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on February 1, 2013 - 10:48 PM
, updated February 2, 2013 at 2:42 PM
A prostitute testified Friday that she agreed to have sex with Antoine J. Garner for $20 and willingly – but nervously – accompanied him into an abandoned house on Jewett Avenue on June 26, 2011.
The two had sex in the early morning hours, but when Garner wanted to move upstairs and continue without a condom, their encounter turned violent, the 44-year-old woman told an Erie County Court jury.
"I said, 'No, you must be crazy,' " she recalled telling him. "I ... tried to make a run."
Garner grabbed her from behind and prevented her from escaping, she said. "He pulled me out of my jacket and threw me in a corner," she testified.
Garner – 6-foot, 4-inches and 387 pounds – lifted the 5-foot, 4-inch, 135-pound woman off the ground by placing his arm around her neck, she said.
She said she blacked out, with her last memory of what happened being Garner "just choking me."
Her testimony came on the second day of Garner's assault and strangulation trial before Erie County Judge Kenneth F. Case.
Garner, 26, is accused of choking and assaulting the prostitute. The trial has taken on a higher profile because Garner also is considered a "person of interest" by police in the unrelated but mysterious death of Amanda L. Wienckowski.
Four years ago, Wienckowski's frozen body was found upside down in a garbage tote outside a church at Clinton and Spring streets on the city's East Side, across the street from the home of Garner.
The Wienckowski family believes that the 20-year-old Kenmore woman was murdered and has tried to get the County Medical Examiner's Office to revise the death certificate from an accidental drug overdose to a homicide.
Defense attorney Joseph A. Agro cross-examined the prostitute during Garner's assault trial Friday.
She told Agro that she smoked crack cocaine at about 8 p.m., some seven hours before Garner picked her up in the early morning at Broadway and Mills Street, and drove her to the abandoned house on Jewett.
Later she told Agro, "I wasn't high at all."
In a snippet of videotaped police interrogation shown to jurors, Garner told detectives he had previously lived in the house a decade earlier, when his mother rented it.
Agro questioned her about how sure she was in selecting Garner's photo from a photo array.
"I never forget a face," she replied.
The defense lawyer peppered her with questions about her police statement in which she said Garner "was trying to bring me upstairs by my neck."
How could she know that if she was unconscious, Agro asked.
"He must have heard me wrong or something," she said of the detective who took her statement.
She said she woke up on her stomach with the defendant on top of her on the second floor.
"He said, 'Turn around, [expletive], you're going to learn the hard way,' " she testified.
She said he slid her pants off and then she tried to flee from the house, heading for a broken glass door to a second-floor porch.
"I tried to make a run through the glass [door]," she said. "I'm running for my life. He grabs me before I go through the [door]. He started choking me and beating me at the same time."
The two fought as they moved from the upstairs bedroom to a hallway, she said.
"My life was at stake," she said.
She said she got hit "with all kinds of stuff" and then she passed out again.
Garner then left the house, saying "I'm leaving, stay here," she testified.
She staggered out of the house half-naked and collapsed on the steps of a nearby home, according to prosecutors. A neighbor called 911.
Detectives from the Buffalo Police Department's Sex Offense Unit questioned Garner more than two months later after police learned a 2008 Ford Explorer registered to his fiancee was detected at Broadway and Sobieski Street, about three blocks from where the woman said Garner first picked her up, about the time she said they met.
A license plate reader on a police car scanned the SUV's license plate among those of other cars during an officer's patrol. The time, date and location of the image had been stored digitally and police later accessed it.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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No. 13 Men's Volleyball Falls to Lewis in MIVA Semis
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The No. 13 Ball State men's volleyball team dropped a tough 3-2 (23-25, 25-17, 22-25, 25-13, 15-8) match to No. 11 Lewis in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Semifinals Saturday evening. Junior outside attacker Shane Witmer registered 12 kills while junior libero David Ryan Vander Meer got under a match-high 20 digs.
The Cardinals end the season with a 22-8 record while the Flyers improve to 23-6 on the campaign and will play No. 1 Loyola Saturday evening in the MIVA Championship match.
Witmer finished with 12 kills while sophomore outside attacker Marcin Niemczewski added eight kills. Senior middle attacker had six kills to go with six blocks. Senior setter Graham McIlvaine ended the night with four kills, 34 assists, nine digs and three blocks. Junior libero David Ryan Vander Meer got under 20 digs and it marked the third time this season the All-MIVA First Team honoree got under at least 20 digs.
The first set was back and forth with 11 ties and three lead changes. The Cardinals trailed the Flyers 18-16 heading into the first timeout of the set and scored three out of the next five to get to within one point at 20-19. A kill by Leske followed by a Lewis attack error knotted the score at 21-21 but the Flyers responded nabbing two-straight kills.
Facing a 23-21 deficit the Cardinals rallied back to score the final four points of the set to win 25-23. The comeback started with an Owens kill followed by an Owens-Witmer block to tie the set at 23-23. A block by McIlvaine and Owens set up set point with freshman outside attacker Brendan Surane back to serve. The Cardinals won the set off an error by the Flyers.
Lewis controlled the second set and benefitted from a .190 attack percentage by Ball State. The Cardinals were not able to string together a run until late in the set when it scored four-straight. It would not be enough, however, and the Flyers took a 25-17 win.
The third set saw Ball State lead the entirety of the frame. The Flyers only managed a .103 clip in the set and committed 11 attack errors. Lewis got within one point several times in the early goings, but was unable to tie the set. The Cardinals extended their lead to 18-14 when the Flyers called a timeout off a Niemczewski-Owens block. Lewis managed to score seven-straight points to tie the set at 20-20. Ball State did not allow Lewis to get any closer than one the rest of the set and took the 25-22 win.
The Flyers only committed three attack errors in the fourth set and hit .250 while the Cardinals hit negative on the set and committed 11 attack errors. The fifth set saw Lewis jump out to a 3-0 lead. Four-straight points by the Flyers off the serve of Bobby Walsh saw Lewis extend its lead to 9-4. Ball State would be unable to withstand the Lewis attack and fell 15-8 in the fifth set.
A special thank you goes out to Ball State's seniors Urim Demirovski, Matt Leske, Graham McIlvaine, Kevin Owens and Larry Wrather for their years of dedication to the program.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State men's volleyball, follow @bsuathletics and @BallStateMVB on Twitter. The team is also on Instagram at @ballstatemvb.

subset: commoncrawl


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Information Sessions
Information sessions are a great way to meet Westminster College BBA faculty and staff team members, who are dedicated to help you reach your educational and career goals.
You'll gain first-hand and in-depth knowledge about how the program works, as well as be able to ask any of your program, education, financial aid, employer reimbursement questions.
Click Here to RSVP
Open house sessions will be held in Westminster College's Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business Executive Conference room. The Gore School of Business is Building 3 on campus, and the Executive Conference room is 226. Click here to view our campus map.


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Does the Boston bombing make you less likely to support immigration reform?
Yes, but not because I'm against immigration but because there are no controls now or in the proposed laws to keep illegal immigration from continuing.
The republicans want to look good and the democrats want votes...what about our country's sovereignty and the legal citizens security? I'm getting tired of rushing things through for the sake of politics.
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Dents in Stock How to repair
Ammunition, Gear, and Firearm Help
Gunsmithing and Repairs
> Dents in Stock How to repair
October 5, 2012, 07:41 PM
I have a laminated stock that has a bunch of dents and dings. On wood I have used hot irons and moist cloth to raise the wood, but don't want to mess up the finish on the lamination. Any input.
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October 5, 2012, 09:15 PM
You have no other option then to try steaming them out with a damp rag and hot iron.
If the dent is a dent, fine.
If the underlaying wood fibers are cut by a ding, it probably will not work.
But regardless of all that, the finish is already damaged, or there wouldn't be dents & dings under it.
Do what you can with the steaming, then rub Birchwood-Casey Tru-Oil into the surface.
It will seal whatever cracks there are in the gloss finish and can be rubbed out to match with automotive clear-coat rubbing compound.
October 5, 2012, 09:47 PM
Darn. I liked the story better before the edit. :)
October 5, 2012, 10:43 PM
BBBBILL I had to edit the post, I feel stupid enough as it is without have others thinking that I really am that dumb.
October 5, 2012, 11:24 PM
No worries. We've all done something in life that we would like to forget. Some of the things I've done were far worse than your little exercise in foolishness. Maybe one day you can laugh at the memory. I hope so.
What part of Bama are you from?
October 6, 2012, 02:33 AM
Like the screen name "WALKER COUNTY" close to Jasper. At age of 64 I could write a book on things that you should not do, or a good title would be "God am I that stupid"
October 6, 2012, 03:30 PM
Darn, I'm bummed that I missed out on the original story.:)
October 6, 2012, 03:40 PM
Me too!
I Hate when that happens.
October 6, 2012, 09:13 PM
OK just so you guys can have something to snicker about. I had purchased an AIRSOFT M16 type electric powered rifle. It will fine single and full auto and at around 600 FPS. I had setup a cardboard box with target on it to test it out. Didn't realize it would penetrate through a 16-18" box and come out the back with so much force. Not only did it pepper my laminated stock, the sheet rock behind it has around 75-100 holes of 6mm and two areas of concentrated fire where the holes are around 1-2in. Now go ahead and snicker, after I kicked myself and said a few choice words I had to laugh my self. My son came over today and I tried to blame him but he has learned that I use to blame him when he was a kid and momma never came down quite as hard as she would if she knew I did it.
Jim K
October 6, 2012, 10:13 PM
Not to feel lonely. I once bought some of those primer-fired plastic bullets and set up a backstop on an easy chair. The backstop didn't stop. Those bullets, propelled only by the primer, went through a couple of layers of heavy cardboard, several layers of newspaper, plus the front AND back of the chair back. Oooops!
October 7, 2012, 12:47 AM
biggest thing is I still don't have the nerve to tell the wife. But boy is that toy airsoft gun nice.
October 7, 2012, 12:35 PM
OK just so you guys can have something to snicker about.O.K.!
Thanks for fessing up.
And I didn't even snicker once.
I had no idea an airsoft gun had that much power either.
October 7, 2012, 03:04 PM
could be worse , I had to buy the wife a new washer , and she wanted a front loader about $850.00 bo-bo , 173059 no getting that dent out :banghead::banghead::banghead::cuss:
October 7, 2012, 04:19 PM
could be worse , I had to buy the wife a new washer ...
Suspiciously, that shot is too perfectly centered. Almost as if it was intended. Like an execution. Fess up. What did you have against that washer, mister?
October 7, 2012, 04:42 PM
Suspiciously, that shot is too perfectly centered. Almost as if it was intended. Like an execution. Fess up. What did you have against that washer, mister?
it turns out my 1894 hits 4" lower than than my 1911 and a bit left , there was a bullet trap on the washer that I have shot into many times and it works great , "If you hit it "
October 7, 2012, 04:49 PM
het WALKERs210 you should just show your wife my post #13 and those holes in the drywall will be no big deal , unless she want a new washer more than drywall :what:
as for your dents , I think the steam trick is your best bet, good luck
October 7, 2012, 06:34 PM
Savananhsdad I had just about forgotten about an accidental discharge back in the 80's. All my kids and the vast majority of other kids that came into my home knew that I had guns just about everywhere and they were off limits. But I kept a 12ga semi-auto by the bed just in case of. The barrel was slightly illegal being around 14" in length, but it never left the house ever. If we were going to be gone when other kids were over (90% of the time) I would unload it and put it away. My late wife had a beautiful antique bedroom set, I went into bedroom to unload and I pulled the action back to just run the shells out, I let the bolt go and the next thing I heard was "BOOOOOOM". My wife would not come into the room because she thought I had shot myself. I stood there confused as heck then I saw the chest of drawers, right at the top edge of one draw was a neat hole about 1 1/2 inch, the back side was not there nor anything in the draw. Turned out the firing pin was broke and when action slid forward it hit just hard enough to touch off the round. Yes my wife was a wonderful woman, 5' 1" of total terror when she got fired up, next thing was that shotgun found a new home even with me explaining it could be fixed. But I learned at a young age when in an aurgement with a woman you have already lost before you even speak the first word.
October 7, 2012, 06:38 PM
I had no idea an airsoft gun had that much power either.
RCMODEL, I was just as surprised as you about the power this thing has, I got it so I could have a shooting match with my grandson and he winds up with most thing afterwards, but think this is just a bit much for him. I did have an idea or two about stray cats ???
October 7, 2012, 06:40 PM
...I learned at a young age when in an aurgement with a woman you have already lost before you even speak the first word.
Amen and amen!
October 7, 2012, 07:19 PM
I did have an idea or two about stray cats ??? You don't want to go there on THR.
Trust me!!
October 7, 2012, 10:33 PM
I couldn't shoot a cat or even a mouse without catching the wrath of momma. I would never in my life think I could care for a cat but I have one that has been my best friend and sleeps next to me every night. Heck I don't even deer hunt anymore.
Jim, West PA
October 9, 2012, 10:56 PM
Now my wife would think that any of these dents and bullet holes gave the item character.
Particularly the washer. She'd wanna git it workin again and most definately show off that bullet hole.
Especialy if she did it.
October 9, 2012, 11:12 PM
Nothing a little JB Weld and appliance touch-up paint couldn't fix.
My wife would never notice it, as she hasn't used the washing machine in 2-3 years.
I have to do it all now.
October 9, 2012, 11:56 PM
I have been known to threaten computers with being shot if they didn't work right. I was finishing up a networking system for a small trucking company and the last machine was giving me fits. Only people in the building was a secretary and myself, after reinstalling software and configuring it just didn't want to work. I pulled my jacket back and laided a 9mm on the desk and told the computer " I built you and I can kill you" believe it or not it worked. The secretary at first looked surprised then just amused. Computers do have a mind of their own and at times you just gotta convince them who is the boss. Oh yea back to the main reason of the post. On closer exam of the stock it has more places than I would have ever expected, don't know if it will ever be back to New status again.
October 10, 2012, 11:57 AM
Nothing a little JB Weld and appliance touch-up paint couldn't fix.
My wife would never notice it, as she hasn't used the washing machine in 2-3 years.
I have to do it all now.
rc : you may want to take a look at my pic again ,, that round went through the tub, blew the agitator to peces, put two holes in the back of the drum ,and out the back of the washer and took a chunk out of the basement wall !
no one was home when I did it , My boys found out first , the next day I told the wife we should go look at a new washer , her SpeedQueen was makeing funny noses last night and I think it is on it's last leg ! ... my boys were turning RED tyring not to bust up laughing.. My wife turn and looked at me and said "you didn't shoot my washer , did you ? " she took the pictures and called everyone she could think of (laughing) and then told me I was buying her a large load front-load Maytag !!,,,,,, got ta love her lol..
October 10, 2012, 05:59 PM
God bless you guys for having the courage to fess up and share! The ability to laugh at yourself is a gift to be treasured. Far too many cannot.
October 10, 2012, 07:58 PM
lets not forget "there is nothing wrong with being wrong ,as long as you learn from it and no one gets hurt "
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Today is the day set aside to give our mothers the royal treatment they deserve, but Mother's Day itself is not without controversy.
The celebration of Mother's Day began May 10, 1908 when a West Virginia daughter decided to honor her late mother by organizing a church service.
Anna M. Jarvis, who never married and was very attached to her mother, Anna Reese Jarvis, is credited with originating the holiday in the United States.
Two years after her mother's death, Miss Jarvis began a letter-writing campaign to gain support of influential ministers, businessmen and congressmen in declaring Mother's Day a holiday.
The first Mother's Day observance was a church service held in Grafton, W.Va. to honor the late Mrs. Jarvis and the first Mother's Day proclamation was issued by West Virginia's governor in 1910.
In later years, however, Miss Jarvis turned against her own creation and even filed a lawsuit in 1923 to halt a Mother's Day festival and was arrested for disturbing the peace a war mothers' convention where women sold white carnations - Miss Jarvis' symbol for mothers.
She felt the day had become too commercialized. "This is not what I intended," she said. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit."
If Miss Jarvis were alive today, she'd be shocked to learn that millions of dollars are spent for everything from flowers and dinners to spa packages and cell phones on Mother's Day. But moms are worth every penny of it.
Despite the proliferation of expensive gifts associated with the day, we believe the holiday has retained its sentiment.
Most mothers are just as touched by the thoughtfulness of a youngster presenting a fresh-picked bouquet of dandelions and a homemade card, as they are by gifts worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Regardless of what you spend, be sure you show Mom your gratitude and appreciation today. After all, where would you be without her?
Happy Mother's Day!


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Fishpond Ice Storm Soft Cooler
Price: $89.95
Brand: Fishpond
For multi-day fishing/hunting adventures, road trips, or camping excursions.
More details...
Product Details
No need to make those tough choices between the potato salad and the ice cream with Fishpond's Ice Storm cooler.
The Ice Storm is our largest cooler for multi-day fishing/hunting adventures, road trips, or camping excursions.
Features -
Signature waterproof, molded bottom
Multi-layer insulation construction keeps food/beverages cold for several hours
Exterior pocket for storing cutting board, etc.
Heavy-duty, waterproof/leakproof interior lining
Laminated, see-thru mesh zippered pocket on top lid
Side carry handles
Fishpond Jacquard accent webbing and lash loops for boat or vehicle
Adjustable, removable, padded shoulder strap
2,400 cu. in.
19" x 11" x 11.5"
Back to the top
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Mike Bleech: Change of seasons explains it all
Now that winter is winding down and spring is not far off, just about everything concerning fishing and hunting is changing.
Ice fishing soon will give way to open-water fishing. Hunters soon will start thinking about spring gobbler hunting and forget about the late small-game seasons and coyote hunting.
Ice fishing typically is best either through early ice or through late ice. In both cases, anglers must contend with questionable ice conditions. Ice fishing has been borderline in one way or another all through this winter at Presque Isle Bay. Only for a short time were anglers on the main body of the bay, and then only at the head of the bay and on ice that could hardly be termed safe.
Now the only ice fishing at Presque Isle Bay is at Misery Bay, where some very nice perch have been caught through the past week.
But getting to those perch requires getting over very poor ice along the shoreline. Even if you can get out onto thicker ice, there is a distinct chance that getting back on shore might be much more difficult, if not impossible, without getting wet. This might be a relatively minor problem if the only part of the body getting wet were the feet. But just a few more feet of bad ice might mean going into water over your head.
Speaking with Al Nacopoulos, owner of BAC Bait and Tackle, for the fishing report last week, he said, "It's not worth it."
And that is coming from a man whose store makes little money if people don't go fishing.
Elsewhere, I heard that chances of catching big perch at Misery Bay improve as the ice fisher gets closer to open water. That, my friends, is crazy. If a person breaks through the ice in this situation, the odds are high that death will follow. For what? A few perch?
Ice might be better at other places, but in any case, keep in mind that when days start to get warm the ice is melting.
Since crappie fishing at Presque Isle Bay was good virtually all through summer, I figured that ice fishing for crappie would be very good.
Typically, crappie fishing gets slow during summer. Good summertime fishing generally is an indication of a very good crappie population.
But it didn't happen.
I was reminded that there was no ice on the parts of the bay where crappie fishing usually is good, so maybe the poor winter crappie fishing meant nothing.
Odds are very good that once boats get onto the bay, fishing for crappie will be good. That also should be the case with perch. It will not be long before the boat launches and routes to the usual spring fishing hot spots will be free of ice.
Crappie fishing at Pymatuning Lake came to a virtual halt last fall because the water level was too low to launch boats at the north end of the lake. Then, during winter, ice conditions were not good. There, we also can anticipate good crappie fishing once we can get boats on the water.
Other good news at Pymatuning involves walleye.
Long known as one of the better walleye lakes in the country, walleye fishing has been disappointing for a few years. Indications point to improved walleye fishing this year. Unlike most Pennsylvania lakes, walleye fishing is allowed all year at Pymatuning, so that might happen soon.
Some confusion exists about what is and what is not allowed concerning fishing for trout in area lakes and ponds.
There have been changes in regulations, and whenever this happens confusion follows. A phone call to region headquarters revealed that all answers to such questions can be found in the regulations summary or on the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's website.
Specified waters are designated as Approved Trout Waters Open to Year-Round Fishing. These waters are open to fishing from March 1 to the opening day of regular trout season. However, trout may not be taken or possessed during this period. Local lakes with this designation are East Basin Pond, West Basin Pond, Lake Pleasant, Upper Gravel Pit, Tionesta Creek from the Tionesta Dam outflow to the mouth, Two Mile Run Reservoir and Chapman Dam Reservoir.
Several others area waters are open to year-round trout fishing under other special regulations. A 1.4-mile section of Caldwell Creek, in Warren County, is designated as Catch and Release Fly Fishing Only. A 3.6-mile section of West Branch Caldwell Creek is designated as Catch and Release. A 1.7-mile section of East Hickory Creek in Forest County, and two sections, one 1.6 miles and the other 1 mile, of Oil Creek are designated as Delayed Harvest Artificial Lures Only. Creel regulations may differ.
The Allegheny River, for 8.75 miles from the Kinzua Dam to the mouth of Conewango Creek, is listed under Miscellaneous Special Regulations. Trout fishing is allowed year-round, but from Sept. 3 to 3 a.m. on the opening day of the trout season of the following year no trout may be killed or had in possession.
MIKE BLEECH can be reached by e-mail at email@example.com. Read more of his columns at nwpaoutdoors.com.


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on January 1, 2013 - 11:13 PM
, updated January 1, 2013 at 11:58 PM
Player, School P Yr Fast Facts
Carissima Cutrona, Williamsville South F 11 All-American, two-time All-WNY, led ECIC with 37 goals, 4-year starter, two-year captain, 94 average.
Hannah Crofut, Williamsville North M 12 Repeat pick, signed with Bryant University, led Spartans in points (58), goals (22), senior team captain.
Jenna Smolinski, Hamburg M 12 Second in ECIC in assists with 24, season highlight was beating Wmsv. East on Senior Night, 95 average, team captain.
Melissa Smith, Niagara-Wheatfield F 12 NFL Player of the Year, led NFL in points with 60, 90 average, 4-year starter, team captain.
Erin Kinz, Lew-Port G 12 Accepted partial athletic scholarship to Old Dominion in Virginia, 88.5 save percentage, four-year starter.
Christine Breindel, Orchard Park D 12 Solid one-on-one defender for champion Quakers, 2-year co-captain, 96 average, 4-year starter.
Kiley Ransbury, Orchard Park D 12 Co-captain with exceptional ball-handling skills, team MVP, four-year starter, 97 average, contributed 15 points.
Rachel Loecher, Sacred Heart D 12 Carried a defense that yielded just six goals all season, defensive MVP in 2011 and 2012, 4-year starter.
Meredith Licata, Williamsville North F 11 Had 13 goals, including hat trick vs. W.S. West, helped win Lockport Tourney, tied for team lead in assists with 14.
Tricia Mangan, Nardin D 10 Team MVP, super-soph who led Gators to a 13-6 record and playoff title game, nationally-ranked 16-under alpine skier.
Courtney Hartnett, Orchard Park M 12 3-year starter, carries 95.3 academic average, scored off a corner in 4-1 win over North in sectional final.
Cailin Regan, Akron M 10 Two-time team MVP, has led Tigers to Niagara-Orleans title in 2 of her 3 years as a starter.
Tiana Woodarek, Springville F 11 Already holds school record for goals in a career with 74, 4-year starter, 96 average, three-time MVP and captain.


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How to Pack (Very) Light
Video still by Byran Smith
Colin Haley specializes in climbing the world's largest and steepest mountain faces. They require the cardiovascular fitness needed to summit Mount Everest and the carefully honed technique required to climb Yosemite's El Capitan. Sherpas don't haul loads to established high camps. Haley doesn't rely on the fixed ropes that run like ladders up the 8,000-meter peaks.
What he needs to climb a mountain goes in his backpack. It's not surprising that Haley is exacting about every item he carries with him. While you probably won't be packing to climb the West Face of Cerro Torre or the North Face of the Ogre II, Haley's thought process on what to bring is applicable to any human-powered adventure. Here's what goes through his head and keeps his pack light.
Little Things Add Up Over Time
"Even small amounts of weight—the difference between a 120-gram fuel canister and a 250-gram fuel canister—can translate into a big difference in exertion when that fuel canister is carried up 2,000 vertical meters," says Haley. All-day or multiday adventures amplify each ounce. Don't just consider what you need, consider how much of a given item you are going to use.
Comfort Is a Luxury
"Every item I bring is something I feel is either important to succeeding or important to staying alive. An item that makes me more comfortable, but isn't critical to success or survival, is left behind," says Haley. Collect as much pre-trip data as possible—from weather reports to campfire conversation—to formulate a checklist. Based on that information, imagine the absolute bare necessity of what you need to be successful and bring that.
Let Experience Guide You
"The truth is, learning by experience is the only real method. Every time you go out think about what items of gear would have been useful if you had brought it, and then look at what gear you brought that was superfluous," notes Haley. If too much weight bogs you down on a summit bid of Mount Rainier, don't return with the same strategy and expect a different result. Subtle experimentation is key.
—By Fitz Cahall
Learn more about Colin Haley in this video >>
Five Tips for Runners Hitting the Trail
Video still by Byran Smith
In the last decade, ultramarathon runner Krissy Moehl has won some of the world's most difficult trail races in some of the most inhospitable conditions. She started like most passionate runners—more used to pounding pavement than fording rivers. Wilderness running is a different game from running through city streets. Moehl offers up five tips for runners looking to hit the trails.
1. The Buddy System
"Something special happens when you share a trail run with someone," says the 33-year-old Moehl. "When you get to a vista, it means that much more when you can turn to a friend, and say 'Wow, look at this.'" To Moehl, teaming up isn't only fun; it's safe. "When you're navigating trail systems and you're tired, having two brains to pull on is key," she adds.
2. Maps Help
"Figure out your maps and route before you go," says Moehl. Photocopy key trail guides so you aren't dragging a hiking guide with you. "I even highlight my route, so I don't have to think about it when I'm on a complicated trail system," she says. A Ziploc bag keeps the map clean and dry.
3. Know Your Gear
"I've been overprepared and I've also had to ask other people for food and water," says Moehl. Long-distance trails often mean carrying a small, ultralight pack with water and enough food to feed your body throughout the run. "On long runs, I pack an extra layer, a lightweight wind jacket, and enough food for me—and a little extra in case my partner runs out," she adds.
4. Pace Yourself
"If you run in the city, you aren't used to having to eat during your runs," says Moehl. "On trails, you work at a lower heart rate, in part so that you are able to eat." Plus, you'll be traveling through beautiful country—no need to hurry.
5. Tell Someone Where You Are
"A trail run doesn't have to be epic to let someone know where you are. I always give friends a return time. Give yourself a window, in case it takes a little longer than you plan for."
—By Fitz Cahall
Gear for the Aspiring Adventure Filmmaker
Video still by Byran Smith
In the age of YouTube, documenting personal adventures has become a pursuit in its own right. When 35-year-old adventure filmmaker Bryan Smith first pulled out a video camera eight years ago, he had no idea what he was doing. Now he's shooting regularly in some of the most extreme environments on the planet. Here are five pieces of gear that Smith wishes he had right from the start.
1. Basic Audio Kit
"Good audio brings a story to life. Even a simple shotgun and lavalier mic kit will go a long ways to improve your work," says Smith. A decent mic is arguably more important than an expensive new lens. Smith suggests Sennheiser's MKE102-EW lav mic kit coupled with a RØDE NTG3 shotgun mic, which will cost less than $1,000, but make your work feel like a million.
2. Effective Storage
"There is nothing worse than fumbling through your gear trying to not drop things or keep them dry," Smith says. In the field, Smith has to deal with snow, water, sand, and dust. "Every sport you shoot requires a slightly different way of carrying equipment, but a sturdy camera bag is essential."
3. An Adventurous Laptop
"While the a laptop doesn't always travel with me in the field, it's never far away for downloading footage to hard drives," says Smith. Most adventure filmmakers go with a MacBook Pro. It's trim, but has enough horsepower to handle and process large HD files quickly. Apple's Final Cut Pro ($999) has become the standard editing tool for upstart filmmakers. If you're just start out, consider purchasing Final Cut Express ($199). An Apple Care plan is a must—your computer will be subject to the same wear and tear as your camera gear. Pelican Case makes a rugged hard shell, foam-padded case for your laptop for around $100.
4. Sense of Humor
"It's just a matter of time before you have a bit of an epic episode of filmmaking. No batteries, moisture shut down, flat light—it's going to happen," says Smith. When it does, laugh about it. "You film adventures because it's fun. Don't worry about screwing up; just learn from it and get better."
5. Weight Set
"That's right, you're going to need to be strong. If you are chasing after athletes who are better than you are in a given sport, you better start training," says Smith. He's only half joking. A given day in the field might mean following an elite mountaineer 5,000 feet up a mountain. "To save gym fees, push-ups and pull-ups daily could be substituted," Smith adds.
6. Pro Tripod
"It's not cheap, but a good tripod is one of the most overlooked pieces of initial gear." Smith suggests splurging. "Don't spend $300, spend $1,000 or more. A smooth fluid head is one of a filmmaker's most important tools."
—By Fitz Cahall
Learn more about Bryan Smith in this video >>
The Basics of Deepwater Soloing
Video still by Byran Smith
"There are only two mandatory criteria for deepwater soloing—overhanging rock and deep water. It's pretty simple really," says rock climber Matt Maddaloni, who helped bring this subsport into fashion in the early 2000s.
In climbing talk, free soloing is the act of climbing without a rope. Without the safety net of a rope, if a climber is more than 30 feet off the ground, a fall means death. "I was attracted to that kind of climbing, but I realized it has its limitations. You can't push the difficulty," says Maddaloni.
Minimal Equipment Required
Deepwater soloing takes away a good bit of the danger by replacing the ground with water. Typically, climbers use a small boat or canoe to get themselves to a remote sea cliff. Aside from a pair of shoes and bit of climbing chalk, climbers don't need any gear, ropes, or harnesses. With water below, a climber can execute acrobatic and difficult climbing moves and risk falling. While injury is definitely a possibility, most of the time a fall just means a short swim through warm ocean water to a waiting boat.
When It Started
While deepwater soloing began in late 1970s on the sun-soaked sea cliffs of Mallorca and along the damper, chillier British coast, it wasn't until the early 2000s that the climbing community began to embrace the sport's newest trend and started flocking to Vietnam and Thailand's limestone towers perched above calm bays.
Find the Right Rock
"Typically, limestone is the best rock for deepwater soloing," says Maddaloni who authored a guidebook to deepwater soloing around Thailand's Krabi region and established new routes in Vietnam and Malta. "It's softer than granite, so the sea erodes away at the base and creates overhanging cliffs. That way you've got a clean shot into the water."
Experience Required
Due to the overhanging nature of the rock, deepwater soloing tends to be difficult with the easiest routes checking in at 5.10. In Fringe Elements video "Safety Third," Maddaloni found a suitable new route on the granite sea cliffs surrounding Squamish, British Columbia. However, the coastal waters of B.C. aren't quite as warm as the Mediterranean.
"The water was so cold, I had to wear a wet suit," remembers Maddaloni. "It was super difficult because once the suit was wet, water would run out onto my hands and feet as I was climbing."
—By Fitz Cahall
Learn more about Matt Maddaloni in this video >>
Kayaking Tidal Races Basics
Video still by Byran Smith
"Even the biggest tidal races can be caught when they are small," says sea kayaker Paul Kuthe of the river-like currents, whirlpools, and rapids that tidal shifts can cause in the ocean. "Most can be paddled into when they are completely flat. Then the rapid slowly builds around you. You can scout it out this way."
Necessary Skills
Paddling tidal races—the river-like currents, whirlpools, and rapids that tidal shifts can cause in the ocean—requires mastery of basic sea kayaking skills. Before you drop in, you should be confident with your ability to roll a kayak, know how to re-enter your boat in open water should you swim (fall out of your kayak), and formulate a basic understanding of all the entry and possible escape points inside a tidal race.
Where to Go
Deception Pass on Whidbey Island, located an hour and a half north of Seattle, and Yellow Bluffs in San Francisco Bay are the best entry points for sea kayakers looking to make the leap into tidal race paddling, says sea kayaker Paul Kuthe. They contain similar features—standing waves, chop, and whirlpools—to the tidal races seen in Fringe Elements, just on a smaller scale. A few sea kayaking outfitters offer guided trips to these zones where paddlers can develop the skills they will need for bigger races, such as British Columbia's Skookumchuck Narrows, under a guide's watchful eye. "These are good places for people to cut their teeth and figure out how to paddle in tidal races," says Kuthe.
Stay Warm
With their proximity to major metropolitan areas, Deception Pass and Yellow Bluffs are also the easiest tidal races to get to. These are cold-water locals where water temperatures hover in the 50s, so come prepared. Even with a dry suit and insulation underneath, a kayaker who comes out of his or her boat only has 20 minutes before hypothermia sets in, warns Kuthe.
—By Fitz Cahall
Learn more about Paul Kuthe in this video >>
The Evolution of the Splitboard
Video still by Byran Smith
In the last year, splitboarding has reached a tipping point. Ski movie stalwarts Teton Gravity Research released Deeper, which featured snowboards that transform into skis, to much fanfare. In the last three years, several snowboard companies have begun aggressively marketing these backcountry boards. Splitboarding may seem like a new sport, but in actuality, it's been sitting on the fringe of snowboarding for almost 20 years.
The Early Years
In the late 1980s Brett Kobernick began tinkering with boards. He hand-cut standard snowboards in half to fashion skis for uphill movement and slapped a set of adhesive climbing skins to the bottom. At the top, a rider could simply remove the skins and reconnect the board for downhill riding. In 1992, Kobernick partnered with Salt Lake City, Utah, ski manufacturer Voile. By 1994 the hardware to split a snowboard hit the market. At first, snowboarders looking to hit the open backcountry away from resorts had to purchase the Voile kit and chop a snowboard in half on their own. For a lot of consumers the thought of cutting a board in half in a garage was hard to handle.
The Modern Splitboard
Eventually, Voile began marketing factory-made splitboards for the small market. Snowboarding giant Burton offered a version for a few years, but discontinued it. In the last three years, as the pull of the backcountry has hit the masses, there are now a dozen or so splitboard manufacturers who produce different shapes and sizes to suit a rider's ability, style, and size. The new boards are smaller, lighter, and more maneuverable than the previous generations. A few companies have begun to create bindings specifically designed for splitboarding, and now snowboarders can keep up with skiers. The sport is evolving rapidly yet the concept remains the same. Ski up. Shred down.
—By Fitz Cahall
Becoming an Alpinist
Video still by Byran Smith
"The Cascades are the only mountains in the lower 48 that can teach you all the skills necessary to tackle big peaks around the world," says 26-year-old alpinist Colin Haley.
Although the Cascades can't compete with the Rockies' altitudes or the Sierras' flawless granite, the Cascades have a reputation for building character. Routes often involve miles of hiking, bushwhacking, glacier travel, and scrambling over loose rock. Weather is particularly fickle. This may be why the region has and continues to produce some of the world's best alpinists. As a Seattle native, Haley started his alpine education early. Here's his advice for going from kid climber to alpinist.
Learn the Basics
"I got my first ice ax when I was 11 years old," remembers Haley. "My dad had an old selection of gear that was super-outdated and I would play with gear and put chocks in my parents' deck out in the backyard."
One of the first climbs he tackled with his father and brother was Forbidden Peak in North Cascades National Park in Washington.
"Forbidden was the first climb I did that was a legitimate alpine route that had all sorts of difficulties. It has a glacier that's pretty broken up. It's got a steep couloir that's 50 degree snow and then a long alpine ridge," says Haley. "I was 12 years old at the time and it was definitely mind-blowing for me."
Hone Your Skills
Throughout his teenage years, Haley continued to challenge himself, spending any available moment in the mountains.
"I started with easy objectives," says Haley. "Slowly, I upped the objectives until I was making ascents such as Mount Stuart's Complete North Ridge in winter. I learned how to route find in complex glaciated terrain, climb loose rock, bivouac efficiently in the middle of winter, and keep going for 24-hour-plus days."
Get Out There, a Lot
"In alpine climbing, no matter how skilled you are physically, there is no substitute for a large volume of experience," says Haley.
—By Fitz Cahall
How to Finish the Race (Even With Frozen Eyeballs)
Video still by Byran Smith
"First, it felt like I wanted to scratch my eye, then it felt like I had something in my eye, and then right before dawn I basically couldn't see out of my right eye," says ultrarunner Krissy Moehl.
Moehl was more than halfway through the 2006 Hellgate 100K and on pace for a course record. It was December in Virginia and, with wind chill, the temperature dipped to five degrees Fahrenheit. Her eyeball had just frozen. She kept running.
Find Your Mental and Physical Focus
"That's my thing, I don't start a race I can't finish," says Moehl. In a fringe sport that centers on an athlete's ability to will the human body to its physical limits, Moehl earned a reputation for her mental and physical tenacity.
A few more hours down the trail at Hellgate 100K, Moehl began to lose vision in her working eye.
"I had about 13 miles to go when the second eye froze," remembers Moehl. "I couldn't make out the trail and kept running off the path into this ravine."
Know When to Ask for Help
Eventually, Moehl encountered another runner's pacer who ran in front of her until she hit a gravel road wide enough that she felt comfortable enough running alone. Moehl went on to set a female course record.
"I was so worked that I started hallucinating," says Moehl, who has also won some of the world's most grueling ultra trail marathons, including the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, the Hard Rock 100, and the HURT 100. "The trees began turning into people—friends and family—and they were cheering for me."
Moehl thinks the mental and physical tests are what draw people to the sport.
Channel Your Life Experience
"Most racers are in their 40s," says the 33-year-old Moehl, who started trail running at the age of 21. "Most have gone through life a bit. They have been successful in their careers and families and are looking for something to test themselves. It's a sport where you get the chance to inspire yourself. How often do you find that in life?"
—By Fitz Cahall
The Democratization of Adventure Film
Video still by Byran Smith
"As a modern-day adventure filmmaker, I feel pretty lucky, because there isn't a technological burden," says Bryan Smith, owner of Reel Water Productions and co-creator of Fringe Elements. "You can go out and buy a relatively good camera for a very cheap amount of money. The burden is really finding your story. It's about finding the motivation to go out and do it. There are fewer hurdles today."
Fast, Affordable Video Sharing
Technologically savvy adventurers have been attempting to relay adventures online in a video format since the late 1990s. But in the last few years, adventure film has gone through a renaissance. First, fast cable and Ethernet connections spread beyond college dorms and office spaces, allowing for efficient downloading and sharing through YouTube, Vimeo, and like sites. Online outdoor communities grew in size, providing a stage for enthusiasts to share links and spread content through the community.
"All of a sudden there was a way of distributing the videos and finding an audience without having to create a DVD and find sponsors," says Smith, who began his career by making short Internet films about his adventures kayaking on British Columbia's wild rivers and coastlines.
"The Internet was this huge exploding space where we could put our material out there," adds Smith. "I feel lucky to have grown up in the era where the DVD was starting to come second to the Internet."
Professional Tools for Non-Professionals
Additionally, the hurdles for aspiring filmmakers fell away. Hollywood pioneered the use of digital video, but HD digital video rapidly trickled down to the average consumer. Making a film no longer required film or the painstaking process of editing reel or tape together. Software such as Final Cut Pro made editing more accessible. Canon and Nikon offered up HDSLR cameras in a compact body that allowed enthusiastic adventurers a small setup that was easy to move in the backcountry's difficult working environments.
For outdoor enthusiasts looking for escapes from workday doldrums or friends sharing content through Facebook, there has never been more free, high-quality content targeted for the adventure crowd. With the technology continuing to improve and the number of filmmakers growing, there shouldn't be a shortage of content any time soon.
Better Gear at Better Prices
"Gear isn't cheap, but it's no longer cost-prohibitive," says Smith. "I think people who make it in the film world, one, have a good eye for images, but two, and probably more important, have a great ear for a story."
—By Fitz Cahall
Garage Gear Inventors
Video still by Byran Smith
From Yvon Chouinard's homemade "clean climbing" gear to Ray Jardine's revolutionary "Friends" camming devices, garage inventors have pioneered most major gear advancements in the history of climbing. Now, multimillion dollar companies with elaborate R&D departments have developed around the climbing community, but the independent inventor remains integral to the sport's evolution.
"If there isn't an instruction manual, you've got to make it up as you go," says Matt Maddaloni, a Squamish, British Columbia-based climber. Maddaloni may not hold an engineering degree, but he has taught himself how to navigate around AutoCAD and a machine shop.
Identify a Problem, Solve It
In 2010, Maddaloni caught the climbing world's attention when he crafted a new device he dubbed the "anticam." Typically, climbing gear is designed to wedge into cracks and weakness in the rock. The anticam, however, acts like a giant claw and pinches rock features that were previously protectable only by drilling permanent protection bolts. The biggest hurdle was coming up with a design that would allow a climber to place the anticam with one hand while holding onto the rock with the other. In the Fringe Elements video "Safety Third," you can catch a brief clip of Maddaloni testing an early version of his invention.
In the spring of 2010, after a year of testing and refining the design, Maddaloni put four homemade anticams in a backpack, hiked to the base of Squamish's famed 2,000-foot Chief and started climbing. Halfway up the wall, he strayed from the traditional route and completed a new route with his quiver of anticams.
Change Your Perspective
"It was about the adventure and the process of creating something new, going somewhere people hadn't been before," says Maddaloni, who adds that he has no intention of bringing his creation to market.
"It's pretty fun to invent your own way—and sometimes it requires creating your own gear," says Maddaloni. "Since so many different ways and techniques exist already for climbing, you have to look at completely new challenges to redesign something."
—By Fitz Cahall
Surviving a Whirlpool
Video still by Byran Smith
"The most intimidating feature for any swimmer, is real swirly, really deep whirlpools," says professional kayaker and guide Paul Kuthe. "They have a tendency to hold you under water for a long time."
Avoid "Swimming"
To exploratory kayakers such as Kuthe, whirlpools sit at the top of the list of why swimming—kayaking parlance for coming out of a boat—through a surging tidal race could be hazardous. As Kuthe and his group of friends began applying whitewater kayaking techniques to sea kayaking, they had to accept that errant paddle strokes would result in swims through some of the ocean's most turbulent sections.
"Swimming is to be avoided at all costs, but there is a saying in the boating community that we are all just in between swims," says Kuthe. "No matter how experienced you get, the only time you're not going to swim again is if you quit the sport."
During the filming of Fringe Elements, Kuthe took an unexpected swim at the Reversing Falls of New Brunswick's St. Johns River.
Always Wear a Personal Floatation Device
"A quarter mile downstream was the biggest whirlpool I'd ever seen," remembers Kuthe. "That's all I could think about when I came out of my boat. I've been held down in whirlpools before, just for a few moments before the PFD [personal flotation device] or the boat's buoyancy pulled me to the surface. I didn't want to go into that whirlpool."
Kuthe seeks out tidal races when they are most powerful. House-size waves at places like British Columbia's Skookumchuck Narrows and Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie River develop only a few times a year.
Know What Makes a Big Ride
"These tidal features are at their best when you have very, very deep water transitioning to very shallow water," says Kuthe. "In some places it can be 1,000 or 2,000 feet deep, and then all of a sudden it flows into water that might be 100 feet or even 30 feet deep."
"You get the biggest tidal exchanges in the spring tides, so there isn't a big window," says Kuthe. "Typically it's best as the high tide drains to low tide. This also has to fall during daylight hours."
The bottom line: There are only a handful of days a year when Kuthe can push the standards of this developing sea kayaking niche.
—By Fitz Cahall
Lessons From an Avalanche
Video still by Byran Smith
"We watched the avalanche spiderweb easily 100 meters to either side. So 600 feet across," says snowboarder Jonaven Moore. "It basically pulls out the whole face, the whole mountain. Everything slides."
Moore missed being pulled into the massive slide by a few feet, but the slide triggered a moment of reflection. This near-death experience five years ago pushed Moore onto a new career trajectory.
High-Stakes Snowboarding
Growing up in Banff, Alberta, Moore was raised by two passionate backcountry skiers and spent a lot of his teenage years chasing his mother up skin tracks on snowshoes before the popularization of splitboards. By his early 20s, he was traveling the globe and being filmed for snowboarding movies that relied heavily on the use of helicopters and snowmobiles to get riders, crew, and cameras around the big mountains. Sometimes that meant making rushed decisions in order to get a shot.
Slowing Down
Moore stepped back from professional riding and returned to the backcountry, where he had the time to make careful snowpack and terrain decisions.
"As a pro rider, I've gotten to do tons of stuff. I've gotten to go heli-skiing and I've gotten to go snowmobiling and all these things," says Moore. "Eventually, you just realize that maybe you're missing part of what you really enjoyed when you were young doing it."
Splitboarding Takes Off
Moore isn't alone. A growing number of passionate snowboarders are setting their sights on the backcountry and the slower pace that comes with hiking up before snowboarding down. Some do it to explore new terrain. Others tire of lift lines. Most can't get enough of the untracked powder. For Moore, it was his way of reclaiming his passion for the sport.
"You're just missing those moments where you get to laugh, where you get to take your time and appreciate it," says Moore.
The industry has noticed this growing enthusiasm and in recent years several new snowboard companies have cropped up to fill the growing demand. Even as the sport moved toward his quiet, human-powered approach, Moore decided to step away from the spotlight.
A Change of Heart
"The mountains have also been pretty hard on me in my life, not necessarily on me so much as my friends and my heart. I've lost a half dozen of my friends in the mountains," says Moore. "As the bar gets raised higher and higher, the stakes are higher and—I don't know. I've definitely lived beyond my nine lives at this point."
In the fall of 2010, Moore retired from professional snowboarding at the age of 30. He settled on Vancouver Island, where he's learning to build wooden boats. He still snowboards a handful of days a year.
—By Fitz Cahall
Learn more about Jonaven Moore in this video >>


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Community involved in youth alcohol issues
July 18, 2010 - By CATHY BROWNFIELD, Family Recovery Center
Childhood. Have you sat down to relax and let yourself recall what childhood was like for you? Maybe you've compared those memories with the childhood your children have been living....
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Saturday, November 2, 2013
Accusations of embezzlement make headlines all too often these days. And while stealing money is not limited to the public sector – even some church administrators and little league coaches have been accused of stealing – it seems to strike a deeper nerve when it involves taxpayer dollars.
Yet, from small town governments to large state agencies, the alleged theft of public funds never seems to be absent from the news for very long.
Yet it's actually a positive sign that we hear about it, because that shows that safeguards are in place to detect, investigate and prosecute insiders who would steal public funds.
In fact, multiple agencies work together to provide important oversight at the state level. Each one, including the agency I direct – the S.C. Comptroller General's Office – plays a different role. But we all work together to achieve the same goal – making state government more efficient, accountable, and ethical.
As the state's chief accountant, one of my most important responsibilities is to ensure that proper internal controls exist over public money flowing through the state's coffers. We're talking about lots of money, too. For example, this year's state budget is almost $23 billion.
A key part of having effective controls in place is maintaining a reasonable amount of overlapping safeguards. The state's accounting system operated by my office requires multiple layers of verification so that each state government payment we process is properly vetted and authorized.
When it comes to making sure tax dollars are used correctly, this is one area in government where you should desire some duplication.
This desire helps us understand the other agencies involved with financial oversight in state government.
The newest addition to this oversight team is the S.C. Inspector General's Office, which was initially established in July 2012 with just two investigators.
Since then it has been expanded to six investigators, all highly trained professionals with years of experience in financial auditing or in federal law enforcement focusing on financial crimes. State Inspector General Patrick Maley is a CPA and a retired 30-year FBI agent.
A key role of his office is to provide a place for state employees to confidentially report waste, fraud and corruption in state government. Members of the public can use the office, too.
People can report a suspected problem to the Inspector General's Office through its hotline (855-723-7283); email (firstname.lastname@example.com); online (http://oig.sc.gov/ComplaintForm.aspx); and by mail or in person (111 Executive Center Drive, Enoree Building, Suite 204, Columbia, S.C. 29210).
There are additional parts of the financial oversight network in state government, including internal auditors within large state agencies, the State Auditor's Office, the Legislative Audit Council and the State Law Enforcement Division.
At the agency level, internal auditors represent the first line of defense against misuse of public funds. Their job is to monitor transactions and catch problems early, before they grow or affect other agencies.
The State Auditor's Office audits state agencies, the state's annual financial statement, and its federal expenditures. The Auditor's Office also audits Medicaid spending in South Carolina, including contracts and financial reports filed by outside service providers that collectively do more than $200 million of business per year with state government.
Functioning as the General Assembly's auditing arm, the Legislative Audit Council evaluates agencies and programs for ways to save money, operate more efficiently, and better adhere to state law.
The Audit Council is required to review certain operations on a recurring basis, such as the S.C. Education Lottery, but most of its work is in response to specific audit requests from members of the Legislature.
Finally, there's the State Law Enforcement Division. You might picture helicopters and bloodhounds when you think of SLED, but a lot of its efforts go into rooting out public embezzlement. Local authorities often seek SLED's help in such cases.
With these layers of financial oversight and protection in state government, South Carolina taxpayers should feel confident that their tax dollars are being watched closely.
Richard Eckstrom, a CPA, is the comptroller general of South Carolina and commander of the S.C. State Guard.
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Measurement of Intangible Success Factors: Case Studies on the Design, Implementation and Use of Measures
Lönnqvist, Antti
Publication type: Doctoral dissertation
Issue date: 2004-06-21
Belongs to: Tampereen teknillinen yliopisto. Julkaisu - Tampere University of Technology. Publication; 475
University: Tampere University of Technology
Faculty: Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Department: Institute of Industrial Management
Intangible assets consist of the non-physical sources of value related to employees capabilities, organizations resources and way of operating and the relationships with their stakeholders. This thesis examines performance measurement as a tool for managing intangible assets. The concept intangible success factors refers to managerially relevant intangible assets and also to the activities related to improving or utilising the assets. Both types of intangible success factors have been considered important from the point of view of managing intangible assets. Managers consider it important to measure intangible success factors. However, they are experiencing difficulties in applying the measures in practice. The objectives of this research are to determine how intangible success factors can be measured and what the main challenges are in measuring them. These questions were examined regarding three main phases of measurement. The first phase is the design phase, which consists of deciding what to measure and defining the measures. After the measures have been designed, they can be implemented. The implementation phase consists of putting the measures into practice by, e.g., developing information systems. The third phase is using the measures, which consists of, e.g., reviewing measurement results and making actions based on the results. The research approach used was qualitative multiple case research. The measurement of intangible success factors was examined in three organizations, in which measures were first designed, then implemented and finally used. Three research methods were used in order to be able to study the different phases. Action research was used for the design phase, interviews for the implementation phase and interviews and a focus group for the use phase. The theoretical framework of the thesis is based on the traditional performance measurement literature and the more contemporary intangible assets literature. Both of these fields have produced various measurement frameworks that can be used for measuring intangible success factors. This research examined the measurement of intangible success factors from the perspective of the process of measurement, i.e. how the different phases were carried out. The results suggest that the measurement of intangible success factors is in many ways similar to measuring any other success factors. However, some specific characteristics can also be identified. Many of the measures of intangible success factors are subjective, although objective measures are also used. The measures are often based on some relatively new management tools, e.g. a competency matrix, which provide the information needed. The main challenges in measurement are also related to these specific characteristics. The challenges include, e.g., finding the skill and time required to design subjective measures, the resources consumed by the development of data collection methods and the lack of sophistication of subjective measures that would allow focusing on improvement. The main contribution of the research is the detailed description of how intangible success factors can be measured and the identification of the specific challenges in the different phases of measurement.
Copyright: This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.


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on November 4, 2012 - 12:01 AM
Today, 2 p.m.: Not Just Words: Art and Poetry with visual artist panel featuring Michael Morgulis, Tim Raymond, Pat Pendleton and poetry by Jane Peat, Elizabeth Glenny and Ronald Pritchett. Artspace Buffalo Gallery, 1219 Main St. $5
Today, 7:30 p.m.: The Screening Room Series reading featuring poet and spoken word artist Josh Smith. Additional reading slots available. Northtown Plaza Business Center, 3131 Sheridan Drive, Amherst.
Monday, 7 p.m.: BABEL Extras: BABEL at Betty's book discussion of acclaimed Somali author Nuruddin Farah's 2004 novel "Links" facilitated by Sam Magavern, co-director of the Partnership for the Public Good, and lecturer at the University at Buffalo Law School and the Cornell University ILR School. (Rescheduled from 10/29.) Magavern is author of the much-praised "Primo Levi's Universe: a Writer's Journey" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009). Refreshments served. Betty's Restaurant, 370 Virginia St. $10, $5 Just Buffalo members and BABEL subscribers.
Wednesday, 7 p.m.: Not Just Words: Poetry reading with the Women of the Crooked Circle writers' group featuring Marjorie Norris, Barb Faust, Linda Drajem, Sally Johnson, Kathleen Betsko Yale, Esther Roblin, Caroline Parrinello, Margaret Cusack and Kathy Shoemaker. Artspace Buffalo Gallery, 1219 Main St. $5.
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.: Just Buffalo Literary Café reading featuring poets Don Mitchell, Ryki Zuckerman and Lynn Ciesielski. Center for Inquiry, 1310 Sweet Home Road, Amherst.
Wednesday, 8 p.m.: Just Buffalo BABEL Series Lecture by the acclaimed Somali author Nuruddin Farah, author of 18 books including "A Naked Needle" (1976), "Maps" (1986), the first book of his "Blood in the Sun" trilogy, and his most recent trilogy which began with "Links" (2004, the BABEL reading selection), and continued with "Knots" (2007) and "Crossbones" (2011). In 1998, Farah was awarded the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. Kleinhans Music Hall, 71 Symphony Circle. $35; subscription package available.
Thursday, 7 p.m.: Not Just Words: Poetry reading featuring Ansie Baird, Sally Fiedler and Ann Goldsmith. Artspace Buffalo Gallery, 1219 Main St. $5.
Thursday, 7 p.m.: UB Exhibit X Fiction Series reading by award-winning English novelist, artist, and critic Tom McCarthy, author of "Remainder" (2005), a debut novel which deals with questions of trauma and repetition, "Men in Space" (2007), set in Central Europe during the collapse of communism, and "C" (2010), a novel set in the early 20th century that explores the relationship between melancholia, violence and the emergent radio technology of the era, as well as the essay collection "Tintin and the Secret of Literature (2006). "Remainder" won the 2008 Believer Book Award and is currently being adapted for cinema by FilmFour Films. Hallwalls Cinema, 341 Delaware Ave. (near Tupper Street).
Friday, 8 p.m.: UB Poetics Program reading by Vancouver-based interdisciplinary artist Donato Mancini, whose work focuses mainly on poetry, bookworks, text-based visual art and cultural criticism. His first two books of procedural and visual writing, "Ligatures" (2005) and "Æthel" (2007) were each nominated for the ReLit Award. Two more books, "Buffet World" and "Fact 'n' Value" were published in 2011. Rust Belt Books, 202 Allen St.
Friday, 8 p.m.: Poetry, Music and Burlesque with Individual World Poetry Slam champion Chris August, Buffalo's own spoken word artists MC Vendetta and 10,000, the Buffalo Burlesque Collective, and local musicians Peter Sorkin, Bourbon & Coffee and BloodThirsty Vegans. The Vault, 702 Main St. (second floor). $5.
Saturday, 7 p.m: "An Evening in November Downtown," open poetry and prose reading hosted by Mark C. Lloyd, with featured guests "GOODNE$$" and Rochelle M. Garrison. Rust Belt Books, 202 Allen St.
Saturday, 8 p.m.: Just Buffalo BIG NIGHT event featuring poet-critic and literary scholar Ben Friedlander, with artist and video maker Tammy McGovern, singer-songwriter Erin Verhoef, and food creations by BlazeVox Books publisher and gourmet chef Geoffrey Gatza. Friedlander, who received his Ph.D. in poetics at the University at Buffalo and is now assistant professor of English at the University of Maine-Orono, is the author of "The Missing Occasion of Saying Yes: Poems 1984-1994" (Subpress Collective) and "A Knot Is Not a Tangle" (Krupskaya Press, 2000). His critical and scholarly works include "Simulcast: Four Experiments in Criticism" (U of Alabama Press, 2004) and both "Charles Olson's Collected Prose" (U of California Press, 1997) and "The Selected Poems of Robert Creeley, 1945-2005" (U of California Press, 2005), which he co-edited. Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St. (near Mohawk Street). $5, $4 students, Just Buffalo members, and members of its affiliate organizations.


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Source: USPTO
quote: things are going to get worse and worse until the lawsuits get so out of control that they're crippling the economy
quote: Does it feel like lawsuits are helping in any way atm?Like, if this particular patent was rejected, suddenly billions of dollars would be turned away from ebook reader industry, thousands of jobs would be lost and so on?
quote: Now if the person that actually invented this can come forward and prove they had the idea first (i.e. an application that shows this working that dates to before Apple's claimed first application) then Apple ends up losing the patent AND the real inventor can in turn sue the pants off of Apple for those billions they made from it.


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As Listed
Related Lists
This list is based on The Great Books of the Western World, edited by Robert Hutchins and Mortimer Adler.
From Wikipedia:
It came about as the result of a discussion among American academics and educators, starting in the 1920s and 1930s and begun by Prof. John Erskine of Columbia University, about how to improve the higher education system by returning it to the western liberal arts tradition of… (more)
Yes very nice. Not Alice in Wonderland? Dante?
Nice list!


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5 Horrifying Truths About Being a Medical Doctor
#2. Your Doctor is Probably Obese
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There's nothing wrong with being obese. But it will kill you. And doctors know that.
Obesity causes everything from diabetes to heart attacks to strokes and is linked to early onset of Alzheimer's. And yet, doctors have a death wish -- 53 percent of doctors, despite knowing all of this, are obese (according to the Obesity Research Journal).
Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
"Well, what good is having a double bypass discount if I don't take advantage of it?"
And you put yourself in their care.
Why should it matter if doctors are obese? In a sample of patients who are overweight, only 7 percent of the overweight doctors would diagnose their patients as overweight. As opposed to more than 90 percent of the doctors who were not overweight.
"*Pffbbt* we're both doing fine. Just some holiday weight."
Frankly, even someone with a medical degree could give the simple medical advice of "Stop smoking and eat less" and have a healthier patient in almost every case. But the reality is, overweight doctors don't give that advice.
#1. Going on Vacation is a Death Sentence (For Other People)
David De Lossy/Photodisc/Getty Images
In medical circles (trust me, I'm a fake doctor) it's known as the "July Effect." In the U.K. they refer to it as "The August Killing Season." Results show that patients get worse care in these months, particularly at teaching hospitals.
Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images
"I don't care what the chart says. My three semesters, and House DVDs, tell me it's never Lupus."
Why? For the dumbest and most obvious reason: Doctors go on vacation in July. That means interns become residents and residents pretend to be the real doctors. So you're a doctor, a big, fat, sad, suicidal doctor, and all you want to do is take some time off, but, hey, you can't. Because when you take time off more people die.
"Your all-inclusive resort package includes: food, drinks, and crippling guilt!"
Deaths from surgery and malpractice skyrocket in July, so as long as you can avoid getting sick or injured in the summertime, you should be fine. Or better yet, make sure you ONLY get sick in areas where doctors might be vacationing. Hawaii is a great place to get the plague in July.


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The scenes of devastation on the East Coast have stunned all of us, particularly since the nor�easter Athena arrived to give the folks in New Jersey and New York a knock-out punch.
Most of us have given to the Red Cross, but there�s a way we can contribute just a little more, shall we say, locally?
The Durango Area Chapter of Project Linus has been asked to collaborate with chapters across the country to provide handmade blankets for children whose families have been displaced by Mother Nature. They have 50 blankets prepared for sister chapters in New Jersey and New York who already have organized distribution efforts.
It�s the postage that�s the obstacle. Sending 50 blankets by a method that will get the blankets there in a timely manner is pretty pricey. The chapter is asking us to kick in what we can, even if it�s just a few dollars from many of us, to get those blankets to where they�re most needed. Coordinator Regina Hogan tells me 100 percent of the contributions will be used for postage.
Make your check out to Project Linus and mail it to Regina Hogan, 60 Baranca Drive, Durango, CO 81301.
Though not a crafty person myself, I have a great deal of respect for these folks. They quilt, crochet, knit, sew and piece beautiful blankets out of yarn and fabric, about 500 a year. Those blankets go to children and teenagers who are ill or who have been traumatized in some way. I have read some of the thank-you notes the chapter receives, and they are utterly heartwarming.
On Nov. 3, the chapter held its annual meeting at Christ the King Lutheran Church, just one of many area organizations receiving the gift of meeting space from the church. It turns out that when they�re not making blankets, these folks are cooking, so the meeting included a terrific lunch with homemade soups, rolls and desserts.
Hogan said it�s been a notable year for the group, as Project Linus received the 2012 Community Hero Award from the Southwest Colorado Chapter of the American Red Cross in March.
�This is truly an important honor for us,� Hogan said, �as we continue our mission to provide children with love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to those traumatized, ill or in need through gifts of new, handmade blankets.�
One way the group is able to gather the materials to make the blankets, which are required to be new, is through the generous support of the La Plata Quilters Guild. This year, the guild held a show and sale at Fort Lewis College that generated the bulk of Project Linus� funds.
After 11 years and 5,600 blankets, most distributed locally, although they have responded to other natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, it seems to me the least the rest of us can do is help them get the blankets where they�re needed. And as far as I�m concerned, if my $10 isn�t needed for postage, I want them to throw it in their fund for new materials.
Thanks for all you do, Project Linus.
Breaking out their winter coats for their birthdays are Jane Mercer, Marilee White, Gayle Brown, Peeb Lupia, Georgine Mounts, Charlie Thames, Jeannie Bennett, Richard Cox, Bill Postler, Debbie Van Winkle, Camron Baum, Ginny Clark, Meghan Youngblood, John Cooley, Danya Eggleston, Carol Gordon, Gerilyn Hoyt, Jenny Pritchard, Lydia Townsend, Julie Arbaugh, Germaine Rogers, Dawn Spaeder and Susan Stamets.
Wow, Durango has kept me so busy I�m getting behind again on stories. This is so not the Durango I grew up in!
I completely spaced writing about Jazz on the Hill, which was one of the highlights of September. Created as a fundraiser for the Russ and Bette Serzen Endowment for Concert Hall Operations, the crowd at the sold-out event enjoyed every second on Sept. 22, thanks in large part to organizer Cheryl Folwell.
We dined on the stage at the concert hall, which is probably the only time I�ll ever be up there, and it was so cool to look up and realize just how big and beautiful the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College is.
Strater Catering & Events did its usual great job, serving us a lovely salad with red grapes, Gorgonzola cheese, red onions, candied walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette. That was followed with two of my favorites, pepper steak Herbert and salmon with citrus butter, served with creamy mashed potatoes and haricots verts. The meal ended with the Strater�s signature triple chocolate-mousse tower.
But as fine as the meal was, it was the entertainment that was stellar, as one might imagine from the name of the event. And it was a testament to just how fine the music department at FLC is. The trio of Lee Bartley on piano � OK, he�s not associated with the Fort, but he could be � percussionist extraordinaire and assistant professor of music Jonathan Latta and bass player and student Spencer Church were a great start.
But the three guest-artist students took it over the top. Brian Stoneback on tenor saxophone, James Olinger on guitar and Samuel Kelly on alto sax took their moment in the spotlight and ran with it.
Latta made it a learning experience � each student created his own arrangement of a standard, then taught it to the trio. If the audience was allowed to give grades, it was straight �A�s all the way.
While the evening was great fun, the reason we were there was all too serious. When the community came together to build the concert hall 15 years ago, one message that got lost was that the giving needed to continue for the ongoing operations, because the college could not bear the full load alone.
And if that were true 15 years ago, imagine how much more our giving matters now, when the state of Colorado has cut the per student funding by more than 50 percent during the last 10 years. (That�s compared to an average of 20 percent in cuts per student around the country.) More than one person has told me that at this rate, the college will be a private institution of higher learning in another 10 years or so.
Russ Serzen was a great fan of jazz, and after his death, Bette founded the endowment to support one of their favorite places. It�s up to about $75,000 now, but concert hall general manager Charles Leslie tells me we need to get it to $1 million for it to start truly providing meaningful support for the operations at the hall.
I know many people think buying a ticket to a performance is their way of supporting the concert hall, and it does, don�t get me wrong. But for many performances, ticket sales cover only about a third of the cost. What isn�t covered is the overhead, the staff, keeping the lights turned on ...
If you would like to join in the effort to support Community Concert Hall operations, give Leslie a call at 247-7468, visit www.durangoconcerts.com or call the Fort Lewis Foundation, which manages the endowment, at 247-6179.
I think everyone can agree with me (and the 4-year-old from Fort Collins who doesn�t want to hear anymore about �Bronco Bama� and Mitt Romney) that we are awfully glad the election of 2012 is over. But despite the super PAC toxic mailers, the over-the-top radio and television ads and constant robocalls, there was one part of it I did enjoy � the political cartoons.
And that�s thanks to Herald cartoonist and critic Judith Reynolds, who gave a talk called �Iconoclasts and Outsiders: The Art of Cartooning in an Election Year,� as part of the Lifelong Learning Series put on by the Professional Associates of Fort Lewis College.
After a primer about the history and conventions of political cartooning, she made a point that bears repeating � Americans are not great at irony or satire.
It explained for me why the Durango Arts Center�s performance of the ultimate satire of small town life, �Greater Tuna� the summer before last offended so many people while delighting others. I guess living in Europe, where satire is the king of comedy, rubbed off on me, because I was one of the delighted ones.
But I digress. Reynolds also pointed out the ultimate strength of political cartooning.
�It�s pointing out truth to power,� she said. �It�s seeing the irony, the foolishness, pointing out falsehoods.�
There are also two different schools of political cartooning, which originated in two of the powerhouses of the ancient world, Greece and Rome. Greece gave us Horatius, whose approach was witty and playful. Rome contributed Juvenal, whose humor was abrasive and angry.
What school do you think Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert follow?
The next time you look at a political cartoon, don�t just give it a glance � take some time to really look at the drawing, how it exaggerates and distorts the image, the symbolism that tells us so much in one look, even if it�s mostly subliminal.
And if the caricature of the president is wearing a crown or is portrayed as a king, you�ll be seeing the worst jab a political cartoonist can take at the leader of a democracy.
That leaves me with the ultimate lesson we all learned this week. No matter who wins or loses an election, we�re all in this together. In a small town like Durango, we�re going to see people with different political leanings than ours at the grocery store, bank or next fundraiser for a cause important to our community.
And I hope everyone will remember we are all good people who love this country and this place we call home, even if we�re going to have to agree to disagree on how to run it.
That�s as close to politics as I ever want to get in Neighbors!
Hopefully these couples will be shoveling a little snow for their anniversaries � Donald and Marilyn Baker and Ben and Donna Arizza.
Here�s how to reach me: email@example.com; phone 375-4584; mail items to the Herald; or drop them off at the front desk. Please include contact names and phone numbers for all items.
I am happy to consider photos for Neighbors, but they must be high-quality, high-resolution photos (at least 1 MB of memory) and include no more than three to five people. I need to know who�s who, left to right, and who to credit with the photo. Candid photos are better than posed.


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Home » Western Saddles & Tack » Western Saddles » King Series Youth Show and Pleasure Saddle
King Series Youth Show and Pleasure Saddle
Code: 1300
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