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West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/25 16:25
From Central Jersey
Posts: 6
I have a new Scadden pontoon craft that I wanted to try out. I fished for a day and a half. The half day was better than the full day, probably because I started at 5pm.
I did a lower west branch float ending at Bard Parker. I was able to find feeding fish, caught some, lost some. Most of my success was on very small spinners. The smallest I had were 18's, and I was trimming the wings smaller. I saw no duns, and could not see what they were eating in the bubble line. Largest was a 16" rainbow that jumped four times.
On the second day I opted for a very long float. Deposit to Bard Parker. I rigged one rod for a beetle, one with a nymph, and one with streamers. I wanted to try the Kelly Galloup big streamer splash it in their face theory. I had six browns all attack a streamer, without one solid hookup. One large brown attacked it three times in deep crystal clear water near a ledge. I had a perfect vantage point for the show, but no hook up.
I then spent a lot of time trying to jump a fish on a beetle under overhanging vegetation. NADA.
I did a little nymphing, but not much. I had a lot of miles to make.
I saw a few regular risers, so I scared them back underwater as soon as I could!!!
I saw some mayflies in the afternoon and as able to jump a few small fish on a sulpher emerger.
Coming past the Methodist camp I saw a nice fish rising. Tied on an Iverson Emerger (if anyone remembers that pattern) and landed a nice 17" brown, right in front of a guide, his client and the clients wife. They enjoyed the show.
From the 191 bridge downstream there were rising fish. At Bard they were rising and I fished two hours, about 15 flies and could not get them to touch a fly. If I had a stick of dynamite.....
This was a very long float, lots of rowing, and not enough time to explore all of the water. But I wanted to try out the new craft, and overall it was a pleasant day fishing. A few pics will be uploaded when I have time.
ps. Gene and Inez look forward to our mini jam next month.
Posted on: 2010/8/4 9:17
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2009/12/3 14:56
From Cato, NY
Posts: 85
Nice report, but what is an Iverson Emerger? Are the sulphurs still popping in the upper west?
Posted on: 2010/8/4 10:18
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/26 22:22
Posts: 10
Deposit to Junction? You are a friggin' MAN George. That's got to be close to 14 miles of river! If it was pumping around 900 cfs, that's still a long enough day.
We saw very, very few bugs the last 2 times up. Typically, you'd see the sulphurs in the upper section but I think I saw more near the junction pool last time up. Not sure what's up there but it got a few risers going.
We also had zippo on streamers. I hate to admit it but the nymphing was working on my last 2 trips up. Hope we see some olives, caddis, october caddis and iso's in September. Also hoping they don't drain the lake that weekend! WB, muddy and at 1600 cfs is no good!
Posted on: 2010/8/4 11:35
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2009/9/24 15:02
From Montgomery County
Posts: 29
I'd say the sulphers hatch moved downstream with increased flows. All that extra flow really cooled off the water and probably the fishing a little as well. On Sunday we had more action once we got into PA. Aside from a caddis here and there, it was hard to find a bug on the water and we covered the entire WB. I'm not sure we came across a riser on the NY side...
Posted on: 2010/8/4 12:07
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/26 22:22
Posts: 10
If he tells you what the Iverson Emerger is.... he will have to kill you. LMAO. If you come up in Sept, maybe George will have some of them to share... hint, hint. ;)
Posted on: 2010/8/4 13:03
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/25 16:25
From Central Jersey
Posts: 6
For Starters: Here is a link to a thread on the Iverson Emerger. About halfway down there is a pic of the finished fly, and a picture of the inspiration for the name.
Yes, it was a very long float. There was not much wind, but guess which way it blew when it did blow? How does it always know to blow up river?
The goop in the river was not terrible. Maybe clean the streamer every 3-4 casts. But every 3-4 casts I am untangling it from my hat, oar, boots, anchor so that was not so bad. By Hale Eddy I did not have any more problems with algae.
I saw Olives, very few, during the day (I call every small grey fly an Olive). I started way too high on the river to see any Trico's if they were happening down lower.
Later in the day someone told me there were very small Sulphers, and that possibly my "olives" were sulphers. In the evening, starting around 5pm, probably from Meth down there were lots of what I think were Olives, but they were very small (20ish) and there were sporadic feeders. I paddled down to Bard, and there I saw the smaller Olives and larger Sulphers. Not a blizzard hatch, but enough to bring up regular feeders.
Yesterday was a nymphing day, or a chuck and duck day. I opted for chuck and duck, because I am not much of a streamer fisherman, but I bought the video and I am trying to improve. It is also a good way to burn up the miles on the river.
I never stuck a thermo in the water, but it was chilly. Flows were above 900, I rarely bumped bottom. It was overcast most of the day also.
Posted on: 2010/8/4 15:45
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/1/2 11:55
From Bozeman
Posts: 53
Regarding streamers from the 'toon...
How do you do it? Do you just attempt to keep a straight float and fish from the boat, or do you wade likely areas?
I have only floated in a toon once, but I am buying one this weekend. I wasn't overly confident in my ability to fish out of it, but I'd imagine that comes with time.
Posted on: 2010/8/4 20:25
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2009/9/24 15:02
From Montgomery County
Posts: 29
You'll figure it out in the first couple minutes, but I'd say it's more of a means for transport and throwing streamers is easier than nymphing or dry fly fishing. Still not an ideal way to fish. I wouldn't do it in the runs, but when you're just floating through dead water it's a good way to keep your line in the water. If you want to fish runs or riffles, get out and do it or you'll just end up spinning around, grabbing for the oars with line everywhere or running into stuff.
If you have one where you can stand up, I'd say it'd be a good way to anchor and nymph or throw dries in areas that are tough to wade.
Posted on: 2010/8/4 21:19
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/26 22:22
Posts: 10
It is easy once you get the hang of pointing the boat in the right direction and keeping the line out from under the boat. I had Brandon and Alpa nymphing while floating through runs and we all had success doing it. You keep the one oar up and use the off hand to steer or manage your direction. Keep about 20-25' of line out and hit every seam and dead spot you can as you go through the section. No false casting. Pick it up and slap it down. I think we hooked more while drifting than we did while wading. I'll show you. Alpa wasn't digging it at first but warmed up to it pretty quickly. It'll take you a few floats to figure out where you want to put everything and how to best guide the boat / cast.
Posted on: 2010/8/5 2:57
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2006/9/11 13:33
From Lehigh Valley
Posts: 2
Don't know if you guys do this or not, but a neat trick I picked up is to run a length of nylon rope with a dog leash type latch on each end, from the front of your pontoons. My ST has rings on the front of the 'toons that work great for this. When you can stand up after hooking a fish, the boat can't drift away - the rope hits your legs and the boat stays with you. I keep the length of the rope fairly taught between the 'toons to avoid getting it caught on stuff while drifting. Works great to secure the boat to streamside brush when you want to get out and wade, too.
Posted on: 2010/8/5 7:56
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2009/10/15 13:45
From Eastern PA
Posts: 37
That's a great idea HA. I mean a really great idea. I am going to make some today for ST if anyone wants one let me know.
You can also attach bungee cords to the rings on front and let people haul you around when you forget your oars.
Posted on: 2010/8/5 10:26
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/26 22:22
Posts: 10
If you jump out in water that's moving pretty good, the boat will spin around and blow your knee out. Right knee, May 2010 around Stockport on the main. I will give it a try though. I land most fish "up between the toons". With that in place, I'll have to go to the side which I think makes netting tougher. Maybe a net handle extension is in order.
Bungees to tow a person when they forget their oars? Are you kidding me? Nobody's dumb enough not to bring their oars.... are they? :)
Posted on: 2010/8/5 10:40
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2009/12/3 14:56
From Cato, NY
Posts: 85
Jersey -
That Iverson emerger is a great fly. I tie mine almost exactly like that. I am sold on biot bodies for dries as well as nymphs and emergers. About 90% of my fish caught in the D this year had a biot body on it. I even use the orange antron shuck shown in your photo, especially for the olives.
Posted on: 2010/8/5 10:43
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2007/3/26 22:22
Posts: 10
I always just called that fly a cdc emerger w/ trailing shuck. That is also what I fish 95% of the time when there's a hatch going. I'll have to try some different body materials though. Great looking fly JG
Posted on: 2010/8/5 10:54
Re: West Branch, Delaware River, NY 8/2-8/3
2006/9/11 13:33
From Lehigh Valley
Posts: 2
Wish I could take credit for the idea, but the first time I floated the Big D was in a borrowed boat, and the owner had that setup in place.
I modified the idea by making the rope twice as long (plus another foot to allow for flex in the 'toons), attach one hook to a ring, then run the other through the opposite ring and back to clip to the same ring as the first. This allows me to unhook one clip, unthread it from the opposite eyehook, and it gives me twice the length to use as a tie down to streamside brush. I also used brass dog leash clips (Ace Hardware) to prevent corrosion.
sight - never had a problem with it pulling too hard on my legs. Those boats ride so high, there's not a lot of water resistance.
Posted on: 2010/8/5 11:00
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text: Norton Rose outsourcing survey finds risk management confusion is leaving businesses exposed 9 November 2011 Contacts Mike Rebeiro London 61% of suppliers, and 66% of customers, believe that due diligence procedures have tightened in the last three yearsJust 8% of suppliers thought that they themselves should manage political / jurisdiction risk, compared to 49% of customers who felt that suppliers should manage this risk78% of customers believe that managing the risk of data loss should be a joint effort, up from 13% in 200858% of suppliers have no dedicated risk manager and only 51% of suppliers keep a written risk record for projects65% of companies do not conduct detailed due diligence on the incoming key personnel provided by their supplier87% of customers cited cost reduction as a motivating factor for outsourcing86% of suppliers cited cost reduction as a motivating factor for their customers' outsourcing62% of suppliers expressed a view that the global financial crisis had resulted in harder price negotiationsAccording to a global survey by international legal practice Norton Rose Group on current outsourcing practices and trends, businesses and their suppliers are unclear as to where the responsibility for risk management and due diligence lies between them, with the result that businesses are exposed.Mike Rebeiro, group head of technology and innovation at Norton Rose Group, commented:"While due diligence procedures appear to have tightened in the past three years, particularly as the regulatory landscape has changed, it is incumbent on the customer to devise a due diligence process that will properly test and evaluate potential suppliers.""As many organisations have found to their cost, there is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution for risk management and it should never be seen as a box-ticking exercise - customers need to visit a potential supplier, test their technology and speak to other customers of that supplier."The survey has found that sixty-five per-cent of companies do not conduct detailed due diligence on the incoming key personnel provided by their supplier. And while companies are increasingly taking on responsibility for risks associated with an outsourcing project, such as project delay and data loss, opinion is sharply divided on whether the customer or the supplier should take responsibility for political / jurisdiction risk.Mike Rebeiro, continued:"The majority of customers assume that their suppliers will have done the necessary due diligence on their own staff and do not see the need to repeat the exercise. This is surprising given the impact a single rogue employee can have on the reputation of a business and all associated organisations, as underlined by the scope of the Bribery Act 2010.""Companies that outsource any element of their operations must be confident that due diligence has been undertaken on those who will be working closely with their organisation and their clients.""In addition, as the margins for suppliers become thinner, suppliers need to have an open conversation with customers about the risks of doing business in certain jurisdictions. While almost half of customers believe that the supplier should have satisfied themselves that they can operate successfully in the jurisdiction they have chosen, they should also familiarise themselves with that jurisdiction and consider a contingency plan."The survey also reveals a disconnect in the way suppliers and their customers view risk. Customers rate reputational damage as a primary risk but suppliers rank it as a secondary risk, and while service performance failure is seen as primary risk for suppliers, their customers view this as a secondary risk.The survey has also found that 87 per cent of customers cited cost reduction as a motivating factor for outsourcing and 69 per cent of respondents mentioned flexibility as a reason to outsource, up from less than 10 per cent in 2008. Mike Rebeiro, continued:"Customers should draft their contracts to allow for the maximum possible flexibility, with mechanisms for managing contractual and operational change, and processes for requesting and pricing any amendments. A pricing mechanism that includes the costs of investigating and implementing change should also be agreed before the contract is signed.""The days when offshoring was considered an easy way of saving money are drawing to a close, and customers are recognising the impact on their own business of squeezing their suppliers' margins too tightly. Asking suppliers to take on a greater proportion of the risk will have a direct impact on costs, but customers also need to bear in mind that there are some risks that simply cannot be 'outsourced' to a supplier."The report, entitled Outsourcing in a Brave New World, is the second outsourcing report released by Norton Rose Group and details the views of CIOs, General Counsel and Heads of Procurement from 74 businesses including technology and life sciences businesses, retail companies, financial institutions, transport, energy and infrastructure companies and the professional services sector, and suppliers themselves.Download Outsourcing in a Brave New World.Contact Norton Rose Group's Outsourcing team.For further information please contact:Sarah Webster, head of PR, Norton Rose LLPTel: +44 (0)20 7444 5942; Mob: +44 (0)77 2535 email@example.com Collins, PR manager, Norton Rose LLPTel: +44 (0)20 7444 2466; Mob: +44 (0)7770 650 email@example.com Tweet [+Open all]

subset: commoncrawl


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Fines and Damages Under EU Competition Law – Implications of the Accumulation of Liability
Michael J. Frese
Amsterdan Center for Law & Economics (ACLE); Amsterdam Centre for European Law and Governance (ACELG)
April 26, 2011
World Competition Law and Economics Review, September 2011
Amsterdam Center for Law & Economics Working Paper No. 2011-05
This paper identifies occurrences of negative interplay between public and private enforcement of EU competition law. For this purpose a detailed account of the premises underlying the EU's dual enforcement system is provided against the background of efficiency, effectiveness, fundamental rights and proportionality. These four interests, both internal and external to the EU's competition policy, can be affected if liability in parallel enforcement proceedings is either excessive or uncoordinated. While actors involved in the enforcement process are gradually recognising these risks, so far the solutions offered remain incidental.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 42
Keywords: EU Competition Law, Decentralised Enforcement, Public Enforcement, Private Enforcement, Accumulation of Liability
JEL Classification: K21, K42
Date posted: March 25, 2011 ; Last revised: June 21, 2011
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That question is getting plenty of airtime this week as U.S. lawmakers spar over a budget.
The Associated Press reported today that House Speaker John Boehner said that private talks with President Barack Obama failed to produce a deal to avoid a government shutdown. The speaker warned that House Republicans "will not be put in a box" of accepting options they refuse to endorse.
Friday is the deadline to avoid a shutdown. The AP says the White House has begun advising government agencies on the proper steps in preparation for a shutdown of the government.
So when we hear about a government shut down, what exactly does that mean? Here are a couple of good links that explain what's likely to occur:
From FoxNews.com:� Government funding runs out Friday, but Congress has to reach a deal by the end of the day Tuesday if it wants to avoid a lapse in federal finances. But not all federal agencies will suffer equally if lawmakers fail to approve another short-term stopgap measure or long-term FY 2011 budget bill in time.
From The Daily Beast: How did we get here? Democrats didn�t pass a 2011 budget last year� instead, they passed a placeholder resolution. Then Republicans shellacked Democrats in midterm elections, bringing in Tea Partiers fiercely dedicated to cutting the federal budget.
And Register Star blogger Ted Biondo wrote this back in February, when the shutdown was looming:
It�s time for the Democrats to stop spending more than they take from us in taxes. The Democrats need to listen to the will of the majority of the American people from the last election or they will hear it loud and clear in 2012, when 21 Democratic Senate seats, with 2 independent seats�and only 10 Republican seats are up for election out of the 33 total.


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He added, "I've seen them already. I just got back" from Ohio, where the girls were born Monday.
The show's Steven Weber also told PEOPLE that Broderick's "very pleased. He's happy … and he's looking forward to having them home."
Nursery ReadyThough the twins arrived earlier than their mid-summer due date, their parents were well prepared for their arrival. "They've been gearing up for the birth of the girls, getting everything ready," one pal tells PEOPLE. "They are very excited. This is a big thing for them."
The couple have been readying the nursery for their new daughters, Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge Broderick. They recently cleaned house at their West Village brownstone, removing boxes filled with dishes, photos and musical equipment to make room for their expanding brood.
Meanwhile, friends say Broderick, 47, and Parker, 44, will shower their new daughters with love. "They absolutely adore [son James Wilkie, 6,] so the two kids who came into the world [Monday] are going to be very happy," said actor Gary Beach, who has known Parker since she was 11 years old and, in his own Tony-winning role (as the madcap director), costarred with Broderick in The Producers.
"Matthew loves to devote time to his son, and two … girls? That's wonderful," says Beach. "It's really going to be exciting for them."
Lucky Kids"Sarah Jessica and Matthew are great parents," says another friend, actress Kristin Johnson. "James Wilkie is the funniest, smartest kid ... so any addition would be lucky, lucky kids."
Sex and the City costumer Patricia Field, reached Tuesday on vacation in Greece, agrees. "Kids born to SJ and Matthew … are already miles ahead of the norm. They have so much opportunity. It's a lucky, fortunate child – children!"
Field also muses about the fun Parker is apt to have with her girls. "I think they'll be very imaginatively dressed, a product of her great imagination," says the costumer. But in keeping with Parker's down-to-earth appeal, "I don't think they'll be wearing Oscar de la Renta for a little while."
Also excited about the new babies are the residents of Martins Ferry, Ohio, where the girls were born with the help of a surrogate. "This is a big item for our town right now," says Martins Ferry mayor Phil Wallace, who is planning to send a gift to the couple. "I'm sure everybody in town is happy for them. This is happy news!"


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A rare two-headed dolphin has washed up on a beach in Turkey.
A gym teacher by the name of Tugrul Metin was on vacation when he found the carcass on a beach in Dikili, which is near the city of Izmir along the Aegean Sea, The Associated Press reported.
The conjoined cetacean is a rare occurrence, according to scientists.
Researchers at Akdeniz University told the AP they would like to put the remains on display.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.blog comments powered by Disqus


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The songwriter's father, Ken, is a big-time music producer who's worked with Fleetwood Mac, Billy Idol and his very talented daughter. Caillat, 29, will sing Sunday before the San Antonio Spurs take on the Miami Heat at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. And just in time for Father's Day, Caillat shares how he has shaped her as an artist.
"My dad is one of the sweetest human beings around," she tells PEOPLE. "He's so patient with people and has so many ideas that he's so much fun to work with."
The father-daughter duo collaborated on Caillat's 2007 breakout album Coco – featuring her endless infectious hit "Bubbly" – and next three projects.
Not that making music together is always easy.
"It's so funny because when you're working with an acquaintance or someone else, you're being more polite," Caillat jokes. "I find that I'm a little bit more of a brat when I'm in the studio with my dad … so I feel bad."
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"He always wanted me to enjoy it and be myself. That's something that my parents always tried reminding me when I was younger," she says.
"I was always trying to dye my hair and get these weird haircuts and pluck my eyebrows. I was always trying to find myself. And they were always the ones who were like, 'You're beautiful as you are.' … They know firsthand that it's a really crazy work environment, and the people around you, you don't know who to trust. They always just remind my to enjoy it and be myself, and to stand my ground."
It's a tough lesson – and one that Caillat tackles in "Try," a beautiful ballad of empowerment off Gypsy Heart Side A, the five-song EP she dropped Monday to preview her album coming out later this year.
Republic Records
"I was venting to them about how people in the business around me wanted me to be someone that I'm not. They wanted me to dress a little sexier and kind of change the artist that I was, and I didn't know what to do because I thought, okay, if this is what people are wanting, should I change?" she recalls. "And they were like, absolutely not … you don't have to try to be someone else, because people like who you are."
To spread that message, Caillat created a now viral lyric video, inviting fans and famous friends like Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow and Sara Bareilles to send in selfies – all showing their makeup-free, natural beauty.
Caillat also started to live by her lyrics, refusing to touch up the Gypsy Heart album art and promising to perform without makeup for some concerts.
"I have a mole on my forehead that they've always taken off every single picture of me, and they've made my arms smaller if I gained a little weight before that photo shoot," she explains. "I've always allowed it because I thought that's what people liked better. And now I'm completely changing that."
Being photographed totally fresh-faced may make a lot of women nervous, but for now, Caillat is more concerned about Sunday's performance. Though she's sung at athletic events before, the different crowd and pressure of live TV always give her stage fright, she says.
"It's so terrifying, it's so much pressure, so it's a really scary experience," she tells PEOPLE. "But so much fun. Once I'm done, I'm like, oh, well I just did that, it was so crazy and I got through it."
See Caillat sing her heart out Sunday during the NBA Playoffs at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and watch her lyric video for "Try" below.


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New York jewelry designer, Chandrika Shrobe, turns her talents to creating stretchy malas using semi-precious stones and ornamental sterling silver guru beads. Chrysocolla is said to be a teaching stone whose essence encourages the expression of our highest wisdom in order to benefit others. Its serene turquoise-blue color dispels negativities and allows truth and wisdom to be heard.
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--Two Studies in the Prestigious New England Journal of Medicine Validate the Findings--
--The Good News Comes as Myeloma is Reported to be Increasing--
North Hollywood, CA, November 21, 2007 - The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF)—supporting research and providing education, advocacy and support for myeloma patients, families, researchers and physicians—today said findings from two large, international clinical trials are good news for myeloma patients, especially patients with active myeloma despite previous treatments. The newly published data demonstrate that with REVLIMID®, an oral cancer drug, all measures of myeloma showed significant and in some cases unprecedented improvement in patients where previous treatments had failed. This includes a median survival of nearly three years (35 months) with REVLIMID, the longest median survival in this difficult to treat patient group. Survival data were presented at the International Myeloma Workshop in June, and for the first time complete details from two Phase 3 clinical trials, one from the US and one from Europe, are being published simultaneously in the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"REVLIMID saved not just my life, but my quality of life, and with a wife and two young boys at home, that's a blessing," said Elijah Alexander, former linebacker with the Oakland Raiders in the National Football League. He began his treatments with Thalomid, had a bone marrow transplant, and has been on REVLIMID for the past six months. "I was diagnosed when I was just 35 years old, too young to leave my wife as a widow and my boys without a father. With REVLIMID I feel good, I coach my boys' football teams, and when people see me they don't believe I have cancer because I look and feel so healthy."
REVLIMID (lenalidomide) from Celgene is the newest of what are called the novel therapies, which along with THALOMID® and VELCADE® have changed the outlook for myeloma patients. These new studies show REVLIMID plus the steroid dexamethasone achieved "superior results" compared to dexamethasone alone "regardless of the history of treatment." In Europe and the US REVLIMID is being used in myeloma, and in the US it is also approved for a pre-leukemia condition called MDS. It is also being tested in other leukemias and lymphomas and even solid tumors.
"We are pleased that concerted efforts to find effective treatments in what was considered a rare, little-known cancer, have led to drugs like REVLIMID," said Susie Novis, president and co-founder of the International Myeloma Foundation. "Myeloma has been a difficult disease to cure, but with the novel therapies we are developing effective, long-term treatments by using multiple drugs in sequence and in various combinations. The addition of a drug with the potency of REVLIMID to this equation is especially important."
Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a cancer of the bone marrow that affects production of red cells, white cells and stem cells. Although once considered a rare disease of the elderly, it is of growing interest and concern. A recent (Oct 15) report from the American Cancer Society shows that the incidence of myeloma is increasing despite a trend toward decreasing cancer rates in recent years. Myeloma is also being diagnosed in younger people so that half of the patients diagnosed today are younger than 60, and increasingly, the disease is detected in patients under the age of 40. At the International Myeloma Foundation, studies with their DNA bank, Bank On A Cure®, point to environmental toxins and pollutants contributing to this spread of myeloma, while better diagnostic capabilities are helping to find more cases earlier in the course of the disease.
"The increasing incidence of myeloma gives us an urgent need for potent treatments to fight myeloma, and these newly published studies show that by all measures, REVLIMID is impressive," said Brian G.M. Durie, chairman and co-founder of the IMF. "Given current trends we believe these studies will be an important guide to giving patients the most appropriate therapy as early in the course of their disease as possible."
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ABOUT The International Myeloma Foundation
The International Myeloma Foundation is the oldest and largest myeloma organization, reaching more than 165,000 members in 113 countries worldwide. A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients and their families, the IMF focuses in four key areas: research, education, support and advocacy. To date, the IMF has conducted more than 120 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned hotline, and operates Bank on a Cure®, a unique gene bank to advance myeloma research. The IMF was rated as the number one resource for patients in an independent survey by the Target Research Group. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE, or out of the United States at +1 (818) 487-7455. More information is available at www.myeloma.org.
Media Contact: Stephen Gendel (212) 918-4650


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Thursday, January 24, 2013
Two undefeated middle school wrestling teams met Jan. 15 to compete for the Dorchester District 2 championship.
The Oakbrook and DuBose teams both entered the match with a record of 4-0, having won all their prior duals matches by decisive margins.
The Eagles jumped off to early lead in the title match, winning the first four matches by pin. Oakbrook then rode that momentum to a 62-39 victory.
"We had 10 pins and one tech fall, which shows how much our boys stepped up to the challenge," Oakbrook coach Charles Hudgens said. "I am extremely proud of how focused our boys got around this match with the understanding that Dubose is a good, tough team that has several state qualifiers. We knew we had to come out strong early and there was going to be a few key matches throughout the lineup. Without a doubt, our guys in the key matchups really stepped up and delivered for the team in a big way."
The win capped off a dominant season for the Eagles. On the year, the team outscored their opponents 353 to 149.
It was also a turnaround season for the Eagles, which went 0-5 last season. Under the leadership of Hudgens and assistant coaches Skip Parker and Andrew Bishop, the Oakbrook team not only claimed the district championship, it also qualified five wrestlers for the state middle school tournament: AJ Gilvary, Drew Parker, Jonathan Parker, Alonzo Jenkins and Tristan Mallory.
Other members of the Oakbrook team are Jaquan Hicks, Tyler Huber, Josh DuBois, Kobi Bell, Isaiah Wilson, Zach DuBois, Jahnari Brown, Ryan Stetler, Tywonne Branch, Chris Weatherford, Robert Cameron, Jacob Ponte, Trevor Collins, Alec Stetler, Brandon Barr, Matthew Ponte, Branden Bowdoin, Thomas Kilcullen, D'Shon Hobbs, Austin Brunt, Jordan Goings, Micheal Belton, Justin Springer, Jason Harrison, Jordan Bledsoe, Christian Wade, Chandler Townsend and Javier Toro.
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Martin Luther King Day ParadeJanuary 21, 2014
Description: The Martin Luther King Day Parade meandered through Charleston Monday, much to the delight of thousands.
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on December 10, 2012 - 12:01 AM
I never imagined it would come to this, but I'm beginning to wonder if Chan Gailey might be a worse head coach than Dick Jauron.
By the time Ralph Wilson woke up and fired him in the 2009 season, I considered Jauron the worst head coach I'd ever seen, a decent defensive mind who lacked command for the big job, a deer in the headlights on game day.
So it shouldn't be hard to connect the dots and figure out that I'm finished with Gailey. The mind-numbing decisions have been piling up for two months, but enough is enough. Sunday's 15-12 loss to the Rams cinched it. Gailey is over his head as an NFL head coach. He should be fired.
The dual jobs of head man and offensive coordinator are a challenge for the best coaches. Gailey is proving unqualified for either. This is what you get when the owner is out of touch and hires retreads — an old-school conservative who plays not to lose, who coaches scared.
Gailey hit a low point against the Rams. On a day when the Bills were desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive and played well enough to win, their head coach killed them with a string of boneheaded decisions.
If Gailey was employed by a team with a true sense of accountability, he could be dismissed for any one of three blockhead decisions in Sunday's loss. Shall we review?
First of all, Gailey gave C.J. Spiller eight touches. Spiller had seven carries for 37 yards and one catch for 15. Spiller is on pace to have the highest average per carry of any 1,000-yard running back in 78 years. But in a close game, with the Bills desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive, he had one touch in the final 22 minutes.
Spiller had a 15-yard reception on the Bills' first scoring drive, then sat for five snaps before Rian Lindell kicked a field goal. It seems we talk about this every week, I reminded Gailey.
"Well, he gets … he had two good runs in that first drive," Gailey said. "He gets winded and he comes out. We just put Fred in there. It worked out that the next couple of carries we got behind the sticks on runs that we called he was in there. That is just the way it works out. We are trying to get those guys the football."
What? He gets winded? Adrian Peterson carried 31 times for the Vikings on Sunday. Spiller had a 13-yard run on the Bills' first play of the second half. Two plays later, he had another 13-yard run. He had one carry the rest of the day.
"It was not happening there after that first drive of the second half," Gailey said. "We were trying to run the football when it was Fred's turn. It was Fred's turn to be in there. Trying to keep them both fresh."
Look, I'm a big admirer of Jackson. It took me awhile to admit Spiller needed to play more. This idea of "Fred's turn" is something out of Pee Wee league. How about Bills fans getting their "turn" to see their team in a playoff game?
Every time Spiller finds space, you feel he could go all the way. This game cried out for a game-breaking run. You never know with Spiller when it's coming. It could be the 12th carry, the 15th, the 18th. The more you limit his touches, the less chance of him popping the big one.
Gailey has become ruled by fear: A fear of Spiller getting tired or hurt, a fear that Ryan Fitzpatrick can't throw into the end zone; a fear that Rian Lindell can't be trusted to kick field goals beyond 50 yards. Two confounding sequences brought this notion crashing home:
Early in the fourth quarter, the Bills had fourth-and-7 from the Rams' 34. Gailey sent Lindell out to kick a field goal. Then he changed his mind and called a timeout, instead of taking a delay of game.
Punting would have been my third choice. I'd sooner have gone on fourth down. What the heck? You're 5-7. Show some guts. But at least have command of the moment and know what you want to do!
"We were not going to go for it there," Gailey said. "The defense was playing good. We were going to try to pin them back. That was the reason. When I first turned, they told me it was a 50-yard field goal instead of a 52-, 53-yard field goal. We had just dropped the snap on the extra point, so that is why I pulled them back out of there and said, 'Hey, let the defense try to keep them pinned back.' "
This makes twice in three games that Gailey punted rather than let Lindell kick from 52. He wouldn't let him kick a 50-plus field goal in overtime in Arizona and it worked out. Yes, it was windy Sunday, and they pinned the Rams. But kickers make them from 52 all the time. They sure could have used the three points later.
But having to call a timeout, rather than have your team take a harmless delay of game, shows a stunning lack of game-day command. It's pretty lame to contend someone gave you bad information on the distance, too.
"Well," Gailey said, "I was trying to get that to them to take the delay of game, and Scott Chandler saw me tell them to take the delay of game. But I did not know he got that word. So I was scared they were going to snap it. That is why I called the timeout."
Scared. A good word for Gailey these days. Coaching scared, or confused. I asked if the dual duties of coach and coordinator were catching up to him.
"I have done this my whole career," Gailey said. "This is the way I have always done it. I do not see that as being something that changes now."
That's the problem. Gailey's clock management at the end of the first half was truly abysmal.
The Bills were at the Rams' 23 with 32 seconds left. Gailey ran Jackson for minus-1 and called timeout. Then Fitzpatrick threw to Jackson in the flat for 2 yards. The Bills let the clock run from 16 seconds to 11 seconds, then called timeout and kicked a field goal.
Why not let the clock run all the way to 3 seconds if you're going to kick a field goal, rather than leave time on the clock for the opponent? Why not run a play on third down with sufficient time on the clock, then call timeout if you don't make it?
I suspect that Gailey's fear of a sack, and his lack of faith in Lindell on deep kicks, played into the poor clock management. But it was pretty clear he wasn't thinking touchdown, either.
Fitzpatrick said the Bills lack a killer instinct. Well, after a turnover late in the first half, his coach was thinking field goal. He was afraid to go for the jugular, the touchdown that might have taken the heart out of a Rams team that was ready to be beaten.
St. Louis had to take heart from that sequence. The Rams came out in the third quarter and marched 70 yards for a TD. Fisher, who knows how to win low-scoring games, didn't abandon the run. The Rams gutted out the win.
The Bills came very close, same as in the Tennessee game and in excruciating losses too numerous to recount. It's always something, but in the moment of truth, they usually get exposed as a second-rate operation.
Buddy Nix says they're getting better. In some ways, that's true. The defense played well. A lot of young guys are showing promise. But if Nix really expects them to get better, he needs a better coach.
Until the GM accepts that, he's running scared, too.
email: email@example.com


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on March 20, 2013 - 12:35 AM
, updated March 20, 2013 at 6:46 AM
Last of a four-part series
Howard A. Zemsky's office is cluttered.
A couple of Tim Hortons cups are left near a couple of neckties – one red, one blue – strewn across his desk. Pictures of his wife and children sit on the window ledge, along with a few Larkin Soap boxes and a miniature replica of a Russer Foods truck – all interspersed among papers, maps, reports and books about Buffalo architecture and Buffalo's waterfront.
It's an eclectic assortment – and an indication of Zemsky's busy life as the man many now see as Buffalo's best hope.
Zemsky, 53, is the person Buffalo Niagara's leadership community voted in a Buffalo News survey as displaying the most leadership when it comes to moving the region forward.
Talking with Zemsky for some two hours recently in a fourth-floor office at his renovated Larkin Building, it's evident that this is a different kind of leader than the Buffalo community is accustomed to. In fact, this kind of hybrid – a successful businessman turned historically sensitive developer turned virtually full-time civic leader – may be unusual for any community.
Listening to Zemsky's story, though, it's clear this Brooklyn-born and Long Island-raised businessman always knew he'd end up living and working in Buffalo. There's no way, though, that he could have known so many people in the Buffalo area would be counting on him to help save his adopted hometown.
"He has a huge stake in Western New York and how we move forward," said Jeffrey M. Conrad, regional director of the Center for Employment Opportunities. "He's a great person to have."
"He's a dreamer" who turns his visions into reality, said Eunice A. Lewin, a SUNY trustee who is also a Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority commissioner. "He listens. He has a total proven record."
From Long Island to Buffalo
As a teenager, Zemsky recalled, he and his dad, Sam, often talked about how the two would one day work together. Once you finish college, Sam Zemsky told his son, you'll work at our Buffalo company, Russer Foods.
Sam Zemsky was in the processed meats business. He owned Zee-best, a small delicatessen-meat distribution center in Brooklyn. In 1970, when son Howard was about 10, Sam Zemsky also bought a meat processing plant in Buffalo. The elder Zemsky traveled from one end of the state to the other for years, keeping the two businesses going.
"He was spending more time in Buffalo than he had imaged he would be," Zemsky said of his father. "He spent 10 years sleeping in hotels and on a cot in his [Buffalo] office to make it work."
It wasn't long after Howard Zemsky graduated from Michigan State University – with a degree in marketing and having taken courses in meat science – that he moved into an apartment on North Street in Buffalo and began working at the family business on Fulton and Perry streets, known at the time as Russer Foods.
Howard Zemsky learned a lot about business during his early years with Russer Foods. He also went to the University of Rochester during that time and earned an MBA. Perhaps just as important, Zemsky traveled the country, visiting delicatessens his company served. He talked to store employees about deli meats and asked their views on his company.
"I learned some of the best ideas came from the deli clerks," he said.
The lesson, he said, was the importance of being a good listener. Good ideas, he said, come from people of all ages, races, job statuses and incomes.
"If you exclude anyone based on anything, you are missing good ideas," Zemsky said.
In those early years at Russer Foods, Zemsky recalled, he put a lot of hours in at the company. His wife, Leslie, whom he met at Michigan State, gets full credit for raising their three children, he says.
Still, as the years went on, Zemsky became increasingly interested in his adopted community. He wanted to get involved. He became a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra board of directors. He began making campaign contributions to political candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, at the local, state and federal levels.
He was invited – by former Buffalo News Publisher Stanford Lipsey – to serve on the boards of two architectural renovation projects Lipsey was involved in, the Darwin D. Martin House and the H.H. Richardson complex off Forest Avenue. A mutual friend suggested Zemsky for the posts, said Lipsey, who now considers Zemsky among his closest friends.
Involvement in those projects, Zemsky said, sparked an appreciation of architectural history, both from aesthetic and business standpoints. It helped him realize what was just outside his office window.
"It was my introduction to Buffalo history and architecture," Zemsky said of his appointments to the Martin House and the Richardson boards. "I came to appreciate the assets in this community around historic architecture."
Political contributions
Zemsky talks enthusiastically about his career, his love of historic architecture, particularly the Larkin Building, and his many civic roles, which include chairing the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority and co-chairing the state's Western New York Regional Economic Development Council, which is charged with deciding how to spend $1 billion Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo promised to help revive the region's economy.
It's only when the conversation turns to his political campaign contributions and political affiliation that Zemsky clams up a bit.
Until a few years ago, Zemsky was a registered Republican, having joined the GOP because of concerns with tax and competition issues, he said. Over time, Zemsky said, he became uncomfortable with the direction in which the national Republican Party was headed, particularly on social issues.
In addition, Zemsky noted, he lives in the City of Buffalo, where Democrats so outnumber Republicans that local elections are decided in the Democratic primary. And only registered Democrats get to vote in those elections. Given those two factors, Zemsky said, he changed his registration to Democrat a few years ago.
Zemsky volunteers that he voted for Republican George W. Bush once and Democrat Barack Obama twice.
"I am not partisan," he said. "I support Democrats and Republicans."
With votes, and with money.
Since 2000, Zemsky, his wife and his companies have contributed about $500,000 to political candidates and organizations of both parties, although more to Democrats than Republicans in recent years. The money went to candidates at every level, from mayor to president, according to state and federal campaign disclosure reports. Some of the biggest contributions went to governors.
Republican Gov. George E. Pataki received about $16,000; Democratic Gov. Elliott L. Spitzer, $75,000; Democrat Cuomo, $55,000.
Zemsky said he supports candidates he believes in.
"I was taking a keen interest in the community," Zemsky said. "I saw the decline. We had a tough half century. I want to see better leaders and make changes."
He didn't want to discuss the topic any further, although he did acknowledge that there's a common perception that campaign donations are sometimes made to gain access to elected officials.
Businessman to developer
Zemsky says he was ready for a change himself when an opportunity to sell Russer Foods cropped up in 1999. Zemsky sold, but stayed on for a three-year transition period. When the three years were up, he looked for something new to do. He opened a small private equity firm on Chippewa Street.
Then there was a fateful day in 2002.
"I came here one day, and the building was for sale," he said, referring to the Larkin warehouse, on Exchange Street, which he used to see out the window of his Russer Foods office.
The 100-year-old building itself was empty and obsolete. Some 600,000 square feet of unused warehouse and manufacturing space. But that's not what Zemsky saw. During his years with Russer Foods, Zemsky traveled to cities where old warehouses in historic neighborhoods were restored and became part of thriving, redeveloped business districts.
As he studied the Larkin Building, he learned the rich history of the Larkin neighborhood, which was part of Buffalo's first industrial district in 1827, before the village of Buffalo incorporated into a city. The Larkin complex also has ties to architect Frank Lloyd Wright and Elbert Hubbard, founder of the Roycroft Campus in East Aurora.
"You build on your strengths," Zemsky said. "The great part of our past could be part of the future."
While "people looked at me like I was crazy," Zemsky said, he used "tens of millions of dollars" of his own money to convert the run-down warehouse into the centerpiece of what would, over the years, be viewed as an urban renaissance in a once-forgotten neighborhood.
The Larkin Building is now an office mecca with its own bank, restaurants, day-care center, fitness center, conference center and private taxi service. The building is completely rented.
But Zemsky always knew a lone building would not succeed for long. Over the years, he bought up dozens of surrounding parcels and buildings, which, one by one, are being restored into commercial and office space in a neighborhood that has been christened "Larkinville." Others are now buying and restoring nearby properties. And Zemsky is ready to add a residential component to the mix.
Reputation of success
Such success by a man willing to take a risk with his own money only added to Zemsky's reputation as a successful businessman, community volunteer and philanthropist who also shares his wealth with politicians.
That reputation early on reached Spitzer, who named Zemsky to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority in 2003. And Cuomo last year named Zemsky NFTA chairman.
Cuomo also selected Zemsky as co-chairman, with UB President Satish K. Tripathi, of the Regional Economic Development Council. The council's job is to determine how to spend $1 billion Cuomo has promised to help revive the region's economy.
Among those recommending Zemsky for that post was former Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, who is now regional president of the Empire State Development Corp., and is a longtime friend of Cuomo.
"Howard Zemsky is an enormously respected businessman in the community, who has great ideas, great vision, and is willing to put the time in to make a difference," Hoyt said. "He's the most unselfish man in Buffalo. Anything he does, regarding his volunteer work for the state, is driven by all the right reasons. He wants to be part of a renaissance of this community."
As co-chairman of the council as well as head of the NFTA, Zemsky is, in fact, Cuomo's businessman-on-the ground in Buffalo. It's in that role that many local leaders hope Zemsky can now do for all of Western New York what he's done for the Larkin District.
"Howard is a smart businessman who has a way about him that gets things done," said developer Paul F. Ciminelli, president of Ciminelli Real Estate. "He is one of the most selfless guys you'll ever meet. He does things in an unassuming way."
"I have done many things with him," said Lewin, from the NFTA. "I have shared with him how I feel about the East Side, minorities. He definitely thinks that's an area we need to work on."
"He's open to different ways of looking at things," added historic preservationist Tim Tielman, who has done work for Zemsky.
The future
Zemsky sounds hopeful of Western New York rebounding.
He calls Cuomo's bottom-up approach to economic development – where local people and companies suggest what needs to be done, rather than government dictating ideas – a "sea change."
He says the region must build on its strengths, which include its proximity to the Canadian border, its abundance of hydropower, its tourism, its medical campus, its many colleges and universities, and its legacy as a manufacturing center.
"You cannot build an economy on office buildings," he said.
Zemsky spoke about the importance of preserving the region's historical architecture and, at the same time, ending the sprawl that has gone unabated for decades in a region with a declining population. The sprawl, he said, has not only left abandoned buildings in the city and first-ring suburbs, but made it more difficult for people to get to jobs.
He also talked about the importance of streetscapes and the waterfront, as the region works to create an economy and environment that will keep young people here and bring back those who left.
'"We've lost young people, and if we don't change that, the population loss continues," he said.
Zemsky spoke passionately about the need to build up public spaces that will attract the 20-to-40-year-old set and took aim at recent a proposal to build a football stadium on the outer harbor. He described such a project as a parking lot with a limited number of events per year.
"It's ill-conceived," he said. "We need to talk about what will appeal to young people. What will appeal to 20-to-40-year-olds?"
Zemsky also talked with passion about his dedication to revitalizing the Buffalo Niagara region through the Regional Development Council and the NFTA.
His work with those two agencies, as well as his positions as president of the Richardson Center and chairman of the Buffalo State College Council, takes up 90 percent of his time these days, Zemsky said. He has turned over virtually all of the day-to-day responsibilities of his Larkin development to a business partner.
"I feel I work for the governor now," Zemsky said. "It's amazing to be to be part of the sea change that is occurring. It's an honor.
"We have so many assets," he continued. "We can make it happen."
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Hong Kong today delivered the tax-related recommendations for the 2014/15 Budget which will be announced by John Tsang Chun-Wah, Financial Secretary, on 26 February 2014.
The budget proposal focuses on two key areas: enhancing a business-enabling environment; and supporting the community by introducing tax measures of middle-class families.
The coming financial year will see Hong Kong faces a number of economic uncertainties due to the uneven pace of recovery of economies in developed countries. ACCA Hong Kong has long advocated that the Government needs to fulfil its role as a facilitator of economic development and create a business-enabling environment to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness. This can in turn foster Hong Kong businesses to grow and survive.
Enhance a business-enabling environment
ACCA Hong Kong fully supports the expansion of tax treaty network by the Hong Kong Government and believes this will help facilitate and strengthen Hong Kong's position as a region financial and business centre.
To ensure taxpayers can truly enjoy the benefits of tax treaties, Fergus Wong, vice chairman of ACCA Hong Kong, said: 'We suggest that the Government should not only further consider the implementation of tax treaties and streamline the procedures, but also allocate sufficient resources to the related administrative procedures required.'
The tax framework should be changed in time with the change in the business environment. Given the New Companies Ordinance will soon come into effect on 3 March 2014, ACCA Hong Kong urges the Government to conduct a comprehensive study between the New Companies Ordinance and the Inland Revenue Ordinance.
Wong added: 'Under the current tax legislation, the tax treatment of an amalgamation is not clearly specified. A comprehensive study would be more helpful to identify and bridge any discrepancies between these two legislations, to ensure tax certainty for taxpayers.'
Innovation and technology is the future of Hong Kong economic development.
Wong said: 'For this reason, we suggest a super tax deduction of 200% for qualifying research and development expenditure for the innovation and technology industries.'
This helps encourage businesses to invest in significant research and development activities and promote the development of products which are technologically advanced and with significant intellectual property content.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are identified by the Government as a significant contributor to the Hong Kong economy, constituting over 98% of businesses and employing about 20% of the workforce in the private sector.
Wong said: 'We are concerned about the rising business costs and recommend the Government to provide a concessionary profits tax rate to support new businesses in their start-up stage.'
Supporting the community by introducing tax measures of middle class families
Instead of one-off cash rebates, effective tax measures are enablers for the Hong Kong workforce to ease the overall salaries tax burden in view of rising living costs. According to the consultation package issued by the Government, only 45% of the working population paid salaries tax in 2011/12.
Davy Yun, chairman, tax sub-committee of ACCA Hong Kong, said: 'To relieve the burden on this group of people, we suggest that salaries tax income bands should reflect an inflationary adjustment or be widened to $50,000. We also advise that the Government should relax the home loan interest provision and allow any direct dependents who do not have chargeable income to nominate the taxpayer to enjoy the full interest deduction.'
An aging population is one of the primary issues causing increasing pressure on government expenditure for healthcare and social welfare services. ACCA Hong Kong considers that a tax deduction under salaries tax should be given for private medical insurance premiums. This would encourage the public to prepare for their own medical care expenses in the future.
Yun said: 'We recommend that the annual allowable deduction be capped at $15,000 for a single person and at $30,000 for a married couple.'
Most couples in Hong Kong need to work to maintain their living standards, especially when they suffer from the great pressure of housing expenses. ACCA Hong Kong understands that most couples in Hong Kong employ domestic helpers in order to free themselves for work.
Yun said: 'We care about the burden of the middle class, and suggest allowing a deduction equal to the actual wages for employing one domestic helper, capped at an amount equivalent to the minimum wage of $4,010 per month for each married couple or each single parent situation for every year of assessment.'
ACCA Hong Kong believes that the proposals are sustainable within the current fiscal strength and beneficial to the long-term economic development of Hong Kong.
Wong concluded: 'We understand that some proposed tax incentives will cause a short-term reduction in revenue, but we trust that all of them are aimed at the long term objective to sharpen our competitive edge in steering future business growth.'
The ACCA Hong Kong Budget Proposal 2014/15 is available via the 'Related links' section.


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ACDSee's Summer Photo Contest Recap
Over the past month we have seen a number of great photos entered in the ACDSee Summer Sports photo contest. Thanks to everyone who entered we enjoyed seeing what you have all been up to so far this summer!
You can check out all the entries here.
Each week throughout the contest a winner was chosen by the staff at ACD Systems.
Here they are:
Week 1: Winner of The ACDSee Edit Pack
The Real Jersey Shore
Week 2: Winner of ACDSee Pro (choice of Mac or Windows version)
Minding the Eggs
Week 3: Winner of the ACDSee Pro Pack (includes both ACDSee Pro 7 & ACDSee Mac Pro 3)
My Beach
Week 4: Winner of the ACDSee Family Pack (includes all products in the ACDSee family)
Dock of the Bay
Congratulations to all the winners!
Be sure to check out ACDSee.com and our Facebook page regularly for the next contest!


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TechNet Radio - Building IT Community: An interview with MVP, David Sanders
- Posted: Dec 19, 2006 at 2:13PM
- 1 comment
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Right click "Save as…"
David Sanders, a Microsoft MVP and the CEO of Culminis, speaks with John Weston about building IT community, how you can start a successful user group and what user groups can do to help the IT Pro world. They also get a chance to discuss what they think of Office 2007 and tips to help you prepare for it.
Aurora Queen – Your Show Host and TechNet Radio Producer
John Weston – IT Pro Evangelist
David M. Sanders – In addition to being a Microsoft MVP, Dave is the CEO of Culminis, Inc. (www.Culminis.com). Culminis specializes in providing support and value to IT PRO user groups worldwide with presence in over 75 countries representing two million IT Pros. Dave also volunteers as President of the Carolina IT Professionals Group (CITPG), a group he founded in 1999. CITPG is an IT PRO user group with over 6500 members, and has won national and regional awards for extensive public service. He sits on several Boards in his community doing community service and in particular working with organizations to help children and the homeless.
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on June 16, 2013 - 4:39 PM
I have a set of patio cushions I'd been wanting to re-cover for a year. When I actually got around to doing them last Saturday, it took literally five minutes.
So why weren't they done a year ago? Well, it took a while for me to get around to actually buying the staple gun, the staples and the plywood I needed for the job. Then, I spent hours returning the defective staple gun, exchanging the staples for the right ones and having the plywood re-cut to the right size.
When you consider all this was done with two kids in tow or whenever I could sneak away unnoticed, it's a wonder it didn't take longer.
Even though I wasn't dragging my feet on purpose (I swear! I was really excited about that stupid project!), I realized how often we use shopping as a way to procrastinate.
How many times have you sat down to organize something – your closet, your pantry, your basement – and before getting started, you decide you simply can't go any further until you've bought some necessary things? So you go to several different stores (maybe stopping for coffee and lunch in between) buying gadgets, shelving, cleaning products and 20 different kinds of containers, only to realize that, by the time you're done, the day has ended?
"Oh, well, I'll try again next weekend," you sigh. Of course, next weekend, you find that you've bought the containers and shelving in all the wrong sizes and have to take them all back. (That's why you shouldn't shop until after you've done your organizing, or else you'll have no idea what you actually need. But don't let me spoil your fun).
My dad is infamous for saying, "I have to run to the store," as soon as any kind of work is starting. As a kid, when we would clean for company, he would assign tasks before heading out to pick up Pledge or Windex or whatever we so desperately needed. He'd be back just in time to ask us why it took us so long.
When a house needs to be painted or a car needs to be fixed, he heads out to the store, leaving his cousin, Michael, on a ladder or under the hood until he gets back. I swear, he sits at the plaza with a pair of binoculars waiting to see when things wrap up.
I didn't realize what he was up to until I was a teenager working at Sears Hardware. That's when I saw all the other guys hiding out from plumbing jobs, electrical repairs and kitchen remodels, or just walking around killing time until their in-laws went home.
It's a pricey way to procrastinate, but something tells me they would say it's worth every penny.
email: email@example.com or call MoneySmart at 849-4612. Follow me at www.Facebook.com/DiscountDiva.


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Wherever they go, whatever they do, the 2013 Montgomery boys basketball players always will have Jan. 22.
That is the night they recorded the district's biggest upset of the season. That is the night they stunned their archrival and accomplished something nobody outside their locker room thought possible. Montgomery beat Muncy, 68-59, and it was a game the players will never forget.
"It's a game I will remember forever," senior forward Colton Harer said. "That is especially so, playing along side of one of my best friends and teammates Corey Kriner for the last time against Muncy."
"We are confident," the game's high-scorer Sergei Cole said. "And it just shows how much the rivalry means to us."
Muncy (9-5) had won the last four in this series and has dominated it over the last decade. The Red Raiders played Muncy tough there a few weeks ago but fell apart in the fourth quarter and lost, 72-49. Truthfully, I did not expect anything to change this time.
While Montgomery (3-11) had been improving, Muncy is a District 4 Class A title contender that finished third in districts last year and that was two nights removed from beating Hughesville. All signs pointed to another Muncy win.
Fact Box
Dr. Masse's Top 5
1. Williamsport (14-2)
The Millionaires gutted out a 67-58 win over White Plains, N.Y., Saturday despite playing far from their best game. Williamsport has a chance to regroup tonight against Jersey Shore tonight. Williamsport has won five straight but wants to be peaking entering districts like it was last year, especially since only the District 2-4 Class AAAA champion advances to states this year.
"We'll look at some film and they will have the opportunity to see what they didn't do and what they were supposed to do and make some adjustments," Williamsport coach Allen Taylor said. "I focus on effort and execution so those will be the things we will try to address. The effort and execution is what I'm concerned about and we didn't execute offensively the way we had in our last game."
2. Loyalsock (12-2)
The Lancers have lost to only Class AAAA state title contenders State College and Williamsport and face state-ranked Class AA Communications Tech Saturday at the Williamsport Showcase II. That being said, if Loyalsock and Lewisburg (14-1) end up paired in the same bracket of the District 4 Class AA tournament it will be one pathetic joke. The district has to look at other things than just overall records and stop punishing teams for playing strong competition, especially after what should have been a district final between those teams was played in the quarterfinals last season. Ben Sosa keeps getting better inside and had 27 points in blowouts of Central and Southern Columbia last week.
3. Lewisburg (13-1)
Even when he does not score a lot, senior guard Travis Conrad makes a big impact. Conrad averages 17 points per game but does so much more. He is an outstanding defender and had seven assists in a 65-51 win over Hughesville after grabbing 11 rebounds in a 58-36 victory over Selinsgrove.
"Travis is great," swingman Mike Driscoll said. "I've been playing with him since the seventh grade and he's an exceptional player."
4. St. John
Neumann (15-0)
Junior center Alize Johnson is having an all-state worthy season and proved it again in Saturday's 72-56 win over surging Millville. Johnson scored 29 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and dealt four assists. The 6-foot-5 junior is a matchup nightmare because he is tough inside but also can handle and shoot the ball like a guard. Point guard Richard Allen has been a huge addition for the Knights and also is playing well. He had 16 points in that win, plays outstanding defense and allows last year's point guard Jordan Cole to play his natural position, shooting guard.
5. Wellsboro (16-1)
It has to be nice for coach Todd Outman to have a player like Mike Pietropola coming off the bench. The sophomore guard is a terrific shooter and scored a career-high 21 points in Friday's win at Liberty. He is second on team in scoring, averaging 11 points per game. Senior Matt Reese continues excelling in all areas and had eight rebounds, five assists and five steals as Wellsboro took another step toward securing its third straight NTL-West championship.
Player of the Week
Eddie Larcom, Canton
The senior point guard has been on a tear and averaged 25 points in two wins last week. Larcom also is the team leader in assists and had a season-high 29 points in that big Athens victory. Larcom is averaging 24 points during Canton's three-game winning streak.
Game of the Week
Sullivan County at
St. John Neumann
Saturday is the latest installment of an emerging rivalry between last year's two district finalists. Neumann is the only team that has beaten Sullivan after losing to it in last year's district final. If Neumann wins again it takes a huge step toward capturing the HAC-III championship and earning the district's top seed. Expect a great one between teams that reached the state tournament's second round last year.
Montgomery thought otherwise and revealed the beauty of sports. On any given night anything is possible. The Raiders proved it from the start, taking the lead in the first quarter and never letting go. The more Muncy tried to get back in the game, the better Montgomery played and this time it controlled the fourth quarter.
Playing in front a packed home crowd that rocked its relatively new gym louder than ever, Montgomery relished the moment. Cole scored 23 points, Harer added 21, Jake Miller had 11 and every player did his part. This was the kind of moment players dream of having and the Raiders owned it.
"It was a rivalry game so the crowd was intense from the beginning and kept getting louder which helps a ton," Harer said. "Going into halftime with the lead was great but our third quarter is when we usually struggle so it was extremely nice that we stayed focused on the game and not on the scoreboard."
"We controlled their best players. And we didn't give up in the fourth quarter. We finished strong," Cole said. "We play as a team. We all have our strengths and qualities."
That has been evident the last few weeks. Montgomery started 0-9, but has shown marked improvement, highlighting it with the Muncy win. Instead of wilting following the rough start, this team has come together and played its best. Playoffs likely will not happen, but this team is playing for pride and has a lot of it.
"It was great because we finally proved to ourselves how good we can be," guard Michael Alexander said.
The Muncy rivalry is huge to Montgomery athletes, coaches and residents. Any time Montgomery wins a rivalry game between these schools it means a lot. The Indians had controlled the rivalry for years, but Montgomery struck back in a big way.
That night belonged to it and always will.
Despite the Montgomery loss, Muncy is doing some good things. The big question coming into the season was how first-time starters Nick Ring and Teddy Clark would jell with three returning starters after going to states last year.
Ring and Clark are getting better every game and are a big reason Muncy is remains a district title contender.
"Last year it was Ammar (Sabanovic), Dawson (Fox) and Billy (Kolletzki) we were waiting on. Doug and Rijad were ready and we had to wait for those guys," Muncy coach Jason Gresh said. "This year Nick came out of the gates pretty ready and we were just waiting and then Teddy got ready and he's been doing a great job. It seems like every game he's been stepping it up."
Ring has been dominant, recording 11 double-doubles in his first 12 games and missing 12 straight by just one point. He is averaging 15.2 points and more than 12 rebounds per game while displaying a nice touch inside. The junior is physically imposing and can overpower fellow post players. He also is deceptively quick too and does not slow down a fast Muncy team while also using that speed to get to the basket and finish strong.
Ring was outstanding in a 57-48 win over Hughesville last Monday, scoring 18 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. It was the fourth time in 12 games he had at least 15 points and 15 rebounds in a game.
"Last year if you put me in for a whole game they would have had to drag me across the floor. This year I can go the whole game," Ring said. "It has come along but it helps to have a point guard like Ammar to get you the ball in great spots to score. He just gets it to me and great spots so I can finish."
Clark knew he was a projected starter in the offseason and spent it doing everything possible to embrace the opportunity. He is a small but powerful guard and can bang away with the bigger bodies underneath, take his game outside or use his speed to attack the basket and set up his teammates.
That whole package was on display against Hughesville. Clark scored 13 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and added two assists as Muncy pulled away in the fourth quarter. The junior played as well as he has all season in the second half and might have been the biggest reason, the Indians turned a one-point fourth-quarter deficit into a nine-point win over a team that used to own it.
"I went to the weight room and went to all the offseason camps and did all I could to take advantage of the opportunity. Every day I was working to get ready," Clark said. "It's good chemistry. I knew it was going to be good from the start because in the summer we played out on the courts together every day. We were always in contact every day so I knew from the beginning we were going to work well together."
Canton is having its best season in a long time and clinched its first playoff berth since 2001 last Friday when it defeated Wyalusing, 69-53. The Warriors (11-6) are an AA qualifier for the first time this century and need only two more wins to surpass the 2001 team that went 12-12 as the most successful Canton team this century.
Canton has made a huge turnaround just this season, winning 11 of its last 14 games after starting 0-3. The Warriors announced their arrival as a serious playoff contender last Wednesday when they thumped District 4 Class AAA title contender Athens, 67-45. Canton is the only NTL-East team to beat Athens the past two seasons and is only one game behind it in the league standings.
Seniors Emmett Watson and Eddie Larcom are both closing in on 1,000 points and players like Wes Moore and Tim Bassett have been huge on the boards. Everything has been coming together and the Warriors could be a team high seeds do not want to face in the first round of districts.
Sullivan County (16-1) stayed within one game of St. John Neumann in the HAC-III, rallying past Muncy, 44-41, Saturday. The Griffin seniors won there for the first time as point guard Kelby Mullen scored 17 points and helped the Griffins overcome a three-point, fourth-quarter deficit. Sullivan is undefeated on the road and has won seven straight ... Mansfield (10-6) is a win from clinching its ninth playoff berth in 10 seasons. Taylor Hillson scored 20 points and Bo Burleigh had 14 points and 12 rebounds in Friday's 62-45 win at North Penn ... Central Mountain (9-5) has won nine of 10 since starting 0-4 and its only loss during that span is against Williamsport.
Masse may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.


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Burned remains ID'd as fugitive ex-cop Dorner
ID made through dental records
Officials say that the burned remains found in a Southern California mountain cabin have been positively identified as fugitive former police officer Christopher Dorner.
A San Bernardino County sheriff-coroner spokeswoman said Thursday the identification was made through Dorner's dental records. She did not give the cause of death.
The search for Dorner began last week after authorities said he launched a deadly revenge campaign against the Los Angeles Police Department for his firing, warning that he would bring "warfare" to LAPD officers and their families.
It ended Tuesday, with a firefight with police in Big Bear that ended when the cabin Dorner had holed up in ignited in flames.
Police say Dorner is responsible for four deaths during his rampage, including the killings of two law enforcement officers.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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von IDUNTGOTSONE 23. Februar 2008


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Ben Flajnik's decision to propose to controversial contestant Courtney Robertson on The Bachelor's season finale shocked and upset many of the franchise's millions of fans. But Ben isn't going to lose sleep over that.
After addressing the trouble in their relationship on the After The Final Rose special, Ben hopes "people will get a better understanding of who we are and why we're still together," he tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Ben admits he saw signs of Courtney's catty behavior – "like when she would skip back after getting a rose," he says – but when he talked to the other women about it, he didn't get a straight answer.
"I asked for specific examples and [they said], 'She's weird,' or 'She's different.' That wasn't reason enough."
Ben says there were "really sweet moments that we had together" that kept him interested.
Plus, he adds, "She was one of the only girls on the show that questioned the experience and that's what I found attractive about her – and I still do. Courtney was always like, 'I've only been on two dates with you, why should I bring you home? My family is really important to me.' It was like finally, someone who asks the right questions instead of [saying], 'My family is going to love you and it's going to be wonderful and we could be married for the rest of our lives.' "
Despite acknowledging that the two split for several weeks after cameras stopped rolling, Ben says he's confident he and Robertson, who are still engaged, "will be fine."
"Maybe someday people will get behind us, but for now we work really well together," he says. "The Bachelor will not define me as a person. This will be a blip in a few years."
TV Watch People Exclusive
Ben Flajnik: Courtney and I 'Work Really Well Together'
Ralph Freso/ABC


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Someone who ruins your whole weekend just by stopping by
We were just hanging out after the party having some beers and listening to music, and then some derf ass turkey stopped by. After that, everybody just wanted to go to bed.
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on February 7, 2013 - 12:01 AM
, updated February 7, 2013 at 7:54 AM
Peace. It's a single, simple, sometimes dangerous word with boundless potential. Rarely do we hear the words "peace" and "Israel" in the same sentence without the word "hope" somewhere in the mix. For many, Israel provides the definition of anticipation as we gaze upon it with high expectations that it will soon formulate harmony. We too often hold it at a distance, and sometimes we shut it out, though we never truly take our eyes off of it. It remains in our concerns and we speculate about it, as though we crave to protect it but are denied the resources to do so.
While the inability to change is a perplexing hurdle for some, it is not the case for all. Teens are used to hearing the delegated opinions of politicians and journalists and adults, so I set out to explore the perspective of people of my generation, many of whom hold Israel's well-being as a high priority. One such individual would be Sweet Home High School senior Sydney Bluman, a 17-year-old who had the opportunity to spend four months in Israel.
"It was amazing. I met so many friends that I'm so close with still," Sydney said.
The program Sydney traveled with is the North American Federation of Temple Youth – Eisendrath International Exchange (NFTY-EIE). Through the program she was able to study with 35 classmates – 33 Americans, one Canadian and one South African – in Israel. Each day they would learn three hours of Jewish history, an hour and a half of Hebrew language, followed by the typical agenda of math, science, English and U.S. history.
"We'd usually have an interactive classroom, so we'd learn something in class and sit in the classroom for three hours, but then the next day we'd go to where it happened," said Sydney about the study program. "So much history is in this land … A lot of it is very modern but a lot of it is also ancient."
Alex Lazarus-Klein, a rabbi at Congregation Shir Shalom in Williamsville, would agree.
"When you go to a place like Israel, or other places in the Middle East or Europe, you have thousands of years of history, and when you walk down the streets you're not just walking down thinking about George Washington or a couple hundred years ago, you're really thinking of people thousands of years ago and how they must have lived and how they're connected to your life," he said.
Lazarus-Klein studied in Israel at different times over a three-year period. He says he hopes to return soon.
"In Israel people were very relaxed. You can walk around and go anywhere in the city," he said about Jerusalem. "It's got remarkable diversity."
While many of us would certainly jump at the chance to visit the world's most closely watched country, many others remind themselves of the ongoing conflict there. It isn't hard to forget; Israeli violence makes appearances in the news on a regular basis.
Jessica Kent, a 25-year-old graduate of Williamsville North High School and a 2009 graduate of Brandeis University, advocates for peace in Israel. She has been to Israel on three occasions; once with family, once with a peer group, and the third time she went with a volunteer group.
"I volunteered in shelters, bomb shelters, in the northern part of Israel, right on the border of Lebanon," said Kent about her most recent Israel visit in the winter of 2008. "I was doing cross-cultural volunteering between Arab Israelis and Palestinians and Jewish Israelis and outside volunteers trying to cultivate a community between them … It was a really eye-opening experience that I was privileged to have."
Kent is an advocate for the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization based in Chicago that promotes cooperation among people of all faiths. She served as a national fellow in its inaugural program during college.
"Ultimately I think there's a tremendous privilege and opportunity for high schoolers to learn more about themselves by learning about other people," she said. "And one of the ways you can do that is not only opening the newspaper or checking out links on Facebook, but ultimately being really knowledgeable about our world, both in Buffalo and in Bosnia and in Boston and in Mumbai. Every city has its little niche and its drama, but the Middle East has a very strong hold on our future."
Rina Tamir is a 17-year-old who lives in Netanya, Israel. Rina, a close friend of Sydney's and a high school student, was able to provide insight on the situation she currently lives in.
"I won't say that it isn't scary; but with the years you learn how to live with it," Rina said via email. "Most of the terror attacks happen in the south so I have never heard the alarms. I think growing up in Israel has made me a mature person."
Rina said that even though the fighting does not happen near Netanya, where she lives with her parents and three brothers, they do display sympathy for those affected by the terror attacks by writing essays about the situation or wearing red clothes to school.
"My generation is educated to understand and respect the other," she said. "As the next politicians and voters who choose them, we'll determine Israel's next moves."
Sydney said the main difference between American teens and Israeli teens, while there are few, is their mindset after high school.
"In America we're getting ready for college or planning what we're going to do afterward, whether it's join the military or take a year off and study or travel, and (Israeli teens') mindset is that they're going to go into the army," Sydney said. "And some of them like it, but some of them just don't want to do it."
So from where will peace come, and what can we, who struggle for the proper words and tools, do about it?
"The important thing is just be careful what you see in the news," said Lazarus-Klein. "Until you're in a situation in that part of the world, you really can't understand what's going on there. I think that especially for the teenager or when you're in your 20s, the opportunities to see the world and expand your mind will make you a better citizen in this country as well ... and understanding of how things work beyond Buffalo or beyond the United States."
"These aren't issues we can ignore … As our world moves forward with technology and medical improvements, the challenges are going to increase and the conflict will spike before it subsides. And the challenges will get bigger, the risks will get larger, but the outcome will be evermore so important," said Kent. "We'll realize that we can be strong and strengthen one another."
When I asked Rina how she thought peace would come to her country, she was stumped. After taking a considerable amount of time to think about her answer, she managed a simple yet powerful idea: "Maybe time can fix everything."
"Mohandas Gandhi has a really powerful quote about [change], and for a lot of people, it resonates in them," said Kent. "And at the end of the day we have to be the change we hope to see in the world. And at the end of the day we have to be able to put our best foot forward, and if it doesn't work try again and try again and try again."
The message is clear: persistence, desire, connections, strength. Teens have so much to hope for, and we are the ones capable of changing the course of our world.
Rachel Whalen is a sophomore at Williamsville South High School.


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on January 21, 2013 - 11:22 AM
A 52-year-old Genesee County man remained in Erie County Medical Center's Burn Intensive Care Unit on Monday, one day after his feet fell through the roof of his home as he tried to fight a chimney fire.
Gerald Ryder, of 1270 Bloomingdale Road, Alabama, was listed in fair condition in that unit, with burns to his hands and feet suffered in the fall.
"The homeowner was attempting to extinguish the chimney fire on his own, and he didn't realize the magnitude of the fire," Alabama Fire Chief Gary Patnode said.
The wind-whipped flames made it very difficult for firefighters from 10 local volunteer companies to battle the blaze, which was reported at 6:50 a.m. Sunday.
The home was destroyed, although the roughly 40 firefighters on the scene managed to save a three-car garage and a common area between the garage and the house, the fire chief said.
Ryder, his girlfriend, a dog and one cat got out of the home safely, but several cats died in the fire, authorities said.


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I bet this Devil's Advocate is going to ruffle a lot of feathers! Frugality is a pretty big topic in the personal finance blog community because there are so many things you can do to trim a few cents or dollars off here or there. You can buy gadgets like a Kill-A-Watt to find out how much energy your appliances are using and disconnect them when they're not in use. You can make your own detergent for your washing machine or buy a rack to line dry your clothes. There have been books filled to the brim with thousands upon thousands of ways to save a few dollars and cents here or there… however they never get to the heart of the issue – being frugal should be the very last thing you try to be when all other options have been exhausted.
If you think of yourself as a business, you have two ways of generating a profit. You can increase your income or you can decrease your expenses. When you focus entirely on being frugal, you only look at half of the equation. That's foolish.
Know The Value of Your Time
It's very important that you know how much an hour of your time is worth [3] because all of your decisions should start with that number. The point of knowing has less to do with actual dollar amounts and more to put those decisions into context.
Consider this – let's say you've estimated that one of your hours is worth $100. Would you spent an hour making laundry detergent that you can buy for $10 or would you instead be focusing on finding more ways to earn money? Now what if your hour was worth $50… would you rather be spending that hour making detergent or finding more hours to work? While you might not be able to add more hours, I argue that your hour is better spent trying to find more worth instead of making detergent.
The point of my example wasn't to pick on making detergent, or any household supplies, but the main reason for doing it shouldn't be financial. We line dry clothes because it's more environmentally friendly. We also save money on electricity but the main reason is environmental.
Frugality Offers Diminishing Returns
The second biggest reason why focusing on frugality is foolish has to do with limitations. There is no limit to how much income you can earn in your lifetime. You may impose limits on yourself, based on your environment and your decisions, but there is no immutable law that says you can only earn a certain amount. There is, however, a limit to how much you can save. If you spend $500 a month on groceries, the most you could ever save per month on groceries, with all the tricks in the world, is $500.
Not only is there a limit with frugality, but the biggest gains are usually discovered in the beginning. When you start making laundry detergent for yourself, the biggest savings will be in making it yourself. As you find cheaper ingredients or buy in bulk, you will continue to increase your savings over the store bought detergent but each step will be smaller.
The opposite is true when you focus on increasing your income. As you develop your skills, add to your list of certifications or education, you become a more valuable asset and income increases will become larger with each step.
The bottom line is that while frugality can be an excellent exercise in creativity, it's usually never worth your time.