text:
Down memory lane–there's nothing more American than the good old cheeseburger
Call this just a weird coincidence, but I happened upon an article in the Houston Chronicle that listed the best 10 burger joints in the US. And coming in at 10 was "Feltner's Whatta-burger" in Russellville, Ark. I followed it to a local link.
I went to school there (Arkansas Tech University) and I worked for Bob Feltner in what was then known only as "The Whatta-burger" (methinks somewhere later on there must have been some sort of legal thing with big burger chain named Whattaburger that caused Bob to stick his last name in front of it).
The honor of being among the best 10 doesn't surprise me, nor could it go to a more deserving person/family. Here's the story:
Feltner's Whatta-Burger in Russellville rounded out the Houston Chronicle's top ten list of legendary burger joints this year.
"Well, it doesn't surprise me. They do have great burgers," said Tim Macks, a customer from Fayetteville.
The restaurant opened its doors for the first time back in 1967. It started with a dream. "This used to be a dirt road out here. He sat in a lawn chair, counted cars, came home and said I'm going to open up a burger place and we thought he was crazy," said Missy Ellis, an owner.
Ellis now owns the restaurant her father started when she was just a child. She said, "To be chosen as one of the top 10, that is just unbelievable and I know he's looking down from Heaven saying way to go."
If it is not fresh, it is not served. Food is not frozen at Whatta-Burger.
Even the pickiest eaters can find something they like and in big portions. "Our large fry is a good pound of fries, so you have to be starving to eat one of those by yourself," said Mandy Simons, general manager.
Eaters from Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and even Tulsa make their way to Russellville for a bite of the Whatta-Burger. "We always make it a point to stop here anytime we're close," said Alan Young, of Tulsa, "We've been looking forward to it for two or three weeks."
A better person or a finer boss than Bob Feltner can't be found (and I'm far from the only one who would say that). We were a college town and he located his place right on the border of the campus. You could walk there, and most did. Bob supported the college and the kids who went there.
And he hired as many as he could to work there, usually over staffing the place. His way of helping those of us who usually didn't have two pennies to rub against each other. He also extended credit. Seriously. His system was to write it on a wooden ice cream spoon and keep the spoons in the cash drawer. I used to work behind the counter and it wasn't at all uncommon to hear a student say "put it on my spoon". I'd sort through, find their spoon (there were a bunch) and put the amount on there.
What was funny about it is rarely, if ever, did Bob have to collect. And when he did, he's ask someone who was a friend of the person who owed more than he should to mention it to him. That was it. That was the sum of his collection effort. What he did was appreciated and students showed up constantly to pay on or pay off their "spoon". I don't think he was stiffed very often.
There was one thing Bob wouldn't do – he wouldn't put anything out that wasn't fresh. None of the hamburger was frozen – it was all fresh. The vegies were cut up the night before (a friend used to do it and said he seemed to always smell like onions). The fries and the like were frozen, but none of the meat. It was the primary rule of the house – if it isn't fresh or doesn't look fresh it doesn't go on a burger. And if you weren't sure, it didn't go on a burger.
I could sing this man's praises forever. He was just a great person. He remembered everyone's name, greeted them like an old lost friend and made you want to come back. The fact that his food was great was a bonus. When I first worked there (not long after he opened) it was a walk-in or walk up place. No seating for dining. Strictly to go. Over the years, Bob has added on and now it has a pretty good sized dining area.
Of course all of this reminds me of a story where my roommate and I got caught up in a Cool Hand Luke moment and bet someone we could eat 20 regular hamburgers at Whattaburger. I think alcohol was involved. The bet was if we did so, the other guys would pay for them but if we didn't we had to pay for them. Well, neither of us could afford 20 hamburgers, but we figured we could eat them.
Over we went and Bob got into the fun of it and got the burgers ready. Well, I'm ashamed to say, I made it through 6 or maybe 7. I figured we were doomed. But my roomie scarfed down his 10 and the rest of mine. We won the bet, barely, in the time allotted. Me? I became a footnote in Whattaburger history, but my roomie, Denny, became "champ". Every time Denny went in the place, Bob would yell out, "what it'll be, Champ?"
Loved the place, loved the man, loved the whole family.
If you are ever anywhere near Russellville, Arkansas, do yourself a favor and hunt down Feltner's Whattaburger. Missy Ellis, mentioned in the article, is Bob's daughter (and worked at the Whattaburger with us). Tell her I said "hi" and enjoy a great burger in Bob's memory.


text: Dr. Jessica Wu, our own LA dermatologist and author of Feed Your Face, is back to share with us a few tips on what foods can contribute to acne and which can help clear it + prevent it. Because what we put on the inside is just as important for our skin as what we put on the outside. Thanks Dr. Wu!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Tomblin plans for balanced budget
SOUTH CHARLESTON – West Virginia was facing a budget deficit of $389 million, but Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and his staff have crafted a plan to present a balanced budget when the legislative session opens next week.
Tomblin was one of several featured panelists at the Associated Press Legislative Lookahead in South Charleston Thursday, where he spoke about the budget and several other key issues facing the state.
West Virginia's fiscal landscape has been relatively strong in recent years, but a drop in federal funding for Medicaid is causing angst among lawmakers as they scramble to fill the pending budget gap.
Tomblin previously had asked about a quarter of the state's agencies to cut spending by 7.5 percent for fiscal year 2014, netting lawmakers an additional $75 million to aid in covering the shortfall. Members of the budget panel, which included Deputy Revenue Secretary Mark Muchow, House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, Budget Director Mike McKown, House Finance Chair Harry Keith White and Senate Minority Leader Mike Hall, indicated that still wasn't enough. Another $314 million had to be cut in order for the budget to balance, they told panel moderator Heather Goodwin Henline, the publisher and general manager of The Inter-Mountain in Elkins.
The governor said he will further outline his roadmap for bridging the budget gap as part of his State of the State speech, which he will deliver Wednesday.
A large portion of the budget deficit comes from the reduction in federal funding of Medicaid. For every 1 percent drop in federal funding, the state must make up an additional $30 million, officials said. This puts the Mountain State's budget even further into the red as the effects of the recent recession still loom.
"Medicaid is a budget problem in 50 states," Muchow said. "It's not a West Virginia problem, it's a national problem. If you look at the amount spent on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and social support programs the taxes that come in do not support those programs."
"It has been known since I was a teenager that Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid is not sustainable," Muchow added. "It hasn't been completely sold to the American people that something has to happen. Those programs need restructured, but society is not quite ready for that. At the end of the day, there is a price."
While considerable, the projected budget cuts haven't touched the majority of the state's agencies, as public education as well as corrections are among the departments excluded.
McKown said he expects revenue will level off, though, as the state continues to fund many of its current programs and money from the state's lottery stagnates.
"Over the past three or four years, we have appropriated more money to Medicaid," he said. "For years, we banked that extra money and those trust funds grew modestly. By fiscal year 2014, those balances will be exhausted."
"We had a $389 million deficit projected for fiscal year 2014," McKown said. "That was the starting point. The budget Gov. Tomblin will submit Wednesday is balanced. (With the cuts,) we've taken $75 million out of that base."
Additional money will be made up from other state surpluses. This includes $82 million from state lottery excess and a $7 million cushion from the general fund.
Muchow said, economically, the Mountain State's outlook still hinges on the mining industry. Overall coal distribution is down 27 percent in the state, while coal severance taxes are down 17 percent.
Natural gas production is up in the state, but companies are unable to sell their product, Muchow noted.
"At the end of 2011 and in 2012, the coal industry began losing steam," Muchow said. "They began scaling back operations, and it has had an impact on employment rates. While natural gas production is up, severance taxes from that are down. Oil is the only thing in the state that is going up. The outlook is for the state to continue to struggle."
Hall indicated that despite the bleak outlook, the state has many wins in the fiscal column. Corporate net franchise taxes are down, and the food tax will disappear in July. In general, the state has continued to cut taxes, which Hall said is a big accomplishment for a little state like West Virginia.
In addition, the Mountain State's bond rating is AA-plus – a stronger ranking than that of the federal government. Several members of the panel attributed that positive rating to the security blanket created by the state's rainy day fund. The fund currently is at a reserve of about $914 million. With that cushion, it helps not only with the rating, but also for the state to secure lower interest rates when seeking bonds or other forms of financing.
Hall, though, warned against dipping into the fund. Ultimately, that could impact the state's bond rating, which would have a trickle-down effect making it more costly for the state to borrow money in times of true need, Hall said. This is a position Chairman White echoed.
"West Virginia was one of the few states who didn't borrow money during the recession," White said. "Our unemployment fund is still relatively strong, and we were the only state in the nation to pass an OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) bill. Most states we talk to say they are just plain ignoring that."
While many of the panelists touted the state's practicality when dealing with large budget concerns, they also acknowledged the reality of rough seas ahead. Part of the reason for future uncertainty is because of the state's economic dependence on coal and natural gas.
Again, while the panelists said fiscal year 2014 will be the most bleak out of the next six years, the next five years will be dependent on the performance of coal and natural gas.
Officials expect the natural gas industry eventually will have a significant impact as the coal industry wanes. The volatility of the natural gas industry continues to play a role not just within the Mountain State, but also many parts of the U.S.
"If the (natural gas) prices bounce back up, we will see a significant increase in revenue 10 years from now," Muchow said. "Natural gas is the hope for the state's economy down the road. It is a matter of time that the coal industry will be a smaller part of the economy. Coal is still the big elephant in the room, but (natural) gas will become more a part of the equation down the road. It's a promising industry for not only West Virginia, but for the nation as a whole."
In the past eight years, natural gas production has increased by more than 108 percent. For every 10 percent decline in coal production, it takes a 60 percent increase in natural gas production to equal the same financial gain.
Aside from budget woes, several other issues will be addressed by the 81st Legislature. Those issues include education and prison overcrowding, both of which were topics featured as part of the Lookahead event.
Armstead said another key issue facing the Mountain State is job creation. More than 59,000 West Virginians are out of work and many more are taking a second job just to make ends meet.
"I think we have to be very serious about that," Armstead said. "There are things we can do to make us more job friendly. Overall, we need to make sure small businesses can grow. If we do this, we will increase our tax base."
Tomblin's State of the State address will kick off the 60-day regular legislative session. During the address, he traditionally introduces a more in-depth look at his proposed budget. The budget then must be voted on by legislators before being approved for the next fiscal year.
For fiscal year 2013, Gov. Tomblin used his line-item veto power to trim $13.5 million from the final budget, citing economic uncertainty. He indicated Thursday that he is willing to use such veto power again if he deems it necessary and appropriate.


text:
DS is now five months - We've been doing rice cereal on and off since 4 1/2 months, only once a day, and he loves it. I recently attempted peas which I mashed in the blender. I can sit him up without anything around him for balance and he does all right with that.
So, I guess I have a couple questions!
1. I was reading the kellymom.com on Starting Solids, and it mentioned:
"The easiest way to get extra iron for your baby five or six months of age is by giving him meat. Infant cereal has iron, but it is poorly absorbed and may cause the baby to be constipated."
So, does this mean I can give DS meat? How can I even attempt to do that without him choking?
2. Are finger foods OK for a five month old, or should I wait for 6 months? He loves to grab at food and attempts to stick his fingers in his mouth, but so far I've tried to keep him away from doing that .. Last time, he grabbed at DH's chili and I just quick washed his hands.


text:
You may have something would-be entrepreneurs the world over desperately need: a little capital. Even as little as $25. You've probably never thought that such a meager sum could help expand a livestock breeding operation in Azerbaijan, put a systems engineer through school in Nicaragua or launch a hair salon in San Francisco.
See also: AARP Foundation Gift Planning.
But thanks to the new world of online microlending, that's what your $25 or $100 can do. Not alone, of course. Bundled with other investments at a handful of microlending websites, your money becomes a microloan — typically between several hundred dollars and several thousand dollars — for a borrower whom traditional lenders would pass over.
Microlending isn't new. Some economists trace its origins to 1720, when Jonathan Swift, Irish author, satirist and pastor, started the Irish Loan Fund to provide collateral-free loans to the poor of Dublin. In the United States, the Hebrew Free Loan Society, founded in 1892 to help indigent Jewish immigrants, has provided interest-free loans, on a nonsectarian basis, to more than 865,000 borrowers. And then there's Bank of America, founded in 1904 by Amadeo Giannini of San Francisco under the name Bank of Italy to cater to immigrants who were denied service by other banks.
The expansion of microlending in developing nations to help the world's poorest people generate income and escape poverty was first championed in the 1980s by Muhammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi banker, economist and author of a new book, Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity's Most Pressing Needs. Yunus, who founded the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh to put his ideas into practice, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his efforts.
For some time, microlending was almost entirely the domain of development banks and such huge international organizations as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. But in 2004, the nonprofit organization Kiva pioneered the idea of using the Internet to join together individual investors and connect them with credit-seeking entrepreneurs around the world.


text:
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(15 reviews)
Product Information:
(based on
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
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Glencoe, MN
About Me
Quality Oriented
Best Uses
Comments about
Click Ballpoint Pen Kit - Gold
The small end of the spring goes onto the ink refill first. If it is backwards the mechanism doesn't work well. I click my pen at least 100 times a day, and have used up 5 ink refills. The refill is not great, I replaced it with gel refills. Also, don't rotate the cap, it is threaded on. If you rotate it, the cap will fly off.
Bottom Line
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Flyer Phan
Simple enough to make. Bushings cost more than the kit. Quality of the click mechanism feels a little lame. Generic ink refill not all that good, I bought real Cross refills in medium and broad. Hit or miss with this click pen.
Bottom Line
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
A diificult to learn, but good kit
I have made four of these pens. There is a learning curve to their assembly. First, you have to be careful to not get any glue inside of the tubes, or they simply will not work. I use a parafin wax plug by pressing the tube into the wax prior to glueing the tubes to the blanks. next be careful when pressing the pieces together. Drill a hole in a piece of wood large enough for the clicker to go through. If you don't do this, you will damage the clicker. To assemble the female threads in the head, I screw it onto the lower barrel and then press the pieces together, otherwise there is a gap. I can now make them perfect each time, but you need to follow these hints.
Poor quality
Not clicking
Kenai, Alaska
I finished the pen and gave it a click test, about a dozen times repeatedly when the the top simply flew off the end! Would be willing to pay a bit more for quality built in USA.
Great pen kit!
I have made countless click pens and pencils, and have yet to have a single one with issues. I have seen other turners have issues with these pens, and in my experience, it is always (ALWAYS!) the spring installed backwards on the ink refill.
If you install the spring the wrong way (it is tapered), it will bind up and won't click properly. All you have to do is reverse the spring!
And sorry guys, this is nobody's fault but your own and has nothing to do with the quality of the kit.
I do add a drop of Teflon dry film lube to the click mechanism (Dupont brand, but more to aid in reliability down the line than anything else. I also click each pen 20-30 times before I sell it just to break-in the click mech and smooth things out a bit more, and also to assure it works well.
After at least 50 kits made and sold, and none coming back with issues, I think it's safe to say this is a good kit. And 95% of the time there is an issue, it's due to whoever assembled it, and not the kit itself.
Works for me
Okmulgee, Ok
The pen (and Pencil) kits were just what i expected. I had no problems and those that have used them like them.
Makes a great looking pen
Northern Colorado
About Me
Value Oriented
I've made several of these now from Acrylic, Blackwood, Olive wood, etc, and they always make a great looking pen. For under ten bucks and a bit of your personality in the mix you have something that looks like it's worth at least three times the price (great unique gift idea here).
I've never had a problem with the click mechanism but found out from a different (cheaper) click kit from another company that the length of the upper barrel seems to be somewhat critical for proper functioning. Maybe that could be what is causing the problem for some (BTW, I usually use a bit of very heavy silicon oil to lube my mechanism before installing it that it makes it very smooth and high quality feeling that way). The spring is really pretty heavy and it will never be a really light feeling push without maybe trying a different lighter spring from some other pen.
Uses the regular Parker type refills, and if you want to impress someone those gel type Parker compatible refills write much, much smoother and impressively than a standard one (about 2 bucks apiece, nice if you're selling it or making a gift of it.) Those Fisher space pen refills, unique in their own right, come with an adapter that lets you use them in these pens if you want to make an absolutely reliable and never fails to write pen for someone that needs one.
I love click pens, wish they had this kit in something other than gold, maybe chrome or Rhodium or something, it would be worth the extra price to me.
First experience not good
Tampa FL
Bought the kit in 2010 and finally got around to building it.
Barrel lengths are just long enough. You have little extra for trim. Maybe 0.100 inches is all you can trim the blanks down. Click mechanism not functional and was damaged in trying to remove it from the barrel. Until this product is improved beginner and intermediate pen makers should stay away from this product.
Would prefer both barrels to be 0.100 inch longer for those of us who get a little to grind happy. That may be where I had some issues. One barrel was 1.9 inches long. The instructions say about 2 inches. Better to be on the long side by 0.05 inches or so.
Terrible click mechanism
Baltimore, MD
I bought three of these kits and none of them worked at all. The parts go together pretty easily but the click mechanism is not smooth and would always get stuck. It's stiff and pretty much useless. It's a cheap kit and a waste of money. If you want a good click pen, I've had a lot better luck with the Wall Street IIs.
Don't buy it!
Mathis, Texas
I've made several of these pen kits and have had problems with the click mechanism (Like they don't work). I took one of them in to the San Antonio store & they couldn't figure out why it quit working.[...]
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text:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Nature Wonders HD Pinto Horse Toy Figures
Units: About 15,000
Importer: Blip Toys, of Minneapolis, Minn.
Hazard: The surface paint coating on the horse contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves the Nature Wonders HD pinto horse toy figures with model number 92093. The plastic horse is white with brown spots and measures about 4 inches tall. The model number and "Nature Wonders HD" are printed on the retail tag wrapped around the horse's leg.
Sold by: Walmart stores nationwide from January 2009 through July 2009 for about $4.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Blip Toys to receive a free replacement toy.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact Blip Toys toll-free at (888) 405-7696 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.bliptoys.com/recall
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of
thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the
nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or
mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to help ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household
chemicals -– contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at
301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing
to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.
Times: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytime
Call to get product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800
View CPSC contacts for specific areas of expertise
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Report a Product on SaferProducts.gov
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text:
Ruby loves sucking cock and wears her red lipstick especially for that!
Ruby looked at her reflection in the mirror and felt a thrill whizz through her. She had managed, yet again, to bag a new date, her third that week and it was only Thursday. Looking at her reflection, she marvelled at how plump and luscious her lips were and how the red lipstick boosted them. Frequently, she was asked if she had actually had her lips enhanced, which she hadn't but still,...Read On
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 3,305 |
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| 8 Comments
The day continues at the Caspar celebration...
"Is that your booth over there?" Joana thought that she recognized a couple of Thomas's friends from the chess club. "Oh, yeah that's it." Thomas looked over at the members of the chess club standing next to the glass dunk tank filled with water. As Thomas and Joana walked over to the booth, two of Thomas's friends, Anthony and Carl had already taken their clothes off and were lining...Read On
Added: 07 Oct 2016 | Category: Interracial |
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Words: 8,273 |
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First attempt after a long absence from this sort of writing.
Astari– Part One Everything hurt as Matthew de Lacey was making his way back to his tent. His arms and legs were aching, his head hurt even more where the mace had struck his helm and his pride hurt most of all. Defeat was a difficult drink to swallow, had Matthew expected to win the tourney? 'Yes', a part of him was saying, he was thrice the fighter than each of his opponents and...Read On
Added: 07 Oct 2016 | Category: Fantasy & Sci-Fi |
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| 2 Comments
I didn't give a shit about anything. My entire life revolved around his dick...
It's a dark and shiny place, But with you, my dear, I'm safe, and we're a million miles away. — Karen O. * * * * They locked eyes. They dropped to the floor. His weight was bearing down on the frame of her hips, his eyes meeting hers, her hands gripping his back, pulling his chest to hers. She heaved a thick, deep sigh, boasting relinquishment of all control. A...Read On
Added: 07 Oct 2016 | Category: Hardcore |
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Problems with the business mean stepbrother and sister must start the family holiday alone
"...Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits..." "Right!" I replied, grinning at Jake's self satisfied expression."Let's see how good you are with this..." It was a perfect Saturday morning and we were playing 'Name that Tune' as my stepbrother Jake drove the two of us northwards through the Yorkshire countryside in our mother's car on our way to the seaside cottage Mum and Dad had rented for...Read On
Added: 07 Oct 2016 | Category: Taboo |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 9,665 |
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| 25 Comments
Ariana watches her step-sister
My name is Ariana and I am 18 years old. I have long dark hair and dark eyes and nice firm young figure. I have small firm breasts and a flat belly. I go to college and have my fair share of hookups with guys, but nowhere near as much as my step-sister. My step-sister is a right little whore. Isabel, my step-sister, is twenty-three, and like I said, she is a right little slut. She loves...Read On
Added: 07 Oct 2016 | Category: Voyeur |
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I had my first mutual masturbation experience with a male friend at college. His name was Larry.
Hi, my name is Anna Maria, although I am older now but back when I was twenty I had been masturbating solo for many years and wanted a vibrator of my very own, but had no way of obtaining one. I did not have a credit card nor was a local adult shop nearby. Larry my boyfriend came by my place for a picnic out back in the woods behind my house. During the meal, he turned to me saying, "I have...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Toys |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 926 |
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| 11 Comments
A greedy girl got what she wanted
I was sitting in the car with my girlfriend and she was driving us to Banff. I'd never been there before and my excitement was boiling over. I kept looking over at her and squirming in my seat, all I could think about was that moment when she allowed me to taste her again. I knew I was going to be in trouble, but I wanted her so badly; so with one hand I undid her pants and slipped it inside. ...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Flash Erotica |
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Words: 925 |
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A simple story of a whore with a heart of gold.
Bedefunde, June 29th. My name is Alice. I am 24 years old, and what most respectable folk would call a common whore. I believe I am quite comely with red lips and a complexion yet unmarked by disease and men seem to like to suckle on my ample bosom as they bury their cocks in the dark wetness between my thighs, before they release their hot seed into my cunt with much sighing and moaning...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Historical |
Avg Score: 4.75 |
Words: 2,416 |
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| 3 Comments
I get to photograph an oriental couple.
Juan and Lou Lee: My wife and I often spend winters in the south, where it's sunny and warm. Our plans to return home at the end of March are delayed because my wife is stricken with 'flu. Nothing for it, we're staying an extra month by which time she should be strong enough to travel. Mid-morning, when she is napping, I walk to the coffee shop about a block away. It's never very busy and...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Oral Sex |
Avg Score: 4.6 |
Words: 2,561 |
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| 3 Comments
The decline of a the ultimate fuck-machine...
Danté was without doubt, one of the most sensual guys I ever met. He wasn't the best looking man I had ever met, but had a fragile quality that simply drove men crazy. He stood five foot six inches tall, and despite being nineteen years old, had the body of a fourteen year old. I would often observe him being ogled by guys in clubs or bars, with their eyes swimming with lust. He was well aware...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Gay Male |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 1,165 |
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| 5 Comments
A Professional Dominatrix gets Hers
"That's it…take it…you fucking bitch! Just like that…yes!" Michael's head is thrown back, his eyes rolling up as the woman at his waist sucks his cock. His hand is wrapped in her hair, jerking her head back and forth harshly as he thrusts deep into her throat. He is close to cumming and his rhythm is thrown off, but it doesn't matter. He is going to cum in this slut's mouth. "Yes!" He...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: BDSM |
Avg Score: 4.6 |
Words: 2,302 |
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A Night to remember
One night while my wife and I were having some good sex, our good friend and wife's boyfriend had just left. She was hotter then a two dollar pistol and was up for just about anything, I or we could think of. I had always wanted to piss on her and have her piss on me, but it wasn't something I had ever brought up. But tonight, I knew she would be game to anything nasty. I asked her if she...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Fetish |
Avg Score: 4.2 |
Words: 845 |
Tags: oral fucking fetish
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"I have something to tell you," he said as he stroked my hand. I stared at him with a bewildered look on my face as we stood at my front door. He was the man of my dreams and I couldn't believe he was going to do this, here and now, after such a perfect evening. His hands grasped my wrists as he took a moment to compose himself. My heart sunk into my gut as I imagined every possible outcome...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: BDSM |
Avg Score: 4.95 |
Words: 7,077 |
Tags: light bdsm first time bdsm tying up rich man naive girl domination blonde
| 28 Comments
If he can't have her one way, he'll try another.
After that slap across the face, I figured that was the last of my flings with my step-mom. I still enjoyed looking at that hot ass of hers and thinking about what might have been. I'd developed a habit of snatching her used panties from the hamper and using them as the catalyst for some great whack off sessions. Sometimes, I'd wear them over my head with the gusset directly over my nose...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Taboo |
Avg Score: 4.9 |
Words: 1,660 |
Tags: step-son and mom panties peeking masturbation oral
| 10 Comments
A trucker meets up for a wet and fun time.
It was so hot a fat pig would melt from the outside air temperature. I was almost at the end of the Ohio Turnpike, heading east with a load of beer out of Detroit going to a Washington, DC suburban beer distributor. I'd unloaded on Thursday morning in central Michigan, then headed to Detroit to pick up my beer load. As always, the delays getting unloaded, the deadhead to the next loading...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Quickie Sex |
Avg Score: 4.5 |
Words: 2,538 |
Tags: quickie straight sex hookup exhibitionism
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I wanted more - much more.
I didn't know how to adjust to what was happening in my marriage. I didn't know what to say, what to do, or how to make things better. I'd been trying for years. And it didn't seem to make a difference. My wife wasn't cheating on me. I knew that. I knew that, for some reason, over time, she'd lost interest in sex. I just didn't know why. I knew it couldn't be me. Before our marriage, I...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Taboo |
Avg Score: 4.95 |
Words: 3,166 |
Tags: step-daughter taboo sex
| 10 Comments
Four friends decide to take a private cruise and things get steamy.
"Where the heck are they?" Jack said shielding his eyes from the glaring sun with his hand. His sunglasses were pushed up into his thick black hair. I looked out of the hundreds of small and big yachts tied to the piers around us. "I have no idea. He said Pier 10 and Slot 5." "Ten? I thought you said twelve." "No honey, I said ten," I held up ten fingers. "Fuck! Okay, back we go,"...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Group Sex |
Avg Score: 4.92 |
Words: 7,549 |
Tags: blowjobs straightsex hot women big cock
| 19 Comments
Izzie's retreat leads to new beginings
Part One A short flight from my hometown had brought me to Mariners cove. I was escaping from the pain and anguish of a torrid year; the unexpected loss of a close friend, the fallout of a company merger that left me e-mailing CVs again, and topping everything off, finding my girlfriend with her face buried between the thighs of her hairdresser. Mariners Cove was a bustling east coast...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Lesbian |
Avg Score: 4.93 |
Words: 4,068 |
Tags: romance masturbation solitude friendship oral newbeginings
| 12 Comments
Princess Jasmine and Zorro spend the night together.
They parted company long enough for Guy to reach his own car and pull up behind the SUV that was already on the street. As he followed it to the Carriage Hills condos, he was unsure how the evening would end. Carriage Hills was a gated community and the SUV stopped long enough for Zorro to address the guard on duty in the shack.They proceeded to an underground parking garage and parked...Read On
Added: 06 Oct 2016 | Category: Crossdressing |
Avg Score: 4.71 |
Words: 1,400 |
Tags: princess zorro role play
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Katie and her sister enjoy threesomes during those wild college days
Toward the end of my first year of college, my little sister Rose was about to turn eighteen. She's a very petite and drop-dead gorgeous blonde with great big, blue eyes. She was the bad girl when we were growing up, and constantly seemed to be in trouble with Mom and Dad, or in school. Now she was old enough to really let loose. I had told her as much as I dared about my sex life, and...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Group Sex |
Avg Score: 4.59 |
Words: 1,660 |
Tags: threesome oral sex deepthroat swallowing
| 5 Comments
Bawtry, The Swan, May 26th. A much more cheerful party reached Bawtry well before dusk after a brisk walk of about twenty four miles, having left the Lamb once we had broken our fast on bread, cheese and ale. The task of providing our night's entertainment fell on the cook, a jolly fat fellow, with a laugh like the bellow of a bull. We were starting to get to know each other better, and there...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Historical |
Avg Score: 4.75 |
Words: 3,028 |
Tags: noble lady lecherous suitor devil's pact virtue rewarded
| 4 Comments
I get to suck my neighbour's cock.
Part 1 Kyle is my forty-years-old neighbour. He is quite a hunk at around six feet tall, weighing two hundred pounds of muscle, unshaven with blond, curly hair. He lifts weights at the Y, jogs regularly and, in short, he is one handsome bugger. One day in early spring, we greet each other over the back fence, exchange a few pleasantries and he suddenly says, "Why don't you come on over? I...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Oral Sex |
Avg Score: 4.67 |
Words: 1,364 |
Tags: oral sex jerk off
| 3 Comments
Some great sex
The party's over this summer have been good, and were mixed in with some vacation fun as well as summer family stuff. It has been a while though since I just said fuck it and did something because I wanted to. What I really wanted and needed most was to have Porn-star type sex. The dating site on the web that I am on has so many men from which to pick. This one guy Tony was always asking...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Cheating |
Avg Score: 4.87 |
Words: 1,721 |
Tags: big cock
| 3 Comments
I like it when you look
The bell rang and students rushed between classes. Over at stairwell B I noticed a group of boys gathering at the bottom of the open slat staircase. As a the student's guidance counselor I'm paid to notice changes in student behavior. I quietly came up behind the boys and as they looked up to the stairs, I looked up right along with them. Emma Jones was descending the stairs, and those...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Lesbian |
Avg Score: 4.57 |
Words: 1,404 |
Tags: exhibitionist
| 7 Comments
Husband fucks his nanny after being left out to dry by wife
I was lying in bed, freshly showered and enjoying the feel of the fresh set of crisp sheets. I had just put them on our bed so my wife wouldn't know that I had just spent the last two hours sucking and fucking our hot, young nanny senseless. I heard the front door open and closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep, not wanting to have to talk to my sure to be drunken wife. Sue walked into...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Cheating |
Avg Score: 4.89 |
Words: 1,264 |
Tags: nanny babysitter cheating
| 6 Comments
Morning after the game Dan has more fun.
I woke up naked in my bed to the familiar sound of seagulls from the harbour. Rubbing my eyes, I turned my head to kiss Sophie good morning. Instead I was surprised to see Camila on my left side still asleep. The confusion in my mind cleared up quickly as I remembered everything that happened last night. I smiled to myself as I realised I actually took the ass virginity of this cute...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Group Sex |
Avg Score: 4.91 |
Words: 2,894 |
Tags: anal sex rimming kitchen sex oral morning sex
| 3 Comments
Exploring the park.
I could not sleep. The images of what happened earlier in the day with Adam would flood my mind every time I closed my eyes. It wasn't that it didn't feel good, it did. I even enjoyed it. I don't honestly know what my hang up with the experience is. I thought on it late into the night, trying to figure out why I was so uncomfortable with the whole thing. I don't think Adam wanted a...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Gay Male |
Avg Score: 5 |
Words: 1,013 |
Tags: gay blowjob woods public sex college
| 3 Comments
We go to an erotic nude resort
After the wild time we had at Joan's reunion we settled down to our home life. When we had sex we would relive all our sex games. The beginning with Joan dancing naked in a pool with a friend of ours, the trips to New Orleans, San Diego, all of them fodder for our fantasies. I was very busy at my consulting work. I got a phone call asking me to speak at a conference about Quality Systems....Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: Wife Lovers |
Avg Score: 4.9 |
Words: 2,555 |
Tags: exhibitionist big cocks group sex mile high club
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Tied to the bed, hoping my mistress returns, I get a surprise.
I heard footsteps again, but these were different. The door opened and someone entered, almost silently. Should I say something? Or, was this a test? I could barely think straight at this point and decided that I was better off keeping my mouth shut whenever I could. The woman approached me and sat on the edge of the bed. I could smell her. It definitely wasn't my Mistress, it must have...Read On
Added: 05 Oct 2016 | Category: BDSM |
Avg Score: 4.88 |
Words: 1,766 |
Tags: lesbian mistress tied roulette restraints bound oral
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Ohio kidnapping victim Michelle Knight tells Dr. Phil she was tied up "like a fish" on a wall.
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Meanwhile, in the Real World …
If you read some fan boards, most notoriously the MLB.com Angels board, it's the same old tired refrain. Everything is awful, everything is terrible, Angels GM Bill Stoneman should be fired because he doesn't convince other teams to give us their best players for a couple of our marginal players, Angels manager Mike Scioscia should be fired because he doesn't win 162 games a year, blah blah blah, ad nauseum.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, the fact of the matter is that Stoneman is the most successful GM in the organization's history, and Scioscia the winningest manager. Not only have the Angels been competitive for most seasons since the duo took over prior to the 2000 season, but Stoneman has built a deep and talented farm system that will continue to make the Angels competitive through the end of the decade.
And if one sits back to look at where things stand for 2007, there's every reason to think the Angels will be in the mix for the pennant chase.
Was the 89-73 record a disappointment? Well, that's a matter of personal opinion.
The world champion St. Louis Cardinals were 83-78 during the regular season. So by that standard, the Angels had a better year than the world champions. In an era of multi-tier playoffs, divisional play and wild-card contenders, you can be a pretty mediocre team, slip in the back door, and if you get on a hot run for a couple weeks you can win the World Series.
If your standard is whether the Angels reached the playoffs, then 2006 was a disappointment. But divisional play robs any sense of fairness from the system. Let's face it, an 83-78 team has no business in the post-season. Neither does an 89-73 team, frankly. In 2001, the Seattle Mariners were 116-46, but lost the ALCS to the 95-65 Yankees, four games to one.
Speaking of 95 … If the Angels had only one game each month go differently this year, reversing the decisions of just six games in total, they would have been 95-67. And would have won the AL West.
So sometimes disappointment really is a matter of perception.
Despite the claims by some, both on fan boards and the media, that the offense was to blame, in the real world it was the defense.
In 2005, the Angels finished 2nd in the majors in fielding percentage, having committed 87 errors out of 6,001 total chances.
This year, the Angels finished 27th in the majors in fielding percentage, having committed 124 errors out of 6,027 total chances.
The result? The Angels pitching staff in 2005 allowed only 45 unearned runs. In 2006, it was 80 unearned runs. An increase of 35 unearned runs.
And for all the blather about the supposed ineptitude of the Angels' offense in 2006, guess what? The numbers in 2006 were better than in 2005, when the Angels went to the ALCS.
The AVG/OBP/SLG in 2005 were .270/.325/.409 (.729 OPS) with 761 runs scored. In 2006, the numbers were .274/.334/.425 (.759 OPS) with 766 runs scored.
The .759 OPS in 2006 was #18 overall in the majors, not great, but better than the division-winning Oakland A's who were #21 at .752.
So if the defense didn't sag and allow those 35 unearned runs, could the Angels have won those six additional games? Swung one game a month?
Entirely plausible.
The offense could have been much better if not for unforeseen ailments that robbed the Angels of two top prospects for most of the year.
Let's have a show of hands from all those whiners on the Angels board who successfully predicted a year ago that Casey Kotchman would miss most of the 2006 season with mononucleosis. (Dramatic pause for cricket-chirping sound effect.)
Kotchman was 22 1/2 years old when he returned to Anaheim for good in August 2005. He posted an AVG/OBP/SLG of .302/.369/.526 (.895 OPS) in 116 AB during the final two months of the 2005 season. At age 23 in 2006, there was every reason to expect him to blossom as predicted by pretty much everyone knowledgeable about baseball.
Casey's career has been marked by a number of freak injuries, nearly all of which were one-time incidents beyond his control. He's not "injury-prone" as some claim. Prone means the same injury keeps happening. That's not true with Kotchman. He's been unlucky, freakishly so. Mononucleosis?! That was the weirdest one of all.
In any case, Kotchman is playing winter ball in Puerto Rico, and by all accounts is totally healthy. Winter ball stats are meaningless, but he's doing pretty well and there's no sign of fatigue.
Casey's name has been mentioned in trade rumors this winter for Atlanta's Adam LaRoche and Colorado's Todd Helton, but so far they've been nothing but rumors. Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times wrote two articles this month insisting that the Angels were trying to package Kotchman in a deal for Helton, but Denver papers in response quoted the Rockies front office as saying the Times stories were untrue. In fact, with the second story, the Rockies' GM said he hadn't even talked to Stoneman in weeks.
Kotchman will be 24 in February. Most hitters don't hit their prime until their late 20s. If Casey can stay healthy all of 2007 and post that .900 OPS over the entire season, then a major bat has been added to the lineup without a trade or an expensive free agent like Alfonso Soriano.
Dallas McPherson was the other loss. Dallas suffered a herniated disc in his lower back in spring training 2003. Since then, it's been an intermittent problem. The injury was exacerbated by the discovery of a bone spur on his hip that was tearing at his muscles. McPherson had surgery in September 2005 and, according to media reports, was in a wheelchair for a month before he could even walk. He continued to struggle in 2006 with the lower back problem, locking up at unpredictable moments, and seems unsure how to resolve the problem. Surgery? Therapy? Yoga? There's no consensus.
It's foolhardy to judge a player's performance when his back is locking up on him, so to dismiss McPherson as a bust is unwise. There remains the question, however, of how long the Angels can be patient with him.
I wrote on FutureAngels.com after the season ended the Angels' targets this off-season would be strengthening the bullpen, upgrading the defense in center field, and resolving the third base situation.
The bullpen went through an overhaul, adding free-agent relievers Justin Speier and Darren Oliver, trading Kevin Gregg for Florida Marlins prospect Chris Resop, and trading Brendan Donnelly for Boston Red Sox prospect Phil Seibel. J.C. Romero was let go. So it looks like the bullpen will be stronger, with Joe Saunders and Chris Bootcheck other possibilities should Bartolo Colon's return push Saunders out of the rotation.
The Angels signed Gary Matthews, Jr. to a five-year deal to play center field full-time. Some fans blasted the deal, but in comparison to other free-agent contracts signed so far this winter it was actually fairly reasonable. Matthews is unlikely to repeat his anomalous 2006 offense (.313/.371/.495), but he's also likely to be better than Chone Figgins (.267/.336/.376) or Darin Erstad (.221/.279/.326) at the plate and at least as good as Figgins in CF, with many more years of outfield experience.
So that leaves third base. If McPherson can't make it, then Figgins probably plays 3B.
My guess is the Angels would still love to have Miguel Tejada at third base, but when dealing with Baltimore there's always owner Peter Angelos' flakiness, and Tejada has stated publicly he won't play 3B.
Let's not overlook Howie Kendrick replacing Adam Kennedy at second base. Kennedy was arguably the best defensive 2B in the league. Kendrick is probably major-league average defensively right now, but he'll be in the lineup for his bat. In his rookie year, Howie's .284/.314/.416 (.730 OPS) were better than A.K.'s .273/.334/.384 (.718 OPS). Kendrick's career minor league line was .361/.405/.570 (.975 OPS), so it's pretty reasonable to assume he can post at least a .800 OPS over a full 2007.
So let's see … A healthy Kotchman, a full year of Kendrick, a decent year from Matthews and the offense is looking pretty good, at least good enough to significantly improve over the last two years.
Losing Juan Rivera last week to injury last week in Venezuela was significant, but not as much as some might suspect. In his career, Rivera has always been a second-half hitter, and he didn't contribute much in the first-half this year due to injury. The Angels signed free-agent Shea Hillenbrand as insurance, not just as a temporary replacement for Rivera in the lineup but also as "Plan B" for 1B or 3B in case Kotchman or McPherson fall again. Hillenbrand isn't Rivera, but he should be good enough in combination with Kotchman, Kendrick and perhaps McPherson to generate the offense the pitching staff needs to win.
So the next time you read a fan screed or a beat writer allege that Stoneman has "done nothing" this winter, keep the above facts in mind. Much of what he needed to do, he did a long time ago. He knows what kept his team from winning more games this year. It wasn't the offense, it was the defense and the stress that put on his pitching staff. The bullpen has been upgraded, Stoneman protected his deep starting rotation, he protected his young hitting prospects, and he added a couple veteran bats in Matthews and Hillenbrand.
Can the Angels reverse that one game a month? You bet.
This article is copyright © 2006 Wordsmith Resources and FutureAngels.com. It may not be used elsewhere without the prior expressed written permission of the author.
6 Comments
Some easy numbers from last year:
1st Half
Runs scored/game – 4.63
2nd Half
Runs scored/game – 4.85
Wow. That's not much of a difference. That's the difference between a .450 team and a .650 team? It sure seems like something's fishy here…
Looking deeper, one discovers the truth:
1st Half:
Runs ALLOWED/game – 4.73
2nd Half:
Runs allowed/game – 4.27
The defense either improved in the second half, or the errors weren't as costly. But THAT was the difference between a .450 team and a .650 team…
Hear him! Hear him! Both Mr. Smith and thetaxman are absolutely correct: defense and pitching are what wins. The Angels were deficient in both due the "fill the gaps" lineup they were forced to employ as long-term injuries to Erstadt, McPherson, Kotchman and for shorter (but lingering) periods Anderson all took a sharp toll on the offense. That's four of nine starters, folks, every night. There were also shorter-term losses of Rivera and Izturis in the first half as important backups that didn't help. Less flashy, but even more importantly, all these guys are well above average fielders and here the team really felt the pain. Thanks to thetaxman for the numbers that show Scioscia's difficulty in moving the pieces and filling out the lineup card in the first half!
Now, about this "Stoneman *****" ****. From the beginning of the Hot Stove period all the rumor mills stated quite clearly that the Angels had no chance at ARamirez, Soriano and CLee, the biggest name bats in free-agency. For whatever personal reasons, they all had their eyes set on playing someplace that did not have Anaeim in the team name. OK, fine, Stoneman made decent offers but it didn't change their minds. So we move to the trade front…
Can somebody tell me a big bat that has been traded recently? If MRamirez or ARod had actually moved we might have some basis for comparison: what did the Angels have that could have satisfied this deal, etc. But neither of these guys were traded because they were never going to be. There is nobody out there, truly available, that should cause Stoneman to give away valuable pitching. Good for him! While we're on this subject how is it that Vince Coletti gets Exec of the Year when he had so many holes all he had to do was sign any free agent out there to fill the roster yet Stoneman gets nothing but criticism? Coletti was just lucky, in my estimation, that he had so many holes to fill and so many average free agents available. The only two trades that I can think of that he made have had mixed results, at best. The biggest power bat in the minors, Joel Guzman, went in the useless trade with Tampa Bay for Julio Lugo and what are the Dodgers desperate for now? Power. They sent Willy Aybar to Atlanta for Wilson Betemit and now they are tossing around several names to play third and none of them seem to be Betemit while Aybar may be the Braves starting second baseman. Argh!!
Please, Mr. Stoneman, keep the pitching and let the kids play this season, health permitting. Anyone notice that, even with all the strikeouts, McPherson hit more home runs per at bat than Rivera or even Guerrero? To me, the worst thing to happen was Rivera's injury in winter ball. Not only is he in his prime year (28 years old) but it caused the signing of the cancerous Shea Hillenbrand, on a path to play with as many teams in his career as Jose Guillen will. My hope is that the kids do so well he can be traded about the same time he starts crying about playing time.
Can't wait for spring training!
Good for you to have the guts to laud Stoneman.
Ain't easy amid the mass hysteria.
The GM will prove brilliant keeping Santana, a future Cy Young winner, and McPherson, a guaranteed All-Star third baseman — as I mention here:
Wow, Steven, still making the same silly arguments about the Angels' offense not being a problem? How comes it they were outscored by ten of the 14 American League teams?
Try blaming *that* on the team's gloves…
Yeah, I see "rim"'s point about the offense. That extra 69 runs the Rangers scored over the Angels really helped them in the standings. As did the 100+ runs the White Sox and Indians scored over them. Good point, wish I'd thought of it.
I think "our" point is that, sure, improved offense would be nice but you can't gut what wins to get it. Angels games may be close and a little tense most of the time but they sure are fun to watch. The (how can I say this nicely?) "position-challenged" defense we saw last season only makes the games aggravating. C'mon, play GM with us and find us a deal that makes sense.
Hey, Bucky, love The Columnists! Gotta remember to visit there often. Did "Boy" really write for the site? I wanted to be him when I was a kid.
Can't wait for spring training!
Your post is a breath of fresh air…….I agree with all your comments.
I have almost stopped reading the Angels Message boards because of the ridiculous trade proposals mentioned and I now only read a select few, at least the positive posts.
I recently browsed the Baseball America Top 100 Prospects list from the early nineties to present. The Angels had few, if any, players on those lists until about 2000. The team's refocus on player development in the late 90's has certainly paid big dividends, with not only " home grown " talent on the big club, but a highly regarded farm system…..which to me is the key to success for any magor league team nowadays. I recall that period of time just before the Autrys still owned the Angels and prior to the team's sale, the player development budget was slashed to the bone. ( those early 90's teams….ouch . Any way, the farm was pretty thin talent wise.
However, I recall when a 16 year old pitcher was signed, a one Francisco Rodriguez…. and given a $ 900,000 signing bonus. I took notice of this, as I stated before, the Angels were tight with their money, so whoever convinced the front office to part with the bucks to sign this young prospect…….I hope you were rewarded, as all Angels fans were in 2002.
I hope that DMac is given a chance to compete for 3rd base, as I feel this guy has too much power potential and remember everyone, he was voted the Minor League Player of 2004.
As for those who think Gary Mathews was signed for too much money, hey, look at some of the signings around the majors this off season, especially for just average pitchers. Also, Darin Erstad made 8.5 M last year…..don't get me wrong here, I love the guy, but Darin hasn't contributed on the offensive side in the last few years for that money.
I'm glad Stonemen did not " sell " the ranch to get that big stick that a lot of fans want. Also, consider that time Stoneman was with the Montreal Expos in the 90's…..that organization produced a lot of solid players, a good number dispersed throughout MLB.


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|Wetumpka whips Stanhope in final regon game
|Written by News Desk
|Friday, 20 September 2013 10:23
Stanhope Elmore's Bra Moss (27) takes down a Wetumpka ball carrier in a wild first half where 61 points were scored.
Photo: Art Parker
By ART PARKER
In a game almost totally void of defense, the Stanhope Elmore Mustangs were defeated in their final region outing of the season to arch rival Wetumpka 53-41, and lost also any hopes of seeing post season play. For the most part Wetumpka seemed unstoppable and scored on every possession, plus one of the Mustangs possessions, until midway in the fourth quarter.
The two teams traveled up and down the field swapping touchdowns until midway in the second quarter. Neither team could slow the other down. The Mustangs matched the Indians with 3 touchdowns by B.J. Smith, two of which were on the ground and the other on a pass reception from Jaryus Wilson. Wetumpka found the end zone a fourth straight time at 6:46 in the second quarter. And then the Mustangs went in reverse gear. Martel Watson fielded the kickoff and tried to outrun the Indians coverage in two different directions, but his last move allowed the Indians to tackle him inside the Mustangs one yard line. On the first snap of the possession Smith was tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Indians kept to the task and scored another touchdown and kicked a field goal with 12 seconds left in the half to take a commanding lead at intermission of 40-21.
Wetumpka extended its lead right out of the gate in the second half and held its biggest lead of the night at 47-21 with a little less than 8 minutes left in the third quarter. Then, the Mustangs offense came alive once again. On a fourth and goal from the 20 yard line, Wilson scrambled and found Tyler Matthews in the end zone. Wilson then came back and connected with a leaping Mike Brown in the end zone for the 2-point conversion.
Throughout the year the Mustangs have experienced much success with the onsides kick and they were successful in another attempt. Just 5 plays later Wilson threw a 42 yard pass to Jeremy Powers with only 21 seconds left in the third quarter. The Mustangs missed the 2-point effort were back in the game at 47-35.
Wetumpka kept its consecutive scoring drives alive with a long pass of its own and the Indians widened the margin to 53-35 with a barely a minute gone in the fourth quarter.
Matthews almost returned the Indians kickoff for a touchdown but was knocked out of bounds at the 10 yard line. On the next play Powers bulled his way in for the final score of the game and the Mustangs missed the 2-point attempt.
Stanhope now stands at 4-5 for the season with a final home game hosting Central of Phenix City this Friday. Wetumpka stands at 5-4 but has secured a spot in the 6A playoffs.
|Last Updated on Friday, 01 November 2013 12:34
Supreme Court Justice concerned about civics education
By ART PARKER, Editor
A few weeks ago Alabama Supreme Court Justice Jim Main (pictured right) spoke to students at the Jones School of Law at Faulkner University. In addition to reviewing the diversity of the Alabama Supreme Court, Main stressed the importance of civics education in our schools and the importance of promoting civics by the soon to be lawyers.
The Millbrook Independent was purchased last week. Chris Thompson (pictured), owner of Brookside Funeral Home in Millbrook, is the new owner of The Indy. The purchase included the newspaper and its website, www.millbrookindependent.com.
By BRIAN HODGE
In a special called meeting on Monday the Millbrook City Council a...
Photo: Jasmine Farrow (center), a student in the Elmore County Technical School's...
Local LinksThe Millbrook Community Players5720 Main Street, Millbrook, AL 36054The Millbrook Revelers
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In a computer lab in Oesterle Library, elementary education major Kristen Robledo '11 uses an interactive SMART Board to practice a lesson she'll give to first graders the next morning.
The SMART Board is today's high-tech equivalent of the blackboards that older generations might recall from their school days. Each is mounted on walls in front of classrooms, but that's where the similarities end. "Elementary kids think SMART Boards are awesome," Robledo says. "And employers are looking for teachers that can use this technology."
In addition to SMART Boards, North Central students are finding clickers, wikis and other technologies in classrooms across campus, preparing them not for the future, but the present. "Our faculty members are using these technologies in very innovative ways," says Kathy Wilders, assistant vice president for Information Technology Services (ITS). "And these technologies can be adapted to nearly every subject area, from music to math to foreign languages."
The College has made great strides in instructional technology over the past 10 years. In 1999, North Central had one ceiling-mounted data projector and computer, and one mobile data projector that circulated from the library. Today, North Central is one of the few colleges that has installed a computer with a data projection system in every classroom. In addition, at least one SMART Board is located in every academic building on campus.
SMART Boards' touch technology detect user input in the same way as a mouse or keyboard. A projector displays a computer's video output on the whiteboard, which then acts as a large touch screen. The user's finger drags objects around the screen or switches panels. "One of the coolest features is that the lessons on the screen can be saved to a computer and accessed later by the students in the class," explains Wilders.
"SMART Boards are big in the K-12 crowd," says Rebecca Clemente, professor of education. "Our students are expected to know how to use them. We're asking our students to create a SMART Board Notebook as part of their lesson plan."
Educators are also finding that clickers are useful to engage students. Short for Classroom Response Systems (CRS), clickers are devices about the size of a television remote control. The ITS staff recognized an innovative way for faculty to encourage student participation and made clickers available within months.
Students use clickers to answer questions posed by an instructor. Jeffrey Bjorkland, professor of chemistry, sees two main benefits. "First, students have to be thinking about what the instructor is doing because they have to respond," Bjorkland says. "Second, right away the instructor receives a measure of how well students understand the lesson."
With clickers, summaries of student responses can be shown in real time to both instructors and students. Yet students do not need to raise their hands or risk embarrassment for not knowing an answer. "I also use them to give quizzes," Bjorkland says. "With paper quizzes, it takes at least a day to return grades to students. With clickers, students and instructors get immediate results. This saves time and paper."
Advancements in technology also encompass software tools like wikis and blogs, which encourage student collaboration and participation. Steve Macek, associate professor of speech communication, makes extensive use of blogs in his Introduction to New Media class.
"Students are connected to the course blog via an RSS feed," Macek says. "They read other students' blogs and post their own comments. Students come to class expecting to be introduced to new forms of media communication. Half the class is very conversive in this—they're wired. The other 50 percent are terrified of anything you have to plug into the wall."
Adapting the new tools can require a lot of preparation work. SMART Board users can spend up to four hours creating a lesson, and wikis and blogs need to be set up, maintained, read and evaluated. The payoff comes from more academic engagement and collaboration among students.
A wiki is a collaborative community website that allows the perpetual creation and editing of linked web pages. With the help of ITS, Gregory H. Wolf, associate professor of German, started using wikis two years ago as a new pedagogy for language acquisition. He sets up a wiki for each section of his German classes, from 100 through 400 levels, and students write their work on the community site for others to read. Wolf then uses student posts to generate new assignments.
"A wiki allows students to take ownership of the language and to take control of their learning experience," Wolf says. "Students might work collaboratively on the interpretation of a film, upload images associated with that film, and discuss the film in German. I give them very constructive feedback on content and grammar, and students are expected to go back and edit their contributions. The technology makes it practical and convenient."
As a pioneer in these wiki applications, Wolf is a frequent lecturer at conferences about using wikis in higher education and foreign language acquisition. He'll present at conferences in Illinois and Nebraska this spring.
In coming years, the campus is likely to see increased use of mobile devices, like smart phones, tablets that function as miniature versions of SMART Boards and digital Kindle-style readers that make printed textbooks obsolete, Wilders says. "Learning is an individual activity and it's enhanced when students have multiple options for their learning. That's why mobile technology has such promise in education," she explains. "Mobile technology not only enables students to learn and review anywhere, but it can also make possible a new array of interactions in the classroom using new applications. Our goal is to make sure that the College is poised to take advantage of these new developments."
North Central NOW Winter 2010
For more photos from the Winter 2010 North Central Now, visit northcentralcollege.edu/now-album.


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|Khitomer system
|Klingon Empire (2346)
Romulan Star Empire (2369)
Khitomer was an inhabited planet located in the Khitomer system. Khitomer played a vital role in the development of the Klingon-Federation alliance, being the site of the Khitomer Conference of 2293 as well as the victim of a Romulan sneak attack on the planet's Klingon colony in 2346, which, in turn, emphasized the importance of the Klingon-Federation friendship. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; TNG: "The Neutral Zone", "Sins of the Father")
History Edit
In 2293, Khitomer was considered to be a neutral site by both the Federation and the Klingon Empire, and was located near the Romulan border. In that year, the Khitomer Conference was held at Camp Khitomer on the planet. The conference started the first full peace negotiations between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire and gave birth to the Khitomer Accords. Originally, Earth had been selected as a venue, but after Klingon chancellor Gorkon was assassinated on his way to Earth by members of the Khitomer conspiracy, new chancellor Azetbur relocated the conference to Camp Khitomer. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
By 2346, a Klingon colony existed on Khitomer. On stardate 23859.7, the colony fell victim to a Romulan attack. In the attack - which later became known as the Khitomer Massacre - 4,000 colonists were killed, amongst them Mogh and Ja'rod (TNG: "Heart of Glory", "Sins of the Father"). Only two survivors were believed to have been rescued by the USS Intrepid; however, a group of colonists captured by the Romulans were allowed to live and were taken to a prison camp in the Carraya sector, remaining undiscovered until 2369. (TNG: "Birthright, Part I", "Birthright, Part II") An obelisk was erected on Khitomer as a memorial to those killed. (VOY: "Memorial")
As of 2369, Federation maps depicted Khitomer to be within the Romulan Star Empire. (TNG: "Birthright, Part II")
Some time prior to 2375, Admiral William Ross met Chancellor Gowron at Khitomer. (DS9: "When It Rains...")
Khitomer colonists Edit
Appendices Edit
Background informationEdit
The Khitomer hall was represented by the Brandeis-Bardin Institute, located in southern California.
Captain Sulu's comment in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, that the Excelsior had arrived to the Alpha Quadrant but might not make it in time for the conference, suggests Khitomer may have been located back in the Beta Quadrant.
According to the Star Trek: Star Charts (pg. 56), the Khitomer system was located in or near Klingon space, in the Beta Quadrant. This system was a binary star system. Primary was a Class F star with a magnitude of +3, which was ten times brighter than Sol. Secondary was a Class F star. Tertiary was a Class K star.
Apocrypha Edit
The events surrounding the Khitomer Massacre were documented in the The Lost Era novel, The Art of the Impossible.
During the Star Trek: Destiny book Gods of Night, Khitomer is saved from annihilation by the Borg in 2381 by a kamikaze attack by the USS Ranger.
In Star Trek Online, the Klingon Empire reclaims the Khitomer sector in 2382 during the political crisis in the Romulan Star Empire that followed Praetor Shinzon's death. In the mission "Turning Point" the planet is the site of a conference between the Federation, the Klingon Empire, the Romulan Star Empire, and the Romulan Republic.
External link Edit
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
- Khitomer at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works


text:
From: STATE SUPERINTENDENT
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 5:18 PM
To: 'District Superintendents, ROEs, Directors of Special Education'
Subject: Weekly Message from State Superintendent Robert Schiller 9/20/02
Good afternoon. It was great to have the chance to see and meet so many superintendents this week at the Annual Superintendent's conference in Springfield. Those of you who were not there can view excerpts from my remarks by going to Speech Excerpts.
The agenda for the State Board's meeting on Wednesday and Thursday addressed several substantive items with significant impact on local school districts. I have outlined most of them below, but elected to use links to send you to the actual documents rather than try to include them in this message. If you have problems accessing the documents through the links, you might first select a different web browser and try again. If problems persist, contact Public Information at 217/782-4648 for assistance.
In today's message:
§ Research shows teaching Standards yields higher achievement
§ External reviewer says ISAT technically reliable, valid
§ Board defines "highly qualified" teacher, expectations for SES providers
§ Board offers opportunities for feedback on budget, assessment/accountability
§ State Board explores school improvement success stories with new agenda item
§ Board approves Title II Institutional Report Card, fall Waiver Report
Research Shows Teaching Standards Yields Higher Achievement
Students score higher on state tests in schools that are farthest along in implementing the Illinois Learning Standards.
That may appear to be conventional wisdom, but the State Board of Education today received a research study that, for the first time, documents the connection between Standards implementation and student achievement. This may be the first study in the country to document the correlation between standards implementation and test results, powerful information for schools that are trying to improve student achievement.
University of Illinois researchers Lizanne DeStefano and Nona Prestine conducted the research study, "Evaluation of the Implementation of Illinois Learning Standards, Year Four Report." The State Board has commissioned the studies for the last four years to gauge the progress of schools in implementing the Illinois Learning Standards that were adopted in 1997. The entire study is available at Standards Implementation Study.
The researchers found that students in schools with higher overall ILS implementation levels scored higher in grade 3 reading and grades 5 and 8 mathematics. Schools with higher district and school infrastructure supportive of the ILS were found to have greater numbers of students meeting or exceeding Standards in grade 3 reading and grade 5 writing. While greater professional development was found to be associated with lower performance in grade 5 writing, the researchers theorize that schools with lower-scoring students used professional development to try to raise scores.
The evaluation also showed that there is greater belief among local educators that the Standards are "here to stay," and greater buy-in for the concept of standards-led teaching and learning. Local educators particularly emphasized their belief that the ILS provide a means for assuring a more equitable education for all students "by asserting that schools are accountable for certain levels of content mastery for all their students."
Four Effects of Standards Implementation
The most frequently mentioned effect of ILS-implementation efforts was that the Standards have brought a new focus and clarity to school improvement efforts. The report noted that "this focus is critical as it promotes serious systemic alignment, and helps to bring all elements of schooling into a cohesive, comprehensible, connected whole." The researchers also noted that the Illinois Learning Standards have "allowed the focus of improvement efforts to move to instructional issues, rather than the plethora of detractors that can undermine change."
ILS implementation has also brought more meaningful involvement and engagement of teachers' and administrators' work toward the goal of student learning. As teams of educators worked to align curriculum with the ILS, they developed a greater understanding of the "big picture" of student learning and a stronger commitment to shared goals, the reported stated.
Respondents also noted that ILS implementation is associated with a growing acceptance and understanding of standards-based reform. Resistance to the ILS was found to be low among educators with a general acceptance and appreciation of the ILS. Educators also reported that the Illinois Learning Standards provide a means of assuring a more equitable education for all students.
External reviewer says ISAT technically reliable, valid
Earlier this year, the State Board of Education commissioned an independent evaluation of the technical soundness of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). The study, "Independent Assessment of the Technical Characteristics of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT)" performed by John Wick, a professor emeritus of education at Northwestern University. Below is an executive summary of the report, its findings, and recommendations. The entire document, available on line at ISAT Technical Evaluation, will be a resource for the Task Force on Assessment and Accountability that begins its work on September 23.
The audit contained in the report concludes that ISAT is technically sound, meeting the 1999 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing of the American Psychological Association. Specifically:
q ISAT is valid. (The test measures the skills and knowledge it purports to measure.)
q ISAT is reliable. (Similar levels of performance on the test produce consistent scores over time.)
q ISAT equates well. (Scores are comparable from year to year.)
q ISAT is appropriate for all levels of student performance. (It avoids "floor" and "ceiling" effects.)
This report compared ISAT with the widely accepted Stanford Achievement Test, 9th Edition (SAT-9). The validity and reliability of ISAT match or exceed those of the Stanford Achievement Test.
The data produced by ISAT present a potentially rich source of guidance for school administrators and policy-makers. To make this advantage fully available, the reporting and analysis of scores for ISAT should be improved. This report outlines proposals for improvements to ISAT score reporting.
Technical Soundness of ISAT. This report provides an independent audit of the ISAT statistics and psychometrics for the 1999 and 2001 testing. The analysis was based on the original student scanned item-strings. Using the keys, scales, and test booklets provided by ISBE, the data were re-analyzed, from the beginning. Two questions are answered in the first three chapters:
q Are the statistical and psychometric data provided by ISBE accurate?
q Is the quality of the ISAT similar to well-known, norm-referenced, and commercially-available published test?
The answer to both questions is affirmative.
q No marked deviation was found from the data reported in the Technical Manual for 1999 and 2001, as provided by the Illinois State Board of Education, Standards and Assessment Division.
q From the perspective of overall test statistics (mean percent correct, availability of floor and ceiling, overall reliabilities, inter-correlations of tests) and item quality (point biserial correlation coefficients), the ISAT tests must be deemed at least as good, and in places superior to, the SAT-9.
Proposed Improvements to Score Reporting. Appendices A and B analyze how the data are reported back to the schools. Here the conclusions are considerably more critical. The points made in the appendices are:
q The primary scale used by ISBE to report (number of students in each of the four categories Academic Warning, Below Standards, Meets Standards, Exceeds Standards) provides good validity information against the background of the Illinois Standards. Cut points were set for those categories by the extensive studies done in 1998-1999.
q While required by the No Child Left Behind Act, that information is more properly used as diagnostic feedback than as the testing system's primary scale.
q A primary scale—a continuous scale spanning—should be used as well, followed by reporting on the diagnostic categories.
In Appendix B, the usefulness of the state's "standards sets" was reviewed. Reading has six such sets, math has eight, and both science and social science have five. Since these standard sets are inherently highly correlated, suggestions are made for some alternate feedback methods. These feedback systems were based on types of errors students actually make rather than types of items tested.
ISAT Benefits for Policy-Makers. The ISAT data contain a wealth of information potentially useful for Illinois policy-makers. To take advantage of this information, the state should issue each student a unique student ID number.
If the entire IGAP/ISAT data set were used, some very important policy questions could be answered. Here is just the beginning of questions which could be answered:
q What is the impact of changing buildings at each level (versus staying in the same building)? How does this vary over initial performance levels and enrollment?
q What is the impact of changing from a small school to a larger one? From a small to one three times as large? Five times as large?
q What are trends in improvement as a function of building size? Most of these "size" studies have been done on the basis of Status measures. With those two groups (PSAE test takers of 2001 and 2002) having been previously tested in 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th, there is substantial information available to answer this always-vexing school size question.
q What are the performance characteristics of students who move out of Cook County? Are they the "high flyers"? How far do they migrate? What proportion stays in the state?
q Are students who are moving from the southern regions of Illinois going out of state, to the next community, to the state's center, or north of Interstate 80?
Speculation about these issues makes little sense when the data set exists that can provide answers. The data set includes a lot of good information and it should be "mined."
Board defines "highly qualified" teacher, criteria for SES providers
All Illinois teachers – some sooner than most – must meet the definition of a highly qualified teacher approved by the State Board of Education on September 19, as part of its responsibilities in implementing the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
The initial impact is on teachers newly hired this school year to work in programs supported by federal Title I funds. They must meet the definition immediately, while all other existing public school teachers in any of the core curriculum areas would have until the end of 2005-2006 school year to comply. The core areas are English/language arts, mathematics, science, civics, government, economics, history, geography, foreign language and fine arts,
Generally, an Illinois teacher would be "highly qualified" if the individual meets all the certification criteria for early childhood, elementary or secondary or special (or special pre-K through age 21) certificate; and holds the certificate(s), and is teaching in the corresponding subject(s) and grade level(s). Under NCLB, states must establish specific qualifications that are consistent with the federal definition.
There are three notable exceptions to the highly qualified definition – it does not apply to individuals who hold a Type 29 transitional bilingual education certificate; a type 39 substitute teacher certificate; or a provisional Illinois certificate for teachers who are licensed in another state and want to teach in Illinois.
To address the Type 29 issue, ISBE will have to seek legislation to
ü make the Type 29 valid for four years with a possible two-year extension;
ü require persons seeking the certificate to pass the language proficiency and basic skills test;
ü require that, after two years, the individuals must be enrolled in and making progress toward full certification in an approved teacher education program;
ü require the individuals, at the end of four years, to pass the content area test and the new Assessment of Professional Teaching which goes into effect in 2003;
ü allow individuals who fail those tests to continue teaching for an additional two years as long as they are making progress in an approved program.
Individuals who hold the Type 39 Substitute certificate could only be highly qualified if they also hold a valid early childhood, elementary, secondary or special certificate and are teaching in the appropriate grade level(s) and subject matter(s).
To become highly qualified, individuals who are licensed in another state and hold a provisional Illinois certificate must follow current procedures – do whatever necessary to meet the requirements for a comparable Illinois certificate and pass any applicable teaching exams
For the specific details of the highly qualified definition and also new parent notification requirements at
In a separate motion, Board members also adopted criteria for approving Supplemental Educational Services (SES) providers that will serve students in Title I schools that have failed to make adequate yearly progress for three consecutive years.
The criteria will be used to solicit proposals and create a list of approved providers that will that will provide tutoring, before- and after-school programs and other academic support outside the school day to low-performing students. Parents whose children are eligible for SES will use that list to select both the academic services they want for their children and the entity that will provide them.
School districts must notify parents about what supplemental education services are available and who is eligible to provide them, as well as a brief description of the services, qualifications, and demonstrated effectiveness of each provider. Parents should get the information from the district at least annually in a language and format they can understand. After parents choose the services and provider they want, the school district enters into a contract with the provider. Parents must then work with the district and provider to identify specific goals and a timetable for improving student achievement, and how progress will be measured.
During their discussion, Board members raised a concern about the cost of SES programs and the financial burden it might place on districts even though they can use a portion of their Title I dollars to pay for SES. They called for staff to build in some kind of assurance that the cost of the supplemental services will be relatively uniform across the state and, if necessary, even capped to protect school districts from additional financial burdens.
The current timetable calls for the State Board to approve a providers list in November so that SES can begin in early 2003. More information and the final criteria can be found on line at SES Provider Criteria.
Board offers opportunities for feedback on budget, assessment/accountability
The State Board has scheduled public hearings on assessment/accountability and budget recommendations for FY04. The hearing schedules are below.
September 23 – Task Force: Springfield, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Alzina Building, 100 North First Street, Board
Room, 4th floor.
September 24 – Task Force and Budget: Wheaton, DuPage Regional Office of Education, DuPage
Government Complex, 421 North County Farm Road.
Task Force: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. in ROE Library, 2nd floor
Budget: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. in ROE Library, 2nd floor
October 1 – Task Force: Mt. Vernon, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., K-3 Primary Center, 401 North 30th Street.
October 17 – Budget: Collinsville, 1 p.m.- 2 p.m., Collinsville Holiday Inn, 1 Gateway Drive.
October 25 – Budget: Chicago, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m., James R. Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph,
ISBE Conference Room, 14th floor.
State Board explores school improvement success stories with new agenda
Representatives of Quincy School District 172's Irving Elementary School joined in a dialogue with State Board members about successful school improvement strategies they have used to increase student achievement.
A "School District Showcase and Dialogue" will be the regular first item on the Board's monthly meeting agenda. As the State Board addresses the challenge of how best to support local districts so that all Illinois students receive the best education possible, there is no better place to look for ideas and answers than in the communities whose children are learning.
The Board's two-way dialogue with people who have taken significant steps that help students meet and exceed the Illinois Learning Standards allow those local educators to open the door for state level policy discussions about how their methods might be broadly adapted.
Irving Elementary has faced tough challenges in its efforts to improve achievement. The 2001 school report card shows the district with a poverty rate of 84 per cent. According to the school's principal, Carol Frericks, this year's report card will show a rate of 88 per cent. Frericks, who is beginning her fourth year as principal, says staff and administrators have worked diligently for the past three years to reach this level of success: "We based our focus on a systems approach. By that I mean we looked at the families and students needs and began there. Our entire philosophy is based on doing whatever it takes to meet the needs of the kids."
She also attributes the school's success to the fact that their staff development model and school improvement plan are based on a needs assessment approach that is data driven. When she talks about assessment and data she is quick to point out, "I am not just talking about IGAP and ISAT results. We set these kids up for success and every part of the system was engaged. We knew that by the time these kids reached third grade their scores on ISAT were going to be good."
Carol Mickle, the district's Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, adds, "Yes, we have made a tremendous amount of change in three years and we made a lot of tough decisions along the way. We also recognize that without the extra state and federal funding we received through the Reading Excellence Act grant and the Summer Bridges grant, we would not have been able to reach that goal."
Joining Mickle and Frericks for Wednesday's dialogue will be District Superintendent Joe Bocke, District 172 Board President Herb Jackson, and teachers Rose Platt and Christie Dickens, who also serve as Reading Demonstration Coaches who coach teachers in ways to develop and improve reading skills.
In other action, the Board approves Title II Institutional Report Card, fall Waiver Report
Teacher pass rates remain high, certificate waivers up in 2000. Students in Illinois' poorest school districts continue to be taught by a disproportionate number of teachers who have been waived from fully meeting state certification requirements, according to a report to the U.S. Department of Education that covers 2000-2001 school year data.
Illinois' draft 2002 Title II Report Card on Teacher Preparation, a requirement of federal law, shows that the percentage of teachers with provisional and emergency certificates who were teaching in high-poverty schools increased from 5.4% in 1999 to 6.5% in 2000. In non-high-poverty schools, the percentage grew from 1.2% to 1.5% during that same year. For more information, go to Title II Report Card.
State Board forwards fall Waiver Report to legislature
The State Board of Education today forwarded the fall Waiver Report to the General Assembly with 33 requests, including two that the Board recommend be denied and one that would be limited to only two years instead of five. For specific information, click on Waiver Report.
Robert Schiller
State Superintendent
of Education


text:
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"As a cradle Catholic and a mother of seven grown children and four grandsons, I have become more educated about my precious faith through your program and featured guests and apologists than I have ever been."
"Enough, gentlemen, my last word is this: the guillotine seems set up for good. Take me there. An oath against my conscience you will never get from me."


text:
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Price £16
Availability In stock!
Availability In stock!
Learn the basics of carefully recording and unearthing treasures of the past. Was £18.50 now £16
Everything you need with an informative history and 24 page instruction booklet.
This kit includes; metal trowel, small detail brush, pot sherds and PVA glue, stone arrowhead, replica coin and a booklet with guidelines on what to do with historic timelines.
N.B. Instructions in English only.


text:
"Your radio show changed my life. As a result of listening, I converted to Catholicism at 53 years old. I was a very active Protestant my whole life before becoming a Catholic. Keep up the terrific work!"
"The tradition of the Apostles has been made manifest throughout the world, and can be found in every Church by those who wish to know the truth."


text:
View Rule
|View EO 12866 Meetings
|Printer-Friendly Version Download RIN Data in XML
|Publication ID: Spring 2005
|Title: Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drug Review--Sunscreen Products
|Abstract: The OTC drug review establishes conditions under which OTC drugs are considered generally recognized as safe and effective and not misbranded. After a final monograph (i.e. final rule) is issued, only OTC drugs meeting the conditions of the monograph, or having an approved new drug application, may be legally marketed. One action addresses formulation, labeling, and testing requirements for both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation protection, and the other action addresses combination products containing sunscreen and insect repellent ingredients.
|Agency: Department of Health and Human Services(HHS)
|Priority: Routine and Frequent
|RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda
|Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Prerule Stage
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|CFR Citation: 21 CFR 201 21 CFR 310 21 CFR 330 to 358
|Legal Authority: 21 USC 321p 21 USC 351 to 353 21 USC 355 21 USC 360a 21 USC 371a 21 USC 331 21 USC 360 21 USC 371
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|Related RINs: Split from 0910-AA01
Agency Contact:
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Regulatory Counsel, Division of Over-the-Counter Drug Products
Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
HFD-560, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (HFD-560), 5600 Fishers Lane,
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