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A Great Place to Start
A Survey of the Process Industry's Favorite First Applications for Wireless Field Networks
As collective interest in wireless gathers momentum, a growing number of process manufacturers are seeking that first, relatively low-risk application that will allow them to validate the technology within their own cultures and operating environments.
And while the reasoning and justification varies widely, many process manufacturers continue to choose a field-level network of measurement devices as their first foray into the wireless world, according to Emerson Process Management, which today has several years and hundreds of wireless implementations under its corporate belt.
Indeed, while most current application requests are for field-network applications, says Jane Lansing, vice president of marketing for Emerson Process Management, "we're increasingly working with customers on plant-level applications, such as for mobile workers and the location of assets and people."
And while none of the applications surveyed in this article may apply directly to your plant's situation, it's likely there's one that has much in common with them. (See figure for application categories.)
Heat Exchanger and Filter Monitoring
Heat exchangers, which often are run until fouling adversely affects unit performance, represent an excellent application for wireless. They rarely are instrumented, even in newer plants, but wireless monitors enable personnel to determine when maintenance is needed.
For example, a major refiner in Europe developed an equipment health system for keeping an eye on its heat exchangers. One of the company's engineers explains, "Monitoring heat exchangers for fouling allowed us to establish which heat exchanger was the most fouled. This knowledge gives us the opportunity to compare increases in the throughput with cleaning cost and to make better economic decisions."
Filters present another application opportunity. Many filters are run until they clog, but users can improve their performance significantly and save energy by using wireless monitors. One major refinery uses wireless to detect plugged filters on coker unit pumps, which is critical to prevent damage to the pump on loss of suction.
Tank Monitoring
Tank farms pose a unique instrumentation problem: Each of dozens of storage tanks may have to be monitored for level, temperature, pressure and so on. Because of the cost of running wiring underground over the vast distances involved, tank farms often are not instrumented.
Hunt Refining Company in Tuscaloosa, Ala., U.S., uses wireless temperature transmitters to monitor hot asphalt tanks. When very hot asphalt is added to a tank, the hot fluid can "melt through" the stored asphalt and reach cold pockets, where any moisture present can flash off violently. This can cause a tank roof failure, which costs $200,000 to repair. Wireless temperature transmitters are spaced around each tank to monitor for cold pockets.
Checking Pump and Motor Health
When a vital pump or motor fails, it can cause a very expensive process shutdown, a leak or other problems.
Installing wireless vibration monitors on key pumps and motors is proving a wise investment for process plants. Vibration data is transmitted wirelessly to a control system that detects and diagnoses problems long before the pump or motor fails, allowing the plant to schedule maintenance or replacement at its convenience.
Monitoring Mobile Assets
Some process units, such as skids, pumps, compressors, portable laboratories and test equipment, are mobile. A major life-sciences company installed wireless on its moving skid platforms, which included pumps, filtration and milling equipment. The skids can be moved anywhere in the five-story building, and successfully communicate through 12-in. reinforced concrete floors.
Extreme Environments
Installing instrumentation in extreme environments causes problems for both the instrumentation and personnel. Extreme environments can mean temperature extremes, wet or dusty conditions or hazardous, explosive conditions.
At Usiminas (Usinas Siderúrgicas de Minas Gerais S.A.), one of the world's top steel producers, wireless temperature transmitters are being used to monitor roll bearing oil temperature at the company's heavy plate steel mill in Ipatinga, Brazil. "This more accurate and redundant data allows us to better maintain the roll bearings and to avoid unscheduled shut downs," says Carlos Augusto Souza de Oliveira, Usiminas instrumentation supervisor.
Rotating Equipment and Turbomachinery
Wireless analyzers increasingly are used to monitor rotating equipment, such as turbines, generator sets, reciprocating engines, compressors and other motor-driven systems. Since such machines are often very large and expensive, diagnostic equipment that can predict pending problems allows users to fix small problems before they become very large problems.
Rotating process equipment is also difficult to monitor with wired instruments. At Coogee Chemicals in Australia, wired instruments failed frequently on a rotating reactor, so Coogee installed wireless pressure and temperature transmitters.
Energy Usage Monitoring
Monitoring energy usage is vital, but often difficult to do with wired instruments. When a plant is first built, many measurement points are considered, but not installed because of time or cost. Now, when the measurements are needed, the cost of wiring new sensors is prohibitive.
Wireless lets users go into an existing plant and install the appropriate monitors. For example, at BP Bitumen near Brisbane, Australia, two wireless transmitters were deployed quickly to manage fuel delivery from temporary propane tanks that were rushed into service during a shutdown of the regular fuel system. The wireless transmitters allowed BP Bitumen to monitor the temporary propane system until the main fuel system came back on line.
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After losing out on Anibal Sanchez, the Chicago Cubs are now working to sign free-agent righthander Edwin Jackson.
Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio reported Wednesday that Chicago is the frontrunner to land the journeyman starter, ahead of the Texas Rangers. According to Bowden, a Jackson deal could approach four years and $52 million.
FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal reported that the Cleveland Indians were in talks with Jackson, as well, and also floated the idea of a four-year deal.
Jackson, 29, has a 4.40 lifetime ERA and a 70-71 record. He pitched for the Washington Nationals last season after failing to land a big contract in the offseason.
The team that lands Jackson will be getting a durable innings-eater; Jackson has made at least 31 starts in each of the past six seasons while pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals in addition to the Nats.
The Cubs were close to an agreement with Sanchez last week, before the Tigers offered the righthander a five year, $80 million contract.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ask and you shall receive. After getting numerous requests about dates and times for QuakeCon presentations, we're pleased to reveal the full presentation and panel schedule!
QuakeCon 2011 kicks off on Thursday, August 4th with the Annual Keynote from John Carmack, id Software's co-founder and technical director.
Here's the schedule…
Welcome and Annual Keynote – Thursday, August 4th at 2:00 pm
Presented (as always) by John Carmack
Skyrim Presentation – Friday, August 5th at 1:00 pm
Presented by Todd Howard
20 Years of id Software – Friday, August 5th at 2:30 pm
- John Carmack
- Tim Willits
- Todd Hollenshead
- Kevin Cloud
Ultimate Origins: The Games That Influence Us – Friday, August 5th at 4:00 pm
- Raphael Colantonio, Arkane
- Harvey Smith, Arkane
- Matt Hooper, id Software
- Marcus Smith, Insomniac
Prey 2 Presentation – Friday, August 5th at 5:30 pm
Master Pancake Theater: Twilight – Friday, August 5th at 9:oo pm
- Abbie Heppe, Respawn
- Adam Pyle, id Software
- Matt Grandstaff, Bethesda Softworks
- Nick Breckon, Bethesda Softworks
- Ryan Schneider, Insomniac
First-person Perspectives – Saturday, August 6th at 2:30 pm
- Mackey McCandlish, Respawn
- Drew Murray, Insomniac
- Tim Willits, id Software
- Julien Roby, Arkane
In addition to the lineup of presentations and panels, attendees will also have the opportunity to check out various exhibitors on the show floor, including BAWLS Acquisition, Blaine Warren Advertising, Cooler Master, CPU Magazine, Dell Computer, Diamond Multimedia, FSP GROUP USA CORP, Glitch Gaming Apparel, Grow Up Japan Co., Ltd., Gunnar Optiks, Hi-Rez Studios, IN WIN Development, Intel Americas, Inc., Plantronics and Psyko Audio Labs, Inc.
QuakeCon 2011 will take place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, TX. The event remains FREE to general admission and BYOC attendees thanks to the support of id and Bethesda Softworks, as well as the QuakeCon volunteer staff and the 2011 event sponsors and exhibitors. Doors to the QuakeCon BYOC will open on Thursday, August 4th at 9 am and will remain open through 12 pm on Sunday, August 7th.
QuakeCon Exhibit Hall Hours are:
- Thursday, August 4, 2011 10 am – 6 pm
- Friday, August 5 2011 10 am – 6 pm
- Saturday, August 6, 2011 10 am – 6 pm
To pre-register online for QuakeCon today go to: http://registration.quakecon.org/.


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You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image.
The Law Commission wants to crack down on the "injustice" that allows the use of trusts to protect property during matrimonial or other relationship disputes in its package of proposed changes to trust law released today.
As part of its long-running review of trust law, the commission today released a series of proposals to modernise and clarify legislation governing the use of the structures.
Use of trusts in New Zealand is widespread for a wide range of purposes including minimising tax, protecting property during matrimonial disputes, and shielding income and assets in order to qualify for social assistance.
However, Law Commission president Sir Grant Hammond said the proposals published today focused on "core trust law rather than other areas of law and policy that intersect with trust law, such as insolvency and social assistance".
"The commission has generally taken the position that resolving the problems that may arise in these areas due to the existence of trusts as a particular form of property holding falls beyond the scope of this review."
However, Sir Grant said one area of interaction which the commission had looked at further was relationship property.
"This is because of significant concern about the potential for injustice due to the use of trusts."
The commission raised several options for comment involving the amendment of relationship property legislation in order to alleviate the impact of trusts.
Other proposed reforms the commission is seeking public feedback on include:
# Giving trustees - who manage trusts on behalf of those who benefit from them - a clearer set of duties.
# Giving trustees greater flexibility in how they can invest trust funds
# Relaxing the restriction that requires cases under the Trustee Act to be heard exclusively by the High Court and allowing the District Court to hear them also.
- Adam Bennett, New Zealand Herald


text: I live in sanford florida and work in lake mary florida. I was leaving work at about 11:30 a couple nights ago and the way it works is I have to do a u turn on rinehart road or wait for the light and that takes forever. I was doing my u turn and the cop was at the light. If you know anything about lake mary you know there is a lot of money floating around. I still cant seem to find the kid with the skyline when I am in my mustang only when I am in my truck. but anyway. The cop was in his M3 with the body kit and his 20's. When I fish tailed it around the corner. he immediatly came after me but not with his lights on he kept stoping at the light next to me and hauling ass on green, I am a little suspicious, after seeing the undercover 2006 mustang GT and 2005 GTO pull people over so I didn't race him. Not that I would street race anyway, I am just glad I didn't decide to blow him off of the highway, because the nitrous just happened to be on at the time. And on that note street racers give decient car guys a bad name. Do what you want to do but dont associate yourself with me. So finally he hauls ass past me and slows down in the turn lane and waits for me. at the next redlight he pulls me over and gets my license and registration and takes it back to his car, HAHAHAHAHAHA it was clean and I knew it. He has his bullet proof vest on and everything. He comes back and says THANKS. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT ****. THANKS FOR NOT RACING HIM.Then as he is blabbering on the sprinklers come on and soak him. IT WAS FREAKING GREAT. He threw my stuff at me and hauls ass back to his car.


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Antuco Chicaiza's Que Vida
Ecuadorian artist Antuco Chicaiza's paintings deal with a variety of subjects, including the challenges and rewards of family, cultural heritage, and social and political issues. In Que Vida, Chicaiza's colorful pieces frequently incorporate symbols, words, and abstractions of figures and faces, creating dense, evocative compositions. The opening reception for Que Vida will take place in the Latino Arts Gallery on Friday, December 6 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The exhibition will be on display through February 7, 2014.
Exhibitions in the Latino Arts Gallery are open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a suggested donation of $1.
For additional information about performances and exhibitions in the Latino Arts Auditorium and Gallery, call (414) 384-3100 or visit www.latinoartsinc.org


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Administrator Johnson -- Consolidate Federal Office Space
"Can a Civilian BRAC Commission Consolidate Federal Office Space and Save Taxpayers Billions?"
April 6, 2011
Good morning, Chairman Denham, Ranking Member Norton, and members of this Subcommittee. My name is Martha Johnson, and I am the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and I am honored to join you here today.
In the President's FY2012 budget, the Administration announced an effort to accelerate the disposal and consolidation of the Federal government's civilian properties. This initiative anticipates working in partnership with Congress to increase the number of properties available for disposal and streamline the disposal process to help the Government realize financial savings. It expands upon the June 2010 Presidential Memorandum that directed Federal civilian agencies to increase efforts to dispose of unneeded Federal real estate and to maximize the utilization of the current inventory to achieve billions in savings.
I appreciate the opportunity to come here today to discuss GSA's management of its assets, GSA's role in the disposition of property government-wide, and how that fits into the broader Federal government real property portfolio. GSA's experiences working with partner Federal agencies to execute the Presidential Memorandum, and some of the unique challenges of the Federal disposition process, can help inform the process of creating a successful civilian property initiative that accomplishes what we are all hoping to achieve: meeting our responsibility to taxpayers to spend every dollar effectively and find ways to do more with less.
The Federal Real Property Portfolio –
While GSA has a large real estate portfolio to manage, the broader Federal government portfolio is far more extensive. GSA manages the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) which is the Government's inventory database of Federal owned and leased assets including buildings, land, and structures. The FRPP is the "single, comprehensive, and descriptive database of all real property under the custody and control of all executive branch agencies, except when otherwise required for reasons of national security," in accordance with Executive Order 13327.
In FY2009, 24 agencies reported a total of 429,000 building assets worldwide. These assets are broken down in different categories such as utilization or status. In FY2009, 55,000 assets government-wide were identified as being under and not utilized. These assets could include buildings that are under modernization and structures or buildings in the middle of a campus as well as land and other structures such as sheds, fences and flag poles. Agencies described 14,000 assets government-wide as excess, indicating the agency had no further mission need for the asset.
GSA's Asset Management –
Of the 429,000 building assets reported in the FY2009 FRPP, GSA controls around 9,000. In square footage, this comprises about 8.3 percent of the total government's portfolio.
As the Government's landlord, we supply office space to other Federal agencies in support of their mission. We have a robust asset management program to track the utilization of our inventory, strategically invest in our assets where needed, and aggressively dispose of unneeded assets.
Because of our efforts, we lead the market with our vacancy rates and utilization; less than 3 percent of our portfolio has been classified as an under- or non-utilized asset. Since 2002, GSA has disposed of over 200 GSA properties totaling more than 9.5 million square feet. These dispositions represent 5.3 percent of GSA's owned portfolio and eliminate almost $484 million in anticipated repair needs.
Although we work diligently to identify unneeded assets for disposal, it is important to note that not all properties labeled as underutilized are available for sale. In fact, the majority of GSA's properties labeled as underutilized in the FRPP are not candidates for disposition. More than half of these properties are undergoing major building modernizations, being backfilled with tenants from leased space, or assigned to agencies with new requirements. When we find underutilized space in areas where there is a continuing Federal need, GSA works aggressively to renovate and reuse the asset to achieve greater utilization.
Of the 14,000 assets categorized as excess in the FRPP, GSA, as a land holding agency, identified 138 assets as excess to our own agency needs and has placed 114 of these assets into the disposal process. The other 13,862 assets are from agencies other than GSA, constituting the vast majority of excess Federal assets.
GSA's Role as the Disposal and Repositioning Agency of the Government –
In addition to managing our own inventory, GSA has authority to dispose of most properties government-wide. GSA provides strategic direction and oversees the development of programs related to the utilization and disposal of Federal excess and surplus real property government-wide.
GSA's disposal authority was provided in recognition of the expertise related to repositioning property. GSA develops tailored disposal strategies specific to an asset's characteristics, environmental issues, community interests, political concerns, market conditions and other factors impacting the repositioning of the unneeded asset. Similarly, when preparing a property for public sale, GSA develops marketing plans that optimize the public offering. We use tools and techniques designed to reach very broad audiences and we target specific niche interests.
While GSA has the expertise to successfully navigate properties through this disposal process, each individual landholding agency is responsible for making their own asset management decisions on whether that asset is excess to their needs.
In the last 10 years, GSA has disposed of over 3,300 assets, valued at $8.5 billion. Of these 3,300 government-wide assets, 206 were GSA owned assets and were valued at $467 million of the $8.5 billion.
The Disposal Process –
The Property Act disposal process, and the guiding environmental and historic statutory requirements that must be followed during the disposal process, are critical to understanding some of the unique challenges of this system. For each disposition we manage, GSA has to meet certain requirements in the existing framework of authorities. These requirements include evaluating the property for Federal and public benefit, identifying and addressing any environmental issues with the property, and special consideration for historic properties.
The disposal process begins when a Federal agency determines that it no longer has a mission need for an asset and reports the property as "excess" to its needs. It should be noted here that a property reported excess in the disposal process is not the same as being reported excess in the FRPP database. Not all of these will turn into Reports of Excess and be disposed of since some may be demolished or have too costly or timely of cleanup requirements.
GSA assists agencies without disposal authority to dispose of the asset. After a 30 day period, if there is no valid need for the property within the Federal government, it is considered "surplus" and offered to other public organizations, such as the state, county, and city. These local entities can acquire the property through a negotiated sale at fair market value or through a public benefit conveyance for specific uses including homeless assistance, parks and recreational purposes, historic monuments, public health needs, educational purposes, correctional institutions, and law enforcement needs. Due to the positive impact and value to the local community, public benefit conveyances may be discounted up to 100 percent of the fair market value. Determining if a property meets the criteria for public benefit conveyance, as well as working with the local community through this phase, often adds time to the process. Local political interests also can delay this process when various stakeholders try to advocate for a particular use of the property. GSA, however, strives to conduct public benefit assessments and work with the local community while proceeding through the disposal process, trying to minimize any delays.
GSA is then authorized to conduct a public sale of the property if there is no viable public benefit interest or negotiated sale interest in the property. Through aggressive marketing and public outreach, GSA conducts the sale through an online auction, public outcry auction, or sealed bid.
In addition to these process requirements, dispositions must comply with a variety of environmental and historic preservation requirements, which may require considerable time and funding. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, for example, imposes requirements on transfers of Federal real property to non-federal entities, including characterization and remediation when necessary of the asset's hazardous substances. The National Environmental Policy Act also requires landholding agencies to identify, and analyze any impacts associated with deeming a property as excess and disposing of the asset, and possible mitigation measures to such impacts. Properties in the disposal process must also be in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, which requires GSA to consider the effects of its proposed disposal undertakings on historic properties. Even when GSA receives special legislation to dispose of a property directly to sale, historic and environmental issues can still delay the execution of the transaction.
The Federal civilian disposition process is an iterative and deliberate process with a number of statutory requirements that seek to strike a balance between social and economic policy objectives. These requirements ensure properties are disposed of consistently and in the best interest of the American taxpayer. This process, however, can be time consuming with the associated political interests, community expectations, environmental factors, and regulatory reviews. These variables often manifest themselves into competing interests that create inefficiencies and drive increased time and costs.
Experiences under the Presidential Memorandum –
As a significant Federal asset manager and the agency with government-wide disposal authority, GSA has helped lead efforts to achieve the goals outlined in the President's June 2010 Memorandum titled "Disposing of Unneeded Federal Real Estate." This memorandum charges civilian agencies to more effectively utilize space, reduce operating costs, and dispose of unneeded real property to save $3 billion by the end of 2012. The Administration has identified $1.7 billion in savings of the $3 billion targeted so far and is aggressively working for more savings.
As part of this effort, GSA has worked with agencies to maximize the utilization of existing facilities and to find properties they no longer need. We have developed an array of strategies to support new ways of working, with the goal of reducing physical space, increasing space utilization, reducing the cost of space, and increasing its flexibility. We continue to work with Federal agencies to increase the number of unneeded Federal properties in the disposal pipeline.
President's FY2012 Budget: Civilian Property Realignment Initiative –
The President's proposal for a civilian property realignment initiative outlines a number of key goals that aim to address these issues. This initiative includes increasing efficiencies and streamlining the current legal framework to accelerate the disposal and realignment of civilian real property in the Federal government's inventory. The proposal will also reduce operating and maintenance costs associated with the disposed properties to save taxpayers money, as well as eliminate the local political constraints that sometimes prevent properties from being sold. Furthermore, this initiative aims to incentivize agencies to remove these properties from their inventory by enabling upfront funding to assist agencies in preparing an asset for disposition and providing agencies with the ability to retain proceeds.
The proposed Civilian Property Realignment Act (CPRA), highlighted in Section 735 of the Government-Wide General Provisions of the FY2012 President's Budget Request, expands upon the June 2010 Presidential Memorandum that directed Federal civilian agencies to increase efforts and timeliness in removing excess and surplus properties for a savings of $3 billion by the end of 2012. The President's initiative through CPRA is to reduce the administrative burden and eliminate funding and political obstacles associated with identifying and disposing of unneeded assets.
The CPRA authority looks to provide greater incentive for agencies to identify and dispose of unneeded property, increase the number of properties slated for disposal, increase efficiencies in the disposal process, and enable GSA to work with agencies to develop disposition strategies. This initiative intends to help implement large-scale consolidations across common assets and among agencies, which will reduce the Government's footprint, decrease operating and maintenance costs, boost sales proceeds and improve energy efficiency.
It is important to note that CPRA is envisioned as a partnership with Congress. The proposal in the President's Budget outlines some key goals of this civilian property realignment act.
Conclusion –
The Administration is interested in pursuing legislative authorities that will increase the number of assets available for disposal and expedite the disposition process. The President's proposed Civilian Property Realignment Act will help Federal agencies accomplish this goal, while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Federal disposals, and saving taxpayer funds. GSA is looking forward to working with partners in the Administration and members of Congress to assist in this effort.
I appreciate the leadership of both the Chairman and the Ranking Member on this matter, and their sincere interest in moving this issue forward. Thank you for the opportunity to come here today. I welcome any of your questions.


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Fiers to make first '14 start Saturday
MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers will send out their seventh starting pitcher of the season Saturday as Mike Fiers will start in place of the injured Matt Garza, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said after Thursday's 3-1 win over the Giants.
Fiers, a 29-year-old righty, will face the Dodgers in his first start of the season after a stint in the Major League club's bullpen in June. Fiers has had an impressive year with Triple-A Nashville, holding an 8-5 record and 2.55 ERA over 17 starts.
The Brewers are undoubtedly hoping Fiers will catch fire like he did in 2012, when he threw six innings or more while allowing two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his first 12 Major League starts. After fading down the stretch, he finished with a 9-10 record and 3.74 ERA after 22 total starts. He also made 11 appearances, including three starts, for Milwaukee last season.
The club's choice was made reasonably clear Wednesday when their other candidate to take Garza's place, Marco Estrada, pitched three innings in relief of Yovani Gallardo in a loss to the Giants. Estrada threw 39 pitches and admitted it would have been a challenge to start on two days' rest.
"I'm not sure how I would feel [physically] that day, but I would say I'm 100 percent ready no matter what," Estrada said. "If it was tomorrow, I would do it, because that's what I want to do -- I want to start. I don't want to be in the bullpen. And they know that."
But Estrada said he was made no promises when he was removed from the rotation that he would be reinstated the first time the team needed another arm, and Roenicke said the team wants to see what it has in Fiers.
"I think Fiers, with the way he's been throwing in Triple-A this year, we know what he did for us when we first had him up and what kind of starts he got," Roenicke said. "I think we were kind of going into it not sure which way we were going to go, and then needing Marco the other day did make a difference. We like what Marco can do starting, [but] we want to try Fiers and bring him up and see if he can give us the starts he gave us a couple years ago."
It's unclear how long Garza, on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, will be out.
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. Caitlin Swieca 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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Victim alleges she was drugged, impregnated by Perrish Cox
Posted by Mike Florio on July 22, 2011, 4:57 PM EDT
Months after Broncos cornerback Perrish Cox was arrested for rape, details regarding the charges have emerged.
According to Carlos Illescas of the Denver Post, the alleged victim claims she was drugged and raped by Cox on September 6. The alleged victim has since had a child, and DNA tests confirmed that Cox is the father.
The alleged victim reportedly told police she consumed roughly four drinks on the evening of September 5 and into September 6, and that she believed shed been drugged because she passed out at Coxs apartment.
She claims that Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas and Broncos cornerback Cassius Vaughan were present. The alleged victim reportedly recalls kissing and being fondled by Thomas, who claims he left Coxs apartment after the alleged victim passed out.
Cox is charged with sexual assault while the victim was physically helpless and sexual assault while the victim was incapable of determining the nature of the conduct, and he faces two years to life in prison.


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Mining Data to Keep Black Friday in the Black
Retail myth has it that Black Friday was the day stores turned profitable for the year. Now it's a day when they have to fight to avoid dipping into the red.
Worried about taking a hit to retail sales and shopper traffic, many chain stores choose to take part in Black Friday's frenzy of deep discounts even at the expense of generating bigger profits.
But more retailers are mining customer and transaction data to head off...


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New York Target Corp.'s outgoing CEO has amassed more than $140 million in deferred compensation and pension benefits during his four-decade tenure at the discount retailer, a filing with U.S. securities regulators showed on Monday.
Robert Ulrich is slated to retire as CEO on May 1, but he will remain chairman of the board. Gregg Steinhafel, who joined Target in 1979 and is now its president, will succeed Ulrich as CEO.
In a regulatory filing, Target said Ulrich received much of his compensation in the mid-1980s, into the 1990s through a deferred compensation program designed to retain top talent and reward longevity with the company.
This helped build his $140.79 million in accumulated savings, earnings and supplemental pension benefits, the filing said.


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A POLITICAL spat over a proposed playground in Highworth led to town councillor Angela Livall standing in the dock charged with assaulting former mayor Maureen Penny.
The incident occurred on November 5 at the Globe Inn, where it was alleged Coun Livall was under the influence of alcohol and had assaulted Coun Penny.
Coun Livall pleaded guilty to the charges on Wednesday and was given an absolute discharge by Swindon magistrates.
But she has said it is the latest in a series of attempts to silence her within local politics after she appeared at two code of conduct hearings last year, neither of which brought any action against her.
"I was summoned to the Globe Inn on 5 November last year to a meeting of the Conservative group," said Coun Livall.
"Subsequently I ended up at magistrates' court on criminal charges.
" It should never have got that far. This happened because I would not fall into line, and they have been trying to take away my public voice."
Coun Livall has been at loggerheads with fellow councillors over the siting of a new multi use games arena at Northview Community Centre and artificial all weather football pitch at Highworth Rec.
"The residents had put in letters of complaint, as well as the trustees of the Northview Community centre and the borough police consultant," said Coun Livall.
"It is my opinion on the important issues concerning Highworth that put me in this position, but my public voice has not been taken away.
"I have every respect and confidence in the current trustees of the Northview Community Centre and Highworth Rec Centre, but I remain concerned about the future of the Highworth Rec Centre, and still believe the introduction of an artificial all-weather pitch would be beneficial to the centre.
"The main issue is the siting of the multi use games arena, which I no longer believe will be at Northview.
"I wanted to speak privately with my fellow councillors. We were facing a lot of angry residents, and there is an election coming up.
"I have no stain on my record, I was just trying to get back in with my party."
Coun Penny said she stepped in to help after Coun Livall flew at the party secretary ahead of the group meeting.
"I went in to the Globe Inn pub with the secretary of the Conservative party and another councillor," she said.
"As we walked in to the back Angela flew across the room shouting and wagging her finger at the secretary, who is a 76-year-old, very small, woman.
"The other councillor left because she did not need that sort of upset. I told Angela to calm down, and she turned on me and poked me in the shoulder."
"From what I gathered she did not feel the secretary of the Conservatives should be at a meeting of the Blunsdon and Highworth conservatives.
"It was very vicious, and as soon as she heard our voices she pushed another councillor out of the way to get to our group. She was aiming for another person but I got involved to protect her."
Current Highworth mayor Philip Beaumont, who is a Labour councillor, said: "It is regrettable it should come to this between two councillors.
"As far as I am concerned there are not any issues within the council. The councillors I know have always treated Angela with respect, but outside the council chambers I do not know. "This is an issue which has occurred within the Conservative party.
"The council has been trying to deal with some quite complicated issues, and the atmosphere does sometimes spill over, but we have been working well together as a council. Meetings are usually amicable and we work well together to achieve things."


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owwwwwwwwwwwwwww nate is ****in **** up in front of his momma tonight lol
owwwwwwwwwwwwwww nate is ****in **** up in front of his momma tonight lol
I would Imagine after this game The Knicks will be receiving alot more calls from teams about Acquiring Nate... Ive been critical of Nate but tonight he's playing exceptional..
I don't count shooting around 50% exceptional. Its good, but exceptional is when you're 8-11, not 7-13.
Danilo in the starting line up? Why isn't he getting shots?
Someone get Nate's mom Knicks season tickets!!!!
Blazers are totally helpless and hopeless.
This is awesome.
-Nate Robinson is cookin' in front of his momma!!
-Gus Johnson
Quote of the night! hahahahahahaha
I felt like Nate took 20 threes this quarter.
oh SHYT
Tim Thomas
the WORLD!!!
jesus christ can the knicks miss a damn shot???
The knicks went on a 22-5 run to start the 4th quarter tied at 82-82.
Nate the Great is going off at the start of the 4th with a 97-84 Knick lead.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message -->
shiit this gonna be a sick finish i can tell
ight...Robinson, you need to take a seat now...


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"What everyone knows is not called wisdom." -- Wang Xi
Talk to me. What do you know at this point in time? Do you know a couple buzzwords on the fiscal cliff? Do you know the most recent comment from House Speaker John Boehner that moved the hands and books of the few remaining floor traders? Do you know all the cool stuff on what's apparently the single most important enterprise on Mother Earth -- a company more vital than every market ever created -- that company called Apple (AAPL)? What do you know for real? Is it this entire bunch of surface analysis that gets disregarded as soon as the next day's trading commences?
News flash: You'd better have an arsenal, or a playbook that contains the deeper thinking that is a requirement to kicking butt in any investing backdrop -- but especially the current one, which is full of potential pitfalls, but also opportunity. Since I am a cool customer, allow me to share what I know.
1. There are at least three relevant scenarios inherent to the November employment report.
2. The majority of market players have no clue of the definition of earnings power
3. In the bigger picture, you should learn to deal with subdued growth in the first half of 2013, regardless of whether the U.S. economy is hinting at surprising "resilience." The perma-bulls love this term, but I don't, as it creates unrealistic expectations of economic output and puts investors into a complacency trance on risks.
Today, we'll focus on what to know from the November employment report.
Scenario One: Jobs Miss Consensus by a Wide Margin
I think a sub-50,000 gain, the number folks are whispering about, is the worst-case scenario -- but I don't believe it will happen. At first, I thought that a wide jobs miss would equate to politicians joining hands to realize that their bickering is destroying the economy, since stocks would rally on the expectation of an imminent deal. But, upon further inspection, if the jobs number does score a large miss that gets pasted all over the weekend papers, it could be read differently. Namely, it could be interpreted as saying fiscal-cliff fears are permeating business-planning to a stronger degree than what's been captured in other macroeconomic reports, yet pols remain at a stalemate -- thus triggering stocks to go down the tubes.
Scenario Two: Jobs Report Muddle Dance
I cringe at the word "muddle" coming out of my mouth (#antijargon). But, that aside, let's say nonfarm payrolls grow in a range of 50,000 to 75,000 -- which is where I am at. Business conditions would be perceived as not fully capturing the effects of the cliff, and hope would spring that Sandy has been the culprit and the U.S. economy is hanging tough. Politicians would view the Federal Reserve as helping matters next week.
Ah, but do you see the problem here? It would mean subpar growth before the cliff, which could handoff to weakness in December macroeconomic reports -- and, of course, fourth quarter pre-earnings announcements. It would also mean the meandering of politicians, as well as weekend airwaves filled with posturing, the latter of which had subsided in the past couple of days.
After an initial pop in the markets, I envision if a "muddle report" (grr) is received we give back the gains into the close. The key thing to watch are the post-jobs-report comments by both sides of the aisle. "Muddle report," plus a mental breakthrough by the GOP, could be cause for legitimate optimism into a Fed meeting.
Scenario Three: Jobs Report Hulk-Hogan Strong
In a normal world, headline growth above 100,000 is usually cheered. However, we are most certainly not in a normal world. There would be two outcomes here. First, the economy would be seen as able enough to avert recession in the first quarter of 2013. This would be considered a fundamental positive by the markets. Unfortunately, optics of the report could very well strengthen the hand of the Democrats and have them play hardball on entitlement spending -- and then the market would freak out on a possible delay of a "fiscal cliff" deal. Stocks would then react negatively.
In case you didn't realize, scenario analysis is decisively skewed toward an unfavorable risk-reward scenario. There'll be no wandering from the bear forest for yours truly.


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(I'm sure this topic already exists, if not: here it is!)
I've just been looking through dhammawheel looking for some guided meditations (mp3 or other audio file) and I've drawn a blank. Either I'm no good at searching or there's not a topic about them here (probably the former).
Does anyone know of any good links to guided meditation (metta bhavana, anapanasati, or others)? I've read books and articles but I find sitting in a group with some dude/dudette talking me through it much more helpful. Problem is I can't get to a group right now.
Any links you want to share? Many thanks!


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The five board members of the Eminence Independent and the five board members of the Henry County Board of Education oversee large budgets and make decisions on the upkeep, renovation and additions of school district building projects.
But they also make certain the individual child in the Henry County or Eminence Independent district gets what he or she needs to successfully learn in school and beyond. All that is done in the face of shrinking state and federal dollars for education, and tough economic times locally.
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Posted 7 years ago
(1 item)
I've had these in my collection for a few years and have not been able to find out much about them. I am most certain that they are Molly-es, clothing, hair, stamped features, multi color legs, etc. point to that fact. With the exception that there is NO signature or identification across the chest as others I have found on the internet. Just wondering if anybody could give me any futher information on them. It would be great appreciated.
I don't know why these pictures are not appearing, they did show up when I double clicked on them, sorry. I hope others can see these pictures and give me some information.


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BEST WESTERN Hotel Master is located in an ideal position, in the heart of Brescia, just a few minutes from the historical city center and at the feet of Brescia Castle. Hotel Master has been recently renewed and, whether for business or leasure, you'll find here a comfortable accomodation and a special attention to your needs. All museums and monuments of the city can be easily reached by foot.
Santa Giulia's museum is particoularly important and really famous in Italy because it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage. Throughout Brescia's long history squares and churches have in turns become the heart of the city and the main reference point for the surrounding area, such as the Renaissance Loggia square and the Romanesque Old Cathedral.
BEST WESTERN Hotel Master has 74 spacious and comfortable soundproofing rooms, finely decorated in 3 different styles, but a unique comfort in order to satisfy all your needs.
The wonderful restaurant "la Corte", inside of the hotel, offers you a sophisticated atmosphere, a tasty menu à la carte, rich of both local and national specialities in a refined combination.
For your business you can choose one of our 5 meeting rooms, entirely equipped in order to organise unforgettable events up to 200 people with also a big external private parking place, completely free. BEST WESTERN Hotel Master, in a perfect Eco Friendly style, provides you, bicycles for "ecological" walks in our beautiful Brescia!


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Brizzy wrote:I cannot say I have followed all the postings in this thread but would it be fair to say that the controversy can be summed up as follows..............
1. Thanissaro Bhikkhu states that the Budddha taught... "THIS IS NOT SELF" as an experiential process to be realised/understood.
2. Thanissaro Bhikkhu states that the Buddha never framed his teaching as...."THERE IS NO SELF" as this would lead one into a thicket of views.
Brizzy wrote:1. Thanissaro Bhikkhu states that the Budddha taught... "THIS IS NOT SELF" as an experiential process to be realised/understood.
Brizzy wrote:2. Thanissaro Bhikkhu states that the Buddha never framed his teaching as...."THERE IS NO SELF" as this would lead one into a thicket of views.
kirk5a wrote:What is regarded as controversial is some things he has said regarding nibbana and consciousness.
ancientbuddhism wrote:Brizzy wrote:2. Thanissaro Bhikkhu states that the Buddha never framed his teaching as...."THERE IS NO SELF" as this would lead one into a thicket of views.
Which is not true as we find evidenced in the Alagaddūpama Sutta and others which bear the same instruction.
15. "There are, monks, these six grounds for false views. [18] What are the six? There is here, monks, an uninstructed worldling who has no regard for Noble Ones, who is ignorant of their teaching and untrained in it; who has no regard for men of worth, who is ignorant of their teaching and untrained in it: he considers corporeality thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'; [19] he considers feeling… perception… mental formations thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'; and what is seen, heard, sensed, and thought; [20] what is encountered, sought, pursued in mind, [21] this also he considers thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self'; and also this ground for views (holding): 'The universe is the Self. [22] That I shall be after death; [23] permanent, stable, eternal, immutable; eternally the same, [24] shall I abide in that very condition'—that (view), too, he considers thus: 'This is mine, this I am, this is my self.' [25]
18. [Grounds for false views (diṭṭhiṭṭhāna). Comy: By the words "There are, monks, these six grounds for false views," the Master wishes to show this: "He who takes the five aggregates of existence as 'I' and 'mine', by way of a threefold wrong grasp (tividha-gāha), he flings mud and refuse into my dispensation, like this Ariṭṭha."
Comy and Sub-Comy: False views themselves are "grounds" (or bases, starting-points) for subsequently arising false views, like personality belief, eternalism, etc. (Comy: diṭṭhi pi ditthiṭṭhānaṃ). Further, the "grounds" are the subject-matter (ārammaṇa, "object") of the views, i.e., the five aggregates, the visual objects, etc. Finally, they are also the conditioning factors (paccaya) of the false views, e.g., ignorance, sense-impression (phassa), (faulty) perceptions and thoughts, unwisely directed attention (ayoniso manasikāra), bad company, others' speech, etc. [These, with the aggregates as the first, are the eight "grounds for false views," as mentioned in the Paṭisambhidāmagga (Diṭṭhi-kathā). The term diṭṭhiṭṭhāna also occurs in the Brahmajāla Sutta (DN 1) and in the commentary to it. [Back]
19. "He considers corporeality thus: 'This is mine'." Comy: This is wrong grasp (or wrong approach) induced by craving (taṇhā-gāha). "This I am": this is wrong grasp induced by conceit (māna-gāha). "This is my self": this is wrong grasp induced by false views (diṭṭhi-gāha). Here, reference is to craving, conceit, and false views which have corporeality as object; but corporeality cannot be said to be a self. The same holds true for feeling, perception and mental formations. [Back]
20. "What is seen": (Comy) the visual sense-object base (rūpāyatana); "heard": the sound-base; "sensed" (mutaṃ): the sense-object bases of smell, taste, and touch-sensations; "what is thought": the remaining seven bases, i.e., the mind-object base (dhammāyatana) and the six sense-organ bases. [Back]
21. "Encountered": (Comy) after having been sought for, or not sought for; "sought": encountered or not encountered (before); "mentally pursued" (anuvicaritaṃ manasā): resorted to by consciousness (cittena anusañcaritaṃ)—what was encountered or not encountered without being sought for.
The terms "thought," "encountered," etc., refer to the fifth aggregate, i.e., consciousness (viññāṇakkhandha), which was not mentioned in the first part of §15. [Back]
22. "The universe is the Self," lit.: "This (is) the world, this (is) the self" (so loko so attā). That, in fact, an identification of the two terms is intended here, will be shown in the following comments. The best explanation of the passage is furnished in the Brahmajāla Sutta (DN 1) where a similar phraseology is used: "There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmans who are eternalists and who proclaim self and world to be eternal" (sassatavādā sassataṃ attañca lokañca paññapenti); subsequently the theorist is introduced as stating his view in similar terms: "Eternal are self and world… they exist as eternally the same" (sassato attā ca loko ca… atthi idheva sassatisamaṃ). The last term appears likewise in our text; see Note 21. From this we may safely conclude that it is the identity, or unity, of the Self (or soul; mahātman, paramātman) with the universe (or the Universal Spirit, Brahman) which is conveyed by our text.
In the Commentary specific to our text, this eternalistic view is rendered and classified in the terminology of the Dhamma. The Commentary says:
"This statement ('The universe is the Self') refers to the (wrong) view 'He considers corporeality, etc., as the self (rūpaṃ attato samanupassatī' ti ādinā nayena).'"
The canonical quotation (e.g., in MN 44), included here in the Commentary, has two implications which are of importance for understanding the reason why it was cited in this context:
(1) As very often in the commentaries (e.g., to Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta), the term "world" (loko) is explained as truly referring to the five aggregates (khandhā, i.e., corporeality, feeling, etc.), singly or in toto.
(2) This quotation is the formula for the first of the twenty types of personality-belief (sakkāya-diṭṭhi; e.g., in MN 44). In the first five of these twenty, the self is said to be identical with each of the five aggregates (as in the earlier part of §15 of our text). Hence the application of this quote to our textual passage signifies that the theorist conceives the "world" (i.e., corporeality, feeling, etc.) as identical with the self.
The double "So (loko) so (attā)" in our text, should therefore, be taken as standing for "yo (loko) so (attā)," lit.: what is the world that is the self. In the Comy to MN 44 we find a similar phrase: "Someone considers corporeality as self: what is corporeality that is 'I'; what is 'I' that is corporeality. Thus he considers corporeality and self as non-dual' (… yaṃ rūpaṃ so ahaṃ, yo ahaṃ taṃ rūpan' ti rūpañca advayaṃ samanupassati)." According to this interpretation the phrase has been translated here by "This universe is the Self."
Mostly, the first five types of personality-belief are explained as referring to the wrong view of annihilationism (uccheda-diṭṭhi). [See, e.g., Paṭisambhidāmagga, Diṭṭhikathā, Ucchedadiṭṭhi-niddesa; further Comy to MN 44.]
But their being quoted in our context, shows that they may also apply to eternalism (sassata-diṭṭhi). We have come to this conclusion since it is improbable that, in our textual passage two mutually exclusive views should have been combined in a single statement formulating the sixth "ground for false views"; that is, in the first part of that statement, annihilationism, and in the second, eternalism. [Back]
23. "That I shall be after death…" (so pecca bhavissāmi). Comy explains by "so ahaṃ," a Pali idiom, meaning literally "this I." Pecca: lit. "having gone," i.e., to the other world. [Back]
24. "Eternally the same" (sassati-samaṃ): an Upanishadic term; see Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 5.10: sāsvatīḥ samāḥ.
This entire statement of the sixth 'ground for views' may well have been the original creed of an eternalistic doctrine. The phrasing appears rather vague in the first part, and in general it is rather loosely worded (so for so aham). To contemporaries, however, the meaning may have been quite clear since it was perhaps the stock formula for teachings that were well known. Hence, in this translation, we have left the first part of the statement in its rather cryptic and ambiguous original form, while giving the interpretations in the notes only. [Back]
25. He identifies himself entirely (Sub-Comy: attānaṃ viya gaṇhāti) with that eternalist misconception (gāha), induced by craving (for self-perpetuation), by false views (tenaciously maintained) and by conceit (deeply ingrained ego-centricity). Here one view serves as subject-matter for another view (Comy, Sub-Comy). [Back]
mikenz66 wrote: (Nyanaponika's note #24) "To contemporaries, however, the meaning may have been quite clear since it was perhaps the stock formula for teachings that were well known."
Either way I need to become an arahant to experience such bliss and for that I have a lot of work left as we all do.
vinasp wrote: The key point is that a view is NOT based on " Knowing and seeing things as
they really are". See also DN.1.3.44 ff
What about the view "There is no self"?
Zom wrote:What about the view "There is no self"?
No problem with this view if it is not based on self
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Two men were assaulted in separate incidents in Warminster and Westbury in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday morning last weekend, which resulted in both receiving broken jaws.
The first incident took place in Market Place, Westbury, when a 24-year-old man from Trowbridge was involved in an argument with another man at about 1am on Saturday (February 9).
He was later taken to the RUH in Bath for treatment with a broken jaw, but police are appealing for witnesses as he had no idea who was responsible.
DC Martin Faulkner from Melksham CID is investigating and wants anybody with information to contact 101.
The second incident occurred in Weymouth Street, Warminster, at about 1.30am on Sunday when a 22-year-old from Bradford on Avon was involved in a fight on his way to Speedy Chef.
The man, who was visiting Warminster with friends, was also taken to the RUH in Bath with a broken jaw.
Two Warminster men, aged 19 and 21, were later arrested in connection with the incident and the 21-year-old remains on bail pending further enquiries.
Police believe there were a number of people in Weymouth Street at the time and while some witnesses have come forward there are others who may know more.
DC John Armstrong from Salisbury CID is investigating and appeals to anyone who knows more about this particular incident to contact him on 101.


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A lot of places in the US utilize existing parks to install dg courses on. Its not ideal and can be a pain, but those would likely mostly remain free if your town or a nearby one installed it.
I dont mean to imply that dg has to follow ball golfs path with country clubs and all the exclusivety that golf stinks of. Dont get me wrong, i personally love the idea of pay to play courses, but i dont love the idea of all courses requiring a fee.
Also i dont think its out of the question it could get televised giventhat there was higher quality equipment and people using, better editing and production etc, all that takes is money, which could come from advertisers and such, its a log shot for sure, but it could happen.


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Police believe a man missing from Hackney could be in Essex.
Adam Connelly, 29, of Hackney, was last seen on Wednesday.
Adam is white, has short black hair, approximately 5' 08", medium build, with a small tattoo of two triangles on his right elbow.
He also has a small tattoo of a crescent on left forearm, a short black moustache and stubble.
He was last seen wearing blue suede trainers, a black bomber jacket and dark jeans. He was also carrying a black shoulder bag.
He was riding a green vintage Roberts bike, which had short black straight handlebars and with a wooden mud flap on the rear.
Anyone who has seen Adam or who knows of his whereabouts, or who has seen the bike should call 020 8271 7756.


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"These are teachers that have been elected Teacher of the Year, LEF winners and have received many other awards. Even more than that, they have played a part in hundreds of thousands of students becoming great citizens and grownups. Teachers have also been criticized for leaving during the year, interrupting student learning. But these teachers have had enough, and many are actually getting physically sick and can't make it to the end."
When I left teaching, it was not because I didn't love teaching. I became physically sick with high blood pressure and I was afraid I could die if I didn't get away from all the pressure and stress created in my classroom. More and more was asked of me, and I was told that the way I taught math, for example, was the wrong way. It was irrelevant that my class scored the highest in the city on part of the ISTEP test. The paperwork was overwhelming. I felt no one would listen, and I was expected to be a puppet for the administration's demands. Consequently, I took early retirement and stayed in my profession by research, writing and tutoring.
Breaux continues, "Teachers are not the bad guys here. You tell society that we have three months off in the summer and get off at 3:30 in the afternoon. Well, I can tell you for a fact that we work at least 10 months a year. What about all the teachers that either go to school early or stay late? We give up a lot of time for our school children — sometimes our students are getting more time than our families.
What about all of us who after 25 or more years are working all day and working more hours at night? We stay late after school for meetings and programs, and we are constantly grading papers, at night, on weekends and even on vacations. We attend in-service for either no or minimal pay in the summer or weekends. Not to mention all of our own money we spend on students. We buy our own class rewards, incentives, classroom decorations, books, etc.
And if you think that doesn't happen ask a real classroom teacher. So don't tell me that teachers don't care.
Teachers are required to pilot all of these new programs year after year that have been tried already (just under another name), not worked and tried again. We keep reinventing the wheel. I hear that teachers don't teach any more. We don't. You have made us information-pushers, test-givers and paper-passer-outers. LET US TEACH!
You have taken all of us this way. You give us a new common core curriculum that is almost impossible to finish in a year. You are setting teachers up to fail. Teaching was once a noble and creative profession. Learning was once fun. If you want kids to stay in school, make them want to come.
Our jobs depend on two lessons a year. Principals should be able to walk into a classroom any time and do a true evaluation. To tell children that our jobs depend on them is giving the students the upper hand. They now have the power, and they know it. Some kids are "out" for some teachers and are going to score low on the standardized tests on purpose.
You have made it all about what the teacher needs to do instead of what the students need to do. Hold them responsible. We should not be held responsible for apathy and wrong choices.
If you want to change one thing in a school system start with discipline — simple, nothing else, just discipline. Follow through from first grade on up to 12th grade. Be consistent, give consequences. Teachers should not be repeating rules to the same students over and over again. If you would listen to experienced teachers who have good discipline, it works and learning is going on.
No fancy programs, no bells and whistles, just the teacher in charge. Stop moving students from school to school. This just dilutes other schools. You are hiding the problems, not solving them. The same students that we see get away with the "little infractions" over and over again are the same students who end up in the paper under "local arrests."
This statement is so true. There is a warrant out for one of my former students at the present time. He has been in trouble since day one and has been incarcerated for rape and about every other crime one can think of. He threatened to kill me when he was in fourth grade. Teachers can usually spot kids like this, and it was obvious a 10-year-old child was headed for big trouble down the road.
Another stabbed me with a pen, but nothing was really done about it. The boy didn't have any problems; it was the teacher's fault. This kind of thing goes on in classrooms a lot more than the public knows.
Breaux continues, "We are not here to be popular or please parents, we are here to teach children. Small things like uniforms, gum chewing and tardies may seem small to you but to a classroom teacher they are small things that lead to larger problems like disrespect. If you don't back us up on these issues the students know it and lose respect for us.
"Don't give in halfway through the year or keep changing things. Follow through. Back your teachers up. You have taken the power away. No discipline equals no teaching.
"You have basically taken "morals" and work ethics out of our schools, yet now our tax money is paying for students to go to private schools where they teach morals and work ethics. I believe we should bring both back to our schools, and this will bring our students back as well.
"You want to save one child by not removing them from the classroom because you don't want that child to miss out on learning, but you are doing a total injustice to the average and above average students who want to learn and know how to behave. The others are not learning because teachers are spending their time repeatedly correcting, constantly documenting, meeting one on one, and conferencing with the one child who chooses not to behave. I have about 10 behavior plans with only two out of 10 working. Why is this? There is no followthrough at home. Teachers work harder than parents to help their child succeed. If you don't think this is true, again, just ask a classroom teacher."
I always referred to my students as "my kids." A very rude female administrator told me I was never to refer to my students as mine because they didn't belong to me. In many cases I had more contact with their kids than the parents. Oftentimes students tell teachers, whom they trust, many things that parents aren't aware of. I had a three-page parent questionnaire that I gave to parents at the beginning of every school year. Many times the parents would ask me the answer to a question about their child.
Breaux knows that all teachers are different, and that makes public education so special. "Students get the affection, nurturing, life lessons and education from each of them over their 12 years. Some experiences will be good, some not so good, but that is called life.
"Children need to learn to cope. They will need this skill for the rest of their lives so they can become good problem-solvers on their own and not have everything catered and changed to their every desire. Having their parents just being able to call the central office and have teachers give in to 'solve the problem' to make it easier for the child is not a coping skill. You are doing the students and parents a total injustice.
"If you are thinking getting rid of classroom teachers is the answer, then shame on you! It takes experienced teachers to help new, inexperienced teachers with the overwhelming burdens of classroom management, helping with background knowledge and learning how to build relationships with the students and the community that these students come from. There is so much more to teaching than getting in front of a class and giving a lesson."
Breaux concludes, "I am very proud to have worked with the many amazing and hardworking teachers, administrators and staff over the years in Lafayette Parish. We want a positive system and a system that continues to improve. We would really like for you to not only hear us, but make necessary changes."
Isn't this what every teacher wants? My 35 years of teaching with Fort Wayne Community Schools saw teaching go from being a top-rated system in the state to what I consider now to be a mediocre one that only cares how much money they will get per student.
How much learning really takes place over and above the teaching for the tests? How many students can think outside the box or do they just repeat memorized unrelated information that will give them a passing test grade and make FWCS look good? Think about it!


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Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Does Teenage Son Have Asperger's?
We have had difficulty ever getting a firm diagnosis (diagnosES) for my son. We have sought multiple venues, however, and he receives support from school. Opinions vary, but he displays many of the Asperger`s Spectrum behaviors. He is having a hard time in 7th grade. His stereotypical movements have increased. He is much more emotional (although thankfully, he is not a MIS-behavior problem.) Sensory-wise, he has always been an extremely picky eater and now he is down to eating even fewer foods and dropped some of his all-time favorites. The expectations of 7th grade have increased. He is bright and certainly capable of meeting these expectations. He also has ADD. Anxiety. Do you have some resources to recommend? Do you have any advice? We feel like 7th grade has overtaken our whole family. I am also frustrated because often times he has so much homework and his "issues" make it hard to complete the homework that then he doesn`t have time to do the pleasurable/calming/sensory activities that he NEEDS to relax and refocus himself.
While it can be frustrating not having a firm diagnosis, it is not always necessary to have one to provide some treatment for a person's symptoms or problem behaviors.
From your description, your teen does have many behaviors seen in Asperger's but these also could be seen in a teen with ADHD, anxiety, and sensory issues.
For some problems, the treatment will be the same regardless of the underlying diagnosis. For example, the same medications would be considered for treating the ADHD or anxiety symptoms, sensory integration treatment would be recommended for his sensory issues, and so on.
I would recommend discussing these concerns with your teen's primary care doctor. There are non-medical treatments for anxiety and sensory problems that can help him learn self-calming techniques. Medication may be part of the overall treatment plan, either for the ADHD symptoms or the anxiety symptoms.
There are some books for parents that can provide some practical help or at least provide you with the knowledge that there are other parents experiencing similar concerns with their teens. "Maybe you Know My Teen" by Mary Fowler is about teens with ADHD, and "Raising a Sensory Smart Child" by Lindsey Biel is about dealing with the many sensory issues some children on the autism spectrum encounter.
Daniel Coury, MD
Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University


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Around 7,300 people in the UK currently need a transplant. Of these, 1,000 – three a day – will die waiting as there are not enough organs available. The Organ Donation Service at the Great Western Hospital offers support to bereaved families to help them make informed choices. Specialist Nurse for Organ Donation, Allison Salmon, takes us through her day
8am: I leave home for the hospital where I am based. A day on call to look forward to.
8.30am: I join the ward round on the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This is often where patients are referred to me or where discussions around end-of-life care happen.
9am: I receive a handover email from Nadine, the SNOD (Specialist Nurse Organ Donation) that has been on call overnight.
9.30am: I make the daily calls to hospitals within our region. This is to find out if there are any patients they are planning to test for a brain stem death (when a person no longer has any activity in their brain) or withdraw treatment on – there is nothing at present.
10am: Today I have a teaching session with some Junior Doctors. The aim is to raise their understanding of organ donation. The Junior Doctors receive the training very well, with lots of interesting questions and debate around the religious and ethical issues involved in donation.
12.30pm – Lunchtime!
1pm: My pager goes off. It's one of the hospitals in the south of our region. I speak to a registrar on the neurosurgical intensive care unit. He tells me about a young man in his 20s who was admitted 48 hours earlier following a road traffic collision. We discuss his past medical history and family details. I take the patient's details in order to check the Organ Donation Register (ODR).
I inform the doctor that the young man would be an eligible donor and I will come to the hospital to talk to the family.
1.20pm: I check the ODR – he is registered. I book a taxi to take me to the hospital.
2.30pm: I arrive at the hospital, talk to the doctor who referred the patient and review the medical notes.
3.30pm: I speak to the family and ask them about organ donation. They knew he was on the ODR and are fully supportive as they knew it was their son's wish to help others after his death. Speaking to parents who have just lost their child can be difficult and sad. Every family is different and have different strategies for coping with their loss. I have the time to sit with them and give them the information at a pace that is right for them. We give them information in order for them to make an informed decision.
My job is to support them throughout the process and that can be anything from just listening to them vent their anger to providing practical help with phone calls or refreshments. I try to focus on the fact that something positive can come out of such a sudden and tragic loss.
4pm: I get formal consent from the family and complete a patient medical assessment form. I then talk to them about the donation process and about their wishes for care after death.
5pm: As the man's death was sudden, I get permission from the coroner so that we can go ahead with donation. He gives full permission with no restrictions.
6.30pm-9.30pm: I ring recipient centres throughout the country in order to find suitable recipients for the organs that can be donated.
10pm: Recipients have been found for heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas. I mobilise the abdominal retrieval team.
10.30pm-1am: I complete my paperwork and the patient is cared for in ICU.
1am: The transplant teams arrive in theatre. I hand over to them and assist in transferring the patient to theatre.
1.30am: The operation begins. Once we are sure all the organs are healthy, I relay this to the recipient centres so they can start to prepare the recipients for their transplants.
6am: The operation is over. I have to ensure the organs are safely dispatched to the recipient centres. The heart and lungs are going to a centre at the other end of the country so I have to ensure a plane is on standby to get them in the air ASAP.
7am: Once all the organs have left the operating theatre, I am left alone to carry out last offices for the donor. It is the final thing I can do for him so I wash him, wash his hair, clean his teeth, dress his operation site and put him in a gown. He is then transferred to the mortuary. To carry out the last offices for someone who has given the ultimate gift is a humbling but proud task.
I always promise the family I will look after their loved one and that they are treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.
7.30am: I finish my paperwork and prepare handover to the oncoming on call person.
8am: I arrive home. I ring the patient's parents as promised to let them know what organs their son has generously donated. They are extremely grateful that I stayed with him throughout.
8.30am: Breakfast! Shower and bed.


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Connecting Ethics to Global Climate Change
Evan Berry is working to help scholars connect on international ethics issues related to global climate change.
As a Carnegie Council Global Ethics Fellow the College's Berry is part of the council's Global Ethics Network, whose member institutions include, along with AU, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, Duke, and Waseda universities.
Berry, whose research centers on the intersection of religion and nature in Western culture, is an assistant professor in AU's Department of Philosophy and Religion. He's also co-director of the Ethics, Peace, and Global Affairs master's program, a collaboration between the College and AU's School of International Service.
While other fellows will tackle issues such as economic development and corruption, as part of a working group of fellows Berry will focus on global climate change. It's an issue he's familiar with, having recently researched religious nongovernmental organizations at the United Nations' June 2012 Rio+20 conference on sustainable development.
In November, the Carnegie fellows met in New York City, where Berry discussed his research at Rio.
At Rio+20, Berry interviewed members of religious NGOs to discover their understanding of the role of religion in addressing sustainability issues. He hoped to discover whether a religious-secular divide existed.
"I sort of see two pairs of responses to those questions," Berry said. "One pair says that religious and secular groups do different kinds of work. Essentially secular groups do bureaucratic work and actually administer aid. They get concrete solutions into place. You need a well dug, that's what secular organizations do. You need someone to write a charter getting various kinds of constituencies aligned around core ethical convictions; that's the kind of work that religious organizations can do . . . So one group is doing ethical work and one group is doing applied, on-the-ground work."
Yet just a few miles away, at a more informal global gathering called the People's Summit, religious NGOs working on the same issues as their secular counterparts—justice, poverty, climate change—thought that while they might bring different motivations to their jobs, they were engaged in the same kind of work.
"So they're more interested in pragmatics as opposed to abstract concepts," Berry said.
Berry's travels and research have led him to see that in America, more so than in any other country, religious conservatives are almost uniformly skeptical of the idea of global climate change. What is presented as a two-sided issue in the United States is not seen that way in most other places in the world.
Despite this socio-religious divide on the issue of climate change, even in a country that separates church and state, religion affects how we think about the environment, Berry said.
"The Western theological tradition shapes the way we think culturally, not just the way theologians do what they do," Berry said. "But then it also shapes the nature of the environmental problem. If you actually sit down and read journalists' treatment of any environmental issue there'll be a Genesis story to it, that there was once a pristine garden and then along came human beings and we didn't originally understand and execute what was expected of us, and that we messed it up. We find ourselves at a moment trying to figure out how to take it back to that moment of pure origins. The narrative gets recycled in some really interesting ways that aren't always productive. Because I don't think we're going to get to go back to the garden."
In any case, Berry maintained, the issue isn't whether global climate change is a fact; it's what we do about its effects. The genie, as researchers are fond of saying, is out of the bottle.
"It's not about changing fossil fuels at this point; the more important priority now is to figure out how to adapt," Berry said. "It's time to start figuring out how to improve the infrastructure of cities like New York and D.C. and Baltimore so that they can grapple with the effects of climate change, because it's here and hopefully as that goes [forward] we'll get better at doing things like building higher-efficiency vehicles and coming up with less fossil fuel input-intensive agricultural methods, cutting back on international shipping. There's all sorts of things we will do to accommodate improving the climate situation. In the meantime, we have to improve our sewers and sea walls and really address basic infrastructure questions."


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by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter
Wary residents of southern Minnesota and mining industry officials painted contrasting pictures Feb. 19 on the use of silica or frac sand found in abundance from Chisago to Houston counties.
"I think it (a moratorium on new frac mines) would be appropriate," said John Marty, DFL-Roseville and Senate Environment and Energy Committee chairman.
Used as a means of fracturing shale in gas and oil mining, frac-sand production almost doubled nationally from 2009 to 2010 to 12 million tons, according to the U.S. Geological Service.
While frac-sand mining and processing facilities are more numerous in Wisconsin, a processing plant is located at North Branch with mining going on elsewhere in Minnesota.
Some city and county officials are nervous.
The Houston County Board, which previously enacted a one-year moratorium on frac-sand mining and processing, is currently in the process of reinstating the moratorium.
In a letter to Marty's committee, Houston County Board Chairman Justin Zmyewski urged lawmakers to take action.
"Many of the potential negative impacts of this industry cannot be addressed by ordinances at the county level," Zmyewski wrote.
He urged that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) establish permits — if pollution control does not happen at the state level, it will not happen, Zmyewski argued.
Zmyewski called for a generic environmental impact statement to establish permitting standards, and also called for a statewide moratorium to allow the MCPA to complete the study.
Local government wants more state oversight on frac mining, Marty argued.
"Our job now is to figure out how to make that happen," he said.
The state did not want to get caught flat-footed, trailing behind the growth of the industry, Marty argued.
Zmyewski did not depict viewpoints on frac-sand mining unique to Houston County.
A large contingent of local government officials and activists from southern Minnesota jammed a press conference at the State Capitol to plea for stricter oversight of an industry they portray as opportunistic, callous, environmentally destructive.
"Who's going to benefit from that money?" Wabasha City Council Member Lynn Schoen replied when asked about the economic benefits of frac mining.
Having a frac mine might mean a few truck driving jobs, she argued, but it won't offset wear and tear on roads and other negative impacts.
"Not all jobs are created equally," Schoen said.
Others voiced concerns over the perceived threat of frac-sand dust.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), inhaling crystalline silica dust is a concern for humans.
Dust-sized particles, invisible to the naked eye, can reach deep into the lungs and enter the blood stream to enter other organs in the body.
People living downwind of frac-sand mining or processing could be exposed to low concentrations of the dust, an MDH publication reads.
Lung diseases, such as emphysema, are associated with silica-dust exposure. Silica is a known carcinogen that has also been associated with asthma and silicosis, a lung disease.
The dust question has one area lawmaker looking for a broader view.
"We've been considering this (risks of silica dust) from a worker's perspective," said Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul.
"But I think we need to look at it from a community perspective," said Hansen, who is carrying legislation related to frac-sand mining.
Mining industry officials appearing before a joint legislative committee argued that their companies have served the state for generations, are very conscientious, and want to be engaged in the debate.
"This area knows mining," Scott Sustacek of Jordan Sands said.
Tiller Corporation officials, who operate the sand processing operation in North Branch, spoke of public hearings and buy-in from local government officials on their operation.
They rejected the idea of a generic environmental assessment, arguing each mining operation should be judged individually.
Further, industry officials argued the current permitting procedure is extensive.
Needed documentation concerning air emissions at the North Branch facility, said geologist Kristen Pauly, ran into hundreds of pages.
The industry is supportive of on-going ambient air quality monitoring, she noted.
According to Minnesota Industrial Sand Council, an environmental assessment worksheet is currently required for sand mining projects that develop 40 or more acres.
A more elaborate environmental impact statement is required for industrial sand mining projects that develop 160 acres or more.
According to a Environmental Quality Board (EQB) report, five mines have been identified in Minnesota that extract industrial silica sand.
One additional mine has come on-line since December of 2012.
Five counties, including Houston, have passed moratoriums on new silica sand mining permits.
One frac mine typically employs between 10 and 20 people, while 40 to 50 may work at a typical sand processing plant, according to the EQB report.
The Midwest leads the nation in sand and gravel production.
In 2010, the region mined 67 percent of the sand used in hydraulic fracturing, according to the report.
Although the most extensive silica-sand deposits exposed at or near the surface run in a widening belt from Chisago County to Fillmore and Houston counties to the south, limited silica-sand resources are located in Pine, Kanabec, Isanti, Sherburne, Anoka, Wright, Carver and other counties.
In counties such as Hennepin, Ramsey, and Scott, silica-sand resources are limited to river corridors, according to the EQB report.
Tim Budig can be reached at [email protected]


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Pineda plans to make decision for fifth starter easy
TAMPA, Fla. -- Michael Pineda says that he is back to being the pitcher who tantalized scouts as an American League All-Star in 2011. If that's the case, the decision as to who will be the Yankees' fifth starter may be easier than expected.
Pineda threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on Monday at George M. Steinbrenner Field and said that he is pleased by his recovery from an anterior labral tear. Now, after two years of false starts, he expects to throw his first official pitches as a Yankee.
"I'm feeling good. Really good," Pineda said. "I'm throwing the same, mechanics [are] the same. Everything is the same. All [the] pitches are the same. I'm the same Michael Pineda."
"I thought the ball came out really well today," manager Joe Girardi said. "To me, it looked different than what I saw a couple of years ago when he got hurt and was pitching in games. I'm anxious to see him get in some games in the next 12 days or so."
As a rookie in 2011, Pineda went 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA in 28 starts for the Mariners before coming to the Yankees in a four-player trade in January 2012. Top catching prospect Jesus Montero headlined the package of players sent to Seattle and has also had difficulty making a big league impact.
Girardi said that Pineda's velocity was around 93 mph or 94 mph last year in the Minors, and Pineda said that he has been working on his conditioning. He showed up overweight two years ago but is back to his listed playing weight, 260 pounds.
Pineda added that he feels "no pressure" and is "happy" about the competition for fifth starter, which also includes David Phelps, Adam Warren and Vidal Nuno.
Girardi said that it is too early to handicap a favorite.
"Obviously, when we traded for [Pineda], we expected him to be in our rotation," Girardi said. "But he went through an injury, he went through significant time off, and that fifth spot is going to have to be earned."
Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Summary: The Ohio River Valley was impacted for the third week in a row with rainfall, eliminating drought in this area. Portions of Mississippi and Alabama have received as much as ten inches of rain over the last two weeks. In Texas and Oklahoma, drought is becoming more severe and impacts in agriculture and wildland fire are apparent.
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic: Drought-free conditions continue in the Northeastern United States this week. Concerns regarding some minor flooding in western and northern Virginia and the surrounding area led to a one-category improvement from West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay.
Southeast: Western North Carolina received some beneficial precipitation, with some local amounts totaling as much as four inches. The Piedmont and coastal plains were not as fortunate. Groundwater, streamflow and water supply concerns are waning, but rainfall has not yet arrived on the severe drought region. This week's map depicts a tightened gradient between drought-free and moderate drought in the central part of the state, and abnormally dry conditions have expanded all the way to the coast. In South Carolina, D1 is expanded in the southeast to reflect further drying in Colleton and Dorchester counties.
A large swath of heavy rainfall impacted Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and northern Georgia during this Drought Monitor period. Local data report nearly ten inches of rain for the seven- to 14-day period. Improvements in drought severity are made throughout this region, resulting in a two-category reduction across the Mississippi/Alabama border, and a large area of D0 that reflects long-term shortage of precipitation.
In southern Tennessee, a one-category change to no drought and D0 is shown as a result of the wet period that started a few weeks ago. This brings nearly all of the Volunteer State into drought-free status on the map.
This week's widespread rainfall, one to two inches in most areas, held constant the drought conditions in Florida, with neither improvement nor degradation made to the map.
South: Deteriorating conditions in Texas and Oklahoma led to increased drought severity this week. In addition to the widespread wildfires in the region, impacts from agricultural areas are starting to be reported in counties along the Red River that illustrate the extreme nature of drought. Other regions that have increased in severity this week include: Midland, TX, Childress and the panhandle of Texas, and south Texas. South central Oklahoma has been drying out of late, and winter wheat is not in good condition. Wichita Falls, TX, is in its second driest period for November to March 15, since 1850. Pecos county, TX, is very short on rainfall, with just .01 inches reported since October 1. D2 and D3 is expanded in east central Texas as well.
In the Oklahoma panhandle, severe drought is depicted as deterioration continues in field conditions and a persistent lack of rainfall.
Central: Flooding concerns continue in the Ohio River Valley, and this week's map brings this area into drought-free status. Central Missouri received two to three inches of rain for the seven-day period, and improvements are made in this region.
High Plains: The Dakotas are bracing for spring flooding as temperatures are warming and their thick snowpack begins to melt. In the Nebraska panhandle, the area of abnormally dry conditions was reduced to better reflect winter season precipitation totals that are near to above normal.
West: Drought continues to hold its grip in the Southwest. Extreme (D3) is expanded to include parts or all of the southern New Mexico counties of Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra and Dona Ana. The Standardized Precipitation Index has values of -2 to -3 across this region, in addition to reports from locals noting increased fire danger. Moderate drought is expanded to cover central New Mexico, including Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Although no changes are made in Arizona this week, the north area of abnormally dry conditions is expanded to include southern San Juan county in Utah. Precipitation data and other drought indicators show short-term dryness in this low-elevation region of the San Juan River watershed.
A small area of improvement is also made in southeastern Wyoming, as a reflection of near- to above-normal precipitation in the Cheyenne, WY, area for the winter season thus far.
Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico: In Hawaii, reports of improving field conditions on Molokai led to a one-category improvement on this island. Elsewhere in Hawaii there was no change.
An assessment of Alaska's winter season precipitation and streamflow for this time of year changed the depiction on this week's map. D0 is introduced in the south and southeast part of the state, and is reduced in the east central region.
Puerto Rico's dry season is even drier than normal, and rainfall and streamflow data are showing it. Abnormally dry, or D0, was introduced in the southeast.
Looking Ahead: A strong low pressure system will move onshore in the western US early in the next US Drought Monitor period, bringing a few feet of snow and several inches of water equivalent to the northern Sierra Nevada mountains in California. As this system moves inland, it will carry beneficial snow to the higher elevations in the northern Rocky Mountains and low elevation rain. High pressure will take hold over the Southeast, which could exacerbate drought conditions in that region over the weekend. Snow and rain will continue to impact the Northeast, particularly from upstate New York to Maine for the next few days.
In the extended three to seven day period, the unsettled, wet pattern is projected to stay in place over the Western and Great Lakes states into New England. This will be accompanied by cooler than normal temperatures in these regions. Below average rainfall and above normal temperatures may set the stage for more severe drought in the south and southeast, while providing a welcome respite from the heavy precipitation in Mississippi and Alabama.
Author: Laura Edwards, Western Regional Climate Center
Dryness Categories
D0 ... Abnormally Dry ... used for areas showing dryness but not yet in drought, or for areas recovering from drought.
Drought Intensity Categories
D1 ... Moderate Drought
D2 ... Severe Drought
D3 ... Extreme Drought
D4 ... Exceptional Drought
Drought or Dryness Types
A ... Agricultural
H ... Hydrological


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Figures used in stories on Jan. 21, Feb. 5, and Feb. 7 on the proposed payment-in-lieu-of-taxes plan sought by Kirchoff Companies for the Mid-Hudson Medical Group building on the former Miron site were for Kingston school taxes only and did not include either county or town taxes. If approved by the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, the total for school district, town and county taxes at the end of 20 years would be $8.16 million for the modified plan, compared to $12.58 million under a standard payment plan.
The recent meeting of the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee of the Ulster County Legislature was Tuesday evening. The day was misreported in Wednesday's edition.
Although steps are taken to avoid factual mistakes in our news stories and photo captions, errors can occur. It is Freeman policy to make corrections as soon as possible. Contact the city editor -- (845) 331-5000, ext. 410 -- if a factual error appears.