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MOUNT PLEASANT — Mobile units have been the temporary fix for schools with too many students, but Charleston County officials have unveiled a new three-part proposal to alleviate overcrowding in this growing community.
Other districts
Officials in neighboring school districts of Berkeley and Dorchester 2 also have plans to build and renovate schools to alleviate overcrowding:In Dorchester 2: Plans call for four new schools; 19 of the district's 22 schools are at or above capacity. The cost for those new buildings, as well as construction of a new aquatic center and the renovations to 10 other schools, will be $179 million, which voters have approved. The district will open three new elementary schools in August 2015 and the middle school in August 2016.In Berkeley County: The district will add five new schools; 15 of its 41 are overcrowded. That new construction, as well as the renovation of 29 others, will cost $198 million. One new school will open each year starting in 2015.
District leaders are considering:
Establishing a new partnership with East Cooper Montessori Charter that would allow the school to use the former Laing Middle School building, increase its enrollment and provide a "lab" environment to help the district spread Montessori across the county.
Creating a new, 500-student magnet school solely for Mount Pleasant students in the former Whitesides Elementary School building.
Increasing the capacity for the new Laing Middle and Jennie Moore Elementary School buildings by 300 students each so the new schools each would serve 1,200 students.
The three-prong strategy could add as many as 1,350 seats for students within the next couple years at what district leaders say is a minimal expense. It's too early to calculate the cost, but it would exceed $10 million.
"Our goal is to bring on new seats in East Cooper as quickly as possible with the least disruption to families as possible," said Superintendent Nancy McGinley.
The District 2 (Mount Pleasant) Constituent School Board has been talking about rezoning schools to give relief to those with too many students. If approved, the district's proposal could result in a postponement of that rezoning until 2015.
The county school board could vote on two of its ideas — the magnet school and the increased size of Jennie Moore and Laing — at its June 10 meeting.
New partnership
About 500 students are on waiting lists for Montessori classes across the district, and 100 of those students want to go to East Cooper Montessori Charter in the I'On neighborhood in Mount Pleasant.
The excellent-rated school enrolls 258 first- through eighth-graders from across the county, and it has a strong base of parent and community support. The school raised more than $1 million to help it build and open in 2007 a 14,000-square-foot school.
Still, that building hasn't been big enough to meet community demand, which has blocked the school from growing any further. The school has mobile units, and it doesn't have a gym, cafeteria or media center.
McGinley and the school's principal, Jody Swanigan, have been in "creative brainstorming conversations" for a few months, and they proposed on Thursday a new partnership that would enable the charter school to use the former Laing Middle School building on U.S. Highway 17.
The arrangement would provide more seats for Montessori students in Mount Pleasant and elsewhere in the district. Montessori education is a teaching philosophy that encourages students to work independently; students don't have desks and do more individual, hands-on lessons.
The district would pay to renovate Laing to be appropriate for Montessori classes, which are bigger than traditional rooms, and that cost was unknown. Construction work to renovate the former Whitesides Elementary School building was more than $2.5 million, and the former Laing Middle building is larger.
The charter school would lease the space at a reduced rate, and it would have room to possibly double its enrollment over time. The school also would be considered a "lab" for the district, which means it would be used as a model and would train teachers and leaders for other district Montessori programs.
The school would host a training vendor, which would save nearby Montessori educators the cost of traveling elsewhere for Montessori certification.
The charter school could open in the new space as soon as August 2014. Charter schools are public schools that are governed by boards of parents and community members. They follow state laws but not school district mandates.
Swanigan emphasized that this idea was in its early stages, and many issues still need to be discussed. She said she wants to do this because she loves Montessori education and wants to ensure high-quality offerings across the district.
"The reason (to do this) is simple," she told the county school board. "It's the right thing to do."
The county school board would have to sign off on the proposal, and the four members who listened to the presentation wanted to hear more, such as specific cost estimates.
Chairwoman Cindy Bohn Coats called it a "great idea," and said she wanted any contract to explain why the district was entering into this kind of deal with this charter school versus others.
New magnet school
The school district doesn't have a plan to build a new elementary school in Mount Pleasant through 2016. The next one to come online likely would be in 2018 in the Carolina Park community.
To ease the load at existing elementary schools, McGinley proposed creating a new magnet school that would open in August 2014 in the former Whitesides Elementary building.
That building has undergone more than $2 million in renovations, and Sullivan's Island Elementary is using the space now.
If the board approves the concept, the district would spend the upcoming school year working with the community to figure out what the focus of this new school would be. If it's an attractive theme, McGinley said parents would apply.
"The key here is community involvement and parent engagement," said board Vice Chairman Craig Ascue. "It's finding out what they want and then going with it."
The district expects the school would offer grades K-5 and could enroll 500 students. Students would have to apply to be selected, and each elementary school in Mount Pleasant would be allotted seats in proportion to the total number of Mount Pleasant students served.
Lewis said the Whitesides building could be used for at least another 10 years. School board member Elizabeth Moffly said the district needs space for students in the northern part of Mount Pleasant, and McGinley said she agrees, but the district doesn't have any unused school buildings in that area. It would be a minimal cost to get the building and program ready, she said.
Building capacity
The new buildings for Jennie Moore Elementary and Laing Middle both are slated to open in the fall of 2015 and each will serve 900 students. The common areas in those buildings, such as the cafeteria, kitchen and media center, have been designed for a 1,200-student campus, because district leaders knew at some point the schools would have to grow to that size.
The new proposal would be increasing the classroom spaces in each building to serve 1,200 students.
"We always knew we'd have to (expand), it was just a matter of when," said Bill Lewis, the district's chief operating officer. "The 'when' got sooner because the schools are so good and the economy has been so tough that more and more people have sent their kids to our schools. That just accelerated the rate of growth. It's a great problem to have."
The combined cost of the Jennie Moore and Laing Middle projects is $72.5 million, and the 600 additional seats would cost $8.5 million.
Officials said they could pay for that with savings from the previous building program, as well as savings on the new Center for Advanced Studies at the Wando High School campus.
Reach Diette Courrégé Casey at @Diette on Twitter or 937-5546.
A rotation method is used to move students in and out of the lunch room at the crowded Laurel Hill Primary in Mount Pleasant. The town's schools are seriously overcrowded, and Charleston County school leaders have ideas that will spread out students and delay rezoning until 2015.×


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LEGACY AWARDS RECOGNIZE SENIORS: The Valley Legacy Awards, recognizing outstanding seniors and senior advocates from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties, is accepting nominations for honorees.
The awards honor people 60 or older for a lifetime of working to improve the Mahoning Valley, as well as to individuals who have provided exceptional support to and for older Americans through their professional, volunteer or civic roles. Anyone can submit a nomination in either of two categories, Outstanding Senior or Outstanding Senior Advocate. Nominations must be postmarked by July 31.
All nominees and the award recipients will be honored at the Eighth Annual Valley Legacy Awards Luncheon on Oct. 11.
Nomination forms are available at www.shepherdofthevalley. com by clicking on ''Quick Links'' and choosing ''Valley Legacy Awards.'' For additional information, contact Lynn Miller, corporate marketing director, Shepherd of the Valley, at either lmiller@shepherd ofthevalley.com or 330-530-4038, Ext. 2057.
AAA OFFERS MATURE DRIVING COURSE: Shepherd of the Valley is inviting mature drivers 60 or older to sign-up for the AAA Safe Driving for Mature Operators Course. The state-certified course, which can qualify attendees for auto insurance discounts, is being offered July 17 and 19 and July 24 and 26 at Shepherd of the Valley-Howland and Shepherd of the Valley-Poland.
The course runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, with an hour for lunch. Lunch is available for $5 or participants may eat at a nearby dining location. Lunch reservations must be made when signing up for the class.
Class size is limited to 15 participants. The cost is $10 for AAA members and $15 for nonmembers. To make a reservation, call Lynn Miller, 330-530-4038, Ext. 2057.
For more information on this and the August CARFIT program, visit the community events page on the Shepherd of the Valley website, www.shepherdofthevalley.com, or contact Lynn Miller at 330-530-4038, Ext. 2057, or at lmiller@shepherdofthevalley. com.
SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY PLANS SUMMER CONCERTS: Shepherd of the Valley-Niles, 1500 McKinley Ave., Niles, has two free public concerts remaining in its summer series:
''An Evening in Vegas,'' 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 12, will feature Stephen Medovich with music of the Rat Pack and Ronnie "The King" Navarro with an Elvis tribute.
The Girard Swing Band will perform from 7 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 8.
Bring a lawn chair or blanket for the lawn concerts; in inclement weather, the concerts will move indoors. Indoor concerts are for residents only.
For more information, call Sandy Ozanich, assisted living activity assistant, 330-544-0771, Ext. 2822.
VAN HUFFEL, VANEX MEET: Former Van Huffel and Vanex Tube employees meet at 8 a.m. Fridays at Wayside Restaurant, 825 State Road N.W., Champion. For more information, call Jim Franklin at 330-856-4231.
BUILDING PRODUCTS RETIREES TO MEET: Niles Building Products Retirees meet the second Wednesday of each month at Scenna's Restaurant, 1901 N. State St., Niles.
NILES RETIRED TEACHERS TO MEET: The Niles Classroom Retired Teachers meet every other month on the second Tuesday. All retired Niles teachers can attend.
The TRUMBULL COUNTY NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR THE ELDERLY is provided by the Trumbull County Office of Elderly Affairs and operates nutrition sites at 10 locations throughout Trumbull County. These sites provide a meal and the opportunity for socialization. Donations will be accepted.
Any senior citizen 60 and older and spouses of those 60 and older are welcome for lunch at any of the following sites:
Cortview Village, 100 Cortview Drive, Cortland, noon Thursday and Friday
Girard Multi-Generational Center, 443 Trumbull Ave., Girard, 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Hubbard Senior Center, 220 W. Liberty St., Hubbard, 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
Johnston Senior Center, 5922 Warren Road, Cortland, noon Monday through Friday
Kinsman Fire Hall, 8450 Ridge Road, Kinsman, noon Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
Lordstown Administration Building, 1455 Salt Springs Road, Lordstown, 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday
Newton Falls Community Center, 52 E. Quarry St., Newton Falls, 11:15 a.m. Monday through Friday
United Steelworkers Hall, 1265 N. Main St., Niles, 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday
SCOPE Senior Center, 220 W. Market St., Warren, 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday
Robert Morrison Village, 3000 Burton St. S.E., Warren, 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday
West Farmington Senior Center, 151 College St., West Farmington, noon Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
For more information or to make reservations two working days in advance before 3 p.m., call 330-675-2486.
The menu for the week is:
TODAY: Macaroni and cheese, sliced carrots, hot mixed fruit, wheat bread, apple juice
MONDAY: Barbecue riblet, scalloped potatoes, chopped spinach, diamond Jim bun, orange
TUESDAY: Hamburger on bun, corn, potato spudster, fruit mix, cupcake
WEDNESDAY: Closed for Independence Day
THURSDAY: Stuffed pepper with sauce, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, rye bread, chocolate chip cookie
JULY 6: Johnny marzetti, broccoli, applesauce, shredded lettuce with Italian dressing, wheat bread
FOWLER-VIENNA SENIOR CITIZENS: The group meets from 9:30 a.m. or later every Thursday at the Fowler Community Center to play cards and games, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and for a 50-50 raffle and meals. Special meals are served on the fourth Thursday of the month. Cost is $3 each.
All those 55 and older are welcome. Annual dues are $12.
Rear of Lordstown Elementary School, 1776 Salt Springs Road; 330-824-2173. Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call ahead for lunch, $3. Membership is $12 per year or $22 for a couple.
MONDAY: 10 a.m., Wii bowl; noon, lunch, $3, hoagies and gelatin.
TUESDAY: 10 a.m., Wii bowl, bridge or candles, 25-cent bingo; noon, lunch, $3, stuffed peppers, soup, bread and fruit; 2 p.m., beginners sketching class, $3, call to register.
WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m., woodcarving with Frank, free; 10 a.m. (last Wednesday of month), free cholesterol screening, glucose test and blood pressure check (fast is required); noon, lunch, $3, Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, carrots, bread; 1 p.m., exercise with Rosanne, chair yoga.
THURSDAY: 10 a.m., bridge, candles or Wii bowl; noon, lunch, $3, baked chicken or pork, vegetable, fruit, bread; 7 p.m., bridge night.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m., bingo, 25 cents; noon, lunch, $3, chicken cacciatore, spaghetti and gelatin.
Wii games are available every day and can be played from a sitting position. All classes are free.
Membership is $12 per year. Visit or contact the center.
THE KINSMAN SENIOR CITIZEN NUTRITION SITE is open every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to seniors 60 or older or those whose spouse is 60 or older. Meals are served about noon at the Kinsman Fire Hall. Donations accepted. Doors open at 10 a.m. For information on meals, call site manager Dollie Davis at 330-876-5123.
Cards and bingo are played every day, and singing is on Wednesdays. To attend, call Davis two days prior.
5922 Warren Road, Cortland, 330-924-0412.
Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Membership is $12 a year. Puzzles, games and coffee bar are available daily.
MONDAY: 10:30 a.m., trivia; 12:30 p.m., cornhole.
TUESDAY: 10 a.m., art; 12:30 p.m., Wii bowling.
WEDNESDAY: 10:30 a.m., needlework; 10:30 a.m., blood pressure check; 12:30 p.m., balance.
THURSDAY: 10 a.m., cards; 10:30 a.m., Wii bowling; 12:30 p.m., bingo.
FRIDAY: 10:30 a.m., Yahtzee; 11 a.m., Wii bowling; 12:30 p.m., balance.
Daily meals are served at noon, donations are accepted. Call for a reservation.
There are also monthly craft days and birthday parties.
Open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon Mondays.
MONDAY: 7 a.m. to noon, full breakfast menu, open to the public.
TUESDAY: 10:30 a.m., exercise class and quilting, cards and crafts; 6 p.m., cards, players choice.
WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY: noon, nutrition program lunch, $1.50, and quilting, cards and crafts.
Weight Watchers - Doors open at 5 p.m. with meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
Self-serve breakfast is available from 8 to 10 a.m. Tuesday through Friday.
For more information, call 330-889-2733.
4447-B Mahoning Ave., 330-847-8179.
Breakfast 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Monday. Cost is $4 for members and $6 for nonmembers.
Lunch 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Cost is $3 for members and $5 for nonmembers. Call the day before. Carryouts are available. Menu suggestions are welcome. Special holiday lunches are $5 for everyone.
Three computers with free Internet are available daily.
MONDAY: Speaker after breakfast; 1 p.m., acrylic painting / crafts of choice. (Supply fees may apply.)
TUESDAY: 12:30 p.m., arthritic exercise with certified therapist, followed by chair volleyball and cornhole.
WEDNESDAY: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., bingo at 25 cents per card and free with Angela on second Wednesday.
THURSDAY: 12:30 p.m., arthritic exercise with certified therapist.
FRIDAY: Gardening forum scheduled each Friday right after lunch, painting or crafts afterward.
Cards or games are available every day when requested. Special speakers are scheduled for 11 a.m. most Mondays. Crocheting, knitting and quilting (bring machine) assistance available. Monthly menu is available at the front desk. SCOPE is seeking ideas for projects and speakers.
14 E. State St., Niles, Ray Novotny and Judy Fabian, managers. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday. 330-544-3676.
MONDAY: 10 a.m., bridge; 11 a.m., Arthritis Foundation exercise program, $1, Debbie Eschman therapy; 1 p.m., quilting, cards, players choice; 4 p.m., Monday night cards and games, food, $2; 5 p.m., weight loss support group.
TUESDAY: 9:30 a.m. square dancing, $3, Norm Flavell, caller and instructor; 11:30 a.m. lunch - $3 for members and $4 for others; 11:45 a.m., Happy Tappers, $1; 1 p.m., cards - 500 tournament, first, second and third Tuesday each month, pre-registration required; 2:30 p.m., pinochle; 3 p.m., blood pressure checks, first and third Tuesday each month, Niles Health Department; 7:30 p.m., square dance lessons with Gene Hammond, call 330-534-4426 to sign up.
WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m., chair yoga, $1; 11:30 a.m., lunch, $3 members and $4 others (VIP monthly birthday luncheon, third Wednesday, $5); 1 p.m., bingo with a guest caller each week; 1 p.m., Texas Hold 'Em; 2:30 p.m., card players choice; 7 p.m. (third Wednesday), Friendly Square Dance, $9 couple.
THURSDAY: 9:30 a.m., line dancing, $3, Norm Flavell, instructor; 11:30 a.m., lunch $3 for members and $4 others; 1 p.m., Game Day - Wii bowling, board games; 1 p.m., pinochle, bridge and American Red Cross blood drive, third Thursday of the month; 6 p.m., Thursday Night Clean People.
FRIDAY: 9:30 a.m., Happy Tappers (free glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure screenings every third Friday); 10 a.m., free art class; 11 a.m., arthritis exercise program, $1, Debbie Eschman therapy; 11:30 a.m., salad and sandwich, $2; 1 p.m., choir practice.
Pool table, piano or television available when not in conflict with other activities.
Pre-registration is required. Call the center or stop in to sign up.
The center is signing up participants for the following trips.
Sept. 18-21 - Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tenn., Grand Ole Opry. Double occupancy $615; triple, $604, and four occupants, $594. Payment plans available.
A fall foliage trip is being planned for October on the Gateway Clipper Cruise Line in Pittsburgh.
8273 High St., Howland.
MONDAY: 9 a.m., pinochle; 12:30 p.m., yoga, $3; 1:45 p.m., senior Zumba.
TUESDAY: 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., bocce; 12:30 p.m., bingo; 12:30 p.m., Book Club (third Tuesday); 3 p.m., cornhole (winter months).
WEDNESDAY: 9 a.m., Ohio Star Quilters (first and third Wednesday); 10 a.m., bridge club; 1 p.m., Red Hatters (first Wednesday); 6:30 p.m., line dancing, $3.
THURSDAY: 9:30 a.m., computer class, $25; 12:30 p.m., Red Hatters (first Thursday); 2 p.m., Investment Club, 2 p.m.; 2 p.m., line dancing, $3; 4:30 p.m., bocce; 5:30 p.m., card night (fee).
FRIDAY: 9 a.m., pinochle; 11:30 a.m., line dancing, $3; 8:15 a.m., golf (fee).
SATURDAY: 9 a.m., Train Club (twice per month); American Legion executive meeting once a month.
For more information on programs and events at Howland SCOPE, call 330-609-7806.
125 N. Bank St., Cortland; 330-637-3010; Harbor Day Care, 2627 Atlantic N.E., Warren, 330-399-4495.
MONDAY: 10 a.m., bridge club; 11 a.m., beginners line dancing; 12:30 p.m., arthritis exercise, $2; 4 p.m., pool league, open to players.
TUESDAY: 11:30 a.m., chair yoga; Garden club, first Tuesday of each month; 2 p.m., Line dancing ($3)
WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m., cards; 11 a.m., beginners line dancing, $2; 10:30 a.m., bridge players; noon, arthritis exercise class, $2; 2 p.m., crochet class; 2 p.m., woodcarving class.
THURSDAY: 10 a.m., Tai Chi ($5); 10 a.m., open art class, free; sewing, open.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m., art group, free; 10 a.m., cards; 10:30 a.m., omelet in a bag, first Friday, $3; 12:30 p.m., painting class ($5).
220 W. Market St., Warren. Donations accepted for lunch. For more information, call 330-399-8846.
MONDAY: 10:30 a.m., arthritis exercises; 11:30 a.m., Trumbull County Office of Elderly Affairs lunch site (donations accepted); 1 p.m., cards (500); 6 p.m., line dance.
TUESDAY: 11 a.m., chair exercises; 11:30 a.m., lunch site; 4:30 p.m. Riverside Railroad Club; 6:30 p.m. bridge; 7 p.m. Stephen Foster Chorus practice.
WEDNESDAY: 11 a.m., chair exercises; 11:30 a.m., lunch site; 6 p.m., Bible study.
THURSDAY: 9:30 a.m. bridge and poker; 10:30 a.m., arthritis exercises; 11 a.m., chair exercises; 11:30 a.m., lunch and entertainment; 6 p.m., line dance.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m., chair tap / tap class; 11:30 a.m., lunch site; 12:30 p.m. cards (500).
All seniors are invited to join the new line dancing class at the Warren SCOPE Center, starting on Wednesday. Norm Flavell will be conducting this class from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday. The cost is $3 per session.
The Center is now organizing canasta and poker games for seniors 60 or older. For more information, please contact Marge at 330-399-8846.
AUSTINTOWN SENIOR CENTER: 100 Westchester Drive, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Register for a free 11:30 a.m. lunch by 10:30 a.m. at email@example.com or by calling 330-953-1416.
MONDAY: 9:30 a.m., painting class, $5; 10 a.m., bingo; noon, monthly wellness check, including blood pressure, hearing, vision and medication checks.
TUESDAY: 10 a.m., line dancing with Bea; noon, bingo trip to Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh.
WEDNESDAY: 9:15 a.m., cards or cornhole; 10 a.m., bingo; noon, tai chi.
THURSDAY: 9:30 a.m., yoga, cards, Wii; 50/50 drawing, birthday party; noon, bingo, sponsor Briarfield at Ashley Circle.
FRIDAY: 10 a.m., bingo, cornhole, Wii.
Lunch is offered Monday through Friday on a first-come, first-served basis to seniors 60 and older. Cost is $2 but not required and the number of meals is limited. The center features speakers at 11:30 a.m. every Friday followed by the taping of the "Senior Focus" TV show.
Trumbull County Office of Elderly Affairs: 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Call reservation in at least two days in advance at 330-675-2486. Suggested donation: $1.50 per meal. For seniors 60 and older and / or their spouses. Menu calendars are available at the center.
Upcoming events:
Basic computer classes: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays and Fridays. Call 330-545-6596 to register or for more information.
Fitness Room hours: 8:30 to 4 p.m. Monday; 8:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday; 8:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday; 8:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday; 8:30 to 4 p.m. Friday; closed Saturdays.
Yoga / pilates: Tuesdays, yoga from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., chair yoga 11:30 to 12:30 p.m., pilates 5 to 6 p.m.; Wednesdays, yoga 3 to 4 and 6 to 7 p.m.; Thursdays, yoga at 10:15 to 11:15 a.m., chair yoga 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and pilates 5 to 6 p.m. Cost is $3 for class for members and $5 for class for nonmembers.
Tai chi: Cost $5: noon to 1 p.m. Fridays
Exercising to music will be 9:30 to 10 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the gym.
The Wii gaming system and air hockey or ping pong is set up in the parlor for members to use during the center's hours of operation.
Adult basketball or cornhole is held 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday in the gym. Minimum of two players and must be members of the center.
Walk the steps or in the gym: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Minimum of two walkers. Sign in at the front desk.
Knit and crochet class: 10 a.m. to noon Mondays. Bring yarn, needles and other materials needed. Class is free and open to members.
COUNTRY NEIGHBOR: Country Neighbor Community Center, 39 S. Maple St., Orwell, is offering the following programs. For reservations or information, call Diana Ristimaki, program coordinator, at 440-437-6311.
Maple Street Cafe breakfast, 6 to 10 a.m. Mondays through Fridays. All proceeds benefit the services and programs of Country Neighbor.
Diabetes support group - 10 a.m. first Friday of each month, free.
Jodie Stoloves chair dancing - 10:30 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, fee $1.
Ceramic classes - 12:30 p.m. second and fourth Friday, fee $8, call to register.

subset: commoncrawl


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Kimberly Nichole Stryffeler and Daniel Lee Freet Jr. were united in marriage on March 30 at the Tri-County Church of Christ in Beloit.
The bride is the daughter of Shane and Diana Earl of Salem and Jeffrey and Theresa Stryffeler of Missouri.
The bridegroom's parents are Dan and Linda Freet of Salem.
Article Photos
Pastor Terry Kirsch officiated at the couple's double-ring ceremony.
Escorted by her father and given in marriage by her family, the bride wore a white strapless satin pick-up ball gown accented with a purple rhinestone-beaded sash. Complimenting her gown and the theme of the wedding, the bride carried a bouquet of spring and Easter flowers. She also wore a rhinestone necklace and bracelet belonging to her grandmother.
Josh Kniseley of Salem, served as the man of honor.
Bridesmaids, wearing chiffon knee-length dresses in canary, coral and Malibu, respectively, were Julie Freet of Sebring, the bridegroom's sister-in law; Mel Kuntzman of Alliance; and Adrienne Barchus of Salem.
The bridesmaids carried bouquets of roses matching their dresses.
The flower girl was the bridegroom's niece, Nikki Freet.
Sean Edie of Sebring served as best man.
Groomsmen were Nick Freet of Sebring and Scott Freet of Salem, the bridegroom's brothers; Andy Way of Salem, the bride's brother; and Jonah McIntosh of Salem.
The ring bearer was Wyatt Freet, the bridegroom's nephew.
Approximately 130 guests attended the reception held at A La Cart Catering in Canfield.
The bride and bridegroom are both graduates of West Branch High School. She is also a graduate from the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center and is employed at Salem Subway.
Mr. Freet is employed by AVI at the University of Mount Union.
The couple honeymooned in Florida and reside in Salem.


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Top baby names of 2013
POSTED: 09:13 AM PDT May 09, 2014 UPDATED: 09:30 AM PDT May 09, 2014
The Social Security Administration has released its top baby names of 2013. Check out the top 10 for each sex.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms Of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms.blog comments powered by Disqus


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By Zachary Culler, NAMI Communications Intern
Judging from the covers of their respective books, authors James T. R. Jones and Peter Goodman seem radically different at first glance. The cover of Buzzkill shows trendy PR practitioner Goodman
comically falling from a bottle of pills, while the cover of A Hidden Madness displays law professor Jones dressed
in business-suited solemnity. Especially in this case, however, one should never judge books by covers. Both of these men face daily struggles with bipolar
disorder, but each brings his own strengths to the battlefield. Even though their voices resound in different ways, they nonetheless echo similar stories.
A Hidden Madness
serves as Jones' professional "coming out" story, in which he reflects upon the rigidity of the career that forced him to hide his disorder for so long.
Some people might challenge this emotional journey, criticizing Jones for sounding detached and technical at times. But as much as his writing occasionally
mirrors the solemn severity of law and academia, it also captures the touching gratitude of a man searching for kindness and understanding. Jones' story
glows with the warmth of a well-rounded life finally coming full-circle.
The charm of Buzzkill, on the other hand, lies in its consistent quest to recognize both humor and insight within the smallest pieces of life.
Some might be quick to attack Goodman for his sardonically raw approach to the sensitive issue of bipolar disorder, but these
accusations fail against the book's true character. Goodman takes an admittedly novel approach by presenting his anecdotes in an almost fictional whimsy,
but he takes care to ground such stories within the meaningful context of his daily hassles. During one scene: Goodman encourages you to laugh at his
inconvenient obsessive behaviors, but then he quickly reminds the reader that such childhood rituals scared him into thinking he was always just "one
missed 'I love you' from killing my grandparents."
While both men use humor to soften (and sometimes emphasize) the intensity of their highs and lows, the reader's laughs never lack an underlying thought or
emotion. Whether you find yourself laughing or learning at any given moment, you'll also find yourself understanding more of this disorienting struggle.
Even though the authors' styles read differently, the words of both men demonstrate a special kind of wisdom. In both books, each chapter seems to heave
the knowing sigh of surmounting a lifelong challenge.


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Paper examines liabilities for indoor climbing wall operators
The growing interest in climbing indoors has prompted the UIAA Legal Experts Working Group (LEWG) to publish a paper highlighting liability issues faced by operators of indoor walls in North America and the Europe.
A number of lawsuits and their outcomes which have been filed across North America and the Europe (United Kingdom, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands) are mentioned in the paper.
One case in France was brought by an injured climber against his own club which had organised a club event in a climbing wall. He was being lowered off the wall but the belayer failed to control the descent. The claim failed because the court considered this to be an inherent risk of an activity in which the claimant participated voluntarily and asserted that he was experienced.
On appeal to the Court de Cassation it was said that there was still a duty of care (obligation securite) and it was referred back to the court of appeal for further consideration. The court of appeal must now determine whether there were any actions that the club/association should have taken and failed to do. The outcome is awaited and is a cause of concern because it may affect how club activities are conducted in the future and the availability and cost of insurance.
Martin Wragg laid out the context for the paper:
The first purpose built indoor climbing walls appeared approximately 50 years ago. The early structures were typically constructed from brick or stone and were crude affairs.
However climbers quickly came to appreciate their value as a training facility and they enabled a significant increase in standards of difficulty. The Leeds University wall in England became famous as its protagonists took the climbing world by storm across Britain and abroad.
The demand for such facilities increased dramatically but users also started to demand facilities that had a greater similarity with "proper" climbs. More imaginative design and new construction materials played a part and modern walls have little in common with their early predecessors.
Alongside this evolution there were other developments, notably the advent of "sports" climbing and bouldering. Those activities have influenced the development and use of climbing walls which in turn have facilitated a continuing increase in climbing standards and the number of participants. In that process indoor walls have become a recreational facility as well as a training facility.
The ever increasing number and accessibility of indoor walls, the development of facilities for novices and the commercial instincts of wall operators has resulted in a dramatic increase in user numbers. No longer are walls the sole province of experienced climbers:they are now widely used by non-climbers and novices. Operators have found that they can increase profits by renting out their facilities for children's birthday parties or work team bonding sessions.
Equipment hire and provision of instruction to such users are additional revenue streams. With the increased number of walls and us ers there has been a significant increase in the number of accidents and consequent personal injury litigation.
Few statistics are available and the majority of claims have been brought in the lower courts which are not reported. A few have made headlines in one jurisdiction or another and federations sometimes receive reports.
If this article has a bias towards the English experience, that reflects the writer's personal knowledge. However the report also draws on information provided to the Legal Experts Working Group by representatives of other federations, notably Renee Hopster who prepared two papers during the period that she was chair of that group.
As with all such documents it should be regarded as a work in progress,rather than a finished product.
Read the full document here and the paper on disclaimers and waivers of liabilities here
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The Beat movement exploded into American culture in the early 1950s with the force of prophecy. Not just another literary school, it was an artistic and social revolution. William S. Burroughs… Read More
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Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley was the keynote speaker at a Charleston Southern University Board of Visitors breakfast held at the Wingate by Wyndham hotel on the campus of CSU earlier this month.
Riley said he was excited driving on to campus and seeing firsthand the physical growth at CSU.
Charleston Southern opened a new athletic center in August and currently has three additional capital projects under construction this fall: an expanded Hunter Reception Center, nursing building and the final stages of the 26,500-square-foot Christian Leadership Building at the center of campus.
Just coming here is thrilling to me, to see whats happened since 1965 and under Jairys (Hunter) leadership, said the Charleston mayor. I remember when the college was formed. I remember Dr. Hamrick starting this.
Anytime we tackle difficult things its important to remember that every institution that we value in our communities are started by somebody. It didnt just happen. Theyre not automatic. It requires vision and leadership and tenacity.
Paul Heinauer, president of Glasspro Inc. and member of Charleston Southern Universitys Board of Visitors gave the opening remarks at the breakfast.
Hes (Heinauer) one of my heroes, said Riley. Were a country of self-made people; were a country of entrepreneurs, and were a country of people who are usually successful because of their values.
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Quote from: heptagon on August 09, 2012, 10:43:07 AMImagine a D800 with an EF lens mount released by Canon and called 8D. What would you think about it?I would buy it.
Imagine a D800 with an EF lens mount released by Canon and called 8D. What would you think about it?
I strongly believe that any aspiring professional photographer starting out should look to lenses FIRST than bodies when looking. Bodies represent technology so we'd be always talking about them and whats the latest. For the FL i am most interested in: general purpose - 24-105 (and the new 24-70II), Macro - 100mmf2.8L IS, General Zoom 70-200 F2.8II, Birding/nature and Sports 400, 500 and 600 IIs, Portraits and other low light F1.2 50mm and 85mm Canon RULES the competition unquestionably!! For Wide and Fish Eye apps like landscape etc, Nikon may be better. But in the vast majority of applications Nikon does not measure up, Especially the 70-200 and the telephotos, the Canadian wedding photographers really showed the superiority of canon in this area and I really love this lens it shines, and i think most of you with the F4 version really haven't a clue what your missing. This is more important than a body that will change next year.
From a local newspaper:Verdict: ... If you are starting from scratch with nothing invested in lenses and accessories, then look at the Nikon D800. It has superior ergonomics, a more luxurious feel and higher resolution sensor, and produces uncompressed video. And it is several hundred dollars cheaper.
Also, I much prefer Canon's ergonomics. Surely the judgment about ergonomics is very subjective.
uncompressed video
I stumbled onto this thread and thought that as a d800 owner, I'd chime in with my strident, biassed, obnoxious thoughts
Dynamic range isn't just about not knowing how to expose. If you don't control your lighting, you quickly find that the world offers way more than ten stops of range in everyday scenes. Shooting black and white 4x5 I frequently had to do N- (pull) development to get 15 or more stops at a useable range. With the d800 I get a bit over 12 without the noise becoming objectionable. This is a big deal for me in the kinds of urban landscapes and unlit interiors that I do.
I went from my 5Dc to the 5D3. The 5D3 is the best camera i've ever shot with, I'd be hard pressed to believe the d800 can equal the shoot experience of the 5D3. Word on the street has the d800 joystick cannot even be programmed to move the AF point while looking thru the viewfinder! If thats true, I wouldn't want one for any serious shooting outside of a studio.
Quote from: bdunbar79 on August 09, 2012, 09:44:58 AMI've tried to argue this point time and time again. The 5D2 isn't as good as anything regarding the 5D3. The 5D2 isn't a bad camera. The 5D3 just happens to be better, at everything.Landscape shot, tripod mounted, manually focused, ISO 100. How is the 5DIII better? (If you say 'becuase it has one more MP', I'll scream... )
I've tried to argue this point time and time again. The 5D2 isn't as good as anything regarding the 5D3. The 5D2 isn't a bad camera. The 5D3 just happens to be better, at everything.
The problem I see with this is that, if the 12 stops of the 5DIII isn't enough, then the 14 stops of the D800 is unlikely to be sufficient, either...and, in any case, you'll get far superior results with even a two-exposure HDR rendering.Now, consider that the 5DIII has an in-camera auto-HDR mode that will do a 6 frames per second bracket and even give you a not-miserable JPEG preview of the results...and the dynamic range advantage of the D800 vanishes in a flash.
Unfortunately, automatically implemented HDR features aren't of interest to me in their current state. I need the raw files.


text: Augusta Heritage Center is celebrating its 41st year, and the five-week summer program is in full swing up at Davis & Elkins College. Augusta is best known for its intensive weeklong workshops that focus on traditional music, dance, craft and folklore. The program kicked off last week with Cajun and Early Country Music Week. During Augusta's summer program there are many opportunities for locals to participate each week.


text: SparX Helmets are a newer entrant into the crowded space of helmet manufacturing. They're on a mission to revolutionize the industry by providing high-end features and excellent build quality in price-point products. Based in So-Cal, team-SparX is comprised of industry leaders in design, engineering, and brand development. With both muted and loud graphics in a neutral helmet shape, the SparX S07 and FC-07 helmets are perfect options for new and seasoned riders alike.


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an on-line dating service for people who get bad grades.
Flonasia-"That boy Tarkis got three E's and a D- posted on hiz E Harmony profile. I finna be hiz babymama!"
додав keVIInXI 21 Вересня 2010
Two seperate words. When playing a game where one team tries to get another to say the word 'harmony', the word 'eharmony' counts both as 'eharmony' and 'harmony'.
Phil Laing said "eharmony" on vent.
додав pseudonym1299 14 Жовтня 2009


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Top Definition
It is an autosomal recessive disorder in which one suffers from all of itchiness, sleepiness and boredom. There is no known cure for this syndrome.
oh he's been watching tv for the past ten hours, i wonder if he's got the aarti triad
dodane przez aarti triad maker lipiec 19, 2010
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?
It only occurs when one is being itchy and feeling sleepy and is bored. All three events must occur simultaneously for the triad to be completed. It is generally well known that it is hazardous to be around a person suffering from the Aarti Triad and it is highly advised to take strict safety precautions.
maaan i'm so itchy and kinda sleepy but sooo bored.... I wonder if I have... Aarti Triad!!!
dodane przez aarti triad maker lipiec 19, 2010


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5 Awesome Flaws in the New 'BioShock' Game
Updated 8:04PM PST
One more time for the skimmers: If you haven't finished BioShock: Infinite yet, RUN AWAY.
What follows is nothing but spoilers: We will spoil the ending, we will spoil the side missions, we will spoil on the beaches, we will spoil on the landing grounds, we will spoil in the fields and in the streets, we'll spoil shit that hasn't happened yet, and we'll spoil your goddamn appetite. If you're curious, bookmark this page and return after you've played it, but if I get a single message telling me I spoiled the game for somebody, I am going to come straight through your Internet like the Lawnmower Man and slap you in the mouth.
Pictured: What you'll see three seconds after emailing me "thks 4 the spiolers, dickfcae!"
Let's start with the most important questions that I didn't necessarily find a definitive answer for while playing through BioShock: Infinite:
How many main worlds do you think there are?
I know that the ending, and the title, suggest infinite variations, but do you think each tear led you to a different world? Or was Elizabeth shifting you back and forth between two or three worlds as your actions changed them?
"To respond to "how many main worlds do you think there are?" I think the biggest clue lies in what Elizabeth said: "It's a form of wish fulfillment." It's not like they're jumping from one world to the other, rather when Booker and Elizabeth hit a plot dead end she "finds" a world that has the right conditions for them to continue on. She does warn Booker every time a jump tear presents itself, saying that you can't go back. There aren't any main worlds, rather an Infinite (eh? eh?) branching out of worlds where all choices exist simultaneously." -Maui Mauricio
Ah, so every single manipulation Elizabeth makes, from bringing a crate of med-kits through to shifting Chen Lin's tools, isn't just creating a tear to another world at that point in "your" world, it's shifting the pair of you over to an entirely new world where those conditions exist. I assumed the "Infinite" in the title was referring to the revelation at the end -- that, generally speaking, there are any number of combinations possible -- not that you, the player, have gone, or can go, through infinite variations depending on what you bring through in combat.
"There are as many world as there are players. Every person playing the game is playing a different Booker, the developers of the game said that your decision's in the game would change the story, but they never did until I realized it changed every players story by making me a separate Booker." -Protolore
What was up with the coins?
Rosalind and Robert Lutece introduced the concept, at the very beginning, by having you flip a coin. It came up heads for me (was it different for you, depending on how you called it?), and when Robert turned around, his sandwich board showed that it always comes up heads. However, during the game, every coin Elizabeth tossed me came up tails. Is that what happened for you? What do you think that means?
"The Lutece-coin section was significant to show that they were testing the constants and variables. Each Booker flipped heads at that point every time. It was a constant. But when you pick the brooch for Elizabeth, they remake that they thought you would pick the other, a variable. They were likely trying to use those decisions in their quantum calculations or if this Booker would be successful. I never considered Elizabeth's coins always being tails, as I assumed it was just the one animation." -Ben Cobb
See, I totally did not pick up on that. I thought the coin-flip was an experiment they were doing with other fair-goers. But the Luteces are pan-dimensional: It makes sense that every one of those tally marks on Robert's board was some version of Booker coming to flip the coin.
"Playwright here. An actual explanation for the coin flipping: This is an allusion to Tom Stoppard's Absurdist play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, in which the titular characters also flip coins and have them always come up heads (if I'm not mistaken it happens exactly 113 times in both stories (yes, I counted (and yes, triple parentheses--mind blown much?)))." -Al-xHaslett
My mind would have been blown, but you nested parentheses so all of your opinions and thoughts are invalid.
Why could Booker handle his own death when Chen Lin and the guards went all time-blinky?
We saw that stepping through a tear into an alternate world where you've died severely fucks up your mind, and Booker is dead in Voxworld. But there's only one brief moment where his nose starts bleeding (well, that, and a few callbacks during the ending). Why could Booker handle it when Chen Lin and the guards went all time-blinky?
"Regarding why Booker can handle being dead, but other characters can't: The exact circumstances that drive Chen Lin (and all the Vox and police that you inventively murder trying to GET to Chen Lin) insane are never actually applied to Player Character Booker. All the NPCs die, and then someone near them who is not them jumps through a Tear. They don't go themselves. Booker is always the one going through the Tear." -Antilles
Are Booker DeWitt and Robert Lutece from the same world?
Rosalind and Robert Lutece are alternate-world versions of the same person. It's clear that Rosalind is from a world with Columbia and Comstock, but is Robert native to Booker's world? In other words, there doesn't seem to be a Columbia in Booker's world, and that makes sense, because he never became Comstock to start it -- but is there a Columbia in Robert Lutece's world? Or did he step through to Rosalind's world when they opened the first tear, and then they both collectively went to a third world, Booker's, to get Anna? If so, what was the significance of the statue? At the start of the game, the very first time-shifting moment you witness is the statue of Rosalind Lutece twitching -- it's shifting between Robert and Rosalind versions. Why is Columbia already in flux?
"Seeing as there isn't a Columbia in the world booker is from, and the dissenting city becomes rapture, it is fully possible that Robert was the designer that worked out the equal pressures needed for rapture to not collapse under the weight of the ocean." -AmielDavis
That's a good point: The whole game is constants and variables. The man, the city, and the lighthouse are all constants, so if Booker doesn't become Comstock, there has to be a different man, city and lighthouse. That would mean Booker is from Rapture's universe, just earlier on, before it exists. If Booker has to be an ancestor of Ryan to be able to bypass the genetic locks on the bathyspheres, then could Booker's Anna, the one that was never taken, be Andrew Ryan's mother? Remember: "The seed of the prophet shall sit the throne, and drown in fire the mountains of man." Booker is/was/will be the prophet, so his seed is not only Anna, but also Ryan, and therefore Ryan's son, Jack, the protagonist from the first Bioshock. Did you ever get the "bad" ending in the first Bioshock? You let the splicers loose. You, the "seed of the prophet" effectively "drown in flame the mountains of man."
In response to Brockway's Stupid Theory
"It's an impossibility for Anna to be Ryan's mother. Ryan was born in Russia. Andrew Ryan isn't even his real name. It's Andrei Rianofski. He was around to see the Bolsheviks in 1917 and moved to America in 1919 where he changed his name. This means that Ryan would have had to have been at LEAST 16-18 at the year 1919 to move to America on his own and change his name. Making his birthdate about 1901-1903. Anna Dewitt was born in 1892. She would have had to give birth to Andrew at the EARLIEST age of 9. Making a direct relation between Anna and Ryan impossible. What makes a bit more sense (things making sense a bit relative in the Bioshock universe) is that there is always a man, always a lighthouse. Booker is an alternate version of Jack. Simply existing in universes where the variables changed. Like the Luteces being essentially genetic matches up until the chromosome change. Booker shares Jack's genetic traits. Thus sharing Ryan's. Thus being able to use the bathyspheres." -TrashboatJones
Well, shit. My idea was way cooler, though. I'm going to split off into my own alternate world where I'm right and you shut up.
Did anybody else get inside Fink's Magical Melodies?
If so, why was that one single tear a different color pattern? It was red/gray instead of blue/gray. All the other music in the game was an alternate, old-timey cover of some anachronistic song, but the tune playing through Fink's red/gray tear was the unaltered original version of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." Was that the only portal into our (the player's) universe, and if so, why was it a different color? Were there others that I missed?
"On the tears- there was a tear in Finkton near the Chen-Lin place and that club that was the same color and had the original CCR version of "Fortunate Son" playing through it? I think Booker made a comment about having not heard that song before and then Elizabeth said she didn't think anyone did." -Mark
I wonder how many others there were. Were all the red/gray tears just playing song versions from our universe? Is that the only significance: We get special color palette treatment because our universe is the best? Hell yeah! Suck it, other universes.
"I assume the red tears are ones that Albert Fink opened and failed to close. Since his tears were only there to poach music from our universe." -quicksignup
That's an interesting idea: That there are unclosed tears, or that there are tears that differ in their fundamental nature somehow. Maybe Fink's tears - the red/grey ones - were just voyeurism. Like one-way mirrors, you could only see but not interact. But Elizabeth's tears, the blue/grey ones, allow you to step through, pull through, generally interact. I really like this explanation, because it's very similar to the way the time-travel drugs in my book work, and I love me some me.
Who is the Angel Columbia?
It's explained that Comstock's powers of prophecy come from him peering into alternate universes, but if that's the case, who is the Angel Columbia? The Angel tells him the early prophecies, before the tears. She tells him about the flying city and to find Rosalind Lutece to make it happen. She also tells him that "the city will only survive so long as the seed of the prophet sits the throne." It can't just be pure religious madness, because all of that came true. Is Columbia the final version of "our" Elizabeth, after you collapse the siphon? Is she guiding Comstock to help make sure the events of the game unfold as they do, so she can be "born again" with full powers?
"Rosalind Lutece? Comstock using religious rhetoric to get followers?" -silentstone7
I like the idea that Columbia is a post-accident Rosalind Lutece guiding Comstock into the events. It almost makes sense: She's shown that she would do anything, including kidnapping, to be with her "brother." Robert threatens to leave her if they don't save/stop Elizabeth, but they'd probably never be together without Comstock. She explicitly says that his funding is the only thing that enables her to create a tear so she and Robert can be together. But it seems like a lot of people are saying "nah, it's just bullshit that Comstock is making up." I did not get that sense from his character: Sure, he's shown as merciless and manipulative, but he always seems to take his faith seriously. The baptism is the event that splits Comstock off from Booker, it's extremely important to him, and I think it's the one thing he's not cynical about. Plus, the game is written with a lot of care. I would be very surprised if you asked an Infinite writer who Columbia was, and their answer was "oh, that? Nah, that's just some bullshit."
Does Booker have Quantum Powers?
In the 1984 universe, the one where Elizabeth becomes the Lamb and fire-bombs New York City, she explains that she's training people to use Quantum Magic or whatever. The Boy of Silence (the horn-headed dude) clearly has the same powers as she does, just lesser. The inmates in the Founder masks are immune to damage until they're alerted. They're twitching and involuntarily shifting through worlds like Chen Lin, which Elizabeth explains in a Voxophone is because she "exposed them to every version [of their own minds]." So they're scattered across the universes, like the Luteces, but they can't handle it. When the Boy of Silence sounds the horn and all the inmates are whole again, they can hurt you and be hurt. So is he calling their scattered consciousnesses all back together into one universe so they can act against you? If so, it's implied that Elizabeth got her powers when the Luteces brought Anna through a tear. Now Lamb-Elizabeth is making other Quantum-powered beings, presumably by pulling them through other tears? If so, why doesn't Booker develop these same powers? He crosses through multiple tears with Elizabeth through the course of the game.
"Elizabeth gained quantum powers, I believe, because she existed physically in two dimensions. One as a pinky and one as the rest of her. It seems like that was the event that started this whole thing." -MajicWalrus
Seems to be generally agreed that Elizabeth has powers because she lost her pinky between universes. So Lamb-Elizabeth is creating the Boys of Silence and other quantum-manipulating beings by putting them partway between tears and severing their body parts? That's fucking awesomely dark. Makes me wonder what's under that helmet. But if it was that easy, why isn't Comstock building an army of pinky-less universe-manipulating magical racists?
"Yes. If you're as terrible a player as me you have died a handful of times. Usually when you die you see a cut scene where Elizabeth gives you the whole "Don't you fucking die on me" treatment and you're back in the action. However if you have died in a spot in the game where Elizabeth isn't around to pull your ass out of the fire you end up back in your dingy apartment office. All you do there is open the door and you are back to the spot before you died. They explain when you "die" when you come back the enemies heal. Do they? Or is it that you never shot at them (or in some other cases used your arm can opener to introduce their brain to the sun). The entire tear jumping all the different Bookers have done all starts from the central point in his office when he gave up his daughter. It's possible that under extreme duress Booker can take himself briefly back to that point to allow himself to recover. He can't do this all the time or at will because in his timeline the exposure is a recent (although enumerable) event. Elizabeth can because she has been dealing with it since she was a baby." -Mike Gilbert
Booker's got functional Quantum Immortality then: He can, subconsciously, manipulate probabilities that ensure the universe "our" Booker is in is the one in which he doesn't die...
"I don't think Booker has quantum abilities. I think when he dies without Elizabeth there you aren't reviving as "your Booker". You are becoming a Booker who didn't get his brains smashed in by a Handyman, opening the office door is just that Booker taking the deal then embarking on to Columbia. Basically cutting out replaying everything up to that point. Thus in this new reality, Booker has yet to be killed by the enemy, and has made different choices in combat leading to less damage done to said enemy. Also when Elizabeth heals you, I don't think she actually heals you, she brings an undamaged Booker into her reality, and your minds must combine and reconcile the events, thus fake memories of Elizabeth stabbing you with a giant needle and "reviving you". Oh and she takes the chance to steal 100 bucks from you in the process, or the other Booker is poor." -JohnWilliamThurston
Well there you go, Elizabeth is using her Quantum Powers to pickpocket her own father. She's just a magical little pixie version of a teenager stealing $20 dollar bills from mom's purse to buy weed.
Speaking of the Boy of Silence ...
How hard, in newton meters, would you say you shit yourself when you closed the door and turned around to find him standing there?
Were the events of Infinite caused by Booker's drowning at baptism, rather than concluded by it?
The priest says you'll be "born again in the blood of the Lamb," which is the alternate name for your daughter, and asks you to wipe your past away by "cleaning the slate," in the "name of the Father." Sure, the Lamb and Father references can be explained by Comstock referring back to his own baptismal terminology, but "clean the slate"? Slate, the old military colonel, represents your past in the game. The references to "cleaning the slate" can't just be Comstock naming stuff after his baptism experience -- Slate exists prior to those events. If this whole thing turns out to be Booker's dream as he's dying, I'm flipping the board and storming out of this bitch.
"Slate says you were at the boxer rebelion, but Commstock had to have been as well because he used Columbia during it, as seen in the kinetoscopes. Is it possible that Commstock/Booker in that universe was living a double life, one as a holy man trying to run from his sin, and another that was still a soldier." -Protolore
Wait, what the fuck? Is he right? Did Slate remember that Booker Dewitt was at the battle of Peking? I Can't recall - I thought he only mentioned you being at Wounded Knee. Comstock was certainly at the Boxer Rebellion in the Columbia-world, it's a pivotal moment of the game's history. If so, either both Booker and Comstock were there with Slate, or Slate is somehow remembering the alternate history of a Booker he never knew.
Answer: Nope! Slate doesn't say Booker was at Peking. Either I misunderstood, or somebody mistyped, or we have all jumped into a parallel universe where the game is fundamentally different in this one small, insignificant way. Dang, I was hoping for the three-titted universe, too.
Does Elizabeth become the Lamb?
At the end, the alternate Elizabeths disappear one by one after Booker is drowned at baptism -- before fathering her. So the alternate versions disappear because they never existed, but the screen fades out before the last -- "our" Elizabeth -- disappears. The last note struck on the accompanying piano music, after the screen goes dark, is wrong. That seems to imply that "our" Elizabeth still exists after Booker dies. Rosalind Lutece says she's seen the alternate histories, and that they can't stop the girl because "time is an ocean, not a river." Does the wrong note being struck, her being freed from the siphon, and the snuffing out of all the alternate versions imply that "our" Elizabeth will become the Lamb now anyway? The Lamb's destiny, as 1984 Elizabeth explains over the PA, is to wipe out not just our universe, but all alternate universes. She can only do that when she destroys the siphon, which you just helped her do ...
"I'm not so sure about this one. The first that should be noted is that none of the Elizabeths that drown Booker is "our" Elizabeth. If you look closely, none of the are wearing the bird/cage pendant from the beginning of the game. Also, Booker says something along the lines of, "You're not Elizabeth... who are you?" As for the "time is an ocean. not a river" thing, I'm pretty sure Elizabeth took care of all that. She drowned Booker before he could become Comstock, thus preventing all other Bookers from being baptized. Columbia is never created, and Anna is never taken. The siphon was destroyed, but after the final events of the game, the siphon never exists in the first place." -Aaron Cohen
Interesting. Can anybody confirm that Elizabeth isn't wearing the pendant at the end? That, to me, doesn't say she can't be the Lamb. It says she already is: She's not "our" Elizabeth, she's some other version that Booker did not save, and thus did not choose the necklace for her. If true, the Lamb is tricking you, killing everybody that kept her chained up after using you to free her powers...
"The clip at the end of the credits suggests that Elisabeth only killed the versions of booker who accepted the baptism. if she killed all the versions of booker, then he never would have been in that office, and without the existence of comstock, there was no one to take anna away from him in exchange for his debts, so, because we see a crib still there, then as long as nothing else happened to anna, and booker found another way to settle his debts (which he probably could), he gets to have a normal life with his daughter." -Mr. Nickman
That's a good interpretation of something I forgot to mention: Don't skip the credits. There's a scene afterward where Booker is in his office and hears crying. He stands up, goes to the door, and asks "Anna, is that you?" However, if all Comstocks are eliminated, then Quantum-powered Elizabeth wouldn't exist - there was nobody there to steal her to start it all. It's likely that she's become scattered across dimensions, like the Luteces, and so isn't necessarily affected by the continuity of timelines, but then - why does Booker ask "is that you?" If these events never happened, and only Quantum Elizabeth is left to remember them, why would Booker ask his crying infant daughter if it's really her? Two explanations: A. The versions of Booker that aren't drowned at the baptism have some memory of the events of Infinite because their timelines have been artificially altered, leaving psychic remnants of the experience. B. Booker was really drunk, and forgot how many babies he had.
General Mindfuckery and Miscellany
"As far as Booker goes, I noticed my second time through, he gets a nosebleed as he arrives in Columbia, which we are told through the game that nosebleeds signify multiple memories existing in the same spot. It is easy to overlook this early nosebleed when first playing through. But it also means that this Booker has memories of another Booker or Bookers going to Columbia." -Mscrizzle
"You can make the argument that everything that happens before Booker wakes up at the feet of the three founder's statues never happened: - In the lighthouse, there's a bowl of water to wash away his sins, he refuses (like the baptism). - The sign on the stairs says "To Thine Own Land I Shall Take Thee" telling Booker he's going to his own (comstock's) land. - The code to activate the rocket to Columbia is 1-2-2, and Booker has already been to Columbia 122 times, this is time 123. - The preacher is the same from both Baptisms.-As other sites and people have pointed out, the Bathyspheres in Rapture were coded to Andrew Ryan's DNA. There's an audio diary in Rapture in Bioshock 1 that says the bathyspheres were locked down and could only be controlled by Andrew Ryan's genetic code, meaning him, and "siblings, cousins, really anyone related". In Bioshock 1, Jack can control them because he is Andrew Ryan's son and/or clone. Atlas/Fontaine cannot use them. In Infinite, Booker can use the Bathysphere, and judging from the destroyed Welcome Center, it does take place after or during the events of Bioshock 1, when the lockdown is in place. That's a lot of coincidences, and I'm sure there's more I missed. It seems like Booker is using his previous life experiences to explain how he got to Columbia." -silentstone7
And here's a pretty excellent response video by the pretty excellent Norm Scott!
"There is a theory that has been posted below a few times that you can hear the Songbird die in the original Bioshock when Coheen kills Fitzgerald, the apprentice playing the piano. There are some videos floating around where you can hear the Songbird's cry during the scene. If it's real, that... displays a shocking level of planning by the designers." -gstop825
"Here's a thought... Is Elizabeth really as innocent as she appears to be? What if the entire plot of the game is just one big time loop that Elizabeth sends Booker through "infinitely" as part of some larger plot? Think about it! The game mentions that Booker created false memories the first time he traveled across dimensions. What if everything before Booker wakes up in the Garden in Columbia (the 1st baptism) is just a false memory that Booker created, and the beginning of the game is actually the last scene where the Elizabeths drown Booker (the 2nd Baptism)? So, the Elizabeths drown Booker and send him back to Columbia. He frees a new Elizabeth and destroys the siphon, thus allowing the new Elizabeth to become aware of the multiverse and the other Elizabeths who exist outside of it in the Lighthouse Room. Now there are 8 Elizabeths instead of 7. They drown Booker and send him back through to the start of the loop to free another Elizabeth and grow their Interdimensional Elizabeth Army. Wash, rinse, repeat.
No, you have to be wrong, because I'm pretty sure that's the plot of the Resident Evil movies and the Resident Evil movies are functionally retarded. You just…you just have to be wrong. I ask that you accept it now.
Final update: Well, I should probably eat food like a human does, and then get back to real work. Thanks for playing nerds with me, everybody! I encourage people to keep posting their ideas, answers, theories or just new and intriguing questions in the comments. And please, if you see something helpful, vote it up! I'd love to see the excellent comments here continue to function as a repository for discussion on the game.
Buy Robert's stunning, transcendental, orgasmic science fiction novel, Rx: A Tale of Electronegativity, right here. Or buy Robert's other (pretty OK) book, Everything Is Going to Kill Everybody: The Terrifyingly Real Ways the World Wants You Dead. Follow him on Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook.
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A scale of 1-10 for rating girls. Girls will tend to acheieve a higher rating than usual on the Dale Scale, usually of +2. So a girl who is a 6 on a 'normal' scale, would achieve an 8 on the Dale Scale. Approximately, 90% of girls will acheive at least an 8.
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Friend: "Dale Scale?"
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To introduce paragraph writing, this video can be shown in your classroom or students can view it individually. It includes the Paragraph Writing Team talking about how writing is important in his or her subject. Through the diaglouge, tudents learn that the basic skills for paragraph writing apply to all disciplines; not only in English. Students also learn that being able to write effective paragraphs fosters critical thinking skills.
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St. Edward's University is proud to announce that Pat and Bill Munday have provided the largest gift in the university's history - $13 million for a new library.
This generous gift from Pat and Bill Munday will allow St. Edward's University to construct a new library and learning commons. The university will incorporate technology and innovative design into a library that will connect students to information resources around the world. The new facility will reflect 21st century research, learning and teaching practices. Selection of an architect will begin immediately.
"Through their generosity and commitment to higher education, Pat and Bill Munday are transforming the way all students will experience research and learning at St. Edward's," said George E. Martin, President of St. Edward's University. We depend on the generosity of friends like the Mundays, who are helping the university realize its vision to provide a global education for all our students."
Pat and Bill Munday are the university's largest donors, having contributed more than $16.2 million since 2003. The Mundays have contributed more than $2.7 million for a scholarship fund that has served more than 115 students with financial need, including 49 current students. Their gift of $385,000 completed fundraising efforts for the John Brooks Williams Natural Sciences Building – North. Now, their gift of $13 million will provide a state-of-the art library and learning commons that will benefit all members of our university community.
Because the library impacts the educational experience of students in every discipline, construction of a new library and learning commons is a priority in the university's master plan and strategic plan. Along with the construction of a new library, the existing Scarborough-Phillips Library, built in 1981, will be renovated. Early visions for the new library include concepts that will transform the library into a campus center for research activities and group discussion. The new facility will provide an environment conducive to both student team exploration and discovery, and the more traditional concept of individual, independent research.
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Waterco Limited is an Australian public company that manufactures and distributes swimming pool and spa bath equipment, chemicals and accessories. Waterco is also a franchisor for retail outlets that sell swimming pool equipment and accessories. The company employs approximately 560 employees and is headquartered in Rydalmere, New South Wales. Waterco Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the code WAT.
Waterco consists of two business segments operating via branches in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, North America and Europe:


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8 Potatoes1/4 cup olive oil2 tablespoon cajun spice
- Washed and dry the potatoes with kitchen paper. Set aside.
- Mix olive oil and cajun spice in a bowl.
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- Brush with cajun mix.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crisps.


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As Immunotherapy Revolutionizes the Cancer Treatment...
NSCLC is "Major Battlefield" as Merck,...
Expanding Use of NGS Has Largely...
LC-MS Gains Favor Due To the...
The contract service organization (CSO) Aldevron was established in 1998 to offer plasmid DNA production services for the biomanufacturing of vaccines. The company's two founders, John Ballantyne, Ph.D., now CSO and Michael Chambers, president and CEO, met as students at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in Fargo.
As an undergraduate, Chambers worked on an independent research project about DNA vaccines, which "had recently emerged as a very exciting new technology," he says. Dr. Ballantyne was a graduate student in pharmaceutical sciences.
DNA vaccines consist of a small, circular piece of bacterial DNA or plasmid, genetically engineered to produce specific antigens of a pathogen. When the company started, DNA vaccine researchers used slow processes and harsh chemicals like cesium chloride to purify plasmid DNA. "We saw an opportunity to manufacture large amounts of DNA on a contract basis," says Chambers, using a downstream purification process developed at NDSU.
Another problem with early DNA vaccines was that they worked well in mice, but often failed in larger animal and human studies. Aldevron solved the problem by licensing and developing DNA technologies, such as electroporation, and offering them to clients through the company's GIA™ (Genetic Immunization and Antibody) service. "GIA rescued some DNA vaccines and increased the response to them 100-fold," says Chambers.
Surprisingly, GIA also proved an effective way to make antibodies. Traditionally, animals are immunized with recombinant proteins or peptides to generate antibodies to a specific antigen. The combination of electroporation and DNA immunization, however, makes it possible to develop antibodies directly to a DNA sequence.
Nucleic acid production remains the flagship service at the Fargo facility, and more than 40,000 projects have been completed for clients working in research, preclinical, clinical, and commercial areas.
Aldevron is headquartered in Fargo and has subsidiaries in Madison, Wisconsin, and Freiburg, Germany. According to Chambers, the acquisition of Genovac in Freiburg in 2004 made it possible to produce high-affinity monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, including antibodies to complex G-coupled protein receptors, directly from antigen-specific DNA sequences. He explains that the method does not require protein or peptide intermediates. "Our system goes directly from a DNA sequence to a plasmid that can immunize animals and create high-affinity antibodies to difficult antigens. This is Genovac's expertise," says Chambers.
The company opened its Madison facility in 2009 to expand its recombinant protein services using mammalian- and insect-cell manufacturing methods. The Aldevron team in Madison has strong expertise in protein purification and assay development as well.
"We now have three contract service platforms at our three sites," says Tom Foti, vp and GM of Aldevron-Madison. He adds that this gives Aldevron an advantage over competing CSOs that focus only on DNA, protein, or antibody manufacturing. "As an integrated company, we can reduce the vendor base for our clients with the range of services and products we offer," says Foti, who points out that many clients prefer to deal with one vendor instead of several.
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WASHINGTON — Just 2 percent of health plans available to consumers in the private insurance market offer all the coverage that will become mandatory next year under the federal health-care law, a new analysis has found.
Only about one in 50 plans now comply with the main requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to HealthPocket, a Sunnyvale, Calif., technology firm that "compares and ranks" health plans.
Consumers and the federal government might end up paying the cost of the new requirements through higher premiums.
The analysis found that basic benefits, including doctor visits, emergency-room care, hospitalizations and lab tests, were standard offerings for nearly all the 11,000 plans in the study.
But only 1 in 4 offered pediatric care, and only 8 percent covered dental checkups for children. About one-third covered maternity and newborn care, and just over half covered services to deal with substance abuse.
Those and other coverage areas are considered "essential health benefits" under the health care law. All health insurance plans in the individual and small-business market must offer them beginning next year.
But "we couldn't find a single plan that had every feature fully satisfied," said Kev Coleman, the head of research and content at HealthPocket.
Unless a health plan is exempted from the health-care law's requirements, "it will have to change to survive," Coleman said. "Consumers will be entitled to more health benefits in 2014 than ever before, and this will require existing health plans to expand coverage or close and be replaced by entirely new plan designs."
The law requires that health plans offered to individuals and small employers provide coverage in 10 categories — ambulatory patient services; emergency services; hospitalization; maternity and newborn care; mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.
Massachusetts health plans, on average, offered more than most plans around the country, the analysis showed.