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Oral Presentations
11th Annual Rall Symposium Research Abstracts
2008 Oral Presentations
10:30-11:50 a.m. Goldspohn Hall
Explorations of Risky Behavior
Goldspohn 11
Moderator: Dr. Jonathan Mueller, Psychology
How Evolutionary Psychology Impacts our Courtrooms
Brian Lesiewicz '08, Economics
Advisor: Dr. Karl Kelley, Psychology
The field of evolutionary psychology, which is relatively new, primarily examines human psychological behaviors under evolutionary theory. Evolutionary psychology is a powerful theory that can be used to explain and hypothesize the different decisions all forms of life make. That being said, evolutionary psychological theory is commonly mistaken as a theory that applies only to animals or primal humans, when nothing could be further from the truth. Evolutionary psychology is becoming exceedingly applicable in today's society because it helps humans identify where their behaviors originated, and why they were necessary. The honors thesis that I am writing with Dr. Kelley explores how evolutionary psychological principles can be used to understand decisions made in modern court cases. The particular focus of my thesis is on intimate murders(e.g., killing one's lover) and how trends in the data can be supported by evolutionary psychological principles.
Uncertainty Analysis and Sensitivity Analysis of R0 in Modeling Chlamydia Transmission
Christine Muganda '09, Mathematics, Spanish
Christina Lorenzo '11, Mathematics
Dorothy Tran '10, Biochemistry, Applied Mathematics
Luke Eichelberger '09, Mathematics, Economics
Advisor: Dr. Linda Gao, Mathematics
We use mathematical models to investigate the dynamics of chlamydia transmission in the United States population and the effectiveness of potential vaccination. A set of parameter values was estimated for a compartmentalized model of the spread of chlamydia trachomatis using data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and previous research. Each parameter is an average representing a distribution of data. Uncertainty analysis was then performed in order to estimate the variability of the basic reproductive number R0 as a result of the uncertainty in estimating the parameter values. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the sensitivity of R0 to the variability of the parameters. The impact of the parameter values was compared by calculating the sensitivity index for each parameter.
An Age-Structured Model of Chlamydia Transmission
Luke Eichelberger '09, Mathematics, Economics
Christine Muganda '09, Mathematics, Spanish
Dorothy Tran '10, Biochemistry, Applied Mathematics
Christina Lorenzo '11, Mathematics
Advisor: Dr. Linda Gao, Mathematics
In order to build an age-structured mathematical model to investigate the dynamics of chlamydia transmission in the United States, we need to be able to track and forecast the population age distribution. In this project, Leslie matrix method is employed to model United States population growth. Through searching, compiling and translating fertility, mortality and population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we are able to track the population age distribution from 1980–2006 and make plausible projections up to 2060. We then superimpose an epidemiological model consisting of systems of nonlinear differential equations on this population model. By observing the behavior of the disease transmission dynamics and the effects of control measures in this age-structured model, we determine whether age structure significantly affects the results of the chlamydiamodel explored earlier in a group project on chlamydia.
A Mathematical Approach to Characterize the Effects of Vaccination for Chlamydia Trachomatis
Dorothy Tran '10, Biochemistry, Applied Mathematics
Advisor: Dr. Linda Gao, Mathematics
Chlamydia trachomatis is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted disease in the United States, with an estimated 2.8 million Americans infected per year. Although chlamydia is treatable, approximately 50 percent of men and 75 percent of women infected are asymptomatic, causing severe health effects, especially in women. Currently, researchers are investigating potential vaccines for chlamydia. We used mathematical modeling to investigate the dynamic of the chlamydia transmissionin the population and the effectiveness of potential chlamydial vaccination by constructing deterministic models involving a system of nonlinear differential equations. We analyzed local stability of equilibriums and computed the basic reproduction number, R0, of the model to determine their dependence on parameters. Numerical solutions are also explored.
The Art of Transformation and the Search for Humanness
Goldspohn 14
Moderator: Dr. Jennifer Jackson, English
Glass Casting: Experiments in Kiln Glass
Katy Luxion '08, Studio Art, Interactive Media Studies
Advisor: Ms. Christine Rabenold, Art
After studying in the United Kingdom this past fall, I've had an increasing interest in kiln casting glass. Taking a course in hotand kiln glass is what inspired this initial interest, perpetuated by examining the work of Karen LaMonte, as well as the sheer joy created by working in this medium. After returning to the United States this winter, I have continued to read, work andresearch glass as a medium. Outside the confines of the traditional casting, I've been working on expanding and examining a medium that transforms from liquid to solid, from fire into ice. This presentation seeks to share my experiences studying at"The National Glass Centre" in Sunderland, England, as well as share my experiences and experiments since returning.
Finding Frida: Locating "The Self" in Self-Portraits
Mandy Bert '08, English:Writing
Advisor: Dr. Sara Eaton, English
Frida Kahlo, a 20th century Mexican painter, is famous for her plethora of self-portraits, all of which depict a woman with piercing eyes, a connected brow and marked facial hair. While they are often viewed as her autobiography, I propose that herself-portraits are deliberate constructs through which Kahlo lived. My research, including that done in situ at La Casa Azul in Coyoacán, Mexico City, and the gender construction theories of Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler and Laura Mulvey suggest that Kahlo conceived of canvas as a proverbial blank slate upon which she could create not just a biography, but an identity. To better explain this notion of identity construction, I will explore several of her most famous paintings, such as "Self-Portrait in a Velvet Dress," and look at the way in which Kahlo's gaze suggests that she is simultaneously occupying the space of art, artistand audience in her self-portraits.
Genealogy in Beowulf: The Incomprehensibility of Grendel and Grendel's Mother
Mary Boscarino '08, English
Advisor: Dr. Richard Glejzer, English
While some critics claim that Grendel's mother reveals the humanness, and thus comprehensibility, of the monstrous, this essay argues that Grendel's mother actually signifies the futile attempt by humans to comprehend the monstrous. Comprehension of the monstrous can never be attained because the monstrous is beyond the attempts at comprehension to which it is necessarily subject. Through close reading and analysis of particular passages, this essay asserts that Beowulf initially depicts Grendelas incomprehensible, extends this incomprehensibility to Grendel's mother, and preserves the incomprehensibility of both throughout the text. Beowulf illustrates Grendel's initial incomprehensibility by aligning the human with linear genealogy and the monstrous with an ambiguous atmosphere of evil. And since Grendel's mother's genealogy is just as ambiguous,this incomprehensibility is not alleviated by the appearance of Grendel's mother but actually extended to include her. Themonstrous in Beowulf is subjected to, yet always eluding, human attempts at comprehension.
A Defense of the Moral Equality of Animals
Matt Rogers '09, Philosophy
Advisor: Dr. Robert Lehe, Philosophy
In his book Animal Liberation, Peter Singer challenges the traditional belief that we are not morally obligated to give as much consideration to the interests of animals as we give to the interests of humans. He argues that giving more weight to the interests of members of our own species than to members of other species is morally equivalent to giving more weight to the interests of people of our own race than to people of other races. Bonnie Steinbock argues in "Speciesism and the Idea of Equality" that humans have certain capacities that justify weighing the interests of humans more heavily than the interests of other animals. In my essay I defend Singer's position, argue that the human capacities that Steinbock discusses fail to justify giving greater weight to human interests, and discuss the implications of all this for our treatment of animals.
Learning and Culture: A Global Voyage
Goldspohn 22
Moderator: Dr. Renard Jackson, Education
Teaching in Different Cultures
Kimberly Brook '08, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Heather Coon, Psychology
For this qualitative study I interviewed nine teachers in two different settings: a private Christian elementary school in rural Zambia and a private Christian school in a low-income suburb of Chicago. Both schools are run by Western teachers who are teaching in cultures different from their own. I originally attempted to look at the clashes that arise when teachers attempt to teach in a culture different from their own, but the analysis revealed a specific clash between wanted and perceived parental values toward education and school. While education may in fact be a universal value, this study demonstrates the relative distinction of how parents of different cultures express their beliefs.
Social Integration: A Comparative Study of German Schools
Kendel Brady '08, Elementary Education
Advisor: Dr. Nancy Keiser, Education
Germany has continued to perform poorly in international assessments such as those conducted by Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). There is widespread belief that the lack of sufficient education and integration of Germany's large immigrant population is a leading cause of low assessment scores. In theory, once students become socially integrated into the majority society, their academic performances should increase. This study focused on the social integration efforts of five public and private schools in Germany. Research findings were collected through formal interviews with school officials and through classroom observations. This study examined non-native students' social integration through school-developed goals,multicultural representation, and language support and instruction.
The Drive for English Education in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study of its Purposes, Benefits,and Drawbacks
Sarah McCutcheon '08, Elementary Education
Advisor: Dr. Nancy Keiser, Education
Many developing countries in which English is taught experience "brain drain"—a loss of highly educated citizens to developed countries with heightened education or career opportunities. Indonesia, the fourth most populated country in the world, does not suffer these effects; in 2005, only 5 percent of Indonesia's skilled citizens put their education to use outside the country (Dugger). With English a national curriculum requirement in Indonesian schools, yet a small influx of educated people out of the country, this qualitative study examined the purpose of teaching English in Indonesian schools, in contrast to previous studies focused on instructional methods. Interviews with teachers of English and university-bound students revealed the language to be crucial to success in higher education, career opportunities and international communication. Benefits and drawbacks corresponded to the quality of English instruction and the implications of English as an international language.
Cultures' Role in Determining the Success of an International Business Meeting
Caroline Hirsch '11, International Business, Psychology, French
Claudia Chlebek '09, International Business, Economics, Spanish
Michael Gross '10, International Business, Economics
Advisor: Dr. Robert Moussetis, International Business
Emerging global business opportunities, coupled with the saturation of domestic markets, lead business persons to explore international opportunities. The success or failure often depends on the effectiveness of the negotiations. This research effort attempts to investigate the specific characteristics of a cross-cultural negotiation (trust-building process, communications,mannerisms; Hofstede's characteristics of high individualism versus collectivism and low versus high context) and draw observations from participating in cross-cultural negotiations. The observational process was established as follows: There were three students in the room who were taking notes and making observations independently, the U.S. manager, the Mexican managers(s)—often there were several—and the translator. The meetings lasted for one hour. Afterward we finalized our initial observations and at the end of the day we had a meeting to revisit our observations and findings. Our observations underscore the importance of building relationships and trust and the need of cross-cultural education.
Sacred Lives: A (Re)Examination of the Divinely Inspired
Goldspohn 31
Moderator: Dr. Brian Hoffert, Religious Studies & History;East Asian & Global Studies
Reclaiming Mary Magdalene
Mallory Mosher '09, Religious Studies, Sociology
Advisor: Dr. Wioleta Polinska, Religious Studies
Throughout Christian history, the figure of Mary Magdalene has been the center of much controversy and debate. In my paper and oral presentation, false views of Mary Magdalene as a sinner, a prostitute, and/or an adulterous woman are debunked. Close analysis of the canonical gospels as well as the gnostic gospels reveals that these unsavory female figures are never referred to by name as Mary Magdalene, and therefore no written proof—Biblical or otherwise—supports Mary Magdalene in these roles. In fact, a closer reading of the texts reveals Mary to be a faithful and highly regarded disciple of Christ—one of the few women who bore witness to His Crucifixion, entombment and Resurrection.
Of Silence, of Sound: The Dichotomy of Internal and External Ritual in a Benedictine Monastery
Kelley Knapp '09, Philosophy
Advisor: Dr. Matthew Krystal, Anthropology
This anthropological project oversaw the daily rituals of a community of Benedictine monks residing in Chicago. The rituals were scrutinized broadly under Lévi-Strauss' structuralist theory; that is, two general cultural binaries were defined and then reconciled. This project attempted to extract the meaning and purpose of external and internal ritual. My research focused primarily on synthesizing the pairs of oppositions which emerged: sensory/non-sensory, individual/community, and temporal/celestial. I arrived at the conclusion that internal and external rituals were co-substantial elements. The existence of one complimented the other; together, internal and external rituals served as a holistic method of self-control. Specifically, this reconciliation required the submission of one ritual to another. Internalized ritual, understood as motivation or intention,took precedence over external ritual—that is, physical action. The implications of this finding suggest that a dutifully served Catholic existence is achieved primarily through means of contemplation.
The Face of Development: A Case Study of Burkinabè Women's Fight to Survive and Hope to Persevere
Kelsey Staudacher '09, Global Studies, French
Advisor: Dr. Brian Endless, Political Science
Dryness and desiccation, hope and heartache, passion and perseverance are continually amplified in the lives of the Burkinabè women upon whom this visual study focuses. Seemingly ageless, yet as cracked and wise as the constantly shifting desert, the Burkinabè women of this study stand as a testament to the efforts of countless social and economic development agencies that seek to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people. The radiant juxtaposition of hope and abiding pain, which shone through the eyes of the women observed, and their evident strength and will to survive demonstrate that development endeavors funded by outside sources must be directed by personal accounts and community implications. The presentation will briefly describe the methodologies used and motivation for the study followed by an in-depth analysis of the observations collected vis-à-vis the women impacted by the community development initiatives of a ministry organization.
Eastern Orthodox Christian Worship
Emily Smith '08, Religious Studies, Spanish
Advisor: Dr. Perry Hamalis, Religious Studies
Eastern Orthodoxy, one of the three major expressions of Christianity, often strikes the non-Orthodox observer as foreigner strange, even if she or he self-identifies as a "Christian." To better understand and assess the value of Eastern Orthodoxy, I spent two weeks observing the practice of Orthodox Christian worship in Greece, a predominantly Orthodox country. Upon returning, I conducted library research and engaged in a critical reflection on the subject with the aim of giving an account of Orthodoxy's coherence and potential value in a way that makes sense to Western Christians. I argue that one thread through which this coherence can be traced is the dual theme of "deepening communion with God" and "reconciling humanity with God," and I demonstrate the significance of this dual theme by examining Orthodox Christian teachings on the Eucharist,spiritual advising, prayer, the use of icons, and the theology of saints.
Gender Images in Ancient and Modern Contexts
Goldspohn 32
Moderator: Dr. Lisa Long, English
Perseverance: The Story of a Female Iraqi Refugee Interpreted Through Sculpture
Katie Nemec '08, Studio Art
Advisor: Ms. Christine Rabenold, Art
The Iraqi war has left many of its female citizens fleeing the country in refuge. When the war is discussed, these women areseldom the focus or considered important. The method of research for this series is personal interview and technical ceramicre search. A female Iraqi refuge agreed to be interviewed and lend her life experiences to an abstract figurative sculpture series. This collection of work includes three sculptural interpretations of specific milestones in her life. The purpose of this body of work is to share the severity of female oppression in Iraq and the lack of understanding by the world community.
Male and Female Perceptions on Muscularity
Jeremy Ceja '08, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Heather Coon, Psychology
The current study examines body image and preferences among males and females. Male and female undergraduates were shown silhouettes of male and female physiques, ranging from heavy to thin to muscular, and asked about their own preferences and those of the other gender. Women correctly chose the body type they felt men most preferred in women, and the two genders agreed on the healthiest and most feminine female physiques, but there were some gender differences. Both genders were also asked about the health and femininity of the three most muscular female physiques. On both issues, men and women held similar views, indicating that health and femininity decrease as females become highly muscular.
Fairytales and Feminism in Modern Turkey
Jessica Cohen '08, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Heather Coon, Psychology
Feminism is largely defined as a movement toward equality between the sexes. However, the definition has been debated because the importance of feminist issues is contested. Is feminism framed and viewed differently around the world? This question is addressed using semi-structured interviews with nine women in Turkey, a traditional Muslim country which has recently shifted toward a more secular, Western perspective. I asked these women to discuss stories from their childhood,which can reflect cultural values and their understanding of women and their role in society. We also discussed modern Turkish values and their perspective of feminism in Turkey.
Violation and Danger: An Exploration of Boundaries in Sophocles' Antigone
Faith Harrington-Taber '08, Humanities
Advisor: Dr. David Fisher, Philosophy
This is a look at gender boundaries in Sophocles' Antigone and the ways in which they're violated, against the complex background of other such limits and restrictions: taboos, virginity, purity, pollution, duty, danger, control, household, city state,power, and helplessness. The analysis of Sophocles' text is compiled from multidisciplinary backgrounds including classicist Robert Parker's Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion, classic philosopher Martha Nussbaum's The Fragility of Goodness: Luck and Ethics in Greek Tragedy and Philosophy and cultural anthropologist Mary Douglas' Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concept of Pollution and Taboo.
Language and Power
Goldspohn 33
Moderator: Dr. Mara Berkland, Speech Communication
The Representation of Concordia Discors and Its Role in Creating Identity in Alexander Pope's "Windsor Forest"
Laurel White '10, English: Writing, Interactive Media Studies
Advisor: Dr. Martha Bohrer, English
General scholarly consensus is that Alexander Pope's poem "Windsor Forest" is an excellent representation of the popular 18th century literary theme of concordia discors (discordant harmony). I assert that the representation of concordia discorsin the English identity evolves as Pope's poem progresses, separating the work into two sections, one which focuses on the nation's domestic cultivation of concordia discors, the second addressing the concept's role in representing England's global relationships. I also assert that Pope utilizes a repetition of two particular rhyme schemes, "-ain" and "-ood," to exemplify the national and international development of harmony in difference. Pope utilizes the concept of concordia discors to channel a negative, conflicted history into a positive outcome. Through the portrayal of harmonious relationships, Pope creates for England an idyllic identity based upon cohesion cooperation and prosperity, an identity that he, and all of England, hoped would bloom in the coming age.
Maintaining Mediator Neutrality: An Assessment of the Standard of Neutrality in the Mediation Process
Samia Zayed '08, International Business
Advisor: Mr. Thomas Cavenagh, Business Law and Conflict Resolution
Traditionally, mediator neutrality has been considered a necessary component of a fair and successful mediation. However,researchers and practitioners in the emerging field of mediation often question whether neutrality in mediation is achievable due to a number of challenges present in mediation today. This paper identifies and analyzes these challenges and attempts to resolve the debate by redefining neutrality in a way that addresses these concerns.
Rethinking Political Influence in Scientific Controversies
Sarah Brady '08, Chemistry, French
Advisor: Dr. Richard Paine, Speech Communication/Theatre
There should be a clear line between the work of scientists and policymakers but it has become blurred. How and why this line is being crossed is examined by several rhetorical methods. The methods examine political influence in scientific controversies and the role rhetoric plays in the politicization of science, specifically the rhetorical methods used by the government to manipulate science. The rhetorical concepts used to examine the relationship between the government and scientists include heresy vs. orthodoxy, framing techniques, the exaggeration of scientific ethos, and a variety of concepts drawn from the study of semiotics. These methods are applied to two public debates in order to draw comparisons, contrasts and conclusions. Both debates play an important role in determining the outcome of the struggle between the government and scientists. However, the breadth of these cases allows for conclusions regarding the overall relationship between the government and the scientific community.
The Digital "Hood": Effects of Racial Priming on Online Argumentation
Mark Jenkins '09, Political Science
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Maynard Caliendo,Political Science
Recent research on online argumentation primarily centers on the outcomes produced by the discussion. There has been a push to explore the potential effect on an individual's civic participation as a result of having access to new media sources. Democracy is believed to be weakened by the threat of selective exposure and the lack of concrete identity in the online world. However, there have been few studies that have looked at this issue through a racial lens. By using Daniel Canary's Manual for Coding Conversational Argument (1989) and viewing racial and political content on the new media source YouTube, I examine basic and often unfiltered arguments among individuals to gauge the level of racial discourse in an online forum of a usersubmitted video featuring 2008 Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
From Objectification to Otherness and Back: Travel and Empathy Through a Historical Lens
Goldspohn 35
Moderator: Dr. William Barnett, History
Letters from a Twenty-first Century Turkish Embassy
Brianna Hyslop '09, English Literature
Advisor: Dr. Martha Bohrer, English
This paper is primarily a reading of a selection of original travel letters modeled after the published travel literature of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu about her travel to the Ottoman Empire during the early 18th century. My letters, like Lady Mary's about Turkey and Tunisia, were crafted with the intention of conveying the experience of one culture to individuals from another. As Lady Mary used her letters to present an image of the Orient to 18th century England, my travel letters represent my experiences in Turkey and Tunisia to a 21st century audience. Post-colonial literary critics offer theories about the gaze that an individual from one culture trains upon another culture. This project forced me to compare my gaze upon "The Other" to Lady Mary's gaze, as I explain in my brief introduction to my original travel letters.
Lost Lives: A Study of Transitional Homes for Human Trafficking Victims in Thailand
Esther McCarty '09, Organizational Communication, Spanish
Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Keys, Sociology
The global problem of human trafficking, fueled by poverty and tourism, continues to uproot innocent lives in Thailand. This study explores the personal struggles of extracted victims of human trafficking in three transitional homes throughout the central and northern regions of Thailand. Participant observation was used to examine the services provided and to assess the effectiveness of the programs and the remaining needs of victims. Both informal and formal interviews were conducted with the directors from each home and eight resident children. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that the social structure of the community plays an integral part in victims regaining their identities. Further, the directors' methodologies and preventative work is based on a familial model, in which the staff members develop close relationships with the children and serve as role models. These elements are beneficial for enabling the recovery of the children who were victimized by this injustice.
"George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People": An Analysis of the Presidents Who Did"Care" About Black Americans
Ann Fisher '09, Political Science
Advisor: Dr. Stephen Maynard Caliendo,Political Science
Of 42 American presidents, only seven have made executive orders or proclamations in an attempt to advance African Americans in society (Lincoln, F. Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, L. Johnson, and Nixon). I have chosen Trumanand Eisenhower's executive orders on desegregation of the armed forces and Central High School of Little Rock, Arkansas,to uncover how these two presidents used similar executive orders to affect the lives of Black Americans. Using scholarly literature from psychology of leadership, racial communication and public opinion, I look at what preceded the orders,the public's opinion, and the current status of the orders. The result will be a greater understanding of the roles American Presidents have played in the lives of Black Americans.
Modern Consumerism in Global Perspective
Natalia Grechkin '08, International Business, Marketing, German
Advisor: Dr. Robert Moussetis, International Business
This presentation is based on my senior honors thesis, titled "Modern Consumerism in Global Perspective." Although consumerism is not a novel concept, because of the significant rise of globalization in the last few decades, many people disagree about the effects of our buying on the way the societies and the corporations exist within them. On one hand,consumers drive many corporations to be more socially conscious; on the other hand, some fear that multinational corporations are gaining too much power, posing a threat to economic and political stability. This project seeks to provide some historical as well as philosophical background on the concept of consumerism, to examine its current state and its implications,both in the United States and worldwide, and attempts to make predictions about the future of the global consumerism.
Pick Your Poison: Biological, Chemical and Behavioral Analyses
Goldspohn 36
Moderator: Dr. Jeffrey Bjorklund, Biochemistry
Computational Methods for Toxin Characterization from Transcription Profiles
Deborah Muganda '08, Biochemistry
Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Visick, Biology
Adam Smith and Mark Craven, Departments of Computer Science and Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison Determining the toxicity of a new chemical is a costly and time-consuming process. Past research has shown that computational methods can be used to classify the toxicity of chemicals based on the transcription profiles that they induce. Since we expect some methods of comparing transcription profiles to result in more accurate classifications, we tested four distance algorithms: Euclidean distance, scale-independent Euclidean distance, Pearson's correlation and Spearman's rank correlation. Pearson's rank correlation and scale-independent Euclidean were able to correctly classify the toxicity of a chemical based on its transcriptional profile more accurately than the baseline algorithm, Euclidean distance.
Effect of Heavy Metal Stress on Protein Repair-Deficient Escherichia Coli
Allison Beckham '09, Biology
Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Visick, Biology
As organisms age, their proteins become damaged. One important type of protein damage happens to the side chain of the amino acids asparagine and aspartate, converting them to isoaspartate. Nearly all organisms can repair this damage with the enzyme L-isoaspartyl protein carboxyl methyltransferase (PCM). PCM methylates the carboxyl group of isoaspartate,stimulating reconversion to normal aspartate. In Escherichia coli, PCM is required for maximal survival of oxidative, heator osmotic stress during stationary phase. The recent finding that PCM activity increased in a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain isolated from a heavy metal-contaminated environment suggested that heavy metal resistance in E. coli might also be PCMdependent. We explored both short-term and long-term effects of lead and cobalt on wild-type and PCM-deficient E. coli. There was no observable difference in the survival rates of the two strains, suggesting that PCM does not contribute directly to heavy metal stress resistance in E. coli.
Student Attitudes Toward School Drug Testing
Allison Shostrom '09, Psychology
Megan Bentel '08, Psychology
Farah Fathi '08, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Sawyer, Psychology
A 24-item survey developed to assess individual differences in college students' attitudes toward school-based drug testing programs was administered to 196 participants. In addition, other attitude/personality inventories were administered in order to assess their degree of relationship to the drug testing survey. These inventories measured students' levels of acceptance of authority, conservatism, religiosity and authoritarianism. Our aim is to discover factors that may predict variability in students' opinions on drug testing in the schools, which may in turn predict the success of future drug-testing programs.
Take This Job and Shove It: Psychological Underpinnings of Work-Related Attitudes and Behaviors
Goldspohn 37
Moderator: Dr. Tracy Caldwell, Psychology
Working Memory Capacity and Prospective Time Judgments
Kristen Federlein '08, Psychology
Lisa Link '09, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Sawyer, Psychology
Research has suggested that working memory functions, which coordinate cognitive processes when multi-tasking, play a role in prospective time judgment. The current study hypothesized that time judgments would be increasingly shorter for tasks that place greater demands on working memory capacity (WMC), and that individual differences in WMC would influence this task effect. First, participants estimated the duration they performed each of three tasks, which varied in WMC demands,for two different durations (14 or 24 seconds). Then, the "operation scan task," a commonly used measure of WMC, was administered. Results indicated that performing tasks that require more WMC led to time estimates of shorter duration. However, no clear relationship was found between individual differences in WMC and temporal estimates.
Ethical Ideology Influences Judgment of Employees Returning from FMLA Leave
Elizabeth Konrad '08, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Karl Kelley, Psychology
The current research examines how employees who take Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are perceived by their manager upon return from leave. The FMLA was enacted to allow employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave after the birth of a child or to care for a sick child or parent. In this study, we look at how the ethical position of the manager, as measured by Forsyth's (1980) EPQ, impacts how the employee is perceived. Participants in this study were asked to imagine that they were responsible for a firm during a critical time. They were told they had an employee who needed leave and were asked to evaluate that employee upon return from leave. The results indicate that individuals with low relativism and high idealism scores were the most negative in their evaluations, particularly when organizational problems occurred in their absence.
Perception of Employees Using FMLA: Reasons for Request and Responsibility for Outcomes
Meredith A. McDermott '09, Psychology
Katlyn Humphrey '10, Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Karl Kelley, Psychology
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 allows employees 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave for a birth or adoption of a child, to care for a sick child or parent and for personal illness. The purpose of the current study was to examine how the reason for the request (birth of a child, care for a sick child or parent) influences perceptions both before and after leave. Participants were asked to role-play a manager where an employee is requesting FMLA leave. It was hypothesized that requests by females would be viewed more favorably in all situations than requests by males and that males would be held more responsible for negative events during leave. Results support previous findings that there are different consequences for males and females in requesting leave. It was also found that requests for a sick child can reduce the negative consequences for men.
The Predictive Capabilities of a Personality Job-Fit Assessment on 30-, 60- and 90-Day Job Performance Reviews of Delivery Drivers
April Gonzalez '08, Psychology, Sociology
Advisor: Dr. Karl Kelley, Psychology
One of the most common forms of research used in the field of industrial and organizational psychology (I/O) is to observe and measure natural variation in the variables of interest and look for associations among those variables. It has been suggested that personality attributes are now widely recognized as contributors to job success and performance. This study examines the relationship between delivery driver job-fit assessment scores and scores on 30-, 60- and 90-day performance reviews. This study considers the relationship between 137 current delivery driver job-fit assessment scores and their performance review scores. Results of the study indicate that there is a statistically significant association between high job-fit assessment scores and high job performance review scores. This positive correlation suggests that high job performance review scores can bepredicted from high job-fit assessment scores.


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I left work one day because I got a call that my daughter was ill. When I got home, I didn't find her to look or act ill at all. It was one of those beautiful fall days, so we took a walk down to the marina and got some ice cream along the way. Upon our return home, she passed out on the couch watching her favorite afternoon TV shows. I was in the next room and heard a weird noise. I walked into the living room to find this mess all over & she didn't even wake up!!!!!
Ice Cream didn't agree with her . . . .
By: kimr1373Subscribe Channel: Home & Garden
3 Comments
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says ... on Monday, Oct 5 at 9:34 AM
This is Great!, Better out than in Mom always say. LOL30138484
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says ... on Monday, Oct 5 at 2:05 PM
That is really gross. haha. I bet that was fun to clean up! =P30152942
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says ... on Saturday, Oct 17 at 6:55 PM
as a mother of 2 children i would not have posted a pic such as this one... i cant not believe someone took a snap shot of a child laying in a pile of vomit.... gross30731928
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School Success Task Force (SSTF)
On May 30, 2009, the Senate and the House adopted HJR 5 that creates the School Success Task Force to examine issues and make recommendations related to current State Board of Education policies regarding suspensions, expulsions, and truancies including without limitation the following:
- Studying how current State Board policies impact student's statewide;
- Studying how school districts create, interpret, and administer their own disciplinary policies;
- Hearing testimony from school officials, parents, students, and community-based providers on the effects of suspension and expulsion policies; and
- Studying annual reports on the number of children who enroll in school after being suspended and expelled, by age, race, and education level.
The Task Force is charged with:
- Identifying different strategies and approaches to help educators work effectively with the families of students of color;
- Promote professional development and other learning opportunities that will equip school personnel with the skills and knowledge necessary to reduce factors that often contribute to suspensions, expulsions, and truancies;
- Support community-based organizations and parents in their ongoing efforts to encourage youths to adopt and practice positive social behaviors that will all them to be successful in school and in their communities; and
- Holding public hearings in every legislative district it deems necessary and report its findings to the General Assembly.
HJR 7 of the 97th General Assembly has been introduced to extend the Task Force into the 97th General Assembly and the reporting date to December 31, 2011.


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It's only going to get worse and it's coming to your city next.
h/t Body of Truth
Original video vaporized by the thought police. Try this & mirror it.
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Law enforcement pursued a truck through Anderson County, S.C. in connection with the shooting of four people Wednesday morning.
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text: Bitcoins: The Pragmatic Solution to Combat World Banks 12>0x6a656666 posted:3/25/2013 7:33:14 AM While European politicos negotiate in Brussels, deciding the fate of other people's money in Cyprus, the free market has already moved in to help Cypriots get access to their money via other means... Banks have been closed for the last week in Cyprus and if they do re-open on Tuesday, it has now been announced that daily withdrawal limits at ATMs will be 100 euros per day. As the Cypriot Drama unfolds before our very eyes, I began pondering what tangible solutions there are to bank holidays and bank runs. What could I do to help in Cyprus and all other countries (like Spain, Greece and Italy) for which, as we have predicted at TDV, bank closures are coming? The answer wasn't hard to come up with. If these people had simply bought bitcoins with their savings, not only would they currently have 100% access to their funds, but also they would have enjoyed a parabolic move to the upside over past months. external link 0x6a656666 posted:3/25/2013 7:38:58 AM All conspiracy theorists that aren't just sitting around bitching all day should be getting into this.Jaxerback posted:3/25/2013 9:13:15 PM Don't get me started on banks! The Irish government in their wisdom decided to bail out those cheating robbing bastards at taxpayers expense. Makes my blood boil!!LincolnGenghis posted:3/26/2013 1:02:55 AM Wait are you trying to tell me there is an Irish Government? :) Do the Kaiser shipbuilders know this? This latest revelation may upset Gary.gary107 posted:3/27/2013 3:09:48 PM The ROI is not ran in the interest of the common Irish people. They represent the land] owners who closed out the small farmers back in the last half of the 1840's. That was the Irish enclosure period and why they are so proud of those white woolen sweaters. We still refuse to buy many of them, these many generations later.gary107 posted:3/27/2013 3:23:44 PM nothing against the sweaters as such. They are likely the best you will find and well worth the money, it is the politics of deceiving simple folks telling them not to plant when they should have planted that lead to a million deaths. It is not the sweaters, it is the process that lead to so many poor people being cheated and killed that is why I object to them. The sweaters are well made.Jaxerback posted:3/27/2013 8:51:44 PM gary107 posted:3/28/2013 11:09:32 AM There appears to be a blank where Jaxerb once had a post...LincolnGenghis posted:3/28/2013 1:38:36 PM Its a special disappearing type font we use to Pass secret messages to kaiser shipbuilding about Gary.gary107 posted:3/28/2013 3:02:51 PM we do not use disappearing methods, we do something like Gematric where there is encoded hidden meaning underlining the surface text. Our methods are much more fun. Sometimes it produces strange syntax.LincolnGenghis posted:3/28/2013 4:30:44 PM In Reply To:gary107 posted:3/28/2013 3:02:51 PM we do not use disappearing methods, we do something like Gematric where there is encoded hidden meaning underlining the surface text. Our methods are much more fun. Sometimes it produces strange syntax.I did not know that. So you and Malachi work togather? gary107 posted:3/28/2013 5:04:25 PM I read what was there before Jeff decided to make it go blank. Jaxerback posted:3/28/2013 5:40:56 PM Jeff did no such thing.LincolnGenghis posted:3/28/2013 6:38:33 PM gary i can read it plain as day its still there. I have decoding glasses though so that may be why your not seeing it. its directions to our Secret Irish CLub meeting. JFK is going to give a speech there about how to best deal with the picktish race because there seems to be one or two left. And the good news is everyone in attendence gets a free Irish sweater. (Finest in the world)gary107 posted:3/28/2013 9:12:07 PM I never said they were not fine sweaters.Jaxerback posted:3/29/2013 10:21:14 PM They are called jumpers.Not sweaters.Hate that word "sweaters".bobprin posted:3/30/2013 9:29:59 AM Lets not get into a slagging match over sweaters. I got one that looks just like charlie browns shirt.LincolnGenghis posted:3/30/2013 10:36:08 AM Just out of curiosity gary what do the picktish Call those wool upper torso coverings. ( as you can tell I am trying to be politically correct about Its description because that's how lincoln rolls, He speaks nicely and never tries to cause any problems.) :) :) :)bobprin posted:3/30/2013 6:32:50 PM Bitcoins in the news today. One billion us worth circulating on the web. I can see reasons why, however I would not vest more than I could afford to lose. I have however in light of the sanctified theft of depositers money in cyprus put my funds in cash less than the minimum to keep accounts open. If bankers have done this once they will do it again and again. I suggest that if you have a secure place for your funds to do the same. When I did that there was wailing and gnashing of teeth at the bank. Don't trust anyone.gary107 posted:3/31/2013 10:47:59 AM linc, the reason the Picts invented the kilt is because sheep have acute hearing, they can tell the sound of a zipper being pulled from more than a mile away. Politically correct this. Please log in or become a member to add a post.


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Life is full of little annoyances that drive us insane, like when you can't remember a ... you know, letter combination thing ... goddammit. However, it's easy to lose perspective and forget that other people have it so, so much worse than us. And no, we don't mean cancer patients and shit: We're talking about people who had to go up against the exact same tiny problems that bug us every day, only amplified to Godzilla-like proportions. For example ...
5 Drivers in China Got Stuck in a Traffic Jam for Several Days
Diego Azubel/European Pressphoto Agency
Everyone has at some point been stuck in a traffic jam so long and soul-crushing that it seemed like God had stopped time just to bust your balls. Afterward, you probably told someone, "I felt like I was there for DAYS!" Well, you might never tempt the fates with those words again after we tell you about the infamous traffic jam in China that went on not for an hour, or 10, or 50, but 12 freaking days.
Alexander F. Yuan/AP
Literal days. Not the type your ride home feels like.
It happened in 2010, when someone got the bright idea to do some construction work along a stretch of the busy Beijing-Zhangjiakou highway, ostensibly for the purpose of making the constant traffic problems suck less. Instead, they managed to accomplish the exact opposite. Apparently, no one foresaw that when you take an already seriously overtaxed highway and close half the lanes, everything stops. Traffic slowed to the infuriating, grandpa-like speed of 1 kilometer (a bit over half a mile) per day. The 75 miles of highway essentially turned into a big parking lot. Oh, and it was summer.
Poor saps who unsuspectingly got sucked into this automobile black hole spent as many as five days in traffic and had to keep themselves entertained playing cards, trying to find an unpooped spot on the side of the road, and occasionally getting attacked by packs of robbers (we're assuming they were dressed like Mad Max characters). Others just slept to pass the time, which of course made the traffic go even slower.
AP Photo
"Wow, I had the most ridiculous nightma- shit."
Meanwhile, kind locals helped out the poor drivers by giving them water and food ... at 10 times the regular price, naturally. And since few had packed provisions for a week-long trip, they could either suck it up and pay or starve.
"Here's a week-old dead possum I found. That'll be $18,000."
Amazingly, there were no reported incidents of road rage during this jam, presumably because everyone was too tired to yell and horn abusers were killed on the first day. And then, 12 days after it started, the great traffic jam of China simply disappeared. Maybe those drivers are still out there somewhere, roaming the world and solving crimes. Or, more likely, they went to work the next day and got the most incredulous looks ever from their bosses.
4 An Iowa Man Hiccuped for Nearly Seven Decades
Jevtic/iStock/Getty Images
Having the hiccups is doubly annoying: There's the mysterious affliction itself, which feels like there's an alien half-assedly trying to burst out of your chest every few seconds, and then there's the fact that everyone around you tries to scare you while insisting that you use their infallible hiccups-stopping technique.
Isidore Stanislas Helman
"It'll cure your snoring, too."
But what's the longest you've ever hiccuped? Ten minutes? Twenty? Thirty? Iowa farmer Charles Osborne hiccuped for 35 ... million minutes. As in, 68 years. (We probably should have just said that.)
From 1922, when he was only 30 years old, until the ripe old age of 98 in 1990, Osborne suffered from the absolute worst case of hiccups in recorded history. For upward of three Buddy Holly lifetimes, Osborne hiccuped at a rate of 20 times per minute (which actually was an improvement -- they started at 40 per minute), for an estimated total of over 430 million hiccups. The dude was hiccuping when the Berlin Wall was constructed and still hiccuping when it got torn down.
French Walery
He started hiccuping to the Charleston and almost made it to the Macarena.
So, what did the poor bastard do to deserve such a curse? Regular farm work. One day, Osborne was hanging a 350-pound hog for butchering when he slipped and fell. According to Osborne, "I felt nothing, but the doctor said later that I busted a blood vessel the size of a pin in my brain." Unfortunately, that little blood vessel happened to be the one in charge of inhibiting hiccup response. But hey, at least it wasn't the one in charge of inhibiting potent farts or, like, doing heil Hitlers. And yes, friends did try to "cure" him: One time, someone fired a shotgun right behind him. It probably ruined his pants, but not his hiccups streak.
Despite having to do things like eat blended food to avoid choking on a hiccup, Osborne led a mostly normal life. He learned to breathe methodically so as to suppress the noise from his perpetual parade of breath spasms, and he held several jobs in his lifetime.
He even convinced someone to marry him despite the constant interruptions during make-out sessions. However, Osborne never gave up on finding a cure because, in his exact words, "I get so sore jerking all the time."
Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
We, uh, guess the spasms do make some chores harder.
And then, one day in 1990, the hiccups stopped. Osborne died the next year, but at least he tasted freedom. (Oh, and to every suggestible soul who got hiccups while reading this entry: sorry. We're sure they'll go away soon.)


text: Terry Lemerond started EuroPharma back in 1982 with the introduction of milk thistle to the U.S. market. With over 40 years of experience in the health food industry, Terry's mission involves developing life-changing formulas that promote health and wellness, including Curamin® and Vectomega®. EuroPharma's motto is "Our passion is your health!" They strive to reach new heights in the ever-growing health world by introducing new and unique formulas to the U.S. that have been tested in Europe.


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Advocates urge sustained weatherization fundingBy Neal P. Goswami
VERMONT PRESS BUREAU | February 06,2014MONTPELIER The Legislatures climate caucus and other advocates hope to find additional money to maintain level funding for the states Weatherization Assistance Programs and help more low-income families weatherize their homes.
Last year, weatherization programs received a total of $12 million. That funding helped the state move closer to its goal of weatherizing 80,000 homes by 2020, including 20,000 low-income homes.
Members of the climate caucus and other advocates said Wednesday that nearly 15,000 more low-income homes still need to be weatherized. That means about 2,000 homes per year at a cost of about $8,500 each must be completed, if the full $12 million allocated is spent. There is currently a waiting list of up to 22 months for some applicants.
But funding in the budget proposed by the Shumlin administration comes up about $2 million short of last years budget, said Hal Cohen, executive director of Central Vermont Community Action Council and vice president of the Vermont Community Action Partnership.
He said the additional funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus bill, plus settlement money from the merger of Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service Corp., helped weatherization programs hit their stride.
With those funds weve been able to ramp up our programs, Cohen said. Weve been able to buy trucks, buy equipment, get the most sophisticated kinds of equipment and we now have 150 staff statewide doing weatherization. To keep at this current capacity we need to have a budget of $12 million.
Vermonters are seeing a significant savings in energy costs because of the states weatherization efforts, according to Cohen.
Weatherization is one of the best investments that we can make in Vermont, he said. For every dollar invested in weatherization, another $2.51 is returned to residents and the community.
Rep. Mary Hooper, a Montpelier Democrat and co-chairwoman of the climate caucus, said more than 80 House members have signed on to a letter to House Speaker Shap Smith pledging to work together to maintain funding at $12 million for the 2015 fiscal year.
Meanwhile, more than 30 groups and advocates have signed on to a separate letter also supporting at least $12 million in weatherization program funding.
Most of the state funding for weatherization comes from a 0.5 percent tax on non-transportation fuels. Cohen said doubling that tax would raise about $8 million more.
But Rep. Tony Klein, chairman of the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee, urged his colleagues to not pit program against program and to find efficiencies in current programs to raise the additional $2 million to maintain level funding for weatherization efforts.
Department of Children and Families Commissioner David Yacovone said the administration has proposed a total of about $10.9 million in weatherization funding when federal funds are included.
I guess were about a million short from where the advocates would like us to be, he said.
Spending in previous years was augmented by the one-time stimulus and settlement funding, he said.
Now that the one-time funds are gone, were back to our base budget again, Yacovone said. There are some that would like us to change the base budget, but we cant include the one-time funds in that.
Finding additional funding through efficiencies in other programs may also prove difficult, he said. Administration officials have already scoured budgets searching for savings, he said.
Weve gone over our programs very carefully in developing this budget and any efficiencies that could be leveraged have already been used, Yacovone said.
firstname.lastname@example.com IN Vermont NewsMONTPELIER Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. Full StoryVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell plans to join the U.S. Full StoryMONTPELIER Gov. Full Story
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Archive for the 'AfterLife' tag
Wallypalooza: The End. (No. Really! Wally swears!)
Wallypalooza founder Wally Miles (left), and local comedian Waylon Whiskey
OK, so local promoter Wally Miles has been saying each Wallypalooza spectacular he's put on for the past couple of years has been the last one. He readily admits that it's sounding more and more like a KISS farewell tour every time he does so.
But this one, he promises, is it. And I have a feeling he'll stay true to his word on this one. After all, Blount County's answer to "Van Wilder" is headed to school this fall for — what else? — marketing, and he's already put together some bangin' shows at The Thirsty Turtle Pub and Grub, 2641 U.S. Highway 411 S. in Maryville.
Speaking of, that's where the next (and FINAL! REALLY!) Wallypalooza is taking place on March 1 and 2. Without further ado, here's the lineup:
Friday, March 1: Christopher Scum … Better Daze … AfterLife … Joe Coe … Belfast 6 Pack … Divided We Stand … Scent of Remains
Saturday, March 2: Rebel Mountain … Catalyst … Big Trouble … Shallowpoint … Indie Lagone … the Michael Gunnz Band … Crome Molly.
The start time is 7 p.m. both nights; admission is $5 at the door. Given that this Wallypalooza is scaled back to only two nights, we suggest getting there way early, for several reasons: One, it's going to be PACKED, and second, you don't want to miss the opening acts … particularly on Friday. It's a point of honor for me that Wally's booked Christopher Scum to open up Friday's festivities; the guy's a legend in the Knoxville music scene and a hell of a songwriter. (Click here to download and listen to "Fifty Acres," an unflinching look at a pretty damn horrific childhood. And yes, it's autobiographical.)
You can read our coverage of previous Wallypaloozas here, here and here. Be there.
Wallypalooza on for March 1-4 at The Thirsty Turtle in Maryville
Wallypalooza founder Wally Miles (left) and emcee Waylon Whiskey
Remember this, party people — bloody marys. Find a good recipe. Pre-make some. Keep a gallon of it in the fridge before you head out to Wallypalooza 2012: The Fifteenth Anniversary, details of which were revealed this morning by the man himself, organizer Wally Miles.
Why the need for a vat of bloody marys, you ask? Because you won't be in any shape to make them on the mornings after, and you'll need them to get better quick — because Wallypalooza is spread out over four nights this year.
"After 15 years of Wallypalooza, both the legend and the expectations have grown to levels unimaginable," Miles said. "To celebrate 15 years of something I didn't forsee still existing after all these years, the goal is to make this the absolute biggest Wallypalooza of all time, for those who have only heard the legend, and for those who have attended and have come to expect a weekend they will never forget."
Here's the skinny:
- WHEN: March 1-4, 2012
- WHERE: The Thirsty Turtle (formerly Big Daddy's, the site of many Wallypaloozas in years past), 2641 Highway 411 S., Maryville
- HOW MUCH: $5 per night
- HOSTED BY: Comedian Waylon Whiskey and members of the comedy troupe the Black Liver Society
- PERFORMERS: Labyrinth, Centric, German Deathwish, Cooter Punch, Joe Coe, Afterlife, Binfield, Divided We Stand, Psychosystem, Rockslyde, Shallowpoint, Catalyst, Big Trouble, Crome Molly, Warclown, The Aftermath, Rot Iron, One of the Fallen, Hollywood and Dirty D … and more to be announced
For those wondering what, exactly, Wallypalooza is … well, you've got to experience it. It began as a birthday celebration for Miles, a 1997 graduate of Maryville High School and a lifelong resident of Blount County (until recent years, at least). Miles invited friends to the lake in 1998, and they enjoyed an afternoon of music blaring from an old boombox. The next year, someone came up with the idea of getting a rock band to play for the annual gathering.
Over the next 14 years, the event was christened Wallypalooza and grew into the monster that it is today. And starting in 2008, when he booked three bands (Middle Finger, Stonemosis and Half of Something) at Nater'z Sports Grille in Maryville, it's become a beast over which he has little control, at least in terms of how many people show up.
Read our cover stories on Wallypalooza from last March and last August.
And start doing liver squats or something, because your internal organ will require conditioning for this party.


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Two days a week, students jump on the Metra train and head into Chicago for an immersion in urban life. It's all part of Chicago Term—10 weeks of lectures, research, walking tours and internships in the city. "At first, they worry about getting lost," says Lou Corsino, professor of sociology and co-founder of the program. "By the end of 10 weeks, that fear has been replaced with a bit of swagger. They gain a sense of urban adventure."
Dr. Corsino and colleague Ann Keating - a recognized expert in Chicago history and urban/suburban studies - designed the program to appeal to all types of majors. Students venture into Chicago's diverse neighborhoods for research projects, interviewing everyone from church pastors to construction workers, real estate agents and restaurant owners. "What nobody anticipated was how enlivening it would be to widen our circle of contacts," says Dr. Corsino. "Being downtown puts us in new circles of people and exposes us to widely different points of view."
Chicago term alum Rachel Covarrubias, an elementary education major from Geneva, IL, also completed an internship in the Chicago Public Schools. "Through the Chicago Term, I was able to grow and understand things that made me want to be a teacher in the city," she says.
Dr. Ann Keating enjoys watching students change their attitude about their cars. "The Chicago Term is liberating for students," she says. "They've always thought they needed a car togo anywhere. Once they get into the city, they just walk and walk."
In past terms, students have been able to take classes related to Chicago topics such as architecture, art, dance and theatre from other North Central professors who take turns teaching in the city.
"We've been taking students into the city for field studies, but Chicago Term really goes much further in bringing the material to life. Students could see the connections over and over because the issues were all around us."
Dr. Corsino continues: "It challenged faculty and students to stretch. I believe that the impact of this kind of experience really comes with time, as you go back and look at yourself and at what you believe from a fresh perspective."


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Independent picks run the gamut from casual to fancy fine-dining spots
From the North to the South and from sea to shining sea, we scoured the country for the hottest new independent restaurants. This list highlights a wide range of establishments, including casual concepts and fancy fine-dining hot spots, single-item formats and intricate tasting menus, and big-city ventures alongside small-town endeavors. These 20 top picks stood out above the considerable competition, helping make 2011 one of the most vibrant years ever in the independent restaurant scene.
The Catbird Seat
When you think of Nashville's food scene, you probably think of barbecue or fried chicken. Chefs Josh Habiger and Erik Anderson want to change that reputation with their 32-seat tasting-menu restaurant. Diners sit at a U-shaped curve around the open kitchen, where the two toques prepare an ever-changing $100 seven-course dinner. The high price point wasn't a concern when they were fleshing out their concept. "Yes, guests are more focused on their money, so they want to get more quality for their dollar," Habiger says. "This is more of an experience; it's like a sporting event." The menu stays flexible to accommodate the seasonal availability of ingredients and the chefs' whims. "We can do whatever we want," Anderson says. "The plating style has a modern look, but what goes on those plates can change at a moment's notice."
There's a Spanish food revolution happening in New York City, and Salinas is helping lead the charge. Since opening in the middle of last year, chef Luis Bollo has earned kudos from The New York Times, Esquire, and Time Out for his thoughtful updates on Mediterranean classics. To complement this cuisine, diners can choose from 75 Spanish wines and a variety of Medi-styled craft cocktails. Located in the center of Chelsea, the 90-seat restaurant is complemented by a 35-seat glass-covered garden with a custom-built fireplace, so patrons can dine either indoors or outdoors year-round.
Michael Voltaggio showed off a lot of ink on Top Chef, but the tattooed toque didn't debut Ink, his first restaurant, until almost two years after he conquered the reality competition. Since opening in September in Los Angeles, the eatery has earned him even more acclaim for creative dishes that highlight the razzle-dazzle techniques of molecular gastronomy. For less flash, but just as much flavor, head next door to his casual sandwich shop Ink.Sack. There are eight sammies to choose from, including a nod to Voltaggio's mentor José Andrés. "The Spanish Godfather" comes packed with Serrano ham, chorizo, lomo, and Manchego. It looks as if the talented chef enjoys showing the love just as much as he enjoy showing off his tats.
StephieC replied on Permalink
DO NOT GO TO SALINAS!!Terrible, slow, blaze service; worst in the city. Waited an hour and ten for our reservation. The worst, though, was when approaching the owner calmly with a billing issue, he verbally assaulted us threatening the police, a lawsuit, violence and to use our CC info. He even started taking pictures of us to use them in some unknown way. The guy's a complete jerk and deserves to be shut down now.


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It's essential, when looking for a pediatric dentist, that you use methods to ensure that you find someone who is skilled and reliable. After all, you don't want the wrong dentist to work on your kids' mouths.
You want only the most skilled, the most professional, and you want a pediatric dentist who's good with kids. Going to the dentist is always an unpleasant experience for children, so you certainly don't want to pick one who scares them. For all of those reasons, you need to be choosy about your dentist and that's why you should use these three easy steps to find the perfect pediatric dentist for your child's teeth care.
Taking the Search to School: The best way to find the best pediatric dentist possible is to let your children carry your search with them to school. Someone at your child's school is seeing a pediatric dentist and having your kids ask their friends is a great way to get referrals. You'll want to know more about those dentists that the friends really like especially if your kids is like many others and dislikes dental visits. The care provided by a pediatric dentist is just as important as your childs comfort level with the dentist. You will be able to tell by the friend's teeth whether or not you want to persue the referall. As we all well know, poor maintenance can be a parenting issue but it's a good way to determine whether or not you'll try that dentist too.
Search Online: You can find out which pediatric dentists are nearby.
Write down (or save online) some names for further research. Check out the websites of all the dentists who have them. If you see a high quality site, you know that the dentist spent some money on it. Such a practice at least has taken the time to create a site that reflects well on the dentist. There are, of course, factors beyond a website that you have to consider when choosing a pediatric dentist. Learn as much as you can from the websites though. Beyond the layout and design of the site, seek useful information, such as testimonials from satisfied parents whose kids the dentist has treated, and some facts about the dentist's background. You can find out a lot online, and at the very least you can get a list of dentists you think are worth considering.
Your Friends May Know Someone: If you are a parent, many of your friends probably are as well. Ask them what pediatric dentist they take their kids to. When you are looking for honest feedback about something, your friends are the best place to go. You'll be able to determine if the dentist is good with kids, if he does good work, if he keeps a clean and organized office, and anything else that's important to you. Don't hesitate to mention to your friends that you are seeking a good pediatric dentist, as they will be glad to help you any way they can. They will be glad to give you the best recommendation they can.
All you have to do is ask. You don't want to settle for the first pediatric dentist you find. Using the tips outlined here will help you find the perfect pediatric dentist for your children. There are many skilled and personable pediatric dentists to choose from. Using these tips will help you know where to look to find the best dentists' office for your kids.


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Many things make Stern College for Women unique: Our tradition of Torah Umadda, reflecting a commitment to timeless values and cutting-edge scholarship; our nurturing campus life, empowering each student to claim her own voice and forge her own path; and our enviable record of success, with alumnae going on to top graduate programs and outstanding careers. The college, founded in 1954 and endowed by the late Max Stern, provides academic majors in 19 arts and sciences disciplines, all leading to the Bachelor of Art degree. In 2009, we began offering an MA in biblical and Talmudic
interpretation (our Graduate Program of Advanced Talmudic Studies, known as GPATS). This degree program provides advanced students with an opportunity to study in a full-day traditional beit midrash [study hall] environment
We take pride in the richness of our curriculum, with excellence in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and are especially well known for educating women in the sciences and mathematics.
The Israel Henry Beren Campus is located in midtown Manhattan, easily accessible by car or public transportation. Stanton Hall, the main Stern College building, is located at 245 Lexington Avenue (between 34th and 35th Streets).
All prospective students are strongly encouraged to take a campus tour to get a feel for the University and to see what life on campus might be like. Tours are arranged through Yeshiva University's Office of Admissions; 212.960.5277.
Please contact us if you have additional questions.
Yeshiva University
500 West 185th Street
New York, NY 10033
Yeshiva University
500 West 185th Street
New York, NY 10033
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26 Speedwell Ave
H&R Block Inc. is the world's preeminent tax services provider, having served more than 400 million clients since 1955. H&R Block provides income tax return preparation and related services and products via a nationwide network of approximately 13,000 company-owned and franchised offices and through TaxCut online and software solutions. H&R Block is the only tax company that offers you, our customer, in-person services, TaxCut software and online solutions.
In ShortKnown for its green block logo, this Kansas City, Mo.-based company started helping customers complete their annual income tax forms in 1955 the same year the IRS stopped doing...
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H&R Block, leave a review.
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Home List of Titles The clustering of galaxies as a function of their photometrically estimated atomic gas content
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/229484
- Title
- The clustering of galaxies as a function of their photometrically estimated atomic gas content
- Author(s)
- Li, Cheng; Kauffmann, Guinevere; Fu, Jian; Wang, Jing; Catinella, Barbara; Fabello, Silvia; Schiminovich, David; Zhang, Wei
- Abstract
- We introduce a new photometric estimator of the HI mass fraction (M_HI/M_*) in local galaxies, which is a linear combination of four parameters: stellar mass, stellar surface mass density, NUV-r colour, and g-i colour gradient. It is calibrated using samples of nearby galaxies (0.025<z<0.05) with HI line detections from the GASS and ALFALFA surveys, and it is demonstrated to provide unbiased M_HI/M_* estimates even for HI-rich galaxies. We apply this estimator to a sample of ~24,000 galaxies from the SDSS/DR7 in the same redshift range. We then bin these galaxies by stellar mass and HI mass fraction and compute projected two point cross-correlation functions with respect to a reference galaxy sample. Results are compared with predictions from current semi-analytic models of galaxy formation. The agreement is good for galaxies with stellar masses larger than 10^10 M_sun, but not for lower mass systems. We then extend the analysis by studying the bias in the clustering of HI-poor or HI-rich galaxies with respect to galaxies with normal HI content on scales between 100 kpc and ~5 Mpc. For the HI-deficient population, the strongest bias effects arise when the HI-deficiency is defined in comparison to galaxies of the same stellar mass and size. This is not reproduced by the semi-analytic models, where the quenching of star formation in satellites occurs by 'starvation' and does not depend on their internal structure. HI-rich galaxies with masses greater than 10^10 M_sun are found to be anti-biased compared to galaxies with 'normal' HI content. Interestingly, no such effect is found for lower mass galaxies.
- Publication type
- Journal article
- Source
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 424, no. 2 (Aug 2012), pp. 1471-1482
- Publication year
- 2012
- FOR Code(s)
- 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
- Keyword(s)
- Clusters; Cosmology observations; Distances; Dark matter; Galaxies; GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey; GASS; Large-scale structure of Universe; Red shift; Sloan Digital Sky Survey
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- 0035-8711
- Publisher URL
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2012 The Authors. Journal copyright © 2012 Royal Astronomical Society.
- Peer reviewed


text:
Choose the period
Today, my boyfriend and I were out cliff jumping, when for the first time, he told me he loved me. I panicked and pushed him over the edge and into the water. He's now in hospital. FML
by Erica / 07/08/2013 at 1:27pm / United States (California) / Love
Today, I went to my father for advice. I've been seeing a wonderful girl for the past month, and I feel terrible about it, because I already have a girlfriend. He said "Kill yourself" and that if I "can't even do that right" then to get out of his house, because he disowns me. FML
by i suck, this i know :( / 07/26/2013 at 6:11pm / Malawi (Blantyre) / Love
Today, I was chatting online with several relatives, discussing our family reunion. Bored out of my mind, I clicked to rename the conversation to "Boring shit with almost dead people." I didn't know it'd rename it for everyone. FML
by emileeisamazing / 07/03/2013 at 12:54pm / United States (North Carolina) / Miscellaneous
Today, I tried acid for the first time while camping with my best friend. A drunk driver smashed into my car, leaving it totaled. I had to explain the situation to a cop all while thinking my car was bleeding green ooze. FML
by Anonymous / 07/02/2013 at 1:24am / United States (California) / Transportation
Today, I held a house party. For fun, I made sure all the beer was alcohol-free, so I could see which of my friends would be weak-minded enough to end up acting drunk. Three did. I was one of them. FML
by scheisse / 07/14/2013 at 5:25pm / Germany (Nordrhein-Westfalen) / Miscellaneous
Today, I realized that getting wasted before finals is not a good idea. I sat down in the test hall, reached into my bag for a pencil, and found instead three baby carrots and a spoon. FML
by Anonymous / 07/01/2013 at 10:39am / United States / Work
Today, trying to flirt with a girl, I was trying to make it out as if I had a great sex life. I got stuck between saying "100% customer satisfaction" and "no complaints" and blurted out "100% customer complaints." FML
by MarkQ95 / 07/21/2013 at 7:58pm / Ireland / Intimacy
Today, I was browsing porn in my room, when my dad barged in. I quickly switched to another tab, only to see it was parked on another porn page. I had another browser window open, so I switched to that. More porn. My dad said, "Riiiggghhhttt... You need help, son." FML
by fuck / 07/13/2013 at 1:22pm / United Kingdom (Surrey) / Miscellaneous
Today, I needed a change of clothes, so I called my mom. She brought me a grey shirt with a toucan on the front and Mexico City spelled in glitter. I asked her why she would bring me such an ugly shirt, and she started crying. Turns out she bought it for me as a present from her trip. FML
by awwimanahole / 07/04/2013 at 1:07am / United States (Florida) / Miscellaneous
Today, trying to be funny in front of some friends, I held my cat above my head Lion King style. The height must have made him nervous, because he shat on my head. FML
by Anonymous / 07/17/2013 at 12:02pm / Canada (Ontario) / Animals
Today, I received a text from my dad, which was borderline-incomprehensible due to an insane amount of text language. I replied, jokingly asked if he had a stroke while writing it. A few seconds after hitting send, I remembered the stroke he suffered last month. FML
by hellbound / 07/12/2013 at 12:35pm / United States (Texas) / Miscellaneous
Today, my girlfriend said she wanted to get a little crazy and try some role-play. "Act like you don't want it," she said. Without thinking, I replied, "Well, that should be easy." FML
by FootinMouth / 07/18/2013 at 5:48pm / United States (Kentucky) / Intimacy
Today, I was eating a corndog, when my boyfriend jokingly told me to "take it deeper". I did, and ended up choking and throwing up all over the table. FML
by Anonymous / 07/11/2013 at 1:08pm / United States (California) / Miscellaneous


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Two sought in armed robbery
PARKERSBURG – Deputies with the Wood County Sheriff's Office are looking for information regarding two suspects wanted in connection with an armed robbery on Friday night.
Deputies were dispatched to the Pioneer Adult Book Store, located at 6603 Emerson Ave., Parkersburg, at approximately 11:04 p.m. Friday.
An employee of the store contacted the Wood County 911 Center about being robbed at gunpoint, said Chief Deputy Shawn Graham with the department. Deputies were joined by members of the Wood County Sheriff's Detective Bureau.
Two black males reportedly entered the store wearing dark-colored hoodies, faces covered with bandanas and wearing gloves, according to the preliminary investigation. The larger of the two suspects produced a silver-colored handgun and pointed it at the clerk while demanding money.
After the suspects emptied the cash register, they took the clerk to a back room where they pushed him down to the floor and ordered him to stay under a table as they fled the building through the back door, Graham said.
"They left with an undisclosed amount of cash," he said.
The first suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5′ 10″ to 6′ tall, 280-300 pounds, wearing a dark hoody, a bandana covering his face, gloves and grey pants. The second suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5'10" to 6′ tall, 180 pounds, wearing a dark hoody, a bandana covering his face, gloves and dark pants.
Graham said there is no evidence to indicate this robbery is related to the Feb. 1 armed robbery at Peoples News, located at 3601 Emerson Ave.
"There is nothing that tells us these two incidents are related," he said.
Anyone with any information concerning the investigation or suspects is asked to contact Det. Camille Waldron at 304-424-1834.


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Eddie! And company!
Come these past September call-ups, I remember asking myself: Where's Eddie Kunz?
I assumed the powers-that-be thought it was too soon to bring the Mets 2007 #1 draft pick back after his brief turn in the bigs, just days before. He'd had some good moments and some ones I'm sure he'd like to take back, but all in all I knew I wanted to see more of the kid. If he'd been around in September, would our every bullpen woe have turned around? Well, no. There were just too many of those woes. So perhaps in the end it was better not to bring him up to become a part of what was a pretty beleaguered bullpen.
Maybe we'll see Eddie next year, after he works on his pitches in the Arizona Fall League and then the B-Mets, or maybe the year after. Will he be our closer someday perhaps? In the meantime, we can hear how his–and his teammates'–work is going because guess what?
Eddie Kunz is an mlblogger! And he seems to be excited about it! Well, Eddie, we're excited to have you🙂
What's more? 2008's latter half darling, Daniel Murphy, even took a guest blogging swing at it.
And so here I will tell the Daniel Murphy story that will likely not make my soon-to-come recap of that last Saturday game at Shea, Sept. 27th, the truly amazing Johan 9-inning shut out. I was in the picnic area that day with the GKR team, and I took a few moments to go underneath the bleachers to watch the outfielders about as up close as you can probably get to them. Separated by mesh fencing, I still tried to get a great pic of D-Murph, out there in left. Would he turn around? Come on, Daniel, let's see that face!
A few of the rowdy guys around me started shouting: "Come on, Daniel! She wants a picture! Turn around, she wants a picture!"
And it was the sweetes thing. He turned his head. That particular shot was blurry, alas, but I thought it was very nice that D-Murph acknowledged us nutty fans yelling behind him (ok, I wasn't yelling, but I think I did yell back "thank you!") and obliged.
Here's a little montage of Murphy pics from that day.
Keep on reading up at Eddie's (Kunzie's?) blog!
5 Comments
I was out there with the GKR fans that day as well. Not only were the fans under the bleachers shouting for Daniel, but those up top were chanting his name as well. It was a day I'll always remember. From being stuck under that tent with hundreds of people, waiting in the rain to walk on the field, the Johan performance and leaving the stadium seeing the Brewers trailing on the scoreboard. I thought it couldn't get any better than that. And while they didn't wind up winning that next day, I am glad my final day at Shea was a memorable one.
thanks for the murphy behind shot zoe, it's much appreciated
I agree that even with the rain that day could not have been awesomer!
And Will–picture sitting behind that tush for a few hours😉
Congratulations for making our MLBlogs Top 100 list!


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Think about the way your ankle moves when you walk up a ramp or take the stairs.
It doesn't stay stiff at 90-degree angle, but that's how many prosthetic limbs work right now.
That means something as simple as walking up a ramp can be a barrier for veterans who've lost limbs in combat.
"When you lose a leg or something, you don't realize how much strength and balance you lose," said Holmen resident, Vietnam veteran and amputee Dan Platteter.
New technologies are being developed to make the day-to-day lives of vets like Platteter easier -- technology the Department of Defense showed off this week at the Tomah VA Hospital.
The first of its kind, the BiOM Ankle System by iWalk provides artificial muscle and tendon power that allows amputees to walk with the same effort and function as non-amputees.
"Prosthetic ankles in the past have just really been a foot attached to a post. Sometimes there are springs involved, but they don't actually reproduce a human ankle because there's no power. And your natural ankle actually has muscles attached to it, so as you're walking, you push off and slow down, you push up when you're going up stairs," said Tomah VA amputee clinic physician Dr. John Barry.
A tablet enables the BiOM to be customized to the user's needs.
"It's a total personal bionic experience, where we tune that ankle to that specific patient. And then we can verify that using software to make sure that that patient is basically functioning as they would if they had a biological limb," said iWalk Regional Director John Braddock.
That means less pain and fatigue, and more balance and range of motion.
"It seemed like a lot less effort to do the same things that you're accustomed to doing. And I think you can do them quicker," said Platteter.
For now, it's a test run. But the VA hopes the BiOM is something they'll eventually be able to offer to help strengthen the steps of wounded veterans.
The VA has given iWalk money to help develop the BiOM. To find out more about the bionic ankle system, go to the manufacturer's website at iWalkpro.com.


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This 'N That
Baseball America named Jordan Walden the top pitching prospect in the Pioneer League.
Back from Arizona, trying to return life to normal …
My wife is in the South Seas for two weeks. Her high school friends go off somewhere on Planet Earth for a few days each year. This time, they started in Samoa, then on to Hobbiton — er, New Zealand — and now they're in Sydney. I asked her to look up P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Lane, but she says the closest she'll get is the Sydney Opera House.
(And if you don't get those references, you must have missed Lord of the Rings and Finding Nemo.)
I keep thinking about how fortunate Angels fans are to have such smart management, from top to bottom. Hall of Fame sportswriter Ross Newhan gets it, publishing an article in today's Los Angeles Times about the Angels' success under Bill Stoneman and Mike Scioscia.
Of course, should the Angels fall in the playoffs, the loonies will be spamming the boards with demands that Stoneman and Scioscia be fired, if not shot.
Newhan's article reminds us that, before the Stoneman/Scioscia era, nobody expected the Angels to be perennial contenders. In fact, he writes that Stoneman and Scioscia were shocked when the Marketing people asked during their first meeting with management which individual players to promote since they assumed the team wouldn't be competitive.
Continuity is one important factor in the Angels' success. I grew up in an era when the Dodgers were the perennial contenders in town. Walter Alston always returned as manager, until he retired and then it was Tommy Lasorda. The coaches were usually the same, the farm and scouting directors were the same, and the minor league instructors didn't turn over much. There used to be a saying, "Once a Dodger, always a Dodger," and Dodgers management rarely traded away prospects, choosing to take the long view and build for the future with young talent like Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Fernando Valenzuela, Bob Welch … and some kid named Mike Scioscia.
Today's Angels are built on the model of the old Dodgers, and I'm surprised more people can't see that, especially with Scioscia at the helm and ex-Dodgers Mickey Hatcher, Alfredo Griffin and Ron Roenicke on the coaching staff.
In the minors, the Angels have several managers and coaches who've been around for years — managers Tom Kotchman and Ty Boykin, pitching coaches Zeke Zimmerman and Kernan Ronan, and part-time instructor Bill Lachemann. Let's not overlook former Dodger Bobby Mitchell, who managed this year at Rancho Cucamonga.
We're also starting to see former Angels minor leaguers now become coaches and managers. Ty Boykin is one. Salt Lake manager Brian Harper, likely to depart this winter, is another. Todd Takayoshi is now the roving hitting instructor, and Tom Gregorio succeeded him as the catching rover. Brandon Emanuel, who just retired as a pitcher last winter, was the pitching coach this summer at Tempe. Infielder Keith Johnson, who came out of the Dodgers' farm system years ago, was the hitting coach this year at Double-A Arkansas. 1980s Angels shortstop **** Schofield was the hitting coach this summer at Tempe. You can also point to former Angels major leaguers Craig Grebeck and Eric Owens, who were the hitting coaches this year at Rancho Cucamonga and Cedar Rapids.
Watching the instruction last weekend at fall instructional league, it became increasingly obvious that an entire generation of Angels prospects are being taught a system that one day they might pass along to the next generation. How refreshingly different — and intelligent — from the Gene Autry era when the "Win one for the Cowboy!" mentality destroyed player development in the name of instant gratification.
Elsewhere …
Baseball America is posting its post-season Top 20 Prospects for each league. Those of interest to Angels fans are the Arizona League and Pioneer League.
Jordan Walden was named the top pitching prospect in the Pioneer League. Click Here to listen to an interview I recorded on Friday with Jordan. I also interviewed Trevor Reckling; Click Here to listen to Trevor's interview. If you read the on-line chat with John Manuel, the analyst who wrote the Arizona League report, he seems to regret leaving Reckling off the list.
He literally was No. 21; if you listen to today's podcast you'll hear my buyer's remorse on Reckling. He's young, he's got a good curveball, an upper-80s fastball, some projection . . . I probably should have ranked him. At some point you just have to go ahead and pick 20, and when I did it, I left him out; it sounds like [Mariners pitching prospect Jacob] Wild has upside for his age and could move quickly. But on a true prospect-meter, I should have ranked Reckling ahead of him for being younger & lefthanded and possessing less stuff but more projection.
My personal impression of Reckling — who's been given the nickname "Reck" — is that he's hungry to soak up as much knowledge as possible. He seems hungry for the game, and for success. Sometimes you see a player with that kind of personality and you fall in love with him because you know he wants it so badly that he'd throw himself on a grenade to succeed.
Anyway, with life somewhat back in order and the bills paid, I'll get back to editing video from the fall ball trip. I filmed a lot of the pitchers, but all three games were played on fields with chain-link backstops which usually makes for crummy video since you can't shoot very well through the metal. I'd like you to see Walden, Reckling, and the others, but if it's not worth watching, I won't post them on-line. Just keep watching the FutureAngels.com home page for updates.
I'm also starting to work on my annual Top 10 Prospects report, which should see the light of day sometime near the end of November.
Finally, a reminder that nobody pays me to go out to Tempe and film this stuff. It comes out of my personal savings. If you enjoy watching the videos, please consider a donation or voluntary subscription to support FutureAngels.com. As happens from time to time, I was approached in Tempe by a fan who asked how I pay for all this. I told him that it comes from savings, and that I lose a couple thousand dollars a year. He complimented me for how much better my site was than those who charge you a fee to see their content (which is often just lifted from somewhere else). I'll never go to a mandatory subscription, but keep in mind that if the debts get too high, the web site goes on the shelf. That's what happened in 2006, and it can happen again in 2008 if you don't do your part.
6 Comments
The Midwest League top 20 prospects came out on Baseball America today. Three third baseman were on the list, and none of them were named Matt Sweeney.
You might remember from an earlier comment that I'm something of a Sweeney fan. I found myself scratching my head over this. Sweeney is younger (by a year at least) than all three of the 3rd Basemen who made the top 20, and he put up comparable numbers to all three of them (in fact his K-rate was easily the best of the group, usually considered a good sign for young power hitters).
The question then is do you have some idea as to why this is? Does Sweeney have sketchy defense or a weird swing, or possibly some other "toolsy" thing that wouldn't show up when just looking at stats? It just seems contrary to BA's usual theory of prospect ranking.
Additionally, further examination of BA's own statistical analysis finds Sweeney #1 among Midwest League 3Bs in extra base hit percentage. So we have younger, more power, better contact rate… again, am I missing something here?
Here's what Jim Callis said in the on-line chat:
Jim Callis: Sweeney was very close to making the list. What worked against him is that I only had 20 spots for players on 15 teams, and scouts don't give him any chance to play third base in the majors. He's a first baseman, and that hurt him in comparison to guys like Josh Bell, Johnny Whittleman and Juan Francisco. Conger would play first base and could have enough bat to play there–his bat is that good.
Scouts were dubious about Brandon Wood's ability to play SS too. Then it turned out he was pretty good at it. -_-;
Oh well. Thanks for the info. Guess it's up to Sweeney to prove them wrong.😉
You clearly never watched Sweeney attempt to play third base. He was brutal.
The only way he even came close to Top 20 status was his bat, which tailed off somewhere around mid-July…
Nope, I didn't watch him at 3rd base, that's why I asked Stephen about it. His bat didn't really tail off, he drifted between .260 and .280 all season, hanging around .780 OPS pretty much the whole time.


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CNJ Photo: Tony Bullocks Cummins Natural Gas Engine has a 40-year history with Clovis. The company laid off 16 employees last week because of economic hardship.
By Sharna Johnson: CNJ staff writer
Clovis' Cummins Natural Gas Engine laid off approximately 30 percent of its workforce last week.
Sixteen employees — a dozen hourly workers assigned to the shop floor and four office workers —were let go, according to a company spokesman. The reduction brings the plant's workforce to 39 employees.
Cummins Director of Public Relations Mark Land said the layoff is one of many efforts by the company to try and curtail economic hardship.
"Like a lot of companies we've been hit hard by the recession," Land said Monday. "We're working very hard at all our locations to make sure our costs are in line with demand for the product."
Similar layoffs have taken place at other Cummins plants across the country, he said.
Cummins is hopeful it will not need to cut back any further, Land said.
A global corporation, Cummins has almost 40 years of history in Clovis and has owned the plant on south Norris Street for 22 years, Land said.
Land said prior to the recession there was a lot of growth.
"Before the recession really started hitting us, we had been on a significant growth trajectory. Our efforts right now are staying as strong as we can to go back to our growth mode," he said.
New Mexico's jobless rate rose to 5.1 percent in January, up 3.1 percent in January 2008, but was still below the national rate of 7.6 percent.
Cummins is the second area company to cite the soured economy as a reason for layoffs.
In October, Abengoa Bioenergy in Portales, an employer of about 40, laid off an undisclosed number of employees and said it was shutting down temporarily due to market conditions.
Did you know? Only businesses with 100 or more full-time workers that lay off at least 50 people at a single site are required to warn employees 60 days ahead of the terminations, according to a Labor Department Web site.
Unemployment changes: New Mexico labor officials said last week the federal stimulus package increased the amount eligible unemployment benefit claimants get by $25 per week.
The state Department of Workforce Solutions says the additional money will be included in their weekly payments starting this week.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report