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May 5, 2010
Good morning, Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Burr, and Members of the Committee. Thank you for inviting me here to update the Committee on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) progress in implementing the wounded warrior provisions in the Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury and Health Programs Improvement Act of 2007. I would like to thank the Committee for its work in passing important legislation, which has enabled VA to establish landmark programs and initiatives to meet the provisions of the title XVI, referred to as the Wounded Warrior Act, and title XVII of Public Law 110-181.
I am accompanied today by Dr. Karen Guice, Director of the Federal Recovery Coordination Program; Dr. Joel Scholten, Associate Chief of Staff for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Washington, DC, VA Medical Center; and Dr. Sonja Batten, Deputy Director at the Department of Defense (DoD) Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. I will describe the current state of VA care and services for Veterans and Servicemembers with traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as discuss the interagency collaborations with DoD to improve the care, management and transition of recovering Servicemembers.
VA has developed and implemented numerous programs that meet legislative requirements and ensure the provision of world-class rehabilitation services for Veterans and active duty Servicemembers with TBI. VA has enhanced its integrated nationwide Polytrauma/TBI System of Care. The VA Polytrauma/TBI System of Care consists of four levels of facilities, including 4 Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers, 22 Polytrauma Network Sites, 82 Polytrauma Support Clinic Teams, and 48 Polytrauma Points of Contact. The System offers comprehensive clinical rehabilitative services including: treatment by interdisciplinary teams of rehabilitation specialists; specialty care management; patient and family education and training; psychosocial support; and advanced rehabilitation and prosthetic technologies.
In 1992, VA designated four lead TBI Centers as part of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) collaboration to provide comprehensive rehabilitation for Veterans and active duty Servicemembers. In 1997, VA designated a TBI Network of Care to support care coordination and access to services across VA's system. In recognition of the high survival rate of severely injured Servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Congress passed two laws that underscored the need for a specialized system of care that meets the complex rehabilitation needs of Servicemembers and Veterans injured in combat: Public Law 108-422, the Veterans Health Programs Improvement Act of 2004, and Public Law 108-447, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (in accompanying Reports S. Rep. 108-353 and H. R. Rep. 108-792 (Conf. Rep.)). These laws directed VA to ensure that severely injured Veterans would benefit from the best of both modern medicine and integrative therapies for rehabilitation. In addition, these laws furthered the development of specialized, interdisciplinary rehabilitation programs to handle the complex medical, psychological, and rehabilitative needs of these individuals. In 2005, VA expanded the scope of services at existing VA TBI Centers, and accordingly renamed them Polytrauma/TBI Rehabilitation Centers, to establish an integrated, tiered system of specialized, interdisciplinary care for polytrauma injuries and TBI.
"Polytrauma" is a new word in the medical lexicon that was termed by VA to describe the complex, multiple injuries to multiple body parts and organs occurring as a result of blast-related injuries seen from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Polytrauma is defined as two or more injuries to physical regions or organ systems, one of which may be life threatening, resulting in physical, cognitive, psychological, or psychosocial impairments and functional disability. TBI frequently occurs in polytrauma in combination with other disabling conditions such as amputation, auditory and visual impairments, spinal cord injury (SCI), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other medical problems. Due to the severity and complexity of their injuries, Servicemembers and Veterans with polytrauma require an extraordinary level of coordination and integration of clinical and other support services.
The VA Polytrauma System of Care currently provides specialty rehabilitation care across 108 VAMCs to create points of access along a continuum, and integrating services available at 4 regional Polytrauma/TBI Rehabilitation Centers (PRC), 22 Polytrauma Network Sites - one in each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and one in San Juan, Puerto Rico - and 82 Polytrauma Support Clinic Teams.
PRCs provide the most intensive specialized care and comprehensive rehabilitation care for Veterans and Servicemembers with complex and severe polytrauma. PRCs maintain a full staff of dedicated rehabilitation professionals and consultants from other specialties to support these patients. Each PRC is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and each serves as a resource to develop educational programs and best practice models for other facilities across the system. The four regional Centers are located in Richmond, VA; Tampa, FL; Minneapolis, MN; and Palo Alto, CA. A fifth Center is currently under construction in San Antonio, TX, and is expected to open in 2011.
VA's Polytrauma System of Care strongly advocates family involvement throughout the rehabilitation process, and VA strives to ensure that patients and their families receive all necessary support services to enhance the rehabilitation process while minimizing the inherent stress associated with recovery from TBI and polytrauma. VA offers multiple levels of clinical, psychosocial and logistical support to ensure a smooth transition and continuous care for patients and their families. VA assigns a dedicated case manager to each patient and family at a PRC. These case managers maintain workload levels of six patients each. Families can access this case manager for assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Since 2007, VA has placed Polytrauma Nurse Liaisons at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center (at Bethesda, MD) to support coordination of care, patient transfers, and shared patients between DoD and VA PRCs. Whenever an injured Veteran or Servicemember requires specialized rehabilitative services and enters VA health care, the Polytrauma Nurse Liaison maintains close communication with the admissions nurse case manager at the VA PRC, providing current and updated medical records. Before transfer, the Center's interdisciplinary team meets with the DoD treatment team and family by teleconference as another way to ensure a smooth transition.
The four VA Centers typically have between 12- and 18-inpatient beds staffed by specialty rehabilitation teams that provide acute interdisciplinary evaluation, medical management and rehabilitation services. Occupancy rates at these Centers fluctuate over time and location. The average length of stay is currently 30 days, but the average for the most severely injured is 67 days. Upon discharge from a VA PRC, patients may be transferred to another facility, although over 70 percent are discharged to their home.
VA Accomplishments
A total of 1,736 inpatients with severe injuries have been treated at these Centers from March 2003 through December 2009; 879 of these patients have been active duty Servicemembers, of which 736 were injured in OEF or OIF. VA continues following these patients after their discharge from a VA PRC to assess their long-term outcomes. Data available for 876 former patients indicate:
• 781 (89 percent) are living in a private residence;
• 642 (73 percent) live alone or independently;
• 413 (47 percent) report they are retired due to age, disability or other reasons;
• 206 (24 percent) are employed;
• 90 (10 percent) are in school part-time or full-time; and
• 59 (7 percent) are looking for a job or performing volunteer work.
As patients recover and transition closer to their homes, the Polytrauma/TBI System of Care provides a continuum of integrated care through 22 Polytrauma Network Sites, 82 Polytrauma Support Clinic Teams, and 48 Polytrauma Points of Contact, located at VAMCs across the country.
The Polytrauma Network Sites develop and support a patient's rehabilitation plan through comprehensive, interdisciplinary, specialized teams; provide both inpatient and outpatient care; and coordinate services for Veterans with TBI and polytrauma throughout the VISN.
In 2008, the Polytrauma Support Clinic Teams expanded to 82 VA facilities. These interdisciplinary Teams of rehabilitation specialists provide dedicated outpatient services closer to home and manage the long-term or changing rehabilitation needs of Veterans. These Teams coordinate clinical and support services for patients and their families, conduct comprehensive evaluations of patients with positive TBI screens, and develop and implement rehabilitation and community reintegration plans.
VA Polytrauma Points of Contact are available at 48 VAMCs without specialized rehabilitation teams. These Points of Contact, established in 2007, are knowledgeable about the VA Polytrauma/TBI System of care and coordinate case management and referrals throughout the system.
Throughout the Polytrauma/TBI System of Care, we have established a comprehensive process for coordinating support efforts and providing information for each patient and family member. Specialized rehabilitation initiatives at the PRCs include:
• In 2007, VA developed and implemented Transitional Rehabilitation Programs at each PRC. These 10-bed residential units provide rehabilitation in a home-like environment to facilitate community reintegration for Veterans and their families, focus on developing standardized program measures, and investigate opportunities to collaborate with other entities providing community-based reintegration services. Through December 2009, 188 Veterans and Servicemembers have participated in this program spending, on average, about 3 months in transitional rehabilitation. Almost 90 percent of these individuals return to active duty, or transition to independent living.
• Beginning in 2007, VA implemented a specialized Emerging Consciousness care path at the four PRCs to serve those Veterans with severe TBI who are slow to recover consciousness. Patients with disorders of consciousness (e.g., comatose) require high complexity and intensity of medical services and resources in order to improve their level of responsiveness and decrease medical complications. To meet the challenges of caring for these individuals, VA collaboratively developed this care path with subject matter experts from DVBIC and the private sector. VA and DVBIC continue to collaborate on research in this area, and incorporate improvements to the care path in response to advances in science. From January 2007 through December 2009, 87 Veterans and Servicemembers have been admitted in VA Emerging Consciousness care. Approximately 70 percent of these patients emerge to consciousness before leaving inpatient rehabilitation.
• In October 2008, all inpatients with TBI at VA PRCs began receiving special ocular health and visual function examinations based upon research conducted at our Palo Alto PRC. To date, 840 inpatients have received these examinations.
• In April 2009, VA began an advanced technology initiative to establish assistive technology laboratories at the four PRCs. These facilities will serve as a resource for VA health care, and provide the most advanced technologies to Veterans and Servicemembers with ongoing needs related to cognitive impairment, sensory impairment, computer access, communication deficits, wheeled mobility, self-care, and home telehealth.
• VA continues to optimize its Polytrauma Telehealth Network to facilitate provider-to-provider and provider-to-family coordination, as well as consultation from PRCs and Network Sites to other providers and facilities. Currently, about 30 to 40 videoconference calls are made monthly across the Network Sites to VA and DoD facilities. New Polytrauma Telehealth Network initiatives in development include home buddy systems to maintain contact with patients with mild TBI or amputation, and remote delivery of speech therapy services to Veterans in rural areas.
• The PRCs have been renovated to optimize healing in an environment respectful of military service. Military liaisons located at the centers help to support active duty patients and to coordinate interdepartmental issues for patients and their families. Working with the Fisher House Foundation, we are also able to provide housing and other logistical support for family members staying with a Veteran or Servicemember during their recovery at one of our facilities.
• In fiscal year (FY) 2009, 22,324 unique outpatients had 83,794 total clinic visits across the Polytrauma Support Clinic Team sites; an increase of over 30 percent from FY 2008.
In addition to improvements in the Polytrauma/TBI System of Care, VA developed and implemented the TBI Screening and Evaluation Program for all OEF/OIF Veterans who receive care within VA. From April 2007 through February 2010:
• 397,904 OEF/OIF Veterans have been screened;
• 54,675 who screened positive have been evaluated and received follow-up care and services appropriate for their diagnosis and their symptoms;
• 29,819 have been confirmed with a diagnosis of having incurred a mild TBI;
• Over 90 percent of all Veterans who are screened are determined not to have TBI, but all who screen positive and complete a comprehensive evaluation are referred for appropriate treatment.
VA developed and implemented a national template to ensure that it provides every Veteran receiving inpatient or outpatient treatment for TBI, who requires ongoing rehabilitation care, an individualized rehabilitation and community reintegration plan, as required by section 1702 of Public Law 110-181 (38 U.S.C. § 1710C). VA integrates this national template into the electronic medical record, and includes results of the comprehensive assessment, measurable goals, and recommendations for specific rehabilitative treatments. The patient and family participate in developing the treatment plan and receive a copy of the plan. Since April 2009, 8,373 of these plans have been completed and documented for Veterans who receive ongoing rehabilitative care in VA.
Section 1703 of Public Law 110-181 (38 U.S.C. § 1710E) permits VA, in implementing and carrying out § 1710C of title 38, to provide hospital care and medical services through cooperative agreements with appropriate public or private entities that have established long-term neurobehavioral rehabilitation and recovery programs. VA continues to increase collaborations with private sector facilities to successfully meet the individualized needs of Veterans and complement care in cases when VA cannot readily provide the needed services, or cases where the required care is geographically inaccessible. VA medical facilities have identified private sector resources within their catchment area that have expertise in neurobehavioral rehabilitation and recovery programs for TBI. In FY 2009, 3,708 enrolled Veterans with TBI received inpatient and outpatient hospital care and medical services from public and private entities, with a total disbursement of over $21 million.
VA has developed, and continues to enhance, policies regarding comprehensive long-term care for post-acute TBI rehabilitation that includes residential, community and home-based components utilizing interdisciplinary treatment teams. In 2007, VA chartered the Polytrauma Rehabilitation and Extended Care Task Force, to address the long-term care needs of seriously injured OEF/OIF Veterans, including rehabilitative care. As a result of this Task Force, VA developed approaches to meet the long-term care needs of Veterans with TBI through enhancements to the current spectrum of long-term care programs and services. Changes implemented include expansion and age-appropriate modifications in Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) and Adult Day Health Care, development of volunteer home respite, geographic expansion and staff training for HBPC, implementation of Medical Foster Home for Veterans with TBI, and integration of home Telehealth. Lastly, TBI was a Select Program in VA's budget request, as directed in H.R. Report No. 110-775, accompanying Pub. L. 110-329, and VA has noted Congress' direction to continue this designation. In FY 2010, $231.9 million has been programmed for TBI care for all Veterans; $58.2 million is programmed for OEF/OIF Veterans.
VA/DoD Collaborations
VA and DoD have shared a longstanding integrated collaboration in the area of TBI through the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC). Since 1992, DVBIC staff members have been integrated with VA Lead TBI Centers (now Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers) to collect and coordinate surveillance of long-term treatment outcomes for patients with TBI. Other significant initiatives that have resulted from the ongoing collaboration between VA and DVBIC include: developing collaborative clinical research protocols; developing and implementing best clinical practices for TBI; developing materials for families and caregivers of Veterans with TBI; developing integrated education and training curriculum on TBI, and joint training of VA and DoD heath care providers; and coordinating the development of the best strategies and policies regarding TBI for implementation by VA and DoD.
In addition to the longstanding affiliation with DVBIC, since 2007, VA has collaborated with DoD to develop implementation plans for Defense Centers of Excellence (DCoE) and the associated injury registries, including Centers for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, Extremity Injuries and Amputation, Hearing Loss and Auditory System Injuries, and Vision. VA has assigned personnel at the Center for Psychological Health and TBI, and at the Vision Center. VA continues to be involved in working groups with DoD representatives to assist in developing concepts of operations and plans for the Hearing Loss and Auditory System Injuries Center and the Center for Extremity Injuries and Amputation.
VA has also collaborated with DoD to develop and implement several unprecedented initiatives that are improving care and services for those with TBI. VA, in collaboration with DoD and DVBIC, implemented a 5-year pilot program to assess the effectiveness of providing assisted living (AL) services to Veterans with TBI, as required by section 1705 of Public Law 110-181. The AL-TBI pilot program is being administered through contracts with brain injury residential living programs that provide individualized treatment models of care to accommodate the specialized needs of patients with TBI. Currently, four Veterans with moderate to severe TBI have been placed in private facilities that specialize in providing rehabilitation services for TBI (residing in Virginia, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Texas). Up to 26 Veterans are projected to be enrolled in the program in FY 2010 and 14 more in FY 2011. We are collecting and assessing outcome data on health information, functional status, satisfaction with care, and quality of life. VA will submit a final report to Congress at the conclusion of the program in 2013.
VA, in collaboration with DVBIC, developed a uniform training curriculum for family members in providing care and assistance to Servicemembers and Veterans with TBI: "Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Caregivers of Servicemembers and Veterans." The final version of the curriculum was approved by the Defense Health Board, and dissemination of the curriculum is pending final approval from the Secretaries of DoD and VA. In 2009, VA and DoD collaboratively developed clinical practice guidelines for mild TBI and deployed this to health care providers, as well as recommendations in the areas of cognitive rehabilitation, drivers' training, and managing the co-occurrence of TBI, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and pain.
In 2009, the VA-led collaboration with DoD and the National Center for Health Statistics produced revisions to the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnostic codes for TBI, resulting in significant improvements in the identification, classification, tracking, and reporting of TBI and its associated symptoms.
Finally, VA maintains ongoing collaborations with other Federal agencies to leverage resources and collective efforts in advancing the care and services for those with TBI. The most recent notable collaborations include:
• In 2009, VA began collaborating with the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research TBI Model Systems to collect and benchmark VA rehabilitation and longitudinal functional outcomes and establish a TBI Veterans Health Registry, as required by section 1704 of Public Law 110-181.
• Since 2009, VA has collaborated with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and DoD in accordance with section 3(c) of Public Law 110-206 (42 U.S.C.A. § 280b-1d), the Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2008 to: (1) determine how best to improve the collection and dissemination of information on the incidence and the prevalence of TBI among persons who were formerly in the military; and (2) make recommendations on the manner in which CDC, NIH, DoD, and VA can further collaborate on the development and improvement of TBI diagnostic tools and treatments. A report to Congress is being prepared regarding this collaborative effort.
The Federal Recovery Coordination Program
The Federal Recovery Coordination Program (FRCP) serves an important function in ensuring that severely injured Veterans and Servicemembers receive access to the benefits and care they need to recover. Beginning in 2008, FRCP has helped coordinate and access Federal, state and local programs, benefits and services for severely wounded, ill and injured Servicemembers, Veterans, and their families through recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the community. The Program is a joint program of DoD and VA, with VA serving as the administrative home.
The Program has grown since enrolling the first client in February 2008. Not every individual referred to the Program meets enrollment criteria or needs the full services of FRCP. Some individuals are enrolled for a period of time and then determine that they no longer need the Program's services. Currently, 513 clients are enrolled and another 41 individuals are being evaluated for enrollment, and another 451 have received assistance. Anyone can return for re-enrollment or additional assistance if the problems are not resolved or if new problems develop.
Recovering Servicemembers and Veterans are referred to FRCP from a variety of sources, including from the Servicemember's command, members of the interdisciplinary treatment team, case managers, families or clients already in the Program, Veterans Service Organizations and other non-governmental organizations. Generally, those individuals whose recovery is likely to require a complex array of specialists, transfers to multiple facilities, and long periods of rehabilitation are referred.
FRCP outreach efforts include brochures, a presence on VA's OEF/OIF Web site, participation and presentations at local, state and national events. Our 1-800 number, new in April 2009, provides another avenue for referral or assistance. When a referral is made, a Federal Recovery Coordinator (FRC) conducts an evaluation that serves as the basis for problem identification and determination of the appropriate level of service.
FRCs coordinate benefits and services for their clients through the various transitions associated with recovery and return to civilian life. FRCs work with military liaisons, members of the Services' Wounded Warrior Programs, Service recovery care coordinators, TRICARE beneficiary counseling and assistance coordinators, VA vocational and rehabilitation counselors, military and VA facility case managers, VA Liaisons, VA specialty care managers, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) OEF/OIF case managers, VBA benefits counselors, and others.
Each enrolled client receives a Federal Individual Recovery Plan (FIRP). The FIRP, based on the goals and needs of the Servicemember or Veteran and upon input from their family or caregiver, is designed to efficiently and effectively move clients through transitions by identifying the appropriate services and benefits. The FRCs, with input and assistance from interdisciplinary team members and case managers, implement the FIRP by working with existing governmental and non-governmental personnel and resources.
FRCP staffing has grown to meet the Program's needs. Eight FRCs were initially hired in January 2008. We are adding 5 additional FRCs to the 20 current positions in order to meet the growth, and success, of the Program. Most of these new hires will be placed at VA PRCs adding additional support for severely wounded, ill and injured Servicemembers and Veterans. The table below shows the current locations, as well as the locations for the new FRCs.
Facility Name and Location Total FRCs
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, DC 3
National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 3
Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio TX 4
Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA 3
Camp Pendleton, CA 1
Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Augusta, GA 2
James A. Haley VAMC, Tampa, FL 1
Providence VAMC, Providence, RI 1
Michael E Debakey VAMC, Houston, TX 1
USSOCOM Care Coalition, Tampa, FL 1
Richmond VAMC Polytrauma, VA 2 (new hire)
Palo Alto VAMC Polytrauma, CA 2 (new hire)
Navy Safe Harbor, DC 1 (new hire)
Total (FRC) FTE 25
Administrative staff includes an Executive Director, two Deputies (one for Benefits and one for Health), an Executive Assistant, an Administrative Officer and two Staff Assistants.
The FRCP is VA's lead for the National Resource Directory (NRD), an online partnership of the U.S. Departments of Defense, Labor and Veterans Affairs for wounded, ill or injured Servicemembers, Veterans, their families, caregivers, and supporting providers. The NRD is a comprehensive online tool available worldwide with over 10,000 Federal, state and local resources organized into nine easily searchable topic areas including: benefits and compensation, families and caregivers, employment, education and training, health care, housing, transportation and travel, and homeless assistance. The NRD has an average of 1,500 visitors a day where they access an average of 15,000 page views. Over 300,000 other Web sites now link to the NRD.
FRCP's success rests in its extraordinary and well-trained problem solving professional staff. We have learned a great deal over the past 2 years and have been able to respond quickly to developing needs or problems. We are looking forward to the results from a current Government Accountability Office program evaluation and those from our satisfaction survey. This input will guide the Program's future development and adaptation.
In conclusion, thank you again for the opportunity to speak about VA's efforts to support injured transitioning Servicemembers and Veterans. This concludes my prepared statement.
House Committees | Senate Committees | Find my Representative | Find my Senator
Veterans and their family members who wish to contact the Department regarding a claim, benefits, or services, may call VA Toll-Free at 1 (800) 827-1000 or 1 (800) 829-4833 [TDD], or Contact the VA via the web.
VA Home | Privacy | FOIA | Regulations | Web Policies | No FEAR Act | Site Index | USA.gov | White House | National Resource Directory | Inspector General
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - 810 Vermont Avenue, NW - Washington, DC 20420
Reviewed/Updated Date: August 20, 2010


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Parents, teachers unions, Republican legislators and Democratic officials disagree on many issues. But there's one story they all tell the same: Budget cuts hit schools hard as the recession dramatically reduced the California budget that districts rely on for most of their expenses.
Then they hit again, then again, then again.
This is the fourth consecutive year school districts have been forced to slash huge pieces off the previous year's budget, leading to layoffs, lost programs and scores of other cuts that each year are described as "to the bone."
"We all agree children come first, and we all agree their education needs more," said Barbara Flores, president of the board that runs the San Bernardino City Unified School District.
Yet every day, teachers drill children on the basics and give them the tools to reach far beyond those fundamentals. Every year, students are accepted to some of the best universities in the world. And every once in a while, a life is changed.
"I easily put in, and most teachers put in, over 10 hours a day ... and it seems like a lot of people don't respect that like they used to," said Theodore Caruthers III, who was laid off from his teaching job this year. "But I also hear (students) call my name at Ralph's... I also see them learning and see the light come on."
Moments like that show education still matters and can still be done right, said Caruthers, who teaches sixth-grade math and science at Kolb Middle School in Rialto.
But education is increasingly done on the cheap.
While statewide attendance has held steady, the number of teachers has dropped by about 34,000 since the 2007-08 school year.
That's directly in line with cuts in funding.
In 2007-08, the state gave districts $8,235 per student. In 2011-12, that dropped to $7,583, and under Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget plan for 2012-13 it would go down at least another 1.1 percent.
But if voters don't aprpove the tax initiative Brown depends on for his "best case" budget, the back-up plan drops per-pupil funding 6 percent below this year's payment -- more than $1,100 below the payment five years ago.
And this all plays out locally, where - as just a brief indication of much wider cuts - nearly every district reduced the number of work days through furloughs or cutting the school year, and more than two-thirds have reduced staff levels.
Here and throughout the state, public school officials and employees are pinning their hopes on that tax proposal, while a competing tax measure is gathering attention by others.
Those outright cuts are exacerbated by billions of dollars owed to schools -- and constitutionally guaranteed -- that is regularly paid months late, complicating districts' payroll and forcing tough adaptions.
Meanwhile, colleges -- particularly public-funded ones but private universities as well -- face related struggles, and worry about the future work force.
Those schools have found some creative solutions, including online classes that schools including Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona are increasingly turning to as a way to teach more students for less. But the California Faculty Association opposes the trend, saying such classes decrease the quality of the classroom experience and pose other problems.
At the K-12 level, volunteers still have passion for helping children - and many districts increasingly rely on parents and others whom they say provide a bright spot in their day and substantive help.
But what about the California Lottery, which has supplemented education revenue since 1985? It generated $3.4 billion during the 2010-11 year, with $1.3 billion going to state schools - but it has its critics.
Those stories are detailed in this section.
And as the influence of these issues trickles into next year and beyond, they have the close attention of many wondering what will hit next - cuts or salvation.
"In 25 years, my colleagues and I have seen nothing close to this in terms of the cuts to funding," said Kim Stallings, who oversees budget issues for the Ontario-Montclair School District. "In the short-run, it's more problematic as different areas of the budget compete for scarce dollars. I'm confident that in the long run we'll see education is the priority, and we'll address all the issues with it as the priorities they are."
Reach Ryan via email, find him on Twitter @SBcityNow, or call him at 909-386-3916.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sonos CR200 Controller
Sonos CR200 ControllerTechHive Rating
The Sonos Digital Music System has a lot of things to like, but the thing that grabbed people at its launch in 2005 was the controller: It looked a bit like an overgrown iPod, complete with touch-wheel navigation and a big, beautiful screen. By now, though, that controller has started to seem a bit heavy and clunky. So it was time for Sonos to update its remote, and the company has done a fantastic job.
The new CR200 ($349, charging cradle included) is considerably lighter and smaller than the old CR100, and it ditches the wheel for a touchscreen. Plus, the 3.5-inch, 640-by-480-pixel screen makes your album art look better than ever.
The CR200 comes to life instantly when you pick it up or touch it. That may mean a hit on its battery life, but the instant gratification is worth it. Switching screens was virtually immediate on my test system, though volume changes (which you input with a toggle switch at the bottom of the remote) seemed to lag just slightly.
The redesigned music menu is efficient if dull, with rectangular boxes for the different music sources available to you. Add a music service (Pandora, Last.fm, Napster, Rhapsody, and Sirius are available), and that service immediately shows up in the menu. Many of those online services add extra information like tour dates or band bios for the music you're listening to. You can access that information right on the controller by touching the 'i' in a bottom corner of the screen.
The touchscreen really comes in handy for searching your collection. With the old controller, you had to pick out letters by scrolling to them with the click wheel. The CR200 has a software keyboard that's crisp and responsive--I wish my iPhone's keyboard worked as well.
My only beef (besides the premium price) is that the CR200, it seems to me, could still be a bit thinner. It's a little more than twice as thick as an iPod Touch, which has a similarly luxurious screen.
The only real competition for the CR200 is Sono's own controller app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. And given that the app is free, it's a compelling competitor. Essentially, this decision comes down to convenience and your wallet. While the hardware controller is quicker to start up and has a longer battery life, you'll get most of the same functionality from the free app. So if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch and don't need a dedicated controller, you'll save some serious cash by using the free app. But if you've got the money to spend, the CR200 may well be the most elegant remote in your living room.
--Edward N. Albro
This story, "Sonos CR200 Controller" was originally published by PCWorld.
Sonos CR200 ControllerTechHive Rating
- Touchscreen makes navigation easier.
- Extremely responsive
- Still pricey
- Seems like it could be thinner


text:
Stony Brook's Vanderka throws no-hitter at Fordham
NEW YORK — Frankie Vanderka pitched a couple of extra innings for his second career no-hitter.
The Stony Brook junior right-hander shut down Fordham 2-0 in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday, striking out six and walking three over nine innings in a game that was scheduled for seven but went into extras with both teams scoreless.
Vanderka, from Levittown, N.Y., also threw a no-hitter at NJIT on March 18, 2011.
"I just went out there and did what I normally do," Vanderka said, "and stayed down in the zone and attacked the hitters."
|The article you requested is no longer available on BostonHerald.com.
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- Frankie Vanderka


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text:
'Are You Here' Trailer
Are You Here
Stuart: Actually this is the best our country can do right now. If the Republicans accomplished anything it would be tax cuts for the wealthy, cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, removal of all banking regulations and environmental protections and on and on. Get rid of these traitors in 2018 so our country can be great again.


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French firm Lefèvre Pelletier & Associés is boosting its German presence with the hire of a new partner for its Frankfurt office and a partnership agreement with German boutique Lachner Graf von Westphalen Spamer (LWS).
Isabelle Knoché-Hess joins Lefèvre Pelletier as a partner from Marccus Partners, where she has worked since 2009. Her hire follows the March 2011 launch of the French firm's Frankfurt office with a triple hire from Marccus Partners (14 March 2011).
Knoché-Hess is qualified in France and Germany and practises corporate and commercial law. She joins a team of four partners in Lefèvre Pelletier's German group.
The association with LWS will see Lefèvre Pelletier expand its offering to all areas of German business law. The Frankfurt firm was founded in 2004 and has a team of six partners.


text:
A person who is hard to get a grip on while fighting. They constantly spaz out and you can't get a good grip to beat the $#!+ out of them.
Guy:"You ain't tryna fight this dude are you? He'll kill you!"
Dude:"Pshh man, I'm an expert scuffler."
Dude:"Pshh man, I'm an expert scuffler."
by Bluntman187 April 12, 2010
The Urban Dictionary Mug
One side has the word, one side has the definition. Microwave and dishwasher safe. Lotsa space for your liquids.Buy the mug


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text: The Otterbein College Department of Music will present a choral concert June 4 at 8 p.m. in Cowan Hall on the campus.Camerata, Concert Choir, Mens Glee Club, the Otterbein Vocal Ensemble and Womens Chorale.The program will include works by Holst, Lauridson, Orban and Brahms. The choirs will be directed by faculty members Kim Boyd, Eric Kauffman, Craig Johnson and Gayle Walker. For more information call (614) 823-1358.


text: Hyderabad: A city civil court here on Monday announced it would hear former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin's application for production of certain documents by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in connection with match-fixing allegations on April 20. Additional chief judge J Syamasundara Rao passed the order on Azharuddin's application seeking production of certain documents, including the BCCI's letter appointing former Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Joint Director K Madhavan as special commissioner to inquire into match-fixing allegations after hearing lengthy arguments from counsels representing Azharuddin and the BCCI. Banned for life from cricket for his alleged role in match-fixing, Azharuddin has challenged the ban as also Madhavan's appointment as inquiry commissioner. His counsel Jagdish urged the court to direct the BCCI to produce documents relating to Madhavan's appointment, the BCCI's resolution appointing Madhavan, the minutes of the BCCI's general body meeting amending the rules for Madhavan's appointment and a copy of Madhavan's report on match-fixing. Appearing on BCCI's behalf, the Additional Advocate General of Andhra Pradesh, Ramesh Ranganathan, argued that the documents were not relevant at this stage of the case. The court is yet to start arguments on three interlocutory applications (IAs) filed by Azharuddin seeking an interim stay of BCCI's life ban order on him. The hearing on the main suit, filed by him in January, is not likely to start before June 1, when the court resumes its sitting after a month-long vacation. The fourth IA filed by Azharuddin on March 7 had asked the court to direct all three respondents - BCCI, Madhavan and BCCI president A C Muthiah - to produce certain documents. Quoting extensively from Supreme Court and high court judgments, counsel for both Azharuddin and for BCCI argued the matter. Jagdish said authenticated copies of these documents were necessary for him to make a prima facie case that Madhavan's appointment was illegal. He said BCCI had appointed Madhavan even before amending the rules for his appointment. While Madhavan was appointed as inquiry commissioner on August 29, 2000, the rules were amended a month later. "Unless I have the copies of these documents I can't question Madhavan's appointment and his report," he told the judge. Ranganathan said Azharuddin's counsel was embarking on "fishing inquiry" by seeking documents that were not relevant at this stage. He said the amended rules had not been challenged and hence, seeking production of a resolution passed at the BCCI meeting was unnecessary. Responding to a demand for producing Madhavan's report, he pointed out that in BCCI's disciplinary committee meeting on November 28, 2000, Azharuddin had answered in the affirmative when asked whether he was aware of the contents of the CBI's and Madhavan's reports. He said the former Indian captain had never sought a copy and added that copies of some of the documents had already been produced. Azharuddin was banned by the BCCI after he and four Indian Test players - Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma, Manoj Prabhakar and Nayan Mongia - were named in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) report on cricket match-fixing last year. Mongia was subsequently exonerated. Azharuddin, the most successful Indian captain since the country made its debut in international cricket in 1932, had filed a suit on January 29, challenging the BCCI ban imposed on him. Having played 99 Tests and over 300 One-day Internationals for the country, he has called upon the court to declare the life ban on him as "null and void." All four players against whom the BCCI took action have denied any wrongdoing.


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Top 5 Minecraft 1.7.10 Mods
The world of Minecraft mods has never been richer. It's always great to see a new version of Minecraft and experience the changes. From tech, to magic, to nature, it is constantly ways interesting you. Below, you will find the top 5 of Minecraft mods, which is available in Minecraft 1.7.10 Mods – 2016
Now, without hesitating, let's get started
World Edit
World Edit seems to be the most choice in Minecraft mods (1.7.10). It will provide players ability to build strongly massive constructs.It's is not only an easy to use mod in game Minecaft map editor but also one of the most powerful tools for players.
Players simply combine commands and "brushes", you will be definitely impressive by the world you have created or the number of terraforming tasks you have performed.
In details, using world edit means that you do not need to use a map editor, it also neither prolongs your loading times nor impacts on your game until you use it. Especially for you, World Edit has no mod conflicts and it will be here when you need it as a result.
Flan's Mod
While some mods add multiple machinery,others add powerful magical systems. And Flan's mod is clearly example for this function. Flan's Mod is an important mod which concentrates on adding planes, tanks, cars, guns, grenades and more in a customizable content pack system.
Each part of Flan's Mod is responsible for multiplayer. Therefore, players can experience something wildly different from most other mods like flying large bombers with multiple passenger gun turrets, playing game types such as Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, or even get some more destructive content packs and stab, shoot and detonate mobs, blocks and even other players.
Smart Moving Mod
Smart moving mod is a mod about many new animations and functions. This mod surely provides possibilities of an amazing additional moving for you as below:
- Climbing through via gaps in the walls or along ceilings and up vines
- Ability to climb the ladders in different speech you want, which depends on ladder coverage and/ or neighbor blocks. For example, with sprinting, you can do it with higher speedthan usual.
- Alternative animations while you fly, fall, dive, swim…
- You can do many function with jumps such as charged jumps, wall jumps, head jumps, jumping up and back, or jumping side and back
Atum: Journey Into The Sands
Atum is definitely an awesome mod for brave players. As this mod adds a new dimension called Atum. It will provide you a journey into Atum, which includes new desert dimension containing an eternal world full of sand, temples, and tons of new foes. While there you can discover ancient artifacts and you have to battle through new enemies by your own way or by yourself without help.
Atum is not for the faint of heart! Now, let's bring your best armor, weapon, and food/torches before you fight.
Balkon's Weapon Mod
No matter how many weapons Minecraft does have in it, it's reality that this numbers cannot enough for you to satisfy when playing the game. And this is when the Balkon's Weapon mod comes into play.
As what infers from Balkon's Weapon's name, Balkon's Weapon Mod adds several purposes to make it easier for players to do many things.You will need to install the Balkon's weapon mod and then you will access a large number of new weapons. Thanks to these weapons, you can do something such as:
- Throw a spear in a zombie's head.
- Cut a skeleton in half with your brand new halberd.
- Shoot some slime in pieces with an old musket.
- And more.
Don't hesitate to install this mod, it certainly provides you with great game play and many interesting opportunities. You will not be disappointed then.


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World Affairs
The Coming Cosmic Chao's Of The Antichrist
Dana Smith
2 Thessalonians 2:3 ¶Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
The Oath of the Jesuit:
I furthermore promise and declare that I will, when opportunity present, make and wage relentless war, secretly or openly, against all heretics, Protestants and Liberals, as I am directed to do, to extirpate and exterminate them from the face of the whole earth and that I will spare neither age, sex or condition and that I will hang, waste, boil, flay, strangle and bury alive these infamous heretics, rip up the stomachs and wombs of their women and crush their infants' heads against the walls, in order to annihilate forever their execrable race. That when the same cannot be done openly, I will secretly use the poisoned cup, the strangulating cord, the steel of the poniard or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honor, rank, dignity, or authority of the person or persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as I at any time may be directed so to do by any agent of the Pope or Superior of the Brotherhood of the Holy Faith, of the Society of Jesus.
The above is an excerpt from the Oath taken by Jesuits. This is the Society of Jesus. Many consider it to be the political arm of the Catholic church. This has been in existence for centuries. As it reads above, those who partake of this pledge are deadly serious about infiltrating the heretics. A heretic is anyone who disagrees with the doctrine of the Catholic church.
The Serious Endtime Threat:
Moreover, as we move forward towards the endtime scenario when the Antichrist will make war against the saints, we will find such fanactics opposing those saints. This will be a time of destiny for many true believers in Jesus Christ. It will be a time when the "whore church" of Revelation 17 who has taken a ride upon the politcal beast to rule and reign in the earth. All those who oppose their reign are enemies. We see this doctrine today in the light of civilized behavior and ask how could anyone take such an oath? Yet, as we seem amazed at this oath, there are others, for example in the Muslim crowd who have the same devotion to their own God. Today we do see the beheadings, torture, and even disembowlment of Christian followers today at the hands of Muslim extremists. So this attitude is alive and well.
Furthermore, when the Son of Perdition arises out of the sea of the world, he will unite all religions within himself. He will push his mark, his agenda, and have the power of world domination. For those in the USA, this means our way of life will be sucked up in the midst of this vacuum struggle for world domination. Our way of life for many will be sacrificed as the Americans learn to follow a new leader.
The Infiltration of the Christian Church
Many today in the theological realm hold that America is the "Babylon". She does have all the debolical elements of this "mystery woman of Revelation". The thing we have been seeing for the last 100 years or so has been the infiltration of this Jesuit theology into the church mainstream by many differing enemies. The attack by these foes are so complete today, you would hardly recognize many church denominations from when they were started. It is true that many churches that have openly opposed the Catholic church, no longer do so. Others are so watered down and lukewarm it doesn't matter. These agents who follow this Jesuit theology and oath have been working with others of the New World order to dilute, destroy, and infiltrate the true church of Jesus Christ.
Even within this New World ordered church, we see the name of Jesus Christ. Here within the sacred walls of the new dominational church and other likeminded groups, the doctrine of Christ is watered down. Yet, the name and appearance are there for all to see. The agents though have seen to it that New World theology has drifted in. Within this theology we find churches that declare Jesus is no longer the way, but one way among many. Here it is that these church's follow the World religious movements. They see a day for one relgious entity from all faiths. There is also the cry of others who declare that you can sin, follow fornication, and homosexual cravings and still be inline with church salvation. They also take away from the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the authority of Gods Word, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and many other foundational truths.
The Dawn of the New World Order was started many years ago. Today, the crimson flag of their blood and sweat is being raised. For many in the traditional churches they simply do not see what is going on. There is a fresh wind blowing they say. From New age, occult, astral projection, out of body experiences, astrology, and many other waves of "spiritism" we see are swamping the traditional church. Much of this "New age spiritism" has been funneled into a new age church experience. Within this experience devotees seem to find the Lord, all the while dabbling in ocultic mysticism, trances, levitation, magic, necromancy and many other spiritist experiences. What all this does is take the believer away from the True Lord of the Bible and replaces the Word of God with experiences from beyond.
The Appearance of the "Cosmic Christ"
This is setting the stage for the appearance of the "cosmic Christ". This is the "New age replacement". For years these purveyors have been heralding the Maitreya, the Messiah, the Muslim Iman, and the jewish Messiah is actually the same "cosmic oneness". The same spirit in all is coming again. Of course this is pure stage setting for a great delusion set to arrive very soon on the world stage. When the Antichrist, the son of perdition comes (son of destruction) for he will lead many to destruction, his power will envelop all these qualities.
His will be a superpower of epic proportions. A power so full of the "cosmic oneness" that everyone who is not a true believer in Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMassiach) will follow him. He will have a seemingly supernatural perfection. Miracles will follow him. He will have a power to levitate, do incredible things before your eyes, and call upon the skies for power displays. His will be a power to bring a seduction so powerful that even the every elect could be deceived. You will know Him because he will come in his own name. He will elevate himself above all Gods including and especially the God of the Christians and the Jews. His will be a hatred for Christians, Jews, the God of the Bible, the Bible, and traditional christian beliefs. He will not be perfect, but will be able to astonish many with his power. People will simply be blinded to who he is.
Article Source:
Dana G Smith is a Writer, Author of the
Book D Day for America
,is the Watchman of
More Articles from World Affairs Category:
The Coming Cosmic Chao's Of The Antichrist
Why Are We Still in Iraq? (Part 1)
Wake Up Democrats (Part 2)
The Day the Music Died – 911
Wake Up Democrats (Part 1)
My Trouble with Che
A review of 'Disturbing The Peace' by Vaclav Havel
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You must pay the following fees per person when you book your appointment:
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Adrian Grenier Wants a Birthday Bash, Dammit!
When the head Entourage dude turns another year older, the entertainment world sits up and takes notice. But that's not enough for Adrian Grenier, whose 32nd birthday is approaching on July 10.
He wants to party, and he wants a payday.
Page Six reports the curly-haired hunk has been hitting up clubs in the Hamptons for $50,000 for the privilege of hosting his bash.
Sounds like a deal, right? Just think of all the star power and ink a boy bash like this would generate. Any high-class dive would be lucky to have him.
One problem: Nobody's biting.
Grenier's rep says the story is wholly untrue, of course, but sources close to the green-eyed guy are spilling credible beans.
Guess Vincent Chase didn't realize that Lindsay Lohan had given a bad name to overt solicitation.


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YORKSHIRE Premier League Cricket has been officially launched - with the Race to Abu Dhabi set to begin when the first ball is bowled on April 16.
Leading figures from the England & Wales Cricket Board, Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the Yorkshire Cricket Board attended a special dinner at York Cricket Club.
They joined officials of the four new-look premier leagues - Yorkshire League North, Yorkshire League South, North Yorkshire South Durham League and the Bradford League - plus representatives of competing clubs.
The York & District Senior, South Yorkshire, Halifax, Wetherby, Nidderdale and York Vale leagues, which will form the pyramids beneath the Premier Leagues, joined the celebration.
ECB chairman Colin Graves said: "The rest of the cricket community will be watching this exciting development. The people who have worked so hard to make this happen deserve the highest praise."
Chairman Steve Denison - who headed a strong Yorkshire CCC delegation which included chief executive Mark Arthur, director of cricket Martyn Moxon, head coach Jason Gillespie and new coach Richard Pyrah - said: "Who would have thought this day would come? Brilliant leadership from Yorkshire CCC, Yorkshire Cricket Board and the leagues."
Yorkshire fast bowler Matthew Fisher - whose club Sheriff Hutton Bridge will play in Yorkshire League North having been one of six teams promoted from the York & District Senior League - is excited by the new set-up, which will see the champions of the four premier leagues meet in end-of-season play-offs, with the final being played in Abu Dhabi on October 27.
"League cricket has been transformed," he said. "The best playing the best is how it should be. We must be thankful to all that made it happen."
It has taken more than two years to create the new league structure.
Yorkshire Premier League Cricket chairman Alan Birkinshaw said it was a proud moment for all involved.
"It has taken a tremendous amount of hard work and sacrifice. This is a special day for all who have made this possible. Yorkshire cricket is truly united."
During the dinner, the draw for the play-off semi-finals was made by Graves and Gillespie. They drew the team names from the White Rose Trophy, which has been donated to Yorkshire Premier League Cricket by the officials of the now defunct under-21 competition.
The semi-final line-up will see Yorkshire League North take on Yorkshire League South at Scarborough, while the Bradford League will play North Yorkshire/South Durham at Headingley. Both will be played on Saturday, September 17, with Sunday, September 18 as a reserve day.
The winning teams will then travel to Abu Dhabi on October 22 for the final. During their stay, the two teams will each play a warm-up match against a local team before meeting in the day/night final in the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
During the launch dinner, the guests donated £1,150 to the Yorkshire Cricket Flood Appeal.


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Paris (AFP) May 21, 2008
Scientists in Taiwan believe they can explain how a form of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that is triggering widening concern, reaps its deadly toll.
Dengue is caused by four types of virus. Infection with any one of these viruses causes a mild fever and lifelong immunity to that strain.
But a secondary infection by a different strain boosts the risk of dengue haemorrhagic fever, with internal bleeding, which can progress to the life-threatening dengue shock syndrome.
It is still unclear how this secondary infection is able to cause such serious symptoms.
One of the known factors, though, is an over-reaction by part of the immune system -- a "storm" by agents called cytokines, which run amok and cause tissue inflammation.
Reporting in Thursday's issue of Nature, researchers led by Shie-Liang Hsieh of the National Yang-Ming University in Taipei say that the cytokine storm is unleashed by interaction between the dengue virus and a molecule called CLEC5A located on immune cells.
They used antibodies on lab mice to interfere with the contact between the virus and the CLEC51. They found that this prevented inflammation but did not prevent the rest of the immune system from operating normally against infection. Fifty percent of mice treated with the antibodies were able to get rid of the virus.
The investigators admit that, so far, the experience has been limited to lab rodents, but say the discovery opens up an exciting path for exploring new therapies for humans.
Around 50 million people become infected with dengue each year, of whom around 24,000 die. About 2.5 billion people worldwide are at risk of infection.
The virus is endemic in the tropics and Africa, but scientists fear this may widen into temperate regions as global warming opens up new habitats for the Aedes aegypti (yellow fever) mosquito, the main carrier.
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Tupac's Final Words Insult Ex-Officer? -#PacWords
An officer that saw Tupac before he crossed over to the other side after getting shot in Vegas back in 1996.
In an interview, the retired cop, Chris Carroll described the last few words Tupac voiced before his untimely death.
"He went from fighting to 'I can't do it.' And when he made that transition, he looked at me, and he's looking right in my eyes. And that's when I looked at him and said one more time, 'Who shot you?' "He looked at me and he took a breath to get the words out, and he opened his mouth, and I thought I was actually going to get some cooperation. And then the words came out: 'F**k you.' "After that, he started gurgling and slipping out of consciousness. At that point, an ambulance showed up, and he went into unconsciousness."


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Ed Lentz wrote:
> Thanks for the replies
> Hi Stmok,
> I even restarted the fw, with no joy, this has happened before and I
> had to default the system. This is not the way I expect this to
> I read where guys have these setup for months with no issues.
> Hi Andre,
> It seems that maybe my config gets corrupted? Is that possible? My
> lan users aren't bright enough to accidently log into the M0n0. Even
> if they did I have a 15 digit password on it. I run a good virus
> checker on all my lan pcs. This is getting frustrating. Eventually
> want to run VOIP thru this and it appears to not be very stable at
> all. Or at least the longevity of "set it and forget it" is short.
>>> From: "Ed Lentz" <elentz at gmail dot com>
>>> I have a Net4501 running ver 1.11 at my office. I have rules to
>>> allow port 80,23,5900,3306 to a couple of PCs on the Lan side. I
>>> have had PPTP running as well with the M0n0wall as the server.
I have been up for 180 days (or will be in about 3 hr - 179 days 21
hours ;-) on a Net4501 and I use Vonage phone service (VoIP). I also
use the PPTP server when I am on the road (I use a RADIUS server for
authentication) It can be a stable solution...
First question: Who made the CF do you have in your Net4501? Could a
"bad" CF be to blame? When all else fails use a "Big Name Brand"
Second question: I recognize http, telnet and MySQL, but what is port
James W. McKeand


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|Home > Technology > IT News > Article
|Friday May 31, 2002
Microsoft Germany spokesman Bernhard Grander said in a statement that the company disagrees with the decision of the court, saying it "endangers the existence of live-chat and private (Internet) communities."
Grander said Microsoft is "examining further legal steps".
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Four Linux companies announce uniform distribution
Telstra to bring BlackBerry to corp market
A survivor sails again
San Francisco show and tell
Patents insurance has its virtues
Mac, Linux users locked out of FIFA service
Software 'has more chance of catching smiling robbers'
The box seat
Rights at the end of a long tunnel
FBI's Carnivore system disrupted anti-terror investigation
Scientists develop software to identify handwriting
New York attorney-general sues spammers
Asia-Pacific region looks to e-payment
Businesses beat their own Net expectations
MMS set to be a sensation, just not overnight
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Cassis Earrings
For people who love hoop earrings, these might be for you. They have sort of a vintage industrial look, too, with the hammered metal and dark motled finish.
More beautiful earrings from one of my favorite metalsmiths! Oval-shaped hoops are embellished with three dots of sterling silver.
Love that shade of green and because these are small you could wear them as a delicate and pretty addition to most outfits. The slightly old-fashioned look makes them more classic than your average beaded jewellery. Must have!
Very sleek and modern! Silver hoops and brass dots hang from silver hooks. All handmade!
Sterling silver oblong hoops, brushed to a matted finish. The dark ear wires contrast nicely with the bright silver. A great Valentine's Day gift!
More beautiful earrings from an Etsy favorite! Fuchsia freshwater pearls and handcrafted hoops.Tags: jewelry, earrings, metal, handmade, hand-crafted, hoops, Etsy, freshwater pearls, antigenreAdded 10 Years Ago from Etsy
Dramatic blackened sterling silver hoops against vibrant lime green vintage glass beads! Very stylish!Tags: jewelry, earrings, handmade, hand-crafted, sterling silver, hoops, Etsy, holiday, christmas giftsAdded 10 Years Ago from Etsy
One of my first major forays into metalsmithing! This necklace combines interconnected hoops of sterling silver and a pale peruvian opal.Tags: jewelry, necklaces, sterling silver, hoops, Etsy, metalsmith, peruvian opal, antigenreAdded 10 Years Ago from Etsy
A new take on the classic hoop - the egg shape is a bit unexpected. The contrasting ear wires are a nice touch, too.Tags: jewelry, earrings, metal, handmade, hand-crafted, hoops, Etsy, antigenre, egg shapedAdded 10 Years Ago from Etsy
Pale delicate pearls against dark hand-forged and hammered metal.
Pretty and tough at the same time! Vintage beads and metalwork.Tags: retro, gifts, jewelry, earrings, metal, handmade, hand-crafted, sterling silver, hoopsAdded 10 Years Ago from Etsy


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Times Square International Theater Festival Presents 'Seasons' by Katie Hammond (lyrics and book) and Elaine Pechacek (music) - Little Times Square Theatre
Hours: :90
Ages: n.a
Price: $18 in advance, $20 at door
300 West 43rd Street, 4th floor - 212-924-0496
New York, NY 10036
Description: This is a new musical by Katie Hammond and Elaine Pechacek, produced for the first time in TSITF. With four characters and little to no spoken dialogue, the story is told through music and song. Spanning the course of one year, "Seasons" is a story about love, delving into the lives of two couples. Helen and Peter are classmates who reconnect at a high school reunion and struggle with an unexpected pregnancy. Hope and Mrs. Jones are a mother and daughter with a close bond, celebrating a recent engagement and grappling with an unwelcome diagnosis. With Kristyn Chalker, Kyle Szen, Katie Hammond and Amy Arbizzani; directed by Danny Williams.


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Stuttgart and Hannover confirm promotion back to Bundesliga
Stuttgart defeated Wurzburg 4-1 at home to return to the Bundesliga as 2. Bundesliga champions on Sunday, and were joined in the top flight by runners-up Hannover.
Daniel Ginczek set up three goals and scored the fourth for Stuttgart as the 2007 Bundesliga champions finished with 69 points and relegated their opponents.
Hannover, who drew 1-1 at Sandhausen, ended on 67 as both clubs, relegated from the Bundesliga last season, bounced straight back.
Braunschweig defeated already relegated Karlsruher...


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|Worthy News Brief - July 28, 2014
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Worthy News Features
Hindi Nationalists Attack Church of the Nazarene
A mob of Hindu nationalists attacked the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene at Sehkari Nagar in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on July 16, according to AsiaNews.
Noted Convert in Egypt Imprisoned Again
An Egyptian convert to Christianity recently released to appeal his disputed conviction for "inciting sectarian violence" was imprisoned again on charges of "defaming Islam," according to Morning Star News.
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
River Turns Bloody Red in China
Last Thursday, a river in China mysteriously turned a blood red color. China's environmental protection bureau has yet found the cause of the incident, but suspicions are the 'blood red' color was a result of illegal dumping.
UN: South Sudan's Food Crisis 'Worst in the World'
The United Nations called South Sudan's food crisis the 'worst in the world' and urged donor nations who pledged $618 million to make good on their promise.
Foreign Policy Conundrum: Qatar Purchased Billions of U.S. Arms — and Supports Hamas
Qatar recently cemented an enormous weapons deal with the United States. But this week, the tiny, resource-rich Gulf kingdom with out-sized geopolitical ambitions -- and a seemingly bottomless pocketbook -- might be setting itself up for more problematic relations with the U.S., Business Insider reported.
U.S. Releases Images Showing Russian Military Firing into Ukraine
The United States released a series of satellite images Sunday that appear to support its claims that Russian forces have fired across the border into Ukraine to support rebels there, suggesting a new level of direct Russian involvement in the conflict, USA Today reported.
'Islamic State' Overruns Syrian Base and Beheaded Syrian Soldiers
The Islamic State have released images of captured soldiers being beheaded following a battle for a large Syrian military base on the outskirts of the city of Raqqa.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Full Coverage: Operation Protective Edge Enters 21st DAy
After U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry failed in bringing a ceasefire to the region, U.S. President Barack Obama called and urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu to agree to a ceasefire late Sunday night as Operation Protective Edge enters its 21st day. Since the beginning of the operation, 2,538 rockets have been fired into Israel. The death toll in Gaza move above 1,000, while the Israel Defense Forces have lost 43 soldiers.
Israel Stops Huge Terrorist Attack Planned for Rosh HaShannah
Hundreds of Hamas terrorists planned to invade Israel through its tunnels on Rosh HaShannah, the Jewish New Year, which begins on September 24, however the terrorist attack was stopped as Hamas' tunnel infrastructure was discovered by Israel Defense forces.
Inside the United States
Religious Freedom Forfeit in Obama's LGBT Exec Order
President Barack Obama's latest executive order bars employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity among businesses that have federal contracts, according to The Christian Post.
IRS Promises Atheists It Will Intrude on Churches
The Alliance Defending Freedom has submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Internal Revenue Service for any documents about the IRS having adopted new protocols and procedures for investigating churches.
Obama Prepares 'Executive Amnesty' To Millions of Illegal Immigrants
When President Obama issues executive orders on immigration in coming weeks, pro-reform activists are expecting something dramatic: temporary relief from deportation and work authorization for perhaps several million undocumented immigrants. If the activists are right, the sweeping move would upend a contentious policy fight and carry broad political consequences, Time reported.
Letters to the Editor


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Zynga shares fall below $10 IPO price
SAN FRANCISCO – The biggest Internet stock offering since Google fell on its face Friday.
Shares of Zynga (ZNGA), the social-game giant, closed at $9.50 on Friday, down 5 percent from IPO price.
Zynga on Thursday set its initial public offering at $10 per share, the high end of its planned price range of $8.50 to $10.
Zynga's games, including CityVille and Words With Friends, first gained traction on popular social-networking site Facebook. Zynga offered 100 million shares, to raise $1 billion to develop games and possibly acquire companies or technologies, according to Zynga's filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Zynga's performance could be a significant marker for an oft-times balky tech IPO market. LinkedIn's IPO earlier this year was successful, but shares of discount-deals site Groupon and Internet radio service Pandora sputtered after the companies went public.
Groupon, whose IPO raised $805 million last month, closed its first day of trading valued at $16.5 billion, later dipped to about $10 billion, but has since rebounded. Friday, shares were trading around $22, slightly above the $20 IPO price.
In a possible foreshadowing of Zynga's IPO, online gaming firm Nexon went public Wednesday on the Japanese stock market, raising about $1.2 billion, but had a lukewarm first day of trading.
No matter how its shares do, Zynga still faces questions about its long-term business prospects and its ability to innovate. Most of the company's revenue comes from the sale of virtual goods, yet less than 3% of Zynga's 240 million players buy them.
Zynga's sales more than doubled through September, to $829 million, and it has earned $121 million since the start of 2010, according to its SEC filing. What is more, the top five games on Facebook are Zynga titles: CityVille, CastleVille, FarmVille, Zynga Poker and Words With Friends.
"The question is, will the company be able to continue to crank out winning games and maintain growth?" says Greg Sterling, an independent analyst who closely follows social-media companies.
Zynga's management team, led by CEO Mark Pincus, has told investors in road show presentations that the company is working on its biggest-ever pipeline of games.
And Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter anticipates a ramp-up of Zynga games the next few years to help it expand revenue while maintaining an operating profit of better than 50%.
Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs managed the IPO.
Posted | Updated


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Campus Partners buy Weinland Park carryouts
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The development arm of Ohio State University bought and closed two carryout stores to try to reduce crime in a major campus corridor.
The nonprofit Campus Partners paid $1.1 million for the properties near the Columbus campus and changed the locks on the two stores on Thursday. The property will be sold for redevelopment with hopes of attracting new residents to the area.
Most of the purchase cost is covered by a grant from Ohio State. Money was also contributed by the Columbus Foundation and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing.
Officials say it's another step in revitalizing the neighborhood bordered by downtown and Ohio State, an effort that began more than a decade ago in the neighborhood known as Weinland Park.


text: Featured News & Media Koch Derangement Syndrome The Weekly Standard: Kochs Get Slammed for Donating Money to Education NewsBusters: For NYT, Obscure Left-Wing Attacks on the Koch Brothers Are News Fox News: Why Don't We Hear About Soros' Ties to Over 30 Major News Organizations? Wall Street Journal: The Art of Seduction Reuters: The Hermetic and Arrogant New York Times Powerline: The Politics of Personal Intimidation Roll Call: Obama, Democrats Mislead in Energy Talk Wall Street Journal: Political Privacy Should Be a Civil Right Forbes: Obama's Nixonian Enemies List on Steroids PJTV: Don't Blame Speculators: The Government Can Reduce the Price of Gas Tomorrow. Here's How National Review Online: In Search of Petrovillains Wall Street Journal: Political Privacy Should Be a Civil Right The Weekly Standard: The Paranoid Style in Liberal Politics Kansas City Star: Smearing the Kochs – How the game is played Washington Post: Did the left blow its cover on the war on the Kochs? Wall Street Journal: Why Koch Industries Is Speaking Out Politico: Walker and Koch Powerline: No Retreat, No Surrender National Review: Koch Executives Speak Out on Wisconsin Powerline: The Left's War on the Kochs Fox News: Wis. Governor Explains Falling for Prank Call Washington Examiner: Public unions force taxpayers to fund Democrats Wall Street Journal: What's at Stake in Wisconsin's Budget Battle BigJournalism.com: Media Targets Center-right Donors: Koch Brothers The San Francisco Chronicle: Trespass belies civility claims from do-gooders US News & World Report: Liberal media's focus on the Koch brothers is about intimidation BigGovernment.com: White Political Ralliers Call for Lynching of Black Justice Wall Street Journal: 'String Him Up' The Weekly Standard: Billionaires protest billionaires Slate.com: A speech to the Koch conference Commentary Magazine: Leftists bring swastikas to Koch protest The Washington Post: The uncivil left View Full List of Articles »


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Obama pushing OT pay for more low-salaried managers
Published 6:25 pm, Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Washington --
President Obama will direct the Labor Department to strengthen overtime pay protections for millions of workers, a White House official said.
The directive is meant to help salaried workers, such as fast-food shift supervisors or convenience store managers, who may be expected to work more than 40 hours a week without receiving overtime pay. The proposed change is part of Obama's effort to focus on closing the gap between the wealthy and the poor, which also includes a call to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $10.10.
The proposal will likely be opposed by some Republicans and members of the business community who say the private sector should have flexibility in setting wages.
Latest news videos
Under the new changes Obama is seeking, the Labor Department could raise the pay threshold for workers covered by overtime rules. Currently, salaried workers who make more than $455 per week are exempt from overtime.
California and New York have higher thresholds of $640 and $600 a week respectively, the White House official said.
Obama is expected to announce the proposed regulation changes on Thursday. The announcement is part of his self-described "year of action," a series of economy-focused executive decisions that don't require congressional approval.


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Swiss-based Glencore, this country's largest coalminer, paid almost no tax over the past three years on income of at least $15 billion, claiming tax breaks in Australia after borrowing money from associates overseas.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the aggressive tax avoidance tactics of Glencore Coal International Australia were identified in independent analysis of the company's accounts for Fairfax Media by an expert in multinational financing.
Research from the Australia Institute this week identified $17.6 billion in government subsidies and assistance for the mining industry. As the third largest resources group in the country after BHP and Rio Tinto, Glencore is a beneficiary of this assistance.
The report said that "Glencore Coal Investments Australia's operations in Australia are, because of the group's business model, branch operations of the Swiss-domiciled parent entity, which uses the now dormant legal shell of an Australian body corporate in an attempt to hide the reality of its branch business in Australia".
Glencore is chaired by Swiss-based Ivan Glasenberg, who ranks No.5 on BRW's rich list announced this week, after lifting his wealth by $1.01 billion on the back of Glencore's rising share price.
Glencore released a statement saying it rejected the claim that it didn't pay any income tax in Australia.
The company had paid more than $8 billion in royalties and taxes in Australia in the past seven years, it said. It did not give a tax contribution for the past three years.
"Glencore complies with all tax rules and regulations in Australia and in each jurisdiction where we operate," the company said.
"The amount of tax our company pays is driven by the taxation legislation put in place by local, state and federal governments and is a matter of public policy.
"The measure of our economic contribution to Australia is not just about taxes or royalties (which we pay on every tonne of coal we sell).
"Our contribution is measured over decades with investments that serve communities for a generation through job creation and support for local businesses."
The Australian Financial Review


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Driver suspected of being under the influence of methamphetamine
LOCKPORT – A driver traveling eastbound on Summit Street just before 8 p.m. Tuesday was stopped and charged after Niagara County sheriff's deputies said he appeared to be driving while impaired.
Dennis G. Perkins, 30, of Ontario Street, was charged with driving on the shoulder, operating a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker and operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs.
Deputies said they found a metal pipe with residue, which Perkins called a "one-hitter." They said he admitted he used the pipe for smoking methamphetamine. He also said he uses the narcotics Xanax and Zoloft, but had not taken any recently, deputies said.
An evaluation by a drug recognition expert concluded that he was impaired and unable to drive.


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October 27, 2008 - Brad Lidge saves World Series win
With the Philadelphia Phillies leading 4-3 after 8 innings against the Tampa Bay, closer Brad Lidge came into Game 5 of the World Series three outs away from a ring.
Lidge was drafted by the Houston Astros after his junior year at Notre Dame in the 1998 amateur draft. He would be the Astros first round pick and the 17th overall pick. After six seasons with the Astros, Lidge was traded to the Phillies. In his first season with the Phillies, he successfully converted 41 saves in 41 opportunities. Up to this point in the postseason, he had also successfully saved 6 games in 6 opportunities.
The first batter, Evan Longoria, popped out to second. One away. The next batter would single to right and eventually steal second. Next up, Ben Zobrist, would line out to right. Two away. The fourth batter of the inning stepped to the plate and struck out on three pitches. Lidge fell to his knees to celebrate as the rest of the Phillies swarmed the mound. He successfully saved his 7th of 7 save opportunities in the postseason.
In the 2008 season, Lidge had 48 saves in 48 opportunities. He would become the first Philadelphia pitcher to have a 100% save rate through the regular season and the first player since Eric Gagne in 2003 (for pitchers with at least 30 saves). Lidge received many awards for the season, but none would compare to the World Series ring he would wear.
Keywords: baseball, brad lidge, world series, houston astros, philadelphia phillies
Posted On: 2011-10-27 03:15:00 by IrishTrpt07
Edited On: 2012-06-07 14:47:18 by IrishTrpt07
|Posted By: Stapleton at 2011-10-27 12:14:25
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Milk Chocolate and Earl Grey Budino
Budino is the Italian word for "pudding." This luxe version calls for creamy milk chocolate.
- Active:
- Total Time:
- Servings: 6
- 3 ounces milk chocolate, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons Earl Grey tea leaves
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
- Chopped candied orange peel, for garnish (optional)
- Coarse sea salt, for garnish
How to make this recipe
In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the 3 ounces of chopped chocolate with the butter. Sift the cornstarch and cocoa powder into a medium saucepan. Whisk in the granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the tea. Whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve over the chocolate. Let stand for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Spoon the mixture into six 1-cup ramekins. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the puddings and let cool, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
In a mortar or spice grinder, pulverize the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of tea. In a bowl, whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar to soft peaks. Sift in the powdered tea, and whip the cream until firm. Top the puddings with the whipped cream. Garnish with chopped chocolate, candied orange peel and a small pinch of sea salt and serve.
Make Ahead
The milk chocolate budinos can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Suggested Pairing
Shelley Lindgren thinks this budino is a great pairing for a delicate, orange blossom–inflected dessert wine like ai Moscadello di Montalcino. A smooth, peach-scented Passito is also wonderful.