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In summary taking Amtrak was a terrible experience. Arrogant unfriendly personnel, dirty bathrooms, cold temperatures because A.C. Is turned up too high, dirty windows, too uncomfortable to get any sleep, trains don't run on time, for what they charge for a sleeper you may as well fly. I would never take Amtrak again, I would drive first. Read the story: Amtrak experience was terrible. We took the Southwest Chief from Chicago to L.A., CA, 2 Reserved Coach Seats, departed 09-JUN-10; 3:15 pm - arrival 11-JUN-10; 8:15 am. This is what we experienced on the trip to L.A.
We were assigned seats by an Amtrak employee before boarding the train. Our seats were #3 and #4 on the last car of the train. We had all of bags in place and were all settled in. Then about 20 min. after the train pulled out of the station, the attendant for our car whose name is ** told us that we could not sit in those seats, they were for her and that we had to move. I told her that we were assigned those seats at the station, she said that they didn't know what they were doing and we had to move. We were somewhat embarrassed in front of the other passengers, since ** made us feel like we were trying to get away with something.
So took our luggage and moved to the new seats. Shortly thereafter we decided to go to the observation car, we spent maybe an hour and a half in the observation car and returned to our seats. When we returned to our car there were 2 people sitting in the seats that ** removed us from. When I asked ** why there were people sitting in those seats she said they over booked the train so she had to seat them there. Well the train was not over booked.
The rest of the evening and next day ** sat in the seats across from this couple and spent a lot of time talking to them, I suspect they were her friends and she wanted them to sit in the back across from her and that's why she moved us. ** was arrogant and not very friendly, she seemed to be bothered if you asked her a question. She spent a lot of her time texting on her cell phone. Sometime during the second day she moved up to the car in front of us along with her friends. Some other people then sat in the seats she removed us from.
All of the windows on the train were dirty, the windows on the observation car were very dirty, we could hardly see out of some of the windows, very disappointing since that's one of the reasons for riding the train. The bathrooms were always dirty but by the second day the sinks were clogged up, water was to the top. Some were out of paper towels. I saw a passenger put paper towels in one of the bathrooms, I don't know where she got them from. I guess ** was too busy texting.
During the second evening my wife came back from the restroom and told me that when she passed the baggage area she didn't see one of my suit cases. I went down to the baggage area and could not find one of my suit cases. I was now almost frantic thinking of the things I had in my bag that would be lost. I informed one of the conductors that my bag was missing, he went down to the baggage area with me, asked me to describe my bag, I did, he then took me to another car, showed me a bag that was stored above a seat that had a passenger in it and asked me if that was my bag, and it was.
He told me that sometimes they move people's bags from the baggage area so that can have room for larger suitcases. How can they move people's bags without telling them? If my wife hadn't noticed that my bag was missing what would I have gone when we got to our destination. Amtrak has no consideration for its passengers. Forget about trying to sleep in coach. The seats are very uncomfortable, they give you a very small pillow about 12" by 8" and don't even think of asking for two. The temperature was freezing at night, they wouldn't turn off the air, grown men were bundled up in blankets and wore hoodies.
Also the aisle lights are so bright they keep you awake, I was lucky if I got an hour of sleep each night. No A.C. Outlets by the passenger seats. The only electrical A.C. outlets were 2 of them on the observation car, of course everyone and their brother wanted to plug in. We were almost an hour late leaving Albuquerque, N.M., the morning of our arrival the conductor told me we would be a good 45 min. late arriving in L.A. so I called my son who was picking us up that we would be about an hour late.
I don't know how the engineer did it but we ended up getting to L.A. around 45 min earlier than what our original scheduled time was. So of course we had a long wait at the L.A. Station for my son to pick us up. The return trip, Southwest Chief, from Los Angeles to Chicago 19-JUN-10; 6:55 pm -- arrival 21-JUN-10; 3:10 pm. The return trip was slightly better than the train going out. But again we had a rude, arrogant attendant named **. Again the air was turned way up and it was freezing at night.
Earlier in the day an elderly man asked ** if he could turn the air down since it was cold on the car, ** was almost rude to him and told him that he couldn't and wouldn't turn it down. That evening I asked ** to turn down the air, it was too cold to try to sleep, again grown men were bundled in blankets wearing hoodies. ** told me that if tried to turn down the air he might break it and then we wouldn't have air conditioning the next day, what kind of crap is that? Again about an hour's sleep all night. The other thing on this car was the guy running the snack bar would come on the P.A. System about every half an hour trying to sell his snacks, drinks and food, Very Annoying.
All the windows were again dirty. The bathrooms were kept a little better. This time we kept all of our bags with us. An attendant named ** did try and keep things cleaner than the first train, she was often going around with a vacuum. The train arrived about an hour and a half late to Chicago.
A long planned trip to Disney World with the grandkids was scheduled for the week following Thanksgiving. When I was making the travel arrangements, I was dreading the airport hassles, with visions of my 5 year old grandson being strip searched. (I think we all saw that video). Then I remembered the Auto Train. We did this trip a few times when our own kids were small, and liked it then. It's even better now. The train departs from Lorton VA, so we drove down from Boston the day before, and spent the time on a quick DC tour. You board the train at 3 pm, and at the same time your car is loaded onto a car carrier.
The train pulls out at 4, and at 5 they have the first seating for dinner in the dining car. On the outbound trip I had chicken marsala, wine and cheesecake. Returning it was braised beef, more wine and a decadent brownie a la mode. In general, the conductor and support staff are very cordial and friendly, and took time out to socialize with the kids. In the evening they run a movie in the lounge car, and put out cookies and snacks. After that, I was ready to recline my seat and close the shades. There are sleeper cars available, but I find the regular seats just fine. I didn't even need the bar car ahead of time to ensure a good sleep.
In the morning there is a Continental breakfast in the dining car. At 9 am the train rolls into Sanford FL, where they unload your car and you have a quick hop to WDW. Perhaps the best thing is because you have your own car, you can pack whatever you want. No luggage to haul around, you just take what you need onto the train with you. (i.e. Your toothbrush) Since you never know what to expect at this time of year, we packed both summer and cool weather clothing. The kids got a huge kick out of riding and sleeping on a train, and the cost (for 5 of us) was slightly less that airfare would have been. It was a win-win. I think I am going to consider taking a train next time I vacation, it was a very pleasant alternative. I'd love to see them give the airlines a run for their money.
CHICAGO-LOS ANGELES, ILLINOIS -- Here's the good, bad and ugly regarding my many trips on Amtrak, always long distance (since I had to stop flying due to an ear pressure issue)
Good: If you get a sleeper car, you are treated well by everyone working on the train it seems. Bad: Sleeping cars will make it prohibitively expensive if you need to travel more than once a year and book quick. Ugly: If you book coach (which still costs slightly more than a similar airline ticket for long, big city trips), be prepared to be treated like trash by most Amtrak employees. You might as well not be human. I have dealt with 10% of attendants who aren't like this (and be very thankful if you get a dreadlocked gentleman named **, he is awesome).
Good: Food, which is included in your total if you book a sleeper, is surprisingly edible. Bad: If you do not get a sleeper, the dining options are pretty pricey for what you get and they tend to serve you with less care (a recurring theme with Amtrak employees). Ugly: Amtrak is ridiculously disorganized, will overfill overnight trips with seating arrangements, when you walk through the train, there are empty 2 seaters all over the place. Meanwhile, they consistently put tall guys together for days, making it very uncomfortable just because they can. And they will not rectify it because if you are traveling in coach, who cares about you.
Good: Very informative about delays, which aren't their fault. Anyone who travels by train knows Amtrak doesn't own the rails and the vaunted private sector believes all goods have the right of way over people. So if you blame the government, as some commenters do, you should note the next bad. And they try to make up time in the middle, but obviously cannot get ahead until the end since they can't leave stops early. Bad: A lot of entitled jack holes seem to ride, whether it be 12 pieces of luggage guy or fall asleep on your shoulder guy.
Good: Lots of great scenery. Great way to see the country. Multi city option is great. Bad: The guest rewards program is awful. They spend more time with point gimmicks on credit cards and other shopping offers than they do on loyal travelers, which is just awful. Ugly: I will reiterate, most of the attendants are just horrid. Watch your stuff like a hawk, because if something goes missing, they don't care at all.
Good: Always had an outlet right at my seat. Makes travel easier.Bad: Get wifi and join the 21st century. Most Greyhounds have it for crying out loud.
Good: Loads of legroom and carry on space. Bring some food with you if you can taking advantage of this. Bad: Pay someone to clean the bathrooms, although maybe some passengers should join civilization instead of being gross.I could say more, but this covers the what to expect.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS -- Just a friendly reminder that no one should ever use Amtrak again. Their website will purchase authorize a ton of money out of your account, leaving you with holds on funds over $1000 for a $269.50 ticket since they attempt a purchase authorization each time you hit submit, and if your bank approves it, that does not mean Amtrak will approve it because if your billing info isn't the first set of billing info your bank returns (many accounts have primary, secondary and tertiary billing info, payment processors are expected to check all returned XML data, which Amtrak does not.)
Then they will refuse to help you in any way for hours on the phone, and claim that contacting your bank to help resolve the issue is "illegal" and attempt to blame the issue on you. As a web developer who interacts with payment gateways and payment processors and ACH processors, I know exactly what their website did, why it is wrong, and why it is their fault. The corporate bureaucracy involved with getting on the phone with a person that can help you is as follows:
Call. Press 0. Press 0. Ask to speak with a manager. Denied. Ask to speak with a customer rep, transfer + hold for 45 minutes, 4 hours on the phone explaining the situation (Monday), told it will be resolved by Friday, given exact instructions (step by step) for what to do when you call on Friday. Call Friday and follow steps and be told that everything you were told Monday you were not told.
Once again told it is illegal for a merchant to contact a bank to tell the bank that the transaction will not be processed (yeah, totally illegal guys, no merchant has ever contact a bank, ever, because of how illegal that is, right? Wrong, but hey, uninformed people probably buy that line all the time).
Finally have the person admit they were wrong and that it is just an internal policy, have them tell you they can offer you a travel voucher for your outgoing trip, but only after your bank denies the transaction one last time, bank denies the transaction and they say "it's your zip code, you aren't giving me the zip code correctly" and of course, I am SITTING AT THE BANK WITH THE BANK MANAGER WHO IS SAYING THAT IT IS THE ZIP CODE ON MY ACCOUNT.
Offer to put the bank manager on the phone, representative declines and once again says that the issue is with me, that no way could it be an issue with their system. Once again, while I am sitting at my bank, verifying the information as I speak it. Tell them once again you are not looking for anything FREE you are just not able to make the purchase, because they have already purchase authorized so much money out of your account.
Told once again it will be 3-5 business days and the transaction will fall off (it should have fallen off right away when they pinged the payment Gateway saying they were not going to pursue the transaction that was pre-authorized with the purchase authorization, but that is something the Amtrak programmer omitted). Explain to them that a mom and pop hair salon in rural Vermont has a better system that was designed for less than the purchase authorization holds and once again mention I do this for a living so STOP LYING TO ME PLEASE.
Told that a travel voucher for your outgoing trip will be made and that you can just hope and pray that the money is back in your account by Monday, because you are expected to show up at the train station with cash to pay for your ticket. Accept this, but tell them you want proof in an e-mail that this is indeed the case, that you have been ** around all week and do not trust that it is "in the system." They tell you they will send an email right away. Boom. E-mail sent. Call ended. Check e-mail, nothing about a voucher, just a bill that says:
Reservation Number Is XXXXXX.
Subject To Cancellation Unless Purchased By June 28, 2014
Total Reservation Charges: $ 146.70.
Total Charges: $ 146.70.
Call back, ask the woman on the phone to confirm that it is paid. Woman says "it's in the system," ask for an e-mail with proof because you were told "it's in the system" on Monday, but when you called back Friday it was not. Mention that no less than 5 minutes ago, you were told by the customer relations person that they would send an email which would mention the "travel voucher."
Start to get attitude from the woman, ask her employee id number, refused. Ask her name, mumbled, ask her to repeat it and spell it, mumbled and subject change to transferring to customer relations. Ask to somehow not have to sit on another 45 min hold, or if there is ANY way to get some written proof that what is "in the system" is going to still be "in the system" the next day. Refused. Hung up on.
PENN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK -- They continue to change contract (verbal and written) and policies after already holding my funds. When they initially obtained my funds, the policy as I'd known it until that point was: If I didn't travel I was not charged or was automatically issued a refund. Then when new policies were written no staff was sure when they went into effect, if they were in effect or if there was a grace period (I asked during travel when I overheard them talking about policy change on the train).
Furthermore the Refund and Research department takes 15 min to an hour to get through to in order to be issued a credit voucher and they are very rude (I was hung up on for asking if she had located any of the reservations and criticized for being what she called and assumed was 'white' even though I was rightfully owed a refund and I had been extremely patient with them. This woman said her name was ** and after attempting to call back multiple times I kept reaching her and eventually needed to get help through customer relations because she would either hang up or not answer).
Nobody should have to go through this to get credit or a refund for a service they did not receive. I'm a single parent and full time student with my own business, I can't put time aside to deal with these shenanigans especially when the hoops keep changing direction. They also admit to the misinformation due to constant changes in policy. I was issued a voucher not the refund I was told I would receive for only some of my funds, itinerary 15DE12 and 15DCFE, at the time I was issued these vouchers (** and **).
I was not told that I had to use them w/in a year and also only within the last two months did it come into effect that I had to apply at least a portion of them to travel booked w/in a year to extend the credit for another year. The other reservations could not be found apparently (15DC95 for $36) They make it very difficult to seek retribution to say the least. Not to mention that I missed one of the trains because a concierge at the State Fair told me my train was delayed because there was a fire on the track but he assumed I was on a different train even though I never asked for his help and told him I was on a NYC bound train after he asked multiple times.
Either way, I went to use the bathroom since there was apparently a 1hr delay and walk my dad and son to his car only to find out, when I returned, that my train was not delayed, I had been misinformed and now had to figure out how to get to Greyhound because there were no more trains out that day. That Amtrak employee ended up taking me to Greyhound after the train he thought I was on (heading upstate) had departed. I paid for my bus ticket out of pocket.
That reservation (161570) was "hotlisted" and another very rude employee with R and R said she did not even know why or what that meant but that that was why who ever I spoke to that did issue me the refunds last year in customer relations (she was very nice) because R and R would not help, could not find the reservation. She did not know why I was never given credit for 15DC95 but said that there was no one else that could help me, that she was at the highest level there. Both of them are the only people I can reach when I do get through to R and R. I am only owed a total of $131 but I would also like my Greyhound ticket refunded which was $96.
LANGHORNE, PENNSYLVANIA -- I and my wife never used Amtrak for long distance travel before and decided to check it out. We took a trip from Tampa, FL, to Trenton, NJ, in April 2013.
The experience proved to be horrifying. Following is a summary of problems and issues during this trip:
One of the tickets was a for a handicapped person. We were promised special seats for handicapped – instead, we got regular seats but close to toilets, there were no special handicapped seats available on the train. The seats on the train were very uncomfortable and not very well fit for a 25 hour trip even for a healthy person. Anti-sanitary conditions almost everywhere on the train. Dirty toilet paper from the restroom lay on the floor of the train car – it got stock to people's feet and they carried it around - the train personnel did not care and did not clean up.
The toilets were in extremely anti-sanitary condition since we boarded the train and to the end of the trip. Half-way down there was no more water in the toilet tanks for flushing. A lot of the bathrooms were out of order. The smell in and from the bathrooms was intolerable from the beginning to the end of the trip. Nevertheless, the lines to the restrooms were often long because of not too many functioning restrooms available on the train. When we asked about cleaning the toilets more frequently – our request was met with extreme rudeness from one of the train conductors. This followed up with harassment from the conductor.
Washing hands in the restrooms was an extreme challenge. Forget about brushing your teeth. Our waiter in the restaurant was very nice but his helper was extremely rude. Amtrak website promises Wi-Fi and two story train cars – this happened to be a complete lie. The train ran 1-1.5 hours behind schedule most of the way from Florida to New Jersey arriving to our destination in Trenton, NJ, 50 minutes late. The trip proved to be disastrous, we are planning not to use Amtrak anymore for our future trips. We contacted Customer Relations who were not very polite or receptive to our complaint.
Nevertheless, they finally issued a $150.00 travel certificate good for one year for travel by Amtrak. The certificate is in my and my wife's name. To cash it in we will have to travel with a handicapped person to the nearest Amtrak station (about half an hour away) - both of us would need to be present - we were informed by Customer Relations. Such a service from a transportation company is fully unacceptable. We used train services in Europe very extensively - we loved it. Amtrak sucks!
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- I would like to state that due 2 employees of amtrak railway service I was able to ride FREE. That's what I said FREE. I went online to purchase a ticket to leave from Popular Bluff Missouri to Michigan -- mind you there is no station attendance to talk to nor receive a ticket from. The original train never made it on time mind you - 8 hrs late the train.
I board the train when it does finally arrive with luggage and a reservation number that I was given when I purchased my ticket online. Moving on down the tracks, long ride, conductor comes alone asking for tickets, "tickets please" he says. Never do they ask me, so I figure once I get to Chicago for a layover and transfer to another train, everything would be taken care of then at the station. NOT!!!
I get there at 1 A.M. in the morning and it's time to close the station down and there's no record of me ever riding the train -- so they say. I was basically was being called a lie. There's no way that just happened they told me. Even with witnesses to confirm the train ride, they still say it never happened. To make a long story short I was put out of the station after I finally got my luggage that was sat and left out by the train tracks. THANK GOD, my medicine was in my shoe bag with my name on my prescription bottle and that's when my name was being announced over the loud speaker.
Here I am -- alone with heavy luggage down town Chicago, sitting in a 24 hour McDonald's, waiting for 5 A.M. so the station opens back up. THE so called women that worked that night at the station were complete WITCHES. Excuse my tongue. The one police officer on duty was more than nice - he was HUMAN. My my my... if that's the way business is being handled -- AMTRAK-- you people are losing an awful lot of money. I am just one person - what about all the others?? BAD BAD SERVICE -- BAD BAD BUSINESS.
CENTRALIA, ILLINOIS -- I arrived at the train station in Centrailia, IL 3 hours before the train was scheduled to depart. The train ended up being almost an hour late with no way of knowing exactly when it would show up. Finally, when it did arrive, it slowed down, stopped, the conductor threw some bags off, a couple passengers departed, and the train took off. I barely had time to get out of the car I was waiting in before the train was already on its way out.
They didn't even check to see if a passenger was supposed to get on the train and sure as hell didn't wait for me as I ran towards the tracks. It's utter bull crap. Even the station conductor, who knew I was there waiting, failed to tell me prior to the train's arrival that if the train is running late and you're not waiting on the platform, they will leave without you. No signs were posted or anything listed on the website that stated you must be on the platform waiting if the train is running late. The website also suggested that the train has a load and unload time of about 5 minutes. This train had come and gone within a minute.
And besides all that crap, it makes it even worse that they expect you to stand on the platform and wait for a late train, not knowing when the hell it's going to show up, in the freezing cold at 1 in the morning in the middle of a shady side of town by yourself. Their service sucks, their staff are douche bags, and the idea that trains are supposed to be on time is a bull crap lie. The best way I can put it: If you're new to train travel, make sure you can read minds.
FREMONT, MICHIGAN -- I am compelled to write and relate the horrible experience we received at the hands of the Amtrak Company. In the last five years, my family and I have been frequent and preferred travelers on Amtrak. We have traveled on Amtrak on our last three cross country vacations as first class passengers. We even use the Amtrak Visa as our most used credit card. I would also like to add here that as a teacher, I was one of the biggest advocates of train travel and your company until our most recent experience.
You can review the file # ** for details on our train reservations and tickets, but our trip went seriously awry almost at the very beginning of our journey. We planned to park in the long term parking in Holland Michigan and meet the Southwest Chief in Chicago. Upon pulling into the parking lot, we were immediately accosted by two women who refused to identify themselves. They were telling everyone that they could not park in the Amtrak designated lot but must move to a lot over a half mile away. The women claimed that the alternate lot was clearly identified with Amtrak signs and flags, but it was not.
Afraid that we would miss the train, my husband parked the car in a completely random parking lot nearly one mile away from the Amtrak lot. Throughout our entire stay in California, we never knew if our car would be in the lot when we returned or not. The one Amtrak employee at the station would not comment about these two unidentified women who were claiming to everyone that the parking lot would be "ripped up" for remodeling in a day or two even though the parking lot looked like it was in fine condition.
The train to Chicago was canceled and busses were sent to take us to Chicago. The Amtrak employee on our bus was very nice, but he did not know where the train stations were. We were lost a few times, and the employee had to go into gas stations (in full Amtrak uniform) and ask where the train stations were. Fortunately, we arrived in time to still catch the Southwest Chief train #3 on July 6.
As I stated before, my family and I are seasoned Amtrak travelers. Our car Hostess was excellent on this trip out to California. Our kids were really disappointed that Amtrak no longer employed a Native American guide for narration in the Western states or provided a movie in the lounge car. Our car Hostess, however, did point out many places of interest to us. Also very disappointing on our trip to California was the major decline in the food and service of the dining car.
We tried to understand paper table cloths and plastic plates as the ravages of budget cuts, but the "special" was the same "country fried steak" on both nights of the trip, and the passengers who were in the private, pulled cars treated the diner like a bar. They were given very preferential treatment to the Amtrak first class customers who only wanted to feed. We found the dining staff to be exceptionally rude to paying Amtrak customers and exceptionally accommodating to the people in the cars that were being pulled behind us.
All of the minor inconveniences pale, however, to what we experienced when our Train # 5 Southwest Chief arrived in Chicago at 9:00 p.m. - over five hours late. Once again, as seasoned Amtrak passengers, we did not worry about the delay and believed all the assurances we were given on the train that buses would be waiting to take us to our destinations or appropriate hotel accommodations would be made. Now, the nightmare begins.
When we arrived in Chicago, the customer service staff acted completely surprised and irritated by our presence. We were herded back and forth between a foyer, the ticket line, and waiting room G. Our family was sent and waited in line in three different places. The promised busses never came. Finally near midnight, we made it to a customer service employee who informed us that we were all going to be sent to a hotel in Homewood - a far south suburb which was over 40 miles away. I have enclosed a review on this hotel. I grew up near this hotel and it had hourly rates when I was a child.
There was no way I was going to this hotel 40 miles away from the station, after midnight, when I knew what a filthy and dangerous place it was. Because the employees would not send a bus back to this hotel until noon, anyone with a possible morning connection was basically told to like it or lump it. Especially rude throughout this entire experience was an employee with the last name **. She was seriously angry when about 15 of us opted to spend the night in the station and catch morning connections rather than go to this "fleabag" motel over 40 miles away.
Amtrak claimed that all Chicago hotels were filled. This was not true. Ms. ** said they usually put people up in Hyatt, Swiss hotel and Westin. I called all three hotels that night, and they all had rooms. Those of us who were spending the night were not given pillows or meals or even allowed in a first class lounge. We were ushered into a filthy coach lounge with individual metal chairs that were bolted together - not conducive to sleeping.
Ms. ** backed by an equally nasty security guard who insisted on treating us like prison inmates informed us that we had "refused" their offer of a hotel and we had better get something to eat (with our own money) in the next half hour because we were going to be confined to this room by the security guard. Making the best of it, we found some mats that were velcroed to the wall, and we made up beds.
In this group of fifteen was a crying teenage girl who we had to give money for food, other children, and a man who was traveling to his brother's funeral and needed to be there by the next afternoon. My husband had to phone work and tell them he would miss another day - not an easy call to make when you have been on vacation for two weeks. When we got all settled, in comes the nasty security guard and this Ms. ** again. In a loud voice with guard behind her, she demanded to know who had taken the mats off the walls.
We explained to her that we all had, and that it was our only means of passing the night without food, pillows, blankets, and now locked bathrooms. Again she angrily insisted that we were offered a hotel that we did not take and we were lucky they were letting us stay in this lounge. I then informed her that all of us wanted MORNING connections and would not be transported 40 miles away from the station without transportation back until noon could not go to this hotel. She then said she was going to get a manager and that we would not be permitted to use the mats.
After she strode away, the security guard told us that we were lucky we were not going to be thrown on the streets. He told us he should take us out and turn us out on the streets of Chicago and it was only by the grace of Amtrak that we were getting this lounge. My kids started crying and then he left. A few minutes later, the manager strode into the lounge, took one look at our pathetic selves that you must remember had been a train for three days before this experience. Then he strode out again without a word.
Thankfully, we never saw Ms. ** again, but at 5 am, the security guard yelled in prison tone and fashion, "OK, ladies and gentlemen, this lounge is opening in 5 minutes. You need to get up, put the cushions back and get out. McDonalds will be opening in 5 minutes!!!" Let me tell you, at that moment, I did not feel like someone who had paid thousands of dollars to be a first class passenger on Amtrak, my husband was missing work, my exhausted kids were sicker than dogs, I felt dirty inside and out. We cashed in our train tickets, and headed to Greyhound by cab. We slept on the floor of the Greyhound station until our bus came to take us to Michigan.
I am not writing this letter because I want anything from Amtrak, but you need to be aware of the way first class passengers were treated at the hands of your corporation. Our experience was nothing short of a nightmare but then I think what if I were elderly, or a mother traveling alone or someone like that poor terrified teenage girl with no money who spent the night in the lounge with us? What about these people? C'mon Amtrak, you can do better and you know you can. Time to clean house and start being a service for people again.
I am only a teacher, but I could have never treated anyone the way Ms. ** and the rest of that staff treated us. I could have never went home to my comfy bed knowing there were people in that stuffy, nasty lounge all night. Shame on them. Shame on them. And if you ignore this letter and do nothing about this: Shame on you. When we arrived back in Holland, MI and hiked the mile to our car absolutely no changes had been made to where we were originally going to park in the Amtrak lot.
VIRGINIA -- My recent experience shows that Amtrak provides unreliable service, the trains are out of repair, and the customer service response is terrible. I bought two round-trip tickets so that my son and I could travel to Philadelphia to meet an important appointment of my son. For that reason, I bought tickets for an Amtrak train due to arrive at 12:15 pm. On Saturday, Nov 15th, after we arrived at the Alexandria station, however, we were informed that the 9 am train would not arrive which required us to take a train arriving at 10:45 am if we paid an additional $25.
If Amtrak had sent me an email notice prior to 9 am -- as I had requested when buying the tickets -- disclosing the problem with the first train we would have avoided the needless wait. Then we got on the second train (for which I paid an additional $25) and went to Union Station DC. That train, however, also had mechanical difficulties which created significant additional delay.
The train then proceeded on and I bought a Panini from the Amtrak food service. It has very soggy and hardly edible. At 2 pm (one hour and forty-five minutes after the scheduled arrival time), we arrived in Philadelphia on the second train. As a result of Amtrak's poor service, my son was agitated and a half hour late for his appointment.
I went on the Amtrak website and filed a complaint requesting a refund of one-half the price of my Amtrak tickets plus $25.00. Five days later I was contacted by an Amtrak representative that Amtrak would refund the $25 additional charge but none of the cost of one-half the tickets. No discussion about it and no apologies -- the representative refused to discuss why I would get no refund on the tickets. I then went to the Amtrak website to get the telephone number or email of Amtrak management to discuss the matter, but there is no way to contact them. Amtrak has very little concern about its customers.


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On the Development of State Social Studies Standards
The revision of the Texas social studies standards is generating hot debate and strong opinions, and this is no surprise. Because the subjects that compose social studies touch upon cultural, societal and political topics, social studies generates the most controversy when decisions are made regarding what is taught to students. It is important, therefore, that the development of standards for social studies relies on strong scholarship rather than politics.
National Council for the Social Studies believes that best practice in the development of state social studies standards consists of these processes, in order:
- First, scholars are consulted for their expertise: historians, economists, political scientists, geographers, archaeologists, anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists.
- Input by community members and educators follows, both online and in multiple public meetings.
- Standards are developed by master social studies educators, who assure that the standards are effective and age appropriate tools with which to organize curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
- Finally, standards are circulated in the community for further input, which may then result in adjustments or addenda to the original documents written by the master educators.
State Boards of Education may vote at that point to accept or to send back the standards with their concerns, but it is not their job to rewrite them, even in part.

subset: commoncrawl


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Late last month, we shared the story of more than 50 Dachshunds, including adults and puppies, we recovered from a hoarding situation in New York City. We checked in with several of the dogs' adopters to see how the pups are doing so far, and their replies resulted in a cuteness overload!
Banjo (formerly known as Ralf)
Adopter: Amalia R.
"Banjo was listed as extremely shy when I received his behavioral report. Upon bringing him into our home with Rhubarb [his dog brother] as a guide, he is a total social butterfly! Rhubarb and Banjo play wonderfully together, and not only has he learned from my teachings, he is learning from Rhubarb! They love to take naps together and drinking water at the same time— it's so sweet to watch them scurry around together. We love Banjo very much and are so happy to have such a beautiful little puppy added to our family!"
Murphy (formerly known as Monika)
Adopter: Casey K.
"After meeting with one of the behaviorists, we were introduced to Murphy—she is playful, sweet, curious, and just a really great pup overall. It was love at first sight, and each day we are all falling more in love with her. She is a very happy, playful puppy. Many friends have come to say hello to her, and each day she become more bold and curious with us and her surroundings. She is very relaxed and often will fall asleep on her back and loves having her tummy rubbed. We are deeply grateful that she has come into our lives."
Emily (formerly known as Emilie)
Adopter: Nicole D.
"My husband Tom, our 2.5-year-old Dachshund, Eli, and I walked to the ASPCA in hopes of adopting a little brother or sister for Eli. We picked out Emily, as she reminded us a lot of Eli, with the spots on her head and her fuzzy ears. When the two dogs met, it was clear that this was the start of what would become a long and beautiful friendship. Although Emily is still quite shy around my husband and me, she is learning from Eli, and I know with time, she will come out of her shell and realize all the love that surrounds her."
Marcel (formerly known as Dieter)
Adopter: Melanie S.
"After losing my childhood pet two years ago—a Lab/Basset mix—I started to really miss the warmth and energy of a dog in my life. I love Dachshunds and was spending all of my free time searching rescue websites. Finally, I heard about the puppies at the ASPCA and ran over. Marcel is adjusting at lightning speed! His first night he stayed in the back of his crate, and shook for several minutes in each new setting. Now, as much as he loves his crate, he comes out to find me to play fetch!"
Roxy (formerly known as Katja)
Adopter: Nicole A.
"My husband and I have been looking for a dog for a little while now, and when we came across Roxy's picture online we instantly fell in love. At that moment, we rushed down to the ASPCA and set up a meet and greet with Roxy. She was everything we hoped for and more. Roxy has a great personality, loves to play, and is already our best friend. She is definitely at home and is learning more and more each day. We are so excited to have her be a part of our family."
Hailey (formerly known as Anja)
Adopter: Brittney H.
"I saw Hailey's picture on Petfinder and fell in love instantly! She is doing excellent! Hailey has an older dog sister named Lola, and they love to play and snuggle together. She does have major separation anxiety, which is completely understandable, but we are working on breaking her out of that. Otherwise, she is doing awesome! I love her!"
Coco (formerly known as Silke)Adopter: Maria G.
"I was looking at the ASPCA website on a Friday evening, saw all the puppies and dogs for adoption, and decided to come down to the Adoption Center that Saturday morning. I came to the ASPCA with my daughter, and we both decided that Silke was the one for us. She has her own room, and she has brought joy and happiness to us both! Silke, whom we have renamed Coco Chanel, has adjusted very well. She's my little superstar. We love and adore her."
For many more photos of these adorable puppies in their new homes, please visit our special Facebook gallery.
hello my name is louise i have a 3 yr old dachshund girl poppy and would love to have another as company for poppy and me, i am home all the time and have love to give 24/7. i lost my other girl age 11 last year and both myself and poppy miss her terribly. i can provide a warm caring loving enviroment for any of these little sweetheats and would be grateful if you could consider me for adoption of upto two of these little babies. warm regards louise x
What a great follow-up story. Wonderful to see the pups in their new surroundings and to hear from their new families. Sounds like the beautiful, adorable doxies are bringing and receiving lots of sweet, sweet love. Makes me so happy!
I have noticed many inquiries regarding any pups left and I too am interested....I have two dachshunds of my own; an 11 years old male and a 6 year old female and would love another female if one is available. Please contact me either by email or phone at 614-499-5243. Thank you.
I lost my doxie, Phoebe last year after being together over 13 years. Looking at the pictures of the rescued doxies really touched my heart. I would love to have one of these special dogs again.
Thank you to all of you that saved their lives and gave them a good home.
Very cute and glad these pups were saved, but I wish you'd stop spreading lies and bad PR to reputable dog breeders including show dogs. Unrelated to this post, but it's organizations like you that are corrupting peoples minds into thinking all dog breeders are bad and then slapping the blame of the pets in shelters onto breeders. That is morally wrong and corrupted.
I adore dachshunds. I have two that are like my babies. Both of them are seven years old and have been with us since they were pups. They have so much personality and make wonderful companions, but they are require special care to keep them healthy. Dachshund owners should be prepared to never let their dogs climb stairs; jump on and off couches, beds, or other higher surfaces; and gain too much weight. I would also advise anyone with a dachshund to save up for back surgery "just in case." My dog just had back surgery two weeks ago to correct a calcified disc, and it's expensive. I've seen too many good dachshunds be put down or given up just because the owners couldn't afford the surgery. If you are going to have a dachshund, or any pet for that matter, be prepared financially for the risks that come with it. It may be five or ten years down the road, but if your dachshund needs surgery be prepared to shell out at least $5000.
Those little pups are some real cuties. I'm sure there will be more than enough homes for these babies to move into. Thanks for saving them.


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News from WTOP
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Mike Causey
Shows & Panels
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- Agency of the Month
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- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
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Shows & Panels
- AFCEA Answers
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- Ask the CIO
- The Business Case for Cloud Computing in Government
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- Connecting the Dots: Digital Authentication in Government
- Cybersecurity Game Changer: Real-Time Event Processing in Government
- Data-Centric Approaches to Government in the Cloud
- Delivering the Digital Government Mission
- Federal Executive Forum
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Monday - Friday, 4-7 p.m.
In Depth with Francis Rose features daily interviews with top government executives and contractors. Listen live from 4 to 7 p.m. or download his archived interviews below.
In Depth interviews - November 16
Friday - 11/16/2012, 3:48pm EST
This is the In Depth show blog. Here you can listen to the interviews, find more information about the guests on the show each day and links to additional resources.
Today's guests:
Lily Whiteman — Author, "How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job"
|Download audio
A new generation of federal employees is coming into government thanks to the retirement wave. But internship programs aren't getting the attention they should be, according to some experts.
Lily Whiteman is author of "How To Land a Top-Paying Federal Job" and a federal employee herself. She says there's a reason these programs aren't as high-profile as they could be.
Tammy Flanagan — Senior Benefits Director, National Institute of Transition Plannings
|Download audio
Thousands of federal workers are getting ready to separate from their government jobs at the end of the year. But sometimes, the beginning of the golden years can be a rocky start. Tammy Flanagan, senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning, has some tips to lead to smoother sailing.
Tammy's GovExec column (related link)
Jim Lewis — Director of the Technology and Public Policy Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
|Download audio
Presidential Policy Directive 20 is the secret cybersecurity doctrine document that the White House updated in October. The contents are classified, but some elements of Directive 20 are starting to emerge.
Jim Lewis, senior fellow and director of the Technology and Public Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins In Depth to discuss the directive.
This story is part of Federal News Radio's daily Cybersecurity Update. For more cybersecurity news, click here.
Guy Timberlake — Co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer, American Small Business Coalition
|Download audio
Your calendar will get jammed as the holidays get closer. So if you like having fun while you network with contractors and federal executives, make sure you have some time blocked off.
Guy Timberlake, co-founder and chief visionary officer of the American Small Business Coalition, joins In Depth to discuss the group's upcoming "2012 Holiday Charity Bash" on Dec. 5.
Also on the show:
Federal News Countdown: Fiscal cliff, Petraeus probe and whistleblower law
Causey: Bonus Christmas holiday ... Is it a go?
In Depth brings you the latest cybersecurity and defense news. Below, find links to the stories mentioned.
Panetta orders ethics training review for officers (Federal News Radio)
Bolden assumes command of VMU-2, Huber bids farewell (Marines.mil)


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text: Today we really kicked the courses butt. We were able to cut up the remaining debris on the back nine and prepare it for removal. We also were able to remove the majority of the debris from the front nine via tractor and trailer. I was able to talk the new manager into letting us put hole #8 back in it's original spot (he wanted us to move it before). We're just going to put a chain link fence along the fence row behind the basket. We went ahead and dug and poured the poles and the basket. A few more work days and it will be ready for the grand opening. Thanx for all the hard work guys!!!


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Geometric Print Dress: The vibrant geo print of this dress modernizes the lady-chic silhouette. Polished, wrinkle-free fabric makes this the perfect go-to dress for all of your travel adventures.
Read what customers are saying about this product:
Rating: 5.00 out of 2 votes cast
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An irate father caused concern for staff and students at Buffalo Elementary School last week which resulted in the school being locked down and the father being charged with terrorists acts.
According to the criminal complaint, Jeremy Ray Thomas Caldwell, 27, of Accoville, entered the school at around 1:30 p.m. Thurs., March 20, to pick up his children early from school.
Principal Debra Holly asked Caldwell why he was picking up his children early and he reportedly answered, "Just because."
After the children were brought to the office, Caldwell reportedly asked the children "did someone come here to talk with you?" and the children replied "yes." Caldwell then reportedly told his children "because of what you told them, you probably won't be living with daddy anymore."
Holly went into her office to call the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) when she was interrupted by "4 or 5" adults running into her office to tell her that Caldwell had stated "I am going on a rampage."
One witness reported that she observed Caldwell "knocking and pounding on the door". When he entered the room and began to speak with the children he advised them not to speak with individuals again from Child Protective Services.
Caldwell violated a "No Trespassing" order, issued by Holly in February. He was arrested Friday and charged with trespassing and terrorists acts. He is lodged in Southwestern Regional Jail on a $25,000 bond.
The school was kept in lock down until Friday due to Caldwell's behavior on Thursday.
Logan County Schools Superintendent Phyllis Doty says the school system will not tolerate anyone to disrespect or threaten school employees or bring threatening possible harm to any student.
"I would like to say as superintendent of schools I am responsible to make sure our kids and employees have a safe environment and work place," Doty said. "I will do whatever it takes to insure my responsibility."
Doty also praised law enforcement for their quick responses when she needs them.
"I would like to thank Sheriff Sonya Porter, and her deputies, for acting immediately every time I call. They are great and to be commended for their services, "I would like to thank the courthouse staff for supporting Logan County Schools to provide our students with a safe environment. God has blessed Logan County with great caring people and I am very proud to live in Logan County."
Criminal complaints are public information. Charges listed in a complaint are merely accusations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


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Book notes
Telephone Medicine: A Guide for the Practicing Physician
edited by Anna B. Reisman, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, and David L. Stevens, M.D.
American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, (Philadelphia) 2002
Designed to focus on reacting to calls from patients, the book is specifically developed for internists but is applicable to other primary care physicians. It covers medicolegal considerations and the challenges of the telephone interview. A clinical section of the book provides evidence-based guidance for the management of 13 common medical problems over the phone. The book also offers guidance on incorporating telephone medicine in the workplace and includes a teaching curriculum.
The Quest for Drug Control: Politics and Federal Policy in a Period of Increasing Substance Abuse, 1963-1981
by David F. Musto, M.D., HS '67, professor in the Child Study Center and professor of psychiatry and the history of medicine, and Pamela Korsmeyer, former research associate in the Child Study Center
Yale University Press (New Haven) 2002
Between 1963 and 1981 various administrations attempted to deal with a rising tide of illicit drug use that was unprecedented in U.S. history. This book provides a close look at the politics and bureaucracy of drug-control policy during those years, showing how they changed under presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter and how much current federal drug-control policies owe to those earlier efforts.
Musto and Korsmeyer base this analysis on a unique collection of 5,000 pages of White House documents from the period, all of which are included on a searchable CD-ROM that accompanies the book. These documents reveal the intense debates that took place over drug policy. This investigation into the decision-making processes that shaped past drug-control efforts in the United States provides essential background for evaluating future approaches to the drug problem.
Living Color
by Albert Rothenberg, M.D., HS '60, former clinical professor of psychiatry
York Press Ltd., (Toronto) 2001
A knife is plunged into a famous huge red painting named Who's Afraid of Red, Yellow, and Blue? and a mysterious tale of creation and destructiveness unfolds. Morris, an alcoholic artist, his biographer wife, Marica, and a young idealist named Charles are all caught up in the meaning and purpose of the slashing, the real and created worlds of color and betrayal.
Be Your Own Mentor: Strategies From Top Women on the Secrets of Success
by Sheila Wellington, M.P.H. '68, Betty Spence and Catalyst
Random House, (New York) 2001
All of us, from birth onward, learn by emulating others. Yet when it comes to our professional lives, we often forget that what we see, we imitate and what we imitate, we become. This is obviously a positive thing for those who have found successful, encouraging mentors in their fields, but finding those mentors is still much easier for men than for women. In Be Your Own Mentor, Wellington seeks to provide women not only with advice on locating appropriate mentors, but also with the tools to mentor themselves and the opinions, advice and encouragement of women leaders worth emulating.
Powered Instrumentation in Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery
by Eiji Yanagisawa, M.D., HS '59, clinical professor of otolaryngology, Dewey A. Christmas Jr., M.D. '65, HS '70, and Joseph P. Mirante, M.D.
Singular, Thomson Learning (San Diego) 2001
Atlas of Rhinoscopy: Endoscopic Sinonasal Anatomy & Pathology
by Eiji Yanagisawa
Singular, Thomson Learning, 2000
These two recent books by Yanagisawa and colleagues vary in scope from the highly specific to the comprehensive. Powered Instrumentation in Otolaryngology provides details on mucosal preservation through powered instrumentation for such procedures as sinusotomy, polypectomy, anstrostomy, rhinoplasty and liposuction. Also mentioned are the best approaches to rapid healing using this technique for power dissection in the sinuses, nose, larynx and at the skull base, as well as facial plastic surgery. Atlas of Rhinoscopy is a full-color volume of outstanding photography detailing endoscopic sinonasal anatomy, pathology and surgery. It also illustrates the techniques of rhinoscopy, sinoscopy and nasopharyngoscopy. Yanagisawa includes useful clinical cases that illustrate the application of knowledge to real-life experiences, and covers new surgical techniques such as powered instrumentation and computer-aided endoscopic sinonasal surgery.
A Primer of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy for the Borderline Patient
by Frank E. Yeomans, M.D. '81, John F. Clarkin and Otto F. Kernberg
Jason Aronson (Northvale, N.J.) 2002
Transference-Focused Therapy (TFP) is a psychodynamic treatment designed especially for borderline patients. This book provides a concise and comprehensive introduction to TFP that will be useful to both experienced clinicians and students of psychotherapy. TFP has its roots in object relations and it emphasizes that transference is the key to understanding and producing change.


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JON CARDINELLI writes that his experience of Waikato's breathtaking natural phenomena and charming culture has been slightly marred by the anal-retentiveness of the New Zealand authorities.
'Just bad coffee,' I reply to the policewoman at the roadblock. She examines my licence, gives the campervan a sour glance, and finally fixes me with a mistrustful glare. I haven't been drinking, so feel within my rights to stare back. A few seconds pass before she takes another disgusted look at the campervan and waves me through.
The police presence, and disconcerting sense that Big Brother is always watching, is claustrophobic. Keep to the puttering 100km speed limit on the national highway. 'Merge… like a zip!' the roadsigns advise you at the offramp.
If you're a pedestrian, don't you dare cross the road until the traffic lights say so. Forget about ordering a double shot of Jamieson in an Irish pub. New Zealand's shot measurements are 15ml instead of 25ml, because apparently the general public can't be trusted to drink responsibly.
A black man in New Zealand is a drug dealer by default. Last Saturday, the Taupo police pulled SABC journalist Vata Ngobeni out of nightclub because they felt he fit the profile. It's now Thursday and the local authorities still believe that they were right to detain Ngobeni. They said that they were just following protocol.
It was an unforgivable stand alone incident, but one that was consistent with the rigid sense of order in this nanny state. There's protocol and then there's common sense. Perhaps there should be more room to exercise the latter.
I've found the general population more than amiable and accommodating. Apart from 'The Shed' incident and a few other comparatively minor annoyances, my stay in Taupo and my sojourns into the greater Waikato have been outstanding.
For starters, there's been a greater energy around the Springboks with the open training sessions held at Owen Delany Park well attended by locals and travelling fans alike.
Monday's session was held in soul-warming sunshine, a welcomed change for the journalists spending icy nights in campervans and tents. The hundreds of fans also seemed to take heart from the weather, as they proceeded to belt out Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika while the Boks plodded through their drills.
The Boks have kept themselves busy from an extra-mural perspective, as have the South African journalists. Some have gone out onto Lake Taupo and tried their hand at trout fishing, while others have sought to sample the culture and adventure in the adjacent areas.
After watching the All Blacks beat France at Eden Park, I waved goodbye to self-confessed cityboys Mark Keohane and Ryan Vrede and headed back to Waikato. In the next few days I managed to get to Rotorua for a taste of Maori culture, and the Waitomo Caves for a blackwater rafting adventure some 65m underground.
If you're going to Te Puia in Rotorua, you may want to skip the daytime tour that gives you a very limited introduction to Maori carving and weaving, as well as a walk around the grounds. The Prince of Wales' Feathers geyser and mudpools were more remarkable than the centre's resident kiwi birds. 'Is it a bird? Is a mammal? No it's a kiwi bird!' scream the signs, although I'm not so sure that they weren't animatronic robots. It was so dark inside their housing structure that it was impossible to be certain.
The evening's activities at Te Puia are far more illuminating. Our guide introduced us to his family before taking us into his pa and treating us to some more Maori storytelling through the traditional media of dance and song. The performance climaxed in a powerful and elaborate rendition of the Ka Mate haka, and thereafter members of the audience were invited to climb on stage and be part of New Zealand's famous war dance.
And yes, like many of the European kooks, I made the local tribesmen and women laugh out loud with my arrhythmic ground stomping and chest slapping. The key is to loll and roll; sticking your tongue out at every opportunity and turning your eyes to the back of your head. That earns you maximum respect.
The trip to the Waitomo Caves was a completely different experience. It may be spring in New Zealand, and it can be beautiful when the sun is shining and the sky is clear, but it's still very cool in terms of temperature.
Launching yourself backwards over waterfalls and floating down an icy cold river deep beneath the earth's surface may not seem like a good idea, but having come out the other side, I'll have to admit that the hypothermia is a small price to pay.
'Trust me,' the guide says, as I stand with my back to the drop and my arse in a rubber tube. The drop is only about six feet, but hurling yourself backwards into the icy unknown takes some getting used to.
Once the entire group had taken the 'leap', the torches were turned off and the guides proceeded to thump at the water. We were instructed to look up at the roof of the cave, where thousands of glowworms, disturbed by the noise, began to move in illuminating arcs. Later the guides would tell us that while we were looking up, scores of cave eels were swimming just inches below.
I've been clocking up the kilometres in our campervan Heinrich (fetches, carries and gives away relatively few penalties) in the last week. As I mentioned earlier, travelling along the New Zealand roads can be a hairy ordeal. The further you venture from the national highway, the more the narrow road snakes and winds through the hilly terrain.
If you're going to do New Zealand by car, be prepared to go slow. The margin for error is mercilessly small, which is probably why Kiwi drivers are so conservative.
The big advantage of traversing the north island by road is that you get to see the picturesque countryside and many of the quaint farm towns. It's not hard to see why Peter Jackson chose Waikato as the setting for the tranquil Shire in his Lord of the Rings epic.
It's clear that many of the small towns have beefed up their roadside advertising for the World Cup. En route to the Waitomo Caves, I drove through a run down part of the world called Benneydale, which has changed its name to Rugbydale for the months of September and October.
Te Kuiti has also changed to Meadsville, and the roadside barkers urge you to stop on the main street and chat to legendary All Black and local hero Colin Meads over a cup of coffee. If that isn't enough to force your foot onto the brake, the barkers will confirm that this is 'The Sheepshearing Capital of the World!'
Could you resist?


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Now he's an 8/5 guy.... Wow... The greatness of the Hornets.
From the website:
We were able to get great depth, leadership and experience by making this trade, said Hornets General Manager Jeff Bower. We felt we needed to increase our overall play of the frontline and Chris Wilcox is a young, athletic player that can score and fit well in our system. We will be able to take advantage of his athleticism and style of play. Joe provides us with much needed depth and someone who can be an integral part of our rotation.http://www.nba.com/hornets/news/Horn...301063-31.htmlFirst off, I want to wish Tyson the best of luck in OKC, he is an outstanding person and we thank him for his service as a Hornet. said Hornets Head Coach Byron Scott. I am excited to be able to get more frontcourt depth in bringing Chris and Joe in, they are experienced NBA players who will be able to step right in and help us. In addition, we get a promising young post player in Hardin.
Now he's an 8/5 guy.... Wow... The greatness of the Hornets.
I wrote about this possibly happening last night. Trading Tyson was inevitable.
alright thanks.Originally Posted by benreed1088
my two cents
i disagree strongly about this trade. beyond the money and business issues and beyond all the other stuff. this trade hurts the chemistry and "brotherhood" of this team. i just think that this will effect the team more then bower expected, maybe not talent wise but definelty chemistry wise. a talented, athletic team with no chemistry doesnt not win championships (ex: the suns)
I guess it wouldn't be right being a Hornets fan without feeling some kind of disappointment.
I like Wilcox....as a backup. He is not a rebounder and is a terrible defender. However, he is athletic and can run the floor. Chandler's defense and rebounding is what we will miss. Many keep talking about him grabbing lobs and that just shows that they do not understand his true value to the team (rebounding and defense).Originally Posted by mdaniel
Maybe its just me...but I don't see this being the end of our playoff hopes this year nor the end of us being contenders in the West the next couple of years. I think when its all said and done...we will regroup wonderfully and actually be better because of it...write it down!
Damn, I hear ya bro. It's almost like tradition at this point.Originally Posted by Cp3superman12
**But if we really get a couple of 1st round picks in this deal, then I'm not disappointed.
"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" Muhammad Ali
I'm happy they made the move for numerous reasons....one of the biggest being that I think TC's "injury" issues will be re-occuring issues that will get worse...never better.
I'm on the road posting from my blackberry. I'll comment further when I am able to get to a land based computer later.
Originally Posted by Harvey Hornet
Like BD he still can't get right
Scott must see some value in Hardin (hopefully) as he mentioned him specifically in his quote.
We are not getting any 1st rounders. I am sure the Hornets official announcement would have mentioned them if so.Originally Posted by Al_Blaze
I'm sayin if we would have traded Chris then there should be a uproar. Tyson is cool but not 27 million cool. I am just waiting to see how this turns out. Jesus i just noticed i have been a member for 7 years... wow! and Hornets fan has 15,000 plus posts......i am ashamed i only have 103....LOL i Lurk alot i guess!
Exactly, after being burned by BD and Mashburn...and severely handcuffed by their contracts....the Hornets wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. TC is 100X the person that those two are....but if you can't play, you can't play....nice guy or not. I don't think TC will have a long career.Originally Posted by djbless77
Maybe.... so Harvey... but Chicago thought the same thing.
*Sigh*Originally Posted by HORNETSFAN
That sucks...
Exactly......all of the potential and talent means nothing if you are riding on bad tires.
Originally Posted by Harvey Hornet
Yeah, that's what I said in my other post. Liked the idea of him coming off our bench a lot more. I would assume he'd start over Hilton. I guess we'll see soon enough how that plays out.Originally Posted by HORNETSFAN
I wouldn't go as far as to say he isn't a rebounder though. He's gotten 20+ on multiple occasions. That doesn't happen by accident. As far as his defense goes, I haven't seen him recently enough to comment. He has been in some crappy situations though over the years excluding the one year the Clippers were good(I believe he was on that team, could be wrong) and the couple with Ray Allen. Maybe he'll pick it up again during his two month long vacation in New Orleans
byon scott has not delveloped no one as a rookie, he sucks so this kid hardin has just kissed his career away once you play for coach scott.
as for bower and the organization, you blew it, we should have gotten a 1st rounder, bower you got played by the okie boys. dont mind losing chandler but for nothing just sucks.
then again what will byron do with another rookie , just run him away!!!!
i am so very disappointed that we got nothing in return.
Micheal Jordan my all time favorite player, only watched him play 1 time in my life. We are lucky to have the opportunity to watch Chris Paul and now Anthony Davis!!!
It's not like we've won a championship with him either. Heck we couldn't even make it out the second round with him healthy. As I've said we our giving him way too much credit for last season's success.
Originally Posted by Nola Hornet
I figured that's why they seemed so determined to move him so soon, I felt like they knew more than they were letting on about Tyson's injury status, and the other ailments that have affected him in the past.Originally Posted by Harvey Hornet
If that's the case, then it's a case of cutting your losses, in more ways than one... I just hope that the Hornets have some intentions of re-signing either Wilcox or Smith(or both), and hopefully are willing to develop Hardin as well.
While we are all still reeling a bit from this deal, I think we have to start thinking in terms of next year and beyond. It was painfully obvious that this team, even with TC healthy, was not as good as last year and will in all likelihood struggle to get beyond the first round of the playoffs. Did anyone honestly see them beating the Spurs or L.A. in a 7-game series?
The F.O. now has cap room to work with in a effort to build on a solid foundation of CP3 and West. That is something we would not have had if Chandler were still here.
the Legend has spoken!
chandler 26 14,000 minutes
wilcox 26 9,000 minutes
It doesn't matter because this guys is one and done anyway. Is Tyson Chandler worth 11 mil a year? TOP FIVE EARNERS: 1. Jermaine O'Neal, Toronto, $21.37 million. 2. Shaquille O'Neal, Phoenix, $21 million. 3. Yao Ming, Houston, $15.07 million. 4. Rasheed Wallace, $13.93 million. 5. Dwight Howard, Orlando, $13.76 million.
Eric Dampier makes 11 mil too. Not judging, just asking.
We made it out of the first round didn't we? What happens if we get bounced out of the first round this year?Originally Posted by dvdman
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TomTom reveals revolutionary IQ Routes™ technology on new TomTom GO series
Mar 03 2008
TomTom reveals revolutionary IQ Routes™ technology on new TomTom GO series~ Unique route calculation method based on actual average speeds on roads provides smartest route calculation on the market today ~ Concord, MA - March 3, 2008 - TomTom, the world's largest portable navigation solutions provider, today announces ground-breaking features and unique content on its new TomTom GO range, including its exclusive IQ Routes™ technology and Advanced Lane Guidance. The innovative IQ Routes™ technology is based on real average speeds that have been measured on roads, rather than static maximum speeds per road type. This means the new TomTom GO determines a route by considering all possible routes, and then selects the one that takes the least time. In almost 50 percent of all journeys, this results in taking a different and faster route, saving the driver significant travel time - as well as saving money and fuel. In addition, the new TomTom GO series features Advanced Lane Guidance - a first for the navigation mass market. Advanced Lane Guidance provides users with realistic representations of complex highway junctions and lane-specific visual directions that take the stress out of navigating these otherwise difficult junctions. The two new features will be available with the new TomTom GO series, the TomTom GO 930 and TomTom GO 730, starting at the end of April 2008. "With the introduction of IQ Routes™ technology, we continue to focus our efforts on features and content that improve the core navigation experience," said Jocelyn Vigreux, president of TomTom, Inc. "IQ Routes™ delivers what we call 'intelligent routing' – an even smarter and more efficient way of planning your daily route that will help TomTom GO users save time, fuel and money."
TomTom IQ Routes™ The new TomTom IQ Routes™ technology is based on actual average speeds on roads, rather than the sign-posted speed limits. This intelligent routing technology is based on anonymous historical speed profiles of over 6.2 billion miles of driven roads, gathered over the years by millions of TomTom users. It takes into account all the factors that may influence the time it takes drivers to get to their destination, including traffic lights, rotaries, steep slopes and speed bumps. The TomTom IQ Routes™ speed profile database continues to grow at the rate of more than half a billion measurements per day, so the time and spatial accuracy of TomTom IQ Routes™ technology will increase continually. Drivers can be confident that they will always be given the smartest route incorporating detailed local knowledge. This allows for more efficient daily route planning, in particular when driving through urban or hilly areas. www.tomtom.com/iq-routes
Advanced Lane Guidance With the new Advanced Lane Guidance feature, navigating difficult junctions becomes easier than ever before. This realistic representation of highway junctions on the screen, including clear arrows indicating the lane direction, provide drivers with timely instructions to take the correct lane. Static images of road signs, in the same color as the ones displayed on the road, ensure drivers have an even better overview of their surroundings. www.tomtom.com/lane-guidance
A host of extra features In addition to IQ Routes™ and Advanced Lane Guidance, the new TomTom GO range has a new premium look with a high-quality finish, expanded map coverage and comes pre-installed with the latest navigation features, including:
- TomTom Map Share™ enabling users to make updates and corrections to their own maps instantly and to benefit from improvements made by other users, completely free of charge. New Map Share features include the ability to change turn restrictions and posted road speeds
- Latest map guarantee so users always have free access to the latest map at time of purchase
- TomTom RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver for detailed traffic information
- Enhanced Positioning Technology (EPT) for uninterrupted navigation even in tunnels or highly built areas
- Large 4.3 inch touch screen with new generation icons and an updated user interface to navigate drivers to their destination even more easily
- Voice address input drive to millions of cities and street names by simply announcing the address of your destination
- Clear voice instructions and text-to-speech to enable street names, places, traffic alerts and SMS messages to be read aloud as part of the spoken instructions
- Enhanced hands-free calling with high quality sound system via Bluetooth® to allow drivers to keep their eyes firmly on the road whilst making phone calls in the car
- Extensive safety features including 'Help Me' menu to give drivers direct access to emergency services and roadside assistance
- Built-in FM Transmitter to play music and navigation instructions seamlessly through the car stereo speakers
- New smart & fun extras to personalise users' devices, including recording your own driving instructions, viewing documents, exchanging positions via SMS and Bluetooth™ wireless technology and selecting a favourite car icon on the screen
- Free TomTom HOME software and content from the TomTom community to keep your TomTom device up to date at all times
- Pre-installed safety camera database providing users with timely information on safety cameras on drivers' routes
- Full range of accessories to match the design and finish of the updated GO range
- The TomTom GO 930 comes pre-installed with the most up-to-date maps of US, Canada and Western and Central Europe stored on the internal memory
- The TomTom GO 730 includes new expanded map coverage, including the latest maps of the US and Canada
Availability The new TomTom GO range will be available across North America and Europe starting at end of April 2008.
Product technical specifications -
- 4.3" widescreen 16:9 format LCD (WQVGA: 480x272 pixels)
- CPU 400 MHz
- TomTom GO 930: 4 GB internal flash memory, TomTom GO 730: 2 GB
- SD card slot
- High sensitivity GPS receiver
- Bluetooth™
- Battery lithium-polymer (up to 5 hours operation)
- Dimensions: 4.6" x 3.2" x 1"
- Weight: 7.7 ounces


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|Celebrating National Occupational Therapy Month
Each year in April, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and students host a month long celebration showcasing the importance of Occupational Therapy. Here at All Children's Hospital, it is our chance to recognize the 43 occupational therapists who work across the ten sites located on the west coast of Florida. These specially trained professionals make up part of the multidisciplinary team that makes a children's hospital unique. Our services encompass both acute care and outpatient evaluation and treatment.
Pediatric occupational therapy at All Children's Hospital helps children gain independence and promotes development of fine motor skills, sensory motor skills and visual motor skills that children need to function and socialize in their home, school, play and community environments. In the case of an injury or debilitating illness, our services focus on rehabilitating children, allowing them to return to their daily routines at their highest level of function.
Nearly one third of the professionals who are employed as occupational therapists work with children. Here at All Children's Hospital we are proud to have an elite team who share the hospital's mission to provide leadership in child health through treatment, education, research, and advocacy.
Please join us in thanking all of our occupational therapists for their commitment and dedication!
For more information on Occupational Therapy Services here at ACH, visit the Occupational Therapy Services section on allkids.org.


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WFED's Jason Miller
Click below to hear the interview with Energy's Michael Kane and HUD's Janie Paine
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Thursday - 3/17/2011, 7:34am EDT
Click below to hear the interview with Energy's Michael Kane and HUD's Janie Paine
By Jason Miller
Executive Editor
Federal News Radio
A new working group of the Chief Human Capital Officer's Council is fast tracking recommendations for a revamped performance ratings and management system for civilian employees.
Michael Kane, CHCO for the Energy Department and co-chairman of the working group, said he expects the group to submit options to improve how federal managers measure and rate employees and a project plan to the Office of Personnel Management in the next 30 days.
"One way we are going to do that is not try to do it as a single body," Kane said after a panel discussion on workforce issues at the IRMCO conference Wednesday. "Among the experts in the room, we will break it down into a number of working groups that are going to work in parallel. We will practice what we preach here. It's all about inclusion. It's all about getting diverse viewpoints. We will get that and try to integrate that as a single team."
Once the working group makes its recommendations to OPM, it also will submit them to the National Labor-Management Council, which brings together agencies and employee unions to discuss issues.
OPM Director John Berry, who also spoke at IRMCO, said performance management is a weak link in agencies. He said reviews are too infrequent and rote, and there is too little constructive feedback.
"The first step in fixing performance management is understanding the missions of the federal workforce and how those missions are changing," Berry said. "And those missions really need to inform us when we think of what is the type of workforce and workplace we want to build for the future."
The working group met for the first time Tuesday and Kane said the room was filled with CHCOs.
"We had people who were very concerned about performance," Kane said. "It's the lifeblood of the organization. It's how we reward and retain employees. That is really what John Berry is getting at. Is performance and performance appraisals communicating the right message? Are we across the government encouraging the right types of activities? Are we engendering in employees the right desires, the right attributes?"
Kane added that the group is looking at whether agencies are applying performance management across the government consistently, if they are measuring the right things, and do employees value how they are rated.
"We need to be more consistent in how we grade," he said. "Many of the skill sets the government has, they are not unique among agencies. A large number of them are the same types of disciplines and skills."
Janie Payne, the CHCO for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the co-chairwoman of the working group, said there are several components the working group will look at, including ensuring employees have regular feedback.
"The people in that meeting were charged with this topic and everyone is engaged and wants to be a part and generate new ideas," she said.
At the meeting, CHCOs said managers need more training around performance management, Paine said.
Berry said there are a few basics any performance system must include.
"What if, when setting performance standards, we engaged our employees and got clear about expectations?" Berry asked. "What if we made sure performance standards were detailed, objective, aligned to agency mission and goals, and had employee buy-in; that they weren't just dictated from on high? Next, put systems in place to hold people accountable. Many people have highly measurable jobs in the government, such as those who adjudicate benefits claims at OPM. For them, a measure of production, timeliness and accuracy is relatively easy, and managers should get real with their employees about what constitutes a good job. For employees with harder to measure tasks, a good manager can still create processes where deadlines are set and quality is measured. The key to improving performance is frequent, consistent feedback."
Berry said the new system will separate pay from performance as well. He said studies in the public and private sectors show constructive and consistent feedback tends to be a far more powerful and predictable motivator than pay.
"Perhaps the best way to get real about performance ratings is to simplify them," he said. "If most employees do a good job and small variations in year-end performance awards don't actually lead to improved performance, why do we spend so much time parsing people into five categories? Let's give the well over 80 percent of people who are doing a good job three things: a pat on the back, frequent feedback about how they might improve further, and the training they need to get there. And let's call our true top performers outstanding and recognize them in a way that incentivizes better performance. Sometimes, instead of a little cash, a self-motivated high performer will be more inspired by increased public recognition and greater opportunities to innovate. Cash shouldn't be the default reward."


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RALEIGH — What a weekend for Southwest's Nick Matics.
The senior place-kicker made an impact for the Stallions' football team Friday night before being named most valuable player of Southwest's 2-0 win over Lake Norman Charter in the NCHSAA 1-A championship soccer game Saturday.
Matics made 6 saves in goal to help the Stallions claim their first boys' soccer title just one day after kicking as pair of field goals and adding some well-played kickoffs in Southwest's 50-6 win over Northampton in the East Regional semifinals of the 1-AA football playoffs.
"It truly is memorable. I won't forget this weekend," Matics said. "Everyone tells me I have a chance to win two (state titles)."
But let's start stay with the soccer for now.
Matics was huge in goal for the Stallions, who depended heavily on their defense to secure the win. Southwest's attack wasn't at its best despite an early goal from Paul Bishop, meaning Matics and his backfield teammates had to play well.
The defense did, with Matics leading the way, which was something Southwest coach John Sweeney expected.
"Nick has been a leader all year and I knew I could count on him to step up today," Sweeney said. "Sometimes people think about goals as game changers, but Nick showed how saves could be game changers."
Each of Matics' saves were big.
He had 4 in the first half, including two during a 3-minute stretch in the middle of the first half. Matics also came up with a diving save with 29 minutes left in the game with Southwest only up 1-0.
"I think that left-handed save where I had to dive in the second half (was his favorite)," Matics said. "That right there was a momentum changer."
But these sorts of stops didn't surprise Matics' teammates.
"Nick had a great year," senior forward Austin Tausch said. "He played hard and kept us in a lot of games. A shutout in the state final is good."
Even Lake Norman Charter coach Justin Valenti said Matics was the difference in Southwest's win.
"Their goalkeeper did a hell of a good job," he said. "He kept them in the game and their defense played tight."
What was impressive about Matics was he didn't appear nervous before or during the match. He was calm and collected and perhaps his teammates fed off his confidence.
"Nick is a terrific athlete and not many people could make half of the saves he made," Sweeney said. "I think him being a kicker for the football team, he faces a lot of pressure every Friday night. He can handle that because he's very confident in his abilities."
Matics now hopes to help Southwest's football team to a state title. He will be back in action next week when the Stallions visit James Kenan in the regional final.
"Coach (Phil) Padgett said win or lose I have to come to football practice Monday," Matics said.
And he might bring his MVP plaque with him that day.