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I have been wanting to run Age of Worms since it was first published but I have STILL not had the opportunity. Hopefully I will very very soon. When I do run it, I want to do it right.
First off, I will be running it in Golarion using PFRPG, but those a moot points.
The big thing is I want to include the material in Elder Evils/Exemplars of Evil. The points to include that material is pretty straightforward as the ELs dovetail into the adventures without much fuss.
I also really want to include Tomb of Horrors, which if I use the 3.5 conversion that was released free on Wizards.com I can replace Gathering of Winds without much issue. Especially since I gather that is the weakest of the adventures.
I have a copy of the Rod of Seven Parts boxed set for AD&D 2E and I'd really like to allow the party to recover all seven pieces. I'm not really sure how to merge it together though. Rod of Seven Parts isn't a bad series of adventures (I played a 3.0 conversion a while back and have since read the whole thing) but it doesn't seem to mesh with the Age of Worms story at all. I am thinking maybe including pieces of the rod in various treasure loots but that seems too forced. I really want the quest for the rod to intertwine with the fight against Kyuss but be it's own subplot. I want the party to have to earn it instead of handing it to them as they go. I'm not dead-set on using the material in Rod of Seven Parts but that seemed like an obvious starting point.
Does anyone have any suggestions for including or building this subplot?
I'll send you what I got, but it doesn't sound like your ideas will be all that compatible.
There are certain aspects of the AoW which are just all about channeling Old Skool Greyhawk.That doesn't make those elements of the story bad, but it DOES make those elements "all about Greyhawk" -- which does not fit well with Golarion, imo.
Either way, I think the bait and switch on the Rod of Seven Parts elements in AoW was a mistake and Erik Mona and JJ agree. It dilutes the story and distracts the players with plot hooks that go nowhere. Best to excise it and double-down on the Age of Worms: The End is Nigh plot, imo. Add to that and make the AP more about that.
YMMV completely -- and probably does. Which is cool.
Wow, now that is some detail. You obviously have put a lot of thought and work into your conversion. I have read the adventures and related articles several times and started two detailed preparations. One was as a d20 Modern game set during the Great Depression and the other was to my post-apocalyptic steampunk homebrew world before I put it aside and jumped on the Golarion bandwagon. I like what you have done to plug the plot holes and account for some of the missteps in design.
I never played Greyhawk so those parts of the tone were lost on me. What grabbed me was the Lovecraftian elder thing wriggling forth from it's prison to bring doom upon the world, meanwhile spilling forth alien monstrosities. The old-school references I got obviously with Kyuss and Dregotha and the Rod and whatnot, but it never screamed Greyhawk to me. If it had been channeling old-school Dark Sun I might have gotten it.
I thought about placing the campaign just off the edge of the Inner Sea map in a blighted and unholy land where the only religion is that of the Mythos. Magic drives its wielders insane and the only clerics are those of dark and alien gods. As I type this I think perhaps Ustalav would be a better fit, plus it's already been detailed in Rule of Fear removing a lot of design work for me.
I felt the bait and switch with he Rod was weak too. That and the lack of clerics I felt might be paid off/balanced by the intertwining of the Rod quest. I agree with your point about it perhaps distracting from the impending doom tone that made me love Age of Worms to begin with. On the other hand, I liked having another nod for the old school gamers (like myself).
So the question still exists of if or how to include Rod of Seven Parts. You make a very valid reason not to add it on. I wonder if Mishka's plotting could be intertwined to tie it into the story and not dilute the tension. Perhaps she is interested in helping or hindering the coming apocalypse ...
Incidentally, I am no stranger to adventure paths. I have not had the opportunity to run any of the Pathfinder ones but I ran to completion Shackled City a couple years ago and Dragonlance Chronicles in the last days of 2E as well as Transylvania Chronicles for Vampire the Masquerade before the WoD reboot and a lot of other, shorter paths, series and homebrew adventures across several game lines. I have been playing since the late 80s and 99% of that time has been behind the screen.
I am starting the Price of Immortality series for a group next weekend so I likely won't be starting Age of Worms soon. I just wanted to open a forum to discuss including the Elder Evils/Exemplars of Evil and Rod of Seven Parts material.
For fairness and reference sake, I chose to include the Elder/Exemplars stuff between the chapters as follows:
1. The Whispering Cairn [1-2]
- Worm that Walks 1 [3]
2. The Three Faces of Evil [3-4]
3. Encounter at Blackwall Keep [5-6]
- Worm that Walks 2 [6]
4. The Hall of Harsh Reflections [7-8]
- Worm that Walks 3 [9]
5. The Champion's Belt [9-10]
6. A Gathering of Winds [11-12]
- Worm that Walks 4 [12]
7. The Spire of Long Shadows [13-14]
- Worm that Walks 5 [15]
8. The Prince of Redhand [15-16]
9. The Library of Last Resort [17]
- Worm that Walks 6 [18]
10. Kings of the Rift [18]
11. Into the Wormcrawl Fissure [19]
12. Dawn of a New Age [20]
The final confrontation from The Worm That Walks will become the end of Dawn of a New Age. In case it's not obvious, the numbers to the right are suggested levels.
I've sent out my conversion notes for running AoW in Golarion pursuant to another request.
As I have mentioned before in a few other posts now, if there is anyone who wants a copy of my Golarion conversion notes, just send me a PM or post in a thread here and I will send them to you. I only ask that they not be discussed publicly right now as my players are frequent visitors to the Paizo Message Boards and I don't want the Age of Worms Re-Rolled spoiled for them.
I've sent out my conversion notes for running AoW in Golarion pursuant to another request.
Steel Wind, as long as you have the document on hand, do you think you could pass it along? From one Andoren brother to another?
I've been chomping at the bit to run this path, Golarion-style, ever since I 1) recovered all my old Dungeons issues from a mystery box in the basement; and 2) discovered the glory of Yhidothrus, Demon Lord of Filed Off Serial Numbers.
I've sent out my conversion notes for running AoW in Golarion pursuant to another request.
It's a pretty great bit of hard work. Kudos to you for the effort and forethought.
I don't want the Age of Worms Re-Rolled spoiled for them.
I also image you would not want the Age of Worms Rick-Rolled spoiled for them either.
Steel_Wind wrote:I've sent out my conversion notes for running AoW in Golarion pursuant to another request.
Steel Wind, as long as you have the document on hand, do you think you could pass it along? From one Andoren brother to another?
I've been chomping at the bit to run this path, Golarion-style, ever since I 1) recovered all my old Dungeons issues from a mystery box in the basement; and 2) discovered the glory of Yhidothrus, Demon Lord of Filed Off Serial Numbers.
Done. It's in your private message box with some reformatting applied to it as the document continues to grow in length and complexity.
I might be all for Rick-rolling Azmyth! But no, I want my AoW Re-rolled unspoiled for my players as much as possible.
If you are looking to run AoW under Pathfinder RPG, I would HIGHLY recommend getting the AoW in PDF format. All of the issues in the Age of worms AP are on sale now and you can get it for about $43.00. As Paizo's PDFs feature fully copy+pasteable and searchable text, you will find this feature alone will assist you IMMEASURABLY in converting stat blocks from 3.5 to PFRPG and otherwise re-working the text.
I have all the old magazine issues too and yes, I have a complete collection of scans of them as well. I STILL bought the official PDFs and I am very, very happy that I did.
I considered buying them but I went through so much work scanning my hard copies and then bookmarking the .pdfs that I'd feel like I should have paid myself $43 for the effort. lol
Also, I just this morning read through the adventure books for Rod of Seven Parts and I agree with you that intertwining them is probably a bad idea. I think removing the rod entirely really is the best idea.
I really hope I get to run the damn campaign this time. I've been drooling over it since it was first being published.


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Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay
|Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in [[{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |6}} {{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |7}} {{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |8}}]]
|As a Peace Corps Volunteers, you will have to adapt to conditions that may be dramatically different than you have ever experienced and modify lifestyle practices that you now take for granted. Even the most basic practices— talking, eating, using the bathroom, and sleeping — may take significantly different forms in the context of the host country. If you successfully adapt and integrate, you will in return be rewarded with a deep understanding of a new culture, the establishment of new and potentially lifelong relationships, and a profound sense of humanity.
| See also:
Living Conditions and Volunteer Lifestyles by Country
Pre-Departure Checklist
For information see Welcomebooks
|[[Image:Flag_of_{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |6}}{{#if:{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |7}}|_{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |7}}|}}{{#if:{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |8}}|_{{#explode:Living conditions and volunteer lifestyles in Paraguay| |8}}|}}.svg|100px|none]]
- 1 Communications
- 2 Housing and Site Location
- 3 Living Allowance and Money Management
- 4 Food and Diet
- 5 Transportation
- 6 Geography and Climate
- 7 Social Activities
- 8 Professionalism, Dress, and Behavior
- 9 Personal Safety
- 10 Rewards and Frustrations
Your mailing address in Paraguay will be:
"Your Name," PCT [for trainee] or PCV [for Volunteer] Cuerpo de Paz 162 Chaco Boreal c/Mcal. López Asunción 1580, Paraguay South America
Compared with mail in many developing countries, mail between the United States and Paraguay is relatively dependable, albeit slow in arriving. Letters normally take two to three weeks to reach Paraguay; surface mail can take months. Packages and other types of correspondence are delayed much longer and may arrive here in a time lapse which frequently varies from several weeks to several months.
As a result of the departure of two major airlines, only regional carriers now serve Paraguay with smaller aircraft, and cargo space for mail is extremely limited. Packages and other types of correspondence are being delayed for weeks and even months at intermediate points, such as Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo, where they await eventual delivery to Paraguay by other means of transport.
All packages from overseas pass through the Paraguayan International Package Center, where postal and customs inspectors determine which packages will be sent directly to the Peace Corps office for distribution and which will be retained for further inspection. Any package—regardless of content, weight, type of packing material, or religious slogans—may be held at the International Package Center (also known as "the package place" or the "package center"). In this case, the Volunteer will receive a notice in his/her mailbox indicating that the package is being retained. PCVs who receive this notification must collect their parcel/s personally; packages must be retrieved within one month of the date on which the notification is prepared.
Another option for sending packages to Paraguay is by courier services such as DHL, FEDEX, and UPS. Although these services are more expensive, packages do arrive here in 3-5 days. Another point in favor is that packages sent through courier services do NOT go through the Paraguay Postal Service. U.S. Express Mail works in the same way.
Packages with a declared value—the value claimed on the green sticker affixed to the package—in excess of $100 are usually sent to customs. If the package is sent to customs, the PCV will be assessed a tax based on the type of merchandise and its declared value. Volunteers whose package/s is/are sent to customs will be advised to this effect. Peace Corps/Paraguay's customs agent will do the leg- and paperwork to process and retrieve the parcel. The Volunteer is responsible for paying any fees and taxes assessed, as well as the customs agent's fees. Note: Packages which arrive through a courier may also be sent to customs.
We recommend that you establish a regular pattern of writing or emailing friends and relatives in the United States, as they may become concerned if they do not hear from you for an extended period of time. You may want to tell them, however, that once Volunteers move to their sites and become more involved in their projects, their correspondence habits often change.
Some Volunteers and their families number their letters in sequence to try to keep track of how many have been sent and received. This is a good way to know whether someone is just too busy to write or if letters are not arriving for some other reason.
Peace Corps regulations prohibit Volunteers from accepting gifts of property, money, or voluntary services directly. Such gifts can cause confusion about the role of the Volunteer, who might be perceived as a facilitator of goods and funding, rather than a person who is working to build a community's capacity to identify local resources. You are not permitted to solicit materials or funds for your community during your first six months at site so that you have time to engage the community in project identification. To ensure that any request for funding or donations is appropriate for your project and your community, you must have prior authorization from your program director and the country director.
The Peace Corps has a mechanism in place for you and the communities you work with to access U.S. private-sector funds. The Peace Corps Partnership Program, administered by the Office of Private Sector Initiatives, can help you obtain financial support from corporations, foundations, civic groups, individuals, faith-based groups, and schools for projects approved by the country director. To learn more about the Partnership Program, call 800-424-8580 (ext. 2170), email email@example.com, or visit [www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.volproj].
International phone service to and from Paraguay is fairly reliable and accessible to most Volunteers. Volunteers are provided with a cellular phone and a basic calling plan. If Volunteers want to increase their minutes and/or upgrade the cellphone model, they must do so with their own living allowance. Although not all areas of the country are accessible by cellphone, most Volunteers are able to call Asunción and to receive international calls with their cellphones. Those who call you on your cellphone from the States must dial the following: 011-595-98x- <your phone number>.
The Peace Corps office, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Asunción, has access to a direct phone line between Asunción and Washington, D.C. This line is mainly for conducting official business with Peace Corps headquarters; however, it is available for Volunteer use after office hours during the week, as well as on weekends and holidays. Volunteers can place direct calls to the Washington area at no charge, while calls to all other areas are billed at the long-distance rate from Washington. Use of this line is on a first-come, first-served basis. To utilize this service, Volunteers must have a calling card.
Computer, Internet, and E-mail Access
Paraguay is hardly at the forefront of the ―e-revolution,‖ but Volunteers increasingly are able to rely on the Internet to communicate with family and friends in the United States. There are several Internet cafes in Asunción, and cafes are opening with increasing frequency even in rural towns. There are also computers with Internet access available for trainee and Volunteer use in the Peace Corps office. Many Volunteers acquire free email accounts and use these computers to send and receive email while they are in Asunción on official business. Trainees and Volunteers also use the library's computers for work-related matters. Trainees and Volunteers are assigned individual user accounts, which enable them to access the computer, Internet, etc.; these accounts are non-transferrable. Please note that use of PC computers is restricted to Volunteers and trainees. The office now has "hotspots" throughout the complex to which PCVs can connect. Volunteers are also able to buy a portable modem for use with their personal laptop. This cost will be deducted from the Volunteers' monthly living stipend. Many Volunteers find that bringing a laptop is useful to them for filling out their trimester reports for Peace Corps, watching movies, and accessing the Internet. However, do keep in mind that there is always the risk that these computers may get lost, stolen or damaged here in Paraguay.
Housing and Site Location
Most Volunteers live and work in rural areas, but more are being assigned to work in urban centers in response to the recent increase in urban migration. The latest census shows that more than half of the population lives in larger towns or cities. Your Volunteer assignment description should indicate whether your project site is likely to be urban or rural. All Volunteers spend some time in Asunción because it is the location of the Peace Corps office, as well as the site of conferences and some in-service trainings.
About 80 percent of Volunteers live in small towns or villages with fewer than 5,000 people, and some of these campo (countryside) sites have fewer than 200 inhabitants. Most (but not all) have electricity, as the country has increased the availability of electricity from 24 percent of Paraguay's 3 million people in 1978 to more than 60 percent of the current population of about 5.8 million. Generally, streets in the campo towns are unpaved, and there is no running water or indoor toilets. Few people in these towns have traveled outside Paraguay, and many have never even been to Asunción. The only people with cars are likely to be the doctor, the priest, and a few businesspeople, government officials, and ranchers. Horses, motorcycles, and oxcarts make up the majority of local traffic, while children play freely alongside roaming cows, pigs, and chickens.
For both rural and urban Volunteers, housing in Paraguay is basic. All Volunteers are required to live with a Paraguayan family during their initial two months of service. Some Volunteers then choose to live alone in one- or two-room wood or brick homes; others choose to live with a Paraguayan family for their entire two years of service. Peace Corps/ Paraguay strongly recommends that Volunteers, especially single women, consider this option. Living with a family not only helps with community integration, but also decreases personal security risks. If you choose to live with a family, the furniture will be adequate and functional, but probably not overly comfortable. If you choose to live on your own, you will likely need to furnish the place yourself.
Volunteers who live in the capital or other large cities will have easier access to services such as running water, electricity, telephones, public transportation, and the Internet. They will also find many of the same shopping and entertainment amenities found in similar-size cities in the United States.
Living Allowance and Money Management
As a Volunteer, you will receive a living allowance that enables you to maintain a modest but safe and adequate lifestyle. While the living allowance is calculated to enable you to live at the same standard as your Paraguayan neighbors, the Peace Corps requires that Volunteer housing meet minimal standards for security and that Volunteers have the resources to maintain a healthy diet and respectable lifestyle. Living allowances are reviewed once a year to ensure that they are sufficient to meet basic needs, and they are adjusted by the Peace Corps if necessary.
You will receive three additional allowances: a monthly vacation allowance (along with two days of vacation for each month of service); a one-time settling-in allowance to cover the initial expenses of furnishing a house or room and purchasing basic supplies; and an allowance set aside by the U.S. government of $275 for each month of service. This readjustment allowance, which is available upon completion of service, permits returning Volunteers to resettle in the United States without undue financial burden.
While Volunteers are expected to live at the same level as the Paraguayans in their communities and are encouraged to make do with the allowances provided by the Peace Corps, some Volunteers bring additional money or credit cards for extraordinary expenses or for travel during vacations. The Peace Corps strongly recommends that cash be held in the form of traveler checks to prevent loss or theft; these checks may be cashed at "MaxiCambios." The ATMs that are increasingly available in Asunción and other large cities accept ATM cards from most U.S. financial institutions, including Citibank. Peace Corps will safeguard traveler's checks for Volunteers in the office. Cash will not be safeguarded, nor will PCVs be able to deposit it into their Peace Corps bank accounts. Volunteers are unable to open personal bank accounts in Paraguay due to local banking rules. Keep this in mind should you decide to bring cash, as Peace Corps/Paraguay strongly discourages Volunteers from bringing large amounts of cash.
Food and Diet
Paraguayans tend to eat more simple meals than people do in the United States. Dietary habits and the lack of agricultural diversity often limit meals to beans, rice, noodles, meat (when available), corn, onions, tomatoes, and manioc. Manioc or mandioca (more commonly known in other countries as yucca or cassava) is the staple food in rural Paraguay and is as ubiquitous at the table as bread is in other countries. Paraguayan food is not spicy and is quite different from Mexican food (for instance, in Paraguay, a tortilla is a kind of fritter). Most Paraguayans are exceptionally generous and will insist on sharing their food, no matter how little they have.
Volunteers who choose to maintain a vegetarian diet are able to do so with varying degrees of difficulty, as it is a challenge not only to find the variety of foods necessary to remain healthy but to get Paraguayans to understand such a decision. A vegetarian diet is much easier to follow if one incorporates eggs and dairy products, and some Volunteers choose to add fish and chicken.
Most Volunteers live in communities served by a simple dirt road, which may or may not be close to a paved road. Inexpensive bus service is available to almost all communities, although heavy rain can unexpectedly close dirt roads to bus traffic for an unpredictable length of time. While a community may not be a great distance from the capital in miles, getting there may involve a trip of several hours because of the condition of unpaved roads. You will receive assistance in identifying alternative forms of transportation (i.e., a private vehicle, taxi, or truck) from your site in the event of an emergency. Volunteers may, upon request, be issued a mountain bicycle and helmet.
Peace Corps/Paraguay, as mandated by Peace Corps/Washington, prohibits Volunteers from driving or riding as a passenger on any two- or three-wheeled motorized vehicle (such as a motorcycle) for any reason. Moreover, Volunteers are not allowed to own or drive private vehicles in Paraguay. These prohibitions are in response to serious safety concerns, and violation of the policy will result in the administrative separation of the Volunteer from Peace Corps service.
Geography and Climate
Unlike more tropical countries, Paraguay does have distinct seasons. Summer (November through March) is long, hot, and humid, with temperatures on occasion reaching as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). Winter (June through mid-September) is short and mild, with periods of cold weather (down to 30 F) and occasional frosts. Because of the high humidity and lack of indoor heating, cold winter days may seem more severe than they actually are. The short spring and autumn seasons usually are mild and balmy.
Because of Paraguay's southern latitudes, the length of daylight also differs according to the season. In the winter, the sun may set by 5 p.m. In October, the country goes on Daylight Savings Time, and by mid-December it is light outside until nearly 8:30 p.m. Paraguayans adjust their social and business calendars according to these differences. In the winter, activities are compressed, and people are in bed by 10 p.m.; however, in the summer, people may not even eat dinner until after 10 p.m. At the same time, activities slow down remarkably during the summer, especially in rural areas, and a long midday siesta divides the workday into early morning and late afternoon periods.
In the eastern part of the country, there is no marked rainy or dry season, and there is apt to be abundant rain throughout the year. Summer rains tend to be short and intense, while winter rains tend to be longer and lighter. There are months with little or no rain and months when it rains nearly every day.
Social Activities
Recreation in smaller towns often centers on the family, with an occasional dance, soccer game, or horse race to attend. In the evening, many families gather with friends for volleyball games. The losers pay for drinks, which might be soft drinks (gaseosas) or beer. People frequently sit in clusters (often limited to one gender or age group) to drink the ubiquitous yerba mate, a common local drink made from the leaves of a shrub native to the region, either cold (tereré) or hot (mate) in the early morning or wintertime. During the hot summer, an important social activity is likely to be bathing in the local stream (arroyo). The electrification of the countryside has increased the popularity of boom boxes, TVs, DVDs, etc. Volunteers often participate in organized groups, such as ecology clubs or youth groups that meet occasionally for selected activities.
In Asunción and larger towns, there is a wider variety of options for social activities, including movie theaters, nightclubs, restaurants, and sporting events. Volunteers usually take advantage of their rare weekends in the capital to see the latest movies and enjoy some night life. Volunteers also have access to the swimming pool at the U.S. Embassy while in Asunción.
Professionalism, Dress, and Behavior
Cleanliness and a neat personal appearance are very important to Paraguayans, as they are for Volunteers who represent the Peace Corps and the United States. You must dress appropriately when meeting with government or other officials. Shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops are inappropriate except around your home or for recreational activities. Whether you work in a school or office setting, in rural or urban Paraguay, proper attire will help establish your professional credibility. It also reflects your respect for the customs and lifestyle of the people with whom you are living and working.
Although affluent Paraguayans in Asunción may be influenced by international trends and fashions, most Paraguayans view shoulder-length hair, dreadlocks, ponytails, tattoos, and earrings on men with suspicion. It is not unusual for a person to be labeled a drogadicto (drug addict) based on appearance alone. Therefore, Volunteers are not permitted to have facial piercings (nose, tongue, and eyebrow). Tattoos for both men and women should remain covered until Volunteers have been at their sites for at least six months and can realistically judge the degree to which these would be accepted by community members. Female Volunteers should always wear bras outside their homes. Male Volunteers with beards must keep them well-trimmed and clean. Nevertheless, we ask that men arrive in Paraguay clean shaven for their official identification photo.
If you do not cut your hair and remove body rings before you arrive in Paraguay, you will be asked to do so before you are placed with a host family during training. Adherence to these rules is considered to be a sign of your motivation and commitment to adapt to your new environment. If you have reservations about this, or if you view this as an unacceptable sacrifice, you should re-evaluate your decision to become a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay. If you decide to conform to the country's norms, you will be amply rewarded by the great adventure and lasting friendships that await you.
Personal Safety
More detailed information about the Peace Corps' approach to safety is contained in the ―Health Care and Safety‖ chapter, but it is an important issue and cannot be overemphasized. As stated in the Volunteer Handbook, becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer entails certain safety risks. Living and traveling in an unfamiliar environment (oftentimes alone), having a limited understanding of local language and culture, and being perceived as well-off are some of the factors that can put a Volunteer at risk. Many Volunteers experience varying degrees of unwanted attention and harassment. Petty thefts and burglaries are not uncommon, and incidents of physical and sexual assault do occur, although most Paraguay Volunteers complete their two years of service without incident. The Peace Corps has established procedures and policies designed to help you reduce your risks and enhance your safety and security. These procedures and policies, in addition to safety training, will be provided once you arrive in Paraguay. Using these tools, you are expected to take responsibility for your safety and well-being.
Each staff member at the Peace Corps is committed to providing Volunteers with the support they need to successfully meet the challenges they will face to have a safe, healthy, and productive service. We encourage Volunteers and families to look at our safety and security information on the Peace Corps website at [www.peacecorps.gov/safety].
Information on these pages gives messages on Volunteer health and Volunteer safety. There is a section titled Safety and Security in Depth. Among topics addressed are the risks of serving as a Volunteer, posts' safety support systems, and emergency planning and communications.
Rewards and Frustrations
Volunteers have a variety of reasons for joining the Peace Corps, but high on the list must be the desire to help others. Most Volunteers bring a high degree of motivation and enthusiasm to their service. These are not lost in serving others, but are necessarily tempered by the process of learning about the daily realities of a different culture. So while Volunteers should not expect to ―change the world,‖ they can look forward to making a tangible impact.
Being a Volunteer requires adjusting to alternative ways of thinking, living, and working. Such adjustments are neither simple nor painless. The people you work with may have strong feelings of pride and nationalism, so your own enthusiasm for change, however well intended, may be misunderstood. You will constantly need to take into consideration the emotions, needs, traditions, institutions, and way of life of the people you work with.
Your satisfaction will come from your commitment to learning and the flexibility you possess to deal with new values and experiences. After living and working with the people of another culture, Volunteers often develop strong ties that are reflected in strong emotions. Intense feelings of desperation, satisfaction, anger, happiness, anxiety, and peace of mind will crop up over and over. These feelings are the heart of the Volunteer experience. But in the end, it is a rare Volunteer who does not feel that the experience was one of the most important in his or her life.

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Dr. Candida Brush is a full professor and holder of the Franklin W. Olin Chair in Entrepreneurship, and serves as the Vice Provost of Global Entrepreneurial Leadership. She is also the Faculty Research Director of the Arthur M. Blank Center for Entrepreneurship. She holds an honorary doctorate in Business and Economics from Jonkoping University, Sweden, and is a visiting adjunct at the Nordlands University Graduate School of Business in Bodo, Norway.
Professor Brush is well known for her pioneering research in women's entrepreneurship. She conducted the first and largest study of women entrepreneurs in the early 1980s, resulting in one of the earliest books on the topic. Her continued research catalyzed studies and dissertations worldwide. With four other researchers she founded the Diana Project, a research consortium investigating women's access to growth capital internationally. With her four co-researchers, she was named the 2007 recipient of the FSF - Swedish Research Foundation International Award for Outstanding Research Contributions in the Field of Entrepreneurship. Prentice Hall-Financial Times published their book, Clearing the Hurdles: Women Building High Growth Businesses (2004). From this research, she co-edited two other books, Growth-Oriented Women Entrepreneurs and their Businesses: A Global Research Perspective in 2006, and Women's Entrepreneurship and Growth Influences: An International Perspective, in 2010.
Dr. Brush's research investigates resource acquisition, strategy and financing of new ventures. She is the author of more than 120 articles published in scholarly journals including Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of Management Learning and Education, Academy of Management Executive, and Annals of Political and Social Science. She is an Editor for Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, and serves on the editorial review boards Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Business Horizons and the International Journal of Female Entrepreneurship. She has written book chapters for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the International Labor Organization (ILO) on women's entrepreneurship and economic development. For her research work, she was recognized in 2007 by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers as a 21st Century Entrepreneurship Scholar.
Professor Brush's research is often featured in noted popular media including the Wall Street Journal, Business Week on Line, the Boston Globe and Inc. She is a regular blogger on Forbes.com, and a frequent adviser to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy on women's entrepreneurship. Professor Brush served on the Board of Directors of the Center for Women's Business Research, and the Executive Committee of Children Without Borders, a clinic in Costa Rica. She is a member of the Boston Harbor Angels investment group and serves on the board of many start-ups, and has coached and advised numerous start-up ventures.
Prior to joining Babson, Professor Brush was an Associate Professor of Strategy and Policy, Founder of the Council for Women's Entrepreneurship and Leadership, and Research Director for the Entrepreneurial Management Institute at Boston University. Professor Brush had early entrepreneurial experience in the airline industry and small business consulting, and co-founded a land development company. She received her DBA from Boston University, an MBA from Boston College, and a BA from the University of Colorado.
Entrepreneurship; New Venture Creation; Women and Entrepreneurship


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West Allis proposes bailout for tax financing districts
Property tax revenue from a tax incremental financing district in West Allis would be used to help bail out two other tax districts which have been hurt by lagging development prospects, under a new city proposal.
Tax financing districts are created to help pay for development of apartments, industrial buildings, offices and other commercial real estate. Typically, a city will borrow money to do road work, buy and clean up blighted properties, and take other steps to encourage new projects. »Read Full Blog Post(6)
State added 4,500 private-sector jobs in December
The Wisconsin economy flashed a positive signal Thursday even as it plods ahead in an excruciatingly slow recovery: As of last month, the unemployment rate registered a four-year low.
According to preliminary estimates from the state Department of Workforce Development, the unemployment rate for December stood at 6.6% while the November unemployment rate was revised to 6.6% from a preliminary 6.7%. »Read Full Article(630)
Associated Banc-Corp 4Q earnings up 13.8%
After finishing strong financially in 2012, Associated Banc-Corp is thinking seriously about making an acquisition this year.
The Green Bay parent company of Associated Bank - the biggest bank based in Wisconsin - on Thursday reported a nearly 14% rise in fourth-quarter profits and a 51% jump in earnings for the year as lending increased and delinquent loans decreased. »Read Full Article(1)
Steve Booth to succeed Paul Purcell as CEO at Robert W. Baird
Steve Booth, who has been an executive with Robert W. Baird & Co. for nearly 20 years, has been named as the successor to top executive Paul E. Purcell.
Booth has also been promoted to chief operating officer, a job he will do while continuing as director of investment banking and co-head of Baird's equity capital markets business, Purcell told Baird employees in a letter Thursday afternoon. »Read Full Article
Wisconsin Energy increases dividend 13%
Wisconsin Energy Corp. (WEC) raised its dividend 13% Thursday and announced a policy that could pave the way for more dividend increases in the next several years.
In recent years, the Milwaukee-based parent company of We Energies has been moving to bring its dividends in line with its peers in the utility sector. Dividends were cut more than a decade ago to help raise money to finance construction of new power plants. »Read Full Blog Post(15)
Pawn America to open first Milwaukee-area store
Second-hand retailer Pawn America said it plans to open its first Milwaukee-area store Feb. 1 in West Allis.
The store will be located at 7530 W. Lincoln Ave. in the former Moline Jewelry & Loan location. Pawn America said the space has been renovated "from top to bottom, inside and out" to look like a big-box retail store. »Read Full Blog Post(15)
Delicately Delicious to make Valentine appearance at Bayshore
The Cedarburg dessert bakery Delicately Delicious said it plans to open up a Valentine's pop-up shop at Bayshore Town Center in Glendale from Jan. 31 to Feb. 14.
The temporary shop, located in the mall's rotunda, will feature an extensive cupcake menu. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Madison biotech company to create master stem cell banks
Calling it a critical step toward making human stem cell-based therapies, Cellular Dynamics International Inc. said Thursday it is planning to make master stem cell banks from five individual donors.
The Madison provider of stem cells for drug testing calls itself the world's only industrial maker of human induced pluripotent stem cells and tissue cells. The company reprograms human skin or blood cells to pluripotent stem cells, the most powerful type that can be grown into any of the more than 200 cells in the body. »Read Full Article
Fewer homeowners 'underwater' on mortgages
The number of metro Milwaukee homeowners who were "underwater" on their mortgages fell slightly between the second and third quarters as of 2012, a report released Thursday says.
The business research firm CoreLogic said 20.1%, or 54,265, of all metro area residential properties with a mortgage were in negative equity - meaning borrowers owed more on their mortgage than their home is worth - when third quarter ended. That compared with 20.5% in the second quarter of the year. »Read Full Article(3)
State certifies 5 start-ups for investment tax credits
Five start-ups have been certified for early stage business investment tax credits by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
With the certification, the companies' financial backers will be eligible for a 25% tax credit on the amount they invest in the company. »Read Full Article(2)
American Transmission plans $81 million Kenosha-Walworth power line
Open houses are planned for this month for a new power line project in southeastern Wisconsin that would cost nearly $81 million.
Pewaukee-based American Transmission Co. is proposing a roughly 25-mile power line in Walworth and Kenosha counties, and has scheduled open houses this month to discuss potential locations for the power line and a new substation. »Read Full Blog Post(1)
Kathy Hospice now providing home hospice care
Kathy Hospice at Froedtert Health St. Joseph's Hospital just outside West Bend said it is now providing end-of-life care at patients' homes and residences.
The new service will provide the same services as Kathy Hospice on the St. Joseph's Hospital campus, including nurses and staff available 24 hours a day, Froedtert Health said. It serves patients in Washington County, Menomonee Falls and the Campbellsport area. »Read Full Article
Moraine Park Technical College seeks expansion to meet workforce needs
The Moraine Park Technical College District Board has approved leasing a new college facility in Washington County's Jackson Industrial Park in response to requests from Washington County-area employers for job training in welding, fabrication and other advanced manufacturing trade skills.
The lease agreement must still be approved as substantially completed, and forwarded to the Wisconsin Technical College System Board for review and approval after details are finalized. »Read Full Blog Post
West Allis proposes financing to expand Summit Place parking structure
West Allis would provide $2 million to help add more parking spaces at Summit Place business park, under a new city proposal.
The funds would be part of the proposed $3.25 million expansion of a tax incremental financing district at Summit Place, 6737 W. Washington St.. Summit Place was developed by Whitnall Summit Co., led by Richard Carlson, within portions of the former Allis-Chalmers manufacturing complex. »Read Full Blog Post
Waukesha's Safway acquires New York scaffolding firm
Safway Group, based in Waukesha, says it has acquired a New York-based firm whose products include scaffolding used by rental companies.
Safway says the acquisition of Swing Staging Inc. will enhance its presence in the New York metro area and broaden its product offerings. »Read Full Article
Former Wisconsin leaders call for means-testing entitlements
Madison -- Former GOP congressman Scott Klug and former Democratic Gov. Tony Earl both called Thursday for putting means tests on programs like Social Security and Medicare to help shrink the national debt.
The two men heading up the Wisconsin effort for the Campaign to Fix the Debt also expressed frustration that the recent deal to avert the fiscal cliff didn't include more comprehensive measures to lower the debt. They said members of Wisconsin's congressional delegation from both parties need to hear from constituents that more significant steps need to be taken. »Read Full Blog Post(250)
Marcus names president of hotels, resorts unit
Milwaukee-based hotel and theater operator Marcus Corp. announced the appointment Thursday of Kirk A. Rose as president of its Marcus Hotels & Resorts division.
Rose has held various positions with Global Hyatt Corp. for nine years, including serving as senior vice president and chief financial officer for six years. For the past three years, he was a partner in Salt Creek Hospitality LLC, a private equity group focused on hospitality real estate that he co-founded with the former president of Global Hyatt. »Read Full Article
Garden Homes Development gets historic district designation
The city's Garden Homes Development, located in the area bounded by W. Ruby Ave., W. Atkinson Ave., N. Teutonia Ave., N. 24th Place and N. 27th St., has been designated as a local/city historic district.
The city's Common Council approved that designation at its meeting this week. »Read Full Blog Post(1)


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The Arts Garage would like to invite you to join them for an evening with Bluesman Willie Green taught himself how to play the harmonica and the guitar, and 70 years later, he's still wailing on both. Born in the early 1930s in Montgomery, Alabama, his first exposure to blues was when he would hitchhike into town and witness blues greats tearing up local juke joints. He has opened for legends like John Hammond, Jr., Tommy Castro, and Eric Clapton. He was recognized for his contribution to blues by the Florida State Museum of history and heritage along with Bo Diddly and Ray Charles. Now, Willie graces the Arts Garage stage, captivating audiences with his rollicking melodies and heart-gripping beats.
Tickets are $25-35, $5 more at the door
For more infromation please visit www.artsgarage.org


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|You know when you're in trouble when this screenshot gets you excited...
When we last discussed the Tillers Farm reputation grind, I was ferrying the vast family 'o' alts down to Halfhill to begin their lives as market gardeners whilst waiting to be levelled. Yesterday I discovered that I'd reached Honored: not only had Farmer Yoon sent me a packet of complimentary seeds, but as considering a way to make his land more profitable by clearing some of the weeds away...
|This is Gai Lan. You might remember him from the Weed Stomping...
Gai Lan, as you will know if you've done all the Valley quests, is a bit of a whiz with chemistry. Yoon asks you to go see him and enquire if he'll clear the weeds away on the Farm: if you gather 6 Spideroot from his land (watch the bugs) he'll make a fresh batch of weedkiller and come spray it all over your overgrowth. You can watch him do this, but takes 10 minutes and while he does you'll have a debuff:
|I got fed up and went back to questing. City girl, eh?
Once the debuff vanishes and you come back...
|The joy of eight plots, with added irrigation (left)
Not only am I now the proud owner of EIGHT (count them!) plots of soil. I now have IRRIGATION :O As I went into Honored, Gina Mudclaw suddenly had something new to sell me:
|Can't wait for the goats. No really, I can't!
The crate begins a quest, and if you go hand the item over to Yoon he'll happily install it for you (though you will need to go in and out of phase to see it in situ) This effectively frees up a bag space as you can dispose of your watering can. The Pest Controller listed will do the same for the Bug Spray in time... and I can't wait until I get my Plow. I mean, FOUR PLOTS TILLED AT ONCE :O
At this point in my Tillers career, I am beginning to start to take notice of the ten NPC's with whom I can also gain reputation, as all of them clearly has some relevance to my farming career. This means I have to make them like me, and it appears the easiest way to do this is to cook them all meals. There is another way: I became aware of the 'Dark Soil' long before I was even Friendly from Guildies: across The Heartland there are random spawns of said soil, which when actioned may contain a 'Perfect Gift' for one of your NPC mates. I've yet to turn one of these in, but checking on the Internets tells me you'd get 900 rep from the relevant recipient. I know these items also are a possible harvested drop from crops, and that's where I'll look for them for now. I'm too busy doing a bazillion dailies all over the shop to go hunting for piles of dirt :p
Back to the food: it transpires (as my husband discovered this morning) that all 10 NPC's offer a daily food quest: hand over five of their favourite meal and get a rep bump. Even if the relevant character is not visiting the market that day you'll be able to find them in and around the Heartland. Suddenly, all those food ingredients aren't just important for making Banquets...
- Tina Mudclaw eats Fire Spirit Salmon
- Gina Mudclaw eats Swirling Mist Soup
- Haohan Mudclaw eats Charbroiled Tiger Steak
- Chee Chee eats Valley Sir Fry
- Farmer Fung eats Wildfowl Roast
- Jogu the Drunk eats Sauteed Carrots
- Old Hillpaw eats Braised Turtle
- Ella eats Shrimp Dumplings
- Sho eats Eternal Blossom Fish
- Fish Fellreed eats Twin Fish Platter
I am helped, of course, having a huge family of 85's effectively sitting about doing nothing: except of course, they're not any more. Most are installed in the Lazy Turnip, and growing the basic veggies I need: two each are on carrots and scallions (for agility and farming rep, meaning I have a minimum of 40 a day to use) plus another on melons while the others fill in the gaps.
This is where I ask Blizzard, on the off-chance they are reading: Bring on the Cookery Bag!


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Va. officer found dead remembered as a key mentorap photo
Public relations officer Corinne Geller, of the Virginia State Police, speaks during a recent news conference in Waynesboro, Va., regarding the homicide investigation in the death of Kevin Quick, a Waynesboro reserve police captain. A search for the 45-year-old led to the discovery of a body in Goochland County.
RICHMOND, Va. Each time a new reserve officer needed training, Waynesboro police liked to team the rookie up with Kevin Quick. They knew Quick pleasant, unflappable, reliable would set the right example.
People really gravitated to Kevin, Waynesboro police Sgt. Brian Edwards said.
Quick, 45, was found dead last week. Virginia State Police have not said how he died. Their investigation ranged from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where Quick lived to a wooded area a few miles northwest of Richmond, where his body was found Thursday six days after he failed to show up to visit his girlfriend and their 4-month-old daughter. Four people face felony gang participation charges in the case, and two others have been charged with stealing Quicks sport utility vehicle.
We think weve pretty much got the main players, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Tuesday. Additional charges are expected against at least some of those already in custody, she added.
Friends say Quicks warm disposition and devotion to family endeared him to the police force and the community he served for 24 years.
He had such a calm head, Edwards said. You couldnt get him riled up.
Quicks disappearance prompted an outpouring of concern that turned to grief after his body was found. A reward fund that was established early in the search grew to more than $41,000, and a big crowd turned out for a candlelight vigil in Quicks memory Saturday night.
Rodney Soulsby II, who led the reward fundraising effort, said any money that is not doled out to tipsters likely will be placed into a trust fund for Quicks daughter perhaps with the goal of sending her to the University of Virginia. Quick was an avid U.Va. sports fan and dedicated tailgater at Cavaliers football games, friends said.
The outpouring from the community has not been surprising to Quicks friends, including those who worked with him before he was laid off from his management job at the Invista synthetic fiber plant in Waynesboro a few months ago.
I never once in 18 years heard him raise his voice or say anything bad about any other human being, longtime friend and co-worker Chris Harris said. Everybody who ever met him would say the same thing. He was a guy I looked up to and thought, Id be doing good if I could be more like him.
The only complaint he ever heard at work about Quick was that he might have been too nice, Harris said.
Sometimes when youre in management, you have to be tough on people, he said. I think at times Kevin struggled with that.
Tabby Brydge, an administrative assistant at Invista, described Quick as one of her closest male friends. She recalled Quick, who was separated from his wife, sharing his regret that he might not ever become a father and then his joy when he did.
I said, This little girl is going to steal your heart like nobody else. I just wish he had the opportunity to fulfill that dream. Its heartbreaking, she said.
The childs mother and Quicks girlfriend, Yadira Weaver, did not immediately return messages left at her office, and a home phone number could not be located.MORE IN Wire NewsMADISON, Wis. Full StoryKABUL, Afghanistan Afghanistan has fallen so far from Americans consciousness that some may... Full StoryCHARLESTON, S.C. Full Story
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Cricklade House, formerly Cricklade Hotel & Country Club was purchased by Ambienza hotels in August 2010. Standing in over 30 acres of peaceful, secluded grounds on the edge of the Cotswolds, the privately-owned Cricklade House offers a traditional, warm and friendly welcome for those in search of tranquility, comfort, good food and wine, with extensive recreational facilities.
This beautiful and dignified country house, built at the turn of the last century, has been tastefully restored and carefully extended.
Perhaps the most impressive addition is the magnificent Victorian-style glass conservatory which runs the full length of the original building, making the most of the hotel's elevated position, with wonderful panoramic views over Wiltshire countryside.
Cricklade House | Common Hill | Cricklade | Wiltshire | SN6 6HA | Tel. 01793
750751 | Fax. 01793 751767
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Student Residential Housing
When Bluefield State's campus-based student housing program ended in the 1960s, a number of area landlords stepped-in to make houses, apartments, mobile homes and single rooms available to BSC students. The demand for alternative, off-campus housing has grown over the years, to the point that College officials have recognized the need to make available to students contact information for landlords who have provided assurances that their rental properties meet accepted environmental, safety and security standards, and have requested to be listed on the BSC website. Contact information for area landlords who have provided such assurances is reflected below. Current and prospective BSC students who are searching for housing are encouraged to contact landlords through the information provided.
Students are urged to make arrangements for a tour of prospective rental properties, and to ask pertinent questions, prior to signing rental or lease agreements. (Note: Some participating landlords provide statements of assurances for selected properties only. Prospective student renters/lessees are encouraged to request that Property Managers show them only those properties covered by the statement of assurance.) The College assumes no responsibility, other than to list contact information for landlords who have provided the assurances referenced above. The contact listings are not presented in any prioritized order, other than the sequence in which the assurance statements were received by the College.
This link is updated on a continuing basis as appropriate information is received from additional landlords.
The BSC Offices of Student Life coordinate the Program of Alternative, Off-campus Housing for Students; Ms. Joan Buchanan, Coordinator of Student Activities, is the Student Life staff member assigned to oversee the Student Housing Program. She may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or at 304-327-4186.
CURRENT PARTICIPATING LANDLORD CONTACTS (as of August 2, 2016)
Participants are listed in the order of receipt of their approved agreements.
MountainView Student Residence and Conference Center
Bluefield State College Research and Development Corporation
2000 Upper Classman Drive
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: 304-324-3800
Fax: 304-324-3801
Email: email@example.com
Website: www.mountainviewsrc.org
Perry Rental Properties LLC
Robert L. Perry, Property Manager
P.O. Box 958
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: 304-324-5566
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.perryrentalsllc.com
DCI Management, Inc.
2980 Big Laurel Hwy Suite 7B
460 Plaza
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: (304) 323-1996
Email: email@example.com
Rick and Connie Saunders
402 N Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: (304) 325-3369
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Community Action of South Eastern WV
Kennedy Center
525 Bland Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: (304) 325-2023
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: casewv.org
Ridgeview Apartments
Kathryn White, Manager
VA Line, LLC
102 Montvale Avenue
Bluefield, VA 24605
Office: (276) 228-7888
Cell: (276) 620-8621
Fax: (276) 228-7884
Leatherwood Manor/Tinco Leasing Corp.
Frank Tinder
1922 Leatherwood Lane
Bluefield, VA 24605
Telephone: (304) 323-3379
Fax: (304) 327-5824
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Presidential Hall
c/o M & M Uptown Development, LLC
309 Neville St.
Beckley, WV 25801
Kyle McCausland - Owner
Charles Frye - Manager
Telephone: 304-929-4300
Cell. 304-222-3791
Website: www.presidentialhall.com
Mercer County Choppers, LLC
4156 Coal Heritage Rd.
Bluewell, WV 24701
Telephone: 304-589-6222
Cell: 304-952-1408
Fax: 304-589-6223
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.mercercountychoppers.com
Tommy Hicks
2504 Laurel Ford Rd.
Rocky Gap, VA 24366
Telephone: 276-928-0142
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Rental Location: Bluewell, WV
Braveheart Real Estate, Inc.
PO Box 5047
Princeton, WV 24740
Contact person: P.J. Short
Telephone: 304-673-8079
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
McGonagle Properties, LLC
1159 Bland Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: 304-327-6440
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Bolin Investments, LLC
PO Box 1963
Princeton, WV 24740
Telephone: 304-887-1772
Fax: 888-393-3245
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Tremont Park Apartments
400 Tremont Park Circle
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: 304-589-3186
Fax: 304-431-7148
Email: NA
Flair Development, LLC
413 Raleigh Street
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: 804-822-5809
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Hale Manor Apartments
PO Box 2254
Bluefield, WV 24701
Contact person: Mr. Lynn Hale
Telephone: 704-307-8462
Steve Hylton
2124 Cumberland Road
Bluefield, VA 24605
Telephone: 276-322-3179
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Steve and Marilyn Buchanan
1221 Highland Avenue
Bluefield, WV 24701
Telephone: 304-575-1271
Cell: 304-921-0114
JJM Properties. LLC
114 Franklin Avenue
Beckley, WV 25801
Josh Canady/Mike Canady
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Facebook: JJM Properties, LLC
Property Location: 608 Union St., Bluefield, WV 24701
Larry Oliver/Sandra White
Mountain Crest Townhouses
Leo Lane
Bluefield, WV 24701
Phone: 304-327-7441
Cell: 304-920-0457
Web: www.Mountaincrest.Info
Hale Manor Apartments
269 Fellowship Street
Bluewell, WV 24701
Located off Rt. 52 in Bluewell
Contact for showing appointment:
304-960-0709 – Bruce Hicks - local contact
704-307-8462 – Lynn Hale - owner


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Wednesday, September 8, 2010
wordless wednesday: co-sleeping
Linked up at Wordless Wednesday by Hobo Mama.
Posted by Amy Rhime at 7:56 AM
Labels: co-sleeping, Daniel, Jaymz, kitty, wordless wednesday
3 comments:
The top photo is so cute! My cat's a snuggler like that, too. And awww, your son is so cute!ReplyDelete
Please stop by and link up your post when you get a chance!
The cat one is killing me! My cat sleeps on TOP of me, but never snuggled up so cute like that. And your baby is so adorable!ReplyDelete
Thank you! I'm the only female in this house, but at least all my boys like to snuggle.ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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I miss you Cliffy!
3 Comments
Agreed.Cliffy get healthy soon
I really miss you.Anyway I hope the mets pounce the yankees this weekend.We need the wins……..GO METS!!!!
Just a little update on Cliff, He went 0-2 with a walk and a strikeout last night for Brooklyn in the NY-Penn league. I was actually going to go but we got some flash floods out here in Staten Island. I really can't wait for his return,Milledge needs some seasoning in AAA.
Milledge DEFINITELY needs some more practice, especially now that everyone knows how to pitch to him.
Come on, Cliff. Let's get that bat hot and that ankle healthy!!


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"I recently found you through my smartphone and I'm hooked. I find the program very interesting as I try to deepen my faith and knowledge of the Catholic Church. I have a lot of friends who converted to Protestant churches. I will continue to learn every day, and hopefully I can share what I've learned with them."
~ Seri, South Korea
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Subscribe to Catholic Answers Magazine
"I have done my part. May Christ teach you to do yours."
~ St. Francis of Assisi; widely considered the most approachable and "saintliest" of all saints, whose sympathy for all has made him beloved by Christian and non-Christian alike


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Too Late to Run for Governor?
If I'm a Californian, I'm not too excited about the two gubernatorial choices jockeying for my November vote. Jerry Brown? More like Jerry Boring. Meg Whitman? Uh… you invented eBay, Meg, not the actual internet (Al Gore did that), so don't be so proud of yourself.
To be honest, I don't think most Californians even know there's an impending gubernatorial race going on. With so many distractions, like the Kardashians and Alex Smith and The Hills… when does one have time to care about politics?
You needn't worry, California. Your man — though barely known just a few weeks ago — is Cody Ross.
Trust me.
After being fed to the waiver wire in August, Ross was reluctantly picked up by the Giants; his timely bat and quiet confidence has since turned into the bargain of the year.
He banged one out against Derek Lowe to break up a no-hitter in the NLDS.
He banged TWO out against Roy Halladay in Game One of the NLCS.
He banged ANOTHER out against Roy Oswalt in Game Two of the NLCS.
That's a lot of friggin' bangin'…
And for a state that's known to bang, I think Cody Ross should get a shot.
Hate me 'cuz I think outside the box (and occasionally use tired cliches), just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right.
8 Comments
San Francisco Resident + lots of banging = ******* , okay I see how he could run
Sue — Much appreciated. I'll see what I can do with Ross.
Peter — I trust you used a nice word in those asterisks.
You're right about Cody Ross. He should definitely run for something out here. What a hero he turned out to be. A bargain too. But you're wrong about no one caring about the actual election. It's a dog fight (and cat fight), and the TV ads are on every six seconds. Between Brown/ Whitman and Boxer/ Fiorina, it's crazy time.
Jane — Good to know that Californians are aware this time around. I lived there during the Gray Davis days and half of my friends didn't even know who Gray Davis was. Maybe that's more a reflection of my friends rather than my statesmen. Hmm. Cody for Gov!
The General Zod look can help him win big.
i think you should feel bad for us Jeff! The candidates we have to choose from is just…. well I'd understand if people chose not to vote. We have to choose the lesser of two evils. blehhh speaking of that! I have to register to vote! :O
Cody Ross is something else. What a stud! And to think… he was this close to being a rodeo clown😛
Prince — Nice Zod reference to liven things up😉
Mimi — Oh, I feel your pain. No worries there. But I don't envy it. Go register!


text: Nourishing families since 1960, Arrowhead Mills was founded in Texas. What began as a small, local company selling organically-grown corn and wheat, ground into flour with a stone mill, has flourished into a national business with dozens of healthy foods. Today Arrowhead Mills has its own manufacturing departments, labs, warehouse and grain storage facilities. Every product with the Arrowhead Mills label is all-natural and free of chemical pesticides and herbicides. Their variety of cooking, baking mixes and breakfast products includes Organic Popcorn, Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes, Organic Buckwheat Flour and more.


text: Battle of Kwajalein (3) tv-pg Play video Select your TV provider to log in to have full access to videos Select your TV provider See all providers Don't see your TV provider? Learn more You can access this video on the free HISTORY® app. *You must verify your TV provider towatch this video on the App Your Parental Control settings do not allow you to view this content. Battle of Kwajalein (3 min) tv-pg The U.S. invades Kwajalein on January 31, 1944, breaking the outer ring of the Japanese Pacific territory.


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During Syrian Peace Talks, Rival Sides Wage A Media Battle
By Deborah Amos • Jan 24, 2014
Originally published on January 24, 2014 7:29 pm
Friday was the first day of negotiations at the Syrian peace conference. There were no direct talks, however. Instead, international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi shuttled between government and opposition delegations in separate rooms.


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Morning Briefing: 10 Things You Should Know
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Here are 10 things you should know for Tuesday, May 7:
1. -- U.S. stock futures were pointing higher Tuesday, signaling that the S&P 500 would stay near record-high levels.
"While stocks are continuing to advance, the composition of the rally has started to change," Russ Koesterich, global chief investment strategist at New York-based BlackRock, said in a note. He said that large- and mega-cap stocks are now outperforming smaller-caps, "a trend we expect will continue."
2. -- The economic calendar in the U.S. Tuesday includes consumer credit for March at 3 p.m. EDT.
3. -- U.S. stocks on Monday ended mixed.
The S&P 500 added 0.19% to 1,617.50 after the index surged past 1,600 for the first time on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.03% to 14,968.89 while the Nasdaq rose 0.42% to 3,392.97.
4. -- Bank of America
Bank of America will remit to MBIA bonds it purchased through a tender offer that mature in 2034. The bank also will terminate other trades between the two institutions, including credit default swaps it bought from MBIA on commercial mortgage-backed securities. Bank of America also will provide MBIA with a $500 million credit line.
5. -- Microsoft
The tune-up will be released to consumers and businesses later this year.
International Data Corp. said Windows 8 confused customers so much it contributed to a 14% decline in worldwide PC sales during the first three months of the year, the biggest year-over-year drop ever.
6. -- Walt Disney
The media giant announced Monday that it entered a multi-year deal with Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts is expected by analysts on Tuesday to report fiscal fourth-quarter profit of 57 cents a share on sales of $1.03 billion.
7. -- Whole Foods Market
8. -- Zillow


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Winter weather advisory
Gardeners, pressed for space, might want to go vertical
Every new year seems to bring a new fad for the gardener (remember upside-down tomatoes?), and the outstanding one for 2014 is vertical gardening.
This appeals to me because I have no other way to increase my growing space. Santa kindly brought me an Amish-made kit for doing just this, with a finely crafted cedar wood frame with the netting and other necessities. It is designed to be hung on an outside wall and to hold a variety of succulents such as aloe, hens and chicks and sedum.
I just can't wait for spring to get going on this, as well as some other projects.
I have seen some vertical gardening kits made for inside use, but I think they would be messy to maintain and rather time-consuming. They might work well for house plants such as a peace lily or spider plant, but I have enough stuff in the house already to keep me busy.
Succulents are ideal for an outdoor wall container facing south or west. They are fairly drought-tolerant and come in all shades of green with red, white and silver accents. I use a lot of sedum in fairy gardens and am always on the lookout for new varieties. This will be another reason to keep looking.
In addition to succulents, some appropriate plants might be grassy specimens such as mondo grass, liriope or small spreading perennials such as ajuga, Scotch or Irish moss (sagina subulata) or miniature hostas or daylilies.
Some herbs would do well in a vertical planting on a sunny wall with prostrate rosemary, low-growing thyme, chives or the colorful Asian tri-color parsley. These herbs originated in warm Mediterranean climates and do not mind occasional dry spells with warm sun.
Sometimes my mind is way ahead of my abilities when thinking of new projects that involve tools and construction techniques. I can visualize a completed project, but the necessary steps to get there are usually beyond my ability. But, after all, that is why we have grandsons.
This is an example. I would think an old pallet, the more worn the better, would make an excellent large vertical garden. It would be heavy, filled with potting soil, and so would be best leaning against a wall or fence rather than hanging. The bottom would need to be covered with chicken wire stapled all around (I could manage that) and something like landscape fabric on what was originally the top and now becomes the back.
Snipping the mesh in the front to insert the plants should be possible, with a layer of sheet moss under the netting to keep the plants in place. I might just try this if I can find a pallet in the spring.
Come to think of it, I have one in the basement that keeps the Christmas tree out of the regular floods down there.
Any vertical planter would need a couple of weeks flat on the ground before being stood in its final spot in order for the roots to take a good hold, and then watering would be critical, especially in a hot summer.
A natural place for growing in the third dimension is the vegetable garden. Pole beans and cucumbers grow this way, and some varieties of peas, small melons and summer and winter squashes will climb happily with a little encouragement.
It is easy to make a tepee with no tools required from a few bamboo stakes tied together at the top and stuck into the ground. If climbing plants grow too enthusiastically, just nip off the growing tips to encourage branching.
A few inches of mulch is needed under any climber to keep the ground well hydrated for the special needs of plants, with tall stems where the moisture needs time to climb.
Looking outside now at the frozen ground with a light covering of snow looks rather bleak, but new ideas keep popping up, and soon it will be time to actually go out there and get started.
Janet Del Turco is a local gardener and a graduate of the Ohio State University Master Gardener program. Contact her at email@example.com.


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Kid's Open-Up Sofa
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1992 Policy Directives from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).
November 21, 1991
"Provision of Financial Assistance for Post-Secondary Education by State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies."
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December 6, 1991
"Use of Program Income: Payments from Social Security Administration, Insurance Carriers, Workers Compensation, Fees for Services and Income from State Operated Rehabilitation Facilities."
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January 31, 1992
"Requirements for Granting Waivers for Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Under the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended."
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Last Modified: 03/08/2013


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Camden was early, extracted by C-section, and I wasn't allowed to attempt to feed him till nearly 4 days after his arrival.
While I am truly thankful to the nurses of the NICU and consider them a God Send, I feel like something was stolen from me now that Camden won't latch and I'm a SAHM and still have to pump every 3 hours.
He was 6lbs at birth and had respiratory issues which facilitated his stay in the NICU. He was discharged 6 days later with a clean bill of health at 5lbs 10oz and at his first Peds appt a week later, he had surpassed his birth weight by 1.4oz, so he was 6lbs 1.4oz.
We still spend time attempting to latch and feed, but not having any luck. I'm a 'large' breasted woman and am hoping that isn't the problem. I've been in touch with my local LLL Leader and haven't heard back from her. If nothing by tomorrow, I'll go outside my area to the next LLL Leader for help.
I want Camden to reap the benefits of BF. And I want to continue to lose weight and hopefully some of my breast size that came with pregnancy.
I have a number of brochures on BF and the technics and have tried all of them, I've even gotten help while in the NICU from several nurses there, anyone with any helpful tips that worked for you?


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Today in London, for the first time, two people got to sink their teeth into a real beef hamburger that wasn't grown inside a cow. Professor Mark Post of Maastricht University in the Netherlands publicly unveiled his lab-grown burger at a high-profile taste-testing event that was streamed online. A chef prepared the cultured beef patty, and Post let a food writer and a food researcher do the honors.
"The surface of the meat was crunchy—surprisingly," said food researcher Hanni Rutzler. "The taste itself was as juicy as meat can be, but different. It tastes like meat, not a meat-substitute like soya or whatever."
Well, there are some pretty tasty soy—or whatever—burgers, but some people just "have to have" real meat. And that's going to be OK one day, because cultured beef is meat. Post made his by placing stem cells taken from cows into a culture dish and feeding the cells with fetal calf serum to make them grow. He says that one sample of muscle cells taken from a live cow during a biopsy could create up to 20,000 tons of cultured beef.
Besides eliminating the need to slaughter billions of animals every year, growing meat in a laboratory would end clear-cutting of forests for livestock production, conserve vast amounts of water and energy, and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions for meat production by 78 to 96 percent.
PETA has been investing in cultured meat research for the past six years to save animals. The debut of this lab-grown burger is the first important step toward realizing the dream of one day putting environmentally sound, humanely produced real meat into the hands and mouths of the people who insist upon eating animal flesh.
Commenting is closed.
I want lab grown meat for cat food.
I haven't eaten meat for over 12 years now. The idea of eating test tube meat is not appealing in the slightest to me, but I am thrilled about the possibilities this product presents. Animals do not want to be murdered for their flesh and the fact that billions of them are each and every year is simply horrendous. If this product can end the slaughter, then I hope it is available to the public ASAP. People do not need meat to survive. In fact, we are all far healthier without it. It is too bad that so many people care nothing for the suffering and brutality that animals endure; they care only for their stomachs and it shows. Americans especially, are fat, and are getting fatter.
As Sandra I noted, this is great for cat and dog food. You all must feel the same. It is horrible to know that because we love our cats and dogs, we feed them animals that have suffered greatly to be their meals. A heartbreaking contradiction. So the cultured meat is a huge step forward for this purpose.
I will love this technology if someone can explain to me that no cows or fetus' are hurt in the process of obtaining the stem cells and the fetal calf serum. If anyone reading this knows of the process and can explain it to me, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
Not fo me. The taste of the meat would remind me, at least, of the brutality that brought it via the lab onto my tastebuds.However,I am very happy that someday,this will help us to stop killing beautiful, defenseless fellow Earth dwellers like cows, pigs, chickens, and fish. What a great day that will be.
Making progress to a cruelty free world.
Yay — thank yoy, PETA! I will continue to be a vegetarian even after lab grown meat exists, but I will certainly be happy to invest in and/or buy lab grown meat based cat and dog food 🙂
Que notícia maravilhosa! Na Terra há três "forças de vida": a Natureza, os Animais, e a Humanidade. Os humanos vem dizimando os animais, como se tivesse esse direito. Esta tecnologia poderá vir a ser a "tábua de salvação" para muitas espécies de animais. Se o laboratório que está desenvolvendo essa tecnologia, resolver captar recursos na Bolsa de Valores, vai conseguir atrair a atenção e o interesse de muitos e muitos e muitos investidores. Assim, disporá de recursos muito mais do que suficiente para desenvolver essa mesma tecnologia para com outras espécies de animais como os porcos, os frangos, os cavalos o japonês come), os cães são comidos por coreanos e chineses),capivaras, cabritos, perus, etc. Espero que a carne assim elaborada chegue ao mercado o mais breve possível. A saúde humana irá agradecer e muito.
Peta!, keep it up!! <3 Everything you do is so wonderful! The fact that you are providing an Alternative to animal meat is Amazing!!! Thank you!! Now maybe this awful, Terrible killing of cute little Innocent cows will be put to a Halt. This truly is an Unbelievable triumph for all of the Many animals living on this Amazing planet that was made by our Neighbors in the first place. Every little animal is so Very cute and you and I adore them so much!!! Love, your biggest fan
I am so thankful to hear about this breakthrough and also hope that this is something that really takes off. I would certainly never buy animal meat again if I could buy this. I feel dreadful every time I eat any animal product. Thank you PETA for investing in this technology. You guys rock!
Oh, and provided, that the host cow is given enough anesthesia and loads of comfort in the process.
Now this is GOOD NEWS! And I agree with Debra Clinton 🙂
I think this is kind of gross to eat but I guess it's better than senseless slaughtering. Just the whole idea of it makes me think of meat as even more repulsive!
ABSOLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTELY, fantastic for the animals sake. Hope it takes off like lightening. Would make me so happy and cause so much less stress for me, having less animals to worry over.
I cant wait for this to be mainstream, and the norm. I was on the freeway driving yesterday, and was next to a pickup truck with an animal trailer attached. There were probably 20 or more cows in the trailer cuddling together as close as possible-to me it looked to be because they were terrified. The truck itself was extremely loud & I believe that was probably more of what was causing the fear than anything. I couldnt wait to get away from the truck because it was so loud. And the noise that the metal trailer would make over every little bump in the road. That alone has to be so terrifying to them. Then what comes next is even worse. Please make this lab meat a reality very soon. But of course without any chemicals that will be deadly to humans.
This lab grown meat would take lots of heat off the real animals! And that is a very good thing, I say! I don't have a problem with it. Meat is meat whether it's grown on the hoof or in a lab.
finally technology put to good use!!!!
Great, great & one thousand times great!!
Thank you!!
I think that will be a very good replacement for the real meat. that means no more killing, torturing and starving animals to dead. And I hope many People realize that the meat consumption cannot go on like we do it today.Our ressources on the earth are coming to an end.
Thanks god! At last we're starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel!!! Please, who can do it, put that meat on the market as fast as you can! Mercy! mercy for those poor animals!!!
I support lab grown meat to save lives!!!
I have stopped eating meat because of the cruelty that the animals go through and all the garbage that they are forced to eat and the dirty conditions in which meat is processed. I welcome this new way of serving up meat while still protecting the animals and saving our planet.
I think this is amazing and I really hope that it will be eaten by carnavores soon. I think it's discusting to eat an animal
This is WONDERFUL. What a relief it would be to enjoy a hamburger or steak or whatever knowing u haven't caused any suffering FOR ANY LIVING CREATURE. The sooner this becomes MAINSTREAM, THE BETTER !!!
this sounds wonderful, I like hamburgers but thinking of the cow stops me from eating them. This is a great alternative hope it works out.
I'm THRILLED that this technology is making such progress and I hope it gets some serious investors quickly!
I'd like to see this being made into pet foods. As a vegan, it's disheartening to have to buy meat for my cat but I know, unlike humans, she really needs the stuff. I have not found a suitable vegan cat food. It all seems to have grains in them, something cats should not be eating.
I hope to witness lab meat in production before my time on earth is over. I would go with a smile on my face, knowing factory farming was at an end. Thank to hose who are making this a reality.
just a comment :BRAVO!
Fingers crossed, this could be good.
This are great news I saw the moment of the test in the News real in Switzerland, I only hope that it gets fast into manufacture and at an affordable price to convince meat eaters, I am all for it, even if I do not eat meat, I am ready to try it to convince anybody around me!!!
A step forward for humanity
This is simply fantastic. I'm not likely to sample it myself, but it could make a massive difference in the future of animal suffering and death. I knew the future was compassion. Eventually, The idea of killing an animal will almost be on par with killing a human. It may be a hundred years away, but It will happen. The planet will thank us. We will also have more money/land/water to produce not only food for the west but food for starving nations.
Looks like a good idea to me and the planet.
Can't happen soon enough for me. Although the livestock owners won't be pleased. The world will just have to learn to live a different way, and I hope it will teach them more compassion. We will look on as we munch our veggies. Hooray PETA. Keep up the good work till there are no more cows tortured and slaughtered.
That's great. Now we have an answer to save our precious and angel animals, especially from those who say they need meat. That's PETA for being at the forefront on this and to save all animals.
I find this interesting because it would prevent killing animals and cutting down forests to make room for grazing cows. This could be a "positive" invention.
This us a great infant fantastic idea. I Givevit thumbs up and it help saves our precious animals also more to the point I can see this as a real way forward!! Animal rights here we go another leap in the right direction! Great news lets make it a future prospect!
Well done-brilliant and about time!


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The county commissioners court approved the interlocal agreement on Feb. 25 by a 4-1 vote with Precinct 4's Ted Long being the only member voting against the agreement. Paul San Miguel was soon deputized by Constable Michael De La Garza to become the school district's SRO and carry a weapon on the campuses.
On the agenda for Monday's commissioners court meeting is a business item to discuss and possibly rescind the interlocal agreement effective in September. County Judge David Bowman and Precinct 3 commissioner Robert Bailey voted for the agreement on Feb. 25, but have voiced their opposition of the county being a part of providing an SRO for Goliad ISD.
Bowman opened the one-hour meeting by reading a prepared statement.
"While I am in complete agreement that law enforcement presence is necessary, there are differences of opinion on how this can best be accomplished," Bowman said before a stand-room-only crowd in the FUMC Family Building.
Bowman claimed he was misled by Goliad ISD officials while the interlocal agreement was being drawn up.
"When I was approached about the school safety and staffing of personnel to provide a law enforcement presence on campuses, I was told several options had been evaluated, including having a school PD," Bowman said. "I was told a school police department wasn't a viable option because of the proximity of the sheriff's department. I took that information at face value.
"After the commissioner's court approved the agreement, I learned there is no restriction or requirement regarding the proximity of the sheriff's office to the school campuses. Thus, the information provided had been incorrect."
Bowman also said he was told by Goliad ISD officials that creating their own police department would cost "several hundred thousand dollars."
"Again, this information is substantially incorrect," Bowman said.
Bowman handed out a one-page application provided by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) to the audience.
"I contacted a school district similar in size to Goliad that has their own police department," Bowman said. "They have a 15-page policy and procedure manual, so it isn't very complicated to put that together.
"The school district is fully capable of providing their own police department with the number of personnel and equipment they need necessary if they choose to do so. This enables the district to have a full and complete patrol of policies, personnel and facilities. Assistance from the sheriff's department will be available when needed."
Goliad ISD Superintendent Christy Paulsgrove said the TCLEOSE requirements have changed since the schools Bowman contacted began their own police departments.
"You now must fill out this form with a non-refundable fee of $1,000," Paulsgrove said. "The police for such schools as Palacios and Aransas County were grandfathered in. There are no really new police offices that we know of in this area. When you are grandfathered in, 15 pages were fine. I went over this step-by-step with Lynn Beard, who is the sergeant of the State of Texas for TCLEOSE that approves the applications. It's not like it was before."
Paulsgrove said she discussed the necessary steps and costs to create a police department with Beard under the new standards.
"A needs assessment must be completed," Paulsgrove said. "The point we were making about the sheriff's department being in close proximity means that we do have law enforcement that is nearby. You have to show the need for creating another law enforcement agency in your county and your community. Without this approval, the rest of the application is inconsequential."
Paulsgrove said creating a school police department would necessitate increasing the tax rate.
"Also, the same taxpayers who fund the county law enforcement will also have to fund the school district law enforcement. There are many things that we would be repeating over and over again if you have a police department in which we could already use just having an officer who works with our current sheriff's department."
Paulsgrove defended the school district's statement that creating its own police department would cost "hundreds of thousands of dollars."
"Physical resources available will need a memorandum of understanding," Paulsgrove said. "I know the sheriff has agreed to work with us on the police chief, but he's not always going to be there in the office. We need to know we're going to have some sort of understanding and I don't know if he can give that because I don't know if a sheriff can bind another sheriff to an agreement.
"But you have to have a memorandum of understanding in regards to evidence and chain of custody. (Beard) said this is a key factor in having a single police force and being able to prosecute. Also, we need a memorandum of understanding of access and use of the sheriff's office communications system. ... Sergeant Beard stated that without an MOU in place for this service, and I quoted him, 'It would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund your own communications system.' "
Paulsgrove also said fingerprinting equipment, uniforms, firearms and the building of a new facility would also be costly.
"We would look at what it would cost as a cost option to get a surrounding county or city to commission us before we would do a police department," Paulsgrove said. "That would probably be cheaper than a police department. However, when you look at that, it looks bad for our county that we don't even provide safety for our kids."
School board trustee Dick Mollicone asked the county why the school district should create its own police department when the county is responsible for providing public safety.
"If I counted them up lately, the children, the staff, the administrators are all part of our county," Mollicone said. "I believe we need to consider that."
Paulsgrove told the county that the SRO's salary is similar to what maintenance employees in Goliad ISD make. She claimed the position won't cost the county anything.
"We're not even asking for money," Paulsgrove said. "We're paying for the salary, the benefits, the insurance, the uniforms, the gun, the equipment. ... We're just asking the county to carry the commission. ... The county's not paying anything."
"Why would you question the easy way, SRO, versus having to start a whole new police force with tax dollars?" Mollicone asked the county commissioners. "You're going to have to raise taxes. We would need a rollback for that because we're at the maximum right now. You would be forcing the citizens to consider paying the tax rather than y'all making the decision and keeping within the current tax rate.
"It appears to me that there is a double-standard here. We're looking at it from two different slices - one slicing it this way and one slicing it that way and it's coming out of baloney."
Long later disagreed with the school board's stating that the SRO position is not costing the county anything.
"On paper we are," Long said.
"That's the double slice," Mollicone answered Long. "The baloney."
School board member Robert De La Garza said the county is shirking its obligation to provide safety for the Goliad ISD students and staff.
"I'm on the school board and I'm also a taxpayer," De La Garza said. "I know that there are certain jobs the county is supposed to provide. One of those is law enforcement, just like the school district's job is to provide education for our children. I don't think it's much of a choice, really. I think it's an obligation. ... We shouldn't even be here discussing this."
"The commissioning of the officer is already done," Mollicone said. "The sheriff has chosen not to commission an SRO. That's the sheriff's decision. So the sheriff really has no standing in the decision. The only standing is whether the constable can provide certain services under his agreement with the sheriff. Am I correct?"
Mollicone directed the question to Goliad County Sheriff Kirby Brumby sitting nearby. Brumby did not reply.
"Yes? No? I guess no answer is forthcoming," Mallicone said.
Moments later, Long informed Bowman that he would no longer participate in discussion at the meeting.
"Judge, I'm going to make one more comment and that's it," Long said. "I'm through. I will not say another word in this meeting. Every time I have tried to express my opinion, I've been talked over. I'm through with it. I will not say another word."
During public comment, Goliad High School Principal Emilio Vargas III referred to Long's comments.
"Commissioner Long, I think this is the wrong time to be silent," Vargas said.
Vargas said there were no questions from the county commissioners about the former SRO.
"Our sheriff at that time supported the SRO position," Vargas said. "There were no questions from the commissioners court about Joseph Stevens' salary. He did an outstanding job. Joseph Stevens wasn't making $13 or $14 an hour. He was making $18 an hour and not one question came out of commissioners court at that time."
Several others spoke during the public comment portion.
"I hope when we leave here, after this meeting, we all leave together as friends and not split," Emilio Vargas II said.
Former county commissioner Jerry Rodriguez said the county's inability to draw businesses and oil and gas industries will not allow the school district to create its own police department.
"It seems to me like we're trying to re-invent the wheel," Rodriguez said. "It's impossible. How many wells are being drilled in this county? How many businesses are trying to come over? We don't have the tax money, we don't have the base for the school to re-invent the wheel. ... Making a deadline for September is not good. It just divides us more. We don't need that. ... We're a small county. We're too small to be divided. We don't have the resources to do that. We can't compare ourselves to Beeville, Victoria, Refugio or Cuero. They have industries."
Earlier in the meeting, Bailey, who was elected to commissioners court in November, said he was not completely informed when he voted for the agreement in February.
"I saw it Monday morning and was told, 'Here, vote on this,' " Bailey said. "I got a problem with that. It was a very painful learning experience for me."
"That is not our problem," Paulsgrove told Bailey. "I shared it with all my board members. They had it the week before. They had plenty of time to review it. My duty is to give Judge Bowman the information and that's between you all on how you share information."
"The commissioners weren't asked to be involved in the formation of this agreement," Bailey said. "I don't know who all was. I'm not privy to that information. I didn't ask. All I know is I showed up Monday morning and it was on the table and we had to vote on it. I think everybody here is adult enough to know you don't open up an agreement like that and look at it for five or 10 minutes and then vote on it."
"Well, I'm sorry that happened," Paulsgrove said.
"In my opinion, I voted for it when I should have voted against it," Bailey said. "We should have tabled it and been able to look at it to give an honest and not biased opinion and voted. I wasn't given that honor."
Bailey said he was in favor of the school district having an SRO.
"I want you to have five," Bailey said. "Whatever it takes to keep the kids safe, the teachers safe, whatever the case may be. I just have a problem with the liability of it. ... We have no say whatsoever."
Constable De La Garza then stood and shouted from the audience, "I have say!"
Bowman instructed Constable De La Garza to remain quiet.
"This is between these folks up here, right now," Bowman said.
Bowman brought up current litigation and possible litigation between Constable De La Garza and the county during his opening remarks.
"The issues the commissioners court has to consider are 1) that the county is currently in litigation with a former sheriff regarding the SRO position and 2) the Precinct 1 Constable has threatened a lawsuit if the county does not continue the interlocal agreement to its satisfaction," Bowman said.
"Given these facts, it doesn't appear to be viable for the county to continue in this agreement. At the next commissioners court meeting, there will be two items on the agenda regarding the interlocal agreement - first being giving notice the agreement will terminate in September 2013 and the second to consider furnishing a patrol car to the school district."


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Series: Cinema According to Nelson Pereira dos Santos
Date: May 12, 2013 - 07:00 PM
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