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About Us
Our Mission:
Communication Across Barriers is dedicated to broadening and improving opportunities for people who live in the war zone of poverty
Our far reaching goals:
- Assist communities and organizations to "fight poverty, not the people who live in it." We illuminate real and structural causes of poverty and provide life changing information that shatters common myths and stereotypes about people who live in poverty
- Offer research-based strategies and insider perspectives for improving relationships, communication, and opportunities across poverty barriers
- Develop an army of speakers and trainers who can educate and assist communities in breaking poverty barriers
- Provide models and programs that increase a connected, collaborative, community-wide approach to fighting poverty
- Educate and engage people not in poverty with tools and avenues for making a difference in their own communities
Our History:
In 1989, Dr. Bob Fulford (a significant mentor to Donna Beegle) learned that Donna's brother, Wayne, was in prison and asked if he could visit him. On that visit, the Superintendent shared that his organization was struggling with the impacts of poverty on people in prison. Dr. Fulford told the Superintendent that he and Donna could develop trainings that would improve communication and relationships across poverty and race barriers. Dr. Fulford was teaching at the University of Portland and one class that was particularly relevant was called "Communication Across Barriers." Dr. Fulford asked Donna if she would like to start a consulting business with him. Donna was working on her Master's degree in Communication at the time. She said yes! Dr. Fulford asked her what title she would like and jokingly, she replied, "president."
The next time Donna saw Dr. Fulford, he had business cards that listed her as President and him as VP. He had filed for a business license in the name of Communication Across Barriers and had secured their first contract with the State of Oregon Department of Corrections. Dr. Fulford and Donna developed a 10 week curriculum that included a series of videos, workbooks and facilitator guide books for improving communication and relationships across Poverty Barriers. Communication Across barriers was born!
Dr. Fulford died of a heart-attack in 2000. His wisdom and knowledge continue to guide Donna and the Communication Across Barriers team as they develop life changing strategies, trainings, and materials for improving communication, relationships, and outcomes for people living in the war zone of poverty.
Communication Across Barriers grew from a small two-person partnership, into a nationally and internationally gold standard consulting firm. We assist organizations and communities who want to improve outcomes for people living in poverty. Our team provides keynote presentations, workshops, Poverty and Coaching Institutes, Poverty 101 online course, the PovertyBridge Project (which includes Opportunity Conferences for youth and adults living in poverty and the Navigator/Neighbor program for matching trained citizens who are not in poverty with citizens who are in poverty), Poverty Competency assessments, customized action planning tools, books, articles, research, informative free newsletter, a resource focused website, and other educational materials for making a difference. We recently developed our Gold Star speaker program to meet the growing need for addressing poverty impacts in communities.
Our Team:
- Dr. Donna M. Beegle, President
- Charles Forbes, Vice President
- Debbie Ellis, Director, Research and Writing
- Dr. Ed Wilgus, Agent and Partnership Manager
- Barb Lemcool, National Director, The PovertyBridge Project
- Mary Marois, Opportunity Coach
- Jan Warren, Opportunity Coach
- Ranae McCauley, National Director Youth Opportunity Conferences/Opportunity Coach
- Lynda Coates, Gold Star Speaker
- Anette Carlisle, Gold Star Speaker
- Elia Moreno, Gold Star Speaker
- Jared Moultrie, Office Manager
- Melvin Hood, Shipping and Receiving
- Wayne Austin, Research


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Gettin' Made: Inviting Wedding Invitations
Putting some last minute time into planning that summer wedding? It's just one more way you can buy handmade on Etsy. The options for original and often quirkly wedding invitations available from independent designers is practically endless. And with many sellers offering files that you can print at home, you can rest easy if you should've bought and sent out your invites a few weeks ago.
|Contemporary Bicycles wedding invitations by Dawn Correspondence
After the jump, check out some more unique wedding invitation designs that can be found on Etsy.
|Whimsical Flower wedding invitations by Whimsical Prints
I love this simple pop graphic style--the colors could make this invite great for an early fall wedding as well! (If anyone wants coolness points, make a note of the date and address of this wedding--crash it next year, and get back to me on if their cake was delicious!)
|Pixelated save the date card by Maidavale
She was a computer programmer. He was an I.T. genius. Their save the date cards were a match made in pixel heaven.
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I'm a sucker for paper lanterns, and this save the date card won my heart immediately. I love the colors and that hit of gold ink! So fancy!
|Complete Garden Wedding Kit by E.M. Papers
Sponsor Content

subset: commoncrawl


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Current Offerings
All classes are open to the general public and are enroll-able online. Links to register and pay online are on each course page.
Mindfulness Based
Stress Reduction
Mindfulness for
Healthcare Providers
Mindfulness for
Educators and Teachers
Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness Meditation Group
A Day of Mindfulness
Commitment to Privacy
Individuals' privacy is important to the University of Virginia. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information policy and practices. To make this notice easy to find, we make it available through a link on our homepage. Our privacy and public records obligations are governed solely by applicable Virginia statutes, including, but not limited to, the Virginia Privacy Protection Act of 1976, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and by any applicable U.S. federal laws.
The entire policy can be found at http://www.virginia.edu/copyright.html#privacy.
Refund Policy
Credit Card refunds are required to be made to the credit card account where the charge originated and not on a pay voucher. A refund less a 10% administrative fee will be processed if cancellation is received in writing no fewer than seven days prior to the initial class date.
Karen Rush at email@example.com or 434-924-1190.


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Derivatives can provide a hedge against falling home values
Derivatives can provide a hedge against falling home values
Steve Bergsman
Inman News®
John Dolan is a lonely guy. In 2010, he took on the role as an independent market maker for the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index futures traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He is the only market maker in this sector.
(A "market maker" helps smooth out volatility on stock and commodity exchanges by standing ready to buy or sell particular stocks or commodities at publicly quoted prices.)
What's more, Dolan can report for the last couple of years there has been very limited trading in the broad topic of home-price derivatives, which are based on the Case-Shiller Home Price Indices.
"There was a flurry of trading when the product was introduced in 2006," he said. "Unfortunately, futures trading started up about the absolute worst moment in time. Home prices went straight down afterward."
On his website, www.homepricefutures.com, Dolan tells readers: "My original goal in setting up this site in 2010 was to foster discussion about the Case-Shiller futures that trade on the CME. ... My goal is to facilitate a better understanding by academics, regulators, policy makers, interested parties in housing transactions, rating agencies and traders in the market for home-price products."
OK, what is Dolan talking about here?
Futures are contracts where one tries to determine the value of a commodity, bond, currency or housing index at some point in the future. Futures are regulated by overseeing agencies and guaranteed by clearinghouses, and in order to insure that payment will occur, they have a margin requirement that must be settled daily. Hedgers often trade futures for the purpose of protecting against a price decline in assets they own.
Trading on an exchange reduces counterparty risk, makes price discovery easier and may allow a trader to more easily unwind a position that is an over-the-counter (OTC) housing derivative.
The obvious question that comes to mind: Why bother to trade futures on a derivative of real estate?
"When you do a futures trade on any product, whether it's gold, wheat or the stock market, you protect yourself against downside," Dolan said. "A futures contract is a commitment to buy or sell an index at any point in time. Robert J. Shiller had the idea that much like foreign exchange and grain, people need a hedge against things they do in real estate, and he proposed these contracts."
Let's take for example, the 10-city Case-Shiller home-price index, which is a "repeat-sale" house-price index for 10 major metropolitan regions in the United States. One can bet, hedge, invest or speculate on where that index will be as far out as November 2016. So, if the index today is at 150 and you think the index in 2016 is going to be 180, you could buy the futures for the 2016 contract if it's trading at 170. If you think home prices are going to stay very flat for the next five years, at 150 or lower, then you could sell the November 2016 contract at today's 170 price.
The question that nags: Why would one do any of this? Because investors and institutions that hold real estate might be concerned the value of their investments could possibly decline in the future. If that's the case, one can sell a futures contract to protect against the price going down.
Individuals might consider a futures contract, but there is a high bar in terms of having an understanding of the product, which means the future of Case-Shiller futures is probably with the institutional market.
And why should institutions be interested?
"Institutions have long exposure to residential real estate so they should have the ability to hedge. And they should do it in a disciplined fashion," Dolan said. "Also, a lot of investors buy distressed loan packages. If they could enter into a hedge against the market moving, they could lock in the specific value they create."
He added, "People should be thinking of residential real estate as a component of an investment portfolio, along with, say, gold, commodities and stocks. Like other futures, this would give the investor the opportunity to gradually add or reduce the exposure to residential price movements in the portfolio."
I can see Dolan's point, although it's far beyond what most of us would consider even if we owned a small portfolio of residential houses.
Spirit Bascom Ventures purchases Edgewater/Andersonville building
Is Houston just an oil town?
What's Your Home Worth?
Paragon report shows SF housing trends mirror nation's
ZIP code profile: 90069
3 tips for women who want to maximize their productivity in real estate
ZIP code profile: 22101
Chicago metro's median home price surpasses $200,000


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MOSCOW (AP) -- Russian state television has aired footage provided by Russia's security services claiming that another alleged American spy was expelled earlier this year.
Russia on Tuesday ordered a U.S. diplomat to leave the country after the FSB claimed to have caught him red-handed trying to recruit a Russian agent in Moscow. The FSB alleges that Ryan Fogle, a third secretary at the U.S. Embassy, works for the CIA.
In the footage aired Wednesday, a man identified only as an FSB operative and sitting in near darkness said a "CIA operative" was expelled in January.
The U.S. Embassy had no immediate comment.
KKCO firmly believes in freedom of speech for all and we are happy to provide this forum for the community to share opinions and facts. We ask that commenters keep it clean, keep it truthful, stay on topic and be responsible. Comments left here do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of KKCO 11News.powered by Disqus


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Documents 2012
Documents for April 2012
- 2012 Kansas Relays Heats
- April 19, 2012
- Complete schedule of heats for the 2012 Kansas Relays. High school events begin at 8 a.m. on Friday.
Point of View
What do you think about a proposed ban on smoking in public places such as restaurants, bars and workplaces?
As much as I hate government interfering with our lives, I love the smoking ban. Going out in Lawrence is so nice without smelling cigarette smoke at your table while eating.
— Roberta Lehmann


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Candy canes
- Filed Under
Just when you think you've checked off everything you need for Christmas stockings and presents under the tree, another gift-giving opportunity comes along.
Maybe opportunity isn't the right word. Maybe it's more of a gift-giving crisis for some.
St. Nick comes Wednesday night. Are you ready?
Your kids certainly will be. They will wake up Thursday morning with expectations of treats, trinkets and treasures in their stocking or shoe. The goodies they receive will become the conversation with classmates that day.
According to custom, Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara in what is now Turkey, according to www.stnicholas center.org. His wealthy parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was young, and he used his inheritance to assist the needy, the sick and the suffering.
St. Nicholas, who was known for his generosity, died on Dec. 6, which is the date designated by the church as his feast day.
Widely celebrated in Europe and in parts of the United States, especially here in the Midwest, St. Nicholas' feast day keeps alive the stories of his goodness. Dec. 6 is still the main day for gift giving and merrymaking in much of Europe. Dutch children leave carrots and hay in their shoes for the saint's horse, hoping St. Nicholas will exchange them for small gifts. In the United States, shoes or stockings are left out Dec. 5 and filled during the night.
According to the legend of St. Nick, he rescued women from being sold into slavery by tossing gold coins through windows, which are said to have landed in stockings left to dry by the fire. The gold he threw is symbolized by oranges.
Whatever St. Nick's origins, he is remembered fondly by children today.
Just don't you forget.
- Julie Gilkay: 920-993-1000, ext. 319, or email@example.com. Follow her blog at postcrescent.com/MomToMomBlog.


text:
Everywhere I Go intro chords by Hollywood Undead, added: May 11th, 2010
Profile History
WARNING: You are trying to view content from Ultimate-Guitar.com in an unauthorized application, which is prohibited. Please use an official Ultimate Guitar Tabs application for iPhone, iPad or Android to access legitimate chords, guitar, bass, and drum tabs from Ultimate-Guitar.com database. Type "ultimate guitar tabs" in Apple App Store's or Android Market's search to find the application.
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------- +
| Ultimate Guitar Tabs Archive - your #1 source for tabs! |
| http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ |
| |
| Over 800,000 guitar, guitar pro and bass tabs! Also lessons, news, |
| columns and guitar forums! |
+ --------------------------------------------------------------------- +
Capo on 3rd fret
Everywhere I go
C Em
Bitches always know
That Charlie Scene
has got a weenie
D Em
That he loves to show (bitch)
Everywhere I go
C Em
Bitches always know
That Charlie Scene
has got a weenie
D Em
That he loves to show
Repeat chords through song if you wish to play this on acoustc.


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Intel readies Rosepoint: dual-core Atom with built-in Wi-Fi
updated 05:55 am EST, Mon February 20, 2012
Intel set to reveal new SoC breakthrough
Intel is readying a new dual-core Atom-based chip with a digital 2.4GHz Wi-Fi receiver built into the same die. Dubbed Rosepoint, the new architecture is built on a 32nm process and will show for the first time as a research project (PDF) at ISSCC 2012 in San Francisco. For end-users, devices equipped this technology significantly improve power consumption and produce a more reliable Wi-Fi connection than current analogue-based receivers.
'With a digital approach to radio, you can bring the benefits of Moore's law to RF and radio circuits,' says Intel Chief Technology Officer, Justin Rattner. To be able to achieve this, Intel had to find a way of stopping the radio waves from interfering with the CPU. The Rosepoint architecture overcomes this by employing noise canceling and radiation-shielding methods to enable the concept to work.
At this stage, the Rosepoint design is being demonstrated as a working prototype, although Intel believes that it could be able to develop the technology into a shipping product by 2015. [via Wired]


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Is Hydrogenaudio losing it's direction?, Going from Hi-Fi -> Mid-Fi
Is Hydrogenaudio losing it's direction?, Going from Hi-Fi -> Mid-Fi
Dec 12 2003, 18:43
Post #26
Rarewares admin
Group: Members
Posts: 7515
Joined: 30-September 01
From: Brazil
Member No.: 81
The issue is that if we encourage with it, low quality musics will be floating around soon, exactly same as what we have seen with MP3 128kbps.
OK, and why are you so afraid of low quality musics floating around? Afraid you won't find APS on Kazaa?
Besides, if anything, my 128kbps tests serve to prove no format is identical to the original at 128kbps - at least, there has never been a 5 score at any of the 12 samples tested, much less at the final plot. So, I'm really having a hard time figuring out your point.
BTW, I suggest you take a look at ff123's last post in this thread. He has a very interesting point that you perhaps missed:
Get up-to-date binaries of Lame, AAC, Vorbis and much more at RareWares:
Dec 12 2003, 19:14
Post #27
Group: Members
Posts: 53
Joined: 18-January 03
Member No.: 4621
QUOTE (rjamorim @ Dec 12 2003, 01:43 PM)
OK, and why are you so afraid of low quality musics floating around? Afraid you won't find APS on Kazaa?
It's more than just spreading on Kazaa. The world is moving towards digital delivery. If we are not aware from the beginning, the industry will push us buying same music over and over. Also you gotta admit that, online piracy was and most likely will be major reason to make any lossy format so popular.
Besides, if anything, my 128kbps tests serve to prove no format is identical to the original at 128kbps - at least, there has never been a 5 score at any of the 12 samples tested, much less at the final plot. So, I'm really having a hard time figuring out your point.
In your last test it's already been proved. Do you really expect to see a big change just in a 6 month period.
Anyways, if majority of the members think that these repeated tests won't be a major issue in terms of degrading average people's concept of hi quality music then I don't have any problem. But I still believe it would be a good idea to put some sort of disclaimer together with the test results in order to avoid any confusion.
-- Floydian Slip
Dec 12 2003, 19:18
Post #28
xcLame and OggDropXPd Developer
Group: Developer
Posts: 3798
Joined: 30-September 01
From: Bracknell, UK
Member No.: 111
I should have thought that these tests are all about preserving the direction of HA.
If the only concern here was audiophile quality at best compression, surely none of us would settle for less than lossless compression.
The whole point is that there are requirements to be able to produce respectable quality at all sorts of different bitrates for different reasons. These tests are all about determining the best codecs and settings to achieve the best possible quality at a range of bitrates. Surely, this is entirely in keeping with HA's mission.
My compiles and utilities are at http://www.rarewares.org/
Dec 12 2003, 20:06
Post #29
Group: Members
Posts: 59
Joined: 23-June 02
Member No.: 2380
i some time use 96 cbr mp3 resampled to 32kh lame
when i have long trips, i also don't hear the diffrence in a noisy atmosphre like train or street
my personal opinion is that the industry is going towards big storage capacities on optical media 18 gigs on one disc is enough to think that the the size will be secondary compared to the benefits of having the best quality
Dec 12 2003, 21:05
Post #30
Group: Members
Posts: 494
Joined: 27-March 02
From: California, USA
Member No.: 1631
QUOTE (Floydian Slip @ Dec 12 2003, 06:02 AM)
If these tests are for non-audiophile users then we are doing a disservice by not making them aware that they shouldn't use any of these format at this bitrate, as they are not transparent. Again if it is targeted at the developers, I don't think this is the kind of test that they need.
There are some fundamental assumptions in your post that underly some of the debate:
1) These bitrates are not / can not be transparent
2) People should not use codecs / settings that are not tranparent
You may want to reconsider both assumptions as they apply to the general music consuming public - I am not certain that they are valid.
That said, my read of your post is that you are concerned about HA accepting mediocrity. This is a valid concern, one that I believe most members share. However, testing the state of the midrange bitrate audio codec art can only serve to increase our knowledge of codecs in general and is very applicable to the real world as Roberto points out.
>>Edit: spelling / clarity.<<
This post has been edited by DigitalMan: Dec 12 2003, 21:07
Was that a 1 or a 0?
Dec 12 2003, 21:06
Post #31
Group: Members
Posts: 691
Joined: 15-December 01
From: Denmark
Member No.: 655
What i always lovede (and do love) about HA is that it has NO DIRECTION.
It tries to infom the WHOLE truth and both ends of the spectre, so the PEOPLE couild make ther OWN choises, instead of only serving info that benefits there own intereset.
HA always lives by the "if it sound good to you keep doing it... but objectivly you might getter better qualtiy form this and that"
HA always curaged people to do ther own listening test spiced with god objectivly advises, instead of forcing there own preferences down som newbies throat.
BTW it always easier to pick on somebodys work...is much harder to do the "improvede" work youself.
Sven Bent - Denmark
Dec 12 2003, 21:57
Post #32
Rarewares admin
Group: Members
Posts: 7515
Joined: 30-September 01
From: Brazil
Member No.: 81
QUOTE (Floydian Slip @ Dec 12 2003, 04:14 PM)
But I still believe it would be a good idea to put some sort of disclaimer together with the test results in order to avoid any confusion.
What disclaimer? "Hey, 128kbps IS NOT TRANSPARENT, YOU F00!"
People should be able to infer that from the plots. If they can't, they should get educated elsewhere. My tests are not there to teach people how to read statistical plots.
Get up-to-date binaries of Lame, AAC, Vorbis and much more at RareWares:
Dec 12 2003, 22:09
Post #33
Group: Members
Posts: 318
Joined: 11-November 03
Member No.: 9786
Seasons Greetings!
Ehm I welcome all research as it furthers our understanding. I am interested in how good 128kbps "is" rather than "is believed to be" so let us see.
I only use the format for streaming audio but I am interested in seeing how MP3 stacks up against the newer codec, how much progress (if any) LAME has made against FhG at this bit rate, and finally the results are useful for solid state audio player users (like me!). Although I'd be interested in a study at 160kbps (or there about for this).
Basically an album should average 64Mb in size to make best use of solid state players storage space IMHO (opinion not fact).
Dec 12 2003, 23:26
Post #34
Group: Members
Posts: 53
Joined: 18-January 03
Member No.: 4621
QUOTE (rjamorim @ Dec 12 2003, 04:57 PM)
What disclaimer? "Hey, 128kbps IS NOT TRANSPARENT, YOU F00!"
Naah, something like "rjamorim preferred, Apple certified CD quality Audio".
-- Floydian Slip
Dec 13 2003, 16:35
Post #35
Group: Members
Posts: 288
Joined: 8-January 02
Member No.: 959
I am very confused in this discussion.
A listening test that provides information to some people who are interested in, and builds up "knowledge". What's wrong with that?
No matter if it is 64kbps, 128kbps, or 320kbps, these are all knowledges of lossy audio codecs. And these knowledges make HA such a valuable place. Isn't this a good thing?
Dec 13 2003, 17:12
Post #36
Group: Members
Posts: 242
Joined: 9-February 03
Member No.: 4921
Yeah, I like this tests too. I daily record two Simpsons-Movies and I want lowest size for those twenty minutes.
I user the Lowest-Profile of Nero (AAC+) which has a bitrate of about 40kbits! But for the simpsons it's good enough! I don't hear to the soundquality all the time, but if you lokk my movies you won't hear that it's 40kbits, believe me! And for the video I use 280kbits! This sound terrible too, I know. But I did some tests with different codecs at this bitrate and I found out that RV9 is the best for me.
Back to Topic:
If you record so much movies from you TV you need low bitrates. My Simpsons-Movies take about 60MB and they are really good quality (not like kazaa-ones).
You see, each of us has different uses and each of us needs different bitrates. So let us test each codec for each purpose.
Dec 13 2003, 17:33
Post #37
Group: Members (Donating)
Posts: 478
Joined: 22-November 01
From: United Kingdom
Member No.: 519
Most arguments against Floydian Slip's post have already been raised, but anyway...
WTF do you think HA.org is? A proselytist movement for transparent quality? Yes, most HA members do want to find out about absolute "transparency without compromises", as you put it; but where did you get the idea that that was the only thing HA.org was after? Even Dibrom fails to get your point. I can assure that many of the "non-plus-ultra" members here are using mid-bitrates for certain purposes, and since those bitrates are seeing the most change, why shouldn't there be tests about them? Why shouldn't anything that provides useful, objective information be allowed? As has already been stated, transparent settings have not seen any major change in at least a year, if the only purpose were to talk about those, HA.org would be dead and deserted for quite a while already.
If you want to be a "transparent audio quality crusader", then be it, but just don't think HA.org's goal is to be at the front of that crusade. HA.org is not an active movement, but a discussion forum, so it doesn't have a "goal". If someone wants to find out more about audio encoding, this is the right place to come and find the truth, but HA.org purpose has never been to go out there and force "quality" down people's throats nor campaigning to rescue people from Xing's evil clutches or their own ignorance/deafness/dumbness. If they are interested, let them come and we will provide information, but we aren't world's daddies to go around protecting people from making uninformed assumptions.
Anyway, why are you so worried about what people might imply from Roberto's tests? HA.org impact on the average listener has never been so great to turn the tide, since there are mountains of old WMA files being played every second, despite WMA being one of the most ferociously attacked codecs on HA.org. It's the big companies which really lead the market and only very few of them do actually care about what is said here.
This post has been edited by Dologan: Dec 13 2003, 17:34
|Lo-Fi Version
|Time is now: 1st December 2015 - 10:47


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Community service
The Community Development Partnership (CDP) is seeking nominations from the community for the 10th Annual Gwen Pelletier Award for Excellence in Community Service to the Lower Cape Cod community. The award will be presented at the CDP's 23rd annual meeting, to be held 5:30 to 7 p.m. April 2 at the Orleans Waterfront Inn.
This award was created to honor former longtime executive director Gwen Pelletier for her years of service to the Lower Cape community. It recognizes individuals, businesses or organizations for their involvement and support to the economic diversity of the Lower Cape.
The CDP is looking for local individuals or businesses that have demonstrated a positive effect on the community or population, contributed to a program that improves the livability of the local community, demonstrated goodwill built by developing collaborative efforts with local communities and partnerships with other organizations, and demonstrated thoroughness in program/project planning and implementation.
Forms are available on the CDP website, at www.capecdp.org. Nominations must be sent by Feb. 28 to Andrea Aldana at the CDP, email@example.com or 3 Main St. Mercantile, Unit 7, Eastham, MA 02642.
The CDP strives to nurture a vibrant Lower Cape region by promoting environmental and economic sustainability, expanding opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents and preserving the region's cultural and historic character.
Cablecast readings
Falmouth Community Television (FCTV) is now cablecasting the Audible Local Ledger's (ALL) readings of the Falmouth Enterprise and the Cape Cod Times on Public Channel 13.
Through this effort, FCTV aims to support the ALL's mission of bringing localized readings of news and items of interest to the listening public so that anyone with a visual impairment or physical disability that makes reading difficult are empowered to live their lives with the greatest possible personal independence. The ALL is an affiliate of the Massachusetts Radio Reading Service.
The readings of the Cape Cod Times are cablecast on FCTV Public Channel 13 at 5 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and the readings of The Falmouth Enterprise are cablecast at 6 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays.
Children's garden
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension is accepting applications for this year's Master Gardener Children's Garden.
The Master Gardener's operate a seasonal Children's Garden that offers ages 8 to 12 a hands-on opportunity to learn about gardening from these gardeners.
This program is held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays May 20 to Sept. 9 at the Brewster Community Garden. There is no fee to take part, however, is space is limited.
Applications are available at www.capecodextension.org/horticulture under Upcoming Events. Deadline to apply is April 1.
For more information, contact Chris St. Pierre at email@example.com or 508-375-6638.
Combating hunger
The Falmouth Jewish Congregation will present a free public screening of the documentary film, "A Place at the Table," and a community conversation about hunger at 11 a.m. Wednesday in its Blanche & Joel D. Seifer Community Center, located at 7 Hatchville Road (off Sandwich Road), East Falmouth.
This film examines the issue of hunger in America through the lens of three people struggling with food insecurity and shows how hunger poses serious economic, social and cultural implications for our nation. The film proposes that the problems of hunger could be solved if the American public would prioritize that making healthy food available and affordable is in the best interest of us all.
This screening, funded with a grant from the Woods Hole Foundation, will include an opportunity to discuss the film over a free soup-and-bread lunch. The discussion will feature Brenda Swain, executive director of the Falmouth Service Center, as well as others.
For more information, visit www.takepart.com/place-at-the-table or www.falmouthjewish.org or call 508-540-0602.
Chicken farming
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth's Adult Education Committee will sponsor the program, "Chickens for Fun and Profit," at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the fellowship's meetinghouse, 840 Sandwich Road, East Falmouth.
The program will include a presentation with pictures by two experienced "backyard" farmers — Maureen McIver and Jackie Owens. A discussion period will follow.
McIver, an organic farmer and educator for more than 20 years, has been growing plants and animals on her micro farm in East Falmouth. Owens, also of East Falmouth, specializes in raising heritage chickens; she has also raised heritage turkeys as well as horses and cattle.
Program topics will include: the essentials of chicken care, the benefits of backyard chickens for both those raising them and for the whole neighborhood, information about eggs, the importance of heritage breed chickens, and the joys of raising chickens.
For more information, contact Jack Easterling at 508-495-0787 or email@example.com.
Brewster artists
The Brewster Cultural Council in cooperation with the Brewster Ladies' Library will sponsor an exhibit of paintings and sculptures by Brewster artists from March 2 to 30 in the library's auditorium. An artists reception will be held 3 to 5 p.m. March 8.
The first 27 artists to apply will be accepted. Applications are available at the library and at Brewster Town Hall, both on Route 6A.
For more information, call the library at 508-896-3913.
A new season
St. Christopher's Gift & Consignment Shop in Chatham reopened Thursday after a winter hiatus.
The shop, located behind the Orpheum Theater at 637C Main St., is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays through the spring.
The shop carries a variety of home goods, tableware, jewelry, clothing, artworks and antiques and is also seeking donations. All items, clothing and merchandise, must be in excellent condition, odor-free, ready for sale and appropriate for the shop's clientele. Consignments will be taken from 10 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Thursdays.
All proceeds benefit St. Christopher's many ministries.
For more information, call 508-945-2211.
School vacation events
The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History and the NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary will present the school vacation program, "Ocean Waves of Nature," Feb. 17 to 21 at the museum, Route 6A, Brewster. Children will discover what's new under the sea in the following programs:
1 p.m. Feb. 17: "Underwater Archaeology" with Kate Roderick;
12:30 p.m. Feb. 18: "Be a Shipwreck Detective" with Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary;
10:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Feb. 19: "The Inflatable Whale" visits (reservations required);
1 p.m. Feb. 20: "Talk to the Turtles" with Mary Binowski;
1 p.m. Feb. 21: "Sharks."
Also the museum's Underwater Art Room will be open 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.
For more information or required reservations, call the museum at 508-896-3867, ext. 133.
The Thornton W. Burgess Society's Green Briar Nature Center, 6 Discovery Hill Road (off Route 6A), East Sandwich, will offer programs for both children and families during the week of school vacation. Here's the schedule:
6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday: "Snow Moon-Owl Moon" will teach children ages 8 to 12 about native owls through a story and hands-on exploration plus a hike out under the light of the full Snow Moon to call for owls. Cost: $25 for Burgess Society members, $30 nonmembers.
9:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 17: "Mousekin's Frosty Friend" will teach children ages 4 to 7 about the lives of mice through a storybook tale and an outdoor hike in search of signs of mice activity. Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers.
9:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 18: "Winter Birds," a family program exploring outdoors with a naturalist searching for birds. Bring binoculars. Cost: $4 members (family maximum $16); $6 nonmembers (family maximum $24).
9:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 19: "Nature Detectives," for ages 4 to 7, looks for clues to discover who stays awake and active out in the Briar Patch during the winter. Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers.
1 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 19: "Old-Time Candy Making" workshop in the Green Briar Jam Kitchen for an adult, or an adult and child (age 6 and older) working together. Create molasses taffy and popcorn balls to take home. Cost: $20 members, $25 nonmembers. (Fee includes one adult and one child.)
9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 20: "Trails and Tracks," a family program offering a naturalist-led hike through the Briar Patch in search of tracks and signs of the resident animals. Cost: $4 members (family maximum $16); $6 nonmembers (family maximum $24).
9:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 21: "Oh Deer," for ages 8 to 12, searches for buck rubs, deer yards, tracts and scat out in the Briar Patch. Explore deer fur and skulls, replica tracks and scat to learn about the lives of these animals. Cost: $25 members, $30 nonmembers.
Advance registration is required for all programs by calling 508-888-6870.
The Dennis Public Library, Route 28 and Hall Street, Dennisport, will offer these free activities for children and teens during school vacation:
2:30 to 4:40 p.m. Feb. 18: "Rainbow Loom Craft" drop-in program for ages 8 and older; bring your loom (or share one of the library's) to learn new techniques from other loomers, books and YouTube;
Feb. 19: Family movie day featuring the film, "Winnie the Pooh" at 10 a.m. and "Despicable Me 2" at noon;
Feb. 20: 10:30 a.m. story time for all ages with songs and a craft; amd 2 to 3 p.m. "Frosty's Magic Birthday Party" featuring the magic of Greg McAdams;
6 p.m. Feb. 21: Teen movie night, featuring the film, "The Host," based on a book by Stephanie Meyer.
Also, the library will host a "4-H Baby-sitting" course for children ages 11 and older from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 17 and 18. Participants will learn how to become responsible baby-sitters and will receive a certificate and ID card upon successful completion.
Cost, $25, includes a manual. Scholarships are available; this program is free to military youth.
To register, call the library at 508-760-6219.
The West Dennis Library will host a "Read to the Library Puppies" session from 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 19 at the library, 260 Main St. (Route 28). This program for all ages and abilities will allow children the chance to practice reading aloud to certified therapy dogs.
To register, call 508-398-2050 to register.
Blood drives
Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals are in urgent need of blood donations, according to a press release. The following blood drives will be held this month to benefit Cape Cod Healthcare:
noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Stoneman Outpatient Center, 2 Jan Sebastian Drive, Sandwich, sponsored by Sandwich Chamber of Commerce and Cape Medical Supply;
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Four Points by Sheraton — Eastham, Marconi Room, 3800 Rte. 6;
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20, Chatham Community Center, 702 Main St;
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 25, YMCA Cape Cod, 2245 Iyanough Road (Route 132), West Barnstable;
11 am. to 5 p.m. Feb. 27, Brewster Town Hall, 2198 Main St.
Also, the fifth Annual American Red Cross Blood Drive, in memory of Capt. Eric A. Jones, USMC, will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Christ the King Church, Jobs Road, Mashpee. The drive is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and Heroes in Transition, Inc.
Jones, the son of Ken and Cyndy Jones of Mashpee, was killed in a helicopter crash while supporting a combat mission in the Helmund Province of Afghanistan on Oct. 26, 2009.
This year, the Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donors with blood types O positive, O negative, A negative and B negative.
For an appointment or more information, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767.
Location, ST | website.com


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- Filed Under
Your children will want to know where you were when it happened.
Have a good answer ready. They deserve one.
Think about what to tell them about the day Justice Anthony Kennedy, appointed by Ronald Reagan, read into the public record the Supreme Court opinion he authored that made the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. ...


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Cooling centers in Pike County opened last Friday and officials say they will stay open since many do not have power and it's going to stay hot.
Thousands of folks are without power and hundreds without water which has many seeking refuge.
Cooling centers provide folks the bare necessities of food, water and shelter which means a lot to those who currently have very little.
No power also means no air-conditioning, which can be downright dangerous in 100 degree heat.
Organizers say the amount of folks using the centers isn't as high as originally anticipated.
But organizers say regardless of the number of people that come in, they're glad to provide the services to the public.
All senior centers and some community centers are being used as cooling centers.
The centers are open from 11 to 5.


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Reader Tofu St. John has once again put old Fast Passes to creative use. He made a "Muni Mandala" with cut-up old colorful Fast Passes. You can check out his blog for more information on his other projects using Fast Passes. The "Muni Mandala" is available as a print and also as an iPhone case.
And if you want a new jacket for your Clipper card, don't forget to check out our Fast Pass wallets at our Etsy store!


text: General Safe Boating Tips United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Wilmington As we get into the boating season, it's always a good idea to review some tips for safe boating that may make your boating adventure a little safer: 1. Check the local weather before going out; listen to the weather channel; read the weather report in the newspaper, also, be sure you know what the tide's are doing for your day on the boat. 2. Check to make sure all of your safety equipment is there, on board the boat, and that it is all still in good condition. Make sure everyone on board knows where all the safety equipment is and how to use it. 3. Prepare a "Float Plan". Tell someone who you trust and is not going with you, where you expect to be going and when you expect to be back. This is called a "Float Plan" and should include information that you would want someone to know about you and your boat that would help them find you, if necessary. Be sure to cancel your float plan when you return. 4. Know the basic navigation rules and what the "traffic" signs mean that you see while underway. Consider taking a safe boating class from the CG Auxiliary or Power Squadron. 5. Have and show respect and consideration for others out on the water. Remember, you are responsible for your wake and any damage or injury you might cause to another. 6. Please don't use alcohol while boating, the effects of alcohol while out in the sun, on the water are far greater than while on land. 7. "Safe Boats save lives" is more than just a slogan, it makes sense to have your boat's safety gear checked by the Auxiliary or Power Squadron at the start of the season. 8. Remember to "Boat Smart from the Start" and wear your life jackets. Have a safe, fun-filled boating day. Flotilla 10-06 is offering a Safe Boating Class beginning June 2. Contact Lois at firstname.lastname@example.com for more information. Flotilla 10-06 Vessel Examiners will be at local marinas, wildlife ramps, and state park ramps providing free Vessel Safety Checks. Please contact Jim at email@example.com for more information. Boat Smart From the Start! This message was brought to you by... U S Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 10-6 Wilmington, NC. $$


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St. Louis (KSDK) - You've watched them for decades on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. They're known as Doug and Julie Williams on the show.
In real life, they're husband and wife Bill and Susan Hayes.
You have a chance to meet them in person Thursday night in St. Louis, when they sign copies of their book of historical fiction titled "Trumpet." That happens at 7 p.m. at Left Bank Books, 321 N. 10th Street in downtown St. Louis.
Bill and Susan Hayes joined us live in the newsroom on First @ Four.
Days of Our Lives is celebrating its 46th anniversary on the air this year, and they've been married 37 years.
Click on the video player to watch their interview.


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Lou Cadalzo of Point Pleasant Beach shows the fluke he caught on a half-day fishing expedition aboard the Gambler party boat this summer.
Eight days was not one of the original options for the extension of this year's fluke season under consideration by the New Jersey Marine Fisheries Council.
Yet, that was the number of days added to the season. The extension was made possible by an amendment approved by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission that allowed New Jersey and New York to access fluke quotas that would not have been used by other states.
According to those present at last Thursday's meeting, a compromise was reached after the council and the public were divided over a six day, 11 day or no extension to this ...


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There is a generation out there which has forgotten (or more correctly, never learned) the value of knowledge. In the last decade or so, it is safe to say the internet has replaced television as the ubiquitous household media resource. It is available for free in most public locations, and even on our phones. We stream music. We watch movies. Need to know where the cheapest gas price is within five miles of your current location? Google it (or use Bing, or any number of other services available for "free").
For this generation, the instant availability of up-to-the-minute, detailed and accurate (ok, I'm using the term "accurate" loosely here) information on just about anything is simply an everyday expectation. And it better be free. The internet has been available to them since before they could speak. Even some of us who were alive and kicking in the pre-internet era have come to rely on this instant availability of data, directions, and content.
Which is a problem in some ways. There is a lot of information available for free on the Interwebs. Some of it is even of fairly high quality. To your right on this page I have added links to the weblogs of some folks who regularly put their time and energy into sharing what they know, bringing (in most cases) years of schooling and experience to the table for free, so that folks like myself can improve their know-how.
I am a self-taught programmer. Meaning, I have to seek and find the information I need in order to learn this complex art, because I didn't listen to my mama when she said "go to college, son." Now, in my forties, I really, really want to learn everything I can about programming and development. "Self-taught" is actually a misnomer here, because in reality, everything I know and have learned about programming has come to me through the efforts of people who saw fit to go to school for this, and/or who mastered the computer at an early age and have accumulated professional experience. Most importantly, these folks also felt some perverse inclination to share what they know via their blog posts. Via on-line forums and user-groups. Via Stack Overflow. Mostly for free.
Now, I am not so naïve as to think that there are not selfish reasons any blog author or "developer evangelist" type undertakes these efforts. Blog authors may, in addition to simply wanting to engage the community, hope to derive some ad or affiliate revenue from page views. "Developer Evangelists" are obviously paid to engage the community and build support for the ecosystem in support of their employer. But in most cases, each of these people would tell you they would do what they are doing for no money.
Some of these folks have taken things a step further. Scott Hanselman and Rob Conery just yesterday released a screencast The Art of Speaking: Scott Hanselman on TekPub (Conery's successful company which provides high-quality tech-focused screencasts for professionals) featuring Mr. Hanselman presenting on the topic of, well, presenting. The cost for this 90 minute, downloadable, stream-able content? $18.00.
Scott Hanselman is one of the foremost presenters on tech topics today. Yes, he is employed by Microsoft as an evangelist. But for years before that Scott has been publishing content on his blog for his own reasons, and on a wide variety of topics. He is in high demand as a presenter, and for good reason. Rob Conery has created a business which provides high-quality video productions at a comparatively modest cost. The two decided to publish the afore-mentioned screencast, and it is exceptional.
Immediately began the G+/Facebook/Twitter complaints about price. Really?
I have to seek and find the information I need in order to learn this complex art, because I didn't listen to my mama when she said "go to college, son."
I have to seek and find the information I need in order to learn this complex art, because I didn't listen to my mama when she said "go to college, son."
We expect the web to provide everything for free. We complain about the price of a $0.99 app for our smart phone. We complain when someone makes space for AdSense ads on their site, hoping to recoup the cost of hosting and possible put some pocket change away. We want the top-rated educators and presenters of our time, who have invested countless years and countless dollars into learning their craft, to turn around and share the wealth for free.
I for one, am happy to pay a paltry $18.00 for 90 minutes of Mr. Hanselman's time. Or how about $30.00 for several HOURS with C# guru John Skeet? Or any of the other TekPub subjects, who have created hours and hours of content, for very, very modest prices.
Does this sound like a plug for TekPub? It might, but consider it instead a metaphor for all affordable, quality content. TekPub is currently but one of the more visible examples where one can find true "rock star" status professionals walking us through some of the most relevant content in the tech realm, at prices rivaling that of a decent dinner or a few drinks. I am not ashamed to discuss products here that I believe in. In reality, I was simply angered by the complaints I read on-line by people who thought that $18.00 was just too spendy for a 90 minute video by a well-respected authority on the subject.
Many in the tech community give freely of their time and knowledge, in so many ways. There is definitely a sense of "giving back" despite the fact that some also attempt to garner a little revenue from the deal. I myself have started this blog so that, maybe, someone coming behind me might garner a few nuggets I have picked up along the way. This is also why I contribute, to the degree I can, on Stack Overflow. I also hope, maybe in a year or two, to pay my hosting bill. Yup. There are a few ads sprinkled on here, in case either or both of my readers want to click on a product, and help me pay the hosting tab. But in reality, I just want to contribute, engage, and be "part of".
When all is said and done, I owe that much, for all I have taken. But when those with the know-how and experience to do what I can only dream of doing decide to charge some nominal fee for access to what they know, count me in. If you don't like the cost, go search Google and assemble 90 minutes of content matching the clarity and quality of a TekPub or other screencast for which you might have to shell out the price of an evening at the movies.
Lemme know how that works out for you. In the meantime, I have some vids to watch.
John on Google
My name is John Atten, and my "handle" on many of my online accounts is xivSolutions. I am Fascinated by all things technology and software development. I work mostly with C#, JavaScript/Node, and databases of many flavors. Actively learning always. I dig web development. I am always looking for new information, and value your feedback (especially where I got something wrong!). You can email me at:
johnatten at typecastexception dot com
Get notified when a new post is published.


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Tell A Friend
In This Issue:Join us at: Great American River Cleanup - Sat 9/17California River Awards - Oct. 28 - Sponsor Now!Ron Stork to speak in Modesto on Merced RiverLast Chance to double your support of FOR
Friends of the River and Midtown residents in Sacramento will be cleaning up Sutter's Landing Regional Park on the lower American River. Volunteers should wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and bring garden gloves. We'll provide trash bags and drinking water. Take 28th Street north from Midtown and meet at where the street dead-ends at the river next to the Skate Park building at 9 AM. Children 10 years or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children older than 10 must have a release form signed by a parent or guardian. For more information, call Steve Evans at (916) 708-3155 or email him at firstname.lastname@example.com.
So much can happen in one day, September 15th is the last day for our generous donors challenge gift. Please make your contribution today and double your money! Your 5 dollar gift becomes a 10 dollar gift. What could be better? Thank you to all who have already answered the call to action. You support means so much. No gift is too small or too large to protect California's Rivers. Donate today!
The California River Awards is a gala evening that honors and recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to river conservation, preservation and protection. It's Friends of the River's biggest annual party and fundraiser. All monies raised go to support FOR's river conservation work across the state.
The event, on Friday, October 28th 2011 will be a festive and unforgettable evening celebrating a number of California's most dedicated river heroes, the Founders of the Tuolumne River Trust and Representative Sam Farr. Along with delectable food, terrific wine and great music, it is a wonderful opportunity to socialize with old and new friends and support FOR's ongoing efforts to protect California's rivers. A live and silent auction will tempt you with many enticing items: outdoor adventures, fine wines and dining, art, camping equipment and more.
Join us as a Tributary Sponsor at $1,000 and you will receive; 3 event tickets, 2 tickets to the special sponsors-only pre-event featuring a presentation on the founding of the Tuolumne River Trust, and acknowledgement of your sponsorship in the event program, on event signage as well as mention on the webpage and recognition in our Headwaters Magazine.
Please follow this link http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/cra2011
The National Wild and Scenic River System was established to protect free-flowing rivers for posterity. One of Modesto's local congressmen, Jeff Denham, has authored a bill that breaks the promises of that designation on the beautiful Merced River above Lake McClure. Another local congressman, Dennis Cardoza, is a co-sponsor. Passage of this bill would set a horrible precedent and do almost nothing to address the serious water issues facing California.
Ron Stork's testimony before Congress on this issue last June was masterful. Please join the Yokuts Sierra Club Group for a fascinating discussion of our local rivers and the very real threats they face.
Their program will be held Friday, September 16th, at the Fellowship Hall of the College Avenue Church, 1341 College Ave. (at Orangeburg) in Modesto. Refreshments and Socializing begin at 6:45 p.m., and the program starts at 7 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
Click below to learn the 50+ ways you can help save your river now!
Friends of the River now accepts donations of cars, boats, trucks, jet skis and more! In a cooperative effort between Donation Line and FOR your vehicle can be donated to help save our rivers! You must have a clean title. Free Towing & No Hassles. Pick up ASAP. Call 1-877-277-7487 extension 2811
The River Advocate is published on a monthly basis by Friends of the River.
Support Rivers by Giving at Work! To find out more email us at: email@example.com
Oct 28 - California River Awards - Golden Gate Club in the Presidio of San Francisco
To volunteer to table with FOR or to find out how to volunteer email us at: email@example.com
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November 30, 2015
An animated film about animals in Brazil was released on this day in history.
Rio, a computer-animated film from Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox, was released into American theaters on April 15th, 2011.
The story of the movie focuses on Blu, a Minnesota Macaw who eventually goes on an adventure to Rio de Janiero with another bird named Jewel.
The film is unique in that it is rated G in a time when most animated features are rated PG. It features the voice talents of Jesse Eisenberg, Jane Lynch, Jamie Foxx, and Anne Hathaway.
A sequel was released just this past weekend, Rio 2.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Amateur Baseball
- Filed Under
An eighth-inning grand slam made all the difference.
Grand slams have a way of doing that.
Marytown and Cleveland had played a close game through most of Sunday's East Shore Baseball League game. But Mike Prado sent a ball over the fence to bring in four Marytown runs to spur what turned into a 10-5 win over Cleveland. ...


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- Filed Under
With the Stanley Cup finals upon us, let's stop a moment and take attendance.
Where's Vancouver's Henrik Sedin, the NHL's regular-season scoring leader with 112 points?
How about Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, the NHL leaders with 51 goals each?
Not here.
Has anyone seen Boston goalie Tuukka Rask, the NHL's regular-season save-percentage and goals-against leader?
He was here a little while ago, but . . .
And where, oh where, are those Washington Capitals -- the team that piled up 121 regular-season points, 318 goals, 30 home victories, outscored opponents by 85 goals and owned the top four spots in the individual plus/minus rankings?
They've been gone almost a month, now.
Not a Blackhawk in the bunch, is there? And that's a little surprising because Chicago's been a good team all season. The Blackhawks went 52-22-8, for 112 points, earned the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs and wiped out top-seeded San Jose in four straight. They have a 245-pound battering-ram winger named Dustin Byfuglien and one of the league's top new goalies in Antti Niemi.
The Flyers have moderate talent, lots of momentum, a hot goalie and a ton of heart.
Michael Leighton, of course, is the journeyman goalie with the incredible story.
The desperate Flyers dredge him up from the American Hockey League, put him in the nets, and he turns into Ron Hextall.
Then he gets hurt, misses a couple of months, and re-emerges in the middle of Game 5 against Boston -- in Boston, no less. One soft goal, and the Flyers' season is over.
So what does our hero do? He turns into Bernie Parent.
He and the Flyers win Game 5 and Game 6, then they spot Boston a 3-0 lead in its own building in Game 7. No problem. Leighton shuts the door, the Flyers score four and win the game and the series 4-3.
Symmetry matters, you know.
Oh, but Leighton isn't quite done. Next come the Montreal Canadiens -- you know, the team that Ken Dryden fellow used to play for -- so, in his best French accent, Leighton politely tells the bleu, blanc and rouge to "Patrick Roy this" and wins Game 1 -- by shutout, and Game 2 -- by shutout, and Game 4 -- by shutout.
If a mother were to read the story of Leighton's unfathomable season to her 4-year-old, the child would place his hands over his ears after two pages and proclaim, "Mommy, that's stupid."
What Leighton and the Flyers are accomplishing here is stupid. It's absolutely stupid. A team that makes the playoffs by one lousy point; a team that falls behind in a playoff series 3-0 and wins anyway; a team that changes coaches, goes through a six-pack of goalies and loses player after player to injury -- including two of its top three goal scorers for half the playoffs -- is about to play for the Stanley Cup.
The whole story is so stupid that you'll be reading it years from now, and it won't be in some kiddie book. It'll be on a bookshelf somewhere at your favorite Barnes & Noble. It'll be preserved in a glass case somewhere, too. You'll find it in Toronto at the NHL Hall of Fame.
Enjoy this, Flyers fans. Ride the wave. Momentum can be fleeting. One look over your shoulder will tell you that.
The headlines last weekend in Boston were about Youkilis and Dice-K, not Savard and Recchi.
Here, the improbable, never-say-die, mind-blowing Flyers are the only story in town -- and not even the Eagles can change that.
And that's why Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren probably feels like a schoolboy on Aug. 15 right about now.
He's having the greatest summer of his life, and he doesn't ever, ever want it to end, but in the back of his mind he knows school starts in three weeks, like it or not.
When this magical ride is over, it'll be time for Holmgren to cope with questions like:
If Michael Leighton plays like Bernie Parent, then mimics Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy, isn't he worth at least as much as Grant Fuhr?
If the legs and hands of Crosby and Ovechkin are worth tens of millions of dollars -- and they're out of the playoffs -- what's the going rate for the heart and courage of Jeff Carter and Ian Laperriere?
If Chris Pronger continues this habit of leading his teams to the Stanley Cup finals, shouldn't he carry a bigger price tag?
Inquiring agents want to know.
Reach Barrie Dawson at firstname.lastname@example.com


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November 29, 2015
Echo's Volunteer Fire Department has recently received over $114,000 from the Department of Homeland Security to upgrade their operations and safety equipment.
Almost $570,000 was recently given to seven fire departments in the state. The Echo Volunteer Fire Department received over 20 percent of that money.
Volunteer fire officials say this money will go to buying equipment they've needed for a while.
"We're fortunate to have this. We operate on a fixed income that's about $12,000 dollars a year. Insurance alone, vehicle upkeep and maintains uses that up. We're in a dire need of this," says President of the Echo Volunteer Fire Department, Jimmy Ward.
Of the $114,000, a little over $104,000 will go towards personal protective equipment, like a new breathing apparatus.
The money comes from the Department of Homeland Security, but it won't go just to the station located in the Echo community.
"We have just expanded another station. We added a second station in our coverage area. It's going to give about 50% more coverage area than our current station does as far as fire coverage and rescue coverage," says Ward.
There is a five percent match that should run close to $7000 dollars.
The Daleville Volunteer Fire Department was also awarded a grant that was over $63,000. They will use that money for equipment and training.
Of the seven stations awarded grants last Friday, the Bessemer Fire Department located near Birmingham received the most money; they received more than $243,000.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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A leading department store switches to Everyday Low Pricing. The question is will it work?
JCPenney Company made a lot of news this month as it switched to the "revolutionary"
concept of EDLP (everyday low pricing) on February 1, a practice that has been
used in the supermarket channel for decades. The event was marked with a slew of
commercials featuring people screaming at coupons falling out of their mailboxes and
being surrounded by sale signs in the store, including one customer who bore an uncanny
resemblance to that crazy blonde lady who spends three weeks gearing up for Target's
Black Friday sale.
As part of the transformation, prices are now in whole numbers, $20 for a shirt, instead
of $19.99, for instance, and weekly coupons, discounted merchandise and slashed prices
have been eliminated. Also, the store's name has been changed to JCP.
While the effort generated lots of publicity, including local news reports, I question
if it will have long-term staying power. After all, the bottom line is people love sales.
Especially in a recession, people love to hunt for bargains.
I paid a visit to the JCPenney in Herald Square last week to pay my bill. It was lunch
hour and the store was relatively empty, at least by Manhattan standards. There were
people were walking around, but no more than one person in line at any of the registers.
I asked one of the associates how the new program was going over. "It has been going
great," she remarked. I mentioned that I thought the store was rather quiet. "Well, it
is taking time for people to get used to this concept," she admitted. "I think once they
get used to our new pricing strategy sales will pick back up, but that will probably take
The thing is in today's fractured retail environment you have to use every gimmick
possible to draw customers in – and nothing works better than a good, old-fashioned sale.
Penney's, or JCP as they now prefer to be called, can run endless commercials of dizzy
kids pinning the tale on the donkey, but if Macy's runs a commercial saying they are
having another two-day One Day Sale, with early morning and late night "door busters"
and you can save even more with your 20% discount coupon (with limited exceptions),
guess which store is going to have the more traffic.
And that is because people love coupons. I know that when Lord & Taylor mails a $15.00
coupon as a "gift," about once every four months, I definitely make time to go shopping
there that week – no matter how busy I am. After all, it is a sin to let $15.00 go to waste.
Supermarkets can and are using coupon offers to drive traffic too. About every three
weeks or so, I will get an e-mail from A&P featuring a coupon for a free product that is only good for three days, usually Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It might be for Totino's
Pizza Rolls, a brick of cheddar cheese or a bottle of Greenway private label organic
dish detergent. It makes the consumer feel that they are getting something for free, even
though A&P requires a $10.00 additional purchase. I find by the time I get my all-butter
croissant, Hartford Reserve apple pie and a few other treats that $10.00 has mushroomed
into $40. But as an educated consumer I know I still got something for nothing!


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WHITLEY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - After an investigation into a possible scam, there's now an arrest warrant out for a Laurel County man.
Mark Adams, 21, from London, claimed to be a worker of the Cumberland Valley Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation.
Last month, deputies say Adams visited a home and said he was there to install lightning rods to protect the victim's home. After installing the rods, he told the homeowner that the cost for the rods was $8,000.
Investigators say the homeowner refused to pay the outstanding bill, so Adams dropped the price to $4,000. Adams pleaded with the victim and said that he would lose his job if he didn't receive the money for the lightening rod installation. Subsequently, the victim wrote a check to Adams for the $4,000.
The lightning rod scandal didn't stop there.
Adams returned to the same home on a later day with a chainsaw. This time he was there to cut trees. The homeowner told Adams to leave and called 911.
If you have any information about Adams, contact the Whitley County Sheriff's Department at 606-549-6006.
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In my first blog on Nevada driving laws, I outlined laws regarding headlights, seat belts, child safety seats, helmets and unattended children. Now I will go over some of the Nevada driving laws that when ignored, are the most typical causes of auto accidents and also some of the most misunderstood laws. The information is found in the Nevada Drivers Handbook, which can be found at http://www.dmv.org.
Following Distance
The rear-end collision is the number one type of crash in Nevada. To avoid being the cause of a fender-bender, stay behind other vehicles by at least 2 seconds, if you are driving 40 mph or less. However, most driving instructors recommend up to 4 seconds. As your speed increases, so should the amount of space between you and the driver in front of you. For example, if you are traveling at 55 mph, you would need almost 7 seconds to stop with perfect brakes and ideal road conditions. At high speeds, or in weather conditions when streets and roads become slippery or visibility is reduced, increase your following distance.
To make safe and legal turns, make sure you are in the correct lane well ahead of time. Look ahead, behind and to each side of your vehicle. Signal your turn at least 100 feet ahead on city streets and 300 feet on open highways. Watch for and obey traffic signals, signs and pavement markings that direct your movement. Allow time and space to make your turn safely. Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and other traffic. When turning, be especially aware of pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as other vehicles. Before making your turn, look one more time in each direction.
4-Way Stops
At a 4-way stop, you must wait for vehicles within the intersection, and for those who reach the intersection before you do, to go first.
Yellow Lights
At a yellow light, if you have not entered the intersection, you must stop. If you are already in the intersection, continue moving and clear it safely. NEVER speed up to "beat the light."
As you come upon a roundabout, choose which lane you will use, yield to those in the roundabout and wait for a gap in the traffic before entering. The left lane is for turning left, completing a u-turn or going straight. The right lane is for turning right or going straight. Never change lanes. If you are in the inside lane and miss your exit, you must continue around until you reach the exit again. Use your right turn signal when exiting.
Center Lanes
You may enter a center lane only to make a left turn onto or from the highway. You may not travel more than 200 feet in a center turn lane before making a left-hand turn and you may not travel more then 50 feet in a center lane after making a left-hand turn onto the highway before merging with traffic.
For more information on all Nevada driving laws, go to http://www.dmv.org.


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Crystal Beads, Faceted Beads
There is nothing quite like crystal beads when it comes to jewelry pieces and home craft projects. At GemMall.com, we carry an exclusive selection of stunning crystal beads available in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Create one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry with your choice of flatback, diagonal cube, flower or faceted beads. We also carry round, saucer, biocone, butterfly and many other shapes, giving you plenty of options to make unique jewelry pieces that can't be found at the department stores. Select the category of your choice to view the entire collection.
In addition to our collection of crystal beads, we also carry a variety of other types of beads including sterling silver beads, gemstone beads, glass beads and more. While you are here, make sure to stock up on all of your wires and tools to guarantee a fun and safe jewelry making experience. If you have any questions about our products or services, please contact us today. From lampwork beads to wire cutters, GemMall.com is your source for wholesale beads and jewelry making supplies.


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by Craig Heydon
West Australian duo Carrie Smith and Ella Clark are preparing for their second shot at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship podium after coming so close in 2011.
Zadar, 14.07.2011. Day 8. JK Uskok, Zadar, Croatia. Photo: Sime Sokota / ISAF Youth Sailing
Smith and Clark will represent Australia in the 420 girls class later this month in Dublin, Ireland, having finished fourth at the 2011 event.
Since then the teenagers have had experience at the highest level, competing in the 470 class at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships last December.
'Our preparation is going really well, we're balancing year 12 studies and a heavy load of training which is hard work but hopefully will bring many big rewards,' said Smith. 'We're on the water a lot, still laughing and having fun!'
Clark said that the pair has been spending as much time on the water as possible so they can be at their peak when they hit the water in Dublin.
'So far Carrie and I have been training at our home club in Fremantle, competing in the club racing and against some good competition,' said Clark. 'The conditions at home are great out on the ocean, allowing us to get a feel for potentially some similar weather in Ireland.'
Smith and Clark are looking forward to the challenge of taking on the best 420 youth sailors in the world.
'The best thing about the Youth Worlds is the feeling of not knowing what to expect,' said Smith. 'It's like you're blindfolded and all you have is your raw physical and mental talent. Everyone is equal and it just comes down to how you perform on the day. Meeting all the other athletes is also a great experience and you really make lifelong friends.'
Clark said that the competition at the Youth Worlds is what sets it apart from other regattas.
'I love the competitive feel at the Youth Worlds,' said Clark. 'It's great to be able to compare ourselves to the best in the world, to see if our training has paid off. It's great competing against people from all over the world rather than just within the state and also seeing how we can step up our game when under pressure.'
Though the 2012 event will be the pair's second ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Smith believes that due to it being held in a different location and with different competitors each year it levels out the playing field a bit.
'This year isn't too different as we don't really know who is competing and what the conditions will be like,' said Smith. 'But it's really great to have already been through the process of the regatta and I'm excited to see what this time around will bring. Hopefully the luck of the Irish will come to us!'
Clark feels that the experience of competing in Croatia in 2011 will be an added boost for the pair as they compete for that medal.
'We were just the new kids last year and the youngest in the top 10 so to finish just off the podium was great for us and better than we'd expected,' said Clark. 'Now we know where we stand and know what to expect and how hard we have to work to get there. I think that's a real advantage for us this time, knowing where we have to be and how we can achieve this.
'I went into the Youth Worlds in Croatia last year knowing so little about what the event was really like,' she said. 'Despite having competed internationally previously, I still couldn't understand the concept of a Youth Worlds and how different it is from any other regatta. From that I definitely learnt the pressures that come with it and how you have to apply yourself when you get there.
'Being a part of a team was also such a big thing, you had to rely on them a lot, knowing that we're there as a team to represent our country and at the end of the day that we're all there to support each other,' said Clark.
Racing begins in Dublin on Saturday 14 July and continues until Friday 20 July.
ISAF Youth World Championships website


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I have a simple request. Could you hack my girlfriend? She is version 0.89 (not perfect) So I want a trainer for her. Could you please make one with the following options?
- Bigger breasts- Bigger behind- Always silent- Invisible- Instant Get beer
If you could do this for me, I would will pay you 1000$ personally ^^
I just hope there won't be a patch as soon as the trainer comes out.
Hi Caliber,
Just give the money to your girlfriend for shopping, and she will do it (except first two options)But you may need to give out more money, after updates
[Edited by Arhey, 7/19/2010 11:37:16 AM]
You also forgot the options for "Kinky fetish sex" and "Always Ready for Sex"
Are you sure you're gay?


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Japanese Min'yo and Shakuhachi with Masatomo Yonezu and Friends
Please join us on Friday, February 28th as the Archives of Traditional Music presents a performance/lecture on Japanese min'yo (民謡, folk song) and shakuhachi (尺八, Japanese bamboo flute) with singer Molly Jeon, shakuhachi player Masatomo Yonezu, and drummer Ryan Lidster. The performers will share unique sounds of min'yo and their experiences in the min'yo world.
Min'yo is a genre of Japanese traditional music, which originated from the daily lives of the people as work, religious and entertainment songs. Since the industrialization of Japan, these songs have been arranged and performed in competitions, festivals, ceremonies and advertisement. Featuring selected songs, Molly Jeon focuses on the inheritance system of min'yo and her vocal training from a bi-musical perspective. Masatomo Yonezu shares his learning experience of shakuhachi in a Japanese Folk Song Troop.
Molly Adkins Jeon: In just four years after her first min'yo lesson in Japan, Molly became the Grand Champion of the Japan Folk Song Association Folk Song & Dance Kita Kanto Koshin-etsu Area Competition in 1995. She received her MA in musicology from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts in 1999 with research on the Japanese singing voice. Molly has performed Japanese folk song in a variety of venues, including NHK, in Japan and continues to actively perform at Japanese Festivals and gives workshops throughout the U.S. Molly currently teaches Japanese and ENL at Bloomington High School North.
Masatomo Yonezu is a graduate student in Ethnomusicology whose research focuses on East African traditional music. He started learning shakuhachi when he inherited one from his grandfather. Belonging to Suginoko-kai (a Japanese Folk Song Troop) based in Shizuoka prefecture, he began studying min'yo-style pieces and local songs. He has performed the shakuhachi in several local venues as well as at Shizuoka City Festival 2012 as a member of the troop. In the US, he has played the shakuhachi with Molly Jeon at several cultural events in Bloomington.
Ryan Lidster completed a double major in Music Performance and Foreign Languages at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, before going to Akita, Japan to teach English for three years. There, he became a member of two taiko associations, participating in annual festivals such as Akita's Kanto festival as well as taiko competitions in the Tohoku region. Currently, he is a PhD student in Second Language Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, and has current research projects concerning language assessment, second language phonology, and second language pragmatics, with particular focus on Japanese and ESL.
The Hoagy Carmichael Room is located in Morrison Hall, Room 006 on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington, IN.


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There was no shortage of snickering last week when word came that the Indiana Department of Transportation was going to teach a class on how to safely maneuver through a roundabout.
Today, INDOT will set up a road course outside East Tipp Middle School and use golf carts to show drivers how to enter, navigate and exit the circular intersections ahead of next month's scheduled opening for a roundabout at the entrance to the Hoosier Heartland Highway.
The secondary point, presumably, will be to tout the safety reasons why so many cities - including Lafayette and West Lafayette - are ditching 90-degree intersections in favor of installing roundabouts.
Still ... now we need driver's ed to learn how to drive along a curve?
Well, maybe so. Turns out, according to West Lafayette police records, accidents at the new roundabout at Northwestern Avenue and Yeager Road are up since it opened this summer. While it's not exactly a demolition derby - four crashes compared to one during the same time a year ago - and the collisions were relatively minor, the first taste of roundabouts on a busy road are cause for keeping a heads up.
"I think overall, and I've spent a lot of time out watching it, I think the motorists are doing a very good job of getting their speed down and operating properly," West Lafayette Deputy Chief Chris LeRoux told the J&C's Justin L. Mack.
It would be a lie to say roundabouts are universally loved in Greater Lafayette. You can count on a low groan each time one is announced.
We're not alone. This month, Indianapolis took a cue from Carmel - the undisputed roundabout champ in Indiana - and announced it would replace six intersections with roundabouts in 2013 and 2014.
The reaction prompted Indianapolis Star columnist Erika D. Smith to write: "Roundabouts. Until last week, I had forgotten how fast that word can turn typically calm people into angry, borderline conspiracy theorists who believe we're all going to die if we have to drive in a circle instead of stopping at a light."
Face it, we'll eventually get used to the slow ebb-and-flow roundabouts present. For now, we'll just learn to survive them - one minor fender-bender at a time.


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My best friend got a girlfriend and ever since we don't see each other to much.
I'm jealous a little just because i don't see him so much =(
Before you get all like 'its cause you like him' I'm a lesbian and he's a guy.
His girlfriend is wonderful, shes so sweet and kind and I love her lots. I love to see my best friend look so happy.
I just wish girls didn't get so paras about other girls.. spoils friendships and its uncool!
Naughty Secrets