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In recent years, Members of Congress have requested that the Offices of Inspector General provide a list of top management challenges facing their agencies. The information below reflects the current challenges we have identified, as of December 8, 2000.
Correct longstanding financial management problems
The Department of Education (ED) must continue to address its longstanding financial management weaknesses. We and the General Accounting Office (GAO) have identified significant weaknesses with the Department's financial management and systems since 1990, when the Chief Financial Officers' Act became law. These weaknesses have prevented the Department from achieving the Government's goals of an unqualified opinion on financial statements and no material internal control weaknesses.
In order to address its financial management weaknesses, the Department reports it has taken a number of actions. For example, as of December 4, 2000, the Department reports that it has completed corrective action on 124 of 139 audit recommendations for the FY 1995 through the FY 1999 financial statement audits. It also reports that it has purchased and is in the process of implementing a new state-of-the-art financial system --Oracle Federal Financials -- and that it has hired new financial managers, brought in experts from the Treasury Department, and enlisted the support of private sector accounting firms. As the Oracle financial system is not fully implemented and the FY 2000 financial statement audit is not yet completed, it is premature to determine the impact these actions will have on the Department's overall financial management.
The audit of the Department's FY 1999 financial statements resulted in a qualified opinion, except for the Statement of Financing, because the Department lacked adequate documentation to support certain amounts reported in net position and to support that certain transactions were recorded in the proper period. This was an improvement over the disclaimer of opinion issued on the Department's FY 1998 Financial Statements. There was a disclaimed opinion on the combined statement of financing because the Department lacked adequate reconciliations and supporting documentation specific to this statement.
In addition, the 1999 Report on Internal Control documented eight weaknesses and the 1999 Report on Compliance with Laws and Regulations documented three instances of noncompliance. For the first time, the Department met the March 1st deadline for submitting the financial statement audit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Department has prepared consolidated financial statements for FY 2000 and also stand-alone FY 2000 consolidated financial statements for Student Financial Assistance (SFA). The SFA is a performance-based organization (PBO) and is directly responsible for administering the Title IV student financial assistance programs. In terms of dollars reported, SFA is the most significant component of the consolidated Department-wide financial statements. FY 2000 will be the second year that SFA stand-alone financial statements are audited.
The OIG is responsible for ensuring that both the Department's consolidated financial statement and SFA's financial statements are audited in accordance with applicable auditing standards. Both the Department-wide and SFA financial statements were provided to the auditors as scheduled on December 1, 2000. The Department is further along in the process this year primarily because it prepared interim statements as of March 31 and June 30 and set up a Financial Statement Steering Committee. The Department and the OIG are committed to meeting the March 1, 2001, deadline for both audits.
Fully implement the Clinger-Cohen Act
The Clinger-Cohen Act requires agencies to adopt specific practices to improve the management of information technology (IT), including the acquisition, use, and disposal of IT resources. While the Department has made progress since the arrival of the new Chief Information Officer in September 1999, it still has not yet fully implemented three key requirements of the Act relating to capital planning and investment control process, a sound and integrated IT architecture, and information resource management knowledge and skills of agency personnel.
In September 1999, the OIG and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) agreed on a corrective action plan to address our 1998 audit recommendations. The OCIO has made progress in this area. For example, the Department established an Investment Review Board (IRB) to better plan and control IT capital investments. However, while the IRB is still in the early stages of implementing its IT investment management processes, the Department needs to ensure that top management will be sufficiently knowledgeable of SFA IT project decision-making, especially for projects that have an enterprise-wide impact. The OIG plans to conduct further reviews on the Department's efforts to implement Clinger-Cohen. We are also in the process of selecting a candidate for a Senior Executive position for an IT audit director to enhance OIG advisory and review efforts in this critical area.
Continue to improve its systems security
The Department reported security management as a material weakness in its 1999 Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act report and plans to include it again for 2000. Systems security remains a challenge for the Department even though a number of recent changes have been implemented to improve security. The Department's CIO designated a Deputy CIO for Information Assurance and assigned three additional staff members to the IT security area. The Department also established the Information and Critical Infrastructure Assurance Steering Committee.
In February 2000, we issued a report on the security posture, policies, and plans for the Department's 14 mission-critical information technology systems and found significant control weaknesses, including the lack of required security plans, reviews, and awareness training. These weaknesses collectively constitute a significant threat to the security of the Department's IT systems and the data they possess. Since this audit, the Department CIO informed us that the Department expects to complete security reviews for 13 of 14 mission-critical systems by January 1, 2001; a security plan is scheduled to be in place for the 14th system -- EDNet -- by February 1, 2001. The Department CIO has developed and implemented a computer-based security awareness program; he reports that 97 percent of the Department's employees have taken the training and that it will be offered annually to all employees and new hires.
We also issued reports on the Department-wide network (EDNet) and Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 63 on Critical Infrastructure Protection. Regarding EDNet, we found that the Department can strengthen controls to enhance overall accountability and security. For PDD 63, we found that the Department has not taken sufficient actions to implement this directive and needs to improve its planning and assessment activities for protecting its critical infrastructure. The Department has informed us that it has devoted resources to this effort and plans to submit a comprehensive Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan to the National Critical Infrastructure Office in December 2000. We will perform an annual evaluation of the Department's information security program and practices in FY 2001, as required by recently enacted legislation (P. L. 106-398).
Improve the Department's internal controls
The Department faces continued challenges to design and implement effective internal controls. Internal control is a central component in the management of an organization. It is the responsibility of management to design and implement a strong set of internal controls. As the GAO recently stated, "Internal control serves as the first line of defense in safeguarding assets and in helping detect and prevent waste, fraud and abuse" (GAO 01-104R, Education's FY 1999 Financial Management Weaknesses, October 16, 2000, page 9).
At the request of the Department, in October 2000 we completed an examination of the Department's internal control over its purchase card and third party draft programs. We found that the Department's established control activities for these programs were not always followed. The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) needs to complete an effective reconciliation of the monthly Department-wide purchase card statement. In the third party draft program, we noted deficiencies in the Department's internal controls over the printing, signing, and monitoring of drafts, and supporting documentation for some transactions. We provided the Department with several recommendations, and the Department concurs with our findings and has provided us with a corrective action plan to address our recommendations.
We also conducted an audit of the Department's controls over cellular telephones. We found weaknesses in controls over cellular phone purchases and management, including inventory processes, vendor selection, and billing procedures. The Department concurred with our findings and recommendations and has planned actions to begin addressing the issues.
We will also conduct a review of the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) operation. COTRs act as technical liaisons between the Department's contracting officers and individual contractors and augment the contracting officer's and contract administrator's roles. We will evaluate whether COTRs are receiving proper training and performing assigned responsibilities.
Our audit work is in addition to our investigative efforts. We have testified several times before House committees on the status of two investigations. One case involved Impact Aid funds fraudulently wired in March and April 2000 from the Federal Reserve to improper bank accounts. To date, the Department has recovered $1,718,696 of the $1.9 million that was fraudulently transferred. The second case involves the purchase of equipment with federal funds for non-business related purposes, hours charged to the Department for hours not worked, and the receipt of goods purchased with federal funds for personal use. To date, seven people have pled guilty. We expect further action on both cases. Department management has fully cooperated with both investigations.
Define the role of the Performance-Based Organization
The development of a performance-based organization (PBO) as a discrete management unit reporting to the Secretary, to manage the operations of the Student Financial Assistance programs, is a challenge. The Office of Student Financial Assistance, formally within the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), was designated as the PBO in December 1998 and renamed Student Financial Assistance (SFA). While the legislation creating the PBO implies independence, the degree of independence remains unclear. It is essential that the Department and the PBO work in cooperation to assure that roles and responsibilities in several key operational areas are established and followed. Some examples of coordination challenges include the following.
- Upon the creation of the PBO in December 1998, the responsibility for the promulgation of regulatory program policy remained in the PBO. Early in 1999, this responsibility was transferred to, and managed directly from the Office of the Deputy Secretary. In January 2000, however, this responsibility was reassigned to OPE although the staff that perform the technical regulatory drafting remain in the PBO. Public negotiated rulemaking (required by the Higher Education Amendments (HEA)) could be confusing because the Department's negotiators are from OPE, while the staff drafting the regulations remain in the PBO under the direction of OPE. It is also unclear when technical assistance by the PBO becomes policy interpretations under the purview of OPE.
- The PBO was provided with certain procurement flexibilities, but still must adhere to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The PBO initially established an acquisition staff to work with the Department's Contracts and Purchasing Office on SFA procurement. Although the PBO continued to utilize this office to perform operational contracting activities, the PBO has now established an independent contracting function. However, the Department's General Counsel has pointed out that the FAR requires a delegation from the operating head -- the Secretary -- for contracting functions and that no such delegation has been made to the PBO. Accordingly, the PBO must coordinate with the office to which such a delegation has been made -- OCFO's Contracts and Purchasing Office. Discussions on this matter are ongoing.
- The PBO has established its own OCIO. It is important that the Department's OCIO and the PBO's OCIO work closely on addressing IT issues. For example, the PBO has established an Investment Review Board in addition to the Department's Investment Review Board. This area will need continued attention to ensure that coordination is successful, especially in the area of computer security, given their shared IT infrastructure. In addition to a memorandum of direction from the Deputy Secretary to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SFA and to the Department's CIO, the Department needs to ensure that top management will be sufficiently knowledgeable of SFA IT project decision-making.
- One of the four material weaknesses in the FY 1999 Financial Statement Audit for SFA is that SFA needs to improve communication and coordination efforts for financial management. This is important because the SFA CFO and the Department's CFO are dependent on each other to prepare and support financial statements. SFA relies on the Department's CFO systems and processes for compiling the financial statements and the Department's CFO relies on SFA to provide key data for inclusion in the financial statements. The Financial Statement Steering Committee, established for the audit of FY 2000 statements, is intended to address communication and coordination challenges. The OIG is responsible for performing the audits of both sets of financial statements.
Obtain Appropriate Performance Measurement and Quality Data for Government Performance and Results Act Reporting
Reporting requirements under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) present two significant challenges to the Department: to ensure the correct measures were selected to appropriately focus on program performance, and to ensure the source of the data for the measures is of sufficient quality.
The OIG has made reviewing GPRA in the Department an ongoing priority. For each job in our work plan, we will determine whether there are established GPRA goals and indicators relevant to the objectives and scope of our work. If GPRA goals and indicators are present, we will evaluate them, as appropriate. We will also consider the absence of goals and indicators and, if appropriate, make recommendations for their inclusion. At the Department's request, we also recently reviewed the Department's process for preparing the performance report.
Both the Department and the GAO have identified the availability of quality data as a concern. The Department's annual plans have noted that the lack of integration of SFA systems and its heavy dependence on external systems hampers its ability to provide timely and accurate information. GAO included the lack of quality data in its January 1999 report on Department of Education challenges. In that report, GAO noted that the absence of information often results from the nature of the programs themselves. SFA reports it has made the improvement of data quality a major initiative, for example, in the National Student Loan Data System.
Implement Student Financial Assistance's Modernization Blueprint and Performance Plan
SFA is in the process of developing and implementing its systems Modernization Blueprint, which is intended to streamline and integrate its student financial aid systems. Managing the implementation of the Blueprint will be a significant challenge for SFA and will largely depend on its ability to re-engineer processes and modernize its systems. The Blueprint describes the future business requirements, business and technical architecture, and sequencing plan that SFA will use to transform the financial aid systems using leading edge technology. SFA is continually in the process of updating its Blueprint. On three occasions, we have reviewed and commented on the development of the SFA Modernization Blueprint, and we included additional work in this area in our current work plan.
Another challenge for SFA is to ensure that the implementation of the five-year performance plan meets SFA's responsibilities as required by the HEA in four key areas: improve services including making programs more understandable to students and their parents, reduce costs, improve and integrate support systems, and deliver accurate and timely information systems.
The legislation creating the PBO requires the Chief Operating Officer for the PBO and the Secretary to agree on, and make available to the public, a performance plan for the PBO for the succeeding five years that establishes measurable goals and objectives for the organization. Our comments on drafts of the performance plan have focused on whether the plan adequately addressed the following areas: statutory reporting requirements under the HEA and the GPRA, the unit cost calculation, the measures for both customer and employee satisfaction, and balance between customer service and program integrity. The text of the first-year plan was never finalized. The COO of SFA has a signed performance agreement with the Secretary with three goals relating to customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and cost reduction.
The HEA specifically requires the PBO to adhere to the GPRA. The PBO has taken the position that their five-year performance plan is sufficient for their reporting responsibilities under the GPRA. In response to our comments on the PBO plan, that it does not include goals or measures to ensure program integrity, SFA reports that for FY 2001, it has included program integrity as one of its basic goals.
Move to a paperless environment
The Department must implement the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) which requires it to move to electronic government by October 21, 2003. The GPEA specifically requires agencies, when practicable, to provide individuals or entities the option to submit information or transact with the agency electronically and to maintain records electronically. It also encourages the use of a range of electronic signature alternatives. The purpose of GPEA is not simply to replace paper transactions with electronic ones. Agencies should use the GPEA planning process to undertake a re-engineering of its business processes and use IT to improve program operations and achieve cost savings. Implementation of GPEA should also ensure adequate controls to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.
The challenge to the Department will be to provide resources for the GPEA effort necessary to achieve results. The Department will require specialized expertise to undertake business process re-engineering and IT system analysis, design and cost estimation. Program offices will also have to devote considerable resources to this effort, while maintaining current operations. The Department has not been provided with separate budgetary resources to fund the GPEA effort.
Agencies were required to develop and submit to the OMB by October 2000 a plan that provides for implementation of GPEA by October 2003. On October 31, 2000, the Department submitted to OMB an initial plan for GPEA implementation.
Balancing Compliance Monitoring and Technical Assistance in the Oversight of Education Programs
Balancing compliance monitoring and technical assistance in the oversight of federal education programs is a challenge for the Department as it strives to meet the needs for both accountability and flexibility. Compliance monitoring and technical assistance are two methods of providing oversight of federal education funds. Compliance monitoring entails reviewing the administration of elementary and secondary education programs, student financial assistance programs, and other programs to ensure compliance with federal laws and regulations. Technical assistance involves providing advice and guidance on the use of federal funds and making program improvements. Over the past few years, the Department has emphasized technical assistance as a means of providing oversight. The Department can enhance oversight and program integrity by strengthening compliance monitoring and balancing this component with technical assistance.
Elementary, Secondary, and Higher Education Programs
The challenge to balance compliance monitoring and technical assistance was addressed in our 1999 report entitled An OIG Perspective on the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In this report, we observed that the most common audit finding related to weaknesses in the oversight of elementary and secondary programs. Over half of the single audits we reviewed reported that state education agency oversight of local education agencies was unsatisfactory. We are performing an audit on the federal and state-level monitoring of formula grant programs and another audit on the monitoring of discretionary grant programs.
The Department recognized the need for compliance monitoring for reauthorizing ESEA. We have also been advised that the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education has developed a monitoring instrument that will be used during integrated reviews at states, that merges compliance monitoring and technical assistance.
As the result of compliance concerns in the Virgin Islands, our office recently worked with the Department as the Department placed a number of conditions on the Virgin Islands' fiscal year 2000 grants. Oversight over the Virgin Islands Department of Education's (VIDE) administration of Departmental funding has previously been minimal, the Single Audit reports have historically been late, and in 1996 and 1997 no single audits were performed. Currently, we are performing audit survey work on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Parts B and C grants to the VIDE, and expect that this and other work will continue into future fiscal years due to the scope and severity of the problems identified.
Similar concerns exist for Puerto Rico. Their single audits have also been historically late; the 1997 single audit report was issued in February 2000 and the 1998 and 1999 single audit reports have not yet been submitted to the Department. Recent OIG audits of the Safe and Drug-Free School Governor's Program and the Even Start program found major deficiencies in the Puerto Rico Department of Education's (PRDE) cash management and contract administration. We found that the PRDE held funds for over one year before disbursing to sub-recipients and they severely delayed signing contracts with schools, resulting in teachers not being paid and schools ceasing programs.
Student Financial Assistance Programs
The SFA programs continue to be at high risk for fraud and abuse by outside parties perpetrating fraud on the Department. Therefore, program monitoring and enforcement continue to be vital to program integrity. The PBO has selected improving customer satisfaction as one of three goals to measure its performance as part of its five-year plan required by the HEA. An integral part of this goal is providing technical assistance to all customers. Case Management and Oversight (CMO), the PBO division responsible for oversight monitoring and enforcement of SFA laws and regulations when schools fail to comply, is also responsible for providing technical assistance to schools participating in the SFA programs. Therefore, establishing an acceptable balance between technical assistance and monitoring and enforcement is critical for the integrity and accountability of the SFA programs.
In our most recent Semiannual Report to Congress, we discussed three audit reports that cited significant deficiencies in CMO's oversight of schools. Deficiencies noted include a significant decrease in program reviews, lack of enforcement on schools for untimely submission of annual compliance audit reports, and an ineffective process for recertifying foreign schools eligibility in SFA programs. CMO has provided corrective action plans to these audits and states that it will improve its risk-based approach. CMO will continue to split its focus between compliance and technical assistance and has included in its performance goals increasing program reviews.
Obtain income verification from the Internal Revenue Service
Implementation of a match with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would provide assurance that applicants accurately reported income on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Based on results from an OIG audit and numerous investigations, we recommended that the Department be permitted to verify with the IRS the income information reported by students and their parents on the FAFSA. Income and dependency elements are critical in calculating the expected family contribution needed to compute eligibility for student aid.
The Congress provided the Department with the authority to confirm with the IRS the adjusted gross income, Federal income taxes paid, filing status and exemptions reported by applicants (including parents) on their Federal income tax returns for the purpose of verifying the information reported by applicants on FAFSA (Higher Education Act Amendments of 1998, P.L. 105-244).
While the Department has attempted to implement this authority, negotiations with the IRS have not been successful. The IRS is of the opinion that corresponding statutory changes must be made to the IRS Code (26 USC ??6103) before they can agree to the verification match. The IRS is concerned with protecting applicants' privacy of income data. We have noted this data must already be reported on the FAFSA to qualify for student aid. While the matter has been discussed between the Department, the IRS, and OMB, it appears that action by the Congress will be necessary to make this critical verification of income a reality.
In the interim, the Department has amended the FAFSA to include a warning on the FAFSA that the income information is subject to verification with the IRS and to require the parent's Social Security number for dependent students. Also, the Department negotiated and performed two sample matches with the IRS during 2000 to obtain statistical data to better target the current sample selection of FAFSAs for the verification process, which requires applicants to provide copies of tax returns to their schools. The Department also reports it now conducts data matches with the Social Security Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure program integrity. However, the Department, the schools, and the OIG must continue to use resource intensive after-the-fact methods to identify improper payments of Pell Grants and to attempt recovery, rather than the more technologically efficient upfront prevention of improper payments the IRS match would provide.


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BendFilm Festival names award winners
Sunday is final day of event
BEND, Ore. - BendFilm Festival announced the winners in 11 categories Saturday evening at an awards gala at the Oxford Hotel in downtown Bend.
The Narrative Feature, Hide Your Smiling Faces, in its Pacific Northwest Premiere, swept the festival, capturing numerous awards, including the Brooks Resources "Best of Show" and the Panavision "Best Narrative Feature."
The winning films and award amounts as well as a full schedule of Sunday's lineup are listed below.
Sunday, October 13, is the final day of the festival, when a full line-up of winning films and Best of the Best will be shown at the Tower Theatre and Regal Cinemas.
"Celebrating our 10th year, we have been so fortunate to have such amazing films and an incredible jury at the BendFilm Festival this year," said Festival Director Orit Schwartz.
Jurors included Neal Block, head of Theatrical Distribution at Magnolia Pictures; Miriam Cutler, Emmy-nominated composer and BendFilm 2012 Audience Award Winner; Franklin Leonard, founder of the Black List; Darryl Macdonald, director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival; Maggie Mackay, Los Angeles Film Festival; and Lisa Schwarzbaum, critic and essayist formerly of Entertainment Weekly.
"We savor the rush of handing gifted filmmakers awards, and we delight in the local individuals and businesses that make it a reality," said Schwartz. "We would like to thank the talented filmmakers who have shared their projects with us through all these years as we could not have been successful without them."
2013 Award Winners
Award Name + $ Amount
Made Possible By
Winning Film
Best of Show $5,000 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Brooks Resources Corporation, founding sponsor of BendFilm for the past 10 years
Hide Your Smiling Faces
Best Narrative Screenplay $500 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Independent WOMEN for Independent Film! *
Best Directing $500 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Independent WOMEN for Independent Film! *
Daniel Patrick Carbone, Hide Your Smiling Faces
Best Narrative Feature Camera Rental Package (valued at $60,000) & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Hide Your Smiling Faces
Best Documentary Feature $500 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Jan and Jody Ward
Before the Spring, After the Fall
Best Short $500 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Independent WOMEN for Independent Film! *
The Boy Scout
Special Mention for Documentary Short: Herd in Iceland
Best Student Short $500 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Dan and Priscilla Wieden on behalf of Caldera Arts
Best Short Screenplay $500 & BendFilm Award Sculpture
Independent WOMEN for Independent Film! *
Cody Blue Snider, Shane Snider; Fools Day
Best Cinematography BendFilm Award Sculpture
Hide Your Smiling Faces
Best Actor BendFilm Award Sculpture
Andrea Suarez Paz, Stand Clear of the Closing Doors
* Independent WOMEN for Independent Film: The brainchild of Pamela Hulse Andrews, bringing together this group of incredible women supporting BendFilm at a time we could use it most! Their contribution is funding cash prizes for filmmakers as well as the awesome BendFilm award statue, branding our festival for years to come. Thank you ladies!
Sunday 10/13/13 ~ Awards Winners & Best of the Fest Schedule
(Narrative feature; Documentary; Short Films)
Regal 1
Regal 2
10:30 a.m. ? Documentary
Award Winner
Best Documentary
Before the Spring, After the Fall with The Boy Scout
85 min.
11 a.m. ? Narrative
BUOY with Herd In Iceland
104 min.
Early Afternoon
1 p.m. ? Narrative
Award Winner
Best Narrative
Hide Your Smiling Faces with Silk
97 min.
1 p.m. ? Documentary
Digital Dharma: One Man's Mission to Save a Culture with A House, A Home
89 min.
1:30 p.m. ? Doc
Terms And Conditions May Apply with Promised Land
99 min.
12 p.m. ?
Late Afternoon
3:30 p.m. ? Narrative
Award Winner
Audience Award
Hank & Asha with Bare As You Dare
90 min.
3:30 p.m. ? Documentary
Bending Steel with Bug People
108 min.
4 p.m. ? Narrative
A Picture of You with Obit
94 min

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
Sources: Former Cubs first-rounder to try pitching
Ryan Harvey, a first-round draft pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2003, has signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox, major league sources told FOXSports.com.
But this isn't a simple story of a former top prospect getting a second chance. He's changing his career path entirely.
Harvey, 26, had a .244 batting average in eight seasons as a minor league outfielder but never reached higher than Double-A. So, he's putting the bat aside in an attempt to revive his career as a right-handed pitcher.
It's apparent he has a strong throwing arm. In 57 games as a right fielder this year at Double-A Tulsa, Harvey had 12 assists.
Harvey's stock as a position player was once so high that the Cubs took him with the No. 6 overall selection. Baseball America twice rated him among the top 70 prospects in the game.
The Red Sox are encouraged enough by his potential that they invited him to a preseason camp for top prospects.
— Jon Paul Morosi


text:
...from the Transit Bar
15 May 2014 - 17 Aug 2014
Located in Contemporary Gallery B102 directly across from the Cafétéria des beaux-arts
NGC Magazine article | CBC Radio interview | Video: Artist Interview
This summer, viewers are invited to experience this remarkable space out of time and place, and to sit and share their own stories while ordering a drink …from the Transit Bar.
Vera Frenkel's …from the Transit Bar is a seminal work of Canadian contemporary art, comprising video, sculpture, architecture, readymade material and a fully functioning bar. Created in 1992 for the renowned international exhibition DOCUMENTA that occurs every five years in Kassel, Germany, …from the Transit Bar is one of the influential Toronto-based artist's most ambitious projects. On view in Canada for the first time in nearly two decades, the installation recounts perennial themes in Frenkel's oeuvre related to issues of exile, cultural migration, translation, and the indeterminacy of meaning.
Bartending hours
Wednesday from noon to 4:30 pm
Thursday from noon to 7:30 pm
Friday to Sunday from noon to 4:30 pm
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Vodka (Stolichnaya)
Whiskey (Cutty Sark)
Dasani Water
Orange Juice
Artist Interview - Vera Frenkel:
Vera Frenkel
... from the Transit Bar, 1992, reconstructed 2014
Six channel laser disk installation and functional piano bar, 120 square meters
Gift of the artist, Toronto, and purchase, 1997
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa


text:
A crappy old people's mall in Queensbury, NY with really crappy stores and crappier workers. Features include rude security guards, a JC Penney that is half the size of the rest of the mall, a Target with an incompetent manager, an arcade that seems to always be open yet nobody is ever there working, a GameStop with people who only like you if you do nothing but play videogames, crap your pants, and go buy more videogames. A Play-N-Trade store was open for a short period of time but was also shut down. Another key feature is that stores that are meant for those under 35 to shop at can only last about a year tops and then they're shut down and replaced with a generic clothing store nobody likes, or a store nobody's ever heard of and that doesn't last long either. Also has an expansion project that seems to always have some kind of excuse as to why it hasn't started yet.
by metalheadoutcast777 November 18, 2009


text: I've had both and prefer laminate....The laminate I picked a peel and stick that was 12" sq. pattern so I could use it to measure also....I have it on a cement floor in the bsmt. Plus my serger is right next to my sewing machine and with a roller chair I can sail from one to the other..


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forum: Everything else
#21 Sat 10 Dec 11 1:05pm
- Forum champ Occupation Walking the Old Ways
- From Living in the Wild Woods
- Member since Wed 16 Jan 08
Re: Avatars
I'm not!
Without one I am an International Woman of Mystery!!!
#22 Sat 10 Dec 11 3:02pm
Re: Avatars
you could be individuated (??) by the choice of words you use and your wit among billions of misterious international forumers
#23 Sat 10 Dec 11 5:05pm
- Forum champ Occupation Walking the Old Ways
- From Living in the Wild Woods
- Member since Wed 16 Jan 08
Re: Avatars
Oh Yeah................it's wot she said!
#24 Sat 10 Dec 11 7:34pm
- Forum super champ
- Member since Fri 04 Apr 08
Re: Avatars
Grand_Ma wrote:
you could be individuated (??) by the choice of words you use and your wit among billions of misterious international forumers
and beautiful wild flowers
#25 Sun 11 Dec 11 2:09am
- Forum champ Occupation Why is the Rum always gone???!
- From out to lunch
- Member since Sat 07 Jan 06
Re: Avatars
And spinning tassels..
Only a fool argues with a skunk, a mule or a cook. { cowboy saying}
#26 Sun 11 Dec 11 3:16pm
Re: Avatars
you see Minni you are the best ..... known misterious one
#27 Sun 25 Dec 11 3:30am
- Forum super champ
- From Newcastle, Australia
- Member since Sat 10 Mar 07
Re: Avatars
It took so long to get this one. Can't be bothered trying to "create" another (and I've lost the site I used).
If people start changing avatars, how will I recognise them I might have to actually read their name rather than look at their avatar. Toooo complicated for me (where's the "tongue" emoticon? Just imagine it's there, please .
Back to the kitchen ...
#28 Thu 02 Feb 12 1:07am
- Forum champ Occupation Duty Free Lancome and Fragrance sales
- From Greater Vancouver
- Member since Mon 23 Oct 06
Re: Avatars
Was just going to say I have been gone a year or so and you all look the same! I tried to send one in but am too dumb to figure it out so as Min says, I shall remain mysterious too
#29 Wed 07 Mar 12 10:39am
Re: Avatars
what have I done to load such a presuntuoso avatar pic and to have it accepted
it took me a while to rererereresize but I think I have made some progresso in my bites knowledge
please Eric could you bring it to a reasonable decent size for me
Danny you are on line, please resize that colander in fountain water before I feel it's a golden star
Last edited by Grand_Ma (Wed 07 Mar 12 10:44am)
#30 Wed 07 Mar 12 11:14am
- Forum super champ Occupation avoiding housework
- From The land of song.
- Member since Tue 04 Oct 05
Re: Avatars
Grandmadamada you make me laugh


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McAfee, Inc. ("McAfee") respects your concerns about privacy. McAfee has certified that it abides by the Safe Harbor privacy principles as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, storage, use, transfer and other processing of Personal Data transferred from the European Economic Area ("EEA") or Switzerland to the United States. This Policy outlines our general policy and practices for implementing the Safe Harbor privacy principles for Consumer and Employee Personal Data.
For Purposes of This Policy:
"Consumer" means any natural person who is located in the EEA or Switzerland, but excludes any individual acting in his or her capacity as an Employee.
"Customer" means any individual or entity that legally purchases, installs or activates McAfee's products or services.
"Employee" means any current, former or prospective employee of McAfee or any of its European affiliates, who is located in the EEA or Switzerland.
"Personal Data" means any information that (i) is transferred to McAfee in the U.S. from the EEA or Switzerland, (ii) is recorded in any form, (iii) relates to an identified or identifiable Consumer or Employee, and (iv) can be linked to that individual.
"Sensitive Personal Data" means Personal Data specifying medical or health conditions, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, sex life, the commission or alleged commission of any offense, any proceedings for any offense committed or alleged to have been committed by the individual or the disposal of such proceedings, or the sentence of any court in such proceedings.
McAfee's Safe Harbor certification can be found at https://safeharbor.export.gov/companyinfo.aspx?id=23562. For more information about the Safe Harbor principles, please visit http://www.export.gov/safeharbor. For more information about McAfee's processing of Personal Data about Consumers, please visit McAfee's Privacy Notice. For more information about McAfee's processing of Personal Data about Employees, please see McAfee's Employee Data Privacy Policy - EMEA, which is available on the McAfee Intranet and from the Privacy Office.
How McAfee Obtains Personal Data
McAfee obtains Consumer Personal Data in connection with various activities, such as (i) maintaining its Consumer relationships, (ii) operating its websites, and (iii) providing and administering its products and services. McAfee's license agreements with its Customers require McAfee's Customers to comply with applicable national law governing the collection, use and other processing of Consumer Personal Data. Together with its Customers, McAfee seeks to ensure that Consumer Personal Data are protected in accordance with the Safe Harbor privacy principles, as described in this Policy.
McAfee obtains and processes Personal Data about its Employees in connection with various activities, such as (i) carrying out and supporting its human resources functions and activities, (ii) carrying out its obligations under employment contracts and employment and benefits laws, (iii) administering Employee participation in benefits, compensation and human resources plans and programs, (iv) managing Employee performance, (v) implementing compliance and discipline procedures, and investigating and reporting on Employee compliance and discipline, and (vi) complying with legal obligations, carrying out investigations and for internal administrative purposes. McAfee processes Sensitive Personal Data about its Employees to the extent necessary or appropriate for compliance with relevant legal or contractual obligations, including managing attendance, Employee records and Employee benefits.
McAfee's practices regarding the collection, storage, use, transfer, and other processing of Personal Data comply, as appropriate, with the Safe Harbor principles of notice, choice, onward transfer, access, security, data integrity, and enforcement and oversight.
McAfee provides information in its Privacy Notice regarding its Consumer Personal Data practices, including the purposes for which McAfee collects and uses Consumer Personal Data, and also in privacy notices pertaining to specific processing activities. For products or services obtained by McAfee Customers, McAfee informs its Customers that they may be responsible for providing appropriate notice to Consumers whose Personal Data are transferred to the U.S.
McAfee notifies Employees about the purposes for which it collects and uses Employee Personal Data, the types of third parties to whom McAfee discloses the Personal Data, the choices Employees have for limiting the use and disclosure of their Personal Data, and how to contact McAfee about its practices concerning Personal Data. Information regarding McAfee's Employee Personal Data practices is contained in McAfee's Employee Data Privacy Policy - EMEA, which is available on the McAfee Intranet and from the Privacy Office. Relevant information also may be found in privacy notices pertaining to specific processing activities.
In circumstances in which McAfee collects Personal Data directly from Consumers, it offers Consumers the opportunity to choose whether McAfee may (i) disclose their Personal Data to certain third parties or (ii) use their Personal Data for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which the information originally was collected or subsequently authorized by the individual. Employees have the opportunity to make the same choices, subject to applicable law. Consumers and Employees may contact McAfee as indicated below regarding the company's use or disclosure of their Personal Data.
In circumstances in which McAfee maintains Personal Data about Consumers with whom McAfee does not have a direct relationship because McAfee obtained or maintains the Consumers' data as an agent for its Customers, McAfee informs its Customers that they are responsible for providing the relevant individuals with a choice as to whether their Personal Data may be disclosed by McAfee to certain third parties or used for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which the information originally was collected or subsequently authorized by the individual.
McAfee may disclose Personal Data without offering an opportunity to opt out (i) if it is required to do so by law, regulation or legal process (such as a court order or subpoena), (ii) in response to requests by government agencies, such as law enforcement authorities, or (iii) when McAfee believes disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical, financial or other harm, injury or loss or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual illegal activity. McAfee also reserves the right to transfer Personal Data in the event it sells or transfers all or a portion of its business or assets. Should such a sale or transfer occur, McAfee will use reasonable efforts to direct the transferee to use the Personal Data in a manner that is consistent with McAfee's privacy policies.
Onward Transfer of Personal Data
McAfee may share Consumer Personal Data with the types of third parties identified in the "Information We Share" section of McAfee's Privacy Notice. The Employee Data Privacy Policy - EMEA, which is available on the McAfee Intranet and from the McAfee Privacy Office, describes the sharing of Employee Personal Data. McAfee requires third parties to whom it discloses Personal Data and who are not subject to the European Union Data Protection Directive 95/46 or an adequacy finding to either (i) subscribe to the Safe Harbor principles or (ii) contractually agree to provide at least the same level of protection for Personal Data as is required by the relevant Safe Harbor principles.
Where appropriate, McAfee provides Consumers and Employees with reasonable access to the Personal Data McAfee maintains about them. McAfee also provides a reasonable opportunity for Consumers and Employees to correct, amend or delete that information where it is inaccurate. McAfee may limit or deny access to Personal Data where providing such access is unreasonably burdensome or expensive under the circumstances, or as otherwise permitted by the Safe Harbor principles. Consumers and Employees may request access to their Personal Data by contacting McAfee as indicated below.
In circumstances in which McAfee maintains Personal Data about Consumers with whom McAfee does not have a direct relationship because McAfee obtained or maintains the Consumers' data as an agent for its Customers, McAfee informs its Customers that they are responsible for providing Consumers with access to the Personal Data and the right to correct, amend or delete the information where it is inaccurate. In these circumstances, Consumers should direct their questions to the appropriate McAfee Customer. McAfee requires these Customers to establish appropriate procedures for handling requests by Consumers for access to and correction and deletion of Personal Data. When a Consumer is unable to contact the appropriate Customer, or does not obtain a response from the Customer, McAfee will provide reasonable assistance in forwarding the individual's request to the Customer.
McAfee takes reasonable precautions to protect Personal Data from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction.
Data Integrity
McAfee takes reasonable steps to ensure that the Personal Data the company processes are (i) relevant for the purposes for which they are to be used, (ii) reliable for their intended use, and (iii) accurate, complete and current. McAfee depends on its Consumers, Customers and Employees to update and correct Personal Data to the extent necessary for the purposes for which the information was collected or subsequently authorized by the individuals. Consumers and Employees may contact McAfee as indicated below to request that McAfee update or correct their Personal Data.
In addition, McAfee informs its relevant Customers that they are responsible for taking reasonable steps to ensure that the Consumer Personal Data they process are reliable for their intended use and are accurate, complete and current.
Enforcement and Oversight
McAfee has established procedures for periodically verifying implementation of and compliance with the Safe Harbor principles. McAfee conducts an annual self-assessment of its Personal Data practices to verify that the attestations and assertions the company makes about its privacy practices are true and that the company's privacy practices have been implemented as represented.
Consumers and Employees may file a complaint concerning McAfee's processing of their Personal Data with McAfee's Privacy Office, whose contact information is below. McAfee will take steps to remedy any issues arising out of a failure to comply with the Safe Harbor principles. Please contact McAfee as specified below to address any complaints regarding the company's Personal Data practices.
If a Consumer complaint cannot be resolved through McAfee's internal processes, McAfee will cooperate with JAMS pursuant to the JAMS International Mediation Rules, which are accessible on the JAMS website at www.jamsadr.com/international-mediation-rules.
JAMS mediation may be commenced as provided for in the JAMS International Mediation Rules. The mediator may propose any appropriate remedy, such as publicity for findings of non-compliance, payment of compensation for losses incurred as a result of non-compliance, or cessation of processing of the Personal Data of the Consumer who has brought the complaint. McAfee will assume the costs of the administrative fees if the mediator makes a written recommendation that finds McAfee in breach of its duties pursuant to the Safe Harbor. The mediator or the Consumer also may refer the matter to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which has Safe Harbor enforcement jurisdiction over McAfee.
In circumstances in which McAfee maintains Personal Data about Consumers with whom McAfee does not have a direct relationship because McAfee obtained or maintains the Consumers' data as an agent for its Customers, Consumers may submit complaints concerning the processing of their Personal Data to the relevant Customer, in accordance with the Customer's dispute resolution process. McAfee will participate in this process at the request of the Customer or the Consumer. If the issue cannot be resolved through the Customer's internal dispute resolution mechanism, the Consumer may submit the complaint to the relevant data protection authority in the EU or Switzerland.
If an Employee complaint cannot be resolved through McAfee's internal processes, McAfee will cooperate with the relevant EU or Swiss data protection authorities, as appropriate.
How to Contact McAfee
To contact McAfee about questions or concerns about this Safe Harbor Privacy Policy or McAfee's practices concerning Personal Data:
Write to:
Privacy Office
c/o McAfee Legal Affairs
McAfee, Inc.
5000 Headquarters Drive
Plano, TX 75024
United States
Go to our online Privacy Feedback form http://home.mcafee.com/supportpages/privacyFeedback.aspx


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Central Oregon preparing for wildfire season
Prescribed burns planned across the High Desert
CAMP SHERMAN, Ore. - Nice weather coming this weekend comes as a reminder that wildfire season is just around the corner and now is the time to prepare.
This week, Central Oregon firefighters are conducting several prescribed burns across the High Desert.
The burns are done to clear underbrush and keep fire danger down.
"It keeps the fire low to the ground and from climbing to the tops of the trees and shooting embers far beyond our control lines," burn boss Adrian Vellagas said.
On Wednesday near Camp Sherman, a crew of firefighters worked to treat nearly 150 acres of land.
"We started in this particular corner of the unit to take advantage of the wind pushing from the east, so we could back the fire to our end point," Vellagas said.
Several miles east of the burn, on Highway 20, evacuation signs point the way out in the small community of Tollgate.
"The lawns are green, they don't have any needles underneath their decks," Maintenance Manager Ken Birkes said.
He says for the last 20 years, they've worked to make their community as fire-safe as possible.
"If you can remove that fuel load from the places they are likely to be, you can substantially reduce your risk of wildfire on your property and increase your chance of surviving," Birkes said.
With mandatory evacuations over the last few years, Birkes says homeowners have really come together to clean up debris.
"It became a competition between neighbors, to see who could get the biggest pile," Birkes said.
Project Wildfire will be holding several free yard debris drop-off events at area landfills in coming days.
Click here for a list of sites and locations.


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Ballooon Weight AssortmentHeavy WeightsPlasticHolds 6–18" foil balloons.pk/122 1/2"–3 1/2" Wide
Please refer to the balloon guide below for more information.
Balloon Weight Guide
burton+Burton only sells to businesses, not the general public, and tax ID# is required. If you are a consumer and are interested in purchasing our items, please use our store locator to find a local retailer.
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The works of Ernest Hemingway have a long and varied publication history. Some have disappeared, like the stolen early stories that his first wife mislaid; others are ignored, like his first novel, The Torrents of Spring (1926), and his only play, The Fifth Column (1938). Several novels and dozens of short stories are considered classics—and though Hemingway died in 1961, works bearing his name have appeared as recently as 1999.
Only 300 copies of Hemingway's first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems (1923), were printed in Paris. The short story collection In Our Time (1925) cemented Hemingway's reputation as one of the finest American writers alive.
F. Scott Fitzgerald convinced Hemingway that he should dump his current publisher and sign with Scribner, where Maxwell Perkins (who also worked with Fitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe) would serve as his editor. In order to do so, Hemingway needed to write an "unpublishable" book to break his three-book contract. So, he wrote The Torrents of Spring (1926) in ten days; it arrived in the same year as his classic The Sun Also Rises.
In 1929, A Farewell to Arms became Hemingway's first bestseller, selling 100,000 copies in twelve months. It was adapted for the stage a year later and has been made into a film twice. The same year that he divorced his first wife, he published more stories in Men Without Women (1927). The bullfighting memoir Death in the Afternoon (1932) was followed by the safari hunting memoir Green Hills of Africa (1935).
By now, Hemingway had established a pattern—each mediocre book was followed by a masterpiece. His novel To Have and Have Not (1937) is as neglected today as For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) is celebrated. Across the River and Into the Trees (1950) had critics calling him a has-been—a charge they had to retract when The Old Man and the Sea (1952) won the Pulitzer Prize.
After his death, Hemingway's unfinished manuscripts continued to appear for many years—most notably the Paris memoir A Moveable Feast (1964), and the two novels Islands in the Stream (1970) and The Garden of Eden (1986). His Selected Letters appeared in 1981, followed by the Complete Short Stories in 1987; while True at First Light, billed as Hemingway's last posthumous work, was edited by his son Patrick and released to commemorate his 100th birthday in 1999.
"The hardest thing in the world is to write straight honest prose on human beings. First you have to know the subject; then you have to know how to write. Both take a lifetime to learn, and anybody is cheating who takes politics as a way out. All the outs are too easy, and the thing itself is too hard to do."
—Ernest Hemingway
A Farewell to Arms was made into a movie twice: the 1932 adaptation, starring Gary Cooper and Helen Hayes, is generally considered superior to the 1957 extravaganza with Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones in the lead roles. The latter movie should have been a great success—directed by the legendary John Huston, it was to be the last film produced by David O. Selznick, who had made Gone with the Wind. However, Selznick replaced Huston with Charles Vidor mid-picture, after the pair clashed over the sentimental direction that Selznick wanted. It was not an inspired substitution. With Hudson and Jones overacting in every scene, the film can be hard to watch.
The 1932 version, directed by Frank Borzage, is better—and half as long. It won an Oscar for Charles Lang's gorgeous black-and-white cinematography. Gary Cooper, who played the lead role both here and in For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943), became for many people the personification of Hemingway's heroes. The scenes in A Farewell to Arms with Cooper and Helen Hayes are intense (Hayes reportedly fell in love with her co-star on the set), and the film has a stark and brooding energy. The movie is not, however, entirely faithful to the book. Worried that audiences would dislike the grim ending, Paramount Pictures ordered that an alternate, upbeat finale be added. Hemingway was hardly thrilled with the result.
There are plenty of other Hemingway books to savor on screen. One of the best is Howard Hawks's To Have and Have Not (1944), which sizzles with the chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall (who also fell in love on the set). With a screenplay co-written by the great novelist William Faulkner, the film is considered a classic—including some of the most memorable dialogue ever written. The movie's plot hardly resembles the book, but then Hemingway supposedly made a bet with Hawks that the director would find the novel impossible to film.
Another great movie is Robert Siodmak's The Killers (1946), a film noir starring Burt Lancaster (in his debut) and Ava Gardner. Based on one of Hemingway's short stories, The Killers is the tale of a duped ex-boxer who turns into a crook and then a victim for the sake of a dangerous woman. Nominated for four Academy Awards, the film made Ava Gardner a movie star and a sex symbol almost overnight. Reportedly, this was Hemingway's favorite movie made from his work.
Other Hemingway-inspired films include John Sturges's The Old Man and the Sea (1958) with a grizzled Spencer Tracy as the lonely fisherman. And good luck finding a copy of The Sun Also Rises (1957). Despite its all-star cast with Tyrone Power, Errol Flynn, and Ava Gardner, it has never been released on video or DVD.


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Whether you have owned it for years or you're just about to buy, discover how Warranty Direct warranties can protect your peace of mind - and your pocket!
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We know that it can often be difficult to decide on the warranty company that deserves your trust. That's why we're delighted to list among our many partners such names as The Telegraph, MSN, The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, WhatCar magazine, Auto Trader, Admiral Insurance, Moneysupermarket, Go Compare, This is Money and uSwitch - we believe this speaks for itself!
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A car warranty from Warranty Direct includes: parts and labour; European cover; breakdown recovery; car hire; emergency travel; and overnight accommodation. Every policy we offer will protect you against failure caused by wear & tear because parts can fail due to wear & tear at anytime
If you've got a vehicle at or approaching the end of its manufacturer warranty, or perhaps an even older one, an extended warranty is a sensible precaution against unexpected and potentially expensive repair bills. With garages charging up to £200 an hour for labour and major repairs regularly costing motorists thousands of pounds the time has never been more appropriate to look into the possibility of an extended car warranty. Did you know that in the first few years of a vehicle's life, covered by a manufacturer's warranty, repairs are often minor adjustments for squeaks, rattles or electrics. In the later years, after the manufacturer's warranty expires, more expensive repairs become relatively frequent. In fact, 44% of vehicles will suffer a breakdown in their fourth year (most manufacturer's warranties last 3!)
Car warranty made easy for you - that's Warranty Direct.


text: I am looking to purchase a cargo carrier for the back of my Suburban. Would haul hunting equipment, game, maybe a few college dorm items! I have seen the Hitch-Haul and Curt styles available at Cabela's. Any other choices, recommendations? Are there any issues with the cargo carrier and the back up warning system? Thanks in advance for any help.


text: New to the field - won't even have my bees until April 30. But I've assembled the hives, gotten most of the super-necessary gear, and taken a bee class. Even went on demos and shook bees and handled active frames. I think I'm hooked. The 20,000 bees from the 2 nucs will join 3 cats and 4 happy hens in my farm-in-the-burbs. Would like to see others' local operations, watch them handle bees, etc., to get the real lowdown on how to do these things. Also would like to know more about local threats, difficulties, diseases, responses to weather, and all that jazz.


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Anorectal malformations are birth defects (problems that happen as a fetus is developing during pregnancy). With this defect, the anus and rectum (the lower end of the digestive tract) do not develop properly.
During a bowel movement, stool passes from the large intestine to the rectum and then to the anus. Muscles in the anal area help to control when we have a bowel movement. Nerves in the area help the muscles sense the need for a bowel movement and also stimulate muscle activity.
With an anorectal malformation, several abnormalities can occur, including the following:
The treatment for the malformation depends on which type of abnormality is present.
As a fetus is growing in its mother's uterus before birth, different organ systems are developing and maturing. The lower end of the intestinal tract forms fairly early in pregnancy.
In a fetus, the lower portion of the large intestine and the urinary tract start off as one large mass of cells. Certain steps have to take place in the 7th to 10th weeks of gestation for the rectum and anus to separate from the urinary tract and form properly. Sometimes, these steps do not occur as they should and the rectum or anus may not develop normally. Nothing that the mother did during pregnancy can be shown to have caused the malformation.
Most of the time, the cause for an anorectal malformation is unknown. Rarely, autosomal recessive inheritance has been observed in some studies. This means that each parent unknowingly carries a gene for the condition and the child receives both copies of the gene. Couples who are gene carriers have a one in four or 25 percent chance for the malformation to reoccur in a future pregnancy. Up to one third of children who have genetic syndromes, chromosomal abnormalities or other congenital defects also have anorectal malformations.
Anorectal malformation may be seen with some of these genetic syndromes or congenital problems:
Anorectal malformations occur in about 1 in 5000 live births. Boys are at a slightly higher risk for this abnormality than girls.
Anorectal malformations cause abnormalities in the way a child has a bowel movement. These problems will vary depending on the type of malformation.
Your child's physician will perform a physical examination when your baby is born and will look at the anus to see if it is open. Diagnostic imaging tests may be done to further evaluate the problem, such as:
The treatment of an anorectal malformation may depend on the following:
The majority of infants with anorectal malformation will need to have surgery to correct the problem. The type and number of operations necessary depends on the type of abnormality the infant has, including the following:
Toilet training should be started at the usual age, which is generally when the child is between two and three years old. However, children who have had anorectal malformations repaired may be slower than others to gain bowel control. Some children may not be able to gain good control over their bowel movements, while others may be chronically constipated, depending on the type of malformation and its repair. Your child's physician can explain the outlook for your child.
Children who had the type of malformation that involves an anal membrane or a narrow anal passage are usually able to gain good control over their bowel movements after repair of anorectal malformation. Children with more complex variations of anorectal malformation may need to participate in a bowel management program in order to help them have control over their bowel movements and prevent constipation. The nurses and other healthcare professionals that work with your child's physicians can help tailor a program to your child's needs.


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A hot chick that you don't want to do, because she's so stupid.
"Dude! I was scoping this hot chick at the bar last night but then she spoke and she was a total ground squirrel. Her head was full of walnuts, total waste."
by DPH Red strange.com January 24, 2013
when there is an orgy about, and you're not included. you get your strap-on, and crawl under everyone and make your way into the pile eating as many nuts as you can, until your accepted into the orgy.
by delivery boyy! February 03, 2010
The vengeful act of crapping on a lover's chest while they sleep.Buy the plush


text: The Wulf Den: Return of the Wulf After a longer hiatus that I had hoped for, the Wulf is back from open-heart surgery, and there's a lot to howl about. Unfortunately, many of those howls are not for positive reasons, as the Cowboys find themselves with a .500 record with just four games left in the regular season. That's not nearly as good as many, including myself, thought would be the case. But periodic lackluster play, inopportune mistakes, injuries, and downright bad luck have all contributed to derailing the season. And as bad as it has been, there is still a chance, albeit a slim one, for the Cowboys to pull it together and make it into the playoffs. Make no mistake, it will take a herculean effort, along with some help from other teams, for it to happen. But this is the NFL, and we've seen time and time again that anything can happen. Since I've missed writing articles for a number of games in my medical absence, I thought it better to focus on the season as a whole, the immediate future, and take a glance at what may happen in the offseason, rather than try to catch up on a game-by-game basis. So with no further ado, let's take a look at the state of the franchise at the three-quarter point of the season. Positional Breakdown QB – Tony Romo takes a lot of heat when the Cowboys lose, especially if he has turned the ball over at all in the game. And I'll be the first to say that there have been times in the game film when I have scratched my head trying to figure out what in the heck he was thinking. But there have been a significant number of his interceptions this year that were the result of receivers running the wrong routes or the receiver not reading the coverage properly, as well as tipped balls. Take away those turnovers, and not only would Romo's numbers look much better, the Cowboys would likely have 2-3 more wins. I've often said that I think turnovers should be credited to the person whose fault it is. So if an INT was the result of a bad read or a bad throw, give it to the QB. If it was a catchable ball that was tipped instead of caught, or the result of the receiver not running the right route, the INT should be assigned to the receiver. And don't even get me started on the pitiful offensive line play that has led directly to hurried throws and turnovers. But that's not the way it works in the NFL, and the Romo haters will continue to point to the numbers and complain. I will simply say this: Romo is one of the few guys who has brought it to the field each and every game. If a number of other players on the offense had given as much effort, this season would be markedly different. Kyle Orton hasn't really played, and that's a good thing, since it means Romo has stayed healthy. There is a certain comfort, however, in knowing that he's on the sideline ready to come in and lead the team. That veteran reassurance is something a lot of teams in the league would love to have right about now. RB – DeMarco Murray has the ability to rush for 1,600 yards if he can just stay healthy, even with this offensive line…and that's saying something. Unfortunately, that "if" is a big one, and puts the injury-prone label on Murray until he proves he can make it through a full season. But if you want to know how important he is, and how much this team needs him over any of his backups, you only have to look at the improved success of the offense when he's in the game. Felix Jones has actually looked pretty good at times when spelling Murray, at times even flashing some of the explosiveness that we've been looking for since his rookie season. Unfortunately for Jones, his speed will diminish more rapidly than any other physical attribute, and it's his best quality. If he has to depend on his vision, strength, and ability to cut to be successful, I fear we would see his production fall dramatically. I've been disappointed that Phillip Tanner has not had more opportunities to carry the ball in Murray's absence. Apparently, the coaching staff isn't really comfortable with him in the backfield from a blocking perspective, and both Jones and undrafted rookie Lance Dunbar are better alternatives as receivers. I will give Tanner this, though—he has been a very solid contributor on special teams. If he puts his work in as a RB in the offseason, he should get more chances to carry the ball in the future. Dunbar hasn't done anything to make me think he's going to be the next Warrick Dunn, but he has contributed when needed, and appears to have some significant upside as a change of pace back. A full year in the offseason program may work wonders for him. FB – I was one that thought the addition of Lawrence Vickers would automatically increase the running offense, and that simply hasn't been the case. Part of it, of course, is the offensive line play in front of him, which I will address a little later. Another part is the fact that he's blocking for very different RBs who read the gaps and blocking schemes differently. There's a feel and a rhythm to lead-blocking for a particular RB, and Murray missing half of the games has made that rhythm harder to find. If Murray can stay healthy for the rest of the season, though, I think we'll see some marked improvement from Vickers as well. TE – Jason Witten is one of the other guys who is bringing his lunch pail to work each and every game, and continues to prove why he is the best all-around TE in the league. If it weren't for his ability and contributions, the offense would be lucky to have half of the passing success they have had thus far. John Phillips has been pretty solid all-around, if not spectacular in any one particular area. It's fairly obvious that he is now completely recovered from the injury that cost him a season, and he's kept me from missing anything at all about Martellus Bennett. Unfortunately, he's a free agent at the end of the season, and I'm not sure if the Cowboys will go out of their way to retain him, especially if he has the possibility of starting elsewhere. James Hanna either hasn't really had a chance to play that much on offense, or he hasn't done much with the chances he's had. I think it's the former, to be honest, as a look at film rarely has him in the game when there's a chance of him making a catch that would be significant. It's a little surprising, in a way, considering how much Head Coach Jason Garrett likes the two TE formation. But with both Witten and Phillips healthy, that's just the way it's happened. If Phillips isn't brought back next year, Hanna is going to have to put in a lot of work to be ready to be the primary back-up for Witten next season. WR – There have been times when this group has made me want to stand up and cheer. But there have been a lot of times when I wanted to rip all of my hair out by the roots—and for a Wulf, that's a LOT of hair. But specifically, there are a few things I'll say. First, Dez Bryant shows all of the potential to be a legitimate #1 receiver. What he lacks is consistency. But he has been on the verge—literally a fingertip away—from winning a game or two for the Cowboys at the end of games because of his incredible God-given talent. If he can just lock in on that and build some consistency, there's no reason to think that he won't be one of the best five WRs in the game in the near future. Miles Austin is, in my opinion, one of the best—if not THE best—#2 WRs in the league. And I say that not to get down on Miles, but rather to say that I think he is at his most effective when he is lined up across from a legitimate #1 receiver like Dez. That may be true for anyone, of course, as it means coverage isn't likely to be rolled your way. But Miles has the ability to run after the catch and make a short reception into a game-changing play, and that happens most when teams are afraid of the receiver on the other side of the field. Add in his flexibility to play any receiver position, including in the slot, and you can't ask for much more. The one thing he really needs to do is to get his hamstring issues straightened out…and that may or may not be in his control. Kevin Ogletree had everyone excited when he came out the opening week against the Giants and played a crucial role in the Cowboys' victory. But he has done little since then, in part because of injuries and, in part, because he's been passed on the depth chart by a couple of guys who are simply making plays. Barring injury, I don't expect to see much of him for the remainder of the season, especially considering that he'll be a free agent at the end of the year. Dwayne Harris has looked really solid, and seems to finally be solidifying his place as the team's primary return man. He'll have competition, but I'm not going to be surprised if he is the #3 receiver going into next season. I've been glad to see Cole Beasley getting some significant snaps. And he's not wasting them, running solid routes and catching anything he can reach. He's one of those guys that might never be a starter, or might not reach the level of success that someone like Wes Welker—with whom he is frequently compared from a stature perspective—but could develop into a solid role player who can come in at the slot and make some explosive plays underneath the coverage. Anthony Armstrong is the most recent addition to the roster, and he has speed to burn. Of course, he's going to have to learn the playbook on the fly, as he can't just run the "go" route every time he comes into the game. I thought it interesting that his contract is showing up as a 2-year deal, which means he could very well be around heading into training camp next year. I will also mention that Andre Holmes was on the roster for a significant portion of the season, and did very little with his opportunity. Oh, he was okay on special teams. There are any number of guys that could do the same job, however, who would have the chance to contribute at their position as well. He's back on the practice squad, and may be around for the offseason. But at this point, we may have seen all we're going to out of him. OL – I'm going to try my best to be honest without blowing up my PC here, so bear with me if I understate some things. First, this group as a whole has been below average…and that's putting it mildly. Injuries at the C position have contributed to that, but don't come near to excusing it. Tyron Smith has played the best on the line, and that's to be expected. But he's had some trouble as well, and has been beaten by speed rushers to the outside on multiple occasions. I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because it's his first year on the left side. As a first-round pick, though, I'll expect significant improvement next year. On the other side, Doug Free has been awful. He's not blowing his guy back in the run game, and he's getting consistently beaten to the outside because of poor lateral movement and slow footwork. The only way he seems able to counter that is to cheat to the outside with his first step, and any rusher with a legitimate spin move is then going to beat him to the inside sooner or later. He has a hefty contract, so he's going to have to pick it up a lot just to be around next year. Jermey Parnell has played fairly well when he's needed to do so, and has shown enough for fans to feel a little better about him being the back-up OT on gameday. The Cowboys will definitely be looking for another OT in the offseason, however, as carrying only three on the roster as they have for the last two years is dangerous. Both Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau were signed in the offseason to shore up the starting G positions, and they've had mixed results. There have been times when they've played well, pulling effectively or getting to the second level of the defense on an inside run. But they've both been inconsistent, and have been inexplicably beaten on the inside on more than one occasion. Again, the constant changes at the C position have contributed to that…but don't excuse it. Derrick Dockery and David Arkin are both wastes of roster space, though for very different reasons. Dockery was, at one time, a legitimate starting G in this league. But those days have passed him by, and he simply gets beat too often to be allowed to play for any significant amount of time. As for Arkin, they've been trying for two years to get him developed, even trying him at C in training camp. If he's not showing enough to get game time ahead of Dockery at this point, it's likely that he will never develop. It's hard to evaluate the C position because there has been so much transition. For all of the negative talk about him in the preseason, the one game Phil Costa started and played more than a few minutes was the Cowboys' best running game of the season in Baltimore. I'd really like to see him back on the field for a game or two before the season is over. If he duplicates the performance he showed against the Ravens, he'll go into the offseason as your starter for next year. Ryan Cook has been a pleasant surprise. He has filled in as well as anyone could have asked for at the C position, especially considering he had to learn the offense on the fly. I'd love to see him as the primary back-up for the interior O-line on gameday, as you'd have someone that could come in and play significant minutes without much of a drop-off in performance. He's certainly had his challenges, but this was a nice pick-up by the front office just before the season started. Kevin Kowalski was expected to compete for the starting job at C heading into camp, and has been injured for most of the time since then. With him on the roster as a legitimate back-up at both C and G, however, the Cowboys could actually have the best depth they've had all year for the last quarter of the season. DL – A lot of people wanted the Cowboys to take a defensive linemen in the first round of this year's draft, and didn't seem too excited with Tyrone Crawford's selection. Having seen him for 12 games, I have to say that I think he's going to be a solid contributor, and appears to have the flexibility to play inside and out. He'll get more explosive with an offseason under his belt, enhancing his strength to be able to brush by some of the slower interior O-linemen. Jason Hatcher has played well. He's had some difficulties with injuries, but shows up on gameday fairly consistently. He may not get another contract when his current one expires following next season, but he has lived up to the one he signed. Kenyon Coleman's injury likely ended not only his season, but his career in Dallas. He's scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the year, and at his age, there's just little point in bringing him back. Marcus Spears stepped into Coleman's starting spot, and has continued to do what he's done throughout his career: play fairly well against the run while tying up O-linemen for the OLBs to make a play. Not explosive, but solid. He'll likely have to battle with Sean Lissemore and Crawford for the starting job next year…and that's assuming they don't go with a D-lineman early in next year's draft. Speaking of Lissemore, he's been injured for a significant portion of the season, but has appeared to be consistent when he's been in there. Not great, mind you…but solid. His flexibility to play both inside and out makes him especially useful in Rob Ryan's defensive scheme. Ben Bass finally got his call-up and promptly ended up on IR. He will benefit significantly from the offseason program. On the inside, Jay Ratliff has likewise been injured for a lot of the season thus far, and it's a real shame, as he has been very disruptive when he's been able to play. Only time will tell if this is a sign of his smaller stature playing the NT position finally catching up with him or just one of those seasons when things seem to go wrong. It's a shame, too, as his fire on the field seems to really ignite the rest of the defense. Josh Brent has had to play a lot of minutes because of the injuries to both Ratliff and Lissemore, and he's done fairly well. I don't think he's done enough, however, for the Cowboys to be comfortable with him if he had to start over the long haul. A strong offseason by practice squad DT Rob Callaway could mean a pretty significant battle in training camp next year. This is another D-line position that could be addressed early in the draft next year. LB – It's ironic that I picked this position as the deepest on the roster at the end of training camp, and it's been more decimated than any other by injury. Sean Lee's loss was very painful, as he was one of the leaders of that group. If there was anything positive about it, though, it was the opportunity it gave Bruce Carter—an opportunity he seized. If I'm an offensive coordinator for a team on the Cowboys' schedule next year, the thought of having a healthy combo of Lee and Carter in the middle makes me VERY nervous. Dan Conner has had to play because of the injuries ahead of him, and he's been okay. He doesn't have the speed to cover guys out of the backfield or get to the sidelines on tosses or sweeps—at least not until there has been a significant gain. Because of that, I don't think he's a starting caliber ILB. But as a guy who could come in and back-up to give a starter a break, he'd be solid. I have to say that I like what I've seen of Ernie Sims. I liked him at Florida State, and thought his lack of production with Detroit had less to do with his ability or lack thereof, and more to do with the poor overall defensive talent the Lions had around him. To be able to go from his couch to moving inside in a 3-4 defense and be able to contribute as well as he has says a lot about his ability. I won't be upset at all if the Cowboys try to re-sign him to a reasonable deal to serve as a back-up for next year. Alex Albright has been asked to play both inside and outside, as has contributed quite a bit on special teams. He's the kind of guy you want on your squad as your #7 or #8 LB. Orie Lemon did some things with the short time he had, but it was too short to really make much of an impression. He'll have to head into training camp clawing for one of the last roster spots, much as he did last year. Likewise, Brady Poppinga may step in towards the end of the season and show some things, but I'll be surprised if it's enough for him to be around past the final game of the season. DeMarcus Ware is still DeMarcus Ware…and that's a good thing. His sack numbers are not as high as I would have expected in Rob Ryan's scheme, but that is, at least in part, a direct result of being dropped into coverage more than I believe he should be. When he's put in a position to go after the QB, though, he's still as dominating as he ever has been. Anthony Spencer has played very well, in my opinion. In fact, it may well be his best season since coming into the league. He plays the run very well, and has been able to apply more consistent pressure opposite Ware this year. A lot of people were upset that the Cowboys used their franchise tag on Spencer, saying he wasn't worth the $8.85 mil that tag required. Well maybe not. But he's played well enough that I won't be surprised to see the Cowboys try to re-sign him to a multi-year deal with a smaller average annual salary (say in the 4-5 years/6.5-7.5 mil per year range). Victor Butler has played pretty well with the chances he's had, but with Ware on one side and how well Spencer has played on the other, there haven't been a lot of chances. Butler is a free agent at the end of the season as well, and I'll be surprised to see him back next season. Kyle Wilbur was drafted to be a developmental replacement player for next year, figuring they would need someone who could step into the gap left by the departure(s) or Spencer and/or Butler in free agency. He hasn't been on the field a lot, so there's not a lot to judge him on just yet. A year in the offseason program should make him ready to contribute in a significant way next year. CB – No position was addressed more during the offseason than cornerback, and it's come with mixed results. Rookie Morris Claiborne has looked lost at times, allowing completions to receivers for whom he has shown too much respect, in my opinion, giving 10-yard cushions on their release from the line. He has also shown flashes of the talent that caused the Cowboys to package their 1st and 2nd-round picks to move up and take him in the first round of the draft. It's about what I'd expect for a rookie season, and we'll have a much better idea of just how good he's going to be next year. Brandon Carr, who signed the $50 mil free agent contract last year, has likewise shown some ups and downs. There are plays where he blankets his receiver so well that it's impossible for a completion to be made. There are other times, however, when he is playing off of his receiver and allows completions that really shouldn't be as easy as they look. He was more of a physical corner in Kansas City, so a part of the problem may be Ryan's decision to play more soft zone coverage. One thing is for certain, though: even with his difficulties from time to time, he's looked much better than the Terence Newman we watched on the field over the last couple of seasons. Orlando Scandrick has played pretty well, his slot coverage showing to be fairly effective. Like the other corners, he's had his negative moments as well. Overall, though, it's about what I expected out of him. Mike Jenkins, for all of the negativity that surrounded him in training camp, has played fairly well when he's had a chance to play at all. He even filled in and played some safety when the situation demanded it. I think the writing is on the wall for his exit from Dallas via free agency, though, so at this point, there's little need to break down the areas in which he needs to continue to improve. Vince Agnew and Sterling Moore haven't been around long enough to really show much, and I doubt either will be more than a camp body headed into next season if they're even still around. I won't be surprised to see a draft pick used at the CB position again in next year's draft, although not necessarily an early-round pick. S – At safety, the Cowboys finally had the starting duo they'd been looking for in Gerald Sensabaugh and Barry Church…at least until Church went down. Danny McCray stepped in and has played well, making it even more likely that the Cowboys will tender the future restricted free agent at a level that will guarantee he will be in Dallas next season. The rest of the safety play has been from a mix and match group that, quite honestly, is lucky to be on the field because of the injuries the Cowboys have had. Charlie Peprah has the best resume, but there have been a number of plays where he was either way out of position or just plain beaten like a snare drum. Eric Frampton has done some positive things, and his contract suggests he may be around for camp next year. Meanwhile, the guy that was drafted and was supposed to come in and solidify the depth chart, Matt Johnson, had one injury after another until he was finally placed on IR. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and just count it as a redshirt year, especially considering the fact that I really like what I saw of him on film at Eastern Washington. But if he comes into camp next year and the injuries start again, I'm going to be done with him in very short order. ST – L. P. Ladouceur has been consistent. So what else is new? He is scheduled to be a free agent after this season, which may explain why the Cowboys have been looking for a replacement for the last couple of years. But for my money, he's this team's version of Dale Hellestrae. Just keep re-signing him until he wants to retire…and then try to talk him out of it. Losing Chris Jones for the season was a bad break, but a solid veteran like Brian Moorman getting released just when the Cowboys needed him was a good one. It will be Jones' job again next year. Dan Bailey has been as good as expected, despite missing the game winner against Baltimore. No reason to think there will be a change there in the near future. GM-for-a-Day Knowing that owner and general manager Jerry Jones is going to do whatever he wants, I thought I'd wrap up this review with a look at what could happen heading into next season, regardless of how this season ends up. Coaching Staff – I doubt there will be many, if any, changes to the coaching staff, barring them getting hired for other positions around the league. Jones remains convinced that Garrett is the man for the job over the long haul, and will continue to stick with that for another season or three. There are a couple of guys like Rob Ryan and Bill Callahan who could get interviewed for head coaching vacancies, and if they take them, it may open up more positions than just theirs, and they would likely take other coaches with them. If Ryan were to be hired as a head coach, for example, I'd be shocked if he didn't take Eberflus with him as his defensive coordinator. But I think the Cowboys would like to stand pat, if possible. Free Agency – It's hard to know who will be available via free agency from other teams, considering the cuts that are made for salary cap reasons. But looking at the Cowboys' roster can give us an idea of where there may be some holes to fill. As it stands right now, here are the players that, I believe, are scheduled to be free agents at the end of the season: RB Felix Jones; CBs Mike Jenkins, Sterling Moore, and Vince Agnew; OLBs Anthony Spencer and Victor Butler; ILBs Ernie Sims and Brady Poppinga; TE John Phillips; WR Kevin Ogletree; G Derrick Dockery; LS L. P. Ladouceur; P Brian Moorman; S Charlie Peprah; and DE Kenyon Coleman. In addition, both C Phil Costa and S Danny McCray are set to be restricted free agents, and I expect both of them to be tendered and retained. Of those potential free agents listed, the only ones I can see the Cowboys possibly pursuing are Spencer, Phillips, and Ladouceur, with the possibility of exploring the alternatives with Butler and/or Sims. Also, while it's not technically a free agent issue, there would be one significant cut: OT Doug Free. If there were anyone out there that I thought could step in and replace him now, he'd already be gone. And with base salaries of $7 mil and $8 mil over the next two years, it's an easy way to clear cap space. Because of that, however, it would mean that the Cowboys would need to address the OT position in free agency, and possibly in the draft as well. And speaking of the draft… 2013 Draft – Looking at who will likely be leaving the roster, as well as who may be released, makes it fairly easy to see what positions the Cowboys may be looking to address when the draft rolls around next April. Of course, some positions will get addressed in free agency, making them less important in the draft. Likewise, re-signing their own players (like TE Phillips) may eliminate a position altogether. But given what we know as of right now, here's where I think they'll look, in no particular order: Running Back – Felix will be gone, and I don't think they'll be comfortable with the winner of a Tanner/Dunbar battle being the primary back-up to Murray. There are typically some talented RBs who slide to the middle rounds, and I expect the Cowboys to take one there. Offensive Tackle – Whether they cut Free or not, they need more depth at the position. If they do cut Free, of course, I think they'll bring in a veteran via free agency, so I doubt this would be higher than a third round pick unless someone with a lot of talent slides for some reason. Offensive Guard/Center – This position has been overlooked for a number of years, and I know a lot of people were chomping at the bit to take one in the first round last year. But that's not what the Cowboys do, and I don't think they'll start now. They have had some pretty good luck with interior O-linemen in the second and third round, though, so that's a possibility. If they like what they see in Ryan Cook, though, and they think both Costa and Kowalski will be healthy, I think it more likely that it would be a G. And brace yourselves, because if they like Ron Leary through the offseason, they may not address the position yet again. Tight End – I think they'll take one with a middle to late-round pick, even if they re-sign Phillips. If they don't re-sign him, they may look in free agency instead. Defensive End/Nose Tackle – I don't think they'll take both. So if they think they can make it work on the inside with the guys they have now, I'd expect this to be a DE. If they're more comfortable with Crawford and Lissemore playing predominantly on the outside, it could be a Fletcher Cox-type DT or a run-stuffer like NT Casey Hampton. Cornerback – Yes, I think they'll go there again, only not in the early rounds. In the middle rounds, though, I think they'll take someone to develop as the #4 corner. With Carr, Claiborne, and Scandrick in the fold, the need is for someone to groom for the future. Linebacker – I don't expect an interior LB to be drafted unless an unbelievable talent slides to them. They have their starters on the inside, and a number of guys to compete for the back-up positions. I do think they'll look long and hard at an OLB in the first round, especially if they don't bring Spencer back. Even if they do, though, I can see them bringing in someone to compete with Wilber. The Rest of the Story So there you have it. With three-quarters of the season behind us, there is still a lot up in the air. The schedule is such that the Giants could collapse and the division may still be within reach, or the other teams ahead of the Cowboys for the wild card spots could falter. But regardless of what happens with the other teams, the Cowboys have to win, plain and simple. In fact, I'll say this: they need to win 3 of their remaining 4 games, including the season finale in Washington, to have a shot at making the playoffs. If they want any shot at the division, they're going to have to run the table. Can they do it? Yup, they sure can. Will they? At this point, your guess is as good as mine. One thing is for certain, though—it won't be boring!