text:
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To evaluate the efficacy of the adapted program a randomized controlled trial enrolling 620 eligible African American men who have sex with men (MSM) will be conducted. Men in the treatment condition will be compared to men receiving the control condition comprised of standard of care counseling from the clinic plus a free bag of condoms and water-based lubricants. This two-arm trial will test four hypotheses:
Aim: To test the efficacy of a brief, clinic-based and theory-guided, intervention designed to reduce STD incidence and risk of HIV acquisition/transmission among young African American men (15-29 years old) having sex with men and presenting for STD testing.
H1. Men randomized to receive the intervention will have a lower incidence rate of laboratory-confirmed STDs at each of three follow-up assessments compared to those receiving the control condition.
H2. Men randomized to receive the intervention will report significantly fewer acts of unprotected penetrative sex (penile-vaginal or penile-anal) between follow-up assessments compared to those receiving the control condition.
H3. Men randomized to receive the intervention will report having significantly fewer unprotected penetrative sex partners (for penile-vaginal or penile-anal sex) between follow-up assessments compared to those receiving the control condition.
H4. Men randomized to receive the intervention will report having significantly fewer negative experiences with condom use between follow-up assessments compared to those receiving the control condition.
H5. Men randomized to receive the intervention will demonstrate significantly greater improvement in condom application skills, throughout the 12-month study, compared to those receiving the control condition.
HIV Infections
Behavioral: Intervention
Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single Blind (Subject)
Primary Purpose: Prevention
|Official Title:
|A Brief, Clinic-Based, Safer Sex Program for Young African-American Men
- The frequency of unprotected sex rather than frequency of condom use will be used as the primary outcome measure. [ Time Frame: 12 months (per participant) ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]This will be achieved through the use of a centralized text messaging service. Once each week (throughout the 12-month observation period) men will receive questions, via text. The data from these weekly questions will be cumulated to form "3-month" variables that correspond with the STD-testing intervals between baseline and the first follow-up assessment and between the first follow-up assessment and the second one (at 6 months), as well as the "6-month" variables corresponding to the STD-testing interval between the 6-month assessment and the final assessment at 12 months.
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|September 2012
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|May 2019
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|May 2018 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
No Intervention: Control
Men receiving the control condition will be comprised of standard of care counseling from the clinic plus a variety of free condoms and water-based lubricants. They will also provide a specimen for STD testing, and receive text message questions for 12 weeks. The text messaging system will be used to collect self-reported dependent variables from men on a weekly basis. Texting will also serve as a constant method of contact between the PD and the enrolled men to remind them of follow-up assessments. In addition, the participants will complete the ACASI questionnaire to assess their sexual behavior, as well as demonstrate their condom application ability.
Experimental: Treatment
Men receiving the treatment condition will receive text messages each week after their enrollment date and this will continue for 12 weeks to collect self-reported dependent variables. Text messaging will also be used to confirm and remind men about the day of each follow-up assessment. Each participant will also provide a specimen for STD testing, as well complete the ACASI questionnaire to assess sexual behavior and demonstrate their condom application ability. These participants will also be provided with a variety of free condoms and water-based lubricants. In addition, men in the treatment condition will also be enrolled in an education program.
Behavioral: Intervention
The intervention will consist of an education program. The education program includes providing the ability to enjoy condom use through improved skills related to finding the right "fit and feel" of condoms, using lubricants that are compatible with latex, negotiating condom use, negotiating sex, and talking with new and existing sex partners about ways to "sexualize" condoms.
Detailed Description:
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|15 Years to 29 Years
|Genders Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- 15-29 years of age
- Identifying as an African American Male
- Males must be presenting themselves for STD testing
- Males must report recently (past 3 months) engaging in penile-anal sex with other males as a "top" (meaning the insertive partner)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Males not identifying as African American
- Males older than 29 years of age
- Males that are not patients of the STD clinic
- Males who have not engaged in penile-anal sex with other males as a "top" within the past 3 months
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01439503
|Contact: Richard A Crosby, PhD
|Contact: Leandro A Mena, MD
|United States, Mississippi
|Mississippi State Department of Health STD Clinic
|Jackson, Mississippi, United States, 39216
|Contact: Leandro A Mena, MD 601-984-5560 email@example.com
|Principal Investigator:
|Richard A Crosby, PhD
|University of Kentucky
|Principal Investigator:
|Leandro A Mena, MD
|University of Mississippi Health Care
|Responsible Party:
|Richard Crosby, PhD/DDI Endowed Professor and Chair, University of Kentucky
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01439503 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|Study First Received:
|September 20, 2011
|Last Updated:
|December 2, 2014
|Health Authority:
|United States: Institutional Review Board
United States: Federal Government
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Trichomonas Infections
Parasitic Diseases
Protozoan Infections
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 30, 2016


text:
There are number of free as well as paid software to stitch together tiles out there. What is your intended purpose?
Home use or commercial?
computer screen/website or print?
If you are looking to make makes for commercial use, you will likely have to purchase software to get a good wide selection of usable elements. In this case, ProFrantasy has a decent backlog of stuff in their CC3 product line, especially if you include the annuals. Fractal Mapper has some some less than that. Also, you can find some stuff all over the web, but most of it is licensed for non commercial use.
Now, if you are just using for home use, then your options of "concent" go WAY up. Dundjinni's forums, rpgmapshare.com, etc.
Check out the software forum for a sticky. Lot's of stuff in there to look through. Ultimately, you could use a good simple graphics product such as GIMP, PhotoShop, or whatever else as long as it supports some type of snap to grid feature.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thursday, August 11, 2011
DOOM: Fake Pluralist Losers Edition
But, alas, they have not. What a bunch of losers.
20 comments:
Dunning-Kruger strikes again!
- August 11, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Well, OK, let's suppose that the people behind the Pluralist Guide are losers. Maybe it's so.
I, on the other hand, can't help but notice an equal and opposite loser on the other side of the issue: Brian Leiter.
Have you taken a gander at his latest, truly bizarre post about the sexual harassment allegations at U of Oregon? Apparently, at least as I read his account, the allegations have been dismissed, on the basis of a lack of evidence, and, it seems, even of an accuser willing to stick to any allegations.
And what does the great legal and philosophical mind of Brian Leiter conclude? That, of course, we all know that the absence of evidence in these proceedings DOESN'T entail that harassment didn't actually occur.
For Christ's goddamn sake, is THAT a wretched and embarrassing argument!
Look, ALL WE HAVE in the case of allegations like this are the results of the investigation -- which have come up entirely empty. Is Leiter truly suggesting, as he seems to be here, that we must treat even allegations for which no evidence survives the process of investigation as if they are true, because, somehow, we "know" that they must be true?
This crazy idea issues from the pen of a mind supposedly trained in the law?
We are obliged to treat the allegations of harassment in a department as if they are true, and weigh those allegations very much against a department, even in the case that the entire case appears to disappear into thin air?
What kind of bizarro world do we live in, if that's so? And why is Leiter demanding that we embrace such a world?
- August 11, 2011 at 11:20 PM
@Anonymous 11:20: There's no reason whatsoever to think that the investigation has "come up entirely empty" or that "no evidence survives" of misconduct. What we do know, from the OU clowns themselves, is that the investigation has found that "there was insufficient evidence to conclude that there were policy violations as alleged." Even they are careful enough not to pronounce the alleged sexual predator innocent. There being insufficient evidence for disciplinary action is perfectly compatible with there being some evidence of malfeasance (also recall the recent lively discussion at Feminist Philosophers about the AAUP's take on the standards of evidence in internal sexual harassment proceedings). And at any rate Leiter does not suggest, as you inanely misinterpret him, that the allegations against the OU DUS were true or that the official investigation itself was flawed.
Either way, probably the most outrageous aspect of the OU business has not been the allegation of harassment itself, but the pressure the self-styled feminist Bonnie Mann put on students, during mandatory meetings with her in her capacity as DGS, to stay silent about the very fact that there was an investigation going on, in order to secure the SWIP-UK award.
And finally, even if OU, against all indications of strife and rancor, has the best imaginable climate for women, that does not vindicate the PG climate guide, which has so many other problems that people still standing by it in any way should die of shame (but alas, they all seem to be quite shameless).
- August 12, 2011 at 12:08 AM
Can I vent a little, fellow philosophical travelers? Please, indulge me for a moment.
These guides to graduate programs, rankings, climates, specialties, etc., are supposed to have this noble, major aim--helping philosophy undergraduates, the intrepid, maybe foolish, maybe ambitious, maybe amazingly talented, select a graduate program. The "help" is supposed to be information of different sorts. None of this information, whatever guide we're talking about, whatever guide appears in the future, takes the place of ADVISING.
Students graduating from a department like my own just so happen to be the sort of students cast as especially needing the sort of extra-departmental information that such guides can deliver. I hate to burst the bubble, but just think about this for a second. At least on my end, any of the philosophy majors bright and resourceful enough to be considering graduate programs in philosophy have not merely devoured all the information our there about graduate programs, every controversy displayed online about graduate programs, regularly read all our professionally oriented blogs (including this one), but form their own facebook groups and wikis to talk about us amongst themselves.
With students like these, whatever damage has been done is already done. In the meantime, advising remains constant. At the end of the day, after the google searching and facebook messages are done, students will still arrive at one's office and need to be mentored through the whole process. There is no substitue for this part of our jobs. I could write at length about great strategies for advising students through the graduate school application process--and without a doubt many, many of you all could as well. My take-away from "all of this" is to double-down on advising. That is all. Thank you.
- August 12, 2011 at 12:22 AM
Anon 12:08,
Do you seriously not get that there is no category of "proven innocent" in such proceedings -- or in criminal legal proceedings -- and for good reason?
Look, in virtually ANY case like this in which allegations of harassment are made, it's going to be virtually impossible for the genuinely innocent who is accused to "prove" their innocence. If it's he-said-she-said, how could there be, pretty much in general? How right would it be to use their failure to "prove" their innocence as suggesting that their claims to innocence are dubious?
And it doesn't exactly matter, does it, that in OTHER possible investigations, other standards of evidence and proof might be employed, right? This is the investigation we've got, and they've turned up nothing that they are willing to claim sticks. That investigation has I repeat, turned up NO results it can report. It's over for that investigation, absent further developments. There's nothing, nada. Pretending that there's something would be simply dishonest.
I realize it may be a bitter pill for the Leiter side to realize that the major claim they've been asserting about UO philosophy has no merit. But it is the truth, and one would have to be a hack to keep pretending that there's "really" something there, when the only fair procedure to find out if there's something has turned up nothing.
- August 12, 2011 at 1:27 AM
I'm anon of 1:28.
I can't help but be struck by the irony of the Leiter side decrying in chorus the horrible unfairness and irrationality of the judgments rendered in the Pluralist Guide, while simultaneously insinuating that the alleged harassment at the UO department must still be regarded as somehow "real" even when the only investigation to determine whether it is so has instead decided that the evidence simply wasn't there (again, even the supposed accuser has not, apparently, made, or stuck to, any formal allegations!)
- August 12, 2011 at 1:41 AM
@Anon 1:27/1:41: You are (again?) wrong. In many US jurisdictions (e.g. California), courts can make a finding of factual innocence (as opposed to absence of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt) thought they do it rarely. And the faculty letter (if perhaps not the internal investigation) could certainly have said that he was factually innocent if that's what they thought. And of course, you're just playing dumb when you say that the investigation found no evidence it could report. Since they found the evidence was not sufficient to merit disciplinary action, any evidence they may have found must naturally be kept confidential. This is not to say that there was no evidence (or that there was).
And nobody - not Leiter, not me - is insisting that the alleged harassment must still be considered "somehow 'real'" - you're just making that up out of whole cloth.
- August 12, 2011 at 7:59 AM
Anon 1:41 -- Where are you getting the idea that there is a "Leiter Side"? (This is a genuine, non-rhetorical question)
Leiter has his views. He shares them, and in doing so he speaks for one person and one person only: himself.
- August 12, 2011 at 8:20 AM
That's really weird. I thought I posted a comment and it seemed to show up, and then it vanished. I posted it again, and it definitely showed up, and then within minutes it was gone.
Spiros, did you remove it? Was it objectionable in some way??
- August 12, 2011 at 8:29 AM
Looks like the Bonnie Mann 'black helicopter' crowd has arrived!
Obvious what happened: statute of limitations. The kid was freaked out, didn't file a complaint in time. It's why sexual harassers are so successful.
- August 12, 2011 at 9:13 AM
- Spiros said...
8:29 -- I did not remove your comment(s). Must be some glitch w/ blogger.
- August 12, 2011 at 10:57 AM
The newspaper "report" Bonnie Mann cites indicates that the insufficiency of the evidence was due to a lack of complaining witnesses. That is, the alleged victim(s) declined to press charges. This is, obviously, compatible with the possibility that no crime was committed. But it is just as obviously compatible with the possibility that a crime was committed--there are lots of reasons why a victim of such a crime would decline to press charges.
- August 12, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Jeez, the level of analysis in this place leaves me almost speechless.
Look, anon 7:59, of what matter is it that in some jurisdictions, on some rare matters, a category of "found innocent" is respected? Does that matter to the case at hand, in which no such category is so respected? The point is, we need to make sense of the ACTUAL nature of the investigation at UO, not a POSSIBLE way it might have been conducted under other rules.
Is this point hard to grasp? Seriously?
I appealed to the more basic principle that lies behind the nearly perfect (if not perfect) adherence in criminal (and similar) proceedings, namely, that it is unjust and destructive to introduce a separate category of "proven innocent". Why is it so? Precisely because it introduces invidious distinctions between those who might, by some fluke of evidence and situation, actually be able to PROVE that they are innocent of a charge (they have an alibi, etc.), and those who are innocent, but aren't fortunate enough to be in possession of such exculpatory evidence. As I said -- and as you never addressed -- this is particularly a vexing problem with he-said-she-said sorts of cases. Why should an innocent person be put under a cloud because of a mere accusation?
And your idea that Leiter and you aren't saying that there must, nonetheless, be something "real" to the accusations is belied by the very sorts of, frankly, rather disturbing insinuations you and he engage in on this very issue. The entire point of Leiter's bringing up the fact that, in effect, the person in question has not been "proven innocent" -- that there's the possibility that the accused is actually guilty of the purported charges -- is to put both this person, and the UO department, under a cloud. I should think that, for both this person, and the UO department, this cloud is very real indeed.
As I said, fair and reasonable people, looking at the investigation and its results, would simply conclude that the accused and the UO department must be treated as innocent. That cloud must be removed, however much some people may seek to keep it there, for whatever reason. Yes, there is always the possibility that the person is guilty. But in a society that cares about fairness to individuals and organizations, that is the ONLY just way to act.
- August 12, 2011 at 2:37 PM
"As I said, fair and reasonable people, looking at the investigation and its results, would simply conclude that the accused and the UO department must be treated as innocent."
You may well have said it, but it isn't true. It's perfectly reasonable to be very wary of a department under the current epistemic conditions. (Would you advise your sister to go on a date to a lonely, secluded spot with OJ Simpson?)
Here's some friendly advice, by the way. When you write things like
"Is this point hard to grasp? Seriously?"
it just makes you look kind of clueless, yourself. I understand that you believe you are saying something that's obviously true, and your critics are either bigots or stupid or just being difficult. But in fact, that's not how it is, and your attempt to be condescending just comes off really lame.
- August 12, 2011 at 3:08 PM
You just aren't getting it.
The issue in question is NOT an epistemic one, fundamentally. Even in those cases in which the accused supposedly is actually "proved" innocent, it may still be rational to hold this accused person as being more likely to be guilty than someone about whom such accusations were never made. In many such cases of "proved" innocence (e.g., some fairly well established alibi is offered up) the question will remain whether the "proof" of innocence is truly convincing. Despite the finding of innocence, it may be more than reasonable to hold that such a person is more likely to be at risk of performing the alleged behavior than someone against whom no such allegations have ever been made.
Does that mean it is FAIR AND JUST for us to treat this person as if they present some real risk of being, say, a predator, when the finding has been otherwise? No, because that is not what we, as civilized people, recognize as just treatment.
The point is, it's an issue of justice, not an issue strictly of what we supposedly know or don't know. We must simply turn a blind eye to allegations for which insufficient evidence is put on offer, because that's what justice demands.
Acting otherwise is to return to barbarism.
And I seem to be seeing a lot of barbarism in these parts.
- August 12, 2011 at 3:42 PM
@Anon 2:37 & 3:42: Even if the professor in question is not a sexual predator and has been accused unfairly, the OU department still very much deserves to be under a cloud because of faculty pressuring students - in mandatory meetings (!) - to stay mum about the investigation in order to secure the SWIP-UK award.
As for the alleged barbarism and your oh-so-precious invocations of justice and fairness, you should remember that we live in a society that is far more devastatingly affected by sexual harassment and sexual assault on women that goes unpunished because the system is rigged in various ways to shield the harassers and predators, than it is by occasional innocent tossers having to live under a cloud of suspicion.
- August 12, 2011 at 4:23 PM
Ah -- someone else was finding it hard to grasp your point. Now I "just don't get it." I see. There's no chance that the problem has to do with the fact that your point is wrong, huh?
If you were to tell your daughter that she should go on a date to a secluded place with a man who you are pretty sure is a serial rapist, on the grounds that it would be unfair and unjust to treat him as guilty when he's been found not guilty in court (perhaps because of a technicality), then you would be an immoral person (and you'd probably need psychiatric help).
It's no different in kind for female students (rather than daughters) and graduate programs (rather than dates). It's only different in degree.
- August 12, 2011 at 4:25 PM
Sorry -- my 4:25 was directed at 3:42 )etc/). While I was typing, 4:23 intervened.
Carry on.
- August 12, 2011 at 4:28 PM
Yeah. And why don't people leave Casey Anthony alone? The jury says she's not guilty. I bet the "climate" in the Anthony family is just wonderful.
- August 12, 2011 at 8:25 PM
Is it not unjustly fair to say
UO submits the case of OJ
to claim innocence
when good evidence
is not yet available per se?
- August 12, 2011 at 10:33 PM


text:
Chameleon-like artist Cindy Sherman uses various dramatic self-portraits to interact with and comment on society. M.A.C. cosmetics sells makeup to people. According to some academic articles I just Googled up, Sherman's work functions seamlessly and successfully within the economic framework of late capitalist society, so it's not surprising at all that she'd accept an offer to partner with M.A.C. in creating (and modeling) several different color palettes. Here they are.
(Via Refinery 29)


text:
Rolling hills, timbered shoreline
and beautiful Ramsey Lake make this state recreation area a unique and
popular recreation spot. Visitors will enjoy the picturesque woods, secluded
picnic areas and excellent fishing and hunting opportunities. Ramsey Lake
State Recreation Area is the perfect place for people who want to relax
or for those energetic outdoor types who want to hike, hunt, fish or camp.
The park is located mile northwest of Ramsey in Fayette County.
Ramsey Lake has a colorful
background. For years, the park was known as "Old Fox Chase Grounds"
because of its use by fox and coon hunters. It also was the site of one
of the largest dog trial events, which was held near the big springs at
the northwest corner of the present lake. Other events, such as dances,
carnivals and a large machinery display, attracted many people. Although
privately owned by S.E. Stokes, the site often was used by various groups
for public recreational use. In 1947, 815 acres were purchased for a lake
site and an additional 1,000 acres have been added since. Throughout the
years, county and township officials, concerned citizens and civic groups
have actively helped secure land and upgrade and maintain the area,
which now totals 1,980 acres.
For large groups, Shady Grove
and Lakeview picnic areas offer ideal surroundings. Both have shelters,
water, tables, stoves and privies. Shady Grove also has playground equipment.
For people who prefer smaller, more secluded picnics, Fox Knoll, Coon
Ridge and Blackberry Fork Picnic areas are popular choices. These sites
have tables and stoves and are located in shady areas on knolls overlooking
the lake.
Campers have many sites from
which to choose to pitch a tent or park a trailer. The area includes 90
campsites available with a sanitary disposal station, electricity, and
a flush toilet and shower building. Another 24 sites are available with
electricity for organized groups. Hickory Grove is the choice for those
needing only picnic tables, fire pads and privies. Hickory Grove also
has 45 sites available in a densely wooded area with unequalled views
of shady trees and natural beauty. Water hydrants are conveniently placed
throughout the campgrounds. A special site is available for organized
youth groups. Reservations
are available for portions of the campgrounds. Contact the site office
for information.
A 1-mile trail winds through
the park. Visitors also often use the unmarked fire lanes which make good
paths for easy walking.
A 13-mile horse trail is located in the north end of the area along with a small campground
for horse enthusiasts. This area is 1 mile north of the park entrance.
Fishing is a favorite pastime
for Ramsey Lake visitors. To maintain a desirable fish population, the
lake is managed by draw-downs and stocking. Some of the species include
largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and black
Fishing supplies are available at the concession stand.
A launching ramp and boat
dock are conveniently located on Ramsey Lake, rental boats also are available. Gas motors are not allowed, but electric trolling motors are
permitted. Fishing is allowed on several ponds located at the site
as well as on Ramsey Lake.
Hunters will find abundant
game at Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area. Dove, squirrel, quail and pheasant
can be hunted with shotgun. Deer can be hunted only with bow. A controlled
pheasant and quail program is run during the hunting season. Other hunting
dates and times may differ from state regulations. For more information
see the Hunter
Fact Sheet
Winter activities are
popular at Ramsey Lake. Ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing,
sledding and ice skating are among recreational activities for the
cold-weather sports enthusiast. The 13-mile designated snowmobile trail
provides a winter wonderland view of the park when snow cover and weather
A concession stand near the boat dock, offers visitors opportunites to purchase food and
a variety of camping, picnicking and fishing supplies.


text:
|Senior Bombers go 1-3
|Written by Holyoke Enterprise
The Senior Buckley Bombers opened up the 2009 season in the Gering, Neb. tournament going 1-3.
Bombers won game one over Chadron 23-12, lost game two to Gering 12-3, were defeated by North Platte in game three 8-5 and lost game four to Chadron, 9-3.
The Bombers were short-handed both Friday and Saturday, but got some great help from some juniors. Ryan Dee picked up the only win on the mound, going three and two-thirds innings, striking out four and giving up one run.
Offensively, the Bombers were led by Zack Hansen, who was eight for 12 with five RBIs, a double and a home run.
Logan Krueger also had a good tournament, hitting seven for 12, with six RBIs and four doubles. Austin Ochloa was seven for 14 with three RBIs.
"Defensively, the team struggled getting in the dugout after getting two outs," said coach Marcus Kammer. "In all four games there was one inning that killed."
The team had nine runs scored on them in the third inning of game one, eight runs in the third inning of game two, four runs in the second in game three and six runs in the first inning of game four—most of which happened after two outs.
Twelve errors were committed by the Bombers over the weekend.
"It was a tough start, but we are ready to move on, and get to full strength," said coach Kammer.
The Bombers were scheduled to play Wednesday, June 3 at Chappell, Neb. against Alliance, Neb., juniors at 5 p.m., followed by seniors at 7 p.m.


text:
WHEELING - Building owner Darryl Baynes said it will likely cost about $300,000 to demolish the former Clay School in East Wheeling - and abandon his plan to turn the colossal structure into a science and recreation center for local youth.
Baynes said the figure is less than he expected, but more than he can afford.
"I don't have $300,000," he said, noting Wheeling Economic and Community Development Director Nancy Prager quoted him the dollar amount.
Article Photos
Photo by Ian Hicks
Building owner Darryl Baynes had a fence put up around the southeast corner of the former Clay School in East Wheeling as a safety precaution.
Mayor Andy McKenzie has said he wants Baynes, who has owned the old school building on 15th Street for about a decade, to make a decision about the structure's future within the next 6 months. Baynes hasn't given up hope he will be able to find a way to complete the project for which he bought the building.
However, safety concerns pointed out during a recent city inspection of the old school prompted Baynes to have a fence installed around the structure's southeast corner to keep people off the sidewalk and cars off the street in case part of its parapet gives way. Adding to those concerns is the anticipation that children will soon be playing just across the street at the J.B. Chambers Recreational Park, expected to open next year.
Contractors said part of the building's parapet is bowed outward several inches and a couple heavy limestone blocks at the top of the structure are in danger of falling. Baynes and a city inspector also were present for the walk-through.
The contractors told Baynes that putting a new roof on the building could cost $500,000 or more, and just stabilizing the parapet and shifting masonry could run into six figures.
Baynes said he has reached out to West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's office, as well as every member of West Virginia's congressional delegation, in an attempt to get emergency funds to stabilize the building. And he said grant writer Jerry Wilhelm is working to find money to complete the rehabilitation.
"We're still doing our best to get funding. ... If it doesn't work out, it won't be because we didn't try," said Baynes.
A former resident of Philadelphia, Baynes bought the 83,000-square-foot Clay School building for $65,000. He said he's spent about $150,000 since to maintain it, including replacing all of the windows.
The school was built during the 1940s, operating until it closed in the 1990s.


text:
Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Shawn Marion netted a season-high 26 points with
11 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks sent the struggling Golden State Warriors
to a fourth straight loss with a 116-91 victory on Saturday.
Dallas overwhelmed Golden State by grabbing a 62-36 advantage by halftime and
never looked back. O.J. Mayo scored 19 points and Darren Collison had 18 with
eight assists to help the Mavs string together consecutive wins and avoid a
season sweep to the Warriors.
Elton Brand tallied 11 points and 11 boards off the bench in the victory.
Golden State concluded its four-game road trip without a win in enduring its
longest losing streak of the season. Stephen Curry scored 18 points,
but on 8-of-23 shooting. The Warriors shot just 38.2 percent as a team in the
The Sports Network


text:
Your an absolutely wonderful man, any girl that is yours is lucky and I know that from personal experience. ~KMT
Maybe. I don't know. I was in a really bad mood earlier!
Well, I open my eyes and I see things. I've seen spirits moving through the walls. I've seen a vortex coming through the wall. I've seen amorphous little balls of light bouncing all around in the front yard through the window. I've seen giant bugs on the floor. I was in a hotel room in Amarillo, Texas, and all I remember is standing on the bed and seeing the whole wall in front of me filled with lights that were [makes popping sound] popping like popcorn out of the wall. Then I'll wake up and I go "Wow, I was standing on my bed and staring at this wall."
I'm like really white. Like Irish, German, and Norwegian white.
I consider myself Canadian on my father's side since that family has been in Canada for 5 generations.


text:
Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - Andrew Nicholson scored a career-high 15 points
and the Orlando Magic used a dominant third quarter to deliver a 90-74 victory
over a poor-shooting Detroit Pistons team at the Amway Center.
The Magic put together a 21-0 tear to begin the second half, turning a 3-point
deficit into a comfortable lead before cruising towards only their second win
in their last nine tries. That other triumph also came at the expense of the
Pistons, a 110-106 decision over Detroit last Friday.
Nicholson made good on 7-of-9 field goal attempts and Arron Afflalo added 12
points for Orlando, which also received a double-double from Glen Davis in the
form of 11 points and a season-best 14 rebounds.
Detroit shot a woeful 10 percent (2-for-20) in the fateful third quarter and
32.9 percent for the game en route to its 10th defeat in 12 games this season.
Greg Monroe led all players with 19 points, but netted just four after
The Sports Network


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Discover how old meets new in Istanbul on this tour of the city's four 'must-see' historic sights. Take in the iconic Sultan Ahmet, or Blue Mosque, a stunning feat of Ottoman architecture. Then visit the 6th-century Hagia Sophia, once one of the world's largest Christian basilicas and now a magnificent museum. Marvel at the crown jewel of the Ottoman Empire, Topkapi Palace, before perusing the thousands of shops forming the legendary Grand Bazaar – one of the world's largest covered markets.
Dramatic floodlit mosques and bejewelled belly dancers are the dazzling sights that await on this memorable Istanbul by night experience. On your evening out in Istanbul, you will be picked up from your hotel and privately transferred to a first-class restaurant for dinner. Your sumptuous four-course meal includes a Turkish dessert, before shimmying belly dancers and an Anatolian cultural folklore group perform for your entertainment.
Breathe in the intoxicating aroma of spices and herbs in the Egyptian Bazaar, then take an invigorating cruise on the Bosphorus for outstanding views of amazing Istanbul. Your adventure begins with a visit to the 17th century Spice Bazaar, one of Istanbul's most vibrant and atmospheric attractions. Then board your boat for a captivating cruise on the Bosphorus, taking in stunning Istanbul sights. You'll sail past the famous Dolmabahce Palace and 15th-century Rumelihisar Fortress, along with magnificent mosques and mansions.
The only city in the world with a foot in both Europe and Asia, uniting both eastern and western cultures – Istanbul is truly unique. The former capital of Turkey is a treasure trove of relics from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, merged with a buzzing modern metropolis. Enjoy fantastic views of the city from the top of a double decker bus on this guided tour, and hop on and off at selected stops en route.
Visit ANZAC Cove, the site of the bloody First World War battle between Allied and Turkish troops, on this moving day trip from Istanbul to Gallipoli. Thousands of soldiers tragically perished during the infamous Gallipoli campaign of 1915. See the Turkish and Allied trenches at Johnstone's Jolly, then the memorial at Chunuk Bair, site of one of New Zealand's epic stands on the Gallipoli peninsula. There will also be a visit to the poignant Lone Pine Cemetery and Memorial.


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The Stella 300 is Light and Motion's workhorse, albeit a tiny one. It's a single LED lamp unit with a custom designed reflector to shape the brilliant white light from the efficient and ultra powerful Cree emitter. It goes easily on the handlebars or on your head, our favorite spot for it when we double it up with an eye-blasting Seca 800 on our bars for all out singletrack assaults or used alone when we're commuting home. When it's on the helmet mount, we've found that we can look directly at motorists and feel better about proceeding through intersections in the dark.
Its 300 lumen measurement is four times the light output of a three D-cell Maglite. It's enough to see and be seen quite easily. The center spot penetrates a great distance, so you can ride with confidence, even at speed. The peripheral fill light feathers out from the bright spot and casts an even white light to give you a very good sense of depth without strange halos.
The Stella lamp is completely waterproof, so you can ride in the rain all night long, or slop through puddles without fear of a short-circuit. The housing is made from aluminum and, with its stack of concentric anodized aluminum fins, it looks a bit like Marvin the Martian's bubble pistol. Not to worry, the Stella is safe for everyone, and the finned design keeps the unit from overheating on steamy nights.
The Light and Motion Stella 300 is able to be mounted on either your handlebars or on your helmet. The mounting apparatus consists of a sculpted base and a thick rubbery strap that cinches around any bar size or shape and fastens back onto a peg on the base of the lamp -- just like a belt. The included helmet mount uses a hook-and-loop closure to strap it into place through the vents in your lid, and the lamp attaches to it like it would to the bars. You won't have to fumble with any tools or prone-to-be-lost O-rings, and the mount will secure the lamp for shake-free performance. To facilitate the mounting options, you'll get a 50-inch power cord so you can mount the battery anywhere on the bike or in your pack or jersey pocket. It can be operated in two modes -- (1) Cruise mode allows you to toggle through high, medium, low, and flash. (2) Race mode requires a two second push on the button and allows you to select either high or low. It will run for 2.75 hours on high, double that on the medium setting, and a whopping 11 hours on low. The included Mini L 1.5 charger will refresh the two-cell Li-ion battery pack in 3.25 hours.
- Reviews
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Have questions about this product?
Great light, long cord!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I really like the light and it's brilliance, but the cord is very long. I wish I had known that before ordering. The length would be fine if you're mounting it to your helmet and placing the battery pack in a back pack. However, if you mount the battery pack underneath the stem or top tube and place the light on the handlebars, you'll have to wrap the redundant cord length around the handlebars quite a bit.
lost the plugin charger, how do I get...
lost the plugin charger, how do I get another?
You could always try your local electronic supply, or you can get one through Light and Motion directly:


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A short side zipper accentuates the abbreviated style of a go anywhere Lynx ankle boot. Featuring a hip semi boxed toe and luxurious leather combine to make this shoe a winner. Naot's removable, anatomic cork and latex footbed, this boot will easily mold to the shape of your foot with wear. Finished with a durable polyurethane outsole, it ensures superior traction and durability. This shoe enjoys life's little pleasures.
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Remember The Greatest Event in Television History, the 15-minute special on Adult Swim in which Jon Hamm and Adam Scott remade the intro to '80s detective series Simon & Simon, shot-by-shot? If not, watch the clip here, and stick around after the credits for the original theme song to truly appreciate the attention to detail.
Well, as you'll hear from impeccable host Jeff Probst in the clip below, he lied to us last year. It wasn't the greatest event in television history. THIS IS:
That's right, Adam Scott and Amy Poehler (with help from Horatio Sans) recreated the beginning credits to Hart to Hart, another '80s detective drama. Here's the original:
If your significant other suddenly begins behaving differently — working late hours, cancelling plans, hanging out with new people you've never met, being secretive — there's a possibility he or she may be cheating on you. You have two options: confront your loved one with honesty and concern and try to repair your relationship or call Cheaters.
Now in its 13th season, Cheaters really is one of those bottom-of-the-barrel shows.First of all, Spoiler Alert: Yes, they're cheating on you. No one's paying a camera crew to document some anticlimactic shit. Secondly, people (myself included) actually watch these public, messy splits as entertainment! Who would sign up for this?
For those classier than I who've never seen the show, here's the gist: Cheaters sends a surveillance crew to investigate a suspicious complaintant's partner. After a few days of "detective work," the show's host brings the evidence to the complaintant and offers them the chance to confront the cheater (generally in a very public and/or embarrassing situation). Of course, they do. Madness ensues.
Cheaters' longtime host Joey Greco rose to iconic status
when, during the confrontation of a woman's cheating boyfriend, he was stabbed
in the gut by the fleeing boyfriend. Later evidence suggests the stabbing might
have been staged, but Greco will forever go down in reality TV infamy as the man who would take
a knife to reunite a woman with the man who cheated on her…or something. Sadly,
Greco stepped down as host in 2012, a fact I was not aware of until this
weekend when I caught the show during some late-night channel surfing. It turns
out Grecs has been replaced by a younger host with a certain
L.A. coke
junkie dead-eyed je ne sais quoi.


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Indonesian Zimbra Community will have an event on Saturday, April 10, 2010. The event will be held on Gedung B.1.1 Paramadina University Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 97 Mampang, Jakarta-Indonesia.
Agenda :
1. Preview of Zimbra 6.0.6 & 5.0.23
2. Presentation about How to Implement Zimbra Mail Server & Samba PDC Account Integration by Masim Vavai Sugianto
3. Installing & Configuring DNS Server by David Suhendrik
4. Zimbra implementation on RAID Hardware & Software.
5. Open Discussion
Please come and join us


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Associate Professor Mahsood Shah
Associate Professor
Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies
- Email:email@example.com
- Phone:(02) 4921 7277
Tick of approval
Putting the needs of students above all else, Associate Professor Mahsood Shah's research on quality and tertiary education is encouraging a revision of socio-academic outcomes around the world.
With more than 17 years' experience in strategic planning and quality assurance roles, Shah's expertise in tertiary education research is unparalleled. The professional-turned-academic continues to work alongside the country's public and private providers in his collaborative endeavours, offering them advice on quality assurance, improving academic outcomes of students, as well as student engagement, retention and enhancing their experience.
I contribute to institutional policies and practices, as well as their impact on learning and teaching outcomes
'So I look at the ways student feedback is designed and measured, and the ways universities can increase their access to various equity groups.'
Under the umbrella term of 'research development and scholarship,' Shah is also responsible for strengthening the educational capacity of the Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies. The emerging scholar has been leading research in the Centre since early 2013, with a handful of his new initiatives attributed to the rapid expansion of in-house publication efforts.
'Output has more than doubled, which is great to see,' he admits.
'For the first time we're working on grant applications too.'
Opportunity for improvement
Shah's research career began in 2007 when he undertook a PhD in tertiary education quality assurance. Specifically trying to determine the effectiveness of quality audits conducted by external agencies, the multilinguist collected both qualitative and quantitative data in his nation-wide examination.
'All 30 universities had very different views' he reveals.
'But most felt positive about the impact of audits on offshore education, particularly in teaching and learning.'
Preliminary findings aside, Shah boasts a 'very good' network of other PhD students – all conducting similar studies at the time.
'I made contacts in the United Kingdom, China, New Zealand, Australia and the Middle East,' he conveys.
'I know who the up-and-comers are.'
The international collaborator used these connections to his advantage after receiving his research doctorate in 2012, successfully engaging renowned scholars from more than 16 countries to assist in the publication of a book about quality assurance tools. An immediate and key outcome of his thesis, Shah titled the tell-all 'External quality audit: Has it improved quality assurance at universities?'
Onwards and upwards
Shah has consistently published in the quality area, achieving a publication catalogue worthy of senior academics. The early career researcher has 67 journal papers, two book chapters and two edited books to his name, all of which have helped engineer shifts in tertiary education in Australia.
'One of my pieces compares the effectiveness of previous quality assurance measures to current quality assurance measures,' he states.
'Prior to 2012, our independent national regulator had limited influence in terms of the sanctions it could put on universities and other providers in the event they failed to meet certain standards.'
'But it's since been given more powers to conduct audits and monitor compliance.'
Under the same law changes, all institutions must now comply with the Australian Qualifications Framework, ESOS Act and National Code. Requiring them to follow uniform standards of accreditation, including registration, re-registration, course accreditation and re-accreditation, Shah insists the move is about consistency and 'improving reputation.'
'We need to increase accountability in all tertiary education providers,' he declares.
'We need to make way for new kinds of education delivery as well, such as online and overseas partnerships and maintaining standards despite the increase in participation of diverse groups of students.'
Access all areas
Diversifying his research, Shah is simultaneously exploring ways to engage students in external audits. He's written a recent paper on this 'growing interest,' collaborating with the National Union of Students and Council of International Students Australia.
'Whenever audits used to happen in Australia with universities and private providers, the panel would interview 40-50 students to find out what their experiences had been,' Shah explains.
'The current system is different because it does not actively involve students – it relies on the survey reports that universities produce to determine whether student experience is satisfactory or at risk.'
The enterprising researcher looked at the review processes of several other countries in his comparison, ultimately concluding that Australia is far behind the rest of the world when it comes to promoting student participation in audits.
'The Middle East, Asia and Europe place particular importance on these kind of activities,' he affirms.
'Here we've gone the other way, which isn't good.'
'Students are our key stakeholders so whatever we do in terms of quality assurance should be shaped by their voice.'
At the same time, Shah is also focused on increasing opportunities for the Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies. Describing a reinvigorated 'academic culture' and core business switch from teaching to research, the 2014 divisional winner of the Vice Chancellor's Award for Research Excellence is anticipating more noticeable growth in the not-so-distant future.
'Staff are discipline experts but they're not necessarily experienced in educational research,' he concedes.
'So we're doing monthly seminars and one-to-one mentoring about study ideas and priority strengthening.'
'If they have specific research interests we're going to try to link them up with likeminded peers from within the university too.'
Continuing to build the profile of the Centre, Shah has established an International Studies in Widening Participation Journal. The Callaghan-based publication was 'designed from scratch' and acts as a gateway for local, national and international researchers to publish on a diverse range of topics, such as social inclusion and access.
'It's the first of its kind,' he claims.
'We welcome contributions from all over the world.'
Stepping up
Admitting to being one of the few 'younger academics' researching explicitly in quality and tertiary education in Australia, Shah hopes to bridge the gap between the not-yet-graduated and the retired.
'This area is important because governments in many countries are trying to improve current standards,' he says.'So I will continue to use my expertise to undertake national projects and collaborate with academics from other univer
Tick of approval
Putting the needs of students above all else, Associate Professor Mahsood Shah's research on quality and tertiary education is encouraging a revision of socio-
Career Summary
Mahsood Shah is an Associate Professor with the University of Newcastle, Australia. In this role Mahsood is responsible to strengthen research capacity with staff who are engaged in teaching open access courses to young and mature age students from various equity groups. Prior to joining the University of Newcastle, Mahsood was the Principal Advisor to the Vice President (Academic) at RMIT University, and responsible for Strategy and Quality at the University of Canberra and University of Western Sydney. Mahsood is currently an Adjunct at the University of Canberra.
Apart from working with universities, Mahsood has worked with more than 10 private for-profit higher education providers on a wide range of projects including accreditation and re-accreditation with Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). Mahsood has led the former Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) audits in three universities and seven private for-profit providers. Some of his work related to quality assurance, benchmarking, and student experience is included in AUQA Good Practice database. Mahsood is an expert with TEQSA register of experts and he is also a quality auditor with Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ).
Mahsood was the founding editor of the International Studies in Widening Participation journal which is located at the University of Newcastle, Australia.
Research Expertise
Mahsood has 20 years of work experience in a number of universities in strategic planning and quality assurance roles. Mahsood's research strength spans in a number of areas. They include: quality assurance in tertiary education; effectiveness of external quality assessment; student feedback (design, methodology and measurement); student experience and enhancement, international higher education (inclu transnational), private higher education; student engagement in external audits/reviews; student attrition and retention, and social inclusion policies and its impact on standards and outcomes. Mahsood has published papers in journals and conference proceedings with peers from various countries. His recent book titled 'Widening Participation: A Global Perspective' is due to be published in late 2015.
Teaching Expertise
Mahsood has taught undergraduate and postgraduate subjects in education and management related discipline in various universities. His teaching expertise includes: strategic management; management of change, management foundation, educational leadership, and education quality and assessment.
Administrative Expertise
Significant experience in leading strategy development and quality assurance in universities. Mahsood has coordinated external quality audits in three universities and 10 private for-profit higher education providers. Mahsood has worked in different kinds of tertiary education providers including dual sector university; multi campus university with large proportion of students who are first in the immediate family to access tertiary education; research intensive university, single campus university, and private for-profit providers.
International Collaborations
Mahsood has actively engaged international scholars from various countries in writing books and papers. He is actively working closely with academics from Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Columbia, Fiji Islands, Finland, Georgia, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kurdistan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Poland, Saudi Arab, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Mahsood has also supervised research students from many countries.
- PhD, University of Canberra
- Advanced Diploma in Quality Mgt for Bus Excellence, Australian Quality Council - RTO
- Master of Management, Southern Cross University
- Certificate IV in Occupational Health and Safety, University of Ballarat
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, TAFE (NSW)
- Graduate Diploma of Vocational Education &Training, Southern Cross University
- Bachelor of Vocational Education and Training, Charles Sturt University
- Graduate Certificate in Quality Assurance, University of Melbourne
- Academic quality and standards
- International higher education (inclu transnational)
- Measurement and enhancement of student experience
- Private higher education
- Quality assurance in tertiary education
- Strategic planning and institutional performance reviews
- Student attrition and retention
- Student engagement in external quality assessment
- Student feedback (design, methodology and measurement)
- Hindi (Fluent)
- Urdu (Fluent)
- Fijian (Fluent)
Fields of Research
|Higher Education
|Education Assessment and Evaluation
|Education Policy
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
|Organisation / Department
|Casual DBA Supervisor
|University of Newcastle
Newcastle Business School
|Associate Professor
|University of Newcastle
Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies
Academic appointment
|Organisation / Department
|1/03/2013 -
|TEQSA Register of Experts
|Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA)
|1/02/2013 -
|Quality reviewer
|Commission for Academic Accreditation in UAE
United Arab Emirates
|1/08/2012 -
|University of Canberra
|1/03/2011 -
|Quality Auditor
|Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ)
Hong Kong
Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award for Professional Service
Research Award
Vice Chancellors Excellence Award for Research
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Book (3 outputs)
Shah M, Bennett A, Southgate E, Widening Higher Education Participation: A Global Perspective, Chandos Publishing, Amsterdam (2016)
|Shah M, Nair CS, External Quality Audit: Has It Improved Quality Assurance in Universities?, Chandos Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 283 (2013) [A3]
|Shah M, Sid Nair C, Enhancing Student Feedback and Improvement Systems in Tertiary Education, Commission for Academic Accreditation, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 128 (2013) [A3]
Chapter (3 outputs)
Bennett A, Southgate E, 'Global perspectives on widening participation: Approaches and concepts.', Widening higher education participation: A global perspective, Chandos Publishing, Cambridge 241-253 (2015)
|Shah M, 'Listening to students' voices to enhance their experience of university', Enhancing Learning and Teaching through Student Feedback in Social Sciences, Chandos Publishing, Witney, OX 29-41 (2013) [B1]
Shah M, Stanford S-A, 'The impact of external quality audit in a private for-profit tertiary education institution', External Quality Audit: Has It Improved Quality Assurance in Universities?, Chandos Publishing, Cambridge, UK 19-34 (2013) [B1]
Journal article (44 outputs)
Shah M, Grebennikov L, Sid Nair C, 'A decade of study on employer feedback on the quality of university graduates', Quality Assurance in Education, 23 262-278 (2015) [C1]
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose ¿ The purpose of this paper is to outline four separate studies undertaken in two Australian universities between 2003 and 2012 on em... [more]
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose ¿ The purpose of this paper is to outline four separate studies undertaken in two Australian universities between 2003 and 2012 on employer feedback on the quality of university graduates. Higher education has expanded significantly in the past decade. The expansion has been in student enrolments with a focus on increasing the participation of disadvantaged students; the emergence of new kinds of providers other than universities; new modes of education delivery; and the internationalisation of higher education. The diversity of higher education institutions and quality issues require the assessment of graduate quality based on feedback from employers. The lack of such assessment on graduate quality based on employer voice risks the production of graduates with focus on success (quantity) rather than excellence (quality). It also disconnects the engagement between higher education institutions and employers to assess trends and changes in various industries and professions that require employer input in course development and renewal to meet the changing needs of the industries. Design/methodology/approach ¿ Aquantitative method using online survey to gather feedback from employers of university graduates was used. The survey tool has been previously used in other studies. Findings ¿ A decade of study using quantitative and qualitative methods with different employers in two different geographic locations clearly shows that employer views on the quality of university graduates in a range of capabilities have remained consistent. The study also outlines the challenges in gathering feedback from employers and how data are used in curriculum reviews and enhancements. Research limitations/implications ¿ The study has a number of limitations, including gathering up-to-date employer data, and engagement of employers in the survey. Practical implications ¿ Practical implications could include the use of survey data in new course developments, review of courses and further enhancement to ensure course relevance. Originality/value ¿ This is the first longitudinal study undertaken using the same survey instrument in two universities. The study engaged 485 employers.
Shah M, Richardson JTE, 'Is the enhancement of student experience a strategic priority in Australian universities?', Higher Education Research and Development, (2015)
© 2015 HERDSA Universities in many countries are developing strategies to enhance the student experience. This focus has never been so important since the development of rankings... [more]
© 2015 HERDSA Universities in many countries are developing strategies to enhance the student experience. This focus has never been so important since the development of rankings and the use of student experience measures in institutional performance assessment. Australian government policies to link student experience measures to performance funding were a key driver to increase the prominence of the student voice between 2004 and 2008. This paper analyses the strategic plans of 33 Australian universities with the aim of outlining the extent to which the enhancement of student experience is embedded as one of their key priorities. This review comes at a time when universities in Australia and elsewhere are realigning their future strategies and directions to achieve government aspirations for tertiary education with the introduction of various policy instruments including the possibility of rewarding universities on the basis of student experience measures. The paper also provides a comparative analysis of government policies in Australia and the UK on the measurement and enhancement of the student experience.
Sciffer S, Shah M, 'Widening the Participation of Disadvantaged Students in Engineering', International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education, 4 1-13 (2015)
|Sid Nair C, Shah M, Morison A, 'The participation of students in TEQSA reviews', Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development, 10 30-37 (2014) [C1]
Shah M, Goode E, West S, Clark H, 'Widening Student Participation in Higher Education through Online Enabling Education', Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 16 36-57 (2014) [C1]
Shah M, Nair CS, 'Turning the ship around: Rethinking strategy development and implementation in universities', Quality Assurance in Education, 22 145-157 (2014) [C1]
Purpose: The higher education sector in many countries is going through unprecedented changes. The changes are as a direct result of external and internal operating environments w... [more]
Purpose: The higher education sector in many countries is going through unprecedented changes. The changes are as a direct result of external and internal operating environments which are having a significant impact on universities. Externally, changing government policy; ongoing student growth and stakeholder demand for quality; and international developments in higher education are some of the many factors driving change in universities. Internally, change in leadership and renewed institutional strategy; and financial sustainability are some of the internal factors contributing to the changes within universities. The purpose of this paper is to outline the changing context of Australian higher education and argue the need for the renewed emphasis on strategy development and effective implementation in universities. Design/methodology/approach: The paper analyses the recurring themes related to strategy development, implementation and reviews from the external quality audits of all Australian universities in cycle one audit and 29 universities who completed cycle two audit until 2011. Findings: The paper argues the need for universities to engage in careful strategy development and implementation which aligns with institutional resourcing and risk management. Failure to engage in careful strategy development and effective implementation may put universities at risk in the current higher education landscape characterised by changing government policy and the political landscape in Australia. Originality/value: The literature on the effectiveness of strategy development and implementation in universities is limited. This paper attempts to fill the current gap by arguing the need for institutions to engage in careful strategy development at a time when governments cannot be trusted in the funding of universities. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Shah M, Hartman K, Hastings G, 'Partners or opponents: the engagement of students in a compliance driven quality assessment', Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 18 20-28 (2014) [C1]
The Australian government recently established a national regulator with responsibilities of registration and accreditation of all kinds of higher education providers including un... [more]
The Australian government recently established a national regulator with responsibilities of registration and accreditation of all kinds of higher education providers including universities. The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) subsumes the functions of the previous Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) with legislative powers to place sanctions on institutions for non-compliance. One of the key changes in relation to quality assurance and external reviews is a shift of focus from an improvement-led audit to a compliance driven assessment using externally set standards and risk based reviews. The new quality and regulatory framework introduced by the government is extensively based on the review of documentation and institutional performance on various metrics to identify compliance or non-compliance against standards and analysis of risk using risk indicators. Unfortunately, unlike the previous AUQA audit, TEQSA's quality assessment does not engage students in the review process as a way to identify areas of good practice and areas needing improvement. This paper argues the need for the national regulator to engage students in the review process rather than assessing the quality of student experience solely based on paper trail and documentation review. Failure to engage students in the assessment of quality raises questions on the role of students in external review, and whether the national regulator is established to serve the purpose of the government only in advancing quality and or transforming student learning and enhancing their experience. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
|Sid Nair C, Shah M, 'The student experience at risk? Measurement and enhancement of student experience in private tertiary education.', Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development, 10 21-29 (2014) [C1]
|Hougaz L, Shah M, Morison A, 'Government policy to measure and enhance student experience in private higher education', Journal of Institutional Research South East Asia, 12 5-16 (2014) [C1]
Shah M, Nair CS, 'Private for-profit higher education in Australia: widening access, participation and opportunities for public-private collaboration', HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, 32 820-832 (2013) [C1]
Whiteford G, Shah M, Nair CS, 'Equity and excellence are not mutually exclusive: A discussion of academic standards in an era of widening participation', Quality Assurance in Education, 21 299-310 (2013) [C1]
Purpose: Social inclusion policies in the higher education sector are implemented to ensure that all people - irrespective of socioeconomic background - have rights of access and ... [more]
Purpose: Social inclusion policies in the higher education sector are implemented to ensure that all people - irrespective of socioeconomic background - have rights of access and the opportunities needed to participate and, ultimately, succeed. In Australia, and in other countries such as the UK, the USA, New Zealand and South Africa such policies are reflective of a commitment to the government's social inclusion agenda particularly aimed at improving access and participation of those from disadvantaged and low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Such a commitment arrives at an historic moment in countries like Australia and the UK when there is a concurrent national renewal of quality assurance in higher education with a particular focus on academic standards. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate discussion on the extent to which a national social inclusion agenda may impact academic standards and student outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: The authors argue that contemporary trends such as increasing student diversity, changing pattern of student participation, differentiated levels of preparedness for tertiary education and new modes of learning, will continue to grow and will not in and of themselves affect academic standards. The authors contend that it is the responsibility of higher education institutions to respond proactively to the diverse needs of students whilst ensuring that academic standards are maintained. In this way, the fulfilment of an essentially transformative moral purpose in higher education may also be achieved. Findings: The evidence presented in this paper from various contexts suggests that a social inclusion agenda related to increasing the equity of access and participation of disadvantaged students does not have a negative impact on academic standards and outcomes. However, such commitment to widening participation requires the active "buy in" of a number of stakeholders. Originality/value: The paper shows that institutions of higher education need to plan for and actively support the development of environments in which all people can realise their potential and are provided with the knowledge and skill sets they in turn will require in order to contribute to society. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Shah M, Nair CS, Bennett L, 'Factors influencing student choice to study at private higher education institutions', Quality Assurance in Education, 21 402-416 (2013) [C1]
Purpose: This paper aims to make a contribution to the current lack of literature in the Australian context by reviewing qualitative feedback collected from students in five priva... [more]
Purpose: This paper aims to make a contribution to the current lack of literature in the Australian context by reviewing qualitative feedback collected from students in five private higher education institutions. In particular, the paper seeks to examine factors influencing student choice to study at private higher education institutions and student perceptions of such institutions. Previous studies on this topic are mostly focussed on universities with lack of research with the booming private higher education sector. Design/methodology/approach: This study draws data from five different private for-profit higher education institutions in Australia. It involved feedback from 120 students undertaking higher education courses in different discipline areas at different stages of study. The study involved 15 focus group interviews with eight students in a group. The selection of students was based on the representation of different characteristics of student such as: male/female, domestic/international, and discipline areas. Findings: An analysis of the data collected from the students across these five institutions indicated that the main factors influencing student choice can be grouped in six domains. These are: student perception; access and opportunity; learning environments; quality of teachers; course design; and graduate success. This study reinforces that student perception of the private for-profit higher education institutions is an important factor in influencing student choice to study at the institution. Research limitations/implications: The limitation of the study was the ability to interview more students from larger colleges, across all discipline areas. However, the time and length of the focus group interviews was largely managed by the five institutions. Originality/value: The private higher education sector has experienced consistent growth in the last few years in Australia. Currently, there is no qualitative research done in Australian private higher education on factors influencing student choice to study with private institutions. The rise of such providers require research on insights about student choice, student expectation and their experience. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Shah M, 'The effectiveness of external quality audits: A study of Australian universities', Quality in Higher Education, 19 358-375 (2013) [C1]
External quality audits have been introduced in many countries as part of higher education reforms. This article is based on research on 30 Australian universities to assess the e... [more]
External quality audits have been introduced in many countries as part of higher education reforms. This article is based on research on 30 Australian universities to assess the extent to which audits by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) have improved quality assurance in the core and support areas of the universities. The article analyses the views of 120 respondents including senior members of the universities and some AUQA auditors and evaluates university satisfaction with the external quality audit process. The study finds that the audit process used by AUQA in Australia is satisfactory due to its enhancement-led reviews. The findings indicate that external quality audits alone cannot be credited for improving quality assurance in universities. A combination of external quality audits together with the internal and external operating environment has significantly contributed to improving quality assurance in universities. While external audits have led to an improvement in systems and processes in Australian universities, this study finds that they have not improved education outcomes and the student experience. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis.
Grebennikov L, Shah M, 'Student voice: using qualitative feedback from students to enhance their university experience', TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION, 18 606-618 (2013) [C1]
Grebennikov L, Shah M, 'Monitoring Trends in Student Satisfaction', Tertiary Education and Management, 19 301-322 (2013) [C1]
Shah M, 'Renewing strategic planning in universities at a time of uncertainty', Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 17 24-29 (2013) [C1]
Shah M, Jarzabkowski L, 'The Australian higher education quality assurance framework: From improvement-led to compliance-driven', Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 17 96-106 (2013) [C1]
The Australian government initiated a review of higher education in 2008. One of the outcomes of the review was the formation of a national regulator, the Tertiary Education Quali... [more]
The Australian government initiated a review of higher education in 2008. One of the outcomes of the review was the formation of a national regulator, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), with responsibilities to: register all higher education providers, accredit the courses of the non self-accrediting providers, assure quality against externally set standards and reduce risk by monitoring institutional performance on various measures. One of the key changes in Australian higher education quality assurance is the shift from a 'fitness-for-purpose' approach to quality assurance to a compliance-driven approach using an externally developed set of standards monitored by the national regulator, which has legislated powers to place sanctions on universities and other providers for non-compliance. This article outlines the new framework introduced by the government and analyses its limitations in assuring and improving quality in core and support areas. It cautions universities against being dominated by TEQSA's compliance agenda. Rather, it encourages the development and maintenance of shared governance principles and strong internal quality improvement processes along with the establishment of an outcomes focus, which will stand the test of external compliance auditing while allowing the institution to pursue its own educational objectives. The article is based on the authors' experience and reflection on external, improvement-led quality audits in Australia over the past decade compared with the present compliance-oriented audits now required for institutional registration and ongoing accreditation. © 2013 Taylor & Francis.
|Shah M, Stanford S-A, 'Quality and regulation of Australian tertiary education: Searching for a sustainable quality assurance framework', The ACPET Journal for Private Higher Education, 2 24-33 (2013) [C1]
|Show 41 more journal articles
Conference (22 outputs)
|Shah M, 'Does quality assurance reflect the social dimension of higher education?' (2015)
|Bennett L, Shah M, Nair CS, 'Implications for learning and teaching in higher education delivered by private provider and TAFE and the role of university partners', 22nd National Vocational Education and Training Research Conference ¿No Frills¿: refereed papers (2014) [E1]
|Shah M, 'Correlation or causality: Raising equity aspirations in the emergence of quality agenda', National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia Conference (2013) [E3]
|Show 19 more conferences
Grants and Funding
|Number of grants
|Total funding
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20151 grants / $39,000
Lighting the path(way): Articulating curriculum design principles for open access enabling programs$39,000
Funding body: Office for Learning and Teaching
|Funding body
|Office for Learning and Teaching
|Project Team
|Doctor Bronwyn Relf, Doctor Barry Hodges, Aprof MAHSOOD Shah, Dr John O'Rourke, Mrs Sue Sharp, Dr Nicole Crawford, Dr Susan Johns
|Seed Projects
|Funding Start
|Funding Finish
|Type Of Funding
|Aust Competitive - Commonwealth
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Total current UON EFTSL
Current Supervision
|Level of Study
|Research Title / Program / Supervisor Type
Perceptive Influence to Nurture Relational Reputation and Brand Positioning: An Analysis of the Australian International Education Industry.
PhD (Management), Faculty of Business and Law, The University of Newcastle
Past Supervision
|Level of Study
|Research Title / Program / Supervisor Type
Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Upper Secondary Schools in Hatinh Province in Vietnam
PhD (Education), Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle
Research Collaborations
The map is a representation of a researchers co-authorship with collaborators across the globe. The map displays the number of publications against a country, where there is at least one co-author based in that country. Data is sourced from the University of Newcastle research publication management system (NURO) and may not fully represent the authors complete body of work.
|Count of Publications
|United Kingdom
|United Arab Emirates
Vice-Chancellor's Awards Winners
December 9, 2014
Each year the University of Newcastle celebrates the remarkable achievements of our staff at the Vice-Chancellor's Awards ceremony.
Associate Professor Mahsood Shah
Associate Professor
Centre for English Language and Foundation Studies
Academic Division
Casual DBA Supervisor
Newcastle Business School
Faculty of Business and Law
Casual DBA Supervisor
Newcastle Business School
Faculty of Business and Law
Contact Details
|(02) 4921 7277
|McMullin Building
University Drive
Callaghan, NSW 2308


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STAUNTON, Va. (AP) - Police are searching for a missing Rockingham County elementary school teacher.
Police tell media outlets that 53-year-old Cheryl Burns was last seen leaving her home in Fishersville at 6:45 a.m. Monday. She didn't show up for work at Cub Run Elementary School in Penn Laird.
Burns' disappearance is being investigated by the Augusta County and Rockingham County sheriff's offices.
Rockingham County school officials say Burns teaches fourth grade at Cub Run.


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Facilities Working Group 1997 Progress Report
|The Facilities Working Group (FWG) was formed in January 1995 and meets bi-monthly.
Active participation in the Facilities Working Group has grown as a result of its standards development and outreach activities to include the following agencies/organizations: Forest Service, Defense Mapping Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tri-Service CADD/GIS Technology Center, Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Coast Guard, National Institutes of Health, General Services Administration, Bureau of Transportation and Statistics, Federal Aviation Administration, Bureau of the Census, Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority, American Public Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Photo Science, Inc., Logan Technologies, Inc., and Applied Geographics, Inc.
This report identifies the accomplishments of the group during 1997 as they relate to the Goals and Objectives outlined in A Strategy for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure.
Goal 1 - Increase the awareness and understanding of the vision, concepts, and benefits of the NSDI through outreach and education.
Objective: Continued to hold bi-monthly Facility Working Group meetings that were open to all members of the geospatial community
Action: Held 6 meetings to update members on standards developments and inform members of FGDC activities. Meetings were open and announced in the Federal Registry. The August FWG meeting was held in St. Louis at the Tri-Service CADD/GIS Symposium and USACE/NOAA Conference. By holding the meeting outside of the D.C. area, we hoped to increase non-Federal participation. At the August meeting, Ohio Geographically Referenced Information Program (OGRIP) presented their framework project. If future meetings are held outside the D.C. area, the FWG needs to broaden meeting announcements. The St. Louis meeting did not generate as much non-Federal participation as was anticipated.
Objective: Continued to increase awareness of FWG activities by updating FWG Web pages and Electronic mail reflector
Action: The FWG serves minutes, announcements of upcoming meetings, membership list, and standards development activities on the World Wide Web. This may be accessed from the FGDC list of subcommittee and working group servers at http://fgdc.er.usgs.gov. It has proven to be an efficient tool for disseminating information.
Goal 2 - Develop common solutions for discovery, access, and use of geospatial data in response to the needs of diverse communities.
Goal 3 - Use community-based approaches to develop and maintain common collections of geospatial data for sound decision-making.
Objective: Goals 2 and 3 both address supporting data standardization activities. The FWG continued to develop the following standards.
Action: Facility ID Code Standard - The FGDC Standards Working Group approved development of a Facility ID Code Standard by the Facilities Working Group. This standard will consist of a set of standardized data elements which identify and locate place-based facilities such as a standard identifier, latitude longitude, name, and facility type. These unique, non-intelligent identifiers will coexist with agencies' internal codes and will initially be applied to Federal buildings. The standard has been forwarded to the SWG and is currently out for public review.
Action: Utilities Data Content Standard - The FGDC Standards Working Group approved development of a Utilities Data Content Standard by the Facilities Working Group. The topics in this data content standard will include these systems and their components: electric monitoring and control; electrical distribution; fuel distribution; industrial waste collection; natural gas distribution; storm drainage collection; wastewater collection; water; and heating and cooling. This standard will support large-scale engineering and life-cycle maintenance of utility systems. The standard was forwarded to the SWG and is currently out for public review.
Action: SDTS CADD Profile - The FGDC Standards Working Group approved development of an SDTS CADD Profile and the Tri-Service CADD/GIS Technology Center completed a study that outlines the tasks required to develop this standard. The Tri-Service Center has completed the SDTS CADD Profile. Needs to be sent to the SWG.
Action: Environmental Hazards Data Content Standard - The FGDC Standards Working Group approved the development of an Environmental Hazards Content Standard. The Group proposed a standard that supports the study, management, and remediation of hazardous waste. A project team is working on developing the standard.
Action: Accuracy Standards for Facility Mapping - The FGDC Standards Working Group approved development of an accuracy standard by the Geodetic Subcommittee. There are several parts to the this standard and the Facilities Working Group is responsible for the Section 4 on accuracy standards for facility mapping. The standard has been forwarded to the SWG and is currently out for public review.
Goal 4 - Build relationships among organizations to support the continuing development of the NSDI.
Objective: Continued to build relationships that will broaden the participation and scope of FGDC standards and , ultimately, the NSDI.
Action: Spatial Data Standards Summit. With FGDC support, The Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium (PaMAGIC) and The Pennsylvania State University held a two-day summit (Oct 22 & 23) to review the Utilities and Environmental Spatial data standards. The summit was an opportunity for state and local technical experts to review the FGDC draft standards and suggest changes, recommend additions, and suggest requirements for future standards activities for facility management. Participants included regional planners, GIS coordinators, utility and environmental experts, and Pennsylvania DOT.
Objective: Expand our membership list to include state and local governments.
Action: Participation in regional conferences. The Utilities Data Content Standard was presented at the New England Chapter of AM/FM International on October 28, 1997.
Action: Request Participation from NACo Members. The FWG has formally requested technical members from NACo to develop and review the Utilities and Environmental Hazards Standard. To date, NACo has not identified an interested participant.


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This year, SAP launched the Social Sabbatical program, a corporate social responsibility effort through which high-potential employees spend three weeks embedded with entrepreneurial companies in Brazil, India and South Africa helping them solve business challenges.
The program was created to give employees leadership opportunities while making a tangible social impact, says Brittany Lothe, SAP's head of corporate social responsibility. But it also created a unique group of public ambassadors for the SAP brand.
"There is no better story teller than someone who is living and breathing a new experience," she says.
To make the most of this opportunity to spread the word about SAP's corporate social responsibility efforts, the 30 participants completed four weeks of preparation leading up to the projects, which included training on how to use social media tools to talk about their experiences.
Along with teaching them how to use social media tools to tell their stories, SAP had communication team members available in each country to answer questions and bounce ideas around. "The training let them know they were not going it alone," Lothe says.
Once embedded, all of the participants tweeted photos and updates, and several of them wrote longer posts and blogs from the field after they returned.
"There was so much to communicate," says Evan Welsh an SAP employee who worked with ASMARE, an association of Brazilian catadores—garbage collectors who gather trash at night and then separate out reusable recyclable materials. Welsh's team helped the group create marketing materials including a newsletter, communication plan and templates for promotional efforts to raise awareness about the work ASMARE and the catadores do.
Many of the catadores were formerly homeless or in jail before they began to work with ASMARE, which also operates a restaurant and gallery to display art that the catadores make from the recycled materials. Working with the catadores had a profound impact on Welsh and his colleagues, and within days of arriving, they started posting stories, pictures and video interviews on Facebook, Twitter and SAP's Community Network. The teams in India and South Africa shared similar stories.
"These are by far the highest read posts we've ever had on our community network or our Facebook page," Lothe says, noting that thousands of readers have clicked through since the program launched. Lothe reposted many of the blogs and photos across SAP's internal network, and encouraged employees to share the stories on their own social networks.
"Empowerment was such an important part of this process," she says, noting that employees were not required to post about their experiences, but it was encouraged. "It was an opportunity for them to share their stories, and we were able to leverage their experience and enthusiasm to extend the brand."
Sarah Fister Gale is a freelance writer based in the Chicago area. Comment below or email email@example.com.


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With VMware virtualization, we know we can … be up and running within a few hours. And it costs a fraction of what we paid for the third-party disaster-recovery service we used before.Tim Moudry, Associate Director of IT, Myron Steves
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The Iowa Association of School Boards recognizes that learning and leadership on the part of school board members makes a difference at the board table and for students.
At IASB's 67th Annual Con-vention on Nov. 15, Gilmore City-Bradgate school board member Ron Warren was hon-ored for making that difference. Through IASB's Better Boardsmanship Awards Pro-gram, Warren received an Award of Achievement certifi-cate. This award recognizes board members who put forth extra time and energy to strengthen their boardsmanship abilities through formal in-service programs, workshops and other commitments such as advocating with legislators or serving on statewide committees or boards. Warren also serves on the IASB Board of Directors, representing District 2 in north central Iowa.
IASB board president Patti Fields commended Warren for his hard work. "Each individual in this select group of board members takes extra steps to make sure they are informed and capable as they strive to improve outcomes for students," Fields said.
More than 60 school board members were recipients of this acclaimed award.


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That's brilliant! Love it. Thanks for the link.
I stumbled across a program that chops up your huge huge images and creates the code to use the Google Maps API to display them just like a Google Map.
You can scroll, zoom, drag, everything. All with about 5 clicks.
I uploaded my first test here in case anyone wants to see it in action.
The program I used was from here:
That's brilliant! Love it. Thanks for the link.
That was a 10000 px width image....I'm trying it with a 40000 px width in a bit (that's slowing my computer down a bit).
Now to figure out how to make links on the map and other markers (borders, areas, etc)...
When you figure that out, please let me know. That would be great.
1px->1km would then be possible on for world maps covering planets with 6000+km radii.
I've downloaded the program and am working on figuring it out now.
good to see another vancouver photographer spending time on some classic geek pursuits!
my website: www.philipstephen.com
my game: http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/estea
Right back at you!
I just had a peek at your site. I really enjoy your many types of art and creation.
If you want to see some amazing ink work, you might enjoy the book Who Needs Donuts? (http://www.amazon.ca/Needs-Donuts-Ma.../dp/0375825509)
Workign with a layered 40000x30000px image is slow. Just realized after starting a 20 minutes save as TIF that that program doesn't read TIF.
Hmm...above 30000 pixels PS doesn't like saving as much other than TIF and PS formats. Now...what do I have to convert a massive TIF to a bmp?
This looks awesome...I love doing huge maps and this will be a lot of fun to play with.
If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
-J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atom bomb) alluding to The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 11, Verse 32)
My Maps ~ My Brushes ~ My Tutorials ~ My Challenge Maps
I've been banging my head against the wall this morning. The software doesn't want to load 30000px wide bmp files...so now I'm trying smaller. I'll let you know how it works out.
My ideal (in case there's a wonderful programmer out there) is to be able to input, for example, 4 files making up one larger map and have that all work together. I could do each separately, but then they don't correspond to the naming structure etc that would be required to show them all together.


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This 10-hour workshop focuses on understanding your own signs of stress. Includes techniques for preventing stress, identifications of personality factors and interpersonal factors related to stress, and job burnout. Audit available. (For detailed information, see the Course Content and Outcome Guide ).
- Credits:
- 1.00
- Registration:
- To register, you need the CRNs (ex. 22398) of your selected classes.
- Fees:
- Please note that for many courses, additional fees may apply.
- Textbooks:
- To find textbooks, you need the CRN, Campus, Term & Course Number (ex. BA101).
|Campus / Bldg / Rm
This page includes online classes only, more sections may exist for this class.


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REMCO Products 38" Yellow Poly Shovel
One-piece polypropylene shovel resists chemicals, won't corrode and it's sanitary
This REMCO indestructible shovel will outperform any other shovel you've owned. It features a solid shaft and an extra-thick scooping edge that wears evenly. Non-sparking for safety in dusty areas and also meets FDA & USDA requirements. One piece construction makes this shovel sanitary. Built so tough, you can drive a truck over it. 38" yellow shovel, with 14"Lx11"W scoop. Weighs 2.9 lbs. USA made.
2016 Master Catalog: Page 374