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PITTSBURGH – A landmark federal study on hydraulic fracturing conducted at a Greene County well pad shows no evidence that chemicals from the natural gas drilling process moved up to contaminate drinking water aquifers at a Western Pennsylvania drilling site, the Department of Energy told the Associated Press.
After a year of monitoring, the researchers found that the chemical-laced fluids used in "fracking" to free gas trapped deep below the surface stayed thousands of feet below the shallower areas that supply drinking water, geologist Richard Hammack said.
Although the results are preliminary – the study is still ongoing – they are a boost to a natural gas industry that has fought complaints from environmental groups and property owners who call fracking dangerous.
Drilling fluids tagged with unique markers were injected more than 8,000 feet below the surface but were not detected in a monitoring zone 3,000 feet higher. That means the potentially dangerous substances stayed about a mile away from drinking water supplies.
"This is good news," said Duke University scientist Rob Jackson, who was not involved with the study. He called it a "useful and important approach" to monitoring fracking, but he cautioned that the single study doesn't prove that fracking can't pollute, since geology and industry practices vary widely in Pennsylvania and across the nation.
The boom in gas drilling has led to tens of thousands of new wells being drilled in recent years, many in the Marcellus Shale formation that lies under parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and West Virginia. That's led to major economic benefits but also fears that the chemicals used in the drilling process could spread to water supplies.
The mix of chemicals varies by company and region, and while some are openly listed the industry has complained that disclosing special formulas could violate trade secrets. Some of the chemicals are toxic and could cause health problems in significant doses, so the lack of full transparency has worried landowners and public health experts.
The study done by the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh marked the first time that a drilling company, which was not identified, let government scientists inject special tracers into the fracking fluid and then continue regular monitoring to see whether it spread toward drinking water sources. The research is being done at an undisclosed drilling site in Greene County.
Eight Marcellus Shale wells were monitored seismically and one was injected with four different man-made tracers at different stages of the fracking process, which involves setting off small explosions to break the rock apart. The scientists also monitored a separate series of older gas wells that are about 3,000 feet above the Marcellus to see if the fracking fluid reached up to them.
The industry and many state and federal regulators have long contended that fracking itself won't contaminate surface drinking water because of the extreme depth of the gas wells. Most are more than a mile underground, while drinking water aquifers are usually within 500 to 1000 feet of the surface.
Kathryn Klaber, CEO of the industry-led Marcellus Shale Coalition, called the study "great news."
"It's important that we continue to seek partnerships that can study these issues and inform the public of the findings," Klaber said.
While the lack of contamination is encouraging, Jackson said he wondered whether the unidentified drilling company might have consciously or unconsciously taken extra care with the research site, since it was being watched. He also noted that other aspects of the drilling process can cause pollution, such as poor well construction, surface spills of chemicals and wastewater.
Jackson and his colleagues at Duke have done numerous studies over the last few years that looked at whether gas drilling is contaminating nearby drinking water, with mixed results. None has found chemical contamination but they did find evidence that natural gas escaped from some wells near the surface and polluted drinking water in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Myron Arnowitt, the state director for Clean Water Action in Pennsylvania, pointed to those studies that show other ways groundwater can be contaminated. He lauded the NETL's preliminary results, but was withholding judgment until the entire study is released at the end of the year.
"If you're restricting your study to a very specific (issue), I think you're going to miss a lot of contamination that happens on the sites," Arnowitt said. "There are many ways that contamination can happen. The moment of the fracturing of the shale is not the only one to look at it."
Scott Anderson, a drilling expert with the Environment Defense Fund, said the results sound very interesting.
"Very few people think that fracking at significant depths routinely leads to water contamination. But the jury is still out on what the odds are that this might happen in special situations," Anderson said.
One finding surprised the researchers: Seismic monitoring determined one hydraulic fracture traveled 1,800 feet out from the well bore; most traveled just a few hundred feet. That's significant because some environmental groups have questioned whether the fractures could go all the way to the surface.
The researchers believe that fracture may have hit naturally occurring faults, and that's something both industry and regulators don't want.
"We would like to be able to predict those areas" with natural faults and avoid them, Hammack said.
Jackson said the 1,800-foot fracture was interesting but noted it is still a mile from the surface.
The DOE team will start to publish full results of the tests over the next few months, said Hammack, who called the large amount of field data from the study "the real deal."
"People probably will be looking at the data for years to come," he said.
On Friday, DOE spokesman David Anna added that while nothing of concern has been found thus far, "the results are far too preliminary to make any firm claims."
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Ballistic Publishing has unleashed ESSENCE: Creatures, a groundbreaking guide to creating beasts for games and film. The book has 250 pages of never-before-seen artwork by the Masters of creature design.
Ballistic - the publisher of the finest digital art books - asked eight master artists, from studios such as Sony Santa Monica and Weta Workshop, to collaborate in the creation of a series of creatures. The result is a stunning guide that shows what wonders these Masters of monster-making can create when given complete freedom. Unshackled by time and budget constraints, these are the never before seen creatures that will fuel a whole new generation of critters, brutes and fiends. ESSENCE: Creatures is the essential manual to all of those hoping to break into the film and game market.
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Originally published on June 23, 2012 8:07 am
We get two perspectives on President Obama's policy shift on immigration and the election year efforts to reach Hispanic voters. Host Scott Simon speaks with Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, co-chair of Obama campaign and head of Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, who served alongside Mitt Romney when he was governor in Massachusetts and is now an adviser to the campaign.


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Stress Management
Topic Overview
What happens when you are stressed?
Stress is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to. When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy. This is called the fight-or-flight stress response.
Some stress is normal and even useful. Stress can help if you need to work hard or react quickly. For example, it can help you win a race or finish an important job on time.
But if stress happens too often or lasts too long, it can have bad effects. It can be linked to headaches, an upset stomach, back pain, and trouble sleeping. It can weaken your immune system, making it harder to fight off disease. If you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work or school.
What can you do about stress?
The good news is that you can learn ways to manage stress. To get stress under control:
How do you measure your stress level?
Sometimes it is clear where stress is coming from. You can count on stress during a major life change such as the death of a loved one, getting married, or having a baby. But other times it may not be so clear why you feel stressed.
It's important to figure out what causes stress for you. Everyone feels and responds to stress differently. Tracking your stress may help. Get a notebook, and write down when something makes you feel stressed. Then write how you reacted and what you did to deal with the stress. Tracking your stress can help you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. Then you can take steps to reduce the stress or handle it better.
To find out how stressed you are right now, use this Interactive Tool: What Is Your Stress Level?
How can you avoid stress?
Stress is a fact of life for most people. You may not be able to get rid of stress, but you can look for ways to lower it.
You might try some of these ideas:
Sometimes stress is just too much to handle alone. Talking to a friend or family member may help, but you may also want to see a counselor.
How can you relieve stress?
You will feel better if you can find ways to get stress out of your system. The best ways to relieve stress are different for each person. Try some of these ideas to see which ones work for you:
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Richard Simkin
Born on November 5th 1850 and was born in Herne Bay Kent, England, Richard Simkin grew up in Aldershot, Hampshire, marrying his wife, Harriet, in 1880, and it is also believed he was a volunteer in the Artist's Rifles. He was employed by the War Office to design recruiting posters. He is probabaly best know for his series of Army regiments including Yeomanry and Colonial regiments, a weekly supplement print to the Army and Navy Gazette. In 1901 he created a series of 'Types of the Indian Army' for the Gazette. He obtained much of the information from the Colonial and India Exhibition of 1886. Over a period of over 50 years Richard Simkin produced thousands of watercolours of Army uniforms and watercolours of Army life and campaigns. Many of these paintings can be seen in regimental museums and messes. Simkin also contributed illustrations to The Army and Navy gazzette, the Boy's Own Magazine, and The Graphic and many paintings were used in books and publications of Raphael Tuck and Sons. Richard Simkin died on the 25th June 1926 at home at 7 Cavensigh Street, Herne Bay. Many of richard Simkin's antique prints have been reproduced as prints by Cranston Fine Arts and are available from our websites, along with many original antique prints which are hard to find these days.
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Q.I don't understand what casual contact is. In school, my health teacher said that AIDS isn't spread by casual contact, but nobody explained what that is.
– 13-year-old male
Mary Jo's response: An outstanding question that reminds me to never assume someone knows what I'm teaching. I use this poem, "Knots," by R.D. Laing when I do professional trainings. It keeps me focused on the need to articulate the obvious when teaching – which simply means that a teacher needs to share information clearly:
There is something I don't know that I am supposed to know.
I don't know what it is that I don't know and yet am supposed to know, and I feel I look stupid if I seem both not to know it and not know what it is I don't know.
Therefore I pretend I know it.
This is nerve-racking since I don't know what I must pretend to know.
Therefore I pretend to know everything.
I feel you know what I am supposed to know but you can't tell me what it is because you don't know that I don't know it.
You may know what I don't know, but not that I don't know it, and I can't tell you.
So you will have to tell me everything.
Casual contact means that people connect with one another but there is no chance for body fluids to go from one person to another – no sexual contact, no needle-sharing, no breastfeeding, no blood or fluid exchange. Let's be clear about some myths:
Research has shown that HIV is NOT spread by:
• Breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive
• A mosquito bite
• Touching a toilet seat or doorknob handle after an HIV-positive person
• Drinking from a water fountain
• Hugging, kissing or shaking hands with someone who is HIV-positive
• Sharing eating utensils with an HIV-positive person
• Using exercise equipment at a gym
It is true that HIV can be spread through blood, semen, vaginal fluid or breast milk.
I hope that helps make the idea of casual contact clear. If you have more questions or just want to talk, I'm at 412-877-4906.
Youth Champions: Who said February is a boring month? Our peer educators are busy planning two important February events:
One Billion Rising: The public is invited to our "rising" from 5 to 6 p.m. Feb. 13 at our Common Ground Teen Center (53 N. College St., Washington). One Billion Rising is an international call to action (http://onebillionrising.org/). One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. One billion women violated is an atrocity. One billion women dancing is a revolution. Men and women are invited to join our young people as they enjoy solidarity in dance and participate in an educational hour to focus on our common humanity. Violence does not need to be the status quo.
Black History Month Essay Contest: Any Washington County teen (14-18) may enter this contest honoring Black History Month. Essays must be between 300 and 500 words. The topic is any African-American, living or dead, who contributed to making our community stronger and better. Essays may focus on a local individual or a national figure. Completed essays must be sent by email only to email@example.com and must include the name, address, phone number and email address of the essayist. Entries must be received no later than midnight on Feb. 22. The winner will be announced at our Black History Day program on from 5 to 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Common Ground Teen Center. A $100 Amazon gift card will be awarded to the best essay.
Stay warm!
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MONESSEN – Monessen police have filed attempted homicide and related charges against five people in connection with an incident involving gunfire in the city Monday that investigators believed stemmed from the shooting death of a former Washington County man earlier that day.
Police had taken two of the suspects, Earl V. Pinkney, 18, of 617 Chestnut St., Monessen, and Samone Stepoli, 21, also of Monessen, into custody after questioning them late Tuesday afternoon, while Westmoreland County detectives and deputy sheriffs scoured the city, seizing evidence and looking for the other three involved in the case, investigators said.
A detective identified the other suspects as: Samone Stepoli's brothers, Joshua Joseph Stepoli, 18, and Terrence James Stepoli, 20, both of 2060 Grand Ave., Monessen; and Antoine Hairston, 19, also of Monessen.
He said the five are not suspects in the slaying of Chris W. Fincik, 36, who was shot to death at 12:25 a.m. Monday at his 902 Maple Ave. residence in Monessen, Westmoreland County Coroner Kenneth A. Bacha said. Fincik, formerly of Charleroi, Donora and Belle Vernon, was pronounced dead of gunshot wounds at 3:59 a.m. by Deputy Coroner Timothy O'Donnell. Rulings on the cause and manner of his death were pending the results of an autopsy, Bacha stated in a news release.
Then at 4:13 p.m. Monday, city police were summoned to Highland Manor for a report of gunshots being fired and spoke with Jaisen Irwin, the target of that alleged assault, court records show.
Irwin told police he was sitting on a ledge with Shep Womack outside the Elks Club near Knox Avenue when Samone Stepoli drove up in a blue car, possibly a Ford Taurus, with the other four suspects. He said Terrence Stepoli approached him and accused him of "running my mouth about being involved" in the Fincik death. The two reached out to shake hands, but Terrence Stepoli pulled away and attempted to slap Irwin in the face, police stated in the affidavit filed against Pinkney.
Irwin said he ran off as two other men stepped out of the vehicle and began to chase him, the affidavit indicates. At one point, Irwin stated, one of the men brandished a weapon and fired a shot. Irwin told police he heard a second shot fired after he ran inside 1001 Highland Manor.
The five suspects also face charges of attempted aggravated assault and conspiracy, court records show. Pinkney was remanded to Westmoreland County Prison on $100,000 bond set by District Judge Joseph A. Dalfonso in Monessen. Samone Stepoli also was remanded to the prison after being unable to post $10,000 bond, court records show.
Investigators returned to the Monessen police department Monday afternoon, saying they couldn't find the other three suspects.
The Stepoli brothers were arrested April 11 by Charleroi Regional police on charges of possessing stolen firearms and carrying a firearm without a license. Terrence Stepoli, who also is identified in some court records as Terrance Stepoli, pleaded guilty in the case in October in Washington County Court and was sentenced to 18 months of probation and 60 days of electronic home monitoring. Joshua Stepoli pleaded guilty last month and received a sentence of 36 months of probation and 60 days of electronic home monitoring.
Meanwhile, Fincik has a record in the area for drug arrests, Westmoreland County Court records show. He also was awaiting trial in Washington County Court on charges of drug possession, tampering with evidence, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct filed Oct. 1 by Roscoe, Elco, Stockdale and Allenport Regional police. He was living in Charleroi at the time of the arrest, court records indicate.
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Have you tried out the Calendar in the Outlook Customer Preview yet?
We know many of you use the calendar to schedule meetings and appointments with each other. We also know another common usage is to help track small reminders. Let's take a look at what's available to help you with those small reminders.
Calendar Quick Entry
We've heard that most of you like to use Month View both to see your appointments for today and also to look ahead to get a sense of what's coming up. Maybe you see that Paula's bake sale is next week, and you want to bring your infamous banana bread, so you jot down a reminder to yourself to get some bananas for next week. If you're in Month View, we've made it easy for you to add notes to remind yourself of things to do. Just click on a day and type away!
Calendar Item Peeks
And if you've forgotten when Paula's bake sale ends, you can remind yourself with a glimpse of the Calendar Item Peek by hovering your mouse over the event.
Looking Ahead
In addition to helping you stay on top of things in your life, we've also added the following features to help you plan ahead.
In the left Folder Pane, we now show two months by default so that it's easier to plan into the next month, especially when you're at the end of the month.
If you're like me and you work in Week View because you have a busy calendar, you may have noticed the horizontal blue bar that goes across your calendar view. The bar indicates the current time (e.g. 3:30pm), and helps you quickly identify future events that occur at that same time.
Try out these features, and let me know what you think in the comments below!
-Jenny Liu, Outlook Program Manager


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WAYNESBURG – Testimony began Monday morning in Greene County Court in the trial of Jerod A. Green, 36, of Morgantown, formerly of Oklahoma, who is charged with the murder of a law enforcement official in the Feb. 18 death of Monongalia County, W.Va., sheriff's deputy Sgt. Michael Todd May, 41.
May died as the result of a crash that occurred at the end of a police chase involving Green and officers from multiple West Virginia police departments. The pursuit began after Granville, W.Va., police pulled Green over as a suspect in a hit-and-run accident on Easton Hill Road in Morgantown Feb. 17 involving a car driven by Skylar Johnson, 19, of Morgantown.
An audio recording of the traffic stop involving Green was played for the jury. He initially denied being involved in the hit-and-run, claiming the damage to his vehicle came from striking the Cheat Lake Bridge, but he eventually acknowledged his involvement in the accident claiming Johnson was at fault. Green proceeded to tell the officer, Sgt. David Wilfong of the Monongalia County Sheriff's Department, the reason he left the scene was because he had four previous felony arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol. Wilfong is then heard requesting Green exit the vehicle for a field sobriety test followed by the sound of an enginee revving, Green driving away and Wilfong repeatedly yelling for him to stop. Wilfong testified his arm was inside Green's truck as he pulled away.
The officers followed Green as he traveled along Route 100 to Route 19 through Mount Morris to the I-79 South entrance ramp. Officers testified Green entered the right lane of traffic on I-79 south and then drove into the passing lane before striking May's vehicle that they believed to be stopped at an angle in the median.
Monongalia County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. James Burks, who was involved in the pursuit, said Green swerved toward his patrol car twice during the chase. He said he alerted his fellow officers by radio to exercise caution. "I felt Mr. Green would harm them if given the opportunity," Burks said. "There was nothing that led me to believe he had any intention to stop whatsoever."
Burks was the first officer on the scene after the accident involving May.
"At the top of the entrance ramp, I saw Mr. Green's vehicle cross both southbound lanes in a straight line," Burks said. "He went right to left across the lanes straight into Sgt. May's vehicle. In my mind I'm telling him, 'Sgt. May get out of the way.' I didn't see any attempt not to hit Sgt. May's vehicle whatsoever."
Burks' testimony of what happened matched that of fellow officers who arrived on the scene immediately following the crash. The officers said there was a lot of smoke and debris falling upon impact. Burks said it sounded like a bomb going off when the vehicles made contact and May's vehicle spun violently from being struck.
It was an emotionally charged day for Mays' friends and family as 17 witnesses, including Jeffrey Haught, Monongalia County medical examiner, took the stand to discuss various aspects of the day May was killed. Others who testified included Green's former girlfriend who discussed text and phone messages between them in the hours leading up to the crash. A bartender from the Ruby Tuesday Restaurant in Morgantown, as well as patrons of Bugsy's Tavern, who had interactions with Green Feb. 17, also testified. The patrons of Bugsy's said Green appeared to be intoxicated, slurring his words, and leaning on their table.
Green's blood-alcohol content after the accident involving May was determined to be 0.189 percent. Green also was heard on the recording during the traffic stop telling Wilfort he had taken Lithium, Zoloft, and Depakote for bipolar disorder.
In her opening statement, Greene County District Attorney Marjorie Fox told the jury Green's vehicle became a deadly weapon that hit May with such speed and force as to make his death inevitable. Fox asserted Green drove directly at May after leading police on the chase from Route 100 in W.Va., across the Pennsylvania state line to Mt. Morris and onto the southbound ramp of I-79.
Green's defense attorney John Bongivengo said his client did not intend to kill May or even to cause an accident. Bongivengo said he will prove May was traveling in the driving lane of I-79 instead of stopped in the median, where witnesses would say his vehicle was located at the time of impact.
Other charges against Green include homicide by vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, criminal homicide and related charges.
May was pronounced dead at 2:35 a.m. Feb. 18 as the result of multiple head injuries consistent with being in an auto accident, according to Haught.
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Sewage bills a mess in Scott Twp.
You might want to look at your sewage bills a little more closely, especially if you live in Scott Township.
Pennsylvania American Water Co. discontinued billing for sewer service this fall, with municipalities taking over the task. But the transition has not been a smooth one.
"It is a total mess," stated Tom Castello, president of Scott Township's Board of Commissioners, at the board's regular meeting on April 23. He said about half the residents are receiving sewer bills that are correct, but the rest are getting bills that are wrong. Castello commented they even had one owner of an empty lot with no water line receive a sewer bill.
Scott resident Pat Martin told the board that her latest bill had a 300-gallon water overcharge, along with a $19.79 refund, which Martin said she should not have received.
Martin said that her billing cycle starts on the first of the month, while the neighbor to one side of her has a billing cycle that starts on the sixth of the month, and the neighbor on the other side has a cycle that starts on the 12th.
"And all of our meters get read on the same day," stated Martin.
Adding to the confusion, Martin said the billing cycle can range anywhere from 28 to 32 days.
Township manager Denise Fitzgerald said the sewer bills are generated from water company data, and the municipality is working with the water company to try to resolve the billing issues. "We've submitted all the data we have to the water company for them to analyze and help us solve the problem," Fitzgerald said.
To gear up for summer and pool season, the board awarded the contract for operation of the concession stand at Scott Pool to Sean Walsh, owner of Nobby's Pizza on Vanadium Road. The five-year contract is effective May 1, 2013. Also approved was the replacement of the swimming pool pump, accepting V-Systems proposal for $1,740.
The board also approved the hiring of Ron Ellis as pool manager and aquatics director, Monica Gigliotti as assistant pool manager, numerous lifeguards, swim instructors and other pool personnel, as well as the hiring of William Evans as recreation director.
In other business, the board unanimously approved entering into a 25-year lease agreement with Chartiers Terrace Housing Association that will allow a portion of Chartiers Terrace property to be used as a ball field. Scott Township will pay an annual rent of $100 for use of the field.


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PT municipal buildings upgrading phone system
All municipal buildings in Peters Township will soon have a new telephone system, replacing the current system that has been in use since 1988. During a council meeting March 25, council members unanimously awarded a bid to Premier Com for $55,090 that includes installation and maintenance for five years. Premier Com was the lowest of six bids received. Another bidder was rejected for not having a bid bond and for not using the official bid form.
The 2013 budget includes $66,000 for the project. No time frame was listed for installation, however the equipment must be shipped to the installer by March 31.
In other action March 25 council:
• Pre-qualified nine companies as HVAC contractors. In the township, contractors must be pre-qualified before being permitted to work on township property. Fourteen firms had applied to be considered.
• The Whispering Pines development was approved to include eight new lots in Phase 1. That will bring the first phase to 26 lots.
• An attempt to impose term limits for members of township boards failed by a vote of 2 to 4 with members Monica Merrell and Gary Stiegel Jr. voting for, and Robert Atkison, Robert Lewis, Frank Arcuri and David Ball voting against. Council member James Berquist was absent.
• Authorized a banner on the Bebout Road trail bridge requested by the high school Interact Club for April 14-27 to advertise an autism walk.
• Announced the annual joint meeting between council and the Peters Township School Board will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 16, in the library.
• Announced an agreement between the township and Waste Management for failed collections in the amount of $3,500. Michael Silvestri, township manager, said each affected household will be credited $2.
• Discussed the future impact on traffic when the Southern Beltway is constructed from Route 22 to Interstate 79 in Cecil Township. Silvestri said work on the project is expected to begin on the western end this year and take nine years to complete.
Next regular meeting: 7:30 p.m. April 8.


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Smoke-free is the way to be
Last week, UPMC announced that beginning July 1, 2014, its staff – including employees, doctors, students and volunteers – will be smoke and tobacco-free throughout the work day. This means that not only are tobacco products prohibited on the properties, but that all staff will be prohibited from smoking or using other tobacco products during their breaks, even if they leave the property.
The news created quite a stir, but UPMC is certainly not the first to require its staff to refrain from smoking during the workday (UPMC campuses have been smoke-free since 2007). The Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic are tobacco-free during the workday. Locally, the Washington Hospital became smoke- and tobacco-free during the workday in October 2011.
UPMC's Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources and Administrative Services Officer Gregory Peaslee was quoted in the release: "Our patients are best cared for, and both patients and visitors have the best experience, when our employees are at their very healthiest and when the workplace is free of tobacco."
He's absolutely right. No amount of breath mints, perfume or other prohibitive measure is going to mask the smell of smoke that lingers on a smoker's breath, on their hair and on their clothes. What parent would want a nurse who smells like an ashtray to hold and care for their newborn baby? Beyond the filth factor, let's not forget that third-hand smoke – residue which sticks to the hair, clothes and so on – can not only react with common indoor pollutants to create a toxic mix, but that infants, children and nonsmoking adults are put at risk of developing tobacco-related health problems when they are exposed to it, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Of course, those in the medical profession are more educated than most to know, first-hand, the effects of tobacco use – oral and lung cancers to burns, increased risk for myriad diseases, emphysema, high blood pressure, the list goes on and on. Not only are they armed with this knowledge, they treat people with these conditions on a daily basis. Unfortunately, those are the same people who light up themselves.
The argument that comes up when a policy like this is put in to place is "what other freedoms are going to be taken away from me?" Smokers should keep in mind that their freedom to light up whenever, wherever, impedes on other people's freedom to breathe clean air – and receive medical treatment from someone who is not exposing them to third-hand smoke.
As little as 25 years ago, some businesses and corporations allowed workers to smoke inside the office. Smoking used to be allowed in shopping malls and in restaurants. That "freedom" has been taken away slowly but surely, and we highly doubt many people have complained about getting home from the mall and smelling as fresh as they did when they left the house, or being able to enjoy a meal out without having to breathe in someone else's cigarette smoke.
UPMC isn't just blindly or out of the blue passing this policy. The non-profit is offering support, one-on-one counseling with health coaches, as well as nicotine patches, gum oral inhalers and more to help its staff cut back or quit. They will still hire smokers.
Hopefully, the members of the UPMC staff who do smoke focus on quitting in the next 12 months so it is not even an issue for them.
We are looking forward to seeing even more companies follow suit.


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The Gel Channel line of seats for sport bikes are designed specifically for the rider that needs a seat that can do everything—canyon carving, track days, or commuting. Features Saddlemen's Gel Channel (GC) technology (patent pending) that incorporates a split piece of SaddleGel and a channel in the base foam to relieve seating pressure on the perineal area, increase blood flow, and keep the rider in the saddle longer. Saddlemen sport bike seats offer high quality, light weight construction and styling that's second-to-none.
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Name: Dalton Macri
School: Canon-McMillan
Year: Junior
Spot: Wrestling
Weight Class: 126
Macri's Week: Macri began the week with a technical fall over Ringgold's Aaron McConville in the first round of the WPIAL Class AAA Team Tournament. He ended the week with a pin of Don Turner that gave the Big Macs an unprecedented fourth consecutive Class AAA team tournament title in a 31-26 victory over Franklin Regional at Chartiers Valley.
In between, he pinned John Keyser of Hampton in a 46-28 quarterfinal victory and won by forfeit in a 36-24 semifinal triumph over Kiski.
Coming to the rescue: Macri said he was "excited" and "relieved" to wrestle in such big matches as the one against Turner. The four wins put his record at 31-5 and he is rated second behind Sam Krivus of Hempfield in the last Observer-Reporter Wrestling Rankings.
Macri finished third at 126 in the prestigious Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament, second in the Reno Tournament of Champions and placed fifth in the Ironman Tournament at Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio.
The pin over Turner was special.
"This one had my adrenaline pumping," he said. "It's a great feeling."
Waiting his turn: Macri did not wrestle in the team tournament two years ago because Colton Shorts and Connor Schram dropped a weight, pushing Macri out of the lineup.
It was a disappointment to miss the postseason, but he understood.
"My freshman year didn't go the way I planned," said Macri. "But everything happens for a reason. I look at things differently now. I know that there is always someone out there who can beat you. That's why winning this year is more satisfying."
Preparation: Macri knows he is one of the wrestlers the Big Macs depend on for bonus points in dual meets, especially with injuries to Solomon Chishko, Malachi Krenzelak and William Pihiou through the middle of the lineup. He welcomes the responsibility that goes with those expectations.
"Every day, I try to get better," he said. "Every day, I try to help someone (in the wrestling room)."
Canon-McMillan will attempt to defend its PIAA Team Tournament title this weekend. One month from now, the Big Macs will return to the Giant Center in Hershey for the PIAA Individual Championships. Canon-McMillan is the two-time defending team champion in that event.
"We've been setting records. Four WPIAL titles has never been done before," said Macri. "It's been a pretty memorable season."
Compiled by Joe Tuscano
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Two former Charleroi Area School District cafeteria workers were released on $50,000 unsecured bond Thursday after they were arraigned on charges they stole more than $93,000 in lunch money over a two-year span.
Stacy Lee Shipley, 50, and Sheila Ann Cook, 49, both of Charleroi, were arraigned before District Judge Larry Hopkins.
Shipley is charged with dealing with proceeds of unlawful activities, theft, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds and forgery.
Cook is charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal conspiracy to commit theft and receiving stolen property.
According to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper Matthew Gavrish, Shipley was responsible for handling the daily deposits for cafeteria sales at the Charleroi High School-Middle School and would take the deposits for her own personal use between Aug. 1, 2010, and Oct. 29.
On multiple occasions, Shipley did not place the deposits in the school safe or in the school administration office, which was the recommended standard procedure.
Instead, she would take the deposits home, where she would keep the cash. She would return the checks to the school, where she would alter her daily sales deposit slips at her register. Shipley would keep the cash processed through her register that day and document it as sales being paid with check. She would then place the stolen checks, which had already been processed, back into her drawer so it would balance for the day.
Shipley split the stolen proceeds with Cook. The two would use the money to gamble at The Meadows Casino with the understanding that any winnings would be split 50/50.
Cook said she knew the money Shipley was giving her was coming from stolen cafeteria money, but she said she "got caught up in the thrill of it all," according to Gavrish's report.
Cook said the two would plans trips to the casino when Shipley would tell her she had "extra money."
Police began investigating the theft after being contacted by Charleroi Superintendent Brad Ferko, who related an an audit determined the cafeteria was short $93,987. On Nov. 12, police met with Shipley, informing her of the pending criminal charges. At that time, Shipley admitted to stealing the money and provided details on how shestolen it. She also admitted to sharing the money with Cook and said that the two women spent almost, if not, all of the money at the casino.
Cook was charged a month later.
Meanwhile, police obtained a search warrant and presented it to The Meadows requesting Players Club information for the women during that time frame. The results showed that combined the women's "coin in play" was $350,482.
Both women declined comment following their separate arraignments on the charges against them.
However, Shipley's attorney, Raymond Amatangelo, said his client is a "good lady" who has been a lifelong resident of the Charleroi area.
"She has some problems," said Amatangelo, adding Shipley is receiving treatment for those problems and is attending Gamblers Anonymous. "She's extremely remorseful."
Shipley is the mother of two children, both of whom attend Charleroi schools, he said.
Cook was unrepresented at the arraignment.
Hopkins set a prelminary hearing for both women at 10 a.m. Feb. 25.
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KLM Houses App
KLM Delft Blue houses app
Swipe through the entire collection, wander through the history of each house and view photos and videos of many of the real houses
Maintain your collection by marking and unmarking houses – including those you have double, or have your eye on for your next flight
Find the location of each house on 'Maps'
Contact KLM about the app through social media
Discover KLM's new World Business Class
Directly download other KLM apps
System requirements
To use the Android KLM Houses app you need Android 2.3 or higher.
If you have an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch you need at least iOS 6 to download KLM's Houses app. The Apple app is supported on iPhones 3G and up and iPod touch 4th generation and later models. You can also use the app on iPad2 and later models.
Do I need an Internet connection?
After downloading the KLM Houses app, you only need an internet connection to view houses on Google maps, view videos or the information about KLM World Business Class, or when contacting KLM. If you are not connected to the internet, you'll get a notification of this.
All other features of the KLM houses app can be used without being connected to the Internet - including during your flight with the Airplane Mode engaged.


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Like passing the bar, tending a bar requires extensive knowledge, and in some jurisdictions, a fitting for a barrister's wig. Pursue a new profession with this Groupon.
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- $25 for an online bartending course (a $74.99 value)
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Each online course guides the hands of aspiring barkeeps through a combination of 14 lessons, 16 timed exams, and more than 50 drink-recipe videos, plus access to the recipe book with more than 100 drink recipes. Students work their way through the self-paced course, capping off the lesson with a genuine bartender's certificate mailed to their home after passing the final exam. Students can opt to purchase accessories, such as a mixing kit ($38.95), which equips future hooch-hawkers with all the tools for successful countertop alchemy, including a pint glass, large mixing tin, bar spoon, strainer, six pour spouts, a jigger, and instructions on how to nod sympathetically and pour a beer at the same time.
The training course also includes access to the program on mobile devices. Students can use mobile devices to access lessons, videos optimized for mobile viewing, more than 100 recipes, bartender guides, quizzes, and newly added flash cards at no additional cost. Students can pull up drink recipes, study on the go, or take the test on their phones, which syncs progress across mobile devices and the online version. The mobile access works with most platforms, including iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7, and Symbian.
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Bartending Schools Online broadcasts a wealth of helpful video-based lessons and interactive quizzes in an easy-to-use online format, boosting the barkeeping skills and job prospects of students all over the world. Pupils study their way through 50 drink-recipe clips and 14 lessons, tracking their progress through helpful games and challenging timed quizzes. Intuitive tools and supplements breathe life into bartending careers—helping clients craft professional portfolios with resumé-creation tools—and finally make juggling cool with bottle-tossing flair lessons.


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One man has been arraigned on charges stemming from a March 27 robbery of a local convenience store that left a clerk with a gunshot wound to his lower body.
Christopher M. Pitzarella, 23, of 43 W. Hallam Ave., was arraigned before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of illegally lending or giving firearms and multiple counts of robbery Tuesday.
According to court documents, Pitzarella and Shayne Charles Coffield, 23, of 247 W. Hallam Ave., entered the Uni-Mart on East Maiden Street in Washington wearing dark clothing, masks and gloves about 4:25 a.m. One of the men was armed with a handgun.
Immediately after walking into the convenience store, the suspect carrying the handgun leapt the counter and grabbed Uni-Mart employee John Helfrich, firing one shot that struck him in the left leg near the knee. Helfrich was also punched and kicked in his face and head.
The other suspect allegedly assaulted Uni-Mart employee David Holmes, who was working a short distance away. Holmes was thrown to the floor and kicked in the head and face. During the assault, Holmes' wallet was taken from him.
Helfrich stayed at the register with the gunman but was unable to open it. The two suspects then removed the register base and took it from the store. The gun was again pointed at Helfrich before the two men fled in an unknown direction.
Helfrich was taken to Washington Hospital for treatment before being transferred to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh.
By looking at store records, police determined $221.57 was inside the register when it was stolen. They also found a spent 22-caliber shell casing and a 22-caliber slug behind the counter.
Police said shortly before the incident Pitzarella was in possession of a firearm identical to the one used in the robbery. During questioning, Pitzarella identified Coffield as the person who shot Helfrich.
Coffield was accused of contacting people in an attempt to dispose of the firearm, and police said Pitzarella contacted others in order to establish an alibi for the date of the robbery.
Pitzarella was arraigned by Judge Redlinger and placed in the Washington County jail on a $100,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 17 at 9:30 a.m.
As of Tuesday evening, Coffield was still at large. Anyone knowing his whereabouts is asked to contact Washington police.
This was not Coffield's first run-in with the law. In 2009, he was sentenced to 18 to 36 months in jail for burglary after he broke into and stole three laptops from a home in Houston.
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USC looks at increasing drain of cyber and charter tuitions
Upper St. Clair School District administrators discussed the unpredictable and increasing costs of cyber and charter schools in the district budget with school board members Feb. 11.
While planning for the upcoming budget, Frosina Cordisco, director of business and finance for the district, showed board members a chart outlining the escalating enrollment and costs that the district has been paying for residents to attend cyber and charter schools.
The chart began with the 2007-08 school year, when there were 10 students enrolled in cyber or charter schools at the end of the school year at a cost to the district of $80,139.71.
The cost had risen to $285,528.85 during the 2011-12 school year, with an enrollment at the end of the year of 29 students.
The current tuition rate that the district must pay for each regular student in 2011-12 is $10,111.61. The cost for students requiring special education is nearly double that.
Cordisco said the district never knows how many of these students the district will have to pay for in a given year, making it difficult to budget for the escalating cost.
"This funding system is broken," said district Superintendent Patrick O'Toole.
Cordisco said that not only must the district pay the tuition to the cyber and charter schools, but they also lose out on state funding for those students.
The district is hoping the board will approve a proposed final budget for 2013-14 at its April 22 meeting, and a final budget at the May 28 meeting.
This is a month ahead of deadlines set by the state for adoption of the proposed and final budgets. The state requires the proposed final budget to be adopted by May 31 and the final budget be adopted by June 30.
"We've set ourselves a goal to not raise taxes this year," O'Toole said.
The district raised taxes for the 2012-13 school year by 1.618 mills.
O'Toole said administrators negotiated with the unions to extend the deadline to announce retirement plans from Feb. 1 to March 1. He said the extension was arranged due to the fact that the state's retirement plan board recently announced a change in the calculations for retirement payments for employees electing spousal benefits that will reduce monthly payments from between $100-$200. O'Toole said this would require more consideration from employees, and he did not feel they had adequate warning to make the decision by Feb. 1.
He said they already have notification of one administrator who is retiring, as well as seight teachers.


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Lebo landlords outraged over proposed inspections
Lebo landlords outraged over proposed inspections
For The Almanac
Angry that a new ordinance in Mt. Lebanon establishing a residential rental property registration and inspection program will cost them time and money, a large number of landlords voiced their displeasure to Mt. Lebanon commissioners at a Feb. 25 public hearing.
The bill was introduced Feb. 12 after Mt. Lebanon Fire Chief Nick Sohyda voiced concerns about safety hazards inside individual apartments in the municipality. The ordinance would charge $65 per inspection, and inspections will be done every three years or every time a new tenant moves into an apartment. The ordinance also requires landlords to register all tenant names and phone numbers with the municipality. The ordinance only applies to multiple apartment complexes, and does not extend to single family homes, commercial properties or co-op units.
"This is not an ordinance we dreamed up to make money," commissioner Kristen Linfante said. "This was brought up by our fire chief because he has serious concerns. Our fire department is trying to keep the community safe."
But a number of landlords felt the ordinance singles them out as negligent and violates their tenants' privacy.
"This program could be very expensive," landlord Saverio Strati said. "It unjustly penalizes property owners. The only true goal is to generate revenue. The fire department already inspects my properties once a year. I'm going to have to label it as a fee to my tenants."
"The typical rental property owner is not looking to make a quick buck," real estate agent Benedict Serratore said. "It seems to me they own the properties for the right reasons. They don't need more hoops to jump through. It's unfair and discriminatory to have this apply to one type of property."
According to Mt. Lebanon Inspection Officer Joseph Berkley, there are 2,800 individual apartment units in Mt. Lebanon, and during the past five years, only 40 percent of the units were found to have working smoke detectors. Both Berkley and Sohyda agreed that the ordinance focuses on a tenant's individual unit and not an apartment building's utility rooms and common areas.
"Most of our landlords are very good and they work well with us," Sohyda said, explaining why the ordinance doesn't apply to single family dwellings. "If I'm creating a fire hazard in my single family home, I'm only putting myself at risk. But if I'm creating a hazard in my apartment, I'm putting hundreds of others at risk."
The ordinance could be voted on at the commissioner's March 12 meeting.
"The commissioners will gather the information and decide on the next step," Mt. Lebanon Municipal Manager Stephen Feller said. "This is not a done deal."
Landlord Bruce Barcic, who owns 120 apartments in Mt. Lebanon, said the inspections could cost him $7,000.
"We take pride in our properties," Barcic told commissioners. "This is a solution without a problem. Maybe you can come up with an ordinance for bad tenants."


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Length: 0.25in / 0.5cm, of stud
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Length: 0.25in / 0.5cm, of stud
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Nearest station to Ruby Blue
Location map of Ruby Blue
Underground Stations
Cranbourn Street, London, Soho, WC2H 0AP
2 mins from Ruby Blue
Piccadilly Circus, London, St James's, W1J 0DA
3 mins from Ruby Blue
41 Long Acre, London, Covent Garden, WC2E 9JT
6 mins from Ruby Blue
Mainline Stations
The Strand, London, Covent Garden, WC2 5HS , Underground lines: Bakerloo, Northern
7 mins from Ruby Blue
Ludgate Hill, London, City, EC4M 7JH
22 mins from Ruby Blue
179 Queen Victoria Street, London, City, EC4V 4DY
23 mins from Ruby Blue
Docklands Light Railway
Cornhill , London, City, EC3V 3LA , Underground lines: Waterloo & City, Northern, Central, DLR (Bank Branch)
35 mins from Ruby Blue
Minories, London, City, EC3N 1JL , Underground lines: DLR (Tower Gateway Branch)
2.4 miles from Ruby Blue
Cable Street, London, Tower Hamlets, E1 2QF , Underground lines: DLR (Bank Branch)
3.16 miles from Ruby Blue
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The London Borough of Westminster
City of Westminster It is impossible to even begin to capture everything that Westminster - the seat of Britain's government - has to offer. From stately Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament to the raucous Soho nightlife, from the bustle of Oxford Street, to the rolling vistas of the Royal Parks it would take weeks to describe everything to see and do in London's heartland. It also contains some of the best shopping in London, with Covent Garden's bustling market, the boutiques of Soho and Carnaby Street, and the towering department stores around Oxford Circus. As the shops close, London's West End comes alive, with dozens of theatres and music venues, and hundreds of bars and restaurants making sure that this is a borough that never sleeps.
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Stick Man: Scamp Theatre (Over 3s)
Theatre | Until 7th January 2018
Leicester Square Theatre WC2H 7BX WC2H 7BP - 0 minute walk from Ruby Blue
An adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's story book by Scamp Theatre....More
David Ephgrave: Now Who's A Comedian'
Comedy | Until 25th October 2017
Leicester Square Theatre WC2H 7BX WC2H 7BP - 0 minute walk from Ruby Blue
Daily dissections on an awkward life from the blogging comic....More
Jinkx Monsoon: Jinkx Sings Everything
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Leicester Square Theatre WC2H 7BX WC2H 7BP - 0 minute walk from Ruby Blue
RuPaul's Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon performs musical improv from audience suggestions....More
Mark Thomas: A Show That Gambles On The Future
Comedy | Until 28th October 2017
Leicester Square Theatre WC2H 7BX WC2H 7BP - 0 minute walk from Ruby Blue
Drawing inspiration from his 2011 show Manifesto, stand-up and political activist Thomas takes suggestions from the audience about their predictions ...More
Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle
Theatre | Until 6th January 2018
Wyndham's Theatre 2 minutes walk from Ruby Blue
Marianne Elliott directs Anne-Marie Duff and Kenneth Cranham in the UK premiere staging of Simon Stephens' drama about two strangers, ...More
Voice - By Gavin Maughfling
Exhibitions | Until 28th October 2017
Westminster Reference Library 2 minutes walk from Ruby Blue
Exhibitions & Art, Painting....More
The Arrangements
Exhibitions | Until 28th October 2017
Westminster Reference Library 2 minutes walk from Ruby Blue
Exhibitions & Art, Painting....More
What Is Art
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Westminster Reference Library 2 minutes walk from Ruby Blue
Literary & Education, Author Event....More
On The Home And Fighting Fronts In World War One
Theatre | Until 28th October 2017
Westminster Reference Library 2 minutes walk from Ruby Blue
The Book Of Mormon
Theatre | Until 9th December 2017
Prince of Wales Theatre 2 minutes walk from Ruby Blue
Creators of Southpark (Trey Parker and Matt Stone) have turned their satirical eyes to the cheery world of musicals. With ...More
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Blisters: The Paperback Edition
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The Magic Roundabout
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Smoking Goat
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Smoking Goat Shoreditch
Ben Chapman, Brian Hannon and head chef Ali Borer open a second Smoking Goat, in ...More
Shake Shack Cambridge Circus
Shake Shack the modern day 'roadside' burger stand ...More
The Watch House
A former spice factory near Tower Bridge has become a cool coffee shop, offering signature cocktails at night....More
The Watch House
Once a shelter for men guarding St Mary Magdalane Church graveyard at night, now a cosy Bermondsey Street coffee shop....More
The Watch House
Chancery Lane coffee shop The Watch House becomes, from 5pm each evening, a cosy wine ...More
Claw Carnaby
Claw Carnaby is the first bricks and mortar site for the seafood specialist....More
The Good Egg
Chefs Joel Braham, Alex Coppard and Oded Mizrachi repeat the success of their much-loved Stoke ...More
Bombay Bustle
The team behind Jamavar honour the men who use Mumbai's local railway to deliver home ...More
Theatre | From 1st November
The refurbished London theatre opens with Terry d'Alfonso's biographical drama, which explores the professional triumphs and personal tribulations of the revered Spanish painter and sculptor. Peter Tate plays the title role, directed by Michael Hunt....More
Autumn 2016 in London
No excuse to hide and hibernate with London's impressive calendar of events over the coming months. With frightful Halloween happenings and banging Bonfire Night celebrations, excellent exhibitions and fabulous foodie pop-ups, there's a whole host ...More
Halloween Horror Movie Ball
Clubbing and Nightlife | On 28th October
The Grand, Clapham pays homage to the finest ...More
Awful Auntie
Theatre | From 2nd November
The Birmingham Stage Company, who recently completed a record-breaking tour of David Walliams' Gangsta Granny, now turn their attention to Walliams' Awful Auntie. Awfully thrilling fun for everyone over five, the stage show tells the ...More
Stylist Live
Exhibitions | From 10th November
Presented by Stylist Magazine, Stylist Live is back for its third year in 2017 and it has doubled in size since launching in 2015. Taking place at Olympia London, the event expects to welcome 21,000 ...More
Gilbert & George: The Beard Pictures And Their Fuckosophy
Exhibitions | From 22nd November
White Cube Bermondsey marks the 50th anniversary of ...More
Miss Julie
Theatre | From 14th November
Howard Brenton's adaptation of August Strindberg's Miss Julie gets its London premiere this November at the Jermyn Street Theatre. Directed by Tom Littler, it will be the first West End staging of the play since ...More
Rose Wylie
Exhibitions | From 30th November
A new exhibition at the Serpentine presents the work of British artist Rose Wylie, showcasing ...More
Vegan Nights
Foodie Events | On 23rd November
After the roaring success of the original Vegan Nights market - the queue stretched all the way down Brick Lane - it's coming back this November. Hosted by the Truman Markets and King Cook of ...More
MTV Europe Music Awards
Concerts | On 12th November
In 2017, the MTV European Music Awards (EMAs) are to be held in London for the first time in 21 years. Coming to Wembley's SSE Arena in November, the awards will be hosted by Rita ...More
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Oktoberfest comes to London this autumn with themed parties popping up all over the ...More
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Multi Tony Award-winning musical Hamilton comes to Victoria, Robert Lindsay reprises his role as ...More
London Hotels
From cheap budget accommodation to luxury 5 star suites see our discounts for Ruby Blue hotels, including DoubleTree by Hilton Tower of London from 58% off.


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The 2009 NCTE Committee on Resolutions encourages NCTE members to propose a resolution for consideration during the Annual Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
If you have concerns about issues that affect your teaching, or positions you would like to support, and you think NCTE should take a stand, you have an opportunity to be heard! You can initiate action to deal with these issues by proposing resolutions which may be voted on and passed at NCTE's Annual Convention. Keith Gilyard, Pennsylvania State University, chair of the 2009 Committee on Resolutions, urges individual members and affiliate groups to begin preparing and submitting their resolutions now.
If passed at the Annual Business Meeting for the Board of Directors and Other Members of the Council (Friday, November 20), proposed resolutions become part of the Council's position/philosophy on questions related to the teaching of English. They are often publicized to news media, legislators, school boards, and the voting public and therefore addressed to those audiences. Resolutions also assist the Council in developing action programs on issues that affect teaching and learning.
Proposed resolutions should deal with issues not previously addressed or with aspects of issues not covered by existing resolutions. Your submission should include
See the resolutions on the NCTE website for samples of the form to follow in drafting resolutions. Keith Gilyard can provide technical assistance in development of a new resolution. The Committee on Resolutions decides which of the submitted texts to present to the membership.
At open hearings on Friday morning, November 20, NCTE members may offer opinions about proposed resolutions. Final discussion and voting will take place during the Annual Business Meeting.
Resolutions must be postmarked by October 15, 2009. Send resolutions, including a contact name, e-mail address, and phone or fax number, to Keith Gilyard, Chair, NCTE Committee on Resolutions, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096; fax: 217-278-3761. If you would like to submit your resolution by e-mail, please include the full name and NCTE member number for each of the five required members who support the resolution text.
NOTE: All NCTE members are invited to attend the Annual Business Meeting and take part in discussions and vote on resolutions on issues of concern to the profession! Please verify your membership and obtain a voting card for the meeting by presenting your NCTE membership card at the door before the start of the meeting.
Sense-of-the-House MotionsSense-of-the-house motions, which, like resolutions, are statements of position on issues facing the profession, may be prepared at the Convention and offered for discussion and action at the Annual Business Meeting. A written text of such a motion should be prepared in triplicate and handed to the NCTE President or Parliamentarian at the meeting on Friday before adoption of the agenda. Sense-of-the-house motions should be no longer than 50 words, not including background statements. Such motions, if passed, are advisory to the Executive Committee or other appropriate Council bodies.
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Over eight months, from July 30, 2012 to March 30, 2013, Face the Facts USA released 204 "fresh, hot facts" to help you look at America's biggest policy challenges in new ways. We launched Face the Facts USA 100 days before Election Day 2012.
In the eight months that followed:
We provided ten categories of facts, including 22 facts about Debt and Deficit; 38 facts about Jobs & Economy; 22 facts about National Security; and 33 facts on Life in America.
We found our most popular fact is Tax Code Complexity. As of March 30 it's received 119 comments, 763 Facebook "likes," and 359 Twitter shares.
We collaborated with Arizona State University and the University of Southern California. We're grateful to the 20 George Washington University students who contributed to facts and videos.
Check out our infographic and video for more facts about our facts. And as thousands already have, share your thoughts in the discussion. How do you think we did?


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Theatre and Dance BA - Dance Education Specialization
What courses do I have to take for Theatre and Dance BA - Dance Education Specialization? KSC offers two online resources. The planning sheets below list the required courses for each major; and the program evaluation advising tool on MyKSC shows all of your completed courses. View all Programs
Planning Sheets by Academic Year:
Additional Resources:
- 4-Year Planner – worksheet for planning requirements for your major with a faculty advisor.
- Department Advising Plans – department-provided program planning reccomendations.
- Academic Catalog – official information about degree programs and courses.
Contact Academic and Career Advising
Academic and Career Advising Office
Elliot Center
229 Main Street
Keene, New Hampshire 03435


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Nashville's "Print Crawl," to be held October 3 from 6-9 p.m. in Nashville, combines art with a scavenger hunt. It's sponsored by k2forma, inc at 429 South Chestnut Street in Nashville.
Participants can pick up their poster (map) template at Sawtooth Printhouse and make their first print from 6-7 p.m. After that, swing by all of the print shops to complete your poster and finish it at Grand Palace.
Stick around after for a drink and to check out how your friend's posters look. If you miss a shop, sorry – there will be a gap in your poster, which will be sad but not the end of the world.
Maps will be available to show the locations of all the shops, and some print shops are in shared spaces so the distance walked won't be too long.
Participants include Goldsmith Press, Grand Palace Silkscreen, Isle of Printing, k2forma, Kangaroo Press, Platetone Printshop, and Sawtooth Printshop.
Food Trucks will also be posted around the neighborhoods, so you won't have to go hungry.


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PITTSBURGH – Evgeni Malkin returned to the lineup Monday night, just in time to score a spectacular goal that helped the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Tampa Bay.
Malkin and Sidney Crosby each had a goal and an assist as the Penguins defeated the Lightning 4-3 before 18,656 at Consol Energy Center.
"It's nice to have him back," Crosby said.
Malkin had missed four games after sustaining a concussion in a home game against Florida on Feb. 22. He showed no lingering effects of the injury as he played 20:57, had five shots on goal and skated with energy.
"I was a little nervous before the game," Malkin said. "My teammates support me, and I feel good that we won the game."
The Penguins rallied from a 2-1 deficit after two periods, the first time they've won a game they trailed after two periods. They had been 0-6 in those circumstances.
Malkin got the tying goal at 5:38 of the third, jumping on Eric Brewer's turnover at the blue line, and driving to the net down the right side. When it appeared that either the diving Brewer or defenseman Matt Carle would stop him, Malkin skated away from Carle, shifted to his forehand and put the puck in the net. Goalie Anders Lindback had no idea what to do.
"Ah, just a lucky goal," Malkin shrugged. "I go to the net between the defenseman, just move to the left and shoot to the empty net."
Crosby said, "It didn't look like there was any way to get through those two guys. But he found a way. You won't see that happen too often."
Coach Dan Bylsma said Malkin's goal and the reaction it got from the crowd led to a surge that lasted five or six minutes and saw the Penguins take the lead.
Crosby broke the tie at 7:29 as he and Kris Letang overwhelmed the Lightning with their speed. Crosby stole the puck in the defensive zone, carried it up the ice, dished it off to Letang, then got open in front of the net and fired Letang's pass past Lindback's glove. Crosby made the shot as he was skating away from the net.
"Mine wasn't quite as nice (as Malkin's) but they all count," Crosby said. "(Letang) made a great play. He showed great patience as he came around the net, and I just tried to find an open area. I had a lot of net to look at."
It appeared the Penguins put the game away with 51.5 seconds left as Malkin generously set up James Neal for an empty net score.
But Steven Stamkos used a baseball swing to bat in a rebound with eight seconds left to draw Tampa Bay within one with his second goal of the game.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, the Lightning scored twice in the second. One goal relied on skill, the other on a fortunate but painful bounce.
The Penguins had some excellent chances turned away by goalie Mathieu Biron in the first minutes of the second period. Biron was injured on one sequence and forced to leave the game. He was replaced by Lindback.
Shortly after the goalie change, the Lightning tied the score. Cory Conacher drew two defenders, leaving defenseman Victor Hedman space to send a post to the right goal post. Stamkos only had to guide the puck into the net at 3:39.
The Lightning took a 2-1 lead at 11:59. Nate Thompson took a shot from 12 feet, the puck hit Brandon Sutter's stick and bounced up, striking Tom Pyatt in the face, then floating into the net over Marc-Andre Fleury's glove.
Chris Kunitz had the only goal of the first period, which extended his point-scoring streak to six games, a personal best.
Crosby won a battle along the boards against Stamkos, who lost his stick in the process. That allowed Crosby to make a pass to Kunitz, who was in the high slot and one-timed the pass for his 12th goal.
Despite allowing three goals, Fleury had a strong game, stopping Stamkos and Conacher on one sequence.
Byslma said he had no reservations about playing Malkin after seeing the way he handled contact drills during a practice on Monday.
"He had guys shaking their heads at how strong he was," Bylsma said. "To see him come out and play that way and be confident, I'm not real surprised the way he was battling yesterday."
Defenseman Brooks Orpik appeared to be shaken up after he was hit by Vincent Lecavalier about five minutes into the third period. Orpik finished the game. … The Penguins sent winger Beau Bennett back to Wilkes-Barre this morning. He had one goal and two assists in his first eight NHL games. … Crosby and Stamkos each had two points, so Crosby maintains a two-point lead (36 to 34) in the NHL scoring race. … Defenseman Paul Martin sat out another game with a lower body injury.
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I will buy whatever they put out there, but I will be somewhat disappointed if he doesn't have the action feature. Some of the magic is lost having to stick on extension pieces.
This is not a thread for Extendar haters, so if you are an Extendar hater, please go elsewhere.
How do you think Mattle should make Extendar in 201X? Should he have the action feature, should he have attachments, should he be just a normal figure that cannot extend? Which one will you buy?
Got Fur
I want a Glimmer by the end of 2012 and Extendar by 2013!
Other Wants:
MotU: Rokkon, Stonedar, Dragstor, Modulok, Multi-bot, Horde Trooper, DB Skeletor
PoP: Peekablue, Madam Razz, Lighthope, Kowl
NA: Quakke, Sagitarr
MYP: Hawk, Queen Andreenos, Lord Dactys
Mini-Comics: Kex Queen, Tug-of-War Yellow Warrior, King Hiss' Slave Girl
I will buy whatever they put out there, but I will be somewhat disappointed if he doesn't have the action feature. Some of the magic is lost having to stick on extension pieces.
"My favorite Harry Potter movie is Troll."
But maybe if they use this old Mr. Fanstastic figure's action feature as a reference.
if they go with attachments they should be hard and strong, because bendy attachments can't support the weight of a figure. (See Toy Biz's Fantastic Four movie Reed Richards with interchangeable streched parts.) MOTUC are more husky than the F4 Movie toys and the bendy parts would collapse under the figs weight.
FINALLY!! GLIMMER IS IN MY SHELF!! Crita is coming... Now I NEED SONGSTER! The Awesometastic Bard!
Extendar's gonna be a tough one.
He's gonna need a ton of new tooling no matter how they do him.
The only thing I can really think of for a cost-saving measure would be to design the extending feature to have the same key/plug system at every spot so they can just include 5-6 of the same "extender" pieces instead of unique pieces for arm vs. leg, etc.
But while they're waiting, trying to figure it out, waiting for enough tooling dollars to free up, I'll just take a 200x-style Extendar Staction, please and thank you.
That Mr. Fantastic pretty much had the same feature as Extendar, actually. I had both.
I LOVED Extendar. I always thought a knight was long overdue in the line. He looked great, and I used to re-create the scene in the commercial where he made himself into a bridge for the heroes all the time!
The action feature is probably out, simple as it is. I'd be okay with exchangeable limbs. Really, Extendar might be one of the easier guys to make with existing molds. They'd really only have to make a new head, armor, gloves and boots. The reast could pretty much use the existing molds. I'm hoping we get all-new leg and arm sculpts though. We'll see.
he'd need to have replacement parts for the most part. I think he'd have to be a $30 deluxe figure to be done properly
Fneh's MOTUC wishlist:
Spikor, MYP Marzo, Snake Armour He-Man, Stinkor
Fneh's MOTUC needed list:
King Grayskull, Beastman, Stratos head
I feel that while an extra neck attachment might work for Mekaneck, the same approach may not for Extendar, since he needs an extended abdomen, neck, arms, and legs. Probably worth making him as a newly tooled sculpt.
I have my faith in the 4HM. I can't imagine how, but I'm sure they'll come up with some brilliant solution for this challenge!
I do think that I'd like snap-on parts more than the action-feature. Extendar has always been pretty bad at keeping his limbs (and head) extended. I used to hate that when I was little, eventhough I loved the character.
"The most difficult thing is trying not to forget who you really want to be." - Nong Toom
I am looking for these Marvel Legends figures
My marketplace feedback
Although Ideally I would want him to actually extend at this rate I'd be happy to have a stagnant Extendar fig.
2012 Create a character Runners up Mini-Sub please!!! I needs Bubblor and Major Header.
Same as Mekanek--he has to extend in some way.
My seller/trader/buyer feedback:
MOTUC Most Wanted: 1) Stridor 2) Road Ripper 3) Dragon Walker 4) Land Shark
I'd have to think that he (and Mekaneck) will have snap on extensions.
I hope that Mattel maintained outside the actions features from this adult MOTUC line. The 4H are definitely doing a great job with this, looks Battle Armor He-Man.
I want Extendar to be that thick.
That's part of what was cool to me, in that it was a pretty intensive transformation to go from a stocky, tank-like dude to someone so tall and lanky-looking.
I hope he has his old action feature.
He was my second favorite figure of all time.
The body should be a heavy piece with the classic extension feature the original had.
I would like to see snap-on attachments for the head, arms and legs. The leg extensions would be solid, sturdy pieces with maybe the look of a bend or stance molded into them but still able to support the figure. The arms and head however I'd like to see made out of a light weight, bendable material. something that would snap into the heavier body of the unit and not cause alot of unbalance. Yet still posable.
Either way I'll be happy to get any new Extendar figure.
Aw man, I LOVE that figure! I always wanted him when I was little, but never got him until way later, at a flea market.
Anyway, as everyone has been saying, this is gona be a tough one! As it was also said, he's gona have to be an all new figure (and, honestly, he wouldn't be as cool unless he was). Also, he'd be HUGE! He was already a wide, large figure as he was. I'd hope he'd be just as big! As for the action feature, well, I understand interchangable parts, but if he's big enough, I don't see why his original feature wouldn't still work! The extending parts in the arms and legs can be above the knee and elbow joints, and I wouldn't mind losing the chest joint to allow for the original feature to work. If they do that, then the neck wouldn't be a problem!
"Since you got here by not thinking, it seems reasonable to expect that, in order to get out, you must start thinking." ~ Tock, the Watchdog
Alexx has a blog?! Come on in and check out Toys and Tomfoolery! You won't regret it...until the next morning.
For the record, I don't like BA He-Man at all and so do many others. To me, the figure's existence is totally meaningless without a rotating cylinder in the chest. I am happy that he is a bonus figure so I will not have to buy it. Same goes for Extendar, Mekaneck, Rokkon, Stonedar, Rio Blast and all figures whose action feature is a must.
I think Mattel have won (and will won) a lot of money reusing parts in MOTUC (even Zoar is reused in DC CLASSICS), so please, give us Extendar with his action feature, even if Extendar have to had an unique sculpt. Attaching parts to a figure is boring and always the parts get lost.
I also think that a multiarticulation is incompatible with ExtendaR ACTION FEATURE. Doesn´t mind for me. I prefer the action feature over multiarticulation.
I want Extendar to be the same size as the other characters (except when he extends). He wasn't super thick in his mini-comic appearances or Star Comics. I wouldn't like the 80's limitations to define the character.
Last edited by MegaGearMax; September 2, 2009 at 03:09pm.
Where is this comic from and is it available to read here on the .org???
Mattel... Please bring back 200x styled stactions!!
That's one of the old Marvel/Star comics, I believe.


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HOUSTON – Mark LaBarbera says his 15-year-old daughter, Haylee, is his hero.
And after sharing the family's story, it's easy to understand why.
Mark isn't exaggerating when he says, "She's almost like a burn patient. What she goes through every single day, some people don't go through in a lifetime. It's an incredible feat for any person."
Haylee and her 11-year-old sister, Abbie, were born with EB, a simple acronym for a very complex, debilitating disease known as Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa.
EB is caused by an inherited genetic abnormality that leads to a lack of functional collagen, resulting in chronic, painful blistering of the skin. It can occur in various forms, from mild to severe. The LaBarbera sisters have the most severe – and rare – form of EB. Their skin is so fragile that the slightest touch or minor friction can cause blisters. There is no cure or treatment for EB, except for daily wound care and bandaging.
Mark, along with his wife, Jen, calmly and matter-of-factly described the disease and how it has affected their lives physically, emotionally and financially as they and their daughters sat in the dining room in the home of Jen's parents, Jim and Pat Polly of Houston. They selected the location because their North Strabane Township townhouse is crowded with their daughters' medical equipment.
Haylee's birth
Haylee LaBarbera was born in Tunkhannock, a small town about 35 miles northwest of Scranton, the second of the LaBarberas' three children. Their son, Andrew, born four years earlier, was healthy. It was "quite obvious," Mark said, Haylee was not.
She had blisters on her lips, hands and feet, and when the nurses began suctioning the fluid from her mouth, slivers of her tongue came off as well.
"I was startled. The doctor was startled," Mark said. "She's crying and flailing and nobody knew why. It was pretty traumatic."
In fact, Jen said, "The nurses were afraid to touch her."
Doctors considered flying Haylee to Penn State Geisinger Medical Center the night she was born, but opted, instead, to await the results of a biopsy. In the meantime, Jen began to research her daughter's symptoms when she stumbled upon DebRA of America, the only national nonprofit dedicated to funding research and providing services and programs for those with EB.
It was Jen who made the diagnosis – but not before additional damage was inflicted on Haylee's skin. Haylee had been hooked up to various montiors, and when the adhesive pads attached to the leads were pulled from her chest and forehead, chunks of skin were ripped off.
"It was really trial and error back then," Mark said. "Doctors didn't go to medical school to take care of kids with EB. A lot of doctors aren't familiar with it because it's so rare."
But they've learned a lot since then.
Abbie's birth
By the time Abbie was born, the LaBarberas were living in North Strabane. They returned to Southwestern Pennsylvania to be closer to their families for emotional and physical support. (Mark's parents live in Penn Hills.)
Even though the couple were told the odds of winning the lottery more than once were greater than having another child with EB, they soon discovered that wasn't the case.
But Abbie's skin lesions have not been as severe as Haylee's. Mark believes Abbie has tougher skin because she was handled much more gingerly at birth, the beneficiary of the knowledge her parents gained from Haylee's birth.
Abbie was born at St. Clair Hospital, and when it was apparent she, too, had EB, Mark said the doctors deferred to him regarding her care, and she was taken almost immediately to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh.
The early years
EB did not affect the girls cognitively, but Haylee experienced other developmental delays, and she did not walk until she was 4 years old. Jen said a lot of people with EB use wheelchairs. Haylee and Abbie don't, but they do use walkers.
"We always tried to encourage the girls to walk and crawl and exercise," Jen said.
But it hasn't always been easy.
"You don't want to encourage your daughter to crawl when you see blood running down her leg," Jen said.
Abbie loves to dance, and she'll attend classes regularly, knowing full well the pain – and blisters – that will accompany them. She also enjoys swimming.
Still, the girls' mobility can be awkward, the result of extensive bandaging, much like that of a mummy, that's required to prohibit movement as much as it is to offer protection.
"Haylee is constantly raw," said Mark, estimating that as much as 40 percent of Haylee's body has no skin.
When the girls were toddlers, Jen would cut out the tags from their clothes and turn them inside out to prevent any seams from irritating their skin.
"Haylee is constantly wrapped," Jen said. "If it were up to Abbie, she would never be wrapped. When their skin breaks down, it heals, but not completely."
Over time, the disease has progressed, attacking and spreading over their bodies both internally and externally. Haylee's fingers have fused together, although she has partial thumb movement, and she has lost her fingernails and toenails. The girls have developed blisters on the linings of their esophagus, mouth, stomach and upper airway, and their tongues are webbed and attached to the bottom of their mouths.
"They've gone through times when they couldn't even swallow their saliva," Jen said, noting they've had surgery to insert a balloon to expand their esophagus.
And even though they both have feeding tubes, Haylee continues to struggle with nutrition. She has an iron deficiency that requires regular transfusions.
Financial burdens
The medical expenses associated with the girls' disease are quite high. They obviously require specialized care, and the place they receive it is at the EB Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, the only hospital in the United States with protocols in place to treat EB patients. Dentists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists and surgeons from across the country who have trained themselves to treat EB patients periodically gather at the center to provide medical care. The family makes two to three trips a year, depending on what surgeries the girls need, and whether they can afford it.
Mark and Jen both work full time, and Mark has taken on a part-time job, but much of the girls' out-of-state and out-of-network care is not covered by the family's health insurance. To help ease their financial burden, Consulate Healthcare of North Strabane will hold a fundraiser, Taste of the Town, Sept. 26 (see related story).
"I think we've seen every specialist out there," Jen said. "It's so reassuring going to Cincinnati because the anxiety is so high every time you move them around on a bed. What would be outpatient for many requires overnight stays for the girls."
The couple said they have been blessed, however, with medical insurance that covers the girls wound-care supplies, which cost $20,000 per month. Since 2000, George O'Hare, owner of Jeffrey's Drug Store in Canonsburg, "has gone above and beyond" to help the family obtain the specialized bandages.
"We're very thankful," Jen said. "In other states, some parents have to rewash bandages because they're not covered by their insurance."
School days
The LaBarberas also are grateful to Canon-McMillan School District, which has been gone the extra mile to accommodate the girls. Since heat can cause spontaneous blistering, when Haylee was in middle school, the district provided air-conditioning in rooms where she has classes. Haylee is now a sophomore at Canon-McMillan High School, and Abbie is a sixth-grader at North Strabane Intermediate School.
Every morning, Haylee gets up at 5 a.m. to begin the lengthy – often painful – ritual of undressing and redressing her wounds before getting dressed for school. A nurse helps Haylee on weekdays; her mom helps her on weekends.
"Haylee likes summertime – and not for the weather," said Mark, referring to the fact she can sleep in during the summer.
Haylee and Abbie are each accompanied to school by a nurse familiar with EB, who helps the girls with their walkers and books, and will change their bandages if needed.
Haylee is a straight-A student and an award-winning artist. In middle school, she was named Artist of the Year. She enjoys drawing, sculpting and painting, and she likes to read and write. Abbie said her favorite subject is math.
Although the girls had little trouble socializing as youngsters, as a teenager, Haylee has become more sensitive about her appearance. Because of her challenges with nutrition, she is shorter than other girls her age, and her mother applies enough makeup to hide any blisters that apear on her face.
Through Facebook, however, Haylee has been able to connect and commisserate with other teens struggling with the same disease.
"We got used to the stares and the questions," Mark said. "As she gets older, she's more self-conscious. I'd rather have somebody come up and ask what happened rather than have the gawking and staring."
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Cadillac Escalade Leveling Kits
A leveling kit is designed to raise the front of your Cadillac Escalade. There are various options for the amount of front lift, depending on your specific requirements. Since nearly all vehicles come from the factory with a slight rake, a leveling kit is what you'll need to not only raise the front but also allow the installation of larger tires. If you've added a heavier bumper or a winch to the front, this is another reason to install a leveling kit. You'll find a wide assortment of Cadillac Escalade lift kits here provided by manufacturers that are known to be leaders in the industry.
The ReadyLift options to level your Cadillac Escalade have the product quality to accomplish the task without sacrificing ride quality. Advanced technology and innovative research are mainstays of the ReadyLift brand. Backed by the ReadyLift Limited Lifetime Warranty. FREE SHIPPING on select items to lower 48 States
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Create an account to track your order history and expedite the checkout process.
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