text:
Town Square
Taking school concerns public seeks to manipulate
Original post made by John Lents, Principal of Addison,, Addison School, on Oct 3, 2006
Rather than discuss the impropriety of this action, or the degree to which this statement may or may not reflect the administrators' experience and attitudes, I believe the more critical issue is the impact of this action and information upon our community, the district's work and how we consequently choose to interact with each other.
To "hijack" a process and "shaft" professional relationships in such a public forum undermines our collective need to trust one another and to support the district's vision and current work. Impacted relationships are fragmented and the trust and ability to engage in real dialogue is lost in the shock and anger of the action.
The school district is in the midst of framing its future work through a collaborative approach to fundraising, attendance boundaries, foreign-language instruction and its daily focus on student achievement. The gossipy revelation of what had been an internal document means that we risk losing our focus upon this future, upon the relationships and values that have created an exceptional educational organization.
We must not manipulate situations by taking them into the public arena. To do so cheats the process, makes a joke of dialogue, ignores the beliefs and experiences of others and sets a devastating precedent of "end runs," entitlement and anger. Such action, in an educational organization, derails our roles as student advocates and instructional leaders and results, instead, in a fragmented, individualized and defensive response to our professional roles and responsibilities.
As the community watches the district work through its communication needs, we have an excellent opportunity to rethink our own interactions. And so I challenge us to protect our right to disagree, to support procedures that are democratic and respectful, and to engage in actions that elicit the best in our community and in each other.
[Published in the Palo Alto Weekly 10/4/06]
Link to the document: Web Link
Comments (25)
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 3, 2006 at 11:28 pm
While Mr. Lents is entitled to his opinion, and expresses it exceedingly well, it's also true that he - like it or not - works in a profession that is "public"; a profession that is paid for by local taxpayers; a profession that has been institutionalized to teach and socialize our children.
Mr. Lents also works in an environment that unfortunately - here in Palo Alto - has for too long lacked the kind of transparency and trust necessary for a school district to run at full bore, without waste of human potential.
Like it or not, PAUSD's current management has created a chilling atmosphere, with insensitivities and inefficiencies abounding from the core management group. This has compromised teaching, motivation, professional growth, district cohesiveness, and taxpayer dollars.
I want to congratulate the Weekly for publishing what it did, to help expose the thorhoughly dysfunctional management demeanor of some of PAUSD's senior executives.
As far as the Weekly 'hijacking' the process goes, I couldn't disagree more.
Perhaps Mr. Lents would like to address the issue of how a senior executive and some staffers can manage to hijack the open, trustful, and rich communicative needs ot educators and administrators, and not have that exposed for the tragedy it is, and the need for immediate change it represents.
I wonder how many PAUSD administrators, or teachers, would dare identify themselves as open critics of Mary Frances Callan and some of her staff. We have seen no support, oro criticism from current staff. That's telling, and supports the essence of my earlier point; our professional teaching staff and administrators are working within a chilling atmosphere of fear and mistrust, when it comes to their management - a tragedy, for sure.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 4, 2006 at 2:31 am
I just read a letter to the editor by John Barton, John Toumy, and Cathy kroynman. Yes, the PAUSD spin machine is now running running at full tilt; damage control horns are at full blast.
Apparently, Barton, Kroymann, and Toumy) support Mary Frances Callan. Might that have something to do with not only their professed admiration of Callan, but also due to the fact they were three of the people on the board who hired a midwestern search firm to vett Callan, and then agree to bring her on? What were they thinking? That last question is something I've heard from at least 30 teachers and more than a few administrators as my 3 kids wind their way through more than a few PAUSD's schools as we've moved around the district.
Of course, none of the above three want to have their decision look bad. Heaven forbid!
This is a point that was referenced on another thread - the relationship between the board and the Superintendent is just too cozy, and often excludes those that do the hard work of teaching and administrating.
We won't - and didn't - hear a peep out of the three persons above regarding the maltreatment of teachers by Callan, or in what kind of low regard Callan, Cook and Bowers are held by their direct subordinates (management team), as well as teachers. This is a _well known fact_, districtwide.
Look at the letter! Yet Barton, Kroymann, and Toumy deny reality and claim that most administrators don't support it.
They talk about their "collective experience". Doing what? Sitting cozily with the Superintendent, and not having themselves to live with the decisions that they and the executive staff visit on district personnel?
Yet all this never makes headlines, never gets discussed, is pretty much ignored by the board.
We hear more spin about how putting things like this out there will "divert the district from its mission". Please! We all read spin like this printed by the Washington Press Corps every day. Do they think we're naive?
Note how the spin is really starting to speed up, with a few administrators in support of Callan speaking out, and now these school board members. (Barton, Kroynman, and Toumy). Teachers are shaking their heads, and so are most administrators.
Of course, the majority of administrators who agree with the document that was released have said nothing. I wonder why? Could it be that they fear retribution? Why are they silent? Interesting, isn't it? I guess it's OK to speak out and win 'brownie points' for past hiring decisions (like these board members are doing - that's a realistic subtext) that have been dysfunctional from day one, in terms of teacher and administrator morale.
In the Weekly we also see a few more letters, lamenting the "retirement" of Ann Baskins. Yes, Ann Baskins is probably a very nice person, and so may be Ms. Callan and their staff. That's all well and good, but it doesn't mean that they shuold keep their jobs if they're not performing.
In Baskins' case, we're talking about ethical blunders of major proportions. In Callan's case, we're talking about a gross inability to lead, motivate and generate trust.
All I have left to say to the three people who wrote that lettter is that I didn't hear them lamenting the grief that teachers and administrators have been going through under this executive team. They choose to disregard what's right in front of their eyes.
If the Weekly has the time, I hope it digs into this story in some depth. Weekly, are you game? Or, are the chummy relationships that come into place between the press in a small town, and the people who generate news, too delicate to enable deep reportage and risk offense - to advertising contracts, access, and so on.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 4, 2006 at 7:25 am
The board needs to hire an independent firm to survey the teachers & the principals to establish where the school district is at. This firm needs to report only to the board. The two recently elected board members should be ones to lead this because they have the "least history", and can be viewed as being most objective.
I also see criticism of Callahan, but with exception of a few posts, there aren't many specifics. I would like to see more specifics and the board determine how they should be addressed.
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Oct 4, 2006 at 10:37 am
What could be more democratic than an open public conversation? Its UNdemocratic to hold secret meeting, behind closed doors, keep information about the health or dysfunctional management of our public institutions from the public. It makes it MORE likely that the process gets hijacked by a manipulative few when the doors are closed, and the curtain is pulled. (The next thing you know - the adminstrators are bullied into signing contracts, retractions, or whatever, without proper representation, the results are never disclosed to the public and everyone goes home the worse for it - including the wronged employees and the public. But at least you didn't 'air your dirty laundry in public'? Its disfunctional.
The principals, teachers adminstrators and others that have been wronged should actually be relieved that the public spotlight is now shining brightly on Callan and crew. If nothing else, you should be comforted by the fact that you're not alone - alot of people have seen/experienced first hand the same arrogance and mismanagement and its a more powerful message for change when the community can band together.
No process or professional relationships were 'shafted' by public disclosure. The undermining "of our collective need to trust one another and to support the district's vision and current work. Impacted relationships are fragmented and the trust and ability to engage in real dialogue..." occured well before the Weekly published that letter. It happened either a) through the poor management practices of the Superintendent and her Staff in the first place or b) it happened when the administrators sent a hasty? rash? letter. If the original complaints are true (and many believe they are), don't blame the press for doing its job, or the community for the right and desire to know what's going on in their public institutions paid for by their hard earned tax payer dollars.
Did you see the list of heavy hitters in the community that signed a letter asking the board to meet with you, understand, and address your concerns? This was a letter of support. Help is on the way. Share with us. Right now we have less than enough information to understand what's been really going on. The open light of day may be just what the doctor ordered for this sickly waning of the school district.
a resident of another community
on Oct 4, 2006 at 11:52 am
Curious, is it not, that Bill Johnson, the Weekly publisher has intervened in the other PAUSD strand, to dictate that contributors must now register their email in order to weigh in on the Dr.Callan situation. Has this ever happened before? Are the Superintendent's supporters trying to control/curtail the debate? Of course Mr.Barton, Ms.Kroymann, and Mr.Toumy support Dr. Callan. They hired her and then renogiated her contract shortly after her arrival.
publisher of the Palo Alto Weekly
on Oct 4, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Bill Johnson is a registered user.
As was indicated on the other topic, it seemed like a good opportunity to see how the community felt about having a bit of accountability for these posts. It's an experiment on that particular thread, and many have urged us to restrict all posts to registered users.
We are concerned that the tone of some posts leads to a downward spiral in civility, driving away voices that aren't interested in true dialogue. Frankly, the last post is a minor example of this...suggesting that our action is due to Callan's supporters trying to curtail the debate. The Weekly broke this story and has aggressively pursued it and will continue to do so.
This forum is a great opportunity for discussion. But we want that discussion to be thoughtful. Otherwise, it will become a forum for just a few number of people with thick skins, a lot of stamina and personal agendas.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 4, 2006 at 3:13 pm
Bill, the Weekly is a public institution, and a for-profit entity, with the latter taking precedence (from your perspective). You, as guardian of the Weekly asset have to make decisions that will not reflect poorly on your newspaper. That's all understood.
The 'last post' that you refer to in a prior thread was hard-hitting, but how does it lead to a downward spiral? There seems an aversion to frank discussion of certain problems in this community - it's almost old-British in its demanor. This forum should be able to permit many forms of expression, as long as they are not ad hominum. Are we a diverse community - or not?
It seems to me that the person who wrote that post might be frustrated by having watched years of behind the scene maneuvering, spinning, and inefficiency brought to staff by an inept management, with nothing done about it.
Can you deny that teachers in this district are unhappy with Callan and her executives team's leadership, and have been from almost the first day she came here? Now we have what is practically an unprecedented (by national standards) revolt by a large majority of site administrators, with only those few that support the current regime coming out to support her - after that, can one deny that there is a _serious_ problem of long-standing leadership that has been a subtext to district operations?
There is something wrong in this school district, at the senior executive staff level. It's upsetting to see some of those who have worked so hard to keep this problem - largely one of their own making (after all, they hired Ms. Callan) - under wraps.
One metaphor that immediately comes to mind is the 'happy' 1950's middle-American household where women were expected to 'keep quiet' and 'just play along', as their frustrations mounted from not having their voice heard. Sure, America in those days hummed along, but at what social cost - what loss of human potential? We have a smaller version of that happening in this district, with teachers and administrators asking to be seen (on the job), but not heard. In a district with our expectations, and a teacher and management core of this level of talent, to endure a situation like that is dysfunctional.
One has to ask - "why"? Who does this serve? Are we simple to used to our chains to do anything about them?
Enough with metaphors. So as not to wander too far from the current problem, it's imperative that our school board get to the bottom of this and come forward with solutions that will flat out put an end to what has been tolerated for too long in this district. Our elected PAUSD officials are sworn to manage this district (with taxpayer dollars) to the best of their ability, to maximum efficiency - and that doesn't just mean dollar efficiency.
The art of teaching - and yes, it is largely an art (skill + passion + determination) - if it's to be undertaken with passion and effectiveness, in a way that benefits _all_ who partake of it _including those that do the teaching and administering_ MUST be engaged in and led from the top by individuals who understand BOTH the 'art' AND 'enterprise' ingredients that go into nurturing our most precious resource (our children, our future).
What has happened in this district (and too many others) is that the 'art' part of the equation, the part that can't be quantified to a fare-thee-well, and argued about in black and white terms, has been left behind by those who are expert in the 'enterprise' portion of the equation. Therein lies the tragedy. We are losing the soul of our teaching enterprise.
Within PAUSD, there has arisen a performance- and dollar-efficiency-based model of education that has mostly resonated with a certain kind of administrative leader. Ms. Callan is the last in a long line of that type of administrator
The current executive is certainly not as affable as the last two, but the last two were little better in inspiring exceptional system-wide motivation, and passion.
The current executive has simply brought morale in this district to a level so low, that it seemingly flies in the face of the excellent performance that beleaguered administrators and teachers have been able to coax out of our great student population. The latter has been accomplished _in spite of_ Callan's poor leadership. One has to be careful with correlating Callan's presence here with the academic excellent that this district touts. Correlation is not causation.
Callan's style - possibly quite efficient on the enterprise side - has filtered down into the choices she has made in Marilyn Cook and Scott Bowers. Go ask around.
My kids are now almost all through the system, but as they've gone through it, I've been amazed to hear the same frustrations repeated over and over again - from teachers and administrators alike - with no resolution. The silence about those problems has been deafening. I am not going to detail them in this forum.
Almost all those frustrations have to do with _not_ having someone at tthe helm who can handle BOTH the art and enterprise functions of education - about _not_ having someone who resonates with our teacher and administrator core in a way that leads and motivates.
In all, what I have heard about our current executive team, and seen first hand, is an egregious lack of responsiveness to the human side of teaching - a lack to significant that everything good that happens in this district on the teaching (and even some of the enterprise side) comes _in spite of_ the current leadership.
I hope that our board will see this problem for the significant problem it is, and take the bold, difficult steps necessary to ameliorate it. Our teachers, adminstrators, kids, parents, and taxpayers demand it.
a resident of Southgate
on Oct 4, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Does anyone have any specific examples of how horrible Callan is? All I hear is hearsay. One person called for a committee to be formed (how Palo Alto) to see where we stand. That's money that the district already doesn't have. Another said that it's obvious that the teachers are unhappy with Callan, but this is about administrators. The teachers have a union for their complaints. Mr. Lents says that he's not even sure the letter is an adequate representation of the administration's feelings. Before the public decides to get rid of Callan, why not let them deal with their problems on their own, and then if the issue is not resolved, the adminstration can move forward from there. Seems like a lot of judgements are being made on rumors. It'd be nice to have some hard facts. If the administration is unhappy, then it is up to them to deal with it. All of the name calling and head hunting does nothing to improve the work environment, nor does it serve any other productive purpose.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 4, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Keith, Respectfully, what you fail to understand is that bringing micro-details into a forum like this _would_ sully the process. The scenario before us is set in a way that will permit the PAUSD board to take the necessary action, or not. THEY know the details. If they want to paper over the current situation, and the Management Team buys into that, so be it.
Yes, the teachers have a union. Do some digging and see what they had to go through with Callan at the helm.
Do you have kids? I have three, and have spent a lot of time in the schools over the years. There is a very strong dissatisfaction with Callan, period.
Also, there is no name calling in this forum, and to characterize what's been said as name-calling is frankly inaccurate.
It IS a hard fact that administrators are far from happy. Read the letter, and take into consideration the spinnnnnnnn that's coming from the top, including from ex-board members who were far from friendly to teachers during the last negotiation round, especially Kathy Kroynmann, who consistently took the 25 Churchill side of the issue during negotiations. It angered a lot of our best teachers.
The problem is now out there for all to see. Let's see if the board has the guts and wisdom to do what should have been done some time ago, instead of spinning this problem into something other than it already is, to divert away from a painful and necessary solution.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 4, 2006 at 5:44 pm
So, now aat the end of a "long closed meeting" we know ....nothing....
Note how the 'process' is taking hold. By this I mean a process that will end up negotiating toward the middle, hopefully.
But along with that, what will become of the internal dysfunction that led to the problem. THIS is what has been missing from PAUSD for quite some time.
We should all be for dialogue, but we should all also be, as they say in card games, 'calling a spade, a spade'. There is a reason for this dissention, there is a reason for the problem.
That reason is not some abstract animal that appeared suddenly, out of nowhere.
Will the board act with courage? We're watching.
a resident of Southgate
on Oct 4, 2006 at 6:08 pm
I have 3 as well, and spend a lot of my time at the schools as well. In my opinion, Callan's job is not to give in to all of the teacher's and administration wishes. I'm glad that she was hard on the teacher's union during negotiations, that's what she should be doing. The PAUSD teachers and admin have it pretty easy compared to other, less supported, districts. Don't get me wrong, I love our teachers. I have yet to hear any teacher, or admin complain about Callan. And, as a member of the PTA, I know for a fact that some of the more involved parents hardly even know who Dr. Callan is.
Like I said, I'd like to hear some actual complaints, with actual examples, from actual admin, before I start talking about what kind of job Dr. Callan is doing.
Didn't realize spin had so many "n's"
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 4, 2006 at 8:20 pm
The evaluation of the Superintendent is the sole responsibility of our elected school board. Our school board should be intensely interested in getting to the bottom of any issues concerning trust, communication and overall leadership between our superintendent and all her staff. The School Board must hold our superintendent accountable for her performance. All personnel discussions are conducted in closed session. We, the public, will never know what is discussed in closed session. I would not expect nor encourage any PAUSD staff to speak on this matter publicly - regardless of their point of view. Furthermore, former school board members should know better than to take sides, or even weigh in. We have term limits - their turn is finished. And they, like us, do not know the facts.
a resident of Downtown North
on Oct 4, 2006 at 10:04 pm
If the major complaint is that Callan was hard on negotiations, look at what the budget has gone through the last few years! It wasn't until the Parcel Tax was passed that there was a little daylight; before that there was some dipping into the reserves.
I'm interested in hearing specifics...
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 4, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Keith, A Superintendent's job is many-faceted. It's political, fiscal, pedagogical, motivational, etc. etc.
You will almost _never_ hear any PAUSD employee say anything negative in public about their supervisors. They are professionals, and try to keep things like politics out of the way so that they can do their job. They are almost entirely dependent on the board and their union for the creation of conditions that let them do their job (which is to teach, and lately, to help socialize our kids). The teachers that I have talked with in this district do not have a favorable opinion of executive management. Administrators are more tight-lipped, but two have in the past told me that 25 Churchill is dysfunctional relative to their needs.
To say teachers here "have it pretty easy" compared to teachers in other districts is somewhat of an overstatement. Go check out San Mateo, and a few other districts - take a look at pay scales. Go ask what's happening to a lot of young teachers who stick around here for just a few years and move on, because it's too expensive to live here.
Incidentally, given the responsibility of teachers, and day care workers, they are grossly underpaid. To disagree with that is to insist that our kids aren't worth top dollar.
You simply don't have an accurate idea of what is going on here, and what some of the constraints are. Respectfully, you appear to be out of touch with the undercurrents set in motion by the present executive team. There are lots of details, but they won't be put into this forum. We'll wait and see what the board does, and act accordingly from there.
I agree with "ABC". We don't know anything, and there is little we will know, under the present rules. Why is that? Can you think of a private or government sector that muzzles - via a process of secrecy and silence, masquerading as "pragmatic management" - the voices of its members? The only people this process _really_ protects are the reputations of people at the top who screw up. The PAUSD spin machine is refueling, as we speak.
This is the 21st century. We need 21st century leaders, and process. Teachers and administrators, and our kids, deserve it.
by the way, the word "Spinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn", spealled as it was, was meant to be onomatopoeic, for effect...you get the idea :)
a resident of Palo Alto High School
on Oct 4, 2006 at 11:27 pm
Frankly, when it comes to examining anything to do with the schools here, a parent would be taking a risk to express certain opinions as there could be a payback...so requiring registering will squelch commentary on this topic
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 5, 2006 at 12:09 am
You state in your last post "There are lots of details, but they won't be put into this forum."
I've got to assume from the certainty of your statement that you're privy to these details.
If this is the case, why the reluctantance to share these details if they are relevant to the discussion?
If they're not relevant, why mention them at all?
a resident of Barron Park
on Oct 5, 2006 at 12:11 am
You state in your last post "There are lots of details, but they won't be put into this forum."
I've got to assume from the certainty of your statement that you're privy to these details.
If this is the case, why the reluctance to share these details if they are relevant to the discussion?
If they're not relevant, why mention them at all?
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 5, 2006 at 12:43 am
Details will not be aired in this forum. It's appropriate that negotations continue without details that will just inflame the matter, unncecessarily. Who needs that?
Many people are in favor of the district and site administrators coming together, and meeting in the middle.
Given that, we're also interested in having district executives be held accountable for the long-standing dissension and other dysfunctionalities that have compromised teaching, administering - and in the end, education and tax dollars.
Managment styles do not change overnight. the current leadership was brought in for a very specific purpose - to put the squeeze on the teacher's union, and tighten the administrative ship. The problem is that the 'enterprise' function of administration is all that the curent leadership has brought to the district.
The board's last hiring decision was short-sighted - both in terms of "cultural fit" with district personnel, and in light of current challenges that shuold have been easily anticipated by those on the board at the time. There has been a significant lack of leadership on the personnel side, a change in executive management is called for.
We're waiting to see how much this thing spins away from the main problem, even if the negotiations are successful.
There will be a time and place more appropriate for the revelation of details if the board does not act in a way that's appropriate to the situation.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 5, 2006 at 12:47 am
Bill is absolutely right. I have never seen a chill on self-expression like the one that presently exists within PAUSD. It's a general demeanor that exudes from the top. That has to change if this district is going to thrive in the coming years.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 5, 2006 at 12:49 am
re: last post, I meant "anon" is absolutely right -
a resident of Charleston Meadows
on Oct 5, 2006 at 6:00 am
RWE -- you are exactly right in stating that there is a chilling atmosphere in this District. It starts at the top and goes all the way down through the schools, and people at all levels will state openly that they are afraid to talk for fear of retribution. This is the atmosphere that Ms. Callan is cultivating. People are asking for specifics so I will give one: a group of 14 very involved (at school and district PTA levels) parents were extremely frustrated with the atmosphere at a local elementary school, which has the same "no problems here" atmosphere of denial, favoritism and retaliation. They went (I might add, encouraged to do so by various members of the school staff, who thought adding parent voices might get Ms. Callan to listen) all the way up to the District to resolve their concerns. Ms. Callan' staff not only dropped the ball on the specific complaint but breached the trust of those parents, who were trying to adhere to the process. Specifically, Ms. Callan defended her staff for forwarding verbatim and without notice to the author all e-mail strings that some of those parents had sent to her staff with respect to the issues of concern. When the parents finally met with Ms. Callan, now over the original issues *and* the breach of trust by her staff, she berated them for wasting her time. I know; I was there. My children are no longer at the school or in the District because of the level of dysfunctionality I encountered at every level in this experience. I have seen firsthand her mediocre leadership by bullying, intimidation and apologia and her remarkably abrasive personal skills. Finally, to those parents who say she was hired to be tough in this era of fiscal crisis, I would respond with my personal impression as a casual observer that she nearly tanked the Measure A campaign with her arrogant attitude, and then took full credit for its success notwithstanding her having alienated any number of parents and administrators in the District. Justice Harlan said that "sunlight is the best disinfectant." I wonder at those who are worried about having this high-ranking, well-compensated *public official's* performance record examined, questioned or discussed publicly -- particularly as she herself stated in my presence that she has a policy of complete disclosure (or maybe that is only with respect to others' expectations of privacy). Are they afraid of what might come to light?
a resident of Palo Verde
on Oct 5, 2006 at 11:44 am
Mr. Johnson, I see hard hitting complaints, but little incivility. Your paper has certainly made very aggressive complaints against the District and Ms. Callan. Now, why do you wish to stifle others who feel differently?
publisher of the Palo Alto Weekly
on Oct 5, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Bill Johnson is a registered user.
I'm not sure to what you are referring. I don't think we've done anything to stifle opinions. The whole point of Town Square is to provide a place for sharing diverse opinion. We decided to experiment with requiring registration on one of the other threads, but there was a technical glitch and that restriction isn't in effect.
As you may know, many forums like this one require all posters to register and many people have urged us to go that route. We would prefer not to require registration because it deters some from participating. That said, it is a tool available to us if we feel posters are pushing the envelope with the personal nature of their comments. It's a difficult balance. We're hoping to keep steering people toward meaningful and respectful dialogue without getting in the way of expression of strongly held views. Removing posts always attracts accusations that we somehow trying to censure or manipulate the discussion, so our strong preference is not to have to do that.
a resident of South of Midtown
on Oct 6, 2006 at 11:26 am
Here we have a problem, defined as an essential problem of communication between senior executive staff and administrators. There is not unanimous agreement among administrators regarding every aspect of the issue, but nearly unamimous agreement that the memo issued by the Management Team was mostly right on target.
It's an interesting, but not shocking development to see the problem kicked back to the very group that raised it, with the concomitant effect that the _cause_ of the problem - senior executive managment - gets off the hook.
I am very dissapointed with this action, as are many members of the Management Team. This situation is as close to "Catch 22" as it gets in this district.
Of _course_ there are going to be differences among members of the Management Team regarding some of the specifics, but there is a LARGER overall problem that led to their action in the first place.
What part of that memo doesn't our school board understand? How more clear does the gist of that memo have to be to suggest that there is something VERY wrong with the way that this district has been managed?
I want to saty with the latter point, because Mary Frances Callan has managed to spin her way out of this. Now we have the focus of attention moving to the board, with the Management Team asked to go back into a huddle and come up with what it _really_ meant in that memo. This is Palo Alto Process unleashed, this time within PAUSD. It's little more than a feeble attempt to be _absolutely_ sure and have _absolute_ agreement, where neither one of those elements _ever_ exist in a situation like this.
It's going to be interesting to follow this, noting how much dissension can be raised on the Management Team over issues subservient to the maian issues raised in that memo.
It's a brilliant tactic, really - in an almost unconscious way, Callan, with the Board's unwitting help is going to divide and conquer the Management Tean by creating dissension over minor issues in that memo (and a few of the major ones).
The focus is now shifted back to the _Management Team_ as the problem (i.e. they don't really have their act together), rather than the gross lack of effective leadership and communication from senior management that has led _over years_ to the slow boil that finally exploded last week.
As of this moment, the PAUSD board has deferred its responsibility, made life more difficult for a Management Team that went out on a limb to expose an intractible problem (in the face of a chilling communicative environment), and played right into the hands of the Superintendent, who has been the major ingredient in bringing this conflict about (along with a few of her managers).
there is always room for negotiation, even after a significant failure at the top. What usually happens, in healthy organizations, is that the top is changed over, and new blood brought in that better resonates with the organization, so it can heal. The board doesn't seem to have the guts for that right now; maybe in its wisdom, it will develop the necessary courage to do what needs to be done - i.e. permanently relieve the Superintendent and a few of her associates of their duties, and get this district and it's _key personnel_ (teachers and adminnistrators) back to a place where they are led by an administrator worthy of their superb talent. Anything less is a compromise for our children's education, and an insult to those who have been trying for years to do their jobs in an organizational environment that has been far from motivational (and that's being kind).
a resident of JLS Middle School
on Oct 6, 2006 at 1:38 pm
It sounds like the Mangagement Group has been invited to, and should seize this opportunity to put together a very specific list of complaints and very specific list of examples of their complaints, covering their whole spectrum of issues and deliver it directly to the board. The window of opportunity is open. They should come up with a specific list of as many and all issues, and have each individual in the group put a check mark by each bullet item they agree with.
That way, they don't have to come up with a single list that everyone agrees with, but they can still be specific, and still indicate the numbers of supporters behind each specific complaint.
From today's report in the Weekly, it sounds like the board has said to them what many on this forum have said as well - that the exact specific complaints are not well understood. They need to be made very clear and very specific before the board can act.
If the management group takes this step of creating some very specific documentation and delivering it directly to the board, then the board will have no excuse for not acting. Right now, I think they have a very convenient excuse that they haven't heard enough specificity, from the group who have the problem, and the group hasn't made clear how widespread the issues is or how much agreement there is among its members.
Go ahead and submit this to the board in confidentiality, but frankly if the management group wants any real action or accountability from the board or the district staff, I suggest you make this document public. The public will not let this one slide away into oblivion if they are allowed to understand the specifics.
(By the way, you can still do this and keep the names of Mgmt Group confidential, you can show the tally in numbers of subscribers to each issue..)
Don't miss out on the discussion!
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Cherries and Berries
By Laura Stec | 3 comments | 1,319 views
Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength . . .
By Chandrama Anderson | 2 comments | 699 views
Meeting Other New Parents
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One more week to vote!
Don't forget to cast your ballot online. Voting ends May 29th. Stay tuned for the results in the July 21st issue of the Palo Alto Weekly.


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|#1 (permalink)
Name: Fiona's Mom
Dog's Name: Fiona
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 86
How cold is too cold for a maltese?
How cold is "cold" for our babies? In other words, at what temperature does your malt feel uncomfortable without a sweater/coat? I live in Ohio and we are getting into mid 50's F - Fiona seems fine, we go for 15-20 min walks and she does not seem uncomfortable, does not shake, etc.. At what temperature would you dress your malt in a sweater/winter coat?
Also, please help:
Would you suggest a winter coat (snow suit) with sleeves that cover front legs and rear legs, such as this one:
Poochtini Winter Dog Snowsuit
Or would you say a 'vest' type of winter coat with no sleeves that only covers the chest/ribcage area would do? Wouldn't the stomach and rear legs get cold? Here's an example:
Little Barkets Playground Puffy Dog Jacket
Are booties needed in the winter time or are they more for looks rather than function?
Does longer hair really keep them warmer? It seems so thin, I'm not sure if it will make a difference and I'd rather trim it to prevent matting from the clothes...
PLEASE help, I need advice on how to keep my baby warm!
ps. Fiona is 4lb so I think she does need something to keep her warm in cooler wheather
|#2 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Name: Pat
Dog's Name: Archie, Abbey, Ava, Mona Lisa and Tinker
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 19,561
I have lots of sweaters and jackets for my malts. I used to put them on every time we went out.
Don't do that anymore. They seem sturdier than I originally thought.
When we go walking in the winter, I put on their harness dresses/vests and that seems to do it for them. And if they're just going outback in the yard to do their business..........they go naked!!
I have to tell you about Ava. She is 3 lbs and lived the first six months of her life in Florida. That little stinker doesn't know the meaning of cold!!! She goes out back and mills around for what seems like forever to me in 20 degree weather!!!
Personally I HATE the cold!! But Ava seems to love it.
I realize every dog is different, but that's how it is in my household. Now, let it be wet outside Not even raining, but just wet....no one wants to go out!
Pat and "The A Team"
Archie, Ava and Abbey
Life is Good!!!....and keeps gettin' better!!!
To get to Ava's FB page...
|#3 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Name: Michelle Robison
Dog's Name: Amber,Emily,Lil Bit,Sasha,Harrycat-Amy,Buffy,Buster,Duchess,Einie,Grechen,Max,Rosie,Rylee in heaven
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: N.W. Ohio
Posts: 10,348
Two of mine have full coat and the other two are grwoing out. They have pretty thick fur especially Emily and Sasha. They all seem to not be bothered by the cold when they go outside,they just love to run and hop in the snow like snow bunnies. Unless they're realy shaved short,close to the body and not outside for a long time,I think they do well w/ their fur.
It really would depend on how heavy the coat is,or if it's wet. Mine don't seem effected by the cold but if it's cold and raining,that's different,they do come in shivering.
If they're shaved short and you go on long walks or they might be in the car a while ,while you're in the store then I would do a coat or sweater and lots of blanlets to curl up in... by a while I would mean not longer than 20 minutes or so,depending if it's sunny out,so the sun can warm up the car.
Even if they have a lot of fur,I wouldn't want to leave them in a cold car for long..
Mommy my bows are too tight...
When bad grooming happens to good Malts...
Jewellery, Doggie Goodies, Handmade tiles,cool flying pictures
Vote for Southern Comfort Maltese Rescue , Chattanooga, TN
|#4 (permalink)
Super Moderator
Pat - sounds just like Lacie and Tilly. Heck - 2 years ago, Tilly brough huge ice pieces through the doggie door. But let it rain a drop and neither wants to go out.
Glad to know that Ava likes the cold. I'm worried about Secret as she's spend most of her life in Florida. Hopefully she'll be like her daughter.
|#5 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Name: Christine
Dog's Name: Mia, Leo and Ana
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 7,915
That's a really great question. I'm not sure what the actual temperature is, when I start putting on their harness coats. I live on the East Coast. And last winter was a mess.
For me personally, I don't dress my dogs. All there outerwear is harnesses. Vest, coats. The kind with the ring, that you can just attach the leash to. I have found that to be the easist way for me and my two.
As far as booties. I don't use them. I could see if you will be walking your baby and people have rock salt out. You don't want them walking in that.
Right now, it's about oh, 60's, so I am still doing the vest. But as it gets colder, I do have harness coats for them. They have velcro for the neck area, and for the tummy area. These seem to work well for my two.
Both of my babies are in puppy cuts, so they do have less hair.
|#6 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Name: Jill
Dog's Name: Paris ~ Coco ~ Tucker
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 3,156
Wonderful question.
I am wondering what the degree in temperature that would be considered too cold??
Last year I asked my vet, he said at freezing.
But this was when my girls were young pups.
Now this winter they will be older.
I have coats, rain jackets, and sweeters for them.
I am hoping to get them out for walks in some of the winter months.
Now that they are older & sturdier.
They have some boots but I plan on looking into different kinds and a full leg snowsuit or two.
|#7 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,288
I have one of each...Soda is happy to walk around in the middle of winter in Chicago with nothing on - he'll happily lay on the sidewalk. Roo on the other hand starts shivering when it gets below 60. Roo has a couple of sweaters, a couple shirts, a rain coat, and a heavy winter horse blanket-type coat that was a hand-me-down. Nothing fancy.
JMM - JaMi Maltese, Home to Performance Maltese
Becoming a Follower on our Blog!!!
|#8 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Name: April
Dog's Name: Rose & Lily, Teddy & Eva are (At Rainbow Bridge)
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Southeastern U.S.
Posts: 6,082
My Rose has always been cold-natured. She gets uncomfortable at 60 degrees and I always keep her coat long in the winter. She has the usual assortment of jackets and vests but I had a custom-made mink coat made for her(ok, its faux fur but it looks like mink! ) with a satin lining for cold weather. Lily can take the cold a little better. They both like cool weather, but not cold. We keep a cool house and they usually wear a t-shirt or light hoodie indoors. We had a lot of ice and snow last winter and bitter cold. When it's like that, we stay inside. I turn a space heater on for them and they love that!
|#9 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Yo will probably laugh at me if I tell you that although I live in sunny California, I do dress my fluffs with sweaters when we go for nightly walks.
I always determine that, if I am cold and need a sweater, they do too. I also have another way of determining if they are cold: I touch their nose: if it's cold, then they are cold and need to wear a sweater
Malteses are angels on earth
|#10 (permalink)
Maltese Guru
Name: Dee
Dog's Name: Shoni
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Oregon, USA
Posts: 4,916
I let Shoni be the judge. If he is getting shakey he gets a sweater. If he is playing hard or walking and isn't wet he usually doesn't need anything. If he is in the house and has been out and gotten a little wet he will get shakey and I cover him or put a coat or sweater on until he is dry and warm. I do think their coat (fur) length helps. If it is maybe 2" on their body it should be plenty. If it is really shaved down on the body I've noticed it makes a difference.
|Thread Tools

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Belden Corner Unit, White
- Overview
Specially designed for use with two of our Belden Beds, this smart, good-looking corner unit makes the most of often-overlooked space. Sturdily built with solid pine framing, it stores books, toys or art supplies below, and offers a roomy top surface for crafts or games.
- PBK White is expertly crafted from solid rubberwood and MDF (medium density fibreboard), an engineered wood that lends exceptional strength and ensures that the corner unit will endure over time.
- Rustic Sun Valley Honey is expertly crafted from Scots Pine, Scots Pine Veneers and MDF (medium density fibreboard).
- Frame-and-panel construction ensures that the unit will last for years to come.
- All wood is kiln dried for added strength and lasting beauty.
- Drawers feature English dovetail joinery, and waxed wooden glides, which ensure smooth motion. Sturdy half-moon safety stops keep drawers securely in place.
- Corner unit has one fixed shelf.
- Our exclusive finishes are applied by hand for exceptional richness, durability and depth of color.
- All finishes in the same color family are designed to coordinate with one another. For example, Rustic Sun Valley Honey, Sun Valley Honey and Honey all look great together in one room.
- The use of veneers results in high-quality furniture with flawless surfaces and consistent color tones.
- Our finishes were developed exclusively for Pottery Barn Kids. Sun Valley pieces feature a dry-brush technique that mottles the color while it's still wet to reveal the wood's textural grain. All finishes are sealed with a final coat of lacquer for extra durability.
- Rigorously tested to meet or exceed the highest industry safety standards.
- Imported.
- Spot clean.
- 40.75" square, 36.75" high
- Dimensions & Care
- Overall: 40.75" square, 36.75" high
- Drawer Interior (2): 38" square
- Legs: 1.5" square, 36" high
- Clearance from floor to bottom of Unit: 14" high
- Weight: 101.25 pounds
- Dust often using a soft, dry cloth.
- Protect from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
- Blot spills immediately with a clean, damp cloth.
- We do not recommend the use of chemical cleansers, abrasives, furniture polish or wax.
- Shipping & Return Info
Quick Ship: 1-3 Weeks
- Items marked as QUICK SHIP (QS) will usually be delivered within 1 to 3 weeks. There is no additional charge for Quick Ship delivery. This service is subject to product availability at time of shipping.
Special Order: 8-10 Weeks, 10+ weeks
- Made to Order items are usually delivered within 8-10 weeks to addresses within the contiguous 48 states. There are a few items that will be deliever within 10+ weeks. Once it reaches our distribution center, a local delivery service will contact you to schedule a delivery appointment.
Non-upholstered Furniture
- All non-upholstered furniture items will arrive within 7 to 10 business days in most metropolitan areas.** For other areas, your furniture will be delivered within 1 to 3 weeks, depending on availability.
- **San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Phoenix, New York City, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Columbus, Cromwell, CT, Raleigh/Charlotte, NC, & Tampa/Ft. Myers/Orlando and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Unlimited Flat Rate Furniture & Freight Delivery
With Unlimited Flat Rate Furniture & Freight Delivery, an unlimited number of eligible furniture and select non-furniture items in your order can be delivered for a single flat rate. The exact shipping charges are based on our shipping location and will be applied in the Checkout Payment & Review page.
Premium In-Home White Glove Delivery
- With Premium In-Home White Glove Delivery, items are brought into your home, most are unpacked and assembled*, and the packaging is removed. Premium In-Home White Glove delivery is only available in the contiguous 48 states.
- Delivery is by appointment Tuesday – Saturday in most major metropolitan areas, with Monday delivery available in some areas. Service to outlying areas may be restricted based on geographic location. Our delivery service will contact you to arrange a delivery date and confirm the appointment timeframe.
Select oversized items have an additional delivery and processing surcharge; this charge is listed below the item price.
View the complete Shipping and Delivery Information page.
At Pottery Barn Kids, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction is our priority. We carefully inspect your order prior to shipment; upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage. We will arrange for a prompt replacement. If, within 7 days for Quick Ship upholstery and 30 days for all other products, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value.
If your return for Merchandise Credit Cards is greater than $10,000, we will issue $10,000 in Merchandise Credit Cards to you that day, and then mail additional Merchandise Credit Card(s) for the amount in excess of $10,000 to you.
For returns of items purchased from your Pottery Barn Kids registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later.
Delivery fees are non-refundable and prior purchases are not eligible for a price adjustment. The following items are non-eligible for returns or exchanges:
- Personalized/Monogrammed items
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- Final Sale items (identified by a price ending in $.97 or $.99)
- Items damaged through normal wear and tear.
Questions? See our full Returns Policy.


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Loving All Things Korean at this Arts and Cultural Performance2012-05-17 1 Share Tweet
A hundred goodie bags to be given away at an event opening is a good way to draw in the crowd. But that's not the reason why I went to the inaugural of Culture We Love: Korean Festival 2012.
I've been to South Korea for a holiday with my wife several years ago. As we enjoyed our 8-day package tour back then, we shortlisted South Korea as a serious contender for a Free & Easy holiday in March of this year. However, due to time constraints, we were not able to revisit South Korea. So the next best thing was to attend a Korean Festival.
It was by chance that I saw an advertisement about "Culture We Love: Korean Festival 2012". So I asked my wife to join me after work to attend this free event held at Singapore's "City Square Mall":http://www.citysquaremall.com.sg/ from March 12 to 18.
According to the advertisement, the event was to celebrate all things Korean. Visitors would be able to "enjoy K-Pop music and cultural performances, culinary and skincare workshops, merchandise, food fairs, and more".
But I was there because of the photo opportunity it presented me. Based on my previous experiences of attending events, the opening ceremony would often offer visitors a peek of what's to come at the event.
Organized by a local event company, it was supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Tourism Organization.
The event also saw the local Korean and Singaporean communities collaborating to showcase their culture.
Opening the event was his Excellency, Oh Joon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Singapore.
This was followed by a pop dance performance.
The obligatory Taekwondo demonstration.
A song sung by a very enthusiastic group.
Then the crowd was wowed by a traditional dance item.
However, the highlight of the event was the Korean Culture and Arts "Musician of the Year" winner, Coco Jeong Gyeong Hwa's performance. She performed Korean songs with a traditional musical instrument with her husband, who was rather shy on stage.
And oh, in case you're wondering if I got a goodie bag, I didn't. But this lucky kid did!
I shot the Korean performance with an Olympus XA3 camera and the Lomography CN800 color film. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to capture the moment given the lighting conditions, but I was glad at how the photos turned out.
The Lomography Color Negative 35mm 800 ISO film is a high-speed film designed to bring a burst of vibrant colour, as well as great saturation and contrast, in all lighting conditions! Shoot in bright sunshine, grey days, indoors or at night with a flash. See our selection of Lomography films here.
written by uncle_jay on 2012-05-17 #places #dance #event #events #color #children #singapore #location #shopping-centre #korean #olympus-xa3 #art-and-culture #k-pop #lomography-cn800 #culture-we-love


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Kanapaha Botanical Garden On Father's Day
Fathers out of town and local ones too, enjoyed the soothing sounds and pleasant sights of the Kanapaha Botanical Garden with their families today.
The garden celebrated Father's Day by offering free admission to fathers.
The site which opened up in the late 1970's doesn't just showcase plants but water falls and streams as well.
Ed Hunter who was out there with his wife and daughter today says the extensive water garden is his favorite attraction.
"The water features that are right behind us, i am a science teacher at gainesville high school and is just a really cool part from the park because the water comes from the Kanapaha Waste Water Treatment Plan and shows how we can reclaim water to make better use of our water resources."
For more information, click here.
*Adults $7.00
*Children (6-13 years old) $3.50
*Children under six come in free, if accompanied by parent
*June 2012: For the entire month, Santa Fe College students are welcomed for half price.
*June 24, 2012: Workshop of bamboo growing in North Florida with Don Goodman at 2pm.
$10 for adults, $5 for members (entry to garden included).
Related Stories
- Festival Offers Tools for Spring Gardening
- Botanical Gardens celebrates the start of spring
- Spending Father's Day Protecting Their Country
- A Father's Day Surprise
- Soldier Returns in Time for Father's Day
- High Springs Father's Day Blues Celebration
- Fantasy Father's Day
- GHA celebrates Father's Day early
- Celebrating Father's Day
- Father Shoots Teenage Son During an Argument on Father's Day


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Other topics
Federal, provincial and territorial benefits, credits and programs
Allocating pension income to a spouse or common-law partner reduces the transferring spouse or common-law partner's net income and increases the receiving spouse or common-law partner's net income. As a result, benefits and tax credits that are calculated based on the total of the net incomes of both spouses or common-law partners (such as the GST/HST credit) will not change because of pension splitting.
However, pension splitting will affect any tax credits and benefits that are calculated using one taxpayer's net income, such as the age amount, the spouse or common-law partner amount, and the repayment of old age security benefits.
The allocation of pension income may also affect certain federal, provincial, or territorial programs.
Many taxpayers, including pensioners, are required to pay tax by instalments. The CRA issues instalment reminders to them indicating the amounts to be paid by each instalment due date. However, as an alternative to paying the amounts shown on the reminders, instalment payments can instead be made based on either the individual's prior-year net tax owing and CPP payable, or their estimated current-year net tax owing and CPP payable.
For more information, go to Paying your income tax by instalments.
Forms and publications
- General Income Tax and Benefit package – Guide, return, and schedules
- Pamphlet RC4210, GST/HST Credit
Related topics
- Date modified:


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Youngsville Eagles
Coach (season): Luke Alex (1st season)
2010 overall record: 2-8
2010 region record (place): 2-6 (tied for eighth)
2010 playoff results: Did not qualify for the District 10 playoffs.
Top players lost: Aaron Niemeyer, Nathan Smith, Jared Camp, Christian Bundy, Derek Gifford
Top returning players: Sawyer Dininny, Sam Lucas, Cory Craig, Jordan Gurdak, Rocco Gatta, Sage Sivak, Ryan Rickerson, Dalton Maze
Assistant coaches: Chad Edwards, Mike Wright, Eric Rozanski, Adam Vincent and Don Hardy
Outlook: Youngsville is looking to turn things around this season under new head coach Luke Alex. Not only with the Eagles have a new system in place and a fresh approach, but quarterback Cory Craig is back after sitting out most of 2010 with injury. Also back for Youngsville are Sawyer Dininny, Sma Lucas, Jordan Gurdak, Rocco Gatta, Sage Sivak, Ryan Rickerson and Dalton Maze. All provide experience and depth for the Eagles this season. Alex knows he has a veteran group back and commented that this group has been in the system the longest and they know it well. Lineman Jake Marino and wide receiver/defensive back Kyle Rafalski are new to the varsity level and are looking to make an impact right away.
The biggest issue for the Eagles last year was scoring in the red zone. Youngsville is looking to cut down on its turnovers and to start putting points on the board when in the red zone. The Eagles are deep at the skill positions but will need to develop the offensive and defensive lines a little more. Youngsville's passing game suffered without Craig last year but could be vastly improved.
The Eagles have a strong defense and that will be especially important in Region 2. Youngsville will go up against big teams that love to run the ball and slowing them down will be key. The Eagles hit the road three of their first four games with only a home game against Maplewood in the mix. Youngsville will get Mercyhurst Prep at home but the Eagles might need to pull the upset in order to compete for the Region 2 title. The Eagles have experience and talent this fall and if they can stay healthy, they might be looking at a District 10 playoff spot in November.
2 at Seneca 7
9 at Union City* 7
16 Maplewood* 7
23 at Iroquois* 7
30 Mercyhurst Prep* 7
7 at Eisenhower* 7
14 at Cambridge Springs* 7
21 Conneaut, Ohio 7
28 at Cochranton* 7
4 Saegertown* 7
Look for the Kickoff magazine at a Country Fair near you beginning Aug. 15. The 112-page magazine previews the upcoming District 10 football season, including top returning players, schedules, stats and more.
Thursday: Region 1 and 2 previews
— Tom Reisenweber


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History will be made this evening when Western Springs hosts the opening GP of this year's world speedway championship. Four world champions are among the 15 riders competing for championship points over 20 four-lap, four-man heats which are followed by semifinals and a final. The racing starts at 4pm, with gates opening at 2pm. The Herald casts an eye over the field.
1 Greg Hancock (USA)
The world champion from California is an elder speedway statesman with a sunny West Coast disposition. Hooked on the sport as a nipper he built his career through jam-packed junior fields during better speedway days in the USA. Hancock re-discovered his mojo to reclaim the title he first won in 1997. The 41-year-old pipped our own much-loved Ivan Mauger as the oldest ever champion. Could become speedway's thunder downunder - he won the only other GP held outside Europe in Australia 10 years ago.
2 Andreas Jonsson (Sweden)
The talented Jonsson turned his career around last year after calling in Canadian bike tuner Carl Blomfeldt, a legend in his own right for his work with six times Swedish world champion Tony Rickardsson. Jonsson is the form GP rider and is chasing his first world title.
3 Jaroslaw Hampel (Poland)
Hampel has the toughest job in speedway trying to sneak any publicity from superstar compatriot Tomasz Gollob. But Hampel goes quietly about his business which includes trying to win a first world crown and isn't bothered by being covered in Gollob's high-profile dust. Just two GP wins and form tailed off last year.
4 Jason Crump (Australia)
From speedway stock, and one determined hombre with a reputation for aggressive but fair riding. The triple world champ recounts coming second with a fondness others reserve for memories of wisdom tooth extractions. Built an incredible record of finishing in the world championship top three for yonks until placing fourth last year. Comes to the opening GP without recent racing but appears to do hot and cold well.
5 Tomasz Gollob (Poland)
The sweetest sight on a speedway track. Once ballistic, now majestic - a genius of the speedway species. Mere mortals fight with their bikes but Gollob and machine are like Bogie and Bacall, Armstrong and a space suit, Messi and a soccer ball, Reagan and Thatcher ... let's stop there. The 40-year-old won his first world title two years ago. He is so famous in Poland that the visiting speedway roadshow members liken him to an All Black to help us get the picture. Gollob is famous enough to have had a high-profile divorce case - the true test of any stardom.
6 Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)
The former under-21 champion burst on to the senior scene by winning his first GP start three years ago but hasn't kicked on since, with injuries partly to blame. Has a crazy streak and never far from someone else's back wheel - touted as the man most likely to put a spoke in Russia's world title duck.
7 Kenneth Bjerre (Denmark)
Forget the world title hunt. The diminutive Dane has enough heat in his own backyard. Teenage brother Lasse - an English league rider - went public saying his major mission in life is to do everything in speedway better than Kenneth.
8 Chris Holder (Australia)
Insiders say the laid-back Aussie doesn't realise the talent he's got and watch out when he does. Also goes well on a surfboard.
9 Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
The speedway-loving Poles call Lindgren the Iceman, perhaps because of piercing blue eyes. Lindgren flies in the leagues but brakes in the world championship where he hasn't won in 48 GPs.
10 Nicki Pedersen (Denmark)
Stand back folks - the triple world champion comes stamped Highly Combustible. Pedersen is regarded as TV gold in a John McEnroe sort of way - that's unless you happen to be a TV. Chairs have been thrown and televisions smashed when things don't go well for the temperamental 34-year-old, who has struggled for best form in recent years. Pedersen is the king of aggro on the track and happily winds up the mind games. A hero in Denmark but gets booed elsewhere.
11 Chris Harris (Great Britain)
The Cornwall native carries the weight of a speedway nation on his shoulders and did so rather well by winning the primo British GP at Cardiff in 2007 when riding as a rookie wildcard. Associated fact: just weeks before, Harris - who lives in Coventry - popped out for a pint and ended up terrorised when armed robbers raided the village pub.
12 Antonio Lindback (Sweden)
Sweden's Antonio Lindback is the speedway rider with a dreadlocked X Games look and an unusual, remarkable backstory to match.
13 Bjarne Pedersen (Denmark)
Not related to Nutty Nicki, but did rise alongside his flamboyant countryman. Cut from a very different - more relaxed - cloth, however.
14 Peter Ljung (Sweden)
Gets a GP place after others pulled out of this year's series. Scant GP history. Out to make the most of his luck. Ranks as a Hail Mary odds bet rather than the bloke you want in the office sweep.
15 Hans Andersen (Denmark)
Has a stack of GP experience, four wins in the bank and is coming back from injury. Accepted a GP wildcard instead of going for guaranteed money in the Polish league so might know something the rest of us don't.
16 Jason Bunyan (New Zealand)
The decline of New Zealand speedway sees the Englishman take the local wildcard spot. The seven-times NZ champ flits between the two countries and will get the cheer of his life but is unlikely to spark a Sportsman of the Year nationality debate.


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Ward And Smith Share Spoils In Barnsley
BEN WARD and Ross Smith shared the spoils in the double-header of PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour events held at the Barnsley Metrodome on Saturday.
Ward started the day's opening event confidently with whitewash victories over Rainer Hofweber and 2013 Challenge Tour winner Josh Payne.
The 24-year-old from Dorset then dispatched Rick Veugelers before recording excellent 4-3 triumphs over Jan Dekker and Adam Hunt to reach the last four for the first time in his career.
In the semi-finals, Ward ended the hopes of Glasgow's Richard Baillie with a 4-1 win and he secured his first PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour victory with a tense 4-3 victory over Josh Jones.
Jones enjoyed his best performance on the PDC Challenge Tour to date and began in superb style as he dropped just one leg in his first three matches.
Jones defeated Arron Fairweather by a 4-1 margin before the 23-year-old from Warwickshire stunned PDC Challenge Tour Order of Merit leader Ross Smith with a deciding leg victory.
Jones was taken the full distance by Austria's Rowby John Rodriguez in the last four before edging a tight deciding leg, but his hopes of a maiden title were ended by Ward in the decider.
Previous Challenge Tour winners Ross Smith and Adam Hunt reached the last eight of the tournament and were joined by exciting German teenager Max Hopp and Dutch newcomer Jeffrey De Graaf.
Gaz Cousins hit a fantastic nine-dart finish in his preliminary round clash against Eric de Meel – the 16th to be hit in PDC competition's so far in 2013.
After a run to the last eight in the first event of the day, Ross Smith began a run to his fourth appearance in the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour final with a whitewash victory over Adam Lipscombe.
Smith then dispatched Ryan Murray and Nathan Derry with 4-2 victories before defeating Michael Blake by a 4-1 margin to reach the last eight.
The Bolton-based thrower - who hit a nine-darter in the Gibraltar Darts Trophy a fortnight ago - ended Dekker's hopes with a 4-1 win before overcoming another Dutchman, De Graaf, in a deciding leg.
Smith then confirmed victory with a fine 4-1 triumph over Samuel Head to claim the £500 winner's prize for the third time in the 2013 PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour.
Portsmouth's Head started his run to a second Challenge Tour final with comfortable wins over Brandon Walsh and Jamie Landon before a 4-2 triumph over Ben Songhurst secured a place in the last 16.
Head then defeated Ashley Sandon James with a comfortable 4-0 win before ending the challenges of Cousins and Kettering's impressive Ricky Evans with excellent 4-2 victories to reach the final.
Head's hopes of claiming of his maiden Challenge Tour title were ended by Smith, and the 20-year-old was forced to settle for the £300 runner's-up prize.
Hopp put together another good run before losing at the quarter-final stage for the second time in the day, and the German was joined by Dutchman Dekker, Scotland's Ryan Hogarth and nine-dart hero Cousins.
The weekend's action at the Barnsley Metrodome concludes on Sunday where one further PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour event, which will take place with £3,000 in prize money on offer.
PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour
Event Ten
Saturday July 13, Barnsley Metrodome
Preliminary Round
Sam Hewson 4-2 Ryan Palmer
Richard Baillie 4-2 Dan Dean
James Young 4-1 Gordon Hastings
Gaz Cousins 4-1 Eric van Meel
Rick Veugelers 4-3 Darryl Greig
Dirk van Duijvenbode 4-0 Dan Butler
Adam Smith Neale 4-3 Jack Tweddell
Samuel Head 4-0 Nicholas Day
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-0 Mark Sidgwick
Ryan Hogarth 4-0 Ryan Sullivan
Rowby John Rodriguez 4-2 Phillip Coward
Colin Feeley 4-0 Robert Turpin
Arron Fairweather 4-0 Billy Holmes
Sean Johnson 4-2 Ben Songhurst
Gavin Howard 4-3 Dean Forde
First Round
Benito van de Pas 4-3 Shane Edwards
Paul Barham 4-2 David Pallett
Curtis Hammond 4-2 Lee Whitworth
Kurt Parry 4-0 Sam Hewson
Harry Lane 4-1 Stuart Clark
Sam Davidson 4-1 Callum Mackay
Luke Woodhouse 4-2 George Killington
Richard Baillie 4-2 Bradley Coltman
Aden Kirk 4-0 Sean White
Conor Mayes 4-3 Ryan Jones
Carl Sparrow 4-3 Roy Leenders
James Young 4-1 James Welding
Nick Paenen 4-0 Stuart Hunt
Max Hopp 4-2 Kevin Voornhout
Jake Patchett 4-1 Brandon Walsh
Gaz Cousins 4-3 Darren Beveridge
Josh Payne 4-1 Oliver Stell
Ben Ward 4-0 Rainer Hofweber
Tom Sykes 4-0 Curtis Bagley
Rick Veugelers 4-0 Josh Clough
Ryan De Vreede 4-1 Luke Allen
Jon Farmer 4-2 Tommy Lishman
Andrew Hughes 4-0 Frankie Ansell
Jan Dekker 4-3 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Adam Hunt 4-1 Benjamin Whitcombe
Paul Blackstone 4-1 Craig Simpson
Sam Hill 4-0 Paul Cooper
Jimmy Hendriks 4-2 Adam Smith Neale
Keegan Brown 4-1 Ryan Murray
John de Kruijf 4-0 Chris Millward
Gareth Thomas 4-2 Jordan David Lewis
Sion Thomas 4-2 Samuel Head
Shaun Griffiths 4-1 Nathan Aspinall
Lewis McGurn 4-1 Joe Harrison
Shane Freidlander 4-0 Kirsty Haw
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-0 Joshua Witcombe
Shaun Michael Lovett 4-1 Sean Ryan
Daniel Day 4-3 Jamie Landon
Ashley Sandon James 4-3 Alex Long
Ricky Evans 4-1 Ryan Hogarth
Chris Aubrey 4-0 Ben Carver
Jason Marriott 4-0 Adam Lipscombe
Nick Adamson 4-0 Leighton Jones
Rowby John Rodriguez 4-1 Scott Johnson
Michael Blake 4-1 Jamie Holmes
Rhys Hayden 4-2 Hermie van Orsouw
Dan Read 4-2 Liam Fairclough
Colin Feeley 4-3 Jamie Wilkins
Jack Hill 4-1 Sam Hayden
John Bryan 4-2 Daniel King-Morris
Jake Jones 4-1 Robert Marsden
Arron Fairweather 4-0 Kirsty Hutchinson
Josh Jones 4-1 Dan Franzen
Joshua Richardson 4-2 Ross Twell
Willem Mandigers 4-0 Callum Hinchcliffe
Sean Johnson 4-2 Dan Green
Luis Barberan 4-0 Gary Gullan
Nathan Derry 4-2 Jamie Atkins
Reece Robinson 4-2 Sam Hamilton
Michael McFall 4-1 Gavin Howard
Matthew Dennant 4-0 Matthew Dicken
Ross Smith 4-0 Kevin Bambrick
Wouter Vaes 4-1 Andrew Clark
Alan Bell 4-0 Darren Whittingham
Second Round
Benito van de Pas 4-0 Paul Barham
Kurt Parry 4-3 Curtis Hammond
Harry Lane 4-2 Sam Davidson
Richard Baillie 4-3 Luke Woodhouse
Aden Kirk 4-1 Conor Mayes
Carl Sparrow 4-1 James Young
Max Hopp 4-3 Nick Paenen
Gaz Cousins 4-3 Jake Patchett
Ben Ward 4-0 Josh Payne
Rick Veugelers 4-2 Tom Sykes
Ryan De Vreede 4-1 Jon Farmer
Jan Dekker 4-1 Andrew Hughes
Adam Hunt 4-1 Paul Blackstone
Sam Hill 4-0 Jimmy Hendriks
John de Kruijf 4-2 Keegan Brown
Gareth Thomas 4-3 Sion Thomas
Shaun Griffiths 4-1 Lewis McGurn
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-1 Shane Friedlander
Shaun Michael Lovett 4-3 Daniel Day
Ricky Evans 4-3 Ashley Sandon James
Chris Aubrey 4-0 Jason Marriott
Rowby John Rodriguez 4-1 Nick Adamson
Rhys Hayden 4-0 Michael Blake
Colin Feeley 4-2 Dan Read
Jack Hill 4-1 John Bryan
Arron Fairweather 4-1 Jake Jones
Josh Jones 4-0 Joshua Richardson
Sean Johnson 4-3 Willem Mandigers
Nathan Derry 4-2 Luis Barberan
Michael McFall 4-2 Reece Robinson
Ross Smith 4-3 Matthew Dennant
Wouter Vaes 4-3 Alan Bell
Third Round
Benito van de Pas 4-2 Kurt Parry
Richard Baillie 4-0 Harry Lane
Carl Sparrow 4-2 Aden Kirk
Max Hopp 4-1 Gaz Cousins
Ben Ward 4-2 Rick Veugelers
Jan Dekker 4-1 Ryan De Vreede
Adam Hunt 4-2 Sam Hill
John de Kruijf 4-0 Gareth Thomas
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-2 Shaun Griffiths
Ricky Evans 4-1 Shaun Michael Lovett
Rowby John Rodriguez 4-2 Chris Aubrey
Colin Feeley 4-1 Rhys Hayden
Arron Fairweather 4-1 Jack Hill
Josh Jones 4-0 Sean Johnson
Nathan Derry 4-2 Michael McFall
Ross Smith 4-2 Alan Bell
Losers £50
Fourth Round
Richard Baillie 4-1 Benito van de Pas
Max Hopp 4-1 Carl Sparrow
Ben Ward 4-3 Jan Dekker
Adam Hunt 4-2 John de Kruijf
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-3 Ricky Evans
Rowby John Rodriguez 4-3 Colin Feeley
Josh Jones 4-1 Arron Fairweather
Ross Smith 4-3 Nathan Derry
Losers £75
Richard Baillie 4-1 Max Hopp
Ben Ward 4-3 Adam Hunt
Rowby John Rodriguez 4-3 Jeffrey De Graaf
Josh Jones 4-3 Ross Smith
Losers £100
Ben Ward 4-1 Richard Baillie
Josh Jones 4-3 Rowby John Rodriguez
Losers £200
Ben Ward 4-3 Josh Jones
Winner £500
Runner-Up £00
Event 11
Saturday July 13, Barnsley Metrodome
Preliminary Round
Harry Lane 4-3 Liam Fairclough
Tommy Lishman 4-1 Kevin Bambrick
Rhys Hayden 4-2 Jake Patchett
Max Hopp 4-0 Curtis Hammond
Josh Payne 4-0 Darren Whittingham
Josh Clough 4-1 Sam Hayden
Gary Gullan 4-0 Sam Davidson
Ross Twell 4-3 Shane Friedlander
Brandon Walsh 4-3 Ryan Sullivan
Alex Long 4-1 Benjamin Witcombe
Adam Smith Neale 4-1 Hermie van Orsouw
Luke Allen 4-2 Mark Sidgwick
Ryan De Vreede 4-1 Nick Paenen
First Round
Kevin Voornhout 4-2 Sean Johnson
Dan Dean 4-1 Paul Cooper
Josh Jones 4-2 Andrew Hughes
Jamie Wilkins 4-2 Harry Lane
Jon Farmer 4-0 Cameron Hinchcliffe
Jimmy Hendriks 4-0 Kirsty Hutchinson
Lee Whitworth 4-1 Phillip Coward
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-1 Tommy Lishman
Roy Leenders 4-0 Joshua Richardson
David Pallett 4-2 Sam Hewson
Darren Beveridge 4-0 Joe Harrison
Rhys Hayden 4-0 Frankie Ansell
Nathan Aspinall 4-1 Scott Johnson
Luke Woodhouse 4-0 Kirsty Haw
Craig Simpson 4-2 Luis Barberan
Max Hopp 4-0 Sion Thomas
Rick Veugelers 4-0 Daniel King-Morris
Michael Blake 4-0 James Young
Conor Mayes 4-1 Jake Jones
Shane Edwards 4-2 Josh Payne
Rainer Hofweber 4-1 Jack Tweddell
Nathan Derry 4-2 Ben Ward
Ross Smith 4-0 Adam Lipscombe
Ryan Murray 4-0 Josh Clough
Chris Aubrey 4-0 Ben Carver
George Killington 4-2 Dan Franzen
Jan Dekker 4-0 Dan Read
Gary Gullan 4-1 Chris Millward
Oliver Stell 4-1 Stuart Hunt
Lewis McGurn 4-3 Nick Adamson
John de Kruijf 4-3 Dan Green
Paul Barham 4-2 Jack Hill
Shaun Michael Lovett 4-2 Robert Marsden
Ashley Sandon James 4-1 Kurt Parry
Gareth Thomas 4-0 John Bryan
Ross Twell 4-2 Michael McFall
Samuel Head 4-3 Daniel Day
Jamie Landon 4-0 Bradley Coltman
Richard Baillie 4-0 Gordon Hastings
Ben Songhurst 4-1 Brandon Walsh
Gaz Cousins 4-0 Joshua Witcombe
Ryan Jones 4-0 Jordan David Lewis
Andrew Clark 4-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Arron Fairweather 4-1 Alex Long
Colin Feeley 4-2 Gavin Howard
Matthew Dennant 4-0 Stuart Clark
Benito van de Pas 4-2 Matthew Dicken
Reece Robinson 4-2 Jamie Holmes
Jamie Atkins 4-1 Sam Hill
Ricky Evans 4-2 Sean White
Curtis Bagley 4-0 Paul Blackstone
Adam Smith Neale 4-2 Ryan Palmer
Sean Ryan 4-1 Dan Butler
Shaun Griffiths 4-1 Nicholas Day
Carl Sparrow 4-2 Wouter Vaes
Jason Marriott 4-1 Luke Allen
Eric van Meel 4-3 Rowby John Rodriguez
Adam Hunt 4-2 Sam Hamilton
Dean Forde 4-3 Aden Kirk
Billy Holmes 4-3 Ryan De Vreede
Willem Mandigers 4-2 Tom Sykes
Alan Bell 4-1 James Welding
Ryan Hogarth 4-1 Callum Mackay
Keegan Brown 4-1 Darryl Greig
Second Round
Kevin Voornhourt 4-1 Dan Dean
Jamie Wilkins 4-0 Josh Jones
Jimmy Hendriks 4-1 Jon Farmer
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-2 Lee Whitworth
David Pallett 4-1 Roy Leenders
Rhys Hayden 4-1 Darren Beveridge
Luke Woodhouse 4-3 Nathan Aspinall
Max Hopp 4-0 Craig Simpson
Michael Blake 4-2 Rick Veugelers
Shane Edwards 4-3 Conor Mayes
Nathan Derry 4-1 Rainer Hofweber
Ross Smith 4-2 Ryan Murray
Chris Aubrey 4-3 George Killington
Jan Dekker 4-2 Gary Gullan
Lewis McGurn 4-1 Oliver Stell
John de Kruijf 4-1 Paul Barham
Ashley Sandon James 4-3 Shaun Michael Lovett
Gareth Thomas 4-3 Ross Twell
Samuel Head 4-0 Jamie Landon
Ben Songhurst 4-1 Richard Baillie
Gaz Cousins 4-0 Ryan Jones
Arron Fairweather 4-3 Andrew Clark
Matthew Dennant 4-1 Colin Feeley
Reece Robinson 4-1 Benito van de Pas
Ricky Evans 4-3 Jamie Atkins
Adam Smith Neale 4-2 Curtis Bagley
Shaun Griffiths 4-1 Sean Ryan
Jason Marriott 4-2 Carl Sparrow
Adam Hunt 4-0 Eric van Meel
Billy Holmes 4-1 Dean Forde
Willem Mandigers 4-2 Alan Bell
Ryan Hogarth 4-2 Keegan Brown
Third Round
Kevin Voornhout 4-0 Jamie Wilkins
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-2 Jimmy Hendriks
Rhys Hayden 4-0 David Pallett
Max Hopp 4-1 Luke Woodhouse
Michael Blake 4-1 Shane Edwards
Ross Smith 4-2 Nathan Derry
Jan Dekker 4-0 Chris Aubrey
John de Kruijf 4-2 Lewis McGurn
Ashley Sandon James 4-2 Gareth Thomas
Samuel Head 4-2 Ben Songhurst
Gaz Cousins 4-1 Arron Fairweather
Matthew Dennant 4-2 Reece Robinson
Ricky Evans 4-0 Adam Smith Neale
Shaun Griffiths 4-0 Jason Marriott
Billy Holmes 4-2 Adam Hunt
Ryan Hogarth 4-2 Willem Mandigers
Losers £50
Fourth Round
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-2 Kevin Voornhourt
Max Hopp 4-0 Rhys Hayden
Ross Smith 4-1 Michael Blake
Jan Dekker 4-3 John de Kruijf
Samuel Head 4-0 Ashley Sandon James
Gaz Cousins 4-0 Matthew Dennant
Ricky Evans 4-2 Shaun Griffiths
Ryan Hogarth 4-3 Billy Holmes
Losers £75
Jeffrey De Graaf 4-1 Max Hopp
Ross Smith 4-1 Jan Dekker
Samuel Head 4-2 Gaz Cousins
Ricky Evans 4-0 Ryan Hogarth
Losers £100
Ross Smith 4-3 Jeffrey De Graaf
Samuel Head 4-2 Ricky Evans
Losers £200
Ross Smith 4-1 Samuel Head
Winner £500
Runner-Up £300


text:
I currently have lower dentures and am considering the implant pins. My dentures are very uncomfortable and I don't enjoy eating anymore. I cannot eat steak, chicken or anything chewy because of the pain from my dentures. I have had them for 3 years. I have little to no bone on my lower jaw but my surgeon says the pins are a good option for me.
What Are the Pros and Cons for the Dental Implant Pins for Dentures?
Doctor Answers 9
Can a denture be improved with implants
Yes, implants can dramatically improve your quality of eating and experience with your denture. If at all possible, I suggest to my patients to use 4 implants with locator attachments. This is the least expensive and gives good stability to your denture. If your denture is in good shape, it may be able to be retrofitted to your implants. Ask your dentist his recommendation.
Implant over dentures
Implant overdentures (dentures over implants) are a standard of care nowadays. There's always enough bone in the anterior part of your mandible for 2–4 implants. The implants and properly fabricated overdentures will significantly improve the comfort and your ability to chew better. However, please be mindful that the dentures aren't going to feel like your own teeth and might not meet your expectations on chewing steaks, chicken, and some leafy greens. For that, you might consider the fixed restoration option.
Pros and cons of dental implants for dentures
You might also like...
Uncomfortable ill fitting dentures, pros and cons of dental implants
The cons are easy, there are none. The pros, there are lots of them. Being able to eat and chew comfortably. Being able to chew your food better, no need for adhesive, less sore spots. I could go on and on with the pros. I have had many patients have implants placed to stabilize dentures and each and every one says they wished they had it done sooner. Good luck.
Dentures, implants, overdentures, prosthodontist.
Implants will be fantastic for you. However, prior to any surgery, you must have the dentures evaluated by a good dentist, or preferably a prosthodontist, who is the specialist in restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry. If the dentures do not fit and hurt you, they will hurt you even more once they are held down in place by the implants. In addition, if the implants are not optimally placed, and are out of position or are placed at the wrong angles, you will have more problems. Once the dentures are not hurting you, just move around, the implants can be placed properly. Traditional, regular size implants, with locator attachments are the best alternative. You can easily locate a prosthodontist near you on the american college of prosthodontist website.
What Are the Pros and Cons for Dental Implants for Dentures?
Dental implants have now been used for almost 50 years. They first were studied to help people like you.
In the recent past, removing all of the teeth and having a full denture made was the final solution. I've found that only about 10% of patients with dentures can actually eat much with them or don't mind them Those people are the ones who eat corn and think that dentures are the best thing they ever did.
The other 90% feel bad because they can't eat much, the dentures slip, and their mouth just feels bad most of the time.
Nowadays, the new standard is no longer to just make a full denture, the standard is to use at least two implants with any denture.
If you are as miserable as you sound, then you MUST do these implants. The only con is to make sure you find a dental implant dentist who is very comfortable and experienced with these treatments. Many dentist claim they do implants, do not all of them deliver truly superior results.
Web reference: http://www.scottgreenhalghdds.com/dental-implants.html
Dental implants can only help your denture
The only Cons would be cost and the need for surgical procedure. Any surgical procedure has risks but if you use a competent oral surgeon you should have no issues.
The Pros are great: high retention of denture (no need for adhesive), better stability and ability to chew, more confidence that your denture will not come up or fall out, less sore spots due to less denture movement.
Since you mentioned that you have very little bone, then you will likely only have room for two implants in the front area. That is OK and is plenty to make a huge difference. There will still be a very slight movement but the denture will not raise up or fall out.
I preferr the Locator type of attachment.The attachment is the part that will connect (snap) the denture to the implant (pin). The implant type (pin) could vary and there are several good brand names. Just make sure your surgeon uses a reputable one that will work with the Locator attachment. I do not like mini-implants since they are very skinny and have a lower success rate than a traditional wider implant. Specially since you will only be getting two implants. O-rings are not as stable and tend to wear out and need replacing more often. Just my opinion.
You should do it.
Good luck
Dr. T
Dental Implants to Support Lower Denture
It sounds like you have no other choice but to stabilize your denture with implants. There is very little risk and lots of rewards!
Snap On Dentures
Most definitely. What you need are Mini Dental Implants with a denture customized and adapted with O-Rings. The head of the Mini Dental Implants and the O-Rings placed at the dentures creates the "Snap" effect when you place them. These dentures have "no palate" and they can "Snapped On" and "Snapped off" from your jawbone.
You will be able to eat and chew anything you want. Dentures glue may be not strong enough to bite certain foods and a problem that arises is that when you bite on one side, the same pressure on the denture makes the other side of your denture become loose.
Also, many dentures have palate, and the palate is a very important factor to taste food better. When you have your palate covered by a denture, many food flavors are simply ignored. With these Implant retained Dentures you will be able to chew and bite on any side without any slips or movement of the denture.
The placing of the Mini Dental Implants is a minimally invasive procedure and we place it in less than an hour at our clinic.
Web reference: http://www.miracledentures.com
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


text:
ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
Michael Maffei Currency cash flowInternet USA
Michael Maffei Currency cash flow Results not even close to advertised, CFTC investigation internet
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I lost 60% of my funds in a VERY short period of time, weeks. He had all sorts of excuses. I got a letter from the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commssion) concerning this. I never found out what happened. I did get my initial sign up $1997 back, though it took several weeks to do so. I would avoid this guy and his Currency Cash Flow offer like the plague.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 03/25/2014 04:19 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/michael-maffei-currency-cash-flow/internet/michael-maffei-currency-cash-flow-results-not-even-close-to-advertised-cftc-investigatio-1133588. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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text:
The animal – thought to have mostly died out roughly 4,000 years ago – was apparently filmed wading through a river in the freezing wilds of Siberia.
The jaw-dropping footage was caught by a government-employed engineer last summer in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug region of SiberiaHowever, upon closer examination of the photograph and video in the article, I can see that the creature is not a wooly mammoth at all. Some have speculated that it might be a lost elephant or a bear with a fish in its mouth.
It is neither. The figure is clearly my good friend Harold "Harry" the Sasquatch crawling through the river on all fours to play a joke on us. Hee hee hee.
I bet those reporters will feel silly when they find out their mammoth is not a mammoth at all, but just a simple Canadian forest Bigfoot!!
Of course, they may also be extremely thrilled to have made a brush with celebrity. Do you recognize the name Harry? Someone very famous was named after my Bigfoot friend!
Harry and the Hendersons. Good guess, though! Actually, it is Prince Harry of Wales!!
Alas, I have no comments from Prince Harry or Bigfoot Harry to add to this post. I tried calling Bigfoot Harry's cell phone before making this post but he is not responding -- likely he has given up technology for Lent again.


text:
Create a free account to check out faster, store multiple shipping addresses, view and track your orders in your account, and much more.
Please enter your password to continue.
I won't be reordering. I liked the sample but really not sure it's anything special. It's nice to use occasionally for a change.3


text:
Washington Family Ranch Extends Campus Reach with Barix IP Paging
Outreach ministry informs guests and staff with clarity and consistency across multiple zones
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, February 26, 2014 - The Washington Family Ranch in rural central Oregon had a problem last summer: With 400 youth guests per week, the Young Life-owned ministry camp's expensive, network-based paging system was failing. Receivers were transmitting live pages in a staggered manner, creating unintelligible messages - along with guest confusion and complaints.
Based on the suggestion of audio engineer/integrator Alan Stricklin, Washington Family Ranch installed a multipoint Barix IP Paging system this off-season. The system is fully tested and ready for the upcoming 13-week season, and delivering punch and clarity at all playout points thanks to low latency and exceptional audio quality.
"Our previous system was billed as Hi-Fi, but it was very hard to understand the messages with the various amps and receivers responding at different times," said Andrew Pratt, guest services manager at Washington Family Ranch. "This past year we just turned the amps off, which left us exposed on the liability side. We were limited in how to alert our guests if something were to happen."
Enter Barix courtesy of Stricklin, who also uses Barix solutions at Minnesota Public Radio. The complete solution gives Pratt and his staff a compact, easy-to-use master paging station in the main office that connects over the network to playout points in high-traffic locations. Pages are streamed live to Barix IP audio decoders at these locations, which prepare and deliver the messages over loudspeakers.
The result is clear messages for guests and staff in four dormitories, the main activity center, campus store, snack bar, dining hall, kitchen and main reception building. Pratt notes this is especially important in the event of a dangerous weather or a security situation, given the camp's rural location.
"The intelligibility is exceptional and all our speakers are firing at the same time," said Pratt. "We're confident that wherever guests are standing that they will clearly hear the announcements, instead of trying to translate the messages."
In addition to quality, Pratt cites low cost and simplicity as major benefits of the Barix IP Paging solution.
"This operates like a set it and forget it system, and I'm excited that it requires minimal management," said Pratt. "We believe it will be the kind of system where we train people to use it at the beginning of the summer, and that's it. The low cost of the system makes it seem as though we will absolutely get our money's worth."
The complete Barix IP Paging solution installed at Washington Family Ranch includes an Annuncicom PS1 master paging station, and Barix Exstreamer 205 IP audio decoders at playout points - the latter of which include built-in amplifiers to reduce costs and infrastructure. Looking forward, Pratt expects to take advantage of Barix scalability by adding more playout points via additional Exstreamers, and exploring multicast delivery - a Barix specialty - to minimize network bandwidth.
Barix: We Move Audio (www.barix.com)
Barix supplies simple and reliable solutions and components to systems integrators and end users worldwide. We move high-quality audio across IP networks, adding value to customer solutions for more than a decade with hundreds of thousands of devices installed worldwide. Background music distribution with dynamic advertising insertion for retail shops, bars and hotels; public address solutions for schools and public spaces; and intercom and entry systems for facility surveillance, protection and security are among the many applications of Barix solutions. Barix also supports OEM projects for a number of Global 500 listed companies serving many industries worldwide.
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text:
September 20, 2006 - Archaeologists hope to dig one last time at a future Marana park site that has yielded several thousand prehistoric artifacts, some that predate pottery.
A final excavation season could begin next month at the Yuma Wash site, located just north of the intersection of Ina and Silverbell roads along the Santa Cruz River. Archaeologists in 1999 began excavations on the site, once home to a large settlement of Hohokam Indians.
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center found evidence of approximately 200 underground pithouses and above-ground pueblo homes.
The town of Marana will preserve part of the 43-acre Yuma Wash site when it builds a long-awaited 58-acre recreational park. Pima County also will build a 22,000-square-foot library in Cortaro-Silverbell District Park.
About $4.5 million in voter-approved bonds will go toward construction of the library. The county also will tap into its library district budget, using about $1.4 million more, said Carter Volle, project manager for the Wheeler Taft Abbett Sr. Public Library.
The Abbett family gave the county $1 million to gather books for the library, which will house 100,000 volumes.
Budget problems have left the library in temporary limbo. The project may go out to bid this month, Volle said.
"The bid climate for new construction is really lousy right now," he said.
If the library reaches the bid process Marana Lt. Joe Carrasco and patrol officer Robert Bereiter both applied for the position. Carrasco has been with the department for more than 20 years. Bereiter has worked in the department for about two years but has extensive experience in administration and training, Vidaurri said.
The committee also interviewed Pima Community College Interim Police Chief Barbara Harris and Gary Dhaemers, who oversees Pima County Attorney Office's 88-Crime hotline. Since its inception in 1980, the program has given more than $777,000 in rewards for tips leading to arrests.
The hiring committee decided to offer the job to Harris, after completion of a background check.
If she accepts the position, Harris will make $85,000 or more a year as the second-in-command to Viduarri.
"We had really good, qualified candidates," the chief said. "Any would make a good assistant chief."
The department has 75 sworn officers and the town council approved nine new officer positions in June.
The number of crimes committed in Marana has fluctuated since 1997, mostly increasing along with the town's population. The department handled 171 car thefts last year, almost 50 more than in 2004.
Officers made 762 arrests last year, compared to 729 in 2004. Through June of this year, officers had arrested 221 adults and 183 juveniles.
The town also will add a fourth attorney to its legal department. Just four years ago, the town employed none. Cassidy, a former Oro Valley and Pima County attorney, in 2003 became Marana's first in-house lawyer.
The Marana Municipal Court's case-
load has increased more than 30 percent over the past few years, prompting the town to hire its own prosecutor in May 2005. A former Tucson city prosecutor and attorney in the city school district's legal department, Jane Fairall became the town's first in-house prosecutor.
The town previously paid the Hochuli & Benavidez law firm to prosecute cases. The firm acted as both town attorney and town prosecutor, services that cost the town more than $350,000 a year.
The Marana court handles civil traffic violations, misdemeanor crimes and breaches of town ordinances, including animal and noise violations. The court issues orders of protection, injunctions against harassment and marriage licenses.
The town budgeted $571,411 this fiscal year for its legal department and $729,080 for its court.
The court's caseload has increased from 6,038 in fiscal 2001 to more than 9,000 cases in fiscal 2005.
Marana now has two attorneys, an attorney-to-be and an opening for assistant town attorney, who will report to Cassidy.
Cassidy makes $127,157 a year, Fairall $87,412. The town in January hired Laine Sklar as a law clerk fresh from law school. Sklar recently took the bar exam, and upon passing results, will become assistant town prosecutor at an annual salary of $49,164.
Cassidy's assistant will make up to $80,000 a year, according to a town advertisement posted on its Web site. The town council approved the assistant attorney position at its Sept. 5 meeting. The attorney will assist Cassidy with civil matters and provide legal advice to the council, town manager and all town departments.
The town will close the position's opening on Oct. 30, after it advertises in the Oct. 16 edition of Arizona Attorneys Magazine. Interviews will follow in November, Cassidy expects.
"I wanted to cast my net as wide as I can," he said. "We hope to get in on the front of the wave of work."
Cassidy's assistant will work a lot with development agreements, which take months to settle. The town continues to work on an agreement with Red Point Development for its huge 1,476-acre Cascada project, which will include more than 3,000 houses, businesses and offices.
The town recently put the agreement on two council agendas, removing it both times at the meetings.
"It takes some time to hammer out legal issues," Cassidy said. "Day to day, there's just 10 more things, and these things get put off. I hope with the new positions, we should be set for the foreseeable future."
The new attorney positions almost bring Marana in line with Oro Valley, which has five attorneys on staff - a town attorney, chief civil deputy town attorney, civil attorney, a town prosecutor and assistant prosecutor.
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