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From Social Media to the Sand
|Christian Honer (left) and Dayton Arellano.
Darci Miller, USA Volleyball Communications Intern, Phone: 719-228-6800, Email: email@example.com
USAV Facebook * @USA_Volleyball
USAV Beach High Performance Championships Results/Schedules
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (July 17, 2013) - Growing up in Surprise, Ariz., Christian Honer started playing beach volleyball at a city park near his home. He'd bike there to watch games and hope that someone would invite him to be on their team.
"Sometimes I'd be just sitting there and have to go home because nobody would ask me," Honer said.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, Texas, Dayton Arellano grew up with parents who played beach volleyball and ran a beach volleyball program on the two sand courts in the backyard of their home. His childhood was a revolving door of players who would patiently pepper with him, helping him hone his skills. One of his earliest volleyball memories is attending a professional tournament and peppering with Karch Kiraly.
"I didn't know who he was, and everybody was telling me that he was the best player in the world," Arellano said. "I was just bumping balls with him, just having fun. Peppering with Karch, pink hat and everything."
It seems like a bit of a stretch to believe that these two would eventually form a team. But after only one month of partnership, Honer and Arellano are competing in the U21 division at the 2013 USA Volleyball Beach High Performance Championships [Beach HPC] in Hermosa Beach, Calif.
To make the situation sound even more like it's straight out of a movie, Honer and Arellano met each other on Instagram.
"We both have Instagram and we have thousands of followers," Arellano said. "We met because we have the same amount of followers—"
"And we post volleyball pictures and stuff like that," Honer supplied.
"So we met through Instagram and he actually came out here and we played a tournament together," Arellano continued. "The first time we ever met. We played an open level tournament, which is the top-level tournament, and we did pretty good."
"And then he asked me to be his roommate. And that's how it started," Honer finished.
Though they come from completely different volleyball backgrounds, neither Honer nor Arellano had any interest in pursuing indoor volleyball. Honer played the last indoor season as a setter on a club team, but only because he thought it would help his beach game.
"I fell in love with beach," Honer said. "I don't really enjoy the indoor game as much as I do beach, probably because there's only one other person you have to rely on. In indoor, there's five other people, and it's like—"
"Nobody is as intense as you," Arellano jumped in, "and you have to rely on everybody else to do their part, and sometimes people don't."
"Exactly," Honer said.
"You can control the game out here more," Arellano said. "You get more touches on the ball. It helps your game a lot better."
"Mhm," Honer hummed with a nod.
"And it's just a better environment," Arellano said. "I mean, there's girls on the side just watching, and you're outside in the sun by the beach. You can't beat that!"
"You can't beat that," Honer agreed. "I was a setter so I didn't really get to hit or do any passing or anything. I would just set the whole time. I wish I could play every position!"
Honer gets his wish on the beach and is soaking up every moment in California, where he gets to watch professionals practice several times a week. He and Arellano aren't taking their time here lightly and have set their sights high.
"Our goal for this weekend is to win the [Beach HPC] tournament," Arellano said. "We've had that goal since we met each other. And [we want to] just keep getting better each year, instead of plateauing. Increasing our game, getting smarter."
"This sport is just amazing," Honer said. "I have a lot of goals. I write them down."
"You should've brought them!" Arellano exclaimed.
Honer nodded, disappointed. "I should've brought them."
"Vision board," Arellano supplied.
"Yeah, I need to make something like that," Honer said with a grin.
Honer's ultimate goal is to have the freedom to play beach volleyball, whether professionally or as a hobby.
"I don't know, there's just something about this sport that just keeps me going," he said. "I've tried every other sport, basically – baseball, basketball, golf, everything. I don't know. I've just never had such a passion for anything. Hopefully it doesn't end!"
For match schedules and results, click here.
2013 USAV Beach High Performance Championships
U15 Girls: July 19-21
U17 Girls: July 18-20
U19 Girls: July 19-21
U21 Women: July 17-18
U26 Women: July 17-18
U15 Boys: July 18-20
U17 Boys: July 18-20
U19 Boys: July 19-21
U21 Men: July 17-18
U26 Men: July 17-18


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Miami Heat Chris Bosh Autographed Memorabilia and Collectibles
Chris Bosh is a nine-time NBA All-Star that dominates the league for the Miami Heat and is widely known for his contributing role as a member of the Heat's Big Three. As part of a golden generation of NBA players that were all drafted in the same year and includes the likes of James and Carmelo Anthony, which makes it even more impressive that Bosh was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors.
Always playing as a power forward or center, Chris Bosh got his start in basketball during his High School days. While attending Lincoln High School in Dallas, Bosh showed much promise as a young star and picked up a number of accolades, including player of the year and a first team All-American by a number of organizations. After making noise for leading his high school to the number one ranking in the country and a perfect season for a trip to the USA Today National Championship, Bosh had a ton of top colleges fighting for his signature, but he ultimately opted for Georgia Tech.
During his time playing college basketball, Chris Bosh was a major success at Georgia Tech University and averaged 15.6 points with 9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. After his freshman year, Bosh left the Yellow Jackets to enter the NBA draft in 2003. In a powerful draft class filled with numerous future All-Stars, Bosh joined the NBA and the Toronto Raptors as the fourth pick.
Upon joining the Raptors, Chris Bosh immediately earned a starting position and was forced to play center rather than his preferred position as a power forward. Despite being in an unfamiliar role, Bosh still managed to lead all of the league's rookies that year in both rebounds and blocks. For his rookie season, Bosh recorded an average of 11.5 points per game with 7.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, while playing an average of 33.5 minutes per game. His consistent performances as a new hope for the team led to Bosh being voted to the All-Rookie First Team of the 2003-2004 NBA season.
In the following season, Chris Bosh became the Raptors' leading scorer for the year and was seen as the focal point of the entire team. Bosh's statistics continued to improve and by the 2005-2006 NBA season, he was scoring a remarkable amount of double doubles to earn his first of nine All-Star selections. As Toronto's continuous lead scorer, Chris Bosh carried the squad until he became a free agent in 2010 and ultimately signed with the Miami Heat.
With the Heat, Chris Bosh joined LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to form the Big Three and absolutely dominated the league. With James and Wade by his side, Bosh helped the Miami Heat to win back-to-back NBA Championships in 2012 and 2013. Continuing to impress on a team that is just crammed full of superstars, Bosh was also named an All-Star nine years in a row and won the NBA Shooting Star on two different occasions to accent his gold medal won with the USA at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Courtesy of his role on the Miami Heat, Chris Bosh's profile has risen dramatically and all sports memorabilia signed by the two-time NBA Champion is extremely valuable, as well as highly sought after. Autographed Chris Bosh memorabilia is a representation of the NBA icon's career and commemorates one of the greatest players of his generation. Due to his massive success during his glory days, NBA merchandise with a rare Chris Bosh autograph also makes for a valuable investment for collectors that will consistently acquire worth over time and the perfect addition to any basketball fan's dedicated sports room.
- Autographed Chris Bosh Photos: As a player that has played a crucial role in many unforgettable NBA games en route to earning two NBA Championship rings, Chris Bosh signed photos captures some of the most spectacular sights in basketball history for a lifetime. From images of the All-Star sinking a jump shot to celebrating a Miami Heat victory, the selection of Chris Bosh autographed photos allows fans to take home a piece of the action and collectors to add championship value to their collection.
- Signed Chris Bosh Jerseys: There are few players in Miami Heat history than the Big Three that led the franchise to its greatest years and two consecutive titles, making a Chris Bosh autographed jersey an absolute must-have for any serious NBA collection. Celebrate Miami's two unforgettable championship runs and the big man that helped lead the way by shopping the assortment of Chris Bosh signed jerseys.
- Chris Bosh Autographed Basketballs: The Miami Heat center has produced a career that will go down in NBA lore among the greatest to play the game, so there's no better way to commemorate the sports star than with Chris Bosh signed basketballs. A Chris Bosh autographed ball makes the perfect centerpiece for any sports collection and will continue to acquire worth over the years, especially as a likely future Hall of Famer.

subset: commoncrawl


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Save The Date Magnet | Printable Save The Date | Save The Date Postcard | Funny Save The Date | Wedding Announcement - HANDY
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This save the date postcard listing includes the following printable digital file available in either of these formats:
♥ JPEG Magnet (3 1/2" x 2")- that can be submitted to Vistaprint, Kinko's or your local print shop/business depot to be printed on business card size magnets
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View our entire SAVE THE DATE collection…
1) Please include the following information in the "Notes to Confetti Prints" box during checkout
♥ All of the wording you would like on the card
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2) Within 48 hours of payment and personalization info being received, I will email you a printable digital proof for your approval. The proof will be sent to the email address linked to your Etsy account. Any additional revisions are free.
3) Print your invitations at home, copy center, photo lab, or online printer. They can even simply be used to email to your guests.
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Corcovado, Monteverde, Arenal Volcano, and the Pacuare River
Click on a date to reserve your space
|Trip Length
|11 days/10 nights
|Group Size
|San Jose, Costa Rica
|From $5,495 to $5,895
|If you have questions about this journey or would like to receive a detailed trip brochure, call 800-445-2995 or click here.
Day 1 (San Jose to Osa Peninsula) This morning we catch a short flight to the tiny river town of Palmar Sur, where we board a boat for a two-hour excursion through the largest Pacific mangroves in Costa Rica, filled with birds and wildlife. The boat delivers us to Casa Corcovado, where Steve and Betsy help us focus our thoughtsand binocularson the tropical birds, wildlife, and wonderland around us.
Day 2 (Osa Peninsula, Corcovado NP) Corcovado National Park is one of the most biologically rich places on Earth. Our local naturalist provides a personal introduction to this fascinating environment. With three guides, we wont miss a bird or butterfly! In addition to our planned activities, you have access to horses, bicycles, and snorkeling equipment to enjoy at your leisure. Or use your spare moments to relax on the beach, swing in your hammock, watch the sunset, and enjoy fruit from one of the largest and most varied tropical fruit orchards in the world!
Day 3 (Osa Peninsula, Caño Island ) We catch a boat this morning to Caño Island for a day of snorkeling, beach walking, and relaxing in a true tropical paradise. The ride out to the island brings our best chance of the trip to spot whales and dolphins. We have ample time here to snorkel, relax, and walk the trail to some mysteriously carved small stone spheres.
Day 4 (Osa Peninsula to Monteverde) Relax and take in the scenery on our short but beautiful boat ride along the coast to the airport to catch a flight back to San Jose. From there we drive northwest, up to the breathtaking cloud forest of Monteverde, laden with epiphytes such as mosses, lichens, ferns, bromeliads, and orchids.
Day 5 (Monteverde Cloud Forest) Our local naturalist leads us through the lush Monteverde trails, enhancing our exploration and helping us further understand and connect with this intricate ecosystem.
Day 6 (Santa Elena Reserve) Sitting slightly higher than Monteverde, the lush Santa Elena Reserve holds a diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. Santa Elena is one of the best places in Costa Rica to see (and hear!) the howler monkey.
Day 7 (Arenal Volcano) This is our land-boat-land day! Our first short leg is in four-wheel-drive vehicles down to the shores of Lake Arenal, where we catch the boat. Then, its a half-hour ride in a covered, 22-passenger boat, with great views of the Monteverde mountain range and active Arenal Volcano. On the other side, we resume the 4-wheel-drive to Arenal. This afternoon we drive to Eco Termales Hot Springs for a soak and dinner.
Day 8 (Hanging bridges, waterfall) We head out early this morning for a natural history walk on Arenals famous hanging bridges, with their birds eye view of avian activity. Back on the ground, we hike the steep trail to La Fortuna waterfall. Its about an hours hike each way, and well enjoy plenty of time at the falls to savor our box lunch and take a swim in the pool at the base of the falls.
Day 9 (Pacuare River and jungle lodge) A 4-hour drive through verdant Costa Rican countryside gets us to our river put-in. It will be a short day on the river, just about an hour and a half, but well run through some fun and mellow Class II/III rapids where we can practice our team paddling skills. The Pacuare is located in primordial rainforest and descends through dense vegetation that supports jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, sloths, and many other species. Once at the lodge, youll have the afternoon at your leisure to explore the unspoiled surroundings.
Day 10 (Pacuare River and San Jose ) Wake up to the harmonies of rushing river and tropical bird calls, and get set for todays rambunctious ride on exciting Class III/IV rapids, through yet more spectacular scenery. This is our chance to put those team paddling skills to good use! At the final take-out, you can change into dry clothes before we board the van for the two-hour drive back to San Jose. This evening we celebrate our journey with a lovely dinner.
Day 11 (San Jose for departures home) After such an adventure its hard to leave, but two scheduled transfers to the airport will be available for us this morning.
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UCL Museums & Collections
Location of the museums and collections
How to find us
All of the collections are housed in or around the UCL main campus on Gower Street in Bloomsbury, Central London. Please see the following sections for information on how to get to us.
For opening hours, please visit the individual museum or collection websites.
Use this map to find UCL museums and collections. Click on a place name to see its location and further details.
- Jeremy Bentham Auto-Icon
- Leventis Gallery of Cypriot and Eastern Mediterranean Archaeology
- Geology Collections
View additional maps of UCL and the surrounding area at the UCL Find Us website.
You can also find us on these websites:
UCL is located in the heart of London, and is well serviced by public transport. Find detailed information on reaching us by bus, tube or national rail.
National Express runs frequent services into central London, the closest terminating at Euston Station. See a full list of National Express stops in London.
By car
UCL does not offer any public parking. View information on local parking at the Camden Council website.
Please note that UCL is located within the London Congestion Zone. View further information about congestion charging.
UCL provides good step-free access to facilities across campus.
UCL offers a route finder service which shows accessible routes around the UCL campus.
of the local tube stations provide step-free access from platform to
surface, however Euston Station and Kings Cross - St. Pancras do
provide step-free access for National Rail services, and all London
buses are low-floor accessible.


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Backgrounder #2681 on Education
April 24, 2012
April 24, 2012 | Backgrounder on Education
Abstract: Despite ongoing debates over the adequacy of teacher compensation, the design of merit pay systems, and the structure of pension benefits, there is broad agreement that teacher pay should be designed to recruit—and retain—the highest-quality teachers in a cost-effective manner. Policymakers should avoid across-the-board pay increases, and focus instead on performance pay by easing restrictions on entering the teaching profession and basing tenure decisions on performance in the classroom. Value-added models are helpful in identifying the best teachers, but they should be used cautiously in conjunction with other performance-based measures. Retirement benefits should take the form of 401(k)-style plans to avoid the cost overruns and irrational retirement incentives created by traditional pensions. Finally, policymakers should remember that teacher quality is just one of many factors affecting student achievement.
Policymakers from across the political spectrum want to get teacher pay right. Despite ongoing debates over the adequacy of total compensation, the design of merit pay systems, and the structure of pension benefits, there is broad agreement that pay should be designed to recruit and retain the highest-quality teachers in a cost-effective manner.
With that goal in mind, this paper outlines five rules for reforming teacher compensation drawn from the recent scholarly literature. In brief, (1) policymakers should avoid across-the-board pay increases; (2) policymakers should instead reform pay systems to reward effectiveness; (3) teacher quality should be measured in part through the judicious use of value-added models, in conjunction with administrator evaluations and other performance-based criteria; and (4) teachers should be transitioned away from traditional pensions and toward 401(k)-style retirement plans in order to avoid runaway costs and perverse retirement incentives.
Finally, (5) policymakers should remember that there are no magic bullets in education policy. Reforming teacher compensation will have real and significant benefits, but teaching is only one of many factors that ultimately affect student achievement.
The conventional wisdom in some circles is that the teaching profession is underpaid as a whole, making it impossible to recruit and retain the best teachers. According to this view, an "across-the-board" pay increase—meaning a more generous pay scale that gives every teacher a raise—is necessary to improve teacher quality.
But the teaching profession is not actually underpaid, nor is it an unpopular career choice among college graduates. In fact, total compensation for the average public school teacher is considerably higher than what his or her skills would merit in the private sector. While salaries for teachers are about in line with market levels, retirement and health benefits are much more generous.[1]
In addition, colleges regularly graduate tens of thousands more education majors than there are available teaching jobs.[2] While certain specialized teaching fields sometimes have trouble recruiting applicants, the typical teaching opening attracts dozens of qualified applicants. High rates of teachers quitting their jobs are often lamented, but these rates are no higher than quit rates in professions with similarly skilled workers.[3] And when teachers do leave the profession, they earn slightly less on average in their new jobs, not more.[4]
School districts generally have more than enough money to pay teachers adequately, making across-the-board pay increases unnecessary and a waste of scarce resources. Such increases are also inherently blunt instruments—the least effective teachers would be rewarded as much as the most effective ones. Districts need to use their existing funds more wisely, changing how teacher compensation is distributed. This leads directly to the next rule.
Economists and education scholars have known for decades that the standard resume characteristics—level of education, certifications or licenses, and experience beyond the first few years of teaching—have essentially zero power to predict how much students learn from a given teacher.[5] In other words, a teacher with a doctorate degree, every certification and license available, and 15 years of experience is no more likely to be a high performer than a teacher with a B.A., the minimal certification, and five years of experience.
Nevertheless, most public-school systems set teacher pay based rigidly on exactly those resume characteristics that have little relationship to quality. When a teacher receives a master's degree, he receives a pay raise. When he simply works another year, he receives a pay raise. But when his students consistently learn more than students in other classes, this teacher all too often gets nothing in return.
Measurement of teacher performance has been bolstered in recent years by the emergence of the value-added model (VAM). The idea behind VAMs is that teachers make a distinct contribution (they add value) to their students' learning experience. Capturing that contribution in quantitative terms is challenging. Researchers cannot simply test students after the school year is finished, holding teachers responsible for everything their students learned. After all, students vary in ability and preparation when they come to a teacher's classroom, and those factors will affect how much they learn over the course of the year. A proper VAM uses both pre-tests and post-tests to track student progress with each teacher, attempting to measure not a student's total achievement, but what an individual teacher added to it.
Even the pre-test/post-test model by itself is insufficient, since circumstances outside the classroom—say, an unstable family life—could affect the rate at which students learn during individual school years. For this reason, VAMs also control for as many student demographic factors as possible, usually including race, gender, and family circumstances.
It is important to understand both the benefits and limitations of VAMs established by a large body of past research. VAMs are "noisy" indicators of teacher quality, meaning they contain much random error, but they are far from useless. VAMs add important information about teacher quality, but they should always be used in conjunction with administrator evaluations and other performance-based measures. Despite intense scholarly debates over the issue, large numbers of both VAM enthusiasts and VAM skeptics are likely to agree with this view.[6]
VAMs have reliabilities of roughly 0.4.[7] A "reliability" in this context is the year-to-year correlation between a teacher's VAM scores—in other words, how strongly associated getting a good VAM score is with getting another good score the following year. A reliability of zero would suggest that VAM scores are just random, with nothing interesting to say about teacher effectiveness, while a reliability of 1.0 would indicate a perfect year-to-year relationship.
For comparison, the reliability of SAT scores for individual high school students is around 0.9.[8] Clearly, VAMs are noisy indicators of teacher quality—informative, but far from perfect—which is why scholars emphasize that they be used judiciously.
A natural fear is that VAMs will be fundamentally unfair to good teachers who happen through random chance to get poor ratings, leading some groups to oppose VAMs entirely.[9] But some perspective is necessary here. Pay is already set according to criteria that bear little relationship to teacher quality. VAMs are not just random numbers. They do tell us something worthwhile about teacher quality, and using this information judiciously can make the pay system better.
School districts should be less discriminating in choosing new teachers, but more discriminating in deciding which veteran teachers receive tenure. This approach may seem counter-intuitive, but it logically follows from the fact that resume characteristics cannot predict teacher success. Unlike the standard warning about investment funds, for teachers the best predictor of future results is past performance. Administrators cannot know how effective a potential teacher is until that teacher gets into a classroom. Teachers who show strong performance should quickly move up the pay scale, while those who perform poorly should be let go or denied raises.
But teacher screening is backward, economists Douglas O. Staiger and Jonah Rockoff recently noted in the Journal of Economic Perspectives.[10] Schools erect significant "barriers to entry," meaning they make it difficult for people to acquire the necessary qualifications, such as a teaching license, to even apply for a teaching position. Unfortunately, as described earlier, these qualifications have little impact on teacher performance. The result is that many potentially good teachers choose not to invest the time to overcome the barriers. After artificially limiting the number of teacher applicants with barriers to entry, schools quickly grant young teachers job security and regular pay raises regardless of performance.
Staiger and Rockoff argue that schools should significantly relax entry requirements, but then reserve permanent positions for only the top 20 percent or so who perform best during their tryout period, which could be as short as one year. The natural concern here is that inexperienced teachers will grow to a larger proportion of the overall teacher workforce, but Staiger and Rockoff show through reasonable data simulations that the gains from high tenure standards easily outweigh the costs of greater inexperience.
Implementing their exact model would be difficult—a large and steady stream of potential teachers would be needed to compete each year—but the guidelines espoused by Staiger and Rockoff are exactly right: Make entry to teaching easier but achieving tenure harder.[11]
Most public-school teachers participate in a traditional "defined-benefit" (DB) pension plan, so called because benefits are guaranteed to come in the form of regular, fixed payments at retirement. In contrast, private-sector workers typically have defined-contribution (DC) plans, such as a 401(k). Employers may make regular contributions to workers' DC plans, but no specific amount is guaranteed at retirement.
Generally speaking, DB plans in the public sector are a bad deal for taxpayers. Since benefits accruing to today's workers need not be paid now, states can promise generous benefits without feeling the full fiscal impact for years or even decades. Benefits to workers are guaranteed, meaning taxpayers are ultimately responsible for any shortfalls in their states' pension systems—and there are many shortfalls.[12]
Furthermore, the complex calculations needed to compare the value of DB plans with DC plans makes it nearly impossible for voters to decide whether public-sector benefits are excessive compared to private-sector benefits, with public-sector advocates sometimes citing simplistic data points that confuse the situation even more.[13]
DB pensions are also problematic from the perspective of recruiting and retaining teachers. Economists Robert Costrell and Michael Podgursky have examined how the structure of DB pensions creates incentives that pull teachers into the profession at certain ages and push them out at others, with no accompanying economic rationale.[14]
The incentives exist because teachers do not build up pension wealth smoothly as they progress through their careers. Young teachers accrue very little in benefits, but mid-career teachers around age 50 quickly begin to add very large sums to their pension wealth. After that spike in accruals, pension wealth eventually begins to decrease with more years on the job, as teachers who are still working cannot start collecting benefits until they retire.
These pull-push dynamics add perverse incentives to workers' decisions about whether to enter and when to exit the teaching profession. Young people unsure about a career in teaching are discouraged from giving it a try, knowing that they may want to leave after a few years and have to forgo most or all of their pension benefits. Mid-career teachers tired of teaching may nonetheless stay on in order to reach the age of peak accruals. Finally, teachers of retirement age are pushed to leave the workforce—even if they are good teachers who still enjoy their jobs—lest they pay a large penalty in the form of forgone pension payments.
These incentives cannot be justified from an efficiency perspective. A much better system, such as a 401(k)-style DC plan, would provide retirement benefits to teachers that accrue at a constant rate each year.[15] The system would be neutral toward entry and exit behavior. If school districts do wish to provide incentives for the best teachers to stay in the profession, they should use targeted wage increases, as described in the pay-for-performance section above.[16]
The above recommendations will help to recruit and retain high-quality teachers in a way that is helpful for students and cost-effective for taxpayers. Just as important as the first four recommendations, however, is this fifth. It is easy to fall into the mindset that pulling all the right levers or pushing the right set of buttons will lead to a breakthrough impact, in which below average students are systematically converted to above average ones or the U.S. vaults to the top of the world's school rankings. Education policy does not work that way.
The academic achievement of any given student is greatly affected by his natural intellectual ability, his motivation, the encouragement coming from friends and relatives, the time and resources he has to devote to schoolwork, and a host of other factors. Many of these factors are outside the control of schools, meaning that teacher impact—though significant and important—is still inherently limited.
The widely cited (though still unpublished) working paper by Raj Chetty, John Friedman, and Jonah Rockoff provides a sense of how high-quality teachers can impact long-term student outcomes.[17] After making a compelling case that their measure of teacher quality is largely unbiased, they calculate the long-term benefits to students of having a good teacher in one class in one year. By moving from a teacher at the 50th percentile of quality to one at the 84th percentile (an increase of one standard deviation), the average student can expect to increase his chances of attending college by one half of one percentage point, and to increase his annual earnings at the age of 28 by $182.
These gains could be greater if students took multiple classes with excellent teachers, and the aggregate effects would be a boon for the overall economy. Nevertheless, the effects on individual students seem small. A great teacher can certainly help the average student, but that teacher will not cause the student to become brilliant or rich. Policymakers can and should work to improve teacher quality through pay reform, but always with the understanding that there is no magic bullet for education reform.
Creating a teacher compensation system that rewards the best teachers in a fiscally responsible manner is a broadly shared goal. To that end, policymakers should avoid across-the-board pay increases, focusing instead on performance pay by easing restrictions on entering the teaching profession, and basing tenure decisions on performance in the classroom. Value-added models are helpful in identifying the best teachers, but they should be used cautiously in conjunction with other performance-based measures. Retirement benefits should take the form of 401(k)-style plans to avoid the cost overruns and irrational retirement incentives created by traditional pensions. Finally, policymakers should remember that teacher quality is just one of many factors affecting student achievement.
— Jason Richwine, PhD, is Senior Policy Analyst in Domestic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.
Show references in this report
[1]Jason Richwine and Andrew G. Biggs, "Assessing the Compensation of Public-School Teachers," Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis Report No. 11-03, November 1, 2011, at http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/10/assessing-the-compensation-of-public-school-teachers.
[2]Eric A. Hanushek, "The Economic Value of Higher Teacher Quality," National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 16606, December 2010, p. 1.
[3]Douglas N. Harris and Scott J. Adams, "Understanding the Level and Causes of Teacher Turnover: A Comparison with Other Professions," Economics of Education Review, Vol. 26 (2007), pp. 325–337.
[4]Richwine and Biggs, "Assessing the Compensation of Public-School Teachers," pp. 10–11, and Matthew M. Chingos and Martin R. West, "Do More Effective Teachers Earn More Outside of the Classroom?" Education Finance and Policy, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Winter 2012), pp. 8–43.
[5]A review of the literature dating back to the 1970s indicates little to no effect of resume characteristics. Eric A. Hanushek, "The Economics of Schooling: Production and Efficiency in Public Schools," Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 24, No. 3 (September 1986), pp. 1141–1177, http://web.missouri.edu/~podgurskym/Econ_4345/syl_articles/hanushek_1986_JEL.pdf (accessed April 13, 2012). For a modern study, see: Stephen G. Rivkin, Eric A. Hanushek, and John F. Kain, "Teachers, Schools, and Academic Achievement," Econometrica, Vol. 73, No. 2 (March 2005), http://www.econ.ucsb.edu/~jon/Econ230C/HanushekRivkin.pdf (accessed April 13, 2012).
[6]Indeed, there exists much more common ground between both scholarly camps than is often acknowledged. For example, the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute published a long report detailing the many ways that VAMs could be misleading. But the conclusion of the report states, "While those who evaluate teachers could take student test scores over time into account, they should be fully aware of their limitations, and such scores should be only one element among many considered in teacher profiles." This is not exactly a full-throated denunciation. Richard Rothstein, Helen F. Ladd, and Diane Ravitch, et al., "Problems With the Use of Student Test Scores to Evaluate Teachers," Economic Policy Institute, August 27, 2010, http://www.epi.org/publication/bp278/ (accessed April 13, 2012).
[7]Douglas O. Staiger and Jonah Rockoff, "Searching for Effective Teachers with Imperfect Information," Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 24, No. 3 (September 2010), pp. 97–118.
[8]College Board, "Test Characteristics of the SAT: Reliability, Difficulty Levels, Completion Rates," 2011, p. 1, http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/SAT-Test-Characteristics_of_SAT_2011.pdf (accessed April 13, 2012).
[9]The National Education Association (NEA) held this position until last year, when it endorsed some form of testing, though it is not clear if any of the current VAMs meet its standards. Jason Koebler, "NEA Says Testing May Play Role in Teacher Evaluations," U.S. News, July 6, 2011, http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2011/07/06/nea-says-testing-may-play-role-in-teacher-evaluations (accessed April 13, 2012). The NEA has continued to publish articles that are heavily critical of performance-based assessment. See, for example, John Rosales, "Pay Based on Test Scores?" National Education Association, http://www.nea.org/home/36780.htm (accessed April 13, 2012).
[10]Staiger and Rockoff, "Searching for Effective Teachers with Imperfect Information."
[11]An example of the backwardness of current policy is the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law passed in 2001. NCLB requires states to ensure that all teachers are "highly qualified." One part of the "highly qualified" definition is that all teachers be fully licensed by their states. Licenses, as discussed earlier, are an unnecessary barrier to entry. At the same time, NCLB does not reform teacher tenure rules that allow even the least effective teachers to remain in their jobs.
[12]"By any measure, nearly all state and local pension plans are underfunded." Congressional Budget Office, "The Underfunding of State and Local Pension Plans," Economic and Budget Issue Brief, May 2011, p. 1, http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/120xx/doc12084/05-04-pensions.pdf (accessed April 13, 2012).
[13]Two of the simplistic data points are the average pension payment and the amount that states put into their pension funds each year. Both can be dramatic underestimates of the real value of public pensions. For more, see Jason Richwine, "The Real Cost of Public Pensions," Heritage Foundation Backgrounder (forthcoming).
[14]Robert M. Costrell and Michael Podgursky, "Distribution of Benefits in Teacher Retirement Systems and Their Implications for Mobility," Education Finance and Policy, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Fall 2010), pp. 492–518, http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/EDFP_a_00015 (accessed April 13, 2012).
[15]An alternative model that would satisfy Costrell and Podgursky's concerns is called a cash balance (CB) plan. Essentially a DB plan with some DC attributes, a CB plan presents workers with individual accounts that grow at guaranteed rates of return. Employer contributions to the accounts come from a pension fund maintained in the same way as a regular DB plan. CB plans are highly attractive compared to DB plans, as they can be structured to provide constant accruals that directly link contributions to benefits. Because returns are guaranteed, however, the value of CB plans is still not as transparent as in DC plans.
[16]There are obviously many other issues involved in transitioning to DC plans that cannot be addressed in this short paper. For a good summary, see Scott A. Beaulier, "From Defined Benefit to Defined Contribution," Mercatus Center Working Paper No. 11-37, September 2011, http://mercatus.org/sites/default/files/publication/Defined_contribution_Beaulier_WP1137_0.pdf (accessed April 13, 2012).
[17]Raj Chetty, John N. Friedman, and Jonah E. Rockoff, "The Long-Term Impacts of Teachers:
Teacher Value-Added and Student Outcomes in Adulthood," National Bureau of Economic Analysis Working Paper No. 17699, December 2011, http://obs.rc.fas.harvard.edu/chetty/value_added.pdf (accessed April 13, 2012).


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Many roadies are convinced that Abe Labourel junior is not keeping up the strict vegan diet listed in the drummer's strict contract with McCartney. Many of the roadies have seen double bags of Burger King, KFC, and MCDonald's coming into and out of the 250 pound drummer's dressing room. A roadie confidentially told Macca's club sandwhich "Abe is a big guy with a big appettie - he is like Chris Farley only without the strippers and crack- he just can't control himself".
McCartney was said to have nearly cancelled one of the gigs of the tour in Washington when he saw several whopper and Quarter pounder wrappings in the trash near the drummer's kit. Macca was said to have been nearly in tears when he exploded "The poor cows in South America that are killed...."....He then threatened to walk off the tour until somebody from the tour fessed up. It was only when Paul Wix Wixens told McCartney that J-Lo and Rapper Eve was scheduled to be in the audience that night and wanting to meet the former Fab idol that Macca cheered up and ligthened his mood.


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Since the Snowmaggedon is upon us, here are some icy hot (see what I did there) tunes to get you through the rest of today and into the weekend.
"Cold as Ice" - Foreigner
"Is that from the '83 tour? I saw those guys in the Meadow Lands with Bryan Adams!"
"Trapped Under Ice"- Metallica
Those face-melting guitar riffs will warm you up.
"Ice Cream Paint Job" - Dorrough
Hot rods and hot "iced out" babes... or whatever.
"The Thin Ice" - Pink Floyd
Because I'm sorry for including "Ice Cream Paint Job".
"Ice Ice Baby" - Vanilla Ice
Because no "ice" themed playlist is complete without this gem.
Did I miss any? Be advised: I realize no Ice Cube songs are included... Blasting that shit through my speakers in the office is typically frowned upon. Trust me, I've done it.


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Cramer Quick Take: I Pick Apple Over Google
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Buy shares of Google (GOOG) or Apple (AAPL) ? That's the question on many tech investors' minds.Jim Cramer told Debra Borchardt at TheStreet.com Monday that he's sticking with Apple, a stock he owns for his charitable trust, Action Alerts PLUS.
Cramer said that while both Apple and Google reported disappointing quarters, Google is frankly in a lot businesses that don't make a lot of money. He said the Android operating system doesn't make Google as much as Apple makes from its iOS platform and even in advertising, Google's bread and butter, the transition to mobile has been challenging.
Cramer reminded viewers that Google has a higher multiple than Apple as well, which is why he continues to prefer Apple, which is now well off its highs.
To sign up for Jim Cramer's free Booyah! newsletter, with all of his latest articles and videos, please click here.
-- Written by Scott Rutt in Washington.
To email Scott about this article, click here: Scott Rutt
Follow Scott on Twitter @ScottRutt or get updates on Facebook, ScottRuttDC


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Barry Alan Carlson
Barry Alan Carlson, 57, of 127 Maple St., James-town, died at 10:52 a.m. Monday (April 8, 2013), at his residence.
He was born in Jamestown on Dec. 2, 1955, the son of Barbara Gardner Carlson, Jamestown, and the late Norman Carlson.
Barry was employed with Labors Local 600 and had also worked construction for private contractors.
He loved sports and was passionate for his favorite teams: Dallas Cowboys, Texas Longhorns, L.A. Dodgers and the L.A. Lakers.
He loved children, especially giving them nick-names and he had a special love for Amelia "Meeber or Goober" Dolce and Christian "The Tool or Filegar" Dolce.
He is survived by his wife, Roseann Caruso Carlson, whom he married June 10, 1995, in St. James Catholic Church; a brother, Jeffrey S. Carlson and a sister, Karlene Martella, Texas; two nephews: Jeffrey A. Carlson (whom he loved as a son), Celoron, and Dustin Carlson, Texas; three nieces: Sondra Carlson, Rochester, N.Y., Kristyn Bango, Warren, Pa., and Morgan Carlson, Texas; a great-nephew; two great-nieces; his father and mother-in-law, Jack and Ann Caruso, Jamestown. Several aunts, uncles and cousins also survive.
He was preceded in death by his uncle, Alvin Gustafson.
The funeral service will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Hubert Funeral Home And Cremation Services. The Rev. Darrell G. Duffy, pastor, will officiate.
Friends will be received on Thursday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
You may send a con-dolence to the family by visiting www.hubertfuneralhome.com.


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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (92 votes).
In short: Good race as usual. Greay charity too, well done everyone. Date of review: January 27, 2008
In short: GOOD RACEIn full: THIS IS A VERY GOOD RACE FIRST TIME I HAVE DONE IT AT THIS TIME OF YEAR I USALLAY DO IT IN JULY BUT TODAY I WAS 2 MINS FASTER THEN THEN SO WILL BE BACK IN JULYWELL DONE TO ALL RUNNERS WEATHER FAST OR SLOWMICHAEL TINKER (NUMBER 8)Date of review: January 27, 2008
In short: The starters comedy routine made a dull day brighter. Good stuff.Date of review: January 27, 2008
In short: I try to do this race in January and July. Always a great atmosphere and a good mix of runners.Date of review: January 27, 2008
In short: Quick 10K around the trails south of the riverIn full: This is a pretty fast 10K (28 seconds off my personal best today) with a very familiar route because I train around here pretty regularly. The race was well organised, well marshalled, hardly any bottle necks and a good mix of runners suitable for all standard of runners. It's for charity as well which is a bonus. I would definitely run it again. Date of review: January 27, 2008
In short: Really enjoyed this race and there was good potential for PB's Date of review: February 7, 2007
In short: a good race with fiendly atmosphere, definitely worth teh tripDate of review: February 3, 2007
In short: Delayed start but otherwise, as usual well organised with good supportDate of review: January 29, 2007
In short: Good solid race, no sympathy for late entrants; book early to avoid disapointment. Thoroughly enjoyed it, apart from chaotic start, be back next year. from the Wirral.Date of review: January 28, 2007
In short: Nice course well marshalled In full: Undulating course that was well marshalled. Nice mug. Only critism's/observations( i don't like to be critical to volunteers), could do with more distance signs (struggled to judge pace), could put the year on the mug. otherwise great course, nice event, will be back.Date of review: January 28, 2007
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User Reviews for Binosto
The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.
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Versatility, fast start key for Negaunee in victory
NEGAUNEE – The Negaunee boys basketball team has the look of a college or professional team.
For example, there's the wiry point guard with all the moves, Tyler Jandron; the solidly built, dead-eye shooting forward, Tanner Uren; and the 6-foot-7 low-post center-forward, Brock Weaver.
But these and other Miner players aren't content to just fill their expected roles, and that's part of what makes this team so tough to play against.
On Wednesday night, NHS raced to leads of 10-0, 19-3 and 25-5 en route to an easy 69-42 victory over Ishpeming at Lakeview Memorial Gymnasium in Negaunee.
The Miners, ranked No. 2 in the first Class ABC Upper Peninsula basketball poll released Monday, improved to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the Mid-Peninsula Conference. Ishpeming slipped to 2-2 and 1-2.
"The name of the game nowadays is versatility," Negaunee head coach Mike O'Donnell said. "We've got big guys who can handle the ball and guards who can slash inside.
"And Tanner Uren can do just about anything with a basketball."
Uren led all scorers with 19 points while sharing rebounding honors with seven and adding five steals. A majority of his points, 10, came during the fast start in the first quarter on five 2-pointers.
Jandron, despite getting in some first-half foul trouble, scored 16 points, while Weaver had eight points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots.
The Miners' other starting guard, Eric Lori, added 10 points and nine assists.
"We really played like a team tonight," Weaver said. "We came out really strong at the start for the first time this season. We've had a couple other decent starts to games, but this is the first time we just jumped right into the flow from the very beginning."
Unfortunately, the same wasn't true for the Hematites.
"The first five or so possessions, the ball didn't go in," IHS head coach John Tiziani said. "I applaud our guys for their effort, and I'm very, very happy with how hard they played.
"But it's easy to get a little anxious, a little rushed when things don't start out well.
"Remember, this team (Negaunee) is one of the two best teams in the U.P., along with Marquette."
Ishpeming was shut out for nearly 4 minutes to start the game. The drought ended on a 3-pointer by Derek DeCaire with about 3:40 to go in the first. DeCaire, who had all five Ishpeming points in the opening period, led his team in scoring with 14 points for the night.
Tiziani was also concerned with the huge rebounding edge Negaunee held, 35-20, which only included three or four offensive boards for Ishpeming.
"I know they're taller, but we need 10 or 12 boards on offense, whatever we've got to do to get them," Tiziani said.
As happy as O'Donnell was with his team's opening period, he was not satisfied as Ishpeming held a 13-11 scoring advantage in the second quarter.
"Offensively, we had great movement, got the ball to the open person and knocked our shots down," he said about the first quarter. "But I think we got tired a little bit and we weren't in our rhythm for the rest of the first half.
"Ishpeming also did a better job of attacking and going to the rim instead of settling for perimeter shots in the second quarter."
Though the lead was still a comfortable 36-18 at halftime, Negaunee put the game out of reach with a 14-4 spurt to start the second half to go ahead 50-22 with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
Jandron became the go-to guy under and around the bucket, hitting a short jumper and three layups off his teammates' passes in that stretch.
The Hematites won the JV game, 44-36.
Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 246.


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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (33 votes).
In short: great weather, and great organisationDate of review: March 16, 2011
In full: As you entered the school grounds you noticed the huge number of portaloos, you noticed all the friendly smiling helpers, as you entered the building for registration the wonderful smell of bacon rolls hit you ...only £1.00 each. Then the smiling people on the registration desk.This event has something for everybody, a fun run for the children (the cheering and clapping was so loud...superb), then the 10K, the start of which was followed shortly afterwards by a 5K.Then the off (10K), superbly marsalled, all smilling, lots of marshalls in yellow tabards clapping and cheering you on.Fast and flat all the way.At the end a wonderfully enthusiastic commentator with all names and numbers beside her on an easel so she could encourage you by shouting out your name.Then a medal, apples, grain bars, a bottle of water, then cups of water if you wanted it.In short an event which other events would do well to emulate. If you didn't do it this year definitly do it next year!Finally, I have nothing whatsoever to do with this event, I just like to give praise where it is wholeheartedly deserved.Date of review: March 15, 2011
In short: First organised run I had competed in. Enjoyed the experience and would doit again. Date of review: March 14, 2011
In short: Well organised, great route, definite PB potential and very beginner friendlyIn full: Great weather this year which obviously helps. The prevailing wind direction is for a headwind on the out route for about 4km or so but wind was light this year. Race starts at a school less than 1km from the far western end of the beach promenade (which runs all the way to Sandbanks). From the school it's full road width until a short wide path that drops down to the prom, then it's along the prom until Boscombe pier where you turn back and head in the opposite direction. Slightly different and longer route back off the end of the prom to make up the full 10k. No real problem with 'foot traffic' on the prom and generally easy to pass en route. Marshalling was very good, traffic stopped for all crossings and good facilities provided at start/finish. Please bear in mind it's a 10min walk from the suggested car parks so allow extra time for this or use it as a warm up. Will definitely being doing again next year.Date of review: March 14, 2011
In short: My first 10k race and didn't come last so very pleased. Lovely location and public were all very good and runner aware. Will do again next year for sure as just up the road for me.Date of review: March 13, 2011
Date of review: March 13, 2011
In short: Great race. Excellent organisation.In full: thank-you for the free massage-very generous and welcomeDate of review: March 13, 2011
In short: PB Potential well organised RaceIn full: Worth a go. I had a chest infection and 5 weeks off with shin splints so this one was the first back on track run i have done. In a word Loved It. Windy on the way back but well organised. Didnt really want the bag of advertising and i saw a few medals which i didnt get but the run was great. Will be back next year to try for the PB as we all do. Thanks Guys Put together wellDate of review: March 13, 2010
In short: Lovely early 10K run, although 'bracing' on the way back!In full: A perfect early-season 10K; it was fantastic to run along under the bright blue sky, in the sunshine and be beside the seaside beside the sea (I live in Hertfordshire so big novelty factor for me!)....until we turned round to come back and it was slightly more challenging (I managed to get a PB though!).As other people have said, the prom was quite busy which made an interesting dog/bike/walkers/children obstacle course at times but I preferred that to the agressive motorists you find on road-based 10K's! Well organised for a first-time race but if I had to give 'areas for improvement'...As a stranger to the area a few bright signs pointing out the parking and the way to the start would have been good.I wasn't exactly sure where the finish was until I fell over it so a banner or a few balloons that you could see from a distance would be helpful (so you can time that all-important 'sprint' finish!).Given that the prom was quite busy I wonder whether it would be better to start the race an hour earlier next year? And finally, given the very reasonable entry fee I can't believe some of the complaints about the 'goody bag'! Date of review: March 11, 2010
In short: good race out on the way back wind was very bad! pb potentialIn full: The race was good itself got a pb even with the harsh winds for the last 5k. Goody bag was very poor. The mens one seemed better they got lots more, female just got a rucksack with a towel. Men got bag, mag, crisps, chocolate ect. will do again and try and break my pb even further!Date of review: March 9, 2010
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Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (480 votes).
In short: Tough but brilliantIn full: First marathon and was great experience. Great scenery and atmosphere. Undulating course which was a test but that just increases the satisfaction when you get to a great finish.Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: same as last year , very enjoyableIn full: A good day, rain for the first half of run then fine. Same as last year good run well worth the time to travel to Inverness. Would advice everyone to do this marathon at least once. Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: Absolutely amazing....no Nessie though!In full: What a brilliant experience! 2 days later and I am still on a high. I absolutely loved everything about this race, the start(despite having to get up at the crack of blinking dawn to get there!) What a great atmosphere. The compere was fantastic, the music was great and the pipers were brilliant. The route and scenery - gorgeous; flat/undulating...hmm! Undulating for the first half and in a good way. Lots of downhill sections and the only hill of note was at 5/6 miles and was short. However after 16 miles it was decidedly tougher. A very gradual but noticable incline when running out of Dores (brilliant supporters) and then a real gasper between 19-20 miles. In a shorter run, it wouldn't have been too gruelling but at that distance, it felt like a serious climb. Then the last killer at 21 miles, shorter but it still felt pretty brutal. The hills really brought out the camaradarie amongst us all. Thankfully it was flat and down hill after that but I was really counting down the miles at that point and it was sheer will that got me to the finish. A pretty non-descript mile or so when arriving in Inverness and that loop around the river for the last mile was serious mental torment! However the atmosphere at the finish more than compensated for it. Plentiful fuelling stations, decent goody bag, medal and t shirt (shame it wasn't a technical shirt though) and a good feed at the finish. Even the sun shone! All in all, a must do marathon that I will do again. Loved it!Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: First ever marathon for me was fantastic, great organisation, atmosphere and course! Will be back next year for sure, and would highly encourage others to give this one a go.Date of review: October 5, 2010
Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: Uplifting experienceDate of review: October 5, 2010
In short: an amazing race, great scenery and atmosphere.just a shame i couldnt take advantage on the fast finish due to tough first 13 miles!Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: Pretty well organised, friendly event. Stunning scenary - not a bad way to spend a weekend!In full: Great views over the loch. Watch out for that hill between 18 and 19 miles! Start felt a bit rushed as not enough loos where the coaches dropped us off. Good friendly atmosphere, plenty of support from the marshalls. Great t-shirt, medal and goodie bag. Soup ran out at the post-run meal which was a bit disappointing. All in all, a pretty good event and would definitely consider doing it again.Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: Beautiful scenery, top organisation, friendly atmosphere. A damn fine 26.2 miles!Date of review: October 5, 2010
In short: Fantastic event, very well organised, great fun, amazing scenery, friendly....... My favourite race of the year!In full: Very well organised and my favourite race of the year! Great course, and liked the new start and finish which worked a lot better than previous years. Always a very friendly race and met lots of lovely people. Other race organisers should pay attention to the way things are done at Loch Ness! :)The only slight improvement is that I would have liked the buses to arrive at the start a few minutes earlier!Date of review: October 5, 2010
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Most wanted city woman charged in drug investigation
A Dunkirk woman has been charged on an arrest warrant after an investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force.
Brenda L. Carter-Doucette, 50, of 425 Deer St., was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance on Wednesday. She was located in the city of Buffalo and taken into custody on a Chautauqua County Secret Grand Jury Indictment Warrant. She was taken into custody by the New York State Violent Felony Squad and the U.S. Marshalls. Carter-Doucette also ap-peared on the Most Wanted List from the sheriff's office for a violation of probation.
Through investigation by the task force, Carter-Doucette has been selling quantities of crack cocaine from her residence. The investigation started with complaints from the community based on the constant narcotics related traffic coming and going from the residence.
Carter-Doucette was transported to the city of Dunkirk jail for processing and then transferred to the Chautauqua County Jail where she is being held without bail pending arraignment before County Court Judge John Ward.
The Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force and the Dunkirk Police Department continue to ask for the support of the community in relaying information to them when they see narcotics related activity in their neighborhoods and to call either their local police or the Southern Tier Drug Task Force Hotline telephone numbers. All communications will be kept strictly confidential. The Southern Tier Drug Task Force phone number is 800-344-8702.
Chautauqua County Court
MAYVILLE – District Attorney David W. Foley announced the following pleas and sentences in Chautauqua County Court:
Murray Hall, 27, of Jamestown, was sentenced to a determinate sentence of 5 years in state prison with 5 years post-release supervision for second-degree robbery.
Robert W. Harmon, 49, of Jamestown, was sentenced to 2-4 years in state prison for first-degree criminal contempt.
LaMar Spencer, 29, of Jamestown, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in state prison with 1 year post-release sup-ervision for fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance concurrent with 2 years in state prison and 1-year post-release supervision for fifth-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Norman J. Lindell, 39, of Jamestown, was sentenced to 1 year in jail for second-degree criminal contempt concurrent with 1 year in jail for fourth-degree criminal mischief.
Clifford Latta, 38, of Mayville, was sentenced to 1 year in jail for first-degree aggravated criminal contempt.
Matthew S. Myers, 35, of Jamestown, was sentenced to time served and 10 years probation for third-degree rape.
Gordon Fairbanks, 68, of Jamestown, was sentenced to 4 months of weekends in jail and 10 years probation for second-degree criminal sex act.
David W. Newhouse, 52, of Little Valley, was sentenced to 5 years probation, 60-month ignition interlock device and 1-year driver's license revocation for first-degree unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.
Amy M. Schuk, 34, of Dunkirk, was sentenced to 90 days in jail, 5 years probation and 6 months driver's license revocation for fifth-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Stephen M. Easley, 25, of Dunkirk, was sentenced to time served and 5 years probation for fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office
On Sunday, an Angola man was charged with charged with DWI and failure to keep right.
Around 1:10 a.m. the sheriff's office received a call from a motorist stating that a vehicle heading north on Route 60 was driving erratically.
At about 1:25 a.m. the suspect vehicle was stopped by deputies after it was observed crossing the center line.
Thomas Fitzgerald, 64, of Angola, was found to be the operator and further investigation led to the arrest of Fitzgerald for driving while intoxicated. He was issued traffic tickets.
HANOVER – On Monday, a Salamanca man was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation and inadequate tail lamps after a traffic stop.
Around 7:40 p.m., sheriff's deputies were on patrol when they observed a vehicle traveling east on Route 39 in the town of Hanover to allegedly not have two working tail lamps.
After a traffic stop was made on the vehicle, Keith R. Parmenter, 40, of Salamanca was identified as the operator. His New York State Driver's License was found to be suspended. He was issued traffic tickets.
The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office has announced two names are to be removed from the county wanted persons program.
- On Monday, Andrew W. Campaign, 39, of Fredonia turned himself into county court and was arraigned and sent to the Chautauqua County jail. Campaign was wanted by the sheriff's office for assault and DWI.
- On Monday, deputies and state police responded to W. Railroad Ave in Stockton on a report that Steven J. Stablewski, 22, of Stockton, was at a residence there. Stablewski had several outstanding warrants out of the towns of Stockton and Pomfret. Stablewski was taken into custody without incident and arraigned in the town of Pomfret, then remanded to Chautauqua County jail.


text:
In an op-ed in the Asharq Al-Awsat (in Arabic), Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton condemns the violent crackdown in Syria and calls for a transition to democracy. The full text of the op-ed appears below.
There Is No Going Back in SyriaBy Hillary Clinton
As the violent crackdown in Syria continues, President Assad has shown that he is more interested in his own power than his people.
The world has joined Syrians in mourning the deaths of many innocent people, including a 13-year old boy who was brutally tortured and mutilated. Approximately thirteen hundred Syrians have been killed since protests began. Many thousands more have been jailed and abused. Syrian security forces have surrounded communities and cut off electricity, communications and the Internet. Economic activity has slowed, the country is increasingly isolated and its citizens are growing more frustrated every day.
In his May 19 speech, President Obama echoed demonstrators' basic and legitimate demands: the Assad government must stop shooting demonstrators, allow peaceful protest, release political prisoners, stop unjust arrests, give access to human rights monitors, and start an inclusive dialogue to advance a democratic transition. President Assad, he said, could either lead that transition or get out of the way.
It is increasingly clear that President Assad has made his choice. But while continued brutality may allow him to delay the change that is underway in Syria, it will not reverse it.
As Syria's neighbors and the international community respond to this crisis, we should be guided by the answers to several key questions: Why has it erupted? What does the crackdown reveal about President Assad and his regime? And where does Syria go from here?
First, there should be no doubt about the nature of the protests in Syria.
Like Tunisians, Egyptians, Libyans and others across the Middle East and North Africa, the Syrian people are demanding their long-denied universal rights and rejecting a government that rules through fear, squanders their talents through corruption, and denies them the dignity of having a voice in their own future. They are organizing themselves, including the local coordinating committees, and they are refusing to back down even in the face of revolting violence.
If President Assad believes that the protests are the work of foreign instigators -- as his government has claimed -- he is wrong. It is true that some Syrian soldiers have been killed, and we regret the loss of those lives too. But the vast majority of casualties have been unarmed civilians. By continuing to ban foreign journalists and observers, the regime seeks to hide these facts.
Second, President Assad is showing his true colors by embracing the repressive tactics of his ally Iran and putting Syria onto the path of a pariah state.
By following Iran's lead, President Assad is placing himself and his regime on the wrong side of history. He will learn that legitimacy flows from the consent of the people and cannot be forged through bullets and billyclubs.
President Assad's violent crackdown has shattered his claims to be a reformer. For years, he has offered pledges and promises, but all that matters are his actions. A speech, no matter how dutifully applauded by regime apologists, will not change the reality that the Syrian people, despite being told they live in a republic, have never had the opportunity to freely elect their leaders. These citizens want to see a real transition to democracy and a government that honors their universal rights and aspirations.
If President Assad believes he can act with impunity because the international community hopes for his cooperation on other issues, he is wrong about this as well. He and his regime are certainly not indispensable.
A Syria that is unified, pluralistic, and democratic could play a positive and leading role in the region, but under President Assad the country is increasingly becoming a source of instability. The refugees streaming into Turkey and Lebanon, and the tensions being stoked on the Golan, should dispel the notion that the regime is a bulwark of regional stability that must be protected.
Finally, the answer to the most important question of all -- what does this mean for Syria's future? -- is increasingly clear: There is no going back.
Syrians have recognized the violence as a sign of weakness from a regime that rules by coercion, not consent. They have overcome their fears and have shaken the foundations of this authoritarian system.
Syria is headed toward a new political order -- and the Syrian people should be the ones to shape it. They should insist on accountability, but resist any temptation to exact revenge or reprisals that might split the country, and instead join together to build a democratic, peaceful and tolerant Syria.
Considering the answers to all these questions, the United States chooses to stand with the Syrian people and their universal rights. We condemn the Assad regime's disregard for the will of its citizens and Iran's insidious interference.
The United States has already imposed sanctions on senior Syrian officials, including President Assad. We are carefully targeting leaders of the crackdown, not the Syrian people. We welcomed the decisions by the European Union to impose its own sanctions and by the UN Human Rights Council to launch an investigation into abuses. The United States will continue coordinating closely with our partners in the region and around world to increase pressure on and further isolate the Assad regime.
The Syrian people will not cease their demands for dignity and a future free from intimidation and fear. They deserve a government that respects its people, works to build a more stable and prosperous country, and doesn't have to rely on repression at home and antagonism abroad to maintain its grip on power. They deserve a nation that is unified, democratic and a force for stability and progress. That would be good for Syria, good for the region and good for the world.
Related Content: Remarks by the President on the Middle East and North Africa
James in Missouri writes:
i belive you are totally correct allso not stated is aquireing arms for hammas and other movements and being allighned and assiting iran deams them hostile to the area and thay nead to have all things in any way to0 topple this corrrupt and islamist govenment that is assiting iran hezzbulla hammas islamic jiahdd and other factions provideing sancuary and safe areas to attack western intrest and israel allso i would be most grate full if through in anyway to secure a grant that i do not have to repay and i belive that you should run for office as the first female president in the us so do manny keep me in mind in whatever thank you mrs clintion
Omar in Massachusetts writes:
Pressure?! Isolation?! Its time to call assad to step aside!! He has clearly lost his legitamancy!! But as a Syrian i can say that i know the Syrian people will keep fighting for their freedom and they will gain it if god wills it with or without the help of others!!Its the Syrian people that are feeling isolated and not the Syrian regime. I as a Syrian American citizen am very dissapointed at how unsupportive the US is being of the Syrian people!!
Naomi in Florida writes:
If the U.S. wasn't spread so thin, I feel that we could possibly be more effective in syria.
W.W. writes:
The Syrian people love her President Bashar al-Assad, as Syrians, we are surprised to insist on lies and disinformation.
Ibrahim writes:
You don't have the right to judge our leaders, stop your stupid lies, you know the whole truth but you keep on inventing lies just to put more pressure on the countries that disagree with your politics, and pass it to your puppet news agencies who keeps on repeating your lies days and nights.
The whole world knows the lies you created to invade Iraq, the whole world knows your scandals in "Abu Ghureib", STOP pretending being the human rights protectors while you are the first one to violate it...
The Syrians has revealed your conspiracy and will defeat you again...
We want our president and you can do nothing about that...
Gabi in Lithuania writes:
Do you like it when someone interferes in your own life ? probably not, so .. the mother and child, husband and wife relationship, the president and his State its indivisible .. is their own affair as they decide their own affairs, and no must not interfere, SYRIA ARE FREE COUNTRY..JUST PLZ NOT NEED YOUR HELP...
E. writes:
Great Same vision
Libya : Democratic election ... Libyan society must be set on European standards..
Intesar writes:
USE sorry to tell you, you are wrong ,
Our president care about each of us like his family, friend, and kids
He loves every part of Syria and all ppl of Syria.
Stop showing the world your wrong idea, we love basher alassad, and we will die to have him save as well as Syria,,,,,,,,,,
Nadim A. in Syria writes:
Syrians don't want american democracy because it means killing civilians, and it is terrorism support , like what you did in iraq,
Obama , Clinton , you should know syrians love the president Assad and syria. Keep your selfs out.
Janet in Syria writes:
For Obama and Clinton>>>>> You are completely wrong
1- There is no violent crackdown in Syria. Since I am one of people in Syria I know exactly what is going on.
2- The boy (13 young old) is in fact young man 17 years old and he was using a gun to shoot the people in Dera'a. So do not make him an honest.
3- That young man died by the hand of his friends, whom were using the weapons also against people in that city. And he was not brutally tortured and mutilated.
You have to be sure before give your opinion. Do not lie at yourself and your people.
4- As Syrian people we do not need the world to join us in mourning the deaths of many innocent people. Because it is a kind of war you have started on our beautiful country. So again do not be lier. The world has no innocent feeling to Syrian people.
5- communications ……..I think, you are sorry for the unlegally communications , that have been spread in Syria by USA and her friends.
6- Syria is not increasingly isolated and its citizens are not growing more frustrated every day.
7- (As Syria's neighbors), yes you are right because you are occupied Iraq.
8- For your information, Syrian people have all rights, dignity, and we know exactly how to decide our own future. We do not need any body or any community to learn us our rights. But regarding the corruptions, you already have it in USA and every place in the world, and we know exactly how to solve it.
9- Syrian government has respond to the rights demands of people in the first protests, and the protests began to be limited and smaller, but you will not believe that. We sure that you will not believe in that. And the fact is our government gave us solutions. But a foreign instigators started playing there. Your problem is that you do not want to listen and see. Syrian soldiers have not been killed only, but also the criminals whom supported by your governments, have cut the soldiers bodies into pieces. Some of the bodies have no heads or have been cutting into two pieces in the middle of their bodies. Some of them have burned. Some of them without arms or legs. I think you have to see the bodies better. It is difficult to describe.
10- By the way, regarding the speech of President Assad. I want you to compare it with Netanyahu's speech in front of United State Congress. Your Congress was an evil council. You clubbed the hands more than 20 times for a man, who is a criminal. You seemed to be like his slaves. At least we clubbed our hands for our own President.
11- I can understand that you are angry of Iran, Hizzb Allah and Syria. That is very simple to understand. Since you support your little spoiled child Israel, you will not allow anyone to say no to Israel. But we will always say NO.
12- President Bashar Al Assad always did what he promised to do. You are not Syrian so you do not know what he achieved although of all the difficulties.
13- The United States have already targeting the Syrian people in your sanctions because tens of people or maybe hundreds lose their jobs because of those sanctions.
14- Bashar Al Assad is a legal president and his legitimacy flows from his own people. You have no right to decide such a matter which belongs to another state.
15- One last point or question. Why did Israel decide to send a ship to help the Syrian people in Iskenderun although we are enemies???
Also you have to know that Iskenderun is a Syrian land so the Syrian people are not refugees, because it does not belong to turkey land.
In the end ……..
Every civilized human should know that he has two homes. The first one is Syria and the second is where he lives>>>>>>LONG LIVE GREAT SYRIA
Anthony F. in Connecticut writes:
The American people will not cease their demands for dignity and a future free from intimidation and fear. They deserve a government that respects its people, works to build a more stable and prosperous country, and doesn't have to rely on repression at home and antagonism abroad to maintain its grip on power. They deserve a nation that is unified, democratic and a force for stability and progress. That would be good for The United States, and good for the world.
Anthony F. in Connecticut writes:
The US Government is reviewing and possibly not displaying comments? I guess my tax dollars are going to my own repression. What happened to the First Amendment? Are US citizens free?
F.S. writes:
The majority of Syrians in Syria and abroad are behind our president Dr. Bashar. We are fighting the most brutal wave of radical Islamists who have been killing, butchering, and mutilating bodies of everyone who's of a different sect. Enoug...h with your hypocrisy, we've seen what you have done in Iraq. You don't give a damn about Syria or the people of Syria, you just want to see the country divided like you've done with Iraq. The Syrian people are united in the face of this imported wave of terror, and we will defeat it with your approval or without it. DO YOURSELF AND THE SYRIAN PEOPLE A FAVOR AND STAY THE HELL OUT OF OUR BUSINESS.
Rasha D. in Syria writes:
Dear Secretary Clinton:
I applaud you for supporting the Syrian people demands to acquire their long denied universal rights. I thank you for sending this clear message to this despotic regime that coersion and violence is no longer an acceptable behavior and will not be tolerated by the world community and precisely the United States and that it will suffer the severe consequences for its inhuman actions against its own people. Justice and dignity, two values highly upheld by the United States must prevail.
Again you have our people gratitude for your clear message and persuing the pressure to protect the innocents.
Rasha Demashkieh
C. writes:
Ultimatum :
Assad must leave and his followers are asked to leave their Fatherland until they do not understand what is a murder.
Iran Is welcomed to engage
Iran: no democratic right for its citizen to vote for nuclear energy sources
America with his European, Mid eastern,African and Soviets partner is going to enter in Syria in order to restore democracy peace and prosperity a good owned by the Syrian people and not by a syrian theocratic naked king.
Grant from Michigan writes:
The United States government should bring home all troops. Non-intervention and example is the way to lead. There is no reason for Americans to police the world.
Eric in New Mexico writes:
Here's a little food for thought for all those commenting here in support of Assad's insanity.
You know folks, as an American all I really want to see is folks generally get their act together and stop being stupid;...there's a reason it took me ten years to write "The Cure for Political Stupidity, and /or How not to go to war with America", and I'm still not sure if dictators are a byproduct of genetic mutation or simply idiots due to the fact that their mommies and daddies were brother and sister.
But good folks like yourself came before you praising one such as this and followed Hitler over oblivion's cliff.
Lest you'all make the same mistake today, you might want to take off your rose-colored glasses.
Just sayin'...
It's your country and you can screw it up if you want to, just don't screw with us or we'll drop a rock on your pencil necked geek you call a leader, but who is just a chip off the old block, for like father like son,...mass murder runs in the family.
Good luck with it,
Bahaa in U.S.A. writes:
Step down Al-assad , everybody detest you
without such a regime , Syria would be a better place free of corruption. Only in Syria people & (children) are killed because they call for freedom. he is way worse than Hitler himself ! Save humanity !
Andrew in Michigan writes:
Bring ALL the troops home. War breeds hate, it strips people of their privacy slowly and turns us all against each other when we are not enemies but friends that wish to live among each other in peace not terror.


text:
Stuff I Want You to Know AboutMarch 25th, 2013
After a long hiatus, welcome back to Geek Studies. Work took a bigger bite out of my blogging time than I ever expected these last several months, but I guess that's what happens when you join the QA team of a major video game in the final stretch of its development cycle. Now that I've got some time to write again, I figured I'd start by drawing your attention to a few things.
BioShock Infinite: This was my first experience working on a AAA video game. It comes out tomorrow. Clearly I'm biased when I say that it's amazing, but reviewers seem to like it too. I'm moving on to other projects now that my work with Irrational Games is done, but I'm proud to have worked with such a great team on such an excellent game.
Tropes vs. Women in Games: This is the first in a series of videos examining how women are typically portrayed in video games. If you're already highly educated and deeply familiar with the history of games, it may seem like a refresher to you. (I learned that Donkey Kong was supposed to be a Popeye game and Star Fox Adventures wasn't originally about Starfox, though much of the rest of this was already known to me.) Still, this is an excellent introduction to the subject for newer viewers, with some great examples of why gender issues need to be at the forefront of our discussions of games. I really wish this series had existed back when I was teaching "Images of Women in the Media" at a women's college.
Why Geek Matters: An awfully long time ago, somebody at Forbes wrote a forgettable piece on her frustrations about "fake geek girls." Over at her own blog, Leigh Alexander wrote a response not just tearing the piece apart, but also arguing more generally that it's kind of pathetic how self-identified geeks react with hostility to "the normalization of geekdom." Leigh's on to something there, but I don't think we need to discount the value of identifying oneself as a geek in order to recognize and work out problems in geek cultures. And that's where Gus Mastrapa's Pretension +1 column comes in. Yeah, this whole exchange is from a whole year ago, but I still felt like it was worth a link for explaining some things that I suspect so many are feeling: "Geekdom is a culture of knowledge and curiosity, of obsessive interest in the arcane. […] But Leigh is right about another thing, too. We cannot live on being geeks alone. The chameleon in me learned that being well versed in many cultures is not only good for survival, but it also makes you a more well-rounded person."
Confronting Geek Shame: Along similar lines, I want to draw your attention to Natasha Lewis Harrington's writings on geekdom and Magic: The Gathering over at Gathering Magic. She's been doing some great stuff over there for a while, but if you missed her piece on "Confronting Geek Shame" awhile back, it's worth a look (and, um, not just because she cites me in it). As with Gus's piece above, it helps illustrate the point of how we are shaped by what happens early in our lives, but we can use that to define ourselves rather than letting it define us.
Hipster, Please!: And finally, I want to give a special shout-out to Z. at Hipster, Please! on the occasion of The Living Bookend, a "better end point, temporary as it may be" for his nerd music podcast, Radio Free Hipster. If you read my dissertation, you know that Z. was instrumental in helping me navigate certain corners of the geek world. And if you know me personally, you might know that Radio Free Hipster has introduced me to music I love, geekified my Christmases, and brought me cheer on my crummiest days. I don't eulogize projects on indefinite hiatus (said the guy who hadn't blogged since July), but it seemed like a good time to point out that this podcast has quite the back catalog worth trawling through.
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The Footprints by Birkenstock line has been discontinued, and we are no longer able to accept orders for Footprints shoes. We can, however, suggest the following high-quality, supportive shoes as alternatives to some of the popular past Footprints models.
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