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Witnessing the faint smile of her dying mother, the daughter of Haitian-Creole parents reflects on why she's been writing about death and grief ever since — and the cathartic edge of the Book of Revelation and C.S. Lewis.
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The Shakers are known for their beautiful furniture and for their imagination around simplicity. A critical look at the history of the Shakers in America to understand our relationship to austerity and abundance.
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Layli Long Soldier reads a poem from "WHEREAS Statements."
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With the arrival of spring come realizations of the capacity waiting within, among, and around us. Writings on discovering our true abundance of love, community, and self, particularly in the places where they have seemed absent.
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I had an issue with mine when I bought it, one of my genius buddies racked the slide with the safety half on :. I would take the Right Grip Panel Off and see if the spring in there has come loose. All I had to do on mine is stick it back in place and I haven't had an issue since.
I would post pics but my Bersa is currently sitting in my Mom's desk drawer .
Hope this helps,


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Tigers fall to Upsala in Section 5A final
The Pine River-Backus girls' basketball team's hopes of making a first state appearance were dashed by Upsala in a 47-41 loss in the Section 5A final on Friday, March 8, at Crosby-Ironton High School.
The Tigers finish 24-5 overall while the Cardinals improve to 26-4 and advance to the Class A state quarterfinals against Bethlehem Academy on Thursday, March 14, at the University of Minnesota's Williams Arena.
The game featured two different halves as the Tigers were in control of the first half – building a large lead early and remained ahead 29-25 at intermission. The Cardinals took over in the second half and limited PR-B to just 12 points.
"We missed a lot of layups tonight, and turned the ball over too many times," said PR-B coach Randy Schwegel, whose squad made just four of 25 field-goal attempts in the second half. "After a great start, we couldn't get our 3-pointers or other shots to fall. We missed three or four wide-open layups in the second half, and had too many unforced turnovers."
The Tigers were on fire early as they scored 11 straight points to assume a 13-2 lead. The rally was sparked by seven points from senior Tatum Sheley. PR-B eventually led 15-6 as Kendra Brasel sank a 3-point shot, and they extended the advantage to 21-6 with 7:08 left in the opening half.
"We really got off to a super start," Schwegel said. "I just hoped the bubble wouldn't burst, but it did as (Upsala) went on a 13-0 run."
In less than a three-minute span, the Cardinals rallied behind a pair of 3-point baskets by Aimee Pelzer to cut the deficit to 21-19 with 4:10 left before intermission.
A 15-foot basket by Brasel ended Upsala's run as each team scored six points in the remaining minutes of the half.
The Cardinals quickly tied the score with four points to start the second half as the Tigers lost their final lead of the game. Pelzer later made a 3-point shot to give Upsala a 34-31 lead. A free throw and layup by Sheley tied it, but Pelzer drained her fourth 3-pointer with 10:00 remaining. The Cardinals extended the lead to five points as Sara Herzog had a steal and layup.
Sheley's final 3-point basket cut the deficit to 45-39, but that's as close as PR-B would come as Upsala held on for the victory.
Sheley finished with a team-high 17 points and five assists while teammate Autumn Ackerman added 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Sheley, the all-time scoring leader in program history, is one of six seniors on the Tigers' roster. Sheley finishes with more than 2,000 points, Ackerman had more than 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Other seniors on the PR-B roster include Brittany Kelley, Brasel, Nicole Arends and Brooke Richards.
"The six seniors are a really special bunch," Schwegel said. "We won the (Northwoods) conference title with 13-0 records each time with this bunch. Although we didn't make it to the state tournament, we had a super year."
Pelzer finished with a team-high 14 points for Upsala, which had a 28-21 rebounding edge. The Cardinals committed 15 turnovers while forcing the Tigers to make 16.
Herzog finished with 10 points for the Cardinals.
PR-B advanced to the section final with a 60-52 win over top-seeded Isle in the East Subsection 8AA championshp game on Tueesday, March 5, in McGregor.
Upsala 25 22 — 47
Pine River-Backus 29 12 — 41
Brooke Westrich 6, Aimee Pelzer 14, Katie Ripplinger 2, Sara Herzog 5, Tracy Herzog 10, Alissa Zehrer 6, Katlin Welinski 2. FG 14-45 (42 percent), FT 4-7 (57 percent). 3-point 5-14 (36 percent).
Kendra Brasel 6, Tatum Sheley 17, Brittany Kelley 2, Megan Felthous 2, Autumn Ackerman 14. FG 17-49 (35 percent), FT 5-10 (50 percent). 3-point 2-14 (14 percent).


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Home › Forums › Campfire › Post-Trip Reports › First Post – A Confession/Trip Report
Jan 11, 2014 at 1:04 pm #1312008
Fellow backpackers,
This is my first post on BPL. Until now, I have been a simple ghost haunting the forums of BPL to find ways to cut weight while backpacking. I first stumbled on the site last spring as I was preparing for a 10 day hike in Kluane National Park.
As someone who spends a lot of time in the outdoors my primary focus with gear has always been function and multi-purposefullness, if that's a word. Living in northern Canada has meant that bushcraft has been my primary focus in regards to skill acquisition over the years. However, I have found that lightweight backpacking blends well with bushcraft as both, at their core, tend to emphasize simplicity, resourcefulness, and skill over needing x number of items to survive outdoors. I learned a lot the first few months of perusing BPL forums and the on-going contributions of various members here helped me dial in my gear and added to my confidence out in the bush.
However, it didn't take too long for me to begin to sour on the BPL forums. After the initial thrill of getting my base weight cut and learning how to make good gear lists I started to view the forums as an extension of our consumer driven society, where the acquisition of gear seemed more important than the act of being outdoors. The final straw for me came sometime, if I remember correctly, around late August, early September of 2013. My girlfriend and I just came back from a day of hiking with our dog. Tired, full (after a tasty salmon dinner) and content I stopped in on the BPL forums to see if there were any interesting threads. One of the members had posted a note stating that there was supposed to be a meteor shower that evening and he may have even posted some pictures to go along with the thread. I was excited to read it, as I generally am with posts that appeal to my interests. But I also found it strange and rather ironic. Here, on a site that purported to be about backpacking, which in my mind is specifically about spending time in nature, a post about enjoying the stars on a clear fall night seemed out of place amidst discussions about cuben-fiber tarps, tents, underwear and stuff sacks. Then and there I vowed to cut ties to a site that he become an almost daily aspect of my internet viewing.
In retrospect, it was wrong of me to bail. Despite my annoyance with the never ending conversations about which windshirt is the lightest and most breathable and discussions about how to spend more money to drop an ounce, I know there are lots of people, both regular contributors as well as silent stalkers who use this forum as motivation to continue their own exploration of the world they live in and as a platform to share their passion for the outdoors. Besides, I learned a lot from the members of BPL as I was preparing for our trip to Kluane. And it'd be a shame not to share some pictures with those who might be interested.
*DISCLAIMER – This was not a lightweight backpacking trip. Though my girlfriend and I were able to cut our base weight to around 16lbs each, the rest of the group were traditional backpackers. We ended up getting saddled with lots of extra gear. The organizer of the trip, a 70 year old lady, has spent 25 years wandering around Kluane National Park with a heavy backpack and I can't blame her for being content with what has worked for her.
KLUANE NATIONAL PARK – July 28th to August 6th, 2013
Rough route description – Big Horn Lake – Kluane Glacier – Donjek Glacier – Atlas Pass to Duke River – Copper Joe Creek to Highway
We chartered a float plane and flew from Kluane Lake to Big Horn Lake, the starting point for our trek. The views from the plane were in itself worth the trip.
We spent our first night camped near the warden's cabin at Big Horn Lake. The next morning we headed off into the netherlands with the goal of reaching the toe of the Kluane Glacier. We were a group of six – five women and myself. Despite the occasional longing for a man to chat with it was pretty inspiring to see five strong women tackle the rugged trek.
Here you can see the Kluane Glacier in the background. In areas where the Donjek river ran along the left bank we were forced to bushwhack through sections of willow, alder thickets, and spruce. It was slow and laborious work.
A view from our campsite on the Donjek River.
At the toe of the Kluane Glacier there were several glacier pools. Despite the cold water we couldn't resist a swim.
We only saw one grizzly bear on the trip, but they were never far away. The only 'trails' that we were fortunate enough to follow were usually game trails. The bears were active and root diggings and berry patches were ripe with scat.
After our making it to the Kluane Glacier we backtracked and began our trek to the Donjek Glacier. We passed by the warden's cabin at Big Horn Lake, did an early morning cross of Big Horn Creek and made our way along the banks of the Donjek River to the glacier. Here is our first glimpse of the Donjek Glacier:
Spot the hiker: This picture gives a good sense of the scale of Kluane. My girlfriend Allison needs a rest. Apparently we have some work to do to cut some weight!
The Donjek Glacier in all of its glory. The toe of the glacier is approximately 7km long.
Apologies for the disturbing photo of my nether-regions, but my first order of business upon reaching the glacier was to cool off. Followed shortly by a glass of whiskey with ice from the Donjek Glacier.
After a night of sleeping along side the glacier and listening to it calve and moan we began the bushwhack to Atlas Creek. We travelled up Atlas Creek, over Atlas Pass, and dropped down to the Duke River
By the time we made it to the bottom of Atlas Pass we were beat. We decided to make camp at the bottom of the pass and wait to tackle it the next morning. Our neighbours for the evening were a group of Dall sheep who made mountain passes look much easier than they were.
Here is a picture of the group making our way up Atlas Pass and then coming back down the other side.
Once down on the Duke river we followed it south, crossed Grizzly Creek and then crossed the Duke to reach Copper Joe Creek. The water levels were high on the Duke and it required careful traversing.
Our last night at camp along the Duke River was quiet. A sense of nostalgia had already kicked in and our trip wasn't even complete.
After reaching Copper Joe creek we had a look back at some of the land we had travelled. In the picture we are looking back at Grizzly valley. The vastness of Kluane National Park leaves the imagine adrift with possibilities. A lifetime of exploring these mountain ranges would still leave many stones unturned.
Tired, dirty, but smiling Allison and I posed for one of the few pictures we have of us together. We were on our way out of Kluane, but as we rounded the corner and spotted the highway, and along with it our first glimpses of civilization for 10 days, we were already discussing which valley's would need more exploration when we come back next year.
Jan 11, 2014 at 1:45 pm #2062492
Dan DurstonBPL Member
@dandydanLocale: Cascadia
Nice trip. Kluane is awesome!
Thanks for posting.Jan 11, 2014 at 1:51 pm #2062499
David W.BPL Member
@davidpcvsamoaLocale: East Bay, CA
That's a great trip report and first post. Thank you for sharing your experience. Trip reports like this keep me coming back.Jan 11, 2014 at 1:54 pm #2062500
Misfit MysticMember
@cooldripLocale: "Grand Canyon of the East"
Hi Travis,
Those are amazing photos. More please! And who cares if the trip wasn't light, ultralight, whatever. I'm more interested in what you saw and how it made you and your trip mates feel than what you carried. And as far as the trip leader goes, if she's packing heavy into that place, more power to her! Especially after she's spent 25 years hiking there, she knows exactly what she's doing.
Stick around Travis, there seems to be a renaissance afoot here. A number of the longtime members are of a similar mind to you, and ultimately these forums are what we, the members, make them. I will say that for a first time post, you're off to quite a start!
There will always be gear talk, and I agree it's mostly rehashing the same subjects. At the same time, I can think of a number of folks whose backcountry experience was enhanced by all the gear talk. Even a few folks who can still get into the woods because they lightened up, and a lot of folks who complete hikes and see things they never thought possible. This is what it's all about my friend. You may make what seems a simple, minimal contribution to you, but for another sets in motion a chain of learning events that results in them taking a trip like yours to Kluane. That's a pretty easy way to have a major positive impact on someone!
ScottJan 11, 2014 at 2:42 pm #2062511
Jerry AdamsBPL Member
@retiredjerryLocale: Oregon and Washington
Do you have to worry about Grizzlies? Bear spray, bells, firearm, just good hygiene?Jan 11, 2014 at 3:09 pm #2062513
Leigh BakerMember
@leighbLocale: Northeast Texas Pineywoods
Wow, thanks for sharing!Jan 11, 2014 at 3:57 pm #2062530
Hey all,
Thanks for the positive feedback. I'm going to try to contribute a little here and there from this point forward. It's not such a bad crew on BPL!
You make some good points. I do realize the importance that gear can play in making trips more comfortable for people, as well as getting them out to places they otherwise would not go.
I also forget sometimes that not everyone is fortunate enough to live in a place where going out for a hike is as simple as stepping off your front porch and strapping on your snowshoes (in the winter of course). Gear talk can be a great way for those who live in urban centres to stay focused and to plan for trips when they don't have the opportunity to get out as often as they might like. As long as the final goal is being OUTSIDE, it's all good as far as I'm concerned!
Grizzly bears are a constant theme up here in the Yukon. We live in a cabin on Lake Laberge and last year my girlfriend and I ran into a grizzly bear approximately 2km's from our cabin on one of our little day trails. We had a can of bear spray on us and when we saw the bear (who was eating berries about 150 metres off the trail) we simply walked calmly past him while speaking in the same tone that you would to a dog, "It's okay bear, just passing through bear." He watched us walk past and then continued in his quest for berries.
The general rule of thumb (as far as I'm concerned) is to always have a can of bear spray on your person when you are out from Spring to late fall. That's pretty much standard for anywhere you go in the Yukon. On the Kluane trip we were probably never farther than a few KM's away from a bear at any given point. They were down from the alpine and were foraging for berries right in the areas we were hiking.
Since it is such an isolated area, grizzly bears have not been habituated to humans, and tend to stay clear as much as possible. We saw one large blonde grizzly down by the Donjek river on the trip. It was approximately 1km away from us. We spotted him and he spotted us. Though the power of seeing a large grizzly bear close by when you are days away from help cannot be understated, we watched him through the binoculars and he continued on foraging for food, paying us little attention.
Our group carried 3 cans of bear spray between the six of us. Anytime anyone stepped away from the group they'd always take the bear spray with them. I also had a small bear banger set with 3 extra cartridges. I find it a nice security if a bear comes around camp and you want to encourage it to leave without letting it get close enough to require the bear spray. Guns are not allowed in Kluane National Park. Surprisingly (living at a cabin and all) I don't even own a gun and find that 'bear aware' behaviour (ie: remaining calm, making noise in thick bush to avoid surprising the bears, etc) along with bear spray and a bear banger are more than sufficient.
We are also careful to make sure that our cook site is stationed at least a few hundred metres away from our camp and that anything with ANY odour stays out of the tents at night. Bear canisters are required in Kluane, though my feelings on them are mixed.
We never had any problems on the trip, nor have I had any major issues since moving up to the Yukon. Let's hope it stays that way!
PS – I recommend anyone with an interest in grizzly bears to watch 'Edge of Eden' about a man who lives with grizzly bears in Kamchatka, Russia. I've found it to be a valuable tool with which I've framed how I personally deal with being out in grizzly bear country.
TravisJan 11, 2014 at 4:09 pm #2062531
Jerry AdamsBPL Member
@retiredjerryLocale: Oregon and Washington
Thanks, interesting
I've been backpacking a few times in Canada and U.S. Rockies and have pretty much just ignored the issue, but now that I know more, I lean towards not going to Grizzly areas.
I should get bear spray.
and passportJan 11, 2014 at 4:36 pm #2062537
Ken T.BPL Member
Excellent! Thanks for posting so many photos. Beautiful country.Jan 11, 2014 at 7:51 pm #2062574
Marc EldridgeBPL Member
@meldLocale: The here and now.
Is the Lake Laberge where you live the place where Sam McGhee was cremated?Jan 11, 2014 at 7:57 pm #2062576
John TaylorsonSpectator
@heyjtLocale: SoCal
Wow! You outdid most trip reports. Looks like a great trip and the photos make me want to pack up and leave tonight. Welcome to BPLJan 11, 2014 at 7:58 pm #2062578
Stephen MBPL Member
@stephen-mLocale: Way up North
I am surprised Roger did not censor your "Au Natural" picture. :-)
Great trip report.Jan 11, 2014 at 8:33 pm #2062593
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
– Robert Service
Yes indeed Marc, it is the Lake Laberge from the poem. In Canada, a lot of us had to read Robert Service poems at some time or other in school. Whenever I have friends from outside of the Yukon who aren't familiar with the territory, I make sure to reference "The Cremation of Sam McGee" and that always seems to bring them context. Haha.Jan 11, 2014 at 8:48 pm #2062598
Marc EldridgeBPL Member
@meldLocale: The here and now.
On one of my first backpacking trips in Boy Scouts this poem was recited around the campfire. I've remembered it ever since. Great place where you live.Jan 13, 2014 at 10:29 am #2062994
Sam HaraldsonBPL Member
@sharaldsLocale: Gallatin Range
I keep a bookmark for the BPL Post-Trip Reports for regular viewing. Good stuff like this TR here has kept me coming back for years. Nothing wrong with discussing gear or technology if that's your thing though. We all had to learn this stuff one way or another, and these forums are a great resource if you can look past the occasional troll.Jan 13, 2014 at 10:43 am #2062995
Nico .BPL Member
@nickbLocale: Los Padres National Forest
Thanks for posting your TR Travis, looks like an incredible walk. Good inspiration for trips to alpine regions for us desert dwellers. Love the color of the glacier pools; I remember being mesmerized by similar water colors on a few trips through New Zealand years ago.
The Post Trip Reports are by far my favorite part of the BPL forums. I admit that over the years as my kit has been dialed in and I have less urge to tinker with it or change/update things, I've become bored of most of the gear talk.
Would love to see the trip reports and trip planning threads become a larger focus of the activity on the forum. Thanks again for your contribution.Jan 13, 2014 at 10:46 am #2062996
Mobile CalculatorSpectator
…Jan 13, 2014 at 11:23 am #2063005
David ChenaultSpectator
@davecLocale: The West Slope
Well done Travis.Jan 13, 2014 at 11:57 am #2063015
Ben CBPL Member
@alexdrewreedLocale: Kentucky
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful trip. People can argue for hours about their preference of silnylon vs. cuben, but there's no argument but that this is a great trip post. There's not much left to say.Jan 13, 2014 at 12:07 pm #2063024
Stuart RBPL Member
@scunneredLocale: Scotland
Very nice trip report with super photos – thanks for taking the time to post.
It does not matter one iota whether your pack was 'lightweight' or not, the fact is that you got out and safely enjoyed yourself in a place most of the rest of us can only imagine in our dreams.
PS I didn't know the Kluane Glacier was in the Netherlands! :-)Jan 14, 2014 at 11:41 am #2063267
Apart from wanting to share my trip with you good folks at BPL, I also hope that a seed is planted for some of you Lower 48er's to put the Yukon on your trip destination list.
If any of you are planning trips up to the Yukon make sure to hit me up with any questions/concerns/logistical issues you may have. My girlfriend and I also have an open-door policy at our cabin so strangers are always welcome…
Cheers, and remember to GO OUTSIDE.Jan 15, 2014 at 6:40 am #2063443
IanBPL Member
I could read trip reports like this all day.
The gear talk is a double edged sword. It becomes tedious at times but I am truly thankful for what I've learned here. Being able to go from 10 mile days to 20 has really opened up opportunities for me that would have been very difficult (at best) with a 50lb pack.
I've been secretly planning a trip to your neck of the woods but as it will be in the winter and require advanced equipment techniques (and stamina), I continue to read and learn here. Hopefully in three years I'll be ready.
Thanks for sharing this report. I'm adding this park to my bucket list.Jan 16, 2014 at 3:46 am #2063736
Donna CBPL Member
@leadfootLocale: Middle Virginia
Travis, was this organized by you or was it thru a guided service company?Jan 16, 2014 at 5:17 am #2063745
Greg MihalikBPL Member
@greg23Locale: Colorado
"The organizer of the trip, a 70 year old lady, has spent 25 years wandering around Kluane National Park… "Jan 16, 2014 at 7:08 am #2063765
It was organized by an ambitious and passionate 70 year old lady! Her and her husband are from Northern BC and we met them a few years back through some other friends. She doesn't guide or anything, but as she's getting a little too old for extended backcountry trips I think she wanted to do one more big one before she cut it down to smaller trips. After a few nights spending drinking red wine and sharing travel stories I guess she decided we would be fun to have along so she invited us on the trip. It was just my girlfriend and I and a couple of her friends from BC. There are a few companies that organize trips into Kluane, but I have no first-hand experience with any of the guided tours.
Despite the remoteness, I think it's a trip that can be easily managed as long as you have good navigation skills and are prepared for hard walking (ie: no trails, thick bushwhacking, fluctuating river/creek levels, etc.). There were some days when we were averaging little more than 1km/hr due to the thick bush we had to travel through – those were long days. Travel along the river beds and up the creeks for mountain passes were much easier.
And any travel in Kluane requires that you check in with Parks Canada and provide them with your route and expected return dates. If you don't check in at the end of the trip they'll be out looking for ya.
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Current Weather: Holland, MI
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The Civil Rights Commemorative March will take place immediately following the Chapel service on Monday, Jan. 21, from approximately 11 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. The silent march, which will begin at the anchor by Graves Hall and end on the first floor of the rotunda of the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication, provides an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifices and contributions that people of all backgrounds have made for freedom and equality. The march is co-sponsored by the college's Office of Multicultural Education and multicultural student organizations.
Following the march, there will be a brief presentation honoring past and present social justice activist and movements on Monday, Jan. 21, at 11:15 a.m. on the first floor of the rotunda in the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication. The event will feature remarks by Stevenson as well as poster displays, and is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Education and Campus Ministries.


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Address loopholes in tax laws
Posted September 02, 2012 in Press Releases
When Ohio had a corporate franchise tax, companies were able to write off losses against future income. The idea was that the companies would generate taxable profits in the future.
Ohio eliminated the franchise tax in favor of the commercial activity tax. However, the state never eliminated the write-offs against future income even though future profits are no longer taxed.
This is one of 128 tax loopholes, some dating back nearly a century, that a variety of think tanks that cross party lines pointed out last year. Finally, at the prodding of Gov. John Kasich, the state is about to address the $7.4 billion in tax credits, deductions and exemptions granted yearly.
A push is now under way for a review process that would include a disclosure of who benefits from the loophole and what the beneficiaries provide the state in return. An automatic sunset to loopholes is part of the proposal.
The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, the Center for Community Solutions and the Greater Ohio Policy Center called for eliminating what have become known as ''tax expenditures'' in May of 2011. Nine metropolitan chambers of commerce threw their support behind the issue. Policy Matters Ohio joined the cause with testimony during a Senate Ways and Means Committee meeting in December.
The Buckeye Institute and the regional chambers are conservative; the other groups are liberal. Naturally, they do not agree on what to do with the money if loopholes are eliminated.
The beauty in Kasich's aim is that this would not result in more revenue for the state. Every loophole eliminated would result in an income tax cut worth the same value. This is on top of the income tax cut that Kasich wants in exchange for a ''frack tax'' on oil and gas operations.
Tax loopholes allow people and businesses to escape paying their fair share to support state government. That's really no different than writing a check for a wasteful government program, which is why the term ''tax expenditure'' was created. It has the same result on the state's budget.
Among the specific loopholes that Policy Matters Ohio cited is a 1963 law that allows brewers and beer importers to receive a credit on beer and malt beverage taxes they pay if they pay them a few weeks in advance. The state should examine why the same privilege is not granted to all. Minus a reasonable explanation, the brewers and beer importers should start paying just like everybody else.
Another tax expenditure placed under scrutiny recently is a $50 credit for contributions to political campaigns. Others exempt part-owners of private aircraft and those who employ lobbyists from sales taxes. There is a tax deduction for contributions to college savings accounts, which are already tax-free.
The Mahoning Valley's delegation in Columbus should support the review process and sunsets. Naturally, some tax breaks - such as no sales tax on prescription medication - should remain. And it will be very tempting to use closing tax loopholes as a way to increase state spending.
Instead, the potential to put billions of dollars in taxes back into the pockets of Ohioans should receive top priority.


text:
By KATHLEEN RONAYNE
When No Child Left Behind passed with bipartisan support from Congress in 2001, it promised a new system of accountability that would raise academic expectations and bring all students – rich, poor, black, white, mentally or physically disabled, limited English speakers – to the same level of achievement.
But more than a decade later, as the state is poised to receive a waiver from parts of the law, New Hampshire educators say it instead created a system that encouraged "teaching to the test," ignored student growth and set an impossible deadline of 100 percent proficiency in math and English by 2014.
"You would never say to a doctor every patient that you have has to be 100 percent healthy. That would be ridiculous," said Kristen Halverson, a Merrimack Valley High School English teacher. "There came a time when we realized, hey, this is just not going to be doable."
The law required each state to develop uniform standards in reading and math and to create standardized tests based on them; in New Hampshire, it was the New England Common Assessment Program. Each state had to set its own testing benchmarks, with "proficient" being the highest. Schools had to gather testing data on the whole school population as well as specific groups: economically disadvantaged, racial or ethnic groups, students with disabilities and those who spoke limited English.
Each year, a higher percentage of students from the whole and within each group had to score "proficient." By 2014, all students in all groups were supposed to hit that mark. If any one group of students missed the mark each year, the whole school was failed. And if a school failed two years in a row, it faced consequences that escalated each consecutive year.
Since the standards got continuously higher and the law didn't account for growth, more and more schools in New Hampshire joined the failing list each year. Without the waiver, about 75 percent of the state's schools would be labeled as failing next year. With the waiver, the state has developed a new system that focuses more attention on the schools struggling the most and measures success in student growth over a period of years.
Faulty metrics
With so much riding on test scores, critics of the law say it encouraged educators to teach to the test.
"It's taken teachers from being a master educator concerned with learning to . . . a test prep person, a test coach person, and those roles are fundamentally different," said Mark Joyce, president of the New Hampshire School Administrators Association.
In elementary schools in particular, where one person usually teaches every subject, some teachers narrowed the curriculum to put a greater emphasis on reading and math, said Scott McGilvray, president of the state's chapter of the National Education Association, a teachers union.
"Specifically I think we stepped away from a lot of science and social studies and put the emphasis on reading, English and mathematics."
Further, the law didn't give any credit to improving scores if the scores didn't hit the achievement mark. Since the standards rose each year, failing students would have more ground to make up to get back on track.
One year at Merrimack Valley High School, for example, the special education students did not meet proficiency. The school targeted interventions for those students, and the next year they passed. But economically disadvantaged students failed that same year. Unlike special needs students, teachers couldn't target those students for improvement because their economic status is measured by free and reduced lunch, which is private information.
Not only did that make intervention harder, but the district was labeled as failing because at least one group didn't pass for two straight years. The improvement among special education students had no impact on the school's status.
"You just sit there afterward and you go, okay, we put all this effort and energy in, which was appropriate, we responded," said Merrimack Valley High Principal Mike Jette. "Then you get a surprise attack."
Expecting every single student to reach the same benchmark regardless of his or her situation just isn't realistic, critics say. Teachers of disabled students who physically can't take the test, for example, have to demonstrate their students understand the material in other ways, said Mike Macri, a special education teacher at Broken Ground School and president of the district's teachers union, the Concord Education Association. Three years ago the state started requiring video assessments, mandating 12 different videos up to eight minutes showing the child mastering the standard.
For teachers dealing with a number of special needs students, following those test requirements is a time-consuming task that takes away from other critical parts of the school day, Macri said.
As schools failed, they faced penalties that were phased in over time. Early penalties required schools to use their Title 1 funding to create improvement plans, provide supplemental education services such as private tutoring, and accommodate students who wanted to attend a different district school. Persistently failing schools were required to implement overhauls that could include firing principals, firing the majority of teachers or, in the worst-case scenario, closing down schools. The state never had to close a school under this law.
Above all, critics say, the punitive nature of the system lowered community confidence and teacher morale.
"Assuming that because I label you a failure now you're going to become more motivated to become better at the job you do, after a while that turns people off," McGilvray said.
A new focus
The expectations that all students could succeed regardless of background is one positive effect of No Child Left Behind and is something that will continue under the waiver. Focusing on subgroups challenged educators not to accept lower standards for certain populations, Jette said.
"I think on some level schools kind of asked for this intervention," Jette said. "There were some kids that were slipping through the cracks, and not all kids (were) being held to high standards."
The law also emphasized using testing and other data to find problem areas. After the first year of testing, for example, Merrimack Valley saw low marks in writing, which prompted a revamping of the writing curriculum across all subjects.
At Pittsfield Middle/High School, the greater focus on data helped target areas for intervention as part of a turnaround effort, said Pittsfield Superintendent John Freeman. Under the law, Pittsfield Middle/High School received a designation of "persistently low achieving," among a small pool of the state's districts that struggled most. Other districts, such as Franklin, received federal School Improvement Grants that imposed some of the law's turnaround principles of removing principals and restructuring schools.
It also brought in funding for professional development that was available for all teachers. At Pittsfield, teachers across all subjects, including science and physical education, are required to include English and math standards in their curriculum. The middle/high school has now developed a long-term plan with benchmarks for student success beyond reading and math and into areas such as discipline. Although the achievement goals set by No Child Left Behind were faulty, Freeman said, the new focus on data and accountability had a positive effect on schools.
"In the end it strengthened the teachers to do their job, to better do their job," he said.
The next step
In its application for a waiver, the state Department of Education had to create its own system for measuring student achievement and aiding struggling schools.
The state expects to receive the waiver though it hasn't officially been notified yet. Officials caution that the proposal could include caveats. Not counting New Hampshire, 37 other states have received waivers from certain provisions of the law.
Under the waiver, the lowest 15 percent of schools would be targeted with resources and support from the state to raise student achievement. They would be labeled "priority" or "focus" instead of "failing" or "in need of improvement." Student growth will be a main factor in determining achievement, and subgroups of students will still be evaluated.
Several bills have also been introduced in Congress to reauthorize the law, which was originally up for renewal in 2007. Congress failed to act then and has failed to act every year since. If a new law was passed, it would override the waivers.
Among area educators, the hope is that the new system will give schools and teachers the support to improve student achievement without the pressure of meeting unattainable goals.
"I know we are supportive of the waiver," said Joyce, of the administrators association. "It fundamentally changes from a punishment system to a support system."
(Kathleen Ronayne can be reached at 369-3309 or
firstname.lastname@example.com or on Twitter at @kronayne.)


text: I got no problem voicing my opinion. Nor do I care what other people think. Osi sucks. of course he allways had his strips. Too bad there isnt a stat that shows number of plays he didnt have any positive effect on. then we could make a judgement. would be something like, over his 129 games played, had 75 sacks, stopped the run a few times, was totally taken out of or ineffective, or ran right at or over 873 times. Comon man. he sucks. and always had another stud on other side. but this is my opinion right.. Dumbest post on board by far does not belong to me man. So your saying we wouldnt have won our last two super bowls without him? Like he was such a staple to our defense? Mabybe to be fair I shouldv said "we could have had a chance to have won both without him". Not so dumb for ya?


text:
You and I play a game involving successive throws of a fair coin.
Suppose I pick HH and you pick TH. The coin is thrown repeatedly
until we see either two heads in a row (I win) or a tail followed
by a head (you win). What is the probability that you win?
A gambler bets half the money in his pocket on the toss of a coin,
winning an equal amount for a head and losing his money if the
result is a tail. After 2n plays he has won exactly n times. Has he
more money than he started with?
A counter is placed in the bottom right hand corner of a grid. You
toss a coin and move the star according to the following rules: ...
What is the probability that you end up in the top left-hand corner
of the grid?
In the problem Odds and Evens, we introduced the following game and invited you to work out whether the game was fair:
Here is a set of numbered balls used for a game.
To play the game, the balls are mixed up and two balls are randomly picked out together.
Can you find a set of balls where the chance of getting an even total is the same as the chance of getting an odd total?
How many sets of balls with this property can you find?
What do you notice about the number of odd and even balls in your sets?


text:
Transformer fire causes power outage
COLUMBIA, Mo. - A transformer fire caused a power outage for around 500 Boone Electric Cooperative members Monday.
It happened around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning in the Brown Station, Route B area.
Boone Electric Cooperative officials say it was because of a transformer fire in a substation.
It took about four hours to repair because they had to wait on crews from Central Electric Power Cooperative to fix the issue.


text:
Movie Review: Midnight Cowboy
Hef introduces the dark American classic starring Dustin Hoffman.
Tonight: Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight in Midnight Cowboy, the only movie to win an "X" rating for its adult content and win an Oscar for Best Picture.
After the spectacular success of The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman declined several similar parts in other films. What he wanted was something completely different. He certainly found it in the role of Enrico "Ratso" Rizzo, the street hustler in Midnight Cowboy.
Hoffman's willingness to accept such a role—a supporting one at that—is reflected throughout his remarkable career, which includes films such as Tootsie.
For his part, Jon Voight had appeared on Broadway in The Sound of Music and a few forgettable films (Hour of the Gun, Fearless Frank, Out of It)
But he caused a sensation as Joe Buck, a restless, frustrated, dishwasher in a small Texas town, who hoped to find success and happiness in the big city.
No one has ever captured the mean streets of the Big Apple more effectively than British film director John Schlesinger.
His previous films—Billy Liar (1963), Darling (1965) and Far From the Madding Crowd (1967)—had won Schlesinger an international reputation.
In fact, Darling had won an Oscar for Julie Christie and a Best Director award from the New York film critics.
But Midnight Cowboy—made in New York, Texas and Florida—was a departure for an Oxford graduate who learned his trade as a director for BBC-TV.
He would follow this film with Sunday, Bloody Sunday (1972), The Day of the Locust (1975) and The Marathon Man with Hoffman in 1976.
Because of the dark and depressing nature of the film, few expected Midnight Cowboy to be a commercial success.
They were mistaken.
The "X" rating virtually assured a limited release, but the critical and public response to the film was so overwhelming that the Production Code took another look and eventually changed the rating to an "R."
Voight's relationship to Hoffman in the latter portion of the film is reminiscent of George and Lenny in Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, when dreams of escaping from New York to the sunny climate of Miami are similar to the dreams of owning their own place where Lenny can raise rabbits.
This tale of dreams unfulfilled has universal appeal.
It is the dark side of the American Dream.
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards. It won for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Both Hoffman and Voight were nominated for Best Actor, but lost to John Wayne for True Grit. Sylvia Miles was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but she lost out to Goldie Hawn in Cactus Flower.
No Academy attention was paid to the film's incredible musical score, which includes the jazz harmonica of Jean "Toots" Thielemans and the title theme "Everybody's Talking," sung by Harry Nilsson.
The film and the music are now cult classics.
So without further adieu, from 1969, the unforgettable—Midnight Cowboy.


text:
A man proned to defy space time, and gravity at will. Existing within multiple theories and at times manifesting into law. He is a conglomoration of a multitude of spirit energies and will one day play a role within the apex as well as the fulcrum.
We were sure it was a Florencio moment when all our hairs stood on end, and seemed to levitate slowly into the glittering abyss.
by buda1 February 04, 2010


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Dear NAA, NAA Management, and Board of Governers:
I have a number of concerns regarding the operations and management of the National Archery Association. Let me start by stating that I have been a member for a long time, and I am very fond of the NAA. Nevertheless, I am concerned about a number of recent events. It is unclear whether these events are all related, but I find each to be troublesome. More troublesome still is the level of secrecy and the lack of flow of information. Many have called for more transparency, and I have to agree. The NAA is a not for profit organization in place for the benefit of its dues paying membership. It has a dual role in that it is also the National Governing Body for archery in the United States, and so it therefore also has obligations to the USOC. My concerns:
1. There is supposedly a new set of by-laws. These are published on the www.usarchery.org website, but they are described as "proposed." The old by-laws stated that any change to the by-laws requires a two-thirds vote of the membership. The new by-laws were never put to a vote of the membership, but were supposedly instead required by the USOC. Now, which set of by-laws is the NAA operating under?
2. Why have the Board of Director elections postponed? Some of the director positions expire this year (supposedly in August), and others are lame duck in accordance with an agreement with the USOC. So after August 9, 2007, will there be any properly elected directors? Who will have the authority to oversee the management of the NAA after August 9?
3. Who is on the Nominating Committee? This committee is charged with selecting the board of director candidates that the membership will ultimately vote upon. Why should the membership of this committee be secret? The selection of director candidates is probably the most important function within the management of the NAA. Why is this process done in secret? Shouldn't the nominating committee be accountable for the slate of candidates that they present to the membership?
4. Who is responsible for oversight of the finances of the NAA? This is a particularly important question in light of the recent arrest of the former director of finance on alleged embezzlement charges. I understand that former President Lloyd Brown's efforts to examine the books of the NAA were thwarted. Why wouldn't the President of the organization be allowed to look at its books?
5. Why was Lloyd Brown removed from his position of President of the NAA? Was this related to his efforts to examine the books?
6. What is the present financial health of the NAA? Can members look at the books? Isn't a not for profit membership based organization responsible to its members?
7. Why does the NAA operate in such secrecy? We are often told to trust those who represent the membership of the NAA. But in light of recent events, this is becoming more difficult.
I love archery, and I love the NAA. But I am disturbed by what I am seeing. More disturbing is the fact that there is little or no information forthcoming from the management of the NAA. As such, this is an open invitation to the NAA, its current board of governers, and its management. Please take a few minutes and answer the concerns of your membership.
Chris Olsen
Member since 1988


text:
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text:
Architect Lyn Rice and a rendering of his villa for the 100 Ordos
project (middle photo) and his Johnson Design Center project in
New York City
UTSA architecture lecture series presents Lyn Rice
By James M. Benavides
Public Affairs Specialist
(March 23, 2009)--The UTSA College of Architecture will host award-winning architect Lyn Rice as part of its ongoing lecture series at 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 25 in the Buena Vista Street Building Aula Canaria (1.328) at the Downtown Campus. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Today's headlines
- La Prensa Foundation is newest member of UTSA Lone Star Society
- UTSA alumna Jordan Kaufmann wins $50K for new stent-graft start-up
- UTSA begins new way-finding sign installation this summer at Main Campus
- USA Today: UTSA long jumper Tyler Williamson rescues three-year-old boy
Article tools
Rice is the principal of New York-based Lyn Rice Architects, a firm that received a 2009 American Institute of Architects Honor Award, considered among the highest awards in the industry. Lyn Rice Architects was honored for its work on the Sheila C. Johnson Design Center at Parsons the New School for Design, a 32,800 square-foot facility incorporating street-level galleries, auditorium, archive, and orientation and meeting spaces in the heart of New York City.
The New York-based firm is a platform for a range of building, planning, art, exhibition and cultural research projects. Their structures include large-scale museums, academic facilities, office space, retail buildings and artistic installations. The firm also is involved in branding, planning, graphics design, exhibition design and curatorial work.
"Critical architectural thought today cannot be separated from practice," said Rice. "In what Princeton's Sarah Whiting, University of Illinois' Bob Somol and others have termed 'projective practices,' economic, political, bureaucratic, physical and programmatic constraints provide a productive resistance from which they can instigate new architectural discourses."
Rice describes his firm's philosophy as embracing everyday practical constraints in a process that resets the norms and temporarily accepts partial or even seemingly failed solutions. They present every option to provide new insights into projects and how to approach them.
Rice is one of 100 architects invited from around the world to develop a villa for the 100 Ordos Master Plan by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. By lottery, Rice was assigned a two-story structure on the project's smallest parcel. It minimized the opportunity for landscaping, but Rice approached the unique situation by internalizing the plot's landscape. By bringing three gardens inside the house and incorporating a landscaped roof, he designed a structure in which "hardscape" and landscape are equal.
Lyn Rice Architects is a member of the American Institute of Architects, the United States Green Building Council (LEED credentialing agency) and several industry organizations. He has held faculty positions at Cooper Union, Parsons, Princeton and Columbia universities.
For more information on the lecture series, visit the UTSA College of Architecture Web site.


text:
On second though, I'm kind of weary of doing a virgin build at this point... Or is that about all I can expect to be able to do without paying $$$ nowadays...?
On second though, I'm kind of weary of doing a virgin build at this point... Or is that about all I can expect to be able to do without paying $$$ nowadays...?
Or I could get a Romanian G and fashion a Yugo-style front grip for it. The kits are cheap and have barrels, I just hate front pistol grips--I find I just can't hold them comfortably..
buy a kit from one of the members here
After you log on page down to the Vendor forum & click on TGI's post at the bottom.
The AK Forum
As far as Florida Gun Works I have done some business with them in the past & they did me right, so I have no problem with them.
I'm not going to dog someones business just because someone says so I'm the type that needs proof.
Thanks, but I'm not an AK forum member, also I think AMD65s are ugly as sin...
I just found this Romanian kit on GB with a normal front grip:
Romanian AK-47 Parts kit, U.S. trigger AK47 : Parts Kits at GunBroker.com
Seems like it might suit my purposes...
Edit: I just looked into AK forum membership and I couldn't register anyway. I don't have an ISP and therefore only have free email addresses. Oh well...PAY ATTENTION..........You must register with the email address provided by your ISP..........PAY ATTENTION
*****Registrations using Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, and other "free" Email accounts will not be approved !!! *****
looks decent enuff
yea there funny like that
spam prevention? or better to monitor you?


text:
I picked him up in the late rounds of all of my drafts hoping that he might eventually take the reigns from Bradshaw this season. However, it seems as though his pass blocking abilities are not up to par and we all know how TC values pass blocking from RBs.
I also have Bradshaw in 95% of my leagues, and so I was forced to pick up Andre Brown where I could (a decision I do not regret)
Now with the emergence of Brown I have three Giants RBs and I need to drop one because that is just too much bench space for one backfield committee. Unfortunately, I think it has to be Wilson. I do not want to do this because he has the potential to be a home run hitter, but I do not think he is as NFL ready as many thought he would be being a 1st round pick.
Does anyone see him getting over 10 carries at any point in the season if Brown and Bradshaw stay healthy? I do not, and I think they will use him similarly to how we used Bradshaw in '08 with Ward and Jacobs getting the bulk of the carries.


text:
Adele - Rolling In The Deep (Keljet Remix)
Oh Adele...it's like, eh, I can live with you, I can live without you. You're just kinda there for me, but some dudes I for surely cannot live without are those nefarious remixers, Keljet, who have taken me on quite a ride over the past year or so with their inevitably fine fixes.
Her new single Rolling In The Deep is pretty much ok, but thanks to the Dutch dudes, this is now actually a tune I'll hit play on more often than not.
If that's not enough quality commentary for you, then download the rolling bass disco thumper below and decide for yourself.
I dare ya.
mp3: Adele - Rolling In The Deep (Keljet Remix)


text: Hi I have a new project truck and I am on the hunt! I am looking for a 5.7 tbi and 5 speed tranny for a fair price or the whole truck if priced right! I really need alot of other stuff just let me know what ya have the truck is trashed! Also my truck is a 2 wheel drive.


text:
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Bradlee Dean
Hard, funky, loud, fast seems to be the rule among the young today and it is the uniqueness of Bradlee's style that just happens to be the key that fits this lock. Born in South Dakota (of all places) his musical influences range from Metal Church, Jane's addiction, TNT to The Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five.
At a young age Bradlee always had a huge desire to play the drums and after working at a local gas station for a year he saved his money to purchase a drum kit: A dream realized. The rest is history! Touring with bands from Louisiana to Colorado, from Florida to Minnesota and from Virginia to North and South Dakota Bradlee has pretty much rocked this nation. Totaling 35 states.
Having recorded with members from "Prince" studio player (Charles Hayes, bass guitar), "Balance of Power" to recording countless tracks with bigger name producer (Todd Duane, of Shrapnel Records, Brian Bart, American Head charge, Night Ranger-Kelly Keagy, Brad Gillis, Molly Hatchet, Bad Finger etc...) In a nut shell, Bradlee has been there and done that.
Years of professional playing - 21 years
Education - Gordy Knudtson, Steve Miller band.
The majority of playing experience, self taught


text: Wow, some great packages already received! I have mine nearly ready, just waiting for my SPs name amd details to customize it a bit. Glad your out of the hospital, Lori!! I know you have had so much on your plate, but trust you will be able to send me my SP name soon!


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Posted by Olivia Adams, Mommie-to-be | Posted in Miscellaneous | Posted on 03-10-2010
Tags: birthing, blood tests, ovulating, periods
Just when I was giving up hope again, my period came! I was already past the 7th day and was supposed to pick up my meds, but I wasn't feeling well all week, we've been busy doing lots of home stuff, and I was working. I did have some leftover progesterones from when I had to take both the progesterones and estradiols, so I figured that would work.
I had dinner with my husband and I was worried about me forgetting to pick up the pills Friday night, when I went to use the bathroom and there it was….period! I know this sounds ridiculous, me getting excited over a period, but I was. I was getting so worried, since my period hadn't come.
Next steps is to get a blood test on the 3rd day. I plan on going this week to get that done. Once that is complete, the hubby and I will have to watch a video or go in to attend a class about the correct way to have birth. The hubs and I find this rather humorous, I mean c'mon, we KNOW how to have birth. It's really not my fault that my brain won't tell my eggs to ovulate. We'll be watching the video shortly, so I can't wait to blog about this. Stay tuned…
So we haven't watched the video yet because I looked at the checklist and I have to do another blood test in a few weeks. I don't want to procrastinate, but better get a few more things done. I went to get my blood test. Holy crap! I had to fill up 7 tubes! I just hate going in to get my blood taken out. Having to sit there and watch the needle prick me and fill up the tubes with my blood. It always seems like they are taking out so much.
A few days later, I got my results. Not too sure what they mean but hopefully, after I do another blood test and watch the videos, I can meet with my doctor and make some sense out of them.


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|GTA V Latest News | #GTAV | #GTAOnline
2008 Major progress in GTA IV scripting
Grand Theft Auto IV - Modifications | @ 02:35 PM MDT | By rappo
This week one of the modders that brought you Sanny Builder and CLEO mods for San Andreas, Alexander Blade, made a beta release for a similar project in GTA IV called Alice.
This powerful scripting tool allows you to install and run user-created scripts in GTA IV, all coded in a scripting language known as LUA. The library of functions available creates a wide array of possibilities with this new tool. Alice was just released so there aren't too many mods available for it now, but its future is very promising.
For now, snag the Alice project download which comes with the scripting library as well as a couple of example scripts (a "Superman" mod that gives you infinite ammo and makes Niko invicible, a "save anywhere" mod that lets you save your game by pressing tab, and a script to show your current coordinates).
For more information on Alice, read this thread at GTAForums.com.
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Units of Study
CHNS1101 - Chinese 1A (For Beginners)
Semester 1, 2011 | Credit Points: 6
Coordinator: Linda Tsung
This unit is an introduction to basic communication skills in Modern Standard Chinese for beginners. Foundation work on pronunciation, pinyin romanisation, elementary grammar and the Chinese writing system will be followed by conversational drills, comprehension, reading and writing practice in classwork and homework.
classwork (10%), on-line or individual learning (20%), oral presentations (40%), writing projects (30%)
Ted Yao and Yuehua Liu. Integrated Chinese. Level One, Part One. Textbook, Workbook and Character Workbook. 3rd edition. Boston: Cheng and Tsui, 2010
1x1-hr lecture/week, 3x1-hr tutorials/week
Students are strongly advised to take CHNS1601 Understanding Contemporary China
HSC Chinese for Background Speakers; eligibility for CHNS1201 or higher
Assumed Knowledge
This unit of study is suitable for complete beginners and for those students who, in the department's judgement, are best advised to go back to the beginning
A timetable is not available for this session.
Please refer to the list of Units of Study on the left-hand menu to view the units on offer for the relevant academic year.
The information displayed above is indicative only as online information is subject to change without notice. The Faculty Handbook and the University of Sydney Calendar are the official legal source of information relating to study at the University of Sydney


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Harbourside City Backpackers
105 The Strand, Tauranga, Tauranga, New Zealand, Distance from city centre: 0.4km
Hilton Location at backpacker prices - right on the water front! This is the backpackers you want to stay when you are in Tauranga.
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- Bicycle hire
- Bicycle parking
- Board Games
- Book Exchange
- Breakfast Not Included
- Card Phones
- Common Room
- Credit Cards Accepted
- DVDs
- Elevator
- Free City Maps
- Free WiFi
- Hair Dryers For Hire
- Internet Access
- Jobs Board
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Late check-out
- Laundry Facilities
- Security Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- No Curfew
- Reception (limited hours)
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Towels For Hire
- Washing Machine
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 1 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
Only a 2 minute walk from the bus station, head to the water front and you can't miss us!
Located Near
All the bars and cafes. We are only a ten minute drive to the beautiful white sandy beach of Mount Maunganui.


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The Senate is scheduled to vote today on a debt-limit deal that would prevent a government default but falls far short of what the country needs to meet its long-term fiscal and demographic challenges.
"The main flaw in the agreement is that it reflects the continued refusal of our political leaders to confront fiscal reality," Robert L. Bixby, executive director of The Concord Coalition, writes in a new blog posting. "Once again, they are leading with discretionary spending cuts while leaving the biggest problems -- entitlement and tax reform -- for another day."
After many weeks of frustrating negotiations and bitter partisan debate, President Obama and congressional leaders said late Sunday that they had reached a deal to raise the debt limit while cutting back on projected spending over the next decade. The House approved the deal Monday night on a 269-161 vote.
The deal includes no tax increases, calls for the House and Senate to vote on a balanced budget amendment, starts with $917 billion in reduced discretionary spending over 10 years, and envisions further action based either on later recommendations from a special congressional committee or a back-up "trigger" mechanism with automatic spending cuts. The deal would also avoid a similar debt-limit battle during the 2012 election campaign.
The Congressional Budget Office said Monday that the plan would reduce projected deficits over the next 10 years by a total of at least $2.1 trillion – a far cry from the $4 trillion that the administration and congressional leaders were at one point contemplating.
Bixby said the proposed congressional committee "is the only aspect of the agreement that has the potential to be a game-changer." Ideally, it could recommend a more comprehensive reform plan along the lines recommended by the president's bipartisan fiscal commission and the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force.
Bixby also noted serious flaws in the back-up trigger mechanism that is supposed to ensure that certain levels of deficit reduction are actually achieved.


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Iranian Beluga Caviar (16 oz.)
Quantity in Basket:
Iranian Beluga CaviarBeluga - The rarest of all sturgeon caviars. Beluga is the largest of
the sturgeon fishes and produces a pearly caviar which has an
extraordinary slightly fruity, nutty, buttery taste. It is the
largest grained of the sturgeon caviars and the color range is from
light to very dark gray. Serving Beluga will certainly impress your
guests.Learn More about Iranian Beluga Caviar


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The Pool Party: A Divison of Joy With Deerhoof, Xiu Xiu, Fang Island, Why? and Pictureplane
Perfect weather, tons of rad kids and a massively major lineup set the stage for the summer's first Pool Party on the Williamsburg Waterfront. While the warm weather season began with queried "will they or won't they" whispers circulating, the season's festivities were announced a few days prior to the initial shindig. First up, was the collection of Pictureplane, Why?, Fang Island, but ultimately the headlining collaboration between Deerhoof and Xiu Xiu, which immediately became a heat-seeking missile of attention warranting.
The supporting acts began the day with an energetic installment of their finest work. From goth'lectro-dance to straight good ol' boy rock, Pictureplane, Why? and Fang Island upped the anticipatory buzz factor before the main music got to gettin'.
With Xiu Xiu's main man Jamie Stewart helming a mash of the two bands, he along with members of Deerhoof, put on a spectacular show in which the collective recreated and covered the entirety of Joy Division's iconic album, Unknown Pleasures. The crowd, a scattering of young admirers of the bands and staunch supporters of the legendary English rock troupe, were treated to a re-imagining of the disc, while paying respect to Curtis, Hook, Morris and Sumner by sticking true to the arrangements that are so beloved.
From She's Lost Control to Disorder, Candidate and every song in between, the stage was full of energy and excitement: a fitting tribute, and an event that was pleasurable on all fronts. You can watch video of Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof performing Shadowplay below. We'll see you next week on the water!
Full gallery of images from the day can be viewed here.
mp3: Xiu Xiu - Gray Death
mp3: Deerhoof - +81


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Which is the best way to feed over the winter in the northwest? Syrup or w/grease patties, or both? And what is a good recipe for grease patties?
Need to make enough for 5 hives w/two brood boxes (deeps).
[This message has been edited by SilverFox (edited September 17, 2003).]


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Stress Free Teaching – An interactive 1-Hour FREE seminar for Teachers
This seminar addresses:
Examination of the root cause of stress in teachers
Simple exercise to relieve physical stress
Breathing techniques
Tips to bring out best in children
Techniques to make teaching stress-free
Lessons In Value Education – LIVE
A practical, effective, transformational 21-hours workshop for the school teachers which help bringing self awareness on values and how they can nurture these values in children they teach.
The workshop highlights on the awareness of values and the self, nourishing & living human values, inculcating values in the classroom, nurturing values in children, understanding teenagers and evaluating students learning.
For more information & testimonials CLICK HERE


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The Final HIPAA Omnibus Rule calls for changes to privacy and security requirements that healthcare organizations should address, especially where current practices and processes could be less effective and expensive to build and maintain, inviting risk.
Organizations that simply address the Final Omnibus HIPAA Rule without taking into account the other privacy and security requirements are at risk of creating a patchwork of processes and controls that will ultimately prove less effective and unnecessarily expensive to build and maintain.
The Final HIPAA Rule has a number of significant changes, and among other things:


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I'm working on my first beehive and I want to make a 4x2x1 (deep body) frame observation hive(OH) similar to what the pacific science center has (had?).
I have a few questions though since I've never kept bees before.
Is this a reasonable general layout? Is it big enough?
do bees need to be kept in the dark? ie should the windows be covered when i'm not looking inside?
If I keep this in my garage will the warm temperatures keep them too active during the winter?
What about car engines and other noises in the garage will they be bothered?
Is it big enough that I'd eventually be able to harvest some honey/wax?
Thanks for the help.


text: You could make up all kinds of scenarios. You could discount Kwan's 94 because she also competed at junior worlds that year, but then she doesn't medal until two years after winning juniors, whereas Kim won a medal the season after winning juniors. Etc etc. But it's probably easier to just go with the actual results. It probably does penalize Kwan a bit for being talented enough to make senior worlds that young, while she was not ready to medal yet, but then others were penalized for things outside of their control , like Mao, who probably indeed would have medalled in 2006 but we have to go with facts which is that she did not. And on the flip side, one could argue that the experience of skating in senior worlds for two years without pressure does give Kwan some kind of advantage that Mao and Kim did not have because they had to wait until they were eligible.


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Very nice build!
Rock River 9mm AR15 with a Mueller 2x7 32mm lighted dot scope, Rock River scope mount, free floating tube and SWR Trident silencer.
Very nice build!
If you want more gun control, use both hands.
Excellent, I've always wondered, did that free float need a separate barrel lock nut? Or is it all just a one piece screw one float tube?
Nice, have you shot it yet?? How quiet is it? Are you using sub-sonic ammo?
The floating tube uses an adapter that takes the place of the original barrel nut assembly Then theres a lock nut that scews over it and the tube scres onto the adapter and gets clocked in place with the lock nut. Pretty solid really.
The silencer is an SWR trident and they are probably the best all around 9mm silencer. I have adapters for pistol use and AR and I have an AK 14x1mm LH adapter on order from TROS on order to use with subsonic 7.62's . There is not much point to shoot without subsonics and 147 grains are common at sporting goods stores and are subsonic out of the AR-15 barrel. Having said all that 9mm's are not dead quiet even out of the best silencer. Sounds about like a roofing nail gun. Produces a noticeable echo. Doesnt sound like a gun but it definitely makes a 5 lb phone book dropping onto concrete sound. I always laugh when I hear guys saying how their silenced 9mm only makes the noise of the action cycling. Its not like that.
Very nice.
Clan MacPherson


text: I have an integral head 250 in my van. Two barrel carb , no cat, air pump and egr. Looking for a head and manifolds that would keep the emissions where they are and improve power or gas mileage. Must be drivable in the winter [carb icing]. Stovebolts cast iron exhaust manifold looks good.


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FDA Investigates Skin Reactions With Zecuity »
"The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking into the risk for serious burns and potential permanent scarring with the use of the sumatriptan iontophoretic transdermal patch (Zecuity, NuPathe Inc) for migraine, the agency said in"...
Read the FDA Investigates Skin Reactions With Zecuity article »
Maxalt Consumer (continued)
Taking MAO inhibitors with this medication may cause a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction. Do not take any MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine) during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before treatment with this medication. Ask your doctor when to start or stop taking this medication.
The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity increases if you are also taking other drugs that increase serotonin. Examples include street drugs such as MDMA/"ecstasy," St. John's wort, certain antidepressants (including SSRIs such as fluoxetine/paroxetine, SNRIs such as duloxetine/venlafaxine), among others. The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity may be more likely when you start or increase the dose of these drugs.
If you also take any ergotamine medication (such as dihydroergotamine or methysergide) or other "triptan" drugs (such as sumatriptan, zolmitriptan), you will need to separate your rizatriptan dose at least 24 hours apart from your dose of these other medications to lessen the chance of serious side effects.
OVERDOSE: If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.
NOTES: Do not share this medication with others.
Certain foods, beverages, or food additives (such as red wine, cheese, chocolate, monosodium glutamate) as well as lifestyle patterns such as irregular eating/sleeping habits or stress may bring on a migraine headache. Avoiding these "triggers" may help lessen migraine attacks. Consult your doctor for more details.
Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as blood pressure) may be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.
MISSED DOSE: Not applicable. (See How to Use section.)
STORAGE: Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
Information last revised April 2015. Copyright(c) 2015 First Databank, Inc.
Maxalt Consumer Overview
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Maxalt User Reviews
Now you can gain knowledge and insight about a drug treatment with Patient Discussions.
Here is a collection of user reviews for the medication Maxalt sorted by most helpful.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Living Better
Find the secrets to longer life.


text: Hi, I would like to ask a question. Are in the USA some Europe Chevrolet/Daewoo models (like Captiva/Cruze) to buy and as they sell??? In Germany we have only about 20-25 dealer who sells the "right" chevrolet (with v6or v8 engines) all other "chevrolet dealer" sells only cars like captiva and so we can`t buy parts for real Chevys/GMC´s... How is the parts supply for cars like captiva in USA? Thank`s, Martin


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Historic Mansion in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Riverbend Inn & Vineyard • Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
Escape Kit
- A Two-Night Stay for Two in a Superior Room with Turndown Service, Sunday through Thursday Arrivals between Now and April 30, 2013 ($329) or between May 1 and June 27, 2013 ($385)
- Riverbend Inn Wine Flight with Cheese Plate
- Continental Breakfast for Two Delivered Daily
- $25 Dinner Credit for Dining Room
- Wine Tasting for Two at Two Local Wineries
- Bottle of Wine and Truffles Upon Departure
- Chocolate Tour at Nearby Chocolate Factory
- Combine Vouchers to Stay Up to Four Nights
The Destination
Though it shares part of its name with the famous falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake is far removed from the camera-clad crowds of its neighbor to the south. At the confluence of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, this charming 19th century town offers a more authentic, boutique experience in Southern Ontario. Family-owned wineries punctuate the rural landscape in the surrounding countryside, while downtown plays host to a number of fine restaurants, well-preserved theaters, and cute boutiques. And if the mood strikes, well, you're still only 20 minutes from Niagara Falls.
The Digs
Sprawled out on 17 acres just outside of town, the Riverbend Inn & Vineyard—a stately white manor with Roman-style columns and classic English-green shutters—affords a quintessential Niagara-on-the-Lake experience. Each of 21 rooms comes complete with a fireplace, and Superior rooms are appointed with a king- or queen-size bed draped in plush linens and feather pillows. And because it used to be an art gallery, Riverbend features paintings and other work throughout the mansion.
Not only does this 1820 inn double as a vineyard, with an outdoor patio where guests can sip an afternoon Chardonnay, it also features a bar and a restaurant that serves three meals a day. Visitors and locals alike pack the white-tablecloth dining room nightly for fresh, unpretentious cuisine prepared with vegetables and herbs from the inn's on-site gardens—a true farm-to-fork experience.
"Beautiful Heritage Inn. Nicely appointed. Very attentive and knowledgeable staff. Great restaurant with delicious and interesting food choices and of course a good wine listing of their own, and other fine wines."-- TripAdvisor
30 day money-back guarantee
Can't find the dates you want? Dog ate your passport? No worries. You have 30 days post-purchase to return your voucher, no questions asked.
the fine print
- Up to 2 vouchers can be combined to extend stay
- Reservations required and subject to availability; must be booked by June 10, 2013
- Not valid on group or existing reservations
- Merchant cancellation/re-scheduling policy applies; voucher subject to forfeiture
- Blackout dates are April 16-17, 26-29, May 17, 19, May 25-27 and all Saturdays
- Based upon double occupancy
- Voucher includes a $25 dinner credit for Dining Room, a wine tasting for two at two local wineries, a bottle of wine and truffles, and a chocolate tour at nearby chocolate factory
- Transportation is not included to Winery tasting
- Taxes are not included and will be collected at redemption
- Nights must be used consecutively
- Stays must be completed within date range purchased
- The deal is valid only for date range purchased and may not be exchanged or redeemed for any other dates
- Other conditions apply • PAID AND PROMOTIONAL VALUES EXPIRES ON June 27, 2013 • PAID VALUE DOES NOT EXPIRE • PAID VALUE EXPIRES ON June 27, 2018 • PROMOTIONAL VALUE EXPIRES ON June 27, 2013 • Enjoy By June 27, 2013
Other conditions apply
Except where noted in the fine print:
• Tax and gratuity are not included
• Merchant is responsible for the quality of the products or services provided to you at redemption
• Entire value must be used in one visit
• Cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion
• LivingSocial Terms and Conditions - https://www.livingsocial.com/terms
• Prices listed in Canadian dollars
Original Price:
- 0% savings
- remaining


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As savvy shoppers flocked to stores for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday deals, Linda Stolow Sterling decided to take a different route to holiday happiness. In this week's [Web Link Simply Sterling], the "grandma in good standing" talks about the merits of taking loved ones on adventures and day trips -- creating memories instead of giving traditional gifts.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, November 30, 2012, 1:29 PM
Town Square
An alternative to shopping
Original post made on Dec 3, 2012
Like this commentPosted by Grandma
a resident of Alamo
on Dec 3, 2012 at 10:12 am
What a wonderful idea!


text: On January 29, 2013, Human Resources and the County's health insurance consultant gave a presentation on the condition of the County's Self Health Insurance Fund. As a result of wellness programs for county employees and their spouses, claims have dropped. It was recommended that the Board of Supervisors declare an insurance holiday for March of 2013 and also a 3.3% reduction in health premiums effective July 1, 2013. The Board passed both recommendations on a vote of 5-0. The results of this action will be used to help reduce tax askings for FY 2013-14. The dollars saved totals $469,000.


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When we compare a gaming PC with Xbox one or PlayStation 4, it's like comparing heaven to earth. Gaming PCs have towers that take a high video memory as well as graphics that make the game's details such as shadows, sunlight and smoke very scrupulous to make a console choke. Although PCs are very advantageous, they have their own demerits. Sometimes they become too hot, noisy and even some of them are too large to be kept in your living room. To avoid such disadvantages, you can turn your attention to steam machines which is a new model of computers in which you can play games directly from the console's body.
It has boxes that control the steam's OS such that it works as an interface to make buying and browsing games so easy. Apart from this, steam machines do have a top-shelf laptop graphics chip which is very powerful and has the ability to run for a longer time and still stay cool without the need of a fan. When we compare the console's for PS4 and steamOS in terms of generation, the former belongs to a generation or two behind the latter.
Since all the systems have been set up, the only thing that is remaining to be delivered by steamOS is a world class game which is believed to be just around the corner. As per now, of all the 2900 titles of which steam owns licences, already 400 of them can now play on it which is as a result of its limiting Linux code. Lucky enough, the brain behind the Crysis series have vowed to include full Linux titles in all the upcoming titles which could also prompt other companies to do the same. Till that becomes fruitful, almost all the steam machine manufacturers will have to let their boxes run on both windows and steam as a temporal solution with an aim of holding onto their clients who play hard core games.