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LSU sophomore slugger Todd Walker watched from the on-deck circle as teammate Armando Rios scurried to third on a wild pitch. Then he saw the future.
"I remember thinking, 'This game is over'," said Walker, reminiscing about the 1993 College World Series elimination-game victory against Long Beach State. Indeed it was, and, for all practical purposes, so was the Series as Walker delivered the winning run with a single to cap a three-run, ninth-inning rally.
After grinding out one of the toughest, most tension-filled victories in LSU baseball history, the Tigers sailed through the championship game less than 24 hours later behind the most dominating pitching performance in College World Series history. Freshman Brett Laxton pitched a three-hit shutout and struck out 16 Wichita State batters to give the Tigers their second NCAA title in three seasons and a 53-17-1 record.
When members of the 1993 team gather Friday at Alex Box Stadium to commemorate the 20th anniversary of LSU's second of six national titles, they'll relive that iconic championship game. But the gritty effort they put forth the night before to advance is the one they still feel.
LSU fell behind 5-3 on two unearned runs in the top of the ninth. Starting pitcher and season-long workhorse Mike Sirotka slumped in the dugout after an exhaustive effort, his eighth complete game of the previous nine, thinking it was over.
But Rios tied the game with a two-run double. After the wild pitch, Long Beach State reliever Gabe Gonzales walked LSU's leading hitter Russ Johnson intentionally to set up a lefty-on-lefty match with Walker, who won the game with a line drive single off first baseman John Swanson's glove.
"It was one of those tremendous ballgames," said then-LSU Coach Skip Bertman, who will have the field at Alex Box Stadium named in his honor Friday.
"The most important thing about that team was its tenacity and belief. We didn't get as much sleep the night before as you'd like but the adrenaline rush carried us through."
Said Walker: "We just rolled right on into the championship game."
The Tigers had little choice. The game ended early evening and there wasn't much time to study up on the Shockers, whom the Tigers hadn't played yet for the noon championship game start the next day. After the post-game interviews were done, the team rushed back to the hotel and went over the scouting report without changing their uniforms. Then, they ate and were in bed by 10 p.m. and up early to catch the 8 a.m. bus back to Rosenblatt Stadium.
"It was such a blur," said broadcaster Ronnie Rantz, then a left-handed pitcher for the Tigers. "We didn't have time to get tight, think about what's going to happen. Coming off that epic game we were happy to survive. All of a sudden we're in the championship game.
"Sometimes a quarterback or pitcher will perform well when he's thrown in there and not expected to start. That's how we were. We were so focused and worried about getting to the championship game, didn't have time to worry (once we got there)."
While Laxton is the one remembered, it was Sirotka that carried the team all season. He tied Ben McDonald's record for complete games in a season (10), a mark that still stands. He had two complete game victories in the College World Series and finished the season with a 12-6 record and a 1.99 earned run average.
But it didn't look like it was going to be Sirotka's day. He fell on his backside trying to field a bunt in the ninth inning, one of two LSU errors. Later, two runs scored when a grounder went through freshman third baseman Jason Williams.
Sirotka, who went 11-0 as a freshman on the Tigers 1991 championship team, struggled through a shoulder injury in 1992 for a team that expected to repeat. He said his pitch count topped 150 as he returned to the dugout feeling a previously unknown level of disappointment.
"It's the only time I ever came off the mound during a game and thought the game was over," said Sirotka, who went on to pitch six seasons for the Chicago White Sox. "We were playing a good team with a good closer. It was such a letdown. It took a couple of hits to get me back up."
The first came from No. 8 hole hitter Adrian Antonini, who singled to center. Pinch-hitter Mark Stocco struck out but then Williams redeemed himself by laying off a 3-2 fastball near the knees to put the tying runs on base.
Then the left-handed hitting Rios, nearly as much a clutch hitter as Walker, tied the game with his big hit into the left-centerfield gap to score Williams and pinch-runner Ryan Huffman.
After the wild pitch and intentional walk to Johnson, Walker stepped to the plate. He had gone 1 for his first 11 at-bats in the Series but came through with his fourth hit of the day.
On one level, he was the last guy an opposing pitcher would have wanted to face. But on another it made sense, even to Walker.
"It wouldn't have hurt them to walk me, too, and load the bases to set up a force at every base," Walker said.
"But being a lefty hitter made sense to pitch to me.
"Gonzalez had a little sinker. I didn't hit into many double plays off lefthanded pitchers. My idea was to keep my shoulder in and lift a ball to the outfield and get the run home. I remember thinking, 'That's an easy job for me.' When Rios got to third, I remember thinking, 'This game's over.'"
It was, but Walker wasn't through. Even before Laxton established himself the next day, Walker gave LSU an early cushion with a two-run homer, his third of the series and 22nd of the season, in the bottom of the first inning. He finished the day with two hits, three RBI and the Series Most Outstanding Player Award. He finished with seven hits and 12 RBI after going one for his first 11.
He finished the season with a .395 batting average and 102 RBI while starting all 71 games.
Walker is the first to say he didn't do it alone. Johnson batted .355 and Harry Berrios (17 homers, 82 RBI) was also a big contributor. Along with Rios and Sirotka, Berrios and designated hitter Mike Neal formed a leadership core with experience from the 1991 championship. Laxton went 12-1 with a 1.98 earned run average.
But the magic ingredient was the chemistry. Walker said the
members of the team didn't simply show up in the same place, but they liked each
other. He said the college brand of chemistry doesn't exist in the major
"People don't put enough credibility into chemistry, people genuinely liking each other on the same team," he said. "We had a group of guys who really enjoyed being around each other and you have to have that because you are around each other so much.
"At team functions like chapel we didn't have five guys, we'd have 25-30. Everybody did the same things and were involved in the same stuff. That's a big part of winning."
The 1993 team also had a hunger motivation. The previous season was a huge disappointment. LSU won the SEC overall and tournament titles but were upset by Ohio State (5-0) in the regional and eliminated by Cal State Fullerton (11-0).
"We had a bunch of guys who in 1992 got their hearts broken," Rantz said.
LSU started the season ranked No. 1 and cruised to a second straight conference title. The hitting and the pitching were fine, the fielding not so much. LSU committed a school-record 125 errors but managed to overcome them each time, as evidenced by the elimination-game victory.
The Tigers spent much much of the postseason coming from behind. They lost to Kent State in the regionals and had to beat South Alabama twice on the final day to get to Omaha.
In the College World Series opener, LSU trailed 1-0 before scoring all of its runs from the seventh inning on in a 7-1 victory against Long Beach State. They trailed Texas A&M 7-2 in the next game before scoring a 13-8 victory. They scored three in the ninth to beat Long Beach again in the elimination game to get to the championship.
Most of all, the 1993 team had Bertman, who in his 10th season was well on his way to establishing himself as one of the nation's premier college baseball coaches. That's why he's having the field named after him in the Friday ceremony.
"He had a unique way of making you feel like, not only that you deserved to be there, but that you could be successful there," Walker said. "We followed Skip's lead."


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SIMON Kantor, the chief protagonist in David Bloomberg's novel Simon's Destiny, runs a successful fishing business in Cape Town. He is "good-looking, intelligent and athletic", lives in Constantia, drives a Lexus and is an active member of the city's Jewish community. He is married to "shapely brunette" Melissa, and they have two sons; a chip off the old block, David is a rising star in business, while Norman is something of mystery to his father. He has black friends, some of whom are dancers.
Despite Kantor's alleged intelligence and his rich and varied life — he travels a lot, plays golf, occasionally pays women for sex and tells his lawyer, Darius, to leave his attractive secretary alone because "she's on my things-to-do list" — he's somehow managed to preserve a narrow perspective about what democracy may or may not mean in South Africa.
"Darius, you know I'm not a racist. I don't wish any harm to black people, but I tell you one thing — I'm also not their saviour," he says, before going home to his family and their Rhodesian ridgeback dogs, PW and FW.
What follows is a lengthy politico-business and family story, centred on Kantor's belated coming-of-age as he evolves from naive and blinkered white South African businessman to orchestrator of one of the country's most racially integrated companies. The journey is not without humour, tension and a few unexpected twists. Among other things, Kantor learns to accept that Norman is gay and that his work as an activist is as important as being a businessman.
Simon's Destiny is Bloomberg's fifth book but his first novel. He also wrote Chain Gang (2011), My Times (2007), Won't Forgive … Can't Forget (2006) and Meet The People (1975). Although the former mayor of Cape Town, lawyer, businessman and theatre director now lives in Lugano, Switzerland, he remains a frequent visitor to South Africa. His latest book is as detailed in content as his nonfiction work and he has clearly taken time to research things such as fishing licences, different cultures and HIV/AIDS.
Two things, however, bothered me about the book. First, I disliked Kantor so intensely after the first few chapters that nothing he did or experienced later made me feel any different. Second, although the book didn't bore me, I could have done with less detail.
Bloomberg is a meticulous writer. Little is left to the imagination, which can work well for nonfiction. This novel, however, is too dense with detail and the story would have been more powerful if it was written more concisely.
That said, Simon's Destiny contains several South African truisms that will make you smile and many characters that you'll recognise among colleagues, friends and family. Moreover, the book is quite rare in that it tells the story of a transformation deal that actually ends well!

subset: commoncrawl


text: SA Forums Shutting Down Posted by on Nov 10, 2010 18:59 ShareTweetHey gang, Due to security / hacking issues the Seahawk Addicts Forum will be shutting down, but everything else on the site will remain up and running. In the next week or two, a full new system of commenting will be unrolled. That system will have forum-like functions that should make up for the lack of "real" forums. They are lightly-used as it is anyway, but I know we have some devotees, and we're sorry that we've got to shut them down. If it becomes something that we just can't live without, we may be able to work on patching the security with outside help. The new Bloguin commenting system will be unrolled soon (as will a much, much faster version of this site with a more streamlined design) and that is going to be pretty awesome, 10 times better than what we've been using. Again, we'll see how everyone reacts to that and if it does not in fact replace the need for forums, we'll get someone to come in and make them ironclad. Thanks for understanding! ShareTweetSeahawks Tickets About View all posts by →


text: A $15,000 check was presented to Kihei Elementary School on Nov. 16 during the grand opening celebration of the Andaz Maui at Wailea. The community grant award is part of Hyatt's corporate responsibility program, Hyatt Thrive. Pictured are (from left) Jordan Meisner, senior vice president-field operations at Hyatt Hotels Corp.; Rakesh Sarna, executive vice president, group president – Americas at Hyatt Hotels Corp.; Halle Maxwell, principal, Kihei Elementary School; and Michael Stephens, general manager, Andaz Maui at Wailea.


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CAMDEN, N.J. -- A Camden man has been sentenced in connection to thee homicides and an assault that occurred over a period of eight years.
Sharif Cook, currently 33, admitted to shooting Caliph Perry, 17, and Anthony Carstarphen, 15, both of Camden, on Oct. 8, 1994 during a dispute at 8th and Line Streets in the city. Both victims were shot multiple times, including one shot each in the head.
Cook also admitted to shooting 57-year-old Pennsauken resident and supervisor of Gloucester City's Trans Ocean Maritime Services Scott Palmer on April 3, 2002. Cook was a day laborer there and, after being turned down to work that day, Cook retrieved a handgun from his home and returned to open fire on Palmer while Palmer was in his vehicle.
Cook also admitted to attacking a Camden County Corrections Officer as the Camden County Jail on April 28, 2002.
For Cook's first two counts of murder, he was sentenced to 50 years in a New Jersey State Prison. For the second murder charge, he was sentenced to 36 years incarceration. The aggravated assault charged neted another 10 years. His sentences will be served concurrently, and Cook has earned a credit for six years time served, so he will be eligible for parole in 2032.


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Watch Fringe Season 4 Episode 2 online via TV Fanatic with over 7 options to watch the Fringe S4E2 full episode. Affiliates with free and paid streaming include Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, YouTube Purchase, Google Play, Amazon Prime, and Verizon On Demand.
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The body count rises Over There as the result of a serial killer this week. The the murderer's alternate identity takes the case Over Here.
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Darksiders II Download for Xbox 360On: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii U
Darksiders II follows the exploits of DEATH, one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, in a weaving tale that runs parallel to the events in the original Darksiders.
Review Verdict Read Review
8Out of 10Back to game info
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Download: Darksiders II: Death Strikes Part #1 Trailer
Category: HD Video
As the war between Heaven and Hell rages, Death shows both demon and angel how he earned his name.
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File Size: 42.53 MB


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Make your Heath a Priority
Yoga Fit
Yoga Fit asanas are for students of all levels.Practices include poses that increase flexibility and strength. The poses are linked into a series working core, mind and body. Practices end with a relaxation component.
Pilates Fit
Pilates Fit workouts create an equal balance between your abdominal and lower back musculature in order to build strength, agility and muscle tone. By focusing on your core muscles you will achieve improved posture, better balance, coordination and of course a leaner more toned body. Lessons will last approximately one hour and are presented as a constant flow in order to keep your heart rate up and burn the maximum number of calories. If you are seeking a fun class that will produce results, making you look and feel healthier, this class is for you
Yogalates Fit
Yogalates Fit workouts combine the best of Yoga and Pilates. Classes will include power yoga, pilates core intensive postures, restorative yoga and relaxation. In this class you will find yourself challenged, stretched, relaxed and refreshed.
Get Fit Where You Sit
If you find it difficult to get down on the floor and then back up again you will enjoy a chair yoga class. The chair replaces the yoga mat and becomes an extension of your body allowing you to take full advantage of yoga's fitness and health benefits. Even if you are in a wheelchair, you can receive the many benefits of chair yoga–the integration of body, mind, and spirit.
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After a Friday (7/30) appearance on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," Green Day [ tickets ] will launch a summer stadium tour of both North and South America in support of last year's "21st Century Breakdown."
The band -- singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool -- kick off the trek Aug. 3 in Camden, NJ. The 18-city U.S. portion, which includes an Aug. 7 appearance at Chicago's Lollapalooza, wraps up Sept. 4 in San Francisco. After a month-long break, the trio will work its way through South America, beginning with an Oct. 8 performance in Caracas, Venezuela. The full itinerary, including international dates, is shown at right.
Tickets for most U.S. shows are available now via Live Nation. Green Day unveiled "21st Century Breakdown," the group's eighth studio effort, in May 2009. The set, which topped The Billboard 200 and several international charts, marked the band's first collection of new material since 2004's "American Idiot."
Earlier this year, Green Day took home a Grammy for Best Rock Album for the recent release. The group's Green Day Rock Band video game is currently in the running for Best Video Game at the Teen Choice Awards, which airs Aug. 9 on Fox.
[Full article at SoundSpike]


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Dr. Susan Ritter and Michael Lytle recently submitted a grant application for $1.6 million to create a forensic investigations training center.
Dr. Kevin Buckler had a manuscript published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of Criminal Justice Education. The study is titled "The quantitative/qualitative divide revisited: A study of published research, doctoral program curricula, and journal editor perceptions."
Several criminal justice majors recently won awards at a regional forcensic investigations competition held in New Mexico. To read more about the students and their performance at the competition click HERE.
The University of Texas at Brownsville website uses Javascript.
To access this page as it is meant to function please use a Javascript
enabled browser.


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- Home
- Accommodation
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- What's On
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- Plan My Visit
The Seaside Museum, Herne Bay
01227 367368
12 William Street,
Herne Bay,
|Sat 3 Sep - Sun 16 Oct
|Amy Johnson - My Life in Pictures Exhibition
|Sun 18 Sep - Sun 13 Nov
|Kent Smugglers Stories - Exhibition
|Wed 5 Oct
|Seaside Story and Rhyme Time
|Wed 12 Oct
|Seaside Story and Rhyme Time
|Mon 17 Oct
|Wed 19 Oct
|Seaside Story and Rhyme Time
From Dambusters to Floods, Piers to Punch & Judy, this delightful Museum & Gallery has plenty of surprises under one roof.
Displays include local paintings, prints and photos, prehistoric elephant tusks and fossils from local beaches, coastal wildlife and a Barnes Wallis Bouncing Bomb prototype from World War Two.
Adults £2.00
Concessions £1.60
Children under 16 free accompanied by an adult.
Adult Annual Pass £5.00
Concession Annual Pass £4.00
The Seaside Museum, Herne Bay is 9 miles from Canterbury via A28 and A291.
: 1 mile from Herne Bay station


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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
The United States Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) recent action to repurpose the 1755–1780 MHz band for commercial mobile broadband paired in auction with the 2155–2180 MHz band is one very important step to meet both consumers' rising demand for mobile broadband and the challenge of limited spectrum.
4G Americas, a wireless industry trade association representing the 3GPP family of wireless technologies, including LTE mobile broadband, today published Meeting the 1000x Challenge: The Need for Spectrum, Technology and Policy Innovation (Condensed Version), to provide a synopsis of a report originally released in October 2013. The report examines the numerous technology enhancements to mobile technology that will dramatically increase network efficiency, yet may not be enough to meet the challenge posed by many more mobile broadband users, devices with larger screens, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) connectivity and video applications driving network traffic.
"Challenges continue to emerge for mobile broadband as the wireless data demand landscape dramatically transforms at a staggering rate throughout North, Central and South America," said Chris Pearson, President of 4G Americas. "The usage of mobile data will potentially overwhelm wireless network resources due to finite and limited spectrum availability even though technology evolution is improving the efficiency and capacity of the wireless networks. To be able to accommodate the growth, the wireless industry needs additional spectrum and associated policy innovation throughout the Americas region."
New technology enhancements and innovative spectrum policy approaches are currently being developed as building blocks to address the massive data challenge. The components concisely outlined in the report include:
"The FCC is making progress in tackling the data challenge, specifically with the recent decisions to repurpose more spectrum for commercial broadband service," added Pearson. "The need for continued regulatory innovation coupled with technology evolution is crucial in helping to bridge the gap between the explosive growth in data demand and network capacity."
The report, Meeting the 1000x Challenge: The Need for Spectrum, Technology and Policy Innovation (Condensed Version), was written collaboratively by members of 4G Americas, led by Qualcomm and T-Mobile USA. This white paper is available for free download at: http://www.4gamericas.org/.
About 4G Americas: Unifying the Americas through Mobile Broadband Technology
4G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to advocate for and foster the advancement and full capabilities of the 3GPP family of mobile broadband technologies, including LTE-Advanced, throughout the ecosystem's networks, services, applications and wirelessly connected devices in the Americas. 4G Americas contributes to the success of 3GPP technologies and their No. 1 place in the region. 4G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. More inforation is available at http://www.4gamericas.org/.
4G Americas' Board of Governors members include: Alcatel-Lucent, América Móvil, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Cisco, CommScope, Entel, Ericsson, HP, Mavenir, Nokia Solutions and Networks, Openwave Mobility, Qualcomm, Rogers, T-Mobile USA and Telefónica.


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The mischievous glint has returned to the eye of Freddie Burns. So too his confidence that had been shot into microscopic pieces last season at Gloucester. Now he is unequivocal about his ambition: "I want to be world class."
Few players are willing to make that admission, let alone one who has endured such a torturous past year as Burns. To fulfil that lofty goal, the England fly half moved to Leicester this summer, a decision that caused Kingsholm's warm embrace to turn into the coldest of shoulders.
That personal torment is now in the past. At present Burns's greatest


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Mary Joyce B. Green, M.D.
Office Information
941 Park Drive
Palmyra, PA 17078
Patient Services Provided
Practice Locations
Biographical Information
Mary Joyce Buliyat, M.D., was born and raised in the Philippines. She graduated from the University of the Philippines with a B.S. in Psychology and completed her medical education at the University of the East, Philippines. She then completed her Family and Community Medicine Residency at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where she received many awards including the Joseph P. Bering Most Outstanding Resident and The Best Senior Resident Award. As a resident, she also received several certificates for Exceptional Teacher and Exceptional Role Model from Penn State College of Medicine students. Dr. Buliyat enjoys teaching and joined the Penn State Hershey faculty as one of the core faculty members for the residency program. She completed a Junior Faculty Development Program at Penn State College of Medicine. Her interests include the use of team-based learning in teaching evidence-based guidelines to residents.
Professional Education
Academic Interests
Medical Student & Resident Teaching
Advising and Clinical Skills Advising
Team-Based Learning in evidence-based guidelines


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Online Hip Hop Dance Lesson Video: Snake Charmer
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This combo takes a wiggle walk and turns it into an elaborate level change sequence. Breakdown includes balance tips, plus suggestions for maintaining consistent and smooth styling.
Want to save 15% on this lesson? It's part of 1 other discounted Lesson Pack. Grab the whole pack and this lesson will only cost $1.69.
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Early Menopause - FemHealth.net
Early Menopause
What causes Early Menopause?Early Menopause can be caused by a several factors. In most cases, the reason for early menopause is clear: you've had your ovaries surgically removed, have a family history of early menopause, or had ovarian damage due to cancer treatments. However, some special and rare causes might be possible. Click here to read about the rare causes of early menopause.
What are Early Menopause Symptoms?Early menopause produces the same changes regular menopause does. Same as menopause, during early menopause the body losses the ability to stabilize estrogen levels leading to a declination of this hormone. This results in a overall hormonal imbalance which wil produce all the early menopause symptoms like:
| Not every woman will experience these early menopause symptoms, but it is a proven fact that if women are in early menopause, they will experience most of these symptoms in a more severe fashion than women going through menopause naturally. estrogen levels drop dramatically as a result of early menopause causes.
The decline of estrogen results in a hormonal imbalance in a woman's body and causes the common early menopause symptoms. Estrogen levels will not recover after passing thorugh early menopause. Thereby, they can raise new health concerns or still cause menopause symptoms. Click here to read more about early menopause symptoms.
|See also...
FemHealth.net. Learn about the rare causes for early menopause to be aware of what you can do in order to avoid them.
If menopause occurs when women are still in their 20s, 30s or early 40s, it is said to be early menopause. See more information on early menopause here.
|Learn more...
Enter in FemHealth.net, where you'll find up-to-date, comprehensive information to help you during transition of the 'change of life.'
©Copyright 2010 - Early Menopause - All rights reserved.


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Review Details
Ergo Baby CarrierProduct Rating: Product Review (submitted on January 3, 2011):
Before my son was born I'd done some research and ended up buying the Moby wrap. While I find it to be great for newborns and first months, I find the wrap too hard on my back. When my son was 4 mo, I started doing the research again, looking for the carrier that would focus the weight on the hips, as opposed to the lower and upper back and came across the Ergo carrier. I was shocked to find out that it was the only carrier of that sort on the market. So, I decided to bite the bullet and spend some more money on the new carrier. While I find it a bit pricey, I have to admit it's well made, easy to use and very comfortable. My son loves being in it. I am looking forward to wearing him on my back when he gets a bit older. Money well spent! Note: I have also purchased the chewing pads (sucking pads)...I am sooooo glad I did. The first thing he did was chew on the straps. I can see how these will preserve the life of the carrier!


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Tiffany Towns, Lycoming College visiting assistant professor of theater and costume designer, hails from Dawsonville, Ga., and has landed in Williamsport to bring her artistic and creative touches to the 2012-13 theater department season.
She recently received her master of fine arts degree from the University of Alabama, and has already accumulated an impressive resume of accomplishments. She has worked in various capacities with Glimmerglass Opera, Cooperstown, N.Y.; Seaside Music Theatre, Daytona Beach, Fla.; the Texas Shakespeare Festival, Kilgore, Texas; across the Atlantic at the Geneva English Drama Society in Geneva, Switzerland; and the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta, Ga., where she was challenged in new and different ways.
"I never knew I'd use my costume technology training to create a miniature pirate hat for a mermaid, a lab coat for a giant talking pill-bottle or a set of legs for a dancing banana," Towns said.
Article Photos
Tiffany Towns is seen.
The Sun-Gazette recently had the opportunity to ask Towns about her costume design background and moving to the Williamsport area.
Krista Storm: How did you become interested in theater?
Tiffany Towns: My interest in theater initially started in high school through Master's Academy of Fine Arts [in Georgia]. It was there that I was cast in my first role as the funny and mischievous lead, and I fell in love with the interaction between the audience and the actors, the sense of community. I almost went to college to study piano performance, but was encouraged to pursue all of my interests - music, dance and theater - by becoming a musical theater student. This was how I initially got into theater in college. While working with GTA [Gainesville Theatre Alliance, Oakwood, Ga.], I was involved in productions through acting and stage managing, while working in the costume shop as a stitcher, design assistant, first hand and even an unofficial shop manager of sorts. I was eventually asked to design the costumes for a student-directed production. This was my first official experience with costume design, and following this experience, I continued to seek opportunities to design for student productions, the GTA Repertory Company and eventually a mainstage production.
KS: What do you like about designing? Teaching?
TT: I really enjoy the problem-solving aspect of costume design. Someone once said to me that creative people need boundaries because it is figuring out how to work within those given parameters that makes our creativity come to life. I love creating a design and figuring out how to make that idea come to life-and still stay under budget!
I like teaching much for the same reasons. I truly enjoy everything in general about being a teacher - developing the lesson plans, grading papers and projects, discussing teaching methods with other teachers. But specifically, I am passionate about engaging students and figuring out how to teach each of them as individuals in their own unique way.
KS: What play have you always wanted to design?
TT: "Kiss Me, Kate," "Oklahoma!," "My Fair Lady," "Singing in the Rain" I love the classics. I have designed "The Comedy of Errors" as a paper project in a graduate design class, but I'd love to get a chance to design it and see it onstage. Maybe I'm still early enough in my career that I could make it my goal to design (almost) every one of Shakespeare's plays.
I love designing for children's theater and really any play that allows me to be whimsical. I also prefer designing historical plays over contemporary plays because I find the shapes and silhouettes of the clothing so much more interesting. Working with Shakespeare allows the creative team to really let loose and brainstorm new concepts.
KS: What inspires your design choices?
TT: The mood or tone of the play along with the underlying theme is very important to me. My favorite design element though is definitely texture, and this usually comes across in my fabric choices. I love mixing a variety of visual and literal textures in my costumes and I am finding interesting combinations of patterns and prints. I am also drawn to the element of shape and am consistently pushing myself to look at shapes in new and inventive ways.
KS: What is your favorite part of the design process?
TT: My favorite part is definitely the realization of the design - the problem-solving phase of figuring out how to pull and repurpose items to make them work for the show versus what to buy and what to build. I can definitely tell you that my least favorite part of the process is shopping for clothing items for a contemporary show. It is like torture to me!
KS: What are you looking forward to at Lycoming College?
TT: I am looking forward to building up the theater department. I am excited to support and assist the students in their personal goals both here and beyond. There are several students that already have big plans ahead for this semester, and I am very honored to be here to get behind their efforts and encourage them in their endeavors. I am also really excited to work with "Dr. J." [N. J. Stanley, chairperson of the theater department] and Jay [Jathan Innerarity, visiting assistant professor of theater and scenic and lighting designer and technical director] on "The Threepenny Opera."
I think it is a show that will challenge my own design aesthetic and push me out of my designing comfort zone of pretty, cheery and whimsical. I am excited to see what our collaboration produces.I would like to add a thank you to the community of Williamsport for being so welcoming and helpful in my first weeks of settling in here. I moved up to town on my own, and each person I met, whether at the grocery store or a thrift store or a local restaurant, was incredibly generous and kind.
To view Towns' work, visit tiffany towns.zenfolio.com.


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Curves for Women - West Milford, NJ - Phone: (973) 657-0020
Reps - West Milford, NJ - Phone: (973) 728-5711
Health clubs & gyms in West Milford are the places housing exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise & fitness. The major facilities and services offered by such health clubs & gyms are- Main workout area, consisting of free weights including dumbbells, barbells and exercise machines; Cardio area/Theatre, including many types of cardiovascular training-related equipment such as rowing machines, stationary exercise bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills; Group exercise classes conducted by qualified fitness instructors; Sports facilities like- swimming pools, squash courts or boxing areas; Personal training & other services including health-shops, snack bars, restaurants, child-care facilities, member lounges, cafes, sauna, steam shower, or wellness areas.
Alliance for Green Heat and NYSERDA Announce Seven Finalists in International Pellet Stove Competition
Two New York teams are among the finalists (Long Island, NY) Alliance for Green Heat and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced that seven pellet stoves have been chosen as finalists in the Pellet Stove Design Challenge. This international competition, administered by the Alliance for Green Heat, identifies innovative low emissions and high efficiency..


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------Sewing is a passion, so calming and rewarding
Janome Horizon MC15000
Baby Lock Ovation
Baby Lock Melody (travel machine)
Baby Lock Embellisher
Viking Husqvarna 190 Electronic
Singer 401A
------Sewing machines make me happy. I like sewing with them, cleaning them, petting them, gazing longingly at them.
------Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. Andy Rooney
Pfonzie- my honey Pfaff Creative Performance and Pfaff Passport, Bernina 930 and 830, Evolution and Enlighten sergers
------Topshelf Pod
------Designer 1, bought in 2000
Simplicity 350 serger, bought about 1997
3 Tajima Neo single head embroidery machines
Digitizer by profession
Embroidery software: Tajima DGML by Pulse (commercial) also know Designer's Gallery and Floriani for home use.
------I heart Woo (HimmyCat). Until we meet again, my beautiful little boy. I love you.
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Creative Indiana, IDEAS Network
Monday, February 10, 2014 | 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Creativity seekers and innovation enthusiasts can now network while discovering ways to unlock their own inventiveness. Creative Indiana is offering IDEAS NETWORK, a fun way to collaborate with other individuals or organizations to Initiate, Develop, Evaluate, Activate and Sustain ideas. Attendees will get the chance to use powerful creative thinking tools to help generate ideas or solutions for an individual, non-profit or business seeking new ideas.
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Erie's JFK Center to host career fair
The John F. Kennedy Center in Erie will host the Martin Luther King, Jr. Career Fair Friday.
The event, organized by the Urban Erie Community Development Corporation, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at the center, 2021 E. 20th St.
The fair is open to all people seeking employment. Organizers said the fair will offer information on jobs, apprenticeships and training programs for construction, health care, hospitality, business, manufacturing, education, finance and retail careers.
Employers and organizations participating in the career fair include Pennsylvania CareerLink, the Erie County Convention Center Authority, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, the United Way of Erie County, NAACP, Erie Insurance, Housing Authority of the City of Erie, Martin Luther King Center, Preferred Systems, Turner Construction and Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority.


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It's not a popular decision but Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan says the city needs to raise taxes to avoid falling off its own fiscal cliff.
Callahan released his proposed 2013 budget Friday.
It includes an 8.5% property tax increase.
Callahan is also asking not for profits to make a donation to the city tax burden and the city will enact a new first responders fee.
"We've got to find a way to plug this four million dollar gap," he said.
Once again the word "pension" is causing creators of another city budget to make some tough decisions.
This time it's Bethlehem mayor John Callahan creating waves.
"We are looking at a $4 million increase in our legacy cost as it relates to our police and fire pensions," he said.
Callahan says in 2004 the city contribution was $1.5 million. In 2013 it will be $11 million.
Bethlehem has the third highest funded pension in the state at 78 percent funded.
Compare that to the area's other large cities: Easton's pensions at 69 percent and Allentown's at 64 percent.
Callahan says tough choices need to be made now to avoid financial ruin later.
The city has already negotiated new contracts with the unions to only fund 50 percent of fire and police pensions.
The change only affects new hires.
"It will save us $30 million over the course of the next twenty years, but just $60,000 next year," said Callahan.
So to help add more money to the city coffers Callahan created a three step plan.
First ask for a voluntary contribution from the not for profits like Lehigh University, Moravian College and Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenberg.
Second -- increase property taxes by 8.5%.
Lastly, implement a new first responders fee.
"Anyone that purchases a ticket for Musikfest, Sands Event Center, or another music venue within the city of Bethlehem would pay a five percent tax on the cost of that ticket," said Callahan.
City Council still has to approve the budget but Callahan says people have to take action now to keep Bethlehem as one of the top places in the Valley.
"I'm not making decisions based on what's best for John Callahan, mayor Callahan next year. I'm trying to make decisions on what's best for the city of Bethlehem 10, 20 , 30 years from now," said Callahan.
Cities like Reading, Easton and Philadelphia already what's call an amusement tax.
Bethlehem is calling it a first responders fee because all money will go to paying the salary of police, fire and EMS crews.


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With phone and Internet bundles, TV and Internet bundles, and tons of other CenturyLink Bundle options available, it's never been easier to get a CenturyLink Bundle that suits your needs and makes your life a little simpler. You can choose any CenturyLink Bundle and say goodbye to multiple service providers; by bundling your services, you can get just one statement from a single provider each month and get a lower monthly rate, too! And unlike many Internet providers in Hanover, CenturyLink also saves you money by offering a 3-Year Price-Lock Guarantee on certain CenturyLink Bundles, ensuring that your package price won't change for three whole years.


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Members of the Kansas City Chiefs and their families attended a memorial service for Jovan Belcher, the linebacker who committed suicide Saturday after killing his girlfriend at the home they shared.
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text: DATE=12/21/1999 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=PAKISTAN / SHARIF / S - L NUMBER=2-257350 BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: During his second court appearance in two days, Pakistan's former prime minister has accused the military of destroying evidence in the case. As Correspondent Scott Anger reports, Nawaz Sharif and six others have been accused of attempted murder and hijacking for their roles in events leading to the military coup in October. TEXT: The anti-terrorism court hearing the allegations against Nawaz Sharif and his aides has been adjourned without any formal charges being made. Pakistan's military government has alleged Mr. Sharif and the others refused to allow a plane carrying army chief General Pervez Musharraf to land in Pakistan on October 12th. The contention is that Mr. Sharif and the others wanted the plane -- which was low on fuel - - to crash. Hours later, the military overthrew the elected government in a bloodless coup. Monday, the prosecution told the court that there is no incriminating evidence on audio recordings from the plane's black box. Earlier delays in the proceedings had been over a dispute between defense lawyers and prosecutors involving the tapes. Tuesday, Nawaz Sharif accused the military of erasing the recordings, which he says would have vindicated him. The court will reconvene on January 12th to continue hearing the case. ///REST OPTIONAL FOR LONG/// The army has accused Mr. Sharif of trying to kill General Musharraf by refusing landing rights to the plane. One month after the military gained power, an army officer filed charges that the former prime minister tried to kill the general and 200 passengers aboard the plane. Prosecutors say Mr. Sharif's actions amount to waging war against Pakistan. However, lawyers for Mr. Sharif have argued a charge of waging war must be filed by the government and not the military. Although Nawaz Sharif and his co-defendants have made six court appearances, they have not yet been indicted in the case. Mr. Sharif has repeatedly denied the allegations and says General Musharraf is carrying out a personal vendetta. (SIGNED) NEB/SA/WD 21-Dec-1999 05:31 AM EDT (21-Dec-1999 1031 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .


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Shaq Will Mentor Cousins
Shaquille O'Neal is remembered as a four-time NBA champion former league MVP and one of the most dominant centers in history.
Before O'Neal was a three-time NBA Finals MVP during the Los Angeles Lakers' dominant run from 2000 to 2002 O'Neal was scrutinized and criticized for failing to win.
Now enter DeMarcus Cousins. The ultra-talented Kings center hasn't carried his team to the playoffs much less a winning season.
He's been criticized for his immaturity outbursts and how he's treated coaches and teammates in his attempt to be the focal point of the franchise.
O'Neal formally introduced Tuesday as a new minority owner of the Kings said he'll be available to help Cousins reach his potential on the court and transform the Kings back to the franchise that challenged his Lakers teams for championships.
It's monitoring Cousins' development as a player that O'Neal will concentrate on most.
Source: www.prosportsdaily.com


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Hoping to commence second phase of centre of excellence
Published 11/12/2012 | 08:52
SLIGO County Board hoped to progress phase two of the Centre of Excellence at Scarden next year, outgoing Secretary, Padraig Duffy, says in his report to the County Convention.
He states that the development has progressed to schedule.
Three pitches had been laid at the site and grass was growing very well.
Curran Contractors, the principals in the development, had done excellent work to date and worked well in co-operation with site engineers, Vincent Hannon & Company.
Mr. Duffy said a very good working committee oversees the project regularly on behalf of the Coiste.
Of phase two he added: "We can only undertake this with the support of the wider GAA community, who will continue to support the fundraising activities of the Finance Committee.
While Croke Park had committed to generous grass support, this was conditional on the County Board raising a portion of the costs.
The outgoing Secretary said: "We must demonstrate our commitment to this very necessary development by giving it total support. "It is a major investment in the future. "Generations to come will appreciate the kind of facilities we plan to put in place."
Mr. Duffy appealed to all to continue to support the fundraising initiatives which must be undertaken if this essential project was to be brought to fruition.
He said: "I have no doubt the Gaels of Sligo won't be found wanting."


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Now this is the kind of Gamescom 2013 announcement I was hoping to see! PopCap and EA are putting the finishing touches on Peggle 2. I'm so excited. I own the original game on like, four different platforms. You don't know the depths of my love for it. It's scary. And now, we're going to be getting even more of it.
Sure, those of us not planning to buy a Xbox One will have to wait a bit longer for Peggle 2, since EA announced it's a Xbox One launch game, but still. I don't care. The fact that more Peggle exists is enough to make my day.
Do you want to see a gameplay trailer? I think we really need to see a gameplay trailer.
Oh yeah. That's the stuff. But wait, who's that unicorn? You know, this guy.
That's not my Bjorn! Oh no! I mean, I'm okay with the idea of new Peggle Masters popping up in Peggle 2. I expect it, even. But it just seems wrong to plop in a new unicorn who also has Super Guide as a power. Besides, he doesn't look quite right, but maybe that makes it better that this doesn't seem to be Bjorn. I'd hate to think he transformed into that over the years.
Anyways, Peggle 2 is currently slated as a Xbox One exclusive. A PC version hasn't been announced yet, but I'm positive it will be happening. PopCap was famous for porting its games to every possible platform before it hooked up with EA, and we know EA loves money. There's no way it's anything other than a timed exclusive. The rest of us will probably just have to wait a few months, enviously eying the Xbox One owners who get to enjoy it in November 2013. It'll come to us soon enough, I'm sure. (It better!)


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Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over daily movements, we do like to keep an eye on market changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
Government contracts can be game changers even for the biggest and strongest companies on the market. Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM ) is suffering a black eye and a fairly significant share-price plunge as the CIA takes its $600 million cloud-computing contract elsewhere.
IBM has been fighting a public bidding war with Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) over this contract since the summer. The back-and-forth between traditional data-services powerhouse IBM and online retailer Amazon saw Amazon winning the bid, IBM asking for a rebidding process, and Amazon suing to stop the rebid.
But it's all over. IBM has withdrawn its latest attempts to derail Amazon's big contract win, and the CIA will get private cloud services from the increasingly data-intensive e-tailer for the next 10 years.
Big Blue's sales topped $100 billion last year, while Amazon's revenue soared past $60 billion. At $60 million a year, the contract is a rounding error for both companies. So, what's the big deal?
Research firm IDG Government Insights says the Department of Defense, of which the CIA is but a small cog, spends about $35 billion a year on information technology. Expand your scope beyond the military and intelligence communities, and you'll find the Federal government shoveling $80 billion a year into IT projects. That's a big deal.
IBM already plays a huge part in this enormous market, but Amazon is a newcomer. Amazon may be a trailblazer and a leader in cloud-computing services, but the company hasn't spent much effort on government opportunities.
Until now.
IBM shareholders appear to take this potential sea change far more seriously than Amazon's owners do. Or perhaps Amazon investors already priced this outcome into the stock while IBM's owners didn't. Amazon shares have traded sideways today, while IBM is down.
IBM's 0.7% drop has shaved eight points off the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) , continuing a somber two-quarter trend. IBM shares have plunged 15% since the middle of April, single-handedly taking away 200 Dow points. You can't blame Amazon for all of that, given that IBM is transforming its business model under new management and these things can be painful.
But do note that Amazon shares surged 33% over the same period. The company doesn't break out its data services from the core retail operations in quarterly reports, but it's clear that Amazon is onto something good with this newfangled business line. We might be witnessing a changing of the guard in IT management services -- another long and perhaps painful process, but certainly one worth keeping an eye on.
But for now, IT is just a sideshow for Amazon
Amazon is taking a good look at new opportunities in IT services, but the company is still firmly a retailer at heart. And a fantastically successful one, at that. To learn about two retailers with especially good prospects, take a look at The Motley Fool's special free report: "The Death of Wal-Mart: The Real Cash Kings Changing the Face of Retail." In it, you'll see how these two cash kings are able to consistently outperform and how they're planning to ride the waves of retail's changing tide. You can access it by clicking here.


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GRAND RAPIDS, MI— Police are investigating a robbery at Metro PCS, 2332 S. Division Ave.
An employee reported being approached by two Hispanic males near dumpsters located behind the business at about 8 p.m tonight. The men were reportedly wearing latex gloves; one was armed with a weapon, possibly a gun, according to dispatch traffic.
One man was described as being about 5'8'' and wearing a brown sweatshirt and black shorts. The other was reportedly wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans.
The employee reported the men fled east toward Alger Street SE, dispatchers said.
There were no reports of injuries. It was not immediately clear whether the pair left with any cash or merchandise.


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June 19, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
If I told you that a half-day training program creates life-changing benefits for women and their families, I'd understand if you were skeptical. Yet, implausible as that sounds, researchers at the University of California San Francisco Bixby Center have shown precisely how it can happen. And it's a story that deserves to be shared.
Let's start with the world as we know it. When a woman in the U.S. asks her doctor about contraception, she'll usually get a prescription for birth control pills or a recommendation that her partner use condoms. This has been the practice for many decades, despite the development of far more effective and convenient forms of birth control—the IUD and the contraceptive implant.
Although long-acting reversible methods of contraception, or LARCs, have been proven to be highly effective and safe for women of all ages, whether they have had children or not, most women don't hear about them from their doctors because of outmoded beliefs that these methods are appropriate for older married moms. Providers shy away from routinely offering LARCs because they may lack confidence in their ability to insert the devices correctly and clinic routines may not accommodate slightly longer visits. Even unfamiliarity with the right billing codes can prevent a woman from getting the most effective form of birth control—a particularly crucial issue now that the Affordable Care Act covers all methods.
These barriers to good care have bad consequences: Only 9 percent of women in the U.S. use LARCs, while they are much more popular in other industrialized countries. And because women who depend on pills and condoms are much more likely to get pregnant by accident than women who use long-acting methods, low use of the most effective birth control is partially responsible for the fact that half—yes, you read that right: half—of all pregnancies in this country are unintended.
Now: let's create a better world. A few years ago, a team of researchers at the University of California San Francisco, led by Cynthia Harper, decided to do something about this problem. The UCSF team developed a half-day training program to update physician knowledge and to train all clinic staff about the relative benefits and risks of different contraceptives, with a focus on LARCs. The aim was to raise the knowledge level about the most effective birth control methods—and the hope was that this would lead not only to more women using these methods, but eventually to fewer women being surprised by a pregnancy they had been trying to avoid. The training was distinguished by its use of up-to-date medical evidence, and by a comprehensive clinic-wide approach: everyone from schedulers to billing clerks to the doctors themselves learned about how to integrate underused contraceptives into their practice.
Then, in partnership with Planned Parenthood, the UCSF team tested the training program in the most rigorous way possible—through a randomized trial in which 40 clinics around the country were assigned by lot to either get the training or not. The researchers then measured changes in use of LARCs by patients coming in for family planning visits in all the clinics, and followed up with the patients to find out whether they became pregnant over the following year. (Both the development of the training program and the research were supported by grants from the Hewlett Foundation's Global Development and Population Program.)
The results, appearing in the Lancet this week, are impressive. They show for the first time how a clinic-based intervention can decrease unintended pregnancy. The researchers found, first, that in clinics where the training had been conducted, 71 percent of women were informed about LARCS, compared to 39 percent in the business-as-usual clinics. Second, in clinics where personnel had been trained, 28 percent of women coming in for a family planning visit chose an IUD or an implant, compared to 17 percent of comparable women in other clinics. Third, and most remarkably, the training halved the number of unintended pregnancies.
Bottom line: a short and relatively inexpensive training of health care providers dramatically reduces the emotional, physical, and societal costs of unintended pregnancy.
That, my friends, is true value for money.
Discuss »
June 12, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
As they tossed their graduation caps in the air a few days ago, my daughter and about 500 classmates took a big step toward adulthood. Some are off to four-year colleges, a few are taking time to test the job market or explore the world on their own, and the rest—a good number—are headed to community college for an associate's degree and future opportunities for work or further education. These bright and energetic young people are starting down a path toward learning and earning. Cheering for them at this turning point lifted my heart about the country's future.
For many graduates, attending one of the country's 1,000-plus community colleges is an attractive and affordable option—and, for some, a crucial stepping stone to a set of opportunities that their parents never had. The 12 million community college students in the U.S. disproportionately come from lower income families that have historically been underrepresented in higher education: almost 40 percent African American, Latino, or Asian American and Pacific Islander, and more than half are women. Community colleges are so important to social mobility in the U.S., in fact, that earlier this year the White House proposed the America's College Promise initiative, which anticipates supporting two tuition-free years at a community college for eligible students.
But to succeed, they have to finish their course of study and make it to the next graduation ceremony. That doesn't happen by accident.
A key strategy to make sure community college students have the best chance at success is to help them protect themselves against unintended pregnancy. While the teen birth rate has dropped dramatically since the early 1990s, there hasn't been nearly as much progress made in reducing unplanned pregnancies among twenty-somethings—even those young people who have big plans for their futures. And a pregnancy can be devastating to their education. Unplanned births account for almost one in ten drop-outs among female students at community colleges, and male students also have difficulty completing a course of study if they have to deal with the responsibilities of becoming a father.
That's why the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy has focused attention on improving information, support, and access to health services for community college students. For instance, they developed free on-line lessons for college students about how to prevent pregnancy, using information from the outstanding Bedsider.org birth control support network site. A recent evaluation of the on-line lessons showed positive changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intent about preventing unplanned pregnancy.
But the opportunity to help community college students goes way beyond creating educational content. The National Campaign has also worked at the state level to encourage community colleges to help students prevent unplanned pregnancy. Just last year, Mississippi passed a law—the first of its kind in the country—directing community college and higher education leaders to develop a plan to address unplanned pregnancy. In March, the legislature appropriated funds to each of the state's community colleges to take action, and the National Campaign is providing technical assistance as the schools prepare to start up activities later this year.
Mississippi's actions inspired legislators in Arkansas, who enacted similar legislation in March 2015. The National Campaign is now working closely with higher education groups and others as they begin to tackle the challenge of unplanned pregnancy at Arkansas community colleges and public universities.
As young people strive for the opportunities that education makes possible, they need the information, support, and services to keep them in school, and to make sure they become parents only when they're ready for that responsibility. Community colleges can be—and should be—a crucial ally in that effort.
June 5, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
There are a lot of things they don't teach you in graduate school: how to prepare a budget, how to woo a donor, how to ease an unproductive colleague off the payroll without incurring his or her wrath. And a whole lot of other skills that are required to do a good job as a leader of a think tank or other research institution. There are, in fact, few opportunities to gain that know-how except through trial-and-error.
When people who have had distinguished careers as researchers move into executive roles – a path that's common in think tanks – they're often entering the foreign territory of management, organizational finance and operations. Deliberation and on-the-one-hand-on-the-other-hand analysis have to give way to making decisions and sticking with them. A love of ideas and discourse has to take a back seat to practical matters: Who gets which office? Should we take government contracts? How do we set and defend an indirect cost rate? How do we maintain an independent research agenda if most of our money is tied to funders' specific interests? These may not be as fun to puzzle through as questions about the effects of a new tax regime on unemployment, but they're essential to the health and sustainability of an organization.
Fortunately, think tank leaders have a new resource to help them learn the ropes, building on others' hard-won experience. They can find valuable advice and tools in Improving Think Tank Management: Practical Guidance for Think Tanks, Research Advocacy Organizations and Their Funders, just launched by Results for Development. With our support, the author, Ray Struyk, dug into his decades of experience helping to set up think tanks, and created a go-to source of guidance on key issues related to staffing, funding and running a policy research organization. He also drew on information and case studies from the Global Development Network, the Think Tank Fund and the Think Tank Initiative, making the book relevant to organizations in every region. The freely available checklists, sample by-laws and policies, and other ancillary information that go with each chapter help translate the ideas into action. As a bonus, the book includes specific guidance for think tank funders about how to assess and support policy research groups. (In my copy, those pages are already dog-eared.)
Improving Think Tank Management, written for a niche market, isn't likely to make it to the best seller list. But for the men and women who bear the weight of their organization's success on their shoulders, I guarantee it will be a page-turner – and will make it just that much more likely that they'll be able to build the great think tanks that the world needs.
May 29, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
In his three-minute TED Talk, Derek Sivers tells us that a movement is made not by charismatic leaders but rather by the first followers. It is the people who are alert to a new idea, who are inspired to leave their comfortable routine, and who adopt and adapt an innovation—these are the movement makers.
If that's true—and I think it is—then the makers of the movement for greater accountability and more involvement by parents in education are people like Baela Raza Jamil, Rakesh Rajani, Sara Ruto, John Mugo, Abdou Fall, Boureima Allaye Touré, Massaman Sinaba, Modupe Adefeso-Olateju, Felipe Hevia and many others. They are the ones who saw the potential in the pioneering efforts of India's ASER Centre to set a learning-focused agenda in both the classroom and in the Cabinet. And they have put in the hard work to find out—along with parents and teachers—whether kids are able to read and do math at grade level. The citizen-led learning assessments are now helping to shape the debate about education access and quality in Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria, and Mexico. And the movement they are making is fascinating, in part because it is so varied.
Take Mexico, for instance, which on first glance isn't much like India at all: Higher income, higher enrollment rates in both primary and secondary school, and participants in the PISA exam, the most widely known international test of learning. Surely the Mexican education system doesn't need parents checking up on whether the many, many pesos spent—one out of every five collected in taxes goes to education—are turning into learning.
On closer inspection, however, the case for citizen-led assessments becomes clearer. Many observers of the Mexican education system see the need for major reforms oriented toward better outcomes from the earliest grades. Teacher strikes, underachievement on PISA, and wide disparities in access to and quality of education from state to state and village to village suggest that Mexico's future economic growth and social development are handicapped by shortcomings in education. Conversations at the local and national levels have to be reoriented to focus less on the inputs, like teacher pay, and more on what it all adds up to.
Thinking about how to start that conversation, Felipe Hevia, a member of the faculty of Mexico's Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Social Anthropology, traveled to India in 2013 to see for himself how household assessments were conducted and what difference they can make. What he saw was intriguing: volunteers going door to door, testing children in their homes on their reading and math skills—an activity that shows parents the child's abilities and gaps in her or his learning, and that produces data that can be aggregated across a community, district, or state to give a full picture of areas of achievement and deficit.
Felipe, a researcher who specializes in issues of government accountability and citizen engagement, saw the potential: when information like this is generated by citizens and then made visible through advocacy groups and the media, it can shine a light on problems that otherwise would go unseen. And it might just provoke some new solution-finding. He also found a community of practice, the PAL Network, ready to welcome him and provide inspiration and practical advice along the way. The Mediciόn Independiente de Aprendizaje (or Independent Measurement of Learning) initiative, known as MIA, was born in the state of Veracruz and it is now poised to expand to four additional states.
MIA, embedded within the movement to expand citizen-led learning assessments, is also part of a larger movement seeking to open up the Mexican public sector to greater scrutiny and to stimulate shared problem-solving between citizens and government officials. In the education sector, for instance, the policy research group IMCO runs Mejora tu Escuela, which permits parents to see test scores and other characteristics from individual schools. FUNDAR and many other groups advocate for open budgets and greater transparency in public agencies. Mexico Evalua conducts studies of public sector performance, including those that have revealed the misuse of public funds in education. Sonora Ciudadana organizes citizens to understand local problems in health services and education, and helps them find ways to press their case with public authorities who should be accountable. It also helps those in the media figure out how to use current legal frameworks to access information for investigative journalism. Several groups, including Equis Justicia para las Mujeres, use tools like freedom of information requests and social audits to monitor state compliance with gender equity commitments. Each of these, along with MIA and many other efforts in Mexico, have both learned from and contributed to transparency and accountability efforts outside of Mexico's borders. And together they are strengthening the relationship between government and citizens, and protecting against infringements on citizens right to know and to be heard.
Funders cannot make movements. All we can do is give the space for movements to emerge: We can make it easier for people in one country to learn about what's going on in another, and offer modest resources for people committed to social change to try-fail-learn-fix. We can encourage both the innovation and the adaptation. And we can ourselves be willing to follow the leader. In the case of both the citizen-led learning assessments and the wider field of transparency and accountability, it's a rewarding role to play.
May 22, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
Nothing to be afraid of. (Photo Credit: Flickr User Jonathan, licensed under CC BY 2.0)
People who work in philanthropy are often are urged to "take more risks," but I think better advice would be to try to recognize how few risks we face—and run with it. While we don't always take full advantage of the opportunity, many grantmakers can take three types of actions that are risky for government agencies that are directly accountable to the taxpayers and (hopefully) closely watched by the media, and for those in the for-profit sector who have a duty to shareholders. These three things are: abandoning the old for new (and maybe better) ideas, owning failure, and letting our contributions go unrecognized.
A foundation's ability to help start up something new and untested is, I think, what most people think of as risk taking in the philanthropic sector. Many other types of funders find it extremely difficult to deviate from conventional ways of doing business, even if everyone agrees that the status quo isn't quite working. Too many political and institutional hurdles prevent dollars from being moved from well-established programs to develop and test a new idea. And the risk-aversion of many funders plays out in the behavior of organizations they support: it can be a death-defying act for the leader of a non-profit organization to abandon a line of work that attracts dollars for one that, while promising, lacks a secure financial base.
Nowhere is this clearer than when we're helping a new organization trying to get off the ground. Take our support to the African Center for Economic Transformation, for example. ACET was set up in 2008 as a regional think tank, with a plan to generate world-class research and provide advice to reform-minded African leaders. It was a new institution, trying a novel blend of scholarship and tailored support to tackle policy challenges—things like public sector reform, securing land tenure and easing access to land, and negotiations with investors in extractive industries. Many agencies that fund studies about African social and economic policy were interested and saw the potential value of African leadership on policy research. But they all found reasons not to divert resources from the "usual suspects," primarily Northern think tanks and universities.
There were lots of questions: Would it be seen as legitimate? Would the leader, K.Y. Amoako, be able to attract high-caliber colleagues to Accra, Ghana? Would the research put new options on the table?
The only way to know was to try, and the only way to try was to provide unrestricted institutional support over several years. So we did. And in this case, it's paid off. Using the start-up funds from the Hewlett Foundation and a few others, ACET proved itself, and answered all of those questions with a resounding yes. Now, current and future funders can invest in the work of an organization that has a solid track record of producing high quality work and having impact in complex African policy contexts. We took a calculated risk so that others would have a safer bet to make later on.
Some of the time, though, the new ideas don't work out. Though, let's face it, a lot of old, "we've always done it this way" ideas don't work, either. The difference between the foundation world and more fraught environments, where politicians or investors are hovering around, is not that we can fail more. It's that when we fail we can, if we choose, be honest and open about what went wrong, without facing significant negative consequences.
The latitude to reveal failure is not a given in a foundation; it comes from a Board and President who understand that real-world change is slow, difficult, and reversible, and who take a measure of pride in a reputation for candor and learning. What this means for those of us making the grants and evaluating their effectiveness is that we can look without blinders at whether the assumptions underpinning our strategies are wrong; and we can permit ourselves to ask hard questions about the current performance of organizations we've supported for a long time. These are not easy tasks, technically or psychologically, and you can't tackle them every day without driving yourself into a state of paralysis. But it's a gift to any professional to be able to reflect, talk, and write about the uncertainties that are intrinsic to our work: to doubt, to be curious and to learn. What this means for the fields in which we work is that we're sometimes able to save others the trouble (and risk) of making the same mistakes we have.
We also are protected from the danger that our good works won't be recognized. That is, we can be a quiet partner if that's what's needed. Foundations generally don't face any risk at all if our biggest successes are not attributed to us. No amount of praise, no matter how well deserved, will change the size of our endowment. Again, this is very different than funders who depend on their reputation as good stewards of public dollars, and who are competing with other agencies. And it's certainly different than leaders of non-profit organizations, who feel they must demonstrate to their supporters that they are having an outsized impact if they're going to get them to pull out their checkbook once more.
In fact, I've come to see that much of the impact we're seeking can only come if others—often those who have more resources but work in politically complicated environments—can cherry-pick winning ideas, make sizeable investments, and call them their own. As Harry Truman famously said, "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." It is a motto for foundations to live by.
Having worked in other types of organizations, where the choices were often limited less by resources than by risk-aversion, I know a foundation can be a special sort of place. I don't think we always take full advantage—perhaps because it's hard for people to realize how free they really are—but one measure of our success should be how much we use our unusual perch to make the world a safer place for others.
May 19, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
This piece is cross-posted from On Think Tanks, where it appeared as part of a series on Women in Think Tanks. -Ed.
Think tanks should recruit and retain talented women as policy researchers and in other roles for many principled reasons, from basic fairness to the value of diverse perspectives. They should also do it for the most self-interested of reasons: think tanks that provide opportunities for women researchers will have more influence within the policy community.
Women in Government
The policy community itself is a place where more and more women can be found. In addition to 13 women who are currently heads of state, as of January 2015, in 41 single or lower houses of national legislatures, more than 30 percent of the members are women. This includes 11 countries in Africa and 9 in Latin America. While this is far from anything like gender parity in political representation, it is significantly better than in the past, and all signs point to increasing political engagement by women around the world.
Gender and Communication
As more women are in decision making positions, policy researchers of the same gender have greater opportunities for influence. I believe women in think tanks can communicate with women who are elected representatives, political appointees and government officials more effectively than men can. In part, this is because of gender-specific ways of speaking and listening. In part, it is because professional women, who have faced similar challenges, can establish rapport and a relationship of trust more easily. It is also because in their research, women are more likely than men to take into consideration issues like the care economy and multi-generational impacts of policy, which have a particular salience to women, regardless of career trajectory.
Does this mean that women researchers cannot communicate with or influence men in positions of political power, or that men will not be listened to by women leaders? Of course not. But gender is a powerful dimension of individuals' identity, and a tremendous amount of a think tanks' influence derives from personal connections and credibility. As national and subnational governments move closer to gender balance in both political and technical cadres, think tanks should at a minimum be keeping up with this trend – and ideally should be showing the way. Those that do will see their stature grow.
Strategies for Improving Women's Representation in Think Tanks
Once think tank boards and directors understand the value of recruiting and women as scholars and in other senior positions, they have to take intentional actions, some of which can be borrowed from academic settings that are seeking ways to provide opportunities for talented women. These include, for example:
I'm sure others have ideas about steps that think tanks can take to improve staff gender balance, and I hope they come to light in subsequent blog posts. The important starting point, though, is to understand that when institutions are able to speak with diverse voices, and can undertake research inspired by a variety of life experiences and interests, they are – in the end – going to make the biggest difference.
May 8, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
Nothing (well, not much) to be afraid of. (Photo Credit: Gwydion M. Williams, licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Here's a phrase no grantee likes to hear: "Your program officer is leaving the foundation." Immediately, the worry starts. Does this mean they'll stop funding me? Will my proposal be hung up in limbo until a new program officer is assigned? Will they find someone who supports my work? Will the new person really understand me like [insert name of beloved (and now former) program officer]? Will I be able to build a new relationship?
From what I've seen, there's good reason to worry a little, and no reason to worry a lot.
Yes, relationships matter and there will be time and effort required on both sides to establish a new one. But we have quite a bit of experience with program officer transitions and, well, plus ça change.
At the Hewlett Foundation, all program officers and program directors are limited to one eight-year term, so in addition to the typical career transitions—a family move, a return to school for graduate studies, the offer of an extraordinary professional opportunity—we have more planned transitions than most organizations. And we have built some practices over the years to mitigate risk (and hopefully reassure the anxious) on all sides.
First, we work within a strategic framework. While relationships are important aspects of grant making, they do not trump strategy. For each of the areas in which we work, we have an explicit strategy, and each grant is expected to be clearly linked to one or more parts of it. That connection protects grantees from capricious or relationship-based changes, and grantees are well-advised to understand how their work fits into our larger picture—in part so that they can help orient an incoming program officer who may not immediately see the link.
Second, we collaborate. Several foundation staff have responsibilities related to each grant, and know details about both its history and the current work. In particular, each program officer works closely with a program associate, who understands the nature of the relationship with the grantee and can maintain continuity. During the year before a planned transition, program associates are called upon even more than usual to follow the conversations between the outgoing program officer and grantees, so that fresh, nuanced information can be conveyed to incoming staff. Similarly, our colleagues in the Grants Management Department know the ins-and-outs of the grants — after all, they read all the proposals and the reports. And we've established a practice of having "proposal buddies," in which program officers ask one of their peers to review concept notes and proposals, and suggest questions or issues to raise. So while a program officer may be walking out the door, crucial information is held by several of the colleagues they are leaving behind, and the "buddy" can often take on temporary responsibilities for a grant until the outgoing program officer's successor is hired.
Third, we document. Grant files, which are normally filled with all the required information, constitute the historical record—and are the right place for outgoing program officers to document their assessment of grantee performance and potential. Before they leave, program officers spend many hours making sure that files are up-to-date and as complete as possible.
Fourth, we orient. All this preparation would mean little if an incoming program officer didn't have time to absorb the information, and get to know grantees and their work. When transitions are planned, we take pains to make sure that a new program officer has relatively few grant decisions to make for about the first six months, giving time for orientation, learning the job and, often, a lot of site visits.
Finally, we communicate. Throughout the leaving, recruiting, and orienting periods, we try hard to let grantees know what's going on and, especially, who their main point of contact is at the Foundation. We never want grantees to wonder whom to call on if they have a concern or question. Interim arrangements permit us to review and process proposals and reports, get payments out, and take care of the other basics expected of a funder.
So: feel free to worry a little, but not a lot.
May 1, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
Cheikh Mbacké (Photo Credit: The National Academy of Sciences, licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Through their path-breaking work and sheer force of personality, some individuals shape whole fields in the most positive ways. Cheikh Mbacké is one of those people. His influence on population research in Africa is deep and long-lasting—and now fully recognized by his peers with the Laureate Award of the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population, which he received at a ceremony earlier this week. He's been a great friend to the Hewlett Foundation's Global Development and Population Program and it's a privilege to take a moment to recognize his contributions.
Here's a quick but incomplete summary of Cheikh's career: Born and raised in Nioro, Senegal, Cheikh earned a bachelor's degree in statistics from the Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques in Paris, a master's degree in demography from the Institut de Formation et de Recherche Démographique in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and a doctoral degree in demography from the University of Pennsylvania.
As a young researcher, Cheikh charted new data collection paths from the start. Early in his career, he worked on the first Senegalese census and on a pilot survey of nomadic peoples in Mauritania as part of the first Mauritanian census. This was the Wild West (Africa) of demography. He then joined the Center for Applied Studies and Research on Population and Development at the Sahel Institute in Bamako, Mali, where he led the training division and, many report, was also the Center's most productive researcher. He helped to create the first demographic surveillance sites in Africa – sites that gather information over time on the same people, permitting analyses that no cross-sectional surveys ever can.
Cheikh then joined the Rockefeller Foundation as senior scientist in the Population Sciences division, and then the foundation's representative for Africa, using his ability as a funder to support the expansion of demographic training and surveillance sites. Later, he became a vice president at Rockefeller, a position he held until the mid-2000s when he decided that he wanted to return both to Senegal and to the field of study that he loves.
Since 2006, Cheikh has been a senior advisor to the Hewlett Foundation, helping us improve the training of African population scientists and increase the availability of population and reproductive health data. He's been our colleague in strategy development, our eyes and ears in the field, and a source of encouragement and guidance to people in organizations we support to carry out the crucial work of data collection, analysis, and demographic training.
The impact of his work is legion. Almost every African demographer, and many population scientists from other regions, can trace a pivotal moment in their own careers to advice, support, ideas, and constructive critique offered by Cheikh Mbacké. As a key advisor to us over many years, and through his earlier work at Rockefeller, Cheikh has influenced important funding decisions with his knowledge and imagination; hundreds of researchers and trainees have benefited, and key institutions have become stronger.
Through his service on several institutional boards, Cheikh has helped to ensure that there are homes in Africa for talented researchers who are committed to excellence. He has enabled many other African population scientists to excel in their own work, and to build key institutions like the INDEPTH network of demographic surveillance sites, the African Population and Health Research Center, and the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The letter nominating him for the award sums it up: "Cheikh Mbacké is, without doubt, the scientist who has done the most to create and sustain an African population research community . . . [H]e has been the key to the renewed commitment and growth of African population training institutes, a legacy that will continue to produce dividends for generations to come."
But a mere accouting of his work tells only part of the story. Cheikh is a man who not only holds himself to high scientific standards, but also to the highest standards of respect and good will in every interaction, every relationship. Each day, he teaches a master class in how to demand excellence—just impatiently enough—while maintaining humility and an easy laugh. Again, quoting from the nomination letter: "Cheikh Mbacké is foremost among demographers who have contributed to the explosion of research in the area of policies linking population and health. His triple culture, first African but also European and American, makes him the ideal navigator for linking population researchers of multiple cultures, both Anglophone and Francophone, too often separated by linguistic barriers. Perhaps it is this triple culture which makes him so very attentive to those he meets, so constructive in his opinions and evaluations. Surely, his attentiveness also reflects his own professional rigor, mixed with his very evident humanity, modesty, and sense of humor. However these have come together, they have made Cheikh Mbacké a well-loved and much respected leader."
We've been tremendously lucky to have been able to work with and learn from Cheikh, and look forward to many more opportunities in the years ahead.
April 17, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
After a few fascinating days at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship, I feel as though I've traveled through time to one version of the future. The question is: in the end, will this future actually resemble the past?
There is much about social entrepreneurship—at least the slice I had the opportunity to glimpse—that feels fresh, novel, promising. Even inspiring. Social entrepreneurs are tackling problems ranging from poor sanitation to youth unemployment in new ways that often blend commercial and social aims, sometimes taking advantage of a technological advance to lower the cost of information or service delivery. The One Acre Fund, for example, offers smallholder farmers in African countries a package of loans for fertilizer and other inputs, along with help so they can make best use of the inputs and get the highest price for their improved yield. The results are impressive: increased income and better nutrition for the farmer and her family; and a rapidly expanding business that is partially self-financing.
At the Skoll Forum, I found a high-energy community of people who are passionate about their ideas and the potential to make the world a better place. They speak about prove-to-scale models, disruption, innovation, transformation, and investing in impact—a vocabulary that invokes a sunny future.
But will that future be darkened by the long shadow of the past? The field of international development is, as any observer can tell you, replete with efforts by well-meaning outsiders (particularly development agencies) to take interventions that appear to work in one place and replicate them elsewhere. For decades, development advocates and practitioners packaged up technologies with training of community agents to solve specific agricultural, health, water supply and other problems. Think Green Revolution. Think child survival interventions. Think integrated rural development. Think deworming, microfinance, Millennium Villages. Some have worked, some haven't, and most have never gotten to a point where the benefits can be sustained after donors' interest subsides.
Even the most successful international development programs have run into the reality that in the end, solving the big problems of poverty is really hard. It's about dealing with huge structural barriers that keep the many from realizing their potential because the few are benefiting from the status quo. It only happens when governments commit to act in the interest of the collective good—partly through direct action and partly by letting markets take off—and people in their own communities bravely work together to make governments do the right thing. Few of the social enterprises I learned about at the Skoll Forum are designed to make that kind of a difference.
Which leads me to wonder: what does social entrepreneurship look like when it grows out of local contexts and deploys new ideas and ways of doing work to empower citizens and affect policy in a big way, around things that really matter? Perhaps it looks like LEARNigeria, the most recent member of the growing family of citizen-led learning assessments, which are based on the pioneering ASER model in India. Initiated by young Nigerians, LEARNigeria is bringing citizens, businesses, and the public sector together to ask hard questions about whether all primary school-age children are learning the basic skills of reading and arithmetic that will set them on a sound foundation for future schooling.
The aim is to provoke a national, policy-level conversation about how to ensure that investments in education—public and private—are serving both the children and the country. Made for Nigeria by Nigerians and started on a shoe-string budget, the effort builds on the collective experience of groups in eight other countries that have used measuring outcome to focus policy attention on what counts.
Courageous people learning from global experience to create fit-for-purpose solutions to big problems affecting their own country. Whether that's called social entrepreneurship or not, it's what the future of development could be.
April 10, 2015 — By Ruth Levine
Who will speak? (Photo Credit: Flickr User comedy_nose, licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Just for the sake of argument, let's say there are two kinds of people who advocate for social change: people who are directly affected, aggrieved, involved; and people who are working on behalf of those in that first group. Sarah Brady, for example, worked tirelessly for gun control after her husband James was injured in 1981; she spoke from personal experience, with a passion born of trauma. Many other gun control advocates are consummate professionals who dedicate time and energy to the cause, but who themselves have not been directly touched by gun violence. Two types of people working toward the same goals, sometimes separately and sometimes together. But only one is telling their own story.
In international development, the "working on behalf of" crowd tends to be large and visible. A lot larger and more visible, in fact, than the people who are directly affected by poverty, exclusion, and injustice, but rarely have the resources, time, and political space to create a collective voice. Organizations staffed with advocacy professionals have, for example, been established to make the case that wealthy countries should provide more aid to improve the health of mothers and children, often on a disease-by-disease basis. Others call for better policies to help increase the yield of family farmers or provide access to clean water. There are groups advocating for equitable land rights, gender equality, protection of refugee populations, and many other good causes. Very, very few of these organizations employ, provide training in advocacy, or regularly put a microphone in front of the individuals who are directly affected by the problems they're working to solve.
Yes, I am talking about organizations that work in the capitals of rich countries, which try to influence bilateral aid agencies. But I'm also talking about advocacy groups that operate at the national level in low-income countries, often supported by international non-governmental organizations; they, too, tend to be more "on behalf of" than "directly affected." By and large, these organizations are set up to tell someone else's story.
We support organizations like this, and I'm impressed by the excellent work they do and the positive impact they have. I've certainly been in the role of speaking for others at times in my career. I appreciate that advocacy requires more than passion and compelling personal narrative. It takes professional skills to shape viable policy options, and to develop and communicate messages that make sense within the policy community.
But there is something crucial missing—it's the voice of people who should be setting the agenda for their own better futures, and telling their own story to educate and persuade. To me, the active participation of people who are directly affected by bad policies is essential to the most powerful and sustained kind of advocacy, the kind that will demand the right responses. And it's just not there often enough.
I don't know precisely how to amplify the voices of citizens who want their governments to collect revenues fairly and spend them on services that count; nor do I know exactly how to make it possible for women, alone or collectively, to speak truth to power about economic exploitation and the need to ensure that they can control whether and when to bear children.
I do know, though, that it's worth figuring out how established advocacy organizations can do more to let people tell their own stories. Even more importantly, it's worth finding ways to support groups of people who are working on solving problems that affect them, and who have a desire and capacity to acquire the skills of advocacy. I'd love to hear how others have done this—we have a lot to learn.


text:
Sometimes you just want to spread romance all around you. Sprinkle with love, thoughtfulness and beautiful roses.
By Charlotte Andersson
A sweet and romantic arrangement is easily done by using a small urn on foot. Ignore the oasis. Shorten the stems of the roses and stick them tightly down in the urn, so that they are stable by themselves. I've used various kinds of parsley for the green filling, and lovely fragrant Lilies of the valley and wild growing Anthriscus sylvestris, which has delicate flowers, for the extra romantic shimmer.