful of people. He likened the experience to a garden. When tended it reaps much produce
if left alone it overgrows, dries up, and dies. He warned me to tend to my garden.
It may have been the feeling of being alone at the bottom of the earth, the vast emptiness of the environment, the thin air or high altitude but the experience at the South Pole was a life changing one for me. I can't explain it just yet but I seem more committed than ever to the mission of UTMB and much more committed to my family and my friends.
The trip home was nothing out of the ordinary other than the knowledge that I and the telemedicine program had gained from the experience.
Jake Angelo , Retired
Information Services
and Director of Technology for
UTMB's Center for Telehealth & Distance Learning


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1) He connects with a BIG hook/uppercut!
2 (Insert fighter's name) looks to be in cruise control at this stage in the fight as he knows he is way ahead on the cards.
3) He needs a knockout to win!
4) I had that a 10-9 round.
5) I had that a 10-8 round.
6) What do you think Jim/Bob/Max/Larry/Al/Paulie/Steve/Roy?
7) (Insert fighter's name) appears to have the faster hands tonight.
8) He was hurt by the body shot! He was definitely hurt!
9) He's in some trouble!
10) The referee is taking a close look!
11) You have to wonder if age will catch up with him tonight.
12) Every since being trained by (insert trainer who has received many accolades) he seems to be a completely different fighter.
13) He was out on his feet!
14) Now that's the sweet science!
15) (insert fighter's name) seems to be content to stay outside and counter all night.
16) What heart he has!
17) This is the time in the fight when you have to dig deep and have the heart of a champion.
18) Corner's gonna have to step in soon, he's taking a lot of damage.
19) You have to wonder if the ref had scored that slip a knockdown how the fight would have changed.
20) Blood coming from the mouth and nose area.
21) That eye is shut!


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Hilton Debt Clogs Lenders' Balance Sheets
Blackstone Group's $26.2 billion takeover of Hilton Hotels, the last big real estate transaction before the market downturn began in late-2007, has left seven banks - and the Federal Reserve - holding massive chunks of debt that they can't sell without taking big losses.
Blackstone has continued to make loan payments, giving the banks breathing room. But the real estate collapse has significantly driven down the values of the underlying hotels, seriously eroding Blackstone's original $5.7 billion equity stake in Hilton. And market players question how well the $20.6 billion debt package will weather the deep recession, which is hurting hotels more than most other property types.
The original lending syndicate consisted of seven banks: lead lender Bear Stearns, plus Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley. They gave Blackstone about $8.6 billion of senior debt and about $12 billion of mezzanine debt to complete the takeover in October 2007. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York later assumed Bear's share to facilitate the sale of Bear to J.P. Morgan.
The lenders have sold $2.2 billion of the senior debt and at least $3 billion of the junior debt, leaving as much as $15.4 billion on the books of the banks and the Fed.
The debt package originally called for a blended spread of about 185 bp over 1-month Libor, according to people familiar with the matter. But when market conditions deteriorated before the closing, a "material adverse conditions" clause in the loan documents was triggered, causing the spread to widen out to about 245 bp.
The lenders initially planned to securitize the senior portion of the debt package, but were unable to do so when the commercial MBS market froze up. They then sold $2.2 billion of the senior debt in the first half of last year to GE Capital at a spread of about 300 bp over Libor, according to people familiar with the matter.
The loan syndicate also sold four of the seven mezzanine tranches, totaling $3 billion, early last year to 10 investors, including Goldman's Archon Capital unit, Capital Trust, CWCapital, Lehman, Morgan Stanley Real Estate and Singapore's sovereign wealth fund.
The lending syndicate made a big push in the third quarter of 2008 to sell their remaining shares of the senior debt to large-loan buyers at about 300 bp over Libor. But the effort fell flat.
Late last year, Hilton informed the lenders that its hotels could see a 10-20% decline in revenues in 2009, according to people familiar with the matter. That prompted the six banks to write down their Hilton positions at yearend by 10% or more, the people said. The lenders and Blackstone either declined to comment or didn't return calls. The Fed also declined to comment on Bear's assets, which are now being managed by BlackRock. The Fed is believed to have assumed about $4 billion of Bear's original $4.7 billion share, which was larger than the shares of the other syndicate members.
Blackstone and the lenders have a few things working in their favor. First, the debt package has a 3-year term with three 1-year extension options. That means that Blackstone is under no pressure to refinance the debt.
What's more, Blackstone is benefitting from the fact that 1-month Libor is now an historically low 0.4%. That means Blackstone's loan rate, including the spread, is currently just 2.9%, which minimizes the monthly loan payments. However, Blackstone is susceptible to any spike in Libor. The company bought a 4.5% Libor cap, so its rate could conceivably rise by 4.1 percentage points, to as high as 7%. If that happened for a sustained period, Blackstone would be hard-pressed to make its loan payments, lenders said. One-month Libor briefly spiked to 4.5% last October when the financial crisis worsened. The benchmark rate has averaged 3.9% over the past four years.
Blackstone also is benefiting from the quality of Hilton's hotel portfolio. "Hotels have their problems," said one veteran lender, "but the Hilton chain is among the best. These hotels still throw off enough cashflow to cover the debt service."
But hotel performance in general has been hitting the skids. A Moody's report released this week said that revenue per available room fell 9.8% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier. Another 7% average decline is likely this year, which would translate into a net cashflow decline of about 16%, the rating agency said. The net effect could be a 30% peak-to-valley decline in hotel values, according to Moody's.
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Darlington Borough Council News
Voting opens for Darlington in Bloom online competition
3:36pm Monday 1st September 2014
VOTING for the revitalised Darlington in Bloom is underway to find the town's best outside space.
Councillors set to release £5.5m of funding for Redhall estate improvements
4:18pm Tuesday 26th August 2014
SENIOR councillors are set to release millions of pounds of funding to improve council housing stock in the Redhall area of Darlington.
Darlington council defends temporary reopening of toilets for 10K road race
12:58pm Friday 15th August 2014
COUNCIL officials have defended the one-off opening of mothballed public toilets in the town centre during last weekend's Darlington 10k event.
Darlington in Bloom competition relaunched after disappointment of cancellation
6:02am Tuesday 5th August 2014
THE cancellation of an annual contest to find the best gardens in Darlington caused disappointment to many earlier this month, but a new online competition could help the town bloom once again.
'Unofficial' gypsy site should not be allowed to expand into open countryside, council officials argue
12:42pm Sunday 3rd August 2014
PRIVATE gypsy sites in a remote area of Darlington should not be allowed to expand into more exposed green fields, council officials have argued, despite a recognised need for more pitches in the town.
Call for the public to help tackle vandalism in Darlington's play parks
4:01pm Friday 1st August 2014
THE man responsible for looking after Darlington's play parks has called on the public to help him tackle the 'frustrating' problem of repeated vandalism.
Councillors clash at Darlington planning meeting which approves log cabin scheme for vulnerable people
5:21pm Wednesday 30th July 2014
TENSIONS rose at a planning meeting in which a councillor described a proposed accommodation development for vulnerable youngsters as being like an "open prison".
Christian centre celebrates first anniversary in Darlington
12:45pm Tuesday 29th July 2014
COMMUNITY representatives gathered to celebrate the first anniversary of a Christian centre in Darlington.
Flying the flag for quality green spaces in Darlington
12:04am Monday 28th July 2014
DARLINGTON'S South Park and West Cemetery have retained their prestigious Green Flag Award to keep them listed among the best green spaces in the country.
Big row over Britain's smallest park as council leader criticises naming it after a "right-wing Tory"
12:02am Monday 28th July 2014
IN a big row over a small park, a council leader has criticised the naming of a plot of land after a "right wing Tory".
Mayors from across the region gather for civic service
5:51pm Sunday 27th July 2014
FIFTEEN Mayors from across the region joined the Bishop of Jarrow at a special service for the new Mayor of Darlington.
Log cabins plans set for approval despite objections
12:35pm Friday 25th July 2014
COUNCILLORS look set to approve controversial plans for accommodation for vulnerable young people, despite objections from residents.
Positive progress in parking row
2:17pm Tuesday 22nd July 2014
POSITIVE headway is being made in a parking row that has divided Darlington, a trader who attended a private meeting with council officials has said.
Overnight closures for St Cuthbert's Way as construction work continues
12:21pm Tuesday 22nd July 2014
OVERNIGHT road closures through the centre of Darlington have been announced as part of work to reconfigure a major route.
Summer challenge aims to get children reading
12:42pm Wednesday 16th July 2014
A SUMMER reading challenge that encourages children to make use of their local library during their break from school has been launched.
Plans to relocate bus stops and improve coach facilities revealed by council
1:22pm Saturday 12th July 2014
PLANS to create better coach and bus facilities in Darlington town centre as part of the Feethams development project are set to be discussed by councillors.
Work on Haughton Road pedestrian bridge set to begin - eight years late
12:58pm Thursday 10th July 2014
CONSTRUCTION work on a long-awaited pedestrian bridge is underway, almost eight years after it was first announced.
Don't call during strike unless it's urgent, pleads chief executive
2:02pm Wednesday 9th July 2014
A COUNCIL chief executive has urged taxpayers to avoid contacting its call centre during a day of industrial action.
Voters should be allowed to judge if council hall tax increases are justified
12:00am Wednesday 9th July 2014
TOWN halls should be free to push through any council tax increase, MPs say – and be judged by voters on "election day".
Proposals to form elected committee of Darlington traders to highlight issues to council
4:29pm Monday 7th July 2014
AN elected committee of traders could be set up in a bid to highlight issues faced by Darlington's business community.
Anonymous Darlington fly-poster is florist who says business is struggling due to council parking policies
6:43am Friday 4th July 2014
A LONG-STANDING trader says council parking policies in Darlington have put his business at risk and left him homeless.
Unison asks Darlington Council why "senior managers get pay rises and bin men pay cuts"
8:38am Thursday 3rd July 2014
UNISON has criticised Darlington Borough Council for what it believes is preferential treatment for senior management over pay and pensions.
Councillor supports traders in calling for town centre improvements
4:15pm Wednesday 2nd July 2014
A LONG-SERVING Darlington councillor has backed traders in calling for the town's council to do more to improve footfall.
Council writes off £150,000 debts
4:11pm Wednesday 2nd July 2014
CABINET members at Darlington Borough Council have agreed to write-off debts of almost £150,000 owed to the authority.
Plans to save Head of Steam Museum in Darlington approved
7:42pm Tuesday 1st July 2014
A PLAN to safeguard a landmark North-East museum has tonight (July 1) been approved by councillors.
"A dream come true" as Darlington theatre company wins £1.5m Arts Council funding for children's theatre
3:32pm Tuesday 1st July 2014
FUNDING for a new flagship theatre for children in the North-East has been hailed as a "dream come true" by the creative director behind the project.
Planners give permission for 20 pitch extension to Neasham Road gypsy site
4:07pm Friday 27th June 2014
AN extension to a council-run gypsy site has been agreed by planning officers after no objections were received to the plans.
Campaigners urge people to have their say in final days of Darlington housing development consultations
3:54pm Thursday 26th June 2014
DETERMINED residents are stepping up their efforts to oppose a controversial housing plan as the end of a consultation period draws near.
Sale of land for housing in Darlington could boost sports facilities by £1.6m
3:44pm Tuesday 24th June 2014
A SCHEME to sell more land in Eastbourne for housing and invest the proceeds into new sports facilities is likely to be approved by councillors.
Highways officers asked to investigate pedestrian crossing causing tailbacks for motorists
1:57pm Monday 23rd June 2014
HIGHWAYS officers have been asked to inspect the operation of a pedestrian crossing in Darlington amid concerns that it is causing long tailbacks for motorists.
Alcohol misuse costs Darlington more than £41m each year
1:13pm Monday 23rd June 2014
ALCOHOL misuse is costing Darlington more than £41m a year, according to a report.
Council bid for £5m heritage funding for Darlington theatre unsuccessful
4:45pm Wednesday 18th June 2014
A NORTH-EAST council has missed out on a £5m funding bid to restore a historic theatre to its former glory.
Stricter measures to combat dangerous school parking
4:56pm Tuesday 17th June 2014
PARENTS attempting to park close to a village school will face stricter measures.
Application to turn a former newsagent into a betting shop
3:30pm Tuesday 17th June 2014
A FORMER newsagents could become a bookmaker if planning permission for a change of use is granted by a council.
Five star hygiene ratings for 90 per cent of Darlington restaurants
2:08pm Monday 16th June 2014
ALMOST 90 per cent of Darlington's eating establishments have achieved a five star hygiene rating, new figures show.
Scores of one-bedroom flats to be built in central Darlington
11:59am Sunday 15th June 2014
SCORES of one-bedroom flats will be created when a former tax office is transformed this summer.
Fears that overgrown verges will lead to accidents
2:24pm Friday 13th June 2014
A LONG-SERVING councillor said he fears overgrown grass verges on a busy diversion route could cause a serious accident.
Councillor pledges to do more to help the blind
11:38am Friday 13th June 2014
DARLINGTON councillors have pledged to do more to help the blind after spending time walking in their shoes.
Outside body to lead council campaigns in a bid to "disassociate" them from cost-cutting
8:06pm Thursday 12th June 2014
A COUNCIL could bring in an outside body to run campaigns in an attempt to "disassociate" it from cost-cutting measures.
Library encourages residents to pick up litter along with books
4:18pm Wednesday 11th June 2014
RESIDENTS on Darlington's mobile library route are being encouraged to pick up litter as well as books next time they visit.
Young people not having as much sex, drugs or alcohol as they think they are
5:28pm Tuesday 10th June 2014
YOUNG people in Darlington vastly over-estimate the risky activities of their peers, research has shown.
Camper van catches fire in Sainsbury's car park
12:37pm Monday 9th June 2014
A camper van caught fire in Sainsbury's Sedgefield earlier today. Fire Brigade was called to extinguish. Around 3pm Based on information supplied by .
Cockerton development plans rejected
4:39pm Saturday 7th June 2014
PLANS to build a number of homes close to a popular village green were rejected yesterday.
Permission granted for multi-storey car park in Darlington
4:13pm Wednesday 4th June 2014
PLANNING permission has been granted for a "massive" multi-storey car park in Darlington.
Students create charity ball artwork
11:52am Wednesday 4th June 2014
STUDENTS had a ball with their latest design brief after capturing the rural splendour of Darlington.
Residents pledge to fight development on green space
5:24pm Monday 2nd June 2014
RESIDENTS have pledged to fight a council every step of the way as plans to build on a popular green space progress.
What a load of rubbish
5:59pm Thursday 29th May 2014
A COUNTYWIDE litter pick has resulted in more than 1,000 bags being filled with rubbish.
Decision day looms for Darlington town centre multi-storey car park
3:25pm Thursday 29th May 2014
COUNCILLORS will meet next week to consider proposals for a multi-storey car park in Darlington town centre.
Friends group's concerns over housing plans
2:40pm Wednesday 28th May 2014
A GROUP aimed at protecting and improving an open space in Darlington has hit out at plans to allow housing development close to the beauty spot.
Supported living plans met with objection
11:16am Sunday 25th May 2014
OBJECTIONS have been raised over plans to convert farmland near Hurworth into an accommodation complex for vulnerable young people.
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Relay For Life hat lap Purple Militia by Relay_for_Life_ - about 6 years ago
"We are participating in Relay for Life in honor of the family we have lost to cancer and the few survivors we have. We are walking our first theme lap on an extremely hot day in our new team shirts. We are hot but we look great. Thanks CustomInk.com - We'll be back again."


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Oil leak somewhat plugged, last day on the job scheduled for October 1…yep, Tony Hayward not only has his life back, but he's already spending his golden parachute money like Bon Jovi did back in the day: on coke, hotel rooms and orgies. Look at you, partying like a rock star! You go, Tony! And props to you for posing with a REAL laddie mag in the second shot.
Photoshop wizardry by Ed Heller


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Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) your thing for traffic generation?
What about social media? Or do you prefer your traffic to come direct to you?
Whichever way you chose to generate traffic to your site, once a visitor gets there, you need to make sure you have everything in place to get them coming back for more as well as their friends!
There are a few things you should consider doing to make that more likely.
Let's look at each of them in more detail.
Be Yourself
If there's anything I've learnt about blogging that I need to pass on, then this is it!
Your visitors need to know you are a real person and that you're not trying to imitate someone else's style.
They need to understand who you are and what you're about.
To be yourself sounds like an easy thing to do but when you start blogging, you might find it's more difficult than you think.
Write in a conversational way as if you're chatting with your readers.
That will make it easier for them to get to know you and relate to you.
Ask Questions
To start and continue the conversation in the comments section, ask questions of your visitors in your posts.
Make sure you have something in place to tell anyone who leaves a comment when you or other people have responded to their comment.
I use the Reply Me function of CommentLuv Premium to do just that. Ask more questions in your comments and your visitors will more than likely come back and respond.
When you're sharing your post on social media, asking a question can also generate more traffic to your post.
Be Professional
You should always be professional on your blog.
Whether it's dealing with readers' comments, creating a great website design or making sure you proofread your blog posts, your visitors will respect you more if you do things in a professional way.
Try not to use slang or jargon and don't make silly grammatical or spelling errors.
Making your blog look great and easy to navigate will make sure you don't put your visitors off coming back again!
Have An Opinion
There's nothing worse than sitting on the fence.
You should have an opinion on what you're writing about, particularly if it's about a controversial subject.
A controversial stance can drive traffic to your blog but be ready for opposing opinions in your comments section.
Remember to back up your opinion with plenty of facts and statistics though.
Always treat anyone who has an opposing opinion with respect even if you totally disagree with them!
Be Patient
Traffic generation is unlikely to happen over night. You need to give it time.
Don't start a blog and get fed up with it after a couple of weeks because it can take months to generate any kind of traffic to your blog.
Have patience and be proactive in promoting your posts.
It's wise not to rely on any one type of traffic.
Consider blog commenting as a way to get referral traffic to your blog.
You could also use Triberr to bring social media traffic and other services such as JustRetweet or Empire Avenue to generate interest.
Be Consistent
The general consensus is that the more often you post to your blog the more traffic it will generate.
That's all well and good but you might not be able to post as often as you'd like.
What you do really need to do though is be consistent.
Be consistent when you post, how often you post, the niche you write about, the quality of your posts.
Consistency is more likely to bring return visitors to your blog.
Be Helpful
Isn't this the point of blogging in the first place for most of us – being helpful?
It can be something we forget about though in the effort to monetize a blog.
Being helpful is one of the most important things that will bring more traffic to your blog.
Why? Because most people searching on Google are looking for a solution to a problem.
If you can give them the solution then you become more of a trusted source.
You'll become the go to person and are much more likely to attract more customers and sales.
What Do You Do For Traffic Generation?
Do you do these sort of things to get more traffic?
Are there any other little changes you can think of that would make a big difference to traffic generation?
Please let me know in the comments section below!
Tim Bonner
Latest posts by Tim Bonner (see all)
- How To Pack More Into Your Blogging Day - September 1, 2014
- Akismet – Friend Or Foe? - August 25, 2014
- Blogging Communities: Are They Worth A Look? - August 18, 2014


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The former Mitchell Kernal was a stand-out in junior high, high school and now the NBA. Even his former coach, Gary Munsen, said despite the heat's performance tonight, he's got everyone rallying behind him here at home.
"It's been a great ride for me to watch him in the last 13 years," Retired Mitchell High School basketball coach Gary Munsen said.
Munsen led miller for years before taking off to the pro's.
"It's been great for me, great for his family, for Mitchell and the school and community and everything else. I coached 7 Miller's out of the 8. They were all great players. A couple of the others if they were 6 foot 8, they'd be playing in the pro's too but they're only 6'2''," Coach Munsen said.
Over at staple sports pub and grill in town, Score Board, proud support is felt.
"You wonder how many times he's at the middle or high school gym by himself putting up 3 after 3 saying '10, 9, 8, 7... this is for the NBA championship' and that dream could come true tonight," owner Steve Culhane said.
Memories are some Coach Munsen will never forget, easy to tell because at his home, basketball is everywhere you look.
"There he is starting, hits a 3 right away. Another with his shoe on. Now he's 33 years old, he's so much stronger. Back in high school, if he was that strong, we would've won 5 titles rather than 3," Coach Munsen laughed. "He's got one ring. I think he'll have another one after tonight."