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It is impossible for fans of the classic horror film Carrie, such as myself, to not compare Kimberly Peirce's new remake to its 1976 predecessor.
Brian De Palma made the original Carrie into a timeless, blood-filled revenge fantasy with his fresh and inspired take on the best-selling Stephen King novel. It is an iconic movie that explores the perils of religious fanaticism, the wonder of supernatural powers and the pain of high school cruelty. The original Carrie is just as heartbreaking as it is it horrifying, garnering the audience's sympathy for the mistreated protagonist. Sissy Spacek made a damn good Carrie with her natural gaucheness and always frightened, wide-eyed gaze.
Chloe Grace Moretz, on the other hand, is — let's face it — too cute and self-assured to be anywhere near convincing as the new Carrie. While talented, she lacks the believably awkward touch that Spacek brought to the character with both her appearance and superb acting. Additionally, one of Moretz's most notable roles as the deadly Hit Girl from Kick Ass made it difficult for me to see her as a vulnerable victim (although it made her violent use of telekinetic powers more fitting). I continually questioned why the Carrie portrayed by Moretz was so outcasted, as she seemed normal albeit a little shy.
The portrayals of Carrie's high school peers also fall flat. Chris (Portia Doubleday) is an underwhelming ringleader of bullies, not nearly as mean-spirited and malicious as in the original. In fact, her boyfriend Billy (Alex Russell) ends up running the show on tormenting Carrie come prom night, further weakening Chris' role as a true antagonist. Sue (Gabriella Wilde) is Chris' remorseful sidekick who has a change of heart and convinces her boyfriend, Tommy (Ansel Elgort), to take Carrie to prom.
She does this to make up for what happens in the infamous shower scene, during which Carrie starts her period without being aware of what is happening, fears that she is dying and gets teased by all of the other girls who throw feminine products at her and chant, "Plug it up." The gym teacher, Miss Desjardin (Judy Greer), later lets the girls know just how rotten they are for what they did. Despite this, it is confusing as to why Sue would turn her back on Chris and forgo prom, something so important to her, due to the film not delving far enough into Sue's personality or guilt.
Julianne Moore gives the only redeeming performance as Carrie's mother, Margaret. With her unkempt hair and self-inflicted harm, she portrays a compelling religious zealot, tortured by her misguided ideology. Her abuse toward Carrie — slapping her and repeatedly forcing her into the prayer closet — is effectively disturbing. The added opening scene (Spoiler Alert) with her giving birth to Carrie and attempting to murder the newborn provides the audience with more of a background on her character than does the original. She cogently delivers the well-known and heartbreaking line, "They're all gonna laugh at you," foreshadowing the soon-to-be telekinetic massacre at Carrie's helm.
I might have liked Carrie had I not seen the original, as the story stays true to the previous film and is still a haunting tale of abuse and its consequences. The movie is filled with clever religious imagery and is visually pleasing, especially during the massacre scene. However, the ill-fitted cast and lack of ingenuity on the director's part ultimately disappointed me. While the new Carrie may seem like a fun and appropriate movie to watch with Halloween around the corner, it's hardly worth the ten dollars it costs to see in theaters. Plus, the 1976 version is currently available on Netflix so there really is no excuse to miss out on the sheer brilliance of the original. Grade: C-
How many times have you found yourself with an idea that could change your community for the better? If you had an opportunity to make your idea a reality, would you take it?
These are two of the questions at the heart of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's Big Idea Challenge. The Foundation asked Cincinnati locals to submit ideas for improving their communities.
After receiving more than 200 entries, the foundation narrowed the contest down to 21 finalists in all, each with dreams of bringing education, culture, green living, wellness and thriving local business to the community.
CityBeat film critic tt stern-enzi is one such finalist. He hopes to launch WatchWriteNow, an after-school film club devoted to the development of critical thinking and creative writing skills.
"WatchWriteNow started thanks to my work as an independent contractor with Lighthouse Youth Crisis Center and a few Cincinnati Public School after-school programs," stern-enzi writes in an email interview. "The impetus was to bring filmed content in to high school students, to let them critically discuss works that might be accessible to them in ways that subjects in the classroom might not be."
stern-enzi hopes to improve education within the community by teaching film appreciation and the critical skills to express it in writing to local high school students. The concept is similar to an overseas program called Film Club UK, which was started by critics and filmmakers in order to bring film and critical discussion into classrooms — not just as an after-school activity but as part of the curriculum.
stern-enzi was inspired by his own high school AP English teacher, Cleve Latham, at the McCallie School for Boys in Chattanooga, Tenn.
"Mr. Latham let me talk about Blue Velvet after I saw it multiple times during its opening weekend back in 1986. To see a teacher grant that degree of respect and authority to a film, to allow an AP class to crack that 'text' open for analysis was the trigger for what has become not just a career path for me, but a real life's passion. And I want to be able to pay that forward for at least one of the students I encounter now."
Now through Sept. 27, the foundation is asking the public to vote for their favorite Big Idea finalist. One winner in each category — Strong Communities, Cultural Vibrancy, Job Creation, Environmental Stewardship, Educational Success, Health & Wellness and Economic Opportunity — will be chosen based on the number of votes received.
"This can't be accomplished without community involvement," stern-enzi writes, "which is why the voting format for the challenge is so exciting. If we want projects like this as part of the Greater Cincinnati landscape, we must be prepared to support the foundational efforts to get them off the ground."
The winners of The Big Idea Challenge have plenty of resources to make their dreams a reality.
In addition to cash prizes of $500 to $1,000, the foundation will also find a nonprofit organization to implement the seven winning ideas and provide grants of $5,000 to $50,000 to spring the ideas into action.
One of the finalists will also be selected to receive a grand prize, contributed by the members of the Foundation's governing board.
Voting for The Big Idea Challenge wraps up Friday, and winners will be announced in October.
There is a story embedded in this review. Maybe, in fact, this isn't a film review at all, just a story, several stories, like little assignations – drawing a reference there to a Joyce Carol Oates collection of short stories that triggered in me a desire, for the first time in my adult life right after college, to pick up the proverbial pen and write. The Assignation assembled pieces that were brief, sometime no more than a paragraph long, but even the shortest of the shorts told so much, too much about their subjects.
And that is what Sarah Polley, the Canadian actress and now writer-director, whose documentary Stories We Tell is ostensibly the focus or subject here, has done; she has spun the most amazing and haunting of stories about (and with the assistance of) her family and a secret that had remained unspoken for so long among them. It seems Polley's mother Diane, an actress and later a casting director in Toronto, married Michael Polley, an actor and writer, had three children – Sarah being the third – but this bright and passionate woman found herself seeking a love that matched her own. Failing to do so within her marriage, she stumbled headlong into an affair, while working on a play in Montreal, which produced Sarah.
Diane and Michael resumed marriage life after the end of the show and raised Sarah together until Diane's early death in the late 1980s. Sarah was approximately 11 years old and left to grow up in the loving comfort of Michael Polley, but thanks to a series of family jokes about her parentage, Sarah, began a quest to discover the truth about her father. Stories We Tell, built on the framework of frank interviews with her siblings and Michael, along with extended family, friends, and fellow artists from those early days, captures her telling of this story of the surprising revelation and its impact on everyone involved.
What is the story, her story, but a collection of memories, fragmented perspectives on the truth? It is a thing of intriguing beauty to watch unfold, raw and honest, but always, in every moment, calling into question, the notion, the very idea of truth. What is the truth?
No one lies; they tell what they can, from their point of view, but the truth, as we find out, is not something that one person can know, not without being privy to all other points of view. And when we tell our own stories, we are never as truthful as we might hope or desire.
But what Sarah has done is wrestle with the impossible. Her aim was to corral as many angles as possible, to tell the truth – the whole truth and nothing but. Although for all her effort, Stories We Tell falls short, in two ways.
We discover, along with Sarah, who her biological father is beyond a shadow of a doubt (thanks to DNA testing), and she works in not only his perspective but also that of his daughter from another relationship – another half-sister for Sarah who already has half siblings (a brother and sister) from Diane's marriage prior to her union with Michael as well as another half-brother & sister set from Michael. It is all rather confusing to document here, but the film grants each one of them their own time to speak and breath as more than mere characters before us.
But we never hear from Diane. She is the hole at the center of things, the voiceless presence that looms large, so large that the film nearly tricks us into believing that we have heard from her. We want to and our desire is so strong that we, along with Sarah maybe, convince ourselves that we have her from her. There are so many images – photos and video – of Diane that dance before us and tease us with thousands of unspoken words.
And in the same way, it could be argued that we never get Sarah's real story either. Her meticulous focus on gathering so much from so many allows her to disappear. I don't believe that was her intention, but still, it is the result.
How do we tell our own stories?
I have returned, again and again, to a quote from Roger Ebert's memoir Life, Itself, which I picked up about six months ago and read before his death. Speaking of advice he received once he took on the assignment of covering film, by way of Esquire critic Dwight McDonald and Pauline Kael: "I go into the movie, I watch it, and I ask myself what happened to me."
What happened to me, while watching Stories We Tell?
I found it difficult to separate from the story, which for me, was a focus on fathers and fatherhood. Like Sarah Polley, I grew up without knowing my biological father. That's not quite true. Unlike Sarah, I knew who he was, but he wasn't involved in my life and there were periods when I considered seeking him out. There have always been people close to me who knew where he was and would have assisted me in the search, but I always found reasons to back away from the quest.
At one point, I hatched a plan. I started a novel about the experience of finding him. My fictional telling was rooted in the idea of creating him from the snippets of anecdotes and traits I had been told over the years. Once the book was completed, I would track him down and compare notes, see how close I had come to realizing him on the page. I got about 13 chapters and pages and pages of notes into the project, but set it aside. That was almost 20 years ago and for the life of me, I'm not sure what put me off that time.
Two years ago, I finally accomplished the mission, driving down to North Carolina for a meeting, which lasted all of 30 minutes. He told his story, as best he could, in a breathless rush that led me to believe that he realized this would be our only meeting face-to-face. I sat and listened. I stared into his face. And now, as I sit here relaying the story, there's not much to tell. I don't remember much of what he looked like. I can't say that I found myself in any of his features. I do remember him saying that God brought me to him. He said it several times, but the truth, my truth at least, is that God had nothing to do with it. I came, I saw, and I returned to the only story that mattered.
This story was originally published on tt stern-enzi's blog, here.
What can I say about a man I never met, but who had been part of my life for decades? I, seemingly like a whole generation of film fans, watched Siskel and Ebert back in the 1980s, and then graduated to reading his reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times during my college years. Every Friday morning, I made my sojourn to the Annenberg School of Communications library and collected the Sun-Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Village Voice, and Variety so that I could prepare for the weekend's new releases. I didn't always go to the movies, but I wanted to know what the critics thought, which meant I wanted to know, first and foremost, what Ebert thought. I didn't always agree with him – many times, in fact, I was flummoxed by his wrongheadedness – but reading his take was a necessary and very personal prequel to the filmgoing experience.
I've been a working critic now for almost 13 years, and for the last seven I've also taught film review and feature writing classes at the University of Cincinnati. I never imagined I would be working in the same field as Ebert, even while I was taking undergraduate level class that examined film as text. I simply loved movies. Always have and always will. I know that last part will be the case thanks to Ebert. His love of the movies evolved as the form and critical analysis experienced their own growing pains. He made us all critics, by opening up an exchange that now, thanks to the Internet, has a global forum. What has been most inspiring about his work and approach over the last decade is his willingness to embrace technology as a means of broadcasting that very singular voice of his, overflowing with knowledge, but also immediately accessible. His sense of the need for accessibility is the greatest and most lasting impact he will have on criticism. It is what can and should continue to guide the would-be critics to come – the next generation of bloggers, tweeters, and those adherents to whatever is to come.
More established critics and writers have stories about meeting Ebert, spending time in his presence, what have you. My remembrance of the man is different. I'm one of those Johnny-come-lately types who "knew" him from afar. I've attended the Toronto International Film Festival for the last four or five years, and I recall, my first Ebert-sighting, about three year back. He and his wife were ahead of me on the escalator at the downtown multiplex space that serves as the main screening hub. They were engaged with others, talking very likely about the upcoming screening or maybe he was thinking about the Twitter event he was scheduled to host. Whatever was the case, there he was, despite all those years of globetrotting and a dizzying collection of screenings, still so full of life and joy for the festival experience. I didn't need to speak with him or even be near him. Just to know he was there, doing his thing, seeing movies, helping us to engage with them by any means necessary, was more than enough. I looked for him each year after that and was always glad when I spotted him. I'll likely do the same thing this year and I won't be surprised if my mind plays a little trick on me and I convince myself that I've seen him again, roaming about Toronto somewhere.
This story was originally published on tt stern-enzi's blog, here.
As a long time Thor fan, this movie has been on my calendar for months. Going into The Avengers I was excited but tried to keep my expectations from getting out of control. Fortunately, I didn't need to do that because the movie is that good. A lot of that credit has to go to writer/director Joss Whedon. Some of you might recognize the name because he created the television shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly.
The movie could have fallen apart from the beginning with so many big characters — both figurative and literally speaking — on screen at once. With Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk taking part in the story, any number of things could have gone wrong. Characters could have been underutilized — having four strong stand alone characters could have made them feel not like a team at all — but in the span of just a few hours, Whedon and company have created a giant leap for comic book fans and movies.
Whedon was the right person for the job because, based on his past work, he knows how to generate great characterization and interaction. He knows how to tell a story through the characters and not through the special effects, which was needed in a situation like this. Whedon, the other writers and the actors were able to make these comic book characters more human, so to speak.
The interactions between Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Bruce Banner/Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) were some of the best moments in the movie. Some of my favorites were Stark poking Banner to see if he will Hulk up, Thor giving a great one-liner about his brother Loki and Stark verbally sparing with Loki toward the end of the movie.
The story is simple enough: Loki (Tom Hiddleston) wants to take over and rule Earth and the Avengers have to stop him. The major battle doesn't take place until the end of the movie, but then again it does take up the final 30 minutes or so.
With Loki as the main villain in the movie it helps to have seen last year's Thor. It isn't a must to but it does help set up the relationship between Thor and Loki. Watching all of the individual movies helps with understanding some of the character traits in The Avengers, though the last the two Hulk films don't really do much for the character except see him smash through tanks and cities.
While Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk are the main heroes, there is a strong supporting cast around them. Scarlett Johansson is Agent Romanoff/Black Widow and Jeremy Renner is Agent Barton/Hawkeye, both agents for S.H.I.E.L.D. Clark Gregg returns as S.H.I.E.L.D agent Phil Coulson, and How I Met Your Mother star Cobie Smulders is Agent Hill. The guy who brings all of these characters together is Nick Furry, played by Samuel L. Jackson.
Tom Hiddleston is terrific as Loki. He is sinister, brutal and devious — after all, he is the Norse god of mischief, deceit and lies. I hope he returns in some fashion in the next Thor movie or the next Avengers. Robert Downey Jr. is back to his witty, sarcastic ways and he has some of the best lines in the movie. Mark Ruffalo is able to finally bring some credit to the Bruce Banner/Hulk character.
The Avengers is a great way to kick off the summer movie season. It combines wonderful action sequences, well done comedy and heartfelt drama in the span of 142 minutes. Whedon was a perfect fit for this movie because he understands character and doesn't rely on flashy explosions like some directors. If you like flashy explosions there are a decent amount in The Avengers but there is also some of the best character development/interaction I've seen in a Marvel movie.
The new trailer for the next Batman movie is two minutes of pure excitement for fans of the Christopher Nolan trilogy. The Dark Knight Rises will be the last in the Nolan trilogy, and by judging from how the stakes were continuously raised on Gotham City in his first two films, this one should be a beautiful ending to Bruce Wayne's Batman. That is, until someone else gets a hold of the cash cow franchise.
[Read tt stern-enzi's take on The Avengers here.]
Despite releasing the trailer, DC is taking a back seat to Marvel. For
years Marvel has had better movies than DC, with the exception of Nolan's
Batman, and recently the former has had a string of successful hits. This past
year along saw Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, two
widely popular characters that Marvel needed to establish before going ahead
with The Avengers.
DC has tried to branch out from Batman and Superman, but most of their efforts have resulted in ridiculed movies. The last Superman movie was terrible, but a new one is still in the works. Last year Green Lantern came out to mixed emotions from fans. Ryan Reynolds was surprisingly good; it was everything else that fell short in the movie. Weak villains and missed opportunities were the downfall of Green Lantern, but that is a whole other story. I will say that it was a decent attempt to start the push toward a Justice League movie.
In a way, Marvel wins the movie race because they are the first to release a movie based on their group of high profile characters. According to MovieTickets.com the pre-sale ticket numbers suggest that this movie is going to be bigger than the two Iron Man movies, Thor and Captain America. With sequels in line for the Captain, Thor and Iron Man, Marvel is going to be sitting pretty for the next few years.
This summer is going to be a great one for comic book fans. Not only is The Avengers opening up the summer blockbuster season, but The Dark Knight Rises releases July 20 and The Amazing Spider-Man on July 3. The third Men in Black movie comes out in a few weeks on May 25.
If you haven't heard of Jeff, Who Lives at Home that's probably because it wasn't widely advertised and only saw a limited release in theaters. It was a stroke of luck that the AMC at Newport on the Levee was showing it that night, or, as Jeff would put it, "a sign."
Ed Helms plays Jeff's older brother, Pat. Helms is a little out of his wheelhouse here, playing an all-around jerk who is trying too hard to be a successful guy, but he pulls it off nicely. Jeff and Pat don't get along but through series of synchronistic events end up helping one another.
Jason Segel tends to play lovable characters that a good number of people can relate to. Jeff isn't any different. Sporting unkempt hair, a scruffy five o'clock shadow and an old hoodie through the majority of the movie, Jeff is a guy you could find walking down the street right now, although maybe not as big — Pat calls him sasquatch at one point.
This was the first Indie-type film that I have seen in a theater and I was impressed. This was also the first Duplass brothers movie I've seen. Their last film, Cyrus, featured a son way too attached to his mother and had the same charm that Jeff, Who Lives at Home does.
Everything was fine until John Cusack walked in from the shadows. Don't get me wrong, his movies are some of my favorites and I love his work, but Cusack playing Poe is a strange combination. Maybe they wanted to have the same dark character they saw in Identity. There are a few people that I could see playing Poe. Off the top of my head, Sam Rockwell, Edward Norton and Gary Oldman are three guys who could pull off the dark character that Poe was. At least Cusack resembles Poe in the movie.
Maybe it is just the trailer that turns me off to Cusack filling the boots of the late American poet. In it, Cusack's delivery is dry and stiff. I don't feel any kind mystery that surrounds Poe. Some of his writings are real disturbing when looked at closely, but with Cusack the character appears to be deflated. I guess this hesitation comes from Poe being one of my favorite writers. For all I know, the trailers don't do the movie justice, which I hope is the case. Cusack is known for his obscure roles and disturbed characters, so this is probably a perfect fit.
The premise for the film has been done before, but since it's Edgar Allan Poe it gives the movie somewhat of a different angle. Some man is committing murders based on stories written by Poe, and then Poe has to figure out who the murderer is with the help of Detective Fields played by Luke Evans. If you're worrying about spoilers, don't be — all of that is in the trailer. I think I know who the murderer is already, but it's Hollywood so anything can happen.
Movies based off of literature are good as long as they keep true to the source material. It will be interesting to see what happens with The Raven. It feels like a mixture of the Sherlock Holmes movies and the Johnny Depp picture From Hell. We will all find out on April 27.
Another movie is being released today and me torn as to whether to watch it or not. The idea of a The Three Stooges film has bounced around for years, but now it has finally limped its way to the screen. Leave it to Hollywood to take a beloved comedic classic like the Stooges and churn out a mediocre-looking movie.
There have been many names were attached to this project, including Jim Carrey, Justin Timberlake, Andy Samberg and Paul Giamatti. Actually filling the shoes of the Stooges are Sean Hayes as Larry, Will Sasso as Curly and Chris Diamantopoulos as Moe. To me the only choice that makes sense is Sasso because he made a name for himself with physical comedy on Mad TV.
I'm surprised this is actually a movie, because it just looks horrible. I don't want to watch it but I probably will end up in the theater because the original Stooges are a great gift to slapstick comedy — I'll even give Curly's replacement Shemp a nod and say he wasn't that bad, either. But any movie that incorporates the Jersey Shore should just go straight to DVD.
The tagline for the movie is "Just say Moe" but someone should have told the Farrelly brothers to just say no. They are known for great comedies like Kingpin, There's Something About Mary and Me, Myself & Irene, but their trek into classic slapstick comedy appears to be anything but. As much of a fan as I am of the Stooges I hope I'm wrong with this one, and that at least Will Sasso is just as good as he was on Mad TV.
Movies that populated theaters in the '80s and '90s are making a comeback. Some are better than others but since there is a built-in audience, Hollywood is cranking out remakes and reboots left and right.
This practice has been done for years but recently more movies than ever have been redone. March brought 21 Jump Street with skinny Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. The buddy cop movie was actually funny and has made more than $90 million so far.
Other notable remakes over the last few years include Fright Night, Conan the Barbarian, Karate Kid, Clash of the
Titans, Footloose, Nightmare on Elm Street, Wall Street, Arthur and Die Hard. Out of the nine mentioned, only Fright Night and Die Hard were actually enjoyable (in my opinion).
The worst out of the bunch had to be Clash of the Titans. Cheesy acting and bad 3D effects plagued this Sam Worthington CGI-fest. Worthington did a better job in the ads for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 video game.
Now an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie is getting another look, and thank goodness it isn't Junior.
The first trailer for a new Total Recall was released Sunday. No, this isn't a late April Fool's joke. The remake to the 1990 Schwarzenegger movie is a real thing, and fans of not only the original but of science fiction in general should be giddy with anticipation.
The remake stars Colin Farrell, coming off of his performance from the 1980s vampire remake Fright Night, with Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel taking roles of eye candy. Will there be another three-breasted woman? Fans of the original can only hope. AMC's Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston plays the bad guy. The cast alone gives a lot more credit to this remake than most.
We will all have to wait to actually watch the thing to figure out if it's worthy enough to be considered a decent remake.
In other movie news, the next American Pie installment hits theaters today. To me, this is going to be a paycheck movie. Meaning, the original cast of characters is only returning because they haven't been in anything major in the last few years. Well, for the exception of Allison Hannigan who has been on the long running show How I Met Your Mother. Expect a lot of dick and sex jokes, which is essentially what the first movie was, but now the cast is much older.
The original American Pie was released in 1999 and was seen as a fresh take on the high school sex comedy. The second added on to that with more outlandish situations — like mixing up lube with super glue. American Wedding was thought to be the ending to Stifler and the gang's stories — compared to the first and second, it was somewhat of a letdown. Then came the straight-to-DVD American Pie Presents movies. I will admit, though, American Pie Beta House was a hilarious college comedy; women might not want to watch because it focuses on a misbehaving fraternity.
Squeezing film stars for as much money as possible is the norm nowadays with movie franchises – just look at Pirates of Caribbean. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions with American Reunion, but the pie lost its flavor a long time ago.
There is another reason that I visit the theater maybe two or three times a year, and that is the price of tickets. My student status means what little money I have goes to more important needs. Going to see a movie should be an enjoyable event not a troublesome occasion that breaks your bank account. Tickets, dinner and movie snacks can get incredibly expensive which is why I'm glad there was still a little tax return money left when I went to see The Hunger Games. I know this is a little late in regards to the movie's release, but better late than never.
With that being said, I didn't have any preconceived notions of the story, characters or setting. In some cases that is the best way to be introduced to a series. With a clean slate, that allows little room for disappointment. The only thing that I was really disappointed about was the use of the shaky camera, mainly in the opening and final scenes in the arena. Apparently director Gary Ross felt that using shaky cam work would help give a better portrayal of Katniss Everdeen's point of view and gave a sense of urgency to the movie. My only advice is that if you get motion sickness, be careful with this one.
There was one thing that went unnoticed though. Peeta, played by Union, Ky., native Josh Hutcherson, turned into a wimp in the arena. A big deal was made of how much weight he could throw around, even showing him picking up a spiked metal ball and hurling it across the room. I was expecting him to throw a heavy boulder at someone Braveheart-style. Instead, we were shown that he all he could do was camouflage himself to look like a rock. At least in the book he killed someone.
The Twilight books are horribly written — I wasn't able to get more than 20 pages into the first one before I had to stop — the English major in me came out again, rejoicing like the Wicked Witch was dead. Then the Twilight movies completely destroyed every bit of vampire lore ever created. Vampires don't sparkle and they can't go out in the sun. I guess I don't get the appeal of Twilight because I'm not a teenage girl. The choice of actors/actresses was strange as well, mainly because they give the same performance in each movie they are in. Check out Taylor Lautner's terrible action movie Abduction for a piece of wood with abs' best impression of acting. With that, I think I need to stop with the Twilight comments before it gets out of hand.


text:
I sit in an office all day. i learned by being fidgety i burn about 200 calories a day. I also hold a 2lb weight between my knees sometimes and lift my feet up off the floor :)
In October 2011 I was not able to complete a 5K walk that incorporated walking up 1000 steps (the annual Bisbee 1000, AZ). The next day I set out to lose 65 pounds and increase my strength and endurance so I can go back in 2012 and complete the walk. That is my motivation to "train."
When I am making dinner, or a meal or snack for the kids. I chew sugar free gum.....this keeps me from "picking" at the food.
I walk my dog everyday for 20-30 minutes each time, most of the time twice a day. he needs it and won't settle for less.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Updated Jul 10, 2013 - 7:39 am
2 girls reported missing in Sierra Vista found OK
SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. -- Authorities in Cochise County say two Sierra Vista-area girls who were reported missing have been found and are OK.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Carol Capas says a 14-year-old and a 5-year-old cousin who live in the same residence apparently went to a church Tuesday evening and ended up staying with family friends.
Search and rescue personnel had searched a wash area after the girls didn't return home after saying they were going outside during a Tuesday evening rainstorm to look for tadpoles.
The search turned up nothing.


text:
Homeschooled students win mock trial state championship, first team title
Walker, a senior at the Village Home Education Resource Center, said some of her teammates were new to mock trial this year. They'd had to cram in last minute practice sessions. Their team was small with only eight members.
Big M Little m Blog Post: Class Dismissed
October 28, 2014, posted by Big M Little
On Sunday night I went to see the premiere of the Documentary "Class Dismissed".**
This was monumental for two reasons. One, it is the first time I actually recruited a baby sitter for MJ (yes, she's 3) so I could do something. And two, it is the first documentary to really explore what happens when you pull a child out of school and convert from traditional schooling to homeschooling/ unschooling.
This documentary was absolutely captivating. It was extremely well done, thoughtful, and educational without being "preachy". I found myself completely inspired by it, without ever feeling like they were specifically making a judgement on you as a parent for your educational choice. It just really encouraged you to think about what education really means.
Class Dismissed in Huffington Post
Class Dismissed: New Indie Documentary on Home Education Receiving Amazing Audience Response
Huffington Post, October 23, 2014, Written by Christine Escobar
A new independent film, now showing in select theaters on the West Coast and making its way to the Midwest and East Coast in November, is currently screening to sold out audiences. Class Dismissed explores the fast growing movement in the U.S. toward home education and learning outside of the traditional confines of a classroom. Produced by 3StoryFilms, the movie follows a homeschooling family from LA who decide to take their two children out of school to pursue learning in a completely different way.
Class Dismissed in the Oregonian
Class Dismissed: Relearning Education
Homeschoolers Head to College
Tualatin Teen Dances to Glasgow
Tigard-Tualatin-Sherwood Times, Pamplin Media, Thursday, September 12, 2013, Written by Saundra Soreson
Taylor-Dixon has long admired Amelia's work ethic, which allows her to practice ballet about 20 hours a week on average while dancing for the pre-professional Northwest Dance Theatre - all while maintaining a grueling course load. While Amelia is homeschooled under the supervision of her mother, a former NASA researcher, she takes high-level math and science courses at Portland Community College. And she enjoys a few extracurricular activities through the Village Home Education Resource Center in Beaverton, participating in a Model United Nations program and a decorated mock trial team.
LO student lands in middle of Turkish riots
Village Home Celebrates 10 Years
Many local families use the education resource center
Lake Oswego Review, May 30, 2013, Written by Jillian Daley
Parents work hard to obtain the best education for their children in the Lake Oswego community, but not all local families go about it in the same way.
About 45 Lake Oswego families have been members of the Village Home Education Resource Center in the past five years. Located in Beaverton and Northeast Portland, Village Home offers more than 200 classes and resources to its 275 families. The education center will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a big bash today in Portland.
Read Full Story
How Homeschoolers Connect
Portland Kids Rock!
Portland Kids Rock with Benetar and Beethoven
KGW.com, June 13, 2012, Written by Cathy Marshall, KGW Staff
When you hear the word "orchestra" you may think of the serene sounds from composers like Bach and Beethoven. Some young musicians who will play at Portland's Newmark Theater on Friday would like you to add Pat Benatar and The Beatles to that list. They are members of the Portland Youth Rock Orchestra. At just 12-years old, Ava Creasy plays classical music and The Kinks on her viola. "With the rock I've had to learn to play faster," she said. That's just what the founder of the group had in mind.
Read Full Story
15 Year-Old Aspiring Opera Singer
Scripps-Howard Bee Winner and Runner-up from Village Home
Mock Trial Team Wins 4th!
For the first time, a 3-year-old team of home-school students organized through the Village Home Education Resource Center in Beaverton made it to state competition and placed fourth, behind third-place West Salem. (see full story)
Beaverton Team Named Co-champion
Beaverton's Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies and Portland's Nanites took home top prizes last weekend at the ninth annual Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League 2009 Championship held at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.
The competition theme, "Smart Moves," asked participants to transform the way we look at transportation.
The all-girl Rubber Duckies, from Village Home Education Resource Center, tackled the project of solving the germ problem within a busy hospital environment by conducting research at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland. The team presented a two-step solution composed of a unique air-purification system and an artificial-intelligence-driven cleaning robot......
Village Home Learner Connor Aberle Wins Spelling Bee
About Village Home Education Resource Center
Although most homeschoolers hate the dreaded socialization question, it is a subject they're all too familiar with, when they choose the path of homeschooling. After all, homeschooling means that it is now up to parents to make sure their offspring gets socialized. Portland is an extremely homeschool-friendly city and offers various coops, field trips, and even recreation center classes geared especially toward homeschooling families. See attachment for full article, or ONLINE
Robotics Skills Tested at OMSI Competition
Tyley Fitzgerald, 10, of Tigard (center) watches over her team's Lego robot at the FIRST Robotics Competition held today at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Lauren Mickelsen, 10, of Hillsboro (left) helped put together the robot for the Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies team. The wigs, tropical hats and imitation leis worn by Tyley and Lauren were in keeping with their team's theme of goofiness.
A Very Young Fiddling Champion
Listening to Isaaiah Ruby Jean Baltzell play her fiddle, it's easy to lose track of time. Isaaiah is practicing waltzes, hoedowns and rags, of the sort that families used to entertain themselves with in the days before television, radio or iPods. It takes work to be a champion, which Isaaisah is. In July, she won the Small Fry division at the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest and Festival, in Weiser, Idaho. Isaaiah also is fresh off a win in the Pee Wee (8 and under) category of the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers Association Willamette Valley Contest. Her brother, Gabriel, won the Junior-Junior (9-12) category.


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You are viewing a printer-friendly page from the Climate Change Institute website, online at http://climatechange.umaine.edu.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant
Climate Change Institute
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
I am graduate student / research assistant specifically interested in climate variation and glaciology. I recently graduated from Montana State University, Bozeman with a BS in the Earth Sciences (Geology program). While at MSU I conducted several independent studies, two of which were of great interest to me. Glaciation of the Shields River Headwaters, Crazy Mountains, MT explored three different glacial periods in an area otherwise unstudied. Trail Guides: Hyalite Canyon, Bozeman, MT created a website for the public to relate the beautiful sights they see while hiking to what events and forces caused such features.
I am currently working on the Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution (RICE) project, which will begin drilling ice in October of 2011. This research project should provide one of the highest resolution ice cores to date, on the scale of storm events from thousands of years ago.
Are you Thomas Beers? If so, log in to edit your profile.


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LONDON (TrustLaw) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy goal of stopping U.S. sanctions against Russian individuals and companies shows that his government is "working in the interests of corrupt officials", UK-based investment fund Hermitage Capital said on Wednesday.
Hermitage Capital has campaigned in the United States and Europe for sanctions to be imposed on more than 60 Russian officials who the company says were complicit in the death of its tax lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, or a cover-up of how it occurred.
Magnitsky died in a Russian prison almost a year after he was arrested on tax evasion charges. He had previously claimed that Moscow tax and police officials had embezzled $230 million in tax levied on Hermitage Capital profits.
"Putin's executive order (to prevent sanctions) shows clearly that the entire Russian government is now working in the interests of corrupt officials who have committed grave crimes," an unnamed representative of Hermitage Capital said in a statement.
"President Putin is ready to use the full resources of the state to fight sanctions but is not ready to do anything at all to prosecute his own corrupt officials who stole $230 million and who then tortured the whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky who discovered the theft," the statement added.
Putin's May 7 executive order instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry to work actively "on preventing unilateral extraterritorial sanctions by the USA against Russian legal entities and individuals".
It came less than a month after the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill aims to impose sanctions on those linked to the death of Sergei Magnitsky "and for other gross violations of human rights, in the Russian Federation".
Hermitage has also lobbied the European Parliament to enact sanctions against Russian officials linked to Magnitsky's death.
In a May 8 opinion piece published in the New York Times, former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt wrote it was time for an end to the "polite appeasement" of Russia by the United States and Europe.
"The adoption of similar laws on both sides of the Atlantic to block visas and freeze the assets of those Russian officials... complicit in the murder of Sergei Magnitsky... would have a sobering effect," said Verhofstadt, leader of the group of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament.


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Get Rich and Happy Online
August 12, 2010 by Audrey
Filed under Business Ownership, Marketing
That's where we all want to get to, right? Being rich AND happy? It is possible, that's what the Get Rich and Happy Event is all about.
I am one of the featured speakers at the event which is in Philadelphia Nov 5, 6, 7. The event is going to feature 14 amazing speakers in all – Jim Britt – Jason Oman – Ken McArthur – Jim Donovan – just to name a few.
I'm really excited to be speaking at the event. I'm going to be speaking about eCommerce and Online Marketing in general and welcome as many questions as attendees can throw at me all weekend.
Get Rich and Happy is going to be a killer seminar. The breadth of experience and perspectives from the speakers is massive. With so many different approaches and types of businesses you will learn how to take your business to the next level… the way YOU want to.
The cost for this event is almost ridiculous it's so low. For all 3 days with 14 amazing speakers, the cost is only $97.
I'll be on a webinar for the event this coming Thursday, August 19th at 8pm Eastern. If you want a taste of what the seminar will be like or what I'm like in person, join us on the call here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/707770489
Larry Steinhouse and I will be talking about eCommerce and online marketing and I'll be taking questions afterward. I'd love to hear from you.
The webinar is totally free, it's part of the Get Rich and Happy Event series Larry has been doing with the seminar speakers. It's going to be a great call and an even better event. Hope to see you at both!
eCommerce Incubator Is Open
August 4, 2010 by Audrey
Filed under eCom Incubator, eCommerce
It's been a long wait and I've been bombarded with emails asking about the program…
I'm happy to announce that eCom Incubator is finally open to the public!
Get your copy here: http://www.eComIncubator.com/open.html
If you buy before August 10th at midnight you can get the special discount price of $197.50. The regular retail price is $249.50, you save $50!
eCom Incubator is a complete 12 Week eCommerce Home Study Course…
From researching a new market and the correct search terms…
…to finding and vetting suppliers and dropshippers…
…to building out your online store and maximizing sales conversions…
The 12 Training Modules inside eCom Incubator take you from daydreaming about your ideal eCommerce business…
…to actually owning and running it!
Catalyze your online efforts now: http://www.eComIncubator.com/open.html
And if $50 off isn't enough, you also get 5 free bonuses when you place your order:
Bonus 1: Free DVD of the entire eCom Incubator
Course – compatible with Mac and Windows this
DVD-ROM allows you to skip the huge downloads
and listen or watch at your convenience.
Bonus 2: Complete Store Graphics Package -
Fully customizable Headers, Image Ads, and
Add To Cart buttons that I designed specifically for
eCommerce stores!
Bonus 3: Graphics Package Video Tutorials -
Watch as I take you through each of the templates
I created for you and show you step by step how to
create your own in-context images!
Bonus 4: Enhanced PDF Transcript of my
"Setting Up Your eShop for the 2010 Holidays"
webinar – everything you need to do to make
the most profits this upcoming holiday season!
Bonus 5: Action Plan 2010 Holiday Season
Calendars – Stay on track with your holiday planning
with these convenient calendars that lay out each
step for easy reference!
That's a lot of great stuff!
eCom Incubator also comes with my solid 1 year money back guarantee. You have a full 365 days to put my methods to work and if you're not satisfied, simply drop the DVD in the mail and we'll give you a 100% refund… even if it's a year from now.
Grab your copy now: http://www.eComIncubator.com/open.html


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Posted: October 03, 2012|
YOUNG people who spread vile claims on Twitter about a video of a teenage girl allegedly engaged in a sex act have been warned they could be a click away from committing a serious offence.
Gloucestershire police confirmed they are investigating allegations, made on the social networking site, about footage of a Gloucestershire pupil understood to be in Year 10. It is believed officers have now seen a video.
And the force moved quickly to warn there could be serious repercussions for those who have watched or shared any such video online.
Hundreds of tweets also alleged the sex act involved an animal.
Related content
"I would like to remind people that viewing and distributing indecent images of children is a serious criminal offence," said Detective Chief Inspector Richard Cooper.
"Just by downloading, viewing or retweeting links to any indecent images involving a person under the age of 18, you are committing an offence.
"We are prioritising the well-being of all those involved in these allegations and are working with our partner agencies to establish exactly what has happened."
The force confirmed it is an offence to take, make, or distribute indecent images of children under Section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978, as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and contrary to schedule 6 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. That covers viewing the video.
Even if it did not exist, tweeting about the video and naming a girl could be prosecuted for online bullying.
The Citizen, which has decided not to name the school, has not seen the footage, but alerted police to the Twitter claims.
The force is currently investigating web claims and is working with Gloucestershire County Council and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.
The school's headteacher declined to comment.
Sharon Copsey, NSPCC South West head of service, said: "Young people who create indecent photos or videos might think they're engaging in harmless fun, but at the very least they put themselves at risk of embarrassment or humiliation if the images are shared or posted online."


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Tom Arnold and Wife Welcome Baby Boy — He's a First-Time Dad!
It's no lie: Tom Arnold is finally dad!
The 54-year-old True Lies star and wife Ashley Groussman welcomed a baby boy on April 6, according to People.
The boy, named Jax Copeland Arnold, is not only the couple's first child but also Tom's first child ever.
"We are still in a bit of shock," the parents reveal. "It has been a long journey, and the healthy birth of our son is a miracle."
Tom married Ashley in 2009, which is his fourth marriage.
He has been open about the fact that he's had trouble conceiving in the past with other women due to his "very low sperm count."
"I didn't think it was in the cards for me, I'll be honest, and so I was completely shocked," Tom said when the couple announced their pregnancy in January. "It's a miracle."
"I've tried with other people, but since there is a God, we were unable to conceive," Tom had joked. "Now God said, 'This is it!'"
This is such good news, and we're so happy that Tom finally has a chance to raise a child.
Tom — who was previously married to Roseanne — appeared in the 2012 movie Hit and Run with Kristen Bell and is also known for The Best Damn Sports Show Period.
Congrats to the happy family!
Source: People


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Some celebs just can't can't keep their yap shut. Lindsay's one of 'em, and lots of ideas that she blurts out in interviews help explain exactly who she is. Like this quote to Allure. "I never passed out in my life. I never vomited from having drinks. Like in public – I would never do that. Well…a few times."
We united some La Lohan's most memorable quips. Check out our flipbook and see what Linds has got on her mind when talking to the press.


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Defenses dominate, Bengals beat Cardinals 19-13The Associated Press | August 25,2014GLENDALE, Ariz. A miscommunication between Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald left the ball right in Terence Newmans hands.
And the Cincinnati cornerback made the most of it.
Newman returned the interception 54 yards for the early score and the Bengals went on to beat the Arizona Cardinals 19-13 on Sunday night.
He pretty much threw it right to me, Newman said. It wasnt like I did anything, just an errant throw on his part.
Fitzgerald blamed himself.
I didnt break across the corners face and Ive got to do that, he said, adding that he cant let the quarterback hang out to dry.
But it will look like Palmers mistake.
Thats what it is in the quarterbacks world, Arizona coach Bruce Arians said.
It was that kind of night for the Arizona offense against a Bengals defense that ranked second in the NFL last season.
We had a number of things that were just off, Palmer said, from overthrows to missed opportunities, some funky things that happened on a couple of routes and some drops.
Mike Nugent added field goals of 48 and 36 yards for Cincinnati (1-2).
Jay Feely, competing with rookie Chandler Catanzaro for the Cardinals kicking job, made a 24-yarder, but missed from 48 yards. Catanzaro made a 23-yard attempt.
The Cardinals (1-2) got their lone touchdown on a 30-yard pass from backup Drew Stanton to rookie John Brown, who stretched out for a diving grab in the end zone with 1:29 left in the third quarter, tying it at 13-13.
Cincinnati backup Quinn Sharp kicked field goals of 34 and 51 yards after that for the deciding margin.
We kind of gave it to a pretty good football team, Arians said, lamenting the missed opportunities, and you just cant do that, especially at home.
The Bengals Andy Dalton completed 13 of 21 passes for 183 yards.
Palmer was 7 of 19 for 92 yards. Larry Fitzgerald caught five of Palmers throws for 71 yards.
Both teams played their starters the entire first half.
Palmer was facing the team he was with for the first eight years of his NFL career before an acrimonious split sent him to Oakland. Dalton replaced Palmer as a rookie in 2011.
Cornerback Leon Hall said it means something to me, for emotional reasons I guess to hold Palmer, his former teammate, without a touchdown.
But really, Hall said, Id feel almost the same way regardless who we were playing. This was what they call a rehearsal game. ... This builds some momentum for (the opener against) Baltimore.
Bengals owner Mike Brown was taken to a Phoenix hospital before the game for what was termed a minor health problem. The team said he was to return to Cincinnati and did not attend the game.
I guess the good thing is everyone acted very quickly to get things headed in the right direction very fast, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said, adding that Brown would have preferred to have kept the incident quiet. Were happy that, hopefully, everything is going in the right direction and hopefully hell get back with us very quickly.
Cincinnati inside linebacker Vontaze Burfict left the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury.
On the Cardinals second possession, it was third-and-7 from the Arizona 40 when Palmer fired a pass intended for Fitzgerald. But the errant throw went right to Newman, who evaded a couple of early would-be tacklers and outran everyone else to the end zone.
The Arizona starters biggest offensive threat came on their first possession of the second quarter. The defense forced the Bengals to punt from their 6-yard line, giving the Cardinals good field position at the Cincinnati 41.
Statistically, at least, the Bengals starters had the advantage, outgaining Arizona 198-141 in the first half.
On defense, we had some negative plays, Lewis said, `but overall the effort and of course the point total was what you are looking for.
NOTES: Cincinnati DT Geno Atkins played two series, his first game action since tearing an ACL and missing the last seven games a year ago. ... Bengals rookie guard Trey Hopkins was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a right shin injury. Moments later wide receiver James Wright left via cart with a concussion. Guard T.J. Johnson became the third Bengal carted off the field in the fourth quarter. ... Arizona was without starting inside linebacker Kevin Minter (pectoral muscle) and guard Jonathan Cooper (toe).
AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/APNFLMORE IN Wire SportsNEW YORK Tom Bradys four-game suspension for his role in using underinflated footballs during... Full StoryGAINESVILLE, Va. Tiger Woods knows hes played poorly over the past two years. Full StoryMEXICO CITY Embattled Mexican national soccer team coach Miguel Herrera was fired Tuesday... Full Story
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What does your business do? When and Why did you join the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce?
Darren Taylor and Jeffrey Sidnez are the owners/instructors of their health and fitness business: "We offer functional training programs, both outdoors and indoors – we opened our Park Slope facility in January 2005. Our primary responsibility to our clients is to teach them how to properly move their bodies and to attain all their wellness, health and fitness goals. Taking cues from the army, our workouts incorporate some of the basic elements of training, using the body as a primary means of resistance. Our clientele, both men and women, range in age from 18 to 60, and come to us in all sizes and fitness levels.
We joined the Chamber in August 2005, because we heard it was a great way to network."
How has your Brooklyn Chamber membership assisted your business?
"The Chamber has been a fantastic resource for us. When we first joined they were instrumental, through the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center, in helping us secure a loan with HSBC so that we could open our indoor facility. They've really pointed us in the right direction and definitely gave us a jump-start. We look forward to growing our relationship with the Chamber and utilizing the services and resources they offer as we expand our business."
Chamber membership connects you to networking and promotional benefits that put you in front of key prospects! Our membership consists of over 2,200 businesses that span the diverse Brooklyn marketplace. Join a Chamber Committee, attend events and make valuable connections for the future of your business.
Access the free business services of the Chamber and its partners to help your business grow. We are committed to helping businesses achieve their goals and are here for you every step of the way. With services like financing assistance, recruitment and training, real estate development, and affordable health insurance, the Chamber has the tools to help your business launch, thrive and grow.
We are the voice of Brooklyn's business community. The Chamber has a lot to say when it comes to Brooklyn businesses and the borough. Our aggressive programming combines research, surveys, government relations, communications and more. Get involved!


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TICONDEROGA - Ticonderoga High School's senior class will host an after prom lock-in for Ticonderoga students in grades 9- 12 on May 17 from 12:30 to 6 a.m., immediately following the prom.
Any student in Ticonderoga High School can attend this safe and chaperoned event, sponsored by a grant from Essex County, even if they did not attend the prom. The cost is $10 a student and includes a night of entertainment (comedian: Dan Naturman and hypnotist: Jim Mia), food and a raffle for prizes. Students are to stay "locked-in" unless parent permission is given to a chaperone for them to leave before 6 a.m.
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News: Mexican architect Fernando Romero has unveiled his design for a Latin American art museum in Miami – the so-called "capital of Latin America" – during this week's Art Basel and Design Miami events (+ movie). More »
Tag: FR-EE
Foster teams up with Fernando Romero
on new Mexico City airport
News: Norman Foster and Mexican architect Fernando Romero have won a competition to design one of the biggest airports on earth for Mexico City, which the British architect says will be "like nothing else in the world". More »
Fernando Romero's new Archivo gallery
to feature jutting floorplates
Miami Chapel
by FR-EE
Mexican firm Fernando Romero EnterprisE (FR-EE) has won a competition to design a chapel in Miami with plans modelled on the pleated fabric gown of religious figure the Lady of Guadalupe. More »
Museo Soumaya by FREE Fernando
Romero EnterprisE
FREE Fernando Romero EnterprisE have completed this anvil-shaped museum in Mexico City, with a windowless facade composed of hexagonal aluminium tiles. More »
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It will be interesting to see what Idzik does with the QB position this offseason. I'm actually curious to see if he is going to bet the season on Geno or if he's going to bring in one fail-safe veteran (McCown, Schaub, etc.), or if he's going to bring in a veteran AND take a QB in the first few rounds of the draft.
Very interesting, just as the reactions around here will be.
The vets out there are terrible. It's not hard to make a case that Sanchez (at a significantly reduced rate) is their best veteran option. Young, has won some (playoff) games, knows the system. I'm not advocating it -at all- but I can see the argument.
The draft will also be interesting. Jets have a lot of picks, but they're not currently in position for one of the top QBs this year, and (maybe) outside of Bridgewater, they all have question marks of their own. Do they spend a second or third rounder on an even more questionable QB? Or do they go with a safer pick at another one of their many needs? Any QB taken in the first four rounds will be a story around here, and a perceived threat to win the starting job.
And the thing is, the Jets need a QB (or two) who is a threat to win the starting job. I'm sure Idzik hopes that Geno is the answer. That he'll at least be a competent starter. With so little out there in terms of potential replacements, it'll be very interesting to see how he addresses it.


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- BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.0 and later
- BlackBerry Z30 smartphone
- BlackBerry Passport
- On-The-Go (OTG)
With the introduction of the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone and BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, support for USB peripherals has been added. This means that supported peripherals may be connected to the smartphone and used similarly as to they would with a computer.
List of supported peripherals:
- USB flash drives
- USB hard drives
- USB networking
- USB HID devices (keyboard, mice, gamepads)
- USB hubs (powered and unpowered)
Note: With the use of a USB hub, multiple peripherals may be connected at the same time.
In order to support USB Embedded Host mode, a Micro USB OTG to USB 2.0 Adapter is required.
For more information on USB On-The-Go and Embedded Host, visit www.usb.org/developers/onthego.
By downloading, accessing or otherwise using the Knowledge Base documents you agree:
(a) that the terms of use for the documents found at www.blackberry.com/legal/knowledgebase apply to your use or reference to these documents; and
(b) not to copy, distribute, disclose or reproduce, in full or in part any of the documents without the express written consent of RIM.
Visit the BlackBerry Technical Solution Center at www.blackberry.com/btsc.


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SXSW Panel Voting Ends Tonight!
Past SXSW panels have shown that Black bloggers and bloggers of color are becoming more prominent and well-known as the years progress. From "Blogging While Black" to being "Digital Urbanites", being a Black blogger is definitely not limited to any monolithic stereotype. Learn from some of the pioneers and thought-leaders in the Black blogosphere on our past, present, and future.
Voting for panels ends tonight at midnight, and we would really appreciate your support in helping to celebrate Black bloggers on a global stage!
Just visit this link: http://bit.ly/2Tv45h. It only takes a few minutes to register and vote. Together, we will make it!


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One-third of GOP voters would follow Trump
A new poll suggests a third-party run by Donald Trump could be a problem for the Republican Party.
Pro-life counselors at an abortion clinic in Norman, Oklahoma were assaulted, paving the way for criminal charges against the perpetrator.
Toby Harmon from a group called Abolish Human Abortion was preaching in front of an abortion clinic December 17 in Norman when a couple left after an abortion. Harmon says he and a friend called out, asking if they could help. Then a young man became aggressive and approached the two pro-lifers.
Harmon tells OneNewsNow: "He shoved my friend Jeremy to the ground and at that point I said, Look, I'm recording this, you're on video so you need to leave.You're going to get in trouble."
At that point the man struck Jeremy in the face with his fist, got ahold of the camera, threw it to the ground, and stomped it into pieces. But Harmon pulled out another camera and resumed recording the incident, which shows the man stalking toward the two pro-lifers as they retreat.
Audio captured in the video suggests the assailant told pro-lifers he wished he had brought a gun.
Video of assault (posted by Abolish Human Abortion on 12/19/2013)
Police were called and took notes, but the pro-lifers claim authorities are not helping. Harmon says he emailed a district attorney the links to the assault but never heard back.
"This guy actually came back the next week and threatened us, told us we had 10 minutes to leave or else he would break another one of our cameras," Harmon says.
Police did nothing again, he claims, except to suggest mediation. They wouldn't allow the videos as evidence.
Harmon, a January 15 guest on American Family Radio's Focal Point with Bryan Fischer, indicated that Norman police are getting calls demanding justice. (See video segment below from American Family Radio)
Sidewalk counselor physically assaulted, city will not prosecute
A new poll suggests a third-party run by Donald Trump could be a problem for the Republican Party.


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Often, the most contentious thing about business is their billing and time arrangements. There is little worse for a consumer than to receive an incorrect bill and little worse for a business than to fail to charge a customer for the time spent on a project. Both can be a recipe for a business disaster. It's not so bad for the larger business because they can afford lavish billing and time tracking software but for the smaller business it still tends to be paper based. actiTIME is a new time tracking, management and billing app that is free for teams ... Read more
London is a very big city and on any given week there is something like 600 concerts to choose from featuring everything from Irish folk to top 40 to the very best classical orchestras in the world. There's also around 30 different theatrical performances playing not to mention the 11000 bars and restaurants at your disposal. So if you are a visitor to the 'Big Smoke,' as it used to be known, it's almost a full time job to research where to go. You could pick up a copy of Timeout and a bunch of other mags or log on ... Read more
In the big wide world of apps that feature alarm clocks and time keeping there are alarm clocks that tell the time and then there are apps like My Clock Station Pro which could be (and has been) described as the 'Swiss army knife of alarm clocks.' This productivity app for iPhone and iPad is far more than just an alarm clock, however, and apart from featuring a big bold clock there is a calculator, a notepad and even some nice, soothing sounds to wake up to in the morning. My Clock Station PRO is your all in one ... Read more
There have been some weird and wacky digital alarm clock apps to wake you up in the morning. Anyone remember the one that threatened to call a different contact in your address book every three minutes until you wake up or the one that donated $10 from your bank account to a charity that's NOT of your choice every time the snooze button gets hit. Quiz Alarm is a free alarm clock app that will wake you up pretty damned quick as it asks you a question when the alarm rings. Fail to get it right and your neighbors will ... Read more
Do you remember those organizers that you always used to HAVE to have before the new academic year began to plan out proceedings. It had great little personalized sections with pockets for all sorts of things and came enclosed in a very cool leather-looking pouch. Student T.A. Is the modern day equivalent to the old organizer. It's essential that you have one and it's the perfect gift for the students amongst us for balancing your academic, social and personal lives. Student T.A. is up there with the best personal organizers on the app market and it's absolutely free. The ... Read more
Time To Enjoy is an event schedule app for people who have some spare time on their hands. But while it could quite easily be used as an event finder and schedule calendar in your home town, where it comes in really handy is if you are on holiday or spending some time in an area you don't know so well. Time To Enjoy transforms your mobile into a source of information to search, plan and book your day's activities based on where you are in the world and what you would like to do. While Time To Enjoy ... Read more
Boy, have we reviewed a lot of time tracking applications of late. DeskTime, CaseFox and Smart Employee Scheduling come to mind as some of the best of recent times. So what does TSheets have to offer? Well, whatever it is, it boasts a 98% customer approval rating and has been rated as the number one user friendly time tracking app by it's customers. It's main claim to fame is a clean and simple-to-use, very accurate, mobile friendly as well as flexible suite of tools that takes care of all aspects of the time sheeting and billing process. It's built with ... Read more
There are an awful lot of unfulfilled ideas floating through cyberspace. Unfortunately, there seems to be more ideas being floated than there are entrepreneurial spirits to help them come to fruition. So if you have a brilliant idea it would be rather useful if there was a place you could go where the funding parties congregated. RockThePost is such a place. It is what's known as a business social network and a place where the talented individual (which I guess is you) and the entrepreneurial (and this could also be you) type can touch base to potentially take your Dream ... Read more
If you've ever been in a situation at work where you have been the paymaster you will know what a time consuming and thankless task it can be. Having to chase up whether Charlie worked last Friday night and figuring out if Rose really was half an hour late this morning. You never get plaudits for paying the correct amount of wages each week but you'll sure as hell hear about it if you haven't paid them enough. DeskTime is a free real-time time tracking and productivity app that will give precise and automated times on when and when not ... Read more
I've seen some of the elements available here before but usually on separate sites. This one brings them all together so that people with great ideas can find the partners they need to bring those ideas to fruition. The middle-man is normally a much derided figure in all aspects of business and this site aims to cut him out of the equation altogether (loud cheers!) and act as the bridge that brings the different parts together on a business social network platform. Read more


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- Willamette
- Athletics
- News Archive
- 2005
- November
- Kip's Corner) BEARCATS SPLIT OPENING WEEKEND
Men's Basketball | Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Kip's Corner) BEARCATS SPLIT OPENING WEEKEND
Head Coach Gordie James' team opened with a bang, and followed with a whimper during its opening weekend of action.
Willamette blew out NCAA West Region foe Colorado College, 82-45, on Friday night, using a balanced attack featuring 3 double digit scorers (CJ Stuvland, John Olinger and Drew Miller).
However, the Bearcats fell the following evening to DII CSU-Pueblo, despite 29 from Olinger, and a commanding double digit halftime lead. WU stands at 1-1 on the young season.
Willamette put forth an excellent defensive effort over the weekend, holding both teams to an average of 54 ppg. However, after a hot shooting night against CC, WU connected on only 39% of their shots against CSU-Pueblo Saturday. In addition, despite Olinger's All-Tourney performance, the rest of the Bearcats struggled to find their groove against the ThunderWolves, scoring only 10 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
PG Josh Erickson Drew Miller
SG John Olinger Robbie Andrus
W CJ Stuvland David Fife
P Ian Mansfield Jacob Baran
P Jason Luchterhand Brennan Garrelts
Both Drew Miller and David Fife were asked to "step in" to new roles over the weekend, both performing well. Miller replaced starter Josh Erickson on Friday (dealing with a death in the family), and posted 11 points against CC. Fife stepped into Miller's minutes off the bench, and scored 9 points and snared 3 steals. Erickson rejoined the team Saturday night, and played in his first collegiate contest in two years (knee injury).
WU continues its daunting schedule, heading south the day after Thanksgiving to tangle with a pair of NAIA stalwarts, Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon. WU lost its last battle against OIT in 2003, but defeated the Raiders of SOU in Salem a year ago.
Oregon Tech and Head Coach Danny Miles are currently 5-0 and
ranked #4 in the nation in NAIA. The Owls put 4 players in double
figures each game, lead by wing Ryan Fiegi (16 ppg), Danny Mills
(15), Levell Hesia (15) and Andre Lawerence (14). Coach Miles Owls'
were the NAIA National Champions two years ago, and are a heavy
favorite to be in the mix again this year.
Southern Oregon, a fellow member of Oregon Tech in the Cascade Conference, is also a national player in the NAIA ranks. Head Coach Brian McDermott's team sq


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The OMA supports a variety of programs.
AMA: Ambassador of Multicultural Affairs
Year-long Customs program volunteers that bring a unique focus on issues of diversity and multiculturalism.
MAST: Mentoring and Student Teaching
Tutor Philadelphia area high school students in the sciences and writing. Takes place on campus.
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship
The MMUF program seeks to provide Fellows with the requisites for a successful preparation for training for, and entering, the professoriate.
MSP: Multicultural Scholars Program
Student run networking and mentoring program dedicated to the goal of academic excellence.
Rufus Jones Leadership Institute
A leadership development program which aims to building the necessary skills, knowledge, and understanding for students to become positive change agents in our increasingly global society.


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Media Monday: And then there were two. And a half
I misspelled Amanda Hess' surname, on second reference. This is too ironic.
In the fall of 2010, when TBD was operating at full strength with a staff of about two dozen reporters and editors, Amanda Hess published this correction on her eponymous blog: "This blog post originally stated that one in three black men who have sex with me is HIV positive. In fact, the statistic applies to black men who have sex with men." Hess was, if I recall correctly, mortified by her mistake. Her editors, less so — the post went viral, and it remains the second-most-viewed article in TBD's brief history.
Jeff Sonderman, then a senior community host at TBD, said the correction demonstrated TBD's "commitment to accuracy."
Knowing it would bring some mild embarrassment and also awaken the Internet trolls, Hess could have chalked up the missing 'n' as a typo, quietly changed it and moved on. But Hess wrote the correction anyway.
Well, despite that commitment to accuracy, we were not always very accurate. With a large staff that, in most cases, posted stories directly to the Web, TBD made its share of mistakes — and the Post's Dan Steinberg made sure to point them out, with great wit, on Twitter. No doubt he represented many journalists, at the Post and elsewhere, who were sick of hearing TBD beat the bongo drums of accuracy and transparency.
Steve Buttry, TBD's director of community engagement (and de facto chief of transparency), defended TBD's response to the correction, writing that "transparency can come across at times as self-absorbed and boasting," but adding, "We're OK with that." More accurately, some of us were OK with that, and some of us weren't. I worried that we were being a tad too self-congratulatory, and I wasn't alone.
Over time, even Buttry pulled back. "I had written some about transparency, and had practiced transparency for the first several months of my TBD experience. But I had eventually gone nearly silent about TBD matters," he wrote in September 2011, months after leaving TBD, in a blog post titled, "Another TBD lesson: Transparency is the best approach in good times and bad."
I won't go into detail about what happened or why, but the approach to transparency changed this year, as TBD changed directions and cut staff. Though I didn't like it, I pretty much shut up, except for one post linking to media coverage about what was happening and a series of posts praising staff members as they left. It was one of the most unpleasant stretches of my career.
Transparency helped TBD in its brief glory days and lack of transparency has hurt TBD since.
I'm not sure how essential transparency was during our "glory days," but I agree that our lack of it since then has not helped matters.
With that in mind, let's look at the current state of TBD. Last week, the news broke that arts editor Andrew Beaujon will be "the new Romenesko" — that is, he's filling the vacant media critic position at Poynter — and that the Examiner has hired reporter Jenny Rogers for the Yeas & Nays position left open after Katy Adams left.
The size of TBD's is staff is no secret. With the imminent departures of Beaujon and Rogers, who's left at TBD? On our editorial staff, exactly 2.5 journalists: the news editor who's writing this column, transit reporter John Hendel, and special projects reporter Rebecca Armendariz, who splits her photo-editing duties between TBD and WJLA.
Don't expect that number to go up anytime soon. I'm probably not at liberty to say whether Allbritton Communications intends to fill these newly vacated positions, but hey, you're a resourceful person. Go browse the jobs listings on mediabistro.com and journalismjobs.com. What do you see?
After the jump: WTOP's Mark Plotkin sounds very calm about his firing, which reportedly resulted from his being anything but calm in the office.
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@TBD On Foot
Seven key issues to consider as the D.C. Council debates taxis today
Only On 7
Leon Harris and Alison Starling weeknights on ABC7For all the breaking stories happening in your neighborhood and developing stories happening around the world, join Leon Harris and Alison Starling weeknights on ABC7 News at 5 and 11.


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Pray Tell
An open forum on faith.
Monthly Archive for December, 2012
Conn. tragedy prompts prayer by Max Lucado, President Obama
This blog post by Max Lucado, the comforting minister and best-selling author of San Antonio, speaks for many Christians in trying to reconcile today's tragic, inexplicable shooting in Connecticut today. "These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated," he wrote in the Huffington Post. He and Oak Hills Church are among the […] [Read More]


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NASHVILLE — A resolution condemning the University of Tennessee's Sex Week as "an atrocious event" and "an outrageous misuse of student fees and grant moneys" was approved by the House on Monday night over protests of some Democrats that students' rights were being ignored.
The measure passed on a 69-17 vote with other representatives taking no position one way or the other. The resolution now goes to the Senate.
House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of Franklin said during debate that if university officials ignore HJR661, which amounts to an expression of opinion with no legal impact, "There may be stronger actions coming from this body."
Still pending in the Legislature are measures to put new restrictions on the use of student fees that could impact funding of UT Sex Week, scheduled for next week on the Knoxville campus. The event features, according to the resolution, "an aphrodisiac cooking class, drag show, and condom scavenger hunt."
As originally drafted by Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga, the sponsor, the resolution condemned the UT administration. That was amended to instead condemn "organizers" of the event.
Keep reading with our partners at the Knoxville News Sentinel.comments powered by Disqus


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Jeff Wayman
Assistant Professor, Ph.D.
Office & Hours
Office: SZB 310D
By appointment.
+1 512-475-8588
+1 512-471-5975
View Website
Courses of Instruction
EDA383 Advanced Quantitative Research and Analysis
EDA383 Policy Issues in Data-Based Decision Making
EDA383 Data-Based Decision Making in Schools (for superintendents)
EDA383 Decision Making (for principals)
Mailing Address
The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Educational Administration
1912 Speedway D5400
Austin, TX 78712-1604
UT Mail Code: D5400
Full Vita
download vita (pdf)
Dr. Wayman's teaching and research interests focus on the effective use of data for school improvement; he also teaches quantitative research methods. Dr. Wayman's research on data-based decision-making includes efficient structures for creating data-informed school districts, software that delivers student data to educators, effective leadership for data use, and systemic supports that enable widespread teacher use of student data. Dr. Wayman's current research project is a 3-year study funded by The Spencer Foundation titled "The Data-Informed District: Implementation and Effects of a District-Wide Data Initiative." In this project, Dr. Wayman and his research team are working with three districts to help them become "Data-Informed Districts."
In 2008, Dr. Wayman received the Jack A. Culbertson award from the University Council for Educational Administration. This award is given to a junior professor for significant contributions to the field of educational administration.
Prior to joining the UT faculty, Dr. Wayman worked at Johns Hopkins University with the Center for Social Organization of Schools, at Colorado State University in the area of prevention research, and as a junior high math teacher in Kansas City and Salt Lake City. Dr. Wayman and his enchanting wife are the proud parents of two grade-schoolers (this may explain his behavior).
Ph.D., Education, Colorado State University
M.S., Statistics, Colorado State University
B.S.E., Mathematics, Truman State University
B.S., Statistics, Truman State University
Representative Publications
Wayman, J. C., Jimerson, J. B., & Cho, V. (2012). Organizational considerations in establishing the data-informed district. School Effectiveness and School Improvement 23(2), 159-178.Wayman, J. C., Cho, V., Jimerson, J. B.,
Spikes, D. D. (2012). District-wide effects on data use in the classroom. Education Policy Analysis Archives, (20) 25. http://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/article/view/979.
Wayman, J. C., Spikes, D.D., & Volonnino, M. (2012). Implementation of a data initiative in the NCLB era. In Schildkamp, K., Lai, M. K., & Earl, L. (Eds.) Data-driven decision making in Education: Challenges and opportunities (pp. 135-153). Springer.
Shaw, S. M., & Wayman, J. C. (2012). Third-year results from an efficacy study of the Acuity data system. Austin: Authors.
Wayman, J. C., Cho, V., Jimerson, J. B., & Snodgrass Rangel, V. W. (2010). Improving data use in NISD: Becoming a Data-Informed District. Austin: The University of Texas.
Recent Awards
- American Educational Research Association Organizational Theory SIG, Best Paper Award (2012). Districts' efforts for data use and computer data systems: The role of sensemaking in system use and implementation.
- American Educational Research Association Division H Outstanding Publication Award (2011). Improving data use in NISD: Becoming a Data-Informed District.
- University Council for Educational Administration, Jack A. Culbertson Award (2008). Given to a junior professor for significant contributions to the field of educational administration..
- American Educational Research Association Division H Outstanding Publication Award (2008). The Data-Informed District: A district-wide evaluation of data use in the Natrona County School District.
- American Educational Research Association Division H Outstanding Publication Award (2004). Software enabling school improvement through the analysis of student data.
Current Research Projects and Grants
The Data-Informed District: Implementation and effects of a district-wide data initiative. $495,396 grant from The Spencer Foundation.
Using student learning data to improve performance in Texas Title I schools. $32,500 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Administered through the University of Texas Education Research Center.
Research Interests and Expertise
Data use for educational improvement
Data-based decision-making
Systemic issues in district-wide data use (The Data-Informed District)
Computer data systems that deliver student data to educators


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Michael De Leon
Michael A. De Leon is a graphic designer by day, but wears many hats in his off time. In 2004, after several years of covering the Spurs, he started Project Spurs, a Spurs team fansite as an outlet to provide content to Spurs fans, while continuing to write for himself and learning the ins and outs of online publishing and web design. He has since built a writing team and started a popular weekly Spurs podcast called the Spurscast.
Monthly Archive for February, 2012
Video: Spurs Roundtable — Manu returns; spotlight Tiago Splitter
By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are on a seven game winning streak and are riding high. To make things even better, Manu Ginobili is back in action which can only mean a stronger Spurs team as the season marches on. On this episode of the WOAI Spurs Roundtable powered by Project Spurs, Mike […] [Read More]
Butler has second chance at basketballl in Austin
By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs Though he was released by the San Antonio Spurs early in the season, forward Da'Sean Butler still has a connection with the Spurs as he's now a member of their D-League affiliate Austin Toros. Butler was called to the Toros early after being released by the Spurs and it took […] [Read More]
5 things to watch for in tonight's Spurs vs. Nets matchup
By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs The San Antonio Spurs (18-9) will face the New Jersey Nets (8-20) and put their six-game winning streak on the line tonight as their annual Rodeo Road Trip continues. The Spurs are coming off a win 100-90 win against the Philadelphia 76ers (2-0 on their current road trip) while the […] [Read More]
Scouting the Nets: If Spurs share the ball, New Jersey will falter
By Paul Garcia, Project Spurs The San Antonio Spurs (18-9) return to action tonight as they make their way to New Jersey to the face the Nets on the third game of the Rodeo Road Trip (2-0). The Spurs have used a six-game winning streak to make their road record (5-8) look more promising, and […] [Read More]
Pau wants to get inside
By Kyle Boenitz, Project Spurs 7-footers belong down low, right? It only makes sense. Well tell that to former San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mike Brown. In Brown's new offense with the Los Angeles Lakers, Gasol finds himself outside of the lane a lot of the time, sometimes all the way out near the 3-point […] [Read More]
TD on the verge of yet another milestone
By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan may have had his 13-consecutive All-Star appearance streak snapped (though I doubt he cares and can use the time to rest) but TD is on the verge of yet another milestone in his career with the Spurs. Click HERE for the complete article at Project […] [Read More]
Looking ahead, way ahead
By Trevor Zickgraf, Project Spurs I've been watching a fair amount of college basketball lately. Now that we're in conference play, there's been a lot of meaningful games and it also means the NCAA Tournament isn't too far away so I have to do some research for my March Madness brackets so I don't completely […] [Read More]
Splitter credits minutes, opportunity for early success
By Paul Garcia, Project Spurs San Antonio Spurs' Tiago Splitter is gaining league wide recognition not only for his improved play, but also for his selection for the Rookie-Sophomore game that will be held during All-Star weekend. He's showing a major improvement from last season as he's currently averaging 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 63% shooting from […] [Read More]
Gee adjusting to being an NBA regular
By Trevor Zickgraf, Project Spurs It was just a season ago that the San Antonio Spurs signed Alonzo Gee with hopes that he'd turn in to a productive back up for Richard Jefferson. Gee didn't pan, playing only five games with the Spurs before being waived and signing with the Wizards and eventually landing in […] [Read More]
Video: Comedian Will Ferrell introduces Bulls, Hornets lineup
By Jeff Garcia, Project Spurs It was 80's night in New Orleans last night as the Hornets and Bulls faced off. So not only did the Hornets' big screen flash images from the 80s such as G.I. Joe, Pac-Man, and play some Journey and AC/DC (which had me singing as I was writing this) the […] [Read More]
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Stay Informed
via Email
Someone once said, "As business goes so goes the country". I
say "As
education goes so goes the region"
Without a sound education system we cannot maintain a good future
for our children. Someone may ask
"why pay for more education when I have no children in the School system." The
answer is simple. A good education system keeps the value of you
home up. We need a comprehensive School Program for all students from Kindergarten
to high school. We have to continue a drug prevention program. Our district
schools are not immune to the epidemic our entire society is facing as it relates
to drugs. We need effective ways to combat this problem. The city council has
to work with the schools during budget talks to ensure
our schools have adequatte funding . Education is one of my main
reasons for running for City Council.
TAXES: While
on city council I debated the tax issue for The Berkshire Power
plant. I led the way for a defeat of the tax deal that had been
worked out for Berkshire Power. I initiated a fair tax structure
based on the value of investment in the project. "We must have
a tax base which can pay for our goods and services". As a business
for myself I understand
the difficulties of running a business but you cannot give away
your taxes. The council was able to restrict the tax structure
and we have been able to receive many millions more in tax revenue."
SENIORS : As the
citizenry of our district ages we must look to the future and
have the facilities in place to serve our senior population.
I am not only talking about just buildings, but the programs
that go along with them. I wish that our younger population would
take some time out of their day and visit the senior center and
observe the programs that are in place at this time. The
services we are providing for our seniors in our region with
the facilities we have at this point are some if the best in
the state of Massachusetts . The "Baby Boomers" retire at a higher
rate every year. The need for good insightful programs for seniors
will become even more of a concern in the coming years.
ROUTE 57 CONSTRUCTION: Construction
has been delayed, postponed and shelved for a variety of reasons
over the 20 years. I have had meetings with state Highway officials
and talked directly with the Governor about the lack of progress
as it relates to Rt. 57.
BUSINESSES/JOBS: In today's economy
and the competitive natural of business. We are compelled to maintain
and encourage the business and jobs in our region. We are completing
with other regions within the state, with other states and globally
for business and jobs.
The need for a solution to the result of our development is one of
our major concerns . We have relied upon septic tanks in Feeding
Hills. The septic tanks are failing and we do not have a viable solution
to the problem. We talk about sewers, which at this point seems like
the only answer but there is no way of funding it. The Council and
the Mayor are going to have to work together to find a solution to
this problem. Our water table is being contaminated and the state
and federal governments may step in and mandate a solution. Before
that day comes we must have found a solution on our own. This is
not just an Agawam problem it affects the entire region. Innovative
ways to pay for town problems is a must.
YOUTH PROGRAMS: Many of our towns have very
good parks and recreation department but in some towns much more
is needed for our youth. A dream of mine would be to see a youth
center built in Agawam. A program like this is not easy and would
not happen overnight or without a lot of committed volunteers and
paid staff. You have to start somewhere and to identify a youth center
as a goal would be a start.
TOWN SECURITY: Our Police
and Fire department are first rate and have been given the resources
they have needed to protect us, but we must make sure they maintain
the levels of proficiency they are at and continue our support for
new programs as necessary. The DARE program is a much needed program.
Federal funds are available for many projects and a regional overview
or needs assessment of our districts could be a good idea.
As the urban sprawl increases, we have to keep our zoning bylaws
tight. As I have driven through the 3rd district from Agawam to Russell
I see new homes going up in every town. In most cases this is welcome
development but we must be certain the added development doesn't
impact our resources in a negative way.