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Slots to Offset Casino Fee Drop
Wheeling track presses for reducing state's take
March 29, 2013
WHEELING — Jim Simms was glad the West Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to lower the annual fee for table gambling Thursday, but he was disappointed the same bill would now make i......
This isn't about jobs. DNC, their puppet Simms, and the politicians working for them don't care about the table gaming jobs anymore than they care about the poop shoveling jobs in the racing industry. This is about increasing corporate profits in a heavily taxes industry. Slots profits are high enough that no jobs have to be lost, not table gaming jobs or racing industry jobs.
Snyder's amendment was an improvement, a solution rightfully preserving all the jobs, whether table gaming and racing industry related. Like I say though, none of us are foolish enough to believe this is about jobs, keeping money in state or any other bogus lines we've been fed. It's about maximizing profits in a heavily taxed industry. Atoddh hit the nail on the head with the common sense solution, a sliding fee scale or simply a set tax %. Wheeling is having to pay the same fee as Camptown even though Wheeling has a mere fraction of the revenue. Base it on revenue so it is fair for all. Problem solved
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Looking at this statement:
"Maybe it is time to take a hard look at the tens of millions of dollars that are flowing to out-of-state breeders - and instead, focus on keeping jobs in West Virginia," Simms said.
I have to wonder if it's true.
The Wheeling programs online didn't indicate which dogs were WV bred and which weren't so I turned to Iowa which has a good Iowa bred incentive program as does WV.
At Bluffs run almost 75% of the dogs are Iowa bred.
Assuming that number is close to how many are WV bred how much money is really flowing out of the state. The WV breeders program is more stringent than the Iowa one so I would say Mr. Simms statement is incorrect.
On top of that how many industries keep most of their money in state, If you own a stock that pays a dividend and don't live in the state where the corporate headquarters is, your monthly dividend is going out of state.
If I live in Ohio, but work in WV I am taking your money out of state.
It happens eve
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I love Snyder's ammendment. It's precisely what every voter wants from their elected officials. He basically said, hey, you're making millions and millions off the sales of carrots and not so much on the sale of beets. Take some of your carrot money and help the beets section.
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if these places can't make it on their own then close them down.the rest of us are in the same boat these days but we ain't whining about having to pay taxes.sell some of your fancy buildings to raise some revenue.i'm sure that the owners are doing well.
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@WVU Jeff .. I never claimed to be a lawyer. On the other hand one thing I am is a casino employee in WV. Delaware North Corporate office is in Buffalo NY. I work for that company sometimes. I also have a gambling license. I'm just saying they should post the truth in the newspaper articles instead of saying revenue is down and is projected to be lower this year. Most people read that and think they are losing money. My guess is nothing is further from the truth and if they don't have enough business to warrant the employees they aare going to lay them off regardless of how much of a tax break the state of WV gives them. It's a horse crap scare tactic. They will lay these employees off regardless. Unless the state makes them keep the employees as part of the new bill some WILL lose their jobs. they are not going to pay people to stand there and do nothing.
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Jacobs family is in Mass and DNC headquarters is Buffalo, NY
Good grief.
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@ legal6
Wheeling Island Casino is owned by Delaware North Company, not a company in NY or MA. They own and operate casinos in those States, but the parent company name pretty much reveals where they are based, don't ya think?
On the brighter side of things, Simms' last day as President of Wheeling Island Casino is supposed to be March 31, 2013. So, perhaps brighter things are ahead.
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@ uglyassmf
If you actually knew the law regarding the reporting of gambling revenues, then you would realize that you can go here to "see the books" for all of the Casinos in WV... ***********state.wv.us/lottery/vidsum.htm
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@ daWraith
Wheeling Island Casino has been around for decades. If you want to yap about parasite businesses that prey on people's weaknesses, then you should start pointing the finger at State Governments.
For example, the Government of the State of West Virginia has become so dependent on gambling revenues that we have gone from having no lottery, to having online lottery and scratch-off tickets, to having limited video lottery.
Stop criticizing the casinos, of which there are only 3 in the entire State of West Virginia. They aren't the poison of society, the gaming parlors that are on nearly every street corner are the real problem. Those are the places people go to and waste their paychecks across the State of West Virginia.
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@ cigarbob
I don't know where you get your math, or knowledge of what employers have to pay out for an employee being on their payroll. However, you have left out a significant amount of money that employers must pay. In fact, if you want a more accurate number for your estimate, then you should double the salary of each employee - BEFORE benefits are paid.
There are payroll taxes, both local and federal, that must be paid, which include Social security and Medicare taxes. There are also Unemployment taxes that have to be paid in case an employee is terminated and is eligible for unemployment benefits. Add in any benefits paid by the Casino (health insurance, vision insurance, dental insurance, 401K, etc.) and your so-called "profit" disappears quickly.
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Once again...we have heard over and over again about revenue losses and projected future lost revenue. if you want money from the citizens then open your books and let us see what the net profit is. If you have twenty eggs in a basket and you lose two or three then life isn't so bad.
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The best solution would be a sliding fee scale based on revenue or no fee with a straight % of sales.Every incentive to modernize the casinos should be made by the State.It is to the State's-and public's- advantage.
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Simms says, "take money from out of state breeders." What about the fact that your company has taken hundreds of millions out of WV to your owners in NY and Massachusetts. Duh. Not to mention the many many people employed by the horse and dog industry. Horse and dog people are not rich. Simms' bosses (out of state) are. This guy says dumber and dumber things everyday.
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Based on the casino revenue from table games of 5,300,000,I did the math.After paying the state 45% tax leaves 2915000. They have 12 dealers and 3 pit bosses sunday thru thursday.Dealers are paid minimum wage. Pit bosses 18.00 per hour. I doubled the employee wages on friday and saturday . Wages for the period in the article are 760000.This leaves 2,155,000.They give very little "comps" meaning free drinks or meals. Other then employee insurance, what else is there? 80% of the casino is slot machines(their revenues are not mentioned), but the state knows that is. I think there is creative accounting here and the state knows that too.
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Even theft isn't profitable.
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The bill will be amended closer to the original proposed by Senators Fitzsimmons and Yost. Herb Snyder was permitted to stage his opposition only to protect the political interest he devours from Charles Town Casino & Racetrack. President Kessler will support our most pragmatic and thoughtful representatives.
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These thieves should not get any incentives to stay in the business of robbing the citizens of West Virginia. They have already bankrupted a large number of citizens who are compulsive gamblers and there have even been suicides directly resulting from this incidious addiction. Just how bad do these ignorant people need money that they would continue on in this destructive business.
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{BleeP} 'em! They are just a a {bleeping} PARASITE business that preys on people's weakness.
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subset: commoncrawl


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One Direction stars Harry Styles and Niall Horan have poked fun at reports suggesting one of the boy band stars has their sights set on a solo career in the near future.
Promoting their new tour movie in New York on Saturday, the pop hunks had a little fun when they were asked about the future of the group.
Horan joked, "Actually I'm doing a rap album. The gang will be collaborating with me."
And Styles added, "Niall's doing a Christian rap album at the end of the year!"
They then got serious to further address the reports the quintet was set to become a quartet, at Styles stated, "The history of bands is sometimes people do leave and sometimes things happen. It's always gonna happen anytime there's a group, everybody's gonna go, 'So, who's gonna leave? When is someone gonna leave?' We're far too busy and don't have time to go off and do our own thing."
But Horan insisted the band would not be around forever: "I've got really bad knees, so I don't think I'll be running around on stage at 60 years old I'm afraid. I'm just telling you that now. I'm confirming that I won't be in One Direction at 60 years old! That's as far as my career goes."


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Donor Profile: Ryan and Heather Lund
AMES, Iowa - Ryan Lund graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in journalism in 1994. While in school he covered central Iowa sports for WHO-TV Channel 13, and has continued to be a loyal Cyclone fan. Ryan currently works for Media Relations for Ameriprise Financial in Edina, Minn. He and his wife Heather also have two future Cyclones at home - Connor age 4, and 1-year-old Carter.
Why did you decide to join the Cyclone Club?
"I joined basically to support Iowa State and its student-athletes. I feel strongly about giving back to this University. What I always say is �I've only got one alma mater', and because of that I will always have a vested interest in seeing Iowa State succeed in everything, especially athletics.
"I also organize a trip with six other couples every year to go to a football game, either on the road or at Jack Trice. This year will be our seventh annual trip, and I look forward to it each and every year. The first year we did it was in 2002, when we went to Kansas City for the Eddie Robinson Classic. That game went down to the very end, and it was great to see us compete against a team like Florida State. We went to Lincoln (Neb.) for the two-overtime loss to Nebraska two years ago. Just this past year was our first reunion in Ames, when we beat Iowa. This year I am really excited about going to UNLV and to be downtown in Las Vegas.
"Our group of couples even has our own name � TWISC. It stands for Tekes, wives and Iowa State Cyclones. All of us guys were fraternity brothers at Tau Kappa Epsilon when we went to school at Iowa State. What I do is coordinate everything from the hotel reservation to the flight plans. Every year we vote on where we are going the next year. We even have our very own official board meeting, and go through all of our plans for the trip. It started as my idea, and as we all got older and married, and started having families it was harder to see each other. We decided this was a good way to keep in touch, and support the Cyclones. Now we have all committed to this each and every year, and I love it. Of the seven couples, none of them even live in Iowa. There are two couples in Minnesota (including us), two in Arizona, one in Omaha, Kansas, and Colorado. I am really looking forward to Las Vegas this next fall."
When did you attend your first Iowa State athletic event?
"My first game would have been my freshman year in the fall of 1990. I remember it was a football win against Northern Iowa. It was a beautiful early September day; we still had hot weather and it was a great atmosphere. I remember back then everyone was quite optimistic going into the season. One other game I remember well is when we beat Nebraska in my junior year (1992)."
What was the most memorable game that you attended?
"Without a doubt, the best game that I have seen was the Troy Davis performance against Missouri in 1996. He went for 378 yards in one game, I mean how many guys could say they even came close to that. My wife went with me to that game and I remember Missouri had literally 10 guys in the box. Everyone watching that game knew where the ball was going, and they still couldn't stop him. I'm still bitter he didn't win the Heisman, he deserved it hands down. Just like the Missouri game, he was our entire offense that whole year. Every team we played, their defense knew where the ball was going, and nobody could stop him.
"As far as basketball games went, I remember fondly the Texas game in 2000 when (former ISU basketball player) Marcus Fizer dunked over Chris Mihm. That was a great moment and definitely an all-timer. I remember the comeback against Oklahoma State in 1992. They (OSU) were ranked number two in the country, and all I can think of that game was Justus Thigpen just going off and making every shot. Fred Hoiberg had that quote after that game that he could feel the floor shaking. That to me was the epitome of Hilton magic.
"Some more good times were when we had Kansas's number in basketball. I remember we beat them in 1999, then twice in 2000, and twice again in 2001. Beating the Jayhawks in Lawrence is a tremendous feat, and we were able to do that two years in a row.
"I do have an interesting story about the day we beat Iowa in football in 2002. I was working as a weekend sports anchor for the Fox affiliate in Minneapolis, Minn. At this time I was in Cleveland covering the Indians, as they were about to clinch their division. I was watching the Iowa State- Iowa game and we were getting smoked at halftime (24-7). Then all of a sudden turnovers begin to go our way and (Iowa State quarterback) Seneca Wallace starts taking over. It was a historic comeback (36-31) and all the while I was trying to keep my eye on the game and do my job. I was telling myself I needed to concentrate on the baseball game instead of checking the TV monitors every minute. I couldn't believe they were coming back, because I thought the game was over. I think the rest of my colleagues understood how big of a Cyclone fan I was, and cut me some slack."
What was your favorite Cyclone road trip?
"I was working for WHO-TV when we played Baylor in basketball down in Waco, Texas (2000). We ended up clinching the Big 12 Conference regular-season title that night. It was awesome because a bunch of Cyclone fans flew down on a charter plane, and there were more fans from Iowa State at the game than Baylor fans.
"Another trip that will go down in history was to Phoenix, Ariz. for the Insight.com Bowl in 2000. Being there with all those Cyclone fans really spoke volumes about our university. Not only were we in the game, but we beat a good team in Pittsburgh. I remember going down on the field with everyone that was in the stadium. Jamaine Billups' punt return was the big highlight, and Reggie Hayward and Sage Rosenfels both had awesome games."
Name some of your favorite players and coaches?
"Wow, where do you start? In terms of the best players - Troy Davis, in my opinion is the best and Marcus Fizer a close second. You can't forget Fred Hoiberg, and also Jamaal Tinsley was amazing, he could do anything with the ball in his hands. Tinsley's overall record in Hilton Coliseum was unheard of. He never lost a game in that building and brought home two Big 12 titles.
"Going to coaches now - you can't beat the character of Johnny Orr. I really liked Dan McCarney's passion and love for Iowa State; it was genuine and contagious too. The players and the fans really believed in his respect for the school. Larry Eustachy's fire on the sideline really got people rallied up - the team and crowd both fed off that."
"I think our programs will get there. I am excited to see what (head football coach Gene) Chizik can do. I am very optimistic about carrying over success from last season into this season. I think (head basketball coach Greg) McDermott will also do some great things while he is here. Bill Fennelly, what he has done with that women's basketball program is historic. His lifetime contract that he received was the right choice, and I am excited for the future of our women's basketball team.
"I agree with (athletics director) Jamie Pollard - if we are going to be competitive in this conference it takes a commitment from both the fans and alumni. We have to have the tools and facilities in place, just like the other schools. I think that both Jack Trice and Hilton Coliseum have been due for improvements for years now.
"I'm really fired up for the Las Vegas trip; really looking forward to another year of Cyclone basketball and football. It is only May, but the summer will go by quickly, and before you know it we will be watching college football again."


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|Operational Guidance Note: Afghanistan
|United Kingdom: Home Office
|Publication Date
|20 February 2012
|Christian | Freedom of religion | Hindu | Prison or detention conditions | Return conditions | Security situation | Sikh | Unaccompanied / Separated children | Women's rights
|Citation / Document Symbol
|Afghanistan OGN v9
|Cite as
|United Kingdom: Home Office, Operational Guidance Note: Afghanistan, 20 February 2012, Afghanistan OGN v9, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4f43788a2.html [accessed 30 May 2016]
|This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.


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Alumnus at helm of Martin Stone Quarries recognized as national leader in the aggregates industry
If you're going to extract stone from a 350-acre hole adjacent to a borough of 950 residents, Rod Martin has learned that it helps to live in a house beside the quarry, where the locals can see that you and your family also care about the noise, dust and scenery. The Martin family has quarried granite in Bechtelsville, Pa., since 1953. "We're entrenched in the comm ...More


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The Internet Society recently issued a paper on "Intellectual Property on the Internet",written by Konstantinos Komaitis, a policy advisor at the Internet Society. As the title of the paper indicates, the paper focuses on only one policy issue – the need to reshape the role and position of intellectual property. The central thesis of the paper is that "industry-based initiatives focusing on the enforcement of intellectual property rights should be subjected to periodic independent reviews as related to their efficiency and adherence to due process and the rule of law."
The author cites the August 2012 announcement of "The Modern Paradigm for Standards Development" which recognizes that the economics of global markets, fueled by technological advancements, drive global deployment of standards regardless of their formal status. In this paradigm, standards support interoperability, foster global competition, are developed through an open participatory process, and are voluntarily adopted globally." These "OpenStand" principles were posited by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the Internet Architecture Board (IAB), the Internet Society, and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Komaitis conveniently overlooks the nearly 700 other organizations (formal and otherwise) that develop standards. And that nearly all industries depend upon standards. And that governments are aware of the power of standards to create economic policy and drive and sustain economic growth. Instead, the author focuses on one small aspect of standards – intellectual property.
Another issue conveniently overlooked is how to fund standards development. Komaitis asserts that "…industry-based initiatives ….should be subjected to periodic independent reviews… " He misses the fact that industry funds nearly all of the standards organizations in existence. Absent industry funding for participants, charging for standards, and acceptance of standards in product creation, would cause the entire standardization arena to become extinct.
The author seems to be arguing for a revision of intellectual property rights (IPR) rules in standardization – when, in fact, there is no real demand from the industry as a whole. Komaitis is really asking for an "intellectual property rights carve out" for standards related to the Internet. Looking at the big picture, the plea that it is necessary to rejigger world-wide IPR rules to prevent putting the State or courts "in the awkward position of having to prioritize intellectual property rights over the Internet's technical operation…" seems trite and self-serving.
There is a claim that "the Internet Society will continue to advocate for open, multi-participatory and transparent discussions and will be working with all stakeholders in advancing these minimum standards in all intellectual property fora." Perhaps the Internet Society could look at what already exists in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or the World Trade Organization (WTO) or perhaps even the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to see how a majority of the "stakeholders" worldwide already deal with these issues – and then maybe get back to actually solving the technical issues at which the IETF excels.
Carl Cargill
Principal Scientist


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Mr. Chairman, Members of the Commission,
I am pleased to appear before you today to address the issue of NATO and Ukraine at the upcoming Alliance summit in Bucharest. I will also offer some comments on Georgia and on Russian concerns. I commend the Commission for its interest in the Bucharest meeting, which can have a significant impact on shaping a broader, more stable and secure Europe, something that is clearly in the interest of the United States.
Over the past 15 years, Ukraine has made great progress in transforming itself into a modern European democracy and has developed increasingly closer relations with NATO. NATO members should extend to Ukraine a membership action plan, given the country's commitment to – and progress in – political, economic and military reform, and the contribution it can make to Euro-Atlantic security. Georgia also deserves consideration. Extending a membership action plan would help each country continue its internal reform process to develop political and economic systems compatible with those of the Euro-Atlantic community; foster closer cooperation between those countries and NATO; and create the preconditions for consideration at a later point of membership.
Extending membership action plans to Ukraine and/or Georgia will raise concern in Moscow. NATO should continue to engage Russia in cooperative endeavors that promote stronger links between the Alliance and Russia, and that hopefully will help end Cold War stereotypes that persist in Moscow. At the same time, Russia also needs to do its part to build a more cooperative NATO-Russia relationship. The Russian foreign and security policy elite has to cease clinging to its image of NATO as an adversary. While seeking good relations with Russia, NATO should not allow Moscow a veto, either explicit or tacit, over relations between the Alliance and third countries.
The Membership Action Plan Process
NATO has carried out two rounds of enlargement since the end of the Cold War. Enlargement has brought ten new members into the Alliance's ranks, and promoted a broader, more stable and secure Euro-Atlantic community. Enlargement also has underpinned the dramatic democratic and economic transformations that have swept Central Europe over the past two decades.
Since launching the enlargement process in the 1990s, NATO has asked two sets of questions of prospective members. First, has the country in question implemented the political, economic, military and security reforms necessary to bring it into compliance with NATO standards? Has the country's political-economic system embraced the democratic and market economy values of the Alliance? This reflects the fact that NATO is not just a security alliance but is also an alliance of shared values. Second, can the country make a contribution to Euro-Atlantic security? Does it have capabilities and the political will to use them that will strengthen the Alliance's ability to meet the challenges currently before it?
NATO launched the membership action plan, or MAP, process in 1999 to help guide prospective members in answering these questions. As described in the April 1999 communiqué issued by NATO leaders at their summit in Washington, the MAP process envisages the provision by prospective members of individual programs regarding their national preparations for possible future membership, focused and candid feedback from the Alliance, and assistance in implementing those national programs.
At the Washington summit, NATO announced the establishment of MAPs for Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Seven of those countries – Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia – progressed to the point where, at the November 2002 NATO summit in Prague, they received invitations to join the Alliance. They became full Alliance members in 2004. Albania and Macedonia, along with Croatia, continue with their MAPs and hope to receive invitations to join NATO in Bucharest.
Membership action plans thus serve as roadmaps to guide prospective NATO members. The process is open-ended: there is no fixed schedule for completing it, and receiving a MAP does not guarantee an automatic invitation for membership. The decision to extend an invitation is a separate political decision, taken by Alliance members after they have reviewed a country's progress on its MAP. A MAP process aims to create the preconditions for consideration of membership. While the presumption is that it will lead to membership, a MAP does not prejudge a country's decision to request membership, nor does it prejudge the Alliance's decision on extending an invitation.
The Case for a MAP for Ukraine
Ukraine has a long history of deepening relations with NATO. Ukraine was the first former Soviet state to join NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1994. As NATO planned for its initial wave of enlargement and in parallel discussed how to strengthen NATO-Russian relations, the Alliance decided to pursue a third track: formalizing a relationship with Ukraine. This reflected NATO's recognition that a country with the size and strategic position of Ukraine merited a special relationship with the Alliance. At the July 1997 NATO summit in Madrid, having the day before invited Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary to join, NATO leaders approved the Charter on a Distinctive Partnership with Ukraine and established the NATO-Ukraine Council.
NATO-Ukraine relations continued to develop over the remainder of the 1990s. In May 2002, then-President Leonid Kuchma announced Ukraine's ultimate goal of joining NATO. However, questions regarding the seriousness of the Kuchma government's commitment to join and about the course of democracy in Ukraine, as well as other difficulties in Ukraine's relations with the West, made progress in this regard difficult.
In the aftermath of the 2004 Orange Revolution, NATO-Ukraine relations acquired new energy and momentum. President Victor Yushchenko made full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community, including joining NATO, the key priority of his foreign policy. In April 2005, NATO foreign ministers agreed to establish with Ukraine an intensified dialogue, typically a precursor to a membership action plan.
By the end of 2005 and early 2006, officials in Washington and other NATO capitals had begun to consider the prospect of extending a MAP to Ukraine at the Riga summit in November 2006 were Ukraine to continue its reform progress. Officials at the White House, moreover, reportedly even began to consider the possibility of inviting Ukraine at the 2008 summit to join NATO.
This surge in NATO-Ukraine relations was derailed in September 2006, however, when then-Prime Minister Victor Yanukovych met with the North Atlantic Council in Brussels. He said that, while he favored close cooperation with NATO, he did not support a membership action plan. Given the division between Yushchenko and Yanukovych on this question, NATO did not offer a MAP in Riga, understandably choosing to wait until the Ukrainian government could articulate a unified position in favor of a MAP.
This point has now come. In a January letter to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Rada (parliament) Speaker Arseniy Yatseniuk reiterated Ukraine's commitment to full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community and requested that Ukraine be granted a MAP at Bucharest.
Ukraine has a persuasive case. It has implemented significant reforms since regaining independence in 1991. As for political transformation, Ukraine is the only former Soviet state other than the Baltic nations to achieve a Freedom House ranking of "free," which it did in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Democratic elections have become the norm. Ukraine has held three national ballots over the past three years – the final round of the presidential vote in December 2004, Rada elections in March 2006, and preterm Rada elections in September 2007 – that were assessed by Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other monitors to be free, fair and competitive. While politics in Kyiv reflect an ongoing struggle for position and influence that is often not pretty, the struggle is largely based on democratic rules of the game. The country, moreover, boasts an increasingly professional and independent media that is unafraid to challenge power. Non-governmental organizations have flourished and have had real impact.
Ukraine has also made major progress on economic reform. It reversed the decline that devastated the economy during the 1990s and has achieved eight consecutive years of economic growth. Growth has averaged between six and seven percent per year, one of the most impressive growth rates in Europe or the former Soviet Union. Interestingly, Ukraine's growth rates are comparable to those of Russia. While Russia's economic boom since 2000 has been driven largely by the production and export of natural gas and oil, Ukraine has few such resources and instead must cope with dramatically rising energy prices. For example, Ukraine today pays more than three times the price for imported natural gas that it paid in 2005. Ukraine has put the basic institutions of a market economy in place and has begun to draw substantial foreign investment. The private sector now accounts for two-thirds of gross domestic product. Ukraine's trade patterns have increasingly oriented themselves toward European markets.
Ukraine likewise has made important strides in restructuring its military, moving from a large, Soviet-style army in 1991 to a much smaller, more mobile force that increasingly is configured to meet Ukraine's current security challenges and comply with NATO standards. Over the past 15 years, Ukrainian forces have acquired considerable experience in joint operations with NATO and American forces, often in the context of joint Polish-Ukrainian units created in the late 1990s.
Ukraine has moved well down the path of transforming itself into a modern European democracy, the kind of country that NATO has welcomed into its ranks over the past ten years. Indeed, Ukraine's progress in political, economic and military reform compares very well with the progress made by countries such as Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania when they received their MAPs in 1999.
Furthermore, Ukraine has demonstrated that it has serious military capabilities and the political will to use them. Ukrainian transport aircraft have provided strategic airlift to NATO forces; an agreement formalizing this cooperation was finalized in 2007. Ukrainian forces have participated alongside NATO and American troops in Balkan peacekeeping operations, such as in Bosnia and Kosovo. Ukraine deployed a chemical and biological weapons defense unit to Kuwait in 2003 and three battalions to Iraq in 2003-2005, making it at one point the fourth largest troop contributor to the coalition. Ukraine's military assets would make it a net contributor to Euro-Atlantic security.
The greatest weakness in Ukraine's case for a MAP is that ultimate entry into NATO does not now command broad support among the Ukrainian public. Opinion polls typically show that 25-30 percent of Ukrainians support membership, while some 50 percent oppose it. Much of this opposition may be related to a lack of understanding about how NATO has changed and what it is today. The Ukrainian government has stated its intention to conduct an information campaign regarding NATO and that, before submitting a formal request for membership, it would hold a referendum to gauge the views of Ukraine's citizens.
This should not disqualify Ukraine from a MAP. Other countries in the past have been granted a MAP despite low levels of domestic support for joining NATO. For example, polls showed relatively weak public support in Slovakia and Slovenia. But the governments of those countries used the period of their MAPs to broaden public support. Ukraine's leaders say that they will do the same. Polls in Ukraine have shown growing support for European integration, to the point where 60-70 percent of Ukrainians today favor joining the European Union. A MAP can help crystallize a consensus in Ukraine for full integration into the Euro-Atlantic community, including NATO.
Ukraine has demonstrated more than sufficient progress to qualify for a membership action plan, and NATO should agree to a MAP for Ukraine. Ideally, this will happen when Alliance leaders meet in Bucharest.
Washington has over the past 14 years led in shaping a forward-looking Alliance view on enlargement and on an open door for prospective members. I therefore hope that the U.S. government, over the next four weeks, will conduct an active diplomacy effort, working with other NATO members who support Ukraine's MAP aspirations, to achieve consensus by Bucharest. A MAP for Ukraine has been endorsed by the Senate in a unanimous vote on February 14, as well as in recent statements issued by Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama.
Georgia Considerations
I have been asked to briefly address Georgia. That country also has a long history of strengthening relations with NATO. Like Ukraine, Georgia joined NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1994. Then-President Edward Shevardnadze increasingly advocated his country's integration into the Alliance, as did President Mikhail Saakashvili, who came to power in the aftermath of the 2003 Rose Revolution. Georgia continued to develop relations with the Alliance and in September 2006 began an intensified dialogue.
Georgia has developed democratic political institutions, making an important break with the past following the Rose Revolution. However, the crackdown on demonstrators and imposition of a state of emergency last November represented a significant setback in the eyes of many Western analysts. Saakashvili attempted to recover by announcing a preterm presidential election, which was held on January 5. While observers noted a number of problems with the election, they concluded that, in essence, it was consistent with Georgia's democratic commitments under OSCE and the Council of Europe.
The Georgian government appears to recognize the damage done to its democratic credentials by the events of last fall. Since his reelection two months ago, Saakashvili has stressed the need for reconciliation, and the government has reached out to the opposition. Last week, the government and opposition agreed to the membership of a board on public television, and they are negotiating the rules for parliamentary elections to be held this spring. These elections provide Georgia an early chance to demonstrate anew its commitment to democratic principles.
Georgia has recorded dramatic progress on economic reform. The economy has grown each year since 2000, with the GDP growth rate exceeding nine percent in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The World Bank last year ranked Georgia the 18th easiest country in which to do business, reflecting the development of market economy institutions there. The new cabinet has made reducing the amount of state control in the economy a priority.
Georgia's military has changed in important ways over the past seven years. Largely as a result of the U.S. "train and equip" program, Georgia today has four battalions fully capable of operating with NATO forces. Two thousand Georgian troops currently are deployed in Iraq, and other Georgian forces serve under NATO command as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Such deployments demonstrate the kind of contribution that Georgia can make to Euro-Atlantic security.
In sum, Georgia has a solid case to support its request for a MAP. While its overall record on political, economic and military reform lags that of Ukraine, NATO membership has broad support among the Georgian people. In a referendum conducted in conjunction with the January 5 presidential election, 77 percent of Georgians expressed themselves in favor of Georgia joining the Alliance.
One other consideration affects Georgia. The breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia pose a special challenge for Tbilisi. This is complicated by the presence of Russian forces in those areas and overall Georgian-Russian tensions. Progress in settling these disputes and an easing of frictions with Moscow would undoubtedly ease concern among those NATO members reluctant to develop NATO-Georgian relations too quickly. The Alliance has made resolution of territorial conflicts on a prospective member's territory a prerequisite for membership. It has not, however, been a prerequisite for a MAP.
In sum, Georgia's progress to date is comparable to that of some states that in the past were awarded a MAP. NATO leaders should consider a MAP for Georgia, while reminding Tbilisi that nothing will strengthen its case for ultimate membership more than rapid consolidation of democratic institutions and practices. If NATO seeks a demonstration of Georgia's commitment to democratic practices, Alliance leaders could instruct foreign ministers to decide the question of a MAP for Georgia following the spring parliamentary elections. That would give the Alliance the opportunity to judge how Georgia has internalized the criticisms it received last fall as well as offer a powerful incentive for the conduct of free, fair and competitive parliamentary elections.
The Russia Factor
One cannot address the issue of MAPs for Ukraine and/or Georgia without considering the Russia factor. The Alliance has long made clear that any decision regarding membership is between NATO and the country concerned, and not subject to veto by any third party. Senior Russian officials have said that the decisions are for Kyiv and Tbilisi to make, but the Kremlin clearly does not like the idea of MAPs for Ukraine and Georgia. This reflects Russian unhappiness with NATO enlargement in general, even more so in light of Russia's effort to reassert special influence in the former Soviet space.
Part of this effort to reassert foreign influence stems from Russian disillusionment with what happened in the 1990s. It should be noted that NATO enlargement was not the cause of that disillusionment. The cause was weakness in Russia's internal structures as the country tried to organize itself and reconfigure its economy in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The economic bottoming out at the end of the 1990s and the sense of growing inequalities in wealth contributed to the disillusionment. These were internal Russian issues, not NATO questions.
Already in 1995, when NATO began formally to contemplate enlargement, the rationale in Washington and other NATO capitals for enlargement was to promote a broader, more stable and secure Europe, and to underpin the difficult political and economic transformations being made by the Central European states on the Alliance's borders. NATO leaders made the point that the Alliance was not just a defense organization, but that it also represented a community of shared democratic and economic values. Spreading those values to NATO's neighbors benefited those countries, the Alliance and Europe as a whole.
The decision to enlarge NATO was not driven by anti-Russian motivations. Indeed, already in 1990, the Alliance began deemphasizing Moscow as a potential adversary and sought ways to promote cooperation. Shortly after deciding to proceed with enlargement, NATO members began to consider ways to develop a positive, forward-looking relationship with Russia. The decision at the May 1997 NATO-Russia meeting in Paris to establish the Permanent Joint Council aimed to put in place a mechanism to promote increasingly greater cooperation between NATO and Russia.
In advance of the second wave of enlargement, NATO made an effort to upgrade its relationship with Russia. The Permanent Joint Council became the NATO-Russia Council in 2002; NATO endorsed new areas for cooperation; and the Alliance agreed that members could discuss a number of issues in that forum on the basis of individual country views, rather than on the basis of a previously agreed NATO consensus.
In retrospect, Washington and other NATO capitals likely overestimated the Alliance's ability through greater NATO-Russian cooperation to ease Moscow's concerns about enlargement. Perhaps NATO members have not been as imaginative as they might have in developing new areas of cooperation with Russia. Perhaps the Alliance could have done more to change the image of NATO held by the Russian foreign and security policy elite and public, which appears to differ little from the image Russians held 20 years ago.
But Moscow bears a significant share of the responsibility for the failure to realize the potential of the NATO-Russia relationship. Moscow has failed to take full advantage of the opportunities of the past six years to thicken NATO-Russian cooperation. This appears due in part to a decision by the foreign and security policy elite to regard NATO as a main, if not the main, adversary. To be sure, one can appreciate that Russia is politically uncomfortable with NATO enlargement in the aftermath of the end of the Warsaw Pact and collapse of the Soviet Union. But it is difficult to understand the emphasis that senior Russian political and military leaders place on NATO as a military threat. Over the past 20 years, the Alliance has reoriented itself away from deterring and defending against a Soviet assault to peacekeeping in the Balkans, anti-terrorism efforts and coalition operations in Afghanistan.
NATO's military structure today looks nothing like it did 20 years ago. For example, at the end of the Cold War, the United States deployed some 300,000 troops, airmen and sailors in and around Europe, centered on four large, tank-heavy divisions based in Germany. The purpose was to deter and, if necessary, defend against a Soviet attack. Today, U.S. forces in and around Europe number around 50,000; U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe have been dramatically reduced; the force structure includes just two brigades in Germany; and the focus of U.S. forces in Europe is peacekeeping in the Balkans and support for coalition operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. NATO's European members have made similarly dramatic reductions in and transformations of their armed forces.
Moscow seems to ignore this. Given the stability of Russia's Western border as opposed to the threat posed to Russian security by radical Islam and instability in the Northern Caucasus and Central Asia, and the challenge of a rising China, Moscow's emphasis on defending against a supposed NATO "threat" is strategically puzzling.
NATO should continue to work to transform its relationship with Russia. To the extent that that relationship becomes one of increased cooperation, perhaps even partnership on some issues, the easier it may become for Russia to accept that some of its neighbors wish to integrate fully into the Euro-Atlantic community. But that will require that Russians adjust their view of NATO to reflect the realities of today's Alliance.
While the Alliance should not ignore Russian views, concern in Russia should not mean compromising another nation's aspiration to associate with an alliance of shared values that promotes stability and security throughout Europe. It would be a mistake to allow Russia a veto over the extension of MAPs to Ukraine and Georgia. To do so would be to accept a new dividing line between Europe and the former Soviet space. It would deny the opportunity to tens of millions to become full members of the Euro-Atlantic community. And it would encourage those in Russia who wish to reassert a Russian-led post-Soviet bloc rather than develop a relationship of cooperation and full partnership with Europe and the West. These effects would not be in the interest of the United States, of the Alliance or, ultimately, of Russia.
Mr. Chairman, members of the Commission,
NATO enlargement has been profoundly successful in achieving its goal of shaping a broader, more stable and secure Europe. The Alliance since 1997 has extended ten invitations to join, all of which have been accepted, and there is no reason to regret any of those decisions. The enlargement process has underpinned the dramatic political and economic transformations that have swept NATO's eastern flank over the past 20 years and strengthened the Alliance's ability to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Consistent with the logic of enlargement and the MAP process, NATO leaders should set in motion membership action plans for Ukraine and Georgia, to create the preconditions for consideration of membership for those countries at a later point.
Thank you.


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I currently shoot ST's but am always looking to try new things...any thoughts on the tricks vs the shuttke t-lock black ops?
I currently shoot ST's but am always looking to try new things...any thoughts on the tricks vs the shuttke t-lock black ops?
I have killed whitetail with so many different broad heads its not funny. I really like slick trick standards. For a fixed blade head. Super strong and flies great. I shoot a Mathews monster and the fly same as my field tips even with my tendency to torque the bow. Got a opposite shoulder pass through this year. Blades looked great resharpened and good to go.
I switched to Slick Trick Magnums this year, they fly right with my field points and put a devastating hole in my mule deer. Blades would still cut into my fingernail after I found my arrow a week later in the snow.
Shoot STR8
I've been shooting ST Mag's for 3 years now and have chalked up about 15 big game kills with them. Mostly whitetails out East, but there are a couple less elk in Colorado after me and a buddy used them on last year's hunt. Blew threw like butter on broadside elk. Stopped in off shoulder blade on quartered away elk. I'll continue shooting them until given a good reason to stop...like, they stop making them. Hopefully that will never happen.
Last year I sorted through a pile of different broadheads and narrowed it to the two you are considering. I went with the Slick Trick standard 100 grain. I love them. What a crazy simple robust design with super sharp blades.
Sounds like the tricks are taking this one so far a still have about 10 st mags maybe ill just stick with them this year
Do you think there is a big difference in penetration between the mags and standards
I shoot the shuttles. Haven't shot anything bigger than a whitetail and have no complaint. I shoot muzzy's for 15 years and when I upgraded my bow to a mathews z7 several years ago I let the bow guy talk me into shuttles. Nothing wrong with muzzy's either. I guess i've been lucky, I've always had good luck with penetration and accuracy with the broadheads I've used, of course, I don't change that often. Used to shoot razorback 5's, back before NAP resurected them recently. Back then, a 125gr head was considered light. The old razorbacks were around 145gr if memory serves correctly.
I personally don't think there's a difference on penetration. We discussed that prior to this fall's hunt. Drop to the standard size for more penetration? Decided to stick with Mag blades and they cut all they could and were laying on the ground behind the elk. On moose or BIG BIG game, it might matter, but for elk...doubt it. As my buddy says, just shoot them between their hay bale and their shoulder and you'll be fine.


text: Between Memorial Day and Independence Day, the summer means parades! Since 2007, we've been building our own Patriotic Parade with an annually growing collection of chalkware rabbits. From the popular Rabbit Grand Marshall through this year's Rabbit on Dragon Float, the Patriotic Parade Series is a phenomenal way to enjoy the summer parades from the comfort Read More »


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Hi everybody,
I am trying to install ZMC 8. on Ubuntu server 12. After extracting zimbra files, I run install.sh (using sudo) and I found there are some dependencies that need to be installed. I tried to use "apt-get install" followed by packages' names. When it ran, error messages came out for all packages. It state that it can not get the server. The server that I am using is linked with Internet. I don't know what is the reason for this error? Any help


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Very nice - appeals to my old school heart. Cavern complexes are one of my favorite parts of any dungeon complex. It can be hard to get caverns to play nicely with a grid though, no matter what tool you are using (not that I have a vast knowledge of other tools). In my Undermountain WIP I've been struggling to get CC3 to do what I want when it comes to caverns and grids, but I think I've come up with a good solution.
What software did you use to make this?


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Differential Pay Worth Debating
January 6, 2013
Business owners and managers understand paying everyone who works for them at the same rate just won't work. Some skills are in higher demand than others, so those possessing them earn mor....
Qualified math and science teachers are hard to find, yet, a good teacher in these fields must be paid the exact same pay as a Humanities teacher with the same number of years in service.
End all levies, make all schools compete for students, create vouchers for students to use at any school, do away with bus transport and school provided lunches, etc.
Your child's education is YOUR responsibility, not mine. I didn't make them.
If you cannot handle the food, transportation, disciplinary and educational needs of a child, don't have one!
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Gee betrayed by gloves
Smallest finger sidelines Wright
A loss? An omen?
The Lohud Mets BlogA blog by LoHud about New York Mets baseball
Game 5: Nationals 6, Mets 2
10 April 2012, 9:50 pm by Howard Megdal in Game wrap-up - 1 Comment
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The diminutive General rests 25 year old Ike five games into the season so he "doesn't fatigue." His pathetic pinch hitting AB gave up the true reason. Nice cut-off by our new first base gold-glover. Murph badly exposed again. Collins inanely gushes about Pirates' cast-off Cedeno. Hairston's laughable throw from center to the Mets dugout little-league worthy. Lucas resembles a dancing elephant in RF. Nickeas has proven he will never hit – may as well have the equally bat challenged Brian Schneider. Parnell with electric fastball and new curve will never learn that he has to pitch inside to be effective. Pelfrey still a head case. What a mess.
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text:
Rafael Soriano has exercised the opt-out clause in his contract with the Yankees.
Clayton Kershaw's third shutout of the month was a two-hitter Monday in the Dodgers' 1-0 win over the Reds.
Angel Pagan left Monday's game after eight innings with an apparent injury.
Salvador Perez went 5-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored in Monday's victory over the Twins.
Randal Grichuk smacked a walk-off, solo home run in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Monday.
Nick Tropeano held the Rangers off the scoreboard for 6 2/3 innings in Monday's 2-0 victory.
David Wright smacked a three-run homer in Monday's victory over the Nationals.
Marcell Ozuna stayed hot Monday, going 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored in a win over the Rays.
Phillies manager Pete Mackanin confirmed that Odubel Herrera was pulled from Monday's game against the Tigers for lack of hustle.
Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-3 with a pair of solo homers in Monday's win over the Phillies.
Braves designated LHP Brian Matusz for assignment.
Josh Reddick will not require surgery on his left thumb.


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Chris Hutt, Advisor
Office: 200 Clark Hall
A wide variety of programs may be planned that will both fulfill specific requirements for admission to dental school and allow students to pursue their individual academic interests. Students preparing to enter dental school should consult the catalogs of the dental schools of their interest early in their undergraduate enrollment, in order to be informed of the exact requirements for entrance.
Although specific admission requirements vary, most dental schools require that the undergraduate program include (a) 12 semester hours of general biology and zoology (BSC 114:115, BSC 116:117, etc.); (b) one academic year of inorganic chemistry (CH 101 and CH 102) and one academic year of organic chemistry (CH 231 and CH 232, CH 237); (c) English composition (EN 101 and EN 102); (d) one year of mathematics, preferably including one semester of calculus (MATH 125); and (e) one academic year of physics (PH 101 and PH 102). Dental schools emphasize the need for applicants to have a broad general education. Within that context, applicants are urged to make some selections of courses from appropriate areas of chemistry (for example, CH 223, CH 340), biology (for example, BSC 300, BSC 315, BSC 400, BSC 424), and the areas of social sciences and humanities that prepare students for the humanistic, behavioral, and socioeconomic aspects of health care. Predental students are also urged to gain experience in art, sculpturing, or mechanical drawing in order to develop manual dexterity. At The University of Alabama, these requirements and recommendations can be met in programs of study leading to a variety of majors and minors in the College of Arts and Sciences or other undergraduate divisions of the University.
Beginning with initial enrollment, pre–health professions students are advised by the health professions advisor concerning selection of courses during the first two years of undergraduate study. The coursework constituting the minimum admission requirements to the professional school should be completed as early as possible (normally during the first two years). For this reason, the basic program of study recommended in the first two years is similar for all pre–health professions students. Variations may be dictated by differences in course placement determined by entrance examinations. The following example is illustrative.
2If BSC 114:115 is not selected in the first semester, the biology sequence should be started in the second or third semester.
In this example, most entrance requirements are met in the first two years. Before the end of the fourth semester, students must declare choices of major and minor subjects. Beyond this stage, advice concerning major and minor courses is given by the appropriate departments. However, the health professions advisor continues to advise third- and fourth-year students concerning matters related to application to professional schools.
Applications to dental schools should be completed approximately one year prior to the expected date of enrollment. The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is required by most schools. Normally, this exam should be taken during the spring or summer preceding the final year of undergraduate study.
Since admission to professional schools is highly competitive, students planning careers in the health professions should be aware that satisfactory completion of preprofessional requirements does not guarantee admission to professional schools. Therefore, students are advised to plan undergraduate programs with some attention to possible alternative goals. Periodically, the Health Professions Advising Office will assist students in realistically evaluating their potential for admission to professional schools.
Undergraduate health professional degree option. See the information at "Undergraduate Health Professional Degree Option" under "Premedical Program," p. 112.


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Bring the HEAT on and show off the old school HEAT look with this Miami HEAT Black Hardwood Classic Jersey from adidas. Featuring your favorite player's name and number, this jersey will make you feel like you're back in the 90s. The jersey is available with several player's names, James, Wade, Bosh, Allen ,Andersen, Cole, Chalmers and with retired players like Mourning, Rice, Mejerle and Hardaway.
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Catholic searching for new girls coach
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Charleston Catholic is accepting resumes for the position of head girls basketball coach.
After one season, Paul Sutherland is out as the coach of the Fighting Irish. The former Winfield coach guided Catholic to a 9-16 record this past season, but advanced to the region co-finals, one win away from the state tournament.
It was a tough season for the Irish, who lost two starters to knee injuries before the season started and another during the season. In addition, Sutherland and his staff sat out several games as Catholic Principal Debra Sullivan reviewed possible Secondary School Activities Commission violations. After Sullivan turned in her findings to the SSAC, Sutherland was put on probation.
"He brought energy to the program but sometimes the match just isn't quite right,'' said Sullivan when reached by phone Tuesday night.
"I have nothing critical to say. I've been at the school a long time, you know what's working and what's not working. We came to an agreement. He stepped in and that's not always easy. I admired his determination and enthusiasm.''
Sutherland compiled a 159-43 record in eight seasons at Winfield, guiding the Generals to two Class AA state titles. A full-time real estate agent, Sutherland was bumped from his position at Winfield during the summer of 2008 when a teacher, Tim Toler, applied and was granted the job.
"At Catholic I'm like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole,'' Sutherland said. "It's a different kind of person. It's kind of different there. In a way I'm disappointed and in a way I'm not. There's no wars, no explanations.
"I was trying to see if we could work it out. I don't fit in there. I think the parents and kids are kind of disappointed and surprised. They have a chance to be really good if they work hard. Kids who had never played before made progress. It was a tough year for everybody.''
Sutherland replaced Ashley Shepler at Catholic. Shepler guided the Fighting Irish to the Class A state tournament in all eight seasons during her tenure, finishing runner-up twice and winning the state championship in 2007. Shepler's career record is 150-57, a .725 winning percentage, which is the all-time best for the program.
Sutherland said he has already fielded calls of interest.
"I'm going to have to have the right fit,'' he said. "Get that family feeling.''
Catholic will be accepting resumes from Thursday through April 9. Resumes may be e-mailed to athletic director Bill Gillispie at firstname.lastname@example.com or mailed to Charleston Catholic, Attn. Bill Gillispie, 1033 Virginia Street East, Charleston WV 25301.
"We're looking for someone who understands and supports the Charleston Catholic philosophy, which is more than just any sport,'' Sullivan said. "It's the whole package.''
"We'd like to have something in place because the summer's coming up and the three-week practice period,'' said Gillispie.
Reach Tommy R. Atkinson at firstname.lastname@example.com or 304-348-4811.


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June 12, 2013
An obituary for Robert Fogel appeared in the Chicago Tribune.
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Sphinx vs. CGEM vs. GM-8 vs. ??? for TV-85 AP
Posted 11 July 2009 - 11:25 AM
1. I have owned GEM's in the past, specifically an Atlas, a Tak EM-10 and a Losmandy GM-8. I eventually found that for visual use, all were more trouble than they were worth. Obviously in AP, I need a GEM, but the more simple/elegant the better.
2. I am an unrepentant Apple user. Any system that requires Windows for operation, updates, etc. goes WAY down my list.
3. The lighter the better. I am not particularly strong. I will be setting up from scratch every night (even though my home skies are fairly dark) and I've recently destroyed my left shoulder.
4. So far in my research, I like the sexiness of the Sphinx and the precision (machined vs. forged) of the Losmandy. The ability to do precise polar alignments very quickly seems to be a strength of the CGEM.
5. Quiet is better than noisy, but for aesthetic reasons--I have no close neighbors to wake up, and the cows like the company.
6. My scope is a TV-85 and my camera is a Canon 500D (T1-i), unmodded at this point. I'll mod later when I've gotten the hang of focusing and image acquisition. Baby steps...
7. I'll need a lightweight AG set up as well, and it must be OS X friendly.
8. I have some money, but the sky is not the limit. I'm sure your Mach 1 is nice, but I'm not going to spend more than $2500, and I'd like to spend considerably less.
Your thoughts and experience would be greatly appreciated. I think I'll be moving into widefield images by September at the latest.
Posted 11 July 2009 - 11:39 AM
IMO, and believe it or not, I think you'd find a CG5ASGT to be just the ticket. It works very well and with auto-guiding would be an fine imaging platform for an 80mm refractor. The new polar alignment routine makes achieving good alignment easy and straight forward. No computer, either PC or Mac, is needed. Many get great AP results with it using much larger OTAs up to 20+ lbs.
Going bigger, the CGEM would be a logical step. It has the same polar alignment software.
Posted 11 July 2009 - 05:50 PM
As an Mac user, I can tell you that NONE of the mount manufacturers support Mac for firmware updates. To update a Synta mount (CGEM or Atlas) you not only need Windows but you need a serial port (which no Mac has ever had). You can get USB to serial port adapters but they require drivers (Windows only of course) and can be unreliable. In this regard, the Vixen is the best as it skips the serial port connector and uses a standard Ethernet connector for updates -- you just plug it in to your router and it gets its IP address using DHCP. Very cool. But the firmware updater is Windows only. You can try using Windows in an emulator (Parallels or VMWare), but that introduces an additional layer of problems. I simply use one of the kids' Windows computers when I need to update firmware for peripherals or boot Windows on my Mac with Bootcamp. Even when a company offers a Mac version of the updater, it is usually more buggy and troublesome than the Windows version. This is certainly true for HP multi-function devices and various smart phones. The only exception is Apple peripherals like iPods.
For control, some mounts use standard interfaces allowing Mac programs to control them with a standard command set. I'm sure others have some experience with this.
I used a Vixen Sphinx mount for a few days (visual only) and it is very light weight for its level of stability. It is lighter and sturdier than my Celestron CG5-ASGT. It is nicely made with good fit and finish and easy & fast to set up. I found the Starbook controller a bit cumbersome to use, but it gets the job done (with firmware version 2.1). It is probably the most modern design of any of your candidates, and it has nice touches like a retractable counterweight bar (slides inside the mount so you don't have to attach or remove it), and motors located where they serve as counterweights (so you can reduce the CW weight needed).
Posted 11 July 2009 - 06:52 PM
Posted 12 July 2009 - 08:28 AM
Does ANYONE have AP experience with the Sphinx?
Posted 12 July 2009 - 09:44 AM
Hmmm...a couple of recommendations for an ASGT, which is "less mount" than I anticipated I would need. Does this mean that I need to also consider the Orion Sirius?
Does ANYONE have AP experience with the Sphinx?
I have use my Sphinx with both my 120ED and Meade 10" SNT which at 29 pounds weight should be too heavy for the mount, but hey with the supplied 2 and 1/2 counterweights I could get balance and get unguided subs for 1 min although it was better at 30 secs which with the F/4 meade was OK, results were absolutely fine, I have now got an Atlux for AP but I will be keeping the sphinx do to ease of use and lightness.
Attached Files
Posted 12 July 2009 - 09:48 AM
Attached Files
Posted 12 July 2009 - 11:52 AM
I could live with that! Nice shot!
Posted 12 July 2009 - 05:29 PM
Posted 12 July 2009 - 06:16 PM
1. Light weight
2. Fewer software issues
3. Innovative design--I like to support those manufacturers who are pushing the envelope.
4. Apparently adequate to the task as described.
Posted 13 July 2009 - 02:32 AM
I'm using GM-8 for guided AP, and I'm reasonably happy with it. But, if you intend to do unguided AP, you'll probably need something more precise.
I am also one of unlucky people who doesn't have permanent setup, but I try not to set up my gear from the scratch each night. I've bought Telegizmos covers for the tripod and the scope, so if I have couple of days of good weather I just leave my setup outside assembled and covered. That saves lots of time and effort. Of course, if the weather starts changing for the worse I disassemble all the stuff and take it inside.
Best regards,
Posted 13 July 2009 - 10:01 AM
Posted 14 July 2009 - 05:24 PM
I would go with either the GM8 or Celestron CGEM. Nothing in the price range you are looking at will give you very acceptable images with 1 minute unguided exposures. For the time that you will waste trying to figure it out, it would be cheaper to get a small guidescope like a Miniborg and do guided shots with PHD guiding.
Check out the Vixen groups on Yahoo...they have a lot of software problems with good guiding, more than what I saw with the Gemini or Celestron units. The beauty of Celestrons hand controllers is the polar alignment routine which is great for those of us who have to setup more often than not (no permanent location).
I had a GM8 with Gemini goto and like it a lot. But, I wanted something more dead dumb simple capable of carrying more weight, and the CGEM fits the bill nicely.
Posted 15 July 2009 - 07:12 AM
I am by no means an expert on hand mount firmware, but it seems Celestron's is the most sorted of all the manufacturers', including the premium ones.
Posted 15 July 2009 - 09:18 AM
Any of those mounts will do a good job for wide field astrophotography using your TV85. I personally would lean towards the CGEM because of the polar alignment routine.
The alternative to Celestron's polar alignment routine is a drift alignment and if you hate complicated, you'll hate drift aligning. On average it took me about 45 minutes to an hour to drift align and then do a goto alignment prior to snapping my first image. With Celestron's new firmware upgrade, the goto alignment incorporates the polar alignment process, and the whole procedure is cut to a third of the time.
If you want to keep things really simple, a standard Vixen GP2 mount with polar alignment scope and drive motors and controller is very capable of giving you 1 minute unguided exposures with your TV85. The polar alignment scopes are more accurate than those found on Celeston's mounts. That's probably the least hassle and accurate setups available. Of course you won't have goto, but if you're doing widefield AP, then it's not that much of an issue. However, one additional comment...while the focal length of the TV85 is relatively short, it's not what I'd consider 'widefield'. Have you considered starting out with short focal length camera lenses like 24mm to 100mm?
Posted 15 July 2009 - 05:39 PM
Posted 16 July 2009 - 11:00 PM
Have you considered starting out with short focal length camera lenses like 24mm to 100mm?
Absolutely! I'll use the GEM to mount the camera for widefield shots as "Project #1". Once I get the hang of that, I'll start stretching the focal length.
Posted 17 July 2009 - 01:17 PM
Posted 17 July 2009 - 02:12 PM
You can get USB to serial port adapters but they require drivers (Windows only of course) and can be unreliable.
As another Mac user, I can name a couple brands that work great on my Intel Mac, and have on my PPC Macs before it. Yeah, they need drivers, but I bookmark the driver vendor for these guys for just this reason, as their Mac drivers are in one spot, but not always the easiest to find when Googling for them.
The CGE I had before getting the CGEM was probably the most Mac-friendly mount I've used, simply because it works so well with VMWare for firmware updates. By the sounds of it, the Vixen should do fine as well, since VMWare's networking is also just fine too.
The fact that the Meade/Celestron mounts take a pretty standard serial port protocol to control them makes it fairly easy to write tools that talk to them. I know AstroPlanner will give you some level of laptop-based control of a CGE/CGEM via serial on the Mac side so you don't need Windows.
I've not seen if laptop control of the Vixen is possible without booting up Windows.
EDIT: I'm starting to think a guide of "AP for Mac Users" may be in order. I run my entire imaging rig from OS X, but it did take quite a bit of hunting and searching, as none of the information was all in one place.
Posted 17 July 2009 - 11:36 PM
EDIT: I'm starting to think a guide of "AP for Mac Users" may be in order. I run my entire imaging rig from OS X, but it did take quite a bit of hunting and searching, as none of the information was all in one place.
Oh...please do!!
Posted 18 July 2009 - 07:10 AM
Posted 18 July 2009 - 10:50 AM
Posted 18 July 2009 - 12:19 PM
Posted 18 July 2009 - 04:36 PM
Posted 18 July 2009 - 05:32 PM
It gives some nice clearance for any cables like dew heater lines and imager control cables when the mount is swinging around.
Also, I love having the storage in the little cubby inside it, very handy.


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Invite your dog to settle in for a satisfying chew on an Angus Tendon. These 100%-natural dog chews made from the Achilles tendon of grass-fed, free-range Argentinean Angus beef cattle will thrill your dog with rich flavor and tough texture. Plus, Angus Tendons' unique shape will help your dog's teeth stay cleaner as he scrapes away built-up plaque with every gnaw on the natural edges and angles. Your dog's enthusiastic chewing action will also help reduce oral bacteria that contribute to bad breath. Angus Tendon Dog Chews make supporting your dog's overall dental health easy (and extremely tasty)!
Naturally high in protein and low in fat, Angus Tendon Dog Chews contain no additives, chemicals, or preservatives. They make a great snack for dogs of all ages and sizes, especially dogs who enjoy chewing and require longer-lasting chew treats. Ingredients: cattle tendon.
Please click on "More Information" for chewing recommendations.
Shop all Dog Treats.


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Squeezed in to sandals or stuffed in to sneakers, feet come in for some rough treatment. Redress the balance with a relaxing massage using one of the sumptuous products from the AHAVA Foot Care range. The skin on your feet is noticeably different to that on other parts of your body. It is thicker and rougher than skin on other parts of the body. This protection is essential, as it allows feet to support us and provide essential functions such as walking and running. However, this thicker skin is more prone to cracking and chapping when it becomes dry. Rough, itchy patches can form, causing discomfort and irritation.
Incorporating high concentrations of Dead Sea minerals and potent plant extracts, the AHAVA Foot Care collection provides the extra hydration and protection that your feet require. These natural products are tough enough to deal with the roughest skin and most problematic feet. However, they are also paraben-free, petroleum-free and thoroughly tested for allergens. As a result, AHAVA Foot Care products are also kind and gentle enough to care for the most sensitive feet.
Treat your feet to little tender loving care. Your feet are under pressure every day. Walking, running, jogging, and dancing all take their toll. Restore and rejuvenate tired and weary feet by massaging in a luxuriant AHAVA Foot Care product.
Soothe, comfort, and revive tired feet with AHAVA Mineral Foot Cream. Rough, dry skin that can form on the heels and soles of the feet. Sweet almond, avocado, jojoba, and wheat germ oils provide essential nutrients which soften and moisturize the skin, leaving it smooth to the touch. Salicylic acid boosts skin cell renewal while aloe vera relieves tired skin. Feet are refreshed by tea tree leaf oil, which has antifungal and antibacterial qualities. Cracks and splits are healed and hydrated. For a limited time, this pampering product is available in a larger-sized pack. AHAVA Mineral Foot Cream – 50 Percent More delivers fabulous feet at fantastic value.
Nurture and nourish dry, irritated feet with AHAVA Dermud Intensive Foot Cream. This exclusive formula contains Dead Sea mud, which is infused with minerals that penetrate deep in to the skin, soothing irritation and reducing redness. Rough, scaly skin benefits from the intensely hydrating properties of coconut and jojoba oils. This rich cream is also packed with shea butter and aloe vera, which calm and soften the skin. Pro-vitamin B5 and vitamin E contain powerful antioxidants that rejuvenate the feet, leaving them refreshed and revitalized. Hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested, this foot cream is ideal for sensitive skin.


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Error: Page does not exists
We're sorry, but the page you are looking for on the Malaco website no longer exists; we have recently undergone a website redesign and updated our pages and URLs.
On the left-hand side of our site, you will find a website search tool to find a specific Artist, Album, and Song Title. You can also use the Category links to browse for your favorite artist in a music genre.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
- The Malaco website team


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'Tis the season for dry-ass cuticles, and mine are no different than anyone else's. The cure that I found online over and over again was to submerge these bitches in olive oil, so I did. Here's what happened.
Beauty Treatments For Hippies: Olive Oil For Dry Cuticles
- 4 years ago by Jessica P. Ogilvie
- 1 Comment »
- Share a Tip
|Beauty Treatments For Hippies: Cucumbers To Make Your Eyes Prettier
|Home Beauty Treatments: That One Time I Poured Beer In My Hair


text: We are running Zimbra 5.0.11. We have people sharing out their tasks done through Outlook 2003 via the share tab under properties. When someone with a task that has a reminder that goes off, anyone that is connected to the shared tasks gets this Outlook error. "The reminder for "Task Name" will not appear because the item is not in your Calendar or Task folder. Is that ok?". With a "Yes" and "No" option. Is there a way for this error to be turned off?


text: Kirsten Dunst seen leaving David Arquette's "Bootsy Bellows" night club and stumbling on the curb, losing her shoe, in West Hollywood, CA. Kirsten picked up the wrong shoe and walked off with mis-matched shoes. The actress was ushered away by boyfriend Garrett Hedlund and her friends back into the night club and left through an underground exit.


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House of Fraser debuts Christmas magazine, RBS unveils business website and Fullers revamps its catalogue
November proves to be an important month for content marketing in the UK with awards, new launches and staff movements. Read more »
A golden jubilee in print and publishing
Wyndeham Group has renewed a major magazine printing contract with its longest standing client, Haymarket Media Group. The deal extends the current contract to December 2017 and means the two companies will have worked together for 50 years. Read more »
ASOS's new homepage puts emphasis on content marketing
At the end of last week ASOS unveiled a new design for its men's and women's category pages, with a strong focus on product ideas and fashion content. Read more »
12 tips to perfect the art of storytelling
All the best insights and advice from the Guardian's live discussion last week, on the effective use of storytelling in content marketing. Read more »1Comments
Taboola Choice Empowers Hundreds of Millions of People to Personalize the Web
Taboola, the leading content distribution and monetization platform, today announced the rollout of Taboola Choice: a vision and technology to democratize and personalize content discovery around the web. Read more »


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I have configured three domains (say domain1.com, domain2.com and domain3.com) on the zimbra server. I have pop and smtp *ssl* (using outlook SP2) access to the first domain domain1.com using the default mail.domain1.com as the server. However I cannot access the other domains through my mail client(pop and smtp access) except through the webmail client. Is this how zimbra works or what settings do I need to change this. I have Open Source edition.
Thanks a lot.


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SEVERN, Md. (AP) - Anne Arundel County police say a man who chased two youths who stole his Kindle and shot at him was hit by a car as the robbers drove off.
It happened Sunday in Severn. Police say the man was reading his Kindle when two teenagers walked up behind him.
One youth pushed the man to the ground and grabbed the Kindle. The second youth pulled out a gun when the man tried to grab his device back, and fired a shot into the ground.
Officers tell the Capital of Annapolis that the two youths ran a car occupied by a third man. The victim ran to the vehicle and tried to grab his Kindle before the three drove off, hitting his legs.
The man was treated for minor injuries.


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2011 was the year employees and human resources departments went mobile, recruiters embraced social networks, managers coped with increasingly virtual workforces and a hot market for HR tech mergers and acquisitions culminated in SAP's plan to swallow SuccessFactors.
In 2012, expect technology innovations to continue sending shock waves through the HR department.
"We're in a complete revolution of technology in general, to mobile devices, cloud computing and consumer-user interfaces," says Josh Bersin, president and CEO of HR industry researcher Bersin & Associates. "They're affecting our everyday lives, so they're affecting HR. HR just can't afford to ignore it."
In the new year, HR executives will continue grappling with the technological demands of a multigenerational workforce, more of whom work outside the confines of the typical corporate office. Especially when it comes to younger employees, "The message is clear. This is not your father's workforce," says Kate Lister, a telecommuting researcher for the San Diego-based Telework Research Network.
2012 will bring more Web-based or "cloud" HR apps and more employees bringing their own iPhones and iPads to work. As a result, workplace policies governing HR tech and social media use will continue to evolve, according to Bersin, Lister and other HR industry analysts, consultants, technology vendors and experts who shared predictions for the new year with Workforce Management.
Industry watchers foresee an uptick in merger-and-acquisition activity as major human-capital management, or HCM, software vendors play catch up with competitors such as Workday—and now SAP—who've been quicker to offer a cloud-based, software-as-a-service, or SaaS, delivery model. In many instances, the pay-as-you-go cloud approach is seen as better, faster and cheaper than the traditional on-premises approach of installing software on company computers, buying a permanent license for programs and paying annual maintenance fees.
What's more, after years of holding back on spending because of the recession, 2012 will also see companies buying more HR technology, experts say. Global HCM software spending was expected to grow 6.6 percent in 2011, to $6.4 billion, and hit $8.1 billion by 2015, according to Lisa Rowan, HR, talent and learning strategies program director for industry researcher IDC.
"If anything, I think the pace of change will only accelerate," says Steve Boese, talent management strategy director at Oracle Corp. and a host of the popular "HR Happy Hour" Twitter chat. "Organizations that can move quickly to take advantage of changing conditions, supported by more nimble HR solutions that can source and attract talent, mobilize talent more rapidly, and quickly align people with opportunity will have the upper hand against their competition."
Here's a roundup of HR tech predictions for 2012:
Mobile devices gain ground. IPads, iPhones and their rivals will continue an aggressive march into the workplace and the HR department. Software vendors will continue to work to make their applications run on the devices. "Mobile is still in a defining phase for HR, and in 2012 I expect to see most of the major HR technology-related products introduce mobile-friendly content and user experiences," says Elaine Orler, president of Talent Function Group, a San Diego talent management consultant.
Cloud-based and mobile apps gain ground. Cloud-based software and mobile apps are starting to be available for almost every aspect of HR, including finding job candidates, keeping tabs on field-service crews, running payroll and managing the entire department. But major corporations are still calculating when to switch, says Jim Holincheck, a managing vice president at Gartner Inc. and head of the firm's HCM software practice. Since the beginning of 2010, Holincheck says he's personally talked to 200 clients about upgrading from on-premise or other legacy HCM to cloud-based systems. "Not all of them will switch, they still need money to do upgrades. But clearly the momentum is in that direction," he says.
Social recruiting gets serious. 2011 brought so much buzz about using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to source candidates, some companies seemed to forget there was any other way of finding prospective hires. The craze will continue, bringing more users to a new generation of recruiting apps, including apps that live inside Facebook and other social networks. "How organizations choose to tackle it is still under construction, but the reality is, it is a shift in the way we need to attract talent," Orler says. Companies having a hard time finding qualified candidates for open positions will lean more heavily on social recruiting to fill that gap. Forward thinkers will follow the lead of early adopters such as Taco Bell Corp. that hired social media specialists—with or without previous HR experience—to spearhead social recruiting efforts.
Companies get real about mobile and social media policies. Companies that haven't already adopted a "bring your own device" policy will need to decide where they stand. And they will have to let go of overly restrictive policies governing what devices and apps employees can or can't use, especially where Facebook and other social networks are concerned. "The reality is, if it's meeting a business need, people are going to find ways around restrictions," Holincheck says. Companies already are at risk of losing millennial employees to nontraditional pursuits, and onerous HR policies could be the nudge that pushes them out the door, says John Sumser, the longtime HR technology analyst and editor of the online-only HR Examiner magazine. "Ultimately, the idea that a social-media policy needs to be longer than two words—respect others—will be understood as the last gasp of the old way of managing things," he says.
The virtual workplace edges closer to mainstream. More companies will embrace mobile workers, whether they're telecommuting or part of virtual work groups housed at shared co-working facilities. Even large organizations will show more of an interest in using co-working facilities. "It's reached beyond the ability of a freelancer finding a space to work for a day," Chris DiFonzo, CEO of OpenDesk Inc., a startup website that matches co-working spaces with companies looking for desk space. "Everyone's trying to figure out how to apply it in their own organization."
Online tools connect far-flung workers. As the workplace goes virtual, look for increased use of video job interviews and videoconferencing, which is dropping in price. Collaboration software, such as Yammer, Chatter and Jive and other online tools that enable the virtual workforce to get the job done are also on the rise. However, training to help office-bound managers lead employees they don't see in person on a regular basis will continue to lag technological innovation.
HR technology spending increases. After a recession-induced spending diet, companies will once again start budgeting for HR software upgrades. But don't expect across-the-board increases. Rather, large companies that haven't updated HCM systems in a decade or more will shell out for critical upgrades, says Keith Strodtman, HR services consultant with HfS Research in Minneapolis. "The emergence of SaaS and the promises it brings coupled with an increased awareness of the importance of better talent management processes is going to drive an increase in technology spend as companies think about how they'll maintain a competitive edge," Strodtman says.
SAP's SuccessFactors purchase sets the stage for more high-profile deals. In the aftermath of SAP's $3.4 billion bid for SuccessFactors, HR industry analysts talk about similar deals not in terms of "if" but "when." Popular predictions are that the deal will prompt Oracle to buy talent management market leader Taleo Corp. or that Automatic Data Processing Inc., better known as ADP, will add Cornerstone OnDemand to a growing menagerie of acquisitions. Big players will continue to buy startups for their research and development. Private equity firms with portfolios built around HR tech vendors could add to their holdings. "The medium-sized companies of $10 million to $200 million are buying the small ones to stake out enough territory to survive the onslaught of Oracle and SAP," Bersin says. (For more on what's happening with major HCM vendors, see "HCM Vendor Scene Heats Up.")
HR departments dig deeper into analytics. Using analytics to measure workforce productivity, social-recruiting success rates or other HR initiatives isn't widespread, but that's changing. That's because lack of HR analytics is hampering companies as they try to roll out other technology innovations. For example, a global Fortune 100 company Stodtman knows delayed starting a program last year to give workers credit cards for buying supplies because it didn't have a basic employee system of record. "The HR leader was embarrassed and concerned that they [couldn't] identify where employees lived and what they did," he says.
Online rewards and recognition systems gain clout. Current performance management practices are broken—hence the almost constant cry from HR bloggers for an end to traditional performance reviews. More vendors are offering interesting alternatives, including social media-style rewards and recognition programs, says Sumser, the HR tech analyst. But don't expect too much too soon. "We're still a couple of years away from real insights here, but the players will get louder as their investors clamor for profitability," he says.
Michelle V. Rafter is a Workforce Management contributing editor based in Portland, Oregon. To comment, email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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|Reader provides suggestion for new Supt. Help Wanted ad
|Written by Ivan Wiebke
Help Wanted: District Re-1J school, Holyoke CO is looking for a superintendent of schools. Job entails overseeing operation of all activities of students, teachers, groundskeepers, bus drivers and everyone involved with the operation of the school.
Duties of the superintendent include:
1. Balance the budget even with declining enrollment and shrinking state dollars.
2. Improve student achievement for all students.
3. Obtain grants of all kinds to pay for programs required by the state.
4. Start an innovative program to educate those kids not now attending school, and various other duties too numerous to mention.
Qualifications: Doctorate in education with advanced knowledge of finance, psychology, personal management and athletics.
Applicant must be willing to move his family to a small town 180 miles from any large shopping center and airport.
Applicant must be of high moral character and conduct him/herself in such manner as to have a positive influence on the staff and student body, especially those kids who come from homes lacking in positive influence.
He/she must insure (most of the time) the staff conduct themselves in a way that reflects positively on the school, community and, most of all, the students. Applicants must be able to accomplish the duties and goals of the district while keeping a minimum of 90 percent of the patrons and staff happy.
I believe we have had, for the past six years, an outstanding school administrator in Dr. Bohrer. His commitment to education, moral character and personal conduct are above reproach. He has accomplished a lot for the school and had to deal with unexpected financial challenges.
Stephen and Sara are a great asset to the community and will be missed. Thank you Dr. Bohrer for your six years of service.
Sincerely, Ivan Wiebke


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Hi There
I was using Zdestop's earlier build -1083 and was able to connect to my Yahoo accounts (although I did not have Yahoo mail plus accounts). But then I started having problems with the desktop (it was not starting up) and I uninstalled it and installed the new desktop build (Apr 20).
Now I am not able to connect to my Yahoo accounts anymore. The desktop says I need Yahoo plus account. Was this a bug in Zdesktop's earlier version ?


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'Project Penguin' is a Conservation Education Program delivered by Taronga Zoo's Learning Centre in partnership with the Northern Beaches Learning Alliance.
For six weeks, school students learn everything about the Little Penguins that live in the local area, becoming youth ambassadors for the locally threatened species. This year the program has over 750 students from 10 schools in the Northern Peninsula region. Public Schools include: Manly Village, Manly Vale, Manly West, Curl Curl North, Harbord and Beacon Hill. Their high school mentors are from: Manly Selective, Balgowlah Boys, Mackellar Girls and Cromer.
The Primary School students, with their High School mentors, will undertake a range of activities aimed to increase their knowledge of the Little Penguins, threats to the colony and positive actions that they and the public can take to protect the species.
As a culmination of the program the students start their own community education program by getting their conservation messages out to the public. Taronga Zoo will be showcasing the students' work at an EXPO on Thursday 28th June. Following the EXPO their work will be displayed in various community locations within the Northern beaches area.
Follow the journey of these students and their efforts to protect the Little Penguins of Manly, as they share their experiences over the next few weeks in their Penguin blogs.
Now in its sixth year, Project Penguin is run with the support of the Sydney Harbour Parks and Wildlife, Manly Environment Centre, and various Zoo experts and community volunteers in the Manly district.
Project penguin is proudly sponsored by Landcare, NSW Department of Education and Training and Catholic Education Office.


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May 31, 2016
Some parents in East Lansing displayed their discontent at an East Lansing School board meeting by circulating a petition to oust its superintendent, Dr. Tom Giblin.
Giblin said that because he works in a public sector job he expect such criticism and hopes to continue working for the East Lansing School district.
Alternatively a group called The Citizens for a Positive Response (C.P.R.) hopes to continue working with Giblin to fortify the schools financial and educational future.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
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UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls
There is a new registration system which is part of a statewide Learning Management System (LMS) called PDS Online (Professional Development System Online).
If you want to see what workshops are available and/or register for a workshop, click on "Workshops" on the left of this page. That page lists the workshops offered through our Partnership and also provides a link to PDS Online. Make sure to read the instructions carefully when first using the new registration system.
Important Note: To use PDS Online, you must register as a user. All workers with CPS responsibilities and all licensed foster parents have an eWiSACWIS number which is used for logging in as an "ACTIVE USER". Be sure to read the instructions when you first go in to PDS Online.
For access to the Worker Pre-Service Modules, please follow this link.
Safety Reference Guide
To print the Safety Reference Guide click here.