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Columbus — With continued opposition from most Statehouse Democrats, the Ohio House and Senate gave their final approvals June 4 to the main mid-biennium budget bill, sending it to Gov. John Kasich for his expected signature.
The final version of House Bill 483 includes a few more tax cuts, increased spending for drug addiction services and school career development programs and numerous other law and policy changes that backers say will further strengthen the state's economy, help unemployed Ohioans find jobs and provide assistance to residents in need.
"HB 483 streamlines, reforms and advances services to our fellow Ohioans," said Sen. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton). "… We are continuing to be fiscally responsible with taxpayers' dollars."
Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) added during deliberations in the House that the legislation "will help our communities lift more Ohioans to better places."
But opponents said the legislation should have shifted more funding to local governments and needy residents instead of instituting election-year tax cuts that carry more benefits for the wealthy.
"We have seen the continuation of an almost stagnant economy while our residents continue to be asked to shoulder more burdens at the local level," said Sen. Charleta Tavares (D-Columbus). "… The ability is there to make significant and meaningful investments in our citizens and communities who desperately need help, but this MBR misses on those opportunities."
The final votes on HB 483 were 58-32 in the House and 24-7 in the Senate. Kasich can still alter the legislation, using his line-item veto authority.
HB 483 is one of a dozen bills that make up Kasich's latest mid-biennium review, with corrections and policy changes proposed midway through the current two-year budget cycle.
Lawmakers moved a number of the bills in advance of their summer recess exit from the Statehouse this past week. Several others, including the governor's long-sought increase in tax rates on oil and gas produced via horizontal hydraulic fracturing, have stalled in the Republican-controlled legislature.
Among other provisions, HB 483 included a number of additional tax cuts, notably an acceleration of an already-implemented income tax reduction, meaning filers will see a 10 percent cut next year instead of 9 percent. The legislation also increased a small business tax deduction, personal exemptions for Ohioans earning up to $80,000 annually and the state's earned income tax credit (to 10 percent of the federal credit, up from 5 percent).
The bill contains many other law changes, including language boosting career development and mentoring programs for school children and increasing services to residents addicted to heroin or prescription painkillers.
Lawmakers added language creating an "Office of Human Services" within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service. According to an analysis by the state's Legislative Service Commission, the new office will "coordinate and reform public assistance programs."
Another sections of the bill requires the governor to form a work group to "develop proposals to help individuals cease relying on public assistance."
The final version of the bill retained $17 million for additional grants to improve security systems at schools, bonus payments for caseworkers who help unemployed Ohioans find jobs and language declaring that college athletes are not employees of the schools they attend, a preemptive strike against students who pursue forming unions.
During final negotiations between the House and Senate, lawmakers removed a number of earmarks, including $500,000 to support the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Cincinnati, though the Kasich administration reportedly is seeking other sources for the latter.
They also left out controversial language that would have voided an administrative rule that regulated certain campaign contributions from union groups and corporations.
While ultimately passing both chambers, the vote in the House stalled late in the afternoon of June 4 after some Republican members balked at a provision transferring up to $300 million in surplus monies to a Medicaid Reserve Fund.
The Senate had to add language to a different bill blocking the Controlling Board from transferring those funds without a vote of the full legislature before the final House's final action on HB 483.
Marc Kovac is the Dix Capital Bureau Chief. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.
Ohio House, Senate OK mid-biennium budget bill
Columbus — With continued opposition from most Statehouse Democrats, the Ohio House and Senate gave their final approvals June 4 to the main mid-biennium budget bill, sending it to Gov. John Kasich for his expected signature.


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I was watching NBA fastbreak after watching the re-run of the Suns/Spurs game, and it was said that Tim Duncan was the single greatest PF that the league has ever seen. I thought this was an interesting comment, I don't know if it's incorrect, or that I don't agree with it, it was just interesting.
Do you all feel this way about Duncan? If you don't who do you think is the greatest power forward?

subset: commoncrawl


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BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Kellogg on Thursday announced a lineup of innovative additions to its most successful brands for 2013, featuring new flavors and healthier options for snacking.
"We are building off these [snack] brands with new products that reflect our deep understanding of people's evolving taste preferences and nutrition needs," said Alan Gravely, SVP marketing and innovation for Kellogg Snacks.
Nutri-Grain Fruit Crunch bars are a crunchy variation of the popular cereal bars, which combine 20 g of whole grain and real fruit. The Special K brand's lineup of healthier snacks include Special K Blondie Brownie Bites featuring chocolate chips along with vanilla and butterscotch flavor, packed in 100-calorie pouches. Other Special K additions for 2013 include a Berry Streusel variety of Pastry Crisps and new Honey Barbecue cracker chips.
Other new products include:
- FiberPlus Antioxidant Protein Chewy bars, in Mixed Nut and Peanut flavors
- Keebler Peanut Butter-filled Fudge-dipped pretzels
- Double Chocolatey Chunk Rice Krispies treats
- Honey Wheat, Pizza and Cheese flavors of Pringles
- Sour Cream & Onion, and Farmhouse Cheddar flavors of Pringles Multigrain
- Cheez-it Provolone Crackers


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MOUNT WASHINGTON - "Alright girls, line up behind your flowers," chimed Natalie Casto as she began the fourth class of "Ballet and Bible Stories," at Elmcroft Senior Living Communities in Mount Washington Monday morning.
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"That property has sat for a long time," said Council President Tom Didier, R-3rd. "This is going to be a win for the city."
Although the new Kelley property is separate from the future Costco site – a 25-acre parcel just to the southwest – the sale is important because along with the new dealership, Kelley has promised to front the cost of an access road that Costco demanded of the city.
Costco, a warehouse-style chain based in Issaquah, Wash., has demanded that the access road be completed by the beginning of August so the store can be up and running in time for the holiday shopping season, Kelley said. Without the road, Costco may delay of cancel the project, he said.
Kelley has said his dealership's move from its longtime State Boulevard location will create as many as 15 new jobs.
Justin Brugger, a program director with Fort Wayne City Utilities, said the Lima Road site's long history has been a model for cooperation between the public and private sectors.
For example, when the city dug a stormwater detention pond on about 20 acres just west of the Costco site, the site's current owner, John Menard of the Menard's home improvement chain, allowed the city to spread dirt across the property instead of paying to have it hauled away. That along helped the city save more than $1 million, Brugger said.
"It's a win-win for everyone involved," Brugger said. "It's quintessential economic development."
Kelley first made an offer for the site in fall 2011 but asked for several extensions of the purchase option as his company examined the site to ensure its quality, Brugger said.


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Llama named 'Sgt. Pepper' gets stuck in mud, needs help getting out
CANBY, Ore. - Firefighters rescued a llama, known as Sergeant Pepper, that was stuck in the mud Tuesday.
It was a first for Canby firefighters. Previously, they have gotten plenty of cats out of trees, a cow out of a well and a horse that fell through a bridge.
It took a game plan and six firefighters to get Sergeant Pepper back on solid ground. It didn't take long. Just seconds after the rescue effort began, it was over. And after wandering a bit too far from his normal path, the Sergeant Pepper was safe.
"This was actually a pretty easy rescue," said Troy Buzalsky, division chief for the Canby Fire Department. "If we would have set up sophisticated equipment, we would have had some really fancy pictures, but the truth is we always want to take the easiest path first."
With help from a local vet, rescuers waited until Sergeant Pepper was relaxed to free his two right legs from the chest deep mud.
"We needed to sedate the animal, because we didn't want the animal to get excited, we didn't want the animal to panic as we attempted to rescue," Buzalsky said. "We grabbed it where we could and we rolled the animal, kind of like a log, and the legs came right out."
Sergeant Pepper's ordeal brings back memories of Moses the camel. Back in September 2010, Moses kept Clackamas County firefighters busy for three hours until they summoned the strength to dig and pull the 1,500-pound camel out of a six-foot-eight sinkhole.
Fortunately Sergeant Pepper weighs about 1,000 pounds less than Moses, allowing firefighters to free him in a fraction of the time.
"Other than just venturing a little off the trail, I think it was just an interesting day in a llama's life," Buzalsky said.
Sergeant Pepper was heavily sedated after the rescue and did not appear to be injured. Firefighters say these animal rescues help them hone their skills in case they ever find people in these situations.
Video of the rescue and Sergeant Pepper courtesy of the Canby Fire Department:


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Reform proposals
The reform bills introduced so far this year include a legislative package by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens, that won committee approval last week, and SB1441, SB1442 and SB1443, which are part of the California Accountability in Public Service Act. That package was proposed by Sen. Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens and Senate leaders Darrell Steinberg and Kevin De Leon, all Democrats. Senate Republicans have pushed for the expulsion of the three suspended senators. A look at the bills:
• SCA17 by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg amends the California Constitution to allow for suspension without pay of state lawmakers accused of corruption.
• SB1442 would increase campaign finance reporting and require prompt disclosure before an election.
• SB1443 reduces gift limits to $200; it also bans all gifts from lobbyists and the most lavish gifts given to state officials.
• SB1441 and AB1673 by Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens, would ban fundraisers in lobbyists' homes.
• AB1666 and AB1692 by Garcia would prevent lawmakers from using campaign money to pay for ethics violations.
• SB831 by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, caps annual travel expenses at $5,000 and limits campaign spending for personal purposes.
• AB2320 by Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Cupertino, prohibits spouses of candidates from receiving payments for campaign services.
• AB2692 by Fong would have officials who abuse their positions for personal gain to return ill-gotten gains to the state's general fund.
• SB950 by Sen. Norma Torres, D-Pomona, would begin the statute of limitations for bribery when the offense is discovered.
• SB952 by Torres prohibits and expands penalties for aiding and abetting in bribery.
The call for ethics reform also has magnified the usually quiet race for secretary of state, which oversees elections and campaign finance and included Sen. Leland Yee as a candidate until his arrest on federal corruption charges. The candidates generally agree the secretary of state has an unofficial role as an advocate for transparency and good government. A look at how the major candidates have responded to this year's scandals:
• State Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat, has introduced SB1101-SB1104, which would ban fundraising in the last 100 days of a legislative session and for a week after it ends, require prompt donation reporting 90 days before an election, require disclosure of campaign communications and prevent candidates from seeking multiple offices at once. The legislative package requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
• Dan Schnur, an independent, former Republican strategist and director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California, is calling for a total ban on fundraising during the legislative session and increased funding for the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which he once chaired.
• Derek Cressman, a Democrat and former leader of Common Cause, is calling for an independent commission to handle ethics complaints outside the criminal justice system. It would make recommendations to lawmakers about whether they should censure, suspend or expel members accused of wrongdoing. Also supports public financing of campaigns.
• Pete Peterson, Republican and director of the Davenport Institute at Pepperdine University, is calling for an existing body, such as the California Citizens Compensation Commission, to decide whether to withhold pay from lawmakers accused of wrongdoing. Also supports a total ban on fundraising during the legislative session.
The Associated Press
SACRAMENTO >> A series of scandals that has tarnished the integrity of the state Legislature has prompted a wave of proposals aimed at strengthening political ethics and reforming laws governing campaign contributions.
So far this year, a prominent lobbyist was slapped with a record fine for illegally throwing lavish fundraisers for top elected officials at his home, Democratic Sen. Rod Wright was convicted for lying about living inside his district, and federal corruption charges have been filed against two other Democrats, Sens. Ron Calderon of Montebello and Leland Yee of San Francisco.
"The reason there's indictments, the reason there's trials is because the system is working," said state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Los Angeles, who is one of several contenders for secretary of state, the office that oversees elections and campaign fundraising. "But clearly there is more we can do to minimize the likelihood of this kind of bad behavior taking place to begin with."
He is among myriad lawmakers and candidates trying to restore public trust in government by untangling the web of money and politics and strengthening oversight.
Freshman Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, D-Bell Gardens, released a political reform package in February following the lobbying fine, while a task force of Senate Democrats led by Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens proposed ethics bills in March after Calderon's indictment.
Bowing to the additional scrutiny of lawmakers, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg canceled a golfing fundraiser in San Diego this weekend and announced plans for an office-by-office ethics review in the Senate.
But after the arrest of Yee, who was indicted last week for allegedly taking bribes and conspiring to import arms from Muslim rebel groups in the Philippines, Steinberg conceded that even new laws have their limits.
"I know of no ethics class that teaches about the illegality or the danger of gun-running or other such sordid activities," he said before announcing the ethics review.
Other proposals seek to close loopholes that allowed for abuses.
Lobbyist Kevin Sloat's firm paid $133,500 in part for hosting fundraisers that exceeded the $500 budget allowed by law for Gov. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and top legislative leaders of both political parties at his Sacramento home. The limit would be eliminated and the practice banned altogether under SB 1441 by the ethics task force and AB 1673 by Garcia, which passed a committee vote last week.
Sloat's firm also was fined for illegally giving two Republican assemblymen and a staffer gifts far above the $10-a-month limit, including tickets to 49ers and NBA games. Undercover federal agents posing as Hollywood executives say they wined and dined Calderon numerous times to curry favor. SB 1443 from the Senate ethics task force would cut in half an overall $440 gift limit while banning all presents from lobbyists as well as the most eyebrow-raising perks for state officials, such as massages and tickets to Disneyland.
Calderon has been charged with fraud, bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering and aiding in the filing of false tax returns.
His brother, Tom Calderon, a former Assemblyman, was also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
Officials called the charges the largest insurance fraud case to date in California.
Critics say the Senate's response has been too little, too late.
"I believe it falls woefully short of being meaningful," said Republican Sen. Joel Anderson of Alpine, who has called for the expulsion of the suspended senators and likened their punishment to a paid vacation.
Steinberg, the Senate leader, wants to present the salary issue to voters with SCA 17, a constitutional amendment that would allow lawmakers to withhold pay from suspended lawmakers in order to avoid expelling members who are presumed innocent until found guilty.
Others say lawmakers are inherently conflicted when it comes to addressing wrongdoing among their ranks.
Sen. Richard Roth, D-Riverside, who leads a Senate ethics commission tasked with internal investigations, is floating the idea of an ethics ombudsman to handle complaints.
Secretary of state candidates Derek Cressman, a Democrat, and Pete Peterson, a Republican, say a new or existing independent commission should make recommendations to the Assembly and Senate about the pay and punishment for lawmakers accused of corruption.
Good-government reformers say the bigger picture behind the ethics turmoil is the need for politicians to raise campaign money for re-election or when seeking higher office.
"Oftentimes what we'll see is sort of reactionary legislation to a particular scandal of the day," said Sarah Swanbeck, policy and legislative affairs advocate at Common Cause, where Cressman worked before embarking on his run for secretary of state.
Improving transparency has emerged as a top issue in the now-magnified race for secretary of state, which included Yee as a leading candidate until his arrest.
Padilla, who has emerged as the Democratic front-runner after Yee dropped out, is calling for a ban on fundraising during the last 100 days of a legislative session and a week after it ends with SB 1101. His opponents say his proposal falls short and call for a total fundraising blackout during the session, which Padilla says is too restrictive given the length of the nine-month session and the potential for court challenges.
"If you were to take all the reform proposals out of the Legislature and put them in one place, they would add up to almost one complete fig leaf," said Dan Schnur, a former Republican strategist and Fair Political Practices Commission chairman who is running for secretary of state as an independent.
He said he would use the position as a bully pulpit to call for more ethics reforms and increased funding for enforcement.
Whatever the fate of this year's bills, Gary Winuk, California's chief ethics watchdog at the Fair Political Practice Commission, said questions about what behavior is legal and ethical are perennial.
"It's constantly a game, if you will, to try and balance the people who do want to follow the law versus the people who try and exploit the loopholes," he said.


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Plans to transform derelict industrial site into housing
9:40am Friday 14th March 2014
9:40am Friday 14th March 2014
A FORMER tile works will be transformed into a development of 180 new houses if plans for Delamere are given the green light.
The Crown Estate is proposing to build on the derelict industrial site of Marley Tile Works, off Station Road, following consultation with Delamere and Oakmere residents.
Its scheme sets aside 55 per cent of land for green space and includes allotments, children's play areas and green open space for the wider community, as well as homes.
Steve Melligan, The Crown Estate's strategic land manager, said: "We are pleased that after extensive consultation with the local community we are now ready to submit our plans for the regeneration of this site.
"Our proposals have been shaped by the feedback received from local residents and will enhance the natural environment, facilitate the delivery of key utilities to the area, whilst also delivering high quality market and affordable homes, as well as homes for older people."
The plans include 30 per cent of affordable homes, a mix of two, three, four and five bedroom properties and 15 houses reserved for people aged 55 and above.
Land has also been retained for a proposed 'multi-user' route linking Delamere and Oakmere and financial contributions will be made for improvements to Delamere Community Centre.
The Crown Estate plans to facilitate the delivery of broadband and bring a gas main along Station Road through its development, which will provide £626,000 for the area's schools.
The regeneration scheme will also contribute to traffic calming and access improvements in Station Road and plans include measures to reduce surface water run-off, reducing flood risk both on and off site.
For more information visit delamereconsultation.co.uk.
© Copyright 2001-2017 Newsquest Media Group


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Fernando Alda
Fernando Alda
The poetry of the skeleton
|The image is the best way of representing the invisible". I´ve heard Luis González Palma saying these words once and I think that they perfectly adapts to my work in general, and in particular, to the one I present today. On daily basis my work as architecture photographer focuses on the most superficial side of buildings: their skin. The skin, either external or internal, but always this epidermis that covers the structure. Skin that conceals the past, present and future secrets of a building, that will allow it for surviving in time the best way possible.
|/Fernando Alda
|In general we perceive the construction sites as dirty spaces with no interest whatsoever, at least from the point of view of the photography, and deprived of any poetry. In this work I wanted to offer an alternative, another look, by registering this transitory process that the construction means for the architecture. I wanted to show the skeleton that will never be seen again, that is destined to become a memory and will only survive in a form of some plans. A skeleton which, from my point of view, displays the very authentic and attractive side of the architecture.
Besides that literal meaning, "The poetry of the skeleton" is a metaphor of our every day lives, of this attitude of human beings that judge from the surface, too quickly, without bothering a second deeper look at the facts, the inside of things and persons. We evaluate the buildings by their appearance, and to some point this is logical. The skeleton, that carries all the efforts, dreams and wishes, stays hidden and we will never see it again.
|/Fernando Alda
An exhibition of "The Poetry of a Skeleton" is on view at the El Fotomata Gallery in Sevilla, Spain through April 27, 2012. The exhibition is presented by Gabriel Campuzano.


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Pacers Enter Final Phase
of Draft Preparation Process
By Conrad Brunner | June 14, 2005
While the annual Chicago Pre-Draft Camp generally brings the dawn of media interest in the June 28 NBA Draft, it actually represents one of the last steps in the preparation process. Though scouts, coaches and personnel experts converged on Moody Bible Institute to watch more than five dozen prospects scrimmage in organized games last week, their work was largely done before they arrived.
"It's great for the general managers and player personnel people to get together and talk and it's a good situation for the coaches to get a look at some players," said Joe Ash, the Pacers' Director of Scouting, "but as far as a piece of the total evaluation process, you have to keep it in perspective. Just because a guy has a good Chicago camp, you can't discount your evaluations over the past two or three seasons."
In fact, fewer and fewer top prospects even participate. Of the top 40 prospects as ranked by NBADraft.net, just one Kentucky center Randolph Morris participated in the Chicago scrimmages. Last year, three players who played in Chicago were drafted in the first round: Delonte West (No. 24, Boston), Tony Allen (No. 25, Boston) and Beno Udrih (No. 28, San Antonio).
"Our first-round pick, more than likely, wasn't in Chicago," said Ash. "But the second-round could very well have been."
Last year's second-rounder, point guard Rashad Wright of Georgia, did play in Chicago. So did John Edwards, an undrafted free agent from Kent State who spent the full season with the Pacers, and USC shooting guard Desmon Farmer, one of the final cuts of training camp.
It has become prevalent for first-round prospects to go to Chicago only for the height and weight measurements, not the scrimmages. Those that feel compelled to show their wares often hold their own workouts. In his 20 years of NBA scouting, Ash has seen the Chicago camp evolve from center stage to off-Broadway in terms of talent level.
"The biggest change is the games being played in terms of who's going, who's not going, who goes and pulls out, and then guys that don't go but their agents set up individual workouts," he said. "It doesn't bother me that much because I think we do our work all year long. I don't think there were any surprises to us in Chicago this year. The guys that were there, and the guys that weren't, we've covered very well during the year.
"Chicago is just one small part of the overall evaluation process. It's important to see the guys that are there but if they aren't, I still think we know them well enough."
Because the Pacers, at No. 17 overall, hold a top-20 pick for just the second time in the past eight years (Fred Jones at No. 14 in 2002 was the other), this draft could yield a player capable of not only competing for a roster spot but pushing for playing time.
At this stage of the process, they haven't targeted any one player, but rather a group they believe will be available. In the two weeks leading up to the draft, the task will be to narrow the focus.
"Right now, we have a group of guys we think will be there at No. 17," Ash said. "Now, we go into our comparisons and how they fit and how they stack up and we'll rank those guys. Eventually, what we've got to do is get this down so we know the 16 people taken ahead of us. Right now, we can lock in on 10 guys we know are not going to be there."
In addition to locking down their own mock draft, the Pacers' scouts and personnel experts will conduct a handful of group workouts and interviews of prospects. Ash said up to 17 players will be brought in, slightly fewer than in years past.
"We don't believe in bringing in a lot of guys for workouts," he said. "That's why we put so much emphasis on the coverage during the year itself with games and tape evaluations. I think (team President) Larry (Bird)'s main thing is the workouts aren't quite as important to him as the face-to-face contact. We do have a pretty good feel for who they are and what their game is. We just like to get that personal touch and have an informal interview process to talk and get a little bit of a feel for them.
"We don't get into a competitive thing we're we say, 'Play one-on-one or two-on-two to see who's better,' we just want a competitive workout and some of that stuff comes out in the process. We're looking for the skill areas for that position. If he's a two-guard, how does he shoot the ball? How does he shoot coming out of some of the stuff in our system? And you look at their defensive quickness, see how they can put the ball on the floor, how well they move their feet. We have a pretty good feel for that coming in but sometimes a guy will surprise you and he'll be stronger or more athletic than you think he was, or vice versa."
Come Monday, they'll convert the front office's primary boardroom into "The War Room," and the entire personnel department will move in for the week leading up to the draft.
"We'll have seen everybody by then," said Ash. "The evaluation phase will be finished."
By Monday the 27th, the goal is to have turned the mock draft into a lock, identified the players they anticipate selecting at No. 17 and No. 46 in the second round, as well as those they might like to make a move to acquire.
They won't have to wait long to find out if they were right.


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Burton Women's Timberlite 15L Backpack
Looking to lighten up? We've got your back(pack) with this low-profile hiker that packs performance with board carry straps, hydration storage, and a cush women's fit.
The lightweight yet fully featured women's Burton Timberlite Pack [15L] focuses on everything you need to sneak out of bounds in the winter, or up the next trail in the summer. A vertical board carry and stowable padded waist belt help you navigate backcountry ups and downs, while intuitive storage makes it easy to access your water bottle, sunglasses and accessories on the go. The women's-specific shoulder straps and fit help you summit in comfort with energy left over for the descent.
- Women's-Specific Shoulder Straps and Fit
- Plush Ergonomic Back Panel
- Vertical Board Carry
- Pack Compression System
- Fleece-Lined Goggle / Accessory Pocket
- Side Water Bottle Pocket
- Zippered Side Storage Pocket
- Hydration Compatible
- Stowable Padded Waist Belt
- Adjustable Sternum Strap
- Lifetime Warranty


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Read the Bay Area News Group article about lifetime medical benefits for former part-time officials.
Blank cells indicate information that was not provided by the agency by Dec. 26, 2013. The database will be updated with new information if it is provided post-publication.
The cash total for Rohnert Park is for all former elected officials combined. A list of individuals receiving the benefit was not provided to us by the city.


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The Web site Deadspin.com reported Wednesday that Te'o's girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, did not actually pass away in September of last year as reported. In fact, she does not even exist. The California woman was simply a concoction of a scheme perpetrated by "several characters" to lure the Notre Dame standout into a bad situation, according to Swarbrick.
"Manti was the victim of that hoax," Swarbrick said. "Manti is the victim of that hoax, and he will carry that with him for a while."
Another trait that Swarbrick said that Te'o will carry with him is admiration.
The Fighting Irish linebacker was lauded nationally for his excellence on and off of the field throughout his storied career in South Bend. That legacy grew when he had to battle through the traumatic circumstances of enduring the death of his grandmother and, now alleged, girlfriend within 48 (or 24 hours depending on the varied reports) in September.
"I want to stress, as someone who has probably been as engaged in this as anyone in the past couple of weeks, that nothing about what I have learned has shaken my faith in Manti Te'o one iota," Swarbrick said. "The same great young man, great student, and great athlete that we have been so proud to have be a member of our family is the same guy tonight, unchanged in any way."
Te'o would argue that he is "unchanged." He issued a statement filled with regret, as well as advice for others in getting involved in similar situations through social media.
"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online," Teo's statement read. "We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her. To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating."
Te'o was heralded for his bravery in September when he did in fact, lose his grandmother. But the tragic death of Kekua to leukemia added to his lore.
"It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life," Te'o said. "I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been."
Te'o has taught many lessons from the football field to those that follow him, but on Wednesday he was delivering life lessons.
"In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious," Te'o said. "If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was."
At one point in Wednesday's news conference, Swarbrick was choked up with emotion as he talked about his sadness for the situation and the beloved player.
"Starting with my interaction on (December) 27th and beginning today," Swarbrick explained, "its affected Manti as a person significantly. There's a lot of tragedy here. There's a lot of sorrow here. But the thing I am most sad of, sad about and sorry. That the single most trusting human being I've ever met will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life. That's an incredible tragedy."


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The Holiday Shopping Season Is Approaching!...
Here is what's new this week at SmallJoes.com. Also, remember to check Small Joes out and "Like" them on Facebook!
It's been a very slow year for new GI JOE product but Small Joes is offering a full stock of the classic character appearance 25th Anniversary modern-era GI JOE action figures. They also have Renegades, Rise of Cobra, 30th Anniversary, and the preview editions of the Retaliation figures from the upcoming 2013 GI JOE film. Don't forget to take a look through all of the various categories for hundreds of vintage offerings as well.
Small Joes recently stocked the MRF Racing jeep and Police jeep. Produced under license by Funksool in India, these are fun variations on the original GI JOE VAMP jeep.
Also in are a variety of GI JOE convention offerings including many sold-out items from the 2012 GI JOE convention. Small Joes have the Operation Bear Trap Oktober Guard boxed set. Also available are individual figures, convention set box only, and some attendee-only exclusives.
GI JOE Convention Exclusives
All of the latest GI JOE comics are available. These include ongoing series GI JOE, COBRA, SNAKE EYES & STORM SHADOW, and A REAL AMERICAN HERO. Small Joes also have a variety of new limited series and special items such as the Danger Girl / GI JOE team-up and the new hardcover trade compilation of the original Marvel GI JOE series.
GI JOE Comic Books from IDW
Take note of our GI JOE comic book promotion running through the end of the year. For each $25 of merchandise ordered, you will receive one free (random) GI JOE comic book, selected by SMALLJOES.COM staff (no requests). If you order $50 worth of merchandise you receive two comic books, $75 worth of merchandise receive three comic books, etc. with no limit. To qualify in addition to the order amount, your order must contain at least one GI JOE-branded item.
GI JOE comic fans please read the last paragraph of this post regarding the future of our comic book offerings.
Small Joes have full stock of both assortments of Marvel Universe 3.75" action figures from 2012. Also available is a wide selection of older releases, nearly 100 different items available.
Marvel Universe 3.75
Some new Forces of Valor 1:18 scale military action figure assortments have recently been added to stock. Also available are some 1:18 scale Elite Force figures - Navy SEAL, special ops helicopter pilot, and fixed-wing fighter pilot w/ helmet.
This section of the site has a lot of listings for items Small Joes want to clear out of the warehouse. Great deals for you at our cost or less, many excellent opportunities for holiday shopping on a budget. Small Joes have some 1:6 scale figures, GI JOE, comic books, and much more.
Clearance Aisle
Over the last year Small Joes have noticed a significant decline in sales of their GI JOE comic book offerings. They can speculate as to why (digital offerings, the economy, changing collector demographics, etc.) but in the end Small Joes must make a decision regarding whether or not this is a service that you, their customer, is still interested in.
The GI JOE comic book offerings have been more or less a break-even affair for Small Joes for a number of years but they have continued to offer the books to support what they feel is a very important part of GI JOE's mythology. Nevertheless, they're dealing with a what appears to be a prevailing trend of disinterest. Also, there are some questionable change-ups by IDW for the GI JOE comics in 2013 and they would be remiss in not mentioning the perpetual service problems with Diamond Comic Distributors (this is the most tactful way Small Joes can put that).
At the end of the year Small Joes will be making the decision as to whether to continue offering the GI JOE comics. They're asking all customers who are interested in seeing this service continue to please step in and pick up the issues you're missing in the next six weeks. Their sales of the books between now and December 31st will indicate to them if this is still a useful offering for you.


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Most people don't think of ice cream as being particularly important in their life, but acknowledge that they enjoy eating it. For some, however, ice cream is the ultimate treat, and given the vast array of providers, each trying to reach new heights of flavour and texture, one wonders how there was a time when the choices were generally very limited.
I recall that when I was a child travelling with my parents to upstate New York or New England for a family camping trip, we stopped at a Howard Johnson's for a memorable ice cream treat: there were 28 flavours to choose from, a number beyond anything available at my neighbourhood "candy store," where there were at most 10 flavours with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry being at the top of the list.
Most of us have fond associations with the ice cream stories of our youth and the vendors that catered to us as children. We generally continue to enjoy the special taste and "treat" of ice cream into our later years.
It's because of this almost universal pleasurable association with ice cream that I have recently used it to explore the values and expressed wishes of patients afflicted with varying stages of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. It helps families understand some of the decisions that they may have to make in the late stages of the condition.
One of the many serious consequences of late-stage dementia, which often occurs after an acute medical event such as a serious infection, major fracture or surgery, is often rapid deterioration and the development of what is called delirium, with serious mental confusion and agitation. This state can interfere with care and may result in the person's refusal to take food and fluids by mouth.
Sometimes, inadequate intake of food and drink is just part of the general deterioration in basic bodily activities, where the person may show no interest in eating or drinking or may keep the food in the mouth for long periods without actually swallowing. At this point, whether in a hospital, a long-term care setting or a home setting, the question of "artificial hydration and nutrition" (tube feeding) may be proposed.
It is very hard for loved ones to deny the provision of food and drink, which are universally associated with love and affection. Also, the idea of "starving" their loved one is generally anathema to caring family members.
To help them understand what a feeding tube would mean, information that should inform the final decision they may have to make, I ask them how they would feel if they could never taste ice cream again and, in fact, never taste anything again, as food will go directly into the stomach without passing through the lips and mouth.
Invariably, scores of those to whom I pose this question, answer: "Are you crazy, who would want that?" or "No thank you, I wouldn't want that."
They are beginning to understand that with a feeding tube, although perhaps one may be alive, there will be none of the joys associated with eating, and this helps them look at the decision they have to make more clearly.
I tell the family, "This is the beginning of an important conversation – remember it when things are difficult and you have to make such serious decisions on behalf of this person you love."
These conversations help ensure that family members are comfortable and can live without lingering guilt because of the decision that was made.
Dr. Michael Gordon is medical program director of palliative care at Baycrest. His latest book is Late-Stage Dementia, Promoting Comfort, Compassion and Care. His previous book, Moments that Matter: Cases in Ethical Eldercare, follows his memoir, Brooklyn Beginnings: A Geriatrician's Odyssey. All can be researched at his website: http://www.drmichaelgordon.com.


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Post-marketing Surveillance for Hypertensive Patients With Diabetes and/or Chronic Kidney Disease
This study has been completed.
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: April 28, 2011
Last updated: April 3, 2015
Last verified: April 2015
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
No Study Results Posted on ClinicalTrials.gov for this Study
|Study Status:
|This study has been completed.
|Study Completion Date:
|July 2013
|Primary Completion Date:
|June 2013 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)


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Hefner's setback could slow rehab for Harvey
NEW YORK -- Just as Matt Harvey's rehabilitation was beginning to ramp up, the Mets might be slowing it down.
The club got word this week that right-hander Jeremy Hefner -- who underwent Tommy John surgery last August -- suffered a significant setback in the form of a reinjured ulnar collateral ligament and stress fracture of his ulna bone in his pitching arm, and according to general manager Sandy Alderson, that might be reason enough to pull in the reins on Harvey.
Alderson called Hefner's recurrence "unusual" and "a pretty rare occurrence." He also said twice that neither the Mets nor Hefner thought the pitcher's rehab schedule was overly aggressive.
Still, Alderson indicated the Mets are taking this anecdotal case and might alter Harvey's schedule following his Tommy John surgery last October.
"One of the things we've tried to do is by the end of the season, get Matt into a situation where he's comfortable going into next season. Part of that is where he is physically. Part of that is where he is mentally," Alderson said. "It's conceivable -- we haven't talked about it, but given Jeremy's situation -- we'll end up in a slightly different place physically in terms of whether he's throwing bullpens or live BP or actual innings."
Harvey is working out at the Mets' Minor League complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and making his way through that progression -- from mound sessions to batting practice to games. Earlier this month, the plan was for Harvey to work through at least the end of September and potentially pitch in an Arizona Fall League game.
Alderson said Harvey's timetable will not face any immediate changes given that the right-hander is still only throwing off a mound. The team will consider alterations "over the next week or so."
"Matt's a very smart guy, and yes, he tends to be very intense about everything, including his rehab, and aggressive about it," Alderson said. "At the same time, I think he is constantly reassessing based on new information -- new information about how he feels, about the nature of the injury and other cases, other situations. My sense is Matt will at least take this into account, as we are."
Alderson did acknowledge that making sure Harvey is mentally comfortable heading into the winter is an important factor.
"That doesn't have to involve pitching in a Major League game, that doesn't have to involve pitching in a Fall League game, that doesn't have to involve pitching in even the Instructional League," Alderson said.
Alderson sidestepped a question about how receptive Harvey was to the idea of not pitching an inning this season.
"That's something you'll get a chance to ask him at some point. My sense is he's reassessing," Alderson said. "It's conceivable that Matt will feel fine saying, 'Hey, I'm just going to throw bullpens the rest of the year, and I'll see you in Port St. Lucie.'"
Tim Healey is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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DENVER - If it wasn't for bad luck, the Flyers wouldn't have any luck at all.
There was Gabriel Landeskog, the Colorado Avalanche's highly touted rookie, high-sticking Kimmo Timonen in the face and then later beating Danny Briere to a spot in front of the net for a goal.
There was Harry Zolnierczyk, trying to line up a check, only to trip over T.J. Galiardi and careen face-first into the dasher board, leaving the game in the second period the latest victim of an injury around/near/in his head.
(Of course, he'd return to the game).
There was another Colorado rookie, Brad Malone, trying to center a pass in the final minute of the second period from the corner along the goal line only to have it go off Tom Sestito's skate, and then Galiardi's skate and through stunned goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
That helped set up one other Flyers misfortune - a nice setup and shot by Matt Read in the shootout that beat Colorado goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere ... only to bounce away off the crossbar.
More injuries, more bad bounces -- and a 3-2 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
"The point's good, but I have a hard time saying I'm happy after we lose," coach Peter Laviolette said. "I was really disappointed with the second period. We were too casual and we were outchanced. We got lolled into a sleep in the second period."
The Flyers had a 1-0 late in the sluggish first period when Scott Hartnell finished a follow-the-bouncing-puck play from Jaromir Jagr to Jake Voracek for a power play goal while Landeskog was in the box for clipping Timonen.
"Jagr did a good job of keeping the puck in," Hartnell said. "You know, instead of throwing it along the boards, he threw it on net.
"The puck took a good bounce and went right to Jake who made a great pass to me through some skates and I had a wide open net. It was an easy goal."
Regardless, it was No. 16 this season for Hartnell, tying him with Claude Giroux for the team lead.
But Colorado answered on a fine play by Landeskog, who got open in front of the net, but rather than try to deflect Shane O'Brien's shot from the point, he caught the pass and made a deke to get around Bryzgalov and easily backhanded it into an open net.
The second Colorado goal was off a crazy bounce with 44 seconds to play in the middle period.
The Flyers tied it with 18 seconds left in regulation when it appeared Danny Briere scored on a wrap-around, but the goal was credited to Wayne Simmonds who was parked in front.
"We showed a lot of character coming back in the third period on the road," Danny Briere said. "I like how we never quit and kept coming and coming. Still, it feels like a loss, and the feeling is not all that great."
And while the game was certainly choppy, both goalies played well with veteran Giguere getting the better of Bryzgalov, who appeared to put the Boston loss behind him to get back to playing strong in net ... only to lose on all three Avs shootout attempts.
Neither goalie made a save in the shootout. Of course, Giguere didn't have to on the Flyers' last try.
With the loss, the Flyers (20-8-4, 44 points) are out of first place in the Eastern Conference for the first time since taking over the top spot Dec. 8.
It was also their first road loss since Nov. 26 in New York and their first loss this season when leading after the first period (13-0-1).
l l l
The Flyers made a late roster move Monday sending defenseman Kevin Marshall down to Adirondack of the AHL hours before the holiday roster freeze. The belief is the organization wanted to open a roster spot in case an injured player could return later this week during the freeze (cough, Giroux, cough).


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Shipments of organic Handy Candy grape tomatoes to Whole Foods and other retailers in California and the Southwest have started.
Handy Candy LLC —formed in 2011 by employees of Birmingham, Ala.-based Flavor-Pic Tomato Co. Inc. — began marketing conventionally grown grape tomatoes under the label last spring.
That product sells nationally in the U.S. and Canada at various retailers, including some Wal-Marts. "Since the initial launch, volume has increased over 150%," said Rick Murrah, vice president of sales at Flavor-Pic.
The organic offering comes in 4-ounce re-sealable and biodegradable cups with retail pricing from $0.99 to $1.29. The conventionally grown comes in the same type of packaging.
"There is a value that our customers will experience…in comparison to other products on the market that are available at a retail price of $4.99 for a 10-ounce organic grape," Randy Cancellieri, partner in Anaheim-based Veg-Fresh Farms LLC, said in a news release. Veg-Fresh is a distributor.
Flavor-Pic targets brix levels of 7.5 or higher in Handy Candy tomatoes to appeal to the snack market, including children.
The product comes in a stackable, display-ready box with information in English and French.
Handy Candy was among the winners of the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit Impact awards in 2012.


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I found this new Japanese sect to be interesting. They reject the Mahayana sutras and only hold the Agama sutras (Japanese: Agon) as correct. This would make Agon Shu as the Japanese school closest to Theravada.
Agon Shu is Original Buddhism
Agon Shu is a Buddhist organization based on Agama (Agon) Sutras which Shakyamuni Buddha originally taught to his disciples.
Agon Buddhism is described as the "Original Buddhism."
The Buddhism was classified into Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayama Buddhism in the past. However, this was not proper and is now classified into Original Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Agon Shu falls under this Original Buddhism.
Agon Shu was established as a Buddhist organization in 1978 by Seiyu Kiriyama. He is the spiritual leader of the organization and is referred to as Kiriyama Kancho. (Kiriyama Kancho led up a Buddhist organization called Kannon Jikeikai for 30 years or so until 1978. This Kannon Jikeikai was based on the Kannon Sutra in Mahayana Buddhism. He later founded Agon Shu.)


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An echocardiogram uses high frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to create a moving picture of your heart as it works.
Depending the type of test you have, your doctor can learn about the size, shape and movement of your heart muscle. An echocardiogram also shows how the heart valves are working and how blood flows through your heart, giving your doctor valuable information about your arteries.
The Echocardiography Laboratory at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute
The Echocardiography Lab at Cedars-Sinai has been at the forefront of new technologies to improve the precision and accuracy of image readings.
It currently performs and interprets more than 15,000 heart scans each year. The lab also conducts stress tests and coronary ultrasound studies for the benefit of patients undergoing diagnosis for cardiac-related diseases and disorders.
An advanced digital system in the Echocardiography Laboratory allows doctors easy access to echocardiographic images through the Internet. The lab is actively involved in telemedicine (delivery of medical services by remote telecommunications) locally and around the world. The lab operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle not only routine requests for tests but also to allow doctors to make faster diagnoses in emergency medical situations.
Virtually all of our physician echo readers are certified by the American College of Cardiology and the National Board of Echocardiography. The 10 echocardiographic technicians have specialized training in echocardiography and more than three years of experience. Eight have more than 10 years experience.
How Echocardiographs Are Done
A device called a transducer, which produces the sound waves, is moved over your chest using a jelly-like substance on your skin to conduct the sound waves.. The sound waves bounce off the heart and return to the transducer as echoes. At times, the technician may ask you to take a breath or exhale or to hold your breath for a few moments. You may also be asked to turn on your side. These steps may be needed so that the transducer can be angled precisely to get the image needed.
The echoes that the transducer receives are converted into images on a television monitor or can be recorded on videotape or CD. It may take 45 to 60 minutes to do an echocardiogram.
Types of Echocardiographs
There are variations of an echocardiogram that are done to provide your doctor different types of information, including a:
- Stress and dobutamine echocardiograms
- Pacing echocardiograms
- Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE)
- Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE), a relatively new technique that allows doctors to monitor the heart during invasive procedures. This type of echocardiography has made it possible for surgeons to correct holes in the heart (atrial septal defect) in adults using a balloon device instead of traditional open heart surgery. Intracadiac echocardiography is also being used to help electrophysiologists treat complex arrhythmias.
- Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), which produces ultrasound images of the inside of blood vessels. It is used with other types of imaging to look at coronary artery blockages and to see how well different treatments for those blockages are working.


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YOUNGSTERS at Ashwood Park Primary School in Wordsley had a cracking time watching chicks hatch as part of their studies.
Pupils at the Bells Lane school were able to see around a dozen fluffy hatchlings take their first steps in incubators which they had been watching avidly since returning from the half term holiday.
Headteacher Steve Hudson said: "The children have been looking at dinosaur eggs and all sorts of other exciting things as part of their Out Of An Egg topic - which is running for a term.
"They've also made huge papier mache eggs - and been tracking dinosaur footprints in the school grounds and there'll be all sorts of other things going on in the run-up to Easter."


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Whether or not this roster fits together.
We have the talent, we have the coach's, but does it all fit together.
You will all be in relative peace & quiet for the next few days because the Diamond one & myself are getting ready to get on a plane for D.C. for the weekend.
We will return on Tuesday & I will give my wrap up of the overall team status then.
But till then I want ideas on this thread about how you all feel that it fits together.


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A Howling Good Time...
To insure your action figure collection, get in touch with Collectibles Insurance, the official insurance company of the Figures.com network. Say "Figures.com" to get 5% off your first term premiums.
To buy action figures, take a look at BigBadToyStore.com, Toynk.com, PastGenerationToys.com, BriansToys.com, ToyWiz.com, and MonkeyDepot.com.
For action figures, statues and sculptures, go to CSMooreStudio.com.
With the action-packed Dredd ripping up theaters, the time has never been better to catch up on some classic Judge Dredd from 2000 AD. In stores now is Judge Dredd - Cry of the Werewolf, a tale that introduces the legendary future lawman to lycanthropy. Has Judge Dredd "jumped the shark"? Even in a world filled with mutants, killer robots and other sci-fi oddities, the introduction of werewolves to Mega-City One may sound pretty far-fetched. However, Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner and regular 2000 AD contributor Alan Grant waste no time grounding the story with a plausible explanation - a radioactive chemical found beneath the sprawling metropolis, in the ruins of "Undercity". With a crack in the streets of Mega-City One releasing the howling horde, it's left to one man to go down and stomp out the cause... and take down every last werewolf in the process!
A 7-part story, "Cry of the Werewolf" is an entertaining Judge Dredd adventure. You can tell that the writers were having some fun. The crisp art of Steve Dillion is top notch and I really like the way 2000 AD used vibrant full color for the story part intros before flipping over to stark black and white. Read an excerpt from "Cry of the Werewolf" in our photo gallery below.
While "Cry of the Werewolf" takes up the majority of this 128-page book, the stories "Out of the Undercity," "Dog Soldiers" and "Asylum" keep the werewolf theme alive in their own exciting ways. In "Out of the Undercity," the art of Carl Critchlow instantly amazes. It's some of the coolest comic art I've seen in some time, full of intricate line detail, captivating patterns and shapes. The use of full color throughout this tale really brings it to life. As for John Wagner's story, two words: Werewolf Judge. Ah yeah.
"Dog Soldiers," written by Robbie Morrison with dazzling full color art by Leigh Gallagher, takes Dredd outside of Mega-City One and into the barren wastelands of "Cursed Earth". The law runs rampant in this Wild Wild West of the future and it's up to Judge Dredd to go in and deliver justice. But when a posse of lethal dog soldiers are dispatched to take Dredd out, things get a little bit hairy...
"Asylum" concludes this thrilling read with a supernatural story by Gordon Rennie and gorgeous full color art by Frazer Irving. Slightly more serious in tone, "Asylum" teams Dredd with Psi-Judge Karyn - an agent from the Psi Division that possesses psychic abilities. A murder investigation sets the pair after a killer... one that is centuries old. Or as Dredd would say, a "superspook creep".
Judge Dredd - Cry of the Werewolf has a list price of $17.99, but you can grab a copy right now at Amazon for only $11.85. It's a small price to pay to read Dredd utter such fantastic lines as "Roll over, Rover!" and "Chew a high explosive, Fido!" Good stuff.
Review By Jeff Saylor
Art and Review Sample Courtesy of 2000 AD


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Hi Brett-
With this limited offer, Bare Escentuals invites you to give their groundbreaking bareMinerals Skincare line a try. We'd like to send you products from their eight-piece bareMinerals Skincare line, powered by a patent-pending RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex (which has three times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries, by the way). Being a part of this exclusive, limited-time blogging program, we expect you to try, enjoy and experience the new products.
I've heard such great things about bareMinerals as a brand, and now they are introducing a new Skincare line! This line is an eight-piece line which includes cleansers and moisturizers that all contain a patent-pending RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex (large amounts of antioxidants!)
Check out the bareMinerals Skincare and tell me which product you'd like to try. I'm almost out of my current cleanser so I'm eyeing the Purifying Facial Cleanser. I like exfoliating cleansers too, especially with my dry winter skin. Of course, in a dream world, a box of each product would arrive on my doorstep with a pink bow around it and I could try them all!
Link and information provided by PR. Opinions are my own.0


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Great game, I can watch this two teams going at it on the playoffs.
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Great game, I can watch this two teams going at it on the playoffs.
They're still 7-5. Well about to be 7-6. That matches last season's win total. Has to amount to something
I was going to say the same thing, Lopez has always been able to score more than Roy and Hibbert is still a better defender but overall Brook is better.
Man I want this game to go to overtime so bad
What was Felton thinking this game ?
Bucks bench just did a little miracle in Chicago.
Bobcats matched their owner's career high tonight
It looks like Kyle Singler is playing well, I knew he was going to be decent but he is looking better than I thought.
Hasheem Thabeet with 13/10, first career double double. Good for him.
It's only been 12 games, but Andy Varejao's putting up 14/14/3 with 1.5 steals. He's not an All Star it's a travesty if he keeps this up.
His numbers were really good last year before he got hurt, I think is going to be between him, Lopez and Chandler.
I remember when people said that Ryan Anderson wasn't going to be able to keep up with his numbers because he didn't have Howard, the guy is shooting lights out and is having better numbers than the previous years while shooting a better percentage.
Vasquez is playing great today, I'm so proud of my guy
is he worth 36 mil over four years?
He's still Troy Murphy 2.0. He's not a good defender and he's a stretch 4.
He's a better defender than Murphy by a mile.
It wasn't about being the team everyone loved, it was about beating the teams everyone else loved.
Division Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Conference Champions 1955, 1956, 1988, 2005
NBA Champions 1989, 1990, 2004
I don't see that Kstat, but if that's your opinion then OK. Just cracks me up that Vnzla is using really good stats to back up how "good" Ryan Anderson is when Murphy was pretty much the king of stats.
The only thing Murphy and Ryan have in common is that they are white and must of their shots come from outside, Ryan is way better than Murphy, better defender, better rebounder(true rebounder), he can also score inside, hate him all you want but he is not Troy Murphy 2.0.
By the way is Varejao making you eat crow yet? I remember you laughing at my suggestion of him been an all star in the beginning of the year.
EDIT: In his past 5 games, Anderson has shot two free throws. TWO! While the Hornets have gone 1-4. Every team in the NBA needs a guy like him...just too funny. Seriously, best thing I have read in a long while.
Last edited by Trader Joe; 11-27-2012 at 11:44 AM.
what "winning formula"? You are talking as if shooting 3s is a bad thing. He takes good shots and makes them.
Murphy's issue wasn't that he could hit 3s, but that he had serious defensive flaws and he didn't play fundamentally sound basketball in some other situations, like boxing out.
The Lakers would kill right now to replace Pau Gasol with Ryan Anderson.


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Officials at the University of Colorado at Boulder are seeking information about the apparent theft of an historic piece of sandstone planned as the seat for a bronze sculpture in memory of the late Bruce Ekstrand, former vice chancellor for academic affairs.
The 50-year-old sandstone slab was reported missing Wednesday afternoon from a construction site at Old Main on the Boulder campus. It was to have been used as a seating surface for a Robert Frost scuplture in remembrance of Ekstrand.
The sculpure is a commemorative piece to honor Bruce, who was a beloved administrator and professor at CU-Boulder," said Bill Deno, campus architect for the universitys Facilities Management department and coordinator of the sculpture project.
Ektrand, who died in April 1996 of respiratory failure caused by a cerebral aneurysm, was a member of the CU-Boulder faculty for 30 years and was vice chancellor for academic affairs from July 1986 until his death in 1996.
The bench top apparently was stolen from the the Bruce Ekstrand Sculpture Plaza under construction at Old Main. Ekstrands wife, Norma, and members of a committee formed to honor Ekstrand will be devastated at the loss of this piece of sandstone, according to Deno.
This sandstone is irreplaceable, Deno said. Because the stone bench top piece is very old, it is of a texture and color that cannot be replaced.
We are hopeful that someone may know of its whereabouts and return it to the university, he said.
The Ekstrand family, the committee that raised money to buy the sculpture and build the plaza, and Facilities Management are asking that anyone who has information on the whereabouts of the sandstone call or leave a message at the Facilities Management service desk at 492-5522. Deno said callers may leave information with no questions asked.
The sandstone slab was one of three curved pieces that served as a seating surface for a stone bench located near the Gates Woodruff Women's Studies Cottage for more than 50 years.
When renovation of the Cottage began last year, the bench was disassembled and the stones saved for future use. The unique curved shape of the stones is ideal as a seating surface for the Robert Frost sculpture planned for a new plaza under construction next to the south steps of Old Main.
The plaza and sculpture were to be dedicated on Sept. 5.


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A strain of low-THC marijuana would be legal in Florida for medical use under a bill passed by the Legislature.
The Senate voted 30-9 Friday for the bill. The House previously voted 112-7 in favor of the bill.
It would allow doctors to prescribe a strain of marijuana known as "Charlotte's Web" that contains low amounts of the chemical THC, which causes users to feel high.
The marijuana does contain normal amounts of the chemical CBD, which is used to treat seizures. The marijuana would be converted into a liquid form for medical use.
Only four dispensaries would be allowed in the state and they would be highly regulated.
Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday he will sign the bill.
Copyright 2014 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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#RSL Tweets of the Day (@RealSaltLake)
Happy Birthday / Feliz Cumpleaños to #RSL all-time leading scorer @al_saborio http://instagram.com/p/XSGepCMFWx/
Think we might see Edu in central defense, Beckerman replacing Jones vs Mexico.
The RSL cake my sister made for the boys birthdays! #RSL pic.twitter.com/syi2mt5vIV
View photo
Matt Montgomery @TheCrossbarRSL
Chris Schuler, king of interceptions, grabbed nine last night. He's on 38 this season — 14 more than the next-closest: Aurelien Collin. #rsl
Want the best seats for WCQ's #USAvPAN & #USAvHON? Join the Supporters Club and get a code for tomorow's presale. http://bit.ly/USSsc
MLSsoccer.com: MLS Goal Timeline: March 23 and 24
MLSsoccer.com: Highlights: Chicago Fire 1-4 Chivas USA
Real Salt Lake News & Notes
The Salt Lake Tribune: Reinforcements on the way for RSL
For the Fans, By the Fans
RSL Soapbox: Player Ratings: Real Salt Lake 0-2 FC Dallas
MLS, Other News & Notes
MLSsoccer.com: Match Recap: Chicago Fire 1, Chivas USA 4
MLSsoccer.com: Monday Postgame: Time to panic in Seattle and Chicago? Not quite
MLSsoccer.com: Jermaine Jones out for US World Cup qualifying showdown with Mexico
MLSsoccer.com: Commentary: Sympathy for Costa Rica evaporates after over-the-top postgame whining
MLSsoccer.com: FIFA studying Costa Rica protest after World Cup qualifying loss to USA in blizzard conditions
MLSsoccer.com: Mexican media spy on USMNT closed-door practice session in Mexico City
MLSsoccer.com: Doom and gloom in Mexico: Media sounding "alarms" and "alerts" for El Tri's slump
Sporting News: Jurgen Klinsmann leads U.S. national team through turbulent moment
Grantland: Snow Blind: The USMNT overcomes the elements (and Costa Rica)
ESPN FC: A most historic point
Soccer By Ives: Who should the USMNT start vs. Mexico?
Goal.com: Tom Marshall: Working through Mexico's starting XI against the U.S.
Goal.com: Zac Lee Rigg: The United State might need Landon Donovan more than the LA Galaxy
Goal.com: Seth Vertelney: Bill Hamid mostly spectacular, but still needs to smooth out rough edges
Pro Soccer Talk: Moving forward: Launching the U.S.-Mexico buildup
The Shin Guardian: USA vs. Mexico Preview: On the road again


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I have just finished some major research and written up an article of a new discovery.
I usually don't drop links in forums but I want the SEO community to know about this, it's exciting:
Here is the article about Google RK values with findings and evidence.
I want some feedback on my findings for my research, thanks.
Edited by Jim_Westergren, 24 February 2006 - 01:22 PM.


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As a sibling of the popular Burton brand, California-based Analog Clothing manufactures pants, shirts, winter gear, and accessories for the surf, skate, and snow subcultures. Featuring modern fits, classic aesthetics, and edgy designs, Analog seeks to push the boundaries of creativity and represent the individuality personified by its customers. Analog products are known for their rugged durability and comfort, and are ideal for an active lifestyle. With a team of riders including Danny Davis, Mikkel Bang, Zak Hale, and Alex Andrews, Analog is guaranteed to be at the forefront of board culture for years to come.
No products match your selections. Try clearing your filters.


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Your shopping cart is empty!
Space Saver Desk offers considerable work surface in a fairly compact space. The cockpit design keeps work close at hand and Ergo Edges are easy on your wrists. Happy by itself, it also "plays well with others" and can be matched with other pieces. Pedestal files can be used in lieu of legs.
Note: Upcharge for Silver and Chrome legs will be added to quote (less any discounts). Cursor over Leg Color choices below for info.
|Side Connection


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Police are asking for help finding the car that struck a 54-year-old man who was crossing Lem Turner Road on Nov. 2.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Gregory Brunson died Friday of injuries sustained in the crash.
Police say an older model white four-door vehicle driving south on Lem Turner about 8:50 p.m. struck Brunson. He was transported to the hospital, where he died three weeks later.
Anyone with any information about the hit-and-run or suspect vehicle is asked to call the traffic homicide unit at 904-630-2178 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward, call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Electroclash - Equalizer Sweatshirt
Product Color:
Product information
Sweatshirt Electroclash - Equalizer is the all-time ultimate in comfort with its classic, relaxed fit. On the surface rich cotton with Electroclash - Equalizer, inside flannel for the softest sensation. Medium to heavy weight ensuring warmth and makes it great, weather as a throw-over in rainy and windy weather or to protect against the snow and ice in the winter.
Crew-neck for those that don't like the common hood. Stretched cuffs and hem assure a lasting shape. Electroclash Sweatshirt comes in 12 basic colors. Heather Grey: 80% Cotton/20% Polyester. Remaining Colors: 100% Cotton.
Sku: SR1BL0000020291111110160GRBL00000


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- Products
- Solutions
- Company
- Partners
- Resources
- Developers
Join local Gaithersburg peers in your field for a complimentary one-day Actuate event on Wednesday, September 10 to get free hands-on data visualization training with BIRT.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014 | 8:30am - 4:30pm
BIRT Live! Gaithersburg presented by Actuate
Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Cost: Complimentary
Phone: 301-977-8900
Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center
9751 Washingtonian Blvd
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Click here for directions
During this event, BIRT experts will introduce you to BIRT technology and teach you how to build dynamic, interactive and highly visual rich information applications. If you are modernizing your business with Big Data and want your entire organization to benefit through compelling data visualizations, need to engage your audience with intuitive and interactive reports and dashboards on any device, or are new to BIRT and interested to learn why more than three million developers across 157 countries use BIRT in their applications – then this event should not be missed.
By the end of the day, you will learn how to:
Attendees will receive an afternoon of complimentary hands-on training valued at $600 and will leave the event with FREE software licenses and a solid foundation of BIRT technology. Also featured will be the differences between open source BIRT and commercial add-ons from Actuate to help you make the most informed choices for your data projects.


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Around the horn: Alonso shows infield range
SAN DIEGO -- It was a wild ninth inning Wednesday for Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso, as he was constantly on the move, bouncing around the infield while the team was on defense.
After Padres manager Bud Black emptied his bench -- with the exception of reserve catcher John Baker, who would hit in the bottom of the inning -- he asked Alonso to play second base to start the inning as Mark Kotsay occupied first base.
Alonso later moved to third base in the inning and then back to second base. He didn't have a ball hit at him, though Adrian Gonzalez singled to right field, just out of the reach of a diving Alonso.
Alonso became the first player in club history to play those three positions -- first, second and third base -- in a game. He's also one of 20 players in Major League history to do so. The last was Ben Zobrist of the Rays on Sept. 23, 2010, against the Yankees.
Alonso didn't see what the big deal was.
"Buddy gave me a warning that it might happen," Alonso said. " ... It wasn't so far out of the ordinary. It's not like I was playing center field."
But it was still unusual for Alonso, who had played one game at third base before Wednesday and that was in 2011, when he was with the Reds.
"Actually, Yonder said that he had played second base before," Black said. "He said, 'I have just got to move over 25 feet [from first base].'"
The Padres were shorthanded after Carlos Quentin was essentially unavailable due to a sore right wrist. Black also used Cody Ransom in the bottom of the fifth inning to pinch-hit for starting pitcher Eric Stults.
Jesus Guzman struck out for pitcher Anthony Bass in the seventh inning. Kotsay was used in the eighth inning, flying out for Alexi Amarista. That left Baker, who hit in the bottom of the ninth.
Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. Keep track of @FollowThePadres on Twitter. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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by Crusin Cool |
Item # 882091
About this item
Strawberry Banana Real Fruit Smoothie Concentrate has no added sugar or caffeine and is made with real fruit.
Online only
Out of stock
Crusin Cool Strawberry Banana Real Fruit Smoothie Concentrate - 64 fl oz.
Strawberry Banana smoothie concentrate is made with real fruit and no high fructose corn syrup. It is 99% fat free with a shelf life of 6 months. This product is perfect for restaurants, c-stores, home use, gyms, catering and special events. Strawberry Banana real fruit smoothie is the perfect addition to any party or just a refreshing frozen drink to end a hot summer day. Strawberry Banana Real Fruit Smoothie Concentrate is caffeine free and also makes for a healthy and nutritious breakfast or snack. Strawberry Banana smoothie mix comes in a 64 fl. oz. bottle with an easy 1 part mixture to 4 parts water ratio, yielding up to 4.5 gallons. For use in a frozen drink machine (Bunn Ultra) or blender for single use. Don't forget a very important ingredient - smoothie crème (sold separately).
- 64 fl. oz. bottle
- 1 part to 4 mix ratio
- 1.89L Yields 4.5 gallons
- Real fruit
- No hign fructose corn syrup
- 99% Fat free
- No caffeine
- 6 Month shelf life
This product is covered by the Sam's Club Member Satisfaction Guarantee.
Assembled Country
Component Country
Shipping Info
Standard - 2 to 6 business days
Premium - 2 to 4 business days
Express - 1 to 2 business days


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Schulz Named SPIE Fellow
January 31, 2007—
Tim Schulz, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been elected a Fellow in SPIE—The International Society for Optical Engineering.
He was selected in part for his research in signal processing methods for sensing and imaging. Schulz's research programs have been supported by NSF, AFOSR, DARPA, the Space Telescope Science Institute, the Army Night Vision Laboratory and other government agencies.
He currently serves as associate editor for the Journal of the Optical Society of America A and was previously associate editor for Applied Optics and IEEE Transactions on Image Processing. Schulz has been on the Michigan Tech faculty since 1992 and has chaired his department since 1999.
SPIE Fellows are members of distinction who have made significant scientific and technical contributions in the fields of optics, photonics and imaging. Approximately 2.5 percent of the membership has attained the rank of Fellow.
SPIE is dedicated to advancing scientific research and engineering applications of optical, photonic, imaging and optoelectronic technologies through its meetings, education programs and publications. The society was founded in 1955 and has more than 16,000 members. Schulz will be recognized at the society's 2007 annual meeting in San Diego, Calif.
Michigan Technological University (www.mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.


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Resist Selling Into Strength
I must admit, I was a bit perplexed by the number of people interested in selling Wednesday's strong rally. A day of unequivocal strength with the charts of several growth names saying, "Look at me: I'm ready to go higher," and it's time to sell?
From my vantage point, Wednesday was a day of institutional buying. Major averages broke out over key resistance levels in strong volume. The September highs are now within reach. The session opened with a bang, the market held gains smartly and the indices rallied strongly into the close....342 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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The Day Ahead: Consumer Unease
When was the last time you talked with an executive from a company that has 25% of your life savings? Have you ever chatted with a seemingly low-level employee from a company over which you lose sleep, finding out how it's doing at the ground floor? Quick, what are the top three companies in Dell's (DELL) supply chain, seeing as you have owned the stock from 2007?
If my career has yielded one valuable insight, it's that the average investor is unlikely to have met an individual directly or indirectly involved with a stock in their portfolio. So -- while some finance blogger may be preparing for calls with people who have knowledge on a company's supply chain -- where should you go for such knowledge? Where can you find fresh information on stocks and markets that nobody is caring to mention?...452 more words left in this article. To read them, just click below and try Real Money FREE for 14 days.
There's no substitute for a trading floor to get great ideas, so Jim Cramer created a better one at Real Money and blogs there exclusively. We then added legendary hedge fund manager, Doug Kass, with his exclusive Daily Diary and best investing ideas. Staffed with more than 4 dozen investing pros, money managers, journalists and analysts, Real Money Pro gives you a flood of opinions, analysis and actionable trading advice found nowhere else, and allows you to interact directly with each expert.
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Research Center
Neotroin as an Emerging Alzehimer's Disease Treatment
Do you have any information on the drug "neotrofin" which is now in clinical trials. My mother has been asked to participate in the study. Secondly, do you have any suggestions for evaluating clinical trial methodologies and how does a lay person evaluate the risks and benefits of participating in a clinical trial.
The study site should be your best source of information on this agent, which is also known as AIT-082. In a highly competitive free marketplace, most companies publicize very little about their experimental agents until the testing is quite advanced or even complete.
Providing explicit descriptions of the methods of the study, as well as the risks and benefits is the legal and moral obligation of the investigator. All studies must be approved by an ethics committee (also known as an Institutional Review Board) which evaluates potential risks and benefits of any given experimental approach. Investigators are required to provide information on known risks and known potential benefits and have the patient and/or representative sign a `consent form` attesting to the description of the study methods, risks, and benefits. However, it is important to remember that if everything about the drug was known already, then it would not be in testing anymore. There is no quick or easy way of evaluating the methods of a study except to ask the investigator all of your questions until they are answered to your satisfaction.
There are some warning signs to look for that might suggest a poor match between the investigator`s skills, the agent being tested, and your best interests:
1) The investigator seems uninformed of the details of the disease being studied, the agent, or the study method.
2) You feel pressured to sign a consent form.
3) You are promised a good result.
4) The investigator seems hesitant to work with or communicate with your own doctors.
5) The investigator can`t describe how unforeseen emergencies will be handled by the study team.
David Geldmacher, MD
Formerly, Assistant Professor of Neurology
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University


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Tuesday, May 15, 2007
A few years ago, my state established a merit scholarship program. High-achieving high school grads are eligible for substantial scholarships to attend their local cc's for two years. The state sees it as a way to increase the capacity of the state higher ed system without the cost of building.
We advertise the program on our website. We advertise it at open houses, in newspapers, on public access tv, and to the local guidance counselors. We host every guidance counselor in the area at least once a year, and make certain that they know all the ins and outs of the program.
Yesterday I attended a special event we host for some local high school teachers. When we mentioned the program, you could see the blank stares. As we outlined it, you could hear gasps. They had never heard of it.
I did some asking around. According to the folks in Admissions, who have been fighting this battle for some time, the guidance counselors have strict orders from their superintendents not to mention the program to their students, for fear that the students will use it.
We wouldn't want that...
Although the scholarship program is statewide, superintendents are essentially local. To a local K-12 superintendent, the needs of the state higher ed system are fairly abstract, but the need to keep local property values up through a high profile high school is concrete. And one of the primary statistics used to differentiate one public school district from another is the percentage of graduates it sends to four-year colleges and universities. No distinctions are made within that group, so the University of Chicago and Struggling State College count the same. But cc's get their own category, and too high a percentage in that category drags down a public school's ranking.
The shame of it, of course, is that some of the students who would have fit the program never hear of it and get pushed to four-year colleges away from home, where they promptly crash and burn, then come back to us in January with a palpable sense of failure. (These students are academically capable, but often just not ready to leave home yet.) From a superintendent's perspective, though, that's invisible. His job is done when the graduate shows up in September at St. Whomever's or Nothing Special State. If that same student comes back to us in January, that's not the high school's problem. But if that student started here in the first place, then the high school might drop a notch in the rankings, and no good can come of that.
So we have the state trying to use cc's as feeders, and local districts doing everything in their power to stop that from happening. Meanwhile, the cc's struggle for enrollment, and guidance counselors actually hide information from students they know it could help, so they won't get fired.
Your tax dollars at work!
Actually, that's not completely true. The 'rankings' of high schools are not taxpayer funded. (To the extent that taxpayers fund rankings, they're through standardized tests. Standardized tests have other flaws, but at least they don't punish cc's for existing.) The (property) market-driven need for invidious distinctions leads private parties to generate rankings of their own. That's fine, and they're certainly within their rights to do so, but the outsize weight given to very superficial measures is defeating a program that actually makes sense.
My proposed measure: don't track where students start. Track where they finish. How many graduates have, say, B.A.'s within five years? How many get into medical school? The reality of the situation is that admissions standards across the 'four-year' sector vary so widely that the criterion is meaningless. (This measure might also shift focus somewhat from creating slots for kids to be 'recording secretary of the Spanish club' to actually preparing kids academically for college. This strikes me as a good thing.) It's not at all clear to me that the kid who spends a year at Struggling State only to drink his way out reflects a better high school experience than the kid who starts at a cc, transfers to a four-year school, graduates, and makes his way in the world. But as far as the local press is concerned, the first suggests a strong high school, and the second a weak one. In this case, the market is wrong.
So we muddle along, one foot planted firmly on the accelerator, the other on the brake. The guidance counselors know and can't tell; the teachers have no idea; the legislature can't figure out why the program isn't gaining traction; and my numbers aren't pretty. There's gotta be a better way.
The problem isn't the incentives, though they are there. The problem is the lack of basic decency displayed by the principals in question -- for the sake of a couple percentage points on a statistic for a year or two, they decided to burn a kid's potential.
Your problem isn't the numbers. Your problem is the folks who view even the tiniest improvement in the numbers as more important than doing their damn jobs. You can't fix mean and stupid by changing metrics; they'll just find mean and stupid ways to meet the new metrics.
So it's not obvious on the face of it that the guidance counselors are giving bad advice.
You did articulate the problem quite well and Kimmitt agrees...."tell me the rules and I'll play the game." The Superintendents are playing the game to their benefit, so you need to play the game to your benefit.
Since the K-12s are not your allies in this skirmish, you are smart to go elsewhere to find friends. It is really Marketing 101: either push the product through via the middlemen(which isn't working) or pull the product through by going straight to the customer.
My CC starts recruiting in the middle grades (6-8) because that is where the counselors are working with kids on their HS track. They tell a child not only which classes lead them through to a HS diploma, but where they are expected to go from there....University, CC, Military or work. We begin early helping the kids understand what is needed for particular jobs. The counselors like having some help and we get to push our own programs. By doing this, the HS principals are happy because their incoming freshman class is more focused -- well, as focused as hormone-crazed 14-15 year olds can be! ;-)
We also offer a ton of dual enrollment courses. It is not atypical for a student to graduate HS with at least one full semester's worth of credit to bring to us or transfer to a university (one kid left HS with 64 credits through dual enrollment and entered Flagship U as a Junior). Parents love this "scholarship" because their little darlings are getting college-level courses for the price of a book.
And it wasn't entirely a rhetorical question -- this may be a local problem I'm referring to.
Perhaps you could elucidate how you came to "your understanding" about cc grad rates, other than "I heard" and "that's my understanding."
Broadly, we need to rethink how we're measuring "performance" in education, but that seems really difficult when the business models get applied inappropriately, no?
Why? Someone has to do the counting. Is the administrators doing the tracking of every student? "Hi, yes, John from the local High School. Can you tell me if Mary Sue went to Big U? No, she decided cosmetology was more to her liking? Thank you."
Point is, part of the whole discussion will be based on "data" gathered too early in the process to be relevant.
No on ever called me from my old school district to see how I turned out. I don't know of anyone who has had that.
our cc also did a billboard campaign that compared the cost of a single class at the cc, the state u and a private college.
(anon since can't seem to get past blogger login anymore)
On the metrics:
Our state has a system that longitudinally tracks every student (by SSN) from K to PhD. The result is dense beyond belief, since few kids in any given kindergarten get a PhD and there is lots of movement in and out of schools. My understanding of NCLB is that there will be more of this.
The question of performance after transfer is tricky. Who are you comparing to? Our CC transfers do not do as well as students who started at a university *and* made it to the junior year. They do better than the ones at a Uni who discovered that a 1200 SAT does not compensate for being drunk every day.
Lots of students do not make it past their freshman year at a Uni, and lots more drop out of a CC after their first year. Quite a few who drop out of a Uni find their legs at a CC and become a success. You can get almost any result you want if you choose your numerator and denominator carefully.
By the way, here is a report about degree completion rates and transfer rates in California community colleges. It says "Of the 60 percent [of California community college students] who are seeking a degree or certificate, only about one-fourth succeed in
transfering to a university and/or earning an associate's degree or a certificate within six years." I don't know whether completion rates are similar in other states.
-- Cardinal Fang
My institution has a similar problem. We are evaluated, in part, on our 6-year graduation rate. However, a student who transfers out and graduates elsewhere is counted as a non-graduate. Why? Because we don't know. Even if that student transfers from my regional campus to the "flagship" campus and graduates, for us, that student is a failure.
Talk about giving people the wrong incentives.
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