text:
Winter 2001/2002
Real Property Policysite Newsletter
News and Views on Real Property and Workplace Policy
New Directions
· Managers Face Challenges in Discovery Forum
· Smart Growth Issues for the Federal Government
· Security Is #1 Issue for Federal Real Property Council
· GRPIS Efforts Expand in 2002
· Federal Real Property Association Focuses on Professional Development
· Technology for Home-Based Telework Study
· What are the Practices Recommended for Telework Success?
· GSA Revamping Electronic Inventory Systems
· E-RealEstate Project Examines Internet Use
Real Property Regulations
· Real Property Inventory Regulation Published
· FMR Parts 102-71 to 83 Update
· New General Reference Guide for Real Property Policy will soon be available!
Integrated Workplace
· Cubicles Be Gone!
Performance Measurement
· The Facilities Condition Index: A Useful Tool for Capital Asset Planning
THIS IS … the nineteenth issue of Real Property POLICYSITE, a quarterly publication of the Office of Real Property (MP), Office of Governmentwide Policy, U.S. General Services Administration, Washington, DC, which is led by Deputy Associate Administrator, David L. Bibb. Our newsletter shares the latest information on public and private sector real estate and workplace initiatives, trends, and best practices. We encourage your input. Contact us to let us know what you think, to contribute articles, or to be placed on our mailing list, by contacting the editor, Richard Ornburn, at firstname.lastname@example.com, or (202) 501-2873.
(Article provided by Robert Materna, PhD, Vice President, The International Development Research Corporation (IDRC) Foundation)
On November 6-7, the General Services Administration (GSA) hosted a Discovery Forum on trends and challenges facing senior leaders who are responsible for managing real property for both the public and private sector.
According to Stanley Langfeld, Director, Real Property Policy Division, of GSA's Office of Real Property "...this two-day meeting provided an excellent forum for collaboration between public and private real property professionals."
Focus of the Forum
The focus of the forum was on enhancing productivity and minimizing risk through effective workplace and real estate management. Highlights included presentations by Robert Obenreder, Kevin Kampschroer, Paul Menk, and Paul Chistolini, General Services Administration; and Terri Beattie and Tom Quinn, Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Specific topics that were addressed during the forum included:
· Workplace security
· Disaster response
· Role of the workplace in enhancing organizational performance
· Surplus property disposal strategies and programs
· Most important challenges facing corporate real estate today
The findings of this forum suggest that the workplace can play a key role in improving performance in both the public and private sector and that there are enormous challenges ahead for real estate professionals following the events of September 11.
Almost all participants said that security is now a top issue for their organizations and they are being asked to provide solutions for a broad array of topics – from executive protection to emergency response plans. Some of the specific issues that were brought up in discussions included:
· Building height
· Strength of core structures
· Controlled access, etc.
· HVAC and location of ventilation systems
· Use of land and landscaping
· Parking location and access
Location Strategy
· Away from high risk facilities or areas
· Dispersed (to mitigate risk)
· Planned redundancy (to facilitate continuity of business operations)
· Planned vacancy (to provide some level of flexibility)
· Single versus multi-tenant
· Location and type of neighbors
· Reexamination of impact of location on attraction and retention of workers
· Cost and availability of insurance for higher risk locations
· Rethinking the implications of remote work and the critical role of communications
· Role of cell phones
· Use of wireless technologies
All of the above will have a significant impact on the cost to develop, operate, and dispose of property. To meet all of these needs, rents are going to go up and tenants will end up paying more for the cost of security.
Many companies and government agencies are now reviewing their plans to ensure that they have the ability to know where people are, who is in the building, location of back-up facilities, availability of back-up data and computer systems, and other information.
Keith Hughes, Security Manager and Advisor at the Social Security Administration agreed, "We are going to see a steady increase in security standards over the next several years – but there is going to be a cost. Corporations and government agencies are going to have to make some difficult decisions about this in the very near future."
Participants at the forum included 30 real estate leaders from GSA, Department of the Army, Department of the Treasury, Social Security Administration, Department of State, Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency and numerous corporations and service providers including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Verizon, Sprint, Equity Office Properties, Booz Allen Hamilton and others.
Discovery Forums are managed by The IDRC Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the art and science of managing real property and the workplace.
How Does Your Workplace Support the Occupants and the Organization?
(article submitted by Rob Obenreder, GSA Office of Real Property)
Workplace performance – how your workplace supports the occupants and the organization – was the topic of a presentation given by GSA at the IDRC Discovery Forum. Kevin Kampschroer of GSA's Public Buildings Service, and Rob Obenreder of GSA's Office of Real Property discussed using an integrated approach to planning, programming, design, construction, and operations that can yield significant benefits to an organization.
Using your workspace to strategic corporate advantage for the organization involves consideration of:
· New Technology: Using an integrated design process to determine the most suitable building systems and communications technology to support user and organizational needs, and planning for change to accommodate future needs.
· Integration of Design and Work: Translating organizational strategic goals, work strategies, and work processes into physical space needs and operational protocols.
· Flexibility: Developing building and office space infrastructure that can be easily reconfigured to reduce downtime, waste, and churn costs, thus improving facilities management and employee productivity.
· Bundling of services: Offering customers a comprehensive suite of real estate planning services, including new services such as strategic planning, business process analysis, and change management.
· Productivity: Providing healthy work environments that help people maximize their potential. Look at ways to measure productivity and track the effects of the workplace on user performance, using such things as absenteeism, churn time, and user surveys.
· Blending Real Estate and Corporate Strategies: Making real estate an integral
part of the corporate decision-making process. The type of space you own and manage should be linked directly to organizational goals. To do this, real estate must have a seat at the organization's strategic planning table.
High performance workplaces are effective workplaces. They are the result of a comprehensive, integrated approach to facilities that examines the needs of the organization and involves all stakeholders at the appropriate times throughout the life-cycle of the facility.
High performance workplaces are effective workplaces!
(article provided by Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn, AICP, GSA Office of Real Property)
How have the events of September 11th affected city planning, particularly the American Planning Association's Smart Growth movement?
On November 14, planners, professors, and federal, Congressional, and non-profit organization representatives gathered in Washington, DC to discuss smart growth issues in light of the events of September 11. Opening remarks were provided by Sam Casella, FAICP, American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) president, who stated that the American Planning Association (APA) position is to continue with smart growth concepts, to strengthen cities, achieve equity in areas such as housing, education, and employment, and to work from a regional rather than a parochial perspective to build even stronger cities.
In his keynote address, Andrew Altman, Washington, DC, Director of Planning, offered a look back in history, as a means for the city to gain power and resolve from an historical array of events, including previous destruction of the city by fire and war. Long a symbol of U.S. cities, Washington responded then and is responding to today's security challenges with resiliency, and embracing smart growth principles of growth, vitality, and environmental stewardship. Altman called upon attendees to embrace the following:
Altman stated that the above concepts must continue after September 11, and that Washington should continue as a symbol for all U.S. cities.
Four panel discussions were held:
1. A Scholar's View
Professors from various universities and the Urban Land Institute provided their viewpoints:
· Smart growth and security are compatible concepts
· Alternative forms of energy, including transportation, are compatible with smart growth
· Security should not become a driving factor in the design of cities
· The role of planners is to create livable cities, and to prevent crime through design and zoning
· We must renew our central cities; current security issues can actually become the catalyst for renewal
· Regional solutions must be developed
Newly formed on October 11, the Coalition's current members include the American Institute of Architects, APA, American Society of Landscape Architects, and Scenic America. Founded on the premise of providing necessary security while at the same time incorporating good design principles, the Coalition's two specific objectives are:
"Developing and showcasing design principles that achieve an appropriate balance between security measures that protect our people and built environment, and continuation of an open society that cherishes its democratic principles, freedom of movement, and accessible public places and facilities."
"Developing an inclusive decision-making process—consisting of experts in the fields of landscape architecture, architecture, historic preservation, community planning, the security industry, and government officials—for determining what security will look like and how it will function."
Coalition representatives provided examples of aesthetic approaches to providing security, such as reinforced planters, site selection, use of landscape features, and employing technology. The ultimate goal is to maintain public accessibility and good design while providing adequate security.
3. Response from the Federal Government
Representatives from the General Services Administration (GSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer's staff discussed federal programs and resources available.
· GSA views the federal presence as an enduring legacy, and remains fully committed to cities. GSA has retrofitted buildings with security measures, to ensure that they are both secure and open to the public. GSA is building partnerships with city, local and federal entities for security, historic preservation, and design purposes
· FEMA focuses on two types of planning—advance planning and planning after a disaster
· The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 establishes a national program for pre-disaster mitigation and encourages state and local pre-disaster planning (emphasizing the value of planning)
· FEMA has a multitude of "how to" publications to enhance hazard mitigation planning capabilities (http://www.fema.gov/)
· Representative Blumenauer's position in response to the events of September 11th is to emphasize the importance of planning, and to achieve the goal of livable cities through federal partnerships with states and local communities. He has met with the National Capital Planning Commission on design and security issues
· A regional approach to planning and meeting future disasters was emphasized
· The panel members believe that there is definitely a future for cities, in that people have a universal need to be with other people
· Ripple effects on the economy were discussed, particularly in smaller towns and for smaller business owners
· A request was made for long-term solutions rather than quick fixes
· A holistic approach is necessary, to incorporate design and sustainability features with security measures
· APA/AICP is working on agreements with other countries to foster mutual learning
· Planning matters!
For more information on AICP and the American Planning Association, check out its website at www.planning.org.
(article provided by Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn, AICP, GSA Office of Real Property)
What are the top issues facing Federal real estate executives? How have recent events impacted how Feds manage agency real estate portfolios?
The Federal Real Property Council (FRPC) addressed these issues in its September 25 meeting where it developed its agenda for the coming year. Margie Lomax, Director, Evaluation and Outreach Division, GSA Office of Real Property, welcomed FRPC members and served as co-chair. Gary Arnold (Social Security Administration), will serve as FRPC co-chair for one more year.
(sidebar) The FRPC was established April 1998 to provide a forum for departments and agencies to review, evaluate, and make Governmentwide recommendations about Federal real property policies or actions. The Council is comprised of executive-level real property professionals from 31 Federal Departments and Agencies.
In response to a survey, FRPC members ranked security as the number one issue to address in the next year. The advancement of real property when it is not part of an agency's mission was ranked as the second most important issue. Third was the development of an implementation plan once the Property Act Reform legislation is passed. Additionally, an off-site meeting will be held in Spring 2002 to provide an opportunity for longer discussions, focused attention on pertinent issues, and networking.
Since the FRPC meeting was held only two weeks after September 11, discussion focused on agency responses and issues that came to light, including:
· Communications problems
· Damage to the actual facility and the desire to rebuild at the Pentagon
· New York courthouses were without mail, telephone, or computer service
· Centralization/decentralization of information
· The need for immediate alternative space
· Evaluation of current security policies
· Need for evacuation/safety procedures and plans
· Need for new guidance and procedures (example--bomb threats)
· Need for standardized system for employees' locations
· Transportation/infrastructure implications
· Future roles/responsibilities with the new Office of Homeland Security
Chair Gary Arnold reviewed the FRPC's 2001 accomplishments, which included Property Act reform legislation, succession planning review, public-private partnership forum, a white paper on inadequate funding for capital needs, and the advancement of real property. The next FRPC meeting will be held in February 2002. For more information, contact Pat Rubino on (202) 501-1457.
(article provided by Sheldon Greenberg, GSA Office of Real Property)
OGP's Office of Real Property's Governmentwide Real Property Information Sharing (GRPIS) Program will continue to support its existing councils and will expand into new Federal communities during FY2002. Below is the schedule for the next council meetings which have been scheduled:
· Puget Sound: The latest Puget Sound Real Property Council meeting was
scheduled for Thursday, January 17, 2002, at a location to be determined.
· New Mexico: The next New Mexico Property Council meeting will take
place on Tuesday, January 29 at the Corps of Engineers facility located at 4101 Jefferson Plaza, Albuquerque. The featured topic of discussion will be Facility Security - Post 9/11. Also the Council will be electing a new Chair.
· Front Range, Colorado: The presentation of the Front Range Final GRPIS
Study and establishment of a local council is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, January 31. A location is being finalized.
· Other Forums and Councils: Meeting dates and locations for the New
England, South Florida, Arizona, and Heartland Forum/Councils are still being developed.
In addition, the GRPIS Team is reviewing Federal agency space inventory data to determine which communities to study during this year and seeks your input. Visit the website at http://policyworks.gov/grpis, or contact Sheldon Greenberg at email@example.com or by phone on 202-501-0629 for more information.
(Article provided by Rebekah Pearson, GSA Office of Real Property)
The challenge for FRPA is to capture and build upon the energy generated by the (2001) conference, particularly the opportunities for networking and combining resources..... (Tim Eller, GAO, FRPA President)
The Federal Real Property
Association (FRPA) promotes professionalism, expertise, and interaction among
real property professionals. Each year,
it holds an annual Professional Development Conference for training and
outreach. It featured the GSA
Administrator Stephen Perry. Speaking
on GSA, he said,
"Creating a successful future at GSA will require us to focus on our core mission, work as a team, become more results-oriented and accountable. We must be dedicated to excellence, high performance and continuous improvement."
Breakout sessions included a diverse series of subjects, including: Telework, Security in Federal Buildings, and Public-Private Venture Housing
For more information, contact Rebekah Pearson, 202-208-1850 or e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
(article provided by Wendell Joice and Theresa Noll, GSA Office of Real Property)
What are the technology barriers to Federal Home-based Telework programs?
Congress wanted to find out and requested a study on technology barriers and solutions to Federal home-based telework programs in recent legislation, H.R. 4871, House Report 106-756. As a result, GSA's Office of Real Property awarded a contract to Booz-Allen Hamilton in August 2001 to perform the study entitled: "Technology Barriers and Solutions to Federal Home-Based Telework Programs."
This study focuses on the technical aspects of telework, not human resources or management issues. The study will identify and analyze technology barriers and their impact on home-based telework. It will describe technology solutions available today that can be used to break down barriers.
Chief Information Officers, Telework Coordinators, teleworkers and non-teleworkers from various agencies will participate in the study. Functional categories include compatibility and architecture, performance, end user support, communications, security, operations and maintenance. The study is due out in February 2002. The findings of the study will be featured on a panel at FOSE 2002 in March.
Find out more about this important study by contacting Theresa Noll at email@example.com or Wendell Joice at firstname.lastname@example.com for further information.
(article by Dr. Wendell Joice, GSA Office of Real Property)
Find out in the new report released by GSA's Office of Real Property on recommended practices for successful telework programs. The report, "Expert Consensus On Recommended Practices For Telework Program Success," is available at the website:
The goal of the study was to provide much-needed substantiation of the effectiveness of existing recommendations for practices needed to achieve successful telework programs. Following are key points from the study:
· Telework program planners, implementers, and other experts should focus on tailoring the selection and implementation of recommended practices to the circumstances of the target organization(s).
· Telework program planners should implement the practices deemed essential and select the particular array of other "valuable" practices that will lead to optimal performance for their specific organizational circumstances. Optimizing practices may mean implementing similar, but not necessarily the same, sets of practices for different units within the same organization.
· Of the 33 examined (recommended) practices, the following seven practices were "essential" to the success of a telework program:
For more information, contact Dr. Wendell Joice at email@example.com.
(article provided by Carol Anadale, GSA Office of Real Property)
Foundation Information for Real Property Management (FIRM) Continues Migration: FIRM is an automated real property asset management system, which is provided at no cost to federal agencies. It helps Federal real property officers manage their real property assets.
The main FY 2002 task will be FIRMweb Support and continued support of FIRM 7 until a full governmentwide migration to FIRM Web is accomplished. This support, including training on the new system, hotline support on both systems, installation, continued correction of system "bugs" on both systems, continued resolution of user problems on both systems until a full, effective, and efficient migration to the new system is accomplished for all users, is important to the FIRM users in keeping their systems functioning.
Also planned is an Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V), of the FIRM system; the current FIRM 7, developing webFIRM and the conversion processes to FIRM Web. The IV&V will provide a Draft and a Final report on problems discovered during the review and provide recommended corrective action for any problems identified by the review for the conversion process and both FIRM 7, and webFIRM.
Worldwide Inventory (WWI) System Undergoes Retooling: The Worldwide Inventory (WWI) is an electronic real property management system of federal real estate that contains summary data (on installations, land, buildings, and other structures) from all federal agencies.
The FY 2002 plan for WWI-IA by the Office of Real Property develops a new application which is easier to use, will provide a better ad hoc reporting tool, and study adding Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping features. Work will provide an electronic update capability, trend reports, and incorporate the best practices identified from studies of state government real property applications as well as private industry applications.
Re-tooling meetings were held in November and December and future meetings are planned . Lessons learned from the FY 2000 report production, discussion of asset management data collection and a demonstration of the revised Worldwide Inventory Internet Application were among the agenda items. Contact Carol Anadale on (202) 208-2970 for more information on FIRM and WWI and re-tooling meeting dates.
(article by Dennis Goldstein, GSA Office of Real Property)
GSA's Office of Real Property is continuing its examination of the uses of the Internet in the management of real estate by the Federal government. OGP has established an Internet site for the purposes of disseminating good practices and information about web-enabled software to the Federal government. This site can be accessed at:
An important element of this study is a short web-enabled survey that has been disseminated to Federal agencies that have real estate holdings or responsibilities for the management of real property. This e-RealEstate Survey is providing useful feedback to the GSA Office of Real Property for determining the level of present and planned uses of internet applications in Federal Government real estate organizations. This survey should take 5 minutes or less to complete.
As a reminder, the site for the survey can be accessed at:
All individuals in Federal agencies with real estate responsibilities should be made aware of this survey and are encouraged to participate. Each respondent is able to receive immediate feedback summarizing the up-to-the minute results of the survey.
The survey can be accessed only by entering a user name and associated password. Please contact Dennis Goldstein (email@example.com) or John D. Thomas (firstname.lastname@example.com) to obtain the username and password for your agency.
If you have any questions, please contact Dennis Goldstein at (202) 219-0608 or John D. Thomas at (202) 501-0365.
(article submitted by John Thomas, GSA Office of Real Property)
On October 25, 2001, GSA Administrator Stephen A. Perry signed Federal Management Regulation (FMR) Part 102-84, entitled "Annual Real Property Inventories." The regulation was published as an interim rule in the Federal Register on November 2, 2001. This culminates work begun in FY 1999 in concert with the Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Interior, when the Office of Real Property began conducting a comprehensive review of the policies in the existing Federal Property Management Regulation (FPMR) Part 101-3, also entitled "Annual Real Property Inventories."
In addition to rewriting the regulation in plain language, the review focused on improvements to make the real property inventory program more useful, and to enable Federal agencies to manage their real property inventories more effectively. Most significant of the improvements involve eliminating the use of paper forms in order for all agencies' to submit real property inventory data electronically and ensuring that the regulation is consistent with current Government accounting standards. Contact: John D. Thomas on (202) 501-0365 for more information.
As part of GSA's regulatory improvement initiative, Final Rule FMR Parts 102-71 to 102-82 was published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2001, and became effective on January 18, 2001. FMR Parts 102-71 to 102-82 describe the current real property policies applicable to GSA and Federal agencies to whom GSA real property authority has been delegated.
The publication of this regulation in the Federal Register initiated the start of a new initiative to amend FMR Parts 102-71 to 102-82 to reflect updated policies, such as location policy, outleasing policy, historic preservation policy, and security policy. In addition, amending the FMR will complete the transfer of policy from the FPMR to the FMR and create a separate part, FMR Part 102-83, to deal specifically with the updated location of space policy. Ultimately, amending these FMR Parts will provide agencies with updated regulatory material that is easy to read and understand. GSA anticipates publishing these FMR Amendments in Spring 2002. Contact: John D. Thomas (202) 501-0365 for more information.
The Office of Real Property is updating the General Reference Guide for Real Property Policy, originally published in April 1998, to reflect the addition of new laws, executive orders, and regulations that impact real property management. In the past, the guide has provided an easy-to-understand reference of legal authorities, by subject area, that are applicable to GSA and Federal agencies to whom GSA real property management and operations have been delegated.
Look for the latest information in the updated version of the General Reference Guide for Real Property Policy in April 2002. Contact: Iona Calhoun on (202) 501-0821 for more information.
Managing the Workplace of the Future
(Summarized with permission from the Journal of Property Management, Sept. – Oct. 2001 Issue, article by Nancy Pekala)
(article submitted by C. Coneeney, GSA Office of Real Property)
Creating adaptable, sustainable, and flexible workplaces is growing! These workplace environments can have a positive impact on employee productivity.
The Office of the Future Consortium developed the Future@Work exhibit in Seattle, WA. The consortium is a non-profit group of almost 100 local, national, and international businesses that are interested in incorporating these workplace concepts. The Future@Work exhibit divides the workplace into 3 sectors:
· Meeting venues
· Office venues
· Non-territorial venues
This venue is noted by its use of flexible furniture to promote interaction. As opposed to a conference table and chair, this venue may have lounge furniture to promote brainstorming and information sharing.
The office venue is broken into 3 hard wall configurations, dorm, harbor, and study. The dorm is associated with start up companies where the profits are reinvested back into the business, not into assets. The dorm approach focuses on ergonomics, storage, and furniture that supports intensely focused activities. The harbor is applied for companies that are still in a growth mode, but have a plan for the long term. This concept emphasizes efficient use of space and the capability to satisfy individual and group activities. The study is focused on more mature companies in a stable, competitive business environment. This approach is more conservative and centers on workplace standards and facilitating communications.
The employee can configure the non-territorial venue to meet specific needs. Examples in the Future@Work exhibit are the den, media lounge and the serenity room. These areas can provide an escape from the office, while still providing the technology to stay connected to the business.
The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance has created a web site, www.betterbricks.com, to promulgate energy efficient concepts and provides some data on the impact that better building design and energy efficiency can have on productivity. Below are some figures from www.betterbricks.com
Energy costs in office buildings average $2 per
square foot, while employee salary and benefits are $130 per square foot. Even small changes in productivity can have
a significant impact on the company's bottom line.
The Heschong Mahone Group conducted a study in
1999 and showed that retail sales increased an average of 40 percent in stores
with skylighting, as opposed to stores in the same chain with electrical
The article describes a quality workplace as one that provides some amount of personal choice and control, few distractions, and provides a sense of pleasure, enjoyment and prestige. The article also mentions that the real estate industry is moving away from the idea of one solution for the workspace. The workplace and the office need to adapt to the specific people using the space. Gary Evans, a Cornell University psychologist wrote in the Journal of Applied Psychology, "In designing workspaces, companies need to think carefully about the different tasks and demands that will be carried out there. An environment built for people who work in teams won't necessarily work for people who need to concentrate." Check out the article for more information on this important issue.
(summarized with permission from "Facilities Manager" July/August 2001 Issue, article by Don J. Briselden, P.E., and David A. Cain, Ph.D.)
(article provided by M. Saldanha, GSA Office of Real Property)
What is your "FCI?"
Imagine this scenario. A new vice president for finance and administration at a university has just returned from an annual NACUBO (National Association of College and University Business Officers) conference and relates that he heard people discussing methods of forecasting capital asset funding. In those discussions people were comparing their institutions' Facilities Condition Index (FCI) as a useful measure of campus condition. The VP then turns to you and asks, "What is our FCI and how do we compare?" Of course, you are knowledgeable about your facilities and ready to provide the information requested. Or are you?
Let's respond to that question with a conversational definition of FCI. The technical definition is included later in this article. During a walking tour of any campus, a person with an eye cast toward the condition of buildings can form a judgment about their condition and can develop a sense of the existing maintenance liability. If one sees the paint pealing, indications of decayed surfaces, roofs that older than 20 years, you do not need to be an expert to realize that a sizable reinvestment is needed. Often the outside condition reflects the condition inside. Students, faculty, administrators, staff, and all other stakeholders form opinions and make judgments about the institution based on its appearance. These critical opinions fall into four intuitive categories of poor, fair, good, and excellent.
The FCI in practical terms has been a numerical rating system that translates what you see on your educational institution tour into a rational measure of the amount of deferred maintenance and provides a means of gauging the condition of the facility. The FCI is a metric that is used by numerous institutions as part of their capital planning process.
The FCI is a useful assessment tool that should be in every facilities professional arsenal of tools. It has been a feature of capital renewal and deferred maintenance (CRDM) planning for the past decade and is a generally accepted measure. More recently, the FCI was included as one of the key metrics within APPA's (the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers) Strategic Assessment Model (SAM).
The FCI concept resides within the development of studies and models for capital renewal and deferred maintenance. For the past 40 years, institutions of higher education have struggled with their responsibilities for identifying their facilities needs and responsibilities to fund the continuing renewal of systems and the correction of maintenance.
The history of CRDM and the various funding models for capital renewal is documented by Rod Rose in "Charting a New Course for Campus Renewal". That APPA publication brings forward a common vocabulary, defined processes, and helpful descriptions regarding capital renewal funding models.
The process for CRDM planning consists of the following steps:
· Conduct a comprehensive campus-wide facilities audit
· Assess the condition of each building
· Determine the Current Replacement Value (CRV) for each facility or by types of facilities.
· Determine the Facilities Condition Index for each facility
· Apply the FCI within the institution's capital funding model.
The FCI is a comparative indicator of the relative condition of facilities. It is expressed as a ratio of the cost of remedying maintenance deficiencies listed in the deferred maintenance backlog to the current replacement value; it also provides the facilities professional a method of measurement to determine the relative condition index of a single building, group of buildings, or the total facility.
This calculation also provides the facility professional a corresponding rule of thumb for the annual reinvestment rate (funding percentage) to prevent expansion of the deferred maintenance backlog. The FCI can be defined in terms of the following basic equation:
Deferred Maintenance* ($) divided by its Current Replacement Value** ($)
*The total dollar amount of existing major maintenance repairs and replacements identified by a comprehensive facilities condition audit of buildings, grounds, fixed equipment, and infrastructure needs. It does not include projected maintenance and replacements or other types of work, such as program improvements or new construction; these items are viewed as separate capital needs.
**The total amount of expenditure in current dollars required to replace the institution's educational and general facilities to its optimal condition (excluding auxiliary facilities).
The process of capital budgeting presents a full and useful kit of parts for the facilities professional. It is a process that can be adapted to fit the local situation. The FCI can be applied in a variety of ways. It is a key component in the planning process, as a calculation that brings insight to the campus facilities conditions, and as a comparative metric by which the facilities manager can see where the campus stands within a broader perspective.
The new and improved model has just been published in a completely revised second edition of the APPA book, The Strategic Assessment Model. The application statistics about the use of the FCI will be available. We hope that the comparative measures will be useful to a wide range of facilities professionals.
(article provided by Lance Davis, AIA, LEED Certified Designer)
An integrated approach to a better, smarter sustainable design...
The power of your next project's design may not only be in the architecture, but in the written word of the specifications. A movement is being found across the nation of a better, smarter design sometimes called green, sometimes sustainable, and sometimes environmental. No matter what you call it, an integrated approach to the design is required.
Many people in the design, construction, and property management fields though, have been frustrated trying to integrate executive orders and new standards, and changing the way it has always been done. Many have seen their efforts disappear as part of value engineering, uneducated contractors, bad substitutions or a lack of proper information. A tool to help alleviate these frustrations is our modern day pen, the computer. Through the use of specifications, the efforts of the design team are solidified into holistic designs that prevent the devaluing of the project. RTKL, an international A/E firm, is developing in house tools to ensure that the design team's efforts are an integral part of the project. Three tools that are being included in the master specifications are:
- environmental performance standards for materials,
- the use of the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED rating system by the contractor, and
- the use of environmental ASTM standards.
Specification sections with three products listed are a common practice, but as products are identified to have practical environmental performance, they can replace the old standard list. The key is to just add the product and the performance information and not to call special attention to the green element. By doing this, the language is standardized and the requirements are accepted throughout the offices. This also does not raise a flag to the contractor that something special is going on, thus potentially raising cost.
In Division 1, standard language can be incorporated for contractors to work with the USGBC LEED rating system and other environmental procedures. An Environmental Project Procedures section sets up the relationship between design intent and contract requirements. Although in its early revisions, this section lays out the groundwork to meet the LEED rating requirements, construction recycling, and air and water quality on the job site.
ASTM standards can help choose the best products and to insure substitutions meet the stated requirements. ASTM E2114-01Standard Terminology for Sustainability Relative to the Performance of Buildings allows the specification writer and the contractor to understand the basic definitions of green building components. ASTM E2129-01 Standard Practice for Data Collection for Sustainability Assessment of Building Products is a standardized questionnaire for manufacturers. By requiring manufacturers to submit this document, a side-by-side comparison of materials can determine the best products to include in the Master spec. To ensure that the design intent is maintained during construction, the questionnaire is required of substitutions.
The benefit to this approach is that the firm's international business can utilize the best products and the best practices on all jobs whether recognized as environmental by the client or not. Although early in their development, these tools are helping the firm build a design practice that is beginning to understand that better design is available. While the specification writers for each job can choose to remove these standards, they have to make the decision to do so and this can bring about an educational process to take these tools even further.


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President L. Dennis Smith's Response to Governor Johanns' State of the State Message:
- 01/14/2003
We recognize that Nebraska is in an unprecedented economic crisis and that all state-funded operations, including the university, must help find a solution. The Governor's recommendations were not unexpected – without a tax increase or other revenue enhancement, we had to expect that he would suggest reductions of this magnitude. It is early in the process and we will work with the legislature and the public over the next few months to find a solution that is more constructive.
I think it's important for the public to understand, and to participate in, decisions affecting the future of our state university. Over the next two months, the chancellors and I will hold a series of meetings across the state to listen to the concerns, priorities and suggestions of Nebraskans with regard to their state university. I will also ask the chancellors to identify, as quickly as possible, where cuts would be made so that the legislature and the public are aware of their scope and impact.
In the meantime, on our campuses and in university administration we will continue to find ways to spend less, to do more with the resources we have, and to seek additional sources of revenue outside of state funding. We will focus more strongly than ever on our identified academic priorities.
We stand ready to do our part. We know that Nebraskans want their children and grandchildren to be able to attend a university they can be proud of. I am confident that when this process is over, the University of Nebraska will remain a source of pride for our state.

subset: commoncrawl


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Anterior vaginal wall repairA/P repair; Vaginal wall repair; Anterior and/or posterior vaginal wall repair; Colporrhaphy - repair of vaginal wall; Cystocele repair
Anterior vaginal wall repair is surgery that tightens the front (anterior) wall of the vagina.
This procedure may be done while you are under general or spinal anesthesia. Under general anesthesia, you will be asleep and unable to feel pain. With spinal anesthesia, you will be awake, but you will be numb from the waist down and you will not feel pain.
You will be given medicines to help you relax.
Usually, a surgical cut is made through the front wall of your vagina.
- Your bladder is moved back to its normal location.
- Your vagina wall may be folded, or part of it may be cut away.
- Sutures (stitches) are made in the tissue between your vagina and bladder. These will hold the walls of your vagina in the correct position.
- Your doctor may place human-made (synthetic) material between your bladder and vagina.
- If needed, sutures will attach the walls of the vagina to the tissue on the side of your pelvis.
Sometimes, your doctor will also make a surgical cut in your belly. This cutmay be up and down or across.
Why the Procedure Is Performed
This procedure is used to repair sinking of the vaginal wall (prolapse) or bulging that occurs when the bladder or urethra sink into the vagina.
Symptoms of prolapse include:
- You may not be able to empty your bladder completely.
- Your bladder may feel full all the time.
- You may feel pressure in your vagina.
- You may be able to feel or see a bulging at the opening of the vagina.
- You may have pain when you have sex.
- You may leak urine when you cough, sneeze, or lift something.
- You may get bladder infections.
This surgery by itself does not treat stress incontinence (leaking urine when you cough, sneeze, or lift). It may be performed along with other surgeries.
Before doing this surgery, yourhealth care providermay have you learn pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises), use estrogen cream in your vagina, or try a device called a pessary in your vagina to hold up the prolapse.
Risks for any surgery are:
- Infection at the site of the surgical cut
- Opening of the surgical cut
- Another prolapse
- Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs
- Breathing problems
- Bleeding
- Other infection
Risks for this surgery are:
- Damage to the urethra, bladder, or vagina
- Irritable bladder
- Changes in the vagina (prolapsed vagina)
- Urine leakage from the vagina or to the skin (fistula)
Before the Procedure
Always tell your health care provider or nurse what drugs you are taking, even drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.
During the days before the surgery:
- You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.
- Ask yourhealth care providerwhich drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.
On the day of your surgery:
- You will usually be asked not to drink or eat anything for 6- 12 hours before the surgery.
- Take the drugs your health care provider told you to take with a small sip of water.
- Yourhealth care provideror nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.
After the Procedure
You may have a catheter to drain urine for 1 or 2 days after surgery.
You will be on a liquid diet right after surgery. When your normal bowel function returns, you can return to your regular diet.
Outlook (Prognosis)
This surgery will usually repair the prolapse andthe symptoms will go away. This improvement will often last for years.
Winters JC, Togami JM, Chermansky CJ. Vaginal and abdominal reconstructive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 72.
Maher CM, Feiner B, Baessler K, Glazener CMA. Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse in women: the updated summary version. Cochrane review. Int Urogynecol J. 2011;22:1445-1457.
Anterior vaginal wall repair - illustration
Anterior vaginal wall re...
Cystocele - illustration
Anterior vaginal wall re...
Review Date: 6/18/2012
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington; and Scott Miller, MD, Urologist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.


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not pro mma, i know, but some serious future pro's in action last night :P
The Beacon Centre, St Helens, played host to a full night of Amateur MMA action as Amateur Cage Battles hosted its fifth installment: Unstoppable. It was a full card stacked with 20 fights and not one disappointed. The main attraction of the night was the four title fights with the main event being played out by Chino Nwinyinya and Kostadin Toychev for the ACB lightweight championship.


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Has anybody else experienced this? Is there an alternative way to test WEP connections instead of using this program?
I have BT5R3 installed on a flash drive and the first day I used to to crack my WEP connection. Everything was working normally.
Now every time I try to do the same thing, during the "attacking" part it takes AGES to get packets. So long that I can't stand to watch it go up so I just leave. But when I come back the fern wifi cracker window is just gone. I assume that it just closes.
I've tried it a couple more times and the same thing happens. Extremely slow cracking speed and it just closes sometime in the process. Does anybody know whats going on?
Has anybody else experienced this? Is there an alternative way to test WEP connections instead of using this program?
I have experienced this with the Fern Wifi Cracker (in attempt to see how easy it is as a program) alas I have since reverted to using the command line as its more easier to see whats going on and control. As for alternative way I suggest airodump, aireplay, and aircrack with a ng respectively.
i'll look deeply into the issue of the program's closing down.
@Charonsecurity: You can view whats going on by using the xterm option in the scan control settings, this will open terminal windows that show whats working at a particular time and its progress..
@TopCaliber: I want you to use the above method, please notice the behaviour of the packet capturing process in the opened terminal windows, and then give me a feedback so i can know whats really going on at a specific attack process.
You can get the xterm settings by double clicking on the main window after a monitor interface is created.
Last edited by savioboyz; 10-11-2012 at 03:34 AM.
Saviour Emmauel Ekiko
Sorry to troll the thread, but taking the opportunity, could you make Fern save this preference so that I don't have to check "show xterm" each time Fern starts?
@Aibero - Thanks, ill release a new update with your suggestion before next week.
Saviour Emmauel Ekiko
No password showed up where it was suppose to and I kept getting this in the terminal window:
"Notice: got a death/disassoc packet. Is the source MAC associated ?"


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The Australian stock market has closed virtually flat, shrugging off a 12-year high in the unemployment rate.
The nation's jobless rate was expected to remain steady at six per cent, but it jumped to 6.4 per cent in July - its highest level since August 2002.
While the market initially responded negatively to the jobs data, it rebounded into the session.
OptionsXpress market analyst Ben Le Brun said investors were buying in as they speculated whether there was scope for another Reserve Bank interest rate cut.
"At the end of the day, it was probably a positive for the Australian share market," Mr Le Brun said.
"But some of these data prints can be a double-edged sword."
Financial stocks were the largest losers on Thursday as all big four banks ended the day in the red.
Commonwealth Bank lost 36 cents to $81.35, NAB fell 18 cents to $34.45, ANZ slipped 13 cents to $32.85 and Westpac dropped two cents to $33.65, according to preliminary figures.
Financial services company FlexiGroup was one of the bright spots in the sector, gaining eight cents to $3.85 despite reporting a drop in profit for fiscal 2014.
Rio Tinto closed 50 cents higher at $66.32 before it reported a $US4.4 billion first-half net profit.
BHP gained 15 cents to $38.47 and Fortescue put on three cents to $4.72.
Natural gas company Envestra ended the day up 3.5 cents at $1.315 after its biggest shareholder backed a $2.4 billion takeover bid by a Hong Kong consortium.
It was also one of the most traded shares on the market, with 24 million equities changing hands.
Tabcorp closed 11 cents higher at $3.56 after it lifted its full year profit by three per cent.
* On Thursday at 1700 AEST, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down three points, or 0.05 per cent, at 5,509 points.
* The broader All Ordinaries index dropped 3.3 points, or 0.06 per cent, at 5,500.7 points.
* At 1615 AEST the September share price index futures contract was down 12 points at 5,446, with 24,873 contracts traded.
* National turnover was 2.1 billion shares worth $5.1 billion.
* The price of gold in Sydney at 1700 AEST was $US1,306.30 per fine ounce, up $US14.80 from Wednesday's closing price of $US1,291.50.


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BOT approves budget; tuition increase lowest in 8 years
In the wake of historic state budget cuts, the Executive Committee of the University of South Carolina's Board of Trustees gave preliminary approval to a 2009-10 operating budget Thursday (June 11) that adheres to President Harris Pastides' pledge to keep a tuition increase modest while maintaining the university's core mission of excellence in teaching, research and service.
The $1.08 billion eight-campus budget will take effect July 1. This budget includes the $584 million operating budget as well as the estimated restricted grants and contracts and auxiliary enterprises. The new operating budget does not restore the $55.4 million in state appropriation cuts since last June and does not incorporate stimulus funds, which are intended for non-recurring expenses.
Undergraduate tuition and required fees on the Columbia campus will go up by 3.6 percent, the lowest increase in eight years. The percentage corresponds with the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI), an index that measures the increase in operating costs in higher education.
"The university's budget cuts have been historic, and we have made some difficult choices," Pastides said. "However, I pledged that we would not resort to a steep tuition increase to offset these cuts, and for the Columbia undergraduates we did not raise tuition one penny above the inflation rate. I am keenly aware of the burden that a big increase would create for our students and their families, and I want to increase – not diminish – access to the University of South Carolina."
Pastides said that at the Columbia campus, a tuition increase of 16.5 percent would have been required to restore the university's base budget to the beginning base level for fiscal year 2009.
Seventy-five percent of the operating budget is slated for categories that directly serve students, including instruction, academic support, student services and scholarships, Pastides said.
The new budget reflects priorities that deans and vice presidents were instructed to honor when recalibrating their budgets to manage midyear cuts, he said.


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UFC : Ultimate Knockouts 4
UFC: As Real As It GETS!
The fourth installment in the ULTIMATE KNOCKOUTS series brings you even more hard-hitting action. Picking up right where ULTIMATE KNOCKOUTS 3 left off, ULTIMATE KNOCKOUTS 4 features all the best knockouts from 2004 and 2005.
Includes UFC stars:
- Chuck "IceMan" Lidell
- Andrei Arlovski
- George St. Pierre
- Dave Terrell
- Nick Diaz
- and many more of your favorite UFC fighters in action!
DVD special features:
- Motion Menus
- Behind the Scenes Action
Average Customer Review: Not yet rated
Write an online review and share your thoughts with others.


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Prospective Students
The world can be your classroom.
Education is an adventure. What will you study? What discoveries will you make? The University of Denver connects students and faculty to take on the journey together.
Head to the Meyer-Womble Observatory to track the orbits of asteroids through the highest-altitude telescope in the United States. Develop marketing plans for sustainable businesses in Costa Rica. Advance your degree in an emerging field like nanotechnology or video game design. Unearth new findings in state-of-the-art research facilities.
If you're looking to surround yourself with a community of peers and faculty committed to a higher purpose though rigorous academics and real-world experience, DU is the place.
A truly well-rounded education goes beyond four walls. As a University of Denver student, you'll be encouraged to exercise your independence and embrace different points of view.
Participate in programs that help improve the local and global communities. Get your voice heard by working with one of the many Denver community organizations that partner with the University. Or, expand your horizons further and work with community groups in Kenya, Serbia, and other places across the globe. With students from all across the U.S. and more than 90 other countries, you'll be immersed in an inclusive culture that inspires you to be your best.
We're not your typical university. Our pristine, 125-acre campus sits at the foot of the Rocky Mountains—which means Colorado's playground is right in your backyard. And the active lifestyle doesn't stop there.
Bike to class or ride along Denver's many bike paths. Cheer on our Division I hockey team. Take in live music at Gates Concert Hall. Volunteer in the community and abroad. At the University of Denver, life is rich and rewarding both inside and outside of the classroom.
Better yourself, our community and our world. Become a part of a university that welcomes all types of people and perspectives—and believes in and nurtures the potential of every student.


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LONG BEACH - A popular Long Beach Unified college prep program will enroll 260 fewer high school students next year and will cease to exist at middle and K-8 schools under the latest budget cuts.
The Long Beach Unified Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to reduce the Advancement Via Individual Determination program, known as AVID, on the high school level and eliminate the program at the lower grades for an annual savings of $470,000.
The high school program, which has 50 course sections, will be reduced by 13 course sections across the district. School officials said that will mean 260 fewer students will be able to enroll in AVID.
The district had planned for harsher cuts. Last month, the school board considered virtually eliminating AVID to save $1 million, but the plan was revised after officials heard from concerned AVID instructors touting the benefits of the program.
"AVID is an outstanding program and the district has been a leader in AVID, but one thing the district is facing is these federal cuts in funding," said Long Beach Unified Superintendent Chris Steinhauser.
AVID is a national program designed to help students in the academic middle - B, C and D students - prepare for college. Those with the desire to go to college and the willingness to work hard are placed in advanced classes and provided with an elective class that helps with college readiness.
The program in recent years has seen significant state and federal funding reductions, leaving school districts to pick up the cost if they wish to keep the program. Starting next school year, Long Beach Unified must pay about $3,500 per site to keep AVID in its schools, Steinhauser said, adding that the district will pay an additional $26,000 annually to maintain the program.
The planned cuts to AVID were part of a $13 million round of reductions in the school district's budget approved last month. The passage of Proposition 30, Gov. Jerry Brown's tax measure, helped the district to avoid further losses in revenue.
However, the district still faces a $57 million deficit for the 2014-2015 year.
Officials said the AVID program in middle and K-8 schools will be replaced with a similar program called Long Beach Scholars. Steinhauser said the district will work to incorporate components of AVID as a way to keep the essence of the program.
Speaking before the board on Tuesday, Wilson High School senior Ceirsti Macomber shared how AVID changed her life. The 17-year-old, who formerly lived in foster care and struggled with depression, said the program gave her the support and stability she lacked at home.
Macomber will attend the University of Montana this fall on a full scholarship, she said.
"AVID gave me the opportunity to show that I am more than a statistic," Macomber said. "I can be more than just another student, more than just another face in the crowd.
"Without AVID, I wouldn't be where I am today."
firstname.lastname@example.com, 562-714-2181, twitter.com/kellypuentept


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The Kantary Bay Hotel and Serviced Apartments in Rayong were set up specifically to serve the needs of the expatriate community and executives working in the Eastern Seaboard area. Offering quite and comfortable luxury apartments, not condominiums, with hotel style services and facilities equal to those of a fine hotel, the property quickly became popular with leisure travelers as well.
With the addition of a second wing, second swimming pool, new conference and meeting facilities, and recreation room, Kantary Bay Rayong is ideal for both work and pleasure. Situated right on the beach, with magnificent views over the Gulf of Thailand, the property is hugely popular with locals, expats and tourists alike.Staff are on duty around the clock, all units have separate bedrooms and living rooms and are fully furnished including linen and chinaware. Facilities include meeting rooms, swimming pools, a fitness center, and squash courts, sauna and steam rooms, a Jacuzzi and much more.


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PHOTO: Meryl Streep is 'Gangsta,' according to new BFF 50 Cent
Listen to 50 Cent on iHeartRadio
(Yahoo!) - As we've heard time and again during awards season, Meryl Streep is a Hollywood legend. However, she's also a little gangsta.
The "August: Osage County" star, who will again be vying for Best Actress in a Leading Role come Oscar night, was courtside to watch the hometown New York Knicks defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in Manhattan on Sunday afternoon. And while taking in the game with her hubby, artist Don Gummer, the thespian also made a new friend: 50 Cent!
In between watching Carmelo Anthony and company dominate on the court, the 64-year-old actress, wearing jeans and one of her signature scarfs, had a playful banter with the rapper. They were laughing at one another's jokes, cheering — and even held hands at one point.
And, like any fans, they appeared truly excited when they saw themselves up on the Jumbotron.
The best part about it, however, was that 50 Cent, who has been acting for the last several years himself, didn't even try to play it cool about hanging with the highly regarded Oscar winner. He was straight up excited, taking to Instagram to tell his 1.6 million followers, "Man I got a good life man."
After the game, the lovefest continued for the pair, who both reside in Connecticut, though about an hour apart. They then met up with Kobe Bryant, who is sidelined due to an injury, for a photo op.
"Things got a little gangsta. Lol," 50 Cent wrote about this photo, which showed Streep crossing her arms.
And another photo of the threesome was captioned, "Best ball KOBE, Best Rap 50, Best Actress Meryl Streep. TOP THAT."
He's right — it's certainly hard to top that trio. And it's hard to top these funny pics.


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Mini MySqlat0r is a multi-platform application used to audit web sites in order to discover and exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities. It is written in Java and is used through a user-friendly GUI that contains three distinct modules.
The Crawler modules allows the user to view the web site structure and gather all tamperable parameters. These parameters are then sent to the Tester module that tests all parameters for SQL injection vulnerabilities. If any are found, they are then sent to the Exploiter module that can exploit the injections to gather data from the database.
Mini MySqlat0r can be used on any platform running the Java environment and is distributed under GPL licence. Prerequisites
The Java runtime environment is necessary to use Mini MySqlat0r :
-Java JRE
version 0.5
Program mms_05.jar
Source code mms_05_src.jar
Documentation mms_manual.pdf
Common tables list common_tables.txt
version 0.3
Program mms_03.jar
Source code mms_src.jar
Documentation mms_manual.pdf
by @firebitsbr


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CLASP and Ten States Partner in New Alliance to Define Quality Career Pathways
Jul 17, 2012
This week, ten states, in conjunction with CLASP, are launching the Alliance for Quality Career Pathways, a national effort to create a framework of benchmarks and measures of success for adult career pathway initiatives. Career pathways are a promising solution to ensure America remains globally competitive, and that all workers—regardless of initial skill level—can have access to postsecondary credentials and economic opportunities.
Career pathways are a coordinated sequence of education and training services that enable students, often while they are working, to advance over time to successively higher levels of education and employment in a given industry or occupational sector. They typically target low-skilled adults and out-of-school youth to help them earn the postsecondary credentials they need to compete for higher-skilled jobs. Career pathways could help the nearly 48 million workers in the U.S. that are in need of better skills and wages to advance economically.
Career pathways have been gaining popularity across the country for a number of years, but until now, there has been little research on what constitutes a high quality initiative and how to best measure program success. The Alliance will identify benchmarks that signal high-quality systems and programs, drawing on the lessons learned from more mature systems and programs.
Ten states will form the core of the Alliance, meeting several times over the course of the two-year project, using a consensus-building model, to develop this national framework. These states are: Arkansas, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. CLASP will also engage a group of high-level experts from national policy and research organizations in the framework development process.
CLASP is excited to lead this state-driven effort to advance the field of career pathways into the next phase of implementation and development, particularly as the economy recovers and more low-skilled adults and youth must seek out postsecondary education and training opportunities to help them obtain career and economic advancement.
View the press release for the launch of the Alliance for Quality Career Pathways>>


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Serving all people by providing personalized health and wellness through exemplary care, education and research.
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A disorder that occurs when the lining of the esophagus becomes damaged because stomach acid is leaking backward. At Baylor Scott & White - Plano, we offer Barrett's ablation, an advanced treatment that delivers radiofrequency energy to the lining of the esophagus to treat the diseased tissue.
A common condition in which food or liquid moves backward from the stomach to the esophagus shortly after being ingested. This causes irritation to the esophagus and symptoms including heartburn.
Inflammation of the esophagus marks this condition. Patients might experience symptoms such as difficulty swallowing or heartburn.
An erosion in the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine. People who have a family history of ulcers or an "O" blood type are at higher risk of developing a duodenal ulcer.
This type of ulcer occurs in the lining of the stomach. For both gastric and duodenal ulcers, the most common symptom is abdominal pain, but small ulcers typically don't cause symptoms.
At Baylor Scott & White - Plano, we treat various cancers related to the gastrointestinal (GI) system, including cancers of the esophagus, stomach, liver and pancreas.
Small, hard deposits that form inside the gallbladder. Deposits range in size and symptoms vary, but may include abdominal cramping and fever.
Inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV). HBV is spread through body fluids such as blood, semen or vaginal fluids. HCV is most commonly spread through contact with the blood of an infected person.
Conditions in which the gastrointestinal tract (anywhere from the mouth to the rectum) is chronically inflamed. Symptoms, including pain and diarrhea, come and go and may be mild to severe. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the most common types of IBD.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) causes pain, cramping, changes in bowel movements and other symptoms. The specific symptoms are different for each person and can range from mild to severe.
This type of IBD affects the large intestine and rectum, causing symptoms including abdominal pain and cramping that's typically relieved by a bowel movement, diarrhea, weight loss or fever.
A form of IBD, that involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, Crohn's can cause abdominal cramping, gas, fever, fatigue and persistent, watery diarrhea.
A condition in which small, abnormal pouches — called diverticulum — in the lining of the colon become inflamed. The condition of having these pouches is called diverticulosis.
Almost all cases of colorectal cancer begin as benign, or noncancerous, polyps. Colorectal polyps can be detected in a rectal exam or a test like a colonoscopy. Polyps are usually removed during a colonoscopy, because they could develop into cancer over time.
Pain that occurs anywhere from your chest to groin. Many conditions cause abdominal pain. Professional medical help is necessary to discover the cause.
For a referral to a gastroenterologist on the Baylor Scott & White - Plano medical staff, click here.
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IronPython is a new implementation of the Python ... maintaining full compatibility with the Python language.
They should go ahead and drop that last qualify. I want to make something very clear, and that is that I absolutely hate writing this post. The IronPython project is really great, and I've been impressed by what it has done, and my Microsoft's embrace of the language. Admiration does not trump worry, in this case. A number of issues make IronPython simply not Python. I've been advocating this issue more and more recently, so it is about time I wrote at a moderate length about the issue.
In IronPython, str is unicode
Now, it may be true that Python plans to drop the current behavior, make str unicode, and add a separate type specifically for dealing with byte strings (See PEP 358). However, that is not the case yet, and jumping the gun and making str and unicode the same type is an absolutely incorrect non-solution. This is not just a matter of taste, but a situation where IronPython is absolutely wrong. I can make two arguments against this.
IronPython does not encode or decode between str and unicode
One of the most important issues about dealing with unicode is the difference between unicode or unicode strings of text and encoding strings of text or bytestreams containing encoded text, which may be decoded into understandable unicode (Joel has covered all this). IronPython implicitly can not do this. A str with a non-ASCII "byte" cannot be encoded by Python, if you don't tell it the encoding being used. This is no flaw, it is the law. IronPython, having no str type, effectively, just assumes the bytes over 128 are taken as the corresponding codepoints. There is no encoding anywhere, in which this is the correct behavior. That's right. They just give you a known bad result, and let it go.
When There Is No Bytestring, You Have to Look Elsewhere
So what happens when you truly need to work with byte strings in IronPython, which pretends byte strings are unicode strings? Well, you have to look elsewhere. Of course, the entire .Net API is at your finger tips, so look no further than System.Byte and System.Array, of course. Sounds easy, but the danger here should be obvious. Any Python code assuming, correctly, that str is a byte string type, is subject to implosion within IronPython and any IronPython code "properly" handling byte data simply can't import outside IronPython at all.
Language and Library
Does syntax alone make a language? Maybe one day it could, but those days died out. Python is far more than its clean, beautiful syntax. The libraries that come in the standard library provide even more value. As a foundation for all the software built on top, these packages are fundamental to the success of Python. Yes, your code looks beautiful all on its own, but all on its own it does not have an embedded database, configuration parser, and mail and web servers. Right there you have a basis for a huge number of applications, without even leaving the language's vanilla installation.
IronPython does not include any of these, so if you write software using them, don't expect them to run on the .Net runtime, just because IronPython claims compatibility. You can probably access all the same facilities, but you have to do so through the .Net APIs of similar facilities. I am not even sure that the same facilities are provided there. The sad fact about a lot of this, is that many fo the libraries not included in IronPython actually work perfectly, if they would include them in the distribution, without change.
Because of this, we have to resort to things I consider terrible, like two different Python scripts, both doing some basic HTTP downloads, and both being completely incompatible because they rely on entirely different APIs: IronPython through .Net APIs and the real Python through urllib2 or httplib.
IronPython takes the syntax, but stops short of the language. The problem is one for both Python and IronPython lovers. In Python land, we're seeing what appears to be an influx of interest from the IronPython (also, via Silverlight) world, but all those new developers are creating completely incompatible code. IronPython advocates, on the other hand, look silly to think they are promoting the Python language, and are completely missing out on hundreds of great libraries, years of built up community, and synergy that isn't just a buzzword.
I really want this to all work out. IronPython, can we get along?


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Ask The Paris Review
Well-Read Lovers; Constant RejectionBy Angus Trumble
This week we asked our friend Angus Trumble to give us the benefit of his wisdom—and received an embarras de richesses. Thanks to all for your questions and to Angus for his answers; there was none we could bear to cut. By day Angus is the senior curator of paintings and sculpture at the Yale Center for British Art. By night, and sometimes also by day, he blogs on such topics as the euro crisis, the Ladies of Bethany, and his own globe-trotting adventures.
Dear Angus,
Do the best readers make the best lovers? Would you be more likely to break up with someone if they never read, or read all the time?
I am flattered that you feel I have the necessary qualifications to provide an accurate answer to this question. In my experience, the well-read can be excellent lovers, although there are times when a specific literary prompt may inhibit the natural flow, as for example when one's partner genuinely believes himself to be some sort of Vronsky, when in fact he lacks the magnificent build, military bearing, disposable income, or even the remotest capacity to smolder. I can quite confidently say that it is unlikely that I would ever commence a relationship with a person who never read, which removes the need to break up with him. My parents' marriage survived a period in the late fifties, when my mother read the complete works of Sir Walter Scott, evidently led in his direction by a genetically encoded taste for the lowering mist, gloomy crags, and bloodstained crofts and glens of the Highlands of Scotland. On the whole, therefore, I am for readers—although it is also true that I would immediately eject anyone whom I caught in bed with a romantic novel by the late Dame Barbara Cartland.
Have you ever had a story accepted for publication through a slush pile?
As a matter of fact I have, although it was a book review and not a story. My first long article for The Times Literary Supplement was entirely unsolicited and dealt with what struck me at the time as a wholly new and remarkable historical analysis of, of all things, the epidemiology of the Black Death. To my astonishment, in due course this offering propelled me onto the front cover, together with an enormously magnified photograph of a plague-carrying flea. So there is hope.
What should you do if you don't like a book halfway through? How do you know when you should give it up?
For years, far too many years, I fell into the dangerous trap of being determined to finish a book despite having reached the conclusion half way through—or at the very least having become deeply suspicious—that in all probability this would not give me pleasure or profit. Yet essentially I am an optimist, and therefore, I suppose, when faced with undeniable evidence that a novel in which I am immersed is, for example, a bleak and depressing saga of frustrated sexual longing and entirely populated by characters of scarcely conceivable dullness, part of me hopes that twenty pages hence there awaits bright flashes of comic genius that may yet salvage the experience. Optimistic though I continue to be, from the vantage point of comfortable middle age I can now say that this is never true and that certainly the healthiest, most sensible, and efficient strategy is to abandon ship.


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Friday, June 15, 2012
Placemats using Sizzix
17 comments:
- About JollyJilly said...
Wow you know i never thought of using my machine to cut fabric lol. I have tried with my cricut but never get a clean cut. I am going to try that out ASAP and many thanks for sharing.
Hi I am a new follower from the blog hop and really enjoyed your blog and plan to come back often.
If you have spare time please come visit me anytime, I am over in the UK
- June 15, 2012 at 8:48 AM
- Swanky Baby's Mom said...
Great blog! I'm following you from the Hop Along Friday hop. I hope you will stop by Swanky Baby and follow us too! Have a good weekend!
Swanky Baby
- June 15, 2012 at 9:15 PM
- Melissa said...
That is so cool! I don't know how many times I've had a sore wrist from snipping rag quilts. Oh I hate that part! This seems like a way better way to go!
- June 17, 2012 at 7:07 PM
- Kristi said...
What a cute placemat!! So fun with those cute edges! Would be delighted for you to link up with us over at Mop It Up Mondays: http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/06/mop-it-up-mondays-21-with-give-away.html
- June 17, 2012 at 7:32 PM
- Jill said...
Cute little placemats Terri! I like em!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
- June 17, 2012 at 10:52 PM
- Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...
I'm a neutral loving girl and love how this looks!
- June 18, 2012 at 7:27 AM
- Malory {Snips & Spice} said...
This is such a great idea! I love the scalloped edge, and how quickly you can whip these up. I would love for you to link this to my Sunday Slice party.
- June 18, 2012 at 10:21 PM
- Our Pinteresting Family said...
Those placemats are so cute! I love the scalloped edges and colors. Looks great! Megan
- June 19, 2012 at 6:18 AM
- Christina at I Gotta Create! said...
Brilliant! They look great with your wall, too.
<3 Christina at I Gotta Create!
Wildly Original Round Up party is open.
- June 19, 2012 at 7:27 AM
- Connie said...
Love this post, please link it up with me Wednesday on Wow Us Wednesday. Liked you on facebook :)
- June 19, 2012 at 11:28 PM
- The Other Me Is Sane said...
you make it look so easy. I'll be back to check out your older posts and learn some new craft skills!
- June 20, 2012 at 8:36 PM
- Carrie @ My Favorite Finds said...
Wow! These are wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing at our Handmade Tuesdays party.
- June 21, 2012 at 2:21 PM
- Laura @ cookiecrumbsandsawdust.blogspot said...
These placements are so whimisical - I love the scallop edge. If only I could sew. . .
I followed you over from the Handy Man, Crafy Woman linky party. I would love if you stopped by my blog.
Thanks for sharing,
- June 21, 2012 at 2:37 PM
- Carol, The Answer Is Chocolate said...
So smart! I haven't tried fabric through my die cutter but makes complete sense and turned out great.
- June 22, 2012 at 9:03 PM
- Linda @ it all started with paint said...
I love your old school fabric cutter ... and had never heard of one before ...
And it just looks so cute. Not all high techy and plasticky like those modern day cutters ...
- June 25, 2012 at 2:45 PM
- Kadie said...
How fun!! I totally need one of those things! I love anything ragged. Thanks for partying with us.:)
- June 26, 2012 at 12:46 PM
- Six Sisters said...
Oh my goodness! These are adorable!!! Thanks for linking up to "Strut Your Stuff Saturday!" We hope to see you next week! -The Sisters
- June 27, 2012 at 9:37 PM


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Printable View
by 2015 gunni will be champion, regardless of who has the belt :)
Originally Posted by john kavanagh
by 2015 gunni will be champion, regardless of who has the belt :)
True that! Get him working with JMS on his interview skills, and he'll be the biggest MMA star of all time! :)
Originally Posted by Grizzly.
Ellenberger has been beaten by both Kampmann and Condit who are ranked above him. I don't see him as too much of a threat imo.
I don't think anyone is too much of a threat to GSP but I do believe that the guys with the best chance are wrestlers with power, who ever beats GSP is gonna have to Ko him. It can also be argued that Hendricks got a favourable decision over Kos but as we all know MMA maths doesn't mean shit!


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WATCH: US Olympian runs into wolf - in Sochi dorm
UPDATE: This video was a hoax by Jimmy Kimmel.
(NEWSER) – Could this be the ultimate Sochi fail? Kate Hansen seems to think so. The American luger filmed an unwanted hotel guest roaming the halls of Olympic Village yesterday, tweeting out the video link, posted to YouTube, along with this caption: "Wolf in my hall?!? #SochiProblems #SochiFail."
[Click here for the latest from Sochi]
In the video's description, she writes, per Sky News, "I'm pretty sure this is a wolf wandering my hall in Sochi." Is it a wolf, or just one of Sochi's many stray dogs? Hansen, it's worth noting, has had previous viral video success in Sochi: Check out her dancing warmup in the gallery.


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The story is told of a woman who lived in a nation that bordered another nation. The other nation had checkpoints at the border. Every day, she rode her motor-scooter to one of border crossings to get to the other side. And every day she'd return through the same border crossingThe guard at that station took his job seriously and he diligently inspected all of the many canvass bags she carried with her on her scooter. He could tell she was up to something, but he could never find any c … [Read more...]
Jesus & 50 Shades of Grey.
August 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment


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Child, Lee. Worth Dying For
Lone wolf drifter Jack Reacher gets caught up in a local mess when he stops at a motel in a small, isolated Nebraska town. What starts with Reacher driving a doctor out to treat a battered wife with a nose-bleed soon escalates as Reacher finds out that the abusive husband is the scion of the Duncan clan, a local family which has the rest of the town under its thumb and has been effectively running a miniature dictatorship for decades. Everyone in the area depends on the Duncans to ship out their crops come harvest time, and the Duncans have been milking that power to the point that no one dares to speak or act against them. No one but Reacher, that is. Former military cop that he is, Reacher has the skills and the inclination to deal with crooks like the Duncans, and when representatives of the Duncans' OTHER clients show up to find out what's delaying their shipments, Reacher takes them on, too.
Violent, fast-paced, and light on the moralizing, Worth Dying For is a movie-ready romp. Jack Reacher doesn't overthink his do-gooding; he just does what needs to be done and if a lot of people get killed in the process, so be it. It's always the bad guys who die, anyway.


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new word=asics
due by=wed.19th
vote ends=fri. 21st
new word=asics
due by=wed.19th
vote ends=fri. 21st
zevix black and white sketch battle. id try to get it polled but the polls dont mean shit anyhow so why waste time
Artz 1
Phat 2
props on getting your shit together so quick peoples, that was the quickest battle on bs ive ever seen. yo boomslang, next time send it to my private messages, i dont check my visitor messages much
Last edited by m+s; 05-16-2010 at 03:12 AM.
we require more minerals
Wow m+s fail whale haha. :P
a whale of a fail? wha do you mean?
we require more minerals
tickz got it... dont like the Z and the VIX seems crunched together but it looks dope and its clean as fuck
i dont get the whale fail thing either ? M+S took second, the rest looks like poopy... and to me it almost looks like boomslang was trying to imitate tickz's style
also wasnt this battle supposed to all be on lined paper?
No More Weekly Toy Battles.
what? it kinda does to me! lol am i alone here?
if your reffering to all the random extensions and arrows that try to hide a significant lack of letter structure, then yes they all share that quality, except mine.
we require more minerals
seems like u really have beef with tickz style... i know where ur coming from, but dude has skill and the extensions really arent random... the top bar on the E looks disconnected and i dont like that... but his letters have structure, theyre just stretched out, dont hate
Your letter structure is off too, M+S.
No More Weekly Toy Battles.
yea... the pointy parts at the bottom right of the Z and E are a bit off... its actually pretty clean for just using black and no fill to cut back with... but ive always said m+s's style isnt my cup of tea, i just think it looks awkward, no hatin though, do what u do
lol @ imitating tickz style.
nah sorry and no disrespect meant but i would rather have my letters readable.
i love the way tickz stuff looks but as far as reading it, if it were on a wall and you were not prompted with what it said you only have about a 70% chance of ever knowing.
no matter tho, i know my structure isnt where it needs to be yet, but thats why i am getting into the battles, each is just more practice as i try new things and learn a bit more.
Last edited by m+s; 05-17-2010 at 12:40 AM.
we require more minerals
funny how u come at me with so much hate lol, but id be glad to tell u how ur structure and style are off now that u wanna be a dick...
and the E and Z look like shit because of the little pointy things that are attached to uneven bars (and these pointy things can be found in every piece u have ever done)... and to me ur style altogether is wack, and i know im not alone... the boxy things u attach to every letter uve ever done in any piece ive EVER seen from u are wack too... is that a good tired line of beef and hate? i gave u props for making a decently clean piece with one color and u wanna tell me to shove my words up my ass? cmon man...
change ur style or quit whining when u get beat 3 times by the same person who clearly has more skill and style, because thats what i consider tired beef, the shits over, tickz raped u hard
Last edited by Zookyook; 05-17-2010 at 07:46 AM.
i thought this was a battle between u and I, m+s
and bringing tickz into this isn't to anyone's advantage, he doesn't belong in battles of this level, too obvious that he's way more advanced in terms of technique and application.
plus, it's different styles... we're working on simples, or at most, semi-wild... while he's doing full on wildstyle.
for the battle to be fair: we should either all do wildstyles, WHEN we reach his level. or he should work on simples like us
Sorry Phat, didnt mean to step on toes and try to jump in bud.
figured it was open ground for entries.


text: WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. -- Now that Hostess Brands has stopped production of its iconic treats, including Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and Snowballs to name just a few, will you go into withdrawal? Are you planning a run to the supermarket right now to stock up on the cream-filled deserts? Which will you miss the most?


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Football, Volleyball and Soccer Season Tickets On Sale Now
DES MOINES, Iowa--Season tickets for Drake football, volleyball and men's and women's soccer went on sale to the general public on Monday, July 16. The Drake Athletics Olympic Sports Pass also is on sale at this time.
The Bulldogs' football team opens its six-game home slate on Thursday, Aug. 30 vs. Grand View, followed by a Sept. 8 matchup with Montana State before embarking on its home Pioneer Football League schedule.
Women's soccer opens at home on Friday, Aug. 17, vs. Northern Illinois while men's soccer's home opener is Friday, Aug. 31, vs. Loyola. The Bulldogs' volleyball team hosts its first match at the Knapp Center on Friday, Sept. 14, vs. Wichita State.
Buy your season tickets early to be sure you catch all the action of the Bulldogs' fall sports.
Fans may purchase tickets in one of three convenient ways. The best option is to purchase tickets online at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com. Fans may also purchase tickets either in person at the Drake Ticket Office or by phone at (515) 271-DOGS (3647).


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Patti Smith to Narrate TUBBY THE TUBA with Little Orchestra Society, 3/16
The Little Orchestra Society (LOS) presents TUBBY THE TUBA narrated by Patti Smith, the iconic National Book Award-winner, rock musician and poet, on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Ms. Smith brings to life George Kleinsinger's classic score about the most famous tuba in the world, Tubby, who teaches his instrument Friends in the orchestra that melodies and soloists can come from the most unexpected places. Tubby the Tuba is a childhood favorite of Ms. Smith's. As she writes in her 2010 memoir Just Kids:
"One evening Harry and Peggy invited us to visit with the composer George Kleinsinger, who had a suite of rooms at the Chelsea. ...I was free to rummage through George's musical compositions, stacked randomly among the ferns, palms, and caged nightingales. I was elated to find original sheet music from Shinbone Alley in a pile atop a filing cabinet. But the real revelation was finding Evidence that this modest and kindly snake-rearing gentleman was none other than the composer of the music for Tubby the Tuba. He confirmed this fact and I nearly wept when he showed me original scores for the music so beloved in my childhood."
In addition to Tubby the Tuba, audiences will hear an array of melodies and soloists, some familiar, some unexpected, with excerpts from works including Tan Dun's Concerto for String Orchestra and Pipa, Morton Gould's Tap Dance Concerto, Mozart's Queen of the Night Aria from The Magic Flute, and more.
(recommended for ages 6-12)
MIKHAIL GLINKA - Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla
JOSEPH HAYDN - Allegro Molto from Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major
Nathan Chan, Cello
TAN DUN - Allegro from Concerto for String Orchestra and Pipa
Min Xiao-Fen, Pipa
MORTON GOULD - Toccata (with Cadenza) from Tap Dance Concerto
Lane Alexander, Tap Dancer
W. A. MOZART - Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute
Soyoung Park, Soprano
GEORGE KLEINSINGER - Tubby The Tuba
Patti Smith, Narrator
Performances are at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall (65th Street and Broadway). Single tickets: $15, $25, $45, $55; available by calling 212/971-9500, at littleorchestra.org, at the Avery Fisher Hall box office and by calling CenterCharge at 212/721-6500.
The Little Orchestra Society's new website serves as the gateway to its live magical and musical experiences. Parents and kids can find activities, games, chats and other materials surrounding Little Orchestra Society concerts at any time through the LOS Kids section of www.littleorchestra.org.
Patti Smith, born in Chicago and raised in South Jersey, migrated to New York in 1967.
Patti Smith's first recording, Horses, was inducted into The National Recording Registry in 1975 and into The Library of Congress by The National Recording Preservation Board in 2010. Her subsequent albums are Radio Ethiopia; Easter; Wave; Dream of Life; Gone Again; Peace and Noise; Gung Ho; Trampin; Land; Twelve; and most currently, Banga.
Author of the acclaimed memoir, Just Kids, which chronicled her friendship and Journey in art with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, Patti Smith was awarded the 2010 National Book Award. Her other books include Witt; Babel; Coral Sea; Woolgathering; and Auguries of Innocence.
Patti Smith's art has been exhibited at galleries and museums worldwide. Represented by the Robert Miller Gallery in New York since 1978, her exhibitions include Strange Messenger, Land 250, and Camera Solo. Steven Sebring's 2008 documentary, dream of life: the movie, was acknowledged internationally and received an Emmy nomination.
As well as being a Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, Patti Smith also holds the honor of "Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres" from the French Ministry of Culture, and has been awarded honorary doctorates from Rowan State University, Pratt Institute of Art, and the School of Art Institute Chicago. Patti Smith was honored by ASCAP with the Founders Award, representing lifetime achievement, and the recipient of Sweden's Polar Award, an international acknowledgement for significant achievements in music.
On February 7, 2013, Smith will be awarded the Katharine Hepburn Medal from Bryn Mawr College, which recognizes women whose lives, work and contributions embody the same drive and accomplishments as the four-time Academy Award-winning actress.
Patti Smith and her band continue to tour Worldwide as well as lend support for human right issues.
David Alan Miller (guest conductor) has established a reputation as one of the leading American conductors of his generation. Frequently in demand as a guest conductor, he has worked with most of America's major orchestras, developing particularly close relationships with the Minnesota Orchestra and Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He has also conducted the orchestras of Baltimore, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and San Francisco, as well as the New World Symphony and the New York City Ballet. Mr. Miller is also founder and Artistic Director of "New Paths in Music," a festival in New York City dedicated to presenting the works of significant non-American composers who are not yet well known in the United States.
As Music Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra, a position he has held since 1992, Mr. Miller has proven himself a creative and compelling orchestra builder. Through exploration of unusual repertoire, educational programming, community outreach and recording initiatives, he has reaffirmed the Albany Symphony's reputation as the nation's leading champion of American symphonic music and one of its most innovative orchestras. Other accolades include Columbia University's 2003 Ditson Conductor's Award, the oldest award honoring conductors for their commitment to American music, the 2001 ASCAP Morton Gould Award for Innovative Programming and, in 1999, ASCAP's first-ever Leonard Bernstein Award for Outstanding Educational Programming.
His extensive discography includes recordings of the works of Todd Levin with the London Symphony Orchestra for Deutsche Grammophon, as well as music by Michael Daugherty, Kamran Ince, and Michael Torke for London/Decca. His recordings with the Albany Symphony include discs of music by John Harbison, Roy Harris, Morton Gould, Don Gillis, George Lloyd, Peter Mennin, and Vincent Persichetti, all on the Albany Records label. He also led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in its recording of Mel Powell's music, including "Duplicates: Concerto for Two Pianos," winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Music.
A native of Los Angeles, David Alan Miller holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master's degree in orchestral conducting from The Juilliard School.
Lane Alexander (tap dancer) has a performing career spanning over 30 years that includes work on the concert stage, musical theater, television and film. He is one of the foremost experts on Morton Gould's Tap Dance Concerto which he has performed with the New York Pops, the London Philharmonic, the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, and many other prestigious orchestras around the globe. He was the first artist to publish a recording of the Tap Dance Concerto since the original recording with Danny Daniels in 1952.
Lane toured nationally with Austin on Tap and appeared in the Candlelight Dinner Theater's long running production of 42nd Street (directed by Bill Pullinsi and choreographed by Marc Robin) before joining William Orloski's National Tap Dance Company of Canada in 1987 as an ensemble member. While still appearing as a guest artist with the NTDCC, Lane Co-founded alexander,michaels/Future Movement (am/FM) with Chicago native and noted contemporary dancer/choreographer Kelly Michaels. Together, they created a repertory of tap, modern dances that stretched the boundaries of both and worked for an acknowledgement of American tap as a recognized art form. They co-founded the Chicago Human Rhythm Project in 1990 as a summer festival of tap and percussive dance to further that mission. Lane's choreography and contributions to the field have been recognized by The National Endowment for the Arts' American Masterpieces program through the Illinois Arts Council, the Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Field, and the Chicago Dance and Music Alliance for Outstanding Solo Performance, among others.


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no ups store here, no good supply, walmart, haha ya, where else can you get 10 cans for 10 bucks
no ups store here, no good supply, walmart, haha ya, where else can you get 10 cans for 10 bucks
[QUOTE]stl writers pm me
YEAAA belton rules
ive been using krylons for the longest time, but i recently found a stask of montanas at a spot and now im addicted to them.
all work and no play makes jack a dull boy
krylon is my fav...... and you pussys who are like its 5$...learn to rack!
I'd have to say rusto (GO PAINTERS TOUCH) because of how it covers and its accesibility but as soon as i get my current graff ticket payed i will be ordering some montana and belton just to see if i like it cause so far ive never used it just seen it seems way too pricy though. ohh and that anti-graff spray over my burners so they stay were they are and any one who says krylon has never used any other paint
This ain't no chinese ophiem den NOBODY smokes for free!!
Rustoleum is pretty awesome
Montana And Ironlaks are My favourite but a montana Gold goes for about 12$ over here its fucked.
i love montana, its just the price that makes it un-likable....i like duplicolor, its really hard to cover with other spraypaint
I succesfully got banned from BombingScience for being just that stupid!
Krylon or dollar store stuff if im broke h34r:
"In Purgatory On Earth"
Krylon and Rustos are my fav cuz their cheap and good quality bitches ! ! !
Shouldn't this be in the toy forum, like me ;]
im mean everyone is going to choose the good fucking paint.. it's like
Do you want a 5 dollar bill or a 100 dollar bill.
rusto kills
which montana?
hardcore is alright, its only good for its colors, other wise its the same as rusto
it all really depends, krylon is better for taggin, cuz of the pressure and they dont leak as much...wow im just ramblin now...
what montana all you say?
colors(spain) or cans(germany)?
in spain 95% writers use montana colors... hardcore and alien
2author die u motherfucking toy
lately i have been thinking more and more that montana nitro black hardcore is the best black ever.
1can+mtnlvl5goldcap=flares like toothpick to basketball in size.
The position of the artist is humble. He is essentially a channel ~ Piet Mondrian
well im just gonna stick with cheap shit until i get a little better at painting then ill check out some montana but it is tempting to check some out but i know it will just be a waste of good paint yeah