text:
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Ask My Readers: Students Who Outplace
When they apply for admission at my cc, prospective students who haven't placed out already with SAT/ACT scores or AP credit have to take placement tests in math and English. The English exam includes a hand-graded essay. For simplicity, I'll just address the English.
Depending on how they score, one of several things will happen. The student might place directly into intro to composition, at which point, all is well. The student might place into remedial English, but that's okay, since we have that well in hand and we're pretty good at it. (Specialization has its rewards.) The student might reveal him/herself to be ESL, at which point, s/he takes ESL coursework; again, not ideal, but we know what to do and students have a real shot at success. Or the student can "outplace," scoring too low even for remediation.
This is where the dilemmas get ugly, and where we're struggling to devise an intelligent system.
The first step is usually to find a way around the problem. Was the student hung over at test time? Take it again. Was the student actually ESL? We can handle that. Did the student simply blow off the test out of misplaced arrogance? Give The Talk, and a retest. Some students are saved this way.
But some native-speaker students did their level best, and just didn't show enough academic strength to suggest that even remediation would be worthwhile.
(I'd insert my usual "what the hell are the high schools thinking?" rant here, but it doesn't really help.)
This is where "community" and "college" can crash into each other.
The stiff-backed academic in me likes to think that the value of a degree only holds insofar as it suggests the ability to perform at a college level. So if a kid just isn't in the ballpark, well, college isn't for everyone. Let the student find another field of endeavor, one more suited to his strengths, and let us provide higher education. Even in my most bleeding-heart moments, I see real validity to this position.
But there's that pesky "open-door admissions" side of our mission. And I'm just social scientist enough to bristle at the idea that a single test, even if given twice, can tell you that a given student will never succeed at college-level work. (I think the issue is called "ecological inference," which, if I remember right, refers to the inability to predict or ascribe individual traits or behavior based on larger statistical trends. It's one thing to say a student's chances of passing are low; it's another to pronounce the enterprise futile.) I don't want to trap a kid in endless remediation and take his money for what will very likely be a quixotic enterprise, but I don't want to slam the open door entirely shut, either. And my dissatisfaction with the existing options is fairly widely shared on campus.
(The libertarian option of presenting students with the statistics and leaving it to them to decide whether to try remediation doesn't quite cut it for me. To the extent that we're taxpayer funded, we have a fiduciary obligation to use those resources where they have a reasonable chance of doing some good. Giving a kid a blank check to remediate until the cows come home strikes me as a betrayal of the taxpayers. It could also potentially poison the classroom atmosphere in the remedial classes, if the backlog of multiple-attempters grows large.)
So, I'm turning to my wise and worldly readers for advice.
Do you have – or have you seen – a reasonably fair and effective system for handling the prospective students who outplace? We're batting ideas around, but none of them strikes me as obviously correct, and I claim no monopoly on good ideas. I've heard talk – all of it speculative -- of individual tutoring, group tutoring, non-credit classes, alliances with vocational schools, and simply throwing up our hands and sending students away. The goal is to neither ignore the real students who actually show up, nor to water down the quality of the degree, but to get students who start out far behind their peers to catch up, and to do it in a fiscally and academically responsible way. Any useful ideas would be greatly appreciated. Your thoughts?
If I could wave my magic wand, I'd probably do three things....
1) Collect completion rates for students who outplace. Give these statistics to the student as a fair warning. I'd also make them repeat (verbally) the essence of the warning and have them sign something that says they actually understand the content.
2) Partner with a nearby University's departments dealing in education and perhaps developmental psychology (or, whomever is working with those with learning disabilities and low IQs). The point of the partnership would be to develop further testing to assess the student's actual educational potential, not just their abilities with English.
3) Provide remedial remediation at a higher tuition rate -- one that accounts for more of the true costs. Perhaps this can happen via individual tutoring or community ed, and when the student's skills qualify them for the actual remediation, they can be put back into the regular track.
If you couldn't place into one of the math department's developmental courses (we only went down to Algebra 1) the developmental ed center had a self-paced computer-based program that they would administer for you...
It could start at whole-number arithmetic.
Perhaps there is something similar in English so that you can send them off to something like the "Learning Center"?
I know the Council I work with does Basic Literacy one-on-one tutoring, and some of those being tutored do have getting a college degree as their goal. I know that a semi-local university has a Adult Learning Resource Center which has resources to help find programs that can assist these students.
It is a long and hard path, and it takes a lot of individual attention and encouragement, but it is possible. We have several succes stories of people who have gone this route, and while it takes many years, they are given intermediate goals to shoot for that keep them involved and help them show tangible progress.
Would you have similar programs (such as a local Literacy Council)in your community? Can you work together with them to help those students, so that they aren't just left with few opportunities?
On your question, the one thing you did not mention was disability testing. We handle kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities separately, and with quite a bit of success.
I've never been in a position to be privy to what our placement test curve looks like, but I've also never heard the topic of an "outplace" score come up in advising training. However, the problem you ask about could be responsible for one revision in our developmental courses.
We have two levels of reading prep (typically the weakest spot for many of our students). When it was added, the main reason given was to avoid boring the borderline kids in order to reach the weak ones, but the real reason may have been to deal with the question you address.
We already had a math prep system that went all the way down to whole number arithmetic and fractions, so we already handle everyone there. None of these classes earn college credit, by the way.
I like the suggestion of reading the riot act on success rates to those kids. That could be added to the "study skills" class, but I always wonder if it will discourage them. I know one who started with fractions and became an engineer with A and B grades in calculus and physics, so it can be done.
It's not that I'm still personally bitter (it's been years, and I'm in grad school in another field), but it does say something to me about the value of these tests. This wasn't the point of your post, so I'll just can it. But I just find that I'm a bit suspicious of placement tests scores in general.
You're open-admission, so I don't know if this is possible, but you might also be able to do a "conditional acceptance". Allow kids to take classes for one semester, while also working at the Literacy Center. If they get decent grades in the classes, no problem.
However, if they fail to make a certain cutoff GPA, they get a counseling meeting with an admissions officer, a professor, and a literacy instructor to figure out what to do next. If things are really bad, perhaps advising (compelling?) the student to take a year off from college and just work with the literacy advisor would be the best move.
"Wasn't it enough being President for 8 years, Mr. Bush?"
At any rate, "open admissions" really does have to mean, at some point, "open admissions above some highly reasonable but still extant bar." I can't help thinking that in the real world, there are people who just are not in a place where they can take advantage of the services offered by any given institution, and that's the way it is. You can let in 95% of everyone, 99.5% of everyone, but at some number of standard deviations out, your services aren't going to match their needs, nu?
Try essays. Try multiple choice. Try verbal Q&A. Allow them to type, or write.
But you and I both know that while ONE test has little predictive validity, a GROUP of tests is pretty damn accurate. If a student simply can't pass any of the multitude of options you give them, you shouldn't let them in.
Every ultra-low-performing student who claims membership at your CC is pulling down the reputation and future chances of every other student there. You owe it to your existing students not to set tyhe bar too low.
1/The best outcome was to be advised to take English I, the basic college composition course. This course counted toward earninga degree.
2/The next was to be advised to take Basic English, which was slightly remedial and stressed basic writing skills; as I recall, it did not count for degree-granting credit. It sevred as a functional pre-req for English I.
3/The least desirable was to take Remedial English (I actually forget the real name). It stressed all the fundamentals of reading and punctuation and such, and likewise did not count for degree credit. It was a pre-req for Basic English.
Looking back, this somehow may explain the high drop-out rate if a student was incapable of performing in other coursework. After all, aren't English skills necessary for doing well in every course?
Perhaps one viable option for those who do not qualify for "basic college composition" or the "remedial English" class would be to simply place them in the remedial class but only allow provisional enrollment in the CC. If a student MUST only focus on their remedial work, I would think they would be more likely to succeed at gaining competency in the basics necessary for college-level work.
That option supports the CC's mission statement without leading the student on and mis-using resources [both the student's and the CC's]. After all, Higher Ed offers equal access and opportunity; it does not guarantee a degree.
Now if only my Big City Research U undergrads understood that...
To qualify as a learning disability, however, the person has to have average or above-average intelligence ... which brings up the question of students with cognitive problems and _below_ average intelligence and where they fit in an open access community college.
Oh, and as CCPhysicist points out, sometimes the student who only places into remedial with multiple tries is the worse case. I've seen some students retake and retake English 1 with different instructors, semester after semester, before getting kicked out of the school and have to pay back loans. It's heartbreaking.
The English writing problem was very prevalent inside my high school. There were three English teachers.They all had very different ways of teaching and very different aspects of how English should be taught.
The first teacher didn't really care about the students individually. She wanted to make sure all assignments were done and that the grade book was always showing many assignments.
The second teacher often contradicted herself, but did care to a certain degree about the students when her mood swings weren't taking place.
The third teacher, I felt, was awesome. He has a masters degree and teaches as an adjunct professor at both a community and private college about an hour away from the high school. The problem with this teacher, though, is that he had his favorite students. I'm not saying I was one of them, but I liked him a lot. He knew what he was talking about and made it clear to everyone that he felt the country is spiraling downwards in regards to English writing.
In the end, the only teacher who really taught anyone was the third teacher. No, he didn't teach all students, but he taught the ones who really wanted to learn.
So, what's the solution to the problems that high schools pass onto colleges? I know my worst subject is math and I will pay for my lack of knowledge in different mathematical areas once I start college in August.
Respect your placement in math, and look forward to (re)learning it from professors who are like your third english teacher. If you test close to the cutoff score for one class, consider taking the lower one so you can master that material and build from A to A. That extra semester of success is better than multiple semesters of repeats if you overplace (see sisyphus' observations above).
The dilemma is, by providing an example you seem to elicit responses on how to solve the English problem (the specific) rather than the general question at hand.
That said, I would offer my two cents. I don't think it is too harsh to say that different people have different skills (and admittedly some have none) and that not all skill sets are appropriate for college. I would perhaps recommend that rather than view these students at "failing" to get into higher education they are instead finding their way to another perhaps more fulfilling vocation.
I was recently reminded by a former colleague currently living in Europe that the model over there is to place folks at a much younger age into tracks for their livelihood. I am not in favor of that, personally, since at age 14 I had no idea what I wanted to do, and never would have suspected I would be "here."
Perhaps it is time for that bigger discussion--does every American (in fact, every human) have a "right" to a college education? And if so--why?
I might suggest that you look at some assessment instruments that provide holistic and analytic scores that also have an instructional component related to how well students perform on their assessments. A single test score can only "suppose" that learning has taken place, but a test that will link students into appropriate local learning resources will reveal the "process" of student learning, which is one trend within the national assessment movement.
Though I work for a company that provides such instruments and learning tools to colleges, I have substantial experience working in the Community College Environment at the Dean's level. Furthermore, one third of my dissertation addressed the issues surrounding student remediation and developmental education and placement testing.
If you would like a real solution to your delimma, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. I may not necessarily come back to this blog site.
Tim Self, Ed.D.
(214) 738-8989
<< Home


text:
santa100 wrote:twelph wrote:
"I was just wondering how the monk in the sutta is able to experience this aspect of 4th jhana called the imperturbable while walking"
Are you sure the monk was "walking" instead of "standing"? To put the body into motion, one would need to breathe oxygen to generate energy for the muscles to move. But one stops breathing at the fourth jhana according to SN36.011 (ref:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn36/sn36.011.than.html ):
"And I have also taught the step-by-step cessation of fabrications. When one has attained the first jhana, speech has ceased. When one has attained the second jhana, directed thought & evaluation have ceased. When one has attained the third jhana, rapture has ceased. When one has attained the fourth jhana, in-and-out breathing has ceased"
While practicing walking meditation, my breathe becomes very refined and slow. I am not denying from an outside perspective that in 4th jhana the breathe can not be felt or measured, but that does not necessarily mean the breathe has stopped completely. Strong developers of pranayama are able to be buried alive for days because of how much their breathing has slowed. I'm assuming that mind objects take a considerable amount of energy and therefore oxygen to sustain at a constant pace. It doesn't seem so far fetched that someone could still be in motion while their breathe is seemingly non-existent. Though this is all just speculation, considering all I'm basing this on is a small part of a sutta.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Click Here for More Articles on NEW YORK CITY
Guilty Pleasures Burlesque to Present ONE-HIT WONDERS, 1/26
Guilty Pleasures Burlesque presents One-Hit Wonders on Saturday, Jan. 26th at 10:30pm. Tickets are $10. For more information, click HERE.
Featuring burlesque by The Great Nudini, Tess Truehart, and Carole Climax, plus musical talents Elvis Bakaitis, Audrey Bloom with host George Flanagan, and DJ Chewymusic, and kittening by Dolly Debutante, with storytelling by Peter Aguero and comedy by Stephanie Holmes.


text: A blown head gasket can mean the end of the road for many older vehicles. With a repair ticket of $2,500 or more for car owners, fixing a head gasket often costs more than the car is worth or than its owner can afford. But now Bar's Leaks has a solution that's not only affordable,


text:
Dallas Voice Publisher Robert Moore felt left out last week, after the publisher of New York City's Gay City News refused to make a friendly, legal wager on the Rangers-Yankees series. I won't repeat Robert's exact comments here, but basically, the publishers of San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter and The Philadelphia Gay News had bet on the National League Championship Series, and Robert badly wanted a piece of the action.
Well, good things come to those who wait, and thanks to the Rangers first-ever World Series berth, Moore is finally getting in. Moore and Bay Area Reporter Publisher Thomas E. Horn have agreed that the loser will contribute $1,000 to a charity in the winner's city and appear in the opposing team's gear in a photograph to be published in the winner's newspaper.
And while these are some pretty high stakes already, we'd also like to see Moore don a leather-daddy beard a la Giants closer Brian Wilson should the Rangers lose.


text:
The Central Academic Unit (CAU), located on the Brantford Campus, functions to coordinate academic activities that serve all faculties on the Brantford Campus. Recognizing the multi-campus nature of Laurier, the CAU coordinates existing program initiatives between campuses, including program development.
Dr. Kate Carter, Inter-Faculty Associate Dean: Academic Coordination, is responsible for academic coordination including academic advising of intersecting faculties.
Dr. Lauren Eisler, Inter-Faculty Associate Dean: Academic Development, facilitates and guides new program development within and among faculties.
The Associate Deans report to the Office of the Vice-President: Academic & Provost to reflect their university-wide mandate and to provide a day-to-day presence in Brantford for the Office of the VPA.
Gallery showcases experiences of immigrant/refugee women
(News Release - Mar 31)
Rescheduled: Public Lecture to Explore How to Empower Gamers to Make a Difference in their Local Community
(Headline - Mar 10)


text:
Forsythe, Nix train to become ultimate utility men
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Count Logan Forsythe and Jayson Nix among the many utility candidates in camp this spring.
Forsythe came to the Rays in a trade with the Padres on Jan. 22, while Nix signed a Minor League deal with the team on Jan. 14 with an invite to Spring Training.
Both were in the Rays' lineup Saturday against the Pirates, as Forsythe played third and Nix played shortstop. Rays manager Joe Maddon said neither will begin playing the outfield just yet, though the position is in each of their respective skill sets.
"I think Logan, we're talking about keeping him on the infield a little bit right now, as well as Nix before we put them both out there," Maddon said.
Both players have already begun taking fly balls in the outfield, but they are fine with the gradual process of getting prepared to play the outfield in games.
"First, I kind of want to get my feet wet in the infield, get my rhythm there first," said Nix, who carries five gloves for playing first, second base, shortstop, third base and the outfield. "But I think pretty soon, I'll start working out there more. I've already gotten some work out there at camp. The next week or two, I'll start working out there.
"... The rhythm of defense during Spring Training is important, to be able to get that rhythm. ... Bottom line is, if they tell me to go out there, I'm going out there. But I think I'll be out there sooner than later."
Forsythe has four gloves: one for first base, one for the middle infield positions, one for third base and one for the outfield.
"You definitely want to get comfortable in the infield first," Forsythe said. "Our primary positions are in the infield, so we want to make sure our footwork and our angles and everything are right first before we jump into the outfield and start taking fly balls out there.
"... You ease into each position. With the games beginning now, we're going to be moving around -- the guys who play multiple positions. We'll be in one position one day and another the next, but they're really good about it here. They let us know in advance."
The makeup of this season's bench will be a difficult and complex decision based on the number of players in camp who play multiple positions. Maddon noted that he is eager to see both Forsythe and Nix play all of the positions they play to get an idea about where he's comfortable using them.
"We want to see all that," Maddon said. "You just don't know how it's all going to work out, what the bench is going to look like exactly."
The idea is to have a flexible group that allows Maddon to plug in players at different positions on different nights to maximize the matchups against opposing pitchers.
"The tough left-handed pitcher on a particular night," Maddon said. "You have a fly-ball pitcher pitching, there's a ground-ball pitcher pitching. For us, there are different reasons why you do different things. And if this guy's comfortable doing different things, like a Logan Forsythe, then you don't even hesitate to make these particular moves.
"Then again, it's Spring Training. Sometimes you find out guys are uncomfortable doing certain things. It's just a matter of getting them out there and kind of researching it a little bit and see what we have."
Maddon said that using Forsythe and Nix in the outfield will be more of a situation to expand the bench at the end of the game, rather than starting them in the outfield.
"Injuries occur, different things happen," Maddon said. "Who knows, but more than likely [both are] being groomed more for the in-game moves as opposed to starting out there."
Forsythe said his use just depends on how the game goes.
"The matchups, the bullpen, late-inning games, how Joe moves his guys around," Forsythe said. "Guys like us who play multiple positions, if we can help the team win, they're going to throw us out there if they're comfortable with us."
Nix is ready for use wherever Maddon sees fit, even the outfield in late-inning situations.
"That's something I've done the last couple of years, and I'm comfortable with it," Nix said.
However, Nix does not yet have a catcher's mitt among his collection of gloves.
"Not yet, but I probably ought to get one of those working," Nix joked.
Meanwhile, Forsythe noted that not all of his gloves are broken in just yet. When a visitor noted that he could wear himself out breaking in those gloves, Forsythe smiled.
"I'll get someone else to do that for me," Forsythe said.
Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text: As the War in Nokgorka continues Sorceress-Major Maya Antares through a deadly encounter with the vicious rebel fighter Makita discovers the true fate of her husband Captain Marcus Antares who has been missing in action and declared dead since the War of AlIstaan. This is the issue Red Star fans have been waiting for since issue #1 and represents a key turning point in the series! Cover by TONE RODRIGUEZ.


text:
Mike, thank you for that kind introduction. I am most honored to be here this morning, and I welcome this opportunity to spend a few minutes with you as you contemplate the current and future health care challenges facing VA and the Nation.
My strong sense is that VA's future remains bright as we look forward and envision the trends in technology and reform that are likely to emerge in this industry in the next 10 to 12 years. These insights become foundational to any consideration about how best to transform VA health care for the 21st century.
In ways perhaps not yet fully appreciated, VA's future is bright in this regard because of Dr. Mike Kussman's stewardship over the past nine years—first, as principal deputy under secretary, then as acting under secretary, and finally, as under secretary for health.
So while your focus at the summit is forward-looking, Mike's departure invites us to also look back in acknowledgement of his remarkable record of initiative and innovation, which helped make VA the national leader in health care delivery. This is a testimony to Mike Kussman's stature as exemplary physician, insightful leader, and great public servant. VHA will continue to benefit from the imprint of this leadership long after we have said good-bye.
Mike, I know the high regard in which you are held by employees across VA. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you for the many kindnesses you have extended to me, and for the towering leadership legacy you have gifted to this department.
Today, I want to talk about change. Not simply as a byword of a new administration. Not change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of professional relevance. Change which directly benefits Veterans, and indirectly, all Americans. Change that leverages the power of 21st-century technology and know-how, while honoring the tradition of VA's 19th-century heritage. A kind of change that synchronizes our operations to establish VA as the model for governance—unrivalled excellence.
President Kennedy once observed that, 'Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present'—no matter how successful it is, or may have been—'are certain to miss the future.'
VA is moving to the future, and today, I am challenging you as VA leaders. I know your focus is there. That's what this summit is all about—the future. The work of your Universal Services Task Force, and the report to this summit on its initiatives, are both far reaching and groundbreaking. Now, how do we take those ideas, flesh them out, and ensure they are integrated into the transformation being forged at my level for the rest of VA? How do we build on, synchronize, and make the very best use of that impressive work for the benefit of most people? That's where I need your help and where your leadership will be crucial.
My mandate is to deliver President Obama's vision of transforming VA into a 21st century organization—a transformation demanded by new times, new technologies, new demographic realities, and by Veterans who have earned our very best efforts to provide them the best possible care, benefits, and services we can provide effectively and efficiently.
I won't lecture this group on VHA's breadth and depth. In this room, there is more collective knowledge about the complexities of VA health care than I will absorb during my tenure as Secretary, much less in three short months. But I do have a personal perspective on our mission—a perspective gained from more than 38 years in uniform and viewed from the day VA was starkly portrayed in the movie, Born on the Fourth of July, to today, when our department is lauded for delivering 'the best care anywhere.' It's clear that VA has traveled a path to excellence since I returned from Vietnam.
In spite of all the things we do well, there are things we can and must do better. We have raised the high bar in many fields and functions—research, polytrauma, and electronic medical records, to name a few. Where VA leads, we must continue to set the standard. Where we do not, we must seize the initiative and generate the kind of momentum that demonstrates our leadership edge.
To do that, we must foster a culture of change. Now I understand that change does not necessarily assure progress, yet I also know that progress most certainly requires change. We must embrace it, much as VHA embraced the bold initiatives proposed by Dr. Ken Kizer more than a dozen years ago.
I know we are up to the challenge because those in this room, and others who are not here today, were part of Dr. Kizer's revolution, and his strong sense of mission remains imprinted here.
Our mandate is more than mere words engraved on the façade of a government building. More than poetic references to an historic war. It is a promise kept time after time, in a thousand different ways, by more than 200,000 people who, each and every day, put the quality, compassion, and 'care' into health care.
We are now at a crossroads in our health care preeminence—at the intersection of a new century and a new generation of Veterans. Demographics tell the story. Increasingly, we are seeing young men and women who are Veterans of the new millennium, different than all who came before. Most were born a decade after the last shots were fired in Vietnam. They've never used a dial phone; never watched black-and-white TV; and have never known a world without cell phones, the internet, or instant messaging.
They are different because they grew up in a world different than ours. They think fast, talk fast, and act fast. They expect instant results because that is the norm in their world. The military in which they served is different too, because it employs all of the technology they grew up with, and more.
In many ways, the only things they have in common with previous generations of Veterans are their patriotism; their willingness to serve their country; their pride in that service; and the esprit de corps that coalesced them into a cohesive force on the battlefield, and now as a cadre of honored Veterans in civilian life.
Generational diversity demands that VA simultaneously serve the distinct needs of the 19-year-old Veteran of Baghdad; the 38-year-old Veteran of Kuwait; the 60-something Veteran of the Ia Drang; and the 76- and 87-year-old Veterans of Chosin Reservoir and Omaha Beach. At one end of the spectrum, we must enhance our outreach and services for mental health care and cognitive injuries—including PTSD and traumatic brain injury. And on the other, we must meet a growing requirement for geriatric and long-term care as well as final resting places.
In short, we are being called upon to restructure our systems, if not our way of thinking, and that has huge implications for all of VA's programs and services. For one thing, it means expanding our relationship with DoD to fully 'open the doors' to a continuum of care—from initial entry military processing stations to VA cemeteries. This begins with what we call Uniform Registration. More than just giving lip service to this long-standing requirement, Secretary Gates and I have already taken the first step in creating a joint, virtual, lifetime, electronic record. We will continue to work together to define and build a system responsive to our agencies' individual and mutual needs.
Much of VA's transformation will be about building our capabilities so that we can do more for Veterans in an age that is digital, mobile, and virtual. As leaders, ours is not to be caretakers of the status quo, but catalysts for change. To our great credit, we are a dynamic, flexible, and most importantly, a forward-looking department. Today, VHA is continuing to push out the edges of innovation, and I applaud your individual and collective commitment and 'can-do' approach to Veterans' care. Your Universal Services Task Force has briefed me on a number of far-reaching initiatives that will take VA to the next level and reinvigorate our leadership in national health care. The times demand it; Veterans expect it; and our President has directed it.
I am talking about forward-based health care. Veteran-centric care advanced from a rock-solid technology platform. A holistic type of care that arcs from the research bench to a patient's bedside—whether that bed is hospital-based, community-based, or home-based. VA's transformation must fully leverage the power of existing and emerging technologies if we are to realistically talk about delivering 21st-century, high-tech health care, or for that matter, successfully implement the new GI bill, streamline our disability claims system, or upgrade our financial systems.
I want to say a word here about 'windows of opportunity'—budgetary opportunity, that is. In my former Army life, I sometimes saw the best ideas go nowhere; they remained on the shelf. Why? Because they never were packaged and inserted into the budget cycle. And I also witnessed some of the less worthy ideas fielded simply because they were aggressively driven into the budget process and ultimately funded. The lesson learned is that to gain traction and momentum in our efforts we must do two things: First, marry our initiatives to the budget process, and second, not be stymied by unnecessary processes, procedures, or delays. In other words, if there's a good idea whose time has come, we must act on it quickly, and 'make it happen.' Ultimately, that's a function of leadership.
Speed and agility and adaptability are the hallmarks of a forward-leaning organization. But have we adapted? Are our 21st-century Veterans being welcomed into a 21st-century VA?
Think about their expectations. Think about the expectations of all Veterans who look for quick access to services; timely claims processing; swift application of research advances; innovative, cutting-edge, and yet safe medical treatments; and responsive customer service. At a time when a company like FedEx can promise to deliver a package anywhere in the world within 24 hours—'absolutely, positively overnight' as they've said—it's just unacceptable to take weeks and months to deliver records from one government office to another. Or worse yet, lose them in the process!
Speed is important. How fast is fast enough? To quote Mario Andretti, 'If you think you have it all under control, you aren't going fast enough.' Speed is important—but in this new century, collaborations, teaming, and partnerships are paramount. They are force multipliers to accomplishing any worthwhile mission. After all, much of VA's innovative, state-of-the-art medicine has its genesis in the post-war era when we first sought out affiliations with the country's medical schools. More than sixty years later, we are pursuing alliances across government at all levels, and with industry, business, high-tech firms, and non-profits; with academia, Veterans' groups, and with all stakeholders—public and private, large and small.
I see this leadership summit as a springboard of opportunity for framing a 21st-century department—Veteran-centric, results-driven, and forward-looking. Deputy Secretary Gould and I, along with our working groups, are charting a broad template for change based on the findings of our recent employee survey. The VA vision does not, and will not, be the vision of Ric Shinseki. It will be based on the inputs of VA leaders, employees, Veterans, and VA stakeholders. It must be that way. The average tenure of the first six VA secretaries is 36 months. Three budget cycles, perhaps input for a fourth. So, career employees—and we are fortunate to have loyal people who stay with us—must be the standard-bearers for any effort at long term, comprehensive change. They know what needs fixing, what works, and what does not. And though we are filling in details and fleshing out that vision, we know right now what the foundation of our work must be.
First, renewed recognition that Veterans are the centerpiece of our organization. They are clients, not merely customers. It all comes down to the personal, the immediate, and the host of interactions that define responsive, respectful client services. It is at that individual, human level where all of us in the department need to set our operational sights. The Task Force acknowledges the critical importance of this reality, and Veteran-centered care is VHA's contribution to the Veteran-centric pillar on which VA will build its services.
Second, results. At the end of each day, the true measure of our success is the timeliness, the quality, and the consistency of the services and support we provide. Our Veterans are concerned about service, and rightfully so. Most do not care if VA transforms itself. They care about results. Like all of us, they care about outcomes. They want solutions to their problems, and it is up to us to provide those solutions.
Finally, VA must be forward-looking. We must be attuned to evolving needs and seek out opportunities for delivering best services with available resources. We must challenge ourselves to 'work smarter' and not leave one dollar on the table. We must leverage the world's best practices, our own knowledge base, and emerging technologies to multiply our capabilities VA-wide.
In large measure, that is what your attendance at this important summit is all about. So I challenge you, also, to approach and participate in this conference with a sense of urgency and concern proportional to the importance of our mission.
It is time to take charge of our future. VA's challenges demand bold and innovative thinking, the strong suit of VHA. They call for strategic change and common-sense solutions. They encompass cultural change. And they will not be overcome without a full-court press, hands-on commitment from all of us—working as a team in support of the President's charter to transform our department.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting me to speak with you today. Thank you for what you do every day for our Veterans. God bless them, and God bless you. Thank you.


text:
Dallas -- SRS Real Estate Partners said it represented Brentwood Specialty Center, LLC in the sale of The Streets of Brentwood to a partnership between New York City-based DRA Advisors and RED Legacy out of Kansas City.
The 305,428-sq.-ft. lifestyle center, located in Brentwood, Calif., sold for $72.1 million. It is anchored by a 14-screen Rave Theater and features tenants such as REI, Banana Republic, DSW, Ulta Cosmetics, Ann Taylor and Jos. A. Bank. The property sale also included a parcel of developable land approved for Phase II and 110,000 sq. ft. of additional retail space.


text:
Tuesday's Golden State Warriors-Indiana Pacers NBA game was interrupted by a fourth-quarter altercation between the teams.
No punches appeared to be thrown, but Pacers center Roy Hibbert twice flung Warriors guard Stephen Curry toward the floor.
The incident started when Hibbert and Golden State forward David Lee were competing for a rebound near the basket. The two got into a shoving match, with 7-foot-2 Hibbert getting the better of the 6-9 Lee.
As that was going on, Curry led the charge in defense of Lee. At 6-3, Curry was no match for Hibbert.
"Seriously, I didn't even feel him," Hibbert told reporters of Curry. "I saw some light-skinned guy. I don't know if it was (Warriors guard) Klay Thompson or Steph Curry, I just knew there was a light-skinned guy by me."
The melee migrated to the corner, in front of fans in courtside seats.
Hibbert received two technical fouls and was ejected. Lee; Curry; Thompson, who pushed Hibbert, and Pacers forward David West each received a technical.
Hibbert said after the game that he expected to be suspended.
Indiana (36-21) was leading the Warriors (33-24) at the time, 95-85. The Pacers won the game, 108-97.
"I thought we did a good job of showing maturity, staying within our system and closing out the game," West said in an interview on the Pacers' TV postgame show.
The Indiana Pacers were involved in the most infamous of NBA brawls, the Malice at the Palace, a fight that spilled into the stands against the Detroit Pistons.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


text:
19 fun car road trip activities
Turn an ordinary drive into a world of fun adventures and possibilities. more
Few of us would dispute the joy and personal benefits gained from listening to music. And it's not just in our minds, it's a scientific fact. According to experts, studies have shown that listening to music is in fact rewarding to the brain. Starting musical appreciation young brings particular beneficial to babies and children.
"It's been shown that listening to music actually releases dopamine, which is triggered by the pleasure centre in our brain," says psychologist Nicole Pierotti. This chemical affects our mood, giving us pleasure, while melody and rhythm can trigger feelings in our brain from sadness to joy.
If you go back in time, music has to be one of our most primitive experiences. It is far more than entertainment, it increases our learning and our intelligence. According to Pierotti, listening to music is particularly beneficial to children, even babies. "Music is often talked about as a 'super food' for the brain as the benefits are enormous and cover such a variety of cognitive areas unlike any other stimulation. Music stimulates both sides of the brain at the same time – the left the creative side and the right the logical side."
But it takes more than purely listening to music to really reap the benefits, despite previous theories such as the Mozart Effect. "The Mozart Effect was misinterpreted and people thought that just by listening to classical music a child's brain would grow in intelligence," says Pierotii. "Listening to music has a whole heap of benefits, however, the effects on the brain are temporary. Further research went on to show that actual 'participation', being taught music, has the long-lasting benefits talked about in the Mozart Effect. Classical music is much more complex in structure and harmony and this is why classical music 'gets the brain ready for other intellectual tasks'."
It's clear just by watching children sing and dance that children of all ages innately love music. They also love to be part of making the music: newborns love their rattles, while toddlers love their shakers, drums and tambourines. There are plenty of great ways to encourage your child's musical intelligence, says Pierotti.
"Music can be part of your routine," says Pierotti. "You can sing a certain song at tidy up time, sing a song or listen to music when lights are off and when you say goodnight. Music is calming and if used as part of a routine brings calmness."
Other tips include:
This article was written for Kidspot by Nicole Madigan with additional information from Baby Smiles.


text:
Indianapolis awarded 2012 Super Bowl
NFL.com Wire Reports
Illustration by HKS Architects Lucas Oil Stadium will be the new home of the Colts starting with the 2008 season.
Indianapolis has been awarded Super Bowl XLVI, which will be played on Feb. 5, 2012, it was annouced at the annual NFL Spring Meeting being held in Atlanta.
Lucas Oil StadiumThe stadium: Lucas Oil Stadium ($675 million) scheduled to open in 2008 (broke ground Sept. 20, 2005).
Location: Downtown Indianapolis, adjacent to the Colts former home, the RCA Dome.
Capacity: 63,000 - 75,000 (estimated, depending on configuration)
History: Indiana has never hosted a Super Bowl. The last time a city hosted for the first time was Jacksonville in 2005 (Super Bowl XXXIX), and the last time a state hosted for the first time was Arizona (Tempe) in 1996 (Super Bowl XXX).
This will be the first Super Bowl held in Indianapolis, and the first one held in a cold-weather city since Detroit held Super Bowl XL.
Other candidates for hosting the 2012 Super Bowl were Arizona (Glendale) and Houston. Arizona's University of Phoenix Stadium was the host of last year's Super Bowl XLII, while Houston's last Super Bowl (XXXVIII) was held after the 2003 season.
Last year, Arizona, Indianapolis and North Texas competed for the 2011 Super Bowl, with North Texas winning those rights. Tampa will host Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, while South Florida (Miami) will host the Super Bowl in 2010.
"We have a public/private-funded stadium that is, I believe, the best in the world," Colts owner Jim Irsay said. "I put $100 million into it and our city $650 million. We have generated an extra $25 million in donations for the league for operating costs. Our square footage went from 900 (thousand) in the old place to 1.8 million.
"It is environmentally friendly. I think it sends an important message to teams and cities that if you work together and get new stadiums done and build on long-term relationships that benefit the NFL, that the Super Bowl is a realistic reward for all of that. This isn't so much about the Colts. The people of Indianapolis and of Indiana deserve it."
Indianapolis also hosts the annual NFL Scouting Combine.


text:
Brewers Community Foundation set to dedicate Sherman Park baseball field
MILWAUKEE - Brewers Community Foundation will dedicate a new baseball diamond at Sherman Park (3000 N. Sherman Blvd.) on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Brewers players Rickie Weeks and Khris Davis will join Brewers alum Larry Hisle and Executive Director - Brewers Community Foundation Cecelia Gore in the ribbon- cutting ceremony.
Over the years, the Sherman Park baseball diamond had fallen into disrepair, making it unsuitable for organized play and leaving neighborhood youth with fewer positive activities to occupy their time. Thanks to the efforts of organizations like Brewers Community Foundation, the newly-remodeled diamond will host youth baseball and softball games adjacent to the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club.


text:
Thirty years later, Laura's best friend, Tish Verdure, returns to Duluth to write a book about Laura's death. Tish knows secrets about Cindy that leave Stride questioning his entire past.
©2009 Brian Freeman; (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
"[M]ay be his most ambitious - and accomplished - work to date....Powered by darkly poetic atmospherics and deep character development, this harrowing and heartrending novel will leave readers guessing until the very last pages." (Publishers Weekly)
Laura Starr is brutally murdered. 30 years later Tish Verdure, Laura's closest friend, returns to Duluth to write a novel, "Who Killed Laura Starr?" This story within a story is told from the point of view of Laura's sister, Cindy. The books go back and forth until eventually "Who Killed Laura Starr?" is abandoned. It is difficult to determine if this is with intent or not. The central character in both books is Jonathan Stride, husband to Cindy. Jon was there at the murder and typical of a small town is enlisted by Ray Wallace, the sheriff, to help with the murder investigation. This puts Jon on his career path and he eventually becomes a detective in Duluth. When Tish returns, she speaks to Jon first and Jon unofficially reopens the case on the strength of evidence that Tish withheld. This is the first of multiple secrets that abide within the adults who were teenagers at the time of the murder. They are revealed slowly and substantially impact a family who never even heard of Laura. The drama of Clark and his daughter, Mary, who is developmentally disabled, draws the listener further into the web. Clark is key to solving the mystery. The ending is somewhat unexpected and quite sad. Freeman does not allow everyone to live happily ever after; although some characters do. There is a scene at the end which requires the listener to suspend belief because it's a little beyond the pale, but forgivable. Don't buy this book if you are looking for tons of action. You will be disappointed. The book is a cold case and the investigation is slow. Most of the action is at the end. Character development, intricate relationships, and inequities within the criminal justice system are the primary pieces of this book. The mystery does get solved, but in its own time.
"Minnesota native objects"
Let me start with this: any reader who doesn't know how to pronounce "Ole" -- as in 'Ole and Lena jokes' -- has no business reading a Minnesota book.
But second, if the reader had parodied African American accents like he does Minnesota accents, he'd be charged with unmitigated racism. The reading is way beyond atrocious. The caricatures are embarrassing and insulting to everyone from the Upper Midwest -- his rendition of North Dakota farmers is even worse. Fortunately, they have fewer lines.
The book itself? I love reading Freeman's books because I know the locale and remember it with fondness. That's what I'll do in the future -- read the books.
I imagine Brian Freeman himself is tearing his hair out over this assault and battery on his work.
Descriptive, entertaining, and well acted out! Very hard listen to put down! This author and narrator combo has sucked me in to six books in a row... On to the next!
Not a thrilling thriller. The characters failed to engage my interest--I couldn't care about any of them. The narrator, while adequately capturing the Minnesota accent, detracted from the story. His voices for the female characters were especially grating, making them sound developmentally challenged. Most of the action sequences came off as ridiculously melodramatic, and the "romantic" passages were just cringe-inducing. Very amateurish.
Dept Q, Harry Hole... where are you?
"Another Great Freeman Work"
And it never hurts to have great narration either.
In this series we are blessed with realistic, great police work, an engaging group of characters and clever mysteries.
"Best of the best...so far?"
Fantastic character development, narration, descriptive narrative that puts you there, hearing and feeling the wind, the weather, the emotions, fears, anger and love. Brian Freeman's books bring me right back to the Duluth I spent parts of my life growing up in. So far, this is the best of his "crop" of the best!
"good book"
great book. keeps my attention. thats not always easy. I really hate that they make me write a 15 word review.
Report Inappropriate Content
If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.


text:
The Horrorist DJ Set – March 8, 2014 – NYC, USA at Defcon by Thingstocome on Mixcloud
Last weekend I did a DJ Set at Defcon. Defcon is run by D.J. Stalagmike. There are three things that make Defcon special. First, it's a true old school EBM event. You won't hear cybergoth here. Mike has very good taste playing New Beat, Scarecrow and things like that. Second, Defcon takes place in one of the oldest running classic venues: The Pyramid. The Pyramid has been around since the 1979 and was host to some of the best drag/gay parties throughout the 80s. Finally, Mike has managed to make this an every Saturday event for a long time. To create a long running classic EBM event in North America is something to be noted. I was very pleased to be asked to play there. I posted my mix below for you to hear in full! As I played music I was screaming and sweating quite a bit. A tradition at Defcon is apparently drinking something called Black Haus. I did my best not to vomit with each shot. This stuff really tastes like paint thinner. Dj Andi did two amazing sets. She runs the Synthicide night and for someone in her 20s blows my mind with her obscure 80s music knowledge. Mike DJed for the rest of the night. Several times I had to run to the DJ booth to find out what he was playing. I couldn't stop dancing to either of their sets. I had a chance to meet Jean Lorenzo (who was sporting a nice Petra Flurr T-Shirt) who records some nice hardware only synth/gothpop under the name Silent Em. I also met with old friends Reade Truth and Kreestof. In the late 80s and early 90s there was no place greater for music than NYC. Lately it's cool and fun factor has really been on the rise. Heimat!
"The Pyramid Club is a nightclub in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. After opening in 1979, the Pyramid helped define the East Village drag and gay scenes of the 1980s. The club is located at 101 Avenue A in Manhattan." – Wikipedia
For more info: facebook.com/pages/Defcon-NYC-Industrial


text:
This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=3/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=1/3. Survive 25 waves of zombies in this retro-3D shooter! 30 characters to choose from, over 20 weapons at your disposal, and thousands of zombies to kill! Play with up to 4 players in this action-packed adventure! Can you survive in Zombie Estate!?
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


text:
I agree with Adam.
Now I am ready for some football...
'); var yuipath = 'clientscript/yui'; var yuicombopath = ''; var remoteyui = false; } else // Load Rest of YUI remotely (where possible) { var yuipath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/2.9.0/build'; var yuicombopath = 'http://yui.yahooapis.com/combo'; var remoteyui = true; if (!yuicombopath) { document.write('
I agree with Adam.
Now I am ready for some football...
Nuntius was right for a while. I was wrong for a while. But ultimately I was right and Frank Vogel has been let go.
"A player who makes a team great is more valuable than a great player. Losing yourself in the group, for the good of the group, thats teamwork."
-John Wooden


text:
JUNIOR members of Bromsgrove and Redditch AC defied the snow to take part in the West Midlands Young Athletes League in Nuneaton on Sunday.
Felix Gill was the club's highest finisher with 11th place in the under-11s, while Oriana Ball also finished 15th in the under-17s girls category.
Results: U11 Girls: Anna Nicod 30th, Flora Skinner 88th, Buffy Pinnegar 101st, Ellie Green 108th; U13 Girls: Megan Nicod 22nd; Livvy Worth 30th; Amy Jovic-Couldwell 33rd, Eva James 82nd; U15 Girls: Ruth Gameson 32nd; U17 Girls: Orianna Ball 15th; U11 Boys: Felix Gill 11th, Josh Keyte 62nd; U13 Boys: Will Moss 46th; Nicholas Jones 47th; U15 Boys: Ben O'Connor 38th; U17 Boys: James Downing 27th.
Last weekend, the Midlands Counties Athletics Association at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham.
Bromsgrove and Redditch athletes put in some excellent performances from the most junior competitors to the seniors.
Candy Lockett started the New Year with three first places, standing her in good stead for an impressive second year competing in the under-15 age category.
Midlands Counties Athletics Association results: Candy Lockett (u15) shot putt 1st (8.19m), discuss 1st (23.59m), hammer 1st (26.28m); Jessica Bennett (U15) 60m hurdles (race two) 2nd (10.49s), 60m (race four) 3rd (8.49s); Izzy Billau (U20), triple jump 3rd (10.49m), javelin 3rd (26.33m); David Mould senior men's 60m (race five) 1st (7.41s); Richard O'Connor (senior men hammer) 1st (32.53); Yasmine Al-Dafftary (senior women's competition) 60m (race two) 4th (9.96s).


text:
Make your brand
as unique as you are
With Avery Marketing Solutions
Your brand is your personality. Make it unique. Whether it's announcing a sale or adding a touch of class to your packaging, it's easy to design your own look with a little help from us.
Manila "G" Shipping Tags
Manila | 6-1/4" x 3-1/8" | Wired | 1000 Ct
Metal Rim Tags
White | 2-1/4" Diameter | Strung | 500 Ct
White Marking Tags
White | 1-1/2" x 15/16" | Strung | 1000 Ct


text:
It's not very often that I have 12 of anything to give away, let alone 12 signed copies of a fabulous book! Well, guess what?? I found one more, so I get to pick 13 winners instead! Suits me fine, I'd give everyone a copy if I could.
Here are the winners, chosen at random from all who commented by 11:59 pm on 08/14.
- Kim B
- Jenni
- Jennifer J
- Veronica
- Heidi Howard
- Alisha
- Kristina
- Thomas Hayes
- Dawn
- Patrick
- Tom K
- Heather Cornbleth
Congrats to everyone who won! I'll be following up via email later today. If I don't hear back from a selected winner within 5 business days, I will choose a new one from the list of remaining entrants. Thank you for participating and I hope you enjoy the book. If you didn't win, but still want to check out the book, head over to RunBare.com to order a copy.


text:
This game was classified by the community with the following category scores - Violence=1/3, Sex=0/3, Mature Content=0/3. A Tower Defence game, The rainbow sheep are launching an invasion.Use your skills to defend the castle from this onslaught. Beware the Rainbow sheep army will try thier best to get by our defences stop them at any cost.There are optional game modes such as "Quick play" and "Endurance" Test your abilities
Buy Xbox content on Xbox.com. Your Xbox 360 console will automatically download the content next time you turn it on and connect to Xbox Live.Learn More


text:
September 2013
Dr. Marilyn Huestis of NIDA's Intramural Research Program talks about conducting research on drug effects with human subjects, developing tests to help law enforcement identify drugged drivers, and an assay to help identify children whose prenatal exposure to anti-HIV drugs may put them at risk for adverse developmental outcomes.
August 2013
Mephedrone and methylone, two stimulants commonly found in designer drugs such as "bath salts," act on the brain much like MDMA (Ecstasy).
Regular cannabis use that starts in adolescence strips away IQ, a NIDA-supported study suggests. Participants who initiated weekly cannabis use before age 18 dropped IQ points in proportion to how long they persisted in using the drug. Persistent cannabis users' cognitive difficulties were evident to friends and family and measurable on a battery of tests.
In a surprising finding, male rats who used cocaine sired male offspring who later exhibited blunted responses to the drug. Researchers determined the cause was an epigenetic alteration.
New research demonstrated that, in rhesus monkeys, ongoing cocaine exposure weakens two brain functions that people require for successful behavioral change: cognitive flexibility and memory. But the study determined that these changes may not be permanent.
July 2013
Researchers found that 1 in 8 high school seniors had used a prescription opioid nonmedically, and 70 percent of these teens had compounded the attendant risk by co-ingesting an opioid with one or more other drugs. Nonmedical opioid use was significantly more prevalent among whites than among African Americans or Hispanics.
When the goal is to avoid using alcohol and illicit substances after being released from jail, it's who one's friends are that counts most. Self-control is important because it helps a person have the right kind of friends.
May 2013
The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse introduced two new members at its May 2013 meeting.
A new vaccine hindered the often-abused prescription opioids oxycodone and hydrocodone from entering the brain and suppressed one of the drugs' signature central nervous system effects. The findings warrant continued development of the vaccine as a potential aid in the treatment of oxycodone and hydrocodone abuse and dependence.
Men benefit more than women from nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation because nicotine affects a key neuroreceptor differently in the two sexes, a NIDA-sponsored study suggests. The findings highlight the need for alternative therapies for women smokers, and point to the female hormone progesterone as a potential therapeutic target.


text:
Mucci International Marketing recently launched tomato products featuring packaging designed to be convenient for retailers and consumers.
Developed by the Mucci Farms growing team in Kingsville, Ontario, the greenhouse tomato middy clusters trademarked as Vero tomatoes by the company are the first produce to come out of Mucci's new high-tech greenhouse, said sales vice president Joe Spano in a news release.
"The taste is truly a throwback to grandmother's garden," Spano said in the release.
The Vero tomatoes on the vine have rich red color and are smaller than traditional tomatoes on the vine, according to the release.
Spano said Mucci's retail partners guided the development of the packaging for the Vero, which are available in 500-gram packages (about 18 ounces).
The Vero clusters come in a preprinted recyclable tray inside flow wrap. A quick response code on the package links consumers to recipes on the Web.
Another new product from Mucci seeks to capitalize on the brown tomato trend. Terreno Naturally Brown Tomatoes have a sweet flavor, according to the release. Their name comes from the Italian word for "earthly."
Packaging options for the Terreno Naturally Brown Tomatoes include a lidded box that features a recyclable tray, anti-fog and micro-perforated film and a tamper evident seal.
The Torrenos are also available in a recyclable tray with flow wrap and in clear clamshells in two sizes — a three-count size and a 1-pound size.
Curio gourmet tomatoes from Mucci are described by Spano in the release as having a rich and intense taste reminiscent of old fashioned tomato flavors.
Technically beefsteaks, the Curio tomatoes are pink and come in various package styles and sizes.


text:
VIERA, Fla - A Brevard County father has been found guilty after pleading no contest on Friday to all charges after being accused of starving his 13-year-old son.
Michael Marshall, 40, pleaded no contest to all 11 counts related to aggravated child abuse and unlawful imprisonment Friday afternoon in front of Circuit Court Judge David Dugan.
Police found the boy locked away, lying on the bathroom floor of Marshall's Titusville home in March 2012, malnourished and weighing just 40 pounds.
"He was deprived access to showers. His food was limited at times to no meals at all and one meal a day. He had to earn meals back," said state prosecutor Will Scheiner. "Bedding was deprived of him. Clothing, showers, all necessities of life were deprived of him."
Throughout the course of two years, prosecutors said Marshall and his live-in girlfriend, Sharon Glass, who was convicted on 7 counts of child abuse last month, locked the teen in a closet, zip-tied him to a bed post for days at a time and starved him.
Marshall told the judge Friday that he and Glass were trying to teach his son a lesson for misbehaving.
"We were basically trying to get him to be a good boy, basically. She [Glass] said it's a good thing to get him to rock bottom then he might straighten up," Marshall told the judge.
He went on to say that the abuse of his son did not come until Sharon Glass and her family moved in.
Marshall said the teen was stealing, lying and cheating and Glass wanted him "locked up" while she was home.
"But we wasn't trying to hurt him or anything. We were trying to help him, but we went the wrong way about it," said Marshall.
Marshall's sentence hearing is in April and he could face anywhere from 19.25 to 30 years in prison.
Copyright 2014 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: Bienfang - No.106 Sketch and Tracing Paper - 8lb Roll - 18inx20yd - Bienfang Sketch and Tracing Paper rolls are perfect for developmental sketches, preliminary detail renderings and tracing. The white translucent paper provides superior transparency and is excellent with pencil, inks and markers. It will also work with watercolors. This lightweight roll paper reproduces well and is popular with architects, designers, and engineers.


text:
Business owners in Otley are being encouraged to take advantage of a new tax break.
From April, many small businesses will be in line to save £2,000 through the new Employment Allowance - so long as they register for it.
Andrew Thornton, who runs TaxAssist Accountants in Otley, said: "From next month small businesses could benefit from the new Employment Allowance which could cut £2,000 from their employer Class 1 National Insurance contributions.
"However, while most small businesses should qualify to receive the benefit, they must indicate their eligibility within the Employer Payment Summary submitted to HMRC.
"This is normally done online via payroll software.
"National Insurance is a major, hidden cost for employers and this new relief is designed to encourage small businesses to take on new staff and boost job creation."
TaxAssist Accountants specialises in providing tax and accountancy advice and services to small businesses.


text:
Efficacy of Iocide Oral Rinse Against Gingival Inflammation
The recruitment status of this study is unknown. The completion date has passed and the status has not been verified in more than two years.
Verified August 2013 by Biomedical Development Corporation.
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Recruitment status was: Recruiting
Biomedical Development Corporation
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
University of Kentucky
Information provided by (Responsible Party):
Biomedical Development Corporation
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
First received: January 29, 2013
Last updated: August 13, 2013
Last verified: August 2013
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The purpose of this study is to explore the efficacy of Iocide oral rinse in a human clinical trial of gingivitis. Iocide oral rinse will be evaluated against a placebo rinse. Indices for gingivitis, plaque and bleeding will be scored and blood tests will be performed to determine the effect of the antimicrobial oral rinse on relative levels of biological markers of inflammation.
|Gingivitis Investigation of Biological Markers of Inflammation
|Drug: Iocide Oral Rinse Drug: Placebo
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Phase II Study: Evaluate Efficacy of Iocide Oral Rinse in a Human Clinical Trial of Gingival Inflammation and Investigate Effects on Biological Markers Indicative of Systemic Disease
Further study details as provided by Biomedical Development Corporation:
Primary Outcome Measures:
- Change in Mean Gingival Index (GI) [ Time Frame: Study Days -21 to -7 through Study Day 168 ]
Secondary Outcome Measures:
- Change in Biological Marker Data [ Time Frame: Study Day 1, Day 28, Day 84 and Day 168 ]
Other Outcome Measures:
- Assessment of Product Safety [ Time Frame: Study Days 1 through Study Days 168 ]The assessment of product safety will include the following: incidence of adverse events, measures of thyroid function, and iodine excretion. Additionally, investigators will assess any development of opportunistic infection with Candida albicans, changes in oral tissues, and concomitant medication interactions.
|Estimated Enrollment:
|Study Start Date:
|February 2013
|Estimated Study Completion Date:
|May 2014
|Estimated Primary Completion Date:
|January 2014 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Active Comparator: Iocide Oral Rinse
Iocide Oral Rinse once daily 30 second rinse for 24 weeks
Drug: Iocide Oral Rinse
Other Name: Iocide Oral Rinse - once daily 30 second rinse for 24 weeks
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Control
Once daily 30 second rinse for 24 weeks
|Drug: Placebo
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
Subjects shall meet all of the following inclusion criteria to be eligible for participation in this study:
- Males or non-pregnant females of at least 18 years of age, and in good general health, as determined by Investigator;
- Have at least 16 natural, gradable teeth and good dental health, as determined by Investigator;
- Have > 25% sites with Gingival Index (GI) scores of > 2 at Visits 1 and 2;
- Have Plaque Index (PI) scores of > 1 on > 50% of sites;
- Use of effective method of contraception for the duration of the study or permanently sterilized;
- Able and willing to comply with study requirements including following instructions on study treatment and returning for follow-up visits as required by the protocol;
- Have full understanding of all elements of, and signature and dating of the written informed consent prior to the initiation of protocol specified procedures;
- Females with childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test before and during the study period. Sexually active females must be using an effective form of birth control or abstinence. These methods include oral contraceptives ("the pill"), an intrauterine device (IUD), levonogestrol implants (Norplant®), medroxyprogesterone acetate injections (Depo-provera®) or contraceptive foam with a condom.
Exclusion Criteria:
Subjects meeting any of the following exclusion criteria will not be eligible for participation in this study:
- History, or current evidence, of any significant acute or chronic subject-reported medical or psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the Investigator, would render examination difficult or invalid or prevent the subject from active study participation;
- ≤24% of sites with GI score >2;
- Thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOab) positive >34;
- Screening serum level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.45 or >4.5;
- Treatment with antibiotic within the one (1) month period prior to the screening examination;
- History of heart murmur, history of rheumatic fever, valvular disease, prosthetic implant or any other condition requiring antibiotic premedication;
- History of thyroid disease;
- Purported sensitivity or allergy to iodine;
- Known sensitivity or allergy to shellfish;
- History of diabetes;
- History of autoimmune disease;
- Gross oral pathology (periodontal disease, rampant caries, tissue damage created by poor oral care or treatment, soft or hard tissue tumors) that, in the opinion of the Investigator, could influence the outcome of the study;
- True periodontal pockets of > 5 mm and/or visible recession indicative of attachment loss;
- Current signs or symptoms of mucosal tissue ulcerations or inflammation, or canker sores;
- Presence of orthodontic appliances or any removable appliance that impinges on the oral tissues being assessed;
- History of early onset periodontal disease or acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis;
- Subject reported history in past 6 months or current alcohol abuse that, in the opinion of the Investigator, could influence the outcome of the study;
- Subject reported history of last past 6 months or current drug abuse;
- Chronic treatment (2 weeks or more) with any medication known to affect periodontal status (including phenytoin, calcium antagonists, cyclosporine, coumarin, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and aspirin) within 1 month of the screening examination. All other medications for chronic medical conditions have been initiated at least 3 months before enrollment;
- Current use of a statin or the use of a statin within the past sixty (60) days of screening;
- Concomitant therapy with another investigational drug or device without prior approval from the Sponsor within four weeks prior to Visit 2 (Study Day 1);
- Concomitant endodontic or periodontal therapy other than prophylaxis in the past six (6) months;
- Females with childbearing potential with a positive pregnancy test, pregnant or nursing mothers, suspected pregnancy, or intention to become pregnant during the study;
- Residence in the same household as a subject already enrolled in the study (inclusion may create blinding and/or compliance issues);
- Unable and unwilling to comply with the informed consent process, to meet study requirements including following instructions on study intervention, and to return for follow-up visits as required by the protocol.
Contacts and Locations
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below. For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01782170
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01782170
|Contact: Hailey Gallivan, CCRP
|Contact: Karl McCloskey
|(361) 442-7491
|United States, Kentucky
|University of Kentucky, Center for Oral Health Research, College of Dentistry
|Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40506
|Principal Investigator: Dolph Dawson, DMD, MS
Sponsors and Collaborators
Biomedical Development Corporation
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
University of Kentucky
|Principal Investigator:
|Dolphus R Dawson III, DMD, MS
|University of Kentucky
More Information
Keywords provided by Biomedical Development Corporation:
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017
|Responsible Party:
|Biomedical Development Corporation
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01782170 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
R44HL101821 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|Study First Received:
|January 29, 2013
|Last Updated:
|August 13, 2013
Keywords provided by Biomedical Development Corporation:
Biological Markers of Inflammation
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Pathologic Processes
Gingival Diseases
Periodontal Diseases
Mouth Diseases
Stomatognathic Diseases
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 21, 2017


text: Climate change comments draw ire for W.Va.'s McKinley By David Gutman September 18, 2013 Story Share CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Rep. David McKinley expressed doubt about widely agreed upon facets of climate science on Wednesday, earning stern rebukes from the U.S. Secretary of Energy as well as his Democratic colleagues on the House subcommittee on Energy and Power."The CO2 levels are undeniably increasing. Some scientists and climatologists have concluded that CO2 levels coincide with temperature increases," McKinley said, going on to say that this may not be the case. "Over 40 years, there's been almost no increase in temperatures, very slight." McKinley, a Republican representing Northern West Virginia, was speaking at a House subcommittee hearing on climate policy with Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy.His statements drew an immediate response from Rep. Henry Waxman, the ranking Democrat on the committee."I just thought the statements that the gentleman from West Virginia read to us were incredibly inaccurate and contrary to what everybody in the scientific community has said to us," Waxman said, "We need scientists to come in here and talk about science."One of those scientists, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, a theoretical physicist, also criticized McKinley's remarks."This decade is the warmest decade in recorded history," Moniz said. "The issues in terms of risk of climate change are not based upon models . . . the anthropogenic changes from CO2 are clearly of a scale that has long been expected." McKinley cited data showing that there is now 60 percent more ice in the Arctic than there was at this time last year, when ice levels hit a record low.However, levels of Arctic ice are still substantially below historical averages. As of this week, there were about 1.5 million square kilometers less Arctic ice than there has been, on average, for the past 30 years, according to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, a research center at the University of Colorado.McKinley and others pointed to a recent slowdown in temperature rises over the past several years as evidence that man-made greenhouse gas emissions might not be contributing to climate change.Moniz pointed to a study in the journal "Nature," published in August, showing the slowdown to be a product of short-term weather trends. "Our results show that the current hiatus is part of natural climate variability, tied specifically to a La Niña-like decadal cooling," that study concluded. "The multi-decadal warming trend is very likely to continue with greenhouse gas increase."The hearing came in advance of the EPA's release of rules limiting carbon emissions on new coal-fired power plants. The rules are expected to be released Friday.McKinley and other Republicans expressed serious concerns that the rules, and other EPA actions, will cost jobs and contribute to higher energy costs.Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., asked McCarthy what authority the EPA has to act on greenhouse gas regulations, when Congress has failed to pass cap-and-trade bills and other carbon regulations. "We are not doing anything that Congress has not said we have an authority to do," McCarthy said.A 2007 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court authorized the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases under the auspices of the Clean Air Act, passed in 1970.Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield, R-Ky., criticized McCarthy and President Obama for failing to appreciate the consequences of potential EPA rules on coal-producing states."Over 151 coal mines have been closed," Whitfield said. "What are the special plans in the president's action plan that help address the people who are losing their jobs because of these policies?"McCarthy did not have information on any specific plans, but said, "We have to be sensitive to the economic actions of our policies."McKinley sharply criticized Obama for his decision to no longer finance coal power plants abroad through the U.S. Import-Export Bank. "One of the biggest moral responsibilities for the United States should be to help emerging nations out of poverty. The most abundant, affordable source of power is coal" McKinley said, saying that many African countries can generate only enough energy to power one 60-watt light bulb per person per day. "This president must not prevent people around the globe from attaining affordable energy."Reach David Gutman at email@example.com or 304-348-5119. Story Share Story Share Trending Now 1 Congressional opioid investigation targets drug wholesaler Miami-Luken 2 Facebook founder visits Cabin Creek Health Systems 3 WVU hopes to get injured defenders back for TCU 4 Safety shutoff disabled prior to June coal-mining death, report says 5 Rhode Island bank claims Justice companies owe $4.2M on helicopter loan Manchin won't support Obama energy nominee Previous Story That's a really gourd catch! (photo) Next Story


text:
Buckner designated for assignment by Halos
KANSAS CITY -- Billy Buckner knows all about the ups and downs of Major League Baseball. One day after he threw five shutout innings in his first Major League game in nearly three years, Buckner learned that the Angels had designated him for assignment on Sunday.
The Angels had to make a move on their 25-roster with reliever Kevin Jepsen being activated after a stint on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain.
Buckner said he would be receptive to remaining in the Angels organization if he clears waivers. In his debut with the Angels, he allowed just two hits and walked three over five innings.
"There's no real reaction," Buckner said. "I guess I understand it. They've got a lot of guys coming off the DL. So, someone has to go. I really like this organization. They obviously are willing to promote guys who aren't on the roster at the time. I like the staff here and the staff at [Triple-A] Salt Lake. It would be an easy thing to go there and try to work my way back."
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said that making tough decisions with the roster at this juncture is an indication that the club's fortunes are on the rise.
"We haven't had many tough decisions leading up to this," Scioscia said. "It points to the re-establishment of some depth that we need. I think that's going to continue through this next week. We have guys coming back who are important to us. We'll see how everything falls into place over the next four or five days."
Robert Falkoff is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Published September 24, 2007 Submitted by: Mike
Has the crest of the wave hit the beach? If moribund subprime loans were hairballs, could we say that the economy has coughed most of them up?
Whatever unlovely analogy you might care to use, this subject may be a drag on the economy for quite a while. Try Richard Benson's Titanic-and iceberg analogy.
Jack Guttentag uses an optometric analogy (disaster myopia).
Find this article at


text:
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. Tractor Supply Company announced that net sales for the second quarter increased 12.6% to $1.07 billion from $946.5 million in the prior year's second quarter. Same-store sales increased 6.1% compared with a 2.7% decrease in the prior-year period. This same-store sales increase was broad-based and driven by continued strong results in core consumable categories, including animal and pet-related products, as well as agricultural and seasonal products, including outdoor power equipment, the company reported.
Net income for the quarter was $76.5 million, or $2.05 per diluted share, compared with $54.8 million, or $1.50 per diluted share, in the prior year's second quarter.
Jim Wright, chairman and CEO, stated, "We are pleased that our record results for the quarter far exceeded expectations, as we announced earlier this month. We achieved substantial sales and earnings growth as well as gross margin expansion and expense leverage. Through strategic inventory planning, allocation and management, we were prepared and able to capitalize on favorable weather patterns while supporting strong demand for seasonal merchandise. We continued to leverage our operating performance and financial foundation to drive shareholder value."
For fiscal 2010 the company said it anticipates net sales to range from $3.49 billion to $3.53 billion, same-store sales to increase 2.5% to 3.5%, and net income to range from $4.00 to $4.10 per diluted share.


text:
This week at Victory...
Read more articles below
FOR THE WIN Deliver New Music Video
San Diego natives FOR THE WIN have delivered "Us Versus Them," the fourth video from their upcoming album Heavy Thoughts, set for release this Friday, August 25th. The song kicks off the new album with its immediate callout, "This is a song for the beaten and broken!' and skyrockets FOR THE WIN's singalong, pile-on, aggressive guitar driven pop into mosh pits (and speakers) worldwide.
For The Win , New Noise , Music VideoContinue Reading →
New Music Video From WE RIDE
Currently in the middle of the European festival circuit, WE RIDE has released the music video for "What You Are," from their Victory Records debut, Empowering Life, available now. The powerful modern hardcore five piece teamed up with Deez Nuts frontman JJ Peters to deliver a track that is more than just a mosh worthy anthem, but a cut that hits like an adrenaline spike to the heart. WE RIDE also announced several dates supporting Stray From The Path and Capsize with more international dates to be announced soon.
Watch "What You Are" Now @ Alternative Press.
We Ride , Alternative Press , Music VideoContinue Reading →
AWAKEN I AM New Video, Pre-Order Details
Blind Love, the sonically infectious, ethereal and groundbreaking new album from AWAKEN I AM is set for release on September 29th, 2017. The Australian Gold Coast quintet have delivered a captivatingly hypnotic and visually liberating music video for the first single and title track, "Blind Love."Watch "Blind Love" Now @ Hysteria Magazine.
Physical and digital pre-orders for Blind Love are available now and include an instant download of the title track.
Hysteria , Awaken I Am , Music VideoContinue Reading →
Dead Girls Academy Joins Victory Records
Victory Records is proud to announce the signing of Los Angeles heavy rock outfit DEAD GIRLS ACADEMY. Ring leader and frontman Michael Orlando's new theatrical
pled interior of the human heart and mind. The bands potent forces are vividly on display as seen in their unholy video, "I'll Find A Way," from their new album set for release this winter.
Watch The Video "I'll Find A Way."
Continue Reading →
SHATTERED SUN New Video Hollow Chains
With a week away from the release of The Evolution Of Anger, their second album for Victory Records, modern metal trailblazers SHATTERED SUN have unveiled the video 'Hollow Chains.' Perfectly outlining the demise of cultural and social consciousness, the video also exhibits the ferociousness SHATTERED SUN are known to deliver on stage.
Continue Reading →
Victory Records Wants You
Continue Reading →
THE AUTUMN OFFERING ON Headbangers Ball
Continue Reading →
Pre-Order now!
Continue Reading →
"Obfuscation" Digital Single Available Now!
Continue Reading →
EXCLUSIVE - YOU HEAR IT FIRST - VictorStream 1997 & FLL!
Continue Reading →


text:
UTICA, Mich. - Sen. John McCain and Michigan Congresswoman Candice Miller held a veterans roundtable meet and greet Monday at the American Legion Post 351 in Utica.
The former presidential candidate was campaigning on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
McCain and Miller, R -Harrison Township, met with the veterans to hear their concerns with members of Romney's policy team.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.