text:
You can import photos and videos from many different kinds of cameras and devices to your PC using Movie Maker. When you import photos and videos, they are copied from the camera or device to your PC. After that, you can use them in your movies in Movie Maker, and they'll appear in Photo Gallery too.
Here are some devices that you might import photos or videos from:
A digital camera or phone that's connected to your PC with a USB cable
A Secure Digital (SD), mini SD or CompactFlash storage card that's in a card reader
A data CD or DVD
A video camera that records to an internal hard drive or flash storage card
A videotape that's in a digital video (DV) camera or High‑Definition Video (HDV) camera
If you have a webcam built into your PC or connected to your PC with a USB cable, you can record live video from a webcam and add it to Movie Maker.
Open Movie Maker.
Do one of the following, depending on the type of device that you're importing from:
Connect your digital camera or phone to your PC with a USB cable, and then turn it on.
Connect a video camera that records to an internal hard drive or flash storage card to your PC using a USB connection.
Insert the storage card into a card reader (if you have one).
Insert the data CD or DVD into the disc drive on your PC.
Click the Movie Maker button, and then click Import from device.
If the Photos and videos will be imported into Photo Gallery message appears, click OK.
In the Import Photos and Videos window, click the device that you want to import photos and videos from, and then click Import.
(Optional) Click More options, make the changes you want, and then click OK.
Options can include where to save the files and what format to use for the folder and file names.
If your camera can detect whether you take photos vertically or horizontally, your PC can automatically rotate JPEG photos to the correct orientation when they're imported. To turn off automatic rotation, clear the Rotate photos during import check box.
On the New photos and videos were found page, do one of the following:
To review, organize, and select photos and videos to import, click Review, organize, and group items to import, click Next, and then go to step 8.
To import all the photos and videos at once, click Import all new items now, type a name for all the photos and videos, and then click Import.
All the photos and videos will be imported. Go to step 9 to continue.
On the Select the groups you want to import page, do one or more of the following, and then click Import:
The photos and videos are grouped by the date they were taken. To change the time interval for the photo and videos groupings, move the Adjust groups slider.
To import a group of photos and video, select the check box next to the group. Clear the check boxes for groups of photos and videos that you don't want to import.
To view all of the photos and videos in a group, next to the group, click View all items.
For each group of photos and videos that you want to import, click Enter a name, and then type a name for the group.
To assign tags to a group, click Add tags, and then type a new tag name for that group of photos and videos or click an existing tag. If you want to enter more than one tag, type a semicolon between each tag to separate them.
In Photo Gallery, select the check box in the upper-left corner for each photo or video you want to use in your movie.
On the Create tab, in the Share group, click Movie.
The selected photos and videos are added to the storyboard in Movie Maker.
Before you remove your photos or videos from your phone, camera or storage card, you might want to copy them to recordable DVDs or CDs, an external hard disk, or to a web-based storage service so that you have a backup copy.
Video and music files that use digital rights management (DRM) can't be used in Movie Maker.
Connect your digital video (DV) camera to your PC by using an IEEE 1394 cable, and then switch your digital video camera to Playback/VCR mode.
If the Photos and videos will be imported into Photo Gallery message appears, click OK.
In the Import Photos and Videos window, select the DV camera, and then click Import.
(Optional) On the Import video page, click More options, do one or more of the following, and then click OK:
Select the options that you want to use, such as where to save the files and what format to use for the folder and file names.
If your videotape contains several different scenes, each scene can be imported as a different file. To do this, select the Import videos as multiple files (unavailable for HD video) check box. If less than 30 seconds elapsed between the end of one scene and the beginning of the next, they're imported as a single file.
On the Import video page, type a name for the video you want to import, do one of the following, and then click Next:
Click Import the entire video to import all the video on the videotape to your PC. Go to step 10 after the video is imported.
The videotape will be imported to your PC and rewound automatically.
Click Choose parts of the video to import, and then continue with step 8.
Click Burn the entire video to DVD and enter a DVD menu title.
The video will be imported to your PC and burned to a DVD. After it's burned to DVD, on the Your DVD is ready page, click Close.
To use this option and burn the video directly to a DVD, Windows DVD Maker must be installed on your PC. You also need to have a DVD burner installed with a blank recordable DVD in it.
In Windows Vista, Windows DVD Maker is included in Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions.
In Windows 7, Windows DVD Maker is included in Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7 Ultimate editions.
Windows DVD Maker isn't included in Windows 8.1. If you're running Windows 8.1 and you want to burn a DVD that you can play on a DVD player, you'll need to use a third-party DVD burning program.
In the Import video window, use your camera to find the part of video that you want to import first, and then click Import.
If you want to stop importing video after a certain amount of time, select the Stop importing after (min) check box, and then select a time period.
Click Stop to stop importing video, and then do one of the following:
Use the camera to go to another part of the video that you want to import, and then import that part of video too. Click Finish when you're done importing all the video you want from the videotape.
If you've imported all the video that you want, click Finish.
The video is imported and saved as a DV‑AVI file.
In Photo Gallery, select the check box in the upper-left corner for the video you want to use in your movie.
If you're importing video from a High‑Definition Video (HDV) camera, you can only import the entire videotape.
See all support pages for Movie Maker.
Ask a question in the
community forums.


text:
Searching for the perfect holiday gift? We've investigated hundreds of superlative options and winnowed them down to the best of the best. You'll find something here for everyone on your list, from the tech nerd to the thrill seeker to the person who has everything–or thinks he does until your gift arrives.
Time Off
December 3, 2012
November 13, 2012
Tony Gemignani–an 11-time winner of the World Pizza Championship competition–is a genius when it comes to the presentation of pizza in its many styles.
October 18, 2012
Eighty miles off the Venezuela coast, the little jet dipped its wing, giving me a stunning view in the February sunshine of a place called Los Roques: three great igneous rock formations surrounded by brilliant blue water, green mangrove strips and thousands of shimmering white sandbars.
October 11, 2012
"The greatest meeting of land and water in the world" is how landscape artist Francis McComas described Point Lobos, just south of Carmel, Calif. Many would agree.
September 20, 2012
On the inside, Range Rover's new, brand-bolstering Evoque is surprisingly spacious in the seating department and capable in performance, despite its four-cylinder engine and modest footprint (16 inches shorter and more than 1,600 pounds lighter than a Range Rover Sport). The interior trim is worthy of the marque, too, but the vehicle's hatchback area offers limited baggage space.
August 30, 2012
Depending upon how far out of the way you like to get, this could be the place for you.
August 8, 2012
Expect to be awestruck when you enter the open expanse of Prague's Old Town Square. You'll face an array of facades, pediments and spires ranging from Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance to baroque and art nouveau. The buildings constitute a textbook study of urban development from the 14th century to the present.
August 8, 2012
Gulfstream president Larry Flynn (left) last month presented a G650 window/plaque to Wilson S. Leach, cofounder and managing director of BJT parent company AIN Publications.
August 8, 2012
Teton Thai delivers spicy Asian culinary masterpieces in a laid-back, Jackson-Hole-cool setting. Located near the base of the famed Wyoming ski resort, it is an extraordinary find.
July 23, 2012
"The thrill never ceases," said kayaking enthusiast Monica Gokey of Missoula, Mont. "One minute you are at the top of a rapid, the next you're hurtling through the crashing spray. The river moves around you. "The exhilaration isn't so much in the speed," she added. "Mentally, you slow it all down. You learn to anticipate what's ahead by looking down current and literally reading the river. I can see rocks a quarter-mile ahead. The thrill is the skill you develop at navigating the whitewater.
Related Channels
"For us, it's a business tool. When we were going over plans for the [G450's] interior, they showed us linens to choose from. Linens? We didn't care about linens. We're kind of brown-bag guys. "
-Taylor Guitars cofounder Kurt Listug
Most Popular
June 12, 2016
June 5, 2016
June 26, 2016
June 19, 2016
June 19, 2016
June 5, 2016
June 12, 2016
June 26, 2016
June 12, 2016
June 14, 2016
February 1, 2012
January 12, 2012
December 1, 2011
May 30, 2013
December 5, 2012
November 26, 2012
April 30, 2012

subset: commoncrawl


text:
false pdp {"scheme":"product1_cr"}
false pdp {"scheme":"product2_cr"}
Rated 4.7 out of 5 by 6 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5 by JeffCz Capri Bar-Counter Seat The seats arrived promptly, well-packaged and not difficult to unpack. The seats were as beautiful as had been shown in the catalog and fit well into the place that they had been purchased for. The mechanism for raising and lowering the seat height seemed to work well and the chairs seem well-made and not cheaply manufactured. The chairs have a base with a substantial expanse of polished chrome which is impressive. The one small downside is that the chairs did not come with any "maintenance" or "protection" instructions on methods of keeping the chrome bright and unscratched, or on types of products to use or how to care for the seat-cover material. March 12, 2014
Rated 5 out of 5 by KASD Very comfortable bar stools I love the bar stools, comfortable, exactly what I wanted and no assembly required and they arrived timely!!! November 26, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by JustJ Great Bar Stool Sturdy, well made and the leather is soft and easy to clean. Modern with contemporary pizazz. October 21, 2013
Rated 5 out of 5 by ringoes capri bar stool very happy with quality of stools and fast delivery time November 5, 2012
Rated 4 out of 5 by Sharon2549 Capri Stools We ordered 4 of the stools in white. They were shipped promptly, easy to get out of the heavy box and was fully assembled. So far, so good. When setting up the bar stools, some of the bolts in the base of two stools had fallen completely out and the bolts in the other two were just loose. Not a problem, we tighten up all the bolts but noticed that each of the 4 stools had a dent in the big round base. The boxes they arrived in had big dings in the sides. We love the bar stools, they are just what we wanted but without dents. We will be contacting customer service for replacements - we'll see how that goes. September 18, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5 by BBeard Love them We purchased these stools in red a few weeks ago, they arrived nicely shipped and in perfect condition, no need for assembly at all. They are very comfortable and swivel so smoothly, like sitting in a barber chair. We did notice that the levers for up and down motion are a little hard to reach and may need some breaking in time for them to move up and down easily. My husband has no trouble with that, but it is a little hard for me. The only concern we do have is that the bolt underneath the base became a little loose after the first week. We used an allen wrench and a touch of "Locktight: and re-screwed them in. That seems to have solved the problem. October 2, 2014
1-6 of 6
(6 Questions : 7 Answers)Product Q&A
Get help about this item from fellow customers. Ask your questions. Share your answers.
« Back
Has staff answer
2 answersWhat is the seat height of this bar stool.
3 years, 9 months ago
Additional information about LoveFlorida could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this question helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/question/814005/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D814005&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:We appreciate your interest in this item. The seat height of this stool varies between 21.7" and 31.5".
3 years, 9 months ago
West Chester, OH, USA
Additional information about KMFrontgateService could not be loaded.
4out of 4found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful4unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/answer/951672/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D814005%26expandanswer%3D951672&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:22" - hydraulic lift defective on both chairs I ordered. Hydraulic lift was supposed to be able to extend chair height to 32". Save your money and time. WIshed I did.
3 years, 4 months ago
Additional information about InLosAngeles could not be loaded.
1out of 1found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful1unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/answer/1073385/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D814005%26expandanswer%3D1073385&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Has staff answer
1 answerWhat are the dimensions of the seat itself -- most specifically, how high (from seat to top) is the back?
3 years, 7 months ago
Brooklyn, NY, USA
Additional information about meali could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this question helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/question/857778/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D857778&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:We appreciate your interest in this item. The seat of this stool measures 18.5"W x 20.685"D. The seat back measures 11.22"H from the seat to the top.
3 years, 7 months ago
West Chester, OH, USA
Additional information about KMFrontgateService could not be loaded.
2out of 2found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful2unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/answer/1002050/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D857778%26expandanswer%3D1002050&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Has staff answer
1 answerWhat is the diameter of the chair base at floor level?
3 years, 3 months ago
Additional information about wile could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this question helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/question/944053/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D944053&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:We appreciate your interest in this item. The diameter of the base of this stool measures 19.685 inches.
3 years, 3 months ago
West Chester, OH, USA
Additional information about KMFrontgateService could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/answer/1103244/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D944053%26expandanswer%3D1103244&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Has staff answer
1 answerDo these stools come assembled?
The Capri Bar stool
2 years, 5 months ago
Massachusetts, USA
Additional information about Joka could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this question helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/question/1167176/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D1167176&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:Thank you for your interest in Frontgate. The Capri Bar Stools arrive fully assembled.
2 years, 5 months ago
West Chester, OH, USA
Additional information about JHFrontgateService could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/answer/1367685/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D1167176%26expandanswer%3D1367685&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Has staff answer
1 answerhow do you raise/lower the seat?
the chair delivered to us had no instructions, and the lever under the seat does not raise or lower the seat
2 years, 5 months ago
Additional information about crowbird could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this question helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/question/1167823/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D1167823&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:Thank you for your interest in Frontgate. To get the Capri Stool to raise/lower for the first time, First, lift up the lever without sitting in the stool. next, please sit in the stool and pull up on the lever. At this point, the stool still will not move. Finally, lift the lever again, without sitting in the chair. The hydraulic lift should then begin to raise and lower. if you have any further questions, please contact our Product Specialists by calling 800-537-8484 or e-mailing firstname.lastname@example.com.
2 years, 5 months ago
West Chester, OH, USA
Additional information about JHFrontgateService could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0http://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/46251/answer/1370025/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=http%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F46251%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D1167823%26expandanswer%3D1370025&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Product:46251-Capri Bar Stool


text:
SKU: OTMTDeadlySnkBk
List Price: $0.00
Price: $9.99
This shirt speaks for itself. No further explanation needed! Now you can strike fear in anyone who chooses to get On The Mat with you while wearing this t-shirt. Take your Jiu Jitsu game to the next level with the Deadliest Snake shirt! Limited sizes available, so get one while you can! Sizes Available: Small-2XL
Weight: 0.5 lb.


text:
Daily View
2014 Making Annual Reports Easier (All day)
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Port Library, Beloit
9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Osborne Public Library
1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Contact Person: Chris Rippel
Presenters: Maribeth Shafer and Chris Rippel
Please bring your 2014 budget.
This workshop is free. The CKLS Continuing Education Grant may be used to pay for all travel to and from this workshop.
Do you wish it didn't take so long?
Do you wish collecting the information would have been easier?
Search Calendar
Powered by JCal Pro - the Joomla Calendar


text:
Your location is set for Ashburn, VA 20147
Tools & Resources
Summer brings sunshine, green leaves, and trips to the beach. But the warm, dry season also offers the perfect chance to get some work done around the house. With just a few weekends' worth of work, these tips can help get your home in tip-top shape and ready for the rest of the year.
When it gets warm, it's tempting to ditch any housework for the beach or the golf course. Hard as it may be, consider suppressing that urge for a few weekends, because some fairly easy work can improve the state of your home, give it an appearance makeover, and even save you some money.
There's an easy trick to keeping cooler and saving money, and it's as close as your ceiling fan. Switch the ceiling fan's blades so the leading edge is higher as the fan turns, so you can feel the breeze from the fan as it rotates. This simple action will push cool air down, enabling you to set the air-conditioning lower and save money on energy.
Without some maintenance, your dryer could cause a house fire. The U.S. Fire Administration reports nearly 16,000 dryer fires occur annually, which happen largely because dryers' vents get clogged with lint and dust.
Thankfully, you can avoid any unnecessary dryer-caused danger with a few simple steps. First, you'll need a vent-cleaning brush kit, which can clean your dryer vent tubing more thoroughly than a vacuum cleaner can. Begin by cleaning the dryer's lint trap housing with a smaller brush to remove as much lint and dust as possible. Then disconnect the dryer duct from the dryer and the wall for a thorough cleaning. Also use a brush to clean the vent on the outside of the house to keep both ends clean and free of lint.
A dryer fire is just the sort of thing you'll want to be sure you're covered for. Check out Allstate's property insurance for information on making a smart protection decision.
While you're making sure your house is in order, you'll want to ensure your backyard is safe, too. Our Keep Your Backyard Safe and Hazard-Free article can help you make sure your kids can play in the backyard without worries of potential danger.
And our Make Summer Activities Safer article can help your entire family have a busy, fun, and safe summer. And if you have a swimming pool, our Swimming Pool Safety Tips article will help you keep things safe.
Water and debris can accumulate in your gutters over the fall and winter, which can lead to water damage in your house. And you don't want that. So get a ladder that can reach your gutters, but be sure not to overextend yourself. If the gutter is too high, you might want to call in an expert to do the job.
If you're doing the work yourself, don't lean the ladder against the gutter or near electrical wires. Scoop out the gutter's wet leaves and debris, and wet down caked-on dirt so you can scoop out the mud with a trowel.
Also, use a garden hose to flush the gutters after you've cleaned them. This will get the gutters clean, and it will also let you know if you have leaks. Then use the hose to wash out your downspouts to make sure they're not clogged. But be gentle—downspouts aren't meant to withstand the same water pressure as a house drain.
Some experts recommend covering your gutters with a wire mesh guard to keep debris out. And remember: Never hang onto a gutter for support. It's built to hold water and some leaves, not your weight.
Your deck provides a great place to hang out in the summer, but it needs a little TLC to stay in good shape. Visually inspect the boards to look for curling, cracked, or rotting wood. If you see a board that's damaged, remove it and replace it with a board that you've cut to fit the same space.
Go underneath your deck to make sure the support structure is in good shape, and keep an eye out for cracked boards and missing screws or nails. If you see signs of insects or unwanted animals, such as spider webs or chewed boards, call a pest-control expert to take care of the problem.
Lastly, if your deck is sealed or stained, some experts say you should refinish it annually. Start by power washing the deck, then letting it thoroughly dry. Remove the finish or seal with a remover/stripper, and let it dry again.
With a sander and medium-grit sandpaper, lightly sand the deck, then remove all of the dust before continuing. Before you apply your finish, do a small test area to make sure you've got the right color. If you do, apply the finish with the wood's grain and don't stop in the middle—that can cause uneven coloring and streaks.
Two things to remember: make sure you're wearing a mask to prevent inhaling dust and fumes, and don't do any of this work if it's going to rain.
When your house looks good, it makes your entire property look better. So every summer, rent a power washer and use a mild detergent to clean your house's exterior. With just a little work (that's actually pretty fun), you can get rid of dirt, dust, bird droppings, tree sap, and more. And it provides a good opportunity for you to inspect your house and make sure everything is still in good order.
Now that you have your home maintenance tips, make sure your house has the right coverage, too. You can call us at 1-800-ALLSTATE (1-800-255-7828) for a no-obligation quote, or get straight answers and advice from an Allstate agent.
Published: June 2011
General: Coverage subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Policy issuance is subject to qualifications. Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL. © 2015 Allstate Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL.
Get A Quote
Your location is set for:
Agents Near 20147
Find Your Local Agent
Enjoy the personal attention you deserve. An Allstate agent is ready to help you with all your insurance needs. Find yours today.
24-hour support
Ashburn, VA


text:
Latest update : 2012-09-04
Political and social events from the Middle East, with exclusive reports and interviews. Tuesday at 5.45 pm Paris time.
2016-06-21 Jordan
Iraq: Falluja's humanitarian crisis
This week, Falluja's inhabitants flee one hell only to arrive in another - we look at this latest humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, in Paris, restaurants across the capital open up...
2016-06-14 Syria
War in Syria: Inside the captagon trafficking ring
It's an energy-booster and highly addictive. But captagon is more than just an illegal drug, it's fuelling the bloody war in Syria. We take a closer look. Meanwhile, rights...
2016-06-07 Iraq
Iraq: The families fleeing Fallujah
This week, as the fight for Fallujah continues, we meet some of the families who've managed to escape. Also, we see that efforts are underway to save the Palestinian Cucumber and...
2016-05-31 Iraq
Baghdad's kitchens: The Iraqi capital's restaurant renaissance
As the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group intensifies in Iraq, Baghdad's restaurant scene appears to be thriving. We'll be taking you on a culinary tour in the Iraqi...
2016-05-24 Iraq
Iraq: The battle to retake Fallujah
This week, we focus on the offensive to retake Fallujah from the IS group, a priority for the Iraqi army. Next, we see how Iran is opening up to the West but cracking down on...


text:
(All fields required)
Please enter a valid email.
Please enter your name.
What is : (So we know you are human.)
Please supply the correct answer.
The James M. Anderson Center for Health Systems Excellence was established in 2010 to dramatically expand our work in transformational improvement. Cincinnati Children's has long been committed to providing the best outcomes, the safest care for the children and families we serve, and applying all that we learn through our research right here in our own frontline work. While we have made great progress, ultimately our success is defined by nothing less than being a catalyst for transformation on a global scale.
In striving toward this goal, the Anderson Center looks both inward and outward. Within Cincinnati Children's, the center promotes, facilitates and supports a wide range of improvement initiatives. At the same time, Cincinnati Children's hopes to be an inspirational model – or exemplar – for others who are beginning or are well along the way on the same journey.
Named in honor of the former president and CEO who launched us on the transformation journey in 2001, the Anderson Center was created to take Cincinnati Children's further − and bring others − on the journey toward better care for children.
The Anderson Center looks beyond the boundaries of current knowledge and clinical application. Learn about our commitment to improving pediatric healthcare.
The Anderson Center Leadership Academy trains researchers and healthcare leaders to become change agents and innovative thinkers.
The Anderson Center leads an initiative to help the children of Hamilton County become the healthiest in the nation. Find out which of the most challenging pediatric issues we chose to focus on.
Cincinnati Children's makes information about our performance available for parents, families and healthcare professionals to evaluate.
3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026 | 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462 | TTY:1-513-636-4900
New to Cincinnati Children's or live outside of the Tristate area? 1-877-881-8479
© 1999-2016 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. All rights reserved.


text:
A new interview of mine just went online. But you've got to hear the long boring story first. (Unless you don't give a shit, then just go on to read the interview: The BestSchools Richard Carrier Interview).
Recently a new "top fifty atheists in the world" list hit the web (similar to a previous list of the "top 25 most influential atheists" from a similar, online-education-marketing website). I was on both lists. The earlier one I disregarded outright as I had never heard of the website promoting it and I had no idea what worth it had. The second one I wasn't much more keen on, for much the same reason, except that whoever composed it clearly was better informed about the atheist movement. They included more women and minorities and foreigners (though many have complained still too few), but more importantly, some well-known figures to us whom outsiders tend to ignore (like Greydon Square or Greta Christina). The list doesn't always make consistent sense, and there are people on it I'm sure who should not be, but it was interesting to me for apparently having been compiled by someone who has been paying attention.
Curiosity was apparently more widely aroused this time and several atheist inquirers (who commented on Jerry Coyne's blog on this) concluded some things that I think were a bit hasty:
1. That the new list, posted at TheBestSchools.org (a marketing website steering prospective students to online colleges), was generated by "James Barham, wacky ID advocate." I don't know about wacky, but he is not a Christian, nor an ID-advocate per se; he acknowledged to me that the website he is writing for leans that way (likewise, the Institute for the Study of Nature he is a fellow of claims to be theism-leaning but not exclusively), but he is on sworn record as affirming he lost his faith in Christianity long ago and is now a naturalist; he is presently a doctoral student in philosophy at Notre Dame (or possibly has his Ph.D. by now, as claimed on TheBestSchools "about" page last I checked), with an M.A. from Harvard, so he's no crank, and his writings seem to be advocating for the adoption of emergent teleology within naturalism, and not ID as such. He only voices some common cause with the ID movement (he favors teaching the controversy on natural selection as cause, but not on evolution as fact). I suppose he could be trojan horsing, but I'm not a telepath. More likely he's an interesting outlier in the debate, and thus not someone you can peg as easily as Dembski or Ham. At any rate, as I see it, he's just wrong, not wacky.
2. That "according to WHOIS, The Best Schools is owned by a young philosophy professor at the Univ of Kentucky named Wayne Downs." That's in essence true (at least as of today); I also verified his identity at the U. Kentucky website, but it currently lists him as a graduate student teaching assistant and his own cv confirms he is a doctoral student, not a professor. He has a B.A. in pastoral ministries and an M.Div. from Baylor, so definitely a conservative religious foundation, but he also has an M.A. in philosophy from Texas A&M and is getting a Ph.D. at U. Kentucky (or already has one, if the UK website and his cv are out of date), so he is not a crank either. He did co-author a book on the Christian history of creationism with Dembski, but it's just an anthology of patristics. He is currently (according to his own cv) "Research Assistant to Dr. William A. Dembski" at the "Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary," but it's hard to draw concrete conclusions from that (I myself could easily employ a Christian research assistant if he was good enough). Downs might be an Evangelical or a conservative, but TheBestSchools seems like it's just built to earn him some advertising money (which I don't frown on, since we do that here at FtB).
3. That "The article was only written for 'Link Baiting' purposes, meaning that the owner of the website just wants to get a higher google ranking by getting more links to his site." Isn't that what everyone does? It's called marketing. Calling it "link baiting" is just pointlessly derogatory. Clearly Downs wants to draw people to his website so he can earn ad revenue through his college marketing tools, and he does this by employing bloggers to develop posts that people want to read, so they will go there, and then possibly explore his promotional links and click through the ads that he has his website set up to deliver. Um, that's basically a description of FtB. Yes, we exist primarily to deliver content, and take ad revenue as a bonus. But I doubt Downs takes his site's content any less seriously–which is why so much of it is slanted toward his interests. In fact most major blog sites exist to make money "and" deliver content. Like, say, The Huffington Post. Or The New York Times, which arguably only really exists to make money through ad placement. Even its print version exists solely for that purpose. It thus puts articles in it that people want to read in order to get those people to look at the ads folded in with them. That's not "link baiting." It's enterprise. So I don't hold it against anyone who wants to create content of interest to atheists to market products to atheists. Even if they are Christians. As long as its honest, professional, and interesting. In other words, the same standards I'd expect of The Huffington Post or The New York Times. Or FtB for that matter.
4. That "it's a scam site. It scams rational thinkers into assuming the site is legitimate for its seriousness, and then plonks in other articles, hoping that those articles will be treated with the same sense of seriousness." That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Why would anyone think "rational thinkers" would be fooled? Are we seriously imagining that Downs is trying to convert atheists to Christianity by luring them in with interesting blogs about atheism, hoping atheists will then wander around and read interviews and news items about religious conservatives and suddenly experience an epiphany of Jesus? I've met some idiots for Christ who might think that would work, but none of them have graduate degrees from major universities…or really even legitimate college degrees at all. In fact Barham told me they were keen on creating more diversity at the site so it wouldn't be all one-sided. Some atheists see that as a dirty trick. I see it as inclusive marketing. It's kind of funny to see someone attacked for aiming to generate more diversity at their site, and then attacked for being all one-sided and not allowing more diversity at their site. Honestly, what would you rather? A site that was all aimed at conservative evangelical Christians, or a site that represented multiple views? Trying to draw in a broader demographic is not a "scam." It's just good business. In fact, it's rather American.
5. That "almost all of [the bios] have some snide remark at the end" with "cynicism and mockery." I don't quite see that. I see a conservative POV. Otherwise I didn't notice anything that was dishonest or untrue. Granted, I didn't fact check it all, but the list fairly links to all our actual PR sites and books and works and thus is not trying to misrepresent us. Indeed, if anything they are promoting us. If I were to run the differential math on this, as a result of their being this open about plugging people into our world, odds are this site is now going to deconvert more Christians than it will convert atheists to Christianity. For example, the only "odd" thing about the bio Barham gave me (I am assuming he was the sole author) is that it mentions my advocacy for the theory that Jesus never really existed–but that's hardly a secret. Yes, perhaps a (possibly) conservative Barham included that item because he thought it was wacky. But he didn't mock me for it nor was he snide about it. He just stated the fact of it. Likewise, for Greta Christina he tacks on at the end that "she also publishes pornographic fiction." Well, yes. She does. That's not cynicism or mockery. It's just the way conservatives honestly see us. Indeed, this author could have been snide or mocking about these details. What I find remarkable is that he wasn't. This looks like honest, indeed respectful reporting to me. Conservative-minded, sure. But so what?
6. That the site advocates "for the benefits of an online education (you know, where students need not actually learn stuff)" and "their Degree Finder widget doesn't include biology, physics, chemistry etc. No point in needlessly troubling those creationist minds." Though both facts are true (the site does advocate for various kinds of online education, and its widget doesn't have biology, physics, or chemistry in it), the inference being made from these facts is not logical. ID advocate Michael Behe is a biochemist. And I can't fathom why creationists would be afraid of physics or chemistry. The widget also lacks other majors that can't possibly have anything to do with imagined creationist phobias (are they morbidly afraid of anthropology, oceanography and astronomy?). Rather, when you look at what the widget does include, it's obviously slanted toward career-ready degrees. Hence, no physics, but "engineering" and "engineering management," degrees that can hardly be pursued without studying physics. Likewise, no biology, but tons of health science degrees, from "gerontology" to "radiology" and "nursing," none of which can be pursued without studying biology. This also fits the site's focus on online degree granting institutions, like the University of Phoenix, which specialize in career-ready degrees and not general sciences. The site is clearly geared toward people who need an affordable way to get a better job ("career success" as the site itself says). An ambiguous degree in biology is not going to appeal.
However, there are valid criticisms to make of the site.
It's certainly a little conservative and Christian slanted (although perhaps not so much as critics have made it seem, but it definitely is coming from that corner of the ring; just peruse some of the articles to get an idea). But it's not like conservatives don't get to have their own websites. And if you think about it, "top" lists of atheists generated by conservatives should be more telling, as such lists catalog the people they regard as their greatest threat. More of an issue perhaps is the fact that TheBestSchools.org isn't really promoting "the best schools" per se but the best cheap schools (or, shall we say, "affordable" schools) and is primarily promoting schools who would appear to be paid advertisers, and that these are predominately D-list schools, usually online schools. It looks like you will never be directed to apply to any mainstream state university through the site's widget, although such schools do get promoted in some of the site's articles (e.g. its article on the "top ten most affordable law schools" has some good recommendations and does not appear biased towards the site's advertisers). So they aren't engaging in dishonest reporting. This is therefore not a "scam" site. Its widget is a bit dodgy, but no more so than GoogleAds would be. It's clearly just promoting for-profit online education.
For example, using its "Degree Finder" widget you'll get recommended such places as DeVry University (a for-profit company which has numerous physical campuses and an online education program, but does have a reputation for being something like the McDonald's of college education) or Liberty University (a full on, totally bonkers, "yes, they teach young earth creationism in biology class" Evangelical school) or University of Phoenix (a primarily online for-profit college that's kind of like the Denny's of college education…you know, a step up from McDonald's). UOP has gotten into trouble lately over its somewhat shady slant towards profits over quality (see the NYT article and a Harvard Extension blog thereon, and UOP's official reply, and the analysis of what is passed off as an independent blogger…writing for an e-school site in Poland for some reason…but what one might suspect is a hired PR puppet of UOP). What about Liberty U? I don't think the occasional presence of LU here is a pro-Christian plant. More likely it's just one of those for-profit schools that's also advertising through the same widget. Because LU is pushing a big online program now.
So, that's all the back story. After posting their "top fifty atheists" blog to draw traffic (again, no evil in that) Barham asked me personally if I'd do an interview for the site. I could say anything I wanted (within common decency). Nothing would be edited out. He also approached many others on the list. As for myself, I said sure, since by then I knew it was a Christian site, but I'd done questionnaires for Christian sites before (including one inspired by the "top 25 atheists" list generated similarly to this one, at a site using exactly the same widget–the WHOIS for that site seems locked up by denial-of-service attacks so I can't discover who owns it). I have no problem with that, as long as they are honest about how they represent what I say, and don't ask stupid questions. Barham's questionnaire was well-written and his questions thoughtful and interesting. And true to his word, he published my full reply, even improving its punctuation and correcting typos. The end result is something definitely of interest to Christians, atheists, and prospective college students alike. Now you can read for yourself The BestSchools Richard Carrier Interview. It talks about my background and life story, why I am skeptical of a historical Jesus, why I'm a naturalist and how I deal with certain questions about that, my debate with W.L. Craig, the future of atheism as a movement, and what advice I'd give to prospective college students.
I see this as a mutually beneficial arrangement. He gets traffic and diversifies his target demographic for his product marketing, and I get to promote my work, and my views on philosophy and education, and on atheism as a movement in general. Just try to imagine this happening in an Islamic country and you'll think twice about being overly cynical about such a transaction.


text:
Long-time EMU Housekeeper Dies
Edith V. Wenger, 88, died Aug. 19, 2007, at Oak Lea Nursing Home in Harrisonburg. Ms. Wenger served 34 years in housekeeping services in the physical plant department at Eastern Mennonite University. She retired in 1981. "Edith was a steady, quiet, dependable worker with a wry sense of humor that surprised you," said ...More


text:
Oh, whoops, I meant D6-2/10. Sorry.
Oh, whoops, I meant D6-2/10. Sorry.
8/10. I generally like you Ed, even if I don't know you too well.
You do seem a little over-the-top sometimes though *shrug*
I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of god. I have seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action, and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What God desires is here [points to head] and here [points to heart] and what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man - or not.
7/10 I've got no issues with you, and I'm in a good mood
5/10 Your talk-able, but could blab too much you ruin some threads.
Where IS that faggot Nanaki these days?
did i rate kirby in my rating thread? probably not. 5/10.
kirby 22/25
dogar 19/25
god 14/25
pichubro 19/25
midnight the espeon 21/25
celery 12/25
rayne 6/25
courtysaurus 25/25 ---bias here---
kelsh 20/25
trixie 12.5/25
redcheeta 18/25
eve 17/25
justin (semen)/25
your welcome
qoorl 23/25
your welcome
DON'T PUT THAT IN YOUR MOUTH! IT WAS MADE IN CHINA!!!- Alora Owens: Age 6
as soon as I was about to post I got raped... -Kirby: Age... whatever
cant rate hicky. i dont think of you around numbers
your welcome
hicky - 10/10
rayne - 10/10
kirby - 7/10
qoorl - post more / faggot
"I'll go," said Chagataev. "But what will I do there? Build socialism?"
"What else?" said the secretary.
I rate myself -30000/10


text:
loading issue ...
Keep up with the latest journals in your field ... all in one place ... it's FREE!
Discover new information sources. Select from over 10,300 journals!
View the Table of Contents for each journal's most recent issue
Link to an article at the publisher's website (if the article has a DOI)
Link into PubMed (for journals that are in PubMed)
If you are entitled to ...
Rearrange your favorite journals via drag/drop
Browse over 10,300 journals:
|Add to favorites


text:
Joined IHG® Rewards Club at a Hotel?
Joining is easy and free
Earn points at over 4,700 hotels
Redeem points for free rooms and more
Contact your local IHG® Rewards Club Customer Care to source your PIN and to update your profile with your email address. When you receive your PIN you can also update your email address via www.ihg.com/updateemail.
Reward Nights
When redeeming points for a Reward Night, you may only book one room at a time.
Once you complete your Reward Night reservation you will be given the option to duplicate this reservation.
* Requires affiliation in the respective organization.
** Best Available Rate Search does not include affiliation rates.
To book more than 9 rooms for one stay or request a quote, please use our Easy Meetings tool, call 1-800-MEETING (in United States, Mexico and Canada) or contact a Global Sales Office.
St. Joseph, MI, Silver Beach and Lake Michigan are all close to the Holiday Inn Express® Hotel & Suites Benton Harbor. The hotel's location along I-94 not only makes it ideal for getting to nearby business, but also places guests near the best local attractions.
We have everything a business traveler needs for a productive trip. Keep in touch with the office using complimentary Wi-Fi access or at a computer in the Business
View More
We have everything a business traveler needs for a productive trip. Keep in touch with the office using complimentary Wi-Fi access or at a computer in the Business Center. You can use the 750-sq-ft meeting room to host an event or seminar for up to 60 attendees. Plus, because of our hotel's location in the Benton Harbor - St. Joseph, MI area, it's easy to get to companies like Whirlpool and Leco.
There is so much to do around Benton Harbor that our hotel's guests will want to stay at least a week. Spend a day on Lake Michigan at Silver Beach or Warren Dunes State Park. A host of exquisite wineries pepper southeast Michigan, and you can catch live performances at the Mendel Center on the campus of Lake Michigan College.
Our 100% non-smoking facilities are filled with amenities to help you unwind completely. Test the waters of our heated, indoor pool or just sit back with friends and soak in the whirlpool. Our Fitness Center offers you the convenience of your daily workouts, and each morning you can enjoy a hot, tasty deluxe breakfast on the house. Let us show you the unparalleled hospitality of Benton Harbor, Michigan.


text:
Rated 1 out of 5 by 1 reviewer.
Rated 1 out of 5 by Bast56 Poor Quality We have only had this product for a month and one chair has broken. The wood scratches easily and the top does not fit evenly to the bottom pieces. I was sadly surprised with the quality of this product and am currently trying to get a replacement. I do not recommend this product to anyone who will be using it daily or has children. March 21, 2011
1-1 of 1


text:
Year in Review
By VCR Staff 12/27/2012
[ ventura county ]
Mexican Mafia
In late November, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office announced that members of the Mexican Mafia were extorting and taxing local rival gangs on their drug sales and forcing them into conspiring to commit organized crime. The seven-month investigation, known as Operation Wicked Hand, resulted in 27 indictments to local gang members accused of conspiring to commit felony assaults, extortion, home invasion robberies, narcotics trafficking and other organized criminal activity. It was the largest criminal indictment in the history of Ventura County. Of the 27 indictments, only two remain outstanding, against Angel Mata and Lina Fuentes. The investigation also resulted in the seizure of 32 firearms — 12 handguns, 12 rifles, four shotguns, three assault rifles and one MAC-10 (Military Armament Corporation Model 10) with silencer — plus $36,000 and a quarter-pound of heroin.
— Shane CohnTwo police chiefs hit the road
In early May, Santa Paula residents lashed out at city officials, using the words "witch hunt" and "mob mentality" in describing the decision to place Police Chief Steve MacKinnon on paid administrative leave. Citing privacy personnel decisions, City Council members and City Manager Jaime Fontes could not explain the decision, which was vigorously challenged by residents.
In June, Fontes fired MacKinnon for using a city vehicle and making unauthorized purchases with a city gas card for personal trips to Arizona. When MacKinnon was hired in 2005, the job offer stated that he could use a city car for personal use, and MacKinnon claimed that the previous city manager had also signed off on his personal use of the car. But when Fontes discovered that MacKinnon made 23 trips to Arizona, he felt it was a misuse of a privilege and city resources.
The decision was not popular with residents, who said that MacKinnon accomplished more for the community than any other previous police chief. MacKinnon's lawyer, Ron Bamieh, said at the time that Santa Paula "continues to be a rudderless ship, which apparently cannot tolerate professionalism and success."
The first female to be police chief in Port Hueneme, Kathleen Sheehan, hired in September 2010, was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 26, and resigned Dec. 4. Third-party investigators were hired to look into allegations that Sheehan violated city policies by issuing concealed weapons permits, recording private conversations with city personnel, inappropriate participation in the dismissal of a parking citation and other alleged improprieties. Her severance agreement was equivalent to six months' pay, just under $76,000. Lt. Robert Gager was named acting police chief.
— Shane Cohn
Former Ventura City Manager Rick Cole
Five cities seek new managers
Strange year for city managers in Ventura County. Five cities saw their city managers, typically the highest-paid city position, placed on paid administrative leave, resign or retire. In a closed-door session in early September, Ventura City Council voted 4-3 to accept City Manager Rick Cole's resignation. In an Aug. 29 press release, Cole and the city announced that, during Cole's annual evaluation, "It became clear that a majority of the City Council believes that it is time for a change in leadership." Acknowledging the council majority, Cole, an at-will employee, offered to resign and retire.
Twelve-year Oxnard City Manager Ed Sotelo was placed on paid administrative leave in January. Because it is a confidential personnel matter, council members cannot explain the reasons for admonishing Sotelo. He will be collecting his $411,850 total compensation package until his contract expires in February 2013.
In Fillmore, three-year City Manager Yvonne Quiring announced her resignation Sept. 6, came on the heels of a budget passed in June that would require layoffs and a deficit of $1.5 million during this fiscal year. She told reporters she had found another job in the public sector.
In Simi Valley, Assistant City Manager Laura Behjan took over as city manager in July when 17-year City Manager Mike Sedell retired. Behjan has stated she will relinquish the position as soon as the City Council finds a new city manager
After six years on the job, Port Hueneme City Manager Dave Norman resigned in October after the City Council expressed its desire to move in a different direction.
— Shane Cohn
[ Camarillo ]
Residents stand proud and loud against Conejo Creek Plan
Camarillo's City Council meetings are a typically light-hearted affairs, with council members exchanging pleasantries and the occasional chuckle as they move through the day's agenda. Discussion tends to focus on correcting awkward traffic patterns or improving signage at intersections. Public comments, if any, tend to occupy only a handful of the 30 minutes allotted during each meeting. A certain tranquility permeates the chambers, giving one the sense that things are going well in Camarillo and residents haven't much to complain about.
Unless, of course, someone proposes developing the area between Highway 101 and Pleasant Valley Road. Then all hell breaks loose.
The Conejo Creek Specific Plan is under consideration by the City Council and proposes the development of 740 acres of agricultural land. Submitted by Development Planning Services and five property owners, the Conejo Creek plan would provide 2,500 residential units, 40 acres of additional, nonresidential space, and more than 220 acres of parkland and open space. The proposed development is to take place over 20 years and would require amendments to the city's current general plan in order to rezone current farmland.
Residents want no part of it.
Hundreds packed City Hall during two Planning Commission hearings on Sep. 18 and Dec. 4, and spoke out regarding the plan's Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The pushback came in large part due to several adverse impacts of the plan that are designated as Class I, or "significant and unavoidable," within the EIR. Among them are the loss of agricultural lands and the demolition of potentially historic structures within the 740 acres included in the proposal. This is expected to negatively affect Camarillo's "scenic views" and "visual character." Increases in traffic-related congestion and noise are also expected.
Along with the Camarillo Sustainable Growth Board, a nonprofit public benefit organization, residents claim that whatever development takes place as a result of the plan cannot be undone and the "Shangri-La" nestled at the base of the Conejo Grade will be lost forever. It's a risk they have emphatically urged the council not to take.
— Justin Formanek
[ Oxnard ]
Former Oxnard City Manager Ed Sotelo
Oxnard politics
It was a fascinating year in Oxnard for politicos.
First, the City Council voted in January to put City Manager Ed Sotelo on an unexplained paid leave of absence ($411,850 total compensation package).
Assistant City Manager Karen Burnham was named interim city manager.
Then, in April, came the result of the nearly two-year investigation by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office into misuse of public funds and malfeasance by city officials, which identified criminal activity by city officials but, as the April report detailed, did not find enough evidence to prosecute. The report revealed the many ways the city's top officials used public funds to pay credit card balances for expensive meals, bar tabs, adult films in hotels and travel expenses, and the matter of Sotelo creating a $300 per month lifetime retirement perk for top managers and using public money for a $10,000 personal loan. But the district attorney stated that the statute of limitations ran out on these crimes because they were discovered more than four years after they occurred. And that was that.
In the wake of the investigation's results, the council voted to approve a 10 percent ($20,000) raise for Burnham, resulting in a total compensation package in the ballpark of $305,391.
In August, the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) found three Oxnard city officials in violation of state law. The FPPC fined Sotelo $12,500, former Mayor Tom Holden $10,500, Community Development Director Curtis Cannon $4,000, former Public Works Director Ken Ortega $7,000 and Burnham $2,000 for failing to report gifts (from developers) on their annual Statements of Economic Interests that exceed the applicable gift limit. In December, Councilman Bryan MacDonald, former council members Andres Herrera, Dean Maulhardt, Irene Pinkard and Development Services Director Matt Winegar were also fined by the FPCC for violating state gift disclosure laws.
Then came election season and a time for much-needed change in leadership. Thirteen candidates ran for two open seats on the council. Incumbent MacDonald won handily, and in a dramatic upset that came down to the last vote, 24-year-old political novice Dorina Padilla defeated retired educator Dick Jaquez, who was heavily supported by business interests.
With Holden deciding not to seek re-election, Councilmembers Tim Flynn, Carmen Ramirez and Pinkard all vied to become mayor. Flynn collected more than 36 percent of the vote to claim victory, thus vacating his council seat. A special election will be held in the new year to fill the fifth seat on the council, assuring that Oxnard reigns as the best politically dramatic city in the county.
— Shane Cohn
Photo by Heber Pelayo • Oxnard residents holding protests against police brutality
Oxnard officers under the microscope for deaths
Over the past six months, tensions between the community and local law enforcement have risen in Oxnard as four have died during police-related incidents.
The earliest fatality occurred on June 24, when police responded to a call regarding Robert Ramirez, a 26-year-old Oxnard resident, who was reportedly overdosing on methamphetamine. Officers attempted to restrain Ramirez and there was a brief struggle. Shortly afterward, Ramirez fell unconscious and was pronounced dead at St. John's Hospital less than an hour later. On Nov. 20, the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office concluded that Ramirez died of asphyxia from "active prone restraint." He also had an "extremely high level" of methamphetamine in his system. Ramirez's mother, Teresa, claims that her son was beaten and has called for the FBI to investigate.
The following month, Michael Mahoney, a 36-year-old resident with a history of mental instability, was shot to death by police. On Aug. 14, after firing a shot in his home, he confronted officers, holding a gun to his own head. Mahoney then challenged officers to shoot him and pointed his gun at them. Mahoney had been briefly admitted to a mental health facility earlier in the month. His twin sister, Tara, stated that the police knew her brother was mentally unstable but ignored her pleas to have him returned to the facility. Officers visited Mahoney the day before he was killed, responding to threats he had made against himself.
On Oct. 13, 21 year-old Alfonso Limon Jr. and Jose Zepeda, 24, were killed during a shootout that erupted after a traffic stop. As police chased two men who fled the vehicle, gunfire erupted. The Oxnard Police Department has claimed that officers were returning fire when Limon, an innocent bystander who had been out jogging with his brother, was killed. Limon's family has since filed a government claim for damages against the police department, calling its actions "negligent" and "reckless." The claim states that witnesses saw officers open fire on Limon despite his being in "full view" and yelling "multiple times" not to shoot.
In response, the Todo Poder al Pueblo (All Power to the People) Collective has held several marches protesting alleged brutality by the Oxnard Police Department. Organizers and Collective members have also repeatedly packed City Hall during council meetings, demanding justice for those who have been killed. On Sep. 11, the group issued subpoenas to Police Chief Jeri Williams and the "seven unidentified" officers involved in Ramirez's death, ordering them to appear before "the People's Tribunal for Justice" the following week at Cafe on A in downtown Oxnard. When Williams did not show, the Collective assumed an admission of guilt had been made.
Williams did, however, call for the aid of the Office of Independent Review, a civilian oversight group created by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, on Nov. 8. She cited the need for an outside entity to review each of the incidents and to improve police protocols and training. The City Council would need to approve the expense, which is expected to be at least $70,000.
— Justin Formanek
[ Ventura ]
The city of Ventura removed over 100 tons of debris from the river bottom
Ventura River bottom cleanup
2012 was the year the city of Ventura vowed to permanently dismantle the illegal encampments in the river bottom. With fires and murders in the river bottom having been reported earlier in the year, the city discontinued the annual Cal Lutheran University student river bottom clean up that usually yields about 12 tons of trash. Instead, the city first wanted to remove the people illegally living among the river bottom and then remove what would end up being more than 100 tons of debris.
In the fall, the county began mowing the nonnative arundo plant that helped create shelter for the illegal camps. By the end of September, city officials claimed there were no more homeless encampments from the Main Street bridge to the county-owned Stanley Avenue parcel near Highway 33. Some of the homeless individuals agreed to commit to a management plan to end their homelessness and received motel vouchers from the county. But most simply moved on to other locations, such as the Santa Clara River bottom.
Many in the surrounding communities, such as Pierpont, say they think that since the river bottom sweep, there has been an increase in vagrancy and crime. But police have said it is still too early to draw conclusions.
— Shane Cohn
[ Thousand Oaks ]
Thousand Oaks Planning Commissioner Mic Farris
Thousand Oaks democratic controversy
Controversy erupted in Thousand Oaks following the decision in February to fill an empty council seat by appointment. When Councilman Dennis Gillette resigned for health reasons, a two-year vacancy opened up. Many residents wrote letters to the city clerk's office and publicly declared that there should be a special election for the vacant seat, or that it should be assigned to the runner-up from the previous election.
But the council voted to appoint the next council member, and after an interview process, elected Joel Price to fill the vacancy.
Residents, however, rallied in the name of democracy. Planning Commissioner Mic Farris drafted the Right to Vote Initiative, which calls for an election when future vacancies occur on the City Council. More than 10,000 registered voters signed the petition, and in July, the council unanimously approved the initiative into law.
— Shane Cohn
Concordia crash
On the night of Jan. 13, the cruise ship Costa Concordia partially sank after running aground off the coast of Isola del Giglio in Italy. The Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, had overridden the ship's computer-navigation system in order to treat passengers to a "near-shore salute" when the ship hit a reef that tore a 160-foot gash in the ship's port side. The shipwreck claimed 32 lives and left twice as many injured. Schettino was arrested on charges of manslaughter, due to the shipwreck, and abandoning ship while passengers and crew were still aboard.
Diamond Jubilee
Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 60th anniversary of her ascension to the throne on Feb. 6, a feat matched during the entire history of the United Kingdom only by Queen Victoria. Elizabeth II has been queen regnant of the 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations (of which the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Jamaica are the most populous) since the death of her father, King George VI, in 1952. At 86, and much to the chagrin of Prince Charles, the Queen is the second-longest serving monarch.
Trayvon Martin shooting
Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was fatally shot by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman, 28, in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman claimed that the shooting was in self-defense and justified by Florida's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law, which allows the use of deadly force in lieu of retreat from an unlawful threat. In the wake of public outrage and allegations of racist motivation, Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder. His trial is set to begin in June 2013.
Whitney Houston dies
On Feb. 11, Whitney Houston was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. She was 48. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that her death was due to accidental drowning as the result of chronic cocaine use and heart disease. The legendary pop icon, once the most award-winning female artist of all time, had struggled with drug and alcohol addiction throughout most of the 2000s.
Tornado outbreak
The Ohio Valley was rocked by 70 tornadoes over a two-day period in early March. The outbreak, one of the deadliest on record for that month, left 40 dead and hundreds injured. Twenty-two of those deaths occurred in Kentucky alone. The most powerful of the tornadoes was an EF4 that left a 49-mile path of destruction from Fredericksburg, Ind., to Bedford, Ky., killing 11. In all, the outbreak caused an estimated $2 billion in damages.
End of Encyclopedia
In March, the president of Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. announced that the encyclopedia would no longer be produced in print. After 244 years, the 32-volume 15th edition, released in 2010, would be the company's last. Instead, the company will focus on an online database and various educational tools. In a digital age where Wikipedia has become the go-to for free and readily available (if not always reliably factual) information, however, one must wonder if this is just the first stage in the demise of what was once a fixture in many homes across America.
Secret Service scandal
On the eve of President Obama's visit to Colombia for the sixth Summit of the Americas, 12 Secret Service agents and other military personnel were accused of bringing prostitutes to the Hotel Caribe in Cartagena for a night of misconduct. Initial attention was brought to the hotel after one agent refused to pay Dania Londono Suarez $800 for services rendered. The incident led to an investigation by the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security, the resignation or retirement of at least nine of those involved, and the instatement of a stricter code of conduct for Secret Service agents.
Obama supports gay marriage
President Obama became the first sitting president to openly support gay marriage during a May 9 interview on ABC. While he initially opposed same-sex marriage during his 2008 candidacy, Obama said he had changed his position after years of discussion with friends, family and staff members. "At a certain point," he said, "I've just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married." The president stressed, however, that his position was personal and he still supported the rights of states to decide the legality of same-sex marriage on their own.
Venus between us
The 21st century's second and last transit of Venus took place on June 6. The event, which occurs when Venus passes directly between earth and the sun, is one of the rarest of predictable astronomical phenomena. Observations of the 1639 transit, recorded by Jeremiah Horrocks, were instrumental in determining the first realistic estimates of the size of our solar system. The next transits of Venus will occur in December of 2117 and 2125.
Armstrong's fall
In June, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong was formally charged with doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). As a result of the USADA ruling, he was stripped of all his titles and banned from future competition. Subsequently, Armstrong was dropped by his sponsors and eventually withdrew all involvement with the Livestrong Foundation, a nonprofit cancer support organization he founded in 1997 after successfully overcoming testicular cancer.
2012 Olympics
The 2012 Olympics were held in London, making it the third time that city has hosted the modern games. The opening ceremony, directed by Academy Award-winning direct Danny Boyle, was an impressive spectacle that received worldwide acclaim. The games boasted the first-ever entrance of female athletes from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei, as well as the first inclusion of women's boxing as an event. American swimmer Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian of all time, winning his 22nd medal during the 4×100-meter relay.
India blackout
More than 700 million people, nearly 10 percent of the world's population, were in the dark for two days during late August. The power outage, which affected 22 states throughout northeastern India, was the largest blackout in history. Trains were brought to a halt, hundreds of miners were trapped below ground for hours, and shops and hospitals were left in the dark after record levels of heat led to increased energy consumption. India's power grids, which were of questionable reliability, couldn't handle the demand. The outage lent urgency to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's bid to secure $400 billion for increasing the country's power generation.
Colorado shooting
Twelve people were killed and 58 injured when a gunman opened fire in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater during a premiere of #The Dark Knight Rises#. James Egan Holmes, 25, is the sole suspect in the massacre and was arrested outside the theater moments after the attack. Authorities removed more than 30 homemade explosives and 10 gallons of gasoline from his apartment after he indicated he had "booby-trapped" it. Holmes has since been charged with multiple first-degree murder and attempted murder counts. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 7.
After a journey lasting eight months and covering 352 million miles, NASA's Curiosity landed in the Gale Crater on Mars. The $2.5 billion rover, weighing in at just less than a ton and boasting an array of 10 scientific instruments and 17 cameras, is on a two-year mission to discover whether Mars has ever been capable of supporting microbial life. In September, the Curiosity relayed photographs that revealed signs of a shallow river that once existed within the crater.
Romney's 47 percent
In September, a video surfaced showing Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney speaking at a closed-door fundraising event. In it, Romney stated that 47 percent of the country believed they were entitled to healthcare, food and housing. "My job is not to worry about those people," he said, adding, "I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." In a profound display of poetic justice, Romney managed to capture only 47 percent of the popular vote in November's election.
On the 11th anniversary of 9/11, roughly 150 gunmen stormed the U.S. Consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya. Ten were injured and four were killed, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. Controversy erupted regarding the timeline of events and the apparent failure of security. Former CIA director David Petraeus testified before Congress that the attack was an organized terror assault by gunmen linked to al-Qaida. Investigation by an independent review board is ongoing.
Hurricane Sandy
After wreaking havoc in the Caribbean and much of the southeast seaboard, Hurricane Sandy hit land just south of Atlantic City, N.J. For two days, Sandy pummeled the northeast with heavy rains, 90-mile-per-hour winds and flood tides as high as 13 feet. Before finally sputtering out in Pennsylvania on Oct. 31, the superstorm ripped up boardwalks, leveled houses, flooded subways and left hundreds of thousands without power, with some areas not being restored until late November. In all, Sandy killed 253 people and caused at least $65.6 billion in damage, making it the second-costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
Obama's re-election
Despite a sluggish economy, a mounting deficit and a higher rate of unemployment than when he took office, Barack Obama was re-elected president of the United States. Though he grabbed 332 Electoral College votes and 50 percent of the popular vote, President Obama became only the second president in history to win a second term with fewer Electoral College votes than his first victory. (FDR did so previously.) Americans seemed willing to buy into promises of hope and change, just with slightly less fervor than they did in 2008.
Gaza violence
The Israeli-Palestinian tensions escalated in November when Israel launched an offensive on Gaza that killed Ahmed Jabari, chief of the Gaza military wing of Hamas. The intended goal was to end the rocket attacks on southern Israel. Eight days of violence along the border ensued, leading to 150 deaths, most of which were Palestinian. Just as it seemed there would be a repeat of the 2008-09 conflict that killed more than 1,400, both side agreed on a cease-fire.
Sandy Hook shooting
On Dec. 14, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., before killing himself. All of the children were first-graders, between 6 and 7 years of age. Earlier that morning, Lanza shot and killed his mother, Nancy, who was the owner of the semi-automatic rifle and two pistols found near Lanza's body. The incident was the deadliest attack at an American elementary school in nearly a century, second only to the Bath School bombing in1927.
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT
Other Stories by VCR Staff
Related Articles
So I have to ask... do you like living in Ventura County? My family is considering a move to VC and I've been reading your publication for a while now. I have to say, particularly after reading about all of the brouhaha in your government, as well as the crime activity, I'm curious as to what residents of VC have to say about living there. I'm from small town upstate NY, where we have our own fair share of troubles, government and otherwise, but I just have no context for this level.
Thanks to anyone who contributes their thoughts!
posted by TheAccidentalFarm on 1/04/13 @ 06:22 a.m.


text:
A total of 36 new custom-made, one-of-a-kind lockers were installed for the team in the Hollenback Center. Following a pro-style design, the lockers feature a fold-down cushioned seat, shoe racks with ventilation, hooks allowing for full uniform hang and areas for bats, helmets and other equipment. Measuring seven feet high by 30 inches wide, the lockers also provide an electronic lock for maximum security for each player. The team room was also outfitted with a flat-screen HD television while being freshly painted. The locker room changes were kept a secret from the team and presented to them last week before practice.
"When you see the players walk in and how their faces light up, it makes you think about the sacrifices that our donors made to get it done for these guys," said W. Joseph Blood Head Coach of Baseball John Cole. "This is a big step for growing our program and will be a major selling point going forward."
Down River Fields Drive to Meiklejohn Stadium, a couple of changes can be seen on the perimeter of the park. The outfield wall now features a new windscreen with colored logos of all eight Ivy League teams. Behind the Penn dugout, a banner stretches out with photos of 17 former Quakers. This "Sidewalk of Fame" honors those past Penn greats who led the Ivy League in either batting average or ERA, were named Player of the Year or Pitcher of the Year, played or are playing professional baseball, or were a two-time All-Ivy League selection. Updates will be made to the banner on a yearly basis.
Penn makes its season debut at William & Mary on March 1 as part of a nine-game Spring Break trip through Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The Quakers play their first games of the season at home on March 16 in a doubleheader against George Washington beginning at 12 p.m.


text:
Chocolate Chip Cookie Milkshake & A Blendtec Blender Giveaway
This giveaway is now closed! The winner of the Blendtec Blender is…comment #2,476: Suzi who said: " I am a subscriber, "liker",everyday reader, tweeter etc… But that's beside the point. I need the whole blendtec package because it's surely the quickest and most efficient way to feed my growing family. Although you don't have any big peas in the teenage pod yet, you'll soon find out how rapidly food can disappear, so the blendtec will help me out immensely!" Congratulations! We will email you! Thanks to everyone who entered!
It is no secret that I adore cookies. Everyone always asks what my favorite cookie is and I can never answer. I have over 100 cookie recipes on our site and I love each and every one of them. I am always tempted to answer chocolate chip though. You can never go wrong with a good chocolate chip cookie. I decided to turn one of my favorite cookies into the ultimate summer treat-a Chocolate Chip Cookie Milkshake.
We almost always have homemade cookies on hand at our house. I saw a dozen chocolate chip cookies sitting on the counter and decided they would make a great milkshake. I told Josh my idea and he immediately got out our Blendtec blender. We added vanilla ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chips, and milk. We let our Blentec do the work while we watched with excitement. I couldn't wait to taste this milkshake.
Josh poured the shake into glasses and we topped them off with whipped cream and a few chocolate chips. I broke a chocolate chip cookie in half and stuck a half in each of our glasses. I grabbed two straws and we were happily sipping away on our chocolate chip cookie milkshakes. This is the best milkshake I have ever had-hands down. It is a cookie lover's dream shake!
I used this chocolate chip cookie recipe for the shake, but any chocolate chip cookie recipe will do. I will have to try this shake with my Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies and the New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies. See I like to many cookie recipes:)
If you are looking for a sweet summer treat, try this Chocolate Chip Cookie Milkshake. It is a dream dessert for cookie and ice cream lovers.
And now for a fantastic Blendtec blender giveaway! We used our Blendtec blender to make this shake. We have tried a lot of different blenders in our days and we usually end up throwing them out because they never work. Not the Blendtec though! We LOVE our Blendtec. It is a dream machine! It blends everything to perfection and I mean everything. We've blended smoothies, ice cream, sauces, dressings, nut butter, etc. It blends everything with ease-even ice. I have been on a smoothie kick lately and our Blendtec makes the best smoothies. It has a special smoothie button that creates perfect smoothies every time. I don't have to shake the blender like mad for it to grind the ice. It does it all on it's own.
Josh is obsessed with the "Will it Blend Series on YouTube." If you haven't seen any of the videos, you have to check them out. They are fun to watch. Tom Dickson, the star, blends anything and everything in the Blendtec-including an iPhone and iPad. So cool!
To enter to win a Blendtec Total WildSide Blender (Retail value $474.95) leave a comment on this post telling us: "What is the first thing you would make in your Blendtec blender?"
Want Extra Entries to Win?
1. Follow Blendtec on Twitter. Leave a comment letting us know you are following.
2. Follow TwoPeasandPod on Twitter. Leave a comment letting us know you are following.
3. "Like" Blendtec on Facebook. Leave a comment letting us know you "like" Blendtec.
4. "Like" Two Peas and Their Pod on Facebook. Leave a comment letting us know you "like" us.
5. Subscribe to Two Peas and Their Pod's email updates. Leave a comment letting us know you subscribe.
If you already do any of these things, they do count! Just make sure to comment for each item! You MUST leave each entry as a separate comment or only one comment will count! Good luck!
Giveaway Rules:
-This giveaway is open to USA residents only and will run from 6/20/11-6/29/11. Comments will close at 11:59 MST on the 29th.
-Winner will be generated via a random number generator software program. Winner will be notified via email. Please make sure you leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you are the winner.
-Winner will receive one Blendtec Total Blender Wildside Package in their color choice of black, red, or white. Product will be shipped by Blendtec.
Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Blendtec, but our opinions are our own.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Milkshake
Yield: 2-3 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
2 cups vanilla ice cream
3 chocolate chip cookies, broken up
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup milk
Whipped cream, chocolate chips, and extra cookies for garnish, if desired
1. Place vanilla ice cream, cookies, chocolate chips, and milk in blender. Make sure the lid is on tight and blend until smooth.
2. Pour chocolate chip cookie milkshake in glasses. Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate chips, and half chocolate chip cookie, if desired. Serve immediately.
Follow twopeasandpod on Instagram and show us what recipes you are making from our blog! Use the hashtag #twopeasandtheirpod! We want to see what you are making in your kitchen!


text:
By Gabi Miles
WHO: Henrico County, Va., Dept. of Public UtilitiesSERVICE AREA: 90,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in three counties and the City of Richmond, Va.CHALLENGE: Integrate performance data of new and existing treatment processesSOLUTION: Water Information Management Solution (WIMS) softwarePROVIDER: Hach Co.IMPLEMENTATION: $100,000, including offsite and onsite set-up and user training
Henrico County's 75 mgd Water Reclamation Facility recently added two six-stage enhanced nutrient removal (ENR) reactors and has almost finished upgrading two three-stage reactors to five-stage reactors. The additional nutrient removal capacity will ensure compliance with more stringent pollution standards: 5.0 mg/L for total nitrogen and 0.5 mg/L for total phosphorus on an annual average basis.
The facility's upgrade is part of an effort by U.S. EPA and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) to improve the quality of water entering the beleaguered Chesapeake Bay by reducing nitrogen by 17.5 million and phosphorous by 1 million pounds a year. Approximately 35% of the $24-million upgrade is eligible for reimbursement through a Water Quality Improvement Fund grant from VADEQ.
To make the most of their new-and-improved operations, managers realized they needed to streamline how they gather, process, and analyze the metrics associated with the plant's various functions. "Without effective processes to manage our data, we were very concerned that we wouldn't succeed in complying with the new nutrient limits," says Division Director James Grandstaff. "We needed to have real-time functional control of our equipment and processes as well as an improved ability to more effectively and efficiently leverage our data."
Before the upgrade, employees manually entered data from multiple entry points without a cohesive system for collecting or analyzing the information. Process data, lab data, and field logs were housed in three different Excel spreadsheets; equipment and process data was in a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system. Managers spent hours every month requesting, compiling, confirming, correcting, integrating, and analyzing this information to prepare three different Discharge Monitoring Reports.
This process ate up at least four hours of Grandstaff's time every week; Operations Superintendent Michael Chapman spent 10 to 15 hours a week filling out paperwork, re-entering data, and compiling quality control assessments. After all that time and effort, they still had no good way to evaluate seasonal performance trends, identify quality control opportunities, or perform correlations.
Generating meaningful operations reports from existing equipment was challenging enough, but it would be virtually impossible as new equipment came online and regulatory limits became tighter. So they invested in software that would allow them to monitor and manage systemwide performance from a central database without having to invest in new hardware as well.
Formerly known as OPS SQL, Hach Co.'s Water Information Management Solution (WIMS) compiles and secures data from multiple sources, converting information from systems such as SCADA, LIMS (lab information management), and CMMS (computerized maintenance management system) into easy-to-understand and usable formats like trend analysis charts and reports.
Each user logs in with a unique password that's tied to a specific level of access. Some have full administrative rights, some can only enter data in certain input forms, and some have read-only access. The program tracks input by time, date, and user, virtually eliminating any remaining possibility for data-tampering.
Facility managers can build their own WIMS dashboards so they can see the parameters for which they are responsible, and quickly monitor their processes with little support from IT. Chapman's dashboard, for instance, has direct links to the reports he tracks and time-stamped updates of LIMS and SCADA data imports.
Any operational data that's not automatically generated or incompatible with the SCADA interface — such as aerobic volume, internal recycle flow and carbon feed rates, and operational targets — is entered by operations staff. This data is typically collected in the field, so Hach provided WIMS training for portable devices to keep manual entry to a minimum.
Because Henrico County's security policy requires the system to reside on its own server, some SCADA data must still be transferred by jump drive each day. Grandstaff hopes to resolve the issue soon, as the policy is being revised.
The configurable software integrates data from all plant functions to provide a visual of overall performance that managers can access any time of day or night. The county's IT Department used the software's "automated tasks" function to set up three e-mails a day that provide the status of all vital processes at a glance.
Reports are populated as the data is generated (according to preset calculations), so regulatory and business reports can essentially be reviewed in real time. Managers review their monthly Discharge Monitoring Report whenever they want instead of waiting for and compiling data every few weeks.
Buildings and Facilities
Computerized Maintenance...
Funding and User Fees
Determining an appropriate accommodation is a case-by-case decision. The principal test...
Innovyze, a provider of business analytics software and technologies for smart wet...
Stormwater Management
If your agency uses WinSLAMM source loading and management software, you can earn .75...
Richmond, VA
A manufacturer of AWWA-C-303 bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipe is giving municipal...
Barack Obama
President Obama's Dec. 16 signature gave the U.S. $1.1 trillion to live on in 2015....
Environmental Protection...
Information Management
Please read our Content Guidelines before posting.
Copyright ©
2016 Hanley Wood Media, Inc. All rights reserved.


text:
Achieve your goals on-campus,
on-site and online.
Executive Education
Executive Education
- Home
- Custom Programs
- Supply Chain Certificate
- Business Analytics Certificate
- Real Estate Development Certificate
- Leadership Development
- Services Leadership
- Entrepreneurship
Achieve your goals on-campus,
Gain valuable insights from
world-renowned W. P. Carey faculty.
Executive Education
Whether you're looking to broaden your personal knowledge or develop your company's workforce, the W. P. Carey School of Business is your one-stop resource. With access to more than 250 faculty members, internationally renowned for their expertise in a wide range of current topics, we develop the practical business education that will enable you to address your current and future business challenges.
Custom Programs
We can design a custom program tailored to your organization's needs, developing on education plan that translates into business results. We have extensive experience in designing unique programs across the wide range of business disciplines.
Certificate Programs
Business Analytics
Delivered online to fit your schedule, the business analytics certificate puts you on the cutting edge of a growing field: 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies report that they are running or will have Big Data initiatives, meaning more career opportunities for qualified data analysts. Gain the skills you need to advance your career in this exciting, growing field.
Supply Chain Management
Unlock the foundational and advanced knowledge you need to tackle, resolve, and manage complex problems that confront supply chain managers. The supply chain management certificate is offered 100% online, with areas of specialization to deepen your focus.
Real Estate Development
Through the innovative real estate development certificate, you will discover how the development process works, how the various parts interface, and key foundational principles to successfully develop real estate.
Leadership Development Workshops
Explore a broad range of topics and deepen your understanding of your current role, or the leadership opportunity you aspire to. Each four-hour leadership development workshop is led by faculty members who teach in the W. P. Carey School's highly ranked academic programs, and is focused on practical concepts and tools to immediately build your leadership capabilities.
Small Business Leadership Academy
An intensive, eight-week program designed to strengthen the business acumen of small business leaders in Arizona, the Small Business Leadership Academy consist of lectures, case discussions, group exercises, and simulations — all geared to provide you with key takeaways to help you grow your businesses.
Contact Us
Move Your Team Forward
In-depth W. P. Carey Executive Education programs can develop your leaders and deliver key insights.play video


text:
My name is Ash Ketchum.
Last week, I was traveling the Sinnoh wilderness with my pals Brock and Dawn and my best friend Pikachu. We were caught in a storm one night and sought shelter at an out of the way Pokemon Center. The four of us entered expecting to be greeted by the local Nurse Joy but there was none. The lights were on and everything was working but the Center was abandoned. There was no nurse or any Pokemon in sight. It was unusual but we were too tired to be susPicious of anything. We had figured the nurse and her chansey must have stepped out for a short while. Dawn left a note on the counter and we headed for the guest bedchamber.
I slept only for a short while on my bunk when Pikachu and I were awakened by a loud thud. Brock had fallen from of the ladder while climbing off the top. He really shouldn't squint so much, I thought. He mumbled something about getting a drink of water and dragged himself out of the room. Pikachu and I fell back asleep.
We awoke the next morning to a bright sunrise shining through the window. Pikachu leapt over to Dawn's bunk and stirred her as I stood to awaken Brock from his loftier mattress. He wasn't there.
I asked Dawn if he'd gotten up earlier but she was as clueless as I over Brock's whereabouts. She went to the adjoining bathroom to freshen up while I stepped into the hall to look for our missing friend. Knowing Brock, he had probably found Nurse Joy and was frightening her with sad, romantic advances.
Our attention was drawn to the murmur of the TV in the lobby. There was Brock, settled in a waiting room chair transfixated to whatever news story was on. I was about to ask what was so interesting but then I heard slivers of what the reporters had been saying.
"A radical new infection has sPread all over the Sinnoh Region. Countless Pokemon afflicted. Exhibiting dangerous behavior. Turning on trainers. Heightened resilience to injury."
Brock said something about being relieved to be in a backwater Pokemon Center.
That's when we heard Dawn screaming. The three of us ran over to the guest bathroom to find the girl wide-eyed and terror stricken, pointing her shaky finger at something lying in the shower; a half-eaten corpse, mutilated almost beyond the point of recognizing it's former identity. I say almost because, though ripped to shreds, the uniform gave it away. It--she was Joy.
Dawn couldn't believe it but Brock confirmed that it was in fact one of the many identical nurses we've come to know in our travels. And if anybody can identify a Nurse Joy, Brock can. Still, Dawn had begged the question; what could have done this?
As if to answer her, we turned our heads to see something waddle up to the doorway. It was a Chansey, and almost certainly Joy's. But there was something disturbingly wrong with that Pokemon. Its eyes were glazed over, its pink hide was tinged with a shade of gray and it's mouth was smeared with dry blood.
Dawn hadn't seen any of the news report so when she asked Brock and I what was going on, we almost forgotten that it was possible for her to remain in the dark about this terrifying new development in the world. But this wasn't quite the time to answer her. Instead I commanded Pikachu to blast away at Chansey with a thunderbolt and to not hold back.
Nor could I have done so any sooner, for the shell of a formerly gentle and friendly Pokemon lunged at me crying out in a disPairing shriek that still rings in my ears. Chansey crashed into to hallway wall beyond, burned all over and with a substantial chunk of its side blown off.
The four of us wasted no time in escaping. Within seconds, we were out of that Pokemon Center and putting as much distance between it and us as possible. A minute later, we were in the woods when I suggested we all halt and process what had just happened. In doing so, Brock explained the situation to Dawn and told me a few things as well.
The night before, he had gone to get a drink when a story on the late news had caught his attention and he had been watching it until Pikachu and I found him that morning. While we were trekking the woods, Pokemon all over Sinnoh and parts of Kanto, Johto and Hoenn were attacking other Pokemon, sPreading a bizarre new virus turning them into--for lack of a better term--zombies. Undead Pokemon sPreading the infection among their living and with it, a taste for human flesh.
It seemed to sPread fastest in cities among trained Pokemon with lots of people to feed off of, Brock concluded. That's why we haven't run into any yet in the forest. But more than anything, we were just lucky.
The four of us had been faced with the dilemma of where to turn now. I suggested we return to the Pokemon center. Dawn protested but I insisted that it was not only the single outpost of civilization within two miles, but we could fortify the building and contact help. As for the zombie Chansey, it had doubtless been sufficiently dealt with by Pikachu's thunderbolt and if not, we would continue zapping the creature until it was reduced to ashes.
If Dawn or Brock were about to argue my point, I never found out. I had no sooner finished explaining my plan than we all turned to a sound of running in the woods. Roughly a hundred yards away and up a hill, a small pack of Poochyena and Mightyeana had charged out of the bushes and made a b-line for our group. We turned tail and ran back for the Pokemon Center, not wishing to find out whether the wild Pokemon had been infected and just assumed they were.