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College Hockey:Cockburn Starts, Finishes Matters For Wildcats
NMU Edges Cornell In 2OT At Everblades
ESTERO, Fla. — Northern Michigan's hard-earned, double-overtime 4-3 win over Cornell began and ended with Bryce Cockburn.
After the 17 scoreless and largely uneventful opening minutes of the contest, Cockburn broke the 0-0 tie with his first goal of the game, and after 29:17 without a score in overtime, Cockburn's second tally gave the Wildcats the win.
Chad Theuer had a goal and two helpers for the Wildcats, while Sam Paolini registered a goal and an assist for the Big Red. Craig Kowalski made 45 saves as Cornell outshot Northern Michigan 48-41.
"I think early in the game they overpowered us, really," said NMU head coach Rick Comley. "Their size and their energy — they were very physical against us, and we were really on our heels. They were outshooting us badly at one time."
In fact, the Big Red outgunned the Wildcats 17-9 in the first period, a span in which Cornell earned seven shots on goal in one power play alone — five by Doug Murray and two by Stephen Baby. The play of Kowalski and a stellar performance on the penalty kill by Jimmy Jackson kept Northern in the hunt until Cockburn's goal sparked the Wildcats.
Northern never trailed in the game, but the Wildcats' first two leads were very brief. Cockburn gave Northern a 1-0 lead at 17:38 on an odd-man rush that began with a heads-up play by Connolly in the Wildcat end, where the defender thwarted a Cornell rush by intercepting a pass. After Connolly shot the puck up to Chad Theuer in the neutral zone, Theuer flew up the left wing and waited for Cockburn to race up right, creating the two-on-one. Crashing into the left circle, Theuer passed right to Cockburn, who put it cleanly past Underhill without missing a stride to make it 1-0.
When Jackson was sent to the penalty box for slashing 55 seconds later, Cornell wasted little time in answering Cockburn's goal. At 18:44, Paolini popped the puck over Kowalski as the Big Red swarmed the Northern net, and the first period ended 1-1.
The question-and-answer session continued in the second period when the teams exchanged goals within a minute's span. This time it was the Wildcats buzzing around Cornell's cage, and Dan Donnette lifted the puck over Big Red netminder Matt Underhill at 5:49.
At 6:38, the Big Red returned the favor when David Kozier backhanded it up and over Kowalski from the right of the crease, knotting the game 2-2.
Later in the second, Theuer stole the puck along the boards near the right circle in his own zone and took it coast to coast, skating in alone on Underhill and drawing the netminder left while waiting for his chance. Skating through the slot and past the net, Theuer backhanded it by the sprawling goaltender to put the Wildcats up 3-2 at 12:47.
A contested goal tied the game for Cornell at 11:26 in the third. On the power play, Mark McRae's blast from the right circle was thought at first to ricochet off the crossbar and out of harm's way. The green light was lit and the referee waved off the goal, but after a conference with the goal judge the officials ruled a goal had been scored, making the score 3-3.
"All I know is that I didn't see a goal light and the referee waved it off," said Comley. "It happened so fast that I just don't know."
The first overtime saw a lot of back-and-forth action with few good scoring chances. Cockburn's goal at 9:17 came after Underhill made a glove save on Theuer's initial shot from the slot. The puck popped up into the air and back over Underhill to the right corner, where Theuer skated into retrieve it, centering it for Cockburn. Cockburn's shot went in top-shelf.
"We got better as the game went on and played our best in the third period," said Comley. "I think we wore them down as the game went on."
In spite of being outgunned overall, the Wildcats outshot the Big Red 12-7 in the third and 10-8 in the first overtime.
"I thought we were pretty sharp the first period," said Cornell head coach Mike Schafer, who added that the arena was "hot and muggy."
"If someone would have capitalized on the chances that occurred earlier on," Schafer added, "the game would have been over earlier."
Cornell went 2-for-4 on the power play while Northern Michigan was 0-for-2. Underhill had 37 saves in the contest to Kowalski's 45.
"The big thing for us is that Craig [Kowalski] has really struggled the last couple of games, and so he bounced back for us," Comley said. "Jackson's confidence is back — a lot of people played well for us. It was a very good game."
Northern Michigan (10-6-1) meets the winner of the Maine-Ohio State contest in the title game of the second annual Everblades College Classic Tournament at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Cornell (8-3-1) will play the loser of Saturday's second game in the consolation at 4 p.m.
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Non-profit organizations must be very careful when it comes to keeping track of funds. Accepting payments and credit cards is not always easy for nonprofits to track and coordinate, but now, data management platform, NonProfitEasy, offers payment processing for its nonprofits, in partnership with Bluefin.
NonProfitEasy is the leading all-in-one data management software platform for small to mid-sized nonprofit organizations. . From CRM and database management, to events, donor engagement, and even fundraising, NonProfitEasy offers a one-stop, affordable, integrated software solution to help nonprofits focus on their passion—not their paperwork.
They have just announced their partnership with Bluefin Payment Systems, the leading financial technology provider of secure cloud-based integrated payment solutions for independent software vendors (ISVs), SaaS providers and major U.S. and Canadian merchants through the PayConex payment platform. This exclusive partnership will enable nonprofits to process credit card payments online, expanding NonProfitEasy's platform to better serve its customers and enhance their bookkeeping methods to boot.
"We started NonProfitEasy to help nonprofits manage their logistics and paperwork," says Lomesh Shah, founder of NonProfitEasy. "Today, with Bluefin, NonProfitEasy can help our customers more affordably manage and track payment processing."
Bluefin now provides NonProfitEasy's customers with seamless, integrated payment processing for donations, ticket sales, merchandise sales, memberships, auctions, and other fundraising activities completed through the cloud-based data management software system.
"Bluefin was already one of the payment processing options for our customers so when we decided to simplify the payment system and go with one provider, Bluefin was a natural choice," says Lomesh Shah, founder of NonProfitEasy. "We wanted the process to be secure, affordable, and simple to use, so we sought a partner who understood the needs and budget constraints of our nonprofit customers. Bluefin certainly meets that criteria and has delivered an integrated, competitively-priced payment processing feature that offers the highest level of security without sacrificing performance."
"The nonprofits who have selected NonProfitEasy as their software platform have consistently expressed their great satisfaction with the suite of services provided by NonProfitEasy," says Shane Harwell, VP of Business Development for Bluefin. "As we have worked with nonprofits, they often convey that the NonProfitEasy donor data management tools are very practical, user-friendly, and priced for the small to mid-sized nonprofit. For Bluefin to now be selected as the exclusive donation processing provider for NonProfitEasy is a natural progression between two companies who are so committed to overall value, donor data security, and stellar customer care."
Recording all non-profit work should be this easy. If you are involved with non-profit work and are hassled by the amount of time it takes to record financial data, check out NonProfitEasy. Let them do the work for you!

subset: commoncrawl


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A new video highlights the plight of Madagascar's protected tropical forests, which are falling prey to illegal logging and foreign contractors. Featuring Razia Said, Malagasy singer and songwriter, the video shows concerts to raise awareness about ill...
Tag Archives: protected area
January 22, 2012 by Jeremy Hance | No comments
Featured video: music in Madagascar to protest illegal logging
November 27, 2010 by madafan | 4 Comments
Rabary Désiré – I stand before you begging the world to do more than write about our problems in Madagascar
We must be strong and fearless in the face of continued corruption and habitat disturbance inside of Madagascar's precious National Parks. I have been warned before many times that it is dangerous to reveal the truth. But I believe very


text: Jan 30, 2013 16:26 Turkey Red Bean Stew Turkey Red Bean Stew Advocate staff photo by BILL FEIGTurkey Red Bean Stew is a great way to use up leftover holiday turkey and satisfy a cold day's craving for comfort food. Julie Kay Comments ADVOCATE-TESTED RECIPE Turkey Red Bean Stew Serves 6 to 8. Recipe is by Julie Kay, who says ham can be substituted for turkey. 2 cups small, dried red beans 2 cups cooked turkey slices or pieces 3 stalks celery, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 4 cups chicken broth 1½ cups water 1 cup wild rice 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes 1. Soak dried, red beans in enough water to cover them overnight. 2. Drain in morning. Pour beans into pot of boiling water and parboil for 15 minutes. Drain again before placing beans into slow cooker. Add in turkey, celery, onion and carrots. 3. Add in chicken broth, water, rice and crushed tomatoes. 4. Cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or until beans and rice appear done and most of liquid can be absorbed into mixture. Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe


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According to the AFRI website, the release of the request for applications for the AFRI Foundational Grants program has been moved from this month to September 2012.
Additional information is available at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/afri.html.
This post has not been tagged.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has modified its funding opportunity for proposals to improve the safety of the nation's food supply by reducing foodborne hazards. USDA intends to combine the fiscal year (FY) 2012 and FY 2013 opportunities and has increased the amount of funding available to approximately $10 million. The deadlines for the submission of letters of intent and full proposals have both been extended as outlined below. Please read the full Request for Application (RFA) for the changes to the previously announced food safety funding opportunity.
USDA seeks proposals with a focus on addressing emerging food safety issues, developing mitigation strategies for anti-microbial resistance, and improving the safety of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. The Obama Administration has identified food safety as one of five major challenge areas for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). USDA continues to build on the original goals announced for the competitive Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
In the Request for Applications, USDA seeks proposals in three areas:
Letters of Intent: Letters of Intent are required and are due September 17, 2012.
Due Date: Applications are due December 5, 2012.
Total Funding and Award Size: USDA plans to provide up to $10 million for new grants under this funding opportunity.
Critical and Emerging Food Safety Issues. USDA will support both basic and applied research on emerging pathogens with a particular emphasis on mitigation strategies. Also of interest are strategies to control contamination of foods not usually associated with such pathogens. Collaboration with industry and government are encouraged.
Standard Grants may be up to $300,000 total, including indirect costs, for a project period up to five years. USDA expects to make up to six awards. Research grants are requested. Applications for Conference and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants may also be submitted.
Effective Mitigation Strategies for Antimicrobial Resistance. USDA seeks grants addressing one or more of four topics: to identify critical points for mitigating antimicrobial resistance in animal production systems; to determine and assess effective mitigation strategies; to develop effective training and education materials; and to design studies to assess potential interventions.
Standard Grants may be up to $800,000 total, including indirect costs, for a project period up to five years. USDA expects to make up to six new awards. Integrated Projects are requested. Conference and FASE Grants will also be accepted. Applications from and collaborations with Minority-Serving Institutions, USDA EPSCoR institutions, and other small or mid-sized institutions are encouraged.
Safety of Fresh and Fresh-cut Produce. USDA identifies several challenges and seeks applications that focus on the ecology of foodborne pathogens in production, processing, and retail settings and strategies for countering such threats. Grants can also focus on how to improve methods of handling fresh and fresh-cut food products, and the development of new food processing technologies.
USDA seeks Standard Grants of up to $425,000, including indirect costs, for projects of up to five years. USDA anticipates making up to eight new awards. Integrated project proposals are requested. Conference and FASE Grants may also be submitted. Applications from and collaborations with Minority-Serving Institutions, USDA EPSCoR institutions, and other small or mid-sized institutions are encouraged.
Eligibility and Limitations: Eligible applicants include public, state, and private colleges and universities; Native American tribal organizations; non-profit organizations; small businesses; for-profit organizations other than a small business; and individuals.
Cost-sharing Requirement: Cost sharing is required under certain circumstances, including for equipment. If a funded grant is commodity specific and not of national scope, a one-to-one match can be required. There is some waiver authority available to the Secretary of Agriculture. Please see the full RFA referenced below for additional details.
Sources and Additional Information:
What: A live, online discussion on the future of agricultural researchWho: The field's leading voices, and youWhere: This is an online event. Please register here. When: July 25, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. EDTASPB is a founding member of Supporters of Agricultural Research (SOAR). We encourage you to participate in the online launch of this new organization, which aims to help increase funding for the competitive, investigator-initiated agricultural research supported by the USDA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). Please register here.
In introducing the House version of the Farm Bill,
Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) noted that the bill is
bipartisan and that his work with his Ranking Member, Rep. Collin Peterson
(D-MN) has "resulted in a reform-minded, fiscally responsible policy that is
equitable for farmers and ranchers in all regions and will lead to improved
program delivery." Rep. Peterson
characterized the bill as putting Congress a step closer to "complet[ing] work
on the 2012 Farm Bill before the current bill expires" on September 30. Rep. Peterson called on the House leadership
to take up the bill for debate by the full House of Representatives before the
August recess so the House and Senate can conference a final bill in September.
The Chairman and Ranking Member highlighted that the House
According to preliminary estimates by the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO), the House version of the Farm Bill would reduce federal direct
spending by an estimated $35.1 billion over ten years from current law
projections. This bill governs spending
on entitlement and mandatory programs that are not subject to annual
appropriations action by Congress. It
also authorizes appropriations for programs, such as the research and extension
programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which Congress must fund
each year in the appropriations bills.
The Committee adopts
reforms to nutrition entitlement programs, including significant changes to the
SNAP program, for net savings of nearly $16.1 billion over ten years. During Committee consideration of the bill,
amendments to reverse the SNAP program cuts and to scale them back to $4.5
billion, the amount approved in the Senate version of the bill, were defeated.
As does the Senate bill, the House bill achieves additional deficit
reduction by eliminating direct and countercyclical payments and related
payments for major commodity programs, such as wheat, corn, soybeans, etc. These provisions save $14 billion over ten
years. The Committee bill also includes
provisions to streamline and reform commodity policy. CBO estimates net savings from the commodity
programs at $23.6 billion over ten years.
The Senate bill saved $19.8 billion over ten years. The House bill continues crop insurance with
a goal of improving coverage for producers of all crops in all regions.
As does the Senate bill, the House bill proposes to
eliminate duplication and consolidate federal programs, such as conservation
programs. The House bill would save nearly
$6.1 billion over ten years from proposed changes in conservation programs.
For the USDA research and extension programs, the House bill
would largely extend current programs; however given current budget
constraints, the Committee reduces existing authorization levels (not actual
spending) by an estimated $500 million, and includes specific authorized
funding levels for programs with open-ended ("such sums as may be necessary")
authorizations. The House Committee also removes USDA's authority to fund non-competitive
The most controversial provision in the research title of
the bill is a requirement for USDA to institute a 1:1 match for applied research
grants that are commodity-specific or State-specific. While there is waiver authority for the
Secretary of Agriculture should such research be determined "a national
priority," there is significant concern over the requirement to match federal
funding on a dollar-for-dollar basis. An
amendment was offered by Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) to strike this provision
(Section 7127) from the bill. After
discussion and assurances by the Chairman and Ranking Member that they will
work with Committee Members, affected stakeholders, and USDA to craft a
consensus that could be included in the final bill, the amendment was
The House bill would extend the authorization for intramural
research through the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) through FY 2017. It would also reauthorize the National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) through FY 2017 and extend the
authorization for NIFA's extramural competitive grants program, the Agriculture
and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), at the current $700 million annual level
(AFRI is funded at $264.5 million in FY 2012).
The bill would also reauthorize funding for the Extension Service and
extends authority for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program.
The House Committee continues mandatory funding, as well as
authorizes additional appropriations if Congress so chooses, for Specialty Crop
Research, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension, and Beginning Farmer and
Rancher Development. CBO estimates
mandatory spending for research, extension, and related matters in the House
bill at $546 million over ten years. The
House broadens eligibility for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development grants
to military veterans, providing a set-aside of not more than five percent for
this purpose.
Also within the research title, as did the Senate, the House
bill would establish a new program to recruit, train, support, and retain
veterinarians. The bill authorizes $10
million for each fiscal year beginning in FY 2013.
The House version of the Farm Bill has no provisions
affecting the current formula grant programs for land-grant institutions. Formula programs authorized under the Hatch
Act and Smith-Lever Act have open-ended authorizations for appropriations at
"such sums as may be necessary."
The House bill does not address the indirect cost rate as
the 2008 Farm Bill did. Thus, under the proposed
House bill, the indirect cost rate remains at the current level of 30 percent established
in the FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations bill.
The House and Senate versions of the FY 2013 Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations
bill currently pending before Congress would extend the 30 percent indirect
cost rate for another year. The 2008
Farm Bill increased the indirect cost rate from 19 percent to 22 percent.
The House bill does not include provisions that would
establish a non-profit Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) to
promote a public-private partnership to leverage additional funding for
agriculture research. The Senate bill
includes language to create FFAR with mandatory funding of $100 million toward
this effort, which must be matched by non-federal funding through the
The House Farm Bill would extend existing energy programs
affecting rural areas for five years through FY 2017, including the Biomass
Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), which would be authorized at $20
million annually. In a significant
departure from the Senate bill, the House provides that these energy programs
are subject to funding by Congress through the annual appropriations
bills. The Senate bill provides nearly
$800 million in mandatory spending to continue existing energy programs, which
would require no further action by the Congress.
Following the completion of the House committee markup,
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack issued a statement that took issue with the recommended
deep cuts in the SNAP program and with "misguided" reductions to energy and
conservation programs. The Secretary
indicated that the Administration would work with Congress during the
legislative process to achieve a Farm Bill that is consistent with the
President's budget and policies.
To view the text of the House Committee-approved bill, a
summary of its provisions, and a section-by-section description of the bill,
please see http://agriculture.house.gov/singlepages.aspx?NewsID=1227&LSBID=1271.
On June 25, the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Directorate for Biological Sciences released a Dear Colleague Letter to notify the community of additional fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013 funding opportunities within the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). These opportunities are in addition to programs announced in specialized Program Solicitations, and aim to address the need for continued support of training at all levels.
Mid-Career Supplements in Organismal Biology
Supplemental funding will be available in FY 2012-2013 for existing IOS awards to support research visits, participation in training opportunities at other facilities, and the use of genome research facilities unavailable at the applicant's institution. Additionally, funds may also be requested for salary support of the applicant during the training period, if necessary.
Training Workshops
IOS seeks to fund "one or more hands-on workshops that provide one to three-week residential training experiences in wet lab and/or bioinformatics approaches to organismal research."
Research Experiences for Teachers and Research Assistantships for High School Students
Supplemental funding is available for Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) and Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS) research opportunities. IOS "encourages proposers to consider their inclusion in preliminary proposals and invited full proposals submitted to the FY 2013 IOS Core Program Solicitation."
For complete details and contact information, NSF's Dear Colleague letter is available at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12093/nsf12093.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
April 26, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry approved
legislation that, if enacted into law, would result in a far-reaching
reorganization of programs supporting the nation's farmers and ranchers. The bill,
S. 3240, the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, would dramatically
restructure farm income support and crop insurance programs, as well as
eliminate, consolidate, and streamline existing programs for conservation,
rural development, trade, nutrition, energy, research and extension, forestry,
and related programs for the five-year period through fiscal year (FY) 2017.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has announced he plans to take up the bill
for debate by the full Senate in the near future. Meanwhile, the House Agriculture Committee has
concluded hearings on the Farm Bill and anticipates preparing its own bill
later this summer.
the USDA research and extension programs, the Senate bill would largely extend
current programs. The bill would extend the authorization for intramural
research through the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) through FY 2017. The
Senate bill would also reauthorize the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture (NIFA) through FY 2017 and extend the authorization for NIFA's
extramural competitive grants program, the Agriculture and Food Research
Initiative (AFRI), at the current $700 million annual level (AFRI is currently
funded at $264.5 million in FY 2012). The bill would also reauthorize funding
for the Extension Service.
Senate version of the Farm Bill has no provisions affecting the current formula
grant programs for land-grant institutions. Formula programs authorized under
the Hatch Act and Smith-Lever Act have open-ended authorizations for appropriations
at "such sums as may be necessary."
Additionally, the Senate bill does not address the indirect cost rate as
the 2008 Farm Bill did. Thus, under the proposed Senate bill, the indirect cost
rate remains at the current level of 30 percent established in the FY 2012
Agriculture Appropriations bill. The 2008 Farm Bill increased the indirect cost
rate from 19 percent to 22 percent.
bill would establish a significant new research initiative in the creation of a
non-profit Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), which would
promote a public-private partnership to leverage additional funding for
agriculture research. The Senate bill includes mandatory funding of $100
million toward this effort, which must be matched by non-federal funding through
the Foundation.
Senate Farm Bill would extend existing energy programs affecting rural areas,
including the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), which would
be extended for five years through FY 2017 and would be authorized at $30
million annually. The most significant amendment adopted during the Committee
consideration of the bill would provide $800 million in mandatory spending to
continue existing energy programs. Of this amount, $26 million in mandatory
funding is provided each year through FY 2017 for BRDI.
For a full report
on the 2012 Farm Bill from our government affairs consultants, Lewis-Burke
Associates, please visit:
Farm Bill
On May 25, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released a Dear Colleague Letter to notify the scientific research and education community of the agency's efforts to increase Hispanic participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The recent announcement does not signal a new program; rather it reflects NSF's effort to expand educational opportunities to Hispanic students and researchers through existing programs. The announcement also signals NSF's intention to engage institutions of higher education in the process of attracting more Hispanic applicants to NSF programs. Although NSF has many programs for which Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and under-represented minority students are eligible to apply, there is no funding dedicated exclusively to HSIs.
NSF's Dear Colleague letter can be found here http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12081/nsf12081.jsp.
keeping with the current administration's interest in increasing U.S. scientist
collaborations with international researchers, the National Science Foundation
(NSF) hosted 47 leaders of funding agencies from 44 countries for the Global
Summit on Merit Review. The two-day
summit, held over May 14 and 15, culminated in the release of a Statement
of Principles for Scientific Merit Review and the formation of the Global Research
Council (GRC).
to NSF Director, Subra Suresh the newly formed GRC will be a "voluntary,…virtual
organization" for discussion of "shared goals, aspirations, and
principles, and provide a vehicle to unify science across the globe." In its inaugural year, the GRC will focus its
attention on strengthening scientific integrity and increasing open access
first GRC statement stresses six major principles for scientific merit review
including: expert assessment, transparency, impartiality, appropriateness, confidentiality,
and integrity and ethical considerations.
These principles set a global consensus to facilitate cooperation among funding
agencies and to provide guidance for implementation of merit review by new
funding agencies.
Open access
peer review
On April 19, the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee and the full Senate Appropriations Committee approved their respective versions of the fiscal year (FY) 2013 CJS appropriations bill, which funds the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). NSF, NIST, NOAA, and NASA are particular winners in the House bill. At this point, it is still too early to compare the House mark with the bill the Senate Appropriations Committee approved earlier today as details on the Senate bill remain scarce.
As previously reported, there is low likelihood of Congress passing any appropriations bills for FY 2013 before the November elections. Furthermore, the House appropriations bills will be a total of $19 billion below the level set in the Budget Control Act of 2011 (debt-limit agreement) while the Senate Appropriations Committee intends to write its bills to the higher level of $1.047 trillion approved last year in the Act. Below are additional details on NSF funding in the House CJS Subcommittee bill.
Similar to the Senate, the National Science Foundation (NSF) would continue to receive strong bipartisan support in the House, with the House Subcommittee proposing $7.333 billion overall for NSF, an increase of $299 million or four percent over FY 2012, $41 million or less than one percent below the FY 2013 request, and $60 million above the Senate mark. With the exception of the Research and Related Activities (R&RA) account, the Subcommittee would support all NSF accounts at the President's FY 2013 requested level. The Subcommittee would provide an increase of $254 million or five percent over FY 2012 to the R&RA account; however, this amount would be a decrease of $41 million or less than one percent below the President's request for FY 2013.
The House Subcommittee bill would fully fund OSTP at the President's request of $6 million, which is an increase of $1 million (30 percent) over the FY 2012 level.
House CJS Appropriations Bill, FY 2013
As reported by the House CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, 4/19/12
(In thousands)
National Science Foundation
FY 2012 Enacted
FY 2013 Request
House Mark*
Senate Mark†
House vs. Senate
NSF, total
7,332,513 (4.3%)
7,273,000 (3.4%)
Research & Related Activities (R&RA)
5,942,693 (4.5%)
Education & Human Resources (EHR)
875,610 (5.6%)
Major Research Equipment & Facilities Construction (MREFC)
196,170 (-0.5%)
Agency Operations & Award Management
299,400 (0%)
National Science Board (NSB)
4,440 (0%)
Office of Inspector General
14,200 (0%)
* Percentage comparison is to the FY 2012 enacted level.
† Percentage comparison is to the FY 2012 enacted level.
The House CJS Subcommittee's press release is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=290672.
The House CJS draft bill is available at http://appropriations.house.gov/UploadedFiles/BILLS-112HR-SC-AP-FY13-CommerceJusticeScience.pdf.
Chairman Wolf's opening remarks during the Subcommittee markup are available at http://appropriations.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=291030.
On April 17, the Senate
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations
Subcommittee approved its version of the fiscal year (FY) 2013 appropriations
bill, which funds the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
and Economic Development Administration (EDA). The bill is a mixed bag
for these agencies, of which NSF and NIST are the clearest winners as they
would receive substantial increases over their FY 2012 funding levels.
NASA Science also fares well. However, the bill would deal a heavy blow
to NOAA, by transferring its weather satellite programs to NASA, while EDA
would receive a decrease below the FY 2012 level. The Subcommittee passed
the bill on a 17 to one vote with Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) as the lone
opposing vote.
Although the overall CJS
bill would cut $1 billion from the FY 2012 level, it is important to note there
is low likelihood of Congress passing any appropriations bills for FY 2013
before the November elections as there is an extreme divide between both
Democrats and Republicans, as well as between the House and Senate. The
Senate plans to write the appropriations bills at the level agreed to last
August in the Budget Control Act while the House bills will be a total of $19
billion lower.
While no details are
available regarding specific NSF priorities and programs, the bill would fund
the National Science Foundation at $7.3 billion, down $100 million (1.4
percent) from the President's FY 2013 budget request, but $240 million or 3.4
percent above the FY 2012 level.
CJS Appropriations Bill, FY 2013
reported by the Senate CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, 4/17/12
FY 2013 Subcom Mark*
Subcom vs.
240,000 (3.4%)
-100,000 (1.4%)
1,600,000 (9.0%)
1,658,600 (9.4%)
NASA Science
-69,000 (1.4%)
93,500 (1.9%)
-1,470,000 (30.0%)
-1,623,871 (32.1%)
75,000 (10%)
-31,176 (3.6%)
-20,000 (7.8%)
17,781 (8.1%)
* Senate CJS numbers reflect amounts from the
Subcommittee press release, which have been rounded. Exact numbers are
not yet available.
† The increase to NASA reflects the proposal to move
NOAA's satellite procurement and management activities to NASA. Without
this large increase, the Senate CJS bill would cut NASA by $41.5 million below
the FY 2012 level.
The cut to NOAA reflects a proposal to move of NOAA's satellite procurement and
management activities, which constitute more than one-third of the agency's
budget, to NASA.
For additional information,
including the Subcommittee's press release, please see the Senate CJS
Appropriations Subcommittee website at: http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=6bc432b7-656b-4930-b0cf-bd3deef4fc3a.
On March 29, the Obama Administration announced a "Big Data Research
and Development Initiative"[1].
The Big Data initiative aims to develop new tools and techniques to manage vast
and complex data sets to help address societal challenges in areas such as
environmental and biomedical research, education, and national security.
initiative involves six Federal departments and agencies, including the
National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH),
Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),
Department of Energy (DOE), and the US Geological Survey (USGS). The agencies will invest more than $200 million to
improve how large data sets are accessed, organized and interpreted through a
number of ongoing and new activities. According to the White House press
release, the initiative aims to:
As part of the initiative, several new competitions were
announced at NSF, NIH, and DARPA. Below is information on selected individual
National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes
for Health (NIH) – Joint Solicitation: Core Techniques and Technologies for Advancing
Big Data Science & Engineering
This solicitation will advance
science and technology to manage, analyze, visualize, and extract information
from large data sets. According to the solicitation, proposals should
address one of three areas: data collection and management, data analytics, or
e-science collaborative environments. All proposals should also address
capacity building. NIH seeks proposals that tackle the above issues as
part of data sets related to health and disease, especially imaging, molecular,
cellular, electrophysiological, chemical, behavioral, epidemiological, or
clinical data sets.
Many offices at NSF and NIH are
participating in the solicitation. NSF offices include the Directorates
for Biological Sciences (BIO), Computer and Information Science and Engineering
(CISE), Education and Human Resources (EHR), Engineering (ENG), Geosciences
(GEO), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and Social Behavioral and
Economic Sciences (SBE); and the Offices of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI) and Polar
Programs (OPP). NIH offices include the National Cancer Institute (NCI),
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), National
institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute of General Medical Sciences
(NIGMS), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS),
National Library of Medicine (NLM), and National Human Genome Research
Institute (NHGRI).
Letters of Intent:
Letters of Intent are not required.
Due Dates: No preliminary
proposals are required. Full proposals are due June 13, 2012 for
mid-scale projects and July 11, 2012 for small-scale projects.
Total Funding and Award Size:
NSF and NIH plan to award a total of $25 million to 15 to 20 projects.
Small-scale awards will be up to $250,000 per year for up to three years, while
mid-scale awards will be up to $1 million per year for up to five years.
Eligibility and Limitations:
This solicitation uses regular NSF eligibility requirements. There are no
limits on the number of proposals that can be submitted per organization.
Principal investigators are limited to two proposals.
Additional Resources: Contacts
and additional information are available at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504767.
NSF Dear
Colleague Letter – IGERT-CIF21 Track
NSF has released a Dear Colleague letter to alert the
community that it will establish a Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21st
Century Science and Engineering (CIF21) track in its Integrative Graduate
Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program. The CIF21 track aims
to educate and support the next generation of researchers working on big data
issues. NSF will publish a funding opportunity with more details
shortly. The Dear Colleague letter is available at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12059/nsf12059.jsp.
NSF Dear
Colleague Letter – Data-Intensive
Education-Related Research Funding Opportunities
EHR, SBE, CISE, and OCI released a joint Dear
Colleague letter to alert the community that a solicitation on data-intensive
education research will be released shortly. The solicitation will call
for participants in an Ideas Lab to "advance teaching and learning focused on
transforming large datasets into knowledge that leads to actions that can
improve learning environments". NSF expects to fund a range of research
projects generated at the Ideas Lab. The Dear Colleague letter also highlights
existing NSF funding opportunities in this area. The Dear Colleague
letter is available at http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12060/nsf12060.jsp.
Other Activities
In addition to the new
competitions listed above, NSF, DOE, and USGS announced newly awarded grants
and projects:
National Institutes of Health
(NIH) – 1,000 Genomes Project Data Available on Cloud
NIH posted the 1000 Genomes
Project data on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) computing cloud. According
to the NIH press release,[2] the
data set is the world's largest on human genetic variation and will now be available
for use by researchers.
National Science Foundation
(NSF) – New Big Data Awards in Ongoing Initiatives
A complete listing of NSF
announcements related to Big Data is available at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=123607.
Department of Energy (DOE) –
New Scientific Discovery Through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) Institute
DOE announced[8] a $25 million award to create a new
SciDAC Institute, the Scalable Data Management, Analysis, and Visualization
Institute (SDAV). SDAV will be led by Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory and will bring together six national laboratories and seven
universities to help scientists manage and visualize data from large and complex
simulations run on DOE supercomputers.
US Geological Survey – Big
Data for Earth System Science Awards
The John Wesley Powell Center
for Analysis and Synthesis[9]
announced its latest round of awards, which will contribute towards the Big
Data initiative. These awards will help improve understanding of a range
of issues including how species respond to climate change, earthquake
recurrence rates, and the next generation of ecological indicators.
Ongoing Programs
The White House also compiled an extensive listing of
ongoing programs across the Federal government that relate to Big Data
challenges: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/big_data_fact_sheet.pdf.
[1] http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/big_data_press_release_final_2.pdf.
[2] http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2012/nhgri-29.htm.
[3] http://earthcube.ning.com/ and http://www.nsf.gov/geo/earthcube/.
[4] http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503169.
[5] http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5732.
[6] http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5671.
[7] http://www.diggingintodata.org/.
[8] http://energy.gov/articles/secretary-chu-announces-new-institute-help-scientists-improve-massive-data-set-research-doe.
[9] http://powellcenter.usgs.gov/.
President Obama
On March
29th, new legislation to establish a Foundation for Food and
Agriculture Research was introduced by Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Pat
Roberts (R-KS), Chairwoman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition,
and Forestry, respectively. The foundation
that would be created by the legislation aims to facilitate public/private partnerships
and leverage private investments in food and agriculture research. The full text of the bill can be found here: http://roberts.senate.gov/public/_pdf/WEI12224.pdf.
ASPB has been working closely
with an ad hoc group in support of
food and agriculture research, spearheaded by ASPB member and former NIFA
Director Roger Beachy, to elevate the perception of and need for food and
agriculture research in general and specifically to establish a foundation
similar to that proposed in the legislation, but with the ultimate goal of a
federal match on private investments.
The ad hoc coalition garnered
support for the legislation through a letter with nearly 100 scientific
societies (including ASPB), growers' and producers' associations, universities,
and private companies signing on. The
letter and list of signatories can be found here: http://1.usa.gov/H40Wa2.
One extremely successful
precedent for a similar foundation is the Foundation for the National Institutes of
Health (http://www.fnih.org/), which has
raised more than $500 million dollars supplementing NIH research funding in its
15 year existence.
It is expected that this legislation will be wrapped up into Farm
Bill discussions. Accordingly,
Chairwoman Stabenow stated in a press release (http://roberts.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=53df1ead-a114-4009-8704-57603b91b6c1),
"The potential to create this foundation as part of the new farm bill is yet
one more reason to get the farm bill completed as soon as possible."
Farm Bill
Consistent with ASPB's response earlier this year to an Office of Science and Technology Policy request for information on similar topics, Taylor will argue that the government should adopt sensible, flexible, and cautious approaches to drafting and revising public access policies or regulations. These approaches should engage all concerned parties, including federal agencies, scientists, university administrators, librarians, publishers, and the public and should foster innovation and collaboration. Policies should focus on providing access to the definitive version of an article, which is typically hosted on the publisher's website; developing robust metadata standards; and ensuring increased interoperability among journal articles and other valuable sources of information online. Policies should also recognize and embrace the global nature of scientific research and scholarly publishing. Taylor will further testify that government mandates that specify business models or embargo periods are detrimental to collaborative progress toward improved access to and utility of scholarly information online. Please see full written testimony.
Taylor has served as the Executive Director of ASPB since 2004. He previously held the positions of news and reviews editor and managing editor at The Plant Cell (http://www.plantcell.org), which is published by ASPB, and he has also worked at Science's Next Wave (now part of Science Careers website, http://www.sciencecareers.org) where he collaborated with AAAS's Education and Human Resources unit to develop the Minority Scientists' Network (http://www.miscinet.org).
For more information on the hearing, including other public witnesses and a link to the live webcast, please see the following website: http://science.house.gov/hearing/subcommittee-investigations-and-oversight-hearing-examining-public-access-and-scholarly.
Open access
On Friday, March 9th, President Obama announced
his intent to appoint Sonny
Ramaswamy as the next Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Ramaswamy will be replacing Acting Director
Chavonda Jacobs-Young, who filled the vacancy left by former Director and ASPB
member Roger Beachy last spring.
Ramaswamy is currently the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences
at Oregon State University where he has served since 2009 and Director of the
Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. Previously he has held the positions of Associate
Dean of Purdue's College of Agriculture and head of the Department of
Entomology at Kansas State University.
Ramaswamy's research has focused on the reproductive biology
of insects and the interaction between insects and crop plants including pests
of wheat, cotton, beans, and trees. He
has been honored for his scientific contributions as a Fellow of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow of the Entomological Society
of America, and Distinguished Graduate Alumnus of Cook College, Rutgers University. Congratulations to Dr. Ramaswamy as he begins
his new position at NIFA.
President Obama
This week both sides of the House of Representatives
spoke out in support of passing the 2012 farm bill this year on The Hill's Congress Blog: Where
lawmakers come to blog. Representative
Vicky Hartzler (R-Missouri) and Representative
Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) both highlighted the importance of agriculture to
our nation's economy.
Rep. Hartzler stressed that, "Only about half of 1
percent of the [federal] budget supports food production -- a very small
investment to keep our food supply safe, affordable and reliable." Furthermore, funding of research for food and
agriculture makes up an even smaller fraction of the one half of one percent. Rep. Hartzler called out the importance of
agricultural research in feeding a growing global population. "Crop yields have
increased tremendously over the past few years due to improved genetics and
enhanced crop protection products…continued improvements are necessary to feed
the world."
Rep. Cuellar worries about other pieces of long-term
legislation taking precedence over the farm bill and the effects of not passing
the bill this year. "Without a new farm
bill, USDA is unable to assist with new difficulties that have arisen since
2008 - such as the expanding citrus diseases – and cut areas that have out
lived their usefulness."
In February, ASPB joined 86 other organizations by signing
letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership in support of
completing the farm bill in 2012. We
will continue to monitor the Farm Bill debate and provide updates on its
Farm Bill
Associates LLC – February 22, 2012
On February
7, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)
released the report, "Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional
College Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM)." This report on
undergraduate education is a follow-up to an earlier PCAST report on K-12 STEM education that was released in September
2010, and both are centered on the goal of creating a STEM-capable
workforce. The new report focuses on the first two years of undergraduate
learning, which PCAST considers a crucial step in the STEM pipeline.
The recommendations are:
response to the PCAST report, the President announced new initiatives in the fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget request to support the
The full PCAST report can be
found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-engage-to-excel-v11.pdf.
Additional information,
including a shorter fact sheet and a webcast of the report release can be found
at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp/pcast.
Information on the White House
commitments announced in response to the report are available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast-related_initiatives_fact_sheet.pdf.
Shape the Future of Student Pugwash USA.
Are you passionate about
issues in science and technology policy or science, technology, and
society? Do you want to be a leader in engaging young people on these
issues? Want to help decide the future of a student-run national nonprofit with
over 30 years of experience in promoting social responsibility in science and
technology? If so, apply today to become a student board member of Student
Pugwash USA.
The Board of Directors is
different from many other national social benefit organizations because
students make up almost a third of it, with full voting rights just like all
other board members. Student Board Members will work with the full Board
of Directors to help set SPUSA's national priorities and agenda, foster and
maintain our network of students, manage our social media strategy and blog,
and help to develop funding for programs and activities for engaging students
in critical issues relating to science and technology policy. Current
SPUSA programs include a 2012 science, technology, and society in the elections
contest; SPUSA alumni networking happy hours; and an under development Student
Pugwash fellowship program.
Position Summary: AWIS is seeking a
self-motivated, dynamic, and enthusiastic individual who supports the mission
of our organization and is ready to hit the ground running in this exciting and
rigorous Public Policy Fellowship.
Responsibilities: The Public Policy
Fellow at AWIS is responsible for many aspects of the National Office's
advocacy operations. The Fellow will attend all Congressional briefings and
coalition meetings on Capitol Hill related to women, science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) that are relevant to the AWIS mission, and
will be expected to keep a detailed record of all policy initiatives and events
via three main outlets:
AWIS in Action! Advocacy and Public Policy Newsletter,
AWIS Magazine and
AWIS website.
addition to attending regular meetings and events, the Fellow is expected to be
engaged with the women's community as well as the STEM community; building
partnerships, coalitions, and making connections across all disciplines and
types of organizational/institutional entities.
Requirements: Successful
applicants will have at least a Bachelor's degree in a field related to
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), or some other field
with a focus on data analysis or scientific writing. As the Fellow will write
and edit our monthly AWIS in Action! Advocacy and Public Policy
Newsletter, a strong command of writing in English is essential. A successful
applicant must be able to demonstrate critical thinking skills, editing, and
writing ability. Must have a solid understanding of political processes.
Capitol Hill experience or comparable advocacy experience strongly preferred.
Instructions: Send
a cover letter, resume/CV, and short writing sample (no more than 5 pages) to
firstname.lastname@example.com with the words "Public Policy Fellowship" in the subject line.
Duration: 1-2 Years
Deadline: February 15, 2012
Associates LLC – January 2012
January 9, the National Science Foundation's (NSF) National Science Board (NSB)
published a report titled NSF Merit Review Criteria: Review and Revisions.
After extensive review and stakeholder consultation, the NSB concluded that
Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts should be maintained as the two review
criteria used to assess NSF proposals. The report provides clarification
on the meaning of the two criteria and how they should be applied in the merit
review process.
previously reported by Lewis-Burke Associates, an NSB Task Force on Merit
Review was established in February 2010 to examine the effectiveness of the two
Merit Review Criteria. The Task Force sought extensive stakeholder
engagement including: interviews with senior NSF staff; a public consultation
resulting in over four thousand responses from reviewers and Principal
Investigators; data from two hundred Committee of Visitor Reports; and data
from over 100,000 research proposals submitted to NSF between 2006-09.
concluded that while the two criteria remain appropriate, there is a need to
provide greater clarity on each of the criteria and explain how they relate to
the NSF core principles. The updated review criteria definitions are:
also established a set of overarching principles for merit review:
addition to the new principles and definitions for the two criteria, NSB has
provided revised guidance on elements that should be considered in the review
process for both criteria. This guidance will replace the
individual guidance currently provided for each of the two criteria.
report notes that the Broader Impacts criterion is required as an element of
merit review under the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act. The COMPETES
Reauthorization states that the overall goals of the broader impact criterion
should be increased or improved to address issues including: economic competitiveness;
global science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce
competitiveness; participation of women and underrepresented
minorities; partnerships with industry; preK-12 STEM education;
undergraduate STEM education; public scientific literacy; and national
security. However, NSB recommended that NSF not include this list or
other examples of broader impacts in the criteria to avoid being too
prescriptive or restricting the creativity of NSF researchers.
will be implementing the enhanced merit review criteria in subsequent months.
full report is available at http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/publications/2011/meritreviewcriteria.pdf.
current criteria can be found at http://nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf11001/gpg_3.jsp#IIIA.
you may be aware, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee recently
approved the Grant Reform and New Transparency (GRANT) Act, H.R. 3433.
The bill, which the full House has not considered, is intended to provide more
transparency in the federal grant-making process by requiring all federal
agencies to publicize the selection procedures for each grant program. It also mandates the White House Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) create a single, comprehensive website for all
federal grant opportunities, among other provisions.
Many in the research community have concerns with the bill's
transparency requirements in the peer-review process, which include the posting
of full copies of funded proposals online (albeit with an exception for
information that is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)). Although many efforts have been made to
effect positive changes in the bill, the amount of disclosure required is still
potentially damaging to the peer-review process. As such, Representatives Rush Holt (D-NJ) and
David Price (D-NC) have drafted a "Dear Colleague" letter, which can be viewed here, to the House
leadership urging them to fix these remaining issues; Reps. Holt and Price also
are seeking additional signatories to the letter from among their
ASPB is closely
monitoring this bill and working to remove damaging provisions in the
legislation. If you have concerns with
the GRANT Act, you can share them with your Representative and/or encourage
them to sign on to the Holt-Price Dear Colleague letter. Contact information for your
Representative is available at http://house.gov/representatives/. You
can either call their Washington, D.C., office or send an e-mail via your
Representative's website. If you do not
know who your Representative is, you can enter your zip code into the above
website to find out. The deadline for additional signatories to
the Dear Colleague letter has been extended to Friday, January 27.
If you'd like help reaching out to your Representative,
please contact ASPB's Public Affairs Manager, Kathy Munkvold, at firstname.lastname@example.com.
peer review
9/28/2015The Origin and Spread of "Emperor's Rice"
8/25/2015ASPB joins AIBS letter to Senate Commerce on reauthorization of COMPETES
8/21/2015New Edition of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Plants Launches
6/1/2016 » 6/30/2016Bringing RNA-Seq into Undergraduate Education: Virtual Workshop, June 2016
7/9/2016 » 7/13/2016Plant Biology 2016
9/5/2016 » 9/9/201612th ISPA Conference - Plants in action - coping with low oxygen
15501 Monona Drive
Rockville, MD 20855-2768 USA
Phone: 301-251-0560
Fax: 301-279-2996
© Copyright American Society of Plant Biologists 2014 (All Rights Reserved)


text:
VIDEO: Football Spring Practice - Day 8 - Offensive Line
Spotlight on the UMass football offensive line at practice on April 1
Minutemen Football Supports Autism Awareness 3K/5K Run And Walk
UMass team comes together to volunteer at and run in the Amherst Center event
Football To Host Coaches Clinic On April 4-6
Football coaches are invited to join the UMass coaching staff for this great weekend.
Football To Host Inaugural Coaches Clinic April 12-14
Head coach Charley Molnar invites coaching staffs to attend this three day event
FB vs. BC
FB vs. BC Photos by Thom Kendall '93
Shane Waldron joined the UMass staff as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2012 - bringing with him experience at the professional level as a coach in the NFL and UFL. He also served three seasons on the coaching staff at Notre Dame, helping the Fighting Irish to a pair of bowl appearances.
UMass redshirt-junior Rob Blanchflower developed into a reliable target for quarterbacks Mike Wegzyn and A.J. Doyle during Waldron's first season leading the tight ends. Blanchflower finished with career-highs in receptions (43), yards receiving (464), receptions per game (4.3) and yards per game (46.4). His season-long success under Waldron's guidance culminated in a 10-catch, 100-yard game in the 2012 season finale, becoming the first UMass tight end to record a 100+ yard receiving performance in 14 years.
In 2010, Waldron served as the wide receivers coach for the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League.
Prior to his stint in the UFL, Waldron worked with the New England Patriots for a number of years. Beginning in 2002, Waldron served as an operations intern, helping to prep game plans and playbooks, as well as assisting in the day to day running of an NFL team. In 2004, Waldron was promoted to the title of an operations assistant, handling special teams quality control duties and overseeing the completion of weekly game plans.
After leaving the Patriots to coach at Notre Dame, Waldron returned to New England in 2008 where he served as a Quality Control Coach for the offensive. Here, he helped to implement and develop the offensive system. In 2009, he served as the tight ends coach creating and implement a strategic and successful offense. From 2005 until 2007, Waldron worked at Notre Dame as an Offensive Graduate Assistant, evaluating recruits, helping to run special teams, and assisting with the coaching line. With the Irish, he was a part of two of the most explosive offenses in school history as both the 2005 and 2006 units averaged at least 31 points per game and 389 yards. During his time there he helped coach an offense that included Brady Quinn, Darius Walker and Jeff Samardzija.
Most recently, Waldron worked as an offensive coordinator at the Buckingham Browne and Nichols High School in 2011 and also as a Northeast Sports Consultant. In both jobs, Waldron gained experience working with high school talent.
A native of Portland, Ore., Waldron is a 2002 graduate of Tufts University where he was a three-year letterman as a tight end and long snapper.
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Blog Group
Veteran's Day Program
Puyallup's annual Veteran's Day Program was held on November 11th, at the Pioneer Park Pavilion, with over 550 people in attendance. The Veteran's Day program is an annual celebration of music and traditional patriotic ceremony that salutes the Armed Forces and celebrates Veterans from all branches of the military. Music was provided by members of the I Corps Army Band, JBLM Jazz Combo, Puyallup Tapestry Singers, and the Kalles Junior High School choir.Following the program, attendees were invited to a free exhibit of the art of Chris Hopkins, who is a nationally renowned, award-winning artist and an official artist of the Air Force. His work was on display in the lobby of City Hall and Gallery 3. Original paintings and sketches of Tuskegee Airmen, mythological characters, and other works were included. A special thanks to the staff of Gallery 3 for their coordination of the Artist's exhibit. This event is sponsored by VFW Post 2224, American Legion Post 67, Fleet Reserve Association 104, and the City of Puyallup.
Bond Refinancing Opportunity
The City is looking into an opportunity to issue refund bonds to save approximately $350,000, depending on market conditions and other factors. The City's underwriter, Dave Trageser of D.A. Davidson, is proposing the refunding of a portion of our 2007 limited tax general obligation bonds. This would be strictly refunding – no new money – and is similar to what Council approved earlier this year, which established a minimum savings target of 3%. Final results of that refunding were a savings of about 5.5% or $815,000 over 13 years. The delegation of authority ordinance is anticipated to come before the City Council in December for first reading, with second reading in January. The ordinance delegates authority to approve the final deal for up to 120 days, based on the parameters set by Council.
Citizen's Academy Going Strong
The Citizen's Academy is at approximately the halfway point, and feedback from the twenty students has been very positive. The citizens have been on field trips to the Court and the Communications Center, and have driven a police car through a low-speed skills course. This past week, they learned about impaired driving and got to drive the Gem car (the golf cart displayed at the Fair), through an obstacle course while wearing "drunk goggles". These goggles are designed to simulate being under the influence. This was a fun, but also eye-opening experience for the participants!
This weekend they will get to be involved in firearms training utilizing the department's airsoft firearms. The students will be making shoot/no-shoot decisions to give them an idea of what officers face routinely. The class will graduate in January.
15th Ave Stormwater Replacement
As part of a $2.184 million line item in the State's Capital Projects Budget, the completion of the remaining 15th Ave SW storm line (from Stewart to Pioneer) has been substantially funded. The balance of the project construction costs will come from existing utility funds. The project will consist of construction of a 48" diameter main line extending from the existing trunk line at the railroad tracks on Stewart Street to connect to the 30" diameter main on Pioneer. The completed project will help reduce flooding in the downtown and residential core areas. It will reduce stormwater flows into Clarks Creek, diverting them to the Puyallup River. The project will also include updates to the water and sanitary sewer systems on 15th Street.
The contract with the consultant has been approved and the plans are being updated for a final review in early December. The bid date will take place in early 2014, with construction anticipated to start in June 2014, immediately after school is out. This will help reduce impacts to Aylen Jr. High which fronts the project.
PPD Engages in Voluntary Audit As Part of a Proactive Effort to be a "Best Practices" Agency
The Puyallup Police Department (PPD) recently had an audit of police operations conducted by members of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs' (WASPC) Loaned Executive Management Assistance Program (LEMAP). The team of five assessors spent two days at PPD interviewing employees, reviewing policies, and evaluating processes. The assessors conducted an exit interview with the PPD command staff and a written report is expected the first week in December.
The assessment team consisted of a captain from Bremerton PD, an assistant chief from Fife PD, a commander from Lacey PD, the records supervisor from Auburn PD, and the director of professional services from WASPC. The audit process is part of the department's continuing effort to move towards being a best practice agency.
3rd St SW Improvements Near Completion
This project, located between 4th Ave SW and West Main, recently reached a major milestone with the installation of asphalt paving. The project has improved water mains, sewer lines, and improved storm drainage along 3rd St SW. Overhead utilities have been relocated underground as part of this project as well. The project has been funded by a Commerce Department grant, LIFT grant, and utility funds. Sidewalks, landscaping, and street lights are scheduled to be completed by the end of the month.
Development Services Update
Two new food establishments (both located on South Meridian just south of 39th Avenue) have completed their permitting/construction processes and are planning to open for business this month. Dickey's Barbeque, located at 3932 South Meridian (formerly Skipper's Restaurant), is opening this week and will serve a range of BBQ dishes. Across the street, on the east side of South Meridian, Jersey Mike's is expected to open their new sub sandwich shop within the next two weeks. This is the first Jersey Mike's location in the Puyallup area.
The City's Design Review & Historic Preservation Board has scheduled a meeting on Thursday, November 21st at 4:00 pm, in the 5th Floor City Hall Council Chambers. The Board's agenda for this meeting includes three items directly related to local facilities:
1. A public hearing to consider the proposed naming of the planned Pioneer Park splash pad recreational play area;
2. A public hearing to consider the proposed re-naming of the 5th Street NE/Milwaukee Avenue bridge as the "Veterans Bridge"; and
3. A request from the Puyallup School District for review of proposed sign banners for the PSD Headquarters building at Pioneer and South Meridian. The City sign code allows the Board to consider "innovative" sign proposals which otherwise do not fully comply with the City sign code standards.
Clarks Creek Sediment Removal Process Update
The City has received permits and/or approval from most of the required permitting agencies for the Sediment Removal Demonstration Project planned for 2014 in a pilot section of Clarks Creek. However, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) has asked for time to take a closer look at the application submittal, including the various monitoring plans requested. In consideration of this being the first project of its type permitted in Washington State, WDFW is evaluating the plans to ensure the monitoring period is long and thorough enough to effectively evaluate the process.
Holiday Emphasis Patrols
The Puyallup Police Department will once again be conducting their Holiday Emphasis campaign "Not In Puyallup." The Problem Oriented Policing team along with the Crime Prevention Coordinator, are finalizing plans for the 2013 holiday season. PPD will be working with local businesses, PPD volunteers, civic organizations, and high school leadership during this emphasis.
In addition to crime prevention efforts during the holidays, PPD will also be utilizing the Cost Recovery Fund to staff impaired driving patrols during peak times. The Puyallup Police Department's goal during this campaign is to reduce instances of vehicle prowls and auto thefts, as well as reducing impaired drivers on the road.
Pioneer Park Recreation Upgrades
The City has received comments and input from interested citizens, as well as the Parks, Recreation, and Senior Advisory Board, on the conceptual plans for the Pioneer Park play structure replacement and spray park construction. A public meeting was held on November 4th during the Parks, Recreation, and Senior Advisory Board meeting. Conceptual plans were presented for additional feedback and direction. The City's Consultant, Bruce Dees & Associates, is currently reviewing utility considerations for the project to evaluate locations for the new structures. This upgrade will replace the aging and out-of-code play structure as well as retrofit the wading pool to create an up-to-date spray park. The target opening date for the new recreation pieces in Pioneer Park will be July 4, 2014.
Cobweb Carnival
Parks & Recreation's Halloween event, The Cobweb Carnival, was held in the Pioneer Park Pavilion in conjunction with the Puyallup Main Street Association's Boo-allup Trick-or-Treat event. Our major sponsor, Foursquare Church, helped to provide game booths, bounce houses, a photo booth, face painting, and tons of candy! With an estimated 2,000 people coming through the Pavilion, the event was a huge success. We are looking forward to partnering with Foursquare Church again next year as we expand the event to include even more game booths and prizes. This event would not have been possible without the dozens of volunteers that worked the various booths throughout the evening.
Local Source Control Program
The City's grant-funded Local Source Control Program is beginning a new business focus to support local automotive shops, gas stations, and storage facilities. The program provides operation and maintenance recommendations for businesses to reduce the likelihood of stormwater system pollution and damage to waste systems. Beginning in November, businesses will receive no-cost assistance and site visits to evaluate their day-to-day practices and identify potential environmental impacts. The purpose of the City's program, which is based on a Department of Ecology model, is to support local small businesses by providing technical assistance to help them understand how to stay in compliance and identify cost-savings practices.
Corporate Yard South Access Upgrade
An access is being installed on the south side of the Corporate Yard facility to allow better ingress and egress of large vehicles and trucks. The project went out to prospective contractors with the bid opening on November 14th. The project will install approximately 300 linear feet of pervious concrete driveway 26 linear feet in width. Engineering anticipates the work will be completed this winter.
Youth Basketball Begins After Successful Online Registration
Puyallup Recreation's youth basketball registration has wrapped up with 30 teams registered for the select league and 92 teams for the recreational basketball league. Approximately 1,200 kids are registered in the program. With the new online registration option available, about 65% of the registrations for the recreational league were done online and 60% for the select league. This represents a huge savings in participant and staff time. Basketball will get underway in early December. Games and practices will be held at the Puyallup Recreation Center, Memorial Center, and various local Elementary and Jr. High School gyms.
ADA Curb Ramp Upgrades
You may be seeing a contractor at several intersections around the City and wondering what is going on. Seven sets of curb ramps at two different intersections are being upgraded to be compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The intersections are: 7th Ave NE and 5th St NE, 7th Ave SW and 9th St SW. Kelaye Concrete of Boring, Oregon is the contractor completing the work.
5th St NW Railroad Crossing Rehabilitation
The 5th Street NW railroad crossing was the last of six crossing rehabilitations completed in the City. The crossing was completed on schedule and opened early the morning of October 31st, just in time for commuter traffic. This project was rescheduled several times while the City and BNSF worked to find a reasonable way to incorporate future storm drain system expansion into the crossing rehabilitation. While the storm drain upgrade ended up not being a feasible option due to cost considerations, BNSF was a willing partner in alternative analysis and conceptual design. BNSF continued to be extremely cooperative and accommodating throughout construction of the 5th St NW project. Thanks to them and their crews for their cooperation. City Street crews should also be commended for exemplary effort on all six of the crossing rehabilitation projects.
Mark Your Calendars
· November 21 – Design Review & Historic Preservation Board –Public Hearing, Council Chambers, 4:00 pm
· November 26 - City Council Meeting, Council Chambers, 6:30 pm
· November 28 & 29 – Thanksgiving Holiday – City Offices are Closed
· December 7 – Santa Parade & Pioneer Park Tree Lighting, Meridian Street, Downtown Puyallup, 5:00 pm
· December 10 - City Council Meeting, Council Chambers, 6:30 pm
· December 25 – Christmas Holiday – City Offices are Closed
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When you think of trendy fashion outpost Urban Outfitters the words "hip," "cool," "fun," and maybe even "off kilter" may come to mind; "bridal" almost never does. But Urban Outfitters, Inc. (owner of UO and its more sophisticated sister, Anthropologie) wants to change that.
BHLDN, Urban Outfitters, Inc. newest venture, is exclusively for the nuptially-minded. The collection, which launches via an e-commerce site this Valentine's Day, will feature accessories, jewelry, shoes, and of course, gowns. But don't expect the feminine glamour of a Vera Wang creation, or the sophisticated elegance Reem Acra is known for--these gowns are purely UO (think vintage inspirations, bohemian aesthetics, and unexpected colors).
Urban Outfitters, Inc. isn't just peddling wedding and special occasion dresses--they want to help brides with the entire wedding experience. In May, BHLDN will introduce cake pedestals, tabletop, place cards, and decorations on the site, and letter-pressed and engraved invitations will be available next year. Plus, brides can email a team of stylists for advice. The first freestanding BHLDN store will open this August, with more to follow within the year.
Find out more at www.BHLDN.com. --Angel


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Main Office 800 5th Street Sioux City, IA 51101 Phone: (712) 234-2300 Fax: (712) 234-2399
Jackson Recovery Centers exists to create a recovery-centered Siouxland.
Our mission is to save lives by promoting recovery and providing programmatic excellence.
We provide prevention, education, intervention, and comprehensive treatment services for adults, adolescents, children and families suffering from addiction and/or co-occurring disorders.
Please contact us at (712) 234-2300 or 1-800-472-9018
Jackson is an Iowa private not-for-profit corporation, licensed by the Iowa Department of Public Health and Department of Human Services, and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
(800) 472-9018 email@example.com
Many of our patients can't afford care. Donate to give them the help they need.
Receive updates on Jackson's programs, drug trends, and keeping kids drug-free.
Main Office 800 5th Street Sioux City, IA 51101 Phone: (712) 234-2300 Fax: (712) 234-2399
Copyright 2016 Jackson Recovery Centers


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"They work so hard, do so much and are the heart of our organization", stated Sharon Martin, marketing director of Helena Regional Medical Center. HRMC announces that Andrea Kelley, RN of the Surgical Unit as the "Employee of the Month for April ." Kelley was nominated for her award by Surgery Director, Molly Manning. Manning's nomination included the following notation. "Andrea Kelly demonstrates a positive attitude daily. She has a desire to help in any department within HRMC. She is dependable and a trustworthy employee. Congratulations Andrea from everyone at Helena Regional Medical Center, we appreciate your example, keep up the great job. Pictured from Left to Right Buddy Daniels, CEO; Kelley, Manning and Shanna Pryor, chief nursing officer.
Location, ST | website.com


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Hareidi Integration Continues with Border Police Unit
Hareidi integration in the IDF and national service took another step forward Monday with the creation of a new program in which young hareidi men will serve in the Border Police.
Dozens of young hareidi-religious men will form a new unit tasked with preventing Palestinian Authority Arabs from illegally entering Israeli territory in the Jerusalem area.
The new recruits will undergo six weeks of training, and will continue with training and exercises during their service. Among other things, they will be licensed to drive in combat situations.
The program was designed to allow the young recruits to maintain their religious lifestyle. The unit will be active from Sunday through Thursday, giving the men Friday and Saturday off to observe the Sabbath.
"This is a quality group that can contribute a lot to Israeli security," said Border Police commander Yoram Halevy. The unit "will significantly increase our strength" in the Jerusalem area, he added.
National Service head Sar-Shalom Jerby praised the new program as well. "I have no doubt that the hareidi volunteers who join the Border Police will serve as officers like any other and will be a significant assistance in whatever is needed," he said.
Jerby called on the government to allow hareidi men to continue to join national service projects despite the fact that the issue of mandatory military service remains unresolved.


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Video: Arabs Attack Jews in Jerusalem's Old City
Jews walking back from the mass prayer for abducted teens at the Kotel attacked by Arabs wielding chairs, rocks.
By Meir Sela, Gil Ronen
First Publish: 6/15/2014, 10:56 PM
Jews were walking back from the mass prayer that was held at the Western Wall (Kotel) Sunday for the teens abducted by Hamas Thursday, when Arabs attacked with chairs and rocks. The Jews held their ground until police intervened.


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Weekly Press Opportunity
Tulane head coach Curtis Johnson and selected players will meet with the media each Tuesday morning at 11:30 a.m. during the season. Requests for specific players should be made to the Athletics Communications Office on Sunday afternoon prior to the press opportunity.
All interview requests for Curtis Johnson, any Tulane assistant coaches and players must be coordinated through the Athletics Communications office.
Players are available for interviews, either in person or on the phone, before or after practice Monday through Wednesday. In order to arrange for player interviews, please provide 24 hours notice to the Athletics Communications Office. Player interviews may be conducted in the atrium of the Wilson Center, in Yulman Stadium or in the Athletics Communications Office. The Tulane training room, football locker room, weight room and meeting rooms are off-limits to the media. Your cooperation is appreciated.
For telephone interviews, the student-athlete will be provided with the number and will make the call at a mutually-agreed upon time. Phone numbers of student-athletes will not be made available to the media.
For interviews with head coach Curtis Johnson and/or Tulane assistant coaches, please contact Roger Dunaway or Brian Miller in the Athletics Communications Office. The best time for Coach Johnson to conduct interviews is weekday mornings.
Practice Coverage
Practice may be closed or moved without notice. Please contact the Tulane Athletics Communications Office if you plan on attending practice so that we may confirm the day's practice schedule.
Still photographs and video may be shot during selected segments of practice by approved agencies. After that time, photographers will be asked not to shoot. Media are asked to remain on the sidelines or in the stands during practice, and are asked not to speak to players or coaches during the workout.
Updated statistics, game recaps, weekly and daily releases, press conference transcripts, player and coaches' bios, historical, broadcast and ticket information, can be found on the Tulane Official Athletics Website at www.TulaneGreenWave.com. Media are encouraged to check the website regularly for the latest Green Wave athletics news.
Video Services
Requests for video footage of Green Wave football should be made to Roger Dunaway or Brian Miller in the Athletics Communications Office. They will work with TU Video Director Travis Detillier and his staff to fill specific requests. Please allow a minimum of three days lead time for video requests.
Accessing Information
In addition to the Tulane Athletics website (www.TulaneGreenWave.com), the latest news, weekly releases, updated depth charts, rosters and season and single game statistics can be sent on a daily or weekly basis via e-mail. Contact Roger Dunaway or Brian Miller to request to be added to the football e-mail list.
Credential Requests
All requests for media, radio, television, photography, scouting and parking credentials for the 2014 Tulane Football season, or for any individual game, should be made in writing, on company letterhead or via e-mail (company name in address), to Roger Dunaway or Brian Miller. Requests should be made at least one week prior to the game. Individual game credentials will not be mailed, but can be picked up in the Athletic Communications Office the week of the game or at Yulman Stadium Will-Call.
Will Call
Any media credentials not picked up during the week at the Wilson Center will be available at Press Will Call beginning three hours prior to the game.
Press Box Services
The press box, located on the west side of Yulman Stadium and opens three hours prior to game time.
Meals will be served beginning two hours before game time until kickoff. Sodas will be available throughout the game and snacks are served at halftime.
Game notes, programs, a flip card and statistics will be provided prior to the game. Play-by-play and quick statistics, final team, individual and defensive statistics, drive charts and coaches' quotes also will be provided. Complete sets of information will be available approximately 20 minutes after the game.
Telephones/Fax Machines
Three "0-plus" telephone lines are available on a first-come, first-served basis in the working area of the Yulman Stadium press box. Additional requests for telephone lines should be directed to Roger Dunaway.
Tulane will provide a FAX machine for complimentary use on a first-come, first-served basis. Tulane will e-mail (preferred) or fax stats and other post-game information as requested.
Visiting Radio/Television Broadcasts
Booth space in the Yulman Stadium press box will be allocated by the Tulane Athletic Communications Office. Visiting SIDs will designate their official radio stations in writing and Tulane, through its broadcast partner, CBS College Sports Properties, will supply phone lines on a reciprocal basis in that booth. Entities which wish to telecast home contests from Yulman Stadium should send their request, in writing, to Roger Dunaway.
Tulane follows guidelines set forth by the NCAA Public Relations Committee, the NCAA Football Rules Committee, the American Football Coaches Association and the National Press Photographers Association. Photographers are not permitted between the 25-yard lines and must have credentials visible at all times. Photographers are required to go behind the team benches to pass from one end of the field to the other.
Uniformed security personnel will patrol the sidelines and anyone holding a media pass who is not actively involved in coverage of the game will be escorted from the sideline. Children under 12 will not be issued media or sideline credentials. Similar procedures will be in effect in the press box.
Post-Game Interviews
The Tulane locker room is located below the East stands near the North End Zone. The interview room is the Multi-Purpose Room in the front of Yulman Stadium between gates A and B. The visitor's locker room is located adjacent to the tunnel at Gate A (North End Zone).
Green Wave head coach Curtis Johnson and requested players will be available in the post game interview approximately 10 minutes after the game. Tulane's locker room is closed.
The SID of the visiting school will establish admittance policies to the visiting locker room.
Credential Regulations
All space for the working press, radio and television for Tulane Football games is allocated by the Tulane Athletics Communications Office, which reserves the right to deny credentials to any outlet. Freelance and/or non-daily writers may be asked to produce copies of actual publications in which their work has appeared. Seating in the press box at Yulman Stadium is for working media and scouts only.
Press credentials will be issued to working press only. Press credentials are not transferable and use by anyone other than members of the working media is prohibited. Press credentials used in an unauthorized manner will be revoked. News organizations allowing unauthorized individuals to use credentials will have their credentials revoked. All press credentials remain the property of the Tulane Athletic Department and must be returned upon request. Credentials will NOT be mailed.


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Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love." Today, on Martin Luther King day, let us celebrate Martin Luther's legacy and promote a legacy of non-violence in Denver.
Change does not happen overnight; it happens one individual at a time. Let us respect one another in peace and love. Domestic violence is a progressive crime that destroys the hearts and minds of the victims affected by it. As Martin Luther King, Jr. would say, only light can drive out darkness, and only love can drive out hate.
With your help, let us drive out the shadows cast by domestic violence. Lend your support to the cause. Shed light on the cause by speaking out and making your voice known. The only way to stop violence is to speak out against it.
SafeHouse Denver is a resource for victims of domestic violence and their children. They provide emergency counseling and resources including advocacy to victims of domestic abuse. They provide bilingual resources including advocacy and safety planning.
SafeHouse Denver supports many fundraisers to raise money for women and children in need of support. Please help domestic abuse survivors find strength and become independent! Tickets are now available for the annual Warren Miller Film Screening, held Thursday January 21, 2010 and the fourth annual Mile High Mardi Gras fundraiser. Help support the cause. Click Here to learn more!


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I'm running website with a good traffic per day.
- I have two scenarios:
Data Center 1
50 servers currently they are protected with APF(iptables) I'm looking to put a centralized Cisco ASA 5520 firewall in transparent mode.
600K visitors per day with 70 CPS(connections per second) in peak time. with approximately (and 5 million http requests)
Data Center 2 :
15 Servers, Looking at Cisco ASA 5510 firewall 150K visitors per day ( and 1 million http requests )
- Firewalls option available :
Cisco ASA 5505, 5510, 5520, 5550
Looking for experienced person's opinion.
Thank you.


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by J.M. Coetzee
Disgrace Theme of Men and Masculinity
What is it, exactly, that makes a man a man? This is a complex question that lies at the heart of Disgrace. On one hand, masculinity can be characterized as one specific side of the gender coin. You've got masculinity and you've got femininity, characteristics of the male and the female. But masculinity isn't just about gender alone; it's also about how gender affects one's actions, identity, and attitudes. In Disgrace, Coetzee pushes us to look at some of the more complicated issues that spring from masculinity, particularly through the ways male characters treat women. When Petrus says that he wants his firstborn to be a boy, he explains that boys should show girls the proper way to behave. This shows us an ingrained attitude about masculinity in opposition to femininity. We can look at the three intruders' rape of Lucy as an example of how masculinity can be used as a means of suppressing femininity. In a book that pays close attention to the sexual dynamics between men and women, it's not surprising that questions of gender roles come hurtling to the forefront.
Questions About Men and Masculinity
- What are some different ways in which the men in Disgrace assert their masculinity?
- Is there any trait that we can use to define "maleness" for the characters in Disgrace?
- When Lucy thinks about marrying Petrus as a means of protection, does it characterize the country as being a male-dominated society, or does it merely show that Petrus is someone who personally has a lot of power in their community?
- In what ways is David's sense of masculinity compromised in the novel? Why does he refer to castration so often?
Chew on This
In Disgrace, male characters assert their masculinity by dominating women.
The men of Disgrace don't need to assert their masculinity through any particular acts; rather, they can act as they please simply because they are men.


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Developing local Rails sites with subdomains can be a pain but thanks to a couple of public URLs it can be much simpler.
The problem
If you are developing a Rails site locally with subdomains and you boot your application from WEBrick then you'll get a URL like http://0.0.0.0:3000. The DNS for this resolves to your local machine so you'll be able to see the site straight away with zero configuration.
The problem arises if you are developing an application that relies on subdomains. So a user can create an account and access the application at something like http://myaccount.example.com/. To get this working we need to a bit of work.
Solution 1 - WEBrick
To test subdomains you can just add a record to your hosts file. On Unix style systems you can generally find this at /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1 theateam.example.com
This will resolve the domain to the application running on your localhost, but you'll still need to apply the port number. So accessing http://theateam.example.com:3000 will serve the site. You'll need to do the logic as to what to show based on the subdomain in your application of course.
This solution is quicker to setup but has the disadvantage of having to add a new record to your hosts file each time you create a subdomain.
Solution 2 - Passenger
A much better way is to serve your site locally from Passenger. If you deploy using Passenger you have the added advantage of developing on the same platform that you'll be deploying to.
First you'll need to install Passenger. This is reasonably straightforward:
gem install passenger
Followed by
There will be some instructions after the second command that you'll need to add passenger.conf file. Once that's done you need to set up the virtual host.
I've covered serving sites locally on OSX before so if you need a brush up consult that article.
Tim Pope recognised the problem of subdomains and registered the domain smackaho.st and pointed it to 127.0.0.1. This means it will resolve to your local machine without any configuration. This means that we can set up a virtual host based on this domain and use a wildcard to also serve subdomains on that domain. Here's how my virtual host setup looks:
<VirtualHost *:80>
<Directory /Users/george/Sites/mysite>
Options +FollowSymlinks +SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
AllowOverride All
DocumentRoot /Users/george/Sites/mysite/public
ServerName smackaho.st
ServerAlias *.smackahost.st
RackEnv development
# RailsEnv development # for Rails 2.x.x apps
Restart Apache and you should be good to go
sudo apachectl restart
Now any subdomain you visit on smackahost.st will be served from your Rails application. No need to keep adding subdomains to your hosts file.
There is also another domain that serves the same purpose if you prefer it - lvh.me.


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SAN FRANCISCO — Will Wall Street have a crush on King Digital Entertainment PLC of Dublin, Ireland, whose Candy Crush Saga is played by an astonishing 93 million people every day? A potentially sour side to its sweet success is that Candy Crush, which King launched on Facebook in April 2012, is responsible for 78 percent of King's revenues, and mobile game players are a seriously fickle lot.
— Los Angeles Times


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