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Gulf nations increase aid to SyriaBy BRIAN MURPHY
THE Associated Press | January 31,2013AP Photo
Representatives from member states, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations pose for a group photo at Bayan Palace in Kuwait City on Wednesday.KUWAIT CITY Gulf nations answered U.N. calls to boost humanitarian aid for Syria with $900 million in pledges Wednesday even as more refugees poured into neighboring Jordan and its leader warned resources were strained to the limit.
The Gulf promises at a donors conference hosted by Kuwait added to earlier relief fund increases by the U.S. and European Union pushed close to the U.N.s appeal for at least $1.5 billion in immediate aid. But the funds are only expected to cover the coming months, highlighting the massive burden to cope with needs from Syrias civil war and its spillover into the region.
The pledges also will likely face close scrutiny on how quickly the money will reach over-stretched aid groups directed by the U.N. and other agencies. Officials in Egypt and elsewhere have complained that many generous international offers for help after the Arab Spring upheavals have not yet materialized.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon opened the gathering by calling for an end to the fighting in the name of humanity, yet noted that the fighting shows no signs of easing and crises such as the refugee exodus to places such as Turkey and Jordan could intensify.
Jordans economic council said the country was already near the breaking point. The kingdom has spent more than $833 billion on aid for refugees accounting for nearly half the estimated 700,000 people who have fled Syria and that it was unable to sustain a financial burden that has so far siphoned off about 3 percent of its GDP. Some U.N. officials say the refugee figures could approach 1 million later this year if the conflict in Syria does not ease.
Speaking at the U.N.-led gathering in Kuwait, Jordans King Abdullah II said sheltering and assisting the refugee wave is above the countrys capacity and potential.
We have reached the end of the line. We have exhausted our resources, he said.
Last week, the king amplified his appeal for international help at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, saying the weakest refugees are struggling now just to survive this years harsh winter and up to 3,000 a day are still crossing the Syria-Jordan border.
In his opening remarks, Ban urged all sides and particularly the Syrian government to halt attacks in the 22-month-old civil war that the U.N. says has claimed more than 60,000 lives.
In the name of humanity, stop the killing, stop the violence, Ban told envoys from nearly 60 nations, including Russia and Iran, key allies of Assads regime.
Aid officials estimate that more than 2 million Syrians have been uprooted or are suffering inside the country as the conflict widens including what peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi called unprecedented levels of horror in an address to the U.N. Security Council after at least 65 bodies were found Tuesday in a suspected execution-style killing near Aleppo.
Before the latest donors conference, Ban described the international humanitarian response to Syria as very much limited in comments to the official Kuwaiti News Agency.
But the meeting leverage more pledges. Kuwaits ruler, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, promised $300 million in a move that was quickly matched by Gulf partners Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which are all major backers of Syrian rebel factions. On Tuesday, the European Union and the U.S. promised a total of nearly $300 million.
The head of the U.S. delegation, Assistant Secretary of State Anne Richard, lauded the donations from Gulf nations, which often bankroll their own aid efforts but are not traditional top donors to U.N. programs. She noted, however, that the humanitarian funds are only to deal with immediate needs over the coming months.
Its good for now, but predictions are that its not going to be over soon, said Richard, who deals with refugee and migration affairs.
Ban described the situation in Syria as catastrophic and getting worse by the day.
He listed a cascading catalog of horrors facing Syrians, including shortages of food and medicine and abuses such as sexual violence and arbitrary arrests and detention. Half of public hospitals have been damaged, he added.
The use of heavy weapons in residential areas has destroyed whole communities and neighborhoods, Ban told delegates.
While international aid channels are open to refugee camps in places such as Turkey and Jordan, there is far more limited capacity to organize relief efforts inside Syria because of the fighting and obstacles from Assads regime.
Paris-based Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, said the U.N. and others need to open more routes for aid to reach rebel-held areas, which now receive only a tiny share of international humanitarian help.
The current aid system is unable to address the worsening living conditions facing people who live inside Syria, MSF president, Marie-Pierre Allie, said in a statement.
The escalating hardships in camps outside Syria also can be used by Assads government as potential fodder in its claims that rebels are responsible for the countrys collapse, said Fawaz Gerges, head of the Middle East Center at the London School of Economics.
The misery of the refugees, their suffering in neighboring countries, provide the ammunition for Assad, who is saying to them, `See, you have no one else but your country, so come home, Gerges said.
Associated Press writer Dale Gavlak in Amman, Jordan, contributed to this report.MORE IN Wire NewsTORONTO Full StoryCENTENNIAL, Colo. Full StoryWASHINGTON Facing increased competition from within her own party, Hillary Rodham Clinton is... Full Story
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Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Audubon South Carolina is excited to announce their award of a $130,000 matching grant from the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor's Product Development Grant Program, spurring the long-awaited replacement of the Francis Beidler Forest's 1.75-mile boardwalk trail. An amount matching the $130,000 grant from SCNHC had to be in hand in order to qualify, and thanks to very generous gifts from the MeadWestvaco Foundation, Argos and Holcim Cement Companies, Showa Denko, local family foundations, and hundreds of individual donors from coast to coast, it was possible to apply. This is the largest single grant ever awarded by the agency, and will enable hundreds of thousands of visitors to be added to the 360,000 people who have already discovered the wonders of Four Holes Swamp over the last 35 years. Beidler Forest Center Director, Michael Dawson, said "I was excited when I saw the grant application form, as our project was such a great match, but I was REALLY excited when we got the notice we had been awarded the funding! It got us to the point where we could actually begin construction!"
The South Carolina National Heritage Corridor (SCNHC) was designated by Congress in 1996 as a National Heritage Area (a program of the National Parks Service). Stretching over 17 counties and 320 miles across South Carolina, the SCNHC is committed to promoting and preserving the cultural, natural and historic resources of South Carolina and historic resources of South Carolina.
Audubon opened Beidler Forest to the public in 1977. The original 3,415-acre sanctuary included 1,800 acres of virgin Cypress-Tupelo swamp forest, which looked the same then as it did when Columbus arrived in the New World. From the outset, Audubon staff knew that protecting this treasure depended on two things: expanding the protected area to include the entire swamp, and engaging as many people as possible in our mission. From day one, making the swamp accessible and understandable to visitors was a quintessential part of that mission. The boardwalk trail is the vehicle that carries visitors deep into the very heart of the swamp. Over the years, visitors have come from all fifty states and over 30 countries. More than 105,000 students have participated in our education programs. In addition, the sanctuary has now grown to encompass over 17,000 acres and is enhanced by thousands more acres protected by conservation easements held by Lowcountry Open Land Trust, Ducks Unlimited and others.
The new boardwalk will be stronger than the old one, made out of "greener" materials, and will be wider to make it fully ADA compliant, so that two wheelchairs may pass each other. Local dock building specialists, Blutide Marine Construction, won the construction bid. The Beidler Boardwalk will be open to the public during the expected seven-month construction period. However, in the early stretch of the walk, visitors will need to be prepared for getting off the boardwalk and navigating a short, sometimes soggy, woodland trail to get around construction zones. Unfortunately, that means that those in wheelchairs, strollers or with mobility issues will NOT be able to tour the boardwalk for the first few weeks of construction. Once the rebuilding reaches the deep swamp, the need to circumnavigate construction will not be an issue.
The boardwalk project is budgeted for $1.3 million dollars. To date, thanks to the donors already mentioned and additional major donors like the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and Zeist Foundation from other regions, Audubon has raised all but about $131,000. Audubon is seeking help from other local residents, businesses and foundations that might like the satisfaction of being a part of the completion of this wonderful project. Donors of any amount will have their names permanently recorded in the Beidler Boardwalk Book of Heroes. Various naming opportunities exist for larger-scale donors ($10,000+). To inquire about a donation or to ask a question, please contact Center Director Mike Dawson at email@example.com or Development Director Nancyjean Nettles at email@example.com. Both can be reached at 843-462-2150.
Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation.
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The Housing Development Alliance (HDA) hosted its 14th annual Repair Affair on Saturday. The event, which has traditionally involved the participation of 100 volunteers to repair 10 houses in one day, expanded to 131 volunteers working on 12 houses, making it the largest Repair Affair the organization has ever held. Rapairs included replacing porches, digging drainage ditches, and building wheelchair ramps.
While the HDA completes repairs for local families every day, not everyone that comes in seeking repairs qualifies for the low-cost loans associated with their normal repair program. According to Jane Rose Britton, volunteer and community coordinator for the HDA, the Repair Affair acts as a chance to help community seniors and disabled persons that may not be helped in any other way. Work completed during the Repair Affair is free to these homeowners.
"The Repair Affair allows us to make repairs to homes that may not qualify for any of our normal repair programs," said Britton. "It gives us a chance to work on those homes and help those people out."
Along with the ways that Repair Affair helps those families receiving the repairs, it also acts to engage Perry County residents to make a difference in their community.
"It gives us a chance to make the people in the community feel empowered," said Britton. "It helps make the people in the community realize that their actions can make a difference. They don't just have to sit by and watch something happen. They can be physically involved, and if they can't do it physically then they can do it via donations."
According to Britton, the significant growth in this year's Repair Affair was due to an increased interest in volunteering from local organizations and churches. With an additional 31 people coming out to volunteer, the HDA increased the number of families they served in this day.
"The need is always so great in this area that finding 12 houses that needed repairs was not an issue," said Britton.
While finding the projects was not an issue, funding them would be difficult. Thanks to an extensive outreach campaign and active charitable community in the area, the HDA was able to raise nearly $14,000. Many of these donations came in the form of products or services donated in-kind from businesses.
"The businesses are where we get our major donations from every year," said Britton, "It just seems like we are getting more in-kind this year than we ever have."
The Housing Development Alliance is a nonprofit organization working in Perry, Knott, Breathitt, and Leslie Counties. In the 20 years have been in existence the organization has built 178 new homes, completed over 400 repairs, and developed 35 affordable rental properties.


text: Coming up on Thursday, April 12, Elkin Public Library will host two Book Club discussions that are free and open to the public. At 1 pm, we'll revisit a fictional war-torn Munich neighborhood in 1941, discussing THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak.At 6:45 pm, we'll trek to an extremely remote fictional Chinese mountain village during the Cultural Revolution's Re-education Movement, around 1971, to discuss BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS by Dai Seiji. Both novels explore times and places in which books are burned and outlawed. Can you imagine life without access to books? Join us to celebrate our freedom to read by discussing these novels during National Library Week, April 8-14.


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We're still recovering from the week we just spent down in Austin, Texas, for the 2012 South By Southwest Music Festival. It's been four days since we got home, but our ears are still ringing and the taste of barbeque is still fresh in our mouths. During SXSW, most of the headlines were dominated by Fiona Apple's stunning return to the scene and Eminem's surprise appearance during 50 Cent's front-to-back performance of Get Rich Or Die Tryin', but now that we've had a few days to put the fest in perspective, some of our favorite performances came from bands that have not yet reached household name status.
We asked a few members of VH1's CMI (Creative Music Integration) group —they're the people who determine which songs appear in our on-air programming— to give us a quick summary of acts that they really enjoyed during their time down in Austin, artists whose music seems likely for future sync opportunities in commercials, TV programs or films. So, fire up your Spotify and start sampling bands that you're likely to hear a lot more from as 2012 progresses.
Swan Dive, an official SXSW venue, was packed to the brim, sweltering hot, and buzzing with energy in anticipation for Doomtree, a hip hop collective out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Armed with an eclectic sound that blends hip hop, R&B, and bluesy rock, this group of seven distinct MCs preformed with the aggressive energy of a punk act and just the right amount of hip hop swagger. Songs like "Little Mercy" with its blues-inspired vocals and dramatic, motivational lyrics ("We're so hungry / We're so thirsty / But I'm gonna hunt until it hurts me"), Doomtree's music might fit perfectly in a commercial for an upcoming sporting event or a Nike commercial if they went down an edgier route.—Monsé, Creative Music Integration Assistant
For Fans Of: Grieves
This Copenhagen-based songstress impressed a sizable crowd during her short Saturday night set at SXSW. She performed a few songs off her debut album Black Cat Neighbourhood (2010) and one new song although she added, "I suppose it doesn't really matter because I'm new to all of you." Songs like "Only Human" and "I Lay My Head" showcased her strong lyrical skills, expressive vocals, and vibrant instrumentation peppered with catchy handclaps and whistling. Fallulah has managed to create a richly layered musical landscape that has the potential to fit nicely within shows where it could add that extra oomph to a light hearted, upbeat scene in a female driven dramaedy (think Grey's Anatomy) or teen drama (Pretty Little Liars).—Monsé, Creative Music Integration Assistant
For Fans Of: Florence + The Machine, Lykke Li, Marina and the Diamonds


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Meet at Buddha Hall, 300 Page Street
Young Urban Zen is a group under the auspices of the San Francisco Zen Center, with a particular focus on those between 25 and 35. We meet on Tuesday evenings to meditate together and discuss our experience of Zen practice. People of all experience levels are welcome. If you have not meditated before, it would be helpful to go to
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Beyond Tuesday nights, members of the group regularly meet for social activities, volunteering, book club study, outings, and occasional retreats.
Young Urban Zen offers an opportunity to build meaningful community with people who care about practice and mindfulness.


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|Off Topic Lounge All Discussions Not Related To Drumming
|Thread Tools
I know common sense tells us, portion size, plenty of water, fruits and veggies, whole grain, low fat and on and on...
Yamaha Live Oak, Magstar Drums, 1971 Slingerlands, Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, Vic Firth, Remo
Re: Diets
Thinly veiled stiletto
Ladies & gentlemen, I've suffered for my art. Now it's your turn (Neil Innes)
Re: Diets
The problem is not the diet, it's your commitment to it. Yes it's easy to get bored with a regimen, but you have to stick to it in order to get - and maintain - results.
Do you ever think to yourself 'if I'd just stuck with it, I'd be there by now'? Well, there's the answer.
I'v e been down that road. Just 3 years ago, I lost 30 pounds, was very proud of myself and got sloppy, soon put about half ot it back on, and am now thinking ''if I'd just stuck with it, I'd still be 30lbs lighter'.
But you're right, whole grains, low fat, cut out extra sugar, reduce starches, no glutens, and reducing red meat doesn't hurt. And a little exercise goes a long way, even a treadmill or brisk walk 30-45min a day, 4 or 5 days a week works wonders.
Re: Diets
"Boring" really has nothing to do with it.
I think one of the diet industry's biggest sins is when they try to promote a certain diet as "easy" or fun.
Truth here, it's hard and it sucks but it's worth it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something.
Diet for 6 weeks on and at least 2 weeks off to avoid metabolic slowdown.
Either you have a purpose behind your expression... or you don't.
JoJo Mayer
Re: Diets
I don't really feel a diet that feels like a diet works.
There's no way around exercise. It's good to do a little something in the morning to get going. How ever you exercise, don't just do light cardio, but do some strength exercise to build some muscle. And if you do cardio get some sprints in there.
Make your own food so you know what goes into it. It might be wise to change what little wheat you should use to other grains. Spelt, millet, quinoa and oats are generally good choices for most people. Wheat isn't bad just because it's starchy, but mainly because it causes an allergic reaction and slows down the metabolism in most people.
Soft drinks and chips are offcourse out, but that doesn't mean that snacks are out. Just choose some healthy ones. Maybe just have a carrot, an apple or a few raw nuts.
Start making salads a big part of your main meals.
Eat often enough to keep you meatbolism going.
Supp with omega 3.
Don't eat too much in the evening.
Drink lots of water.
Get enough sleep.
No problem with fat, but they should be unrefined and of high quality. Olive oil and a touch of raw butter takes you a long way.
If you need a sweetener use thinks like maple/birch syrup, clear agave or stevia. Just drop the refined sugar all together.
A supplement might be a good idea to be sure to get your vitamins and minerals up to optimum levels, but if you choose to take one make it something really good. Those regular vitamin pills at the grocery store probably do more harm than good.
I wouldn't consider the diet that helped me lose lots of wieght hard. In fact I've hardly eaten better in my whole life. The main thing was to have a plan where it was easier and quicker to make something healthy from scratch.
Don't do weight loss diets. Change your lifestyle and make it enjoyable so you stick with it. Loosinf weight shouldn't be the main concern, that will happen by itself. Just focus on eating well. feeling good and getting healthy .
A diet that is based on depriving you of a basic nutrient can't work long term. It's not balanced. We all have different bodies too, so there is no diet that works for everybody.
In my case I would say that I probably eat carbs as my main nutrient. The thing is though that my carb sources are natural, low glycemic, organic and high in minerals. I eat oats for breakfast. My lunch is often a salad with millet and olive oil-lemon dressing. For dinner with my meat or fish I'll occasionally have a couple of potatoes, but mostly I use a home made spelt-quinoa tortilla. All this is supplemented by lots and lots of my favorite leafy green and other vegetables like bell pepper, onion, cucumber, asparagus and lots and lots of herbs like parsley, cilantro and basil. The veggies are usually raw.
Dairy is no problem for me so I usually throw and egg yolk in my dressing and I use a bit of goats cheese and raw sour cream here and there. In my case all these help my metabolism, but that might not be the case for everyone.
I do a smoothie here and there. That gets a little complicated, but it basically all the sort of super food stuff which you'll learn about if you check out people like David Wolfe, Truth Clkins and Robert Cassar. Not necessary to loose weight, but a good choice if your goal is to stay healthy for a long time.
Re: Diets
Look into an alkaline (vs acidic) diet. The main benefits are health, but there's a certain amount of weight loss involved as a result. It also means cutting out or severely reducing such seemingly benign things as coffee and tea. But those aren't about the caffein, it's about the fact that when the beans/leaves are roasted, they become acidic. So, green tea is fine, for example. Anyway, there are lists & charts online that can guide you as to which foods are more alkaline, and which are more acidic. If you can stay about 80% alkaline, you'll see & feel results within a week. Add exercise to that (read: keep your heartbeat up) and you'll really see weight and size results soon.
I lost 30 lbs in 6 months with a mostly alkaline diet, and time on the treadmill 5-6 days a week. Felt great, slept well, more stamina on tour, looked noticeably thinner and more fit, had almost no asthma symptoms, and even reduced my snoring!
Like I said, if I'd stuck with it, I'd still be there. :(
Re: Diets
I think many "diets" fail because they are viewed as a short term solution to be abandon once a person reaches a certain goal weight. Which leads to people falling off of them, because the mentality sets in "because this is short term anyway, I'll just end the term a little early..." or similar type of thought.
I think the key is to tell yourself this is a lifestyle change, not a temporary measure. Once you can wrap your head around this is a permanent change, it's easier to stick to.
The other aspect is different diets accomplish what they do in very different ways. Jumping from one concept to another concept (as many people do) ends up giving your body contradictory signals.
And then, everyone is different. What exactly works for one person may not work for some else's metabolism.
The biggest issue is when faced with a elimination type diet (i.e. a plan that is focused on not eating certain items) it can be temping to over indulge on acceptable items.
For years and years I've eaten a low fat diet, with no red meat, lots of veggies and not to much sugar. But over time I still added weight because I over indulged on carbs (bread, potatoes, pasta) because "it's not fat" and the reality is to many carbs are just as bad as too much fat.
I also started riding a bike to work. So I started to say "it's OK to eat this doughnut, because I rode my bike today" but then reality is replacing and exceeding all the calories I burned doesn't lead to any weight loss.
For myself, I am not on any "diet" per se. I just made a choice to be better. Step one was to eliminate as much sugar (both real and artificial) as possible. No more sugar in my coffee. Rum&coke is replaced by small amount of rum with club soda. No more doughnuts or cakes or whatever other garbage is being served around the office.
My biggest thing was figuring out breakfast. For myself, I just was never hungry first thing in the morning. So I'd bike to work. Now I've arrived at work on an empty stomach, and I'd want to eat everything in site. And it didn't matter how many "healthy" breakfast choices I'd keep stashed at my desk, I'd eat them all!
So I turned to green smoothies. It doesn't matter if I'm not hungry, because it's a beverage.
Some kale, almond milk, a tablespoon of wheatgrass powder, and handful of assorted frozen fruit, and I'm good to go. I've experimented with different items to add in to the smoothies. Some work, some don't.
I also experimented with gluten free. It did nothing for my waist, but my asthma and allergies went away, and my wife says I stopped snoring.
Between the smoothies, no refined sugars, and gluten free, I have way more energy to work out in morning, which has lead me to being in way better overall shape. I wish I had started doing this years ago!
Re: Diets
I stopped eating processed foods/grains almost entirely, and filled up on veggies instead. I lost 10 pounds the first 3 weeks, 6 more the next 3 weeks, and I'm now in week 7. I wasn't looking to lose weight in the least...just eat healthier. I didn't change my exercise habits at all. I'm hoping I stop losing weight and eventually level out, otherwise I will be concerned for my health. I might have to start eating processed carbs again. :O
Anyways, "common sense", yeah, I know, but it works for weight loss.
Be vewwy quiet, I'm hunting Lawwy
My kit: http://drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44195
Re: Diets
I always heard that diets don't work. It's a matter of changing your eating lifestyle or the weight comes back on.
In the end there's no way to get away from calories in vs calories out. The more sedentary your lifestyle, the less you should eat. The problem is that when you're sedentary it's easy and fun to eat!
I've been gaining weight since retirement. 2b, we both need a lifestyle change. A change of habits. Things we now eat regularly need to become treats. Treats we have now need to become more rare. And as Madge said, we need to get off our fat bums and exercise.
Re: Diets
It's a simple equation and diet is only one half of it.
Re: Diets
My wife got me onto the Aktins diet, and it actually works if you stay with it. At first it's very difficult and completely counter-inuitive to not eat bread, potatoes, pasta or rice, but I got used to it.
Drink lots of water. And you will be hungry, that's the truth.
Call me J
Re: Diets
To re-iterate once again:
In the end there's no way to get away from calories in vs calories out. The more sedentary your lifestyle, the less you should eat.
One thing that never seems to get enough mention is sugar. It is everywhere and in almost everything. "Fat free" stuff sometimes has gobs of sugar in it ... that that is what the body loves to convert to fat. Even things like dried mango, cranberries, etc. are often loaded with sugar. It's evil.
Little things can help:
Reduce sugar in your coffee until you don't have any.
Pass on the after dinner mints, the chocolates, etc. etc.
Stop drinking pop (and toxic diet pop).
I was lucky that my metabolism always stayed at about a 15 year old's level. Until I hit 40, then the body wasn't so forgiving.
And one more thing ... sigh ... beer ... limit it ... this was painful for me ...
Drink scotch. :)
Re: Diets
I'll run that extra mile, or do those extra 20 sit-ups. But take my beer? From my cold dead hands!
What will I wash my whiskey or vodka down with?
Re: Diets
Here's a tip though- do not wash your beer down with apple cider (learned this the hard way last weekend)!
Re: Diets
You should watch fat sick and nearly dead http://www.youtube.com/user/FatSickandNearlyDead
While I have not been able to go on an all juice fast (horrible headaches) I have incorporated them into a healthier diet with excercise and lost 15 lbs in the past three weeks and so far I feel much better than I did. I don't get tired and have energy to spare
Re: Diets
Wow, lots of great ideas. Thanks all for the info. I did shop tonight with my wife and I am starting a low carb diet (eating plan) starting tomorrow. I do get my exercise between walking, drumming and soon my 10 speed. My blood work is very good but due to my weight my BP is high. I also need to cut out the salt, my downfall. Salted peanuts and a few beers, nothing like it. I do agree it's a lifestyle change and maybe that's why I have failed in the past. I think that part of it has scared me! I have no idea why, maybe it's admitting that I need to change my ways?
Well the journey starts tomorrow, wish me luck. I know I will never get back into my 1970 silver sparkle pants (use them as a headband now lol) I just want to work on it a little at a time.
Thanks again, this is a great place :-)
Yamaha Live Oak, Magstar Drums, 1971 Slingerlands, Zildjian, Sabian, Paiste, Vic Firth, Remo
Re: Diets
Since I gave up smoking I've rekindled an affiliation with road biking that I haven't had in years. Change the diet, ride hard, ride often, lots of climbing and watch the weight fall off.
Best of luck with it!!
Re: Diets
Re: Diets
"I ain't got time to bleed." - Blaine
Re: Diets
"I ain't got time to bleed." - Blaine
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I have used CSLA for many years but am new to CodeSmith. I used the csla quickstart to generate an object from my db named Customer. It has a CustomerId as primary key. I have an asp project to consume the object. I add a CSLA datasource to the page and configure is by selecting either Customer or CustomerList from the available choices. Now I add a formview and connect it to the datasource. It generates the initila item view as expected. When I try to enter code in the SelectObject event to load the object there are no methods available to do so. Looking at the generaed code all of the factory methods are internal so I can get to them from the UI. How am I supposed to instantialte objects from the UI? Is it expected that everything will always be done through the collection objects?
The CSLA Templates look at the database relationships and try to make assumptions on business object types for you. CSLA has many different business object types and each have a different role (www.lhotka.net/.../CSLA4CheatSheet.pdf). A Child is meant to be internal and be populated by a parent object. Thus you can only access data on it. If you wish to use a public factory method then you need to change the business object type.
You can remove the CodeSmith Generator dependency on your projects by right clicking the CSP file and unchecking Generate On Build. I'm curious as to why you don't want your team to have CodeSmith Generator installed?
Blake Niemyjski
CodeSmith Tools, LLC. Software Development Engineer
Blog: http://windowscoding.com/blogs/blake/
.NetTiers team | Visit http://www.nettiers.net
Meant to say I can't get to the internal methods
I'm assuming that the CustomerObject is being generated as an EditableChild and thus the factory methods are marked as Internal. You could change the business object types by changing the Entities.cst values via Manage Outputs. You would need to choose a DynamicListBase And\Or an EditableRoot business object \ businessObject list type.
I just used the QuikStart, seemed like the place to go for the first time. What is the intention of the quickstart? I will look at the other templates, do they do the object from a list of seleced tables? I generated a dynamicdata app using the plinq quckstart. Runs fine, but when I give the project to another developer who does not have CodeSmith installed he can't open it. Get's an error about missing codesmith.targets. It is not our intention that every developer will have CodeSmith. How do we get around this problem?
Also, the objects generated by the quickstart have everything marked as internal. Even if my customer is an editable child, wouldn't it be a chlid of the CustomerList? SO the CustomerList should have methods that are accessible by the UI but they are not???
Blake Niemyjski:unchecking Generate On Build
The reason we don't generate on build is because the header on every execution of the code generators files changes to update text at the top of each file [CodeSmith: vx.x.x, CSLA Templates: vx.0.0.0, CSLA Framework: vx.x.x.].
This would change with every upgrade of CodeSmith Generator software and the with source controlled solutions, just adds an inconsequential change to the history for the file, so we selectively decide when to re-generate the code, based on the changes to the templates and by monitoring the template issues online.
Jamie ClaytonSenior Application DeveloperJenasys Design
This could probably be changed. If the whole team is using the same version of templates and CodeSmith this shouldn't be an issue. If someone wants to submit this to Google code to exclude this information that would be cool. Then just place your vote. The only thing from a support perspective. This makes it much easier to see what version of CSLA you are targeting and what versions you are running.
The reason to not have the whole team running CodeSmith is $$$$$. We have two full time programmers in this group and 6-8 part time students that help out. We don't have the budget to pay for a tool we would never want the students to use anyway. I will try turning of the generation but I think I did that already
Thanks for your feedback, we are always willing to work with you when it comes to sales. Please see this (docs.codesmithtools.com/.../Using+a+Generator+Project+inside+Visual+Studio) for more information on disabling the Generate on build feature.
I did a lot of VB.net CSLA testing yesterday with r2497 of the templates. I've found a few bugs and reported them to Issues register.
Issue 627 -
r2497 generates incorrect Business Rules namespace for VB.net (Patch included)
Issue 628 - CSLA vb.net r2497 Ignore Expression behaving badly.
Issue 629 - CSLA vb.net r2497 Selecting a Command (Stored Procedure) Fails
I also found the new View and Stored Procedure options hidden in this edition of the CSLA templates. WOOT! I found some further problems trying to use them, so it's not ready for use in the wild yet. Serious happy to see this coming through. You kept that quiet Blake
I've also got to say that the integration with VS 2010 is fantastic. I found the a problem in a *.cst, modified the template and regenerated in a few minutes. It took me longer to log the issue and send the svn patch file. The VS 2010 "Template Explorer" even shows all the SVN icons, so I know what I've change, now I'm syncing with repository.
Thanks for logging those. I'm looking into them as we speak.
Turning off the generation at build is a necessary step but it does not solve the problem of opening the project for a user without CodeSmith. If I don't have CodeSmith loaded on my pc then I get the error about missing codesmith.targets when the project loads. At this point the project is not loaded and I can't work with the generated objects. Our intention is to have a couple of people who design and generate the objects but other people will be working with them, adding business rules etc. So it is necessary for these other people to be able to open the projects and add their code. If we can't do this with CodeSmith then we have to scratch this off our list of possible code generators for our use.
That's exciting news. I had looked at CS/CSLA about a year ago but really need the ability to work from views and stored procedures. Lack of that feature prevented me from moving forward. I was hoping this feature was in place by now but at least it is almost there. Tables just don't map to objects directly so views/sp are workarounds. Even better might be generating from Entity Framework????
When you turn off generating on build, it removes all CodeSmith Generator references including the targets files. If you have multiple csp's in a project then you will need to ensure they are all set to not generate on build.
If all of them are set to not generate on build, and you are still getting this targets issue, then please send support your vsproject file only and we will take a look.


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6 for 6: Area boys' tennis teams sweep state quarterfinal matches
N.C. Science & Math and Carrboro will play for the NCHSAA 2-A Eastern Regional boys' dual-team tennis championship and a berth in the state 2-A championship on Thursday after both teams advanced through quarterfinal play Tuesday.
Also, Voyager Academy advanced to the East Regional 1-A title match at Raleigh Charter to be played Thursday. On Wednesday, Chapel Hill swept Southern Nash on the road 6-0 to advance to a 3-A semifinal showdown Thursday at Cardinal Gibbons.
In the N.C. Independent Schools quarterfinals Tuesday, Durham Academy advanced to the state 3-A semifinals at Cary Academy at 10 a.m. Friday with a 5-4 win over Providence Day and Carolina Friends School advanced to the 2-A semifinals Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Barton College with a 5-4 win over Gaston Day.
In the NCHSAA 3-A ranks, Chapel Hill had to postpone its Tuesday quarterfinal match at Southern Nash in Bailey when the team bus broke down along I-40 en route to the match. A makeup match will be played at 4 p.m. today in Bailey.
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NCSSM, a perennial 1-A state power now playing in the 2-A ranks, just got by state 2-A power Greene Central 5-4. Carrboro cruised to a 6-0 shutout of Croatan and Voyager won at East Carteret 5-2.
NCSSM was on the ropes all day, losing the Nos. 1-3 singles matches and the No. 1 doubles pairing. But the Unicorns won all the lower seeded matches,as Michael Kearney, Neeraj Suresh and Russell Aryeetey — who filled in for the missing Justin Yang in singles — coming up with wins at Nos. 4-6 singles. Then Danny Oh and Aryeetey and Suresh and Kearney picked up wins at Nos. 2-3 doubles to set up a Thursday 4 p.m. home match with Carrboro for the Eastern Regional title at Garrett Road Park.
NCSSM coach Richard McClenny, who coaches the state-power girls' team at NCSSM as well, said he'd never had a team win a match after losing its top three singles matches and No. 1 doubles match.
Voyager Academy picked up a pair of wins — in singles and doubles — by Harrison Stone and Christian Quick as the Vikings advanced to the semifinals in 1-A. Other Vikings winners were Luke Bennett and Tyler Herring in singles.
Durham Academy winners were Justin Warren, Jason Lapidus and Kenan Ulku-Steiner in singles and Jake Tillman/Ulku-Steiner and Davis Cromer/Kiran Nagar in doubles.
Individual scores for Carrboro and Carolina Friends School players were not available in time for today's paper.


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Rather than just letting developers respond, Apple should fix App Store reviews for everyone
Getting what you want and getting what you need are two very different things. Time and time again Apple has shown that rather than providing faster horses they'd rather create cars. Instead of opening up multitasking in iOS, they'd rather provide APIs so people can listen to Pandora, use TomTom, and make Skype calls. Apple isn't always right, but for anyone whose ever had to problem-solve user-facing issues knows, Apple typically takes the right approach.
That's why I don't think we'll see App Store developers gain the ability to respond to App Store reviews.
Google Play (the artist formerly known as Android Market) recently gave "top developers" just exactly that ability. Here are the highlights, courtesy of Phil Nickinson of Android Central:
This has been a long-requested feature, for the obvious reason. App reviews and star ratings mean life and death for an app. And while many customer reviews are helpful, you'll also see a number of reviews that don't make sense, or ding an app for something the developer has no control over.
Now, the developer can respond.
OK, so flamers and trolls are the negative side of this. On a more positive note, developers will be able to actively address issues and answer questions. (Until now, that's been next to impossible.)
One catch: Google's initially rolling out the feature to developers who have a "Top Developer Badge," but that should cover a good many of the most popular apps out there.
All in all, it's an excellent addition to the selection and purchasing experience on Google Play.
Matthew Panzarino of The Next Web talked to Apple developers and, not surprisingly, the ability to respond to reviews is their most-wanted feature for the App Store as well.
Google has cut the path here and Apple needs to follow. It would go a long way towards making the App Store a place for discussion about apps. Starting out with a subset of developers is an interesting way to ease into it, and allowing those replies to be sent directly to the commenters by Google email creates a conversation chain that didn't exist before.
All of the above it true. Allowing developers to respond to reviews is certainly a solution. But I'm not sure it addresses the core problems.
Not reviews
I'm not going to opine again about the need for trials on the App Store. I've done that ad nauseum infinitum. Many developers would likely prefer to refund an unsatisfied customer after 15 min. than endure a terrible review in the App Store for months or years.
So, if I constrain the discussion to the App Store reviews, the biggest problem right now is that many of the "reviews" are anything but. That's because, as long as someone has bought an app, they can pretty much fill in the App Store the "review" field with anything they want. And anyone can up or down-vote those reviews. And the calculation (or weighting) of those reviews and votes many times serve no useful customer purpose.
This results in an app's review section that's a quagmire of bug reports, price complaints, competitive astroturfing, feature requests, rants, seemingly random strings of text, and all sorts of other things that are decidedly not reviews.
If developers were allowed to respond, they could assuage complaints, assure users that fixes are on their way, explain pricing, point out astroturfing, address feature requests, counter rants, and otherwise mitigate negative perception.
Or they could fan flames and create even more chaos.
Apple is not Google. Apple is not Twitter, Facebook, a blog, or a forum. Open, unfettered communication isn't something for which has historically shown any interest. It's certainly not something they've historically put in front of tens of millions of customers.
Given the hundreds of thousands of developers on the App Store, any risk analysis on Apple's part would no doubt include what would happen if a developer responded in an inappropriate way. In bold. In neon.
Even with seasoned developers providing excellent customer service, it would only fill what should be "reviews" with even more content that's not reviews.
As much as Henry Ford's customers ultimately preferred cars to faster horses, and iOS users learned to live with Pandora, TomTom, and Skype rather than real multitasking, everyone might just be better served not by making "not reviews" more answerable, but by making the review system itself better.
Ubreaking App Store reviews
Giving developers the ability to respond back to App Store reviews, under the current system, is like giving a group of "not-going-to-take-it-anymore" citizens neighborhood watch shirts, whistles, and baseball bats.
Why not actually clean up the streets first?
Apple hasn't only intermediated the customer relationship for developers, they've actively obscured it. Because of that, whenever a customer has a problem, is feeling frustrated, or simply intends to be a jerk, the path of least resistance is to unload on the App Store.
Yes, Apple does provide support links to developer web sites but -- sorry developers -- many of those go to absolute junk pages that are anything but customer friendly, and often send users right back to the App Store.
Customer relationship management is incredibly important in any business. It's simple (if not easy) to get right, but getting it wrong can be disastrous. Reputations have been built and lost, and fortunes made and ruined, off the quality of a company's customer relationship management.
Given that reality, Apple, developers, and users would all be better served by Apple taking that path of least resistance, splitting it up, and providing some direction.
Instead of a user getting a blank text field to fill in willy-nilly, Apple could stage the review process. They could query the user up front to see if it's actually a review they want to leave, or if there's some other reason they're there. A few pertinent questions and flow options, and Apple could remove a huge amount of "not review" content from the App Store.
Report a bug. Request a feature. Get help. Get a refund. Post review.
Based on the response, users could get properly routed to better tools for handling their specific needs, including actually posting a review.
"Not review" content could ultimately be packaged and sent to developers directly for follow up, or Apple could provide a ticketing system within iTunes or iTunes connect for handling what should be direct customer interactions outside the App Store spotlight.
(I'd also encourage Apple to do a better job of hiding reviews, and especially star rankings, that pertain to older versions of apps. If an app fixed a 1.0 compatibility issue in 1.1, I don't need to see a 1 star review pertaining only to that.)
Right now App Store reviews are horrible for developers, for users, and for Apple. While giving developers the ability to respond to reviews would ease developer frustrations, allowing them to go from ball-gag to bullhorn, it wouldn't fix the core problem.
Letting reviews be reviews and filtering out anything that's not reviews is a better solution. It makes the content more relevant for other users, fairer for developers, and more valuable for Apple.
Then, even if developers are given the ability to respond, what they'll be responding to is more likely to be relevant, reducing the chance for potentially calamitous exchange, and creating better content for everyone.
Win. Win. Win.
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Reader comments
Rather than just letting developers respond, Apple should fix App Store reviews for everyone
I don't really see that as an answer. In fact, based on comments ( rebuttals ) that developers leave on their own forums, I'd say that a developer feedback is the wrong approach. A better approach would be to offer developers a single opportunity to directly respond to specific comments. Since comments are accepted by users that have installed the app & since Apple has the email addy of every customer, they could easily include a reply field for developers to introduce themselves & offer personal assistance to resolve any user dissatisfaction. The reply is sent to the user's email on file, but is not revealed to the developer, ever. The user can reply, the message is sent with the developer's email addy & at that point the 2 parties can conduct their communication personally & privately rather than possibly risk a developers short-sighted comments made public
Apple already holds the Sword of Damocles over each and every developer in the App Store, so I doubt they are concerned in the least about developers engaging in flame wars with users. They are, however, crucially interested in keeping the developer at arms' length from their users, because they want to make sure every such relationship is wholly dependent upon Apple.
In a very real way, Apple has succeeded, so much so that your point is not strong enough. Yes, some developers have crap CRM, but even when developers have quite competent customer relationship facilities, a large number of users are apparently so conditioned to going to the App Store only that they will unload there rather than seek the location where the developers are willing and able to assist them. This is the biggest point of frustration for developers and CRM -- when they can help the user, but users are unwilling or unable to find the help. I am not sure I would like every interaction between me and my customers having to travel through Apple as you propose, but it would probably be better than the current situation, where people unload through Apple, and I have no way to respond at all, and, unless Apple finds some way to better highlight the path/retrain users to find our customer support through the App Store, there might not be a better solution.
@Dev Apple must not be doing a good job of keeping developers at arm's length from their customers because I was able to easily contact the dev of a particular app that was broken AND get a refund from said dev, NOT Apple!
"at arm's length" was probably a bad choice of words. They are not trying to keep developers away from customers, but they are trying to make sure that the main path the path the user sees goes through Apple.
I am surprised that a dev gave you a refund not through Apple -- assuming they gave you a full refund, they essentially lost the 30% cut Apple takes there. Either way, I am glad you resolved your problem, though.
You mean like the Samsunng phones that already use that feature. It seems as if Apple is just catching up to the competition everytime they update our phones. Bought the 4s thinking I had the latest greatest. Boy was I wrong. Competition has always spurred innovation. So come on Apple, make me want to buy the next generation because it is truly ground breaking new tech and not just because I like Apple. Oh, to all the people who say a bigger screen is the wrong direction. If we had the bigger screens first or more choices of screens we'd be the one's saying bigger is better. We have no other choices. I wish Apple made multiple models to choose from. Just my 2 cent rant!
Given that someone wants to leave a review, an important factor is Reviewer Reputation. The overall upvote scores of this reviewer's reviews across many apps. Those who haven't left many reviews and that don't have many upvotes for their reviews should be lesser reviews than others and thus should be sorted to the bottom or subsequent pages. Only Amazon does a reasonable job of this.
Also, right now, the most recent review is the first review that shows up on the iPhone App Store. Literally the worst possible UI choice. You could have 2,000 good reviews and then some crazy guy comes along and puts graffiti on your review page that is posted right at the top on the biggest platform.
Right now, claiming something is "Not a review" as a developer seems to do basically nothing. Maybe if someone threatened criminal acts they would take it down, but almost nothing ever disappears. Standard for that should be raised way up.
It was worse when Apple asked users to review apps when they deleted them. That was a disaster. I (and probably a lot of other devs) wrote up a nice executive summery about why this helped no one. Not the users, not Apple and definitely not the developer. Now users are asked to leave a review after they have used the apps for some time (I suggested this as one way to improve the quality of reviews). Unfortunately I admit that I routinely click through that annoying box because it always seems to pop up when I am least interested in leaving a review. Perhaps they could gameify the review process so that the people leaving the best honest reviews get achievement points or status or something. They could link app purchases through Facebook so that their friends can see which apps they own and use the most. That may reduce the need for reviews to get good apps noticed.
Although I agree that they are not, technically, reviews, I find "[the] quagmire of bug reports, price complaints, competitive astroturfing, feature requests, rants..." both enlightening and useful. I agree with our esteemed author... my biggest complaint about the App Store is the lack of trials. I've used this feature several times on Android; conversely, I have had to delete App Store apps I paid for but found irretrievably flawed. My advice in such a situation: contact the developer and ask for a refund. This worked for me as, indeed, the developer chose to refund (and possibly give me his app for free) rather than risk public, negative feedback. Thanks for a great article!
I like the idea of feedback channels. And as Alan said before, it would be nice to have access to all of those. But perhaps we are biased to the side of more information is better. And Apple seems to be opposed to providing users with too much information up front and distracting them from their current task....the opposite of Microsquish design.
Amazon's approach is not bad. It would be better to see % of total per star rating as I generally look at how many people give 1 and 2 stars, then cull through those for something of relevance. But Amazon also provides a better UI for comparing products to each other in some respects.
Amazon also allows some companies to reply to users' complaints. Perhaps that is not the best forum, but I find it refreshing to see a company address an issue raised by a reviewer. Amazon also acts as a mediator between the buyer and seller if their is an issue requiring email communication. I have have only had to use this once but it worked well and the issue was resolved without the seller actually having my email address.
To the issue of dev rants....well if you are immature or psychotic enough to flame your reviewers then I think that will reflect appropriately on your future product reviews and sales. I assume Apple's concern is some isolated, unmonitored battle between devs and users showing up as a New York Times headline. I guess that explains Apple's Hu Jiintao approach to freedom of information.
I honestly think most of the review / response related issues could be mitigated by a trial system. Let Apple develop the APIs. Allow the devs to determine length of trial. Apple could even have a special section or filter just for trial apps in the app store so the user can monitor when their apps expire, and include "Buy Now" options. They could keep the current review system (or preferably expand it to the channels that Rene suggested) and also include a trial purchase/return ratio. Perhaps split the reviews into those that purchased and those that didn't.
This article spent more time telling me why this was a bad idea than convincing me that this is a bad idea. Honestly I think it's a great way to respond to people who are just straight up incorrect about certain functionality within an app. It prevents FUD and gives a Dev the ability to publicly address an issue or issue thanks for a great review.
I've read a couple of "why responding to reviews is a bad idea" blogs now. But still disagree. As a developer, there are occasionally misinformed 'reviews' or 'bug reports' that I'd like to have a visible response there re-assuring any possible customer that the issue has or is being addressed.
Actually, I'd really like to see the whole review stream replaced or supplemented with something more like a 'youtube' comments stream and so we can promote active 2-way community conversation about an app.


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Dale E. Beery, 89
Revered Dale E. Beery, 89, of Wayne Township in Adams County, Ohio died Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at the Adams County Manor in West Union.
The funeral service is Monday, Nov. 26, 2012, at 1 p.m. at Mt. Hope Bible Camp near Otway. The visitation is Sunday from 5 until 9 p.m. at Lafferty Funeral Home in West Union. The interment is at West Union Cemetery. A military service will be performed by the Adams County Honor Guard.
Paul Bruchett, 65
Paul Bruchett, 65 of Peebles, died Thursday, Nov. 22 at Kings Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, Kentucky. Arrangements are pending at Erwin-Dodson-Allen Funeral Home in Minford.
Mary Carter, 67
Mary Evelyn Carter, age 67, of Portsmouth died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012 at Bridgeport Healthcare Center in Portsmouth. Arrangements are pending with Wolfe-Nelson Funeral Home in Sciotoville.
Pauline Haselip, 88
Pauline Haselip, age 88, of Jackson, Ohio, died Tuesday November 20, 2012 at her residence. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Friday Nov. 23, 2012 at the Beaver Union Cemetery. Calling hours will not be observed. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cox Burkitt Funeral Home in Beaver, Ohio. www.coxburkittfh.com
Lillie Brown, 80
Lillie Murphy Brown, 80 of South Shore, Kentucky, passed away at her residence in South Shore, Kentucky, Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2012. Funeral arrangements pending at the Roberson Funeral Home in South Shore, Kentucky.
Timothy F. Schroeder, 62
Timothy F. Schroeder, 62, of Minford, died Wednesday, Nov. 21 at Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth. Arrangements are pending at Erwin-Dodson-Allen Duneral Home in Minford.


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June 9, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa - In difficult weather conditions at Drake University, senior Sherrina Lofton performed well on Thursday and is in sixth-place after four events of the Heptathlon at the NCAA Championships.
Lofton opened the competition with a time of 14.31 in the 100 meter hurdles to earn 935 points. She placed second in her heat and 17th overall. Lofton's season and career-best was 14.06 in the multi-event portion of the Big West Championships.
"Sherrina's time was good considering the conditions," said assistant coach Avery Anderson.
In the high jump, which was moved indoors due to the weather, Lofton cleared the bar on her first attempt at 5-5.25 (1.66) before missing all three attempts at 5-6.50. She placed 12th in the event to add 806 points to her total.
Next it was on to the shot put and Lofton again finished among the top-12 as she posted a season-best of 37-10 (11.53) on her second throw. Her mark was good for 630 points as the first day of competition wrapped up with the 200 meters.
It was the final event of the day that Lofton shined. She came in with a season-best of 24.11 and finished just .02 off that time. By running 24.13, Lofton was second and added 968 points to her day one total of 3,339.
"Sherrina is in good position after day one," said Anderson. "We just have to do a good job of managing how to compete against the elements as well as the competition in each event."
Friday's final three events include the Long Jump, Javlin and 800 meters.


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Enrollment in a 2UWF program guarantees admission to the University of West Florida, providing a seamless transition to university from one of our partnering institutions.
Institutional Partnerships
UWF has partnered with Gulf Coast State College, Northwest Florida State College, Pensacola State College, and Tallahassee Community College to provide students with an easy transition to UWF, as well as, enjoying the benefits of being a UWF student while pursuing their AA degree.
Benefits of the 2UWF Program
The 2UWF Program offers collaborative academic advising from UWF Transfer Advisors and an on-site 2UWF Program Coordinator located on the GCSC, NWFSC, PSC, and TCC campuses. Students will also receive access to UWF services and benefits before they enroll. Students who complete an associate of arts degree at GCSC, NWFSC, PSC, and TCC are guaranteed admissions at UWF, contingent upon meeting the minimum transfer requirements.
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- Affordable bachelor's degree from an accredited and respected public university
- Options to complete a bachelor's degree at one of three University of West Florida's locations:
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To participate in a 2UWF Program a student must:
- Meet current admission criteria at a state college partner.
- Have earned fewer than 30 credit hours.
- Be in an associate of arts degree program with a minimum overall combined 2.0 GPA as computed by UWF. (Individual departmental requirements may be higher)
- Be in compliance with the code of conduct at a state college and is in good academic standing.
- Not attend another institution between the time you graduate from your current state college and enroll at UWF.
- Formally enroll in UWF within one year of having completed an associate of arts degree.
- Not have previously graduated from a state college partner.
See if you qualify by completing the 2UWF Joint Admissions Agreement & Declaration of Past Conduct (.pdf) form and submitting to the 2UWF Program Coordinator, Mr. Kyree Whitehead, via email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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At a recent meeting, Aiken County School Board members and district administrators formally recognized the Aiken Performing Arts Group for its contributions to education outreach in the county schools.
APAG also invites students to the URS Center for the Performing Arts for special performances and student participation. For more than six years, APAG has brought in virtually all musical genres – chamber music, classical, jazz, bluegrass, Broadway and more through vocalists and instrumentalists.
The organization has hosted more than 60 outreach programs that have featured national and international artists, said Tammie Newman, the school district's public information specialist.
"APAG is a nonprofit that walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to keeping the music alive in our classrooms," Newman said at the board meeting. "Our students and teachers appreciate the extended hand and entertaining lessons provided by this group."
Representing APAG at the meeting were Tony Ateca, the program's president, Arts Administrator Cathy Traver and Bob Kelley, the education outreach director. Ateca and Kelley are volunteers along with many others.
"I've been with them for two years, and it's so neat to see the impact of it," said Ateca. "It has been a big learning experience. In our last six shows, there is so much behind the scenes."
Kelley also has supervised for the past three years "Instruments in Your Attic." Many Aiken County residents and those beyond have donated scores of musical instruments to APAG. The organization has coordinated their repair and cleaning, and those suitable for use have gone on to bands and music programs in need.
"When the instruments are delivered to the schools, the students and music teachers come out, and it's like Christmas," Traver said. "We felt so honored and thankful at the meeting, and it validates the work our volunteers do."
The donations were fantastic the first year, Kelley said. Perhaps not surprisingly, the number has decreased over the years. As a result, Kelley said, APAG began applying for grants, and its members and the School Board are excited by the generosity of two businesses. Praised at the meeting were Bi-Lo Charities for contributing $8,340, and Walmart on Richland Avenue for $4,830.
Accepting congratulations at the board meeting was Julia Butler, a Walmart assistant manager. The schools scheduled to receive the latest new and previously used instruments include New Ellenton Middle School, Ridge Spring-Monetta High School, Paul Knox Middle School, Schofield Middle School, J.D. Lever Elementary School and East Aiken School of the Arts.
APAG has provided some unusual programs. Traver noted that Kevin Spencer of Spencer's Theater of Illusion worked with a small group of autistic children at one school and also met with special education teachers.
"He gave them some tools to help children learn in a different way," Traver said.
Many principals and teachers have expressed their gratitude about the outreach efforts, among them Midland Valley High principal Carl White.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for our students to get musical exposure," White said. "They've gotten experiences they wouldn't get to see all the time. I travel with them to special events, and I enjoy being in attendance with them."
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Police: Man dead after hut fireFebruary 07,2013ST. ALBANS The St. Albans police department says a homeless man was found dead after fire destroyed a small hut on the edge of the Vermont city.
An autopsy is being conducted on the body of 54-year-old Richard Poquette to determine the cause of death, but police say the body had severe burns when it was found late Tuesday afternoon and indications are it was an accidental fire death, which may have been started by a burning candle.
Police were called to a wooded area, about 100 yards from North Main Street, at about 4:10 p.m. Thursday after a caller reported finding a body. Poquettes body was found outside the hut, which had been destroyed by fire and was still smoldering.MORE IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Officials from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources are going to be holding a... Full StoryMONTPELIER The state Public Service Board on Friday announced it would fine Vermont Gas Systems... Full StoryMONTPELIER Less than a month after Vermonts out-of-state inmates were moved from a private... Full Story
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- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1472, Orkney, Shetland islands put up as collateral by Norway to Scotland in lieu of dowry for MARGARET OF DENMARK on her marriage with JAMES III, king of Scotland; 1962, JOHN GLENN first American to orbit Earth.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: City mayoral candidates debate campaign issues; Hartford, Conn., woman still missing; Neal Goswami reports attempts to legislate suicide; local woman loses 100 pounds through TOPS program.
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1878, JOHN TUNSTALL murdered near Lincoln, New Mexico, by the outlaw JESSE EVANS; in 1930, ELM FARM OLLIE first cow to fly in aircraft, first to be milked airborne; 1955, nuke test WASP; '79, snow in Sahara.
- TOMORROW'S HEADLINES TODAY: Rutland Herald News Editor Alan J. Keays and staff writer Gordon Dritschilo discuss stories planned for the February 18, 2015, edition of the newspaper: Winter budgets maxed, legal marijuana, Springfield bank job, USPS slowdown
- RICHARD'S POOR ALMANACK: On this day in 1249 AD, ANDRE of LONGJUMEAU is dispatched by LOUIS IX of France to meet the KHAGAN, ruler of the Mongol Empire; in 1804, during 1st Barbary War, STEPHEN DECATUR scuttles the pirate-held USS Philadelphia in Tripoli.


text: Guerlain Bal de Mai (160) Rouge Automatique Lipstick ($35.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a medium-dark, coral-red (that leans more pink than red) with subtle gold micro-shimmer and a slight shine to the finish. It has a little more than semi-opaque color coverage, as you can see just a hint of my lip freckle peeking through. When I wore this alone, I had just under five hours of good, even wear, before it began to fade–better than average.


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CRESTVIEW — When Nina Métier and Vincent Fouasson, both 15, arrive in Crestview from France in a few weeks, organizers hope any qualms they might have about plunging into a new country and culture will vanish when they discover they'll be in the hospitable care of Amarissa Marrero and Kyle Davis and their respective families.
Amarissa and Kyle, both Crestview High School juniors, are among the student hosts with whom 21 students from Crestview's island sister city, Noirmoutier-en-l'Île, will stay during their Oct. 26-Nov. 8 visit. For most of the French students, this will be their first experience in the United States.
Crestview's student hosts said they anticipate the opportunity to discover similarities and learn about the differences between our cultures. Amarissa and Nina have been corresponding on Facebook in advance of Nina's arrival.
"I'm looking forward to learning about her way of life," Amarissa said. "I want to get a better understanding of her culture and the way French people see things.
Kyle said he learned he and his guest already have something in common.
"I can't wait to share my musical interests with Vincent," he said. "He plays bass and I play guitar. I'm excited to play some music with him and show him around."
City leaders noted the opportunities the upcoming exchange brings to the community.
"It's great for our citizens to learn more about another country, its culture and traditions, as well as being available to our visitors to teach them about our American culture," Mayor David Cadle said.
From the Noirmoutrins' last visit, Cadle also had a cultural lesson, learning something about the French palate.
"The last time they visited, I hosted a fish fry for them but they were a little unsure about the grits, so we're providing barbecue this time," he said.
Sisters since 1995
Crestview and Noirmoutier united in 1995 under the auspices of Sister Cities International, part of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1950s citizen diplomacy initiative. Aileen Barley and her son Joe helped start Crestview's participation in the program. Several area communities were vying to be chosen by Noirmoutier's committee as their twin city.
"My mother and I were the first ones to go over there," Joe Barley said. "Shalimar didn't get it. Niceville didn't get it. Fort Walton Beach didn't get it. Crestview got it!"
He said the late Russell Sneddon, former director of the Air Force Armament Museum, was a driving force behind organizing a local Sister City organization. Once the Crestview City Council, spearheaded by late Councilman Sam Hayes, approved the partnership, an initial exchange of visitors was arranged. The French hospitality immediately captivated the local contingent.
"Oh, we had such a good time," Aileen Barley recalled. "They are such very nice people."
Exchanges between the two communities include educational, cultural and economic components. When a group from Crestview last visited Noirmoutier in 2010 for the 65th observance of France's liberation at the end of World War II, two members of the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce went along and studied the island's industries.
During this year's visit, a member of the University of Nantes faculty will meet with chamber of commerce leaders to establish student internship exchanges. Informal exchanges have already been taking place. Last summer, a French journalism student interned with the News Bulletin.
Every two years, the Soundsations and Madrigal show choirs of Northwest Florida State College travel to Noirmoutier for performances, and Crestview High School French Club members have also made visits to the island. During the exchanges, participants always stay with host families to experience more fully the local culture.
Lasting impressions
During Monday evening's host orientation at the Crestview Public Library, Sister City members told host families that how they welcome their guests will help form lasting impressions of the entire country. Noirmoutrin students who visited in Crestview in 2009 recently said their memories of their experience are all positive.
"I was struck by the desire of my host family to share their culture, welcoming me into the family so that I felt at home and consider myself a part of the family," Bruno Gallais said.
"I have very fond memories of my host family," Rozenn Relandeau said. "I was received as the daughter of the house and they did everything to make my stay as pleasant as possible. I liked their kindness. They spoiled me and gave lots of gifts. I much appreciated all they did."
"I would really like to return to Crestview," Bruno said. "The trip was for me a true sharing of culture, life and friendship. I loved it."
Members of the local Sister City organization hope Nina, Vincent and their classmates leave Crestview with equally fond memories. And Crestview hosts hope they can soon reciprocate and visit their new friends in France.
"Oh definitely, I want to visit her," Amarissa said. "I can't wait."


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More than just a way to achieve her Girl Scout Gold Award, Aiken High School freshman Catherine Miller wanted to bring dancing and those with special needs together.
"I've been a dancer at the Burns Dance Studio since I was 3 years old," Miller, 14, said. "I wanted to do something with dancing and kids with special needs, teaching them rhythm and movement. I think they are all great people. I know a couple from high school, and they are all very sweet and generous, and I'd love to work with them."
Burns Dance Studio will host an open house and registration Oct. 18 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. located at 831 Neilson Street. Those interested in registering for classes can learn more about the program and meet those involved who will be assisting, including Miller. Classes will meet on Friday from Oct. 26 through Dec. 6, except during Thanksgiving break. The time of dance classes will be determined based on registration, however the Studio hopes to offer 30 to 40 minute classes and, if needed, run two classes.
"What we have is an opportunity for parents with kids who might not really think about calling up a dance studio," Corey Burns, studio director, said. "We're trying to make an opportunity where that question is off the table."
The classes, also in collaboration with TeachTown's emotional products for children with autism, are open to any family with a child who has special needs. The classes are designed to let the child be at the studio and feel uninhibited.
"The whole goal there is for kids with special needs to go into the studio and not have parents worry about is my child going to be too much of a burden," Burns said. "They might even wind up on the stage at a recital."
Miller said she hopes all the kids who participate feel as if they are a part of something and just feel normal.
"I want this to be an ongoing thing, and, hopefully, other things like karate would have their own special needs classes, too," Miller said. "I hope it spreads out. I love the idea for this project, and I'm very excited to do it."
For more information about the Burns Dance Studio, visit www.burnsdancestudio.com.
For more information about TeachTown, visit www.teachtown.com.
Maayan Schechter is the city beat reporter with Aiken Standard and started with the paper in July. She has a degree in mass communications-journalism from the University of North Carolina Asheville.
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The weather forecast for Saturday's Port Arthur Tattoo is fine and mostly sunny with light winds and a maximum of 21 degrees Celsius - ideal conditions to enjoy the massed pipe and military bands of Tasmania performing against the backdrop of the World Heritage listed Port Arthur Historic Site penitentiary.
The inaugural Port Arthur Tattoo is presented as a generous show of support to the local community following the January bushfire emergency which effectively put a halt on business operations for ten days during the ordinarily, very busy month.
A committee of band representatives from across the state, coordinated by the Tasmania Police Pipe Band, have collaborated to stage this performance. The Rosny branch of RACT is sponsoring and the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (PAHSMA) is proud to present the event.
The Port Arthur Tattoo program will feature exhilarating performances by The Tasmania Police Pipe Band, The Clarence Concert Band, City of Hobart Highland Pipe Band, St Andrews Caledonian Pipe Band, Derwent Scottish Pipe Band, Hobart Australian Navy Cadet Band, Army Band Tasmania and the fleet footed Hobart Irish Dancers and the Hobart Highland Dancers. Entertainers Andrew Colrain and Daryl Peebles will delight as your comperes for the show.
The Port Arthur gourmet barbeque will be available packed with tasty treats and local distiller William McHenry & Sons will be on site to tempt you with his single malt whisky.
Pack your tartan picnic blanket, stake your spot on the grass and enjoy an amazing performance, stunning heritage, delicious food, whisky and wine, all at Port Arthur.
Why not make a weekend of it? For accommodation ideas and inspiration, check out the Tasman Region website at www.tasmanregion.com.au or www.tassiecomebacktour.com.au
The Port Arthur Tattoo
Saturday 6 April at the Port Arthur Historic Site
Performance commences at 4.30pm, concludes approximately 6.30pm.
Access to the performance is included in the cost of Port Arthur Historic Site entry. After 3pm entry is free of charge for those attending the Tattoo.
See website for more details www.portarthur.org.au or Freecall 1800 659 101.
© 2010-2011 This page was produced by the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority.
Use of this website is subject to our disclaimer and copyright notice. This is our Customer Service Charter.
This page www.portarthur.org.au/index.aspx?base=5558 was last updated Thursday, 1 April 2010.


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We are just too excited about football over here at McFarlane Toys. Our College Football and NFL Legends action figures are in stores now. And we have plenty more football action figures heading to stores soon.
What could get better than that? How about a first look at our latest football action figure assortment?
NFL SERIES 22MATT FORTÉ - Chicago BearsMATT RYAN - Atlanta FalconsADRIAN PETERSON 2 - Minnesota VikingsMATT CASSEL - Kansas City ChiefsTOM BRADY 3 - New England PatriotsNFL Series 22 will be heading to stores this December. Read below for more information about this impressive action figure lineup.
Matt Forté
The Bears rookie running back burst onto the scene starting all 16 games and breaking the franchise record for rushing yards by a rookie (1238 yards) and receptions by a rookie (63 catches).
Matt Ryan
The Falcons quarterback was named the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the year by completing 265 of 434 passes for 3340 yards and 16 touchdowns. He became the first rookie quarterback to start all 16 games and lead his team to the playoffs.
Adrian Peterson
2008 was a banner year for the second-year Vikings running back, as he led the NFL in rushing and set a new Vikings single-season record with 1760 rushing yards.
Matt Cassel
This former New England Patriot stepped in for quarterback Tom Brady after he was injured in the first game of the 2008 season. He guided the Patriots to a 10-5 record, throwing for 3,946 yards and 23 touchdowns. The polished 5th year signal caller was traded in the off-season and will be presented in his new Kansas City Chiefs uniform.
Tom Brady
This NFL legend returns from a season long injury to quarterback the Patriots in 2009. Holder of numerous regular and postseason records, Brady enters 2009 with a record of 101-27, which is the best record of any NFL quarterback in the Super Bowl era with at least 100 starts.
A change is coming with our upcoming SportsPicks lines and this exciting new program will be introduced with NFL 22. Stay tuned to McFarlane.com for updates to this upcoming football action figure series.
To find a retailer near you, check out our Where to Buy section.
To see more football action figures available now, click here.


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Since last summer, Google has changed its algorithm so that search results now automatically include relevant local results. For many businesses this is an important feature that can increase the amount of visitors to their web site and also the overall awareness of their website without paying for it.
If your services or products are listed on Google Map, your businesses offers, that are relevant to a special area of searched keyword, will be listed on page one above the first regular result. People will also see the exact address of you businesses and users' reviews about your products and services. Read more »